What is normal digestion?

Ideal Digestion

It is a question that is asked to every patient that walks into a Chinese Medicine consultation. What is happening with your digestion? Bloating, reflux, rumbling stomach, pain, belching, gas, loose bowels, sluggish bowels, constipation. These are problems that are very common, and are often playing a central role in what is keeping someone from getting better on their own.

Even if the problem is a sore neck, headaches, insomnia or infertility. 

It's not the thing that comes to mind when you're coming in to have something else treated, however if you can't absorb nutrients from your food, if there is inflammation that is causing you to chew through nutrients faster than you can get them in, if there are unwelcomed guests living in your digestion that are generating toxic by-products that are distracting your liver from detoxifying the other chemicals that you're exposed to in your life - well then you're gonna have to fix that in order to get well and STAY well.

So what does an ideal digestive system do? It goes a little something like this:

- you don't eat because it helps to stave off an acidic feeling 

- you don't crave sugary foods, chocolate or bread
- you have adequate saliva in your mouth to help you chew your food
- after swallowing your food you don't feel uneasy in your stomach
- there is no feeling of being bloated, or that you need to let your belt out a notch
- you don't feel tired or zoned out after eating a meal
- your concentration doesn't deteriorate after a meal
- you may have a very mild or subtle feeling that your digestion is processing your food
- there are no loud rumbling sounds emanating from your stomach
- between 30-60 minutes after eating you should feel the need to pass a bowel movement. There is no pain or discomfort before or after, there is no strong odour, the stool is fully formed, and your bowel feels completely empty


Doesn't sound like you? If you are missing out on even one factor in the above list it could be a sign that the way your digestive system operates could be playing a larger role in your current health concern than you realise.

Fix Your Digestion

 

A Chinese Medicine practitioner can assist by performing acupuncture, prescribing herbal medicines, advising on vitamins and supplements that could be useful or ones that are HARMFUL and should be avoided. 

 

Lifestyle and dietary advice is essential to prolonged and sustained improvement in your condition, and your practitioner can assist you to become aware of and make the changes that are going to be the best for YOU. There are no one-size-fits-all approaches to sustaining optimum health, and Chinese Medicine makes suggestions according to your specific diagnosis.

Amazing Digestion

Sorting out what is going on with your digestion can make such a difference to energy levels, stamina, mood and overall wellbeing, as well as sometimes helping to improve other seemingly unrelated problems. Patients often report that they didn't even realise how good they could feel. We really encourage you to explore what's possible for your body.

Depression - An Integrated Medical Approach

Depression can be caused by many different reasons. There is no one treatment miracle cure that will work for everyone.

We find that by combining the approaches of modern science with the principles of Traditional Chinese Medicine give patients a fast recovery and returning to a normal mood that is less likely to regress.

According to modern medicine depression can be caused by genomic expressions, severe chronic illness, metabolic disorders like hypothyroidism and diabetes, toxicity of copper and other heavy metals, nutritional deficiencies such as iron, zinc, B12, B9, B3, Vitamin D, Vitamin C, chromium and magnesium, low amino acids tyrosine not converting to serotonin, liver issues causing methylation problems (discussed in more detail) and more.

According to Chinese Medicine depression can stem from blood deficiency, this is where most post natal depression stems from and is closely linked with iron and B vitamin deficiencies, liver qi stagnation, and issues with the lung, heart and kidney organs.

This information can seem overwhelming. How do you know the best place to start to treat your depression?

The most typical Chinese Medicine pattern of disharmony of depression seen in our clinic stems from either the Liver energy or the Kidney energy not working the way it should. In Chinese Medicine we talk about the Liver and Kidneys in a broader sense than the medical world, sometimes it can correspond to a detectable problem with your Liver or Kidney organs, but mostly it is occuring on a subtler functional or energetic level.

If you are suffering more anger than ambivalence then your practitioner is more likely to suspect that the Liver energy needs to be treated. Subtle signs and symptoms will bring a qualified Chinese Medical practitioner to diagnose their patient’s organ pathology however, and one must seek diagnosis and treatment from a qualified professional.

When you’re being treated from a modern medical perspective you must be tested. Blood tests can determine genetic polymorphisms (which can be treated), vitamin deficiencies, and thyroid conditions. Functional pathology labs can test for how your liver clears toxins away and which amino acids you're lacking, which make ‘depression relevant’ compounds.

Together both systems compliment each other, and patients who receive treatment from both modalities tend to recover faster.

