ADHD/ADD

PLEASE NOTE
Much of what I discuss under this rubric also can be said regarding other “psychological” issues or symptoms such as depression, anxiety, irritability and many others.

BE AWARE
Many issues which are thought to be “psychological” are in fact disruptions in the normal functions of the brain. Questions to begin with: What disruptions are happening and what is causing them? The next is: What can we do about actually healing the brain? But in order to heal the brain, we have to have some idea of what is making it unhealthy.

Today’s “knee jerk reaction” to any perceived psychological diagnosis is to take a medication for it. Is this really the best thing to do, especially for children with developing brains?

It’s true that the medications will often settle down the symptoms being complained of, but at what cost? Not meaning financially, meaning the impact on the body and brain long term.

As an example, we’ve had many mass shootings in America recently. Are you aware that most all perpetrators of the killings are either on psychoactive prescription drugs or have just recently gone off of them? There is good reason to believe that there is a direct cause and effect between the medications and the actions of the killers. If you are not aware of this, there is a great deal of documentary evidence to support the assertion.

The Las Vegas shooter illustrates this as he had been prescribed valium as far back as 2013. Benzodiazepines have been shown in several studies to cause violence, aggression, the desire to kill people, and they heighten the likelihood of suicide. Were his actions due to valium? We don’t know. But time and again, there is a similar story associated with the shooters.

Psychiatric drugs are known to cause many side effects including mania, hostility, violence and homicidal ideation (thinking about killing people). Clearly not everyone taking these drugs will have these effects, but across the country many will.

Kelly Brogan, a well known psychiatrist, has this to say about the casual use of these psychiatric drugs: “We know that all drugs have side effects. That’s just part of the deal, right? But is it really possible that an antidepressant can cause a sane person to act like a cold-blooded criminal?” The implied answer is “yes”!

Leonard Sax is both an MD and a psychologist. He is quoted in the New York Times as saying, “The next time you hear a doctor say, with regard to prescribing the stimulant (Ritalin and related meds) medications, ‘Let’s try it and see whether it helps,’ I suggest that you run - do not walk - to the nearest exit.”

We could explore for some time the potential downsides of casually taking these psychiatric medications. But we simply wanted you to be aware that there are reasons to seriously look for other good options before resorting to the use of drugs.

To Be Clear: I am not unreservedly opposed to all psychiatric medications. There are times and places, when adequate monitoring is in place, that some people can do very well with them. But understanding the causes of brain dysfunctions such as ADD might help us become less dependent on the potentially problematic drugs.

WHAT CAUSES THE SYMPTOMS OF ADD/ADHD?

According to Russell Blaylock, a nationally recognized neurosurgeon, many of the diagnosable psychological/mental issues we face are, simply stated, due to inflammation in the brain. When the brain is inflamed, it doesn’t work right and the effect can be a wide range of what we categorize as psychological problems.

Whether the problem is depression, anxiety, ADD/ADHD, Alzheimer’s, and even issues like Parkinson’s, they could well be due to this inflammation which he refers to as “immunoexcitotoxicity”. The immune system is itself overly pushed and it makes the brain inflamed. What comes out of the inflamed brain can carry a variety of labels such as depression, ADD, and anxiety. But the cause is essentially the same.

There are other ways to think about a problem like this.

For instance, if there is a lack of certain necessary nutrients like vitamin B12, the correct form of folic acid which is known as folate, or not enough vitamin B6, then the brain is also not going to work appropriately and the effect can be what appear like a psychological issue.

Dr Marty Hinz has done a tremendous amount of work on issues related to a functional nutritional deficiency of factors that are needed to create sufficient serotonin and dopamine in the brain. When one is nutritionally deficient of the building blocks required to make adequate serotonin and dopamine, the effect can also be a variety of what appear to be psychological issues - but they really are not, they are manifestations of specific relative nutritional deficiency.

Many of you are aware of the drugs know as SSRIs (Selective Serotonin Reuptake Inhibitors) and SNRIs (Serotonin-norepinephrine Reuptake Inhibitors). These include medications such as Prozac and Wellbutrin. The goal of these medications is to increase the perceived amount of neurotransmitters in the synapses between nerves. It tricks the brain into “thinking” that there is more of these chemicals than there actually are. These meds do nothing to increase the amount of neurotransmitters such as serotonin.

A very reasonable question here might be: How can we actually increase the amount of serotonin, dopamine and norepinephrine rather than use the trickery employed by the drugs? The good news is that there are effective ways to do just that. Hold on for bit and we’ll explain.

Since the cause of these types of symptoms will often include untoward immune reactions, or inflammation, or a lack of certain nutrients needed to keep a well functioning brain, what is the treatment?

Traumatic Brain Injury (TBI) can also trigger an inflammatory process that may not decrease notably with time. This could include known concussions, falls off of bikes/skate boards/roller blades, motor vehicle accidents even when there didn’t seem to be a major injury, football/soccer injuries, etc. There are powerful ways to lower the inflammation in the brain due to TBIs.

Living in an environment that is mold toxic. Mold toxins can be mightily neurotoxic.

TREATMENT

In light of the above, how might we treat ADD/ADHD?

1. By finding foods that trigger the immunoexcitotoxicity mentioned above, and then avoiding those foods, we can help lower the inflammation and help the brain to work better and people to feel better.

2. By avoiding specific ingredients that are often put in out foods and will trigger brain inflammation. These include: MSG, food colorings (generally), glyphosate/RoundUp and other pesticides/herbicides (eat organic and grow organic), and fluoride (black tea/toothpaste).

3. Avoiding aluminum and mercury as much as possible. Aluminum is present in significant quantities in all vaccinations. Be aware and careful. Mercury is often used for a dental filling, to fill cavities. It is called silver amalgam, but is usually about 50% mercury - thus the name should more accurately be mercury amalgam.

4. Providing appropriate nutrition for proper or excellent function.

5. Dr Hinz’s approach is very helpful for many people with these issues. It’s a carefully designed, precisely dosed program to provide the ingredients necessary to make optimal amounts of serotonin, dopamine and norepinephrine.

