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About Mila McManus MD

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So far Mila McManus MD has created 858 blog entries.

Wait! Stop! Settle Down!

How many times have you told your own children “Wait!” or “Settle Down!” or “Stop!”? In most cases, these instructions are given to protect us, or to teach us to think before we act.

May I suggest that right now, as you leave behind the season of Thanksgiving and before you plunge headfirst into the Christmas Holiday Season, that you say the same thing to yourself? Wait!  Stop! Settle Down!   Make time now to take a deep breath, protect yourself and think before you act.

For many, this can be a wonderful season of joy, filled with family, giving, and love.  But often times outcomes are less than wonderful things like disappointment, debt, weight gain, exhaustion, and disconnection.  How do you eliminate or minimize these outcomes?  What can you do now to adapt your schedule, attitudes and commitments into a pattern that will bring you through this season without regret?

Here are a few ideas:

Stop to consider what your two most important priorities are during the holiday season. Then, as you schedule, plan, decorate, shop, eat, drink, entertain, select gifts, ask yourself, “Does this support and align with my top priorities for this holiday season, or does it sabotage them?”

Adapt and Be Flexible with Traditions

Do you have some die-hard traditions you have always followed during this season of the year?  Is it appropriate to change them this year or to skip them all together?  If you finally have lost 40 lbs after years of struggle, is it still a good idea to invest your time, money and effort in making 14 dozen of your grandmother’s sugar glazed Christmas cookies?  Can a healthier option be substituted?  If it does not make sense or your efforts are unappreciated, reconsider.

Lower your Expectations of Others and Events.

It is easy to get disappointed or let down during this “magical” season. The gift you want may not be affordable, Uncle Charlie is the same person he was last year and your young adult child may not come to his or her senses.  Adopt a mental mantra that whatever the holidays bring, you will be thankful and content in all things, focused on doing your best to contribute in ways that build others up.

Take care of yourself.

The most effective strategy to be able to love others well is to first, love yourself with adequate sleep, a healthy diet and stress reducers such as exercise and meditation.

Happy Holidays to You and Yours!

 

By |2013-12-02T09:24:17-06:00November 25th, 2013|Articles, NANCY’S NUTRITIONAL NUGGET|

Healthy Fast Food for a Busy Holiday Season

Looking for healthy pre-prepared meals without the hidden ingredients?  The Dinner Dude prepares fresh gourmet meals for busy people with a discriminating paleo or low carbohydrate  nutritional lifestyle.  They also cater to the specific and unique needs of people on restrictive calorie diets. Known for their fresh ingredients from organic vegetables and anti-biotic free meats, you will find the selection, portion options, pricing and taste very satisfying.  Dinner dudes delivers in the Houston area and also to the Woodlands Institute of Health & Wellness.  Let The Dinner Dude help you stay on track this holiday season without the guilt or denial! Call 281.529.6396 and order today.  Ask about their classic holiday feast with all the trimmings too!

By |2020-09-14T16:35:44-06:00November 22nd, 2013|Articles, General|

Patient Testimonial

Patient Testimonial

I wanted to share my really good news with you.  It may not seem like much to others, but it is a major milestone for me. I just got sick, but then I got well again without going to the doctor and without getting any drugs!  I started running a low-grade fever and had chills and aches and pains on Saturday.  By Sunday, my fever was 99.5.  However, as of today, Thursday, my fever is completely gone and I feel fine.

Contrast this with last May.  I caught a cold and began running a low-grade fever.  My nose started running and my asthma kicked in.  I went to my primary care physician, who told me it was just a cold and to continue going to work but get plenty of rest.  A week later, I went back with fever over 100, and I was really having trouble breathing.  He gave me antibiotics and prednisone and a chest x-ray.  It turns out I not only had a full-blown asthma attack, but I also had pneumonia!

This is the first time I can remember where I got well again on my own.  Thinking back over the years, it’s been at least 10 or 20 years that every time I catch a cold and a fever, my nose starts running and I end up in the doctor’s office getting prednisone and antibiotics for my asthma.  Once about two years ago, I even ended up in IMU overnight because they couldn’t stabilize me.  That’s on top of the Flonase and Advair that I take every day plus the Albuterol I take for emergencies.

