Archive for the ‘Working with Over 50's’ Category

About Dr Simeons: HCG Diet Programme creator….

Tuesday, January 3rd, 2012

About Dr Simeons – who developed one of the most interesting, simple & effective weight loss programmes we’ve ever found here at New Leaf Natural Therapies:

Dr Albert T.W. Simeons was born 1900 In England. Educated in Germany, he studied and qualified as an endocrinologist at a time when that discipline was in its infancy. Endocrinology is concerned with the endocrine system – the biological system involving the functions of hormones, and the cells of the glands that secrete them. Hormones drive many processes within our bodies.

At the age of 30 years, Dr Simeons moved to work in India where he studied an endocrine disorder known as “fat boys” syndrome. This disorder was attributed to the pituitary gland that caused extreme obesity in boys whilst delaying puberty. It was at this time that he found the link between fat loss and a naturally occurring hormone accompanied by a low calorie diet.

Around 1950, Dr Simeons set up a clinic in Rome, Italy where he worked diligently to refine his “diet and weight loss protocol”. His manuscript “Pounds and Inches – A New Approach to Obesity” to which many people frequently refer in preparation and throughout their program was originally penned in 1954 with updated editions produced over the following two decades. The protocol facilitates the release of the long-term locked-away fat stores known as adipose tissue. Adipose is a rich source of energy and nutrients but it is not available to the human body when calories are reduced – it is only released when with a specific low calorie diet is undertaken in conjunction with specially prepared diet drops that mimic the effects of the raw hormone that he used nearly 60 years ago. In evolutionary terms, it is the body’s way of providing life-giving nutrients to a mother’s unborn child in near-starvation situations. In our affluent western culture, this natural back-stop – almost never needed – has created a burden on those of us who carry this locked away adiposity.

Dr Simeons passed away in 1970 at the age of 70 years. He had accomplished much during his career that increased understandings of biological processes to improve human health. His diet research is undoubtedly the area of health that is most often connected to his name.

Reading his manuscript:  Pounds and Inches (available on CD from New Leaf Natural Therapies) is a fabulous read…  he developed this manuscript for doctors helping people through the HCG programme.

Madonna Guy ND
New Leaf Natural Therapies
Chief Clinician
3348 6098 / 0417 643 849


So… your insulin resistance is too high – on the way to diabetes?

Saturday, November 12th, 2011

You know, I hear it in my clinic each and every day – my doctor’s checked my blood sugar levels and I’m totally ok…  Doug or I check their insulin resistance and it’s in the high risk for diabetes.  It’s damaging and inflammatory and it’s NOT OK!

What is insulin resistance?

It means that when you eat carbohydrates (anything that turns into sugar – grains, sugar, flour, fruits, starchy vegies (potatoes, pumpkin, carrots, corn etc) creates insulin which, instead of creating energy, increases inflammation and is NOT giving you energy…  Your cell membranes are either not functioning properly – not allowing insulin inside the cells OR the internal pathways within the cells are getting jammed and not allowing the energy production from insulin.

Is insulin bad?

No.  It is a crucial hormone – each and every cell in your body requires it to make energy.

Is insulin resistance bad?  What health problems does insulin resistance cause?

Yes!  When insulin isn’t getting into our cells it becomes a very inflammatory and dangerous hormone which has the ability to create:

  • blood sugar issues
  • dizziness
  • diabetes
  • peripheral neuropathy
  • dementia
  • memory issues
  • degeneration of the nerves in our hands, feet and brain
  • chronic fatigue and fibromyalgia
  • insulin, being a hormone, if out of whack can create an imbalance with any other hormone

How can I find out if I have insulin resistance?

We do a simple blood test (2-3 drops from your finger – the more hydrated you are the easier the test is!!!) which gives us the results in about 3-4 minutes.  Easy!

Are there supplements I can take to reverse insulin resistance?

Yes there are:  My favourite supplements are

  • Insulex; 6 daily which is for insulin resistance combined with lots of pain
  • Resist X; 4 daily which is for insulin resistance, sugar cravings and low energy (also helps girls gain a ‘waist’ over a period of time; contains ingredients such as korean ginseng, cinnamon and chromium
  • combination of these 2 if it’s really dangerous!
  • Krill oil works through increasing HDL cholesterol (good HDL levels are crucial for good hormone production and decreasing our risk of stroke, heart disease and diabetes) – there are many qualities of krill oil – be careful with supermarket brands
  • Shake It Extra – high protein meal replacement with the ingredients of insulex in the formula.