6. TBI’s can be treated in a number of ways, all designed to bring the brain back to its best function.

7. I mold toxins are an issue, it much be dealt with appropriately.

8. And please note: Almost all chronic disease is associated with a poorly functioning gut to some degree. This needs to be addressed via proper foods and drinks, probiotics, prebiotics, and other factors

Aging

CAUSES

1. Years/time 

2. High blood sugar and high insulin 

3. Loss of hormones 

4. Stress 

5. Loss of nutrients/vitamins/amino acids/minerals

6. Poor sleep

7. Dehydration

8. Toxins such as mold, chemicals, herbicides, pesticides

TREATMENT

1. We can’t change the number of years that you’ve lived, BUT we can help your body deal with the passing of time much better. Your biological age can be lowered even if we can’t change the chronological age.

2. Since a major factor in aging is high blood sugar and high blood insulin levels, these levels need to be changed. This dysfunction is almost entirely optional. You can change blood sugar and blood insulin levels via hormones, diet, and exercise and nutrition. We can help you evaluate and give directions on how to improve these levels.

3. Bio-identical hormone replacement is a prime method for slowing down the aging processes.

4. There are a variety of ways to work at improving stress.

5. Hormones can significantly help people in dealing with stress. Women feeling “stressed out” who also have low progesterone, will find that the “feel peaceful” hormone will help them feel much better when it is replaced. Testosterone is a hormone of strength both physically and emotionally. When life seems overly challenging and threatening, women (and men) find testosterone to often be most helpful in feeling strong enough to much more easily deal with the challenge. Thus, hormones can help stress.

6. Supplements are helpful. Some are generally supportive. Some can be very specifically helpful for depression, anxiety, neurological issues, etc.

7. There are many ways to help with sleep. Melatonin. Seriphos. Magnesium. Sleep hygiene habits.

8. As babies our bodies are about 80% water. In old age, the number can approach 50%. As we age, we lose thirst. Those who drink according to thirst will lose out. Water and minerals are important for good body hydration.

9. Avoidance of the toxins mentioned above is best. Then there are then a number of ways to help the body detoxify itself of the toxins we’ve been exposed to over the years. That helps slow down the processes of aging. Toxins accelerate the aging process.

Alzheimer’s Disease or Dementia

FIRST AND POSSIBLY THE MOST IMPORTANT QUESTION

Can Alzheimer’s Disease be cured? If nothing can be done for the problem of dementia, whatever the cause, why even speak of it?

The current medications that are suggested for people with dementia may only slow down the progression of the disease. Even that is not clear. But what is clear is that conventionally (via standard medicine), there is no cure.

But, there is some light on the horizon - actually, quite a lot of light.

Let me tell you a bit about Dale Bredesen, a professor and researcher at UCLA.

Dale Bredesen, MD and his work with Alzheimer’s disease. You can find the articles online and read them if you wish.

1. In 2014 he published a paper in a peer reviewed journal Aging (Albany NY). 2014 Sep; 6(9): 707–717. Title of Article: Reversal of cognitive decline: A novel therapeutic program, by Dale E. Bredesen

2. In June of 2016, in the same journal, Aging, he published another article entitled: Reversal of cognitive decline in Alzheimer’s disease

3. In August of 2017, he published a book entitled “The End of Alzheimer’s”

In his 2014 paper, Dr Bredesen described his work with 10 people living in the Silicon Valley area. These people had all been diagnosed as having mild or moderate dementia. They were generally without hope. Some had been forced to quit their jobs due to loss of mental function. Others were facing the same prospect in the near future.

Dr Bredesen evaluated many different factors that he believed would impact the function of the brain. His theory was that if he corrected a potential of 30-some dysfunctions in the body, the brain would be able to be healed and begin working well again.

The results were very impressive in the first study. 9 out of 10 people studied had a full reversal of their dementia.

The second study showed equally impressive results. In fact most of the people in the second study were ApoE4 people. These are genetics that increase significantly the likelihood of developing dementia. Very good news indeed.

The book then builds on the work done in these studies and explains in more detail what the potential is to help those with mild to moderate dementia. A very encouraging book!!

CAUSES OF DEMENTIA

Dr Bredesen compares the onset of Alzheimer’s to a roof of a home that has been damaged. The drug companies are called to come in and help, but there are 36 holes in the roof and they only fix one. Let me say it in his words:

“It (his work) also explained why single drugs - approved and experimental - have failed repeatedly to stop, let alone reverse, the cognitive decline of Alzheimer’s. The reason is that the drug companies have been like roofers called to a home that had been pummeled with baseball-sized hail. The storm left dozens of holes in the roof, which the homeowners would like fixed. Yet the roofers fixated on a single hole. They may have done a bang-up job of slathering that hole with roofing tar, keeping the rain from pouring in. Unfortunately, they did nothing about the other thirty-five holes, and the home is filling up with so much rainwater the owners are looking up specs for an ark.

“I give the example of thirty-six different contributors to whether (body functions move toward Alzheimer’s-causing or Alzheimer’s-preventing pathways). These (36 factors) explain all of the risks of Alzheimer’s, at least as far as it has been measured in studies of large populations.”

So what are the 36 factors (holes in the roof) that need to be fixed? I’ll give you a list of some of them. To get the whole list, you’ll have to read the book.

1. Optimize diet - meaning, low sugar, low glycemic, low inflammatory, low grain diets.

2. Enhance autophagy. Autophagy is the cell “eating up” or destroying the junk that might have taken residence in the cell. We can enhance our autophagy in the brain by doing some fasting - even as little as a full 12 hour fast every night.

3. Reduce stress: meditation, prayer, yoga, music, etc

4. Optimize sleep. If not great, there are many things that can be done to help: be sure no sleep apnea, melatonin, not eating late in the evening, sleep in a dark room, etc.

5. Exercise for 30-60 minutes per day, 4-6 days per week

6. Keep homocysteine levels low, less than 7

7. Vitamin B12 needs to be in a good range

8. hsCRP needs to be low, less than 1

9. Fasting insulin should be less than 7

10. Hemoglobin A1C (a number that represents a person’s average blood sugar over some 3 months) needs to be kept under 5.5

11. Vitamin D levels should be between 50 and 100

12. Be sure heavy metals are not an issue. Chelate if indicated.

13. And we could continue to enumerate all 36 factors. But this gives you a good idea of the types of things that need to be done if one is serious about restoring their brain function.

CAUSE

As I have outlined above, dementia is a many factored disease process. And the factors that contribute include the 36 we just referred to.

