Testimonial about PMS and Fatigue

I was suffering with PMS symptoms for a long time. Mood swings, irritability, headaches, fatigue, etc. These symptoms were ruling my life and I had low energy for years. In September 2015 I started the wellness program with TWIHW. With their comprehensive treatment plan including yeast cleanse and hormones and supplement support, my life is SO much better. As I am following a vegetarian diet, they customized my treatment plan accordingly. No more PMS symptoms and my energy level is very much improved. I truly feel like I got a new life! Thanks so much team TWIHW. – HM

By Mila McManus MD|2015-11-04T07:10:19-05:00November 4th, 2015|General|

Employee of the Month: Kim Beale

Our employee of the month for November is Kim Beale. With the exception of Dr. McManus, Kim is our most tenured employee. More than a decade ago, Kim had an appointment with her PCP at a bustling family practice and he was not able to see her so she was put on Dr. McManus’ schedule instead. From that point on, Dr. McManus became her family’s doctor. For the previous 5 years, Kim had seen multiple doctors and been prescribed multiple drugs for various health issues. Kim had expressed to Dr. McManus on numerous occasions her distaste for the medications she was taking. Kim was basically feeling “fat, tired and depressed”. Dr. McManus tried to tell Kim about this “new approach” she was using but Kim was very resistant. Finally, Dr. McManus literally said to Kim, “Give me 6 months and if I can’t change your life, we will go our separate ways. I KNOW I can fix you”. Kim finally agreed and within just a few weeks of practicing Dr. McManus’ health and wellness approach to medicine, Kim was stunned by her results and she soon after found herself begging Dr. McManus for a job. The rest is history. Kim is still shouting this exciting news from the rooftops! Over the years, Kim’s duties and responsibilities have changed but it has always been her passionate and creative personality and her willingness to take on any task or project that promotes the practice, that have been the driving force behind her success. Compassionate, loyal and so very generous and thoughtful of others, it is not hard to see why she is so appreciated. She is a person of many interests and talents. She is a wife and a mom, a musician, a gardener, a chef, a photographer, a fashionista who can convert to outdoor camping, four-wheeling, dirt biking and motorcycling in a flash. It is this exact interest in learning, knowing and solving problems that has allowed Kim to grow with the practice and to help the practice grow. Her name, “Kim” is of English origin and means “Leader of the Warriors”. How appropriate! She leads us every day with strength, passion and gusto. She’s our Queen of all trades, our Miss TWIHW, and our trusted friend.

By Mila McManus MD|2015-10-26T15:49:06-05:00October 26th, 2015|Articles, General|

Squash for Dummies

By Nancy Mehlert, MS

Now more than ever, there are a multitude of sizes and shapes and colors and in many cases, what we think is a kind of pumpkin, is really another relative in the winter squash family. We decorate and carve them but sometimes forget to appreciate the amazing dishes they make too! So today, let’s focus on the nutritional opportunity and great tastes found in the winter squash family.

There are more than a dozen varieties of winter squash and they are sweeter, denser and firmer than the summer squash (zucchini and yellow crookneck). In flavor and texture they generally tend to be more similar in taste and texture to a sweet potato though there are variances.

squash

Winter squash is an excellent replacement for potato, pasta, corn, and rice. They are an excellent vegetable option, generally low in calories and fat and a wonderful source of fiber, vitamin A and C, B6, potassium, magnesium, phosphorus, calcium and iron. They are also rich in important phytonutrients, plant nutrients that provide many specific health benefits but are not included in the definition of vitamins, minerals, proteins, carbohydrates, or fats. Examples of phytonutrients that may sound familiar to you are lutein, quercetin, and zeaxanthin, all of which are found in winter squash.

The most popular and easily found winter squashes are Pumpkin, Spaghetti, Butternut, Acorn and Delicata. Other less common varieties include Red Kabocha, Carnival, Sweet Dumpling, Red Kuri, Buttercup and Blue Hubbard. Here are the ones represented in the picture:

Acorn, Sweet Dumpling and Carnival squash are all very similar in shape, much like an acorn. In our picture, the Carnival Squash is on the lower left and the Acorn is on the lower right. A Sweet Dumpling is shaped the same however its skin is edible and it is whitish and yellowish with slight bits of green in the folds of the squash. These squash are mellow, mild and sweet and can be used as a bowl to hold fillings such as chopped apple and cinnamon, ground sage sausage and quinoa or just plain butter. They are small enough to bake like a baked potato – just poke a small hole to vent, bake at 350° for 30-40 minutes until tender. Cut open, scoop out seeds in the center and if desired, fill up the hole and serve.

