Do you ever feel like you are being bombarded with so much nutritional, diet, health information that you don't know where to start, what is truly effective or beneficial or what is just a bunch of hooey?
I just came back from my second visit with my new alternative medicine doctor. My blood and saliva tests results came back...and, the results are somewhat mixed and confusing!
My thyroid levels are fine. As I expected, my estogen, progesterone and testosterone were all too low. This is easily fixed with my new compound bio-identical hormones. However, My LDL cholesterol is low. We will have to monitor this one closely. The DR did say that my Southbeach diet might resolve this one.
Now, my DHEA is too low. My Cortisol is too low in the morning and too high at night. My Vitamin D and B12 are too low. My Fibrinogen Antigen and Homocyst are very very high. Apparently, these last two things are some of the warning signs of heart disease in my future.
Wow! I am just overwhelmed. I came home with about $80 dollars worth of nutritional supplements and he wants me to come in once a week for a month to six weeks for an IV for vitamins and nutrients because I am mal-nourished! I'm not so sure what I should believe and what is just a bunch of garbage. My conventional medical doctors are not pro-active enough for me, yet this alternative medicine doctor might be too pro-active. I'm just so confused. Of course, these alternative treatments are not covered by insurance.
Anybody have any experience with IV therapy for vitamins and minerals? Any knowledge regarding DHEA? How about inflammation in the body and around the heart? I'm somewhat of a sceptic, yet I do believe that there are things about our bodies that conventional medicine has yet to catch onto and keep up with. I want to be the healthiest I can be, I just don't want to get caught up in a craze or a fad.
Sweetie, for the most part all you did there was confuse me. I'm gonna be the skeptic I think... I'm not much for doctors .... conventional or not conventional either way... I'm the one that will only go for a test when its absolutely necessary. I'm not to sure what an alternative medicine doctor does but I think I would seek another opinion. Weekly appointments not covered by insurance is gonna get real pricey to not be sure about it. I don't know... I can't say I know much about any of it or that I understand any of it...but all that you wrote sounds awful fishy to me.
Hi Rhonda, I am confused too. You said your LDL was low. Your LDL should be low and your HDL high. That is what I've always been told.
I usually try to eat my vitamins instead of taking supplements. I've taken supplements in the past like when I was on Atkins.
I feel better when I eat healthy instead of pills. That is me.
A few suggestions: If you are low in Vitamin D Eat:
salmon, tuna, fortified cereals, low fat dairy
B12:
Turkey and chicken breast
Inflammation fighting foods are:
oranges, berries, carrots, sweet potatoes, orange bell peppers, pumpkin, pomegranates, spices, nuts, onions, broccoli.
I know this list is not complete.
I would use google and do some research if I was you.
Good luck
Rhonda I don't have a clue as to what to say to you. I have enough problems trying to decipher what my regular MD tells me, yet alone an alternative Dr. Obviously you have some faith in this method or you wouldn't have gone to him in the first place. I'm assuming he was recommended to you? I don't know, an IV once a week for 6 months..... yeah, I'd be skeptical too. Perhaps you should try another medical MD? Something just doesn't sound quite right to me.
WOW! That is alot of information. I believe information is power. You have the info, now do something about it. Why not call a nutritionist and see if a professional (that's not trying to sell you something) can decifer it for you!
Hi Everyone. Thanks so much for responding. Sharon, I meant to say that my LDL levels are high....I wish they were low! I feel a bit better now that I've done a little research. Sandi, you are right. Information is power. I pulled out my copy of You: The Owner's Manual and re-read the information on the heart. Yep, Dr's Roizen and Oz do talk about Fibrinogen, Homocysteine and Vitamin B-12. My lab results are giving me clear warning that I could be a future heart attack or stroke victim without some additional dietary and lifestyle changes. Starting today, I will be taking my aspirin, folate and B vitamins. I will also be increasing my workouts into the cardio zone to strengthen my heart. And, I will be practicing the deep breathing and stretching that Dr's Roizen and Oz recommend for relieving stress. And, one of the most important things...I will be getting at least 7-8 hours of sleep a night. I'm still not too sure about having the six weeks of IV therapy. I still need to research this one.
I can only wonder what my tests results would have been if they were taken before I started working out and eating right! I'm thankful that I do have this information and can do something now to prevent a stroke or heart attack.
You might consider asking your real doctor, primary care physician to refer you to a nutritionist/registered dietician.....If he had run those tests for you they would have been covered by your insurance. Weekly vitamin shots? I couldn't do that......
I'll be the farm that as your weight comes down, your levels will also become more normal. It was good to be pro-active and get a 2nd opinion, but don't let the Alternative doctor sell you his line of supplements either as your only option.
Wow, Rhonda, I'd say you've done a GREAT thing for yourself. I would love to be armed with as much information about my body as you got today! While it might be a lot to digest right away, it's still great to know and you can make slow changes. I'm a huge advocate of alternative health and alternative methods to wellness. Many MDs don't even take one nutrition course in school and many others are only required one. I'm not sure they are the best route in terms of nutritional health. A good nutritionist or ND would be a better bet.
However, having said that, you do need to find an alternative health doctor (if you continue to go that route) that suits your needs. I don't necessarily doubt that what this doctor told you to do isn't going to be good for you but he should also understand financial limits and, for goodness sake, baby steps! Maybe you can talk to him or her again and A) get a better understanding as to why this needs to be done, B) ask if it can be held off or obtained in some other form (i.e. food), and C) do they have to be so close together? Can you do them every other month or just "as you can afford".
The best advice I can give you is traditional doctor or alternative doctor, don't do what you are not comfortable doing. All in all though, you have some awesome knowledge about yourself now and this puts you in total power over your health!
You've lost 17 lbs.. and that's great. But let's be honest... you are still somewhat at the beginning of the journey. Let's see the weight come down and then I bet your numbers would improve. Doesn't ww say that your numbers improve generally after you've lost 10% ?? Do you take a multi-vitamin? I hear you about saying that your "regular" dr is not proactive enough. My doctor never says anything to me about my weight... and you would think he should be alarmed.
Sometimes I think it's all about the $$. It seems to be that reg docs push the rx drugs.
Listen to yourself here.. if you think it could be a scam.. I bet it is. Sure they may make you "feel" better... but you will end up broke too.
Another question... how many of these numbers are genetic too... I would ask.. or do research on that too.
Information Overload?
