Paleo
If I go Paleo, How am I going to make a Sandwich?
It’s just a habit
“How can I eat a sandwich if I give up bread?” There is a very simple answer for that, you just don’t eat them. I hear this question a lot. No one ever said that we are not habitual creatures, and sandwiches are something we Americans have always had as long as we can remember. And the longer you have been used to doing something a certain way the harder it is to change the routine. Wanting to change does not come natural to us. Especially with food. We as people associate food with much more than just satisfying hunger. Therefore, when giving up certain foods we are also giving up rituals, and experiences associated with that food.
Giving up sandwiches is un-American!
In my Houston practice, I often see patients that are stifled by the thought of not being able to eat a sandwich any more. That might seem funny at first, but if you think about it, sandwiches are a part of American society. We have “hamburger joints” and hot dog stands. It is part of the American culture. When you go to the baseball game, the great American game, part of the ballpark experience is partaking of these foods. When you pick up the menu at most restaurants, there is a dedicated section to sandwiches.
But, sandwiches are so easy!
Part of the allure about sandwiches is their simplicity. Lay down 2 pieces of bread, add some condiments, toss on the meat and maybe a leaf of lettuce for your vegetable and you have a meal. How many lunch boxes or bags are packed with sandwiches every day for this very reason? Not to mention that they are quicker to make than preparing a true meal. And don’t forget how easy they are to eat at your desk while you continue to work through lunch. With these attributes, why would you every want to give up sandwiches?
Sandwiches require bread, which means that it is derived from grains, primarily wheat. Grains come with a fairly long list of concerns. The two most noteworthy are the negative effects on glucose and on the stimulation of the immune system. There are many different types of bread, but the one consistency among all of them is that they are higher in carbohydrates than fat or protein. This inherently makes them metabolically disturbing. Add to this that they are among the highest allergenic foods and seemingly becoming worse.
Alternatives to bread
But can you really give up bread and enjoy a quick meal that tastes good? Of course you can. Bread and sandwiches are only a mainstay in the Standard American Diet because we have been indoctrinated in this style of eating. You can just as easily enjoy your meat and side dishes without eating breads. If you are looking for something to hold your collection of ingredients together, many will use a lettuce wrap or even a cabbage leaf. These are both excellent options that keep you Paleo.
The real question is: is it worth it to change your habits? Take a look at this testimonial from one of my patients. When you see changes, making a change becomes much easier.
I have to be fair and let you know that there are other options for bread out there. The reason I am hesitant to mention them is because I don’t want you to focus on these breads. That’s not healthy for you, the idea behind the Paleo diet is to eat more vegetables, fruits, proteins, and healthy fats, not find a way around them. But! I trust that you are trying your best to change your health, make the right choices and not cheat the system. There are recipes out there that are made from almond and coconut flour. You can also purchase pre-made breads at health food stores and in some grocery stores in the gluten free section. Yes they are Paleo, but should only be used as part of your rotation diet and not be eaten every day.
Functional Medicine as a Primary Intervention for Fatigue
Fatigue
It’s shocking how many people complain of being fatigued.. I cannot tell you how many times my patients have told me that they are tired. And it’s not like thy are saying it because they exerted themselves and now they are tired, no they are indicating that this is ongoing from morning until night. The people that do not permanently feel lethargic, can at least pinpoint exactly in day day when they start feeling fatigued. And typically I will hear of these times being mid morning or mid afternoon. There are too many people complaining of fatigue for this not to be a real problem. there has to be a reason.
How is Fatigue categorized?
In reality, there are many reasons for fatigue. If you look at the symptoms for many diseases, fatigue is often in that list. The people walking around with fatigue don’t have a named condition. Named conditions often have medications associated with them. There is no medication for fatigue. As much marketing as pharmaceutical companies place on their product, they don’t advertise for a medication to address fatigue. Fatigue can be elusive. It falls into the gray area of healthcare as a subclinical condition. You know something is wrong, but standard methods can’t define it.
