Dec

30

Mike Learns About the Wrath of Cortisol And Adrenal Fatigue On His Body- Part II

December 30, 2009 | Leave a Comment

Mike came in on his one month follow up for severe adrenal fatigue and related symptoms. This is where we got into some deeper discussions about what was happening inside of his body because he had been living with unchecked stress and damaging his adrenal glands for over three years.

“Mike, there are a few things that feed into the problems you are having with keeping your weight in check. First that central fat around your waist line is definitely telling me that your stress is causing insulin resistance in your body.”

The adrenal glands produce hormones that cause your body to raise your blood sugars in times of stress as this is the brain’s primary source of fuel to stay sharp and to think fast. The same mechanism that causes this also creates an increased demand on your body’s production of insulin. So the pancreas has to work overtime to create more and more insulin to keep up with these demands. Over time, this creates an extremely fatigued pancreas, and just like the adrenal system working overtime will eventually burn out, so too will the overburdened pancreas burn out creating a slow descent into adult onset diabetes.

“You see Mike, stress makes your body create lots and lots of cortisol- the hormone of stress which acts as an anti inflammatory helping your body heal rapidly from its wounds. Remember, man has been around for centuries, but early man had different stressors like running from the fangs of saber toothed tigers. The system was built for immediate stress responses to temporary and fleeting stress that was sure to pass quickly. You were either eaten, or escaped to hide away and recover from the immediate threat. Today, there are no such tigers yet we have not changed all that much in the way that we are built to cope with real or imagined stressors (and therefore real or imagined tigers).”

Mike was understanding that his adrenal response was locked and set to the ‘Always On’ position. thus spilling a constant and alarming amount of cortisol throughout his system which would eventually ravage his health over time.

The cascade of hormone production can be shifted to the exclusive production of cortisol at the expense of creating downstream hormones, and this is the source of so much grief for men and especially for women during the time of menopause. I told Mike, “Our country is a melting pot of constant stress and it is no wonder that so many American women are struggling with the symptoms of menopause and pre-menopause.”

Mike just smiled at me and said that he knew what I was talking about as he could already see these changes happening to his wife Judy.

When your body has too much cortisol in the bloodstream (and a declining levels of sex hormones that results) it turns off muscle production and bone mineral deposition which leads to osteoporosis, to muscle weakness and to frailty. The excess cortisol production also blocks the activity of Growth Hormone contributing to the accumulation of central fat- that dangerous fat surrounding your vital organs and filling out your midline, Mike.

Stress also causes something far more dangerous but way too silent to know that it is happening until it is too late. When you have insulin resistance like this for too long, it sets up inflammation within your body and especially inside of your blood vessels. Over time, this causes coronary artery disease and atherosclerosis (which is hardening of all the major arteries of the body). So stress IS a leading cause of heart disease and even strokes and heart attacks.

Another issue with stress is the way that it knocks out your body’s immune defenses and makes it harder to keep the outside offenders from breaking down your barriers to disease and allergic reactions to environmental pollutants.

Studies consistently show that patients with the lowest morning cortisol levels, have the worst quality of sleep and those that can not sleep well throughout the night are subject to have increased risk for all cause mortality including cancers. Studies proved that patients with metastatic breast cancer whose diurnal (daytime) cortisol rhythms showed flat line response or low levels all had earlier mortality rates.

“So Mike, it is important for us to treat these extremely low levels of daytime cortisol to reverse the trends that I see happening in your life. Are you ready to begin?”

Check out the next report to see how Mike was able to get a hold of his condition and begin reversing the grim statistics of his unhealthy lifestyle choices. Mike was getting the help he needed, including working with his psychologist to start developing much better coping mechanisms for dealing with his daily stressors.

We will continue with his story as it develops. Fatigued all of the time? Check Your Adrenal System and Your Hormone Levels!

Other Youthful Aging Center Pages:
Testosterone for Men
Basic Lab Testing To Assure Longevity and Youthful Aging
Food Allergies and Obesity
Physician Supervised hCG Weight Loss Program
Take The Functional Medicine Questionnaire

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Dec

27

The Mental, Physical & Social Effects From Chronic Stress- Part I

December 27, 2009 | Leave a Comment

There is a connection between stress, hormonal dysfunction and a suppressed immune mechanism. All of these seemingly unrelated factors converge upon the adrenal gland system.

Mike was suffering from adrenal fatigue. I knew this 10 minutes into our interview. He was sharing vague, seemingly unrelated symptoms and could not seem to connect the dots that these were all the result of an underlying condition known as adrenal fatigue.

“Doctor, I am always telling Judy (his wife) that I can’t seem to get motivated to go out with our friends anymore like we used to. I am always just so tired. Judy says I am abnormally fatigued so she made this appointment for me today”.

I asked Mike to elaborate on his complaints and feelings a bit more and he described how he seemed to be more nervous and irritable lately. He said Judy told him he might be depressed.

“Why would Judy say that to you Mike?”

