Archive for the ‘Wellness’ Category

The life cycle…joy and sorrow.

Saturday, July 17th, 2010

As a practitioner, I hear lots of people’s stories and essentially go through their life with them. Just recently, I am reminded that the circle of life can be so great and yet also be so devastating. Joy and sorrow are part of everyone’s life circle but man….sometimes the sorrow part really stinks!  Let me tell you why I am in this philosophical funky mood.

For the past months, I have watched someone I know prepare for her wedding. It has been exciting, stressful, and wonderful for her all at the same time. She is young, and ready to conquer the world so her energy is unbounding. Her answer to all the stress is “GOD IS LOVE, LOVE is the ONLY WAY”  I love that!  I hope she never gets cheated on, lied to, pissed off, or otherwise “LOVE STINKS”-ed.  Ha! Anyway, her journey through love to marriage is fantastic and I can’t wait to attend her wedding this weekend and send her off to LOVERS LAND. God Bless her.

The flip side of LOVERS LAND is LOVE IS DOOMED LAND and LOVE SUCKS land. This is the other part of the circle I have been witnessing lately. When women who are close to you realize their partners are not faithful or not honest. The heart crushing pain that comes with wading through lies and truth. What the F$$&  were these penis endowed people thinking????  I mean, if your marriage sucks so bad that you want to horizontal mambo someone else, then for God’s sake TELL your wife before you cheat!  I have witnessed two of my gals become angry, jaded, sad, depressed, and energy-less just in the recent months. Yes, maybe they will heal and perhaps even repair their marriage but maybe not…..Trust is broken and trust cannot be earned back. Yikes! This part of the life circle really is sad to watch or even think about.  I know the ladies will survive and come out even stronger than before…..until then hang on for the ride.

I know I am venting today but really just in that kind of mood. The sun is coming in my window and my coffee tastes good. My life circle is actually circle shaped and not a pear or abstract figure right now so I feel good……………I hope your circle is a circle and if it is not, it will be someday. Remember that happiness and health go hand in hand. Stress kills…literally.  Be positive, put out there what you want, and LIVE.

Love and hope….Dr.GB

Hormone imbalance checklist…see which of your hormones could be OFF.

Wednesday, April 7th, 2010

I got this from ZRT Lab which is the company I use to test saliva hormones. You can purchase a kit and test hormones (about $35 per hormone)…email or call my office if you want one (I will post on the drgreenbean store as well)

Women

For Women

Category 1:

Basic Hormone ImbalanceNote which of the following symptoms are troublesome and/or persist over time.

_____ Hot fl ashes

_____ Heart palpitations

_____ Heavy menses

_____ Fibrocystic breasts

_____ Thinning skin

_____ Urinary incontinence

_____ Vaginal dryness

_____ Weight gain

_____ Increased body/facial

hair

Category 2:

Adrenal Hormone ImbalanceNote which of the following symptoms are troublesome and/or persist over time.

_____ Aches and pains

_____ Sleep disturbances

_____ Infertility

_____ Chronic illness

_____ Morning fatigue

_____ Anxiety

_____ Allergic conditions

_____ Susceptibility to infections

_____ Mood swings (PMS)

_____ Cystic ovaries

_____ Foggy thinking

_____ Irritability

_____ Uterine fi broids

_____ Night sweats

_____ Acne

_____ Depressed mood

_____ Headaches

_____ Bone loss

_____ Elevated triglycerides

_____ Depression

_____ Nervousness

_____ Evening fatigue

_____ Bone loss

_____ Blood sugar imbalance

_____ Autoimmune illness

ZRT Laboratory

• Phone: 503-466-2445 • Fax: 503-466-1636 • www.zrtlab.comCopyright © 2006 ZRT Laboratory, LLC. All rights reserved.

The following checklists can be used to help you and your healthcare provider

determine specifi c symptoms of hormone imbalance.

Category 3:

Thyroid Hormone ImbalanceNote which of the following symptoms are troublesome and/or persist over time.

