I did not want to go on any kind of hormone pills or patches so I did some research and found a woman who went into early menopause and did very extensive research in this area and developed her own hormone creams. They are very different than the kind you get compounded by the pharmacist or buy in the health food store. On her site, she has all the information you will need to help you come up with your own protocol that will relieve your symptoms. These creams are not just for menopausal woman. Young woman who have heavy periods, severe cramps and "PMS" can also benefit from them as can woman who have long surpassed this landmark in their lives. The bottom line is that when your hormones are out of whack it can cause a myriad of symptoms to everything from anxiety, depression and mental fogginess to name just a few.

The site is www.thehqlprotocol.com  When you visit the site, you need to read all the data on it before you start trying to diagnose yourself. She also offers hormone testing that you really need to get so you know where to start. You also need to use the recommended lab.

My own personal experience was that when I first started with the creams I had to use both creams (estrogen and progesterone) 3 x a day for about 3 weeks. My symptoms were about completely gone by the end of the 4th week and now I use both creams 1x a day and have not had a hot flash since. I had tried creams before both compounded from the pharmacy and several different kinds from the health food store but they had no effect. You can read why that was on her site.

Next time I have a hot flash it will likely be because Johnny Depp did just walk into the room!

Most people think that a clean house means a healthy house but for the average home this cleanliness comes at the expense of exposing their families to hundreds of toxic chemicals which makes it more like a house of toxins which is far from healthy. Toxic chemicals in everything from laundry detergent, dishwasher soap and bathroom cleaners, to name just a few, can contribute to an array of health problems such as allergies, sinus problems, asthma and headaches. For more data on these chemicals read my post How Toxic Is Your Home? For those with children it is even worse for them since their immune systems are more fragile. Don't forget about our four-legged friends, pets are also exposed to these chemicals and due to their shorter life span they are even more affected by these toxic chemicals. They play on lawns that have been sprayed with toxic chemicals, put things in their mouths they should not and drink tap water that is full of chemicals including pharmaceuticals.

The majority of household cleaners and detergents use chemicals that are petroleum based which also increases our nation's dependence on imported oil. The National Institute of Occupational Safety and Health has found that one-third of the substances used in the fragrance industry are toxic. This includes fragrances in laundry detergent, cleaners (glass, bathroom, furniture polish, etc) and also things such as fabric softeners and air fresheners.

You can eliminate these toxins by cleaning your home with cleaning products that are green. Green means to use products and methods that won't negatively impact the environment with pollution and toxins or deplete natural resources. In the case of your home it helps to limit your exposure to these harmful chemicals that can affect your health. The more toxins and chemicals that are dumped into the environment the more you get exposed through the food you eat, the air you breathe, etc. When you use that tub and tile cleaner or wash your clothes with that "fresh" smelling laundry detergent or bleach your towels all of those chemicals are washed down the drain into our water systems where they filter out into the ground, our oceans and our air.

Going green can be a little confusing. There are a lot of products that label themselves as "natural" or "organic" and are not. Up until recently, there have been very few household cleaning products and laundry detergents that were actually organic. There is a company now called Greenology products that have the first USDA certified organic label on all their products(this is the only true organic label) including the first laundry detergent to be certified as such. You can check out their website at www.greenologyproducts.com  There is a place to type in your zip code and it will tell you the nearest store where you can buy their products. Surprisingly, Lowes in San Antonio carries their products. 

Getting rid of all the toxic cleaning products in your home (don't forget about your office as well) is huge step in going green and improving the health of your family. It is not that difficult to do. Good news Kermit, it just got easier to be green!

The Miracle Ball Method is two little inflatable balls that you lie on. The balls are placed in different areas depending on which area you want to work on. That is all you do, just lie on the balls and do some deep breathing. In fact, if you try to do anything else it will not work. How easy is that!

