Monday, 08 March 2010 22:57

Headaches--please go away!

As promised, I wanted to talk a little more about headaches today. This has really been an interesting subject to me that has received a lot of feedback. It does seem to me that many of my friends, family, and patients do suffer with a bunch of headaches.  So what can you do about them? I think the first thing that you have to do is to consider how to prevent them.  I am going to start with a fairly basic list. Let's get some feedback and see what happens.

If you want to prevent the onset of a migraine you should consider:

 

  • Vitamin B Complex, Vitamin C, and a good Multivitamin
  • 5 Hydroxytryptophan--this is the rate limiting step of Serotonin production from Tryptophan, an amino acid.  (See our Natural Support Store for more info)
  • Essential Fatty Acids--We are not able to manufacture these Fatty Acids. If we are deficient, the system breaks down
  • Melatonin--important for our normal day/night rhythm
  • Food Allergies--most of us have some hidden food sensitivity--I am sensitive to Gluten.  Once I figured this out, my life was significantly improved.
  • Food Triggers--who has had an ice cream headache?  Pay attention to your triggers and avoid them.
  • Exercise--releases your own natural endorphins.
  • Massage--this helps to release toxins before they build up in your system. Aids in relaxation
  • Hormone Balance--I could talk on this for days. Make sure you are balanced in your hormones. You can discuss with me in this forum or in my office
  • Sleep--Highly underrated.  I know, I was sleep deprived for years.  You must allow your body to rest and relax
What to do outside of the traditional medical treatments:
  • Remember, if this is the worst headache of your life, seek immediate medical attention
  • Also remember, if you have access to pharmaceutical agents to break a severe headache, you can always try this approach.
  • However, if you want to avoid these medications you can try these:
  • Ginger--anti-inflammatory and helps with nausea
  • Willow Bark--acts as a natural aspirin.  Do not take if you are taking any other anti-inflammatories
  • Cayenne--Capsaicin--works great on the forehead or the scalp. You can also get some nasal sprays that will help with migraines
  • Magnesium--God's natural miracle mineral!
  • Aromatherapy, massage, accupressure, and accupuncture
  • BioFeedback--it really does work.
  • Ice and Heat
  • Sleep--If you have a migraine, you can always try and sleep. It will often go away
  • Sinus rinse--herbal or saline
  • TENS units--Transcutaneous Electrical Nerve Stimulation
  • Oxygen Therapy--Use under medical supervision, always.
We all want to know what has worked for you in the past. What types of headaches have you had? Let us know your secrets. All of these bullet points can be expanded. Who wants to start?
Dr. Haendiges

 

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Monday, 08 March 2010 22:28

How to Avoid Cholesterol Lowering Medications!

We now have the conversation going. I was asked today as to what is the best way to avoid cholesterol medications. I think that this is a wonderful question. I wanted the writer to post it on the blog so we could get rolling with the conversation.

As part of my Functional Medicine Fellowship, I have been exposed to an entirely different way to view medicine. I am a staunch believer in medicine and the miracle of healing. However, I was frustrated with my own approach and treatment plan in my own medical condition. That is why I started looking.

The backbone of all of our steroidal hormones such as progesterone, cortisol, estrogen, and testosterone is cholesterol. There are some major problems when we try and lower cholesterol to a preset number, or a on-size-fits-all number. In studying the patterns of cholesterol, research proves, as published in the prestigious journal Circulation that the real laboratory test of health risk including cardiovascular disease is the triglyceride to HDL ration.  The HDL is the healthy cholesterol.  The function of HDL is to gather loose cholesterol and keep it from harming the blood vessels. Triglycerides are a combination of sugar and fat.  When this ration, the triglyceride to HDL ratio is high, this is predictive of a 1600% increased risk of a cardiovascular event.  These are the types of events that we do not want to go to.

50% of the people that present to the emergency room with a heart attack have a traditionally normal cholesterol panel. The difference is the size of the cholesterol. One of the best tests to look at cholesterol size and therefore risk is the nuclear magnetic resonance spectroscopy.  This is a relatively new test that looks at the size of the cholesterol molecule. If you can imagine a tube. In this tube are really dense, small particles that are  banging off the sides of the tube.  Also in the tube are cotton ball sized particles that are soft and fluffy.  Which of the particles do you think would cause the most damage to the tube?  You are right on! It is the small particles that are banging into the walls of the vessel that are causing the most damage.

What can you do to reduce your risk?

 

