I’m always thrilled to find out about a product that’s helping my patients. I recently spoke with a woman who we’ll call Jill. Jill had recently begun attending a workout class developed by Sebastian Lagree, a passionate weight lifter and exercise enthusiast. As you can imagine, this is an intense program. Jill described it as “Pilates times a million.” Most of the people who attend the class are in their early 20s. Jill is more than twice their age.

As you might guess, Jill isn’t easily intimidated, but she admitted that even she finds the workouts daunting. And Jill is no stranger to fitness. She loves to run, swim, and water-ski. She knows that taking an anti-inflammatory can help ease muscle soreness after an intense workout. But with these classes, nothing seemed to help. She told me that after each class, she could barely walk. She’d never had this problem after a workout before, but instead of calling it quits, she was intrigued by the challenge. So she decided to keep going, even though she found herself sore and exhausted after the classes.

Then she found a product that she thought might help. She started taking two before each class. It was, in her words, a “game-changer.” The soreness melted away. Her energy came back. And she stopped feeling like “an overwhelmed, spastic klutz” in the class. She was able to actually enjoy the challenge of the workout without feeling like an elderly fish out of water compared to the twenty-somethings in the room.

So what was this miracle product? Surprisingly, it’s a combination of nutrients that specifically targets your adrenal glands. Why is this surprising? You may know that your adrenals, which are located on top of your kidneys, are hormone-producing glands.

They produce over 50 different hormones, including adrenaline and cortisol, which you may recognize as stress hormones. Your adrenal glands have to work extra hard when your body is under stress, as many of your hormones are directly related to your energy and stamina levels. But most people don’t consider their adrenals when exercise becomes more difficult.

Through her class, Jill was putting her body through stress. It sounds like her adrenals were starting to have trouble keeping up. You may have experienced this type of fatigue before. It’s an exhaustion that goes beyond sleepiness. You just feel completely drained of energy. When this happens, your adrenals often need a boost to help you recover.

The nutrients she took, which included pantothenic acid, licorice root, adrenal cortex, liver concentrate, cordyceps mycelia, eleuthero root, and ashwagandha root, were able to give them that boost. The pantothenic acid (vitamin B5) and licorice root can help your body naturally manufacture the cortisol it needs to respond appropriately to stress. I’ve written about the benefits of ashwagandha before. One of its benefits is that it can strengthen your adrenal function.

Cordyceps, an herb known to relieve fatigue and stress, is used by athletes and individuals with compromised kidney function. The adaptogen Eleuthero senticosus is yet another great nutrient for increasing stress tolerance, controlling blood sugar, and supporting adrenal function and energy. It also can help you sleep better and improve your mood.

You can find this combination of nutrients in the product Advanced Adrenal Factor. I’m very impressed with the thought that has gone into the ingredients in this formula. These are some of the best natural ingredients out there for boosting your energy levels by supporting the adrenals and it’s remarkable that it can be found all in one tablet.

Jill has been thrilled with her results, and I can understand why. If you’re struggling with feeling run down or want to take the next step in your fitness program, Advanced Adrenal Factor may be able to help you, just like it helped Jill. You can order it by calling 800-791-3395. Don’t forget to give the special order code WHA316 when you call. For best results, consider following Jill’s lead, and take one to two tablets right before an intense workout. Or, if you’re taking the product to help with exhaustion, try taking two tablets in the morning and another with lunch. Then get ready to show up the Millennials next to you at the gym!

How Women Can Experience Great Sex During Menopause and Beyond

IOne of the most rewarding aspects of my job is helping women realize that the health struggles they assumed were inevitable are actually manageable and even, at times, reversible. For many women, menopause often looms over their lives as the turning point for their health. They assume that weight gain, fatigue, and particularly a loss of sexual enjoyment are inevitable.

