Myintegrativehealth Blog – Adrenal Fatigue – Natural Hormone Therapy – Thyroid Dysfunction – Pain Relief – Digestive Health

Could something you take every day disrupt your sex life?  Absolutely! Medications are one of the most common libido killers.   When these meds are prescribed or taken over-the-counter, most people don’t consider how they might affect us outside of the condition they are targeting.  We usually just want symptom relief and blame our low sex drive on stress, a bad mood and even our partner.  And while these are all important pieces of the puzzle, do not overlook the drugs that you take every day.

According to a report from the Institute for Healthcare Informatics, the top ten most prescribed drugs are:

Wow!  6 out of 10 of the most prescribed medicines decreases libido in men and women!

So which ones are the culprits?  Let’s start with the cholesterol-lowering medication Zocor.  This class of drug also includes two of the top 10 selling drugs:  Lipitor and Crestor.  Cholesterol is the backbone of all our hormones; therefore it makes sense that anything that lowers cholesterol will lower our hormone production.  A 2010 study showed men prescribed statin drugs had lower testosterone levels and erectile dysfunction.   Testosterone is required for sexual arousal so anything that inhibits it will likely reduce your sex drive.

Opiate analgesics such as hydrocodone, oxycontin, and codeine have been shown to lower testosterone and are linked to erectile dysfunction in men.  Blood pressure medications such as Lisinopril, Norvasc and Hydrochlorothiazine (HCTZ) are notorious for causing erectile dysfunction in men.   Metoprolol is another commonly used anti-hypertensives linked to a decreased interest in sex.

Serotonin, a neurotransmitter in the brain, is manipulated by a class of drugs called SSRIs.  These are commonly used to treat anxiety and depression.  Serotonin is responsible for regulating sexual behaviors such as erection, orgasm and ejaculation.  However, high serotonin levels will decrease sex drive.  A common side effect of SSRIs, which        are designed to increase serotonin levels, is decreased libido.

In addition to these commonly prescribed meds, over the counter medicines like antihistamines such as Benadryl can disrupt your sex life.  Just as antihistamines dry up allergy-induced sinus congestion, they dry up or decrease vaginal lubrication thereby decreasing sexual interest and pleasure.

Birth control pills cause a drop of in a woman’s libido.  They increase the production of a protein called sex hormone binding globulin.  This protein binds to hormones but has an affinity for testosterone.  When testosterone binds to this protein, the body cannot use it.  Ironically, even though many women take birth control for the freedom to have sex without getting pregnant, the pill actually lowers a woman’s interest in having sex.

This list is just the tip of the iceberg.  Unfortunately there is a very long list of drugs that disrupt your libido.  If you think your meds may be affecting your sex life, please talk to your doctor.  Never just stop taking a medicine because you don’t like the side effects.  Your doctor may be able to switch you to a different medication or help you make lifestyle changes that allow you to withdraw from the drug under supervision.

The best defense being a good offense holds true for more than just football. A healthy diet full of cancer-fighting foods is a great offensive move to avoid cancer. I counsel patients to create an environment where cancer cannot grow by making these healthy food choices.

Fruits and vegetables

Brightly colored fruits and vegetables – Carotenoids have been shown in one study to reduce your risk of breast cancer by up to 50% in women with dense breast tissue. Dense breast tissue is one of the strongest risk factors associated with breast cancer.   Papaya contains the carotenoid beta-cryptoxanthin. Yellow and orange vegetables are high in beta-carotene, one of the most abundant carotenoids in our diet. Research illustrates that people who eat the most fruits and vegetables have the lowest breast cancer risk.

Cruciferous vegetables – Broccoli and cauliflower contain indole-3-carbinol, which promotes healthy estrogen metabolism. When estrogen leaves your body through unhealthy pathways, your risk of breast and other estrogen-fed cancers increases.

