Author: Dr Elias Markou, ND
Date: March 17, 2010

Doug, a 52 year old firefighter, noticed he had excessive thirst, frequency in urination, and a ravenous appetite. John, a 42 year old accountant, on the other hand was overweight, had no issues with blood pressure, did not have cholesterol but had an increased appetite. Well if you ask any of these guys, they would tell you these are just normal symptoms in their everyday normal lives. Because these symptoms were not serious they did not seek medical attention. Many men who have diabetes do not seek medical care, quite often the issue of diabetes comes up during a routine annual blood test. Time and time again doctors have heard that old line, “I didn’t know I had diabetes, this happened so suddenly”. So what is it that men need to know about diabetes.

Diabetes Today

Diabetes is a significant public health problem in Canada today. In a 1996 document on diabetes, Heath Canada reported that officials diagnosed 30 000 men with diabetes, these numbers continue to increase each year. Treatment of diabetes represents a large portion of health care dollars spent on patients today. Let’s put some numbers into perspective. According to the Canadian Diabetes Association 2.4 million Canadians have type I or type II diabetes. Approximately 10 per cent of people with diabetes have type1 diabetes, resulting in 240 000 Canadians depending on insulin. The remaining 90 per cent or 2.2 million Canadians have type2 diabetes. Of that 2.2 million, half are men with diabetes and many are unaware of their condition. Furthermore scientists and doctors do believe diabetes is a preventable disease. Lifestyle changes can help prevent or delay the onset of type 2 diabetes.

Diabetes Facts

The majority of the food we ingest (proteins, fats, carbohydrates) become sugar or glucose, this is the main source of energy in the body. The pancreas makes insulin, this helps sugar to enter the cells of the body. When one develops diabetes, the body either doesn’t make insulin or can’t use the insulin that the pancreas has created. This allows for sugar to build up and remain in the blood.

There are two major categories of diabetes, there is the Type I diabetes which was formerly know as the IDDM or Insulin-Dependent Diabetes Mellitus and Type II diabetes which is more common among people and was once called Non-Insulin Dependent Diabetes Mellitus. For our purpose only, we will discuss the Type II diabetes. Diabetes is a serious metabolic condition that becomes chronic and has tremendous impact on an individual’s health.

Signs and symptoms of diabetes include the following: unusual thirst, frequent urination, weight change (gain or loss), extreme fatigue or lack of energy, possibly blurred vision, frequent or recurring infections, cuts and bruises that are slow to heal, tingling or numbness in the hands or feet, men will have trouble getting or maintaining an erection .It is also very important to understand that many men who have type 2 diabetes may display no symptoms initially. The Canadian Diabetes Association recommends you should be tested at least every three years.

In order for a medical doctor to properly diagnose type II diabetes, some of the symptoms must be present and blood must show high glucose levels present along with high A1C readings. To diagnosing diabetes in a person a doctor requires two high fasting serum glucose and a A1C readings. These values must both be high. The normal fasting blood glucose level is between 4.0-6.0 mmol/L. Before a meal, if glucose targets are greater than 6.0 mmol/L this results in a diabetes diagnosis by a medical doctor. An A1C reading greater than 8% is found in many people with diabetes.

Perspectives

Without getting into the deep psychology of the male mind and how it works, men have been know to not visit medical doctors for an annual physicaI exam. I have conducted physical exams on men that have informed me that their last exam and blood test was 7-10 years ago. Gentlemen, a lot can happen to your health in 7-10 years. Diabetes is a very serious condition. If left untreated or mismanaged, which is often the case with many men, diabetes can result in a variety of complications. These complications including: heart disease, kidney disease, eye complications, problem with erections, fertility and major nerve damage. The first step in preventing or delaying the onset of these complications is identifying signs and symptoms of diabetes and recognizing the risk factors.

Most patients with type II diabetes are obese and in their 40′s. High blood pressure, high insulin level, hardening arteries and high cholesterol are diseases associated with diabetes but are not inclusive.

