Fibromyalgia syndrome is a musculoskeletal condition characterized by diffuse body pain accompanied by fatigue. Other associated symptoms include headache, insomnia, restless leg syndrome, rheumatic disease, anxiety, and even irritable bowel syndrome. It is more frequently found in women, often under a great deal of stress. Fibromyalgia can be attributed to other underlying problems such as arthritis or chronic fatigue syndrome or it can be idiopathic (from unknown cause).
Diagnosis of fibromyalgia is symptom-based, and the prognosis of fibromyalgia is not malignant. A study published in Arthritis Care and Research followed fibromyalgia patients for three years, and found that symptoms decreased over time (regardless of treatment used). Regardless, it is a disorder that can significantly decrease quality of life in those suffering from it.
Treatment options from conventional medicine include: NSAIDs, anti-depressant and anti-anxiety medications, and cortisone injections. Various combinations of these can be effective; however, they are not without side effects. Numerous alternative treatment options are also available.
As with any health condition dealt with naturopathically, treatment would depend on the culprit (which is unique to each patient). While a healthy diet is the essential starting point, fibromyalgia patients benefit from nutritional supplementation along with herbal remedies to gently help ease the pain. In addition, patients also see a great deal of relieve with the usage of intravenous therapy, where high doses of nutrients (including vitamin C, B1, B2, B3, B5 B6, B12, magnesium & Calcium) are delivered into the blood stream. These vitamins and minerals help to decrease inflammation, relax tense muscles, and boost energy and mood as well. Patients have notice improvement after as few as just one treatment.
If you, or someone you know suffers from fibromyalgia, naturopathic medicine is definitely the way to go for effective therapy with minimal side effects.
Wednesday, January 18, 2012
Tuesday, January 10, 2012
Vitamin D – Too Much Of A Good Thing?
Vitamin D has gotten a great deal of media attention in the past decade. It has been said to be beneficial for health concerns including osteoporosis, depression , and even cancer prevention. Should you be supplementing too? And how much should you take?
First, remember that there is a reason why vitamin D is often referred to as the sunshine vitamin. Our skin, after the exposure to UVB light has the ability to produce its own vitamin D. Studies have shown that the exposure of skin on our hands arms and face to natural sunlight for about 15 minutes, three times a week, would suffice. Why, then, would anyone need to take it orally?
Many people, especially those living in the northern hemisphere tend not to get enough sunlight (thanks to the long winters). Second, with age, our skin’s ability to produce vitamin D decreases. Lastly, among those people who do get adequate sun exposure, many are vitamin D deficient. The cause of the last category can be complex, as the synthesis of the active form of vitamin D need the help of the liver and the kidneys. If you have chronic liver or kidney related conditions, you are likely not getting enough vitamin D despite adequate sunlight exposure. Severe vitamin D deficiency leads to rickets, osteomalacia and muscle weakness. Although these are rare now that many food items we eat are fortified with vitamin D, less than optimal levels of vitamin D have been linked to fibromyalgia, depression and chronic fatigue syndrome.
If you are someone who does require vitamin D supplementation, it is important to note the following. First, the form of vitamin D that you take is important; to maximize the effect, the active form (vitamin D3) is preferred. However if you are on prescription vitamin D (which is the less potent form, Vitamin D2), and you are at risk of cardiovascular events, you should consult a health care provider before switching.
Second, the dosage of vitamin D is also crucial. Not everyone requires the same amount of vitamin D intake. Too much vitamin D has a variety of side effects. Most of these result from the mechanism that helps to prevent osteoporosis . Vitamin D helps the body deposit calcium from the blood stream out to body tissues. This deposition can be where we would like for it to be- bones, or places where it shouldn’t be, such as kidneys, arteries. Too much vitamin D will cause inappropriate amounts of calcium deposition, causing the latter scenario. Calcium deposition onto soft tissue can lead to kidney failure and even cardiovascular events.
