Testing For Malnutrition and Impaired Metabolism (“Sludge” and “Burnout”)

Posted on January 22, 2015 by admin

There are many ways to test for the first and second force of Illness (called malnutrition, or what we have called the “sludge” factor and impaired metabolism or “burnout”). When we take in food, and digest and assimilate it, only the waste or unusable portion should be eliminated in the stool. If meat fibers or fats are showing up in the feces, then you are not fully breaking down and absorbing the protein and fats in your food. Your Naturopathic or Medical Doctor may order a comprehensive digestive stool analysis to determine if this is the case. Levels of the essential fatty acids and amino acids can also be measured in the blood also. Individual vitamins like B12 and vitamin D can be individually measured as can homocysteine – a major methylation and cardiovascular health marker.

Mitochondrial function can be indirectly tested by a urine organic acid profile – a relatively new and non-invasive way to indirectly measure certain factors related to metabolic function i.e., fatty acid and carbohydrate metabolism markers (B1, B2, B3, Carnitine, Lipoic Acid, CoQ10), Energy production markers (B complex, Amino Acids, Mg), B-complex vitamin markers (B1, B2,B3, B5, B6, Biotin), Methylation Cofactor markers (B12, Folate), Neurotransmitter Metabolism markers (Tyrosine, Tryptophan, B6, antioxidants) and Detoxification markers (Arg, NAC, Met, Mg, antioxidants).

Mitochondrial function can also be affected by pollutants, heavy metals, and so on. Many of the environmental contaminants can now be tested for in blood or urine.

One of the most important factors to test for is insulin resistance (IR). As I mentioned in the previous blog, IR is linked to obesity, arteriosclerosis, stroke, high blood pressure and diabetes Make sure that your M.D. or N.D. orders HbA1c and serum insulin in addition to fasting serum glucose. Optimum levels of HbA1c and Insulin are below 5.5% and less than 40 (fasting) respectively in addition to a fasting blood sugar less than 6.0. In routine blood work, a lipid panel is done (total cholesterol, LDL, HDL, triglycerides). If the triglyceride-to-HDL ratio is greater than 4.3, this suggests a high probability of insulin resistance. The waist-to-hip ratio is an easy way to determine you tendency to IR. Divide your waist measurement at the belly button level by the hip measurement. For women, any value over 0.8 is associated with IR and, in men, any value over 0.9.

Thyroid dysfunction is becoming somewhat of an epidemic. In my opinion, everyone should have a full thyroid panel done early in their life to provide an individual’s “normal” levels. Optimal levels of TSH, or thyroid stimulating hormone, should be between 1 and 2. Please be aware that the “normal” range is up to 4 – but the normal and “optimum” functional ranges are different. Free T3 should be measured as well as free T4 – because T3 is the more active thyroid hormone form. T3 is formed from T4. There are many factors that affect this conversion – including stress and female/male hormones.

In the next blog, we will consider the Third Force of Illness called “Inflammation” or “Heat”.

Until then…..

Dr. Gatis

The Second Force of Illness: Impaired Metabolism or Burnout

Posted on January 15, 2015 by admin

The First Force of Illness is inadequate digestion and absorption of foods (or “sludging” – as we mentioned in the previous blog) and endothelial dysfunction. The Second Force of Illness is “burnout” due to impaired metabolic/cellular processes creating an overall lack of energy. How many of you suffer from being “tired”. Metabolism is the term used to describe the creation of usable energy from food – and fatigue is an indicator that you may have an impaired metabolic ability to generate this “food energy”. The main factors in impaired metabolism are: insulin resistance, mitochondrial dysfunction and thyroid dysfunction.

A major player in “burnout” is glucose regulation and control. There is a saying that you can have “too much of a good thing” – and this applies to carbohydrates – especially glucose and sugars. Insulin, secreted by the pancreas in response to carbohydrates in the blood, regulates the uptake of glucose into the cells. In the current North American diet, insulin secretion is virtually constant due to the almost continual intake of sugar and carbohydrates. The only thing the body can do is to continue to secrete insulin in the attempt to lower the blood sugar level. The cells can only take in a certain amount of glucose at a time, so the cells, under the stress of too much insulin, will do the logical thing – change the receptors for insulin making them inactive. The scientific term for this is Insulin Resistance.

When a cell is unresponsive to insulin, our cells become unable to get energy from the food we eat – despite the fact that we have eaten enough – and our insulin blood levels become chronically elevated. We become tired and hungry. The cells are crying out for energy and we crave the quickest energy source (sugar) – which only compounds the problem when we eat them. For our ancestors, food availability was always in question, so the body adapted by being able to store away the energy that we didn’t immediately need in the moment for use later – as fat tissue. In today’s society, however, food (especially carbohydrates) is plentiful for most of us, so the “rainy day” never comes – but we still eat as if it could. This is the crux of our obesity epidemic. . High insulin levels in the blood and Insulin Resistance have not only been linked to obesity, but also to arteriosclerosis and heart disease, stroke, high blood pressure and diabetes.

Mitochondrial Dysfunction is the second major part of burnout. Mitochondria are the energy producers of the cell. They do this by taking sugar, fatty acids or amino acids from your food and, in the presence of oxygen, burn them to create energy. Mitochondrial dysfunction is caused by a number of factors. Overproduction of free radicals (also known as “reactive oxygen species” or ROS) can cause mitochondrial damage. This is why you take antioxidants like vitamin A and E. Poisoning from heavy metals, petroleum products, pesticides and trans fats also contribute. At the cellular level, we find mitochondrial damage or dysfunction occurring in almost every type of major illness e.g., heart disease, stroke, diabetes and cancer.

