Our body is quite amazing in its ability to remain functioning at a high level even when we are depleted of important nutrients for example. The challenge with this type of lifestyle is to understand when the body has been pushed too far and we cross the threshold and now we are talking about a feeling of exhaustion, not feeling rejuvenated even after sleeping or feeling extremely tired even after mild exertion.This is when you need to talk to your doctor.

So here is my approach to fatigue or lack of energy:

1.Always exclude the most common, conventional causes of fatigue like anemia, uncontrolled diabetes or kidney problems. In my experience, however most people have ‘’normal’’ blood work and they still don’t feel well.

2.Get tested for adrenal gland dysfunction or fatigue, this is different from the adrenal insufficiency recognized by conventional medicine and so is the testing. Functional medicine tests the salivary cortisol because these levels are indicative of cellular function wellbeing. The treatment usually involves addressing nutrition, sleep, stress reduction and a supplement protocol including some herbs known as adaptogens(they will stimulate or relax your body depending on whatever your body needs at any given time)

3.Check your thyroid with an extensive panel including T4 and T3 which are the active hormones and work with your doctor to determine what is the cause of thyroid imbalance(for example food sensitivities, gluten intolerance, adrenal dysfunction).Choose the right hormonal preparation to suit your body’s needs and not just the well-known synthroid.

4.Always consider a mitochondrial imbalance as a possible cause of fatigue. Mitochondria are little powerhouses existent in every cell and responsible for energy production. Unfortunately, is extremely sensitive to any kind of nutrients deficiency or environmental chemical toxicity. Luckily we can test for this imbalance as well and then correct it.

5.Make sure there is no chronic, low grade infection or inflammation in your body and I am thinking here particularly about digestive infections. I would like to emphasize the fact a lot of people do not get necessarily digestive problems with this type of infections but rather something like fatigue, skin rashes, achy joints, hormonal imbalance and so forth. Functional medicine uses a different type of stool testing much more detailed than the regular one used by conventional medicine and we also have a lower threshold for treating certain bacteria.

6.Think food intolerance as well as the reason for feeling fatigued and tired.Most people are only aware of the food allergy (rash. redness, swelling of face, difficulty breathing) which is completely different and easier to recognize. Food sensitivity can be diagnosed by a blood test and also by correlating symptoms with certain food ingested. The most common culprits are: gluten, dairy, soy. It is important to remember it takes your body a long time 4-6 weeks in average to get rid of the antibodies to a certain food so don’t expect major changes within the first couple of days. I would also recommend working with an experienced nutritionist/health coach.

7.Nutritional deficiency is a well-known cause of fatigue and pretty easy to diagnose with a blood test like Genova or Spectracell.Your doctor can then design an individualized treatment for you.

Which one applies to you?

Avocado: one of my all-time favorites, packed with monounsaturated fats or the ‘’good’’ fats, important for our brain cells structure but also for hormone production and blood sugar control. Avocado also contains vitamin K and folic acid which help prevent blood clots in the brain and strokes. They are also rich in Vitamins B and C, proteins and low in sugar. Their creamy texture makes them easy to use in smoothies or baking.

Blueberries! so-called nature’s candy …one of the highest antioxidant-rich foods but they also provide vitamin C, K, and lots of fiber. Research showed their levels of gallic acid, a strong antioxidant, are especially good at protecting our brains from stress and all sorts of degenerative disease. You can use them in both savory and sweet dishes!

Bone broth: obviously, my grandmother was right about this one too! Great for healing your gut which in turn will have a great impact on your brain.
Many studies showed a clear connection between these 2 systems. The homemade version is the best but you can find some pretty good options online or at one of the health stores as well.

Celery: has high levels of antioxidants and polysaccharides which act as natural anti-inflammatories and they are also nutrient dense, low calories snacks. Don’t skip the seeds and leaves!

Coconut oil contains fatty acids with powerful medicinal properties especially medium chain triglycerides which can be used by our bodies as a quick source of energy for the brain. Try to use unrefined, organic coconut oil as much as possible. Add it to your smoothies or use it for baking and roasting meat or vegetables.

Dark chocolate: full of flavonols which are chemicals with antioxidant and anti-inflammatory properties.Dark chocolate can also lower blood pressure and improve brain and heart blood flow. Look for one with at least 70 percent of cocoa and enjoy in moderation.

Egg yolks: finally, back on the good list and for good reason, they contain large amounts of choline which is used by our brain to manufacture acetylcholine, a neurotransmitter required for proper brain function.

