It’s a tight rope
The endocrine system is the complex glandular system in your body comprised of: the pituitary, pineal, thyroid, thymus, adrenal, pancreas, ovary and testes. These glands produce chemical messengers, known as hormones that travel through the bloodstream to tissues and organs. Hormones are essential to regulating body processes including growth and development, metabolism, digestion, breathing, blood circulation, body temperature, reproduction, sexual function and mood. Hormones control the way you respond to your environment and provide the proper amount of energy necessary for the body.
The endocrine system can become impaired and lead to an overall imbalance. Hormones are extremely potent and cause drastic changes in cells. A slight excess or deficiency may result in a variety of conditions including acne, migraines, depression, weight gain, diabetes, menopause, osteoporosis, polycystic ovarian syndrome, thyroid disorders, growth delays, infertility and more.
Keeping hormones in check is a delicate balancing act. Stress, infection and changes in your blood’s fluid and electrolyte balance also influence hormone levels. Natural hormones are not the only factors that affect the endocrine system. Pharmaceutical hormones administered for birth control, fertility and hot flashes also cause a disruption. Synthetic hormones are not exactly the same as natural hormones; they contain an extra side chain (so they can be patented) that is not found in naturally occurring hormones. This molecular change in the pharmaceutical drug creates a stronger affinity for the receptor sites on cells. In other words, they will bind for longer than the hormones produced by our bodies, activating the tissue for an extended period of time. In addition, these synthetic hormones will not only flood receptor sites, they may affect the binding sites of many other hormones that they should not bind to. The endocrine system requires a delicate balance and therefore more potent hormones are not actually better. The over-flooded receptor sites stop responding and no longer provide essential functions to the body. This can lead to serious alterations and possibly disease. For example, synthetic hormones in the birth control pill can activate estrogen sensitive tissue. These excess estrogens stimulate cell division and growth resulting in endometrioses or even breast cancer.
Chemical compounds in the environment mimic hormones once they get inside the body. Low dosages of estrogenic chemicals can irreversibly alter programming in female reproductive cycles, playing a further role in endocrine conditions. For example, plastic products release chemicals that act like estrogen in the human body (http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2009/03/090326100 714.htm). Hormone disruptors, found in our food, also mimic natural hormones and create imbalances. Meat and dairy have the highest levels of persistent hormone disruptors. Estrogenic hormones are given to cattle, pigs and poultry so they grow bigger and fatter faster. One in particular, Bovine Growth Hormone (BGH) is given to cows to increase milk production and may be shown to increase the risk of breast cancer in humans.
An interesting report from the U.S. Geological Survey and Department of Environmental Protection revealed that 42-79% of the male smallmouth bass from the Potomac River in Washington DC, have started producing eggs. Similar results have been found throughout Europe. In Colorado, female fish have been having trouble reproducing. Left over estrogen from humans, cattle, pigs and poultry is disrupting the fish’s reproduction and feminizing males.
Our water system is contaminated with pharmaceutical drugs. The Canadian federal government’s first study of drinking water found traces of common painkillers, anti-cholesterol drugs and the antidepressant Prozac. After a person has taken drugs, active byproducts of these substances are released into sewage through urine or feces. These metabolites are not completely removed during the sewage-treatment process. Drug contaminated wastewater can enter groundwater or surface water and eventually be consumed by people. The National Water Research Institute for Health and Environment Canada found 9 different drugs in water samples taken near 20 drinking water treatment plants across southern Ontario. Accumulation of these metabolites disrupts hormones and affects the endocrine system.
Bioidentical hormones are used in attempts to correct an imbalance. These are made from botanical plants such as soy. These products are identified by the human body as being chemically identical to their natural hormones. In other words, the body responds to the hormones as if it were produced from the body rather than as a foreign substance.
We are continuously exposed to chemicals and hormones in our environment and even in our diet. Accumulation of these products in the body can easily alter the function of the endocrine system. It is important to be aware of how hormones, both natural and synthetic, can influence future health problems.
References:
- http://www.nlm.nih.gov/medlineplus/endocrinediseases.html
- http://hormonesbalancing.com/
- http://www.hormone.org/Public/conditions.cfm
- Berkson, D.L. Hormone Deception: How Everyday Food and Products are Disrupting Your Hormones and How to Protect Yourself and Your Family. Contemporary Books, Chicago, Illinois. 2000.