The take home message is this; it would be ideal to get vitamin D from sunlight exposure. If this is not possible, vitamin D supplementation may be required. For those that are taking oral vitamin D, it would be best to consult a health care provider in order to achieve the greatest efficacy without compromising on safety.
First, remember that there is a reason why vitamin D is often referred to as the sunshine vitamin. Our skin, after the exposure to UVB light has the ability to produce its own vitamin D. Studies have shown that the exposure of skin on our hands arms and face to natural sunlight for about 15 minutes, three times a week, would suffice. Why, then, would anyone need to take it orally?
Many people, especially those living in the northern hemisphere tend not to get enough sunlight (thanks to the long winters). Second, with age, our skin’s ability to produce vitamin D decreases. Lastly, among those people who do get adequate sun exposure, many are vitamin D deficient. The cause of the last category can be complex, as the synthesis of the active form of vitamin D need the help of the liver and the kidneys. If you have chronic liver or kidney related conditions, you are likely not getting enough vitamin D despite adequate sunlight exposure. Severe vitamin D deficiency leads to rickets, osteomalacia and muscle weakness. Although these are rare now that many food items we eat are fortified with vitamin D, less than optimal levels of vitamin D have been linked to fibromyalgia, depression and chronic fatigue syndrome.
If you are someone who does require vitamin D supplementation, it is important to note the following. First, the form of vitamin D that you take is important; to maximize the effect, the active form (vitamin D3) is preferred. However if you are on prescription vitamin D (which is the less potent form, Vitamin D2), and you are at risk of cardiovascular events, you should consult a health care provider before switching.
Second, the dosage of vitamin D is also crucial. Not everyone requires the same amount of vitamin D intake. Too much vitamin D has a variety of side effects. Most of these result from the mechanism that helps to prevent osteoporosis . Vitamin D helps the body deposit calcium from the blood stream out to body tissues. This deposition can be where we would like for it to be- bones, or places where it shouldn’t be, such as kidneys, arteries. Too much vitamin D will cause inappropriate amounts of calcium deposition, causing the latter scenario. Calcium deposition onto soft tissue can lead to kidney failure and even cardiovascular events.
The take home message is this; it would be ideal to get vitamin D from sunlight exposure. If this is not possible, vitamin D supplementation may be required. For those that are taking oral vitamin D, it would be best to consult a health care provider in order to achieve the greatest efficacy without compromising on safety.
Tuesday, January 3, 2012
Calcium, Osteoporosis & Heart Disease
On the news last night, some tidbits of information on nutritional supplementation were given. The emphasis was on calcium, vitamin D, vitamin C, magnesium, and vitamin E. I’d like to expand on the story from a naturopathic perspective beginning with calcium.
Calcium supplementation is typically used for women over the age of 50, for the purpose of osteoporosis prevention. At first glance this is a logical solution. However, osteoporosis is no longer has begun to be understood as a result of calcium loss, as opposed to deficiency. What this means, is that it isn’t so much that our diet does not supply sufficient calcium. Rather, the problem is that we lose much of the calcium that is ingested. How? Well, a diet high in refined carbohyrates including sugar, saturated fats, animal protein and low in mineral rich vegetables causes that calcium in the bones to be leached out to offset this imbalance in the blood stream.
Furthermore, too much calcium supplementation can actually increase one’s risk for cardiovascular disease. Surprised? A correlation between calcium supplementation and heart disease has been found by a study conducted by Dr. Ian Reid, a professor of medicine and endocrinology at University of Auckland; this study was published by the British Medical Journal in April of last year. For more details on the study, go to:
http://www.ctv.ca/CTVNews/Health/20110419/calcium-supplements-heart-110419/
The Take home message is that without a well-balanced diet, calcium supplementation would not provide the protection against osteoporosis as you may think it does. On the contrary, it can even predispose one to heart attacks. The best way to get adequate calcium into your bones is to get it though dietary sources, where the form of calcium is much more readily absorbed by the body, thereby reducing cardiovascular event risk compared to supplementing with calcium pills.
