Dr. Tracy McAlvanah's Wellness Blog

The placebo effect—when a sham treatment produces desired results—is the bane of science, sometimes skewing results and outperforming pharmaceutical drugs. But instead of cursing the placebo effect, why not put it to use? Although it disrupts some studies, in other studies researchers look to understand why and how it works. By understanding the  placebo effect  as a valid phenomenon, you can employ it to improve your own health outcomes. How the placebo effect works The placebo effect happens in studies in which one group of participants is given a new drug or procedure, one group is given a sham drug (such as a sugar pill), and the results are compared. Neither group knows whether they received the sham treatment or the real drug. In some cases the placebo effect is nearly as good and sometimes even better than the actual treatment. Why? A person’s beliefs and expectations about a treatment play a significant role in how they respond physiologically. In one study, participants’ p...

Although no one allows their child to become overweight or obese on purpose, being heavy is hard on children. It saps self-esteem, makes physical activity harder, and predisposes children to adult diseases earlier in life. Obesity doesn’t have to be a prison sentence for children—using newer understandings of obesity parents can help guide their children to a healthier weight. We know now it’s more than just calories in versus calories out. Food choices, inflammation, gut bacteria, and sleep are factors that influence obesity. Balance blood sugar to manage childhood obesity Low-fat diets have long been heralded as the antidote to excess body fat, but research increasingly shows it is excess sugars and refined carbohydrates that promote  obesity . These foods negatively impact blood sugar handling and promote insulin resistance, a condition that often leads to obesity, diabetes, and heart disease. Many find the key to losing unwanted weight is to ditch the sodas, shakes, and fruit ju...

Many people look forward to concluding a lifetime of work with retirement, but  retirement  can lead to a drastic decline in health. Research shows that although retirement may initially reduce stress, it significantly increases the chances of depression, physical illness, and the need for medication while reducing overall health. The longer one is in retirement the more the risks increase. Why? Turns out the body and brain need regular activity and social interaction to stay healthy, and retirement robs some people of those necessary influences. Retirement can increase loneliness Regular social interaction has been shown to be vital for health and vitality. In fact,  social isolation  has the same health risks as smoking, obesity, and physical inactivity, and regular social activity has been shown to prevent  dementia . If someone’s social life happened primarily at work, taking that away can suddenly launch them into isolation and loneliness, keeping company with the television. ...

The numbers of people with dementia are expected to more than  double in 30 years  and outpace both heart disease and cancer in terms of cost. Because dementia can take root in the brain years or decades before symptoms appear, you can take action now to avoid becoming part of this skyrocketing statistic. Today, nearly 15 percent of people aged 71 or older have dementia—almost 4 million people. Experts predict that number will more than double to 9 million people by 2040, costing the country more than $500 billion. What’s worse is these statistics do not include mild cognitive impairment (MCI), or “pre-dementia,” which accounts for another 22 percent of people over 71. How to lower your risk of dementia Some experts say there is no way to prevent dementia, but studies show diet and lifestyle influence brain health. We can use that knowledge to lower the risk for dementia. For instance, poor diet and lifestyle choices can cause  inflammation  throughout the body, which ultimately ...

Feel tired all the time? You may suffer from adrenal fatigue, a condition in which the body has difficulty meeting the demands of everyday stress.  Adrenal fatigue  is often associated with too much stress from a busy lifestyle and lack of sleep, however other factors may lead to adrenal fatigue. Signs and symptoms of adrenal fatigue include: Fatigue Headaches with stress or in the afternoon Frequent colds and flus; weak immune system Allergies Slow to get going in the morning Craving sweets and stimulants Feeling lightheaded, shaky, or irritable between meals Eating to relieve fatigue Difficulty sleeping; wake up at 3 or 4 a.m. Dizziness when moving from sitting to standing Low blood pressure   7 things that cause adrenal fatigue Below are factors besides chronic stress and lack of sleep that can lead to adrenal fatigue. 1. Eating too much sugar and processed carbohydrates. When you eat something sweet or very starchy it causes your blood sugar to spike and then plum...

