Men also have their cycles though less outwardly obvious and less discussed until recent times. Men go through tremendous hormonal change through puberty, as reproductive men and then through andropause (the gradual decline of testosterone and other male hormones) into their wise years.

As the years go by, I respect more and more what women and men go through. The cycles become clearer to me as do treatments to best support both women and men through these shifts and adjustments.

Women and men of all ages are concerned with their sexual health. I have worked with couples in their 80’s who still want to maintain regular sexual function as well as couples in their 50’s who are comfortable and happy with shifting their physical affection and demonstration of love to a less active sex life.

Whatever your personal goals and preferences are – there are healthy ways to maintain hormonal support for lifelong well-being.

After years of requests from patients, I have finally started to carry natural personal care products to support women’s and men’s sexual function. I can stand by the quality of these products as they are Emerita brand products, a Portland, Oregon based company that has been making natural products for women for decades and Enzymatic Therapies, a long time leader in high quality natural supplements.

We will now be carrying: Hot Plants for Her and Hot Plants for Him – two herbal medicine products to support libido. For women, we will also have topical products for lubrication either for daily vaginal dryness or for use during sex, OH Warming Lubricant for enhanced stimulation and Response Cream for increased sexual response.

I hope you enjoy these products as another way to enhance your well being and optimal health.

Now that you know a little more about gluten and wheat reactions, you may be wondering if you have a problem with wheat and/or gluten. There are several ways of testing for food allergies and gluten reactions.

Food Allergy Testing

The best tests for food allergies are blood tests called Elisa IgG and IgE tests. I use three different labs for food allergy testing: Genova Labs, Meridian Valley Labs and ALCAT offering different food allergen profiles. Meridian Valley offers a finger prick test that can be performed at home and then mailed to the lab testing 50 of the most common food allergies; Genova’s main food allergy profile has 100 foods which can be added to and ALCAT offers up to 200 food tests with many additional add on profiles available.

Though blood tests for food allergies have dramatically improved over the areas, the gold standard for food sensitivity testing is still the food elimination diet. The food elimination diet is a hypoallergenic diet consisting of simple, whole foods that are well tolerated by most people. This diet is followed for 2-4 weeks then foods are reintroduced one at a time while monitoring for food reactions such as sinus or upper respiratory congestion, change in bowel movements, headaches, skin rashes, etc. This is still my preference for testing for gluten intolerance.

Gluten Intolerance Testing

Testing for gluten intolerance has also come a long way. There are many blood tests designed to pick up gluten reactions but to date the hype of new testing has not lived up to its promise. I was really excited when the tests for tissue transglutaminase were added to anti-gliadin antibody testing; we thought we had a definitive test for gluten intolerance but after seeing many false negatives (tests showing no reaction to gluten while patients had symptoms with gluten ingestion) we know that this test also has its limitations. The definitive test for gluten intolerance or celiac disease is still a biopsy taken from the intestinal tract but this invasive procedure is often not warranted due to its cost, discomfort and risk.

Gluten Free Resources

It was once a lonely road when dealing with gluten intolerance in this country. Doctors in the western world were mainly unaware of gluten intolerance and did not realize the signs and symptoms of food allergies or gluten reactions. Parents looking for answers to their children’s health issues were the driving force in discovering more about food allergies, gluten intolerance and how to live without wheat. Once you decide to experiment with removing wheat and/or gluten from your diet, you begin to see that wheat is everywhere! It is used as a thickener, a base, an additive as well as a main ingredient in many foods.

Today there is a wealth of information and resources for those living wheat or gluten free. It still may not be easy to eat out or shop at a chain grocery store, but there are cookbooks, websites, blogs, grocery stores and restaurants catering to those GF and WF. Enjoy!

*News flash*      There are some new enzymes out on the market that help speed the digestion of gluten. I have been keeping my eye out for these for years and they are now becoming widely available. When you are eating out or traveling or decide to splurge and have that piece of chocolate cake or bread, there is help! I like Innate and Seroyal’s gluten enzymes and they work well! Let us know if you cannot find them over the counter and we can special order them for you.

Books and Cookbooks

The Gluten Free Almond Flour Cookbook by Elana Amsterdam

Make It Fast, Cook It Slow: The Big Book of Everyday Slow Cooking by Stephanie O’Dea

Gluten Free Baking Classics by Annalise Roberts

Going Against the Grain by Melissa Smith

 Websites and Blogs

www.elanaspantry.com

www.glutenfreegourmet.com

www.wheat-free.org

any many, many more!

