Archive for the ‘Wellness’ Category

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

LOW ENERGY AND the HORMONE CONNECTION

Friday, June 5th, 2009

How many of you out there have the complaint “low energy”? I hear it everyday in my practice…My goal is to find the CAUSE of the fatigue. Is it medical? Is it mental? Does it change? When is it worse/better? etc….you get the idea.

The most common medical issues that cause low energy are hormonal issues. I see a ton of perimenopausal and menopausal gals and their low energy can be due to LOW ESTROGEN. Heck, the night sweats caused by low estrogen can interupt sleep and cause the fatigue the following day. Low estrogen in general does cause fatigue in some women. Low testosterone can also cause a “lack of endurance” type feeling. It is worth it to get these hormones checked and rule out an issue.

Another hormonal issue that causes low energy is a slow thyroid. Hypothyroidism is present in 1 out of 5 women. I diagnose it every day….The lab ranges on testing really suck! I use an ENDOCRINOLOGISTS range which has much narrower ranges.  Sometimes just the patients symptoms tell me they have a thyroid problem that needs treatment. I treat with both prescriptives and natural products (available on the site). So if you have a sluggish metabolism, poor immune system, constipation, dry skin, thinning hair, fatigue,  cold hands/feet, and/or low body temp you need to get tested. Demand a TSH, free T4, and free T3 thyroid panel…..

Low adrenal function can cause fatigue too! Man, hormones really are important! If you are a stressed out person with fatigue your adrenals could use some help. Look in our adrenal section for great natural products to help. Most people benefit from adrenal help!

I hope you understand the importance of HORMONAL BALANCE in your ENERGY. Yes, nutrition, exercise, ruling out allergies, blood sugar and other issues can cause fatigue but I bet the number one cause of low energy is HORMONAL IMBALANCES!

Weight Loss success…rewarding for you and the physician.

Sunday, May 31st, 2009

What is the single most important thing that determines health? Well, I will tell you it is not genetics, best doctors, luck, or anything other than…………..A HEALTHY WEIGHT.  What does that mean?  If you believe in BMI’s then it means a healthy BMI for your height…If you are like me, I think it depends on how you feel and percentage of fat on your frame! I know some curvaceous gals that love their bodies and their labwork is perfect….their BMI is a bit high but who gives a rip….self-confidence is also key to good health. 

I have been doing weight loss stuff for 10 years in my practice. I have recommended everything from anti-candida diets, to liver detox, to low carb, to low acid, to you name it…I have done it. I get so sick of people not losing weight or losing then gaining it back!!  How frustrating! 

It truly is physics…calories in and calories burned. I can’t watch what each client puts in their mouth and monitor exercise through a nanny cam….I have wanted to at times.  For example, I had a gal that wanted (and needed) to lose 15 pounds. It would help her blood pressure and her ability to fit into her wardrobe. She did a diet diary for me and I found several interesting things. First, skipped meals…Second, a smoothie for breakfast that was atleast 600+ calories (that was half her calories for the day and she didn’t even eat anything yet). After fine tuning her “I eat healthy” diet, she lost 15 pounds and thought it was miraculous. I do believe some people just don’t have a clue what they are actually putting in their mouths. She also said she exercised 6 days per week….I learned that she did yoga, walked a few miles here and there, and worked in the yard (none of these are true cardio exercise to burn calories or fat). Yes, any activity burns calories but if you are trying to lose weight you need to up the “burn factor” .

I have been prescribing HCG to my clients for the last 2 years. It is a strict diet with hormone injections. Sounds crazy but it is based on research from the 1940’s….It is a detox, a hypoallergy diet, and best of all it fricking works. It lasts 6 weeks so it isn’t overwhelming to commit to, it is very cut and dry, and  it is a heck of a jump start! I have had several people lose over 100 pounds (in multiple sessions) and many others lose 25-40 pounds the first session.

What amazes me is that peoples personalities change after losing weight and feeling empowered. My formerly frumpy fat moms are now sassy hot bitches! My chubby men clients are now masculine chic magnets. (All of this of course is in the head of the beholder…again self confidence ROCKS!)   This weight loss stuff, no matter the diet, is the most rewarding thing for me as a physician…..I bet for YOU as a patient too!

Please check out my weight loss section on the site!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

WIRED but TIRED

Saturday, May 23rd, 2009

Are you someone “who thrives on stress” and is considered Type A? Or maybe you just have been through some stressful times in the last year or more?  Your adrenal glands could be crying for help. Stress is NOT just an emotion it is a set of chemical chain reactions that starts in our adrenal glands. If we over-stress then our adrenals suffer…eventually your body does too!

