Lori Wendell APRN - Optimize Your Health

01/01/2026

12/31/2025

Class is in session 📚

✨ 𝚆𝚑𝚢 𝚁𝚘𝚘𝚝 𝙲𝚊𝚞𝚜𝚎 𝙼𝚎𝚍𝚒𝚌𝚒𝚗𝚎 𝙸𝚜 𝙳𝚒𝚏𝚏𝚎𝚛𝚎𝚗𝚝 𝚃𝚑𝚊𝚗 𝚈𝚘𝚞𝚛 𝙿𝙲𝙿 𝚅𝚒𝚜𝚒𝚝 ✨

Ever been told “your labs are normal” — but you still don’t feel normal?

That’s where root cause (functional) medicine is different.

🩺 𝚃𝚛𝚊𝚍𝚒𝚝𝚒𝚘𝚗𝚊𝚕 𝙿𝙲𝙿 𝙼𝚎𝚍𝚒𝚌𝚒𝚗𝚎
✔️ Excellent for acute care & emergencies
✔️ Focuses on diagnosing disease
✔️ Short visits, standard lab ranges
✔️ Often treats symptoms with medication

🌱 𝚁𝚘𝚘𝚝 𝙲𝚊𝚞𝚜𝚎 𝙼𝚎𝚍𝚒𝚌𝚒𝚗𝚎
✔️ Asks WHY symptoms are happening
✔️ Looks at the whole body as connected systems
✔️ Uses optimal (not just “normal”) lab ranges
✔️ Addresses gut health, hormones, thyroid, blood sugar, inflammation, nutrients & stress
✔️ Uses nutrition, lifestyle, targeted supplements — meds when needed, not first

📌 Example:

Fatigue, weight gain, brain fog?
Instead of “everything looks fine,” we look deeper to uncover what’s driving the imbalance.

✨ The goal isn’t to manage symptoms — it’s to restore balance and help you feel well again.

💬 If you’ve ever felt dismissed or unheard in healthcare, this approach may be what you’ve been missing.

12/30/2025

🦋 Hashimoto’s & Food: Why What You Eat Matters

If you have Hashimoto’s, food isn’t just fuel — it’s information for your immune system. The right dietary changes can help reduce inflammation, support thyroid function, and improve energy, mood, and weight regulation.

✨ Key Dietary Shifts for Hashimoto’s Support:

🥗 Prioritize Anti-Inflammatory Foods
Think colorful vegetables, berries, olive oil, avocado, fatty fish, and herbs/spices like turmeric and ginger.

🚫 Reduce or Remove Gluten
Gluten can increase gut permeability and may trigger immune reactions in many people with Hashimoto’s.

🥛 Limit Dairy (especially if symptomatic)
Dairy can worsen inflammation, sinus issues, bloating, and autoimmune flares in some individuals.

🍬 Stabilize Blood Sugar
Cut back on refined sugars and processed carbs. Focus on protein, fiber, and healthy fats at each meal.

🥩 Support Nutrient Deficiencies
Iron, selenium, zinc, iodine (balanced!), B12, and vitamin D are commonly low in Hashimoto’s.

🌾 Heal the Gut
A healthy gut = a calmer immune system. Remove trigger foods, support digestion, and restore gut balance.

💡 Remember: There is no one-size-fits-all Hashimoto’s diet. Personalized nutrition is key.

If you’re still struggling with fatigue, brain fog, or stubborn symptoms despite “normal” labs, it may be time to look deeper 👀

Need to dig deeper?
Call 📱 us : 1 (681) 549-7038

12/30/2025

Microdosing GLP-1 receptor agonists (like semaglutide, tirzepatide) is increasingly being explored beyond weight loss, especially in functional and metabolic medicine.

Below are common off-label or emerging uses at very low doses (well below obesity or diabetes dosing).

