Women who hemorrhage with each period, and suffer anemia and accompanying fatigue, don’t have much recourse in their allopathic (regular drug and surgery) doctor’s office. The usual scenario is to check an ultrasound of the pelvis to spot fibroid tumors of the uterus, or malignant looking ovarian cysts, or it may be determined that the endometrial stripe is thickened.

The stripe is the lining of the uterus and should be between seven and 11 millimeters. If it is thicker, the patient is generally offered hormone therapy of a synthetic progestogen (Provera), or an endometrial ablation, which scrapes out the lining of the uterus, or birth control pills, which block hormone production. If all else fails, a hysterectomy is considered (let’s not mess around with this uterus any longer).

None of these therapies answer the causal question of “how did I get here in the first place?” Amazingly enough, low thyroid levels have long been related to menorrhagia (heavy menstrual bleeding). However, the low thyroid condition does not always show up on lab tests. Things like environmental pollutants, which are endocrine (hormone) disruptors, can block the thyroid message at the tissue and organ level.

Patients with low body temperature (normal 1^st AM under arm temperatures should be 98 +/-.2 degrees), coldness, fatigue, dryness, falling hair, depression, puffy appearance, low blood pressure, low energy, infertility, difficulty losing weight, family history of low thyroid and previously having children (the fetal thyroid can make antibodies against the mother’s thyroid) are all potential low thyroid symptoms or causes.

Replacing natural animal thyroid is a good place to start for many women. Be cautious of “Synthroid,” as it is not bioidentical (like the body makes), and may block your own thyroid hormones. Look up a longer review of this issue on www.Mercola.com.

In addition, other therapies such as vitamin K₂ injections reduce abnormal bleeding quickly; as do other bioidentical hormones, herbals, homeopathic preparations and dietary adjustments.

Natural bioidentical progesterone creams or capsules balance estrogen dominance, which cause heavier periods and PMS, fibrocystic breast disease, endometriosis, ovarian cysts and fibroids. Fat makes estrogen and estrogen makes fat, a vicious circle, so weight loss can help. Many environmental pollutants mimic estrogen, bisphenol A (plastic water bottles) and other plastics, pesticides, and industrial wastes such as PCB’s, activate estrogen receptors.

Cleaning up your diet and eating organic foods and pure water is important for getting on top of menorrhagia. Soy products are also estrogenic and are generally not good to eat unless they are fermented for several years, as they are in Japan. Sugar, cow’s milk, wheat (gluten) also disrupt the intestinal tract, leading to stress and abnormal nutrient absorption.

Herbals such as Shepherd’s purse (Thalspi bursa capsularis pastoris) have long been used for heavy periods. One capsule of cayenne pepper (herbal grade), opened and stirred into a cup of warm water, can slow down bleeding quickly as it balances out blood flow in the body. Homeopathic Crocus, 6C or stronger, is great for hemorrhage with clots. Trillium Combination, from Marco Pharma, is great for any acute hemorrhage. Use 50 drops in water, followed by 30 to 40 drops five times daily.

There are over 200 homeopathic medicines for menorrhagia, which can be prescribed by your Homeopathic, Integrative practitioner.

References:

1. Williams, Robert, MD. (edited by). Textbook of Endocrinology. W.B. Saunders Company Publisher. 1974.
2. Murphy, Robin, N.D. Homeopathic Medical Repertory. Hahnemann Academy of North America Publisher. 1998.

Dr. Brian Clement is the medical director of the Hippocrates Health Institute, which is one of the world’s oldest complimentary health centers. Dr. Clement started with the organization in 1975, and has been a director since 1980. Here he shares his considerable knowledge of how to improve your health. The primary focus of this interview is on detoxification, because this is an area that Dr. Clement has great experience with. The full program that Hippocrates offers is called the “Life Change Program,” and runs for 21 days.

“The main thrust of what we offer is not all of the nice things I spoke about. It’s education,” Dr. Clement says. “My objective as a director is to get people to not need me, the Institute, or you. We want people to be educated, to be totally responsible for their life and lifestyle. And in doing so, one of the primary biological factors is you have to eliminate waste from your body.

… [A]ll of us live in an invisible cesspool, and we don’t know it. The air we breathe, the water we drink, the food we eat, the clothing we wear…[O]ur latest book, Killer Clothes, tells you about how we have direct scientific evidence that clothing causes cancer and a wide array of other diseases. It’s the petrochemicals. So all of these is taken into account here…

Not only are we cleansing the body through large amounts of raw food, but also through infrared technologies, Vibrason units… lymphatic massage, deep tissue technology, psychotherapy… and colonic therapy…”

There can be little doubt that toxic heavy metals and chemicals in our environment contribute to the vast majority of cancers we see today. Ditto for other chronic debilitating diseases such as multiple sclerosis, Parkinson’s and Alzheimer’s disease.

“We know that… for every 17 micrograms of lead in your body, your IQ is reduced by 10 points. Now, think of that. How many of us would have been much brighter if we didn’t grow up in a time where they used lead paint or lead in the automobile fumes? So, we are detoxifying disease-causing elements from the body,” Dr. Clement says. Lack of exercise also compounds the problem, as exercise is a natural form of detoxification.

For more info, go to http://articles.mercola.com/sites/articles/archive/2012/03/21/dr-clement-on-detoxification.aspx?e_cid=20120321_DNL_art_1.

*This article was reprinted with permission from www.mercola.com.

At the turn of the 20th century (1900), U.S. women were most likely to die from infectious diseases and complications of pregnancy and childbirth. Today, in the first decade of the 21st century, 63 percent of American women die as a result of the chronic conditions of heart disease, cancer, and stroke. Heart disease leads the pack.

Improving women’s health, and increasing awareness and understanding of women’s health issues, is the task of the Office on Women’s Health (OWH), U.S. Department of Health and Human Services. OWH is celebrating the thirteenth annual National Women’s Health Week this year from May 13–19^th as a way to accomplish its mission. The 2012 celebration starts on Mother’s Day and ends on the following Saturday. However, women’s healthcare has a therapeutic ally that cannot be confined to a one-week national celebration. It’s a proven women’s health enhancer and stress reliever–laughter.

Laughter: A Heart-Healthy Activity

It’s been said that laughter is the best medicine. A growing body of research supports the theory that laughter has therapeutic value and may be an antidote to heart disease.