_____ Aches and pains

_____ Dry skin

_____ Fatigue

_____ Heart palpitations

_____ Constipation

_____ Anxiety

_____ Cold hands and feet

_____ Foggy thinking

_____ Low libido

_____ Thinning hair

_____ Brittle nails

_____ Headaches

_____ Weight gain

_____ Inability to lose weight

_____ Menstrual irregularities

_____ Depression

_____ Infertility

_____ Feeling cold all the time

_____ Sleep disturbances

_____ Elevated cholesterol

Number selected _____

Number selected _____

Number selected _____

P

ATIENT CHECKLIST FOR SYMPTOMS OF HORMONE IMBALANCERev. 11.29.06

Men

P

ATIENT CHECKLIST FOR SYMPTOMS OF HORMONE IMBALANCEFor Men

Category 1:

Basic Hormone ImbalanceMark which of the following symptoms are troublesome and/or persist over time.

_____ Burned out feeling

_____ Hot fl ashes

_____ Weight gain waist

_____ Decreased libido

_____ Night sweats

_____ Insomnia

_____ Increased urinary urge

_____ Infertility problems

_____ Oily skin

_____ Apathy

Category 2:

Adrenal Hormone ImbalanceMark which of the following symptoms are troublesome and/or persist over time.

_____ Aches and pains

_____ Sleep disturbances

_____ Infertility

_____ Chronic illness

_____ Stress

_____ Morning fatigue

_____ Anxiety

_____ Allergic conditions

_____ Weight gain waist

_____ Decreased erections

_____ Irritable

_____ Erectile dysfunction

_____ Prostate problems

_____ Decreased mental

sharpness

_____ Decreased urine fl ow

_____ Decreased stamina

_____ Sleep disturbances

_____ Decreased muscle

mass

_____ Elevated triglycerides

_____ Depression

_____ Lack of motivation

_____ Prostate problems

_____ Evening fatigue

_____ Bone loss

_____ Blood sugar imbalance

_____ Autoimmune illness

_____ Fibromyalgia

_____ Susceptibility to

infections

ZRT Laboratory

• Phone: 503-466-2445 • Fax: 503-466-1636 • www.zrtlab.comCopyright © 2006 ZRT Laboratory, LLC. All rights reserved.

The following checklists can be used to help you and your healthcare provider

determine specifi c symptoms of hormone imbalance.

Category 3:

Thyroid Hormone ImbalanceMark which of the following symptoms are troublesome and/or persist over time.

_____ Low libido

_____ Foggy thinking

_____ Constipation

_____ Elevated cholesterol

_____ Depression

_____ Infertility

_____ Fatigue

_____ Cold body temperature

_____ Headaches

_____ Lack of motivation

_____ Decreased erections

_____ Sleep disturbances

_____ Inability to lose weight

Number selected _____

Number selected _____

Number selected _____

Rev. 11.29.06

HAPPY SPRING…do the GREEN SMOOTHIE challenge!

Monday, March 22nd, 2010

Happy Spring to all of you! I saw many fat little robins on my lawn yesterday…a sure sign of sunshine to come. Start of your Spring with a little Spring cleaning.  I challenge you to do the Green Smoothie challenge cleanse.

Directions for the next 7-10 days:

1. Every day drink 32 ounces of delicious green smoothie.  Make in the morning in your blender or VitaMix (much better at liquifying the greens than a standard blender) and drink through out the day or even just for breakfast.  Recipe to follow.

2. Eat only fruits, veggies, limited whole grains and drink lots of water.  No wheat or dairy. No sugar or processed food.

3. You can do some lean protein…fish and white meat or protein powder.

Green Smoothies:

2-3 cups water (add more if you like it thinner)

Fruit–add 2 to 3 pieces of fruit (frozen berries, frozen bananas, apple, mango, pear, orange etc…)

Greens–add 4-5 leaves of kale, two handfuls spinach, or other greens till your hearts content

Other–can sweeten with stevia or a bit of agave. I also add flaxmeal or chia seeds to my smoothie.  Ice can be nice too.

Smoothies should taste good so adjust according to your taste! Here is a TOAST with my green smoothie to your Spring cleanse!

Dr.GB

Keep your PRIVATE PARTS healthy!