The woman who developed this was a dancer and then started having back pain out of nowhere and could not find relief and was forced to quit dancing. She tried for years to find a solution through the medical route and other alternative means but to no avail. Through her own research and trial and error came up with what she calls The Miracle Ball Method.

It is based on what she calls the cycle of pain which is when your muscles become tense and imbalanced, your body's natural correct alignment system cannot work properly. Muscles that remain tense for long periods lose the ability to relax at all, which results in chronic pain. So when you lie on the balls, your body is supported by the balls, the muscles release their tension, and the pain disappears. There is no visualization, meditation, biofeedback, or anything like that.

The kit comes with the 2 balls and a little book that explains a little more in detail how it works (but not too detailed). The majority of the book is different  "exercises" on ball placement depending on where you are trying to seek relief. Even if you do not have chronic pain this is still a great way to avoid it and help your posture by keeping your body aligned.

Now the best part is that it costs about 12 bucks. That is why I decided to give it a try when I saw it. I figured it was a small investment and would not be a big loss if it did not work. I ordered mine from  www.amazon.com  Just type in Miracle Ball Method under search on the opening page.

I am very happy that I discovered this program of "un-exercise." I hope that it can help you also.

The Velscope is a revolutionary handheld device that provides dentists and hygienists with an easy to use adjunctive mucosal examination system for the early detection of abnormal tissue. It is based on the direct visualization of tissue fluorescence and the changes in fluorescence that occur when abnormalities are present. Fluorescence is an optical phenomenon that is manifested as glowing light. We observe it every day in the energy-saving compact fluorescent light bulbs that are used in many households and glow sticks  that are often used in emergency situations.

The Velscope hand piece emits a safe blue light into the oral cavity that excites the tissue from the surface of the mucosa through to the deeper layers (where premalignant changes typically start) causing it to fluoresce. The clinician is then able to immediately view the different fluorescence responses to help differentiate between normal and abnormal tissue. In fact, the Velscope is the only noninvasive adjunctive device clinically proven to help discover occult oral disease (occult in medicine means of a disease or process not accompanied by readily discernible signs). Typically healthy tissue appears as a bright apple green glow while suspicious regions are identified by a loss of fluorescence, which thus appear dark.

In one or two minutes with no rinses or stains required a Velscope examination helps oral healthcare professionals assure their patients the standard of care for oral mucosal screenings has been utilized. The first step in any oral cancer exam would include the white light exam in which the dentist or hygienist looks for lesions in the oral cavity with the naked eye and uses palpation to feel for any lumps in the neck or face.

The second step would be the Velscope exam, which allows the clinician to immediately review the different fluorescence signatures from the oral tissue to help differentiate between normal and abnormal tissue, abnormal tissue typically appears as irregular dark areas and stands out against the otherwise normal green fluorescent pattern of surrounding healthy tissue.

This technology thus helps dental practitioners identify potentially dangerous growths that might have been missed with the naked eye and the exam takes only 2 to 3 minutes. If the clinician does detect anything of concern during the Velscope exam the next step would likely be a surgical biopsy. Only when the results of the biopsy are read by a pathologist can the condition of the tissue be diagnosed. In the worst case the diagnosis could be oral cancer, but in most cases diagnosis will be precancer or some other much less serious form of abnormality.

Cancer in the head and neck region is very difficult to treat and does not have a good prognosis, unless it is caught early. It is very difficult for a patient to see inside their own mouths to detect abnormalities. Unlike breast self exams or other changes that occur on the skin that can alert the patient that something could be wrong, oral cancer is generally never detected by the patient first. Early stages of oral cancer can be cured, but most are not detected early and by the time symptoms occur chances are the cancer may have already begun to spread. Of course we all know the risks factors for oral cancer such as the use of tobacco products and alcohol abuse, however 25% of patients who present with oral cancer have never smoked.

