Peppermint Essential Oil

It is important to purchase properly extracted and distilled essential oils and we recommend DōTerra as a brand example of that quality. DoTerra Peppermint Oil is available in our office for purchase.

Peppermint Oil is gathered by steam distillation of parts of the flowering plant and is a hybrid species of spearmint and Mentha aquatica, or water mint. It is one of the oldest European herbs used for medicinal purposes and has health benefits dating back to 1000 B.C. From a therapeutic and clinical standpoint, peppermint oil is recommended for reducing nausea and soothing the digestive system by reducing muscle spasms. It is also effective for freshening breath, relieving headaches and providing some antimicrobial protection.

Here are some practical ways to use Peppermint Oil:

To reduce nausea, add a drop to your water, rub 1 to 2 drops behind your ears, and/or diffuse it into the air.
Add it to coconut oil and baking soda for a refreshing toothpaste, or freshen breath with a drop under the tongue.
For headaches, apply a drop to the forehead and temples.
Apply to achy joints and muscles to relieve pain and give a cooling effect. Lavender oil can be added and combined with coconut oil for a nice balm.
Place a drop under the tongue or nose to improve concentration and alertness. Great for focusing easily distracted kids on homework or perking yourself up behind the wheel.
Bring down a fever naturally by applying a mixture of coconut oil and peppermint oil to the back of the neck or bottom of the feet.

Source: https://draxe.com/peppermint-oil-uses-benefits/

By Mila McManus MD|2017-03-25T09:42:00-06:00March 25th, 2017|Articles, General|

Tyrosine

L-Tyrosine is an amino acid that is involved in the formation of thyroid hormones as well as a precursor for brain-stimulating catecholamines (dopamine, noradrenaline, and adrenaline). As a result, it supports your stress support mechanisms, supports your thyroid, and has a favorable effect on energy and mood. It can also help with appetite control.

By Mila McManus MD|2017-02-23T14:46:02-06:00February 23rd, 2017|Articles, General|

More Surprising Reasons You Can’t Lose Weight

by Mila McManus MD

In 2014 I published an article on “Reasons You Can’t Lose Weight“.

Today I’d like to expand on that partial list (didn’t mean to wait 3 years to do that!)

So besides the reasons listed in the above link, here are a few more to add to the list:

Poor sleep quality and sleep deprivation cause an increase in ghrelin, a hormone that stimulates appetite, as well as cause a decrease in leptin, a hormone that tells you to stop eating.
Not staying hydrated.
Not eating enough calories.
Stress-yes, stress. Its effects are evil in every way.
Gut health
Excessive fruit intake because the sugar in fruit, fructose, more easily stores as fat than other types of carbs.

Check out this month’s specials which are dedicated to helping you lose those pesky pounds!

References:

webmd.com

shape.com

By Mila McManus MD|2017-02-23T15:23:59-06:00February 21st, 2017|Articles, General|

Choose Your Supplements Wisely

by Mila McManus MD

If I’ve said it once, I’ve said it a million times: “Supplements are not all created equal”. There are countless brands from which to choose. How do you know which ones are good, safe, and optimal for your health? There are a number of factors to consider, and one of them is price. You DO get what you pay for with regard to supplements, and it’s important to know that there are also some expensive well-known brands that should be avoided. In general, though, if you are at a store looking at a long wall of supplements and nobody is around to guide you, I advise you to look at price first. I highly recommend avoiding the cheapest, generic supplements. It’s also extremely important that you scrutinize the ‘other’ and ‘inactive’ ingredients on labels.

Here are several other factors to consider when vetting a supplement:

Quality control methods and purity
- One study of 55 different brands of vitamin D showed that the actual amount of vitamin D per dose varied from 9 to 146% of what the labels said.
- Several years ago, Consumer Labs studied numerous brands of multivitamins and nearly half of them didn’t have in the bottles what the bottles said were in the bottles.
The “other” ingredients: Binders, colors, coatings, sweeteners, and fillers
Amount of active ingredient(s) per dose
How minerals are chelated (i.e., bound to substances that enhance absorbability of the minerals)
Synthetic vs natural ingredients
- Whole-food based supplements aren’t necessarily better
- dl-alpha vitamin E is the synthetic form and should be avoided. The best form of vitamin E would be “mixed tocopherols”.

1. Higher-end, reputable supplement manufacturers use the best raw materials, create formulations based on solid scientific data, and use 3^rd party testing to ensure quality and purity of their products. These factors command a higher price. Common contaminants found in vitamins and supplements include mold, pesticides, and heavy metals such as lead, arsenic, and mercury. Don’t you want to feel confident that your supplements don’t contain these? Also, if you see a USP or GMP or NPA seal on a supplement, that supplement has at least met some minimum quality standards, but it doesn’t ensure top quality. Moreover, absence of these seals means nothing. There are many top quality supplements without these seals.

