(Natural Society) Is Splenda safe? Unfortunately, the Splenda craze has taken a toll on the American people. Wrongfully marketed as a healthful alternative to regular sugar, ‘made from sugar so it tastes like sugar’, Splenda is actually one of the most dangerous forms of synthetic sweetener. Sucralose, the chemical name for Splenda, has been implemented as an alternative to sugar, used widely in chewing gum, bakery sweets, diet sodas, fruit juices, and other oddities contrived as food. The sweetener is actually more chlorinated than aspartame– and consequently not much different than aspartame in terms of it’s effects on the body.

Is Splenda Safe? – Research Says ‘No’

Through the extensive testing processes of the FDA, the sugary poison was considered safe for human consumption in 1998 after the effects were studied on over 100 animals and humans (only 2 of which were actually humans). And thus yet another artificial sweetener was born, putting people’s health at risk through marketing and profit-driven goals. What comes as the greatest surprise, however, is the fact that all of the testing done with Sucralose was only completed on around 40 people total – much of the studies’ goals were only to test its effects on the teeth of the subjects, and virtually nothing about the toxicity of the sweetener whatsoever. So, is Splenda safe?

Fortunately, other non-governmental studies have been completed and the results have shown that Sucralose is responsible for a variety of ailments: headaches, blurred vision, short-term dizziness, and more serious long term effects such as depression and weight gain. There are other effects associated with splenda consumption as well, such as:

• Skin breaking out in hives or rashes
• Shortness of breath
• Swelling of facial muscles
• Eye irritation
• Joint pains
• General sensation of anxiety in a number of consumers

The worst effect of them all? The stomach is essentially cleansed of any healthful bacterium existing within the stomach lining, in addition to increasing pH levels within the intestines. This effect directly stimulates/upsets ghrelin levels (hormones responsible for stimulating appetite, resulting in increased cravings for carbohydrates and other non essential food sources).

What is so wrongful and vile about the substance is that it is not only sold to consumer food product manufacturers, but also to a fair share of big pharma. This means that the medications that you buy may still contain the sugar sweetener without you ever knowing, as many companies are deliberately not listing Sucralose as an ingredient at all. This adds just one more reason to break any reliance for pharmaceutical medications.

(From Natural Society)

By: Rachel Marynowski, ND of the Metametrix Institute

In the event our gastrointestinal (GI) systems were able to speak, wouldn’t it be interesting to know what’s on your gut’s mind? Lying there, coiled within your belly…is it in a state of bliss or on stress overload? Is it enjoying the plethora of foods you inundate it with, day in and day out? Is it happy with the overall lay of the microbial land? Is it strong or constantly mending its inflamed wounds? Is it capable of cultivating the energy necessary to accomplish all of the important tasks you need it to?

Let’s take a trip back in time to the 19^th century, to meet two British scientists by the name of Bayliss and Starling. These super-savvy gentlemen devised an animal experiment in which they surgically disconnected the physiological linkage between the animal’s GI tract and its central nervous system (CNS). And what do you know? The scientists were able to stimulate peristalsis (digestive action)—yep, without any instructions from the animal’s brain via the CNS to accomplish this salient task. Their scientific adventures provided the first glimpse into the world of the enteric nervous system and, in turn, the earliest inkling of the gut’s capacity to act as its own brain, hence allowing it to earn its title as the second brain. Friendly reminder— it is the ONLY organ in the entire body capable of doing so!

Thankfully, this field of neurogastroenterology continues to emerge and both integrative and conventional med docs are showing it a little L-O-V-E. Finally! (That was your gut talking.)

So, yes, being that it’s capable of “thinking,” we ought to show it a little R-E-S-P-E-C-T! More importantly, GI dysfunction has been correlated to a number of health maladies ranging from the more straightforward: irritable bowel syndrome (IBS), inflammatory bowel disease (IBD), celiac disease, Crohn’s, etc. to the more complex: autoimmune conditions, chronic fatigue syndrome, neurological conditions, behavioral conditions, and more. Because of the nature of the gut’s influence on our overall health (including keeping our immune systems on par, synthesizing must-have neurotransmitters, combating pathogenic organisms, and assimilating essential nutrients), there’s no logical reason to discount the influence of the gut in every patient’s case.

