Insurance coverage for Naturopathic Medicine

Red Tape.  That's what it is all about.  How do I get my insurance to cover my naturopathic care?  Meanwhile the insurance company is asking 'How do we avoid paying for naturopathic care?'   The big question is "How do I even find out if my naturopathic care should be covered under my plan?"

In unlicensed states--where naturopathic physicians are not recognized by any health board--forget about it. You will pay out of pocket for anyone you go see as a health coach.  You insurance will not cover anyone who is not licensed as a health care practitioner.  It would be illegal for them to do so. If the naturopathic doctor is also a chiropractor or accupuncturist, they can bill for these services, but time spent for naturopathic services (reading of test results, creating a treatment plan with dietary and lifestyle management changes) is not covered by your insurance.  The doctor cannot bill the insurance for a body work (chiropractic) code if the chart notes do not reflect that treatment.  Insurance companies can ask for chart notes and even demand money back years after they 'accidentally' paid a doctor.

In licensed states: naturopathic physicians may be considered 'alternative' practitioners or 'primary care' physicians depending on the laws in that state.  Some health plans have specific coverage for alternative care vs. primary care.  It is important to ask your insurance plan where naturopathic visits fall.  Some insurance companies demand that you specify one doctor as your primary care physician.  If you have specified a certain doctor and then go to another doctor who is a naturopath for an annual physical, your insurance can deny payment for that visit.  You can still see a naturopathic doctor for other health concerns and get it paid by your insurance, just not for the once-a-year health physical.  To get annual health exams at a naturopathic office paid for, you may have to specify your naturopathic doctor as your primary care doctor.   I am pointing this out because many insurance plans waive the deductible for one health visit per year.  If you are trying to get your one visit paid for by insurance, you may have to see your primary care doctor for this visit.

Deductible?  Some people don't understand what a deductible is.  Insurance companies make deals with you based on your expected usage of their coverage.  They are betting that you will go to the doctor and you are betting that you will stay healthy. A deductible is the amount you have to pay the doctor per year before your insurance kicks in.  For instance, your insurance might offer you a plan where you pay $200 per month and you have no deductible. You can go see a doctor anytime and your insurance will pay.  OR, if you want to pay only $170 per month, they will put a $500 deductible on your plan but you can see a doctor for one health check up and the deductible is waived.  Sounds pretty good, until you want to see a doctor for your ear infection or strep throat or hot flashes and you have to pay $500 worth of visits before your insurance will pay anything.  (so you saved $360 per year by paying $500).  The doctor cannot code this visit as a health check up if you have a new diagnosis code for a new health complaint.  Remember...most deductibles renew in January.  So if you have already paid your deductible by the time Fall comes around, don't wait until next year to see the doctor!  Your insurance will finally pay for your health visits!  If you're lucky, your insurance will cover 3 or 4 visits before the deductible kicks in.  But even in these cases some codes are 'subject to the deductible'.  Since naturopathic physicians spend more time explaining things to you and developing a treatment plan specific for you and your multiple diagnoses (thus they spend more than just the 5 minutes typical M.D.s spend with you), they will bill for an additional time code.  On many plans, the patient has to pay for the amount billed for these codes until the deductible is paid off.  If your naturopathic physician has had time to verify your insurance before your visit, they should know this information.

Whew! still with me?  Read on....

Max per year:  pay attention to this especially if on your health plan naturopathic physicians are classified as 'alternative care'.  You may have a max per year for alternative coverage.  Even if it is high, say $1200, remember that that amount will be shared by your chiropractors, accupuncturists and massage therapists.  If you see all these types of practitioners, your coverage could be used up before the end of the year, at which time you would be responsible for paying the naturopathic visits--or massage visits--or whatever comes last chronologically after the coverage has run out.

'In Network' or 'Out of Network': Your insurance plan probably has different coverage for naturopathic physicians who are in network or out of network.  If a naturopathic physician is 'in network' on your plan, they have agreed to accept the amount your insurance will pay and you will only pay a co-pay (that is after the deductible, see above).  This also gets you discounts on visits you have to pay if you are still paying on your deductible.  For instance, if a physician normally charges $200 for a visit, but your insurance has said the price for that visit should be $160, you get the discount.  Of course, if you don't have a deductible to pay, you only pay your co-pay and it doesn't matter to you what price the doc and insurance have agreed upon.  If your insurance has a 20% copay for in-network and a 40% copay for out-of-network, that means that if your doctor is out of network, you will pay 40% of the $200, whereas if they were in network, you would pay only 20% of $160 (the discounted price).  With out of network docs, they can set the price.  If the out-of-network doctor you see is in-network with other insurance plans (just not yours), the price will be reasonable.  However if it is a doc that does not bill any insurance whatsoever, the price can be high.  It is good to ask what the charge will likely be in these cases.  Some out-of-network doctors will bill the charges for you, and others will ask you to send in receipts for reimbursement yourself.  Some insurance companies have no out-of-network coverage at all.  Then you have to pay the whole price.  To find out if the doctor you want to see is in network with your plan, go to your insurance website.  Doctors names should be listed there.  Don't stop there, though. You might have good out-of-network coverage. Find out by calling the number on the back of your insurance card.

What about the Federal Health Care Reform?  As of now, naturopathic physicians are not part of the Federal Health Care Reform Plan.  That means that naturopathic physicians will get paid the same amount they now get paid by Medicare--ie: nothing!  I am not disappointed because traditionally Medicare does not pay well.  Many M.D.s are going out of business because Medicare did not pay them well enough for their services.  Yes, going out of business.  Retiring.  It's not just about making less money. It's about making money at all.  People ask why I don't accept certain insurance plans.  It is because they do not pay well enough.  Friends who are also naturopathic doctors post pictures (on Facebook) of checks they get from certain insurance companies--checks for $0.13 (that's thirteen cents!) and even one time a check for $0! Yes, a check was actually sent for zero dollars and zero cents.  What companies pay so poorly?  ASH (American Specialties Health) and Kaiser.  Avoid them like the plague.