2. Look for supplements with the least number of ‘other’ ingredients. Covering all of these is beyond the scope of this article, but know that some are harmless (e.g., silicon dioxide, cellulose, citric acid), while many may be harmful (e.g., food dyes, talc, allergenic foods such as corn and soy)

3. The amount of active ingredients varies widely across supplements. A supplement may appear great because of numerous healthy ingredients listed, such as CoQ10, turmeric, spirulina, chorella, ginger, fruits and vegetables, but they may be insignificant amounts that aren’t doing much good, if at all. It’s also noteworthy that the RDA (recommended daily allowance) is often very suboptimal. For instance, the RDA for vitamin C may be enough to prevent scurvy, but it’s hardly an optimal amount to support immune function, alleviate seasonal allergies, and neutralize the onslaught of free radicals you create, and are exposed to, on a daily basis.

4. When looking at nutrient labels on vitamin and mineral supplements, you’ll notice, for example, that there are several forms of magnesium. Magnesium glycinate, magnesium oxide, magnesium citrate, and magnesium malate are all different chelated forms of magnesium. If your magnesium supplement is magnesium oxide, it’s nothing more than a good laxative. You aren’t absorbing that magnesium for its internal benefits. Calcium is another good example. Calcium carbonate is very inexpensive and also not well absorbed. If this is the form in your multivitamin, it’s time to find a better one.

5. It seems intuitive that taking a ‘natural whole food’ supplement would be better than a synthetic form; however, that’s often not the case. A supplement claiming to have nothing but fruits and vegetables in it may be contaminated with pesticides, and it’s also difficult to get optimal doses of nutrients from fruits and vegetables. Sure, it’s obviously important to eat your fruits and vegetables, but these days our bodies require much more than produce can provide. This is mainly due to depletion of nutrients available in soil, and increased toxins in the environment. Another reason that whole food based supplements may not be ideal for some is the yeast content. Yeast is a common allergen that could be affecting you without you realizing it.

I hope you realize how important it is to do your homework before buying your supplements. A popular brand isn’t necessarily a good one. For instance, Centrum® is one of the most popular brands of multivitamin, however, it contains corn and soy (highly allergenic and genetically modified), 3 food dyes including red dye #40, Talc (yes, baby powder, and has been linked to cancer), and contains the cheapest and least absorbable minerals, namely calcium carbonate and magnesium oxide.

Overwhelmed? Well, we’ve done our homework and offer several product lines at our facility to make your life easier.

References:

O magazine, June 2004  (Article on Consumer Labs study)

http://www.drwhitaker.com/choosing-the-best-supplements-to-take/

http://www.nytimes.com/2010/05/26/health/policy/26herbal.html

https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/12867165

http://www.forbes.com/sites/melaniehaiken/2013/02/11/that-vitamin-d-youre-taking-it-may-not-be-vitamin-d/#7dc9ca6e6b6a

http://www.drwhitaker.com/how-safe-are-your-supplements/

http://www.consumerlab.com/

By Mila McManus MD|2017-01-03T07:41:57-06:00January 2nd, 2017|Articles, General|

How Affordable is your “Affordable Healthcare”?

by Mila McManus MD and Nancy Mehlert MS

Talk to anyone about health care and you will be hard pressed to find one single sole who hasn’t noticed that deductibles, copays, and premiums are rising, and this next year will be no exception. With each passing year, it seems that we have fewer and fewer choices, including doctors and medications from which to choose, and which tests will be covered. These options are controlled by the insurance companies rather than by yourself or your doctor. More and more people are frustrated with the excessive government and insurance company control over how you spend your healthcare dollars, especially in light of the sad fact that, following the doctor visits, prescription drugs, tests, and time, your ailments and problems often persist. Seeking help for an undiagnosed set of symptoms can cost thousands of dollars and result in, for example, 1) no explanation, 2) more prescription drugs, and 3) doctor-hopping. It’s easy to feel out of control and frustrated.

Current conventional health care practices focus mainly on RE-active medicine rather than PRO-active medicine. It’s the same as your homeowners insurance. They don’t pay to remove the fractured and bending tree that is inevitably about to fall on your roof. They won’t talk to you until it does. Prevention is not their interest, though it would save them money in the long term. The same is true of health insurance. What is wrong with this picture?

