7 Reasons Why Functional Medicine is FOR YOU

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Why Functional Medicine?  Well, if you’re not sleeping well, seem cranky all day and your stomach seem always upset.  In addition you’re feeling a bit down and just can’t figure out why.  You head to your primary physician for—if you’re lucky—a 10-minute talk about what’s going on with you. The physician listens, nods his/her head a few times and then hands you a prescription or two, shakes your hand, and says “this should help”.  Case closed unless you call for another appointment.

You get home and Google the prescribed drugs to read all the potential side effects, constipation, dry mouth, dizziness, confusion, thoughts of suicide, lower sex drive and the list goes on.  Does this approach actually make anyone better? In a word, no.  It’s an attempt to mask the actual cause of your symptoms verses address them to heal.

Why Functional Medicine?

It’s the most profound and effective way to treat patients—particularly those with chronic health issues and here’s the 7 reasons why Functional Medicine is FOR YOU:

1. Functional Medicine is all about you

In simplest terms, think of it as the ultimate in personalized, one-on-one, therapeutic relationships. It’s a health-focused, patient-centric partnership, in which doctor and patient work together to dig deep and find out the causes of illness and disease. We examine not only the patient, but also their unique history, environment, lifestyle and underlying factors, and then develop a health-enhancing, usually drug-free plan to help restore the patient to good health and get him or her on a life-long path of wellness. With Functional Medicine, we look beyond the laundry list of symptoms; the whole person is taken into account.

3. Functional Medicine is not assembly-line medicine

Our current healthcare system is, to a large extent, governed by profit-driven conglomerates that essentially force physicians to manage huge caseloads and keep people moving through the system as quickly as possible. It’s mass-produced, assembly line, quick-fix, put-a-band-aid-on-it medicine, with little hope of creating long-term health. To it’s credit however, Conventional Medicine is great at managing medical and surgical emergencies, medical crises, acute infections and trauma, but falls way short when it comes to treating chronic diseases such as diabetes, heart disease, gastrointestinal problems, chronic fatigue, autoimmune diseases, functional disorders, musculoskeletal problems and stress related disorders. This is where Functional Medicine is near perfect with its more comprehensive, thoughtful individual approach.  After all, you are unique and so should your health recovery plan be.

2. Functional Medicine is artisan medicine

With Functional Medicine, the patient experience is anything but conventional. One might even call it ‘artisan medicine’, because it an art of balance, involves time, care and patience, since true healing doesn’t happen overnight. With Functional Medicine, we treat the person who has the disease rather than the disease the person has. It’s not unusual for my colleagues and me to spend an hour or more with patients, listening to their histories, doing the detective work, asking questions, and examining the genetic, environmental, and lifestyle patterns that effect health. By addressing the underlying causes of illness and disease, Functional Medicine practitioners are able to design unique, personalized healing plans that Conventional Medicine literally doesn’t have the tools, training, or the time for.

Why Functional Medicine is For You Holistic homeopathic Herbal Natural Medicine Center Lakeland Central Florida Polk County

4. Functional Medicine is the best of both worlds

Functional Medicine is not an either/or system, but rather a true combination of Conventional Medicine and many different alternative and complementary therapies. It acknowledges the strengths of Conventional Medicine for acute and crisis-care, but also realizes that this approach does not have the tools for preventing and treating chronic diseases. Unlike conventional physicians, we are able to tap into all the tools of healing—drawing from Western, Eastern, alternative, preventative and integrative medical practices—to help our patients heal. By pulling from all of these approaches and by paying special attention to diet, exercise, nutrition, supplementation and the workings of the mind, we’re not just giving patients a band-aid, we’re giving them the tools to create sustainable wellness and vitality. To me, is what true healing is all about.

5. Functional Medicine looks for the cause

In Conventional Medicine, doctors try to make a diagnosis and then apply a treatment for that particular diagnosis. In Functional Medicine we are less concerned with making a diagnosis and more concerned with the underlying imbalances or dysfunctions. These are the mechanisms of the disease process. We aim at treating those underlying disease mechanisms and ultimately look for the causes of those imbalances.

6. Functional Medicine is medicine on a mission

I call myself a health evangelist, in part because I am a man on a mission. I aim to show the unwell how they can transform their health. Certainly they will need to do the work as I can’t do it for them, but we will work as partners to restore balance and health to their lives. And participating in the process, that slow transition from illness to wellness, is one of the greatest joys of Functional Medicine—for both patient and practitioner.

7. Functional Medicine is true Health Care

Functional Medicine is true health care, unlike the disease care model of Conventional Medicine. We now have the knowledge to go beyond the current crisis care model and offer patients a much better approach to their health. We can incorporate lifestyle medicine, nutrition, supplements, stress reduction and exercise to improve the functioning of organs as a means of preventing disease and creating vibrant, sustainable health.

Functional Medicine is literally FOR YOU.

Pulsed Electromagnetic Field Device

HAVE YOU HEARD THE BUZZ ABOUT PULSED ELECTROMAGNETIC FIELD DEVICES

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Have you heard the *Buzz* about Pulsed Electromagnetic Field (PEMF) Devices?

 

 

PEMF—that is a lexicon you’d be wise to hold at the forefront of your mind. Why? PEMFs exist as a technologic category of devices (different brands / different frequency settings)…but this group of *wellness tools* is evolving quick and gaining in popularity. PEMFs heighten oxygen uptake within every cell of an exposed human’s body. Enhanced O2 uptake means that your body’s metabolism improves. Also, PEMF exposed cells in your body receive the blood and nutrients necessary for healing. PEMF units direct rapid but intermittent magnetic impulses through tissue—which stimulates cellular repair (for review, [1]). This therapy can be used on a concentrated area of the body or on the body as a whole.

