Posts in category: In the News

By Lindsay Christensen

Nutritionist @ The Pratt Clinics

1/6/2019

If you’ve read Part 1 and Part 2 of this blog series, then you already know that broccoli sprouts offer an abundance of health benefits. In this final post, I’d like to share six more health benefits of broccoli sprouts and provide you with information about how to grow your own sprouts at home. 

Alleviates asthma and lung inflammation

Sulforaphane may be a useful preventive agent and treatment modality for respiratory diseases. It relieves bronchoconstriction in asthma by upregulating Nrf2, a molecule that regulates the body’s production of antioxidants and protects against oxidative stress and inflammation, two factors that contribute to the pathogenesis of asthma. Sulforaphane also protects alveolar epithelial cells, the cells that compose our lungs, from cigarette smoke and air pollution-induced injury.

Protects skin from UV damage

Fascinating research indicates that sulforaphane acts like an internal “sunscreen!” It protects skin from UVA radiation, a type of radiation that extends deep into the dermis of the skin and can lead to premature skin aging, wrinkling, and suppression of the immune system. Sulforaphane induces these skin-protective effects by upregulating Nrf2, which as I previously mentioned, is a potent regulator of antioxidant pathways in the body. 

Anti-cancer activity

Perhaps one of the most exciting applications of broccoli sprouts and sulforaphane is in the prevention and treatment of cancer. Sulforaphane modulates biochemical signaling pathways that induce apoptosis (programmed death) of cancer cells and inhibits metastasis and angiogenesis, the spread of cancer cells and the development of new blood vessels for facilitating cancer growth, respectively. It has anti-cancer activities against cervical, breast, bladder, renal cell carcinoma, lung, colon, and prostate cancer. Sulforaphane also potentiates the effects of the chemotherapy agents cisplatin and doxorubicin while simultaneously reducing their toxicity. This means sulforaphane may be used in conjunction with conventional cancer treatments.

Improves heart health

Sulforaphane promotes a healthy heart and circulatory system! It reduces blood pressure, inhibits platelet aggregation in blood vessels, improves endothelial function, and protects against atherosclerosis. It also lowers low-density lipoprotein (LDL) cholesterol, the form of cholesterol that is associated with an increased risk of cardiovascular disease when elevated. 

Combats obesity

Chronic inflammation is an underlying cause of obesity; conversely, correcting inflammation can facilitate weight loss and normalize the metabolic disturbances associated with obesity, including insulin resistance and non-alcoholic fatty liver disease. A recent study found that glucoraphanin, the precursor to sulforaphane, mitigates obesity through several mechanisms: It increases mitochondrial biogenesis in fat tissue, thereby increasing metabolic function; improves glucose tolerance and insulin sensitivity; and decreases levels of a pro-inflammatory bacterium (Desulfovibrionaceae) associated with metabolic dysfunction.

Promotes bone health

Osteoporosis is increasingly being recognized as an inflammatory disease influenced by epigenetic factors such as diet and lifestyle choices. Research indicates that sulforaphane epigenetically modifies bone homeostasis and may thus be a useful intervention for preventing and treating osteoporosis. In animal studies, sulforaphane stimulates the activity of osteoblasts, the bone-building cells of the body, and decreases the activity of osteoclasts, the bone-degrading cells in our bodies, by activating the Nrf2 anti-inflammatory pathway. These changes result in higher bone volume, a feature inversely associated with osteoporosis. 

How to grow your own broccoli sprouts 

The health benefits of broccoli sprouts appear to hinge on the regular consumption of them; in other words, broccoli sprouts are not a “quick fix” treatment but rather something you should incorporate into your daily life. While there are several broccoli sprout/sulforaphane supplements on the market, growing your own broccoli sprouts at home is far more economical and can also be quite fun! There are just a few supplies you’ll need to get started growing your own sprouts:

• Ball glass jars (quart size)
• Sprouting lids (these jar lids have a mesh top, rather than solid metal, that allows the sprouts to breathe)
• Sprouting stands (these will enable you to invert the jars as the sprouts are growing so water can drain out) 
• Organic broccoli seeds
• Filtered water

You can find these supplies at https://sproutpeople.org/.

