July08 Health Source - Dr. Ruthie Harper, M.D.

The Health Source—July 2008
Ruthie Harper, M.D.
Your Source for Health, Wellness, and Looking Your Best
Is Summertime Stress Wreaking Havoc on Your Health?
Ruthie Harper, M.D., is a
Board Certified Internist
who has spent many years
developing her unique
vision for optimal health.
Dr. Harper has been a practicing physician since 1989,
and she founded her own
medical practice—
Nutritional Medicine Associates—in 1999. The practice
has blossomed into one of
the most successful and
innovative of its kind in the
United States.
In her medical practice, Dr.
Harper uses the latest advancements in science and
nutrition to help people
achieve optimal health and
wellness.
Additionally, her unique discoveries in nutritional science, combined with her
extensive skincare research, enabled Dr. Harper
to create The Laser and
Skin Care Clinic and a line
of organic skincare products
unlike anything else in the
cosmeceutical industry.
utritional Medicine Associates
The Laser and Skin Care Clinic
3901 Medical Pkwy., Suite 100
Austin, Texas 78756
Tel: 512.343.9355
www.ruthieharper.com
Ah, summertime—full of fun, sun, vacations, and relaxation. While summer is often a
time of increased recreation and leisure, it can also create a lot of added and unforeseen stress from things like juggling kids’ schedules and staying up
later (especially with kids out of school), planning, packing, and
paying for that well-deserved vacation, and then working overtime to make up for the vacation days away from work. If changing schedules and constant cook-outs don’t wear you down,
most certainly the ever-increasing prices of gas and groceries will. As we slide into summer, it’s important to remember
how stress affects us over time, and how it can wreak
havoc on your health.
What is Stress?
We all experience stress of varying degrees, but something that one person perceives as stressful may roll off the shoulders of another. Medically speaking, stress is
a biological response that occurs in the body as a result of stimuli. The term itself
was originally coined by endocrinologist Hans Selye in 1936, who defined stress as
“the non-specific response of the body to any demand for change.”
During times of stress, the hypothalamus releases corticotrophinreleasing factor, which in turn signals the pituitary gland to release adrenocorticotropic hormone, or ACTH. This hormone
then travels through the bloodstream to the adrenals, two
small, triangle-shaped glands located on the top of the kidneys. When ACTH reaches the adrenals, it causes them to
release the stress hormones adrenaline and cortisol.
Most people perceive stress as something negative, but stress in
balance is a positive and healthy part of life. For example, when we
wake up in the morning, our bodies make cortisol to get us up and going.
If you eat a good breakfast, your stress hormone level drops back down to
a healthy baseline. If you rush out the door to work, up goes your cortisol level, but
it’s done its job because it helped you get there in time. This normal rise and fall of
In This July 2008 Issue:
Is Summertime Stress Wreaking Havoc on Your Health? .………………………….…….1
Chronic Stress & Adrenal Fatigue ………………...……………………………………..…...…..2
Stress Management …………………………………………………………….……………..…..…….3
Did You Know? Chocolate is good for you! ……………………...…………………..…...……3
Relaxation Techniques …………………………………………………………..………...……………4
Summer Specials ……………………………………………………………………………….………….4
Water Works ……………………………………………………………………………………..…………..5
Exercise for Human Growth Hormone Production …………………………………………...6
© 2008 Ruthie Harper, M.D. All contents of this newsletter are copyrighted.
Please request permission before using any information in this newsletter.
Page 2
The Health Source—July 2008
cortisol levels throughout the day is part of a healthy lifestyle. However, the
stress hormone cortisol is a double-edged sword: not enough and we can’t
adapt to stressful situations, too much and our bodies become overweight,
aged, and disease-ridden.
Common Causes of Stress
Stress manifests in different ways for different people and can be emotional
stress, psychological stress, or actual physical stress. While we can’t often
avoid significantly stressful events like losing a job, having a death in the
family, or any other catastrophic event, we can try and avoid the common
causes of stress. Working too much, not getting enough sleep, skipping
breakfast, not exercising or taking care of your body, and “running on empty” without adequate rest and relaxation are
excellent examples of how we all live with stress.
Stress can also be good or positive, or it can be bad or negative. Sometimes life changes or stressors
are good, for example: falling in love and getting married, reconciling after separation, retiring, having a
baby, buying a house, getting promoted, graduating, or taking a vacation. All of us will encounter negative
stressors sometime in our lifetimes, such as death of a spouse, partner, friend, or child, divorce, serious
illness, losing a job, changing jobs, and financial problems.
Stress accounts for 75% to 90% of all primary care doctor visits in the US, and almost all disease is
either caused by or aggravated by stress. Stress is the number one reason why people are unsuccessful at committing to programs that support health and wellness. Instead, we often try and decrease stress through drugs or alcohol, tobacco, over-eating or over-consuming sugar and carbohydrates, overworking or oversleeping, or using excess stimulants such as coffee, colas, and
energy drinks.