And it seems that statistics back them up. In fact, a number of studies have reported sexual dysfunction levels among postmenopausal women ranging from 68% to 86.5%. One study that utilized the Short Personal Experiences Questionnaire (SPEQ), a measure of sexual function, found that as women transitioned from early to late menopause, the percentage of women experiencing low sexual function skyrocketed from 42% to 88%. And many of women reported significant declines in sexual response, frequency of sex, libido, and overall satisfaction by the time they were postmenopausal.

Despite the prevalence of these issues, women often fail to seek help with them. In fact, one survey of nearly 1,000 menopausal women ranging in age from 45 to 60 found that only 38% had discussed their concerns about sexual function issues with their doctors. Many women assume these issues are inevitable and that nothing can be done to change them, while others are simply embarrassed to broach the subject. Still others assume that the only solutions involve hormones, and they would prefer not to use them.

This is such a tragedy. First, no medical issue should be presumed to be inevitable or untreatable. Your doctor should be a trusted ally. If he or she isn’t, find a different physician who you are comfortable talking with about this admittedly sensitive, but still very important issue. Finally, if you’re concerned about hormones, I have good news: they aren’t the only option.

It’s true that hormones play a major role in female sexual function. However, the focus given to hormones has often caused other factors contributing to sexual function to be overshadowed and even ignored.

One key area that’s often overlooked is how neurotransmitters affect sexual function. Our neurotransmitters help to organize, manage, and dictate our emotions, mood, sleep, attention, and even energy. When our neurotransmitters are out of balance, we are too. And one of the most important of these neurotransmitters is dopamine, which is associated with our reward and pleasure centers.

Dopamine helps us to take action to gain reward and pleasure. Decreased motivation, lack of interest in life, restless leg syndrome, procrastination, fatigue, and even weight gain have been closely correlated with dopamine deficiency. Individuals with low dopamine levels have a greater risk of addiction. Even Parkinson’s disease has been associated with more extreme dopamine deficiency.

Given the connection between dopamine and pleasure, it’s not surprising that it would be implicated in sexual functioning. In fact, research has found that women who suffer from premenstrual dysphoric disorder experience this condition because of impairment in their bodies’ ability to transmit dopamine and serotonin, another essential neurotransmitter. And you probably won’t be surprised to learn that drops in hormone levels can cause subsequent decreases in neurotransmitter levels, including dopamine levels. In particular, estrogen seems to improve dopamine neurotransmission, so it’s natural that the drop in estrogen women experience during menopause would cause issues. Other studies have found that neuroleptic medications that decrease dopamine levels often tend to have the side effect of decreasing libido.

Frontiers in Neuroscience reported that women who suffer from depression, also linked to low dopamine, have a greater risk of entering perimenopause early. What’s more, women who have not experienced depression before are more likely to do so for the first time during the perimenopause transition. This is due, in part, to the hormonal and neurotransmitter fluctuations they experience. These depressive episodes aren’t just challenging at the time. They’re also linked to increased risk of dementia and Alzheimer’s disease as women age. And, of course, they don’t do anything to help your sex life.

As you can see, dopamine plays an essential role in feeling your best during and after menopause. This includes helping you enjoy a healthy and active sex life. It’s tied to your hormone levels, but the good news is, you don’t have to use hormones to get dopamine levels back up. There are a number of other natural options for increasing dopamine levels.

Start with your diet, which will impact both brain function and sexual desire. To date, I haven’t had a patient tell me that a diet change immediately altered her sex drive. However, eating healthfully sets a good foundation and helps minimize your risk of developing other health conditions that can interfere with your sex life. In particular, make sure you’re “eating the rainbow.” This is a diet full of richly colored vegetables. Zinc, sulphur and vitamin C, found in broccoli, Brussels sprouts, and lemons are important. Eating lightly steamed cruciferous vegetables, spinach, and arugula will increase your nitric oxide levels and circulation, making arousal easier.

