Patient Lori shares her story ~ She led a healthy lifestyle but was still having trouble with ADD, brain fog, and other symptoms that cleared up through testing and balancing with Integrative Medicine.  

7 billion pounds of toxins are poured into our environment each year ~ what can we do about it? Heavy metal toxins are some of the main culprits in neurodegeneration. Most people know about acute lead poisoning but what about chronic exposure?  What causes it, how can we test for it and what can we do about it?  Arsenic is very common in Sarasota water ~ is this a problem?  Memory loss, balance problems, ringing in ears, pins and needles in the toes, tremors…these are some of the earlier symptoms.  

Preventing inflammation is the key to brain health ~ how can we do this through nutrition?   Increased memory and focus, reduced brain toxicity, overcoming addiction, increased willpower, and a better sense of well-being are naturally within reach.  

Barbara is 80 years old, but has the energy and interest of a 60 year old ~ what is she doing to feel this way?! She says she has overcome lupus and is able to live a fulfilled life thanks to Dr. Watts.  One of the keys to Integrative Medicine is to look beyond treating the symptoms in order to determine the cause. (8 minutes)

A New Way of Fighting Alzheimer’s…Why did the rat get fat and what’s that got to do about Alzheimer’s?

In a recent breakthrough study, scientists at Massachusetts Institute of Technology showed that rats consuming a Westernized fast food diet increased the likelihood of their obesity. Now, that should not be news to anyone in America. Of course, everyone knows that if you eat copious amounts of French fries and ketchup as your only source of vegetables you will get fat.

That may not seem like much of a breakthrough until we check out the rest of the story; what M. I. T. actually found caused the obesity. When the same rats were given probiotics in yogurt along with the Westernized fast food diet, it inhibited age-associated weight gain. M. I. T. then went on to test whether a bacteria found in yogurt alone may serve to lessen fat by using a purified form of a probiotic called Lactobacillus reuteri in drinking water. Surprisingly, they discovered that oral L. reuteri therapy alone was sufficient to prevent obesity. (1)

Warning: This information does not give every junk-food junkie license to go ‘hog wild’ and believe they can make up for their misguided decisions by taking a probiotic. My family and I gave up junk-food years ago for the devastating impact it would have on our bodies. Of course I still miss my daily dose of donuts and McMuffins, being a reformed J.F. J. Now, having normal cholesterol and blood sugar levels, and going off statins to control poor lab results have all made the missing ‘sugar bliss’ worth it — not to mention my improved waistline. And, G. I. balance is not just as simple as eating a cup of sugary Vanilla Custard Yoplait for lunch every day.

More interestingly, researchers are finding that not only does a healthier gut microbiome lessen obesity and improve sugar balance; it can also prevent Alzheimer’s. Scientists John Cryan and Timothy Dinan at the Neurogastric Endocrinology Center-University College Cork in Ireland are conducting tests revealing how variations and changes in the composition of the gut microbiota (there’s that word again) influence normal physiology and contribute to diseases ranging from mood disorders to Alzheimer’s. Accumulative data now indicates that our gut microbiota also communicates with the central nervous system, possibly through neural, endocrine and immune pathways — and thereby improves brain function and behavior. (2, 3)

More and more epidemiological studies from around the world give evidence that the better the microbiome (the good bacterial content of one’s gut), the less chance of developing Alzheimer’s.

The way it works is this: an improved gut microbiota improves the function in the hippocampus and cortex of the brain (the thinking centers).

What research has proven is that Microbial Reprogramming can:

• Inhibit Western diet associated obesity

• Balance the immune system

• Balance sugar metabolism and diabetes

• Fight Alzheimer’s

• Improve mood, behavior and brain function

Whew! Enough science — what does all this mean? This new medical research reported in these articles is exciting because of the hope it offers all of us in preventing and treating some of the most devastating human conditions: obesity, Alzheimer’s and mood disorders.

At The Renewal Point we have, for years, promoted the ‘gut-brain connection’ to good health. Specializing in Integrative Medicine and utilizing the best of both traditional and alternative medical pathways, we apply nutrition, hormone balancing, ‘gut’ health, body composition and lifestyle in every one of our patients’ medical plans. We find improving gut health requires the oversight of an Integrative Physician experienced in working with such modalities as: pH, digestive enzymes, food sensitivities, toxins, as well as balancing the gut microbiota, and repleting nutritional deficiencies.