TREATMENT

1. As with so many diseases, some are easier and some are much more challenging.

2. Literally, some people will do far better by simply normalizing their thyroid status and their other hormones.

3. But for many, it is going to require serious work. One cannot cure an “incurable” disease by modest, half hearted efforts. But if you are willing to do the work required including supplements, change in diet, changing habits, and generally working to get healthier, your chances of regaining full mental power is very good.

4. We can assist you on this journey.

Andropause

WHAT IS IT?

Andropause is the male semi-equivalent to menopause. Although men do not usually have an abrupt and dramatic change in their sense of wellbeing parallel to the sudden (more or less) stop of menses in a woman, they also tend to have hormonal changes with aging that can make them feel less than optimal.

But this change can be more subtle causing a man to be unaware of the slow, insidious change.

Often his wife will notice changes. She’ll say that he is much more tired or lazy. That he never/rarely wants to have sex any more. He complains of things that never used to bother him. Or he’s just gotten irritable. Sometimes he just wakes up one day and it hits him, “I feel like (use a negative adjective to fill in the blank)!”

Whether he’s the one that first becomes aware or his wife, there’s the recognition that I could, I hope, be doing a whole lot better than this. The challenge for most is then - What do I do?

CAUSE

1. A drop in testosterone

2. A rise in estrogen. Yes! When young, women have significantly higher estrogen levels than a man. Somewhere around the 50s, the woman’s estrogen drops like the proverbial rock. And the man seems to balance things out by increasing his estrogen; ) By the 60s, the man usually has significantly more estrogen than his wife.

3. Too much estrogen bothers the prostate & makes a man feel weaker and moodier.

4. An often associated problem in andropause is the impact of years of higher than optimal blood sugar and insulin levels that are too high. These create inflammation and fatigue.

5. Another issue is that frequently prescribed medications can weaken a man in general by, for instance, slowing his mitochondrial function, and many meds will weaken his sex drive and erections. There are often other ways to help a man get healthier so that he no longer needs most or all of the meds he’s on.

6. The overall effect is not good for the aging man.

7. BUT, the good news is that this can all be turned around (mostly) if a man chooses to be healthy again.

TREATMENT

1. The usual thing that people think of, if they are aware of “andropause”, is low testosterone. And the implication is that if they just take enough testosterone they are going to feel great.

2. Typically, that is not true!

3. Testosterone is great and can be helpful, but just taking testosterone as the sole treatment is not a good nor effective one in many cases.

4. Why? There are many reasons. But let me give you just one. Testosterone is made from cholesterol through a somewhat complicated pathway. Testosterone is converted into estrogen directly by an enzyme called aromatase. There are many men who will start taking testosterone and they end up make more estrogen proportionally than the testosterone they get. Example: I had one patient who came from Seattle as he had started taking testosterone prescribed by another doctor. At first he felt better. But after a short time, he did not feel the benefit that he had previously even though he was still taking the testosterone. The ideal estrogen level for a man is probably less than 30. A menstruating woman may be 400, often less, at her peak estrogen during the cycle. This man who was no longer feeling good with his testosterone treatment had a continuous estrogen level of about 250. VERY high levels. No wonder he didn’t feel good.

5. When a man is on testosterone there are several parameters that should be monitored routinely - and that includes his estrogen level.

6. When the estrogen is high, there are both natural and pharmaceutical methods to lower the estrogen.

7. But to really be well, a man must also aggressively deal with his blood sugar levels, his insulin levels, inflammation, sleep, hydration, and exercise.

8. We can help you with this journey. And generally men do great on a comprehensive program.

Autoimmune Diseases

WHAT IS IT?

The immune system gets confused as to what is “self” and what is “not self”. One example would be ankylosing spondylitis - an arthritic problem with the back. This autoimmune disease happens in people with the right/wrong genetics, and a leaky gut, and the presence of a bacteria called klebsiella. When klebsiella leaks through the gut wall, the immune system “sees” the bacteria and sets up a whole body attack on the bug. The problem is that in people with the susceptible genetic pattern, the immune system can’t tell the difference between the klebsiella bacteria and certain parts of the spine. Thus, the immune system attacks both the bugs and the spine creating an inflammatory arthritis and pain that can be quite severe.

CAUSES

In the above example, the immune system confuses a certain bacteria and specific body parts. In attacking the legitimate invader, it unfortunately also attacks the body causing many problems for the person.

Autoimmune issues are triggered by three categories of things. One category is microorganisms such as bacteria, viruses, mycoplasma and fungi. Another category is foods with the big three being gluten, dairy and sugar. The other group of autoimmune triggers is toxins. This can include herbicides (RoundUp), pesticides, plastics, heavy metals, etc.

TREATMENT

1. Triggers need to be avoided.

2. Microorganisms need to be treated in a manner that doesn’t create more problems.

3. Normalization of the immune system needs to occur.

4. If you have an autoimmune disease, we can often be of help. If you would like to understand the disease better and be prepared to work on your health during our first appointment, consider reading Tom O’Bryan’s book, “The Autoimmune Fix”. It’s a good book.

Breast Implant Illness (BII)

BACKGROUND

Many women for various reasons might have smaller breasts than they would like. Some start out that way and some lose their breast size after breast feeding.

Quite understandably, women like to have adequately sized breasts, whatever that might mean to a specific woman. She feels more like a woman.

One of the most popular elective surgeries for many years has been breast augmentation using some sort of a “bag” which is placed in the area of the breast to make it larger. There are different techniques used for placing the silicone bags filled with sterile saline. Most women are very happy with the cosmetic benefit that these implants provide - not to mention their husbands/boyfriends.

THE CHALLENGE

There is an increasing amount of information implicating these silicone implants as causing a wide variety of physical health problems.

If you have had breast implants and since the implant procedure you are having some of the problems listed below, you might have Breast Implant Illness. These are taken from the Healing Breast Implant Illness website.

