Harnessing the Best of Japanese Lifestyle

While Dr. Singleton is out of the office on a bucket-list trip to Japan, let’s dive into some advancements Japan has brought to the world of functional medicine. 

Japan’s mix of ancient wisdom and cutting-edge science has been shaking things up, especially when it comes to gut health, anti-aging, and hormonal balance.

 Let’s take a look at the latest updates, it may just inspire your next health upgrade!

1. Calming Bloating: 

If your gut’s been giving you trouble, Japanese-inspired foods might have the answer. Over there, microflora supportive foods & supplements are a big deal when it comes to calming IBS (Irritable Bowel Syndrome). 

By tackling inflammation and boosting gut health, these supplements not only calm digestive symptoms but also improve immunity and even mental well-being. It’s gut bliss, Japanese style! Here are examples of Japanese food-based probiotics you may not be aware of. If you haven’t tried Natto beans, you may want to read this first.

2. Consistency in Skin Health: The Secret to Getting the Glow

Japanese women are known for their flawless, radiant skin, and it’s no accident. Their skincare routine is all about simplicity and effectiveness.

Their mantra? Purify, Polish, Plump, and Nourish. It’s not just about slathering on 15 different serums; it’s about sticking to a routine that works, day in and day out. 

Cleanse to purify, exfoliate to polish, hydrate to plump, and feed your skin with nourishing ingredients. The result? Skin that ages like fine wine—slowly and gracefully. 

We’ve found that defensins in our new product line Defenage is based on Japanese technology of skin stem cell regeneration.  Check out this very technical article!

In Japan, diet is a huge part of skincare. They believe that what you put into your body is just as important as what you put on it. Antioxidant-rich green tea, vitamin-packed seaweed, and fresh fish loaded with Omega-3s keep skin smooth, hydrated, and glowing from the inside out. And don’t forget that healthy dose of collagen-rich bone broths, which helps keep the skin firm and youthful.

3. The Japanese Diet's Superpower

Here’s a fun fact: Japanese women have significantly lower rates of breast cancer than women in other parts of the world, and a lot of that comes down to diet. Soy, especially in its fermented forms like miso and tofu, contains isoflavones that mimic estrogen and help balance hormones—protecting against hormone-dependent cancers like breast cancer.

Seaweed, packed with iodine, keeps the thyroid happy, while anti-inflammatory foods like fish, veggies, and green tea fight off hormonal havoc. In Japan, food isn’t just about satisfying hunger; it’s a weapon in the fight against disease and hormonal imbalance.

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We hope this blog has helped you learn more about how Japan has influenced many aspects of functional medicine here in the US. If you have more questions about gut, skin or using hormone therapy, we’d love to hear from you. Schedule a consultation with our team of experts at Potentia MedSpa in Lafayette, California or call us at 510 230 2282. We are the only Functional Aesthetics Medspa in the San Francisco Bay Area offering a combination of medical expertise, innovative technology in skin care and holistic support.

Optimize Your Body's Hydration by 300%

Staying hydrated is crucial for maintaining overall health, but did you know that simply drinking large quantities of water might not be the most effective way to hydrate? While water is essential, the quality of your hydration matters just as much as the quantity. I’m often asked how incorporating essential minerals and natural beverages can improve your body's water uptake and lead to better health outcomes. Let’s explore this in detail! 

Why Minerals Matter for Hydration

When it comes to hydration, minerals play a key role in helping your body absorb and utilize water efficiently. Here are some of the top minerals that improve water uptake within cells:

1. Magnesium: Essential for over 300 biochemical reactions in the body, magnesium helps maintain normal nerve and muscle function, supports a healthy immune system, and keeps the heart beat steady. It also helps regulate blood glucose levels and aids in the production of energy and protein.

2. Potassium: This mineral is crucial for proper cellular function. It helps balance fluids and electrolytes, supports muscle function, and aids in nerve signaling.

3. Sodium: While often associated with high blood pressure, sodium in the right amounts is essential for hydration. It helps maintain fluid balance, supports muscle function, and facilitates nerve signaling.

4. Calcium: Known for its role in bone health, calcium also aids in muscle function and nerve transmission, which are important for hydration.

5. Taurine: An amino acid that plays a role in osmoregulation, helping to maintain cell volume and fluid balance.

Mechanism of Action: How Water Enters Cells

Water moves into our cells through a process called osmosis, where it passes through cell membranes to balance the concentration of solutes (like salts and minerals) on both sides. Minerals such as sodium and potassium are critical in creating the osmotic gradient that drives water into cells, ensuring proper hydration at the cellular level.

