Hope you enjoy our April activities, see the April Events on the Navigation Bar for details. I am holding my first Anatomy of Nutrition Lecture on Saturday, May 1st at 9:15 see the calendar for details.  I have changed our phone system so you can choose various options instead of going directly to the service...i am also on the new schedule of hours as of Thursday.  I am in the process of changing our products and am offering FREE SHIPPING for online Orders soon, see the store for details.

This weeks forum topic is why people become addicted to junk food.

According to a landmark study in Nature Neuroscience last week, people can be addicted to junk food just like drugs, experience similar cravings and actually require larger and larger amounts to feel good and have an even harder time quitting than drug addicts.

Scientists at the prestigious Scripps Institute tested this theory by giving rats junk foods.  The rats experienced an increase in dopamine, which then would become depleted pending ingestion of more and more junk food.

The rats that had junk food available at all times became not only obese but compulsive eaters.  The most disturbing bit of information revealed that the depleted dopamine receptors returned to normal even in rats addicted to cocaine or heroin within two days but it took TWO WEEKS for the junk food rats.

Let's face it, there are tremendous financial incentives for companies to manipulate these behaviors.  Obesity related health issues cost the US over $150 billion dollars PER YEAR!!   Even so, most people are not ready for the government to regulate the food industry. Still, threats of heavy taxation has some large companies already taking action to reduce their foods harmful ingredients in order to avoid heft tax bills.

Still in the face of addiction, and lower prices...will it make any difference.  What are your thoughts?

Taryn DeCicco, ND, LAC, CCN

Nutritionist, Naturopath, Acupuncturist

Apple-A-Day-Clinic.COM

Your visits, referrals and product purchases are warmly appreciated! 

   With just a few days into the spring season, I would like to discuss eating with the spring season, according to Traditional Chinese Medicine this week.  This ancient system balances nutrition and dietary therapy according to individual constitution, yin and yang, 5 elements: water, wood, metal, fire, and air, and the seasons.

If you would like to learn more about your individual dietary needs according to this philosophy I encourage you to schedule an appointment for yourself.

According to TCM, the spring season is one where new young life bursts forth.  Young vegetables are preferred such as sprouts of wheatgrass, mung, beans, alfalfa, and radish.

The wood element rules the spring season and the organ associated with that element is the liver.  The climate for the wood element and the the liver is wind.

Health problems which occur during the spring season are:  stomach problems, acid reflux, diarrhea and of course seasonal allergies.  Please come in for support for these types of common spring ailments.  Chinese medicine addresses these problems by balancing the liver, kidneyys, spleen and lung.

Foods which soothe and cleanse the liver are green leafy vegetables such as dandelion greens, broccolli, kale, cabbage, and beets as well as root vegetables.

Greens and leafy vegetables are associated with soothing the liver and cleansing and freshening the body.  Citrus fruits,  pear, apple, celery and carrot are useful.  Balance is very important.  Apples have an important function in detoxification and cleansing of the liver, as does citrus fruits in cleansing the blood, and removing excess phlegm and dampness.

Young sources of protein such as veal or lamb if one is not vegan are also associated with the spring season, and have a place in our culture as well.

Taryn DeCicco, ND

Apple-A-Day Clinic, SC

847-577-4455

"Your visits, product purchases, and referrals are warmly appreciated"!

Thank you.

I have been so inundated by queries regarding the recent flu epidemic, as well as normal cold season, that I have been surprised yet again regarding the expectation level of my typical client regarding their health status.

I perhaps should not be surprised at this given the sense of entitlement people hold towards just about anything in our current cultural climate.  Yes, I've even seen it in friends and family members that I would have thought might have known better.

I think the prevalent and perhaps unspoken myth is that if one comes to me and does everything I suggest, that nothing unfavorable will ever happen to them, healthwise.  They will in essence experience perfect health.

That is a faulty assumption and I believe that it stems from a very black and white viewpoint our society holds towards health and illness in general, instead of the process or continuum approach that I take.  Illness by many doctors simply occurs at random unless well-established in the medical literature such as the connection between cigarette smoking and lung cancer.

In simplest terms, I look at health as if it were a bank account.  Health promoting behaviors such as Diet, Supplementation, Herbs, Exercise, Stress elimination, proper rejuvenative sleep and spiritual practices such as meditation build up the amount of savings in your "health bank". 

Stressors: allergens, many times out of one's control, germs, drama, sugar, alcohol, excess salt, sedentary lifestyle are withdrawals on that health account and deplete it's balance.  Excess weight is both a stressor and also a symptom of a greater disharmony internally.  Sometimes we have control of these events but sometimes we don't.

I will tell you, I exercise strenuously 5 times a week, enjoy a nearly perfect diet, do not have chronic stressors eating away at me, and have no lifestyle risk factors against me and still managed to get the flu this winter, an occupational hazard some of us might say.  Still, I was over it in about 5 days and was functional all that time, working at least a normal schedule.  Most of my friends and colleagues got way sicker, for far longer.