I see patients everyday that have this “stress syndrome”…In fact, almost all of us have some degree of adrenal fatigue. The good news is that they are fairly easy to treat with natural medicine.  It can take 3 months to 2 years for full function to return but you will feel better  the entire time.

I saw a gal yesterday who said she was WIRED but TIRED. This is the adrenal fatigue syndrome in 3 easy words! She was a career driven woman who at 46 was beginning to slow down. She had kids, a husband, a house, a job…need I say more. Her mom had died this past year and she hadn’t been able to rebound since then.  She was dragging herself out of bed in the morning, had low energy all day, weight gain around her tummy, dizziness, headaches, and then insomnia at bedtime….She had burnt out all her reserves and now her body could not deal with stress (chemically that is).

So how do we fix this stress syndrome and adrenal fatigue? Good nutrition is the first step. Protein and hydration are the most important. I put my patient on atleast one protein shake per day to ensure some good quality protein. A diet rich in fruits and veggies, lean protein, and whole grains is best! (I think this is the best for all of us no matter what the issue!)

Next, I may prescribe some herbal combinations and vitamins. I recommend B5, selenium, vitamin C, omega fatty acids, D3, magnesium glycinate (citrate if you are constipated).  I also like adrenal glandulars with herbs. I use a product called ADR with my clients…it works great!  I may also prescribe DHEA to aid the adrenals.  To help the insomnia I use melatonin or seriphos (phos. serine) before bed.

There are lab tests to help make the picture more clear. I do a saliva test for cortisol, a test for DHEA-SO4, and use basic blood work as well. I spend 60-90 minutes with clients so what they tell me is more important than any lab tests but I do use them.

To reduce stress or make your body more resilient to stress is the goal!  I can help your body  but you have to reduce your own stress! Gentle exercise, baths, meditation, smelling the roses, riding your horse, whatever helps you relax will help your body! 

RGDS

dr.greenbean

A list of HORMONES and their jobs…a very good list!

Sunday, May 17th, 2009

Hormones: what they mean and what they do

HUMAN GROWTH HORMONE – the growth hormone

  • Decreases body fat
  • Increases muscle mass
  • Improves tissue healing and protein synthesis
  • Increases bone density
  • Quicker illness recovery
  • Increases capacity to exercise
  • Increases skin hydration and elasticity
  • Improves sense of well being
  • Decreases incidence of illness

TESTOSTERONE – the male hormone

  • Improves brain function
  • Increases energy
  • Increases strength
  • Increases bone density
  • Increases libido
  • Improves sexual sensitivity
  • Improves sexual function
  • Improves HDL and LDL levels
  • Improves cardiovascular health

DHEA – the mother of hormones

  • Improves neurological function
  • Increases sense of well being
  • Improves immune function
  • Improves stress tolerance
  • Increases metabolism

ESTROGENS – the female hormone

  • Protects against heart disease, stroke
  • Decreases cholesterol
  • Lowers incidence of Alzheimer’s
  • Improves memory
  • Alleviates symptoms of menopause: headaches, mood swings, bloating, hot flashes, fatigue, waning libido

PROGESTERONE – the hormone of pregnancy

  • Protects against breast and uterine cancer
  • Protects against fibrocystic disease
  • Helps fat metabolism
  • Helps normalize blood sugar
  • Helps reverse osteoporosis
  • Helps thyroid hormone function
  • Acts as a natural antidepressant
  • Protects against nervousness
  • Protects against anxiety and irritability

PREGNENELONE – the gateway hormone

  • Promotes formation of other hormones
  • Repairs brain and nerve tissue
  • Enhances many brain functions
  • Reduces aging skin
  • Improves sense of well being
  • Increases energy and mobility
  • Improves sleep quality
  • Reduces harmful stress effects
  • Reduces aging brain deficiencies

THYROID – the hormone of metabolism

  • Increases energy
  • Increases fat burning, and controls weight
  • Increases your heart rate
  • Increases your appetite

INSULIN – the hormone of storage

  • Responsible for getting blood sugar into all cells
  • Increases fat storage
  • Increases risk of diabetes, hypertension and stroke

MELATONIN – the hormone of sleep

  • Responsible for maintaining sleep
  • Helps alleviate “jet-lag”
  • Improves one mood
  • Improves the immune system (by decreasing cortisol)

CORTISOL – the hormone of stress

  • Responsible for responding to stress
  • Helps protect you against your environment (allergens)
  • Mobilizes energy, improves fatigue
  • Increases your appetite for sugar
  • Decreases bone mass, muscle mass, and slows down your metabolism