What You Need to Know About Heartburn & Hypothyroidism

Dr. Jolene BrightenPublished: Thyroid & Hormone Balance

Heartburn — that sensation of burning in your chest or throat that may accompany meals or haunt you throughout the day. Chances are you’ve experienced it at some point, which you means you know how uncomfortable it can be. However, you might be asking yourself right now, what could Hashimoto’s or Hypothyroidism and heartburn possibly have in common? Heartburn is a common condition …

Going Gluten Free? Read this first!

Dr. Jolene BrightenPublished: Food

If you’re considering going gluten free then you’ll definitely want to test for this! I know it may seem counter-intuitive, but there’s something you might consider doing if you feel like gluten is harming your health. Eat more of it. Ok, let me explain. Our first instinct when we learn about the inflammatory properties of gluten is to eliminate it …

What is Leaky Gut?

Dr. Jolene BrightenPublished: Thyroid & Hormone Balance

Like the term adrenal fatigue, you may have heard the expression leaky gut floating around on the internet. In the same way that adrenal fatigue is not a medical term and more of a layman’s term used by patients, neither is leaky gut. Instead, medical professionals refer to the phenomenon of “leaky gut” as intestinal hyperpermeability. While your doctor may …

Birth Control — What Doctors Don’t Say About Birth Control Effects

Dr. Jolene BrightenPublished: Birth Control

Worldwide, 100 million use some form of birth control… Without knowing how it actually works and the possible damage it can do to their bodies. Are you aware that most women, at some point in their life, have been recommended the birth control pill by their doctor? The CDC estimates 10.6 million women use oral contraception in the U.S. alone. …

Glutened? Recover with these 5 steps.

Dr. Jolene BrightenPublished: Thyroid & Hormone Balance

With the holidays upon us, celiac disease and gluten exposure has been on my mind and many of my patient’s minds too. When you are traveling or at the mercy of other people’s cooking, it can be hard to tell if you are getting “glutened.” Many people feel that eating gluten isn’t a big deal unless you have celiac disease. But there …

Celiac Disease— More Than Just a Tummy Ache

Dr. Jolene BrightenPublished: Digestion

Awhile back, I attended a school event with my son and through a series of events I came to realize there’s a whole lot people do not understand about celiac disease. I’ve written about my son’s food sensitivities before (there’s a long list here), but it just so happens that there is girl in his class that shares the big …

SIBO Part I: What is it & How Do I Know if I Have it?

Dr. Jolene BrightenPublished: Digestion

We know that bacteria are essential for a healthy gut biome, performing a number of functions that affect everything from metabolic function to immunity, to how we perceive the world. But there are instances when the same bacteria that help us with digestion and fighting off nasty infections can turn against us in a condition called SIBO.   Small Intestinal …

adrenal fatigue symptom

Adrenal Fatigue: Symptoms, Causes & Treatments

Dr. Jolene BrightenPublished: Sex Hormones

Do you regularly experience brain fog, low energy, or difficulty waking up? Maybe you’re unable to participate in activities that bring joy, or you have a dependency on coffee and stimulants to make it through the day. If any of these sound familiar, you’re far from alone. One of the most common reasons patients come to see me is to …