Crossing Back to Health

01/15/2026

Viral Immunity Is Individualized — and Supporting It Starts with Understanding Your Body
Viruses are often described as being neither alive nor dead, which can feel confusing when they clearly have the ability to make us sick. The reason lies not in the virus itself, but in how it interacts with the human body. Outside of a host, viruses are biologically inactive. They do not grow, produce energy, or reproduce on their own. Once inside the body, however, they rely on living human cells to replicate, disrupting normal cellular function in the process.
When a virus enters a cell, it hijacks that cell’s machinery to make copies of itself. This can damage or destroy the cell, but many of the symptoms commonly associated with viral illness—fatigue, fever, inflammation, body aches, congestion—are not caused directly by the virus. Instead, they reflect the immune system actively responding and working to restore balance.
Immune function is highly individual. Some people clear viruses quickly, while others experience lingering symptoms or viral reactivation. Certain viruses can remain dormant in the body for years and tend to reactivate when immune regulation is compromised. Factors such as chronic stress, poor sleep, nutrient deficiencies, blood sugar instability, gut health, hormonal patterns, and overall inflammatory load all influence how effectively the immune system is able to do its job.
Because of this, immune support is not one-size-fits-all. For one person, improving sleep quality and stress regulation may be foundational. For another, addressing nutritional deficiencies, or inadequate protein intake may be essential. Others may benefit from herbal supports that strengthen an aspect of the individuals’ immune system. That varies from person to person. Supporting gut health, stabilizing blood sugar, or adjusting exercise intensity to avoid overtaxing an already stressed system may also be helpful.
Supporting immunity naturally is less about “boosting” the immune system and more about creating the internal conditions it needs to function efficiently and calmly. When the immune system is properly supported, it is better able to respond to threats while minimizing unnecessary inflammation or depletion.
If you’re noticing frequent illness, slow recovery, or recurring symptoms, it may be a sign that your immune system needs a more personalized approach. If you’re looking for individualized care and support, we are currently accepting new patients and look forward to helping you better understand your body and create a plan that supports long-term immune resilience.
Dr. Amy Davis, M.D.
Crossing Back to Health | Ballwin, MO
📞 636-778-9158 • 🌐 crossingbacktohealth.com

08/27/2025

Love this!

An inspirational quote by Jalal ad-Din Rumi about the value of Listening: “There is a voice that doesn’t use words. Listen.”

07/09/2025

06/17/2025

Understanding the MTHFR Gene
What Is the MTHFR Gene?
The MTHFR gene (methylenetetrahydrofolate reductase) provides instructions for making an enzyme that plays a vital role in processing vitamin B-9, also known as folic acid. This is a very important biochemical pathway that is essential for DNA methylation, neurotransmitter production, and detoxification. It has long term impacts on vascular health, is linked with miscarriages and is important for immune health.
This mutation is very common and is easily supported naturally. There are two common variants (mutations) of this gene: C677T and A1298C. People can inherit one or two copies of each variant. Having one copy is called heterozygous, and having two is homozygous.
A reduced-function MTHFR gene may lead to:
• Elevated risk for heart disease, stroke, cognitive decline and miscarriages.
• Poor detoxification: can slow down the body’s ability to clear toxins – both environmental, cellular waste products, medications and alcohol.
• Hormonal imbalances: Methylation is crucial for estrogen metabolism and neurotransmitter production.
• Folate deficiency: Even with dietary intake, folic acid may not be properly converted into its active form if the MTHFR SNP is present.
• Increased risk of mental health concerns: Such as anxiety, depression, and ADHD
• Increased Vascular problems: Early heart attacks, stokes, varicose veins, and blood clots.
While genetic testing is the only way to confirm, you might suspect MTHFR issues if you experience:
• Chronic fatigue or brain fog
• Depression or anxiety, resistant to treatment
• Recurrent miscarriages
• Family history of heart disease, strokes, aneurysms, varicose veins
• Intolerance to alcohol and bad hangovers
Whether or not you’ve been tested, you can take proactive steps to optimize your methylation pathway and overall health.
1. Methylated Folate – 5-MTHF is typically used to bypass the biochemical inefficiency from the MTHFR weakness.
2. Support Liver Detox:
a. Eat cruciferous vegetables (broccoli, cauliflower, cabbage).
b. Herbal supports like milk thistle or dandelion root (check with your provider).
c. Supplements like Glycine, Glutathione, N-Acetyl L-Cysteine, microminerals (e.g. selenium)
3. Eat a Folate-Rich Diet
• Include leafy greens (spinach, romaine, arugula), lentils, avocados, and asparagus.
• Avoid enriched foods with synthetic folic acid that doesn’t process efficiently.
4. Test and Monitor
• If you suspect MTHFR mutations are affecting your health, consider a genetic test through your doctor or a reputable lab.
________________________________________
Final Thoughts
An MTHFR mutation isn’t a diagnosis or destiny. It’s a clue to your health story. At Crossing Back to Health, our functional medicine team specializes in evaluating and supporting these genetic and biochemical imbalances. You can reduce the impact of the MTHFR gene and effectively support natural detoxification, mood, energy, hormonal and vascular health.
We are currently accepting new patients for comprehensive evaluations.