In 2000 and again in 2005, a team of researchers at University of Maryland Center for Preventive Cardiology, led by the Center’s director Dr. Michael Miller, released study results which point to a strong connection between laughter and cardiovascular health.

In 2000, Dr. Miller led a research team that conducted a study on the humor response comparison of 300 people. Fifty percent had suffered a heart attack or undergone coronary artery bypass surgery. Fifty percent were healthy, age-matched participants without heart disease. Miller said that the most significant finding was that “people with heart disease responded less humorously to everyday life situations. They generally laughed less, even in positive situations, and they displayed more anger and hostility.” He went on to say that perhaps laughter should be added to the list of recommended behaviors known to reduce the risk of heart disease, like exercising, not smoking and eating foods low in saturated fat.

In 2005, Miller and his team of researchers released the results of another study. Using laughter-provoking movies to gauge the effect of emotions on cardiovascular health, the study showed that laughter appears to cause the tissue that forms the inner lining of blood vessels, the endothelium, to dilate or expand in order to increase blood flow.

The results of their study point to a strong connection between laughter and cardiovascular health. “The magnitude of change we saw in the endothelium is similar to the benefit we might see with aerobic activity, but without the aches, pains and muscle tension associated with exercise,” says Dr. Miller. “We don’t recommend that you laugh and not exercise, but we do recommend that you try to laugh on a regular basis. Thirty minutes of exercise three times a week and 15 minutes of laughter on a daily basis is probably good for the vascular system.”

Laughter: A Guaranteed Stress Reliever

Stress at work is a growing problem for women in the workplace. In one survey, 60 percent of employed women cited stress as their number one problem at work. Furthermore, levels of stress-related illness are nearly twice as high for women as for men. Once again, researchers are telling us that laughter has many physiological and emotional benefits that help to combat stress related illness. “When you are laughing, you discharge tension associated with four primary negative emotions–depression, anxiety, fear and anger,” says Dr. William Fry, a behavioral scientist, psychiatrist and Emeritus Associate Clinical Professor at the Stanford University School of Medicine of Stanford University.

Dr. Lee Berk, a pioneer researcher studying positive emotions/behaviors and their biochemical/physiological effects on stress hormones and immune system components in the field of Psychoneuroimmunology at Loma Linda University School of Medicine, says “Laughter can relax the muscles, increase alertness and memory, reduce pain, lessen emotional stress and lower blood pressure.”

With all the physiological and psychological health benefits evidenced by solid scientific research, leading-edge organizations in the Triad are embracing therapeutic laughter activities to reduce stress and enhance quality of work life for staff.

Employee Wellness at High Point Regional Health System (HPRHS), asked Certified Laughter Leader Marilyn Sprague-Smith to help employees put laughter back in their lives. “Marilyn is showing us how to use laughter to lighten up our mental workload and bring a sense of joy, happiness and harmony into our daily activities,” says Sue Cumpston, Employee Wellness Coordinator for the health system. The program was brought to HPRHS as a community outreach service of Unity’s laughter club program.

You, too, can choose to let laughter be your therapeutic ally for increased health and wellness. Get involved in National Women’s Health Week by creating a personal health and wellness plan. Remember Dr. Miller’s heart-healthy prescription, “thirty minutes of exercise three times a week and 15 minutes of laughter daily.” Your heart, and every system in your body, will thank you.

Marilyn Sprague-Smith, M.Ed. is an award-winning consultant, trainer, professional speaker, author and certified laughter leader. She is one of only six people in the world authorized by The World Laughter Tour to deliver laughter leader certification training. For more information visit www.miraclesmagicinc.com, or go to www.worldlaughtertour.com.

Several studies by the American Association for the Advancement of Science (based at Brown University) explored the effects of music education on young children’s learning. The conclusions of these studies support the theory that music instruction can help build intellectual and emotional skills, facilitate children’s learning and strengthen other academic areas, such as reading and math. Also, these studies indicate that music can positively affect children (and adults) of all ages.

Learning Music, Computers, and Development: With the rise of the Internet and high-tech jobs that require computer skills, there seems to be less interest in music education these days. Fortunately, several studies by experts in the field are demonstrating that studying the arts–particularly music–can actually help develop skills used in learning about computers.

The conclusions of the Brown University studies are consistent with other research on music and its effect on child development. One study (by researchers at the University of Wisconsin and the University of California) shows that when three and four year old children were given simple piano lessons over a six month period, they performed 34 percent better than other children on IQ tests, some of whom had had computer lessons instead. The impressive results came from a study of 789 children from diverse social and economic backgrounds. One of the researchers stated that music training jump starts certain inherent patterns in parts of the brain responsible for spatial- temporal reasoning. On the other hand, computer lessons do not prompt children to think ahead or visualize, as they must do when playing music.

Several studies indicate that the reading level of students with one year of music was nearly one grade higher than their peers without such music training. Children with two years of

music experience had scores equivalent to two years ahead of their reading age, and these statistics improved with music experience.

Research also shows that music touches “at risk” children in special ways. Music introduced into their environment seems to make them more relaxed and receptive to learning. Children with learning disabilities, who often have a hard time focusing when there is a lot of background noise, may be especially helped by music lessons.

Other research findings show the following:

• Children in elementary schools who were given enriched, skill-building music classes showed marked improvement in reading and math skills. Students in the program who had started out at lower reading and math skill levels than those of children in the control group caught up to statistical equality in reading and pulled ahead in math.

• Researchers found that children given piano lessons improved much more dramatically in their spatial-temporal IQ scores (important for some types of mathematical reasoning) than children who received computer lessons, or no lessons.

• A research team exploring the link between music and intelligence reported that music training is far superior to computer instruction in dramatically enhancing children’s abstract reasoning skills, the skills necessary for learning math and science.

• A McGill University study found that pattern recognition and mental representation scores improved significantly for students given music instruction for a three-year period. They also found that self-esteem improved while they were taking music lessons.

• Students with experience in music performance and music appreciation scored higher on the SAT than students with no music education. 53 points higher on the verbal, and 39 points higher on the math for music performance; 61 points higher on the verbal and 42 points higher on the math for music appreciation.

