Integrative Health Blog

Holistic health: Are we being harmed by everyday products?

by Dr. Beals

Chemicals commonly found in cosmetics, shampoos and lotions, have been found to adversely affect the delicate hormonal balance of adolescent girls. Three classes of chemicals, phenols, phthalates and phytoestrogens can cause early puberty in young girls, potentially setting them up for more serious hormonally related diseases in the future. These chemicals, especially those detected at highest concentrations were shown to have a relationship between hormones, development, neurotransmitters mood and sleep disorders.

In a recent study published in Environmental Health Perspectives researchers investigated the association of concurrent exposures from three chemical classes (phenols, phthalates, and phytoestrogens) which are commonly found in lotions, cosmetics and shampoo.
Add that to the plastics we have surrounded ourselves with from water bottles to food storage and it is no wonder we see such changes.

Several research studies have found that when plastic comes in contact with certain foods, molecules of the chemicals in the plastic can leach into the food or beverage including water. Certain characteristics of the food item can make it more likely to pick up plastic molecules:

* The more liquid a food is, the more it touches the plastic, so the more opportunity it has to pick up plastic molecules.
* Acid foods, such as tomato sauce, appear to be particularly interactive with plastic.
* If you heat a food item in a plastic container even if the container is microwave-safe the transference of plastic from the container to the food is even more likely.

When molecules of plastic or actually molecules of the chemicals that get added to plastics during manufacturing get into our bodies, it's not a good thing. They can cause unwanted effects in the human body; for instance, some of the chemicals mimic estrogen. Estrogen, of course, is a normal, essential human hormone; but having too much of it (or the molecules that mimic estrogen) has been associated with breast cancer and other health problems. In general, chemicals that fool the body into thinking they are estrogen or other hormones are called endocrine disruptors and are best avoided.

Better food storage solutions... glass is the best choice, followed closely by porcelain, ceramic, and stainless steel.

Better personal care solutions... use fewer products that are fragrance free and dye free.

Learn how to read labels on products. The Environmental Working Group ewg.org, is an informational website with a cosmetics database.

 

Paul Beals MD, CCN is an integrative physician at National Integrated Health Associates, NIHA, an integrative medicine and dental center serving the Washington DC, Maryland and Virginia region. His specialties include Lyme Disease, cancer support, cardiovascular risk reduction,  chronic fatigue syndrome and fibromylagia and hormone balance.

Holistic Health: What are we made of?

Cathlene Scoblionko NP

Are we purely solid beings with a biochemical makeup that guides everything from protein manufacture to thought? Or, are we energetic beings that are guided strictly by the laws of physics?

Hmm.... Well, electrons, which are the movers and shakers of everything, are an essential component so we need to ask, "What are electrons?" The problem with them is that they can be a particle and have mass at the same time as they can be waves and be purely energy. At the same time! That is hard to wrap the mind around.

Two Philosophies of Health

The following is an incredibly simplistic view, but it makes some sense. Functional medicine uses the body's biochemistry at the molecular level to guide the person toward health and homeostasis. Small particles like hormones, neurotransmitters, and trace minerals are measured and balanced. Electrons are viewed generally as particles and they are maneuvered through diet, supplements, exercise, medications, etc.

Eastern medicine views the body in an energetic sense. Electrons are waves and the body is a system of energetic channels (sometimes called meridians). Health and homeostasis are encouraged by allowing the restoration of unimpeded flow in the channels. One of the tidbits I have learned in acupuncture school is that we are 1/12,000,000 mass. Everything else is electrical charge. That is a lot of energy.

East Meets West

Looking at these two philosophies it makes sense that if electrons are both particles and energy, then so are we. We cannot treat the person with only one of the above forms of medicine or we miss half of the issues and health is not optimized. Balance your hormones and have an acupuncture treatment. Get your neurotransmitters in optimal range and have a reiki treatment. Get your vitamins and minerals in line then go have some therapeutic touch. The possibilities are endless and optimal health of the whole body, mind and spirit is very possible with an integrative medicine  philosophy. 

Cathy Scoblionko NP is a Board Certified Nurse Practitioner at National Integrated Health Associates, NIHA, an integrative medicine and dental center serving the Washington, D.C., Maryland and Virginia metro area. Her areas of specialty include Holistic Primary Care, Hormone Balancing, Anti-aging medicine, and Women's Health.

