Everyone loves a twinkle in the eyes, white teeth, and a beautiful smile. This is the first outward sign to the world that vibrant health is abundant and overflowing. So, what insidious agents can tamper with this glowing persona? Well, there are a good number of toxic elements innocently ingested or used in our childhood, such as mercury in fillings or fluoride in our drinking water, both which can interfere with the optimal functioning of our glandular system and our major organs.

Mercury is one of the most toxic elements-more so than lead! It is found in our foods, water, soil, and medications. It is often used to treat and bleach seeds and grains, particularly whole wheat. You can find Mercury in cosmetics, inks used by tatooists, fabric softeners, plastics, and solvents. It was, and often still is, the primary element used in dental fillings.

Mercury is what we refer to as a cumulative poison. Unfortunately, Mercury crosses the blood-brain barrier, is retained in the pain center of the brain, as well as your central nervous system. Mercury can bind to immune cells, disturb messages and immune responses.

Accumulative effects of mercury can present hair loss, insomnia, fatigue, gum disease, depression, suppressed enzymatic production, and, if highly accumulative, may result in numbness, possibly paralysis, and loss of eyesight.

The symptoms of Mercury poisoning can mimic Multiple Sclerosis and ALS (Lou Garigs disease). Knowing that the primary source formercury exposure for most Americans comes from silver fillings (which are 50% mercury, 25% silver, and 25% combination of copper , tin and nickel.) Fillings begin to leak and breakdown after 10 to 15 years. The vapor from your fillings mixes with chemicals in your mouth to create minute amounts of toxic methyl mercury which is absorbed into your bloodstream via tissues, sinuses and lungs. This is then transported into your brain and glandular system, as well as other tissues.

There are a number of striking side effects from long term exposure to mercury. Lowered thyroid function is primary followed by reoccurring sinus, bronchial, and asthmatic problems. Mercury has an affinity for the thyroid tissue. As most of you are aware a well functioning thyroid gland helps to put that twinkle in your eye, spring in your step and beautiful smile on your face! Again many symptoms of lowered thyroid function parallel mercury toxicity such as depression, vision problems, muscle loss, fatigue, insomnia, and suppressed enzymatic production which leads to hormonal imbalances.

 

Combine mercury toxicity with excess fluoride over the course of 10 to 40 year of exposures, I will guarantee you a health concern is likely to appear. Fluoride is deserved from the element fluorine which is a deadly chemical, yet purported to be acceptable in small amounts, The question is how much is too much and how long are acceptable amounts acceptable. No one knows. Except your body. Yet our government investigated 156 cancer deaths in the 90’s which strongly suggested that fluoride accumulated in the body and may increase our risk of numerous 500 nonspecific “illnesses” as well as cancer.

What to do for mercury toxicity? Vast amounts of research show the last medicine is removal of mercury and silver amalgams or fillings. Find a seasoned “know how to remove mercury fillings properly” dentist. This is a studied experienced cased science and it is not wise to simply have your fillings yanked out by your dentist just because they have been your dentist for years. If germs are removed without prudence and prevention, you could release higher quantities of mercury into your precious body, fatigue will follow and energy may not return to optimal levels. Replace your fillings with glass ionizers. These should be free of all heavy toxic elements (i.e. silver, copper, etc. ) Ionizers last approximately 10-12 years. They look like enamel and cause far less health concerns.

Year after year I am graced with the most interesting of cases. By and large the people I work with one on one, are proactive seekers of total and complete health. The gift that I am given as a practitioner is a daily reminder that the human body is a biological and biochemical masterpiece! If the human body is given half of what it needs to function

well, it will respond generously in an effort to take care of the many parts and therefore the whole of each individual.

 

The intricate processes that sustain our life as we experience it are made possible by a seemingly endless number of independent factors, involving cellular respiration (yes, your cells’ breathe) and messages sent to multiple organs and systems that relay information to one another.

 

Through the process of digestion and metabolism of all foods, our bodies have the ability to transform these substances to much needed nourishment that enables each and every one of our cells to thrive, discard weakened and sickly cells and to reproduce a new generation of even healthier than the last generation of cells.

 

Amazingly the body attempts to perform this delicate function in a state of sustained balance called “homeostasis”.

