Genetics and Health

Nutrition and Supplements for GENETICS and HEALTH, avoiding drugs

Can I tell you a story and see if it seems familiar? Picture this:

You see someone that claims to love and support you after 3-6 months. That person is either a friend or a family member. Maybe a FAN on social media. In that time, you have changed your body composition so that your waist is trimmer, you have more muscle and less fat. Your skin looks healthier and you hold your head higher. They say something like: “Wow, you look really good, Are you Starving yourself?” or “Why’d you lose weight, you were fine before.” then there is the “I’ve seen your posts, what are you trying to prove?”.

We’ve all had it, right? It makes us feel bad. I mean shoot, look what was said about Adele’s Decision to Get Healthy.

What we know about Obesity:

Obesity is the number one cause of almost ALL CHRONIC disease. It causes joint degeneration, heart disease, diabetes, cancer of all types. It is one of the leading COSTS in the healthcare system. So why are people Health Shaming you? They feel Guilty. Or, they think you should feel guilty for improving because you are now supposedly Fat-Shaming them by losing the unhealthy habits.

What Role Does Genetics Play in ALL of this?

Back in April, I did a Blog on Genetics and Pharmacology. (you can reference that here)

Is Pharmacology Necessary?

What I would like to tell you today, is that that while sometimes pharmaceutical intervention is necessary; Pharmacology can also do harm in more than just the side effects. You see, Most drugs are meant to alleviate symptoms short term and then time out. We want to adjust and treat the cause of the symptom, not just override it or mask it with a drug. Most drugs come with side effects that lead to the need for another drug. If we can look to the genetics and the NEEDS of the PERSON, we can decrease our dependency on pharmaceuticals by 3 fold in this Country

Now, there are times when you need to be on a specific drug for a longer amount of time, but you should also know those nutrient deficiencies are created with those drugs or combination of drugs.

So When might you need to be on a drug longer than 90 days? Severe, chronic disease states like diabetes, COPD, Hypertension that is Hereditary, Thyroid medication after thyroid removal; Hormone replacement therapy after menopause or in cases of severe low-T. The list is not endless though.

When should you talk about Health Management vs. Pharmaceutical Management?

Let’s say you are someone who has High Blood Pressure or Hypertension, has a BMI greater than 23 (Calculate Here)With Extra weight around your midsection and When you measure your waist it is greater than the measurement of your Hips. Your medication should only be given in conjunction with a Nutrition and Exercise Plan. Notice I Did NOT use the word DIEt. That’s right, to DIET is to DIE. Think in terms of Nutrition. What helps my Body GAIN what it NEEDS?

That Plan should be Monitored and carried out to work towards lowering or removing the medication altogether. This plan would take 90 days to 18 months and appropriate supplements would be added to ensure nutrient depletion did not occur.

For MOST individuals, Physical Activity alone is not enough. We need to CHANGE Nutrients being put in. Genetics play a role in the AMOUNT of food needed, the TYPE of food needed, the ability to tell if you are FULL or HUNGRY and the AMOUNT and TYPE of physical activity required.

Feel Better – Find Nutrients Depleted b…ent Depletion Calculator – Mytavin.com

This is an example of someone taking Lipitor, Aldactizone and Metformin. The LIST is all of the deficiencies created. These deficiencies can also play a role on the GENETIC Expression of some markers for EACH INDIVIDUAL.

When did Being a Proper weight and size become a Negative?

I Don’t Know about YOU, But I’d Rather have the TOP of this Picture than the Bottom. So many times, even in my own life, I have had people ask me why I am exercising or why I am skipping desert. Or My favorite, “You’ve lost so much weight, You should Eat”. My goal is to CHANGE HEALTH in this country, one person at a time. I want to restore people’s ability to believe in themselves. To tell that person trying to sabotage them, “HEY! Back off. Its about and for ME, not you.” Because really, that person is jealous that you had the Guts to change your health. I want to teach people To Fight for their HEALTH, and to know when they can say NOT TODAY to a drug or surgery. I want to bring AMERICA BACK TO RIGHT through education, Nutrition Exercise and Supplements, not Drugs.