For information on Magnesium, vitamin C and vitamin E, please check back, I will be discussing those at a later date!
Calcium supplementation is typically used for women over the age of 50, for the purpose of osteoporosis prevention. At first glance this is a logical solution. However, osteoporosis is no longer has begun to be understood as a result of calcium loss, as opposed to deficiency. What this means, is that it isn’t so much that our diet does not supply sufficient calcium. Rather, the problem is that we lose much of the calcium that is ingested. How? Well, a diet high in refined carbohyrates including sugar, saturated fats, animal protein and low in mineral rich vegetables causes that calcium in the bones to be leached out to offset this imbalance in the blood stream.
Furthermore, too much calcium supplementation can actually increase one’s risk for cardiovascular disease. Surprised? A correlation between calcium supplementation and heart disease has been found by a study conducted by Dr. Ian Reid, a professor of medicine and endocrinology at University of Auckland; this study was published by the British Medical Journal in April of last year. For more details on the study, go to:
http://www.ctv.ca/CTVNews/Health/20110419/calcium-supplements-heart-110419/
The Take home message is that without a well-balanced diet, calcium supplementation would not provide the protection against osteoporosis as you may think it does. On the contrary, it can even predispose one to heart attacks. The best way to get adequate calcium into your bones is to get it though dietary sources, where the form of calcium is much more readily absorbed by the body, thereby reducing cardiovascular event risk compared to supplementing with calcium pills.
For information on Magnesium, vitamin C and vitamin E, please check back, I will be discussing those at a later date!
Saturday, April 2, 2011
Dirt Is Good For You.
Do you always try your best to keep your house clean by using antibacterial wipes, soaps & dish detergents? Are you especially careful with your children's areas, their dishes, bottles, rooms etc.? Did you ever think that maybe you might be doing more harm than good by over-sterilizing your living space?
According to two recent German studies (involving over 15000 study subjects), children who grow up on farms have less incidences of asthma and allergies compared to children raised in urban environments. This is attributed to the fact that children living on farms are exposed to a much wider variety of microbes compared to those living in urban areas.
More exposure to microorganism early in life stimulates the immune system such that it is less likely to result in hypersensitivity (allergic reactions).
In addition to the above, another reason not to over sterilize your home environment is that the antibacterial cleaners don't kill 100% of the bacteria. The small percent (<1%) of bacteria that are not killed will multiply and create a new strain of bacteria, all of which resistant to these cleaning agents. In other words, by cleaning vigorously with antibacterial products will turn your home into breeding ground for tougher, stronger bacteria, which if infects your body, may not respond to antibiotics!!
For more detailed review of the two studies, you can go to http://dermatology.jwatch.org
According to two recent German studies (involving over 15000 study subjects), children who grow up on farms have less incidences of asthma and allergies compared to children raised in urban environments. This is attributed to the fact that children living on farms are exposed to a much wider variety of microbes compared to those living in urban areas.
More exposure to microorganism early in life stimulates the immune system such that it is less likely to result in hypersensitivity (allergic reactions).
In addition to the above, another reason not to over sterilize your home environment is that the antibacterial cleaners don't kill 100% of the bacteria. The small percent (<1%) of bacteria that are not killed will multiply and create a new strain of bacteria, all of which resistant to these cleaning agents. In other words, by cleaning vigorously with antibacterial products will turn your home into breeding ground for tougher, stronger bacteria, which if infects your body, may not respond to antibiotics!!
For more detailed review of the two studies, you can go to http://dermatology.jwatch.org
Wednesday, March 30, 2011
Cholesterol-Lowering Drugs Found To Increase Diabetes Risk
In 2010, The Lancet published a meta-analysis stating that after all stain drug use, there is a small increase of new-onset diabetes (diabetes that wasn't found prior to drug use). Following this finding, the Journal of American College of Cardiology published three more studies which all indicated the same result. Further analysis showed that this risk did not decrease significantly between small doses(10mg/day)vs. higher doses(80mg/day).