1. Fatigue

2. Brain fog and memory loss

3. Muscle and joint pain

4. Hair loss, dry skin and hair

5. Premature aging

6. Weight problems

7. Inflammation

8. Poor sleep and insomnia

9. Dry eyes

10. Hypothyroid or hyperthyroid symptoms

11. Hormone imbalance

12. Early menopause

13. Low libido

14. Slow healing

15. Vertigo

16. Gut issues such as: GERD, gastritis, leaky gut, IBS, and SIBO

17. Persistent bacterial, viral and/or fungal infections

18. Ringing in the ears

19. Food intolerance

20. Headaches of various sorts

21. Heart palpitations or other rhythm issues

22. Sore and aching joints of shoulders, hips, backbone, hands and feet

23. Swollen and tender lymph nodes in breast area, underarm, throat, neck and groin

24. Numbness/tingling sensation in arms and legs

25. Cold and discolored limbs, hands and feet

26. General chest discomfort and shortness of breath

27. Anxiety, depression and panic attacks

28. Feeling like you are dying

29. Symptoms of fibromyalgia

30. Symptoms of lyme disease

31. Autoimmune disease symptoms like: Raynaud’s syndrome, Hashimoto’s thyroiditis, rheumatoid arthritis, scleroderma, lupus, Sjogren’s, MS and connective tissue disease

There are a large number of women who have finally decided to have their implants removed and noted dramatic improvements in their health.

Websites that could provide helpful information if you are wondering about the possibility of you having BII.

1. https://www.surgery.org/sites/default/files/downloads/BII-Talking-Points-FINAL-1.15.19.pdf

2. https://www.breastimplantillness.com/

3. https://www.healthline.com/health/breast-implant-illness

4. https://healingbreastimplantillness.com/

5. http://breastimplantinfo.org/

HOW WE CAN HELP

1. We do not provide surgery.

2. We can help you in searching for expert surgical help.

3. We can link you with people who have had breast implant illness and would be willing to speak with you about their experience.

4. We can provide treatments before and after surgery that help you to heal better.

5. There are many potential steps that would help you return to optimal health. This has to do with nutrients, anti-inflammatories, IV therapies, injectable treatments, and hormones.

Cancer

IMPORTANT STATEMENTS TO CLARIFY OUR ROLE

1. I am not an oncologist

2. We do not offer chemotherapy

3. In no way are we trying to take the role of the oncologist

4. Our goal is to assist you in process of healing, of getting well

5. In our experience, the goal of oncologists is to kill the cancer by any means possible. That usually means surgery, chemotherapy and radiation.

6. We are not opposed to the use of these treatments per se

7. We do believe that a healthy body is much better able to fight the cancer when using the big guns of surgery, chemo and radiation.

8. If you choose to do surgery, chemo or radiation, a healthy body will heal much better than an unhealthy body.

9. We can help you get healthier and, we believe, fight the cancer more effectively

WHY DO WE GET CANCER?

1. By understanding the cause of cancer, one is much better able to figure out how to get well and really fight the cancer.

2. Generally the notion people have is that cancer is somehow in our genes. Our genetics caused it and our lifestyle/environment had little or nothing to do with it.

3. An important first step is to understand that cancer is infrequently a random genetic problem. It’s almost always an environment/lifestyle issue. Perhaps an inadvertent lifestyle issue such as spraying one’s yard and garden with a “safe” herbicide, RoundUp. We now know that RoundUp actually does cause cancer, and maybe aggressively so. Or it can be a dietary issue: believing one is eating a healthy diet - and be wrong.

4. This is actually very good news! If cancer is a random genetic event, there’s not a whole lot we can do about the cause or the cure. On the other hand, if cancer is due to the way I eat including what and when, sleep (or lack thereof), exercise and the toxins I expose myself to, then there may well be something that I can do to seriously help my body heal by making big changes in my way of living.

5. Thomas Seyfried, professor at Boston College, has written an expensive textbook which explains why we get cancer. The name of the book is “Cancer as a Metabolic Disease”.

6. Travis Christofferson has done us a favor. He’s written a nice translation of Dr Seyfried’s work for those who are not medical professionals/scientists. It would be a good book to be familiar with if you or a loved one has cancer.

HOW WE CAN HELP

1. We can help you understand possible factors that may have contributed to your cancer. By understanding those, you have the tools to make important changes in lifestyle and possible exposures.

2. If you have a urinary tract infection, your urine will usually be sent to the laboratory and the urine is cultured to see which bugs might grow, and then they test to see which antibiotics might be the most effective for this particular infection. Did you know that there are labs that can do testing for your particular kind of cancer and tell us which chemotherapy drugs or supplements might be the most effective in the treatment of your particular cancer? We can help you with that.

3. High blood sugar and low oxygen are twin conspirators in causing cancer. We can help you lower your blood sugar in a safe manner and guide you in getting more oxygen.

4. IV therapy with high dose vitamin C does not replace chemotherapy, but it can help support patients to are going through chemo. For information, search: Dr Thomas Levy + Cancer + IV vitamin C. We provide this and other IV therapies to help with immune function during challenging times such as this.

5. We can provide information to help you figure things out.

   1. One example would be to listen to the first Tim Ferriss podcast where he interviews Dominick D’Agostino, a professor in Florida. You’ll find it a wide ranging discussion, but the parts in which he discusses cancer, you should find quite interesting.

   2. Another example would be for you to read a fascinating article about a 29 year old woman with metastatic triple negative breast cancer. These types are the worst. A team including Dr Seyfried treated her 12 times using the protocol mentioned in the article, and she was clear of all discernible cancer! Amazing. The link for the scientific article is: https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC5589510/

   3. Valter Longo is a professor at University of Southern California. He researches factors having to do with longevity. How can we live longer? His book has some very interesting insights into cancer and cancer treatment. It may be worth a read. His book title is: “The Longevity Diet”.

6. As with so many disease processes, appropriate hormonal support can be remarkably beneficial.

7. If cancer is your issue, blessings! It will take work. And if you would like some help, please get in touch with us.

Chronic Fatigue/Chronic Fatigue Syndrome

CAUSE

This is one of the most frequent challenges we treat, and successfully in many/most cases. The difficulty in addressing chronic fatigue is that virtually every disease process of any significance is going to include some degree of fatigue. Brain injuries, poor sleep, overwork, lack of most any hormone, a bad tooth, poor gut function, cancer and a host of other disease processes are usually associated with chronic fatigue. Thus, it is a bit more difficult to point a finger at only a few possible causes. That being said, I will list some of the more frequent causes/contributors to chronic fatigue that we see.

1. Hormonal imbalance.

2. Undiagnosed low thyroid function.

3. A chronic infection that might not be recognized. One example would be an infected root canal that is not painful or can be a nagging soreness. But X-rays might be read as normal. Other examples: lyme disease, other tick born or rickettsial diseases, or parasites.

4. Post viral infection syndromes. A frequent example of this category is a person that had mono some time back but has never really felt well after the illness.

