When a hormone cream is administered through the skin, not only does some of it go straight into the bloodstream, but the hormone also builds up in the sub-cutaneous (under the skin) fat. With consistent, prolonged application, the level of that hormone becomes elevated past normal physiological levels. And this can easily be seen on saliva testing of someone using a cream. When this happens, down-regulation of that hormone’s receptors is the result. Essentially, down-regulation means that there is a decrease in the number and sensitivity of the target cell’s receptors for that hormone. This prevents the hormone from working on the cells and producing the desired outcome that was originally intended. Down-regulation can be seen as a defense mechanism to prevent over-stimulation, but unfortunately it can lead to symptoms of deficiency because the hormone’s message(s) aren’t received.

Down-regulation of receptors isn’t the only complication. When the hormone builds in the subcutaneous fat, it can get released at random intervals and in random amounts unrelated to when or how much of the cream is applied. This is certainly a problem when the intention is to provide a specific dose during specific times of the day or month. Also, liver function becomes hampered because it now has the burden of having to metabolize and detoxify the excessive amount of that hormone. And when dealing with progesterone specifically, other hormones can become imbalanced as well. Progesterone is a precursor (meaning it eventually can get converted into another hormone) to many other hormones. These include the likes of estrogen, testosterone, androstenedione, DHEA, aldosterone, and cortisol. An artificial rise in any of these hormones due to the conversion of excess progesterone results in its own complications.

So now what? What are the best alternatives? Personally, I prefer sublingual liquids. These are absorbed through the mucosa of the mouth and go straight into the bloodstream avoiding immediate metabolism by the GI tract and liver. Additionally, people have success with creams or gels that are only applied through the vaginal or rectal mucous membranes, not the skin.

If you, or someone you know has been or is currently taking progesterone cream transdermally, (or other hormones transdermally), you should encourage them to have their levels checked via saliva to see how it’s affecting them. Chances are, their levels will be “off the charts”.

Dr. Rob D’Aquila – NYC Chiropractor – Diplomate of the International Board of Applied Kinesiology

As mentioned in previous parts of this series, an elimination diet is extremely important to determine which foods you are sensitive to that may be driving your stress hormones out of balance and contributing to blood sugar imbalances while also adversely affecting your detoxification abilities. However, some people need to go beyond an elimination diet in order to achieve optimal results. Very often an underlying infection (bacterial, viral, protozoal, and/or fungal) in the GI tract will lead to the same metabolic dysfunction that food sensitivities will lead to. That is, they can drive inflammation, affecting the adrenal glands and blood sugar negatively. And keep in mind, patients won’t always have overt GI symptoms even when a GI infection is present and causing them harm. Although, if you did have symptoms, and then embarked on the elimination diet and still have symptoms, chances are that you have an underlying infection that needs to be addressed.

In addition to a GI infection contributing to overall inflammation along with adrenal and blood sugar stress, an imbalance in the GI tract’s bacterial balance will affect thyroid hormone function. This is because about 20% of your thyroid hormone gets activated in the GI tract, and it relies on healthy gut flora in order to do that. Obviously the thyroid is a huge player when it comes to weight loss and detox because the thyroid determines the metabolic rate of every cell in the body. When the metabolic rate slows, we will either gain weight, or at least not lose weight. And if the metabolic rate of the cells in the liver and other detox organs slow, toxin elimination will be certainly be compromised. In addition to (~20% of) thyroid hormone activation being dependent on healthy gut flora, hormone detoxification and elimination is also dependent on healthy gut flora. And if there is an accumulation of estrogen from this mechanism, thyroid function will again be compromised. Thyroid dysfunction is a major contributor to the inability to lose weight. I covered a few reasons for thyroid imbalance above, but there are many more that are beyond the scope of this series.

This concludes the series on weight loss and detox. Obviously there are many reasons that a person may be unable to lose weight or detox efficiently, but this certainly covers the basics of what I see with patients. It’s always good to start with the basics, and if that doesn’t work, look a little deeper. Good luck in your journey!

Dr. Rob D’Aquila – NYC Chiropractor – Diplomate of the International Board of Applied Kinesiology

If you’ve just completed the elimination diet and immediately realize that you lost 5-10lbs already, inflammation is one of your biggest problems. Inflammation is probably the most destructive process that occurs in the body, and is essentially everyone’s problem regarding any health challenge. And even though inflammation serves a very important purpose, when it’s constant, it can (and will) wreak havoc on every system in the body. When there’s inflammation in the digestive tract from constant consumption of food sensitivities, it will usually cause systemic inflammation. So what’s the problem with inflammation you ask? As mentioned earlier in this series, inflammation will contribute to blood sugar imbalances by interfering with cortisol (causing it to spike). This will result in insulin spikes as well. After this takes place over a period time from stress and poor eating habits, inflammation and the resultant spikes in insulin will interfere with the way insulin works at the cellular level. [By the way, imbalances in blood sugar will also lead to inflammation - so it works both ways.]