Recognizing Symptoms of Inadequate Hydration

Inadequate hydration can lead to various clinical symptoms that affect your overall well-being. Common symptoms include muscle cramps, headaches, migraines, and muscle spasms. For women, dehydration can also cause uterine cramps. These symptoms are signs that your body isn't getting enough water and minerals, highlighting the importance of proper hydration. By staying well-hydrated, you can prevent these discomforts and maintain optimal health.

Hormones and Hydration

Hydration is influenced by several key hormones:

• Cortisol: High levels of cortisol, a stress hormone, can lead to dehydration as it causes the kidneys to retain sodium, disrupting the balance of water and electrolytes.

• Thyroid Hormones: These hormones regulate metabolism, and imbalances can lead to changes in water retention and overall hydration levels.

• Estrogen and Progesterone: These female hormones influence fluid balance. Estrogen can cause fluid retention, while progesterone tends to have a diuretic effect, promoting the excretion of water.

Benefits of Proper Hydration

1. Hair Loss Prevention: Proper hydration supports hair health by ensuring that hair follicles receive adequate nutrients and oxygen.

2. Quality Sleep: Good hydration can improve sleep quality by aiding in the production of melatonin, the sleep hormone.

3. Weight Loss: Hydration aids in metabolism and can help control hunger, as thirst is often mistaken for hunger.

Natural Beverages for Hydration

In addition to water and minerals, certain natural beverages can significantly enhance hydration:

1. Green Juices: Packed with vitamins, minerals, and antioxidants, green juices made from vegetables like spinach, kale, and cucumber provide excellent hydration and nutrient benefits.

2. Celery Juice: Known for its high water content and electrolyte balance, celery juice helps hydrate the body and supports digestion.

3. Herbal Teas:

• Alfalfa Tea: Rich in vitamins A, C, E, and K, as well as minerals like calcium and iron, alfalfa tea aids in hydration and overall health.

• Horsetail Tea: Contains silica, which helps strengthen bones, hair, and nails while promoting better hydration.

4. Carbonated Water: Limited types of carbonated water can be supportive. Most brands like Lacroix or Waterloo have no medicinal benefit, it just helps make water interesting. However, mineralized carbonated water like Gerolsteiner are packed full of naturally occurring minerals. This is available at your local health food store

Enhancing Hydration with Mineral Drops

Incorporating mineral drops into your daily routine can be highly effective. Products like electrolyte powders, my favorite: Eau de Quinton, and trace mineral drops provide a concentrated source of essential minerals that enhance water absorption. 

These supplements are easy to add to your water and help replenish minerals lost through sweat and daily activities. They support overall cellular function and hydration, making sure your body gets the most out of the water you drink.

I’ve scoured the best hydration products on the market and created a hydration protocol for you if you are looking for a different way to hydrate. I’ve done the hard work for you! Simply click on this link and choose the best support for you.

Choosing the Right Water Bottle

To maintain optimal hydration, it's important to store your water properly. Avoid plastic bottles, which can leach harmful chemicals. Instead, use:

• Glass Bottles with Rubber Netting: These are non-toxic and keep your water tasting fresh.

• Stainless Steel Bottles: Durable and free from chemicals, these bottles are a great alternative to plastic.

Cleaning Your Water Bottles

Regular cleaning is essential to prevent the buildup of bacteria and mold. Here’s how to keep your bottles clean:

• Peroxide: Use a solution of water and hydrogen peroxide to sanitize your bottle.

• Fruit and Vegetable Wash: These solutions can effectively clean your bottle without harsh chemicals.

Conclusion

Optimal hydration goes beyond drinking large quantities of water. Incorporating essential minerals, understanding the role of hormones, and using the right type of water bottle can significantly improve your hydration.

We hope this blog has helped you learn more about the advantages of hydration and how this impacts the most common issues in folks over 40. If you have more questions, we’d love to hear from you. Schedule a consultation with our team of experts at Potentia MedSpa in Lafayette, California or call us at 510 230 2282. We are the only Functional Aesthetics Medspa in the San Francisco Bay Area offering a combination of medical expertise, innovative technology in skin care and holistic support.

Think You Have Adrenal Fatigue? Try Making Sole Water

I am a huge fan of Solé Water.

 I find many patients are depleted in basic minerals like zinc, potassium, magnesium, and even iodine. Deficiencies in these basic minerals can lead to cramping, dizziness, twitchy muscles, and chronically low blood pressure.

When you need a quick simple way to rehydrate your body, improve mineral load, and build blood volume, this is a favorite amongst my patients and works quickly!

What is SOLÉ WATER?

Himalayan saltwater, also popularly known as solé water, is basically water that has been fully saturated with salt.

Everyone believes coconut water is the most efficient rehydration fluid behind Pedialyte, however solé water can be just as effective.

SALT = Sodium and chloride combined. These two electrolytes combined into water give our cells life, assist with detoxification and reduce inflammation.  If you’d like to read more about the importance of sodium chloride, read Linus Pauling’s in depth article.

