Patients often ask my advice on a basic, sound nutrition and supplementation regiment. Recommending a general rule of thumb for everyone can be difficult, but a discussion with one of my mentors, Dr. Alex Vasquez, DO, ND, DC, an expert in nutrition, introduced me to a five-part nutritional wellness protocol that can be utilized by… Read more »
Integrative Medicine
A five-year study presented at the annual Meeting of The Endocrine Society by Dr. Farid Saad shows that testosterone therapy can help men with hormone deficiencies reduce body weight and waist circumference. 225 men were treated with long- term testosterone replacement therapy over the five- year study, and 90% lost an average of 36 lbs… Read more »
The number of individuals suffering from anxiety has been on the rise for years. Like many conditions, there are multiple reasons for anxiety and anxiety attacks to occur. From a naturopathic perspective, anxiety can stem from adrenal fatigue, food sensitivities, nutritional deficiencies, or hypoglycemia. Hypoglycemia is a condition in which the blood sugar drops to… Read more »
The National Institutes of Health reports 23 million Americans suffer from auto-immune disease. It lands on the list of top 10 causes of death in women under 64 years of age and children. Our immune system is like our protective army, diligently patrolling the body, looking for any molecular marker that does not belong. When… Read more »
Arthritic pain is often constant, unremitting discomfort managed solely by non-steroidal anti-inflammatories (NSAIDS) such as ibuprofen and Tylenol. However, long-term use of NSAIDS and other pharmaceutical pain medication can cause health complications. These complications include stomach inflammation, ulcers, and increased risk of heart disease. Rather than simply managing pain with medication, and risking long-term side… Read more »
I have scoliosis, or curvature of the spine. It was discovered at age 12 after several hints. Horse show judges told me to “square your shoulders,” as one dropped lower than the other, and at school, I remember being frustrated that the back of my chair always seemed crooked. I had no idea it was… Read more »
Thomas Reynolds, MD is a primary care physician, internist and oncologist who specializes in geriatric and cancer care. Shannon Sinsheimer, ND, is a licensed naturopathic doctor focusing on primary and integrative patient care. Over the past several years, Drs. Reynolds and Sinsheimer have been working together on patient care. I sat down with them to… Read more »
Breast cancer steals the lives of over 40,000 people a year despite the enormous amount of new research and continued evolution of treatments. Bottom line, prevention remains the single best approach. Regular screening for breast masses is unanimously recommended by every primary care doctor in this country. That said, the most common screening tool, mammography,… Read more »
Nobody enjoys the little signs of aging we see when looking in the mirror each morning. We spend billions of dollars a year on products and surgeries to help us look and feel younger: hair re-growth products, dyes to hide the grey, anti-wrinkle face and eye creams, cosmetic injections, surgeries and more. Yet none of… Read more »
Irritable Bowel Syndrome (IBS) is the most commonly diagnosed gastrointestinal condition in this country, estimated at 10-15 % of the population, with a 2:1 female predominance. IBS is a group of symptoms without a known cause. The current medical criteria are chronic abdominal pain and altered bowel habits, lasting at least three months, without a… Read more »
Irritable bowel syndrome (IBS) is a gastrointestinal (GI) condition, most often diagnosed when all other probable conditions have been ruled out. This means, it is a clinical diagnosis based on eliminating the possibility of more serious disease when uncomfortable GI symptoms still remain present without serious progression. The most frustrating aspect of IBS is that… Read more »
April is National Autism Awareness Month bringing our focus to this serious condition which affects as many as 1 in 1,000 children nationwide1, as well as their family and friends. While there are no known cures, there is a growing treatment for autism that involves delivering more oxygen to the brain. Hyperbaric oxygen therapy (HBOT)… Read more »
Hyperbaric Oxygen Therapy (HBOT) is now a widely accepted, FDA approved – and often life saving – modality. There are currently up to 18 conditions covered by insurance and diabetic wound healing is one of the most common. Diabetic patients are at a greater risk for getting infections and have a more difficult time fighting… Read more »
Statins are the most widely prescribed class of drugs in the United States, with over 255 million prescriptions per year. Lipitor (atorvasatin) is the best-selling drug in the category, with sales of $7.2 billion annually. Crestor (rosuvastatin) has $3.8 billion in annual sales and is the 8th best-selling drug in the category. Zocor (simvastatin) has… Read more »
Approximately 1 in 6 adult Americans has high cholesterol–a major risk factor for heart disease. High cholesterol levels can result from poor diet choices, limited exercise, high stress, or genetic predisposition. Heart disease, including heart attacks and clogged arteries, also results from inflammation in the cardiovascular system stemming from the same lifestyle choices. Therefore treating… Read more »
Fibromyalgia is a chronic pain disorder that is difficult to treat by traditional methods. There is no test that confirms this diagnosis, which is based upon the following clinical criteria:1 widespread musculoskeletal pain for at least 3 months and2 excess tenderness in at least 11 of 18 predefined anatomic sites, 9 on each side of… Read more »
Fibromylagia is a condition characterized by fatigue, body pain, sleep difficulties, and depression. To date, there are limited, successful treatment options to fully relieve the symptoms. The lack of successful treatment options is thoroughly frustrating to individuals with fibromyalgia. From a naturopathic perspective, the first part of a successful treatment program is to address the… Read more »
The use of Hyperbaric Oxygen Chambers in medicine is noted as far back as the 1800’s. But for many of us, the words only conjure up the memory of a ‘weird’ Michael Jackson sleeping in one. The most noted beginning of Hyperbaric Oxygen Therapy (HBOT) is from use by divers in the early 1900’s for… Read more »
Treatment for long-term conditions such as high blood pressure, high cholesterol, chronic pain and acid reflux, often includes pharmaceuticals taken over long periods of time, and potentially for a lifetime. While pharmaceuticals may be medically necessary, they often have unknown, adverse, or poorly understood health effects. Though it has been observed that prolonged use of… Read more »
A large percentage of people with cancer use some form of “complementary medicine,” which I define as a treatment, practice, or product that is used in conjunction with conventional cancer treatment. Most patients who use Complementary Medicine find that it appeals to their values and beliefs about health and life. This article highlights just a… Read more »