 

Understanding the human body is critical to understanding yourself. Over the past three decades, massive amounts of misinformation have been regurgitated. At this point Americans hold the gold metal for being one of the most overweight, underenergized, undernourished and epidemically depressed countries of all industrialized nations.

 

How did this epidemic come to pass? Well, in the 1970’s we were told to stop eating red meat. In the 1980’s we were told to pass on the eggs and butter. In the 1990’s low and no fat became daily household expressions to epitmize being on the health wagon.

 

The onset of chicken abuse (consumption of chicken six to seven days a week), plus daily plates of pasta, breads, bagels and highly processed cereals as well as other assorted starches became the mainstay in the American diet.

 

In short, these foods are overprocessed and miserably lacking in the B vitamins, fiber, antioxidants and essential fatty acids. All are needed to support thyroid function and increase energy production. To give or not give nourishment to the human body, one must examine the nutrient content of the most popular over consumed foods of choice. To endorse and sustain optimal functioning of the endocrine system, which includes our thyroid, parathyroid, adrenals, pituitary, hypothalamus and pancreas as well as the ovaries and testes. Our bodies need optimal amounts of live foods and proteins, yes, even from red meat sources. At least 30+ grams of healthy oils daily as well as loads of fresh fruits and vegetables plus whole and unprocessed high in fiber grains and legumes.

 

With the inception of low fat diets, red and gamy meats, which are very nutrient dense, have been almost eliminated entirely from the American diet. The nutrients found in red and gamy meat are essential for thyroid function as well as energy. Ounce for ounce, poultry and red meat have approximately the same grams of protein and the same caloric value. Now let us look at the nutrient content of 4 ounces of white skinless chicken or turkey versus red or wild gamy meats, i.e. buffalo, rabbit, venison and skinless duck.

4 oz. Red Meat 4 oz. Poultry

Fat grams 8.4 5.0

We need approximately 30 grams of fat every single day (2/3 unsaturated and 1/3 saturated)

Calcium grams 28 15

Builds strong bones and assists in thyroid function

Phosphorous mg 569 371

Needed for the uptake of calcium

Iron mg 8.5 1.8

Needed for many biochemical functions essential for life. Iron is needed to make hemoglobin, it helps carry oxygen to the cells, assists in thyroid function by increasing energy by helping to metabolize the B vitamins.

Potassium mg 800 575

Needed for strong adrenal function

Vitamin B1 and B6 mg .10 and .30 .05 and .15

Needed to nourish all organs and systems. The B vitamins are also known as the “anti” stress nutrients .

 

I cannot give enough praise to the B vitamins! First of all, as all of the B vitamins are water soluble, they must be consumed in adequate amounts on a daily basis. Your need for the B vitamins increases during stress, illness and surgery. Vitamins B1 and B2 are known to promote growth and assist in reproduction, increase your positive mental attitude, aids in digestion and vision as well as assists in keeping the endocrine (thyroid) and nervous system sustained while supporting the heart and other muscles in the body. B Vitamins also help to keep all your adrenals functioning normally.

 

The thyroid gland helps to regulate energy levels, body temperature and moods. This gland must have a wide variety of nutrients, including, Iron, Calcium, Magnesium, essential fats and oils, protein, Phosphorous as well as the B Vitamins. They all assist the thyroid in creating homeostasis! There is considerable evidence that the current tests for the diagnosis of hypothyroidism (low thyroid function) are insensitive and somewhat lacking in accuracy. To check your thyroid, use the Dr. Broda Barnes body temperature test. Here is what you do:

- Use an oral or basal thermometer which has been shaken down the night before and put on your bedside stand.

- Put the thermometer in your armpit (for ten minutes) and record a temperature each morning for ten days. Do this before you get out of bed, before you have urinated, before you create any activity, mental or physical. He suggests using the auxiliary (armpit) temperature rather than oral, because so many people have low grade unsuspected sinus infections which generate heat only in that area, thereby raising the oral temperature.

- For women, additional consideration is needed during ovulation which elevates temperature somewhat. Because of this, women who menstruate should start recording on the second or third day of their cycle. There are no such stipulations men or for women who are menopausal.