Functional medicine can help pin point fatigue
In situations such as this, functional medicine has its merit. The idea is that regardless of whether dysfunction has manifested into a named condition or not, the abnormal metabolic activity needs to be addressed. In doing so, normal function returns and symptoms abate. In the case of fatigue, functional medicine is the gold standard approach. When I apply functional medicine to patients looking for more energy, I am looking for what might be impediments to energy production. The more common findings include such things as nutrient deficiencies, increased inflammation, blood sugar disturbances and hormonal imbalances.
To get to the cause of fatigue, it has to be thought about in a functional manner, not as a symptom. When we trace energy production through specific pathways, breakdowns in these pathways are quickly isolated using functional medicine testing. Once testing isolates the area of concern, action can be taken to enhance metabolic function. A good example of this would be a nutrient deficiency. Let’s take B5 as our example. To push carbohydrates from our diet, in the form of glucose, to become an energy molecule, B5 is needed at many points. Repletion of B5 is necessary in cases such as this and often energy levels are regained. But how often would a non-functional medicine doctor order such tests? They probably would not. Furthermore, would they ask the question of why you had the B5 deficiency? It could be any number of reasons from infection to an increased need for hormone production.
What you are feeling is real, don’t ignore it.
The bottom line when it comes to addressing fatigue is that if you are not going to find the answers you seek without functional medicine. The standard approaches are going to leave you with more questions than answers. I see this with new patients routinely. Fatigue is a real thing. You are not imaging what you are feeling and have confidence when I tell you that there are many others out their dealing with the same exhaustion that you are feeling. However, take comfort, there is hope and there is a solution to feeling more energetic and it begins with functional medicine.
What do I eat to feel full? (Feeling satiated on the Paleo Diet)
Dietary change does not have to be difficult
We all know that changing can be difficult. It’s most evident when we are talking about a dietary change. Changing your food. As more and more people are taking stock of their health, they are realizing that being more careful with food, with what they put in their bodies, is the most important thing. From as far as our minds can remember most of us are ingrained with making the right food choices. And those ideas can range from the FDA food pyramid to the latest fad diet. Even then changing your diet can be difficult. But if you have the correct knowledge about the foods you are eating, and you know how to use the foods you eat, you are better prepared when you have to make substitutions, or when life happens. It definitely makes a difference.
Are you full? or Stuffed?
I am often asked by my patients, “What do I eat to feel full?” This can be a little bit of a misleading question. When we feel full, are we saying that we are stuffed, or rather just satisfied? Making a habit of eating until you are stuffed is not a good idea. Instead, you want to eat until you are no longer hungry or until you feel comfortably satisfied. However, when eating to a comfortable point, some will find that they are hungry again in a relatively short time. When this happens, we have to make some subtle diet changes.
Paleo diet satisfies all aspects
Making the Paleo Diet work for you is not that difficult. You simply have to know when to consume certain foods. As it relates to feeling full, the Paleo Diet is inherently designed to help satisfy your desire for additional foods. This is based largely on the breakdown of “Paleo Food”. In contrast to the Standard American Diet, which is high in carbohydrates, the Paleo Diet tends to be more abundant in high fiber vegetables, protein and fat. If no other aspects of diet are compared except these macronutrients, it becomes evident of the differences. It is these differences that you must emphasize to feel satisfied after eating.
The key is protein, fat & fiber.
The rate at which food leaves the stomach determines how quickly you become hungry again. The more rapid the transition of food out of the stomach, the faster the onset of hunger. In contrast, the longer food stays in the stomach, the more likely you are to stay satisfied. Carbohydrates increase stomach emptying. Food rapidly leaves the stomach and within a short time you are hungry again. Proteins, fats and fiber act in opposition. They act to slow down stomach emptying and tend to keep you satisfied longer. Good examples include meats, oils and fiber-dense vegetables such as broccoli.
Add more fat!
So now you understand, that adding more high-fiber veggies, protein and fats is the key to feeling “full” or more satisfied. Surprisingly, of those 3 the fats are the ones I have to remind my patient to eat more of. It’s so easy to add fat to your meal. Maybe it’s a little extra dressing, or cooking in olive or coconut oil, or maybe just adding some avocado. If you do these things, you will be and stay satisfied longer after you are finished eating. The most important thing to remember is that when eating Paleo, it’s not about how much you eat but rather what types of foods you eat that determines your success!