The third major factor in impaired metabolism is thyroid dysfunction. The thyroid is like the gas pedal in your car and determines your rate of speed. Too little thyroid hormone and your metabolism slows. Too much and your metabolism “red-lines”. A low-functioning thyroid – especially in women – is becoming the norm. Symptoms of hypothyroid include: being cold all the time, weight gain, constipation, oily skin, coarse hair, increased cholesterol and depression. There are many possible causes which include allergic reactions (wheat allergy/celiac disease has a well-known association with autoimmune thyroid disease), toxins, infections, hormonal disturbances and low selenium or iodine levels.

In the next blog, we will explore the ways you can test for “sludge” and “burnout”. Until then……

Dr. Gatis

Are You Suffering From Sludge?

Posted on December 8, 2014 by admin

In a previous blog, I mentioned the book “Ultraprevention” by Dr. Mark Hyman, M.D. According to Dr. Hyman, there are Five Forces of Illness. The First of these Forces is what he calls the “sludge” factor. Sludge (from a process I like to call “sludging”) is a term that means the result of abnormal or incomplete digestion and absorption of food. Many of us are deluded into thinking that eating “right” i.e., eating lean meats, fruits, vegetables and cereals while avoiding fatty foods, means that we don’t have to consider the possibility that we are malnourished. This is unfortunately untrue. Diet is important, of course, but how your body processes food is as important as the food itself.

Digestion, the breakdown of food into its components is complicated and involves several key players – the most important being hydrochloric acid from the stomach, pancreatic enzymes and bile from the liver/gallbladder. If all of these digestive factors are working well, then there should be no fats, carbohydrates or proteins in the fecal material. If there is, then either the digestion or absorption process has gone wrong. Many individuals, for example, say that they eat well – but have digestive problems like chronic diarrhea, constipation or abdominal pain that is unrelated to an overt pathology.

It is now known that there is a process, called endothelial dysfunction, which occurs in the lining of the stomach and digestive tract, the lining of the arteries, the lining of the bones, the skin and the blood-brain barrier . The same factors that cause inflammation in the gut can also cause inflammation in these other areas. When a patient presents with symptoms on the skin (like psoriasis or eczema), autoimmune reactions or demonstrated arterial disease, the first thing that an ND suspects is a problem with digestion or absorption leading to a state of malnutrition. Malnutrition in this sense is the chronic lack of certain essential nutrients that are either not being supplied in the diet or less-then-optimally absorbed that are necessary for the optimum functioning of the system in question.

70% of our immune system is located in the gut because swallowing “germs” is one of their major entrance routes into the body. Any protein that is not recognized as yours is considered a potential invader and attacked. The last thing that you want is your body to react against a food component.

Incomplete digestion is the major contributor for the digestion of food sensitivities. Food sensitivities occur when a food (especially protein) is not digested fully. These incomplete breakdown particles can enter the circulation and create an antibody response because they are seen by the body as a foreign protein.

One of the reasons food sensitivities develop is a lack of hydrochloric acid (or HCL) production by the stomach or enzymes by the pancreas. HCL is necessary for the breakdown of proteins into single amino acids. Single amino acids don’t trigger an immune response where tripeptides (three amino acids bound together) can. HCL is also necessary for mineral absorption. This is why individuals that are taking a drug like Tecta for overacid conditions on a daily basis will eventually suffer from osteopenia or soft bones – due to the reduction in mineral absorption. It has also been related, I believe, to creating low thyroid conditions – probably for the same reason.

In summary, chronic health conditions are usually related to problems with “sludging” or abnormal digestion and absorption of foods. This “sludge” interferes with the cell’s ability to optimally function and is one of the first signs of the beginning of illness.

In the next blog, we will talk about Force 2: Impaired Metabolism or Burnout.

Until then……

Dr. Gatis

Testosterone Is Important To Heart Health: How to Raise It Naturally

Posted on November 4, 2014 by admin

In the last blog, I mentioned that my “patient” (myself) was experiencing uncharacteristic fatigue and lack of motivation. The regular blood tests showed a normally-functioning thyroid, no anemia and blood sugar regulation within normal parameters. The cholesterol level was slightly high but not significantly changed over the last few years. The total testosterone was within the “normal” range, but the free or “active” testosterone was in the very low part of the range. Remember what I said about testosterone and heart disease? The free or “active” form of Testosterone helps to protect a man’s heart and arteries. Dr. Edward Lichten, M.D. in his “Textbook of Bio-Identical Hormones” states that “scientifically, vitamin D, human growth hormone, thyroxine (T4), and triiodothyronine (T3), DHEA, and testosterone in men and estradiol in women have strong cardio-protective or therapeutic applications”.

What can a 58-year-old male do to increase his testosterone? Exercise – especially resistance training – tends to increase the testosterone level and the HDL. Reducing fat mass increasing lean muscle mass also reduces the tendency of the body to convert testosterone to estrogen and decreases insulin resistance. It is important for a man’s reproductive health that his body have the correct levels of Zinc, Vitamin E, and certain amino acids (like L-Citrulline and L-Arginine) vitamin C, B vitamins, and magnesium. Certain herbs are reputed to raise the free testosterone level – in particular, Tribulus terrestris and Eurycoma longifolia. Taking the natural precursors to testosterone production may increase levels e.g., DHEA, if it is available. Reducing stress is very important because high levels of cortisol (produced when stressed) suppresses DHEA. In general, I prefer patients to raise their testosterone levels through natural stimulation – rather than immediate testosterone replacement – if at all possible. Read on as I make testosterone stimulation very personal….

In my case, Blood Spot testing (done by finger prick and is a combination of arterial and venous blood) had previously been done in 2012 and was repeated on the same day as the regular blood tests last month. In 2012, the only parameter that was slightly below normal was the Testosterone level. The current test showed a further 30% drop in testosterone and a 56.5% reduction in DHEAS values. The current results show that there are four cardiovascular parameters that are now abnormal: the triglycerides are elevated (20% more than 2012); the HDL or good cholesterol has decreased by 40%; the VLDL (the very bad LDL cholesterol) is elevated as is the insulin level. In addition, the Vitamin D level is also severely low – which is surprising because I routinely take 2000 IU per day.

