Nuts! I Didn’t Know That

By Nancy Melhert, MS

We are always encouraging you to include a variety of nuts and seeds in your diet. It’s because they are deeply nutritious sources of fat, protein, fiber, vitamins, minerals and phytonutrients – all packed into convenient little packages. However, there can be pitfalls when it comes to making your selections, so here are a few tips to making the best choices!

How Much to Eat:

Nuts and seeds have considerable Omega 6 fats, which can be inflammatory. And though it is important to get Omega 6 fats, it is mission critical that they be properly balanced with Omega 3 fats (anti-inflammatory). The truth is, we need very little Omega 6 fats in our diet, yet the Standard American Diet has an abundance of Omega 6 fats in it. And the important anti-inflammatory Omega 3 fats are harder to find in foods and more difficult to get adequate amounts in the diet. As a result, you will want to make ideal choices (see below) and then carefully limit your overall intake of them to a few ounces a day for nuts, and a few tablespoons a day for seeds.

How To Buy Them:

First of all, choose nuts that are organic, raw and not irradiated, roasted in oil, pasteurized, or coated in sugar or flavorings. Organic nuts and seeds are also free of antimicrobials and pesticides. Nuts and seeds should smell fresh, not musty, stale or rancid. Old nuts can have mold and mycotoxins present on them, which are harmful to your liver. Roasted nuts are usually made at higher temperatures resulting in degradation of the Omega oils, damaging them. If you prefer roasted, roast them yourself at low temperatures, no more than 170 degrees Fahrenheit in the oven or on the stovetop for 15-20 minutes, which should minimize any heat-related damage.

Always Rotate

Avoid eating the same nuts over and over and over. This can result in food sensitivities and food allergies. Besides, you need the wide variety of nutrition offered across the entire gamut of nuts. So, rotate them often, and when you rotate, be sure to rotate nut milks and nut flours as well. Try new nuts and broaden your palate by including such choices as Brazil nuts, Cacao Nibs, Hazelnuts and Hemp seeds.

From Best to Worst:

Ideal Choices: Black Sesame seeds, Chia seeds, Flax seeds (must be fresh, and please buy whole. You can grind them just prior to eating, and best to keep refrigerated) Pecans, Pumpkin seeds, Cacao Nibs, Coconuts,

Macadamia nuts (Toxic to dogs!! so don’t share with your furry friends) , psyllium seed husks and walnuts.

Good Choices: Almonds, Brazil nuts, Hazelnuts, Hemp seeds, Pine nuts and Pistachios

Limit: Nuts mixed with dried fruits, dry roasted nuts, cashews, peanuts and sunflower seeds

Avoid: All nuts roasted in oils of any kind, all nuts coated in sugar or other sweeteners, any nuts mixed with candy, and peanut butter with partially hydrogenated oil.

That’s it in a nutshell. Enjoy.

By Mila McManus MD|2019-08-27T18:26:27-06:00August 27th, 2019|Articles, NANCY’S NUTRITIONAL NUGGET|

“Now I owe her my life”

Now I owe her my life

Dr. McManus is an amazing doctor to help with any and all medical needs. I have been coming here for weight loss, allergies and Ondamed. Being a 30 year smoker she suggested that we try the Ondamed treatment and now I owe her my life. After one treatment I have not wanted nor craved a cigarette and have been smoke free for two months. My husband is now under her care for Eczema. She is working closely with him to help solve his issues. We highly recommend The Woodlands Institute to help with all your needs.

-SS

By Mila McManus MD|2019-08-27T19:16:34-06:00July 25th, 2019|General, Testimonials|

GX Sciences Nutrigenomic Testing

By Nancy Mehlert, MS

GX Sciences* is proud to introduce the most comprehensive nutrigenomics test available to validate your specific nutritional supplement needs. The scientific study of individualized genetics and nutrition is known as nutritional genomics or “nutrigenomics”. Nutrigenomic testing accurately identifies each patients’ genetic protein variations to identify sites of metabolic weakness. These key proteins are involved in enzyme conversion, nutritional delivery and signaling pathways in the cell. Expert physicians have designed a genetic panel that evaluates up to 55 of the most common, research backed, single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) that can affect a patient’s ability to regain and maintain their metabolic functionality. Abnormalities in specific polymorphisms can negatively affect many physiological and metabolic processes. Overcoming these metabolic weaknesses with the right supplement allows each patient to overcome their genetic weaknesses (SNPs) and maintain optimal health.