Mike replied, “Doc, I am having a tough time concentrating, I seem to be on edge all of the time, apprehensive like something bad is about to happen. I feel tired, weak and it’s very easy to get me frustrated with the simplest tasks.”

I asked Mike about his eating habits, especially asked if he was having cravings for sweet and salty foods. He confirmed that indeed he was, and worse during the afternoon slump as he was reaching for sweets and coffee just to keep going.

“Doc, I also feel lightheaded and dizzy at times, but the worse problem is that I seem to get that second wind at about 11 pm and find myself staying up late to catch up on the work I was unable to complete during the day. I am having a terrible time getting up in the morning lately. My internal clock seems to be shifting to later and later morning start ups. I don’t know what to do.”

“Mike are you feeling any body aches or headaches?” He confirmed that he was having shoulder and neck pains and muscle spasms and that the headaches were part of his daily routine since about three months now.

Mike was also suffering from stomach and digestive problems which he never had experienced before. He was having epigastric pain, indigestion, symptoms of Irritable Bowels like alternating episodes of diarrhea and constipation. Plus he seemed to be having trouble with eating certain foods and thought he might be having symptoms of food allergies and food sensitivities for which we requested testing.

“It seems lately that I am getting more sensitive to foods and even to chemicals I come in contact with, I can’t tolerate certain strong odors, or smoking, offensive perfumes and everything seems to give me some sort of allergic reaction. Doc I feel like I am falling apart, can you help me find out what is going on with me?”

The Many Faces of Stress Due To Adrenal Fatigue

Half of all Americans are suffering from stress related symptoms and health effects. Mike was one of them. Almost 90% of the visits made to a primary care physician are for these types of stress related complaints.

Stress is a very real problem in our society and it is linked to very real medical diseases such as cancers, lung ailments, liver cirrhosis, cardiac disease, suicides and accidents. In fact, stress is responsible for more than 25 billion lost workdays lost each year from absenteeism.

A List of Physical Effects Caused By Stress and Adrenal Fatigue

The list goes on and on, but many people with this condition share in the same handful of vague, seemingly unrelated bodily complaints. Here are some of the reactions that take place in your body when you are chronically under increased stress.

Increased blood pressure
Increased heart rate
Increased heart contractions
Increased blood flow to skeletal muscles
Decreased blood flow to areas not naturally needed for rapid activities, like the kidneys and intestines
Dilation of the pupils
Increased muscle strength
Release of sugar from the liver
Increased mental activity
Increased metabolic rate.

A Few Things That Happen to a Body Under Constant Stress

Mike is suffering from symptoms of adrenal fatigue resulting from constant exposure to unrelenting stress. A person under constant stress can have many medical problems. Here is a short list:

Reproductive problems due to disruptions in hormone production,
Constant fatigue due to insulin resistance causing problems with energy utilization,
A slowed metabolism due to thyroid dysfunction
Delayed wound healing and growth due to poor nutrition absorption from the gut
Problems with fluid balance due to decreased kidney function, and
Problems with good quality sleep.

The Mental Effects of Chronic Ongoing Stress

It turns out that Mike had been suffering from the effects of chronic, ongoing stress for about three years now. He basically had all of the following symptoms and needed not only medical intervention, but psychological counseling to work through many of these issues as well. Mike has:

Mental fatigue with a loss of creativity and spontaneity
Confusion, forgetfulness and difficulty with making decisions
Anxiety and feelings of panic
Tension, frustration, irritability, anger and resentment
Depression
Feelings of low self worth
Lowered intellectual functioning
Boredom

The Social Effects of Chronic Ongoing Stress

The psychotherapist wrote a report to our office concerning the issues that they were going to be working through. Mike was suffering from ongoing stress that was causing him problems with:

Procrastination and avoidance of important work and home responsibilities
A lack of concern for others and a resulting deterioration in his relationship with Judy
Reduced effectiveness in communication and an inability to listen to others
Emotional hypersensitivity with tendency to overreact to others, feelings of isolation, alienation and a tendency to suppress his feelings which was leading to Mike’s withdrawal from his friends and family
A loss of control, with quick tempered responses and aggressive behavior

Further, the report revealed that Mike may be showing signs of increased risk taking behaviors, such as gambling and that he was also displaying a tendency towards increased drug use and abuse of sedatives and sleeping pills to self medicate his anxiety and insomnia.

In short, Mike was really suffering and coming to a very serious crossroads. If he did not make some positive changes now, he was heading for a break down and some serious physical, emotional and financial repercussions in his life.

How To Know If You May Be Suffering From Stress Related Changes

If you can relate to some of Mike’s discomfort, then a simple, stress free non-invasive saliva collection procedure for cortisol levels is a great test to reveal the state of your adrenal health. In my opinion, this is the most appropriate way to assess your adrenal functions and to help us make the diagnosis of adrenal fatigue which may be the causing of several seemingly unrelated conditions you may be experiencing.

