The Secret to Total Health

More Than Medicine

The Secret to Total Health

From Alternatives Newsletter May 2007

Part 2

The last issue of Alternatives’ newsletter examined how our beliefs and thoughts influence our total health.  In this issue Dr. Patricia Ryan, founder of Alternatives:  A Center for Conscious Health, discusses practical ways to put positive thoughts into action.

The popular movement The Secret, which features Rhonda Byrne’s DVD, book and soundtrack, focuses on how the laws of attraction can impact our happiness.  If we align what we believe to be true with our thoughts and feelings, we can attract what we want. 

“That’s the first step to total health, and the next is to put that philosophy into action in practical ways,” said Dr. Patricia Ryan, Alternatives founder.  “So many people come to me because they want to have a better lifestyle and to have the stick-to-it-ness to achieve better health,” she said.

“But most of my patients do have roadblocks to achieving their goals.  That’s because we often don’t make our own health a priority.  Lifestyle changes must start in our minds with the desire to improve our situation,” Dr. Ryan said.  “Along with that desire comes the realization that we sometimes have no control over what happens to us.  We must trust the plan that God has for us and do what we can to nurture ourselves.

“And that means consciously making an effort to love ourselves enough to treat our bodies like temples.  For example, studies have shown that people eat for security when they feel unsafe.  Instead, concentrate on finding other outlets for frustration, and find a diet that works and exercise you enjoy.”

Healing, Dr Ryan says, involves a synergy between mind, body and spirit.  “You can’t separate the three.  You must care for the whole person.  In practical ways, that means cleansing your body of toxins, making efforts to maintain a hormonal balance, eating nutritious food that’s free of hormones and preservatives, adding back vitamins and supplements that have been depleted from your body and getting an adequate amount of sleep and exercise.

“Those habits, along with meditation and prayer, are the beginnings of lifestyle changes that can make a real difference in you,” Dr. Ryan said.

For more information about the secret to total health, contact Dr. Ryan and her staff at Alternatives: A Center for Conscious Health at 827-9450.

Hormones Play Key Role in Osteoporosis

Under Construction:

Your Bone’s Remodeling Efforts Need Good Nutrition, Calcium and Vitamin D 

From Alternatives Newsletter November 2006

Most people don’t think of their body as a construction zone, but the truth is that bones are in a constant state of remodeling, said Dr. Robert Heaney, a Creighton University professor and one of the nation’s leading authorities on osteoporosis.

“Bones turn over 10 percent each year – they’re constantly replacing bony structures,” Dr. Heaney said.  “One of the principal reasons that bones become fragile is not simply because bone mass is low, but because the remodeling rate is high.  If a bone is flimsy and someone has lost part of that bone and at the same time they’re doing a lot of remodeling, the structures that are needed for support may be out of commission.”

And that, Dr. Heaney said, is often how osteoporosis develops and does its damage.  Osteoporosis is a disease in which bones become fragile and more likely to break.  Left untreated, osteoporosis progresses painlessly until a bone breaks. These broken bones, also known as fractures, occur typically in the hip, spine and wrist, according to the National Osteoporosis Foundation.  Of the 10 million Americans who suffer from osteoporosis, women are four times more likely than men to develop the disease.

Dr. Heaney said that this potentially debilitating condition can be caused by many factors including lack of exercise, hormone deficiencies, heredity, vitamin D deficiency, certain medications, and too little calcium.  “What can happen with someone who does not have enough calcium and vitamin D is that the body then tries to compensate by taking calcium out of the bones,” Dr. Heaney said.

Solid nutritional intake is the first line of defense to protect against osteoporosis, Dr. Heaney said.  “Good nutrition is the key,” he said.  “Bones require adequate calcium, vitamin D, protein, phosphorus and magnesium.  Making good food choices is vital, with dairy being one of the best to prevent osteoporosis,” he said.  A bone density scan used to diagnose low bone mass and osteoporosis can be valuable at any time when you’re starting to tune in to the importance of strong bones.  “Then the results will be motivating to you,” Dr. Heaney added.

