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Headaches? Fatigue? Detoxification Might Be The Solution

“For the first time in the history of the world, every human being is now subjected to contact with dangerous chemicals, from the moment of conception until death.  In the less than two decades of their use, the synthetic pesticides have been so thoroughly distributed throughout the animate and inanimate world that they occur virtually everywhere.”

While this quote sounds like a line from a recent news report, it is actually an excerpt from Rachel Carson’s book Silent Spring published in 1962.

Detoxification seems to be a buzz word these days. Just google detoxification. You will find everything from water detoxification to colon cleanses.

So what is detoxification? The official definition of detoxification is this: the chemical changes of a xenobiotic, a phytochemical, or an endogenous (one your own body makes) compound that renders it less toxic and ready to be excreted. In layman’s terms, detoxification is the way our body protects us from things that we take in that could damage our body.

The ideal situation is toxins in and toxins out, right? If the body is working as designed, then it should be toxins in and toxins out. And how does the body get toxins out? There are many organs that detoxify: the skin (through sweating), kidneys (through urination), and the liver – the most important detox organ. The liver detoxification mechanism involves 2 main processes: Phase I and Phase II detoxification.

Phase I detoxification involves the cytochrome P-450 system in the liver. This is the first line of defense against all toxins. Toxins are tagged and altered for further detoxification, which then occurs in Phase II.  Any break down in this process will result in increased toxin load on the body.

We are what we eat, drink, breath, and touch. But did you ever think that we are what we don’t eliminate? Without elimination of the toxic chemicals we take in and produce every day, our bodies swim in a sludge pool of toxins.

This increased toxic load on the body leads to inflammation, the balance between pro-inflammatory and anti-inflammatory substances. The balance between Omega 6, a pro-inflammatory subtance, and Omega 3, an anti-inflammatory substance, is the perfect example.

It is the chronic imbalance of  pro-inflammatory substances that then leads to disease.

Shouldn’t the aim of all health care be to prevent inflammation and, therefore, disease? It is in fact, one of the main focuses of the Seasons approach to health and wellness.

Ever wonder if you need to detoxify? My first recommendation is look at and listen to your body.  The body will tell you if it is in trouble or imbalanced. How? Physical signs or symptoms are our body’s message that all is not right. Here’s how to know if you body’s signs and symptoms are saying that you might be suffering from toxic build up.

• Headaches
• Muscle aches and pains
• Fatigue
• Asthma
• Allergies
• Skin disorders
• Chronic infections
• Altered mood
• Altered cognition
• Weight gain
• Altered stress tolerance
• Altered libido
• Infertility

Where do toxins in our bodies come from? Toxins are everywhere. The sources can range from toxins like Dioxins to prescription medication.  Adverse reactions to prescription drugs have been ranked as the 4^th to 6^th leading cause of death in the US according to the Journal of American Medical Association. This amounts to over 100,000 deaths per year.  The cause of adverse drug reactions is an overloaded pathway in Phase I of detoxification (CYP3A4), the pathway that detoxifies over 50% of all drugs in your system. The costs associated with adverse drug reactions has been estimated at up to $4 billion. With the rising costs of health care, treating the cause of these adverse drug reactions in addition to decreasing prescription drugs are two excellent ways to prevent complications and lower costs.

The most dangerous sources of toxins are environmental. Organochlorine pesticides, industrial chemicals, and unintended chemical byproducts surround us everyday and expose us to unwanted toxins. Widespread production of  pesticides began less than 80 years ago. Recently, the EPA estimated that more than 4 billion pounds of chemicals were released into the grounds natural water sources in the year 2000.

In addition to pesticides and chemicals, the average American eats, unknowingly I might add, 124 pounds of additives per year. Frightening to think of it, isn’t it? And over 2.5 billion pounds of pesticides are used on crop lands, forests, lawns, and fields. The unfortunate fact is this: we live in a toxic world.

How can you decrease your daily exposure to toxins? Here are some great ways.

1. Avoid processed foods
2. Avoid fats
3. Avoid tap water — use filtered water
4. Avoid excess caffeine
5. Avoid excess alcohol
6. NO tobacco
7. Limit chronic medicine, if possible
8. Daily exercise
9. Avoid exposure in your workplace
10. Avoid living near industrial plants
11. Avoid liver dysfunction
12. Avoid kidney problems
13. Avoid intestinal dysfunction

The first ten suggestions are steps you and I can take every day to decrease our toxin exposure. But the last three require a bigger step: detoxification. By detoxifying your body, the liver, kidney, and intestines can operate more efficiently and effectively.

So, the question is not who needs detoxification, but who does NOT need detoxification?  The answer? EVERYONE will benefit from a periodic detoxification program. For more information on how to detoxify, contact our office at 865-675-WELL(9355).

Something “Fishy” Is Going On: GMO Salmon, Mislabeling of Fish, and a Healthy Trout Recipe! 