If you plan to bake more once filled, then remove them from the oven after 25 minutes, fill up and then place back in the oven until heated through.

Delicata squash are uniquely shaped in an oblong fashion, with edible yellow skin and green lines lengthwise. There are two in our picture along the back row, one to the right of the spaghetti squash and one to the right of the pumpkin. The flesh is creamy and soft with a sweet taste that will thrill kids and adults alike. Easy to prepare and quick to roast, just slice down the middle, scoop out the seeds and place single layer on a baking sheet with olive oil, coconut oil or melted butter, salt and pepper if desired. Herbs such as rosemary or thyme would pair nicely. If you are patient for pretty results, it is attractive to slice one inch pieces of the whole squash and carve out the seeds in the middle. The end result is a pretty flower-looking slice that will impress your guests.

Kabocha Squash and Buttercup Squash are very similar in appearance and can be confusing. In our picture, they are the two dark green squash on the left half of the picture. The larger one in the center is the Buttercup, distinguishable by its flat bottom. The Kabocha has a base that points out rather than in. Freshly cut, they have a very clean fragrance much like cucumber, though once cooked, are mild, dense and only slightly sweet. The Red Kabocha Squash (not pictured) is more similarly colored like a pumpkin, but is unmistakably sweeter. These squash roast well but are also perfect for creamy squash soup.

If you have yet to try Spaghetti Squash, (pictured on the left, bright yellow)you are missing out on the popular new rage to replace the pasta on your plate. A rather amazing phenomenon, when you bake this squash and begin to remove the flesh with a dinner fork, the flesh comes out in fine, angel hair pasta-like strands. Its delicate and mild taste pairs beautifully with traditional marinara, as well as simply tossed with pecorino romano cheese, cilantro or parsley and butter. Scramble leftovers in a pan for breakfast with chopped bacon and you have a delightful eggless breakfast. Smaller ones bake easily whole like a baked potato at 350-375° in 25-40 minutes while larger ones cook fast if cut in half first, remove the seeds and bake face down in a little bit of water.

Finally, the Pumpkin is the bright orange iconic symbol for October, Halloween and Fall. If you want to ditch the canned pumpkin, pick up the sweet, small Sugar Pumpkins that are easy to bake and puree for all of your favorite pumpkin recipes.

Be healthy, enjoy Fall and eat some squash!

By Mila McManus MD|2015-10-21T14:58:37-05:00October 21st, 2015|Articles, General, NANCY’S NUTRITIONAL NUGGET|

Active B Complex (by Prothera)

Active B Complex™ provides a full-complement of essential B-complex vitamins in a high potency formula. Activated, coenzyme forms provide optimum B complex vitamin support for individuals who may have difficulty metabolizing standard supplemental forms of B vitamins, particularly those with the MTHFR gene mutation/variant. Inclusion of L-5-methyltetrahydrofolate (L-5-MTHF), a bioactive form of folate, ensures more immediate effects on metabolism than folic acid, the form of folate commonly used in fortified foods and supplements. Activated vitamin B12 (methylcobalamin) enhances B12 absorption and bioavailability. Benfotiamine, the lipid-soluble form of thiamine, is also included together with active forms of riboflavin and vitamin B6. Provided in small easy to swallow vegetarian capsules.

By Mila McManus MD|2015-10-21T14:51:07-05:00October 21st, 2015|Articles, General|

Baked Acorn Squash with Apples

Serves 4

2 Medium to small Acorn Squash, halved with seeds & strings removed
2 Medium to Large baking apples, cored and diced
2 Tablespoons Coconut Palm Sugar or maple syrup
2 Tablespoons of Butter, melted
½-1 tsp. Pumpkin Pie Spice (or cinnamon, nutmeg, and allspice)
Juice of ½ small lemon
1 Tablespoon bourbon or dark rum if desired

1) Preheat oven to 350°.

2) Use a baking dish large enough for the 4 halves, and place ¼ cup of water in the bottom of it. Place the acorn squash halves face down in the water and bake for ½ hour.

3) While baking, gently toss together in a bowl, diced apples with coconut palm sugar, melted butter, pumpkin pie spice, lemon juice and bourbon/dark rum, if desired.

4) Remove squash from the oven, drain any remaining water from the pan, and turn over the squash to bowl side up. Fill center with apple mixture.

5) Bake for an additional 30 minutes until apples are soft and browning.

