All blog posts from Dr. Allott are provided for educational and informational purposes only. As Dr. Allott is also a licensed medical practitioner, we must make it clear that nothing on the blog is intended to constitute medical advice, consultation, recommendation, diagnosis, or treatment. If you are concerned about your health, please seek appropriate care in your area.

Pillars of self-care and mental health

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Our self-care practices often drop during busy or stressful times unless they are fully integrated into our daily routines.

To support making incremental improvements, we developed a worksheet describing the different pillars of self-care and mental health. The idea is to think through these areas and to note what behaviors you have automated (to some degree) - and which ones you might want to shore up to be able to more comfortably navigate stressful or busy times.

This short video shares our inspiration for the worksheet:

“The first principle of self-care is getting your physiology right so you can get your psychology right.”
— Dr. Andrew Huberman

Want to learn more? Here is some material that we are inspired by:

Ladder of Polyvagal Neurological States

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Dr. Kristen Allott has been learning about and integrating polyvagal theory into her physiological understanding of how food supports ventral vagal and how lack of food supports dorsal vagal.

Dr. Allott introduces these connections in this short video.

  • 00:00 Background on the polyvagal nerve

  • 07:24 Ladder of polyvagal neurological states

Adapted from the work of Deb Dana, rhythmofregulation.com

Affordable High Protein Meals for Reducing Anxiety and Fatigue

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Starting September 28th, learn about the value of high-protein meals to stabilize energy and mental clarity in a continuing education training provided through Praxis.

High-protein meals don’t have to be expensive!

In the below video, mental health professional student and photographer Kami Bricker explains step-by-step how to make simple protein-rich meals on a budget.

Live Virtual CE by Dr. Allott in September 2023

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Fuel the Brain, Not Anxiety
Simple tools for improving clients’ mental clarity, energy levels, and engagement in therapy through Praxis

This seminar is set up to give you new tools with time for you to try them out and discuss your experiences the following week. To learn more, go to the registration page.

Schedule

  • Session 1 | September 8, 2023, 4 PM-6 PM EDT

  • Session 2 | September 15, 2023, 4 PM-6 PM EDT

  • Session 3 | September 22, 2023, 4 PM-6 PM EDT

  • Session 4 | September 29, 2022, 4 PM-6 PM EDT

Cost: $249 for 8 CE Credits.

The Optimizing Brains Consult Group

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The free consult groups with Dr. Allott will be on the second Friday of each month from 7:30-8:30 Pacific Time/10:30-11:30 Eastern Time. We will provide a certificate of attendance with topics covered if that helps with your continuing education. Bring you questions about the physical causes of mental health. We can discuss topics such as nutrition, sleep, movement, breathing, and labs to rule out nutritional deficiency. using continuous glucose monitors for mental health, polyvagal theory, and more. 

Register for free on Eventbrite

Addictions, Polyvagal and Glucose

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My good friends at Recovery Allies invited me to do a live one-hour training on the connection glucose has to the polyvagal theory, which connects to the cravings for addictive substances and behaviors.

If you are interested in learning more about how your autonomic nervous system might be derailing your hope, dreams, and resilience.

Check out this YouTube

If you are looking for new resources to help support families with members struggling with addictions, check out Recover Allies.

I was cited on a BIG podcast

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I am so excited! I was associated with one of my favorite biology superstars on a big podcast!

One of my favorite authors and Instagram influencers to follow right now is Jessie Inchauspé, a French biochemist who started the Instagram page @glucosegodess. Jessie has two books out:

 Both of these books make stabilizing your blood glucose achievable without restricting your favorite foods. On April 20, 2023, she was interviewed by Dhru Purohit of the Dhru Purohit Podcast. During the interview, Dhru asked how stabilizing blood glucose can impact mental health and whether Jessie knew of my work.

 Dhru interviewed me on The Broken Brain Podcast back in 2021 when my workbook Fuel Your Brain, Not Your Anxiety was released. Jessie did not know of my workbook (I am not disappointed, but I would love someday to meet with her or interview her).  