Selecting Music for Children: At around three years old, most children begin to take a real interest in music activities of all kinds. It is a good time for parents and teachers to begin mixing music with games that require body movement, such as clapping, waving, jumping and dancing. Sing-along games are ideal for initiating movement and bringing children together in enjoyable group activities.

Children, age four to six, are more consistent music-makers, and are more aware of the messages in song lyrics. Children at this age are ready to sit attentively for a short performance, or listen to a short recording. Studies of children in this age group who play instruments also perform better on tests of working memory. Appropriate activities also include lessons in music appreciation, playing instruments and learning to write lyrics to simple melodies.

Children, age seven to ten, can start learning that music has structure. Rhymes, repetition and experimenting with different sounds also can be used for speech and reading development. This is the ideal time to actively teach a child a musical instrument. Research indicated that children at this age will start showing the positive effects of music training in their academic performance.

Music has proven to provide many more benefits to children (and adults) than simple entertainment. It has even proven to help patients recover from diseases or surgery more quickly, and with less pain. Currently, scientists are undertaking much research to learn the effects of music on the mind and body, yet we now know–from findings of several of the most prestigious researchers in the field–that music can have very positive effects on child development. HB

References:

1. www.plosone.org 2. www.paulborgese.com 3. www.sciencedaily.com

For more info, contact Page Stegner, Certified Simply Music Teacher at (530) 414-4464, or visit online at www.tahoepianolessons. com.

With every New Year there is always room for change. This is no different when it comes to your healthcare. The medical advancements made in the past several years provide more options for patients to consider. Unlike in the past, when you had severe degeneration in your knee, you waited for it to get bad enough to warrant a knee replacement; now, there are alternatives including orthopedic regenerative medicine. These procedures offer patients who suffer from acute or chronic pain a natural and effective treatment option.

Regenerative medicine utilizes your body’s natural healing ability to repair and regenerate damaged tissue such as ligament, tendons and muscles. The natural healing ability of the body involves blood and more specifically, platelets. It is well known, the regions of the body with good supply heal fast, and the regions with poor blood supply heal slowly. Platelet Rich Plasma (PRP) and stem cells merely enhance your body’s natural healing ability. Unlike traditional treatments, such as anti-inflammatory medication and cortisone injections, which offer only temporary relief, PRP and stem cell grafts provide long term results and virtually no side effects, aside from soreness at the injected site. Furthermore, the injury heals normally and it eliminates scar tissue.

In many cases it eliminates the need for surgery and can cut healing time in half. These treatments are commonly used for soft tissue injuries such as tendonitis, acute and chronic muscle strain, muscle fibrosis, ligament sprains, and joint injuries or conditions such as arthritis, cartilage defects, and inflammation. With these biologic therapies we use Platelet Rich Plasma (PRP), also known as Autologous Platelet Concentrate (APC), which contains the body’s growth factors and stem cells.

Platelet and Prolotherapy are done through injections of healing solutions, or your own prepared blood, into damaged areas creates positive local inflammation, which “wakes up” or sets in motion the body’s normal healing process. It is a simple and painless technique that usually takes between 15 to 30 minutes. Any person who is suffering from any type of joint, tendon, ligament or spine problem, should give these therapies a try.

These regenerative therapies use a simple, natural technique that stimulates the body to repair the painful area when the natural healing process needs some assistance. Instead of the more commonly used anti-inflammatory medications, which can have many side effects and do nothing to regenerate or enhance function. PRP and Prolotherapy aid the body in repairing damage, fast and effectively. Plus, you can get back to normal activity the next day with Prolotherapy, and in only three to five days with PRP.

Kachoo! Darn!! Your underwear is wet again–and maybe even your outer garment.

The problem lies in your pelvic floor. This is a group of muscles that form a sling or hammock across the opening at the bottom of your hip bones. These muscles keep the bladder, intestines, uterus (or prostate) in place and functioning properly.

Damage, trauma, and scar tissue can disrupt the pelvic floor muscle tone and cause incontinence of the bladder, or even the rectum. Age, pregnancy, childbirth with its muscle tearing or episiotomy, family history, and hormonal status all contribute to incontinence. Approximately one-third of U.S. women experience bladder leakage sometime in their lives.

You may have heard that part of the pelvic floor, your Kegel muscles, can control this bladder leakage. The problem is you have to remember to tighten them before you sneeze or cough, which is not always the first thought when those reflexes hit you. The better plan is to make the Kegel contractions a natural reaction that you don’t have to think about.

This natural response is accomplished through exercise. The routine is a tightening of the Kegel muscles, followed by their relaxation, and then a pushing outward of them.

“The problem with doing this on your own,” says Amie Stoddard with Barbieri Manual Physical Therapy, “is that people tend to instead contract their gluteal muscles or adductors (butt cheeks or rectal muscles).” If you cannot cut off your urine flow in midstream, you may need a professional to coach you. Sometimes the whole pelvic floor is in constant constriction so it may be necessary to do some therapeutic release work on the muscles to alleviate their cramping. This work is much like a vaginal exam and is pretty up close and personal, but its reward is obviously worth it.

In addition to, or even instead of incontinence, there are other signals that the pelvic floor muscles are constantly “frozen.” Since these muscles attach to the ilia, they can move these hip bones from their natural position. This can prevent you from having a flowing, easy walking gait, or a feeling of awkwardness, or having “two left feet.” This imbalance of the pelvis puts pressure on leg nerves, causing tightness of the leg muscles to the point of serious cramping. Pressure on these leg nerves can also result in real nerve pain. There may also be a sensation of cervical cramping between menses periods.

Men are affected with incontinence also, primarily due to prostate surgery. This operation can leave scar tissue that is inflexible and therefore the Kegels cannot “pinch off” the urinary tract. Sometimes nerves are damaged so that tightening messages are not received by the muscles.

Peter Barbieri says there are other contributing factors, such as a man’s occupation. A job that calls for prolonged sitting and twisting can cause muscle tension in the pelvic area, thus upsetting the pelvic floor’s muscle balance. Physical therapy once again includes locating the Kegels and then exercising them properly. Should pelvic floor muscle release be called for, the therapist utilizes an alternate port of entry than that used for women.

There are many qualified therapists who can help you regain confidence in public. The financial trade off is no more pads or diapers, plus the stress of wondering whether their absorption will be adequate next time.

