Get to know Your Practitioner: Allison McWhorter

This week, we will be getting to know Allison McWhorter better.  Allison works with our clients who have had Functional Medicine testing done.  She goes over the results with the experts at the lab before creating a Report of Findings.  She provides this information to our clients’ in-house practitioner (if they wish) and then meets with our clients, helping them understand their results and clarifying their next steps to use those lab results to improve their health outcomes.  She also has a practice in helping children optimize their behavior, brains, and overall health.  The summer can be a great time to get children ready to perform well when school starts in the fall.  Learn more about Allison and how she can help you and/or your child.

Let’s get to know Allison through her answers to our questions:

Allison McWhorter, CNHP, HHP, ND, Naturopath and Functional Medicine Specialist

What made you choose this specialty?

 I have a passion for health and wellness, and I like that the holistic health field treats the root cause.

What do you do for Heights of Health? 

I work with clients who have had our Functional Medicine tests done.  I help them understand their results and facilitate their next steps to address those results.  Learn more

I also have a focus on helping children optimize their behavior, brains, and health. Functional medical tests can be a great tool in this process, along with other tools. Parents may also find helpful ideas in this article on managing stress and anxiety for students before school starts.

Did you always know you wanted to work in holistic Natural health care, or did you do something else first?

I first went into business, and I had health issues that kept worsening, which led me to become a client at Heights of Health. Tracy helped me get back on track, and I went back to school to be a Naturopath and have loved every minute! I love sharing this amazing field with others and helping them find a path to healing.

What do you enjoy most about being a Natural Health Practitioner? 

Solving the puzzle of mystery symptoms! All the body systems are connected, learning about all the symptoms a client is experiencing can help me determine which systems are having trouble and what could be causing it. For example, a child with behavioral outbursts, picky eating, and/or tired but wired could be experiencing hidden or chronic viruses, parasites, or even nutrient deficiencies. Using functional medicine testing can help us determine which it is.

What do you like to do to relax outside of work?

I love Pilates with friends, playing sports with my son, traveling, learning and spending time in nature and with family and friends!

What’s something people might be surprised to learn about you?

I love snowboarding and fostering kittens. 

What are you most passionate about in your work with clients?

I love figuring out root causes to help clients find a path to healing. It’s important to look at the whole person and their environment. In naturopathy, we support the body’s innate ability to heal itself through foundations, supplements, lifestyle, and environment.

Are there any health habits you personally try to prioritize, even with a busy schedule?

Getting 15 minutes of morning sun, riding bikes to drop my son at school, Pilates, red light before bed, Air purifiers, water filters, avoiding processed foods, fragrance-free home, 3 high protein meals per day, unplugging the wifi router at night, and getting 8-10 hours of sleep per night.

What is one habit you see the most in people that you wish they could change?

The typical American diet consists of lots of processed foods. Cutting these out can make a huge difference in health!

Do you have any tips for the following:

1. Most common easily fixed solution you see when people first come to see you.

 Air purifiers and water filters make a huge difference! Air pollution indoors is often 2-5x higher than outdoors. This pollution can be caused by gas stoves, candles, cleaning products, mycotoxins, VOCs, dust mites, pollen, pet dander, and much more. Having an air filter can remove a lot of these so that your lungs don’t have to be the filter.

Tap water can contain heavy metals, pharmaceuticals, microorganisms, chlorine, pesticides, industrial solvents, hormones, PFAS, solvents and more! Using a water purifier can remove these and reduce the toxic burden on your body. Learn more

2. Most common mistake/omission you see people making in your practice.

 Many people have low fiber intake and low butyrate, adding in more fiber and ghee (for butyrate production) can help with gut health. Skipping the foundations of health! Getting quality sleep, avoiding processed foods when possible, pooping daily, and emotional wellness.

3. What you find yourself saying over and over again to clients.

What you eat has a huge impact on how you feel! Prioritize clean sources of protein—wild caught fish, grassfed pasture raised beef, pasture raised chicken. Try to aim for 1-1.5grams of protein per pound of body weight. Ex: a 150lb person should aim for 150g-225g of protein per day. Other good sources of protein are grassfed dairy products and pasture raised eggs. Fruits and vegetables also contain micronutrients that are essential for the body to thrive.   Click here for recipes: https://www.heightsofhealth.com/blog?tag=recipes 

Testimonials for Allison:

“I had a great test review with Allison.   She was very knowledgeable about my results of my tests.  She clearly explained them and highlighted the ones that were most important to focus on.   She also gave good suggestions on supplementation and lifestyle changes that could be made to help correct some of the numbers.”  CS 

“For years, I struggled with waking up in the middle of the night, unable to take a full breath. It was a frightening and strange sensation—not asthma, but a feeling that no matter how deeply I inhaled, I just couldn’t get enough oxygen. Eventually, I discovered I had a Lyme coinfection called Babesia. After addressing it through a detox protocol at Heights of Health, the breathing difficulties completely disappeared and haven’t returned. I later learned that what I was experiencing is known as “air hunger,” a common symptom of this infection. No doctor had ever tested for it and dismissed my symptoms as panic attacks—which they clearly weren’t. I’m incredibly grateful to have my normal breathing and restful sleep back!”  ~TW

If you or your child wants to use this upcoming summer to focus on getting to the bottom of health, brain or behavior issues, call our offices to set an appointment with Allison or one of our Practitioners.  You can also get a consultation to determine what Functional Medicine test(s) might be best for you or your child.  You can reach us @ 713 861 6777.

Click here for more Functional Medicine Information: https://www.heightsofhealth.com/blog/functional-medicine-vs-conventional-medicine