Seafood is a popular and healthy food choice for many Americans. The United States, trailing only behind China, is the second largest fish consumer in the world. The American Heart Association, as well as the 2010 dietary guidelines from the U.S. Government, both advise eating eight ounces of seafood, or two seafood meals a week, particularly because of their “heart healthy” omega-3 levels. However, U.S. consumers are often given inadequate, confusing or misleading information about the fish they are actually buying. There are two major areas of concern for consumers looking to keep fish in their diets: genetically modified fish and proper labeling of fish. Genetically Engineered Salmon The Food and Drug Administration (FDA) recently (and quietly) approved genetically engineered (GE) salmon. A new biotech company claims that its GE salmon, which is designed to grow twice as fast as unaltered fish, will be “safe, healthy, and pose little threat to the environments.” But according to leading experts, there are many potential and threatening problems that may cause significant harm to the environment and to people consuming GE fish. Their GE salmon would be raised in farms and would most likely have many of the same nutritional differences that unaltered farmed salmon already have in comparison to wild salmon. These differences include: lower levels of omega-3 fatty acids and higher levels of contaminants like polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs) according to a report from Environmental Science and Technology. different vitamin, mineral and amino acid levels than non-GE salmon, and slightly higher levels of insulin-like growth factor 1 (IGI-1), which has been shown to increase the risk of certain cancers according to the Journal of the National Cancer Institute, Volume. 92, No 18, September 20, 2000. In addition, GE foods have also been shown to cause allergic reactions. Because there have not been any long-term studies on the safety of eating transgenic, the consequences of approving the GE salmon as a food for humans unknown. The company plans to raise only sterile fish. But the FDA has called this claim “potentially misleading” because up to 5 percent of these fish may be fertile. The company claims that the fish will be raised in closed facilities and pose no threat. But if this type of GMO farming is done in Asian countries, how will they regulate and keep these fish from being released in the wild? Worldwide, the primary method of raising salmon is in open-net pens in the ocean, and millions of farmed fish escape these facilities every year. These escaped fish may easily out-compete with wild fish for food, space, and mating opportunities, as they often exhibit higher aggression and risk-taking than wild fish. These GE salmon are designed to eat more and grow faster than wild salmon potentially leading to the extinction of both wild and transgenic fish in that region according to the Canadian Journal of Fisheries and Aquatic Sciences. 58(2001) at 842-3. Mislabeling of Fish Another problem shown in recent news concerns the seafood labeling fraud in the United States. From 2010 to 2012, Oceana conducted one of the largest seafood fraud investigations in the world to date, collecting more than 1,200 samples from 674 retail outlets in 21 states to determine if they are truly the seafood they claim to be. DNA testing showed that one-third, or 33 percent, of the 1,215 seafood samples were mislabeled, according to the U.S. FDA guidelines. This study was restricted to retail outlets, including restaurants, sushi venues and grocery stores. Whether on the boat, during processing, at the retail counter, or somewhere else along the way, these would be the venues where the fraud could originate. The key results include: Mislabeling was found in 27 of 46 fish types tested (59%). Salmon, snapper, cod, tuna, sole, halibut, and grouper were the top collected fish types. Snapper (87%) and tuna (59%) were the most often mislabeled fish types. Only seven of the 120 red snapper samples were genuine red snapper. Between one-fifth to more than one-third of the halibut, grouper, cod, and Chilean sea bass samples were not labeled properly. 44% of all the grocery stores, restaurants, and sushi venues visited, sold improperly labeled seafood. 84% of the white tuna samples were actually escolar, a species that can cause serious gastrointestinal issues for some individuals who eat more than a few ounces. Another concerning point is that more than 90 percent of the seafood consumed in the U.S. is imported, and less than 1 percent is inspected by the government for fraud and safety concerns including the high levels of pesticides, banned chemicals, and toxins found in often unregulated Asian seafood. With all this in mind, what can consumers do to reduce and avoid these potential health risks? Do not be afraid to ask more questions, including what kind of fish it is, if it is farm raised or truly wild, and where, when and how it was caught. Be sure to check the price. If the price is really cheap, it probably is fraudulent and not the quality of seafood that it states it is. When possible, purchase the whole fish which makes it harder to deceive you and swap one species for another. Go fishing! Check out your local lakes and fish the cleaner lakes (i.e. Norris and Douglas Lakes). Be sure to avoid the bottom dwellers and larger fish where more contaminants are and longer exposure to harmful chemicals/pollutants. You will need a fishing license and a trout stamp if fishing for trout. For Oceana’s full national seafood fraud report, you can check it out here. Here is a recipe using a local variety of an omega-3 rich fish we can purchase locally or catch ourselves! Enjoy!   Lemon-Herb Baked Rainbow Trout Minutes to Prepare: 5 Minutes to Cook: 14 Number of Servings: 3 Ingredients 1 large Rainbow Trout fillet (16 oz.) 1 lemon , sliced and organic preferred 1 tbsp. Tarragon 1 tsp. Marjoram 1 tbsp. Extra Virgin Olive Oil ¼ tsp. garlic and/or onion powder Salt (whole mineral) and pepper to taste Directions Preheat oven to 400 degrees with the rack in the center of the oven. Line a baking sheet with aluminum foil or parchment paper and spray briefly with nonstick spray. Place fish fillet in center of baking sheet. Sprinkle fish with salt and pepper to taste. Arrange lemon slices on top of fish fillet. Sprinkle tarragon and Marjoram on top of fish fillet and lemon slices. Drizzle olive oil onto fish fillet. Place in oven and bake for 12-15 minutes, or until fish flakes well with a fork and is opaque in the center. Remove from oven. Divide fish into three even pieces and serve. Goes great with organic brown or wild rice and some fresh steamed vegetables or as part of a salad over fresh greens with a organic balsamic vinaigrette. by Carolyn Burris MS, Nutrition Counselor at Seasons of Farragut Carolyn Burris, an east Tennessee native, earned her Bachelor and Master’s degrees in Community and Public Health Nutrition at the University of Tennessee, Knoxville. Her passion for helping those with nutritional needs brought her to Seasons. Carolyn particularly loves encouraging those struggling with food intolerance, obesity, fibromyalgia, and fatigue.