I recommend consuming your solé water in the morning & definitely by midday. You can also use solé to help rehydrate your body after exercise or on hot days to replace the water and electrolytes lost in sweat. For deeper depletion, I advise drinking daily over the course of 2-3 months.

Benefits:

• Keeps the body energized & hydrated: Solé water contains the necessary electrolytes that give you the required minerals to function and also keep your stress system down and energy levels up.

• Easily absorbed Minerals: Himalayan salt is rich in many trace minerals and having it in the form of solé water makes the absorption of these minerals in the body easier

Good to know before you begin:

• The key is to make your concentrated solé tonic hyper-saturated by dissolving large natural, minimally processed rock salt into water until the water cannot absorb more. Using fine grain is totally possible, but is messy.

• While many patients get excited and try to drink the solé tonic straight, please don’t do this! Your mouth and lips will be very unhappy.  It’s best mixed with larger amounts of water.

Here’s how to make it!

Ingredients

·      4-5 blocks large ancient sea salt  or Large unrefined crystal salt( Himalayan or Celtic)

·      6-10 ounces water

Equipment

·      Glass Mason Jar  ( pint-sized) with a plastic lid. You can recycle old supplement bottles or peanut butter jars, just make sure it’s glass. Metal lids will rust from salt contact over time.

Preparing the solé tonic.

·      Place 4-5 salt crystals into a pint-sized glass jar. If you are using smaller crystals, add enough salt to fill half the volume of your glass jar.

·      Fill your jar with filtered water, then seal the jar with a plastic or other non-metal lid.

·      Let the salt dissolve for at least 48-72 hours. The crystal will dissolve but remain visible after 24 hours. Wait until the salt has fully hyper-saturated the water. If the salt crystals have NOT dissolved completely, add another salt crystal and allow it to saturate in the water for another 24 hours.

Get ready to use the solé tonic!

Once your supersaturated solé tonic is ready for use,  uncover the jar, stir the water, and then measure 1 tablespoon of solé tonic into a 32 oz bottle of water, mix well and drink from morning until afternoon.

You’ve just made medicinal solé water!

Pro-Tips!

• If a tablespoon is too much initially, lower it to one teaspoon and build your way back up over time.

• Add a squeeze of lemon or lime juice. It’ll give a refreshing zing to your water, as well as a dose of vitamin C.

• You can always use this solé tonic to make bone broths or make large batches of soups or stews- it’ll enhance the mineral density tenfold!

• Store it away in a dark cool area until ready for use daily.   

Got IBS? The 5 myths to breakthrough when you need a cure

Irritable bowel syndrome (IBS) can be difficult to treat!

Here are 5 common myths you may have read about online and how my Digestion & Gut Program works to breakthrough:

1. The exact cause of IBS is not fully understood.

FALSE! IBS is well-studied. It involves a combination of factors such as abnormal gut motility, visceral hypersensitivity, gut-brain axis dysfunction, changes in gut microbiota, and emotional factors. This complexity makes it challenging to develop targeted and effective treatments in the traditional pill + condition model.

2. IBS is the same in everyone.

FALSE!

IBS symptoms can vary greatly among individuals. Some people experience predominantly diarrhea (IBS-D), while others have constipation (IBS-C), and some may alternate between the two (IBS-Mixed ). Additionally, symptoms such as abdominal pain, bloating, gas, and urgency are common. Treat the individual!

3. Currently, there are no specific biomarkers or diagnostic tests for IBS.

FALSE! In the world of functional medicine, diagnosis is typically based on symptoms and key objective markers in stool testing. If you know what markers to look for in the GI tract, the answer is quite obvious.

4. Treating IBS is a silver bullet approach with Rifaximin.

FALSE! You must take into account the specific symptoms, triggers, and coexisting conditions of each person. What works for one individual may not work for another. Many clients have still sought my protocol after Rifaximin didn’t work.

5. There are limited treatment options for IBS.

The combination approach works best for treating IBS. Most of my clients are on a cocktail therapy of herbs, amino acids, and motility modifiers. This includes dietary modifications, herbal anti-biotics, pre/probiotics, and most importantly targeted restoration of the floral microbiome.

HOW I GET RESULTS FOR MY CLIENTS WITH IBS?

I use a specific approach to shift the microenvironment in IBS.

What I have discovered is: If you don’t correct all of the areas below, symptoms return over time.

• Gastrointestinal motility dysfunctions

• Malabsorption of bile acid

• Gut microbiota modulation

• Altered gut barrier function ( leaky gut)

• Intestinal immunological modulation

This functional approach is unique to my practice I have developed over the years. All of my clients in the Digestion & Gut program get massive results using this protocol.

This works for all ages!

XO

Dr. Vera