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So far Mila McManus MD has created 861 blog entries.

COVID and the flu are here to stay.

By Mila McManus, M.D.

COVID and the flu will continue to be with us, so I wanted to remind everyone to please support your immune system and overall health to avoid bad outcomes. I recommend a foundational daily minimum of vitamin D3, a multivitamin, and a quality probiotic. Preventing any illness means staying true to an integrative approach that is attentive to all of the key pillars of your health.  Those key pillars include:

  • A whole food diet and good hydration – maintaining balanced blood sugar is key (did you know that sugar immediately suppresses your immune system for up to several hours?)
  • Moderate exercise
  • Keep the gut healthy – easy on the alcohol, sugar, wheat, and pain relievers, while taking your probiotic and drinking bone broth
  • Get quality rest and sleep
  • Avoid toxins and support detoxification – see gut health above and step into the IR sauna too!
  • Manage stress – take time for quiet meditation, practice yoga and/or deep breathing exercises
  • Make use of appropriate supplementation – see below

For most, a healthy diet still cannot provide adequate nutrition for a strong immune system because of poor food quality, daily stressors, and the toxicity of our world.   For those with compromised immune systems, or who are living and working in higher exposure areas, or traveling, a selection from the following supplements would be wise protective additions.

All of these options, along with common sense measures such as thorough hand washing and avoiding crowds, will help to keep you healthy this year. If you are unsure about which supplements would be best for you, consult with our medical providers for a customized plan that’s right for you.

By |2023-09-13T13:30:11-06:00March 26th, 2021|Articles, General|
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What is NAD+?

by Mila McManus MD

Nicotinamide Adenine Dinucleotide (NAD+) is the active form of a coenzyme that is an essential component of chemical reactions that occur in all of our cells. These reactions regulate nearly every bodily process. 

Be careful of other products marketing themselves as NAD.  NAD+, NADH and NR (Nicotinamide Riboside) are not the same. Although NAD+ plays a role in the same pathway as NADH and NR, there are certain NAD+ consuming reactions where only NAD+ can be utilized. In these reactions, NADH and NR are not effective. While NADH and NR are less expensive than NAD+, the positive effects are not nearly as potent as NAD+.

NAD+ is Involved in Two Major Functions:

FIRST: Energy Production. NAD+ helps to turn carbohydrates, fats, and proteins in the body into useable energy via the Citric Acid Cycle (Krebs Cycle). This important chemical reaction results in the production of ATP. ATP is the energy currency of life, powering nearly every biological activity such as muscle contraction, protein manufacturing, and cellular communication.

SECOND: Regulating the Body’s “Stress Response”. NAD+ partners with proteins involved in regulating and preserving health. This includes synthesis and repair of DNA, regulation of circadian rhythms (sleep-wake cycle), and stem cell production.

As we age, levels of NAD+ decrease in our bodies. Scientists believe that by the time we reach our 40’s, the supply of NAD+ is no longer able to meet the demand for important biological processes. Additionally, sickness and disease, as well as environmental and self-induced stressors can rapidly deplete our body of this vital nutrient.

Additionally, low levels of NAD+ may contribute to fatigue, depression, and anxiety. It hinders our body’s ability to overcome the grip of drug and alcohol addiction. Additionally, low levels of NAD+ may contribute to worsening disease states in vital organs such as the heart, liver, and brain. NAD+ depletion weakens our immune system, which affects our ability to fight infection or slow the progression of cancer.

Reasons to consider incorporating NAD+ into your regimen:

  • The aging process
  • Athletic performance
  • Anxiety, depression and PTSD
  • Drug and alcohol addiction
  • Parkinson’s disease
  • Alzheimer’s disease
  • Other forms of Dementia
  • Multiple sclerosis
  • Other neurodegenerative disorders
  • “Chemo Brain”
  • Low energy levels
  • Chronic Fatigue Syndrome
  • Sleep disturbances
  • Chronic pain syndromes
  • Migraine headaches
  • Autoimmune diseases
  • Autoinflammatory diseases
  • Chronic Traumatic Encephalopathy (CTE)

What is the Course of Treatment for NAD+?