Mike’s salivary cortisol levels were checked throughout the day to determine the health of his adrenal glands. The normal pattern of salivary cortisol levels are:

From 7-8 am salivary cortisol levels between 13-24 nM
From 11- 12 noon cortisol levels between 5-10 nM
From 4-5 pm salivary cortisol levels between 3-8 nM
From 11 -Midnight cortisol levels from 1-4 nM.

The pattern above is a demonstration which shows how a normal curve would create higher cortisol levels in the morning, after arising. This is the time when you need more cortisol to deal with the stressors of the day. Later in the day, the levels should fall to their lowest range well into the evening, thus making it easier to get some restful sleep.

People with abnormal cortisol patterns share the same pathological rhythm demonstrating a ‘tired and wired’ curve meaning that their cortisol levels are low in the morning (so they feel exhausted as they are trying to get going). Then they get wired out later in the evening when their bodies get that second wind; therefore, they are unable to sleep. While the day is winding down- they are winding up!

Needless to say, Mike did not have a normal pattern and was showing signs of late adrenal fatigue with very low adrenal reserves. Typical of the scenario that we’ve just discussed.

Join us again as we continue our discussions on the effects of chronic stress and how we were able to help poor Mike out of his chronic adrenal fatigue due to unrelenting stress. If you want to learn more about adrenal fatigue and how it affects your hormones, please visit the Youthful Aging Center online to read about the effects adrenal fatigue has on your body.

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Dec

26

Adrenal Fatigue and Anxiety Disorders Coexist

December 26, 2009 | Leave a Comment

Just finished writing a short piece on anxiety disorders, adrenal health and the changing season of hormones within a woman’s body. Would you like to learn more about adrenal fatigue and how it interacts with anxiety disorders? Read more now… http://www.helium.com/items/1692991-anxietyhormonal-imbalancestressadrenalsadrenal-glandsadrenal-fatigue Get the Book… Adrenal Fatigue: The 21st Century Stress Syndrome

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Dec

24

Discover the Whole Truth About The Food Industry

December 24, 2009 | Leave a Comment

“Let food be thy medicine and
let medicine be thy food”
Hippocrates, the Father of Medicine (460-377 B.C.)

Discover The Whole Truth About The Food Industy

I have been using several online resources for patients that deliver wholesome foods in easy to work with packaging. These products are great for busy lifestyles, and goes over splendidly in the kids diets. No fuss, no mess just a great source of daily vitamins, minerals, fruits, vegetables and organic meats free of antibiotics and hormones.

One of my recommendations, The Wholefood Pharmacy opened for business in March 2003 with a mission to supply healthy, convenient, whole food based meals & snacks, non-toxic personal care items, and to educate the public regarding a preventative based lifestyle.

Over the past century, our society has seen enormous advances in medical technology. We have more doctors, more pharmaceutical medicines, and more hospitals than ever before. We also have the sickliest generation of Americans in history. The number one culprit: THE STANDARD AMERICAN DIET (SAD).

The processed food and fast food industries are serving it up, Americans are gulping it down, and wide spread obesity & chronic disease is the result. From there, the masses are driven into the “waiting hands” of the highly profitable pharmaceutical industry. We’re offered pills that alleviate our symptoms while the simple underlying causes are ignored.

What incentive does the pharmaceutical industry have to focus on prevention? If disease rates decreased, so would their profits.

Another great company for online foods is the Greensbury Market.

The Greesnbury Market has been committed to providing families far and wide with good old-fashioned nutrition for 10 years now. Greenbury’s Organic meats are naturally rich in protein, vitamins and minerals such as iron and growth hormones are NEVER used. Celebrate healthy New Year’s resolutions by getting to know the Greensbury Market today!

If you have been looking for a better way to shop for wholesome, organic meats we encourage you to discover the many benefits of Greensbury, such as:

The only online 1 stop market for USDA certified organic beef, chicken & pork
Absolutely no antibiotics or synthetic hormones
Humanely raised and vegetarian-fed
Every Item individually sealed and delivered to the customer’s front door in environmentally responsible packaging
Our 100% grass-fed beef has less calories and saturated fat than conventional beef, plus added health benefits of omega-3s and CLAs
We support sustainable agriculture, family farms and organic.

Free Shipping on Purchases of $125+ on Greensbury Market’s Organic Meats.

The ingredients to health, happiness, vitality, and longevity are no secret. Every major non-profit health organization in the world has been offering the same advice for many years. Eat more fruits and veggies, drink more water, exercise on a daily basis, lose weight if you need to, don’t smoke, avoid toxins, & reduce stress.

So what can you do if you have just discovered that your symptoms of fatigue and digestive difficulties are due to gluten sensitivity? Celiac.com has provided important celiac disease and gluten-free diet information and resources online since 1995 for people on gluten-free diets due to celiac disease, gluten intolerance, dermatitis herpetiformis, wheat allergy or other health reasons.

We are all aware of how difficult it is to avoid tasty temptations and the daily bombardment of advertising pitches from the fast food industry. It is hard to convince adults and children alike that fast foods are a fast way towards disease and poor health. But with handy and better snacking choices, the decisions are made easier and the convincing is far less of a challenge.