Dr. Amy Davis M.D.
Crossing Back to Health
485 Wildwood Parkway Suite 2
Ballwin, MO 63011
636 778-9158
www.crossingbacktohealth.com

06/05/2025

Natural Remedies for Menopause Relief
Dr Amy Davis
By Dr. Amy Davis MD

Menopause – “The Change of Life” typically occurs in the late forties or early 50’s. Symptoms of menopause start gradually and can be annoying to say the least. Stopping your period is great, but the rest can be a lot to deal with. There are various approaches that can help to manage the symptoms associated with this transition, making it much more manageable. The following suggestions are not comprehensive or specific to individuals. Work in partnership with your practitioner to find the right solution for you.

Typical symptoms and solutions may include:

Irregular periods and eventually no periods – yeah!
Sleep disruption –waking up in the middle of the night.
Natural sleep remedies containing herbs like passionflower, Valerian, Lavender etc. are available. 5-HTP, Magnesium and progesterone are often helpful for some women.

Create a relaxing bedtime routine – remove blue light sources (phones, computers – they keep you awake!) a hot bath with essential oils (lavender and tangerine are ideas) and Epsom salts and reading instead of TV watching. Reduced alcohol intake.

Weight Gain (especially centrally) and difficulty losing weight despite the best efforts.
Regular activity – walking esp after meals, diet rich in vegetable (cruciferous ones for estrogen balance), fruits, fiber and healthy fats (avocado oil, olive oil)

Hot flashes and night sweats – like a furnace within – Black Cohosh, D**g Quai, Licorice Root, Rhubarb Root,
Mood swings – especially irritability – Stress blockers like phosphatidyl serine and Ashwagandha (calming but not sedating). Consider mind body activities (yoga, meditation, breathing (Heart Math techniques), qui gong,
Urinary symptoms – frequency, urgency and leakage – herbs like parsley, cranberry, saw palmetto, d-mannose
Vaginal dryness and itching – lubricants, estrogen
Loss of interest in s*x – hormone replacement, DHEA, Maca, Red clover, Ginseng
Loss of muscle mass and thinning of skin – DHEA and testosterone replacement
Bone Loss – there are good natural supports available that contain the proper minerals, Vitamin D and Vitamin K2 to improve bones and reduce bone loss. A DEXA Scan is needed to determine if this may be needed.
Brain Fog and Fatigue – trouble remembering words and names – maximize diet, nutritional (omegas, vitamins, and immune support).
Individualized therapy is very important. What works for one woman may not be appropriate or work for the next. Find a practitioner who is skilled in dealing with menopause symptoms who can help you find the right solution for you.

We are accepting new patients and would be happy to assist you to achieve a healthier life.

Dr. Amy Davis M.D.
Crossing Back to Health
485 Wildwood Parkway Suite 2
Ballwin, MO 63011
636 778-9158
www.crossingbacktohealth.com

05/16/2025

From my experience, I would guess that anti-inflammatory diets reduce the risk of a lot of chronic disease! Happy to see research to support.

New research suggests that adhering to an anti-inflammatory diet may lower the risk of dying from Alzheimer disease.

04/15/2025

Cross-contamination with gluten and dairy is common. Enjoy eating worry-free again with DG Protect, the targeted enzyme formula to help break down troublesome traces of gluten and dairy. .com

04/14/2025

Mediterranean Diet with Red Meat found to be helpful.

The Mediterranean (MED) dietary pattern improves cardiovascular disease (CVD) risk factors. Increased central systolic blood pressure and arterial stiffness are independent predictors of CVD. The effect of a MED diet on these measures of vascular health has not been investigated.

04/03/2025

.com

11/13/2024

Green Foods are good for the Heart and much more. This is a nice article from Deanna Minich on the subject

Photo: Malyugin/Shutterstock.com In my Whole Detox book, I discuss 7 Systems of Health. Each system is associated with a color, certain parts of the body, core life themes, foods, and even lifestyle. In this blog, I will talk specifically about one of the 7 Systems of Health that I call the LOVE Sys...

02/10/2023

This dog is too much!

06/14/2022

Interesting.

CUT UP YOUR PLANTS FOR BETTER NUTRITION

It seems that chopping up your fruits & vegetables can actually make them more 'nutritious'. We've long heard this tidbit about broccoli and sulforaphane, but now we see that several types of plant foods respond to the mechanical stress of cutting, dicing, and even shredding by making more phenolic compounds, and thereby, increasing their antioxidant activity.

In fact, the more stress, the better, or at least in carrots, where slicing led to a increase (1.67 times) in phenolic content, but shredding resulted in more than a 5-time increase!