Hemochromatosis

Hemochromatosis is the most common of the iron storage diseases, and the hereditary form of hemochromatosis is the most common genetic disorder in the United States. Symptoms of this disease may include joint pain, fatigue, abdominal pain, heart and liver disease. Women are often not diagnosed until around the age of 50. This makes sense because in menopause women are no longer losing iron through their menses and their hemoglobin and iron will show elevations on routine blood work.

High rates of iron storage diseases are found in the southwestern states because of the amount of iron in our ground water and soil. Additionally, iron is fortified in many foods including some brands of breads, cereals and pasta. Vitamin C supplementation can be very detrimental to someone with hemochromatosis because it increases iron absorption.

Treatments for hemochromatosis include phlebotomy, avoidance of Vitamin C, nutritional supplementation and diet modification. Early detection and treatment are very effective and are essential to the prevention of heart and liver disease.

ALETRIS Center of Integrative Medicine is a Scottsdale, AZ wellness center serving Scottsdale, Paradise Valley, Phoenix, Glendale, Arrowhead, Peoria, Sun City, Chandler, Tempe, Ahwatukee, and Mesa, AZ with specialties in naturopathic medicine, natural hormone therapy, women's health, acupuncture, colon hydrotherapy, natural skincare and sugar hair removal.

The contents of this blog, including text, graphics, images and other material, are for informational and educational purposes only and are not intended to be a substitute for professional medical advice, diagnosis or treatment. Please seek the counsel of an ALETRIS physician or other qualified health provider with any questions regarding a medical condition or treatment.

Blood Test for BREAST CANCER

The statistics are astounding: Every year 240,000 women are diagnosed with breast cancer and more than 40,000 women will die from breast cancer. Early detection is crucial because in its early stages, treatable breast cancers can have over a 5 year 95% survival rate.

The Biomarker Translation Test, or “BT Test” is a new blood test that when used in conjunction with mammography may aid in the early detection of breast cancer. The BT test measures specific protein biomarkers in the blood that are associated with cancerous activity. The results are analyzed along with personal health history and women are given an individualized “BT score.” This exciting new test has been tested for accuracy and has indicated an accuracy of over 81%.

The BT Test is not a substitution for mammography, but is an additional tool to detect early breast cancers. Because breast cancers are easily missed with mammography, especially in women who have dense breast tissue, the BT Test is an excellent addition to conventional breast imaging.

ALETRIS Center of Integrative Medicine is a Scottsdale, AZ wellness center serving Scottsdale, Paradise Valley, Phoenix, Glendale, Arrowhead, Peoria, Sun City, Chandler, Tempe, Ahwatukee, and Mesa, AZ with specialties in naturopathic medicine, natural hormone therapy, women's health, acupuncture, colon hydrotherapy, natural skincare and sugar hair removal.

The contents of this blog, including text, graphics, images and other material, are for informational and educational purposes only and are not intended to be a substitute for professional medical advice, diagnosis or treatment. Please seek the counsel of an ALETRIS physician or other qualified health provider with any questions regarding a medical condition or treatment.

Lipoprotein A & Cardiovascular Disease

At ALETRIS Center of Integrative Medicine, our goal is to educate patients about preventative medicine. Cardiovascular disease is always a popular topic with our patients simply because the average American is more likely to die of heart disease than any other disease.

Beyond cholesterol, there are many more blood markers that may predict one's risk of heart disease. One less-known risk factor is lipoprotein a. Lipoprotein a, also called Lp-a, is an independent risk factor for cardiovascular disease and a better predictor than the more well known LDL cholesterol marker.

Lp-a is carried on the LDL molecule and tells us how “sticky” the LDL is. In other words, the higher the Lp-a level, the higher the risk that LDL will be placed in the artery wall and eventually cause blockage. Blocked arteries eventually cause strokes and heart attacks, the top two killers in the US.

The good news is that specific diets as well as supplementation will reduce Lp-a levels in at-risk patients. At ALETRIS Center, we run all cardiovascular risk factors in order to determine our individual patients’ risks. Caught early, a patient’s risk for heart disease can be drastically reduced.

