This is one of the most common issues seen at The Renewal Point. But it can be tricky to detect and address because the symptoms mimic other disorders/problems and standard lab tests may not pick up the problem. Make sure you have a physician who specializes in thyroid imbalances and looks for their patients to be in optimal ranges (not just standard). Also, nutrients play a pivotal role in correcting the problem.
Too much stress on the thyroid can manifest as a range of problems ~ from cold intolerance to depression. Learn additional symptoms to look for and why the answer lies in addressing the adrenal and thyroid hormones together.
We can’t live one day without our Adrenal Glands, which makes Adrenal Burnout and Adrenal Fatigue important issues to address. Learn which symptoms to look for ~ depression, fatigue after exercising, trouble waking ~ these are just a few.
Men have just as many hormones as women, however the symptoms of hormonal balance are different. And, balancing them doesn’t just involve giving testosterone. Learn more about which symptoms to look out for and what can be done.
Dr. Watts has been prescribing hormones for over 40 years. Find out the history of hormones, the controversy of hormones, and where we are now!
Our Bio-identical Hormone Balancing methods helped Robin become “the healthiest she has been in a long time”. Listen to this podcast to learn more about her experience…
21st Century Breakthroughs in Integrative and Age Management Medicine
Often I am asked why I began the study of Age Management and Integrative Medicine. The truth is, initially it was out of self-preservation. Over fifteen years ago, I looked in the mirror, not liking what I saw: thinning hair, bulging tummy, and weight gain. I felt sluggish with low energy; my sexuality was in the dump. My doctor told me my blood pressure was up, my cholesterol was elevated, and if I didn’t change something I was heading for diabetes. My wife was worried. She also said I was becoming a curmudgeon. I was beyond frustrated with my deteriorating health, but thought there was nothing that could be done about it, that it was simply a natural part of the aging process. Interestingly, at the same time, many of my patients and friends were asking the same question! ‘We’re getting older, and don’t like how we look or feel – What can we do about it?’
On a quest to find the answer, I attended my first meeting of The American Academy of Anti-Aging Medicine. There my eyes were opened. At this worldwide congress, scientists and physicians met to study how to slow down, stop or reverse the aging process. From their vast knowledge, I quickly learned three things: the good news, the bad news, and the worst news.
The worst news: We are all going to grow old and to die – Sorry. The bad news: Along the way, we are likely to have disabilities – Sorry again. Now, for the good news: We have a lot of control over how many years we have to live and the quality of health we have within those years.
Yes – For the most part, much of our overall health, the way we look and feel, is determined by the choices we make every day. Of course, most people realize if they eat right, keep their body composition in the optimal range, and exercise, they will look and feel better. But what about other leading indicators of health that are not so obvious: nutritional deficiencies, hormone imbalances, toxic burden, functional analysis, food sensitivities, neurotransmitters, genomics, telomere lengthening, oxidation, and immune health. These stealth indicators reveal imbalances in our body’s function. Until they are corrected, they will steal our health and years.
But, to correct these imbalances you will need a doctor that understands how to inter – pret the test results. This specialized testing is what we do at The Renewal Point. Here, our practitioners and staff are experts in helping you stay on track at your optimal best.
It’s been fifteen years now since I began my journey and have continued to follow the process recommended by The American Academy of Anti-Aging Medicine. Today, I feel much better than I did years ago. I have more energy, more vitality, and more libido. I dropped my weight and belt size, no longer needed statin medication and lowered my blood pressure. My wife no longer calls me a curmudgeon, although she tells me I still have “a few faults.” Ha!
Here are Some of the 21st Century breakthroughs we use every day at The Renewal Point:
• Natural Hormone Balancing: Vitality, sexuality, and a firm, fit body are difficult to maintain as we age without proper hormone balance.
• Spectrox Testing: Seventy-five percent of people taking supplements have nutritional deficiencies. This diagnostic allows us to determine the individualized needs of each patient. Heavy Metal Provocation: An overburden of lead, mercury or aluminum can steal our health.
• Telomere Lengthening: As telomeres shorten, so does the length of our life. We can measure telomeres and slow down the shortening.
• Genomics: We are learning how to turn on or off ‘bad’ genes!
• Stem Cells: These cells can add youth and vitality to the heart, brain, joints and im – mune system.
To Your Good Health!
SOURCE: Dr. Dan Watts, Medical Director of The Renewal Point. Dr. Watts, MD, ND, MSNM, has been practicing surgery, family medicine and gynecology for over 35 years. He has been practicing Integrative Medicine for over 15 years and holds a Post-doctoral Master’s degree in Nutritional and Metabolic Medicine, a fellowship in Anti-Aging, Regenerative, and Functional Medicine, and a Post-doctoral Certification in Metabolic Endocrinology.
“Losing weight can be a challenge,” so says Deborah L. Oleynik, ND. While this sounds more like a fact of life than a profound statement, anyone who has ever tried the simple formula of exercise more/eat less and failed, needs to also understand the symphony of hormones that are involved in metabolism. These metabolic hormones make up a complex resonance in which the absence or over-abundance of just one can make or break the outcome. Some of the better known players included in this orchestra are: growth hormone, insulin, thyroid, cortisol, testosterone, estrogen and a lesser known hormone, Leptin.