I don't believe that if you do even everything you can for your health it will ever be perfect.  What I do think is that you will experience fewer downtimes and recover faster, and need less heroics in terms of medical care, prescriptions and surgeries.  Most importantly, your health span, as I like to refer to it or the amount of time you feel physically good or great is substantially higher than the average persons.

I cannot even remember the last time I had a headache or when something hurt, other than from an injury.  That to me is the biggest advantage to depositing frequently to my "health bank ".

Next week we'll talk about dietary changes to make for the spring season.

Cheers!

Taryn DeCicco, ND, LAc, LDN

Apple-A-Day Clinic, SC

Apple-A-Day-Clinic.com

847-577-4455

The Associated Press has released news that the first case of drug resistant TB was found in the US, this past autumn.  The strain, extremely drug resistant strain: XXDR has never been seen before in the US, according to the Center for Disease Control.  XXDR is so rare only a handful of people in the world are thought to have it.

Over 40 years ago, the world considered TB, and other diseases conquered due to new wonder drugs: Antibiotics.  At the time, the US Surgeon General declared the war against infectious disease won.

Unfortunately, all the leading infectious diseases on the planet: TB, Malaria, and HIV among them are now mutating at an alarming rate.  Why? According to experts overuse and misuse of the medications that were supposed to eradicate them.

In Cambodia, scientists have confirmed the emergence of a new drug resistant form of Malaria which is threatening the only treatment left to fight a disease which kills one million people annually.

In Africa, mutant strains of HIV are being detected in 5% of new patients.  HIV drug resistance rates have shot up by 30% worldwide. 

In the US, drug resistant infections killed more than 65,000 people last year more than the combined deaths of breast and prostate cancer.  Over 19,000 people died of a staph infection which has been completely eliminated in Norway, where antibiotics are strictly limited.

Dr Frieden, Director of the CDC, states: "drug resistance is beginning to become a huge problem. TB is a huge potential problem as we are all connected by the air we breathe."

The World Health Organization, WHO, recently held its first drug-resistant TB conference last year.  The message was clear, that disease had already spread to all continents and is increasing rapidly.

Just as with so many things currently going on in the world, the man made solution to the problem of dangerous, infectious illness, antibiotics has now become a pandemic problem itself.

Greed from drug companies as well as counterfeit drug companies, giving drugs to the poor without properly monitoring their treatment and overprescription due to greed and laziness has led us to this very ominous place.

Respectfully submitted, 3/16/10

Taryn DeCicco ND, LAc, LDN

Apple-A-Day-Clinic.com

847-577-4455

                Greetings, All new stuff coming from me, please visit our updated website, March Calendar, and watch your emails for all new cool stuff.   Blessings, Taryn  3/12/10    

This week's topic is how to save money on healthcare....obviously, the biggest way is by staying healthy....and if you are a client you are already doing that....Here are some other suggestions for improving your health and saving some money at the same time!

#1 Knowledge is priceless....if you are reading this article you are doing so but how about your family and friends...check for free classes, lectures, cooking demos and the like you'll probably learn something and save money at the same time.

#2 Take advantage of free health screenings.  Preventing issues or limiting them before they become major issues is key.  Check out your community news for free or low cost screenings for diabetes, cholesterol, blood pressure, body mass and the like.  I offer many of these services in conjunction with your appointment.

#3 Attend local health fairs to get screenings, ask questions, or pick up fitness tips.

#4 If you or someone you know lacks insurance and employment they probably qualify for free healthcare in one of many free clinics across the USA.  Check out www.freeclinics.us for more information.

#5 Enroll in a flexible spending account which can be used for all kinds of healthcare services including that at Apple-A-Day Clinic, and save hundreds of dollars per year in taxes.

#6 Take advantage of free or trial fitness memberships.  Yoga studios, personal trainers and many healthclubs offer a trial period in which you can experience the ambiance of their services for free.

#7 Use freebie coupons on the web for favorite health related products to use while shpping.

#8 Attend a cooking demo such as offered at Whole Foods.  Cooking for yourself saves a ton of money and gives you control over the quality of food you're eating.

Best of health!

Taryn DeCicco, ND, CCN, LAc

 Hello & Happy Holidays! I am very sorry this is late but I have been struggling with a severe respiratory infection all week and I do also apologize for being inaccessible but I have no voice so it's been difficult to communicate with my service...etc....

Frankly I am still under the weather so please call before you come in this week just to make sure I am there.

Two very important announcements:

#1: The office will be closed from 12/21-and reopen on Tuesday 12/29...I will be open normal hours on Tuesday the 29th, and Wednesday the 30th.  Please make arrangements for supplement pick up around the holiday schedule.

#2: I will be changing my hours in January to 12:00 noon to 6PM on Tuesdays/Wednesdays and Thursdays and from 9AM to noon on Friday and Saturdays.  I am also going to use the answering service for appointment calls only, I believe, and you will be able to leave me confidential voicemails regarding orders etc, you will have to call a different telephone number to schedule appointments 24 hours daily or you can schedule yourself online.  The voicemail line will let callers know of my schedule, etc and how to reach me directly in cases of extreme urgency.  I have not worked out all the details yet but am in process of doing so.  I am listening to your comments and effecting change based on your feedback, thank you.