‘Spray’ Goodbye to Restless Nights with Sprayology

For those suffering from wakefulness, restlessness, emotional stress, and anxiety, we are pleased to offer homeopathic resources, the most natural approach possible.

Homeopathy, a trusted form of medicine which preceded osteopathic medicine, provides natural solutions for our clients. Homeopathy gives us, at Seasons, the ability to work with the body not against the body. Working with the body allows us to limit side effects and maximize benefits. Sprayology products help us to achieve a customizable balance for all of our clients in the safest way possible.

SleepEase. SleepEase contains herbs such as Valerian and Chamomile for a restful nights sleep. It treats symptoms of wakefulness, restlessness, emotional stress, anxiety, and caffeine sensitivity. SleepEase does not leave you with the groggy feeling of prescription sleep aids.

How to use it:

Sprayology homeopathic products provide therapeutic benefits – symptom relief, metabolic support, immune system maintenance, and detoxification- through a spray. A spray? Yes, a spray! To use, spray 2 times under the tongue before bedtime and if sleep is interrupted. At a lower dosage, SleepEase is great for children ages two and older!

How it works:

Sprayology is an all natural, homeopathic oral spray full of vitamins and essential nutrients. The key to a supplement’s effectiveness is its ability to transport an appropriate amount of active ingredients to the body and in a timely manner. Spraying the vitamins under the tongue allows absorption directly into the body.

Additionally, the delivery of vitamins and minerals by a sublingual spray is convenient and tastes good. All of Sprayology’s products are FDA regulated, gluten-free and won’t interfere with other medications. It is safe for adults and children ages 2 and up and is recommended for those who want a natural option for better sleep with no morning grogginess.

SleepEase by Sprayology is available at Seasons. For more information about our full line of Sprayology products, contact our office (865)675-9355. 

Early Cancer Detection with Digital Infrared Thermal Imaging

You’ve probably seen video recorded at night showing police chasing a suspect, or soldiers seeking the enemy, or maybe even wildlife agents tracking poachers. In many of these situations what you saw was video from thermal, or “infrared” imagers. Even with absolutely no visible light, these devices allow us to see things merely by the energy they emit or reflect. They are completely passive, meaning they don’t use any projected radiation such as x-rays or ultrasound. Wouldn’t it be great if these wonders could be used in medicine? They can and they are!

While the military were the first to pursue applications for infrared technology, the medical community was not far behind. In fact, did you know that infrared technology has been approved for breast cancer screening by the FDA since 1985? Let me tell you a little about this fascinating technology and why it’s so valuable for breast cancer screening.

Believe it or not, even unwanted structures such as tumors, depend upon the circulatory system. They cannot grow without the same supplies as the rest of our cells. They also need to have their “waste” removed. In order to grow, they send a message to the circulatory system that requests “utility service.”

Blood flowing through our circulatory system causes adjacent tissue to warm. This temperature elevation can actually be “seen” at the surface of the skin through the use of infrared imaging. A tumor requests “service” from the “utility company” when it is still very, very small. Any extra blood flow will generate a “hot spot.”

