10 tips to Prevent Colds and Stop the Flu
Cold and flu season is upon us.
Getting a cold or the flu is miserable and in some case can be debilitating. Here are ten simple tips that can help you get through the winter season feeling happy and healthy. If you do get a cold or flu, we have natural remedies that support your immune system so the recovery period is quick and complete.
- Get a good night sleep - Sleeping can boost your immune system which is crucial for defending against cold viruses. It allows your body to repair and heal itself and to fight infection.
- Exercise - Moderate exercise 30 - 60 minutes a day increases immune function and leave you feeling happy and stress free.
- Stimulate your lymphatic system - The lymphatic system’s function is to cleanse toxins and to protect against harmful invaders. The lymphatic system doesn't have a pump and relies on the relaxation and contraction of muscles. Jumping jacks, jumping on a trampoline or turning on cold water for 30 seconds at the end of your daily hot shower are great ways to stimulate the lymphatic system.
- Eat foods containing zinc - Zinc enhances and supports the immune system which aids in the prevention of colds as well as decreases the duration of a cold should you get one. Example of foods high zinc are oysters, pumpkins seeds and toasted wheat germ.
- Eat Garlic - Garlic has antimicrobial properties that can ward off bacteria and viruses. It is very easy to be creative and include garlic in your meals.
- Wash your sinuses - Nasal irrigation using net pots and saline sprays help to rinse bacteria, viruses and allergens from the nasal passage.
- Be happy - A positive attitude can go a long way to keeping you healthy. It promotes changes in your body that strengthens your immune system and makes you less susceptible to illness.
- Drink water - The winter air and indoor heating can be very drying. Drinking plenty of water hydrating the body keeps your body and immune system working efficiently.
- Hand washing - Being diligent about washing your hands can prevent the spread of viruses to yourself and others.
- Use Dr. Gruber’s Emergency Pack at the first sign of a cold or fever - The emergency pack is a three day supply of high potency Vitamin D3 and Vitamin A. These vitamins act like hormones to communicate with your innate immune system. Vitamin D helps regulate the immune system and can dramatically reduce your risk of getting a cold or the flu. Vitamin A plays a role in immune system health and may prevent a cold from taking hold.
If you want to have an emergency pack on-hand, please call the office (203) 539-1149 to order.
What to Expect From a Naturopathic Physician
What to Expect From a Naturopathic Physician
An initial appointment with a naturopathic physician (ND) lasts about 1.5 hours and includes questions about your medical history, lifestyle and health habits. An ND might order lab testing if he or she believes it’s indicated.
Your ND will prepare a personalized plan to bring you to optimal health. That might include any combination of natural healing treatments, such as acupuncture, homeopathy, counseling, botanicals, biofeedback for stress reduction, and others.
When you visit an ND, be prepared to take an active role in your own health! You’ll receive personalized recommendations regarding diet, exercise, and any other factors that might affect your well being. Ultimately, you’re in control of your health, and only you can decide to make healthy changes. But with an ND, you have a guide to lead you through the confusing maze of nutrition, exercise, and general health information.
When You Feel Ill
When you do feel ill, NDs are well trained to diagnose your disease. They treat the root cause, leading to true wellness. Symptoms, while uncomfortable, are often signs of an underlying disease process. Your ND will identify and prioritize obstacles to your health. Your treatment plan will always address your whole self, physical, emotional, and spiritual. It will help lead you to a condition of well being and empowerment for your health.