Both of us use continuous glucose monitors to understand how glucose affects how we feel. I don’t think it is necessary to use continuous glucose meters all the time or at all. They help to understand how your body works.

 People ask me all the time what books I would recommend. Jessie’s books are easy to read, accessible to implement and make a difference for people. Check out her books and podcasts!!

 

Week-long events and the importance of maintaining self-care

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In addition to working with Kristen, Natasha is also the Director of the Composting Association of Vermont. In early May, she hosted the Vermont Organics Recycling Summit - a weeklong event with 13 Zoom sessions and two in-person get-togethers! After the fun ended, Natasha sat down with Kristen to debrief about how it all went.

We thought you might be interested in listening in to hear how Natasha did at keeping up with self-care and the impact this had on her energy level throughout the week and after the event!

PS: If you want to learn more about compost and organics recycling and the many ways it supports regenerative agriculture and the health of the environment, people, and the economy - check out the recordings of the Zoom sessions or contact Natasha here.

Getting enough protein as a vegetarian or vegan

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This video talks about how vegetarians and vegans can get enough protein and be at their best.

  • 0:00 Intro

  • 0:21 How much protein do I need? (here’s a link to the Huberman Lab podcast referenced)

  • 1:39 Challenges with getting enough protein

  • 4:43 Sources of protein

  • 6:37 Protein powders

  • 7:10 Sample menu

  • 8:22 Glucose curves with different types of food

  • 9:16 Continuous Glucose Monitors as a tool

We're working on creating short educational videos this year and would love your feedback and topic suggestions!

Continuous Glucose Monitors and Mood

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This video talks about how glucose levels impact mood, focus, and fatigue - and shows an example of what hypoglycemia looks like on a continuous glucose monitor. Learn more at KristenAllott.com

We're working on short videos this year and would love your feedback and suggestions for topics!

Iain McGilchrist on Existence, Being, the Limits of Reason and Language, and Schizophrenia

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If you ever wanted to hear what a psychiatrist and a physicist discuss about the right and left hemispheres of the brain and how we experience reality because of how each side of our brains processes reality, then listen to this great discussion.

Youtube::Theories of Everything with Curt Jaimungal

I have followed Iain McGilchrist for years. He reminds me that I want to seek the middle path of being distinct and connected. I must be clear that my left hemisphere, which talks all the time, is a vital servant to be, but the nearly silent right hemisphere experiences the whole and accepts the context of existence that gives meaning.


https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=M-SgOwc6Pe4

Effective, Sustainable Weight Loss Starts with Listening to the Body

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By Heather Brummer

When people come to me for help with weight loss, they often feel like they are at the end of the line. They report to me that they’ve tried “everything” and they declare their metabolism just doesn’t work anymore. More times than I can count, I have heard, “I have tried every diet known and I cannot lose weight. My metabolism is broken”.

A person’s metabolism may be inefficient. It might be struggling to be flexible and resilient after years of “abuse” (from extreme and prolonged efforts to lose weight). A person’s metabolism might be misunderstood… but “Broken”?? Hardly. If your metabolism were broken, you’d really know it (you’d be dead!).

 “Metabolism” is just another way of saying, “Our ability to break down food and produce energy” (which includes tissue repair and healing). Part of our metabolisms’ core job function is to be “responsive” and “adaptive.” Food used to be challenging to come by, and we never really knew what or how much or when we’d eat next. Our metabolism is constantly responding and adapting to what and how we are asking it to do its job of breaking down food and producing energy. It never stops doing that; it just changes the way it does that based on our choices.

When we ask our bodies to do this task with too many restrictions (for too long), it becomes less efficient at breaking down food and making energy. How far can you ask your car to drive on fumes? Down your driveway? Probably. To the nearest gas station? If you’re lucky. Across country? No way, right? So why do we keep asking our bodies to do the equivalent of running on fumes indefinitely? We can see that the model doesn’t work for a simple machine. Why do we insist that it should work for something as complex as being human? Is there some kind of magic in our bodies that allow us to produce “something from nothing”?