Instructions:

• Add two tablespoons of broccoli seeds, such as Food to Live Organic Broccoli Seeds, to a wide-mouthed glass quart jar. Cover with a few inches of filtered water and cap with the sprouting lid. Store in a warm, dark place overnight.
• 8 hours later, drain off the water and rinse with fresh water. Drain the fresh water.
• Place the sprouting jar upside down at a 45-degree angle on a sprouting jar stand. Place in sunlight. 
• Rinse and drain the sprouts every 8 hours for approximately 5 days, or until the leaves are dark green. 
• Once the sprouts are dark green, they are ready to eat! I recommend tossing them into salads and wraps. You can store the sprouts in a mason jar with a standard lid in the fridge.

The exact dosage of broccoli sprouts needed to obtain health benefits is not definitive. However, I did a little math based on the results of several studies (I’ll spare you the details!) and have determined that you likely need to eat around 100 g per day of broccoli sprouts per day to experience therapeutic benefits. To ensure that you are getting the right amount of broccoli sprouts, I suggest buying a small food scale for measuring the sprouts. 

Eating broccoli sprouts is a safe, effective, nontoxic, low-cost way to boost your health and reduce your risk of many health conditions. I hope this article has convinced you to give broccoli sprouts a try! If you have ever tried broccoli sprouts before or are considering trying them, let me know in the comments below. I’d love to hear your thoughts! 

By Lindsay Christensen

Nutritionist @ The Pratt Clinics

1/6/2019

In Part 1 of this blog series, I discussed the benefits of sulforaphane in the treatment of neurological and neuropsychiatric conditions, including autism, traumatic brain injury, neurodegenerative diseases, depression, and anxiety.

In Part 2, I cover the effects of sulforaphane on detoxification, pathogenic bacteria, and the immune system. 

Promotes detoxification

The plethora of environmental toxins to which we are exposed daily means we could all use some extra assistance with detoxification! Fortunately, broccoli sprouts and sulforaphane can help. Sulforaphane induces phase 2 liver detoxification, the stage of liver detox that converts toxic metabolites into less-toxic compounds, which are then excreted by the body. It dramatically increases glutathione, the body’s master antioxidant and detoxifier, and promotes the rapid and sustained detoxification of environmental pollutants, such as benzene and acrolein. Finally, sulforaphane also decreases the liver enzymes ALT, ALP, and gamma-GTP, indicating that it reduces stress on the liver and restores healthy liver function. 

Antibacterial effects

Sulforaphane has antimicrobial effects against a wide range of human pathogens. It inhibits the growth of both normal and antibiotic-resistant strains of Helicobacter pylori, a bacterium that infects the stomach and contributes to the development of peptic ulcers. Sulforaphane also eradicates E. coli, another gastrointestinal pathogen; Pseudomonas aeruginosa, a nosocomial pathogen found in hospitals; and Staphylococcus aureus, a bacterium implicated in a vast range of illnesses such as skin infections, pneumonia, and toxic shock syndrome. (6) The antimicrobial effects of sulforaphane appear to be related to its inhibitory effects on bacterial signaling, referred to as “quorum sensing;” essentially, it prevents bacteria from communicating with each other and altering their gene expression so that they can no longer evade the host immune system.  

Alleviates autoimmunity

Currently, 50 million Americans suffer from an autoimmune disease. Unfortunately, the conventional treatments for autoimmune (AI) diseases are primarily palliative and limited to drugs and surgery. There is a pressing need for novel treatments that correct the underlying causes of AI disease. Excitingly, sulforaphane has demonstrated promising effects in the alleviation of autoimmunity! It suppresses pro-inflammatory cytokines and autoreactive immune cells that precipitate autoimmune attacks. While clinical trials in humans are lacking, this research suggests that sulforaphane beneficially alters the autoimmune disease process, making broccoli sprouts one food I would recommend to just about anyone with an autoimmune disease! 

Boosts the immune system 

Sulforaphane doesn’t just alleviate autoimmunity; it also strengthens the immune system, when necessary. Research indicates that sulforaphane stimulates the activity of natural killer cells to clear the body of the influenza virus. It also boosts T helper 1 immunity and reverses the decrease in immunity that occurs with aging. 

