GX Sciences Nutrigenomic Testing

By Nancy Mehlert, MS

GX Sciences* is proud to introduce the most comprehensive nutrigenomics test available to validate your specific nutritional supplement needs. The scientific study of individualized genetics and nutrition is known as nutritional genomics or “nutrigenomics”. Nutrigenomic testing accurately identifies each patients’ genetic protein variations to identify sites of metabolic weakness. These key proteins are involved in enzyme conversion, nutritional delivery and signaling pathways in the cell. Expert physicians have designed a genetic panel that evaluates up to 55 of the most common, research backed, single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) that can affect a patient’s ability to regain and maintain their metabolic functionality. Abnormalities in specific polymorphisms can negatively affect many physiological and metabolic processes. Overcoming these metabolic weaknesses with the right supplement allows each patient to overcome their genetic weaknesses (SNPs) and maintain optimal health.

“As a practicing physician, the ability to test your individual, unique genetic footprint takes a lot of the guesswork out with regard to customizing a treatment regimen that gets you the best results”, says Dr. McManus, MD. “We all have some minor genetic variants, aka mutations called SNPs (single nucleotide polymorphisms) and 75% of all people have significant variations in the most important nutritional metabolism pathways that affect how we function.” For instance, MTHFR mutation affects how our bodies activate and utilize B vitamins. This in turn affects how well a person detoxifies, makes and clears hormones and neurotransmitters. This means a person would be more likely to have mood disorders, insomnia, cancer, heart disease, etc. Two other common SNPs are the GAD and COMT. These can cause lifelong anxiety. The good news, and the reason to want to know, is that there are work-arounds for a variety of SNPs.

GX Sciences differs from 23&me in that it tests for many more relevant mutations and offers recommendations to address them. They offer several panels from which to pick and choose! Check out this chart HERE to determine what panels are most relevant for your current health concerns.

You can pick up a saliva kit at our office, or we can ship a kit to you. Prices range from $179 to $499. Turnaround time for results is typically 3 weeks.

* https://www.gxsciences.com/nutrigenomictest-s/113.htm

*Gx Sciences maintains your genetic information privately. They never have and never will sell, give away, trade or use personal information in any way other than to ship your package, call you about a shipment or offer you special discounting. No e-mail addresses are sold, traded, etc.! This has been a long standing company policy that will remain unchanged. Have peace of mind that your genetic information will never be shared.

By Mila McManus MD|2019-09-20T09:59:45-06:00July 25th, 2019|Articles, General|

Autoimmunity Explained

By Mila McManus, MD

According to the American Autoimmune Related Diseases Association, there are more than 150 different diseases on the autoimmune spectrum[i]. In America, almost one in six people have an autoimmune disease. To understand autoimmunity, it is necessary to start with discussing foreign invaders and inflammation.

Inflammation is designed to be a necessary process. It is a natural response when the body identifies a foreign invader or threat. Examples of threats include:

Injury
Microbes, such as bacteria, viruses, molds or parasites
Chemicals and heavy metals
Undigested food particles that have made their way into the body through a leaky gut

When a threat is detected, the body creates antibodies to find and mark the invaders. Antibodies attach to, and highlight, the foreign invader so that the immune system can see it and attack it. Inflammation is the result of the battle within. Under healthy circumstances, once the threat is removed, the battle is won, and the inflammation dissipates.

Antibodies find the foreign invader by identifying the unique protein molecules of the invader. This can be complicated, much like trying to distinguish poison ivy from another green, leafy plant. You have to know what distinguishes poison ivy from other plants that look very similar.

Problems arise when foreign threats multiply and/or become persistent. As small battles turn into full blown war, inflammation, stress and confusion increases. The immune system is now hyper sensitive and operating in high alert. Antibodies begin to make mistakes and fail to distinguish the nuanced differences between the proteins in healthy, human tissue and the proteins of the foreign invader. Mistakenly, antibodies attach to human tissues (for example, thyroid tissues or joint tissues), marking them for attack, and causing the immune system to attack its own. This is autoimmunity.

Autoimmunity develops over time, in a sequence, from chronic, on-going exposure and inflammation. As tissue damage accumulates, degenerative processes escalate, and symptoms are increasingly manifesting. The autoimmune process moves from unnoticeable to an organized disease pathology.