Wednesday, March 17th, 2010

I see alot of perimenopausal and menopausal women…This crowd tends to complain about dry vaginas alot (guys, if you are reading this it is bc your partner probably can’t even have sex due to the pain!). A dry vagina is like saran wrap held taught…one tiny tear and the whole thing rips in half. OUCH!  Another complaint is that of chronic yeast infections or itchy vagina (vaginitis)…this is in the same group of women or even young women.  How can we keep the down-unders healthy and moist??? Simple answer.

1. Estriol suppositories–the gentlest of the plant estrogens. Used nightly for 7-14 nights and then even 2-3 times per week feeds estrogen starved saran wrap tissue. It is 100% successful and is treating the cause of the problem to begin with. I DO NOT prescribe premerin or estrace cream for the same issue….synthetic estrogens are GROSS and scientifically WRONG. 

Find the suppositories in my online store…1 mg for mild issues, 2 mg for very dry VaJJ.

2. Fem Dophilus–good “flora” down there is a must to prevent infections. It keeps the areas ph healthy and fresh. You take 1-2 capsules per day of these GOOD bugs for the privates!  Find FemDophilus in my store.

3. Apple cider vinegar and water douches occasionally can balance the entire area. (use only once in awhile)

4. Use it or lose it….no explanation needed.

Dr.GB

NEW gut problem post….gerd, diarrhea, bloating be damned!

Thursday, March 11th, 2010

Hey all! I just got back from a conference on GUT problems. I learned so much and hope to give you all the best pearls I heard.

1. Food allergies–almost all of us have some food sensitivities. Our CHEMICAL exposure in today’s world messes with the inside of our digestive system and creates food allergies. The most common food allergies are WHEAT, SOY, DAIRY (in that order). Try an elimination diet to see if you feel better not eating those foods. The website www.wholelifenutrition.comhas a free elimination diet plan and the author, Tom Maltere, is brilliant (I heard him speak this weekend). 

If you have any autoimmune disease, arthritis, digestive issues, MS, uveitis, skin rashes, etc…you most certainly have food allergies. Try the diet. I know I am GOING to do it!  Post your results.

2. Ulcerative colitis and Crohn’s disease–almost always are diagnosed incorrectly and sometimes folks get the wrong treatment then.

3. Urban renewal–Yes, that is what I said! You must get rid of the bad neighborhood (colon bad bugs) and replace with the beautiful good bugs and a healthy environment ….URBAN RENEWAL. Get rid of ‘da hood MAN!   Start with an elimination diet and add 50-100billion/bugs per day in the form of a GOOD, POTENT probiotic.  Kids need 6-20 billion/bugs per day. Do the probiotics for 30 days and your neighborhood should be SAFE again.

4.What you eat really matters…If it walks on the earth and grows from the earth EAT IT. If it doesn’t do either of those things, leave it on the shelf (in it’s box).

5. Celiac disease (gluten intolerance)–is very hard to diagnose. The only sure fire way is genetic testing combined with some other blood tests. The standard tTG/IGA tests are NOOOOO GOOOOOOD. Small bowel biopsy can even miss celiac!  Again, try the elimination diet and eliminate wheat for 30 days…you just might feel better.

Enough for one post….will post more later.

rgds,

dr.gb

The MAGIC BULLET (OK, maybe 2 or 3 bullets)

Saturday, February 13th, 2010

People really just want a pill to fix all that ails them. Well, it just might exist. I am going to reveal the biggest secret of this century and maybe a few other little secrets too!

1. Vitamin D3———that’s right D3 is the magic bullet we all want. It helps immune health, mental health, bone health, prevents cancer, helps your heart,  and darn tootin’ makes you healthier than you are right now.

There is a blood test to check your D3 but it is $115 at my local lab…I usually assume we are all low as Montana doesn’t get enough sun. Really anywhere you are, you prob hide from the sun….hats, sunscreen, clothes etc…so we are ALL deficient in D3.  I do the below dose in the cloudy months (6 months in Montana) and half the dose in the sunniest months (I do mow the lawn in my swimsuit!).