The idea that weight loss is a simple math equation of creating a wide calorie deficit (eat a little + exercise a lot) is incomplete. Eating less food and exercising more does result in some weight loss. But it can’t result in weight loss indefinitely because metabolism adapts to this “stress” by conserving fuel (by getting less efficient at using fuel). If you are in a famine or crisis, are you quick to use up every last bit of your resources, or are you more inclined to hold on to that precious resource keeping you alive for as long as possible?

Creating a big calorie gap, for long periods of time, puts significant stress on your metabolism. This stress causes your metabolism (your ability to utilize fuel) to go down. You’ll know you’re at this point when your weight loss stalls. That’s your metabolism telling you it has adapted to the stress you created. That means it’s time to try something new. And yeah, that often means slowing down weight loss. The good news is that slow weight loss equates to more extended success. Less dramatic drops in weight are more easily maintained and less likely to return.

Said another way, high levels of “stress” on the metabolism make it more difficult to lose weight over time and more challenging to maintain lost weight. Overly restricting calories coupled with high amounts of vigorous exercise can actually become an obstacle to weight loss.

Things To Consider:

  • Have you successfully lost weight with a particular approach only to have it “stop working”?

  • Do you feel it stopped working because you “Failed” at maintaining a highly restrictive or structured regiment?

  • Have you tried “changing it up” by getting more extreme, such as eliminating entire food groups or limiting your access to when you eat?

  • Does the idea of trying (again) to do what you used to do to lose weight (again!) feel completely exhausting to you?

  • What if weight loss could be achieved with less “efforting” (forcing yourself to follow a rigid structure) and more “listening” (responding)?

Let me help you learn to listen and respond to what your metabolism is saying to you. It’s not sabotaging you; it’s a mirror reflecting back to you what you’re asking it to adapt to. Learn more about our clinical practice today.

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Spring is a particularly potent time for new beginnings.

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By Heather Brummer

Spring is a time for starting. The long, quiet stillness of winter that at first felt comforting, has become dull and monotonous. While the slow-down feels welcome at the end of autumn, it now feels suffocating. In the anticipation of starting something new, it’s common to experience feelings of irritability and discomfort. Like, “I gotta get moving, but I don’t know where/how/why”. And then the push to get moving might feel overwhelming and even debilitating (“See, I started something, again, and didn’t finish it… again!”)

Benoît Stella alias User:BenduKiwi is licensed under CC BY-SA 3.0.

In Chinese Medicine, there are 5-Elements, or States, of nature which are reflected in body processes (we are inseparable from nature, after all). These are dynamic, non-static forces and states of being that influence the health of the body-mind. And they are impacted by the changes of external environment, including the seasons. The Element-State associated with spring is the Wood element.

The Wood element is associated with Growth, Movement and Perspective. Having new insights and a broader “vision” is essential when embarking on a new project, such as changing your health. Broadening your perspective and getting clear about where you’re going are the first steps.

Once you have set your sights on where you are heading, you need to take action. However, in the split-second before taking action, is the instant of decision-making. After all, if you have been stuck at a fork in the road and then have the clarity that your destination is “That Way”, in order to take that first step, you must decide to do it. You must decide to pick up your foot.

We don’t tend to think of that moment as a conscious choice, but it is. It’s important to recognize this as the accomplishment that it is, because that decision-to-take-action is what fuels your resolve to take the next step. You took one step, it’s possible to take another. Again and again, as you make the changes you envisioned, you will be faced with that decision-making process. Sometimes, it will go by in a blink, like an instinct. Other times it may plod by at a glacial pace. But always, as you build your confidence in your ability to successfully take action, you hone your skills for taking action. I call that a forward-falling cycle: the more you accomplish something, the better your ability becomes to accomplish something! 

