Nutrient IV treatments can now be found in almost every city, some malls, and through the convenience of mobile IV companies. We love how accessible and mainstream these options are and wanted to highlight some differences between wellness and therapeutic IV treatment options.
At Minneapolis Integrative Medicine Clinic we focus on therapeutic IV treatments. These allow us to customize our drips and injections–specific to each patient, their unique conditions and the treatment plan we’ve devised together.
Wellness IV options focuses on glow, hydration, energy, light immune support and hangover relief. The nutrient amounts are lower to make it safe for the masses without having to gather too much information from an individual. In doing so, the barriers to entry are minimal but come with little scientific evidence and while they might seem like a miracle treatment, that’s rarely the case.
Therapeutic
Therapeutic IVs contain higher nutrient amounts formulated by providers who screen for safety prior to administration. Through that lens we focus on treating the root cause of our patients’ conditions. Some common conditions are autoimmune diseases, adjunctive cancer care, mold, heavy metal and chemical detoxification.
Both therapeutic and wellness IV experiences are safe, calm and generally comfortable (as long as you’re okay with IVs to begin with;) and are administered by trained professionals to educate and keep you at ease.
How to use our services
Established patients of MIMC can reach out to their healthcare provider or a member of the administrative team to get scheduled for an IV! Members at MIMC can expect to receive their 10% discount on all infusion and injection services.
Non-established patients should reach out to the MIMC administrative team to see what options are available to them as some infusions may require a referral from a licensed healthcare provider. Email us at hello@mplsimc.com.
Dr. Cassie Wilder is a registered Naturopathic Medical Doctor (NMD) and founder of MIMC. Her passion is empowering her patients through education, understanding, and support through their healing journey. After graduating from Iowa State University with a Bachelors of Science in Kinesiology and Health, Dr. Wilder earned her Doctorate of Naturopathic Medicine from Southwest College of Naturopathic Medicine & Health Sciences, a fully accredited and nationally recognized institution in Phoenix, AZ. During her clinical training, she received extensive hands-on training with many leading experts in the field of functional medicine and developed a passion for treating hormonal imbalances, thyroid disorders, cardiovascular concerns, and adrenal fatigue.
Connecting the dots–it’s our jam. There’s nothing we love more than sharing the what and the why. Today we’re going to connect the dots between two conditions we see here a lot at Minneapolis Integrative Medicine Center. SIBO (small intestinal bacterial overgrowth) and hashimotos (autoimmune thyroiditis).
This article is going to go along with the corresponding video [linked HERE].
To step back, let’s talk through SIBO a bit more. The small intestine is a long organ. And you can see below, the baseline is the bottom through line to number nine. This is giving you a good idea of the entire small intestine and the lines in the chart gas production.
When bacteria grows on the inside of your small intestine–they attach themselves to the intestinal wall and these bugs will eat the food that you are eating and ferment that into a gas. That gas can be hydrogen, methane or hydrogen sulfide gasses. And then those gases are created. It’s important to know which gases are created and where they are located in your small intestine as it can change treatment timeline, herbs and/or antibiotics that are used and the types of symptoms you may be having.
Breaking down the breath test
This test measures how much of that gas you have inside and where the biggest colonies are located. In the case of this patient, the largest colonies of bacteria are at the end of her small intestine, closer to the large intestine, which gives a little bit of information about root cause and where this came from. But that’s for a different article.
The small intestine is a porous organ. It is where all of your nutrients–think magnesium, zinc, carbs, fats, protein is absorbed from this organ. If you have bugs that are physically lining the pores of your small intestine, there is going to be malabsorption. You can think about those pores as little windows for your immune system.
Your immune system also gets this window into the small intestine and we can actually see the bugs that are in there and respond to them–what that’s going to do is both call more of your immune system to come over and take care of it and if the infection is there long enough, it can cause your immune system to need to create new soldiers. These new soldiers are immature and new and more prone to being ‘distracted’ by other organ cells – like your thyroid.
Enter hashimotos to the discussion
As you get this immune system stimulation, the protein cells have this rapid turnover, especially if SIBO been there long term, you can get this attraction and inflammation of other autoimmune diseases–such as Hashimoto’s.
