Make it hot to stay healthy

Make it hot to stay healthy

Yep, a good old sauna is very, very good for your health.  By increasing your internal body temperature up to 102.5 you give the same effects as moderate exercise.  Actually 174 degrees Fahrenheit for 20 mins at 10-20% humidity in a regular sauna 4-7 times per week reduces cardiovascular disease, stroke, Alzheimer’s, and increases your life span.  There is benefit if you do it 2-3 times per week, but 4-7 times is the magic number for the most benefit.  One example is stroke is reduced by 14% when used 2-3x per week but there is a 61% reduction in risk if used 4-7 times per week.  The reduction is similar with 4-7x in all cause death, hypertension, and other diseases.  

Sauna also has an additive effect when you exercise as part of your routine.  Infrared sauna and hot baths benefit some, but the old fashioned sauna is where the research is for health. 

This is making me consider adding this to my health regimen.

Control Blood Sugar with Exercise

Control Blood Sugar with Exercise

By exercising moderately, for only 150 minutes a week, you can lower your HgA1C by almost one point! You lower blood sugar levels as your muscles directly take up glucose and decrease your insulin needs Exercise also increases muscle mass, which increases your energy demands and lowers weight. Exercise also turns on the machinery in the cell to extend your lifespan and repair damage. 

Here are five good options for moderate exercise:

Brisk walking

Walking is a low-impact exercise that can be done anywhere and at any time. Aim for at least 30 minutes of brisk walking per day. 

Cycling

Cycling is another low-impact exercise that can be done indoors or outdoors. It is great for improving cardiovascular health and toning leg muscles. 

Swimming

Swimming is a full-body workout that is easy on the joints. It’s a great option if you have injuries or chronic pain.

Yoga

Yoga is a low-impact exercise that can improve flexibility, strength, and balance. It is also great for reducing stress and anxiety. 

Dancing

Dancing is a fun way to get moving and improve cardiovascular health. It can be done alone or in a group, and there are many different styles to choose from.

Natural Supplement to Control Weight

Natural Supplement to Control Weight

I recently saw an article claiming that berberine is a natural Mounjura or Ozempic.  Of course, berberine is far less expensive, so it would be great if it performed just as well for weight loss, but it doesn’t. However, if we only concentrated on weight loss, it would be oversimplifying Berberine and its benefits.  It has been demonstrated in numerous studies to aid in weight loss through a variety of processes, including by assisting the anti-aging enzyme AMPK, which is unquestionably a plus. It also helps with weight reduction by assisting with fat burning and suppressing appetite.

Additionally, I have observed in clinical settings and in the literature that it lowers cholesterol, improves the balance of the gut microbiota, lowers blood sugars, and helps with mild to moderate weight difficulties.  

 

Berberine provides many more advantages than the latest weight-loss medications, by being more effective compared to those medications in terms of lowering blood cholesterol,  improving gut health and decreasing aging while also helping with blood sugar and weight issues.

 

Berberine 1-2 capsules with meals is a good start from companies like Douglas, Xymogen and Thorne.

What is Adrenal Dysfunction?

What is Adrenal Dysfunction?

The adrenal glands sit on top of the kidneys and make adrenaline (norepinephrine and epinephrine) some testosterone, and finally cortisol (a steroid).  When someone is stressed over time, their body goes through three stages of adrenal dysfunction.  

Stage 1 is where there is constant stress and the cortisol is high and doesn’t drop down like it’s supposed to.  This can make you feel “wired” all the time.  It can also make it hard to sleep at night, which will eventually lead to the next stage.

Stage 2 is when you have normal cortisol but other markers like DHEA are dropping, and when stressed, your body doesn’t respond properly.  We start seeing problems staying asleep as cortisol spikes at the wrong time and fatigue, especially in the afternoons, starts showing up

Stage 3 This is the last stage and people are just tired almost all the time, especially at 2-3 in the afternoon.  You feel “tired but wired” with stress.  Your adrenaline production is working, but you are not making cortisol.  The body is in a “survive vs. thrive” mindset.  

Adrenal fatigue is a self-protection mechanism.  You don’t want to drive a car 60 mph in 2nd gear for long, and the body is no different.  You have to tell the body it is safe through stress management techniques like meditation and getting at least 8 hours of sleep.   Using a saliva cortisol test is helpful to determine where your cortisol is relative to normal so that is a good place to start with a diagnosis.  Also, making sure there is no sleep apnea is paramount.  Once you have found a cause, there are also supplements that help at each stage.

Stage 1- Adrenal Balancer- This is mainly adaptogenic herbs which work on the brain to calm down the response to stress and help heal the adrenal gland.

Stage 2- Adrenal Assist- more focused on improving your energy while also healing the adrenals.

Stage 3 – Adrenal Power Up- Lots of kick in this one.  Recommend taking at awakening, noon, and again at 3 PM.  This mimics our natural cortisol cycle and will help get you moving.  

Adrenal fatigue, or adrenal dysfunction, is really a brain hormone issue, and the adrenals are not really damaged.  It can recover quickly if you follow the above recommendations.

Men, Prioritize your Health

Men, Prioritize your Health

After practicing medicine over 20 years, I think there is a reason we see women live longer.  Women prioritize their health and focus more on preventative care than men do. 

