Public protocols

32 of Hormones & Holistic Healthcare Medicinary's general recommendations, available to anyone who visits this store.

MITOCHONDRIAL SUPPORT: Energy Factory Fuels
29 more items in MITOCHONDRIAL SUPPORT: Energy Factory Fuels
Mitochondria are commonly described as the "microscopic energy factories inside our cells" which gives a pretty good mental picture. Mitochondria continuously generate ATP, adenosine triphosphate, and living cells continuously use up (or "burn") ATP. The more energy a cell uses, the more mitochondria it has (or should have). Mitochondria are one type of organelles, microscopic structures inside of cells that perform specific functions, analogous to the organs in our bodies. A single one is called a mitochondrion. The fastest-burning, most energy-intensive tissues in the body include muscles, kidneys, and liver -- every cell in these tissues should contain at least 2,000 mitochondria...per cell(!) The cells that don't have any mitochondria at all are blood cells, which typically have short life spans measured in days (blood cells are continuously created by our bone marrow and recycled by our spleen). "Mitochondrial insufficiency" refers to a lower-than-optimal number of mitochondria, and/or lower-than-optimal functioning of mito's. Reduced function can be due to toxicity, disease, genetics, or all of these. Symptoms of mitochondrial insufficiency show up first in the fastest-metabolizing tissues that burn the most ATP: muscles and/or the organs of detoxification, kidneys and liver. Rapid tiring of muscles along with very slow recovery after exercise is a hallmark of mitochondrial insufficiency. So is "extreme sensitivity" or rapid toxicity, including intolerance of alcohol and pharmaceuticals. Besides muscle fatigue, mitochondrial insufficiency can show up as low steroid hormones across the board, because it is our mitochondria who create most of our wonderful steroid hormones. If you have enough adrenal hormones (cortisol, DHEA, adrenaline, pregnenolone, aldosterone), enough gonadal hormones (estrogen, testosterone, progesterone), enough brain hormone (LH, luteinizing hormone), or enough kidney hormone (Vitamin D3) ... then thank your mitochondria! Most things we call "toxic" or "poisonous" or "polluting" can harm mitochondria. Many pharmaceuticals are intentionally or accidentally toxic to mito's. Glyphosate (Round-Up), heavy metals such as mercury and lead, alcohol, trans-fats in processed convenience foods, fructose(!), and many other substances are mitotoxic. We need to do our best to avoid such toxins -- while also doing our best to support detox, healing, and regeneration. There are many types of mitochondrial diseases -- I've attached a summary published by UMDF, United Mitochondrial Disease Foundation. Deficiency of Co-Enyme-Q-10 is one of the most common, thanks to over-prescribing of statin-type drugs. Genetically, mitochondria are inherited exclusively from mothers; fathers have no genetic involvement in the mitochondria of their offspring. Mitochondrial DNA is separate and distinct from human DNA. This means we can trace mitochondrial DNA via the maternal line, back in time, essentially to Eve. RESTORING MITOCHONDRIAL FUNCTION ...is a project. There are a couple of quick-fix band-aids I'll show you, but regaining full mitochondrial function depends on the source of your problems. For starters, please test your DNA and have it analyzed. I can help you understand these reports. Then please stop poisoning yourself, please get enough sleep, and please stay fully hydrated (about three quarts pure water per person per day). There are doctors who specialize in mitochondrial healing; sorry, but I'm not one of them. I can get you started, but if you have serious mitochondrial issues, you're going to want an expert. This is not a recognized specialty and it overlaps with many areas of medicine, so you might need a specially-trained geneticist, an exceptional neurologist, an advanced toxicologist, or (my bias of course), an excellent naturopathic physician. POSSIBLE QUICK FIXES Garden-variety mitochondrial insufficiency overlaps with what we call adrenal fatigue. So everything that helps the adrenal glands is likely to help your mitochondria function somewhat better. D-Ribose is fuel specifically targeted to the mitochondria. Plus it's a type of sugar so it's really yummy. One level teaspoon (= 5 grams) is enough to feel a difference for awhile. And it is escorted into cells more efficiently in the presence of caffeine (assuming you tolerate caffeine). So go ahead and stir a spoonful of D-Ribose into your coffee, black tea, green tea, or yerba mate; rest for 20 minutes while it enters your blood stream, and then you're likely to feel much better...for awhile. Remember how fast those little motors must be spinning? A quick fix is not likely to last very long. Other patients tell me they stir D-Ribose into their water bottle, taking sips now and then while hiking or doing physical exertion. There's a beloved naturopathic form of intravenous nutrition called the Myers Cocktail (see attached) that offers an instantly effective boost. I no longer administer IV's in my office, but many ND's in the area do. It's worth seeking this service if you feel unreasonably tired or toxic! MODERATELY QUICK FIXES Ketosis is when the body is burning fat (ketone molecules) for fuel. Actually it's the mitochondria who have shifted gears and are now burning fat for fuel. And fat is a much cleaner, higher-energy, longer-lasting fuel than glucose (carbohydrates). I don't recommend nose-diving into ketosis because it feels crummy for a few days. But please educate yourself and then ease into ketosis following a lifestyle of intermittent fasting with higher-fat, lower-carb, all-natural foods. Co-enzyme-Q-10 is another nutrient that is specific for mitochondria. Its effects are slower than D-Ribose, but