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The Prevention & Healing of Iowa News 
  Winter Issue No. 1                                         January 2010
In This Issue
Self Care
Nutrition & Supplements
Antioxidants
Detoxification
Rest & Relaxation
Introducing Marty Rhea
Message

'If you don't take care of your body, where will you live?'     

 Kobi Yamada
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crw photo"Self Care"
 
With this being the first issue of what I hope to be a source of information many look forward to perusing, the initial topic I'd like to address is "self care."  These words have come to mind frequently over the past few weeks as I work with my clients and family members...even myself.
 
There have been hundreds of articles that I've received over the past few months via email newsletters, observed on various websites, read in journals and newspapers, and seen on TV, regarding the H1N1 flu.  The articles focus on how to prevent it using logical interventions like handwashing, sneezing into a tissue or one's sleeve, getting your rest and what to do if symptoms develop. 
 
I'm simply going to present several things one can do for themselves to promote a healthy immune system despite which offending influenza virus is around.  This information is of a more functional medicine nature and is not as readily promoted by the average media, therefore, I hope it is of value to you.
 
Remember, whatever one chooses to do involves "self care" and my hunch is that one of our society's biggest challenges is making time for caring for oneself.
Nutrition and Supplements      
  • Dr. Mark Hyman states in the March 2009 article in Life Extension Journal, "if people eat wild, fresh, organic, local, non-genetically modified food grown in virgin mineral-and nutrient-rich soils that have not been transported across vast distances and stored for months before being eaten...and work and live outside, breathe only fresh unpolluted air, drink only pure, clean water, sleep nine hours a night, move their bodies every day, and are free from chronic stressors and exposure to environmental toxins, then perhaps they might not
    need  supplements."     lef.org/magazine/mag2009/mar2009_Mark- Hyman-Healing-Broken-Brain-Syndrome_01.htm
  • Dr. Mehmet Oz, in the January 3rd USA Weekend insert in the Des Moines Register stated, among other things, to become a "pill popper.''  I know this does not set well with many but he goes on to explain most are low in Vitamin D and omega 3 fatty acids, therefore to maintain health one needs to take
    supplements.  I've monitored hundreds of Vitamin D levels since 2003 and will tell you it is RARE to see normal levels unless one is supplementing it.
  • 50-60 years ago the US government was aware that our heavily farmed soils were missing many nutrients.  We continue to farm these same supposedly rich soils with out putting back the broad spectrum of nutrients we strip with intense farming methods.  One answer is to eat organic foods.  Other studies have shown an organic fresh orange to have 10 times the amount of Vitamin C as a non-organic orange...if I
    have to choose between 25mg. and 250 mg., I'll vote for eating organic!     
                                                                                      
  •  A large part of what I do is monitor vitamin and mineral levels in my patients as these nutrients activate thousands of enzymes in our bodies to make the chemicals we need for a healthy body.  People need to understand that supplements are not just "pills" like medications, but are truly assisting one's body to function better in restoring missing ingredients.  To better understand the nutritional deficits I see in my practice that aligns with others in funtional medicine also see, read this article: 
  • http://www.lef.org/magazine/mag2009/jan2009_Millions-of-Needless-Deaths_01.htm
  • The "self care" message here is to take time each week to set up your supplement planner and then take the supplements consistently, usually with food.  Better yet, become a member of the Iowa Food Cooperative (for those in Central Iowa) and order your monthly organic meats, eggs, veggies, from them.  Go to http://www.iowafood.org for more information.  As an example, for the holidays we enjoyed organic deviled eggs, organic beef brisket, organic acorn squash and organic chicken from the IFC.
    • I've had a couple of clients who made a regular "run" to Omaha every 2 weeks to shop at Whole Foods for organic veggies for their liquid nutritional shakes.
    • I keep a medium sized cooler in the back of my car and when traveling I often will stop at a Whole Foods and stock up on food items to bring back to Iowa.
    • Don't forget all the Farmer's Markets during the Spring, Summer & Fall that offer organic foods...yummy!
Antioxidants
  • What are antioxidants?  They are chemicals that prevent our cells from the damaging effects of environmental toxins in our bodies. While antioxidants do fall under the supplement heading above, they are preferably found in whole form in food/nutrition.   Again, if you cannot eat a healthy diet as described by Dr. Hyman above, then take the supplemental antioxidants to prevent illness! 