- http://www.npr.org/2011/03/02/134196209/study-most-plastics-leach-hormone-like-chemicals
- http://www.thenhf.com/article.php?id=99
- http://news.nationalgeographic.com/news/2009/11/091112-drinking-water-cocaine/
Sleep
Last Updated: July 24, 2018 by mprytula · Leave a Comment
Not a waste of time
Adequate sleep is necessary not only for daily function but for optimal health and wellness. Sleep disturbances can include: difficulties falling asleep, awakening throughout the night, sleep deprivation and sleep apnea (a sleep disorder characterized by pauses in breathing during sleep). We have all experienced the bad mood, fatigue or lack of focus following a poor night’s sleep. Insufficient sleep on a regular basis is associated with long-term health consequences.
Chronic sleep deprivation may affect metabolism and lead to weight gain. People who habitually sleep less than six hours per night are more likely to have a higher body mass index (BMI) than people who sleep eight hours a night. During sleep, our body secrets hormones that control energy, metabolism, appetite and glucose processing. For example, cortisol levels rise with poor sleep leading to increased appetite and deposition of fat around the abdominal area. The gain in weight ultimately results in elevated insulin levels, a hormone that regulates glucose and promotes fat storage, which can increase the risk of developing diabetes.
Alterations in one’s sleep pattern causes an imbalance of hormone levels including leptin and ghrelin. Leptin is responsible for alerting the brain when the stomach is full while ghrelin stimulates appetite. An inadequate amount of sleep lowers leptin and increases ghrelin causing food cravings to occur shortly after a meal and adding to excess consumption of calories. The combined effect on the metabolism from these two important hormones lead to further complications including obesity, type II diabetes, high blood pressure, heart disease and a shortened life expectancy.
Chronic sleep issues have been correlated with depression, anxiety and decreased memory function. Memory consolidation is a process that occurs during sleep and ensures that new memories are stored. Impatience, irritability, decreased concentration and lowered immune function typically occur following lack of sleep. It is important to maintain a proper balance of sleep per night as too much sleep can also lead to poor health.
Diet and certain lifestyle factors can affect sleep. For example, caffeine in coffee, tea and soft drinks can block receptors that trigger sleep for up to 6-8 hours. Other stimulants can keep you awake. Nicotine can cause lighter sleep. Alcohol is a sedative that can prevent deep sleep or reaching rapid eye movement (REM) sleep (the dream stage of sleep). Large meals or exercise prior to bedtime can create difficulties in falling asleep. Conversely, exercise at night delays the release of melatonin which helps the body to fall asleep, while exercise during the day can actually improve the quality of sleep. Bright lights, television, computer and other noise distractions affect a good night’s sleep. An uncomfortable mattress and pillow decreases your ability to fall and stay asleep.
There is a clear relationship between sleep and our ability to function during the day. The implications of getting sufficient sleep on a regular basis are essential to health and healing. Research suggests that 8 hours of sleep is optimal.
References:
What do Labs Mean?
Last Updated: July 24, 2018 by mprytula · Leave a Comment
Labs
Laboratory tests often require a sample of your blood, urine or body tissue, to help determine what you may be at risk for, diagnose or rule out a disease, monitor particular chemistries in your body and track progress of treatments. Below is a list of some standard and some additional comprehensive tests to help explain what these tests are and what they could indicate.
Please contact our office for a list of standard and additional comprehensive tests to help explain what these tests are and what they could indicate.
At Nature Medicine we can provide requisitions for labs in Ontario, however, please note that they are not covered by OHIP or private health insurance providers.
Weak and Diseased Organs
Last Updated: July 24, 2018 by mprytula · Leave a Comment
When an organ plays out of tune
The human body is composed of several vital organ systems that work together in unison for our daily function. Numerous lifestyle factors and environmental exposures contribute to increased burden on individual or multiple organs in the body. The excess demands placed on our organs can weaken the body, exacerbate a current condition, present as new symptoms and eventually lead to a disharmony in overall health.
Traditionally there are two schools of thought around disease and the development of symptoms. From a Western science perspective, there are 10 major organ systems found in the human body. When an organ is damaged, there should be clear symptoms and changes found in lab values or observed with diagnostic imaging. This approach is very linear; A and B causes C and D. Individual symptoms are analyzed and dissected until causal links are found to be able to make a diagnosis. Blood work should show tissue damage to the specific organ. While this approach can be effective, it may not always work in explaining your symptoms. A 1989 study revealed the inadequacies of diagnostic testing for many common complaints including fatigue, dizziness, headache, edema, back pain, insomnia, abdominal pain, etc. From the 567 complaints examined, an actual cause determined by lab testing was found in only 16 percent. Treatment was provided for 55 percent of symptoms and the outcomes were often ineffective; merely 164 of the 307 symptoms improved. The study suggests that evaluation and management of individual symptoms are not universal for each person and should be refined. Have there been occasions where you have noticed changes in your body, mood or energy yet medical doctors were not able to find a problem (all your lab values appear normal)? From a Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM) perspective, a weakened organ displaying symptoms will often not show any changes to labs or blood work. TCM organs hold a different meaning than the mainstream medical approach.