Fun facts (and reasons why the gut should always be evaluated!):

• The gut makes up approximately 75% of the entire body’s immune function. (If the GI tract is compromised, the immune system is, too.)
• The microbiota (bugs) in our gut number in the trillions and may include over 500 unique species. (Many of these species are yet to be identified. By a margin of 10:1, our human cells are outnumbered by bacteria…be kind to your bugs, we surely don’t want to encourage a revolt!)
• Each individual has his/her own microbial fingerprint. (Be on the lookout for more on gut enterotypes, which will help us customize individualized microbial treatment for patients in the near future.)
• The gut produces just as many neurotransmitters as the brain. (This is a big tie in to mental/emotional dysfunction. As an example, over 97% of chronic fatigue patients fit diagnostic criteria for major depressive disorder; interestingly enough, over 50% also meet diagnostic criteria for IBS. Coincidence, I think not!)
• Studies have linked increased anxiety levels to microbial infections in the gut. (Mouse studies have demonstrated that groups of mice with different microbial populations demonstrate very different motor activity and anxiety-like behavior. Ever overeaten some type of vittles and paid for it afterwards? Ever felt super sluggish and in dampened spirits afterwards? Here’s a study telling us why!)
• The presence of food allergies has been linked to neurological disorders including depression, bipolar disorder, and panic disorder. (In cases of schizophrenia, patients who are also diagnosed as having celiac disease have experienced a return to health with compliance to a gluten-free diet.)

So there you have it, the gut wins! For those who subscribe to the philosophy, second place is the first loser, think again. In fact, if we treat our guts in this manner, the only losers are you and me because— although it is considered the second brain—it’s first in line for overall health!

For a more detailed analysis of the inner workings of your GI tract, turn to the Comprehensive GI Effects stool analysis which employs DNA-analysis technology. We offer this test at out Austin, Dallas and San Antonio offices. Call today to get your test kit!

Zinc is an essential mineral that is naturally present in some foods, added to others, and available as a dietary supplement. Zinc is also found in many cold lozenges and some over-the-counter drugs sold as cold remedies. Zinc is essential to the normal function of many organs and systems within the body; supporting healthy immune, skeletal, neurological, and endocrine functions as well as a healthy prostate.

Zinc is thought by many nutritionists to be the most important mineral supplement because it is commonly deficient in the diet. Zinc is the nutrient that aids the immune system.

Essential to human growth, zinc is key to proper T cell and natural killer cell function and proper lymphocyte activity; it may be directly involved in antibody production to help you fight infection. Zinc is essential to many enzyme systems and for normal functioning of the immune system.

Key functions of zinc:

• Functions in a multitude of enzymes — for alcohol and amino acid metabolism, protein digestion, and energy production, as well as in immune function and in the body’s fight against damaging free radicals.
• Used by men to support good prostate and reproductive health.
• Particularly important for teenagers during sexual development.
• Used to support optimum immune function. Zinc lozenges are famous, with some good clinical studies to their credit, for helping your immune system fight off colds and sore throats and recover from injury, illness, or surgery.
• May protect you against the toxic effects of chemical exposures.

Adequate amounts of zinc are not always easy to get from your foods. This nutrient is as important for good plant health as it is for human health. Zinc, like most other minerals, needs to be abundant in healthy soil for plants to absorb it and for your food to supply you with an ample amount.

Zinc is found in oysters (which have the highest zinc content by far), shellfish, meats, eggs, whole grains, nuts, and seeds. Pumpkin and squash seeds are especially good sources.

• A diet high in refined carbohydrates and unhealthy fats
• Inadequate dietary fiber
• Impaired immune function (typically due to stress or illness)
• Use of medication such as antibiotics, steroids, birth control or other hormonal therapy
• Environmental or food sensitivities

Like any opportunist, Candida albicans will take advantage when conditions permit. Once that balance is upset, this organism is more likely to change form and proliferate, invading and colonizing our body tissues. Although it may first come to our attention in the form of a vaginal yeast infection or as oral thrush, Candida albicans can spread and become a serious problem — causing diverse symptoms not just in the reproductive or digestive systems but in multiple other systems in the body (see box).

