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Questions and Answers Segment
Your questions answered
every 2 weeks. If you have a question for Dr Elstein,
click here.
QUESTION 1:
You say that cortisol causes leptin resistance. I
find that very interesting and I was wondering if you
could direct me to research that demonstrates this.
Answer:
Cortisol is the stress hormone and there is
evidence linking the over-secretion of this hormone both
with insulin and leptin resistance which makes it more
difficult to lose weight.
Leptin is the hormone which tells us to stop
eating when we have had enough but once we start to put
on weight this mechanism ceases to operate efficiently
which compels us to eat even more.
If you go to the ‘Medline’ site, which you
can access, via the Google search engine you will find
studies that detail this process.
For example I have included excerpts from an
abstract which explains this:
Clin Endocrinol (Oxf). 2000 Jan;52(1):107-12.
‘The
innate immune response and type 2 diabetes: evidence
that leptin is associated with a stress-related
(acute-phase) reaction.’
Pickup JC, Chusney GD, Mattock MB. ‘CONCLUSIONS: Serum
leptin concentrations in type 2 diabetes are partly
related to an acute-phase or stress response,
independent of BMI and sex. The association of
hyperleptinaemia with elevated serum cortisol provides a
mechanism for leptin resistance in type 2 diabetes (glucocorticoids
inhibit the central action of leptin). This study
provides further support for the theory that type 2
diabetes is associated with chronic innate immune
activation.’
QUESTION 2: I have read both your book,
‘Eternal Health’, and ‘Eat Right for your Blood
Type’. My questions are: in Eat Right for your
Blood Type (I am O positive) it says that I should avoid
cabbage and cauliflower and eat red meat. Firstly your
book recommends that these vegetables contain essential
vitamins and minerals to assist in all sort of things -
what can I eat that will replace these and give the same
effect? It also recommends that I eat red meat (I
prefer a vegetarian diet) - what do I substitute the
meat with?
Answer: You
have to tailor this information to your needs.
There are many other vegetables to choose from
such as spinach, broccoli and bok choy that can provide
you with the essential vitamins and minerals.
If you elect not to consume red meat then white
meat, fish, eggs, beans, nuts, and rice can provide you
with your protein needs.
If you decide to follow the ‘Blood type diet’
then you have to see whether these suggestions fit in
with the recommendations of this diet.
QUESTION 3: I've purchased and wish to
start taking Neurazest for tinnitus but am concerned
with possible interactions with other pharmaceutical
medications that I am taking for other conditions.
I'm taking OXYNORM, TRITACE, STILNOX and EZETROL.
Is Neurazest able to be taken in combination without any
adverse affects?
Answer: I
could not find any evidence that Neurazest clashes with
any of these medications.
QUESTION
4:
1.What is your opinion about Nutritional
Supplementations?
2.Do you believe in the concept of 'Oxidative Stress'?
3.Do you believe that we need to supplement our diet
with optimum level of NUTRIENTS rather than
RDA(Recommended Dietary Allowance)?
4 Do you believe if we supply enough antioxidants to our
body we can slow down the process of aging?
Answer:
Unquestionably we need supplementary
antioxidants to optimize our health and this may slow
down the aging process and contribute to the prevention
of the diseases of aging such as Alzheimer’s dementia,
Parkinson’s disease, cancer and heart disease which
are all linked to the excessive accumulation of
oxidative stress or free radical damage.
The Recommended Dietary Allowance recommendation
is only intended to prevent deficiency diseases rather
than provide us with nutrients levels that will maximize
our functioning and therefore these suggestions are
woefully inadequate.
QUESTION 5: After
12 years of remission if have Grave’s disease again.
I have lost my sex drive and wonder whether this
is linked?
Answer:
Once your thyroid hormones are out of balance
this can certainly impact your sexual function although
there are many other factors to evaluate such as the
levels of your other hormones, your nutritional status,
the quality of your relationship and your stress levels
to name but a few.
You would need to review these with your doctor.
QUESTION 6: I
have been diagnosed with inflammation of the lower
oesophagus which first occurred in June of 2004.
Xanax and Nexium were prescribed. In January of
this year I developed a condition whereby my tongue felt
hot, as if I could breath fire. Is this also a
symptom of heartburn, or acid reflux, or Barretts
oesophagitis? Nexium does not seem to help much.
What foods, or herbs could I be consuming as alternates
to prescriptions?
Answer:
The experience of a hot tongue might be
related to acid reflux or be associated with B vitamin
or iron deficiencies as well as other possibilities and
I would strongly recommend that you have this reviewed
by your doctor. There
are natural remedies such as slippery elm which can be
used to manage inflammation.
I have also found that exploring gluten
intolerance and yeast overgrowth and treating either or
both of these if they are present can lead to positive
outcomes.
QUESTION
7: I was diagnosed with primary
vestibulitis some time ago, though it's believed I have
had it for years. I only discovered it upon first
attempt at intercourse when I married. My husband
and I have tried a variety of treatments and are now
considering surgery. We cannot have intercourse
due to the pain and it's very sad to live in a sex-less
marriage. Recently I was also diagnosed as a
celiac with a gluten intolerance. Thus, I will
begin a gluten-free diet. Have you ever heard of a
connection between celiac sprue and vestibulitis or
gastrointestinal disorders related to vestibulitis?
I'm wondering if a gluten-free diet might also affect my
chronic vaginal yeast problems and ultimately my
vestibulitis as well.
Answer:
I could not find a connection between gluten
intolerance and vestibulitis which is a painful vaginal
condition. This
does not mean that avoiding gluten won’t be helpful. Chronic vaginal yeast infection can be associated with gluten
intolerance. You
might find that treating yeast overgrowth aggressively
with a yeast-free diet as well as probiotics such as
acidophilus and bifidus and herbal compounds including
oregano, pau d’arco, olive leaf extract and others
might lead to considerable improvements.
Your partner should be on a similar programme.
QUESTION 8: I
am concerned about some hair loss I have been having.
I had a baby in May of last year, then was told I
had cervical cancer. I had a hysteroscopy with a DNC in
July. Then had a hysterectomy in Sept. I received a good
pap test so I was told I did not need in further
treatment except regular pap test every 3 to 4 months
for awhile. So why is my hair falling out?
Answer:
A gluten intolerance, nutritional
deficiencies, inadequate production of thyroid hormone,
excessive accumulation of stress, elevated levels of
male hormones including testosterone and
dihydrotestosterone which might be linked to a condition
known as insulin resistance and obesity as well as
immune dysfunction are all connected with hair loss.
These would need to be evaluated by your doctor.
QUESTION 9: I
recently had a highly sensitive C reactive Protein test
done. My results were 36.6mg/l in January and the
repeat test results were 26.2mg/l. What does this mean?
I had this test done in conjunction with other tests
(hormonal tests) Should I check this out further? I have
migraine headaches and the doctor said the increased
levels of HS-CRP could be from this.
I need advice on what to do.
Answer:
An elevated HS-CRP indicates that you have
increased inflammation present in your body indicating
that your immune system has become overactive.
This could be caused by a host of factors
including a viral, bacterial or fungal infection, food
allergy or intolerance, heavy metal overload, free
radical excess, insulin resistance associated with
obesity and other possibilities.
All of these can be eliminated with the
appropriate investigations, which can be performed by
your doctor.
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