You can also search the web for GF restaurants and check out your local health food stores for the gluten free aisle; even some chain grocery stores have a gluten free section.

Bon Appetit!

Let’s first look at food allergies. Food allergies are reactions to foods that negatively impact our bodies. These reactions can be in the form of a true allergy where the body actually makes antibodies against a specific food. A true allergy can only happen with the proteins found in a food, like a peanut allergy or an egg allergy. What happens much more commonly than a true food allergy, is a food sensitivity. A food sensitivity is not an immune reaction but rather an inflammatory reaction or other negative reaction that occurs in the body when a particular food is consumed. This reaction can be in the digestive system such as loose stool, constipation, excess gas production, heartburn; or in the nervous system such as headache, irritability or hyperactivity in children. Other organ systems can also be affected.

Now let’s talk about gluten and wheat. Gluten is a group of proteins found in wheat. Gluten is naturally found in wheat, rye, barley, wheat germ, spelt, kamut and sometimes in oats. It is also added to flour in the bread making process as it gives bread its elasticity and allows it to rise. It is also added to vegetarian and other foods as a source of protein and glueyness – it holds things together.

Gluten is consumed much more than it used to be. Because it holds things together so nicely and adds protein as well as hastening the leavening time of bread dough, it is used a lot! A loaf of wheat bread 100 years ago had 10 times less gluten than it does today. So one of the reasons many people have developed reactions to gluten is from over consumption.

Gluten also has a special reaction in the gut. When someone has celiac disease which is a type of allergic reaction to gluten or gluten intolerance, the digestive tract becomes inflamed when gluten enters the body. This reaction to gluten can take one of two paths: the body tries to clear the “foreign invader” by having diarrhea or loose stools; or the digestive tract shuts down and the result is stomach discomfort and constipation. There are many other symptoms of gluten intolerance but they all stem from this initial reaction.

I find that many people are sensitive to wheat (which may also include spelt and kamut) without being gluten intolerant. In this situation, there is usually a digestive reaction to wheat that does not occur with other gluten containing grains. These individuals may also be able to digest sprouted wheat due to the availability of many enzymes that are present from the sprouting process. Sprouting wheat initiates the digestive process and activates  enzymes thereby assisting the body with digestion of the wheat. Be careful though with commercially available sprouted wheat breads, many companies add gluten to hold those sprouts together!

My next blog with discuss how to test for food allergies including wheat and gluten reactions as well as gluten free, wheat free resources.

We often feel inspired to do a cleanse but can have difficulty initiating and maintaining a cleanse if we do not have support and guidance. This Cleanse Clinic will give you the tools to choose the right cleansing program for you, get you organized to start a cleanse, help you maintain your goals during the program and enjoy laughter and camaraderie as we explore the connections between food and health.

 In response to patient requests for a return of my Spring Cleanse Class, I will be offering a Cleanse Clinic on Thursdays from 1-2pm for 3 weeks starting February 4^th, 2010.

Dr Zoe’s February 2010 Cleanse Clinic will cover:

~          choosing a cleanse plan to fit your individual needs – from simple hypoallergenic food plans, short liquids fasts, medicinal    shakes to homeopathic detoxification programs and herbal cleanses

~          determining your health goals and how to achieve them

~          exploring your relationship to food and how that relationship contributes or detracts  from your highest level of health

~          achieving success in completing your cleanse program

~          creating your individual health goals and implement a plan to maintain your chosen level of health through the use food as medicine

 Class details

Dates: Thursdays, February 4th, 11^th and 18th, 2010

Time: 1:00-2:00pm

Location: Dr. Zoe Wells’ office – 1440 Higuera St. San Luis Obispo

Cost: $35

Registration: Please call the office at (805) 541-2614; email zoe@drzoe.com or Rikki at rikki79425@gmail.com

Class size is limited so please register early.

 I look forward to seeing you there and taking another step with you on your journey of health and wellbeing!

I am writing this blog on Armour Thyroid (USP Thyroid/Westhroid/Naturthroid) to let you know what is happening with these thyroid hormone medication.

USP Thyroid/Armour/Westhroid/Naturthroid are derived from pig thyroid and contain both T3 and T4 as well as other minor thyroid hormones. Synthetic hormone medications are also initially derived from pig thyroid and then are processed by a lab making it synthetic. The most well known of these (Synthroid, Levothyroxine, Levoxyl) contain only T4. Synthetic T3 is also available (Cytomel) and is much stronger than T4. (Please see my past article on hypothyroidism for more information on the thyroid hormones.)

