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)

My fuzzy brain, IBS, acid reflux, fibromyalgia, and joint pain. Could these be caused by foods I’m eating everyday?  We’ve been getting a lot of questions recently about food allergies.  Because this topic can really be confusing, I wanted to take this opportunity to try and help answer some of these questions.  What I’m finding, at the crux of this confusion, is that the term “food allergy” is used as an umbrella term for any abnormal reaction caused by food.

So, what’s first helpful to understand is the difference between a food allergy and food intolerance.  While there are some shared symptoms between food allergies and intolerance ( these can include vomiting, diarrhea, stomach pain, and nausea) there are also many differences between the two reactions.  Both of these reactions can be extremely troublesome in their own way and they both deserve our attention.

A food allergy is very problematic in the short term.  The symptoms can vary, but usually include shortness of breath, trouble swallowing, rash or itchy skin, chest pain, or even a sudden drop in blood pressure.  These are symptoms which need immediate attention and care, sometimes in the form of epinephrine.   Some common food allergies include peanuts, shellfish, soy, eggs, and wheat. 

Alternatively, food intolerances occur when your body has trouble digesting a particular food.  While this doesn’t require acute care, it certainly deserves our immediate attention because of what it can do to your health in the long run if left alone.   The more noticeable symptoms of food intolerances include headaches, nervousness, cramps, gas, bloating, and heartburn.  Long term, these intolerances can contribute to a range of health problems, ranging from lack of energy to gastrointestinal issues and inflammation.  Some common food intolerances include lactose, food additives, and gluten.

There are several ways to detect food intolerances.  One way is through the elimination of the more frequent offenders, such as dairy and gluten, then seeing how your body reacts.  While this can be helpful, it really doesn’t give us a full picture of where you stand with each of the foods, or for how long they will need to be eliminated.

In order to get a complete picture, we have found a food study to be the most comprehensive.  It gives us a very specific analysis of your severe, moderate, and mild food allergies and intolerances.  It can help us figure out exactly how long you need to cut out certain foods so that your body can learn to process them correctly.  Many times, it is simply a matter of cutting out a food for several months in order to allow your immune system to readjust and build up a tolerance again.  Then, when it does get added back in, the we are able to use the results once again to tell us exactly how much and how often each of the foods can be added back in safely. 

Here’s what one of our patients has to say:

Earlier this year I came to see Dr Watts for my annual check up. I had been suffering with all sorts of symptoms that seemed to plague other friends my age (62): joint pain in my fingers, stomach pains and bloating, and a lack of energy in the afternoons. Worst of all, my thinking was really fuzzy, making it hard to feel productive in my career. Dr Watts ordered a food study and discovered that I had developed sensitivities to several foods that I ate on a regular basis. I am following the program of eliminating those foods and then slowly reintroducing them into my diet after 6 months. Within a week of changing my diet, most of the symptoms were gone. I was thrilled and so relieved to find out that I was in the driver’s seat again with my health and my daily sense of well-being. I am so grateful for the team of professionals at The Renewal Point!  -R.B.

Sounds like the title of a horror movie doesn’t it? Taming your waistline without also taming the monster within can be frustrating if not next to impossible. On TV, Dr. Oz, and internet blogs, we hear more and more about inflammation and its devastating effect on our health and the incidence of obesity.  

Truth is, there exists a scientific relationship between obesity and inflammation which dictates — the fatter one gets, the more inflammatory hormones one produces

[i]

. And, the more inflammatory hormones we produce, the fatter we get — it’s definitely a horror story! It’s also a vicious cycle that must be tamed. Andrew Weil, notable Harvard physician and author states, “Inflammation may very well be at the bottom of all degenerative diseases,” such as diabetes, heart disease, Alzheimer’s, cancer, Parkinson’s, and fibromyalgia, just to name a few. Therefore, it behooves us to take note of such a devastating problem and fix it.  

At The Renewal Point, we often see patients who are suffering from multiple inflammatory conditions, such as sore muscles and joints, inflamed stomachs and digestive tracts, GERD, reflux, gastritis, as well as fibromyalgia, arthritis, headaches, and all around fatigue and feeling poorly. Generally, these patients exhibit an immune dysregulation that can be measured in the blood

[ii]

. When blood tests show these immune cells to be off-balance, it’s important to rebalance them both for long term weight control as well as health and longevity.  

