Your questions answered...
1) The probiotic….which individual probiotics do you suggest that I make sure they are included in the product when I buy one?
At the shop, we have three kinds of probiotics from the same manufacturer. They have different potencies. We have a 5 billion, 25 billion and 50 billion counts. For most people taking probiotics, I recommend the 5 billion. For people with moderate gastrointestinal issues, I recommend 25 billion. For people with severe gastrointestinal toxicity or for people who want a high powered probiotics, I recommend the high potency one. Our probiotic manufacturer is Prothera/Klaire labs
2) Do I need to be taking iodine since I only use sea salt once in awhile? And it doesn’t have iodine in it.
Sea salt contains many trace minerals, including Iodine. If you use table salt, it is better to use iodized salt.
3) I checked the label on my “protein shake” and it does have the two amino acids that I was low in on the test results. Do I need to take more than one shake each day to get the full amount? On the label it says 403 mg Histidine and 922 mg Lysine. Is one shake a day enough to cover the Histidine that I need?
Probably not. The shop does not carry these specific amino acids, however, we can order them for you.
4) How do you treat diseases? Do you ever recommend herbs for medical problems? The reason I am asking is because I was diagnosed with diverticulitis a couple of years ago and diabetes a few months ago. If I ONLY concentrate on taking all the nutrients my body needs, will that be enough to turn those two diseases around? Or do I need herbs as well?
Functional medicine uses all means to treat disease, as long as there is scientific evidence that it works, and it does not cause harm. Yes, I use herbs. I use foods as well. For diabetes, you should be checking your blood sugar regularly. For diverticular disease, fiber, and MCT oil. Here is a link to the documents page on my website. (http://www.drquaye.com/patientresources/patientresources.html). Please download as much as you can, and use the recipes. I even have a diabetes diet in there. Use it.
5) When do you suggest that I get tested for diabetes again?
You should be checking your blood sugar everyday. We will talk about testing at your next visit.
6) When I first had diabetes the lady at (store name deleted) told me not eat even my Duland’s oatmeal and Sami’s millet/flaxseed breads because they would turn to sugar in my body as a carbohydrate. I know not to eat white bread because all white things turn to sugar in our bodies. But what about these two breads?
All carbohydrates turn to sugar in your blood. The problem is with refined sugars, and processed foods that "dump" sugar into your blood soon after you eat. The vegetables that are supposed to be good for you also get turned into sugars, but much more slowly. Some foods, such as gluten (from wheat) may cause immune activation, which can make one ill without even considering the sugar problem. try to avoid all the white starches, consume more vegetables, and certainly avoid any foods which you developed antibodies to. The test report was mailed. You should be getting it today.
7) Are you familiar with “muscle testing”? (kinesiology)
No. I will make a note of it. We may add it at some point it I investigate it, and find that it will be helpful to our patients.
8) Naturopathic physicians usually tell you to never eat sugar and dairy products. Some include other things. Do you agree? And LOTS of water – at least half our body weight in ounces.
I would not say "NEVER" to anything, unless you have a reaction to that food. Some people do just fine with dairy, and cheese is high in protein.
9) Do I need n-Butyrate under Metabolic Products?
The bacteria in your gut can digest the fiber you eat to produce butyrate. Butyrate is also available as a supplement, and we can order it for you if you wish.
10) I looked at the label on the multivitamins product. Compared to the list of what I need on the test results, the product doesn’t give me enough magnesium according to the Genova Diagnostics test result. The same with the B-vitamins….there aren’t enough miligrams in the ingredients on the label of the B complex bottle to cover what the test results tell me that I need. Not sure I understand??
You should take a separate magnesium as no vitamin complex has enough magnesium. You should take B-complex in addition to the multivitamin to meet the Genova stated requirements for you. Even though the multivitamins are high dose, they still do not meet you need as given by the test.
11) What does Oxidative Stress Markers mean? What is 8-OHdG, and what does it mean when it is high? How does it affect risk for cancer.
Oxidative stress means your body is making more free radicals than it can clear through detoxification. Free radicals can damage your DNA, which can lead to cancer. 8-OHdG is a marker of DNA damage (an oxidative stress marker). A high 8-OHdG shows a lot of DNA damage, and an increased risk of cancer. It does not mean you have cancer, or that you will get cancer. It gives us the opportunity treat the oxidative stress by taking any recommended antioxidants. We also look for why you have oxidative stress, and try to correct the problem.
12) Are you familiar with the importance of our body's pH balance needing to be about 7.3 to 7.5 alcoline? An acidic body is a magnet for diseases.
The body’s pH is tightly regulated between 7.35 and 7.45. It is very tightly controlled, and is often as close to 7.4 as possible. Even though the range is between 7.35 and 7.45, the pH does not stay at the extremes for long, unless there is an underlying illness present. The body can tolerate acid pH (pH below 7.35) better than it can tolerate alkaline pH (greater than 7.45). Although I have seen many patients with pH of 6.9 (that is normal minus 0.6), I have never seen a patient with 7.6 (normal plus 0.2). Different parts of the body have different pH values. The mouth is alkaline, stomach is acid, which helps with nutrient absorption, and digestion. Acidity in the stomach also protects the integrity of gut microorganisms. Fatty acids produced by bacteria in the colon maintain an acid environment, which also makes for good colon health. The blood is tightly regulated to maintain a pH close to 7.4. Urine pH tends to be acidic, but has a wide range. The kidneys and lungs do a very good job of maintaining the blood pH. Certain disease conditions can affect the pH of the blood. Deliberate disturbances of the balance in the different environments could create conditions for disease.
13) I am considering coming to Magnolia Health. Should I make a functional medicine appointment or an internal medicine appointment?
Functional medicine services are premium services at Magnolia Health Care. To answer your question, I would frame it as "do you NEED functional medicine?" The typical functional medicine patient is someone with a chronic medical problem for which they have been to many doctors, and they are not finding the answers they need. Functional medicine also works for people who are tired of taking prescription medications, or just want to improve their health with a comprehensive wellness program. If we see you for an internal medicine visit, and we think you would benefit from functional medicine, we will recommend it to you. However, if you are in doubt, choose functional medicine.