Cortisol is a hormone that helps break down stores of glycogen (stored starch) in order to raise blood sugar during times of physical and mental/emotional stress; and insulin is a hormone that deals with glucose (or sugar) transport and storage. Essentially, the constant insulin spikes and inflammatory chemicals known as cytokines that result from blood sugar imbalances will help promote insulin resistance. Insulin resistance is a condition which prevents cells from taking up glucose from the blood, because the cells no longer respond to insulin’s message. And when this happens, the body converts the excess glucose (which the cells can’t take up) to fatty acids, that are then stored as fat.

In addition to contributing to insulin resistance, inflammation and blood sugar imbalances (along with the insulin and cortisol spikes) will eventually lead to leptin resistance. Leptin is a hormone whose purpose is to let the brain know that you are full or satiated. When you become resistant to this hormone (again, meaning that cells do not respond to the hormone’s message sufficiently), you’ll wind up overeating. This can obviously lead to weight gain.

So how do we reverse insulin resistance and cortisol spikes? Again, the answer is in your diet (and certainly avoiding mental/emotional stress). You need to avoid the foods you are sensitive to and maintain even-keeled blood sugar by avoiding sugar and limiting starches. And now what about leptin resistance? In order to help reverse this, you need to eat small meals throughout the day and eat slowly so that you can realize that you’ve eaten enough and then simply stop. It may take some time, but the rewards will eventually pay off.

Good luck and check back for more information on weight loss and detox.

Dr. Rob D’Aquila – NYC Chiropractor – Diplomate of the International Board of Applied Kinesiology

One concept to keep in mind about any detox or diet is that time is definitely a factor. You can’t expect to detox years of indiscretions or shed years of excess pounds in one week. I mention the concept of time because the same goes for an elimination diet. To achieve the full benefits of this type of program, you’ll need to invest at least two weeks of your time and effort. Now remember, that’s only for the elimination diet. You’ll certainly need to invest more time after the initial two weeks if you’re looking to lose weight (and keep it off) and you’d be wise to continue eating well if detox is your goal also. I discussed the importance of eliminating foods you are sensitive to in part 2 of this series. Here, I’ll discuss one way to go about incorporating an elimination diet to get you started on your path.

Before I begin with the exact plan, it’s important to note that it would be wise to obtain a hypoallergenic (rice or pea based) protein powder/supplement before embarking on this diet plan. The reason for this is because at some point, you’ll be avoiding the main protein-containing foods (e.g. animal foods). In order to keep your protein intake up and your blood sugar stable, you’ll need a protein supplement during this phase. Also, you can use one that is designed for detox if you choose.

Alright, here’s the plan:

Foods to avoid:
• anything you know you’re allergic to (of course)
• all dairy (including butter), margarine and shortening
• eggs
• all gluten (wheat, rye, barley, spelt, oats, and kamut)
• corn
• soy and texturized vegetable protein
• nightshade vegetables (tomatoes, potatoes, eggplant, and peppers)
• alcohol and caffeine
• peanuts – also considering avoiding other types of nuts or seeds if you consume them on a regular basis
• beef that is not grass-fed, pork products, hot dogs, canned meat, sausage, and “fake” meats (usu. made from soy or gluten)

Foods to eat:
• at least 10 glasses of clean water (i.e.: not tap or poorly filtered water)
• vegetable juices (not fruit juices) and herbal teas are acceptable, but should not replace pure water
• hypoallergenic grains like rice, millet, quinoa, buckwheat (without added wheat), or tapioca are acceptable – be careful of eating too many carbohydrates however
• all vegetables (except nightshades), low-sugar fruits, and beans – again being careful of consuming too many carbs
• fish, chicken, turkey, and lamb (organic, free-range, clean animal foods are best)
• olive and/or coconut oil

For days 1 and 2 – take one serving of protein powder before breakfast
For days 3 and 4 – take one serving of protein powder before breakfast and dinner
During these four days, follow the guidelines for foods to eat and avoid as outlined above.

For days 5 through 10 – take one serving of protein powder before breakfast, lunch, and dinner AND in addition to avoiding the foods from the “Foods to avoid” list, also avoid eating any animal products (including fish, chicken, turkey and lamb).

For days 11 and 12 – take two servings of protein powder before breakfast and dinner AND you can (and should) now eat the allowable animal products (fish, chicken, turkey, and lamb).

For days 13 and 14 – take one serving of protein powder before breakfast and follow the food lists.

After day 14, introduce one food that you’ve avoided for the last two weeks. It is of extreme importance that you only introduce one food from the list of suspected sensitivities every 3 days. If you add more than one food within 72 hours, you won’t be able to discern which food is suspect if you have any symptoms. So from now on, you can introduce one new food to your diet every three days and look for any symptoms that may point to you being sensitive to that food. Any symptoms can occur, with the most common being those mentioned in part 2: fatigue, joint pain, digestive disturbances (of any kind), sinus and lung congestion, skin rashes (including acne and eczema), canker sores, headaches, anxiousness, irritability and moodiness. Don’t limit your symptoms to this list only, any symptom can arise from a food intolerance. Also, don’t assume that you’ll get a digestive symptom. Not all food sensitivities will cause digestive symptoms.

