"Conscious Parenting Reduces Fatigue" by Scott Carlson LMHP, CTS

What we do not know about ourselves hurts us and restricts the quality of our life. It is a loving act for our self and others to be on a journey toward “the light”, pursuing the truth about our physical health, emotional, mental health, and our spiritual health. It is a journey toward consciousness. There is not a greater sacrificial gift to those we love nor a greater inspirational model for living life to all those in reach of our fruit bearing tree. It is a courageous and honorable journey. If you are a parent, please consider this.

What we do not know about our self, affects our parenting and is transmitted then to our children. The more conscious we become, the better we are as parents, the better model we are for them, and the added benefit of significantly increasing the quality of our life/health. Let me start with a simple psychological phenomena called projection. It works like an overhead projector. What is actually on the projector looks much bigger than it really is when we see it projected on the wall. The reality/truth is that a SPECK on the projector becomes bigger when it is seen outside itself.

An example of this is that if we have something in us that we do not like, when we see it in our children it will appear bigger in them. Since in our “unconscious” view it is so big in them, we will not like it and try to get them to remove it. If we unconsciously do not like our own anger, sadness, or weakness to name a few, we will parent to remove it from our children. This can lead to fatigue and exhaustion for both parents and children.

Research has shown that some of the most serious emotional disorders come from having a child’s emotions not understood. Children retreat further inside their hearts when their feelings are not allowed, listened to, and understood. If they are allowed, listened to, and empathized with a simple “that is sad for you isn’t it?” the emotions go away and don’t need any advice or fixing.

Although this may seem simple it can be very hard to consciously change. We often can’t just say those simple words because they don’t feel right to us, so without the congruence of our words with feelings we don’t or can’t say them. And this is where our sacrificial loving act for our children comes in. When we begin our own journey to bring light and truth to our self, we will better our parenting and ensure that our children can live their adult lives less consumed with the time, energy, and dollars on their personal healing journey. It is a spiritual journey, it is an awakening, it is enlightenment, it is love.

We are here to work with you one-on-one, and may also offer parenting seminars and workshops to assist you in your journey. We will have a blast while learning, healing, and bettering our lives!

- Scott Carlson LMHP, CTS

Alternatives, A Center for Conscious Health

Rockbrook Village Shopping Center

11036 Oak St.

Omaha, NE 68144

402-827-9450

"Fatigue - Can We Fix It With Food?" by Kathi Bratberg RN, MS Holistic Nutrition

Face it- we are a tired nation. We go, go, go- with too much to do and not enough time to do it. We have become human doings, instead of human beings. Cooking has fallen by the wayside in our very busy lives, is relegated to the last thing we have time for, and we are suffering because of it.  

Because we are so tired we grab anything that is fast, and face it, there are a lot of “fast “foods out there. The sad fact is most of these are not food at all. They are highly processed, sugar laden, loaded with bad fats and chemicals to make them taste good, and low in nutrition. Fast foods may give us some momentary energy due to a spike in our blood sugars, but the sugar levels quickly fall and we feel worse again.  

There is a computer saying: garbage in equals garbage out. That is what the standard American diet is: S.A.D. garbage. There is no way it will ever lead to vibrant health.  

When our adrenals respond to stress, the metabolism of your cells speed up, burning many times the amount of nutrients needed. By the time you are in an adrenal fatigue state, your cells have used up much of their stored nutrition, and are in desperate need of new supplies of nutrition just to function. There is nothing left to heal the body.

Our bodies need real food- good quality protein for rebuilding and maintenance of cells, healthy fats for energy and cell wall integrity, and small amounts of high quality complex carbohydrates for energy. These foods need to come from healthy planetary sources.  

We also need vitamins, minerals, trace minerals and water- these abound from good   sources and healthy earth - anything from a bush, a tree, or in the ground, and also animals that have also eaten these foods, is superior to engineered food made in a factory. Good food should be certified organic: grown free of pesticides, herbicides, and not genetically modified.

We need a diet of nutrient dense foods. This includes adequate protein at every meal and snacks as well- organic meats and fowl, (grass fed best), eggs, nuts and seeds, nut butters and organic cheeses, and plain full fat Greek yoghurt (if dairy is tolerated).  

We need healthy fats like organic butter, extra virgin olive oil, and coconut oil, avocado, and nuts and seeds (nuts and seeds are both healthy protein and healthy fats - this is what I mean by nutrient dense).  

 

Of course, a healthy diet always includes a lot of vegetables and a few fruits daily. Vegetables should be served with a pat of butter! Vegetables provide numerous vitamins and minerals that our bodies crave in our nutrient deficient diets, along with healthy carbohydrate and fiber. Beans and other legumes are also healthy sources of fiber and complex carbohydrate.

