Avoid a Hangover & Protect your Brain and Liver

by Mila McManus, MD

Recognizing that we don’t live in a perfect world, and that alcohol consumption is a real component of many holiday celebrations, below you’ll find some recommendations to help protect your brain and liver from alcohol toxicity while still enjoying a libation or two. Optimal health is impossible with routine alcohol consumption; however, I live in the real world and I’m a realist. At the bottom, you will find an elaborate, well researched article you can check out if you want the long of it. Here are some recommendations, for the short of it.

The key protective supplements, minerals, and vitamins that can help protect your brain and liver are vitamin C, B vitamins, glutathione (and/or its precursor NAC), milk thistle, and lipoic acid. Ideally, you want to start your evening with plenty of hydration and a handful of these supplements. It may also be helpful to take a second dose before going to bed, or even during your celebration, if the time frame is prolonged.

Hepatothera Forte is available at our facility, and this contains several of these supplements (selenium, milk thistle, lipoic acid, and NAC). Taking this with 1000-2000 mg of Vitamin C, and a multivitamin, would be a decent combination. N-Acetyl-Cysteine (aka NAC) and Vitamin C are another good pair, again along with a multivitamin with a range of B’s in it to protect the brain, replenish glutathione levels, and block the toxicity of alcohol when taken before, during, and after drinking.

The author of the aforementioned article (link below) determined, based on both experience and research, that vodka, gin, and rum seem to have the least impact on the brain or creating a hangover, while everything else has more detrimental impacts including most wines, ciders, tequila, whiskey, and beer. Beer lands in last place for the worst hangover experience. That could be personal experience, but take it for what its worth.

Have a safe, wise, and Happy New Year! Cheers!

https://www.optimallivingdynamics.com/blog/how-to-protect-your-brain-from-alcohol-never-be-hungover

By Mila McManus MD|2021-12-22T16:32:25-05:00December 29th, 2021|General|

Common Mistakes Eating Low Carb

by Nancy Weyrauch Mehlert, MS

Controlling carbohydrates is critical to weight loss, reducing inflammation, and managing all disease models. All carbohydrates are primarily glucose and fiber molecules. The glycemic impact of a carbohydrate is determined by how quickly the body breaks them down and releases the glucose into the blood stream. The faster a carbohydrate converts to glucose, the higher the glycemic index. Low glycemic index carbohydrates are usually vegetables and fruits. Higher glycemic index carbohydrates include all processed and baked breads/pastries, donuts, pastas, potatoes, rice, and cereals. Of course, all sugar in drinks, desserts, and candy are included as well. Glycemic impact increases in the absence of fiber, fat, and protein, all three of which help to slow down the digestion of carbohydrates into glucose, especially fat and fiber. Fat and fiber also contribute best to being satiated.

Over the past two decades, there have been hundreds of studies consistently showing low or very low carbohydrate diets to be beneficial. We often term these dietary lifestyles as keto or ketogenic. Another familiar lower carb lifestyle is called Whole30. In 2018, the American Diabetes Association Nutrition Committee reported agreement that evidence for a low carb or very low-carb diet is beneficial for Type 2 diabetes more so than any other diet tested, including Mediterranean diets and the DASH diet.

In our practice, we are advocates of a lower carbohydrate diet for most adults because it supports reduction of inflammation, congestion, fat storage, imbalanced blood sugar levels – all of which lead to the lifestyle diseases of our day. It also points people back to eating real whole food – especially vegetables, nuts, seeds, and other healthy fats. Most people need more of these in their diets for fiber and the plentiful micro-nutrients and vitamins found in them.

As you consider your diet, especially if you are working toward a very low carbohydrate diet, there are two important mistakes to avoid.