What is holistic women's health, really?

by Cathy Scoblionko NP

Having been a primary care provider for many years with women's health at the forefront of what I do every day I decided to think about what it means.

Everyone knows what women's health is, don't we?

However, the quick answer that we think of includes the basic extras from the general examination like the pap smear, breast exam, and mammogram. Studies have now shown that we experience heart disease with different symptoms than the males of our species so we can throw that in to the mix as well. Oh, and bio-identical hormones. Let's not forget the family caregiver role for the older and younger generations. I realized that women's health is often thought of in pieces rather than holistically. So, what is holistic women's health? Looking through the Google hits, I found plenty of definitions for holistic health but none that addressed the feminine aspect of women's health. 

The Wisdom of Women

Holistic women's health goes beyond "treating the whole person mind, body, and spirit". There is something about the feminine connection, the unsaid knowledge and wisdom that are understood only by women. It is rarely spoken of out loud but we know it is there. It is not taught to our daughters, it is innately there. Women have a need to share and spend time with other women. That charges up our spirits and souls. Notice how you feel when that is denied to you by time restraints or other issues.

Women need to connect, share, and laugh and you will feel better -even if you feel well now.

Some links to holistic health definitions:
http://www.holistichelp.net/holistic-health.html
http://www.healthy-holistic-living.com/Definition-of-Holistic-Health.html

 

Cathlene Scoblionko NP, is a Masters prepared Board Certified Adult Nurse Practitioner (ANP-BC) at National Integrated Health Associates, NIHA, an integrative medicine and dental center serving the Washington, DC, Maryland and Virginia metropolitan area. Her areas of specialty are holistic primary care, women's health, and anti-aging.

Holistic health: What am I drinking?

by Cathy Scoblionko NP
It seems that something is in the news almost daily about safety concerns surrounding tap water. We know that there are elements and compounds deliberately added (e.g. fluoride, chlorine) to our water supply. Some enter the supply through daily activities of bathing the topical medications and cosmetics off the skin, or eliminating them through bowel and bladder excretions. Many products enter the water via excretions of food animals. Factory farmed animals are often fed antibiotics and hormones which are excreted and drain into the water supply. For many years we have been told to flush away unused and unwanted medications.
It is now clear that the filtering processes and water treatments do not remove all the medications and hormones that end up there. Some questions that come to mind are: How dangerous is that? What is being done about it on a large scale? What do I need to do to protect myself? What do I need to do to prevent adding to the problem?

What level is safe?

Most of the information I found in my search seemed to come from the same source. I didn't see anything on the FDA website regarding the safety of the level of pharmaceuticals in the water. There do not seem to be any guidelines, as yet, regarding safe levels of medications and hormones in the water. Apparently, there is some research being done to find out what is safe and what is not. Regardless of how safe it might be to drink medications, I prefer not to have any. There is no reason for my body to have them there and if they are not a nutrient then they are foreign. However, they are not going away any time soon so, now what?

• Try to find a give back program for unused medications, supplements, and cosmetics.

• Do not flush them down the toilet or the drain.

• Don't buy medications, supplements, creams, etc. that you have no intention of using.

• Buy small amounts at a time.

• Eat organically grown food.

• Drink filtered water (it won't take out medications but will take out other things and decrease your toxic load overall.)

Here are some web sites that will provide some more information to help you decide what you may want and need to do:

http://bulletin.aarp.org/yourhealth/policy/articles/drugs_in_our_drinking_water_.html

http://www.teleosis.org/pdf/GreenPharmacyBrochure.pdf

http://www.icheme.org/pharmaceutical_conference/

http://www.californiagreensolutions.com/cgi-bin/gt/tpl.h,content=1868

 

Cathy Scoblionko NP, is a Masters prepared Board Certified Adult Nurse Practitioner (ANP-BC) at National Integrated Health Associates, NIHA, an integrative medicine and dental center serving the Washington, DC, Maryland and Virginia metropolitan area. Her areas of specialty are holistic primary care, women's health, and anti-aging.  