From the Doctor’s Desk: Salivary Hormone Testing Backed by Science

Saliva testing for hormones first appeared in the medical research literature in the early 1980′s. Salivary testing is becoming the testing method of choice for many reasons including: 

1. Saliva testing evaluates the “free” (active) hormone levels. A hormone has to be unbound to elicit a physiologic action. Saliva testing looks at the active hormone inside the cell, at the site of action. Saliva testing has been validated as a testing method for measuring the hormones cortisol, estradiol, progesterone, DHEA, and testosterone to name a few.
2. Saliva testing requires no needles.
3. Saliva testing has been shown to be well validated and superior than blood, with sensitivities and specificities exceeding 100% and 97.4% respectively.  Other than perfection, you can’t get much better than that.
4. According to the National Institute for Health, saliva testing is useful in “detecting various cancers, heart disease, diabetes, periodontal disease…”
5. Saliva testing is also useful in disease evaluation. Saliva testing of cortisol has been recommended as the first-line test for Cushing’s syndrome due to “high diagnostic accuracy.”

Testing hormones through saliva is backed by science. But don’t take my word for it. In fact, it’s well supported in medical literature and is the right thing to do. Below are links to several abstracts regarding salivary hormone testing. Read them for yourself and learn about the science behind this form of hormone testing.

• Belkien LD, Bordt J, Moller P, Hano R, Nieschlag E. Estradiol in saliva for monitoring follicular stimulation in an in vitro fertilization program. Fertil Steril 1985;44:322.
• Bolaji II, Tallon DF, O’Dwyer E, Fottrell PF. Assessment of bioavailability of oral micronized progesterone using a salivary progesterone enzymeimmunoassay. Gynecol Endocrinol 1993;7:101-110.
• Campbell BC, Ellison PT. Menstrual variation in salivary testosterone among regularly cycling women. Horm Res 1992;37:132-136.
• Aardal-Eriksson E, Karlberg BE, Holm AC. Salivary cortisol- and alternative to serum cortisol determinations in dynamic function tests. Clin Chem Lab Med 1998;36:215-222.

These articles are published in well-respected journals; and if you notice, they are not recent. Salivary testing of hormones has been well published in the medical literature for some time now.

Here are a few quotes from these studies:

• “…salivary cortisol may be used as an alternative parameter in dynamic endocrine tests.”
• “…assessment of ovarian function…can be performed precisely with the saliva estradiol assay.”
• “…saliva collection has provided the medical and research community with an excellent medium for the monitoring of plasma steroid levels.”

Nowhere else in medicine do we blindly treat people without assessing a baseline and post treatment level(s). Balance is the key; not one individual hormone. Unfortunately, the medical field is very slow to learn and change.

For more information about salivary testing, read Evaluating Hormones Requires More Than Just a Blood Test.

The Low-T Epidemic: Hormone Receptors Revealed

Male infertility. Decreased sperm count. Did I grab your attention? These are just two of the symptoms of Testosterone Deficiency (TD), more commonly referred to as Low-T.

TD has become such a widespread problem that one study (The 20-Year Public Health Impact and Direct Cost of Testosterone Deficiency in U.S. Men) projects over the next 20 years TD will:

• Be involved in the development of approximately 1.3 million new cases of cardiovascular disease;
• Be involved in the development of 1.1 million new cases of diabetes mellitus;
• Be involved in the development of over 600,000 osteoporosis-related fractures; *create medical-related costs, in the first year, of approximately $8.4 billion;
• And be directly responsible for approximately $190–$525 billion in inflation-adjusted U.S. health care expenditures over the 20-year period.

So if TD is causing such widespread health issues, how will we solve the Low-T problem? As I mentioned in my last post, there are four components necessary for wellness, good physiologic function, and symptom-free living. Let’s take a look at the fourth on the list.

Hormone receptors must appropriately respond to the signal sent by the hormone to your body. To take a closer look at the Low-T problem, let’s look at androgen receptors.

What is a hormone receptor? Hormone receptors are the landing place for hormones inside your cells. Once a receptor receives the hormone and its message, the receptor undergoes a change sending a signal to the cell nucleus and DNA. [Side note: This is one reason that hormone testing via saliva (not just blood) is such an effective way to evaluate hormones in the body. Saliva testing allows a look at hormones at the sight of action, revealing the free, bioactive hormone inside the cell.]

What is an androgen receptor? Androgen receptors play catch to the two most potent androgens, Testosterone and dihydrotestosterone (DHT) which actually compete for the same receptor. These two hormones are present in both males and females but are typically known as male hormones. Both Testosterone and DHT are very important in development, but here’s an unexpected fact – the androgen receptor actually likes DHT better than Testosterone. What?

You heard me correctly. The androgen receptor has an affinity for DHT over Testosterone. So why in the world are we prescribing so much Testosterone to cure the Low-T problem if it’s not the best solution? Here are some DHT facts.

• DHT inhibits estrogen production. Remember estrogen is a major culprit in inflammation, obesity, weight gain, and hormone imbalance.

• DHT is a more potent androgen than Testosterone. DHT is the most potent androgen exceeding that of Testosterone by a ratio of 3:1. Its increased potency is through its greater affinity for the androgen receptor. And that greater affinity is by a ratio of 3:1.

