Autoimmune Archives - Plattsville Natural Health Clinic

New Service Offered: Lab Requisitioning

January 24, 2017 by elisha

After several months of organizing and planning, I am pleased to announce that I am able to send patients for lab work. The question remains, what does this mean for you, how will this affect my care, and what is the cost?

What does this mean?

Traditionally, when a patient needs blood work done, they have to go through their medical doctor in order to get the testing. Getting blood work done this way can pose a problem for those that do not have a medical doctor, or individuals who may have to wait months before being able to see their medical doctor.

Now that I can order blood tests, you can get the exact blood work that would be requested for your particular case. That means: less of a wait time, and your concerns being addressed sooner!

Some other benefits from having access to potential blood work involves food sensitivity testing. Some patients would rather not go to the extreme of the elimination diet, and would rather do blood testing to see what foods they might be sensitive to. In which case, blood testing is an option and possibility through myself (contact me for more information if you are interested).

How will this affect patient care?

Overall, patient care will be affected to a lesser extent. However, with the opportunity of ordering blood work, I will be able to better see what is going on inside the body at a cellular or mechanistic level, to better help you reach your health goals. It would also offer the opportunity to know for certain what levels you stand at in regards to nutrients such as B12 and Iron, and know for certain if it is safe to supplement with them. In addition to what I have mentioned above, patients would have a choice as to whether to go through with an elimination diet or opt for food sensitivity testing instead.

What blood tests are available?

Many blood tests will be possible to be ordered, and too many to mention. However, some of the more prominent blood tests include:

Food Sensitivity Testing
Inflammatory markers: ESR, CRP
Rheumatoid/Autoimmune markers: ANA, RF
Cholesterol Panel
Thyroid Panel
Nutrient markers: B12, Iron, Ferritin, Vitamin D, Folic Acid

What is the cost?

The cost for these services are dependent on the tests being ordered. With every test there is a lab fee $8. Beyond that, the tests vary in price. Though the blood work would not be covered by OHIP, you may be able to submit them for tax return purposes at the end of the year.

Have you benefited from reading this blog? Know someone that would benefit as well? Share, Like, Comment, or Tweet this article, and let me know what you think.

Some of the information provided above may not be appropriate for everyone, please consult with your doctor before trying any of the above. If you are interested in Naturopathic Medicine and wanting a different approach to your health care needs, contact Dr. Elisha Cook ND by calling 519-537-7058 and book your appointment today!

Vitamin D

February 2, 2016 by elisha

Much media and research is spent exploring and shedding light on vitamin D. Recently I have engaged in several discussions about vitamin D, and have had requests to bring more information to light about it and its role in our health.

Sources and absorption of vitamin D

To begin with, it is important to explore how vitamin D is received, used, and processed by the body. There are not many food sources of vitamin D aside from fortified foods (meaning certain foods have vitamin d added to them in their processing and manufacturing). Additional food sources include oily fish, such as salmon or sardines, and cod liver oil. These foods are not adequate sources of vitamin D, but absorption of vitamin D from them can be enhanced through the presence of bile or fat in the intestinal tract. The ultimate source of vitamin D is from sunlight. The type of ray that is required to make vitamin D is UVB rays. This type of ray causes us to be more prone to burns, and so, it is important to have not just UVB light but UVA rays as well. Some individuals choose to obtain vitamin D from tanning beds. Though tanning beds do provide an equivalent vitamin D source, it is important to consider the risks and inquire as to whether or not the tanning bed has UVA combined with UVB rays. The World Health Organization does advice against the use of tanning beds, so please keep this in mind. For more information on the health benefits of sun exposure, refer to this previous blog: https://www.plattsvilledoctor.ca/health-benefits-of-sun-exposure/.

Once the vitamin d is absorbed, it goes to the liver, and then the kidney, where it is converted into an active form. If an individual’s liver or kidney are not functioning up to par, this can alter our ability to make use of vitamin D. This active form is more commonly known as D3.

