Radioactive Fallout and Our Misconceptions About Protection

I just wanted to comment quickly about all the recent concern over the radiation exposure from Japan these days. Our country has had quite a reaction to this news and Americans have been purchasing up all of the Potassium Iodide out there in attempts at protecting themselves from the potential increase in radioactive chemicals in the atmosphere. It is important to understand exactly what you are doing by taking the Potassium Iodide and just how misguided you are in these attempts if you are doing so.

First of all, the reason that people may want to take Potassium Iodide is because it will saturate the Thyroid Gland and prevent any radioactive iodine from lodging itself in that gland which can lead to Thyroid Cancer. That's it. It protects the Thyroid gland and nothing else. It is a little known fact that most all radioactive exposure ends up leading to Lymphoma which is a cancer of the lymphatic system. Taking the Potassium Iodide will do nothing to prevent Lymphoma. So why take it at all unless you are really close to the exposure? The fact is that people have become so scared that they are buying up all the Potassium Iodide in the world and people who really need it can't get it!

If you were to look into the peer reviewed literature on radiation exposure you will find that the most important component involved in a person's ability to survive radioactive exposure is a compound called Glutathione. The studies show that people with healthy levels of Glutathione do not suffer the same fate as those who are Glutathone depleted. The bummer here is that most people, particularly Americans, are low in Glutathione reserves. Aside from radiation protection Glutathione is a major antioxidant in the body and keeps our inflammation under control It is a key component to a well functioning immune system as well. People, you need Glutathione in your body in a big way!

Lastly, there are also some herbs that have shown remarkable protection from radiation exposure. They are in a class of herbs called Adaptogens and include things such as Ginseng, Holybasil, Rhodiolia, and others. This class of herbs also contributes to a well balanced blood sugar system and helps moderate the negative impacts of stress on our bodies.

So having said that, I personally take Adaptogenic herbs and a Glutathione containing product every day to protect myself from not just radiation, but the damaging effects of just being alive. And as a quick side note... You are exposed to more radiation when you fly across the country than you are by living on the West Coast of the US even with the extremely slight increase in radioactive material we are seeing recently. So if you fly, you might want to consider some of the above mentioned things. And if you are interested in optimal wellness you may want to consider them as well. I carry these products and can also drop ship them anywhere in the country. Please feel free to contact me and we can talk more about this or any other concern you may have.

Best of health,

Jim Chialtas, L.Ac.

Gluten Sensitivity

Gluten

 

Living a gluten free lifestyle is perhaps one of the fastest growing health trends today, and for good reason.  The fact is that the gluten containing foods we consume today are not what they were even fifty years ago.  Genetically modified crops along with highly processed foods can change the chemical form of components in our food like gluten for example.  The bottom line here is that for a great many people, the gluten molecule creates an immune reaction within our bodies.  And by this I mean that when we eat gluten our immune systems may launch an attack against it which in turn creates massive inflammation particularly in our gastrointestinal systems as well as our brain, joints, and all other parts of our body.  Too many well respected medical journals today have made the undisputable link between gluten sensitivity and many serious medical disorders.  To not listen and understand these findings would be negligent.

Celiac Disease

Probably the most common link between gluten sensitivity and poor health can be seen in Celiac Disease.  This is a condition where the gluten sensitivity reaction degrades the lining of the digestive tract leading to inflammation, poor digestive function, pain and even bleeding.  The problem here is that currently as the standard of practice for diagnosing Celiac Disease there are only 2 – 3 markers used for a positive diagnosis of the condition.  But in reality there are more like twelve markers that can be easily screened for.  The mainstream approach leaves a lot of markers untested.  But one thing we do know is that in the last 50 years the incidence of Celiac Disease has risen from 1 in 700 to 1 in100. And when you consider that the markers used to make these diagnosis’ are only looking at less than 25% of the gluten sub fractions, it is safe to say that we are well under the 1 in 100 marker!

Sensitivity vs. Allergy

It is very important to distinguish the difference between a food sensitivity and a food allergy.  A food allergy creates a severe reaction in the person which may involve swelling of the face, body rashes, airway obstruction and even death.  Think of a peanut or shellfish allergy.  These people are in an emergency state when they eat these foods.  A food sensitivity on the other hand is something that produces low grade and late onset symptoms that often times will not be associated with the symptoms they produce.  A gluten sensitivity for example may produce headaches, joint pain or fatigue days later.  This is almost worse since the person will generally continue to eat the offending foods and possibly induce larger more serious health problems.

Call today and get set up for a very thorough gluten sensitivity screen.  Finding a food sensitivity like this may just be the thing you have been looking for.  You could be poisoning yourself every time you eat and not know it.

Thyroid Conditions

Thyroid Conditions

If you are experiencing any of the following symptoms you may have a Thyroid condition:

• Fatigue
• Increase in weight gain even with a low calorie diet
• Morning headaches that wear off as the day progresses
• Depression
• Constipation
• Overly sensitive to cold temperatures
• Poor circulation and numbness in hands and feet
• Muscle cramps while at rest
• Catch colds and other viral/bacterial infections easily with difficult recovery
• Wounds heal slowly
• Require excessive amounts of sleep to function properly
• Chronic digestive problems
• Itchy and/or dry skin
• Hair loss (particularly the outer third of eyebrows)

There are no fewer than 22 different reasons for low thyroid symptoms such as these.  And only a few of which may require thyroid hormone replacement therapy.  I have formed a specialty in working with all types of thyroid conditions and take great care to uncover all of the mechanisms involved to help my patients choose the best choice for their therapy and continued good health. 

