Testing & Recorrecting the 3 Body Systems

You're sick and you don't know why and you're frustrated and confused. I get it! I was there too! After I had my babies, my body felt like it was falling apart. I struggled with anxiety, reflux, low immunity, chronic pain, acne, low libido, fatigue...and a myriad of other random symptoms.

In the middle of having children, I started studying Nutritional Medicine. Yes I was interested in changing my career path, but this investigation into natural medicine was really a journey to heal my own body and mind. The more I learnt, however, the more I became even more confused about what it was that was making me sick. I was bombarded with so many 'theories' and potential 'diagnoses' that I became paralysed by overwhelm. I sought after help from other practitioners, and while many of them helped reduce some symptoms, I didn't ever feel like the root cause and/or physiological imbalances were addressed.

In my fervour to get to the bottom of my health issues, I came across Dr Daniel Kalish, one of the world's best Functional Medicine physicians. I was intrigued by the functional pathology testing Dr Kalish used to detect underlying imbalances, and also his 3 Body System Treatment Map which provided a succinct and holistic method for testing and treating. When I read and listened to more of his work, I felt like finally there was something that could help me to simplify the confusion that was my health. I worked with Dr Kalish, first to heal my own body, and then to be mentored by him in the art of Functional Medicine. Finally I was starting to feel better, and really able to tackle the deep healing of my body systems that had gone out of whack. With this new found knowledge, too, I was finally able to be the practitioner I wanted to be: to help others in a more in-depth and effective way, to find answers and solutions to their health issues. 

The 3 Body Systems Treatment Map

This is the Kalish 3 Body Systems Treatment Map that we use get to the root cause of imbalances in the body. We test and recorrect the three body systems: neuroendocrine, gastrointestinal and detoxification system.

Any one of these body systems can cause symptoms. Let's take a look at something like anxiety, and how imbalances in these body systems could lead to anxiety. 

Neuroendocrine System

In a nutshell, the neuroendocrine system is all about the brain, the hormones and the mitochondria. If your neurotransmitters are depleted - i.e. dopamine, adrenaline, noradrenaline, or serotonin - your brain won't function as it should, and this can absolutely cause a mental health condition like anxiety.

Then you have your adrenal glands. The adrenals secrete your stress hormones - cortisol & DHEA. If you have been under too much stress for too long, your stress hormones will start to deplete, leaving you in a chronic state of fight or flight (aka anxiety!). 

Female hormones. I'm pretty sure many women out there could say that they become more irritable and moody leading up to their period. This is often a sign that your progesterone and/or oestrogen levels are out of whack. In the extreme this may show up as rampant, uncontrollable anxiety leading up to your period, which disappears after you bleed.

Energy in the neuroendocrine system relates to your mitochondria and how well you're converting food into ATP energy. If the mitochondria are damaged or if there are nutritional deficiencies that are stopping your ability to shunt fats, proteins or carbs down to the mitochondria, you will be left feeling very fatigued. Many people start feeling overwhelmed and anxious in this state.  

Gastrointestinal System

Pathogens. Hands down there are some nasty pathogens that can cause anxiety. Candida, a yeast overgrowth, is one of the more common ones. Candida produces a metabolic byproduct which can become very toxic to the body, and which can literally cause inflammation in the brain.

Food. I've seen many people take certain foods out of their diet, only to find that anxiety reduces significantly. Gluten, sugar and caffeine are the more common culprits that can cause mental health issues. Also blood sugar imbalances (caused by eating too much sugar, or by not eating enough food) can lead to blood sugar crashes, which can cause irritability and anxiousness.

Microbiome. Your beneficial microbiome keeps everything in check in your gut. When these becomes depleted (due to poor nutrition, stress, antibiotics, etc) it can lead to things like pathogen overgrowth, leaky gut, and immune system issues. A dysbiotic microbiome causes inflammation in the gut, and has been shown to be linked to conditions such as depression and anxiety. In the microbiome I would also think about things like SIBO (small intestinal bacterial overgrowth) which can cause an intense amount of bloating and other gut issues, and blocks your ability to absorb nutrients.

Leaky Gut. In this section I think more about the digestive organs - the gut lining, the stomach, the gallbladder, the pancreas - and how each one of these organs are functioning. If any is out of whack, this can lead to nutritional deficiencies, which can cause issues in, say, the adrenals or the brain, leading to anxiety. 

Detoxification System

Detoxification. This refers to how well your liver is breaking down and clearing toxins. If there is a build up in toxins due to a burnt-out liver or blockages in detox pathways, your brain can be affected. Toxins literally kill off brain cells.

Methylation & oxidation. Methylation refers to how well you're using some of your vitamin B's to support liver detox pathways. Often people have genetic issues which affect metabolism of vitamin B's which can lead to toxin build-up and oxidative damage.

Inflammation. An inflamed body is an unhappy body - and often an unhappy mind. The testing we do identifies not only if there is inflammation, but where the inflammation is coming from.

Nutritional Deficiencies. As mentioned above, nutritional deficiencies can affect your brain, which can lead to anxiety. Some of the tests we do identify very specific nutritional deficiencies, which go beyond the usual GP testing.

Test don't guess!

You can easily see how it can become confusing - even impossible - to identify what is actually causing your symptoms...when, anything can cause anything. This is why we test, not guess. We want to help you get really clear on what is causing your health issues so you can take back control, and gain some clarity.

Sometimes we test these areas on a client and there is one major imbalance; other times we test and there are many imbalances that need working through. When I did my own initial testing, I had issues in ALL TWELVE AREAS! So I know, very personally, what it takes to recorrect these body systems. 

If you'd like to cut through your confusion and work with someone who really understands what you're going through, and how to reach the other side, please reach out for help :)

Author: Filipa Bellette, Functional Medicine Practitioner & Clinical Nutritionist

Chris & Filly Functional Medicine

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