ARIM News

Just a quick thought about the mineral iodine and other such necessities.  It is essential to all our bodies’ glandular functions and used to be easy to come by.  Now a days sourcing a pure iodine product takes months of time and careful research.  People are still unfortunately reading WebMD and trusting in its failed medical paradigms.  “You should not give iodine in thyroid disease – it can be dangerous,” boasts the electronic malpracticing wizard that never examines patients.  The unfortunate thing is many patients put more faith in a poorly researched internet article, than in those of us with thousands of patient encounters under our belts.  There is no more obvious example of this than iodine, trace minerals, metals and the thyroid.

The thyroid gland is an iodine glutton.  It requires iodine in fairly large amounts versus the other trace minerals in our system.  The need for copper, manganese, molybdenum, lithium, boron and selenium to make us “go” is becoming ever more apparent.  As our food supply becomes more depleted of nutrients and more people dine from a “drive thru” gourmet restaurants – we see more and more signs of nutritional deficiencies.  The simple examination of the patient will reveal much.  If a persons’ eyes drift apart at times, or an eyelid hangs low after a long day, or a ridged scalloped tongue is ever present – there is definitely something a foot.  We sterilize our vegetables, bathing them in chlorinated fluoride soaked water at the grocer.  Heaven forbid a smidgen of soil be present on our vegetables.  The point is these small amounts of soil contain trace minerals and metals.  The traces are essential for keeping our hormones flowing and our neurotransmitters synthesized.

The wise use of iodine can actually benefit the thyroid.  Whether it is a chronic low functioning thyroid or an autoimmune condition, iodine can render success where there had been only failure.  Lithium and copper are required in parts per million concentrations in our daily diet.  Many times my depressed patients were treated with 300mg of lithium a day by other traditional providers and WebMD disciples.  This often caused weight gain, worsening of symptoms and dangerous toxicity.  I have used 1/100th the dose, 2-3mg daily, and have gotten miraculous results.  We are a living chemistry set, granted Divinely constructed but a bundle of minerals and metals none the less.  The benefit of paying attention in chemistry and learning the Periodic Table of Elements is that it opens a world of basic knowledge to me that benefits my patients.  I routinely prescribe zinc, boron and magnesium for a specific set of conditions.

Bromide is similar to Iodine – it sits above it on the periodic table and next to Selenium.  Bromide is harmful to thyroid function, and it is now a common ingredient in our breads.  Iodine has been replaced by bromide because manufacturers find it preserves bread products longer.  The bromide displaces iodine in our system and thus causes a deficiency.  Selenium is also required by the thyroid and it too is displaced.  This becomes a serious issue especially for women.

Iodine is an essential mineral for the breast tissue to function correctly.  New studies reveal a correlation between fibrocystic breast disease/breast cancer and the lack of iodine.  Iodine deficiency has also been implicated in other cystic diseases and recurrent lipomas(fatty skin deposits).  I realize my methods are anything but traditional, but I get excellent outcomes especially with any thyroid conditions.  I have challenged myself with changing the paradigm of medicine.  I was taught wrong in medical school, as were my colleagues, with regard to thyroid function and autoimmune thyroid disease.  Grave’s disease and Hashimoto’s thyroiditis can present as either hypo or hyperthyroidism.  The antibodies wax and wane with every meal.  These simple concepts are not taught to any providers – even 15 years after I graduated from school.

The medical paradigm is like a giant oil tanker with the rudder of a paddle boat.  Trying to steer the paradigm or knowledge in a new direction is almost futile, but some of us are fool hardy or stubborn enough to endeavor such lunacy.  I caution against placing too much faith in the out-dated traditional medical concepts listed on Google and other internet websites – especially in regards to minerals, metals and trace elements in our bodies.   These nutritional topics are greatly ignored by “modern medicine” and simply not addressed in the ivory towers of medical schools.