In a nutshell, it is my contention that most, if not all, of these cardiovascular-related changes are due to a less-than-optimal testosterone and vitamin D level . Unless I take appropriate action, I will become insulin-resistant (Type 2 diabetic) and the mechanisms of arteriosclerosis will continue to increase. Rather than immediately going for Bio-identical testosterone replacement, I will attempt to raise the testosterone level through exercise, stress reduction, weight reduction, nutrient supplementation and so on over the next few months and will report back to you when the tests are repeated in January 2015.

Until next time…..

Dr. Gatis

Blood Tests and the Naturopath

Posted on September 30, 2014 by admin

A 58-year-old male Naturopathic Doctor (myself) presented at my clinic complaining of unexplained low energy, feeling uncharacteristically emotional with a decreased of motivation to do any physical or mental beyond that required for his job. Power naps during the day did return some energy but at the end of the day he has little left to do anything other than watch television. The diagnosis could be anything from depression, to low thyroid, so blood work was requested (14 vials to be exact) In addition, a blood spot test was completed – a relatively new way to measure to measure hormones like testosterone.

The preliminary results of the blood tests have returned. Iron metabolism (Ferritin, Hemoglobin, Serum Iron and Iron Saturation) were normal. Thyroid parameters were normal – although the Free T4 was at the lower end of the range. No thyroid antibodies and the ANA was negative (which reduces the possibility of autoimmunity). In other words, low thyroid and anemia were ruled out. The Fasting Blood Glucose was normal as was the HBA1c. His waist-to-hip ratio, however, is 1.0 (and should be less than 0.9) and a previous blood insulin reading was at the top of the range, so he may have some Insulin Resistance.

The most revealing parameters have to do with cholesterol, heart and hormones. Total Cholesterol was 5.32 (which is slightly above the upper range of normal). His total cholesterol had been around 5.4 for 20 years. Cholesterol usually is released by the liver when the body has a need to make more testosterone or when there is a low thyroid state (Both conditions are on the rise in aging males). When the cholesterol is high there is also a suspicion that plaque may be forming on the arteries. Of the blood parameters tested, the HDL was low (1.03 versus the optimal 1.5 or more) and the Apolipoprotein B was 1.13 (any value above 0.8 is associated with an increased risk of heart disease). The Total testosterone, although in the normal range was in the lower third and the Free Testosterone was so low that it was almost out of range. Testosterone in males is heart protective and anti-plaque as estrogen is in women.

From the first round of blood work, the working diagnosis is Low Testosterone – especially low Free Testosterone (some of the symptoms include fatigue, tiredness, depression and lack of motivation).
The first line of defense is to attempt to increase the testosterone naturally. In this case, moderate exercise – both interval training and strength training was prescribed which will increase the testosterone and the HDL and reduce the insulin resistance. To protect the heart by decreasing the Apo B and increasing the HDL, Niacin, Pantethine (B5), Resveratrol and Green Tea were also prescribed.

The answer to the question from the last blog is Homocysteine. Homocysteine is an indirect measure of methylation. “More than any other single test, homocysteine correctly identifies the risk of such conditions as heart attack, stroke, and dementia years before the onset of any symptoms.” (Dr. Hyman, M.D.)

In the next blog, we will track the progress of the patient, discuss the results of the blood spot analysis (if available) and investigate certain herbs that are reputed to raise testosterone naturally.

Until then…

Dr. Gatis

How Does A Naturopath Think?

Posted on August 13, 2014 by admin

I have enjoyed relatively good health over my life – with a few minor/major blips along the way. As an aging male Naturopathic Doctor, I am acutely aware of the fact that – although I have taken care of my body and mind reasonably well over the years – my level of health has not yet achieved optimization. In short, like the rest of you, life gets in the way. I have decided, therefore, to use this blog as an instructional tool (how a naturopath thinks) over the next few months by using my own situation as a reference point rather than case studies. In other words, I will assess myself as if I was one of my clients – including any possible blood work and/or functional tests that are available – and, based on the findings, will put myself on a treatment regimen and monitor the results.

I am currently reading a book (one of many) by Dr. Mark Hyman, M.D. called “Ultraprevention”. He is a brilliant man and far more Naturopathic Doctor than Medical Doctor, in my opinion. I say this because he has come to the conclusion that the human body is complicated and health is a process. There is no “magic bullet to shoot down all your health issues”. There are “forces” that lead us down the path to illness. When we are aware of these forces and make them personal i.e., understand that one size does not fit all when it comes to our own health, we can truly be more in control of our own well being rather than at the whim of “illness”. These (naturopathic) factors as summarized by Dr. Hyman are: 1) Malnutrition/Mal-digestion (sludge), 2) Impaired metabolism (burnout), 3) Inflammation (heat), (4) Impaired detoxification (waste); Oxidative stress (rust). Over the next few months, we will explore these topics in more depth.

Until then, there is one crucial test (according to Dr. Hyman) that will provide you with personally with the inside track on the possibility of preventing diseases like heart attack stroke, dementia, and some forms of cancer. This test is:

Cholesterol
Blood sugar
Vitamin E
Homocysteine

See the answer in the next blog.

