Author: Dr. Amy Reidhead

Dr. Reidhead is a double board certified Chiropractic Physician and Family Nurse Practitioner. She is also a Fellow of the International Academy of Medical Acupuncture and holds a Bachelor of Science in both Nursing and Human Biology. She has spent the past 25 years honing her skills as a functional and integrative medical provider in Boulder, Colorado.

Methylation and Mental Health: Why We Should Pay Attention to Our DNA

Written by Dr. Amy Reidhead on May 16, 2023. Posted in Boulder Holistic Blog.

You might not know it, but a crucial bodily process is often overlooked when it comes to mental health. Methylation and mental health are naturally intertwined, and supporting methylation could revolutionize mental health care.

Mental health disorders are rising – about one in five adults is currently diagnosed with some type of mental health disorder. Knowing that, mental health experts are doing all they can to figure out what causes them and how they can help.

Methylation is part of the production and metabolism of neurotransmitters – chemicals that regulate mood, behavior, and cognition. It helps to ensure that neurotransmitters, like dopamine, serotonin, and norepinephrine, are produced and metabolized in the proper amounts, which is essential for maintaining good mental health.

It also helps to regulate gene expression in the brain, which can influence mental health outcomes. Research has shown that changes in methylation patterns can lead to altered gene expression, which can contribute to the development of mental health conditions, such as depression, anxiety, and bipolar disorder.

Boulder Holistic Functional Medicine in Boulder, Colorado uses a holistic approach to mental health which is why methylation is such a central concern. Keep reading to learn more about methylation and why it’s essential to a healthy brain.

What is Methylation?

Methylation is a process by which a methyl group – consisting of one carbon atom and three hydrogen atoms – is added to various molecules in the body. This process is involved in a variety of important biochemical reactions in the body, including detoxification, cardiovascular health, and hormone regulation.

Methylation and Detoxification

Methylation is critical for the proper function of the liver – the body’s main detoxification organ. Specifically, methylation is involved in the processing of toxins, drugs, and other foreign substances that enter the body. It helps to convert these substances into a form that can be eliminated from the body, which is essential for maintaining overall health and well-being.

Methylation and Cardiovascular Health

Methylation also supports a healthy heart by regulating the homocysteine levels in the blood. Homocysteine is an amino acid that can be harmful when present in high amounts. Methylation helps to convert homocysteine into other beneficial compounds, which helps to reduce the risk of cardiovascular disease.

Methylation and Hormone Regulation

Methylation is also involved in the production, metabolism, and activation of various hormones in the body, including estrogen, testosterone, and cortisol. It ensures that these hormones are produced and metabolized in the proper amounts, which is important for maintaining overall hormonal balance.

“As research progresses, we’re learning more about the role that methylation plays in the brain, including the ways that it influences our emotions, thoughts, and behavior.” – Dr. Terry Wahls

Overall, methylation is a critical process that is involved in many important biochemical reactions in the body. By understanding its role in detoxification, cardiovascular health, and hormone regulation, we can better appreciate the importance of supporting methylation through proper nutrition, supplementation, and lifestyle habits.

What is DNA Methylation?

Methylation is part of a study called epigenetics. Epigentics is the study of how your behavior and environment affect how your genes work.

DNA methylation is when your body adds chemicals to your DNA. The added chemicals can effectively turn the gene “OFF.” Genes that are turned off no longer produce the necessary proteins that your body needs to function.

The effect of DNA methylation on your mental health can be drastic.

For example, if serotonin is not methylated, it becomes inactive. People with depression often suffer from a lack of serotonin and take medications designed to keep your brain from reabsorbing serotonin (SSRIs). The SSRIs increase the amount of serotonin available to receptors and thus improve your mood.

The epigenetic changes that cause your serotonin levels to drop, or alter your liver, heart, and hormone regulation, can be caused by normal development and aging. However, they may also be a product of your environment and lifestyle.

Poor Methylation Symptoms

Because methylation affects so many of the body’s systems, it can be hard to recognize when methylation is out of whack. Your body can under-methylate or over-methylate, and each imbalance has its own symptoms.