A Naturopathic Physician Can Help You With These Areas:
NEUROLOGICAL
- Depression
- Insomnia
- Anxiety and Panic
- ADD/ADHD
- Migraine
- Tinnitus
- Dementia
CARDIOVASCULAR
- Hypertension
- Atherosclerosis
- Neuropathy
- Anemia
- Claudication
- Congestive Heart Failure
ENDOCRINE
- Obesity
- Diabetes I & II
- Insulin Resistance Syndrome
- Hypoglycemia
ACUTE
- Sore throat, colds, & coughs
- Physical Injury
IMMUNE
- Allergies
- Psoriasis
- Polymyalgia Rheumatica
- Rheumatoid Arthritis
- Fibromyalgia
- Lupus
- Sjogren
- LYME Disease
INFLAMMATORY
- Pain
- Arthritis
- Sinusitis
DIGESTIVE
- Indigestion
- Constipation
- Diarrhea
- Ulcerative Colitis
- Irritable Bowel
SPECIALTIES OF INTEGRATIVE MEDICINE
- Surgical Preparation
- Cancer Support
Detoxification is a Spring Thing
During spring, nature goes through the lovely process of renewal. Cleansing and detoxification is a gentle and effective way to bring the energy of renewal into our own lives. Spring cleaning is more than just detoxifying the body, it can also mean avoiding toxins in our thoughts and emotions, as well as our environment. Below are some gentle and safe ways to bring the energy of spring cleaning into your life, from the inside out.
Detoxification is Cleansing the Body
Our bodies are exposed to toxins on a daily basis from the air we breathe to the products we use. There are several body systems that help us eliminate these toxins such as our liver, our kidneys, and even our sweat. But, these systems can get overwhelmed and often need a little help and support. This is often referred to as doing a “detoxification”. Modern living can bring us into contact with so many toxins that everyone could use a good detox, especially in the spring!
Detoxification is the process of reducing the amount of toxins that we are exposed to in order to rest the detoxification pathways in the body, as well as encourage the release of toxins that are stored in the body. There are a variety of methods for detoxing the body. Most consist of resting the body by eliminating solid foods for a short time and instead consuming cleansing foods such as special broths, juices, teas, herbs or supplements. Supporting the metabolic pathways of the liver and kidneys are so important (see 14-Day Detox Program). After the cleansing period is over, a very clean diet is slowly reintroduced.
Several hidden factors can complicate a detox such as blood sugar issues, or if a person has been exposed to heavy metals or other dangerous toxins. It is important to seek the professional assistance of a for any detoxification.
Cleansing the Environment
A clean body will only benefit us so long without the support of a clean environment. There are several sources of toxins in our environment that need to be addressed. The most important is toxins in our food supply. It is important to be eating organic fruits and vegetables, organic meats, non-GMO whole grains, and limit processed foods as these contain dyes, flavor enhancers, preservatives, and other industrial chemicals. Clean water is also a must, including filtered water in non-toxic containers. Glass is the best storage container for water, followed by stainless steel, and BPA-free plastic.
Another area of toxic exposure is in our homes. Household cleaners, laundry products, lawn care chemicals, and bug sprays expose us to numerous chemicals and petroleum based toxins. Even cosmetics, perfumes, shampoos, face washes, deodorants, and toothpastes have chemicals that can disrupt our health. Health food stores offer environmentally-friendly, all-natural products.
Cleansing the Spirit
One overlooked area of detox is our thoughts and emotions. To truly embrace the benefits of a spring clean, we must also look at the mental and emotional environment we live in every day. Chronic stress is one of the most toxic emotions to live with on a daily basis. Not only can it tax the body by stimulating stress hormones, it taxes the spirit and positive mental outlook. Other toxic emotions such as anger, resentment, jealousy, anxiety, and depression need to be dealt with. Naturopathic Medicine helps support more than just your body, it helps support the whole person including one’s emotional state.
Some strategies everyone can use to help support their spring cleaning are deep cleansing breaths, meditation, staying hydrated with clean water, and exercising.
References
Lindlahr, Henry, and Jocelyn C. P. Proby. 1975. Philosophy of natural therapeutics. Saffron Walden: C.W. Daniel Co.
Pizzorno, Joseph E., and Michael T. Murray. 1999. Textbook of natural medicine. Edinburgh: Churchill Livingstone.
Vasey, Christopher. 2009. The naturopathic way: how to detox, find quality nutrition, and restore your acid-alkaline balance. Rochester, Vt: Healing Arts Press.
Family and Environmental Medicine help patients with detoxification programs. Dr Gary Gruber provides private appointments for patients from around the country who seek health and healing with Complementary and Alternative Medicine. The majority of patients are from the local area including Greenwich CT, Stamford CT, Darien CT, Norwalk CT, New Canaan CT, Wilton CT, Westchester County, NY, NYC, and Northern NJ.
