We did it! The place looks great! You’ve got to come by and see the renovation and expansion!!
The Yoga/Pilates studio looks amazing and classes will begin in August; I’ll let you know the schedule, still figuring out the details.
Stay tuned….
dk
TESTIMONY of GLORIA
Over the years I have found by veering away from traditional medicine and prescription drugs, I would become much healthier. A search to find doctors who treat you holistic and alternatively before resorting to traditional medicine is very difficult to find.
Recently I found myself getting more and more depressed about aging and dreaded getting older. I began seeing my body looking old and I was loosing the high energy that I had always had. I have been blessed with outstanding good health all my life because I always tried to take good care of my body. So believe me, I was beginning to feel hopeless and puzzled by what was happening to my body.
The search was on when I found Cool Springs Family Medicine.
At Cool Springs Family Medicine, I was treated like I was very important and cared for by all the staff. Dani Williamson, nurse practitioner, did some very extensive blood test and quickly found my problems. I was so thankful and I began to have hope again.
One of the tests that Dani did was to test my Thyroid Antibodies. No other doctor had tested it because my Thyroid Panel had always been normal. I was shocked to discover that I had Hashimoto’s disease. The level was 1490.3 and normal Is 60. Everything I have read about Hassimoto’s disease is that there is nothing you can do about it. The only thing is wait under the antibodies destroy you thyroid and then you start taking hormone pills. Well, I knew in my heart that that would NOT be my fate! Also I knew that once you begin taking thyroid medicine, then your thyroid completely stops making the hormones.
Right away Dani put me on some vitamins that support the thyroid and that settle the antibodies down. She also told me to start on a Gluten Free Diet. There is a book that was just printed that she recommended I read and would give me hope also: Hope for Hashimoto’s by Dr. Alexander Haskell, N.D.
After three months, Dani did another blood test and the Thyroid Antibodies was
Down 540 points to 950.3 from 1490.3! I was beyond excited and so happy. I knew Dani and Cool Springs Family Medicine was a God sent.
Having gone through menopause about 15 years ago, my hormone levels were depleted; which explained my lack of interest in sex, dry vagina, lack of energy, lack of enthusiasm for life, my skin looking wrinkled and saggy in a lot of places on my body.
Dani suggested I do the Testosterone Pellets that could be inserted under my skin and would last for 3 months. Since my testosterone level was zero, I was anxious to receive this treatment. She also subscribed Progesterone Troches that I would let dissolved in my mouth at bedtime.
Within a week, I began to feel better, my endurance level was coming back and I began to feel younger and like a woman again. Within two weeks, my sex drive was back and I was feeling that desire I used to have for my husband. Believe me, he was very happy about that because he wasn’t feeling rejected by me anymore!
Another thing I was seeing was that when I would go work out, my trainer was amazed because I was getting stronger and she was able to add more weights to my workout. I was feeling a lot stronger during the spinning classes too.
I cannot believe the difference in my health and life now. I will continue to work until I get my Thyroid Antibodies down to normal and I will continue to get the testosterone pellet inserts regularly and continue with the progesterone troches.
Thank you Cool Springs Family Medicine and Dani Williamson for giving me my life back. (My husband thanks you too).
OK, another update: Still going back and forth on the paperwork, so, may not start the renovation until mid-May.
We are closed this Friday (4/15) because we are upgrading our server and the software for the electronic medical record system – sorry for the inconvenience.
I wanted to discuss another matter and invite your comments: We are incredibly pleased and so fortunate to announce a second Nurse Practitioner, Samantha (Sam) Mulder. Sam is so exceptional, currently faculty at Vanderbilt in the Nurse Midwifery program, has been here on Wednesdays and will be here full time in June 2011! Sam is a fabulous mid-wife and a wonderful NP provider to families and their children of any age. Over the last several months she has been seeing patients on Wednesdays and everyone, loves her. She is verse in natural treatments, as well as traditional medical therapy. Her profound knowledge of natural Women’s health, pregnancy, neonates, and family systems, is a great addition to the practice. I can’t wait until she is here full time. That means we will have two NP’s, both of whom are also trained as Nurse Midwives (Dani and Sam). I am so proud of this practice becoming the ideal of Family Care that includes Integrative Medical principles for the care from the first day of life onward, from well visits to developmental disorders, to toxicity, and adult care with chronic disease. We can address the community’s health needs and provide everyone with a comfortable medical home.