- A normal body temperature is 97.8°. If your temperature is 1° less than 97.8°, you have a 13% decrease in basal metabolic function. If your temperature is 2° less, then you have a 26% decrease in BMR.

 

Dr. Barnes estimates approximately 40% of the adult population has this problem and it can be linked with hypoglycemia and allergies, psoriasis, acne, undiagnosed skin problems, hypertension, obesity, depression and a number of other ailments. If you would like more information and are sick of boring shows, tune into “Health Exposures,” Channel 21 every Thursday at 8:30 PM.

 

Recommended Supplements:

 

Michael’s Therapy

Stress Adrenal

Green Magma

Vitamin B’s

Antioxidants

I was walking down the street recently and an old friend (whom I haven’t seen in sometime) pulls over, rolls down their car window and shouts, “You know you are going to be a beautiful old lady one day.” Now, this is just what every woman in her forties wants to hear and ponder on – right? I don’t think so! None the less, considering myself gracious, as well as mature, I stroll on over, poke my head in and say, “Thank You!” Then I proceed to imagine why I appear to have this wonderful anti-aging potential. I am told I am ageless (not true, my brain is really wrinkled), my skin glows (without base or blush), my eyes are bright, and my step is sprite. I attribute these attributes to “oiling.”

No, not the kind of oils and creams that clog our pours that we are embalmed in daily. The oils I am referring to are essential oils, edible oils , and best yet, affordable oils.

I’ve returned once again from my second sojourn to India, more convinced than ever that we are extraordinarily essential fatty acid deficient and dehydrated from our insides to our outsides! People in India bound around in their old age like agile puppies. We, in our old age, creak, groan, and complain about our stiffness and eventually our discomfort with every little shift in position. Why the difference? Because Americans are fat phoebics while, in India, healthy fatty acids are consumed daily, savored, and used in great abundance in cooking as well as rubbed all over the skin and hair! The majority of Indian people not only avoid most of our American “civilized” diseases but also maintain incredible brain power and a twinkle in their eye well into their eighties. Fatty acids help to create phosphoglycolipids that enhance cell membrane integrity not only in our brains but in all of our billions of cells within our precious and hopefully slow to age bodies. Fatty acids are the building blocks for neurotransmitters and hormone production. Fatty acids are the missing link in Americans diets! Best yet, healthy fatty acids burn your fat stores like crazy especially if you eat the Ayurvedic way for your particular dosha or energy.

 

Recommended Supplements:

 Evening Primrose Oil

Vata Tea

The discomfort in my tush began approximately three-and-a-half years ago. First I had a bit of stiffness in the hip area after driving a few hours. I then developed a variant, deep, pointed, achy, pulling pain in the middle of my right cheek, better known as my gluteus maximus. A little over one year ago “it” became a constant pervasive part of my waking life – and most disturbing of my sleep. I began yoga in earnest – all the while taking two-hour, deep, pound-the-table massages two to four times per month. I also faithfully continued to see my old chiropractor weekly. All treatments would help to lessen the discomfort somewhat for a day or three. By day four (post-treatment) I would once again be awakened a number of times per night in an effort to pull or stretch the disconcerting pain out of my cheek as the darn thing would keep waking me up!

 

I decided to try a new chiropractor located in Winnetka – he began adjusting my hips and pelvis more so than my neck. To my relief, my neck problems, stiffness and lack of mobility greatly dissipated and today, a year later, are forgotten concerns. However, my pain in the tush continued to plague me. Fast forward to September 2001. I hosted a two-week Panchakarma retreat in Wisconsin. The second week I invited an acupuncturist I had previously worked with twice. Her technique impressed me greatly; here’s why: Unlike other acupuncturists, this individual used a number of traditional Chinese-based methods. The first, termed moxibustion is the use of needles topped with large herbal eraser-looking balls, which are lit. These herbs warm the needle thereby penetrating warmth and heat deep into the muscle or tissue. It is an amazing technique used for chronic long-term congestion and inflammation. This technique requires the acupuncturist’s full attention as the moxi herbs are replaced sometimes two to three times during one treatment. It is also very smoky, so as your acupuncturist treats you by stimulating the needles and replacing the moxi, she is inundated in smoke. This treatment along with guasha and cupping are “traditional” treatments originating in China, having been used for centuries as the primary modality for healing along with herbals!