We all carry trillions of bacteria in our guts, with as many as a thousand different strains. The composition of these strains, or our “bacterial fingerprint,” can influence whether we are prone to depression, anxiety, or obesity. Some gut bacteria can make you fat Studies have shown people (and mice) who are  overweight  have much higher levels of particular strains of bacteria than thinner subjects. When thin mice are inoculated with bacteria from heavy mice, they gain weight. This is because these fat-promoting bacteria have been shown to encourage overeating, promote weight gain, prevent the burning of fat, and make obese people better at deriving calories from food than thin people. In a nutshell, your “ bacterial fingerprint ” plays a role in how much fat you carry and how easy or difficult it is for you to lose weight. Although diet and exercise are important, these findings help to explain why solely relying on the “eat less and exercise more” approach to weight loss is out...

If you have been following conventional advice, then you’ve been told to avoid fats to prevent heart disease. Turns out if you want to maintain a healthy vascular system and prevent heart disease, sugar is the target you want to seek out and eliminate. Research has found people who get at least 25 percent of their daily calories from added sugars of any kind were more than three times more likely to have low levels of the “good” HDL cholesterol in their bloodstream, a risk factor for heart disease, than people who got less than 5 percent of their calories from sweeteners. The high sugar consumers were also found to have higher triglycerides than normal, another risk factor for heart disease. For a person who eats 2,000 calories a day, 25 percent is 500 calories, or 125 grams of sugar. To give you an idea, a medium white chocolate mocha has about 60 grams of sugar while a pecan roll has about 50. And that’s just breakfast. While most people worry about added weight from excess sugar...

Unless you live under a rock, you’ve probably been hearing about GMOs, or genetically modified organisms. What is the big deal with GMOs, and can they really be that bad for you if the government allows them in our food supply? Sadly, yes, GMOs really are that bad for you despite being legal in the United States. A GMO food has had its DNA altered through the insertion of genes from another species of plant, animal, bacteria, or virus. Examples of genetic modification include splicing fish genes into tomatoes and strawberries, jellyfish genes inserted into corn, or tobacco engineered with lettuce. Some genetic modification is done to create new drugs or industrial products, but in agriculture it is used to increase resistance to herbicides, pests, or bad weather. Why GMOs are dangerous Common GMO crops include soy, corn, canola, cottonseed, and sugar beets. Genetic modification creates new proteins the human body has never before encountered. As far as the body is concerned, thes...

Move over vitamin C. When it comes to warding off the flu virus and colds, studies shows vitamin D trumps vitamin C. But are you getting enough vitamin D from sunlight and diet alone? Studies link low vitamin D levels with flu virus Compelling evidence links low vitamin D levels with illness. One study showed vitamin D-deficient subjects were 36 percent more likely to report an upper respiratory infection than those with higher levels. That rate jumped significantly for those with asthma. Another study found children taking vitamin D supplements suffered almost half as many incidences of the flu virus than the children not taking vitamin D. Also, vitamin D levels were found to be lower in children who died of swine flu than in those who survived. Vitamin D benefits go beyond fighting the flu Vitamin D does so much more than fight the flu. Sufficient vitamin D lowers the risk of cancer, autoimmune disease, gum disease, heart disease, diabetes, pulmonary disease, and weak bones. Are you ...

Question Why did pregnancy trigger my hypothyroidism? Answer Natural immune shifts during pregnancy, together with a genetic tendency and other predisposing factors, can trigger hypothyroidism in some women. Hypothyroidism is an immune disease for most For 90 percent of Americans, hypothyroidism is caused by Hashimoto’s, an autoimmune disease in which the immune system attacks and destroys the thyroid gland. The immune system has two major arms of function, one that reacts immediately to an invader, and one that reacts later to produce antibodies. When one of these arms of becomes overly dominant it can trigger an autoimmune disease. Going into pregnancy predisposed Pregnancy and the postpartum periods naturally polarize the immune system. In the third trimester the delayed immune response is dominant. Postpartum the immediate immune reaction is stronger. If a genetically predisposed woman goes into pregnancy with an existing immune imbalance, these natural immune shifts could be the t...