Family and Environmental Medicine help patients with Natural and Holistic Treatments for a healthy immune system.Local areas served are CT, NY, NJ.
Local area including Greenwich, Stamford, Darien, Norwalk, New Canaan, Wilton CT, Westchester County, NY, NYC, and Northern NJ
Naturopathic Medicine: Top Ten Tips for Good Health in a Tough Economy
Naturopathic Medicine Principles
A guiding principle of naturopathic medicine is the physical body will heal itself when the obstacles to that healing are removed. This principle is called vis medicatrix naturae - the healing power of Nature. A second principle is to treat the whole person. This principle recognizes that a person is not only the physical body. The physical, emotional, and spiritual are integral parts of the whole person.
To live within these principles of naturopathic medicine should not be expensive. The greatest obstacles to health that we face as a culture today are the tens of thousands of man-made chemicals and natural toxins that suppress our immune system. These chemicals also trigger gene expression that leads to diseases. Avoidance is critical for good health. It is a matter of making conscious choices about the foods that are consumed.
Stress plays an important role in our health. But it is not only how we manage stress. Releasing negative feelings while focusing on positive thoughts is the most powerful practice of natural medicine that leads to well-being and happiness.
The tips in the following list support these naturopathic medicine principles:
- Eat colorful vegetables and fruits; avoid processed sugar, potatoes, flours, or hydrogenated oils.
- Drink the purest water available.
- Eat raw and lightly cooked seasonal foods so that you limit exposure to roasted, baked and fried foods.
- Use natural cleaners and glass containers so that you avoid plastics and harsh chemicals in the home and in food preparation. Grow house plants that absorb toxins in the air.
- Enjoy relaxing heat therapies such as baths, steam and saunas.
- Eat organic and free-range foods when available.
- Expand your mindfulness by daily spiritual practice of meditation and/or contemplation.
- Move your body; walk, don't drive; take the stairs.
- Work on body mechanics by stretching and strengthening weak muscle groups.
- Stay connected: strengthen relations with your family and friends. Be active in your community!
Family and Environmental Medicine help patients with Natural Solutions that support health and well-being. The information contained in this article is not intended as the only natural solutions but should be considered as part of a holistic program of healing. Dr Gary Gruber provides private appointments for patients from around the country who seek health and healing with Complementary and Alternative Medicine. The majority of patients are from the local area including Greenwich CT, Stamford CT, Darien CT, Norwalk CT, New Canaan CT, Wilton CT, Westchester County, NY, NYC, and Northern NJ. For other Natural Solutions please contact us at (203) 966-6360.
Laboratory Testing & Evaluation
Conventional
- Blood Chemistry and Complete Blood Count
- Standard Urinalysis
- Cardiovascular/Diabetes panel: a panel designed to assess and monitor inflammatory and nutritional markers that are directly associated with diabetes and cardiovascular disease.
Environmental
- Heavy Metals Urinalysis: Initially, this test is run for two samples; a first morning urine specimen and a six hour urine specimen after taking a chelating agent. Both specimens are analyzed for 15 heavy metals. The first morning urine assesses current exposure; the six hour collection assesses body burden. After the initial testing, the six hour urine specimen is used to track treatment effectiveness.
Porphyrins: Analyzes urine for defects in porphyrin pathways. This test is useful for screening children for heavy metal toxicity. This test can help identify the severity of heavy metal and chemical exposures resulting in impaired metabolism and cellular dysfunction.- Xenobiotics: Serious health problems are associated with chronic exposures to these synthetic chemicals in air, water, and food. This test analyses chronic exposure to solvents, chlorinated and brominated hydrocarbons, phthalates, and organophosphates that are associated with metabolic, neurological, and hormonal dysfunction.