If you don’t methylate well, DNA and RNA expression is altered. Eventually, poor methylation can lead to disease and other symptoms.

Some symptoms of poor methylation include:

Depression
Insomnia
Fatigue
Addiction
OCD and perfectionism
Digestive issues
Frequent headaches
High libido
Low pain threshold
Delusions
Difficulty concentrating
Poor short-term memory

Over methylation has distinct symptoms. The problem with over-methylation is that you produce too many methyls and your body can’t use them all.

Typical symptoms of over-methylation include:

Anxiety
Paranoia and schizophrenia
Sleep disorders
Self-mutilation
Low libido
High pain threshold
Poor concentration

Both under and over-methylation come with their own problems and symptoms. But once you start treating them, you can see results within three to four months!

How to Improve Methylation for Better Mental Health

At Boulder Holistic Functional Medicine, we use several holistic approaches to support methylation for mental health. The functional medicine approach looks at the whole body. So, to make lasting changes to your methylation, you need to implement several lifestyle changes.

These include:

Eating a nutrient-dense diet: Consuming a diet that is rich in vitamins and minerals, particularly B vitamins, folate, and magnesium, can help to support methylation. Foods that are particularly rich in these nutrients include leafy green vegetables, whole grains, nuts and seeds, and lean protein sources.

Reducing stress: Chronic stress can have a negative impact on methylation, so it is important to take steps to reduce stress levels. This can include practicing relaxation techniques, such as meditation or deep breathing, engaging in regular exercise, and getting enough restful sleep.

Supplementing with methyl donors: Methyl donors, such as methyl folate, methylcobalamin (vitamin B12), and trimethylglycine (TMG), can help to support methylation. It is important to work with a qualified healthcare practitioner to determine the appropriate dosages and combinations of supplements.

Avoiding toxins: Exposure to toxins, such as heavy metals and pesticides, can disrupt methylation. It is important to minimize exposure to these toxins by eating organic foods, using natural cleaning and personal care products, and avoiding exposure to environmental pollutants.

By incorporating these holistic approaches into your daily routine, you can help to support methylation for optimal mental health.

Contact Boulder Holistic Functional Medicine

Methylation is a complex process and should be approached under the guidance of a qualified healthcare practitioner, particularly if you have a history of mental health conditions or genetic mutations that affect methylation.

Contact Boulder Holistic Functional Medicine in Boulder, Colorado to schedule an appointment to learn more about how methylation may affect your mental health. One of our experienced doctors will meet with you to discuss a treatment plan that addresses your unique symptoms. We offer MTHRF testing as well as comprehensive methylation testing to get you started on your road to better mental health.

The 3 Stages of Menopause: The Importance of Teaching Women About Menopause

Written by Dr. Amy Reidhead on April 19, 2023. Posted in Boulder Holistic Blog.

My mom didn’t talk about it and I imagine hers didn’t either. For generations, the women in my family failed to mention what to expect during menopause – and you probably feel the same. The three stages of menopause were a mystery, even though all women will go through them at some point.

When we educate ourselves about menopause, we are more capable of understanding and supporting the women in our lives who will inevitably experience menopause. If you’re a man and don’t think this article pertains to you – I urge you to read on. All of us are affected by menopause. We either go through it ourselves or watch our mothers, grandmothers, wives, and lovers experience this powerful change.

Keep reading to learn more about menopause, including a brief look at each of the three stages, common menopause symptoms, and how to ease the transition from perimenopause to postmenopause.

Why We Don’t Talk About Menopause

I’m a child of the late 60s, and I didn’t learn anything about the three stages of menopause during my grade school sex education. They taught us about our period and how not to get pregnant – that’s it!

Unfortunately, even in the early 2000s, not much had changed. My daughters who are in their late 20s know no more about menopause than I did!

We all know women (or are women) who will experience menopause if they have not already. So, why is there very little information shared about this hot topic?

Menopause is part of the larger cycle of womanhood. Most people know that women go through a monthly cycle. But not everyone sees the larger cycle which begins with a woman’s first period and ends with menopause.