Conditions aided from vitamin D

Vitamin d is used in the body to influence cell growth, cell differentiation, insulin secretion, and calcium absorption (vitamin K helps with directing this calcium to your bones though). What this translates to is that vitamin d can be beneficial for decreasing tumor growth and tumor metastasis. In addition, vitamin D may be useful for the following conditions:

Autoimmune disease
Back pain
Burns
Cancer
Colds and flus
Congestive heart failure
Diabetes
Depression
Fatigue
Hearing loss
Infections
Muscle pain
Osteomalacia
Osteoporosis
Paget’s disease
Polycystic ovary syndrome
Rickets
Seasonal affective disorder

Though these conditions may benefit from vitamin D, it is best to consult with your health care provider before self – prescribing due to the potential for interaction with any supplements or medication that you may be taking.

Dose of vitamin D

The dose of vitamin D recommended really depends on each individual circumstance. For example, if someone is on certain medication or has a particular medical condition, they may require more vitamin D than another person. In order to attain the most vitamin D from the sun as possible, research has shown that exposure of 5% of your skin (i.e. hands, face and possibly your lower arm) for 15minutes, 3 times a week for 12 weeks to the sun, is equivalent to oral administration of 400iu/day of vitamin D. The greater the skins exposure to the sun the greater the amount of vitamin D that is absorbed. Ultimately, the best dose of vitamin D for you is best discussed with your health care provider.

Have you benefitted from reading this blog? Know someone that would benefit as well? Share, Like, Comment, or Tweet this article, and let me know what you think.

Health Benefits of Sun Exposure

May 26, 2015 by elisha

Many public health campaigns are aimed at reducing sun exposure to address potential skin cancer risks and concerns. However, completely abstaining from sun exposure in general could be more detrimental to your health than good. As with many of the recommendations I give, everything in moderation. That being said, 10-15 minutes of direct sun exposure (including not having sun glasses on but obviously not looking directly into the sun) can have many different health benefits. Please be aware that this timing might be different for individuals who are sun – sensitive or those taking medications that increase your sensitivity to the sun. It is also important to use sun protection when the UV index is above 3.

This blog serves to provide you, my readers, with some information on how your health may improve from soaking up some sun.

Vitamin D Production

It is difficult to talk about sunlight exposure without talking about vitamin D. Our bodies need sunlight in order to produce vitamin D, which could benefit many conditions including depression, cancer, colds, illness, seasonal affective disorder (SAD), immune functioning.

Improved Sleep

With adequate sun exposure, we allow the natural processes and hormone regulation in our bodies to take place, specifically for melatonin. When we are exposed to sunlight (or artificial light) in the mornings, we are able to produce melatonin sooner in the evening, leading to an easier time falling asleep at night. This has been shown to be beneficial for insomnia, premenstrual syndrome, and SAD.

Mood Enhancement

Neurotransmitters are also impacted by sunlight, specifically serotonin. Serotinin is what I like to call a “happy neurotransmitter”. It helps to elevate mood and bring about mental clarity in general when it is in adequate supply. Serotonin is directly impacted by melatonin, and so, serotonin becomes higher when we receive enough sunlight exposure. As a result, the serotonin received could help with depression, SAD, poor energy, and poor concentration.

Immune System Regulation

Sun exposure can aid the immune system through many different mechanisms. Ultimately it helps the immune system remove immune cells that might attack your own body (self – reactive T cells) and thus prevent or help with the management of autoimmune conditions such as Rheumatoid Arthritis, Psoriasis, Vitiligo, Multiple Sclerosis, Cancer, and some forms of Hypothyroidism.

Decrease Oxidative Stress

Though too much sun exposure can cause oxidative stress, adequate amounts can help limit oxidative stress. This can help with gene repair and limit DNA damage.

Increase Endorphins

Direct sun exposure has also shown to increase blood levels of endorphins, which could help to decrease pain and improve mood overall.

Have you benefitted from reading this blog? Know someone that would benefit as well? Share, Like, Comment, or Tweet this article, and let me know what you think.

Some of the information provided above may not be appropriate for everyone, please consult with your doctor before trying any of the above. If you are interested in Naturopathic Medicine and wanting a different approach to your health care needs, please contact Elisha Cook at the Contact portion of the website for more information.

Source: http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC2290997/