Notes: Completed squash will hold heat for 15 minutes countertop so it can hold well while the remainder of dish is prepared and served. Can also be prepared through step 4 and refrigerated one day ahead before finishing. Remove from refrigerator 15 minutes before final baking step. Use a baking apple (Honeycrisp works well) and dice into small pieces to speed cooking time. Consider other stuffing combinations for acorn squash such as cooked pork sausage or bacon, pears, raisins, cranberries or currents, nuts and seeds. Excellent pairing for pork roast or turkey dinner. Also a great dessert option.

By Mila McManus MD|2015-10-26T16:56:46-05:00October 21st, 2015|Articles, General, Recipes|

Identifying and Preventing Food Allergies

By Nancy Mehlert, MS

In Collaboration with Mila McManus MD

Researchers estimate that up to 15 million Americans have food allergies. Food allergies affect 1 in every 13 children (under 18 years of age) in the U.S. That’s roughly two in every classroom. According to a study released in 2013 by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, food allergies among children increased approximately 50% between 1997 and 2011. Eight foods account for 90 percent of all reactions: milk, eggs, peanuts, tree nuts, soy, wheat, fish and shellfish. Even trace amounts of a food allergen can cause a reaction.[1] In comments on the US Food & Drug Administration’s 2005 Food Safety Survey, FAAN stated that “Accurate and reliable data on food allergy and anaphylaxis is lacking, and it is generally believed that the limited data now available represents an under-reporting of food allergy-related reactions and deaths”[2]. Here at The Woodlands Institute for Health and Wellness, we agree that food allergies are on the rise and prevalence is underreported for children and adults.

The information above pertains to IgE, or immediate type, allergic reactions such as lip swelling, hives, and/or anaphylaxis. What we see much more frequently at TWIHW are IgG, or delayed type, reactions which are generally ignored and dismissed in the conventional medical community. Symptoms related to IgG reactions are listed below in the paragraph that begins with “1”.

You can help yourself and your family to minimize the effects of food allergies and avoid them all together by taking a few proactive steps.

ONE: Clean up your diet. Focus on real, whole food and eliminate packaged, processed, and fast foods in exchange for plenty of fresh vegetables, fruit, healthy undamaged fats and meats. Reduce sugar as much as possible.

TWO: Restore and heal the gut (intestinal lining where digestion occurs) with plenty of probiotics and bone broth. Our highly processed sugary/carbohydrate diets with artificial sweeteners, flavors and chemical additives, in addition to overuse of antibiotics and steroids, have made it difficult to maintain a healthy gut. (Call us at 281-298-6742 for treatment programs to heal and seal and restore the gut and reduce allergic reactions to foods!)

THREE: Rotate, Rotate, Rotate. Food rotation means to eat a wide variety of foods and avoid eating the same foods day after day and week after week. When we bludgeon the body with a single food, day after day, the opportunity to induce a food allergy to it is very high. This is especially true of the eight listed foods above. Making sure that you only consume these foods once a week (or at least 3-4 days apart) can go a long way to reducing the opportunity for a food allergy to develop. While it is not as necessary to rotate the foods the human body is perfectly wired to consume such as meats and vegetables, undamaged fats, fruits and most seeds, rotation also helps to keep interest in a healthy diet and more importantly, provides a much needed diversity of nutrients for the body thus preventing nutrient depletion.

FOUR: Food allergy tests are available and can be expensive but there is a way you can do a little testing on your own. It is called an Oral Food Challenge. We suggest taking a look at the list above of the eight most common food allergens and conduct your own personal test. Your results will be better than any test available and it will allow you to witness in your own body what effect a food has on you. Instructions for performing the challenge:

1. Choose any one food listed above that’s currently part of your regular diet and eliminate it totally from your diet for a full 30 days or more. Three months would be an ideal test environment. Be sure to check ingredient lists carefully on everything to make sure you are doing a complete elimination. This is especially important with soy, wheat, milk and eggs since they are commonly found in many restaurant items, as well as processed and packaged foods. Make notes a couple times a week in a log regarding how you are feeling before elimination and how you are feeling as the elimination period is progressing. Common allergy symptoms can include aching joints, diarrhea/constipation, headaches, irritability/depressed moods, marked fatigue, inability to lose weight or weight gain[3], anxiety, sneezing, post- nasal drainage, cough, ringing ears, watery eyes, hives/itching/rash, cramps/bloating/ gas, asthma or breathing difficulty, canker sores, or difficulty concentrating. You may want to start by jotting down which of these symptoms you already experience on a regular basis to see if elimination of a food resolves the symptom.