Thank you for helping me!  I truly think you have saved my life.  You have definitely prolonged it and increased my quality of life.  Now, I just need to stay on track permanently and continue to stay healthy without asthma attacks, pneumonia, antibiotics, and prednisone.

I am celebrating today!  Hooray!

Karen B.

By |2014-01-17T00:19:36-06:00November 21st, 2013|Articles, General, Testimonials|

Pumpkin Pie Ice Cream

Here is an amazing “ice cream” recipe that combines the best of both worlds. Made with organic pumpkin puree and warm spices like cinnamon, nutmeg and ginger, it will be sure to satisfy those holiday cravings in a healthy way.

You will need the following ingredients:
1 can organic pumpkin
1/4 c. coconut milk (Thai Kitchen, Organic, Expeller Pressed)
1/4 c. almond butter
1 1/4- 1 1/2 t. pumpkin pie spice (a little extra cinnamon makes it taste even better)
A few drops -1 t liquid stevia or xylitol to taste (depending on desired sweetness)

Blend in a food processor. Freeze for at least 30 minutes until well chilled.

By |2014-07-31T11:11:53-06:00November 21st, 2013|General, Recipes|

Everything You Ever Wanted to Know About Digestive Enzymes

What are digestive enzymes and why are they important?

 

The human body makes and secretes specific enzymes, called digestive enzymes, which help us to break down fat, proteins and carbohydrates into the micronutrients necessary for absorption into the body.  So despite our best efforts to eat a healthy diet, if digestive enzyme production and secretion are inadequate, then our ability to absorb all of the micronutrients from our food will be impaired.    

 

Why would our bodies not make enough digestive enzymes?

 

There are many reasons the body’s natural enzymes become depleted.  Diseases such as pancreatic disease, Crohn’s disease, and Celiac disease can cause severe deficiencies in digestive enzymes; however, even in the absence of disease, the body may still not be producing enough digestive enzymes. Here are a few of the many reasons that can lead to enzyme depletion:

 

·         Food allergies

·        Aging

·        Intestinal Permeability caused from an overgrowth of yeast in the gut

·        Chronic Stress

How do digestive enzymes work?

Different enzymes break down different foods so that their nutrients may be more readily absorbed.

·        Amylase helps the body digest starch and is integral to the breakdown of carbohydrates, such as potatoes and other starchy foods.

·        Protease breaks down the peptide bonds that join the amino acids in a protein, ensuring that the amino acids are readily available to the body. 

·        Lipase splits apart emulsified fats. 

·        Lactase digests milk and sugar.

·        Cellulase helps break down plant and vegetable matter.

Signs you may need a digestive enzyme supplement:

·        Bloating

·        Indigestion/heartburn

·        Gas

·        Irregularity

·        Rock gut (the feeling that you have food sitting in your stomach)

How can I improve digestive enzyme deficiency?

·        Remove foods such as legumes (e.g. beans) and grains (e.g. wheat, oats, corn) as they are known enzyme inhibitors.

·        A healthy digestive system is at the root of all good health so repair the gut with, for example, a yeast cleanse.

·        Replace good gut flora (microorganisms) through the daily use of a good quality probiotic.

·        Manage stress. We all have stress in our lives, especially during the holidays.  Between shopping and wrapping that perfect gift, and cooking a decadent meal for 20, the true meaning and joy of Christmas can quickly become lost.   Allow yourself to really enjoy the season by letting go of what’s not important.  Make time for yourself, whether allowing yourself extra sleep, or adding a yoga class.

·        Support your body by taking a broad spectrum complex of digestive enzymes.

Complementary Prescriptions Digestive Enzymes offers a plant-based formula that works to digest a full range of foods, including protein, fats, carbohydrates, sugar and fiber.

By |2013-12-01T09:49:34-06:00November 21st, 2013|Articles, General|

Fat: Your Brain’s Best Friend

Before you start to feel guilty about all of the decadent holiday treats and yummy food you are about to eat, breathe a sigh of relief and let’s get down to the facts about fat.

Fat is, and always has been, a fundamental pillar of our nutrition. We all know that monounsaturated fats, such as the kind found in nuts, olives, and avocados, are good for us. We all know that modified hydrogenated fats so commonly found in fast foods or commercially prepared food are very unhealthy for us; however, what about saturated fats, such as the kind found in meat, egg yolks, cheese, and butter? These fats, in addition to the cholesterol found in foods with high amounts of saturated fats, have been demonized as leading to cardiovascular disease.

