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Learn how to choose the right probiotic for your gut health! Our comprehensive guide covers everything from CFU count to strain variety, helping you make an informed decision for optimal digestive wellness. Find tips, expert recommendations, and more in this must-read blog!

The Gut-Skin Axis: A Functional Medicine Perspective The gut microbiome , which is the collection of trillions of bacteria that populate the human digestive tract, is the main hub of communication with the rest of the body, including the skin. Therefore, skin conditions often have an underlying cause rooted in the gut. In functional medicine, where we frequently observe concurrent gut and skin imbalances, we refer to this relationship as the gut-skin axis . Or, as the saying (maybe just my saying?) goes, if the gut ain’t happy, ain’t nobody happy. Additionally, the skin itself (and other organs/body systems) has its own microbiome that protects us externally from pathogenic organisms. So, skin issues can result from gut microbiome imbalances (and a congested digestive system) and/or a disruption to the skin microbiome. Chronic skin conditions such as psoriasis, acne, and eczema are often a combination of both.

Discover nutrigenomics, how your genetic makeup influences hormonal imbalances, and learn actionable steps to manage your health through lifestyle choices and targeted support.

Well, I have officially gone down the heavy metal rabbit hole as I have discovered that I probably have elevated cadmium and possibly lead levels (test results pending). And with school starting back, I'm knee deep in researching safe food and lunch gear for my kids as well. 

What are industrial seed oils?

Carrots & Sweet Potatoes: Vitamin E + Carotenoids

Vitamin B12 plays a critical role in our functioning, but are you getting enough of this necessary micronutrient? In this month's blog, we're dishing out the complete scoop.

Are you looking for the perfect gift for your health-conscious loved ones? Look no further! Carolina Functional Nutrition has compiled a fantastic gift guide filled with items that not only bring joy but also promote wellness.  Each of these items has been hand-picked for their quality and contribution to a healthier lifestyle. Let's dive in: Naturepedic Linens Gift your loved ones the luxury of a good night's sleep with Naturepedic Linens. Made from organic cotton, these linens provide a soft, comfortable sleeping environment free from harmful chemicals. It's a perfect gift for anyone who cherishes their sleep! Pact Organic Undies or Pajamas Comfortable and environmentally friendly, Pact Organic Undies and Pajamas are a great gift for those who value sustainable fashion. Made from organic cotton, these items offer supreme comfort without compromising durability. Scout & Cellar Organic Wine Give the gift of a fine, organic wine from Scout & Cellar. This wine is free from synthetic pesticides and chemical additives, making it a healthier choice for wine lovers. It's the perfect way to toast to good health! Free Coat Manicure for Non-Toxic Nails For those who love nail art, a Free Coat Manicure is an ideal gift. This manicure uses non-toxic nail polish, ensuring that beauty does not come at the expense of health. It's a beautiful and thoughtful present. Primal Life Teeth Whitening System A bright smile is a gift that keeps on giving! Primal Life offers a natural teeth whitening system that is free from harmful chemicals. It's a great way to enhance one's smile while maintaining oral health. Clean Juice Gift Cards For those who enjoy fresh, healthy juices, Clean Juice gift cards are a fantastic option. These cards allow the recipient to choose from an array of nutrient-rich juices. It's a delicious way to promote wellness. Clear Filtered Water Bottle A Clear Filtered Water Bottle is a practical and eco-friendly gift. It encourages hydration, essential for good health, while reducing plastic waste. It's a gift that benefits both the recipient and the environment. Honest Elderberry Syrup Boost your loved ones' immunity with Honest Elderberry Syrup. This natural remedy is packed with antioxidants and is known for its immune-boosting properties. It's a sweet and healthy treat! Air Doctor The Air Doctor is a high-quality air purifier, perfect for ensuring clean, breathable air in the home. It's a thoughtful gift for those who value their respiratory health. Aquagear Water Filtering Pitcher The Aquagear Water Filtering Pitcher is another excellent gift for those who value hydration. This pitcher filters out harmful contaminants, providing clean, safe drinking water. Bormiolo Rocco Glassware For those who appreciate elegant dining, Bormiolo Rocco Glassware is the perfect gift. These Italian-made glasses add a touch of sophistication to any dinner table. Gift-giving can be a way to show your loved ones that you care about their wellbeing. With t

