Changing our medical destiny... one bite at a time.

I want to provide our patients with the information to take charge of their health.I  focus on prevention through diet and nutrition.I search to find the source of your symptoms through extensive testing including hormones, vitamins, the immune system, food sensitivities, the digestive system, and other medical lab.By looking at all these areas it will give us a detailed picture of your overall health. We together, can then implement a plan to maximize your health.
My approach is to teach you to be in charge of your health.
If we know better, we do better.

20 years of experience as a physician 
1107 East Matthews Drive 
Jonesboro, AR 72401
www.healthmattersclinic@gmail.com

Call our office to schedule a medical consultation

 870-935-0700

Estrogen Dominance!

     

What is estrogen dominance?

Estrogen dominance can occur when estrogen levels are being produced in excess or if progesterone is too low which makes the estrogen relatively high, making it dominant.

Estrogen is produced mostly in the ovary in females but it is also produced in the stress gland called the adrenals. All of the sex hormones are also STRESS hormones so whatever affects your stress will affect your sex hormones. The understanding of this is essential for balance. Just replacing one hormone sometimes can even put you at greater risk for disease or cancer. This is what the studies including the Women's Health Initiative showed and why it was stopped.

Your body should utilize your hormones including estrogen and then break them down and detoxify you by elimination through the liver. The problem is when it gets recirculated either by the liver not being efficient or your bowel is not moving- i.e. constipation. This can create the estrogen to become dominant and cause many symptoms.

Estrogen dominance occurs in most women in the peri-menopausal era but can occur at any age. In pubertal females it occurs because the ovaries are not mature enough to produce enough progesterone to balance the production of estrogen.  In the peri-menopausal female it occurs because the ovary is starting to decrease production due to age. It can also be caused by undue stress because progesterone is a pivotal hormone in your STRESS response and will choose to keep you from drowning before it helps balance estrogen.

If estrogen becomes dominant it can create irritability, agitation, intolerance, sleeplessness, memory and focus issues, decreased libido, anxiety, swelling, weight gain, headaches, decreased sex drive, ovarian cysts, fibrocystic and tender breasts, extremely heavy cycles, severe mood swings, etc.

Untamed estrogen creates proliferation of blood vessels in the uterus thus causing abnormal bleeding that is excessive. Progesterone is there to tame it and thus prevent the excessive proliferation.
Progesterone calms, helps you sleep, increases memory and focus, sheaths every nerve, coats the brain thus balances all of the affects of the estrogen dominance. So if progesterone is being siphoned off to help save you, it is not able to help balance estrogen.

So, the answer to hormone balance is the balancing all of the hormones that control the cycle and your stress response.

Stress caused by unknown causes include food intolerances, vitamin deficiencies, parasite or pathogen infections in the gut, hormone imbalances, etc. If these are not addressed as the underlying cause of the STRESS then true healing cannot occur.

Conditions we find more often in women with estrogen dominance:

Endometriosis, Uterine fibroids, Hypothyroidism (estrogen is antagonistic to thyroid hormone), Breast Cancer, Ovarian Cancer, Cervical Cancer


This is not something to ignore or just shrug off!



It is the imbalance of the these hormones that creates the problems and symptoms. So, what can we do to prevent estrogen dominance?

Delineate the hidden stressors and do the best you can to avoid them. Even for the obvious stressors, try to manage your response better and DE-STRESS by what makes you happy-listening to music, a hot bath, walking, yoga, prayer, etc.

 Also take control of your health by making better choices about what you put in your body.
Stop the low-fat dieting and calorie counting. Just eat more "real food". Our bodies are miraculous machines and will respond to the fuel you give it by eating  high quality and nutritious choices.

And always eat a protein, carbohydrate, and fat along with  non-starchy vegetable together... NEVER EAT ALONE!

When Life Gives You Lemons.

When Life Gives You Lemons: The Truth About Vitamin CJune 25 2014

        Between the years 1500-1800 over two million sailors died of a disease called Scurvy that could have been cured by the juice of a lemon. Scurvy is caused by a severe and chronic Vitamin C (Ascorbic Acid) deficiency. According to Professor Kenneth J. Carpenter, “If we exclude straight forward famine, scurvy is probably the nutritional deficiency disease that caused the most suffering in recorded history.”

                                                                                  Uses

        It is important to note that none of the different vitamins, including Vitamin C can work alone. It takes the support of other vitamins and minerals, working together for them to be effective.  Most people think of taking Vitamin C when they’ve got a cold or the flu. But it is actually highly debated as a treatment for the common cold. Here’s the low down. Vitamin C is an antioxidant that is required for at least 300 metabolic functions in the body including but certainly not limited to tissue growth, proper bone maintenance, wound healing, healthy skin, vascular health, adrenal gland function, and healthy gums.
        It is vital in the formation of collagen, which is a protein that is necessary for laying down the initial new bone matrix, and then requires Vitamin D, Phosphorus, and Calcium to solidify the process. It is also vital for the strengthening of blood vessels and for giving skin its elasticity and strength.
        As an antioxidant, it acts as a weapon against a whole host of free radicals in the body, making it a prime cancer-fighting ingredient. It is also imperative for proper iron absorption in red blood cells.
Also, Vitamin C is a natural antihistamine. Whereas things like Benedryl and it’s cousins may inhibit histamines after their formation, Vitamin C actually prevents the formation of histamines.