In Part 3, the final blog in this series, I’ll cover six more unique health benefits of broccoli sprouts and provide information on how you can grow your own organic broccoli sprouts at home. Stay tuned! 

By Lindsay Christensen

Nutritionist @ The Pratt Clinics

1/6/2019

We all know that we need to “eat our vegetables” to stay healthy. Leafy greens, beets, carrots, peppers, onions, and garlic all have health benefits, but there is one vegetable that rises above all the rest regarding its health-promoting properties: Broccoli sprouts! Read on to learn about the numerous health benefits of broccoli sprouts and how to grow your own organic broccoli sprouts at home. 

What are broccoli sprouts?

Broccoli sprouts are young (typically three-to-four-day old) broccoli plants that look like alfalfa sprouts but have the sharp taste of radishes. They are a rich source of glucoraphanin, a precursor to the powerful phytochemical sulforaphane. While glucoraphanin is found to a degree in all cruciferous vegetables, it is most abundant in broccoli sprouts. In fact, three-day-old broccoli sprouts contain 10-100 times more glucoraphanin than full-grown broccoli! Glucoraphanin is converted into sulforaphane by the enzyme myrosinase, which is released when broccoli sprouts are “injured,” usually by chopping, blending, or chewing. Broccoli sprout supplements containing glucoraphanin typically contain myrosinase as well to ensure that the ingested glucoraphanin is converted into sulforaphane. 

While broccoli sprouts contain many other beneficial compounds besides sulforaphane, my focus in this blog series will be on sulforaphane because it has been intensely studied and offers numerous health benefits.   

The health benefits of broccoli sprouts and sulforaphane 

Reduces autism symptoms

Sulforaphane readily crosses the blood-brain barrier, the semipermeable border that separates circulating blood from the brain and accumulates in the central nervous system. Once in the brain, sulforaphane induces the activity of enzymes that have neuroprotective effects. (3) In fact, several studies indicate that it improves symptoms of autism, an increasingly prevalent neurodevelopmental disorder. 

A small clinical trial found that supplementation with sulforaphane-rich broccoli sprout extract improved social interaction, abnormal behavior, and verbal communication in young men with moderate- to severe autism. (4) Broccoli sprout extract improves these characteristics of autism because it reverses biochemical abnormalities that underlie the disease process, including oxidative stress, decreased antioxidant levels, depressed glutathione synthesis, reduced mitochondrial function, increased lipid peroxidation, and neuroinflammation. A similar study found that broccoli seed extract significantly improved social responsiveness in autistic children and improved urinary metabolites associated with the autism disease process. (5) Together, these findings suggest that broccoli sprouts may be a useful natural treatment for individuals on the autism spectrum. 

Promotes the healing of TBI

Traumatic brain injury (TBI) is a form of brain dysfunction caused by an outside force such as a violent blow to the head. The damage causes oxidative stress, depletion of antioxidants, and brain inflammation. Sulforaphane, with its ability to cross the blood-brain barrier, promotes healing of TBI by upregulating antioxidant pathways and preventing neurotoxicity. 

Should kids and athletes involved in contact sports eat broccoli sprouts prophylactically? Based on this research, probably!  

Inhibits neurodegenerative disease

The prevalence of Alzheimer’s disease and Parkinson’s disease is rapidly rising in the U.S. Unfortunately, conventional treatment options for these diseases do little to address the underlying causes and often have serious adverse effects. Fortunately, studies suggest that sulforaphane may be a useful intervention for these neurodegenerative diseases because it corrects underlying aspects of the diseases process, rather than merely alleviating symptoms. In an animal model of Parkinson’s disease, sulforaphane has been found to inhibit the loss of dopaminergic neurons; dopaminergic neuron death is a crucial feature of Parkinson’s disease that promotes devastating motor and non-motor symptoms. Sulforaphane also protects against amyloid-beta-induced neuronal death in Alzheimer’s disease, thus helping to preserve brain function. 