The LIVER

Is the storage site for many essential vitamins and minerals, such as iron, copper, B 12, and vitamins A, D, E and K. The liver is known as the detoxification organ, not only of external chemicals and pollutants, but also hormones that are made in the body, which constantly need to be broken down and turned into excretable substances. When hormones are not cleared properly from the body they aromatize into other hormones which creates hormonal imbalance, disrupting mood dramatically.

The role of these various enzyme activities in the liver is to convert fat soluble toxins into water soluble substances that can be excreted via the kidneys in the urine or via the gall bladder in the bile. Therefore to detoxify properly one needs their kidneys and gallbladder to be functioning properly. A gall bladder flush is a great place for people to start when detoxing or having difficulty digesting fats, speak to a complementary therapist to be assisted through this process.

A process known as methylation also occurs in the liver. This process is critical to the metabolism of dopamine, norepinephrine and epinephrine which are thought to be directly related to symptoms of depression, anxiety and other mood disorders. Methylation  synthesizes ‘depression-relevant' compounds such as melatonin, serotonin, dopamine, adenosine, glutathione, GABA, sulfate, cortisol, carnitine, CoQ10 and more. Methylation is also required to inactivate histamine, the inflammatory compound involved in immune reaction such as hayever and allergies. 

Basic nutrients necessary for normal function of this cycle include B12, glycine, serine, activated B6, selenium, cysteine, methionine and folic acid, hence B vitamins and amino acid deficiencies influence the expression of depression.

Several studies have shown the utility of folic acid in the treatment of depression. Some people carry genes that cause then to be deficient in folic acid. This is common in people who has depression that runs in the families.  Carrying the MTHFR gene means that folate (B9) is poorly activated, which means that they can not recycle their homocystine back into methionine. High levels of homocystine not only impact in the development of depression but also heart disease, colon cancer, and gives rise to a higher incidence of neural defects in babies and autism.

If depression stems from poor liver function then alongside vitamin and amino acids there are an array of herbs useful for liver detox and function. 


Lifestyle Choices

Eat less processed foods, and more freshly cooked meals. When eating out, choose meals that are prepared with less oil, sugar and salt. The best cooking methods are stir frying, poaching and steaming. Schedule main, heavier meals for the earlier part of the day where possible. Simplify your meals, don’t have too many food groups in one meal.

Increase folate rich foods: vegetables, especially green leafy vegetables and red vegetables. Aim for 3 cups of vegetables each day, and minimum of 2 pieces of fruit each day. 6-8 glasses of water each day as a target, more in summer.

To increase vitamin absorption and reduce inflammation try gluten and casein (dairy protein) free foods.

A high protein diet will contribute to “qi stagnation”; it is best to focus on the quality of protein consumed rather than the quantity, look for fish that is fished out of Australian or New Zealand waters. Your diet should be high in leafy green vegetables, moreso than focused on protein.

Check packaging for additives, sugar and salt. Try to choose brands without preservatives, and with sugar and salt lower on the list. Remember that ingredients are listed from highest to lowest content. Avoid MSG (and related additives) wherever possible. Look for numbers 620-640 (flavour enhancers). Number 621 is MSG. Artificial sweeteners should also be avoided where possible.

Reduce caffeine, carbonated drinks, alcohol, cigarettes, recreational drugs, fatty foods, sugar and salt. Replace with herbal tea or coffee substitute, water or diluted fresh juice, freshly cooked meals.

Avoid eating too late in the evening, try to have your final meal by 7pm. Your body needs to rest at night, not spending all night digesting your dinner. Your energy levels can be quite low in the morning if you’ve had a large meal before going to bed.

Be guided through a detox with an experienced healthcare provider, physically and emotionally.

Turbulent or volatile emotions at meal times are especially detrimental; meals should be eaten in a calm and relaxed environment. Relax whilst you’re eating and enjoy your food, and avoid eating whilst working, reading or watching TV. Ensure to leave adequate time each day to relax, whether meditating, listening to music, gardening etc. or some other form of activity that doesn’t involve reading or watching TV.

Move Qi (energy), don’t exhaust it. This means look at how you exercise, long distance running, crossing training for hours at a time and exercising in elevated temperatures typically exhaust qi. This can sometimes be detrimental to your progress, back off on the exercise if you suspect that your mood is adversely affected. Low intensity exercise such as light jogging, power walking, cycling and swimming is preferable. Yoga, pilates and tai chi are also excellent ways to get stuck energy moving.