 

I decided to treat myself to a moxibustion treatment. Primary focus? The pain in the middle of my right buttock! The acupuncturist takes these really long needles, and explains to me she is going to go through a number of openings in my sacral plate, tapping into my piriformis muscle, gluteus muscle and the point of origin where they connect to the hipbone. This treatment along with the next three, lasts an hour-and-a-half each. I am told I look like a pincushion – I don’t care – what I feel is the ache and pull in my tush literally melting away. The next day, I discuss my great night’s sleep with the acupuncturist and she suggests I take three treatments within the next two weeks, four days apart. I don’t see how it can do anything but help. By the second week in October 2001, I completed my fourth one-and-a-half hour moxibustion treatment and the almost four-year pain in my right cheek was completely gone, most exciting of all, it has not returned! I have informed my acupuncturist, should she ever leave, I will become her first groupie/stalker. Bottom line – If the treatment you’re embracing isn’t resolving the problem after six months, move on! Find the treatment/therapist that works. I didn’t take my own advice and I didn’t reconsider acupuncture as I had never had an acupuncturist work on me who: A) spent so much time, and took such a thorough history. B) Used moxibustion. C) Seemed as passionate about my healing as I was.

 

If you need excellent (not simply good) referrals for therapists in varying fields please feel free to phone me. I am more than pleased to share my referrals based on personal experiences ranging from my acupuncturist, to bio/neuro feedback practitioners, chiropractics, energy medicine, truly alternative holistic MDs – homeopathic doctors, medical intuitives, colon hydrotherapists, ayurvedic practitioners, as well as alternative based surgeons. 

With blessings of health, I encourage you to seek, find and heal!

With diabetes on the climb, stress on the rise, hurried lifestyles exploding, and quick to go available food choices more nutritionally compromised than ever, Americans have become predisposed “sitting ducks” waiting in line for diabetes to rear its ugly head.

Check to see if you have one of the following conditions:
Family history: if one person on one side of your family has type II diabetes (adult onset) your risk is higher. If there are occurrences of both sides of your family your risk is higher still.
Skin tags: These are pouches of brown skin that looks like little tags and tend to grow in the neck, armpit and groin regions. A significant portion of people with skin tags, are known to have diabetes. Should people with skin tags take a glucose-insulin tolerance test they will find they are diabetic although previously undiagnosed. Research has shown that 80% of all people with skin tags either have existing diabetes or will develop it later in life.
Excess weight: This condition does not always indicate a tendency toward type II diabetes, however, if you have excess body fat and cannot lose weight on a low-fat diet, this is often a sign that you are on your way to becoming insulin resistant.
Excess fatigue: This can be caused by hypoglycemia (low amounts of glucose in the blood) or hyperglycemia (too much glucose in the blood). Either condition can result in fatigue, a constant need to urinate, extreme thirst, constantly feeling hungry, dizziness, excessive sweating, palpitations and vision problems.
High blood pressure as well as elevated cholesterol and triglyceride levels: High blood pressure can often be related to excess insulin which causes the kidneys to retain more sodium and the adrenals to secrete too much adrenaline. High lipids can be linked to excess insulin in the liver.

There are two types of diabetes. Type I or insulin dependent diabetes mellitus, generously shows up at an early age. This is an autoimmune disease in which the body’s immune system attacks and destroys insulin-producing cells in the pancreas. Experts link this type of diabetes most often to a viral infection.

Type II diabetes, the most common type, affects 90 – 95% of diabetics. In type II, the pancreas does produce insulin in small quantities. The cells of the pancreas often become resistant to what little insulin there is in the bloodstream. Dietary abuse over an extended period of time, involving a high intake of refined carbohydrates as one’s primary fuel source, (coffee, sugar, dairy, wheat products and alcohol) predisposes one’s pancreas to reach a point of exhaustion. Also under-consumption of healthy unsaturated oils (found in avocados, raw seeds, nuts, etc., for decades creates a destabilization of insulin regulation therefore creating the hypo/hyperglycemia roller coaster insulin ride.

With diabetes on the climb, stress on the rise, hurried lifestyles exploding, and quick to go available food choices more nutritionally compromised than ever, Americans have become predisposed “sitting ducks” waiting in line for diabetes to rear its ugly head. 