Treatment strategies at TWIHW are tailored to your specific needs.

We currently offer treatments consisting of IV infusions of NAD+. The treatment durations vary based on treatment protocol and allow for a larger amount of NAD+ to be delivered directly to the body’s tissues, allowing depleted stores to be replenished.  We also offer NAD+ injections (using small insulin syringes) which can be administered at our office, or done yourself at home.

For those just looking for a quick “boost”, we also offer reduced dose IV infusions.

 What Can I Expect During the NAD+ Treatment?

A brief assessment will be conducted on the day of treatment. For intravenous NAD+, a small IV will be inserted. The infusion will run for approximately 2 hours. Patients are able to pass the time in our relaxing environment by watching TV, reading, and listening to music. You will also have access to high-speed internet and can bring your laptop for personal use. Water, tea, and coffee are available upon request. Please plan accordingly for meals as needed if doing a longer infusion. Delivery can be made to the facility but we ask that you refrain from any fast food or pizza.

Call our office at 281-298-6742, or visit www.twihw.com

When NAD+ IV isn’t possible we also offer NAD+ injections that can be administered in office or taken home. Alternatively you can consider Tru Niagen as an oral supplement alternative.

By |2023-01-11T13:58:36-06:00March 24th, 2021|Articles, General|
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Who Needs a Ca Score?

By Mila McManus, M.D.

medical stethoscope with red paper heart on white surface
Photo by Karolina Grabowska on Pexels.com

Almost 50% of those who suffer from a heart attack had no known risk factors. 

Could this be you or someone you love? It is a rather concerning fact since it means many of us could be ticking time bombs without knowing it. Cardiovascular disease remains the number one cause of death in the United States¹, so there is a good reason for all of us to be concerned.

We know that heart attacks ARE preventable. So what can be done to ensure you are not in that 50% who don’t have known risk factors but may have heart attack risk? 

The Calcium Score, also called the Agatston Score, for many experts, has come to be the best predictor of a future heart attack. Determining the Calcium Score is done through CT Scan testing lasting less than 3 minutes and requiring no dye. The test is a measure of the amount of calcium nestled in the walls of your coronary arteries that feed your heart muscle. It reflects the total amount of atherosclerotic plaque that has built up and is an indicator of how all of your risk factors interact with each other to cause heart disease.

A study of 44,000 individuals free of known coronary heart disease underwent the non-invasive CT scan of the heart for coronary calcium scoring and were followed for a median of five years to determine if any of them died of any cause (this is “all-cause mortality”, a good marker since three-fourths of all deaths are related to atherosclerosis). Those with a Calcium Score exceeding 400, but no risk factors, had substantially higher death rates compared to individuals with three risk factors and the absence of coronary calcium. In other words, the Calcium Score was more predictive of heart attack or other cardiovascular issues causing death than the conventional risk factors for heart disease – such as high blood pressure, high cholesterol, family history, pre-diabetes and diabetes, smoking, being overweight, high triglycerides, and a sedentary lifestyle. 

Generally, all men over the age of 45, and most postmenopausal women would do well to have a heart scan to determine their Calcium Score, and especially if there are other risk factors involved. Most major medical centers do CT scans for coronary calcium and the cash cost ranges from $99-399. (In the Spring, Tx area, it’s ~$150)  It’s not covered by most insurance companies yet, and therefore is not yet considered ‘standard of care’.  For this reason, you’ll find that some doctors order this test routinely, while others don’t order it at all.  This test has been invaluable in my practice, especially since I know that cholesterol levels can be VERY misleading in regards to assessing your risk.

Ask your medical provider if a Calcium Score heart scan would be right for you.

