Category: Hormone

Why Men Should Consider Bio-identical Hormone Replacement Therapy

NHT (Natural Hormone Therapy) is not just for the ladies, so guys pay attention! Why? Because your hormones have been on a decline since your 20’s (sad but true), and if you are approaching middle-age, are currently there, or have surpassed it, there’s a good chance you are experiencing hormone imbalance or even andropause (the unofficial medical term for “male menopause” and the result of a gradual drop in testosterone).

Certain signs of andropause and other related hormone imbalance issues:

  • Memory loss
  • Muscle loss
  • Weight gain
  • Sleep problems
  • Lower sex drive
  • Irritability
  • Fatigue
  • Depression
  • Hair loss
  • Urinary problems
  • Memory loss
  • Night sweats
  • Erectile dysfunction

While hormone imbalance and replacement treatments tend to be a hot topic amongst women, men seem to have a harder time discussing their own issues with hormone imbalance and the symptoms causing them discomfort. However, many men (the ones that want to talk about it) can attest to the many benefits to hormone restoration and treatments such as NHT. Therefore, not only should men start to feel more comfortable with the conversation of hormone issues, they should be open to the idea of fixing them. Here are a few reasons why…

Testosterone Balance May Reduce Risk for Disease

Several studies have linked low testosterone levels to diabetes, stroke, heart disease, prostate cancer, and other chronic diseases. By choosing hormone restoration treatments such as BHRT, you not only feel better, you also take drastic measures to protecting your health.

Balanced Hormones Help Men Feel Younger

We all want to know the secret to feeling younger, and NHT might just be the answer. Results of hormone imbalance such as memory and muscle loss, fatigue, depression, lower sex drive, and other symptoms listed above can improve or even be reversed with hormone restoration treatments.

Why should you live everyday life with the discomfort of hormone imbalance?

With NHT, you can live the active lifestyle that you desire, and there’s no better time than now to take action! For more information on our Natural Hormone Therapy, please give us a call.

Why Should I Use Bio-identical Hormone?

The best answer is because they “do your body good”.

What in the world does that mean?

As both men and women age (grow older, for us non politically correct) the production of hormones decreases and with the decrease, “symptoms” begin to appear. We relate the obvious to the decrease: hot flashes, night sweats, vaginal dryness, and decreased libido for women and decreased sexual performance for men.

However, some symptoms experienced, but infrequently realized to be hormonally related, are decreased energy, muscle mass, focus and mental clarity. In addition, mood changes and lack of motivation can be related to hormonal decline.

The development of chronic disease such as cardiovascular disease, diabetes, Alzheimer’s, bone loss and cancer are also increased with hormonal decline. Restoring hormonal balance not only alleviates the above detailed symptoms, but also helps to decrease the risk of developing cardiovascular disease and diabetes and decreases the risk of Alzheimer’s for women by 50% and 70% for men. Cancer risks are actually decreased by bio-identical hormone balance rather than the increase noted in studies using synthetic hormones and bone density and strength is dramatically improved.

Enough reasons?

Hormone Replacement Therapy

 Many people are turning toward hormone therapy due to its many benefits and long lasting healthy effects on the human body. These hormone replacement therapy methods are mostly required as a person gets older, probably in their thirties or after. People turn towards NHT because there must have been changes in his or her body and life that could be interfering with productivity, healthfulness, pleasure, vitality, and enjoyment. Hormone treatments are not just taken up by everyone, blood analysis is used to determine what will best suit for that specific individual.

Estrogen/testosterone therapy:

Women go for estrogen and progesterone hormone therapy. Mostly, men think about testosterone hormone replacement therapy to aid them in proper erectile function and improve their muscle tone. NHT also improves immunity and recovery, enhances cognitive abilities, stimulates production of thicker and fuller hair, enhances memory and concentration, improves sexual functioning, desire and also is known to lower cholesterol levels.

Anti-aging benefits:

For some people HT is a lot about the anti-aging benefits that you can get with it. The list of physiological enhancements talks about the inner working of the body like improved regeneration of new cells of skin, hair, muscles, nails, bones. All this along with improved lean muscle mass of a physically toned body and a lot more. Keep in mind that each of the main types of hormone replacement therapy that are used in adults has a particular purpose. It is not just a treatment that will help you age gracefully without putting your lives basic functions at rest. Detailed blood testing is what will show if any of these vital levels has declined in the body, and if you are in need of a hormone treatment or not, if so, which ones and to what extent.

Take our Hormone Health Quiz!

For WOMEN

For MEN

A Closer Look At Natural Hormone Therapy (NHT)

Hormone balance is essential for optimal health and wellness, but as we age, our body’s hormone levels naturally decrease. Other factors can also contribute to hormone loss such as menopause, disease, or trauma. Without these important hormones, our physical and mental health begins to deteriorate, thus starting an accelerated aging process. Typically, by the age of 40 (sometimes earlier), we begin to lose hormones, which is why starting treatments such as Natural Hormone Therapy (NHT) is important to achieving the long-term protective benefits of hormone balance. Let’s take a closer look at the process…

Who needs NHT?

