natural health

Healing the Aging Metabolism

Diposting oleh lelyholida Selasa, 12 November 2013 0 komentar

In my naturopathic practice, I have patients who are 40+ and doing everything right, yet packing on the pounds with every passing year. In treating them, I have developed a simple, naturopathic strategy that has helped my patients re-set their metabolism while improving their overall health and preventing chronic degenerative illnesses – all without hormones or risky side effects.

What’s the root cause of this age 40+ weight gain?

Adenosine Triphosphate (ATP). ATP is the basic unit of cellular energy – the unit that allows all energy-dependent cellular function to occur in a healthy manner – and is a core-level and basic component of every greater tissue, organ and function in the body. As levels of this important "unit" degrade, so does the health of every organ, system, our metabolism and our vitality.

Early in life we have an abundant supply of the cellular organelles called mitochondria. The mitochondria house the biochemical pathways called oxidative phosphorylation that produce this precious unit. Further, we have an adequate supply of the nutritional co-factors that support these biochemical pathways. The result? An abundant supply of the life-giving basic unit of cellular energy, ATP. In this ideal state of young and vital health, we experience an abundance of energy, a reasonable metabolism and freedom from chronic degenerative illness.

As we age, a variety of stressors to our system take a toll on the total count of the very important mitochondria; and as nutritional status declines and disease status increases, the nutritional co-factors that support this entire important process decline as well. This unfortunate collection of circumstances results in less and less ATP for our bodies to use to support overall health, as well as a healthy, robust metabolism.

Why do we care?

Because this makes us fatter and fatter, even as we maintain the same level of caloric intake and physical activity. Furthermore, it sets up every tissue, organ and system to begin the process of failing.

What if we could exert control over this inevitable series of losses?

It could be wonderful!

The naturopathic solution:

Fortunately for me and my patients, there are nutritional supplements that when taken in the appropriate forms, and in potent, meaningful doses, actually deliver results in the clinical setting. It is exciting to witness and experience these positive metabolic changes in the average aging patient, which I currently see happening in my practice.

Trans-Resveratrol is an herbal extract that supports the production of more mitochondria. Mitochondria is the “powerhouse” of the cell, where energy is made.
D-Ribose is a nutrient that serves as the structural building block for the energy itself.

Ubiquinol is a nutrient that serves as the necessary nutritional cofactor in the production of energy. It is a special form of reduced CoQ10 that supports energy production in the mitochondria.

When used in combination and under the supervision of your naturopathic physican, these products deliver sincere weight balancing affects.

As a naturopathic doctor, I couldn't be more excited about this protocol. I am thrilled to have found a nutritionally-based solution to the challenge of increasing weight with age. Moreover, addressing the declining ATP levels is another way to stave off the risk of those pesky chronic degenerative illnesses that we all face in our later years.

This isn’t just about losing weight anymore. This now becomes about living longer – and healthier! And isn’t that every naturopathic doctor’s end goal for his or her patients?

Do Toxins Really Make You Fat?

Diposting oleh lelyholida Senin, 11 November 2013 0 komentar

I recently developed Healing the Aging Metabolism – my unique “intellectual property” so to speak, scientifically resolving the “weight gain with age” issue that so many of us battle. Now I have incorporated that protocol into a broader protocol, Age-Smart Weight Loss, designed to deliver “once and for all” weight loss so that participants don’t have to spend the rest of their lives yo-yo dieting. As you read this, I have just returned from London, to present that science to my international colleagues at Anti-Aging Conference London 2011.

One of the several pivotal pieces to my work is genomic reprogramming. What?! That is where you can take the DNA (genes) you were born with and adjust the way they do or do not express health or disease for you. Wow! Even 20 years ago, no one knew that was possible. We used to think that “you get what you get and your fate is sealed.” Not so.

The world of genomics is exploding and the possibilities for hope and health are endless.

In our little world of weight loss, however, it is all very specific and goes something like this: When you carry toxins—excess stress hormone and inflammation—your body seeks to protect you from that. The older you get, the greater load you have accumulated over time. You reach a threshold, at some point, where your biochemistry begins to drive toward fat production as a protective mechanism against those noxious accumulations. Now… where to put it? It has to be somewhere safe, where you won’t burn it during every day activity. The belly. Perfect.