Yeast sensitivity, sugar cravings, and your digestion

When Candida proliferates, it changes form, morphing from a simple, relatively harmless one into one that is capable of penetrating the intestinal lining. This elicits low-grade inflammation in the gut and causes breakdown of the boundary between the intestinal tract and the circulatory system. Known as leaky gut, increased intestinal permeability allows incompletely digested food particles and yeast cells to pass through and enter the blood stream. The immune system soon identifies these large particles as foreign, and ramps itself up to deal with them.

In part, food sensitivities and allergies are thought to develop as a result of this process — the invaders that make it across the gut into the blood get labeled as dangerous, and the immune system remembers them the next time it encounters them, and reacts accordingly. People with candidiasis may need to avoid foods containing other yeasts and fungi from their diets because of this cross-sensitivity — the molecular subcomponents they contain are similar or identical to those found in Candida, so the immune system cannot distinguish between them and responds accordingly.

Uncomfortable digestive symptoms like bloating, gas, and bubbling in the gut arise because an overgrowth of yeast leads to the fermentation of foods instead of the digestion of foods. Along with these unpleasant symptoms, yeasts ferment sugars into alcohol, which destabilizes blood sugar and leads to intense cravings for more sugar. It is fascinating that these tiny organisms can get us to do exactly what they want us to do — eat more carbs and sugar!

Many of my patients with yeast issues fear that they will never again be able to eat sweets, carbohydrates, or anything containing yeast, but such stringent measures are usually only needed for a time. Most women find that once they remove the conditions that favor yeast overgrowth, they can once again enjoy these foods without going overboard.

Phytoestrogens (“plant estrogens”) on the other hand, are weak estrogens found in plant foods and herbs. Some of these plants offer safe effective alternatives for menopausal symptom relief, such as soy, red clover, and kudzu, and are often protective to health in other ways.

Xenoestrogens mimic the effects of true estrogen and interact with cellular receptor sites. This process contributes to estrogen excess and blocks the effects of true estrogen. To make matters worse, these endocrine disruptors lodge in fat cells where they are resistant to breakdown. Many of these chemicals will act in a synergistic effect when combined with other endocrine disrupters. This synergistic process exponentially enhances their effects within the body causing major problems at the cellular level.

The most common sources of xenoestrogens include:

Commercially-Raised Animal Products:
Plastics & Canned Goods (many have plastic lining)
Personal Care Products (makeup, lotion, & perfumes)
Oral Contraceptives
Pharmaceutical medications
Food Additives & preservatives
Styrofoam products
Laundry & Dishwashing detergents
Household cleaners & air fresheners
Pesticides & Herbicides
Take back control of your hormonal health by following these recommendations:

Minimize the usage of endocrine disruptors as much as possible. Get off all oral contraceptives, hormone creams, and hormone based prescription medications, etc. You should consult your doctor about this and weaning stages may be necessary.

Stabilize Your Blood Sugar. Unstable blood sugar causes enhanced fat storage, decreased cellular detoxification and hormone signaling. The healing diet is critical for quick effective blood sugar stabilization.

Do a quarterly detox cleanse. Begin by cleansing the liver & gallbladder so they can effectively transport excess estrogen out of the system. Enhance your estrogen metabolism with key nutrients & herbs. Finally, support the pituitary gland with adequate rest, movement, and nutritional components.

Maximize your nervous system. Be sure that the brain-body pathway is clear and free of interference. This maximizes internal repair mechanisms. With a healthy nervous system, the glands and tissues are able to self-detoxify and eliminate poisonous chemicals. Forward head posture and loss of the natural curve in the neck dramatically affect this self-detoxification process.

Burst-train for incredible fitness. High intensity exercise opens detoxification pathways (sweating), enhances cellular oxygenation, stabilizes blood sugar, and promotes reparative hormones among other things. Additionally, it allows the body to burn fat more effectively and to metabolize excess estrogen molecules.

(From Natural News)

Listed below are the top five reasons you might be struggling to lose weight.

• Thyroid
• For females- hormone imbalances between progesterone/estrogen and low testosterone
• For both men and women-adrenal fatigue and elevated cortisol
• Food allergies and sensitivities
• Genetics working against you.