Do your RESEARCH, new studies show ⬇️

1️⃣ Insulin Resistance & Metabolic Flexibility

Why it helps
• Improves insulin sensitivity
• Reduces post-meal glucose spikes
• Lowers fasting insulin without aggressive appetite suppression

Who benefits
• PCOS
• Prediabetes
• Metabolic syndrome
• “Normal weight but insulin resistant” patients

👉 Often used when lifestyle + supplements aren’t enough

2️⃣ Appetite & Food Noise Regulation (Without Weight Loss)

At microdoses, many patients report:
• Reduced compulsive eating
• Better satiety signaling
• Improved portion control

Useful for
• Emotional eating
• Binge-eating tendencies
• Nighttime snacking
• Patients who don’t want significant weight loss

3️⃣ Inflammation & Cardiometabolic Risk

GLP-1s have anti-inflammatory effects:
• Reduce CRP
• Improve endothelial function
• Lower visceral fat (even without scale changes)

Potential benefits
• Cardiovascular risk reduction
• Fatty liver (NAFLD/MASLD)
• Chronic low-grade inflammation

4️⃣ PCOS & Hormonal Balance

Low-dose GLP-1s may:
• Improve insulin-driven androgen excess
• Support ovulatory function
• Reduce central adiposity

Often paired with:
• Myo-inositol
• Berberine
• Lifestyle therapy

5️⃣ Perimenopause & Menopause Support

Microdosing may help with:
• Midsection weight gain
• Insulin resistance that appears despite “doing everything right”
• Appetite dysregulation during hormonal shifts

📌 Lower doses help avoid excessive muscle loss or nausea

6️⃣ Addiction & Compulsive Behaviors (Emerging Evidence)

GLP-1 receptors exist in the reward centers of the brain.

Early data and clinical experience suggest benefits for:
• Alcohol cravings
• Sugar addiction
• Dopamine-driven compulsive behaviors

This is an exciting and rapidly evolving area.

7️⃣ Gut-Brain Axis Regulation

At very low doses:
• Slower gastric emptying without GI distress
• Improved gut-brain signaling
• Less reactive hunger

Some clinicians use it short-term to “reset” hunger cues.

9️⃣ Weight Maintenance / Post-Weight Loss Support

Microdosing can help:
• Prevent rebound weight gain
• Maintain metabolic improvements
• Support appetite regulation after coming off higher doses

Often used temporarily rather than long-term.

Message us today to discuss your options
📲 +1 (681) 549-7038

12/24/2025

✨ Perimenopause Isn’t Just About Estrogen ✨
Why Testosterone Matters for Women

Most women are told perimenopause = low estrogen.

But here’s the truth 👇

🔥 Testosterone often declines FIRST — and estrogen therapy alone may not fix how you feel.

💡 Testosterone plays a vital role in women’s health, supporting:

• Libido & s*xual satisfaction
• Energy & motivation
• Mood & confidence
• Lean muscle & strength
• Bone density
• Brain clarity & focus
• Metabolic health

🚩 Signs testosterone may be low in perimenopause:

• Low s*x drive
• Ongoing fatigue
• Brain fog
• Loss of muscle despite exercise
• Low motivation or “spark”
• Mood changes that estrogen didn’t fix

⚠️ Why estrogen alone isn’t always enough
Estrogen helps hot flashes and sleep —
But it doesn’t fully restore drive, desire, or strength.

✅ When testosterone is used correctly

• Very low, physiologic female dosing
• Monitored labs
• Aimed at female reference ranges
• NOT masculinizing when done properly

📌 Curious if this applies to you?
Testing + personalized care matters.

Call us today fo your LAB REVIEW 📲 +1 (681) 549-7038


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12/22/2025

If you’re 🥣 eating “right,” exercising 💪🏽 and the scale still won’t budge — it’s not a willpower issue.

👉 Weight loss resistance is usually driven by hormones, not calories.

Common root causes we see in practice:

• Insulin resistance
• Cortisol dysregulation
• Thyroid conversion issues (T4 → T3)
• Blood sugar swings
• Inflammation
• Poor sleep & stress overload

When your body feels unsafe, it holds on to weight — no matter how hard you try.

This is why cutting calories lower and pushing harder in the gym often makes things worse.

✨ Sustainable fat loss happens when we fix the signals, not punish the body.

💬 Comment “METABOLISM” if this sounds like you

📌 Save this post — it’s not about eating less, it’s about healing first

12/21/2025

❤️❤️❤️

12/21/2025

Pamala Jean

Why We Dig Deeper to Uncover Histamine Responses ✅⚡️

🦠Histamine isn’t just about allergies. It’s a powerful chemical messenger involved in digestion, immunity, hormones, sleep, and brain function. When histamine 🦠becomes imbalanced, it can create widespread, confusing symptoms that often go undiagnosed.