“If you have been stuck at a fork in the road and then have the clarity that your destination is “That Way”, in order to take that first step, you must decide to do it. You must decide to pick up your foot. ”
— Heather Brummer

Fatigue, Feeling-stuck, and/or “lack of motivation”: So how does this process work when you’re feeling completely drained, or lacking motivation, or discouraged from previous attempts at taking action? Maybe you’re recovering from a prolonged illness. such as Covid, and you still don’t quite feel like your normal self. Or maybe you’ve been struggling to take action in your health for years, and Covid-Times exacerbated the issues you had already been facing? Maybe you were used to being able to “power through”, but now the “Just Do It” energy seems to have evaporated. For whatever reason, the ability to move forward feels overwhelming now.

It is important to identify the physical factors impacting your ability to take action. Intuitively this makes sense, if you don’t have enough gas in your tank, you can’t be expected to drive all day. At the same time, it’s also important to NOT WAIT until you feel 100% better or for things to be “perfect” before you start. That keeps you stuck.

Long Covid is a new condition, one we will all continue to learn more about with time. The physical experiences of this condition appear to predominately be chronic low energy, brain fog, anxiety, depression, insomnia, shortness of breath and/or joint pain. Increasingly, there also appears to be evidence of a higher risk of developing diabetes. All of these symptoms have been around for many years; post Covid, they-re just going to be more common. Taking small steps to address them can decrease their disruptive nature.

What I know from my work with people with anxiety, depression and fatigue is that figuring out how to work your way toward your health goals in spite of these challenges is as important as figuring out what the physiologic causes are.

If you’re feeling overwhelmingly stuck, for whatever reason, and are in Washington State - let’s work together to get you moving again.

If you’re feeling overwhelmingly stuck, for whatever reason, and are looking for supportive resources, check out these free materials:

Spring is a particularly potent time for new beginnings.

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Are you frustrated with the support you're getting from your primary care provider to address fatigue?

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Thank you for the great responses to the survey we sent out last month!

We are interested in collecting stories from people who are frustrated with the support they’re getting from primary health care providers when it comes to addressing fatigue.

If you’re interested in talking with us - please schedule on Natasha’s Calendly Appointment Scheduler.

Prefer to drop us an email? Fill out this (anonymous) form:

Long Covid and Mental Health

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By Dr. Kristen Allott, ND, L.Ac.

It has been a challenging two years, with consequences for all of us! At various times, or perhaps throughout, we’ve each experienced physical, emotional, mental, and social stresses as we navigated the impacts of the pandemic. We may know people recovering from the virus and have a diagnosis of Long Covid. We may also know people who are struggling with extreme fatigue. This fatigue could be from fighting the virus or from, quite frankly, the consequences of the last two years of chaos.

Long Covid is caused by lingering symptoms after being infected by one of the variants of the SARS-CoV-2 virus. However, I have also seen people who have just felt fatigued since the pandemic began - perhaps due to the infection or may be caused by other challenges that came with the pandemic.

 In this article, I’m not going to sort out the causes of this fatigue, primarily because it’s a combination of many things: infection, isolation, lack of routine, lack of social support, malnutrition, financial stress, increased substance and internet use, lack of movement, irregular sleep hours, historic trauma, and response to the vaccination, all layered alongside the trauma of living during a pandemic. (I want to be clear that I am in support of the vaccine, and some people have had adverse reactions to it, as with any medication)  

What I want to discuss in this blog is what labs we should advocate for when there is fatigue and unresolved physical symptoms, including those on the CDC common symptoms list for Long COVID:

  • Difficulty breathing or shortness of breath

  • Cough

  • Chest or stomach pain

  • Diarrhea

  • Dizziness on standing (lightheadedness)

  • Change in smell or taste

  • Mood changes

  • Changes in menstrual period cycles

  • Tiredness or fatigue

  • Symptoms that get worse after physical or mental activities (also known as post-exertional malaise)