Anyone experiencing hormone imbalance, typically starting over the age of 40 and in some cases in the 30’s. As we age, we experience a natural decline of hormones due to environmental and dietary toxins. If you experience any of the symptoms listed below, you may be a good candidate for NHT.

  • Weight gain
  • Limited Energy
  • Hair Loss
  • Low Sex Drive
  • Mood Swings
  • Sleeplessness
  • Poor Concentration
  • Memory Loss
  • Fatigue

What is the difference between bio identical hormones and synthetic hormones?

Bio-identical hormones come from natural sources, such as yams, and are designed to replicate the same chemical structure as the hormones naturally produced by the human body. Synthetic hormones are manufactured hormones produced in a lab.

There are many advantages to using bio-identical over synthetic. Because bio-identical hormones are derived naturally, our bodies can metabolize them properly. On the flip side, because synthetic hormones are produced in a lab, they cannot metabolize correctly in our bodies. This often leads to side effects such as bloating, bleeding, and mood swings, and in some cases have been linked to both breast and uterine cancers.

Pharmaceutical companies cannot patent bio-identical hormones because each regimen is specifically formulated to treat patients on an individual basis. Synthetic hormones use a “one size fits all approach”, and are therefore patentable.

How does the process work?

First you will meet with one of our highly trained physicians that will provide comprehensive lab testing and an in depth questionnaire to determine your specific needs. You will then be given a personalized treatment plan often including pharmaceutical grade supplements.   Based on your hormone levels, a specialized compounding pharmacy will individually tailor a bio identical hormone specifically designed for you.

For additional information on our Natural Hormone Therapy or to schedule a consultation, please give us a call at 888-728-7555, we have 4 convenient locations to serve you.

Functional Medicine

Functional medicine has slowly moved towards mainstream medicine and on many accounts has arrived! Recently, on The Dr. Oz Show, functional medicine was discussed and, more specifically, why it’s a critically important development in medical science and how it promises to revolutionize medicine.

Functional Medicine addresses the underlying causes of disease, using a systems-oriented approach and engaging both patient and practitioner in a therapeutic partnership. It is an evolution in the practice of medicine that better addresses the healthcare needs of the 21st century. By shifting the traditional disease-centered focus of medical practice to a more patient-centered approach,

Functional Medicine addresses the whole person, not just an isolated set of symptoms.  The Practitioners spend time with their patients, listening to their histories and looking at the interactions among genetic, environmental, and lifestyle factors that can influence long-term health and complex, chronic disease. In this way, Functional Medicine supports the unique expression of health and vitality for each individual.​

Get a Biological Tune Up!​  As we learn more about how everything is connected it is clear that looking at the underlying patterns of disease is the wave of the future–it’s the way all future chronic illness will be treated.​  At New Leaf, we can test for hormone levels, food sensitivity and overall health of a patient.  All tests, health history, symptoms and concerns are reviewed with the patient by the provider and a treatment plan is discussed.​​

Call New Leaf and begin your “whole person” treatment today!​​

IV Vitamins | What is Intravenous Vitamin Therapy?

The average person is exposed to thousands of toxins in their lifetime, many of which, the body does not know how to break down. Even though our exposure to these substances is small, the buildup of toxins throughout the years is what makes us vulnerable to disease. Clinical studies have shown that these toxins may be the cause of many cancers and diseases in humans and animals.

IV Vitamin Therapy Image

What are IV Vitamins?

IV Vitamin Therapy is a safe and natural method of infusing nutrients through the bloodstream to deliver effective doses of vitamins that are essential to the functioning of our body. Normally vitamins have very poor absorption when taken orally, so IV or intravenous therapy delivers higher blood levels without causing side effects.

At New Leaf Wellness, our Providers  understand that there is a necessity to “detoxify” our bodies from toxins that have been building up for years and years. Our IV Vitamin Therapy program offers YOU the ability to detox in a safe and painless manner. IV Vitamin therapy will improve your performance, increase your energy, prevent premature aging and boost your immune system to be better prepared to fight diseases. All this results in improved blood flow, which in turn restores the ability of body to oxygenate tissue and cells.

With our IV therapy program, you can now chose to become healthier. The goal of IV Nutrition is to make you feel and look your best, starting from the inside out.

IV Vitamin Therapy is the perfect start to a healthier YOU.