The makers of Armour Thyroid have currently stopped producing Armour Thyroid/Westhroid/Naturthroid. USP Thyroid is also off the market. There are conflicting reports on why this is happening but one story is that the medication is being restandardized and will be back on the market at some point.

For now, people who have been taking any of these natural thyroid medications can have USP Thyroid compounded into a cream by a compounding pharmacy (while pharmacies’ supplies last) and can apply the medication to the skin instead of taking it by mouth. Another option is to switch to synthetic T4 (Synthroid, Levothyroxine, Levoxyl, etc.) and monitor response and redraw labs 8-12 weeks after switching to the new medication to monitor thyroid hormone levels. If T3 levels are low when taking synthetic T4 and T4 levels are normal, we can consider adding synthetic T3 (Cytomel) in a small dose.

As each person is unique you will need to be assessed by your doctor to determine which medication is best for you and then monitor how you respond to the new medication.

We will hope Armour Thyroid and all its cousins will be back on the market soon!

Best wishes,

Dr Zoe

Hypothyroidism is a very common condition in our society. It effects many more women than men and typically comes into play as women go through childbearing years and beyond. This is a gland that sets our body’s thermostat and is part of the endocrine/hormonal system.

Hypothyroidism has gone from being poorly recognized in the earlier part of the 1900’s to being over diagnosed and treated for weight loss in the 1950’s . Today it is difficult to diagnose solely on lab tests and needs to be evaluated with a thorough clinical intake.

What is hypothyroidism?

Hypothyroidism means a low functioning thyroid; the thyroid gland is not producing enough thyroid hormone. Thyroid hormones are the metabolic regulators of the body. Thyroid hormones are needed by every cell of the body to keep the cell at the right temperature for proper cell function and growth. 

How do I know if I have hypothyroidism?

Three techniques are commonly used to measure thyroid function:

1. Symptoms of low thyroid
2. Blood testing of Thyroid Stimulating Hormone (TSH), free T3, free T4 (the free forms of two thyroid hormones), total T4, total T3, T3 uptake, reverse T3
3. Resting body temperatures

No single blood test can tell us all we need to know about the thyroid. Blood tests measure thyroid hormones T3 and T4 as well as a pituitary hormone called thyroid stimulating hormone (TSH). Practitioners follow different reference ranges based on their knowledge of thyroid disease.  I prefer testing TSH, free T3 and free T4 to assess thyroid hormone production and status.

Body temperatures are a good indicator of the metabolic rate of the body. A low body temperature in conjunction with other symptoms can alert us to low thyroid function.

Taking body temperature

A resting body temperature can be taken each morning for 10 days. The temperature can be taken upon waking before getting out of bed or anytime later in the morning before 11:00a.m. When taking your temperature after getting out of bed, take it before exercising, eating, and/or drinking a warm beverage as these can raise the metabolic rate and the temperature. Temperatures can be measured in the mouth with a digital or glass thermometer.

 Symptoms of low thyroid include:

Intolerance to cold, sensitive to cold temperatures, difficulty warming up

Dry skin

Dry/thinning hair or hair loss

Constipation

Depression

Fatigue, low energy

Other conditions like sleep disorders, high cholesterol, heavy menstrual bleeding may also be related to low thyroid function.

Hypothyroidism and Heart Disease

In February 2000 a Dutch study (The Rotterdam Study) came out that showed: “Older women with subclinical (meaning it did not show up on lab testing) hypothyroidism were almost twice as likely as women without this condition to have blockages in the aorta. They were also twice as likely to have had heart attacks.”

We have long known that low thyroid increases cholesterol levels and hyperlipidemia, but I often see patients coming in with high cholesterol on cholesterol lowering medication and borderline low thyroid conditions that have not been addressed. I always like to see a low or borderline low thyroid condition corrected before making a decision about high cholesterol. Once the thyroid is working at an optimal level, the cholesterol values also can normalize.

Books on Thyroid Health and Dysfunction

Thyroid Power by Richard and Karilee Shames

Feeling Fat, Fuzzy, or Frazzled?: A 3-Step Program to Restore Thyroid, Adrenal, and Reproductive Balance… by Richard and Kariles Shames

Thyroid Balance: Traditional and Alternative Methods for Treating Thyroid Disorders  by Glenn Rothfeld

The Thyroid Solution: A Mind-Body Program for Beating Depression and Regaining Your Emotional and Physical Health by Arem Ridha

Here’s some up to date information on Vitamin D 

Eveyone has been talking about vitamin D - the news, your friends and even your MD. Testing vitamin D levels in the serum is becoming the norm and from this information, we can determine if you currently have sufficient vitamin D stores. If you are low or have a medical condition where you would benefit from higher vitamin D levels, we can then determine how much vitamin D you need to bring you up to optimal levels.