Good Fats

Walnuts – The journal Nutrition and Cancer recently published a study that shows walnuts slow the growth of breast cancer and may prevent its development. Rich in omega 3 fatty acids, these nuts have been shown to cause destruction (apoptosis) of cancer cells. Try walnut oil on your salads.

Fish – Good fatty fish like salmon is also rich in omega 3s. Studies suggest that women with higher levels of omega 3s in their diets have lower rates of breast cancer.

Olive oil – like walnuts, EVO oil is also high in omega 3s.

Get some flavor in your diet

Herbs and spices – According to the National Cancer Institute, a French study found a statistically significant reduction in breast cancer risk in women who consumed a lot of garlic. Oregano and thyme have antioxidant properties that inhibit tumor growth. Curcumin suppresses cancer cell growth.

Green tea – Buy quality stuff, not all green teas are created equal and you want to make sure that you are getting a good dose of the cancer-fighting compound EGCG.

Dark chocolate – Yum! Although dark chocolate does have sugar, it is also rich in antioxidants that reduce inflammation and suppress cancer cell growth. Please note that I am not referring to Hershey’s type dark chocolate, but to high quality organic varieties.

Things to avoid

Sugar – No cell in your body will consume sugar faster than a cancer cell. Sugar is very inflammatory and cancer thrives in an inflamed environment. Aside from the fact that sugar taste addictingly good, it has no redeeming value. This is one of the first things to remove from your diet, and once you do so, liking the taste disappears.

When my mother went through chemotherapy, she craved Coke and McDonald’s french fries. This stunned my brother and me because we did not grow up as a family that ate McDonald’s. Looking back I now realize the cravings were a die-off reaction from the cancer cells. As the chemotherapy weakened and destroyed them, the cancer cells caused my mom to crave the sugar and simple carbohydrates that were their primary fuel source.

Alcohol – According to a January 2011 study in the British Medical Journal, 5% of female breast cancer can be attributed to alcohol consumption. The upper limit for women is one drink, which contains about 12g of alcohol. The more alcohol consumed in excess of this limit, the greater your risk of breast cancer. If you are drinking red wine for the cancer-fighting properties of resveratrol, please take a pill or drink concord grape juice instead.

Charred meat – If you like your meat well-done or blackened, think again. The black is full of carcinogens and has been linked to many types of cancer. Lower your cancer risk by cooking meat enough to sufficiently kill bacteria without excess charring. If you do accidentally burn the meat, cut off the charred portion.

Check out these resources

Eattodefeat.org – The Angiogenesis Foundation has launched the Eat to Defeat Cancer campaign. The focus of this campaign is to eat foods that reduce the blood vessels that feed tumors. By depriving them of a fuel source, the tumor cannot grow. This website has teamed up with some top chefs to create recipes that contain cancer-fighting ingredients.

AICR – the American Institute for Cancer Research is a charity research organization that focuses on nutrition and exercise to reduce cancer risk. This group funded the study that showed walnuts help prevent breast cancer. Sign up for their newsletter to receive weekly healthy recipes.

“Let food be your medicine and medicine be your food.” – Hippocrates

If there is one thing women fear, it is breast cancer. Perhaps it is the fact that breasts are such a feminine attribute, strongly associated with attractiveness and fertility, that women associate breast cancer with a loss of sexuality and even a loss of self. Some women are afraid of the various treatment modalities such as surgery, chemotherapy and radiation. These treatments may cause pain, sickness, or physical changes such as hair loss and even breast loss. I have had many patients state they feel that the treatment is worse than the disease.

Everyone knows someone who has had it – family, friends, or coworkers. According to BreastCancer.org, 1 out of every 8 women will develop invasive breast cancer in their lifetime. And our risk of getting breast cancer increases as we age.

Many women do not go in for regular screening because they do not want to hear bad news. The idea is that “no news is good news.” But nothing could be further from the truth. Breast cancer, like most cancers, is completely treatable if caught early. Regular screening and follow up with your doctor is extremely important, but what can we do to prevent breast cancer?

