COVID and the flu are here to stay.

By Admin|2023-09-13T13:30:11-05:00March 26th, 2021|Articles, General|

By Mila McManus, M.D.

COVID and the flu will continue to be with us, so I wanted to remind everyone to please support your immune system and overall health to avoid bad outcomes. I recommend a foundational daily minimum of vitamin D3, a multivitamin, and a quality probiotic. Preventing any illness means staying true to an integrative approach that is attentive to all of the key pillars of your health. Those key pillars include:

A whole food diet and good hydration – maintaining balanced blood sugar is key (did you know that sugar immediately suppresses your immune system for up to several hours?)
Moderate exercise
Keep the gut healthy – easy on the alcohol, sugar, wheat, and pain relievers, while taking your probiotic and drinking bone broth
Get quality rest and sleep
Avoid toxins and support detoxification – see gut health above and step into the IR sauna too!
Manage stress – take time for quiet meditation, practice yoga and/or deep breathing exercises
Make use of appropriate supplementation – see below

For most, a healthy diet still cannot provide adequate nutrition for a strong immune system because of poor food quality, daily stressors, and the toxicity of our world. For those with compromised immune systems, or who are living and working in higher exposure areas, or traveling, a selection from the following supplements would be wise protective additions.

Glutathione
Quercetin (inhibits viral replication)
Melatonin
Viracid™
Whole Immune™
Vitamin C
Zinc 25-50mg daily
Silverbiotics Silver Sol™

All of these options, along with common sense measures such as thorough hand washing and avoiding crowds, will help to keep you healthy this year. If you are unsure about which supplements would be best for you, consult with our medical providers for a customized plan that’s right for you.

COVID/Flu Protection For the Winter

By Admin|2020-12-09T15:52:23-05:00December 11th, 2020|General|

By Mila McManus, M.D.

COVID and the flu will travel into the new year with us, so I wanted to remind everyone to please support your immune system and overall health to avoid bad outcomes. I recommend a foundational daily minimum of vitamin D3, a multivitamin, and a quality probiotic. Preventing any illness means staying true to an integrative approach that is attentive to all of the key pillars of your health. Those key pillars include:

A whole food diet and good hydration – maintaining balanced blood sugar is key (did you know that sugar immediately suppresses your immune system for up to several hours?)
Moderate exercise
Keep the gut healthy – easy on the alcohol, sugar, wheat, and pain relievers, while taking your probiotic and drinking bone broth
Get quality rest and sleep
Avoid toxins and support detoxification – see gut health above and step into the IR sauna too!
Manage stress – take time for quiet meditation, practice yoga and/or deep breathing exercises
Make use of appropriate supplementation – see below

For most, a healthy diet still cannot provide adequate nutrition for a strong immune system because of poor food quality, daily stressors, and the toxicity of our world. For those with compromised immune systems, or who are living and working in higher exposure areas, or traveling, a selection from the following supplements would be wise protective additions.

Glutathione
Quercetin (inhibits viral replication)
Melatonin
Viracid™
Whole Immune™
Vitamin C
Zinc 25-50mg daily
Silverbiotics Silver Sol™

All of these options, along with common sense measures such as thorough hand washing and avoiding crowds, will help to make your holiday season and winter a healthy experience. If you are unsure about which supplements would be best for you, consult with our medical providers for a customized plan that’s right for you.

Why Bioidentical Hormone Therapy?

By Admin|2020-10-13T06:28:33-05:00October 13th, 2020|Articles, General|

By Mila McManus, M.D.

Bio-identical hormones are hormones that are near identical to the hormones our bodies produce. This is in contrast to conventional hormone replacement therapy (a.k.a HRT) which uses synthetic hormone-like drugs, such as birth control pills and other synthetic hormones used to treat menopausal symptoms in women. One might wonder why doctors would prescribe synthetic hormones when ‘real’ hormones are available. The answer involves understanding patent laws. Nobody can patent things that already occur naturally, so you can’t patent a palm tree, and drug companies can’t patent the structure of a real hormone. Since drug companies are in the business of making money, they want to be able to protect their property with patents, so they created synthetic hormones which they could patent. These are, unfortunately, the only hormones we learn to prescribe in medical school.