To schedule a Consult to see if we are a right fit to correct your health, Click Here

~Dr. Marci

References:

https://dnalife.academy/dna-health/
Recent developments in genetic/genomic medicine, Rachel H. Horton and Anneke M. Lucassen, Clin Sci (Lond). 2019 Mar 15; 133(5): 697–708.Published online 2019 Mar 5. Prepublished online 2019 Feb 27. doi: 10.1042/CS20180436
Pharmacogenomics in the treatment of mood disorders: Strategies and Opportunities for personalized psychiatry; Azmeraw T. Amare,1 Klaus Oliver Schubert,1,2 and Bernhard T. Baune1; EPMA J. 2017 Sep; 8(3): 211–227.Published online 2017 Sep 5. doi: 10.1007/s13167-017-0112-8
Future Trends in the Pharmacogenomics of Brain Disorders and Dementia: Influence of APOE and CYP2D6 Variants; Ramón Cacabelos,1,2,* Lucía Fernández-Novoa,1,2 Rocío Martínez-Bouza,1,2 Adam McKay,1,2 Juan C. Carril,1,2 Valter Lombardi,1,2 Lola Corzo,1,2 Iván Carrera,1,2 Iván Tellado,1,2 Laura Nebril,1,2 Margarita Alcaraz,1,2 Susana Rodríguez,1,2 Ángela Casas,1,2 Verónica Couceiro,1,2 and Antón Álvarez1,2Pharmaceuticals (Basel). 2010 Oct; 3(10): 3040–3100.Published online 2010 Sep 29. doi: 10.3390/ph3103040
Some observations on the role of environment and genetics in behaviour of wild and domestic forms of Sus scrofa (European wild boars and domestic pigs)S Robert, J Dancosse, A Dallaire – Applied Animal Behaviour Science, 1987 – Elsevier
https://www.cdc.gov/healthyweight/assessing/bmi/adult_bmi/english_bmi_calculator/bmi_calculator.html
https://mytavin.com/results/medications/612-83-1100

Lemon Water: The Good, The Bad and The Ugly

What are the benefits and Negatives of Drinking Lemon Water daily?

Research suggests that the average female needs 91 oz of water while the average male needs 125oz of water daily, But it’s so bland. So how do you get it in? What about flavored water or water with something added to it?

The most common fruit placed in water is Lemon, and with good reason. The question is, is it for your betterment or does it cause harm. Well, just like anything, too much of a good thing is too much. Use best Judgement and guidance from multiple providers, including your dentist.

So what is Lemon Water Used For?

Ayurvedic medicine has long stated that lemon in the water plays a role in detoxification, hydration, weight loss, digestion, improved skin quality, prevention of kidney stones, and it’s a good source of Vitamin-C. But which of those hold water?

Turmeric powder,Turmeric in Mortar Grinder drugs and ingredient herbs on wooden background

It turns out that most of it is correct. In a study published in 2016, they looked at the benefits of using lemon water with honey in it to decrease lipid profiles. 50 people participated and the results were conclusive. The Fat weight of the person decreased, Triglyceride levels went down and Free Fatty Mass decreased. The questions for the researchers that I have is in part around the fasting and in part around subject numbers. Intermittent fasting is also shown to improve Free Fat Mass and triglycerides, so is it a side effect of just that, or is it actually the lemon in the water?

If i was not convinced that it had to do with the lemon in the water, a 1014 study with 100 participants showed similar results. They added daily walking for 20 minutes as a component of their study though, and took out fasting.

The most conclusive results that I could find were in a 2019 study looking at changes in the gut microbiome and longevity. That study showed that microbial activity of bacteria that help the body break down and digest food was increased by 10% -30% depending on the individual’s microbiome at the start of the study. They showed that the persons had more energy and then they also were looked at over a period of ten years. They tested at younger ages via blood work, mental cognitive tests and agility than same aged peers.

So why do some think it is harmful to drink lemon water? The answers might surprise you.

