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Sodium: Is it Really A Villain?

by Mila McManus MD

Your body requires sodium to function and getting too little actually increases your risk of heart problems, not lower it.

Reduction of dietary sodium is the conventional wisdom offered to solve a number of health problems including high blood pressure. This wisdom is grossly oversimplified and is often a problematic approach to any number of health concerns.

Of the 118 building blocks of life identified in the periodic table, 25 are essential to life, and 95% of the body is made up of carbon (C), oxygen (O), hydrogen (H) and nitrogen (N). The next seven most essential elements for life on the periodic table are calcium, phosphorus, potassium, sulfur, sodium, chlorine, and magnesium. Sodium is in the top 11 essential elements needed for life.

Three Key Salt Facts

First, your body requires sodium to function. According to James DiNicolantonio, PharmD, author of The Salt Fix, inadequate consumption may actually increase your risk of heart problems!

Second, sodium MUST be understood in the context of its balance to potassium, as well as other key elements in the body. This balance is FAR more important to maintain than lowering salt intake alone. Failing to address increasing dietary sources of potassium while decreasing sodium results in an imbalance that’s harmful to health. In addition, the body strives to maintain an optimal level of sodium regardless of your intake. Magnesium and calcium levels are used to control sodium levels. If sodium levels drop too low, sodium will be pulled from your bones, along with magnesium and calcium. This is one reason why low salt diets are likely to be implicated in osteoporosis.

Third, not all dietary salts are the same. Salt has two essential elements – sodium and chloride. The vast supply of salt in the American diet is found in processed foods. Processed salt is about 39% sodium, 58% chloride, and the remainder is chemical additives such as moisture absorbents, anticaking gents, and often iodine. Unprocessed, natural salt, such as Himalayan or sea salt, contains slightly lower amounts of sodium and chloride and valuable remaining trace minerals such as silicon, phosphorus, and vanadium. Natural salt is also higher in potassium than processed salt. White iodized table salt has 151 mg/kg of potassium, while pink Himalayan salt contains 2,085 mg/kg. So, switching the kind of salt you use can improve your sodium to potassium ratios and improve health. Natural varieties include pink Himalayan (beware of knock-off’s!) and salt from ancient salt beds. Both sources are free from the pollutants and plastics now found in our oceans.

Finally, it is essential and smart to increase dietary sources of potassium to keep sodium balance in check. Needless to say, processed foods are a poor dietary choice from every direction. Your body needs five times more potassium than sodium, but most people get the exact opposite ratio, i.e. five times more salt than potassium. The most potassium dense food sources are found in the foods humans are best wired to eat – fruits and vegetables. Potassium is also found in small amounts in meats, dairy, nuts, and grains. The most potassium rich food sources include fruits such as avocadoes, tomatoes, oranges, bananas, cantaloupe, honeydew, apricots, and grapefruit. Potassium rich vegetable sources include cooked spinach and broccoli, red boiled potato, sweet potato, mushrooms, peas, cucumbers, zucchini, pumpkin, and leafy greens. The best strategy is to eat 3 to 5 servings of a wide variety of fruits and vegetables every day, along with other whole, unprocessed, natural foods. Moreover, according to DiNicolantonio, most people should salt their food “to taste”, taking it as a sign that the body needs as much as the body’s craving.

Be well!

Resources:

New England Journal of Medicine, August 14, 2014; 371:612-623

American Heart Association, Primer on Potassium

Science Direct, Table Salt, Different salts in snacks

The Salt Fix by James DiNicolantonio, PharmD

The Ultimate Age-Defying Plan by Mark Reinfeld and Ashley Boudet, ND. 2019

Foods. 2020 Oct; 9(10):1490., Table 2

BitChute, Mercola October 26, 2021, 00:19

Mo Med. 2018 May-Jun; 115 (3): 247-252

Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health, Potassium

By Mila McManus MD|2023-08-17T08:45:52-06:00August 17th, 2023|General|

by Mila McManus, MD

food categories that were found to be most protective against cardiovascular disease...is the addition of whole fat dairy.