Ask your dentist to get a Velscope if he does not have already have one, and especially if you are in the high risk group. If you live in the San Antonio area you can see my husband Dr. Edward Camacho at Cosmetic Dentistry of San Antonio in our new modern and truly state of the art office that will be opening soon!  He has been in practice for almost 30 years and specializes in cosmetic dentistry including veneers and Invisalign (invisible removable braces).He also does all phases of general dentistry and has patients in all age ranges. Contact 210-379-2222 for more information or go to www.cosmeticdentistryofsa.com  Our site is still under construction so bear with us!

The Nopal cactus contains a group of anti-oxidants called betalains. The Nopal cactus, as I mentioned earlier, is part of a small group of special plants that contain betalains. In fact, it leads the group by containing the highest amounts. Betalains have been proven to reduce the risk of blood clots, to reduce bad cholesterol, protect the liver, boost the immune system, and aids in detoxification.

The brand that I drink is called Nopalea. I drink about 1 to 3 ounces a day. This stuff tastes really good. It is sweetened with a little agave (low glycemic sweetener). You can throw it into a smoothie if you want. I just drink mine straight because it tastes good. I have been drinking it for about 6 months now. I did sign up with the company because it is just easier (I get a monthly auto-ship). If you would like to learn more and to order you can go to www.givingwellness.com You can get a free bottle if you want to try it first. If you decide to order I would appreciate if you did so through the link above. It helps to fund my research and all the great data you get for free!

Cooking anything at high heat seems to produce some toxic chemicals. Acrylamides which are found naturally in a variety of cooked foods are linked to cancer. Once again, the higher the heat the more of these compounds are formed. Acrylamides form in cooked carbohydrate rich foods like bread, pasta and potatoes. Much to my dismay it seems as if potato chips have the highest amount. Research from a Dutch study showed that women who ate higher amounts of acrylamides had double the risk of ovarian or womb cancer. So you might want to throw out that piece of toast that got slightly burned since scraping off the burned part does not really help or think about not eating those potatoes that are fried golden brown.

Marinating meat in red wine seems to help cut down on the formation and also microwaving meat for as little as 2 minutes before you grill it can cut down on them significantly. There are 3 things that can help counteract these compounds. The first is tea polyphenols. Polyphenols are anti-oxidants that help fight off disease basically by neutralizing something called free radicals* that form in the body. Free radicals can cause damage to cells. So drinking tea (green tea is best) and eating foods rich in anti-oxidants like blackberries, blueberries, cherries, cranberries, broccoli and legumes can help fight the effects of HCA’s and acrylamides. Also resveratrol which is an anti-oxidant found in red wine is good so taking a resveratrol supplement will benefit you without getting the alcohol. Diallyl trisulfide which is a compound found in garlic also helps to neutralize the toxic effects of HCA’s and acrylamides.

Take a look at my healthy chocolate it is chock full of anti-oxidants: www.mxi.myvoffice.com/kimberlycamacho . Also, the powdered superfoods that I get from www.superorganicfoods.com are full of antioxidants and are easily mixed into a protein shake. I am currently taking the bilberry, aronia and acai powders. I throw them in my smoothie in the morning. See my smoothie recipe. It is a free-radical fighting power drink!

*Free radicals are basically unstable atoms in the body (everything in this universe is composed of atoms. An atom is basically the smallest unit of something). Some are byproducts of normal metabolism and some are from environmental factors such as pollution, radiation, pesticides, herbicides and cigarette smoke. Free radicals cause damage to cells and free radical damage accumulates with age. Atoms have smaller particles that revolve around them called electrons. Free radicals are short an electron which makes them very unstable and able to cause damage. Anti-oxidants give up one of their electrons to the free radical therefore neutralizing its bad effects. Even though the anti-oxidant gives up an electron and is therefore short an electron, it is still stable in either form so it does not become a free radical itself.