Once you find the foods that you are sensitive to, you need to avoid them completely! If you find wheat is a problem, you cannot simply have a small bite of a cracker and assume that such a small amount won’t have an effect. It will set off a cascade of inflammatory immune biochemicals that will affect your entire system and thwart all the excellent efforts you put in. You won’t necessarily have to avoid that food for life. It’s quite possible that after you heal your system and get your body functioning optimally again, you’ll be able to reintroduce that food without any detrimental consequences.

I’ll discuss how to heal your system in future articles.

Good luck!

Dr. Rob D’Aquila – NYC Chiropractor – Diplomate of the International Board of Applied Kinesiology

Source: one of my mentor’s protocols, Dr. Datis Kharrazian

In my practice, sticking to the basics is all that is needed most (about 80%) of the time. When it comes to food sensitivities, the basics include avoiding wheat (really all gluten), corn, dairy, egg, soy, and yeast as they are the most common culprits. Of course, a person can be intolerant of any food, and often it’s a food that is consumed often. Another fairly common sensitivity would be tree nuts. A simple way to determine what foods you may be sensitive to is to go on an elimination diet, or simply avoid a particular food and then reintroduce it. The problem with avoiding only one food however, is that you may be having a similar reaction/symptom to a different food that you are still eating. Therefore, you may not notice any relief of symptom(s) and falsely conclude that there is no problem with the food you avoided. So again, a complete elimination diet is recommended. Symptoms that may arise from eating foods you are sensitive to include but are not limited to: fatigue, joint pain, digestive disturbances (of any kind), sinus and lung congestion, skin rashes (including acne and eczema), headaches, anxiousness, irritability and moodiness.

So what’s the connection between food sensitivities and weight gain and/or detox? The problem lies in the immune system. When the immune system gets called into action, as it does after eating “problem” foods, inflammatory chemicals are produced which can interfere with insulin metabolism. This can cause blood sugar to be elevated and signal the body to store more fat as opposed to break it down. Secondly, there is research that has showed people crave the foods they are sensitive to and therefore wind up overeating. So essentially, these foods can cause a biologically-based (as opposed to only psychologically-based) addictive response and cause a person to overeat. Obviously overeating will result in weight gain for most people.

As far as detoxification, eliminating food sensitivities will give your liver a break from having to clear out the inflammatory mediators produced after ingesting those foods. This will allow the liver more of a chance to deal with the burden of toxins it already has. Also, it will spare nutrients that are necessary to detox those mediators (and other toxins), in addition to nutrients needed to detox any stress hormones that will also be produced from consuming foods you are sensitive to.

I hope you now have more of an understanding and appreciation for avoiding certain foods. It may not be easy or fun to avoid those foods, but it should pay off in the end when you drop a few sizes!

In the next article, I’ll outline how to go about following an elimination diet.

Dr. Rob D’Aquila – NYC Chiropractor – Diplomate of the International Board of Applied Kinesiology

First things first. I feel that (organic) vegetable juicing is by far one of the most health-giving ways that we can support our body and mind. Drinking fresh, live vegetable juice offers the most efficient way I know of getting an enormous amount of natural vitamins, minerals, enzymes and phytonutrients into our body. The healthiest way to go is with “green” juices, as they contain the most chlorophyll, calcium, magnesium, and other supportive and detoxifying nutrients and antioxidants. Therefore, they’ll help build blood, bone, and other important tissues in addition to helping detoxify and regenerate the liver, colon, kidneys, and just about all the organs and cells of the body. So as far as drinking vegetable juice – I’m ALL for it! What about juice cleansing though?

Juice cleanses will obviously offer the body all of the great nutrients and benefits mentioned above. However, there can certainly be (and more likely will be) a drawback for most people. The problem often arises when we consume ONLY juice in a single (or several) day(s). That problem mainly relates to the lack of other macronutrients, with the primary one being a lack of protein. The effects of going without protein for days (or even a single day) can be very detrimental. How (if at all) detrimental it is will certainly depend on the individual and his or her state of health, and also how the cleanse is actually done. The other issue that arises is when a person attempts to detoxify while their organs of elimination (liver, kidneys, intestines, lungs, skin, and lymphatic system) are not “up to par”.

Several problems of going without protein include severe blood sugar fluctuations and resultant spikes in insulin and stress hormones. See my articles on insulin resistance and blood sugar regulation to get more specific information on this. Additionally, without eating protein, your body will begin to break down muscle in order to get the protein it needs to survive. Blood sugar fluctuations or imbalances and/or a lack of protein and muscle mass are the cause of many people’s symptoms and disease to begin with. Therefore a juice cleanse can make a person even more imbalanced and unhealthy. And let’s not forget that protein is absolutely necessary in order for the body and especially the liver to properly detoxify in the first place. I’m not saying the answer solely lies in protein intake, because you may also need other supportive nutrients to support the organs of elimination while detoxing.

