Late Night Eaters and Weight Gain

What time of the day do you eat your last meal?  Does it really matter in terms of weight loss?  I hope you are enlightened by this study I found in my readings today.  Perhaps putting a CLOSED sign on the refrigerator and cupboard after a certain time in the evening is a weight loss tactic you can use.  According to the results of this study, it may help you rid some pounds before the swimsuits come out of the closet.  I know, hard to imagine on a Spring day with snow covering the ground right? 


Early vs. late eaters
Researchers invited 420 overweight adults from a weight loss clinic in Spain to participate in a study on timing of meals and weight loss success. The study location is important, because in Spain, the main meal of the day is lunch, not dinner. The researchers collected blood samples and daily diet records before and during the 20-week weight-loss intervention.

Participants were classified as early or late eaters, based on when they habitually ate their main meal of the day, which provided about 40% of their total daily calories. Consuming the main meal before 3 p.m. placed a person in the early category; those eating the main meal after 3 p.m. were classified as late eaters. 

The weight-loss program consisted of:

• Weekly 60-minute group sessions conducted by a food and nutrition professional
• Instruction on eating a Mediterranean diet
• Individual diet goals appropriate to facilitate weight loss
• Cognitive behavioral therapy to address poor eating habits
• Recommendations for moderate physical activity

After 20 weeks and despite having nearly identical diets, compared with late eaters, the early eaters:

• Began to lose more weight each week, beginning in week five
• Lost significantly more total weight; early eaters lost 22 pounds on average, compared with only 17 pounds for late eaters
• Lost significantly more weight as a percent of their initial weight

 I suppose the early bird gets the worm....and still loses the most weight. 

Magic Medicine for Fibromyalgia! Low Cost with High Benefit

CURRENT NEWS on FIBROMYALGIA TREATMENT!!  IT'S HITTING THE MEDICAL JOURNALS.....FINALLY!!!! 

 

We have been providing this therapy for MANY YEARS NOW and I can tell you that our patients LOVE, LOVE, LOVE, how it helps them and gives them their life back.  Not only Fibromyalgia, but most autoimmune disease and cancers (see list www.lowdosenaltrexone.org) will respond to this treatment as well.  Call me PLEASE if you have Fibromyalgia! I customize this therapy in many strengths from 1.5mg up to the 4.5mg they mention in this article.  It's worth your time to read this article for yourself or a loved one. 

 

 

 

Clinical Pain Medicine

ISSUE: SEPTEMBER 2012 | VOLUME: 10:9

 

Low-dose Naltrexone Eases Symptoms of Fibromyalgia

Low doses of naltrexone, a drug indicated for the treatment of opioid abuse, can reduce fibromyalgia pain, according to the results of a recent study.

The double-blind, placebo-controlled crossover study of female fibromyalgia patients (up to 90% of all U.S. fibromyalgia patients are women) builds on the findings of an earlier pilot study by the same Stanford University researchers. It had demonstrated that a daily dose of 4.5 mg of naltrexone reduced pain and fatigue in 10 fibromyalgia patients.

“This is a totally different way to treat fibromyalgia, and it seems to work for a lot of people,” said lead researcher, Jarred Younger, PhD, assistant professor in pain management and director of the Adult and Pediatric Pain Lab at Stanford University School of Medicine, in California. Dr. Younger and his colleagues presented their findings at the 2012 annual meeting of the American Academy of Pain Medicine. The American Fibromyalgia Syndrome Association funded the study.
In the new research, 30 women completed a 22-week protocol involving two weeks of baseline treatment, 12 weeks of low-dose naltrexone treatment, four weeks of placebo and four weeks of follow-up. Participants completed daily symptom severity reports via handheld computers. Patients reported significantly less pain during the weeks they took low-dose naltrexone compared with placebo (49% reduction vs. 27%). Additionally, participants rated low-dose naltrexone as tolerable as placebo. The only adverse events reported more often with low-dose naltrexone than with placebo were vivid dreams (33% vs. 13%) and headache (16% vs. 3%). Dr. Younger said only a small percentage of the dreams were described as nightmares.