Reducing your workload and the amount of time you spend at work, spending time at least once each week doing something you enjoy. Where possible, get to bed before 11pm, try to avoid burning the candle at both ends. Remain conscious of where your true energy levels are and avoid “running on empty”.

Start exercising lightly, qi gong, tai chi, hatha yoga, swimming, walking, gardening.

Depression From Exhaustion

According to Chinese Medicine your practitioner could identify that you have Qi and Blood deficiency. This is usually associated with a weak digestive system. It's vital to check your pancreatic enzymes are ok, so that you are producing the right enzymes to effectively digest your food. Practitioners at our clinic can arrange these tests for you, alternatively you can see your GP.

Low iron is sometimes linked with Qi and Blood deficiency, this can be from an inherited tendency, it could be from a parasitic infection, low dietary intake, or poor absorption. All causes of low iron can be treated, and can make a big difference in your mood. Ensuring that your iron stores (ferritin) are adequate to support great health is essential, we like our clients to bring their blood test results along so that we can see how closely your levels align with the metrics of great health, rather than using a metric that indicates the absence of disease. It is with a fresh perspective that often times clients can unravel problems that have plagued them for years.

If your practitioner diagnoses Blood deficiency and you are a woman, it's especially important to resolve the problem quickly if you suffer from menorrhagia, heavy bleeding during your menstrual cycle.

General Principles for Eating to improve absorption of vitamins and minerals from food, and to tonify a weak digestive system:
    Absolutely avoid all raw food including salads.
    All foods to be cooked and eaten warmed, long slow cooking, soups, broth & stews,
    Thorough chewing,
    Simple combinations of a few ingredients,
    Smaller meals more often,
    Regular meal times
    No excess fluid with meals, overeating, missing meals or eating while working.
    Avoid food that is more than one day old. 
    Don’t eat when you are upset or angry.

Increase protein intake, the best source of protein is animal protein, especially organic chicken (soups and stock), and green leafy vegetables are high in Iron content.  In vegetarian diets folic acid and Vit B12 can be taken as supplements.

Adrenals

Adrenal exhaustion can be a major contributor to depression, to test your adrenal output you can do a saliva cortisol test through the day to see how your cortisol varies from day to night.

For those with high or low cortisol should stay away from stimulants! Eating small and regular meals that contain good sources of proteins and fats can also help nourish the adrenals. Learn how to relive stress and REST!

An adaptogenic tonic can balance your adrenal hormones which can help your energy out put feel even throughout the day. This sis a great way to help you come off the abuse of stimulants, which just keep draining your adrenals, and creating energy fluxes throughout the day.

The Chinese believe that as heat is a source of energy, you should not allow heat to escape from the Kidney adrenal region. This can happen either around the lower back and abdomen or through the Kidney meridian at the sole of the foot. Keep the back and feet warm, and prevent Qi loss.

A day in the life: Clare's Food for a Day

A day in the life

As health practitioners, we are always talking to patients about ways of cleaning up their life to make healing easier. Making dietary changes is one of the big topics that comes up in most consultations. The main things we're talking to patients about is cutting down or cutting out booze, coffee, sugar, processed foods. Sometimes when patients are showing signs they may be a candidate for metabolic syndrome and type II diabetes we suggest a month of resensitising themselves to insulin - by cutting out grains, fruit and sugar for a month. For people who have muesli or cereal for breakfast, sandwich for lunch, pasta for dinner - a diet without grains would seem impossible.

Well for me, it's the daily standard. I have gluten intolerance, and a slightly unhappy thyroid gland, which makes me a prime candidate for a very low grain diet. I eat plenty of vegetables and get my carbohydrates from veggies and small amount of fruit. If you want some ideas about what you can do if you're not eating a wheat based product - check out what my typical day of food looks like.

As much as it may be tough to have someone tell you to cut out on x,y,z from your diet, make sure it's something they have done themselves so they know what they're talking about. Some may hate me for it, but yes in my case I do walk the walk as well as talk the talk!! It is indeed possible to live a happy and full life without caffeine, alcohol, sugar or bread.

So what did I actually eat last Tuesday?

Tuesdays are a busy day for me, and one of the worst nutritional days of the week for me for this reason. It's my one day at clinic that I finish late, so I like to give myself a bit of a sleep in. I wake up around 8am, do my morning yoga, make breakfast and get ready for work. I always have a cooked breakfast, I find it sustains me really well throughout the morning and into the early afternoon. On this particular day, I ate an egg, some bacon, mushrooms, sundried tomatoes, a roasted artichoke and some cucumber - all cooked in extra virgin coconut oil NOT olive oil. A pot of liquorice tea helps to support my adrenal function, and you can see my other powdered supplements there that I take each day - a magnesium drink and a zinc+vit c combo.