The best way to know if your insurance pays naturopathic care, what your deductible is, and if a max per year applies, call the number on the back of your insurance card and ask all these questions.  You can also ask the HR representative at your work.  Our office will call and check for you before your visit if you give us the information at least 24 hours in advance of your first visit (48 hours in advance would be better).

I hope this has answered your questions about how to find out if your insurance will cover your naturopathic visits.  It is not uncommon to be confused about all of this.  Call your insurance to find out what your levels of coverage is, then refer back to this article for a better explanation of what the terms mean.  For us to do it for you when you have an initial visit scheduled, call us at 360-573-2273.

Melatonin, babies, and breastmilk

Some call it baby's "witching hour" but most of us know it can last much longer than an hour-- from 4p.m. to 9p.m. is usually the time frame. The most intense symptoms usually come around 7p.m. when you are trying to eat dinner or relax with the family. Suddenly crying, screaming, flailing arms and kicking legs are the baby's favorite thing to do; they have to do it as if driven by some malicious demon.   Your baby cries, screams, and generally fusses unconsolably despite attempts to soothe him or her with feeding, rocking, bouncing up and down, and even desperate drives in the car.

New research suggests that the problem may be low melatonin.  Is it just coincidence that the evening 'colic' magically disappears at around 9-12 weeks of age, just at the same time the pineal gland increases it's endogenous melatonin production to near adult levels?

The truth is melatonin is much more than a sleep hormone.  It can release beta endorphins, and therefore act as an analgesic--relieving pain.  It is an anti-oxidant, stimulating and balancing glutathione production, our most important reducer of free radicals in the body.  Much research has shown that melatonin is useful in treating cancer, possibly due to it's anti-oxidant capacity.  Melatonin stimulates prolactin (the milk producing hormone).  Therefore moms that have low milk supply might be passing on milk that is low in melatonin.

Melatonin is found in breast milk in significant amounts in the evening and night hours whereas daytime levels in breast milk are undetectable.  This could explain why a breastfed baby would calm down later in the evening when mom's melatonin production kicks in. Parents who insist on letting their child cry it out for 10-12 hours during the night when they want the baby to sleep could be depriving them of melatonin rich breastmilk.  A formula fed baby obviously would also get less melatonin, and parents using pumped breastmilk could be giving their babies inconsistent amounts of melatonin, depending on when the breastmilk was pumped.

Most parents who come in to my office are hesitant to give their kids melatonin.  The say their fear stems from melatonin being a hormone and the general thought in our minds is that we should not be giving our kids hormones (think hormones in cow milk, hormones in beef, steroid hormones--generally regarded as unsafe). However, a "hormone" is just a substance produced by the body that has a regulatory effect on an organ.  Certain hormones have negative feedback loops, meaning when levels are high, endogenous (self) production drops.  However, in the case of melatonin, we know that babies naturally get it through breast milk. Therefore, oral supplementation is a natural process. Also we know that when people take melatonin for jet lag, they do not become addicted to it, rather it aids the body in getting into a new pattern.  Since melatonin levels will be low in the daytime, there is no constant high amount that would cause an negative feedback loop to kick in.  Melatonin has a cycle and therefore endogenous production will kick in at the time when pineal gland production matures.

Parents of preemies know that this pineal maturation may take longer for their babies.  Actually, when measured by the date of conception, preemie babies start producing their own melatonin at the same time as full term babies.  However, since a preemie might have been born 8 weeks early, instead of quieting down at 10 weeks old, they quiet down at 18 weeks old--2 months more of evening 'witching hours' for those parents.  This is especially true if these babies are formula fed and have been exposed to high amounts of artificial lighting in the NICU.  (Light breaks down melatonin production; that is why our melatonin production is down in the daytime.)

Not every child responds well to melatonin--there are some people who, due to genetics, get revved up by melatonin.  But in general, parents who try melatonin to help their kids get to sleep or stay asleep consider it a God send and only discontinue it because they fear they are getting their kids addicted.

This need not be a fear.  However, if endogenous melatonin production doesn't seem to kick in, their are other avenues to investigate.  Melatonin is made from serotonin, our happy, stress relieving neurotransmitter. Serotonin is made from 5HTP which is made from tryptophan, a protein in our food (high amount in turkey meat).   Therefore, if tryptophan is low in the diet, if there is inadequate nutrient absorption, or if our enzymes making these important conversions are not present, melatonin will be low.  Supplementing with these amino acids is a good way of increasing melatonin.  Fixing digestive issues is also important.

However, for newborns, the pineal gland just isn't mature enough to produce melatonin.  Since melatonin supplementation does not limit the maturation of the gland, it is completely safe to give melatonin to babies and small children.  We already know that is it not only safe but beneficial to supplement adult cancer patients with melatonin.  So don't be afraid the melatonin, just because it is labeled a "hormone".

How much is safe?  Generally, melatonin is given in 0.5 to 3 mg dosages, one dose at bedtime.  Melatonin comes in drops which makes it easy to give to babies and easy to adjust the dose.  In our office, a 1 ounce bottle of melatonin contains 300 drops at 1mg per 5 drops, providing many nights of peaceful slumber.  It is my belief that anyone at any age that needs help with sleep could benefit in many ways from supplementation of melatonin.