                                DOSEAGE:  5000 iu/day for anyone over 100 pounds      1000iu/day for kids or smaller folks

 

2.  B vitamins–B vitamins help your liver do everything it does (which is alot).

3. Resveratrol–200mg/day keeps the doctor away

4. Exercise

5. Water and Food

I know you probably hate to see #4 and #5 as magic bullets but it is the truth, and I am brutally honest. Get your buns moving, eating healthful, and drinking water…..you will feel 50%-75%  better just doing those three things no matter what your problem is.

Good luck with your health….it takes some work and maybe a pill or two!

Rgds,

Dr.GB

SIMPLE WAY TO CLEANSE AND LOSE A FEW POUNDS

Monday, February 1st, 2010

Three things can help you lose weight and cleanse.

1. Diet——-all the veggies, fruit, nuts, and protein you want. Olive oil, coconut oil, and a little butter for oils…Basically, if it runs on the earth or grows from the earth EAT it.

2. Protein powder—Get a whey protein powder (isolate form) and eat for breakfast in a smoothie or between meals to prevent snack attack. Our store has a couple choices and flavors.

3. GREENS-either eat fresh greens (pounds of them), put them in smoothies, or try our GREENS FIRST powder which makes it easy for you. The GREENS FIRST taste delicious too…I add them to my protein smoothie with some berries and get it all in one nice drink.

Other things to help out…..liver herbs, massage, exercise, water, water, and more water……………

Rgds,

Dr.GB

To mammogram or not to mammogram?

Sunday, December 6th, 2009

What do all ladies dread? Getting their boob squished by a cold steel plate and being told to HOLD STILL. Yep, that is right….mammograms are not pleasant but are they necessary? I debate this question every working day in my practice.

I do believe it is YOUR choice to do it or not but what do I tell patients who ask my opinion? I say this…”since the invention of mammogram, breast cancer detection has improved drastically. Cancer is caught earlier and treated and then women are CURED and SURVIVE.  The new digital technology exposes you to far less radiation than the old mammogram machines so maybe they are safer. No one knows for sure if the squishing/procedure causes any harm or not. I do tell patients to get a baseline mammogram at 45 years of age…then if you decide to do yearly or every other year that is up to you! 

Our local hospital will NOT do an ultrasound on a suspicious lump unless you have a mammogram first….sucks but it’s true. I can’t tell you how many times I have sent someone to check out a suspicious area and they end up with a $650 bill and a “come back in 6 months” note…Ridiculous if you ask me.

I have offered thermograms in my office as well. A doctor comes in twice per year and does them for my patients that chose this diagnostic method. The thermograms are very cool and I think someday will be the standard for cancer detection. NO radiation, no squishing, no invasiveness at all….Thermograms detect heat in the body tissue – cancer and other problems usually emit more heat than normal body cells. Insurance does NOT cover thermograms yet but may in the future. 

I hope I haven’t confused you more….the bottom line is mammograms are your choice! If you have any increased risk for cancer (family history, personal history, drink/smoke, fibrocystic breasts, etc..) you should have a baseline young and proceed yearly. Self breast exams and your physician are the first line of detection and mammograms/ultrasounds/thermograms are the next line.  Good luck and I hope your boobies are healthy!

rgds

dr.gb

Difficulties of being a DOCTOR who gives a RIP.

Saturday, November 14th, 2009

OK…DR.Greenbean is on her soap box again.

I went into medicine to “help people” as I bet 99% of all new med school students do. I decided to really help people you have to listen to them, really hear them and their story. I became a naturopathic physician because naturopaths are trained to do this “listening” the best. I am very science-driven and don’t do anything to weird so I guess I am a green-allopath of sorts but one thing I do with every patient is give them the time to share their story and I listen. (my office visits are 45-90 minutes long)

I get very attached to my patients. We form friendships and a tight bond. That being said, my heart and soul are sometimes tested. When a patient ends up with a cancer, illness, or even a personal problem it causes my heart to ache and sometimes to second guess what I have done with them as a doctor. I try my best to prevent disease and illness in everyone I see but sometimes the path is already laid or genetics are a bitch.