Seasonal allergies are common where I live in the Southeast. In fact, it almost seems strange when someone doesn’t complain of them. However, sometimes fall allergies are a sign of a deeper issue. While tree pollen tends to be highest in spring, grass pollen is highest in summer. Then there’s ragweed and mold which are often at their highest counts in later summer/early fall. They can trigger typical allergy symptoms like watery eyes and a runny nose, and can also be an asthma trigger as well. To make matters worse, even some foods can “look like” tree pollen or ragweed to the immune system, and worsen the effects by mimicking a similar response. Even a mold allergy can be triggered by foods stored in damp conditions where mold is likely to grow. Keep in mind if mold toxicity (usually due to past exposure that was never cleared from the body) is bad enough, it may be triggered on an ongoing basis from food. If it feels like you have allergy symptoms all year long and/or asthma along with fatigue and maybe a plethora of other chronic symptoms, consider pursuing comprehensive functional mold/mycotoxin testing. In the meantime, keep these foods in mind during your designated allergy season(s) to see how they might impact your overall immune response. The most common foods and herbs that mimic or cross-react with environmental allergens include: Tree pollen: apple, apricot, cherry, peach, nectarine carrot, celery cilantro, coriander, parsley Grass: melons, orange, wheat, chard Ragweed: apple, banana, melons, mango, chamomile, echinacea, honey, cucumber, sunflower seed, tomato, stevia Mold: mushrooms, corn, oats, peanuts, vinegar (not white), wine, sauerkraut, yeast (bread/beer), cured meats Do you notice that certain foods affect your seasonal allergies? I’d love to hear if you try this and it makes a difference!