PURE, the international Prospective Urban and Rural Epidemiological study collected data from five international trials encompassing more than 240,000 people to determine the food categories that were found to be most protective against cardiovascular disease. As you might expect, fruits, vegetables, nuts, legumes, and fish were all regarded as protective. The final food category associated with cardiovascular protection was whole fat dairy.

The scoring system was derived from dietary patterns and clinical events observed in the PURE study and was applied to populations internationally. Greater consumption of these six categories (fruits, vegetables, nuts, legumes, fish, and whole fat dairy) resulted in significantly reduced risks for death, myocardial infarction, and stroke.

This further confirms our strong belief that the best food for the human body is the food found in nature. Too many food options available are edited by man and genetically altered due to environmental forces (e.g., remove cattle from a calm, fresh pasture, and put them in a crowded, stressful feedlot, and feed them grains to which their digestive systems are not designed to handle).

Our commercial grain and dairy industries use a lot of the UNnatural man-made processes such as confinement, pesticides, genetic modification, antibiotics, hormones, and feeding animals something other than their natural diet. Dairy and wheat continue to be two of the top 5 food sensitivities and food allergies in our country. This adulteration of our food likely contributes to the develop of allergies and sensitivities. In addition, dairy and grains are ubiquitous in the diet, and this also contributes to the development of food allergies and sensitivities. In other words, over-exposing the body to a particular food on a constant or continual basis makes you more likely to develop an allergy or sensitivity to it.

It is also noteworthy that many people who struggle with wheat and dairy allergies/sensitivities can tolerate dairy from European A2 cows, and can tolerate wheat from countries that do not allow genetic modification or excessive pesticides and herbicides.

Please note several considerations regarding dairy consumption:

First, be sure you have carefully tested yourself, by oral food challenges, allergy testing, and/or food sensitivity testing, to determine how dairy effects your body and inflammatory processes. Food allergies and food sensitivities are not the same and both should be evaluated. Many do not do well on any kind of dairy; others don’t do well with milk, but can tolerate cheese, or vice versa. Frequency of consumption also varies greatly. Many people find that using dairy on a daily basis is very congesting and causes inflammatory responses, but that occasional consumption of goat or sheep products can be enjoyed.

Second, if you are going to consume dairy, choose products in full fat form, organic, and 100% pasture-fed, as any cow, goat, or sheep would voluntarily choose. Also, products marked “A2” may be a better choice.

Third, all dairy has many components, each of which can create sensitivities or allergies. Milk dairy is made up of at least two key proteins: Casein and Whey. Both are common problems digestively. Dairy also includes a problematic sugar called Lactose. Milk dairy also contains fat. Food sensitivities and allergies are to proteins, not FAT. Cheeses are made by intensifying casein and reducing the whey. The watery aspects of milk, yogurt, and cottage cheese are the whey. Dense casein is hard cheese. Dense whey is milk. Butter is 95% or more of the butter fat, minus lactose, casein, and most of the whey.

Fourth, milk from any living human or animal is designed to feed babies and help them grow. Once growth is underway, weaning has been the long held historical tradition of humans and animals. We tend to see adult milk drinkers struggle with weight, elevated triglycerides, sugar addiction, hormonal imbalance, or allergies and sensitivities, especially to commercially produced milk. Non-fat and low-fat milk have been contributors to increased sugar in the diet, leading to obesity and diabetes. Fat helps to slow down the digestion of sugar, demonstrating the truth that food in its natural state is best for our health and wellness.

Dairy is not for everyone and most likely not an ideal daily “go to”. So please focus more on vegetables, fruits, nuts, legumes, and meat!

Choose well, be well!

Medscape.com/viewarticle/994218 Heart-Protective Diet in PURE Study Allows Whole-Fat Dairy

https://www.fda.gov/food/buy-store-serve-safe-food/food-allergies-what-you-need-know

https://www.medicinenet.com/what_are_the_most_common_food_intolerances/article.htm

By Mila McManus MD|2023-08-09T12:18:17-06:00August 10th, 2023|Articles, General|

by Mila McManus, MD

in my experience, it is just as possible for a thin, physically fit, non-snorer female to have sleep apnea too, and not know it.