Alleviates depression and anxiety

The beneficial effects of sulforaphane on the brain are not limited to autism, TBI, and neurodegenerative diseases; sulforaphane also improves depression and anxiety! Sulforaphane exerts antidepressant effects by inducing the anti-inflammatory Nrf2 pathway, by inhibiting the body’s stress response, and by reducing stress-provoked inflammation.

Stay tuned for Parts 2 and 3, in which I’ll discuss many more unique health benefits of broccoli sprouts and sulforaphane and share how you can grow your own broccoli sprouts at home! 

Hello.  My name is Caroline Wilten and I am a certified Brain Integration Technique (BIT) practitioner, having recently joined The Pratt Clinics.  I found BIT eight years ago when I was searching for answers for my son’s learning challenges. BIT made such a large impact for my son and our family, that I jumped at the opportunity to learn more about it and become a practitioner myself, learning from Susan McCrossin at The Crossinology® Institute.  Brain Integration offers a natural, drug-free alternative proven to resolve learning difficulties.  I find it to be another piece of the puzzle for many people who are searching for answers for themselves or their children.  I’ve been so personally gratified when I’ve been able to help those I’ve treated and see the impact of my work. I’ve had successes with this work such as an 8-year-old who moved up to his grade-level reading group, a middle schooler who says she feels more focused and her teachers are calling on her more, a high schooler whose anxiety has dramatically decreased, and a woman in her 30’s who is now reading books and enjoying them.  I’m excited to share this modality with others and I’m thrilled to be joining this amazing team. I’m looking forward to meeting and sharing BIT with you. Contact us to schedule an appointment. 

Hello! 

So many things have been happening at The Pratt Clinics! 

As many of you know, we have a new Office Manager, May Ly. She is an amazing asset to our team and has helped us grow this year! She is the expert in our medical software and portal information. Thanks to May, we now offer our telemedicine though CHARM! She is the person to call if you need to schedule with us, order supplements, learn more about your medical portal, or ask any general information about the clinic. She is in the office Monday through Friday 8 am to 5 pm. 

We also have 2 new members of The Pratt Clinics’ staff. 

Lindsey Christensen has joined us with her excellent nutritionist skills. She offers help in all areas of nutrition. If I have suggested a diet or food restriction, she can help you with recipes, grocery lists, meal planning and much more. Lindsey had her own health issues that lead her towards her masters in nutrition and is now committed to helping people regain their health. Please call the office to hear about how Lindsey can help you!

Caroline Wilten has joined our clinic to offer Brain Integration Technique (BIT). She is an exceptional practitioner and has a much lower hourly rate for BIT than I do. If you have been thinking about getting BIT for yourself or a family member, seeing Caroline is a great option. Caroline experienced profound results with her son’s integration and was inspired to study and become a Crossinology BIT practitioner. 

In case you haven’t heard about BIT, this treatment is designed for many kinds of learning difficulties; attention deficit disorder (ADD and ADHD), dyslexia, auditory processing disorders, visual processing disorders, and executive functioning problems. BIT is also successful in treating sensory processing disorders, poor coordination, closed head traumas and traumatic brain injuries (TBI), autistic spectrum disorders (ASD), cerebral palsy (CP), Post Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD), and genetic conditions. BIT enhances learning abilities and improves reading, comprehension, spelling and coordination for children and adults. To learn more about BIT please see our website or call the office. 

Finally, some of your supplements will have a new look!  Lead contamination is becoming a big issue in the supplement and tea industry. It is more important now than ever to buy high quality supplements and know where they come from. I spend a lot of time choosing the best quality, purity, and most therapeutic medicines I can find for you. This is why we have created a whole line of superior formulations and clean products labeled under our name. Please call our office to learn more. 

It is always an honor to be your doctor. I hope that the new offerings at my clinic will continue to help you towards your health goals. I always welcome your feedback and look forward to speaking to you or seeing you soon! 

Best wishes,

Dr. Shelese Pratt, N.D.

Autoimmune diseases are on the rise and many people across the world are suffering needlessly. Whilst conventional medicine approach is limited to managing autoimmune disease with drugs or surgery, natural medicine encourages those affected to look deeper in order to identify root causes of autoimmunity. Whilst the root causes are identified and addressed, most people are able to not only get rid of symptoms but to restore their health and get their life back.