Some causes of hormone imbalance include stress, sleep deprivation, vitamin deficiencies, poor dietary habits, toxins, and side effects of various medications. The list of symptoms of hormonal imbalance is long. Some symptoms include fatigue, insomnia, depressed moods, decreased mental sharpness, anxiety, PMS, post-partum depression, decreased sex drive, unexplained weight gain and inability to lose weight, low motivation, headaches, hot flashes, night sweats, and irregular menstruation.

Benefits of balancing and optimizing hormones with bio-identical hormones include improvement or resolution of the above symptoms, improvement in bone density, preservation of brain function, reduced risk for heart disease, and increased overall sense of wellbeing, to name a few. Risks are minute compared to typical HRT with synthetic hormone-like drugs. For instance, there is virtually no risk of blood clots with bio-identical progesterone, whereas synthetic progestins are well-known to heighten the risk. It’s also noteworthy to say that the Women’s Health Initiative Study that revealed an increase in the incidence of breast cancer was based solely on the use of synthetic hormones. Moreover, keep in mind that cancer is the result of a perfect storm of events, and hormones are a tiny piece of that puzzle. Other factors that are linked to cancer that people tend to ignore are stress, sleep deprivation, poor dietary habits, vitamin and other nutrient deficiencies, and toxins.

A wonderful thing about bio-identical hormones is the ability to have them compounded into specific doses. For instance, one person may need 5mg twice daily of progesterone, while another may need 37.5mg twice daily. We can order various doses in various forms, such as creams, pills, lozenges, injections, and pellets. Doses are fine-tuned based on resolution of symptoms and other factors. This is not possible with most commercially-available options.

As has happened in the past, the FDA is again gearing up to issue a ban on compounded bioidentical hormone replacement therapy under the disguise of insufficient evidence of safety and effectiveness, when it is just one of the ways the FDA and the government bolster drug monopolies and undermine natural health options. Interestingly, it is the FDA-approved synthetic hormones that are known for common side effects including headaches, breast tenderness, mood swings, fluid retention, weight gain, and loss of libido. They are also associated with an increased incidence of breast cancer, heart disease, stroke, and blood clots to the lungs. And there are numerous and severe side effects of synthetic hormones listed in the Physician’s Desk Reference.

As a functional medicine physician, I would be very saddened to see compounded bioidentical hormones banned. So please take 60 seconds to join the fight! Click this LINK to sign the petition.

On a final note, while not optimal or easily customized to patients’ individual needs, if bio-identical hormones are banned in the future, there will be some alternatives! There are a few bio-identical hormones that are commercially available, made possible by the drug companies patenting a delivery mechanism, for instance, such as a patch.

EMF Protection, Part 2

By Admin|2020-08-07T12:17:33-05:00August 8th, 2020|Articles, General|

By Mila McManus, M.D.

Last month in our newsletter we wrote about the health crisis that is emerging as a result of electropollution and the magnitude of the 5G implementation around the world. We provided an extensive list of steps to take in and around your home and workplace to protect your body from electromagnetic pollution. If you missed it, click here to read it! While reducing exposure is the first and most important step, it is also important to take self-care measures to support your internal chemistry at the cellular level against EMF damage.

Without diving deep into biochemistry, what is important to understand is that the constant barrage of electromagnetic radiation in unusually patterned and high frequencies results in damage at the DNA level and increases oxidative stress. For the human body, this means many critical resources are depleted, preventing the immune system from being able to repair the damage and work effectively for you. This is problematic for children who have thinner skulls and developing brains, as well as the aging, whose bodies are generally less effective with replenishment of nutrients simply by way of the aging process. Replacing these resources (e.g. vitamins, minerals, enzymes) is another critical piece to living healthfully for young and old alike. Generally, the older (over 40) we are, the more aggressive our therapy needs to be.

