Stem Cells for Youthful Skin

Stem Cells for Youthful Skin

     Your skin’s capacity to replace dead skin cells with new ones is important to maintaining youthful-looking skin. This process of continuous self-renewal is governed by epidermal stem cells.  As we age, stem cell activity dramatically declines and the skin’s capacity for self-renewal diminishes.  Stem cells from plants grown in the high mountain regions of Europe may protect the skin from environmental stress and damage by activating epidermal skin cell activity.

     These plants grow where they have to endure high altitudes, extreme cold, dry air, and high levels of ultra-violet radiation.  The ability of these plants to withstand harsh environments prompted researchers to investigate using these plants as a source of protection for human skin cells.  Researchers found that applying selected plant stem cell extracts to the skin offers protection to the epidermal stem cells; which in turn prolongs cell life and enhances cell function.  These newly activated skin cells may then engage in their important functions of manufacturing proteins, collagen, and lipids needed to repair damaged skin, and help maintain skin elasticity.

     Skin care products are only effective if they are absorbed into the skin. Many cheap skin care products are missing key ingredients that allow the active ingredients to penetrate into the skin.  Micro needling is a new way to increase absorption of skin care products, and Stem Cell serum in particular. This is the same technology as is used in collagen induction therapy or CIT. At Alternatives you may purchase a medical roller for use at home, which increases the absorption of Stem Cell Serum and other recommended products by up to 80%!

For more information about which products are safe to use when micro needling, CIT, plant-based Stem Cell Serum, and home use medical rollers, contact Alternatives at 402-827-9450. Free consultations with an Aesthetician are available.

Men Need Skin Care Too!

     Do you have acne scars that have been bothering you for years?  After all, men rarely use make-up to cover up their skin imperfections.  What about sun damage, or aging spots?  There is something that can be done.  It is called Collagen Induction therapy or CIT.  Collagen induction therapy is a medical procedure done in our office by an Aesthetician.  CIT remodels that scar tissue and promotes new collagen formation.   The result is a greatly noticeable difference in the appearance of the skin.  The scar fades and becomes almost indiscernible.  This procedure does not require much if any downtime, and can be done in 60-90 minutes.

It is extremely safe and very effective.  Watch this short video demonstrating theprocedure on Omaha.com.  Call 402-827-9450 to schedule a free consultation in a very private setting to see if CIT is right for you!

Cleaning and Greening Benefits your Body in Spring

Cleaning and Greening  Benefits your Body in Spring

Kathi Bratberg, RN, MS Holistic Nutrition

Spring is the greening season; a time for planting and new beginnings. In Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM includes acupuncture and herbal remedies), the organs that predominate in the spring are the liver and gallbladder. Spring is the perfect time for liver detoxification and balancing.

The liver is the body’s master laboratory. It stores and distributes nourishment for our whole body and filters toxins from the blood. We have plenty of toxins here in America: bath and body products we apply in the morning, chemical additives in the food we eat, and the chemicals in the air, water, and surfaces we touch keep our livers busy throughout the day.

The liver cells make bile to break down the fats we eat. The bile is then stored in the gallbladder. The liver stores glycogen, which can be converted to sugar for the body’s emergency energy needs, or if our blood sugar falls too low. These are but a few functions of our mighty liver!

As the weather gets warmer in the spring, our bodies no longer need the heavy, warming, oily foods that were good for us in the cold weather. It’s time to lighten up and “green” the diet with fresh vegetables; the following are particularly good for supporting your liver:

Beets

Cabbage

Celery

Parsley

Cilantro

Carrots

Kale

Arugula

Dandelion greens

Mustard greens

Spinach

Make sure they are organic or your liver will be busy eliminating the herbicides and pesticides that are used on regular commercial vegetables! Try paring them in recipes with low glycemic foods, organic raw nuts and seeds, wild caught fish, organic eggs, organic chicken, and organic turkey. Use organic cold pressed extra virgin olive oil as well but remember not to overheat it as this will damage the oil and destroy its nutritional benefit.

Put some lemon in your first glass of water; then try to drink at least 64 ounces of filtered water throughout the day to help flush toxins from your body.  Exercise regularly and use infrared sauna to work up a sweat. The skin is your largest organ and one of its functions is to aid in removing toxins through sweating. Look out for your liver during “spring cleaning” your home environment by using non-toxic cleaners and chemicals. Avoid skin contact with the cleaners.  

Two supplements we recommend that are available at Alternatives are Milk Thistle and Olive Leaf Extract to support and disinfect the liver. To cleanse your liver we offer a Spring Liver Detox program at Alternatives. It is an 18 day restricted diet that includes a specially formulated protein shake with ingredients that cleanse and detoxify the liver. Cleansing your liver is a great way to jump start any weight loss program, increase your energy, and prepare your body for the hot summer months to come!

