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Diabetes and how nutrition and botanicals can help you

181293605 lowAn April 14th, 2014 article in the Townsend Letter for Doctors discussed the role of nutritional and botanical agents in the management of Type 2 Diabetes Mellitus.  Among some of the most beneficial supplements included in the article, the author, Dr. Morstein, N.D.,  mentioned both Alpha-lipoic acid and Resveratrol.

“R-ALA: Alpha-lipoic acid has numerous benefits to the diabetic patient. It is both a water- and fat-soluble antioxidant and has been shown to protect patients with fatty liver from liver disease progression. It can help insulin resistance and has been shown to protect diabetics from developing complications in their nerves, eyes, and kidneys. It is very safe. The R isomer is the only active isomer in the body and, since it can now be stabilized, should be the form recommended to patients, instead of regular lipoic acid wherein half the isomers are the nonhelpful S isomer.”

“Resveratrol: This is a bioflavonoid that has been shown in diabetic studies to protect pancreatic cells, reduce inflammatory cytokines, and increase antioxidants. It may also help improve insulin’s actions and lower levels of glucose, A1C, and insulin. It was also shown to help decrease body weight, systolic BP, cholesterol, and triglycerides.”

Alpha-lipoic acid, among other crucial nutrients for health, is contained in our Enriching Gifts supplement line.  Resveratrol is also contained in liquid Biocell Collagen, which has had excellent anti-aging results with many of our patients.  By employing blood testing and nutritional diagnosis, often many diabetic patients reverse their diabetic condition, lose weight, have better range of motion and flexibility, and have improved energy.   Call us for more information on alternative ways to combat diabetes and remain drug free.

Reference:
Townsend Letter for Doctors, The Role of Nutritional and Botanical Agents in the  Management of Type 2 Diabetes Mellitus, Morstein, Mona, ND. April 2014  http://www.townsendletter.com/April2014/rolenut0414.html

How to decrease and manage joint pain at the same time

joint-pain-compressed As we age, it is typical for us to feel our joints when we walk, and to notice our flexibility decreases as a result of joint pain. Getting relief from joint pain has long been associated with going to the Chiropractor. Chiropractors have been successfully treating back and neck pain for decades. According to the medical journal, Annals of Internal Medicine, Chiropractic care is considered “More effective than medication in both short and long term for acute and sub-acute neck pain.”

While quality Chiropractic care is excellent for managing pain and increasing function, if there is a problem with where your joints and cartilage are not in optimal health, then we need to address this beyond what an adjustment can do for your joint health. At this point we need to address turning around, ie reversing, what is contributing to joint degradation, which can be done via nutritional adjustments. As we age, often there is degeneration in our joints, and ultimately a loss of cartilage, along with inflammation. In order to reverse cartilage loss we need to replace the ingredients that make cartilage in the body.

Joint and cartilage health declines after the age of 35
Lower levels of these joint and cartilage nutrients begin to occur after the age of 35. This can be countered by nutritional supplements, but unfortunately most over the counter supplements that contain the needed replenishment ingredients are not completely bio-available. Their cellular forms tend to be very large. In order for your body to effectively utilize these nutrients, they must be modified into a smaller form or your body cannot absorb them. There is a modified version of Liquid Biocell Collagen that provides optimum absorption, which translates to being able to more fully reverse many of the symptoms associated with joint degeneration caused by illness or injury.

Reversing the causes of joint degeneration
As a Chiropractor, when patients adopt an integrative approach of addressing the need for physical adjustments while simultaneously using nutritional therapy, they have reported feeling younger. They have reported having more energy and not noticing their joints the way they used to when they would walk, run, exercise or climb stairs. Using our approach, we not only see pain levels decrease within a 90 day period, but our patients report that their pain levels continue to decrease as they continue on your home based nutritional therapy.

Unlike targeted injections, this nutritional support helps every joint in the body, not just your neck and spine. Our ultimate goal is to hear our patients come into the office for a maintenance appointment while telling us how much their mobility and range of motion has improved, all without surgery! This doesn’t mean that you should entirely stop your maintenance schedule of care with your Chiropractor, but our goal should be to get you to the point where you’re not as dependent upon your Chiropractor, or at all, in order to manage your joint concerns.

Rebuilding joint and cartilage health
While Chiropractic adjustments can relieve the inflammation issues associated with aging, we work with a clinically proven joint formula that’s backed by clinical trials to help rebuild the joint and cartilage degradation.

