Jill is in her late 40’s and has been suffering with insomnia, chronic fatigue, and excessive day time sleepiness.  A home sleep test revealed that she definitely was suffering from moderate sleep apnea putting her at increased risk of heart disease, obesity, diabetes, and stroke, not to mention dental decay and periodontal infection.  She was originally prescribed a CPAP machine but, like so many, was unable to tolerate it.  Next, she tried a dental mandibular advancement device (MAD) which did help her feel much better, but retesting revealed that she was still experiencing a significant number of apneic episodes.  It wasn’t until Jill took a Maverick Health Body Read test where she discovered several of her critical health systems were out of balance that she was able to make a plan to fix the root cause of her sleep apnea and finally start sleeping properly and get her energy back.

What this case illustrates is the fact that quite frequently multiple factors need to be accounted for before medical and dental issues can be completely resolved.  So often we hear patients say, “I tried ___________ but it didn’t work”.  For Jill, it took the combination of a MAD and improved metabolic health to resolve her issues.  This can especially be true when approaching issues from a functional root cause perspective.

Functionally we often find that issues like Jill’s are actually caused by small dental arches (frequently displayed as crowded/crooked teeth) that force the tongue back just enough to crowd and shrink the airway leading to snoring and/or apnea such as Jill’s.  But if that airway is not corrected (arches expanded) soon enough, other issues may also need to be corrected before we get complete resolution.  Obesity (which may be an independent causative cofactor of, or concomitant result of, sleep apnea) may need to be resolved.  Incorrect tongue swallowing habits may need to be retrained (myofunctional therapy) and tongue ties released.  Sleeping habits and routines might need to be changed.  Stress and/or allergies addressed.  Or the soft palate in the back of the mouth may need to be toned and strengthened if it has gotten stretched and is also now blocking the airway.

As a matter of fact, multi-factor causation is pervasive throughout life in general and is one of the main reasons classical science (and medicine) often fails.  By definition, the scientific method only tests one variable at a time and too often excludes variables considered insignificant that are actually very significant when viewed as a whole with other variables.  This is especially true with functional lifestyle changes.  A change in diet won’t have the desired effect if the leaky bowls aren’t healed first.  Exercise alone won’t lead to weight loss if hormone regulation is shut down.  Chronic inflammation can’t resolve if redox signaling is inadequate.  This is why it is so important to understand and apply all functional lifestyle changes in the proper order to maximize the health benefits.

If you are feeling stuck, like nothing you try is working.  If like Jill you’re doing everything your sleep doctor told you, but still feeling fatigued.  If your hygienist says your brushing and flossing is excellent, but you gums still bleed and your oral biome test is still off.  If your weight won’t budge and you can’t get off your blood sugar meds.  And the list goes on.  If any of this sounds like you, then do what Jill did.  Take the Maverick Health Body Read Test.  Find out where your body is out of balance.  And then call me to make a plan that will finally get to root of the problem.

CLICK HERE to take our FREE 5-minute test so you can get started getting your life back too!