Women's multi, CoQ10, Vitamin D, a general probiotic (nothing out of the ordinary so far), Adrenal Gland extract, chinese herbal formula Rehmannia Six (Liu wei di huang wan), and a thyroid support supplement. Phew, what a list!!

Then I head into work for the day, starting around 11am. On this particular day however I left my lunch behind, so emergency lunch it was. I popped over to the local supermarket and picked up some salad, some smoked salmon and a yummy mustard/balsamic dressing. Out of the 10s of brands on the shelf, it was the only one that was sugar free - it's such an eye opener to read your labels before purchasing food items. If you're not already a label reader, you should start, so that you can become a conscious consumer.

I found 30 minutes between patients to eat my lunch, to sit down and just quietly chew. Then back to work, with patients through until 7:30pm. I find a get a bit peckish throughout the afternoon - so there's always something on hand to tide us through. Today it was a little pile of macadamias, some dates and some blueberries.

Berries are just so magnificent at this time of year, so I make the most of it and happily snack on them whilst they're in season.

Finally I finish work at 7:45pm and head home. I'm home by 8:10pm, a quick whip up in the pan of some kebabs, and a plate of salad and I'm sitting down to dinner by 8:20pm. Organic chicken kebabs cooked in coconut oil, salad with olive oil and balsamic dressing. I overcatered, and couldn't finish my kebabs so tomorrow's breakfast here we come! An hour or so of winding down on the couch, then I head off to bed.

Total food preparation time for the day: 15 mins

Added sugar = None

Could have done better? - Normally I eat more veggies, it's hard to get enough when eating salad because there's so much air and not a lot of bulk, but all in all it's not a bad nutritional day.

High Testosterone in women - it's more common than you think.

High testosterone levels in women are one of the leading causes of a range of conditions - the most prevalent and commonly diagnosed is PCOS. We have a large number of women attend our clinic with a diagnosis of PCOS, majority of them have never been told about the possibilities of what might cause their condition, that their condition is not necessarily permanent, and that there are things they can do on a daily basis that can change the course of their disease and improve their symptoms.

A range of underlying abnormalities lead to PCOS, infertility, abnormal menstrual cycles, hormonal acne, including:

• insulin resistance, often secondary to obesity
• elevated hormonal androgens, primarily testosterone
• lowered progesterone levels causing erratic ovulation.   

Signs of high tesosterone in women:

• darker hair growth on the body
• hair growth on face and bellow the belly button
• acne that appears on the face the same time every month

High testosterone is commonly found in the average city-dwelling under-the-pump working woman.

Treatment for the symptoms of high testosterone can vary according to the problem you report to your doctor. Treatments can range from:

• oral contraceptive medications to control hormonal acne
• clomiphene tablets to aid in ovulation for fertility issues/PCOS

Clomiphene tablets maybe combined with steroid tablets to suppress androgen production - most often in women who are wanting to conceive. However this does not address the underlying issue, and is unfortunately associated with an increased rate of miscarriage if conception does occur. Forcing ovulation with clomiphene is not useful for all women, and can cause damage to your fertility if it is not suitable for you.
To check your testosterone levels (and other hormones) you must see the free amount of hormone circulating in your body, this is done via saliva testing. The causes of elevated testosterone are:

• A high sugar and carbohydrate diet
• Ovarian and adrenal dysfunction
• Your body converts too much hormone precursors into testosterone (excess aromatisation)
• Impaired liver detoxification function
• Supplementation with testosterone
• Low sex hormone binding globulin (SHBG)
• Increased stress
• Insulin resistance
• Low thyroid function (TSH should be between 0.5 – 2)

Obesity and PCOS
Women who are obese may be predisposed to PCOS and elevated testosterone.  Fatty tissue produces oestrogen and stores oestrogen, leading to hormonal imbalances that affect the development and ripening of immature follicles within the ovary. Fatty tissue also secretes excess androgens leading to many of the masculine signs and symptoms of PCOS (eg facial hair).  Thus weight loss and control for those with weight issues is a must, especially if weight is carried around the abdomen.