The liquid Biocell supplementation we work with contains all the ingredients that comprise our joints. Those ingredients are: Type II collagen (specific to joints and connective tissue), Hyaluronic Acid (also called H.A.), chondroitan sulfate, glucosamine and MSM.

These ingredients make up all joints and connective tissue in the body, and must be replaced if we are to halt or reverse the process of joint degeneration. Many of these ingredients are not new to joint nutrition: however, a very important aspect of nutritional therapy involves taking the right supplementation that provides optimum bio-availability to your body.

Bio-availability means that these ingredients are in a more absorbable form that can be assimilated by our joints. Liquid Biocell simultaneously addresses joint pain anywhere in the body. This allows for quick results that continue to improve with time; this is aligned with our goals for our Patients, to get your quickly and firmly on the path of healing and recovery.

http://annals.org/article.aspx?articleid=1033256
http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/22486722

Being tired does not have to be a part of aging

Businessman asleep at his desk on white backgroundAre you constantly tired and notice that you don’t have the energy levels that you did when you were younger? Do you experience fatigue after eating meals and find yourself often drinking coffee or tea, and or having a candy bar of sugary snack during the day as a quick “pick-me-up?”

Many Americans suffer from daily drowsiness resulting from “adrenal burnout.” Adrenal Burnout makes life harder because our body has to work very hard just to find enough energy to go through life. This includes basic activities like driving a car, work related activities, sex, trying to get a good night’s sleep, and all of this can even cause you to miss family events and leisure time activities (according to the National Sleep Foundation).

Fatigue can be caused by many health related issues. One of the most common causes of fatigue is inflammation and pain. If you have been feeling fatigued on a consistent basis, please make an appointment to our Functional Medicine practice. We are trained to look at all of your body systems, in order to best ascertain why you have low energy levels. This includes your environment, work, home, and lifestyle, as well as your physical issues.

Nutrients that can help you maintain your energy levels:

Co-Enzyme Q10, or Ubiquinone
Co-Q10 is responsible for pumping up the mitochondria in your cells. Mitochondria are considered the “powerhouses” of your cells and regulate cellular respiration, which helps your cells run optimally, which is a requirement for you to feel energized. Co-Q10 is also helpful in liver function as well as maintaining a healthy heart and kidneys, and is known for helping to lower blood pressure.

B-Vitamins
Several B Vitamins are required by your liver, adrenal glands, brain tissue, nervous system, heart, and many other areas of the body. Vitamins B1 (Thiamine), B3 (Riboflavin), B6 (Pyroxidine), B12 (Cobalamin), Biotin, and Folic Acid are also critical B Vitamins necessary for carbohydrate and protein metabolism. B-Vitamins are also lost in greater amounts if we drink coffee with our vitamins, because they can inhibit their absorption. Many Americans have Vitamin B deficiencies, and in many cases their medication may be a contributing factor. Another reason for vitamin deficiency is that people are taking vitamins that are not bio-available, so the body cannot really absorb and utilize them.

Enzymes
Many of us have rapidly depleted our digestive enzymes required to break down and utilize our nutrients. According to Nobel Prize Enzymologist Ronald K Schneider, we lose approximately 10% of our digestive enzyme producing capacity per decade, after puberty. For example, if puberty ends in a person at the age of 20, by the time they are 60 years old, they will have 40% less enzyme producing capacity then when they were 20 years old. Enzymes are required to break down and assimilate your nutrients. Without nutrients, our cells have no fuel to carry out their duties.

There are many things that “rob” us of our energy:

Insufficient Sleep
Many Americans lack sufficient sleep today, either because they do not allot enough time for sleep, or because they cannot sleep soundly through the night. Without sufficient sleep, our body cannot perform the deep healing and recuperation necessary to carry out the next day’s activities. Usually sleep issues relate to thyroid and adrenal gland issues that are brought on by inadequate diet and system toxicity.

Another overlooked area for not getting good sleep is when you have too many EMF generating electronics in the bedroom. EMFs, or Electromagnetic fields, are a part of the invisible light spectrum. Having light waves bathe you while you sleep may contribute to your body’s ability to produce melatonin, which is a major hormone in the body and affects many major functions, including the immune system.

Low grade and hidden infections can make us feel tired
Many Americans are suffering from low grade infections, many of which can remain “hidden” from traditional lab tests and can slip by undetected. Parasitic Bacteria, fungal infections, Candida Albicans Yeast infection, Lymes, Herpes Simplex I and II, Shingles are several examples of infections that go undetected in the body for a long time. We use functional lab tests, which do a better job of detecting these infections before they fully manifest. (true?)