• DHT does not get converted to estrogens. This is a major problem with simply prescribing Testosterone to men…the body is converting much of it to estrogen.

• DHT binds with a higher affinity and longer duration (5 x longer) to the androgen receptor. Testosterone compensates for this by increasing it’s concentration relative to DHT. Only about 5% of testosterone is converted to DHT. So, a smaller amount of androgen (DHT) has a larger signaling effect due to it’s higher affinity and binding time with the receptor.

Dining Out & GMOs: The Real Price We Pay

It’s a fact: Americans love eating out. We blog, Tweet, and post about it. It’s very gratifying to share a meal with friends or family while taking a break from cooking at home. Even while on a diet, you may give yourself a pass to “treat yourself” or overindulge while dining at your favorite restaurant. But have you ever thought about what you are eating and where the restaurant purchased their food? Well, it is quite eye-opening!

Dining out will make you fat and very unhealthy! Unless you are dining at a health food type restaurant (which are few in number), the average restaurant meal is usually between 1,000-1,500 calories. Studies show that we eat about 40 percent more when we are in groups as opposed to eating alone. However, the main reason we eat more is due to the portion size at restaurants, usually much larger than we would consume at home.

The goal of most restaurants is to make a profit, not to provide healthy foods that will reduce your risk for heart disease, obesity, and cancer. Because they want you to come back, most restaurants will provide foods that simply taste good but are high in fat in forms of processed oils, trans fat, butter and lard. Even the healthier options can still be loaded with calories. And don’t forget the high amounts of sugar including high fructose corn syrup, a cheap form of sweetener.

Since profit is the main goal, most restaurants are not serving high quality food.  Unless they advertise themselves as providing truly healthier options like grass-fed/organic meats, USA or Canadian wild-caught fish or organic grains, fruits and vegetables, they are likely serving you genetically modified foods (GMOs). Since 60-75 percent of grocery foods are genetically modified, the likelihood is pretty great that these cheaper sources of food will be found in restaurants.

In addition to harmful GMOs, you may also end up eating industrially bred and raised food loaded with hormones, antibiotics, and pesticides. There are alarming and unhealthy practices that go on at a CAFO facilities (Concentrated Animal Feeding Operation). The problem begins at the massive CAFOs where cows, chickens, and pigs are fed genetically modified corn, soybeans, and excessive grains in general (not their natural diet, i.e. grass), along with many other unbelievable feed ingredients such as:

• Plastics: this is used for many animals whose digestive systems need more roughage to pass through them, thus CAFOs are now feeding them plastic pellets.
• Manure and animal feces: this can include cattle manure, swine and poultry waste. It also can include wood, sand, sawdust and other non-food substances.
• Roxarsone: more commonly named arsenic, which until recently was put into chicken and pig feed to control parasites, though Nitarsone (another arsenic-based poultry drug) is still approved. Chicken litter (containing the arsenic that passes through the birds) is also collected from chicken CAFOs and is fed surprisingly to feedlot cattle.
• Animal byproducts: categorized as “animal protein products,” this includes hair, skin, hooves, blood, internal organs, intestines, beaks and bones, dead horses, euthanized cats and dogs, and road kill.

Fast foods do not fare any better, and are usually chemically laden for shelf life and profit. Two examples of synthetic chemicals in popular fast food chicken nuggets are:

• Dimethyl polysiloxane: a type of silicone with anti-foaming properties used in cosmetics and variety of other goods like Silly Putty
• Tertiary butylhydroquinone (TBHQ): a petroleum-based product that has antioixidant properties.

Due to all of the processing (added sugars and other ingredients), studies have shown that eating fast food just twice a week, can cause you to gain excess weight, but even more alarming is that it doubles your risk of developing insulin resistance, the driving force behind many chronic diseases, including diabetes, heart disease and cancer.

Try these strategies for making healthier decisions while dining out.

• Reserve dining out for special occasions, not a bi-weekly habit.
• Seek out healthier-minded restaurants using seasonal, sustainable, non-GMO, organic, free range, or wild-caught ingredients and dedicated to preparing meals with healthy fats in mind.
• Ask questions about where they buy their foods.
• Avoid fast food as much as possible unless they advertise a truly healthier option as mentioned earlier.

Ready to regain control over the food that you put into your body? Here is a recipe for a delicious, Chinese-inspired appetizer or meal that will surely impress your friends and family! Enjoy!

