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So far Mila McManus MD has created 874 blog entries.

The Sun and Vitamin D

by Mila McManus MD

Now that school is finally out and we will all be spending more time outdoors, I believe the time has come to debunk the sunscreen myth.

Sunlight elevates our mood and exposure to it is crucial for optimal health for a number of reasons, with Vitamin D production being the most important.  Vitamin D is one of the most effective anti-cancer vitamins and can be produced in the skin through exposure to U.V. light. It is essential for a strong immune system that helps protect us from, and ward off, cancer(s). It is also very important for maintaining strong and healthy bones.

Toxicity of Sunscreens

Sunscreen ingredients, such as Zinc Oxide and Oxybenzone are linked to cancer. Absorbing chemicals through the skin can be more dangerous than ingesting them orally. The reason for this is that when chemicals or medications are applied directly on the skin, they are not broken down by the strong acids of the stomach before reaching the bloodstream, and they bypass being metabolized by the liver on initial entry.  Moreover, the aluminum content in these carcinogenic ingredients commonly used in most sunscreens will stay in the body forever, accumulating as a heavy metal toxin.

The survival of the sunscreen industry is reliant upon keeping us ignorant and afraid of the sun.  None of us would ever consider eating sunscreen, yet we follow the advice of the medical “establishment” that reports continually that many of us will suffer from skin cancer without it. “Experts” recommend applying generous amounts of the products every few hours. It has been shown that strict sun protection exacerbates Vitamin D deficiency. Sunscreen creates an actual physical barrier and blocks your skin’s ability to produce Vitamin D by more than 95%.

So, now that we have determined that sunscreen is full of known carcinogens and provides a physical barrier against the production of the amazing cancer fighter Vitamin D, what is the best solution to having optimal Vitamin D levels?

Sun Safety Solutions

The best solution is healthy tanning. This does not mean that we should all go out and get as much sun as we want. Caution must be exercised and the key is avoiding a burn.  This means that we should limit exposure initially until we accumulate some brown pigment, called melanin, which gives the skin brown color and protects it naturally from burning. As the skin becomes well tanned, a person can increase their exposure with little risk of cancer. If burning does occur, apply coconut oil or aloe vera overnight and miss a day or two of sun exposure to allow the skin to recover. In the middle of summer, when the sun is very strong, avoid the midday hours or wear lightweight, light colored clothing that covers the skin and a wide brimmed hat.

Have a Happy and Healthy Summer!

By |2013-06-23T09:09:35-05:00June 23rd, 2013|General|

Zesty Shrimp Salad

Try this zesty shrimp salad recipe that’s easy-to-make and delicious. This healthy recipe can be made ahead of time, covered and refrigerated for up to 1 day.
Makes 4 servings, 1 ½ cups each

Ingredients:
¼ cup cider vinegar
1/2 cup cold pressed extra virgin olive oil
1 T minced chipotle chile in adobo (La Costena or Goya Brand, canned)
1 tsp ground cumin
¼ tsp salt
1 lb peeled and deveined cooked shrimp
1- 15 ounce can black beans, rinsed
1 cup quartered cherry tomatoes
1 large poblano or bell pepper, chopped
¼ cup chopped scallions
¼ cup chopped fresh cilantro

Whisk vinegar, oil, chipotle, cumin and salt in a large bowl. Add shrimp, beans, tomatoes, poblano (or bell) pepper, scallions, cilantro; toss to coat. Serve room temperature or cold.

Per serving: 273 calories; 12 g fat (2 g sat, 8 g mono); 19 g carbohydrate; 6 g fiber; 21 g protein.

(from www.eatingwell.com)

By |2014-07-31T11:46:11-05:00June 23rd, 2013|General, Recipes|

Summer Hydration Strategies

 

Knowing How Much Water You Need

As the hot summer months approach, it is important to remember everyone loses water everyday through sweating and urinating.  We need to be sure to replenish this water loss.  While we can survive several months without food, without water we would not last more than a few days. This is especially important for children, the elderly and pets too!

