CHOOSE HEALTH WELLNESS CENTER, PLLC - Functional Medicine Doctor, The Woodlands, TX
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FUNCTIONAL MEDICINE SERVICES - The Woodlands, Texas
HORMONE BALANCING
- Hormone depletion results from natural aging, excessive stress, as well as surgery.
- Hormones are essential as they affect many important body systems including the heart, brain, bone, digestive, immune, in addition to reproduction and sexual function.
- Properly balanced hormones eliminate symptoms of PMS and menopause, decrease risk of cancer, diabetes, heart attack and stroke, and osteoporosis.
- Along with proper diet and exercise, BHRT helps to maintain healthy weight, and manage stress.
- Bio-Identical Hormone Replacement (BHRT) uses hormones with the identical molecular and chemical structure as the body's natural hormones.
- BHRT hormones are typically made from plants like soy or yams.
- Proper balance may restore optimal health and vitality.
- Hormones most commonly requiring replacement and balancing include: Estrogen, Progesterone, Testosterone, Dehydroepiandrosterone (DHEA), Thyroid, Vitamin D and Melatonin
Common hormonal conditions treated:
- Polycystic Ovarian Syndrome (PCOS) - hint: it is not an ovary problem
- Peri-menopause
- Menopause
- Andropause
- Low thyroid
FOOD SENSITIVITY
- Most people are familiar with food allergies that only 5% of us have.
- Very few are aware of food sensitivities or intolerances that about 80% of people have.
- Similar to food allergy, a food sensitivity is an immune-mediated reaction to a food.
- They differ in two important ways.
1. A food sensitivity is an IgG-mediated reaction that can occur up to 72 hours after eating the offending food. A food allergy is IgE-mediated reaction that occurs within minutes.
2. A food sensitivity can be reversed whereas a food allergy is permanent.
- A food sensitivity is often confused with other medical conditions because they can cause an extensive variety of symptoms including headache, fatigue, joint pain, rash, infertility, weight gain, inflammatory bowel disease (IBS), gas and bloating, mood swings, ear infections, sinusitis, and other auto-immune diseases.
- People are often surprised to discover sensitivities to foods that they love, consume frequently, and had no idea how much they were suffering from eating it until a simple blood test showed them. Similarly, others thought they were always allergic to a food that they had no reaction to at all.
DETOXIFICATION
- Everyone is exposed to chemical toxins and heavy metals from smog to pesticides, from cigarette smoke and car exhaust to contaminated food.
- We all ingest toxins through our skin, noses and mouths.
- Our bodies must detoxify these dangerous substances and remove them before they harm us. This is done primarily by the liver and kidney, large intestines, gall bladder, lungs, and skin.
- A diet high in sugar, carbohydrates, unhealthy fat, caffeine, artificial sweeteners, alcohol, and medications damages the liver and kidneys which reduces their ability to detoxify the body.
- Detoxification may be further compromised by the depletion of specific anti-oxidants, vitamins and minerals essential to the detoxification processes.
ADRENAL FATIGUE
The adrenal glands secrete adrenaline, cortisol, and dehydroepiandrosterone (DHEA) when we are under stress to help us manage our stress.
- DHEA is a precursor to testosterone and estrogen and helps protect against cancer, heart disease, diabetes, fatigue, and auto-immune diease.
- Cortisol is anti-inflammatory and it stimulates the body to break down protein and fat to make more glucose for the body's cells to use for immediate energy.
- Adrenaline (epinepherine) gives boosts of energy.
- However, when we are under chronic stress, our adrenal glands may become unable to keep up with the constant demand for the hormones and become "fatigued". In this situation, cortisol and DHEA levels fall and symptoms of fatigue, irritability, depression, and digestive abnormality usually occur.
LOW DOSE NALTREXONE (LDN)
- Naltrexone is an opiate antagonist which is used in high doses (50-300 mg) to treat alcohol and opioid addiction.
- LDN (3-4.5 mg) is believed to modulate the immune system and control inflammation through the endorphin system.
- LDN may help symptoms of auto-immune disease (MS, Crohn's, Hashimoto's, RA), fibromyalgia, chronic fatigue syndrome, Chronic pain, headaches, depression, autism, severe allergies, skin conditions (psoriasis, eczema), GI disorders (Celiac, IBS), and cancer.
Nitric Oxide - the magic molecule
2 pathways to optimal Nitric Oxide (NO):
- 1. Our blood vessels' endothelial cells produce NO
- 2. Dietary consumption of nitrate from green leafy vegetables (lettuce, kale, spinach, arugula) and root vegetables (beets, radishes, broccoli, cabbage)
- After 40 years of age, endogenous NO production falls significantly
- Antibiotic mouthwash and PPI (antacids) decrease our ability to make NO
Importance of Optimal Nitric Oxide Levels:
- NO controls & regulates most cellular functions
- NO signals immune cells to kill bacteria and cancer cells
- NO signals brain cells to communicate with each other
- NO relaxes & expands blood vessels
- NO prevents the onset & progression of age-related & chronic diseases including:
- high blood pressure
- cardiovascular disease
- heart attacks and strokes
- diabetes & chronic infections
- Alzheimer's
- erectile dysfunction
- weak immune function / chronic infections
- cancer
ProLon FASTING-MIMICKING DIET
- ProLon is a 5 day Fasting-Mimicking Diet shown to provide protective, regenerative and rejuvenating effects, while providing balanced nourishment.
Based on Dr. Victor Longo's research as explained in his book, "The Longevity Diet."
Benefits include:
- decreasing body weight / fat while preserving lean body mass
- healthy levels of fasting blood glucose, BP, cholesterol, triglycerides, inflammatory markers (c-reactive protein), stem cells, Insulin-like growth factor (IGF-1)
- improved energy / less fatigue
- softer, shinier skin
- a positive impact on lifestyle, making healthier choices
BRAIN SPAN
- Measure, track, and optimize brain health
- Omega 3 levels determine cellular inflammation and toxicity
- Improve attention, memory, performance
- Decrease inflammation, chronic pain, risk of dementia, cellular aging, weight gain