First, while processed sugars and grains are certainly a significant contributor to obesity and ill-health, the types of fats you eat play an equally important role. Inflammatory fats, high in Omega 6’s and usually damaged (i.e., oxidized/rancid), can be worse than excess sugar. Especially harmful are canola, safflower, corn, cottonseed, and soybean oil. Common in salad dressings, packaged and pre-prepared foods, all restaurant food – their removal, or minimization is mission critical to successful weight loss and reduction of inflammation and illness. These vegetable seed oils damage mitochondria in the cells and impact metabolic functioning. The oxidative stress results in insulin resistance just as sugar does.
Second, if you are using intermittent fasting and eating low to very low carbohydrate every day, over time this may actually make you more sensitive or intolerant to many healthy foods, causing you to restrict or narrow your diet too far. Generally, a low or very low carbohydrate diet would range in Net Carbohydrates [carbohydrates minus fiber] between 25 to 85 grams per day. What we are suggesting here is to pop out above that range at certain intervals to keep your metabolism flexible. You don’t want your body to lose its ability [i.e. flexibility]to handle a higher carbohydrate range when needed.

For the individual working to lose unwanted weight, this means having one or two days per week where you bump your carb intake above your normal range by 100-200% of your target to maintain flexibility.

If you are at your ideal weight, maintaining with a low carb diet, it may be best to alternate days of very low carb with double or triple the intake to maintain metabolic flexibility. My personal low carb range is between 25-30 net carbohydrates each day. Since my weight is normal, two or three days each week, I will range up to 50-75 net carbohydrate grams in a day. By alternating, I have the ability to deal with a higher carb intake from time to time without a net gain in weight. My body burns fat efficiently in the low carb days, and does not over-react by storing fat or elevating blood sugar on the pop-out days. That’s metabolic flexibility.

This gives you tolerance to eat a wide range of healthy choices and maintain good nutrition. It is not meant to be an excuse to eat junk food. The point here is to add in healthy nutrient-dense choices such as beans, beets, sweet potato, potato, rice, quinoa, an extra piece of fruit, or a gluten free oat item. Live well!

Mercola, Joseph. The Case for Keto, accessed October 2021 from www.mercola.com

By Mila McManus MD|2021-12-14T08:18:39-05:00December 22nd, 2021|General, NANCY’S NUTRITIONAL NUGGET|

Functional Medicine Patients Experience Better Improvement (Duh!)

by Mila McManus MD

The functional medicine patients exhibited significantly larger improvements in patient reported outcomes at six months and sustained at 12 months.

The Journal of the American Medical Association [JAMA] published results of a 2019 study which assessed the association between functional medicine and patient-reported health-related quality of life. The cohort study compared 7252 patients treated in a functional medicine setting with matched patients in a primary care setting over a 6 to 12 month period. These patients exhibited significantly larger improvements in patient reported outcomes at six months and sustained at 12 months. The findings of this study suggest that functional medicine may have the ability to improve global health in patients.

It comes as no surprise to us, and it was nice to see a study reported by well-respected JAMA confirming what we have seen for more than 17 years here in our facility. Our practice is a health model rather than a disease model. It’s health care which integrates treatment of the whole human system according to individual needs, promoting healing and restoring optimal function. If you’re not already seeing a functional medicine specialist, what are you waiting for? If you keep doing what you’re doing, you’ll keep getting what you’re getting.

JAMA Network Open.2019;2(10):e1914017.doi:10.1001/jamanetworkopen.2019.14017

By Mila McManus MD|2022-11-01T11:01:47-05:00December 15th, 2021|General|

Are you eating mushrooms?

by Nancy Weyrauch Mehlert, MS

Mushrooms are proving to be a highly medicinal food and are now found on the ingredient list for many supplements and protein powders. From a nutritional standpoint, mushrooms are a low fat, low calorie option that provide some fiber and protein. But it’s the minerals, vitamins, and micro-compounds found in them that make them a nutritional powerhouse. Mushrooms are a very good source of phosphorus, needed for our bones, teeth, and proper metabolism of carbohydrates and fats. Three important B vitamins can be found in mushrooms: riboflavin, niacin, and pantothenic acid. Potassium and selenium as well as small amounts of calcium and iron are also found in mushrooms. Almost exclusive to mushrooms, ergothioneine, a sulfur containing derivative of histidine, plays a specific role in protecting our DNA from oxidative damage.

A considerable amount of research has been done on mushrooms, and they have been highly valued in Eastern medicine practices for centuries. Health benefits include:

Invigorating and modulating the immune system.
Providing anti-cancer activity including blocking the formation of tumors.
Increasing vitamin D levels
Interfering with the progression of atherogenesis (artery plaque formation) and cardiovascular disease
Anti-inflammatory properties helpful for treating autoimmune diseases and bacteria-induced chronic inflammation.