P.S. due to the unusually high number of emails I've received regarding this post, I've decided to add a caveat: I cannot diagnose or treat your child through email.  I have already suggested in the above text dosages of melatonin to give and other problems that may be causing night time waking and fussiness including but not limited to: environmental problems, inadequate calorie intake, inadequate absorption of nutrients, other problems in the digestive tract, and genetic issues that cause neurotransmitter imbalances. Please consult a doctor, preferably a naturopathic doctor for problems with baby fussiness and waking that do not resolve with normal interventions.  I would not recommend using melatonin during the daytime.  A normal baby without pain or other issues will be generally happy and content during the daytime with normal care and attention from their primary caregiver.  Also, for some reason I cannot view comments on the page.  so if you want to ask a question, please give your email address so that I can answer it.

Vitamin D--time to start supplementing to reduce winter colds

We will soon be on the shady side of the world here in North America as we move into Fall and Winter.  What that means for nearly everyone is less natural vitamin D production in the body.  Vitamin D is normally produced when sunlight hits the skin and changes cholesterol into vitamin D precursors which then get activated in the kidneys and sent out into the circulation to help in all of the processes where vitamin D is necessary.

What are those processes, you ask? Good question.  New research has shed light on the importance of maintaining healthy vitamin D status in all ages.  A recent Harvard affiliated study published this year in the scientific journal Pediatrics stated that supplementing children with vitamin D during the winter decreased the  incidence of respiratory infections by half!  All of the children in the study had low vitamin D status at the beginning of the study and even the children who were still lower than optimal in vitamin D but whose vitamin D had increased through supplementation fared better than the children who had not been given vitamin D at all.

In the American Journal of Respiratory and Critical Care Medicine researchers this year gave their results on vitamin D effects on damage to the lungs caused by tobacco smoke.  In study subjects who had adequate levels of vitamin D, the damaging effects of tobacco smoke such as decreased respiratory function were reduced.  Subjects low in vitamin D had twice the decline in respiratory function.  It is important to remember that all subjects experienced decline in lung function due to smoking--smoking tobacco is never a good idea. However, smokers who had adequate vitamin D levels declined in lung function at a much slower rate.

Even non-smokers can benefit from vitamin D.  The Journals of Gerontology Series A: Biological Sciences and Medical Sciences this year printed a study assessing possible vitamin D effects on mobility in people in their 70s.  It was found that those who had low vitamin D status throughout a span of 6 years had a 30% higher incidence of decline in mobility (mobility being defined as the ability to walk half a mile, climb 10 steps and perform daily activities without help).  Wow! a simple supplement can help protect an older person's ability to care for themselves?  Although the direct effects of vitamin D on mobility are not known, it is postulated that since vitamin D is important for muscle function, protecting adequate levels of vitamin D kept people strong and active, which then protected mobility.

There are several reasons vitamin D levels decrease in winter. The obvious reason is we are not wearing bathing suit, shorts and short sleeves outside; therefore, less of our skin is exposed to the sun.  Also the hours of sunlight per day are decreased and mainly fill the hours when we are indoors at work or school.  Furthermore, since the sun is actually near the equator rather than directly overhead during the winter, the sun's rays must pass through more earth atmosphere before reaching our skin, similar to putting a lampshade over a lightbulb.  Then there is the obvious effect of more days of rain and cloudy weather on sunlight.

Luckily, vitamin D is easy to supplement.  In our office, we carry liquid vitamin D drops that can be dropped directly into the mouth or added to food (without your child knowing the difference!).  At 1200 drops per bottle, one bottle will supplement a family of four at a dosage of 2,000iu per day (2 drops) for 6 months!  If you'd like more information, call 360-573-2273

Is it a cold or is it mercury exposure?

Mercury.  In a thermometer it looks so benign.  In fact people were so convinced it was benign that kids used to play with the mercury from broken thermometers, rolling the balls of quicksilver in their hands.  But now we know better.

A patient in Colorado contacted me today. She had been sick since having some dental work done.  Even though the symptoms were of a typical bad sore throat and cold, she was convinced that it all started after her dental work a couple of weeks ago.  Her children (who were normally the sources of colds in the family) were not sick and no one had caught a cold from her as well.  She went back to the dentist and they took X-rays to make sure there were no abcesses in the gums.  There were not.  Because she did not have a root canal (she had three fillings done), it was not likely to be an abcess.  More likely was the possibility of mercury exposure. 

"What type of fillings were they?" I asked.  They were white.

"Were they new cavities or replacements for silver fillings?"  One was new, and two were replacements for silver amalgam fillings which the dentist removed that day.

"Did he use a rubbery dam in your mouth to prevent you from swallowing anything during the procedure?"  No, he had not.  She knew what I was talking about because had gone to another dentist before that had used a dental dam on her.

"Was there any type of fan or air suction near your mouth or face at the time of the procedure?" No. There was not.

Then I asked about her cold symptoms.  It had started as a sore throat that came on almost immediately after going to the dentist.  Then her sinuses plugged up with thick mucous. The mucous is excoriating--makes her nose red when she blows her nose.  Classic mercury symptoms.

The homeopathic remedy Mercurius identifies symptoms that can be created from a mercury toxicity, both acute and chronic:

• colds with thick excoriating mucous
• sore throat, can feel raw, burning.  
• When swallowing, feels a stitching pain going to the ears, esp. Right sided
• lose of voice
• large tongue (you can see the indents of teeth on the sides of the tongue)
• sensitivity to hot and cold (human thermometer)
• bad breath
• headaches with sinus congestion, feels like a band around the head
• sneezing
• nostrils raw, ulcerated
• earaches, worse at night
• excessive salivation, drooling
• gum inflammation including receding, bleeding, and swelling
• acne that discharges pus and leaves a scar
• abdominal pains, especially right sided
• urination: frequent urging to void the bladder
• pain with urination, at the start of urination, burning in the urethra
• cough with yellow mucous
• stitching pains in the lungs
• weakness and bone pain in the extremities, sensitive to cold
• tremors
• slow, lingering fever with night sweats
• Mental symptoms: hurried to get through tasks, irritable, introverted, closed, precocious, suspicious, impulse to scream, impulse to hit, withdrawn and depressed, suicidal.