Once you have this foundation established, you can begin adding in nutrients that reinforce the production of dopamine. The amino acid l-tyrosine, which is found in fish, meat, eggs, nuts, beans, oats, apples, and watermelon, is a great place to start. L-tyrosine is a precursor to dopamine. Some people, especially those who tend to have low thyroid function, are often deficient in l-tyrosine. If you suspect you might fall in this camp, try supplementing with 500-1,000 mg once or twice a day to begin getting your levels back up where they should be. As time goes on, you can begin lowering the dosage, and eventually you will likely find that you no longer need additional l-tyrosine beyond what you get in your diet. Note that dietary l-tyrosine alone is usually not enough to help you notice a shift in energy or focus if you’re deficient. But if you can reverse the deficiency through supplementation, getting l-tyrosine from your diet is usually enough to keep you going once the supplements have done their job.

Vitamin B1 (thiamine), which you’ll find in beans, nuts, meat, and whole grains, and the herb Rhodiola rosea, can increase both sexual function and your energy levels. Rhodiola is an adaptogenic plant from Eastern Europe and Russia known to improve mood and work performance. According to research published in the journal Phytotherapy Research, it reduces oxidative stress in the brain, neuroinflammation, and excitotoxicity. The journal Chinese Herbs also found that Rhodiola positively influences the central nervous system by promoting microcirculation and improves and enhances dopamine production. The best Rhodiola extract for this purpose is one standardized to contain at least 3% total rosins and a minimum of 1% salidrosides. You can try 150-200 mg twice daily. Then once you’ve gotten these nutrients in your system, try ginkgo biloba to improve the circulation of nutrients.

L-theanine is another helpful amino acid and is found in green tea. It’s unique in that it creates a state of alert relaxation. L-theanine has been shown to cross the blood-brain barrier and increase attention span and dopamine levels. Start by taking 200 mg twice daily. It’s best to take it away from food. And/or you may prefer to drink a cup of brewed green tea two to three times daily.

If you suspect you have decreased levels of dopamine and feel anxiety, it would be important to rule out a magnesium deficiency, as the two conditions are closely related. In addition, if you’re experiencing heavy food cravings, constipation, high blood pressure, or muscle spasms, you may want to have your magnesium levels checked. If you’re deficient, there are a number of options for correcting the problem. Magnesium glycinate is well tolerated, or you can try magnesium aspartate, magnesium taraute, or magnesium citrate. Depending on how severe your deficiency is, you may want to supplement with anywhere from 400 to 600 mg.

You can also try a multivitamin to enhance your dopamine levels. Look for one that includes methylfolate, methylcobalamin, vitamin B6, and zinc, which are all important in the production of dopamine and its efficacy. Various medications, a poor diet, environmental toxicity, genetics, and stress can all impact these nutrients. So if any of these conditions apply to you, a multivitamin can help you ensure that you’re getting enough.

I’ve been focusing on what you should add to your diet, but that doesn’t mean you’re off the hook about cutting things out. To have optimal dopamine levels, you really need to decrease the amount of sugar you consume. I know this is easier said than done, but sugar alters your brain chemistry by disrupting dopamine levels. In fact, the “sugar high” you experience when you eat large quantities of sugar has to do with the euphoric pathways in your brain. They get overstimulated, and then your dopamine levels become depleted. This is exactly what happens when you consume drugs or alcohol, and you can actually become addicted to sugar just as you can to these substances. To kick your cravings, consider a chromium supplement. Chromium picolinate or nicotinate are usually the best tolerated. Try 200 to 400 mcg daily until your sugar cravings begin to diminish. Chromium functions best when you take it multiple times a day. So be sure to divide up your dosage; for example 200 mcg twice daily.

Of course, nothing in our body works in isolation, and dopamine isn’t the only neurotransmitter affected by shifting hormones. Focusing on increasing dopamine levels is a great place to start when it comes to improving your sex life after menopause, but you can also take steps to improve your brain health overall with a few other supplements. For instance, you can protect the neurotransmitter acetylcholine, which helps in muscle activation, by taking Huperzine A, found in Chinese club moss. Also consider phosphytidylserine, which you can get in supplement form or from soy, egg yolks, or chicken or beef liver. Then there’s choline, which you can find in liver, as well as fish, nuts, beans, peas, spinach, wheat germ, eggs, and supplements. These ingredients help you focus better – and this includes focus on sex.