The Wholefood Pharmacy is another online company that has combined delicious, healthy foods, with convenience and affordability. Their salon quality personal care items offer superior results without the toxic chemicals. Nothing short of a consumer based, grass roots return to healthy choices and lifestyles can steer our children, and future generations, in a healthier direction. If you’re ready to improve your health and join us as part of the solution, visit the Wholefood Pharmacy now.

For more information and to get an eye whopping education on the food industry in general, click on The Whole Truth Video link below…

Discover The Whole Truth About The Food Industy

Read a Customer Testimonial Below For Just One Of These Wholesome Great Tasting Products from the Wholefood Pharmacy- Tri-Decathlox DELUX Testimonial..

“I started my Tri-Decathlon after witnessing its impact on a colleague at work who I had daily contact with during his 13 day event. I am a 51 year old male who is relatively active. I play golf and coach one of my son’s basketball teams. I have always been a competitive person and played various sports throughout my years. Now at 51, I have experienced joint pain since my early twenties as a result of wear & tear on my knees from football and basketball. I also used to drink 5 to 6 Diet Mountain Dews every day. I only mention these things to give you some idea of where I was before starting the program. I am 62″ tall and weighed 238 lbs. prior to starting the Tri-Decathlon. I had never cleansed my body and many can attest to my love to eat all types of food and large quantities as well. My only intent when starting the plan was to cleanse, or detox, my system, but what happened along with the way is totally amazing. I have totally transformed my whole outlook on my life and my eating and drinking habits in regard to living a healthy and satisfying life.

I began to notice a rapid change in my body as well as my mental and physical health. I used to swallow 4 pain pills a day for my joint pain. The pain virtually vanished during my Tri-Decathlon and I have now stopped taking any pain medication! I no longer drink the costly and caffeine laden Mountain Dews. I went from 238 lbs to 217 lbs using the Tri-Decathlon and whole food concepts, and I have been able to maintain this weight rather easily. Now my 30 minute daily walks have turned into 40 minutes and I’ve gone from 2.5 miles to 3.5 miles in only 10 more minutes a day. I walk rain or shine with my little 6lb. dog, Tibet. People in my community often stop and ask how I’ve been able to make such a sudden change in lifestyle.

But the one thing that had the greatest impact on me being able to make this change to eating better – with quality rather than quantity being my focus – was that one evening after work when my 13yr old son made the comment “Dad, since you have been on this program, you aren’t as grumpy as you normally are”. This hit me right in my heart and made me realize the eating habits that I changed were having a dramatic, positive impact on my life and my loved ones.

I could go on and on about better sleep, less colds and illness, etc. I truly believe that by going thru the 13-Day Tri-Decathlon I have enriched my total life from the inside out.”

by Rodney Scott – Kingston Springs, TN

Discover The Whole Truth About The Food Industry

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Dec

21

Case Studies That Illustrate The Adrenal Fatigue Syndrome

December 21, 2009 | Leave a Comment

Chronic stress can lead to adrenal exhaustion. Left unchecked, it creates symptoms commonly referred to as the Adrenal Fatigue Syndrome. If chronic adrenal fatigue is allowed to take over your life it will lead to Adrenal Exhaustion.

The following case studies might be helpful to identify if your own symptoms may be trying to tell you something about the state of your own adrenal glands.

The Early Stages of Adrenal Fatigue

Tammy was a 28 year old mother of 2 small children that came to my office suffering from anxiety and insomnia. Tammy was a 5th grade teacher with many work and home stressors. She also complained of several other symptoms, namely irritability, constipation, PMS and irregular cycles.

Due to her symptoms suggesting a stress disorder, we ran a salivary hormone test to determine Tammy’s diurnal cortisol rhythms. The Adrenal Stress Index (ASI) measures Tammy’s salivary hormone levels of cortisol throughout the day. This helps us to determine the health of her adrenal glands.

These were Tammy’s results:

Morning cortisol levels       35 (normal 13-24)
Noon cortisol levels           11 (normal 5-10)
Afternoon cortisol levels   7       (normal 3-8)
Evening cortisol levels      5        (normal 1-5)
Total cortisol burden       55 (normal 23-42)

Her Adrenal Stress Index revealed that Tammy was experiencing symptoms of increasingly elevated cortisol levels throughout the day. Her elevated evening cortisol levels were the major contributors to the symptoms of insomnia.

This pattern of diurnal cortisol rhythm is typical for an acutely stressful event, and the Early Stages of Adrenal Fatigue Syndrome.

In these acute early phases, the adrenals still have plenty of reserves and are able to produce excess hormones in response to the offensive stressor. The adrenals do this at the expense of progesterone, the precursor to the production of cortisol. To learn more on how the body produces hormones through a cascade of naturally occurring reactions, visit the Youthful Aging Center online.

Tammy received adrenal support using appropriate supplementation to nurture the adrenal glands, stabilize blood sugar and to down regulate the overly responsive sympathetic nervous system causing so many of her symptoms.