DIM is not a plant estrogen, which mimics estrogen in the body, rather it helps to regulate and balance estrogen metabolites. Metabolites are products of metabolism. Metabolism is simply the chemical reactions that occur in living organisms to maintain life. Estrogen is broken down in the body into estrogen metabolites. Some of these metabolites are not so good. Women with breast cancer have very high level of certain metabolites. However, some of the metabolites are very beneficial and can help to protect you against certain cancers. DIM helps to convert estrogen into these good metabolites. Most people are estrogen dominant (including men) so that is why you do not necessarily want to ingest things that mimic estrogen (including a lot of plant estrogens). An example of a plant estrogen would be soy.

Why are we so estrogen dominant? There are numerous contributing factors including hormones in meat and dairy products, the use of plastics including storing and microwaving food in plastic containers and drinking bottled water. Plastic contains Bisphenol-A which mimics estrogen. Dry cleaning and pesticides also have chemicals that have estrogen like properties. Estrogen imbalances in men cause weight gain, hair loss and prostate enlargement. Breast cancer in men is also on the rise. Both men and women produce estrogen, progesterone and testosterone just in different amounts. DIM helps to balance and regulate all three either directly or indirectly. Hormone imbalances are linked to all sorts of health problems to everything from weight gain to cancer.

The DIM supplement that I take is from a company called BioResponse. You can order it at www.bioresponse.com  They have several products but I just take the plain DIM. This is also the brand that the National Cancer Institute uses in their studies. Unless you can eat about 3 lbs of cruciferous vegetables a day then you might want to consider a DIM supplement. Even if you could eat that much broccoli the people around you might not be able to tolerate the effects it has on your digestive system!

To get a little more technical, oral byproducts enter the bloodstream and trigger the liver to make substances that inflame arteries and may cause blood clots that clog arteries leading to strokes and heart attacks. One of the substances that the liver makes in response to these bacteria and their byproducts is something called C Reactive Protein (CRP). Elevated CRP is a known risk factor for heart disease. You might want to ask your doctor to run a CRP blood level. Periodontal treatment is now part of the protocol when treating patients who have heart disease; the lucky ones anyway. Heart disease is still the number one killer (over 35% of deaths are from heart and heart related disease; from 2006 statistics).

What exactly is Periodontal disease? Periodontal (perio literally means around the tooth) disease destroys the fibers and supporting bone that hold your teeth in your mouth and the teeth begin to get loose and eventually fall out. Once you have lost that bone there is no way to get it back. It is estimated that 75% of people at some point will suffer periodontal disease. Since my background is in dentistry, my awareness level on this is very high. Everyday that I treated patients, I saw someone who had periodontal disease and who regretted not getting regular check-ups so that it could have been detected earlier.

The problem with oral disease ( both decay and gum disease) is that it never hurts until it progresses to more advanced stages. Typically, I would hear that they were too afraid to come to the dentist or that they could not afford to. Personally, I would rather confront a couple of cleanings a year than having to have my chest sawed open! As far as the financial aspect, I think that most people could afford a couple of cleanings a year (average cost without dental insurance is around $150 for a cleaning, exam and x-rays). One coffee a week at your local popular coffee chain is about $192 a year and I know that most people are frequenting similar places probably more than once a week.

Obviously, gum disease is not the only risk factor but it is enough to have doctors and surgeons incorporate oral health as part of their treatment protocol. Periodontal disease is also linked to failure of hip replacements. In fact, you have to have a clean bill of oral health before you can have hip replacement surgery. Also, people who keep their own teeth live on an average of 10 years longer!

If you live in San Antonio, my husband Dr. Edward J Camacho, is an excellent dentist. He is very good at handling patients who are fearful. He has been practicing since 1980 and attented the Health Science Center right here in San Antonio. He is also a graduate of Central Catholic High School. He is very experienced in all phases of general dentistry including cosmetic, invisalign (invisible braces) and periodontal management. He was also voted to "America's Top Dentists" by Consumer's Research Council of America. You can book an appointment at Cosmetic Dentistry of San Antonio our new, modern and truly state of the art office that will be open soon! For more information, call 210-379-2222. You can visit our site at  www.cosmeticdentistryofsa.com Our site is still under construction so please bear with us!

