Brain Health and treating patients with Alzheimer’s and neurodegenerative conditions is a new frontier for Functional Medicine. Dr. Neil Nathan, MD’s book review of Dr. Dale Bredesen, MD’s “The End of Alzheimer’s: The First Program to Prevent and Reverse Cognitive Decline explains and gives hope. Dr. Dale E. Bredesen MD, an internationally recognized expert in neurodegenerative diseases developed a highly effective protocol named The Bredesen ReCoDe.
The Bredesen ReCoDe for Alzheimer’s
The ReCoDe in Bredesen ReCoDe stands for REversing COgnitive DEcline. This completely personalized treatment program leans towards a ketogenic diet with modifications, requiring no pills or therapeutics.
The Bredesen ReCoDe protocol is seeing amazing results in reversing Alzheimer’s cognitive decline. It is never too early to start looking after your brain. Take a look at some FAQs and sign up on the ReCoDe website here. The ReCoDe Report cannot be accessed outside of the United States. Patients must sign up for the REVERSE program, which is a subscription. Linden & Arc Vitality Institute provides patients with this fascinating protocol.
Alzheimer’s ReCoDe
ReCoDe at Linden & Arc Vitality Institute
At Linden & Arc Vitality Institute, brain health matters. Dr. Bredesen’s ReCODE program is a treatment option at LMMD. As Dr. Nathan writes in the article, “Dr. Bredesen’s ReCODE program provides true hope for improvement and reversal of Alzheimer’s disease.”
At your initial consultation, we will gather your health history and family history. Every detail of your health through your life. We will pinpoint where the triggers to your current health may have come from. We gather more information and test you before populating the RECODE report. This allows us to prioritize your treatment. This will be a multidisciplinary approach. Nutritionists, exercise therapists, neural retraining, intravenous treatments, supplements, and meditation training are all possible aspects of your treatment.
Contact Linden & Arc Vitality Institute at [email protected] if you would like to learn more.
We are not alone! We live in harmony with hundreds of millions of other organisms and a plethora of different good bacteria that are detrimental to gut health. These bacteria are located mainly in our gut, or gastrointestinal tracts. They have a symbiotic relationship with us. We provide them with a warm, nutrient-rich environment and they aid our digestion and fight off harmful microorganisms. This balance is a delicate one.
Listen to Your Gut
A number of factors disturb the gut’s microbiome like poor food choices and disease. As a consequence, we suffer from digestive symptoms, inflammation, autoimmune issues, and poor health. One of the best ways in which to promote gut health is to regularly take probiotics. Probiotics introduce helpful bacteria to the gastrointestinal tract.
These compact, encapsulated bacterial colonies are not a one-size-fits-all solution. Here, we provide guidance on specific probiotics to address each patient’s specific needs.
Benefits of Probiotics
Probiotics Attack Harmful Organisms
The purpose of probiotics is to attack harmful organisms in the body. Bacteria using nutrients, water, and other resources is the recipe for a healthy gut ecosystem. This leaves little room for harmful microorganisms. Probiotics encourage the growth of good bacteria, crowding out the bad ones. Certain probiotics have even shown antimicrobial activity in laboratory settings that mimic the human stomach. In 2017, researchers published results showing that lactic acid bacteria in probiotics discouraged the growth of intestinal pathogens and prevent intestinal infections. 1
Probiotics Regulate Digestion
It has long been known that healthy gut flora is a necessity to retain regulate our bodies and offer good digestion. This is why broad-spectrum antibiotic use causes diarrhea. Antibiotics kill infection and the normal and helpful bacteria in your gut. This leads to poor water absorption and diarrhea. Probiotics are often advertised as helpful for regularity, and this is no exaggeration. Interactions between gut bacteria and carbohydrates keep constipation at bay and help ensure that food flows smoothly through the digestive system. Proper nutrient absorption needs good bacteria.
Probiotics Help Maintain a Healthy Weight
People who have diverse and healthy gut bacteria tend to be leaner. A 2013 study published in Nature confirmed this premise.2
Good gut bacteria helps with a number of metabolic issues, including insulin resistance and lipid status. Functional Medicine physicians find that obese patients lose significant weight.