The Secondary Stages of Adrenal Fatigue

In the Second Stages of Adrenal Fatigue, we see adrenal reserves running very deficient as they are unable to keep up with the demands the body is placing on the adrenal glands.

Take the case of John, a 57 year old male complaining of daily, debilitating symptoms of fatigue. John is the sole owner of a struggling small business who lives alone with his 3 dogs. John tells us of symptoms which include worsening food allergies with hives, symptoms of low blood sugar throughout the day (shakiness, trembling hands, sweating, weakness, palpitation, headaches, insatiable hunger pangs). He also suffers from eczema of his face and hands and symptoms of Irritable Bowel Syndrome (alternating diarrhea and constipation, crampy bowel movements, gas, bloating and nausea after meals).

John’s cortisol rhythms were as follows:

Morning cortisol levels       14      (normal 13-24)
Noon cortisol levels            3 ….. (normal 5-10)
Afternoon cortisol levels   4      (normal 3-8)
Evening cortisol levels        2       (normal 1-5)
Total cortisol burden          23    (normal 23-42)

John is recovering from his moderately severe Adrenal Insufficiency with the help of adrenal supportive nutrients, supplements for sugar regulation and nutraceutical to down regulate his overactive sympathetic nervous system.

The Late Stages of Adrenal Fatigue and Adrenal Exhaustion

Th next phase of adrenal insufficiency is much more pronounced as the patient moves towards total Adrenal Exhaustion. This is Mary’s story.

Mary was a 46 year old complaining of joint pains and depression. She is an emergency room nurse. Mary is also an avid skier and hiker but has been progressively accumulating symptoms such as fatigue, recurring yeast infections, difficulty concentrating, worsening migraines and worsening symptoms of asthma. Mary has recently been diagnosed with osteoporosis and autoimmune thyroiditis (meaning she makes antibodies to her own thyroid gland).

Here are Mary’s cortisol rhythms:

Morning cortisol levels       13      (normal 13-24)
Noon cortisol levels            3 ….. (normal 5-10)
Afternoon cortisol levels    2 …. (normal 3-8)
Evening cortisol levels         1   (normal 1-5)
Total cortisol burden         19 …. (normal 23-42)

Mary is also recovering from severe Adrenal Insufficiency with the help of adrenally supportive nutrients, supplements for sugar regulation and nutrients to help her down regulate an overactive sympathetic nervous system.

The Symptoms of Adrenal Fatigue and Exhaustion

Chronic stress leads to adrenal exhaustion and finally to symptoms commonly defined as the Adrenal Fatigue Syndrome. Left unchecked, these symptoms are signaling impending Adrenal Exhaustion. The symptoms of severe adrenal fatigue and exhaustion include:

Pain/spasm in upper back & neck muscles
Loss of libido
Poor memory
Light headed when standing
Headaches
Irritability/moodiness
Alcohol intolerance
Tenderness in low back
Dry/thin skin
Scanty perspiration
Slow wound healing
Cold intolerance
Weakness
Nervous/anxious
Chronic inflammation
Palpitations
Weight gain
Low blood pressure
Sweet/salt cravings
Unexplained hair loss
Muscle wasting
Poor concentration
Frustration/confusion
Low body temps
Slow recovery from work outs

Stress comes in many forms, including:

Anger – Fear
Worry/Anxiety
Depression
Guilt
Overwork
Physical and Mental strain
Excessive exercise
Sleep deprivation
Light-cycle disruption
Late hours
Surgery
Trauma/Injury
Noise Pollution
Inflammation
Pain
Toxic exposure
Infections
Chemicals – Heavy metals
Electromagnetic fields
Radiation
Geophysical
Malabsorption
Maldigestion
Illness
Low blood sugar – Poor diet
Nutritional deficiencies
Inhalant Allergies
Food Reactions
Molds
Temperature extreme

“If you ask me what is the single most important key to longevity, I would have to say it is avoiding worry, stress and tension. And if you didn’t ask me, I’d still have to say it.” George Burns (1896-1996)

The important lifestyle factors leading to chronic stress must be addressed and corrected, including regulating the blood sugar through the right combination of foods eaten at the right time, reduction of mental and physical stressors, and the elimination of chronic inflammation wherever it may be found within your body.

Sleep, exercise, proper nutrition, mental and emotional factors must all be addressed. The practice of yoga, meditation, relaxation, visualization, aromatherapy, massage, personal time, soothing sounds and music and many other modalities are useful for helping you to achieve inner peace. Psychological evaluations with professional counseling and guidance for how to deal with difficult situations and relationship issues may be necessary.

If you believe that you may be suffering from Adrenal Fatigue, get tested and treated before it leads to damage to your adrenal glands. This condition is reversible, but like all glands of the body, exhaustion takes many months to years for a full recovery.

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Dec

13

Obesity, An Overview Into Its Cause and Results

December 13, 2009 | 1 Comment

Obesity is becoming an epidemic. The US trends labels obesity the disease of the decade due to alarming costs, causes and consequences. In 2007, obesity accounted for 280,000 deaths annually with a cost of $77 billion per year in the US. This put this sum in perspective, this sum represents 5-7% of all health care dollars spent annually.