At the full dose of 50 mg per day, naltrexone is used to help individuals overcome heroin dependence by blocking the pleasurable effects of getting “high.” In small doses, it suppresses the release of pro-inflammatory factors from microglia, said Dr. Younger. Microglia release chemicals that make an individual feel sick, forcing them to slow down and rest so their bodies can fight off infections. “But, theoretically, in fibromyalgia these cells are activated when they’re not supposed to be,” said Dr. Younger. “So people feel sick when nothing is invading their body.”
Another advantage of naltrexone is that it’s a generic medication, and is far less expensive than most pain medications available with a prescription: about $30 a month for patients who pay out of pocket. Because it’s not manufactured at the low dose needed for fibromyalgia treatment, patients must purchase it from a compounding pharmacy.

Fibromyalgia experts are taking note of the research. “The study showed a modest difference between patients taking low-dose naltrexone and the placebo. But most drugs for chronic pain states don’t do much better,” said Daniel J. Clauw, MD, director of the Chronic Pain and Fatigue Research Center at the University of Michigan, in Ann Arbor. “This study suggests it may be a good treatment for a subset of patients with fibromyalgia.”

Dr. Clauw does not currently prescribe naltrexone to his patients, but is considering it. “There’s enough evidence to try it on patients who aren’t responding to the other drugs, although I’d put it at the bottom of the list for now,” said Dr. Clauw. “But because it’s well tolerated and inexpensive, I might move it to the top of the list if larger, appropriately powered, double-blind trials show similar results.”

Dr. Younger is attempting to get funding for a two-year study through private donors and the National Institutes of Health. The researcher said he is especially eager to get a more powerful study under way because he has seen the positive effects of the medication on patients.

“These are people who were athletes, owned businesses and had hobbies like gardening. They can’t do those things anymore because of fibromyalgia,” said Dr. Younger. “Then they try naltrexone and go back to the activities they love. Their lives fall back into place.”

Attention Hyster Sisters

By LISA M. JONES, M.D., ABC News Medical Unit

 

 

Each year about 600,000 women in the United States undergo hysterectomies, the surgical removal of all or part of the uterus.
Many of these women also have their ovaries removed at the same time on the recommendation of their doctors, even if those ovaries are healthy. That's because gynecologic surgeons, who perform most hysterectomies, have long believed that removing healthy ovaries during a hysterectomy could prolong a woman's life by lowering her chance of developing often-deadly ovarian cancer.
Surgeons now might want to rethink that belief. Ovary removal could actually increase a woman's risk of death, according to a new study published in the British journal Lancet Oncology.
A team of researchers at the Mayo Clinic in Rochester, Minn., examined the health records of 4,500 Minnesota women. They selected the medical records of 1,000 women whose ovaries had been surgically removed between 1950 and 1987, and compared them with more than 2,000 women who did not have their ovaries removed.
"Women who had healthy ovaries removed were not surviving better," said Dr. Walter Rocca, a biostatistician and neurologist at the Mayo Clinic and lead author of the study.
But the finding applies only to a certain group: Women who had their ovaries removed before age 45 and who did not take hormone replacement therapy. These women were almost twice as likely to die during the study period as the group as a whole. Heart disease, brain disease and cancer accounted for much of the increase in risk in the ovary removal group.
Women who had their ovaries removed after the age of 45, and those women who took hormone replacement therapy, did not have an increased risk of death. Still, the findings are important, doctors said.
"This is the first time an increase in mortality has been demonstrated from ovary removal at a young age," said Dr. David Archer, an obstetrician-gynecologist at East Virginia Medical School in Norfolk, Va.
The reasons for the increased death risk are unclear.
"Our bodies are very complex," said Dr. Bobbie Gostout, an ob-gyn at the Mayo Clinic and a consultant on this study.
Many surgeons have already stopped taking out healthy ovaries during hysterectomies, in part because of worries about hormone replacement therapy. Women who have their ovaries removed often want HRT to stave off the effects of menopause and other hormonal changes. But HRT has been linked to increased rates of breast cancer and heart disease.
Yet doctors may be overestimating the risks of hormone replacement therapy in young women, since the study didn't reveal an increased risk of death in the HRT group.
"This study should prompt doctors and patients to have a dialogue about hormone replacement," said Dr. Jennifer Wu, an ob-gyn at Lenox Hill Hospital in New York.
Gostout also believed it was important to reassure women who have already had their ovaries removed.
"Your individual risk is tiny," she said.

Bad Breath? Putting Money Where Your Mouth Is

Halitosis is the technical term for bad breath and, unfortunately, you'll know it when you smell it.  Halitosis is a condition that is estimated to affect 50-65% of the population but it's not always the easiest thing to point out to people.  In fact, the most polite way to go about the problem is typically to pop a lozenge in your own mouth and then ask, "Would you like a mint?" We have probably all pulled that trick at one time or another in our life.  Right?  You just have to hope that you're not the one being offered the mint.  Yikes!

