Purposes for Diffusing Essential Oils

Not only does diffusing essential oils smell good but they serve therapeutic purposes as well.

Choose one or two of the oils at a time for the purpose under which it is listed.

To Breathe More Easily

· doTERRA Breathe

· Eucalyptus

· Lavender

· Peppermint

· Tea Tree

To Disinfect the Air

· doTERRA On Guard

· Eucalyptus

· Lavender

· Rosemary

· Tea Tree

To Energize

· Eucalyptus

· Lemon

· Peppermint

· Pine

Ease Hyperactivity, Motivate, and Improve Concentration

· doTERRA Motivate

· Frankincense

Stress Free, Calming

Geranium

· Grapefruit

· Lavender

· Lemon

· Orange

· Frankincense (meditative, relaxing, warm)

Insect Control

(on Porch or Patio)

· doTERRA Terrashield (safe for direct application to the body, for both children and adults

Available at our Office. Call 281.298.6742 or e-mail admin@twihw.com to order. Pick up or shipping available.

Available in our Office. Call 281.456.4289 or e-mail admin@twihw.com to order. Pick up or shipping available.

By Mila McManus MD|2020-04-30T14:45:59-06:00May 1st, 2020|General|

Protect, Prevent, Prevail

By Mila McManus, MD

One of the most interesting questions that medical personnel are asking during this viral event is “Why do some people get the infection and never have symptoms while others get critically ill or die from it?” One clear pattern continues to surface: those with compromised immune health and multiple health issues have been at greatest risk for poor outcomes.

Now, more than ever before, we see the value of taking care of our health so that we are able to mount a protective response to external threats such as viruses, parasites, bacteria, and toxicants. Reflected in the reports regarding fatalities from the Coronavirus is the clear message that those who were, and continue to be at greatest risk, are those who suffer from chronic disease, such as obesity, diabetes, auto-immune disorders, cardio-vascular disease, and otherwise compromised immune systems. Overall health matters more than ever in these uncertain times. While we cannot control what’s in the environment, we have at least some control over our body’s ability to cope with environmental assaults.

Protect: First line minimum considerations for good health include a number of foundational lifestyle choices. Because our food, even at its best, does not offer all of the nutrition we need, supplementing with a multi vitamin and a probiotic is first line for everyone. A healthy diet is important, and first and foremost, eliminating sugar is critical, as sugar suppresses immune function. Stress also suppresses immune function. Deep breathing exercises, meditation, and removing unnecessary stressors are important for good immune and overall health. Quality and quantity of sleep is also foundational since it’s when we sleep that the body performs major maintenance, healing, detoxification, and resetting. And finally, washing hands frequently, and keeping them off your face, remains tried and true.

Prevent and Prevail: The minimum, however, may not be quite enough. Especially if you are already compromised, have more exposures (healthcare workers, teachers, frequent travelers) and/or simply want to be more vigilant (and we recommend that!), there is more you can do. Combinations of the following are also excellent protections to build immunity and prevent infection.

Choose to regularly visit a wellness physician (aka functional medicine specialist) to prevent illness and address issues at the root cause. (We appreciate your referrals to The Woodlands Institute for Health & Wellness!)
Improve nutrition, sticking to whole, real food that stabilizes blood sugar.
Take care of your mental health, manage stress and deal with emotional baggage.
ONDAMED Energy Therapy and InfraRed Saunas are excellent immune defense therapies.
Essential Oils – OnGuard, Tea Tree (Melaleuca), and Eucalyptus are just three good air and hand sanitizers, can be diffused, used on dryer balls and in cleaning solutions.
Additional Supplements
- Immune Strengthening: Wholemune, Viracid, Transfer Factor Multi-Immune
- Vitamin C – oral and Mega Dose IV therapy
- Zinc – 25mg daily (twice daily for 2 weeks with acute exposure or if ill)
- Vitamin D – at least 2000iu daily. If potential viral exposure, then 25,000iu daily for 3 days.
- Silver Biotic – oral liquid and topical gel. Excellent hand sanitizer and a natural anti-microbial.
- L-lysine – 1000mg twice a day
- Quercetin Bromelain Forte -Combination of quercetin, bromelain and vitamin C. Immune boosting and antiviral properties, as well as antihistamine properties.
- Protease – work up to 1 capsule 3 X a day between meals (2 hours away from food). This can cause upset stomach or diarrhea, so start with 1 capsule and increase daily as tolerated. If you take any blood thinners, consult with your doctor, or pick other options listed here.