cumulative. Anyone taking any form of statins will definitely require supplemental CoQ10; baseline is 200mg daily and adjust upward from there, based on how you feel. Statins come as Rx drugs or as the natural supplement called red yeast rice (RYR), which is the fungal precursor to Rx statin drugs. Most folks can tolerate red yeast rice, but most folks feel more or less crummy on Rx statins. Either way, supplemental CoQ10 is needed. LONG TERM MITOCHONDRIAL RESTORATION Several other common mitochondrial nutrient deficiencies are pretty easy to fix: in addition to Co-Q-10, there's carnitine, and SOD (superoxide dismutase, an enzyme); these are readily available here on FullScript. They must be taken at least twice daily, and more than that if you're feeling wiped out. EDUCATING YOURSELF Self-education is your single most important tool here. As I mentioned, there's no such thing as a "mitochondria doctor," or if there is, I've never met one. The three authors I've found the most helpful are these (scans of the book jackets are attached to this protocol): Sara Myhill, MD, England: ... Lee Know, ND, Canada: .... Joseph Mercola, DO, United States: ... Almost everyone experiences mild mitochondrial insufficiency or fatigue once in a while, as a result of severe or prolonged stress, illness, or injuries; but usually recovery is swift. A few people have genetic susceptibilities plus life experiences or toxins that can add up in a really bad way. Every time I re-watch the early Star Wars movies, I am delighted by the way George Lucas took the concept of mitochondria and wove it into the story line; by his version, high levels of "midi-chlorions" (intracellular organelles) gave a person great talent as a Jedi Knight. May the Life Force be with us all! -Dr.Deb
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Tinnitus, Ringing in the Ears
11 more items in Tinnitus, Ringing in the Ears
Tinnitus is frustrating! It is often called "ringing in the ears," but many people experience it more like a whooshing, hissing, high-pitched tone, or buzzing sound. It may be continuous, or it may come and go. It's most noticeable in a quiet environment -- trying to fall sleep in a quiet bedroom, for example. Tinnitus is most commonly not a real sound, but rather is caused by irritation to the otic (hearing) nerve. But sometimes tinnitus is due to actually hearing turbulence in a microscopic blood vessel that's too near the eardrum. If you can hear your pulse, then a blood vessel is the most likely source. Tinnitus can be caused by injuries, such as exposure to excessive noise, especially explosions, or by any type of head injury or concussion. Taking too much aspirin is probably the most common form of tinnitus; this is called salicylate ototoxicity. If you are sensitive to aspirin, and you've eliminated aspirin but your tinnitus persists, then please try eliminating salicylates from foods. I've attached a couple of salicylate food lists, for your reference. Several herbal, homeopathic and nutraceutical supplements have a good track record helping to clear up tinnitus over the course of time. Please be patient! Please allow at least one month of faithful treatment to see (or rather, to not-hear) good results. Longstanding tinnitues takes even longer to clear up; if you've had the condition for three years or more, then please allow one full year of faithful treatment in order to get noticeable benefit. It takes time for herbs or nutrition to reach the far corners of the body, and it takes even more time for injured or irritated tissues to do their healing. Below are links to herbs and nutraceuticals with the best evidence to help with tinnitus: Ginkgo Biloba Extract Zinc picolinate Methylcobalamin (methyl-B-12) Co-Enzyme-Q-10, CoQ10 Vitamin A as retinyls (preferred over carotenoids) Melatonin Homeopathic Clem. I'd love to hear your experiences with all this -- please let me know! Kindly, Dr.Deb
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Body-Care, Skin Care
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Here are my favorite skin-care items because everything we rub on our skin really should be GOOD ENOUGH TO EAT -- and I mean that literally! Human skin is a semi-permeable membrane; anything oily can pass thru the skin, direct to the blood stream, bypassing the protections of our stomach and liver. Anything we would call a "solvent" will also pass directly thru the skin into the blood stream. Even water-soluble items will eventually pass thru the skin, into the blood stream. This is great when it comes to prescription bio-identical hormone cremes (my specialty, of course), or Epsom Salts (magnesium sulfate). I think Western medicine grossly under-values "topical" (skin) medications. In China, there's a famous research hospital devoted to kidney failure where their chief mode of treatment is moist packs of herbs applied to the lower back (on top of the kidneys of course), activated with low-current electricity similar to what we would call a TENS unit. If kidney failure can be reversed with herbs applied to the skin, then what else could we cure without pills, injections, or surgery?!? I'm pretty sure that 10 years from now, I'll be recommending way more "topical" (skin-based) treatments, as they become available. Meanwhile, please pay attention to your lotions, your soaps, your shampoo & conditioner, your toothpaste & mouthwash, your feminine hygiene products, your foot powders ... all of it matters! A word about fragrances: natural essential oils are very strong and can be useful as medicines. If you choose to use essential oils (lots are available here on FullScript), then be sure to DILUTE at least 10:1 with a bland carrier oil such as grapeseed oil or almond oil. Do not apply straight essential oils to human skin please! The #1 most-used artificial fragrance in America is SYNTHETIC MUSK, a familiar warm, sweet, animal-like aroma that lingers for hours, sometimes days. Although perfumers believe that long-lasting aroma is desirable ... I beg to differ. Synthetic musk is estrogen-like, a bona fide "hormone disruptor," and it lasts even longer in our waterways than it does on our skin or in our hair. Most commercial hair conditioners, shampoos, shave cremes, lotions and soaps tend to include SYNTHETIC MUSK. The label will say something innocuous like "fragrance." Sounds fine, doesn't it? But beware, this stuff poisons first you and your entire hormone system ... then it gets into the environment, airborne or left behind on surfaces you touch, or washed down the drain into Mother Nature's waterways. Please don't! JUST SAY NO TO SYNTHETIC MUSK. Here are my favorite skin-care and body-care items, just to get you inspired. There are lots more in the catalog. Let me know what you think! Kindly, Dr.Deb