Facebook Review from one of our patients whose decision to have a heart scan was life-changing:

“Living a healthy lifestyle; staying fit is my “modus operandi”. I’m not perfect, but I do eat right and avoid a sedentary lifestyle. I’ve been very active on the racquetball court for 35 years. Reason: Both my parents died early from Heart Disease.
A few weeks ago, my Functional Medicine MD, Mila McManus recommended I get a heart scan (due to my family history) to get a baseline calcium score. I paid the $140 for a heart scan and awaited the results.
To my surprise, my score was high. I saw my cardiologist and scheduled an Angiogram. Again, to my surprise, they found 100% blockage in one heart artery, and significant blockage in two others, I need heart bypass surgery.
I was shocked. I feel great, I have no symptoms, work hard, get plenty of exercise and did I mention: I FEEL GREAT!
But the images don’t lie. So, at 62, I’ll undergo bypass surgery next week.
I share this story for one reason only: Get yourself checked out! Even though you may have no symptoms and feel like you can take on the world, you could possibly be living with a serious heart event on your horizon, especially if you have Heart Disease in your family history.
Thank you Dr. McManus, you may have saved my life!”
 
References:
https://www.cdc.gov/nchs/fastats/leading-causes-of-death.htm
https://www.huffpost.com/entry/heart-month_b_2598365
By |2021-03-16T21:49:39-06:00March 17th, 2021|Articles, General|
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Black Lentil Salad

From www.nutritionaction.com
Photo: Kate Sherwood & Jennifer Urban/CSPI

Serves 4

Black Lentil Salad is a delightful meatless high protein, high fiber meal.

Ingredients:

1 teaspoon lemon zest

2 tablespoons  fresh lemon juice

1 teaspoon Dijon mustard

2 tablespoons minced shallot

2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil

½ teaspoon sea salt

2 cups cooked black lentils

1 cup sliced celery

¼ cup chopped walnuts

¼ cup shaved Manchego or Pecorino Romano sheep cheese

Freshly ground black pepper

Instructions:

    • In a large bowl, whisk together the lemon zest, lemon juice, mustard, shallot, oil, and salt.
    • Toss with the lentils, celery, walnuts, and cheese. Season to taste with the pepper.
    • Refrigerate overnight to allow flavors to develop.

Per ¾ cup serving:

Calories: 280

Total fat: 14 g

Carbs: 26 g

Fiber: 12 g

Net Carbs: 14 g

Total sugar: 2 g

Protein: 13 g

By |2021-03-08T11:42:06-06:00March 10th, 2021|General, Recipes|
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Sacred Cow

An excellent documentary with a compelling message!

By Mila McManus, M.D.

In a well thought out documentary, Sacred Cow focuses on the great meat debate. The documentary explores the environmental and health impacts on humans, cattle, and the ecosystem when we commercially produce beef. It also explains and demonstrates the benefits of a healthy, sustainable, conscientious food system. The first part of the documentary is fairly graphic with animal handling, but it then moves into a beautiful and outstanding demonstration of the natural life cycle of all living things and their deep connectedness, guided by a noble and responsible way of resolving issues around raising and eating meat.

To learn more about the book and the movie, Go to https://www.sacredcow.info/ .

By |2021-02-24T06:33:31-06:00March 3rd, 2021|Articles, General|
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Food Gums: What matters is dosage.

by Nancy Mehlert MS

Food gums are plant sourced food additives used as thickening, stabilizing, and emulsifying agents. The most common gums are agar agar, arabic, locust bean, guar, acacia, gellan, xanthan, and carrageenan.   They are very common in dairy, nut milks, and non-dairy yogurt and cheese replacements, salad dressings, baked goods, and many gluten free foods. They do not provide any valuable nutrition.

Most people seem to be fine consuming gums, however if you have digestive issues, such as bloating, constipation, or diarrhea, you may want to closely examine how many foods you are consuming that have gums in them.  While a small amount in one food is generally recognized as safe and harmless, many people who count on pre-packaged and gluten free foods, as well as non-dairy dairy replacements, are actually consuming more than they realize. While all the gums are used in very small amounts, often times multiple gums will be used in one product, making the amount more than it seems.

