Zinc

Did you know?

Zinc:

is required for the catalytic activity of approximately 100 enzymes
Can shorten the duration of a cold is a natural aromatase inhibitor (i.e. slows the conversion of testosterone into estrogen)
supports normal growth and development during pregnancy, childhood, and adolescence
is required for proper sense of taste and smell
is found in high amounts in oysters

Zinc deficiency is characterized by growth retardation, loss of appetite, and impaired immune function. In more severe cases, zinc deficiency causes hair loss, diarrhea, delayed sexual maturation, impotence, hypogonadism in males, and eye and skin lesions. Weight loss, delayed healing of wounds, taste abnormalities, and mental lethargy can also occur. Many of these symptoms are non-specific and often associated with other health conditions; therefore, a medical examination is necessary to ascertain whether a zinc deficiency is present.

A wide variety of foods contain zinc. Oysters contain more zinc per serving than any other food, but red meat and poultry provide the majority of zinc in the American diet. Other good food sources include beans, nuts, certain types of seafood (such as crab and lobster), whole grains, fortified breakfast cereals, and dairy products.

Information obtained from http://ods.od.nih.gov/factsheets/Zinc-HealthProfessional/

By Mila McManus MD|2013-05-19T16:51:21-06:00May 19th, 2013|General|

Low Testosterone?

Wellness and hormones aren’t just for women. Men develop hormonal imbalances and deficiencies as well. Have you developed ‘Grumpy Ole Man Syndrome’? Are you too pooped to play with your kids? Have you lost your game? Have you lost your drive? Have you developed a beer belly? Might be time to optimize your hormones and test for adrenal fatigue.

Have you had your testosterone level checked and it’s always in normal range? Besides the fact that the normal reference range for testosterone is quite large, there are many factors that can affect how your body is utilizing testosterone. If you are overweight or are eating a particular diet, you may have excess estrogen in the body, which then blocks testosterone function. If you have adrenal fatigue (click link for list of symptoms), your body may be shunting hormone production to make more cortisol instead of making adequate testosterone. If you are deficient in certain nutrients, e.g. zinc, your testosterone may be metabolizing into estrogen at an excessive rate, causing a downward spiral in testosterone function. (Click link for low testosterone symptoms).

Call 281-298-6742 and give yourself the best gift there is-the gift of good health! Testing for low T is as simple as taking this quick, online questionnaire as an initial step.

By Mila McManus MD|2014-04-14T13:51:56-06:00May 17th, 2013|Articles, General|

Reference Ranges – Why Your NORMAL Lab Results May be Misleading

by Mila McManus MD

So you’re convinced that you are LOW THYROID. You have classic symptoms, such as depressed moods, fatigue, weight gain, headaches, hair loss, etc, and you convince your doctor to test your thyroid level. Much to your dismay, you get a letter in the mail 2 weeks later that says your thyroid level is normal. What’s next? Your doctor offers you an antidepressant, Ibuprofen, and tells you to exercise. Does this sound familiar?

There are two problems here. First, this so- called ‘normal’ result might NOT be YOUR normal. Reference ranges for most lab values are established by testing a large number of healthy people and observing what appears to be “normal” for them. A large number of people are tested for a given lab, and in turn, a bell curve (i.e., normal distribution) is created. By statistical definitions, when one includes the results that extend 2 standard deviations beyond the average of that distribution, this encompasses 95% of the population studied. So if 95% of a sample population had thyroid levels that ranged from 5 to 500, that would be the reference range for a thyroid test. You must agree that 5 to 500 is a pretty broad range. So let’s say your thyroid level, hypothetically, is 25. That certainly does fall ‘within normal range’, but perhaps YOUR normal is 350. For another example, let’s say, hypothetically, that 5 yrs ago your thyroid level was 400. Over the past 5 years, you’ve noticed a slow, but steady decline in your energy, moods, brain function, etc, and had your thyroid checked again. This time it is 200. Both of these numbers are well within ‘normal range’, but your thyroid is now functioning 50% slower than it did 5 years ago. Because these levels are within range, your thyroid problem won’t be detected with bloodwork, and instead of addressing the underlying issues related to low thyroid function, which may or may not include thyroid hormone supplemenation, you are offered several prescription drugs to mask the symptoms that would otherwise be easily resolved.

The second problem is that doctors are taught in medical school and residency training to interpret most lab values as black and white, i.e., no gray area. This includes thyroid. According to most doctors, you do not have a thyroid problem if your lab result is ‘within normal limits’.