Our bodies have between 70 and 90 BILLION cells within them. Cells are healthy / happy when they are both nourished and detoxified. Slow or low blood perfusion in our microvessels sets an occasion for chronic disease development. Here’s some good news: PEMF therapy actually acts to ‘flush’ microvessels. Said differently, the PEMF intensifies blood and lymph circulation. With blood pumping more efficiently, and lymph flowing more readily, body cells eliminate toxins. This is because transiently absorbed electromagnetic energy—much like a physiochemical catalysts–intervenes in and ACTIVATES biological processes [2].

 

How do you use the device?

All you have to do is lie down on the device for 8 minutes once or twice a day. If you want to use the device on a specific body part, many PEMF devices boast an additional ‘area specific’ or focused PEMF accessory. The area specific PEMF accessory can be held over injured or inflamed body parts (e.g., inflamed or swollen knee/ ankle). A stressed or injured region of the body engages immunologic repair mechanisms more quickly due to positive changes in microcirculation, vasomotion, venous outflow, and oxygen utilization [3].

 

Are there Psychic or BioSocial Applications for PEMF units?

Lots of citizens in today’s fast paced society succumb to stress, then experiencing depression. Did you know that electromagnetic field therapies elevate a person’s mood [4]? Mounting anecdotal evidence suggests that the specific PEMF device we are willing to SHARE (come to the Natural Medicine Center) has a mood elevating effect.

 

What else are PEMF units useful for?

Beyond putting more bounce in your steps, preclinical evidence has also made manifest a positive effect of PEMF devices on wound healing and inflammation in eye tissues [5]. Moreover, PEMF units assist with kidney difficulties [6], and with arthritis pain/ swelling [7]. With PEMFs – You’ll Rest Easier

Sleep promotes health, right? Here is a personal testimony: due to my new habit of regularly exposing myself to PEMF, I sleep better. If you took the bold step to become a PEMF owner, you too would be able to sleep all night on this WONDERFUL device. If you are impressed or at least intrigued by the PEMF discussion that I have laid out for you in this blog, please come by the Natural Medicine Center for a free session. I realize that the Lays Potato Chip Company already “coined” this marketing slogan….but several of the patients that I’ve introduced our PEMF device to…well, they say it’s pretty hard to stop with just ONE (session). –Dr Catherine Onuoha, RPh, PhD, BCPP

 

 

___________________Work Cited_____________________________________

1. Indian J Exp Biology (2009);47(12):939-948

2. Biology of Sport (2008);25(2):p.147

3. Journal of Complementary & Integrative Medicine (2013);10(Suppl): pS39

4. Acta Neuropsychiatry (2014);26(3):155-160

5. Opthamalogica (2003);217: 143- 147

6. Bull Exp Biol Medicin (2014);157: 440 -442

7. Life Sciences (2007); 80:2403 -2410

ADHD Natural Treatment Nutrition Vitamins Essential Oils Holistic Natural Medicine Center Lakeland Central Florida

ADHD Natural Treatment Approaches

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ADHD Natural Treatment Approaches are a great way to reduce or eliminate prescription drugs that you or your child takes.  Even if your child has not been formally diagnosed with Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder but you suspect it, you may use these natural approaches which for the most part are just good nutrition.

State-based Prevalence Data of ADHD Diagnosis (2011-2012)- Children EVER diagnosed with ADHD

State-based Prevalence Data of ADHD Diagnosis (2011-2012): Children EVER diagnosed with ADHD – Source US CDC

ADHD at times might appear pandemic due to the ever increasing rise in diagnosis.  From the CDC infographic on the right you can see that Florida has had 11.1 – 13% of its population officially diagnosed with ADHD as of their 2012 report.  Boys are diagnosed with ADHD at a much higher rate than girls.

So from this – KNOW YOU ARE NOT ALONE.

Most ADHD persons are either auditory (listening) or  kinetic (hands on) learners.  They naturally are wired to jump in and get physically involved with their environment.  So sitting still in a classroom all day is simply against their nature.

Remember, it actually was not long ago that humans were hunters and gatherers.  It was even more recent that the average person toiled away in fields.  Modern life is actually counter-intuitive to our biology.  We are very complex beings with incredible intellectual abilities and potential, but that big brain is connected to a body that is fundamentally designed to PHYSICALLY WORK.  Sitting behind a desk all day IS NOT NATURAL for anyone let alone a young child.

Schedule your appointment to get individual Prescription Drug Counseling to review your / child’s specific ADHD needs, current medications and a natural treatment plan.

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ADHD Natural Treatment Approaches

Lots of Physical Play, Limited TV / iPad and Family Engagement

Be sure your child has plenty of physical activity.  When our son seems a bit hyped up he runs laps around the back yard.  Today there is too little time spent on active play and too much time spent with tablets / iPads.  Sure some cognitive ability can be developed with games but for an active child the physical action is absolutely necessary.  When I was a child my mother had a rule we lived by.

After school or during the summer we were outside and didn’t go (weren’t allowed) back in unless we were thirsty, hungry, needed to us the bathroom or was bleeding.

We were required to use our imagination and play outside.  We were each allowed one TV show (I had two sisters so that meant we all could watch 3 shows – each could choose one).  In our home now we use internet based TV, so via HULU, our 7-year-old son watches “The Brady Bunch.”  Sure he watches other shows too, but I find the simple, non-hyper well-written stories are great lessons.  We also strive to have family game night at least twice a week where we sit and build LEGO set, play cards, Connect Four,Trouble and many activities.  We are fortunate to have some kids his age on our block and they play outside for around 2-3 hours every day after school and up to 5 hours a day on the weekends.