  • Fast-beating or pounding heart (also known as heart palpitations)

  • Difficulty thinking or concentrating (sometimes referred to as "brain fog")

  • Headache

  • Joint or muscle pain

  • Pins-and-needles feeling

  • Sleep problems

  • Fever

  • Rash

One of the things I find striking about the above list is how common these were in my patients even before COVID. When somebody is experiencing tiredness and/or fatigue, it can easily lead to depression, and - likewise - depression can lead to tiredness and fatigue. (For the geeks out there, a common cytokine, Interleukin 6, is known to contribute to both depression and fatigue). Fatigue can cause and be caused by a whole host of other physiological, hormonal, and neurological problems. These disruptions can be caused by stress, trauma, lack of adequate nutrition, poor sleep, and the lack of movement—most of these were disrupted during the last two years.

As we move out of the acute phase of the Covid pandemic, I have some concerns that the physical fatigue caused during the last two years will just be diagnosed as a mental health condition. Not having enough physical laboratory diagnoses isn't a new problem, it's just likely going to be exaggerated in this (almost) post-pandemic phase.

Additionally, we need to recognize that most medical professionals have also experienced additional trauma from the pandemic. It’s in our own best interest to help them as much as possible to understand that we are not at our best and that we want to align with them to be curious to why we are fatigued.

If you’re experiencing extreme fatigue, or supporting someone dealing with fatigue and depression, and/or anxiety, it’s helpful to start differentiating these symptoms before you meet with your healthcare provider. The PROMIS Profile, from Health Measures, referenced on the CDC website, can be helpful to bring to the provider to start this conversation.

Next, we need to advocate for basic labs that are helpful in assessing fatigue, especially with accompanying depression. Here are some of the labs that the CDC and I both think are important to assess in this post COVID world:

Basic physiology testing: These tests are like checking the oil and gas level in your car.

  • Complete Blood Count (CBC) looks at the functioning of red and white blood cells and platelets.

  • Comprehensive Metabolic Panel (CMP) looks at electrolytes, liver function, and kidney function.

  • Urinalysis looks at what your kidneys are excreting, and for urinary tract infections

Inflammation markers:

  • C-Reactive Protein (CRP) is an inflammation marker. Inflammation needs to be low, and as it goes up, people experience fatigue and depression.

  • Ferritin is an iron storage molecule that often seems to increase with a Covid infection and is considered an inflammation marker. However, Ferritin levels below 50 ug/ml can cause fatigue and depression in women.

Thyroid Function: TSH and T4. Thyroid hormone significantly impacts our energy levels. Hashimoto's thyroiditis is a common thyroid condition and can increase after high inflammation events such as covid.

Vitamin D: Low Vitamin D has been linked to worse outcomes with COVID respiratory viruses in general; it is linked to cancers and autoimmune conditions. 

Autoimmune function tests: Stressful events can increase the likely hood of autoimmune disease. There is some concern that people post COVID will have more autoimmune diseases such as Celiac, Hashimoto's thyroiditis, Guillain-Barré syndrome, cold agglutinin syndrome (CAS), and autoimmune hemolytic anemia. Sometimes these conditions start slow and build over time. Catching the spike in antibodies against these early helps lower the damage they can do. Here are some tests to request depending on your symptoms:

  • Antinuclear antibody, Thyroid antibody, Celiac Panel

My recommendation is to create a document before your appointment with your primary care provider. In the document include the following:

  • The questions that you want to be addressed in the appointment

  • List all your symptoms and the consequences of those symptoms on how you are living your life

  • A timeline outlining when the symptoms started and what you have tried

  • List all the supplements and medications that you are currently taking

  • List what labs you would like to have done and why

This document will not only help you make the most of the small amount of time that you have with the provider, but it will help you communicate more clearly.