Your body is the best guide to use when determining how much water you need every day.  So listen to it!  The three best communications your body provides to you are your thirst, the color of your urine, and the frequency of urinating.  If you are thirsty, you need water.  If your urine is a deep, dark yellow, then it is very likely you need more water (though some B vitamins and Vitamin C can cause this as well).   Additionally if you are urinating very little or very infrequently, you are not drinking enough water.  A healthy person urinates, on average, seven to eight times per day.

What NOT to drink

Soft drinks and the highly marketed sports drinks are not wise choices for hydration and we recommend avoidance.  They are chock full of sugar, high fructose corn sugar or artificial sweeteners, as well as phosphoric acid, artificial flavorings, and food coloring.  The salt in sports drinks is processed and more likely to increase thirst rather than quench it.  Additionally, the acidic nature of sports drinks is also highly corrosive to teeth.

Ideal Options for Hydration

Water remains the ideal choice for hydration. Ideal options include:

Natural Spring Water

Filtered tap water by reverse osmosis

For profuse sweating when doing vigorous exercise or outdoor activities for 45 minutes to an hour or more, it is helpful to add ½ tsp of Himalayan or Celtic salt to the water, available online or at most Health Food stores.

Other options for hydration include:

  • Alacer Corporation’s Electro Mix packet, pour into a 1-liter bottle of water for a convenient and healthy alternative to sports drinks. This is also gluten free and sweetened with stevia.
  • Coconut Water – Besides water, this is the most ideal hydrator. Be sure to purchase 100% pure coconut water with no added fruit juices, sugar or additives.  Grams of carbohydrate and sugar for an 11.2-ounce serving should be under 15.  Try O.N.E. or Zico brands.
  • Suero Viv, Cultured Whey beverage is available at www.Livebeyondorganic.com.  This is a pricier, designer option for discerning sports enthusiasts.

 

 

 

By |2013-06-28T09:16:53-05:00June 14th, 2013|Articles, NANCY’S NUTRITIONAL NUGGET|

Does Your Engine Need a Tune Up? Adrenal Fatigue May Be Cause

In This Issue

Supplement: ZINC

Recipe: Grilled Healthy Power Burgers

Lost your GAME?

Nutrition News

Testimonial

 

Quicklinks

Current Promotions

 

More About Us

TWIHW Events

 

Join Our Mailing List

Green

Like us on FacebookFollow us on Twitter

 

 

 

Supplement of the Month: ZINC

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 

Click here to learn more about zinc.  

 

Like us on Facebook

Click above to ‘Like’ us on Facebook and receive 15% off the supplement of the month!

 

 

 

Recipe of the Month:

Grilled Healthy Power Burgers on a Sweet Potato “Bun”

 

burger with sweet potato bun


You will need the following ingredients:

  • 1 pound Grass-fed ground beef
  • 1/2 cup chopped veggies (yellow, green or red onions, zucchini and yellow squash work best)
  • 1 Tablespoon Grass-fed Butter or coconut oil
  • 2 Tablespoons chopped Parsley

 

 Click here for full recipe   

 

 

We are dedicating this newsletter to dads. Happy Father’s Day!

 

 

Mila cropped low resolution (use this)Lost your Game? 

by Mila McManus MD

 

Wellness and hormones aren’t just for women.  Men develop hormonal imbalance 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 testosterone and/or adrenal function.

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 (test yourself here),  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. (test yourself for low testosterone symptoms here).

Call 281-298-6742 and give yourself the best Father’s Day gift there is-the gift of good health! We can help you address your adrenal fatigue and even have an online adrenal fatigue test.

 

 

Nutrition News
Nancy Mehlert

by Nancy Mehlert

 

 

Food for the Man in You

 

 

Staying strong and young requires maintaining muscle and bone mass as well as a healthy sexual desire.

 

Testosterone is the chairman of the board in the male body when it comes to staying strong.  Foods that support healthy testosterone levels in the body include those high in zinc and healthy fats.

CLICK HERE to find out which foods are high in zinc and healthy fats.

 

 

Testimonial:

 

“Below are a few comments about my experience: 

 

  • After the first week I started feeling much better and started having more energy
  • At the end of the second week I ran The Woodlands Half Marathon and turned in a personal record beating my old time by one minute per mile for thirteen miles.
  •  In the thirty days I dropped ten pounds and lost over a couple of inches in my waist.
  • My taste buds changed, that was crazy.  I do not crave the sugar and breads as I used to.
  • My memory, the fog I had has cleared up and it is awesome!  
  • Last but not least, as I got older my patience seems short and my moods change suddenly not for the better.  Since starting the wellness program, those episodes for the most part have gone away which makes my wife and family happier.  