Nutrition

Many diseases can be avoided and often corrected by a proper healthy diet.  ADHD persons tend to be drawn to carbohydrates which spike the blood sugar levels sending their brains into a hyperactive mode.  So limit carbohydrates, specifically glutens and sugar in any form even artificial sweeteners and caffeine.

When the blood sugar drops their ability to focus is lost.  It’s like a roller coaster of brain activity cranking up and plummeting down.

Ensure the ADHD person is getting enough protein across animal, eggs legume (beans), nuts and dairy (avoiding any allergies).  Also high fiber in the form of fresh fruit and veggies.  These provide sustainable carbs and loads of vitamins and nutrients in their whole natural form.  If you’d like to save a bit be sure to check out the Lakeland Downtown Curb Market and the Auburndale Flea Market’s Produce isle.  I’ve found Sunday between 2 – 4pm at the Auburndale Market the be the lowest prices as vendors slash prices before their last hour of sale.  I find I save around 40 – 60% off product compared to local grocery stores.

Supplements

Naturally it would be ideal to obtain all the vitamins and mineral needed for optimal health and function from the foods we eat. But having kids ourselves we realize that getting kids to eat everything they should is a challenge.  This list is not an exhaustive listing of what your child should have for total health, rather it is featuring those that can play a key role in managing and reducing symptoms of ADHD.  The good news is that is is extremely difficult to overdoses on vitamins.  The typical worst side effect is very yellow urine.

1. A quality B complex is essential for optimal energy and brain function.  It should include:

  • Thiamin
  • Riboflavin
  • Niacin
  • B6
  • Folate
  • B12
  • Biotin
  • Pantothenic Acid
  • Choline (good to have)
  • PABA (good to have)

2. A quality D3 which our bodies naturally produce with exposure to the sun.  However most people do not get enough sunlight so supplementing is a good idea.  D3 is the precursor – the building block – to a large number of hormones.  Without it our body is deprived of optimal health and function.

3. A good Probiotic which will assist immunity, food break down into usable and digestible component.  This could be Kefer or yogurt or fermented foods such as sour kraut for a natural source.

4. Good sources of Omega 3 Fatty Acid.   Fish oil is better than Ritalin for ADHD, according to a study from the University of Adelaide in Australia. The omega-3 fatty acids, including DHA and EPA, within fish oil are critical for brain function and are also strong anti-inflammatories.  So we recommend:

  1. Fish Oil
  2. Flax Seed Oil

Know that Flax Seed oil supplements need to be refrigerated else it will degrade and may spoil.  Walnuts, Basil and Oregano are also source of Omega 3 Fatty Acids although small amounts but every bit helps.

5. Zinc – Children and adults with ADHD should supplement their diets with a high-quality zinc supplement. Low levels of zinc are associated with poor neurological function, poor attention and a variety of motor disorders.  Dark green leafy veggies and beans are great natural sources of Zinc.

Essential Oils

Vetiver Oil has been used in traditional medicine in South Asia, Southeast Asia and West Africa for thousands of years and is a native to India where it’s known as“oil of tranquility.”  It is the primary essential oil discussed with it come to management of ADHD back by Recent research which credits vetiver oil for treating symptoms of ADHD.  Along with other uses it’s also known to treat insomnia without drugs.

Cedar Wood Oil is likely the most ancient of all Essential Oils.  It helps to oxygenate the brain resulting in clearness of thought.  This come from the Cedar tree and is known to active the limbic region of the brain, which is responsible for balancing emotions and feelings.  It has a soothing effect, especially when diffused into the air.

To apply you may either add two drops of each to your hand and then rub on the child’s neck.  Alternatively, if you like you can make a mister by adding 30 drops of each to a small 2-ounce colored glass bottle with a mister spray top and adding filling with rubbing alcohol.  Just gently shake the bottle and provide 2 – 6 sprays on the neck, back and or chest while dressing.

 

Digestive Health Problems Signs of Poor Digestion Irritable Intestine Bowel Syndrome Stomach Healing Holistic Natural Medicine Center Lakeland Central Florida

10 Signs of Poor Digestive Health – What You Can Do

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Digestive Health is very important for general well-being since external substances gain access to the entire body through the intestines.  The old saying, “You are what you eat,” is so true.  The modern American diet highly processed foods, fast food, high calorie, high amounts of sugars, high

acidity

and low nutritional value diets is the direct cause of the majority of poor digestion and many illnesses.  See our recent posting on Candida Overgrowth – 25 Signs You May Have It.  As a result primarily of poor diet, digestive health problems lead to the development of symptoms in numerous body systems.

According to the US National Institute of Health’s most recent statistics, in 2010 over 48.3 million Americans were diagnosed with some form of Digestive Health Disorder in that year alone.

36600000

Primary Care Provider

7900000

Emergency Room Diagnosed

3800000

Walk-In Clinic Diagnosed

 

Hospitalizations: 21.7 million (2010)
Mortality: 245,921 deaths (2009)
Diagnostic and therapeutic inpatient procedures: 5.4 million—12 percent of all inpatient procedures (2007)
Ambulatory surgical procedures: 20.4 million—20 percent of all “write-in” surgical procedures (2010)

Watch this 90 minute video for an awesome review of Natural Digestive Health.