Many women have mixed feelings about menopause. Maybe they are ashamed, embarrassed, or confused about the changes happening in their body. Some may even dread the change because it reminds them they are getting older.

Menopause doesn’t have to be scary or confusing. The transition is as natural as tides rising or the moon cycling from new to full.

When I was in medical school, I was shocked by the lack of information on how to recognize and handle the phases of menopause. So, to set the record straight, the three stages of menopause are perimenopause, menopause, and postmenopause.

Menopause Phases

The average age women go through menopause is 51 – but menopause doesn’t happen according to a schedule. You are in menopause when you have gone a full 12 months without having a period.

A woman typically starts to see menopause symptoms in her mid-40s, but it can happen earlier in some and later in others. All women go through menopause, and the gradual transition from perimenopause to post-menopause may last anywhere from seven to fourteen years.

1. Early Stage of Menopause

Perimenopause is the time leading up to menopause. The early stage of menopause can last anywhere from several months to several years.

During perimenopause, your hormones fluctuate in a way that causes irregular cycles, heavy periods, or skipped periods. Some of the other symptoms of perimenopause include insomnia, anxiety, depression, mood swings, brain fog, and vaginal dryness.

2. Menopause

Menopause is when our period is gone for good. We are no longer ovulating, and our reproductive years are behind us. Some other symptoms that may develop in menopause are worsening sleep, joint pain, brain fog, weight gain (especially around the middle of the abdomen), painful intercourse, and loss of libido.

3. Late Stage of Menopause

Post-menopause is life beyond menopause. Hormones remain low for the rest of your life – if you choose not to undergo hormone replacement therapy. People in postmenopause are at an increased risk for certain health conditions, including heart disease and osteoporosis.

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Each woman’s experience with menopause is unique. Some women have a multitude of symptoms that severely affect their quality of life, while others may have no symptoms whatsoever. Here are a few common symptoms to help you gauge if you’re in menopause.

Common Symptoms of Menopause

Your ovaries naturally slow down estrogen and progesterone production as you age. The symptoms of all three stages of menopause are caused by decreasing levels of these hormones in the body.

Symptoms related to estrogen fluctuation and loss include:

Night sweats
Hot flashes
Vaginal dryness
Loss of libido
Painful intercourse
Weight gain
Joint pain
Depression

And symptoms related to progesterone fluctuation and loss include:

Insomnia
Anxiety
Irritability
Mood swings

The three stages of menopause are easily recognizable once you know what to expect. However, that doesn’t make the symptoms any less of a nuisance. Keep reading for a few ways you can tackle the worst menopause systems.

How to Tackle the Worst Menopause Symptoms

Functional medicine uses a whole-body approach to address the symptoms of menopause. We look at your lifestyle, hormone levels, and overall health to support you during this whole body shift.

Here are Dr. Amy Reidhead’s tips for tackling the worst menopause symptoms.

1. Weight Gain during Menopause

Weight gain during menopause isn’t inevitable, but managing your weight during menopause can be tricky. Hormones, toxin load, and inflammation all affect how your body holds onto fat.

However, you can mitigate some menopausal weight gain by modifying your diet and exercise routine.

Protein is essential to maintain muscle mass and health postmenopause. Carefully monitor your protein intake to ensure you get an adequate amount – about 2.2 to 2.4 grams per kilogram of body weight. At the same time, make sure your healthy fat consumption doesn’t exceed 30% of your total daily calories.

Avoid simple carbohydrates and processed foods, but some carbohydrates from vegetables, fruits, and whole grains are OK!

Intermittent fasting – where you eat during an 8-hour window and fast for a 16-hour window – can be helpful for menopausal weight gain. However, not all women respond well to intermittent fasting. Hormonal fluctuations can lead to hypoglycemia and put more stress on the hormone/adrenal systems.

When it comes to exercise, moderation is the goal! Not too much, not too little.

Resistance training is essential in the menopausal time to preserve bone health. Walking, hiking, and moderate-intensity aerobic exercise are all helpful, but don’t over-exercise!