See how that works? Belly fat with age isn’t hormone, per se. It isn’t even age… exactly. It is the fat produced to protect us from the toxins we accumulate with age. When you think about it, it is simple and obvious.

What we didn’t used to know—but now do—is this: the presence of toxins can reprogram your DNA to change your biochemistry to produce fat. On the flip side—the elimination of toxins—can also drive DNA reprogramming back to normal and away from fat production.

That is why one of the pivotal aspects of my permanent weight loss program, Age-Smart Weight Loss, is to use meaningful doses of well-absorbed, bio-active, “best” forms of detoxifying nutrients, especially those methylated nutrients, in order to fully support the body’s own natural detoxifying biochemistry. This makes for healthier patients and better results!

Another Reason for the Terrible Twos

Diposting oleh lelyholida Minggu, 10 November 2013 0 komentar

Certain artificial food colorings and other additives can worsen hyperactive behaviors in children aged 3 to 9, British researchers reported on Wednesday.

Tests on more than 300 children showed significant differences in their behavior when they drank fruit drinks spiked with a mixture of food colorings and preservatives, Jim Stevenson and colleagues at the University of Southampton said.

"These findings show that adverse effects are not just seen in children with extreme hyperactivity (such as ADHD) but can also be seen in the general population and across the range of severities of hyperactivity," the researchers wrote in their study, published in the Lancet medical journal.

Stevenson's team, which has been studying the effects of food additives in children for years, made up two mixtures to test in one group of 3-year-olds and a second group of children aged 8 and 9.

They included sunset yellow coloring, also known as E110; carmoisine, or E122; tartrazine, or E102; ponceau 4R, or E124; the preservative sodium benzoate, or E211; and other colors.

One of the two mixtures contained ingredients commonly drunk by young British children in popular drinks, they said. They did not specify what foods might include the additives.

Both mixtures significantly affected the older children. The 3-year-olds were most affected by the mixture that closely resembled the average intake for children that age, Stevenson's team reported.

"The implications of these results for the regulation of food additive use could be substantial," the researchers concluded.

ONGOING DEBATE

The issue of whether food additives can affect children's behavior has been controversial for decades.

Benjamin Feingold, an allergist, has written books arguing that not only did artificial colors, flavors and preservatives affect children but so did natural salicylate compounds found in some fruits and vegetables.

Several studies have contradicted this notion.

Stevenson's team made up several batches of fruit drinks and carefully watched the children after they drank them. Some did not contain the additives.

The children varied in their responses but in general reacted poorly to the cocktails, Stevenson's team reported.

"We have found an adverse effect of food additives on the hyperactive behavior of 3-year-old and 8/9-year-old children," they wrote.

Dr. Sue Baic, a registered dietitian at the University of Bristol, said in a statement: "This is a well designed and potentially very important study."

"It supports what dietitians have known for a long time, that feeding children on diets largely consisting of heavily processed foods which may also be high in fat, salt or sugar is not optimal for health."

Others disagreed.

"The paper shows some statistical associations. It is not a demonstration of cause and effect," said Dr. Paul Illing, a registered toxicologist and safety consultant in Wirral, Britain.