Bottom line: Our bodies need fat. Our bodies need it to assist in many functions that we simply could not live without. We need a certain amount of healthy saturated fat in our diets to stay healthy, some experts recommending ~ 50% of our calories for optimal health. Yes, that’s right, 50%!

Let me provide you with some facts about saturated fat* to break through the misinformation and myths that have been harming you and your family’s health for decades:

• Our brains consist of more than 70% fat.
• If we deprive our brains of cholesterol, it directly affects how smart we are and how well we remember things.
• Cholesterol in the brain and in our bodies acts as a powerful anti-oxidant and protects the brain against the damaging effects of free radicals that lead to heart disease and cancer.
• Cholesterol is a critical component in the brain’s neurotransmitters, allowing the quick transfer of information.
• Our brains have the ability to grow new synapses, but only with the availability of cholesterol. The cholesterol latches the membranes together so that the signals can jump easily across the synapse.
• When we eat healthy, saturated fats (i.e. NOT fried foods), it slows down absorption, making us feel fuller, longer.
• Healthy, saturated fats from both animal and vegetable sources provide the building blocks for cell membranes and a variety of hormones.
• Our endocrine system relies on saturated fatty acids to communicate the need to make certain hormones, including insulin.
• Vitamin D is a powerful anti inflammatory and is directly formed from cholesterol.
• Fat plays a pivotal role in regulating the immune system. White blood cells, a major component of the immune system, rely on the fats found in natural saturated fats such as butter and coconut oil to recognize and destroy invading germs and even fight tumors.
• Fat is a concentrated source of energy in the diet.
• Bile salts, which are secreted by the gallbladder to aid in digestion of toxins and fats, are made of cholesterol.
• Bones require saturated fats to assimilate calcium effectively.

Our no-fat, low fat, no cholesterol diet has wreaked havoc on our health today.  The Food Pyramid of the 50’s and 60’s, which emphasized grains and dairy and removed all saturated fat and cholesterol, has resulted in an obesity and Alzheimer’s epidemic, as just two examples.  The truth is we NEED healthy, undamaged saturated fats for optimal health.

To sum it all up, healthy saturated fats are great for our bodies and they taste great, too! This holiday season feel free to feel guilty about the stuffing and NOT the turkey leg or ham! Happy Holidays!

*examples of healthy saturated fats include eggs from free range organic chickens, butter from organic, grass fed cows, and coconut oil.

Information obtained from Grain Brain by David Perlmutter, MD, as well as Know Your Fats by Mary Enig, PhD.

By |2013-12-01T09:29:15-06:00November 21st, 2013|Articles, General|

Eat This to Cure That-Natural and Simple Solutions for Symptoms

Holiday Survival Guide

Preventing illness and stress begins by avoiding the triggers that cause them.  Most commonly this means eating healthy, whole foods (and avoiding most processed ones) and managing our stress levels effectively.  Symptoms are just our body’s way of trying to communicate with us.  It is our job to listen and interpret exactly what it is trying to say.  As the fast pace and stressors of the Holiday season steadily approach, I would like to offer that sometimes the most natural and simple solutions may provide the best relief from stress related symptoms without the serious side effects of prescription and over the counter medicines.

Don’t let symptoms weigh you down. Try these easy swaps that really work as a natural alternative to synthetic drugs in order to feel better, minimize illness, and increase your energy levels.  Feel the benefits of long term health and wellness.

If you suffer from Insomnia and /or stress:

  • Bananas, dates, nut butters, tuna, plain yogurt, salmon and turkey are all high in tryptophan and can be helpful in promoting sleep.
  • If you are not allergic to ragweed, a cup of chamomile tea is another nice way to prepare your body for sleep.
  • Raw nuts & seeds, whole grain brown rice and avocados are excellent sources of magnesium which aids the body in relaxing.

To eliminate Sour Stomach & Heart Burn:

  • Try ¼ cup of aloe vera juice on an empty stomach first thing in the morning and at bedtime.
  • Eat fresh papaya and fresh pineapple both of which offer beneficial digestive enzymes.
  • Try a couple tablespoons of sauerkraut or cabbage before meals to stimulate digestive enzymes & good digestion.