Researchers describe ‘belly fat’ an active "organ", one that churns out hormones and inflammatory substances. ‘Abdominal fat is thought to break down easily into fatty acids, which flow directly into the liver and into muscle’ according to Lewis Kuller MD DPH, professor and past chair of epidemiology at the University of Pittsburgh School of Public Health.
The increase in hormone production and inflammatory substances produced in the abdominal fat lead to overworking the liver and reducing the effectiveness of hormonal clearance. In a cascade of endocrine effects, insulin becomes less effective in controlling blood sugar, insulin resistance can sets in, and here we have yet another cause of PCOS (see earlier post on PCOS).

Blood Sugar Levels and Testosterone

Type II diabetes OR high sugar intake in diet causes insulin resistance and is a major cause of PCOS. Type II diabetes is controlled with drugs like Metformin, or as studies have shown, a low carbohydrate combined with exercise is as effective but without the side effects of medication. A low GI sugar free diet is a must for anyone with PCOS symptoms. The close relationship between insulin resistance and diet control is a number one priority for anyone wanting to cure themselves of high testosterone or PCOS.  Insulin up-regulates the production of testosterone, and high blood sugar levels present in "carbohydrate specialists" who are eating muesli for breakfast, sandwiches for lunch, fruit for snacks and pasta for dinner, are a big part of the problem for most women with hormonal imbalance.

Other factors that impact on insulin are low levels of magnesium, high carbohydrate and sugar intake, coffee and smoking.

The role of the liver
Dysfunctional liver detoxification pathways also contribute to hormonal imbalances in women, leading to acne, anovulation and PCOS. The liver is responsible for clearing built up hormones in the body, especially via the sulphation and glucoronidation pathways. When the liver is overloaded with the use of alcohol, caffeine, pharmaceutical or non-pharmaceutical drugs, the clearance of elevated stress hormone, environmental toxins, cleaning agents, aerosolized paints, thinners, or under attack by viral hepatitis, then the liver is unable to clear hormones from the blood stream. Estrogen and testosterone levels then build up. 

The treatment for a stressed liver is stress reduction, gut detox and liver detox. Look over the blog on stress (http://bit.ly/lxCh9o) to see that stress is not just physiological, and all stressors must be removed or reduced. Speak to a healthcare practitioner to guide you through a gut and liver detox (which may also aid in weight loss). Bacterial, yeast build up or parasites in the bowel prevent toxin and hormonal clearance from the body. The gut should always be checked for the presence of any of these problems and be addressed before commencing a liver detox, otherwise toxins and hormones are unable to be effectively cleared from the body and re-enter circulation.

Other Causes of PCOS
An Adrenal gland dysfunction, Chronic high stress levels or an adrenal tumor – Imbalanced levels of the stress hormone cortisol and sex hormone DHEA, both secreted from the adrenal glands create stress in the body which impacts on ovarian function, which causes PCOS.  Your diurnal variation of cortisol throughout the day can be tested at our clinic via a saliva test. Contact us for a referral for a saliva hormone testing kit.

Stress and PCOS
Stress, perhaps you may need to think about that one again…..Stress can not only cause ovarian dysfunction but cortisol can suck up our levels of progesterone, as progesterone is a precursor to make cortisol.  PCOS and the resulting lack of ovulation can be due to a lack of progesterone.

Low levels of Progesterone
The lack of progesterone is detected by the hypothalamus, which continues to try to stimulate the ovary by increasing its production of GnRH, which increases the pituitary production of FSH and LH. This stimulates the ovary to make more estrogen and androgens, which stimulates more follicles toward maturation. If these additional follicles are also unable to produce a matured ovum or make progesterone, the menstrual cycle is dominated by increased estrogen and androgen production without progesterone. This is the fundamental abnormality that creates PCOS. (Ref 5)

Progesterone can be supplemented with herbs and natural progesterone cream which we can write you a referral to get. Reduction of stress is paramount.


Low Sex Hormone Binding globulin
SHBG Sex hormone-binding globulin (SHBG) or sex steroid-binding globulin (SSBG) binds to sex hormones, mostly to testosterone and estradiol. These hormones circulate in the bloodstream, bound mostly to SHBG and only a small fraction is unbound, or "free," and thus biologically active.  Thus,  SHBG inhibits the function of these hormones. (Ref 6 )

Causes of Low SHBG are: Use of the Oral Contraceptive Pill – OCP, Excess protein, alcohol, thyroid disease and excess soy consumption. (Ref 7)

Androstenediol can be taken to increase testosterone, as it converts directly into testosterone, and is used mostly by weight lifters to build strength and increase immunity.