“What better tools to repair the body and restore our health – than those very materials that compose our living selves.” –  T. Sanchez, MD

So it’s Super Bowl Sunday and we are finishing up the core restore. I feel pretty good, there is a sense of relief knowing I can eat my comfort foods again and have the occasional glass of wine or dirty martini – shaken not stirred. The weight loss for me was minimal – about 3.5 lbs. The whole process was very eye opening with regard to the expense of healthy eating and the trouble finding good wholesome foods. I always knew our American diet was pretty bad, but this really shed some light on the magnitude of the problem. The shakes and pills are at their end, and I hope I’m at least 75-85% detoxed. My toxins begrudgingly left my body, but they left. I fasted most of Sunday, not for any particular reason but more because I wasn’t hungry. Once again I had some pretty intense cravings, but no abdominal discomfort or constipation.  It was hard to prepare to watch the “big game” knowing no wings, blue cheese or alcohol would pass my teeth. We had chicken and wild rice for dinner – it was delicious. We will be adopting some of the Core Restore recipes for our daily meals moving forward. The other thing we decided to do was to really reduce the amount of processed flour in our diet – to the point of buying a hand grinder, millet and amaranth. We will keep you all posted on that project.

I really want to extend my congratulations and sincere appreciation to all of you who joined us in this process. It warmed my heart to see so many fool heartedly agree to jump in and try this out. We will likely hold a Spring Wine and Cheese Retox party at the clinic – in preparation for the hot summer ahead.  I would also like to extend a big “thanks” to my Ortho Molecular Rep. Layla for all her insight and willingness to facilitate our group detox. We will be adding a nutritionist in the coming weeks at our clinic – Integrating the integration of wellness. I hope all of you who need help in the nutrition, weight loss and healthier eating departments keep her services in mind.  Sandy has years of experience and is ecstatic about being part of our Alamo Ranch community.

Lastly, I want to leave you with a quote from Oscar Wilde paraphrased as such, “Everything in moderation – even moderation.” So have fun with healthy food, smile a lot, laugh a lot, cry a little and raise a glass to life, friends and all the good things we enjoy. God bless and live well.

Dr. Sanchez

Now Patricia’s turn:

My 7 day journey will end today, and I am constipated. It’s obvious my distaste for water has caused some uncomfortable abdomen sensations. Constipation is something I rarely deal with but knowing it can be relieved by water has committed me to get over my fears and realize that drinking 3-4 Liters a day is my new way of life.  My total weight loss has ben been 5 lbs. I am very excited to know that 5 lbs in 7 days will be the jumpstart to my weight-loss journey. Unfortunately, I am at the heaviest I have been in over 7 years and this detox is just the starting point for my journey, not just for weight loss but for overall wellness. I love to cook and Teo has always encouraged my passion by purchasing multiple cooking books from sauces, french cuisines to desserts. Im looking forward to finding recipes and modifying them to a healthy calorie conscious meal. Eating clean is expensive and time consuming but I love my family and I want my loved ones healthy.  I want to teach our children that food can be enjoyable and medicinal. Its unfortunate that organic, non-GMO food is limited in our local grocery stores, I truly believe it should be the norm not the exception. I did speak with our Local HEB rep. and expressed my disappointment about the limited resources. He seemed very open to my suggestions and validated my requests to incorporate more  organic healthy items. Hopefully in the near future, we all can have variety of “clean foods” as we do with all the processed food- like substances that fill the grocery isles. This experience has been overall educational and rewarding. I have learned that prepping is key and planning is essential and to be creative with substituting foods that you have on hand. Lastly, I would like to thank everybody who has taken their time and commitment in joining us in this journey. Please feel free to log into the portal and discuss your journey and recipes…….God bless, Trish

Day 5: Woke up with a bit of a headache, not nearly as bad as yesterday’s. I am still having hunger pains and cravings – I guess that’s the meat eater in me. I actually wanted oysters just out of the blue. Once ago had a little organic green tea with lemon in the morning to get going. Energy has been pretty good, and I am looking forward to the lunch and dinner. The shakes are getting easier to drink, and I have been keeping up with the water intake. My abdomen is definitely flatter and I feel like I have lost a few pounds. I have had no gas, no bloating, no tremors and no discomfort. I am moving my bowels twice a day, and my urine amount is back to usual. I’m unsure why I diuresed so much the first two days. Sleep has been hit and miss, not really improved versus pre-program. For lunch we had the stuffed poblano peppers, they were really tasty and filling. I was joking about having a Spring Wine and Cheese Retox at the clinic – may need to follow thru on that. Really wanting to be done – as I am craving a nice steak. It is hard to take your kids for a great burger and drink water waiting for “shake time.”