Probiotics Control Food Allergies
The environment and poor diet affect the normal gut microflora negatively. This can contribute to the development of food allergies and food sensitivities. The reverse is true, as well. Robust and healthy gut bacteria tend to resist the onset of food allergies. A study published in 2017 strengthened this assertion, finding in mice that, “The present study supports the theory that probiotics can treat food allergy by modulating specific genera of the gut microbiota.”3
Probiotics Positively Affect Many Diseases
Research remains in the early stages. Promising evidence exists that probiotic therapy, in conjunction with a healthy diet, may help a wide range of diseases. These include such ubiquitous problems as high blood pressure4, fatty liver disease5, cardiovascular disease6, and even some mental disorders.7
Functional Medicine has always proclaimed body systems are interrelated, with the gastrointestinal system being of particular importance. At Linden & Arc Vitality Institute, we are uniquely equipped to provide advice, diagnosis, and treatment plans. To book a consultation, contact us at [email protected]
Dr. Murfin is wholeheartedly focused on her life’s mission to help people heal and achieve extraordinary outcomes. She believes that health is more than merely the absence of disease. It is a total state of physical, mental, emotional, spiritual, and social wellbeing through the creation of a whole and meaningful life. Dr. Murfin leaves no stone unturned to determine the root cause of illness or imbalance.
Do you Suffer from Food Allergies & Intolerances?
Nutritional Therapists and Functional practitioners find food sensitivities and allergies a challenge to work with. Food lists differ, food allergy tests conflict, and nutritional protocols, and interventions are complex. These circumstances make it very frustrating and patients can feel helpless. Here are a few nutritional protocols to work with.
If you have to eliminate certain foods or families of foods it can be overwhelming, frustrating, and stressful. As well, they can often leave you feeling at a loss for what to eat. If you feel stressed or have anxiety around eating, it worsens your digestive abilities. Take the functional medicine approach to lower stress levels around food and some great choices that will make you feel good about eating again.
Tasks Around Eating
Eating with good allergies and intolerances isn’t easy. If you feel stressed about what types of food to eat, your digestion is going to suffer. These tasks help your mental health.
Change is good!
Change Your Way of Thinking
You must be willing to change your way of thinking to see change in other aspects of your life. Here are a few inspiring things you can do to achieve change.
Breathe! There are a variety of healthy breathing activities that reduce stress.
Don’t be a victim of your circumstances. Be a master of them! Empower yourself to turn this challenge into learning, growth, and transformation.
Remember; there are always options.
Be open and willing to try new foods, to explore, experiment, find new grocery stores, allergy-friendly bakeries, and specialty food shops. How open and willing you are to try new things is a reflection of how you do life. Are you blocked, anxious, fearful, or close-minded about trying new things in your life? Are you that way with food? This may be a life lesson to be learned and your food is a doorway to that. Google what is available in your city.
Research Your Choices
Get an allergy-friendly cookbook. Go to the bookstore and spend time finding a cookbook that inspires you.
Go online. There are endless amounts of recipes and websites to support you. Simply google what you are looking for and you will be amazed at how much is available to you.
Take your time and go through health food stores. Go up and down each aisle, read ingredients, ask the staff questions, and learn.
Put Your Research Into Action
Eat simple. Focus on 1-3 foods/ingredients at a time to not overwhelm your digestive system.
Eat real whole food.
Eat small meals that are easy to digest. Don’t overeat!
Seeking Help
Food allergies and intolerances are a product of a sick digestive system. Your digestive system needs to be healed and removing food is only 1 part of the equation. Gut restoration is a step by step process that requires customized supplement intervention. I can work with you to resolve those.
Book a consult to customize your own eating path and supplement requirements.
Book a grocery shopping consult if you are overwhelmed and don’t know where to begin.
Look at the stress in your life. Anger, anxiety and unresolved conflicts and stresses are often a significant contributing factor to digestion challenges.
