Integrative Medicine

Posts Tagged ‘integrative medicine’

Introducing The Owning Pink Center & The Pink Partnership Agreement

Tuesday, February 2nd, 2010

Hiya Pinkies! As many of you know, I have been struggling for six months over whether or not to leave my job at the integrative health center where I work. On one level, I adore the people, the space is gorgeous, and my patients are treasures. Compared to my old job in the crazy busy managed care practice where I used to work, it’s heaven. But deep down, I realize it doesn’t align with my vision. Being there has been clipping my wings. And it’s time to FLY.

Introducing The Owning Pink Center

So I took the leap of faith and submitted my resignation just before Christmas, without a clue what would happen next. More Pleaping (taking a Pink leap of faith!) Wheeeeeeeeeeeee!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Once again, I found myself letting go, surrendering into what will be, trusting God, and being open to Signs from the Universe. Well, wouldn’t you know it, all the signs have aligned to allow me to bring Owning Pink into bricks and mortar in a beautiful space on 600 Miller Ave in Mill Valley, CA. The Owning Pink Center- where I will join forces with acupuncturists, a nutritionist, a psychologist, and Mojo Mentor Tricia Barrett, our Pink & Green cleanse expert- will be open soon, right down the street from where I have been practicing. It will give us a chance to bring Owning Pink into the real world, to ground what we’ve created in cyberspace and demonstrate how what we do can heal people. I’m VERY excited.

In the process of clarifying my thoughts and dreams, I have been doing a lot of writing about how I think health care can be best received by those in need of healing, and I decided to start with what I call the Pink Partnership Agreement, a contract between me and my patients. After I wrote it, I realized that this is very similar to what we do here at Owning PInk Central. We enter into sacred contract together- with the express purpose of healing ourselves and each other. So I wanted to share it with you here.

The Pink Partnership Agreement
As doctor and patient, you and I are entering into a partnership. As such, I feel it is important to clarify and agree upon what our relationship will entail.

Your Power to Heal
I am here to support you, guide you, offer you tools, and support your process, but I will not “fix” you – for I don’t believe you are broken.

I believe you already have within you the power to heal yourself. When we meet, I will hold up the mirror so you can see that you already have what it takes to optimize your wellness and live the most joyous, vibrant, fulfilling, sexy, healthy life possible. You are here to be the force behind your own healing. If you are not ready to take this action step, I will be here to nurture and support you, but the process will be less powerful, with fewer results.

Respect for each other and the process

In order for our partnership to be successful, we must respect each other. I will offer you a treatment plan, but I will also invite you to listen to the intuition of your body and your soul. I will respect your autonomy, and the choices for how we proceed will always be yours.
We will respect each other’s time. I will not make you wait for your appointment, and you will not be late. We must be present, fully and completely, during our time together. This means we will both turn off cell phones, let go of distractions, and focus all of our energy on your wellness. We have to be open and tell the truth, even if it is painful or uncomfortable. We must trust that we are safe together, so we can explore things that may be tough to explore. We must open our hearts to the loving kindness and compassion that is a necessary part of any healing relationship.

My pledge to you
I promise to respect you, guide you, and help you discover the healing power within you. In exchange, I ask that you follow through on any treatment plan we agree upon. If our treatment plan does not resonate with your body’s wisdom, or if you have financial constraints, please tell me so that we can modify our plan. Follow through is key. We must walk this path together in order to manifest the results I know we can achieve.

This is YOUR life. OWN IT.
Are you on board? If so, sign here. (Insert your signature here!)

The Owning Pink Wellness Center Mission Statement

We believe that the power to heal lies within all of us. Rather than “fixing” you, we aim to offer you tools that will empower you to attain optimal wellness, vitality, and joy. We believe health is the foundation upon which we build the other facets of what makes us whole- our creativity, relationships, career, spirituality, sexuality, and life purpose. At Owning Pink, we hold up the mirror to reflect back to you what you already know but may not see- that you are beautiful, just the way you are, and that getting your mojo back is not only possible, it’s your birthright!

The Owning Pink Center Philosophy

The health care system in the United States may be broken, but we as individuals are whole, just as we are. At Owning Pink, we aim to create an entirely new way to heal- one that works from the inside out. Unlike traditional medical practices, where you may be herded in and out in 7 1/2 minutes, handed a prescription for drugs you may not understand, and wind up feeling worse than when you walked in, we strive to let the healing begin the moment you walk in the door. We value the opportunity to be present with you, to hold space for you, to listen, and to offer you our expertise as an equal partners in your wellness plan. We believe you are more powerful than you know, that you hold the keys to living fully right in your own hand. Our job is to help you use the keys you already possess and supplement anything else you might need to achieve your health and wellness goals.

Too many people walk around in a daze, unaware that there is a better life out there, just longing to be lived. When you lack energy, struggle to sleep, experience stress, feel depressed, dislike the way your body looks and feels, and suffer from symptoms and diseases, you may come to accept that this is simply life. We at Owning Pink believe there is more to life than just getting by. We believe you can get your mojo back- and have fun doing so. It’s what Owning Pink is all about- being brilliantly, gleefully, wholly healthy, inside and out.

As human beings, we may manifest symptoms and diseases, but underlying these external manifestations, our spirits know the answers to how we can live more vitally. We ask our clients questions such as “What does your body need to get better?” And we honor and cherish the answers that come up. We value the wisdom of the body and the enduring strength and resilience of the human spirit. We value YOU.

