Is Stress Causing your Pain, or is Pain Causing your Stress?
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Is Stress Causing your Pain, or is Pain Causing your Stress?

Articles, General

Is Stress Causing your Pain, or is Pain Causing your Stress?

By Guest Contributor Christine Prohl, BodyMind Coach and Integrative Massage Therapist

Edited by Mila McManus MD

We live in a world that values busyness and achievement and we’ve been taught to ignore the warning signs our bodies are sending us.

BodyMind coaching is a combination of a massage and a structured coaching conversation which helps guide people back into their bodies to create simple, yet powerful shifts so that they can move out of pain and frustration and into freedom and ease. It addresses all aspects of stress, physical and emotional.

A Custom Integrative Massage uses various advanced techniques which are customized to the individual client’s needs. For example, a person may have tight fascia with constant muscle aches, or might retain fluid that needs draining by stimulating lymph flow. Another person may need to focus more on relaxation and mood with a lighter massage and some essential oils.

Sessions may include any combination of the following:

Swedish Massage – The most commonly offered and best known type of massage. Excellent for stress relief, boosted immune system, improved sleep, reduced anxiety and reduced fatigue.
Deep Tissue Massage – Similar to Swedish but with deeper more specific pressure. Designed to increase circulation and reduce restriction and pain in the fascia and muscle tissue.
Neuromuscular Therapy – NMT is a form of soft-tissue manipulation designed to treat the underlying causes of chronic pain involving the muscular and nervous systems. It benefits you through reducing pain, improving posture, relieving trigger points. This type of massage is beneficial for relief of chronic pain, recovery from injuries such as whiplash or sports injuries, repetitive stress injuries such as carpal tunnel syndrome, postural problems, etc.
Sports Massage – Techniques designed to help prepare for or recover from strenuous activity or an athletic event. It’s not just for athletes! It’s great for someone getting back into a workout routine or a weekend warrior who did too much yard work all at once.
Lymphatic Drainage – a very light touch technique to help clear out areas of lymph congestion.

Additional services that can be scheduled as individual appointments or as add-ons to the Custom Integrative Massage session include:

FasciaBlasting – Incorporates a massage tool specifically designed to reduce restrictions, adhesions and distortions in the fascia system of the body. Great for pain relief and improved circulation.
Cupping – Includes the use of special cups on your skin to create suction. Benefits include decreased pain and inflammation and increased circulation.
Infrared Sauna – There are many benefits to sitting in an IR sauna including pain relief and detoxification.
Essential Oils – Can be added to any service. Certified pure therapeutic grade oils have been shown to help relieve pain, improve mood and promote a sense of relaxation.

Through a powerful combination of coaching and bodywork, we will notice where and how stress shows up in your body and learn to shift toward experiencing more clarity and contentment. This intentional conversation is followed up with amazing bodywork to integrate these new insights on a physiological level.

The Woodlands Institute for Health & Wellness welcomes Christine Prohl to our facility!

She moved her office here on April 1, 2019. She has been Dr. McManus’ personal massage therapist for years, and Dr. McManus recently transitioned to BodyMind coaching with her.

Testimonial from Dr McManus: “Christine is amazing at what she does! I’ve never known a massage therapist who offers, and excels at, so many different techniques.”

If you’d like to learn more about BodyMind coaching or integrative massage, you can contact Christine Prohl at 832-338-7792.

By Mila McManus MD|2019-04-23T13:47:03-06:00April 23rd, 2019|Articles, General|

“I feel better than I have in 7 years”

