Your Body Has the Ability to Heal Itself

January 26, 2009

painLast week I was interviewed for an upcoming PBS Series on Naturopathic Medicine. The topic was chronic pain. Throughout the interview I found myself repeating the notion that “the body has the ability to heal itself,” provided you give it what it needs and you remove the barriers to cure.  What the body needs can range from a particular combination of nutrients, herbs, and natural hormones, to more positive emotions.  Some of the most prevalent “barriers to cure” that I see in my  practice are stress, food allergies, and toxin overload.

Most people suffering with chronic pain are handed a prescription for pain killers and muscle relaxants and/or advised to get psychological help.  The Naturopathic approach to chronic pain involves identifying the cause of the pain; be it emotional, physical, stress-related, toxin-related or hormone-related. Then treatment is individualized to suit the patients’ unique situation. No two treatment protocols are the same.  My experience has been that by addressing the cause of the chronic pain at the emotional, mental and physical levels brings about the most successful long term results and allows for freedom of movement and a pain-free life.

The most important message here is that if you are experiencing chronic pain, you do not need to suffer.  There is a way to find relief. One of the best ways to find that relief is by addressing the underlying cause(s) of the pain rather then chronically masking the symptoms with medication…and allowing your own body, in its innate wisdom, to heal itself.

In health,

Dr. Gina

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Posted by Dr. Gina Nick

Toxic Chemicals in our Hospitals

November 14, 2008

A hopeful new report entitled “Taking Toxics out of Maryland’s Health Care Sector: transition to Green Pest Management Practices to Protect Health and the Environment” was recently published by the Maryland Pesticide Network and Beyond Pesticides, in collaboration with Maryland Hospitals for a Healthy Environment.

The report discusses the results of a statewide survey that revealed a general reliance on toxic pesticides at Maryland Hospitals and elder care facilities.  There were 25 pesticides identified by the survey that are used at these facilities. And of these, 11 the cockroachare linked to cancer, 12 are associated with neurological effects, 10 are associated reproductive harm, 5 cause birth or developmental defects, 10 cause liver and kidney damage, and 6 are suspected endocrine disruptors.

Pesticides are extremely toxic to the body and it does not make sense that they are being used in healthcare facilities. Even though they are classified as “safe” by the federal government, there is a compounding effect.  This means that if you were only exposed to a “safe” dose of a single pesticide, and you were otherwise a healthy individual, then you may not see immediate effects. However, these toxins accumulate in fat cells and, over time, lead to cellular damage.  Also, you are never only exposed to one toxin at a time.  Your body is exposed to many different toxins at one time, and the added exposure to a known toxic pesticide will lead to a combined damaging effect on the body, regardless of its classification as being “generally recognized as safe.”

The Human Detoxification System is equipped to remove toxins from your body on a minute by minute bases. And it is a brilliant system.  However, it is not designed to handle the sheer volume of toxins that we are exposed to in our society today- through our food, water, air and the mental and emotional stresses of our time.  So eventually, your body’s ability to remove toxins slows down, and the toxins get stored near your cellular DNA, causing damage.

To learn more about toxins, and their impact on the body click here. Eight years ago I published a medical textbook on the effects of toxins on the human body and the use of herbal and nutritional medicines to support the Human Detoxification System, and protect the body from harm. My intention with writing the book was to bring scientific evidence to the timeless health tradition of cleansing the body and to inspire physicians and medical students to employ this simple health program to prevent and treat many diseases of the human body, mind and spirit.

Equally important to taking steps to detoxify your body, you must also remove sources of toxins from the environment as much as is possible.  To learn about natural alternatives to toxic pesticides click here and here for some straightforward advice.

In health,

– Dr. G

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Posted by Dr. Gina Nick

Antioxidants can Protect the Body from Heavy Metal Toxicity

November 10, 2008

A new research study just published in Food and Chemical Toxicology points to the potential benefit of antioxidant therapy as a way to prevent and treat lead toxicity. This study was done on mice, and demonstrated that the underlying cause of lead toxicity is the production of free radicals that causes cellular damage.  Antioxidant therapy is an effective way to neutralize free radicals and potentially protect or treat the body from the damaging effects of heavy metals like lead.  The same mechanism holds true for other toxic metals including mercury, cadmium and arsenic.

This makes a lot of sense since free radicals tend to congregate within the mitochondria (the powerhouse of the cell) where the DNA is also housed.  Hence free radicals lead to DNA or genetic damage.  Antioxidants bind to free radicals and render them inactive so that they cannot damage the most vulnerable areas within the cell.

fruits_and_vegetables2

One of my favorite combinations for optimizing antioxidant status in the body is one scoop of ITI greens mixed with one heaping tablespoon of LTP Green Light in about 8 oz of water.  This   combination provides antioxidants in their most bio-available, potent and effective form, as designed by nature in its infinite brilliance – whole foods.  These green products also bind to toxins within the body and pull them out of stored tissues, oxygenates the blood, and are a critical foundational element to overall health and vitality.