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Calming Down During Difficult Times of Onslaught
7 more items in Calming Down During Difficult Times of Onslaught
Calming Down During Difficult Times - Dr. McKay's Protocol Sometimes life comes at us too fast, too difficult, too painful, or just plain overwhelming . My friend calls this " onslaught ." Everyone has moments in life like this! If you're lucky, it passes quickly. But if it continues for too long, "onslaught" can cause genuine harm to the body as well as the mind. Given that the adrenal glands are the front-line defenders against every form of stress , it's only natural that the sustained stress of "onslaught" must cause the adrenals to overwork for as long as they can. That's the "stressed-out" phase of onslaught. That's the phase that this protocol addresses. This protocol is aimed at the earlier stages of onslaught, including shock, grief, and fright. Eventually, the adrenals (and their partners in the brain, the hypothalamus and the pituitary glands, the "HPA Axis"), will eventually down-regulate in an attempt at self-preservation. This is the "exhausted" phase of onslaught, which is a separate protocol. Both phases are part of what is commonly called "Adrenal Fatigue" -- which is not a medical diagnosis, just a useful clinical description of what happens to stressed-out humans. Please see "Adrenal Fatigue" protocol as well as the book by the esteemed Dr. James Wilson. Right now -- yes, while feeling stressed-out! -- is your moment to grab a few items to remind your body that it already knows how to heal itself . Give your biochemistry some nourishment and encouragement while you weather this storm and get your bearings again. Please remember to BREATHE -- in through the nose, and out again very slowly . A long slow exhale sends a message to the brain stem (reptilian brain) that "I'm safe right now, it's OK to stop running from imaginary tigers right now." Other activities to up-regulate your "rest & digest" parasympathetic system include: intentionally coughing ... humming (my favorite) ... gargling ... intentionally trembling , like a belly-dance shimmy ... or do an internet search for "Vagus Nerve Toning" or "Polyvagal Theory." There are several quick reliable supplements here on FullScript (or at New Seasons Market, if you need them today), listed below. Please layer together as many as you can -- not to add to your overwhelm, please, but rather to "talk" to your body and your nervous system using as many different biochemical pathways as possible. I hope your personal "onslaught" passes quickly, with no harm done. And please remember I'm here for you! Kindly, Dr.Deb
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Grief, Mourning, Extreme Losses
18 more items in Grief, Mourning, Extreme Losses
First, may I say, I'm so sorry you're looking up a protocol for grief or extreme losses. Whatever it was -- my heart goes out to you! Please know that grief has a life of its own and there is no such thing as a "wrong way" to grieve. Some folks are agitated, some folks go into hibernation, many folks go back and forth, and some folks appear to be fine, at least to outsiders. Sometimes there's a delayed reaction, where things seem fine for awhile, then boom, it hits like a ton of bricks. Again, there is no such thing as a "wrong way" to go through this process. Grief will come and go as it wishes and there is nothing we can do to control it or prevent it. Grief is a healing process . It takes time. And it takes its own sweet time -- we do not get to dictate how long or how short the process will be this time. Nor the next time. And there will be a next time -- if you life long enough, you will experience losses. They say that grief is the inevitable outcome of loving someone. I guess that must be true because unless both people depart this world at the same moment, someone will be left behind, bereaved. For the loss of a mate or close family member, bear in mind that grief is commonly very present for at least one year , sometimes two years, and will fade gradually as the years flow by. It's a good idea to tell your boss that you may be distracted or somewhat off your game for several months. For the emotional and physical changes that are happening to you right now, there's a well-known homeopathic remedy that can ease your burdens for the moment. It's called Ignatia . Baseline dosing is typically one dose every 12 hours, continued nonstop until you "feel okay." You may increase to four times daily if you wish. There are biochemical changes that happen automatically in response to extreme stressors, no decisions necessary, the body just swings into gear and moves things around for the sake of biological survival. Without labs, I can't tell you what's happening to you, of course. But in general, thyroid "goes low" (increased conversion to Reverse T3), and adrenal functions (about 50 different hormones) usually go into "high stress mode." This combination commonly yields a sensation of " Tired + Wired, bone tired but nervous system wired." If this is your experience right now, then please consider taking (or increasing) both thyroid support and adrenal support. I've listed a few choices in the product list below. If your sleep is disturbed, then please guard your sleep and be kind to yourself! Lack of sleep can be a form of torture; please don't let insomnia get the upper hand right now. " Cortisol Manager " reduces stress reactions overnight; melatonin mouth spray acts quickly to help get back to sleep; 5-HTP produces more serotonin for feelings of well-being (limit 5-HTP if you're already on Rx anti-depressants), and theanine is the comforting part of green tea. Use them all! Just be kind and take good care of yourself right now, okay? On the other hand, if your need for sleep becomes overwhelming or abnormal , then maybe your adrenal glands are going on strike, and/or your Reverse T3, the hibernation hormone, has completely taken over. If it's bad enough to disrupt your life or your work, then please come see me, okay? There are several forms of alternative care that can be quite helpful at a moment like this. Please get as many as you can: Acupuncture ... Guided meditations ... Massage therapy ... Aromatherapy (the skillful application of essential oils) ... Shinrin Yoku (forest bathing, nature walks) ... Music therapy ... just be kind to yourself, okay? With compassion and respect, -Dr.Deb
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Insulin Resistance (aka Pre-Diabetes)
8 more items in Insulin Resistance (aka Pre-Diabetes)
Insulin Resistance is America's 21st century plague. It comes from a carb-heavy lifestyle which forces the pancreas to overwork by cranking out huge amounts of insulin 24/7 just to try to keep blood glucose under control. Insulin is a very powerful hormone that is classified as a growth hormone and a pro-inflammatory agent: it always causes inflammation all over the place, and it always causes bodies to grow larger. Growth is great for newborns or body-builders who spend two hours a day in the gym, but not-so-great for adults with bulging waistlines. Insulin's #1 job is to lay down body fat -- it literally generates more body fat. Its #2 job is to guard that fat from being used up; in other words, any weight loss efforts that don't take IR, Insulin Resistance, into full account ... will inevitably fail. It is necessary to manage HORMONE BALANCE in order to get any traction improving health. Way down the list, Insulin's #3 job is to manage blood glucose level by escorting glucose out of the blood stream and into the tissues where it can be burned as fuel (mostly muscles) or else stored as adipose tissue (fat). When muscles and/or liver tissues are already saturated with as much glucose as they can use right now, then they essentially lock their doors and refuse to allow any more glucose to enter. This is wise because too much glucose inside a living cell will cause it to rupture and die. But this leaves excessive glucose still circulating in the blood stream, where it does much harm. As you know, diabetes is the name of the chronic disease where blood glucose levels remain too high all the time. This wreaks havoc on the body -- blindness, heart disease, kidney failure, depression, obesity, fatty liver, neuropathy, gastroparesis, hyper-hidrosis, amputations, raging appetite and uncontrollable cravings, the list goes on and on. Your body knows full well that excess glucose is dangerous, therefore your body has an answer to insulin resistance and elevated glucose: your body will simply create more and more body fat in order to store all that excess glucose in order to get it out of the blood stream. Problem solved, right? Since there is virtually no upper limit to the amount of fat that humans can grow, obesity is one possible answer to insulin resistance. Probably not the answer you had in mind, and certainly not the ideal answer if you want to feel great, function well, live long, and look good. The book "Why We Get Fat" by Gary Taubes explains all this beautifully. How to reverse all this? Start with "Glucose Balance Px" every time you eat and every time you skip a meal or snack. Minimum 6 per day, maximum 12 per day. It stabilizes both insulin and glucose, thereby regulating appetite and functioning as a weight loss aid. This requires virtually no effort on your part, and you'll feel and see the difference within a month, if you're faithful. The one key ingredient missing from this blend is Berberine, the dark yellow extract from Oregon Grape roots, goldenseal, Chinese goldthread, or other botanical sources. Berberine is essentially herbal Metformin, except much nicer! It works at least as well as Rx Metformin to stabilize glucose and improve insulin sensitivity, but instead of causing nausea, berberine is actually a digestive aid! Once you're ready to take action on your own, insulin resistance has three solutions, and all three need to be done at the same time: • Reduce overall carbohydrate intake . Just "less than before" will do for now. Some folks enjoy a challenge and will want to embrace "LCHF," low-carb, high-fat, ketogenic, Atkins-style eating. Other folks will thrive on Paleo and/or Mediterranean. Highly processed foods and commercial seed oils are the worst offenders, so that's a starting point. Sooner or later, you'll want to "count your carbs" in order to fully understand your own personal limits based on your body type; but maybe that comes later, once you've wrapped your head around all this. That's okay! Take your time. For most Americans, these ideas are unfamiliar or even shocking. Be willing to learn new things and take baby steps towards building new habits. • Restrict eating to under 12 hours per day. No adult can be healthy when consuming food outside of a 12-hour window. Eventually, once your body has adapted to a 12-hour window, you can reduce