Therapeutic Approach

Doctors, academics and scientists believe that lifestyle modifications can help prevent and or maybe even delay the begin stages of type 2 diabetes. Managing weight, making smart food choices and incorporating regular physical activity are all critical steps in the prevention of diabetes. Despite the genetic factor which is important in understanding diabetes, environmental factors are the major triggers in diabetes, this according Murray and Pizzorno in the Textbook of Natural Medicine. To quote Murray and Pizzorno, “many have identified a diet high in refined fiber-depleted-carbohydrates is believed to induce diabetes in susceptible genetic types, while a high intake of high-fiber, complex-carbohydrates-rich foods protect against the development of diabetes”.
The experts do agree that restoring insulin sensitivity can be achieved via dietary changes, exercise, weight loss, introduction of dietary fat and fiber, and addressing B vitamin, chromium and mineral deficiencies. Successful treatment of diabetes requires the integration of many therapeutic elements and the willing participation of the patient to achieve their goals. There must be an overall improvement in lifestyle. Research has shown that the adjunctive use of natural products and lifestyle changes can help address this chronic metabolic disease. Men, all we need now is your full participation.

References:

Dey L. MD, Attele A. DDS, Yuan CS MD PhD. Alternative Therapies for Type 2 Diabetes. Alternative Medicine Review 2002: Vol. 7 Number 1: 45-58.

Murray M. ND, Pizzorno J. ND. Diabetes Mellitus. Textbook of Natural Medicine 2nd Edition. 1999: 1193-1218.

Diabetes in Canada- National Statistics and Opportunities for Improved Surveillance, Prevention, and Control. Ministry of Health Canada; Ottawa.1999.

Diabetes 1996 Vital Statistics. Alexandria, VA: American Diabetes Association.

Canadian Diabetes Association. (2008) Diabetes. Retrieved August 24, 2008 from http://www.diabetes.ca/Section_About/thefacts.asp

National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases. Diabetes Statistics. Bethesda, MD: NIDDK; 1995 NIH publication no. 96-3926.

Burkitt D. Trowell H. Western Diseases: their emergence and prevention. Cambridge, MA: Harvard Univ. Press. 1981

Author: Dr Elias Markou, ND
Date: March 17, 2010

The concepts of weight loss and metabolism go hand in hand. Metabolism is the culprit when people put on weight or have trouble losing weight, but you can learn how to speed up your metabolism. A metabolic increase can help you burn calories, remove fat, gain muscle and increase your energy levels. The key to increasing your metabolism is first by understanding it. Here are a few ways to increase metabolic rate.

Exercise Regularly

When you perform regular exercise, your metabolism will naturally speed up in order to burn up enough energy to fuel your bodily movements. Your metabolism will remain elevated for up to 12 hours after you exercise. A University Laval study demonstrated that high energy expenditure and regular vigorous exercise favors energy loss and a metabolic increase. Exercise programs are of the utmost importance, emphasis on being consistent with exercise for the most part is critical for metabolic changes. One hour a day, five days a week of mixed aerobic and anaerobic exercise is critical to obtaining a high metabolic rate.

Make Muscle

I often hear this from women, “I don’t want to lift weights or my muscles will get big”. Wrong, this is a terrible myth, women you need large amounts of steroids and hormones and about 4 hours a day in the gym to look like a body builder. You are completely missing out on a whole new world of increasing your metabolic rate. I call this the “V6 Engine Factor”, with a larger engine you can burn more gas in your car. This is particularly true with weight-lifting and resistance exercises. As you exercise, your body will increase the amounts of lean muscle mass and you will begin to burn excess fat. Therefore, muscles will burn more calories; exercise is a natural way to increase your metabolism.

Eat Healthy

Starting the day off with breakfast is the best way to increase your metabolism. Divide your meals into six small but frequent meals in the day. Choosing healthy foods, such as a great source of lean protein and vegetables, will increase your metabolism. Increasing dietary fiber while decreasing sugar, alcohol, and caffeine will have a positive effect on your metabolism. The best foods to eat are fish, dark green leafy vegetables, all vegetable, tomatoes, blueberries and other fruits. Let’s not forget junk food, these must all be avoided. A little will power is required.