Be sure to ask the provider to add this document, as well as the PROMISE Profile, to your chart. Your medical chart is legally yours and you can add your own notes to the file.

Here is a link to additional resources that discuss labs.

If you use this material, please let us know if it was helpful!

Let’s get clear about one thing – Healthy weight is not a “Calorie Equation”

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By Heather Brummer, MS, L.Ac., CN

I started in the field of nutrition, officially, in 2002 when I graduated with a Master’s in Nutrition. But I had an interest in nutrition for years before officially studying it. Like most people, I was interested in understanding how nutrition impacts weight. And boy is that complicated! In all of my years of studying and working with clients, I have seen these “rules” change… a lot!

I have seen so many fads and trends come and go. And the “It’s simple, just do…” promises. Everywhere I turned, it seemed there were new “Rules” to follow. And that trend has only gained speed. How many food rules can you think of?

  • Eat less fat. Eat less carbs. Eat less of everything.

  • Eat more fat. Eat more protein. Eat all you want so long as it’s a specific food group.

  • Eat based on your blood type. Eat based on your genetics.

  • Eat really frequently. Eat really, really infrequently.

  • Eat only plants, or only meat, or only when hopping on your left-foot-every-other-Tuesday….

It’s crazy-making, right?! There are so many new rules to (potentially) follow. What’s a gal to do? No, really, what is a person supposed to actually do (and eat), to manage weight ‘once-and-for-all’?

Here is what I found over the years, there is no “one” rule! That is to say, there is no one-size-fits-all guide to eating and moving and sleeping and stress managing to guarantee changes in body weight and composition for all persons in all circumstances, 365 days a year. We are not robots, there is simply No. Such. Thing.

And the science of weight loss is catching up to what nutritionists have known for years: weight is not a simple math equation of balancing calories in with calories out.

Here’s what matters for a healthy (resilient) metabolism:

  • Balancing macros: Macros are protein, carbs, and fats, and the amounts your body needs can and does change.

  • Exercise: Finding the appropriate balance of low intensity, high intensity and resistance training for your body.

  • Sleep: You’re getting enough sleep, right?

  • Stress: One of the single most important factors in how the metabolism functions. Yes, emotional stress is a factor, but so is physical stress.

  • Hormones: Thyroid hormones, stress hormones, sex hormones (what stage of life you are in)… these all have a role to play in a healthy metabolism.

  • Calories: Yes, calories are a factor. See how far down the list they are, though?

In addition, figuring out how to access motivation is another piece of the puzzle. That’s a topic for a whole ‘nuther blog post, but please hear this now: Motivation is not the same thing as will power, and neither one are a reflection of your “character”, so stop beating yourself up for your struggles with consistency. It’s normal to have ebbs and flows in our routines, including our routines for self-care. Maintaining motivation is a skill and, with practice, can become self-sustaining. It is possible to make choices that support motivation and strengthen willpower.

So let’s sort out how these pieces fit together uniquely for you:

My work with you will help you assess your physical and psychological factors that impact metabolism – to help you understand how these pieces fit together today, and as your metabolism changes. I support your progress at a rate of change that is appropriate for you. I help you learn how to “read” your metabolism, so you gain more confidence in knowing what your body is telling you and then how to respond appropriately. We are not machines, our needs change depending on our circumstances and our genetics. What you learn about your metabolism today may change next week or next year, but the basics will remain the same, so the tools you learn in our work together are built to last a lifetime.

I am so excited to get started with you!

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Rebalance in 6: A Winter Workshop to Reclaim Your Energy

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With Heather Brummer

It’s that time of year again... When the dark, cold winter days can have you feeling stuck and maxed out. Are you feeling it? If you’re like many of my clients, this time of year is impacting you down to your bones and it likely feels like you can’t get off the couch. Even worse, feeling fatigued, depressed and anxious likely means you also feel out of touch with yourself and interferes with your ability to do the things you love with the people you love. The last thing you need is another “To Do” or another promise of a quick-fix that ends up being too much work.