If you or someone you know needs help getting well and staying well, visit The Woodlands Institute for Health & Wellness so that next time a virus floats through town (and it will), you will be ready to protect, prevent and prevail!

By Mila McManus MD|2020-05-01T06:13:41-06:00May 1st, 2020|Articles, Ask Dr McManus, General|

RAPID COVID-19 ANTIBODY TESTING AVAILABLE

Test for COVID-19 antibodies (IgM and IgG)
Best for testing whether you’ve already had the illness (at least 2 weeks from exposure or onset of symptoms)
Reports suggest that 20 to 50% of people infected may be asymptomatic, and many more with very mild symptoms attributed to a simple cold or allergies.
Results in 15 minutes!
Requires a finger prick.
$99
Call (281) 298-6742 or email admin@TWIHW.com

By Mila McManus MD|2020-08-07T12:20:44-06:00April 30th, 2020|General|

Do Five & Detoxify

By Nancy Mehlert, MS

Promoting routine detoxification through our dietary choices is a simple thing everyone can do.

Here are the top FIVE dietary detoxifiers:

#1 Eat organic food

#2 Eat your veggies – especially cruciferous vegetables such as Brussels sprouts, broccoli and cabbage, as well as cucumber, celery, carrot, zucchini, squash, watercress, artichoke, asparagus, ginger, turmeric, parsley, cilantro, lemon, apples, beets, and dark leafy greens. (See our Green Juice recipe of the month in this issue!)

#3 Stay hydrated with clean, filtered water

#4 Avoid dairy (clogs lymphatic movement)

#5 Avoid processed, fake, manufactured and sugary food

By Mila McManus MD|2020-04-12T09:35:46-06:00April 14th, 2020|General, NANCY’S NUTRITIONAL NUGGET|

TWIHW Green Drink

We make our Green Drink in a Vitamix here at our office. A Vitamix, Ninja, Nutribullet are all examples of blenders that will work. You may need to adjust the amount to fit your pitcher size.

This recipe makes 8 cups.

Ingredients:

4 cups filtered water

A big handful of organic spinach

A smaller handful of organic baby kale.

A large lemon w/ the peel trimmed off.

1 medium organic Granny Smith apple

½ organic cucumber

Thumb size piece of ginger, peeled

1 stalk organic celery

Some ice, about a cup – cup and ½

Instructions:

Be sure all produce is clean.
Peel the lemon and the ginger.
Place all ingredients in the blender and process until smooth.
Other cleansing healthy additions include parsley and/or cilantro.

Nutrition: 1 cup (8 ounces) serving, 31 calories, 0.8 grams protein, 7 grams carbohydrate, 1.7 grams of fiber, 0 grams fat.

Don’t underestimate the nutritional value of the drink. It is full of vitamins, minerals, fiber and other important micronutrients.

By Mila McManus MD|2020-04-12T09:37:23-06:00April 14th, 2020|General, Recipes|

Supplement of the Month: Glutathione

Glutathione is the body’s master antioxidant and is found in virtually every cell of the human body. It is an extremely important cell protectant. This heavy lifter bolsters antioxidant action, promotes detoxification and fortifies the immune system. As the formation of free radicals exceeds the body’s ability to neutralize and eliminate them, oxidative stress occurs. A primary function of glutathione is to alleviate this oxidative stress. Food sources of glutathione are few and oxidative stress and depletion can outpace the body’s need for it.

Glutathione is most prevalent in the main detox organs of the human body which are the liver, lungs and kidneys. Glutathione can become depleted as the body neutralizes the oxidizing effects of battling viruses, bacteria, heavy metal toxicity, radiation, certain medications, and even the normal process of aging. A correlation has been made between increased vulnerability to infection (chronically ill) and glutathione depletion. Glutathione can bind to toxins, heavy metals, solvents and pesticides and help the body to excrete these substances through urine or bile. It also protects the lungs against airborne pollutants and the intestinal lining from absorption of industrial chemicals.

