Meet the naturopathic doctor

Once your neurotransmitter levels are rebalanced, your symptoms will disappear. This is like a ‘light-switch’; you either have enough or you don’t. When you do, you will wake up one day and your symptoms will be gone. It often seems miraculous, but it is actually just a sign of balanced brain chemistry. You will be back in control and able to function optimally.

Once this happens, you will stay on that dose of amino acids for 6-9 months while your body replenishes its stores of neurotransmitters. After that time, we will work with you to steadily decrease the amino acids to the minimum dose necessary to keep your symptoms under control. Many people can eliminate the need for the amino acids altogether with the proper dietary and lifestyle adjustments.

There are four reasons why someone would need to take amino acid products ongoing in order to control their symptoms:

1. Head trauma – this can cause permanent nerve damage and the need for continual amino acid therapy
2. Neurotoxicity – this is caused by environmental and/or other toxic exposure that permanently damages neurons
3. Genetics – a person can have impaired ability to create or maintain proper neurotransmitter imbalance from birth
4. Continuation of dietary or lifestyle habits that cause neurotransmitter imbalances

The first three are permanent states and people with these impairments will need some amount of amino acid therapy to remain symptom free. However, the amount needed long-term is often much less than the amount needed to establish proper neurotransmitter balance. The fourth cause is completely correctable and we will work with you to establish the dietary and lifestyle habits to help you maintain neurotransmitter balance.

Note: you cannot substantially increase your neurotransmitter levels through diet or lifestyle alone, but you can maintain your neurotransmitter levels using diet and lifestyle. This is because in order to achieve proper neurotransmitter balance, you need specific doses of specific nutrients at specific times to maximize absorption and conversion of the raw materials into neurotransmitters. Even though the raw materials used are normal components of food, they are administered in much higher amounts and in different combination than those found in food.

Also note: many medications can cause depletion of neurotransmitters, including all anti-depression, anti-anxiety, migraine and sleep medications. If you have taken or are currently taking medications that deplete neurotransmitter levels (including all selective serotonin reuptake inhibitor (SSRI) and selective norepinephrine reuptake inhibitor (SNRI) medications), you may want to consider taking the following to restore proper nutritional status:

CoQ10 (100 mg) – 1 gelcap daily with food

Glycogenics – 1 tablet twice daily with food

In addition, taking a low level of amino acid therapy along with these medications will help stop further depletion of neurotransmitters and will help improve the effectiveness of anti-depression, anti-anxiety, migraine and sleep medications (including all SSRI and SNRI) medications.

For more information, please visit our websites (www.naturalpathhealthcenter.com, www.optimalbodybalance.com or www.stoppullinghairout.com ) or www.neuroassist.com.

Neurotransmitter imbalances have been associated with many conditions, including food cravings, increased appetite, binging, addictions (food, alcohol, drugs, gambling, etc.), trichotillomania, obsessive-compulsive tendencies and disorders, depression, anxiety, insomnia, migraines, fibromyalgia and other chronic pain syndromes and obesity. Restoring proper neurotransmitter balance is essential to managing, eliminating and overcoming these conditions.

Amino acid therapy involves giving the body the nutrients it needs to rebalance neurotransmitters. This begins with using two formulas NeuroReplete or D5, and CysReplete (depending upon your condition). These formulas provide the necessary amino acids and cofactors the body needs to bring up the two primary neurotransmitter systems (serotonin and the catecholamines (which include dopamine, norepinephrine and epinephrine)) in a balanced manner.

It takes 3-5 days for the body to reestablish its new level of neurotransmitters. Therefore, after 7 days of taking your recommended supplements exactly as directed, if you are still experiencing symptoms, your amino acid dosing needs to be adjusted. Your new dosing level will be determined at your next appointment. If need be, a simple urine test can be run to help determine the proper amino acid dosage.

In order to eliminate your symptoms as quickly as possible, it is imperative that you take the amino acid products as recommended and follow up after being on a new dose for 7 days if you are not where you want to be. There is no point in waiting longer to see if they will ‘kick-in’; this just delays you reaching your goals.

There is only one known side effect when beginning amino acid therapy and that is nausea. This occurs when a person’s serotonin levels are exceptionally low. If this happens, it is a sign that a person needs the amino acids, but we must slow down the dosing schedule to allow the body to adapt to the increased neurotransmitter levels. When serotonin levels are very low, taking the amino acids cause nausea because the body converts the 5-HTP in the supplements into serotonin immediately in the gut, which you experience as nausea. The solution is to discontinue taking the amino acids during the daytime and follow a protocol (that we will provide to you) where you slowly introduce the amino acids, beginning with just one pill before bed.