I do a weight loss program (hcg diet) at my office that the general public can do without being a “patient” of mine. All they want is the quick weight loss solution and they couldn’t careless about prevention and health (not EVERYONE is like this). I am finding I can’t stand that!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!  I have managed to gain several FABULOUS patients who have done the hcg program and want to continue the journey to good health.

I guess what I am trying to say is that for a doc like myself to enjoy what they do and feel adequate we need good relationships with our patients. Our patients must WANT to heal and be healthy.  Getting to know my patients, their stories, their families, their dogs, their sex life etc…is the BEST part of my job. I care about YOU…please remember I am being the best DOCTOR I know how to be and that I still am an emotional bitch too!

rgds

Dr.GB

SOBs (stressed out bitches)

Saturday, September 19th, 2009

Are you an SOB (stressed out bitch)? Well, are you a mother? Are you a wife? Do you work your ass off all day to come home to another “job”? Are you ALIVE? Then you are an SOB. Woman today do so much, we run around like a squirrel on crack from sun-up to sun-down and then we want to curl up a die. But wait, you crawl into bed (finally) and then your spouse whispers “do you want to get it on?” Jesus Christ. Literally, we pray he either dies a sudden death or we do.

Well, SOBS, we all have stress in our life, no matter how perfect your little universe is. Stress affects us at a cellular level and changes our internal chemistry. After awhile, all these changes cause our adrenal glands to give up on us. I am not going to bore you with the science of it all…instead I am going to tell you the signs of adrenal fatigue and then what we can do about it. You might always be a SOB but you will feel good doing it!

The symptoms of adrenal fatigue or stress-induced-exhaustion are as follows: 

Weight gain around the middle or hip area

Fatigue

Sleep disturbances

Depression/Anxiety

Low blood pressure

Low blood sugar

Changes in skin pigment

NO libido (sex drive)

Menstrual irregularities

Sensitivity to caffeine or other chemicals

Allergies

Basically, you just feel like shit and you don’t know why!  If you go into any doctors office in the world and complain about the above they might test your thyroid, check for anemia, and then probably suggest an anti-depressant as treatment. Ha! Ha! Ha! Ha! Ha! That really cracks me up and pisses me off. Treat the cause not the symptoms people.

So let’s talk treatment…SOBs have to take charge of their own health to change it!  We can’t get rid of stress but we can make our body tougher and more resilient to it.  The results of treatment are slow but over time you will feel better and your body chemistry will change.  Here are the treatment options I lay out for my SOBs:

1.  Lower your cortisol (stress hormone) whenever you can.  Whether that means breathing for 5 minutes, a massage, exercise, reading after the kids are in bed, drinking (no, just kidding), just relax and take some ME time.

2.B-Stress Complex–one or two per day with food.  I give a liquid B-Stress formula that is like rocket fuel…it works! I have it as a product for sale on the site.

3.B5–I recommend an extra B5 per day.

4.Adrenal glandulars/herbal combination–I like a combo product that is POTENT. I use ADR and do 2-4 caps/day

5.Omega 3 oils–2000-3000mg/day (fish is best)

6. If testing (saliva is what I use) reveals a high cortisol at night—Seriphos (phosphatidyl serine) 2 caps/bedtime

7.If testing reveals low cortisol all day, I do prescriptive cortisol 2-4 times per day. This has to be prescribed by a qualified physician….

8. DHEA– 10-25mg/day if testing reveals low levels

9. Anti-oxidant support–resveratrol, Vitamin C, Vitamin E

10. Diet–Whole foods (which means no crappy processed food–lean proteins, fruits, veg, whole grains)

11. Magnesium citrate–500-800 mg/day

I promise that if all you SOBs make a committment to change by doing some of the above your body will love you for it. You will age slower, you will feel better, you will lose weight, you will SURVIVE!  I, personally, treat my adrenals every day with my basic supplementation/wellness guidelines and then do more aggressive treatment once or twice per year to keep my stress in check. I may still be a SOB but atleast my body is reacting healthfully to the stress.

rgds

dr.gb