Paleo Better than Traditional Government Sponsored Recommendations about Food
We are following the wrong food pyramid
Thank goodness there has been more and more talk about changing the RDA / standard food guide pyramid. It is time we all start openly questioning it. And the reasons we should take a second look are ample. I the last 30 years Diabetes is so abundant it is actually becoming normal especially in the last 10. But that’s not all, how can we not bring up obesity? and being overweight? This has unfortunately also become normal… All three have become an epidemic. And according to the government and people that are supposed to be experts, the way to fix it is to follow the food guide pyramid. Let me be the one to ask the obvious question; If the food guide pyramid is the way we as humans should be eating, and states of health such as diabetes and obesity that are directly related in part to diet are on the rise, is this really the best option?
Bad advice..
This very point was brought to light recently in an article where 2 researchers clearly stated that the consumption of wheat, and other grains, is linked to inflammation. Worse yet, they note that routine consumption of these foods can lead to autoimmune conditions and a chronic inflammatory state. Now understand, I have been on top of the wheat problem for a long time. So the information about the effects of grains, while very important, has been stated by other researchers. Where I think these researchers really made their mark is by stating the dichotomy between what the government sponsored diet / nutrition organizations state as ideal food choices and the true effects of these foods.
Follow the money trail
The question becomes then, if we can see parallels between disease states and consumption of certain foods, why then does the message from the government not change. As a wise man once told me, follow the money trail and you will generally get your answer. This case is no different. The hard truth is that the message from the government is not going to change so long as there remains a financial tie to the food industry. Money from large food industries makes sure the government continues to perpetuate the message of their food being healthy, thus keeping store shelves stocked and unknowing consumers purchasing. With this knowledge, what are you the consumer supposed to do?
Paleo Food Pyramid
First, find a new point of reference. Take a look at the Paleo food pyramid instead of the pyramid that recommends that you eat dairy and grains. Like the before mentioned researchers brought to our attention, gluten and wheat are not the only issues.. there are components of wheat and other grains that are also causing health problems. If you just follow the Paleo diet, you will be completely grain free, (that includes corn!) when you do not consume any of those foods you will feel better and be healthier. The grains need to be replaced with fruits and vegetables!
It is up to us as the consumer, to take a stand and make a change.We need to face the facts, the government is not going to admit that their food pyramid is incorrect by today’s standards. Even though, we have more chronic disease than ever, science has refuted it and people are speaking up. This is not in their interest, but it is in yours. Take a different course when you choose which foods to eat or cook for your family.
Functional Medicine Addresses Blood Sugar Dysfunction and Its Effects
Do you have a blood sugar problem?
Once I knew what kind of symptoms to pay attention to, I was shocked at how many of my patients have blood sugar problems to one degree or another. Most commonly I will see anything from low blood sugar aka hypoglycemia, to insulin resistance aka pre-diabetes all the way to diabetes. Surprisingly a lot of my patients aren’t aware that they even have a blood sugar issue until I start asking them questions. Some of the questions I ask are whether they get tired after meals, or get tired in the afternoon, or do they have cravings? Before I can finish some of these questions I can already see a concerned look in their eyes. That look suggests they didn’t know they have a problem but are becoming aware of the fact that they do.
Abnormal glucose causes damage
Most of my patients have no clue the degree to which blood sugar problems are contributing to their demise. The tentacles of abnormal glucose are far reaching. In fact, nearly every system in the body within time will succumb to the effects of abnormal glucose regulation. This makes sense as all cells in the body are dependent on glucose for energy. When we no longer manage glucose efficiently, the body begins to deteriorate. However, this is not the message commonly conveyed until the latter stages of abnormal glucose.
Dont wait!