Grains can be a problem, especially since so many of them are genetically modified. Hybrid wheat, although not technically a GMO, is also a problem. The wheat of today is not the wheat of our ancestors, and it can be an irritant to our gut lining. The book “Wheat Belly” by Dr. William Davis MD explains this in great detail and it is an easy read and well worth the effort. Try small amounts of brown rice, wild rice and quinoa instead.

Last but not least, we need hydration. Water is very important to every one of our cells. It helps get the nutrients into the cell, and help get the toxins out. The rule of thumb is drinking one half your body weight in ounces of water. (if you weigh 120 pounds- drink 60 ounces of water.) Green tea is also beneficial. Soda pop and fruit juice are not.  

If you are fatigued please consider making some of the changes above. If you make one small change every 3 weeks, in 6 months you have done a lot with minimal effort. You will feel better. That is a winning situation in my book.

My wish for you is good health.

- Kathi Bratberg RN, MS Holistic Nutrition

Alternatives, A Center for Conscious Health

Rockbrook Village Shopping Center

11036 Oak St.

Omaha, NE 68144

402-827-9450

"Supplements to Fight Fatigue" by Steve Evans, Research Scientist

Fatigue Fighter: Ashwagandha

There are many causes of fatigue of course. Among these is an underactive thyroid possibly along with adrenal stress. It is estimated by some experts that there are 52 million Americans with underactive thyroids. For those 40 or over, this may be a good possibility as part of the cause of your fatigue. There are various supplements that can be of benefit. For thyroid support, in this Newsletter issue, I suggest you consider the herbal Ashwagandha

This herb is in a category of herbs called the adaptogens. Although scientists actually don’t really know how adaptogens work, they just know that they have a positive effect on those who use them. They help the endocrine system to help you feel better - whether you’re up or you’re down.   Most adaptogens work with the endocrine system to bring you back in balance. Adaptogens work with all types of people - even people who have issues on opposite sides of a particular spectrum.

For instance, someone could take ashwagandha to support a sluggish thyroid but another person could take it to support an overactive thyroid as well. Again, both outcomes can occur. Knowledgeable herbalist think the reason why is because the herb has a holistic effect on the body. We can learn from those cultures who have been using an herb like this for thousands of years. In this case, ashwagandha has been used in Indian (Ayurvedic) tradition to help with issues linked to hormone imbalance - including stress, fatigue, anxiety and metabolism.  

Aside from the thyroid, Ashwagandha also is also effective for adrenal support. This confirms its ability to work with the entire endocrine / hormone system as an effective endocrine system modulator (adjustor). Keep in mind, ashwagandha isn’t a complete cure for your adrenals or your thyroid. The increases in T3 and T4 (thyroid hormones) are small and if you keep stressing out or using stimulants, your adrenals will not recover. If you want a complete therapeutic approach to thyroid or adrenal health, you need a thorough assessment from your alternative health care provider.

The herb has been used for thousands of years as a tonic herb, which means you can take it for an extended period of time without side effects. When you take ashwagandha, you want to use a high quality extract at about 1000 mg per day.

Fatigue Fighter: The Supplement Ribose

Another cause of fatigue might be weakened heart muscles and diminished heart functions. You see, your heart pumps a large volume of blood every second. This uses up a lot of energy. This energy comes from the ATP your heart cells produce. The problem is, when your heart is weakened, maybe due to aging or after a surgery, the heart cells are no longer able to produce enough ATP and energy. Without enough energy, the heart muscles become fatigued, and starve for even more energy. That’s why people with weakened hearts are so tired all the time. Indeed, it’s not uncommon for heart patients to complain that they can’t even walk to their mailbox without being so out of breath that they have to sit down.

In this situation, the supplement ribose may be of help. For example, in one animal study, scientists took lab rats and clamped their blood vessels, in order to slow down blood flow and deprive the rats’ hearts of oxygen. This in turn caused their ATP levels to plunge. The scientists then split the rats into two groups: one received a supplement called ribose, and one didn’t. Result: The rats in the control group continued to have a serious decline in ATP levels. In contrast, the rats taking ribose saw their ATP levels go back to normal within 24 hours.

In another animal study, scientists found that ribose sped up the recovery of fatigued muscles by up to 430%. They also found that even tiny amounts of ribose helped the cells preserve energy. In a study of 20 men published in the medical journal Lancet, researchers found that those taking ribose could exercise much harder before being fatigued. In another clinical study, Dr. Jacob Teitelbaum, medical director of the Fibromyalgia and Fatigue Centers, took a group of 36 patients who suffered from fatigue, and gave each one a small bottle of ribose. He then told them to take the ribose daily until the bottle was empty. The patients saw a dramatic improvement in their energy levels and also reported to sleep better... think clearer... and enjoy improved well-being.