The practitioners at the Owning Pink Center are skilled at helping you access these answers to help you reclaim the life you know you’re meant to live. We call upon all of the tools in our collective tool boxes- using traditional Western medicine, natural and functional medicine, nutrition, bioidentical hormone balancing, acupuncture, Chinese medicine, therapy, raw foods/detox cleansing, and a variety of other alternative therapies to help you access what you need to achieve optimal health. Mostly, we practice love, with a little bit (okay, sometimes a lot) of medicine on the side. What does love have to do with medicine? Everything. Trust us on this. When we approach our bodies with love, acceptance, and nurturing kindness, we pave the way for magic to unfold, the kind of magic we’re blessed to witness every day.

We invite you to step up to the Pink plate. Are you in? We can’t wait to bear witness to your transformation.

So here’s me, Pinkies- Pleaping! I’d LOVE your feedback! What resonates for you? What seems too woo woo or weird? How can we help patients understand what Owning Pink is all about in a medical practice? How are you Pleaping these days? What resistance keeps you from following your dreams?

Jumping off cliffs right and left,

Dr. Lissa

Lissa Rankin, MD

PS. Stay tuned for our new website, how to make appointments, and all the details that turn a dream into reality.

Tags: gynecology, holistic health, holistic women's health, integrative medicine, Lissa Rankin, lissa rankin md, Mill Valley, ob/gyn, owning pink center
Posted in Alternative Health, Healthy Thursday, Lissa's personal yada yada yada, Owning Health | 36 Comments »

Owning Our Boobs: An Integrative Medicine MD’s Thoughts on the New Mammography Recommendations

Tuesday, November 17th, 2009

Hiya Pinkies. I already posted something for today, but a bunch of you have come to me begging me to don my white coat and comment on the new recommendations from the U.S. Preventative Task Force about mammography in young women, so here goes.

Mammograms – Not Perfect, But Far From Pointless

My father was a radiology doctor who specialized in mammograms, so I grew up around those machines that take two perfectly good knockers and squash them into Swedish pancakes. Dad used to joke that if women were in charge of medicine, men would have to stick their penises between two plates and get “manograms” after the age of 40. When I was young, I remember sitting beside Dad in the dark screening rooms while he inspected film after film, hunting for subtle signs that might signal breast cancer. He likened it to reading a Where’s Waldo book. Mammograms may seem like torture, but they also may save your life.

But we all know that. Why am I writing this post? Because the U.S. Preventative Task Force just declared that women in their 40s of “normal risk” should no longer get routine mammograms. They also say women after 50 should only get mammograms every other year, recommend against teaching breast self-exams for all women, and say no mammograms after the age of 74. WTF? What changed since they recommended mammograms every 1-2 years in women over 40?

Okay, so mammograms are far from perfect. So we’re gonna throw all progress we’ve made in reducing breast cancer mortality out the window? What about new advances in digital mammography? What about my patient who just potentially saved her own life by finding a breast cancer while examining her breasts? What about Mrs. Olivier, my amazingly vital 81 year old patient whose mammogram found an early breast cancer ten years ago and is still alive and kicking after treatment?

Okay. So it’s true. Self breast exam data isn’t stellar. Large studies have shown it to be pretty ineffective, actually. But what about those few women who do detect their own cancers and save their own lives? Plus, what’s the harm in feeling your boobies for lumps? And what’s with the recommendation against mammogram in women after 74? These are the women at highest risk, for whom mammography screens most effectively. All of the sudden, Grandma is no longer important? Have I just stepped into some alternate universe? I mean, seriously, people.

Why Did They Change The Guidelines?
There is no new data. It’s all about how you look at the existing data. The Mautner Project summarizes the data:
The USPSTF used statistical modeling to predict the impact of screenings found over a 10 year period. It found that if a thousand women beginning at age 40 were screened with mammograms, there were small gains in cancer deaths averted, compared to if these women started at age 50. Specifically, their modeling found that 6.1 deaths would be averted, compared to 5.4. The panel judged that difference to be not worth the expense, biopsies and anxieties.

The woman whose life was saved might beg to differ.

Let’s look at those numbers in terms of larger numbers of women screened, using the statistical modeling provided by the USPSTF:

Deaths of women averted by screening in their 40s vs. deaths of women averted by women who start screening in their 50s:

1,000 women 6.1 5.4

10,000 women 61 54

100,000 women 610 540

1,000,000 women 6100 5400

So for every 100,000 women screened in their 40s, as opposed to waiting till their 50s, 70 more women would live. For every one million women, 700 more women would live. Over 33 million mammograms are performed each year in the United States.

The New York Times of 11/18/09 reported that the USPSTF also found differences in years of life gained by women receiving mammograms in their 40s, compared to starting mammograms at age 50:

Years of life gained per

1,000 women 120 99

10,000 women 1200 990

100,000 women 12,000 9,990

1,000,000 women 120,000 99,990

Gulp. Personally, I don’t need some patronizing government board trying to protect me from anxiety. I’d rather be protected from breast cancer, thank you very much.

What the Studies Say

Whew…Deep breath, Dr. Lissa. Okay, so mammography for women in their 40s has long been a controversial issue. Truth is, mammography just isn’t a great screening tool for women age 40-49. In our forties, our breasts are more dense, making it harder for X-rays to penetrate breast tissue to see early signs of cancer. Also, because breast cancer is less common in this population, you’re more likely to wind up with false positives, leading to follow up mammograms, breast biopsy surgeries, and enough anxiety to leave you quivering. So medical societies have been mixed on their recommendations for women in their forties, but most agree that women in their forties should have mammograms no less than every other year.