You may think the mental emotional symptoms are a stretch, but in actuality, dentists have one of the highest suicide rates of any profession. Scientific studies have looked into this statistic and have seen that rates are still high even when correcting for divorce rates and other variables.  See this scientific study:

Suicide Risk Among Dentists: A Multivariate Analysis

The silver amalgam (silver amalgam sounds nicer than mercury amalgam) contains a toxic amount of mercury.      Dentists and dental hygenists have to treat the amalgam filling substance as a toxin: wearing gloves and masks when working with dental amalgam.  Yet they say it is safe to then put into your mouth where it will stay for years!  If you shouldn't touch it at all, how can it be safe to put in your mouth were it will be expose to soft tissues, saliva, the large blood vessels under the tongue, enzymes, acidic foods, hot beverages and more?!  Furthermore, many dentists "polish" old silver fillings when you get your teeth cleaned.  Why do they polish them? to make them nice and shiny again.  Why do they look dark rather than nice and shiny? Because chemical reactions have occurred to the amalgam fillings in your mouth.  That means that the amalgam is not inert, it wants to react with fluids and tissues around it, potentially (and probably) releasing atoms of mercury into your body.  When the dental hygenist polishes your fillings, they are again exposing mercury that wants to react to your tissues.  Always request that the dentist NOT polish your fillings if you have them.

What to do if you do have mercury toxicity:  The patient above was put on a gentle detox protocol that includes vitamins, minerals, and foods that aid the detox pathways in your body, fiber to bind the toxins when they are leaving the body, herbs to support the liver, and homeopathic mercurius pellets for the symptoms of her cold and sore throat.

If the above symptoms are very familiar to you and you are wondering if you have a chronic mercury toxicity, you can get a urine heavy metal test done for $60.  If you are in the Vacounver, WA area, call the office at 360-573-2273 or in Longview and the surrounding area 360-353-3822.  If you are not located in the Northwest, go to www.naturopathic.org to find a naturopathic doctor near you.

Gene Sequencing

Gene sequencing is the hot topic these days.  Can genes predict disease? Can prediction help prevention of disease?  Would gene sequencing affect couple's reproductive decisions?  Will gene sequencing affect the ability to acquire health insurance and life insurance?

Health insurance and life insurance questions aside, having genetic testing does affect treatment plans here in my office.  Many genetic tests can be done for far less than the $1000 complete gene sequencing which has been the major topic of discussion in the news.

MTHFR
The MTHFR test which tests two genes that affect methylation of folic acid to provide folate to the body has been useful in patients with chronic fatigue, detoxification problems, fibromyalgia, depression, schizophrenia, cardiovascular disease and sensory integration disorders. Folate is needed for the mitochondria of the cells to replicate DNA and RNA.  In addition, it is needed to make ATP for the energy cycle, which fuels the detox cycle and the neurotransmitter and hormone cycles.  The effects of having any or all of these pathways low functioning are many. In addition, this test is vital to anyone who is about to start chemotherapy.  The presence of these genetic mutations can predict unfavorable results (even death) from chemotherapy.  This $150 test can tell you if you carry on or two gene mutations and how likely you are to pass these on to your children.  For more information about the MTHFR genetic mutation, see my post on the topic at http://drsherylwagner.blogspot.com/2012/06/mtfhr-genetic-mutations-is-it-cause-of.html

DETOX GENOMICS
There are more genes associated with detoxification than just the MTHFR genes.  A detox genetic test will provide information about eight different genes affecting the detoxification of aromatic hydrocarbons (exhaust fumes), nicotine, medications, alcohol, and hormones.  Certainly we have general protocols concerning diet and lifestyle that aid in the detox cycle of the body, however, the genetic test can show us where extra help is needed.  Luckily, the extra help is simply targeted supplements and very specific dietary practices.  This test is $448.

NEURO GENOMICS
One aspect of gene sequencing which of particular interest lately is the possibility that genes, or genetic mutations to be more precise, can cause autism.  For that we have a neurological genetic test that will check seven genes for mutations. These genes affect both methylation and detoxification.  Since autism is a spectrum, this test would be important for anyone with neurological disorders: autism, sensory integration disorder, tics/tourrettes, learning difficulties, carpal tunnel or any other neurologic dysfunction.  This test is $336.

IMMUNE DISORDERS
Why do some people get asthma and eczema or autoimmune conditions while others (even in the same family) do not?  The immune genetic test will show SNPs or specific DNA sequences the affect the levels of 6 cytokines which cause inflammation in the body.  When these SNPs are present, a person's body produces much more inflammation than the person standing next to them in the same environment.  Finding out which SNPs are present will determine your propensity to getting chronic viral infections, cancer, asthma and other allergic conditions, and autoimmune disease.  Targeted diet, lifestyle and supplemental regimens (herbal and vitamn/mineral) can reduce the rate at which these SNPs are expressed and the level of inflammation in the body

CARDIO
Have high blood pressure in the family that will just not come down?  Strong family history of cardiovascular disease?  We have a genetic test specifically for genes that affect these conditions. Your genes can tell you what lifestyle factors will be most important for you concerning your heart, what targeted high dose nutrients will be beneficial and whether or not statin drugs or hypertensive medications will even work for you.  This test is by far the most bang for your buck as you get 15 genes tested for $504.  The methylation tests are included in this profile.  Well worth it for anyone with high blood pressure, family history of heart disease or anyone who smokes, drinks alcohol, or people who are about to start taking medication or chemotherapy.

