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.

So often people begrudge initiating change because of perceived obstacles such as travel or holidays.  I’ve learned that it is really not that hard to stay healthy on the road!

Thriving on the go:  3 Key Steps
Ok, you’re taking care of yourself and getting healthier.  You’ve worked out some good habits and healthy routines in your daily life.  You’ve probably learned that it is easy to lose momentum and drift back to unhealthy habits.  Whether you’re going across the globe, or over the river and through the woods, don’t let travel do this to you!

Think of your health as drawing energy from 3 main sources:  your sleep, your exercise and your diet.  If you can keep these sources working for you, you’ll be OK.

Sleeping on the go.  Nothing ruins your memory of a good trip like the lingering bronchitis you picked up on the flight home.  What is the main reason this happens?  Your immunity was down from lack of sleep.  When you’re traveling, you want to take it all in and you have time zone changes to deal with.  Put these factors together and our bodies really need as much or more sleep than normal, not less.

• Start scheduling the week before traveling; shift your sleep schedule towards your new schedule as much as possible.  This works best when you are moving your sleep schedule forward.
• Avoid sleep at your destination until it is your bedtime in local time.
• Avoid alcohol and caffeine the day of travel.
• Adults can use 2-3mg of time-released melatonin at bedtime during short trips and the first few days back home.  This resets your internal clock.

Exercise on the go.  How do you workout when you can’t get to the gym?  Easiest answer is do lots of walking.  Fortunately this is easy whether you’re going to an amusement park, beach or most other parts of the world.  You can also get an good workout with simple body weight exercises.  Here is a great link to a page with 20 amazing exercises you can do anytime and anywhere.  P.S.  If you’re a climber, you can always find a place for pull ups : )

Eating on the go.  OK, so far so good, but how about food?  When traveling, think about food in terms of fuel, protein and produce.  Your fuel needs are minimal when you’re on a plane, car or boat, so don’t worry about it then.  I love using meal replacements like MediClear when traveling.  I’ll make up single servings in snack size baggies and mix them up in a water bottle.  Have 2-3 servings per day while en route.  This way you get a nutritionally complete low calorie meal and your body gets to rest and detox.  You’ll also drop a few pounds which may help you break even by the time you get home.  When you arrive, focus on soups as an easy way to get produce and protein without lots of fat or the risk food-borne illness.

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.

Mention the phrase “food allergies” and most of us imagine those poor kiddos who get near a peanut butter sandwich only to have massive swelling around the eyes and throat, followed by difficulty breathing and hives.  The constellation of these symptoms make up what’s known as an anaphylactic reaction which, unfortunately, has become more and more frequent in the general population over recent years.  In fact, some newer studies suggest that approximately 3-8% of Americans run the risk of anaphylaxis when exposed to any number of foods, although tree nuts, milk and shellfish are at the top of the anaphylactic list.

Even more, we are seeing a less severe variation of these dangerous food allergies, called “allergy sensitivities” that don’t typically cause life-threatening symptoms, but can still be quite uncomfortable nonetheless.  If you have symptoms like indigestion, gastritis, eczema, asthma, celiac disease, arthritis, and even depression, anxiety, and chronic fatigue, it could be a result of a “food sensitivity.”  Additional reports suggest that at least 60% of Americans suffer from symptoms due to adverse food reactions as a result of food sensitivities.

Food allergies/sensitivities may be a reaction to a protein, a starch, a contaminant found in the food (e.g., pesticide residues) or a food additive (e.g., colorings, preservatives, flavor enhancers, etc).  Once the body decides it’s uneasy with a food, a complex cascade of events takes place that can result in either a life-threatening situation (anaphylaxis) or simply the aforementioned unpleasant symptoms.

Driving this reaction is the immune system’s production of multiple types of antibodies.  For example, during an anaphylaxis response, IgE antibodies are produced within two hours of exposure.  These antibodies then bind to specific cells called mast cells and basophils which release their inner contents–histamine.  This is why an anti-histamine, like Benadryl or Quercetin, is often prescribed for allergies.

