CoVID-19: Protect yourself using natural medicine

COVID-19: Is it hype or an emerging pandemic?

The news headlines has us on the edge of our seats.
Creating Worry or Nervousness...
Maybe creating false urgency?

Let's cut through the hype!

Here are some facts that might help ease your mind...

How would you know if you have it?

It looks like a classic flu or respiratory illnesses for this season — fever, aches, a dry cough and shortness of breath. Honestly you wouldn't be able to tell the difference between a regular cold/flu  and a COVID infection.

Check in with your PCP or advice nurse if you have symptoms and are concerned.

There are 2 significant phases  to this respiratory illness- the first is the "influenza like phase" and the second is the pneumonia phase.  COVID sets off a fast inflammatory reaction in the lungs that leads to a fluid buildup and our immune system damaging us unintentionally in the effort to kill the virus.

Note that people ARE recovering from the infection. Just because you've been exposed doesn't mean you are going to die.  There are layers of treatment options given to lower the immune reaction and return the body to health.


Is this going to keep spreading?
We're right at the tail end of cold/flu season in California so naturally the viruses and bacteria are more likely to die in transit through airborne transmission. This is because of lower humidity, increased temps and us being outside instead of indoors. But the key is to stay warm!

There more you get outside in nature and avoid being in close proximity to others for long periods of time, the better. Balance your time indoor and outdoors.

Do what makes sense! Cover your mouth, wash hands, open windows at home and allow airflow. Clean surfaces of your home and office with bleach/ alcohol.  This includes cell phones, door handles, phones at work and  items that are touched by multiple people.


Who is susceptible?

The vast majority of the epidemiology who have been most affected are either elderly and/or have underlying pre-existing conditions with weakened immunity.  The communities affected in Italy are older, unlike the 1918 Influenza pandemic which was much more virulent and impacted folks younger than 18. It's important to know the clinical characteristics from a recent study just released.  


If you are a smoker/vaping (even cannabis), your lung immunity is more highly compromised.  Consider cutting back on the number of cigarettes you smoke per day.

Lower your susceptibility! Just because you are exposed  to someone who is coughing doesn't mean you've been infected.

In my next post , I'll cover what specifically you can do naturally to lower your susceptibility... stay tuned!

If you're over 40, you need functional medicine. Here's why

A large majority of my patients over 40 are happy with their docs.  Well sort of...

Insurance dictates medical care. We know that.  So according to this model there’s no need for looking beyond the surface. But what about what lies underneath? Standard labs and check-ins every two to three years should keep you from the major emergencies- RIGHT?

But what if you don’t feel fine right now? 

After 40, your body is not the same.  You feel it, but your doc is telling you “ to get over it, it’s just part of getting older or it’s just stress.”  

I don’t know about you, but SCREW ACCEPTING THAT as normal. 

You are pushing your body like never before, juggling more, taking on more responsibilities, rising to your peak and holding it all together for you and your family.  Thank goodness your body is rising to the occasion, but it also means you are burning through your reserves.

The Functional medicine I practice is about finding health nuggets that have fallen through the cracks allowing your body to shift into high gear and nourish & support you in this time of your life.

Countless times I have seen walking definitions of hypothyroid, peri-menopause, IBS or burnout symptoms being ignored, because...well, it’s complex and not so straightforward.

More complicated/complex issues means you need a game plan to iron out the layers of symptoms piling on top of each other.  On average most of my clients have been living with feeling crappy for 2-3 years. TOO LONG!

As a functional doc, my goal is to help your body not just as a collection of symptoms that needs another pill, but examining the common threads that link symptoms together and create a global solution.

Your body is screaming for support, for the right nutrients, the right diet for living in our stressed environment,  the right fatty acids, and for balancing the key stress hormones.

Traditional medicine isn’t very good at supporting this.

My health programs are designed to help the the working moms, the multi-tasking dads and the high achievers.  I work to nourish your cells and help eliminate the problems that arise in a 40+ yo old body. You’re in this life to win!