Test yourself for low thyroid symptoms.

By Mila McManus MD|2016-10-03T12:25:05-06:00May 13th, 2013|General|

Thyroid Symptoms, Diseases and Treatments

What is thyroid: This is a small butterfly-shaped gland in your neck, wrapped around the windpipe, behind and below the Adam’s Apple area. This gland produces two hormones:
1. tri-iodothyronine (T3): the active, primary intracellular hormone and
2. thyroxine (T4): the inactive, primary extracellular hormone.

This gland governs the body’s metabolism and growth through the production of these hormones. Once released, T3 and T4 travel through the bloodstream to help cells convert oxygen and calories into energy. These hormones determine your body’s metabolic rate, the rate at which your cells produce and use energy. If your thyroid gland were to be removed and you weren’t given any supplementation, then you might live one year. You would slowly unwind like a doll on Christmas morning until your body would cease functioning.

When your thyroid is not functioning properly, thyroid disease usually results. Sometimes, there are few symptoms and other times there are major symptoms such as goiters or unexplained weight gain. In this article, we will describe hypothyroidism, hyperthyroidism and an auto-immune disease called Hashimoto’s thyroiditis.

Hypothyroidism: Hypo means low so this disease relates to a medical condition manifested by low thyroid function, not producing enough thyroid hormones or by low thyroid hormone action in the cells. If T4 is not properly assimilated into the cells or is not converted to T3 within the cells, then this disease results. This is the most common form of thyroid disease and one of the most overlooked because bloodwork does not always show a deficiency (see the article on Reference Ranges).

It is not the level of thyroid hormone in the blood that is important, but rather how much T3 is present within the cells. This is why blood tests are inconclusive and often do not correlate with a patient’s clinical symptoms. Some symptoms of hypothyroidism include, but are not limited to, chronic fatigue, weight gain, cold extremities, headaches, brain fog, depression, hair loss, irregular menstrual cycles, low basal body temperature, low blood pressure and many more. If left untreated, thyroid deficiency can lead to migraines, recurrent and chronic infections, skin disorders, obesity, menstrual irregularities and infertility, emotional disorders, hypertension, coronary artery disease, cancer and the complications of diabetes. Sometimes, diagnosis may be detected by Free T4 and TSH (thyroid stimulating hormone) levels in the blood, but most commonly by a patient’s symptoms. There are many causes of hypothyroidism, but one of the most common is Hashimoto’s Thyroiditis.

Hashimoto’s Thyroiditis: This is a type of autoimmune disease in which the immune system produces antibodies to the thyroid gland. The antibodies attack this important gland and prevent it from making enough hormones to be properly assimilated into the cells. This usually leads to hypothyroidism and, therefore, the symptoms are very similar. Common symptoms include fatigue, depression, constipation, muscle and joint pains, weight gain, brain fog, sensitivity to cold, puffy face, dry skin, increased menstrual flow, infertility, miscarriages and presence of a goiter. Diagnosis is based on blood levels of antibodies against thyroglobulin and thyroid peroxidase, as well as symptoms.

Hyperthyroidism: When your thyroid starts producing too much hormone, you can become hyperthyroid and your body goes into overdrive. This may be caused by too much thyroid hormone replacement, which is why it is extremely important to have routine follow up appointments and bloodwork done. Some symptoms include insomnia, irritability or anxiety, unexplained weight loss, increased heart rate or palpitations, increased perspiration, shaky hands, feeling tired, menstrual abnormalities, muscle weakness, eye changes (bulging eyes, double vision), infertility, brittle hair, hair loss, lack of concentration or erratic behavior.

Treatment for Thyroid Diseases: Most traditional doctors will prescribe Synthroid or Levoxyl for treatment of hypothyroidism or Hashimoto’s. The Woodlands Institute for Health & Wellness treats first with Armour thyroid medication. Armour is a bio-identical, natural hormone. It consists of thyroid glands from pigs that are removed and desiccated (dried). After the glands are dried, they are pulverized, ground into powder, emulsified and finally punched into tablets. These tablets contain the exact same T3 and T4 hormones that our bodies produce as well as nutrients.

Drug companies look for chemical substances in nature that have therapeutic and medicinal value. The only way they can profit from them is by changing the chemical formula ever so slightly and creating a new synthetic drug to be patented and sold at a handsome profit. The pharmaceutical companies then market their drugs by employing salesmen to promote their products to private physicians. This includes Synthroid and Levoxyl.