References:

1. Amie Stoddard, P.T. D.P.T., Barbieri Manual Therapy

2. Peter Barbieri, P.T., Barbieri Manual Therapy

JeanAnn is a free-lance writer for health and metaphysics. Her four e-books are available at Amazon.com and BarnesNoble.com. She also does handwriting analysis and numerology.

Myth 1

High cholesterol (and LDL) is the #1 cause of heart disease in the country.

Wrong. High cholesterol is among the risk factors for heart disease, but far from the leading factor. The most prevalent: Low HDL, along with small LDL particles. Of every 100 people with coronary heart disease, 60 to 70 will have low HDL and small LDL particles (not standardly tested for). Fewer than 30 will have high LDL. Why do we not hear more about low HDL and small LDL particles? Because treating them is not as profitable for drug companies. But, when it does become profitable to treat this more prevalent risk factor for heart disease, we can expect to hear about “the epidemic” that will justify billions of dollars on new drug expenditures (note the dates on the reference studies–this is not new data!).

Myth 2

If I take a statin agent, I won’t have a heart attack.

This is simply untrue. Low cholesterol (even rock bottom levels) reduces, but does not eliminate, the risk of heart attacks. Many heart attacks still occur in people with low cholesterol levels, whether or not they take cholesterol lowering drugs or supplements. Other more important risk factors must be considered besides cholesterol, such as small LDLs, low HDLs, high fibrinogen, high homocysteine, high C reactive protein, and high insulin levels. Results from a National Health and Nutritional Survey showed that 47 million US adults have metabolic syndrome, (low HDLs, high triglycerides, high blood pressure, excess abdominal fat) most of which remains undiagnosed and untreated and substantially heightens the risk of heart disease even in the presence of low cholesterol.

Myth 3

I feel fine and my stress test was normal. My doctor says I don’t have heart disease.

This is among the most widely propagated fallacies spewed by many well-meaning primary care physicians, and even cardiologists. First, lack of symptoms should not be reassuring as most heart disease is silent–without symptoms and undetectable by conventional means, such as electrocardiograms and cholesterol testing. Second, stress testing is a miserable failure for screening asymptomatic people. Most future deaths and heart attacks, in fact, occur in people with normal stress tests (when symptoms are not present). The net result of this misperception is that most future heart attack victims are walking around feeling fine and unaware of the risk. Cholesterol can be high, low or in between, but all too frequently, fails to shed light on this murky situation.

Functional Diagnostic Medicine takes a holistic, full-body, non-drug approach to cardiovascular disease prevention and management. In addition to the above mentioned cardiovascular markers (c reactive protein, homocysteine, fibrinogen, etc.) indicative of probable heart disease, one must look at specific essential fatty acid balance, liver detoxification status, general nutritional deficiencies, pathogenic viral and bacterial assessments, hormone testing, comprehensive stool analysis, toxic profiles (heavy metals and persistent organic pollutants). Any investigation less than this, into the various metabolic factors that negatively affect heart function, simply cannot predict heart health and cardiac disease susceptibility.

Functional medicine is on the crest of a new wave of chronic disease science, due to its holistic and cutting edge diagnostic approach. Fifteen to 20 years from now, these advanced testing procedures may become accepted by the standard medical community and insurance industry, but until then, it’s buyer beware; do your homework and make sure the doctor you choose is properly educated in Functional Medicine procedures.

Next Month, in Part II of Myths of Heart Disease, more on cholesterol: the lipid with the bad reputation, true cardiovascular disease risk factors, and cardiovascular disease and inflammation.

References:

1. Gardner CD, Fortmann SP, Krauss RM Association of Small Low Density Lipoprotein Particles With Incidence of Coronary Artery Disease in Men and Women. JAMA 1996 Sept 18: 276 (11 875-81).

2. Stanpfer MD Krauss RM Ma Jetal. A Prospective Study of Triglycerides Level, Low-Density Lipoprotein Diameter and Risk of Myocardial Infarction. JAMA 1996 Sept 18 (11): 882-88.

3. Ford ES, Giles WH, Dietz WH. Prevalence of the Metabolic Syndrome Among US Adults: Findings From the Third National health and Nutrition Society. JAMA, 2002 Jan 16 287 (3) 356-9.

For more info, contact Dr. Rutherford or Dr. Gates at (775) 329-4402, or visit online at www.PowerHealthReno.com

Platelet Rich Plasma (PRP) injection is part of an emerging new field of medicine called “Orthobiologics.” The philosophy of this field is to merge cutting edge technology with the body’s natural ability to heal itself.

Platelets are small discoid blood cells made in the bone marrow. For a long time, they were thought to only have a role in blood clotting; but research over the past 20 years revealed that they also contain many compounds that play a big role in healing of injuries, and the development of new blood vessels in damaged tissue.

Blood normally contains four main components: plasma (the liquid part), red blood cells (these carry the oxygen and carbon dioxide from and to the heart), white blood cells (these form a major part of the immune system), and platelets.

Typically a blood specimen contains 93 percent red blood cells, six percent platelets and one percent white blood cells. The whole blood is withdrawn in the same manner as for any other blood test, and it is then spun in a centrifuge for 15 minutes. This separates the blood into three distinct layers, two of them are blood cells and one is the liquid portion called the plasma. The cell layers separate into the red blood cells and a layer called the “buffy coat.” The buffy coat contains the white blood cells and the platelets. This is what is withdrawn with a small volume of plasma that is known as PRP. It also contains a small number of stem cells, but that is a topic for discussion in another article.

First tried in 1987, PRP has been used to speed healing in the fields of orthopedics, sports medicine, dentistry, ENT (ear, nose, throat), neurosurgery, ophthalmology, urology, wound healing, cosmetic surgery, cardiothoracic, and maxillofacial surgery.

Most commonly today, PRP injections are used to treat a variety of joint, muscle and tendon injuries usually referred to as “sports injuries,” but it has possible applications to many other problems. Further use is being explored for treatment of chronic elbow, hip and knee bursitis and arthritis.

Use of this technology, in injection form, provides delivery of a highly concentrated, potent cocktail of growth factors and cells, to stimulate accelerated healing.