For more information about osteoporosis, visit the National Osteoporosis Foundation Web site at www.nof.org or contact Dr. Heaney at rheaney@creighton.edu.

Hormones Play Key Role in Osteoporosis

Menopause for women seems to play an important role in the development of osteoporosis, suggesting that a decrease in the hormone estrogen may explain why women appear to be more vulnerable to the disease than men, according to Dr. Patricia Ryan, founder of Alternatives: A Center of Conscious Health.

“We know that estrogen starts to shut down for many women around the age of 50, while testosterone is declining for men much more slowly.  When men’s testosterone levels become depleted, they are also at higher risk for osteoporosis,” Dr. Ryan added.

Recent scientific studies have helped to substantiate the connection between osteoporosis and hormones.  British scientists experimenting with mice believe they may have found why post-menopausal women often suffer from osteoporosis, according to findings reported in 2003.

The researchers discovered that mice lacking a key estrogen-regulating protein were unable to grow enough bone cells.  The research was expected to lead to new therapies to treat osteoporosis in post-menopausal women.

“As Dr. Heaney explained, good nutrition is so important to stop the progression toward osteoporosis,” Dr. Ryan said.  “So is avoiding sugar and alcohol, which can serve to deplete calcium from the bone as well as to upset the body’s healthy ph balance.  Balancing hormones through the addition of bioidentical hormones also can help some women prevent osteoporosis.”

In addition to bone density scans, Dr. Ryan said a urine test – the pyridinium crosslinks urine test – is available to help detect whether the body is losing bone mass.

For more information about osteoporosis, contact Dr. Ryan at Alternatives: A Center for Conscious Health at 827-9450 or visit www.centerforconscioushealth.com

Why Your Liver Needs TLC

Why Your Liver Needs TLC

From Alternatives Newsletter July 2006

You know the routine.  Get up every morning, jump in the shower and slather yourself with soap.  Then wash and condition the hair, cleanse and moisture your face and deodorize the body.  If you’re a gal, your regimen probably includes make-up, fragrance and any other products you’ve discovered to cleanse and beautify.

“Before we even leave the house, many of us have ingested a variety of chemicals through our mouths and skin,” said Dr. Patricia Ryan, founder and owner of Alternatives:  A Center for Conscious Health.  “And our exposure to toxins just continues as we go through our day, from the foods we eat and the medications we take to the air we breathe and the many substances we come in contact with.  It’s the job of the liver to separate the good from the bad and get rid of those chemicals and toxins.  So the longer you’re alive, the harder your liver has to work to rid your body of these damaging substances,” Dr. Ryan said.

This strain on the liver can wreak all sorts of havoc with the body, leading not only to liver disease but other medical conditions and diseases.  That’s why it’s important to give your liver plenty of TLC (Tender Loving Care), and that begins with six to eight glasses of water a day and a healthy diet full of lots of fresh fruits and veggies, Dr. Ryan advises.  “Broccoli, cauliflower and cabbage are particularly good for the liver,” according to Dr. Ryan.

In addition, antioxidant vitamins such as C, E, and beta-carotene, minerals such as zinc and selenium, B-vitamins that aid alcohol metabolism along with herbs including milk thistle can help to cleanse the liver, Dr. Ryan said.

Symptoms of liver disfunction include fatigue, headaches, constipation and belching.  If the liver cannot detoxify well, the body is at increased risk of cancer, according to Dr. Ryan.  “Alternatives monitors the liver by a test known as the detox profile, which tells more about liver function than the routine lab tests ordered at most doctor’s office,” Dr. Ryan said.   

Omaha Man Strives to Remedy Liver Threat 

When Terry Chandler was 21 years old, blood work showed that his liver enzymes were slightly elevated.  And for years since, the same abnormal readings had occurred whenever Terry had a blood test.  These abnormal blood signs had not indicated disease nor had they been of particular alarm to Terry’s doctors.  But they left him with an unsettled feeling.