Research shows that the way our bodies break down estrogen can increase our risk of breast cancer. Estrogen is metabolized in the liver and the metabolites, or byproducts of metabolism, are a key to developing breast cancer. There are six metabolites that we look at – four metabolites are considered “bad” and only two are considered “good”. And although all six metabolites may be present, it is the ratios of these metabolites to one another that are important. One of the most reviewed ratios is commonly called the 2:16 ratio. If this ratio is less than 2, meaning that you have too much of the bad estrogen (16) and not enough of the good estrogen (2), studies show that you are at an increased risk of breast cancer, as well as other estrogen driven cancers such as cervical cancer and ovarian cancer.

How can you find out how your liver is breaking down estrogen? A simple morning urine sample can be sent to the lab for evaluation to determine your estrogen metabolism ratios. Once we have that information, we can assess your risk and take steps to mitigate that risk. This test can also be used to monitor current treatment plans to reduce breast cancer risk, as well as to monitor hormone replacement therapy. It is a great test to determine a woman’s osteoporosis risk as well.

What can affect the balance of this ratio? Diet and exercise have a strong impact on the 2:16 ratio. Adding flax seeds, cruciferous vegetables, and soy products into your diet can increase this ratio. Likewise obesity and alcohol consumption can have a negative impact. Definitely kidney function and fluid consumption can affect this ratio so I recommend a basic CBC and CMP with the estrogen metabolism test. Your doctor will be able to interpret your labs, determine how you metabolize estrogen, and create a plan to shift your metabolism to a different pathway if necessary.

Many of my patients declare their soda consumption as safe by explaining how they “only drink diet soda, without any of that sugar,” while others state “I only drink regular soda, none of that diet stuff.”  Everyone seems to have the belief that one type of carbonated drink is healthier than another.  With so much information out there on the virtues of sweeteners, it is easy to justify your choice. So which is really better, regular or diet? Well, let’s compare and contrast the two.

Regular Soda Pros and Cons

Pros:  Tastes good.

Cons:  The sugar in regular soda causes your blood sugar levels to spike which can lead to insulin resistance, high cholesterol, high blood pressure, heart disease, diabetes, weight gain and premature aging.  Over time, soda can also erode tooth enamel and weaken your bones increasing your risk of osteoporosis.  It can also cause gastritis and acid reflux.

Hmm, that’s pretty heavily weighted on the negative side.  Let’s look at diet soda.

Diet Soda Pros and Cons

Pros:  Tastes good.

Cons:  Ok, diet soda won’t cause your blood sugar levels to spike and crash, but it does contain a lot of harmful chemicals including aspartame. The use of aspartame has increased to replace high fructose corn syrup (HFCS). Like HFCS, aspartame can have many negative effects on all parts of your body.  Neurologically, aspartame can lead to migraine headaches, memory loss, seizures and numbness and tingling in your arms and legs.  Psychiatrically, aspartame may cause depression, anxiety, irritability and aggression.  Your digestive tract will also suffer the consequences of aspartame by causing nausea, vomiting, diarrhea and abdominal pain.  As if these reasons weren’t enough to turn you off of diet soda, it may also cause weight gain, blindness, tinnitus, PMS, thinning of hair and menstrual changes.  And it, too, erodes tooth enamel and weakens your bones.

It looks like we have a tie and no winner.  Both diet soda and regular soda are equally bad for us.

Is it ever good to drink soda?

Yes, if you are stranded in the desert with no other source of hydration, you should drink soda to stay alive. But, short of that or a similar scenario, it is a bad idea to pour all of that sugar and chemicals into your body, especially when there are numerous healthy choices available.

What can I drink that tastes good and will quench my thirst?

