Author Archives: Stefanie FNP-C, MEP-C

About Stefanie FNP-C, MEP-C

Stefanie is a certified Family Nurse Practitoner specializing in Bioidentical Hormones, Weight Loss, Nutrition, Digestions, as well as Cosmetic Procedures. Stefanie is in private practice in the North Scottsdale area and has helped many women and men feel great and look great.

Estrogen and Mood

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We all know how improtant estrogen is for our bones and for those who have experienced declining levels know about the pesky hot flashes, but estrogen has a multitude of function in the body…in fact about 300!  A very important function of estrogen is its ability to keep us in a good mood!

Estrogen stimulates a significant increase in receptors-dopamine 2 receptors-whose disregulation is associated with mood disorders and schizophrenia. Studies have shown that blood levels of serotonin are lower in postmenopausal women. Estrogen levels vary or correlate with blood levels of serotonin. In a clinical study in which estrogen was given to rats with ovaries removed has been shown to increase serotonin binding sites.

Estrogen affects the synthesis, release, reuptake, and breakdown of serotonin.

Often women in menopause
of even peri menopause experience low mood and are quickly put on Prozac or other serotonin reuptake inhibitors…there is no such thing as a Prozac deficiency…but it could be an Estrogen deficiency.

For more info contact Stefanie FNP-C  stefanie@thesshh.com

Cant Sleep?

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It is clear that many of us are suffering from the horrible condition of “insomnia” as evidenced by the number of commercials for sleep aids and the astronomical sale of Ambien.  Unfortunately these medication will “knock you out” but do not provide you with the restorative sleep the brain needs to have each night to continue working properly.  You, also need quality sleep to continue working properly, lack of sleep has been demonstrated to lead to a host of chronic diseases.  If you are an unfortunate insomniac I would highly encourage to look into the causes such as caffeine, stress, sleep apnea and many medication that we commonly take can also lead to insomnia.  For a list see below!!

  • Blood pressure medication:  clonidine, beta-blockers, reserpine
  • Hormones: oral contraceptives, thyroid medications, cortisone, progesterone
  • Bronchodilators
  • Decongestants
  • Nicotine
  • Caffeine
  • Diet pills
  • Quinidine
  • Aspirin
  • Cold and cough medications
  • Quinolones
  • levadopa

If you are suffering from insomnia a much better alternative is melatonin 3-5 mg.  Not only will it effectively provide you with the right kind of sleep the brain and body needs, it also functions as an antioxidant for the brain…bonus!!

 

Micro Nutrient Deficiencies and Weight Gain

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Could Nutrient
Deficiency be Causing Your Weight Gain?

A recent article in the Journal of International Society of Sports Nutrition states that research has shown that micronutrient deficiency to be scientifically linked to a higher risk of overweight and obesity, not to mention other major disease states.  Given
that more than two thirds of the U.S. population is overweight or obese, research shows that one-third is on a diet at any given time.  The concern is, some of the most popular diets are not providing the minimum level of the 27 micronutrients as determined by
the U.S. FDA, reference daily intake (RDI) guidelines.  It is well documented that the various micronutrient consume through diet and supplementation are necessary for
various enzymatic processes in the body that affect energy production, digestion,
elimination, hormone regulation, mood…etc and if lacking can also contribute to
weight gain and obesity.

The popular diets that were examined in the study were the Atkins, South Beach Diet, and the DASH diet. These diet plans were found to be deficient in in the RDI of the 27
micronutrients analyzed.  Consistently among these diets were deficiencies in Iodine, Chromium, Vitamin D, Vitamin B7, Vitamin E, and Molybdenum.  This suggests
that if you are following a popular diet plan and not supplementing with a pharmaceutical grade multi-vitamin, you may be not only making weight loss more
challenging, but possibly also inducing deficiencies that could lead to chronic disease.

For a micronutrient evaluation and supplementation call Stefanie FNP-C, MEP-C at Wellness Center Scottsdale 480-861-0338 to schedule an appointment or email at Stefanie@thesshh.com

Gluten Acne Connection

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Does it feel like nothing helps with your acne? You eat healthy, you live healthy and you’ve tried everything, but nothing helps. Your acne just won’t budge. You may suffer from gluten sensitivity and it may prevent you from curing acne.
Gluten sensitivity is one of those hidden and hard to detect causes behind many health problems. And something you might not think of in a million years. It also happens to be the reason many acne victims struggle to get clear skin.
Gluten – Acne Connection
How does gluten contribute to acne?
It is believed that acne is a result of blood sugar problems and chronic
inflammation. These trigger hormonal reactions that lead to increased sebum production, blocked pores and overgrowth of acne-causing bacteria. Gluten contributes to acne in two ways.