While they’re not an ideal screening tool for breast cancer, studies estimate that mammograms detect about 75% of breast cancers in women in their 40s and 90% percent of breast cancers in women in their 50s and 60s.[i] Early detection can mean the difference between living and dying. If you’re over 40 and you get mammograms regularly, your risk of dying of breast cancer is reduced by 34%.[ii]

So why the push to nix it altogether when we already know that mammograms save lives? According to Dr. Otis Brawley, chief medical officer for the American Cancer Society, “With its new recommendations, the [task force] is essentially telling women that mammography at age 40 to 49 saves lives; just not enough of them.” Say what? Actually, I do hear what they’re saying. The task force isn’t saying that nobody should get screened in their 40s. They’re saying they should talk to their doctor about risk, but they shouldn’t get screened routinely. And I hear what they’re saying from an epidemiological standpoint. So maybe it’s not cost-effective. But price can you put on a mother of two young kids? I know we docs aren’t supposed to, but I can’t help getting emotional about this. I’ve lost too many people to breast cancer already…

Others Disagree

The American Society of Breast Surgeons just issued this statement. “We believe there is sufficient data to support annual mammography screening for women age 40 and older. We also believe the breast cancer survival rate of women between 40 and 50 will improve from the increased use of digital mammographic screening…The Society will continue to advocate for routine annual mammographic screening for all women beginning at age 40. Mammography screening reduces breast cancer mortality and saves lives.” The American Cancer Society and the American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists agree.

On the flip side, Dr. Susan Love, author of Dr. Susan Love’s Breast Book agrees with the new task force recommendations. She says:

These recommendations are long overdue. Most countries do no support mammography screening under 50 and do it every other year after 50 in their government-sponsored screening programs. I hope that the insurers will change reimbursement, because it is probably the only way that women will be spared the extra radiation exposure of too many mammograms. Since our system pays the radiologist, hospital, or mammography center and biopsying surgeon by the more they do, there is no incentive for this to come from the medical profession.

Strong words. Yes. Mammograms have their risks. Applying radiation to a breast in order to reduce the risk of breast cancer may indeed seem counterintuitive. I work at a holistic health center, and many in the holistic health world recommend against mammography altogether, favoring breast thermography, which my patients often choose to use as an alternative to mammography. And yes, it’s true that mammography is not a great screening tool for younger women. But what’s a girl to do?

So what do I think?

Well, I’m admittedly biased. Half a dozen of my closest friends and many of the women I’ve worked with for The Woman Inside Project were diagnosed with breast cancer in their early forties, some of them by routine mammography alone. Had they not been screened, would they have survived their cancers? No way to know. How much is one life worth? Also, since Dad was a radiologist, I grew up around stories of breast cancer near misses. I know that’s not scientific reasoning, but these new recommendations bring up a lot of feelings for me.

My biggest concern about the task force recommendations is that insurance companies may use this as an excuse to deny coverage for women in their forties who wish to get mammograms. If they have to pay out of pocket, fewer women will get screened, and we might wind back the clock to the days when women only got diagnosed with breast cancer after a lump was detected. Why would we want to go backwards? Is this all part of some government plan to cut back spending on the cusp of health care reform? Are our best interests really at heart? I’m not sure. What do I know?

Breast Thermography

Every woman ultimately has to make this decision for herself, assessing her own risk tolerance. At my office, we offer breast thermography as an adjunct to mammography or as a mammography alternative for those who are young or who choose to avoid mammography because of radiation concerns. If mammograms give you the heebie-jeebies and you’ve opted to skip them, check out breast thermography. Thermography, a non-invasive procedure using digital infrared imaging to assess heat in the breasts, may reflect an increase in blood vessels that are commonly seen with evolving cancer. If there’s heat on the body’s surface, this can indicate cellular damage, increased cellular activity, and inflammation- which may be cancer precursors. Breast thermography may be useful for screening young women, and it may even detect changes in the breast before breast cancer arises.

Breast thermography has some great advantages over mammography. Unlike mammography, which does nothing to prevent breast cancer- only death- thermography can actually assess the conditions in your body that may lead to breast cancer. And these changes can be treated- and often reversed- through dietary changes, lifestyle modifications, supplements, and bioidentical progesterone cream applied to the breasts.

Keep in mind that studies to support thermography as a replacement for mammography are limited. But as an adjunct or alternative for those who wish to avoid radiation or fall into that younger age group for whom mammography works less well, it has great promise.

Breast Thermography

Will I get a mammogram?

You betcha. I just turned forty, so I’ll soon be making the phone call to get my hooters mashed between the plates. I’ve got a three year old, a husband, and a beautiful mission to serve. I’ve got a lot to live for, and I’m not going to let some new recommendations get between me and a long life. But I may not do it every year. I may get thermograms in between (and in addition to mammograms), just to reduce my radiation exposure and assess any breast health issues I might be able to reverse. Ultimately, you’ve got to go with your gut. What feels right to you? When there’s controversy among various organizations, it usually means there’s no one right way. Listen to your body. Ask for guidance from the Universe. Let your boobs tell you what to do…

Freaked out about breast cancer? Don’t be. Fear won’t help. But these tips may (regardless of what the task force says).

Integrative Medicine Approaches to Reducing Breast Cancer Risk

-Practice monthly self-breast exams.

-Eat 5 or more servings of fruits and vegetables per day, preferably raw

-Limit your intake of animal fats, particularly red meat.

-Eat lots of fiber

-Avoid drinking two or more glasses of alcohol per day

-Increase your intake of superfoods high in antioxidants, such as kale, beets, carrots, beans, collard greens, brussel sprouts, and broccoli. If you’re not good about eating your veggies, try Sun Chlorella.

-Drink green juice. It’s a great way to alkalinize your body, and cancer likes acid, not alkalinity.

-Avoid dairy or use organic butter, cheese, and milk, as they are less likely to be contaminated with human growth hormone or estrogen, which is sometimes used to stimulate milk production in cows.

-Use extra-virgin olive oil, raw flaxseed oil, and cod liver oil.