The way I envision this practice, is that most of the well child visits will move to Sam, Dani will continue to concentrate on hormones, detox, life-style change, and I will continue to concentrate on nutritional and natural interventions for Developmental Disorders, and Integrative treatments for chronic conditions, such as Lyme disease with Co-infections, and other disorders.
Once Sam arrives, we will more easily be able to handle same-day urgent appointments and all of us will share and address the needs of the patients and their phone messages, patient portal messages, and emails.
Although I will not be making appointments for many well visits on my schedule, I will be here and will visit with any patient and family at anytime during their office visit.
I really believe that with this plan, the provider’s greatest strengths will best match the patient’s needs, but I also recognize that this represents a change for some families, and may not fulfill everyone’s expectations. I do hope that everyone will give this a try, provide us with feedback and by doing so, help us to better take care of you. Let us know your thoughts.
As a colon hygienist I take great pride in helping my clients succeed in their health goals. Every body is different so every client is different. I think coming to health sometimes takes a tragic event to change us, sometimes it takes getting older, or sometimes we just make the decision to be healthy because we see so many unhealthy people and choose to not be like them. In Kathy’s case I believe it was age and health. She chose to take a stand and make the rest of her life focused on her health, and I was honored to be one of her first steps and to help her continue making them. The great thing about doing colonics while changing your lifestyle is that is makes everything so much easier. It is like when you are trying to loose weight you go to the gym day after day after day and if you do not give up you finally look in the mirror or step on the scale and see results and are motivated to keep going. After the first colonic you feel so much better, and with that extra energy, and “heavy load” relieved you want to continue. Continue cleansing and continue eating well to have the Best Life Ever.
Here is Kathy’s story, I am so proud of her and the pleasure is all mine!
I am a woman over 50 who’s been constipated since birth. My mother told me I would strain and strain and she would find tiny little raisin sized pieces in my diaper. My latest gastroenterologist told me my colon is “twisted” like a washcloth when you wring it out. I was fortunate if I could move my bowels more than once a week. I lived on non-stimulant laxatives because I knew I didn’t want to become dependent on the others. I learned to eat high-fiber cereals and prunes, but after a few weeks, they would no longer work.I participated in the Boston Clinical Research Study for Zelnorm and loved whatever they gave me but when Zelnorm hit the market, it didn’t work like the study did and then it was taken off the market for serious cardiovascular adverse events. Amitiza made me feel more miserable than being constipated. Miralax was nasty going in and coming out. My life seemed to revolve around my constipation problem.A “health nut” friend from Germany told me I should try colonic hydrotherapy; at least 20 to 30 as frequent as possible; try for two or three a week. My massage therapist/reflexologist said I needed to try colonics because she could tell I wasn’t as healthy as I should be due to my constipation. My chiropractor said I could feel so much better if I would have colonics. I put it off for over a year because I was afraid of a perforated colon. Then I met Sarah and my whole life changed.I did as my German friend said and immediately bought a package of ten colonics and went twice a week. Then I bought ten more and then ten more. I went twice a week for as long as my schedule would allow then I went once a week. I tried to go every-other week but my body wasn’t ready and I would get constipated again at about day ten so I continued every week until I finished the thirty. Now I see Sarah twice a month and I truly look forward to our visits. The warm filtered water flows gently in and out with any discomfort. It’s like washing my insides. I feel relaxed during our sessions and Sarah talks to me about nutrition. I have never felt healthier in my entire life.I may stop my chiropractic visits and my massage therapy appointments but I’ll continue with my colonic hydrotherapy for as long as I am able. Sarah has truly changed my life.~ Kathy Gervais
First I want to say hello and welcome you to this post and future posts by me on cleansing, nutrition, and detoxification. I am Sarah Moore, a certified colon hydrotherapist, and my office is located inside CSFM. I get asked by almost every new client why I chose to do what I do, or “how did you get this job?” With every client and every cleanse I begin to think we chose each other. The act of giving a colonic is not what it may seem from the outside looking in. It is an amazing way to cleanse the large intestines (colon) from parasites, worms, mucus and waste that has been lining the walls of your colon for many years. As we work to get healthy and maintain health detox and cleansing is an essential part of the process. The purpose of cleansing is to move toxins out of the body. You can do that through your skin and your bowels. Having a colonic can cleanse the colon an upward of 5-7 bowel movements a session. After leaving a session the body has been relieved of a major toxic burden and instantly feels refreshed and energized.