“As a practicing physician, the ability to test your individual, unique genetic footprint takes a lot of the guesswork out with regard to customizing a treatment regimen that gets you the best results”, says Dr. McManus, MD. “We all have some minor genetic variants, aka mutations called SNPs (single nucleotide polymorphisms) and 75% of all people have significant variations in the most important nutritional metabolism pathways that affect how we function.” For instance, MTHFR mutation affects how our bodies activate and utilize B vitamins. This in turn affects how well a person detoxifies, makes and clears hormones and neurotransmitters. This means a person would be more likely to have mood disorders, insomnia, cancer, heart disease, etc. Two other common SNPs are the GAD and COMT. These can cause lifelong anxiety. The good news, and the reason to want to know, is that there are work-arounds for a variety of SNPs.

GX Sciences differs from 23&me in that it tests for many more relevant mutations and offers recommendations to address them. They offer several panels from which to pick and choose! Check out this chart HERE to determine what panels are most relevant for your current health concerns.

You can pick up a saliva kit at our office, or we can ship a kit to you. Prices range from $179 to $499. Turnaround time for results is typically 3 weeks.

* https://www.gxsciences.com/nutrigenomictest-s/113.htm

*Gx Sciences maintains your genetic information privately. They never have and never will sell, give away, trade or use personal information in any way other than to ship your package, call you about a shipment or offer you special discounting. No e-mail addresses are sold, traded, etc.! This has been a long standing company policy that will remain unchanged. Have peace of mind that your genetic information will never be shared.

By Mila McManus MD|2019-09-20T09:59:45-06:00July 25th, 2019|Articles, General|

Autoimmunity Explained

By Mila McManus, MD

According to the American Autoimmune Related Diseases Association, there are more than 150 different diseases on the autoimmune spectrum[i]. In America, almost one in six people have an autoimmune disease. To understand autoimmunity, it is necessary to start with discussing foreign invaders and inflammation.

Inflammation is designed to be a necessary process. It is a natural response when the body identifies a foreign invader or threat. Examples of threats include:

Injury
Microbes, such as bacteria, viruses, molds or parasites
Chemicals and heavy metals
Undigested food particles that have made their way into the body through a leaky gut

When a threat is detected, the body creates antibodies to find and mark the invaders. Antibodies attach to, and highlight, the foreign invader so that the immune system can see it and attack it. Inflammation is the result of the battle within. Under healthy circumstances, once the threat is removed, the battle is won, and the inflammation dissipates.

Antibodies find the foreign invader by identifying the unique protein molecules of the invader. This can be complicated, much like trying to distinguish poison ivy from another green, leafy plant. You have to know what distinguishes poison ivy from other plants that look very similar.

Problems arise when foreign threats multiply and/or become persistent. As small battles turn into full blown war, inflammation, stress and confusion increases. The immune system is now hyper sensitive and operating in high alert. Antibodies begin to make mistakes and fail to distinguish the nuanced differences between the proteins in healthy, human tissue and the proteins of the foreign invader. Mistakenly, antibodies attach to human tissues (for example, thyroid tissues or joint tissues), marking them for attack, and causing the immune system to attack its own. This is autoimmunity.

Autoimmunity develops over time, in a sequence, from chronic, on-going exposure and inflammation. As tissue damage accumulates, degenerative processes escalate, and symptoms are increasingly manifesting. The autoimmune process moves from unnoticeable to an organized disease pathology.

Autoimmune diseases can strike many parts of the body, making symptoms vary widely, and making diagnosis sometimes difficult. Interestingly, the same foreign threat can manifest differently in different people. For example, a gluten sensitivity may result in compromised brain function for one person. In the next person, it may manifest as constipation, while yet another person, as liver disease and neuropathy. For yet another, it may affect the thyroid. Some suggest that the place of attack is simply your weakest link in overall health, caused by genetics, lifestyle factors or environmental factors.