Authors of both studies concluded that the benefit of statin drugs far outweight the risks. The trials along with the analysis were sponsored by the manufacturer of atorvastatin.
Neither set of studies took into consideration the option of using the first-line of defense against high cholesterol- lifestyle changes. The group of patients given statin drugs were compared to those given a placebo. The questions come to mind are:
1. What if both groups were told to make lifestyle changes such as health diet and regular exercise, would this help prevent the increased risk of diabetes?
2. Better yet, what if patients who were given the drugs (without lifestyle changes)were compared to those who were NOT given any drugs but do make improvements on dietary habits and daily activity levels?
Take home message (from Lei): don't take drugs unless it's absolutely necessary, because they do pose side effects, some you may not even yet know about.
Authors of both studies concluded that the benefit of statin drugs far outweight the risks. The trials along with the analysis were sponsored by the manufacturer of atorvastatin.
Neither set of studies took into consideration the option of using the first-line of defense against high cholesterol- lifestyle changes. The group of patients given statin drugs were compared to those given a placebo. The questions come to mind are:
1. What if both groups were told to make lifestyle changes such as health diet and regular exercise, would this help prevent the increased risk of diabetes?
2. Better yet, what if patients who were given the drugs (without lifestyle changes)were compared to those who were NOT given any drugs but do make improvements on dietary habits and daily activity levels?
Take home message (from Lei): don't take drugs unless it's absolutely necessary, because they do pose side effects, some you may not even yet know about.
Monday, June 21, 2010
Free Seminar on Sunscreen and Skin Cancer
Summer is officially here, today is the longest day of the year!
Dr. Lei Gu ND is holding a free seminar on sunscreen and skin cancer.
Come and join us to learn about how to REALLY prevent skin cancer and facts that you may not know about!!
Date: Tuesday, June 29th
Time: 5:00pm-5:30pm
Location: 69 Yonge Street, suite 301 (The Well Adjusted Chiropractic Centre)
Call ahead to reserve your spot at (416) 504-8880
Dr. Lei Gu ND is holding a free seminar on sunscreen and skin cancer.
Come and join us to learn about how to REALLY prevent skin cancer and facts that you may not know about!!
Date: Tuesday, June 29th
Time: 5:00pm-5:30pm
Location: 69 Yonge Street, suite 301 (The Well Adjusted Chiropractic Centre)
Call ahead to reserve your spot at (416) 504-8880
Tuesday, May 11, 2010
Eat nuts to lower your cholesterol!!!
Nut Consumption Associated with Improved Cholesterol Levels
Consumption of nuts may lead to significant improvements in blood lipid levels, according to an industry-funded study in the Archives of Internal Medicine.
Researches compiled data from 25 studies that assessed the effects of nut dietary interventions on blood lipid levels in nearly 600 adults. After at least 3 weeks, nut diets were associated with reductions in total cholesterol, LDL cholesterol, ratio of LDL to HDL cholesterol, and ratio of total cholesterol to HDL, compared with control diets.
The mean nut consumption with the intervention diets was about 2.5 ounces per day. Greater lipid improvements were observed in participants who had greater nut consumption and who had higher baseline LDL or lower BMI. The effect was similar for different types of nuts.
Consumption of nuts may lead to significant improvements in blood lipid levels, according to an industry-funded study in the Archives of Internal Medicine.
Researches compiled data from 25 studies that assessed the effects of nut dietary interventions on blood lipid levels in nearly 600 adults. After at least 3 weeks, nut diets were associated with reductions in total cholesterol, LDL cholesterol, ratio of LDL to HDL cholesterol, and ratio of total cholesterol to HDL, compared with control diets.
The mean nut consumption with the intervention diets was about 2.5 ounces per day. Greater lipid improvements were observed in participants who had greater nut consumption and who had higher baseline LDL or lower BMI. The effect was similar for different types of nuts.
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