Future generations of biologic injectables may target specific cells, rather than providing an assortment of non-specific healing properties, but PRP is available today for the treatment of a large variety of human problems.

References:

1. www.orthohealing.com.

2. Mishra A, Pavelko T, “Treatment of chronic elbow tendinosis with buffered platelet rich plasma”, American Journal of Sports Medicine, 2006;10(10):1-5.

3. Anitua M, Sanchez E, Nurden A, Nurden P, Orive G, Andia I, “New insights into and novel applications for platelet rich fibrin therapies”, Trends Biotechnol. 2006;24(5):227-34.

There is nothing more “earthy” than bacteria. Our bacterial flora in the intestinal tract, which the German and Swiss doctors call “the lawn,” amounts to 10^14-16  bacteria and fungi per gram of fecal material¹. Human cells account for 10¹² -¹³ bacteria, depending on who you read. This means that there are thousands of times more bacteria and fungi that live in our intestines than we have human cells in our body. We are vastly outnumbered.

The German biological doctors call our intestines “the lawn” because they have a surface area of roughly 10,000 sq. feet, roughly the size of a football field. If an average, non-obese person has two or three pounds of fecal material lingering in their colon that would multiply out to 3 x 454 (grams per pound) x 10¹³; that’s a lot of bugs.

These bacteria make many toxins and poisons (skatoles, pyrroles, indoles, aldehydes and hundreds more), some are psychoactive (abnormal thinking) and inflammatory (arthritis, allergies), and in the presence of a leaky bowel from yeast and food allergies, dump fecal material right back into the body via the veins around the colon.

Good bacterial types have been overwhelmed from our SAD (Standard American Diet). Our standard diet contains many antibiotics in feedlot beef and chicken; which promote resistant bacteria and fungi such as Candida albicans, which cause the leaky gut syndrome and damage our livers and adrenal glands.

Colonics

Colon therapy, a gentle cleansing of the colon–which we have provided in our office since 1976–removes pounds of fecal material (our record was a nine pound weight loss after a colonic) and re-structures the colon, helping to relax and open narrowed areas; which increase the venous drainage of fecal material back into the body. Colon therapy also treats enlarged areas and loopy, redundant bowel segments with a warm water bath that provides an exercise for the colon to help it to return to a more normal anatomy.

This warm column of pure water exercises the bowel muscles like exercising our outer body muscles. The bowel sewer system is important to address or we will be internally poisoned for life. Interestingly, colon therapy is now used in a major medical center as the preparation for colonoscopy.  Using the regular prep solutions is uncomfortable promoting diarrhea and can cause depletion of important minerals especially in the elderly.  Ask you gastroenterologist for a colonic prep for your colonoscopy. Scientific literature is available to support this procedure.

Sterility

All of the tubing and speculums used in our colon therapy are disposable. The colon therapist is trained and certified for proper use of the equipment. Warm, filtered water is introduced at a very low, comfortable pressure, and massage or vibration is used to optimize elimination. Tummy’s go down after a colonic, and it can produce a calming, relaxing state of mind. Getting rid of trillions of bacteria that may remain in the body is a great boon for health, especially for the chronically constipated. During the colonic, we also implant good pro-biotic bacteria and other healing treatments.

Bowel cleansing has been touted for good health for millennia, and was mentioned in the Dead Sea Scrolls, the holy men began their day with a bowel cleansing. All of the world’s medical traditions attach great importance to colon health. It is important in Indian Ayurvedic Medicine, Chinese Medicine, German Biological Medicine, American Herbal tradition and others. We always have said good health has many realms, from the gross to the subtle. Cleaning and repairing the sewer system should not be ignored.

References:

1.  Thomas Rau, MD., Doctor of Biological Medicine at Semmelweis-Institut Verlag fur Naturheilkunde GmbH Hoya Germany.
2. www.DanburyHospital.org

How often do you think about Amino Acids? For most people, not so much. Well, your body “thinks” about them 100 percent of the time! While most of us have heard that amino acids are the building blocks of protein, do we really grasp their importance–that without them our bodies simply cannot make the proteins required by every living cell? In a sense, that makes amino acids the “building blocks” of our bodies! Is your body getting the amino acids it needs every day? Are you living your most vibrant life?

The collective role of amino acids in the repair and maintenance of a healthy body make them vital. There are an estimated 100,000 plus proteins found in the human body made from combinations of amino acids. These combinations are responsible for:

• Building and repairing cells including muscles, organs, glands, bones, skin, hair and nails
• Making metabolic and digestive enzymes
• Making neurotransmitters–critical for brain and nerve function
• Making hormones
• The production of antibodies–which fight against infection and illness
• Building a healthy immune system

If one amino acid is deficient, can you imagine how easy it is for a chain reaction of symptoms to occur within your body?

About 75 percent of the human body is comprised of long and short chain protein molecules[1] made up of amino acids. Of the classic 22 amino acids, 12 are non-essential and 10 are essential (meaning our bodies cannot make them on their own; we must ingest them every day in our diet and/or by supplementation–our bodies do not store amino acids like they store fats and starches). A deficiency in even one of the 10 essential amino acids sets up a cannibalistic-type reaction within our bodies–breaking down our body’s proteins (muscle and so forth)–searching for the missing amino acid!

Our mental and emotional wellbeing is another vital area where amino acids are required for proper functioning. Communication within the brain and nervous system occur through chemical “languages” used by neurotransmitters–two fairly well known neurotransmitters are Serotonin and Dopamine. Neurotransmitters are powerful chemical messengers that regulate numerous physical and behavioral processes, including cognitive and mental performance, emotional states, and pain response. Amino acids support the natural replenishment of neurotransmitters.

Additionally, amino acids aid in the detoxification processes of our systems–removing the internal pollutants that are created from environmental chemicals, medicines, nicotine, alcohol, processed foods, and so on.

Do you think you’re getting enough protein in your diet? If you suffer from any of the following conditions, you may not be getting sufficient amino acids:

• Fatigue
• Carbohydrate cravings
• Allergies
• Hypoglycemia
• Low-serotonin conditions such as depression, anxiety, panic, insomnia, or fibromyalgia
• Low-endorphin conditions such as chronic physical or emotional pain, or addictions

The body cannot directly use the proteins found in food. Protein that we consume has to be broken down into amino acids, which the body then uses to build the different specific proteins it needs. That means it is actually the amino acids, and not the protein itself, that are the essential nutrients.