-Expose yourself to the sun. High levels of Vitamin D help fight cancer.

-Exercise. It helps detoxify the body and decreases the amount of estrogen that reaches the breasts. Women who exercise regularly have a 30% lower risk of breast cancer.

-Apply loving energy to your breasts with daily massage. Massage your breast tissue and the area under your arms while you’re soaping yourself in the shower. Close your eyes and visualize healthy breast tissue. Release all fear of breast cancer through a release valve at your root chakra. Dump the toxic energy of fear into the earth’s core and allow the golden light and radiant healing of the Universe to enter through the top of your head. Close your eyes and imagine healing energy extending from your heart, through your arms, to your hands.

-Talk to your doctor about when you should begin mammography and/or breast thermography.

-Be aware of your family history. If you have a first degree family member who was diagnosed with breast cancer before menopause, consider talking to a genetic counselor.

-Limit alcohol intake, and if you do drink alcohol, make sure you’re getting enough folic acid in your diet. If not, take a supplement that includes folic acid.

-If you are at higher risk for breast cancer, talk to your doctor about supplements you can use to reduce your risk.

What will you do, Pinkies? Please share your thoughts.

Loving you and your PINK boobies,
Lissa

PS. Want more? Watch this EXTRA video clip where they interviewed Pinkie survivor Marla Rosner Johson.

[i] National Institutes of Health Consensus Development Conference Statement Jan 21-23,1997. 103. Breast cancer screening for women ages 40-49.www. consensus.nih.gov/cons/103/103_intro.htm

[ii] Elwood, M, Cox, B, Richardson, A. The effectiveness of breast cancer screening by mammography in younger women: correction. Online J Curr Clin Trials 1994; 121:385.

Tags: breast cancer, breast cancer awareness, breast cancer prevention, breast cancer risk, breast health, breast thermogram, integrative medicine, mammogram, mammography, new mammogram recommendations, screening, task force, US Preventative Health Services
Posted in Alternative Health, Healthy Thursday, Owning Health | 53 Comments »

An Integrative Medicine Doctor’s Thoughts On The Swine Flu (H1N1 Virus) Vaccine

Wednesday, September 30th, 2009

Hiya Pinkies, and Happy Healthy Thursday!

Unless you’ve been sleeping under a rock for the past 5 months, you’ve heard all the crazed, paranoid, panicked fuss about the H1N1 influenza (Swine Flu) virus and corresponding vaccine. So let me just start by saying, PLEASE! Don’t panic. This is just the flu. While it can be deadly, it does not appear to be any more so than the seasonal flu, so RELAX. This is no time for conspiracy theories, anxiety, paranoia, and fear. Take a deep breath. IN OUT (don’t you feel better already?) Educate yourself from reputable sources, and trust that you will be just fine.

To add further chaos to the mix, the swine flu vaccine will soon be available, and in some cases, mandatory. Whew! You wanna get Americans up in arms? Tell them something in mandated. We cringe all the way back to our British roots, and it brings out the rebellious child in all of us. Don’t be messing with our freedom.

So what’s all the fuss about and what’s a Pinkie to do about it? It’s all so confusing. Who can you trust? Does the government really have our best interests at heart? Unfortunately, these are questions I won’t be able to answer for you. But I wanted to at least make an attempt to collect some of the data for you so you can make up your own minds.

In the integrative medicine world, many oppose vaccination in general. I don’t tend to agree with blanket statements. My analytical mind prefers to look at data and analyze what we know, integrating it with what my gut feels and what I think. In the case of the Swine flu vaccine, my approach leaves me feeling baffled, so I can only imagine how confused the rest of you Pinkies must feel.

In this post, I will attempt to answer some of the questions you Pinkies have asked Owning Pink. (We received hundreds of questions about this over the past few months, so forgive me if we fail to answer your exact question. Bear with us, Pinkies. It’s all for the sake of the greater good, I swear!). Later, I’ll offer some Pink Tips to stay healthy this flu season, vaccine or no vaccine. Here we go. Deeeeeep breath…

Who is at high risk for swine flu (H1N1) infection?

According to the Center For Disease Control (CDC):

Children less than 2 years of age
Individuals >65 years of age (but this risk factor is tricky. Although the elderly are at higher risk of influenza complications, they do not appear to become infected as easily as younger people, perhaps because this age group has already developed immunity to some related viral strain that young people have not.)
Individuals <19 who are receiving long-term aspirin therapy and might be at risk for Reye syndrome after influenza infection
Pregnant women
Individuals with chronic medical conditions requiring ongoing medical care, including:

Chronic pulmonary disease, including asthma (particularly if systemic steriods have been required during the past year)

Cardiovascular disease (with the exception of isolated high blood pressure)

Cancer

Chronic renal insufficiency

Chronic liver disease

Diabetes mellitus

Hemoglobinopathies such as sickle cell disease

Immunosuppression, including HIV infection, organ or stem cell transplantation, and conditions requiring immunosuppressant medication

Individuals who have any condition that can compromise handling of respiratory secretions (eg, cognitive dysfunction, spinal cord injuries, seizure disorders, neuromuscular disorders, cerebral palsy, metabolic conditions)

Children with an underlying metabolic disorder who are unable to tolerate prolonged fasting

If I might have been exposed to swine flu, should I take Tamiflu?

Most healthy individuals who develop an illness that may be swine flu and appear to be recovering do not need medication. The majority of people recover completely without treatment. So who needs drugs? Here’s what the CDC has to say:

Anyone with suspected H1N1 influenza who is not getting better or develops complications such as pneumonia
Anyone who is hospitalized for H1N1 infection
Antivirals should be given as prophylaxis to anyone in the high risk group above who has been exposed to a case of suspected or confirmed H1N1 infection.
Health care workers who were not using proper precautions and came into close contact with an infectious patient

The CDC does not recommend antivirals for healthy children and adults who may have been exposed in the community. Why don’t they want to protect us? Because most healthy individuals will recover just fine and, in the face of a pandemic, drugs need to be reserved for those who need them most. If you or your loved one winds up in the hospital seriously ill, you want to be sure there’s enough medication around.