That said, here’s my take on some of the comments in the NY Times article. Here’s the first comment in the article that I’d like to touch upon: “As Mr. Glickman explains on his Web site, if you experience symptoms like cravings, fatigue, irritability, headaches, pains, nausea, vomiting, hot bowel movements (!) … congratulations! That means you were supertoxic, and the cleanse is working.” OK – this statement may be true, as those symptoms can definitely result from going on a juice cleanse. HOWEVER, if a person does in fact experience these symptoms, I would not say “congratulations”. These symptoms are actually the result of faulty detoxification pathways. Many people might call this a “healing crisis” and say “the cleanse is working. The reality is that the toxins are being released from the cells and tissues, but in fact NOT being released from the body. This is a classic example someone who needs support for their detoxification organs, as the organs can not keep up with amount of toxins that are being released. In a case like this, I’d support a patient with supplements (usu. herbal or homeopathic) that would help to actually get the toxins completely out of their body. Without support to help the drainage of these organs, people that undergo this type of reaction are most definitely simply transposing the toxins to another area of their body. And if they have a “leaky” blood-brain barrier, they can cause some serious harm by allowing chemicals/toxins to be deposited in the brain. In a sense this type of reaction is diagnostic that the detox organs aren’t up to par. Well, you say, isn’t that why we are detoxing, because the detox organs aren’t up to par? Sure, but if the above mentioned symptoms occur, without specific support to the detox organs (which would prevent those symptoms), you are likely doing more harm than good. So it may be OK to go ahead with the cleanse, but the appropriate support/drainage remedies need to be taken as well.

The next comment I’d like to make is in regards to these statements by the author: “By the third day I felt great in the way I’m told that the imminently drowning feel great right before they give up and inhale that last mouthful of water. My juice-aficionado friend Gilly told me I was on an endorphin high”. If you’ve ever been on an “endorphin high” you’d know that it doesn’t feel like “giving up” and inhaling a mouthful of water before your ultimate death. It may feel like you’re floating a bit, perhaps related to lightheadedness or dizziness, but not like you’re about to drown. The feeling the author is describing sounds more like both, a severe blood sugar imbalance with concomitant stress hormone and adrenaline (stress neurotransmitter) release, while the body is freeing up toxins into the bloodstream but not able to get rid of them. Adrenaline and stress hormones are catabolic, meaning they actually assist in breaking down the body, instead of building it up. That said, I wholeheartedly agree with the following comments made in the article by Dr. David Colbert: “That giddy feeling you get is what diabetics get when your body runs out of sugar and starts using other products for energy“.

Lastly, I respectfully disagree with these comments made from Dr. Colbert: “You have to ask yourself this question: With a juice cleanse, what are you really cleaning? Really, nothing. The bowel self-cleans. It’s evolved over millions of years to do this.” Here’s my response to that. The bowel will self-clean but more often than not, it does need a cleanse or specific dietary changes and/or supplements in order to do so well. To elaborate, consider these points. The entire body is meant to detoxify chemicals, metals, etc.. However, day in and day out I see patients whose complaints are directly related to an inability to detoxify these substances – therefore, some of us have “lost” this capability. The body was meant to produce a proper amount of thyroid hormone, but in many cases it doesn’t (for many reasons); and hypothyroidism is rampant despite our evolution. The female hormonal system is meant to self-regulate through feedback loops as well, but PMS and a grueling, symptomatic shift into menopause for many woman seems to be the norm. The body is designed to “self-defend” via the immune system, but so many people are afflicted with acute and chronic bacterial, viral, fungal, parasitic, etc. infections. So even though the body is designed to function a certain way, that doesn’t mean it will. And even though the bowel “self-cleans” as Dr. Colbert points out, that doesn’t mean it will efficiently and effectively. The body doesn’t always work the way it was designed to. Believe me, I wouldn’t have a practice if it did. If the body did everything it was “supposed” to do, we wouldn’t have such a huge health crisis with rampant degenerative disease and illness.

In conclusion, juice cleanses can be done safely, and you don’t necessarily need to avoid consuming food while attempting to detoxify. Your best option is to find a practitioner that can monitor your progress in order to make sure it’s going safely and you achieve the benefits you set out for.

Dr. Robert D’Aquila – NYC Chiropractor – Applied Kinesiology

Interestingly, pain doesn’t occur where you “feel” it or believe it to exist. In fact, pain really isn’t a “thing”. Pain is a perception triggered by the activation of certain areas in the brain. These “pain centers” (the neurology can get quite complex, so I’ll keep it simple) in the brain receive signals from specific nerves that have pain receptors (nociceptors) on them. So in the case of low back pain, for instance, the nociceptors harbored in the spinal joints, muscles, etc. get stimulated which then send nerve transmissions to be interpreted by the brain as pain. It’s because of this reason that “nerve blocks” work; basically blocking the signal to the brain. Now, what do we do about pain (other than a nerve block)?

Well, that of course depends on the type of pain you’re talking about. You see, nociceptors can get stimulated in different ways. Specifically, they respond to mechanical forces, inflammatory chemicals, and temperature changes.