Too much exercise is stressful for your body. Our adrenals take over the production of some of our sex hormones during menopause. If the adrenal health is compromised, your efforts to lose weight during menopause may backfire.

2. Hot Flashes during Menopause

Hot flashes and nausea are symptoms of menopause. While you may not be able to get rid of hot flashes, you can limit how they affect you.

Dress in layers to maintain comfort throughout the day. Keep the bedroom cool at night and wear breathable pajamas or no pajamas. Avoid alcohol as it may contribute to hot flashes.

Some supplements are beneficial during menopause, but what works for you may not work for everyone. Boulder Holistic Functional Medicine usually recommends Medcap Menopause and MenoFem by Xymogen, or Estrovera (a form of rhubarb) by Metagenics. Supplements like maca, black cohosh, vitex, dong quai, and evening primrose oil may also reduce hot flashes.

Adrenal support and low-dose estrogen replacement therapy (especially bioidentical transdermal therapy) can also help with hot flashes. If your menopause symptoms significantly affect your quality of life, bioidentical hormone replacement therapy is one way to bring your body back into balance.

3. Insomnia and Mood Support during Menopause

Sleep hygiene is an essential part of any balanced lifestyle, especially during menopause. You can practice a few lifestyle changes to support good sleep hygiene, including a regular bedtime, white noise, and cool temperatures in the bedroom.

Micronized oral or topical progesterone can reduce menopause-related sleep issues. Progesterone also has GABA-like properties that may lessen anxiety and improve mood.

Boulder Holistic recommends sleep support supplements like SomnoPro, Melatonin, and CBD SLP to promote good sleep during menopause.

4. Libido Loss and Painful Intercourse during Menopause

Estrogen is a powerful female hormone. Without it, our tissues and skin dry up, and our vaginal tissues become dry and pale. It also has powerful anti-inflammatory qualities, which is why joint and intercourse pain are common in menopause and postmenopause.

When you replace Estrogen – specifically E3 in the vaginal area – you can alleviate some of the symptoms of low Estrogen, including vaginal dryness and painful intercourse. Boulder Holistic Functional Medicine in Boulder Colorado usually recommends Bezwecken hydration pearls or compounded Estrogen vaginal suppositories.

Topical Estrogen may also prevent painful intercourse in postmenopausal women. Boulder Holistic Functional Medicine recommends one called Biest that combines E2 and E3. Both types of Estrogen help combat symptoms of estrogen loss in women.

However, Estrogen isn’t the only hormone used for libido loss and painful intercourse. Topical Testosterone therapy supports a healthy libido. And topical DHEA may help those wary of estrogen replacement therapy, or those with a high breast cancer risk.

What Are the Signs That You Need Hormone Replacement Therapy

Much of the fear around hormone replacement therapy came from a poorly conducted study by the Women’s Health Initiative in the early 2000s. It showed that HRT had more detrimental effects than benefits.

Because of this study, many women still are afraid of HRT and may be suffering needlessly.

But since the early 2000s, the WHI study was reanalyzed, and new information shows HRT is beneficial for younger women and early postmenopausal women (50+). HRT can protect cardiovascular health, prevent coronary artery disease and reduce all causes of mortality.

The current understanding of hormone replacement therapy supports bioidentical hormone replacement therapy.

Estrogen is safest when given transdermally through a cream or patch. For safety, transdermal Estrogen should always be used in conjunction with progesterone. Progesterone is safe in oral or transdermal applications, but the oral route seems to help more with sleep and anxiety. Testosterone is commonly given transdermally as well.

Hormone replacement therapy requires careful monitoring by your physician to maintain optimal levels and to offer the best safety practices possible. I often use both LabCorp Labs and the Dutch test to monitor hormone levels and metabolism to provide the best-individualized care for my patients.

When you work with an experienced medical professional, HRT for menopause is safe and effective. It can help mitigate symptoms during all three stages of menopause, from the first hot flash to your final period.

