Lipotropic nutrients are a class of natural ingredients that play important roles in the bodyâ??s use of fat. These compounds enhance liver and gallbladderâ??s role by decreasing fat deposits and speeding up metabolism of fat and its removal. Dr. Lee has used this special formula for individuals who are â??stuckâ? in their weight loss attempts and need that extra boost to achieve their goal weight. This injection has also been gratefully used for individuals who want to maintain their weight, or prevent re-gain of their lost weight. The main ingredients in the lipotropic injection are methionine, inositol, and choline. Some individuals will also benefit the addition of vitamin B12.

Methionine

assists in the breakdown of fats and thereby prevents the build-up of fat in the arteries, as well as assisting with the digestive system and removing heavy metals from the body since it can be converted to Cytosine, which is a precursor to Glutathione, which is of prime importance in detoxifying the liver.

Inositol

helps to maintain proper electrical energy and nutrient transfer across the cell membrane. It also acts as a lipotropic which converts fats into other useful products. Inositol helps establish healthy cell membranes, which facilitate nerve impulses.

Choline

Assists in controlling your weight as well as cholesterol levels, keeping cell membranes healthy and in preventing gallstones. It is also most useful in the maintenance of the nervous system, assisting memory and learning, and may help to fight infections, including hepatitis and AIDS. Choline is critical for normal membrane structure and function. Choline is the major precursor of betaine, and it is used by the kidneys to maintain water balance and by the liver as a source of methyl-groups for Methionine formation. It is also used to produce the important neurotransmitter Acetylcholine. It assists in nerve impulse transmission, gallbladder regulation, liver functions and lecithin production.

B-12

is a vitamin which is important for the normal functioning of the brain and nervous system, and for the formation of blood. It is normally involved in the metabolism of every cell of the body, especially affecting DNA synthesis and regulation, but also fatty acid synthesis and energy production.

For more information about lipotropic injections or if you would like to schedule, please call 206-319-5322 or visit Seattle Naturopathic and Acupuncture Center for more information. 

The relative frequency of food intolerance and food-related complaints in the general populations is very high. Many food intolerances produce minimal symptoms, yet the long-term consequences are astonishing including thyroid disease, neurological disorders, increased cancer risk and accelerated aging.

Food intolerance is caused by a food substance that triggers a toxic reaction on contact with our intestinal cells. Contact with susceptible cells produces inflammation that can result in intestinal damage. The inflammatory cells release chemicals that cause our immune system to release antibodies against the offending food.

Some misconception of food intolerance

Food intolerances are diseases of childhood. Intolerances are more likely to be symptomatic in children but are found in adults of all ages. Food intolerances are perpetrators of ongoing intestinal inflammation, which may eventually exhaust the body's defenses.

Food intolerances are only present in symptomatic patients. Food intolerances can be subjectively silent in many individuals. Nonetheless, they continue to drain our defenses and weaken our intestinal immune system. Food intolerance occurrence is underestimated in our symptom-driven health care system.

Food intolerances are simply intestinal irritations. Food intolerances can be more than a local intestinal problem, and may increase the risk of autoimmune diseases and cancer as well as accelerated aging.

Manifestations of Food Intolerance

• Diarrhea or soft to loose stools are the most common digestive tract symptom
• Constipation
• Acid reflux
• Changes in intestinal wall integrity
• Mouth ulcers
• Skin: hives, rash, eczema
• Respiratory: asthma, nasal congestion, sinusitis
• Brain: headache, migraine, sleeplessness, irritability

 For more information about food intolerance and/or food intolerance testing, please contact Dr. Lee's office at 206-319-5322 or visit us: Seattle Naturopathic and Acupuncture Center

Many professional athletes are turning to a new coach.  It's not a conventional coach, it's not even a human coach; rather, it's a coach that instructs them in personalized dieting, a coach to help increase strength and normalize weight.  It's a simple blood test for food and chemical sensitivity called the ALCAT Test.  Proponents claim that the ALCAT identifies adverse cellular reactions to foods and chemicals associated with inflammation. Experts agree inflammation causes chronic health problems including obesity.

So why is this of interest to elite athletes?  According to Roger Deutsch, test co-developer and author, Your Hidden Food Allergies are Making you Fat, "...avoidance of reactive foods might unblock insulin receptors, so food is burnt for energy and not stored as fat; decrease immune mediated muscle degradation and fatigue, and increase overall metabolic and respiratory function.  The results will be individual but all these things can arise from incompatible food triggers."