Porphyrins: Analyzes urine for defects in porphyrin pathways. This test is useful for screening children for heavy metal toxicity. This test can help identify the severity of heavy metal and chemical exposures resulting in impaired metabolism and cellular dysfunction.Metabolic
- Organic Acids: Organic acids are metabolic intermediates produced in pathways of energy production, detoxification, neurotransmitter breakdown, and intestinal microbial activity. Urinary OA’s reveal nutritional deficiencies, toxic overload, inherited enzyme deficits, metabolic inhibition, and imbalance in digestive tract microbiology.
- Amino Acids: Failure to obtain enough essential amino acids has serious health implications. Deficiencies are implicated in gastrointestinal dysfunction, biotransformation pathways, neurotransmitter metabolism, and chronic metabolic acidosis.
- Hormones and Neurotransmitters: Physiological Stress and Emotional stress affect hormone and neurotransmitter metabolism. Identifying these stresses and treating the underlying hormone and neurotransmitter imbalances is critical to long-term health and wellbeing.
- ADMA: A very strong marker of endothelial dysfunction and a predictor of insulin resistance.
Nutritional
Nutritional- Micronutrient Test: Measures the functional nutrient level of white blood cells. The nutrients that are tested are vitamins, minerals, antioxidants, and essential amino acids. Accurately shows a 3 – 6 month window of nutritional deficiency, a cause of many chronic conditions. For more information please click here.
- Stool test for SIgA: The most sensitive test for Gluten, Casein, Soy, Egg sensitivities.
- Fatty Acids: This test helps establish deficiencies and proper balance of omega 3, 6, and 9 fatty acids.
Digestive Functional
- Comprehensive Digestive Analysis: The use of DNA analysis provides a more complete and accurate assessment of bacterial and parasitic inflammation than conventional culture techniques. The test also looks at the strength of the digestive system in the breakdown and absorption of essential nutrients.
- Gastro pH: Proper digestion and absorption of nutrients is influenced by stomach pH. This simple in office test establishes a basis for good digestive function.
- Intestinal Permeability: When the lining of the digestive tract is compromised, undigested proteins will be absorbed into the body generating an immune response. The immune response may expose the person to an autoimmune process. This test for intestinal permeability establishes a baseline for gut dysfunction and a monitor for therapeutic results.
- Mycology Profile: Stool testing for yeast/fungi in the gut. Yeast overgrowth has been linked to many chronic conditions such as headache, bloating, atopic dermatitis, and fatigue.
Genetic Testing
- Detoxification Profile: Evaluation of single nucleotide polymorphisms helps to understand specific phenotypical variations in a personal genome that affects detoxification pathways of biotransformation. Specifically looks at Phase 1 Cytochrome p450 enzymes, Phase 2 Pathways, and Oxidative Stress.
- Celiac and Gluten Sensitivity Profile: This genetic testing helps to establish the susceptibility to one or both of these conditions.
Immunological
Lyme Profile Traditional: ELISA and Western Blot for Borrelia burgdorferi and other tick borne infections.- Lyme Disease Expanded: Comprehensive immune function against Borrelia burgdorferi includes T Cell activation and pro-inflammatory cytokine levels.
- Lyme Disease and Coinfections: A comprehensive multi-peptide ELISA that is the most sensitive method for detection of tick borne diseases. This method uses advanced in vivo induced antigen technology and identifies antigens that are immunogenic and are expressed in vivo during human infection.
- Autoimmune Panel: Autoimmune antibodies are measurable well in advance of the manifestation of pathology. This new expanded panel identifies susceptibility to autoimmune diseases and establishes a course of prevention.
Lyme Profile Traditional: ELISA and Western Blot for Borrelia burgdorferi and other tick borne infections.
Is It Brain Fog?
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Naturopathic Medicine in New Canaan, CT
Are you looking for a naturopathic doctor in New Canaan CT?
Naturopathic Medicine recognizes that you, the patient, have very specific health issues that should be addressed on three levels: physical, emotional, and spiritual. Each level has its own complexity; the sum of the levels is you. This makes you a unique individual.
Our practice is patient focused which allows me to develop an individualized treatment plan for you. It means that I must listen very closely and carefully to your health concerns so that the treatment plan is appropriate and accurate for you. Ultimately, you are the healer and we facilitate a plan to help you remove the obstacles to your healing.
