In my Oct 25th blog on mammograms, I discussed such findings published in JAMA last October 21st.  In summary, it said that after 20 years of breast cancer screening, mammograms have been found as not the most effective way detect and prevent early cases of breast cancer, and new approaches should be considered.  This flies in the face of the industry which has a stake in mammography and/or those whose livelihood depends on annual breast cancer screenings for women, whether it is safe and effective or not.

About a week ago, another blow was struck against the use of mammograms for early breast cancer detection.  According to new research presented on November 30th at the RSNA conference, the low doses of radiation associated with annual screening mammography could be placing high-risk women in even more jeopardy of developing breast cancer, particularly if they start screening at a young age or have frequent exposure.  In a meta-analysis of 6 studies, it was found that women with BRCA1 or BCRA2 gene mutations or a family history of breast cancer who were exposed to radiation, either from mammography or chest x-rays, before the age of 20 had a risk for breast cancer that was 2.5 times higher than their counterparts who were not exposed to radiation.

The analysis, in which 9420 high-risk women were examined, also found that 5 or more mammograms increased risk 2.5-fold.  Marijke C. Jansen-van der Weide, PhD, from the University Medical Center Groningen in the Netherlands, reported these findings.  Dr. Jansen-van der Weide said, overall, exposure to low-dose radiation increased breast cancer risk by a 1.5 times, compared with no exposure.  The mean age of the women in the analysis was 45 years. The cumulative dose of radiation they received ranged from 0.3 to 24 mSv.

“The take-home message here is that high-risk women who are younger should be careful about mammography screening,” Dr. Jansen-van der Weide told Medscape Radiology. “Because they are young, they also have dense breasts, which poses a problem with mammography. They should explore alternative breast cancer screening methods.”

In my opinion, early breast cancer detection is very important for both anti-aging health and overall health of women, but mammograms are not the way to do it.  As I have written in my blog, such as this blog on early breast cancer detection, and in my newsletter archives, including the Jan 2007 newsletter that includes breast cancer news, breast cancer screening and prevention could be greatly improved using alternative screening methods with a Functional Medicine approach.  For two simple tips to decrease breast cancer risk by 50 to 67% read this article.

Copyright © 2009 Douglas Husbands, DC, CCN. All rights reserved.

http://www.drhusbands.com/blog/ Women’s Health / Mammograms Could Be Harmful For Breast Cancer Screening

A new analysis published in the October 21st issue of the Journal of the American Medical Association (JAMA) takes a tough and critical look at the fact that breast and prostate cancer rates have risen significantly with the use of conventional early screening methods in the last 20 years.

Here’s the authors’ summary of the article:

After 20 years of screening for breast and prostate cancer, several observations can be made. First, the incidence of these cancers increased after the introduction of screening but has never returned to pre-screening levels. Second, the increase in the relative fraction of early stage cancers has increased. Third, the incidence of regional cancers has not decreased at a commensurate rate. One possible explanation is that screening may be increasing the burden of low-risk cancers without significantly reducing the burden of more aggressively growing cancers and therefore not resulting in the anticipated reduction in cancer mortality. To reduce morbidity and mortality from prostate cancer and breast cancer, new approaches for screening, early detection, and prevention for both diseases should be considered. ¹

According to lead author, Dr. Laura Esserman, oncologist at the University of California San Francisco Comprehensive Cancer Center, better tools for widespread screening are needed. In response to the article, according to chief medical officer of the American Cancer Society, Dr. Otis Brawley’s stated in the New York Times articled that: “…But I’m admitting that American medicine has overpromised when it comes to screening. The advantages to screening have been exaggerated.”

Critics of the articles findings may suggest that breast and prostate cancer detection rates have risen due to earlier and more widespread screening. However, the authors themselves debunk that suggestion. They surmise that if the current conventional screening methods helped, there would be an increase in the rate of early disease, but then a decrease in advanced disease. But the statistics show that the number of advanced cases of breast and prostate cancer has not decreased nearly as much as would be expected. In other words, conventional tests for early screening haven’t worked to decrease advanced cases of breast and prostate cancer.