Vitamin D helps with osteoporosis and maintaining adequate bone density, depression, fighting cancer and preventing chronic disease. Even breastfeeding infants can be low in vitamin D as they do not get vitamin D in mother’s milk. The new recommendation for infants who are breastfed (still the best nutrition for babies by far!) is 200-400IU per day.

We do get one form of vitamin D from sun exposure. We have a precursor to vitamin D in our skin and when the skin receives ultraviolet radiation it converts this precursor into an inactive form of vitamin D. This still has to be converted into the active form of vitamin D by the liver and kidneys. To get vitamin D from the sun, we only need 30 minutes of sun exposure 2-3 times per week to bare skin not covered with sunscreen. I recommend a daily walk for 15-20 minutes with hands and arms exposed to get sufficient ultraviolet exposure to synthesize your own vitamin D.

If you have had skin cancer or your dermatologist recommends against sun exposure without sunscreen, you will have to supplement extra vitamin D.

Individuals with liver or kidney dysfunction or disease need higher levels of supplemental vitamin D to accomodate for their decreased ability to convert the inactive form into the active form of D.

Oily fish are the best food sources of vitamin D – salmon, krill, tuna, anchovies, sardines. Here’s another reason to include these fish in your diet as well as their anti-inflammatory and brain support benefits.

Allergies – Spring winds bring in the drips, sniffles, itchy eyes and tiredness

Remember your allergy basics to keep these bothersome symptoms at bay.

1. Nasal rinse with netti pot or bulb syringe – still the best way to keep the nasal passages clear and prevent sinus infections

2. Limit sugar and wine – these increase histamine which leads to more nasal congestion, difficulty breathing, stuffy head.

3. Get sufficient rest. Yes the sun is shining brighter and for more hours each day but the immune system needs some rest after dealing with pollens all day. You’ll be happier you did - tomorrow!

4. Drink plenty of water – the runny noses and allergy supplements and medications all dry you out. Keep yourself as hydrated as possible with water – remember only plain water counts not the water in juice, tea or other beverages.

5. Keep your adrenals in tip top shape. These important ”energy glands” also help our immune systems deal with allergens.

6. Vitamin C, stinging nettles, hesperidin, quercetin and bromelain are still the best for bringing histamine down and managing airborne allergies.

Enjoy this time of renewal when the earth wakes up and our minds turn toward the heightened energy of Spring. Take a few moments to look within and decide what you would like to plant. What ideas, thoughts, desires, inspiration do you want to tend to over these next few months? What do you want to blossom?  I can’t wait to see!

While most of us typically look forward to the joys of Spring, this year seems to be bringing some extra challenges. Every day I speak with people who are having difficulties right now. They are feeling tired, depressed, confused and have physical ailments that range from headaches, sleep problems, digestive distress to generalized body aches. Usually I see a lot of seasonal allergy problems at this time of year, but this year is different.

As the seasons change so do we. As adults we often think we are done growing or changing, and we forget that our bodies and spirits are always evolving.  To better understand what is going on inside of us, consider how children react when they are going through a growth spurt and what the plants are doing at this time of year. When children have growing pains they sleep more restlessly; they bump into things when they run around as their bodies have changed; they need more sleep; they seem disoriented and have difficulty focusing.

Plants are also going through amazing growth cycles that are both visible and invisible at this time of year. New buds on trees have to break through the surface of the branches; sprouts have to make their way through the heavy soil before they can see the light of day; even chicks and baby birds tire themselves as they intuitively peck at their shells trying to break free. The birds do not know what is on the other side of their known environment and have never seen the light of day but something spurs them on to keep pecking until their goal is accomplished.

At some level we are no different from the children, plants and birds. Many of these changes go in internally, below our level of awareness but they happen nonetheless. Our job is to keep on going until we break through the soil or create a crack in the egg, until we see the light of day.