Research has shown that the more involved a patient is with the decisions about his/her treatment, the better the clinical outcome. When you visit our office don’t be surprised to hear questions like: What do you most fear about your illness? What impact have your symptoms had on your life? How are you hoping that I can help you today? What kind of treatment are you looking for? What do you believe is the source of your problems? Patients who choose Naturopathic Medicine are passionate for life.
Here at Family and Environmental Medicine, we believe in emphasizing the informative aspects of naturopathic medicine, and strive to make them easily accessible.
Naturopathy isn't limited in how it can help, in fact, Naturopathic Doctors can treat many conditions...
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Looking for a naturopathic doctor in New Canaan, Connecticut that takes insurance?
Family and Environmental medicine is proud to be an in-network provider for the following insurance providers.
Anthem BlueCross BlueShield
Anthem Blue Cross and Blue Shield understand how health connects individuals and communities together. Their commitment to deliver better healthcare brings added value to their insured and improves overall health.
Visit Anthem BlueCross BlueShield
Cigna
Cigna’s roots trace back more than 200 years ago, but the today’s company was created from the merger of INA Corp and
Connecticut General Corporation in 1982.
Reiki for Cancer
Reiki for cancer - CAM therapy
Cancer treatments, while life saving for many people, often cause painful and debilitating side effects to a person's whole body system. Treatments like radiation, chemotherapy and surgery can often effectively put cancer into remission for the patient. However, such treatments also cause severe mental and physical side effects such as nausea, vomiting, anxiety and depression.
Complementary and alternative medicine (CAM) therapies such as massage and Reiki for cancer are gaining popularity among cancer patients. People generally use these methods in addition the traditional medical treatments they receive. Complementary and alternative therapies frequently decrease feelings of stress, anxiety or depression in the patient.
Reiki is not considered to be a cancer treatment in and of itself but is used and viewed by most as a complementary therapy designed to work in conjunction with an existing ongoing medical treatment. Some patients undergoing cancer treatment feel that Reiki has helped them manage pain. Others feel that Reiki helps them be more relaxed, or they have experienced a lessening of the physical side effects of treatments like radiation and chemotherapy through the complementary use of Reiki.
The Science of Reiki for cancer
Unfortunately not a lot of scientific data exists yet that measurably details the effectiveness of Reiki for cancer including serious cancers like a mesothelioma diagnosis, lymphoma or melanoma. Still, a lot of anecdotal evidence exists that dictates how individuals have experienced the benefits of Reiki during their cancer treatments. Also, more scientific studies are being performed regularly, and proponents of Reiki remain optimistic that further evidence to support the use of Reiki during cancer treatment will emerge.
In an April 2011 article in The Annals of Surgical Oncology, Dr. Sheldon Marc Feldman, Columbia University Medical Center's Chief of Breast Surgical Oncology "incorporates the role of Reiki practitioners" to reduce the stressful impact of traditional cancer treatments on the body. Dr. Feldman recommends Reiki to patients as a way to ready themselves before treatment. He also recommends it as a treatment to use concurrently during chemotherapy, radiation or surgery as well as after those procedures.
Reported Outcomes of Reiki for cancer
During several documented cases, patients felt that with the assistance of Reiki performed by a certified Reiki practitioner much of the other medical procedures and treatments seemed easier to bear mentally. The Reiki for cancer treatments aided the patients in feeling greater tranquility and peace of mind.
People also have reported that they feel more empowered with the use of Reiki during medical procedures. There is additional anecdotal evidence from patients who state that their use of Reiki for cancer has helped them alleviate pain as effectively as or more effectively than pharmaceutical treatments. Some people have reported as well that by using Reiki during radiation treatments they felt that their bodies held up better under the treatment and did not experience much tissue destruction.
Proponents of Reiki for cancer therapy believe that the benefits cancer patients receive are because Reiki energy itself is the energy of the life force, which aids the body in renewing and regenerating itself during times of trauma. While evidence of this cannot be proven, evidence does exist that shows that any calming therapies including Reiki, massage and meditation provide benefits to the patient.