There are many varieties of mushrooms. The most deeply nutritious varieties include Maitake, Shiitake, Portobello, Turkey Tail, Reishi, Lion’s Mane, and Cordyceps. Many of these are being used in the treatment of cancer. You will find teas made with them as well. Ideally, make sure your mushrooms are organic. You should never pick them in the wild and eat them. If you are taking medications, you may want to check with your doctor as some can interfere with certain medications.

References:

Winters, Nasha and Kelley, Jess H. The Metabolic Approach to Cancer. White River Junction, Vt: Chelsea Green, 2017. (166-168)

https://articles.mercola.com/sites/articles/archive/2018/08/31/growing-mushrooms.aspx?utm_source=dnl&utm_medium=email&utm_content=art1&utm_campaign=20180831Z1_UCM&et_cid=DM231141&et_rid=407627793

https://foodfacts.mercola.com/portobello-mushroom.html

By Mila McManus MD|2021-11-30T07:40:12-05:00December 1st, 2021|General, NANCY’S NUTRITIONAL NUGGET|

Cross-Reactivity: What does Ragweed have to do with Bananas?

by Nancy Weyrauch Mehlert, MS

Understanding allergies can be difficult because they are complex! You may want to believe it is simple, such as, “if I eat x, it causes y”. Or if you are exposed to pollen or dust, it makes your nose run. Allergies are, unfortunately, not this simple. In fact, inhalant/airborne allergies can be difficult to distinguish from food allergies and often are related. One of the reasons allergies are so complex is due to cross-reactivity. Cross-reactivity occurs when molecular structures are so similar that the immune system is unable to make a distinction between them. For example, poison ivy, oak, and sumac are closely related molecular proteins to pork and black pepper. As a result, evidence of respiratory allergy may indicate an increased risk of food sensitivities and visa versa.

One type of cross-reactivity is when a food produces a reaction only in the presence of an inhalant allergen, such as pollen. Called concomitant foods, these foods cause a reaction only during the season when a specific inhalant, such as mold or pollen, are high, but not at other times of the year. Or another interesting example is for grill masters out there using oak, pecan, or mesquite woods for grilling/smoking who are experiencing cross reactivity to foods concomitant with these woods. Here is a short list of proven common concomitant foods:

Poison ivy, oak, and sumac ……………….pork and black pepper

Ragweed …………………………………………. egg, milk, mint, melon, cucumber, banana, sunflower, echinacea

Iva ciliate…………………………………………..wheat

Sage…………………………………….…………….potato, tomato, chewing tobacco

Pigweed…………………………………………… pork, black pepper

Grass………………………………………………… beans, peas, soybean, cottonseed oil

Cedar………………………………………………….beef, baker’s and brewer’s yeast, malt

Elm……………………………………………………..milk, mint

Cottonwood…………………………………….…lettuce

Oak……………………………………………………egg, apple

Pecan………………………………………………..corn, banana

Mesquite………………………………………….. cane sugar, orange

Dust………………………………………………….. cheese, mushrooms, truffles

Birch…………………………………………………..apple, carrot, celery, pear, tomato, cherry, tree nuts

Another type of cross-reactivity occurs when two foods are combined. These are called synergistic foods where a reaction may not occur when each food is eaten separately, but, when combined at the same meal, these foods cause symptoms. It might explain why a hamburger on a bun, or chicken/apple breakfast sausage with eggs are causing your symptoms. Here is a list of proven synergistic foods:

Corn………………………………………………………………banana

Beef……………………………………………………………….baker’s yeast, brewer’s yeast

Cane Sugar……………………………………………………..orange

Milk………………………………………………………………..mint

Egg………………………………………………………………….apple

Pork………………………………………………………………..black pepper

A third type of cross-reactivity can occur with those who have latex allergy. They may discover a cross-reactivity with banana, avocado, chestnut, kiwi, apple, carrot, celery, papaya, potato, tomato, or melons. Often times people are allergic to latex and don’t know it because they can tolerate exposure to latex quite well but react more severely to the foods that cross react with it.