There were marketing campaigns/promotions that ran for many years that communicated to the public that the combination of synthetic estrogens and progestin drugs decreased breast cancer, heart disease and bone loss.  These campaigns/promotions were done even though studies since 1970’s indicated that they increased, not decreased, the risk for breast cancer, stroke and heart diseases.  Finally, a large Womens Health Initiative study in 2002 confirmed that those drugs increased the risk for breast cancer, stroke, and heart disease.  In addition, they also increased the risk for Alzheimer’s dementia! Likewise, I fear that a large study in the future will show many have gotten breast cancer from routine cumulative mammogram screenings.  In my opinion, mammograms are simply a dangerous and archaic screening method that looks for a tumor large enough to see on x-ray.

So, what should you do for early breast cancer detection?  If you follow my blog and/or read the articles in my newsletter, you are already are aware of the advanced, accurate, non-harmful, early screening and effective Functional Medicine treatment methods for breast cancer. If you haven’t read them, see the links to some of these articles below:

Functional Medicine Methods for Early Breast and Prostate Cancer Detection

Evidence-Based Effective Breast and Prostate Cancer Treatment

Multisystem Imbalances Predisposing Women to Breast Cancer and Weight Gain

Some Simple Evidence-Based Methods For Decreasing Your Breast Cancer Risk

The Importance of Detoxification In Breast Cancer Prevention

Stress and Adrenal Dysregulation Influences Underlying Pro-carcinogenic Processes

Adrenal Fatigue Often Overlooked For Developing Pro-Carcinogenic Associations

Dr Husbands is a Chiropractor, a Certified Clinical Nutritionist, an Anti-Aging Healthcare Practitioner and a Functional Medicine Doctor. For more information, visit http://www.drhusbands.com.

Copyright © 2009; Douglas Husbands, DC, CCN, ABAAHP. All rights reserved.

Reference:

What is the 2:16 -Hydroxyestrone Ratio?

Estrogens are metabolized in the body by various biochemical pathways. There are large variations among both men and women how estrogens are metabolized. One particular estrogen, called estrone, can be metabolized via the healthy 2-hydroxyestrone (2OH-E1) pathway or the unhealthy 16-α-Hydroxyestrone (16-α-OH-E1) pathway. The ratio by which estrogens are metabolized via these pathways can indicate the long-term risk of developing breast cancer. This ratio is called the 2:16-hydroxyestrone ratio.  This ratio is an important indicator for early breast cancer detection and prevention.  A ratio of 2 or less means a higher risk for breast cancer.  This ratio is also an indicator for other estrogen-sensitive cancers such as ovarian, cervical, uterine, prostate and certain head and neck cancers.

The ratio is accurately, easily and painlessly measured via a special urine test. The test we use to measure this ratio is called the Estronex Test.  Surprisingly, many doctors still do not use this valuable test. Contact us at (650) 593-4447 get your Estronex test.

If you take action for early breast cancer detection and find you are at high risk, you can work towards prevention.  Research has clearly established that this ratio can be modified by dietary and lifestyle modifications and nutrition supplements.  I’ve written about this in previous articles here, here and here.

According to Dr. William Amalu, a breast thermography expert:

The use of Digital Infrared Imaging (DII) is based on the principle that metabolic activity and vascular circulation in both pre-cancerous tissue and the area surrounding a developing breast cancer is almost always higher than in normal breast tissue. In an ever-increasing need for nutrients, cancerous tumors increase circulation to their cells by holding open existing blood vessels, opening dormant vessels, and creating new ones (neoangiogenesis).  This process frequently results in an increase in regional surface temperatures of the breast. DII uses ultra-sensitive medical infrared cameras and sophisticated computers to detect, analyze, and produce high-resolution images of these temperature variations. Because of DII’s extreme sensitivity, these temperature variations may be among the earliest signs of breast cancer and/or a pre-cancerous state of the breast ^{1 2 3 4 5}.