First and foremost, learn to love water!  I am always amazed at the number of patients who tell me that they cannot stand the taste of water.  If you fall into this category, try cutting up a piece of fresh produce like lemon, lime, strawberry, cucumber, or mint leaves and put it into a pitcher of ice water. This is a healthy way to add a mild flavor to the water and make it more palatable.  If that’s not enough flavor enhancement for you, Capella and Yum Drops make naturally flavored drops for your water with the good sweetener Stevia. Give them a try, you might love water again.

What should I do with all of my leftover soda?

Apparently it actually can be used to remove corrosive acid off a car battery – diet or regular soda.  Can you see what it does to your body now?  Kick the soda habit, you’ll be happy you did!

You might not have noticed, but the summer months are starting to creep up on us again.  This year, however, I’m not too worried.  This time around I’m going to scoff at the 110+-degree temperatures because there are two new activities available that I think are going to make this year’s summer much more enjoyable.  The first involves my 2 1/2 year old daughter, Anna, a hockey rink and myself.  Right here at the Scottsdale Ice Den there is a class offered once a week to parents and “pups” to teach 2.5- to 5-year-olds how to ice skate.  It’s a great weay to get some exercise, keep cool and spend some quality time together away from the Arizona heat.  Be sure to bring your mittens!

I’m also really excited about the second option that we’re going to offer right here at Integrative Health.  It will be only one of two units available to the public in the United States but has been used for years in Europe with impressive results.  I’m particularly interested in its ability to improve weight loss efficiency by streamlining the body’s metabolism.  It’s called “whole body cryotherapy” or “cryosauna.”

The idea of using cold temperatures applied to aching, injured and weak bodies is not new.  The historical record talks of Egyptians, Greeks and Romans using cold water to treat various ailments and even to this day, you can’t watch any sporting event without seeing an injured player sitting on the bench with an ice pack wrapped around a damaged joint.  When I was a kid I thought my mom was a genius (although I still think she’s pretty smart now!) when she used a bag of frozen veggies on my twisted ankle to relieve the swelling–the bag conforms to any sore spot amazingly well.  With cryosauna, however, we have the ability to address many other health issues besides pain, although it’s very good at that too.

As I mentioned, I’m excited by the ability of cryosauna to speed weight loss.  Too frequently in the clinic I hear folks mention a slow 2-5 pound weight gain every year, “without really changing anything in my diet or exercise regimen.”  It turns out, however, that it’s actually really easy to add 5 pounds of weight a year because you only need to consume 168 extra calories a week (I did the math), which is only 16 M&Ms or a 1/4 cup of almonds or 4 M&Ms with almonds.  It’s all too easy to get excess calories in our diets and this is the source of slow weight gain every year.  This is where cryosauna comes in because in addition to limiting calories, cryosauna can burn up to 800 calories per treatment.  How is this possible?

The physics behind cryosauna is brilliant and beautiful, but also complicated.  Basically, it uses Newton’s Law of Cooling to remove the natural heat produced in the body by cooling the external skin temperature from a normal 90.5 degrees down to 30-32 degrees for 1-3 minutes through the use of naturally cool nitrogen.  Nitrogen is a safe gas readily found in the air we breathe, but by compressing it in a cryosauna we can cool it down to an amazing minus 202-degrees.  With your head unaffected, the rest of your body is exposed to this cooled air for 1-3 minutes and there is a subsequent rebound effect of your body’s thermostat to raise the skin temperature back to 90.5-degrees.  During this compensation, the skin temperature actually raises back to 95-degrees for a minute or so which tightens the skin but also boosts your metabolism.  This whole process uses a large amount of energy which explains the 800 calories burned during each treatment.  For reference, running a full marathon burns around 2600 calories (obviously that’s only three cryosauna sessions to achieve a similar effect).

Finally, as an aid to weight loss, most of us think that when we have a hard, sweaty workout where our body temperature rises we think we’re burning a lot of calories.  As the science has told us, however, this doesn’t seem to be the case as those who work out in colder environments and keep the core temperature lower will actually burn more calories. Think of swimmers doing their laps in a cooled swimming pool.