Thyroid

Thyroid hormone is a metabolic hormone secreted by the thyroid gland. It regulates temperature, metabolism and cerebral function, which results in increased energy, temperature and warmth. It increases fat breakdown resulting in weight loss as well as lowering cholesterol. It improves cerebral metabolism and prevents cognitive impairment. It relieves symptoms of thin, sparse hair, dry skin and thin nails. Thyroid affects every cell in the body. Patients treated with bioidentical hormone thyroid can expect to have more energy and an easier time with weight loss.

Symptoms of imbalanced thyroid:

• Inability to lose weight, despite dieting and exercise
• Sparse hair, or even hair loss
• Dry Skin and brittle nails
• Fatigue
• Infertility

Treatment for Thyroid: issues are typically bio-identical hormone thyroid replacement, natural supplements which will help with some of the other symptoms as well.

Hormonal Imbalances

When you have tried every diet and workout and have found no success, it is time to check your hormones. More often than not, the hormones responsible are estrogen and progesterone – two hormones that need to stay in perfect balance. And, as you’ll see, when one, or both, of these hormones are out of alignment, the weight loss battle begins.

When a woman’s body no longer produces enough progesterone (the hormone needed to equalize estrogen so that, with a healthy diet and exercise, the body’s metabolism will respond and weight loss can occur), she has entered a state of “estrogen dominance”. Estrogen dominance causes an increase in what is called “thyroid binding globulin”. When this globulin, basically a group of proteins, is present, the thyroid gland becomes dysfunctional, meaning we can diet and exercise with a vengeance and still not lose the weight.

For men, a lack of testosterone can lead to major problems with weight loss. Many men report working out harder than they typically do without any results. Men with low testosterone or “Low T” have lower energy, a more difficult time recovering from workouts and osteoporosis.

Symptoms of weight gain caused by hormone imbalance are the following:

• Inability to Lose Weight despite Efforts
• Accumulation of Weight around Abdomen
• Water Retention and Bloating
• Increased Cellulite
• Easily Fatigued with Exercise

At BH2 we understand that sometimes weight loss cannot be achieved with only exercise and diet. We will customize a medically supervised weight loss plan that is right for you and address:

• Comprehensive and cutting edge laboratory panels specific to weight loss to determine what your imbalances might be.
• Genetic testing to determine how your genes may be affecting your weight and personalized nutrition and exercise program based on results.
• Natural hormone balance with Bio Identical Hormone therapy compounded specifically to patients’ needs.
• Gastrointestinal testing to determine food allergies and various gut health issues preventing weight loss.
• Detoxification to support healthy hormone metabolism.
• Nutritional supplements to support healthy metabolism and weight loss.

Adrenal Fatigue and Elevated Cortisol

Your adrenals are powerful endocrine glands that help your body react to stress while keeping those reactions in balance. They produce a range of hormones which protect us by releasing energy stores and sharpening our senses so we can immediately defend ourselves or escape an emergency or threat. There are extreme cases of adrenal fatigue that involve such a severe lack of energy that the sufferer is unable to manage in life, sleeping most of the day and night.

Adrenal fatigue affects every organ and system in your body. Your ability to metabolize carbohydrates, fats and proteins is greatly affected often resulting in weight gain.

If you have too little cortisol, you may suffer from fatigue, chronic fatigue, exhaustion and a disease of the endocrine system called Addison’s disease. If your adrenal glands are producing too much cortisol, you may develop conditions such as weight gain, especially around the abdomen, depressed immune function with all of the consequences, accelerated aging and stomach ulcers.

Symptoms of weight gain caused by adrenal fatigue and elevated cortisol are:

• Anxiety/ Depression
• Increased susceptibility to infections
• Midday Fatigue
• Reduced tolerance for stress
• Unable to fall asleep
• Craving for sweets and salty foods
• Allergies to things you were never allergic to before
• Chemical sensitivities
• Waking up in the mid-portion of the night

Stress reduction, rest and nutritional supplementation are all very important factors in treating adrenal fatigue. Nutritional supplementation is very valuable in restoring normal cortisol levels. These supplements included pharmaceutical grade essential amino acids and apatagens to help restore cortisol to its optimal level. Amino acids or fatty acids are useful in correcting both high and low cortisol levels. These fatty acids are also useful for preventing short-term memory loss, age-related dementia and Alzheimer’s disease. Adaptogens are an entire category of herbs that assists the body in coping with stress by restoring hypothalamic cortisol receptor sensitivity.