Healthy teeth and gums are essential to your overall health so get your teeth cleaned and checked regularly. Your heart will thank you for it. Now, if you will excuse me I am going to go brush and floss my teeth!

I found a tea called Jiaogulan. It appears within ancient Chinese manuscripts as early as the 13th century. In the later half of the 20th century a study of sorts was done to try and discover why inhabitants of a certain mountainous region in China lived to be over a 100. The common denominator is that they all consumed this tea.

Jiaogulan tea contains anti-oxidants* It is also considered an adaptogen. Adaptogens help increase resistance to stress, trauma, anxiety and fatigue. They produce a nonspecific physiologic response in the body (huh, what does that mean?). That means that they do not work on a particular system or organ rather they have a normalizing influence on the entire body. For instance, if a person was feeling stressed and sort of keyed up or a bit hyper, so to speak, an adaptogen would help to normalize them and chill them out. On the other hand, if a person was feeling lethargic or tired an adaptogen would make them feel less tired and more alert. I think it is a great tasting tea.

It should be brewed at about 140-160 degrees. Unless you are a real tea enthusiast and use a thermometer to monitor the water I would suggest heating some water with a thermometer one time to about 150 degrees and then get a feel for how hot that is and how long it took to reach that temperature, for future reference. You can order the tea through www.AumTea.com they are loose leaves. So get your self a little glass teapot with a basket. I actually make a small pot in the morning and if I want to make some more in the afternoon I just reuse the same leaves.

Another really great herbal tea I found is called Tulsi Tea and you can order if from www.organicindia.com and look for what is called The Original Tulsi Tea without any other flavorings. Tulsi is also called Holy Basil. There are several varieties of Tulsi and this one has three of them. This tea tastes as good as "regular" tea and does not taste like an herbal tea in my opinion. Studies have shown that Tulsi helps to lower cholesterol and stabilize blood glucose levels. It also shows promise in treating problems associated with radiation poisoning and cataracts. Tulsi is also an adaptogen and is full of anti-oxidants. I did not find any special brewing directions so you can boil the heck out of your water and enjoy!

A word of caution, although these are herbal teas I found that they still stained my teeth. They did not stain near as bad as green tea or regular tea but I was surprised since they are herbal teas. However, I do drink them everyday.

*Anti-oxidants fight free radicals within the body. Free radicals are basically very unstable atoms that cause injury and damage to cells. Keeping it very simple; all atoms have particles that move around them called electrons. Free radicals are short one electron, therefore they are very unstable and will steal an electron from neighboring atoms (thieves!). This in turn sets up a chain reaction that can cause injury to cells. Anti-oxidants are really nice little guys because they have an extra electron that they give to these bad free radicals so they settle down and don't go around stealing electrons that don't belong to them!

Here is my smoothie recipe that I have for breakfast every morning. It is packed with anti-oxidants and is very filling. I use a blender from Breville; it has a wide base, is quiet and has a smoothie function on it. I have the recipe by itself at the end without all the added data.

1 and ½ cups of unsweetened vanilla hemp milk or 1 cup hemp milk and ½ cup coconut water (it has some sugar but it is naturally occurring, this will add a little more sweetness and has a lot of potassium). You can use coconut milk if you want to add a little more creaminess and a little more fat. Even though the fat from coconut is considered saturated, it is a fat which is used for energy and not stored so I do not freak out from the saturated fat content of coconut milk or coconut in general. The coconut water has no fat however. Do not get the condensed coconut milk found in a can because it is usually loaded with sugar. The brand of coconut milk I like is called So Delicious and it comes in half gallon carton ( I get the unsweetened). I like the Living Harvest brand hemp milk. Some hemp milk can be very strong tasting. This brand is mild and tasty. For those worried about THC (the psycho-active component in Marijuana); hemp milk and oil are made from the seeds which do not contain any THC. Hemp milk contains naturally occurring Omega 3’s and Omega 6’s. Living Harvest is grown without pesticides and herbicides)