Here are specific ways you can care for yourself and your family:

#1 Read last month’s article and determine to reduce the family’s exposure, especially during sleeping hours. This gives the body time to repair and reset, away from EMF exposure.

#2 Practice time restricted eating (a.k.a intermittent fasting), limiting your consumption of food to a narrow window of time each day, ideally to a 6-8 hour window. For example, eating meals only between 9am and 5pm, or 12pm to 6pm. The alternating fasting period results in production of some of the essential nutrients required to support mitochondrial cleaning and repair at the DNA level. Also, having your last food at least three to four hours before going to bed protects depletion of critical enzymes for repair.

#3 Exercise in some way every day. The most effective options include high intensity exercise, aerobic, and resistance exercises. When we exercise, the essential repair and signaling enzymes for our DNA are increased.

#4 Be sure your supplementation includes about 25 mg of niacin a day. Niacin is a necessary precursor in the body for the production of the enzymes for DNA repair. One of the best studies suggests that inexpensive, non-time release niacin is preferred. It is often found in high quality B-Complex and Multi vitamins. We offer both in our office.

#5 Once again, what we eat remains foundational to disease prevention, strong immunity, and protection from EMFs specifically. Fruits, vegetables, and other plant nutrients such as those found in spices, nuts, and seeds offer some of the most important nutrients for stimulating the action of the enzymes and co-enzymes that protect and correct our DNA. Anytime we can get our nutrition from food over a supplement, we will be getting the natural, elemental vitamins and minerals needed for good health. That is why choosing properly grown (i.e., organic, non-GMO, unrefined) minimally processed food is the most sensible first step to good health. Some of the essential vitamins, minerals, and enzymes for DNA repair, which can be found mostly in plants, include magnesium, vitamin D, fisetin, resveratrol, epigallocatechin-3-gallate (EGCG), quercetin, isothiocyanates, terpenes, sulfur compounds, carotenoids, and fatty acids. For a specific list of some of the best sources, click here .

#6 Detoxification is an especially important step for staying healthy and providing protection from EMFs. It involves removing as many toxicants as possible from our diets, environments, and lifestyles while always staying focused on promoting and supporting the body’s detoxification pathways. One of the most effective ways is through the use of far or near infrared saunas. Here is an article about detoxification and how to go about it.

We believe it is important for everyone to begin to take intentional and consistent steps toward protecting yourself against the increasing impacts of EMFs to the human body, especially with the advent of 5G technologies.

[1] Primary resource for this article is from

Mercola, Joseph. EMF*D -5G, Wi-Fi & Cell Phones: Hidden Harms and How to Protect Yourself. New York: Hay House, Inc. 2020

Foods That Support DNA Repair

By Admin|2020-08-05T13:13:43-05:00August 8th, 2020|Articles, General|

The Woodlands Institute for Health & Wellness

Here is a list of some of the most supportive foods which provide the resources to make the enzymes the body requires to repair DNA and their corresponding phyto-nutrients. These are all healthy foods we should ensure are frequently included in our daily diets. The key is rotation and inclusion of as many as possible over time.

Vitamin D

Salmon, wild

Trout

Cod Liver Oil

Mushrooms, portabella

Tuna, canned, Skipjack

Sardines

Pork, cooked

Egg

Sulforaphane

Broccoli

Rutin

Apples

Black tea

Green tea

Buckwheat

Quercetin

Capers

Red onion

Berries

Broccoli

Curcumin

Turmeric

Fisetin

Strawberries

Green tea

Chamomile tea

Apples

Resveratrol

Pistachios

Grapes

Blueberries

Dark Chocolate

Epigallocatechin-3-gallate

a.k.a EGCG

Green tea

Polyphenols

Apple peel

Pomegranate peel

Purple sweet potato

Delta- and Gamma Tocopherols (Vit. E) and

Tocotrienols

Raspberries

Blackberries

Hazelnuts

Olive Oil

Astaxanthin

Microalgae

Some seafood such as krill

Isothiocyanates

Broccoli

Cabbage

Kale

Arugula

Brussels sprouts

Cauliflower

Bok choy

Collards

Watercress

Radishes

Triterpenoids/Terpenes

Apples

Peppermint

Oregano

Thyme

Mango

Lemongrass

Rosemary

Sulfur Compounds

Garlic

Onion

Chives

Leeks

Carotenoids

Tomato

Watermelon

Guava

Magnesium

Halibut, wild

Almonds

Cashews

Spinach

Potato, baked with skin

Peanuts

Avocado

Kidney beans

Banana

Protect, Prevent, Prevail

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

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!