Conventional Medicine will tell you it is genetic, and nothing can be done except to minimize the severity of symptoms. You will be directed to a specialist who treats the specific damaged tissue. Standard treatment protocols involve reducing inflammation with steroids, biologics, and even cancer drugs such as methotrexate.

Functional Medicine will seek to stop the cascade of events which lead to autoimmunity. The root of the problem lies first with the foreign invasion and resulting inflammation. A Functional physician will address the entire chain of events rather than one tissue that has been attacked. For example, important interventions include:

Addressing gut health
Identifying and reducing toxic burden
Uncovering and addressing food sensitivities and allergies
Supporting and strengthening immune function
Identifying if pathogenic microbes are involved and address them
Improving diet and nutrition in general
Obtaining a genetic profile to address mutations that affect how the body functions

Other supportive modalities include:

LDN
Identifying lectin sensitivities or trying a Low Lectin Diet (Plant Paradox, AIP)
Ondamed PEMF therapy
Fecal Transplants
Stem Cell Therapy

If you want to read more about autoimmunity, we recommend the following books:

Brain Maker by David Perlmutter, MD

Plant Paradox by Steven Gundry, MD

Wahls Protocol by Terry Wahls, MD

The Autoimmune Fix, by Tom O’Bryan, DC, CCN,DACBN

[i] American Autoimmune Related Diseases Association, “list of Diseases: Autoimmune and Autoimmune-Related Diseases,” http://www.aarda.org/autoimmune-information/list-of-dieases/.

By Mila McManus MD|2019-07-29T13:47:24-06:00July 25th, 2019|Articles, General|

The Salad Dressing Nightmare

By Nancy Mehlert, MS

Unfortunately, virtually every salad dressing on a salad bar, on a menu, and on the salad dressing aisle of the grocery store, is a nightmare when it comes to ingredients. Damaged oils, specifically soybean, canola and olive oil, and others that are not listed but present, are commonly used by most large producers. None of these can provide nourishment for your cellular make up, and what they do instead is create inflammation and toxicity.

The second issue is that many of the other ingredients are genetically modified, chemicals and/or highly allergenic such as, corn starch, gluten, yeast extract, mono-sodium glutamate (MSG), natamycin (mold inhibitor), Polysorbate 60, Calcium Disodium EDTA, and high fructose corn sugar. These too create inflammation, are toxic to the body, and in some cases are damaging to the gut.

On your journey to improved health, you may be choosing to eat more salads, yet your salad dressing choices may be contributing to poor health. Thankfully, there is hope on the horizon as a couple of companies have come out with some cleaner dressings that taste good!

Here are two company brands you might want to look for and give a try.

Primal Kitchen Salad Dressings and Mayonnaise – This brand used avocado oil and is certified gluten free and certified non-GMO. Great start. Additionally, they do NOT use dairy, gluten, soy, refined sugar or grains in their dressings. These are available at HEB, Whole Foods, Target, Kroger, Walmart, Amazon.com and ThriveMarket.com.

Tessemae’s Salad Dressings – Always organic and Non-GMO, this company offers a wide range of good choices. This will be in a refrigerated section, usually in produce. Many non-dairy options are available, and they use undamaged oils. Available at Whole Foods, HEB, Target, ThriveMarket.com, Amazon.com.

Now, go and enjoy a fresh salad!

By Mila McManus MD|2019-07-28T09:41:11-06:00July 25th, 2019|Articles, NANCY’S NUTRITIONAL NUGGET|

Bacon Curried Deviled Eggs

Ingredients:

6 pastured eggs

3 tablespoons uncured bacon bits

1 teaspoon curry (or more to taste)

2 tablespoons mayonnaise

Sea salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste

Instructions:

1. Fill a saucepan with water and bring to a boil. Reduce heat to medium so that the water is rapidly simmering, then add the eggs and cook for 8 ½ minutes (2 minutes longer if X-large eggs). Drain and when cool, peel the eggs under cold running water. Allow the eggs to cool completely.
2. Slice the eggs in half lengthwise. Carefully remove the yolks from the whites and place the yolks in a bowl. Mash the yolks with a fork, add curry, mayonnaise, salt and pepper then whip with a spatula or wooden spoon until smooth and creamy. Fold in the bacon bits. (Oscar Meyer, EPIC and Kirkland have uncured bacon bits in a bag)
3. Place the egg white halves, cavity side up, on a platter and evenly spoon the mixture into the cavities. Top each filled egg with additional bacon bits, chopped herbs, scallions and/or sliced olives.