Chronic Stress & Adrenal Fatigue
The adrenals are the major glands your body uses to respond to any kind of stress. Hormones released by the adrenals
raise blood sugar and blood pressure and promote energy production. If you experience constantly elevated cortisol levels caused by chronic stress, or a single intensely stressful situation, your adrenal glands can’t keep up to maintain
healthy function. A common but often undiagnosed result is what’s known as adrenal fatigue. The chronically elevated
cortisol levels that cause adrenal fatigue can lead to a myriad of health problems including:
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Fatigue (unrelieved by rest and sleep)
Premature aging
Weight gain (especially around the midsection)
Inflammation
Hypertension
Blood sugar imbalances and insulin resistance
Depression/anxiety
Impaired cognitive performance and memory loss
Suppressed thyroid function
Cravings
Adrenal fatigue can wreak havoc on your health and your daily life. In addition to the health issues listed above, underfunctioning adrenals can cause debilitating tiredness and fatigue that make it difficult—if not impossible some days—to
get out of bed for longer than a few hours. Adrenal fatigue changes your metabolism, affects your heart rate, and even
your sex drive. Once you have gotten yourself into adrenal fatigue, it can take a long time to heal and get back to health.
#utritional Medicine Associates | The Laser and Skincare Clinic | (512) 343-9355 | 3901 Medical Parkway, suite 100 | Austin, TX 78756
The Health Source—May 2008
Page 3
Preventing & Recovering from Adrenal Fatigue:
Stress Management
Preventing or recovering from adrenal fatigue involves taking care of yourself and finding ways to successfully manage stress. For the best results, Dr. Harper recommends
integrating the following stress management tenets to your daily routine:
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Get eight or more hours of uninterrupted sleep per night. (If you are “burntout” you may require nine or more to heal.)
Remove toxic chemicals like caffeine, alcohol, artificial sweeteners, and
sugar from your diet.
Eat a balanced diet of optimal protein, healthy fats, high fiber carbs, and
non-starchy veggies in small meals and snacks every 3-4 hours to give your body the building blocks to rebuild brain chemicals and hormone messengers.
Build in downtime and fun activities to your routine.
Do appropriate cross-training exercise and not excessive cardiovascular exercise.
Give your body the nutrients it needs to repair the adrenal glands and keep the stress hormones from going
too high, including Omega 3 Fatty Acids, Phosphatidyl Serine, B Vitamins, and Vitamin C.
The more stress management techniques you incorporate into your
daily life, the easier you’ll recover from episodes
of high stress.
The key is balance: after periods of stress—
whether good or bad—take the time to
replenish your body and your mind.
Did You Know?
Chocolate is good for you! New research concludes that the flavonoids found in cocoa-rich chocolate
can have health-promoting benefits. Flavonoids have a natural, powerful antioxidant effect and help
prevent heart disease and stroke by slowing down platelet clumping that can block off blood vessels.
The antioxidant effect of flavonoids can also help guard our DNA from damage that can lead to cancer.
In laboratory tests, the higher the cocoa content in the chocolate the higher the antioxidant flavonoid content. Dark chocolate has the most concentrated cocoa content, so it scores much higher in healthy benefits
than milk chocolate. White chocolate doesn’t have any cocoa
content, so don’t waste your calories on the creamy white
stuff.
Surprisingly, studies show that neither dark or milk chocolate is
a cholesterol concern in small amounts, but don’t forget the calories! A
small piece of dark chocolate has 50 calories, so more than a mouthful
can pack a big caloric punch. So next time you’re craving chocolate,
reach for a piece of dark chocolate and savor the flavor of those fabulous flavonoids!
#utritional Medicine Associates | The Laser and Skincare Clinic | (512) 343-9355 | 3901 Medical Parkway, suite 100 | Austin, TX 78756
The Health Source—May 2008
Page 4
Following are several easy but effective ways to
relax your body and help achieve balance
during times of stress:
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Yoga
Guided imagery
Breathing exercises
Journaling
Meditation
Listening to music
Gardening
Painting, art
Exercise
Sex
We’ve all heard that stress can be very damaging to our health, yet we continue to engage in stressful behaviors like
overworking, ingesting toxic chemicals, and not getting enough sleep. Stress affects us over time, so it is easy to kid
ourselves and believe we can keep living with stress without any repercussions as we slowly burn ourselves out.
If you would like help with stress management or want to find out if you are suffering from adrenal fatigue, call our office
today to make an appointment at 512.343.9355.
Sizzle this summer with full, sexy
lips and smooth skin! The Laser
and Skin Care Clinic is having a
Restylane Special:
1st Syringe--$25 Off
2nd Syringe--$50 off
3rd Syringe--$75 off
(Up to $150 savings!)
Spaces will go quickly, so call
today to take advantage of this
limited offer.
Please be sure to mention this
special promotion.
Call NOW before your space is
taken!