Check to see if you have one of the following conditions:

Family history: if one person on one side of your family has type II diabetes (adult onset) your risk is higher. If there are occurrences of both sides of your family your risk is higher still.

Skin tags: These are pouches of brown skin that looks like little tags and tend to grow in the neck, armpit and groin regions. A significant portion of people with skin tags, are known to have diabetes. Should people with skin tags take a glucose-insulin tolerance test they will find they are diabetic although previously undiagnosed. Research has shown that 80% of all people with skin tags either have existing diabetes or will develop it later in life.

Excess weight: This condition does not always indicate a tendency toward type II diabetes, however, if you have excess body fat and cannot lose weight on a low-fat diet, this is often a sign that you are on your way to becoming insulin resistant.

Excess fatigue: This can be caused by hypoglycemia (low amounts of glucose in the blood) or hyperglycemia (too much glucose in the blood). Either condition can result in fatigue, a constant need to urinate, extreme thirst, constantly feeling hungry, dizziness, excessive sweating, palpitations and vision problems.

High blood pressure as well as elevated cholesterol and triglyceride levels: High blood pressure can often be related to excess insulin which causes the kidneys to retain more sodium and the adrenals to secrete too much adrenaline. High lipids can be linked to excess insulin in the liver. 

There are two types of diabetes. Type I or insulin dependent diabetes mellitus, generously shows up at an early age. This is an autoimmune disease in which the body’s immune system attacks and destroys insulin-producing cells in the pancreas. Experts link this type of diabetes most often to a viral infection. 

Type II diabetes, the most common type, affects 90 – 95% of diabetics. In type II, the pancreas does produce insulin in small quantities. The cells of the pancreas often become resistant to what little insulin there is in the bloodstream. Dietary abuse over an extended period of time, involving a high intake of refined carbohydrates as one’s primary fuel source, (coffee, sugar, dairy, wheat products and alcohol) predisposes one’s pancreas to reach a point of exhaustion. Also under-consumption of healthy unsaturated oils (found in avocados, raw seeds, nuts, etc., for decades creates a destabilization of insulin regulation therefore creating the hypo/hyperglycemia roller coaster insulin ride.

Q: I’m dealing with vaginal dryness and occasional bleeding at the tender age of 48! Intercourse is painful and irritating, what can I do to reverse this?

A: It appears there may be 2 concerns going on. First we’ll address the dryness. This is generally due to the decline of Estrogen and Progesterone, both naturally lubricating agents for mucus membranes. If you currently use tampons consider switching to organic or stop using tampons altogether. The pesticides used on cotton plants are not only irritating to tender vaginal membranes but are also dehydrating while being potential carcinogens. I prefer my women use natural products vs something like KY Jelly. My favorite mixture is an ayurvedic oil with ghee (clarified butter). Vata oil is specifically for dryness while Pita oil is for burning itching and inflammation. Simply use 2/3 of one of the aforementioned oils blended with 1/3 organic ghee, make a salve and swab in your vagina nightly. Do NOT use this while menstruating as it may slow down your release and reduce natural flow. The burning you experience may be due to your vaginal dryness or by a bacterial or fungal infection. Try taking 3 capsules of garlic to bolster immunity plus a strong probiotic three times a day. Consider three capsules of probiotics dissolved in 1 quart of warm water with six drops of tea tree oil to douche with 1-2 times per week. Lastly start loading essential fatty acids into your diet to stave off further drying from the inside out!

Q: I have very weak teeth and nails, always have. I take two mineral tablets daily and I have for years with little improvement. Any suggestions?

A: Examine your total grams of protein per day. Take your weight, divide by 2 (or 1.5 if you work out 5-6 hours a week) to calculate your specific daily protein gram requirements. Next do a saliva test to ascertain your hormone deficiencies. If your progesterone compared to estrogen ratios are too low your bones, teeth and nails will be weak. Lastly to specifically find out your mineral deficiencies and your toxic element excesses (which may block minerals from being absorbed) do a hair tissue analysis. You may simply need for more than 2 pills a day to fix your deficiencies. Lastly, take essential fatty acids to strengthen bone, teeth and nails. Consume one tablespoon 2-3 times a day with a meal containing protein.