it to a 10-hour window, or an 8-hour feeding window, and see how you feel. The longer your body is "in the fasted state," the better your overall health and insulin sensitivity will be. But only up to a point! If you become faint, excessively hungry, irritable, shaky, or "hangry," then your body is not yet adapted to "intermittent fasting." In this case, you need to honor your own body by eating enough to remain stable and calm. Good health is a moving target! Our bodies are supremely adaptable. It just takes time. Humans are uniquely well equipped to survive intermittent famines, unlike all other primates. Trust yourself. Trust your body. You are fully human and your capacity for fasting is greater than you know (unless you've been through actual starvation, in which case, I am so sorry, what a trauma). Intentional time-restricted feeding is awesome. Please think about it. The famous diabetologist from Canada, Dr. Jason Fung, literally wrote the book on all this, based on lessons he learned from his diabetic patients: "The Complete Guide to Fasting" is an excellent handbook that can help you reach levels of good health that may have seemed out of reach before. • Use your muscles to burn up glucose and prevent it from being put into storage in adipose tissue (body fat). The key here is TIMING -- use your large muscles briskly IMMEDIATELY AFTER EATING because that's when blood glucose and insulin levels are highest. So that's the moment to train your muscles to willingly accept and burn off glucose. This is how insulin resistance is turned around into insulin sensitivity. A brisk 30-minute walk, immediately after every meal, is ideal. By the same token, if you want to give yourself a high-carb treat once in awhile, then arrange your schedule to head straight to the gym right after eating sweets or starches. Don't eat starchy or sweet foods at times when you can't literally burn them off right away, because then they'll go into storage (fat). I hope I've given you a cartoon-like image of where all those glucose molecules are going to swarm -- burned as fuel by your muscles? or stored away as fat? You're in charge here! Below are a few key nutraceuticals plus a handful of printable information sheets. I care very, very much about reversing America's insulin resistance plague. I'm from a family where pretty much all of my blood relatives have diabetes, obesity, alcoholism, depression, heart disease, or all of the above, because it's a package deal genetically speaking. There's a cluster of genes that enabled certain ancestors to survive famine; it's nicknamed "the thrifty gene," and certain ethnic groups carry this trait very strongly. If your ancestors suffered famine, war, or displacement within the past few centuries, then odds are high you may have inherited "the thrifty gene." If your ancestors are from indigenous tribal peoples, or coastline dwellers anywhere on Earth, then odds are high that you've inherited "the thrifty gene." I'm with you here. Those of us with this gene cluster would be great at surviving famine -- but I hope we never need to test this! Meanwhile, as sedentary Americans surrounded by snack foods and full refrigerators, our best defense is knowledge. If you have a good grasp of the concepts I've outlined here, then you will be able to "reason it through" for yourself. Making your own choices is important! "Autonomy" and not being bossed around are terribly important for well-being. I hope I'm being clear that I'm not bossy, I'm just a fellow traveler who has learned a few lessons the hard way. A sante' -- to your good health! Kindly, Dr.Deb
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Pregnenolone "the memory hormone" aka "the mother hormone"
6 more items in Pregnenolone "the memory hormone" aka "the mother hormone"
PREGNENOLONE has two nicknames, "the memory hormone" -- because that's where we notice its immediate effects. Or "the mother hormone," because the human body can convert pregnenolone into almost any other steroid hormone (there are dozens). It's a brain stimulant, so "too much" feels like an over-stimulated brain. On the other hand, a small percentage of people experience pregnenolone as relaxing -- so if you happen to fall in that minority, please feel free to move your dosing to bedtime rather than early morning. PLEASE DON'T TAKE PREGNENOLONE UNLESS YOUR LAB VALUES ARE BELOW 100. If you also have relatively low total cholesterol, that that would also support taking pregnenolone, due to the relative scarcity of all steroid hormones that is directly caused by low cholesterol. Starting dose of pregnenolone is just 10mg each morning early. Give it a week to see if you notice anything. Most folks feel nothing at this low dose. Second week: 20mg each morning early. See if you begin to notice sharper memory or uplifted mood, or maybe nothing yet. Assuming you tolerate it well, week 3 dosing is 30mg or even 40mg each morning early. Stay at this level for two weeks just to be sure you tolerate it well. Again, "too much" can feel like the brain is being over-stimulated. Finally, about a month down the road, more or less, a rather typical "target dose" of pregnenolone would be 50mg each morning...for now. Please stay at this level for at least two months before raising your dose again. I'm showing you several strengths made by several different makers. Remember to start low and go slow. A hint from your thrifty Scotswoman doctor: Choose tablets in twice the strength you need, and snap them in half to save money but still get the correct dose. In rare cases, based on exceptionally low pregnenolone on a recent lab report, I sometimes recommend a long-term target dose for pregnenolone as high as 100mg each morning -- but this MUST BE BASED ON LAB VALUES, please. Please take your time and don't rush raising your dose of pregnenolone! The body must make myriad internal adjustments. Be kind.