Blessings for a great spring season! –Kathi Bratberg, RN, MS Holistic Nutrition

For more information about our Supplements, Cleanses, Saunas, Detox and Weight loss programs call Alternatives at 402-827-9450 or email us at alternativesomaha@gmail.com.

Bio-identical Hormones for Aging Men

 

Bio-identical Hormones for Aging Men

Patricia Ryan, MD, CCN

Men go through andropause. Their testosterone production goes down as they age.  In my experience, it varies as to when this starts happening in each individual.

     There are many possible causes of diminished testosterone production in men.  Heavy metals such as lead, cadmium, mercury and other toxic metals interfere with testosterone synthesis.  Prolonged stress will decrease testosterone output. The body actually produces cholesterol and then converts it into the hormones it needs. Low cholesterol from over aggressive treatment with cholesterol lowering drugs such as Statin drugs will also lower testosterone levels.  Testosterone replacement is an important option for many men as they look at maintaining their health.

     Some groundbreaking research done by a Harvard Urologist by the name of Dr. Abraham Morgentaler, MD revealed that men who have low levels of testosterone have a 14% increased incidence of prostate cancer.  He tested men’s testosterone levels.  When they were low, he biopsied their prostate gland and found a higher incidence of cancer.  This was important because it went against what was prior “dogma” that testosterone was a cause of prostate cancer.  Low testosterone is actually a risk factor for prostate cancer!

     If a man chooses to take testosterone replacement therapy, he needs to be monitored properly. Testosterone and some of the metabolites of testosterone should fall in the normal range.  We routinely monitor the estradiol and di-hydrotestosterone (DHT) levels.  There is some new testing that is being evaluated to fine-tune this information even further.  As we get more information on this, we will offer this testing to our patients.

     Benign Prostatic Hyperplasia is very common in men as they age.  There are a few nutrients that are helpful in slowing this process down.  These include essential fatty acids, zinc, saw palmetto, beta-sitosterol, quercitin, and lycopene.  Diet is particularly important.  Limiting red meat, increasing vegetables (greatly), and decreasing simple carbohydrates are essential steps to slowing down the process of prostate enlargement.

   In addition to testosterone, there are several nutritional interventions that may be helpful for men experiencing erectile dysfunction.  Acetyl-l-carnitine, testosterone, and propionyl-l-carnitine have improved all outcomes of male aging and erectile dysfunction. They were also more powerful than Viagra alone or improved Viagra’s effectiveness after radical prostate surgery.  Addressing blood flow issues (vascular disease) helps penile blood flow as well.  Some supplements that address vascular health include pycogenol, l-arginine, vitamin B6, and vitamin B12.

For more information we recommend attending our monthly seminar “Introduction to Functional Medicine”. Bio-Identical Hormone Replacement for both men and women is covered in the seminar. You can register for the seminar online here.  We also recommend the book “Testosterone For Life” by Dr. Morgentaler, which is available to purchase at Alternatives. If you have additional questions please call us at 402-827-9450 or email alternativesomaha@gmail.com.

Case Study: Neurotherapy for insomnia, fatigue, and anxiety resulting from brain injuries

We had a 50 year old white male come to Alternatives with complaints of insomnia, fatigue, and use of alcohol to treat his feelings of anxiety.  He had sustained several concussions in his lifetime, the most recent being 15 yrs. ago in a high-speed auto accident.  His initial evaluation showed a very abnormal brain mapping. 

The brain mapping (QEEG) revealed that he had suffered a significant injury to the left side of his brain. The areas that were identified as injured by the QEEG correlated with his presenting symptoms of low energy, insomnia, irritability, poor cognition (brain fog), and feelings of disengagement.

Also discovered during the analysis of his QEEG was that he had sustained an injury to the network of his brain. The network or the internal “wiring” of the brain was compromised and conducting information slowly and inefficiently. The network is how the brain communicates with itself, like a telephone line it’s responsible for carrying information (data) from one area of the brain to the next. The efficiency of the communication, and the sharing of information by the network is measured on a scale of 1-100% (1-40 too slow, 40-75 average, 75-100 too fast). There were areas of his brain that were sharing information (data) at speeds of 3-10%.  When the brain’s processing speed is that slow due to damage to the “wiring of the brain”, clarity of thought and emotional flexibility can become difficult.

After 30 one-hour sessions of neurotherapy using the NeuroField X2000, a follow-up QEEG was obtained and compared with the initial brain mapping. The comparison analysis showed statistically significant improvements in the previously identified areas of injury. The network conducting speed showed great change increasing from 3-10% to 50-69%.  The follow-up brain mapping proved that the areas of injury and the compromised networks of the brain are now operating faster and more efficiently.