Contact Boulder Holistic

Menopause doesn’t need to be a mystery. The symptoms of each stage are clearly marked and treatable. Boulder Holistic Functional Medicine in Boulder Colorado employs the functional medicine whole-body approach to treat all three stages of menopause. Adjust your diet and exercise, develop a healthy sleep routine, and supplement with herbs and HRT!

The Functional Medicine Approach for Improving Your Mental Health

Written by Dr. Amy Reidhead on March 30, 2023. Posted in Boulder Holistic Blog.

Mental health conditions like anxiety, depression, ADD, ADHD, and PTSD are on the rise. One in five children and adults will experience any of these mental afflictions in a given year.

Functional medicine offers a unique approach to mental health support. Instead of treating the symptoms, it treats the root cause of mental health.

What we get wrong about mental health is looking at the mind as separate from the body. Functional medicine uses the “whole person approach,” which means treatment isn’t focused on an isolated organ or system. Instead, it treats the whole person, including the body and the mind.

Using the whole-person approach, functional medicine attempts to restore health by improving function. It’s hard to imagine, but the brain and mental health have ties to nearly every system in the body. Brain health is dependent on the gut, hormones, the presence of inflammation, immunity, nutrition, metabolism, and overall toxin load.

So, it makes sense that to treat mental health with functional medicine, you would need to address all of the body’s systems.

At Boulder Holistic Functional Medicine in Boulder Colorado, the functional medicine approach for improving your mental health finds the cause to treat the symptoms. Keep reading to learn more about how each system supports your mental health and a few ways to improve your mental health naturally.

What is Integrative Mental Health?

Integrative mental health care is a multifaceted approach to mental health. It involves a blend of medications, psychotherapy, complementary therapies, and lifestyle changes – all meant to support your mental health.

Whether you have depression, anxiety, PTSD, ADD, ADHD, bipolar disorder, or any number of mental health conditions – integrative mental health care is a comprehensive approach that will mitigate symptoms and help you feel more like yourself.

Before you apply an integrative mental health care plan, you need to figure out which systems are working well and which need a little extra support.

A healthy brain depends on a healthy body. A functional medicine doctor analyzes your gut and assimilation, hormones and neurotransmitter communication, the presence of inflammation, and immune dysregulation. They will also examine your overall nutrition, energy metabolism, and toxin exposure.

The first step is to focus on your gut health by clearing out inflammatory foods and uncovering hidden food triggers. Next, you support the endocrine system and balance your hormones. You should also address the body’s toxin and infection burden, and implement targeted detoxification strategies to address the root causes, triggers, and drivers of these conditions.

If that sounds overwhelming, don’t worry. Boulder Holistic Functional Medicine can help you balance the body’s systems – starting with the gut.

The Gut-Brain Axis

Image of food inside the outline of a womens head to signify the gut-brain connection for mental health.

Many functional medicine doctors view gut health as one of the key foundations for mental health and brain health.

You may have heard your gut referred to as your “second brain.” Every person has a nervous system inside their intestines that uses the same chemicals and cells as the brain to tell us when something is wrong.

Recent research is helping to establish a connection between the gut and the brain. Most of you already know that physical symptoms like constipation and diarrhea can be the result of anxiety or stress. But many people don’t know that you can reduce anxiety and depression symptoms by supporting your gut.

At Boulder Holistic Functional Medicine, we routinely perform comprehensive stool analysis to evaluate the gut microbiome, support digestion, address infection, and restore gut barrier integrity. We also focus on rebuilding the gut microbiome to support immunity and help with neurotransmitter and hormone production and balance.

Nutrition & Mental Health

Hippocrates said, let food be thy medicine. The fact that nourishing your body with real food can also result in mental benefits is incredible.

In recent years, a surge of research has emerged on the effects of nutrition on mental health. The brain depends on nutrients to make neurotransmitters, and hormones for the nervous system to function optimally.

Boulder Holistic Functional Medicine performs micronutrient testing to address nutrition status and support healthy brain function. A few essential nutrients for mental health include iron, zinc, copper, magnesium, Vitamin D, antioxidants, and omega-3 fatty acids.