By Mila McManus MD|2019-07-29T13:41:23-06:00July 25th, 2019|General, Recipes|

“Since I started Ondamed…a whole lot better.”

Braiden’s June 2019 Ondamed Testimonial

By Mila McManus MD|2019-06-13T10:48:54-06:00June 13th, 2019|General|

Fish Tacos

A fast and easy summer dinner for the beach, lake or patio.

Serves 4

1 14 oz bag pre-mixed coleslaw veggies
1 jar Primal Kitchen Chipotle Lime Mayo*
1 ½ pounds wild mahi mahi, salmon or steelhead trout
1 package of Siete Almond or Garbanzo Bean Flour Tortillas*
1 avocado, sliced, if desired
1 lime, cut into 4 slices
Chopped cilantro, as a garnish

1. Pan fry, broil or bake fish until done, tender and flaky.
2. Put the coleslaw in a bowl. Spoon several tablespoons of the mayo into the slaw and begin tossing until desired moisture level is reached. The wetter the better in the taco. This can be done a day ahead.
3. Put two tortillas on each plate. Microwave for 20 seconds.
4. Place a strip of the fish down the middle of each tortilla, top with coleslaw.
5. Garnish with avocado, cilantro and lime juice.

*Primal Kitchen Mayonnaise, plain and flavors are available at HEB, Kroger, Whole Foods and on-line.

*Siete Almond Flour and Garbanzo Bean Tortillas are available at HEB, Whole Foods and on-line.

By Mila McManus MD|2019-06-12T09:32:05-06:00June 12th, 2019|Articles, Recipes|

Why Which Salt You Use Matters

by Nancy Mehlert, MS

Salt is a flavor most of us really enjoy. It is an essential mineral in just about everything that has life. It is found in the Himalayan mountains, the depths of the ocean floor and salt lakes. It is life-giving. Every cell in your body relies on salt for regulation of body fluids, bone density, blood sugar stabilization, good circulation and muscle and nerve function.

As with so much of our food supply, it is important to choose real salt from a safe source. Sad that the distinction must be made since manufacturing has once again gotten in between the real thing and us, producing a less than healthy processed food product which merely mimics the taste of salt’s natural elements.

Here’s the dirt on Table Salt:

Much of table salt today is a manufactured form of sodium called sodium chloride created from natural salts occurring in rock, crystal or sea salt.
Natural salts are heated up and cooked at 1200°F. At this extremely high temperature, the salt loses the more than eighty important alkaline elements that occur naturally in it, including natural iodine and leaving just sodium chloride.
Then it is bleached to make it white.
Other chemicals often added in table salt (with or without iodide) include manufactured forms of sodium solo-co-aluminate, iodide, sodium bicarbonate, fluoride, anti-caking agents and toxic amounts of potassium iodide and aluminum derivates, as well as white sugar and mono-sodium-glutamate (MSG). As a result, sometimes table salt can be literally toxic to the human body.
Table salt is not just on your table. It is found in virtually every processed and fast food in the marketplace today from bread to frozen meals.

Table salt wreaks havoc in the human body, especially over time. Here’s how:

Causes a rapid rise in blood pressure as the body attempts to move the toxic elements away from the heart.
Causes water and fluid retention.
Contributes to and/or worsens chronic imbalances such as diabetes, gout, and obesity.
Additives in salt can cause major kidney, thyroid and liver problems, goiter, hypertension, heart disease, strained elimination systems, muscle cramps, water retention, edema, stroke, heart failure, PMS and major nervous system disorders such as anxiety and depression.
Table salt is hard on the circulatory and nervous system and disturbs the balance of the lymph system as well.
It is highly addictive as the chemical additives are designed to stimulate pleasure centers of the brain, in the same way sugar does.