The reality though is that bad breath can be connected to more serious things than just a bad case of post-dinner onions.  Although up to 90% of cases are thought to originate from poor oral hygiene, impacted food in the teeth, faulty dental apparatuses, or infections, there are some links to halitosis to other more serious diseases.  These would include such things as peptic ulcers, mouth sores such as lichen planus, lung infections, liver or kidney disease, diabetes mellitus, and cancers. 

The mouth produces gases, one of which happens to be sulfur.  When a person opens their mouth and the sulfur escapes, the aroma quickly changes.  It's the gas that gives halitosis a bad name...or should I say, bad smell. Examples that can increase the sulfur vapor coming from the mouth include: accumulation of food within pockets around the teeth, small pockets around the back of the tongue and tonsils, or something as simple as reduced saliva production.  A dry mouth tends to correlate more with bad breath.  This explains why bad breath is worse in the morning and between meals.  The gases can actually lead to peridontitis (inflammation of the gums surrounding teeth) and damage the tissues in the mouth so good oral hygiene is critical in halting the smell and in halting mouth disease.

Outside of regular dental visits, here's some healthy tips to keep you within whispering distance to others without the bad breath police arresting you. 

1.  Regularly brush and floss teeth
2.  Use a tartar removing toothpaste and have your hygienist regularly clean the tartar from the teeth.
3.  Chew sugarless gum and drink plenty of water.
4.  Avoid alcohol containing mouthwashes.  Alcohol dries the mouth, so read the ingredients.
5.  Clean the mouth after eating sulfur rich foods. (dairy, garlic,fish, meat, onions, sour cream, eggs)
6.  Brush the tongue using a tongue scraper. The bumpy areas on the tongue are a great target.
7. Use a nasal rinse regularly.  We promote the Naso-Pure system and stock it regularly.  It's similar to a neti-pot but much easier to manipulate without twisting your head around like a contortionist.
8.  Avoid anti-histamines, some antidepressants, and diuretics that can cause dry mouth.
9. Regularly use a mouthrinse or toothpaste containing zinc.
10. Folic acid is often recommended by doctors to help prevent and treat periodontitis and has been shown to reduce the severity of gingivitis when taken as a mouthwash.
11. Selenium is often recommended by doctors to help prevent and treat periodontitis

If you have ongoing problems with halitosis, get started on these tips and treatments.  I sense that people don't give enough attention to good oral health and routine dental visits.  Did you know that peridontal disease is linked to infections and can be particularly harmful to the heart if left unattended?  That's the reason why some patients require an antibiotic before their dentist will ever work on their teeth.  Stirring up the bacteria can be dangerous and detrimental to their heart and health.  People with mitral valve prolapse and other significant heart conditions should always talk with their doctor or dentist before having any work done in their mouth.

I hope you see that it's more than just using a mint to mask the smell when it comes to bad breath.  Taking extra steps to have a healthy mouth are extremely important.   These tips are necessities for those struggling with bad breath.  It's really putting your money where your mouth is.  You have to spend some time and money on oral hygiene to prevent halitosis.

Okay, that's all for today.......BTW did you know that we customize therapies in the lab to help with mouth sores, infections, and diseases?  If you have a special need give me a call.  417.777.7455

To your good health,
Dr. Sonja

The Thyroid In All It's Glandeur!!

The thyroid gland is one of the most important hormone producing glands in the body.  It influences many things including; metabolism, sweating, nervousness, fatigue, heat and cold sensitivity, eye disorders, appetite, and other glands that produce hormones.  Did you know that certain disorders can lead to Hyperthyroidism?  I'll try to highlight a few in this blog and provide key nutraceuticals to help your Thyroid to Function in All It's Glandeur!  (Ha! It's Monday, let's smile and enjoy it!)  I wrote a blog some time ago on HYPOthyroidism (too low production), but today I will focus on HYPERthyroidism (too much production).  Make sure to check back to that other blog if you think your thyroid might have gone kaput and follow those recommendations provided.  BTW, I sent MY iodine test off in the mail today.  It just requires that you urinate on a strip provided in the testing kit.  These are available from my office and it's affordable!   You'll find out the importance of iodine mentioned briefly in this blog, but I wrote another one as well just on that topic.

