The Joy of Gardening (for Kids): Safety First

We asked gardening-education experts Whitney Cohen and John Fisher to share tips from their new guide The Book of Gardening Projects for Kids (Timber Press, May 2012). This week, Cohen and Fisher will help your kids develop their green thumbs.

Tip #1: Create a Safe Environment

Before you let your kids loose in the family garden, make sure they (and you) know what’s good to eat, and what’s unsafe. Here’s a list of common landscaping plants that have toxic properties:

“Bleeding heart leaves and roots; daffodil, narcissus, hyacinth, and snowdrop bulbs; caladium castor bean seeds; English ivy leaves and berries; euphorbia sap; foxglove leaves and seeds; hydrangea bulbs, leaves, and branches; iris stems and rhizomes; larkspur; lily of the valley leaves and flowers; monkshood; oleander; poinsettia; rhubarb leaves; rhododendron; yew berries.”

With gratitude,

Evan H. Hirsch, MD

Consuming berries could delay brain aging up to two and a half years

Friday, April 27, 2012. An article published online on April 26, 2012
in the Annals of Neurology reports a protective effect for diets
containing high amounts of blueberries and strawberries against
cognitive decline in older women. Berries are high in compounds known
as flavonoids, which may help reduce the negative impact of
inflammation and stress on cognitive function.

“As the U.S. population ages, understanding the health issues facing
this group becomes increasingly important,” commented lead researcher
Elizabeth Devore of Brigham and Women’s Hospital and Harvard Medical
School. “Our study examined whether greater intake of berries could
slow rates of cognitive decline.”

Dr Devore and her associates evaluated data from women who were
between the ages of 30 and 55 upon enrollment in the Nurses’ Health
Study in 1976. Dietary questionnaires completed every four years since
1980 were analyzed for the frequency of berry intake as well as the
intake of 31 individual flavonoids representing six major flavonoid
subclasses commonly found in US diets. Cognitive function was tested
every two years in 16,010 participants who were over the age of 70
between 1995 and 2001.

Berry brain benefit

A review published online on January 23, 2012 in the Journal of
Agricultural and Food Chemistry describes a multitude of positive
effects for berries on neurologic function. “A growing body of
preclinical and clinical research has identified neurological benefits
associated with the consumption of berry fruits,” write Marshall G.
Miller and Barbara Shukitt-Hale, PhD of Tufts University in their
introduction to the article. “In addition to their now well-known
antioxidant effects, dietary supplementation with berry fruits also
has direct effects on the brain. Intake of these fruits may help to
prevent age-related neurodegeneration and resulting changes in
cognitive and motor function.”

Berries have antioxidant effects, such as that demonstrated for
mulberry in Parkinson’s disease. Wolfberry, also called gogi berry,
may have direct neuroprotective effects that are independent of its
antioxidant benefits. In animal studies, blueberries have been
associated with a variety of brain benefits, including a reduction in
age-related increases in nuclear factor-kappa beta. Aged rats given
blueberries, cranberries or blackberries have better balance and
control, and a reduction in amyloid beta has been observed in
association with blueberry intake in mice bred to develop specific
aspects of Alzheimer’s disease. In humans with mild cognitive
impairment, daily consumption of blueberry juice resulted in improved
word list recall and better performance in comparison with subjects
who receive a placebo.

“Given that neurodegeneration and cognitive decline are chronic
processes, throughout adulthood, future research should also identify
critical periods during which increased consumption of berry fruits is
most effective and the extent to which berry fruits prevent or even
reverse the deleterious effects of aging,” the authors conclude.
“Furthermore, the optimal dietary intake, necessary duration of
supplementation, and longevity of the effects following the cessation
of supplementation should also be explored.”

First, let’s look at the “why.” Why are you having these symptoms?
Well, when the body is presented an antigen (potentially allergy
producing substance), the immune system reacts or it doesn’t. If it does
react, it recruits other immune and inflammatory cells to rid the body
of the substance. This causes mast cells to release histamine. All of
these cells work in concert to “flush” the antigen out of the body
through mucus and fluid production. So, to bring the body back into
balance and address the physiology (function) of these symptoms, I
would recommend the following:

1. Remove anything that might trigger the immune system to be
hyperactive. This includes any allergies (food, dust mites, mold,
trees, grass) that you might have or any infections (chronic or
acute). The most common food allergens are gluten/wheat, dairy, soy,
corn, chocolate, citrus, caffeine, coffee, sugar, peanuts and alcohol.
I recommend removing these items for 21 days and then adding them back
in; one food every 3 days to figure out which foods to which you are
sensitive. You can also do a blood IgG test for foods or work with a
practitioner skilled in NAET or muscle testing. The skin Prick test is
helpful for detecting non-food allergies. Combined with a modified
RAST blood test (IgE), this can give you a wealth of information as to
your allergies or sensitivities.

Once you have identified the cause you can remove them from your
exposure, take allergy shots once to twice weekly for 2-5 years or
take drops under your tongue every day for 2-5 years. We provide the
drops at our office. It is called Sublingual Immunotherapy (SLIT) and
has been available in Europe for the last 20 years or so.  It
desensitizes the body to the allergen.

2. Reduce stress and support the adrenal glands. The adrenal gland and
cortisol is responsible for keeping the immune system “in check.”
Cortisol makes sure the immune system is only reacting when it should
be. With life stress (mental, physical, emotional), our cortisol will
elevate and then decrease as cortisol “reserves” are used up. It is
this decrease that causes an increase in immune system activity that
can lead to hyperactivity.