Not only do those pores allow your immune system to see in, but remember when we said the bacteria attach to the lining of your GI? Well the bacteria can also send metabolites and toxins of their own into your system creating your immune system to be upregulated (and a whole host of other issues).
If you already have Hashimotos and then find out you have SIBO as well, this immune activation can really aggravate Hashimoto’s thyroiditis. Our strategy for hashimotos is to not only treat the thyroid (important but if you only stay there–you’re missing a HUGE component for treatment) but to treat the immune system as well. And, that leads to the question of what things can aggravate the immune system.
If you can get rid of the SIBO, you can decrease the immune system stimulation in the gut and get your overall immune system to calm down a bit. And if SIBO isn’t the only thing triggering your immune system, getting rid of it can highlight other symptoms that are lingering and allow you to see what else may be there–think: heavy metals, environmental toxins, mold, food allergies, to name a few.
One of the ways that we will treat Hashimoto’s specifically is by looking both at the gut and IN the gut. Our goal here is to rid you of this abnormal bacteria to stop this immune system stimulation and make our thyroid gland work a little better.
Dr. Cassie Wilder is a registered Naturopathic Medical Doctor (NMD) and founder of MIMC. Her passion is empowering her patients through education, understanding, and support through their healing journey. After graduating from Iowa State University with a Bachelors of Science in Kinesiology and Health, Dr. Wilder earned her Doctorate of Naturopathic Medicine from Southwest College of Naturopathic Medicine & Health Sciences, a fully accredited and nationally recognized institution in Phoenix, AZ. During her clinical training, she received extensive hands-on training with many leading experts in the field of functional medicine and developed a passion for treating hormonal imbalances, thyroid disorders, cardiovascular concerns, and adrenal fatigue.
Athletic Greens has quickly become a social media influencer favorite. You can barely start a YouTube video or scroll Instagram without seeing someone orchestrating their morning routine, green juice in hand. And a green juice powder that you can mix up at your leisure is enticing! Who wouldn’t want access to that every day?
But is Athletic Greens worth the hype? Let’s cut through the chatter and dive deeper—here’s what your doctor (aka our practitioners) think about Athletic Greens and other green juice powders.
Athletic Greens review
This incredibly popular daily supplement is likely the one you’ve heard the most about from YouTubers, Instagramers, and Tik Tokers. It pops up just about everywhere you’ve made an online footprint, if you’ve done any health research on your browser or phone at all.
Is its popularity warranted? Here’s a list of pros and cons to consider when thinking about purchasing Athletic Greens:
Pros of Athletic Greens:
Gluten-free
Nut-free
Dairy-free
No GMOs
No artificial colors or flavors
No sugar added
Contains a wide range of adaptogens for helping your body deal with stress
Contains 75 vitamins, minerals, and whole-food sourced ingredients in one easy-to-use daily serving
Comes in travel pouches, making it easy to take with you anywhere
Cons of Athletic Greens:
$$$$—Athletic Greens is one of the pricier per serving options you can buy. It comes in at $3.30 a serving, while other greens powders (some certified USDA Organic) come closer to $0.80 per serving.
Not certified USDA Organic, which means that some of its ingredients may have been grown in soil that contains fertilizers, or they may have been sprayed with weed/bug killer during growth
Not all individual ingredients are certified organic either
Third-party testing information isn’t available on their website
Includes stevia as a sweetener (which some people are sensitive to, and can have an unpleasant aftertaste)
Other comes in one “flavor”
Not Certified Glyphosate Residue Free
The verdict? Athletic Greens is a well-rounded green juice powder that is convenient and easy to use. It falls short on certifications and third-party testing, and is pricier than we prefer, but if you’ve used it and like it, or you’re interested in trying it, it’s a fine choice.
If you’re interested in a cheaper-than-a-fresh-pressed-juice option and you want an easily accessible supplement to your daily nutrient intake, green juice powders can be a great option. Choosing the right one can mean you get the benefits of organic greens, probiotics, and other good-for-you ingredients on the daily, without much effort. But how should you choose a green juice powder? Look for these on the label or the company’s website:
Certified organic ingredients
We care about this because it means the fruits and veggies and other ingredients were grown to the USDA Certified Organic Standard. And when you’re ingesting concentrated produce like in a greens powder, this is important because you’ll avoid banned pesticides and other potential toxins that you might find in non-organic certified produce. There are other organic certifications, so if you don’t see USDA Organic, it still might be certified organic—check the label for other certifying bodies.