We invite you to join us in this exciting approach of managing healthcare, and in your quest for a healthier more vibrant life.

References:

1. Division of Comparative Medicine, M.I.T., Cambridge, Massachusetts, U.S.A.

2. Laboratory of Gastroenterology Alimentary P harmacology Centre, University College Cork, Cork, Ireland.

3. Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Neurosciences, McMaster University.

Q. Can we actually manage aging?

A. Hmmm…That’s a complex question. So, let me answer it with a rather standard cliché: There’s the good news, bad news and worse news. Worst news—we’re all going to die. Sorry, but it’s a fact of the natural order of things. The bad news? Along the way we may develop some disabilities, slow down, and possibly have some medical problems.

Now, for the good news. We are, for the most part, in control of how we age. Disallow­ing for such adversities as; accidents, diseases, or genetic determinates—the quality of life you have and the length of time in which you have to live it are a matter of choice.

Many of the choices for living a better quality of life are taught to us by society or our parents: Wear a seat belt when you ride in a car; Don’t drink and drive; Don’t smoke; Eat more vegetables and less candy—the list goes on.

But, many of these choices are not so easy to make, requiring non-traditional lab testing and finding a doctor specializing in Age Manage­ment Medicine. For instance, it may be difficult to determine that your painful, swollen joints or chronic migraine headaches are a result of a food sensitivity or that your depression is caused by one simple genetic defect of folate metabolism; or that your memory, balance problem and fuzzy brain is a result of mercury toxicity; or that your lack of desire for sex and love is a result of low testosterone (women as much as men, by the way).

So, one could just lament about getting older, remembering the days when you and your spouse were fiery for life and love or you can make changes. The most important change you will need to make is to find a doctor who specializes in Age Management, one that can guide you along the way; run the appropriate tests for hormones, nutritional deficiencies, tox­ins, and genomics; and then partner with you on developing a plan for recovery. By acquiring the necessary information, you, too, can make the right choices and actually manage your aging.

Change the Course— Change the Outcome!

At The Renewal Point, we believe you can spend the rest of your life discovering new levels of vitality and vigor—not simply trying to rescue what’s left. The Renewal Point puts you in control of how you age by guiding you through a full 12-month Integrative Concierge Age Management Program. You will discover the power and importance of getting ahead of the factors that influence health—rather than simply responding to their breakdown.

The 4 Cornerstones of Health

The Renewal Point Age Management Program focuses on four, critical “Cornerstones of Health” that turn your age management jour­ney into a refreshing discovery of new health and perspective.

They are:

Hormone Balance—Hormone Balance, as it turns out, is the most critical component to overall health and quality of life. With a skilled approach to testing, and treatment with bio-identical hormones, your hormones can be placed in balance to support every gland and function critical to health.

Physical Conditioning— Physical condi­tioning is more than a health club membership. Considering your body composition, strength, flexibility, bone strength, aerobic capacity and muscle and joint health a proper and—most importantly—doable program can be designed into your life routine.

Nutritional Health—Did you eat your vegetables today? Sure, everyone knows that diet is a key to good health, but how do you know if your balance supports your unique metabolism—or whether or not you have a nu­tritional deficiency or sensitivity to any of your favorite foods and the implications they may be having on your long-term health? The only way to know for sure is with proper testing and expert guidance.

Toxin Elimination—Frightening but true: over seven billion pounds of toxins are released into the environment every year…and are filtered through or contained in our bodies! The source of many known diseases, toxicity can be limited or eliminated with proper guidance and a natural approach.

Of course, no concierge Age Management Program would be complete without attention paid to the major systems of our bodies, including but not limited to: a healthy immune system, the metabolic system, the cardiopulmonary system, the neurological system, the skin system, and the reproductive system.  Why not let The Renewal Point’s team of experts guide you through an Integrative Conceirge Age Management Program and discover how you can manage your aging process better.