Two of the most notable athletes to have taken the ALCAT Test are Minnesota Twins' First Baseman Justin Morneau and Boston Red Sox's Designated Hitter David Ortiz. Morneau is a former American League MVP and four time MLB All-Star.   Morneau's experience was chronicled in the StarTribune wherein he states he was planning to 'do everything I can humanly do to make myself feel better.' The StarTribune also states: "While making the medical rounds last fall, Morneau also took the ALCAT Test to see if he had food allergies. He learned his body was sensitive, if not allergic to, sugars, gluten and dairy." Morneau then lost 14 pounds in just a few weeks by following his new diet.

Athletes are always seeking new ways to enhance performance, and diet plays an essential role in their ability to do so.  Morneau states, "It's not like I'll choke or die from eating those things, but my body reacts poorly to them. It treats them as something I'm allergic to and fights the inflammation instead of the inflammation from an injury."

The Red Sox David Ortiz was recently featured in a separate article titled, The Skinny on Big Papi's Diet featured on ESPN.com. Even though Ortiz took the ALCAT Test for different reasons than Morneau, he had a similar experience, dropping 20 pounds in two months. Ortiz took the test because his "cholesterol had risen to dangerously high levels." Since taking the test, and following its dietary guidelines, Ortiz said, "The results have been almost immediately noticeable." He goes on to say, "I feel great" and "I can feel the difference when I swing a bat and when I work out, I don't get as tired."

Studies have shown dietary modification and food sensitivity testing to be a viable treatment modality for a number of chronic health problems.  Major League Baseball isn't the only professional sport that has utilized the ALCAT Test.  Joe Rowgowski, Strength and Conditioning Coach for the NBA's Orlando Magic, has been quoted as saying, "I've seen very good results with the ALCAT Test and often recommend it to the athletes I work with."  In addition, Elite European Soccer Club, Juventus, was recently featured in a study titled Rational Management of Food Intolerance in an elite soccer club. This study was presented at the International Society of Sports Nutrition: 8th Annual ISSN Conference and Expo in 2011.

So what does all of this mean? This means your fork may actually be the best tool available for maximum performance. For the elite athlete, with all the available supplements, PEDs (performance enhancing drugs) and training methods perhaps it is indeed as simple as Hippocrates said, "Let food be thy medicine."  For the elite athlete or the occasional weekend warrior the best medicine may actually be finding out what foods are right for you.

ALCAT testing is available at Seattle Naturopathic and Acupuncture Center. Please call 206-3195322 for more information. 

Steve Gebson* was a 63 year old male presenting with shoulder, elbow, wrist, and finger pain. He wanted to find out if prolotherapy can help. He has been multiple doctors, done numerous lab tests and imaging.  Steve has seen a rheumatologist and was given the diagnosis of osetoarthritis. He was told that that there is nothing they could do to help. He was been on Naproxen for 20 plus years and was advised to continue.

Steve's shoulder pain all started about 5 years ago when he had ruptured his bicep tendon of his left shoulder. However, his pain substantially worsen about 6 months ago. There was no new changes about 6 months ago or new injuries. He was experiencing pain with lifting and even with brushing his teeth. He was also feeling hand and arm weakness, sharp and stabbing pain with elbows and fingers.

Steve rated his pain was worst on shoulders, then wrist and fingers, and finally the elbows. His shoulder pain was 6/10 (10 being worst and reports that he has a high pain tolerance).

After initial intake, it was found that Steve was on a pretty good supplementation regimen. He takes fish oil, glucosamine and chondroitin, vitamin D, vitamin E, and a combo of calcium, magnesium, zinc and has been taking them for numerous years.

Changes were made to his supplementation protocol to tailor to his needs by the end of the visit. Prolotherapy was also performed on both shoulders.

Steve returned for a follow up visit five days later. He reported a 60% improvement with his shoulder pain. There was no pain with brushing his teeth in the morning. He was eager to try prolotherapy for his wrist and finger pain.

* Name changed for confidentially reasons.

For more information about prolotherapy or would like to schedule an appointment with Dr. Lee, please visit Seattle Naturopathic and Acupuncture Center or 206-319-5322

For certain people struggling with headaches or joint pain, the food theyâ??re eating may not only be keeping them from getting better but from also losing weight. Now a simple test can pinpoint food sensitivities and help some people improve their overall health.

Gabi Rose, weight loss and fitness expert, explains how the ALCAT test pinpoints food sensitivity and how being sensitive or allergic to certain foods can cause weight gain and other health issues.

ALCAT test is available at Seattle Naturopathic and Acupuncture Center. Please call 206-3195322 for more information.

An allergy is a heightened sensitivity to a foreign substance (called an allergen) that causes the body's defense system (the immune system) to overreact when defending itself.

Normally, the immune system would only react if a harmful substance, such as bacteria, attacks the body. For people with allergies, their immune system is working too hard, and it reacts even when relatively harmless substances, such as pollen, are present. The severity of an allergic reaction can vary from mild discomfort to life threatening situations. General treatments for allergies include avoidance, use of anti-histamines, steroids or other medications, and immunotherapy to desensitize the allergic response.