Radiation can cause cancer.  Unlike mammograms, breast thermography is radiation-free.  Breast thermography is more comfortable for women because it does not require squeezing of the breasts.  Since DII measures the metabolic activity of cells, and cancer cells are highly metabolically active even when they are of such a small number to be undetectable by mammograms, DII can pick up signs of breast cancer cells earlier than a mammogram.  Thus, it is an excellent tool for early breast cancer detection.

Contact us for more information on early breast cancer detection.  We also provide the program for modifying your risk of breast cancer.

Dr Husbands is a Chiropractor, a Certified Clinical Nutritionist, an Anti-Aging Healthcare Practitioner and a Functional Medicine Doctor. For more information, visit http://www.drhusbands.com.

One recent case was of woman who was exceptionally healthy.  She consulted me to help her with one thing: stop hot flashes.  She is a private exercise trainer and lives a very healthy lifestyle, including maintaining an excellent diet.  Her diagnostic tests for salivary and blood hormonal levels showed some imbalances in her estradiol and progesterone levels.  She also had slight DHEA imbalances.  I put her on the new nutritional program for hormonal balancing.  Remarkably, within 2 days of starting the program her hot flashes stopped!

I thought this was an exceptional case because the woman was really healthy.  In my many years of healthcare practice, a vast majority of people I’ve treated do not follow a healthy lifestyle.  Some even believe they do, but when I review their lifestyle, diet and nutrition, I find that the healthy ones are the exception, not the norm.

Thus, I thought the remarkable case of menopause treatment working in a matter of days would not occur for most of my patients.  I was pleasantly surprised with my next case of menopause treatment.  Like the very healthy woman, the next woman had significant hot flashes, too.  I put her on the same nutritional program with some slight tweaking.  In this case, the woman did not maintain a healthy lifestyle.  She was also a smoker.  I expected that it would take much longer to stop hot flashes.  To my surprise, she experienced her her menopause treatment working within a few days.  Her hot flashes decreased within a few days, not weeks or months.  She is her own words it was “much, much better!”

Having seen that the program works even when the woman had previously followed a healthy diet and lifestyle or not, my expectations have been raised.

I’m looking forward to publishing an article on this nutrition protocol.  Stay tuned!

Contact me if you have any questions.  I provide phone consults for those who are outside of the San Francisco bay area.

Dr Husbands is a Chiropractor, a Certified Clinical Nutritionist, an Anti-Aging Healthcare Practitioner and a Functional Medicine Doctor. For more information, visit http://www.drhusbands.com.

Copyright © 2009; Douglas Husbands, DC, CCN, ABAAHP. All rights reserved.

I’ve reviewed very strong opinions from those who are for and against using nutrition as a preventive measure and treatment modality for those with cancer.  I’ve noticed that a lot of those who reject or minimize the importance of nutrition in cancer resort to name-calling.  Those who support it tend to focus on the science behind the claims.

Well, for those who’ve been following this blog, you can guess which group I’m in.  The fact that nutrition is a powerful primary factor in the development, prevention, and a necessary component in the treatment of cancer, is strongly supported by many good objective studies in the scientific literature.  Following is a list of a few of my favorite nutrient factors and how they influence cancer, with literature references:

