by Edgemont Naturopathic | Nov 13, 2020 | Article, Feature, General health topics, Vitamin deficiency
Micronutrients are essential to maintaining overall health and longevity: brain health, muscle mass, bone density, nervous tissue function, skin health, and blood circulation are among the myriad of bodily functions that rely on adequate stores of these vitamins and minerals every day. Normally, micronutrients are obtained in sufficient amounts with a well-rounded diet including a variety of fruits and vegetables. The preponderance of modern agricultural practices, designed to ward off pests and increase crop yields, has undoubtedly resulted in a food supply with ever-declining nutritional value.
A combination of dietary inadequacy and increased physiological requirements due to ubiquitous daily chemical exposures, chronic stress, or states of ill-health means that oftentimes our bodies’ stores of these essential nutrients are depleted. Replenishing these deficiencies results in more optimal cellular function that acts to slow the progression of aging and degenerative disease alike.
At Edgemont Naturopathic Clinic we offer Micronutrient testing. A simple blood test allows us to measure the body’s stores of 31 vitamins, minerals, amino/ fatty acids, and antioxidants to better tailor your IV therapy, supplementation, or nutritional recommendations. Ask us at your next appointment if this type of testing is right for you!
-Simone O’Sheehan
by Sanjay Mohan Ram | Oct 13, 2020 | Article, Feature, General health topics, Uncategorized
What is Chelation therapy?
Chelation therapy is an intravenous treatment used in conventional and alternative medicine for the purpose of removing heavy metals and chemicals from the body.
If you have or had mercury fillings (or amalgam fillings) in your teeth, have worked in construction, manufacturing or auto repairs, eat farm-raised fish regularly, consume foods that are grown in foreign countries that are not certified organic, or are healing from radiation and chemotherapy treatments, you are likely to have some form of heavy metal toxicity.
Chelation therapy helps to detoxify the body by removing common heavy metals, including lead, mercury, copper, iron, arsenic, aluminum and cadmium to help reduce the risk of heightened inflammation, heart disease, strokes, infections and other health problems.
How does Chelation therapy work?
Chelation therapy involves the injection of a modified amino acid made by a compounding pharmacy. These agents bind irreversibly to heavy metals in the blood once administered and are then eliminated together from the body through urine. This can help detoxify the body of toxic elements which are complexed with heavy metals, contributing to many types of chronic diseases.
At Edgemont Naturopathic Clinic, we offer several forms of this modified amino acid treatment options which are tailored to your needs after consultation.
Is Chelation Therapy right for me?
The biggest benefit of Chelation therapy is that it regulates the levels of various environmental metals which can enter the body. Metals, including lead, mercury, aluminum and arsenic, can cause short- and long-term health consequences since they influence functions of the central nervous, cardiovascular, immune and skeletal systems.
Common symptoms of heavy metal burden include:
- Mood imbalances, including depression and anxiety
- Autoimmune diseases
- Chronic fatigue syndrome
- Muscle and joint pain
- Neurological disorders and intellectual decline
- Trouble learning and remembering new information, which patients refer to as “Brain fog” and trouble concentrating
There are many places or opportunities to be exposed to heavy metals that both occur naturally and as a result of human activity. However, symptoms of chronic or acute heavy metal burden can be confused for other health conditions and may not be immediately recognized.
Common sources of heavy metal burden include:
Lead:
- Lead-containing plumbing
- Lead-based paints in buildings built before 1978
- Foods grown in lead-rich soil
Mercury:
- Eating fish or shellfish contaminated with methylmercury
- Workplace hazards
- Release of mercury vapor from dental amalgam fillings
Cadmium:
- Tobacco smoke
- Eating foods with high levels of cadmium like grains, legumes, leafy vegetables, fish and shellfish
- Contact from batteries, solar panels and other household products
It is not possible to completely avoid exposure to toxic metals – they are everywhere. However, you can reduce metal toxicity risk through regular Chelation therapy and lifestyle choices that diminish the probability of harmful heavy metal uptake.
By:
Dr. Sanjay Mohan Ram, B.Sc.(Hon.), N.D.
by Sanjay Mohan Ram | Oct 5, 2020 | Article, Feature, General health topics, Uncategorized
What is BPA and how is it harmful?
Bisphenol A (BPA) has been reported in the news as causing health problems in humans. Unfortunately, the bad news about this toxin is still evolving – A pair of recent studies links BPA with heart disease, obesity, and diabetes risk.
BPA is an organic compound that’s in used plastics, such as water bottles, the lining of canned goods, and thermal receipts. However, BPA mimics estrogen in your body and is thought to disrupt hormone function. As such, BPA is linked to several potential health problems, from infertility to developmental delays in kids to cancer.
A new study from Britain links high urinary concentrations of BPA in healthy men and women to a higher risk of heart disease 10 years later. In another new study, Chinese researchers linked high concentrations of BPA to obesity — especially belly fat — and insulin resistance (a precursor of diabetes) in middle-aged and elderly people. American researchers have found a similar connection between BPA and Type II diabetes.
Simple changes can limit your exposure to BPA and other toxins:
- Opt for fresh food. One study found that a diet of organic fresh food can reduce urinary levels of BPA and DEHP (a type of phthalate chemical which also disrupts hormone function) by more than 50% in just 3 days.
- Look for BPA-free containers. When you buy packaged foods, choose those in glass jars, aseptic packaging, and BPA-free cans.
- Store food in glass, ceramic, or stainless-steel containers. You can find BPA-free plastic containers, but some researchers have found traces of BPA in those, too.
- Shop for dry goods at the bulk bins. Pick up flour, rice, beans, dried fruit, cereal, and pasta at the bulk bins at health-food stores. Sure, you’ll put bulk-bin finds into plastic bags, but you can transfer them to BPA-free containers as soon as you get home.
- Avoid microwaving food in plastic containers. The heat causes BPA and other chemicals to leach into food. Similarly, don’t put plastic containers (if you have ’em) in the dishwasher.
- Don’t handle thermal receipts. These are those carbonless receipts you collect everywhere you go, from the grocery store to the gas station to the ATM. Yep, they have BPA. Refuse receipts if you have the option. If you don’t, wash your hands after handling them. BPA in thermal receipts can be absorbed through your skin, as well as ingested with food.
If you are worried you might have been exposed to chemicals, let’s get you into the clinic to get tested.
Dr. Sanjay Mohan Ram, N.D.