First, it causes damage to the small intestine, which could lead to nutritional deficiencies and an increased toxic body load (through leaky gut syndrome).

The second link between gluten and acne is inflammation. People with gluten sensitivity cannot digest gluten effectively. As a result they absorb incompletely digested protein molecules. The immune system treats these as invaders. As it attacks these ‘invaders’ the white cells release histamine, which increases inflammation. Inflammation increases insulin resistance in the nearby cells.

Insulin resistance leads to blood sugar problems, which is linked to acne. As this happens once in a while, the body can deal with it. But most people are exposed to gluten 3 or more times a day. This, coupled with other inflammatory agents, spreads inflammation all over the body. Suddenly cells all over the body start becoming insulin resistant.

 

Too find out if you are sensitive to Gluten, or would like nutritional counseling, contact Stefanie FNP-C, MEP-C at 480.861.0338 or stefanie@thesshh.com

5HTP What is it?

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Many of us hear about different supplement that are “good to take” but we aren’t really sure why.  5HTP is one we hear about often for mood, but what does it really do….see below.

5-hydroxytryptophan (5-HTP) is a chemical that the body makes from tryptophan (an essential amino acid, which must be obtained through food). After tryptophan is converted into 5-HTP, the chemical is then converted into another chemical called serotonin (a neurotransmitter, which relays signals between brain cells). 5-HTP dietary supplements help raise serotonin levels in the brain. Since serotonin helps regulate mood and behavior, 5-HTP may have a positive effect on sleep, mood, anxiety, appetite, and pain sensation. Many of the benefits include:

  • Precursor to serotonin production (90% of your serotonin is produced in you gut…so good digestive health i.e pro and prebiotics are critical for production as well).
  • Reduces appetite
  • Reduces cravings for carbohydrates
  • Improves mood
  • Research shows that it allows for weight loss without dieting
  • Helps diabetics to stay on their diets

For more information contact Stefanie FNP-C, MEP-C, at stefanie@thesshh.com or 480-419-6996 #1.

 

Magnesium: It’s more important than you think!

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And you are probably deficient, a recent study showed that nearly 1/2 of all Americans are due to more diet and nutrition.  So why should you care?

Magnesium is an essential mineral for staying healthy and is required for more than 300 biochemical reactions in the body. Multiple health benefits of magnesium include transmission of nerve impulses, body temperature regulation, detoxification, energy production, and the formation of healthy bones and teeth.

Women all ages benefit tremendously from magnesium. Besides keeping
osteoporosis at bay, it also provides relief from symptoms of menopause and premenstrual syndrome (PMS). It also minimizes the risk of premature labor.

There are manyother crucial health benefits of magnesium for men in women including: protein synthesis, relief from bronchospasm (constricted airways) in the lungs, and improvement of parathyroid function. It boosts the bio-availability of vitamin B6 and cholesterol, improves muscle functioning, and prevents osteoporosis, insomnia, constipation, heart attacks, hypertension, constipation, migraines, kidney stones, and gallstones.

For more info or to schedule a hormonal/nutritional eval contact Stefanie FNP-C 480-419-6996 or stefanie@thesshh.com

Alcohol and the Body

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ALCOHOL AND THE BODY

This time of year is one of increased stress for most people and increased parties!!!  That combination tends to lead to more alcohol consumption but be careful to over indulge. There is a limit to the amount of alcohol anyone can process in a given time (approximately 1 oz. per hour).  Women metabolize alcohol at a slower rate than men.  This limit is set by the number of molecules of the enzyme alcohol dehydrogenase that reside in the liver.The type of enzyme produced varies with individuals depending on their genes.

  • Alcohol interferes with the distribution of nutrients and oxygen to the liver cells.
  • Alcohol causes the stomach cells to over secrete histamine and acid.
  • Intestinal walls fail to absorb thiamine, folic acid, vitamin B6 and vitamin B12.
  • Liver cells lose efficiency in activating vitamin D.
  • Deficiencies of protein develop.
  • Lipoprotein synthesis is accelerated increasing blood triglyceride levels.
  • The body’s immune system is compromised.
  • The kidneys excrete increased quantities of magnesium, calcium, potassium and zinc.  This predisposes you to osteoporosis.
  • Amino acid metabolism in the liver is altered.
  • Bile production and excretion by the liver is altered.
  • Rod cells in the eyes are affected.
  • Alcohol interferes with medications.
  • There is a dangerous shift in the acid-base balance toward acid.