Hypothyroidism
The Thyroid Gland is considered a very important gland when it comes to energy management in the body. When operating normally, our body temperature operates at an ideal range so that our body’s cells can function in an optimal manner, so we can feel optimal. When our body temperature gets too low, our cell function begins to slow and we can feel tired.

Adrenal Fatigue
Most Americans have “adrenal burnout” because our fast paced lifestyle and inadequate diet are major contributors to adrenal insufficiency. Often people find it easier to opt for a quick fix, by reaching for poor quality, and high sugar energy drinks in an attempt to ward off fatigue.

Our Adrenal glands produce many hormones and chemicals provide bursts of energy that help us live well despite having stress. The real adrenal energy that your body needs is not in an energy drink can or bottle; these beverages can end up draining our adrenal glands more rapidly. This is because they fail to replace nutrients that our adrenals need to function. The best way to detect adrenal insufficiency is with an Adrenal Salivary Index (ASI).

Alcohol
Alcohol robs us of our energy by disrupting normal R.E.M deep sleep patterns. Many people drink alcohol before going to sleep, because it provides a temporary feeling of relaxation and they fall asleep more easily. Alcohol does not help us maintain the deep sleep patterns necessary to feel energized the next day. Web MD summarized 27 studies showing us how alcohol and quality sleep don’t mix!

Electro Magnetic Frequencies (EMFs)
Besides the EMF issues that can impact our levels of Melatonin production, our bodies are constantly being stressed by being bathed in these man made frequencies, 24/7. Electromagnetic fields (EMFs) are both analog and digital. Man made EMFs first interacted with humans when motors and other electric devices became a part of our quality of life. By 2013 we now also have a swathe of digital EMF waveforms that our human, analog body interacts with. Virtually every electronic item we live with and use is emitting EMFs. Dr Robert O. Becker, MD had done much research on the negative bio-effects of EMFs on the human body. These EMFs affect subtle areas of our brain, such as the pineal gland, which can disrupt healthy sleep needed to feel energized the next day.

To learn how you can achieve more restful sleep, contact us today!

References:
http://www.sleepfoundation.org/article/sleep-related-problems/excessive-sleepiness-and-sleep

Bone health for women as they age

121715883Developing brittle and fragile bones is often something many women fear, as the move up in their age.  Understanding some of the factors involved in this breakdown can help you address these issues before they become a serious problem.
 
Hormones, especially estrogen, play an important role in our bone health.
Proper levels of estrogen are important for reducing bone breakdown (also called bone resorption.)  What allopathic estrogen therapies do is to attempt to minimize the breakdown. Hence women, especially menopausal women, have increased risk factors. In many cases hormonal imbalances stem from high levels of cortisol (aka the “stress hormone”) in the blood. There are ways to detect high levels of cortisol, which suppresses normal levels of other hormones such as estrogen and testosterone, in addition to assisting your body’s natural production of hormones.

Lack of Physical Activity
Both men and women can benefit from weight bearing exercises (lifting heavier objects).  Many women do not participate in the types and levels of physical activity that can help their bone health.  Often poor bone health is not discovered until a person’s weakened bones have caused a painful fracture.  Also, once a person has suffered an osteoporotic fracture, they are often likely to suffer another one (due to the overall state of their bone health).

HCL production declines as we age
As we age, we also lose our ability to make the hydrochloric (stomach) acid needed to activate many of our enzymes to digest our nutrients, and put them into a form that our body can use. Without HCL, certain enzymes (especially protein digesting types- proteases) will not work at all.  We can eat and eat, but not absorb what we need.  There’s a saying in nutrition, “it’s not what you eat but what you absorb that matters.” This implies that even if you eat the right things for your health, you may not absorb all the nutrients needed to provide good health and build healthy bones.

HCL (Hydrochloric Acid) ionizes your minerals
Many people are unaware that the crux of what happens here goes back to digestion. Proper functioning digestion and taking the right mineral forms can help reduce bone loss, increase collagen and help improve your joints.  HCL serves another purpose which is to “ionize” our minerals.  Ionization of our metal based minerals (Zinc, Boron, Copper, Iron, Iodine, etc.) means the mineral is broken down into its smallest form but still while keeping its properties intact.  When something is “ionized” it can easily slip into and out-of a cell, meaning that your body can utilize it. 