Question Is it my imagination or are broken bones more common than ever today? Answer Boys are 32 percent and girls 56 percent more likely to break a bone than children 40 years ago. Fractures are also common in older adults. Soda has replaced milk Dairy provides 70 percent of calcium in the American diet. However 40 years ago children drank four times more milk than soda; in 2001 they drank two and a half more times soda than milk. Today males ages 12-29 average half a gallon a day of soda. Not only is soda replacing more healthful, bone-building options, but it also contributes to obesity, blood sugar imbalances, inflammation, and other metabolic disorders that lead to poor bone quality. Chronic inflammation weakens bones For instance, just the chronic, low-grade inflammation caused by regular soda consumption can lead to weaker bones; inflammation accelerates the breakdown of bone so that it outpaces bone building. Soda consumption is also linked to a rise in obesity, another barrie...

Question What is all the fuss about hydrogenated oils, or trans fats? Aren’t they OK to eat in moderation? Answer The hydrogenated fat you eat becomes part of your brain and nervous tissue. Because of its unnatural structure, cells and neurons composed partly of hydrogenated fat do not function properly. The brain is made up of the fat you eat If someone calls you a fat head they are not off the mark. The brain is made up mostly of fat, including the fat you eat. While hydrogenated fats are best known for contributing to cardiovascular disease, lesser known is their impact on brain health. Hydrogenated oils have been molecularly restructured for a long shelf life and are found in many processed foods. Cell membranes communicate with other cells and determine what is allowed to enter and exit the cell. These membranes incorporate hydrogenated oils into their structure, making them more rigid and less able to function properly. The nerve sheaths that insulate and protect neurons also inc...

Question I practically fall asleep in my plate after every meal. Why does eating make me so sleepy? Answer Feeling sleepy after meals is a common symptom of insulin resistance, a risk factor for diabetes. Starchy foods and too much insulin Insulin resistance is common today and is a stepping-stone to diabetes. Overeating and eating a diet high in sugar and starchy foods causes insulin resistance. These foods include breads, rice, pasta, pastries, chips, potatoes, soda, sweet coffee drinks, and more. Converting glucose to fat demands energy Insulin escorts glucose into the cells to make energy. Starchy foods bombard the bloodstream with too much glucose, forcing the release of insulin to lower it. When a person eats a starchy diet on a regular basis, the body overproduces insulin to lower chronically high blood sugar. Eventually these constant surges of insulin exhaust the body’s cells and they refuse entry to the insulin, which is called insulin resistance. As a result insulin can’t es...

Question I learned I have intolerances and allergies to certain foods, and that I need to avoid those foods if I want to lose weight. Isn’t it just a matter of eating fewer calories? Answer Some people find they can’t lose weight through calorie restriction alone. When that happens several issues need to be investigated. One of the most important is food intolerances. Eating foods to which you are allergic or intolerant will prevent weight loss. Food intolerances cause inflammation Food intolerances and allergies create inflammation, and inflammation prevents weight loss. Every time you eat gluten, dairy, eggs, soy, corn, or some other food that may be a problem for you, you create inflammation in your body. Leaky gut is a primary culprit For many people today, a variety of foods trigger inflammation. This is due largely to intestinal permeability, or “leaky gut,” which allows undigested food particles to slip into the bloodstream through damaged and inflamed intestinal walls. Leaky gu...

Question It seems girls go through puberty much earlier these days. Why? Answer It’s true many girls reach puberty earlier today. Although the exact cause is not known, researchers suspect estrogen-promoting chemicals in the environment, obesity, and dietary factors to be the culprits. Earlier than ever Today it’s common for girls to begin developing breasts at age eight—once considered abnormally young—and to begin menstruation at age 12. Earlier puberty not only may cause emotional pressures, but also may raise the risk of breast and ovarian cancer due to longer exposure to estrogen. Estrogen-promoting chemicals Common chemicals in our environment today boost estrogen activity, which can trigger puberty early. These include pesticides, flame retardants, BPA (in tin cans, baby bottles, toys, and other food packaging), phthalates (in cosmetic products, PVC, plastics, food packaging, and numerous products), and parabens (in shampoos and cosmetic products). Phthalates have also been link...