The first problem is the way in which blood sugar problems are addressed. This is clearly seen by the continued rise in the number of diagnosed diabetics in spite of supposed advancements in treatment. We have been misinformed to think that unless your fasting glucose reaches the magic number of 126, then you remain in a safe zone. I’d like to ask you a question, can you tell me what is different about dysfunction in your body when you glucose levels are at 120 and when they are at 126? There isn’t one. No difference, and if you think waiting until it’s 126 to do something about about it is ok think again, it’s only making the damage worse. Also, you aren’t paying any attention to the to the effects of secondary damage that the abnormal glucose is causing which can make the problem worse.
In contrast to standard approaches, functional medicine offers a comprehensive approach that not only looks at the causes of abnormal glucose, but also the implications upon other tissues. Classic considerations to managing glucose have been diet and exercise. However, even in concepts as fundamental as these, the wrong message is being stated to those that need help. The incorrect, but well entrenched RDA food guide pyramid continues to be pushed in mainstream circles over the well proven and highly effective Paleo Diet. If the “authorities” associated with traditional approaches have been so mistaken in their method, maybe it is time for the introduction of functional medicine on a wider scale.
Functional medicine
When you come in to my office and through a series of simple question that I ask you, you find out you have a glucose problem, then you have been let down because of the simple fact that no one has taken the time to explain to you what may be wrong, what it can do to you and how to fix it. When you have abnormal glucose levels, you really need to look to functional medicine so that someone can tie all of the physiology together. Restoring your glucose levels back to normal is more complicated than just exercise and/or diet. What it really requires is someone looking at how all of your other systems are working to determine if they are functioning properly and getting the support they need. Just to give you an example, if someone is not sleeping well, and they are stressed out, then how can we manage their glucose levels? If there is dysfunction in one system it could be caused by the dysfunction of another system or could be the cause for dysfunction in other systems. it. This is the reason that it is ideal to be under the care and principles of functional medicine.
Thyroid Misdiagnosis May be Due to Lack of Use of Functional Medicine
Assessing thyroid problems
Everywhere you go you hear someone talk about their thyroid problems, you may have them yourself. I bet if you asked some people you know, you would find quite a that are taking hormones for their thyroid. Usually you will hear about medications like; Synthroid and Levothyroxine. While checking patients charts and paperwork they bring in, I’ll see this particular class of medications the most. Because I was seeing this so often I started asking myself, if all of these people could really have hyperthyroidism? Or could there be a reason their thyroids are acting this way.. So I started asking my patients exactly how their thyroid dysfunction was being monitored. It didn’t take long for me to realize that the full complexity of the thyroids dysfunction was not being looked at or treated.
Diagnosis and treatment with traditional medicine
Standard approaches to thyroid management begin, and often end, with the hormone TSH. TSH influences the thyroid glands output of hormone, but provides no insight into how the gland itself is functioning. On occasion, thyroxine, also known as T4, is measured. This is the hormone produced by the gland. At this point, you may be thinking what else would you need? While this is not a bad start, it only scratches the surface of total thyroid function. In fact, active thyroid hormone is not considered when only looking at TSH and thyroxine. Yet, if traditional medicine is your choice of care, this is what you are limited to, even in some specialty clinics. Worse, the underlying causes of having abnormal TSH and thyroxine are ignored. The blanket solution becomes hormone.
The difference with Functional medicine
What are you supposed to do? Before you realized it you are tangled in the web of being told nothing is wrong when in reality thyroid dysfunction exists. Or maybe your story is different. Your levels are out of range and you are taking replacement thyroid hormone, yet feel no different. Know that if this is where you find yourself, you are not alone. You have received the standard of care. However, the standard of care ignores functional medicine.
Functional Medicine goes a step further
When functional medicine is employed in thyroid management, the assessment does not end at the gland or on a test report only looking at thyroxine. TSH and thyroxine are starting points. Understanding bodily function and biochemistry is a cornerstone of functional medicine and its ability to address underlying causes of dysfunction. In the case of the thyroid, many systems beyond the gland require consideration. These include the role of the liver in converting thyroxine to active thyroid hormone T3. There is also the effect of other glands such as the kidneys and gastrointestinal tract. Beyond this, other hormones and nutrients play a role as does the immune system. All of these areas interacting together constitute normal thyroid function, not the thyroid gland and the hormones TSH and thyroxine acting in isolation.
Take action!