  • Start with 7-8 hours of sleep a night
  • Eat whole foods--dark green vegetables, orange vegetables, low-glycemic fruits
  • Shop at the perimeter of the store and avoid the aisles as much as possible
  • Read your labels. This is a huge error in the American consumer
  • Take 3000 mg of Omega 3 Fatty Acids per day
  • Take a potent Multivitamin (Essential unless you eat entirely organic and live in a toxin free environment---no place like this on earth)
  • Drink at least 64 ounces of purified water a day
  • Avoid sweeteners and pop
  • Reduce your risk of insulin resistance.
  • Balance your hormones
  • Reduce inflammation in your body--isolate your food sensitivities
  • Know your Vitamin D level -- should be between 60-80 ng/dl
  • Exercise to the best of your ability, strength first, cardio second if over the age of 35
  • Know your thyroid functions
  • Eat fiber, bowel health is essential
  • Reduce your stress
  • Rest and Enjoy your life
The biggest predictor of dyslipidemias, diabetes, and cardiovascular disease is your level of insulin resistance. You must remember that there is always an elevation in the fasting insulin level long before a person becomes a Type II Diabetic.  That being said, there is at least several years, usually a decade, to reverse or prevent Diabetes. It is the high glycemic, white sugar, overly processed food that is causing the epidemic of Obesity, Diabetes, Dyslipidemias, Fatigue, Dementia, and Autoimmune Disease that is ravaging Americans.  If you have a family history of any of this conditions or if you have members of your family that are ever-growing around the belly, you may have a family history of diabetes.  Just because it is not diagnosed, does not mean it is not there. A third of all diabetics do not know they are diabetic. Is that not an amazing number!
In order to control your cholesterol, there are a lot of things that you can do. The most important thing is to quit telling your body to store fat.  When you have a high level of sugar, you increase your insulin. Insulin is a very inflammatory hormone and it does tell your body to "store fat."  Triglycerides, as you recall, are simply the combination of fat and sugar.  Your food is information. If you eat pro-inflammatory and pro-insulin secreting foods, your body will listen to you. In the end, you only have only one body. Where else are you going to go if this one fails!
I applaud you for considering other measures before initiating cholesterol medications. However, like I said earlier, there are places and times for medications. In those cases, I am the first one to start a patient on a prescription medication. I want to use the current medical knowledge to the best of my ability. Thank you for listening!
Enjoy this sun and get your Vitamin D boosted by getting out in it!
Dr. Haendiges.

 

 

 

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Monday, 08 March 2010 10:46

Top 10 things to decrease your cancer risk

One of the biggest fears that my patients have is the "C" word! In taking inventory of my patients biggest concerns or fears, the default diagnosis is always Cancer in their minds.
 
"Do I have cancer?" or "I don't want cancer."  I think this is quite understandable.
 
I have put together a list of the TOP 10 THINGS YOU SHOULD DO TO DECREASE YOUR CANCER RISK:
 
  1. Variety is the key to life.  Different protective substances, or phytonutrients, are in different vegetables and fruits. Expose yourself to as many healthy phytonutrients as possible.
  2. Reduce your saturate fat intake. You don't need red meat daily. In fact, limit yourself to one to two servings per week.
  3. Three servings of vegetables and two servings of fruits daily. Go for Color!--deep green and yellow orange is ideal!
  4. Eat lots of fiber. Most people eat only 10-15 grams.  You should have 45-55 grams per day.
  5. Limit food preservatives and smoked foods, including charcoaled, grilled, or broiled meats--this creates free radicals.
  6. Avoid being overweight or obese.
  7. Reduce alcohol to no more than 1-2 servings, at most, per day.
  8. STOP smoking! Don't chew tobacco
  9. Move your body-exercise, intention movement of your body outside of daily living or work activities
  10. Take your Essential Nutrients.  Everyone MUST have Omega 3 Fatty Acids, Calcium, and an excellent multivitamin.
 
Let's get the conversation going!  What say you?
 
Add your feedback!

 
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Monday, 08 March 2010 10:41

Let's Begin Our Journey Anew

Sometimes when I think about my career and my training, I think it has been an awesome journey! I love medicine. If you know me, then you know that I do love it!
 
I do not enjoy people's misery. However, I like when people come to see me because they are so miserable with fatigue, headache, hypertension, depression and other common ailments.  Most of you know my story--I was 86 pounds overweight, fatigued, working 100 hours a week and living on coffee and Cracker Barrel!  I lost my voice.  Literally, I could not talk. I do think some of my employees enjoyed that short time in my life.  Most of you know that I can do a lot of talking.
 
I went to the "top ENT" in Indiana as voted by my peers.  Excellent doctor.  I have a tremendous amount of respect for this physician.  I had a very thorough evaluation with even a same day look down my throat to rule out a tumor on my vocal cords. Thank the Good Lord, I did not have a tumor. I had polyps.  That really scared me because my grandmother died of laryngeal carcinoma in the mid 80's. I will never forget those horrible last days.  I was assured that it was not cancer but it was caused by gastric acid that was coming up through my stomach and causing chronic irritation to my vocal cords.  What should I do?
 
Imagine if you will a sink.  This sink is overflowing with water, okay?  Now it is very important that you have this image.  If you were the homeowner, would you want to just mop up the floor or would you rather just turn off the sink? I think most of us want to turn the water off.  Prevent further damage and quit wasting water (time).
 
Traditional medicine, for which I am very proud to belong, is famous for just mopping the floor. What I want to do with this blog, is to give you a journey of my patients and I. I do the Daily Dose but I am also going to get this blog together as a viable peek into the world of medicine as I see it.  Now, I am just like all the other doctors in my training and my indoctrination. However, I have stepped outside of that box, just a little, and have a different vantage point.  Why?  Because I have been there!.  I did NOT want to take Nexium three times a day nor do I want the world the be dependent upon prescription medications as a way of life.
 
Okay, I want you to have a dialogue with me!  Let's get started. 

 

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Friday, 19 February 2010 14:08

30 Day Challenge to Change Your Oil

Achy and stiff joints? Dry and flaky skin? Cracked, soft and brittle nails? Maybe its time you took the 30 day challenge to improve your health by simply adding one supplement into your diet.

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Tuesday, 16 February 2010 12:10

My Own Blog

I'm so excited to have my own blog. I feel like I have so much I want to share with you. Stick around for more.

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About Dr Haendiges

Always on the move.

Born in 1967 Dr. Michelle Haendiges hasn't stopped pursuing her dreams yet.

She currently resides in Kokomo, IN where she tends to her advanced gynecology and medical weight loss patients as well as maintaining her Rise and Shine Tennessee Walking Horse Ranch.

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