Autoimmune diseases can strike many parts of the body, making symptoms vary widely, and making diagnosis sometimes difficult. Interestingly, the same foreign threat can manifest differently in different people. For example, a gluten sensitivity may result in compromised brain function for one person. In the next person, it may manifest as constipation, while yet another person, as liver disease and neuropathy. For yet another, it may affect the thyroid. Some suggest that the place of attack is simply your weakest link in overall health, caused by genetics, lifestyle factors or environmental factors.

Conventional Medicine will tell you it is genetic, and nothing can be done except to minimize the severity of symptoms. You will be directed to a specialist who treats the specific damaged tissue. Standard treatment protocols involve reducing inflammation with steroids, biologics, and even cancer drugs such as methotrexate.

Functional Medicine will seek to stop the cascade of events which lead to autoimmunity. The root of the problem lies first with the foreign invasion and resulting inflammation. A Functional physician will address the entire chain of events rather than one tissue that has been attacked. For example, important interventions include:

Addressing gut health
Identifying and reducing toxic burden
Uncovering and addressing food sensitivities and allergies
Supporting and strengthening immune function
Identifying if pathogenic microbes are involved and address them
Improving diet and nutrition in general
Obtaining a genetic profile to address mutations that affect how the body functions

Other supportive modalities include:

LDN
Identifying lectin sensitivities or trying a Low Lectin Diet (Plant Paradox, AIP)
Ondamed PEMF therapy
Fecal Transplants
Stem Cell Therapy

If you want to read more about autoimmunity, we recommend the following books:

Brain Maker by David Perlmutter, MD

Plant Paradox by Steven Gundry, MD

Wahls Protocol by Terry Wahls, MD

The Autoimmune Fix, by Tom O’Bryan, DC, CCN,DACBN

[i] American Autoimmune Related Diseases Association, “list of Diseases: Autoimmune and Autoimmune-Related Diseases,” http://www.aarda.org/autoimmune-information/list-of-dieases/.

By Mila McManus MD|2019-07-29T13:47:24-06:00July 25th, 2019|Articles, General|

The Salad Dressing Nightmare

By Nancy Mehlert, MS

Unfortunately, virtually every salad dressing on a salad bar, on a menu, and on the salad dressing aisle of the grocery store, is a nightmare when it comes to ingredients. Damaged oils, specifically soybean, canola and olive oil, and others that are not listed but present, are commonly used by most large producers. None of these can provide nourishment for your cellular make up, and what they do instead is create inflammation and toxicity.

The second issue is that many of the other ingredients are genetically modified, chemicals and/or highly allergenic such as, corn starch, gluten, yeast extract, mono-sodium glutamate (MSG), natamycin (mold inhibitor), Polysorbate 60, Calcium Disodium EDTA, and high fructose corn sugar. These too create inflammation, are toxic to the body, and in some cases are damaging to the gut.

On your journey to improved health, you may be choosing to eat more salads, yet your salad dressing choices may be contributing to poor health. Thankfully, there is hope on the horizon as a couple of companies have come out with some cleaner dressings that taste good!

Here are two company brands you might want to look for and give a try.

Primal Kitchen Salad Dressings and Mayonnaise – This brand used avocado oil and is certified gluten free and certified non-GMO. Great start. Additionally, they do NOT use dairy, gluten, soy, refined sugar or grains in their dressings. These are available at HEB, Whole Foods, Target, Kroger, Walmart, Amazon.com and ThriveMarket.com.

Tessemae’s Salad Dressings – Always organic and Non-GMO, this company offers a wide range of good choices. This will be in a refrigerated section, usually in produce. Many non-dairy options are available, and they use undamaged oils. Available at Whole Foods, HEB, Target, ThriveMarket.com, Amazon.com.

Now, go and enjoy a fresh salad!

By Mila McManus MD|2019-07-28T09:41:11-06:00July 25th, 2019|Articles, NANCY’S NUTRITIONAL NUGGET|

Fish Tacos

A fast and easy summer dinner for the beach, lake or patio.