Evaluating Your Health –

Why a Tissue Mineral Analysis and not a Blood Test? 

Let us first begin by discussing why a standard blood test may not reveal what is truly occurring biochemically in regards to many different health concerns. 

A blood test is a current “snapshot” of what your own personal transit system is doing. One of the many purposes of your blood is to pickup, transport and drop off elements when needed, (such as Calcium, Potassium, Magnesium, as well as Cholesterol which is needed to make hormones) in the amounts needed, where needed to different organs and systems in the body. 

The ranges on a standard blood test have become considerably wider over the past decade. This allows more of the population to fall within the “normal” limits. So, as the ranges become wider, (due to more and more of the population appearing at the low and top ends) correct assessment and defaults within the multiple systems in the body has become increasingly hard to correlate. 

Unfortunately, a good percentage of the population falls within the upper or lower two percent of the lab ranges. This makes it difficult for the standard doctor to diagnose as these individuals look “fine” on paper. These folks are what health practitioners refer to as the walking wounded. They go through life feeling terrible. Doctors cannot find an overt reason for their persistent aches or complaints and they generally are diagnosed as a bit of a hypochondriac or simply depressed. Onward to a life of Prozac, constipation and sleep disturbances. 

If a symptom persists and a doctor cannot assess what the problem is, within a month or two, you may be looking in the wrong place for help and guidance. 

Tissue Mineral Analysis (TMA) of the hair is a analytical test that assays the mineral composition of the hair, often used primarily by health focused practitioners as a screening test. If interpreted correctly, TMA data can provide indications of mineral imbalances, deficiencies and excesses of not only essential but also toxic heavy metals such as mercury, lead and aluminum. A TMA provides a more holistic and complete picture with which to apply the most effective nutritional protocol. If combined with standard blood tests and diet assessment, ones “health” status and nutrient needs becomes even more clear! 

How does hair reflect your mineral status? Well, your hair is the second most metabolically active tissue, therefore, hair provides a permanent tracking record of metabolic activity occurring during the growth period relative to the hair sample. The first inch and a half of hair closest to the scalp can give a good indication of both nutrient and toxic exposures within the last one to six months depending on how quickly your hair grows. A mineral deficiency or excess can indicate one of three things – an inability to absorb a mineral supplement (remember the tableting base or chelating agent of a supplement deters or enhances bioavailability which is how well your body absorbs the nutrient) or you may simply be deficient in a number of minerals. You may also not only be deficient in certain minerals, you may show an excess of one specific mineral or have excess minerals stored in the body but you cannot sequester these much needed nutrients out of the storage areas for use by the body.

 Used initially by the government for testing lead levels in children, TMA has been around since the 1940’s. In 1980, the Environmental Protection Agency reported that human hair can be effectively used for biological monitoring of the highest priority toxic metals. This report substantiated the findings of numerous other studies conducted in Japan, Germany, Sweden, Canada and the United States. These additional findings concluded that hair is often a more appropriate tissue compared to blood and urine for assessing exposure to many trace metals. Excess accumulation of minerals in the body are often undetected in the serum due to their removal from the blood for rapid deposition into the tissues. When this occurs, the mineral may fail to be excreted through the urine or intestinal tract. This creates an increase total toxic load to the system! For example, thirty to forty days following an acute exposure to the toxic metal lead, serum levels of lead may be undetectable as a result of the body’s removal of the lead from the serum as a protective measure and the body’s attempts to deposit the lead into tissues such as the liver, bones, teeth, glands and hair. This stored lead can only be found by taking a TMA sample.

Minerals are considered to be spark plugs in the chemistry of life, all biochemical exchanges of energy, the breakdown of foods and the building of living tissues depend on a balance of all minerals, all present, and all available, all of the time. 

Minerals are the key to life. Without minerals, you cannot break down proteins, keep your hormonal production line operating, and assist in making and activating enzymes!

Your mineral status plays greatly on the efficiency and activity of your endocrine system. The endocrine glands include the thyroid, parathyroid, adrenal and pancreas. These are the major players for energy in the body – blood sugar regulation and all metabolic processes include the burning of fat and building of muscle. Your endocrine glands work synergistically together, constantly attempting to balance and assist one another.