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Common Allergic Reactions

Diposting oleh lelyholida Sabtu, 09 November 2013 0 komentar

Not all things around you are safe. There are some things that may be safe to others but not to you. You need to know them in order to avoid allergic reactions. Allergies are very common and they vary a lot. In this article, some of the most common allergies and allergic reactions will be discussed.
Allergic reactions vary from person to person. Some people have a runny nose while others sneeze frequently. Some people experience irritation in the eyes while others experience rashes on the skin along with dryness, redness and itchiness. Some allergic reactions may be mild such as coughing and sneezing while others can be serious such as difficulty in breathing.
Most allergic reactions come from food. Some people cannot tolerate certain substances in food products causing their bodies to respond differently and negatively. Below are some of the most common food allergies that many people have.
The first one is known as the coeliac disease. This is a type of allergy that concerns gluten. Some people cannot process gluten in their bodies. If they eat wheat, their intestines might be severely affected. This is a very serious allergy because it can lead to malnutrition. When the intestines are affected, the body is not able to absorb nutrients anymore and the body will not function well. Although the allergy is mainly caused by gluten, researchers are suggesting that this allergy is genetic.
The second one is fish allergy. No matter how much you cook the fish, the allergens will stay there. Therefore, someone who has allergies on fish is more likely allergic to other similar types of fish a well. Some researchers have shown that allergies caused by these marine animals can be serious. In fact, it can lead to anaphylaxis or the condition where the body because hypersensitive to a substance.
The third type is lactose intolerance. This is a very common allergy such that many people are suffering from it. These people cannot drink milk and eat milk products such as cheese and yogurt. If you are lactose intolerant, this means that your body does not have a way to digest the lactose that enters your body. Because of this, you may experience stomach pain or diarrhea. At present, there have been no medications created to solve lactose intolerance. However, if you avoid and limit the milk products you are taking, you can prevent having allergic reactions from them.
The fourth type is nut allergy. Allergic reactions to nuts can be severe such that they can last forever. This means that if you have this, there is a huge chance that you will carry the same allergy until you become old. They can cause hypersensitivity. In fact, even a very small amount can be dangerous to the patient. Therefore, you need to be very careful when choosing food products and dishes as they may contain a hint of peanut such as peanut oil and crushed nuts.
These are just some allergic conditions that you need to know.

Hi. I'm Rachel Berret, I'm a big fan of osteopathic treatments. I have a great osteopath at Inlign Osteopathy that helps me overcome my own aches and pains when they flare up.

Naturopathic Considerations for Treating Depression

Diposting oleh lelyholida Jumat, 08 November 2013 0 komentar

The sun is coming out and the temperatures are warming up! This should be the time of year where we relax, play outdoors, travel, feel light and happy… right? Not always. Although you are likely exposed to more sunlight and creating more vitamin D, which has a mood-boosting effect, if you are feeling down and out you are not alone.

Common symptoms of depression include persistent sadness, crying, fatigue, lethargy, body aches and pains, irritability, loss of interest in things that you previously enjoyed, and isolating yourself from friends and family. These symptoms can strike any time of year.

In the summer months, however, we tend to overextend ourselves and get less sleep. This in and of itself can create an environment where you don’t feel great. Add to this the increase in travel and other activities that throw you off schedule and it means you likely aren’t sticking to the diet choices that you know keep you on track. But even when you are getting enough sleep and your diet is great, you may still feel sluggish and sad.

There are several reasons this might be and that may be worth exploring with a naturopathic physician.

Dietary

What and how you eat can truly affect your mood. It’s important to regulate your mood by keeping your blood sugar stable. For instance, people often notice feeling more anxious if they skip meals. Eating regularly is an easy way to stabilize your mood. The foods that help do that are proteins like eggs, nuts, beans, dairy, lean meats, and fish. Make sure you eat carbohydrates like breads, pastas, and sweets in moderation and always in combination with proteins so your blood sugar is not as affected.

Individual food reactions can also play a role in mood changes. There are several easy ways of identifying problem foods, one of which is the elimination diet. In this diet, you take out the most common reactive foods: gluten, dairy, eggs, sugar, soy, citrus, nightshade vegetables and alcohol for a period of 2-4 weeks and note changes in mood.

Another way to identify potential food problems is through blood testing for IgG antibodies that can be produced up to 3 days after you eat a problem food. There are several labs that offer these tests, which give a more personalized and inclusive guideline on specific foods to avoid.

Nutrient Deficiencies

Even though it’s lighter out, many folks still have vitamin D deficiency because they aren’t actually getting skin exposure. It’s important to have your levels of vitamin D tested to identify this deficiency and to help target the appropriate daily dose for you.

Other nutrients that may have an effect on mood are iron and B-vitamins, which can be easily screened via a blood test. Of course, there are numerous other vitamins and minerals which the body needs to make hormones and neurotransmitters, which keep us balanced and feeling good. These can also be identified through lab testing and easily supplemented.

Hormone Imbalances

There are certain times in life where hormonal changes can make people feel depressed. Puberty, pregnancy, PMS and menopause are just a few. Imbalances can often be diagnosed and treated based on symptoms in these cases, although lab testing does exist if needed. Thyroid deficiencies and adrenal hormone imbalances are common and really make people feel lousy. These can come with or even be the cause of the other hormone symptoms mentioned, making it more complicated to figure out the cause. Again, there are easy lab tests that can be done to help get to the root of the issue.