As far as mechanical forces go; compression or stretching of a nerve(s) causes the stimulation of nociceptors, and results in the perception of pain. This can be caused by any number of structural imbalances, whether acute or chronic. The treatment for this type of “pain” stimulation is to balance muscle and joint function in order to eliminate the compression or stretching of the nociceptor. Furthermore, balancing muscle and joint function results in the stimulation of nerves that harbor mechanoreceptors (sensitive to light touch, vibration, position-sense, etc.) which actually act to: a) directly block the transmission of nociceptor signals to the brain, and b) travel faster to the brain in order to allow for the perception of something other than pain. By the way, “a” and “b” are the reason we rub an area of pain in order to relieve it.

Chemical pain, on the other hand, results from the stimulation of nociceptors via various inflammatory mediators/chemicals. So why do inflammatory mediators get released? Simple, because of tissue damage. This can certainly result from a structural abnormality that causes damage; in addition to a “chemical assault” that results in inflammation such as a food allergen or sensitivity, infection, toxin, or nutritional deficiency. All of the above can (and usually do) cause an inflammatory reaction. The chemicals involved include the likes of histamine, prostaglandins, thromboxanes, leukotrienes, etc.. As a result, these chemicals need to be kept at bay in order to prevent pain from being perceived. This is the reason why you may still sometimes feel pain after a chiropractic treatment. The treatment is designed to balance the structural components of dysfunction, however if there are still inflammatory chemicals circulating in response to tissue damage, the pain will persist. Once the healing begins, the pain should diminish and ultimately resolve. Chemical mediators of pain can be controlled by balancing muscle and joint function in order to prevent further damage, in addition to being controlled by nutritional substances that assist in healing and reducing inflammation.

Thermal or temperature-related pain… To relieve this…take your hand off the stove and don’t play with matches!

This idea of mechanical and chemical-mediated pain can be of extreme importance in diagnosis. Let me explain. If the pain experienced can be fully relieved by holding your body in a certain position, then your pain is solely caused by mechanical insults. However, if there is no position you can get into that relieves the pain, your problem most definitely has an inflammatory chemical component to it. And of course, if a certain position relieves some of the pain but not all of it, then there is both a mechanical and chemical component involved (this is most often the case). Whenever there is a chemical component to the pain, your doctor needs to have methods that can easily determine why you are inflamed. Remember, this can be the result of the normal repair process from structural damage, a chemical toxin, a food allergen or sensitivity, and/or a nutritional deficiency.

Several decades ago, it was found out that the mind cannot be separated from the body (through the field of psychoneuroimmunology). Now, if we were to dismiss the chemical component of pain, we’d basically be trying to separate the body from the body. Hopefully this helps to explain why your doctor may ask you to avoid certain foods, change your diet altogether, and take supplements even though your primary complaint is “physical” pain.

Dr. Robert D’Aquila – NYC Chiropractor – Applied Kinesiology

some information in this article was sourced from: Chris Astill-Smith, DO, DIBAK – metabolics.com

I use the word minutia because I’m going to focus on a particular molecule (really its depletion), sulfate. You may have heard of glucosamine sulfate and even chondroitin sulfate. Add keratan and dermatan sulfate to the list as well – the list of compounds involved (and contained) in the cartilage that cushions your joints. As you may know, one reason for musculoskeletal pain is “wear and tear” to this cartilage. This is especially true in the case of osteoarthritis. However, whether or not you are diagnosed with osteoarthritis, joint pain from cartilage damage and loss – or is it really joint pain from lack of repair – occurs frequently.

Now, back to the stress response. One of the major hormones secreted during stressful times is cortisol. And one of the hallmarks of this hormone is to help stimulate the production of glucose by breaking down fat and protein in order to ready the body to respond to the stressful situation. By the way, this “stressful situation” has been found to be anything from lack of sleep, a food sensitivity or allergy, chronic infections, blood sugar imbalances, musculoskeletal imbalances, and certainly mental/emotional stress as well. Regardless of the source, it’s well known that stress of any kind leads to an increase in cortisol. [In cases of severely depleted individuals with chronic stress, cortisol can get eventually become depleted] In this article I’m not concerned much with the production of cortisol, but rather its clearance or breakdown from the body that may have unpleasant side effects.

Cortisol is a steroid hormone (along with DHEA, testosterone, estrogen, progesterone, etc.) that gets detoxified through specific pathways in the liver. These pathways are known as glucuronidation and sulfation. (That’s about as fancy as I’ll get with words, so no worries from here on.) Note the name of the second detox pathway I mentioned. It’s derived from the word sulfate, because it is the sulfate molecule that is used in this type of detoxification. Now recall those substances mentioned earlier that are components of cartilage. They all end with the word “sulfate” as they also require the sulfate molecule for their structure and function. So, if your body is busy burning through its sulfate to detox the excess cortisol that’s running through your bloodstream; where is the sulfate that helps repair cartilage going to come from? That’s certainly the issue, isn’t it?