When choosing functional medicine you can find what is really making your thyroid dysfunctional. It’s time to stop using a band aid and start getting to the root of the problem, so that you can honestly find out how to get your thyroid physiology functions back to normal with out just focusing on the gland itself. f you are like so the so many people I see in my practice, that always have to have their hormone levels manipulated, then your main problem is probably not just your thyroid, but a secondary problem that is making your thyroid act the way it does. If this is you, it’s time to turn to functional medicine and treat the root of the problem and not just the symptoms!
Functional Medicine Starts with Good Detoxification
Detoxification
A lot of people think that a detoxification means that you take some supplements and then run to the bathroom all day, I am here to tell you that is not what this is and not what I’m going to talk about. That is not a detox, it’s a colon cleanse aka “colon purge”. That is a short term solution to a specific problem, there are no long term benefits when you go that particular route. What I am talking about here, is giving the support your body needs to clean out toxins and impurities and function the way it needs to. The toxins inside of you come from your own body as well as the out side environment. If you do not remove them, they will cause your body harm.
Getting back to basics
Now that we have lined out exactly what detox is not, let’s talk about what it is. And it makes more sense to talk about it from a functional medicine stand point. As in, we need to support the functions of our bodies, by using detoxification as a medicine. If you look at it from that perspective it means going back to basics. You cannot realistically expect your body to function well when it is overrun with toxins.
Toxins
Toxins come from many sources. Most realize that toxins can be found in the air and water. However, a lesser known source includes food, and not just the chemicals on it, but in the case of genetically modified food, the food itself. Additional hidden sources are also new carpet, paints and common household solutions. The point that I am making here is that toxins are ubiquitous in our environment. Here in Houston, we are not only a metropolitan area, but also close to the petrochemical industry. Toxins lurk around every corner. If nothing else, they are in the air you breathe. You cannot run from them. Likewise, we also make toxins internally daily. So even if you are in an ideal environment free of toxic burden, you still need to have an adequate detoxification system. Adequate detoxification should be part of any health maintenance strategy.
What is detoxification
Yet, detoxification is not a guaranteed process. It can become sluggish. This is where functional medicine and detoxification meld. Detoxification as the term is commonly used implies a theoretical process that the body must undergo for a defined period of time to rid itself of a buildup of toxins. It assumes that once the detox process is complete, the body will have rid itself of the toxic accumulation. In reality, this is not the way in which detoxification functions. Detoxification is about taking a fat soluble substance and modifying it to water soluble, thus made easier for excretion. This process happens daily and is dependent on having adequate nutrient availability, specifically B vitamins, antioxidants and amino acids. However, hindrance of detoxification can be secondary to thyroid dysfunction, poor sleep habits, and hormones just to name a few.
Detoxing is a lifestyle not an event
When you go through a poorly executed detoxification, there are usually symptoms present. These usually include headaches, skin problems and hormone imbalances. Underscoring function as the primary importance in human biochemistry, functional medicine ideally the best route to go when you are wanting to realign your systems functions and overcome impaired detoxification systems. There are a plethora of reasons. As I practice functional medicine, I am thinking big picture not thinking of 1 single system. It takes many systems functioning together to make a proper detox happen. If you are only looking at one system from a reductionist’s standpoint you are singling out the other systems that are just as important in the process. Also, functional medicine as an approach, can help guide you in many aspects of your life while trying to learn to detox your body, because it affects more than just your diet. When you start thinking along the lines of a science based approach, the impediments and causes of impaired detoxification can be addressed completely. What this mean is that you will learn to support your detoxification daily not just for a short period of time. This is a lifestyle. The best part about it is that you won’t be falling for those “detox” gimmicks that claim they will detox you, you will actually be taking care of your body all of the time so that you will not get to a point where you feel the need to detoxify yourself. You will be caring for your body the way you are supposed to.
We have a 14 day Detoxification kit available that I recommend. It is comprehensive and includes everything but the food. It even has a meal plan to help aid your body and the supplements in the detox process. This can jump start you into a new healthier lifestyle. Please contact our office if you would like to set up an appointment to discuss this with me.
