Dr. Abby Borkowski answers top health questions from her Instagram community, focusing on nervous system regulation, gut health, and circadian rhythm optimization.

Key Highlights

The Nervous System & Gut Health

• The Stress Link: Stress triggers a "fight or flight" (sympathetic) state, which halts proper digestion.
• Root Cause: Most GI symptoms are manifestations of nervous system dysregulation.
• Lactose Intolerance: While Lactaid pills provide a temporary enzyme fix, the goal is healing the gut lining with L-glutamine, aloe vera, or bone broth.

Functional Testing Recommendations

• Hormones: The DUTCH Test is the gold standard for hormone metabolism and liver detox.
• Microbiome: A GI Map or stool test is best for autoimmune and digestive concerns.

Sleep & Stress Hacks

• Light Exposure: View sunlight within one hour of waking to set a strong cortisol awakening response; this directly dictates your melatonin levels at night.
• Environment: Keep your room at 65°F or lower and swap LED bulbs for incandescent light at night.
• Movement Snacks: Take 5-minute movement breaks every two hours to flush stress during the workday.

Targeted Health Tips

• Hashimoto’s: A gluten-free diet is a primary recommendation for managing this autoimmune condition.
• Estrogen Dominance: Symptoms like breast tenderness and heavy periods require liver and gut support to metabolize hormones properly.

Working with Dr. Abby

Initial consultations last one hour and focus on connecting the dots between your history and current symptoms. Dr. Abby emphasizes that patients must be ready to do the work, as lifestyle implementation is more powerful than any supplement list.

Follow Dr. Abby: @dr.abbyborkowski.

Dr. Abby Borkowski returns to discuss gut health, focusing on lifestyle-driven "clinical pearls" to reduce bloating by improving the body's relationship with food.

3 Tips to Reduce Bloating

• Support the Nervous System: Shift from "fight or flight" (sympathetic) to "rest and digest" (parasympathetic) by taking five deep belly breaths before eating.
• Practice Presence: Remove technology and blue light (phones, TV) during meals to better recognize hunger and satiation signals.
• Train the Migrating Motor Complex (MMC): Allow 3.5 to 4 hours between meals without snacking to let the gut's "cleaning cycle" fully clear the digestive tract.

Clinical Approach

Dr. Abby Borkowski prioritizes nervous system balance and chiropractic care before moving to advanced testing like GI maps, food sensitivity screens, or hormone panels.

Next Steps: Dr. Abby is accepting new patients at Thrive Medical WNY for in-person or virtual visits. Booking link is here!

Supporting Metabolism: Fueling Your Body for Better Health

In this episode of the Functional Alignment Podcast, your host, Dr. Abby Borkowski (Functional Health Practitioner and Chiropractor), discusses a common theme she sees in her practice: the habit of eating very little during the day and making dinner the largest meal. Dr. Borkowski challenges this societal norm, suggesting that we should be eating the most food earlier in the day and the least at night.

🔑 Key Takeaways & Discussion Points

• The Problem with Late, Large Meals: Eating the majority of your calories later in the evening is not supportive of your body's natural rhythms.
  • It can throw off digestion and sleep.
  • It leads to blood sugar imbalances overnight
  • It places extra stress on your adrenals, contributing to a cycle of poor sleep and chronic stress.
• Shift Your Eating Rhythm: Supporting your body by eating earlier in the day is highly beneficial.
  • Metabolic Tone: Good foundational sleep sets your metabolic tone for the next day, and eating earlier helps set the tone for better sleep.
  • Safety Signal: Food tells the body it is safe, and eating at specific, appropriate times (when the sun is up) makes it feel even safer.
  • Metabolic Flexibility: Our metabolism is working its best and is most "metabolically flexible" when we are active (typically earlier in the day), resulting in less blood sugar dysregulation.
• Addressing the "No Appetite" Complaint: Many people are not hungry in the morning, which Dr. Borkowskyisuggests is a sign the body is in a chronically stressed-out state.
  • Start Small: If you have low appetite, it’s like training a muscle. Start with something small and gentle on your system, such as a handful of nuts or a protein shake.
  • Support Cortisol: Incorporating nourishing food early helps fix chronic stress and replenishes your adrenals. You want cortisol to be highest in the morning after waking and then slowly decrease throughout the day.
• Building a Better Breakfast: The goal is to work up to a substantial, nourishing breakfast.
  • Protein Goal: Aim for 20 grams of protein at least with your first meal. (E.g., one egg has only 6 grams of protein, meaning you'd need 3-4 eggs to hit this goal).
  • Ideal Example: A good breakfast includes protein (like 3-4 eggs), healthy fats (like butter or grass-fed cheese), and fiber (like raspberries).

🔗 Links and Resources

• Work with Dr. Abby at Thrive Medical WNY (Telehealth/Virtual or In-Person).: Click on the link below for more information, or book a free 15-minute discovery call to see if working together is a good fit.
• Equip Beef Protein Powder: Link to be provided here, 15% off discount code = THRIVEMEDICAL