Gamma-aminobutyric acid (GABA for short) is a neurotransmitter associated with orgasms. I’ve written before about how GABA can help with anxiety, depression, and sleep as well. So you can see how it would benefit your sex life. Start with 100 mg and increase to 200-300 mg as needed. You can take GABA as a stand-alone supplement. You also can try supplementing with inositol to boost both GABA and serotonin levels.

By the way, if you are either dopamine or serotonin deficient and you begin to take these supplements, you will most likely begin to feel a little better within 10 days. And you should feel noticeably better after a month.

Menopause is a time of change and adjustment for your body and your relationships. But if your sexual functioning is suffering as a result of these shifts, don’t assume that a decrease in enjoyment and fulfillment is just one more change you have to adjust to. While hormones can help, they aren’t the only answer. Taking steps to influence your neurotransmitters, particularly your dopamine levels, can be astonishingly effective in restoring your drive, focus, and desire. Find a doctor you’re comfortable with who can help you figure out how to help you take charge of your sex drive by maintaining a healthy balance in your brain chemicals. Don’t immediately write her off if she says your libido is all in your head – if she’s talking about your neurotransmitters, she’s probably right!

http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC1304545/pdf/westjmed00338-0093.pdf
http://www.nature.com/ijir/journal/v17/n1/full/3901250a.html
http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3349920/

The skin condition that puts you at risk for Alzheimer’s and autoimmune diseases

Recently, scientists proved that there’s a connection between rosacea and Alzheimer's disease. A study from the University of Copenhagen found that people with rosacea tend to have a slightly increased risk of Alzheimer’s, perhaps because of the role inflammation plays in both conditions. If you have rosacea, this is a risk you may want to be mindful of. And according to research recently published in the Journal of the American Academy of Dermatology, it's not the only condition you need to keep an eye out for.

That's because rosacea shares a genetic location with several other autoimmune diseases. So if you develop rosacea, this could mean you have a genetic predisposition to develop another autoimmune disease as well. These diseases include type-1 diabetes mellitus, celiac disease, multiple sclerosis (MS), and rheumatoid arthritis.

Researchers decided to conduct a study to determine the odds ratios (ORs) of patients with rosacea developing one of these diseases. To do this, they compared 6,759 patients with rosacea to 33,795 control subjects. They found that there was indeed a connection.

In particular, the ORs for type-1 diabetes mellitus, celiac disease, MS, and rheumatoid arthritis were 2.59, 2.03, 1.65, and 2.14, respectively. Interestingly, these links were mainly found in women. Men only seem to have a statistically significant increase in their risk of developing rheumatoid arthritis.

This news may seem discouraging. But remember, just because you have a genetic predisposition to a disease doesn't mean you're guaranteed to develop it. Our lifestyle choices play a significant role in what genes our bodies choose to turn on and off. You can offset this risk by taking steps to reduce inflammation, such as exercising, eating healthfully, and minimizing stress.

Keep in mind that at times, these conditions are hard to diagnose. So this information can give you a starting point if you're having health issues, but your doctor is having trouble pinpointing the cause. If you’ve experienced rosacea and begin experiencing other issues, ask your doctor if an autoimmune disease could be at the root. This could be the clue he or she needs to correctly identify the problem and begin treating it effectively.

Ref: http://www.jaad.org/article/S0190-9622(15)02465-2/abstract

Nutrition Detective

Why Diabetics Need to Have Their Hearing Checked

Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM) is remarkable in its ability to highlight connections between organ systems in the body that at first glance seem unrelated. In TCM, the ears and hearing are linked to the kidneys. Western medicine has known for some time that the kidneys are often vulnerable to blood sugar disorders. But it’s only been recently that researchers have discovered that your hearing may be vulnerable as well.

