Get Cultured: Why you Should Take Probiotics

Constipation, diarrhea, irritable bowel, celiac disease, you name it. The “ins & outs” of digesting, assimilating, and eliminating are a challenge and are 'a lot to absorb'(no pun intended) for even the best doctor. All kidding aside, these processes must be addressed in order for a patient to truly be healthy with an abundance of vim, vigor and vitality. After all, your digestive tract is the pipeline which nutrients and cellular building blocks must follow in order to promote health in your amazing body. Too often we get a ‘road closed’, a bridge out, or a drainage problem with one of these major conduits!

One of the easiest and most effective ways to greatly improve the entire digestive process is through the use of probiotics. These good bacteria have fancy names like lactobacillus, acidophilus, and bifidum to name just a few, and they have a remarkable role as ‘healthy bacteria’ that promote good flora in our intestines. Yes, our bodies need bacteria. The key is to have more good bacteria than bad. If this balance is upset, we get a condition known as ‘dysbiosis.’ Dysbiosis creates an environment for poor intestinal health and suppressed immunity. If you’ve suffered with the likes of constipation, diarrhea, irritable bowel, or even canker sores and acid reflux, chances are you would greatly benefit from probiotics.

"But I eat yogurt and get good bacteria from that," you say. Yes but no. While Dr. Wayne prefers whole foods as the primary source for vitamins and minerals, probiotics are a bit of an exception. He suggests not using yogurt or some other dairy source for your probiotic needs since the processes of pasteurization and homogenization alter the chemical makeup of these products and ultimately create a different set of digestive health concerns for patients including food sensitivities. Also the number of cultures of active bacteria are considerably lower in foods like yogurt than in the pill form. Dr. Wayne’s first choice for probiotics is Ortho Molecular Products, “Ortho Biotic.” In addition to lactobacillus and other bacteria traditionally found in probiotics, it also has saccharomyces boulardii which will kill clostridium difficile, a potentially lethal infection. His second choice does not contain s. boulardii but continues to be an effective product called “Probiotic Advantage” formulated through Dr. Williams. Both products are available through Tompkins Wellness Center.

Join us next week for more talk on your digestion!

Politics and Potassium: Do you Know the Facts?

The other day a patient told me an MD found that her potassium level was low and raised her potassium prescription level. I encouraged her to eat a banana every day since it’s often easier to assimilate the minerals and vitamins we require from foods rather than in pill or capsule form. She informed me that potatoes were higher in potassium than bananas were! I humbly told her that I had just learned something new and decided to research the mineral myself. Sure enough…she was right! 1 medium banana has 440 mg of potassium while 1 medium potato has782 mg of potassium! But to my great surprise…a different food altogether has much higher levels of potassium than either potatoes or bananas …and more than both added together! Avocadoes take first place at 1360 mg of potassium. Bring on the guacamole!

I wonder how many other people would have considered bananas as the food of choice for potassium? Or oranges for vitamin C? Or milk for calcium? By the way, 1 medium orange has only 50 mg of vitamin C while raw broccoli yields 132 mg of vitamin C! Need calcium? One cup of skim & 2% milk has only 300 mg of calcium, while a cup of cooked turnip greens has 492 mg. Topping the list is 3 oz. of Gruyere cheese at 860 mg of calcium. (These numbers were taken from tables in Medical Nutrition by Marz, copyright 1999)

Our perception of what’s healthy is so often skewed by trendy advertising campaigns such as, “Drink milk…strong bones,” Even political persuasions that place grains at the bottom of our food pyramid.

Case in point. My wife and I were working out at the gym the other day at lunch and noticed that the corn growers are fighting back to all the negative exposure that has resulted from research on the ill effects of high-fructose corn syrup. They are fighting back with glossy commercials to make it not seem so bad. Take a look:
http://www.cornsugar.com/video-gallery/


Here’s the lesson: take time to read blogs like this, sites we are linked to, and reliable sources on nutrition to get the undiluted truth. Ask yourself the question, “who wrote this and what’s their motivation?” Becoming a critical reader and thinker doesn’t mean you’re a critical person, it just means that you don’t swallow the first bait that’s thrown your way.

The Twisted Sisters: The Female Hormone Saga

Once upon a time there were two sisters who had to live together and get along. One of the sisters was very bossy and had a domineering nature. Her name was ‘Estrogen’. The other sister was quiet and submissive named ‘Progesterone’. Estrogen tried to run the show and didn’t know her boundaries. Unfortunately, she had all the connections and received a lot of help and support from outside the house. She hooked up with her evil friends like Toxin, Stress, & Pollution. With supervision, Estrogen really shined, but left alone, she made poor choices in choosing her friends which upset the restful order in the home.

Progesterone, on the other hand, was pretty smart, but she needed lots of help. When Estrogen and her evil friends ruled the roost, she tended to shut down and not stand her ground. However; she knew what it took to create an environment that was inviting and safe for new little inhabitants in the house. With some support from her friends, Rest, Nutrition, & Purification, she harmonized marvelously and stood her ground with her often dominant sibling.

Now you’ve probably figured out this house is your body and the story is not a fairy tale from the past. It is present day reality and describes a condition commonly known as ‘estrogen dominance’ when estrogen has the upper hand. Estrogen’s friends are what are known as xenoestrogens or false estrogens. They are toxins, food dyes, preservatives and noxious chemicals. They are very good imitators of actual estrogen and easily latch on to its receptor sites. The result is hormone imbalance and a dominance of estrogen in the body.
Keeping a balance between estrogen and progesterone are critical for fertility and female health in general. Read the following lists and decide which category you fit into:


Symptoms of Estrogen Dominance

*Infertility
*Painful, irregular menstrual cycles,
*Endometriosis
*Polycystic ovarian syndrome
*Fibrocystic Breast Disease
*PMS
*Fatigue
*Hot flashes
*Foggy thinking…just to name a few


Results of Hormone Balance:

*Fertility
*Regular menstrual cycles
*Sufficient energy levels
*Normal sleep patterns
*Smooth transition into menopause
*Absence of unwanted conditions/diseases such as endometriosis, PCOS (polycystic ovarian syndrome), fibrocystic breast disease etc.
*Clear-headed thinking


Hopefully your body is in a state of balance. All too often; however, we see a prevalence of estrogen dominance. Read on to see how balance can be restored in your body.

Dr. Wayne’s protocol for restoring hormone balance

1. Get a clear picture of your hormone health. Visit with a Natural Women’s Health Practitioner you trust to order a female hormone panel which is customized to your stage of life. ( See special offer at the end of this article to get started)

2. Commence recommended female hormone balancing program which usually includes:
-Specific herb and supplement protocols
-Detoxification and lifestyle modification
-Possible adjunctive therapies such as chiropractic & acupuncture
-Labs to determine initial baseline and progress

Mother’s Day Special Offer
25% off: Initial Female Health Panel
Good through May 18, 2011