Yet, it’s the more delayed allergic response found in food sensitivities, one that can take up to 72-hours after exposure, that causes the aforementioned “uncomfortable” symptoms.  This response is usually driven by IgG antibodies and although it can stimulate the release of some histamine, it usually recruits many more players of the immune system, further complicating the reaction in the body.

Studies suggest that dairy, wheat and eggs are the three biggest sources of food sensitivities in people.  How is this determined?  In the past, the skin prick test was used where small amounts of foods were injected into the skin either on the back or forearm.  Now a simple blood test does away with this antiquated test.  These blood tests can measure for both IgG and IgE antibodies and help guide you and your provider in a direction for food avoidance, which is the mainstay of treatment.

So if you suffer from indigestion, asthma, eczema, etc., simply avoiding problematic foods could be your ticket to feeling well.  In addition to elimination, I recommend rotation of food families (e.g., veggies, fruits, meats, etc.) along with assisting the body with its normal digestive processes through the use of pancreatic and stomach enzymes.  Probiotics can be quite helpful as well.

Living in fear of foods because of their potential to make us sick is unnecessary when you recognize there are easy ways to identify possible sources of food allergies/sensitivities.  Combined with practical and realistic interventions you can take to calm the reaction and subsequent symptoms, you can alleviate a multitude of health conditions.

By now most of you have read or heard directly from me about my bicycle crash two weeks ago.  I’ve been overwhelmed by the deluge of positive thoughts, emails, cards and well-wishes from everyone.  For those of you who missed the story, I shattered my collarbone into six pieces two weeks ago following a crash during a Saturday century ride.  This photo is right after the crash as my ride-mates loaded my broken bike into the car before my ER visit.  Thirteen screws later, the bone is back into one “piece” and the pain is improving everyday.  With my doctor/patient roles reversed and this being my first broken bone and surgical procedure, it’s been an emotionally eye-opening educational experience for me.  The constant pain and the mental lows lead to my inability to perform my daily work and home responsibilities requiring major adjustments.  No fun.

Yet with the help of my wife, I made some powerful insights that have been invaluable to me and, I believe, to my future practice with my patients.  Maintaining good physical and mental strength through a medical challenge can be, well, challenging.  But with all my down time (I felt like I visited every website ever created) I was able to pour over the research and I think I’ve discovered three approaches that seem to apply to nearly anyone with any difficult medical situation.  If you can implement these three tenets, you should be able to overcome most challenges.  They are:  1) keep moving, 2) monitor your daily progress, and 3) design a healthy environment.

There’s a lot to consider in those three tenets and that last one may sound intimidating, but I promise, they’re all very simple.  First, keep moving.  Our bodies are designed to stay in motion.  In no other time during our history as humans on this planet have we been able to survive through our daily routines with so little physical movement.  From desk jobs to nearly limitless access to goods and services, we physically work much less than we should.  Most studies suggest as little as 30-minutes of dedicated briskly-paced walking can do the trick although upwards of 60-minutes a day is even better.  Even with my busted shoulder, I made it a point to keep moving with walks around the neighborhood to waist-deep plunges in the pool.  Make it a point to move around and your body will thank you for it.

Next, monitoring daily progress.  With half of 2011 already over, you too might see how easy it is to let the days slip by without recognizing both positive and negative changes you make to your lifestyle.  There is nothing more powerful than frequently tracking your progress throughout each day in order to take control of your lifestyle.  I constantly recommend to patients “Diet Diaries,” or writing down everything you eat and drink, along with fitness achievements.  Studies have shown time and time again that this simple approach is more effective than any other strategy at evaluating and modifying basic lifestyle behaviors. With my collarbone, I measured the angles surrounding my shoulder’s range of motion daily, along with slow but daily additions of gentle strengthening exercises.  Sprinkle on multiple cryosauna applications and my surgeon, during a recent follow-up visit, couldn’t believe my progress in two short weeks.