In a case study published in the journal Pharmacotherapy, a veterinarian was forced to give up the practice she loved due to her debilitating fatigue. She felt depressed and helpless. So she decided to give ribose a try. The case study reports that she was back to her operating room in 3 weeks, practicing normally without any fatigue. Being a very skeptical person, she questioned whether a simple supplement could have such a dramatic effect on her condition. So she stopped taking ribose. Within two weeks, her debilitating fatigue returned. And again, she was forced to leave her practice. But when she resumed her ribose supplementation, her fatigue was gone in days.

In a German study, researchers took a group of heart patients and hooked them up to an echocardiograph to test their heart functions. After that, they gave the patients ribose or a placebo for 3 weeks. After 3 weeks, they re-tested the heart functions of the patients.   The patients taking ribose showed increased energy in their hearts. Their hearts filled and pumped more normally compared to the hearts of the control group. Not only that, the ribose group also reported to enjoy a better quality of life. The researchers then had the patients run on treadmills to see how well they performed. Compared to the control group, the ribose group could run for a much longer time before showing signs of fatigue.

In yet another study, researchers took a group of heart patients and tested them on stationary bicycles. Result: The patients taking ribose performed much better than the control group. The ribose group also showed to have stronger hearts, as measured by the amount of blood they pumped. In still another study, researchers gave ribose to patients who had heart injury. The patients showed improved blood flow, improved oxygen-uptake, and greater exercise capacity. And finally in yet another study, researchers gave ribose to a group of 143 patients who had previous bypass surgery. The patients showed much greater hearts’ pumping ability compared to the patients who had bypass surgery, but without taking ribose.

In summary, if the cause of your fatigue is weakened heart muscles and diminished heart function, then the supplement ribose may prove of benefit. As you see, getting at the cause of your fatigue is important to identify a suitable response.

Steve Evans is the Chief Research Scientist at TRI (Therapeutics Research Institute) in Omaha Nebraska

We are thankful for Steve's contributions to Alternatives Quarterly Newsletters as a guest writer

Alternatives
11036 Oak St.
Omaha, NE 68132
402-827-9450
www.AlternativesOmaha.com

"Skin and Fatigue" by Michelle McCaslin, APRN

The skin is the largest organ of the body. On average it weighs 8 pounds and covers about 22 square feet. It is often overlooked as an organ. The skin is composed of a complex system of cells, nerves and glands. The skin functions as a barrier of to keep harmful things from our environment away from the vital organs that reside in our body and at the same time serves to connect us to the outside world as our nerve endings in our skin give us “sensation”.

If you “feel” tired so too does your skin. Fatigue is a common symptom to various different problems going on in the body. There are many causes for the symptom of fatigue; they can range from heart disease, hormone imbalances, lack of nutrients due to inflammation in the gut, a bad diet, or reactions to medications or toxins in the environment.

Regardless of the cause, fatigue is a symptom that tells us something is not right. Just as the various systems in the body are affected the skin can also be affected. The skin is connected to many different organ systems of the body. There are nerves and melanocytes in the skin that are a part of the nervous system, blood vessels that are a part of the cardiovascular system, and certain hormones are produced in the skin connecting it to the endocrine system as well. If there is any dysfunction in any of those systems the skin will also be affected and the effects of the dysfunction can be seen in the skin.

Examples of disease process that have a symptom of “fatigue” and can be seen in the skin are Hypothyroidism and Type II Diabetes. In Hypothyroidism, a common condition where there is a decrease in the production of thyroid hormones, the person affected can feel “fatigued” and the skin will appear dry. The person may also notice coarse brittle hair, brittle nails and/or hair loss. Thyroid imbalance affects the whole body and many other symptoms may also accompany low thyroid function. Type II Diabetes is another common condition, and is characterized by insulin resistance and high blood sugars. Fluctuating sugars and high blood sugars can cause “fatigue” and can affect the blood vessels and nerves. In this condition the high sugars can actually cause destruction to the blood vessels and nerves and as a result people will notice numbness and tingling in their feet or extremities. The blood vessels in the extremities and eyes are the first to notice the effects of the constant elevation in blood sugars. Those with Type II Diabetes can experience changes in vision and tissue destruction in the extremities due to the lack of circulation. If left untreated, this can lead to amputation in either a toe or limb. In the skin, the blood sugars cause damage to protein, which causes advanced glycation end-products. This causes damage to the skin.

These types of disease processes require medical assessment and suggestions to help the hormonal imbalances to help alleviate their symptoms. Sometimes subtle things like a bad diet or eating something that one is either sensitive to or actually allergic can cause “inflammation” in the gut which can inhibit proper nutrients to the skin and also cause inflammation in the body and the skin. Inflammation is a natural body’s response to injury. This is when there is increased blood to the area and the body tries to heal by initiating the white blood cells to clean up things like bacteria. This is a process that helps heal something like a cut, but long term in the body inflammation causes destruction of cells and therefore tissue. More specifically the chronic or long term inflammation in the skin causes the breakdown of collagen.