Reiki for cancer – Areas we serve
Family and Environmental Medicine help patients with cancer who implement natural, complementary and alternative medicine therapies. The information contained in this article is not intended as the sole natural medicine for cancer treatment but should be considered as part of a holistic program of healing. Dr Gary S. Gruber provides private appointments for patients from around the country. The majority of patients are from the local area including Greenwich CT, Stamford CT, Darien CT, Norwalk CT, New Canaan CT, Wilton CT, Westchester County, NY, NYC, and Northern NJ. For other natural solutions to cancer please contact us at (203) 966-6360.
U.S. Health Care Crisis - Part 1: The Myth of the Medical Model
U.S. Health Care Crisis– Part 1: The Myth of the Medical Model
Gary S. Gruber ND
Recent political rhetoric insists that the best public policy and solution to the “health care crisis” is to make health care affordable and accessible to all. This basic idea that each person should have responsibility for and be empowered by her or his own health care is a very good one. However, there is a hidden issue that is not addressed: What is the best medical model of creating health care?
What if the understanding of what fixes health problems is essentially wrong?
Look at the leading causes of death that create the spiraling costs for Americans: Heart Disease, Stroke, and Cancer. These diseases, although associated with age, in fact affect almost all age groups and are on the increase at rates that are faster than the growth of the aging population. The cost to society is escalating with no end in sight. According to a recent study by Cathy J. Bradley, PhD*, the cost of cancer in the year 2000 of $115.8 billion is expected to jump to $147.6 billion by the year 2020, a leap of almost 30%. In 2008, alone, the American Heart Association estimated the cost of cardiovascular disease to be $448.5 billion**. It is no wonder we feel we are in the midst of a health care crisis.
However, our medical model for dealing with these killers is based on the science of treating infectious diseases. The basic mythology built into this model is that there is a drug to cure every disease (which is why pharmaceutical companies are so feverishly involved in medical legislation and advertising).
This model is simply wrong, and it needs to be replaced by new practices that enable us to detoxify ourselves and our environment. Call the old model “the magic pill cure”; call the new model Environmental Medicine.
To understand the current health care problems we can look back in history and trace the development of American medical care . . . click here to read full article.
* Bradley CJ, et al. Productivity Costs of Cancer Mortality in the United States: 2000 – 2020. J Natl Cancer Inst 2008; 100: 1763 - 1770.
**http://www.americanheart.org
Fat, Weight Loss and "Hormones"
Fat is Necessary
Fat is really not a bad thing unless it is a cause of inflammation and chronic disease. Fat is a source of energy and it is the backbone for making cells and signaling chemicals called hormones.
Here is a shocking statistic: one out of three men and women in the United States are considered overweight. And alarmingly, 17% of children between 2 and 19 years are obese. Every year thousands of people resolve to lose weight, to shed those excess pounds that creep up year by year. Medical experts report that diet and exercise are the key to weight and fat loss. We are bombarded by commercials and programming that suggest diet and exercise are the solution to reducing fat. We buy carefully selected menus and enlist in fitness clubs and programs. Some are successful yet most people shed a few pounds only to rebound to past levels and beyond. The results are miserable and very few people lose weight permanently. People blame themselves for poor lifestyle choices. It is predominant “medical wisdom” that suggests changing behaviors will lead to permanent weight loss.
With a seemly unlimited number of diets and exercise programs, why are the results for weight and fat loss so poor? “Convincing evidence suggests that diet and activity level are not the only factors in this trend – chemical “obesogens” may alter human metabolism and predispose some people to gain weight.”(1)
Fat Cells are Stimulated by Obesogens
Obesogen is a new medical term that combines the two words obesity and estrogen (a hormone in both men and predominately women). Hormones produced naturally in the body are chemical signals that help different systems communicate with each other. Hormones attach to cell receptors like a “lock and key” mechanism that turns on or turns off gene expression. For example, the brain makes a chemical called thyroid stimulating hormone (TSH) that stimulates the thyroid gland to make another chemical thyroxine (T4) that circulates to the liver and kidneys where it is converted to triiodothyronine (T3). T3 is the activated thyroid hormone that stimulates cells in the digestive system, the urinary system, the brain, and other systems to make energy and do work. All along the pathway each thyroid hormone stimulates a cell receptor causing the cell to do something. Hence, obesogens are chemicals that act like cellular signaling hormones that influence weight gain and the inability to lose fat.