As physicians we’re always excited when we discover new therapies for our patients that are both effective and safe.  The addition of cryosauna at Integrative Health is a natural fit, and I’m sure you’ll be pleased with its effects.

May is National Osteoporosis Awareness and Prevention month.  The National Osteoporosis Foundation estimates that 1 out of every 2 women and 1 out of every 4 men, over the age of 50 will break a bone due to osteoporosis.  I find that figure staggering.

What are the risk factors?

Well, based on the statistics I just mentioned, being female and over the age of 50 are risk factors.  If you have a family history of osteoporosis, statistically you are more likely to break a bone due to this condition.  Obviously these are risk factors that cannot be changed; so let’s look at the ones that we can do something about:

• Low body weight/dieting – Women tend to have a lower body weight then men, as well as a history of dieting.  Unbalanced “trendy” diets lead to poor nutritional status.  Diets with severe caloric restriction may trim your waistline but at a cost to your bones.
• Inactivity – Exercise strengthens your bones.  Aerobic exercise, such as jogging or walking, and weight-bearing exercise, such as strength training, creates micro fractures in weight-bearing bones.  These micro fractures trigger your body to rebuild and strengthen bone by recalcifying the micro fractures.
• Poor nutrition status – If you are deficient in calcium, your body will not be able to respond to your body’s need to rebuild bone.  Calcium, along with co-factor vitamin D, supports recalcification.
• Excess salt – High levels of salt in the diet have been linked to excessive levels of calcium in urine.  Some researchers believe that the high salt diet in America is a major causative factor in osteoporosis.  Read labels when shop; salt is used as a flavor enhancer and a preservative in most processed foods.  Many foods that do not taste salty are actually high in sodium.
• Smoking – Smoking is bad for us for countless reasons.  Smoking interferes with the body’s utilization of calcium and estrogen in bone formation.
• Alcohol consumption – Drinking too much alcohol will interfere with the body’s absorption of calcium.  It also robs the body of vital nutrients and causes poor nutritional status.
• Consumption of Caffeinated or Carbonated drinks – Phosphoric acid and caffeine leach calcium from bones, increasing you risk of osteoporosis.  Caffeinated drinks and supplements are often used to suppress appetite during calorie restriction diets. This is another reason why women tend to be more at risk of osteoporosis.

FRAX is a great tool that calculates your risk for a potential fracture.  It takes race, age, weight and other risk factors into consideration.  Under the menu select Calculation Tool, then follow the menus to select your continent, country, and race.  For those of you who do not know your weight in kilograms or your height in centimeters, do not panic.  On the right side of the screen is a handy conversion tool for you.

My diet is healthy and I exercise every day.  Am I still at risk?

Some of the most commonly prescribed medications actually lead to bone loss.  Corticosteroids are anti-inflammatory agents that are commonly prescribed to help control chronic conditions such as asthma and arthritis.  Unfortunately, studies show that patients lose an average of 14% of bone mineral content in the first year after starting corticosteroid treatment.  Most people achieve peak bone density around age 25.  However, for patients who develop asthma at an early age, and use corticosteroids to manage their condition, they may never achieve maximum bone density.

SSRIs such as Lexapro, Prozac and Zoloft have been linked to decreased bone density.  Here is a great article from the May 2009 issue of Psychology Today explaining the misuse of these medications.  According to Dr. Lane, 80% of patients surveyed who were taking these medications showed no depressive symptoms at all.  These medications are often prescribed to women for PMS symptoms or menopause symptoms.  This may be another reason that more women than men are diagnosed with osteoporosis.

Here are some other common prescription drugs that affect bone health:

• Antibiotics such as tetratcycline, commonly used to treat acne
• Proton pump inhibitors (PPIs), including Prilosec, Nexium, Prevacid, and Aciphex used for acid reflux and gastritis
• Diuretics that are used to treat high blood pressure
• Depo-provera, or the Depo Shot, a form of birth control

When should I request a bone density test?