Indole-3-carbinol

• Indole-3-carbinol (I3C) is a compound found in high concentrations in the Brassica family vegetables, including broccoli, cauliflower, brussels sprouts, cabbage and kale.  Studies show that a concentrated dose of about 400 mg/day of I3C inhibits the growth of estrogen receptor-positive and estrogen receptor-negative breast cancer cells.
  References:
  1. Inhibition of proliferation and modulation of estradiol metabolism: novel mechanisms for breast cancer prevention by the phytochemical indole-3-carbinol Proc Soc Exp Biol Med 1997;216:246-52.
  2. Indole-3-carbinol and tamoxifen cooperate to arrest the cell cycle of MCF-7 human breast cancer cells. Cancer Res 1999;59:1244-51.
• I3C increases the beneficial estrogen metabolites and decreases the harmful estrogen metabolites.  Many research studies show that the pathways by which estrogen is metabolized is an important etiological factor in diseases such as breast cancer, uterine, ovarian, cervical and even head and neck cancers.  To briefly explain: Estradiol undergoes oxidative conversion to estrone.  Estradiol and estrone can undergo hydroxylation by different isoenzymes, either at the 2 or 16 carbon atoms. These different metabolites have opposing effects on estrogen receptors.  The 16-hydroxyestrone metabolites are associated with cancer cell proliferative effects where the 2-hydroxyestrone metabolites are associated with antiproliferative effects on cancer cells.  Research shows statistically significant decreased risk for uterine, ovarian and cervical cancers in women with higher ratios of 2 to 16 hydroxyestrones.   Using I3C, the anti-carcinogenic 2-hydroxyestrones increases and the pro-carcinogenic 16-hydroxyestrones decreases.
  References:
  1. Antiestrogen action of 2-hydroxystrone on MCF-7 human breast cancer cells. J Biol Chem 1984;259:4840-45.
  2. A pilot study of urinary estrogen metabolites (16 alpha-OHE1 and 2-OHE1) in postmenopausal women with and without breast cancer.  Environmental Health Perspectives. 1998;106:A126-A127.
  3. Estrogen metabolite ratios and risk assessment of hormone-related cancers. Assay validation and prediction of cervical cancer risk. Ann N Y Acad Sci 1995;768:312-16.
  4. Estrogen metabolism as a risk factor for head and neck cancer. Otolaryngol Head Neck Surg. 2001;124:241-47.
  5. Dose-ranging study of indole-3-carbinol for breast cancer prevention. J Cell Biochem Suppl 1997;28-29:111-16.
  6. Long-term responses of women to indole-3-carbinol or a high fiber diet. Cancer Epidemiol Biomarkers Prev 1994;3:591-5.
• I3C inhibits the ability of human breast cancer cells to metastasize.
  Reference:
  Inhibitory effects of indole-3-carbinol on invasion and migration in human breast cancer cells. Breast Cancer Res Treat 2000;63:147-52.

Calcium D-Glucarate

• D-glucaric acid or D-glucarate is a substance produced naturally in small amounts by humans and mammals.  Calcium-D-glucarate is the calcium salt of D-glucarate.  Glucarate is found in many fruits and vegetables with the highest concentrations in oranges, apples, grapefruit and cruciferous vegetables (broccoli in particular).  Calcium-D-glucarate has detoxifying and anti-carcinogenic properties, due to its abilities to induce a phase II detoxification process known as glucuronidation.  Animal studies have shown calcium-D-glucarate alone, and in combination with retinoids (compounds that are chemically related to vitamin A) inhibits breast cancer cell formation by up to 70 percent.
  References:

  1. Effect of calcium glucarate on b-glucuronidase activity and glucarate content of certain vegetables and fruits. Biochem Med Metab Bio 1990;43:83-92.
  2. Calcium glucarate as a chemoprotective agent in breast cancer. Isr J Med Sci 1995;31:101-5.