Dr. Gatis

Optimizing Progesterone and Estrogen – Especially After Menopause

Posted on July 7, 2014 by admin

In the last blog, I mentioned the importance of progesterone to a woman’s health – especially after menopause. The biggest question for a woman to ask is…How do I know which of my hormones are low and by how much? Venous blood values after menopause are virtually useless when talking about monitoring estrogen and progesterone levels because they do not accurately represent the amount of hormone active in the target tissues. The current way to measure the “functional” hormone level is by saliva or urine test. Both are non-invasive and simple to do. In general, saliva testing measures the “free” or “active” forms of the tested hormones at the tissue level directly, while urine testing measures the excretory metabolites of the hormones (from which the hormone levels are extrapolated). I usually use the urine testing at least once during hormonal therapy – as it is important for the physician to monitor the ratio of certain estrogen metabolites for the patient’s protection. I believe that it is important for every woman over 30 to have urine metabolite testing done at least once every five years to assess her tendency to certain cancers – whether or not she is considering natural hormonal therapy options or hormone replacement outright.

Taking hormones or substances that affect hormones must always be taken in the context of general health and the functioning of other glands in the body that affect the reproductive hormones. Adrenal function and thyroid function should always be evaluated before any therapy is prescribed. I usually suggest that a four-point cortisol saliva evaluation be completed at the same time as the saliva female hormones – as this determines the adrenal/stress response of the person. As we have stated before, over-or-under functioning adrenal glands influence the production and/or the action of the female hormones. In other words, chronic stress can affect a woman’s hormonal balance. The saliva hormone evaluation is usually used before any therapy is prescribed. I also recommend a thorough naturopathic workup to evaluate the current state of the body and the organ functioning– especially if the woman is considering Bio-identical Hormone Replacement Therapy (BHRT) –

When the saliva results are known the first line of defense is to attempt to stimulate the natural production of hormones if at all possible. There are many herbal and homeopathic combinations, for example, that claim to “balance” female hormones, and many of them do reduce or alleviate troublesome symptoms like hot flashes and so on. It is important, in my mind, to do a follow-up saliva test or urine test to make sure that the tissue levels of the estrogen, progesterone and testosterone are now within normal levels. If not, the woman may be still be at higher risk for heart disease, and will not get the full benefits and protection that the right amounts of estrogen, progesterone and testosterone can give for the brain, heart and nervous system. Many of the symptoms and signs of aging are related to, or made worse, by hormonal decline. Therefore, optimizing your hormonal function as you age just makes sense – as long as you do it safely and under the supervision of your health care professional.

Until next time….

Dr. Gatis

How to Maintain the Benefits of Having a Period When You No Longer Have One ~ Part One

Posted on June 4, 2014 by admin

It is now time to talk about a woman’s hormones and the effect on her body as she gets older. Having a period is nature’s way of keeping you young. The optimum amount of estrogen and progesterone during the various phases of the monthly cycle have definite effects on a woman’s health and longevity.
The first half of a woman’s cycle is dominated by estrogen and the second half by progesterone. In this blog we will concentrate on progesterone.

A woman really begins to show her age when her periods become irregular and eventually stop. Why is this? In the middle of her cycle when the egg is released, the part that is left, the corpus luteum, becomes a progesterone factory. Progesterone gets the uterus ready for a possible implantation if fertilization occurs. When a woman ceases to have her period the most immediate change is progesterone deficiency. Even though some progesterone continues to be produced by the adrenal glands after menopause, in many ways you could think of it as “no period, no progesterone”.

What about estrogen? It has been shown that a woman’s estrogen does decrease at menopause to about 50% of that she would have produced at age 30. Estrogen is also of major importance, of course, but the big change to my mind is the initial progesterone drop – which immediately changes the optimal progesterone to estrogen ratio and often produces symptoms like hot flashes and other deficiency symptoms. In fact, it is known that a woman has a higher risk for breast cancer if she has a low progesterone to estrogen ratio. In addition, a low P/E ratio can create abnormal bleeding during peri- and post-menopause and an increased risk of uterine cancer.

So let’s talk about natural progesterone (progesterone with the same biochemical structure that your body produces) versus “progestins” which are synthetic progesterones (and do NOT have the same biochemical structure that your body produces). Natural Progesterone works on many tissues other than the uterus. There are receptors for progesterone in the bone, brain and blood vessel walls, for example. Natural Progesterone balances estrogen, has a natural calming effect, helps sleep, increases metabolic rate, increases scalp hair, lowers cholesterol, lowers high blood pressure, is a natural diuretic, normalizes and improves libido, is a natural anti-depressant and anti-inflammatory.
Therefore, symptoms of progesterone deficiency include: anxiety, decreased HDL levels, decreased libido, depression, insomnia, pain and inflammation, insomnia and osteoporosis.

To be fair, synthetic progesterone or “progestins” do have some positive effects that they share with Natural progesterone. Both build bone, help thyroid function, protects against endometrial cancer and normalize zinc and copper levels. This is where the similarity ends, however. Here is partial list of the side-effects of progestins that natural progesterone does NOT have: increased appetite, increased LDL (bad cholesterol), decreased HDL (good cholesterol), insomnia, irritability, weight gain, breast tenderness, decreased energy, decreased sexual interest, fluid retention and hair loss. In addition, progestins stop the protective effects estrogen has on the heart. Dr. Stephen Sinatra, a cardiologist, states in his book “Heart Sense for Women” states “I have found that synthetic progestins can lead to serious side effects in my patients, including shortness of breath, fatigue, chest pain and high blood pressure.

Progesterone is extremely important to a peri and post-menopausal woman. Her life may depend on maintaining optimal levels of progesterone as well as estrogen. In the next blog we will talk about how we may accomplish this. Until next time…..

Dr. Gatis

How to Naturally Increase A Man’s Testosterone Level

Posted on May 20, 2014 by admin

In the last blog, I talked about what testosterone does to maintain a man’s health (in addition to maintaining erections). Most men would probably choose to die doing the horizontal mambo – but would in their 80’s and not in their 50’s. Testosterone levels are extremely important to males. How then can we optimize these levels? To my mind, it is always better to attempt to raise levels naturally rather than initiate hormone replacement as the first therapy option – and testosterone levels fluctuate according to diet and lifestyle
factors.