Day 6: Getting close to the end – woke up today with no headache. I don’t require much sleep – so energy and sleep are about the same. I had the quinoa and raisin “oatmeal” for breakfast. Once again noticing a flatter stomach, and more sensitivity to sweet flavors. I decided to just do the two shakes later in the day as my meals and only dinner – to try to drop a few more pounds. I will push the water and keep craving my favorite foods. I’m not sure why I am craving so much, almost to the point of not wanting to eat today. I usually eat pretty healthy, but I guess I mix in enough “badness” that I balance out. Trying to eat ultra-clean all the time has proven rather unsatisfying – I want my own diet back! Oh well one more day, and it’s Superbowl Sunday to boot.

Patricia’s turn:
Day 5: I was able to get 30 minutes of extra sleep which made a load of difference. I actually woke up refreshed, except I woke up with 3 new pimples in areas that I rarely have. I skipped the morning shake and had the cinnamon raisin delight for breakfast. I substituted the chia seeds with cooked quinoa, it was actually pretty satisfying. Lunch included the a.m. shake and the quinoa stuffed peppers. Thats another recipe keeper. Today, I craved my normal Diet Dr. Pepper but I pushed through and drank water and water with lemon. I still think I’m not drinking enough water, but at least the dizziness episodes have past. Dinner included organic Chicken tortilla soup minus the fried tortillas, but 1 hour later I was craving for badness, I toasted some almonds and had some raisins for a snack with my p.m. shake. I have to say raisins were extra sweet. Which satisfied my sweet tooth. Urine is continuous and the BM’s are daily. Really hoping those are toxins trying to escape. I have lost a total of 3 pounds.

Day 6: I slept in this morning and woke up refresh and full of energy. Morning included the Cinnamon Raisin Delight with Quinoa and my Core Restore shake. I have gotten over the texture issue and I think it will be my go to snack. I’ve been with a dry mouth all day, so I figure it’s the lack of water. I have to say having a day off and being at home has messed up the normal routine. I haven’t been able to drink enough water. I had some sunflower seeds for a snack which probably hasn’t helped the dry mouth. Tonight will include the Chicken and peaches. I was hesitant to add the peaches because I’m not a big fan of sweetness with my meats, but i followed through and was pleasantly delighted. Tomorrow is the last day of the detox which for me is just the beginning. I really think this diet has revived my taste buds. Believe me, I do crave badness but having a healthy home made meal has kept the craving at bay. I really enjoy cooking, it’s the shopping and post clean up I am not a big fan of.

Day 3: Still going – and feeling pretty good. I have been drinking a lot of water and today we get to eat. I am grateful for the calories because the past two days I have felt a mild brain fog that I usually feel when I haven’t eaten. The strawberry spinach salad for lunch was really good, not filling enough but good. After the hunger pains I had last night I’m thankful for anything to eat. I drank more water than the previous two days, and have had an unusually high output of urine. I’m not sure if this is a detoxification effect or just a natural diuresis. Dinner was the spaghetti squash and meaty marinara sauce. The smell of the fresh herbs and onions cooking was amazing – unfortunately the Chianti Classico wine was not on the Core Restore menu. As we ate the dinner I couldn’t help but crave a thick buttered garlic cheese bread slice – hwaaa hwaaa. The shakes went down better today and we stuck with the original recipe for those. The toxins and mucous are definitely exiting, once again no pain or cramping.

