You truly are a blessing!
from Debbie
Thank you! You are amazing!! You took a stressed out person who was freaking out about not wanting to take prednisone and you gave me hope in an alternative therapy. You truly are a blessing!! I mean that. Jesus uses you to heal us. You are an answer to my prayers and thank you for the positive and hopeful attitude to my disease. Love you and your lovely staff lots!! Thanks for all you do!!!
If I’ve said it once, I’ve said it a million times: “Supplements are not all created equal”. There are countless brands from which to choose. How do you know which ones are good, safe, and optimal for your health? There are a number of factors to consider, and one of them is price. You DO get what you pay for with regard to supplements, and it’s important to know that there are also some expensive well-known brands that should be avoided. In general, though, if you are at a store looking at a long wall of supplements and nobody is around to guide you, I advise you to look at price first. I highly recommend avoiding the cheapest, generic supplements. It’s also extremely important that you scrutinize the ‘other’ and ‘inactive’ ingredients on labels.
Here are several other factors to consider when vetting a supplement:
1. Higher-end, reputable supplement manufacturers use the best raw materials, create formulations based on solid scientific data, and use 3rd party testing to ensure quality and purity of their products. These factors command a higher price. Common contaminants found in vitamins and supplements include mold, pesticides, and heavy metals such as lead, arsenic, and mercury. Don’t you want to feel confident that your supplements don’t contain these? Also, if you see a USP or GMP or NPA seal on a supplement, that supplement has at least met some minimum quality standards, but it doesn’t ensure top quality. Moreover, absence of these seals means nothing. There are many top quality supplements without these seals.
2. Look for supplements with the least number of ‘other’ ingredients. Covering all of these is beyond the scope of this article, but know that some are harmless (e.g., silicon dioxide, cellulose, citric acid), while many may be harmful (e.g., food dyes, talc, allergenic foods such as corn and soy)
3. The amount of active ingredients varies widely across supplements. A supplement may appear great because of numerous healthy ingredients listed, such as CoQ10, turmeric, spirulina, chorella, ginger, fruits and vegetables, but they may be insignificant amounts that aren’t doing much good, if at all. It’s also noteworthy that the RDA (recommended daily allowance) is often very suboptimal. For instance, the RDA for vitamin C may be enough to prevent scurvy, but it’s hardly an optimal amount to support immune function, alleviate seasonal allergies, and neutralize the onslaught of free radicals you create, and are exposed to, on a daily basis.
4. When looking at nutrient labels on vitamin and mineral supplements, you’ll notice, for example, that there are several forms of magnesium. Magnesium glycinate, magnesium oxide, magnesium citrate, and magnesium malate are all different chelated forms of magnesium. If your magnesium supplement is magnesium oxide, it’s nothing more than a good laxative. You aren’t absorbing that magnesium for its internal benefits. Calcium is another good example. Calcium carbonate is very inexpensive and also not well absorbed. If this is the form in your multivitamin, it’s time to find a better one.
5. It seems intuitive that taking a ‘natural whole food’ supplement would be better than a synthetic form; however, that’s often not the case. A supplement claiming to have nothing but fruits and vegetables in it may be contaminated with pesticides, and it’s also difficult to get optimal doses of nutrients from fruits and vegetables. Sure, it’s obviously important to eat your fruits and vegetables, but these days our bodies require much more than produce can provide. This is mainly due to depletion of nutrients available in soil, and increased toxins in the environment. Another reason that whole food based supplements may not be ideal for some is the yeast content. Yeast is a common allergen that could be affecting you without you realizing it.
I hope you realize how important it is to do your homework before buying your supplements. A popular brand isn’t necessarily a good one. For instance, Centrum® is one of the most popular brands of multivitamin, however, it contains corn and soy (highly allergenic and genetically modified), 3 food dyes including red dye #40, Talc (yes, baby powder, and has been linked to cancer), and contains the cheapest and least absorbable minerals, namely calcium carbonate and magnesium oxide.
Overwhelmed? Well, we’ve done our homework and offer several product lines at our facility to make your life easier.
References: O magazine, June 2004 (Article on Consumer Labs study) http://www.drwhitaker.com/choosing-the-best-supplements-to-take/ http://www.nytimes.com/2010/05/26/health/policy/26herbal.html https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/12867165 http://www.forbes.com/sites/melaniehaiken/2013/02/11/that-vitamin-d-youre-taking-it-may-not-be-vitamin-d/#7dc9ca6e6b6a http://www.drwhitaker.com/how-safe-are-your-supplements/ http://www.consumerlab.com/
Here at TWIHW, one of the supplement lines we offer is ProThera. Below is a list of what ProThera does that gives us confidence that we are providing high quality supplements to you. See the main article in today’s newsletter by Dr. McManus to learn more.