Men tend to take the ostrich approach and bury their heads in the sand and hope everything turns out all right.  Unfortunately, that method of healthcare stinks because by the time we get the memo that things are seriously wrong with our health, it is too late.  Think of your health as a retirement account.  The sooner you invest, the greater the benefit.  It is never too late to invest, but the older you get the more effort it requires to get the same benefit as the person who started early.   

What are some things that pay huge dividends in your health investment account and prevent major diseases?

Exercise, sleep, stress management (meditation), avoiding dental issues (a big source of inflammation for the heart), and getting labs that show how well you are doing health-wise, like fasting insulin, fractionated lipids, and inflammation markers.  Now that is where a good functional medicine doctor comes in. We actually understand these issues and labs and interpret them for you, so we can head off disease and practice true prevention.

Benefits of Berberine

I recently saw an article claiming that berberine is a natural Mounjura or Ozempic.  Of course, berberine is far less expensive, so it would be great if it performed just as well for weight loss, but it doesn’t. However, if we only concentrated on weight loss, it would be oversimplifying Berberine and its benefits.  It has been demonstrated in numerous studies to aid in weight loss through a variety of processes, including by assisting the anti-aging enzyme AMPK, which is unquestionably a plus. It also helps with weight reduction by assisting with fat burning and suppressing appetite.

Additionally, I have observed in clinical settings and in the literature that it lowers cholesterol, improves the balance of the gut microbiota, lowers blood sugars, and helps with mild to moderate weight difficulties.  

Berberine provides many more advantages than the latest weight-loss medications, by being more effective compared to those medications in terms of lowering blood cholesterol,  improving gut health and decreasing aging while also helping with blood sugar and weight issues.

Berberine 1-2 capsules with meals is a good start from companies like Douglas, Xymogen and Thorne.

Carotid Intimal Medial Thickness Screening

Carotid Intimal Medial Thickness Screening

Heart disease remains the leading cause of death for both men and women, yet unlike other significant health risks, there is no standard routine screening for heart disease. This is a considerable oversight, considering the importance of early detection in managing health risks.
 
To bridge this gap, consider a screening test called Carotid Intimal Medial Thickness (CIMT). This non-invasive test measures the thickness of the inner layers of your carotid artery and identifies any plaque presence. This information is crucial because studies have shown a correlation between carotid plaque and blockages in the heart. Identifying these early signs of atherosclerosis is vital in preventing heart attacks and strokes. The test is a simple yet informative ultrasound of the neck. 
 
In the spirit of preventive care, I encourage you to consider this screening. It’s a proactive step toward understanding and managing your heart health.  Your health is your most valuable asset. 

The Body’s Connection to Mental Illness

The Body’s Connection to Mental Illness

There was a Scandinavian study where they changed the diet of hospitalized schizophrenic patients. They focused on whole foods and avoiding gluten. Amazingly 50% of those patients were later discharged with no signs or symptoms of their mental illness. This is truly astounding. 

Why are we not doing this more? I cynically counter that there isn’t much money in getting people to eat right and much more money in medications and hospitalizations. It is frustrating because it is so simple, even in a complex disease like schizophrenia. 

Are you struggling with mental health? Keep it simple. Focus on your diet with no processed foods and minimize your gluten and dairy. It is worth a shot, for sure!

Is Your Brain Holding Back Your Healing Journey?

Is Your Brain Holding Back Your Healing Journey?

Unfortunately, I see a lot of illnesses in my office that patients don’t realize are complicated by trauma. Healing trauma has moved up to one of the top priorities in my treatment plan for my patients, especially those with chronic issues who have struggled for years. 

 

I now understand that unresolved traumatic events shift the whole physiology of the body, especially the immune system, which goes into a mode of self-defense, which leads to it eventually not functioning correctly and attacking the body it is supposed to protect. This shift in the body’s immune system is secondary to the always-on “flight or fight” side of the nervous system, the sympathetic system.   This compassionate side is triggered by our limbic system, our survival brain, which bypasses our thinking brain after the trauma. A minor thing can start our limbic system, and our whole body responds without much input from our thinking brain and sends our body into a negative cycle of inflammation and mood issues. 

 

Fortunately, with therapy like EMDR (Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing) with a trained therapist or a program like www.retrainingthebrain.com, I have seen outstanding outcomes with people who could not otherwise heal. Healing from your trauma is an essential step that should not be overlooked.

Could it be Lyme?

Could it be Lyme?

I always have a high index suspicion for Lyme as I see my chronically ill patients. It, like mold toxicity, is often missed because of inadequate testing. Do I think all my patient’s issues directly relate to just Lyme? It is unlikely, as I find that things like mold toxicity, Lyme Disease, and Mast Cell Activation Syndrome get all jumbled up together, and if they are not addressed separately, a patient will not make progress. It is like sitting on three tacks, taking one out, and expecting the person to feel better.  

Lyme is the last thing I treat as gut health has to be addressed as a priority because a healthy gut leads to a healthy immune system which will help me rid the body of Lyme. Getting rid of mold, if present, is step 2, as a healthy immune system cannot exist in the presence of mold toxicity. Finally, I look at Lyme if most of the patient’s symptoms have not completely cleared with the above steps. As many people without symptoms have Lyme, I am judicious in looking for it because, as we say in Louisiana, “why kick a skunk?” or, in other words, why look for something when the treatment has its risks?