INFLAMMATION
We've all heard by now that all chronic disease is caused by inflammation.  Did you know that 6 genes can determine what type of lifestyle practices and targeted supplementation would be most beneficial for you?  No wonder why  people get different results when taking fish oil or tumeric or many of the other anti-inflammatory helpers in our natural medicine cabinet.  Knowing your genetic makeup makes long term supplement regimens easy.  When you decrease inflammation, you decrease muscle and joint pain, cardiovascular disase, immune system problems, gastrointestinal problems, fatigue and more.  This test is $440 and includes one of the genes for methylation (MTHFR). In addition, it gives current inflammation marker values for hs-CRP, Homocysteine, and fibrinogen.

Getting these tests done is easy for our patients.  To schedule an appointment or find out more about the services offered at our clinic, call 360-573-2273

Patient Results

A patient that was in the office yesterday suggested that I post stories from patients who have gotten great results with their treatment plans. This would encourage people that are in at the start or middle of a treatment plan, or help people come in (she's had a hard time convincing her friends to go ahead and make an appointment).  So  here are two stories, just from yesterday and today of patients who have had great results from their treatment plans:

the first patient works in a beauty salon as a nail technician.  She had recently started getting red swollen rashes on her face.  In addition she had numbness and tingling sensations in her hands. She also felt tired in the mornings and on days off but managed to rally on workdays, having good energy throughout the day when needed. In addition to being around hair chemicals, laquers and nail polish thinners daily, she was in the process of renovating her kitchen, stripping and sanding her cupboards herself.  She was taking no medications or supplements at the time.

I tested her for environmental sensitivities and she was sensitive to solvents, turpentine, mold, dust, and spices.  Certainly these could cause an allergic skin reaction and a buildup of toxins could explain the neuropathy (numbness and tingling) in her hands.  The numbness could also have been a sign of carpal tunnel syndrome (which is usually caused by lack of B vitamins) or a pinched nerve in the neck.

I did an NAET allergy treatment for solvents, put her on a supplement that aids the detoxification of solvents from the body, a high dose B complex, and gave her a homeopathic remedy that matched the stinging, hot, red rashes.  I instructed her to come in for more allergy elimination treatments and a follow up.  I didn't hear from her for six months.

She came in yesterday saying that the reason she hadn't been back was that her symptoms were resolved!  The homeopathic had worked immediately for the rash so she had come in to the office to purchase more of it.  Her numbness and tingling were gone and when I mentioned the fatigue, she didn't even remember that it had been a complaint in the first place.  The reason she came back was she had a similar rash on her neck that had been on her face before.  I reminded her of the allergies we had not treated and we embarked on finishing the treatment plan.

Patient number two had originally come in for neck pain that was chronic for years.  She needed chiropractic adjustments monthly and massages weekly in order to keep the pain and tension down to a manageable level.  She was tired of maintaining this regimen and asked what I could do for longer term results or at least give her some advice on what she could do at home.  She had already done NAET allergy treatments in the past for hayfever and felt that her allergies were well under control.  She has a lot of work stress with long hours and knows that some of her neck tension comes from this but some from an unknown chronic problem.

Although she didn't want to explore allergies, some symptoms prompted me to think of metals.  We tested her and she was sensitive to metals. She was wearing a lot of metal jewelry--several earrings, a necklace, bracelets and a metal watch.  She also had a few amalgam fillings in her mouth which we discussed.  Her symptoms matched a certain homeopathic remedy often given for neck tension and pain.  We did an NAET treatment for metals and I gave her a dose of the homeopathic pellets. I instructed her to refrain from wearing metal jewelry for the time being and to do more metal treatments at home. I didn't hear from her for a month.

She called today to order more of the homeopathic. It had worked incredibly overnight.  She had awaken the day after our visit without any neck pain or tension at all.  She used a second dose of the homeopathic I gave her a week or so later and felt that it really released the tension and pain immediately.  She was pleased that homeopathic medicine is so inexpensive and without side effects and can be taken at home as often as needed.  She had been really afraid that going to a naturopathic doctor would mean embarking on a really expensive and lengthy treatment plan.

I had to update this blogpost a few hours later to include another great patient result today.  The third patient is an 11 year old girl diagnosed with autoimmune iritis and idiopathic juvenile arthritis.  She also had headaches daily.  She had been put on a strong dosage of steroids, methotrexate, and an experimental medicine.  It took a year to find this drug cocktail to make the iritis calm down. Every time they tried to cut back on the steroids, her iritis came back.  Mom really wanted her to come off of the steroids since it was causing weight gain, stretch marks, and fatigue.

On the first visit, we found allergies to gluten, casein, DNA, pollen, and flowers. The gluten was most likely to be causing the headaches and autoimmune condition.  I put her on a gluten free dairy free diet.   I suggested tapering off the steroids after being on the diet for 2 weeks.  They came back after three weeks to get an NAET allergy treatment for casein so she could add dairy back into her diet.

At the return visit at 4 weeks, the girl had no headaches and no iritis even though they had completely discontinued steroids.  Their M.D. insisted she stay on the experimental drug since she was in a study which paid for the drug, and he decreased the methotrexate by 20%.  We talked about tapering off methotrexate and started NAET treatments for DNA.