It’s a common assumption that sleep apnea is frequently associated with middle aged, overweight, thick-necked males who snore. While there is truth in this assumption, it’s important to know that many thin, non-snoring men and women have sleep apnea too. My patients will often say, “I sleep great!,” not knowing that they are suffering with sleep apnea as a root cause of some of their ailments, such as fatigue and high blood pressure.

Sleep apnea is a serious sleep disorder that most frequently remains undiagnosed, and left untreated, can lead to a greater risk for high blood pressure, cardiac arrhythmias, stroke, and erectile dysfunction. Other signs and symptoms that can accompany sleep apnea include morning headaches, unrefreshing sleep, poor sleep quality, needing to urinate in the night, and daytime fatigue and sleepiness.

Sleep apnea often remains undiagnosed. If you don’t fit the typical profile (middle aged, overweight, thick-necked, snorer, male), your doctor isn’t likely to send you for a sleep study.

With obstructive sleep apnea, the muscles in the throat and the jaw relax during sleep. As this happens, the tongue also falls back into the throat creating partial blockage of the airway, either fully or partially. This causes decreased airflow, causing oxygen levels in the blood to drop and carbon dioxide blood levels to increase. Eventually the oxygen-starved brain signals the body to wake up and clear the blockage so that oxygen levels improve once again. This cycle repeats itself throughout the night, sometimes hundreds of times, but at a subconscious level. This means that you don’t know this is happening and think you’re getting a great night’s sleep.

Aging and increased weight are risk factors. Interestingly, when we gain weight, our tongue increases in size, as does the tissue around the neck, and this narrows the airway. Aging also results in throat muscles becoming less stiff and more likely to narrow and collapse. Furthermore, airway architecture might be problematic for a much broader range of people.

Family predispositions for certain anatomical features can put you at risk. Families may have narrower airways, enlarged adenoids or tonsils, or adjusting the tongue or jaw in a posterior position (pulling the tongue to the back of the mouth or pulling the lower jaw backward toward the neck).
Certain ethnicities have tendencies for sleep apnea. The most common are African Americans, Hispanics, and Pacific Islanders, due to architectural features making the airway environment during sleep more susceptible to obstruction.
Highly fit individuals can be more susceptible to sleep apnea. Due to a thicker and more muscular neck, the muscles and fat pads can compress and narrow the airway.
Medical conditions such as hypothyroidism, growth hormone irregularities, food and environmental allergies, and other medical conditions causing congestion in the upper airways such as a deviated septum, and mold or yeast issues, are also causes of increased risk for sleep apnea.

And let’s not forget about CENTRAL sleep apnea. This is another explanation why thin, non-snoring people can have sleep apnea. Rather than an airway obstruction causing OBSTRUCTIVE sleep apnea, the other type of apnea called ‘central’ sleep apnea occurs due to the brain not signaling the need to breathe consistently while asleep. Risk factors for this include heart issues such as atrial fibrillation or congestive heart failure, and stroke or other brain injury, certain medications such as narcotic pain medications, age, and toxic burden in the body that’s affecting the brain and central nervous system.

Main takeaway: If you don’t fit the profile of a typical apnea patient, but exhibit symptoms such as morning headaches, unrefreshing sleep, poor sleep quality or daytime sleepiness, it is best to seek a medical evaluation and request a sleep study.

Breathe Well, Sleep Well, Be Well!

Resources:

https://mysleepdevice.com/thin-and-have-apnea/

Mayo clinic

By Mila McManus MD|2023-07-31T14:47:21-06:00August 2nd, 2023|General|

by Mila McManus, MD

Increased usage of electronic screens results in significantly increased risk for myopia, or nearsightedness.

