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|2013-04-29T17:41:06-05:00April 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|2014-07-31T11:56:30-05:00April 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|2013-05-01T06:30:09-05:00April 26th, 2013|Articles, General, NANCY’S NUTRITIONAL NUGGET|

Depressed?

Depression comes in many forms and has many possible causes. Rather than band-aiding your depression with an anti-depressant medication, The Woodlands Institute aims to detect and correct the underlying causes of your depression. Causes may be anything from a simple nutritional deficiency or hormonal imbalance to a reaction to a food. We’ll help you understand common depression signs so that you may identify depression symptoms in yourself, a family member or a friend. Then, we can also help you determine the best depression treatment for you.

We invite you to read our online article “Depression Symptoms & Treatments” for details on how depressed feelings affect all types of people and can be easily addressed with the right attention. Talking to a trained professional about your depressed feelings or those of a loved one is critical to resolving these feelings. Whether you’re a teen struggling with depression, a new mom who may be challenged with postpartum depression or a father who just isn’t energized about the things he once was, The Woodlands Institute is here for you.

Test yourself for hormonal imbalances that may be causing or contributing to your depressed moods. One culprit of your depression could be low thyroid, which we can also help address.

Contact us and we will call you or call 281-298-6742 now for a free consultation with one of our wellness consultants.

By Mila McManus MD|2018-05-09T14:47:52-05:00April 1st, 2013|Articles|

Thyroid Symptoms

Wondering if there’s a problem with your thyroid?
If you feel that you have thyroid problems, but your labs are always normal, you are not alone. There are many factors that contribute to low thyroid function. It’s not a simple matter of whether your thyroid labs are in range or out of range. The range that is acceptable and right for one individual could be quite different for another. For instance, we know that a person showing within the “normal range” for thyroid may be on the lower end of that “normal range”. By helping this person with small adjustments to their thyroid, we often see thyroid symptoms disappear.

Natural Response to Thyroid Symptoms
At The Woodlands Institute, our goal is to correct the underlying causes of your low thyroid function, which are usually a combination of nutritional deficiencies, food allergies/sensitivities, yeast overgrowth (dysbiosis), other hormonal imbalances or deficiencies, and toxins. We treat our patients, not their lab results.

Whether you’re struggling with hyperthyroidism, hypothyroidism or another related issue, we’re here to help you identify the real problem and get to solutions that make you feel better. Patients are often amazed how some simple tweaks to their nutrition impacts their thyroid and metabolism. Clients feel better overall.

Online Test for Thyroid Problems
Test yourself using our online questionnaire that guides you through typical symptoms and helps you identify whether or not there are concerns to address. Then we encourage you to contact us and we will call you or call 281-298-6742 for a free consultation.

We also encourage you to watch a short video on thyroid fatigue.

By Mila McManus MD|2014-06-27T10:55:23-05:00March 28th, 2013|Articles|

Spring Shape Up Strategies

As spring arrives and the shortest, darkest days give way to longer, sunny days, it gets easier to get outside, increase activity and enjoy the sunshine. Below you will find many reminders and tidbits of information to help you put your Spring Shape-Up Strategy into action:

Try Intermittent Fasting to break a stall in weight loss or as a healthy lifestyle change. Intermittent Fasting can be approached in a number of schedules but an easy pattern is to restrict normal daily eating to an 8 hour window of time you are awake. For example, if you wake in the morning at 6, you would choose to eat meals and snacks only between 6 a.m. and 2 p.m. or 11 a.m. and 7 p.m. Research has shown that this simple lifestyle change can promote weight loss, normalize insulin and leptin sensitivity, reduce triglyceride levels, and reduce inflammation and free radical damage. [1]

While you cannot exercise your way out of a bad diet, exercise can help to lift your spirits and energy levels, which often helps us to be smarter about our food choices. Muscle (created best through weight bearing exercises versus aerobic exercises) helps to increase metabolism and takes up less space than fat, which makes you look thinner.