ProThera, Inc:
While we are always encouraging everyone to reduce carbohydrate intake, there are just occasions when exceptions make good sense. This biscuit should always be paired with healthy protein and fat and enjoyed as a special occasion rather than consumed routinely. This is a richly nutritiously dense meal, perfect for cold winter days.
Biscuits
Gravy
Preheat oven to 350°.
Place flours, salt, onion powder and garlic powder into a large bowl. Mix with your hands or a fork, combining until the mixture is a yellowish white color.
In a small bowl, whisk the melted butter and eggs to combine and add the egg mixture to the dry ingredients and whisk until a batter is created.
Add the water and stir until well combined.
Line a muffin tin with parchment liners and scoop two tablespoons of the mixture into each cup and transfer to the oven and bake for 30 minutes. Remove from the oven and cool.
In the meantime, remove the Italian sausage from the casing or sausage from the package and break it apart, cooking thoroughly in a cast iron skillet and set aside.
Melt the ghee in a pot over medium heat and add the onions. Cook for 15 minutes until golden brown.
Add the garlic and herbs and sauté for a minute.
Add the broth to deglaze the pan and increase the heat to high. Once the mixture comes to a boil, reduce heat to a simmer and cover the pot, cooking for 20-30 minutes or until the mixture reduces to half.
Add salt and pepper to taste
Place the mixture/sauce into a blender and puree until smooth.
Return the gravy to the pot and add the sausage and mix well.
Place two biscuits on a plate and top with the gravy and serve.
Talk to anyone about health care and you will be hard pressed to find one single sole who hasn’t noticed that deductibles, copays, and premiums are rising, and this next year will be no exception. With each passing year, it seems that we have fewer and fewer choices, including doctors and medications from which to choose, and which tests will be covered. These options are controlled by the insurance companies rather than by yourself or your doctor. More and more people are frustrated with the excessive government and insurance company control over how you spend your healthcare dollars, especially in light of the sad fact that, following the doctor visits, prescription drugs, tests, and time, your ailments and problems often persist. Seeking help for an undiagnosed set of symptoms can cost thousands of dollars and result in, for example, 1) no explanation, 2) more prescription drugs, and 3) doctor-hopping. It’s easy to feel out of control and frustrated.
Current conventional health care practices focus mainly on RE-active medicine rather than PRO-active medicine. It’s the same as your homeowners insurance. They don’t pay to remove the fractured and bending tree that is inevitably about to fall on your roof. They won’t talk to you until it does. Prevention is not their interest, though it would save them money in the long term. The same is true of health insurance. What is wrong with this picture?
This coming year, why not take control? Own your health, get control of how your hard earned money is spent, get educated about how to heal and restore your own health, and use the money you will have to spend in the current disease model to really get well. Save money in a Health Savings Account (because YOU get to determine how these dollars are spent) and use it to get well in a PRO-active medical model, thereby improving your lifestyle, gaining true health rather than spinning your wheels and spending your money for answers that never come. Over time this could save you thousands and thousands of dollars. Is your health holding you back from enjoying relationships, finding success, living an abundant and full life? The functional, PRO-active medical model is the place to be! Get to the source of your problems, address them and be well! The vast majority of diseases of today, including cardiovascular disease, diabetes, obesity, autoimmunity and cancer, are stemming from nutritional bankruptcy, chronic stress, hormonal imbalance, prescription drugs and their side effects, food and environmental allergens, and toxins. Every one of these areas can be addressed and improved to bring better health and wellbeing.
Call 281-298-6742 today and ask to speak to a Wellness Consultant about our various programs. We have new programs and services that may be perfect for your needs. YOU ARE WORTH IT!
From G.M.
In 1999 I was diagnosed with cancer. I went to MD Anderson for treatment and I was in a study. I received 33% more chemo treatments and there were many side effects that have lasted for more than 17 years, one of which was neuropathy in my feet and toes. The numbness and tingling was annoying, but two years ago the numbness and tingling turned into pain and burning in my toes, in particular my right big toe. I couldn’t let the sheets touch my feet and it would often wake me up and I would have to massage my toes before I could go back to sleep. Dr. McManus suggested I try ONDAMED. Amazingly, after only 6 sessions, the pain is gone! That was 6 months ago. I have not thought about it since!
Sleep apnea gone, lost weight, and energy is great!
Mark W.