You may not realize it, but increased usage of electronic screens results in significantly increased risk for myopia, aka nearsightedness. Nearsightedness is when close objects appear clear but distant objects are blurry. Excessive use of computer monitors, smartphones, and tablets also causes the glands that keep your eyes moist to atrophy, resulting in dry, sometimes painful eyes. This is caused by the fact that we blink less frequently when staring at a screen.

When the eye is forced to stare at something too close, the brain and eye adjust or accommodate to increase close up vison. Over time, the squeezing of muscles used to make that adjustment can elongate the eyeball, causing myopia. This is especially concerning for children and youth whose eyes are still developing. Dr. Vivian Hill, a Calgary-based pediatric ophthalmologist and surgeon, emphatically tells parents with children less than one year old that they should not be exposed at all to electronic screens! She recommends all children reduce screen time and increase outdoor activity. She has observed an alarming rate of progression of myopia in children under 12 years old.

Hill stresses that daily exposure to natural sunlight, which releases dopamine in the retina, possibly slows the elongation of the eye and changes to visual acuity. Research published in June 2022 found that the rate of myopia in children aged 5-17 who live in urban areas is 41%. Children who live in rural areas and tend to spend more time engaged in outdoor activities have a myopia rate of just 15.7%! Additionally, adequate sleep is essential for protection and proper development of the eyes for both adults and children.

Lutein is an essential nutrient for the eyes. It is very efficient at filtering out blue light- the type that comes from cellphones, computers, tablets, and LED lights. Moreover, blue light induces oxidative stress, increasing risk for macular diseases. The body does not produce lutein. It must come from diet or supplementation. Particularly rich sources of lutein include dark leafy greens, broccoli, red and yellow peppers, avocados, cherries, carrots, egg yolks, raspberries and paprika. Our eye health is another good reason to eat 5 or more servings of vegetables and fruits every day.

Other than sunlight and a healthy diet, another interesting approach to prevent or reverse nearsightedness is call the Bates Method. Dr. William H. Bates identified this method over 100 years ago. It was so effective that optometrists in New York lobbied local politicians to have it banned because it cut into their optometry business! Today this method is still taught by Bates Method International. The method is simple. First, sit while leaning forward with your elbows on a table or a stack of pillows and relax the shoulders and body. Second, place the center of your palms over your eyes and relax like this for at least two minutes. Third, remove your hands, open your eyes, and notice whether anything looks clearer. Usually, it will.

Bates was also a proponent of sun exposure to the eyes to help correct vision problems, and recent research suggests he was right on track 100 years ago!

Get some sunshine, extra sleep, and extra veggies. See Well. Be Well.

Ref:

https://takecontrol.substack.com/p/excessive-screen-time-myopia

CBC News April 23, 2023

Nature March 18, 2015; 519(7543): 276-278

J Ophthalmic Vis Res October-December 2021; 16(4): 531-537

Review of Myopia Management February 1, 2023

Investigative Ophthalmology & Visual Science June 2022; 63: 244 – A0098

Seeing.org Bates Method International

Healingtheeye.com, Bates Was Right

By Mila McManus MD|2023-07-13T06:56:34-06:00July 13th, 2023|Articles, General|

by Mila McManus, MD

It has been clearly proven to me that the Body Mass Index, or BMI, was an inadequate way to define all people.

Over the last two decades of my practice, it has been clearly proven to me that the Body Mass Index, or BMI, is an inadequate way to define all people as underweight, normal weight, overweight, obese, or morbidly obese. This has been the American Medical Association’s standard gauge for healthy weight, until now.

Thankfully, in recent weeks, the American Medical Association has agreed to advise doctors to pay less attention to BMI as the only standard. Body composition, belly fat, waist circumference, and genetic factors will also now be taken into account. The action came as a result of mounting evidence that it is an inaccurate predictor of individual health risk. The BMI scale is based primarily on data from white people, so the issue here is that body shape and composition vary among racial and ethnic groups, genders, and age groups.