Day 4: Woke up with a bit of a headache, I’m not sure if this was hte weather change or the detox. I had some green tea and water early in the morning and that seemed to help. Also had an earlier BM than the previous days. I have been craving bacon and eggs for breakfast, unlike juice cleanses in the past, I seem to be having more cravings for comfort type foods. We tried the chocolate banana shake – I didn’t like it all and found myself choking it down. I drank a bunch of water to get rid of the taste of the cocoa. Lunch was a small spinach salad and some left over spaghetti squash and marinara. I am feeling pretty good, no real fatigue or aches – and the brain fog lifted with all the eating. I think it was a calorie thing. The second shake was the original formula. For dinner we had the chicken and cauliflower recipe – the fresh herbs were savory and the chicken was cooked perfectly. I had another BM in the afternoon – so went twice today. I am getting the feeling that I needed to do this detox, and once again I thank my patients for encouraging me to fit this into my busy work life. Feeling good and down about 3.5 lbs.

Patricia’s turn:
Day 3: Im really not a morning person, it typically takes a hour to really get me going, but today seemed to take more effort to get going. I guess my toxins are getting the best of me. But, this mornings Mixed Berry Smoothie went down a lot smoother than previous shakes. I followed the recipe to the T, except I added my mango flavored Orthomega fish oil. Either Im getting used to the taste or the slight modifications using the blender is helping with the initial grittiness. I actually played hooky from work and went grocery shopping. I went to our nearby HEB off Culebra and 1604 and was surprised how long it took to do the grocery shopping considering the limited organic groceries they had on hand. $294.89 and 1 & 1/2 hours later Im back at the office preparing our lunch. I decided to make the strawberry/avocado salad . I omitted the onions, olive oil and balsamic vinegar ( only because those items were at home), but I was grateful to be able to chew again. I’ve really been trying to drink more water, so I’ve been adding some organic lemon slices to enhance the flavoring. Dr. Sanchez was hungry at 3, so we had the rice cakes with almond butter. It was okay, not my favorite ( but I paid $7.00, so I made sure I ate it all!) If anything It did make me drink a couple of more glasses of water to help with the cardboard texture. Ive been using a fitness app to keep track of my calorie intake, its actually a cool helpful device to assist with the calorie tracking. You scan the item and it adds all the nutritional information and keeps log for you. I find that very helpful, especially since I want to keep my calorie intake less than 1,400. By evening, I was fussy and fatigued. At one point while driving, I nearly fell asleep, its a good thing we live close by. Dinner was the Spaghetti/Marinara sauce. I love spaghetti squash, so it was a delightful dinner. The sauce was flavorful- I’m sure it will taste even better tomorrow once it has had time to enhance the flavoring of the fresh herbs. I do recommend adding more than what it is recommended. I essentially doubled the herbs (oddly you always need more fresh herbs compared to dried herbs when cooking) I added crushed pepper flakes and omitted the mushrooms (only because I forgot them). I used 1lb of organic beef, which made 6 servings of food (yay, we can have left overs for lunch). The toxins are making their way out, my first BM since we started fasting (YAY).

Day 4: Once again, the morning was truly an obstacle. I feel exhausted even after 8 hours of sleep. I actually had some dizzy spells this morning. I tried the chocolate banana smoothie recipe with the added Orthomega fish oil, I actually had to add some stevia to help with the taste. I don’t think we will be doing that recipe again. It required a couple of glasses of water to get that taste out of my mouth Lunch was last night’s leftovers (really glad Sanchez is okay with leftovers, but at this point he just wants food! LOL) We had the strawberry-avocados spinach salad and spaghetti squash/marinara sauce, (which I was right, the flavoring was much better today). I’ve been urinating at least hourly, I think that’s a record for me. I hope its all the toxins coming out, because I have had more dizzy spells during the afternoon. I had my p.m. shake at 5 for a snack. I was actually able to get home by 7:00 which allowed me time to cook dinner and tomorrow’s lunch. I made the roasted chicken without the potatoes (I’m going to have to call Orthomolecular rep. and complain, they didn’t add the red potatoes to the grocery list) Instead of the mashed cauliflower, I roasted them in the oven with a tsp of sunflower oil and salt and pepper. Dinner was really good, that’s a recipe that will be repeated. Tomorrow will be the Quinoa stuffed Peppers. I charred some poblano peppers on the stove and peeled the skin and followed the given stuffing recipe, I put them in a glass pan and put it in the fridge for tomorrow. Excited to see how that recipe comes out. I’m down 2.5 pounds, from Tuesday. YAY……..