As I said before, we chose each other. I think when we have a job we love, we grow, learn and take excitement in each person we help or touch. Getting a colonic for the first time did not seem odd or weird and giving a colonic the same. I strive to make each client feel comfortable and to present a modern approach to an area of cleansing that has been present many many years. At CSFM I use a closed loop gravity fed system. It is very safe and gentle. Triple filtered water flows through the entire colon at a warm temperature as it relaxes the mid section so we can release as much as possible. I use disposable scopes and all natural herbal lubricant, made for the use of colonics, by Twelve Corners . Each session last approximately an hour. There may be times of discomfort as the body is preparing to release. I would say the strangest part is that when you are going to release, you are used to doing so on the toilet and mentally that is where you are most comfortable. During a colonic you will be laying down as you release and it will pass through the tube and down the drain as if you were to flush the toilet ( closed loop = no smell). Once you understand the feeling and are able to relax the abdominal and mid section, it is a lot easier to handle.
Please feel free the next time you are in the office to take a peak into my office “Room 1″ with Colon Hydrotherapy on the door. It is attached to the lobby bathroom. You will find it is a peaceful room that looks much like a room for a massage. I use low lights and soft music to help you stay relaxed and enjoy what is for most an uneasy procedure. It is best to start by doing 3-5 sessions close together. Once those are finished we can work together to see what is best for future cleansing as you set your health goals. I can be reached anytime through phone or email. Both can be found on my website. No question is silly or stupid. I am excited to be a part of your journey to great health and I know when you leave me you will feel amazing. Come back to read more about colonics, nutrition and detox. Feel free to leave comments ask questions and let us know what you need more information on.
I saw a 2 1/2 year old adopted boy this morning who has a history of chronic constipation since birth, and who received 10 vaccines between the age of 12 – 18 months. At 18 months, he stopped talking, went into a daze, lost all eye contact, was gone, off the planet. The parents began a gluten free diet and within 6-9 months language exploded, eye contact, socialization, it was dramatic and shocking to his parents and preschool teachers. He was back. In his case, I am sure that he was accumulating gliadomorphine and recovered when it was removed from his diet. I am not suggesting that vaccines cause autism, I do however hear this story a lot, and at least in some cases, it gives one pause to consider the possible triggers for ASD in different children. After actually having a conversation with this child today, I can tell you that he is brilliant and has no issues, except I have to try to fix the constipation. I truly believe the parents saved their child, but they had to battle “the establishment” and pay attention to their own instincts and research to get there.
Patient came in today, gentleman, late 60′s, just diagnosed with terminal cancer and “given 2-3 months to live”. A month ago, a vibrant, dapper, spry, youthful man, and now, well, it was painful to watch him shuffle in supported by his son, bent over, with little energy to even lift his head. He came to say thank you, to introduce us to his son, and to say goodbye. With little time left, he wanted to come by and give Dani and I a few of his precious minutes. It is so humbling, so moving, and such a privilege to be part of his life. As you can imagine, we all had a good cry in the waiting room, had a tearful goodbye with some optimistic words about seeing each other soon, not really believing it. And then we moved on, to a crowded and very busy day, but, as Dani and I looked at each other across the room, we both could see the loss in each others eyes, and the determination to keep going and stay on the path, not always curing, but hopefully providing some healing whenever possible.