Serves 4

1 14 oz bag pre-mixed coleslaw veggies
1 jar Primal Kitchen Chipotle Lime Mayo*
1 ½ pounds wild mahi mahi, salmon or steelhead trout
1 package of Siete Almond or Garbanzo Bean Flour Tortillas*
1 avocado, sliced, if desired
1 lime, cut into 4 slices
Chopped cilantro, as a garnish

1. Pan fry, broil or bake fish until done, tender and flaky.
2. Put the coleslaw in a bowl. Spoon several tablespoons of the mayo into the slaw and begin tossing until desired moisture level is reached. The wetter the better in the taco. This can be done a day ahead.
3. Put two tortillas on each plate. Microwave for 20 seconds.
4. Place a strip of the fish down the middle of each tortilla, top with coleslaw.
5. Garnish with avocado, cilantro and lime juice.

*Primal Kitchen Mayonnaise, plain and flavors are available at HEB, Kroger, Whole Foods and on-line.

*Siete Almond Flour and Garbanzo Bean Tortillas are available at HEB, Whole Foods and on-line.

By Mila McManus MD|2019-06-12T09:32:05-06:00June 12th, 2019|Articles, Recipes|

Why Which Salt You Use Matters

by Nancy Mehlert, MS

Salt is a flavor most of us really enjoy. It is an essential mineral in just about everything that has life. It is found in the Himalayan mountains, the depths of the ocean floor and salt lakes. It is life-giving. Every cell in your body relies on salt for regulation of body fluids, bone density, blood sugar stabilization, good circulation and muscle and nerve function.

As with so much of our food supply, it is important to choose real salt from a safe source. Sad that the distinction must be made since manufacturing has once again gotten in between the real thing and us, producing a less than healthy processed food product which merely mimics the taste of salt’s natural elements.

Here’s the dirt on Table Salt:

Much of table salt today is a manufactured form of sodium called sodium chloride created from natural salts occurring in rock, crystal or sea salt.
Natural salts are heated up and cooked at 1200°F. At this extremely high temperature, the salt loses the more than eighty important alkaline elements that occur naturally in it, including natural iodine and leaving just sodium chloride.
Then it is bleached to make it white.
Other chemicals often added in table salt (with or without iodide) include manufactured forms of sodium solo-co-aluminate, iodide, sodium bicarbonate, fluoride, anti-caking agents and toxic amounts of potassium iodide and aluminum derivates, as well as white sugar and mono-sodium-glutamate (MSG). As a result, sometimes table salt can be literally toxic to the human body.
Table salt is not just on your table. It is found in virtually every processed and fast food in the marketplace today from bread to frozen meals.

Table salt wreaks havoc in the human body, especially over time. Here’s how:

Causes a rapid rise in blood pressure as the body attempts to move the toxic elements away from the heart.
Causes water and fluid retention.
Contributes to and/or worsens chronic imbalances such as diabetes, gout, and obesity.
Additives in salt can cause major kidney, thyroid and liver problems, goiter, hypertension, heart disease, strained elimination systems, muscle cramps, water retention, edema, stroke, heart failure, PMS and major nervous system disorders such as anxiety and depression.
Table salt is hard on the circulatory and nervous system and disturbs the balance of the lymph system as well.
It is highly addictive as the chemical additives are designed to stimulate pleasure centers of the brain, in the same way sugar does.

So what’s your best option? Surprisingly, sea salt may not be the answer either. As a result of ocean pollution, specifically with microplastic pollution, sea salt has been found to contain microplastic particles.This leaves the optimal choice to be Himalayan salt, which is mined from salt beds created long before plastic and other toxic chemicals were manufactured. When the Himalayan Mountains were formed by rising from the ocean beds, they were later protected by lava and covered in snow and ice for thousands of years. The balance of sodium and chloride with the added natural minerals your body requires, contribute to its pink color. Himalayan salt contains at least 80 naturally occurring trace elements which are beneficial to our health. Be cautious when you make your purchase as there are cheap knock offs. Three brands that appear to be authentic and pure are Evolution Salt Company, Dr. Mercola’s Himalayan salt and Redmond’s Real Salt (sea salt harvested from a pristine ancient sea near Redmond, Utah).