So, how do we go about taming this evildoer? At The Renewal Point, we have a great deal of experience in monster taming. We start by running labs to discover what triggered the inflammation in the first place. It could be poor metabolism, hormone imbalance, toxins, nutritional deficiencies, stress, lack of physical activity, poor diet, or a sundry of other problems. Once detected, we design a plan to correct these underlying problems. We find that when the underlying problem is corrected, the weight melts away, the waistline narrows, and many, if not all, inflammatory problems resolve. 

Here is one such success story: 

“The care I have received from the Renewal Point has made such a change in my health and mental well being that I can’t really put it in words. Looking back five years ago I had such low energy that I felt like I couldn’t do anything, I was bloated, my skin looked sallow, I ate poorly, and even though I slept all night, I always woke up tired. Since I’ve been going to the Renewal Point I have so much more energy, I’ve lost weight, my mind is clearer, my rheumatoid arthritis and Crohn’s disease are much less active, I get complements on my skin, my hair is shiny and healthy again, and I sleep and wake up with energy. At age 55, I am told all the time by people that I’ve known for years, and those I’ve known for only a short time, that I look much younger than my real age.” –Barbara

We have helped many patients like Barbara obtain their weight goals, stop inflammation, balance their hormones, and live a higher quality of life. If you would like to learn more, we encourage you to call our office at 941-926-4905 or visit our website at TheRenewalPoint.com to schedule an appointment or reserve a seat at one of our upcoming seminars.

[i]

Greenberg et al. The American Journal of Clinical Nutrition. 2006. Vol 83.

[ii]

Berg et al. Circulation Research. 2005. Vol 96.

Can it be that obesity is a highly inheritable trait?  Can we then blame mom and dad for our weight problems? Hold that thought.

I come from a rural Appalachian community where you hear this common expression, “My daddy’s chubby, my momma’s chubby, all my brothers and sisters are chubby – of course, I’m chubby! It runs in my family!”  The fact is, if you looked around, you’d find that almost everyone in that community is indeed “chubby.”  Hmmm, does it really run in the family genes or could it actually have something to do with the traditional foods commonly eaten there such as sweet tea, biscuits and white gravy, cheesy grits, pork rinds and chicken-fried everything?

Scientists now tell us the answer to both questions is “yes.”  Their research shows that in addition to diet and exercise, your weight is also strongly influenced by your metabolism and your genes.  To date, more than 41 sites on the Human Genome have been linked to the development of obesity when a favorable environment is present.[i]

Most of these genes have to do with your metabolism as it relates to hunger, satiety, and food intake.  Many of these genes control leptin hormones that set a “thermostat” for how much fat you feel comfortable carrying.  If the “thermostat” is set “up,” you feel more comfortable being overweight.  Conversely, if the “thermostat” is set “low,” you will feel more comfortable being trim.

The good news is that genes such as these can be controlled through a science known as nutrigenomics which is the process of turning genes “off and on” through nutrition.

At The Renewal Point, we run routine metabolic screenings in our weight loss program, and when necessary, gene testing to assist patients in achieving their weight goals.  Many of our patients find that trying to lose weight without adequate testing is like trying to swim upstream. C.K.’s story is typical of this.

C.K. came to us frustrated, demoralized and still overweight after following an untold number of popular diet programs.  After a consultation with our Nurse Practitioner, she underwent lab testing, including a metabolic, hormone and genetic profile.  Multiple medical issues were discovered which were holding her back. 

Her blood tests showed insulin resistance, underactive thyroid, hormone imbalances, and markers for leptin resistance.  With C.K.’s “fat thermostat” turned up and her metabolism turned down, it would have been almost impossible to achieve long-term, satisfying weight control.

With the help of our team of trained professionals, C.K.’s metabolism, hormone and genetic markers were balanced and she was able to lose the weight.  Now 50 lbs. lighter, she feels happy, comfortable and content at her ideal size.

We can offer this same type of customized weight loss for you as well. And, we also treat men for weight loss with a lot of success. So stop blaming mom and dad, and schedule your consultation with The Renewal Point. 

Have some questions? Please join us at one of our upcoming complimentary seminars.

As printed in the May 2013 edition of West Coast Woman.

[i] Poirer, P. et al (May 2006) Arteriosclerosis Thrombosis and Vascular Biology

And it has nothing to do with social status, wealth or political affiliation. According to the CDC (Centers for Disease Control and Prevention), 35% of U.S. adults are obese. Obesity affects your quality of life and will cause you to die earlier than your peers. And how does it make you feel? Depressed and fatigued with an overall loss of vitality.