Amino acid deficiency as the root of illness and correcting those deficiencies as the remedy is perhaps the most widely overlooked and underutilized diagnosis and treatment protocol within our healthcare system today. Thus, if you are suffering from any of the above conditions, you may be interested to know that there are safe, cost-effective, all natural remedies to these and other common ailments in the form of supplementation with amino acids, in conjunction with certain vitamins and minerals.

In summary, every system in our bodies requires amino acids to function properly–our bones and organs, our digestive tract, our brain and nervous system, and even our emotional wellbeing. Amino acids are essential to support a healthy body throughout each phase of life–infancy, childhood, adulthood and elderhood. These are some very powerful little nutrients: the Amazing Amino Acids!

References:

1. Moore, Jason E. M.S., M.B.A., TLSC Biotech 101 Noc 2010. Calder PC, Kew S. The immune system: a target for functional foods? Br J Nutr 2002 Nov;88 Suppl 2:S165-77.:S165-S177.

2. Shipman, J., Wilson, J., Todd, A., An Introduction to Physical Science, 7th Ed., D. C. Heath, 1993.

3. Capuron L, Hauser P, Hinze-Selch D, Miller AH, Neveu PJ. Treatment of cytokine-induced depression. Brain Behav Immun 2002 Oct;16(5):575-80.

4. Jones HE, Johnson RE, Bigelow GE, Silverman K, Mudric T, Strain EC. Safety and efficacy of L-tryptophan and behavioral incentives for treatment of cocaine dependence: a randomized clinical trial. Am J Addict 2004 Oct;13(5):421-37.

5. Haze JJ. Toward an understanding of the rationale for the use of dietary supplementation for chronic pain management: the serotonin model. Cranio 1991 Oct;9(4):339-43.

Just imagine you were diagnosed with a cancerous tumor, and your doctor told you that his/her proposed treatment could reduce the size of your tumor by 30 percent, but at the same time increase your chances of developing secondary tumors by a whopping 300 percent!

That is exactly what is demonstrated in recent research (at Harvard and MD Anderson Cancer Centers), and published in conventional Oncology Journals! The history of conventional anti-cancer therapies is replete with cases where the treatment turned out to be far more devastating than the disease itself.

A 2012 study, supported by the National Institutes of Health (NIH), sheds new light on why the effectiveness of a relatively new class of cancer fighting (anti-angiogenic) drugs is actually short-lived, and can turn into a frightening scenario, very likely triggering fatal consequences. This study was published in the January 17, 2012 issue of Cancer Cell.

These drugs act by cutting off the blood supply to the tumors. Scientists and Oncologists from around the world made the shortsighted assumption that by cutting off a tumor’s life support system, they could achieve a successful and permanent tumor regression…WRONG! Little did they know that this would open Pandora’s Box and create a cancer nightmare! This same study described in Cancer Cell found that a group of little-explored cells (called pericytes), which are part of every primary cancerous tumor, likely serve as important gatekeepers against cancer progression and metastasis. In this investigation, Raghu Kalluri, M.D., PhD, professor of Medicine at Harvard Medical School, had actually intended to find out if killing pericytes could inhibit growth of tumors. They knew that the pericytes are important in supporting the growth of new blood vessels. What they discovered instead was both startling and disturbing: pericytes actually help PREVENT metastasis!

Dr. Kalluri and his colleagues found that by depleting the pericyte numbers by 60 percent in breast cancer tumors, they saw a 30 percent decrease in tumor volumes over 25 days. Conventional “medical wisdom” hailed this as a “breakthrough in cancer treatment.” However, the researchers also discovered that by destroying pericytes by 60-70 percent, the number of secondary lung tumors increased threefold!

These entire findings question the very argument that is pushed on unsuspecting cancer patients by most Oncology medical professionals; is treatment-caused tumor regression a desirable objective?

What is even more distressing is the high cost of these new drugs. In addition to that, other research shows an increased incidence of perforated bowels, perforated stomachs and heart attacks!

Open minded Physicians have long maintained the importance of focusing on treating the whole person, and not just the tumor. When the therapy destroys, or does significant damage to the patient, it cannot be beneficial! For some reason, conventional Oncologists have not caught on to this idea and continue to focus their efforts on tumor shrinkage, at all costs.

References:

1. Ribatti, Domenico, Dept. of Human Anatomy & Histology, University of Bari Medical School, Bari, Italy, “The Inefficacy of Antiangiogenic Therapy”, Journal of Angiogenesis Research, 2010,2:27.

2. Kalluri, Raghu, M.D., PhD, “Study Shows How a Group of Tumor Cells Prevent Cancer Spread-Paradoxical discovery finds that pericyte cells help prevent metastasis”, Cancer Cell , January 17,2012.

There are an estimated 100 million people in the United States suffering from sleep disturbances/insomnia. That’s about one third of the entire U.S. population. Ambien (Zolpidem) is one of the most frequently sold drugs in this country, which acts to help people who have difficulty falling asleep or staying asleep. Zolpidem belongs to a class of medications called “sedative hypnotics.” It works by slowing activity in the brain, to allow sleep. The drug, if taken for more than two weeks, is addictive to the degree that if you stop it immediately, you will get withdrawal symptoms–do not so without help from your doctor. This dose of drugs may change your mental health in unexpected ways, even if properly dosed (aggressiveness, unusual out-going behaviors, hallucinations, sleepwalking, feeling like you are outside your body, memory problems, difficulty concentrating, anxiety, easily agitated, slow speech, depression, suicidal thoughts and more). You get the idea–there is a better way.

Indeed, you can’t sleep because your brain is over-active–particularly a part of your brain called the mesoncephalon (upper brain stem). This over-activity of the upper brainstem essentially puts a person’s brain in a continual “fight flight” syndrome, and abnormally affects people’s circadian rhythms. Fight flight mechanisms are designed to keep one’s system “stimulated” for about five to 20 minutes–not continually. This is the mechanism the “sedative hypnotics” address, and they do so by depressing other parts of the brain–hence the myriad of side effects listed above.  This same mechanism can be strengthened so that your brain’s fight flight syndrome can be slowed down and balanced by the stronger parts of the brain. The discipline that addresses this core cause/mechanism of insomnia is called Functional Neurology, and with thorough evaluative procedures and specialized testing, it can determine the imbalances in the brain and correct these deficiencies with non-drug stimulations to the brain, bringing it under control–no drugs, no side effects.