This coming year, why not take control? Own your health, get control of how your hard earned money is spent, get educated about how to heal and restore your own health, and use the money you will have to spend in the current disease model to really get well. Save money in a Health Savings Account (because YOU get to determine how these dollars are spent) and use it to get well in a PRO-active medical model, thereby improving your lifestyle, gaining true health rather than spinning your wheels and spending your money for answers that never come. Over time this could save you thousands and thousands of dollars. Is your health holding you back from enjoying relationships, finding success, living an abundant and full life? The functional, PRO-active medical model is the place to be! Get to the source of your problems, address them and be well! The vast majority of diseases of today, including cardiovascular disease, diabetes, obesity, autoimmunity and cancer, are stemming from nutritional bankruptcy, chronic stress, hormonal imbalance, prescription drugs and their side effects, food and environmental allergens, and toxins. Every one of these areas can be addressed and improved to bring better health and wellbeing.

Call 281-298-6742 today and ask to speak to a Wellness Consultant about our various programs. We have new programs and services that may be perfect for your needs. YOU ARE WORTH IT!

By Mila McManus MD|2016-12-06T16:21:56-06:00December 6th, 2016|Articles, General|

MSM

MSM is short for methylsulfonylmethane which is a substance that’s naturally occurring in the body. MSM has been extensively studied in humans and animals. It is a ‘methyl donor’ and a ‘sulfur donor’ which help reduce inflammation and support detoxification. It can also boost energy!

Here are some of the common uses of MSM:

pain
muscle recovery after exercise
osteoporosis
hair loss
skin disorders
allergies and asthma
high blood pressure
fatigue
dental and gum disease
leaky gut syndrome

Talk to your functional medicine specialist about whether MSM is right for you and about appropriate doses for your specific needs.

References:

www.draxe.com

www.mercola.com

www.msmguide.com

By Mila McManus MD|2016-10-06T13:32:24-06:00October 6th, 2016|Articles, General|

Unusual Signs and Symptoms of Low Thyroid Function

By Mila McManus MD

Many of you out there know some of the common symptoms of low thyroid function, such as fatigue, weight gain, constipation, headaches, hair loss, depression, and cold intolerance. I’ve also explained to many of you how the thyroid functions in the body. Think of this gland as your engine. If your engine is too ‘revved up’ (i.e., hyperthyroid), bodily functions will be overactive, such as overactive nerves causing jitters, shakiness, anxiety, fast heart rate, palpitations, and high blood pressure. Bowels may be overactive causing excessive bowel movements or loose stools. Temperature gets higher, metabolism gets faster, and so on. If your engine slows down (i.e., hypothyroid), bodily functions slow down. Energy gets lower, brain function gets slower, mood is lower, bowels are slower, pain threshold is lower, temperature is lower, metabolism is slower, and so on. It’s also important to note that some symptoms can occur on either end of the spectrum. For instance, you can be tired if thyroid function is low or high. You can lose weight or gain weight on both ends of the spectrum. You can be shedding hair when thyroid is under-active or overactive. And also noteworthy: 1) symptoms can vary, such as you may have normal bowel function, but have other symptoms of low thyroid, and 2) having normal thyroid labs does NOT mean that your thyroid is functioning adequately. (You can read about that here.) Moreover, there are many factors that affect how well your thyroid functions at the cellular level, including diet, gut health, stress, toxins, vitamin deficiencies, and imbalance of other hormones in the body.

Having said all of that, today I wanted to share some less well known signs and symptoms that may indicate a thyroid problem:

High cholesterol
Anxiety
Dry patches on elbows
Slow speech
Fluid retention
Swollen eyelids
Insomnia
Severe menstrual cramps
Downturned mouth
Acne
Twitching of the eyelid
Tinnitus (ringing in the ears)
Dizziness
Mild elevation of liver enzymes
Gallstones
Recurrent bladder infections

If you think you may have low or suboptimal thyroid function, you can test yourself here with our online symptom checker.

References:

Dr. Pamela Smith lecture at A4M conference 2015

By Mila McManus MD|2016-10-04T08:03:19-06:00October 4th, 2016|Articles, General|

IodoRx

Iodine is an essential element and perhaps the biggest piece of the puzzle when it comes to thyroid hormones. One of Iodine’s main functions is in the production of thyroid hormones, but is detected in every organ and tissue. It is essential for healthy thyroid function and efficient metabolism, and there is increasing evidence that insufficiency correlates with numerous diseases, including fibrocystic breast disease and certain cancers. Iodine is a potent anti-bacterial, anti-parasitic, and anti-viral agent. It has four significant roles in your body, namely to maintain your weight and metabolism, to develop brain and cognitive function in children, to optimize fertility and to strengthen your immune system.

Please consult with your holistic healthcare provider before adding, or adjusting your dose of, an iodine supplement.