That’s because Terry’s father died of liver disease in 1989, having contracted Hepatitis B from a blood transfusion.  “My doctors told me there was nothing I could do about my blood results because they weren’t that high,” he said.

Terry, who serves as office manager for Alternatives: A Center for Conscious Health, wanted to try to remedy the situation.  So he consulted with Dr. Patricia Ryan, founder and owner of Alternatives.  “She recommended two products: silybum marianum also known as milk thistle, and CoQ10,” Terry said.  Silybum marianum often is recommended by herbalists to prevent or treat liver disorders and CoQ10 is an enzyme similar in structure to vitamin K that can boost energy and improve both heart and liver health.

After several months of using the two products, Chandler received good news from his annual blood work report.  His liver enzymes are normal for the first time since he was a teenager.  “I’m very happy that I’ve been able to turn this situation around and achieve normal liver enzymes,” he said.  “Liver health is too important not to strive to make improvements.”

For more information, contact Alternatives at 827-9450.

Eminence Organic Skin Care Testimonial

Omaha Woman Experiences the Eminence Difference

From Alternatives Newsletter June 2006  

Long-time Omaha resident Betsy Belmont made a surprising discovery from the blood work-up that Dr. Patricia Ryan of Alternatives had ordered for her.  “I learned that I was allergic to several ingredients often found in commercial skin care products including red dye No. 40.  Dr. Ryan told me that these allergens were affecting my immune system.”

That’s why Belmont, the mother of two boys who is active in many Omaha civic organizations, switched to the Eminence Organic Skin Care line.  “It felt good to try skin care products I knew were natural.  I have heard of and tried other products that made the claim to be natural, but I found out later they weren’t.”

For six months, Belmont has used the entire line of Eminence products including cleanser, toner, eye cream, body lotion and concentrate lotion for dry feet.  “First of all I don’t feel that my face is as dry as it once was,” Belmont said.  “It’s made a difference with the puffiness and dark circles.  And I have the peace of mind of knowing that it is pure.  I don’t have to worry about what I’m putting on my skin,” she said.

“You notice right away that it doesn’t sting,” Belmont added.  “The cleanser has a wonderful smell.  It’s not a chemical smell, but more refreshing.  It just feels good on my face too.  It lifts me up and makes me feel good.  I just feel clean and good and ready to start my day.”

Thyroid: Master of healthy metabolism

Thyroid:  Master of healthy metabolism

From Alternatives Newsletter May 2006

From its strategic location at the front of the neck, the thyroid produces hormones that help control the entire body’s metabolism.  Its work is an important part of keeping the body in balance.  But still, it’s estimated that about half of the 27 million Americans who have thyroid disease go undiagnosed partly, perhaps, because the symptoms of thyroid disease can be so elusive, according to Dr. Patricia Ryan.
Those symptoms may include cold extremities, hair loss, dry skin, constipation, irregular menses, poor digestion, joint aches, fatigue, multiple infections, weight gain and loss of lateral eyebrows, to name a few.  “Thyroid disease occurs in about one of eight people,” Dr. Ryan said, “and women seem to be at the greatest risk.  We’re not sure why it seems to be so prevalent.”
The thyroid is the only organ in the body capable of absorbing iodine. The thyroid takes in iodine, obtained through food, iodized salt, or supplements, and combines it with the amino acid tyrosine.  The thyroid then converts the iodine/tyrosine into the hormones T3 and T4.  The "3" and the "4" represent the number of iodine molecules in each thyroid hormone molecule, according to Dr. Ryan.
“Physicians often screen for thyroid disease by using a lab test called the TSH,” Dr. Ryan said.  “I actually use both TSH and T3 tests, which provide more in-depth information to help determine thyroid function.  Many people have symptoms of low thyroid, but their physicians tell them their lab is normal,” Dr. Ryan said.  “Lab parameters were set to detect disease states, not the state of optimal functioning.
“Even if the lab tests are normal, there may be some thyroid dysfunction.  So a free T3 lab test may sort this out for some patients.  If tests show a borderline problem, we can recommend dietary and supplement changes that can support thyroid function, including tests that help determine the iodine level in the body.”