Immune Boosters

By Admin|2020-03-16T08:54:00-05:00March 16th, 2020|General|

If you fear Coronavirus (or flu), have been exposed, if you are sick, have been in a big crowd, or if you’re going to be….here are some suggestions, and also a recipe for DIY hand sanitizer:

Wholemune and Viracid

Transfer Factor Multi-Immune

On Guard essential oil

Vitamin C -oral AND Mega Dose IV available

Zinc 25mg daily

Vitamin D at least 2000iu daily. If/when potentially exposed to a virus, take 25,000iu daily for 3 to 5 days.

Nebulizer treatments! (with Vitamin C, Colloidal silver, etc)

Also, see below for DIY Hand Sanitizer

Stay Well,

Mila McManus MD

Keys to Successful Weight Loss

By Admin|2022-10-10T18:36:30-05:00March 5th, 2020|Articles, Ask Dr McManus, General, Recommended Reading|

By Mila McManus M.D.

The three most common excuses given for the inability to lose weight are thyroid malfunction, eating too many calories, and inadequate exercise. Everyone knows that. Right? Not so fast. In fact, we wish we had a nickel for every time someone has said, “No matter what I do, what I eat, how much I exercise, I can’t lose weight!”. Truth be told, there are many variables that can prevent weight loss even when it seems like the diet and exercise are more than adequate. Our stressful and toxic world contributes more than you might realize, along with important lifestyle habits. There may also be other physiological reasons. For most people, there are several variables at play.

Here is a list of considerations when you are at your weight loss wit’s end.

Inflammation affects metabolism. Inflammation stems from various factors, but one, in particular, is a food sensitivity. You may not realize, for instance, the eggs, almonds, or wheat in your diet are sabotaging your efforts because of an underlying food sensitivity. Another source of inflammation is alcohol. (Of course, the calories from alcohol don’t help either.)
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 when to stop eating.
Thyroid function may be low despite normal lab results. Test yourself here for low thyroid symptoms. Your thyroid ratios may be suboptimal because your body can’t adequately convert inactive thyroid (T4) to active thyroid (T3) due to vitamin deficiencies, stress, poor gut health, or heavy metals. In addition, infection and inflammation increase Reverse T3 (RT3) which blocks thyroid function at the cellular level.
Guessing at caloric needs and exercise needs without knowing your own biological, physiological needs can sabotage your efforts. Consider having a metabolic test to determine your accurate resting metabolic rate, caloric needs for weight loss and for weight maintenance. It is easy and affordable. Ask for a Metacheck appointment.
Trying to exercise your way to weight loss is pretty fruitless when not examining your diet. Dietary adjustments will be a much faster route to weight loss compared to trying to overcompensate with exercise. HCG Protocol or Weight Loss Protocol are good places to start your weight loss journey.
Doing the wrong types of exercise is a recipe for long term disaster. Muscle mass contributes greatly to your metabolic rate. If you are trying to jog off your behind and belly fat, you may find that strength training to increase muscle mass is more effective at burning calories, toning every area of the body, and getting faster results.
Hormonal Imbalances for both men and women can greatly impact the ability to lose weight. For example, imbalances of sex hormones (e.g., testosterone, estrogen, progesterone) can impact thyroid function which, in turn, affects metabolism. Have you heard of estrogen dominance? Men can struggle with this as well if testosterone is declining while exposure to estrogenic plastics, chemicals, or soy causes increased estrogen levels.
Poor gut health (even with absence of any obvious gastrointestinal symptoms) caused by medications, poor diet, antibiotics, and artificial sweeteners, to name a few, will often affect weight. Good gut health is mission-critical for weight loss.
Lectins, which are in many healthy foods, can cause weight gain and inhibit weight loss. Read about lectins here, and read about which foods contain the most lectins here.
Nutritional deficiencies affect metabolism. Are you deficient in iodine, selenium, vitamin D, or iron perhaps? Deficiencies here will affect your thyroid function. There are a number of tests available to help identify nutritional deficiencies.