5. Food allergies

6. Sleep issues including sleep apnea

7. Toxins such as a moldy house

8. Traumatic brain injury. This be due to a mild concussion, a severe concussion, strokes or other brain bleeds, and war/military injuries.

9. Use of drugs/alcohol

10. Medications are frequently a contributor to fatigue. Not only do medications cause fatigue, combinations of medications can augment negative effects from the drugs. Some of the most likely to cause fatigue include medications for cholesterol, older antihistamines, blood pressure medications, drugs for depression and anxiety, and cough medications.

11. Iron deficiency is an often overlooked cause of chronic fatigue in a menstruating woman.

12. And fatigue accompanies diseases like kidney failure, liver failure, inflammation of the gut, MS, cancer, anemia, and many other.

TREATMENT

1. Balance the body’s natural/normal hormones. In women this includes estrogen, progesterone, testosterone, and DHEA. In men the balance can include lowering the amount of estrogen, increasing the testosterone and helping the DHEA.

2. Thyroid: Routine thyroid testing is often inadequate, in my opinion. Most frequently, a single test is done, the TSH or Thyroid Stimulating Hormone, and that is not actually a thyroid hormone. It’s the hormone/message from the boss of the thyroid which is the pituitary gland. Normally, if you have too little thyroid hormone, the pituitary is supposed to begin “shouting” at the thyroid to wake up and get to work. Thus, the TSH is elevated above the lab normal range. A high TSH is interpreted as being THE way to diagnose low thyroid function. Many doctors in integrative/functional medicine would argue that this test is only one of the several factors that need to be evaluated in deciding on whether the thyroid function is low or not. This evaluation would include a more comprehensive panel of blood tests including TSH, the relatively inactive thyroid hormone T4, the active thyroid hormone T3, the “anti-thyroid hormone” Reverse T3, testing for autoimmune thyroid disease; and one should seriously consider the history (the story of the patient) as that tells us a lot about the possibility of thyroid dysfunction; and the physical exam can give several clues as to whether one is in fact hypothyroid. A thorough evaluation for possible low thyroid function thus includes at least a thorough panel of lab tests, the physical exam and the history. Making the diagnosis only based on the TSH is not adequate in my view. Treatment is fairly easy once we are clear on whether this is an issue or not.

3. Chronic infections: A complete answer would be too lengthy to attempt here. Hidden infections are, well, hidden. Thus it’s not necessarily straight forward finding the answers. But it is usually possible. This may include more intensive dental testing including a Cone Beam CT Scan. It may require testing certain immunological reaction. One may need to do a trial of therapy at times and see what happens. Even though finding an answer is not always easy, there are usually ways of finding what the cause might be.

4. Post Viral Fatigue: There are tests which can helpful. The Epstein Barr Virus (mono) is a common cause of chronic fatigue and we can test for this as a potential cause. If we believe it is a post viral syndrome, the best treatment is with high dose Vitamin C IVs. They will usually help nicely.

5. Food testing with avoidance of the positive reacting foods, or doing an elimination diet eliminating the most common food allergens very carefully for 3 weeks can often help a lot. The most common problem foods are: Gluten, Dairy, Sugar and fake sweeteners (pure stevia is usually ok), Eggs, Soy, Corn, and perhaps peanuts. Check out JJ Virgin’s “The Virgin Diet”.

6. Sleep is often helped by a number of things. Melatonin (some kinds work better than others). A very dark room. Avoiding electronics for a couple hours before bed. Not eating shortly before bed. And there are many other potential methods of achieving great sleep.

7. Toxins would have to be discovered and eliminated both from one’s environment and one’s body.

8. TBIs are more important than is usually recognized. And, thankfully, there are many ways to help fix the damage done.

9. Drugs and alcohol clearly need to be avoided if these are causing the issues. There are ways to help.

10. Reviewing your current and recent medication schedule can provide clues which can be discussed.

11. Iron status needs to be thoroughly evaluated and appropriate replacement initiated when indicated. 

Chronic Sinusitis

CAUSE

1. Mayo Clinic did a study a few years back looking at the cause of chronic sinus infections. The typical treatment for these sinus issues is based on the belief that the infection must be due to some bacteria. Therefore an antibiotic of one sort of the other is generally used to treat. What if the premise is wrong? Mayo’s study showed that, in fact, the premise is wrong. Therefore repeated rounds of antibiotics are not helpful and might make the problem even worse. The Mayo Clinic study showed that about 96% of chronic sinus infections are caused by a fungus, typically candida albicans - the same fungus that causes most vaginal yeast infections.

2. Some chronic sinus infections are due to a bad tooth. An example is a root canal gone bad, but not seen as such on routine screening X-rays. Or a wisdom tooth that has not been pulled and is thought to be ok, but in fact is infected. These back teeth can be the cause of many chronic illnesses including sinus infections.

3. Sometimes chronic sinus issues are simply a manifestation of allergic-type reaction or “sensitivities” to some food. This would be somewhat similar to some of the autoimmune reactions.

TREATMENT

1. If the problem is a fungal issue, it needs to be treated as a fungal issue. And we can help you with that. These are the important steps to take:

   1. Avoid foods that feed fungus. Sugars are the best way to make fungus grow. Thus one needs to get onto a very careful diet that has been shown to improve one’s ability to fight off fungal infections.

   2. One should use lots of probiotics and prebiotics.

   3. Be sure the gut is working well. Most of these fungal issues are sourced out of the gut.

   4. Take a good anti-fungal medication or herbal treatment.

2. In order to know whether the cause might be a problem tooth, we need the help of a good and experienced dentist. Many routine X-rays will not be able to tell whether or not a tooth is bad. The definitive way to find out whether or not a tooth might be causing your chronic sinus issues (or other health issues) is to have a Cone Beam CT scan done. In general, I’m reticent to suggest CT scans to my patients as the radiation exposure can be quite significant. Example: a CT of the abdomen may be equivalent radiation to 200 chest X-rays, or thereabouts. The good news is that the dental folk have created CT machines that expose one only to very small amounts of radiation. In my view, getting these tests done is quite safe.

   1. Let me give you one brief example - not of a chronic sinus case, but a chronic “I don’t feel good” case. The principles are the same, however.