½ cup frozen organic blueberries or any frozen fruit of your choice. ½ banana (if your bananas get too ripe then cut them in half, take off the peel and wrap each half in a piece of saran wrap and put in the freezer and then just throw a frozen half in your smoothie)

3 cups fresh organic baby spinach (okay, I know what you are thinking but you will not even know it is in there once it is all blended)

½ to 1 scoop good quality protein powder (I like vanilla “Whey Cool” by a company called Designs for Health. You can order it from www.nutraexpress.com This protein is not denatured (broken down). Most whey proteins are processed with high heat and this breaks down the protein (denatures it) which destroys all of the bio-active elements. Some of these elements are Glutathione which is an anti-oxidant, Colostrum which has antimicrobial properties, and immunoglobins which are used by your immune system to search and destroy viruses, bacteria and the like. Denatured protein is basically dead and about 98% of the protein out there is denatured. Dr. Mercola also has a very good non-denatured protein and it comes in a lot flavors. I have not tried it yet but it certainly seems to be a high quality product and when I run out of the "Whey Cool", I will order his. Go to www.mercola.com and click on products at the top left and then scroll down until you see Miracle Whey, click on more info and you can look at the benefits and place an order. You can also call toll-free 847-252-4355. Note: blend everything else and then put the protein powder in last and just mix it (mixer setting on blender) for about 5 seconds or so. Apparently, too much churning and blenderizing (my own word) the protein can break it down.

The next 4 items (Aronia, Acai, Maca, Bilberry) can be purchased at www.superorganicfoods.com These are not extracts; they are the whole food dried and ground into powders. They use a proprietary process that preserves all the nutrients. I like them as they are actually a food and not just something extracted from the root or berry. There is not anything else added to the powder. They are reasonably priced for the quality that you are getting.

2 teaspoons of Aronia powder-Aronia is a berry and is a powerful anti-oxidant. It has a deep purple color.

2 teaspoons of Acai berry powder-Acai contains Essential Fatty Acids (EFA’s). EFA’s cannot be manufactured by your body. These include the Omega 3’s and 6’s which you find in fish. EFA’s support the nervous system and nerve tissue. Acai also has something called anthcyanins which is found in red wine and it is a powerful anti-oxidant. It also has something called Photosterols which promote cardiovascular health.

2 teaspoons Maca powder-this is a root that is grown in Peru. It is full of trace minerals and helps to support your endocrine system. The endocrine system is all your glands that secrete things like hormones.

2 teaspoons Bilberry powder-Bilberries have powerful anti-oxidants that help protect blood vessels and promote eye health. It also helps with stabilizing blood sugar.

1 tablespoon sprouted ground flax seeds-sprouted flax is assimilated better and flax seeds must be ground in order to release their nutrients. I buy this at the health food store already ground and sprouted.

Variations:

A handful of raw kale-for those who are hard core!

A small handful of organic sprouts-for the hard core gals also! I Iike sunflower sprouts.

½ small container of unflavored nonfat Greek yogurt- Greek yogurt is very creamy and thick (even the nonfat) and it contains about 17 grams of protein for a small carton.

Here is the recipe without the added data:

1 and ½ cups of unsweetened vanilla hemp milk or 1 cup unsweetened vanilla hemp milk and ½ cup coconut water or coconut milk.*

½ cup frozen organic blueberries or ½ banana

3 cups fresh organic baby spinach

½ to 1 scoop protein powder (non-denatured)

2 tsp Aronia powder

2 tsp. Acai berry powder

2 tsp. Maca powder 2 tsp. bilberry powder

1 Tbsp sprouted flax powder

Additions if desired:

Handful raw kale

Small handful organic sprouts (I like sunflower sprouts)

½ small container plain Greek yogurt

*you can add a little more liquid if you do not like it thick. If it is too thick I just add a little water.