Signs of Trouble

So that you can either (1) pull yourself out of being or (2) keep yourself from being one of those statistics, pay attention to the signs your body is trying to tell you.  Digestive Health problems can exhibit many symptom.  Here are some to watch for:

  1. Abdominal pain
  2. Asthma
  3. Bleeding
  4. Fatigue
  5. Food allergies
  6. Irritable bowel syndrome (IBS) symptoms like bloating, constipation, diarrhea, heartburn and flatulence or abdominal gas
  7. Nausea and vomiting
  8. Skin conditions like eczema
  9. Swallowing problems
  10. Weight gain and weight loss

Don’t Guess.  Test for Digestive Health Problems

Thermography or thermal imaging can be used to evaluate digestive health since this medical procedure creates images that show areas of inflammation inside the intestines. These thermal scans can help diagnose food allergies and other digestive health problems.

Treatment for Digestive Health Problems

The treatment for digestive health problems usually includes a treatment plan that is personalized according to each patient’s symptoms and co-existing conditions. This treatment plan can include the following:

1. Probiotic and Digestive Enzyme supplements

Probiotic supplements improve gut health by restoring normal levels of the good gut bacteria. We are proud distributors for several highly purified premium Digestive Flora and Digestive Enzyme formulations. Digestive enzymes aid in the chemical breakdown of food into smaller, absorbable components so they can be readily absorbed and put into the bloodstream. In addition to supporting your overall (cellular) health and nutrition, these formulations prevent cramping, flatulence, belching, heartburn, and acid reflux. Digestive enzymes also regulate bowel movements, which helps to avoid both constipation and diarrhea. Beyond all this, Digestive Flora preps will advantage nutrition on a cellular level, plus boost metabolism.

2. Eating fermented foods for better digestion process

Eating traditional fermented foods helps increase levels of good bacteria in the intestines. Sauerkraut, kefir (fermented milk), natto (fermented soy), Kombucha, lassi (traditional Indian yogurt) and kimchi are some good examples. These fermented foods should be consumed on a regular basis since they also act as chelators and can remove toxins from the body.

3. Consuming or Taking Glutamine to Restore Intestine Health

Glutamine is very important for the repair and regeneration of the intestines. This nutrient can be obtained from eating foods like meat, fish, eggs and dairy products. Vegans can obtain their glutamine from beans, beetroots and spinach. Glutamine can also be consumed as a supplement after consulting your healthcare provider.

4. Drinking Water

Drinking around 8 glasses of water each day can improve a person’s general health and their digestive health. This water should be pure water which is not highly chlorinated.  Without installing a whole house water purification system, you can potentially do what I did and install a 3 phase reverse osmosis filter system that fits under the kitchen sink with a sink top mounted faucet.  It has a storage container that supplies on demand and can fill a couple cooking pots easily.  Ours was purchased at our local big box home improvement center and installed in an hour or two.  

The consumption of water should begin with squeezing a lemon into a glass and drinking it before breakfast to kick start the digestive system.

Eat Healthy While Working Munch On Veggies and Fruit Eating Real Whole Raw Food for Health Vitality and Wellness Natural Medicine Center Lakeland Central Florida

Cut fresh veggies and have ready to snack on all day while you work. Drink ginger & lemon tea adding turmeric for pain and inflamation reduction.

Peppermint, ginger and fennel herbal teas can also be consumed to heal the digestive system and increase a person’s daily water intake. Ginger tea is especially beneficial since it stimulates the production of digestive enzymes. It also relaxes the smooth muscles of the intestines and reduces cramps and gas.  

I enjoy slicing fresh ginger into thin sheets, slicing around 1/4th to 1/2 a fresh lemon also into thin sheets adding them to a tall mug.  I pour kettle hot water and dash in some Turmeric powered spice for its many benefits including anti-viral, anti-inflammatory and pain relieving.  I typically get a huge amount of fresh ginger for $2 and 4 – 6 fresh lemons also for around $2 weekly on our shopping trips to the Auburndale Flea Market’s fantastic produce section.  

5. Eat Raw Vegetables and Fruit

You cannot be your optimal health unless you are eating with your health in mind.  Start by adding fresh cut veggies – ANYTHING you like to baggies and take to work to munch on ALL DAY.  This will keep you full and satisfied.  Eat Your Veggies and Fruit Eating Real Whole Raw Food for Health Vitality and Wellness Natural Medicine Center Lakeland Central FloridaTry without any dipping sauces since those add sugars that aren’t needed.  Vary it up with color, texture and flavors as well.  For me carrots, celery and all colors of bell peppers are staples.  I then depending on what I buy at the Lakeland Downtown Saturday Curb Market or the Auburndale Flea Market Produce area, I might have, cucumber, radishes, orange (many types), grapefruit, kiwi, broccoli, cauliflower, fresh berries, pear and more.  Your body needs the whole real food nutrients, fiber and alkalizing benefits of raw fresh veggies and fruits.

5. Eating “liver foods”

Eating foods which enhance the health of the liver also improves the function of the entire digestive system. These foods include dandelion, milk thistle, beet roots and carrots.  Did you know that the entire dandelion plant is edible and good for you?  Organic is best but so long as it’s not treated with any pesticides you could have a salad waiting for you in your own yard.  Dandelion is available as some local grocers and occasionally at the Lakeland Downtown Saturday Curb Market.  Often people will turn to supplements for dandelion and milk thistle consumption.

6. Stress management

Stress can wreak havoc in the digestive system and aggravate many of the symptoms associated with poor digestive health. As a result, it should be managed effectively by practicing relaxation techniques like meditation and abdominal breathing regularly.