So what’s your best option? Surprisingly, sea salt may not be the answer either. As a result of ocean pollution, specifically with microplastic pollution, sea salt has been found to contain microplastic particles.This leaves the optimal choice to be Himalayan salt, which is mined from salt beds created long before plastic and other toxic chemicals were manufactured. When the Himalayan Mountains were formed by rising from the ocean beds, they were later protected by lava and covered in snow and ice for thousands of years. The balance of sodium and chloride with the added natural minerals your body requires, contribute to its pink color. Himalayan salt contains at least 80 naturally occurring trace elements which are beneficial to our health. Be cautious when you make your purchase as there are cheap knock offs. Three brands that appear to be authentic and pure are Evolution Salt Company, Dr. Mercola’s Himalayan salt and Redmond’s Real Salt (sea salt harvested from a pristine ancient sea near Redmond, Utah).

Resources:

Group, Edward.,(2017). The Health Dangers of Table Salt. Global Healing Center. https://www.globalhealingcenter.com/natural-health/dangers-of-salt/

Mercola, Joseph., (2018). Ninety Percent of Sea Salt Contains Plastic. https://articles.mercola.com/sites/articles/archive/2018/10/31/sea-salt-plastic.aspx

www.realsalt.com/Ingredients

By Mila McManus MD|2019-07-03T15:54:53-06:00June 12th, 2019|Articles, NANCY’S NUTRITIONAL NUGGET|

PROLON: Fasting-Mimicking 5 day diet Plan

This 5-day meal program provides scientifically researched micro- and macro-nutrients in precise quantities and combinations that nourish you but are not recognized as food by your body and therefore mimics a fasting state. It is the first and only meal program that has gone through clinical trials at the University of Southern California and has been patented for its anti-aging effects. Valter Longo, the designer of the fasting mimicking diet (FMD), has shown in his research that specific diets can mimic fasting, enabling the body to safely experience the rejuvenating effects of a prolonged fast. The benefits of the FMD include:

Feelings of improved focus, clarity and energy
Fat focused weight loss, especially of belly fat
Enhances cellular function by triggering stem cell-based regeneration which continue for up to 5 days after completion of the ProLon FMD
Enhances cellular function by triggering autophagy, the process of cleaning up aging and damaged cells
Supports maintenance of healthy levels of blood glucose, cholesterol and blood pressure as well as markers of inflammation.

The diet includes everything you need for each day in a box. Just open, heat and eat! Included are delicious meals and tasty snacks which are prepackaged and ready to go. No shopping required. Ask your medical provider and see information below to determine if ProLon might be right for you.

Ready to get started? Order here!

The ingredients in ProLon are considered generally recognized as safe (GRAS). ProLon is not intended to diagnose, treat, cure or prevent any disease and has not been evaluated as such by the FDA. Information provided athttps://prolonfmd.com/fasting-mimicking-diet/

ProLon^® is a low-calorie diet. Do not start if:

You are allergic to nuts, soy, oats, sesame, or celery/celeriac (ProLon^®contains these)
You are pregnant or breastfeeding
You have dietary restrictions or a fever, cough, diarrhea, or signs of an active infection
You have an active infection or are at risk of recurring infection
If you are underweight per the chart below, or have experienced protein deficiency or are malnourished:

4’11”-5’2” and under 100 pounds
5’3”-5’4” and under 105 pounds
5’5”-5’7” and under 115 pounds
5’8”-5’10” and under 125 pounds
5’11”-6’0” and under 135 pounds
6’1”-6’4” and under 150 pounds

The ingredients in ProLon are considered generally recognized as safe (GRAS). ProLon is not intended to diagnose, treat, cure or prevent any disease and has not been evaluated as such by the FDA. Information provided at https://prolonfmd.com/fasting-mimicking-diet/

By Mila McManus MD|2024-11-20T13:05:42-06:00June 12th, 2019|Articles, General|

About Mila McManus MD

-SS

A fast and easy summer dinner for the beach, lake or patio.

Ready to get started? Order here!