So let's get going with the information right?  Ok!

The immune system is our body's defense mechanism.  When something attacks our immune system (infection, parasites, illness), the body produces antibodies which fight the offender.  This is a great thing until an autoimmune disorder comes into play.  In this case, the immune system malfunctions and produces antibodies against it's own tissues.  Grave's Disease and Hashimoto's Disease are the result of such a malfunction.  The antibodies basically attach to the thyroid gland, cause inflammation, and destruction of the gland.  As it becomes more inflammed, it produces more thyroid hormone which becomes destructive to the gland over time. Here's what patients will describe when this is going on:

Fatigue
Goiter,
Heat Intolerance
Hyperactivity
Hypertension
Menstrual Irregularities
Nervousness
Palpitations
Sweating
Tremor
Weakness
Weight Loss

....not always and not all of these, but it's pretty common.  When patients are sent to me to discuss hormone imbalance, I also recommend that the thyroid be tested because, as you notice, some of the symptoms can look similar. 

There are other diseases that are associated with Hashimoto's that bear mentioning while we're on this topic.  These would include:
Adrenal Insufficiency
Diabetes
Graves Disease (remember Barbara Bush and her protruding eyes? She has Grave's Dz.)
Lupus
Rheumatoid Arthritis
Sjogren's Syndrome


So, conventional medicine has been pretty good at identifying thyroid disease, but you know me, I always try to think a little deeper.  So, what do you do about the offender?  What truly caused the attack?  What can patients do to prevent this from happening if they are in the early stages of thyroid problems?  Treat any underlying INFECTION!!!

These are diseases that may have their start due to underlying infection:
Chronic Fatigue Syndrome
Crohn's
Fibromyalgia 
Grave's Disease
Hashimoto's (it has the most common incidence among women in their 30's and 40's)
Juvenile Arthritis
Lupus
Multiple Sclerosis
Psoriatic Arthritis
Scleroderma
Sjogrens
Ulcerative Colitis
Vasculitis


Here's some infectious agents which can cause Arthritic Disorders which can also have an impact on autoimmune disease (such as Hashimoto's) happening:
Borrelia Burgdorferi (lymes disease)
Brucella
Candida
Chlamydia
Fungus
Hepatitis B
Mycobacterium Tuberculosis
Mycoplasma
Staphylococcus Aureus ("Staph" or MRSA as they are commonly known)
Streptococcus ("Strep")
Viruses

Leading experts are now recommending that people with autoimmune illness (of any kind) be tested for these underlying causes.  Mycoplasma Infection is a BIGGIE to test.  Some patients have found improvement in their thyroid disease and symptoms just by taking an antibiotic called MINOCYCLINE which combats Mycoplasma.  Hmmm.....  Interesting, huh?!?!  IN FACT, researchers have been reporting that 50-70% of individuals suffering from fibromyalgia and chronic fatigue syndrome have a mycoplasma infection.  VERY SIMILAR percentages have been found in patients with Grave's Disease and Hashimoto's Disease. 

So, I mentioned that I sent off my IODINE test this morning.  Remember, I wrote an entire blog dedicated to this as well.  READ IT ASAP. Basically, iodine deficiency can cause oxidative stress which, just like it sounds, causes damage to the thyroid gland.  So, how do you reverse that damage or prevent any damage from happening?  Support through supplements!

The supplements most helpful include: Vitamins B2 and B3, Magnesium, Vitamin C, and IODINE.  In the case of autoimmune thyroid disease these supplements have also been found to be helpful.  PABA (a member of the B vitamin fam), Selenium (slows progression), Vit B12, Vit B6, Cats Claw, and L-carnitine. 

I love being involved in both pharmaceutical and nutraceutical aspects of care for patients and their diseases.  I think BOTH are important in doing what's BEST.  If you want specific agents to help improve your health for the long haul, please call me.  I carry a full line of pharmaceutical grade integrative therapies, at home testing kits, and can customize just about anything in our state and federally regulated laboratory.  I'm doing consultations with patients across the United States these days because people want better answers to their problems.  I tend to think better "outside the box" which I suppose is why more and more people are coming our way.   If you want to talk about your needs, give us a call and set up a dedicated time. THANK YOU THANK YOU THANK YOU to those who have been in our care all these years and for your personal referrals.  We sincerely appreciate your confidence in our great company and staff and we hope you realize that we take YOUR health very seriously.

To your good health,
Dr. Sonja