Resources:

Group, Edward.,(2017). The Health Dangers of Table Salt. Global Healing Center. https://www.globalhealingcenter.com/natural-health/dangers-of-salt/

Mercola, Joseph., (2018). Ninety Percent of Sea Salt Contains Plastic. https://articles.mercola.com/sites/articles/archive/2018/10/31/sea-salt-plastic.aspx

www.realsalt.com/Ingredients

By Mila McManus MD|2019-07-03T15:54:53-06:00June 12th, 2019|Articles, NANCY’S NUTRITIONAL NUGGET|

PROLON: Fasting-Mimicking 5 day diet Plan

This 5-day meal program provides scientifically researched micro- and macro-nutrients in precise quantities and combinations that nourish you but are not recognized as food by your body and therefore mimics a fasting state. It is the first and only meal program that has gone through clinical trials at the University of Southern California and has been patented for its anti-aging effects. Valter Longo, the designer of the fasting mimicking diet (FMD), has shown in his research that specific diets can mimic fasting, enabling the body to safely experience the rejuvenating effects of a prolonged fast. The benefits of the FMD include:

Feelings of improved focus, clarity and energy
Fat focused weight loss, especially of belly fat
Enhances cellular function by triggering stem cell-based regeneration which continue for up to 5 days after completion of the ProLon FMD
Enhances cellular function by triggering autophagy, the process of cleaning up aging and damaged cells
Supports maintenance of healthy levels of blood glucose, cholesterol and blood pressure as well as markers of inflammation.

The diet includes everything you need for each day in a box. Just open, heat and eat! Included are delicious meals and tasty snacks which are prepackaged and ready to go. No shopping required. Ask your medical provider and see information below to determine if ProLon might be right for you.

Ready to get started? Order here!

The ingredients in ProLon are considered generally recognized as safe (GRAS). ProLon is not intended to diagnose, treat, cure or prevent any disease and has not been evaluated as such by the FDA. Information provided athttps://prolonfmd.com/fasting-mimicking-diet/

ProLon^® is a low-calorie diet. Do not start if:

You are allergic to nuts, soy, oats, sesame, or celery/celeriac (ProLon^®contains these)
You are pregnant or breastfeeding
You have dietary restrictions or a fever, cough, diarrhea, or signs of an active infection
You have an active infection or are at risk of recurring infection
If you are underweight per the chart below, or have experienced protein deficiency or are malnourished:

4’11”-5’2” and under 100 pounds
5’3”-5’4” and under 105 pounds
5’5”-5’7” and under 115 pounds
5’8”-5’10” and under 125 pounds
5’11”-6’0” and under 135 pounds
6’1”-6’4” and under 150 pounds

The ingredients in ProLon are considered generally recognized as safe (GRAS). ProLon is not intended to diagnose, treat, cure or prevent any disease and has not been evaluated as such by the FDA. Information provided at https://prolonfmd.com/fasting-mimicking-diet/

By Mila McManus MD|2024-11-20T13:05:42-06:00June 12th, 2019|Articles, General|

DIY HRP KIT

The Do-It-Yourself Health Reset Protocol Kit

Do-It-Yourself Health Reset Protocol Kit,
Click the image to order your DIY Kit

What is it?

The Health Reset Protocol has been a standard of treatment since TWIHW’s beginning. This 28-day dietary protocol is designed to:

Improve gut health and the microbiome
Identify food sensitivities
Balance blood sugar and reduce inflammation
Detoxify the body
Practice a healthy way of eating
Be the first step to addressing any health issue or symptom

If you are looking to improve your health, feel better and alleviate symptoms such as indigestion, heartburn, gas, bloating, constipation, diarrhea, fatigue, weight gain, sinus issues, skin rashes, brain fog, allergies, autoimmune disease, depression, or anxiety for example, this is a great place to start.

What’s different about this kit versus becoming a patient and seeing the doctor?

This kit is a good option when you want to clean up your diet and feel even better. It is also an economical way to improve your health when other options prove too expensive for your taste or budget. This version of the Health Reset Protocol uses a gentle, less potent approach to healing the gut, making it safe and simple enough to administer without the oversight of a medical doctor. The kit is $299.00 and includes all the necessary supplements, instructions, and recipes.