Now ideally, for all of these patients the first visits would be the start of a health journey in which we address various symptoms, health concerns, and lifestyle factors as quickly as possible and end up with a much healthier patient in the end. Many times when the initial complaints the patient came in for are remedied, as in the patients above, they don't come back for a long time.  It's important to remember all of your health concerns and stick with a doctor, being sure to come in for follow ups so they know how you're doing and can prevent as well as treat other illnesses that arise.  Even so, the above cases are very encouraging that naturopathic medical care really works, sometimes even with the very first treatment plan.

If you're still not sure if naturopathic medicine is right for you, come in for a free 15 minute consult where you can ask more questions about the services offered, whether your insurance covers our visits, and more.  360-573-2273.  Go to www.drsherylwagner.com    for more information.

Latex Allergy and Reaction Triggers

Latex Allergy

Many people know they are sensitive to latex. Others don't know why they get rashes, scaly skin, or itchiness.  This is because some allergic reactions can happen 12 to 36 hours after exposure to latex (or other allergens).  Latex allergies can be:
delayed
immediate
anaphylactic

Symptoms can include redness, itchy skin, runny nose, sneezing, coughing, wheezing, itchy watery eyes, swelling, itchy throat, swelling of the mouth, tongue or throat, wheezing, chest tightness, trouble breathing, trouble swallowing, vomiting, diarrhea, and sudden pale skin.  The more life threatening symptoms happen right away, giving away the allergy, but the rash and itchiness can occur hours later.  I have also seen tics stimulated by allergy to latex.

People often do not realise they have been exposed to latex.  Common sources of latex exposure are medical gloves, condoms, balloons, Bandaids, rubber balls such as basketballs, athletic shoes, carpeting, rubber bands, disposable diapers, swim goggles, motorcycle and bicycle hand grips, and some soft sided above ground pools.

Not all latex is natural latex. Many latex paints and memory foam mattresses are not natural latex and will not cause an allergic reaction.  However some are.  Some car interiors have latex in the dash covers, floor mats and in carpet backing.

Foods can also stimulate a latex allergic reaction.  Some food proteins cross react with latex antibodies.  Foods with high incidence of causing allergic reactions in latex sensitive people are: bananas, avocado, chestnut and kiwi.  A smaller incidence of this has been noted with apple, carrot, celery, papaya, potato, tomato, and melons.

If your or your child's symptoms seem difficult to predict, it may be a latex allergy with hidden sources of latex exposure as well as cross reactivity to foods which stimulate a latex response.  Luckily, in our office, we can test for allergy to latex as well as to foods.  In addition we can do an allergy treatment (no shots!) to decrease and eliminate the allergy.  Call today! 360-573-2273

NAET

NAET

Just got back from the annual NAET Symposium.  NAET practitioners from all over the world attended, hailing from Europe, India, Japan, and Australia.  NAET, short for Nambudripads Allergy Elimination Technique, was created by Dr. Devi Nambudripad in 1983.  She used to be allergic to most foods and discovered that a simple accupressure treatment could clear an allergy.  She has trained people in this technique for over 20 years.  Over 12,000 practitioners have learned to do NAET worldwide. Many practitioners at the symposium gave talks on patient cases or how they are using NAET in their practices.  All of us have seen allergic responses such as hayfever and skin conditions completely eliminated by NAET.  However, two doctors had particularly interesting presentations.

One doctor from India uses NAET with HIV positive orphans.  Normally babies born HIV positive suffer from poor growth, chronic illness and repeated infections.  With NAET, Sister Naina has brought the children out of sickness and into wellness.  Despite their HIV status remaining, the children are healthy, grow well, and do not even get the colds and coughs that non-HIV positive children get.  This is without anti-viral medication. What a success!

You can donate to the non-profit organization supporting the treatment of these orphans by clicking the link below:
http://www.naet-europe.com/en/naet-association.html

Children in developed countries are suffering from an different epidemic: autism.  Another presenter gave his report on a scientific study he recently published regarding the treatment of autistic children with NAET.  The study had a treatment group and a control group.  23 out of 29 autistic children treated with NAET recovered enough to be mainstreamed into regular classes at school.  Here is an interview shown on Fox News about that study:



NAET can be used for almost any disease.  Many symptoms we don't consider to be allergic responses stem from sensitivities to foods, chemicals, substances, and even emotions and other people.  The week of the conference, I had been experiencing muscle tightness in my neck on the right side and neck pain.  On day four of my trip, we moved to a hotel for the conference, an accupuncturist in the vendor area that day gave me a treatment in my neck which completely released the muscle tension and resolved the pain.  The same day I also started to use the pens provided by the hotel.  My neck felt better the entire day and into the next.  Halfway through the next day, I lost my hotel pen, which happened to be all plastic, so I reached into my purse for the pen I had been using--a pen with both plastic and metal on the outside.

After taking notes with my pen for about an hour, I began to experience a return of my neck pain.  Also the muscles along the thumb and forefinger were crampy and sore.  Could this be an allergy to the pen?  I had my neighbor, another NAET practioner, test me and sure enough, I was allergic (or sensitive) to the metal on the pen.  I switched back to an all plastic pen and the soreness in my hand as well as the neck pain disappeared.  Now I need to get treated with NAET for sensitivity to metals.  I can't begin to think how many massages, accupuncture treatments or chiropractic visits I may have had if I kept using that pen! It would also be a good idea to check sensitivities to jewelry I wear--perhaps some of my necklaces or earings have been creating neck pain by local contact with the metal to which I'm allergic.

To find out more about NAET, read "Say Goodbye to Illness" by Dr. Nampudripad.  This book is available at our office or on Amazon.com.  Or if you're ready to get tested and treated, call our office at 360-573-2273.  For more locations and information, go to www.drsherylwagner.com.    If you are not in the Northwest near either of my offices, go to www.NAET.com to find a practitioner in your area.

