Restoration Health Care

Blood Test May Flag Impending COPD Flares

Katherine Neubauer — Thu, 13 Jun 2013 16:09:51 +0000

Everyday Health - Blood Test May Flag Impending COPD Flares - John Gever

Easily measured biomarkers of inflammation could give advance warning of chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) exacerbations, researchers said.

When COPD patients in a prospective Danish study had high levels of C-reactive protein (CRP), serum fibrinogen, and leukocyte count, their risk of experiencing a disease flare during the following year was increased over twofold when compared with patients who did not have high values for any of these measures, according to Børge Nordestgaard, DMSc, of Copenhagen University Hospital in Denmark, and colleagues.

The 5-year risk for exacerbations was 62 percent in patients with GOLD grade C-D disease and who had high baseline values for the three biomarkers, versus 24 percent among those with no high biomarkers, the researchers reported in the June 12 issue of the Journal of the American Medical Association.

But the biomarkers appeared to have their greatest clinical value when levels were low – such patients were at significantly lower risk for developing frequent exacerbations than would be expected from conventional predictors, such as previous exacerbation history and objective measures of lung function.

Alcohol Impairs Sleep Quality

Katherine Neubauer — Wed, 12 Jun 2013 16:09:09 +0000

The San Francisco Chronicle (sfgate.com) - Alcohol Impairs Quality Of Sleep - Kathryn Roethel -(Tuesday, June 11, 2013)

Don’t expect to find a good night’s sleep at the bottom of a beer bottle or wine glass.

A drink – or a few – before bed will help you fall asleep, but it won’t be a satisfying snooze, according to new research. And the more you drink, the worse you’ll sleep – alcohol will cause you to wake up during the night and spend less time in the deepest stage of slumber, researchers said.

British and Canadian researchers reviewed 20 studies that examined alcohol’s effects on sleep. The studies involved more than 500 volunteers, mostly young adults, who drank various amounts of alcohol before bed. One to two drinks was defined as a low dose of alcohol, moderate was three to four drinks, and drinking more than four drinks was considered high – no pun intended. Fifteen to 30 minutes after their last drink, subjects went to bed in a sleep laboratory.

At all doses, alcohol caused the subjects to fall asleep faster than they normally would, and, for the first two to four hours of the night, they generally slept without interruption. In fact, they actually spent more time than usual in “slow wave sleep,” or the stage that comes before the deepest one, called rapid eye movement or REM.

Then came the second half of the night, when people’s bodies metabolized the alcohol. Sleep became a lot less restful. People who drank moderate or high doses spent less time in REM sleep than they normally would. And all the volunteers in the study woke up more frequently than usual, often offsetting any advantage they gained from the first half of the night. These results indicate that too many nightcaps are not the key to a night of good rest.

Preventing Strokes

Katherine Neubauer — Tue, 11 Jun 2013 22:54:18 +0000

Fighting Strokes by Ralph Esposito

What if I told you there was a disease that could paralyze you, that could give you recurrent seizures, impact your bladder control, drastically decrease your cognitive function and turn your life upside down – all without a fair warning? What if you could prevent that from occurring?

May is National Stroke Awareness month and it is a good time for us to pay attention to this life altering threat. According to the World Health Organization up to 80% of strokes are preventable, yet it still remains to be the fourth leading cause of death in the United States. This means up to 600,000 American lives could be saved with preventive stroke treatment. Naturopathic physicians specialize in preventive care making this silent killer obsolete with the right naturopathic care.

According to the World Health Organization up to 80% of strokes are preventable, yet it still remains to be the fourth leading cause of death in the United States . . .

What is a stroke?
A stroke, also know as a cerebrovascular accident, is basically a heart attack to the brain where the brain is deprived of blood. This may happen as an ischemic stoke where plaque builds up and blocks a major brain blood vessel or it may happen as a hemorrhagic stroke where a vessel in the brain bursts.

Should I be worried?
When it comes to our health, we often think things would never happen to us – “Oh, I would never get a stroke.” In reality we all need to be conscious of our health, especially our heart health. Here are a few risk factors and things to pay attention to, especially on your next visit to your physician.