What you consume is all the raw materials your complex body has to function with.  It’s predominantly

water, so ensuring it gets the cleanest and most water it can is vital to whole body function.  Further the food you consume DEFINES YOUR HEALTH.  Make choices to incorporate good foods and over time see the desire for bad food disappear or are those special occasion side tracks.

You CAN BE Healthy.  You Deserve It.

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    Probiotic 50B 60’s

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Candida Overgrowth Symptoms Yeast Infection Test Cure How to Get Rid of It Homeopathic Remedy Natural Medicine Center Lakeland Central Florida

Candida Overgrowth – 25 Signs You May Have It

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Candida Overgrowth can go undetected for a long time. Most people infected with candida are unaware of the yeast infection and they look very healthy on the outside. However when Candida population increases, it is able to penetrate the bloodstream through the walls of the intestines and cause a condition known as leaky gut syndrome.

Candida Overgrowth Symptoms Can Include:

  1. Abdominal pain
  2. Allergies
  3. Anxiety
  4. Autoimmune diseases like Hashimoto’s thyroiditis, rheumatoid arthritis, ulcerative colitis and multiple sclerosis
  5. Bloating and belching
  6. Cognitive disorders like poor memory, concentration problems and brain fog
  7. Constipation
  8. Craving sugar and refined carbohydrates
  9. Depression
    Candida Overgrowth Yeast Infection Over Eating Sweets Sugar Cure Natural Medicine Center Lakeland Central Florida

    Candida Overgrowth Yeast Infection

  10. Diarrhea
  11. Endometriosis
  12. Fatigue
  13. Flatulence or intestinal gas
  14. Halitosis or bad breath
  15. Impotence
  16. Infertility
  17. Insomnia
  18. Irritability
  19. Joint pains and swelling
  20. Low libido
  21. Muscle aches, weakness and paralysis
  22. Mood swings
  23. Rectal itching
  24. Skin conditions like athlete’s foot, fungal nail infections, eczema, psoriasis, scleroderma and systemic lupus
  25. Vaginal itching, burning and discharge

These symptoms are also associated with numerous other conditions which make diagnosing Candida infection quite challenging.

Factors which lead to an increase in the candida population include:

  1. Eating a diet rich in processed foods
  2. Drinking a lot of alcohol
  3. Taking antibiotics that kill the good bacteria in the intestines

Once the candida penetrates into the bloodstream, it triggers a cascade of infectious symptoms. It enters the blood stream by penetrating the protective mucosa lining within the intestines and throughout our bodies.

What is Candida?

Candida is a type of yeast which normally lives in the intestines in small amounts and aids the digestive process.

Julia Koehler, a Harvard University estimated that candida was responsible for around 60% of the fungal infections acquired in hospitals and it resulted in the deaths of every 1 out 3 infected persons. She reported that the fungus was dangerous because of its ability to change from a minor infection into a severe infection when the person developed low immunity.

Studies by Rice University reveal that around 70% of all people are affected by Candida. Research published in the Journal of the German Society of Dermatology found that Candida albicans was the species responsible for between 50 to 90% of all the candida infections (1).

Tests for Candida Overgrowth Yeast Infection

Candida infection can be tested by a blood test. This test checks for levels of antibodies to candida known as IgA, IgG and IgM. A Comprehensive Stool Test can also show positive Candida even when blood testing is negitive since the blood only checks for antibodies and not the actual yeast.  Further, a Urine Test that looks for the yeast waste product that is called D-arabinitol can determine the presence of Candida overgrowth if elevated results is positive.

Treatment of Candida Overgrowth Yeast Infection

Once the candida infection is confirmed and its severity assessed, the treatment of candida often includes a comprehensive plan that can include the following:

  1. Eliminating simple sugars like candy, deserts, chocolates, alcohol and flour from the diet since this fungi feeds on them.Candida Overgrowth Foods to Eliminate to Stop Feeding Bad Yeast - Naturlal Medicine Center Lakeland Central Florida
  2. Reducing the intake of complex carbohydrates like whole grains, beans, fruit, pasta and potatoes to further reduce the population of candida in the intestines.
  3. Taking caprylic acid supplements which are obtained from coconut oil as it helps kill the yeast cells.
  4. Taking probiotics to increase the concentration of the good bacteria in the gut and keep the candida in check.

You may read some herbalist recommending Oregano Oil.  We do no recommend this as it kills all yeast, even the good ones you need.

Be proactive in your health.  Heal your gut.  Eat whole raw vegetables to your heart’s desire.  Introduce foods known to fight Candia. Alkaline your diet.

 

References:

1. J Dtsch Dermatol Ges. 2013 May;11(5):381-93; quiz 394. doi: 10.1111/ddg.12097.

 

Beat Your Stress Hormone Nine Ways Natural Medicine Center Lakeland Central Florida

Beat Your Stress Hormone – 9 Natural Ways

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To beat your stress hormone you first have to understand it.  The stress hormone Cortisol is meant to help us.  It is produced by the Adrenal gland.  When we are overloaded with the many forms of stress from our modern world we can sometimes enter into the state of Cortisol Flooding which is a symptom of Adrenal Fatigue.

Check out: Adrenal Fatigue – Chronic Stress Response

Cortisol helps regulate blood pressure and the immune system during a sudden crisis, whether a physical attack or an emotional setback. This helps you to tap into your energy reserves and increases your ability to fight off infection.

The trouble arises when relentless stress can keep this survival mechanism churning in high gear, ruining the hormone’s good intentions.