Third-party testing/certification
Third-party testing means that someone (other than the brand itself) is backing up its claims. This is key is because brands do not need to get their dietary supplements FDA approved before bringing them to market. In fact, the FDA explicitly states, “the manufacturer is responsible for ensuring that its dietary supplement products are safe before they are marketed.” Green juices powders can be third-party tested for heavy metals, microorganisms, pathogens, chemical pesticides/fertilizers, synthetic herbicides/fungicides, GMOs, glyphosate, gluten and more.
Certified Glyphosate Residue Free
Not many green juice powders will have this, but if it does, BONUS! Glyphosate is a synthetic herbicide patented in 1974 by the Monsanto Company and now manufactured and sold by many companies in hundreds of products—and has been associated with cancer and other health concerns (did you hear about Roundup in breakfast cereals? That’s what we’re talking about).
Digestive enzymes + probiotics
Digestive enzymes, like probiotics, can be a great addition to a green juice powder formula. Though the preferred way to support the gut microbiome is through eating a diet full of fiber and fermented foods, incorporating a well-formulated probiotic can be beneficial for those looking to improve GI health. This can include probiotics and digestive enzymes added to your daily juice—but if you have long-term or ongoing GI issues, consult with your doctor before adding these to your diet.
No sugar added
If you can avoid added sugar in any processed product, we prefer it. Many of the cheaper greens powders have added sugar to help with the taste—but it adds to your overall sugar load, and if you can avoid it, that’s the best choice. Some greens powders will have stevia or monk fruit for added sweetness. These are better choices, but some people have trouble digesting them, and some people don’t like the lasting aftertaste. So it’s important to evaluate this portion of the ingredients list on a greens powder.
No other filler ingredients
Just like with any supplement, we want to avoid fillers in the inactive ingredients list (aka, not the active ingredients list). That’s where you’ll find what rest of the formula is made of, what fillers a company puts in to take up space, what dyes they used to make the powder a homogenous color (‘cause herbs look like dirt and who wants to take a dirt-colored powder?), and preservatives. These are just as important as the active ingredients, since they can be hiding unnecessary components that you don’t need to be ingesting daily.
Anything you’re allergic or sensitive to
In general, we’d recommend avoiding added gluten and dairy in your greens powder, even if you’re not sensitive to these. They’re fillers and usually unnecessary. That said, if you’re allergic or sensitive to any ingredient, double check that the green juice powder you’re considering is free from those ingredients. If you have celiac disease or severe gluten intolerance, make sure to check for cross-contamination possibilities. If the product isn’t certified gluten-free and the packaging or website info isn’t clear, reach out directly to the company to confirm (or find a powder that IS certified GF).
The key to finding a green juice powder that works for you? Eliminating unnecessary added ingredients and looking for third-party certification. If you’re still not sure, consult with your doctor for the best green juice powder for you.
Dr. Cassie Wilder is a registered Naturopathic Medical Doctor (NMD) and founder of MIMC. Her passion is empowering her patients through education, understanding, and support through their healing journey. After graduating from Iowa State University with a Bachelors of Science in Kinesiology and Health, Dr. Wilder earned her Doctorate of Naturopathic Medicine from Southwest College of Naturopathic Medicine & Health Sciences, a fully accredited and nationally recognized institution in Phoenix, AZ. During her clinical training, she received extensive hands-on training with many leading experts in the field of functional medicine and developed a passion for treating hormonal imbalances, thyroid disorders, cardiovascular concerns, and adrenal fatigue.
Protein powder has been around the block when it comes to health trends, and it’s often associated only with men who want to bulk up. But what’s the best protein powder if you want to incorporate it into your daily routine, to boost your muscle tone and support your overall health? We’re breaking it down here.
Who needs protein powder?
We’ll start with our overarching recommendation when it comes to any change to your meal planning and lifestyle: Check with your doctor first to make sure that protein powder is the best supplement for you and your health goals. While supplements can boost protein for people with increased needs (athletes, pregnant women), most people can fulfill their daily protein needs by eating whole foods. Most people don’t need a protein powder daily.