🔍 Because symptoms are multi-system

Excess histamine 🦠 can affect many body systems at once, including:

• Skin (hives, itching, flushing, eczema)
• Gut (bloating, diarrhea, nausea, reflux)
• Nervous system (anxiety, headaches, insomnia)
• Cardiovascular system (palpitations, dizziness)
• Respiratory system (congestion, post-nasal drip)

Patients are often told “everything looks normal” because no single system explains the whole picture.

‼️‼️‼️

🧠 Because histamine🦠 mimics other conditions

Histamine overload can look like:

• Anxiety or panic disorder
• IBS
• Hormonal imbalance
• POTS or dysautonomia
• Chronic fatigue
• Perimenopause or PMDD

Without digging deeper, histamine is frequently missed or misattributed.

✅✅✅✅

🧬 Because root causes matter

Histamine🦠 issues are rarely “random.” They’re often driven by:

• Gut dysbiosis or SIBO
• Low DAO enzyme activity
• Nutrient deficiencies (B6, copper, vitamin C)
• Estrogen dominance
• Chronic stress and high cortisol
• Mast cell activation

Identifying why histamine is elevated allows us to treat the cause—not just suppress symptoms.

🧪 Because standard labs don’t tell the full story

Routine blood work often looks normal. A deeper approach may include:

• Symptom pattern recognition
• Gut testing
• Nutrient evaluation
• Hormone assessment
• Histamine triggers in diet and lifestyle

This explains why many patients suffer for years without answers.

🎉🎉🎉

🌿 Because treatment is individualized

Not everyone needs antihistamines. Some need:

• Gut repair
• Mast cell stabilization
• Hormone balancing
• Nutrient repletion
• Nervous system support

Digging deeper prevents unnecessary meds and supports long-term healing.

✅✅✅

✨ Bottom line

We investigate histamine🦠 responses because your symptoms are real, even when labs look “normal.” Understanding histamine gives us clarity, direction, and a path to lasting relief.

12/21/2025

Why We Dig Deeper to Uncover Histamine Responses ✅⚡️

🦠Histamine isn’t just about allergies. It’s a powerful chemical messenger involved in digestion, immunity, hormones, sleep, and brain function. When histamine 🦠becomes imbalanced, it can create widespread, confusing symptoms that often go undiagnosed.

🔍 Because symptoms are multi-system

Excess histamine 🦠 can affect many body systems at once, including:

• Skin (hives, itching, flushing, eczema)
• Gut (bloating, diarrhea, nausea, reflux)
• Nervous system (anxiety, headaches, insomnia)
• Cardiovascular system (palpitations, dizziness)
• Respiratory system (congestion, post-nasal drip)

Patients are often told “everything looks normal” because no single system explains the whole picture.

‼️‼️‼️

🧠 Because histamine🦠 mimics other conditions

Histamine overload can look like:

• Anxiety or panic disorder
• IBS
• Hormonal imbalance
• POTS or dysautonomia
• Chronic fatigue
• Perimenopause or PMDD

Without digging deeper, histamine is frequently missed or misattributed.

✅✅✅✅

🧬 Because root causes matter

Histamine🦠 issues are rarely “random.” They’re often driven by:

• Gut dysbiosis or SIBO
• Low DAO enzyme activity
• Nutrient deficiencies (B6, copper, vitamin C)
• Estrogen dominance
• Chronic stress and high cortisol
• Mast cell activation

Identifying why histamine is elevated allows us to treat the cause—not just suppress symptoms.

🧪 Because standard labs don’t tell the full story

Routine blood work often looks normal. A deeper approach may include:

• Symptom pattern recognition
• Gut testing
• Nutrient evaluation
• Hormone assessment
• Histamine triggers in diet and lifestyle

This explains why many patients suffer for years without answers.

🎉🎉🎉

🌿 Because treatment is individualized

Not everyone needs antihistamines. Some need:

• Gut repair
• Mast cell stabilization
• Hormone balancing
• Nutrient repletion
• Nervous system support

Digging deeper prevents unnecessary meds and supports long-term healing.