We also recommend food sensitivity testing to investigate potential food-related triggers that may affect your mental health. Food sensitivities and allergies have increased dramatically in recent years. Studies show that men, women, and children with food allergies are more likely to suffer from mental health conditions like anxiety and depression.

You should also plan to avoid certain inflammatory foods while healing from a mental health disorder. Foods that contain artificial dyes and flavorings, processed foods, unhealthy oils, and fast food exacerbate poor mental health.

On the flip side, some foods support a healthy brain. A few examples of foods that are good for your mental health include foods that represent every color of the rainbow, dark leafy greens, crucifers, healthy fats like those in wild-caught salmon, and some nuts and seeds.

Hormones and Mental Health

People used to think that brain function was pretty cut and dry – the brain was home to thoughts, dreams, and enough emotions to drive anyone crazy. But further study has revealed that the brain isn’t a standalone organ. It transmits signals to the rest of the body using hormones and neurotransmitters.

Most people know a few basic neurotransmitters – serotonin is “the happy hormone” and dopamine is “the reward hormone.” But there are other signaling hormones like GABA, glycine, glutamate, PEA, histamine, norepinephrine, and epinephrine that play major roles in mental health.

Hormones are part of the endocrine system, which includes the thyroid, adrenals, spleen, and reproductive organs. Your thyroid helps to control your metabolism and energy levels. Your adrenals produce cortisol – the stress hormone – which is triggered during fight or flight situations. And your sex hormones help you grow, develop, and reproduce.

Thyroid, stress, and sex hormones are crucial for brain health. When you have too little or too much of one hormone in the body, the others compensate. So balancing your hormones can be complicated without help.

Lifestyle Changes for Mental Health

Integrative mental health care emphasizes a holistic approach. Some lifestyle changes are necessary to support a healthy brain – namely, sleep and exercise.

Sleep is an underestimated aspect of a healthy lifestyle. With all the emphasis in American culture to go, go, go, most people rarely spend any time thinking about sleep. But sleep deprivation can adversely affect your mental health.

Tactics to help improve your sleep hygiene includes:

Dim lighting in the hours leading up to bedtime
Establish a solid sleep routine where you wake up and go to bed at the same time every day
Keep the room cold and use white noise to prevent loud noises from disturbing your sleep
Wear blue-light blocking glasses when you look at screens
Use a sleep-tracking device to analyze your sleep habits
See a functional medicine doctor if you have trouble falling or staying asleep

The second essential lifestyle change for mental health is exercise. Regular exercise is one of the most effective changes if you are looking to improve your mental health.

You don’t have to commit to an exercise challenge where you go to the gym every day for hours at a time to see mental health benefits. Start with 30 minutes of walking every other day. Some studies show that walking is as effective as medication for some people.

The functional medicine approach for improving your mental health doesn’t exclude medications. Many people need prescription medications to help them achieve balance. You can also support your mental health with nutraceuticals.

Boulder Holistic Functional Medicine in Boulder Colorado often recommends the following nutraceuticals: melatonin, 5HTP, GABA, magnesium, glycine, l-theanine, lemon balm, valerian root, Rhodiola, CBD synergies SL or AX. Let us know if you have any interest or questions about natural mental health support supplements. We are here to help.

Contact Boulder Holistic

The functional medicine approach for improving your mental health may seem complicated, but the results surpass symptom-based medicine. Your mental health will improve and stay consistent – you will feel better in your body and mind than ever before!

The main advantages of a healthy lifestyle for a healthy mind are:

More energy
Improved relationships (with yourself and others)
Confidence
A longer, healthier life
Strong muscles
Better immunity (get sick less often!)

If you are interested in learning more about integrative mental health care or scheduling a functional medicine appointment, contact Boulder Holistic Functional Medicine in Boulder Colorado to schedule an appointment today!

Membrane Power Shake Drink Duo with Blueberries

Revitalize Your Body and Mind with Membrane Supportive Power Shake

Written by Dr. Amy Reidhead on March 21, 2023. Posted in Boulder Holistic Blog.