GET ENOUGH SLEEP

Seven to Eight hours of sleep per night is extremely important to optimize testosterone
levels. A lack of sleep affects many important hormones and chemicals in your body including melatonin. Melatonin, in addition to helping you fall asleep is an extremely strong antioxidant and some researchers claim that melatonin production is somehow linked to testosterone production.

MAINTAIN A HEALTHY WEIGHT

Men who are overweight convert testosterone into estrogen in their fat cells due to an enzyme called aromatase. In other words, having abdominal fat lowers a man’s testosterone and increases estrogen. Losing the extra weight can bring the testosterone back up because the fat-cell conversion of testosterone to estrogen is reduced and the normal ratio of testosterone to estrogen is restored.

BE ACTIVE

Testosterone reacts to your body’s needs. When a man is physically active, the brain sends out the signal to increase testosterone in order to build muscles and bones. Take time to move your body. Walk, run, skate. Do Tai Chi. Remember the old adage “Use it, or lose it”. This is true whether you are using a regular muscle or the “love muscle”. Interestingly, only short intense exercise has been shown to boost testosterone while aerobics and prolonged moderate exercise do not raise testosterone levels.

REDUCE YOUR STRESS

When a man is “stressed” the hormone cortisol is produced. Chronic elevations of cortisol affect a man’s ability to create adequate levels of testosterone. Learn to relax from the brain on down. Spend an hour-a-day on an activity that isn’t work or exercise related. Learn meditation or self-hypnosis techniques.

CHECK YOUR MEDICATIONS

Many medications affect testosterone level. Discuss the drugs you are taking with your doctor or pharmacist to rule out drugs as the cause of your symptoms or low testosterone.

I value your feedback and would like to know the topics that are pertinent to you.

In Health,
Dr. Gatis

Testosterone Is Not Just For Sex

Posted on April 21, 2014 by admin

Hormone Optimization Therapy is important to every man, and at every age past puberty. It might surprise you to know that the average man in his thirties these days has less measurable testosterone than his grandfather did at the same age – which probably explains why many thirty-year-olds are still living at home! My theory is that these lowered testosterone levels (and the availability of online pornography) are killing the desire for young males to go out and start families of their own. In other words, “the population-level declines are greater in magnitude than the cross-sectional declines in testosterone typically associated with age.” (J. Clin. Endocrinol. Metab 2006, Oct 24)

What do optimal levels of testosterone do for a man? If we take sexual desire and erections out of the equation for a moment, an adequate level of testosterone contributes to brain, bone, muscle and heart health – and reduces overall mortality rates. A 2007 study had been following 800 men over the age of fifty for 18 years. The group of men with values in the lower 1/3 testosterone level had a 33% increased rate of death from all causes than those men whose values were in the upper 1/3 testosterone level. Another way to say this is… a higher level of testosterone that a man has as he ages reduces his risk of dying. High free testosterone levels correlate with improved cognitive function and memory, and reduce the risk for Alzheimer’s disease. Lower testosterone levels are associated with coronary artery disease and atherosclerosis. Testosterone improves exercise-induced angina as it dilates coronary arteries. High cholesterol has been associated with low testosterone and testosterone therapy has been shown to lower total cholesterol. Testosterone therapy builds muscle mass in elderly men and increases bone strength. These are just a few examples in current literature of the benefits of having enough testosterone.

The following is a list of symptoms indicating that a man may be low in testosterone: decreased muscle mass and strength; decreased sex drive; reduced frequency and firmness of erections; reduced ejaculate volume; hot flushes; excessive emotions/sensitivity to difficulty; unnecessary worry anxiety, fear; depression; loss of self-confidence; joint pains; persistent fatigue that increases with activity; dry eyes; reduced muscle tone; depressed attitude; nervous, irritable; poor concentration and memory; pale skin/anemia; increased fat in breasts, abdomen and hips; metabolic syndrome. If you have any of these symptoms/signs on a continuing basis, please mention them to your primary health care provider and ask for testing to rule out testosterone deficiency. If, after the testing is done, your provider says that you are in the “normal” range, please ask him or her where in the normal range do your values fall? If you are in the lower 1/3 of the range you are at risk (re-read paragraph number two above) and should consider or hormone optimization therapy. In the next blog, I will talk about the ways to optimize testosterone levels – both naturally and by replacement.

~ Dr. Gatis

HOT & Aging Go Together

Posted on March 25, 2014 by admin

Hardly anyone would say that I need to “optimize my hormones” for good health and longevity. In fact, many of the signs of aging can be directly related to declining amounts of major hormones. Testosterone, DHEA, Progesterone, Estrogen, Growth Hormone all decline with age, for example. Why are many people almost obsessed with the idea of anti-aging? We all are going to die, right? Well let me tell you a simple fact. When I reach the age of sixty and beyond, when asked “How are you?”, I want to be able to look them in the eye, give them the thumbs-up sign and say “Golden” (and mean it).

That is why I am a proponent of “H.O.T.” or Hormone Optimization Therapy. To this end, for myself and my Naturopathic patients, I have taken the training and become a Fellow and Board-Certified in Anti-Aging, Regenerative and Functional Medicine from the American Academy of Anti-Aging Medicine – and I have decided to “blog” about relevant

issues that we all should know about when it comes to healthy aging.

H.O.T. is not just bio-identical hormone replacement therapy– as important as this can be. Excessive hormonal levels – like insulin and cortisol – also adversely affect health. Hormone Optimization Therapy takes into account that hormone levels and organ systems are all interactive. Reducing stress and restoring adrenal function is absolutely necessary for individuals with low thyroid activity, for example. Optimizing both adrenal and thyroid function is necessary to have balanced female and male hormones. A Naturopathic Doctor by virtue of his or her training is a specialist in supporting and optimizing the body’s functions.

