“Obtaining a comprehensive thyroid panel is essential to rule out thyroid disorder as a possible cause of depression. The medical literature has discovered a link between low T3 and long-standing depression. In fact the common treatment of hypothyroidism with Synthroid (a T4-only thyroid medication) may be contributing to an increase in depressive symptoms due to its inability to address a deficient T3.”
Michael Jurgelewicz, DC, DACBN, DCBCN, CNS
There are only a few natural products that have demonstrated such a wide range of protective properties as curcumin. Turmeric has three main bioactive components, namely curcumin, desmethoxycurcumin and bisdemethoxycurcumin. These curcuminoids have many biological effects including anti-inflammatory, antioxidant, antitumor, antibacterial, and antiviral properties.
According to a study published in Complementary Therapies in Medicine, another application can be added to this list: addressing dyslipidemia in patients with type II diabetes. Researchers demonstrated that curcuminoid supplementation can reduce lipoprotein(a) and increase HDL-C, which may reduce the risk of a cardiovascular event in these patients.
This study included a total of 82 patients with type II diabetes, 18 to 65 years of age. Each patient took either 1000 mg of standardized curcumin or a placebo for 12 weeks. Baseline lab testing included serum triglycerides, total cholesterol, HDL-C, non-HDL-C, and lipoprotein(a). At the end of the 12 weeks there was a significant reduction of serum lipoprotein(a) and an increase in HDL-C concentrations only seen in the curcuminoid group. There were no significant changes in total cholesterol, LDL-C, and triglycerides in either group.
This is an interesting study since the ability to influence lipoprotein(a) is very limited. Niacin is one of the only natural agents that can significantly reduce lipoprotein(a); however, it is not effective for everyone.
Health care providers have many tools today to assess cardiovascular health and support the body's physiology, and it is essential to perform a thorough assessment of these patients. This may include looking at lipid fractionation profiles, chronic inflammatory markers (ferritin, hs-CRP, fibrinogen), nutrient markers (magnesium, potassium, selenium, copper, folate, B12, B6, zinc, and calcium), fat soluble nutrients (vitamins A, D, E & K, and CoQ10), oxidative stress factors (homocysteine, insulin, and lipid peroxidases), heavy metals, and fatty acid profiles. A successful treatment approach should include investigation into these various factors.
Source: Panahi Y, Khalili N et al. Curcuminoids modify lipid profile in type 2 diabetes mellitus: A randomized control trial. Complementary Therapies in Medicine. 2017 August;22:1-5.
Copied with permission from Functional Medicine University—-
The information on this website is not intended to replace a one-on-one relationship with a qualified health care professional and is not intended as medical advice. It is intended as a sharing of knowledge and information from the research and experience of Dr. Grisanti and his functional medicine community. Dr. Grisanti encourages you to make your own health care decisions based upon your research and in partnership with a qualified health care professional.
Visit www.FunctionalMedicineUniversity.com for more information on our training in functional medicine. Look for practitioners who have successfully completed the Functional Medicine University's Certification Program (CFMP) www.functionalmedicinedoctors.com.
The divine may be experienced through a variety of means. In various global spiritual traditions, including prayer, a meditation on sacred texts, participation in religious ceremonies, and going on pilgrimages. There are other means of achieving a religious experience that is perhaps not so common in the Western world. One of these is through the medium of dance, with one of the most famous examples being the incredible whirling dervish dance, called the Sema, practiced by the Sufi Mevlevi Order.
Metabolism is a term that is used to describe all chemical reactions involved in maintaining the living state of the organism and the cells.
A substantial amount of scientific research has shown that meditation can influence the biological concentrations of several human hormones and neurotransmitters, many of which are known to be linked to biological control of stress and mood.
Corrective Exercise is used to help assess and determine the root cause of imbalances and faulty movement patterns that lead to issues with posture, balance, and total body coordination.
Belly dancing is an exercise that is low-impact suitable for all ages and levels of fitness. It benefits the spine and improves the torso’s flexibility.
Belly dancing is an exercise that is low-impact suitable for all ages and levels of fitness. It benefits the spine and improves the torso’s flexibility.
There are many steps found in the various styles of belly dancing performed all over the world, Read below to learn about the classic steps that come back throughout several periods in history…
Qigong is an ancient Chinese practice that includes gentle movement, breath work, visualization techniques, and strength training and is derived from a 4,000-year-old Chinese philosophy.
Qigong can help benefit our breathing, our posture, and stabilize our heart health. Read below to learn about two different types of Qigong.
International Dance Day on April 29th is an annual celebration of how dancing positively impacts our lives. The human body’s ability to move, groove, pop, and the lock has captivated the way we interact with music and express ourselves artistically.
“People reflect each other constantly, but when they dance, perhaps what they reflect most is that moment of honesty.” -Sidi Larbi Cherkaoui, dancer and choreographer, message author for International Dance Day 2012.
Eating at home is often a much better option than eating out. Most restaurants use oils that are high in inflammatory omega 6 fatty acids and use commercially raised meats and produce. At home, you have the power to fuel your body correctly by selecting high-quality meats and produce that will be healthier for you and your family.
Enjoy a home-cooked meal of Grass-fed Meatloaf with Sun-Dried Tomatoes, Mashed Potatoes, and Asparagus
With each New Year, many of us set goals or resolutions for the upcoming year and take stock of the year that has passed.
Most of us are products of a society that defines success in terms of material supply. Yet true success is demonstrated by wholeness, which is only experienced by walking in alignment with the needs of your soul.
Everyone experiences anxiety or nervousness about stressful situations from time to time, but many people face debilitating anxiety that can make daily activities difficult and unpleasant.
There are many ways for people to treat anxiety naturally. Exercise is an easy way for people to heal naturally.
Other ways for people to naturally treat anxiety are spending time outdoors, gardening, meditation, yoga, acupuncture, aromatherapy, massage, biofeedback, creating a regular sleep schedule, and more
Finding ways to relax and to let yourself be creative is a necessity in maintaining a happy and healthy life.
“When you use imagery, colors, shapes, and designs as a part of your therapeutic process, your thoughts and feelings can be expressed through your art, rather than words that are often difficult to articulate to others.” (heysigmund) Art therapy can be practiced through ways that range from sculpting to painting.
Saturated fats and cholesterol have been a part of people’s diets since the beginning of time as they were acquired through animal fats. Healthfully sourced saturated fats are not harmful and are a necessity in everyone’s daily life.
Saturated fats found in well-sourced animal products are much easier for the body to break down, hold up better under heat, and are a better option for maintaining a healthy weight. Polyunsaturated fats found in nuts & seed oils do not hold up well under heat and create more free radical damage in the body, thereby creating more inflammation. While the oils in fatty fish are essential for brain and heart health, their oils go rancid easily and should be consumed from fresh sources, avoiding fish oils that tend to go rancid.
“Meditation is the habitual process of training your mind to focus and redirect your thoughts” (healthline).
Meditating can radiate positive energy through practitioners, leading them to pour out this energy into the world to the people around them.
When thinking of pain as a mindset, practitioners may be able to control the level of pain they feel through meditation as they remove stress and focus on meditating.
Myofascial Release is used to treat Myofascial pain syndrome that can often be caused by sensitivity or tightness in the Myofascial tissues.
Research has shown that Fascia works as a distributive network that can become constrained, which requires healing to relieve pressure and pain
“Myofascial release works the broader network of muscles that might be causing your pain. It tries to reduce tension throughout your body by releasing trigger points across a broad section of your muscular system.”