There are many things in food that interfere with burning fat and losing weight, not to mention overall good health. We recommend avoidance of artificial sweeteners, gluten, sugar, soy, and food additives such as MSG, nitrates, nitrites and hydrogenated or trans fats. Stick to real, whole food and restrict or eliminate grains.

Be intentional and plan your splurges. For example, if you know you are attending an event on Wednesday evening, make Tuesday, Wednesday day and Thursday times of healthy choices, plenty of hydration and exercise. Putting these days of healing and health before and after your evening of splurging helps you to minimize the damage and stay focused on what is important.

Healthy fats are essential to losing weight, being satiated and overall good health. Be sure every meal includes a source of naturally occurring, undamaged fat such as raw or expeller pressed coconut oil or coconut, cold pressed extra virgin olive oil, avocado, grass-fed butter, raw nuts and seeds, olives or free range eggs.

[1] Http://fitness.mercola.com/sites/fitness/archive/2013/01/18/inter…8_DNL_art_1&utm_source=dnl&utm_medium=email&utm_campaign=20130118

By Mila McManus MD|2013-03-27T09:44:49-05:00March 27th, 2013|NANCY’S NUTRITIONAL NUGGET|

Cabbage Soup Recipe

Cabbage is a great source of vitamins and fiber. This cabbage soup recipe offers a twist on traditionally prepared cabbage while keeping it healthy.

Ingredients:

6 large green onions
2 green peppers
1 to 2 cans diced or crushed tomato
1 bunch of celery
1 head of cabbage
1 cup diced carrot
1 cup diced green beans
Water, Vegetable Broth, Chicken Broth, Beef Broth or V-8 Juice
Salt, Pepper, Parsley, Italian Seasonings to taste

Combine all ingredients in a stockpot, cover with liquid combination of choice and bring to a boil. Boil for 10 minutes, reduce to simmer and continue cooking until vegetables are tender (approximately 30 min). Keep refrigerated for up to 7 days or freeze.

By Mila McManus MD|2014-07-31T12:01:02-05:00March 27th, 2013|Recipes|

Supplement of the Month: Methylselenocysteine

A Supplement that Addresses Thyroid Problems and More

Methylselenocysteine is a more active form of selenium which functions primarily as a component of the antioxidant enzyme, glutathione peroxidase. Glutathione peroxidase activity, which requires selenium for activity, facilitates the recycling of vitamins C and E, in optimizing the performance of the antioxidant system. Low levels of selenium have been linked to a higher risk for cancer, cardiovascular disease, inflammatory diseases, and other conditions associated with free radical damage, including aging and cataract formation. Selenium is also essential for healthy cell-mediated immune function, stimulating immune properties of lymphocytes. Selenium is also needed for the activation of thyroid hormones.

Chronic low selenium intake is associated with an increased risk for heart disease, cancer and depressed immune function. Selenium appears to provide protection against heart disease and stroke. Selenium supplementation (100 ugm/day) increases the ratio of HDL to LDL and inhibits platelet aggregation. Selenium and glutathione peroxidase activity are low in patients with rheumatoid arthritis, eczema, psoriasis and most inflammatory conditions. This is related to the increased synthesis of proinflammatory prostaglandins and leukotrienes. Immune system function is enhanced by selenium, by contributing to higher natural killer cell (NKC) activity. Natural killer cells have the ability to destroy cancer cells and bacterial and viral agents. Heavy metal toxicity symptoms may be alleviated by selenium, acting as an antagonist. Selenium deficiency may also contribute to male infertility.

Selenium is safe at the level generally used for supplementation (100-200 mcg/day). However, taking more than 750 mcg of selenium per day may cause toxicity Reactions such as loss of fingernails, skin rash, and neurological aberrations. In the presence of iodine deficiency goiter, selenium supplementation has been reported to exacerbate low thyroid function. Selenium is available in several different forms. Studies indicate that inorganic salts like sodium selenite are less effectively absorbed and not as biologically active as organic forms of selenium, such as selenomethionine or high-selenium content yeast. Righest sources of dietary selenium are found in:

Wheat Germ
Bran
Brazil Nuts
Red Swiss Chard
Whole Wheat Bread
Oats
Brown Rice
Turnips

The adult RDA for selenium is 50ug/day.