Medications can affect your metabolism, including birth control pills, antidepressants, and beta-blockers. Even Zyrtec and Allegra, common allergy medications, can cause weight gain.

Toxins may be sabotaging your efforts, too. Today, our toxin exposure is significantly higher than it was just fifty years ago. Additionally, some of us don’t eliminate toxins as well as others do. A good detox program may be helpful! Read our article on toxin testing and search our site for detox recipes that will help you get rid of harmful toxins. PEMF Therapy and IR Sauna are two additional detoxifying options available at our office.

Inadequate hydration can slow your metabolism.

Unaddressed emotional trauma can affect eating habits and have neurohormonal effects that contribute to weight gain.

Emotional eating habits are a common problem, such as binge eating chips or cookies when sad or stressed, or celebrating good times with cake and champagne.

Not eating enough calories can be disastrous on your metabolism. Starving yourself, or eating a normal number of calories, and then following with excessive exercise or exertion, can cause reduced muscle mass and, therefore, slowing of metabolic rate.

Eating too late at night can affect weight, mainly because studies show that late eaters tend to make poorer food choices and eat more calories.

Eating too quickly will tend to cause you to eat more calories because you’re shoveling in more food during the interval between intake of food and getting the signal from your brain that you are full.

Excessive fruit intake can affect weight because the sugar in fruit, fructose, more easily stores as fat than other types of carbs.
Stress-yes, stress. Its effects are evil in every way.

Ready to do something about it? Here are ways to get started:

Read Highway to Health, A Nutritional Roadmap, by Mila McManus MD, available in our office and on Amazon. This book includes everything you need to know about nutrition and lifestyle to maintain a healthy weight. The 2nd edition was published in December 2019.
Call 281-298-6742 to learn how we can help you start losing weight today with one of our medically monitored weight loss programs. HCG Protocol or Weight Loss Protocol are good places to start your weight loss journey.
Use our website to find healthy recipes that are sure to spice up your taste buds and make you feel better.
Follow the links in this article to test yourself and learn more.

References:

The Plant Paradox by Dr Gundry

www.medicalnewstoday.com

www.epocrates.com

Why Isn’t my Brain Working? by Dr. Kharrazian

Adrenal Fatigue by Dr. James Wilson

Integrative (i.e., Alternative, Complementary, and Supportive) Cancer Therapies

By Admin|2023-03-22T16:52:33-05:00March 4th, 2020|Articles, General, Recommended Reading|

By Mila McManus MD

Integrative (i.e., Alternative, Complementary, and Supportive) Cancer Therapies — *Photo courtesy Medical News Today*

According to cancer.gov website, 38.4% of people will have a cancer diagnosis at some point in their lives. That’s over 1 of every 3 people. Fear is a natural tendency. The saying “an ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure,” always brings to mind cancer first. If you do get (or have) a diagnosis of cancer, you should know that there are a lot of integrative (i.e., alternative, complementary, and supportive) therapies to consider exploring.

Some of what I’m presenting in this article are therapies I have had some experience with and/or offer at TWIHW. Others I’ve learned from colleagues, research, conferences, and patients. I make NO claims about the effectiveness of any of these therapies, and this list is, by no means, exhaustive. Furthermore, you can assume that most, if not all, of the items listed below are not formally FDA-approved. Also, I want to point out that “unproven” is not synonymous with “ineffective”. Medical school focuses heavily of teaching us how to manage diseases with FDA-approved pharmaceutical drugs. We aren’t trained on using nutrition, for example, to manage disease or treat illness. Training us to use diet, vitamins, and other natural substances is a conflict of interest to Big Pharma’s bottom line.