I feel better than I have in 7 years

Good Morning. When we first met, you asked me, “What are 3 things you want to change”? For me, I only wanted to change one thing, and by changing this one thing, # 2, #3, and anything else I wanted to change, would eventually fall into place. That #1 thing was to feel better inside this body. I didn’t put much stock in Ondamed, just like I didn’t put much stock into anything else people told me that, “well this works for 90% of all people”, for the past 6 years. Luckily, Ondamed put more stock into me than I did it. When I woke up this morning, I felt better than I have in probably the past 7 years. I didn’t wake up feeling like a truck ran me over, backed up, ran me over again and asked me to change the oil while I was down there. Putting things in perspective: I didn’t Mary Lou Retton off the mattress, but I was far from Robert DeNiro in the movie Awakenings. There isn’t really anything specific I can point out that changed, other than after the session, the headache that I walked in with was gone, and my dizzy symptoms have reduced a lot (knock on wood). That one session of Ondamed did more for me than doctors, tests and diets have done in the past 6 years. Thank you very much for the help, and have a good weekend.

By Mila McManus MD|2019-07-01T13:59:40-06:00April 23rd, 2019|General, Testimonials|

Truth In Labeling: You Just Never Know

By Nancy Mehlert, MS

Here is a great example of the uncertainty of ingredient labels and the fact that manufacturers have a great deal of leeway regarding what they put on the label.

In March 2016, I spotted this product (Left) and while “ Made in China” gave me pause, my confidence was regained when I saw the Non GMO Project Certification, USDA Organic Certification and the Certification as a Gluten Free Product.

The label read, Ingredients: Organic Black Beans. Manufactured on shared equipment and may contain trace soy. (Right)

That did not surprise me since their other products on the same shelf included soy pasta, specifically an edamame pasta. Nevertheless, I was aware of the many health benefits of black beans including the obvious high fiber content and the protein was surprisingly good (this should have been my first clue!), so I gave it a try. It was very good, and the texture was very much like wheat pasta. We decided to recommend it to our patients and, while not everyone loved it, many did.

Last week, (February 28, 2019), I picked up another box and noticed (since I’m always looking) there has been an interesting change on the package ingredients.

Now it reads, Ingredients: Organic black beans (black soybeans). Contains soybeans. (Left)

It tastes the same and looks the same. Price is the same. What I suspect now is that it has ALWAYS been soybeans. Who knew there were black soybeans? And why didn’t the manufacturer say that in the first place? Soy is a highly allergenic food for many people. I wonder if they had a few complaints? Who knows what else we don’t know about this food product?

It is in a box. It is a processed food product. And it was not what we thought it was. I’m glad lettuce is lettuce and an apple is an apple. I’m sticking with real, whole food. Let’s all do that, shall we?

Be well. Choose well. Eat well.

By Mila McManus MD|2019-04-23T13:34:01-06:00March 21st, 2019|General, NANCY’S NUTRITIONAL NUGGET|

Transfer Factor By Researched Nutritionals

Transfer factors exist naturally in the human body and are short strands of amino acids and small bits of ribonucleic acid (RNA).

According to Aaron White, Ph.D. and author of Transfer Factors & Immune System Health, “research strongly suggests that transfer factors are effective for helping the body beat an array of disease states that involve faulty or overloaded immune function and can prevent infections before they occur. Transfer factors seem to prime the body for battle against intracellular pathogens, like viruses, mycobacteria and cell wall deficient bacteria, and help squash infections before they can take root. Transfer factors turn non-immune-related white blood cells into immune-related white blood cells and stimulate the birth of new Helper and Cytotoxic T-Cells, Natural Killer cells and macrophages. After stimulating an increase in T-cell counts, transfer factors orient these new T-cells toward a target presumably by influencing the nature of the antigen (protein of the pathogen) receptors expressed by the cells. Further, by binding to antigens on infected body cells, transfer factors paint infected cells for destruction by Cytotoxic T-cells.”

In individuals with chronic immune-related conditions, Natural Killer activity is often suppressed. Transfer factors, taken supplementally, are effective at promoting healthy NK cell function and strengthen the immune response.

Transfer Factor Multi Immune is a comprehensive immune support which fortifies the front line of our immune systems by promoting healthy natural killer cell function.

Formulas are also available to target tick-born pathogens, environmental challenges and fatigue.