These synthetic forms of thyroid contain only T4, which is the inactive form of thyroid. This means your body must convert that T4 into the active T3. Many people are resistant to this internal conversion, which explains why some hypothyroid patients do not feel much better when placed on synthetic thyroid replacements. For this reason, synthetic drugs and counterfeit hormones are not as effective as their bio-identical counterparts. Many synthetic drugs and counterfeit hormones have serious and harmful side effects. For this reason, we prescribe and recommend biologically identical hormones, including Armour Thyroid. Although the symptoms of functional hypothyroidism are many and diverse, virtually all will improve or resolve when the patient is treated with Armour Thyroid.

Click here to test yourself for low thyroid symptoms. For more information, visit the Ask Dr. McManus page at https://woodlandswellnessmd.com/resources/ask-dr-mcmanus.html to watch a short video on thyroid function.

By Mila McManus MD|2014-04-16T08:59:46-06:00May 13th, 2013|General|

The Healing Code

By Dr. Alex Loyd and Dr. Ben Johnson

The premise of the book is that all disease stems from physiologic stress. If you deal with psychological stress, you can be assured that your body is experiencing physiologic stress; however, even if you do not feel anxious or stressed, it’s still likely that your body is under physiologic stress.

So what does this all mean? Well, for starters, when you are under physiologic stress, your body is in survival mode (aka “fight or flight”). This involves activating your sympathetic nervous system which raises blood pressure, increases heart rate, stresses your adrenal glands, and overrides the parasympathetic nervous system which is responsible for digestion and for maintenance and repair of the body.

Instead of your body worrying about cancer cell over here, and virus over there, and digesting the food in your stomach, it’s worried about surviving the next few minutes. This means that people with chronic stress are bound to have digestive issues and are adversely affecting their body’s ability to heal itself.

The author of The Healing Code, Dr Alex Loyd, spent years trying to help his wife recover from depression. He even went back to school to get a PhD in Psychology to try to figure things out for her. One day, while flying home from a conference, he tells how this information appeared to him, and he knew how to help his wife when he returned home to her. He performed what he now calls the healing code with his wife and apparently she’s been great ever since. The co-author of the book, Ben Johnson, MD, DO, NMD, was diagnosed with ALS (a typically fatal auto-immune disease affecting the nervous system) and, knowing his fate, was seeking out alternatives when he came across the healing code. He began a diligent regimen of the healing code and reports that he cured his illness in 3 months.

In the book it’s explained how we accumulate memories, both good and bad, and that the bad memories can be constantly reactivated, even at a subconscious level, keeping you in a state of physiologic stress. Let’s say, for example, that you were in a terrible car accident 15 years ago with a red car. Ever since then, every time you see the color red, it may be causing you stress, whether you feel it (e.g. a random panic attack) or not (e.g. chronic high blood pressure or digestive issues without obvious cause).

The goal of this book is to teach you how to neutralize your body’s physiologic stress response with a simple 6 minute exercise done once daily which in turn would dampen the activity of the sympathetic nervous system, helping to lower blood pressure and heart rate, and allow the parasympathetic nervous system to take over again, thereby improving digestion and allowing the body to heal itself.

By Mila McManus MD|2013-04-30T06:59:12-06:00April 30th, 2013|Recommended Reading|

The Healing Code

The Healing Code: Address Your Stress

I first learned about a book called The Healing Code from a patient of mine and I think this is one of the most fascinating books I’ve read in a long time. This book gives hope.

The premise of the book is that all disease stems from physiologic stress. If you deal with psychological stress, you can be assured that your body is experiencing physiologic stress; however, even if you do not feel anxious or stressed, it’s still likely that your body is under physiologic stress.

So what does this all mean? Well, for starters, when you are under physiologic stress, your body is in survival mode (aka “fight or flight”). This involves activating your sympathetic nervous system which raises blood pressure, increases heart rate, stresses your adrenal glands, and overrides the parasympathetic nervous system which is responsible for digestion and for maintenance and repair of the body.

Instead of your body worrying about cancer cell over here, and virus over there, and digesting the food in your stomach, it’s worried about surviving the next few minutes. This means that people with chronic stress are bound to have digestive issues and are adversely affecting their body’s ability to heal itself.

The author of The Healing Code, Dr Alex Loyd, spent years trying to help his wife recover from depression. He even went back to school to get a PhD in Psychology to try to figure things out for her. One day, while flying home from a conference, he tells how this information appeared to him, and he knew how to help his wife when he returned home to her. He performed what he now calls the healing code with his wife and apparently she’s been great ever since. The co-author of the book, Ben Johnson, MD, DO, NMD, was diagnosed with ALS (a typically fatal auto-immune disease affecting the nervous system) and, knowing his fate, was seeking out alternatives when he came across the healing code. He began a diligent regimen of the healing code and reports that he cured his illness in 3 months.