Extra virgin olive oil: improves learning and memory but also can reverse the age and disease-related brain changes, fights again some toxic compounds that are toxic to the brain. Avoid cooking with it at high temperatures. Store all your oils in dark, cool places.

Green, leafy, vegetables and broccoli: full of vitamins and minerals, a must for our bodies and not just for the brain.

Salmon: packed with omega 3 acids to help keep your brain running smoothly and improve memory. Look for wild caught fish, preferably from local sources.

Walnuts: rich in vitamin E, great in antioxidants. Also, flaxseed or flaxseed oil and chia seeds are a great addition to the morning smoothies and a great source of amino acids and fatty acids so important for the whole body.

Give them a try, your brain will thank you for it!

This is probably one of the most frequent questions I get. And that question is followed by these:

How often do you take them?

And most importantly which one should I take?

I am a big believer in getting those vitamins and nutrients from natural organic food but most of us will have a hard time getting all the recommended servings of fruits and vegetables per day. So the answer to are multivitamins necessary, is yes!

Which multivitamin is definitely not an easy question to answer since we all have different needs depending on your age, other diseases that you might have, or even if you are taking medications, since medications can cause certain vitamin deficiencies as well.

So taking a multivitamin and a mineral supplement might be actually needed.

Best Form?

As a general rule however I would recommend to look for a liquid form or for a powdered form that can be added to water and drunk immediately since those would offer the best absorption. A gel form is probably next. Avoid sugar, preservatives or artificial coloring and, if needed, look for gluten- or dairy-free ones.

What to Look For?

A good multivitamin should provide at least 100 of the daily value (DV) for all the essential nutrients. I also like the ones that offer a twice-a-day regimen for better absorption and  the morning/evening formulation since some vitamin can compete for the same absorption pathways and receptors. On the opposite spectrum there are compounds that will actually enhance each other’s absorption ( a process called synergy) for example adding flavonoids to the mix .

Most of the time a good multi includes calcium, vitamin D and magnesium (try to find the carbonate form or chelated) although those amounts might not be necessarily sufficient.

There are certain forms of other vitamins and minerals that are much easier to absorb and use, so look for methylcobalamin which is the active B12 form and 5 MTHF instead of folic acid. Look for natural and mixed forms of vitamin E such tocotrienols. Another example would be selenomethionine which is the active form of selenium, a very important mineral.

Most people do not need iron or copper however adding lutein is proved to be beneficial for the eyes health. Lately a lot of research has been done on vitamin K2 which is extremely important for the bones especially in the MK7 form.

Some supplements should be avoided — for example beta carotene can increase the risk of lung cancers in smokers or boron can be problematic for patients with hormonal dependent cancers.

There is a huge variety of multivitamins brands available on the market. One of the foundational things you can do to improve your health is to choose the right ones. And the place to start is with a simple blood test and nutritional counseling.

How Medical Creations Integrative Medicine Can Help

Integrative medicine combines effective strategies and therapies from multiple methods of healing, both conventional and alternative. At its heart, this type of patient care focuses on the true problem, not just the related symptoms and effects. Accordingly, our goal is to discover the root cause (or causes) of whatever issues you are experiencing, then we concentrate our efforts there.

Beginning with your first visit or phone call, we become partners in the healing process, and work together toward your optimum wellness. Our efforts take into consideration the whole body, as well as your mind and spirit, offering responsive as well as preventative care. This is the beauty of integrative medicine.

Call (678) 732-9065 for a free  phone consultation.

About Dr. Neacsu

The founder of Medical Creations Integrative Medicine, Dana Neacsu, MD, is board-certified in internal medicine. She completed a fellowship at the University of Arizona Center for Integrative Medicine, was awarded the Joseph T. Trubiano award for professionalism in medicine, and has applied functional medicine in clinical practice at the Institute of Functional Medicine.

In the last post, I explained why paying attention to your health has benefits not only now but later in life, and in the lives of your children, even before you are pregnant with those children. And I gave five simple guidelines for eating better, no matter what your age.

In this post, I’d like to talk about supplements. Today we have the ability to analyze health with blood testing that goes beyond cholesterol and blood sugar: often this testing can help uncover nutritional deficiencies. And these deficiencies are often the root cause of some of our most stubborn diseases.

But even if you’re not ready to explore your own nutrition in that detail, here are key supplements most of us could use:

Vitamin D

Although our bodies create vitamin D when we’re exposed to sunlight, in today’s world of working indoors and wearing sunscreen to avoid skin cancer, many of us have low levels of vitamin D. If a blood test shows that your vitamin D levels are low, a supplement is a good way to fill that gap.

