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New Services
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My approach to integrative health care
is to first make sure that the most basic, fundamental physiological
requirements for optimal health are in place. Thyroid hormone
production and regulation of metabolism at the cellular level are prime
examples of fundamental requirements for optimal health. If you have
poor thyroid hormone regulation, symptoms like those on my Self-Tests often occur. When you
normalize thyroid hormone regulation and restore your metabolism, these
"mysterious symptoms" usually disappear within a few months. The
understanding and application of the principles of fundamental
physiology were the reasons that you restored your health.
Several months ago I received a call that opened the door to another "fundamental
physiology" way to help people. Dr. Peter Litchfield, Ph.D.,
President of Better Physiology, LTD and Sandra Reamer, MFA, Executive
Director of Behavioral Physiology Institute, LLC introduced me
to overbreathing, or hypocapnia, which refers to a deficiency of carbon
dioxide (CO2) in the blood and other extracellular fluids. Their focus
is on the integration of textbook physiology and behavioral
science of breathing.
Learned overbreathing, also
known as "behavioral hypocapnia", occurs when you exhale too
much CO2 and create a deficiency. Proper allocation of CO2 is
essential to keep our pH, electrolytes, blood flow, kidney function,
and hemoglobin composition balanced. A deficit of CO2 may cause health
and performance issues including anxiety, panic attacks, anger, stress
states, or physical symptoms such as high blood pressure, asthma, pain,
muscle spasms, and fatigue. Attention, memory, learning, and task
performance problems are common in people suffering from hypocapnia.
This collection of symptoms of
hypocapnia overlaps with many of those associated with poor thyroid
regulation, suboptimal adrenal gland function, chronic fatigue, and
fibromyalgia. And, I can also see how hypocapnia may mimic or aggravate
some of the symptoms of overstimulation from excessive doses of thyroid
hormone.
We usually don't notice our breathing
unless we're exercising vigorously or have asthma or chronic lung
disease. Some people receive instruction about breathing in an
exercise, meditation, or yoga class. Much of this education is based
on pseudoscience, misinformation, and ignorance and is not consistent
with respiratory physiology.
Breathing normally occurs as a
reflexive action: we don't have to think about it, it just happens.
For a variety of reasons, between 10% and 25% of the population learns
to override this reflex and overbreathe. In major urban areas in the
US, 60% of ambulance runs are the direct consequence of symptoms
caused, triggered, perpetuated, or exacerbated by learned hypocapnia.
The only way to know if you
experience hypocapnia is to measure your exhaled CO2.
You cannot tell if someone is overbreathing based on their respiratory
rate or watching the expansion of their chest. I use the same
technology to measure your CO2 levels that's used in surgery or
critical care environments in hospitals.
CapnoLearning,
developed by the Behavioral Physiology Institute, is the system of
behavioral analysis, behavior modification, biofeedback, cognitive
learning, and awareness training to discover and correct behavioral
hypocapnia.
Your exploration of possible
overbreathing begins with a Breathing Assessment over
the telephone to discuss your health and performance issues that could
relate to hypocapnia. Your answers may lead us to schedule a Breathing
Evaluation to actually measure your exhaled CO2 level and gain
self-awareness of your breathing behavior. If we find that you have
behavioral hypocapnia, you can learn how to self-regulate your CO2 to
improve your health and performance. CapnoLearning classes for
self-exploration, awareness, and education are available.
This course includes 8 hours of class
time and are limited to 8 participants.
Call 303-413-9100 for more
information, to sign up for a group class, or to schedule your private
session.
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The Center
for Metabolic Health, LLC has become Fundamental Physiology, LLC
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Since I've added another "fundamental
physiology" service I decided to give my clinic a more descriptive
name. The Center for Metabolic Health, LLC is now called "Fundamental
Physiology, LLC". Please update the name and my new email address in
your contact lists and databases.
My new email address is:
It is active and able to receive email.
Please continue to
send your snail mail to:
Fundamental Physiology, LLC
P.O. Box 17131, Boulder, CO 80308
My new physical address is:
1942 Broadway, Suite 314, Boulder, CO 80308
My website address will soon change to
www.funphysio.com and
I'll send out a newsletter to let you
know when this is active.
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New
Receptionists!
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I'm delighted to announce that
either Candice or Julia will be speaking with you when you call
Fundamental Physiology, LLC during regular business hours. They
can give you general information about services and clinic policies.
As always, if you need to discuss specifics of your health care you
will need to schedule an appointment to speak with me.
You will be able to speak
with Candice or Julia Monday through Friday, 7:30 am through 5:30 pm,
Mountain Time Zone. Voice mail is available to take your
message if you call outside those hours.
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