We all know what happens if we don’t change the oil in our cars, but what about the oil in our bodies?

Every cell membrane in our bodies is made up of a phospholipid bi-layer and maybe even more importantly, every mitochondrion in our cells also is made up of the lipid bilayer.

So what happens to the fats in our membranes over time? Exposure to the Standard American diet, stress or trauma, and internal and external toxin exposure can cause our membranes to morph into a substance more resembling Crisco and less like olive oil. When that happens, healthy nutrition has a hard time getting into the cells, and the toxins have a hard time getting out.

One way to clean up our cells, mitochondria & their membranes, is to eat a diet rich in healthy Omega 3 and 6’s and to eat a plant-rich whole foods diet. Superfoods for the brain!

Another way to support healthy membranes is to make a membrane-mending power shake.

Benefits of a Membrane Power Shake:

Supports brain health and mental clarity. Think of this as a brain and memory power boost.
Improves cellular function by supporting mitochondrial health.
Supports detoxification by clearing toxins, repairing cellular membranes, and improving the flow of bile.

I have been drinking a membrane-supporting shake for years and I am happy to share it with you. Feel free to add or remove any ingredients to create your own brain power wellness recipe.

Membrane Power Shake:

Start with ½ – 1 cup organic coconut water
- I like a sour flavor so I add the juice of one or two lemons
Add Body Bio Phosphatidylcholine, anywhere from 1-3 TBS (I recommend starting low)
- ½ – 1 tsp to start, as can mobilize toxins quickly
Add Body Bio Balance oil – 1 tsp to 1-3 tbs
Add mineral and electrolyte powder to help with membrane health and energy
Add any other nutritional supplements based on your personal health needs – I use all sorts of powders and potions to create this brain power drink, including:
- Amino acid powder
- Glutamine powder
- Glycine powder
- Adaptogenic herbs like Schisandra or Ashwagandha
- Athletic greens
- Collagen powder
- Colostrum powder
- Vitamin A
- Vitamin D3/K2 drops
- Bee pollen
- Resveratrol powder or liquid
- Probiotics
½ cup frozen wild organic blueberries.

Blending this in a blender turns this shake into a liposomal polyphenolic power drink (brain power drink) that allows the nutrition to cross the blood-brain barrier and go inside our cells to deliver the nutrition to the parts of the body that need it most.

This cocktail of membrane healing nutrition sweeps chemical adducts off the mitochondrial membranes. Adding a butyrate supplement can also help remove toxins and adducts from cell membranes. I like TributyrinX from Healthy Gut, Butyrate Sodium, or Butyrate Cal-Mag from Body Bio. Butyrate also helps restore gut and brain barrier health after mold exposure.

We hope you like this recipe! Send us an email and let us know what you think.

French press is best when making coffee enema

Benefits of Coffee Enema

Written by Dr. Amy Reidhead on February 14, 2023. Posted in Boulder Holistic Blog.

The health benefits of coffee enemas may include relief from symptoms of Lyme disease, multiple chemical sensitivities, and heavy metal toxicity. There are very few toxicity-related reactions that couldn’t be stopped or tremendously reduced with a coffee enema. Coffee enema is great for detox, pain and inflammation reduction , in the treatment of parasites and other GI related issues.

Though not a common practice today, coffee enemas do have a long history of use. Recorded medical use of coffee enemas dates back to 1917; their beneficial effects on the liver were claimed by German scientists in the 1920s; they appeared in all major nursing textbooks through the 1950s; and they were listed in the Merck Medical Manual until the mid-1970s.

What are the benefits of coffee enemas?

Coffee enemas help with supporting the liver, and gallbladder. One way coffee enemas work is by stimulating the liver and gallbladder to purge the release of bile. Proper bile flow is critical for detoxification.
Coffee enemas stimulate the production of glutathione. The coffee used in coffee enemas contains two ingredients, cafestol palmitate and kahweol palmitate, which are known to increase glutathione production in the liver and large intestines. Coffee is the only known source of these two compounds .
Coffee enemas help the intestines with detoxification too. Our large intestines are also major workhorses of detoxification. The active ingredients found in coffee also aid in improving detoxification gene expression in the colon
Coffee enemas may help to boost energy, improve detoxification in both the intestines and in the liver, soothe Herxheimer reactions, and lift mood.