What foods should I avoid until my insulin resistance is within the ’safe’ range?

Anything that turns into sugar is very inflammatory and exhausting for your body to cope with when we have insulin resistance:

  • All grains and flours:  wheat, rye, spelt, rice, oats, barley
  • All fruits
  • All starchy vegetables:  potatoes, pumpkin, carrots…
  • breads, cakes, cereals (obviously – they contain the ingredients above)
  • sugar (yes, I commonly get ask if it’s bad)
  • alcohol – turns straight into sugar – and our body burns it down first, before anything else!

Starting to make a little sense??

Talk soon,

Madonna
Chief Clinician
New Leaf Natural Therapies
3348 6098 / 0417 643 849

You Can Cure Type 2 Diabetes…

Wednesday, September 7th, 2011

You Can Reverse Type 2 Diabetes

Please don’t let anyone tell you that type 2 diabetes has no cure, as this is not true. Type 2 diabetes is not terminal; you don’t have to live with it forever! Nearly 100 percent of type  2 diabetics can be successfully treated — eliminating the symptoms of diabetes, or the high risk of developing health complications — if you are willing to implement the lifestyle changes discussed below. These same changes will also drastically reduce your risk of the disease, so you can avoid developing it in the first place.

  1. Severely limit or eliminate grains and sugar from your diet, especially fructose, which is far more detrimental than any other type of sugar. This is extremely important! Drinking just one sweetened drink a day can raise your diabetes risk by 25 percent compared to drinking one sugary drink per month, so you really need to evaluate your diet and look for hidden sources of sugar and fructose. Artificially sweetened food and drinks should be avoided as well as they are incredibly toxic to our nervous systems causing problems such as dementia and depression.

    This also means avoiding most processed foods, as they are loaded with fructose. You may even need to avoid fruits until your diabetes is under control.

  2. Following my nutrition plan will help you do this without much fuss. It’s important to realize that nearly all type 2 diabetics need to swap out their grains for other foods, such as healthy sources of protein or vegetable-only carbohydrates.
  3. Exercise is an absolutely essential factor, without which you’re highly unlikely to get this devastating disease under control. It is clearly one of the most potent ways to lower your insulin and leptin resistance. Make sure to incorporate high-intensity Peak Fitness exercises. These types of exercises boost fat loss, promote muscle building, and help your body produce human growth hormone (HGH) naturally. Typically, you’ll need large amounts of exercise until you get your blood sugar levels under control. You may need up to an hour or two a day. Naturally, you’ll want to gradually work your way up to that amount, based on your current level of fitness.
  4. Avoid trans fats as they will actually worsen insulin resistance.
  5. Consume saturated fats, such as grass-fed organic meat, raw dairy products, avocados, and coconut oil. These saturated fats provide a concentrated source of energy along with the building blocks for cell membranes and a variety of hormones and hormone-like substances. When you eat healthy fats as part of your meal, they slow down absorption so that you can go longer without feeling hungry. In addition, they act as carriers for important fat-soluble vitamins A, D, E and K.

    There are more than a dozen different types of saturated fat, but you predominantly consume only three: stearic acid, palmitic acid and lauric acid. It’s already been well established that stearic acid (found in cocoa and animal fat) has no effect on your cholesterol levels at all, and actually gets converted in your liver into the monounsaturated fat called oleic acid.

    The other two, palmitic and lauric acid, do raise total cholesterol. However, since they raise “good” cholesterol as much or more than “bad” cholesterol, you’re still actually lowering your risk of heart disease.

  6. Get plenty of omega-3 fats from a high quality, animal-based source such as krill oil.
  7. Monitor your fasting insulin level. This is every bit as important as your fasting blood sugar. You’ll want your fasting insulin level to be between 2 to 4. The higher your level, the worse your insulin receptor sensitivity is. The recommendations mentioned above are the key steps you need to achieve this reduction. As the new leaf team to check your insulin resistance levels as well.
  8. Get enough high-quality sleep every night.
  9. Optimize your vitamin D levels. Maintaining your vitamin D levels around 60-80 ng/ml can significantly help control your blood sugar. In addition, recent studies have revealed that getting enough vitamin D can also have a powerful effect on normalizing your blood pressure, and reduces your risk of heart disease.