Xanthan, carrageenan, and guar gums are polysaccharides, banned from the popular FODMOPS diet due to their impact on digestive issues. Guar gum feeds pesky bad bacteria in the gut and can cause significant bloating. Carrageenan gum is a possible source for monosodium glutamate (MSG), and has been known to cause stomach inflammation. It is currently being investigated more closely by the FDA.

To summarize, be aware of the sources of gums you are consuming, realizing that less is likely better, especially if you have a sensitive digestive system.

Sources:

Dessey, Mira. The Pantry Principle; The Woodlands, Texas: Versadia Press, 2013.

https://chriskresser.com/harmful-or-harmless-carrageenan/, accessed on 1/23/21

By |2021-02-24T06:13:18-06:00February 24th, 2021|Articles, General, NANCY’S NUTRITIONAL NUGGET|
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Poly-MVA

by Mila McManus, MD

Poly-MVA is emerging as an important nutritional therapeutic means of supporting immune health, mitochondria, and cellular repair.  It is a patented type of palladium lipoic acid complex composed of lipoic acid, the mineral palladium, and thiamin bonded in one molecule. Poly-MVA also contains other vitamins, minerals, and amino acids. There are many methods of delivery, including IV infusions, injections, oral administration, and via nebulizer. It can even be injected locally around wounds to help them heal.  

Poly-MVA works by a novel mechanism of action: poly-MVA quenches free radicals in the body and turns those damaging molecules into energy.

            Damaged molecules→→→→ENERGY

Then the electrons get donated back to the cell via the electron transport chain where they do a one-two punch. First, the energized electrons introduce cell death of abnormal cells. Second, the immune system is also strengthened as normal, healthy cells are supplied oxygen and protected from oxidative stress.

ENERGIZED ELECTRONS →→→→ DESTROY ABNORMAL CELLS

ENERGIZED ELECTRONS→→→→STRENGTHEN AND PROTECT NORMAL HEALTHY CELLS

Studies are proving promising for Poly-MVA therapies suggesting:

  • Improved length and quality of life with its anti-aging properties
  • Extreme effectiveness in boosting the immune system.
  • Increased wellbeing and energy levels.
  • Non-invasive support for cancer treatment
  • Non-invasive support for stroke recovery
  • Promising help for those with other degenerative diseases such as multiple sclerosis.
  • A safe, and effective therapy with no contraindications*.  A detoxification “Herxheimer” reaction has been observed.

You can learn more about Poly-MVA here.

*If you have a severe allergy to sulfa, you should first take a small test dose orally and increase as recommended by healthcare provider

The Woodlands Institute for Health and Wellness is now offering Poly-MVA therapies. To find out if Poly-MVA is the right option for you, speak to one of our medical providers.

By |2021-02-17T09:14:56-06:00February 17th, 2021|General|
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Allulose : A New Healthy Sugar Alternative?

by Nancy Mehlert, MS

You may have noticed allulose showing up on the grocery store shelf or on an ingredient list of a packaged food.  It came to my attention about a year ago, and I’ve been watching and waiting to hear more about it from nutritionists, doctors, and scientist in the functional medicine realm.

As I’ve mentioned before, maintaining balanced blood sugar and avoiding toxic chemical substances are both foundational to good health.  These are two factors we use to determine the healthfulness of a sweetener.  As you may know, we are generally supportive of monk fruit, stevia, erythritol, and xylitol. Each of these are derived from natural sources such as fruit, herbs, and bark with minimal processing in most cases.  They also move through the upper digestive tract without being converted to energy (i.e. not metabolized, having little caloric value, and therefore not elevating blood sugar levels). For the same reasons, allulose is another promising option on the scene now[1].

Allulose is found naturally in fruit and, at the molecular level, it is similar to fructose (a less favorable sugar). Allulose has 95% fewer calories than sugar and has about 70% of sugar’s sweetness. The most interesting potential found in animal studies for allulose suggest that it may actually lower blood glucose, reduce abdominal fat, decrease insulin resistance, and decrease fat accumulation in the liver. In one meta-analysis of human trials, when allulose was given with carbohydrate containing meals, it was found to decrease post-meal glucose levels by 10%.  Dr. Peter Attia, author of the referenced article, has personally put allulose in his morning coffee and observed a drop in his blood glucose level. It appears that allulose, rather than raising glucose levels, drags glucose with it to excretion through the kidneys.