1.      Familial History: If anyone in your family has had a stroke, a heart attack or has poor heart health, then perhaps you should pay more attention to your heart health. This includes cardiovascular disease, atrial fibrillation, peripheral artery disease, etc.
2.      Diabetes: Men and women with diabetes are at a higher risk for stroke, almost 70% more likely. This is thought to be contributed to the damage diabetes may have on vascular health.
3.      Hypertension (High Blood Pressure): Hypertension is usually the most common cause of a stroke.
4.      Hyperlipedmia (High Cholesterol): Increased levels of LDL may be a contributed factor to atherosclerosis and may impact the integrality of the vascular system. I wouldn’t stress your total cholesterol but make sure your HDL (good cholesterol) is greater than 50 mg and your LDL (lousy cholesterol) is below 130 mg. It is also essential to keep your triglyceride levels lower than 150 mg.
5.      Homocysteine levels: Homocysteine is a protein found in the blood that has been linked to increased risk for stroke and heart disease. (Hankey)
6.      C-Reactive Protein (CRP): This protein is an inflammatory marker and elevated levels have been associated with increased stroke risk. (H.-K. Kuo et al.)

Preventing a Stroke
The best way to prevent a stroke is to enhance your heart health through diet and exercise. Eating a heart healthy diet includes foods that make your heart love you. It is key to eat foods high in fiber, high in healthy fats, low glycemic/low sugar foods, and lean meats like wild fish, turkey and grass-fed beef.

Here is a list of foods your brain and heart will thank you for…

Salmon, Mackerel, Tuna: High in omega-3 fatty acids.
- These healthy fats can help reduce inflammation and protect the heart and vascular system.
Flax seed, walnuts, hemp seed, chia seed: High in healthy omega-3 and omega-6 fatty acids along with fiber.
Fruits – Apples, berries, pears, cherries, pomegranate
- These fruits are high in fiber and antioxidants to protect against plaque accumulation.
Vegetables – Broccoli, Kale, Spinach, Cauliflower, Collards.
Healthy fats – Avocado, olive oil, tree nuts (almonds, walnuts), coconut oil.

Additionally there is some supplementation that may help. Supplements are exactly what they sound like, they supplement your diet and lifestyle. You need all the pieces to achieve health.

Omega-3 Fish Oil – 1,000 to 3,000 mg daily
Fiber supplementation – Increase fiber helps maintain and control blood lipid levels.
Folate, vitamin B6 and vitamin B12 – Deficiencies have been associated with elevated homocysteine levels. Additionally, taking B-vitamins may reduce the event of major vascular (including stroke) events. (Hankey et al.)
Coenzyme Q-10: Some studies indicate CoQ10 may help decreased blood pressure.
- CoQ10 is a coenzyme the body uses to create energy within cells in the electron transport chain, which may be helpful in supporting heart health.(Shargorodsky et al.)

Lastly, but perhaps most important, take time to breathe, relax and pay attention to what your body is telling you. Stress is often the most blamed culprit of disease in America. Your body will tell you when something is wrong, don’t ignore it. Don’t be part of the 80%.

Resources:
Hankey, Graeme J et al. “Antiplatelet Therapy and the Effects of B Vitamins in Patients with Previous Stroke or Transient Ischaemic Attack: a Post-hoc Subanalysis of VITATOPS, a Randomised, Placebo-controlled Trial.” Lancet neurology 11.6 (2012): 512–20. Web. 23 May 2013.
Hankey, Graeme J. “Is Homocysteine a Causal and Treatable Risk Factor for Stroke?” Lancet neurology 6.9 (2007): 751–2.
Kuo, Hsu-Ko et al. “Relation of C-reactive Protein to Stroke, Cognitive Disorders, and Depression in the General Population: Systematic Review and Meta-analysis.” Lancet neurology 4.6 (2005): 371–80.
Shargorodsky, Marina et al. “Effect of Long-term Treatment with Antioxidants (vitamin C, Vitamin E, Coenzyme Q10 and Selenium) on Arterial Compliance, Humoral Factors and Inflammatory Markers in Patients with Multiple Cardiovascular Risk Factors.” Nutrition & metabolism 7 (2010): 55.

Eating to Heal Psoriasis

Katherine Neubauer — Fri, 31 May 2013 20:17:21 +0000

Nutrition Facts.org (nutritionfacts.org) - Plant-Based Diets for Psoriasis- ByMichael Greger M.D. - (Thursday, May 30, 2013)

“Plant-based diets appear to decrease inflammation via a variety of mechanisms, including boosting our adrenal gland function. Glucocorticoids are circulating steroid hormones produced by our adrenal glands that suppress inflammation and also help our kidneys excrete potassium. When we eat a lot of potassium-rich foods our adrenal glands secrete more glucocorticoids to keep our potassium levels in check, which may have the side effect of decreasing the level of inflammation in the body. See my 3-min video Potassium and Autoimmune Disease for the effect this may have on autoimmune diseases such as psoriasis.