✅✅✅

✨ Bottom line

We investigate histamine🦠 responses because your symptoms are real, even when labs look “normal.” Understanding histamine gives us clarity, direction, and a path to lasting relief.

12/18/2025

🏃‍♀️ WHY MOVING YOUR BODY DAILY IS THE KEY TO HEALTH

Movement is not just about weight loss.
It’s one of the most powerful medicines we have—and it works at the cellular level.

👏🏽👏🏽👏🏽👏🏽👏🏽👏🏽👏🏽👏🏽👏🏽👏🏽👏🏽👏🏽👏🏽👏🏽👏🏽👏🏽👏🏽

🔹 Movement Regulates Blood Sugar

Every time you move:
• Muscles pull glucose from the bloodstream
• Insulin sensitivity improves
• Blood sugar spikes are reduced

📌 Even a 10-minute walk after meals can dramatically lower glucose.

🙌🏼🙌🏼🙌🏼🙌🏼🙌🏼🙌🏼🙌🏼🙌🏼🙌🏼🙌🏼🙌🏼🙌🏼🙌🏼🙌🏼🙌🏼🙌🏼🙌🏼

🔹 Movement Balances Hormones

Daily movement helps:
• Lower chronically elevated cortisol
• Improve thyroid hormone conversion
• Increase insulin sensitivity
• Support healthy estrogen metabolism

🚫 Sedentary stress is still stress.

💪🏽💪🏽💪🏽💪🏽💪🏽💪🏽💪🏽💪🏽💪🏽💪🏽💪🏽💪🏽💪🏽💪🏽💪🏽💪🏽💪🏽

🔹 Movement Improves Lymphatic Flow

Your lymphatic system:
• Has no pump
• Relies on muscle contraction to move toxins, waste, and immune cells

➡️ No movement = stagnant lymph.

🔹 Movement Builds Mitochondria

Mitochondria = energy.
Movement:
• Increases mitochondrial density
• Improves cellular energy production
• Reduces fatigue and brain fog over time

This is why consistency beats intensity.

🔹 Movement Improves Gut Motility

Daily movement:
• Reduces constipation and bloating
• Supports microbiome diversity
• Improves digestion and detox pathways

Your gut loves rhythm.

🔹 Movement Supports Mental Health

Movement:
• Increases BDNF (brain-derived neurotrophic factor)
• Improves mood, focus, and memory
• Reduces anxiety and depression

📌 You don’t “think” your way out of stress—you move through it.

⚖️ DAILY ≠ INTENSE

This is where people get stuck.

✔ Walking
✔ Stretching
✔ Strength training
✔ Yoga
✔ Mobility work

Daily movement is non-negotiable.
Intense workouts are optional.

🔑 The Takeaway

Your body was designed to move every single day.
Not to punish it—but to signal safety, balance, and resilience.

Get UP AND MOVE 💪🏽

12/18/2025

A histamine response is the body’s immune and signaling reaction that occurs when histamine is released from cells—primarily mast cells and basophils—in response to a trigger. Histamine plays a normal, protective role, but excessive or poorly regulated release can cause symptoms.

🦠🦠🦠🦠🦠🦠🦠🦠🦠🦠🦠🦠🦠🦠🦠🦠🦠

𝚆𝚑𝚊𝚝 𝚝𝚛𝚒𝚐𝚐𝚎𝚛𝚜 𝚊 𝚑𝚒𝚜𝚝𝚊𝚖𝚒𝚗𝚎 𝚛𝚎𝚜𝚙𝚘𝚗𝚜𝚎?

Histamine can be released due to:

• Allergens (pollen, mold, pet dander, foods)
• Infections or inflammation
• Stress (physical or emotional)
• Foods high in histamine or that trigger histamine release (aged cheeses, wine, fermented foods)
• Hormonal shifts (estrogen can increase histamine release)
• Medications (NSAIDs, opioids, contrast dye)
• Gut dysbiosis or leaky gut

🦠🦠🦠🦠🦠🦠🦠🦠🦠🦠🦠🦠🦠🦠🦠🦠🦠

𝚆𝚑𝚊𝚝 𝚍𝚘𝚎𝚜 𝚑𝚒𝚜𝚝𝚊𝚖𝚒𝚗𝚎 𝚍𝚘 𝚒𝚗 𝚝𝚑𝚎 𝚋𝚘𝚍𝚢?