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Gilbert's Syndrome and/or Slow Glucuronidation
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"Gilbert's Syndrome" is pretty much the same thing as slow glucuronidation. While Gilbert's can be diagnosed with a series of abnormal blood draws, the underlying gene is usually spotted on a genetic report. Gilbert's and/or slow glucuronidation leads to slowed detoxification and therefore higher overall levels of bodily toxins -- giving us inflammation, aches & pains, malaise, and a host of nonspecific toxic or inflamed conditions. Nutritional support can make a big difference! Supplements won't change your genes -- but can improve how your body functions. RECOMMENDED FOODS & CULINARY HERBS: • Cruciferous vegetables (the entire cabbage family, broccoli, cauliflower, kale, collards, mustard greens, turnips, radishes, rutabegas. These are all relatively low-carb as well, so no worries if you are fending off pre-diabetes. • Asparagus, artichokes • Citrus fruits • Berries -- the darker, the better. Always a super-food. • Dill and/or caraway seeds NUTRITIONAL SUPPLEMENTS RECOMMENDED for Gilbert's Syndrome and/or slow glucuronidation: • Probiotics (friendly bacteria) • Calcium-D-glucarate • Resveratrol (sorry but red wine won't do; its ratio of alcohol is too high to be beneficial) • Curcumin -- the patented form called "Theracurmin" is superior. If you prefer to use the yellow spice turmeric, then give yourself at least 1/4 cup of turmeric powder per day; that's basically yellow curry at every meal of the day. This is do-able if you love curry! • Astaxanthin is abundant in Krill Oil in case you prefer it, but I like the less-expensive algae extract; it's a fantastic anti-oxidant. • Quercetin is a special bioflavonoid, usually extracted from citrus peelings, famous for reducing allergic symptoms • SAM-e is a mood lifter and methyl donor (do not take SAM-e if you have high homocysteine) • Omega-3 marine lipids (fish oil) Here's to great detox and improved quality of life, Dr.Deb
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Long Covid -- formerly called Chronic Fatigue
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If you're reading this protocol, then I'm sorry! I hope it's not you who's suffering with prolonged fatigue, malaise, and inability to recover. Whether it's you or a loved one, take heart! Natural medicine has lots to offer. Three key concepts for you to consider, along with some recommended books and lab tests: (1) Low thyroid, euthyroid sick syndrome, and elevated Reverse T3 all amount to pretty much the same thing in terms of quality of life. It means the thyroid gland may -- or may not -- be able to produce adequate circulating thyroid hormones (measured as Free T4 and Free T3 on a blood draw). More importantly, it means the tissues throughout the entire body are not receiving the message of thyroid hormone, which is to "speed up metabolism please!" Especially the brain might be running on "slow" which is frustrating, depressing, and exhausting. Elevated Reverse T3, also known as The Hibernation Hormone, acts to SLOW DOWN METABOLISM EVERYWHERE IN THE ENTIRE BODY. People's descriptions of how they feel with elevated Reverse T3 largely overlaps with other people's descriptions of Long Covid. I suspect that, in many cases, we're talking about the same thing. Labs that elucidate all this include Free T4, Free T3, Reverse T3, TSH, TPO antibodies, and anti-thyroglobulin antibodies (the latter two are the antibodies that cause Hashimoto's auto immune thyroid disease). (2) Poor mitochondrial function, whether due to low numbers of mitochondria or due to suppressed activity of mitochondria -- or both! -- means that every tissue CANNOT run at full speed, or cannot sustain normal metabolism for very long. Rapid tiring, especially of muscles, poor recovery from illnesses or workouts, bone-deep hunger for energy or nourishment, and a strong sense that "something is wrong here" (malaise) are all characteristic of poor mitochondrial function. There's no single lab test that can elucidate this; rather, I want to see a Comprehensive Metabolic Panel with at least 14 standard tests, plus a CBC, Complete Blood Count with Differential, and a urine test (to rule out a silent bladder infection). The two books that best explain about mitochondria, who they are, what they do, what happens when they act sluggish, and how to recover (that's the best part, recovering!) are these: --"Mitochondrial and the Future of Medicine by Dr. Lee Know (a Canadian colleague o f mine) ... and --"Chronic Fatigue Syndrome: It's Mitochondria, Not Hypochondria" by Dr. Sarah Myhill from England. I'm attaching SCANS of the book jackets and a few excerpted pages for your info. Please take a look. (3) So-called "Adrenal Fatigue" overlaps so much with low thyroid and chronic fatigue that, as far as I'm concerned, it's foolish to start anywhere else. "Treat the adrenals first and everything else second" is a trustworthy guiding principle when it comes to correcting hormone-related issues. I hope we've already discussed adrenal fatigue at some length during your time with me. And if we haven't yet, likely we will soon. The adrenal glands make around 20 different hormones, many of them stress-related, all of them acting in concert TO ALLOW ALL OTHER HORMONES TO WORK WELL. If the adrenals don't give their "permission," then no other hormones will be allowed to function fully, resulting in thyroid trouble, menstrual trouble, digestive trouble, sleep trouble, the list goes on and on. I hope you already own the book "Adrenal Fatigue: 21st Century Stress Syndrome" by my colleague Dr. James Wilson. If you're a patient of mine, it's pretty much required reading -- at least the 18 cartoons in Chapter 5. If those cartoons make you feel like both laughing and crying at the same time, then this book is for you! If you or a loved one is struggling with "Long Covid," then trust me, so-called Adrenal Fatigue is bound to be part of the picture. I'm sorry if this is news to you, but I don't think there's a silver bullet nor a magic potion that can chase away Long Covid, nor adrenal fatigue, nor chronic fatigue syndrome, nor low thyroid, nor mitochondrial dysfunction. All of these need, in essence, Nature Cure -- so that's another document I'm attaching; see below please! WHERE TO START TO HASTEN RECOVER FROM LONG COVID? 