Most of the time, we don’t think about washing fruits that we peel, but they can be a significant host for things like e.coli, staph and MRSA. One study of 20 restaurants across the US showed that almost all of the oranges and lemons contained at minimum E. Coli on the skin. You don’t want to stick that in your water (or beer).When it comes to restaurant lemons and oranges, Squeeze them into the drink, but leave the fruit on the plate please.

Lemons are acidic in nature, so they can irritate the skin, gums and cold sores or canker sores. The American Dental association recommends that you stay away from them in those instances. Also, if you have weak tooth enamel or start to notice your teeth feel rough when you run your tongue over them, re-consider your flavor of water. That acidity may also play a role in GERD. While some people get a benefit for their heartburn from lemon water, others can suffer because the pH balance in the stomach is upset by trying to balance out the acidity of the lemons.

The last thing you may want to consider is about migraines. If you are unsure of your triggers, check citrus fruits specifically when you know you have some down time. Getting a migraine at work because you drink lemon water is not a good plan.

That’s all for now, Check back later for more health news!

Effects of Lifelong Intake of Leon Polyphenols on aging and intestinal microbiome; Shimizu et al. sci rep. (2019)9;3671

Effects on 8P of Daily Lemon intake and Walking. Y.Kato et al. J. Nutr. Metab. (2014)2014:912684

Does Short Term Lemon Honey Fasting Have Effect on Lipid Profile and Body composition. J. Ayurveda Integ Med (2016)Mar; 7(11-13).

What Role do Genetics Play in Pharmacology?

Ever Had a bad experience with a Prescription?

Ever thought it was an allergic reaction to a medication?

In 2017 I had a significant abdominal surgery that required me to take pain medication, anti-inflammatories, and Antibiotics. The Surgery was supposed to help with a significant abdominal umbilical hernia. It occurred on a Wednesday, and by Monday, I was having a significant reaction to the Pain medication, where my FACE went NUMB. Talk about scary.

Leading up to the surgery, I had taken part in 2 appointments where I discussed previous bad reactions to the pain medication and talked about my concerns. They told me it was a necessary evil in this case so that I could sleep. The Morning of Surgery, After long discussion with the Anesthesiologist, He asked If I had testing done to look at my response to different drugs. At that time, I didn’t even know that was a thing that could be done.

The News media and Medical Media lately has talked a lot about epigenetics, Epigenomics and now, we are starting to hear about pharmacogenetics. Pharmacogenetics can be done through DNA testing to specifically look at your genetics and how they might react to specific types of drugs. They can allow for better dosing, Better drug choice, so there is less guess work, And over all better outcomes. Pharmacogenetics can also help in looking at how some people may become addicted and others not to things like Marijuana, which the Prop 64 group in Colorado would have us believe is not possible.

Pharmacogenetics can also let us know when it might be time to change a drug, because the Epigenetics/Epigenomics, or the Environmental Factors that cause the genes to change, may have been affected over long term use of specific drugs. These drugs can be related to addiction treatment, Pain Management, Mental Health Disorders (Bipolar, Schizophrenia, Depression), Autoimmune Logical Drugs including Chemotherapy.

Along the line of Epigenetics/Epigenomics, there is a specific testing that can be done that supports your DNA sections. IT looks at what will optimally support your health and with that information, we can create a supplement that is SPECIFIC to you. Repeating the test about 6 months after initial testing and consuming of those supplements is recommended due to the changes you could potentially make. Then every year.

Why would you need a DNA specific supplement? Colorado has one of the highest levels of radiation exposure in the continental US. Specifically, We have a lot of naturally occurring Uranium and Radon. Both of those are known carcinogens. Also, think about how much and what type of sunscreen you apply every year in Colorado while enjoying the outdoor lifestyle you love. Chemical Barriers are more likely to interact with the radiation from the sun to create mutation of cells. It starts at the Skin level, But Quickly spreads to the body as the skin is an organ that ABSORBS things you put on it.

If you have questions about how DNA Testing can improve your health, life and longevity, Don’t Hesitate to reach out!