Click Here to learn from 33 experts as they explore the potential root causes of autoimmunity and share helpful strategies how to deal with those root causes so that you and your loved ones can heal and thrive. This event is your roadmap to vitality!

It is true that genetic influence plays a role in autoimmunitybut in most autoimmune conditions theweight of the epigenetics factors (diet, lifestyle, etc.) is far greater, which means there is an awful lot we can do to stop the disease progression, or even reverse it altogether!

AUTOIMMUNE VITALITY ONLINE CONFERENCE SERIES AGENDA

DAY 1 (9th April): Digestive Factors

1. Dr Raphael Kellman, MD – YOUR BODY’S ECOSYSTEM & AUTOIMMUNITY

2. Dr Peter Osborne, DPSc – INTESTINAL HYPER-PERMEABILITY & AUTOIMMUNE DISEASE

3. Dr Mona Morstein, ND – EFFECTIVE STRATEGIES TO OPTIMIZE YOURDIGESTION

4. Dr Jaquel Patterson, ND – HOW TO PROMOTE GREAT LIVER HEALTH

DAY 2 (10th April): Dietary Aspects

1. Dr Sarah Ballantyne, PhD – PROBLEMS WITH GRAINS, PSEUDOGRAINS & LEGUMES

2. Dr Jody Stanislaw, ND – BALANCING BLOOD SUGAR & PRESERVING YOUR BETA CELLS

3. Kate Jay, NTP, AIPCCP, CGP – AUTOIMMUNE PALEO MADE EASY (INCLUDES DEMO)

4. Helen Adams, BA, NT, mBANT – DEALING WITH FOOD ALLERGIES, SENSITIVITIES & INTOLERANCES

5. Jeffrey Smith (Institute of Responsible Technology) – GMOs & THEIR DISASTROUS EFFECTS ON HUMAN HEALTH

6. Dr Ross Pelton, RPh, PhD, CCN – NUTRITIONAL COST OF TAKING MEDICATIONS

DAY 3 (11th April): Addressing Infections

1. Dr Todd Watts, DC – INFECTIONS AS A ROOT CAUSE OF AUTOIMMUNITY

2. Dr Jay Davidson, DC, PScD – HOW TO EFFECTIVELY ADDRESS CHRONIC LYME DISEASE

3. Dr Nirala Jacobi, ND – HEALING SMALL INTESTINAL BACTERIAL OVERGROWTH

4. Dr Eric Osansky, DC, IFMCP, CCN – NATURAL SOLUTIONS FOR CANDIDA OVERGROWTH

5. Dr Gerald Smith, DDS – ADDRESSING INFECTIONS USING BIORESONANCE

DAY 4 (12th April): Dealing With Toxicity

1. Dr Aristo Vojdani, PhD, MSc, MT – ENVIRONMENTAL TOXICITY AS A ROOT CAUSE OF AUTOIMMUNITY

2. Dr Dan Pompa, DPSc – TRUE CELLULAR DETOX FOR EFFECTIVE HE ALING

3. Wendy Myers, FDN-P, NC, CHHC – DEALING WITH HEAVY METAL TOXICITY

4. Dr Jill Carnahan, MD – MOLD, MYCOTOXINS, CIRS & AUTOIMMUNITY

5. Dr Stuart Nunnally, DDS – ORAL TOXICITY & ORAL MICROBIOME

6.Lloyd Burrell (Electric Sense Blog) – TOP TIPS FOR ELECTRO- MAGNETIC RADIATION DETOX