So we started the detox as planned February 1st, even though the brochure recommends doing so on a weekend. I unfortunately worked a day and night shift in the ER over the weekend and felt starting a detox in the middle of flip-flopping shifts was a bad idea. I have done juice fasts and cleanses before, but never with a group of patients and friends. SO lets start with the shake and hydration.

Day 1: I cheated a bit and had some coffee in the morning because I drink a lot of coffee and was worried about a bad caffeine withdrawal headache. I purchased some organic green tea for the rest of the cleanse to get some caffeine and to stay awake on any night shifts coming up. The shake I thought was pretty good, a bit gritty but good. It has the smell of Jell-o pistachio pudding from when I was a kid, so it was easy to drink. I chased it with a glass of water. I was very busy in clinic Monday thankfully, so drinking the 3 to 4 liters of water was tough. I didn’t experience any discomfort, but I did get a little hungry about 8pm. I drank some water and the feeling passed. First day went about as I expected, urine had a distinct odor and was concentrated – so I need more water. My bowels did not move today.

Day 2: Feeling pretty good, no coffee to make in the morning so I had more time to get to work. I drank 8oz of green tea and had some water at about 9am because I woke up thirsty. I actually had some hunger pains growling in my stomach by 9:30am. I had my shake and pills at about 10:30am which seemed to calm the hunger a bit. I drank a lot more water and proceeded with my day. The shake tasted better today for some reason. I did feel a little brain fog in the afternoon, not sure if its the detox process or the lack of extra calories. I had a BM in the afternoon, no pain, bloating or cramping, there was obvious toxic stuff moving thru and out of my system – I apologize for the TMI (sorry peeps). All in all energy was good, more hunger pains in the evening and still a touch of brain fog. We will see what eating brings and the work of chewing. Good luck to you all – we are definitely off to a good start.

Patricia wanted to give you her perspective:

Day 1: Ok, lets not beat around the bush, the first morning shake was gritty and dare I say not quite indulgent as Dr. Sanchez expressed. Our first shake was with 2 scoops of Core support powder, 6oz of unsweetened almond milk and 2 oz of water and 1 tsp of Orthomega liquid mango fish oil. I am a member of the LP(a) club and I figured I would continue my omega fish oil in addition to Alpha base supplements. An extra 8oz of water was used to wash down my first shake. First, I would like to say I am anti-water. As a previous full-time ER nurse and kidney stone patient, water is the route of all evil. In the ER we are always running around and drinking water leads to “peeing” and nobody has time for that. Additionally, drinking plenty of water leads to flushing out your kidneys and that means flushing out those pesky painful stones. (I know, I know, thats why you drink plenty of water in the first place to flush those stones and help prevent them from reoccurring- thats why it is said that nurses are the worst patients) If you ever had kidney stones you know exactly what I am talking about……….By 2pm I was barely on my third 8 oz glass of water and my urine was dark, making me realize I really needed to step up the water intake. By 5pm I was sluggish and craving carbs. I am a woman and women need Carbs! 9 pm I am finally home, exhausted but not very hungry, just very thirsty. I had my evening shake (same a.m. mixture minus the fish oil ) however, the p.m. shake went down a little smoother.

Day 2: I woke up this morning with a dry mouth and moody. This morning’s smoothie I decided to mix it up and instead of adding the extra water I mixed 2 scoops of Core support powder, 6 oz of unsweetened almond milk and 2 oz of ice with my Orthomega liquid mango fish oil mixed it up in my nutri-bullet. It was creamier and actually tasted better, less gritty. At lunch time, I indulged myself with some organic green tea and chased it down with water. Water and work. Water and work kept me going until 9pm. We had our shake (8oz almond milk with 2 scoops of Core support powder shaken not stirred:) I served it in a martini glass, I figured I would fool my eyes. Day 2 no BM, Im really going to have to push the water. The toxins must come out!!!