References:

*https://dnalife.academy/dna-health/

*Recent developments in genetic/genomic medicine, Rachel H. Horton and Anneke M. Lucassen, Clin Sci (Lond). 2019 Mar 15; 133(5): 697–708.Published online 2019 Mar 5. Prepublished online 2019 Feb 27. doi: 10.1042/CS20180436

*Pharmacogenomics in the treatment of mood disorders: Strategies and Opportunities for personalized psychiatry; Azmeraw T. Amare,1 Klaus Oliver Schubert,1,2 and Bernhard T. Baune1; EPMA J. 2017 Sep; 8(3): 211–227.Published online 2017 Sep 5. doi: 10.1007/s13167-017-0112-8
*Future Trends in the Pharmacogenomics of Brain Disorders and Dementia: Influence of APOE and CYP2D6 Variants; Ramón Cacabelos,1,2,* Lucía Fernández-Novoa,1,2 Rocío Martínez-Bouza,1,2 Adam McKay,1,2 Juan C. Carril,1,2 Valter Lombardi,1,2 Lola Corzo,1,2 Iván Carrera,1,2 Iván Tellado,1,2 Laura Nebril,1,2 Margarita Alcaraz,1,2 Susana Rodríguez,1,2 Ángela Casas,1,2 Verónica Couceiro,1,2 and Antón Álvarez1,2Pharmaceuticals (Basel). 2010 Oct; 3(10): 3040–3100.Published online 2010 Sep 29. doi: 10.3390/ph3103040
*Some observations on the role of environment and genetics in behaviour of wild and domestic forms of Sus scrofa (European wild boars and domestic pigs)S Robert, J Dancosse, A Dallaire – Applied Animal Behaviour Science, 1987 – Elsevier

The Rise of Alternative Medicine

Restorative Health: Being More Connected To Our Body and Mind

“While there is evidence to support that the natural environment leads to improvements in health markers, More evidence is needed to show what disease may benefit and why.” Bowler et.al. (2010)1

As a Person living in the 21st century, I am often confused by the significant lack of health I am surrounded by. It seems that people are less connected to the environment and people around them than they are to the devices they have available. We have stopped relying on our true person to person connections and moved to a world where we could go a full day without uttering a word to another human. If you type in a search for the effects of electronic devices on Health, the results are kind of scary. This chapter will focus on Restorative health and how we can get back to the last time our Body Agreed that it could do what we asked of it. Restorative health is very Individualized and takes a commitment from the Person and the Provider. It makes sure that both parties are invested to obtain the best outcomes for all involved.

For the last decade, I have been looking for ways to restore my health back to the way it was pre-kids. The things I am looking for are: Sleep, Workout Recovery, Feeling Comfortable in my Body, Less Seasonal Allergies, Less pain. I sought out the help of a physician in 2012 and was directed through a medical model that wanted to drug away my symptoms and maybe (definitely) cause some other symptoms. It was not the root cause of what was happening, It was a band aid approach. Cover Ups don’t work. They simply push the problem to a higher level while partially masking it. What I discovered was that I had a bunch of food allergies that had come back full force while pregnant that were wreaking havoc on my body. You see, true Health starts from within and from the environment around you.

Inflammation occurs when you take in foods that you have sensitivities and allergies to them. That inflammation starts in the mouth, continues to the esophagus, leads to the stomach and ends in the GUT through to the colon. There is another chapter in this book on the gut and microbiome. I would suggest a careful attention is paid to that chapter as well.

“All disease begins in the Gut” ~Hippocrates

The digestive tract is of utmost importance in our health because it is where 90% of the nutrients we take in each day are absorbed. Think of this area of your body similar to the skin, with a severe bug bite. That bug bite becomes inflamed, itches, swells more, you usually agitate it further and it perpetuates the problem. The same is true of the digestive system. If you have a sunburn, how healthy is your skin at the time when it is tight, dry and peeling? Does it absorb lotion well or just appear dry and irritated a few hours later again? If you are causing inflammation due to food sensitivities and allergies, What does the digestive tract look like and how does it feel? One of the problems we have as a society is if I can’t see it, it must not be real. I can ignore it and it will go away, or I can take something for it. This “Disease Mongering3” is part of the pharmaceutical industry push to sell drugs that should likely not be on the market, but also add to the symptoms you experience because they cover a Health Issue with a Band-Aid.