Asian Lettuce Cups

• 1 1/4 lb. 93% lean, free-range/organic ground turkey

• 1 Tbsp cold pressed/organic oil

• 1 clove garlic, minced

• 1/8 tsp. ground ginger (can use fresh equivalent if desired)

• 2/3 cup thinly sliced organic green onions (about 4)

• 1 (8 oz) can sliced water chestnuts, drained and coarsely chopped

• 12 Boston lettuce leaves (or organic iceberg)

• 3 Tbsp hoisin sauce (recipe below)

• 2 Tbsp lower-sodium organic gluten free soy sauce

• 1 Tbsp organic rice vinegar

• 2 tsp. roasted red chili paste, organic if possible

• 1/8 tsp. whole mineral salt

• 1/8 tsp. ground organic black pepper

 

Homemade Hoisin Sauce

• 4 Tbsp. lower-sodium organic gluten free soy sauce
• 2 tsp. organic white vinegar (or lemon/lime juice)
• 1 tsp. organic sesame seed oil
• 2 Tbsp. unsalted organic unsweetened peanut butter
• 1 Tbsp. organic/raw honey, molasses or brown sugar
• 1/8 tsp. garlic powder
• 1/8 – 1/4 tsp. hot sauce/chili sauce (this will vary depending on your preference)

Mix together until blended.  (Note: may need to slightly heat the sauce to disperse the peanut butter more uniformly)

Directions

Heat 1 tablespoon of oil in a large nonstick skillet over medium-high heat.  Add turkey, garlic and ginger to the pan and cook for about 6 minutes or until turkey is browned. Stir to crumble. Combine turkey mixture, onions and chopped water chestnuts in a large bowl, stirring well, and set aside.

Meanwhile in a small bowl, whisk together hoisin, soy sauce, rice vinegar and roasted red chili paste, salt, pepper and drizzle over the turkey mixture. Toss to coat completely. Add about 1/4 cup turkey mixture to each lettuce leaf, serve, and enjoy!

Pulling Back The Curtains On Dr. Oz: The Truth About IV Nutrition Therapy

Wow! Now that’s scientific (insert sarcasm). We live in day where we have instant access to data and scientific research, and that is his closing statement?

As physicians, we often forget that we are scientists. Our testing and therapies should be based on science, not opinion. Yet, neither Dr. Oz nor his guest presented any scientific data to support their statements in favor or opposition. So, allow me to do the job that Dr. Oz and his guest did not.

Intravenous nutritional therapy has been around since IV vitamin C was first used for treatment of polio in 1949. Is it something everyone needs? Of course not. Should everyone take insulin? You get my point.

At Seasons, we evaluate a client’s needs based on symptoms. The symptoms lead us to extensive metabolic testing to determine the specific presence and severity of deficiencies of amino acids, fatty acids, vitamins, minerals, etc. Only then do we recommend IV nutritional therapies using the metabolic test results combined with the client’s symptoms. That is what medicine is all about – using the art and science of medicine for the patient’s benefit.

Another reason to use IV nutritional therapy is that for most Americans, our guts are a wreck (and that is putting it mildly). Absorption problems are a major concern for Americans. If you can’t absorb a vitamin or nutrient, it doesn’t matter how good the source or the dosage of therapy is, it just won’t be absorbed. If you are dealing with severe deficiencies, then you’ll never catch up.

How about an analogy to paint a clearer picture? A patient seeks help from a physician for severe dehydration. The patient just can’t keep anything down. Is the physician going to give the patient a pat on the back, tell them to just drink more water, and send them on their way? Of course not. The physician knows that the patient cannot tolerate oral therapy at that point. The deficiency is severe. The physician knows that he/she must catch the patient up, and then instruct the client to drink more water. And how does the physician “catch” the patient up? Well, IVs of course.

Does Dr. Oz question the safety, validity, and benefits of this therapy? Of course not. That is because it is standard practice. Standard practice is defined as: whatever everyone else is doing. I remember my mom often asking me, So…if everyone else jumps of a cliff, are you going to do that too?

And the testing to determine dehydration? Very limited. Usually, a urinalysis, complete blood count test (CBC), maybe a general chemistry, and of course a physical exam. From experience and training, I can tell you that the IV fluids are started based on the physical exam, before the test results get back. That is not how we approach IV nutritional therapy at Seasons. Dr Oz gave the impression that people just walk into a Doctor’s office to order IVs as one would a hamburger at a fast food drive-through. We customize therapy to specific needs and match it with their specific metabolic demand.

So, what does the science say about IV nutritional therapy? The science is overwhelmingly in favor of IV nutritional therapy.

The research below looks at surgical patients. It is well known that poor nutritional status of the patient undergoing surgery effects outcome. These studies showed that IV nutritional therapy improved outcomes. This is not total peripheral nutrition (TPN). TPN is therapy to replace all nutrition. Intravenous nutritional therapy is just to replace vitamins, minerals, and maybe some targeted macronutrients.

