Advice about Alternative Medicine
Parent Q&A
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Recommendations for high cholesterol
–Apr 13, 2025Hi community,
I have high cholesterol (genetics, not diet related as I'm vegetarian). I'm menopausal in my late 50s and have tried to control it via diet (increasing healthy fats, etc). I've had very marginal success with this and now need to consider my options. I would prefer to try supplements such as red rice yeast, niacin, etc. Am hoping someone in the community has had success with lowering their cholesterol via supplements. If so, I would love to know what worked for you? Thanks.
Apr 13, 2025Reply now »Seeking Treatment for Severe Gastroparesis/Colon Inertia
–Jan 17, 2025I am desperately seeking GI specialists who deal with gastroparesis, functional dyspepsia, motility, and colonic inertia. Both the diagnosis and cause are unknown. I'm also looking for alternative therapies to address this problem, such as vagal nerve stimulation, acupuncture, and anything else that might relieve the symptoms of this condition: nausea, pain, and total inability to vacate. We've done an endoscopy, colonoscopy, and CT scan, none of which showed anything. Thank you so much.
Jan 17, 2025Functional Health Doctor for Deeply Exhausted Mom
–Oct 23, 2024I’m in my early 40s with two young kids, and though I have always felt “deeply exhausted,” more recently I have felt such deep deep levels of exhaustion that it has caught me a bit off guard. No amount of sleep makes me feel better, and I’m beginning to feel pain in my body.
I don’t eat well nor do I exercise - I’m just trying to juggle life is an active mother, lawyer, cook, cleaner, etc.What I’m looking for is a functional medicine doctor that can help me through what I’m hoping to be a journey to good health. Maybe even a message therapist too? I want to fix this, but I don’t know where to start really.
Oct 23, 2024Functional Medicine Doctor
–Feb 25, 2023Hello, I'm looking for recommendations for a functional medicine doctor for my 75-year old mother. She has, among other things, osteoarthritis, high blood pressure, low sodium levels, and a poorly functioning kidney, some of which seems to have been caused by various medicines she's been prescribed. She sees a long list of specialists but I'm not convinced that any of them are looking at her health holistically or considering the new problems they may be creating with the solutions they provide. Thank you for any recommendations. We are in the East Bay (Berkeley area) but willing to travel.
Feb 25, 2023Hello,
I am the primary and sole custodial parent of a 13 year old, and a DV survivor. I was diagnosed with IBS in 2018. Is started overnight on day, so I strongly doubted being handed my doctor's "chronic illness with no cure" sentence. I have since treated for SIBO three times (2x antibiotics, 1x herbal) and am currently treating for Candida. My hunch is it could be both, also with some Vagus nerve disregulation due to prolonged stress and trauma. We live in West Oakland, and I have just discovered air pollution can cause this. I feel neglected by the medical system and potential bait for endless, expensive, exploitative alternative services. Does anyone know of a highly experienced, skillful functional medicine doctor who can provide care on a sliding scale or find a way to use my insurance? I am not at the beginning of this journey. My level of health knowledge and action is high. My dysfunction is currently disabling.
THANK YOU!
Nov 17, 20224 month old - alternative practitioner for reflux?
–Dec 30, 2021Hi there, we have a four month old who I (and a doctor) suspect has acid reflux. We’re dealing with lots of crying, spit up, back arching, only feeding when drowsy, etc. I’m wondering if anyone has a recommendation for an osteopath / naturopath / or chiropractic care to effectively deal with a similar issue. Thanks!
Dec 30, 2021I'm a 40 ish year old mom of a 1 1/2 year old and I'm curious about any integrative medicine practitioners that anyone has used for anxiety. I'm looking for a practitioner that has more of a holistic approach. Preferably someone who works online with telemedicine.
Any suggestions would be most welcome.
Thank you!
