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Body Connections: Shifting the Anxiety Equation

Submitted by on November 11, 2009 - 9:29pm.
When feeling anxious, many of us experience discomfort in our stomach region.  We may have other responses such as rapid heart rate, tightness of the chest, headaches,  or tight muscles. But our “second brain,” as some call the gastrointestinal tract, is where the majority of people experience anxiety and stress. In fact most of our neurotransmitters, which regulate our mood and many other aspects, such as hormonal balance, are produced in the digestive system. In fact, greater than 95% of serotonin is produced and stored in the gut, so it makes sense that mental health imbalances may actually be digestive imbalances. Recent studies indicate that healthy bacteria, or probiotics, directly affect mood through increasing production of serotonin and GABA. Alternatively, "bad" bacteria can reduce these and other neurotransmitter levels and activate or exacerbate anxiety and fear. It is important therefore, to have high numbers of "good" bacteria in your gastrointestinal tract--the same good bacteria that are decimated by a poor diet or antibiotic use.   Lactobacilli bacteria release tryptophan, which is transformed into serotonin, the calming neurotransmitter. Taking an appropriate probiotic and-- just as important-- eating a gut-healthy diet and having optimal digestive processes, can reduce anxiety and stress and increase overall wellness.

 

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Simple Starting Tips to Reduce Stress During your Workday:

Submitted by on January 26, 2010 - 1:11pm.
  1. Take 100 deep breaths every day.  Try 15 each hour; set your computer to notify you for a self-care minute! 
  2. Chew your food well.  This takes a load off of your digestive tract and also makes the nutrients more assimilable (also enhances memory).
  3. Be sure to sit while eating and not while driving! By sitting, you are sending signals to the brain to relax. Not doing this while eating can increase stress levels. 
  4. Drink adequate water throughout the day (i.e. 75 oz for a 150 lb person).  Our brains are mostly water and a stress response is initiated when we are dehydrated (not to mention that brain function is impaired).  
  5. Make sure your nighttime sleep is maximally restful, deep, and refreshing. Adequate sleep lowers daytime stress levels and regulates hormones.  
  6. Get outside every day, even if only for 15 minutes, even if it is raining.  Studies show that even during rainy weather, time outside elevates mood and reduces stress levels. 

 

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The Absorption of Vitamin D

Submitted by on March 26, 2010 - 8:57pm.

Winter is officially over --so you don’t have to worry about your vitamin D levels, right? Well, not exactly. From now until the end of October is the time to start increasing your stores of vitamin D. By getting just 20-30 minutes of summer sun exposure (avoid burning), you can produce up to 10,000 IU of vitamin D per day.  To gain maximum benefit, time sun exposure for the time of day when your shadow is shorter than your height (often between 10am and 2pm), expose as much skin as possible, and, of course, avoid wearing sunscreen. Unlike with dietary supplements, it is impossible to overdose on vitamin D obtained from sun exposure. 

 
Sunlight alone though doesn’t mean that vitamin D production can occur. For the body to produce and store vitamin D, cofactors to be absorbed effectively; for example, the body requires zinc and vitamin K. But one of the most important nutrients for vitamin D absorption is magnesium—a mineral in which most Americans are deficient. Magnesium is essential for vitamin D efficiency. The vast majority of Americans do not get enough magnesium in our diets, due to soil depletion (even in organic foods) --but also due to the fact that magnesium intake comes mostly from foods that should be eaten in small quantities (if at all) such as coffee, milk, beer and French fries. Better foods to eat for high magnesium content are nuts, seeds, and dark leafy green vegetables.   (A high quality magnesium supplement can also lead to improvements in many body systems, positively affecting hormonal balance, brain function, and immune status. Choose one that includes B vitamins and taurine as cofactors, to ensure intracellular absorption.)
 
Have your doctor test your vitamin D levels. If your vitamin D level is below 50 ug/ml, your level is too low. If you are supplementing with vitamin D and it is that low, it is important for your physician to look at other factors that may be influencing absorption. At Insights to Health, we offer routine vitamin D testing and preventative interpretation of results to all of our patients as part of our health-promoting medical care!

 

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Research and Natural Medicine

Submitted by on March 26, 2010 - 9:00pm.
You asked for updates on research on natural medicine --so you’ve got it. In the last month, there have been many of new studies published. We want to highlight two important findings, one about neurofeedback and brain plasticity and the other on homeopathy.
 
The first was a study about neurofeedback, which shows that brain plasticity does appear to be affected positively by neurofeedback. Plasticity is the ability of neurons to make more connections, which increases the flexibility of the brain--leading to enhanced concentration/memory, problem solving skills, and decision making abilities. The effects of even a small amount of neurofeedback show that the brain retains the affects for long periods afterward. The authors suggest that more serious consideration should be applied to neurofeedback as an alternative to expensive medication in the treatment of a variety of neurologically mediated conditions. Dr. Gil Winkelman at Insights to Health is one of four doctors in Portland offering neurofeedback for medical conditions as well as mental health conditions (he is the only physician who has also has a graduate degree in mental health). He recently was a keynote speaker at the Northwest Brain Injury Association's annual conference.
 

The second study showed how homeopathic remedies kill cancer cells in vitro. In a study done at the MD Anderson Cancer Center in Houston, homeopathic preparations killed to different human mammary cancer cell lines and had no effect on healthy cells. This study is a landmark discovery as it effectively removes the placebo effect as the mechanism of action for homeopathy. Of course, this study was not a clinical trial and we do not advocate that one treat breast cancer using a single homeopathic remedy based on this one study. It does however suggest a need for reconsideration of the place of homeopathy deserves in modern medicine. We use homeopathy to help patients with all kinds of health problems at Insights to Health. It is a gentle, effective way to restore balance and health, for both children and adults. 

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What’s the fuss about Gluten?

Submitted by on August 19, 2010 - 9:55pm.

Gluten free products are the fastest growing sector of the grocery market. Why? The incidence of gluten related health problems appears to be rising. Celiac disease, which is an autoimmune disorder that affects your ability to absorb nutrients, and also creates an immune response to the gliadin (the protein in gluten) can manifest itself as joint pain, fatigue, skin rashes, digestive problems, neurological problems, thyroid disorders, iron deficiency anemia, osteoporosis, anxiety, depression, and sleep disruption. What many people don’t realize is that even without a formal celiac diagnosis, you may be gluten intolerant . This problem is called non-Celiac gluten enteropathy.    Many of our patients benefit from a gluten free diet. 

Testing for gluten intolerance and disease has expanded as well. There are saliva tests, blood tests and biopsies that can confirm or deny a diagnosis of celiac disease. Some of these tests are combined with other regular tests that can discover other causes of the symptoms being experienced. 

Ask us about what types of testing makes sense for you!

For those of you in Portland, here's a list of gluten free restaurants.  

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