Thyroid’s Baffling Symptoms

Thirty-three-year-old AnneMarie Haferbier of Omaha was baffled by a string of unusual symptoms that kept her doctors guessing as well.  She was constantly tired, had dry skin and was consistently losing her voice.  Some of her symptoms mirrored asthma or allergies, and she’d been treated for that for 10 years.  When she gained 25 pounds in one year, her doctor chastised her for poor eating habits, even though she hadn’t changed her diet.

“I went to my doctor and demanded a battery of tests,” she said.  “Initially, she had told me my symptoms had nothing to do with thyroid disease.”  The tests results revealed otherwise.  AnneMarie had thyroid disease.  What’s more, she didn’t have asthma, and probably never did.

So her doctor put her on Synthroid – a conventional thyroid medication.  “It helped immediately,” AnneMarie said, “but I found that after a couple of months my system would go through a cycle where I would feel great and then go downhill.” 

Friends at work told AnneMarie about Dr. Patricia Ryan.  She met with Dr. Ryan, who recommended Armour^® Thyroid, a natural thyroid replacement for underactive or nonfunctioning thyroid.  She has followed that regimen, along with herbs and vitamins prescribed by Dr. Ryan, for about four months.

“I feel very good now.  What I like about Dr. Ryan is that she’s knowledgeable about well-documented symptoms that mainstream medicine doesn’t always acknowledge.  She validates what you know to be true.  It’s great also knowing that she has training in conventional as well as alternative medicine.”

For more information about thyroid disease, contact Alternatives: A Center for Conscious Health.

Bioidentical Hormones: Managing change

Bioidentical Hormones:  Managing change

From Alternatives Newsletter April 2006

Fluctuating hormones are a natural part of aging.  But the physical, mental and emotional upheavals that come with “the change” in life often wreak havoc that interferes with daily living for thousands of women.  What’s worse, these symptoms – there are up to 35 – can last for years.  Hot flashes, mood swings, irregular and painful periods, yeast and urinary tract infections, afflict many women during this time of life.
Menopause is defined as the stage in life when a woman has not had her menstrual cycle for one year.  But many of the most troublesome symptoms of this change actually occur in peri-menopause, a transitional stage of two to ten years before menopause when hormones are fluctuating wildly.
“Research has shown that only about 20 percent of women survive menopause with no symptoms,” said Dr. Patricia Ryan.  “The rest experience problems that range from mild to severe.  Some women manage these changes with diet and exercise.  There are also various herbs, such as chasteberry and black cohosh, which can help,” she added.
“But as hormones wane, many women will feel better only by re-balancing their hormonal systems.  And the best way to do that is through bio-identical hormones,” Ryan said.  “Bio-identical hormones have the same molecular structure as the hormones made by a woman’s body.  Interest in bio-identical hormones surged when research conducted through the Women’s Health Initiative showed that synthetic hormones may carry health drawbacks, including cancer risks,” Dr. Ryan said.
To prescribe bio-identical hormones, levels in a woman are tested and then precise dosages of bio-identical estrogen, progesterone, testosterone and/or DHEA are written to meet that woman’s individual needs.  For more information about bio-identical hormones, contact Dr. Patricia Ryan.

Omaha woman:  Back in balance

Sonya Crane, an Omaha mother of three with a background in human development, had always been healthy.  Suddenly, at age 39, she was plagued with a number of disturbing symptoms such as severe memory loss and muscle weakness, fatigue, anxiety and insomnia.  “I’d forget to pick up my daughter,” she said.  A former track athlete, Sonya had trouble walking up a flight of stairs.  “When it came to cooking, all I had energy to do was boil water,” she added.  A doctor referred her to a neurologist to rule out Multiple Sclerosis.  And Sonya thought she might have cancer because she was so weak. 