Use Vitamins and Herbs

Academics and doctors all agree that your metabolic rate basically is a series of chemical reactions in your body. Vitamins and minerals are an important part of these chemical reactions. The following is a short list of vitamins that help with metabolism; all B vitamins, chromium citrate, zinc, selenium, fish oil omega 3 and a complete multivitamin.
In a study reported on in the American Journal of Clinical Nutrition, it was found that green tea extract resulted in a significant increase in metabolic rate. While some of the effects were originally theorized to be due to the caffeine content of green tea, the researchers discovered that the tea actually has properties that go beyond those that would be explained by the caffeine in increasing metabolism.

Drink Water

Does water rev up your metabolism? Researchers in Germany measured the resting metabolism of 14 men and women before and after they drank just over eight, eight ounce glasses of water. The metabolism of the participants began to rise within 10 minutes after consuming the water. After 40 minutes, the participants increased their metabolism on average 30 percent higher and it remained high for more than an hour. At this rate researchers estimated that you can burn off almost 35,000 calories a year, or lose about 10 pounds of weight.

Sleep Well

A 1999 study published in The Lancet showed that chronic sleep loss can reduce the capacity of a body’s metabolic function. Eve Van Cauter, Research Professor in Medicine and director of the study explained that, they found the metabolic and endocrine changes resulting from a significant sleep debt greatly slowed down metabolic function. Not getting enough sleep, or even having irregular sleep patterns can throw your metabolism completely off. Develop a regular sleep schedule and get at least 7-8 hours of sleep per night.

Remove Health Obstacles

An annual physical exam is required to identify metabolic obstacles. Set up an appointment with you medical doctor or naturopathic doctor to assess thyroid and insulin function. Thyroid problems such as an overactive (hyperthyroidism) or underactive (hypothyroidism) directly affect metabolic rate. Reaching that perfect weight may be more difficult with a thyroid condition. Diabetes is a condition that results from an inappropriate response to your body’s blood glucose (energy) levels by insulin. With diabetes, metabolism once again can be affected in a negative way.
As you have learned, metabolism is a combination of physical, chemical and lifestyle changes. Doing one part with out the other will get you average result, the above mentioned need to be addressed before results become apparent. The science of metabolism is a science, respect it and you will see great results. The best way to jump-start your metabolism is with knowledge and hard work.

References:

Tremblay A, Simoneau JA, Bouchard C. Impact of exercise intensity on body fatness and skeletal muscle metabolism. Metabolism. 1994 Jul;43(7):814-8.

McCargar LJ. Can diet and exercise really change metabolism? Med Gen Med 1999; 1(1).

Epigee Women’s Health. (2008) Metabolism. Retrived December 21, 2008 from http://www.epigee.org/fitness/metabolism.html

Dulloo A, Duret C. Efficacy of a green tea extract rich in catechin polyphenols and caffeine in increasing 24-h energy expenditure and fat oxidation in humans. American Journal of Clinical Nutrition, Vol. 70, No. 6, 1040-1045, December 1999

Boschmann M, Steiniger J, Hille U, et al. Water Induced Thermogenesis. The Journal of Clinical Endocrinology & Metabolism Vol. 88, No. 12 6015-6019

Spiegel K, Leproult R, Van Cauter E. Impact of sleep debt on metabolic and endocrine function. The Lancet, Volume 354, Issue 9188, Pages 1435 – 1439, 23 October 1999.

Author: Dr Elias Markou, ND
Date: March 17, 2010

Vitamin D, is currently the most popular vitamin on the market since it gained mainstream acceptance by the medical community. In an unprecedented move by the Canadian Cancer Society in June of 2007, it recommended a specific amount of Vitamin D supplementation for all Canadians to consider taking. Heather Logan of the Canadian Cancer Society said, “the evidence is still growing on vitamin D, but we want to give guidance to Canadians about this emerging area of cancer prevention”.