Allergy Friendly Foods
Below is a list of dairy, gluten, egg, and soy-free foods. Most of these are safe if you have Candidiasis or SIBO or on an anti-inflammatory nutritional lifestyle. Always read ingredients to ensure these are perfect foods for you. First, always start with real, whole food first like fruits, vegetables, lean and clean quality protein, essential fats, and minimal whole-gluten-free grains if tolerated. Second, add in these additional foods to round off your nutritional lifestyle.
Earth Island cheese (good alternative to Daiya if you don’t like that)
Bread
Delicious bread (gluten and egg free bread)
Protein Shakes
Vega protein shakes to go (convenient pre-made shakes)
Dried Fruit
Fruitivity
Snack Bites/Bars
Thrive Tribe Bites (convenient bite-size snacks)
Joseph’s Nutless Clusters
Pegan Paleo Bar
Crick Start (if you don’t mind eating cricket flour!)
Bounce
Nuts, Seeds, & Butters
Choose any natural nut or seed butters of choice (pumpkin, cashew, hazelnut, sunflower, etc.)
Tiger Nut Butter (excellent alternative if you are nut and seed-free). Tiger Nut is a Tuber not a nut
Granola
Tiger Nut Granola
Jerky
Noble Jerky (Vegan Jerky)
Chips/Salty Snacks
Simply Protein Chips
Sea Snax
Kale Chips
Beet Chips (Rhythm Supefoods)
Organic Corn Tortillas
Peas Please (Peeled Snacks)
Sweet Treats:
Prana Samsuma (sesame seeds and honey)
Blue Monkey Coconut Chips
Chocolate Chips
Enjoy Life (dairy, soy free)
Made Good
Don’t let your allergies and food intolerances get you down! There are always options and new foods to try and experience. This new way of eating and can open the door to new exciting foods, improved health, growth, learning, and joy.
What are Bioidentical Hormones and how can they help menopause symptoms? Millions of Canadian women experience troublesome and debilitating menopause symptoms. The inevitable hot flashes, fatigue, night sweats, vaginal dryness, and mood changes that come with the diagnosis. The World Health Organization has released estimates stating that by 2030, 1.2 billion women worldwide will be postmenopausal, as 25 million women go through menopause every year. For several years, hormone replacement therapy (HRT) was a great help to many suffering from menopause symptoms. HRT can increase the risk of serious health events, like breast cancer, and strokes. Fortunately, today bioidentical hormones are available. Let’s delve into some frequently asked questions about bioidentical hormone therapy, or BHT.
Bioidentical Hormone Therapy Can Help Menopause Symptoms
Frequently Asked Questions about Bioidentical Hormones for Menopause
What are Bioidentical Hormones?
Bioidentical hormones are sex hormones that come in the form of estrogens and progesterone. Your body produces hormones structured exactly the same on a molecular level. Bioidentical hormones come from soy and yam plants where Hormone Replacement Therapy (HRT) uses traditional hormones, usually isolated from animals, which is much riskier health-wise.
Are Bioidentical Hormones Effective?
Bioidentical hormones are highly effective and have helped millions of women. A 2016 study provided evidence that Bioidentical Hormone Therapy reduces hot flashes, and two separate studies in 2014 and 2011 showed that BHT helped with mood swings, night sweats, and irritability. An Australian study showed that 15 percent of Australian women in their fifties and sixties had taken or took bioidentical hormones.
How Do I Take Bioidentical Hormones?
You can take Bioidentical Hormone Therapy in a few different ways. It is available in pill form that you swallow or dissolve under your tongue or administered as a cream, patch, spray, or vaginal ring. Name-brand bioidentical prescriptions are available at pharmacies (Prometrium, Vagifem, Vivelle Dot, etc.). You may require the services of a compounding pharmacy for some of your bioidentical hormones.
Are Bioidentical HormonesAn Absolute Necessity?
Bioidentical hormones are not absolutely necessary and only yourself and a knowledgeable doctor experienced in the use of BHT can decide if they’re right for you. Your decision should be based on an educated assessment of the risks versus the benefits. Under the guidance of our physicians, you may choose to use herbs and supplements, traditional HRT, or nothing at all to help with menopausal symptoms and transition.
Can You Stop Bioidentical Hormone Therapy?