 

Dr. McManus and the whole team are wonderful and they care so much to do what they can to make you successful.  

 

I was blown away at all of the benefits from doing the thirty day yeast cleanse that I will continue to reap for years to come.  I highly recommend it.  I plan on living a long, healthy, very active , pain free , medication free life.”

 

from W.H.B. 

 

 

 

 

In Good Health,

 

Mila McManus MD

26110 Oakridge Drive

The Woodlands, Texas 77380

The Woodlands Institute for Health & Wellness

281-298-6742
Email Us!

By |2020-10-08T09:47:46-05:00June 5th, 2013|Articles, General|

Food for the Man in You

by Nancy Mehlert, MS

Staying strong and young requires maintaining muscle and bone mass as well as a healthy sexual desire.  Testosterone is the chairman of the board in the male body when it comes to staying strong.  Foods that support healthy testosterone levels in the body include those high in zinc.  Oysters, roast beef, pumpkin seeds, 72% dark chocolate, peanuts, and crab are several great sources for zinc.

The right fats are essential for boosting testosterone levels. Research shows that a diet with less than 40% of energy as fat leads to a decrease in testosterone levels.  Wise fat choices include grass-fed butter, grass-fed meats, coconut meat and oil, avocado, cold pressed olive oil and olives, nuts, and seeds.

Staying mentally sharp and young requires taking care of the central command center for the body, otherwise known as the brain.  This is your hard drive.  It needs protection and back up in the form of essential antioxidants and plenty of oxygen. Foods that increase oxygen flow to the brain and provide mega-loads of antioxidant power are the best.  Ideal choices include most organic raw fruits and vegetables; however, the most powerful are berries, grapes, apples, leafy greens (examples include spinach, mustard greens, collard greens, bok choy, romaine, arugula, kale, Swiss chard, field greens), and avocados. 

Eat well and live well!

 

By |2013-06-03T18:35:28-05:00June 3rd, 2013|Articles, Men, NANCY’S NUTRITIONAL NUGGET|

Grilled Healthy Power Burgers

Eating well doesn’t mean you have to give up all your favorite foods. Try this recipe for healthy burgers.

Ingredients:
1 pound grass-fed ground beef
1/2 cup chopped veggies (yellow, green or red onions, zucchini and yellow squash work best)
1 Tablespoon grass-fed Butter or coconut oil
2 Tablespoons chopped Parsley

In a small frying pan, melt butter and sauté the vegetables over medium heat until tender, about 8-10 minutes. In a medium bowl, combine the sautéed vegetables with the ground beef and parsley. Work the mixture with your hands until well combined. Form into four patties and grill until desired doneness is reached. Serve between two sweet potato chips (see below) or butter lettuce leaves or open faced on a lettuce leaf and then layered with a tomato slice, pickle, onion and desired condiments.

Adapted from The Coconut Diet, by Cherie Calbom

Sweet Potato Chips (Use as a bun or bread)
2 large sweet potatoes
¼ cup coconut oil
Salt to taste

Place the coconut oil in a large skillet and melt it over medium high heat. Peel and slice the sweet potatoes. If using as a “bun”, slice them length wise for a large chip.

Place an even layer of the sliced sweet potatoes into the hot skillet. Cook until golden brown (about 3 minutes), flipping each piece with tongs and cooking for another three minutes on the other side until golden brown. Remove chips from the skillet and place them on paper towels on a plate or baking sheet. Repeat until all chips are cooked. Salt to taste.

Recipe from Paleo Slow Cooking by Chrissy Gower

By |2014-07-31T11:51:33-05:00May 30th, 2013|General, Recipes|

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 |2013-05-19T16:51:21-05:00May 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 |2014-04-14T13:51:56-05:00May 17th, 2013|Articles, General|

Reference Ranges – Why Your NORMAL Lab Results May be Misleading

Thyroid bell curve

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 |2016-10-03T12:25:05-05:00May 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 |2014-04-16T08:59:46-05:00May 13th, 2013|General|