DAY 5 (13th April): Emotional Factors

1. Dr Eva Detko, PhD, MSc, MBBRS – ADDRESSING EMOTIONAL ROOT CAUSES OF AUTOIMMUNITY

2. Niki Gratrix, BA, Dip ION, NANP – HOW EARLY CHILDHOOD TRAUMA IMPACTS YOUR MICROBIOME

3. Dr Craig Weiner, DC, BA – META HEALTH & AUTOIMMUNE DISEASE

4. Kerry Jeffrey, BA, Dip Hyp – DEALING WITH TOXIC RELATIONSHIPS

DAY 6 (14th April): Hormonal Imbalances

1. Dr Lindsey Berkson, DC, CNS – HOW HORMONAL IMBALANCES CONTRIBUTE TO AUTOIMMUNITY

2. Dr Brad Bongiovanni, ND – NATURAL SOLUTIONS TO HPA AXIS DYSFUNCTION

3. Dr Cobi Slater, PhD, DNM, CHT – OPTIMIZING YOUR SLEEP TO SPEED UP YOUR AUTOIMMUNE RECOVERY

4. Damian Dubé, BS, DN, CES – HOW YOUR THYROID AFFECTS THE REST OF YOUR BODY 

DAY 7 (15th April): GENETICS & TESTING

1. Dr John Dempster, ND – FUNCTIONAL LAB TESTING FOR AUTOIMMUNITY

2. Dr Shelese Pratt, ND – INTERPRETING GENETIC TESTING

3. Dr Ben Lynch, ND – HOW TO CLEAN UP YOUR DIRTY GENES

4. Dr Kristina Bosnar, DC, CFMP – NUTRIGENOMICS: THE GENOME – FOOD INTERFACE

DAY 8 (16th April): ENCORE DAY! ALL INTERVIEWS UNLOCKED

Don’t forget to share this event with anyone who may benefit from this health- and life-changing information!

The first part of the Autoimmune Vitality Online Conference Series will take place from 9th April – 16th April, 2018.

Click here to claim your FREE ticket.

Check out Dr Pratt’s latest talk that covers autism.

The following is an outline of what she covers with the owners of Paleo Valley.

Dr. Pratt’s story: 4:03  
Why autism rates keep rising:  9:12
Common symptoms of Autism: 13:05
Different Types of Autism: 17:06 
What her success rates are (this will make you smile!): 19:53 
Epigenetic’s and how they’re related to Autism: 28:32
Common nutrient deficiencies associated with Autism: 31:20
How to get your children to eat more veggies: 35:45
Her favorite supplements for autistic children: 37:35 
Three practical tips for reducing environmental factors: 43:42 
Connect with Dr. Pratt: 51:36
And so much more!

Click here to listen now.

by Dr. Shelese Pratt ND @ The Pratt Clinics

Boulder, Colorado

303.284.3180

Do you ever wonder why you feel so tired all the time?

Did you know it could be your mitochondria? Most people have never thought about their mitochondria. Many of you are probably asking what the heck are mitochondria? And what does mitochondria have to do with energy?  If you remember way back to high school biology class, the main function of the cell is to make energy as andenosine triphosphate (ATP). That energy is made in organelle called the mitochondria. If you have productive mitochondria, you have good energy. You can thank your mother for your mitochondria, we inherit them from our maternal genetics. For this reason, optimizing nutrition before pregnancy can help mothers pass on healthier energy production.  

Many of the adults and children I see in my practice have suboptimal mitochondrial function. This means their cells do not have enough energy (ATP) to perform all their necessary metabolic needs. When the brain doesn’t have enough energy you might feel foggy or disoriented. When our muscles don’t have enough energy they feel weak and unresponsive. I have worked for many years with special needs children whose motor problems were greatly improved by enhancing their mitochondrial energy production. When we focus on feeding their mitochondria the nutrients that they require, these kids can increase their muscle tone, speak, sit, stand, or walk for the first time in some cases. In addition, as we age our mitochondria becomes less efficient. We need more energy support as we grow older. This is why we decline in cognition, activity, and overall vitality as we age.

Mitochondrial dysfunction has been implicated in numerous diseases such as: autism, ADHD, seizures, dementia, Parkinson’s, migraine headaches, chronic fatigue and many more. Mitochondrial health is also related to how well your MTHFR pathway is functioning. To learn more about methylation please see my methylation cycle blog. The better we handle methylation the healthier our energy is going to be. The good news is, you can restore your mitochondria and feel great again.

What can you do to help your mitochondria?

Seeing a Naturopathic Doctor (ND) or functional medicine doctor can help you identify whether your mitochondria are functioning at an optimal level. We have specific tests we can run to determine how well your mitochondria are functioning.