Health care needs a face lift, and this is how it needs to be done.
The Affordable Care Act
For a long time now we have known that we need a change in Healthcare. It seems more people are getting sicker, and that increases the demand on services and its getting harder to pay for these services. And now we have the the Affordable Care Act, aka ObamaCare, which promises to insure a new paradigm in medicine. The one thing the new healthcare law has in common with the current administration of medicines, is that they are both designed to alleviate symptoms rather than treating the underlying problem.
Sick care or Wellness??
Our state of healthcare has many many problems, the the problem that stands out the most is that people are treated for being sick. “Sick care”. When we need to be focused on “Wellness”. This is just one of the reasons that the new healthcare system will do very little to fix you health problems. The idea of the new legislation is to make care available to everyone. In theory, this is a good idea, but follows the way of socialized medicine, which by all accounts is a system patients do not want to be seen in. Moreover, clinicians are limited in their ability to deliver care in such a system due to restrictive guidelines. The question must be asked, “What kind of care are we talking about delivering?” The emphasis of a doctor visit is to attend to your immediate needs, not guide your health down a path of wellness. How is this acceptable?
Functional medicine
The focus of medicine has to change if we expect the burden of healthcare that each of us shares to go away. Medicine needs to take on a new image. That image is functional medicine. Functional medicine is based on the idea that if all aspects of the body are functioning as intended, health abounds and sickness is subdued. The body is an integral system with all areas dependent on each other. To understand how to support health, a doctor must have the time to listen to your concerns and procure a better understanding of your health limitations. This is not our current model. The current model, even with the new legislative oversight, limits the doctor-patient interaction to insure that everyone is seen. Everyone may be seen, but at what cost?? Both financially and as it relates to your health.
Your ailment is just the starting point to find out whats really wrong with you.
Finally people are starting to recognize Functional Medicine, people are starting to understand how functional medicine can keep you away from the Doctor. Wellness is the future. Taking care of yourself, getting tested eating correctly instead of “dieting” this is the future. To prevent sickness. It is the only way to limit or remove what we spend on sick care. If we use it less, it costs us less. If you keep thinking that you should only see a Doctor when you are sick, or ailing, the wellness message will continue to be lost. Functional medicine points out a different path. We need to focusing on wellness from before time of conception until passing.
Personalized Care
If you could imagine having a Doctor focus on every aspect of your life, how you feel inside and out, what you eat, what is your outlook on life, are you satisfied, how much do you exercise. That is Functional Medicine, this is the future. Most people still view Functional Medicine as something new and unusual, but less so now. People are educating themselves more, they are sick and tired of being sick and tired. Literally. The reason it’s changing is because people want someone to care about the way they feel. Someone that will really listen to them and look a little deeper. One size does not fit all, antidepressants do not heal everyone. Not everyone that cannot sleep needs medicine. What are the reasons? Why does this person feel this way? These are the questions that need to be asked. You don’t have to be a prisoner to the constraints of limited, system oriented care. You don’t have to wait until Functional Medicine is popular, you can do something now. You can see a Functional Medicine Doctor, and find out why you feel the way you do, and how to fix it forever naturally.
Functional Medicine and Telomeres: The Future of Medicine is Here Now
Window into our bodies
Wouldn’t it be nice to be able to just look in to how your body functions through a window? Or even better, if we could just visually see how our bodies are affected by what we do and eat? Then we could see how certain actions are healthy and will make our organs and tissues last longer, or maybe we will see how smoking and eating the wrong things weakens our bodies. At one time these questions were theoretical. But now in this modern day things are different, what we once could only imagine, we are now very capable of.
What age are you really?
How are you aging? That is the question. Are you aging fast or slow? To answer this question, you have to know your chronological age vs. your biological age. Chronological age is easily determined. It is your age. The missing variable has been determining biological age. There was no standardization to suggest how your body was functioning as a product of age. Traditional lab markers gave at best insinuations about your biological age, but nothing definitive. Yet, with the upsurge of research in the field of genomics, we began to learn about telomeres. If you are not familiar with Telomeres, you are going to want to know them.
What are Telomeres?