It was a surprise to me that a high percentage of men have symptoms of and suffer from hypothyroidism and low testosterone as they get older. The “grumpy old man” syndrome is actually the result of low T! Maybe it is just the male in me, but there is a distinct difference between being sensitive to your female partner’s needs and being an emotionally “sensitive” male as a man ages. One of my patient’s just today mentioned that as her father has gotten older, he cries much more often – and “that isn’t my dad”. In my opinion, his Testosterone to Estrogen ratio has changed and he has become more hormonally like a female. Please understand that I am not saying that there is anything wrong with a man or a woman crying. In a man, however, inappropriate or increasing crying (or anger) may indicate a testosterone deficiency. Optimal testosterone levels are absolutely essential to a man’s health – his mind, heart and “bone” in particular. More on this in the next blog.

Please leave your comments below, and feel free to follow me on Twitter & Facebook.

Until next time,

Dr. Gatis

Stop Smoking Forever Now

Posted on June 4, 2013 by admin

My name is Dr. Robert Gatis. I am a Naturopathic Doctor, Certified Biomedical Hypnotherapist and Fellow in Anti-Aging, Regenerative and Functional Medicine (FAARFM). My company name is Mind & Body Miracles and my office website is mindandbodymiracles.com. I am speaking to you today for only one reason – to help you use the power of your own Mind to STOP SMOKING FOREVER NOW. This Word Document is a hardcopy of the audio-recording or CD of Part One of my Two-Part Workshop called STOPPING SMOKING FOREVER NOW.

The Hypnotic state is a natural mind state that is one of the main ways that people like you who HAVE BEEN SMOKING UP UNTIL NOW can release yourself from your addiction permanently – once you understand what smoking addiction actually is – and what hypnosis is really is, for that matter. Rather than explain about hypnosis and smoking addiction during the first part of the workshop – which is what I usually do – I have decided to have you read a Word Document or listen a CD or audiofile ahead of time so when you come to the workshop you will already have the knowledge and the preparation to use the Hypnotic state and other Mind Technologies that are available to come to the workshop and free yourself of your addiction as you STOP SMOKING FOREVER NOW.

Long-term smokers have trouble believing that this is possible. So the goal of Part One of this presentation is to:

Explain to you what Smoking Addiction is and some of the Myths and Illusions of the Smoker;

Have you understand the basics of how the Mind works, and the differences between the Conscious and the Subconscious Minds;

Explain about Neurotransmitters and their role in addictions – especially the role of Dopamine, and

Explain to you what Hypnosis is and what it isn’t and its application for you to STOP SMOKING FOREVER NOW;

So let us go over the basics:

You have two minds: A Conscious Mind and a Subconscious Mind.

The Conscious Mind is the one we are all most familiar with. It is our logical, analytical mind and It is related to our will power, our voluntary actions, and our habits or conscious choices. For the Conscious Mind, time passes in a linear fashion and can recognize past versus present time. It may surprise you to know that the Conscious Mind accounts for only 10% of your overall mind’s action and has virtually nothing to do with your emotions or your emotional state. I will say this again. Your Conscious Mind has nothing to do with your emotions. The Conscious Mind is logical not emotional.

What about the Subconscious Mind, then? The Subconscious Mind in many ways is the exact opposite of the Conscious Mind. It is emotional rather than logical and is concerned with associations or the relationships between things. It is correlated to your Imagination, The Subconscious Mind has a non-linear time orientation. In other words it doesn’t separate out moments of time but experiences things in “all time” or “all-at-the-same-time”. It creates automatic actions and movements. Therefore, the Subconscious Mind is the mind creating your addiction – and it runs 90% of you. The Subconscious Right-Brain Mind creates the addictive or automatic behaviours. This is why the logical or Conscious Left-Brain Mind has a very difficult task – if it tries to override your smoking addiction. The Subconscious Mind created your smoking addiction not your Conscious Mind – and what is created in the Subconscious Mind is often below your Conscious Mind’s control. You all “know” from your Conscious Mind’s perspective that you shouldn’t smoke – given all the medical data available and all your own reasons – yet you continue to do so. To be fully free of the smoking addiction you must get your Subconscious Mind on side – because it is the Mind in charge of the emotions and the automatic responses.

Let’s talk about the Illusions (or as I call them the delusions) of you, the smoker. Cigarettes are only considered precious to the smoker when the he/she is prevented from smoking. When smoking, a smoker will consciously say…”I can take it or leave it” or “I can quit anytime I want to”. This is Conscious Mind bravado. Often smokers are barely even aware that they are automatically lighting up again because it is a below Conscious or a Subconscious phenomenon. It is only when smokers can’t smoke or are prevented from smoking that it seems appealing. This makes nicotine unique in the field of drug addiction. Alcoholics, heroin addicts, cocaine addicts and pot smokers like the effect their drug gives them and they enjoy these effects for their own sake. In other words, these addicts get “high” on their drugs. A smoker’s “high” is very mild compared to these other drugs. So what makes the difference?

The difference is in the speed of delivery of the drug. Nicotine is one of the fastest-acting drugs and the mild “high” produced by inhaling it in cigarette smoke happens almost instantaneously. The removal or withdrawal of the nicotine from your system is equally as fast. Another way to say this is that nicotine withdrawal is created almost as quickly as its effects. The only thing that the smoker ever does by lighting up again is to remove (temporarily, at least) the feelings of withdrawal created by the previous cigarette. You get to temporarily feel like a non-smoker again until the moment you stop inhaling. When you do stop inhaling, you are in an immediate state of withdrawal.