Fortunately there are several options. Starting with dietary choices, you can consume foods rich in sulfur. These include garlic, onions, eggs, cauliflower, broccoli, and many others. This may be helpful, though sometimes not sufficient. One major reason (aside from quantity) that relying on food alone may not cut it is if high levels of circulating cortisol has compromised your digestive tract, which it typically does. This may lead to malabsorption of any nutrient(s), and not just sulfur. Another option is to supplement with sulfur, typically in the form known as methyl-sulphonyl-methane (MSM). Whether or not research supports the use of MSM in joint pain and cartilage repair/synthesis, you’re still an individual and may experience varying results (certainly related to your sulfate-dependent detox pathways). Lastly, sulfate can be had from the appropriate metabolism of homocysteine. If you’re unfamiliar with homocysteine, click here to learn more. In order to metabolize homocysteine into sulfate, the body requires certain nutrients especially vitamin B6 and molybdenum.

Please be aware that even though sulfate is critical in relation to stress and joint repair, chances are that your sulfur intake is not the only thing that need adjusting. In order to combat the stress response, I find it critical to support the structural (bones, muscles, etc.), chemical (nutrients, toxins, etc.), and mental/emotional components of a person. A “big picture” (well, truly holistic) approach is often preferred, if not necessary, to overcome the problems associated with any stressors, not the least of which is joint damage and repair. As a generally observed, several other (than sulfate) nutritional factors come to mind: proper collagen formation, healthy blood sugar metabolism, and last but certainly not least, stress management.

Hopefully this helped you to understand a bit of how the pathophysiology of the stress response may be affecting your body; and how to help it. Click here to read more on adrenal stress syndrome.

Dr. Robert D’Aquila – NYC Chiropractor – Applied Kinesiology

source – “Degeneration Intervention – Gut, Liver, & Joints” seminar by Walter Schmitt, Jr., DC, DIBAK, DABCN

The quality of the supplements used is certainly important; just as the quality of food you eat is important. However, in addition to the quality, another distinction can be made amongst supplements. That is: Is it a whole-food or synthetic source? And, by the way, which one do I want?…OK, let’s first assume the quality is superior from either source, thus not a variable. Although some may argue that whole-food derived supplements are inherently of higher quality. Again, we’re going to assume a level playing field with quality.

So, what’s the difference? Basically, food-based supplements are derived from a whole-food source, while synthetic supplements are synthesized in a laboratory and not necessarily derived from a food-source. So, a company that makes whole-food nutrients will take fruits, vegetables, grains, etc. and concentrate a portion (say the vitamin C) of the food into a tablet. The final product winds up being a concentrate of a food with a specific amount of a certain nutrient, after the fiber, carbohydrate, protein, etc. is removed. Now, there is one more distinction necessary to make. A supplement can be derived from a food-source, but the ingredient(s) can still be isolated to contain only certain compounds from that food.

Let’s take vitamin C for example. Vitamin C is a whole complex which contains ascorbic acid, bioflavanoids (including “p”, “j”, and “k” factors), tyrosinase, and ascorbigen. As you can see, ascorbic acid is only one portion of the entire vitamin C complex. However, the industry decided that (only) ascorbic acid is necessary to be present in order to say a supplement contains “vitamin C”. Therefore, most supplements that claim to be vitamin C, only contain ascorbic acid. However, whole-food based supplements include the entire vitamin C complex in addition to the ascorbic acid. So the point is that a supplement may be naturally derived from food, but still not be a “whole-food complex”. For example, the “vitamin C” in a supplement may originally be had from cherries (a food which contains the entire vitamin C complex), but the supplement still only contains ascorbic acid (again, lacking the bioflavanoids, tyrosinase, ascorbigen, etc.) because that’s the only portion they wanted to isolate.

The same example can apply to vitamin E. Whole-food vitamin E contains alpha, beta, gamma, and delta tocopherols; xanthine; selenium; lipositols; and factors named “E1″, “E2″, “F1″, and “F2″. Typically however, most “vitamin E” on the market only contains alpha tocopherol. Lately, researchers have begun to see the importance of the other factors, and now you can find a mixed tocopherol (containing alpha, beta, gamma, and delta tocopherol) “vitamin E”. Keep in mind that this is still not a true “whole-food” vitamin E, because it doesn’t contain all the factors of the vitamin E complex. And again, it can still be derived from food, but then the tocopherols can be isolated out of the vitamin E complex, while still calling it “vitamin E”.

In this article, I am distinguishing between “whole-food” nutrients (i.e.: containing all the vitamin factors), and isolated nutrients (e.g.: ascorbic acid).

I think it’s safe to say that most people agree we should be getting all of our nutrients from the food we eat. Unfortunately this is not easy given the modern-day industrial agricultural methods. Through these methods, the soil becomes quickly depleted of nutrients, and food winds up losing (or never having) the nutrients that they have contained since the dawn of their existence. So now comes the debate. If we should get all of our nutrients from food, shouldn’t our supplements be (concentrated) whole-food.

One camp claims that when we ingest ascorbic acid, the body “robs” the other factors naturally contained in the vitamin C complex (from other areas of the body) in order to make it whole again. Again, they are saying that if you ingest ascorbic acid, your body will scour for ascorbigen, bioflavanoids, tyrosinase, etc., in order to put the whole vitamin C complex back together in the body. Then they go on to explain how this can actually create deficiencies in the long run; because you are constantly “robbing” different areas of your body to turn the ascorbic acid into vitamin C complex. The same goes for vitamin E and any other nutrient that is originally contained in a complex.

