Monthly Archives: October 2013
If you have tingling in your fingers or toes, white spots on your skin or extreme fatigue, you may be Vitamin B12 deficient. Vitamin B12 is a water-soluble vitamin which is essential to your health. It helps red blood cells to function properly and iron to be absorbed. To help control moods and support your immune functions, the vitamin works with folate to produce SAMe, an amino acid. Vitamin B12 is also a very important part of Naturopathic and natural medicine.
What is a Vitamin B12 deficiency?
A Vitamin B12 deficiency can lead to pernicious and megaloblastic anemia. The symptoms of anemia are varied from weakness, paleness and weight loss to memory loss. Pernicious anemia occurs in 1 to 2 percent of older adults and is a lifelong condition. It can be treated by high doses of B12 injections.
B12 shots are a natural medicine and can also be used to help people with Chronic Fatigue. It may take several injections by your Naturopath Doctor to see improvement. Your naturopath uses B12 injections to increase your energy and feeling of alertness which also improves your sleep patterns. These improvements happen because when B12 is absorbed by the body through injections, the B12 helps the body to form red blood cells. The vitamin also helps to maintain your nervous and cardiovascular systems.
Why are there Vitamin B12 deficiencies?
Meat, poultry, fish, dairy products and eggs naturally contain Vitamin B12. The problem is some people have difficulty absorbing it from animal products. If your hydrochloric acid levels in your stomach are low, then absorbing B12 may be a problem. Also if you have bacteria that are associated with stomach ulcers, there could also be an absorption problem. When B12 is injected directly, it bypasses the digestive system. It goes directly to where it’s needed . Some people lack an intrinsic factor (especially those on vegan diets) which is a substance which is needed to absorb B12 when taken into the mouth and through the digestive system. When they receive an injection, B12 is immediately available to their body through the bloodstream, however.
The end result is that when you receive an injection of B12 instead of taking a supplement, far more is delivered into your system. The shots are not painful, you get the energy boost your body is craving, and you’ll feel better faster.
People who have bad reactions to food are sometimes confused about it. They may think they have a food allergy when they suffer from food intolerance or visa versa. While food intolerance can be distressing, a food allergy can be deadly. It’s important to know the difference and how to treat each one. You can be treated by a Naturopath Doctor to discover what you have and how to live with it.
What is a food allergy?
An actual food allergy causes an allergic reaction in several ways. If it affects your digestive system, you may experience the symptoms of vomiting, nausea, and cramping. Physical symptoms which can be seen and felt may be your mouth tingling and/or your face, lips, tongue, and throat swelling. You may break out in hives. A food allergy can also cause a reaction called anaphylaxis. This causes severe breathing problems and extremely low blood pressure. Even the smallest amount of food which causes your allergy can cause devastating illness and even death.
What is food intolerance?
A food intolerance usually develops gradually. It doesn’t affect your immune system, and sometimes you can even eat small amounts of the food. One of the most common food intolerances is lactose intolerance. Also, while lactose intolerance doesn’t cause anxiety itself, consuming lactose products when you shouldn’t can cause anxiety from the symptoms. It can cause a lot of discomfort with cramping, diarrhea and sometimes constipation. Other common foods which cause problems are foods containing gluten. Studies which have shown that people who have celiac disease are more prone to also have ADHD and ADD. When they went on a gluten-free diet, their symptoms improved. Some people also have sensitivity to food additives which can cause reactions when foods that have the additives in it are eaten.
How can food allergies and food intolerances be treated?
One way to diagnosis exactly what you have is to have a Naturopath doctor or your physician sit down with you. They take a detailed history of what you eat and ask a list of related questions. If the doctor cannot figure out from your history what your problem is, the doctor may have you do a food elimination diet. In this you write down what you eat and what if any reactions you have afterword. If there are any, you eliminate that food. After a period of time, under supervision, you eat that food which gave a reaction and see if there is a problem. If there is, you know you have a problem for sure with that food.
In Homeopathic and natural medicine, if you are allergic to certain foods then nutrition counseling is a great idea. You will be taught what to look for and what to avoid, so you can feel better and get on with your life.
There are many reasons why a woman should think about choosing natural hormone replacement therapy. These natural medicine hormones are closer to the hormones your body produces. But how are these hormones made, what do they do, and where can you get them?
Why is natural hormone replacement needed?
As a woman starts to age, her hormone level drops. She enters into peri-menopause, then menopause, and finally into post menopause. As the hormone levels decrease and become unbalanced, symptoms appear. Hot flashes, anxiety, mood swings, disruption of sleep and depression are just a few. If left untreated, not only is the woman miserable but there is can be an increase of heart disease and osteoporosis. Hormone replacement therapy is used to balance her levels. If HRT is used short term, it can help reduce some of the uncomfortable symptoms. If it is used long term, it can help reduce the possibility of heart disease and osteoporosis.
Why use natural hormone replacement?
A synthetically made hormone may resemble what your body makes but it doesn’t match naturally. Synthetic estrogen is made from many sources including plants and animals. However, bio-identical or natural hormone replacements are made differently. The hormone is made from plant sources and then synthesized in a laboratory. They match what your own body makes at the molecular level. The side effects are minimal if any. It’s the best type of natural medicine.
Where can I get natural hormone replacements?
Natural hormone replacement therapy can be found from a Naturopath like me. The natural hormones are made from wild yams. Chemists covert the yams to identical hormones made by the body. The doctor will take a detailed medical history and give you a physical exam. Next blood, salvia, or urine may be taken. Saliva is less commonly used, as it is not covered by insurance companies. Saliva testing is useful in women that continue to cycle, as salvia tests can be performed on multiple days, rather than a single test day. The doctor will discuss with you if you want the hormone delivered by mouth by a lozenge or as a topical cream or gel. Once the decision is made, your doctor will contact a compounding pharmacy. This type of pharmacy will make your customized hormone treatment preparation to your doctor’s specifications.
By making informed decisions about what you put in your body, you have control of your health for now and for the future.