MTHFR Genetic Mutations--is it the cause of your disease?

     
  MTHFR

Much information has come to light about the prevalence of genetic mutations causing decreased levels of active folate in the human body.  Lack of folate used to be thought of only as the cause of serious birth defects such as spina bifida and cleft palate.  These defects are commonly caused by lack of folate in the diet which is the main reason these birth defects are mostly seen in lesser developed countries where quality food is scarce for poor people.

However, we now realise that genetic mutations altering the absorption and processing of folic acid from the diet cause decreased folate in the body and lead to many diseases we are seeing on the rise in developed countries today: autism, IBS, infertility, cardiovascular disease, cancer, fibromyalgia, and schizophrenia to name a few.  Each person has two genes affecting the metabolism of folate in the body. Both of these genes have two copies, one from the father and one from the mother.  If both genes in a person have one mutation or one gene has two mutations, the activity of folate in the body is severely decreased, especially in diets low in folate.  Folate is abundant in romaine lettuce, spinach, asparagus, turnip greens, mustard greens, calf liver, parsley, collard greens, broccoli, cauliflower, beets, and lentils.  These are obviously not foods high on the list of "favorites" for most americans.  Many people don't even know how to cook things like beets and mustard greens.  This is one reason why diseases caused by these mutations are on the rise.

Since folate is needed for RNA and DNA replication, many processes in the body happening at the mitochondrial level don't happen as efficiently as necessary.  These processes are responsible for energy production, red blood cell production, detoxification, recycling of homocysteine, and more.

For a detailed scientific explanation, click here

MTHFR genetic mutation and IBS, fibromyalgia Story



There is a simple genetic test costing only $150 that can find these genetic mutations.  It is highly valuable to anyone wanting to get pregnant or has experienced the above diseases in themselve or their close relatives.  I urge everyone to get tested. People with more complex diseases such as Autism, bi-polar disorder, schizophrenia should get a complete genomic profile test that costs $385.  This will check a variety of genetic mutations that affect many processes in the body explained by the first link given above ("scientific explanation").

Call the office if you'd like to explore these questions with us at 360-573-2273 in Vancouver and 360-353-3822 in Longview, WA.

^ Frosst P, Blom HJ, Milos R, Goyette P, Sheppard CA, Matthews RG, Boers GJ, den Heijer M, Kluijtmans LA, van den Heuvel LP et al. (May 1995). "A candidate genetic risk factor for vascular disease: a common mutation in methylenetetrahydrofolate reductase". Nat. Genet. 10 (1): 111–3. doi:10.1038/ng0595-111. PMID 7647779.
^ Skibola CF, Smith MT, Kane E, Roman E, Rollinson S, Cartwright RA, Morgan G' (October 1999). "Polymorphisms in the methylenetetrahydrofolate reductase gene are associated with susceptibility to acute leukemia in adults". Proc. Natl. Acad. Sci. U.S.A. 96 (22): 12810–5.doi:10.1073/pnas.96.22.12810. PMC 23109. PMID 10536004.
^ "Meta-Analysis of All Published Schizophrenia-Association Studies (Case-Control Only) for rs1801133 (C677T) polymorphism, MTHFR gene". Schizophrenia Research Forum. Retrieved 2007-03-11.

Easy Gluten Free Crepes, Chocolate Banana or Blueberry

Some people think you have to have a special mix to make gluten free desserts or at least a bunch of different flours.  Not the case! I make these gluten free crepes all the time--for breakfast or dessert.  They are quick enough to make in the morning or after a meal--no planning necessary. The only "GF" product you need is brown rice flour.  I made them almost dairy free as well by using almond milk, but you can use any kind of milk you like.  Cow milk does make them a bit more "crepe-y"--more pliable, but most people won't know the difference no matter what milk you use.  They do have butter, so they are not truly dairy free.
To make crepes for two people, all you need is:

• 1/2 cup milk
• 1/2 cup brown rice flour or sorghum flour
• 1 egg
• 1/8 tsp salt
• 1-2 teaspoons butter (if you are using a non-stick pan, 1 tsp should be enough)
• 1/4 cup chocolate chips (optional substitute: Nutella)
• one banana 

Put 1/2 cup milk into a 2 cup measuring cup

Add 1/2 cup brown rice flour and 1/8 tsp salt

Add one egg and mix well

Add one Tablespoon of butter, melted.  If using a non-stick pan, you can cut butter in half.  I used an iron skillet.  Mix into batter well.

As you pour the batter into the pan, tilt the pan around so the small amount of batter you add will cover the bottom of the pan, making a thin crepe

When an edge is cooked enough to be pulled up, pick it up with your fingers and flip it over.  Cook only for about 10 seconds before taking it out of the pan. Set aside while you make the rest of the crepes.  Also in the meantime...

put some chocolate chips into a microwave safe bowl and cook on high for 1 minute.

Stir until they are all melted.  Keep stirring, they will melt.  I don't know why people use double boilers anymore, microwaves are great for melting chocolate.

Assemble crepes.  Chocolate in the middle of the crepe, sliced bananas over that, then roll and turn over.

Top with chocolate and/or powdered sugar.  I didn't have any powdered sugar today.  

Here's a pic of sorghum crepes with blueberries on top.  I've found that sorghum flour works better with almond milk while brown rice flour works better with soymilk or regular milk.  To make the blueberry topping, put a cup of frozen blueberries, a splash of water,1 tablespoon sugar and 1/2 tsp cornstarch in a saucepan. Turn on medium high until it starts to boil, then turn down and simmer just until blueberries are warm and juice thickens.