Allulose feels like and tastes like sugar. Animal studies have shown no toxicity at high doses.  Literature suggests very few side effects. Digestive issues related to using allulose appear to be temporary and mild, especially compared to the sugar alcohols such as xylitol. It can be substituted 1:1 in recipes, and most people note no strange aftertaste or mouth sensation. One characteristic worth noting is, when allulose is used in baking, it does turn brown, so it can make baked goods darker than expected.

You will find Allulose in some HEB grocery stores and online.

[1] Peter Attia, MD, https://peterattiamd.com/replacing-sugar-with-allulose/, Dec 6, 2020.

 

By |2021-02-09T06:21:02-06:00February 10th, 2021|General, NANCY’S NUTRITIONAL NUGGET|
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Our Best Supplements for Weight Loss

By Mila McManus, M.D.

**Real patient results

Many of you may be wanting to clean up your diet and perhaps shed a few pounds. Needless to say, eat healthfully, eat less, and move more are top three foundational steps to weight loss and weight management. You may be interested to know that there are several supplements that also support weight loss and weight management!  If you are deficient in them, your battle of the bulge may be an uphill one. Consider adding these to your weight loss strategy. 

Collagen[1] – The most abundant protein in the body, collagen makes up the majority of your muscles, ligaments, tendons, and skin.  As we age, we produce less of it, resulting in sagging skin, achy or swollen joints, less energy, and a decline in muscle mass. Adding collagen can help support appetite suppression, satiation, increased lean muscle mass, and improved metabolism.

Curcumin[2] – Found in the Indian spice turmeric, curcumin is an anti-inflammatory agent, and obesity is considered a low grade inflammatory disease. In fact, over-eating causes inflammation. Curcumin also helps to regulate metabolism by increasing a hormone called adiponectin. In one study of 1600 people, curcumin helped reduce weight, inches in the waist, and over all body mass index. Curcumin also helps liver detoxification, and increases fat burning, which in turn boosts weight loss.

5-htp – Naturally occurring in the body, this amino acid derivative is a precursor to serotonin. Serotonin is produced in the intestinal tract and brain and is important for mood, promoting calmness, and sleep.  It can also be helpful with reducing carbohydrate cravings and supporting healthy eating patterns.  (stress eat much??)

Hepatothera[3] – Successful dieting and detoxification require support for the liver to perform its many duties.  This Klaire Labs product is designed to support cellular levels of glutathione, glutathione peroxidase, and super oxide dismutase (SOD) – the crucial antioxidants that protect hepatocytes and help detoxify everyday foreign substances helping to strengthen the liver against every day challenges.  Moreover, some studies suggest that, because toxins are stored in our fat cells, the more toxins we carry, the more fat the body wants to make to sequester them.

Fiber – Essential to good gut health, fiber cleanses the intestinal tract.  It is essential to keeping bowels moving, assists with feelings of fullness, and feeds your favorable gut bacteria. It is important to drink plenty of water when taking fiber.

L-Tyrosine – This amino acid helps to boost chemicals in the brain that affect energy, mood, and appetite.  It is also a precursor to thyroid hormone.

So eat healthfully, eat less, move more,  and consider complementing your efforts with one or more of these supplements, all available in our office. Cheers to better health!

[1] https://www.naturalhealthynews.com/4-of-the-best-supplements-for-weight-loss/, published Saturday, December 12, 2020

[2] https://www.naturalhealthynews.com/4-of-the-best-supplements-for-weight-loss/, published Saturday, December 12, 2020

[3] https://klaire.com/hep-hepatothera, accessed on 12/16/2020

By |2022-10-10T16:59:59-06:00January 13th, 2021|General|
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