If you’re an athlete, protein powder can be used to build muscle and stamina, or for those looking to support their strengthening goals. Certain types of protein have been shown to increase muscle mass and improve strength.
If you’re considering protein powder as a weight-loss tool, we strongly recommend checking in with your doctor before embarking on a plan, especially one that subs a protein shake for a whole-foods-based meal.
If you’ve shopped for protein powder, you know that a quick Google search or trip to the store can be overwhelming—the sheer number of options might stop you in your tracks. To help, bookmark this page to reference next time you go looking for the best protein powder, because we’re breaking down the most popular types.
Whey protein
A popular, easy-to-find form of protein is whey protein. It’s a highly digestible milk-derived protein that contains all nine of the essential amino acids your body can’t make on its own. That makes it what we call a “complete” source of protein.
A more recently popular competitor in the protein market is collagen. Yep, that supplement that Instagram influencers are slinging has more than aesthetic benefits.
Commonly, collagen supplements are extracted from the skin and / or bones of cows or pigs, or from the skin and scales of fish. The best of these powders are hydrolyzed, which means they’re broken down into smaller pieces that are easier for your body to absorb.
Collagen powder also is easily dissolvable in hot or cold liquids, which makes it convenient for daily use and travel.
Cons: Since collagen powders are animal-derived, they’re not suitable for people choosing a vegan diet.
If you can’t tolerate animal-based proteins, or eat vegan, pea protein might be for you. It’s sourced from dried and ground yellow peas, and is considered hypoallergenic, aka safe for people with food sensitivities or allergies.
Pea protein powder is highly concentrated, making it a good source of essential amino acids leucine, isoleucine and valine (even though peas themselves aren’t usually considered protein-rich). One study even found that pea protein could support increased bicep muscle thickness better than whey protein.
Cons: It doesn’t have a complete profile of the amino acids you need, so check with your doctor to make sure pea protein is the right pick for you. It can be combined with rice protein to get the complete amino acids picture you need too, so consider a plant-based multi-protein powder.
Another plant-based source of protein, hemp protein is derived from the seeds of the cannabis plant (though, like CBD, hemp is not psychoactive and does not contain any THC).
Cons: Hemp protein doesn’t pack as much protein punch when weighed against other other vegan friendly formulas (i.e. pea protein). It can also be pricier than other options.
Much like other supplements, protein powder is not something we’d recommend picking up just anywhere. Here’s how to shop for a protein powder, no matter where you’re searching.
Look at the inactive ingredient list
The inactive ingredients in a protein powder are just as important as the active protein. Fewer ingredients are usually better, and you want to avoid high amounts of preservatives, artificial colorings, and other chemical additives. It’s simplest to choose protein powders with just one ingredient (i.e. collagen peptides or whey isolate).
We also like to avoid high sugar content and prefer certified gluten free products.
Look at the sourcing
We prefer certified organic and / or grass-fed animal protein options when it comes to protein powders. This ensures that a third party has vetted the product and verified that it contains what the company says it does. Plus, certified organic ingredients help avoid the possibly harmful chemicals from non-organic sources, and reduce your toxic load.
Look for other certifications
Certifications are NOT the be all to end all (they can be pricey for small companies to procure), but they can help when choosing the best protein powder. Certified B Corp, Certified Gluten Free, USDA Organic, Non GMO Verified, and third-party testing for heavy metals are easy to look for on packaging or in the description of the product.
But don’t just look for the words—it’s best to see the certified symbol of these certifications, to ensure that these companies have gone through the vetting process.
If you have questions about an ingredient or a product’s validity, reach out to the brand. They should be able to provide you with more information—and if they can’t or won’t, that’s a red flag, and you should skip the product.
Still not sure if protein powder is right for you? It’s time to take it to your doctor. You can easily get the protein you need from eating whole foods, but if you have additional health concerns that might inhibit you from absorbing the protein you need, your doctor can help create a personalized plan for you.