The US Preventative Screening Task Force (yes, the same task force that caused an uproar with their breast cancer screening recommendations) recommend bone density screenings for the following demographics:

• Women aged 65 years or older
• Younger women whose risk fracture is equal to or greater than that of a 65 year old white woman with no additional risk factors (use the FRAX tool to assess risk)
• No recommendation to screen men for osteoporosis

The National Osteoporosis Foundation recommends bone density testing of:

• Women age 65 or older
• Postmenopausal women under age 65 with one or more risk factors
• Men age 70 or older
• Men between age 50 and 70 with one or more risk factors
• Anyone older than age 50 and who have experienced a broken bone
• Postmenopausal women who discontinue hormone therapy

I utilize the NOF’s guidelines when making recommendations to my patients.  However, for patients with long-term SSRI use or corticosteroid use, I encourage them to get a DEXA scan earlier.  If you suspect that osteoporosis may be a problem for you, ask your doctor for a bone density test.  You may have to pay out of pocket for it, but the sooner you start to reverse bone loss, the better off you will be.

Ovarian cancer is one of the most difficult cancers to diagnose and catch at an early stage.  Early warning signs actually mimic digestive disorders and are easily overlooked or blamed on our dietary habits.  If a woman has abdominal pain or bloating that persists for several weeks, and does not respond to standard natural therapies, then she should remind her doctor to rule out ovarian cancer.  If a woman starts to lose her appetite or starts to feel full quickly when eating, then she should consider asking her doctor about ovarian cancer. Other symptoms include vaginal bleeding, sense of heaviness in the pelvis, swollen abdomen, unexplained back pain that gets worse over time, and unexplained weight loss or weight gain.

In diagnosing ovarian cancer, doctors review the severity and duration of symptoms, and then follow up with physical exams and lab tests.

1)    Manual pelvic exam – This examination is done every time a pap or thin prep test is performed as part of an annual well woman’s exam.  Although the pap/thin prep tests are designed to rule out cervical cancer, the manual exam that follows gives the doctor a lot of information about the health of the organs in the pelvis.  Through palpation of the uterus and ovaries, the doctor may be able to discern the presence of uterine fibroids, ovarian cysts or other unusual growths that may warrant further testing.  If ovarian cancer is suspected based on reported symptoms, this will be the first exam performed by a doctor.

2)    Pelvic ultrasound – Imaging of the pelvis helps confirm the size, shape and location of the pelvic organs as well as the presence of any other growths.  This will typically be the next lab ordered after the manual exam.  Bloodwork may also be ordered.

3)    Tissue sample - The first two steps are not enough to diagnose ovarian cancer.  If the symptoms, manual exam, and ultrasound suggest unusual cell growth, the next step is often biopsy or removal of one ovary for review by a pathologist.  If cancer is found, then follow up with an oncologist to decide the best course of treatment.

Patients often ask about the CA-125 test, especially if they have a strong history of cancer in their family.  This blood test is not included in an annual well woman’s examination because it is not a valid screening test.  CA-125 is a protein found on the surface of healthy ovarian cells.  The definition of cancer is unregulated cell growth, so a blood test indicating high levels of CA-125 in the body should be a clear sign of ovarian cancer, right?  Not so fast.  CA-125 levels in the blood are elevated during pregnancy, as well as in the presence of endometriosis, ovarian cysts, uterine fibroids, and normal menstruation.  In addition, early stage ovarian cancer does not typically elevate CA-125 levels.  Therefore a negative CA-125 test does not rule out ovarian cancer and a positive CA-1235 does not diagnose ovarian cancer.  So what’s the point of that test?  Once a woman has been diagnosed with cancer, and is working with an oncologist, the oncologist may run this test periodically to monitor the efficacy of their treatment protocol.