In the book it’s explained how we accumulate memories, both good and bad, and that the bad memories can be constantly reactivated, even at a subconscious level, keeping you in a state of physiologic stress. Let’s say, for example, that you were in a terrible car accident 15 years ago with a red car. Ever since then, every time you see the color red, it may be causing you stress, whether you feel it (e.g. a random panic attack) or not (e.g. chronic high blood pressure or digestive issues without obvious cause).

The goal of this book is to teach you how to neutralize your body’s physiologic stress response with a simple 6 minute exercise done once daily which in turn would dampen the activity of the sympathetic nervous system, helping to lower blood pressure and heart rate, and allow the parasympathetic nervous system to take over again, thereby improving digestion and allowing the body to heal itself.

What have you got to lose? Maybe $15 for the book and the time to read it? I’ve already received positive feedback from others to whom I’ve recommended the book, such as lower blood pressure, less anxiety, resolving reflux, better sleep, etc. Whatever ails you, why not give it a try?

By Mila McManus MD|2014-06-30T14:34:40-06:00April 30th, 2013|Articles, General|

L-Theanine

Did you know?

Can improve mood, reduce stress and help focus
Non-sedating improved alpha wave activity, the brain activity present when you are alert
Role in helping reduce cholesterol
May improve the efficacy of cancer treatments
Rats fed a high Theanine diet showed a significantly lower body weight, blood
plasma fat and overall body fat accumulation
Reduces blood pressure
Accelerates metabolism of alcohol metabolites which helps protect the liver from alcohol effects

L-Theanine is a non-essential amino acid and has unique and almost amazing properties. L-Theanine can cross the blood brain barrier and hence has psychoactive properties and is found in the tea plant. Green tea is felt to have the greatest concentration of L-Theanine.

L-Theanine can improve mood, reduce stress and help focus and particularly when working with caffeine. Moreover, individuals taking Theanine also showed improved alpha wave activity, the activity present when you are alert but not stressed and for most people the most desirable awake state. Unlike many supplements where research is still in its infancy there is a large base of clinical trials done by the Japanese to indicate that Theanine is not only effective but also safe. Japan approved Theanine as a universally safe supplement as early as 1964 and permitted unrestricted amounts in all foods except those for infants.

While Theanine is widely touted as a mind relaxant, and for good reason, it also has some other very attractive properties. Theanine has been found to increase dopamine in humans. Dopamine is the naturally occurring chemical in the brain, which is released during pleasant activities such as eating, sex and for some…chocolate. Dopamine produces a sense of well being.

Additional research indicates even more L-Theanine benefits including that it plays a role in helping reduce cholesterol and that Theanine also may improve the efficacy of cancer treatments by decreasing the amount of cancer drug in healthy cells while focusing the drug on cancerous cells. The calming benefits of L-Theanine were also stressed in this study. Rats fed a high Theanine diet also showed a significantly lower body weight, blood plasma fat and overall body fat accumulation. There appear to be many L-Theanine benefits and not many negative L-Theanine side effects. However, as with any supplement there are some interactions with medications that might be significant to note. Theanine is known to reduce blood pressure and if taking Theanine supplements with blood pressure medication the potential exists to reduce blood pressure too far. Medically prescribed stimulants may interact with L-Theanine and reduce the effectiveness of the prescription. Although no case studies have been done specifically nor is there any indication it may prove harmful, it is worth noting when considering L-Theanine supplements.

The exact safe or “recommended dosage for an L-Theanine supplement is perhaps the most difficult to effectively guess. The scientific community has been unable to come up with any indication that there is an “unsafe” level of Theanine. As with any supplement, it is always best to check with a medical professional before using the supplement in the case of children, pregnant women or individuals with severe health issues. Frequently prescribed doses range from 50-200mg, 2 to 4 times daily. It is wisest to follow label directions and consult with your physician if unsure of the appropriate dosage.*

*The information above is not to be construed as medical advice. Consult with your health care provider. Information for this article obtained from ltheanine.net

By Mila McManus MD|2013-04-30T06:22:23-06:00April 30th, 2013|Articles, General|

Testimonial- I am a Healthier me, all because you educated and I listened.

I am a Healthier me, all because you educated and I listened.

