Insightful Blog

We receive many questions this time of year from patients about normal energy levels in the winter. It is natural for sleep to increase in accordance with the lack of light we experience, especially here in the Northwest. Our circadian rhythms respond to the change in light and our pineal gland is affected, which may trigger a feeling of sleepiness earlier in the evenings.  This is a normal phenomenon.  It is often when people are not heeding this need for an average of one more hour of sleep per night  (or when they have been under long term stress or not practicing good sleep habits for a period of time) that daytime fatigue and a general feeling of depletion result.   In this scenario, either people notice they don’t feel rested after sleep, or they experience an energy crash at either 2-3 pm or 6-8 pm. This type of fatigue has a different cause than the normal winter desire for a bit more rest.

 This study was just published which is really interesting. It basically shows that when the brain is hit by something, a cascade of depolarizations occur that cause a "tsumani" to occur in the brain creating more damage. In my neurofeedback  world, the reason this happens is a due to seizure like activity in the brain. Once the brain is strengthened thresholds are raised so that people don't have this Tsunami effect. In other words, if "seizure-like" thresholds are low then polarizations can occur more easily. Neurofeedback has been shown to be neuro-protective we think by raising these thresholds; future injuries are less likely to have long term consequences after treatment.  Chronic viruses, toxins, etc are more likely to allow this to occur which is why treatment is so important for prevention. It also explains why one TBI leads to increase risk of damage from subsequent ones. 

Allergies and excess weight are often caused by system overload;  our program is a structured program to jumpstart better health and optimal weight. We have taken several hundred people through our 21-Day Detox and Weight Loss program with great success. Not only are patients losing  an average of 15-21 pounds in the three weeks , but the majority of people report having more energy, better sleep and reduced symptoms in general. Longterm, they not only feel great but are keeping the weight off and staying fit.   Each program is individualized for each patient's goals and health concerns/history.  Feel super by summer, or if someone you love has goals for greater health, please forward this newsletter.  

April is Autism Awareness Month and the physicians at Insights To Health would like to share what we have gleaned from our experience treating autistic spectrum disorder (ASD). Autism affects 1 in 48 boys in Oregon and isn’t so much a disease as a cluster of symptoms. The causes are not generally understood and very controversial. In our experience ASD is still commonly missed as a diagnosis and recognizing the problem is important. Recent studies found that large numbers of undiagnosed children displayed autistic traits. [1] This delay can lead to improper treatment, difficulties with teachers at school, and the lack of treatment entirely. Common traits displayed by ASD children are repetitive behaviors, impairments in social interaction, and difficulties with communication. Often, these children are extremely bright. Many parents later report that they had no idea anything was wrong, as their child was reading at 2 years of age. In general, boys are more likely to be diagnosed than girls. [2] Parents of girls with autism often do not have their concerns taken seriously. [3]

One modality that has been shown to be effective in treating ASD is neurofeedback. Several studies have shown neurofeedback improves outcomes of patients with ASD. ASD shows differences in brain function where some parts of the brain are quiet while other parts of the brain are “chatty” with lots of neural activity. Neurofeedback appears to balance this communication and allow for all parts of the brain to work optimally. In one study, neurofeedback reduced autistic symptoms by as much as 40%.  Clinically, we have found neurofeedback to be very effective for children with ASD.  Often the first aspect to improve is communication.

Furthermore. treatment of the adjunct symptoms that may or may not be directly related to the ASD diagnosis, such as gastrointestinal symptoms or sleep issues, can be treated with Naturopathic treatments and/or neurofeedback to create relief both for the patient and his or her family.   We have had good success with these approaches and find it so gratifying to see what is often rapid progress on the part of the child and delight on the part of the parents!

So often oatmeal turns into a sugary, syrupy event.  This is a warm, tasty, yet low-glycemic way to start your winter days.

• 1 cup oats plus dash of salt
• 2 cups water
• 1 apple, chopped
• Cinnamon, stevia, and unsweetened hemp milk to taste
• Handful of almonds

Dinner at your door is a lifestyle service providing homemade, healthy meals conveniently delivered to your door throughout the Portland metropolitan area.  All menu items are made with fresh, low fat ingredients including organic, seasonal and local produce when available.  Visit dinneratyourdoor.com for reservations in your dining room.  Drs Gil and Christie have been using this awesome service for three months now and highly recommend it for busy professionals and families.

As women, we hear a lot of information about our hormones. They can affect our cancer risk, affect our metabolism, and cause hot flashes, mood changes, and insomnia. But what are hormones, really, and why are they so important, especially for women? 

Hormones are chemical messengers that instruct the rest of the body to carry out physiological actions. They travel in the body and are more dynamic than vitamins, muscles, and organs.  In fact, they tell your organs how to function in many cases. For example, hormones instruct your body to ovulate (female hormones), suggest how much energy to have in the morning (cortisol), determine how you handle stress (also cortisol), and affect how you metabolize your food (thyroid). Vitamin D, which we've heard about in the news lately, is actually a steroid hormone in structure, not actually a vitamin. That explains why proper levels of it are so crucial to a wide variety of health-maintaining mechanisms, including protection against respiratory infections (i.e. the flu), certain cancers (breast, prostate, colon), heart disease, and depression.