Metabolically, the brain nerve cells also require proper “fuels” to respond to treatment properly.  Metabolic imbalances (blood sugar imbalances, inflammation, abnormal cortisol/adrenal issues, GI problems) in the body can cause insomnia on their own, or make the above referenced brain mechanism unable to correct itself or respond to the brain based exercises. These imbalances can be ferreted out–again through an organized assessment of all the patient’s symptoms that cause them to not be able to fall or stay asleep. Most patients engage in trying one supplement or another herb/botanical at a time, in a hit or miss approach; which can’t ever get to the root cause of the problem, unless they are very lucky.

The Functional Medicine doctor uses an organized approach that embraces classic and specialized testing to assess all of the potential metabolic pathways and dysfunctions that lead to the various patterns of insomnia.

Combining the clinical assessment protocols of Functional Neurology and Functional Diagnostic Medicine, it is rare that the cause of insomnia–whether neurological (brain), metabolic (imbalances in blood chemistry) or as in most cases, BOTH–cannot be determined and corrected long-term without drugs or surgery.

References:

1. Kharrazian, Datis. DHSC, DC, MS. Why do I still have thyroid symptoms when my blood tests are normal? Morgan James Publishing, LLC. Garden City, N.J, 2010.
2. Rutherford, Martin, BA, BS, DC, CCST. Power Health – Back to Basics.1st Books. 2003.

For more info, contact Dr. Rutherford or Dr. Gates at (775) 329-4402, or visit online at www.PowerHealthReno.com.

Case Histories

W.A., a 48 year old very pleasant female had Chronic Fatigue Syndrome (CFS) and fibromyalgia since 1981. I had treated her for about two years, with modest success. She had Trichinella spiralis (pork worms) successfully treated with Albendazole, moderate yeast, extremely low total Intestinal SIgA and sensitivity to many common foods. After many tries at different regimens, we checked the MTHFR SNP, methylene tetrahydrofolate reductase single nucleotide polymorphism blood test which was positive for a single mutation of A1298C. Basically, this means she lacks the genetic capability for normal methylation (CH₃) involved in hundreds of metabolic processes in the human body. After supplementation with three mg of hydroxycobalamin IM, twice per week, with five mg of folinic acid orally daily, she was transformed. She had many good days, before she had none and no muscle pain. Methylation is an extremely deep issue and is abnormal in many of our chronic patients.

A.D., a 42 year old female had a many year history of CFS, fibromyalgia, migraine headache, insomnia, much recent grief and loss and hypertension. She could sleep all day. I was her eighth doctor she had consulted. After starting all my above regimens, she was completely improved. She said she was, “amazed at how good I feel” in two weeks. She wondered what the most important thing, I asked was? It was the gluten! All of her joint and muscle pain returned after eating a pizza and didn’t resolve for about three days. She now sleeps well, has no headaches or pain, and great energy. It is not always this easy, but we love a good miracle.

D.C., a 57 year old female with total body pain, diagnosed with fibromyalgia, severe fatigue and migraine headaches had been out of work for several years and basically stayed in bed most of the time. She survived on Soma, hydrocodone, Valium, Klonopin and Imitrex. She had multiple surgeries in her history, including total hysterectomy, lumbar spine fusion at L_3-4 and suffered from anxiety and depression, mental breakdown, migraine headaches, and she was scheduled for another back surgery in one month. During her first visit, I started the adrenal complex weekly IM shots, Neurotransmiter supportive IV (vitamins, minerals and amino acids) and Neural Therapy injections to her abdominal scars, back scars, root canal teeth( buccal membranes) and then lumbar spine injections with procaine, Discus Compositum,  Zeel  and ozone, which relieved her pain greatly. In the first two weeks she titrated her thyroid up to one grain and commenced estradiol gel with EstroDIM, progesterone, testosterone gel, Isocorts, Vitamin C and magnesium glycinate.  EBV turned up on our EAV scan and we treated her SP-6 acupuncture points (Spleen-6 is four fingerbreadths above the medial maleolus of the ankle) with 12 days of homeopathic injections of EBV dilutions ( 12x through 200x) with Engystol from Heel.

Two week later she said “I am definitely better, everyone says so, even my husband who hates spending money, and my old boss tells me to continue this new therapy because I look so much better and have more energy.” Although she was still anxious and had some back pain, her overall body pain had disappeared, and she had new hope for recovery and postponed her repeat back surgery because she was so improved.

It is tragic how many people are so sick and damaged in our society. However, it is most gratifying when we can help those suffering from CFS and fibromyalgia.

References:

1. Dosch, M.D., Peter. Manual of Neural Therapy According to Huneke. Karl F Haug. Heidelberg, 1984.

2. Barnes, M.D., Broda. Hypothyroidism: The Unsuspected Illness. Harper Collins, 1976.

Written By Martin Rutherford, D.C., C.C.S.T. and Randall Gates, D.C., D.A.C.N.B. |

The main focus of the functional diagnostic medicine practitioner is to utilize an organized approach to assess the nine major systems of the body (nervous, gastrointestinal, endocrinological, immune, etc), and treat the underlying causes of the many chronic diseases that our patients suffer from.

Functional Diagnostic Medicine (FDM) is patient-focused, not disease-focused. For instance, you are not treating the patient’s rheumatoid arthritis, chronic fatigue, fibromyalgia, peripheral neuropathy, etc., you are instead assessing the above mentioned nine systems for weaknesses and imbalances in the patient’s biochemistry and physiology to try and understand why the patient has RA. The functional medicine doctor is like the Sherlock Holmes of the brain and body, discovering and correcting the underlying cause of a disease process or dysfunction, so the body can in turn return to a state of health and wellness and the patient can achieve the desired reduction or elimination of symptoms.

Typically the FDM patient comes to the office after years of pain and frustration having been told that everything looks normal based on “standard” tests routinely run by their primary and specialist doctors. They have been told that there’s no cure, or at least no known reason for their symptoms.