It is very important that you take the recommended doses of each supplement every day. If you miss a dose, you need to take it as soon as possible to avoid fluctuations in neurotransmitter levels. Missing even a single dose of amino acids will cause your neurotransmitter levels to drop and it will take 3-5 days to get back to the level you were at before missing the dose. This means that you will have a higher probability of experiencing symptoms during that time.

You can quickly see that missing doses regularly will mean that you will never be able to rebalance your neurotransmitter levels, so establish a routine and stick to it. If you miss a dose, take it as soon as possible. One good trick is to always have a small bottle of whatever supplements you are taking with you at all times (or keep the bottles in your purse, at work, at home and/or where ever you regularly find yourself) so you are never in a situation where you miss a dose.

Anyone that suffers from migraine headaches can tell you that the throbbing agony you experience is a world apart from simple headache pain. According to the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), the incidence of migraine headaches has increased by nearly 60 percent in all age groups in recent years.

Medications May Aggravate the Problem

Many times, the medications doctors prescribe cannot fully relieve the debilitating pain of a migraine, or they simply quit working after a while because they don’t address the fundamental problem of the disorder. Once more, new research shows that people who suffer from migraines may actually increase the frequency and severity of their headaches by taking too much of medications designed to provide immediate pain relief from migraine attacks, such as triptans (including Imitrex, Zomig, and others), opioids, or combination pain relievers, which can lead to medication overuse headaches.Researches say that 53% of people with migraines meet the criteria for preventative treatment based on the frequency and severity of their headaches, but only 5% actually use it to manage their migraines.”We have to recognize that there are preferred modes of treatment for migraine and treatment evolves over time,” says Timothy Pedley, MD, chairman of the Department of Neurology at Columbia University in New York City. “People who are being treated according to something that was current a decade ago are sadly out of date.”

Correcting the Underlying Imbalance

Recent developments in pain management offer hope of relief for those that suffer from migraines. Scientists have uncovered important connections between key chemicals in your brain and nervous system called neurotransmitters and the inflammation and swelling of brain blood vessels that set up migraine attacks. Neurotransmitters, such as serotonin, epinephrine (adrenaline) and norepinephrine (noradrenaline), play a key role in pain transmission. Balancing neurotransmitters can eliminate migraines for good. In our clinic, once the underlying neurotransmitter imbalance is uncovered and addressed (a process that can take 2-4 weeks) it is not uncommon for a client to never have another migraine headache – ever. This approach has yielded a 98% success rate with migraine sufferers. The key is determining the root cause of imbalance; see our Testing section in the Migraine Health Department to learn more.

Prevention Works

Rather than treating migraine attacks as they occur, the focus in migraine treatment has now shifted to preventing migraine attacks altogether. Preventative therapy involves using testing, supplements, nutrients, lifestyle changes and therapies daily to prevent migraines vs. using drugs only occasionally to treat attacks. The goals of prevention are to reduce the frequency, severity and duration of migraine attacks. Research also shows that preventative therapy actually reduces overall medication and health-care costs in addition to lowering the risk of medication overuse. For example, a recent study showed that preventative therapy dramatically reduced acute medication use, doctor’s office and emergency room visits, and the use of CT (computerized tomography) and MRI (magnetic resonance imaging) scans.

Visit our Migraine Health Department and learn more about how you can dramatically decrease and even eliminate your migraine headaches!

Well, maybe not literally, but having a faulty digestive system can certainly cause more problems than a little gas. New research is showing that having a healthy digestive tract may support proper brain function. Scientific links have been made between several GI diseases and IQ deficits, depression, chronic fatigue syndrome, fibromyalgia, and even autism.

The Gut-Brain Connection
The digestive system and the nervous system don’t seem like they would be so interrelated, but it turns out that good digestive health is dependent on normal communication with the nervous system. The   nervous system communicates with the digestive system through neurotransmitters and hormones, especially serotonin. In fact, up to 95% of the body’s serotonin is found in the gut. Serotonin communication is responsible for moderating proper movement of food through the digestive tract and perception of pain among other things. When something goes wrong with the serotonin signaling it follows that there will be consequences for cognitive health as well as digestive health. Research shows that problems with signaling are part of the reason people develop irritable bowel syndrome and other gastrointestinal disorders.

Serotonin is not the only player in the link between the brain and the gut. Good probiotic bacteria in the gut is necessary for digestive health and it also affects the nervous system. Not enough probiotic bacteria in the gut allows for bad bacteria to take hold. The bad bacteria produce toxins which can cause chronic inflammation of the digestive tract, which causes the release of toxins into the rest of the body. This process is often referred to as ‘leaky gut syndrome’. This release of toxins may be responsible for the development of the different neuropsychological illnesses listed above (i.e., IQ deficits, depression, chronic fatigue syndrome, fibromyalgia and autism).