Low thyroid Function
A poorly functioning thyroid gland affects adrenal gland function, and the liver's ability to detoxify testosterone via the sulphation and glucoronidation pathways. This leads to higher testosterone levels and lower SHBG, see above.

Pituitary dysfunction
This will lead to an abnormal secretion of other menstrual related hormones, causing anovulation, and a build up of follicles within the ovaries. This is the last call, and should be checked if all else fails.

Low levels of Magnesium
Recently, there are  reports about correlations between insulin resistance and deficiency of magnesium.  Some of mechanisms is when there is magnesium deficiency, magnesium fails to activate tyrosine kinase of insulin receptor and hyperinsulinemia stimulates magnesium excretion. It is expected that the exact mechanisms between insulin resistance, metabolic syndrome and magnesium metabolism. (Ref 8)


Elevated Boron levels in the blood
Unknown to the vegetable of fruit consumer, toxic Boron levels are in soils derived from marine evaporites and marine argillaceous sediment, which can carry thourgh into the food we eat, unless eating organically.  The most important source is irrigation water, but others include wastes from surface mining, fly ash, and industrial chemicals (ref 9). Hair levels of iron, boron, calcium, and zinc are often concomitantly elevated with lead burden. Lead exposure includes welding, old leaded paint (chips/dust), drinking water, some fertilizers, industrial pollution, lead-glazed pottery, and newsprint. (Ref 10)
Boron's link with high testosterone is via its effects on decreasing serum magnesium serum which can impact on insulin resistance (Ref 7).

Elevated Copper 
Copper reduces adrenal and thyroid function, see above.
Medical conditions that may be associated with excess copper include: biliary obstruction (reduced ability to excrete Cu), liver disease (hepatitis or cirrhosis), and renal dysfunction. Symptoms associated with excess Cu accumulation are muscle and joint pain, depression, irritability, tremor, hemolytic anemia, learning disabilities, and behavioral disorders. See Dr Kaslow webpage on copper-zinc imbalances.
However, it is important first to rule out contamination from hair products and dyes, bleaches, swimming pool/hot tub water, and washing hair in acidic water carried through copper pipes. In the case of contamination from hair preparations, other elements (aluminum, silver, nickel, titanium) are usually also elevated.

Sources of excessive copper include contaminated food or drinking water, excessive Cu supplementation, and occupational or environmental exposures. Insufficient intake of competitively absorbed elements such as zinc or molybdenum can lead to, or worsen Cu excess.  (Ref 11)

Copper and Boron may be tested via hair mineral analysis, with a referral from our clinic.

Aromatises Inhibitors
Aromatise inhibitors (AIs) are a class of drugs used in the treatment of breast cancer, ovarian cancer and in post menopausal women

Anti-estrogen aromatase inhibitors offer their anti estrogenic effect by blocking the enzyme responsible for synthesizing or converting testosterone into estrogen via a process called aromatization. Thus their effect is to decrease estrogen and increase free testosterone and insulin growth factor levels in the body. 

I think I might have a problem with my testosterone levels
Although there are many causes for elevated testosterone, we can usually determine which cause is related to your symptoms quite quickly and effectively. At the Discover clinic we use clinically proven herbal and nutritional supplements to directly bring down testosterone levels, regulate insulin levels, treat thyroid imbalances, increase liver detoxification pathways and help clear heavy metal build up.  With the correct treatment, and sound advice on diet PCOS can be very well treated. PCOS is definitely not a life sentence.


References

4. 2007, ‘Risks of Belly Fat’, WebMD, viewed 7/7/11 - www.webmd.com/diet/risks-weight-around-waist-7/belly-risks?page=2
5. PCOS and Infertility viewed on the 27/10/11 at http://www.ovarian-cysts-pcos.com/progesterone.html
6. Wikipedia, viewed on the 27/10/11 at http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sex_hormone-binding_globulin
7.   ARL pathology, Healthscope Manual, pg 96
8. 2005,  Higashiura K, ‘Magnesium and insulin resistance’,  Clin Calcium. PUBMED, 2005 Feb;15(2):251-4. [Article in Japanese] Second Department of Internal Medicine, Sapporo Medical University School of Medicine. PMID:15692165, [PubMed - indexed for MEDLINE]
9.  Ross O, 1997,    Boron toxicity,      Plant and Soil, Chapter 12,  193: 181–198, CSIRO Land and Water, P.M.B., P.O. Aitkenvale, QLD 4814, Australia_, 2Water Management Research, Kluwer Academic Publishers. Printed in the Netherlands.
10. Jeremy E. Kaslow, MD, FACP, FACAAI Physician and Surgeon,  Lead, Found on  the 24/10/11 on the  Dr.Kaslow.com site  - http://www.drkaslow.com/html/hair_analysis.html
11. Viewed on the 27/10 11 at -http://www.drkaslow.com/html/hair_analysis.html