CLICK HERE TO ORDER YOUR KIT

You may want to access our website at TWIHW.com and TAKE THE ONLINE SYMPTOM CHECKER. This may help you determine if this over-the-counter version may be suitable for your needs or if you would benefit from a better option such as the in-house, practitioner-guided HRP or, our best choice, the Comprehensive Wellness Program.

The Do-It-Yourself Health Reset Protocol Kit is not recommended for pregnant or lactating women or children under 12 years old.

If you take medication for pre-diabetes, diabetes, or high blood pressure, please consult with your healthcare practitioner before starting this program. It’s not unusual for blood pressure and blood sugar to improve quickly and dramatically, and you’ll, therefore, need your practitioner’s assistance with adjusting your medication(s).

By Mila McManus MD|2024-03-12T23:03:10-06:00May 23rd, 2019|Articles, General|

Is Stress Causing your Pain, or is Pain Causing your Stress?
Gallery
Is Stress Causing your Pain, or is Pain Causing your Stress?

Articles, General

Is Stress Causing your Pain, or is Pain Causing your Stress?

By Guest Contributor Christine Prohl, BodyMind Coach and Integrative Massage Therapist

Edited by Mila McManus MD

We live in a world that values busyness and achievement and we’ve been taught to ignore the warning signs our bodies are sending us.

BodyMind coaching is a combination of a massage and a structured coaching conversation which helps guide people back into their bodies to create simple, yet powerful shifts so that they can move out of pain and frustration and into freedom and ease. It addresses all aspects of stress, physical and emotional.

A Custom Integrative Massage uses various advanced techniques which are customized to the individual client’s needs. For example, a person may have tight fascia with constant muscle aches, or might retain fluid that needs draining by stimulating lymph flow. Another person may need to focus more on relaxation and mood with a lighter massage and some essential oils.

Sessions may include any combination of the following:

Swedish Massage – The most commonly offered and best known type of massage. Excellent for stress relief, boosted immune system, improved sleep, reduced anxiety and reduced fatigue.
Deep Tissue Massage – Similar to Swedish but with deeper more specific pressure. Designed to increase circulation and reduce restriction and pain in the fascia and muscle tissue.
Neuromuscular Therapy – NMT is a form of soft-tissue manipulation designed to treat the underlying causes of chronic pain involving the muscular and nervous systems. It benefits you through reducing pain, improving posture, relieving trigger points. This type of massage is beneficial for relief of chronic pain, recovery from injuries such as whiplash or sports injuries, repetitive stress injuries such as carpal tunnel syndrome, postural problems, etc.
Sports Massage – Techniques designed to help prepare for or recover from strenuous activity or an athletic event. It’s not just for athletes! It’s great for someone getting back into a workout routine or a weekend warrior who did too much yard work all at once.
Lymphatic Drainage – a very light touch technique to help clear out areas of lymph congestion.

Additional services that can be scheduled as individual appointments or as add-ons to the Custom Integrative Massage session include:

FasciaBlasting – Incorporates a massage tool specifically designed to reduce restrictions, adhesions and distortions in the fascia system of the body. Great for pain relief and improved circulation.
Cupping – Includes the use of special cups on your skin to create suction. Benefits include decreased pain and inflammation and increased circulation.
Infrared Sauna – There are many benefits to sitting in an IR sauna including pain relief and detoxification.
Essential Oils – Can be added to any service. Certified pure therapeutic grade oils have been shown to help relieve pain, improve mood and promote a sense of relaxation.

Through a powerful combination of coaching and bodywork, we will notice where and how stress shows up in your body and learn to shift toward experiencing more clarity and contentment. This intentional conversation is followed up with amazing bodywork to integrate these new insights on a physiological level.

The Woodlands Institute for Health & Wellness welcomes Christine Prohl to our facility!

She moved her office here on April 1, 2019. She has been Dr. McManus’ personal massage therapist for years, and Dr. McManus recently transitioned to BodyMind coaching with her.

Testimonial from Dr McManus: “Christine is amazing at what she does! I’ve never known a massage therapist who offers, and excels at, so many different techniques.”

If you’d like to learn more about BodyMind coaching or integrative massage, you can contact Christine Prohl at 832-338-7792.