    Having optimal vitamin D levels can also prevent type 1 diabetes in your children if you are pregnant. It’s also vital for infants to receive the appropriate amounts of vitamin D in their early years for the same reasons. Ideally, you’ll want to do this by exposing a large amount of your skin to appropriate amounts of sunshine (or a safe tanning bed) on a regular basis, year-round. Your body can safely create up to 20,000 units of vitamin D a day this way. Just remember to get your levels tested regularly by a proficient lab to make sure you’re staying within the therapeutic range.

  10. Address any underlying emotional issues and/or stress. Non-invasive tools like yoga, journaling and meditation can be extremely helpful and effective.

Madonna Guy ND
New Leaf Natural Therapies
3348 6098

N.O.T. Neural Organisational Technique Kinesiology in Wynnum, Brisbane, Australia

Sunday, May 15th, 2011

We now have 2 practitioners in our clinic who do N.O.T.: Neural Organisational Technique: A kinesiology process which helps to realign the body after whiplashes, injuries, dodgy birth trauma, physical injuries, sporting injuries, dental work. Physical injuries can go onto create problems such as chronic fatigue and fibromyalgia… Find an NOT Practitioner in your area and get realigned today!

N.O.T. has been used in Australia for around 20 years.  We have used it in our clinic for:

  • whiplash
  • neuropathy
  • jaw problems
  • cranial injuries
  • neck problems
  • hip problems
  • scoliosis
  • spinal cord problems
  • post-dental pain
  • head injuries
  • back pain
  • thoracic pain
  • knee problems
  • hormonal imbalances
  • ankle pain
  • twisted pelvis

As you can see, there’s lots of reasons to have a course of N.O.T. treatments.  We have lots of experience in N.O.T. and love it!  Talk to us today!

Madonna Guy ND
Naturopath/Kinesiologist
Wynnum, Brisbane, Australia
33486098

Burning Pain in the Stomach – Could It Be Helicobacter?

Wednesday, March 30th, 2011

Burning Pain in the Stomach

When you go to your doctor and complain of pain and burning in your solar plexus, and he recommends Zantac or Tagamet for an ulcer, ask him what he thinks about the ‘theory’ that this condition is caused by an infection. If he gives you the old doctor-shrug, decline his prescriptions, pay him for his time, and come and see us and have a helicobacter pylori test and a live blood screening.

Helicobacter is a genus of spiral bacteria that amazingly are able to survive the severe acidity of the stomach. We have known of the existence of such bacteria since 1889 but it wasn’t until nearly 100 years later that the significance of these bacteria was realized.

Until the 1980’s, stomach ulcers were treated with an assortment of antacids with the idea that excess acid had caused the ulcer. In fact, most stomach and duodenal ulcers of humans stem from infection with Helicobacter bacteria.

Helicobacter survives the extreme acidity of the stomach by using enzymes to create its own layer of protective bicarbonate. This little “safety suit” allows the bacteria to burrow into the stomach’s mucus layer. Its presence generates inflammation in the stomach tissue.

Many patients are colonized by Helicobacter and do not develop symptoms; however, if Helicobacter penetrates deeply enough, it will bind to the mucus secreting cells of the stomach disrupting their ability to produce normal mucus.

Ultimately, the mucus lining is disrupted, stomach acid gains access to the stomach tissue, and burning results. Ulcers are thus formed. Making matters worse, Helicobacter organisms are able to stimulate extra acid secretion by the stomach tissue. More burning and more ulcers result and soon the patient is experiencing pain, nausea and/or vomiting.

H. pylori infection is most likely acquired by ingesting contaminated food and water and through person to person contact. In the United States, 30% of the adult population is infected. (50% of infected persons are infected by the age of 60.)

The infection is more common in crowded living conditions with poor sanitation. In countries with poor sanitation, 90% of the adult population can be infected

If you have a chronic infection with H. pylori, it weakens the natural defences of the lining of the stomach against the ulcerating action of acid and can cause severe health problems.  Live Blood Analysis lets us know how damaged the gut and the liver are in relation to the Helicobacter.  If you are one of the 50% who don’t have helicobacter, then the live blood analysis gives plenty of other information and reasons for the pain in your tummy.

To find out whether or not you have an ulcer, it can’t hurt to test for H. pylori. Call us today on 07 3348 6098  and book in for a helicobacter pylori test and live blood analysis.  Ask if there are any website specials for this combination of tests!

Yours in Health
Madonna Guy ND
Naturopath
New Leaf Natural Therapies

About Stem Cells: embryonic versus Stem Enhance – completely natural and organic!!!