Benefits from IV Vitamin Therapy

  • Detoxification – It helps the body eliminate free radicals, chemical pollutants and bacterial toxins.
  • Increases Energy – It helps patients fight fatigue
  • Antiviral and Antibacterial Agent – It is excellent to treat acute and chronic viral infections. Because it boosts the immune system, it helps control reactivated viral infections (for example, cold sores and shingles) too.
  • Immune modulator – Restores balance to the immune system, making it more efficient and ready to fight recurrent infections, chronic fatigue, immune disorders and allergies.
  • Reduces stress – It helps patients feel more energetic, happier, increases concentration
    and improves mood.
  • Healthier Skin – The increased circulation promotes healthier and glowing skin. It improves acne and other immune related disorders that target the skin.
  • Decreases Risk of Heart Disease – It helps reverse the inflammatory effect on arteries, which in turn decreases the formation of arteriosclerosis, which is one of the major risk factors for cardiovascular disease and stroke.

Ask for a consultation with one of our IV Vitamin experts. We are here to offer you a safe and natural way of looking and feeling your best.

Glutathione Treatments

Glutathione Series Part 3 of 3:

Glutathione, commonly referred to as the master anti-oxidant, is a compound produced in the body that is present in various tissues, acting as a neutralizer of toxins and promoting repair.

Glutathione has been used to treat neurodegenerative disorders and as adjunctive to chemotherapy. There are various reports of it being used for anti-aging purposes with the rationale that the aging process involves damage from free radicals and glutathione neutralizes the toxins and promotes healing and repair. Various studies have demonstrated correlation of glutathione levels to the health of the tissue.

Feedback from individuals receiving IV or IM glutathione frequently mentions the improvement in skin health and appearance.  People using IV glutathione or booster shots are generally seeking wellness to improve overall health.

This master anti-oxidant is formed by the combination of three different amino acids and exists in two forms, active and inactive. The body uses Glutathione in cellular repair and in detoxification of toxic metabolites and to prevent cellular damage. In the process glutathione is transformed from its active to inactive form. During times of stress, the ratio of active:inactive glutathione can even serve as a marker of tissue toxicity.

Oral supplementation of glutathione is less efficacious as it get’s broken down by the enzymes in the digestive tract. Therefore, the only ways to increase the levels are by IV glutathione supplementation. New Leaf Wellness offers many different IV’s and Glutathione can be done as an IV push after an IV or by itself.

Could Glutathione be the Key Against Aging?

Glutathione Series Part 2 of 3:

If there were such a thing as a supplement that “does it all”, glutathione would have to be a top contender for the number one spot. Glutathione is a powerful antioxidant that can repair and protect the body from harmful toxins and other dangers we encounter in our polluted environment.

Briefly, Glutathione (GSH) is a tripeptide comprised of three amino acids, cysteine, glutamic acid (ionic salt from glutamate), and glycine. All three of these amino acids are considered to be non-essential, meaning our body synthesizes them.

So if the body produces its own glutathione, then why is it necessary to consume foods or take supplements that support glutathione production? The simple answer: Oxidation.

Oxidation is caused by nutrient-deficit diets, a polluted environment, pharmaceuticals (prescribed and over-the-counter), physical and emotional stress, electromagnetic stress, and radiation.

Oxidative stress is a primary cause of aging, sickness and disease. The oxidation of cholesterol is the root cause of heart disease and arteriosclerosis, not necessarily cholesterol levels as so many believe.

Glutathione is found in every cell of the body. It is thought that the younger you are the more glutathione your body produces.  However don’t be misled by statements such as this because there are two very different explanations for decreased Glutathione levels:

  1. As we get older glutathione decreases due to the “normal aging process”, and
  2. The oxidative stress of our environment, the chemicals in our food, and both normal and unnecessary emotional stressors in life, cause glutathione levels in the body to decrease, thus compromising our immune systems and the body’s ability to detoxify.

And although the first explanation may be grounded in some truth, the second is far more logical. In fact, it is because of decreased immune function that we have an increase in all major diseases today!

Glutathione is vital for protecting against:

  • Aging
  • Autoimmune
  • Cancer
  • Heart disease
  • Alzheimer’s disease
  • Dementia

Undisputedly, glutathione is needed in the body not just for normal functioning of the immune system, but also for optimal functioning. Remember the term oxidation? Glutathione is ‘the’ master anti-oxidant that aids all other anti-oxidants, such as Vitamin C and Vitamin E, in free radical scavenging.

For years, vitamins have been touted as free-radical killers and not only has this been proven by research, we now know that Glutathione is the most valuable player of them all! Imagine if you would, a football team. Each and every player has a vital role in moving the team toward its major goal—to win. If we were to think of each player as a different supplement, both offensive and defensive, a very interesting analogy would come about.  When a team’s offense is on the field, they need to block or counter every move the defense makes in order to stay alive in the game.  And which player is the one that is most often considered the MVP (most valuable player) on the winning team?   The quarterback. A great quarterback can actually help the other players to excel in their roles on the field. In other words, he helps his teammates shine.