Top three tips in reducing allergy symptoms naturally:

 

Neti pot know-how. The device have long enjoyed a reputation as a great natural way to flush out your sinuses- especially during allergy season. That healthy image became tarnished last year, however, when two people in Louisiana died as a result of a brain- eating amoebae found in the tap water. After being forced up the nose, the organism (naegleria fowleri) crossed the barrier separating the nasal cavity from the brain. But don't toss your pot away yet. These were the first - and such complications are easily prevented. To play it safe, use only distilled water or boil yours from the tap then let it cool before using. Filtered water is fine too assuming the pore size is 1 micron or smaller    (check label or contact manufacture).

Vitamin C: The Natural Antihistamine.  Vitamin C enhances the action of the enzyme histaminase, which quickly metabolizes histamine. One gram of vitamin C reduces blood histamine by approximately 20%, and 2 grams of vitamin C reduces histamine by more than 30%, thus reducing the severity of allergic reactions.

Quercetin Bioflavonid. Quercetin is a plant bioflavonoid naturally found in wine, tea, outer layers of red and yellow onions. Quercetin stabilizes mast cells in allergic patients, and is a potent antioxidant and anti-inflammatory agent. For the best effect, quercetin should be taken in combination with vitamin C and high-potency bromelain. The growing number of people who choose not to eat lots and lots of fresh fruits and vegetables are undernourished with bioflavonoids, quercetin specifically. If they don't consume more quercetin, they will be more prone to allergies. 

 If you are suffering from allergies and would like to reduce your symptoms naturally, please contact Dr. Lee at 206-3195322 or visit www.seattlenaturopathiccenter.com for more information.

Looking for a safe and effective way to loss weight and have better energy? The answer would be to eat right and exercise. But what happens when everything from dietary and lifestyle changes to fitness programs are not meeting your weight loss goal?  Some turn to a relatively new treatment using lipotropic injections. The injections are designed to reduce weight, increase energy and produce results when other methods have failed.

Lipotropics are also called â??fat burnersâ?.  It is consist of methionine, choline, and inositol.  These nutrients enhance the liver and gallbladderâ??s role by decreasing fat deposits and speeding up metabolism of fat and its removal.  Aside from B12, lipotropics is also used for speeding up body metabolism. Faster body metabolism is needed for patients undergoing weight loss treatments. B12 may not be sufficient on metabolic processes because B12 is almost used up for energy consumptions. Thatâ??s why lipotropics are needed to fill this void. Lipotropics is a naturally occurring compound produced in our body and thus it is safe. 

 

Methionine--An amino acid that reduces fats and aids in lowering cholesterol. It acts as a lipotropic agent to prevent excess fat buildup in the liver and the body, is helpful in relieving or preventing fatigue and may be useful in some cases of allergy because it reduces histamine release.

Choline--A nutrient known to help reduce fat in the liver. It supports the health of the liver in its processing and excretion of chemical waste products within the body. Moreover, it is required for the transport and metabolism of fats and cholesterol within the body, which is important for the healthy support of the endocrine, cardiovascular and hepatic systems.

Inositol--A nutrient used to metabolize and transfer fats in the blood stream. It is a nutrient belonging to the B vitamin complex, is closely associated with choline. It aids in the metabolism of fats and helps reduce blood cholesterol. Inositol participates in action of serotonin, a neurotransmitter known to control mood and appetite.

• Enzymatic hydrolysis of pentaerythritoltetranicotinate and meso-inositolhexanicotinate in blood and tissues.  Arzneimittelforschung. 1979;29(12):1859-62.
• Polyenylphosphatidylcholine attenuates alcohol-induced fatty liver and hyperlipemia in rats. J Nutr. 1997 Sep;127(9):1800-6.
• Comparison of the efficacy of inhaled budesonide and oral choline in patients with allergic rhinitis. Saudi Med J. 2005 Mar;26(3):421-4

1). Eat whole foods - Foods that are closer to their natural form are more nutrient dense and do not have chemical/additives that can be toxic and affect metabolism.

2). Identify potential food allergies/sensitivities - We can be sensitive or allergic to some of the foods we eat. This can slow down metabolism as well as cause water retention. This can also be the underlying cause for many aliments.

3) Eat small, frequent meals - Eating every 2-3 hours helps keep blood sugar level stable. Unable blood sugar can affect insulin sensitivity, resulting in fat storage.

4) Go primal - Eating mostly vegetables, fruit, nuts (raw, unsalted!) and some meat (deep water fish and lean meat) is a healthy way to boost your metabolism and keep insulin levels stable.