So, enough about the bad news. What can be done? At The Renewal Point, we have helped hundreds of men and women with weight issues using the most modern methods available. Under the guidance of Dr Watts and his supportive medical team, patients have the opportunity to use the most modern methods available for weight loss, such as FDA approved appetite suppressants, hormone balancing, Lipotropic injections, and a personalized nutritional plan.  Let’s take a look at three examples of The Renewal Point patients; as we will see, metabolic problems such as inflammation, hormone imbalance and stress interfere with maintaining a normal weight.

Inflammation:

John – Age 56, was referred by his wife for weight issues. On previous attempts at weight loss, he had failed. He described aching throughout his body, i.e., knee pain, back pain, etc. John’s principle problem was inflammation throughout his cardiovascular and musculoskeletal system. Tests performed in our office proved John had heavy metal toxins and food sensitivities. After a simple elimination of the heavy metal toxins and a diet more favorable to his food allergies, John was able to shed his weight. As a special bonus, much of his inflammatory symptoms began to disappear.

“Inflammation caused by food intolerances leads to unwanted weight gain,” says Dr. Beverly Yates, author of: A Natural Approach to Healing and Preventing Heart Disease.

Additionally, inflammation and its ensuing problem with weight control, heart disease, hypertension and strokes can be caused by toxins such as heavy metals. “Measurement of heavy metal toxicities should be evaluated in patients with these problems” says Dr. Houston of Vanderbilt University.

Hormones:

Jessica – Age 55, is a mother of three and grandmother of one. She ate well, exercised, took “vitamins, and drank alcohol moderately but she was not feeling well. She complained of symptoms of insomnia, fatigue, low sex drive, fluid retention and weight gain. As she put it, “I’m sick of feeling sick”.

Blood tests showed Jessica to have ovarian and thyroid hormonal issues. Once Jessica’s hormone issues were corrected with bioidentical hormones her complaints of low sex drive, fatigue and insomnia ceased. And, as she said, “I feel great and am a slimmer version of myself”.

Kent Holtorf, M.D. in a peer-reviewed article printed in Postgraduate Medicine, concludes, Bioidentical Hormones are “safer and more efficacious than commonly used synthetic versions.” In fact, they decrease the risk of heart disease, Alzheimer’s and weight gain.

In their article on the effects of weight gain by synthetic progestins in Cochran Database System Review, Lopez, et. al. found that use of synthetic hormones significantly increased body fat and decreased lean body mass.

Stress (Adrenals):

Gloria – Age 41, a professional, who described herself as an “in-charge woman, friendly and productive”, had been experiencing personnel problems at her office. She became overly stressed and disheartened about it. Her doctor diagnosed her with depression and placed her on Zoloft. She came to us complaining of fatigue and weight gain. (A common side-effect of Zoloft is weight gain.) A salivary and urinary lab revealed low cortisol and serotonin levels. We advised a course of natural cortisone and natural Targeted Amino Acids®. Shortly after, she discontinued her Zoloft and began to lose weight easily.

In an article published in Psychoneuroendocrinology, Tomiyama, et. al. reported that those with higher stress levels and low cortisol levels had greater fat accumulation and reported increased emotional eating.

At The Renewal Point, we have found that most metabolic imbalances cause problems with weight gain, especially around the hips and thighs. By controlling these metabolic imbalances, we are able to not only address the issues of weight gain but also many of the physical and emotional factors that come with it.

This information is not intended to diagnose, treat, prevent or cure any disease. All material provided in this article is for educational purposes only. Names have been changed to protect patient confidentiality. Individual results may vary from those listed in this article. Always seek the advice of your physician or other qalified health care provider with any questions you have regarding a medical condition, and before undertaking any health program.

An ad for a new product caught my eye recently. It was for multi-grain Pringles. Now, I’ve got no “chip” on my shoulder about junk food when eaten in prudent moderation (meaning very little), but making the case for justifying junk food by making it “multi-grain” illustrates the problem in the American diet. Magazine and television advertisements would lead you to believe the children’s cereal Froot Loops is a health food, if you want to believe that!

Simple sugars, empty carbs, corn syrup, fructose — these are simply not the building blocks for a healthy body. And they’re not called “empty” calories for nothing. In fact, they’re potentially harmful. At The Renewal Point we’ve been helping women and men lose and keep weight off for over 10 years. We have helped hundreds along the way. Our medically-based program offers science — not pre-packaged meals or severe calorie-restricted diets, which eventually leads to yo-yo weight loss/gain cycles. We plan for a program of health and metabolic balance, which helps you not only keep that weight off, but also enjoy a longer, greater quality of life.