Third, create an environment that is conducive to better health. Surround yourself with positive influences like people who have healthy lifestyles–studies show it will motivate you to do the same.  Think of it as a healthy dose of peer pressure.  Also, build into your daily routine healthy food choices at home and work that are readily accessible. More specifically, if healthy food choices are not easily available at home, when you’re hungry, your concept of what’s healthy quickly becomes skewed.  In addition, when it comes to a healthy diet, use smaller plates (which decreases portion-sizes), serve yourself a healthy portion and then store left overs before eating.  One last strategy I discovered is to consider eating in front of a mirror, which seems weird, I know, but a great German study last year showed it dramatically decreased the amount of calories test subjects ate.  You have incredible control over the environment in which you live.  Take the time to make it conducive to better health.

Finally, after doing all that you can to implement the first three tenets, be sure to be kind to yourself.  Don’t be hard on yourself if you have a tough day and “fall off the wagon.”  Studies show that the stress hormones released as a result of this added pressure on yourself is much more harmful than simply moving back to your healthy baseline. Life isn’t about being perfect.  Do the best you can, strive for your best, but allow yourself to recover from expected and unexpected setbacks.  On the day of my crash I was in great physical shape through great strides I had made during my training.  Instantly I was forced to “slow things down” and quickly have lost my physical stamina.  But, by taking proactive and preventative steps now, including the above ideas, my recovery has been relatively quick.

A major health issue can very quickly derail you from a healthy lifestyle.  But by following the above three tenets, you can regain control of your health, your surrounding environment and treat yourself better than you ever have before.

Over the last two weeks I’ve witnessed, and been a part of, a group of the first 100 people in our office who have experienced our cryosauna.  We’ve discussed this revolutionary new piece of equipment in our office during past newsletters and explained the profound effect it can have on improving your metabolism, burning calories, heal sore joints and calm down inflammation.  During this short period of time I have seen patients have less pain, improved mood and better athletic performance.  Personally, this past weekend I rode my bike up Mount Lemmon in Tuscon and have found the cryosauna to significantly improve my recovery time.  Bottom line, the therapeutic effects are impressive.

Let’s start with a small example.  I’m willing to bet you can’t look at this picture of my new 11-week-old daughter, Julia, and not smile.  Universally people are happier at the sight of babies, but the effect isn’t one way.  You might have noticed that babies smile quite a bit themselves.  In fact there have been multiple 3-D ultrasound studies that show smiling babies while still in the womb.  Their smiling, however, continues almost involuntarily during the first few months of life while they are sleeping.  Even more profound is the study of blind babies who smile upon hearing their mother’s voice.  It seems like a simple act, but smiling has powerful effects that can be appreciated even at the very start of life.

It’s smiling’s long-term effects that are even more surprising. Two studies found smiling to improve overall success in life and even lifespan.  The first study, done at the University of California Berkley in the 1950s, was a 30-year longitudinal examination of a group of students’ photos in the school’s yearbook.  By studying the “amount” of smiling in one yearbook picture and after following students for 30 years, researchers were able to predict with amazing accuracy how fulfilling and long-lasting their marriage would be and how inspiring they would be towards others–a strong leadership trait. The other study, done in 2010, looked at pre-1950 baseball cards and found that those with the widest smile “span” also had the longest lifespan (72 years vs. 80 years).

The trouble, unfortunately, is that only about 1/3 of people smile more than 20 times a day, meaning the vast majority of people smile much less, except for one group of people.  Younger people, that is.  Children can smile up to 400 times a day!  This exaggerated amount of smiling, you might not be surprised to know, reduces stress-inducing hormones like cortisol and adrenaline, can increase endorphins and reduce blood pressure. In fact, a 2008 British study showed that one smile can generate the same amount of brain stimulation as eating 2,000 bars of chocolate.

Saying smiling is good for you is a little like saying exercise, good food and clean water will improve your health.  It seems obvious.  But numerous studies suggest that faking a smile actually does more harm than good.  The positive thoughts behind that smile are just as important as the act of smiling itself.

So don’t be surprised the next time you come in the office and see us all smiling–we’ve known for years that smiling is good for you and we love to spread that happiness.  I hope this article helped you think about your happiness but most importantly, I hope it helped you smile.

“I will never understand all the good that a simple smile can accomplish.”  Mother Teresa