The AMA’s statement further added that “overemphasis of bodily thinness is as deleterious to one’s physical and mental health as obesity.” The organization asks doctors to help patients “avoid obsessions with diet and to develop balanced, individualized approaches to finding the body weight that is best for each of them.”

At last! Promotion of the idea of individualized medicine!

Be you. Be well. Be here at TWIHW where personalized medicine is the standard.

Reference:

https://www.medscape.com/s/viewarticle/993244?ecd=mkm_ret_230630_mscpmrk_endo_weight_lossrx_etid5582539&uac=211980AX&impID=5582539

By Mila McManus MD|2023-07-06T05:54:56-06:00July 6th, 2023|General|

by Mila McManus, MD

A reproductive hormone called kisspeptin may be a treatment option for low sexual desire in men and women.

Two promising studies are suggesting that a reproductive hormone called kisspeptin may be a treatment option for low sexual desire in men and women.

In 2022, a randomized clinical trial of 32 premenopausal women with hypoactive sexual desire disorder, kisspeptin administration was found to modulate brain processing, for sex and attraction, in functional neuroimaging, psychometric, and hormonal analyses. Kisspeptin’s modulation of brain processing correlated with psychometric measures of sexual aversion and associated distress.[1]

In 2023, one randomized clinical trial of 32 men tested the effects of kisspeptin on sexual brain processing in males with hypoactive sexual desire disorder. Findings showed that kisspeptin significantly modulates brain activity in key structures of the sexual-processing network compared to placebo. In addition, kisspeptin increased sexual behavior and sexual desire. [2]

With these two studies, a foundation has been laid for kisspeptin’s efficacy and clinical therapeutic treatment for both men and women with low libido and/or low sexual attraction and desire. There were no observable or reported adverse effects. Kisspeptin had no significant negative effects on mood and anxiety, nor did it affect blood pressure or heart rate. Correlations suggest that kisspeptin may reduce sexual aversion and associated distress.

Ask your healthcare provider if this may be a good option for you.

Better in the Bedroom is Better for your Health. Be Well.

[1]Layla Thurston, MD, PhD¹; Tia Hunjan, MD¹; Natalie Ertl, MSc^1,2; et al. Effects of kisspeptin administration in women with hypoactive sexual desire disorder. JAMA Netw Open. 2022;5(10):e2236131. doi:10.1001/jamanetworkopen.2022.36131. https://jamanetwork.com/journals/jamanetworkopen/fullarticle/2797718

[2] Mills EG, Ertl N, Wall MB, et al. Effects of kisspeptin on sexual brain processing and penile tumescence in men with hypoactive sexual desire disorder: A randomized clinical trial. JAMA Netw Open. 2023;6(2):e2254313. doi:10.1001/jamanetworkopen.2022.54313. https://jamanetwork.com/journals/jamanetworkopen/fullarticle/2800937

By Mila McManus MD|2023-06-27T11:03:10-06:00June 28th, 2023|Articles, General|

by Mila McManus, MD

The researchers saw that sucralose caused DNA to break apart, putting people at risk for disease and gut health problems.

It continues to baffle my mind that, despite what research reveals over and over again, our food industry continues to get away with putting harmful ingredients in our food!

In 2012, we published our article in our newsletter regarding a 2008 study about Splenda, which you can read here. Then last year, we reiterated the harmful effects of all artificial sweeteners, and you can read that here, where we talked about two more studies done in 2008 and 2018 showing the toxicity and harm to our friendly gut bacteria caused by artificial sweeteners.

So here we are, 15 years since the first study, with many more studies under our scientific belt, and still, neither the FDA nor food industry has accepted responsibility for removing these toxic sweeteners from our food. Even WebMD and Cleveland Clinic have acknowledged the serious concerns, as has the FDA.

The most recent study done exposed human blood cells and gut tissue to sucralose. The researchers saw that sucralose caused DNA to break apart, putting people at risk for disease and gut health issues. Equally concerning is how toxic it is in very small amounts, so even one food item eaten once a week with Splenda in it can do considerable harm. The only amount of Sucralose that is safe is NONE.