One screening test that does assess a woman’s risk of developing ovarian cancer is the genetic screening for BRCA 1 and BRCA 2.  These genes are responsible for a small number of cases of ovarian cancer.  Any woman with a family history of breast cancer or ovarian cancer should consider this test.  Due to the generality of the symptoms of ovarian cancer, patients must be their own best advocate.  If you are concerned about your family history and believe you may be at risk, insist on further imaging and testing from your doctor.

R ed paper hearts, heart-shaped boxes full of chocolate, one whole day dedicated to love – it must be February! But this month isn’t just about valentines and chocolate, it is also about the heart; February is heart disease awareness month.

According to the American Heart Association in 2006, 81 million Americans had some form of cardiovascular disease.  About 73 million had high blood pressure, which is a common risk factor for strokes and heart attacks.  But high blood pressure isn’t the only risk factor, others to be aware of include:

• Age
• Gender
• Personal history of cardiovascular events

Ok, so you cannot do anything about those three risk factors, but here are some that you can do something about:

• Smoking
• Diabetes
• Cholesterol (Watch Dr. Christianson’s video on cholesterol)
• Obesity
• Sedentary lifestyle
• Stress

What are the warning signs of a cardiovascular event?

Stroke:

• Numbness or weakness of face, arm or leg, especially on one side of the body
• Confusion, trouble speaking or understanding
• Trouble seeing out of one or both eyes
• Trouble walking, dizziness, loss of balance or coordination
• Severe headache with no known cause

Heart attack:

• Chest pain or discomfort, pain may radiate down left arm
• Pain that radiates to the jaw, neck, back or stomach
• Shortness of breath, with or without chest discomfort
• Cold sweat, nausea or lightheadedness

Cardiac arrest:

• Sudden loss of responsiveness
• No normal breathing (someone does not take a normal breath when you tilt their head up and check for a breath for at least 5 seconds)

It is important to note that men and women are very different.  (You probably didn’t need a doctor to tell you that!)  Women typically don’t manifest the same symptoms of a heart attack as men.  Indigestion and extreme fatigue are the most common early warning signs of a heart attack in women.

New Research

A new study published Tuesday, February 15, 2011, in the Journal of Cardiovascular Electrophysiology shows that the heart’s ability to handle premature contractions (known as heart rate turbulence) may be the strongest indicator of a potential heart attack.  The study showed that even individuals considered to have a low cardiovascular risk are 8-9 times more likely to die of cardiovascular disease if they have abnormal heart rate turbulence. Heart rate turbulence is a measure of how well someone can handle sudden or extreme stress.  At this time, testing heart rate turbulence is not a standard test used to assess cardiovascular risk.  However based on this research, it may soon be.

So what can you do to maintain a healthy heart?

• Eat healthy, nutritious whole foods.  Avoid processed foods, fried foods, and fast foods.  Give your body the fuel it needs to keep it healthy.  This will also help you maintain a healthy body weight and lower your cholesterol levels.
• Remove all sodas (diet and regular) from your diet!  Consumption of sugary sodas leads to diabetes, which is a modifiable risk factor for cardiovascular disease.  But don’t think that you can safely switch to diet sodas.  A recent study shows that people who consume diet sodas have a 48% greater risk of CVD (cardiovascular disease) than those who don’t.
• Get out and move every day! We cannot say enough about the benefits of exercise.  Exercise helps lower other risk factors on this list such as high blood pressure, high cholesterol levels, diabetes, and obesity.  It is also a great stress reliever and helps maintain a healthy body weight. Get your family, friends and neighbors involved, make active living a group event and part of your daily life.
• Maintain healthy, loving relationships with your family and friends.  These are the people who make you happy and who support you when you need them. A smile on your face is great for the heart!
• If you smoke, please stop.  Smoking leads to atherosclerosis which can cause high blood pressure.

Awareness and education is key to understanding how to reduce your risk of heart disease.  See your doctor regularly and ask for help in reducing your risk factors.  It is the best way to show your love for your family, and yourself, in February.