Omega-3 Fatty Acids

• Fatty acids required for maintaining human health which are not produced by the body in sufficient quantities are termed “essential fatty acids” (EFA’s).  The three groups of essential fatty acids, omega-3, omega-6, or omega-9, are all classified as “unsaturated” fatty acids.  These three have differing influences on many essential functions in the body.  Functions such as increasing or decreasing of  inflammation, closing or opening of the blood vessels, immune regulating properties, blood viscosity, and the ability of immune cells to attack cancer cells are a just a few of the functions influenced by EFA’s.  Eicosapentaenoic acid (EPA), and Docosahexaenoic acid (DHA) are the protective unsaturated essential fatty acids with good literature support for being helpful with cancer prevention.  Research studies have found EPA’s anti-tumor effect related to its suppression of cancer cell growth.  On the other hand, studies indicate that DHA’s anti-cancer effect are due to its ability to induce apoptosis of cancer cells.  Apoptosis is a natural, gentle form of cell death, which does not rupture the cell membrane and does not produce inflammation.  Thus, it does not damage nearby normal cells.  Apoptosis represents and orderly method of removing old damaged cells.
  References:
  1. Effects of fatty acids on invasion through reconstituted basement membrane (“Matrigel”) by a human breast cancer cell line. Cancer Lett 1993;75:137-42.
  2. Possible beneficial effect of fish and fish n-3 polyunsaturated fatty acids in breast and colorectal cancer. Eur. J. Cancer Prev., 1999;8:213-221.
  3. Dietary supplementation with eicosapentaenoic and Eicosapentaenoic acid inhibits growth of Morris hepatocarcinoma 3924A in rats: effects on proliferation and apoptosis. Int J Cancer. 1998;75:699-705.
  4. Cell cycle arrest and induction of apoptosis in pancreatic cancer cells exposed to eicosapentaenoic acid in vitro. Br J Cancer 1996;74:1375-83.

Vitamin D (cholecalciferol)

• Vitamin D in humans is primarily synthesized by the effect of UV-B light exposure from the sun to the skin.  For most fair-skinned people in latitudes equal to Southern California, having about 40% of their skin exposed to sun (without sunscreen) for about 10 minutes/day in the summer to about 20 minutes/day of sun exposure in the winter is adequate to maintain optimum blood 25-hydroxy-vitamin D (25OHD) levels.  At latitudes further north, greater time in the sun is required.  Also, those with darker skin require much greater sun exposure to maintain optimal blood 25-hydroxy-vitamin D levels.  Recent research points to about 3000 to 4000 IU of vitamin D required to maintain optimal blood vitamin D levels of 40 to 65 ng/mL.  Some mechanisms by which vitamin D decreases breast cancer include:
  • arresting the cell cycle of cancer cells in the first phase
  • promoting apoptosis of cancer cells
  • potentiating responsiveness of breast cancer cells to conventional cytotoxic agents
  References:
  1. The clinical importance of vitamin D (Cholecalciferol): A paradigm shift with implications for all healthcare providers. Alt Therapies Health Med 2004;10:28-37.
  2. Mechanisms implicated in the growth regulatory effects of vitamin D compounds in breast cancer cells. Recent Results Cancer Res. 2003;164:99-110.

Anti-oxidants (used even with concurent conventional cancer therapies)

• Most oncologists are taught in medical school that anti-oxidant supplements should not be used concurrently with conventional cancer therapies because they will interfere with treatment.  However, researchers have recently reviewed the medical literature from 1965 to 2003 regarding antioxidant use with concurrent chemotherapy. Their conclusions: “Since the 1970’s, 280 peer-reviewed in vitro and in vivo studies, including 50 human studies involving 8521 patients, 5081 of whom were given nutrients, have consistently shown that antioxidants do not interfere with therapeutic modalities for cancer. Furthermore, non-prescription antioxidants and other nutrients enhance the killing of therapeutic modalities for cancer, decrease their side effects, and protect normal tissue.  In 15 human studies, 3738 patients who took non-prescription antioxidants and other nutrients actually had increased survival.”
  References:
  1. Antioxidants and other nutrients do not interfere with chemotherapy or radiation therapy and can increase kill and increase survival, part 1. Alt Therapies Health Med 2007;13:22-26.
  2. Antioxidants and other nutrients do not interfere with chemotherapy or radiation therapy and can increase kill and increase survival, part 2. Alt Therapies Health Med 2007;13:40-47.