When will a vaccine be available?

We expect this vaccine to be available by mid-October.

Will the H1N1 vaccine be effective?

This is a very good question, and frankly, it’s too soon to really say. The New England Journal of Medicine reported one trial of 240 adults who received 2 doses of the H1N1 vaccine. Within 3 weeks of vaccination, 97% of individuals given the lower dose and 93% given the higher dose developed antibodies. Will these antibodies actually protect you from getting the virus, given that it may mutate and evolve? No one knows.

(Reference: Greenberg, ME, Lai, MH, Hartel, GF, et al. Response after one dose of a monovalent influenza A (H1N1) 2009 vaccine — Preliminary report. N Engl J Med 2009)

The efficacy of the regular seasonal flu vaccine depends on how much the virus mutates between when the vaccine is manufactured and when you actually get it. For example, during the 2004-2005 flu season, there was only a 5 % match between what was in the vaccine and the actual virus that spread during that flu season. As a result, that vaccine was only 10% effective. In 2006-2007, there was a 91% match, which made the vaccine 52% effective. As you can see, it’s a very imperfect science.

(Reference: Belongia, EA, Kieke, BA, Donahue, JG, et al. Effectiveness of inactivated influenza vaccines varied substantially with antigenic match from the 2004-2005 season to the 2006-2007 season. J Infect Dis 2009; 199:159.)

Will the H1N1 vaccine be safe?

Ah, the million dollar question. The truth is that nobody knows. Back in 1976, approximately 45 million people in the US were immunized against a type of swine flu, but the program was discontinued, in part because an increased incidence of Guillain-Barre syndrome was detected among those who were vaccinated. To detect a risk such as this, between 409,00 and 970,000 individuals would have to be tested in clinical trials to determine the safety of this vaccine. So while studies of very small populations do not show any significant risk, these studies are looking at hundreds, not hundreds of thousands of people, and they span only brief times.

(Reference: Evans, D, Cauchemez, S, Hayden, FG. “Prepandemic” immunization for novel influenza viruses, “swine flu” vaccine, guillain-barre syndrome, and the detection of rare severe adverse events. J Infect Dis 2009; 200:321.)

Many are rightfully concerned about the risk of vaccinating an enormous segment of our population, especially when this population includes particularly susceptible young children and pregnant women. The CDC reports that they expect a similar safety profile as they see with the seasonal flu vaccine. So what about the 1976 flu vaccine campaign that got halted? Good question.

For more, read this great article on the Guillain-Barre vaccine.

Will the vaccine have the adjuvants I’ve heard can cause Gulf War Syndrome and other complications?

According to the CDC, only vaccines without adjuvants will be used in the US during the 2009 season, which includes both the nasal spray vaccines and the injections. Because the safety of these adjuvants is unproven, the CDC reports that there is no plan at this time to recommend a 2009 H1N1 influenza vaccine with an adjuvant. What does that say about 2010? Uh…they’re not saying.

Who should get the vaccine first?

According to the CDC, the first to be vaccinated should be:

Pregnant women
Household and caregiver contacts of children younger than 6 months of age (e.g. parents, siblings, and daycare providers)
Health care and emergency medical services personnel
Children and young adults from 6 months through 24 years of age
Persons aged 25 through 64 years who have medical conditions associated with a higher risk of influenza complications

Once it is evident that there is enough vaccine, the CDC recommends that people over 65 be vaccinated.

Can I still get the H1N1 vaccine if I’m allergic to eggs?

If you have a severe allergy to eggs, your doctor will help you weigh the risks and benefits. If you’re healthy and have an egg allergy, you may be better off skipping it.

If I get the H1N1 vaccine, does that mean I can skip the regular flu vaccine this year?

No. They’re not targeting the same strains of virus. If you are high risk and choose to be vaccinated this flu season, you will need to vaccinate against both.

If I’m interested in getting the vaccine, how can I find it?

Vaccines will be allocated to health care providers shortly, so your doctor will likely receive the vaccine. If not, call your local public health department.

Is it true that the government is mandating that everyone be vaccinated?

No. But it is true that New York state has mandated that health care workers involved in direct patient care be vaccinated. Many are up in arms. But the edict is clear- get vaccinated or get fired. Are other vaccination mandates coming? I sure hope not, at least not until we know more about this particular vaccine.

I’ve heard that I can’t sue a vaccine manufacturer if something bad happens as the result of getting the H1N1 vaccine. Is this true?

Well, in this country, anyone can sue anyone, as proven by the women who took me to malpractice court for stealing her labia (no kidding. Totally true story. Only lawsuit ever brought against me. And yes, she was psycho and the case was dropped, but not until 3 years and 3 lawsuits later…but don’t get me started, Pinkies!)

But yes, the vaccine manufacturers have been granted immunity from legal liability in the US due to a law recently signed into effect.

Can we trust what the CDC has to say?
I honestly can’t say. I have to say that, as a physician, I have always trusted the CDC as a reliable source of objective information. But I admit that I’m shocked at how they’ve handled this pandemic so far. Maybe it’s my own naivety. I admit. Pandemics are not my specialty, and that’s their job. But the reaction of the CDC seems out of proportion to the nature of the disease, when I hunt for how I feel in my gut. After all, it’s the flu, and I live in California, surrounded by great hospitals and fabulous doctors (so maybe I’m spoiled). But seriously, people. Must we rush into a massive vaccination campaign without much data? Where’s the evidence to support safety, efficacy, and necessity? It makes a thoughtful doctor/mother/writer/leader stop and pause…

What can you do to prevent swine flu, aside from getting vaccinated?