Question I went to see my natural medicine practitioner for depression and she wants to work on my digestive health. I don’t get the connection. Answer Many people would be surprised to learn how greatly gut health affects brain health. A poor diet, inflamed gut, and intestinal permeability definitely can promote depression. Depression a not-so-obvious symptom of poor digestion Sometimes digestion issues are obvious; they cause gas, bloating, heartburn, indigestion, diarrhea, constipation, or abdominal pain. For others the main symptom is not so obvious—depression. An unhealthy diet and compromised gut health can promote depression in several ways. Poor nutrition When one eats a junk food diet laden with processed foods, trans fats, sugars, and artificial chemicals, the brain suffers. The brain needs healthy fats, high-quality protein, abundant vitamins and minerals, and a diet low in starchy foods and sugars. Gluten Gluten is directly linked to depression in some. It causes gut inflam...

Question It seems ever since I took antibiotics I haven’t been the same. I’m sick more frequently, my digestion is messed up, and I have chronic yeast infections. Why? Answer Antibiotics are one of modern medicine’s life-saving miracles. However if preventive care isn’t taken, their use, and especially their abuse, can lead to chronic health problems. Good bacteria serve us The digestive tract contains an estimated 2–4 pounds of beneficial bacteria that are an integral part of our immune system. They resist bad bacteria, and they aid in the digestion of food, the absorption of nutrients, and the synthesis of B vitamins and vitamin K. These beneficial bacteria coat the lining of the intestines, providing a protective barrier against toxins. They also nourish the gut lining and ensure appropriate production of immune cells, helping to maintain balance in the immune system and prevent autoimmune disease. Antibiotics wipe out good bacteria While antibiotics eradicate disease-causing bacter...

Question My practitioner diagnosed me with Hashimoto’s and celiac disease, two autoimmune diseases. It seems many of my friends have an autoimmune disease too, including eczema, arthritis, Type I diabetes, and even multiple sclerosis. Why is it so common now? Answer Incidences of autoimmune disease, in which the body’s immune system attacks its own tissue, have skyrocketed and continue to climb, affecting as many as one in nine Americans. Hygiene hypothesis incomplete The media darling for an explanation is the hygiene hypothesis—that lack of early childhood exposure to sufficient filth improperly prepares the immune system for later battles. While likely valid, it too neatly dismisses more significant factors linked with triggering autoimmune disease: Environmental pollutants We live in a sea of more than 80,000 chemicals. The few that have been studied have been shown to play a role in triggering autoimmune reactions. People who work with toxic compounds, such as pesticides or solven...

Question I’m tired frequently and I have some chronic health issues I can’t seem to resolve. Answer Although multiple factors can cause both tiredness and chronic health issues, anemia should always be investigated. Unresolved anemia will thwart your journey to better health. Anemia prevents normal function Blood delivers oxygen to cells in the body and brain so they can function normally. Anemia starves the blood of oxygen. As a consequence function, maintenance, regeneration, and healing in the body is impaired. Iron-deficiency anemia More than 400 types of anemia exist, however the most common form is iron-deficient anemia. This often is due to inadequate diet or poor absorption of nutrients caused by compromised intestinal health (leaky gut)—often seen in those with celiac disease or a gluten intolerance. Other causes are uterine fibroids, internal bleeding, chronic disease, liver disease, or genetic disorders. B-12 anemia Another common form of anemia is B-12 anemia due to inadequ...

Question I’m told food intolerances can affect my health. How can this be true when I don’t have any digestive symptoms? Answer Sometimes it’s difficult to connect a food we eat every day with such health complaints as joint pain, brain fog, mood imbalances, congestion, skin rashes, or chronic inflammation. It’s not obvious a particular food is at fault until after you quit eating it for a period of time. The elimination/provocation diet A variety of lab panels can diagnose food allergies and intolerances, however sometimes the most reliable test is to go cold turkey on a group of common foods for several weeks. Some of the best foods to eliminate are gluten, dairy, eggs, corn, soy, yeast, and nuts. It’s important to strictly eliminate these foods for two to three weeks for the test to be accurate. You may want to consider going grain-free for best results. Symptoms pop up after reintroducing the food Reintroducing these foods one at a time every 72 hours after a temporary abstinence c...