I’ve heard statements like these from a lot of women who have contacted me to help lose weight.  Even with proper diet and regular exercise, many women in their late 30’s and older can’t lose weight.  Some have seen various doctors, have had multiple tests, and have been told that there’s nothing wrong.  Worse yet, they may have been given a prescription weight-loss drug, initially lost a lot of weight, but gained it all back (plus more) once they got off the drug.

For many of these women, there are real problems why they can’t lose weight.  Some of the most common problems are:

1. hormonal imbalance – Their hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal-thyroid-gonadal axis (HPATG) has been thrown way out of balance.
2. multi-systemic imbalances – For so many years, they have chased symptoms with various drugs, which have caused multi-systemic imbalances.

The bad news is unless these problems are resolved, they really can’t lose weight.  The good news is we can solve these problems.

I’ll review these two problems, and then I’ll provide the highly successful method we’ve used with patients to help lose weight.

HPATG Imbalances

The HPATG axis is a complex group of direct influences and feedback interactions among the adrenal and thyroid glands, the gonads, the hypothalamus, and the pituitary gland.  It is a major component of the neuroendocrine system and regulates many systems in our bodies, such as the immune system, the digestive system, mood and emotions, etc.

The hypothalamus controls sleep-wake cycles, hunger, thirst and body temperature.  It is a part of the brain that links the nervous system to the hormonal system (aka, the endocrine system).  It does this through a direct connection to the pituitary gland.  Think of the pituitary gland as the master gland for the endocrine system.  It sends hormones to all glands of our bodies.

There are specific pituitary hormones targeted for each gland in our bodies.  For instance, the pituitary hormone Adrenocorticotropic Hormone (ACTH), acts on the adrenal glands, so the target gland for ACTH is the adrenal glands.  The pituitary hormone Thyroid Stimulating Hormone’s (TSH) target gland is the thyroid gland.  The target glands for the two pituitary hormones, Luteinizing Hormone (LH) and Follicle-Stimulating Hormone (FSH) are the sex glands (or gonads).

The hypothalamus sends a signal to the pituitary to release its hormones to the target glands.  The target glands send feedback to the pituitary.  Likewise, the pituitary gland sends a feedback to the hypothalamus.  This feedback is necessary to balance the release of hormones from the pituitary gland to the target glands.

Many factors can throw the HPATG axis off balance.  If it is thrown off balance frequently enough, or for long enough, significant hormonal imbalances occur which results in significant illness.  When this happens, people, especially women, often gain weight and can’t lose weight.

Multi-system Imbalances

The use of a drug to relieve the side effect of another drug is called symptom-chasing.  Let’s look at an example:

A woman was prescribed a cholesterol-lowering drug.  A few months later, she started having muscle aches and pain with muscle weakness and cramping for no apparent reason. She took over-the-counter painkiller for relief, but it didn’t help much.  She thought that the muscle pain and weakness was due to some stressful time, not getting enough sleep or just getting older.  She lives with the symptoms because they are not so bad.

Obviously, symptom-chasing does not treat the initial problem, but rather compounds the problem.  Many are like this woman.  They chase symptoms for years.  Eventually, some of their body systems become imbalanced, including their HPATG axis.  Their estrogen detoxification mechanisms become inadequate and they gain weight.  Consequently, they can’t lose weight and seek assistance to help lose weight.

Treatment to Correct Imbalances and Help Lose Weight

Using the functional medicine approach, I identify the most problematic origins of the system imbalances, and then provide target therapies that focuses on dietary modifications, customized nutritional supplements, lifestyle modifications and chiropractic manipulation to restore balance to the systems.  First, I conduct a thorough medical, dietary and lifestyle history to identify the most important target(s) in the HPTAG axis imbalance.  Next, I order diagnostic tests to confirm problems I identified.  I look at specific components of the HPATG axis in relation to the patient’s condition.  Since the body works as an interdependent connection of systems, I also look at other body systems.  Often, the gastrointestinal system (GI) is involved with HPATG imbalances.