Confucius said, “The best time to plant a tree is 20 years ago. The next best time is NOW.” 

It’s inevitable—we all will age! So, the question now becomes, how do you want to age? Do you want to leave the process up to chance or do you want to take control of your own aging process? And, ultimately, do you want to treat diseases or prevent them? 

First of all, how do you see yourself as you grow older? For many, “old age” brings up images of wheelchairs and nursing homes. If that’s in your mind, STOP! It doesn’t have to turn out that way! I want to clear your mind entirely of these images. I want to totally blow the idea out of the water that you are destined to become more sick and frail, just because you are aging. And I can show you how to do it. 

For years now, I have been studying the science of anti-aging medicine. This science is not about preventing death or even about “not aging.” Of course we all age and we will all eventually die. But, age management medicine is about taking a proactive and preventative approach in optimizing the health you already have. 

The health you have today and the length of time you manage to keep it are directly related to the choices you make each and every day. However, if you leave important health decisions up to fate, (or even worse, up to your insurance carrier) you are taking a chance on your future.

This is good news to most people. In these times it seems we have lost control of our retirement policy and the value of our homes or our credit card balances—but at least we can take control of our health!  

Unfortunately, in our current society, 80% of health dollars are spent in the last 20% of life. What’s important, is that you can change this statistic by investing in preventive health now.  I’m not saying that prevention will always reduce overall costs, but what I am saying is that moving those costs up front can help you live a better quality of life as you get older.  

The most recent research shows that the majority of American couples are spending $220,000 in healthcare costs after the age of 65 years.  So, do you want to spend it on creating a higher quality of life for yourself now, or do you want to save your money for expensive treatments later in life when you are trying to “hang in there.” 

There are many retirement health insurance plans that allow you to put money in now that can be used later. However, by doing this, people are making a conscious decision to pay for treatment rather than prevention. And, unfortunately, many times the type or care and provider is left up to the discretion of the insurance company. 

Most of us already know that if we just made the choices to stay active and fit, eat right and stop smoking, we would be ahead on the aging scale. But what most don’t know is that there are literally hundreds of other ways to better our health; some are lifestyle changes we make on our own, and many require the expertise and guidance of a medical specialist. 

The traditional medical approach is based on running labs and procedures on a disease process after it occurs. Though important, a newer more proactive approach focuses on diagnostic testing in advance of illness in order to find the disease process before it finds you. 

How do you picture your life in 15 to 30 years? Do you dream of playing with your grandkids, taking walks on the beach, and dancing at weddings? If you answered yes to any of these questions, then you are envisioning a high quality of life in your later years. And, now, you need a health plan that reflects this. 

There is no better time than now to take the reins and take control of where your life is headed. At The Renewal Point we guide you through a full 12-month concierge medical program which includes lab tests, comprehensive assessments, expert guidance, and integrated treatments so that you can get ahead of the factors that influence health—rather than simply responding to their breakdown.

As printed in West Coast Woman March 2014

A woman writes to a Cavewoman Diet blog: “Help Me, I’m flipping out here, gaining weight, and can’t seem to stop this roll that’s gathering around my waist. Nothing is helping …can’t sleep, constant mood swings, about to have a nervous breakdown, and still not losing weight.”

I was intrigued over comments made by this online blogger who was following the Paleolithic diet. This diet, sometimes called the Caveman or Cavewoman Diet, became popular in the 1970s and is hav­ing a revival today. It promotes eating meat, vegetables, nuts, and fruits, and recommends avoiding legumes (beans), grains, dairy, refined sugar, and refined oils. I say intrigued, not because these comments are anything new to me. Actually, her symptoms are typical of patients I see in my office every day. When I read on, I discovered, this patient described herself as being thin only four years ago, which was prior to her peri-menopausal symptoms.

Actually, her problem was not that the Paleo Diet would not work for her, but that her metabolism was out of balance. Trying to lose weight by any method that promotes ex­ercising and calorie restriction can be difficult, if not impossible, especially if one’s hormones are not in balance. My mantra is: It is as difficult as trying to stop a freight train with your little finger…you will lose.