Office Support Materials

By Mila McManus MD|2019-04-06T11:03:16-06:00March 20th, 2019|Articles, General|

Savory Sweet Waldorf Salad

Ingredients:

1 large or 2 small organic apple(s), washed

1 to 2 stalks organic celery, washed

¼ cup walnut pieces

2 Tablespoons mayonnaise*

Chopped parsley

Salt & Pepper, to taste

Instructions:

1. Slice and dice the apple into small pieces into a medium bowl. (using two different colors is visually nice).
2. Slice the celery stalks in half length-wise, then dice celery and add to the bowl.
3. Add the walnut pieces, mayonnaise, chopped parsley, salt and pepper. Toss well.
4. Can be refrigerated for 1-2 hours to allow flavors to develop or served immediately.

*We recommend an avocado oil based mayonnaise such as Primal Kitchen, Sir Kensington or Chosen Foods. If egg allergy, then Chosen Foods Vegan Mayonnaise is a nice option.

By Mila McManus MD|2019-03-20T15:45:46-06:00March 20th, 2019|General, Recipes|

Food Gums in “Healthy” Foods

By Nancy Mehlert, MS

Gums are common food additives used to add stickiness, thicken, prevent separation of ingredients, and improve texture. In a small amount, they are generally considered safe.

When larger quantities are consumed, there can be reason for concern. You may be surprised how easy it is to be eating a lot of them! They are common in many organic, non-diary, non-GMO, certified gluten free foods, and are often chosen with the belief that these foods are cleaner. Look for them in nut milks, gluten free foods, salad dressings, protein powders, mayonnaise, non-dairy products, soups, and sauces.

Here are the ones I see most often: carrageenan, xanthan gum, gellan gum, guar gum, locust bean gum, and acacia gum ( a.k.a. arabic gum). Only one of them, acacia gum, stands out with some favorable benefits and has the least negative impact when used in small amounts. It is considered a pre-biotic, which means that it can actually feed the healthy bacteria in the gut.

Here are reasons to limit or remove the rest of them from your diet:

Multiple studies have shown that many gums create GI inflammation, especially carrageenan, which is believed to have the highest potential for harm, especially for those already suffering with gastrointestinal issues.
Many gums are very difficult to digest and cause diarrhea, bloating, cramping, and stomach pain. It is also common to experience symptoms unrelated to digestion such as a runny nose, congestion, hives or body pain.
Those with gluten intolerance, gluten allergy, or celiac disease should avoid xantham gum as it is produced by bacterial fermentation of corn, wheat and other grain based sugars.
Many gums can alter healthy levels of intestinal bacteria in some people. This happens by disrupting the normal mucous layer that lines the gut and contributes to chronic, low-level inflammation promoting changes to cells in the digestive tract, including the colon.
Agar gum, karaya gum, and konjac gum (a.k.a. glucomannan) can expand in the gut and, without adequate fluids, can cause esophageal and bowel obstruction.

If you already know your gastrointestinal health is compromised in any way, you may want to eliminate these gums entirely. For most people, simply limiting their use to infrequent and small quantities would be wise. Check all your packaged and bottled foods – you may be surprised!

Choose well, be well!

https://www.glutenfreesociety.org/toxic-food-additives-common-gluten

https://civileats.com/2015/02/25/how-emulsifiers-are-messing-with-our-guts-and-making-us-fat/

https://draxe.com/gum-arabic

https://draxe.com/gellan-gum/

https://draxe.com/locust-bean-gum/

By Mila McManus MD|2019-04-06T10:58:17-06:00March 20th, 2019|Articles, NANCY’S NUTRITIONAL NUGGET|

“Doing Awesome!”

Doing Awesome!

A. is doing awesome! Tomorrow is actually day 6. Being off the probiotic was hard on her but she’s doing much better now. Tell Dr. McManus that she is a blessing from heaven because since the Wednesday night after her appointment A. has been falling asleep at night so quickly and staying asleep!!!!! I feel like a new person and she is feeling great too. Hug Dr. M for me. I think the Hemp oil is really helping her.
-E.