2015 is rapidly disappearing and the new year brings the reminder of fresh starts and things to be done. One of the most common resolutions or goals people set forth is to drop a few, a lot or a ridiculous amount of pounds. I want to start off with words of advice, warning, encouragement and education.

First and foremost, beware of anything that promises quick results. Crash diets, fad diets, hundred dollar shakes or pills from some secret just discovered herb are as useful as a city full of politicians. Unfortunately weight loss is a “crockpot” process, there is no microwave way to get there. The question always arises – is it just calories in versus calories out, or is it more complicated. The true answer is “YES.” Sometimes it is just math, but more often there are a few more complicating factors. The adrenal gland, the thyroid gland, adiponectin and leptin all play a crucial role in weight loss success.

I feel it is of the utmost importance to get information and understand our mind’s and body’s state before we try to institute change. If things aren’t all lined up for success – any change will be a struggle. Deciding to eat healthy, lose weight, quit smoking or get out of debt are all fantastic ideas; however, if the mind and body aren’t right the odds of success are slim. I am a firm believer of getting information and data to understand our current condition. Starting off with knowledge is empowering, and it gives us a decisive advantage for victory.

Leptin is a hormone that we test for at ARIM. It is a master fat controller from the “gut” which communicates with the brain and regulates all things fat. Leptin has the ability to slow our metabolism, keep us hungry, make any food we eat get stored as fat or worse – do all of the above. If you have leptin resistance, the approach to weight loss has to be completely different from any other weight loss solution. The interplay of stress, adrenal fatigue, thyroid dysfunction and leptin offer a serious obstacle to our health.

The Mediterranean diet and Green Food diet offer healthy and safe ways to eat. I always suggest Paleo diet for snacks, or the ocassional light day of eating. Lastly, Mean Green Juice – made at home with a juicer from scratch offers a great way to introduce gentle detox/cleansing into a healthy way to eat. Juicing also offers weeks worth of micronutrients in a days worth of time. If you would like to discuss in depth weight loss concerns, diet options and get tested for leptin resistance please make an appointment. I look forward to a successful 2016 – and here’s to your health and sucess in the future.

What are “statins?”  These are the group of medications that lower cholesterol by inhibiting a liver protein called a reductase(HMG CoA).  They were derived from the herbal medication red yeast rice.  The family members include pravachol, zocor, lipitor and crestor.  So why the title – “statin lie?”  These medications have been around since the late 1950’s and were part of initial research into ways of lowering cholesterol and heart disease.  During the research several components of cholesterol were discovered, and some were set aside for various reasons.  Also during that time, the inability to determine or measure cholesterol particle size did not allow researchers to get a complete picture of cholesterol metabolism and its function.

Fast forward 20 years to Houston, Texas, and Dr. Michael DeBakey – the father of cardiac bypass surgery.  In a journal article published in 1979, Dr. DeBakey stated in over 1700 cardiac bypass patients he found no association between the patient’s cholesterol levels and the amount of plaque and atherosclerotic disease present at time of surgery.  So no matter what the cholesterol numbers were, patients either had disease or they didn’t.  What was causing the plaques and blockages then?  As I mentioned, some of the cholesterol components discovered were conveniently forgotten or set aside as non-causes of disease.  So what is the real problem?  And why the lie?