Headaches:

  • Eat your vegetables to get plenty of important minerals such as magnesium and calcium.
  • Hydrate with water.  A headache is a common symptom if dehydration.

Allergies/Cough:

  • There are whole foods that act as natural anti-histamines.  Enjoy carrots, broccoli, berries, onions, garlic, pineapple, apples, spinach, mangoes, tomatoes and other green vegetables as well as citrus fruits.

PMS:

  • To alleviate symptoms juice raw celery and parsley with one apple.  Add a teaspoon of ground flaxseed or flaxseed oil.

Sore Muscles:

  • Drink plenty of water.

Jet Lag:

  • Good sources of protein such as eggs, fish, beef & chicken help to increase alertness.
  • Avoid starchy carbohydrates such as potato, rice, pasta and breads.
  • To avoid Jet Lag, look into the “Anti Jet Lag Diet” also known as the Argonne Diet.

Low Blood Sugar:

  • Eat regularly including a protein, some healthy fat and a high fiber carbohydrate such as asparagus, broccoli, cabbage, lettuce, greens, and green beans.
  • Juice organic spinach, celery, one beet and an apple.  Stir in the juice of one lime.
  • Enjoy an apple with some almond or peanut butter.

Bad Skin:

  • Raw foods help to heal the skin with detoxification.  Raw almonds, beets, cashews, greens & lettuces, strawberries and pineapple are good examples for detoxification & clearing of the skin.

Low energy:

  • Avoid energy drinks and opt instead for a high quality whey or rice protein mixed with almond or coconut milk.
  • Juice raw fresh vegetables.

Bad Mood:

  • Eat salmon and turkey to lift the spirits.  They are both high in tryptophan which is a precursor to serotonin.
  • Enjoy a cup on peppermint or Valerian root tea.

Weak Immune System:

  • Increase your zinc by eating oysters, roast beef, roasted pumpkin seeds, 60% or higher dark chocolate, lamb, crab & peanuts.
  • Eat and juice plenty of fresh, raw vegetables to increase critical antioxidants.
  • Enjoy healthy fats such as avocado, olives & nuts for beneficial antioxidants  and strong cellular repair & function.

Sunburn:

  • Be sure to eat some high protein foods to heal the skin tissue as well as raw fruits and vegetables to supply needed minerals and vitamins to the skin.
  • Soak in a cool bath with 1 pound of baking soda.
By |2014-06-17T10:39:23-06:00October 30th, 2013|Articles, General|

Natural Vitality Natural Calm

Magnesium and calcium are fundamental nutrients that need to be in balance with each other for you to fully experience good health.  Magnesium helps your muscles and nerves function properly.  It keeps your heart rhythm steady, supports a healthy immune system and also assists in keeping your bones strong.  This essential mineral helps regulate blood sugar levels, promotes normal blood pressure and is required for producing & storing energy.  It is easy to see why so many researchers say that no single dietary factor is as critical as magnesium.

Most people do not get enough magnesium and magnesium deficiency can be caused by a number of stressors on the body, including, but not limited to, lack of adequate dietary intake of magnesium, emotional stress, certain drugs (diuretics, antibiotics, oral contraceptives, insulin, cortisone) heavy exercise, diabetes, gastrointestinal disorders and too much calcium in the diet.

The importance of the magnesium & calcium balance on a cellular level is critical.  Calcium and magnesium are like opposite sides of a coin.  Calcium excites nerves, while magnesium calms them down.  Calcium makes muscles contract. Magnesium is necessary for muscles to relax.  Calcium is needed for blood clotting, but magnesium keeps the blood flowing freely.

Natural Calm – the anti-stress drink is the best selling magnesium supplement on the market.  It features a proprietary formula that provides a highly absorbable, water soluble magnesium ionic form so it is ready to go to work right away.  Natural Calm is the solution to both restoring a healthy magnesium level and balancing your calcium intake, the result of which is natural stress relief.

