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Home 2018 (Page 2)

Year: 2018

Vitamin b deficiency treatment Los Angeles
8Jun

Are vegetarians and vegans at risk of having a vitamin B deficiency?

Everyone wants to be healthier, right? If wanting to look and feel our best were the only requirement, then the massive industry devoted to health, fitness and diet would quickly fade away. Unfortunately, it takes quite a bit more than desire. Having the willpower to stick to a diet or exercise program has, no doubt, sprung to mind, but that is not what this is about. The fallacy of the “all it takes is willpower” advocacy has been argued quite successfully elsewhere. It takes more than desire and it certainly takes more than willpower: it takes knowledge.

Despite what you may read in the headlines staring you in the face while waiting to checkout at the grocery store or see on TV or in a pop-up ad online, there really isn’t a one-size-fits-all program for optimum health. We are all unique. Nutritional requirements can vary greatly from one individual to another and that does not even begin to take into account likes and dislikes. Whatever your path, vegetarian, vegan, paleo or somewhere in between, there are some basics that apply to everyone, and that may well be the place to start when making the commitment for good health. And, when it comes to those basics, a natural place to start would be with one of the most essential vitamins; vitamin B.

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What Are B Vitamins?

Vitamins are organic compounds that are required for normal growth and function. Most are not produced in the body and must come from our diet or through supplementation.  Vitamin B is actually a family or group of vitamins. While the B vitamins often function together, each is unique and a deficiency in one cannot be compensated with another. Some members of the vitamin B family are better recognized by name than by their assigned number. Niacin (B3), pantothenic acid (B5), biotin (B7) and folate (B9) are good examples.

What differentiate each group of B Vitamins?

Each of the B group of vitamins has an important function in maintaining good health. Vitamin B12 is one that is currently receiving a lot of attention. Most people know that a lack of sufficient B12 can be responsible for low energy, which is why we see all sorts of energy drinks and supplement concoctions popping up wherever we look. While care should be taken with fad products that may have more of a budget devoted to aggressive marketing than quality control, B12 is important for energy. It plays a significant role in red blood cell formation and function, is vital to the protection of the nervous system and in the synthesis of DNA.
Because vitamin B12 is found almost entirely in foods that come from animals, like beef, chicken, fish, eggs and milk, it can be problematic for vegetarians and vegans to consume adequate amounts of this important nutrient. Vegetarian diets have a wide range and can usually be structured with enough dairy, eggs and fish to meet B12 requirements, but it is much more difficult for vegans. Plants do not contain B12 so it will be necessary to find alternate sources, typically in fortified grain products or through consistent supplementation.

This brings us back to our original premise: the key to attaining and maintaining good health lies in knowledge. This is not always easy to do on our own when there is so much conflicting information to wade through. Partnering with a trusted coach can be the missing step that finally gets you on the road to looking and feeling your very best.

At the Southern California Center for Anti-Aging, we believe vitamins are a crucial factor to feeling energetic, maintaining a strong immune system and decreasing risk factors for many diseases, while also helping to create the foundation for a healthier and happier life.

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avoid bloating | Gut health | Functional medicine LA
15May

What can I do to avoid feeling bloated?

Bloating is a common problem, but embarrassment sometimes prevents us from discussing it openly, even with our physicians. Though not usually a symptom of a serious medical problem, bloating can be extremely uncomfortable and interfere with our quality of life, particularly as we get older. Because it usually surfaces at a problem as we age, it is a good idea to discuss this problem with a doctor who specializes in anti-aging diets and prescriptions. Such a discussion may lead to positive effects that please and surprise you.

Notice When You Are Most Troubled by Bloating

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Though you may read about or discuss various causes of bloating, the most important insights about your problem will come from paying attention to your own body. Taking note of when you experience the most digestive discomfort — gas pains, flatulence, burping, and bloating — will help you and your doctor get a handle on the cause of your symptoms and zero in on the best treatments for them.
More than likely, your bloating occurs during one or more of these times:

  • After a large meal or after eating certain particular foods
  • For women, during the time before you menstruate, during menstruation, during pregnancy, during the premenopausal, menopausal or postmenopausal years
  • For men, when you hit middle-age or your older years, feel less energetic and experience decreased libido or erectile dysfunction
  • After drinking a great deal of alcohol, caffeinated or carbonated beverages
  • After being sedentary for a long period of time
  • When you haven’t followed your typical exercise routine

As you’ve no doubt noticed, for many people bloating coincides with times of hormonal changes. This means that consulting with a doctor who focuses on hormone therapy may be very helpful in treating this problem.