One more thing about whole-food supplements… They often contain very small amounts of the nutrient(s). For example, a whole-food vitamin C tablet may contain only 5mg of vitamin C; while an isolated ascorbic acid supplement (marketed as vitamin C) may contain 500mg per tablet. Now recall, the 5mg supplement contains the entire vitamin C complex, while the other contains 500mg of ascorbic acid only.

The “whole-food camp” says that 5mg is all that is necessary to supplement (or perhaps 10-5mg tablets/day), where the “isolated-nutrient camp” says that that dose is way too low. One reason it is considered to be too low of a dose is because most of the research has been done on isolated supplements, like ascorbic acid, not whole-food complex supplements.

So now what? Most research has been done on isolated nutrients, but we should really be getting the entire complex as nature intended. “She” did in fact put the vitamin C complex in the orange, not just the ascorbic acid.

My take…it depends… Fortunately, I use applied kinesiological manual muscle testing methods to determine what a patient will respond to best. This is done by using muscle function analysis as an indicator of the nervous system, and then “challenging” the person with different types of nutrients (whole-food or isolated) to see how the nervous system responds. This is my preferred approach to see what will work best. From a logical perspective, I’d like to think that everyone will respond best to a whole-food complex because we are intended to get our nutrients from whole foods. However, this is not always the case. Some people do better with an isolated nutrient in high doses, as opposed to a whole food complex nutrient in relatively low doses.

At the end of the day, I’d say that I prescribe a mixture of both types to most patients. Unfortunately, there are not very many scientific research studies done using whole-food complexes. Without the literature, it can be difficult to compare. Considering that most research is done using “isolated nutrients” (and most of the multi-billion-dollar supplement industry sells these), we can conclude that “isolated nutrients” do work to provide a specific outcome. From my own clinical experience, along with the experience of my peers, whole-food complexes also work to provide a desired outcome.

Fortunately, I use in-office methods that help me to determine what will work best for a patient. One option is to take both an isolated supplement along with a whole-food complex in order to “balance it out” and make sure you are getting everything, assuming you need the isolated supplement in the first place. Another option is to use whole-food complexes in cases where there is no specific ailment that needs treating, such as taking a whole-food multi-vitamin. However, whole-food complexes certainly work to help specific ailments as well.

In conclusion, I aim to provide the patient with what will work best for him/her based on in-office testing methods. Sometimes it’s only whole-food complexes, sometimes it’s isolated supplements, and sometimes it’s both. I jump between the two “camps” depending on the patient I’m treating.

Dr. Robert D’Aquila – NYC Chiropractor – Applied Kinesiology

Compared with the placebo, estrogen plus progestin resulted in:

•Increased risk of heart attack
•Increased risk of stroke
•Increased risk of blood clots
•Increased risk of breast cancer
•Reduced risk of colorectal cancer
•Fewer fractures
•No protection against mild cognitive impairment and increased risk of dementia (study included only women 65 and older)

Compared with the placebo, estrogen alone resulted in:

•No difference in risk for heart attack
•Increased risk of stroke
•Increased risk of blood clots
•Uncertain effect for breast cancer
•No difference in risk for colorectal cancer
•Reduced risk of fracture
(Findings about memory and cognitive function are not yet available.)

Just because synthetic hormones come with proven risk, it seems that people have decided bioidentical hormones are totally fine to take. Bioidentical hormones are crafted to be the exact molecular structure of the hormone(s) your body produces. Synthetic hormones, on the other hand are not. Synthetic hormones are typically a bit different from the exact structure that your body makes because that way it can be patented by the manufacturer.

The purpose of this article is not necessarily to compare and contrast synthetic from bioidentical HRT; but to alert you as to how the body responds when bioidentical (and synthetic) hormones are taken. Well, really to alert you on the downside consequences of taking ANY hormones. The physiology is simple and logical. It can be more in depth, but I’ll focus on the basics. By the way, I’m referring to the pathways of the most commonly replaced hormones, steroid (e.g.: estrogen, testosterone, progesterone, cortisol, DHEA, etc.) and thyroid hormones.

Most hormones work in the body via a negative feedback loop. This means that as the level of a hormone rises, a signal is mediated that ceases that hormone’s production and release; in order to prevent the production of the hormone from getting out of control. Let’s begin with an example using thyroid hormone.

The three main glands involved in thyroid hormone production are the hypothalamus, pituitary and thyroid. The hypothalamus releases “thyroid releasing hormone” (TRH), which stimulates the pituitary gland to release “thyroid stimulating hormone” (TSH), which in turn stimulates the thyroid gland to manufacture and release thyroid hormones (thyroxine or T4 and triiodothyronine or T3). Once the thyroid hormone begins to do its job throughout the body, production begins to decline, so as not to produce too many hormones. So, as the level of thyroid hormone increases, the levels of TRH and TSH decrease. It’s called a negative feedback loop because the rise in hormone levels results in a decreased production; as opposed to a positive feedback loop where a rise in hormone levels would produce an even greater rise in the level of that same hormone. The only example of a hormone that works on a positive feedback loop that I can think of is oxytocin.