Collagen is a substance in the skin that keeps the skin looking young. Loss of collagen can occur as hormones decline, chronic inflammation and exposure to environmental elements such as the sun. The loss of collagen is when we see wrinkles. The skin tells us a little of what is going on inside the body. So, while there can be many reasons someone may be feeling “fatigue” it is important to have a medical professional like Dr. Ryan, Kathi Bratberg and/or myself to help discern the root cause and once the full story is understood the skin will also benefit.

Epionce is a line of skin products that are medical grade, biopsy proven and work to decrease inflammation several levels. The use of these products will work on a daily basis at the level of the skin to decrease the chronic inflammation that may occur protecting the collagen and vitality of the skin. Its potent anti-inflammatory effects benefit those with inflammatory skin diseases like eczema and psoriasis as well.

Kathi Bratberg our resident specialist in nutrition can help with modification of diet to help promote a healthier inside and out, Emily our Aesthetician can help the skin by recommending medical grade products, organic lines of makeup, doing facials, microdermabrasion and/or peels and I can help with recommending a regimen of Epionce products, Botox, Juvederm, or Radiesse fillers (if needed) and/ or Collagen Induction Therapy (CIT). Call us at 402-827-9450 if you have questions about any of these products or treatments.

- Michelle McCaslin APRN

"The Acne Solution"

Acne is a chronic inflammatory disorder of the sebaceous glands that can be caused by several different factors. Teenagers are not the only ones who suffer from acne- it can affect anyone at any age.  Genetics and hormonal changes are the two major causes of acne. Your environment, certain medications, and stress can cause your acne to become more severe.

Acne starts when sebum (oil), bacteria, and dead skin cells plug up your hair follicles and pores. Sebaceous glands producing oil can be sensitive to hormonal changes in your body, and when your hormones change, excess sebum production can occur. When your skin is inflamed it makes the right environment for yeast and bacteria to grow causing infection. Your face, neck, chest, back, and shoulders have the largest number of functional oil glands, so this is why acne typically affects these areas. Acne can show up as inflammatory lesions, which consist of papules and pustules, or non-inflammatory lesions, which are blackheads and whiteheads.  There are different grades of acne to characterize the severity of the breakouts. Grade 1 acne is very mild acne on over less than half the face, and going up to Grade 4 acne, which is the most severe. Grade 4 acne consists of numerous lesions as well as cysts on over 50% or more of the face. Very large cysts can leave deep scaring.

There are a variety of treatments, skin care products, and nutritional regimens to treat acne. Microdermabrasion can help lessen acne by removing the dead skin cells that can eventually clog your pores. More severe acne can lead to scaring or pits in the skin, and having a series of microdermabrasion treatments can help lessen the appearance of these. Chemical peels can help with acne by removing the top few layers of the epidermis and unplug clogged pores. For deep scaring Collagen Induction Therapy (CIT) helps breakup the scaring or pits from acne. Using this micro-needling process leaves small punctures in the skin, allowing any skincare products applied to penetrate deeper.

A good home care regimen of cleansing, toning, and moisturizing is very important for clear healthy skin. It is also important to know that just because you are experiencing acne does not mean that your skin type is oily, acneic skin can be described as dry and sensitive too. Skipping this step if you have acne can possibly lead to more breakouts, because when your skin is dry it produces more sebum to try making up for the lack of moisture. This extra amount of sebum being produced can cause more acne, so remember that everyone needs a moisturizer. If you have active breakouts, be careful not to exfoliate over these, because this can break the lesion open spreading the infection and causing more breakouts.

Epionce skincare products will help lessen breakouts with their anti-inflammatory products that also work by strengthening and rebuilding the skins barrier. The Epionce cleansers, lytic, and renewal products help by reducing microbes on the skin, improving skins texture by helping to clear pores, and reducing the signs of aging. Another recommended product line to help improve the appearance of acne is the Pro-biotic line by Eminence. The cleanser, masque, and moisturizer are formulated with cucumber and tea tree oil to cool and detoxify the skin while yogurt gently exfoliates for a clearer complexion. We are also featuring a special package of 3 acne-relief facials. So many factors may be involved when dealing with acne. Because of the products and treatments we have today, there is no reason why someone should suffer through acne breakouts, or live with acne scaring. Call 402-827-9450 to schedule a free consultation with me to determine which products and treatments can help you the most.

- Emily Shiflett, Aesthetician

Alternatives, A Center for Conscious Health

Rockbrook Village Shopping Center

11036 Oak St.

Omaha, NE 68144

402-827-9450