At The Renewal Point we employ a detect and correct approach to weight loss. We first find out what’s going on inside of you via laboratory tests that detect metabolic problems, which may be holding you back from a healthy weight. Then we create a custom plan, designed just for you, based on hormone balance, nutrition, physical conditioning and sometimes detoxification.

Sample comments we hear at The Renewal Point about our weight loss program are:

“I’ve tried everything and failed. My ‘systems’ were not cooperating with my efforts! Well, The Renewal Point Weight Management Team put ‘it’ all together with me. I immediately began to feel better, more balanced and in control of my life.”

“After three years of struggling with my weight, a professional guided hormone balancing has changed my life for the better.”

“It has been five months since I started the program at The Renewal Point and I have lost 50 pounds and 12% body fat! I feel fantastic, look great, and I am enjoying my life so much more! I have a wonderfully restored life. Thank you, Renewal Point!”

“Currently, I have lost 28 pounds. My daughters say I look twenty years younger.”

Your Guide to Healthy Weight Loss for 2013

You’ll be planning your resolutions for 2013 soon. And you’ll be looking perhaps again to lose weight. Make it easier on yourself and allow us to guide you safely and precisely to your goals. At The Renewal Point we treat you individually, not as a number. We have found that each person’s metabolic problems are as different as their fingerprint.

Men Welcome!

At The Renewal Point we also work with men who want to lose weight. Men have their own needs and – we don’t need to tell you female readers this – they have their own unique physiology, including hormones. By applying the same detect and correct approach we can help guide the man in your life back to that trim fellow you remember.

Come to one of our seminars and see how it all works. Bring your friends. And put those Pringles back on the shelf.

Alarmingly, toxins are ever present in our environment. If you breathe air, eat food, or drink water, toxins are entering your body. These stealth killers go into our bodies, but many of them do not come back out! They literally get stuck in the deep tissues of our bodies in the liver, heart, brain, kidneys, and bones causing diseases of all sorts such as cancer, heart disease and Alzheimer’s.

Also disturbing is the fact that newer, man-made chemicals are being developed annually, by the thousands. Many of these man-made chemicals such as herbicides, pesticides and industrial chemicals are listed by the EPA (Environmental Protection Agency) as poisons. If you have ever read the dire warning labels on insecticides and weed killers, you’ll see how harmful they can be when exposed to humans.

Not by coincidence, many of these chemicals are carcinogenic. OSHA just last month added numerous new chemicals to their list of carcinogens including many toxins we are exposed to daily, such as formaldehyde and styrene. (Formaldehyde may be found in household products, disinfectants, glues, adhesion, and building materials including hard-pressed woods such as particle board and plywood. Styrene may be found in boats, tubs, showers, and Styrofoam.)

Concomitantly, just as we are seeing an increase in chemical toxins in our environment, we are also seeing a rise in cancer rates.  Since President Nixon declared war to stop cancer in 1971, the incidence of cancer has actually risen 78%. This is deplorable, indicating we are doing something which creates our own diseases. It all may sound hopeless or overwhelming, but it isn’t. There are ways to safeguard your health by becoming better informed.

At The Renewal Point, we suggest testing for toxins prior to developing potential organ damage or disease. If toxins are found, we can help you devise a plan to pull these chemicals and heavy metals out, restoring your body to clean, healthy function.

We strongly recommend you do toxic screenings prior to symptoms. Unfortunately, many times we do not see a patient until after they have been diagnosed with diseases. As with so many health issues, early proactive care is the best approach for your health—and that’s what we specialize in at The Renewal Point.

Let me give you an example. J.P. is a 50 year-old female who came to us complaining of memory loss. She feared developing Alzheimer’s, as her dad did, at an early age. A simple test revealed that her lead level was 40 times the safe limit. Knowing that lead causes brain degeneration, we prescribed a treatment program of chelation to remove the lead, which restored J.P.’s memory to normal.

The important thing to know is that you cannot see, smell or taste most of these stealth chemicals, nor can you feel their effects until they begin to cause disease. That’s right. Unfortunately, most people do not know they are affected by toxins until they have organ system damage, i.e. cancer, heart disease, Alzheimer’s, etc.