Estrogens are detoxified, both in males and females, through various detoxification pathways. The predominant pathway could be either the 2-hydroxyestrone (2OH) pathway or 16-alpha-hydroxyestrone (16αOH). The 2OH pathway is the healthy pathway. When this is predominant, there’s a lower incidence of breast or cervical cancer in women and prostate cancer in men. On the other hand, when the 16αOH pathway is predominant, there’s a higher incidence of these cancers in women and men.  Incidentally, the people whose predominant detoxification pathway is the 16αOH pathway are typically those that can’t lose weight and need help to lose weight.

We use an advanced  functional laboratory urine test to determine the levels of 2 or 16 hydroxyestrones and which pathway is predominant.  The estrogen detoxification pathways can be then easily be manipulated to the healthy 2OH pathway through a treatment plan that is tailored to the patient which includes:

• therapeutic dose of nutrition supplement combination of indole-3-carbinol, folic acid, vitamin B6, vitamin B12, and omega-3 fatty acids
• other nutrition supplements
• dark-green leafy vegetables
• low glycemic fruit
• limited consumption of sugar and caffeine
• better management of stress
• exercise
• chiropractic adjustments to decrease any neurologic irritation
• improve sleep

When the plan is adhered to and given time to work, proper function of the HPATG axis is achieved and weight loss would occur.

Read some of our patient testimonials.

Dr Husbands is a Chiropractor, a Certified Clinical Nutritionist, an Anti-Aging Healthcare Practitioner and a Functional Medicine Doctor. For more information, visit http://www.drhusbands.com.

Copyright © 2009; Douglas Husbands, DC, CCN, ABAAHP. All rights reserved.

These are some of the most common complaints of women that consulted me who are mostly in their mid to late 30’s.  Besides these common complaints, the following were also common among them:

1. Use of birth control pills for more than 3 years between teenage years to 20’s
2. A significant stressor or multiple stressors in a short time period preceeding the deterioration of their health
3. Normal mammogram
4. Food sensitivites or intolerances, and other gastrointestinal (GI) symptoms
5. Subjective symptoms indicative of adrenal fatigue
6. Lab test results showing signs of thyroid dysfunction

I am seeing an increased number of women with these problems.  I have found that in most of these cases xenobiotics is the underlying cause.  A xenobiotic is a chemical in the human body that is not produced by it and typically not expected to be in it.  Birth control pills (BCP’s), corticosteroids, and many drugs can be classified as xenobiotics.  They are foreign to the human body and not produced by it and they are only expected to be in it because they were prescribed.  Environmental toxic exposures are ubiquitous in the environment.  They have been shown to be in all tissue samples in a study performed between 1967 to 1990 by the Environmental Protection Agency.  A detailed report of this was reviewed in my June 2007 newsletter. 

The combination of powerful hormonal modulators, which BCP’s and corticosteroids are, along with the estrogenic-activity-inducing environmental toxins, are overloading many women’s ability to detoxify and eliminate these toxins. 

Once I diagnose and determine the underlying cause (or causes), I am able to provide a treatment plan that may include:

1. Improving GI tract microflora and restoing GI tract lining integrity
2. Improving the body’s detoxification capacity for balanced detoxification
3. Providing nutrient support for all affected body systems with emphasis on adrenal balancing
4. Decreasing any nervous system restrictions or irritation through chiropractic adjustments

If this condition is similar to yours, let us help you restore your health.  Contact us at (650)593-4447 to schedule an appointment.  If you have any questions, please fill out the contact form on this page.

Dr Husbands is a Chiropractor, a Certified Clinical Nutritionist, an Anti-Aging Healthcare Practitioner and a Functional Medicine Doctor. For more information, visit http://www.drhusbands.com.