The Discipline to restore your health has to come from with-in, but I believe must also have support. That support can be a health coach, physician, family member, or trusted friends. The non-coach or physician should be someone willing to truly push you and not damage the relationship. The accountability from them must be true to your desire for health. It works best if they are trying to get back some measure of health as well. The typical start of restoring health happens through doing a series of blood work and allergy testing. The best thing about this is that a lot of allergies now can be tested via hair sample, blood work or mouth scraping and spit collection. The patch testing is still an option, but you can find cheaper, less invasive means through online labs. Once you find the things that are causing you inflammation on a daily basis, we tailor an elimination diet to those sensitivities. The Elimination Diet process is no less than 90 days. If you feel that you have extreme or severe food allergies and sensitivities, it may be recommended for six months. This is so the Digestive tract has a chance to heal. If it is still “sunburned” it can not absorb nutrients. The next step is to look at stool samples and find weaknesses in the microbiome and support them. Hormone testing may also be done to look at imbalances and supplements recommended for support.

With the Elimination diet, we focus a lot on the patterns of sleep. Sleep has been discussed a lot over the last decade as a major player in health. There is research to support the fact that lack of sleep causes your body to become insulin resistant, increasing your chances of diabetes. It can lead to stroke due to increased blood pressure, Adrenal fatigue, Thyroid dysfunction and Weight gain. Sleep is when your body truly restores itself. Most of the repair work done is during the time when you are sleeping. Your body goes through a significant amount of detoxification while sleeping. If you look through the Chinese Medicine Body Clock for organ detoxification, you can see that the detoxification of the liver and then the Gallbladder occur between 11pm and 1 am. Going to bed and sleep at a regular time also decreases the likelihood of insomnia and sleep disorders. There has been evidence to show that stopping device use, television and dimming lights in the areas of the house you will be in 30 minutes prior to bedtime will improve your ability to fall asleep quickly. We typically recommend both food and sleep journals. These journals should include what you ate, whether it was protein, carbohydrate or fruit and veggies; the time that you ate, and how much water you drink. It should also include any activity done in the day and your general feeling at the beginning and ending of each day based on mood and stress level. The sleep journal should include what time you went to bed, if you fell asleep easily; if you woke up what time was it; how you felt in the morning when waking up.

Restoring your health also includes periods of time outside, unconnected from the digital world. A four year longitudinal study in the UK showed that people who had access to green space had lower incidence of disease, particularly cardiovascular and Psychological. We encourage mindfulness during this time in the outside world. We ask for people to focus on how they currently feel, then change to how they want to feel that day or moment. We then ask them to say four positive affirmations on the type of feeling they want to have that day in relationship to work, home, Body Image, and Health overall. For Instance: “I enjoy working with each one of my clients. At home I am working well to encourage positive homework behaviors in my children. I am my perfect self every day and I am gaining control over my back pain each moment.”

Restoring Your health is a process that will likely take 18 months to three years, depending on the amount of damage that has occurred over time. We hope that your journey is fulfilling and guides you to a better place in your life. Schedule a Call with me

References:

1A systematic review of evidence for the added benefits to health of exposure to natural environments D.E. Bowler, LM Buyung-Ali, ™ Knight, AS Pullin. BMC Public Health 10:456 (2010)
2Article by Terry Hartig from the Lancet in 2018 reviewing a four year longitudinal study by R. Mitchell and F. Popham showed that people in England that had better access to Green Space in the day to day lives had less incidence of cardiovascular disease and Psychological disorders.
3Selling sickness: the pharmaceutical industry and disease mongering.Ray Moynihan, journalist,a Iona Heath, general practitioner,b and David Henry, professor of clinical pharmacologyc BMJ. 2002 Apr 13; 324(7342): 886–891.