Where is potassium found? See my post last week, 98% of American Diets Potassium Deficient. Hint: bananas don’t even make the top 50 sources!

What about autoimmune arthritis? See my previous post Plant-Based Diets for Rheumatoid Arthritis and my videos Preventing Arthritis and Diet & Rheumatoid Arthritis. Eating healthier doesn’t improve everyone’s joint pain, but as with all nontoxic treatment modalities, they should always be tried first.”

Asthma Medication Works Better with Ginger

Katherine Neubauer — Wed, 22 May 2013 16:32:22 +0000

The Huffington Post (huffingtonpost.com) - Ginger Could Enhance Effects Of Asthma Medication, Study Finds - (Monday, May 20, 2013)

Ginger may do more than taste delicious and calm the stomach – a new study shows it could also have benefits for people with asthma.

The research, presented at a meeting of the American Thoracic Society, shows that ginger could enhance the effects of asthma medications called beta-agonists.

“Asthma has become more prevalent in recent years, but despite an improved understanding of what causes asthma and how it develops, during the past 40 years few new treatment agents have been approved for targeting asthma symptoms,” study researcher Elizabeth Townsend, Ph.D., a post-doctoral research fellow in the Columbia University Department of Anesthesiology, said in a statement. “In our study, we demonstrated that purified components of ginger can work synergistically with beta-agonists to relax [airway smooth muscle].”

Researchers conducted their work in a lab setting, exposing human samples of airway smooth muscle tissue to a compound that would cause bronchoconstriction (when the bronchial tubes are constricted, stopping air flow and making breathing difficult). Then, they mixed three different components with ginger with beta-agonist isoproterenol and tested their effects on the tissue, as well as the effect of just beta-agonist isoproterenol on the tissue.

Flu Vaccine Questioned by Johns Hopkins Scientist

Katherine Neubauer — Tue, 21 May 2013 16:27:32 +0000

Johns Hopkins Scientist Criticizes CDC Promotion Of Flu Vaccine - (Tuesday, May 21, 2013)

“A Johns Hopkins scientist has issued a blistering report on influenza vaccines, and the British Medical Journal (BMJ) has published it online. Peter Doshi, PhD, charges that although the vaccines are being pushed on the public in unprecedented numbers, they are less effective and cause more side effects than alleged by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC).

His report also suggests that the studies that underlie CDC policy of encouraging most people to get a yearly flu shot are often low-quality studies that do not substantiate the official claims. Only 20 years ago, 32 million doses of influenza vaccine were available in the United States on an annual basis. Today, the total has skyrocketed to 135 million doses.

The only randomized trial of influenza vaccines in older people found no decrease in deaths. The flu and influenza are not the same. The so-called flu vaccine is strictly for the influenza forms of the flu, which represent only one in six cases, and not the majority of flu diseases.”

Fertility Drug More Effective With This Supplement

Katherine Neubauer — Sat, 18 May 2013 01:43:20 +0000

For women trying to become pregnant, the fertility drug Clomid was more effective when combined with n-acetyl-cysteine (NAC). In a clinical trial, the women taking NAC plus Clomid were 11% more likely to get pregnant. They also had better quality eggs and a thicker uterine lining.

Read the whole story here.

Online Scheduling Now Available

Katherine Neubauer — Tue, 07 May 2013 23:34:46 +0000

Online scheduling now available. To schedule your appointment, click here.

Support for Caregivers of People with Cancer

Katherine Neubauer — Wed, 20 Mar 2013 22:48:54 +0000

Films that give hope and encouragement, support for caregivers of people with cancer:

http://cancerkn.com/support-for-the-caregiver-resources-on-film/

Services Update

Katherine Neubauer — Tue, 19 Mar 2013 19:16:10 +0000

Dear patients and colleagues,

Easter is a time of new life and rebirth, and I’m excited to share some new projects with you. My husband and I are relocating to Oregon to be closer to family, in hopes of starting a family of our own. In the coming months, I will also be launching a national integrative oncology consulting practice. Through our telephone consultations, I will also continue providing you and your family with the same compassionate care you have come to expect.

I look forward to seeing you at our clinic in April. Following that, I will continue to provide care through telephone consultations. Christy and I will continue to be available to you, and we are excited about continuing to support you in your journey to restored health.

Please join us for an open house at the office on Tuesday, April 2nd from 5:30-6:30 pm. This will be a great time to visit together, and to learn more about our new services.

Sincerely,

Katherine Neubauer, ND, FABNO