                                                                                History

        James Lind, a Scottish physician in the mid 1700s finally connected citrus fruits with Scurvy by conducting what is considered the first really scientific medical experiment in history, and then successfully used it as a treatment and prevention.
        In 1799, British Royal Navy began to require a daily ration of Citrus juices to each of its sailors. And when the sailors in the British navy stopped dying of Scurvy, it put them at a distinct military advantage over their adversaries, making them a serious military naval power. In 1928 Vitamin C itself was discovered and isolated by Albert Szent-Gyoergyi as the sub stance in citrus fruits that cured Scurvy.

                                                                           Final Thoughts

        Despite the proof that there was something in the juice of a lemon that was keeping people from getting sick, they still managed many different times to ignore this, and then wondered why it kept happening. This is something that we still do today. For some reason we continue to ignore and deny the importance of the things that we put in our body.
        They’ll tell you that Scurvy has pretty much become obsolete, but has it really? Perhaps full on Scurvy has, but the symptoms of Vitamin C deficiency are still rampant in our society. Heart disease, bone and skin disorders, cancer… The list goes on. It is not just a good idea for us to get sufficient amounts of Vitamin C, it is absolutely critical.

By: Katherine Wallace

References:

1. James Lind. (n.d.). In Wikipedia. Retrieved May 27, 2014, from

 http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/James-Lind

2. Appleton Associates Ltd.(2007-2012). The Vitamin C Story. Retrieved 

from www.vitaminc.co.nz/vitamin-c-story.htm

3. Carpenter, Kenneth. J. (1986). The History of Scurvy and Vitamin C. 

Retrieved from jn.nutrition.org

4. Vitamin C. (n.d.). In Wikipedia. Retrieved May 20, 2014, from http:/

/en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Vitamin_C

Why Vitamin A?

Vitamin A: Now you see itJuly 25 2014

        It is estimated that between 250,000 and 500,000 malnourished children worldwide become blind each year due to a vitamin A deficiency that could have been prevented by a proper diet. It is still the number one cause of blindness worldwide. Although severe vitamin A deficiency is rare within the United States it is still seen in affluent communities in varying degrees.  Most of us could certainly benefit greatly from adding more of it either through Vitamin A rich foods, or through supplementation.
       Vitamin A is a group of antioxidant compounds that play a vital role in our vision, skin health, bone growth, and in the health of our immune system.  It is our anti-infection vitamin, along with the help of zinc. It presents in two types, depending on the source, be it from animal derived foods (retinol), or from colorful fruits and vegetables (provitamin A carotenoids) which are converted to Retinol by the body after consumption.
       Vitamin A in the form of Retinol is a critical component in the formation of the protein Rhodopsin, which is what absorbs light in the retinal receptors of our eyes which helps us see at night. If we are exposed to excessive light at night, it requires more Vitamin A.  So if you are driving at night with bright lights shining at you, this would be the case. Night blindness is usually the first sign of Vitamin A deficiency. A lack of vitamin A can also cause dry eye syndrome, which is why many eye drops contain vitamin A. Some studies have even shown that taking Vitamin A supplements in certain amounts can reduce the risk of macular degeneration.
       Vitamin A is an important factor in the formation and repair of epithelial cells, of which skin and mucous membranes are composed. It can help prevent skin disorders such as acne and other inflammatory skin disorders. It is also known to slow down the aging process. Applied topically as Tretinoin, (the main ingredient in Retin-A and Renova) it reduces the appearance of wrinkles and fine lines, and helps to fade age spots.
       By forming and repairing the mucous membranes throughout our body including the lining of the bladder and uterus, Vitamin A helps to strengthen our immunity against viruses and bacteria. If you are having a lot of mucous drainage or coughing, you will also lose more Vitamin A and require more of it to replenish this loss. It is a powerful antioxidant, which means that it seeks out and destroys free radicals in the body, thereby helping to prevent cancer and other diseases.
       As humans, we cannot produce Vitamin A in any form in our bodies.  It has to come from food or supplements.  It is vital that we pay closer attention to whether or not we are getting sufficient amounts of Vitamin A and other essential vitamins and minerals that will aid in a healthier life.

Great sources of Vitamin A include:

Sweet Potatoes, Carrots, Kale, Squash, Romaine lettuce, Apricots, Cantaloupe, Red peppers, Mangoes, etc.