When minerals are not ionized, not only are they nearly impossible for our cells to use, but they can accumulate and become lodged into our tissues. This can lead to health conditions:  for example, in Wilson’s disease there is an accumulation of copper found typically in the brain and liver.   Hemochromatosis/Hemosiderosis are  iron accumulation diseases of varied severity, both due to improperly ionized forms of a mineral. This is why ionizable minerals and nutrients are extremely important. 

We need just the right amount of Hydrochloric Acid
In addition to reflux, too much HCL can also contribute to bone health related problems.  During times of enzyme deficiency, we increase our production of HCL to aid digestion. This can result in HCL leaking past our buffer systems in into the periphery where it can interfere with bone health.  When our body excretes just the right amount of HCL, and our digestive organs are working harmoniously, our body has an easier time maintaining homeostasis or balance.

Calcium alone is not enough
Many people have been led to believe that they should supplement with only Calcium in order to improve the health of our bones.  Studies which include only calcium supplementation show mixed results in restoring healthy bone density.  Our bones require many nutrients, such as Calcium, Magnesium, Copper, Zinc, Manganese, Boron, Potassium, Vitamins C, D, and K, and a protein called collagen;  we obtain the best results when we supplement with all of these nutrients.

Non Radiation Testing
At Fundamental Health Solutions, we use a non radiation, urinary assay to measure present bone loss, and the bone loss rate. Unlike with DEXA scans, we can measure your bone health every 3 months, or less, versus annually. This also allows us to monitor the effectiveness of the recommended protocol, as well as measuring system wide bone loss, versus (DEXA) focal bone loss.

Look younger than your age

121198176As we get older, most of us would like to look younger than our biological age.  Many anti-aging techniques focus on cosmetic solutions, but ignore what is going on inside your body. While cosmetic solutions can mask some of the signs of aging, without addressing nutritional issues, it is difficult to not appear haggard when the body needs key nutrients.  One reason that we focus on nutritional deficiencies is because they can contribute to visible signs of aging, as well our feeling a loss of vitality! This can happen for a number of reasons. The high stressed, fast paced lifestyle that most people experience increases poor dietary choices, which hastens nutrient depletion even if you are eating well.

Common outward signs of aging include an increase in fine lines and deep creases, our skin wrinkles, our faces begin to appear more hollow and less plump the way we looked when we were teenagers, and receding gums. We address these issues by looking at what builds health in the body by focusing on the foundational areas that contribute to looking older. In addition to helping our skin and joints look and feel better, a key to turning around the aging challenge also addresses digestive issues. As a result, the visible signs of aging slow, and even reverse, for people who have followed our schedule of care.

Skin, Joints, and Gum Health
After the age of 40, our collagen levels begin to decline. Collagen, the most abundant body protein, is responsible for giving skin a youthful, resilient, wrinkle free appearance. It is also an important protein that helps to hold our joints together as well as to cushion them. With collagen, we can have a bounce to our step. When collagen levels are lower than they should be, the bounce is replaced by a feeling of stiffness and discomfort. Less collagen also means our skin begins to lose the fullness we had in the past.  That “bounce to your step” is also impacted by the presence of Chondroitin Sulfate, due to the shock absorbing features that it provides. Low levels of it can make you “feel” your joints with every step you take. If your levels of Chondroitin Sulfate are sub-optimal, then maintaining a lively gait can be much of a challenge.

Hyaluronic Acid, or H.A. also is a key factor needed to maintain a youthful appearance, because it is responsible for giving our skin a more full, wrinkle free look. It also lubricates our joints! Maintaining the right levels of H.A. means that we look and feel more youthful. As our H.A. levels decline after birth, we often experience more physical effects of aging, including joint stiffness, discomfort and decreased range of motion. Low levels of H.A. are also associated with skin wrinkles, creases, deep folds, and fine lines. Patients have also reported improved gum health as well as reduced, and even corrected dry eye problems. With regular use of highly absorbable form of H.A., the body is able to produce the natural lubrication that the eyes need for good ocular health.

How well be absorb our food impacts our muscle mass
Eating the right foods which contain quality protein, vitamins, minerals and other nutrients,  does not mean you will necessarily absorb them.  If there is an under production of Hydrochloric (stomach) acid, and stomach acid suppressive therapies, along with low levels of enzymes can lead to mal-absorption of nutrients. One way this is evident is with a decline of muscle mass. Without addressing this, a person can become frail, which means they have inadequate muscle mass for their age. As we lose muscle mass, we begin to more easily accumulate fat since muscle is required to burn fat. Once the stomach’s acid production is returned to normal levels, and sufficient levels of enzymes are present, we can absorb our nutrients.