With such a high endorsement by the Canadian Cancer Society, vitamin D is flying off store shelves. Did you know that not all Vitamin D is the same and that there are more benefits to vitamin D than just preventing cancer?

Many studies have shown there is currently a worldwide vitamin D deficiency in various populations including infants, pregnant and lactating women, the elderly, individuals living far from the equator such as Canadians, persons who avoid the sun and populations with dark skin pigment. Out of 28 studies looking at vitamin D serum levels in certain populations, only the population of Thailand had normal vitamin D levels.

Let’s face it, Vitamin D was always known as that vitamin our body could simply make by sitting out in the sun. Vitamin D deficiency was also traditionally associated with rickets in children or the softening of bones in adults. According to a 2006 published article in the American Journal of Clinical Nutrition, vitamin D2 (ergocalciferol) had a far lesser affect on the body than D3 (cholecalciferol). Therefore, with most of the research done on vitamin D3, we as consumers should all be taking D3 for the best clinical results. Adults and children alike living in Canada should consider taking Vitamin D supplementation of 1,000 international units (IU) a day during the fall and winter. High risk patients with specific pathology and lower Vitamin D serum levels should consider taking Vitamin D supplementation of 1,000 IU-2000 IU/day all year round.

Academics consider vitamin D3 as more of a hormone than a vitamin, but according to our most recent definition, vitamin D3 is a hormone and a vitamin. In it’s most active form 1,25 di-hydroxylated form or (1,25(OH)2D) has definitive hormonal properties. Vitamin D3 is also involved in calcium metabolism. Drug interactions with vitamin D3 include mineral oil, phenobarbitals (dilantin), digoxins and cholestyramines. Patients with hypocalcemia and parathyroid pathology should avoid vitamin D.

This ever growing body of research has uncovered a wealth of information about vitamin D3. Vitamin D3 appears to have a positive effect on a number of conditions, including chronic musculoskeletal pain, diabetes type 1 and 2, multiple sclerosis, cardiovascular disease, osteoporosis, and cancers of breast, prostate, and colon.

Vitamin D found in the food supply is limited and most often inadequate to prevent deficiencies. An eight ounce serving of dairy milk only contains 100IU of vitamin D. Supplementing your diet with vitamin D3 is likely necessary to avoid deficiency in winter months.

References:

Canadian Cancer Society. (2008) Canadian Cancer Society Announces Vitamin D Recommendation. Retrived December 17, 2008 from http://www.cancer.ca/Canada-wide/
About%20us/Media%20centre/CW-Media%20releases/CW2007/Canadian%20
Cancer%20Society%20Announces%20Vitamin%20
D%20Recommendation.aspx?sc_lang=en

Mohr SB, Garland CF, Gorham ED, et al. Relationship between low ultraviolet B irradiance and higher breast cancer risk in 107 countries. Breast Journal 2008;14:255-260.

Murray M. ND, Pizzorno J. ND. Vitamin D. The Encyclopedia of Natural Medicine 1st Edition. New York: Random House Inc. Prima Publishing1996: 39-43.

Houghhton LA, Veith R. The case against ergocalciferol (vitamin D2) as a vitamin supplement. Am J Clin Nut 2006;84:694-697.

Armas, LA, Hollis BW, Heaney RP. Vitamin D2 is much less effective than vitamin D3 in Humans. J Clin Endocrinol Metab 2004;89:5387-5391.

Vitamin D Monograph. Alternative Medicine Review 2008: Vol. 13 Number 2: 153-164.

Jellin JM et al. Natural Medicines Comprehensive Database 3rd Edition. Stockton California: Therapeutic Research Faculty 2000. 1070-1074.

Author: Dr Elias Markou, ND
Date: March 17, 2010

In the last few years more Canadians than ever before have been taking nutritional supplements. Numerous studies have demonstrated that most Canadians consume a diet inadequate in nutritional value. In many cases the only clue that may suggest a nutrient deficient diet would be fatigue, lethargy, and many other vague symptoms.