   2. This person is a dentist friend who I’ve known for some time. We’ve chatted over the years many times about the role of teeth on general health. During a recent visit he recounted his own fresh experience. For a couple of years he had just not felt well. Life looked bleak, in spite of excellent circumstances. He couldn’t figure it out. All dental X-rays were quite normal. But one tooth kind of bothered him a bit. So he decided to get a Cone Beam CT done and it did show a questionable issue with one of his molars. He debated on what to do - pull it or get a root canal? He elected to do a root canal, carefully done by an expert, and within two days he was already feeling remarkably better, almost back to his usual, normal, joyful self.

   3. Where root canals can cause problems, they are not necessarily a problem. And in this situation, he had the root canal while being aware he might need to go ahead and have the tooth pulled any way. In this case though, dramatic improvement of symptoms that would almost never be linked to something in the mouth.

3. If the chronic sinuses are being caused by allergies/sensitivities, the one must discover the specific causes and appropriately treat, not unlike one would treat an autoimmune issue.

Depression

BE AWARE

Many issues which are thought to be “psychological” are in fact disruptions in the normal functions of the brain.

Is the issue a given person is facing simply unhappiness or is it really depression in the classic sense. Many people are unhappy and doctors are all too willing to prescribe a psychotropic/mind affecting drug without any real understanding of what is going on with a person.

If they are truly depressed, why is it? Is it circumstantial? Counseling might be a better choice than a medication.

For more information on what are considered to be psychological problems, please read some of what has been written in the ADD/ADHD section above.

CAUSE

1. Hormonal changes. Woman as early as 30 can experience symptoms of “premenopause”.

2. Post Partum Depression, depression after the birth of a baby, is almost always a hormonal thing. Proper replacement can help enormously. Typically one does not need to take psychiatric drugs for this.

3. Undiagnosed low thyroid or inadequate thyroid therapy

4. Lack of nutrients including B vitamins, certain minerals such as magnesium, and amino acids such as tryptophan and tyrosine

5. Traumatic brain injury

6. Lack of sunshine and vitamin D

7. Inflammation of the brain as per the work of Dr Blaylock mentioned in the ADD section.

TREATMENT

1. Appropriate hormonal replacement when indicated.

2. The needed hormone could be cortisol, the adrenal hormone that helps deal with stress. Frequently overlooked.

3. In depth evaluation of thyroid function and status, and proper replacement when indicated.

4. Exercise

5. Water

6. A diet that helps lower blood sugar. And it should also help you avoid foods to which your are allergic/sensitive

7. Good sleep

8. See Dr Mirman’s article attached at the end for more information on how appropriate use of amino acids and some vitamins could be a great help.

9. And see the information in the section on ADD/ADHD 

Diabetes Type 2

PRELUDE

1. Type 2 Diabetes is on the spectrum known as Insulin Resistance or Metabolic Syndrome.

2. Diabetes is diagnosed by:

   1. Having two different fasting blood sugars that are 126 or above OR

   2. Having a hemoglobin A1C of 6.5% or higher on two separate tests is diagnostic

   3. A random blood sugar over 200 is highly suggestive of diabetes

3. Prediabetes is generally considered to be:

   1. A fasting blood sugar of 100 up to 125 OR

   2. A hemoglobin A1C of 5.7 to 6.4

4. Diabetes, as such, only takes what the blood sugar is into consideration

   1. Blood sugar high = diabetes.

   2. Blood sugar borderline high = prediabetes

5. The major diabetic types:

   1. Type 1 diabetes: there is essential no insulin produced by the body/pancreas

   2. Type 2 diabetes: There is too much insulin produced

6. The problem in type 2 diabetes is that elevated insulin in many ways is more dangerous and damaging to the body than is the higher blood sugars (to be clear, I’m not speaking of the enormously high blood sugars occasionally experienced by even type 2s)

7. Type 2 diabetes is, in almost all cases, an optional disease. You can choose to continue to have it or you can choose to no longer have type 2 diabetes. The choice is yours. It will take self education. It will take determination. But we can help you cure yourself of this very damaging disease.

CAUSE

1. What causes insulin to go up? An increase in blood sugar.

2. What causes blood sugar to go up? Eating sugar and other carbohydrates.

3. What lowers insulin? Less sugar in the blood.

4. What makes for less sugar in the blood? Eating fewer sugars and carbohydrates.

TREATMENT

1. Type 2 diabetes (Insulin Resistance, Metabolic Syndrome) is in some ways the most damaging and tragic disease of our time.

2. It is a major contributor to obesity, cardiovascular disease, cancer, fatigue, arthritis, dementia and generally not feeling well.

3. It’s actually a fairly new disease, and the reason for that is the change in the American diet over the past 100 years

4. In order to effectively treat type 2 diabetes, the patient must understand what is going on and have clear direction on what steps to take.

5. The current use of insulin for type 2 diabetes is almost always a poor choice as it almost universally makes the patients become more obese and makes their already problematic elevated insulins even higher. NOTE: In saying this, DO NOT suddenly stop any treatment program you are on without the express cooperation of your treating physician. It could be dangerous. Work with a knowledgeable doctor who can help and support you in this important work.

6. To effectively treat type 2 diabetes, a good physician must consider:

   1. Sleep

   2. Thyroid status

   3. Other hormones

   4. Gut health

   5. Supplements

   6. Diet

   7. Exercise

   8. Hydration

7. Overcoming type 2 diabetes is a noble endeavor and goal. We would be happy to assist you in that process.

THE IMPORTANCE OF SELF EDUCATION

1. In some ways, we live in the best times ever. There is an amazing access to information unlike ever before in earth history.

2. To be successful in overcoming type 2 diabetes, you will need to work together with your physician. You can’t expect him/her to just prescribe meds and get cured.

3. But to work effectively with a physician, you yourself need to have an understanding of what is happening and where you wish to go with your health. Many physicians do not understand the latest work on diabetes and still rely on the old paradigm of just using enough different medications to get the blood sugar down. The problem is that these medications typically do nothing to help get your insulin down.

4. You need to become an expert on your own body and health. Hire doctors to help you achieve YOUR goals. Don’t submit to the typical low level goals of taking lots of meds to get your hemoglobin A1C below 7. Set a healthier bar for yourself. Get your A1C below 5.4! Get you insulin under 6! Or that at least is what I would encourage you to do.

5. There are some terrific resources out there. Let me list a few:

   1. Jason Fung’s book: “The Diabetes Code”

   2. Jason Fung: “The Complete Guide to Fasting”

   3. Joe Mercola: “Ketofast”

Endometriosis

BE AWARE

Endometriosis can often be helped, not cured, by using natural progesterone.