FDM practitioners understand that most of our patients who arrive in their offices are by no means “normal,” even by standard diagnostic models. This is because the standard model in this country today is designed to assess acute disease and pain pathology (i.e., trauma, infection, cancer, cardiac arrest, etc) and not the chronic cousins of these conditions. There are 116 million chronic pain sufferers in the US, and the FDM practitioner understands that these patients are a long way from being in a state of “normal”–no less optimum health. The FDM practitioner also understands the average chronic pain sufferer is not doomed to a life of uncontrolled pain or medication mediated controlled relief.

The FDM doctor also understands there are cutting edge, unique, specialized, interpretive, and diagnostic methods for the chronic pain patient that are not used in the standard “acute pain” approach; which, can help assess a wide range of problems that are more suggestive of sub-clinical or functional problems causing and leading to disease. FDM is about utilizing the best of all diagnostic procedures to become the ultimate medical detective to help this chronic pain population.

The main role of the functional medicine practitioner:

1.  The prevention of disease and function by examining and focusing on the major risk factors of mortality and morbidity.

1. Identifying risk factors that can be reduced or avoided (i.e., avoid the consumption of trans fatty acids).

b.  Making the patient aware that they have risks for developing a particular “disease” (i.e., family history of cardiovascular disease or type II diabetes).

1. Making patient aware that they are at risk for developing disease because of exposure to certain environmental agents (i.e., advising a woman with polycystic ovarian disease that working 40 hours a week in a print shop may be a strong perpetuator of her disease problem).

d.  Help the patient avoid, reduce, and modify risk with patient focused strategies and individualized treatment.

2.  The early detection of disease and dysfunction through use of:

1. A patient focused history–functionally oriented signs and systems analysis.

b.  Functional diagnostic medicine testing.

1. Functionally oriented exams of all nine systems of the body–particularly neurological, endocrinological, immunological, and gastrointestinal.
2. Functionally oriented blood chemistry, CBC, and advanced FDM testing and analysis (digestive, GI, hormonal, adrenal stress profiles, etc).

3.  Advanced patient specific treatment techniques, lifestyle modifications, therapeutic exercise, structural support, diet, nutritional support (supplements/medical foods), stress reduction, brain based strengthening protocols, botanical medicine and other treatments.

Functional Diagnostic Medicine’s ultimate protocols are designed to address the underlying cause uncovered by the standard and specialized testing results. The treatment protocols respect biomechanical individuality of the patient. The approach is focused on restoring the patient’s physiological function, which allows the body to restore to a state of wellness and reduce and/or eliminate symptoms. Lastly, FDM is to cause no harm to the patient.

FDM patients should experience improved quality of healthcare because the FDM doctor is focused on them and not their disease. FDM should reduce long term costs as chronic pain management costs are substantial and are the primary drain on the current medical system. FDM patients should also experience reduced suffering and increase the likelihood of a resolution of pain without medications, and lastly reduce the incidence of premature aging, mortality, and morbidity.

References:

1. Kharrazian, Datis, DHSC, DC, MS. Why Do I Still Have Thyroid Symptoms When My Lab Tests Are Normal? Morgan James Publishing, 2010.

2. www.functionalmedicineuniversity.com.

3. http://www.functionalmedicine.org

For more info, contact Dr. Rutherford or Dr. Gates at (775) 329-4402, or visit online at www.PowerHealthReno.com.

Do you remember the old saying, “YOU OUR WHAT YOU EAT”? It’s true. So, it’s time to consider all the things you put into your body. If you’re looking to get healthier, or to stay that way, then you need to consume good, healthy produce. There are so many reasons to eat plenty of fruits and vegetables every day; in fact, most people don’t eat enough each day. A growing body of research proves that fruits and vegetables are critical to promoting good health. Fruits and vegetables should be the foundation of a healthy diet, and most people need to double the amount of fruits and vegetables they eat every day.

Fruits and vegetables are packed with essential vitamins, minerals, fiber, and disease-fighting phytochemicals. Because of this, eating plenty of fruits and vegetables everyday can help reduce your risk of: Heart disease, high blood pressure, type two diabetes, certain cancers, and much more.

They’re low in calories and high in fiber, so fruits and vegetables can help you control your weight. By eating more fruits and vegetables, and fewer high-calorie foods, you’ll find it much easier to control your weight. We need to be taking in at least five servings of fruits and vegetables a day or more for proper nutrition. So how much is a portion?

• One piece of medium-sized fruit, such as an apple, peach, banana or orange.
• One slice of fruit, such as melon, mango or pineapple.
• One handful of grapes or two handfuls of cherries or berry fruits.
• One heaping tablespoon of dried fruit.
• One small glass (150ml) of unsweetened 100 percent fruit or vegetable juice. Juice counts as a maximum of one portion, regardless of how much you drink.
• A side salad.

Do remember that some fruits contain many of their nutrients just under the skin, so eating them with the skin on can provide greater nutritional benefits and the maximum amount of fiber, compared with just drinking the juice of the same fruit.

How can you get fresh fruits and veggies all year long, without the expense of a green house? There is one way to Go Green and get healthy. The Tower Garden works through the bases of hydroponics and aeroponics, which is a method of cultivating plants using min­eral nutrient solutions, in water, with­out soil.

The bottom of the tower holds a water reserve tank with nutrients. A small, low-wattage electric water pump transports the wa­ter to the top of the tower and descends by gravity, irrigating the plants and re­turning to the bottom tank. The plants grow out of small holes in the tower. A person can plant lettuce, herbs, leeks, broccoli, cauliflower, Swiss chard, cucumbers, strawberries, tomatoes, and herbs–just about anything they desire.

The Tower Garden can save you hundreds of dollars a year in healthy food that is also clean, safe, pesticide-free, and highly nutritious. Vegetables will grow in about half the time they would normally take in the soil!

There is no weeding, tilling, kneeling, or getting dirty! There is no need to have a “green thumb.”

It’s about planting seeds that empower others to grow healthy individuals and strong, healthy families. Then together we can feed and nurture healthier, sus­tainable communities.

References: 

1. http://life.familyeducation.com/foods/nutrition/36595.html#ixzz1lEmEb0zV

2. bbc.co.uk/health/treatments/healthy-living/nutrition

3. www.Towergarden.com/media/lakefamilymagazinearticle.pdf