In short telomeres are the tips of your chromosomes, or genetic material. They are predictive of biological age. The longer they are the better your biological age. In contrast, shorter equals faster aging. You can now literally determine if your body is older than what the calendar says, or if you are younger.
Without question, everyone wants to be younger biologically than chronologically. If you are younger than your chronological age, you want to maintain. If you are older than your chronological age, you will want to make changes. But how do you know you are doing the right things to help you age slowly.
Functional Medicine
This is where functional medicine finds its role. At the center of anti-aging and rejuvenation is functional medicine. Functional medicine as the name implies centers on restoring function to the body. As it relates to telomeres, better function equals longer telomeres. Vice versa, longer telomeres equal better function. As an example, take blood sugar. When blood sugar rises routinely, secondary inflammation is created and telomeres are damaged. The prolonged shortening of telomeres also makes it more difficult to control blood sugar. It becomes a vicious circle. Cycles such as this are not broken by a single intervention aimed at symptoms, but rather a comprehensive approach targeting all possible areas of contribution.
Balance is the key
Many things are known to influence the length of the telomere. These include hormone balance, low levels of inflammation, proper exercise, sleep, a good diet, and a balanced nutritional state. The focus of functional medicine is to realign the health of the body. To illustrate this point, a good diet with proper exercise at some point will become limited in its ability to support long term health if you are not getting adequate sleep. The key to preserving your telomere length is balance. Yet to achieve balance, you must equally manage all aspects of your life and understand the interplay that they have. As a paradigm focused on creating synchrony between all aspects of health, functional medicine is well poised to help you protect your delicate telomeres.
Are allergies really associated with moving?
What is an allergy?
To figure out if allergies can be caused by moving we have to go back to the basics and understand just what an allergy is. Basically when you have allergies, it’s your body telling you that you have been around something or put something inside of it that is foreign and the immune system is triggered and goes in to overdrive trying to get rid of it. Typically whatever it is that your body is responding to is not dangerous, but your body doesn’t know that, and exaggerates it’s response which makes that particular substance a problem. Let’s use pollen as an example, everyone has heard of pollen allergies. Some people react to pollen and some don’t, but the people that do react have an exaggerated response and their immune system overreacts. As soon as they have been exposed to pollen, those typical allergy symptoms closely follow.
So what makes allergies associated with a move? Is it the area you move to? For example, in Houston, it is not uncommon for someone to say they did not have allergies prior to moving here. Maybe some regions of the United States are just more prone to allergies, especially when allergies are categorized.
What causes the immune system to overreact?
As you and I explore why allergies are often associated with a move, let us not forget what is at the core of an allergic response. A hypersensitive immune system is the primary cause. If the immune system were not hyperactive, the allergy would not exist. With this in mind, we have to begin to ask, what causes the immune system to overreact.
Histamine
What is the most common substance we associate with allergies? You know the one I am talking about. Every over-the-counter allergy medication boasts about how efficient it is at controlling this chemical. That’s right, its histamine. Once histamine is released in a significant quantity, many of the symptoms that we associate with allergies begin to manifest. This is because histamine increases the inflammatory response. Knowing what we know now, the histamine was triggered by something. Usually it has to do with the gastrointestinal tract.
Stress
As you may have noticed moving is very stressful, but not just mentally, also your body is under a lot of stress. That manifests itself in you immune system by weakening it, and in your gut. Besides the stress you are experiencing mentally, emotionally and physically, you are temporarily changing your lifestyle, your eating habits your sleeping habits. Your entire routine is off. Your body notices that. Now throw in a new environment, maybe from the city fumes to the country flowers or vice versa, and you have a recipe for a hypersensitive immune response. But that’s OK you can manage these symptoms. It’s really all in our intestinal tract. As long as we keep that healthy, we can manage these symptoms. You can do that by following the Paleo Diet. Be careful what you are putting in your body. By eating a Paleo Diet, you are creating a less reactive immune system. When eating a Paleo Diet, you are eliminating all of the other things your body wold have to respond to when it’s stimulated by allergens, like corn, wheat, dairy or soy. You really want to get back to that routine as quickly as you can.