While you never want fat hanging around your waist, for many people it’s the first place it goes and the last place it leaves. Believe it or not, love handles aren’t just unattractive. Carrying weight around your abdomen is bad for your health, worse than carrying weight on your hips or thighs, and is a key indicator of a hormonal imbalance. If you have struggled to lose weight or keep it off, I guarantee that your hormones are at play. Your hormones control every aspect of weight loss including your metabolism, where you store your fat, your appetite and even your cravings! This means any form of hormonal imbalance will sabotage your efforts, regardless of your diet and exercise habits.¹
Leptin: A 2004 study at the University of Chicago and Stanford showed that Leptin is a major regulator of appetite suppression. Leptin tells you to put down the fork. At The Renewal Point, we find many overweight people with Leptin resistance. They simply stay overly hungry all day long, until Leptin is balanced.²
Estrogen: Women, at certain phases of their lives and men in andropause, may experience estrogen imbalances with symptoms of: low libido, memory loss, poor motivation, depression, loss of muscle mass, and increased belly fat.
Low Testosterone: Testosterone levels decrease with age for both men and women. This is quite an alarming finding, considering those with low testosterone are more likely to develop a potbelly and other body fat. Scientists have found that testosterone may prompt the loss of body fat when deficient levels are replaced. Other signs of low testosterone levels include a loss of muscle tissue, depression, decreased strength, stamina, sex drive and a desire for love and affection.
Low Growth Hormone: This omnipotent hormone affects just about every cell in the body and has a major impact on our feelings, actions and appearance. Unfortunately, everyone will notice a decline in growth hormone as they age. I say this is unfortunate because growth hormone is essential for tissue repair, muscle building, bone density, and healthy body composition. A 2007 study from the Journal of Clinical Endocrinology & Metabolism linked abdominal obesity in postmenopausal women with low growth hormone secretion, elevated inflammatory markers and increased risk of cardiovascular disease.³
High Insulin: Insulin is an essential substance whose main function is to process sugar in the bloodstream and carry it into cells to be used as fuel or stored as fat. A primary cause of hyperinsulinemia is excess intake of sugar or carbohydrates typical of many diets today. Insulin resistance may also be attributed to lack of exercise, overindulging in alcohol, stress, a family history of diabetes, high blood pressure and excess body fat, especially around the abdomen.
High Cortisol: Persistently elevated levels of the stress hormone, cortisol, are very detrimental to your health as well as to your body composition. Not only does it increase your appetite and cravings, it causes a loss of muscle mass, libido and bone density, and also contributes to depression and memory loss. In other words, chronic stress makes us soft, flabby and much older than we truly are! Results published in the journal of Psychosomatic Medicine in 2000 established a link between cortisol and increased storage of abdominal fat.4
At The Renewal Point weight loss program, we specialize in balancing all the metabolic hormones. If this article sounds like you, let our expert and friendly staff help with these ‘pesky little trouble-makers.’ Without proper hormone balance, trying to maintain long-term results and long-term health is like trying to stop a freight train with your little finger – you will lose. To Your Good Health!
Source: Dr. Dan Watts, MD, ND, Post-doctoral Masters in Metabolic and Nutritional Medicine, Post-Doctoral Certification Metabolic Endocrinology; FELLOWSHIPS The American College of Surgeons, American Academy of AntiAging, Regenerative, and Functional Medicine.
REFERENCES: 1. Dr. Natasha Turner-The Oz Show 2. Universities of Chicago University & Stanford 2004 3. Journal Psychosomatic Medicine 2000 4. Journal of Clinical Endocrinology & Metabolism 2007
Helena Williams, ARNP, MSN describes our metabolic weight loss program and also gives tips for how to stay healthy through the holidays. Learn about her 3/4 strategy to help enjoy your holiday favorites without going overboard!
CoQ10 is an essential fat soluble nutrient and key to maintaining healthy mitochondria, the main source of the body’s cellular energy. Specifically, CoQ10 is one of the most powerful intracellular antioxidants, protecting DNA, membrane proteins, and mitochondrial phospholipids from oxidative damage (Molecular Biotechnology, 2007). The levels of this essential nutrient are decreased through the aging process, as well as with certain medication use. Statins, the popular cholesterol-lowering drugs, have been found to decrease levels by as much as 40% (Journal of Clinical Pharmacology, 1993). The good news, is that CoQ10 can be obtained through diet, supplementation, as well as tissue synthesis. CoQ10 supplementation has been found to increase CoQ10 levels in the platlets, white blood cells, and plasma, which, in turn, was found to effectively decrease signs of damaged DNA, even up to 12 weeks after discontinuing the supplementation (International Journal of Biological Sciences, 2007). CoQ10 is also proving to be a valuable tool in dealing with cardiovascular disease processes, such as endothelial dysfunction. In a recent meta-analysis, supplementation with CoQ10 was found to effectively improve endothelial function (Atherosclerosis, 2012). This is one powerful nutrient!