I have been a patient of Dr. McManus for over two years now, and I have never felt better. I originally went to a Lunch and Learn as a skeptic, but decided to give it a try. The best money I ever spent. I have never felt better in my life, I have more energy and overall good health. My daughter next decided to travel from Austin to go through their program. Neither of us went for weight loss, but for health and nutrition primarily. After following their protocol, the end result was a healthier us and as a bonus weight loss! My daughter has also had the a similar story. My daughter has thyroid issues and is currently working with Dr. McManus on this as well. She now has a healthier family as a result because she has learned so much from them and from their nutritionist, Nancy. Two years later, they continue to be a phone call or email away. The initial cost may be high, but it is the best money you will ever spend. I can confidently state that I have spent far less on medical expenses in the past two years, that easily made up for the initial cost.

My real reason for writing is my most recent experience. My 4 year old granddaughter had a stomach virus several weeks ago that she has not been able to shake. She has visited the ER twice in the past four weeks, lost weight and has not been able to eat. I emailed Dr. McManus on a Friday, knowing they closed early that day and never expecting them to see her. They were amazing. They stayed late to allow time for them to travel from south of Houston to Spring, evening running to the store to purchase Pedialyte popsicles for my granddaughter. My daughter and I know they are good, but even this dedication overwhelmed us.

TWIHW, Dr. McManus and staff care about your health. If you listen to them, they will educate you. I remember Dr. McManus saying one time….. “You can lead a horse to water, but you can’t make them drink it.” How true this statement is. The education will be provided. If you listen to them and follow, you will be the benefactor.

Thank you, Dr. McManus and staff, you have changed my life. I am a healthier me, all because you educated and I listened. My family, one by one, is joining the team…..

By Mila McManus MD|2013-04-29T17:41:06-06:00April 29th, 2013|Testimonials|

Eggocado Recipe

This eggocado recipe is great for those on a high protein diet. Serve for breakfast or any meal.

Ingredients:
– 1/2 avocado
– 1 egg
– Picante sauce, fresh herbs or uncured prosciutto

1/2 Avocado, remove seed, open egg into the hole in avocado, bake at 350 for 15-20 minutes until egg has reached desired doneness. Top with picante sauce, fresh herbs or chopped uncured prosciutto.

By Mila McManus MD|2014-07-31T11:56:30-06:00April 26th, 2013|General, Recipes|

Trans-fats linked to irritability and aggression

One of the most disheartening aspects of being about the business of nutrition today is that the majority of the food available in the market place today does not jive with my idea of real, whole food. There is a lot of fake food out there. I’m sure you have heard about trans fats for example. The majority of trans fatty acids in our food come from an industrial process that partially hydrogenates unsaturated fatty acids to stabilize the oil and prolong shelf life, thus starting with an all natural fat as it occurs in nature, and literally de-naturing it by changing the molecular structure. Real food becomes man-made, man-altered, fake food. Inside our human body, our cells really struggle to put unnatural, fake food to any good use! In fact damaged foods cause a multitude of problems.

To make the point, a recent study published online in March of 2012, reports “dietary trans fatty acid intake is associated with irritability and aggression in adults. The investigators found that greater dietary trans fatty acid intake was associated with greater aggression. Furthermore, dietary trans fatty acid intake was a more consistent predictor of aggression than the other aggression predictors evaluated. Even after adjusting the data to account for confounders such as sex, age and ethnicity, the correlation remained significant. The investigators concluded that this study provides the first evidence linking dietary trans fatty acids with behavioral irritability and aggression. “ (http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/22403632)

These trans fatty acids are also known to be artery clogging fat and the cause of much of our cardiovascular disease today. It is no surprise that heart disease, stroke, diabetes, and obesity ride the top of the charts for the reasons for death in America today. Trans fatty acids are found in margarine and shortening and in fried foods like French fries, fried chicken, donuts and most fast foods, and packaged baked goods. With the popularity and availability of these foods, is it any surprise that we also are finding more children and adults with behavioral issues? Healthy, undamaged, all natural fats, such as butter from grass fed cows, avocado, expeller pressed coconut oil, nuts and olives are good examples of undamaged, natural fats that contribute to good mental health and well being. Eat Well! Live Well!

By Mila McManus MD|2013-05-01T06:30:09-06:00April 26th, 2013|Articles, General, NANCY’S NUTRITIONAL NUGGET|

About Mila McManus MD

Test yourself for low thyroid symptoms.

The Healing Code: Address Your Stress

Did you know?