Get Good Bugs
In order to keep both systems healthy, the best plan of attack would be to include a good probiotic in your daily routine. Probiotic bacteria levels in the gut decrease with age and can also be affected by illness, stress, antibiotics, drug use (such as NSAIDs and aspirin) and changes in the diet. Using a good probiotic will maintain proper function and health of the digestive system and protect you from toxins that could have consequences for your mental well being. We recommend Ortho Biotic – 1 capsule 1-2x/day on an empty stomach.

Aminos to the rescue
If you’ve had a long standing gut issue, even a minor one, it can severely impact your neurotransmitter balance (like serotonin and dopamine). This can affect your mood, food cravings, cognition, pain tolerance, appetite and even lead to migraine headaches. In order to get to optimal function, you must first restore proper neurotransmitter balance, and the only way to do that is to give your body the nutrients it needs to make the necessary neurotransmitters. If this is an area that you feel you could use some help with, give us a call and set up a quick initial consultation. We’ll figure out what you need to do and get you what you need to get things back in balance.

In much of the world, it’s wintertime.  A time when we feel dragged down and slow.  In this two part series we will explore great ways to recharge your batteries!

Fatigue is one of the most common health complaints we hear about in the clinic. It seems that almost everybody is tired and that we are all looking for some way to increase our energy and feel better. In Part One of this two part series, we will explain why getting enough rest is important and how you can get the sleep you need to recharge your batteries and have the energy you need to achieve your goals.

“I know I should sleep more, but…”

We hear this time and time again. We are tired, irritable, complain of brain-fog, poor concentration and inability to focus, and yet, we don’t allow ourselves to sleep. Sleep is absolutely vital to the healing process. If you don’t get enough sleep, you will NEVER achieve optimal health. Because of this fact, getting adequate sleep is the number one thing you need to do if you are tired or feel worn out.

We’ve all been told that sleep is important. We’ve all been told that we need at least 8 hours of sleep each night to function optimally. We all know that we feel better, think better and perform better when we are well rested, and that our health and performance suffer from long-term sleep deprivation. So why don’t we get the sleep we need? Why don’t we take the time to sleep? Part of the reason is that we may not know why rest is so important. Another part is that we say we don’t have time to sleep. Well, once we know why sleep is important, we can come up with the downtime.

The Consequences of Skimping on ZZZs

Millions of Americans consciously choose to skimp on their sleep in the mistaken belief that sleeping fewer hours allows them to be more productive. Many people even look on the fact that they can “get by” on so few hours of sleep as a badge of honor. In fact, however, they are likely doing themselves a great deal of harm in the long run. Research has shown that people who get seven to eight hours of sleep each night live longer, happier, healthier lives than those who skimp on sleep.

“So I miss a few hours of sleep each night – I feel okay” you say. Well, the following data says that you are fooling yourself, as sleep deprivation has been linked to:

Not to mention it makes the pursuit of happiness near impossible and makes you a lot less fun to be around. So why wouldn’t you sleep more???? “I don’t have time”, you say…”I can’t sleep”, you say. I say,”Get to bed earlier, or die earlier.” Can I state it more clearly than that?

How Much is Enough?

There are no hard and fast rules about how much sleep is enough, because every individual’s requirements are different. Most adults need about eight hours of sleep nightly in order to feel refreshed and operate at peak efficiency during the day. Children, especially very young children and adolescents, generally require more sleep than adults to be at their best. It is not uncommon for people to sleep less as they get older, especially after the age of sixty.

Regardless of how many hours of sleep you get each night, if you wake up easily in the morning, especially if you rarely (if ever) need the services of your alarm clock, and if you can make it through the entire day without seeming to run out of steam or feeling drowsy after sitting quietly or reading for a while without needing caffeine or some other stimulant, you are probably getting enough sleep. However, if all these criteria do not apply, you need more sleep.

But What If I Have Trouble Sleeping?

There are numerous strategies for helping re-establish regular sleeping cycles. Here are a couple things to avoid:

• Avoid alcohol. A small amount can help induce sleep initially, but it invariably disrupts deeper sleep cycles later.
• Avoid tobacco. While smoking may seem to have a calming effect, nicotine is actually a neurostimulant and can cause sleep problems.
• Avoid caffeine-containing beverages after lunch.
• Avoid bacon, cheese, chocolate, eggplant, ham, potatoes, sauerkraut, sugar, sausage, spinach, tomatoes, and wine close to bedtime. These foods contain tyramine, which increases the release of norepinephrine, a brain stimulant.
• Don’t go to bed angry. Cool off before you hit the sack.