During this process we need to care for ourselves in a deep and gentle way. Here are some things you can do to support yourself during this time of transition and growth:

1. Listen to yourself, your inner knowing
2. Get plenty of sleep
3. Keep the energy moving through gentle exercise, stretching, movement, dance
4. Spend some time outdoors in the fresh air and with natural light
5. Limit sugar, include protein and fresh, whole foods: springs greens, vegetables, nuts and seeds and fruit
6. Listen to what your body is craving but don’t let the sugar, simple carbohydrates, and coffee get out of hand
7. Listen to music that feeds your spirit
8. Read inspirational books, quotes and poems
9. Write yourself and your loved ones little love notes
10. Find a smile to share
11. Be gentle and accepting of yourself
12. Be gentle with others and remember they are going through this too
13. For extra support consider these supplements:

Blue green algae (like Afa-Gen) for amino acids, trace minerals, energy and mood support

A food based multi vitamin to provide your basic nutrients

B vitamin complex for energy, sugar cravings, nervous system support

      Sleep supports such as passionflower, skullcap, l-theanine, 5- HTP or Revitalizing Sleep     Formula                                    

Remember this is a season of new growth, increased light, opening and emerging from the hibernation and introspection of winter. Whether you feel inspired to create or need more time to go within, give yourself what you need and be patient with the transition from one season to the next. Support your body in healing ways so that it in turn can support your emotional and spiritual needs. Then you will be able to appreciate the beauty around you!

Homeopathic medicine offers a safe and effective way to support the immune system. Homeopathy is a form of medicine that stimulates the body to respond to symptoms. When we prescribe a homeopathic remedy, we look at a person’s symptoms, not the illness itself, to determine the appropriate remedy. The body has the ability to heal itself but it can be overwhelmed with symptoms, and its inherent response can be blocked. In homeopathy we “reboot” the immune system to bring in back into normal function to rid the body of infection.

Homeopathic Remedies

Here are some common homeopathic remedies used for childhood conditions and illnesses.

Chamomilla – (Made from the chamomile flower) A common remedy for teething or viral infections with anger and irritability. The child cannot be soothed; he asks to be picked up so you pick him up then wants to be put down. One cheek is often pink and fever can be present. Also covers diarrhea or the stomach flu with greenish diarrhea, stomach cramps.

Pulsatilla – (One of my favorite remedies made from the Pasque flower) This child is emotional, tearful, sensitive but irritable when sick. She wants to be held, needs support and lots of TLC. She tends to have runny noses that linger and are yellow or green. This also covers ear infections and mild fevers.

Calcarea carbonica – (Made from calcium salts) This is a strong, healthy child who is aggravated by cow’s milk products. He tends to have a large head constitutionally and is prone to upper respiratory infections with lots of discharges. He can also have body and diaper rashes and nasal congestion without discharge. He coughs linger and they can be wet coughs that are not productive.

Belladonna – (Made from the Belladonna plant which is toxic in large amounts but in a homeopathic dose where there is no molecule left of the plant (in a 30C potency) –  it is beneficial). Every household with children needs to have this remedy on hand for fevers; use it before you would consider an over the counter fever reducer. Good for fevers with lethargy; child is delirious or in his own world. High fevers, febrile seizures, usually not complaining but can be restless with glazed eyes.

Spongia – (Made from the sea sponge) This is a good, general cough remedy to have on hand. I typically like to treat coughs with herbal formulas instead of homeopathic remedies but this is a formula that can help with a variety of coughs. Good for dry, barking, croupy coughs. Spongia may help with asthma in children when the symptoms are a tight, dry cough and no wheeze and no shortness of breath. Also for lingering coughs that are not completely dry.

Gelsemium – (Made from the Yellow Jasmine plant) This is a good general remedy for flu with fever. It can cover the general flu symptoms of body aches, fatigue and no thirst. Gelsemium also covers upper respiratory congestion. The individual wants to be alone, quiet, may be slightly anxious and feels “terrible all over”.

Homeopathic remedies are one of our safest treatment modalities. They can be used with infants and children as well as pregnant women and breastfeeding moms. They are used as single remedies as noted above or in combination formulas. Good over the counter homeopathic companies include: Boiron, Hyland’s, Nelson’s and Standard Homeopathics. Over the counter lower potencies such as 12C and 30C are available. These are shorter acting remedies and can be used safely with little risk of side effects. Stronger potencies are only available through doctors and clinical homeopaths.

You may wonder: ”who is a homeopath?” A homeopath is someone who practices homeopathy. The term homeopath has no official certification or medical designation. Homeopaths come in a variety of forms and can be “lay” practitioners who have no formal medical training; MD’s who have specialized homeopathic training; naturopathic doctors who have extensive homeopathic training as part of their degree; acupuncturists with specialized homeopathic training in homeopathy, etc. It is always a good idea to know the credentials of the practitioner with whom you are working.