And the quarterback in the body’s fight against oxidation, and thus disease, is glutathione. The goal of glutathione and all of the free-radical scavengers in the body is simple—life!

The correlation between glutathione and the fight against free radicals has been known for quite some time, so it is unfortunate that a majority of the general public likely hasn’t heard of it. To learn more, contact a New Leaf specialist today.

What is Glutathione and why do we need it?

Glutathione Series Part 1 of 3:

Glutathione is the master antioxidant and detoxifier of every cell in your body.

It is a tripeptide composed of three amino acids- cysteine, glutaminic acid and glycine. Glutathione is the most important antioxidant produced by the body. It prevents cellular damage caused by free radicals and peroxides. Some of its antioxidant functions in the body include:

  • Maintaining vitamins C and E in their reduced, active forms
  • Tightly regulating the production of hydrogen peroxide
  • Neutralizing lipid peroxides-breakdown products of polyunsaturated fatty acids (PUFAs) found in our cell membranes
  • Assisting in making drugs and other toxic chemicals more water-soluble for easier excretion

 

Frequently asked questions about this important antioxidant!

Q. Where does Glutathione come from?
A. Glutathione is synthesized in the body from the amino acids L-cysteine, L-glutamic acid and glycine. The amino acid cysteine is responsible for the biological activity of Glutathione. Supplies of cysteine are the rate-limiting factor in Glutathione synthesis by the cells, since cysteine is relatively rare in foodstuffs. Furthermore, if taken as the free amino acid, cysteine is toxic and spontaneously destroyed in the gastrointestinal tract and blood plasma.

Q. Why is Glutathione important?
A. Increasing cellular Glutathione can dramatically raise energy levels, strengthen the immune system, fight inflammation, improve athletic performance, detoxify the body, aid in cellular repair and slow down the aging process.

Q. What depletes Glutathione in the cells?
A. Environmental pollutants, pharmaceutical drugs and a poor lifestyle all lead to lower levels of Glutathione.

Q. What toxins affect Glutathione levels?
A. Toxins affecting Glutathione include:

  • Acetaminophen (Tylenol) and other pharmaceuticals
  • Acetone, solvents, paint removers, fuels, fuel by-products
  • Pesticides, herbicides
  • Benzopyrenes: From tobacco smoke, barbequed foods, and fuel exhaust
  • Alcohol
  • Housewares: Certain non-stick coating of pans, plastic containers, plastic linings of tin cans and other food packaging
  • Formaldehyde and styrene: From photocopiers and toner printers
  • Chlorine in treated water
  • Medical X-rays
  • UV radiation

Q. What lifestyles affect Glutathione levels?
A. Life style factors that deplete Glutathione include:

  • Poor diet: Glutathione has to work hard to cover for missing or insufficient nutrients and antioxidants.
  • Strenuous exercise: Though not a toxic substance it produces many free radicals in the body.
  • Stress

Q. How can I increase my Glutathione levels?
A. Get a Glutathione Push at New Leaf Wellness.

Morning or Night Workouts: Which is Best for Weight Loss?

Welcome Kris Wiese, fitness expert from MyGenetx today for her guest blogging for New Leaf Wellness.

Whether you are an early bird that gets the worm or a night owl that burns the oil, a workout regimen based on your optimum time of day can provide benefits. According to many sources, one is not better than the other. They both have advantages.

Morning Workout Benefits:

  • Boosting endorphins in the morning revs up your metabolism for the day!
  • Raising your body temperature helps wake you up quickly.
  • The quiet of the morning can mean less distractions and temptations to to ditch the workout.
  • When you finish an early workout, the tone is set for the day and you are more likely to eat healthy.
  • Sleep should come easy after a morning workout and full day of activity.

Evening Workout Benefits:

  • Late afternoons and early evenings are great to work off any stress of the day, which will reduce your levels of the stress hormone, cortisol that can lead to over eating.
  • Less warm-up time is required. (You may need an hour or two cool down before bed to prepare your body for good night’s sleep.)
  • Between 2pm-6pm is the peak time for a workout based on enzyme activity and muscular function.
  • If the workout is the last task of the day, you will have no time constraints.

On days when you feel great, you can extend your workout time!

When combined with a healthy diet, four workouts a week are encouraged for weight loss. If you are not sure what your optimum time is, try two morning workouts and two night workouts the first week to determine the best fit.

Information provided by Kris Wiese, Healthcare Content Specialist Director of Communications at MyGenetx. For more on fitness, contact Kris at info@newleafcenters.com.

 

For more helpful articles, check out:

http://www.self.com/story/is-it-better-to-work-out-in-the-morning-or-at-night

http://www.womenshealthmag.com/fitness/best-time-to-work-out

http://www.shape.com/blogs/fit-list-jay-cardiello/which-better-am-vs-pm-workouts