 

By |2013-11-04T16:11:23-06:00October 30th, 2013|Articles, General|

Yeast Free Pumpkin Pie

You will need the following ingredients:
1 cup xylitol
1 ½ -2 cups pumpkin
1 T almond flour
2 T butter
2 eggs separated
1 t cinnamon
½ t ginger
¼ t cloves
¼ t allspice
1 ½ C Oh So Delicious Coconut Milk Creamer

Mix all ingredients together well except for the coconut milk creamer, egg whites & butter. Beat egg whites until stiff and set aside. Heat the coconut milk creamer and butter until the butter melts and then mix into the pumpkin mixture. Then fold beaten egg whites into the pumpkin mixture. Pour into a half baked pie crust shell. Bake at 450* F for 10 minutes, then at 350* F for 45 minutes. Serve with whipped cream (made from the coconut milk creamer).

Recipe submitted by Bernadette H.

Almond Pie Crust
2/3 C almond or coconut oil
¼ C water
1 t sea salt
2-2 ¼ C almond flour

Mix above ingredients together and then roll out onto wax paper with a small amount of the almond flour to prevent sticking. Since the almond flour is not as porous as wheat flour, you may need to press it into the pie plate. Crimp edges. If recipe calls for pre-baking shell, then bake at 400* for 6-8 minutes.

By |2014-07-31T11:17:10-06:00October 30th, 2013|General, Recipes|

Another Amazing Patient Testimonial

Another Amazing Patient Testimonial

For several years, I’d been experiencing increasingly severe auto-immune symptoms: I have had Raynaud’s syndrome for years, but it was worse than ever, I broke out in hives for seemingly no reason (there was a period of two weeks when I could only eat white rice and drink water, because anything else made me break out), I was constantly exhausted, and my migraines were getting more and more frequent. Every doctor I went to in Houston – supposedly some of the best rheumatologists, gastro-intestinal specialists, and endocrinologists in the world – looked at lab tests they performed on me, told me my blood tests were fine, and sent me home.

I was at my wit’s end. I was in grad school, and my parents and I were seriously discussing whether I would be able to hold down a job after graduation (and whether I was going to be able to graduate, which I thankfully did, partly because of my professors’ generosity and understanding). While searching the internet, I found Dr. McManus’s information, and decided to make an appointment. When I told my OB-GYN, she looked at me skeptically and warned me against going to “quacks.” (She was one of the many doctors who told me my blood tests were fine and implied that it was all in my head. She’s no longer my OB-GYN, of course).

I met with one of Dr. McManus’s providers who immediately diagnosed me with a candida infection. I’d heard of candida infections (essentially, a fungal infection of the gut, typically the result of over-use of antibiotics and a starchy diet), and my brother-in-law had done some research and suggested that candida might be my problem. Two weeks later, I started treatment for the candida infection.

After 6 weeks of treatment (a combination of diet and prescription anti-fungals, with some nutritional supplements and probiotics), I was 100% better. Before treatment, I’d have been lucky to be able to walk 1/2 mile without having to stop for rest. I had an unhealthy pallor – when I didn’t have hives – and was exhausted by sitting up for too long. A couple of weeks ago, I clocked my most recent walk: 4 miles. I CAN WALK FOUR MILES, NOW! That might not seem like a big deal to anyone else, but for me, it’s a huge victory.

Treatment for my infection officially ended in April, but I still follow the dietary and nutritional protocol Dr. McManus prescribed – I don’t want to get candida again! Unlike most modern doctors, Dr. McManus doesn’t just look at one part of your body – the digestive system, or the immune system – but at how all of those systems work together as a whole. She understands that anything you eat and drink is going to have an effect on the way ALL of your body’s systems perform because your body’s systems are intrinsically interconnected. Dr. McManus’s staff is incredibly helpful and caring – I had multiple email check-ups each week with my consulting nurse to monitor things like my hormone levels (which were erratic because of the trauma my body had undergone from the infection), my appetite, and my energy level. If something wasn’t improving – like my B12 levels and my energy – ZIP! out came a package of B12 drops I could take throughout the day to supplement my diet.

A side note: Dr. McManus doesn’t process insurance, but I was able to file with my insurance company and get some of the payments back. I was fortunate in that I had some student loans and some VERY generous and concerned parents who helped me out, because the treatment wasn’t cheap. It was totally worth it, though, as I’d spent more than the cost of treatment with Dr. McManus going to “traditional” doctors who kept telling me nothing was wrong with me.

Megan R.

By |2014-01-17T00:10:43-06:00October 29th, 2013|General, Testimonials|