Sunday, October 10th, 2010

About Stem Cells:  Embryonic stem cells (ESC) have been in the news  since 1998 when stem cells obtained from human embryo were first successfully grown in vitro. And as ESC were shown to have the ability of becoming virtually any cell type of the body, this achievement inspired many promises and raised expectations. Could injection of ESC lead to improvements in various degenerative diseases ? Would it be possible to grow organs in vitro for the purpose of transplant ? Could we manipulate the genetic material of embryonic stem cells in order to repair faulty genes in an organ ?

But an ESC were fueling much hope, research with ESC became rapidly encumbered by serious ethical considerations. First, the source of human ESC has to be human embryos.

The idea of growing human embryos with the intent of dismembering them after a week or so in order to grow ESC is obviously questionable, Second and more worrisome is the fact that culturing human ESC could open the door to human cloning in order to grow actual organs. But aside from these ethical issues the main issue is that in spite of all the promises of ESC research nearly 10 years of research have delivered little in term of successful and safe ESC-based therapeutic approach.

But, while much of the world focused on developments in ESC research another breakthrough discovery was being made by numerous scientific teams throughout the world. Adult stem cells (ASC), the stem cells present in the body after birth, were also shown to have the ability of becoming virtually any cell type of the body.

ASC placed on brain. Liver or muscle tissue will rapidly become brain, liver and muscle cells. At first, because ASC are difficult to grow in vitro, many believed that they had little potential, but a series of in vivo studies rapidly establish that ASC have enormous potential in the body.

This discovery then spurred the concept that adult stem cells, having the ability of becoming any cell type of the body, might constitute the natural renewal system of the body. Studies using various novel scientific tools like Green Fluorescent Protein, which allows visual tracking of stem cells in the body, showed that when an organ is challenged it causes the release of compounds know to trigger stem cells release from the bone marrow. The organ then releases compounds known to attract stem cells, and released stem cells travel to that organ. As they reach the organ in need, the stem cells migrate in the organ, proliferate and become cells of that organ, promoting tissue renewal.

This process takes place every day of our lives and constitute the natural innate renewal system of the body. As stem cells travel in the body, they participate to maintaining optimal health throughout the body.

Madonna Guy ND
Naturopath, Wynnum, Brisbane, Australia
07 3348 6098
madonna@nlnt.com.au

Stem Enhance: we have plenty in stock in our clinic… in Wynnum, Brisbane

Monday, September 27th, 2010

Have you heard of Stem Enhance? It’s an amazing product that we have been using clinically for about 3 1/2 years.  Stem Enhance has been found to increase the stem cell production from your own bone marrow:  4 million extra stem cells within 40 minutes.  When taken together with StemFlo, those stem cells are then taken to the area in the body with the most inflammation – the brain, the heart, the liver, the joints, the spine – whereever is needed most, and then these stem cells BECOME the type of cells they attach to.

We have clients who have used stem enhance successfully for many health conditions including Parkinston’s Disease, Multiple Sclerosis, Spinal Injuries, degenerated joints, osteoporosis, enlarged and damaged heart and more…  Not to mention that it’s a fantastic preventative!  Other issues such as anxiety and panic attacks improve, as do things like stroke side-effects, old concussions, whiplash and joint pain, neuropathy and thyroid issues.

Basically, stem cells can become ANY TISSUE in the body that needs repair!  And since chronic diseases such as cancer, heart disease, dementia, alzheimers and diabetes are all inflammatory conditions – these may be prevented by taking some simple supplements.  Talk to us today!!!

Madonna Guy
New Leaf Natural Therapies
3348 6098

Polymyalgia rheumatica: MusculoSkeletal Therapy can help you!!!

Tuesday, July 13th, 2010

Have you been diagnosed with Polymyalgia rheumatica???

Firstly, what is polymyalgia rheumatica?

Polymyalgia rheumatica (PMR) is a disorder of the muscles and joints characterized by pain and stiffness, affecting both sides of the body, and involving the shoulders, arms, neck, and buttock areas. Patients with polymyalgia rheumatica are typically over the age of 50 years.

What causes polymyalgia rheumatica?

The cause of polymyalgia rheumatica is not known. Recent research has indicated that genetic (inherited) factors play a role in who becomes afflicted with the illness. Theories have included viral stimulation of the immune system in genetically susceptible individuals. Rarely, polymyalgia rheumatica is associated with a cancer. In this setting, the cancer may be initiating an inflammatory immune response to cause the polymyalgia rheumatica symptoms.