Histamine acts on four receptors, each causing different effects:

H1 receptors

• Allergy symptoms: itching, hives, sneezing
• Nasal congestion
• Bronchoconstriction
• Headaches/migraines

H2 receptors

• Stimulates stomach acid
• Can cause reflux, nausea
• Flushing and rapid heart rate in excess

H3 receptors

• Neurotransmitter regulation
• Sleep–wake cycle
• Brain fog, anxiety when dysregulated

H4 receptors

• Immune modulation
• Chronic inflammation
• Autoimmune-type symptoms

🦠🦠🦠🦠🦠🦠🦠🦠🦠🦠🦠🦠🦠🦠🦠🦠🦠

𝙲𝚘𝚖𝚖𝚘𝚗 𝚜𝚢𝚖𝚙𝚝𝚘𝚖𝚜 𝚘𝚏 𝚊𝚗 𝚎𝚡𝚌𝚎𝚜𝚜𝚒𝚟𝚎 𝚑𝚒𝚜𝚝𝚊𝚖𝚒𝚗𝚎 𝚛𝚎𝚜𝚙𝚘𝚗𝚜𝚎:

Symptoms can vary widely and often fluctuate:

• Itching, flushing, hives
• Nasal congestion, postnasal drip
• Headaches or migraines
• Anxiety, irritability, insomnia
• Heart palpitations
• GI symptoms: bloating, diarrhea, reflux
• Menstrual cycle flares
• Fatigue and brain fog

The key enzyme that degrades histamine is DAO (diamine oxidase), which is produced in the gut. Low DAO activity can be due to:

• Gut inflammation
• Nutrient deficiencies (B6, copper, vitamin C)
• Medications
• Hormonal imbalance

𝙵𝚞𝚗𝚌𝚝𝚒𝚘𝚗𝚊𝚕 𝚖𝚎𝚍𝚒𝚌𝚒𝚗𝚎 𝚙𝚎𝚛𝚜𝚙𝚎𝚌𝚝𝚒𝚟𝚎

A histamine response is often a downstream signal, not the root cause. Common contributors include:
• Mast cell activation
• Gut permeability or dysbiosis
• Estrogen dominance
• Chronic stress and elevated cortisol
• Nutrient depletion
• Environmental toxin load

Support strategies (general overview)
• Identify and reduce triggers
• Trial a low-histamine diet
• Support gut integrity
• Address estrogen metabolism
• Ensure key nutrients for histamine breakdown
• Consider mast cell–stabilizing strategies when appropriate

Don’t get! Call us instead and let’s get to the ROOT of the issue 📲 +1 (681) 549-7038

12/17/2025

Why Testing Cortisol Matters 💡

Cortisol is your body’s main stress hormone—and when it’s out of balance, everything can feel off.🥴

You can have normal labs and still have dysregulated cortisol patterns. ⬅️ READ IT AGAIN

That’s why testing matters.

🧠 Cortisol Impacts:

✔ Energy levels
✔ Sleep quality
✔ Weight (especially belly fat)
✔ Blood sugar balance
✔ Hormones & fertility
✔ Immune function
✔ Mood & anxiety

If cortisol is too high, too low, or mistimed, symptoms can show up long before standard labs flag a problem. 📣

⏰ It’s Not Just the Number — It’s the Pattern

Healthy cortisol should:

• Be highest in the morning ☀️
• Gradually decline throughout the day ⚡️
• Be low at night so you can sleep 🌙

One single blood 🩸 draw often misses the full picture.

🧪 Best Ways to Test Cortisol

• 4-point salivary cortisol → shows daily rhythm
• Urine (DUTCH) testing → cortisol + metabolites
• AM serum cortisol → screening tool only

Different tests answer different questions.

🚩 When to Consider Cortisol Testing
• Chronic fatigue or burnout
• Anxiety or “wired but tired” feeling
• Trouble sleeping
• Weight gain resistant to diet/exercise
• Hormone imbalances
• Blood sugar swings

✨ Bottom Line

If you’re treating symptoms without understanding cortisol, you may be missing the root cause.

Test. Don’t guess.