Sources:

http://articles.mercola.com/thyroid.aspx

Prothera, Inc. 2015 Patient Catalog, pg. 107

By Mila McManus MD|2016-09-22T13:24:07-06:00September 22nd, 2016|Articles, General|

Goitrogens-(a.k.a. stuff that negatively affects thyroid function)

By Nancy Mehlert, MS

There’s no doubt that, if you have been diagnosed with hypothyroidism (underactive thyroid) or Hashimoto’s (autoimmune thyroid disorder), you have searched the internet for information and come across references to goitrogenic foods (i.e. goitrogens) with the preponderance of sources recommending avoidance. These goitrogenic foods are primarily found in the raw Brassica or cruciferous vegetables which include, but are not limited to, arugula, broccoli, cauliflower, cabbage, collard greens, mustard greens, kale, and Brussels sprouts.

Goitrogens can be drugs, chemicals, or foods. In terms of food, goitrogens are naturally occurring compounds found in many foods to varying degrees. Some older research on animals only has suggested that goitrogens might suppress thyroid function by interfering with iodine uptake, thus inhibiting the production of thyroid hormones. This, in turn, would result in goiter (enlargement of the thyroid). So understandably, in an effort to do the right thing for your health, you may have felt very compelled to remove these foods from your diet.

Anytime someone suggests removing vegetables from the diet, especially groups of vegetables, my ears really perk up! There are obvious “man-u-factured” food products and sugar which we would all do well to remove from our diets for improved health, but it goes against common sense to remove foods from the earth which our ancestors have eaten for centuries. Moreover, without question, vegetables are deeply nutritious. Where else can we get as many minerals, vitamins, fiber and phytonutrients that serve as antioxidants, anti-inflammatories, cancer fighters and detoxification supporters? Does eating them really pose a risk or threat to the thyroid?

I join in agreement with most leaders in the functional medicine community who argue that these foods contain far more beneficial nutrients relative to the goitrogenic activity. Many of these foods help the body to produce glutathione, a very powerful antioxidant necessary to fight Hashimoto’s disease because it modulates and regulates the immune system, puts down the fires of autoimmune flare ups and protects and heals thyroid tissues. Glutathione also detoxifies the liver while cruciferous vegetables in general are well studied for their protection against cancers, thyroid cancer included.

Dr. Fuhrman states it well: “The fear of eating cruciferous vegetables or that those with hypothyroidism should reduce or avoid the consumption of kale or other cruciferous vegetables is unfounded and does a disservice to the community. Whether you have normal thyroid function or hypothyroidism, there is no benefit for you to avoid or restrict your intake of cruciferous vegetables.” He goes on to state that “No human study has demonstrated a deficiency in thyroid function from consuming cruciferous vegetables.”

My advice remains the same. We ALL benefit from food rotation, eating a wide variety of nutrient dense foods, especially vegetables. Moderation and variety is the best way to ensure the optimal amounts of what the body requires. All that to say if you are juicing large quantities of kale and/or spinach every single day, perhaps some rotation of greens is in good order for you! Or if you are eating a vegan or vegetarian diet where the main vegetable choices made every day are from the cruciferous family, perhaps greater variety and reduction would be prudent. Another strategy is to deactivate most of the goitrogenic compounds by cooking the vegetables. Roasting, steaming, sautéing or blanching them resolves any potential concern. Blanched and pureed, they can be frozen as ice cubes for a smoothie so they can still be added to juice each morning.

Finally, thyroid health is best protected, not by taking vegetables out of the diet, but by ensuring adequate iodine intake, stress management, cleaning up the diet, healing the gut, resolving vitamin deficiencies, removing toxins, and balancing hormone function.

Sources:

¹(https://www.drfuhrman.com/learn/library/articles/97/do-cruciferous-vegetables-or-soybeans-harm-the-thyroid)

https://www.healthfulelements.com/blog/2013/07/goitrogenic-foods-thyroid-busters-or-thyroid-boosters

https://www.draxe.com/hypothyridism-diet-natural-treatment/

By Mila McManus MD|2016-09-22T09:33:35-06:00September 22nd, 2016|Articles, General, NANCY’S NUTRITIONAL NUGGET|

Got Chaos?

10 Ways to Reduce Family Stress

by Nancy Mehlert, MS

As the new school year begins and your family settles into the routines for the school year, we encourage you to consider how stress is impacting your family. Do your own stressors trickle down to have a negative impact on the rest of your family? Do your children’s stressors trickle up to you?