Prehistorically, our bodies are used to going through cycles of feast and famine. With modern technology we very rarely enter the famine cycle anymore. All the food we could even need is readily available and we no longer have to work hard to get it.

Food Allergies and Intolerance

A food allergy is an immune system response. It occurs when the body mistakes an ingredient in food — usually a protein — as harmful and creates a defense system (antibodies) to fight it. Food allergy symptoms develop when the antibodies are battling the “invading” food. The most common food allergies are peanuts, tree nuts (such as walnuts, pecans and almonds), fish, and shellfish, milk, eggs, soy products, and wheat.

Food intolerance is a digestive system response rather than an immune system response. It occurs when something in a food irritates a person’s digestive system or when a person is unable to properly digest or breakdown, the food. Intolerance to lactose, which is found in milk and other dairy products, is the most common food intolerance.

At Balanced Hormones and Health, we offer very comprehensive food allergy and intolerance testing that can tell which foods to limit and avoid. Many patients find that just eliminating certain foods from their diets has helped them lose stubborn weight that has troubled them for years!

Genetics working against you?

Is your DNA keeping you from losing weight? You are unique. That’s exactly why your personal genetic test from Balanced Hormones and Health is such a valuable step towards a life time of good health. The genetic tests offer personalized guidance for our patients looking for evidence-based insights on how their genes may impact their health and wellness.

Thanks to new advances in genetic science, you can finally discover the exact steps you need to improve your health. Because genetics play a major role in predisposition to diseases, our tests provide important personalized information that will help you live healthier, based on your genotype.

So what can we do about it?

Another reason we are larger than ever has to do with our Western diet. Our diet is mostly over processed fatty foods served in super sizes.

When this happens, many people, especially women turn to dieting. The unfortunate truth is that most bodies react to a diet as a famine and it tries to regain the weight fairly quickly after it is lost. This starts the all too familiar cycle of yo-yo dieting.

If you are ready to stop the cycle of dieting and are ready to lose weight, contact us today. We can find the reason your body is holding on to stubborn weight and help you lose it for good.

For more information about our Weight Loss Program and to speak with our BH2 Weight Loss Specialist, please call us at 512-459-4400 to schedule your FREE consultation today!

Not everything we swallow is absorbed by our bodies. Every nutrient has to survive the chemicals and turmoil of the digestive system, be absorbed through the intestinal wall, and get past the liver to reach the bloodstream.

Scientists use the term bioavailability to measure what’s absorbed by the body versus what’s wasted. Unfortunately in ordinary multivitamins, a great deal of the nutrients don’t benefit the body at all — because they’re not bioavailable. The scandal is that you would never know that by reading their labels. The label only shows what’s in the multivitamin; it gives you no idea how much is bioavailable.

A basic problem is getting past the digestive system. In a pharmaceutical–grade vitamin supplement, many of the nutrients are chelated, or tied to another molecule which acts as an escort until it reaches the bloodstream. Both universities and private companies have developed and patented such chelated compounds. Because they are relatively expensive to license they are rarely seen in ordinary multivitamins.

A second problem is processing methods. Many ordinary multivitamins use inexpensive processes and rely on additives. These processes can destroy the nutritional value of the supplements or render them unrecognizable to the body.

This is why the half of Americans who take multivitamins aren’t noticeably healthier than the half that doesn’t. Many of them are taking ordinary vitamins that lack the range of nutrients their bodies need or low-price or discount vitamins that are less effective due to their processing methods and the limited bioavailability of their nutrients.

Because we all need a nutritional supplement they can trust, we decided to provide one ourselves. Called Active Essentials, it is an exceptionally good foundation for all women and men, and it has all the qualities outlined above. We have visited the manufacturer, talked with their scientists and reviewed their processes and controls. We take the product ourselves.

Women, especially those older than age 50, are more likely to have hypothyroidism. Hypothyroidism upsets the normal balance of chemical reactions in your body. It seldom causes symptoms in the early stages, but, over time, untreated hypothyroidism can cause a number of health problems, such as obesity, joint pain, infertility and heart disease.

The good news is that accurate thyroid function tests are available to diagnose hypothyroidism, and treatment of hypothyroidism with synthetic thyroid hormone is usually simple, safe and effective once the proper dosage is established.