Antibiotics are the #1 reason clients end up in my office. Now of course they can be lifesaving in some situations, but unfortunately, they are often overprescribed, and often coming with pesky digestive (and other) side effects. You've probably experienced, or at least heard that chronic antibiotic use isn’t great for the gut, but in fact even one round can drastically change the microbiome –more than one round may affect it permanently. When I say microbiome, I mean the collection of beneficial bacteria primarily in the large intestine. And when that bacterial balance is altered, there is a ripple effect through different body systems, causing other imbalances that if you hadn’t attended this talk today-- might seem unrelated. One of the main problems with overuse of antibiotics that converts strangers into my newest clients is that bacteria have essentially evolved in order to survive our usual antibiotics, and so now we have these superbugs that aren’t sensitive to traditional antibiotics. This means that sometimes one round doesn’t work, and then a second or third, successively stronger antibiotics are required which does even more damage. Now let’s talk about the side effects of antibiotics—some of these you may be all too familiar with like bloating and diarrhea during antibiotic treatment. That’s probably pretty obvious. But did you ever think about the eczema, UTI, or kidney stone that seemed to appear out of nowhere 18 months after a round of antibiotics was related to the resulting changes in your gut microbiome?? Most people don't, but now that you're here and reading this, you know! Now let’s talk solutions. #1 Probiotics A broad-spectrum probiotic is a good place to start for general prevention and restoration during and after antibiotic treatment. A good general probiotic formula will contain at least 10-15 or more strains or types of bacteria. In other words, when you look on the label there will be a list of weird long words, and there should be at least 10-15 of those with numbers next to them. Next you want to look on the label or the front for the number of CFU’s. It should say at least 15-25 billion, some will have 50-100 billion which could be better for short-term support. This type of general probiotic will work for most people, but I’ll note a couple of additional categories as well. If you experience diarrhea when taking antibiotics or any other time really, a specific strain called Saccharomyces boulardii (Sac b for short) is especially helpful in controlling loose stool and supporting the immune system. You could take this in addition to a general probiotic in the case of antibiotic treatment, or alone on an as needed basis. Now if the general probiotic makes you feel worse or causes severe bloating, a spore-based probiotic meaning it comes from soil-based bacteria is another option that can help to restore balance but doesn’t usually aggravate bloating. #2 Prebiotics Prebiotics are fermented fibers that feed beneficial bacteria. They come from fiber-rich foods such as onions, garlic, beans, asparagus, bananas, apple, and flax seeds, or there are supplement versions which are sometimes a little easier to digest if these foods make your intestines cringe just hearing their names. Now the research on taking a prebiotic supplement during antibiotic treatment isn’t super clear. Some studies show a benefit of taking a prebiotic supplement during antibiotic treatment, and some don’t. It won’t hurt to try, and some probiotics have prebiotics in them, but just know it’s not a top priority that you go out and buy a supplement for that unless it’s for you or someone who doesn’t eat fiber or can’t tolerate fiber, in which case a supplement might be easier. However, if tolerated, prebiotic foods may be a better option. It may be challenging to be eating at your best when you’re not feeling well and taking an antibiotic, but try to keep fiber from fruits, veggies, whole grains, nuts and seeds in the diet as much as possible to feed the beneficial bacteria you’re putting back with the probiotic supplement. For specific symptoms: if you’re prone to diarrhea, banana is a great source of prebiotic fiber which can help to balance loose stool. Kiwi is a great source of easy to digest soluble fiber which won’t aggravate bloating and can help with constipation. Applesauce is another great source of prebiotics that may help to protect the gut lining from damage while on antibiotics. #3 Fermented Foods Fermented foods are also a good source of pro and prebiotics, so if you’re on a budget, you can still have a healthy gut and prevent problems after antibiotics. In fact, you can make any of these at home pretty easily with minimal equipment. Otherwise, most grocery stores sell raw pickles and sauerkraut, kimchi which is like a traditional Asian fermented coleslaw, and kefir or plain, unsweetened yogurt. Avoid the sugary, sweetened version as that may negate some of the benefit since the sugar can potentially feed bad germs more than the probiotics in the yogurt can support the good guys. So plain, unsweetened is the way to go. If that sounds disgusting, try adding ½ cup to a smoothie with fruit, almond milk, vanilla, maybe some protein powder that’s sweetened with monk fruit or stevia. The taste will be sweeter, and the yogurt will give it some nice texture. So there is a pretty good list of foods and supplements to consider for gut support during and after antibiotic treatment. Just as there are supportive foods, there are also a few common irritants that may not be your best friend while on antibiotics. This doesn’t mean your diet has to be perfect, but just be aware that alcohol and added sugar can potentially feed the bad germs faster than all of these other foods can feed the good guys. So, keep to a minimum at least while on antibiotics to prevent overgrowth. Grapefruit can inhibit the absorption of antibiotics, so wait to eat until after the course of treatment is finished. Now, the $64 million question—what if digestive symptoms, or any of these listed issues appear or come back 6, 12, 18, 24 months later?? It may be a sign that there’s trouble brewing, and we need to address. Any of these symptoms could be a result of changes to the gut microbiome because of antibiotic use. So always suspect a gut imbalance, even if the symptom doesn’t seem to originate in the gut. In this case, probiotics alone may not be enough. There is perhaps infection or overgrowth at this point, maybe a buildup of inflammation or even damage in the intestine, and perhaps digestion has become sluggish as a result. There could be 1 or 2 issues, or five. It’s sometimes hard to tell without testing. So normally at this point, I would test. If you are trying to DIY your gut health repair, stay tuned for next month’s article on the 5R’s of gut restoration which may help you better understand what to do and in what order (and when to ask for help). If you know that you want a structured program that takes out the guesswork of healing the gut, check out my Gut Health Freedom online program details here . If you still have questions, think you may need more 1:1 help, or aren’t sure if this could really get your results, book a free call so we can talk through your individual scenario: I’m happy to answer any questions, and you can always find me on social media as well for more tips and help along your gut health journey!