Possible Treatments for Bloating

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There are a number of effective treatments for bloating, including:

  • Losing weight
  • Eating smaller portions; not eating before sleep
  • Dietary changes, such as avoiding excess alcohol, caffeine, and sports drinks, and cutting out unfermented soy, beans, kale, cauliflower, broccoli, and artificial sweeteners,
  • Getting regular exercise
  • Receiving treatment that balances your hormones appropriately

Bloating is rarely a solitary symptom, so addressing it is likely to make your life much more pleasant.
When Bloating Is a Serious Symptom
Although bloating is most often the result of a digestive or hormonal problem that can be easily remedied with proper treatment, it should be remembered that bloating can sometimes be a sign of a more serious medical dysfunction. Repeated episodes or constant bloating should always be reported to, and diagnosed by, a medical professional, since about 10 percent of the time bloating is a sign of ovarian or liver cancer. Just because a symptom is common, you should never assume it is inconsequential. It is always safer to protect your health by discussing all symptoms you experience with a trusted physician.

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Post Menopause treatment Los Angeles | Women's HRT
23Apr

Are there health risks related to the period known as post menopause?

Despite the fact that stand-up comedians and late night talk show hosts have always considered menopause or “the change” fair game for soliciting laughs, few women find the subject very funny. The anticipation of menopause, as well as its early stages, can produce a significant amount of anxiety related to not knowing what to expect and feeling totally out of control of the major changes happening within the body. Once menopause has actually set in, the symptoms associated with having a period are no longer a concern, but the new symptoms can range from mild to severe and include some or all of the following:

  • Hot flashes that suddenly spread through the body like a wildfire and can strike at any time, day or night
  • Night sweats that can result in the bedsheets becoming soaked with perspiration
  • Cold flashes, a lesser-known side effect of menopause that are the result of decreasing estrogen levels causing the hypothalamus to trigger blood vessels in the skin to expand and cool the body to the point of shivering
  • Vaginal dryness which makes sexual relations uncomfortable or painful
  • Feeling an intense need to urinate and doing so far more frequently than normal
  • Difficulty in falling and remaining asleep
  • Emotional changes which can encompass a wide range of experiences, like mood swings, sadness, mild to extreme irritability, depression and memory issues
  • Dryness experienced in the eyes and mouth, as well as on the skin

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The period leading up to menopause, perimenopause, typically lasts around four years. The symptoms of menopause itself, which is officially diagnosed when periods have ceased for 12 consecutive months, last for an average of seven to eight years, although that number can range widely depending on race, ethnicity and when symptoms begin.
Post menopause is generally considered the stage after menopause and lasting for the rest of a woman’s life. Most of the symptoms of menopause are present in the beginning and gradually decrease during post menopause. During this period, women are at an increased risk of developing certain health conditions as a result of continued low levels of estrogen and progesterone. Some of these include:

  • Cardiovascular disease – heart disease is the leading cause of death in women and when estrogen levels decrease the probability of developing cardiovascular issues increases
  • Osteoporosis – this is probably the most well-known condition associated with menopause and is the result of a rapid rate of bone density loss due to lower hormonal levels
  • Urinary incontinence – not only is the urge to urinate stronger and more frequent but the elasticity of the urinary tract changes, resulting in loss of control
  • Sexual function changes – vaginal dryness and lowered libido are associated with decreased hormonal levels
  • Weight gain – a common result of the slowing of the metabolism

While it would be hard to find any positives on the above list, the good news is that there are a wide variety of methods and treatments available to alleviate these symptoms and conditions. These include some combination of diet, nutritional supplements, exercise, stress reducing programs and hormone replacement therapy.
At the Southern California Center for Anti-Aging, we believe correcting imbalances and restoring hormones with Bioidentical Hormone Replacement Therapy can help with symptoms associated with all stages of menopause, while also helping to create the foundation for a healthier and happier life.
To learn more about menopause or if you have questions about any of our services, take advantage of our Free Consultation by clicking here to use our convenient online form.

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chronic fatigue syndrome | functional medicine doctors LA
12Mar

What causes chronic fatigue syndrome?

A quarter of a century has passed since the last episode of the Golden Girls was filmed, but reruns of the award-winning sitcom can be found playing almost every day. Who would have thought that a series about four older women sharing a home in Florida would be so popular? But, it was. In fact, it won four Golden Globes and 11 EMMYS. A lot of the reason for that was that the writers and talented actors were able to not only make it extremely funny but also incorporate important storylines that deeply affected viewers.