512-343-9355
#utritional Medicine Associates | The Laser and Skincare Clinic | (512) 343-9355 | 3901 Medical Parkway, suite 100 | Austin, TX 78756
The Health Source—May 2008
Page 5
Water Works
In the sizzling summer heat, it’s especially important to drink enough water and stay hydrated. At a minimum, you
should drink at least 64 ounces (eight 8-ounce cups) of water a day. Be sure to choose your water wisely—don’t be
fooled by those flavored waters, vitamin waters, and fruit waters. If you turn the label around, you’ll find most are made
with highfructose corn syrup, crystalline fructose, sucralose, sugar, and/or salt. That’s an easy and unforeseen
way to
consume about 30-50 calories per 8 ounces serving (typically 2 servings per container). If they aren’t
loaded
with sugars, then they have added artificial sweeteners, some of which have been
found to be neurotoxic and carcinogenic. Either way, you are drinking an unnaturally
sweet drink that can turn your taste buds on to craving more sweet stuff.
To make your water work for you this summer, here are a few ideas that will improve
your health and your wallet. You can easily create your own “water essences” and add
some attitude to plain old water with a few fresh ingredients. Remember to be sure that your
bottled water is pure (i.e. un-polluted) and always wash your produce before you use it.
Whenever possible, choose organic! These combinations below will work great whether
your preference is filtered, mineral, or sparkling water.
Cut the produce into slices and add to the water—add as little or as much as you want
depending on the essence intensity desired:
SPORTY
Lemon & mint
Lemon & lime
Rosemary & lemon
Spearmint, fennel, or marjoram (crush
slightly to release the natural essences)
1 tsp Designs for Health Raspberry Mint
Carniclear Liquid
Lemon & powdered cayenne
SPA RETREAT
Orange & ginger
Cucumber & mint
Ginger (boil peeled, sliced fresh ginger for
1 minute, dilute by 3x)
DOWN TIME
Citrus Cruise: lemon, lime, grapefruit &
orange
Kiwi
White Tea (diluted 3x)
Tangerine & vanilla (unsweetened
extract)
Raspberry & mint
Cinnamon, nutmeg & ginger (use cinnamon sticks, ginger slices, and freshly
ground nutmeg, boil for 1 minute and
dilute by 4x)
Don’t forget to protect your skin this summer! Be sure to check out Dr. Harper’s new
sunscreen, Phyto Protect SPF25.
SPF25 It provides a broad-spectrum transparent barrier against
UVA/UVB rays plus a unique phyto-complex that’s clinically proven to reduce the
appearance of fine lines and wrinkles while minimizing the short-term negative effects
of harmful UV rays.
#utritional Medicine Associates | The Laser and Skincare Clinic | (512) 343-9355 | 3901 Medical Parkway, suite 100 | Austin, TX 78756
The Health Source—May 2008
Page 6
Exercise for HGH Production
Research directly links an active lifestyle to lower rates of cardiovascular disease, Type 2 diabetes, and cancer. However, the latest research suggests
that inactivity not only makes you more vulnerable to disease, but it may
actually speed up the aging process. This may be due in part to lower levels
of human growth hormone (HGH). HGH is a hormone produced in the pituitary gland that increases basal metabolic rate, stimulates cell reproduction,
helps improve concentration, coordination, and memory, and delays the effects of aging. Exercise is a great way to stimulate your body’s natural production of HGH, but it must be done correctly with the right mix of anaerobic,
resistance, and flexibility training.
Resistance (weight training) exercise increases growth hormones, essential
for fat mobilization and burning. It also raises testosterone, which burns fat.
Anaerobic (small bursts of intense cardio workout followed by a slower workout) increases the lactic acid responsible for
the production of growth hormones.
Scientifically we know that the muscle burn caused by the increased lactic acid
levels that occur during exercise are known to be partly responsible for the HGH
release during high-intensity anaerobic exercise. Lactic acid is a by-product of creating an oxygen deficit in your body. HGH release occurs 16 minutes after the lactic acid threshold is achieved.
At Nutritional Medicine Associates, Dr. Harper has developed a specialized exercise program for maximum HGH production called the HGH Producer. This program is perfect for the person who has very little time to exercise because the
HGH Producer allows you to get the maximum results from exercise with a minimum amount of time. If you would like to develop your own personalized HGH Producer program, call our office today to schedule an appointment with one of our
Weight Loss Resistance & Health Mastery experts at 512.343.9355.
Customized Nutrition Program
Since most of us worry from time to
time, or even all the time, please
remember the
following statistics:
40% of our worries never happen
30% of our worries concern the
past
12% of our worries are needless
worries about our health
10% of our worries are insignificant
or petty concerns
Want a fast and easy way to organize, store, and carry all your
supplements with you to work or when you travel? With Dr.
Harper’s new customized nutrition program, your individually
prescribed supplements are pre-packaged specifically for you
in four 1-week blister pack sleeves. Each supplement dosage
is personally designed for you based
on your prescribed morning, evening, and weekly requirements.
The program is the latest in blending
pharmaceutical and nutraceutical
technology, enabling Dr. Harper to
create a nutritional program that is
perfect just four you! To learn more
or to enroll in the program, please
call our office at 512.343.9355.
#utritional Medicine Associates | The Laser and Skincare Clinic | (512) 343-9355 | 3901 Medical Parkway, suite 100 | Austin, TX 78756