I never encourage patients to choose conventional over alternative therapies or vice versa. It is important TWIHW patients know their available options. TWIHW will support patients’ decisions whichever treatments they choose. Most of the time, my patients will choose some form of conventional treatments–surgery, chemo, and/or radiation. We aim to support their healing and mitigate their side effects using complementary therapies like these:

Mega doses of intravenous vitamin C
- In 2019, I attended the IV C Academy at the Riordan Clinic in Kansas. Dr. Hugh Riordan received a patent in 1997 for the treatment of cancer with IV Vitamin C. You can read more about the benefits of mega dose vitamin C here.
- To learn more about how vitamin C fights other diseases, I highly recommend Dr. Thomas Levy’s book Curing the Incurable.

Essiac tea is a blend of herbs that supports detoxification pathways and supports immune function.

Fucoidan is a component of seaweed that has demonstrated the potential for anti-cancer effects, immune modulation, inflammation control, cardiovascular support, and stem cell activation.

Protocel is a non-toxic liquid formula that interferes with the metabolism (energy production) and cell membrane integrity of cancer cells, without harming normal, non-cancerous cells in the body.

Ketogenic diet, a very low carb diet thought to help treat cancer, by drastically reducing glucose in the body to ‘starve’ cancer cells to death. Reducing glucose is very important, because cancer uses glucose for energy rather than oxygen. Dr. Mercola wrote a great article about this in 2013 and you can read it here.

ONDAMED (biofeedback with PEMF) is an energy medicine device. It applies frequencies (‘signals’) to the body that jump start healing processes.

Emotional healing (a necessary part of healing from any chronic disease)
- Various forms of talk therapy
- Emotional Freedom Technique
- The Healing Code
- Tai chi, prayer, meditation, yoga

CBD/Hemp oil

InfraRed Sauna

Ozone therapy

Exercise -many studies show that an exercise program may help cancer patients live longer and have a better quality of life.

Essential Oils –in particular, frankincense, peppermint, and lavender for possible cancer benefit

CC cream -I very recently learned about this from a colleague. Information on this website is quite intriguing.

Melatonin -This is a link to a one-hour video presentation by Dr. Shallenberger discussing all the many ways that melatonin fights cancer.

Therapeutic Peptides –particularly thymosin alpha-1 (known as “Immune” in the linked article)

Low dose naltrexone (aka LDN)

RGCC lab in Greece, offers cutting edge testing and integrative therapies for all types of cancer and has facilities globally.
- RGCC lab testing includes a vast blood panel that:
  - 1) detects the number of circulating tumor cells
  - 2) tests cancer cells for sensitivity/resistance to natural substances (e.g. turmeric, vitamin C) and conventional chemotherapeutic agents
  - 3) monitors a known cancer
  - 4) screens for cancer
- Simply having a clear scan and normal tumor markers does NOT mean you don’t have cancer stem cells in your body waiting to wreak havoc.
- The lab can make cancer vaccines and a therapy called SOT (supportive oligonucleotide therapy).
  - Cancer Vaccines, aka ATA (autologous tumor antigen), are made up of antigens used by the body’s immune cells to determine what cells should be attacked or left alone.
    - Specific antigens are found on cancer cells in the patient’s blood, administered back to the patient intravenously or subcutaneously (under the skin).
      - This stimulates the immune system to attack the specific cancer cells in the body without harming the body’s normal cells.
    - ATA is administered over 9 weeks, i.e. once a week for 3 weeks, then off for 3 weeks, and then once a week for another 3 weeks.
    - If needed, the protocol can be repeated 3 months after the last injection.
  - SOT treatment effectively silences the genes within cancer cells that are allowing the cancer cells to live. Your chromosomes contain genes which are 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. This will cause cell death (aka apoptosis) of circulating tumor cells and cancer stem cells in primary and metastatic tumors.
    - Bcause it causes massive tumor cell destruction which can cause a potentially life-threatening condition called “tumor lysis syndrome”, there are some restrictions for using this treatment.
    - For example, if a patient has wide spread cancer, or a large tumor burden, in highly vascular areas such as liver or lungs, that person may not be a candidate for SOT until the tumor burden can be reduced by, e.g., the vaccine treatment, other alternative therapies, or conventional chemotherapy, surgery, and/or radiation.
    - SOT is administered intravenously as a one-time dose, every 4 to 6 months.
    - The SOT remains active in the body for 24-28 weeks. Maximum dose is 3 full doses (or 6 half doses) for every 12 months.
    - And even if a patient is unable to get his or her cancer cell count to zero, SOT can be used for years to control cancer.