All this to say, it’s important to take your own responsibility to know what you’re ingesting since the Powers that Be don’t seem to care. Protect your gut from the ravages of Splenda/Sucralose, as well as aspartame, saccharin, neotame, Advantame, and acesulfame potassium-k. All of them are well known to interfere with the normal and healthy activity of the gut, and to cause DNA damage. They are clearly linked to weight gain, obesity, insulin resistance, Type 2 diabetes, metabolic syndrome, and cancer. And we know that when the gut is not healthy, it is communicating inflammation messages to the brain and the rest of the body.

Eat real food, take a probiotic, and choose stevia, monk fruit, and/or erythritol as better, healthier sweeteners.

Be well!

By Mila McManus MD|2023-06-21T12:04:48-06:00June 22nd, 2023|Articles, General|

by Mila McManus, MD

Orthomolecular has recently presented a new supplement called HiPhenolic, designed to support weight management and cardiovascular health. It is a very pure, high concentration blend of polyphenols. HiPhenolic has scientifically demonstrated favorable shifts in metabolic targets such as maintaining blood pressure levels, improving satiation (i.e., fullness), and controlling appetite. As a result, it can assist with both weight loss and cardiovascular support.

HiPhenolic contains an extract blend of lemon verbena, hibiscus flower, green coffee bean, and magnesium. In two, double-blind, placebo-controlled, and randomized studies, hibiscus and lemon verbena extracts have been shown to work synergistically on the activation of the energy sensor AMPK and promote optimal metabolic efficiency through the modulation of fat metabolism. In both studies, there were improvements in weight, body fat percentage, waist circumference, and maintenance of blood pressure and heart rate in normal ranges. HiPhenolic lowers the hunger hormone ghrelin and increases our satiation hormone, leptin.

Green coffee bean extract has shown benefit in blood pressure control, optimizing lipids, decreasing body weight, and improving metabolism and glucose (aka blood sugar) disposal. Magnesium has many benefits including blood pressure regulation, blood glucose control, muscle and nerve function, protein synthesis, and plays a role in maintaining energy levels and metabolic efficiency.

Hiphenolic may be taken as a stand-alone, or may be added to other weight loss protocols.

Call (281) 298-6742 or email admin@TWIHW.com to our yours today! Supply is limited due to high demand and frequent back orders.

Be Well, Live Well.

Reference: Ortho Molecular Products, Supplement Facts and Provider Resource Sheets.

*This product is not intended to diagnose, treat or cure any illness or disease. The content and recommendations contained on this website have not been reviewed by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) and are solely the opinion of the author. Content contained on this website is not a substitute for professional medical advice, diagnosis or treatment. Never increase, reduce or discontinue any medication or treatment without first consulting your doctor.*

By Mila McManus MD|2023-06-14T12:16:44-06:00June 15th, 2023|Articles, General|

By Pamela O’Connor, MD

Lower muscle mass has been associated with delayed recovery, higher surgical complications, longer hospital stays, increased drug toxicity, overall poorer quality of life and higher all-cause mortality.

How important is your muscle mass? Some health experts say it is turning into a new “vital sign” – something that we should be paying close attention to. Lower muscle mass has been associated with delayed recovery, higher surgical complications, longer hospital stays, increased drug toxicity, overall poorer quality of life and higher all-cause mortality.

Skeletal muscle is the most abundant tissue in our bodies, representing 40% of our body mass. After eating a meal, about 80% of the circulating glucose (i.e., sugar) is deposited into our skeletal muscle. That makes it a logical connection – as muscle mass decreases with age, that change is now thought to be a key driver of insulin resistance and prediabetes.

Muscle is also now recognized as having some immune regulatory properties, so less muscle mass leads to deterioration of the immune system (which for the elderly population is a leading cause of death). In fact, sarcopenia (decrease in muscle mass) now predicts the risk of getting community-acquired pneumonia.