Testimonials are not a research tool, I know that. After all, someone who is not feeling the benefits of an intervention are not likely to write about it, however, we get so many reports of success (gloating, pardon) that I want to publish at least some of them. I think it helps people to know that these treatments do work, and they work for patients that feel just like you do. For example, one of Dani’s patients sent her this email today:
“I just wanted to let you know how good I feel!!!!!! I don’t know if it’s the cleanse or the thyroid medicine but I feel better than I have in YEARS! I am certainly a believer in the cleanse now. I was a bit of a skeptic to start with. Now all of my coworkers and friends are watching me and seeing the difference. I feel like exercising again! Thank you so much for listening to me and helping to make this happen.”
Thank you patient that feels better.
Let’s talk adrenals. What does that mean? People come in and tell me all the time that they have adrenal fatigue, they don’t feel themselves. They feel frazzled, fat, famished (craving sugars and carbs), fatigued! I want to use this blog to begin a dialogue on how I approach adrenal fatigue and invite comments, questions and your experiences.
Are you hitting the snooze alarm continually, feel sluggish until mid-morning, wiped out when you get home in the evening or possibly get a burst of energy when it is time to go to sleep? You could be adrenally fatigued. A condition that is treatable with the proper lifestyle modifications, supplements, nutrients and herbal adaptogens.
I have patients on a daily basis that are experiencing high levels of emotional, mental, family and work stressors on a continual basis. Some have “burned the candle at both ends” for way too many years, and some have simply been under chronic stress for a multitude of reasons. They come to our office oftentimes after having sought help from various practitioners, simply to be told that their “lab tests are normal” and they just need to exercise more, lose weight and/or “start saying no” to commitments!
It has been my experience that most people have never heard of adrenal fatigue, much less know where their adrenal glands are located or exactly what their function is in our lives! Adrenal glands secrete cortisol in times of stress, exercise, low blood sugar (we will address low blood sugar and cortisol later)! Cortisol is your “fight or flight” hormone. Adrenal glands become compromised and sluggish when stress is not well managed and the adrenals are constantly pumping out cortisol. Eventually, they simply “poop out” and cortisol is unable to rise to meet our daily needs. Therefore, causing fatigue, sluggishness, anxiety, craving for sweets, allergies, reduced tolerance for stress the “tired but wired” feeling, sleep disturbances that many of us are experiencing.
At CSFM we can help you overcome adrenal fatigue by evaluating your cortisol levels with saliva testing that test 4x during the day (cortisol should be the highest it will be in a 24 hour period when we wake up). Cortisol slowly declines as the day progresses, it is low cortisol that allows us to go to sleep at night. I see all levels of adrenal fatigue weekly.
Adrenal fatigue is best treated with lifestyle modifications such as:
- At least 8 hours of sleep a night (sleep beginning before midnight is a must). The bed is for sleep and sex only….if you aren’t sleeping or having sex, get out of the bed!
- Meals at least every 4 hours with adequate protein and complex carbohydrates.
- Exercise at least 4-5 days a week of 20-30 minutes. No strenuous exercise: preferably yoga, stretching, breath work.
Nutrients: Supplements
- High doses of vitamin C 2-3 times daily
- Vitamins B5 and B6
- Vitamin E
Adrenal adaptogens:
- Ashwaghanda
- Holy Basil
- Licorice (used cautiously for elevated cortisol)
- Rhodiola
- Ginseng (used cautiously for elevated cortisol)
Adrenal Cortex or Cortisol is reserved for the most severe of cases.
For a complete saliva testing evaluation make an appointment at Cool Springs Family Medicine to see Dr. Kalb or Dani.
PS: The good news is that adrenal glands are easily treated, but can take months to a year or more to recover completely….be patient and consistent in your journey to better health!