One such memorable episode was actually a two-parter with the title “Sick and Tired” and was about chronic fatigue syndrome. Dorothy, played by Bea Arthur, had been struggling for months with what she believed to be a case of the flu that would not go away. She described how she felt as being too exhausted to get out of bed, lift her arms to wash her hair in the shower and, sometimes, even speak. She went from doctor to doctor, unable to get a diagnosis. Finally, finding someone familiar with chronic fatigue, she was able to understand what was actually going on. Even without there being a cure, simply being accurately diagnosed made a world of difference. One of the best scenes was her confrontation with a specialist who had been dismissive of her symptoms:

“Doctor Budd, I came to you sick, sick and scared and you dismissed me. You didn’t have the answer and instead of saying ‘I’m sorry I don’t know what’s wrong with you’, you made me feel crazy, like I made it all up. You dismissed me, you made me feel like a child, a fool, a neurotic who was wasting your precious time.”

The “Sick and Tired” episode was written nearly 30 years ago by Susan Harris, a television comedy writer and producer, who had been diagnosed with chronic fatigue syndrome herself. Since that time, the disorder has been given a new name, myalgic encephalomyelitis / chronic fatigue syndrome (ME/CFS), but there is still no known cause, diagnostic test or cure. There are theories that are being investigated and treatment recommendations for the various ME/CFS symptoms.

MYALGIC ENCEPHALOMYELITIS & CHRONIC FATIGUE SYNDROME CAUSES

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As stated, there is currently no known cause for ME/ Chronic Fatigue Syndrome. It is believed by many that there is a genetic component of some sort and that some people have a predisposition for chronic fatigue. Potential triggers that may be responsible for activating that trigger include:

  • Viral infections – some of those being studied as possible links include Epstein-Barr, herpes virus 6 and certain forms of leukemia viruses.
  • Impaired immune system – not nearly enough evidence to conclusively tie these together but it does seem reasonable that someone with a compromised immune system would be more susceptible.
  • Hormonal imbalances – it is known that those with ME/CFS often show abnormal levels of hormones, particularly those produced in the hypothalamus, as well as the pituitary and adrenal glands. How these are connected is currently unknown, but research is ongoing.

Myalgic encephalomyelitis may be a mouthful, but it may also be helpful to call this potentially disabling condition something that sounds more “real” than chronic fatigue, which people can sometimes dismiss as someone just being tired all of the time. Those struggling with ME/CFS experience severe and unrelenting fatigue, no matter how much rest they get, as well as deep muscle and joint pain, headaches, memory issues, depression and a host of other symptoms. It is important that they be taken seriously and that they receive treatment for their symptoms, even if there is currently no cure for their condition.
At the Southern California Center for Anti-Aging, we believe correcting imbalances and restoring hormones with Bioidentical Hormone Replacement Therapy can help with symptoms associated with chronic fatigue syndrome, while also helping to create the foundation for a healthier and happier life.
To learn more about hormonal imbalance or if you have questions about any of our services, take advantage of our Free Consultation by clicking here to use our convenient online form.

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Holistic Health Services in Los Angeles With Dr. Judi Goldstone

Vitamin B12 and Depression Los Angeles
7Feb

How are low levels of Vitamin B12 and depression linked?

While most of us are guilty of making an offhand remark about depression from time to time, like “Yeah, I’m a little depressed today”, true depression is a significant, potentially life-changing condition that affects millions of people. It’s also very complicated; much more so than simply calling it a chemical imbalance.
While having too much or too little of certain chemicals in the brain can be a factor in depression, there are actually many possible causes, such as genetic predisposition, stressful or traumatic experiences, medical problems and reactions to drugs and medications. Inadequate levels of vitamin B, vitamin B12 in particular, may also be linked to depression. Researchers have yet to determine exactly why a lack of B12 leads to mood disorders, increased anxiety levels and depression, but it is believed that there may be a connection to the role it plays in the synthesis of mood-regulating brain chemicals, like serotonin and dopamine.
Vitamin B12 plays an important role in the body. Its presence is necessary for the production of red blood cells and functions associated with nerves, DNA and other bodily processes. Despite how necessary B12 is, like most other vitamins, the body cannot make its own and must rely on food or some other form of supplementation. This can often result in a B12 deficiency, especially in older people. Many individuals simply do not consume the necessary amounts and others have gastrointestinal absorption issues and cannot absorb enough, no matter how much they take in. Vegans and those who are strict vegetarians are prime candidates for vitamin B12 deficiency, because it is not found in vegetables or other plants; only in meat, poultry, eggs, dairy products and other foods that come from animals. Anyone having weight-loss surgery is also at risk, because the operation hinders the body’s ability to extract the vitamin from food.