Constipation in Babies and Children

Aetiology
There are many causes of constipation:
-    overeating
-    irregular eating times
-    weaning the child too early
-    stress
-    not drinking enough water
-    eating ice-cold foods
-    drinking ice-cold drinks

Treatment of Constipation
-    regular meal times without snacks
-    avoiding frozen foods like ice-cream
-    drinking room temperature water instead of chilled water
-    reduce cold-energy foods
-    eat more foods that are easy to digest and lubricate the intestines

Foods to Lubricate the Intestines (avoid if bowels are loose or poorly formed)
-    bananas
-    nuts and seeds
-    prune juice
-    fig syrup
-    apples, pears, oranges, plums, cucumber, mung beans, tomatoes,

Foods to Avoid
-    ice-cream, frozen yoghurt, icy poles (except very hot days 35 degrees +)
-    reduce the amount of high protein foods (eggs, meat) that exacerbate constipation
-    spices, fried or grilled foods, fatty and rich foods

Pregnancy Pack - Buy this pack for the ones you love

Healthy Labour and post labour

This pack is designed to treat both the mother and her baby.

1.        Labour tincture – Made with herbs to promote energy and blood. This tincture is used during labour to help the mothers endurance and to promote the labours onset. The labour tincture is designed to sipped throughout labour.

2.        Blood tonic drops – Is used by the mother to boost blood and energy after labour. A lot of blood is lost after labour, and this blood needs to be replenished to increase breast milk, boost energy and prevent post natal depression. There are also herbs that help clear out the uterus of old blood and prevent infection. Please take 1 teaspoon 3 times a day in water for at least 3 weeks after birth.

3.        Ultra Flora restore – Boosts healthy flora (friendly bacteria) in the intestines. Babies receive their positive intestinal bacteria via their mother’s breast milk. A positive bacterium maintains a normal healthy gastrointestinal system and digestive function. The intestines are where we absorb our vitamins and minerals, and healthy intestinal flora is crucial for a strong immune system.

To buy this pack contact :
Discover Chinese Medicine
Ground Floor
Suite 3,193A Lennox St,
Richmond, VIC 3121
P          03 9013 1777
E          contact@discovertcm.com.au
W         http://www.discovertcm.com.au

IVF & Fertility

Five of the seven rules froma Chinese Medical practitioners perspective:

STAY WARM – An old Chinese saying “You can not cook a bun in a cold oven”

Before and after the transfer, and throughout the pregnancy make sure that your feet are warm. According to Chinese medicine the essence that creates embryos comes from Kidney qi. The kidney meridian starts at the sole of the foot, so if we let the feet get cold then the cold travels up the channel and into the Kidneys, reducing their vitality. This also applies if your trying to conceive and through out your first trimester.

This means no bare feet on cold surfaces! Open toed shoes and wearing light shoes in colder months is also not appropriate. If your toes are cold, then you need to wear sox and appropriate shoes, even if that means wearing shoes rather than sandals in a Melbourne summer.

Before the transfer book in to see your Chinese doctor before the transfer, if this is not possible then take a warmed wheat bag or used a moxa stick on your lower abdomen and lower back before the transfer. Keep your lower abdomen and back warm, but not hot, especially throughout the first trimester. This means wearing clothes that cover your lower back and tummy, ie. tuck in your shirt, wear high waist pants or skirts or wear a home made kidney wrap, made from cloth or wool.


DON’T PUMP ENERGY AWAY FROM THE FETUS

No caffeine, this includes black teas like earl grey, English breakfast, green teas, coke and Pepsi, and of course no coffee! Caffine also reduces the body's absorption of iron. Decaf is full of chemicals so stay away from this also. 

There is minimal caffeine in white tea, and no caffeine in herbal teas, so enjoy these teas instead. If you are a heavy coffee drinker wean yourself off coffee over a 2 week period.

Relax. This means mentally and physically. Let go of your worries for today, do not worry about timelines or dead lines, and try to stay away from situations that make your frustrated or anxious.

Practice a light form of yoga, gentle Iyengar or Hatha yoga, and let your instructor know that you are trying to conceive and want to drop your stress levels.