Coffee Enema Recipe

Boil 2 cups of filtered water
Take 4 TBS of organic coffee, decaf doesn’t have the same detoxing properties
Place coffee in a French press coffee maker and pour boiling water over
Add 1 TBS organic molasses (helps with retaining the enema)
Steep for 15 min
While the coffee is steeping, mix ½-1 tsp of Himalayan Salt with 5 drops of Tangerine essential oil
After the 15 min steep time, press out the French press and place the coffee in enema bag/bucket
Add 2 cups of filtered water to the steeped coffee
Can add 6-8 ice cubes if the mixture is still too warm
Your should have 4 cups of solution total

When the solution is ready, add the sea salt and essential oil mixture and then you are ready to go!

Coffee Enema Instructions:

Place the tube inside your body about 6”. This will make it easier to hold the liquid.
Make sure that you don’t try to put too much in at once, or place the liquid in too fast. Both will make retaining the solution harder for you.
When you are ready, place ½ to 1 ½ cup of the solution in and hold for about 15 min. Then you are allowed to expel into the toilet.
Next add another ½-1 ½ cup and repeat the process until you use the whole solution.
If you can’t do the whole thing the first time, it’s ok. It should get easier the next time. The whole process depends on you and your needs.
Some people can only handle ¼ cup of the solution at a time, and that’s ok.
Some people say lay on your right side while you are retaining as this helps the liver to flush.
You can also take activated charcoal 2-8 caps, or 3 TBS of bentonite clay beforehand the next time if you feel like you get a toxic dump. But this is not typical.
Most people feel better doing the coffee enema 2-3 times per week while they are detoxing.

What are the risks of coffee enema?

In general, coffee enemas are very safe. However, there are a few risks that you should be aware of. Some of the potential risks of coffee enema include:

Dehydration. Performing coffee enemas too frequently may result in a loss of vital electrolytes and fluids. Maintain adequate oral hydration.
Intestinal wall tears or perforations. Over filling, or rough insertion of the enema tip can result in damage to the intestinal wall. Take care with insertion, do not use force and be mindful of rate of filling, amount of fluid and the frequency of performing coffee enemas.

How often should you use coffee enemas?

How frequently you use coffee enema is very individual.

It depends on a number of factors including your health reserves, how toxic you are, and if you struggle with constipation. Although the results of coffee enemas can be magical in some, it is a medical procedure that you perform at home, so care, and safety are recommended before and after enemas. We suggest consulting with your medical provider before starting coffee enemas, to see if they are right for you.

Author: Dr. Amy Reidhead

What is Methylation?

Methylation and Detoxification

Methylation and Cardiovascular Health

Methylation and Hormone Regulation

What is DNA Methylation?

Poor Methylation Symptoms

How to Improve Methylation for Better Mental Health

Contact Boulder Holistic Functional Medicine

Call Us

Why We Don’t Talk About Menopause

Menopause Phases

1. Early Stage of Menopause

2. Menopause

3. Late Stage of Menopause

Common Symptoms of Menopause

How to Tackle the Worst Menopause Symptoms

1. Weight Gain during Menopause

2. Hot Flashes during Menopause

3. Insomnia and Mood Support during Menopause

4. Libido Loss and Painful Intercourse during Menopause

What Are the Signs That You Need Hormone Replacement Therapy

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What is Integrative Mental Health?

The Gut-Brain Axis

Nutrition & Mental Health

Hormones and Mental Health

Lifestyle Changes for Mental Health

Tactics to help improve your sleep hygiene includes:

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Benefits of a Membrane Power Shake:

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What are the benefits of coffee enemas?

Coffee Enema Recipe

Coffee Enema Instructions:

What are the risks of coffee enema?

How often should you use coffee enemas?

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