Holistic health: The Problem with Plastic

by Cathy Scoblionko, NP
By now many of you have heard about the controversy around Bisphenol A, or  BPA, an estrogen-like plastic used in products we are exposed to every day in products from pesticides, flooring, and flame retardants to baby bottles, water bottles and eating utensils. It has been used increasingly since the late 1800's and its estrogen -like qualities have been suspected and researched since the 1930's.
Recently, the FDA has questioned the safety of the compound in humans. Bisphenol A strongly attaches to estrogen receptor sites in the body. One of the concerns is hormonal disruption and increased estrogenic effects on males of many species, not just humans. Also of concern are the possible links to insulin interference, changes in brain chemistry and the immune system and the list goes on.
The compound is pervasive in the environment and is likely to remain so for many years. We can expect agencies and people on both sides of the issue to continue to publish conflicting data. The biggest challenge that I see is avoiding exposure. Regardless of how safe or unsafe plastics turn out to be, they have no place in the human body. They are not nutrients or beneficial to our metabolism so there is no reason for them to be there. Since it seems incredibly difficult, if not impossible, to completely avoid exposure, what should one do to prevent absorbing too much into the body?
Here are some tips:
• Use as much glass for food storage as possible.
• Avoid disposable flatware.
• When using disposable dishes, use paper rather than Styrofoam.
• Ask for paper or cardboard take-away containers from restaurants.
• When buying products in plastic containers or wrap is unavoidable, transfer to glass before storage.
• Buy and eat organic food.
• Drink filtered water.
• Eat fresh or frozen foods avoiding canned foods.
• Wash hands after handling plastics- be alert as this includes CD's.
• Use only glass in the microwave (if you must use the microwave at all).
• If you can taste or smell chemical compounds from the food container, take it back.

If you are concerned there are lab tests available that detect some of the plastics molecules in the blood. Generally, these tests are not covered by insurance but are reasonably priced.

Below are three links: One from each side of the issue and the FDA's site regarding Bisphenol A. Read and make up your own mind. Ultimately, our health is in our own hands.

http://www.ourstolenfuture.org/NewScience/oncompounds/bisphenola/bpauses.htm
http://www.fda.gov/Food/FoodIngredientsPackaging/ucm166145.htm
http://www.bisphenol-a.org/about/faq.html?gclid=COWGkZnusKACFQtx5QodIhq1VQ

Cathy Scoblionko NP, is a Masters prepared Board Certified Adult Nurse Practitioner (ANP-BC) at National Integrated Health Associates, NIHA, an integrative medicine and dental center serving the Washington, DC, Maryland and Northern Virginia metropolitan area. Her areas of specialty are holistic primary care, women's health, and anti-aging. 

Why Holistic Health?

by Cathy Scoblionko MSN, ANP-BC

After working as a nurse on the oncology unit in the hospital (many years ago) and then as a home care nurse, I realized that intervention at that point was too late and it made more sense to prevent problems and disease. The USA has epidemics of chronic diseases such as cardiac disease, diabetes, asthma, and obesity, to name a few. These diseases are often preventable and can be treated better than has been the norm. As a nurse practitioner working in primary care I could educate and care for patients at an earlier point. However, I soon found out that the traditional system in which I was educated did not have answers to many questions and people often did not get well.

A Holistic Health Approach

Using a holistic approach means that I use allopathic (traditional) medicine, Chinese medicine theory, diet and lifestyle management, herbal medicine, and homeopathic medicine among others. All have their place in the quest for health. There are limitless specialists to whom to refer for a multitude of other modalities. Each specialist has chosen his or her passion and developed the skills to be the best he can be in that realm.

The Patient as Partner

The role of the patient is to become a partner in his or her own journey toward health. There are some important questions to ask yourself when deciding to take charge of the health of your mind, body, spirit and emotional selves: What makes sense and resonates with you? Who do you trust?  What do you know about the different traditional, alternative, complementary, and integrative approaches that are available? How do you find out what you need to know? How much time, money, and energy are you willing to invest in your current and future health? How good is your support system? How much encouragement do you have?

To be healthy means more than just that the whole you is free of disease. The whole person: body, mind, spirit, and emotions are optimally healthy. That is holistic health and it only makes sense to practice that way.

Cathy Scoblionko MSN, RN is a Masters prepared Board Certified Adult Nurse Practitioner (ANP-BC) at National Integrated Health Associates, NIHA, an integrative medicine and dental center serving the Washington, DC, Maryland and Northern Virginia metropolitan area. Her areas of specialty are holistic primary care, women's health, and anti-aging.