5) Drink green or black tea - Tea contains polyphenols which provide numerous health benefits including improved immune function, weight loss and reduced cholesterol.

6) Sleep/recovery - Getting enough quality sleep helps to manage stress levels as well as hormones responsible for regulating eating (leptin and ghrelin).

7) Stress management -15 minutes a day of mediation can help balance your nervous system and affect stress hormones (Ex. cortisol). Elevated cortisol can slow metabolism and increase sugar cravings, blood sugar and fat storage.

8). Lift weights - Weight lifting increases testosterone, growth hormone and insulin growth factor, which will increase lean body mass and metabolism.

9). Interval training - High intensity short burst of activity (Ex. sprinting, stairs) can increase exercise post oxygen consumption, leading to increased fat burning for up to 72 hours (much more efficient  than conventional aerobics)!

10). Hydration -  Water is needed for every enzymatic processes in the body. Dehydration can lead to slower metabolism and mental fogginess. Aim to drink amount in oz. = 1/2 of your body weight in lbs!

There are numerous weight loss supplement available. While some can be beneficial, following the top 10 tips will likely yield the most long-term results.

If you have been trying to lose weight and have been diligent about your diet, exercise and sleep, there may be a medical condition affecting your results. A medical doctor or Naturopathic physician can often identify  potential obstacles to optimum weight loss and health. For more information on weight loss or food allergy testing, please contact Dr. Lee at 206-319-5322 or visit www.seattlenaturopathiccenter.com

A study published in Pediatrics, 2011 suggests that food allergies affect a significant number of children in the US. This study, the largest of its kind, surveyed nearly 40,000 US households with one or more children less than 18 years of age.  Based on the data collected, the researchers found that food allergies affect 8.0% of US children or about 6 million. Of those children, 30.4% had multiple food allergies and 38.7% had a history of severe reactions. The most common allergies reported in the survey were peanut (25.2%), milk (21.1%) and shellfish (17.2%).

A well-known hallmark of food allergy is the production of IgE or IgG antibodies to a protein of the problem food. An allergy of this type develops when food-specific antibodies, bound to mast cells and basophils, present in the skin, gut and respiratory tract, come into contact with, and bind the circulating allergen. This binding activates these cells to release inflammatory mediators. This results in discomfort associated with allergy including stomach cramping, diarrhea, vomiting, hives, itching and swelling.

The prevalence of food allergies has shown a remarkable upswing over the past 10 to 20 years across all ages. There can be a genetic influence to developing allergies. Allergic parents are more likely to have allergic children. But certainly this cannot account wholly for the epidemic rise that we have seen over the decades. The manifestations of allergy are the result of the complex interaction between genetics, nutrition, immunity and environmental exposures such as tobacco smoke and pollutants that can increase the antigenic response.

Sound laboratory testing remains an essential clinical tool to identify food sensitivities, which may be the underlying causes of many conditions. For more information on food allergy testing, please contact Dr. Lee at 206-319-5322 or visit www.seattlenaturopathiccenter.com

Reference:
Gupta, R. S., Springston, E. E., Warrier, M. R., et al. (2011). The prevalence, severity, and distribution of childhood food allergy in the United States. Pediatrics. DOI: http://pediatrics.aappublications.org/content/early/2011/06/16/peds.2011-0204.abstract

The Food and Drug Administration (FDA) and the Federal Trade Commission (FTC) have issued seven letters to companies warning them that they are selling illegal homeopathic HCG weight-loss drugs that have not been approved by the FDA, and that make unsupported claims.  For additional information visit www.fda.gov/hcgdiet.

The FDA does not evaluate homeopathic products for safety and effectiveness.  However, those that meet certain conditions set by FDA can be marketed.  A list of active ingredients that may legally be used in homeopathics are included in the Homeopathic Pharmacopoeia of the United States.  HCG is NOT on this list and therefore cannot be legally sold as homeopathic medication for any purpose.

HCG is approved by the FDA as a prescription drug for the treatment of female infertility, and other medical conditions.  It is not approved for weight loss.  Currently, however, physicians can legally prescribe HCG â??off-labelâ? for weight loss.  Off-label prescribing is a legal and common practice.  Prescribing HCG off-label is OK for now but that could change if the FDA chooses to change their stance.  There is precedent for denying off-label prescribing for specific products such as HGH (human growth hormone).

Diet and lifestyle changes seem to be safest, most reliable and effective way of losing weight. Many might say that have tried this strategy but was not successful. The reason behind it might be that they are not doing it right or simply there might be an underlying cause that is preventing them from losing weight. Examples of underlying causes  are hypothyroidism, leptin resistance, and adrenal fatigue. Checking in with a physician is probably "the weight to go", preventing you from getting discouraged from your weight loss regimen.