Erectile dysfunction

Fibromyalgia

Gut Issues

Such as GERD, undiagnosed abdominal pain, constipation, diarrhea, IBS and colitis and Crohns

Headaches including migraines

CAUSES

1. Many headaches can be musculoskeletal issues and a good chiropractor or physical therapist can often be helpful for them.

2. Poor gut function such a constipation will cause a lot of headaches

3. Women who have menstrual related migraine headaches typically will get their migraines at ovulation or just before or during menses. Studies have show that a drop in estrogen levels can be a major trigger of menstrual migraines.

4. Toxic exposures can cause them.

5. Migraine headaches are often quite easy to help if one understands that they are usually going to be a food reaction, a hormonal imbalance, or a lack of serotonin and/or dopamine.

TREATMENT

1. The first thing is usually to help the gut to function better. People with headaches can often be constipated. By simply doing physiologic things to help the gut work better, headaches will usually diminish or disappear.

2. One patient of mine was 18 and a student at university in Seattle. He was having a reported 3-5 severe migraines per week. Between the pain and the medications he was taking, it was challenging to study and achieve good grades. The family suggested avoiding gluten as a trial. He refused. He wasn’t going to miss pizza and sandwiches without a test to prove he had an issue with it. The family doctor did a test for celiac disease and it was negative - so the patient was told by the doctor that he could eat as much gluten as he liked. (NOTE: non-celiac gluten sensitivity is a very important cause of illness and is often overlooked.) Finally the family convinced him to visit our office and he told me he wanted a test. We used EnteroLab in Dallas which does a stool test. His results were very positive - not for celiac (which is a specific sort of gluten intolerance) but for a serious allergy/sensitivity to gluten. That convinced him to give gluten avoidance a try. I saw him two months later and he reported that he had not had one migraine in those two months except when he ate at the school cafeteria. He thought he was eating safe, gluten-free foods at the cafeteria, but when a migraine started shortly after lunch, he went back to the cafeteria and asked to see the full ingredient lists for the foods he had eaten. Sure enough, one of them contained gluten. Needless to say, he was convinced.

3. Migraines can be caused by many different foods, gluten being only one of many. To help migraines, one must, in these cases, discover which foods might be causing the pain and then carefully and consistently avoid those triggers of migraines.

4. Women with menstrual migraines are often effectively treated by providing the right kind of estrogen at the right time.

5. A most remarkable treatment for migraines has been in development for the last 20 years. It does not require taking any prescriptions medications. (See document at end of this list - Jacob Mirman MD re Hinz amino acid protocol)

6. The Hinz protocol for migraine headaches is very effective for most migraines. It entails using very specific amounts of specific amino acids and B vitamins. The protocol begins with a basic dosing which works well for some people. Often people need to go to a second stage dose. And occasionally a person will need to increase to the third level of dosing.

7. We can certainly help you with these approaches at the Wilkinson Wellness Clinic.

Heavy periods

BE AWARE

This is often a hormonal issue. Both thyroid dysfunction and lack of progesterone can contribute to the problem. Proper replacement can help enormously for some women.

Infertility

CAUSE

This is not straight forward nor universally the same. However, many women with infertility issues have low thyroid, low progesterone or other significant health issues that need to be fixed. BUT, the issue might not be with the woman. Men have had a serious decrease in sperm counts over the last 40-50 years. One example: habitually carrying one’s cell phone in the front pockets of his pants can remarkably decrease sperm counts.

TREATMENT

The foundational treatment is to be sure that the mother is healthy, and this especially requires that the thyroid system is working well. 

1. Thyroid: Routine thyroid testing is often inadequate, in my opinion. Most frequently, a single test is done, the TSH or Thyroid Stimulating Hormone, and that is not actually a thyroid hormone. It’s the hormone/message from the boss of the thyroid which is the pituitary gland. Normally, if you have too little thyroid hormone, the pituitary is supposed to begin “shouting” at the thyroid to wake up and get to work. Thus, the TSH is elevated above the lab normal range. A high TSH is interpreted as being THE way to diagnose low thyroid function. Many doctors in integrative/functional medicine would argue that this test is only one of the several factors that need to be evaluated in deciding on whether the thyroid function is low or not. This evaluation would include a more comprehensive panel of blood tests including TSH, the relatively inactive thyroid hormone T4, the active thyroid hormone T3, the “anti-thyroid hormone” Reverse T3, and testing for autoimmune thyroid disease; and one should seriously consider the history, the story of the patient as that tells us a lot about the possibility of thyroid dysfunction; and the physical exam can give several clues as to whether one is in fact hypothyroid. A thorough evaluation for possible low thyroid function thus includes at least a complete panel of lab tests, the physical exam, and the history. Making the diagnosis only based on the TSH is not adequate in my view. Treatment is fairly easy once we are clear on whether this is an issue or not.

2. Progesterone is the “Pro” or “for” gestation hormone, pro-gestation or pro-pregnancy, hormone. If the progesterone production of a woman is inadequate, she can have a difficult time with getting pregnant or maintaining a pregnancy. Women with low progesterone often have signs or symptoms of low progesterone which can include: PMS, painful periods, heavy periods or other manifestations of less than ideal menstrual cycles.

3. In addition, it’s important for the husband to be in good health for the optimal chance of a good pregnancy.

Insomnia

Interstitial Cystitis

CAUSE

Interstitial cystitis is an autoimmune disease. Check out the autoimmune section for more information.

TREATMENT

1. Interstitial Cystitis is a disease that can often be effectively treated

2. Since it is in part, at least, an autoimmune disease, there are a variety of foods that can trigger the autoimmune reaction. We find that there usually are foods that must be avoided for the person to do well.

3. There are some fairly simple injections that can be done just under the skin in the area of the bladder that can help reduce inflammation.

4. There are also minimally painful treatments into the bladder that can be enormously helpful.

RECENT CASE STUDY

An approximately 20 year old woman had severe IC for many years. She had found that there were several foods that triggered a flare of symptoms. Even with careful food avoidance, she continued to have a high degree of pain almost continuously. She noted that the only thing that really helped was using extremely hot heating pads that almost burned the skin. When they were so hot she could barely stand it on the skin, the bladder symptoms would settle somewhat.