So Pinkies, is your head spinning by now? Mine certainly is. Here are a few tried-and-true Pink prevention techniques that will keep the odds in your favor this flu season:

Wash your hands, wash your hands, wash your hands. (Say it three times over. This is your new Pink mantra, and it’s the number one way to avoid getting swine flu). Also, avoid touching your eyes, nose or mouth, which can introduce the virus into your receptive passageways. If you cough or sneeze, use a tissue and throw the tissue away afterwards. This will help protect you and everyone else out there who is trying to avoid swine flu.
Eat immune boosting foods, and steer clear of sugar. Here are five that can help you.
Citrus. Loaded with Vitamin C, citrus fruits are a yummy, easy way to support your immune system. Grab a glass of OJ, or make some lemonade. Even better, mix lots of lemons into clean water with stevia (a natural sweetener) and cayenne pepper. Not only is it a zingy tasty treat filled with Vitamin C, it also alkalinizes your body, which helps it fight infection.
Red chili peppers (cayenne). Cayenne pepper has long been appreciated for its medicinal properties and can help your body during states of emergency. So chili it up for good health!
Garlic. Filled with immune-boosting mojo, garlic has been used to treat everything from the common cold to the Plague. So load up on garlic and give your body a fighting chance.
Carrots. Bursting with beta-carotene, carrots give your body a leg up when you’re fighting infection. Drink a few carrot juices to get enough in your body. Sweet potatoes and spinach also contain lots of beta carotene, so eat up.
Fish. Fish like salmon, mackeral, and tuna are filled with omega-3 fats, which support white blood cells in fighting infection. Sushi anyone?
Snooze, baby, snooze! Sleep is underrated. When you’re well rested, your body fights infection more effectively. Check out these tips from naturopath Dr. Nicole Sundene.
Give up alcohol and caffeine for a while. Staying sober and decaffeinated helps your body mount immune responses.
Guzzle green juice instead. If you have a juicer stashed under your counter, now is the time to pull it out and load it with kale, celery, cucumber, swiss chard, lemon, spinach, ginger, garlic- whatever you’ve got around that can support your good health. Also, avoid processed foods and eat a whole foods diet.
Try not to drink out of the same cup as others. And avoid sick people, if you can.
Hydrate. Drink, drink, drink pure clean water. It keeps your mucous thin and helps you mucous membranes resist infection.
Try not to touch your nose, eyes, and mouth.
Get your exercise. While this may not be the best time to go to a crowded gym, a long hike in nature can do wonders for your immune system, your general health, and your psyche.
RELAX, and don’t panic. Stress weakens your immune system and makes you more susceptible to infection. Try meditation, deep breathing exercises, guided imagery, yoga, walks in nature, or whatever works to chill you out.

Supplements I Recommend to my Patients For Prevention & Treatment of Swine Flu:

(We offer these at CLEAR Center of Health, where I work. Some of these may not be available over-the-counter)

10 Mushroom Formula.
Thymuril.
Echinacea. My favorite is Esberitox by Integrative Therapeutics.
Vitamin C supplements. If you take extra, it gets excreted in your urine, so it won’t hurt you to load up.
Probiotic bacteria, which alters the intestinal flora and helps your body resist infection.
Viraclear, made by Integrative Therapeutics.
High dose Vitamin D plus high dose Vitamin A.
If you’re feeling under the weather, take Elderberry syrup. It’s a natural anti-viral and can be particularly useful if your community runs out of Tamiflu and Relenza.

Will I get vaccinated? Will I vaccinate my 3 year old daughter?

Honestly, Pinkies, I haven’t decided. If a doctor doesn’t know for sure, it’s no wonder some of you may be confused. This has all happened so quickly. Am I anti-vaccination? No. Not for some things. But do I feel the need to inject a poorly tested vaccine that may or not protect me against something unlikely to cause serious complications in my healthy family? Maybe not. After all, this is not ebola we’re talking about. You’re not likely to bleed out of your eyeballs and croak when you get it.

Frankly, I think everyone needs to take a bit of a chill pill. (Or take a good long hike and start meditating!) But then no one’s asking me.

Well, no one but you Pinkies, who keep asking away.

So anyway, this is the best I can do for right now. I’ll try to keep you updated as more information comes in.

Oink oink (and big Pink love),

Lissa

p.s. For more sanity-saving, stress-reducing tips, check out this article on H1N1 by Mojo Mentors Lakenda Wallace and Simone da Rosa, Owning Pink’s Get Happy! Less Stress More Life Coaches.

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Posted in Alternative Health, Green Juice Cleansing, Healthy Thursday, Owning Health, Owning Your Body, Raw Foods, Swine Flu | 42 Comments »

Healthy Thursday: What Is Human Papillomavirus (HPV)?

Thursday, September 17th, 2009

Happy Healthy Thursday, dear Pinkies! On Thursdays, we at Owning Pink dedicate the day to Owning Our Health. Today’s post is in response to a host of questions you Pinkies have been asking. Since HPV is so common, I thought we’d tackle this sensitive topic together.

I just found out I have HPV. What is it?