To download a full manuscript prepared by Dr. Ana M. Hernandez, DO/Medical Director of the Youthful Aging Center, download her Natural Weight Loss Alternative Products Fact Sheet in PDF format.

Obesity is a complex disorder that has genetic, behavioral and environmental causes.

In the American Journal of Public Health, 2001 It was published that obesity would soon overtake smoking as the leading preventable cause of death, presenting greater morbidity than smoking, problem drinking and poverty.

Obesity is defined as a body mass index (BMI) of 30 or greater.

The BMI is calculated from a person’s weight and height, provides a somewhat reasonable indicator of body fatness and weight categories that may lead to health problems. However, it says nothing as to the quality of this weight, is it lean body mass? Is it excess fat pounds? There are more reliable ways of calculating body composition and determining risk, including body measures, calipers, and bio-impedance testing equipment.

Obesity is a major risk factor for chronic disease in adults.

Obesity increases an adult’s risk of having cardiovascular disease, certain types of cancer, and type 2 diabetes. But we are also seeing these conditions starting to become a health threat for our children and adolescents as well.

Obesity is a growing serious health concern for young children and adolescents.

Data from NHANES surveys (1976–1980 and 2003–2006) show that the prevalence of obesity has increased: for children aged 2–5 years, prevalence increased from 5.0% to 12.4%; for those aged 6–11 years, prevalence increased from 6.5% to 17.0%; and for those aged 12–19 years, prevalence increased from 5.0% to 17.6%.

Obese children and adolescents are at risk for health problems during their youth and early adulthood.

As youths, obese children and adolescents are more likely to have risk factors associated with cardiovascular disease (such as high blood pressure, high cholesterol, and Type 2 diabetes) than are non obese children and adolescents. They are also more likely to become obese adults.

Studies have shown that approximately 80% of children overweight by age 10–15 years become obese adults by age 25.

One study found that approximately 80% of children who were overweight at aged 10–15 years were obese adults at age 25. Another study found that 25% of obese adults were overweight as children, and that that if the overweight condition began before 8 years of age, that obesity in adulthood would likely be more severe.

What Are The Health Consequences As A Result Of Being Obese?

The following are conditions that are closely linked to obesity in Americans:

Heart Disease
Other Vascular Diseases
Stroke
Dementia
Cancers (Breast, Colon and others)
Type 2 Diabetes
Sleep Apnea
Depression
Osteoarthritis
Back Pain
Gallstones
Surgical Complications
Congenital Malformations
Urinary Stress Incontinence
Psychological Problems

According to the American Institute for Cancer Research being obese makes you 25 – 33% more likely to get colon, prostate, esophageal, kidney and post menopausal breast cancers.

Who was Dr. ATW Simeons?

Dr. Simeons was a medical doctor and scientist that made many contributions to medicine during his years of practice. Dr Simeons was born in London in 1900, and graduated ‘Cum Lauda’ in Heidelberg. Dr. Simeons is credited for the discovery of a stain used in laboratories for the detection of malaria, a stain which now also bears his name. He also discovered the antimalarial drug Atebrin which is in use today in the treatment of this disease. He organized the first Leprosy Center in India and was awarded by the Queen of England with the Iron Cross of Merit for his achievements in the field of Medicine.

Dr. Simeons revealed the medical use of hCG to ‘cure’ obesity by resetting the hypothalamus to promote a healthier, more accelerated and robust metabolic rate.

Dr. Simeons is also responsible for the discovery of the medical use of hCG to ‘cure’ obesity by resetting the hypothalamus and promoting a healthier, more accelerated and robust metabolic rate. But for this research, the doctor has been criticized and his work still draws much controversy in the medical community. However, if you examine the medical literature, you will see many inferences and clinical studies pointing to the fact that the diencephalon (hypothalamus) is very much indeed involved in the generation of obesity and the generation of certain types on abnormal fat reserves that are responsible for much of this country’s obesity epidemic.

The American diet industry has grown consistently in the last 40 years from $2 billion/year to well over $40 billion/year.

Obesity treatment is BIG business in this country. Imagine the impact on this system were it to collapse if word gets out that obesity is a curable symptom of hypothalamic dysfunction.

What is most disturbing to many clinicians that are willing to look beyond traditionally accepted standards of care is that almost 3 generations of obese Americans have had to endure with ineffective and costly maintenance of their disease, or have paid for the incredibly costly surgical options because of the greed of this industry.

Dr ATW Simeons postulated that obesity was the symptom of a disorder in the hypothalamic gland, likely due to an imbalance of neuropeptides in the surrounding area. He further hypothesized that due to this dysfunction, the body begins accumulating fat from the over consumption of calories beyond that which it can use on a daily basis. This accumulated (abnormal) fat is metabolically quite active and produces its own hormones, it also acts quite differently to our normal structural fat pads and is far more resistant to diet and exercise.