At first glance, the Cavewoman Diet seems to make sense…grass-fed meats, veggies, fish, nuts, eggs, fruit. What could be wrong with that? While these are all foods that have a rational basis when it comes to weight loss, basing a diet on the premise that cavewomen didn’t get fat has its faults.

First, most cavewomen never hit meno­pause. Archeologists estimate that the average cavewoman died well before the age of 35. She didn’t have to grapple with insomnia, pedal-to-the-metal stress, a slowing metabo­lism, mood swings, and the array of other factors that burden menopausal and peri-menopausal women.

Second, cavewomen were active from sun­rise to sunset. In our modern day society, this is unrealistic for most people. We have cars to take us across town and we have grocery stores at our fingertips. Most women find it hard enough just to balance work and family life, not leaving adequate time for exercise.

And last, but not least, the Cavewoman Diet doesn’t take into consideration the fact that we have urges and appetites (different than actual hunger) to battle with. With food around every corner, it’s difficult to restrain these urges, unless we have support.

So, while the foods that the cavewoman ate are on target for healthy weight loss, we’ve found that the additional keys to weight loss are hormone balancing if needed, medical guidance on realistic activity level and por­tion sizes, expert nutritional advice, behavior modification, support in reaching your goals, and medications and/or supplements to con­trol cravings. These are all things we offer our patients at The Renewal Point and have seen great results.

We encourage you to come to one of our upcoming seminars in order to learn more about the unique services offered at The Renewal Point that can make it a whole lot easier to lose weight—and you don’t have to be a Cavewoman, either!

Works Cited: SHP: Medicine & Health Through Time

Does this sound like you? For some strange reason, each holiday season you’re struck on the head by a sugar plum fairy…a daze which begins the last of November and ends the last of December. Then you wake up from this amnesia in a déjà vu on January 1st with your belly pouching out on both sides of your waist and over your pants or skirt. 

Over the holidays, it’s somewhat normal to gain between 2 and 5 pounds. And this amount of weight can be fairly easy to lose once you throw out the leftover stuffing, get back to your exercise routine, rest, and cut back on the alcohol. However, if you are someone who needs to lose more than 5 pounds, you might want to consider joining a weight loss program in order to get the support you need and start 2014 on a healthy path.

In a culture that values independence and the “I can do it all” attitude, it can be hard to ask for help. But changing habits that are deeply engrained is not an easy feat, especially when it’s done solo. The truth is, behavior change is next to impossible without coaching.  

Many people tend to berate themselves when they can’t lose weight. They imagine they don’t have enough self-control, willpower, or that their metabolism is just too slow. To their surprise, when we run simple blood tests, we find that it wasn’t their fault at all…. they aren’t “couch potatoes” or “slackers” or any of those names they are so quick to call themselves…they are, in fact, just victims of hormone imbalance and lack of proper medical advice and counseling. 

As Dr. Oz says, it’s important to develop a support system of people who know your goals, know your obstacles, know your weaknesses, and know your strengths. With public accountability — that is, you reporting on those daily struggles and successes — you’re more likely to make a permanent change.” 

That’s exactly the reason why The Renewal Point offers a full range of services. Our patients find that individualized medical support—including hormone balancing, nutritional counseling, and weight loss medications, if needed—are the missing pieces to effective weight loss. 

With this type of support, our patients are able to lose weight and regain energy all at the same time. While we do include a nutritional plan as part of the program, it’s more about eliminating specific types of foods than it is about extreme calorie restriction. By doing this, patients are able to lose weight without feeling fatigued and “moody.” 

Furthermore, their metabolism stays “revved up” so that they are able to keep the weight off in the end. Then, add hormone balancing to the mix and men and women achieve a level of health that they never knew possible. 

As one of our weight loss patients described it, “My entire sense of well being is due to the integrated care received at The Renewal Point. I went from fatigued, pained, tired and fat to happy, energetic, and healthy,” says Maggie K. 

So, if you are someone who has struggled with losing weight, know that, at The Renewal Point, we are here for you and ready to be that team of people who can help you reach your goals. We encourage you to come to one of our complimentary upcoming seminars in order to learn more about the unique services offered at The Renewal Point. 

(Article as printed in West Coast Woman January 2014)