Weight gain and loss
Enzymes, exercise, and good colon health help our bodies regulate proper weight by absorbing and eliminating our food quickly, thereby speeding up our metabolism. Enzymes help us detoxify our tissues more quickly, and at a deeper level, which helps our body have a proper metabolism needed to maintain a healthy weight. Eating foods that are appropriate for our blood type can determine how efficiently we “burn” calories, and how we look and feel. Weight gain can often occur when we eat foods that are not compatible with our blood type.

At Fundamental Health Solutions, our anti-visible aging supplementation program includes the use of a clinically tested, bio-available liquid supplement that contains highly absorbable collagen, chondroitin sulfate and hyaluronic acid, known for helping to hydrate your skin, as well as the ability to contribute to joint lubrication

Feel more energetic for your age

156840280One of the most common issues associated with aging is that a person doesn’t feel as energetic as they have in the past. They find that they are unable to participate in activities as they could when they were younger. By focusing on nutritional approaches to address and correct aging issues, we’ve seen the issues commonly associated with aging, reduce or turn around with our schedule of care.

Aging and Cardio Vascular Health
We’ve all heard of Free Radicals.  Free radicals damage our cells as well as leave small tears on the inner surface of our blood vessels, which can result in scarring and perpetuate inflammation. As we age, our body’s ability to repair these micro-tears diminishes.  This leaves spaces that allow the build-up of arterial plaque, which can eventually lead to clogged circulation. Over time, your heart muscle has to work harder to pump the same amount of blood through congested, rigid, less flexible blood vessels. This can lead to high blood pressure and other cardiovascular problems.

Important first steps to combat this and related effects begins with anti-oxidants, cardio tonic nutrients, and techniques for correcting chronic inflammation. A healthy heart is a well nourished and oxygenated heart. By using nutrients that can help the heart receive and use oxygen, many common cardio-vascular issues can be corrected with bio-available supplementation, without drugs. We can also perform the Myeloperoxidase enzyme test, known for identifying heart problems before they happen

Muscle Mass is crucial for weight loss
Many people eat the right foods, which contain quality protein, vitamins, minerals and other nutrients, but their body is not absorbing the nutrients that they are ingesting.  This  can be caused by under-production of Hydrochloric (stomach) acid due to stress and aging, or stomach acid suppressive therapies.  Add a lack of enzymes, and this leads to mal-absorption of nutrients. One way this is evident is with a decline of muscle mass. Without addressing this, a person can become frail, which means they have inadequate muscle mass for their age. As we lose muscle mass, we begin to more easily accumulate fat since muscle is required to burn fat. Once the stomach’s acid production is returned to normal levels, and sufficient levels of enzymes are present, we can absorb our nutrients.

Healthy bones depend upon many things
Optimal bone health means strong, flexible bones, not necessarily thicker bones, and is dependent upon good digestion, coupled with a variety of nutrients. Studies which include only calcium supplementation show mixed results in restoring healthy bone density. Since our bones require many nutrients, we obtain the best results when we supplement with all of these nutrients. Using a non-radiation, urinary assay to measure present bone loss, and the bone loss rate, we can measure your bone health every 3 months, or less, versus less frequently if you have a DEXA (radiation) scan. This enables us to monitor the effectiveness of the recommended protocol, as well as measuring system wide bone loss, versus (DEXA) focal bone loss.

Skin, Joints and Gum Health
Our supplementation program includes the use of a clinically tested, bio-available liquid supplement that contains highly absorbable hydrolyzed collagen, chondroitin sulfate and hyaluronic acid, known for helping to hydrate your skin, as well as the ability to contribute to joint lubrication and regenerate cartilage. Together, these three nutritional substances can help turn around many of the more uncomfortable contributors to aging such as joint discomfort, losing mobility, and joint flexibility. Patients have also reported improved gum health as well as correcting dry eye problems.

Weight Gain
Often, the aging process includes weight gain, especially where hormonal shifts contribute to metabolic slowdown. Enzymes, exercise, and good colon health help our bodies regulate proper weight by absorbing and eliminating our food quickly, thereby speeding up our metabolism. Enzymes help us detoxify our tissues more quickly, and at a deeper level. Virtually all weight experts agree that minimizing toxins in organs and glands are needed to ensure their proper metabolism and maintain a healthy weight.