Signs and Symptoms of Vitamin B12 Deficiency

Signs and Symptoms of Vitamin B12 Deficiency Los Angeles

Vitamin B12 deficiency can manifest with a wide array of symptoms; sometimes all of a sudden and other times gradually, with intensity levels growing over time. One of the reasons that this condition is often misdiagnosed is that there is such a range of symptoms, making it easy to attribute to something else. Some of the symptoms include:

  • numbness, tingling, burning or other strange sensations in hands, legs or feet
  • staggering, coordination or balance problems when walking
  • constipation
  • appetite and weight loss
  • anemia
  • a swollen, inflamed or smooth tongue
  • jaundice
  • cognitive difficulties or memory loss
  • paranoia
  • hallucinations
  • physical weakness
  • fatigue

Vitamin B12 is crucial for brain function and, besides the other possible physical symptoms, deficiency can result in depression, psychosis, mania and dementia. For those who are unable to maintain an adequate level of vitamin B12, it is important that they consult with a healthcare professional and initiate a corrective plan. Suggestions for accomplishing this may include a change in diet, supplement recommendations or vitamin injections.

At the Southern California Center for Anti-Aging, we know how important nutrition is to health and well-being. Today’s diets are depleted of vitamins, minerals, essential fatty acids and other nutrients due to the decreasing quality of our food supply, poor soil and busy lifestyles.   Vitamins are a crucial factor to feeling energetic, maintaining a strong immune system, and decreasing risk factors for many diseases. Once we have diagnosed your particular case through carefully administered testing, we will make our recommendations for dietary changes or supplementation, such as highly absorbable vitamin injections, based on your individual needs.

To learn more about any of our services, take advantage of our Free Consultation by clicking here to use our convenient online form.

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Holistic Health Services in Los Angeles With Dr. Judi Goldstone

weight loss and holistic health | LA Weight loss clinics
12Jan

What are the weight loss and health benefits of the Mediterranean Diet?
The diet and weight loss industry is larger than ever and shows few signs of slowing down. That is despite the fact that every other article written about weight loss refers to “diet” as a word that deserves to be stricken from use. Of course, they don’t really mean that. The goal is to make you believe that all of the other diets out there are harmful and exploitive, except for the one they are about to tell you about.
So, what is the truth? Do diets work? Is the next one destined to fail like all of the others have? Yes. And, no. Diet, as a generic term, means “habitual nourishment”. When we try to manipulate those habits we end up with a specific diet. Whether a particular diet can promote weight loss depends on a multitude of factors. Simply, this means that it can work for some people for at least some period of time. Experience tells us that the vast majority of diets designed for losing weight do not work in the long run for most people.
What can and does work is changing the way we eat. Some people can do that on their own, but most of us can greatly benefit from professional guidance. If weight loss were easy, obesity wouldn’t be growing at the rate it is. According to the CDC (Centers for Disease Control) more than one-third (36.5%) of adults in the U.S. are considered obese. Contrary to what was taught for so long, there is a lot more to weight control than exercise and cutting calories. There may be metabolic issues, like hormonal imbalances, as well as other factors, like environmental toxins and stress that make it difficult, if not impossible, to lose weight. This is where professional help, including in-depth testing and analysis, can make a huge difference.

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Consulting with a health and nutritional professional will also help you find the diet that works for you. You may benefit from a monitored quick-loss start that then transitions into a long-term, even lifelong, way of choosing foods that not only contributes to weight control but also overall health. The Mediterranean diet is exactly that kind of diet. Some of the characteristics of this kind of eating include:

  • Primary focus on plant-based foods, such as fruits and vegetables, whole grains, legumes and nuts
  • Use of healthy fats, like olive oil and canola oil
  • Replacing salt with a variety of herbs and spices
  • More fish and poultry and far less red meat
  • Reducing alcohol, allowing red wine in moderation
  • Plenty of exercise

Studies over the years have shown that following the cooking style of countries bordering the Mediterranean Sea reduces the risk of heart disease, certain types of cancer, Parkinson’s and Alzheimer’s diseases. Recent research found that otherwise healthy older adults who followed the Mediterranean diet lowered their risk of dementia by a third. According to the lead author of this research project, Claire McEvoy, of the University of California, San Francisco’s School of Medicine, “Eating a healthy plant-based diet is associated with better cognitive function and around 30% to 35% lower risk of cognitive impairment during aging.”.
At the Southern California Center for Anti-Aging, we know how important nutrition is to health and well-being. Weight control is extremely important but our bodies must be well-nourished in order to function well and keep our immune systems at the ready. Once we have diagnosed your particular case through carefully administered lab tests, we prescribe the diet, or combination of diets, that we know will address your issues.
To learn more about the Mediterranean diet or any of our services, take advantage of our Free Consultation by clicking here to use our convenient online form.

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