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

Does cold weather cause a cold?

With cold, comes a cold


Spring and summer comes, colds and flus cease. Fall and winter comes, colds and flus are abundant as well as ear infections, tonsillitis, and the whole gamut of respiratory/mucous membrane derived illnesses. We keep hearing, however, that cold weather doesn't cause colds.
Perhaps it's exposure to germs. Do our kids really get less exposure to germs in the summer when they are playing on playgrounds, going to the public swimming pool, going to sleep away camp or day camp, or just being exposed to all the germs you bring home from work, the grocery store, etc.?
Maybe it's ingestion of sugar. Does Halloween followed by the holidays start a sugar spiral that leads down a path of diminishing white cell function ending in sickness? While I'm not happy my kids have received what seems like an increasing amount of candy in elementary school as rewards, I cannot say that I limit their sugar intake in the summer when we have ice cream, birthday parties, and salt water taffy at the coast (not to mention sweets at the county fair and zoo).
So why oh why do kids get sick when the weather turns cold? Yes, cold weather DOES put people at risk for getting sick. But why?
First of all, enzymes and immune factors work best at warm temperatures. When you breathe in cold air, the mucous membranes of your nose, sinuses, throat, and lungs, decrease in temperature enough to effect the activity of enzymes and immune factors that keep you healthy. If the rest of your body is warm enough by wearing adequate clothing, your body can warm these tissues internally. However, if your skin is not well protected and your whole body is losing heat, the tissues cannot be warmed sufficiently. If the decrease in temperature is long enough (such as when kids are playing outdoors, seeing the Zoo lights or Grotto, picking out a Christmas tree at a farm, or just leaving the home thermostat low without wearing winter clothing), viruses and bacteria that are in our everyday environment can multiply and create pain and inflammation.
But wait, some people get sick in cold weather and others don't. So it must be a question of susceptibility, right?
Yes, some people are more susceptible to the effects of cold weather--if they are not properly bundled up. There are some homeopathic constitutions--people who chronically need certain homeopathic remedies--that tend get sick in the cold. A couple of examples are Calcerea carbonica and Silica. Sometimes giving these people their remedy will quickly restore balance and immune function after exposure to cold.
There are also 'acute' remedies which may be given when anyone becomes ill after being exposed to cold air. Each remedy matches a particular symptom pattern:

Aconite--sickness happens after exposure to cold wind, especially getting cold after being hot (child is running around without a jacket, even sweating, but then does not put on extra clothing when they cool down after playing and become cold). This is the child that always gets sick at night (when the doctors office is closed). They wake sometime during the night, sometimes only after a half hour sleeping, with feverish symptoms. The child has one cheek red the other cheek pale. They may complain of ear pain and one ear may be hot and red. They may complain of throat pain, difficulty swallowing, stomach pain, and may be anxious or irritable. A dose of homeopathic aconite can clear up these symptoms--yes, even an ear infection.

Belladonna--(often the acute of Calc carb) when the fever is sudden and spikes high, this is the remedy often needed. The child will be flushed in the face but hands are cold. Pupils look dilated, eyes glassy. Any pain, whether in the ears, head or throat, is throbbing and intense. Symptoms are usually on the right side. They may also have heaviness in the sinuses and a barking cough. They feel better with a cold cloth applied to hot parts. They are not thirsty and it will likely be difficult to get them to drink enough fluids, which you want them to do because their temperature is high. Give these kids a dose of Belladonna.

Bryonia--this type of flu comes on more slowly, over the course of 2 or three days after being exposed to cold weather. The child is thirsty and wants to lay perfectly still, wrapped up. Body aches may be the biggest complaint accompanying the fever although they may also have a headache, stomachache, vomiting, and constipation. Parents may get annoyed because in this state the child wants to be left alone yet is also demanding, asking for things and then not wanting them, putting a blanket on then throwing it off. Nothing makes them happy or comfortable in this state except to lay down.

Hepar sulph--often the acute of Silica. Especially when ears are sensitive to cold, hepar sulph may be the answer for an infection. Pains whether in the ear or throat feel like a splinter or sharp, piercing pain. Colds quickly move into sinusitis or tonsillitis and when swallowing, the pain extends to the ear. They can have a croupy cough with hoarseness and laryngitis or an bronchial rattle or both with the dry cough at night and a loose cough in the morning. This may even evolve into a pneumonia. This is the child most likely to be given antibiotics because of all the mucous and/or pus, however, a dose or two of Hepar sulph may be all that's needed to get them on the path to healing.

Prevention, of course, is always the best treatment. Wrap up when going outside. Make sure kids put on more clothing after they have been running around (especially when playing in the snow). Wear a hat. If you exercise and get sweaty, make sure to dry off and put on layers before your cool down. Remember that temperatures dip suddenly in winter when the sun is low in the sky or wind picks up. Keep an eye on kids that won't notice the cold until their nose and hands are frozen and they are shivering. Lastly, come in to the naturopathic doctor when these symptoms arise. Even if you are able to give the right remedy at home, we can look in their ears, listen to their lungs and make sure they are getting better so You can enjoy your holidays!

no wheat, no disease?

Many people have found the miracle cure for ailments from eczema to diabetes: eliminate wheat from the diet. Dr. William Davis discovered the benefits of eliminating wheat from his diet, used this prescription with multiple patients who also had good results. This experience culminated in a new book: "Wheat Belly". In this book Dr. Davis explains the glycemic index of foods and the dangers of wheat in particular--even "healthy whole grain wheat". Click on the link below to watch Dr. Davis give an explanation of his findings:

http://www.cbn.com/media/player/index.aspx?s=/mp4/SUS213_DrWilliamDavis_101711_WS

For years we have been told that cholesterol and fat are the dangerous food ingredients to eliminate from the diet. Supposedly, eliminating these decreases the chance of getting heart disease. However, in the last 20 years since we've heard this prescription purported in the U.S., rates of obesity, pre-diabetes, diabetes, and other diseases leading to coronary artery disease have skyrocketed.

In addition other diseases have been on the rise as well: migraines, auto immune disorders, gastrointestinal disorders. Many people have found that eliminating wheat by avoiding all gluten containing foods has helped with these disorders. "Gluten-free" is the new slogan. However, Dr. Davis explains that although going gluten free can help with some diseases, consuming lots of high glycemic gluten free foods will not decrease the chance of blood sugar disorders or help you lose weight.

While going wheat free or gluten free, it is important to continue good food practices such as decreasing or eliminating completely refined flours from your diet. Many gluten free foods and recipes contain or call for tapioca flour, corn starch, and other high glycemic refined foods that can cause your blood sugar to spike. This happens espcially when combined with sugar such as in pancakes, cookies, and cakes where these flours are typically used.

In addition to raising blood sugar, these simple starches can feed bacteria and yeast that may be at the root of your stomach issues. So if you are going gluten free or wheat free because of constipation, diarrhea, pain or indigestion, make sure you are using whole food flours such as coconut flour, almond meal, and whole grains in limited quantity (such as brown rice flour) for your wheat free recipes.

You may think it's no fun to try going wheat free, but when you see the benefits such as weight loss, pain relief, and less need for medications you will be willing to put in the effort and extra cost of making delicious wheat free foods.

Check out Dr. Davis book and check out my gluten free cooking videos at www.vimeo.com/channels/healherenow