Next, you want to establish a set of ‘sleep-habits’ and follow them consistently to establish a healthy sleep cycle:

• In the evening, eat turkey, bananas, figs, dates, yogurt, and whole grain crackers or nut butters. These foods are high in tryptophan, which promotes sleep. Eating half a grapefruit at bedtime also helps some people.
• Use the bedroom only for sleep and sex – not for reading, working, eating, or watching television.
• Exercise regularly in the morning, late afternoon or early evening – but not right before bedtime. Physical exertion is an excellent way to wake up or make your body tired so that sleep comes about more easily.
• Take a hot bath (not a shower) an hour or two before bedtime.
• Keep the bedroom comfortable and quiet. If too much quiet is the problem, try running a fan or playing a radio softly in the background. There are also devices available that generate “white noise” sounds like the ocean surf or a steady rain or waterfall that help people who are “quiet-sensitive” to sleep.

For more ways on how to sleep soundly, see Paying Off Your Sleep Debt

For occasional sleeplessness, try the following:

• Somnolin – features a complementary blend of nutrients, including 5-HTP, theanine and targeted B vitamins, to promote a restful, relaxed state and relieve occasional sleeplessness.
• Valerian, passionflower, and/or chamomile teas have mild sedative properties. These herbs are safe even for children if taken in tea form. For adults, drinking chamomile teas several times throughout the day helps to calm and tone the nervous system, promoting restful sleep.

Sleeping Your Way Back to Health

Rest, sleep and relaxation are vital components of optimal health and well being. As holistic human beings, we must realize that not only does our diet, physical health and mental attitude affect our ability to deal  with the stresses of the day and our sleep patterns, but our sleep patterns and ability to deal with stressors affects or physical, emotional and spiritual health. If leading a truly happy, fulfilling and rewarding life is your goal, sleeping and getting adequate rest are vital steps toward achieving your goal. Use the information above to help you achieve better sleep and reap the benefits of listening to your body and enjoying your life.

photo credit: The Snarky Princess

Fatigue is one of the most common health complaints we hear about in the clinic. It’s a symptom with many possible sources, and once serious illnesses have been ruled out, finding the reason for your fatigue boils down to a process of elimination.

The good news, however, is that there are safe and natural solutions you can try for just about every possible cause for fatigue. Continue Reading »

photo credit: Supagroova

Sorry we missed last month’s podcast, but Dr. Chad is back with more answers.

The questions we answer this month:

• My daughter is constantly pulling her hair.  I’ve heard this is a disorder called trichotillomania. Can you treat it?
• I’m suffering from intense migraines, and I’ve seen a number of specialists.  No one seems to be able to help.  Do you have any recommendations?
• I’m pregnant with our first baby.  Do you recommend any natural supplements to ensure the baby (and the mom) stay healthy?

Click here to listen to Dr. Chad’s August podcast.

Links to topics mentioned in the podcast:

Trichotillomania:  www.stoppullinghairout.com

Migraines: CoQ10 - http://www.naturalpathhealthcenter.com/index.php/Antioxidants/Co-Q10-100-mg-Coenzyme-Q10-Co-Q10.html?flypage=

Wellness Essentials for Pregnancy: http://www.naturalpathhealthcenter.com/index.php/Womens-Health/Wellness-Essentials-for-Pregnancy-30-Pkts/flypage-ask.tpl.html

photo credit: MikeBlogs

What do Depression, Anxiety, Insomnia, Migraines, Fibromyalgia and other chronic pain syndromes and obesity have in common?

They’re all a result of a neurotransmitter imbalance.

Neurotransmitters are the chemical messengers that travel along nerve cells and send the body important signals.  When neurotransmitters become unbalanced, many of the conditions listed above tend to result.

The good news is that you can restore the balance naturally, using Amino Acid Therapy.  Continue Reading »

photo credit: mahalie

“Everything changes.”

This was the refrain that I heard most often as we advanced through my wife’s pregnancy with our daughter. I couldn’t fathom the depth of this expression at the time, or the impact that having a child would have on me, both physically and mentally (mainly due to sleep deprivation).

For my wife, however, as well as every other mother out there, the changes are much, much more dramatic. From a physical standpoint, the changes that occur in the hours and days after giving birth (called postpartum) are incredible – and can have a debilitating effect on women in the form of postpartum depression.

New research has given us some insight into what may be contributing to postpartum depression, as well as a method for addressing the problem. Continue Reading »

photo credit: Philippe Put

This month’s podcast includes answers to the following questions:

• What are neurotransmitters?
• Why doesn’t traditional medical industry do more work with neurotransmitters?
• What causes imbalances or deficiencies in neurotransmitters?

Click here to listen to this month’s podcast.

Click here if you’d like to ask Dr. Chad a question for next month.