The understanding of how obesogens affect cells is still being worked out by scientists and physiologists. The best information so far is based on research concerning tin biocides (“toxic to life”). In this research it was found that these tin-based chemicals stimulated cells by activating a very specific cell receptor, the peroxisome proliferator-activated receptor (PPAR-gamma). (2) Adipose cells are storage depots for fat, a source of energy when food is scarce. In the beginning, when new cells are growing and haven’t quite determined what type of cell they should be, activating the PPAR-gamma receptor of the cell will cause it to become an adipose cell. When an existing adipose cell has its PPAR-gamma receptor stimulated the cell adds more fat into storage. This mechanism strongly suggests that the environment affects fat metabolism. In a mouse study the researchers gave low doses of perfluorooctanoic acid (PFOA, found in Teflon, Scotchguard, and Gore-Tex) to a group of mice in the same diet of their brothers and sisters who did not receive PFOA. The mice whose diet contained PFOA became morbidly obese. (3)
Obesogens are ubiquitous. They are in our food and water; they are in the air we breathe. Developing children and adolescents are considered more susceptible than adults, but this could be because children born today have a higher total load than their parents and grandparents. (4)
Here are some known and suspected chemicals that are obesogens: (1)
Diet
• Fructose • Genistein • Monosodium Glutamate
Smoking
• Nicotine
Pharmaceuticals
• Diethylstilbestrol • Estradiol
Industrial Chemicals
• Bisphenol A (BPA) • Organotins • Perfluorooctanoic Acid (PFOA) • Phthalates • Polybrominated Diphenyl Ethers (PBDEs) • Polychlorinated Biphenyl Ethers (PCBs)
Organophosphate Pesticides
• Chlopyrifos • Diazinon • Parathion
Other Environmental Pollutants
• Benzo[a]pyrene • Fine Particulate Matter (PM2.5) • Lead
Some of these chemicals like plastics and pesticides are pervasive in our environment. No one can escape them. It is best to minimize exposure by eating organic fresh prepared foods. Avoid cooking with Teflon. Avoid cans lined with plastic as well as plastic food containers. Drink water that has been filtered through a high quality industrial filter. Avoidance is critical.
Fat Metabolism
Experts agree that all people are carrying a body burden of a majority of these chemicals. While it is very difficult to accurately measure the body burden of these chemicals there is good clinical evidence that supporting and enhancing fat and detoxification metabolism to eliminate these chemicals will result in permanent weight loss.
Bibliography and Footnotes
- Holtcamp, W. Obesogens: An Environmental Link to Obesity. EHP 120:2 Feb 2012 A63 – A68.
- Evans RM, et al. PPARs and the complex journey to obesity. Nat Med 10(4):355-361 (2004).
- Hines E., et al. Phenotypic dichotomy following developmental exposure to perfluorooctanoic acid (PFOA) in female CD-1 mice: Low doses induce elevated serum leptin and insulin, and overweight in mid-life. Molecular and Cellular Endocrinology 304 (2009) 97 – 105.
- Environmental Working Group. Body Burden: The Pollution in People. http://www.ewg.org/sites/bodyburden1. See also, Across Generations: Industrial chemicals in mothers and daughters: The Pollution we share and inherit. http://www.ewg.org/reports/generations.
Family and Environmental Medicine help patients with Natural and Holistic Treatments for Weight Loss and Diet. Dr Gary Gruber provides private appointments for patients from around the country who seek health and healing with Complementary and Alternative Medicine. The majority of patients are from the local area including Greenwich CT, Stamford CT, Darien CT, Norwalk CT, New Canaan CT, Wilton CT, Westchester County, NY, NYC, and Northern NJ.