Advanced Family Wellness is pleased to announce that it will start its third clinical trial. If you are interested in participating, please contact the clinic at phone # 360-570-8010.

The most common complaint I hear from patients is “I’m tired all the time!” What they do not realize is that they have created a cycle of worsening fatigue with their use of caffeine. Caffeine is found in coffee, teas, soda pop, and now even beer. It is a pro-aging substance. Yes, it makes people grow older faster. Is it no wonder then that these caffeine lovers  drag around the office because their energy is so low? Sadly, they often drink more, trying to battle the ever-increasing fatigue! As an Anti-Aging physician, I must admit that caffeine keeps me in business!

“So what am I supposed to do then?” is the usual response I get after explaining how this fast-track-to-being -old stresses the adrenals and depletes the body.

Healthy cellular energy and body renewal come when the body gets the substances it needs. Substances known as bio-energetics are particularly effective for this job. My favorite book describing this process is THE METABOLIC PLAN: STAY YOUNGER LONGER, written by international metabolic chemistry expert Stephen Cherniske. If you own a body, then this is the instruction manual you need for it. The book gives easy to understand descriptions of nutrients we can choose to improve our cellualr energy, performance and health. It’s my favorite anti-aging book! (See my review on Amazon.com.)

My two favorite bio-energetic drinks that improve cellular renewal are Xperia and AgelessXtra. A recent research trial at my clinic showed positive benefits in well-being for the subjects without causing much affect on blood sugar levels. To find out more about purchasing these drinks or a copy of THE METABOLIC PLAN, please contact my office Advanced Family Wellness Inc PS at phone # 360-570-8010.

May you have a day filled with sustained healthy energy!

A delicate balance exists among the hormones of the body in order to have optimal health. A recent request for Yaz (ethinyl estradiol-drosirenone, a birth control pill) by a patient with PMS, irritability, weight gain and poor sex drive reminded me of the important balance between our “warrior” hormone testosterone and our “world peace” hormone progesterone. A woman with PMS can be described as having an imbalance between these two hormones. Her aggitation and irritability may make her seem more ready to start a war than to relax in peace and acceptance of this beautiful world. So drugs like Yaz try to stomp down these testosterone-related symptoms of irritability. But testosterone does more than make a woman assertive and strong, it also contributes to a her sex drive and strength. And progesterone does more than improve her tolerance of others’ imperfections. Progesterone also makes her to want to cuddle and helps regulate her body’s warmth. So optimal and balanced levels of these hormones add better quality to life than depleting either of them. What many women don’t realize is that the drug Yaz helps decrease the testosterone signals in their bodies. This is a reasonable choice for a woman who truly has testosterone excess and a relative, but not true, progesterone deficiency. If the woman is low in both progesterone and testosterone, but has enough tetsosterone to create a relative testosterone deficiency, then use of this medication may produce a worsening of her low testosterone condition, even though she’ll have less irritability. These unwanted symptoms of testosterone deficiency include muscle loss, fat weight gain, fatigue, thinning hair, dry skin, weakness, and depression. This is why I advise women with PMS to test their serum hormone levels during their worst PMS days to see what their true hormone conditions are before starting any hormonal therapy, whether it’s bio-identical or synthetic. Because the truly desired outcome is more than just war or peace before menses, but rather strength, harmony, health and patience.

Dr Natalie Kather, MD