EVERYTHING YOU BELIEVE THAT SMOKING GIVES YOU, OR MAKES YOU FEEL, THE NON-SMOKER ALREADY HAS! THE CIGARETTE GETS THE CREDIT FOR EVERTHING AND THE BLAME FOR NOTHING! ALL SMOKERS WANT TO BE NON-SMOKERS!

This brings us to the Myths About Smokers:

The first myth is that you are physically-addicted to nicotine. This is perhaps the hardest truth to understand since we are bombarded with advertisements and beliefs to the contrary. You are not physically-addicted to nicotine. I will say this again. You are not physically-addicted to nicotine! If you were, then we would have institutions dedicated to controlling the physical withdrawal symptoms when a smoker quits, or a pregnant woman could not choose to stop smoking for her entire pregnancy. More times than I can count, a former smoker who is NOW A NON-SMOKER – AS YOU WILL BE following Part Two – the hypnosis session – comments for months and even years after how they don’t yet fully (Consciously) understand how they could quit cold turkey with no cravings or side-effects from quitting. If they were truly physically-addicted to nicotine this would not be possible. Smokers are psychological addicts, rather than physical addicts, to the effects of nicotine.

Truly understand what I am telling you and you are well on the way to FREE YOURSELF FROM YOUR SMOKING ADDICTION NOW.

Let’s go over this again. Nicotine is a fast-acting drug – both in action and its elimination from the body. In other words, it produces its effects on the body and mind quickly and is eliminated almost as quickly. The “high” from the cigarettes is mild and short-lived compared to the other major addictions like heroin or cocaine. And here is the take-away:

The real reason why a smoker lights up again is to relieve the rapid withdrawal of the nicotine effects from the system – the empty, insecure, anxious feeling caused by the rapid nicotine withdrawal. The rapid withdrawal of the almost immediate mild “feeling good” sensation produced by the drug action of the nicotine creates an immediate state of Anxiety. ALL SMOKERS HAVE ANXIETY DISORDER. YOU SMOKE TO RELIEVE THE ANXIETY PRODUCED BY THE FIRST CIGARETTE. THERE IS NO SUCH THING AS “JUST ONE” CIGARETTE.

The second myth of the smoking is that Smoking gives you something and that by being a non-smoker you will be deprived of something that only smoking can give you.

Were you deprived before you started smoking? The truth is that that you were a non-smoker first and smokers are being deprived of being non-smokers. The Subconscious Mind creates associations regardless of whether they make sense logically. In your case the Subconscious Mind has created the association…”I need to smoke to feel good”. With every cigarette that followed this was re-enforced to the point that the Subconscious Mind created another even deeper association – that “Smoking is the only way I feel good”. It is a trick of the Right Brain and Subconscious Mind – an illusion. You have been programmed with the belief that there is no other way to feel good but to smoke – and herein lies the problem and the root of your psychological addiction. From a logical point-of-view, you know that you don’t “need” to smoke to “feel good” or to alleviate anxiety – but you have been subconsciously programmed to “feel” that you do and you haven’t been given any other options!

You are suffering from an Anxiety Disorder created by your first cigarette– not a physical addiction to nicotine. You are psychologically-dependent – not physically-dependent. Having that first cigarette created the immediate withdrawal anxiety reaction that the following cigarettes felt like they relieved – when, in fact, they just created more anxiety.

Anxiety is anxiety – whether it is caused by life or nicotine withdrawal. This is why someone who has quit smoking for years may in times of high-stress crave a cigarette. As you dissociate or dissolve the Subconscious Association or Illusion of “need” between smoking and feeling good permanently now this can never happen to you.

The whole process of psychological addiction is so subtle that most smokers are completely unaware that they are “hooked” and now consider the state of withdrawal or anxiety to be their natural state. They tell themselves that they enjoy smoking and state emphatically that they can “quit anytime they want to” – until they attempt to quit and fail because they (or you) didn’t know until now what smoking addiction actually is – a psychological addiction driven by a subconscious illusion of need.

The sad truth is that smokers believe on some level that they are sacrificing something or depriving themselves of something when they quit smoking. The fact of the matter is that smoking doesn’t help you focus, doesn’t relax you, and doesn’t relieve boredom. It doesn’t give you anything good at all!

If your car breaks down, your pet dies, your mother or father-in-law comes to visit, you lose your job or have a bad hair day, does smoking a cigarette improve the situation or solve the problem? Of course not! Cigarettes give you only one thing…..NOTHING. Cigarettes have created the anxiety-void in the first place and continue to create the void, they don’t fill it. There are no advantages to smoking. In their heart of hearts, all smokers want to be non-smokers. SMOKING GIVES YOU NOTHING SO THERE IS NOTHING TO GIVE UP. Everything in your life feels better and goes better as a NON-SMOKER NOW!

The third myth of the smoker is that there are going to be withdrawal symptoms to quitting smoking. The truth is simple. Since the smoking addiction is psychological rather than physical, there can be no physical withdrawal symptoms when you quit smoking NOW. It is important to note, however, that the body may be toxic from years of smoking (since cigarette smoke has over 200 toxic chemicals in it not including the nicotine – and it is always recommended that the potential non-smoker begin the process of detoxing the body – if at all possible – before we detox the mind at the workshop.

The fourth myth of smoking and smokers is that Stopping Smoking is difficult and requires Willpower. Yes you can quit using willpower – but willpower is a Conscious Mind function and is not needed to quit smoking. For YOU to HAVE THE DESIRE, THE INTENT AND THE EXPECTATION TO BE A NON-SMOKER NOW is all that is required. Part of you must be ready to free from the effect of cigarettes and take your life back when to you come to Part Two of the Workshop. Once we eliminate the fears and delete the illusionary associations, it is deceptively simple to STOP SMOKING FOREVER NOW.