If you are presented with an excess pr deficiency of one or more necessary minerals, this can decrease the functioning of one or more of the endocrine glands causing another gland to jump to its aid by increasing its out put and overloading that gland. Any extreme alteration or imbalance in endocrine activity will have influence on mineral metabolism, absorption, usage and excretion. Or you may find you look great on paper but intuitively know “something” is wrong somewhere. Your energy is low. You are cold all the time, you have dramatic hypoglycemic swings and your digestion is not up to par. These are just a few symptoms related to mineral deficiencies, which again, relate to endocrine function. Another good reason to check your mineral status.

Join me next month when we begin to unravel the role of individual minerals and vitamins and their relationship in creating optimal health.

I’m Deborah Arneson, a Registered Clinical Nutritionist and President of Nutrition Consultants here in Chicago.

Lately I have been encountering far too many individuals with distinctive biochemical imbalances.  These people present with often delusional, paranoid, as well as obsessive compulsive manifestations.  Their ability to operate and live normally is sadly limited. The history and medication application for these individuals often follows the same familiar path for most of these discarded souls.  Statistics have shown that one out of three people, at some time in their life, will develop a mental disorder and most folks will be given one of a possible two dozen drugs know as “neurolepties.”  Now, neuroleptic or antipsychotic drugs have been around since the 1950’s.  They enable severely ill patients to function in the world, albeit to a limited degree, without bars and constraints.  These antipsychotic drugs however have a down-side.  They deprive patients of a chance at true recovery as these drugs act as a “chemical lobotomy” 

The side effects are vast and many.  Not only do they create a zombie-type feeling but chronic use can damage ones liver and heart as well as cause a severe nervous system disorder known as Tardive Dyskinesa (by the way, this affects approximately 20% of patients taking antipsychotics long term).  Tardive Dyskinesa presents with involuntary grimacing that involves chewing, sticking out ones tongue and rapid blinking.  The side effects cause oblivious feelings of discomfort to outright misery. 

Many of us know that many symptoms of mental illness and related disorders can often stem from biochemical imbalance.  For instance, it is well known that alcoholism is a disorder that has a strong biochemical component associated with a multitude of nutritional deficiencies and allergies.  The approach to healing begins with biochemical adjustments or balancing ones biochemistry to help unfold the origins of mental health imbalances.  This begins by clearing old toxins out of the system and halting the introduction of new toxins.  This revs up the body’s innate ability to regulate hormones and neurotransmitters and balance chemicals that affect moods, behavior disorders, sleep patterns as well as energy levels.  This approach takes patience and discipline.  Generally in the world of alternative healing, it takes ¼ of the amount of time to completely clear up a health problem in relation to the amount of time you have been presenting with the problem. 

The first step is to do a standard blood test that reviews a chemical screen, CBC, T4, TSH, T3, CO2, and SED rate.  Your blood test will reveal chronic and acute health problems that are definitely related to specific nutritional deficiencies.  Keep in mind more often that not you may appear “perfectly” normal presenting in the quote-unquote normal ranges.  What an educated environmentally based practitioner will look for is whether or not your values fall into the upper or lower 3-5 percentile of the norms.  This would then be a first indicator of specific targeted deficiencies.

Next, I recommend a mineral hair tissue test which evaluates your heavy toxic metals and necessary-to-live healthy mineral status.  If interpreted by an environmentally based practitioner this will provide, (just as a blood test will provide) a snap shot of a very specific areas of your health profile.  Mineral imbalances show correlated vitamin excesses as well as deficiencies.

The third and probably most important aspect is the removal of food based toxins (ei. coffee, drugs, medications, excessive alcohol, dead, adulterated, highly processed, long shelf life, “fake “foods.  This will greatly reduce the burden on your detoxification pathways.  Next, begin increasing pure water sources and live, eaten-as-they-are-grown food percentages on a daily basis.  A minimum of 3-4 pieces of fresh fruit and 2-4 cups of colorful veggies, plus 1-3 tablespoons of organic unrefined omega 3, 6, and 9 fatty acids daily is a great way to begin altering and healing your biochemical imbalances. 

For more information call Deborah Arneson @ 312-664-7979