Remember that arcade game where you try to bop the mechanical mole/groundhog things on the head with a huge mallet? They keep popping up from different directions, and you have to keep slamming them back into the hole? If you remember that game, it’s a great analogy on how we are taught to approach our health. We feel a symptom, and we take something to suppress it, but the inflammation that caused the symptoms DOESN’T GO AWAY . It’s still there, just sort of underground so that we can’t feel or see it. Also consider that many other symptoms such as hormonal imbalances, autoimmune conditions, skin issues, chronic sinus infections, environmental allergies, and even difficulty losing weight are also connected with a less than ideal gut microbiome. In fact, various studies have correlated imbalances in the gut microbiome (the collection of good bacteria in our large intestine) with other seemingly unrelated conditions. The gut can affect the heart, brain, lungs, skin, and reproductive organs. And according to new research, there appears to be multiple ways in which the gut communicates with the brain and other parts of the body. For example, gut bacteria can: o secrete substances into the blood which are carried directly to the brain o stimulate the vagus nerve which regulates internal organs and reflexes o activate enteroendocrine cells which triggers hormone release o trigger an immune response or cascade of inflammatory signals Bottom line…the gut is the center of the universe as far as our bodies are concerned. And if the gut ain’t happy, ain’t nobody happy. So if you’re dealing with some annoying, maybe even mysterious symptoms, or an “unsolvable” digestive diagnosis. I totally get it. Been there, done that. If you’re thinking you need some help, but don’t know where to start, I completely understand. I spent years and thousands of dollars figuring it all out. I will say that from my 7+ years of experience seeing thousands of clients, starting with the gut is usually a great idea, especially if you’re experiencing symptoms such as bloating, constipation, diarrhea, reflux or nausea. Investing in yourself and your health can seem scary, but with my team and I supporting you it doesn’t have to be. After 7+ years in practice of working with gut health issues day in and day out, I’ve walked with thousands of clients in their journey to resolving digestive symptoms for good . My team is here to partner with you, get to know your goals and concerns, and answer your questions all the way through to a maintenance point where you feel confident in sustaining your own progress. You’re not alone so it doesn’t have to be scary. And no more whack-a-mole health! As always, I’m happy to jump on a call with you to chat more about your specific situation and how I might be able to help. Check out @carolinafunctionalnutrition on instagram for more tips & insights into living a happy healthy life!

I talk about this all the time on social media (scroll back to the first few months of the year on IG or fb), but I realized I don’t have a blog post on this yet, and it’s long overdue! So many of my clients are plagued by mysterious acne, anxiety, raging PMS, or difficulty losing weight. Medication or dietary interventions sometimes help, but maybe it’s not enough. Or, many clients just don’t want to be on medication forever, and don’t like being told that’s they’re only option for the rest of their lives! Totally understandable! The question in my mind is always WHAT IS THE ROOT CAUSE? Where did this come from, especially if it hasn’t been a lifelong pattern. So the short answer to these issues and more is……hormones! And maybe you already knew that, but which hormones and how do we address them for lasting improvement? Step into my office!

I started a private practice 6 years ago after getting fired from my first dietitian job. Yes, you read that right. I’ll explain. Nutrition is a second career for me, although I’ve been interested in health and wellness since I was a teenager and have worked in various capacities and “side gigs” for years while pursuing a pre-med biology degree and before eventually going back to school to get my master’s degree and license to practice nutrition. I came out of my master’s program feeling pretty confident—I had secured a job in a reputable neurology/food allergy practice while interning and was excited to FINALLY make a legit career of helping people find true wellness and healing through nutrition! However, much to my disappointment, the practice I worked for did not support nutrition (like at all) and even a dietitian colleague said her patients would laugh at me if I brought up food sensitivities as a possibility for unresolved inflammation. They fired me because my views were different, and they did not see a future in an integrative or functional approach to the neurology or immunology/allergy fields. I was devastated and mortified. I’d been working since I was 14 and have never been fired or even reprimanded at a job.

In preparing for another cold and flu season this year, be mindful of what’s going into the body including food and medications, as well as stress levels. Supplements can be helpful for extra support, but don’t forget the basics of eating with purpose—foods that will nourish the body and bolster the body’s naturally present defense mechanisms. It’s a pretty cool system when we feed it right! Let me know if you have questions, and don’t forget to consult my Fullscript store for my anti-viral protocol for both adults and children!The last 2 years have brought a lot of additional attention to immunity, as well as some tension surrounding the best way(s) to prevent severe illness. There is no one singular way that will best work for everyone, just like there’s no diet that will give everyone the exact same results. However, there are a few key central themes when it comes to our inherent natural immunity, and some interesting research correlating immunity with guess what---gut health! So here I am to share some ideas to bolster and/or complement what you’re already doing to support lasting immunity-- with confidence!