I know some of you will say--this is full of sweet stuff, it can't be healthy!  Come on now, I know you eat sweet stuff all the time:  granola bars, cereal, juice, cookies, candy.  This dessert actually has no sugar beyond what is in the chocolate and the bananas.  Just because a person is gluten free, that doesn't mean they never get to eat dessert!  Here is a sneak peak at my upcoming cake episode on Eat Here Now, my gluten free cooking show...

Gluten Free Pineapple Upside Down Cake!

It's half gone because it's that good.  I made it last night.  Tune in soon!

Hidden effects of Mold

Got fatigue? Got Spring and Fall allergies? Got night sweats? Mold could be the source of your problem.

Two patients came to me this week, both with fatigue, both who had already made great lifestyle changes--special diets, more sleep, eliminated caffeine, taking beneficial supplements. Their fatigue would not go away, in fact, it was getting worse. They thought maybe it was hormones or low iron. However, testing for food and environmental sensitivities revealed that mold was their biggest problem.

 Mold is a big problem in the northwest. We think of mold as only being in old homes or damp enclosed spaces such as a basement. However out here one can see mold growing right on tree trunks along nature paths. Window sills are tough to keep mold free--even vinyl double-paned windows accumulate black mold during the winter months. Bathrooms and laundry rooms can easily breed mold in hidden places due to the high humidity when in use. Proper surface choices, including the right kinds of paint, wallpaper, grout, etc. as well as getting a renovation job done to code can make a big difference in whether or not these rooms have a problem later. Buying a house that has been renovated by the previous owner rather than a certified contractor may be a high risk.

 If you've bought a foreclosed house, mold could be an issue no matter how old the house was or what the estimated value of the home is. Moisture evaporates from homes with the aid of heating, air conditioning, and doors and windows opening on a regular basis. None of these things happen in foreclosed homes, sometimes for years.

Mold can cause longterm or short term problems. Some people will get hayfever such as sneezing and burning eyes from mold. Others will get skin conditions. Children often get asthma and adults may contract other types of long term respiratory problems from entering a house with a high mold count. This very thing has happened to countless people who have tried to rescue their homes in Louisiana post Katrina. Many people I've met have unexplainable fatigue, nausea, and headaches.

Taking allergy medicine or even getting allergies treated will not solve the problem if your house is infested with mold. In addition to creating an allergic response, molds can give off mycotoxins and microbial volatile organic compounds. Effects of mold in the northwest are often seen in the Spring and Fall when it is both wet enough to spread mold and warm enough for the mold to release spores. If your allergies or other health problems get worse in Spring, consider a mold problem.

Everyone should take these precautions in their homes:
1. Check window sills monthly for mold and clean them with a bleach solution
2. Make sure exhaust vents for clothes dryers are hooked up and free of lint plugs.
3. check under sinks for dripping pipes
4. Check shower and tub stalls for soft walls or cracked or missing caulking.
5. Occasionally check walls behind furniture such as bookcases or chests of drawers.
6. When trouble areas are found, remove all layers of damaged material to check subfloors and drywall for mold.
7. Check houseplants for mold on the soil.
8. find out if your refrigerator has a drain tray. This should be checked and emptied.
9. Check the air in the house with mold check kits (available at Home Depot). Do this before and after repairs and renovations.
10. Get the crawl space below your house checked for pools of water during the wet season.
11. make sure the outside of your house is in good condition including the roof, siding, rain gutters, and any roof additions such as skylights. Make sure the land next to your house slopes away from the foundation and that there are no sprinklers hitting the house directly and no plants prefering wet soil up against the house. 12. Do repairs correctly. This may require hiring a professional.

Splendiferous Cruciferous!

Cruciferous vegetables, also known as brassicas, are splendid indeed. Brassicas such as broccoli, cauliflower, brussel sprouts, cabbage, collard greens, kale, and kohlrabi may look unassuming, but they are powerhouses of phytonutrients that can protect against cancer.
Cruciferous veggies contain the sulphur compound glucosolinate. When glucosolinate is broken down, isothiocyanates and indol-3-carbinol are formed. Indole-3-carbinol helps break down and eliminate excess estrogens, preventing the development or growth of estrogen sensitive cancers. In addition, cruciferous vegetables contain folate, vitamin C, carotenoids, chlorophyll, fiber, flavinoids, lignans, and phytosterols—all of which have been shown to have cancer preventative effects.
In addition, brassicas contain selenium, a nutrient needed for producing thyroid hormone. This is a good thing because if you eat too many raw brassicas, it can negatively affect thyroid activity. But no fear, all you have to do is cook the vegetables to break down the goitrogens (compounds that can cause a goiter). Even lightly steaming will suffice.
Brassicas are eaten around the world. Cabbage is a key ingredient in Russian borscht, stuffed with meat in German cabbage rouladen, and shredded and tossed with ginger and seasoned vinegar to accompany Vietnamese dishes. Broccoli can be easily tossed in to stir frys, steamed and served with beurre blanc or creamed into a soup. Never tried kohlrabi? Think of it as a crunchy vegetable snack, mildly cabbage flavored, that can be eaten raw simply sliced or julienned into salads. Kohlrabi used to be one of my favorite things to give out as samples at the farmer’s market because most people had never tried it and were surprised at how much they liked it.
Cruciferous vegetables keep well in the refrigerator, so stock up this week and challenge yourself to prepare each brassica three different ways. Here is my favorite sauce to use with brassicas—toss it with shredded cabbage for a salad, use as a dipping sauce for kohlrabi slices, or add to stir frys:
2 Tablespoons seasoned rice vinegar
1 Tablespoon toasted sesame oil
1 teaspoon crushed ginger (I use the kind in jars)
chopped cilantro to taste, if desired