Statins as a group have been known to cause abnormal liver function, muscle aches and breakdown(rhabdomyolysis), fatigue and even depression.  They are toxic to some patients within hours of taking them and can lead to permanent liver and kidney disease.  They also generate $30 Billion a year for the pharmaceutical industry, that staggering dollar amount may be reason enough to ignore their efficacy and run commercials during the Super Bowl.  While the statins change the total number of the cholesterol, they do little to decrease inflammation and cholesterol particle size.  If you listen closely to the commercials they state statin medications do not decrease the incidence of stroke, heart attack or death; so why prescribe them?  Just to give some background, there is HDL(helper or good) cholesterol, LDL(lousy or bad) cholesterol, ApoB(fluffy sticky bad) cholesterol, sdLDL(super dense hard pellet bad) cholesterol, triglycerides(pieces of fat that shuttle sugar in the body) and lastly Lp(a).  Excuse the grammar but that’s the best I could do.  Most physicians do not look at a complete cholesterol profile, and when they do they often do not understand the interplay of all the components.  The testing at our clinic allows us to measure and breakdown each part of the cholesterol panel, measure vascular inflammation and thus really manage the problem.  Statin drugs do not effect the triglycerides very much and do nothing to Lp(a).

Lp(a), most physicians even cardiologists, have never heard of such a thing.  This very special cholesterol component was discovered in the early 1960’s, and was largely ignored by the cholesterol researchers and big pharma.  It is a genetic problem, either you have Lp(a) or you don’t.  Unfortunately it is a really bad guy – it causes marked inflammation and is a direct factor in the cause of strokes, vascular disease and heart attacks.  Lp(a) can really only be effected by natural vitamins, amino acids and dietary changes.  There is no financial gain to be had there, and perhaps that is why medical students are not taught about it.  Treating disease naturally, and with the help of medications occasionally, is better for all involved.  Lp(a) is responsive to B complex and C vitamins, omega fish oils and amino acids given at higher than normal doses.  It is something that can be measured with a simple blood test and treated.

What is CoQ10 and why is it in this blog?  CoQ10 is a mitochondrial energy source – the mitochondria are the power plants of every cell in our bodies.  The mitochondria in all of us is inherited only from our mothers – dad’s mitochondria attached as the tail of the sperm, exhausts itself getting to the egg at conception.  So we can trace all our maternal lineage thru mitochondrial DNA.  Anyway, there are two common CoQ10’s – ubiquinone and ubiquinol.  This is where I ask that you always purchase your supplements from me or get my advice before spending hundreds of dollars on junk.  UbiquiNONE is the cheaper and more common CoQ10(think box store shelves), the saying is you get “NONE” of it.  It is not very absorbable by our body and is in fact a waste of money and effort.  UbiquiNOL is really the only choice – you get it “ALL” and it works.  Statins and even the herbal red yeast rice will deplete your cellular storage of CoQ10, and you will be tired and lethargic over a period of time.  So replacing CoQ10 is a must for anyone undergoing cholesterol treatment.

At ARIM we use cutting edge and novel testing for all these components, it is a simple blood draw just like at any physical.  We use Singulex testing lab to get the best information for our patients and devise the best and most appropriate treatment plan.  Knowing what to do with the information and how to guide patient therapy with it is what sets us apart from the rest.  Please like us on Facebook and leave a positive Google review.  Hope to see you soon.

I just wanted to write down a few quick thoughts about multivitamins and other specialized nutraceuticals.  First realize as a consumer that the FDA does not truly regulate anything from a “natural source.”  In addition, the FDA has to respect the privacy of the company’s formulas and blends as “corporate formulas.”  Often a vitamin company will label things as “proprietary blends” – this allows them to keep the exact composition of their pills a secret, and only lists the ingredients in the pills but no amounts “*”.  The integrity and professionalism of the company is really the driving force for their products.  What I mean by that is literally – no one is making natural vitamin and supplement companies accountable for the things they produce.  So is your vitamin really full of all those things, and does it really add up to 50mg or 5000 units – or any of the other things promised?

I have done side by side comparisons with many of the things available over the counter(OTC) with the brands I carry in my office.  Often the OTC supplements have sugar, fillers and inferior ingredients – and they have a lot of them.  The cost of these OTC supplements can be higher than truly reputable companies, and are often from a short lived company looking to make a quick buck or a mass producer looking to fill every shelf at a chain retail store.  Once again the old saying,”You get what you pay for,” is so true.  The quality nutraceuticals can cost a little more, but you will need less of them and get better results.  Why skimp on the most important person you know – YOU.