Hidden Sugars

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Sugar consumption is a major contributing factor to obesity in adults as well as children.  This further leads to increased incidence of many of the comorbidities we see today i.e Diabetes, Elevated Cholesterol, Heart Disease, Alzheimers.  Cutting down of sugar is critical but it take more than just eliminating cookies…there are many hidden sugars in foods.

  • Many meat packers feed sugar to animals prior to slaughter.  This improves the flavor and color of cured meats.
  • Sugar (in the form of corn syrup and dehydrated molasses) is often added to hamburgers sold in restaurants to reduce shrinkage.
  • The breading on many prepared foods contains sugar.
  • Before salmon is canned, it is often glazed with a sugar solution.
  • Some fast-food restaurants sell poultry that has been injected with a flavorful honey solution.
  • Sugar is used in the processing of luncheon meats, bacon, and canned meats.
  • Sugar is found in such unlikely items as bouillon cubes and dry-roasted nuts.
  • Sugar is found in beer, wine and other alcoholic beverages.  Champagne and cordials have an unusually high sugar content.
  • Sugar is often added to the syrup in canned fruits.
  • Peanut butter and many dry cereals contain sugar.
  • Some salt contains sugar.
  • Almost half the calories found in most commercial ketchups come from sugar.
  • Over 90 percent of the calories found in the average can of cranberry sauce come from sugar.

 

Acne and Gluten

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Does it feel like nothing helps with your acne? You eat healthy, you live healthy and you’ve tried everything, but nothing helps. Your acne just won’t budge. You may suffer from gluten sensitivity and it may prevent you from curing acne.
Gluten sensitivity is one of those hidden and hard to detect causes behind many
health problems. And something you might not think of in a million years. It
also happens to be the reason many acne victims struggle to get clear skin.
For those hypersensitive to gluten, a perfect diet and healthy lifestyle won’t
clear your skin because of regular exposure to gluten.

So how does gluten contribute to acne?
It is believed that acne is a result of blood sugar problems and chronic
inflammation. These trigger hormonal reactions that lead to increased sebum
production, blocked pores and overgrowth of acne-causing bacteria.

Gluten contributes to acne in two ways.

First, it causes damage to the small intestine, which could lead to nutritional deficiencies and an increased toxic body load (through leaky gut syndrome).

The second link between gluten and acne is inflammation. People with gluten sensitivity cannot digest gluten effectively. As a result they absorb incompletely digested protein
molecules. The immune system treats these as invaders. As it attacks these
‘invaders’ the white cells release histamine, which increases inflammation.
Inflammation increases insulin resistance in the nearby cells.
Unfortunately, gluten is everywhere including nearly all processed foods which
constitute the majority of most American’s diet.  Gluten can even be found in items you
wouldn’t think of, such as lipsticks, shampoos and vitamins.

For a hormone/nutrtional consultation contact Stefanie FNP-C 480-861-0338 or visit www.THESSHH.com or www.wellnesscentercenter.com

Herb News: Aloe Vera

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ALOE VERA-help for Psoriasis

Aloe Vera
can be traced back 6,000 years to early Egypt, where the plant was depicted on stone carvings.  Known as the “plant of immortality,” aloe was presented as a burial gift to deceased pharaohs.

What is ALOE used for:

Traditionally,used to treat wounds and various skin conditions, and orally as a laxative. Today, in addition to traditional use, people take ALOE orally to treat a variety of
conditions including diabetes, asthma, epilepsy, and osteoarthritis.  Topically, ALOE is used for osteoarthritis, burns, sunburns, and psoriasis.

ALOE is found in hundreds of products from supplements, sunblocks and lotions.

The Science:

The applicable part of ALOE is the leaf. From the leaf multiple components of aloe can be extracted.  Most aloe containing products use the aloe gel or latex.

Aloe latex  (a dried substance produced from the green part of the leaf surrounding the
gel) has strong laxative component due to the cathartic effects of the
anthraquinones in the aloe and at one time was regulated by the FDA as OTC
laxatives.  They were all removed from the market in 2002 because the company manufacturers did not supply adequate safety data.

PSORIASIS:  applying aloe extract 0.5% cream topically 3x’s day for 4 weeks significantly improves and increases the resolution of psoriatic plaques.  Early studies have shown that aloe topically helps heal burns and abrasions.  However, one study showed that aloe inhibited healing of deep surgical wounds.