The two schools of thought have different approaches to understanding symptoms, disease and health. The modern medical belief of health is often considered to be the absence of disease; blood work is normal therefore you are healthy. The true definition of health encompasses the body as a whole: “a state of complete physical, mental and social well-being”. This definition of health was actually drafted by the World Health Organization in 1946 and still remains a subject of controversy. This view does correlate with the TCM measure of health that evolved over 5000 years. Parallels can be drawn between each view of health and their motivations for treatment. Throughout history, payment for each visit to a medical doctor was expected for eliminating the disease. In ancient times Chinese doctors were paid to keep their patients healthy and were not given payment if their patient became ill. During the Zhou Dynasty 3000 years ago, doctors wore divided into different groups according to their responsibility, ji yi (doctors for curing internal disease) yan yi (doctors for external disorders), shou yi (veterinary doctors) and shi yi (dietetic doctors). Various doctors had to undergo examinations at the end of each year, judged in terms of the effectiveness of their treatments, to determine their salary. The reward system for these examinations was: full salary for a 100% cure rate, and decreased salary based on the percentage of treatment failure. Therefore doctors were urged to improve their medical skill in order to achieve better compensation for their profession. One approach again looks at the presence of disease while the other looks at total health and the goal of attaining optimal health.
In TCM there are 5 major organ systems and 6 minor systems. Each organ system has an effect on another organ system when it becomes imbalanced. These organs do not actually refer to the specific tissue as an individual physical unit, but rather the interrelated functions associated with it. For example, damage to the Western (science) liver will show increased liver enzymes and serious changes to its structure. A weakened TCM liver may appear as changes to the eyes and vision, anger and emotional frustration, menstrual difficulties or digestive difficulties. In TCM, the organ systems are all connected and more than one organ can be used in treatment. In addition, the weak and diseased organs also hold different meanings. In Western medicine, these terms are often used interchangeably; diseased organs are weak and understood to lead to illness. In TCM, weakened organs can lead to a disharmony in health although these organs may or may not be diseased. A diseased organ alternatively may not appear weak. For example, a cancerous lesion found in the liver may not display decreased function as the organ system may have compensated. Recognizing these relationships in organ function is important in understanding organ pathology. Chinese methodology was developed over many thousands of years by considering the person as a whole. Therefore each sign and symptom is used to establish a complete picture before a diagnosis and treatment plan is made. The root cause of all the symptoms is treated in TCM instead of chasing individual symptoms.
Our daily lifestyle and environment can place a great deal of physical, mental and emotional strain on the body. While there are two approaches to understanding organ systems and their relationships to symptoms, multiple diseases can result when organ function begins to weaken or is damaged from increased demand. It is important to maintain optimal health to strengthen the immune system and protect the body from developing pathology.
References:
Structural Damage
Last Updated: July 24, 2018 by mprytula · Leave a Comment
Not working the way it used to
Damage to the body can occur in a variety of ways: accidental injuries, falls, sport injuries, repetitive strain or overuse. Other forms of trauma can all lead to misalignment of the joints, muscles, nerves, organs and the spine. This form of stress on the body often requires immediate attention especially because of the associated pain and immobility from the injury. Causes of an injury may often be obvious, although there are cases where the source of the structural damage is less visible.
Repetitive movements can gradually wear down your body and cause micro-trauma. This form of injury tends to occur slowly. Usually the individual becomes accustomed to the discomfort or has learned to ignore the changes until the effects are finally painful enough to seek out treatment. Continuous wear and tear to muscles, tendons and ligaments over time can lead to compensation from the surrounding structures. Poor posture, bad sleeping habits, improper lifting or carrying of heavy loads, inferior workstation habits or design and exercise are only a few of the many causes of chronic tension and structural damage.
Chemical and emotional causes can also affect the body. Poor diet, drugs, alcohol and chemical toxins in the food, air or water can decrease the body’s ability to function and adapt to stressors. Inadequate stress management affects physical health and decreases immune function. The combination of these factors makes the body more susceptible to injury and disease.
Poor sleeping habits are one of the most common causes of misalignment, especially to the spine. Sleeping on your stomach or with too many pillows, places continual stress on the cervical spine and causes a shift of the vertebrae. Serious illness and disability may result as many important nerves that supply the entire body travel through the cervical spine.