I believe that everyone will benefit from taking steps daily to remove heavy metals from their system and to optimize their antioxidant capacity through whole, organic green foods.  I also recommend a 3 week systemic cleanse, at least two times per year to optimize your health and feel energized to fulfill your purpose(s) in Life.

In Health,

Dr. G

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Posted by Dr. Gina Nick

Integrative Medical Center Enters the Mainstream

September 19, 2008

On Sept. 2, the prestigious Johns Hopkins opened The Johns Hopkins Integrative Medicine and Digestive Center. This is another indication that Naturopathic and Integrative Medicine is coming into the mainstream, with credibility and integrity.  It is not a surprise that the center works primarily on digestive health issues-one of numerous areas where Naturopathic Medicine truly shines.  About 70% of immune system function is housed in the digestive tract, and licensed Naturopathic Medical Doctors are the most skilled-and the most extensively trained- on how to discover the underlying cause of digestive disorders and how to work with the body to support its natural healing response.  One foundational approach is to support detoxification. You can learn more about digestive health and its connection to the immune system by clicking here.

In health,

Dr. G

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Posted by Dr. Gina Nick

Wyeth’s Nutritional Supplement Claims Under Investigation

September 18, 2008

Wyeth, manufacturer of synthetic hormones for women is under investigation for making a false claim that it’s Centrum Cardio is the only complete supplement that lowers cholesterol.  That’s interesting because in my medical practice we use several different high quality nutritional supplements to lower cholesterol, that do not contain harmful binders, dyes, and things like hydrogenated oil, found in some Centrum products. One of the most profound treatments for lowering cholesterol levels that I use in my practice is a detoxification program that I researched, formulated and published a book about, entitled Clinical Purification.  I test my  patients’ blood before and after the program.  Patients who have been on statin medications for 10 years are able to discontinue them, with full blessing from their primary care doctor and cardiologist. Nature cure at its best.

–Dr. G

Leave a Comment » | cholesterol, Diet and Disease, Hormone Replacement Therapy, Latest Nutritional Research, Nutritional Supplements and Disease, Prevention, Toxins and Detoxification | Tagged: , , , , , , , | Permalink
Posted by Dr. Gina Nick

The Power of Probiotics

August 29, 2008

There is a lot of talk these days about the value of probiotics. Probiotics are the “good bacteria” that are naturally supposed to live in your gut. There are literally hundreds of strains of these bacteria, and they play an important role in immune function, weight loss, vitamin status, detoxification, absorption and digestion. When you take antibiotics, they clear out the “bad bacteria” in your gut, but they also clear out the good bacteria, and like every other system in the body, it is vital that you maintain balance in the gut. You need enough good bacteria in your gut to prevent bad bacteria from taking hold and causing symptoms. This bad bacteria can take many forms which can cause a wide range of symptoms such as a cold gas, bloating, fatigue and many others.

In my practice, one mistake I often see patients making is taking too much of one strain of a good bacteria, like acidophillus, to the exclusion of other good bacteria like Lactobacillus GG and sacharomyces.  When I test their levels of probiotics in their gut, I find that they have an overgrowth of one strain.  So again, it is about balance. If you take a probiotic, rotate which one you take, about every three months. Some of my favorites include ABX Support (especially if you are taking or have recently taken antibiotics), Probiotic Pearls and Culturelle.

Here’s to a healthy and happy gut!

-Dr. Gina

3 Comments | Diet and Disease, Nutritional Supplements and Disease, Prevention, Toxins and Detoxification, Weight loss | Tagged: , , , , , , , , , | Permalink
Posted by Dr. Gina Nick

New Study Finds that Scented Laundry Products, Air Fresheners are Hazardous to your Health

July 25, 2008

New research by the University of Washington shows that scented laundry detergents and fragrances are hazardous to your health.  The study looked at six of the leading laundry products and air fresheners and found that all of these products emitted nearly 100 disease-promoting volatile organic compounds and none of these chemicals were listed on the product labels. One of my books, Clinical Purification,  discusses ways in which volatile organic compounds lead to disease in the body, including cancer.  It is important to test for toxic chemicals and toxic damage in the body, and to detoxify the body as a means of preventing diseases in the future.  As this research study reveals, it is also important that we use non-toxic household products to minimize our exposure to disease-promoting chemicals. Fortunately there are lots of them available these days.  Some of my favorites include Thieves household cleaner and wipes (you can use the # 931983 to order the products direct from the manufacturer) and products by Seventh Generation.

–Dr. Gina

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Posted by Dr. Gina Nick

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