Fortunately, treating hormone imbalances does not necessarily mean taking hormones! There are many natural therapies that work well on this system—including vitamins, minerals, and herbal therapies to name a few.

Neurotransmitter Deficiencies

When most people think of treatments for depression, what comes to mind are antidepressant medications. These target specific neurotransmitters in the central nervous system—most commonly, serotonin. Using lifestyle, diet and nutrient therapies, it is possible to effect these neurotransmitters without medications, and in certain situations even wean off of antidepressant medications. There are easy tests that can be done to evaluate neurotransmitter levels when patients are not responding to a given therapy or have a more complicated situation.

If you aren’t feeling like yourself lately there are several factors to consider. Consult your naturopathic physician to begin exploring together why this may be and get you started on a plan to feel your best.

Common Migraine Triggers and Prevention Techniques

Diposting oleh lelyholida Kamis, 07 November 2013 0 komentar

Migraines are painful, often debilitating headaches and are a common concern in primary care practices. Up to 17 percent of women and six percent of men report experiencing a migraine headache in their lifetime. In general, women are three times as likely to have migraines as men.

Migraine pain is typically described as pounding, throbbing and sharp. Some people report having a warning before the migraine comes on, and nausea and vomiting are commonly experienced during the headache. Sufferers generally become sensitive to light and noise and must lie down in a quiet, dark room until the pain resides (usually hours, but these can last days).

The migraine headache is poorly understood, but it is generally believed that an individual’s levels of the neurotransmitter serotonin drop in response to certain triggers. This causes a series of events that eventually lead to enlargement and inflammation of the blood vessels in the head, resulting in head pain.

There are many known triggers for migraines. Some of the most common include:

Hormonal changes such as estrogen fluctuations that occur before or during periods, with pregnancy and menopause.
Foods, including alcohol (especially red wine), aged cheeses, chocolate, caffeine, fermented, pickled and marinated foods, soy, dairy, wheat, food additives, MSG and aspartame.
Stress.
Sleep disorders.
Environmental changes such as with weather, seasons, altitude, barometric pressure and time zones.
Sensory overload, including loud noises, bright lights and strong smells.

An important part of prevention and treatment is to identify which trigger may be the underlying aggravator. Often, there is more than one trigger. Patients will begin an investigation into their migraine triggers by keeping a “headache diary”, where they note when the migraines occur, what foods they have eaten, stressful events or situations, and menstrual symptoms. Jotting these down on a calendar can give insight into patterns and their relationship to the headaches.

Food triggers are commonly identified through an elimination diet, in which the most common problematic foods are taken out of the diet for up to three weeks and then reintroduced one-by-one to see if the migraines return. Sometimes blood tests are used to identify potential problem foods.

In addition to diet, natural therapies are often effective in preventing migraine headaches. Current research supports the use of riboflavin (vitamin B2), feverfew, butterbur, magnesium and CoQ10 in decreasing both the frequency and severity of migraine headaches in many patients. A physical treatment called CranioSacral therapy can also be effective in prevention and treatment because it can ease restrictions in the skull.

A sample treatment plan for migraine prevention may look like this:

Headache diary for four weeks
Identify and eliminate food triggers
Hormone balance through use of specific vitamins, minerals, herbs and/or hormones
Riboflavin—400mg daily
Feverfew—100mg twice daily
Butterbur—75mg twice daily
Magnesium citrate—up to 600mg daily (less if it causes diarrhea)
CoQ10—100mg three times daily

Some natural therapies should not be taken with certain medications, so it’s important to talk with your naturopathic physician before beginning any herbal or nutritional treatment.

Finally, ensuring proper amounts of sleep and exercise, managing stress and eating regularly are important in preventing migraines. Make an appointment with your naturopathic physician to discuss which of these options is appropriate for you.

Natural Elimination of IBS Symptoms

Diposting oleh lelyholida Rabu, 06 November 2013 0 komentar

With all sorts of engaging ads for pills that promise a quick fix for irritable bowel syndrome (commonly known as "IBS"), drug companies would have us believe this is an actual disease, with an easy and effective treatment. Not so fast, warns our digestion guru Andrew L. Rubman, ND. This very common syndrome, affecting one in five adult Americans, some say, could be called "irregular" bowel syndrome in some cases, since it can interfere with regularity. The symptoms of IBS may include constipation, bloating, gas or diarrhea. He told me that while many people experience uncomfortable and even painful digestive disturbances, "IBS" has become a catchall term used by the pharmaceutical companies to sell more drugs. Yet if you speak to sufferers of IBS, many will readily tell you that the medications are not terribly effective for them... and if the drugs aren't taken regularly, the problems return. In contrast, Dr. Rubman has worked with patients for more than 25 years to restore regular digestive function in IBS sufferers, using non-pharmaceutical products in combination with simple adjustments to diet and lifestyle.