B vitamins are becoming more recognized as a supplement of choice. . They help in a wide range of health conditions. B-complex vitamins are vital for nervous system function. They play a vital role in a healthy pregnancy, proper functioning immune system, mucous membranes, and red blood cells. B vitamins are necessary for metabolizing fats and proteins.

Experts in the field of nutrition agree that the B vitamins should be taken in a combination as a B-complex because excess in any single nutrient can trigger a deficiency in the other B vitamins. B vitamins also like to work synergistically with each other. Our North American diet provides only a small amount of the Recommended Dietary Allowance of B vitamin needed for optimal health. The processing and preparation of our food eliminate any benefit, therefore rendering the vitamin useless.

Deficiencies in vitamin B can result in poor memory, fatigue, muscle weakness and blindness with long-term deficiencies causing heart disease, brain damage and possibly death.

Studies show that by maintaining an adequate supply of B vitamins in the body, you can help prevent many diseases and illnesses:

• Vitamin B6 may be very important in aspects of atherosclerosis and cardiovascular disease. Vitamin B decreases levels of homocysteine in the blood, homocysteine is very damaging to the cells that line the arteries.
• B complex boosts immunity and encourages the regeneration of nerves.
• Vitamin B3 or niacin is essential in the production of energy. It is also involved in the regulation of blood sugar, antioxidant mechanisms, and for high cholesterol levels.
• Birth defects – folic acid intake decreases the risk of spina bifida.
• B-complex is especially important for the elderly. A European study showed that folate deficiency doubles the risk of developing Alzheimer’s.
• Anxiety – B-complex helps to decrease stress and muscle tension.

Remember to take these vitamins with food. You can find vitamin B in brewer’s yeast, whole grains, wheat germ, beef liver, among other things. Consult with your Naturopathic Doctor or other healthcare professionals, as people with certain health conditions should avoid large doses of B vitamins.

Author: Dr. Frank Silva, ND
Date: March 17, 2010

Approximately 15% of couples trying to become pregnant for the first time will be unsuccessful. Recent research over the past twenty years indicates that in 30% of these cases, the cause is attributed to the male alone and in another 20% attributed to both male and female. Therefore, the male factor is responsible, in part, by up to 50% of the cases of infertility.

Research reports that sperm counts have fallen almost 50% since the 1930′s. The main reasons for the decline appear to be based on environmental and dietary factors. The Naturopathic approach to male infertility includes a thorough health history and physical exam and attempts to outline the underlying cause. Although each case is different and unique, there has been much success with each of the modalities listed below:

Nutrition:

To function properly, the reproductive system requires the proper vitamins and minerals. Poor diets can impair hormone function, inhibit sperm production, and contribute to abnormal sperm. A nutrient rich diet focuses on fresh fruits and vegetables, whole grains, nuts, and seeds. Plenty of clean water is also required as well as eliminating processed and refined foods (alcohol, sugars, caffeine, white flour).

Supplements:

There are many beneficial supplements that are targeted towards increasing the quality and quantity of sperm and assisting with the function of the reproductive system. Arginine, Co-Q10, Vitamin B12, C, and E, Zinc, Flaxseed Oil, and Selenium are all beneficial in treating male infertility.

Herbal Remedies:

There are a variety of herbs that can act as male tonics as well as support the reproductive system including Ginseng, Saw Palmetto, Astragalus, and Sarsaparilla.

Acupuncture:

Acupuncture is a centuries old medicine which involves the use of tiny needles to stimulate various organs and meridians throughout the body. In Traditional Chinese Medicine, a practitioner would focus on building “qi” (vital energy) and warming the kidneys which are involved in reproductive health.

Homeopathy:

This ancient form of medicine is based on energetic remedies and the principal that “like cures like”. There are numerous homeopathic remedies, that when matched to the patient’s concerns, can have a profound impact on their health and wellbeing. Homeopathic remedies are very safe and can also be used as part of an individualized detox plan.

There are many factors involved in working with fertility and reproductive health. You can meet with any of the practitioners at pureBalance Wellness Centre to discuss your unique concerns.