2. Once the elimination period is complete, add the food back into your diet following precisely the three steps listed below. Remember that food allergy symptoms can be both delayed and cumulative, meaning increasing levels of the ingested food can trigger the reaction. If at any point in the steps you experience a reaction, stop eating the challenge food and recognize your sensitivity/allergy to it. We recommend documenting your symptoms to each food you test. Here is how to add the food back in:

i. Day 1-4: Eat the chosen food for 4 consecutive days, at least one serving each day.

ii. Day 5-8: Omit the chosen food totally again for the next 4 days. Be sure to omit the food and anything in which it is an ingredient.

iii. Day 9: First thing in the morning, eat a portion of the chosen food with nothing but a glass of water. Watch for symptoms over the next 30 minutes. If no symptoms occur, eat a second portion of the food with nothing but a glass of water. Without eating any more of the chosen food, wait and watch for symptoms over the next 3 days.

If you can complete this process without observing any symptoms at all, then you can draw the conclusion that you are not sensitive or allergic to the food. If at any point during the process you experience symptoms, stop eating the food, noting the food sensitivity for future reference. If you have a reaction, we recommend the ideal course of action to be avoidance. If the reaction is mild, it’s best to avoid the food for a few months and then attempt food challenge again and if you pass the test the next time, you may wish to eat the food once a week or less, if possible, with the understanding that more frequent ingestion will have a cumulative effect and could trigger symptoms again in the future. If your reaction is more severe with the first oral food challenge, then total avoidance is your best and wisest course of action, but with faithful avoidance for at least 6 to 12 months, you can test again and may be able to rotate the food back into your diet. It’s important to reiterate the importance of focusing on cleaning up the diet and healing the gut as part of a long-term plan to recover from food intolerance and prevent the development of more food allergies.

Call 281-298-6742 for more information and assistance from our skilled and experienced medical staff and nutritionist.

[1] http://www.foodallergy.org/facts-and-stats

[2] (FAAN, 2005

[3] Your Hidden Food Allergies Are Making You Fat by Roger Deutsch and Rudy Rivera M.D. (2002)

By Mila McManus MD|2015-10-06T12:36:01-05:00October 6th, 2015|Articles, General, NANCY’S NUTRITIONAL NUGGET|

Food Allergies

By Nancy Mehlert, MS

In collaboration with Mila McManus MD

In this article, you are going to learn a lot of medical lingo. This is a very important topic and we’re confident you’ll get through it!

The human body has a highly complex, multi-faceted system to defend it from outside threats or harm. We refer to it as our immune system. Immunoglobulins (Ig) are one part of this system and are a diverse group of proteins that protect the human body against disease. Another term used for immunoglobulins is antibodies. In reference to allergic reactions, you may be familiar with Immunoglobulin E, or IgE, and Immunoglobulin G, or IgG. When we ingest a food and these immunoglobulins incorrectly identify that food as foe rather than friend, an adverse symptom (or group of symptoms) results, which we call a food allergy. Some of the most common food allergens include cow’s milk, chicken eggs, wheat, soy, corn, legumes (e.g., peanuts), fish and shellfish. The common theme to responses are inflammatory symptoms including vasodilation which leads to swelling, tissue damage, increased vascular permeability (which allows substances to leak out of blood vessels), and the release of chemical mediators.

IgE is primarily found attached to mast cells. IgE allergies can be very serious and cause symptoms such as difficulty breathing, swelling, hives or even anaphylactic shock. IgE antibodies, once exposed to the allergen (aka, in this case, the food triggering allergic response), cause the release of histamines and other chemicals which cause symptoms such as itching and inflammation. Commonly these reactions are immediate upon ingestion of the allergen, occurring within minutes. Testing for this kind of allergy is done by skin prick or blood test and treatment is usually to block the release of the histamines with medications, and avoidance of the allergen. Click here for more information on ordering a test kit.