  • I find that the most inexpensive form of effective antioxidant therapy is good old Vitamin C.  I just listened to a recording of an interview of Linus Pauling, two time Nobel Laureate in Chemistry and Peace, which was riveting and dispelled any doubts about Vitamin C and it's antioxidant benefits.  You can listen to it too for a minimal cost by clicking on this link:  http://www.jeffreybland.com

  • Resveratrol really came into my awareness about one year ago in consultation with a physician regarding one of my client's low iodine levels.  I learned that this chemical from red grapes acts almost like an antidote to influenza virus.  Maybe this is why the Mediterranean diet is so healthy along with olive oil.  But...you need to take it daily as a preventive measure and not wait until the flu hits your body.

  • There are markers of inflammation one can have measured in their body such as lipid peroxides and 8-hydroxy-2'-deoxyguanosine that indicate how much damage one's body may be sustaining due to lack of antioxidant protection. Below is a link to one of the labs I use to evaluate these along with up to 150 biomarkers of one's metabolism. http://www.metametrix.com
Detoxification
 
I've lectured nationally on several occasions about the 80,000+ chemicals in our environment that our bodies have to contend with...a very small percentage have had any safety testing.
  • Helping my clients to understand that toxicity is most likely an underlying theme in their health challenges is one of the most difficult things I do.
    • The reason for this difficulty is that the media nor the medical establishment is not teaching us much about environmental toxins and their impact on our health yet.
    • Read "The Autoimmune Epidemic--Bodies Gone Haywire in a World Out of Balance" by Donna Jackson Nakazawa which will help one to begin to understand this concept.
    • I can and do test for certain toxins.  Insurance often will not pay for these tests.  Read a little about my personal journey with heavy metal toxicity at:  http://www.preventioniowa.com/aboutus.htm
  • There are a variety of ways to detoxify our bodies in keeping up with daily exposure.  The kidneys, liver and skin are major organs of detoxification and elimination of toxins.  Detox supplements, epsom salt baths, footbaths, far-infrared saunas, exercise, adequate water, daily bowel movements all help to detoxify.  Some even need IV therapy.
  •  Prevention & Healing of Iowa (PHI) offers Detox Footbaths as one option to detox. 
    • We've had clients report less joint pain, opening their sinuses, more energy, less lower extremity fluid in doing the footbaths. 

    • See http://www.preventioniowa.com for more information or simply call Jenni at 515-727-4141.

  •  Other options at PHI are specific supplements.  Schedule a consult with Carolyn to develop a plan individualized to your needs.  The "self care" message here is taking time to begin some of the above, for yourself.
Rest & Relaxation
 
How many people sleep deeply at least 7-8 hours per night?  Can they fall asleep and stay asleep for that length of time?  About 12 years ago, I would lie in bed staring at the ceiling while trying so hard to sleep.
  • What helped sleep immensely at that time of my life was to get off the Prozac and then find someone to diagnose my hormone imbalances and treat them with bioidentical hormones.

  • The "self care" message here is to start winding down 1/2 hour before you'd like to fall asleep.
    • I will lie down with a book and usually find myself falling asleep with it in my hands...that is time to turn out the bedside lamp.
    • If this does not work for you, how about a warm Epsom salt/SeaSalt bath? Dissolve 1 cup of each into the running water and sink down into it/soak
 
 
Introducing Marty Rhea
 
crw photoMarty Rhea is an associate at Prevention & Healing who is involved in energy work. She is also in a program to become a doctor of Naturopathy. Healing the whole person has been her focus in using BioAcoustics to balance energy, and remains the focus of her current studies.
 
This is what I see:
 
This newsletter is presented to you by Prevention & Healing of Iowa. But let's understand something fundamental.What is prevention? What is healing? And where do you fit in with either of those?
 
First, I think everyone would agree that prevention is preferable to healing. I would rather not have a health challenge in the first place, than to have to work on healing something that malfunctioned. If we live the "American Way" with massive stress, poor diet, and little thought of how this will affect us, we will all need healing.
 
The body just reacts to whatever it is given. Long term goals are not something the human body has in mind when it responds to input. The body responds only for its' immediate survival. The problem is that response to toxic input over a long time equals a condition that will need healing.
 
Toxic input can be anything: breathing cigarette smoke, drinking too much alcohol, eating foods with chemical residues on them, eating too much of any kind of food. You get the point. It is actually much more work to prevent illness than to cure sickness, but the payoff is so worth it! If we would all learn a little bit more about  prevention, maybe we would need a lot less healing.
 

Upcoming Events
       Adult Ed. BHRT Classes

                  February 22nd, 2010 at Indian Hills Jr. High - Phone 515-226-2750 to register     

                  April 6th, 2010 at Hoover High School - Phone 515-242-8521 to register

 

 

In Closing: Thank you for enjoying the first issue of our newsletter. Please let us know if there is a topic you would like to hear about in upcoming issues.

Carolyn Walker, MSN, ARNP

Family Nurse Practitioner 
Owner, Prevention & Healing of Iowa
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