Copyright © 2009; Douglas Husbands, DC, CCN, ABAAHP. All rights reserved. ]]> http://www.drhusbands.com/blog/pms-fatigue-or-difficulty-losing-weight-may-be-due-to-xenobiotic/feed/ 1 http://www.drhusbands.com/blog/adrenal-stress-and-hormonal-imbalance-connection-with-gut-problem/ http://www.drhusbands.com/blog/adrenal-stress-and-hormonal-imbalance-connection-with-gut-problem/#comments Fri, 21 Aug 2009 15:52:05 +0000 drhusbands http://www.drhusbands.com/blog/?p=787 In preparing for teaching doctors from around the world in the 17th Annual World Congress on Anti-Aging Medicine and Regenerative Biomedical Technologies conference, I have been reminded how greatly any alterations in Gastrointestinal (GI) tract beneficial bacteria (microflora) affects the adrenal stress response.  The state of imbalanced GI microflora can stress you out by:

• turning up your adrenal glands into overdrive
• causing your thyroid to go out of whack
• causing your estrogens and progesterone to go haywire, and
• lead you into multiple hormonal imbalances 

There are so many women who have been misdiagnosed and have been unnecessarily prescribed the common thyroid prescription medication Synthroid.  This occurs because a lot of doctors use TSH and T4 for thyroid screening lab tests as primary diagnostic tools for hypothyroidism.  However, they are not looking deeper.  Very often, the adrenals go out of whack first.  More often than realized, recurrent use of antibiotics and/or corticosteroid inhalers or corticosteroid creams kill the beneficial GI microflora.   Since 60% of your immune system is in your GI tract, an imbalanced GI tract microflora causes immune system imbalances, which in turn, causes adrenal dysregulation.  Adrenal dysregulation alters thyroid function.  Thyroid problems cause sex hormone imbalances.  Consequently, you get multi-system dysregulation.  Quite often, doctors prescribe more and more medications as symptoms increase.  Ultimately, women that go through this never get better because the root causes are not properly identified and treated. 

In many of the other posts on this blog and articles in my newsletter archives, I’ve discussed components of the multi-system dysregulation.  In the upcoming conference, I am getting an opportunity to bring all this together before a large group of health care professionals.  I’m looking forward to discussing the research studies and scientific priniciples for using nutrition, lifestyle modifications, spinal manipulation and other natural means for resolving this multi-system dysregulation.  The title of my presentation is “Optimizing GI Tract Function as a Therapeutic Component of Hormonal Regulation in Women”.

By the way, the resulting multi-system dysregulation originating from gut problems is also applicable to men.  I’ve focused on women here because this has been on my mind lately due to preparing for my upcoming presentation.

Dr Husbands is a Chiropractor, a Certified Clinical Nutritionist, an Anti-Aging Healthcare Practitioner and a Functional Medicine Doctor. For more information, visit http://www.drhusbands.com.

Copyright © 2009; Douglas Husbands, DC, CCN, ABAAHP. All rights reserved.

If you need additional help, contact me.

Dr Husbands is a Chiropractor, a Certified Clinical Nutritionist, an Anti-Aging Healthcare Practitioner and a Functional Medicine Doctor. For more information, visit http://www.drhusbands.com.

Copyright © 2009; Douglas Husbands, DC, CCN, ABAAHP. All rights reserved

1. My Top 5 Supplement Recommendations for Men Under 40
2. My Top 5 Supplement Recommendations for Men over 40
3. My Top 5 Supplement Recommendations for Women under 40
4. My Top 5 Supplement Recommendations for Women over 40

These are the minimum recommendations to maintain optimum health in this day and age. There are others that are helpful in particular conditions, but those are best covered in one-to-one consultation to tailor supplements according to the person’s conditions. If you are taking prescription or non-prescription medications, I recommend consulting a health care provider that is knowledgeable about your condition and nutritional supplements.

Dr Husbands is a Chiropractor, a Certified Clinical Nutritionist, an Anti-Aging Healthcare Practitioner and a Functional Medicine Doctor. For more information, visit http://www.drhusbands.com.

Copyright © 2009; Douglas Husbands, DC, CCN, ABAAHP. All rights reserved