Maybe you’ve heard of Tai Chi and thought it was a fancy form of karate or yoga.  Or maybe you’ve never even heard of it, but you would like some options on how to naturally relieve stress.  Tai Chi is a form of martial arts that combines slow, gentle, controlled movements with mindful breathing. Not only is it wonderfully relaxing, but it is also anti-aging!

Twenty years ago I spent a summer attending classes at Donghai Daxue (Tunghai University) in Taiwan.  Every morning on our way to breakfast, we would walk by a park where 30 or more people were practicing Tai Chi.  Local Taiwanese performed these exercises every morning before going off to work or school.  The movements were very controlled and beautiful, and it was amazing to see so many people moving synchronistically.  At that time, I believe we were told they were doing Qi Gong.  There are a lot of opinions as to the difference between Tai Chi and Qi Gong; the two terms are often used interchangeably.  I think that one of the simplest definitions is that Tai Chi is an extension of Qi Gong.  It still utilizes breath work and gentle movement, but it also incorporates some martial arts movement.  But don’t be afraid!  It is not a combative exercise; however, it might teach you some self-defense maneuvers.

What I love about Tai Chi is that you do not have to be an elite athlete to do it. Its gentle movements are very healing for those with joint problems, fatigue, or who are just very de-conditioned.  This form of exercise strengthens muscles, improves balance and flexibility, and improves mental focus.  Studies have shown that it is effective in lowering blood pressure, decreasing stress, and improving the quality of sleep.   It can be performed standing or sitting.  What is important is the focus of your mind and the coordination of your breath with every movement.  It teaches people how to release the stress and emotions that get locked in the body which can lead to chronic disease and pain.

I highly recommend attending a Tai Chi class.  It is always important to work with a certified instructor to make sure that you are performing each exercise correctly.  It is also amazing to feel the synergy of working through each movement with a group of people.  However, once you are comfortable with the principles of Tai Chi, you can purchase a DVD and perform the exercises right in the comfort of your own home.  That way you don’t have to worry about your schedule conflicting with the Tai Chi class schedule, but you still get the healing and relaxing benefits!

Back when I was in medical school, I injured my shoulder helping a friend move some heavy furniture.  I was in unbearable pain and anti-inflammatory supplements just weren’t cutting it.  It just so happened I had an acupuncture class the next day and when I told my teacher, Dr. Deng, how much pain I was in, he stuck a needle in my scalp and asked me if my shoulder still hurt.  Remarkably, it did not.  I know this sounds unbelievable to anyone who hasn’t experienced acupuncture, but I no longer felt the throbbing pain in my shoulder.  I was amazed.  How could a needle in my scalp bring that type of relief?

Millions of people suffer from pain.  In fact, pain relief is one of the top reasons people visit their doctor.  Acupuncture is a wonderfully gentle form of therapeutic healing from one of the world’s oldest societies, China.  Forms of it are estimated to go back anywhere from 3000 to 8000 years.

The philosophy involves the flow of energy through the body.  When the energy flow gets blocked, as it does with injury or illness, it can cause stagnation and pain.  Tiny needles, about the thickness of a hair, are inserted in various points in the body to promote proper energy flow that provides nourishment and healing to all of the tissues in the body.

Acupuncture also promotes proper circulation to carry nutrients and the body’s own anti-inflammatory chemicals to the injured area better as well as remove waste products and dead tissue.  Conventional treatments for chronic pain usually involve pain relief medication which only masks the pain.  But these meds sometimes do more harm than good because they tear up our digestive system, weaken connective tissue, and do nothing to help the body heal.  Acupuncture balances the body naturally, gently and effectively without side effects.

My shoulder injury was severe enough that I required acupuncture combined with additional rehabilitations.  It relieved the pain of the injury, which prevented me from needing pain relievers!
Acupuncture is an extremely effective and gentle, natural pain reliever that also promotes the body’s ability to heal itself. 

Do you have a great acupuncture story to share?  I’d love to hear yours.  Comment below!