Constant high cortisol levels can cause:

  • sleep problems

  • a depressed immune response

  • blood sugar abnormalities

  • abdominal weight gain

“When cortisol spikes, it tells the brain to eat something with a lot of calories—a great survival tactic if you need energy to run away from a lion.  But not so great if you are stressed over a mother-in-law, paying bills, highway traffic or other modern issues.

To gain control over the Cortisol stress hormone our mind and body has a natural balance.

Relaxation.

Beat your stress hormone with these 9 easy and natural ways

Cut Cortisol 66% – Music soothes and heals

Music can have a calming effect on the brain, especially while you’re facing down a major stressor. When doctors at Japan’s Osaka Medical Center played tunes for a group of patients undergoing colonoscopies, the patients’ cortisol levels rose less than those of others who underwent the same procedure in a quiet room. Even if an invasive gastrointestinal exam isn’t in your immediate future, you can forestall cortisol spikes in other stressful situations—when hosting dinner for your in-laws, for instance—by queueing up background music. And to wind down faster at bedtime, listen to something soothing instead of watching TV.

Check out this 30 minute YouTube stress busting gentle music.  Dawn your headphones, close your eyes and for 30 minutes just breath slowly and deeply, focusing on your breath and feel warm energy flow in as your inhale and dark stress leave as you exhale.  You can even listen to this over your lunch break relaxing in your car.  Or laying in the grass at a nearby park.

 

Cut Cortisol Naturally with Sleep Reduce Stress Hormone Natural Medicine Center Lakeland Central Florida

Take a nap if needed. Get at least 8 hours of sleep but some people need more to deal with stressful periods to cut cortisol.

Cut Cortisol 50% – Sleep 

What’s the difference between getting six hours of sleep instead of the suggested eight? “Fifty percent more cortisol in the bloodstream,” Talbott says. When a group of pilots slept six hours or less for seven nights while on duty, their cortisol levels increased significantly and stayed elevated for two days, found a study at Germany’s Institute for Aerospace Medicine. The recommended 8 hours of nightly shut-eye allows your body enough time to recover from the day’s stresses, Talbott says. When you fall short of the mark, take a nap the next day—Pennsylvania State University researchers found that a midday snooze cut cortisol levels in subjects who’d lost sleep the previous night.

Cut Cortisol 47% – Drink black tea

The “cup that cheers” has deep associations with comfort and calm—just think of how the English revere their late-afternoon teatime. As it turns out, science confirms the connection. When volunteers at University College London were given a stressful task, the cortisol levels of those who were regular black-tea drinkers fell by 47% within an hour of completing the assignment, while others who drank fake tea experienced only a 27% drop. Study author Andrew Steptoe, PhD, suspects that naturally occurring chemicals such as polyphenols and flavonoids may be responsible for tea’s calming effects.

Cut Cortisol 39% – Laugh

The pal who keeps you in stitches can do more than distract you from your problems—her very presence may help temper your hormonal stress response. Simply anticipating laughter is enough to reduce cortisol levels by nearly half, according to researchers at Loma Linda University.

Stress Relief Cortisol Hormone Reducer Massage Therapy Natural Medicine Center Lakelane Central FloridaCut Cortisol 31% – Schedule a Massage

A little pampering can rub your stress levels the right way. After several weeks of massage therapy, subjects’ cortisol levels decreased by nearly one-third, on average, according to studies at the University of Miami School of Medicine and elsewhere. In addition to keeping cortisol under control, massage sessions reduce stress by promoting production of dopamine and serotonin, the same “feel good” hormones released when we socialize with pals or do something fun.

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Cut Cortisol – With Acupuncture

As reported Journal of Endocrinology, researchers led by Ladan Eshkevari, assistant program director of the nurse anesthesia program at Georgetown University School of Nursing and Health Studies found that stimulated the body via acupuncture has significant results in lowering the stress hormone.  Read about it in the New York Times online here.

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Cut Cortisol 25% – Do Something Spiritual

Religious ritual fortifies many people against everyday pressures, and it can also lower cortisol secretion, report University of Mississippi researchers. Churchgoing study subjects had lower levels of the stress hormone, on average, than those who did not attend services at all. If organized religion isn’t of interest to you, try developing your spiritual side by taking a walk in nature’s “cathedral”—in the woods or along a beach—or volunteering for a charity.

Cut Cortisol 20% – Meditate

People who practiced Buddhist meditation significantly decreased both cortisol and blood pressure in a 6-week Thai study. Similarly, participants who meditated daily for four months decreased the hormone by an average of 20% in a study at Maharishi University, while levels in the nonmeditating control group actually went up slightly.

Here’s a sample guided meditation.  It instructs to lie down, yet you can do any meditation in a comfortable chair.  It can even be done over your lunch hour in your car with the seat tilted back comfortably.

Cut Cortisol 12-16% – Chew a Piece of Gum

Next time you feel frazzled, try popping a stick of gum into your mouth to instantly defuse tension, suggest new findings from Northumbria University in the United Kingdom. While under moderate stress, gum chewers had salivary cortisol levels that were 12% lower than nonchewers and also reported greater alertness than their gum-deprived counterparts. One possible mechanism: In past experiments, chewing gum increased blood flow and neural activity in select brain regions.

Adrenal Fatigue Chronic Acute Stress Response Blood Pressure Heart Rate Traffic Jam Work Related Stressors Natural Medicine Center Lakeland

Adrenal Fatigue – Chronic Stress Response

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Adrenal fatigue is a collection of symptoms which develop when the adrenal glands are unable to function at their optimum level. Though it usually develops after periods of prolonged stress, adrenal fatigue can occur after severe infections.