So, if your body is showing increasing signs of stress or burnout, my burnout program is top-notch for regenerating you. If your fatigue is getting out of control, check out the hormone program and if your brain fog is affecting your clarity and creativity, my digestion program will easily re-balance your system.

If you are over 40 and your NYs resolution is to get healthy, then set up a free consult with me to talk about your game plan to get there!

XO 

Dr. Vera

Key nutrients to support a Dry and Sugar-Free January

If you're one week into a sugar-free and dry January as your new year's resolution, YIPPEE AND CONGRATS, you've made it further than most. Here’s two quick tips to support long-term efforts and recruit your cells in supporting those big epic changes.

Start with a blend of Evening Primrose and Omega-3-6-9. Yes Both!  This powerhouse combination of healthy oils will toughen cells against the effects of long-term alcohol use on a microscopic level.

The other must is a Trace mineral complex. Be sure your trace mineral contains both chromium and manganese.  This will ramp up your detox capability 5- fold and help curb your cravings against sugar. But more importantly, they’ll give your cells the nutrient power to rebuild from 2019’s year-long exposure of the sugar contained within alcohol.  

Here’s a fun, but scary fact: Did you know that 4oz of red wine & donuts have the same # of calories? How many of us drink just 4oz… hmmm!

Both alcohol and sugar wreak havoc on cells you'll rely on most when the pressure is on.

So you think you have food allergies, How can you be sure?

There’s a ton of confusion about what you could be allergic to and what is the right way to test for it. 

Your doctor may have given you the scratch test or even checked your blood for it.  

OR perhaps you’ve had muscle testing, elimination testing by another holistic provider or ordered a test kit you found online?  OR is it glyphosates, pesticides, gluten intolerance, overload? 

If you’ve avoided foods you’ve found on tests before and haven’t noticed changes, AND If you can’t eat like you used too and not sure why these changes are happening, listen up! I’ve got a new idea for you that’ll give you a fresh perspective on what to do next.  

Allergies can be driven by histamine overproduction, endotoxin overload and a compromised IgA immune reaction.  That’s just the surface. 

No matter what or how you identify what your food allergies are, the most important thing to do in addition to your allergy test is test your gut flora. 

The balance of friendly bacteria in your digestive tract is disrupted by stress, taking antibiotics even for a short time or eating a diet high in processed foods. 

The overgrowth of unwanted bacteria actually compromises your intestinal barrier, which allows metabolic waste & toxins to spill into your bloodstream, triggering allergic responses. YIKES! 

So if you’ve got foggy brain, poor concentration, and difficulty focusing, it’s not just because you didn’t sleep well... 

I offer multiple ways of testing for food allergies, because one test won’t cut it. We are all unique individuals and our bodies react differently to these allergic responses.  

Finding the right allergy test + bacterial floral assessment will nail down the root of the problem.  

Are you curious about food allergies? Want a second opinion?

My Digestion & Gut Program is what you need to get started... 

Reach out to me today and let’s talk about it! 510-230-2282 or https://live.vcita.com/site/drvera 

STRESS EATING? Here's 2 reasons why your willpower won't win.

Have you ever thought to yourself, “ I AM ADDICTED TO SUGAR!!!”

or addicted to any other foodstuffs like coffee or even wine? You’d believe your willpower can’t stand up to one or two days without it AND you’re right. You body is designed to trick and manipulate you into keeping up the craving, not because it hates you, but we’ve essentially programmed our bodies to be this way.

Here’s 2 reasons why your willpower just won’t win the fight against kicking these habits, but..

HERE’S HOW YOU CAN TIP THE SCALES IN YOUR FAVOR!

Reason #1 Food is your only pleasure.
Eating your feelings. not a new concept for many of us, but if you desire to change this up, believe me your will power has got to work in overdrive. 

Let me explain...

Changing diet can be difficult, but the habits and memories associated with eating makes it even more of an uphill battle.  So this is where we'll grease the wheels.

In order to help your willpower against mindless stress eating, you must establish another activity that will provide stress relief or outlet that will surge similar level of dopamine and endorphins.