I was always tired, snored all the time and was told I would need a CPAP machine. I didn’t want to have to wear the machine so I looked for other alternatives. Thankfully I found out about the medical weight loss program at TWIHW. When I started your plan I weighed 248lbs and after 22 days I now weigh 217lbs. The transformation I have gone through and the 2 pant sizes I have dropped amazes me and my family. My snoring is gone. I feel alert and more energetic than I have in a long time, even with the restrictive calories. I’m the type of person that likes to see immediate results, and this is it!
bow on top)Place each nut in a food processor one at a time, pulsing just 3-4 times until pieces are “granola size”. Pulse until coarse but not a powder. Place all the contents into a gallon size freezer bag or tall Mason jar and toss in the chia seed and coconut. Increase flavor by toasting the coconut first if desired. (Spread coconut flakes on a cookie sheet and place in the middle of the oven, set to broil and keep your eyes on it until toasty brown. Don’t step away because coconut will burn very fast. Cool it before adding to the granola mix) Seal the bag, or place the lid on the container, shake it up and store in the refrigerator or freezer. (These ingredients really don’t get hard or “freeze” but it is a good place to put it to save refrigerator space and keep your “granola” fresh. Makes just over 3 cups.
Serving Suggestions:
by Mila McManus MD
I’m going to make this short and to the point. I want to make this topic concise yet meaty. Some of the items below have links if you wish to delve deeper.
Here are some causes of pain that you may not know about:
As you can see, there are many ways you can address chronic pain other than with pain medications. Call (281) 298-6742 today for more information on how we can help you address your chronic pain, and forward this newsletter to someone you care about who suffers with chronic pain!
When I first met Dr. McManus, she made a remark to me that I’ll never forget. Never because I did not want to believe what she said, and never because she proved to be right. You see, I came to her with significant body pain. My wrists, hands, knees, and lower back were chronically painful. I had joint and muscle pain. So what did she say that I’ve never forgotten? She told me that she believed more than 50% of my issues, especially around pain, were a result of the foods I was eating. That was hard for me to swallow (pardon the pun) because I love food and I loved the foods she was suggesting I eliminate. However, several weeks later, after cleaning up my diet (specifically removing wheat and sugar), my body pain was gone and I realized that she was right! When anyone tells me they have joint, muscle and nerve pain, a first priority is to clean up the diet. Specifically, below are the foods you would be wise to eliminate to see if you experience significant reductions in pain.
Sugar in all forms. Look closely at your diet. Be aware of the collective sugar. It is surprising to see that several somewhat innocent choices can add up to considerable sugar in a day. For example, one cup of organic brown rice pasta, one ounce of dried cranberries and a cup of watermelon is digestively over 60 grams of sugar. Sugar sources include fruit juices and smoothies (no matter how fresh pressed or organic they are!) and even some fruits such as grapes, watermelon and ripe bananas which have little to no fiber. The more obvious forms of sugar are included such as agave, maple syrup, honey, coconut sugar, and corn and rice syrups. Less obvious are the carbohydrates that digest rapidly to glucose (i.e. sugar) such as wheat, rice, corn, and potato as well as gluten free grains. Remember, your approximate one gallon of blood only needs about 1 teaspoon, or 4 grams of sugar in it at any given moment for optimal function. Anything more than that is suboptimal and harmful, i.e. inflammatory! Inflammation is PAIN. We would all do best if we kept added sugar to zero, and grain intake to very little or none. Whole fruits with good fiber content are fine but the low to no fiber fruits are best kept to a minimum or avoided all together. Most of your healthy carbohydrates should come from the vegetable world and all others should be kept as low as possible and certainly should not exceed 15-25 grams a day.
Processed Foods of every kind. This is where all breads, cereals and pastas fall, especially the glutinous wheat products. Also included here are the additives, preservatives and food chemicals that are so harmful to the nervous system, organ systems and digestive tract. Monosodium glutamate, nitrates and nitrites, artificial sweeteners, especially aspartame, are all potential pain creators by stimulating pain receptors. This makes the receptors more sensitive, irritating muscle tissues, disrupting sleep and compromising the immune system. Dairy is another culprit due to pasteurization and often times added sugars where the end product is highly processed food. Casein, one of the proteins found in dairy can be very difficult to digest and causes pain for many.
Allergy Foods, those foods to which you are allergic often manifest as pain. It is wise to test for food allergies and eliminate those foods to quiet the immune system and reduce pain and inflammation.
Foods that Reduce Pain and Inflammation
Thankfully there are many foods that help to reduce inflammation and pain. Here are some of the best: ginger, olive oil, green leafy vegetables, walnuts and almonds, turmeric, salmon, celery, blackberries, raspberries, blueberries, strawberries, and cayenne pepper. It’s no surprise that these are all real, whole, natural foods and spices from the earth that naturally do the work of pain relief.
Resources: http://blogs.naturalnews.com/21-foods-reduce-pain-inflammation-boost-immunity/ http://articles.mercola.com/sites/articles/archive/2016/09/28/sugar-industry-research-manipulation.aspx http://blogs.naturalnews.com/8-worst-foods-people-arthritis-joint-pain/