If you can relate, you’re in the right place.

Hi, my name’s Heather Brummer, professionally trained Nutritionist and Acupuncturist. Not only have I been there too, but I’ve helped my clients get to the root of their fatigue and winter couch attraction for almost two decades. I’ve had the honor of seeing them get off the couch, get in touch with feeling like themselves again, and get back to doing what they love.

I created “Rebalance in 6: A Winter Workshop to Reclaim Your Energy”, a 6-week online training and support group, to help you do the same.

During these 6 weeks together, you’ll gain fundamental knowledge and insight into how to get to the root of your fatigue and seasonal changes in mood in a group setting with support from me and others like yourself. We’ll be using nutrition and lifestyle interventions that span all areas of body, mind and spirit that can otherwise keep us stuck and feeling overwhelmed. 

Here’s what you’ll walk away with:

  • Three tools to help you assess your own energy levels and a simple technique to start overcoming your fatigue. 

  • New approaches to addressing the physical, mental and emotional energy drains that have nothing to do with a lack of willpower or motivation. 

  • An improved ability to listen to your body’s messages and feel empowered working through them, while you learn to use nutrition (food) and Chinese Medicine to live in sync with the seasons. 

  • An understanding what types of exercise zap your energy, and what to do instead. 

  • Simple steps you can take to allow food to become your most powerful ally, how to break the vicious cycle of additive foods that you know are draining you, and what to do instead. 

This program is an educational group, not a therapeutic group. This group is the group for you if:

  • You have a history of struggling with fatigue, tiredness, depression, seasonal changes in energy and need to break the log jam of stuck-ness;

  • You can manage your own emotions and/or have emotional support through a therapist, mentor, counselor or coach, but still feel stuck and can’t move forward;

  • You are over 18 years old; and

  • You feel comfortable participating in an on-line group with camera on (phone-in options are not available).

This 6-week workshop will be held online (virtually):

  • on Tuesday evenings, starting February 1st and running through March 8th

  • from 5:30 pm to 7 pm (PST) (1.5 hours each week)

The course is an $1,800 value, but I am offering it to you for more than a 60% savings to join me in a group setting. Sign up before January 15th and receive an Early-Bird discount, at $697. After January 15th, the cost goes up to $797.

As a bonus, the first four participants to sign up will receive a free copy of the workbook: “Fuel Your Brain, Not Your Anxiety.”

We all spend money on those “little extras” that make us feel better in the moment. Whether it’s a coffee drink and treat or an impulse buy, they don’t give us the “long term” return on our investment that we hope for. If you have even the faintest whisper that this group might be helpful, I encourage you to listen to that voice. Listen to yourself, trust that part of yourself that knows it’s possible to feel better and that the time is right to invest in your most precious resources: your energy and mental well-being.

This unique opportunity is limited to 10 people in order to keep this a small and intimate group to help you get the most support and value. Register for Rebalance in 6: A Winter Workshop to Reclaim Your Energy” by January 15th to get the Early Bird Price of $697.

If you have questions about the Workshop, feel free to email me at heather@dynamicpaths.com

I’m so looking forward to kicking off the group together in 2022 and for you to join me on these next steps towards regaining your energy and your power. I’ll see you on the inside.

New Practitioner Joins Dr. Kristen Allott’s Clinical Practice

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CD15FCAF-5983-4BA8-A254-EC311A039F29.jpeg

Heather Brummer, MS, L.Ac., CN

For those of you who are living in the State of Washington, I am excited to announce that I have hired my good friend and thought partner Heather Brummer to be a practitioner at Dynamic Paths. Some of you may remember that 10 years ago, Heather joined Dynamic Paths for a while before moving on to other opportunities. 