If you have type-2 diabetes, you probably never considered that this diagnosis could mean you should have your hearing checked. But new research published in the journal Current Diabetes Reports suggests that doing so is probably a good idea. This review examined several population-based studies of people with type-2 diabetes and hearing impairments to try to identify a connection between the two conditions. They found that there’s indeed evidence that diabetes can cause damage to the auditory system, leading to hearing impairment.

These results are particularly noticeable among younger patients, who do not have the compounding effects of age-related factors. The prevalence of the connection among the younger population provides compelling evidence that factors related to the diabetes itself are hurting the auditory system. The authors of the review study speculate that hyperglycemia and oxidative stress may be to blame for the damage.

Because hearing impairment can lead to a number of other problems, including social isolation, depression, cognitive decline, and an increased mortality risk, it’s important to address both the hearing loss itself and its underlying cause. If you’re diabetic, you may want to have your hearing checked and consider taking a supplement to support your ears.

One of my favorite supplements for this is Advanced Hearing Formula, which contains N-acetyl-l-cysteine, alpha lipoic acid, acetyl-l-carnitine, gingko biloba, and luteolin. It also contains a number of other vitamins and minerals to protect your auditory nerves from oxidative damage and support healthy circulation to the ears. This formula takes a bit of time to have a noticeable impact – be patient and give it a few months. You can order Advanced Hearing Formula by calling 800-791-3395. Be sure you also avoid prolonged exposure to loud noise so that you don’t compound the danger to your hearing.

LETTERS

Q: What multivitamin with trace minerals do you recommend? – Jean O., via email

Dear Jean,

There are a few. With a multi it’s good to use one for a couple of months and change and find two or even three that you like and switch them around. A few that my patients seem to prefer are: Pure Encapsulation O.N.E., Thorne Multi, Alive for Women, and Nature’s Way Complete. The last one is good if you have a blood sugar problem. The first three are available at amazon.com. And the last one is available at Walgreens.

Q. I’m currently taking Venlafaxine for high blood pressure and wanted to know if your Mediterranean Cholesterol Formula was safe to take with my meds. Thank you for your time and attention to my inquiry. – Laverne J., via email

Dear Laverne,

Mediterranean Cholesterol is not a problem to use while you are taking Venlafaxine. But it’s important always to take nutritional supplements, such as Mediterranean Cholesterol Formula (800-791-3395), at least two or more hours away from prescription medications.  For instance, if you’re not taking any prescription medications in the evening, you could take the Mediterranean Cholesterol Formula before dinner or before bedtime.

Q. Some time ago, you had a recommendation on helping acid reflux. I’ve been on meds for acid reflux for many years (Aciphex). You suggested vinegar and honey, but I don’t believe you said how much honey, how much vinegar, or how often. Would you please give me the instructions? I would like to get off my meds and hopefully stop my problem. Looking forward to your response. – C.J.M., via email

Dear C.J.

Thank you for your note. Acid reflux is a bit complicated if you’ve been using prescription medicine for a while. First, I would recommend that you consult with the doctor prescribing the medication and tell him/her that you would like to stop taking the medication.  After your consult, there are many roads to Rome.

You would want to first look at foods that cause your issues – such as heavily spiced food, tomatoes, peppers, and/or fried food, etc. and either stop eating those foods or when you do eat them, take only small amounts.

There are several solutions and, yes, apple cider vinegar (ACV) and honey is one of them. ACV works if you’re not producing enough stomach acid. A smaller percentage of individuals on PPI medication actually indeed have too much acid. It’s important to find out if you have too much or too little stomach acid. You may want to begin with a small dose of ACV and honey – such as one teaspoon of ACV and 1/2 teaspoon of honey in a small amount of warm water.

Some of my patients and readers begin using this small amount with their two largest meals of the day and see how this goes. In addition they drink peppermint tea between or after meals. You may want to discontinue your medication gradually, but be sure to discuss this with your physician.