The newest and most powerful stressor in life is the information age. The explosion of information and our access to it is overwhelming. Distributed in real time, this constant, seemingly uncontrollable bombardment of communication, information, education, and sensationalism has arrived, and our heads are spinning. Most of us never saw it coming, and it has changed our lives in good ways and bad. It requires us to examine ways to turn it down, turn it off and buffer ourselves and our children from it. It has compounded our stressors and is taking a heavy toll on our physical, mental and spiritual health, as well as the health of families and relationships.

Interested in stopping the madness? Here are 10 ways to help yourself and your family to reduce the stress:

Create technology free zones. Create family times together that are technology free – no cell phones, tablets, or television. Promote eye to eye contact, heart to heart communication, and quieter moments. This also reduces drama and control issues by helping children see that not everything is an emergency, not everyone has the right to demand your time anytime they wish, and not every text or post requires an immediate response.

Create “white space” on your kids and your calendars. We need more peace and quiet and rest in this hectic, crazy world. This is unassigned time without commitments, appointments, duties, or work. This space is reserved for renewal of the mind and heart. It is intended to be reserved for thankfulness, quiet time, meditation, stretching, being in nature, loving on pets, coloring, painting or doing things that are relaxing and peaceful. Teach your children the value of silence, stillness, appreciation and thanksgiving.

Get outdoors for exercise, restoration and fun. Walk, ride bikes, sit on the porch together. Walk the dog or wash the car. Work together as a family in the yard or plant a garden. Take off your shoes and stand in the grass, feeling the earth beneath your feet. This is called “grounding” and it helps your body to resonate and re-calibrate to the fundamental frequencies of the earth that your body requires for health and healing. Allow the sun to warm your skin for 15 minutes, allowing your body to get the best form of Vitamin D for a strong immune and better health.

Cook together. Let’s face it. Fast food is not helping our stress or our health. Every child needs to know how to cook and prepare a basic meal as a core life skill. Eating at home can save time and money and can be an enjoyable time to learn together. Get everyone involved, share the duties, take turns, allow creativity and include the children in choices of new vegetables, recipes and foods to try.

Encourage, teach, and promote healthy sleep patterns. Establish and maintain bedtimes and wind-down times when phone calls and texting need to stop, television must be turned off, and preparations for a restful night of sleep should begin. If possible, turn off the household wi-fi to promote better sleep. Establish age appropriate routines and curfews to teach self-care and responsibility. Make the end of every day a time for hugs, reflection, words of encouragement, expressions of love and thankfulness.

Don’t be afraid to get help when needed. Recognize that events resulting in grief, anger, anxiety or sadness need healthy resolution for all of us. Parents and children alike need someone they can trust to express their feelings to reach healthy resolution of traumatic events, difficult seasons or concerning behavior patterns. Seek out support groups, on-line forums, and professionals or techniques such as journaling and Emotional Freedom Techniques (tapping) to deal with emotions in a healthy way. Remember that unresolved emotional issues can and do manifest in physical ill-health.

Make One Better Food Choice – Getting healthier can seem overwhelming and stressful itself. Often, small steps generate better long term results. Virtually everyone can benefit from improvements in the diet. There are plenty of reasons to get healthier and stay healthier. Illness derails plans, reduces income potential, and makes us our worst self. Sugar and food allergies are highly correlated with inflammation, congestion, weight gain, fatigue, body pain, digestive issues, brain fog and frankly, addiction and disease. Lack of vegetables in the diet leaves us all constipated, nutritionally bankrupt and stressed out. Simple changes in diet can make a huge difference in everyone’s relationships, productivity and happiness. Do something… one more vegetable, one less soft drink, no more fast food, dump the cereal, avoid the gluten, increase healthy fats….Make at least one better choice this year.

Everyone needs Friend Time. No one prospers in isolation. We need laughter and encouragement. We need to know someone else understands us. We flourish when we can help and be helped by others. Spending time with our friends in person, not via text or Facebook, is healing and restorative.

Practice Nose Breathing. A recent article by Dr. Mercola discussed the Buteyko method of breathing for relaxation which is in contrast to the concept of deep breathing. It promotes a slow and light breathing through the nose to promote calm, improve oxygenation and reduce stress. It is a great way to help your kids stop wiggling or to prevent your own anxious moment.

Laughter is still great medicine. Increase the frequency of moments of getting into a deep, side splitting laugh. It’s contagious too! Laughter lowers blood pressure, reduces stress hormone levels, works out your abs, releases endorphins, and boosts your immune system. So go rent a hilarious movie, read the funnies, listen to a good comedian, or tickle each other silly. Laughter is a great stress reducer.

By Mila McManus MD|2016-09-07T05:26:48-06:00September 6th, 2016|Articles, General|