Support your adrenal gland with adrenal cortex, L-tyrosine, Licorice,
B-vitamins (pantothenate especially) and adaptogenic herbs like
Rhodiola, Schizandra, Ginseng, Eleuthero root and Ashwaganda. I use
Biogenesis’ BioAdreno, Integrative Therapeutics’ Adrenal Stress End and Natura’s Vital Adapt to this end. Additionally, start journaling to
find out “why” you are feeling stress and address the cause.

3. Stabilize the immune system and inhibit the mast cells from
releasing histamine.  I like to use higher doses of Vitamin d,
Quercetin, Stinging Nettles, Butterbur, Acerola cherry, Manuka honey,
Wasabi and Licorice. This all contained in Natura’s Aller-Res-Q.

Come on in for a visit to determine how best we can tailor the above protocol to you, or let us know if you want to try one of the above products by emailing us at admin@doctorevan.com.

Hope this helps you relieve your allergy symptoms! Get well and stay well!

Are you, or someone you know, looking for a provider who practices
Integrative Medicine, Holistic Medicine or Functional Medicine?

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Membership Program and select a provider.

We look forward to assisting you on your journey to wellness!

Here are some of the causes of fatigue and the questions that I ask to
determine the cause. When these causes are identified and treated,
complete resolution is probable – though it usually takes 1-3 years
depending on the patient’s presenting status.

1. Sleep: what time do you go to bed? how often do you wake up during
the night? do you snore? do you require any sleeping aids? what do you
do in your bedroom? do you have a TV in your bedroom? computer?
2. Hormones: what is your thyroid function? adrenal function? have
these values every been tested? I recommend blood, saliva or urine
hormone testing depending on the answers. do you have exercise
exhaustion? do you crave salt/sugar? are you menopausal? andropausal
(male menopause)?
3. Infections: have you ever had mononucleosis? traveler’s diarrhea?
any foreign travel? stressful life event followed by illness? do you
have allergies in your family? autoimmune diseases in your family?
have you ever had a root canal? blood and stool testing for virus,
bacteria, fungus and/or spirochetes can get to the bottom of the
fatigue depending on the answers received.
4. Nutritional deficiencies: are you deficient in any nutrients that
you know of? many symptoms can be the result of nutrient deficiencies.
blood and urine testing can help us identify the cause and support the
whole body and its biochemical processes with repletion.
5. Exercise: do you exercise regularly? lack of exercise can be a
cause of fatigue.
6. Heavy Metals: do you have any known exposure to heavy metals? do
you have mercury amalgams? do you grind your teeth?

So, there’s my list of causes for fatigue. If you have fatigue,
hopefully this will supply some questions for you to ponder. I
recommend a physician/provider competent in Integrative, Holistic,
Functional or Environmental Medicine to help you navigate how to
proceed.

We have a Membership Program for distance patients that allows us to
treat you over Skype or phone calls for a low monthly fee. Please see
our Payment Options tab for more information.

Be well!

New National Survey Shows Majority of Americans United on Labeling of
Genetically Engineered Food

Washington, D.C. (March 27, 2012) – The Just Label It (JLI) Campaign
announced today that a record-breaking one million Americans of all
political persuasions have called on the FDA to label genetically
engineered (GE) foods. The campaign also announced a new national
survey revealing that Americans across the political spectrum stand
united in support of labeling food that has been genetically
engineered. This is a striking contrast to the partisan divisions
plaguing our political system.

“Pink slime, deadly melons, tainted turkeys, and BPA in our soup have
put us all on notice that what we eat and feed our families is
critically important,” said Ken Cook, President of the Environmental
Working Group, a JLI partner. “Americans overwhelmingly demand safety,
transparency and labeling of genetically engineered foods. It’s time
for the FDA to come clean and restore public confidence in our food
system.”

Since October, JLI, (www.justlabelit.org), the national campaign to
require GE-food labeling and its more than 500 partner organizations
have spearheaded an historic number of public comments for a GE-foods
labeling petition (Docket #FDA 2011-P-0723-001/CP). March 27 is the
date when the FDA is required to respond to the petition. It took less
than 180 days to accumulate the record number of comments.

“In recent years, Americans have shown a real interest in knowing more
about our food and now there is a clear mandate for the labeling of
genetically engineered foods. This petition asks the FDA to stand up
for the rights of average Americans, and not just a handful of
powerful chemical companies. It’s time for the FDA to give Americans
the same rights held by citizens in forty nations, including all of
our major trade partners, to know whether our foods have been
genetically modified. The FDA needs to restore confidence in our food
and our right to know about the food we eat and feed our families,”
said Gary Hirshberg, chairman of Stonyfield, a JLI partner.

New Survey Results: Motherhood, Apple Pie and GE Food Labeling
Consumer support for GE-foods labeling in the U.S. is nearly
unanimous, according to the political opinion survey on GE food
labeling conducted by The Mellman Group on behalf of JLI. Explained
pollster Mark Mellman, “Few topics other than motherhood and apple pie
can muster over 90 percent support, but labeling GE-foods is one of
those few views held almost unanimously.” “The survey found nearly all
Democrats (93% favor, 2% oppose), Independents (90% favor, 5% oppose)
and Republicans (89% favor, 5% oppose) in favor of labeling. The study
also revealed that support for labeling is robust and arguments
against it have little sway. (For the survey findings, visit
www.justlabelit.org)

Colorado mother and author Robyn O’Brien, who founded the AllergyKids
Foundation, a JLI partner, after one of her children had an allergic
reaction to breakfast, said: “Americans are responding to the call for
GE foods labeling because they want more information for their
families. Like allergen labeling, GE-food labels would provide
essential and possibly life-saving information for anyone with a food
allergy. Being responsible for the health and safety of my children, I
believe it’s my right to know about the food I feed my family…from
allergens, to ‘pink slime’ to GE foods.”

Come join us for a scavenger hunt, prizes, music and great food! It’s
good to celebrate!