HPV (Human Papillomavirus) is the most common sexually transmitted disease, and it will infect 75% of young women before the age of 50, if they don’t get vaccinated. It’s the virus that causes genital and anal warts, abnormal pap smears, and cervical cancer. Even if you’re a virgin when you hook up with someone, you can end up with HPV- even if your partner has only slept with one other person. This is not a disease of freaks and hoochies. (If it is, then I’m one of those hoochies, since I got it from my husband. Poor guy. He feels bad.) Even if you’re really careful, you can still get it, and next thing you know, you’ve got genital warts and cervical cancer. While they do reduce the risk of transmission, condoms don’t completely protect you, since your labia can touch the skin around your partner’s genitals, even with a condom on. All it takes is intimate genital touching between you and your partner.

Why is HPV so common and why is everyone talking about it?

The strains of HPV that tend to cause abnormal pap smears and cervical cancer don’t cause any problems in men. So they don’t even know they have it. Which means they’re passing it around from woman to woman, like a beach ball. You gotta wonder when the guy says, “Oh, that’s so weird. ALL my girlfriends have had abnormal pap smears.” Duh, dude. It’s you!

What can happen to you if you catch HPV?

HPV can cause warts, abnormal pap smears, and cervical cancer. Usually, warts are caused by HPV types 6 and 11, the two most common strains. These strains cause problems for both men and women, since men can get genital warts and anal warts as well. Asking your partner if he’s ever had warts can give you an idea of whether your partner might carry HPV. But even if your partner says no, it doesn’t mean you’re out of the woods. Some people carry the virus but their immune systems keep it from wreaking havoc on their genitals. Even so, they can shed the virus from their genitals and pass it along. Then if your immune system is weak one day, BOOM. There it is. Cauliflower crotch.

But warts are small potatoes, as far as HPV goes. HPV types 16 and 18 (the high risk types) can cause abnormal pap smears and cervical cancer. That’s why it’s so important to get pap smears regularly. As long as you get your pap smear once a year, you will probably never get cancer. But you may very well wind up with an abnormal pap smear, the way I did. If that happens, you’ll have to get a procedure called a colposcopy, which is a microscope we gynecologists use to get up-close-and-personal with your cervix to make sure there’s no cancer.

If I have HPV, what should I tell my sexual partners?

To keep your karma clean, it’s not a bad idea to tell your past and future sexual partners. Chances are, more than half of them have already been exposed, and one of them was the one who gave it to you. Because many strains of HPV do not cause problems for guys, your partner may not even know he has it. But technically, anyone who may have been infected by you should tell future sexual partners that they may carry HPV and may be able to transmit it. It gets very complicated, because your immune system may clear HPV from your system and make it undetectable at some point. So will you still be infectious five years from now? Probably not. But maybe. This is why it’s such a big problem. Some women seem to clear HPV, only to have it show up again when their immune system is suppressed, as it normally is during pregnancy.

What can I do if I have HPV?

Because HPV is a virus, there’s no real cure, the way there is for most bacteria. If you have warts, the warts can be treated. And if you have an abnormal pap smear, we investigate further with colposcopy, a test that helps us differentiate whether the abnormalities are mild or more severe. If they’re mild, we focus on supporting your immune system, while we take a wait-and-see approach, which means pap smears every three to six months until things get better or worse. If they get worse, it means treatment, like a LEEP (Loop Electrosurgical Excision Procedure), which is the surgical procedure I had to have a few years back. Believe me. It’s no fun. But it beats the Big C.

Natural treatments aimed at supporting the immune system can help you clear the virus, but ultimately, you’re at the mercy of your immune system. So if you get HPV, you may have it for years. If you have access to an integrative medicine doctor or naturopath, they may be able to help you with some herbs and supplements that can stimulate your natural immune response. But otherwise, it’s all about treating any problems the HPV causes. Unfortunately, there’s no magic pill that can erase HPV worries forever.

If I don’t already have HPV, how can I prevent it?

You can use condoms, which reduces, but doesn’t eliminate, the risk of contracting HPV. You may also want to talk to your doctor about whether you are a candidate for Gardasil, the HPV vaccine. The vaccine is a series of three injections aimed at protecting you against the four most common strains of HPV- types 6, 11, 16, and 18, the types that cause 70% of cervical cancer and 90% of genital and anal warts. The vaccine is given as three injections over a six month period and is FDA approved for girls and women age 9 to 26. The Center for Disease Control (CDC) and the American Academy of Pediatrics currently recommend that all girls be given the vaccine between the ages of 11 and 12. There’s a lot of controversy about giving a young girl a vaccine against a sexually transmitted disease. But we do it already. Babies get vaccinated against Hepatitis B, which is another STD. When patients ask me whether I will vaccinate my own daughter, I tell them she’s still young, so more information about safety and efficacy will exist by the time she is old enough to get the vaccine. Assuming it’s proven safe and effective, I will vaccinate her. If I didn’t and she ended up with cervical cancer, how would I answer her if she asked, “Mom, why didn’t you vaccinate me when you had the chance?”

Did that help, Pinkies? I know it’s more fun to talk about Signs From the Universe and Living The Question. But remember that Owning Your Health solidifies the foundation upon which you build creativity, spirituality, surrender, balance, love and all the other aspects you’re trying to OWN. Don’t get so stuck in your head that you forget your body. Take care of yourselves, Pinkies!

With love and wishes for health and wholeness,

Dr. Lissa

To make an appointment to see holistic women’s health physician Dr. Lissa Rankin in person, call www.clearcenterofhealth.com.

Tags: abnormal pap smear, CDC, cervical cancer, cervical HPV, colposcopy, cryotherapy, Gardasil, genital warts, high risk HPV, HPV, HPV and abnormal pap smear, HPV cancer, HPV contagious, HPV cure, HPV men, HPV symptoms, HPV vaccine, HPV virus, HPV women, human papillomavirus, integrative medicine, LEEP, LEEP procedure, natural medicine, treatment for HPV, treatment of warts, vaccine HPV, warts, wats treatment, what is HPV
Posted in Alternative Health, Healthy Thursday, Owning Health | 12 Comments »

Owning Your Health: Are Fatigue and Lack of Energy Separating You From Your Mojo?