Adverse events from BHT are rare. One study in 2013 found zero adverse events in a group of 75 women undergoing BHT. If you do have an adverse event, or simply decide to go completely natural with your menopause plan, you’ll be happy to know that it is possible to stop BHT at any time. It is always advisable to do this under our physicians’ guidance who will monitor with exams and blood tests and gradually wean you off BHT.
Functional Medicine & Menopause
At Linden & Arc Vitality Institute, our Functional Medicine physicians will guide you to find the right fit. Remember, most therapies are more effective with lifestyle changes. These include factors like increased activity level, a good diet, and nutritional support in the form of supplements. Our clinic provides counseling and support to help you maintain and strengthen your health, transition through menopause with minimal symptoms, and thoroughly enjoy these happy years of your life.
Dr. Murfin is wholeheartedly focused on her life’s mission to help people heal and achieve extraordinary outcomes. She believes that health is more than merely the absence of disease. It is a total state of physical, mental, emotional, spiritual, and social wellbeing through the creation of a whole and meaningful life. Dr. Murfin leaves no stone unturned to determine the root cause of illness or imbalance.
The Anxiety Disorders Association of Canada reports that one in four Canadians will suffer from an anxiety disorder at least once during their lives (1). For many patients, the only treatment previously sought has been anxiolytic prescription drugs. Unfortunately, these medications often carry severe side effects and some of them, such as benzodiazepines like Valium, Xanax, etc, can be addictive.
If you suffer from anxiety, you are not alone. Functional medicine offers positive treatments but first, we must not only deal with anxiety but have continued success. Starting with being aware of our anxiety will help us take the proper action with more clarity. Let’s start by exploring the root causes of anxiety and the stress response humans exhibit when they experience it.
The Root of Anxiety
The root of anxiety lays in ‘fight or flight,’ or stress response. It is an evolutionary trait highly useful to animals, as it was to our ancestors and is still present in humans today. This response is natural, common, and without taking special measures, almost entirely involuntary. In other words, anxiety is not due to a shortcoming or defect from within.
The stress response kicks in when there is a perceived danger or threat. Regions in the brain known as the amygdala rapidly interpret certain stimuli as a threat. These stimuli can vary greatly, the growl of a lion, a light switching off in a dark alleyway, or a scowl on your manager’s face. Triggering memories, including those responsible for post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD), are stored in the amygdala. No matter the stimulus, the result is the same – activation of the hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal (HPA) axis.
The action of the HPA axis starts with the hypothalamus (another brain area that is actually a small gland). The hypothalamus then signals another tiny gland; the pituitary via chemical messengers. Finally, the pituitary sends messages to the adrenal glands that sit atop your kidneys, causing them to produce adrenaline. Adrenaline is the hormone that’s responsible for the physical aspects of the stress response, including a rise in heart rate, increased energy, pupil dilation, and slowed digestion (2).
Social anxiety
Anxiety & the Stress Response in Modern Life
The stress response associated with anxiety was wonderful for our ancestors. It helped keep them alert and aware of their surroundings and capable of fleeing immediate physical dangers.
The problem with the stress response in contemporary life is that the response is autonomic, meaning it is almost wholly involuntarily. The response cannot distinguish between the threat of immediate physical harm and something like the longer-term dangers of a low savings account balance. Work stress, family quarrels, or even a traffic jam are just as likely to trigger the stress response as finding an angry bear in your living room.
The Stress Response as a Short Term Process
Furthermore, the stress response is supposed to function as an acute or short term process. In a life-threatening situation, you typically would only need a few minutes to flee or fight. The rush you get is short-lived, similar to the thrill of riding a roller coaster. Unfortunately, our modern lives often cause an extended stress response as we continually struggle with everyday demands and frustrations.
In short, the human body has not caught up with our modern circumstances. This near-constant state of stress wears our bodies down with chronic conditions (like high blood pressure). It’s like driving a car at top speed for hundreds of kilometers. You damage the engine and take years off the car’s life.