It is also important to realize that approximately 80% – 90% of all low thyroid conditions are actually an autoimmune thyroid condition.  This means that the person’s immune system is attacking their thyroid gland which in turn leads to the low thyroid symptoms.  Treatment for this kind of condition is very different than for a basic low thyroid condition and it is very important to distinguish the difference between the two as soon as possible.  Disregarding this detail may leave the person open to much more dangerous and progressive autoimmune conditions over time.  

In working with thyroid conditions I will use simple and inexpensive blood tests together with thorough patient histories and questionnaires which can be used to screen for all of the possible low thyroid patterns and offer us a clear understanding of the problem at hand.  Call my clinic today and get started in uncovering what is really going with your health.  And together we can unravel the steps it will take to get your thyroid system functioning well again.

Autoimmune Disorders

Autoimmune Disorders

If there is one thing that we can all look forward to seeing more of in the near future it is autoimmune disease.  An autoimmune disease occurs when the immune system begins to attack some organ or tissue in its own body.  There are many reasons for an autoimmune disease to begin and once it has begun it does not turn off.  Fortunately though there are ways to moderate the immune attack in such a way that the person with the condition can live a normal life.  Common autoimmune disorders include:

• Autoimmune Thyroid Disorders (Hashimoto’s Thyroid, Grave’s Disease)
• Rheumatoid Arthritis
• Multiple Sclerosis
• Type I or Autoimmune Diabetes
• Pernicious Anemia
• And much MUCH more!

Autoimmune Disease…  An Immune System Problem

The most important thing to understand when you have an autoimmune condition is that this is primarily a problem with the immune system.  Of course you will be diagnosed with a disease pertaining to the organ which is under attack.  But treatment needs to be focused squarely on the immune system first and then on the organ under attack second.  Many practitioners fail to understand this important detail and end up with less than satisfying results. 

Autoimmune condition vs. Autoimmune Disease

The next most important thing to understand about an autoimmune disease is that under the mainstream model, you are not diagnosed with a problem until the autoimmune condition has grown so bad that it interferes with the function of the particular organ.  For example you will not be diagnosed with Hashimoto’s Thyroid until enough of the Thyroid gland has been killed that Thyroid function has dramatically suffered not to mention the overall health of the person.  So there will always be an autoimmune “condition” going on before a full blown autoimmune disease occurs.  The goal in my practice is to screen for and stop the autoimmune condition before it can manifest into a debilitating disease state.  This is one area that the mainstream approach simply misses. 

Screening for Autoimmune Conditions

There are many different factors that can turn on and/or drive an autoimmune condition which should be screened for.  I have listed a few below:

• Family history
• Hormonal imbalance
• Blood sugar imbalance
• Gluten sensitivity
• Poor Vitamin D status
• Heavy metal toxicity
• Leaky Gut Syndrome

Finding and fixing the factors which drive these autoimmune conditions is vital.  These disease states are progressive and will spread to other organs if left unchecked.  I have developed a specialty in managing conditions like these.  Call today for a consultation and stop autoimmune conditions before they become full blown disease.

Testimonials

“I had the pleasure of meeting Jim Chialtas when I went to his office on Laurel St. for my first visit / initial assessment. Jim was extremely knowledgeable in his field; spent quality time with me and was professional and very thorough. I learned a great deal and went away with a sense that he could definitely help me. I would recommend his services to those who want to improve their health and their quality of life using a natural and scientifically proven approach.”

-Heather S.

“I have had the pleasure of receiving acupuncture treatments from Jim over the past year several times. I always leave his office feeling more relaxed and have MUCH LESS pain in my neck and shoulders on a daily basis, as well as less headaches. I have a very labor heavy job, so my visits to Jim assist me in providing better service to my clients. I can also say that I have not been sick or had allergies in the past several months - perhaps the acupuncture has helped in keeping me well too!  Jim is very professional and personable. I highly recommend him to anyone who wants to feel better - physically and mentally!”

-Leslie G.

“I've consulted with Jim for assistance with some of my most difficult cases and he's always been able to assist me with a patient. I've studied with him and trust that his work is of the highest quality and his compassionate care is most surely the finest you could find.”

-Glenn Sadowsky, L.Ac. - Optimal Health Acupuncture

“Jim is a caring, conscientious and gifted healer with a wealth of knowledge and expertise. Those receiving the benefits of his healthcare treatments are fortunate indeed.”

-Dr. Lawrence Bakur, DC – Lifestream Chiropractic

“Jim is a detailed-oriented practitioner who is professional and personable. He takes the time to listen to you and your problems to develop a wellness plan that best fits you. He is an expert in his field and I couldn't recommend him more!”

-Jeff H.

"Jim is more than a great acupuncturist -- he's a great caregiver! He has helped me with everything from anxiety to insomnia to ear aches. I was really nervous for my first visit but he made me feel right at ease. I can't say anything better than that the man is a MIRACLE WORKER! Love him!"

-Suzanne B.

"Jim provided me with excellent acupuncture treatments when I was suffering from secondary infertility issues. Prior to Jim I had tried many other treatment options that simply did not work.   I am happy to say that I am feeling 100% better and as a bonus am 3 months pregnant. Amazing!"

-Margaret K.