Other nutrients, herbs, and options to explore include mistletoe, turmeric, vitamin D, hyperbaric oxygen, acupuncture, quercetin, and proteolytic enzymes.

And the list goes on…

If you’ve been diagnosed with cancer, it is my professional opinion to have an Oncologist and a Functional Medicine Specialist to partner with on the cancer fighting journey.

As you can see, there is a lot of information out there and it can be time-consuming, confusing, and overwhelming. Remember, nothing is going to help 100% of people, 100% of the time. If you’d like more information, call our office at 281-298-6742 to schedule an appointment.

References:

Cancer.gov

RGCC lab

https://www.mayoclinic.org/diseases-conditions/cancer/in-depth/cancer-treatment/art-20047246

The Metabolic Approach to Cancer by Dr. Nasha Winters

What Your Doctor May Not Tell You About Breast Cancer by Dr. John Lee.

Knockout by Suzanne Somers

Don’t Be SAD

By Admin|2019-12-04T12:26:06-05:00November 21st, 2019|Articles, General|

What to do with the Winter Blues

As winter approaches and darkness falls earlier, about 2 of every 10 people begin to crave more carbohydrates, want more sleep, have less energy, struggle with concentration, and generally prefer to withdraw socially more than usual. If you have felt this way before during the winter months and notice that when Spring arrives, you always feel more normal, you may be experiencing Seasonal Affective Disorder, or SAD. This type of depression is marked by its temporary appearance during winter months.

There are effective, safe, and relatively simple ways to combat your SADness. Most of these approaches can help everyone stay happier and healthier through the darker winter months.

Vitamin D levels are mission critical. Get checked to ensure optimal levels ranging from 60-80 ng/ml. Vitamin D deficiency is very common but we need optimal levels for a strong immune function and optimism. Getting out into the sunshine during the brightest, warmest part of winter days is one way to absorb light that allows your body to make Vitamin D. Supplementation with Vitamin D3 is another alternative. One more way is to use a Light Box for therapy. Be sure to purchase or find a light therapy that filters the UV exposure but offers 15-30 minutes a day for best results.
Keep exercising! Yes, when it seems the hardest thing to do, try to keep doing it. Regular exercise is well proven to boost endorphins, lift depression and this is important with SAD. Just 30 minutes of walking a day can make a big difference.
Diet matters. Important here is keeping sugar and alcohol to a minimum while consuming plenty of fresh vegetables and quality omega 3’s like those found in wild salmon, sardines and grass fed meats.
Optimize sleep. Keep the same sleep schedule as much as possible every day, going to bed and getting up at the same time. Strive to achieve 7-8 hours of sleep at a minimum.
Consult with a medical practitioner. There are a number of safe and effective supplements that can improve Vitamin D levels, reduce depression, and improve sleep. Your functional medicine physician will be aware of how to balance neurochemicals and improve overall health in ways that can reduce or eliminate SAD. Melatonin, dopamine and serotonin levels can all be addressed to improve mental health.
Never take depression lightly. If you or someone you know feels like harming him/herself, call the National Suicide Prevention Hotline at 800-273-TALK (8255).

References:

Top Tips to Cope With Seasonal Affective Disorder by Dr. Mercola, February 14, 2019, Mercola

7 Seasonal Affective Disorder Natural Treatments That Work by Kissairis Munos, February 20, 2018, Dr. Axe Food & Medicine

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