He presently reports that he’s more relaxed and easy going. It’s easier for him to fall asleep and stay asleep, he has more energy and less lethargy, he is more engaged and cognitively aware. He also states that his symptoms of anxiety are gone, he feels happier, healthier and he no longer requires alcohol to calm his nerves before bed.

Lose Weight Now with Alternatives' Comprehensive Weight Loss Program

Lose Weight Now with Alternatives' Comprehensive Weight Loss Program

From Alternatives Newsletter February 2012

The New Year is upon us. The fun and over-indulgence of the holidays is over and now it is time to get serous about our health and weight loss.

I am throwing the word DIET out of my vocabulary, because diet implies something that is short lived and difficult, then over. Usually this means going back to our old ways of doing things, which will put the weight back on over time.  I want us all to start thinking about supporting good health instead, and make lifestyle changes.

I have been looking at some of the legitimate weight loss programs out there, and there are many. In truth, they probably all have some validity as far as losing weight because less calories usually, but not always, equate with weight loss. Many have their own products you purchase, and without naming names, I looked at these products and found very over processed ingredients and the very things that I educate you to avoid eating: High Fructose Corn Syrup, Artificial sweeteners, and partially hydrogenated fatty acids.

Yes these ready-made diets are convenient, but can also get very expensive over time and once you are done with their program, CAN YOU KEEP THE WEIGHT OFF WHEN YOU GO BACK TO EATING REAL FOOD AGAIN? Do they teach you how to find, prepare, and appreciate good healthy power foods from healthy planetary sources, free of toxins and genetically modified ingredients? This very type of education is what we offer you here at Alternatives and Knowledge is Power!

The weight loss program we use at Alternatives is the HCG (human chorionic gonadotropin) protocol with real food equaling about 500 calories a day. The particulars of the diet were explained in a previous newsletter.

There are 3 goals most people are trying to achieve by completing the HCG program:

            Lose weight

            Reset / Fix/ Increase base metabolism

            Maintain the weight loss

The beauty of the HCG weight loss program (notice I did not say diet) is that is does reset the metabolism. Long term weight loss is maintained by learning to modulate what caused that weight gain in the first place i.e. hormone imbalances, toxicity, infections, poor quality foods, gastro-intestinal problems, food intolerances, stress. Again these are all the areas we can help you with here at Alternatives.

There are no magic bullets when it comes to our health. There is no one cure-all. The body is a very complex organism and we are all very individual. We are geared for survival, but to survive and thrive for as long as possible we need balance between the mental, structural and chemical components of our life. 

If you have any questions about current diet fads and wish to learn why our weight loss programs will work better for you - schedule a free consultation with one of our clinicians. Call 402-827-9450 or email us.

Wishing you success in health,
Kathi Bratberg RN, MS Holistic Nutrition

Better Health, Better Body, Better Baby

Better Health, Better Body, Better Baby

From Alternatives Newsletter February 2012

Are you planning to have a baby (or are you a concerned “Grandparent-to-be”)? What kind of a “home” would you wish to provide for a growing baby in the first most important 9 months of intrauterine growth?

A home that is supportive of new growth and development, one in which your precious growing child feels comforted and loved, one that is free and clear of toxins – this environment begins long before a woman is pregnant!

We live in an unbelievably toxic environment. There are 90,000 plus chemicals in our American system.  We eat them, drink them, smell them, rub them on our bodies, clean with them, spray them on our lawns and gardens.  The Environmental Working Group has done studies on the cord blood of newborn babies and found 200 plus chemicals – some of them carcinogenic.   

This means that these chemicals the mother is exposed to are NOT able to be filtered by the placenta. At Alternatives, we believe that the ideal time to begin to cleanse your body of this toxic overload is 1 YEAR before you even consider pregnancy. This is the time to learn and practice healthier things to do to prevent this toxicity in a future child.

We are offering a 6 month program to educate you about the toxic load and ways to avoid it.  This will help to protect you, your family, and future unborn children.  In the program we will provide guidance for your gradual detoxification and teach you importance of liver and gastrointestinal health.

Because we are firm believers of good health “powerfoods” from healthy planetary sources you will learn what this means and how it benefits your overall health and healing abilities. We will discuss the importance of vitamins and minerals and the way to get these with food

We will be using a simple textbook of dietary guidelines formulated by the Weston A. Price foundation – to guide you on your way.

At Alternatives we are passionate about good health and would be honored to support you at this most important time of your life.  To find out more about how our Better Body, Better Baby program will benefit you please call 402-827-9450, or email us with any questions you may have.