Here are some other suggestions to discuss with your doctor about how to make your mitochondria produce more energy.    

• Ask your doctor to identify any infections you might be harboring. Do you know if you have any underlying infections? Some people struggle with hidden infections like H. Pylori, Herpes Simplex Virus (HSV), Lyme, Epstein Bare Virus (EBV), which rob their mitochondria of critical nutrients and energy. Ask your doctor to run specific tests to rule out any lurking infections.

• Ask your doctor to identify any nutritional deficiencies. You need CoQ10 to carry electrons down the electron transport chain. You don’t have to remember the electron transport chain part but let’s just say this is a very important nutrient to making your ATP. Another significant nutrient necessary for healthy mitochondrial production is acetyl l-carnitine. This amino acid transports fatty acids into the mitochondria to make energy. Antioxidants like n-acetycystine (NAC), alpha lipoic acid (ALA), and polyphenols like resveratrol are important to protect the mitochondria. This organelle is very sensitive to oxidative stress. Optimizing methylation with B12, MTHF, B1, B2, zinc, magnesium, and B6 are also important ways to insure the mitochondria can make ATP. Then there are fancier supplements like pyrroloquinoline quinone (PQQ) if necessary to aid the mitochondria.

• Take a mind body approach. Learn to belly breathe several times a day. Try yoga and consider starting a meditation practice. All three of these mindfulness exercises have been shown in research to increase mitochondrial function.

• Fast between meals or try the ketogenic diet. Reducing caloric intake has been proven to help mitochondrial function.  Reducing your carbohydrate intake can also improve energy production and reduce insulin spikes that cause inflammation.

• Reduce toxic exposure and oxidative stress. Consider talking to your doctor about your environmental exposures such as… Check out Scorecard to see who is polluting in your zip code. Make sure you are consuming organic produce and meats. Filter your water. Sauna and sweat on a regular basis. Invest in a good air filter. Be picky about what skin products you put on your skin. You can look at the Environmental Working Group to rate your products. Use healthy cleaning supplies in your home. Use low VOC paint and environmentally safe carpet. Get plastic out of your kitchen. Cook in clay, cast iron, glass, or stainless steal. Find a way to be zen. Stress wrecks your mitochondria so reduce and manage your stress.

• Increase negative ion exposure by ingesting raw plants and algae (chlorella or spirulina). You can check out my spring smoothie for a healthy green drink recipe. This is a great way to incorporate more nutrient packed plants into your diet. Start drinking alkalized water to neutralize your free radicals. Spend more time in nature and walk barefoot. You get more antioxidants from walking in nature than any pill could give you. Take a walk by the ocean; the ocean is filled with negative ions.

Working on your mitochondrial function can help you feel amazing. You can feel more productive and restore health to your life. It’s easier than you think.  What would you do with more energy?  I’d love to hear about all the wonderful things you can do with more energy. As always, I’m here to help and support you in health. Please call my office at 303.284.3180 to learn more about how I can help you maximize your energy.

I just wanted to take a minute to thank you. With love and gratitude I want
to thank each one of you for being a part of my life. Thank you for the
opportunity to work with you and your family. It is an honor to have the
chance to watch you overcome your health concerns and see you achieve your
goals. I never stop learning and growing as a doctor. I am inspired by your
stories every day. I’ve seen special needs children speak, crawl and walk
for the first time. I’ve seen immunological issues that had gone on for
years vanish. I’ve seen mood disorders stabilize. I’ve seen so many
complicated cases over the years and I thank you for your trust and faith in
my practice. You are all special to me.

In the spirit of giving… If you are considering investing in a Infrared
Sauna for detoxification, my favorite saunas are on sale this week at High Tech Health!

Please contact them for pricing. If you give them my name they will offer you the Black Friday
price. 

 http://www.hightechhealth.com

Happy Thanksgiving.

Best wishes,
Shelese Pratt, N.D.

by Dr. Shelese Pratt ND @ Flatirons Naturopathic Clinic

Boulder, Colorado

303.284.3180

818 W South Boulder Rd, Suite 200

Louisville, CO 80027