Hypnosis is one of the great tools to help Smokers become Non-Smokers again – but before we talk about hypnosis we need to discuss stress and neurotransmitters (in particular, the neurotransmitter dopamine).

STRESS is our reaction to changes in our environment. Stress can come from any situation or thought that makes you frustrated, angry, nervous or excited. The stress response (and the alleviation of it) is created by the effects of certain chemicals in our bodies called neurotransmitters.

A neurotransmitter transmits nerve impulses – usually from our brain to a target organ – to create a physiological effect on that organ or releases hormones that produce a particular effect in the body. For example, if you are in physical danger, the fight-or-flight reaction, is triggered. This releases certain neurotransmitters and hormones to increase your heart rate and redistribute blood to the muscles from the internal organs (so you can fight or run away), the senses become heightened, the pupils dilate and so on.

Different neurotransmitters create different physiological responses. Dopamine, for example, is a neurotransmitter that is involved in the regulation of pain and pleasure, motivation and the meaning of life events. Dopamine is the major neurotransmitter involved in addictions and – along with serotonin – in many types of depression. An extensive body of research has shown that all drugs of addiction increase dopamine levels in the brain – especially in the regions involved in motivation, drive and pleasure.

Common signs and symptoms of dopamine imbalance include: ADD, ADHD, restlessness, concentration difficulties, unable to relax, impulsive, trouble focusing, substance abuse (especially smoking and alcohol), impatient, low libido, obesity, depression and difficulty in feeling joy. Why is this important to you as a smoker? Nicotine stimulates a short-lived release of dopamine which temporarily counteracts the signs of dopamine deficiency. It isn’t the direct effect of the nicotine that a smoker desires, it is the release of dopamine. Therefore, in order to be a non-smoker, you must correct the dopamine deficiency first. That way the psychological withdrawal symptoms (many of which can be attributed to a lack of dopamine rather than nicotine) can be avoided.

In Summary then:

Smokers are psychologically-addicted rather than physically-addicted to nicotine;
All Smokers are suffering from Anxiety Disorder and probably a Dopamine deficiency;
Addictions are a Right Brain Subconscious phenomenon;
The Smoker from years of breathing in toxic chemicals may need to detoxify before and during the Smoking cessation period;
The only requirements to quit smoking are the desire, intent and expectation to quit. Willpower is not required. It is often to your advantage to list the benefits to you of BEING A NON-SMOKER NOW and to plan on the ways to constructively fill the amazing amount of time that you will have available to you as Non-Smoker.

The state of Hypnosis is one of the ways to access (talk to) the Subconscious Mind and make positive changes to limiting beliefs and emotions and to establish new healthy associations – which create the desired and new behaviours.

What is Hypnosis, then ?

Hypnosis is a natural, self-induced mind-state that promotes your ability to accept positive suggestions for change. All hypnosis is self-hypnosis. It is a safe, relaxing and pleasant experience of heightened awareness call “alpha-theta” which is a mind-state that you enter several times per day. If you have ever day-dreamed, lost track of time or had a waking fantasy then you have been in the state that we call “hypnosis”

What Isn’t Hypnosis?

In fact, Hypnosis is…

“not a state of unconsciousness…not being weak-minded…not a loss of self-control…not divulging secrets. No one can be hypnotized against their will or do anything in the state of hypnosis that would violate their moral, religious or personal principles”.

(Dr. R.D. Longacre, PH.D., F.B.H.A. in his book “Visualization and Guided Imagery for Pain Management”)

Your understanding of hypnosis may be based on perceptions derived from movies, newspapers, television or stage shows which have misrepresented the truth.

We will be using Hypnosis in combination with other Mind Technologies in Part Two – the in person segment of the Workshop.

If you are interested in detoxification before the workshop, please talk to the representatives at Nature’s Emporium for advice. If you want advice on how to raise Dopamine levels or ways to treat anxiety states related to stopping smoking, please contact my office and we will send you a list of supplements that are reputed to do with this. Please do your own research and take any supplements or herbs under the care of a qualified healthcare professional.

This is the end of Part One: The Preparation for the STOP SMOKING FOREVER NOW WITH HYPNOSIS workshop. If you have any further questions about the workshop, or any other questions about Functional Medicine or the role of the Mind (s) in modifying the disease process and restoring health, please refer to the website: mindandbodymiracles.com or contact my office.

The Mystery of Aging

Posted on March 22, 2013 by admin

All of us age. Why we age remains somewhat of a mystery. How we age – and the manifestations of aging that go with it can be modified. To age in good health we must be aware of the factors affecting the gut, arteries and bone metabolism. Many people don’t know, for example, that at least 70% of our immune system is regulated by the GI tract or that 90% of our brain neurotransmitters (including serotonin) is produced there as well. In a practical sense, our brains only work as well as our digestion does. Inflammation that remains unchecked tend to accelerate the aging process. More on this later.

Welcome to Dr. Gatis Mind & Body Medicine Blog

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Posted on May 25, 2011 by admin

The company Mind & Body Miracles is the brainchild of Dr. Robert L. Gatis, B.Sc., N.D., MCHt., FAARFM, Doctor of Naturopathic Medicine, Certified Master Hypnotherapist (Biomedical)and Fellow in Anti-Aging, Regenerative and Functional Medicine. Throughout his career, Dr. Gatis has come to the realization that the impact of the Mind on the Body is most often forgotten or ignored by medical professionals when, in fact, the Mind has a tremendous impact on the evolution of the disease process – and the person’s ability to heal.

Our mission is to provide reputable services, products and health information – focusing on the interaction of Mind and Body – to enable you, the consumer, to make appropriate decisions about your health goals and the means to achieve them. Enjoy our site and Enjoy good health!