High impact exercise is good in moderation, but not just before a transfer, and not during pregnancy as it raises Cortisol our stress hormone too much.


Good levels of Progesterone is important to hold a fertilized egg within the womb. Progesterone gets converted to Cortisol, so if you are stressed or exercising too much or too hard, then you are more likely to miscarry.

Energy that you expend outwards is energy that could be feeding another life inside of you. Take time to do things that make you relaxed, watch a movie, walk in the park, get a massage, get a facial ect.

GET REGULAR ACUPUNCTURE

In China, acupuncture is often daily for 7 days and then a few days break and then repeated again. Discover Chinese Medicine recommends acupuncture once to twice a week leading into an IVF. Come in for at least 10 treatments before your transfer, and try to fit this in 6 weeks before transfer if possible.

Women having IVF treatment can boost their chances of falling pregnant by 65 per cent simply by having acupuncture.
A review combining the results of seven previous studies has found that acupuncture also increases the chances of having an ongoing pregnancy (beyond 12 weeks from gestation) by 87 per cent - and nearly doubles the chance of a successful live birth, increasing that by 91 per cent. Ref 1  

Acupuncture can reduce Cortisol levels, balance hormones, and increase blood flow to the uterus. For more information about how acupuncture can help with fertility and IVF this website has many article links; visit http://www.acupunctureivf.com.au

MINERALS FOR A HEALTHY MIND AND BODY

Folate (folic acid) is very important during this time. So eat plenty of green, leafy vegetables like asparagus, spinach, kale, turnip greens, collard greens, beans, peas, etc. Also, there should be plenty of folic acid in your prenatal vitamin.

Calcium & magnesium citrate should also be in the pre natal vitamin supplement. To obtain good levels of calcium eat fish where the bones are eaten like sardines and consume dairy if possible. Black Beans, Nuts, pumpkin seeds and cooked spinach all contain magnesium.

Taking a supplement of iron is recommend if you iron stores are on the low side.   Good sources of iron include: lean beef and lamb, poultry, fish , eggs, chick peas, lentils, kidney and lima beans, green vegetables such as broccoli, cabbage and spinach

Eating foods high in vitamin C will also help you to absorb iron if you consume them at the same time. Try drinking a glass of water with a quarter lemon when eating green vegetables or legumes.

A pro DHA can help with an “irritable uterus”, and also build good levels of essential fatty acids in your system, essential for baby’s brain and nervous system development.

Eat lots of fresh and organic foods when possible to increase the vitamin and mineral levels n your body.

To aid the Thyroid make sure iodine is part of you prenatal supplement.

HEALTHY THYROID

Undiagnosed, untreated or insufficiently treated thyroid conditions can endanger your pregnancy, increasing the risk of miscarriage, intrauterine growth retardation, pre-term labor, stillbirth, and cognitive problems/mental retardation in your child. Ref 2

Successful Fertility clinics often include thyroid testing as part of a fertility testing.  Undiagnosed and untreated thyroid problems can not only impact on fertility but also worsen pregnancy symptoms such as fatigue, hair loss, depression, and morning sickness.

Thyroid stimulating hormone - TSH is released from the pituitary gland, which is responsible via a feed back loop to control the levels of the active thyroid hormones released from the thyroid. If the active thyroid hormones are low then the pituitary asks the thyroid to work harder by releasing more TSH. If TSH is elevated, then this is an indication that you thyroid is underactive.

In America the healthy reference range for the Thyroid Stimulating Hormone- TSH is between 0.5 – 2. Australia’s reference range is between 0.5 – 4. This means that even when your TSH levels are at the higher end off ‘so called healthy’ in Australia, American physicians would be treating you. The Australian reference ranger has a larger leeway for underactive thyroids to be called ‘healthy’ thyroids. If you have seen a G.P about your thyroid in the past, and had a thyroid function test that came back within reference range, request to see your results again, if your TSH is above 2, and your not falling pregnant, you may need to boost thyroid function with vitamin, mineral and herbal supplementation before you start trying to conceive again.

References

1. A. Cresswell, ‘Fertility spike from acupuncture’ The Australian , Health editor, February 09, 2008.
2. .  M. Shomon ‘ Just When Can You Become Pregnant?’ Based on Information from the NIH, About.com Health's Disease and Condition, 2009. Viewed on the 14/10/11  thyroid.about.com/od/hormonepregnantmenopause1/a/fertility.htm