We began treating her with the protocol we use. Shortly after the first treatment, she was doing much better. After a series of treatments, she was doing very well. Occasionally now she will get a flare, she’ll come in for a simple treatment and is feeling good within a very short period of time.

Libido Loss

Lyme Disease

Menopause

Mold Exposure

Orgasm Inability or Anorgasmia

Osteoarthritis

CAUSES

According to a short article on WebMD, osteoarthritis is caused by: 

1. Heredity. Some people have an inherited defect in one of the genes responsible for making cartilage.

2. Obesity . Obesity increases the risk for osteoarthritis of the knee, hip, and spine. 

3. Injury. Injuries contribute to the development of osteoarthritis.

4. Joint overuse. 

5. Other diseases.

Heredity likely can create more challenges but that is a relatively rare cause of the typical arthritis that so many people experience.

Obesity produces mechanical challenges for joints such as knees and ankles, but doesn’t explain why an obese person might have arthritis of the hands or the shoulders.

Injury and “joint overuse” (whatever that is) could play a role if the normal healing mechanism of the body are not working correctly. Or if the body is unable to extinguish the inflammation that really creates the disturbance.

In my view, the general “run of the mill” arthritis is chronic inflammation of the joints and the inability of the body to heal the joints appropriately.

TREATMENT

1. Natural anti-inflamatories such as curcumin, quercetin, black cumin seed, omega 3 oils, and others can be helpful in the healing process.

2. Foods are a very common cause of arthritis. One of the reasons I decided to study medicine was because of a book I read by Paavo Airola, “There Is a Cure for Arthritis”. I previously had thought that if you got arthritis you got arthritis - Sorry, Charlie! But Paavo showed that for many people the body is able to heal itself if we provide the proper environment. Good nutrition. Avoid problem foods.

3. Many years ago I did a two year training program with Dr Theron Randolph, a pioneering allergist. We had a specialty unit in a Chicago hospital. We saw people with osteoarthritis, rheumatoid arthritis, depression, bowel issues, psychological issues, skin problems, asthma, and many other chronic problems. We would place them on a 4-6 day fast at the start of their stay with us, and by the time they finished their fast, they would almost always be doing much much better. We then knew that something in their environment, likely a food, was contributing to their health issues. We would feed them one food per meal. When we tested wheat, it wasn’t bread with butter that we fed them, not even bread. It was just a wheat mush. Our hospital kitchen did not receive any Michelin awards; ) What we found was that people who, for instance, had a dramatic recovery from their arthritis symptoms while on the fast would have a sudden and equally dramatic return of their arthritis symptoms upon eating certain foods. This confirmed to our patients that foods would cause, or at least contribute to, their arthritis. By avoiding those foods they would have far fewer problems with their arthritis.

4. What foods to avoid? That depends on the person. Nightshades can be a real problem for some. Or dairy, or gluten, or sugar, or corn.

5. Figuring out the problem foods and avoiding them can be a huge benefit.

6. Minerals such as boron can be quite helpful. Some forms of boron are more helpful than other.

Painful Periods or Dysmenorrhea

CAUSES

1. Lack of progesterone

2. Lack of iron

3. Lack of thyroid

TREATMENT

1. Progesterone is a natural hormone that can do marvelous things for women experiencing menstrual challenges.

2. If iron is low, figure a good way to replace it. For some women it’s quite easy. For other women, it can be more of a challenge.

3. Low thyroid can contribute to dysfunction of the GYN system. This needs to be thoroughly evaluated and treated. (See under “Chronic Fatigue” for more info re thyroid)

PMS or Premenstrual Syndrome
(comes with several different names)

CAUSE

1. The most common cause is a lack of progesterone production during the second half of the cycle. And it is easily treated.

2. In our experience it can also be caused by other hormonal imbalances, gut problems, and yeast issues.

TREATMENT

1. Typically, we would do blood work on about day 18 through 22 of the cycle, which is when the progesterone levels should peak. The lab work should include a progesterone level. By normalizing the progesterone levels in the second half of the cycle, women almost always feel much better.

2. Thyroid problems and gastrointestinal difficulties need to be addressed and fixed.

Polycystic Ovarian Syndrome

CAUSES OR CONTRIBUTORS

1. Lack of progesterone hormone

2. Lack of iodine

TREATMENT

1. Test progesterone levels and replace when appropriate.

2. Provide iodine in proper dosing.

Post Viral Fatigue Syndrome 

Rheumatoid arthritis

CAUSES

1. Rheumatoid arthritis is considered to be an autoimmune disease.

2. Please note the section on Autoimmune disease

3. Dr Thomas McPherson Brown was a rheumatologist in the Washington, DC area. Through diligent research he discovered what the cause of rheumatoid arthritis was and developed a method of treatment that can work wonders for people with the disease. Please read a book review posted on Amazon regarding Dr Brown’s book, “The Road Back”. It will give you a brief insight into the work done by Dr. Brown.

4. Foods and toxins can also be triggers for this problem

TREATMENT

1. According to Dr Brown (see the book review below), RA is caused by bugs. It’s an interesting story! In some cases it can be effectively treated by appropriate antibiotic therapy - or other methods of treating a chronic infection.

2. While in training in Chicago, we demonstrated that many people with rheumatoid arthritis could be dramatically benefitted by avoiding foods that could trigger symptoms.

Urinary Incontinence

CAUSE

This is more likely to be a problem for women. 

There are small muscles that surround the urethra that runs from the bladder to the outside world. These muscles get weak with any combination of time (aging) and trauma/stretching such as with childbirth. Thus, as a woman gets older and muscles weaker, incontinence can develop or worsen.

TREATMENT

1. The usual treatment consists of a surgical procedure where a foreign material is made into a sling that adds pressure to the bladder outlet thus tending to keep the urine in the bladder. There are situations where this might be necessary. However, our approach is to find physiologic (natural) answers for problems whenever possible.

2. Perhaps the most important thing we can do to help muscles become stronger is to provide testosterone.

3. As women age, they lose testosterone.

4. A young woman has around 1000x more testosterone than she does estradiol (estrogen). By age 40, these levels have typically already dropped a lot.

5. A very simple approach that is very helpful for many women with this problem is the use of testosterone in a cream form. This concentrated testosterone is placed right around the opening of the urethra and out into the area of the inner labia. Being very close to the weakened muscles, it tends to strengthen them especially. Of course levels of testosterone need to be monitored to keep them in an appropriate range.

6. This works great for most women with urinary incontinence.