Understanding cross-reactivity may help you better understand your inhalant or food testing results. If you have had testing, but can’t seem to sort out all of your allergies, getting tested with both skin prick and the specific IgE/IgA food testing via blood may provide much greater insight, and offer tailored treatment and relief. It is also important to explore the possibility of cross-reactivity in gluten-sensitive patients who are not experiencing improvements after eliminating gluten. Ask your provider if the skin screen test for inhalant/environmental allergens, or the IgE/IgA food sensitivity test are right for you.

https://www.usbiotek.com/blog/cross-reactivity-more-than-foods

Popescu F. D. (2015). Cross-reactivity between aeroallergens and food allergens. World journal of methodology, 5(2), 31–50. https://doi.org/10.5662/wjm.v5.i2.31

https://atouchoftherapy.com/prevent-allergies-concomitant-foods/

By Mila McManus MD|2021-11-17T13:38:47-05:00November 18th, 2021|General|

Thanksgiving: Two Yummy Simple Clean Ups

by Nancy Weyrauch Mehlert, MS

Cranberry Sauce and pumpkin pie for Thanksgiving

The cranberry sauce and the pumpkin pie can be two big sources of sugar at Thanksgiving. But it isn’t necessary, and you don’t have to give up great flavor and taste! The pie crust is an excellent gluten free option for every kind of pie. If you can find CoCo Whip in the freezer section of your grocery store, it is an excellent replacement for those other common whips full of hydrogenated damaged oils. Enjoy and Give Thanks!

https://woodlandswellnessmd.com/keto-cranberry-sauce.html/

https://woodlandswellnessmd.com/pumpkin-pie-al-la-pumpkin-pie-filling-and-nutty-pie-crust.html/

By Mila McManus MD|2022-10-24T16:42:28-05:00November 10th, 2021|General, Recipes|

Roasted Red Pepper Sauce

Roasted Red Pepper Sauce is an amazing add to a hamburger, steamed broccoli, roasted cauliflower, or fried eggs!

Makes 2 Cups

Ingredients

1 jar (16 ounces) roasted red peppers, drained

¼ cup extra-virgin olive oil

¼ onion, roughly chopped

2 cloves garlic, minced

2 tbsp chopped fresh parsley

1 tablespoon capers, drained

Juice of ½ lemon

½ tsp salt

½ tsp black pepper

Instructions

Combine all ingredients in a food processor and pulse 5-10 times to combine, then blend on high speed until smooth.
Store in the refrigerator for up to 5 days.

Suggestions: Top any array of fresh steamed vegetables from asparagus to zucchini, dollop on top of a hamburger patty or salmon steak, or pair with fried eggs. Change out the roasted red peppers for the same amount of sundried tomatoes or roasted eggplant. Add black olives to make a tapenade.

Hartwig, M. and Hartwig. D. (2015) The Whole30. Houghton Mifflin Harcourt. p. 316.

By Mila McManus MD|2022-11-01T11:07:52-05:00October 28th, 2021|General, Recipes|

Is Stevia a Bad Choice?

by Nancy Weyrauch Mehlert, MS

Recently we were introduced to two studies^[i] about Stevia and its possible negative effect on gut bacteria, glucose intolerance, and diet- induced obesity. In a practice where we always try to educate and inform our patients of the most optimal choices and encourage you to continually work toward a cleaner, healthier, more whole food diet, studies like this can be frustrating. We all want to shout, “What in the heck IS ok to eat?” and “now what do I use?”. After all, stevia has been used for centuries around the world and was introduced in the natural health world in the 1980’s as the best alternative to sugar. We have always affirmed this belief.

TWIHW philosophy remains unchanged over the years: we have to choose our battles and pick our shots. Each individual has to evaluate his or her diet and, if willing, continue improving it. Will any of us ever achieve perfection? Does a perfect diet really exist? Is perfect food even available? We know the answer to all of these is “no”. In the big picture, we doubt daily stevia use is the single or contributing factor to anyone’s diabetes, obesity, gut issues, or inflammatory process. Perhaps, however, stevia continues to stimulate your desire for sweet things, creating ongoing cravings, and that may be well worth considering.