Why does Adrenal Fatigue occur?

Everyone has stress in their life.  As humans we developed the natural Fight or Flight reaction to our environment long ago.  It’s base function is to kept us safe.  Although most people don’t encounter predators such as tigers and alligators – unless you are on a reality TV show, this Fight or Flight was the brain’s trigger to get out of harms way.

Fight or Flight Stress Response Lion Chasing Man Adrenal Fatigue Understanding Stressing Issues and Remedies Natural Medicine Center Lakeland Central Florida

In today’s modern world stressors can come in many forms such as:

  • Getting the kids fed, dressed and off to school in time
  • The roadway traffic jams on our way to work
  • Balancing work and family life – shuffling kids to sports practice and the many other activities to keep our kids growing and engaged
  • Interpersonal relationship struggles be it marriage issues, extended family or at the office
  • Health concerns – Dealing with personal or family ill health, disease / cancer.  Losing a loved one (human or pet)
  • Financial concerns – loosing a job, taxes, buying a new car, having an accident, getting a traffic / speeding ticket, buy / selling / losing a home
  • Major life events such as getting married, getting divorced, buying / selling a home, new job or losing a job

Work Stressors Chronic Stress Adrenal Fatigue Family Balance Natural Medicine Center Lakeland Central Florida

Check out: Beat Your Stress Hormone – 9 Natural Ways

Adrenal Fatigue Phases

The body’s stress response is characterized by the following three phases:

Phase 1 – Alarm Phase

This first phase of the body’s response to stress which is also known as the acute stress response, develops when the person encounters something that they perceive as a threat. The adrenal glands release stress hormones like adrenaline which prepares the person to fight or flee from the source of stress.

As a result of the secretion of adrenaline, the blood pressure, heart rate and breathing rate increase and the blood is shunted from the digestive system and taken to the muscles in the hands and legs.

This type of stress can be caused by everyday occurrences like arguments and traffic jams. After the person deals with the stressful situation the body recovers and the hormones that were elevated return to their normal levels within 30 minutes to 60 minutes.

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Phase 2 – Resistance Phase

This second phase develops when the person is exposed to continued stress–which forces the body to respond before it recovers completely from the first stressful event. The adrenal glands also respond by secreting stress hormones like cortisol.

The release of cortisol also results in elevated blood pressure and heart rate as well as craving carbohydrates to provide the body with a source of energy.

Other symptoms that may be experienced by patients in this phase include irritability, malaise, anxiety, depression, low libido, difficulty sleeping and concentrating.

Phase 3 – Exhaustion Phase

This third phase is also known as adrenal fatigue. Here, essentially, burnout develops because the person has been exposed to stress for a long time. The body loses its ability to cope with the stressful event since the adrenal glands cannot keep up with the signals sent by the nervous system to release hormones.

Symptoms associated with this stage include extreme fatigue and difficulties completing everyday activities. During this stage other body organs begin to suffer the effects of continued stress on the body. This results in the development or aggravation of stress related illnesses like high blood pressure, heart disease, rheumatoid arthritis and other autoimmune diseases.

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Coffee Blue Berries Avocado Body Regeneration Holistic Nutrition Natural Healing Medicine Lakeland Central Florida

Body Regeneration with Nutritional Whole Foods

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It may come as a surprise to some, especially those with conventional medical training, but humans are in a  default state of ceaseless body  regeneration.  Without this flame-like process of continual cell turnover within the body – life and death ceaselessly intertwined – the miracle of the human body would not exist.

Cultivating diets, lifestyles and attitudes which promote body regeneration can interrupt the circuit of disease and help us to attain a healthy freedom that liberates the human mind, body, soul and spirit.

In times of illness, however, body’s regenerative processes are overcome by degenerative ones. This is where medicine may perform its most noble feat, nudging the body back into balance with foods, herbs, nutrients, healing energies, i.e. healing intention. Today, however, isolationist pharmaceutical drug-based medicine invariably uses chemicals that have not one iota of body regenerative potential.  To the contrary, they almost always interfere with body’s self-renewal in order to suppress the symptoms – masking verses healing.

Body Regeneration Eating Whole Fruit and Vegetables Vitamins Minerals Fiber Health Restoration Weight Loss Natural Medicine Center Lakeland Central Florida

Great fresh produce found at reasonable prices at the Lakeland Downtown Saturday Curb Market and the Auburndale Flea Market Friday, Saturday and Sunday.

Western Medicine that is at best a few hundred years old and was founded on natural medicine yet have lost its way due to corporate need to isolate compounds, synthesize and patent fragmented aspects nature.  This model completely ignores the body as a whole and nature as a whole.  A simple example is we all know vitamin C is good for us.  We could take an isolated vitamin C pill and we would benefit from it.  However, within fruits and vegetables that are rich in vitamin C such as citrus fruit (oranges, lemons, limes, tangerines, clementines, grapefruit), chili peppers, red and green bell peppers, kale, broccoli, papaya, strawberries, cauliflower, brussels sprouts, pine apple and kiwi, mango.  Eating these fruits and vegitables whole provide not only the vitamin C but also complementary beneficial vitamins, minerals, flavonoids, fiber and so much more.  Not to mention the pleasure of eating wonderful tasting fresh deliciousness.

