With the turn of season to fall, it may be time to take a fresh look at your metabolic efficiency. With school restarted, holidays on the horizon and changes in routines and in the weather, there is no better time to check in with a functional medicine doctor in Denver or via telehealth to fine tune the inputs to your metabolism.

Berberine is a bioactive compound found in several plants, including the roots, rhizomes, and bark of various herbs from the Berberis genus, such as Berberis vulgaris (barberry), Berberis aristata (tree turmeric), and Coptis chinensis (Chinese goldthread). It has been used in traditional medicine systems, particularly in Chinese and Ayurvedic medicine, for centuries due to its health benefits. In this blog, we discuss some of the benefits and a brief history of berberine's use in medicine.

Vitex, also known as chasteberry or Vitex agnus-castus, is an herbal remedy that has been used for centuries to address various women's health issues. It's particularly popular for its effects on hormonal balance and menstrual cycle regulation—specifically to lift progesterone levels.

At Tendwell, we meet with a lot of people who are looking to optimize their day-to-day work week as well as their athletic performance. This got me to thinking on an interesting natural compound called phosphatidylserine. Phosphatidylserine (PS) is a phospholipid found in cell membranes, particularly in the brain. It has been studied for its potential health benefits, particularly in relation to cognitive function, sleep enhancement and stress reduction.

Recently, I was doing a deep dive into the properties of quercetin, a powerful plant phytonutrient and antioxidant in the flavonoid family. I began to fully realize what incredible plant medicine quercetin can be—even joking that everyone should take it because it does so much on a chemical level. In our Denver functional medicine practice and our telehealth practice, we are increasingly using quercetin with our patients. Today I am putting a spotlight on quercetin and it’s many positive attributes.

Mental health issues are incredibly prevalent, and many factors can affect well-being and mental health, including early childhood adverse events, genetics, hormones, nutrition, activity level and other modifiable lifestyle factors. In this functional medicine blog, we will discuss what can be done to boost mental health.

This time of year—fall going into winter—I love adding dried organic astragalus root slices to most of my soups, stews and broths. Astragalus has a mild, but sweet & woody flavor that blends nicely with most bases. Astragalus is an immune boosting, bacteria fighting adaptogen which has been used for thousands of years in Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM) and is now used by many functional medicine and integrative medicine providers. Living in New York City and Denver through a pandemic has underscored for me that we must do what we can to keep our immune systems healthy and working to their full potential.

As Autumn weather begins, the sun starts setting earlier each day & consequently our ability to make Vitamin D via our skin, wanes. This has always struck me as ironic. As we proceed into the cold & flu season, one of our most important vitamins for immune support can plummet.

Everyone wants to easily and conveniently optimize their health. This often leads to buying (and hopefully taking) vitamins and supplements. But which ones to focus on? There are so many to choose from!