In 2020, the Cleveland Clinic made their best and worst recommendations for sweeteners^[ii] and opened the article with the most important piece of information to consider: sweeteners of every kind stimulate appetite, encourage a sweet tooth, and disturb gut microbiota. These result in disturbed glucose levels. We, too, think some sweeteners are better than others. Processed sugar, corn and fructose syrups, along with artificially made chemical sweeteners, are still far more concerning than stevia or monk fruit. Yet most people who have removed all sweet flavors from their diet for 7-30 days attest to the sudden drop in cravings for them and usually weight loss, increased energy, and focus.

With nutrition and health, looking at the whole picture can be helpful. If you are struggling with a pre-diabetic or diabetic situation, or constantly battling sugar or carbohydrate cravings, or would like to see some improved overall energy and mental focus, consider trying something like the Whole30 diet where every kind of sweet food is removed including all sweeteners and added sugar with the exception of fresh fruit for 30 days.

If you would like to consult with us about your use of stevia or any food in the context of your entire diet and health status, we are available to help you. We will continue to sell a minimally processed, organic stevia in our office.

^[i] https://academic.oup.com/femsec/article/96/6/fiaa079/5827635, Downloaded on September 11, 2021, and

https://doi.org/10.3390/nu11061248.

^[ii] https://health.clevelandclinic.org/5-best-and-worst-sweeteners-your-dietitians-picks/

By Mila McManus MD|2021-10-12T17:01:23-05:00October 13th, 2021|General|

What is Prolotherapy?

by Mila McManus, MD

Prolotherapy is a non-surgical treatment used to stimulate growth factors in the human body and thus promote the body’s natural healing process. It is also known as regenerative injection therapy or proliferation therapy. Growth factors are complex proteins that help repair body tissues. Prolotherapy is also thought to encourage collagen repair which is a protein essential to connective tissue that holds our skeletal structure together.

Conditions that may benefit from prolotherapy treatment include:

Damaged tendons, muscles, or ligaments
Arthritis of the knees, hips, or fingers
Chronically painful musculoskeletal conditions
Degenerative disc disease
Fibromyalgia
Certain types of headaches
Lax or unstable joints

Prolotherapy involves injecting typically a sugar or salt solution into or around a joint or other parts of the body to stimulate the body to repair itself. Usually a dextrose, glucose, or saline is used. Injections are repeated at 3 to 4 weeks intervals for a total of 3 to 6 sessions. If suboptimal improvement is the result, treatment with PRP (platelet-rich plasma) or Wharton’s jelly may be recommended. Wharton’s Jelly is derived from umbilical cord and contains stem cells, fibroblasts, and other types of cells and structural material. Several studies have shown that a series of injections have resulted in improvements in pain, function, and stiffness, often resulting in the avoidance of more invasive and complex surgical procedures.

Prolotherapy is available at TWIHW. Ask one of our medical providers if prolotherapy is right for you, or call (281) 298-6742 and speak to a wellness consultant today.

Ref:

https://houstonsportsmedicine.com/prolotherapy-orthopedic-technique

https://www.webmd.com/osteoarthritis/what-to-know-about-prolotherapy

By Mila McManus MD|2021-10-05T16:48:59-05:00October 7th, 2021|General|

Monk Fruit – The Superfood No-Calorie Sweetener

by Nancy Weyrauch Mehlert, MS

Monk Fruit, our favorite healthy sweetener, has some surprising benefits that qualify calling it a superfood! It is an ancient Chinese fruit that has not been genetically modified. Studies * show promising benefits including:

Fights Free Radicals as a high antioxidant food
Lowers Risk of Obesity and Diabetes
Acts as an Anti-Inflammatory and Coolant
Helps Treat and Prevent Cancer

Consider using Monk Fruit as your sweetener of choice! No bitter aftertaste with excellent sweetening power. We recommend a pure liquid such as offered by Lakanto, NOW, or Smart138. If you prefer a powder or crystal, make sure it is mixed with erythritol rather than maltodextrin or dextrose.

*for references and more details, follow this link: https://draxe.com/nutrition/monk-fruit/

By Mila McManus MD|2022-11-01T11:10:37-05:00September 30th, 2021|General, NANCY’S NUTRITIONAL NUGGET|