Dec 13, 2021Looking for Alternatives
–Aug 28, 2020I have been experiencing total body responses to most food. This started suddenly and has been getting worse over two months. Western medicine MDs have done lots of tests - no diagnosis, no remedies. I am looking for recommendations for alternative practice providers - Naturopathic, Chinese Medicine, etc. Please, if you have ideas for me or have experienced similar reactions (joint swelling/pain, airway constriction, etc.) I would love to hear from you. I am currently limited to approx 10 foods. Thank you
Aug 28, 2020Holistic healthcare providers for PMDD
–Mar 5, 2019Hello,
I'm slowly realizing that what has previously been diagnosed as anxiety/depression might actually be premenstrual dsyphoric disorder (PMDD). I talked with my Kaiser doctor and psychiatrist about it and they didn't have much to offer other than hormonal birth control or a SSRI. I'd like to explore more holistic approaches, such as acupuncture, herbs, specific exercise or diets, as well as social support from other women/parents who struggle with this. Any leads welcome, or personal messages if you have experience navigating this. Thanks!
Mar 5, 2019Seeking Functional Medicine MD
–Jan 15, 2018Hello!
I am looking for recommendations for a Functional Medicine MD in the east bay to treat low energy/fatigue, very difficult PMS, depression and anxiety.
Thank you,
Brooke
Jan 15, 2018Good Holistic Doctor?
–Nov 5, 2017I am trying to help my friend find a good holistic doctor in the Berkeley area. Any leads/ information would be appreciated.
Nov 5, 2017Heavy metal hair testing for two year old
–Apr 11, 2017We are investigating some persistent health concerns and temperament issues with my younger daughter, and our practitioner has suggested doing some heavy metal testing (using hair analysis, rather than the more accurate urine). I am wondering if others have undertaken this with such a young child, and if so, what it has shown and how they have addressed any deficiencies, excesses, imbalances, or disregulation that has shown up. I am a fan of alternative modalities, and use homeopathy, acupuncture, et al. frequently, but have never gone this route in particular. Thank you.
Apr 11, 2017
Archived Q&A and Reviews
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Hello! I have the exact same situation as you do—genetically related high cholesterol that I could not control with diet from the first time I had my cholesterol checked. Did not want to go on a statin because I was trying to get pregnant. Decided on high dose niacin and that made my numbers better! Side effects were not pleasant (hot flashes) and I had to work my way up very slowly to quite a high dose . It also made my stomach upset eventually—that bothered me more than the hot flashes. Once I was done building my family, I opted to go on a statin and it was so much better and easier with no side effects for me. Reading up on statins, there are a lot of benefits besides cholesterol. Hope that helped!
I've had success lowering cholesterol, a1c, visceral fat, and lost 40 pounds following intermittent fasting. I've also been able to stop taking most of the supplements I used to take. I worked with a fasting coach who specializes in working with women 44 or over. She does both group and 1-1 coaching, and I highly recommend her. Her name is Laurie Lewis and her website is https://fastforwardwellness.com/ - she's been on various podcasts, so you could check her out by listening to podcast interviews. She helped me turn around my health.
I was in that same situation and my cholesterol was up to 270.I finally agreed to take a statin which I had fought for years.It is a lower dose that what the Doctor first suggested and I always take Co Q 10 along with it to avoid side effects.It has been about 5 years and it’s been fine.Cholesterol is now below 200.
I also have high cholesterol due to a combo of both genetics and diet. On the diet front, the belief that only red meat and other animal products cause high cholesterol is now outdated. The latest research also points to diets heavy in processed foods, sugar, and refined carbs as having a big role in high cholesterol. I and others I know have had a lot of success in lowering cholesterol through just cutting out sugar, most wheat, and all highly processed foods. You may want to take a look at your diet and see if that's possible for you.
i also have high good and bad cholesterol genetically. ive had some success with Red Rice yeast and berberine. i just tried a course of statins which helped but threw my liver markers off. not sure what’s next
Been there, done that! Nothing worked (including Ornish diet, etc). I did a bunch of research, ended up on smallest dose of Crestor (generic), 5mg and worked with a wonderful cardionutritionist Michelle Routhenstein (look her up on web). She has a nutritional approach to lowering cardiac biomarkers like high cholesterol (I've also got the genetically related high Lp(a) which means that my overall parameters are even lower than recommended for general public). She has private as well as group offerings. I learned SO MUCH, and I worked as a medical writer for years - very eye opening on latest research, etc. My numbers are way, way down because of my multi-discipline approach. Feeling great. My cardiologist and endocrinologist both told me that if the majority of their patients did what I did they would have much less busy schedules :)