IgG is important for building immunity even as a baby grows in its mother’s womb. These antibodies build long term resistance to infections, toxins, bacteria and viruses. IgG allergic reactions do not release histamine and thus do not respond to a skin prick. In fact, these allergies are often called “delayed onset” allergies because immediate symptoms are less common. Rather, symptoms can take hours and even days to manifest and repeated exposure to the same allergen can be cumulative in nature because it takes much longer for the body to clear/reduce the IgG after exposure to the food when compared to clearance rate of IgE. The degree and severity of symptoms can also vary because of the genetic makeup of the individual. Symptoms can range from headache, nausea, seizures, hyperactivity, joint pain, fatigue, irritability, and cognitive dysfunction, to skin rashes and mood disorders. IgG reactions have also been associated with auto-immune diseases such as Hashimoto’s thyroiditis, Rheumatoid arthritis, and lupus. It is well understood that a significant portion of our ingested food proteins reach the lymphoid tissues (clusters of immune cells) in the gut where ideally the intestinal immune system can discriminate proteins in the food stream as innocuous (harmless) and not of any pathogenic (disease-causing) importance. However, if the mucosal barrier integrity is lost, this lymphoid tissue loses its ability to distinguish friend from foe, causing tolerance for certain foods to be lost. This often occurs with the foods eaten most frequently and repeatedly. Digestive problems play a major role in the development of IgG food allergies as a result of intestinal lining integrity being compromised by a poor diet or the use of antibiotics, steroids, artificial sweeteners, and medications such as NSAIDS (non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs). We call this “leaky gut”, and this allows food particles to enter the bloodstream where they are recognized by the immune system as a perceived threat that triggers an immune attack. Chronic attacks keep the immune system hypersensitive and overworked, leading to poor performance and weakening of the immune system. Treatment for IgG reactions includes avoidance of reactive foods and restoration of gut integrity. It is possible, but not guaranteed, that a person can later resume eating the foods in moderation. Since the antibodies are cumulative with IgG reactions, the frequency with which you eat the food will determine how quickly the antibodies rise again to the level which triggers symptoms again.

www.greatplainslaboratory.com/home/eng/e-newsletter/igg_vs_ige.pdf

By Mila McManus MD|2019-03-06T15:36:05-05:00October 6th, 2015|Articles, General|

Employee of the Month- Nancy Mehlert, M.S.

Every month at The Woodlands Institute for Health & Wellness, we celebrate one member of our awesome team. This month, we are celebrating Nancy Mehlert, MS. Nancy began her wellness journey at TWIHW as a patient. Several months into her wellness program, after realizing how life changing the experience had been for her thus far, she developed a passion for nutrition and the wellness field, left her successful career in management, enrolled in school to work for a Masters in holistic nutrition, and joined the TWIHW team in 2006 as our nutritionist on staff.

Nancy is unarguably one of TWIHW’s best assets. She’s extremely smart, kind-hearted, encouraging, amazing at everything she does, and is continually complimented by coworkers and patients alike. Some of the adjectives used to describe Nancy’s attributes include compassionate, enthusiastic, dependable, thorough, accessible, unique, bright, genuine, energetic, fiercely loyal, humble, and passionate. She is sincerely concerned for the health and wellbeing of everyone around her.

By Mila McManus MD|2015-10-05T14:00:55-05:00October 5th, 2015|Articles, General|

Carbo G

carbo G

by Transformation Enzymes

Adhering to a gluten free diet can be challenging when gluten is used as a food additive and even as a filler in some medications. It may be present in the least expected places, especially when eating outside the home. And since gluten sensitive individuals can become very uncomfortable or ill if they consume unexpected gluten, Carbo G offers a helpful solution to both mitigate anxiety and assist with the digestion of unexpected gluten. Carbo G includes enzymes that break down the polysaccharides which encase gluten as well as the DPP-IV protease necessary to digest the gluten proteins. Improved digestion helps to reduce symptoms of bloating, diarrhea, gas and abdominal cramps associated with grain and gluten sensitivities. Our practice emphasizes the avoidance of food allergens and sensitivities and does not promote the use of Carbo G as a way to routinely “allow” consumption of known allergens. Healing and restoration of the gut are key to resolution of the root problem. This supplement is available by special order at The Woodlands Institute for Health and Wellness. We are offering 20% off this Product of the Month for the month of October!

By Mila McManus MD|2015-10-05T06:44:22-05:00October 3rd, 2015|Articles, General|

Employee of the Month Sandra Caldwell, PA-C

Sandra Caldwell, PA-C, joined The Woodlands Institute for Health and Wellness 8 years ago as a healthcare provider and is also a member of our management team, overseeing the medical staff. Everyone on our staff will tell you that Sandra is an anchor for us in so many ways. She is always the calm one amidst the stormiest times and to all offers a much needed word of encouragement, compassion and sensibility. She often fills the “mom on staff” role when we need a mother’s tender care and she is as endearing to children as to the elderly. Selfless and loyal, she is especially good at listening, recognizing the needs of others and offering wise counsel and education. She also has an uncanny ability to take a nervous patient and make him or her comfortable and relaxed. Sandra is our all natural gal with a deep love of horses, dogs and animals in general. She loves the great outdoors, and anything just the way nature made it. She is our resident essential oil specialist and knows at least one natural treatment or approach for just about anything imaginable! If you can catch her out from behind the door with patients, it is always a joy to be in her presence and draw from her smile, her knowledge and her serenity in life.

By Mila McManus MD|2015-09-01T13:19:16-05:00September 1st, 2015|Articles, General|