Information obtained by Spectracell Laboratories.

By Mila McManus MD|2014-04-14T15:42:38-05:00March 4th, 2013|Articles|

Osso Bucco Slow Cooker Meal

This Osso Bucco recipe offers families a great way to prepare a healthy meal without sacrificing a lot of time in the kitchen.
Serves 4

Ingredients:

4 Veal Shank Steaks
1 large can Fire Roasted Diced Tomatoes
1 can white Cannellini Beans
1 large yellow onion chopped
½ cup dry white wine
½ – ¾ cup beef broth
2 tablespoons Bragg Organic 24 Spice Sprinkle or similar
2 teaspoons sea salt
2 teaspoons pepper

Rinse and drain beans. Peel and chop onion. Place all ingredients in a slow cooker and cook on low for 7-8 hours and serve. Be aware that the bones in the veal shanks may fall away from the meat during cooking, so look for them when you serve up the meal. We don’t recommend the removal of the bones prior to cooking because they add important nutrients to the stew. Serve with horseradish, spicy mustard or organic ketchup.

By Mila McManus MD|2014-07-31T12:04:54-05:00February 21st, 2013|Recipes|

Minerals Matter

Over the course of my own journey and relationship with food, I have found that one source of motivation for me is understanding why it is important for me to try a new food. For me, motivation can be found in the facts, the science and the intricacies of what I cannot see. Kale is a good example. It became increasingly apparent to me that it is one of the healthiest foods we can be eating, but upon examination at the grocery store, I struggled visually, emotionally, to get excited about it. But the more I understood the massive antioxidant and cleansing power of kale, and the fiber content, the harder I worked at buying it, preparing it different ways and finding ways to make it a delicious part of my dietary path. As a result of this process, I really like kale! So as we feature Selenium this month, I want to use this opportunity to take a closer look at minerals, what they are, why you need them and where they are found in your food. I hope greater understanding motivates you to expand the variety in your whole food choices to optimize your intake of valuable minerals.

Minerals naturally occur in rock and stone formations. When rock and stone are slowly broken down into tiny fragments by erosion from wind, rain, water and sun, the end result is dust and sand that make what we call soil. From the soil grow numerous grasses and plants. We also plant our herbs, vegetables, fruits, nuts, seeds and grains in this soil. Mineral rich soil will yield mineral rich plants. Likewise, animals that graze on mineral rich plants will also yield mineral rich meat and milk. The body demands larger quantities of the minerals calcium, magnesium, sodium, potassium and phosphorus but equally important and necessary in much smaller amounts are selenium, boron, chromium, copper, germanium, iodine, iron, manganese, molybdenum, silicon, sulfur, vanadium and zinc.

We must consume minerals. Every living cell in the planet depends on minerals to work properly and maintain shape, including all the cells that make our own bodies. That is, after all, what you are…trillions of tiny cells clumped together to make up blood, organs, bones, muscle, skin and all the rest. Minerals are essential for:

Proper composition of all body fluids such as blood and the water that makes up as much as 70% of the body
Making blood and bones
Proper nerve function
Regulating muscle tone
Working in partnership with vitamins to produce energy, growth and healing
Proper utilization of vitamins in the body

Minerals work best in combination together with each other and with vitamins and this is how they occur in nature – together. So eating organic foods from rich, well cared for soils will provide the magical blend of minerals and vitamins that work in unison to provide your body with optimal health. Likewise, soil that is overworked and depleted of valuable minerals will not offer mineral rich foods.

By Mila McManus MD|2013-03-04T17:59:19-05:00February 21st, 2013|NANCY’S NUTRITIONAL NUGGET|

About Mila McManus MD