How to Deal with Anxiety & the Stress Response
There is hopein dealing with anxiety and stress response using natural methods. With some effort, education, and the guidance of a Functional Medicine physicians at Linden & Arc Vitality Institute, you can achieve control of your anxiety and the underlying stress. We encourage you to take the following steps to deal with anxiety.
Be Aware of Signs of Anxiety
First, become more mindful and be aware of when you’re actually feeling stressed out. This is important both in brief situations, (eg. when a flight is delayed), as well as during long term stressful situations (such as working to meet a deadline at work).
Physical Signs of Anxiety
Be mindful of the physical signs of stress which include rapid heartbeat, perspiration and jaw clenching. Then, begin to address your stress immediately by practicing exercises for stress reduction. Some stress reducing activities include taking deep slow breaths, relaxing the jaw, and thinking calming thoughts.
Non-Physical Signs of Anxiety
There are also non-physical manifestations of stress and anxiety-like a tendency to worry, dwell, or exhibiting a short temper. Take time to reflect on any non-physical manifestations and take a mindful approach to reduce those as well.
Finally, attune yourself to any symptoms you may have of long term stress – such as difficulty sleeping, heartburn, and digestive issues. Prolonging these types of symptoms in life can wear on the body and eventually lead to chronic illnesses.
Take Action Against Anxiety
After noting the reactions you have to stress, it is time to take action. There are several techniques that can help to immediately reduce your stress and prevent anxiety. These include deep ordered breathing, meditation, and HeartMath.
The Benefit of HeartMath
HeartMath is an electronic training system that focuses on and relaxes the nervous system. Classes are offered to Dr. Murfin’s patients. The use of HeartMath, especially in conjunction with a trained instructor, has shown positive effects on emotional stability (3).
Relaxation Techniques in Stress Management
To ensure continued success in reducing anxiety and managing stress requires an ongoing plan. Lifestyle changes are required. These come in the form of frequent meditation, relaxation techniques, journaling, and mindful positive thinking. Don’t underestimate the effectiveness of these actions. A 2013 controlled study found a correlation between positive emotions and better physical health in a research group (4). This same study also found evidence supporting an increase in vagal tone (the regulation of the body at rest with positive emotions).
Increase Your Vagal Tone
As one of the cranial nerves, the vagus nerve is responsible for many automatic functions in your major organs -including the heart and lungs. Tone, or tension, of this nerve, is a good indicator of the level of your emotional control and the effect of that control on your body’s critical functions. One of the best ways to increase your vagal tone is through mind-body practices like controlled breathing, centered humming, and meditation. The Journal of Investigative Medicine published a study showing mind-body techniques have a positive effect on PTSD (5). Good vagal tone also has benefits beyond emotional control, such as playing a part in reduced inflammation and good digestion (6).
Improving Nutrition and Increasing Activity
Nutrition and physical activity also play integral roles in anxiety reduction and stress management. Under the care of our physicians, the use of natural herbs and supplements, as well as exercise, helps replace and enhance your body’s missing nutrients while restoring proper function. This, in turn, helps reduce stress and anxiety. It’s a cycle. When you feel better, you’re less stressed and vice versa.
Guidance from a Funtional Medicine Practitioner
Functional Medicine treatment, especially in conjunction with guidance from a Vitality Advisor at our clinic, aids in the change of thinking patterns. When you’re stuck in a cycle of negative emotions, your stress levels increase and cause harmful effects on your health. This can aggravate existing conditions such as fibromyalgia and other chronic pain syndromes. Emotional control, mindfulness of your body, and positive thinking are vital for good health (7).
Next Steps
While there’s no way to fully shut off your stress response, nor would you want to do such a thing, it’s absolutely controllable. Consulting with an experienced Functional Medicine physician is the next step. With adherence to your doctor’s advice, commitment, and some dedication, you can get a handle on the stress in your life and the resulting anxiety you feel.
Dr. Murfin is wholeheartedly focused on her life’s mission to help people heal and achieve extraordinary outcomes. She believes that health is more than merely the absence of disease. It is a total state of physical, mental, emotional, spiritual, and social wellbeing through the creation of a whole and meaningful life. Dr. Murfin leaves no stone unturned to determine the root cause of illness or imbalance.