Have you had your thyroid levels checked lately? Remember that most doctors only look at your TSH. To get an accurate read of how your thyroid is functioning, you need to look at your TSH, T3 and T4. At Balanced Hormones and Health, we check all of your thyroid levels and prescribe safe natural bioidentical hormones to treat imbalances.

Testosterone’s Effects

Energy, attitude and that feeling of confidence and satisfaction with life are all related to testosterone. Some say that testosterone can cause aggression and while this may be occasionally true, the vast majority of patients that we treat feel more relaxed, calm, and open to life and adventure. Estrogen is a worker and builds and makes things grow, and testosterone says, “OK, I’ll help with that, but let’s relax and have some fun along the way.”  Testosterone contributes to emotional stability and if you see your man get teary eyed or if you feel like crying at the slightest upset, your testosterone is probably low. For men, the fall in testosterone with age turns them into grumpy old men with not only little interest in sex, but an overall feeling of apathy, loss of general well-being, ambition, and drive. They may find their thinking is dull and creativity and sense of adventure is a thing of the past.

While estrogen and progesterone help women with symptoms of menopause, it is testosterone that really gives back that sense of confidence and invincibility – it puts the icing on the cake of HRT.

Additional Benefits & Downsides

Aside from the emotional and love benefits, testosterone has significant cardiovascular benefits (more matters of the heart).  It protects the body against heart disease, improves glucose metabolism and prevents diabetes, increases muscle mass, and promotes weight loss.  It improves lipid metabolism (cholesterol) and protects the brain against Alzheimer’s and other dementias.

There are some downsides: testosterone in large doses can increase acne and hair growth in women.  Lowering the dose and giving certain nutrients and medications can manage these side effects.  For men, the burning question and conventional wisdom has been that testosterone increases the risk for prostate cancer.  However, over the last few years, this has been essentially turned on its head.  As men age, their testosterone levels fall, and yet their risk for prostate cancer goes up. Studies have shown no relationship with either low or high testosterone in the risk for prostate cancer.  If a man with low testosterone is given testosterone, it can “wake up” the prostate and perhaps even uncover an occult prostate cancer.

Whether you are male or female, don’t miss out on the wonders of testosterone.  If your hormone therapy is not optimal, consider asking a knowledge doctor about testosterone therapy.  It will change your life for the better.

A good multivitamin is the first basic. What makes a multivitamin good is the quality of the contents along with the technology used to encapsulate or tablet the contents. The better vitamins do not have pharmaceutical glaze, artificial coloring, several kinds of cellulose, nor do they contain synthetic vitamins such as synthetic E or dl-alpha tocopherol. Read your labels.

A good multivitamin will have the basic pharmaceutical grade A, B, C, D, and E vitamins in good ratios along with essential trace minerals such as selenium, iodine, copper, manganese and zinc – all in the most easily assimilated form. They should be either with or without iron depending on your needs. A good multivitamin will not cause nausea or constipation – both of which are signs of low quality synthetic vitamins and / or unusable forms of the essential minerals. Another sign of a low quality vitamin is if the first ingredient is calcium carbonate – this automatically limits absorption to 10 percent which is actually a blessing because if it’s that cheap, you don’t need the petroleum based synthetic vitamins in it.

At Balanced Hormones and Health, we tailor multivitamins specifically for individual needs. We have a formula for men and women. We also have vitamins for hair, skin, nails, pregnancy, cardiac risks and bone health.

The second basic is omega 3 oil. These oils are essential to our health, yet they are not consistently in our diet. An omega 3 supplement will help with dry skin and dry eyes. It will help reduce inflammation throughout the body. Omega 3’s help brain and nerve function and also promote cardiovascular health by lowering cholesterol and blood pressure.

The third basic is a digestive enzyme. Enzymes run many of our body processes, yet we find ourselves without enough enzymes for various metabolic functions since most of the food we eat is cooked. Taking a digestive enzyme supplement helps us digest our food, saving our valuable enzyme making ability for metabolic processes. I prefer enzymes with betaine HCL which is a mild hydrochloric acid that is necessary to sterilize our food and break down protein. Those with sensitive stomach linings can take an enzyme without betaine.

If you need any of these essential supplements, check out our online store now!

www.bh2products.com