Especially for glutathione, liposomal preparations are important. Liposomes are delivery vehicles for transporting substances into the body effectively by facilitating absorption both in the mouth, skin and digestive tract.

At TWIHW, we offer three glutathione products. One is Essential Pro Liposomal Glutathione Softgels, which are taken orally. We also offer Researched Nutritionals Tri-Fortify Liposomal Glutathione sublingual gel which comes in two flavors and is placed under the tongue. Finally, we also can dose glutathione through IV preparations.

By Mila McManus MD|2020-04-12T09:40:00-06:00April 14th, 2020|Articles, General|

The Down and Dirty on Detoxing

By Mila McManus M.D.

Your body normally performs detoxification functions every day. There are five primary exit pathways for removal of toxins. They are:

1. Sweating through the skin
2. Urination
3. Bowel movements
4. Mucus formation to then blow, cough, or swallow
5. Exhaling from the lungs.

Internal organs that also play a critical role in the removal of toxins include the liver, kidneys, and lungs. Any activities that promote sweating, urination, bowel movement, thinning of mucous, or deep breathing will assist in promoting detoxification. Also, hydration is essential for detoxification.

Intentional promotion of detoxification has become a necessary lifestyle habit as a result of our increasingly toxic world where our food, water, air, chemical, and heavy metal exposures have exponentially increased over the last 60-80 years. The toxic burden on the body is significant and contributes to chronic inflammation, congestion, and disease.

The FIRST and BEST line of protection is to avoid as many toxins as possible in the first place!

Trying to detoxify by overcompensating with excess sweating and over-supplementation can be harmful. Improve what goes in by:

Eating organic food
Filtering the water you drink and in which you bathe
Filtering air and circulating fresh air in the home
Using chemical free personal care and laundry products
- https://www.thinkdirtyapp.com/
- https://www.ewg.org/skindeep/
Using chemical free household products (cleaners, candles, fragrances, pesticides)
Turning off Wi-Fi and electrical circuits in the bedroom at night while sleeping (electropollution)
Eliminating the use of as much plastic as possible, especially as it relates to food storage and preparation. (plastic water bottles, straws, microwave containers, storage containers, clingwrap)

It is also wise to intentionally and regularly employ lifestyle choices that promote detoxification.

Each of these options promote and encourage gentle detoxification:

IR Sauna
Quality detoxification dietary plans such as Black Box Detox, Designs for Health 14- and 21-day programs, Core Restore 7- and 14-day programs and Prolon. (All available at TWIHW)
Fasting
Dry Brushing
- Short instructional you-tube: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JJfFe18L7pQ
Supplementation as recommended by your functional medicine specialist. Some possible choices include glutathione, N-acetyl cysteine, sulfur, chlorella, charcoal, and protease.

An increasingly useful approach is to test the body to determine what toxins are present so that optimal detoxification protocols can be precisely implemented.

Heavy metal testing
Environmental toxin tests

Both of these urine collection tests are available at TWIHW.

By Mila McManus MD|2020-04-12T09:48:51-06:00April 14th, 2020|General|

The Woodlands Institute of Health and Wellness is GREAT! Dr. Mc.Manus is a God send to me. I have fibromyalga and am allergic to the medication for it. I have only been seeing her for a month and my pain is much better. She is helping me get healthy!!! I am so excited. It is worth EVERY penny. She has determined what foods make the inflammation worse. K.B.

By Mila McManus MD|2020-04-12T09:36:37-06:00April 14th, 2020|General, Testimonials|

Urgent Care Virtual Appointments

Under normal circumstances, patient/physician relationships cannot be established via telephone (i.e., must be established in person). Due to the COVID-19 chaos, the Texas Medical Board is temporarily allowing new patients to be established via phone. (This is true for both urgent care as well as routine appointments). It is still required that we practice medicine within our state boundaries, though, so we are currently offering appointments only to individuals inside the Texas borders.