• Bellantone R, Doglietto G, Bossola M, Pacelli F, Negro F, Sofo L, Crucitti F. Preoperative parenteral nutrition of malnourished surgical patients. Acta Chir Scand. Apr 1988;154(4):249-51.
• Rham D. A guide to perioperative nutrition. Aesthetic Surgery Journal. July-August 2004;24)4):385-390.
• Xu J. Yunshi Z, Li R. Immunonutrition in Surgical Patients. Current Drug Targets. Aug 2009;10(8):771-777.
• Beier-Holgersen R, Boesby S. Influence of postoperative enteral nutrition on postsurgical infections. Gut. 1996;39:833-835.

So, what about the other benefits of IV nutritional therapy?

During Pregnancy

• Wolk RA, Rayburn WF. Parenteral nutrition in obstetric patients. Nutr Clin Pract. Aug 1990;5(4):139-52.
• Rayburn W, Wolk R, Mercer N, Roberts J. Parenteral nutrition in obstetrics and gynecology. Obstet Gynecol Surv. Apr 1986;41(4):200-14.
• Russo-Stieglitz KE, Levine AB, Wagner BA, Armenti VT. Pregnancy outcome in patients requiring parenteral nutrition. J Maternal Fetal Med. 199;8:164-7.
• Zibell-Frisk, Jen KL, Rick J. Use of parenteral Nutrition to maintain adequate nutritional status in hyperemesis gravidarum. J Perinatol. 1990;10:390-5.

First trimester miscarriage

• Acacio B et al. Pregnancy outcome after intralipid infusion among women experiencing recurrent pregnancy loss. Fertility & Sterility. Apr 2008;89(4):S11.
• Roussev RG et al. Duration of intralipid’s suppressive effect on NK cell’s functional activity. Am J Reprod Immunol. Sep 2008;60(3):258-63.

Viral illnesses

• Klenner FR. Massive doses of vitamin C and the virus diseases. J So Med & Surg. April 1951;113(4).
• Schencking M, Vollbracht C, Weiss G, Lebert J, Biller A, Goyvaerts B, Kraft K. Intravenous vitamin C in the treatment of shingles: results of a multicenter prospective cohort study. Med Sci Monit. Apr 2012;18(4):CR215-24.
• Gorton HC, Jarvis K. The effectiveness of vitamin C in preventing and relieving the symptoms of virus-induced respiratory infections. J Manipulative Physiol Ther. Oct 1999;22(8):530-3.

Critical Illness

• Tanaka H, Takayoshi M et al. Reduction of resuscitation fluid volumes in severely burned patients using ascorbic acid administration. Arch Surg 2000;135.326-331.
• Crimi E et al. The beneficial effects of antioxidant supplementation in enteral feeding in critically ill patients: a prospective, randomized, double, blind, placebo- controlled trial. A & A. Sept 2004;99(3):857-863.

Liver Damage

• Dentico P et al. Glutathione in the treatment of chronic fatty liver disease. Recnti Prog Med. Jul-Aug 1995;86(7):7-8):290-3.
• Smith SW, Howland MA, Hoffman RS, Nelson LS. Acetaminophen overdose with altered acetaminophen pharmacokinetics and hepatotoxicity associated with premature cessation of intravenous N-acetylcysteine therapy. Ann Pharmacother. Sep 2008;42(9):1333-1339.
• Mitchell JR et al. Acetaminophen-induced hepatic necrosis. IV protective role of glutathione. JPET. Oct 1973;187(1):211-217.

Pain

• Chen JY, Chu CC, So EC, Hsing CH, Hu ML. Treatment of postherpectic neuralgia with intravenous administration of vitamin C. Anesth Analg. 2006;103:1616-1617.
• Schencking M, Sandholzer H, Frese T. Intravenous administration of vitamin C in the treatment of herpetic neuralgia: two case reports. Med Sci Monit. 2010;16:58-61.
• Chen JY, Chang CY, Feng PH, Chu CC, So EC, Hu ML. Plasma vitamin C is lower in postherpetic neuralgia patients and administration of vitamin C reduces spontaneous pain but not brush-evoked pain. Clin J Pain. Sep 2009;25(7):562-9.

Cancer

• Riordan HD et al. A pilot clinical study of continuous intravenous ascorbate in terminal cancer patients. P R Health Sci J. Dec 2005;24(4):269-76.
• Mikirova N, Casciari J, Rogers A, Taylor P. Effect of high-dose intravenous vitamin C on inflammation in cancer patients
• Ohno S, Ohno Y, Suzuki N, Soma G, Inouse M. High-dose vitamin C (ascorbic acid) therapy in the treatment of patients with advanced cancer. Anticancer Research. Mar 2009;29(3):809-815.
• Chen Q et al. Pharmacologic ascorbic acid concentrations selectively kill cancer cells: Action as a pro-drug to deliver hydrogen peroxide to tissues. PNAS. Sept 20 2005;102(38):13604-13609.