WHAT IS IBS?

Unlike more serious intestinal diseases such as ulcerative colitis and Crohn's disease, IBS does not increase the risk of colorectal cancer, and in most people the symptoms are mild. The primary characteristic is a gastrointestinal disturbance. The more changes that occur in your daily bowel movements -- differences in the frequency or consistency of stools, the presence of pain or cramping, etc. -- the more important it is to deal with them, notes Dr. Rubman.

Common symptoms of IBS include...

Abdominal cramping or pain
Diarrhea, constipation or alternating bouts of both
Bloating
Gas
Mucus in the stool

WHAT YOU CAN DO

When you experience digestive problems, don't automatically reach for a pill, advises Dr. Rubman. Just because these sorts of intestinal symptoms have been labeled IBS doesn't mean medication is the best or the only answer. In fact, taking pills may cause a need for other ones, because they so often generate side effects. It's worth noting that the medications specifically approved for IBS -- alosetron hydrochloride for diarrhea and tegaserod maleate for constipation -- have serious side effects, including even more severe constipation or diarrhea and decreased blood flow to the colon, which may lead to even more digestive problems and diseases.

Sometimes medication may prove necessary, but often you'll do better to identify and address the underlying causes of the digestive problem. According to Dr. Rubman, the proper functioning of your digestive system has an awful lot to do with what you put in your mouth, what happens to it before it reaches the large intestine, and whether you have the appropriate balance of bacteria in your large intestine. Dr. Rubman has some simple and practical suggestions on how you can consistently support your body's normal bowel function and bacterial balance in a safe and natural way...

Be picky about what you eat and drink. Avoid sodas and other sugary treats, caffeine, alcohol and fried or processed foods, all of which impede digestion. Try to eat more whole foods, healthy fats (e.g., found in salmon, olive oil, avocado, nuts and seeds) and complex carbohydrates, such as whole grains and steamed veggies. What about yogurt that contains live cultures, which is often recommended to encourage bacterial balance in the intestines? According to Dr. Rubman it's fine, but don't expect a miracle cure. In his view, this promise is yet another marketing scam. A better alternative is the use of other probiotics.
Monitor food combinations, as these directly influence how quickly and efficiently food is digested, explains Dr. Rubman. For example, don't combine "white" foods (such as white sugar, white flour, white bread, white potatoes, etc.) with saturated fats (for example, red meat or dairy products). Taken together, these can require as long as two to three hours to digest, during which time microorganisms in the food can colonize the stomach lining and cause digestive disturbances.
Keep fluids with meals to a minimum, and chew food thoroughly. The natural process by which saliva is added to food as it is chewed, to break it down thoroughly in the mouth, sets the rest of the digestive process in motion. So, our habit of washing down food with water or other beverages turns out to be counter-productive. Fluids may also dilute stomach acid, making digestion less efficient.

If you are 35 or older, consider taking supplemental digestive enzymes. Since aging tends to diminish our digestive enzymes, taking a them as a supplement helps the body break down foods into compounds that make nutrients easier to digest, and also work to decrease the number of colonized microorganisms in the stomach. Other digestive aids Dr. Rubman prescribes for his patients include hydrochloric acid supplements, which act as a tonic to the upper GI tract, soothing inflammation and allowing for restoration of normal function and cellular health. (Note: As always, it is important to consult a qualified expert to determine which supplements are appropriate for you, and to provide oversight for your health and safety.)

Everyone has digestive disturbances at times. Do all you can to moderate your dietary habits to support good digestion... but, if IBS symptoms are a chronic problem, see a trained medical professional to help you resolve it. As I say time and time again, drugs aren't always the solution. Even if you are already working with a gastroenterologist you may want to consider adding an ND to your treatment team, as there are a number of safe, natural and effective steps your ND can recommend to get your system moving in the right direction again.

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