What can New Leaf Natural Therapies do to help you???

Firstly, MusculoSkeletal Therapy is absolutely necessary in Polymyalgia rheumatica.  As MusculoSkeletal Therapy deals with pain with ligaments, tendons and muscular pain, this is first-line treatment for P.R..

Naturopathically we have natural pain relievers such as Kinex and Kaprex (often used together) to reduce overall inflammation in the body.  We can do many tests to see the inflammation reduce as we get you healthy!

See you soon,
Madonna Guy, ND 3348 6098

What to do for Foot spurs, heel spurs, plantar fasciitis…

Wednesday, June 30th, 2010

It’s amazing to me how many people ring me on 4BC to ask about foot spurs, heel spurs and plantar fasciitis…  It seems to be a very important, painful, and debilitating issue for many people in Australia.

Firstly, we need good connective tissue support so that the foot can heal and repair properly.  Nutrients that can be used are things like silica, magnesium, calcium…  Products that support connective tissue support:  Metagenics Arthrex; BioCeuticals Silica liquid; Metagenics Cartrin; Blackmores SCF; Metagenics Glucosamine Intensive Care.

Secondly, ensure weight is optimal…  carrying excess weight puts huge amounts of pressure on the feet, and they will of course, be inflamed over time.  Foot spurs, heel spurs and plantar fasciitis and natural side-effects of long term weight issues.  See us about our fat loss programme which has a fantastic success rate and saves you money long term.

Thirdly, structural balancing can be very beneficial:  in our clinic we do:

  • remedial massage to increase blood supply to the extremities
  • structural kinesiology to balance hips, knees, ankles, feet
  • foot manipulation to ensure all the bones of the feet are in correct positions
  • frequency specific microcurrent to help to break down calcification in the joints

So, there really is plenty of help for heel spurs, foot spurs and plantar fasciitis.  Call us today to book your appointment!

Madonna Guy, Naturopath, Wynnum, Brisbane
New Leaf Natural Therapies
3348 6098

Tummy Fat linked to Dementia: Keeping the weight down is even more important!!!

Thursday, May 20th, 2010

I found this article, which gives another excellent reason for keeping the waist measurement down as we get older!

“If you suffer from girth imbalance—also known as belly fat—you certainly are not alone. It is estimated that 50 percent of adult Americans carry unhealthy supplies of fat around their middle. Excess fat, particularly in the abdomen, can lead to a higher risk of heart disease, stroke, diabetes, and premature death. Researchers have now concluded that that creeping middle age belly fat also predisposes us to the risk of developing Alzheimer’s and other forms of dementia.

Dementia is an age-related disease that robs its victims of memory and cognitive functions; things like perception, reasoning, judgment, thinking, and speech. One in ten Americans over the age of 65 suffers from some form of dementia; 60 to 80 percent suffer its most common form, Alzheimer’s disease.

Researchers at Boston University School of Medicine studied 733 adults, with an average age of 60. The group was composed of 30 percent men and 70 percent women. Each individual went through body mass (BMI) measurements as well as scans to assess abdominal fat. The results, concurrent with other similar studies, showed that as the BMI increased, brain volume decreased.

“Our data suggests a stronger connection between central obesity . . . and risk of dementia and Alzheimer’s disease,’ said Sudha Seshadri, leader of the study published in the journal Annals of Neurology.

This means that for people reaching middle age, their 50s and 60s, there is a direct correlation between the increase in the waistline and decrease in brain size. Consequently the chances of some form of dementia hitting this particular group of people increases.”

Madonna’s thoughts:  I went to a health congress in 2009 where obesity is linked to dementia and Alzheimer’s disease via inflammation:  obesity makes us inflamed, and inflammation ‘eats away at the brain’.  It’s time for us to get serious about our weight loss and keep it off.  It’s a challenge, but it’s important.

Talk to us today about how we can help you with your weight loss challenges!!

We do

  • testing to find out why weight loss is a problem
  • explain dietary changes necessary for weight loss
  • kinesiology to find out which foods are best for you
  • frequency specific microcurrent to help reduce insulin resistance
  • specific supplements to help what is necessary:  liver detoxification, gut problems, thyroid sluggishness, insulin resistance, tiredness etc.
  • and much more…

Madonna Guy, Naturopath, Wynnum, Brisbane
New Leaf Natural Therapies
3348 6098      healthteam@nlnt.com.au