Blood Pressure

• Juraschek SP, Guallar E, Appel LJ, Miller ER III. Effects of vitamin C supplementation on blood pressure: a meta-analysis of randomized controlled trials. Am J Clin Nutr. May 2012;95(5):1079-1088.
• Schneider MP et al. Superoxide scavenging effects of N-actylcysteine and vitamin C in subjects with essential hypertension. Am J Hypertens. 2005;18:1111-1117.

Autoimmune Disease

• Mikirova N, Rogers A, Casciari J, Taylor P, Effect of high dose intravenous ascorbic acid on the level of inflammation in patients with rheumatoid. Modern Research in Inflammation. 2012;1(2):26-32.

Parkinson’s Disease

• Sechi G et al. Reduced intravenous glutathione in the treatment of early parkinson’s disease. Progress in Neuro-Psychopharmacology and Biological Psychiatry. Oct 1996;20(7):1159-1170.
• Hauser RA, Lyons KE, McClain T, Carter S, Perlmutter D. Randomized, double- blind, pilot evaluation of intravenous glutathione in Parkinson’s disease. Mov Disord. May 15 2009;24(7):979-83.

Neuropathy

• Kuwabara S et al. Intravenous methylcobalamin treatment for uremic and diabetic neuropathy in chronic hemodialysis patients. Intern Med. Jun 1999;38(6):472-5.
• Ziegler D et al. Alpha-lipoic acid in the treatment of diabetic polyneuropathy in Germany: current evidence from clinical trials. Exp Clin Endocrinol Diabetes. 1999;107(7):421-30.

As you can see, the benefits of IV nutritional therapy are abound. That is not my opinion, but scientific fact.

How safe is IV nutritional therapy? The studies below showed the safety of IV nutritional therapies in all states of health, including pregnancy.

• Greenspoon JS, Rosen DJ, Ault M. Use of peripherally inserted central catheter for parenteral nutrition during pregnancy. Obstet Gynecol. May 1993;81(f (Pt2)):831-4.
• Valencia E, Hardy G. Practicalities of glutathione supplementation in nutritional support. Current Opinion in Clinical Nutrition & Metabolic Care. May 2002;5(3): 321-326.
• Padayatty SJ et al. Vitamin C: Intravenous use by complementary and alternative medicine practitioners and adverse effects. PLos ONE 5(7):e11414.

Just because Dr. Oz (the great and powerful, Dr. Oz) says it is so doesn’t make it so. I hope I’ve helped pull back the curtain and expose the real science supporting IV nutritional therapy.

Don’t Be A Stupid Cupid! Think Outside The Box (Of Chocolates).

Not sure what to get your special someone this Valentine’s Day? Don’t be a stupid cupid! Show her you are thinking outside of the box (of chocolates) with these gifts from Seasons Wellness Spa.

The Romantic Gift: Looking to add some spice to your (ehem) love life?

Try Sprayology’s Man Power and Woman Power from their Rejuvenation line. The rejuvenation sprays replenish the body’s supply of energy to relieve the symptoms of aging, helping you function at a more youthful level. All seven formulas in this collection are FDA-Regulated and help with age-related issues such as low energy, sex drive, menopause, weight loss and bone density.

Man Power ($32) is recommended for men who want to gain strength, improve mood
and increase their sexual desire naturally. Man Power temporarily relieves the symptoms of low male energy including: decreased sexual desire and vitality, muscular weakness, irritability, and “the blues.”

Woman Power ($32) is recommended for women who want to rejuvenate their body and increase their sexual desire and pleasure naturally. Woman Power relieves the symptoms of low female energy, including decreased sexual desire, low physical energy, irritability and “the blues.”

Sprayology marries science and time-honored natural medicine with convenience and innovation to enhance healing and well-being naturally. Sprayology redefines wellness and makes it easy to incorporate natural products into your daily life for better health naturally.

The Gift of Relaxation: Swedish Relaxation Massage. Relax and enjoy a complete mind, body, and soul treatment with the benefits of a massage therapy. Smooth, flowing massage using firm but gentle pressure and the techniques of long strokes, kneading, percussion, compression, vibration and friction. Eases muscle aches and tension, improves flexibility, promotes circulation, and enhances relaxation.

The Beautiful Gift: Organic Passion Fruit Facial. A papaya, pineapple, pumpkin and mango infused blend of organic and medically effective ingredients designed to rebalance tired, stressed and dull looking skin. This non-chemical peel naturally rebalances, regenerates, restores and soothes your skin with organic ingredients. This facial is recommended as a course of three treatments or as a maintenance treatment every month. Relax and restore your skin and wellness.

The Waterworks Gift: Expectant Mother Massage. This gift is guaranteed to make her cry the happy tears. Now, the hormones might have something to do with it, too, but we know she will love that you thought of her during this special time. The soothing essence of massage allows expectant mothers to feel serene, healthy, and comforted while helping to relieve common ailments of pregnancy. Expectant mother massage addresses the issues and needs associated with this special time. Very relaxing for mother and babies love it, too!

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