Several rounds of blood tests didn’t identify the problem.  However, one test showed that the estrogen in her system was abnormally low for her age.  Knowing the importance of hormones, Sonya tried to convince her doctors to conduct more tests, but they wouldn’t agree.  After all, she was only 39, younger than the normal onset of menopause.

So Sonya arranged for the tests herself.  “I spent $650 on a hormone test through a pharmacy,” she said, “and found out my testosterone, progesterone and estrogen levels were all too low.”

Doctors offered mood stabilizers and sleeping pills.   Sonya opted for hormones, but not the synthetic variety many doctors prescribe.  Instead, she requested bio-identical hormones as a solution to balance her system, because she felt they would more closely mimic her body’s own hormonal make-up.

“By the third day on bio-identical hormones, I was back to my old self again.  I was cooking and baking, and my house was clean.  All my symptoms went away and I feel much happier, more patient and loving towards my children and husband – not to mention having the energy to care for my family, which has always been the highlight of my life!  I’m speaking out because I’m a woman’s and family advocate and if a woman loses her health, she’s unable to care for her family and be loving to her husband.  That’s why women should find doctors who are willing to prescribe optimal levels of bio-identical hormones.”  

Sonya said that Dr. Ryan will continue to monitor her hormone levels to help her achieve optimal balance.  For more information about bio-identical hormones, contact Dr. Patricia Ryan, a professional preventative medicine doctor.

Yeast: The deceptive invader

Yeast:  The deceptive invader

From Alternatives Newsletter March 2006

Say the word “yeast” and the first thing that may come to mind is the fermenting agent used in making bread, beer, wine, and other goodies.  But no good can come from yeast when it takes over the intestinal tract and disrupts fragile internal balances. 
Yeast and its symptoms often masquerade as illnesses like irritable bowel syndrome, migraine headaches, diarrhea, constipation, menstrual cramps, depression, lethargy and skin eruptions.  Other common localized problems are vaginal yeast infections, oral thrush and diaper rash.  “When I first saw the list of problems that yeast can cause, I thought, ‘How can this be?’” said Dr. Patricia Ryan.  “But I’ve learned from working with patients that yeast is truly a deceptive invader.”
The medical term for yeast is Candida albicans, a fungus that may affect as many as 80 million people, 70 percent of whom are women, according to Dr. Ryan.  Typically yeast is an organism that is present in the blood, gastrointestinal tract and vaginas of warm-blooded animals.
A healthy immune system and “good” bacteria, typically keep yeast in check.  However, when balances are disrupted through illness, poor diet, overuse of antibiotics or hormone fluctuations, Candida albicans cells are transformed from benign yeast into a troublesome fungus.  When this occurs, long, root-like filaments extend and penetrate cells lining the intestinal mucosa in their search of food, Dr. Ryan said.
Fighting yeast can be a full-time job that includes lifestyle and diet changes, and supplements that help build good bacteria back into a system.  For more information, contact Alternatives, A Center for Conscious Health.

A frustrated mom discovers the yeast connection

When Harrison was 10 days old his parents, Amy and Jim, rushed him to the hospital.  “He was burning up and moaning, and we discovered he had a urinary tract infection,” Amy said.  “He spent 10 days in the hospital and the tests were inconclusive.  He screamed non-stop after that.”

Three weeks later, another urinary tract infection landed Harrison back in the hospital, this time for 15 days.  Other symptoms included fever and rash over his entire body, and a diagnosis of acid reflux disease was made.  A visit to a chiropractor brought some relief and helped Harrison sleep.  “But then he started slipping again,” Amy said, “and the chiropractor said he couldn’t help anymore. He suggested Dr. Ryan.”

Her diagnosis was yeast infection.  “It made perfect sense, because I’ve had yeast problems for much of my life,” said Amy, who is being treated by Dr. Ryan as well.  While Harrison continues on antibiotics for his urinary tract problems, Dr. Ryan is treating his yeast with medication and supplements, so he is more comfortable.”  He’s improving more every day as his grateful family’s routine gradually returns to normal.