Here are some details regarding Urgent Care Appointments available at The Woodlands Institute for Health & Wellness:

Consultations are $199
If you’ve never been a patient at our facility, or if it’s been more than 3 years since your last appointment, some paperwork is required for each appointment which will be emailed via Adobe Echosign. Electronic signatures will be required and paperwork must be submitted prior to your consultation.
We can accommodate age 2 years and up
Upon request, we can provide you with a receipt/superbill which you can submit to your insurance company for possible reimbursement.
You CAN use FSA and HSA funds for these appointments.
Issues that are typically handled via telemedicine that are considered an urgent care matter include, but are not limited to, for example, headache, cold/flu symptoms, sore throat, allergies, asthma, suspected sinus infection, suspected bladder infection, gastrointestinal complaints (such as heartburn, nausea/vomiting, abdominal pain, diarrhea, constipation), urgent need for a medication refill (see exclusions below), rash (email photos to dchavez@TWIHW.com prior to consult), low grade fever, skin infection, cat/dog bite, suspected eye infection (send photos to dchavez@TWIHW.com prior to consult), suspected ear infection, dizziness, and acute/new onset muscular or joint pain.
If you feel strongly that your condition will require blood work or imaging studies, stitches, or possible treatment for stroke or heart attack, please go directly to the ER.
The medications that we will prescribe generally include drug classes such as antibiotics, antihistamines, medications for symptom relief of pain and gastrointestinal complaints, and short term prescriptions for maintenance medications for those who are traveling or are in transition to a new healthcare provider. We will not prescribe lifestyle medications (e.g., Viagra, Cialis, appetite suppressants) or any controlled substances. Click here for a list of controlled substances.
Please note that the consultation fee is for administrative duties, the professional opinion of the provider, and services rendered. Therefore, the fee shall be paid in advance of appointment, and even if the provider refers you to the Emergency Department for further or escalated evaluation.
Call (281) 298-6742 to schedule. Click HERE for office hours.
Once you are established as a patient, keep in mind that you’ll also have access to some of our services, such as ONDAMED, InfraRed sauna, IV nutritional therapies, vitamin injections, allergy testing, and more.

By Mila McManus MD|2022-06-28T11:05:52-06:00March 30th, 2020|General|

SOT (Supportive Oglionucleotide Therapy) For Lyme and Other Infections

By Mila McManus MD

RGCC lab has facilities globally and offers cutting edge testing and integrative therapies for infections and cancers.

SOT (Supportive Oglionucleotide Therapy) is a treatment that effectively silences the genes that are expressed in microbes’ genomes that are allowing them to survive. Your chromosomes contain genes which consist of strings of nucleotides. These nucleotides are ‘read’ by RNA. The RNA is then translated into proteins and this is how genes are expressed. SOT is called ‘anti-sense’ which means it creates a string of nucleotides which bind to the RNA, rendering it ineffective, and therefore it cannot be translated into proteins. By silencing genes that are critical for the microbes’ survival, the microbes will die. SOT will kill the microbes without harming the body; however, as with any other therapy used to treat infections, herxheimer reactions can occur. This is also known as ‘die-off’ or ‘healing crisis’. We have a protocol in place for patients to follow that will mitigate the incidence and severity of herxheimer symptoms. SOT is administered intravenously every 4 to 6 months as needed and remains active in the body for 24-28 weeks. Most people require 1 to 2 SOT infusions per microbe. Furthermore, if a person has Borrelia and co-infections, treating the most active infection may allow the body’s immune system to recover enough to handle the other infections on its own.

RGCC offers a highly sensitive PCR test for Lyme and other infections. With these results, a patient will know what infections are present, as well as which ones are most active/prevalent. The lab then uses these results to make the SOT, and it is very specific to each microbe. The PCR test must be repeated prior to each SOT because microbes often mutate and the SOT’s target gene may change. Once your blood is drawn at our office and shipped to the lab in Greece, results typically take 3 to 4 weeks. And once SOT is ordered, it will be custom made and arrive at our office in another 3 to 4 weeks.

For Price List, click here.

For a list of the bacteria and viruses for which SOT can be made, click here.

If you’d like more information, call our office (281-298-6742) to schedule an appointment.

By Mila McManus MD|2022-10-10T17:03:09-06:00March 30th, 2020|General|