Dr. Cassie Wilder is a registered Naturopathic Medical Doctor (NMD) and founder of MIMC. Her passion is empowering her patients through education, understanding, and support through their healing journey. After graduating from Iowa State University with a Bachelors of Science in Kinesiology and Health, Dr. Wilder earned her Doctorate of Naturopathic Medicine from Southwest College of Naturopathic Medicine & Health Sciences, a fully accredited and nationally recognized institution in Phoenix, AZ. During her clinical training, she received extensive hands-on training with many leading experts in the field of functional medicine and developed a passion for treating hormonal imbalances, thyroid disorders, cardiovascular concerns, and adrenal fatigue.
Tis the season…. To set goals that we forget about by mid-January, right? At MPLS IMC, we’re all about re-inventing yourself, and regularly tuning into what you and your body need. But, we think it doesn’t just have to happen at the start of a new year.
If you’re planning on tackling a new habit come January 1, use our tips to capitalize on the momentum of the season while also realizing that this isn’t the only time of year you can take time to stop, reset and renew.
Break Your Goals Into Quarters
While New Year’s resolutions aren’t inherently bad, they can feel overwhelming to dive into all at once. That’s why we like to break our goals into quarters. Set one goal that you’ll try for the first three months of the year. Then, when three months are up, take time to re-evaluate if that goal is still working for you. Are you still eating paleo? Do you still drink 80 ounces of water per day? If it’s not working, ask yourself if that’s because it’s not for you, or if you need to recommit to the goal. Then, double down, or move onto a new goal.
Pick a Plan That Works for YOU
Everyone is different. Every BODY is different. That’s why it’s incredibly important to pick a plan that actually works for you, as an individual. Don’t hop on the bandwagon of a new diet trend or a new superfood if it’s not a true fit for you, your body and your lifestyle. This tip only works if you’re in tune with yourself, and what you need.
Set a Goal That Creates a Habit
Along the lines of choosing a plan that works for you, think about setting a goal that actually creates a habit, instead of something that you’ll just abandon. For instance, if you’re looking to eat less meat (for health or environmental reasons), don’t just set the goal of removing meat from your diet. Instead, create a habit or ritual around it: Try taking on Meatless Mondays, and create new, exciting plant-based dishes to go along with it. By starting the habit once a week, you might find that your meatless choices expand into other days of the week by accident!
Discover Your Obstacle
What’s the thing that trips you up from completing your goals? Are you trying to set some dietary guidelines to help benefit your health, but every time you travel, you side step them? Are you trying to ditch caffeine but you’re not creating sleep habits that allow you to feel ready to meet the day? Whatever your individual hurdle, it’s important to identify it so you can figure out how to overcome it. Spend some time thinking about the ways you typically avoid meeting your goals, and then create a plan to realistically overcome it.
Find an Accountability Partner
One simple way to help meet your goals, whatever they may be, is to tell someone else about them. Verbalizing them will help you conceptualize them more concretely. Ask your someone if you can check in with them about your goal on a weekly or monthly basis (you can do the same for them). Having to “report” to someone about your resolutions will make you more likely to hold to them.
Lacking a partner to dive into the deep end with? We at MPLS IMC can be your accountability buddy! We’re here for you as you strive for your health goals, and we’re accessible to all our members.
Think About What You Want to Add to Your Life (Not Just Subtract)
Resolutions don’t have to be what you want to give up or avoid. Often, we think of New Year’s goals as strict regiments that we’re subscribing to in order to “better” ourselves or our health. But what if you reframed that and considered something you want more of in your life? It could be more friendships, or more reading, or more walks with your dog. It could be more phone calls instead of texts, or more time for self-care. Whatever the “more” may be, adding it into your New Year can make goals feel more attainable.
Dr. Cassie Wilder is a registered Naturopathic Medical Doctor (NMD) and founder of MIMC. Her passion is empowering her patients through education, understanding, and support through their healing journey. After graduating from Iowa State University with a Bachelors of Science in Kinesiology and Health, Dr. Wilder earned her Doctorate of Naturopathic Medicine from Southwest College of Naturopathic Medicine & Health Sciences, a fully accredited and nationally recognized institution in Phoenix, AZ. During her clinical training, she received extensive hands-on training with many leading experts in the field of functional medicine and developed a passion for treating hormonal imbalances, thyroid disorders, cardiovascular concerns, and adrenal fatigue.
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