This weeks topic is one reason people don't heal, adreanl fatigue.

I am constantly amazed at how little the typical person understands the healing process which will be an upcoming blog topic...

Healing takes ENERGY....and some people lack energy to heal.  In severe cases, adrenal exhaustion may be a factor.

Adrenal exhaustion can occur when there is a longterm chronic response to stress whreby levels of cortisol exhaust the output of adrenalin by the adrenal glands.

If stress and the body's response to it remains too high, cortisol output decreases dramatically leading to adrenal fatigue and then ultimately to adrenal exhaustion.

Once cortisol runs low, all other hormones become imbalanced, these are: thyroid, DHEA, estrogen, progesterone, testosterone, HGH and insulin.

DHEA which forms from progesterone is then produced in lower amounts.  DHEA is responsible for balancing the other hormones in one's body.  Low DHEA levels cause symptoms like fatigue, loss of strength, low muscle mass or loss of muscle mass, skin changes, depression, aching joints low libido and impaired immune function. 

Prolonged stress also affects levels of serotonin which affects appetite, and mood.

Symptoms of adrenal insufficiency and exhaustion are:

Mood swings: anxiety/depression

Extreme fatigue

Reduction in stress tolerance IE agitation short fuse

Insomnia or restless sleep

Body Aches

Weight gain especially around abdomen

Cravings for sweet and salty foods

Chemical sensitivities

Increased susceptibilty to infection

Increased allergies

Digestive problems

Slow recovery times from cuts, medical conditions. or infections.

I believe adrenal insufficiency or exhaustion plays a role in almost 25% of the population I serve because there is usually a digestive nutritional or emotional disorder which has caused chronic stress both physical and emotional.  If you feel that your adrenals need to be checked out please call to make an appointment to access the health status of your adrenals and your body's ability to handle stress.

While always important this time of year it becomes critical in your quest for health improvements.

Holiday Cheer to all.  December's newly designed site will be posted this weekend with any luck at all.  Thanks

Taryn DeCicco, ND, LDN, LAc

Apple-A-Day-Clinic.COM

847-577-4455

Happy Thanksgiving to All!  This week's topic is how can we delay the aging process.

I know of several ways two of them are boring, two of them maybe not so.  Recent studies show that vigorous exercise delays biologic aging as much as 12 years!!!  I know a trainer at my health club who is over 60 and could be guessed at 40!!! I am NOT kidding, nor am I naming names!

Increased oxygen consumption, muscle mass, basal metabolic rates and bone density are but a few benefits...add to that stress reduction, and you can see powerful this intervention can be.

The second tactic...not necessarily in order of importance is calorie restriction.  Research has shown that a nutrient dense low calorie diet extends youth in lab animals for at least 30 years.  The key to this intervention is to keep weight extremely low and to make certain that almost all foods consumed are nutrient dense IE fruits, vegetables, and lean proteins. Again, if you think of this logically, just pick up a 5 # weight and lug it around for an hour. You'll begin to see how quickly excess weight wears your body out.  Avoiding toxic foods and meeting your nutritional needs through foods is fundamental to your body's optimal function and repair.  The key is body fat has to be extremely low...12% men and 18% women or even less....this reduces oxidative stress in the body...the same process that causes metal to rust.

Antioxidant therapy can operate in the same fashion but must be tailored to the person as too many antioxidants can actually cause oxidative stress...so again, as is typical with Mother Nature...more is not necessarily better!

Lastly, bio-identical hormone therapy has been shown to be beneficial for many people and does not appear to cause the same side effects of conventional hormone therapy. There are probably two major reasons for this: the therapy is tailored to the individual via testing, of their hormone levels over time and second, the source of the hormones is plant versus animal and functions like their own hormone with respect to the receptors but is not the same.

Should you wish to discuss any of these interventions please call and schedule an appointment with my service 24 hours a day or online at www.Applle-A-Day-Clinic.COM

I will be in Friday and Saturday normal hours!

See you then.

Taryn DeCicco, ND

Apple-A-Day-Clinic.COM

Hello everyone....Just a quick heads up to let you know that November's Nutrition News has been posted in the Newsletter Portal of the website, amongst interesting tidbits about purple foods, cancer screening, and the lowly appendix, is an article about what your aches and pains are trying to tell you.

I will begin offering a micronutrient panel at my office shortly it is very reasonably priced and furnishes great information about one's individual nutrient needs. We'll be posting my results sometime soon.  I do plan to send out via E and snail mail information so if you have moved please call or email me updated information so you won't miss out.

Thanks, have a great week.  I will only be open in the early morning on Wednesday of next week and closed of course on Thanksgiving otherwise no changes in hours next week.

Have a GREAT week!

Taryn DeCicco, ND, CCN, LDN, LAc