Multivitamin

Consider taking a good quality multivitamin, no matter what your age. If you’re thinking of pregnancy, a multivitamin is even more important as it may help you conceive, reduces the risk of birth defects, lowers the risk of a miscarriage — and at least two studies that came out in 2011 suggest that it may reduce the risk of autism and other learning disabilities.

Look for a multivitamin with iron (for women only), folic acid 400 or more mcg, iodine 150 mcg, a maximum of 2500 IU vitamin A (as palmitate, acetate or beta carotene), Omega-3, vitamin E (as mixed tocopherols and not the dl alpha tocopherol which is the synthetic form).

Other Supplements to Consider

Probiotics help build up the “good bacteria” in your digestive tract.

Antioxidants like vitamin C or N-acetyl Cysteine help your body’s immune system stay strong.

How Medical Creations Integrative Medicine Can Help

Integrative medicine combines effective strategies and therapies from multiple methods of healing, both conventional and alternative. At its heart, this type of patient care focuses on the true problem, not just the related symptoms and effects. Accordingly, our goal is to discover the root cause (or causes) of whatever issues you are experiencing, then we concentrate our efforts there.

Beginning with your first visit or phone call, we become partners in the healing process, and work together toward your optimum wellness. Our efforts take into consideration the whole body, as well as your mind and spirit, offering responsive as well as preventative care. This is the beauty of integrative medicine.

Call (678) 732-9065 for a free consultation.

About Dr. Neacsu

The founder of Medical Creations Integrative Medicine, Dana Neacsu, MD, is board-certified in internal medicine. She completed a fellowship at the University of Arizona Center for Integrative Medicine, was awarded the Joseph T. Trubiano award for professionalism in medicine, and has applied functional medicine in clinical practice at the Institute of Functional Medicine.

I realized, however, that as a doctor for adults, I am the one who sees the aftermath of an unhealthy lifestyle started unfortunately during childhood.

Many chronic diseases, obesity, and autoimmune diseases have their beginnings in childhood. I am also a parent and well aware of how important it is to give your children a healthy, balanced, anti-inflammatory diet, along with exercise and teaching them stress reduction techniques — especially given the extra busy life kids have these days.

But helping your children to be healthy even as adults starts even before pregnancy. Long before you even think of having a baby, the health of the prospective parents matters.

Luckily, the things we adults should do for our own health are largely the same things we should teach our children and are largely the same things prospective parents should do.

In this post, I’ll give five simple suggestions about what to eat. In future posts, we’ll cover supplements, detoxification, environment, genetic testing, mind-body connection, and exercise.

Anti-Inflammatory Diet: 5 Simple Guidelines

Studies are starting to show that eating an anti-inflammatory diet helps at all ages. This starts with lots of vegetables and fruits. Add in a good mix of healthy fats, proteins, and lower glycemic load carbs.

Drink water, tea, very diluted fruit juice and avoid alcohol and smoking.

Avoid trans fats (the kind of fats found in processed food). There was, in fact, a recent NHS study that showed an increased risk of ovulatory infertility associated with an increased consumption of trans fats. Interestingly, the same study showed that when it comes to fertility it is better to consume whole fat dairy products.

Eat organic and non-GMO foods whenever you can and use Dirty Dozen and Clean 15 lists to guide you when you buy produce.

Omega-3s are very important to everyone and especially for a baby’s nervous system development and for preventing postpartum depression. One of the sources for Omega-3 is seafood (always check for mercury content), flaxseed, organic Omega-3 enriched eggs or milk.

How Medical Creations Integrative Medicine Can Help

Integrative medicine combines effective strategies and therapies from multiple methods of healing, both conventional and alternative. At its heart, this type of patient care focuses on the true problem, not just the related symptoms and effects. Accordingly, our goal is to discover the root cause (or causes) of whatever issues you are experiencing, then we concentrate our efforts there.

Beginning with your first visit or phone call, we become partners in the healing process and work together toward your optimum wellness. Our efforts take into consideration the whole body, as well as your mind and spirit, offering responsive as well as preventative care. This is the beauty of integrative medicine.

Call (678) 732-9065 for a free phone consultation.

About Dr. Neacsu

The founder of Medical Creations Integrative Medicine, Dana Neacsu, MD, is board-certified in internal medicine. She completed a fellowship at the University of Arizona Center for Integrative Medicine, was awarded the Joseph T. Trubiano award for professionalism in medicine, and has applied for functional medicine in clinical practice at the Institute of Functional Medicine.