There is no single magic supplement, I wish it were that easy.  We often end up with 5-10 supplements for our daily needs.  I have taken nutraceuticals for more than 20 years, and obviously am a huge believer in them.  With our American diet of processed foods and things stored in plastic containers, proteins injected with hormones, etc. – we find ourselves defending our health against chemicals that drain, leech and bind our minerals and nutrients.   I encourage you to look into Orthomolecular, Life Extensions and Standard Process.  These companies have you in mind and strive to provide the best for my patients.  They also quality test and publish research in credible journals of nutrition as verification of their science driven products.  I would be pleased to do a consult for you to clean up the bag of supplements and streamline it into the best and most cost effective regimen.  God bless.

I wanted to extend a quick thank you to all my established patients and all the new patients that have found their way to our clinic.  I have been genuinely touched by the kind words and well wishes sent my way.  The truth about all this is – I could not be happier to be back practicing general medicine and integrative medicine in an environment that is supportive and open to new concepts.  As you know, there are several facets to medicine as a “healing art.”  I am far from traditional, but can use the full spectrum of western medicine and dashes of holistic, functional and herbal medicine to help myself and my patients.

Let me ask you a simple question,”Do negative thoughts enter your mind?”  Of course they do.  What we do with those thoughts and how long we let them linger in our consciousness is critical.  Here is a simple exercise for our mind and spirit –  cast out the negative thoughts.  Sounds simple enough, but trust me it is a mega-challenging exercise harder than any crossfit routine.  Unfortunately, or not, for our human mind it is open to all the environment.  The upside of our “open mind” is we are receptive to nature, art, music, good sounds and positive things.  We also unwillingly allow the negative into our minds.

Now – for the exercise.  So knowing we are permeable like sponges to all energies and thoughts, I challenge you with purging your mind of any negative thoughts for three days.  This exercise is amazingly difficult.  I am not speaking only of negative thoughts about yourself, but of other people and daily situations.  So even if things really aren’t going your way – no negativity.  You will find the bad thoughts magically “pop” into your mind.  The challenge is to eliminate them from your conscious mind as quickly as possible, and replace them with something positive or an old positive experience.  The negative thought will then be forced into your unconscious mind, where guess what – it will still try to damage the mind and spirit.

The negative mind – is never resting or healing.  So Dr. Sanchez – if the negativity just moves what’s the point?  This is where it really gets interesting.  Our mind is a vortex of energy, thought, emotion, creativity and so many indescribable things.  Our human mind is tirelessly working every second of our lives and even for a few after our body has died.  The unconscious mind will try to make your thoughts, wishes and desires come true.  So if you fill your unconscious mind with negativity and let it work – you will still have negative energy flow your way.  This is where the power of meditation, positive thinking and sheer force of thought come into play.

The final part of the exercise is to write down three to seven hopes, dreams, goals or positive changes you want to make in your life.  Write this list down on several pieces of paper, post-it notes or whatever.  Place these notes in all kinds of places, especially those places where you will be alone for a few minutes.  I have used the car, desk drawer and “taped to a water bottle” with extreme success.  The idea here is to repeat these positive things over and over again, until they predominate the unconscious mind.  These good thoughts will keep your unconscious mind occupied and help the negative thoughts disappear forever.  The mind will then drive you toward the positive things and bring the positive energy your way.  This is a corner stone of Napoleon Hill’s classic best seller, “Think and Grow Rich.”

So say lots of “please’s” and give lots of “thank you’s.”  I’m positive you can do it.

We are thankfully nearing completion and the opening of ARIM-SA. The clinic is absolutely beautiful and has caught the attention of several of the local architects and builders. I would like to thank SK&A Architecture Firm and Marksmen Contracting for helping me put together my vision – and being so professional in understanding the clinic is very much a physical representation of how I practice medicine. I expect the best of myself in the practice of medicine, and I want my patients to feel welcome, comfortable and pampered in my professional home. Thanks to all – and God willing the next few weeks will fly by.