1. Air and proper breathing (longer exhale than inhale, with a pause at the bottom of the exhale). Please read the book "Breath" by James Nestor! (Scan of book jacket is attached.) Do the "Granny Steam Bowl" to steam-clean your lungs and sinuses, as often as you think of it! Please see attached handout "McKay's Guide to Coughs Colds and URI's." 2. Water -- enough of it, and often enough: Aim for 3 quarts (or liters) per day of the best water you can find. Real spring water is ideal; I'd say it's full of life. Portland tap water is pretty good if you filter out the chlorine, but Beaverton water has fluoride added, I'm sorry to say. Unless you literally measure your water, you are very unlikely to hit the 3-quart mark every day. But our bodies and especially our brains are about 70% water, so please, be kind to all the tissues in your body; they're all doing their best to try to heal right now! Help them out by not forcing them to run dry. And if you feel like water runs in one end and right out the other end but fails to hydrate you, then maybe you need more electrolytes (minerals and salts); my favorite is " Concentrace " in the blue glass dropper bottle. 3. Sleep -- yes, I'm listing sleep before food! Because real human sleep is RESTORATIVE, while hibernation is not, and stressed-out wakefulness, or interruptive snoring, those are non-restorative. "Cortisol Manager" allows stressed-out, adrenal-fatigued folks to STAY ASLEEP all night. Melatonin is the bio-identical hormone of sleep that is also immune-supportive, anti-oxidant, anti-aging, anti-cancer, and so much more. Please don't be afraid of it. Most of the so-called science that bashes melatonin turns out to be funded by Big Pharma, and doctors' consensus statements are heavily influenced by Big Pharma as well. If melatonin gives you vivid technicolor dreams...then take a lower dose and know that you are lucky. If melatonin gives you a hangover-type headache with morning sluggishness, then take a lower dose. By far the biggest complaint I hear about melatonin is that it's not very impressive. Well of course, if you're stressed-out, sick, trying to recover, and you give your immune system a few drops of what it needs the most (that would be melatonin), then the melatonin will be swiped by your immune system with none left over to soothe your brain to sleep. Try a higher dose. And a higher one again, if you need it. Sleep is when THE IMMUNE SYSTEM DOES MOST OF ITS WORK. So if you're still trying to chase away the last remnants of a viral overload, then good restorative sleep is one of your best tools. If you want to add some antiviral herbs at bedtime, it's worth a try. MEDITATION is at least as good as sleep, maybe better. Twenty minutes please, twice daily, and please view this as foundational to good health. Any form of meditation is okay with me: guided meditations, meditative prayer, candle-gazing, MBSR (Mindfulness Based Stress Reduction), Yoga Nidra, or whatever you choose is okay -- just don't skip it. Your brain needs meditation almost as much as it needs water. Your immune system needs meditation. Your mitochondria will respond, too. Children need help with meditation just as much as adults do -- they're learning so much and changing so fast; meditation helps them cope with all they must do in their busy lives, same as for grownups. 4. Brain food -- Protein. Seafood. Fish oil. Green tea (or coffee, if you tolerate it). Vegetables, the non-starchy ones, mostly greens please. Humans are designed to live on mostly vegetables! Be cautious with fruit; the sugar content in our hybridized modern fruits is higher than our bodies are meant to handle. Fruit is OK but in sincerely small quantities and always in the context of a real meal, never by itself due to the "sugar rush" response that ruins adrenal function. 5. Now we get to helpful healing herbs and medicines, after you've cleaned up the basics. "Theracurmin" is the World's Best Anti-Inflammatory, in my opinion -- just be sure to take enough, don't cheat yourself of its benefits. Two at bedtime for better sleep, and another two spread out in the daytime (morning and mid-day) to relieve aches & pains & malaise. It is food-like so there's almost no upper limit, other than its cost. I'm upset that it's so spendy, but I assure you, it's well worth it. No other form of curcumin comes close. Please start with plenty of anti-inflammatories and maybe even add some anti-allergy herbs or medications, because that's what Covid does, it inflames everything everywhere, and it mimics allergic reactions of every type from mild hay fever all the way on up to anaphylactic shock. Covid is nasty. You're up against a worthy adversary here. Please treat it with respect and strength! Vitamin C, quercetin, resveratrol, anthocyanins, and axtaxanthin all help to reduce allergic-type reactions (including fatigue). "EMIQ" is activated quercetin and it's the first type of quercetin that I can feel actually doing anything, so I'm impressed. You can experiment for yourself to choose your own ideal mix of herbs and nutrients to damp-down the persistent systemic reactions caused by Covid. "Mitochondrial Formula" plus D-Ribose together will nourish and restore your mitochondria -- remember our discussion way up at the top about mito's? They are the source of all bodily energy! Please feed them exactly what they need! Especially if you notice muscles seeming more tired than they should, you probably need to regrow some mitochondria right now. "HPA Adapt" is a mild daytime adrenal support, while "Adaptogen" is a very strong daytime adrenal support; the right one will give you ENERGY, FOCUS, AND CALM TO LAST YOU ALL DAY LONG. Just be sure to take enough! If you're struggling with low energy, you'll