Since we can now see patients virtually, I’ve asked Heather to come back and she is excited to return. Heather brings with her the credentials of licensed acupuncturist and certified nutritionist. Since we “grew up” together, she and I hold many of the same approaches to our medicine. We both:

  • Identify the physical cause of the complaints that patient is seeking relief from

  • Help the patient to take small achievable steps to have more energy and mental clarity

  • Understand that the history of trauma impacts the symptoms of physical and mental health experienced today

Heather also brings skills, experience, interests that are more developed than mine, such as:

  • How to impact women’s hormonal cycles improve physical and mental health

  • How individuals can successfully bridge the gap between weight loss and intuitive eating

  • How to use essential oils externally to influence the nervous system

Here is her bio on our website.

Part of why I am excited to be working with Heather is that for several months I have had a waitlist and Heather will double the capacity of my clinical practice. This means that more people will have access to support for addressing the physical causes of mental health problems (challenges with food, sleep, movement, breathing, physiology, and hormones). As Heather and I will be working together, her patients can be referred to me for laboratory diagnosis.  

If you would like to learn more;

  1. Call me with questions about how Dynamic Paths can help (Kristen: 206-579-2757)

  2. Call Heather to set an appointment at 425-280-6633

  3. Read about our Six Appointment Process below, to understand how we work with you to identify the causes of fatigue, depression, anxiety, and other mental health concerns.  

Here’s Dynamic Path’s Six Appointment Process

Generally, people will meet with us for 5 to 6 appointments. Each appointment is crafted to meet your needs. As we identified some of the underlying causes, you and I will create small achievable steps to address your underlying problems and improve your energy and mental clarity. Below is a general outline of the appointment process that I use, which will be modified to address your individual’s needs.

  • First Appointment: We will review your history via your intake form and any old laboratory reports that you have access to. The purpose is to focus on improving your body's power supply by discussing diet, sleep, and movement. My goal is to send you home with an achievable mini-experiment that will increase your energy and mental clarity. 

  •  Second Appointment: We will continue to discuss how your body's power system works. Often, I will educate you about what dopamine, acetylcholine, GABA, and serotonin do for you, how to know if yours are deficient and what food and behaviors support specific neurotransmitters. 

  • Third appointment: I will order blood tests to ensure you have the nutrients (protein, B vitamins, and minerals) in your system to synthesize neurotransmitters. I will also check for physiological processes that mimic mental health conditions and contribute to your lack of energy and mental clarity, such as inflammation, glucose control issues, thyroid dysregulation, pre-diabetes, diabetes, and autoimmune diseases. Additionally, I may assess your cortisol throughout the day through silva testing. 

  •  Forth Appointment: We will review that lab tests in detail together. Then, we will work together to determine how best to correct or improve what we discovered. 

  •  Fifth and Sixth Appointments: These appointments tend to be very individualized. Below are some of the topics that are assessed and discussed.  

    • Deep Dive into Self-Care: Some individuals benefit from learning and improving their skills in understanding themselves and their relationship to food, emotions, sleep, exercise and their body. 

    •  Medication use or withdrawal: For some, we discuss if medications can improve mental and physical wellbeing. Other individuals, we discuss and the possibility of withdrawing from medications.

    •  Specialty testing: After 15 years of clinical practice, many labs tests can be run to assess for physical causes of mental health challenges. 

    • Physical exams: The most common physical exams I perform is looking for dysregulation of the visual and balance system. When our visual and balance systems are off, our brain gets misinformation that can contribute or mimic fatigue, depression, anxiety, and other mental health concerns. 

    • Acupuncture: I offer acupuncture for your mental health symptoms, including anxiety, depression, cravings, menstrual issues, PTSD symptoms and/or insomnia. Sometimes acupuncture can temporally improve symptoms just so you know what it is like to feel better. 

  • Wrapping up the Assessment Process: We will wrap up the assessment process making sure that you have a better understanding of your brain and body, have new achievable tools to maintain your energy and mental clarity, and, if necessary, have appropriate referrals for your next steps. Some people continue to see me for support and education. Others drop in for a “tune up”. I support the path that is best for you.