Because these hormones work this way, you may be able to guess what happens when you are exposed to (i.e.: ingest) exogenous hormones. Exogenous (as opposed to endogenous) refers to those taken in from outside the body, and can be any type of hormone. So, if you take a hormone, you can be sure that those negative feedback loops will still function as usual. The result…your body stops (or significantly slows) its own production of these hormones. What’s wrong with that? Eventually, you’ll be dependent on these hormones as your glands have “gone to sleep”, because “someone” else is doing their job. It’s simply not necessary for the glands to have to do anything.

So if you stop taking them, it may be extremely difficult to get your body’s own production back up to par. Now, considering people often take hormones because they’re not producing enough on their own in the first place, you can imagine how difficult it would be to begin the production process after taking exogenous hormones and suppressing your hormone production even further. Therefore, people usually become completely dependent on hormones, bioidentical or not. In general, as long as you’re okay with taking a hormone for the rest of your life, there is no need to worry. However, most (if not all) of my patients shun that idea.

The next issue is that of hormone receptor insensitivity. Generally speaking, each hormone docks into a receptor on it’s target cell. It’s as if the receptor is the lock and the hormone is the key. Once the cell “door” opens, the hormone goes on to carry out it’s function (usually turning on or off genes). The problem with bombarding the cells with large doses of a hormone is that eventually it’s as if the cell decides to change the lock on the door. The result is that it is harder and harder for the hormone to open the cell door, and therefore more and more of the hormone is needed each successive time you want to make an effect on the cell/genes. It’s almost as if you need enough hormone to knock the cell door down, because it doesn’t want to open. This is especially prevalent with the use of hormone creams (usu. progesterone). However, if you make no lifestyle changes it typically happens with any hormone. That’s why people on thyroid hormone often have to continue increasing the dose to get the same effect; the same goes for those who take insulin. Have you ever known of diabetic or person with hypothyroidism (except for autoimmune thyroid disease/Hashimoto’s) that had to decrease their dose, without making lifestyle changes? So, taking a hormone for the rest of your life may not even do the trick, especially insulin. You may be familiar with how well diabetics fare without changing their lifestyle, and continually increasing their doses of insulin. By the way, hormone receptor sites often “run out” of the vitamin and minerals that are necessary to allow them to function properly, due to the constant bombardment of hormones they are subject to in these cases.

This is not to say that no one should be on HRT, bioidentical or synthetic. There is a time and place for everything. And when these hormones are necessary, they can be miraculous. The big question is: When are they necessary? That’s a debatable issue and can certainly vary between individuals. So I am not absolutely against HRT, though I definitely prefer bioidentical over synthetic when possible.

The point I’m trying to get across is that I wouldn’t recommend anyone start with HRT, unless they are in a very unmanageable state. In these instances, one option may be to start with HRT to “prime the pump” and then eventually wean off them. Unfortunately, with all the books written about HRT and the attention it gets these days, many people (and doctors) go straight for hormones (with or without lab tests). Don’t get me wrong, chances are you’ll feel like a million bucks if you take hormones that you are deficient in, or insensitive to. But don’t forget to ask the million dollar question just because you feel like a million bucks: How long does that last? Well, there is no single answer to that question because everybody’s condition and lifestyle is a bit different. But, from what I’ve seen, it lasts about six months at best, before they have to adjust the dose upward. You may eventually find yourself always having to increase the dose to get the same effect. And finally, your cells just may not respond adequately, despite the dose. That’s not say there is no hope though.

I’m currently working with a patient who had low testosterone and used testosterone replacement therapy for over a year. Sure enough, he had to continually increase the dose, until it eventually stopped giving him the results he needed (i.e.: absence of musculoskeletal pain, strength, libido, and an erection). In this case (and others), I determine if the hypothalamus, pituitary, gonads (when it comes to testosterone), and/or cell receptors need support. Fortunately, in the above mentioned case, the patient got immediate results that according to him, showed via the number of plates he kept adding on the machines at the gym.

In some cases, it may not be easy to get everything back up and running like new. But with the proper nutritional support and lifestyle improvements, it certainly is an attainable goal. The willingness of the patient to change their lifestyle and the length of time the person has been on hormones are two very important factors that will help to determine the outcome. Fortunately, I haven’t seen a “lost cause” yet; but I sure have seen people feeling miserable after the hormones stop giving the desired effect. Remember, there’s no such thing as a free lunch!

Not to go into politics…but I’m a big advocate of being able to buy supplements over-the-counter. Although I truly believe that hormones should only be dispensed through licensed health care practitioners who know how to use them.

PS: There are more problems associated with HRT (bioidentical or not) than what I mentioned above. For example, many men who take testosterone can eventually wind up converting it into estrogen (just about the opposite effect they are looking for)…that’s enough on that for now.

PSS: I’m not saying that bioidentical hormones are never necessary. They certainly can be in some instances…just consider the potential side-effects and work with a licensed, competent, qualified health care professional who knows how to use them appropriately. They can be very useful to “prime the pump” when other lifestyle changes are implemented.

Dr. Robert D’Aquila – NYC Chiropractor – Applied Kinesiology