By Mila McManus MD|2019-04-23T13:47:03-06:00April 23rd, 2019|Articles, General|

Transfer Factor By Researched Nutritionals

Transfer factors exist naturally in the human body and are short strands of amino acids and small bits of ribonucleic acid (RNA).

According to Aaron White, Ph.D. and author of Transfer Factors & Immune System Health, “research strongly suggests that transfer factors are effective for helping the body beat an array of disease states that involve faulty or overloaded immune function and can prevent infections before they occur. Transfer factors seem to prime the body for battle against intracellular pathogens, like viruses, mycobacteria and cell wall deficient bacteria, and help squash infections before they can take root. Transfer factors turn non-immune-related white blood cells into immune-related white blood cells and stimulate the birth of new Helper and Cytotoxic T-Cells, Natural Killer cells and macrophages. After stimulating an increase in T-cell counts, transfer factors orient these new T-cells toward a target presumably by influencing the nature of the antigen (protein of the pathogen) receptors expressed by the cells. Further, by binding to antigens on infected body cells, transfer factors paint infected cells for destruction by Cytotoxic T-cells.”

In individuals with chronic immune-related conditions, Natural Killer activity is often suppressed. Transfer factors, taken supplementally, are effective at promoting healthy NK cell function and strengthen the immune response.

Transfer Factor Multi Immune is a comprehensive immune support which fortifies the front line of our immune systems by promoting healthy natural killer cell function.

Formulas are also available to target tick-born pathogens, environmental challenges and fatigue.

Office Support Materials

By Mila McManus MD|2019-04-06T11:03:16-06:00March 20th, 2019|Articles, General|

Food Gums in “Healthy” Foods

By Nancy Mehlert, MS

Gums are common food additives used to add stickiness, thicken, prevent separation of ingredients, and improve texture. In a small amount, they are generally considered safe.

When larger quantities are consumed, there can be reason for concern. You may be surprised how easy it is to be eating a lot of them! They are common in many organic, non-diary, non-GMO, certified gluten free foods, and are often chosen with the belief that these foods are cleaner. Look for them in nut milks, gluten free foods, salad dressings, protein powders, mayonnaise, non-dairy products, soups, and sauces.

Here are the ones I see most often: carrageenan, xanthan gum, gellan gum, guar gum, locust bean gum, and acacia gum ( a.k.a. arabic gum). Only one of them, acacia gum, stands out with some favorable benefits and has the least negative impact when used in small amounts. It is considered a pre-biotic, which means that it can actually feed the healthy bacteria in the gut.

Here are reasons to limit or remove the rest of them from your diet:

Multiple studies have shown that many gums create GI inflammation, especially carrageenan, which is believed to have the highest potential for harm, especially for those already suffering with gastrointestinal issues.
Many gums are very difficult to digest and cause diarrhea, bloating, cramping, and stomach pain. It is also common to experience symptoms unrelated to digestion such as a runny nose, congestion, hives or body pain.
Those with gluten intolerance, gluten allergy, or celiac disease should avoid xantham gum as it is produced by bacterial fermentation of corn, wheat and other grain based sugars.
Many gums can alter healthy levels of intestinal bacteria in some people. This happens by disrupting the normal mucous layer that lines the gut and contributes to chronic, low-level inflammation promoting changes to cells in the digestive tract, including the colon.
Agar gum, karaya gum, and konjac gum (a.k.a. glucomannan) can expand in the gut and, without adequate fluids, can cause esophageal and bowel obstruction.

If you already know your gastrointestinal health is compromised in any way, you may want to eliminate these gums entirely. For most people, simply limiting their use to infrequent and small quantities would be wise. Check all your packaged and bottled foods – you may be surprised!

Choose well, be well!

https://www.glutenfreesociety.org/toxic-food-additives-common-gluten

https://civileats.com/2015/02/25/how-emulsifiers-are-messing-with-our-guts-and-making-us-fat/

https://draxe.com/gum-arabic

https://draxe.com/gellan-gum/

https://draxe.com/locust-bean-gum/

By Mila McManus MD|2019-04-06T10:58:17-06:00March 20th, 2019|Articles, NANCY’S NUTRITIONAL NUGGET|