Laboratory research shows that a destruction of portions of the hypothalamus in laboratory animals produces excessive hunger, high blood insulin levels (which stimulates the storage of fat from the extra calories consumed in the diet), a drop in growth hormone secretion and rapid weight gain leading to obesity until a new plateau in body weight is reached in experimental animals.

A 1993 study revealed results suggesting that obese women with Abdominal Fat Distribution may have hyperactivity of the hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal axis. Pasquali R, Cantobelli S, Capeli M, Bortoluzzi L, Flamia R, Labate AM, Barbara L. J Clin Endocrinol Metab. 1993 Aug;77(2):341-6

A study done in 1996 concluded that hypothalamic lesions induce overeating and obesity and selectively in the male causes high blood pressure and glomerular (kidney) damage as well as declines in kidney function. ‘Chris Baylis, Lennie Samsell, Lorraine racusen, Wil Gladfelter’ Published in Hypertension Journal, 1996;27:926-932

A study done in 2000 showed that subjects with abdominal obesity are characterized by hyperactivity of the hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal (HPA) axis, which leads to a condition of ‘functional hypercortisolism’ (high cortisol levels). Pasquali R, Vicennati V. Int J Obes Relat Metab Disord. 2000 Jun;24 Suppl 2:S47-49

In 2002, a study showed that many signals acting at several central nervous system sites seem to converge their pathways on the hypothalamus, which contains a large number of peptides and other neurotransmitters that influence food intake. Wilding, JP. Diabet Med. 2002 Aug;19(8):619-27

At the Youthful Aging Center we are prepared to address this dysfunction and help patients to correct their hypothalamic imbalances. We incorporate all of the fundamental instructions that were so well described by the doctor and help our patients achieve incredible results using this safe technique.

If you want more information visit http://YouthfulAgingCenter.com or call us at 866-For-Health. Do yourself a favor, lose the weight and get healthy. We can help.

To download a full manuscript prepared by Dr. Ana M. Hernandez, DO/Medical Director of the Youthful Aging Center, download her Natural Weight Loss Alternative Products Fact Sheet in PDF format by clicking on the PDF file icon below.

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Dec

13

Thyroid Disorder Can Mimick Over 65 Major Symptoms of Illness

December 13, 2009 | Leave a Comment

One of the most unsuspecting cause of many chronic problems I see in my office is actually due to low thyroid functions (hypothyroidism). That’s because the gland is responsible for mimicking over 65 major symptoms of illness! Left untreated, it affects the metabolism of every cell in your body and will definitely ruin any plans you may have in place to help you live a long and healthy life span.

The thyroid gland is responsible for mimicking over 65 major symptoms of illness!

A weak thyroid can sabotage your best laid out plans and cause errors in treatment as well. For instance, treating only the frequent upper respiratory illness with antibiotics while missing the underlying cause of hypothyroidism will continue to weaken your body further leading to chronic fatigue, a poor sense of well-being and worsens your ability to think and even remember!

The Basal Body Temperature Test by Broda Barnes, MD

One of the oldest methods of testing for weak thyroid functions is known as the Barnes Basal Body Temperature Test. It goes like this:

Put an axillary (armpit) thermometer by your bedside at night and make sure that you shake it down to the lowest temperature reading. In the morning and before getting out of bed or moving around, put the thermometer under your armpit for 10 minutes and lie very, very still. Record your readings for at least 3 mornings in a row. The normal readings are 97.8 to 98.2. If yours are lower than this and you have the classic symptoms which I will review with you now, then take all of this information to your doctor and get tested.

If you are a woman that still has her cycles, make sure you do this when you are not on your cycle as this will affect your temperatures. Do it immediately after your cycle or during the final days of your cycle like days 3,4,5. Don’t do it in the middle of your cycle or you will get the rising temperatures seen with ovulation which is one of the ways we tell women to check when they are ovulating to improve their chances off getting pregnant.

This test was developed by Broda O. Barnes, MD, PhD who during his illustrious career spanning over half a century published more than 100 papers on thyroid literature in well respected and reputable journals. Dr Barnes correlated the temperatures of over 2,000 individuals with their basal metabolic rates and compared those numbers to the patient’s standard laboratory tests. He discovered that there was a much higher correlation of low metabolic rates and clinical hypothyroidism using the basal body temperature test than with any other testing method available.

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12

Junk Food Eaters Beware! Reversing Illness and Disease Through Nutrition

December 12, 2009 | Leave a Comment

Get Sick In The Junk Food Generation

If there’s one thing that’s typically always true about human beings, it’s that they love to eat. Now when I say eat, I mean consume a lot of food. But guess what? We’re not talking carrots and celery here. Generally we prefer to gorge on junk food galore. Why? Simply due to the fact that it tastes great! There’s certainly a satisfaction that comes with snacking on some nachos or scarfing down a brownie sundae. My apologies if I’m making you hungry. Anyway, different individuals have a different take on whether junk food should be consumed or not. If you ask me, I’d say that all of those tasty sweets and snacks are okay to nibble on, if you put a limit on how much and how often you indulge. Naturally there should be a limit to your junk food intake.