Resistance training is how we can optimize our own individual muscle mass. This type of exercise results in getting stronger (which relates to better balance and stability), AND offers a notable secondary benefit of an increase in metabolism. Muscles require a large amount of energy to keep them healthy and functioning properly. Building stronger muscles also strengthens your bones, which increases bone density.

Additional advantages include balancing of hormones, such as growth hormone, testosterone (for men AND women), estrogen and insulin (can improve insulin sensitivity and decrease glucose levels). Many also see increased libido, better mobility, decreased pain, improved cognition and mood, better sleep and it has been proven to help people live longer. For heart health, resistance training can decrease blood pressure, improve cholesterol and triglycerides, and decrease visceral fat. Visceral fat collects around organs, including the heart, and releases many pro-inflammatory chemicals.

What would qualify as resistance training? Lifting weights, using resistance bands, as well as body weight exercises all fall into the category of resistance training. There is a magic sweet spot where you perform at a high enough intensity to stimulate the muscle enough to get the desired physiologic changes, but you don’t want to overdo it. Perhaps one of the most important aspects of resistance training is to allow sufficient rest for full recovery (when the muscle building takes place).

Basic exercises to use as a start would be squats, lunges, pushups, and planks. Another great aspect of resistance training is that many people can get noticeable results with only 2 short workouts per week.

Schedule an appointment if you want to discuss more specifics about strategies for building more strength and muscle mass, regardless of your age or gender. We all need to treat our muscle mass as a vital aspect of good health!

Resources

Di Stefano, Sal. (2021). The Resistance Training Revolution. Hachette Book Group, Inc.

Dr. Mercola Article. (October 29,2021). You Can Get Stronger and Healthier as You Age!

Robbins, Tony, & Diamandis, Peter M.D., & Hariri, Robert M.D., PhD. (2022). Life Force. Simon & Schuster

By Mila McManus MD|2023-06-07T09:52:51-06:00June 8th, 2023|Articles, General|

by Mila McManus, MD

Sunscreens can be some of the most toxic substances to put on your skin. Remember that your skin is your largest organ.

As the warmer months approach, make sure you are ready to properly protect your family’s and your skin from the sun. Sunscreens can be some of the most toxic substances to put on your skin. Remember that your skin is your largest organ. It covers your entire body and is filled with capillaries (tiny blood vessels) that feed into your larger blood vessels which circulate throughout the body. Your skin is HIGHLY absorptive. Because of the need to re-apply, it is easy in one day to get a big dose of toxic substances onto and into your body in short order. As a result, the sunscreen you choose really matters.

Sunscreens are a well-known source of toxic chemicals, including hormone disrupters, carcinogens, and others. While there are many, the most concerning seem to be oxybenzone (hormone disruptor), methylisothiazolinone (allergenic, skin sensitivity), and retinyl palmitate (a form of vitamin A believed to speed the development of skin tumors and lesions).

We highly recommend that you use the Environmental Working Group (ewg.org) consumer guides. They have an updated Sunscreen guide for adults, children, and babies. They write very insightful and helpful summaries of their findings and evaluate the ingredients of hundreds of products to protect you. There are many price ranges, choices, and sources. Here is the link:

ewg.org

Perhaps even more important is to take other simple, non-toxic precautions first such as:

During the heat of the midday sun, wear protective sunglasses, hats, and t-shirts and stay in the shade.
There really is no such thing as perfect sunscreen. It really should be used as a last resort as a protective measure. But if you must, choose the best.
We DO need some sun exposure for good health. Just 15 minutes of time in the sun every day, without sunscreen, helps the body to create about 10,000 units of natural vitamin D. Choose late morning to late afternoon hours and limit the time to 15 minutes to avoid skin damage.

So before you head out to the garden, or over to the lake, beach or hiking path, be sure you have everything on hand to protect your family and yourself from damaging your skin.

Happy Spring and Summer! Be well! Stay well!

By Mila McManus MD|2023-05-31T11:56:34-06:00June 1st, 2023|Articles, General|

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