By Mila McManus MD|2020-09-14T16:27:34-06:00March 14th, 2019|General, Testimonials|

Help Heal Your Body from the Inside Out

By Guest contributor Tyler Hamel, DC

Edited by Mila McManus, MD

Chiropractors evaluate the spine and nervous system to determine whether issues with these are affecting your health condition. Your neck pain, back pain, sciatica, or migraine headaches may be caused by spine/nerve irritation and, if that’s the case, chiropractic treatment can help.

What is a chiropractic adjustment?

Oftentimes postural stress causes wear and tear on the spinal joints in your neck, mid-back and low back. These joints become compressed which causes irritation, pain and muscle spasm. In the simplest explanation, here is what the chiropractic adjustment does:

Decompresses the spine
Realigns the spine
Takes pressure off of nerves
Restores proper function

Why be open to chiropractic treatment?

It’s very safe and more effective at treating neck and back pain than any other treatment out there, including, e.g., muscle relaxers, pain pills, or surgery.
Chiropractic helps the body heal from the inside out naturally by restoring proper alignment and nerve flow.
It’s affordable. Chiropractic adjustments are a fraction of the cost of long-term use of pain medicine, ongoing cortisone shots, and surgeries.
Everyone can be helped with chiropractic care. Our youngest patient was 7 weeks old, and our most senior patient 99 years old.
You don’t need a referral from a doctor.
We accept insurance, but keep in mind that sometimes insurance co-pays cost more than our cash prices.

Which Chiropractic technique is best for you?

Manual adjusting- you will hear pops and cracks when we release pressure from the spine during a chiropractic adjustment. This is very safe.
Instrument adjusting- we use vibrating adjustment tools that accomplish the same result as manual adjusting.

Why do we offer both?

Some patients do not want their neck or back “popped”, whereas others love the feeling of a manual adjustment.
Depending on the age of the patient, it may be easier and safer to use instrument adjusting. For example, if a patient has osteoporosis, or recently had surgery, instrument adjusting may be preferred.
Having more than one adjusting technique makes it easy for anyone to come and experience the benefits of chiropractic care.

Dr. Hamel cares for patients part time at our TWIHW facility, and part time at his Kingwood office.

By Mila McManus MD|2019-03-21T20:49:59-06:00February 26th, 2019|Articles, General|

“Yippy Skippy Hooray!”

Yippy Skippy Hooray!

This patient had been on our protocols for only a few weeks when we received this email:

“Today is the first day in 1 and a 1/2 years that I have NOT HAD A MIGRAINE! Yippy Skippy Hooray!!! Thank You!”

-L. T.

By Mila McManus MD|2019-07-01T13:42:00-06:00February 21st, 2019|General, Testimonials|

The Doc’s Shaved Brussels Sprouts Salad

The Doc’s Shaved Brussels Sprouts* Salad

Edited from Chowhound.com

Serves 2

For the salad:

½ bag shaved Brussels sprouts

2 to 3 hearts of palm, sliced

⅓ cup pine nuts

For the dressing: (enough for 2-3 uses)

¼ cup fresh lemon juice (about 1 lemon)

¾ cup olive oil

½ to 1½ teaspoons Dijon mustard

½ to 1 shallot, finely chopped or minced

2 cloves garlic, minced

Salt and Pepper, to taste

Instructions:

1. Combine the shaved Brussels Sprouts, hearts of palm and pine nuts in a large salad bowl.
2. Combine the dressing ingredients in a bowl or bottle and stir or shake.
3. Pour desired amount of dressing on the salad and toss well. Serve
4. Save the remaining dressing in the refrigerator.

*These little green mini cabbage like balls are named after the city of Brussels in Belgium. Most people call them Brussel Sprouts, but the correct name has the “s” on the end.

By Mila McManus MD|2019-03-04T06:34:11-06:00February 20th, 2019|Articles, General, Recipes|

About Mila McManus MD