“You are what you eat eats” Think about that one for a moment…

What would you consider to be unhealthy or junk food? Most people pinpoint fast food restaurants and sweets. At this point, I think it’s pretty obvious what falls into the junk food category and what does not. Treats like chips, movie theater concessions, candy, chocolate, soft drinks, cakes, pies, and pizza are all clearly foods that do nothing great for your body or health. However, we all already know this. But it definitely doesn’t stop us from purchasing these foods on a routine basis. I even know health nuts who eat poorly on occasion. Hey, we all love some junk food. Therefore we’ll all look for ways to eat it sometimes, whether we typically stick to a well-balanced diet or not. When it comes down to it, much of the convenient foods that are bad for you, are also convenient and often less pricey than the healthy foods.

If it’s true that we are what we eat, isn’t it time to make the right choices for ourselves and for our families?

Since we live in the age of cyberspace, you’d better believe that you can find any and all sorts of junk food just by hopping on the web. Purchase fine chocolates from all over the world, order delicacies that can’t be found in your home town or small city, or buy low-priced bulk items with the simple click of a mouse. All sorts of treats and goodies can be found on the Internet. The trick is to limit your junk food intake and be prudent when it comes to your overall health and diet plan. You can enjoy the “junk,” but don’t go too far and allow it to damage your health.

Can We Prevent Illness, Reverse Disease & Maintain Optimal Health… Naturally?

If you have been living with too much junk food in your diet, it’s possible that you may be feeling in less than optimal health. There are plenty of opportunities online to get more familiar with better food choices, in fact wholesome foods can come in easy to use packaging. Check out the Food Matters Educational Center and see what is happening to our food source. It is simple to test for nutritional deficiencies, we use top quality laboratories, like Spectracell and Metametrix which have been designing quality laboratory tests for many years to help physicians uncover their hidden nutritional deficiencies BEFORE they become chronic health disease. A complete evaluation into your present health status will help you decide on changing your junk food habits for good. You know it’s time when you just have no energy and vitality from years of bad nutrition catching up with your life.

The benefits of eating whole foods and organic produce are countless. Hormones, antibiotics, and genetically re-engineered foods are not what we need for feeding and nurturing our bodies.

If we are what we eat, isn’t it time to make the right choices for ourselves and for our families? Make safe decisions when shopping for wholesome foods because you deserve it and so does your family which relies on your safe food choices to keep them healthy. Just as poor food choices are abundant online, you can find the best of what this planet provides, if you are watching and observant. Check out the Greensbury Market Online.

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Dec

12

Adult Growth Hormone Deficiency Signs and Symptoms

December 12, 2009 | Leave a Comment

Youthful Vitality Solutions

Growth hormone, or hGH, is a protein that is used for body grow. It is at its highest level in children. Growth hormone is produced by the pituitary gland (a gland found at the base of your brain) which is then released into the bloodstream. In childhood, growth hormone stimulates development of muscles and bones, while regulating metabolism.

As we age, the levels of growth hormone deplete and in some people, there is actual deficiency levels, referred to as Adult Growth Hormone Deficiency Disorder.

Adult Growth Hormone Deficiency (AGHD) is a specific clinical syndrome that has numerous physiological consequences with significant effects on the body. Many of the body symptoms are affected, including:

Changes in body composition, including central obesity.
Lipids in the blood.
Muscle strength changes.
Bone composition.
Exercise capacity and energy.
Cardiovascular risk, and
Psychological well-being.

All of these systems will be affected with dropping levels of Growth Hormones. The psychological and emotional symptoms associated with this deficiency include a reduced sense of well being, low energy, vitality, capacity for work, emotional liability, including mood swings, anxiety, depression, and increased social isolation.

Clinically signs and symptoms of AGHD include changes in the following:

•   Skin- Loses elasticity, becomes thinner, sags, wrinkles and ages prematurely.
•   Energy- Loss of vigor and stamina.
•   Bones- Tendency toward osteoporosis. Bones lose strength.
•   Sexual power- Loss of sexual power and decreased libido.
•   Muscle- Muscles lose strength and mass.
•   Fat- Fat tissue increases and accumulates, especially around the midline.
•   Memory- Memory begins to fade.
•   Heart- Heart muscle loses strength, with reduction in cardiac output.
•   Kidney- Decreased kidney function.
•   Immune System- Decreased immunity and longer healing time.
•   Hair -Hair becomes thinner and loses color.
•   Cholesterol- Higher cholesterol levels.
•   Sleep: Insomnia, and reduction in the amount of deep, restorative sleep.

If you think that your symptoms may be due to falling Growth Hormone levels, there is a very simple blood test that can be done to reveal the possibility that your Growth Hormone levels are dropping rapidly and prematurely. For more information on Adult Growth Hormone Deficiency visit us online at www.Youthful Aging Center.com

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Obese children and adolescents are at risk for health problems during their youth and early adulthood.

What Are The Health Consequences As A Result Of Being Obese?

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The Basal Body Temperature Test by Broda Barnes, MD

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Get Sick In The Junk Food Generation

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