It helps if you participate in an activity that has a goal or endpoint. Knowing you are working on a small part of an larger activity gives you something to look forward to and stimulates the dopamine or reward centers of the brain. As you are working on your project or activity, be present to what you are working on and not thinking about the day's stresses.  Here are some examples:

• running

• dancing

• athletic yoga

• meditative yoga

• crafting

• socializing without food as a focal point

• walking with a view ( of nature, people)

Reason #2 Not supporting your physiology

Hands down, your body's balance of hormones is the underlying reason for your cravings, your hunger and your internal debate over whether you " should or shouldn't eat or drink_______!" 

Most often, I'll run a hormone check to examine if hormone levels are in balance or not and rearrange diets and add herbal support so that you're able to regain control. But the key takeaway: Taking back control means you'll have to look closely at your pattern and disrupt it.

Here are classic examples:

My brain is racing at night, and I can't sleep!

• More complex but often due to disturbed sleep hormones Cortisol-Melatonin, but let's not forget coffee after 10am can disturb sleep quality (even with 12 hours to metabolize!)

Are you eating junk food after work or drinking more wine than you should?

• This is a classic cortisol imbalance. You must work towards the right combination of foods and herbal support to rebalance this. 

I can't help it, I'm addicted to sugar!

• This is a textbook problem with Ghrelin-Leptin-Insulin balance. Balanced meals prevents intense hunger pangs and helps this hormone complex self-regulate.

Sound familiar?

If you are curious about running hormone tests for a pattern you’ve noticed? Ask me how it can be done!

XO

 Dr. Vera

Remember this basic concept if you're struggling with your diet.

There are so many fad diets out there, that you may be getting lost, heck even OVERWHELMED by what to pick and how to eat.

Just remember the basics.

1. It’s all about portioning. (Size always matters.) If you’re finding yourself overeating or snacking on too many occasions, then you’ve identified problem #1. Try to maintain consistent portion sizes of your meals of the day i.e. lunch/dinner. The food you consume should fill the same proportion of plate, even if the plate gets larger.

2. Pile as much color on your plate as possible. If your plate doesn’t look like a rainbow, then change it up! You brain and body needs superfuel to make it through the day. The more color you add to your plate, the higher the absorption of nutrients that fuel fast thinking and creativity.

3. Remember to pick something from each category (protein, fats, healthy grains) at each meal- even breakfast! The more you do this, the less likely you are to fill up on empty carbs, sugars and things that make your body and energy levels crash!

XO

Dr. Vera

Natural Anti-Depressants to Combat Holiday Season Burnout

Holidays are supposed to be full of cheer and happiness, but for some of us, the combination with less sunlight, cold weather and epic to-do lists leads to a 3-4 month serious emotional struggle. Here’s my top tips of how to bolster your body with natural anti-depressants and beat the holiday blues.

1. Get as much sunlight as you possibly can. Our body’s storage of vitamin D gets easily depleted this time of year, so take action to get your fix anyway you can, even for 10-15 minutes. I even recommend people to go to tanning salons to boost levels. Low levels of Vitamin D affects adequate production of Serotonin and Dopamine which might make you feel even more in the dumps.

2. Make room in your life to sleep longer. Many folks make the mistake of not adjusting their lifestyle or diet with the change of seasons. Less sunlight means you may find yourself more tired or wanting to take naps. So take the time and schedule a power nap for 5-10 minutes, put on a guided meditation for a mid-day reset or just get to bed earlier in the nighttime. Aim for 7+ hours.

3. Plan your holiday party recovery. If you’re like me, you’ve already had your fair share of holiday parties. Like any other drug, you WILL begin a withdrawal period from the sugars within alcohol and of course the holiday sweets you cant resist. Sugar Detox usually begins about 24 hrs after your last indulgence. Sugar withdrawal will exacerbate feeling of overwhelm and make you feel scattered with a loss of focus. The antidote? Doubling your fiber levels the next day after a holiday party, i.e. steel cut oatmeal, brown rice, using flax meal, or any high fiber cereal will help dampen the withdrawal symptoms. Don’t forget to drink more water!