New name for you this week – people are still thinking Clinic Notes is for practitioners-only, which it isn’t. Purehealth Digest is my free round-up of interesting news, views and clinic updates I think you, my lovely readers, might find useful and enjoy.
CHRONIC PAIN: NEW GENETIC TEST. Most patients have to trial several pain meds and combinations of approaches until they (hopefully) find something that lowers their pain levels. Think: fibromyalgia, head pain, TMJ pain, musculoskeletal pain for a start. How much better would it be if you had some idea of what type of painkillers or approaches might help you best? A LOT better and quicker relief, I would say. Enter the new DNA Pain gene test.
I have now listed the DNA Pain, MedCheck and other DNA Life tests for you on the shop. You can do it via bloodspot or mouth swab. You can see sample reports here and here and a list of all the DNA Life tests here. And I’ve written a blog post about it here for you.
NUTRITION FOR CHRONIC DISEASE. I found this shocking – many specialists felt that only a percentage of their patients would benefit from nutrition/diet changes or advice – especially gastroenterologists! The mind boggles, truly! However, less than 20% or so of patients even asked for any dietary advice either, which shows the education needs on both sides of the health equation rather, doesn’t it? Docs in preventive medicine said it is more like 100% of patients need nutrition support:
“Every single patient needs counseling because lack of good nutrition is “the basis of most of the chronic diseases that Americans and other people worldwide suffer from”.
I couldn’t agree more. You’ve only got to look at the fact that people who are obese suffered much more from serious Covid than others. Why? I suspect because the body is already inflamed (I’m convinced obesity is, for most, an inflammatory problem, not a problem of eating habits myself) and because people are generally ‘starving in the midst of plenty’ ie. eating a lot of low nutrient density food – processed crap, really – which means they gain weight but their vitamin and mineral levels are woefully low. That goes for skinny peeps too, mind you! MEDSCAPE
US DIETARY ADVICE FOR CARDIOVASCULAR DISEASE PREVENTION. Hot on the heels of that damning evidence of lack of nutritional advice for patients above, ironically comes new guidance from the American Heart Association. The only bit I don’t necessarily agree with here is the salt issue, which I’m not sure research is backing up anymore. However, it is not my field, so.. I usually ask people to use a potassium salt or a mix of sodium and potassium because most people, on testing, are much lower in the all-important potassium than they are sodium anyway. I suspect it has more to do with that imbalance than just sodium itself. MEDSCAPE.
PRACTITIONERS: NEW BARRIER TEST TO GO WITH FIT. Just a heads-up for practitioners using the KBMO FIT food tests: KBMO have brought out a barrier panel that is now included or can be used stand-alone. Tests zonulin, occludin (as per Cyrex 2) and candida. See more here. Personally, I swapped from FIT to Precision Diagnostics P88, which I think is more useful, especially report-wise for patients, and I use their Advanced Barrier Test with it when necessary. I particularly like that one because it includes LPS, histamine and DAO too. You can see my thoughts on Allergy/Intolerance testing in general here and even a video! And here’s my blog post about the Barrier Test.
FAT CRAVING: IS IT ALL IN YOUR MIND? Well researchers seem to think it might be. New study on fat triggering some kind of gut-brain signal. They’re wondering if they can somehow block this signal to help people not crave so much fat and therefore reduce obesity. SCIENCE DAILY.
ECZEMA AND CLOTHING FOR SENSITIVE SKIN. Useful post from colleague Ruth on suggestions for clothes that won’t irritate already inflamed skin. I think it might also be useful for those of us sensory hyper-sensitive people for whom the mere touch of clothes on us can be stressful and cause pain. Check it out.
WAIST TO HIP RATIO FAR BETTER THAN BMI. “WHR had the strongest and most consistent relationship to all-cause death…indicating that clinicians should pay more attention to adiposity distribution than they do to BMI.” Some experts go even further and believe the measurement for obesity and disease should be waist to height. Ergo: BMI is not a reliable indicator of obesity and problems likely to occur from it. I’ve said that for many years! MEDSCAPE
NUTRITION FOR SENIORS. This has long been an interest of mine. I truly believe that much that we suffer from in older age is preventable and related a lot to poor absorption and reduced intake of nutrients as we get older. Very useful article today on some of those issues. Learn more here – and use the knowledge to help your older loved ones. I may even set up a Seniors page in the A-Z and put this article on it.
AND FINALLY….ask yourself this and then do it:
What is one previous habit I’d like to reclaim?
What is one current habit I’d like to let go?
James Clear