Thursday, August 6th, 2009

At Owning Pink, we have deemed Thursdays Healthy Thursdays, so each Thursday, I will put on my white coat and share with you some things I’ve learned as an OB/GYN, integrative medicine doc, and holistic women’s health practitioner. If you have topics you wish I’d cover, please post comments below! This weeks topic addresses one of the most common complaints I see in my private practice- fatigue.

Do you find it challenging to pull yourself out of bed in the morning? Are you living on that triple shot Caramel Macchiato? Are you tempted to nap every afternoon? Does your body protest when your brain feels like exercising? Do you feel like fatigue is all that separates you from your mojo?

Maybe you’re doing every Mojo Monday exercise- crossing the Pink threshold, building your home altar, writing your personal mission statement, keeping a Joy Journal, forgiving those who have wronged you, finding your creative slash, writing your bucket list, blessing your body, cleaning out your Anything Box, and engaging in Laughter Yoga. You’re Owning your spiritual side, letting your creative juices flow, and getting in touch with the authentic YOU. You’d even like to start your own Pink Posse gathering. But you’re so freakin’ tired all the time! Where did your mojo go?

If you suffer from low energy and fatigue, you’re not alone. More than half the population reports feeling tired often, and as many as 80% of women around the age of menopause say they are tired most of the time.

Why Am I So Tired?

Inadequate or disrupted sleep- If you’re running on five or six hours of sleep, it’s no wonder you’re tired. The body simply needs more sleep.
Emotional disturbances- Anxiety and depression tend to sap your energy and they may also contribute to insomnia, which leads to poor sleep. Then- wham! Bye bye mojo. Stress can also drain your energy.
Sex hormone imbalance- As women (and men, by the way) age, fluctuations in sex hormones, such as estrogen, progesterone, and testosterone, may lead to fatigue and symptoms of low energy.
Nutrition- If you’re filling up on junk, it’s no wonder you feel tired. Food is fuel, and if you’re filling your tank with caffeinated sugar water instead of whole foods and green things, you can’t expect to feel good. If you treat your low energy with sugar and/or caffeine, you’re stimulating our sympathetic nervous system and revving up your pancreatic insulin production. Then when you crash, you only feel worse.
Anemia- If your hemoglobin or red blood cell count is low, your body has trouble delivering oxygen to your tissues, which makes you feel tired.
Adrenal fatigue- Most of us run around in fight-or-flight stress mode most of the time, which taxes our poor, overworked adrenal glands. At first, they may keep up, spitting out cortisol and other adrenal hormones to keep up with you, but at some point, your adrenal may peter out, leaving you with adrenal insufficiency. Without adequate levels of adrenal hormones, you feel limp and lifeless.
Thryoid imbalance- As you age, you may not make as much thyroid hormone as you did when you were younger. If your thyroid gland quits putting out as much thyroid hormonecause, chances are you’ll feel tired.
Food allergies- While some food allergies can be so bad they land you in the emergency room, mild food allergies may go unnoticed, with only fatigue resulting. If you regularly eat foods your body doesn’t tolerate well, you expend extra energy, as your body tries to process these foods and wind up exhausted.
Sleep apnea- If you sleep 8 hours per night but spend all 8 hours trying to breathe, you’re likely to wake up tired. If you’re tired all the time and your partner has to sleep in the other room because you snore so badly, there’s a good chance you have sleep apnea, a condition that obstructs the upper airway and leads to difficulty breathing during sleep.
Chronic disease- If you’re doing everything else right and you still feel tired, you could have a chronic disease, such as undiagnosed cancer or heart disease. When your body is busy trying to fight off life-threatening disease, it winds up without much energy left over.
Infection- Viral and bacterial infections may be insidious and hard to detect. Diseases like CMV, EBV, or Lyme’s disease, among others, may sap you of your energy.

10 Tips For Improving Your Energy Levels

Try to get 8 hours of sleep at night. Go to bed earlier and rearrange your schedule to allow your body the rest and rejuvenation it needs to recapture energy.
Treat insomnia. If you suffer from insomnia, try 5-HTP, GABA, or melatonin, and listen to guided imagery (I love Belleruth Naparstek’s CD’s and listen to them almost every night). If nothing helps, see your doctor.
Consider seeing a reputable integrative medicine doctor. While traditional doctors may check your hemoglobin and a TSH, many integrative medicine doctors will do a more thorough medical evaluation, including evaluation of your emotional and mental well-being, as well as testing of your sex hormones, adrenal hormones, blood count, various measures of your thyroid function, and food allergy testing. You can ask your traditional medical doctor to order these tests. Some docs are up-to-date and on top of current treatment for fatigue. But more often, you may find some resistance from doctors not familiar with treating some of these conditions.
Eat a balanced whole foods diet, rich in produce, lean proteins, and whole grains.
Avoid caffeine, sugar, high carb foods, alcohol, and nicotine.
Buy a juicer and drink green juice. It works miracles- I swear!
If you suffer from anxiety and depression, get help. Working naturally to alter your brain biochemistry can do wonders for your energy (and your mojo!)
If you snore, bring it up with your doc. If you have untreated sleep apnea, you’re not just tired- your health is in danger.
Exercise regularly. It may seem counterintuitive. After all, how can you exercise when you feel so tired you can barely roll out of bed. But trust me on this one. If you can manage to do it, it works.
Seek help from alternative health modalities, such as massge therapy, Reiki, acupuncture, biofeedback, guided imagery, and hypnotherapy. All of these modalities work to diminish stress, and all have additional benefits that may help you.