need higher doses for awhile until you get your mojo back. If you're super-low energy, especially if your blood pressure runs low, then please add Licorice Root to your daily mix -- it raises your circulating CORTISOL, which is necessary to damp-down inflammation, sharpen the mind, and keep you energized. Licorice Root is also anti-viral, big bonus points here. Warning - Don't take licorice root if you're prone to anxiety, panic, or high blood pressure please! (The chewable tablets for heartburn called DGL are deglycyrrated licorice, with no effect on blood pressure nor cortisol.) "ThyroCare" works almost as well as prescription thyroid meds to restore thyroid gland function and more importantly to get the body to MAKE USE OF THYROID HORMONES CORRECTLY, by converting basic Free T4 into energizing Free T3 (rather than the massive downer of Reverse T3, the hibernation hormone). Just be sure to take enough! Twice daily, at least one capsule per dose, probably two or even three capsules at a time if your fatigue is prominent right now. The nice thing about restoring thyroid function is that is stimulates the immune system to kick into full speed ahead -- meaning you can heal, mend, repair, and detoxify yourself again. How nice to chase out all that cruddy boggy Covid inflammatory gunk. "The Big One with Vitamin D3" -- A great multivitamin-multimineral kinda goes without saying, but I'm listing it here in case you forgot. Please don't skip this step. Vitamins are meant to be part of our food, so please always take your multivite with food, WITH FOOD, with food, please! Vitamins on an empty stomach will give you nausea and you've been through enough already. 6. And finally, if you have reason to believe you are still harboring a smoldering viral infection: American doctors have been instructed by the CDC and the FDA to "not bother" testing for Covid antibodies, whether post-infection or post-vaccine. The reasons for this advice are complex and murky. But Covid antibody testing does exist, so if you're a "numbers person" who wants to track serial lab values, then I can help you. Or if you prefer to order your own labs, I'm not sure which "direct labs" offer this service, but I would guess the demand is great, so the market must have responded with commercial offerings by now. If there's a mainstream lab test for smoldering, low-grade Covid viral infection, then I don't know it (please let me know if you discover something useful). I'm looking for general markers of inflammation and immune system reactivity. I want to see a differential blood count that shows me you are in "recovery phase" after a viral infection. I want to see a good thyroid panel that shows me your body is willing and able to rebalance its Reverse T3 / Free T3 ratio. I want to see adrenal markers showing recovery from an extreme stressor. So I'm not looking for perfection on lab values during convalescence -- I'm looking for indications that your body is able and willing to complete its healing. There may be some prescription drugs that might be helpful to chase away a smoldering Covid viral infection. I'm being dodgy here because this is not my area of expertise. But the big popular items that got traction in the alternative medicine community during the height of the pandemic -- all of those are meant for EARLY-STAGE Covid infections, not late-stage "Long Covid." Do prescriptions such as Ivermectin, hydroxychloroquine, Valacyclovir, hydrocortisone, cromolyn, LDN (low-dose naltrexone) along with high-dose Vitamins C and D3 offer help at this late stage of the disease? Good questions! Vitamins C and D3, yes, for sure. But as for the prescriptions, well, I wish I had a good solid answer for you. If you have an upcoming visit with me, and you've discovered a prescription that you believe is just what you need, then by all means, tell me about it and show me your information. I'm always open minded about people doing their own research -- in fact, I love it. For a lingering cough, the single best remedy I've ever encountered is the German homeopathic-spagyric syrup "ApoPulm" -- just 1/4 teaspoon of syrup is enough to calm down any type of coughing; and if you keep up with repeat doses, then your lungs will heal faster. I've seen it cure pneumonia all by itself. It's safe for babies and elders. One 8-oz. bottle lasts a long time since the dose is so small, just 1/4 teaspoon at a time. It's very hard to find, so we try to always have it on hand in the clinic. If you want some, please phone Rick! There are several herbs with well-established antiviral properties. But please -- beware of general "immune support" or "immune stimulation," because it's the immune system itself that is de-regulated by Long Covid. Here's a link to my colleague, The Best Herbalist In Oregon (in my opinion), Dr. Sharol Tilgner: https://youarethehealer.org/antiviral-herbs/ ...In case you didn't read her essay, she points out that "direct anti-viral" activity is limited to herbal products APPLIED DIRECTLY TO INFECTED TISSUES; but if you swallow herbs, then all you can expect is "systemic" or "immune modulating" effects. In the case of Long Covid, usually there's not one location in the body where you could apply an antiviral herbal preparation. Please read Dr. Tilgner's herbal advice carefully -- she is my #1 most trusted source of herbal advice! My #2 most trusted source of herbal advice is our brilliant, local herbalist, Sheri Copans, owner-herbalist of Briar Patch Herbs in Multnomah Village . Here's a link: https://briarpatchherbs.com When the pandemic first hit, Briar Patch offered make-it-yourself kits for Sambucus (black elderberry) syrup, that's how well-prepared she is. Please go visit and tell her I sent you! The shop is amazing -- she installed tree trunks for pillars inside the store. It is healing to even step through the door. I hope you've discovered something useful in my long essay. I'd love to hear your comments. And I hope that you and your loved ones recover fully and swiftly! Many blessings, Dr.Deb
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