The causes of stress to the body may vary but the results are largely the same: gradual displacement of the joint or vertebrae resulting in dysfunction to the body. Pain, tenderness, stiffness, decreased mobility, numbness or tingling are merely a few symptoms of structural damage to the body. Massage therapy can help relieve muscle spasms and tight muscles that cause pain and pull joints or vertebrae out of place. Chiropractors and Naturopathic Doctors can remove subluxations and misalignments of the spine, however if the pain persists and you need ongoing treatment then the problem may be from nerves, muscles, tendons or ligament damage. Alternative therapies such as prolotherapy (for tendons and ligaments), Neural treatment (for nerves), Trigger Point Injection (for muscles) and Platelet Rich Plasma (tendons, ligaments and joints) may need to be considered in order to repair the damage.
References:
Hormones
Last Updated: July 24, 2018 by mprytula · Leave a Comment
It’s a tight rope
The endocrine system is the complex glandular system in your body comprised of: the pituitary, pineal, thyroid, thymus, adrenal, pancreas, ovary and testes. These glands produce chemical messengers, known as hormones that travel through the bloodstream to tissues and organs. Hormones are essential to regulating body processes including growth and development, metabolism, digestion, breathing, blood circulation, body temperature, reproduction, sexual function and mood. Hormones control the way you respond to your environment and provide the proper amount of energy necessary for the body.
The endocrine system can become impaired and lead to an overall imbalance. Hormones are extremely potent and cause drastic changes in cells. A slight excess or deficiency may result in a variety of conditions including acne, migraines, depression, weight gain, diabetes, menopause, osteoporosis, polycystic ovarian syndrome, thyroid disorders, growth delays, infertility and more.
Keeping hormones in check is a delicate balancing act. Stress, infection and changes in your blood’s fluid and electrolyte balance also influence hormone levels. Natural hormones are not the only factors that affect the endocrine system. Pharmaceutical hormones administered for birth control, fertility and hot flashes also cause a disruption. Synthetic hormones are not exactly the same as natural hormones; they contain an extra side chain (so they can be patented) that is not found in naturally occurring hormones. This molecular change in the pharmaceutical drug creates a stronger affinity for the receptor sites on cells. In other words, they will bind for longer than the hormones produced by our bodies, activating the tissue for an extended period of time. In addition, these synthetic hormones will not only flood receptor sites, they may affect the binding sites of many other hormones that they should not bind to. The endocrine system requires a delicate balance and therefore more potent hormones are not actually better. The over-flooded receptor sites stop responding and no longer provide essential functions to the body. This can lead to serious alterations and possibly disease. For example, synthetic hormones in the birth control pill can activate estrogen sensitive tissue. These excess estrogens stimulate cell division and growth resulting in endometrioses or even breast cancer.
Chemical compounds in the environment mimic hormones once they get inside the body. Low dosages of estrogenic chemicals can irreversibly alter programming in female reproductive cycles, playing a further role in endocrine conditions. For example, plastic products release chemicals that act like estrogen in the human body (http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2009/03/090326100 714.htm). Hormone disruptors, found in our food, also mimic natural hormones and create imbalances. Meat and dairy have the highest levels of persistent hormone disruptors. Estrogenic hormones are given to cattle, pigs and poultry so they grow bigger and fatter faster. One in particular, Bovine Growth Hormone (BGH) is given to cows to increase milk production and may be shown to increase the risk of breast cancer in humans.
An interesting report from the U.S. Geological Survey and Department of Environmental Protection revealed that 42-79% of the male smallmouth bass from the Potomac River in Washington DC, have started producing eggs. Similar results have been found throughout Europe. In Colorado, female fish have been having trouble reproducing. Left over estrogen from humans, cattle, pigs and poultry is disrupting the fish’s reproduction and feminizing males.
Our water system is contaminated with pharmaceutical drugs. The Canadian federal government’s first study of drinking water found traces of common painkillers, anti-cholesterol drugs and the antidepressant Prozac. After a person has taken drugs, active byproducts of these substances are released into sewage through urine or feces. These metabolites are not completely removed during the sewage-treatment process. Drug contaminated wastewater can enter groundwater or surface water and eventually be consumed by people. The National Water Research Institute for Health and Environment Canada found 9 different drugs in water samples taken near 20 drinking water treatment plants across southern Ontario. Accumulation of these metabolites disrupts hormones and affects the endocrine system.
Bioidentical hormones are used in attempts to correct an imbalance. These are made from botanical plants such as soy. These products are identified by the human body as being chemically identical to their natural hormones. In other words, the body responds to the hormones as if it were produced from the body rather than as a foreign substance.
We are continuously exposed to chemicals and hormones in our environment and even in our diet. Accumulation of these products in the body can easily alter the function of the endocrine system. It is important to be aware of how hormones, both natural and synthetic, can influence future health problems.
References:
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