ALETRIS Center of Integrative Medicine is a Scottsdale, AZ wellness center serving Scottsdale, Paradise Valley, Phoenix, Glendale, Arrowhead, Peoria, Sun City, Chandler, Tempe, Ahwatukee, and Mesa, AZ with specialties in naturopathic medicine, natural hormone therapy, women's health, acupuncture, colon hydrotherapy, natural skincare and sugar hair removal.

The contents of this blog, including text, graphics, images and other material, are for informational and educational purposes only and are not intended to be a substitute for professional medical advice, diagnosis or treatment. Please seek the counsel of an ALETRIS physician or other qualified health provider with any questions regarding a medical condition or treatment.

STROKE in Younger Women

Middle aged women are too young to be suffering from strokes!

New research shows an increase of strokes in women between the ages of 35 and 54. In a survey done between the years of 1988 and 1994, 0.5% of women in the above age bracket reported to have suffered a stroke. In a more recent survey, conducted from 1999 to 2004 an astounding 2% of women between 35 and 54 reported to have had a previous stroke.

Two percent may seem like a small number, but remember, we are talking about young and middle aged women. Traditionally it was thought that women’s risk of stroke increases 5-10 years after menopause, so why are we seeing strokes in younger women? The researchers attribute this finding to increased abdominal fat, higher BMI (or body mass index) and higher blood sugar.

It is never too early to assess your cardiovascular and stroke risk factors. Eating a healthy diet consisting of lean proteins, complex carbohydrates, fiber, essential fats and an abundance of vegetables is a great way to reduce your risk of heart disease and stroke. Exercising 4 days a week and not smoking are crucial to maintaining the health of your heart and blood vessels.

At Aletris Center of Integrative Medicine, we use progressive lab tests and imaging to assess risk factors associated with current and potential heart disease which may lead to strokes. It is never too late to engage yourself in your own health care and seek the help of a well-trained naturopathic physician.

ALETRIS Center of Integrative Medicine is a Scottsdale, AZ wellness center serving Scottsdale, Paradise Valley, Phoenix, Glendale, Arrowhead, Peoria, Sun City, Chandler, Tempe, Ahwatukee, and Mesa, AZ with specialties in naturopathic medicine, natural hormone therapy, women's health, acupuncture, colon hydrotherapy, natural skincare and sugar hair removal.

The contents of this blog, including text, graphics, images and other material, are for informational and educational purposes only and are not intended to be a substitute for professional medical advice, diagnosis or treatment. Please seek the counsel of an ALETRIS physician or other qualified health provider with any questions regarding a medical condition or treatment.

Coming Soon! Saliva Test for Breast Cancer

Scientists in Houston are developing a saliva test to identify specific proteins found in breast cancers. In the future, this could provide us with an inexpensive and non-invasive tool to detect early cancers of the breast.

Cancerous tumors produce proteins that affect cell growth, cell metabolism and cell death. According to an article in the journal Cancer Investigation, “breast cancer triggers a change in the type and amount of proteins in secretions from the salivary glands.” The authors studied 30 women, 10 healthy, 10 with benign breast tumors and 10 with malignant breast cancer. After testing the samples, they identified differences in proteins among the three groups. Future studies are necessary in order to assess the reliability of saliva testing for breast cancers.

Naturopathic physicians educate women on the importance of maintaining their breast health and reducing risks associated with breast cancer. At ALETRIS, we offer a variety of progressive lab testing and imaging in order to analyze a woman’s breast health. As with other cancers, early detection of breast abnormality is conducive to more effective natural treatments.

ALETRIS Center of Integrative Medicine is a Scottsdale, AZ wellness center serving Scottsdale, Paradise Valley, Phoenix, Glendale, Arrowhead, Peoria, Sun City, Chandler, Tempe, Ahwatukee, and Mesa, AZ with specialties in naturopathic medicine, natural hormone therapy, women's health, acupuncture, colon hydrotherapy, natural skincare and sugar hair removal.

The contents of this blog, including text, graphics, images and other material, are for informational and educational purposes only and are not intended to be a substitute for professional medical advice, diagnosis or treatment. Please seek the counsel of an ALETRIS physician or other qualified health provider with any questions regarding a medical condition or treatment.