Posts Tagged ‘steroids’

You may think that yeast is only a problem “down there.”  But it can affect the intestines as well. Candida can be hard to diagnose, because it shares symptoms with other health issues, such as irritable bowel syndrome and gluten intolerance.  You might find yourself bouncing between doctors in an effort to find the true culprit of symptoms such as bloating, diarrhea, constipation, sinusitis, or headaches.

If you answer ‘yes’ to a many of the below questions, you probably have Candida.

*Have you ever taken repeated or prolonged courses of antibiotics?

*Do you eat non-organic animal products, which contain antibiotics and steroids?

*Have you taken a prolonged course of steroids or birth control pills?

*Have you been bothered by recurrent vaginal, prostate, or urinary-tract infections?

*Are you bothered by hormone-related issues, including: PMS, infertility, menstrual

irregularities, or sexual dysfunction?           

*Are you overly sensitive to certain odors?

*Do you have memory or concentration problems?                                   

*Do you suffer from digestive issues?

*Does your skin itch, burn, or rash easily?

*Do some foods disagree worsen your symptoms?

What next?!?!

Eliminate yeast-promoting foods

For a minimum of 6 weeks, eliminate foods that feed yeast and encourage its growth:

Sugar, dairy, yeast, fruit, grains, and fermented foods. Eat no more than 40-60 grams of carbohydrates a day.  Focus on eating vegetables, nuts, seeds, unprocessed oils, and drink plenty of water.

The good news is that Candida is treatable with simple dietary changes and the right supplements. It can take a few months to really eliminate the yeast. So don’t give up, if your symptoms don’t away immediately.

Live natural. Live well.

Heather

I’ve seen a drastic increase in hormone related illnesses in the last ten years. Unfortunately, no matter how clean our diet is, we can’t completely avoid all pollutants. Just in the last 3 months, I’ve seen 15 new female patients in their 20s. All of them got their first period between the ages of 8 and 10. All of them. This is just one symptom of how all the toxins and pollutants we’re exposed to are damaging all of us.

Some simple steps to minimize your risk

* Minimize or eliminate your consumption of:
-animal products (especially non-organic)
-sugar (real & fake)
-trans-fats

* Avoid all plastic, especially in food packaging. See my blog post for more info.

* Do a liver cleanse at least once a year.

* Make sure you get plenty of healthy fats in daily. See my blog post for more info.

* Organic produce as much as possible. See my blog post for more info.

* Put a water filter on your taps and showers.

* Exercise that helps get your blood pumping & de-stressed 3-5 times per week.

* Have your hormones tested. If anything is off, you can naturally treat almost any imbalance.

* Get active. Whatever your political beliefs, we all what safe food, water, and air for ourselves and our children. Contact your state and federal representatives and let them know you vote and you want to see changes.

Live natural. Live well.

Heather

Vulvo what? Vulvodynia (vul-vo-DIN-ee-uh) is chronic vulvar pain. The pain, burning or irritation associated with vulvodynia can be so uncomfortable that having sex or sitting for extended periods becomes unthinkable. Yes, you read correctly. Ouch! The poor women who suffer from this condition are often misdiagnosed or told nothing is wrong.

Less than 200,000 women in the US have been diagnosed with vulvodynia. So you might be asking, “Why is Heather writing about such a rare condition?” Because I’ve seen an increase in cases in the last 6 months and most ‘specialists’ don’t really know what to do. The increase might be a coincidence or that doctors are getting better at diagnosing. I’m not sure. Western medicine doesn’t have much success in doing more than temporarily reducing symptoms. One of the recommendations for this incredibly painful condition is to wear cotton underwear. Really?!?

Topical creams, gels, hormones, steroids, and/or antidepressants are the typical courses of action. Some of them may help temporarily.

Some of suggestions for treating the illness, not just the symptoms

- Test for Candida and treat it. Candida is overgrowth of yeast that can lead to many health issues.
- If you have a history of sexual trauma, seek professional help. Acupuncture is great for dealing with any physical or emotional trauma.
- Eat an alkaline diet, to reduce inflammation and acidity throughout your body.
- Support your immune system through proper nutrition and supplementation.
- Reduce your exposure to chemicals, pollutants, and other toxins.
- Do a cleanse with a qualified physician to reduce your levels of toxins. This will help reduce inflammation and balance your immune system.

For those of you who are suffering from this rare condition or think you might be, there is hope. Many of my patients have experienced relief within a few months. Some are symptom-free in less than a year.

Live natural. Live well.

Heather

Infertility is unfortunately on the rise.  Some of it has to do with people waiting until later in life to have children.  Some of it is due to the high stress levels most of us experience.  Environmental causes- pollution, plastic, pesticides, steroids in non-organic animal products- are a leading cause of infertility as well.  All of these can wreak havoc on your hormone levels, in both men and women.

What else may be hindering your fertility

Obesity, diabetes, testosterone or steroids,  too much exercise, smoking, too much or too little selenium, saw palmetto, weakened adrenal glands, caffeine and alcohol, hypothyroidism

All of the above can be treated.  Look for an acupuncturist in your area who specializes in fertility.  I also offer phone consultations for herbs and nutrition, so you can contact my office to make an appointment.  I also offer medical testing to check hormone levels, your adrenal gland function, and thyroid disorders.

Some suggestions for supplementation to increase your chance of conception.  Please consult your physician.

For women

Magnesium – take as directed
Multi pre natal vitamin
Minimum 1,000 mg vitamin C daily
Zinc 50mg daily
B50 as directed
Folic acid 5 mg/day
PABA 100 mg 3 times a day
Vitamin E 22 IU daily
Lycopene- 2 g day
CoQ10    100 mg twice daily
Before bed- Zinc, B50, and Magnesium taken together

For Men

Vitamin C-  1,000 mg a day may prevent sperm agglutination.
L-Arginine- 1,500- 2000 mg 2 times per day between meals increase sperm count
Vitamin B12- 1,000 mcg increase sperm count
L-carnation 1 g    3 times a day improve sperm count and function

For those of you struggling with this issue, there is hope.  Even if you’ve tried IVF and other Western procedures, Chinese medicine is highly effective for treating infertility in men and women.

Live natural. Live well.

Heather