Some common toxins include:

• Mercury (includes tuna fish and dental amalgams)
• Phthalates (plastics, household containers)
• Pesticides (food and juices from grocery stores)
• Benzene (gasoline and other fuels)
• Toluene (household polishers and cleaners)
• Styrene (styrofoam in bathtubs and boats)

Chances are you’ve been exposed to many chemicals that are potentially very toxic to your system. If you are experiencing symptoms such as cardiovascular disease, neurological problems, fatigue or cancer, you should be checked and tested to see if you have toxins in your system. At The Renewal Point we make the process easy from start to finish. We will evaluate you, test you, and then set in place a plan to remove toxins. And then you can get on with your life, not burdening your body with all those hazardous chemicals. You’re worth it, don’t you think?

While Googling women’s health topics I came upon the usual quick fixes, miracle creams and over-hyped, questionable treatments, as well as many reputable practitioners. It was there I saw the words “The Hormone Wizard”. It’s a clever name for women seeking answers and relief for the often-mysterious health challenge known as menopause. If you’re seeking your own hormone “wizard” for your symptoms (mood swings, sleeping difficulties, sexual problems, hot flashes, memory loss, weight gain), let the Renewal Point show you how.

First, just a little history. Our understanding of women’s health – particularly the role hormones play – has grown exponentially over the years. Did you know that in 1898 German doctors fed cow ovaries to a woman who was suffering from hot flashes after her own ovaries had been removed? I’m sure women (and most cows) are happy that treatment is no longer used. Fast forward to the ‘60s and the promise of hormone therapy came into full bloom with no mention of the side effects synthetic hormones can cause. When a woman turned a certain age she was given Premarin or Prempro and told to have a good life.

If you’re seeking your own hormone “wizard” for your symptoms (mood swings, sleeping difficulties, sexual problems, hot flashes, memory loss, weight gain), let The Renewal Point show you how.

But, if you’re like most women, you’ve no doubt read the often confusing and contradictory studies about traditional HRT. It’s like you need a wizard of sorts to help you magically find your way and provide the answers.

At The Renewal Point we don’t have a magic wand. Instead we have real medicine, real science and over 20 years of treating women going through menopause. We do that by offering a personalized plan that takes into account the fact that as far as hormone balancing goes, one size does not fit all. Your hormones are as different and as unique as your fingerprint. We are able to measure those differences in blood, saliva or urine tests to find the imbalances. We then use the “detect and correct” method for adding back safe, natural bio-identical hormones. Most importantly, we balance all the hormones in order to have an optimal response.

Hormones work much like the instruments in an orchestra. If one of these instruments is out of tune, it throws the entire concert off. Here is a list of some of the more important “players”…

• Thyroid – Energy, enthusiasm, weight control
• Adrenal – Cortisol and DHEA (sometimes the most pesky and critical to balance) help you manage stress, fatigue and moodiness
• Gonadal – Estradiol, Progesterone, Testosterone: femininity or masculinity, sexuality, brain function, skin, vaginal moisture, orgasm
• Pituitary – Growth hormones: probably the number one anti-aging hormone
• Brain Hormones – Seratonin, Dopamine, etc: communication central; controls all aspects of health (joy, brain power, memory, weight control, sugar and carb cravings)

Here’s the story of a woman who came into the Renewal Point. Shelly was 55, married, the mother of two, and grandmother of three when we met in my office. She told me that her life should be happy and pleasant, but unfortunately it was not. She previously had a hysterectomy, tended to experience carb cravings and had a hunger for fast food, drank two glasses of wine per day, exercised three times per week, took multi-vitamins and had tried Premarin in the past, but discontinued because of the side effects.

She also complained of weight gain, feeling “flabby”, vaginal dryness and a lack of sex drive. She experienced some emotional symptoms as well; poor sleep, irritability, hot flashes, a lack of mental focus and low energy. Does this sound like you?

We ran comprehensive tests and her labs revealed multiple hormone abnormalities that involved her thyroid, insulin, testosterone, estrogen, DHEA and growth hormone levels. Armed with that information, we were able to turn her life around by balancing her hormones into optimal levels. Consequently, all of her emotional symptoms and complaints disappeared.

In addition, Shelly lost 30 pounds, sleeps like a baby, and now enjoys her life. Her sex life has been restored, she experiences emotional wellbeing, and has more than enough energy left at the end of the day to play with the grandkids.

What magic did we perform at Renewal Point? No magic wand was used! What we did for Shelly was a comprehensive evaluation followed by thorough testing, completed with bio-identical hormones. And that’s what we can offer you as well. Come to one of our free seminars and see what we’re all about, visit our office and ask all the questions you may have.