Beta-Cell Regeneration – Unfortunately, the medical community has yet to harness the diabetes-reversing potential of natural compounds. Whereas expensive stem cell therapies, islet cell transplants, and an array of synthetic drugs in the developmental pipeline are the focus of billions of dollars of research, annually, our kitchen cupboards and backyards may already contain the long sought-after cure for type 1 diabetes. The following compounds have been demonstrated experimentally to regenerate the insulin-producing beta cells, which are destroyed in insulin dependent diabetes, and which once restored, may (at least in theory) restore the health of the patient to the point where they no longer require insulin replacement.

  1. Gymenna Sylvestre (“the sugar destroyer”)
  2. Nigella Sativa (“black cumin”)
  3. Vitamin D – critical in a huge amount of human hormones.  Naturally it comes from exposure to the sun.
  4. Curcumin (from the spice Turmeric)
  5. Arginine
  6. Avocado
  7. Berberine (found in bitter herbs such as Goldenseal and Barberry)
  8. Bitter Melon
  9. Chard (yes, the green leafy vegetables)
  10. Corn Silk
  11. Stevia
  12. Sulforaphane (especially concentrated in broccoli sprouts)
Body Regenerative Health Regeneration Foods Turmeric Curcumin Holistic Natural Medicine Center Lakeland Central Florida

Turmeric is a mild flavored spice that’s easy to incorporate into recipes – spaghetti sauces and so much more – that is responsible for the Curcumin Pain Relieving supplements.

Nerve Regeneration – There are actually a broad range of natural compounds with proven nerve-regenerative effects. A 2010 study published in the journal Rejuvenation Research, for instance, found a combination of blueberry, green tea and carnosine have neurogenic (i.e. promoting neuronal regeneration) and stem-cell regenerative effects in an animal model of neurodegenerative disease. [1] Other researched neurogenic substances include:

  1. Curcumin (from the spice Turmeric)
    1. Over 100 recipes with Turmeric at AllRecipes.com
    2. Check out the “Fighting PMS with Turmeric” article
  2. Lion’s Mane Mushroom
  3. Apigenin (compound in vegetables like celery)
  4. Blueberry
  5. Ginseng – thinly slice some and add hot water for a refreshing tea that’s easy to drink all day.  Add ice if you like and some lemon.
  6. Huperzine
  7. Natto
  8. Red Sage (Danshen)
  9. Resveratrol
  10. Royal Jelly
  11. Theanine (found in Green Tea)
  12. Ashwaganda
  13. Coffee (trigonelline)

There is another class of nerve-healing substances, known as remyelinating compounds, which stimulate the repair of the protective sheath around the axon of the neurons known as myelin, and which is often damaged in neurological injury and/or dysfunction, especially autoimmune and vaccine-induced demyelination disorders.  It should also be noted that even music and falling in love have been studied for possibly stimulating neurogenesis, regeneration and/or repair of neurons, indicating that regenerative medicine does not necessary require the ingestion of anything; rather, a wide range of therapeutic actions may be employed to improve health and well-being, as well.

Liver Regeneration – Glycyrrhizin, a compound found within licorice, and which we recently featured as a powerful anti-SARS virus agent,  has also been found to stimulate the regeneration of liver mass and function in the animal model of hepatectomy. Other liver regenerative substances include:

  1. Carvacrol (a volatile compound in oregano)
  2. Curcumin
  3. Korean Ginseng
  4. Rooibos
  5. Vitamin E

Cardiac Cell Regeneration – Not too long ago, it was believed that cardiac tissue was uniquely incapable of being regenerated. A new, but rapidly growing body of experimental research now indicates that this is simply not true, and there is a class of heart-tissue regenerating compounds known as neocardiogenic substances.  Neocardiogenic substances are able to stimulate the formation of cardiac progenitor cells which can differentiate into healthy heart tissue, and they include the following:

  1. Resveratrol
  2. Siberian Ginseng (Eleuthero)
  3. Red Wine Extract
  4. Geum Japonicum
  5. N-acetyl-cysteine

Another remarkable example of cardiac cell regeneration is what is known as fetomaternal trafficking of stem cells through the placenta. There is an amazing process known as “fetal microchimerism” by which the fetus contributes stem cells to the mother which are capable of regenerating her damaged heart cells, and possibly a wide range of other cell types.

Hormone Regeneration – there are secretagogues, which increase the endocrine glands’ ability to secrete more hormone, and there are substances that truly regenerate hormones which have degraded (by emitting electrons) into potentially carcinogenic “transient hormone” metabolites. One of these substances is vitamin C. A powerful electron donor, this vitamin has the ability to contribute electrons to resurrect the form and function of estradiol (estrogen; E2), progesterone, testosterone, for instance. [2] In tandem with foods that are able to support the function of glands, such as the ovaries, vitamin C may represent an excellent complement or alternative to hormone replacement therapy.

Cartilage/Joint/Spine Regeneration – Curcumin and resveratrol have been shown to improve recovery from spinal cord injury.   Ultimately, regenerative medicine threatens to undermine the very economic infrastructure that props up the modern, drug-based and quite candidly degenerative medical system. Symptom suppression is profitable because it guarantees both the perpetuation of the original underlying disease and the generation of an ever-expanding array of additional, treatment-induced symptoms.

Disclaimer: This article is not intended to provide medical advice, diagnosis or treatment.

[1] NT-020, a natural therapeutic approach to optimize spatial memory performance and increase neural progenitor cell proliferation and decrease inflammation in the aged rat. Rejuvenation Res. 2010 Jun 29. Epub 2010 Jun 29. PMID: 20586644

[2] Photo-induced regeneration of hormones by electron transfer processes: Potential biological and medical consequences. Radiat Phys Chem Oxf Engl 1993. Updated 2011 Aug ;80(8):890-894. PMID: 21814301