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Powassan Virus

Powassan Virus

Written by Dr. Debra Muth on . Posted in Blog, General Health. No Comments on Powassan Virus

4 things you need to know about Powassan virus

Powassan VirusScientists are becoming increasingly concerned about the increase in the tick population in 2017. More ticks likely means more tick-borne infections like Lyme disease and a virus you may not have heard of—Powassan virus.

Powassan virus, also known as POW virus, is an RNA virus that’s related to some mosquito-borne viruses like West Nile virus, but Powassan virus is transmitted to humans by tick bites. The ticks become infected when they bite infected animals. The staff at our functional medicine clinic near Milwaukee wants you to know more about this little-known virus.

Stay alert to the prevention and detection of the Powassan virus

[righttextbox]The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention report that the state of Wisconsin reported 22 cases of Powassan virus between 2006 and 2015.
https://www.cdc.gov/powassan/pdf/powv-by-state-year_2006-2015.pdf[/righttextbox]

  1. Powassan virus is rare, but it can be deadly.

    There have only been 77 cases of Powassan virus reported to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention between 2003 and 2015, but 10% of people who developed Powassan virus encephalitis died.

  2. Certain populations have a higher risk of developing serious complications.

    Anyone can get Powassan virus, but children, the elderly and those with compromised immune systems have a higher risk for serious complications.

  3. Tick bites occur in any area where the ticks live – not just in rural or remote areas.

    At our functional medicine clinic near Milwaukee, we hear patients express surprise that they are in danger of getting tick bites in their suburban backyards or urban parks, but ticks live anywhere that their hosts do; host animals include deer, squirrels, wood-chucks and white-footed mice. Take steps to avoid tick bites and always check yourself, family members and pets for ticks after being outdoors.

  4. Powassan virus symptoms usually occur between one to two weeks after a bite from an infected tick.

    If you were bitten by an infected tick, your symptoms may be non-existent, mild or very severe. Symptoms you should be aware of include:

    • Fever
    • Weakness
    • Vomiting
    • Headache
    • Confusion
    • Loss of coordination
    • Speech difficulties
    • Serious complications, including encephalitis and meningitis

If you or your family members exhibit symptoms of Powassan virus, even if you are not certain that you have had a tick bite, contact us at our functional medicine clinic near Wisconsin.

Lyme Disease Awareness

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Lyme disease awareness — 4 facts you should know

May is Lyme Disease Awareness month. The team at our functional medicine clinic near Milwaukee promotes Lyme disease awareness by providing the community with vital information about this potentially debilitating condition. The primary symptoms of Lyme disease feel much like the flu: fever, chills, fatigue, joint pain and muscle aches and nausea. While most people consider the bulls-eye shaped rash to be the distinguishing characteristic, not all patients develop this rash. Here are four more facts you should know.

Important information to help you develop Lyme disease awareness

  1. More than 300,000 cases of Lyme disease are reported every year in the U.S.¹

    While Lyme disease can be found throughout most of the United States, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention states that 96% of cases occur in 14 states, and they have pinpointed the upper Midwest, including Wisconsin, as a prime area for infections¹.

  2. Not all testing for Lyme disease is created equal.

    Part of Lyme disease awareness involves understanding testing. Conventional medicine physicians use PCR testing, which is only accurate 20% to 30% of the time. At our functional medicine clinic near Milwaukee, we use the Western Blot and other new testing methods that are more accurate.

  3. Untreated Lyme disease can lead to serious health problems.

    Lyme disease awareness is so important because people need to seek early diagnosis if they suspect they have been bitten by a deer tick and are experiencing symptoms. Left untreated, Lyme disease can progress to short-term memory problems, nerve pain and inflammation of the brain and spinal cord, among others.

  4. People with Lyme disease can have co-infections.

    A little-known fact, but an important one for Lyme disease awareness, is that a tick can also transmit other bacteria and viruses it has contracted when it bites a human. This can cause co-infections, including relapsing fever and Rocky Mountain spotted fever, along with Lyme disease.

Lyme disease awareness begins with knowledge. The team at our functional medicine clinic near Milwaukee has the expertise and know-how to help people cope with this complicated condition. Contact us today for an evaluation for Lyme disease and begin your journey to wellness.

¹https://wwwnc.cdc.gov/eid/article/21/9/15-0417_article

Ticks Carrying Lyme Disease

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Study confirms: Ticks carrying Lyme disease found in Eastern U.S. National Parks

Our natural medicine clinic near Milwaukee specializes in the treatment of Lyme disease. It can be difficult to treat, especially if it isn’t diagnosed in its earlier stages. At Serenity Health Care Center, part of our mission is to inform people about the symptoms, treatment and prevention of Lyme disease, an under-diagnosed and under-treated disease. With this in mind, we want our patients to know about this important new study, published in the Journal of Medical Entomology.

This study is the first to confirm the presence of ticks carrying Lyme disease in this region

Researchers from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, CDC, and the National Park Service, NPS, collected ticks in nine national parks, including Acadia National Park, Gettysburg National Military Park and Shenandoah National Park. The study, published in the Journal of Medical Entomology, confirmed that there were ticks infected with the type of bacteria that causes Lyme disease present in all nine parks they studied.

Researchers encourage the public to take preventive steps to decrease their risk

Researchers note that the study reminds everyone to “…protect themselves and their loved ones from tick and other bites.” Here are suggestions on how to reduce the risk for Lyme disease.

  • Apply a repellant product that contains 20 to 30% DEET to all exposed skin and clothing.
  • In addition, apply products that contain permethrin to your clothing.
  • For those looking for a natural product Ticks-N-All is an essential oil that can be applied directly to the skin.
  • Stick to the center of the trails, and try not to lean or sit on bushes or logs.
  • Check your clothing, gear, pets and other items for ticks.
  • Within at least two hours after you leave the area, take a shower.
  • If possible, put the clothes you were wearing in a dryer, set on high, for ten minutes.

If you are experiencing symptoms of Lyme disease, contact us.

The earlier we can diagnose and treat the disease at our natural medicine clinic near Milwaukee, the better the treatment results. If you discover that you have the disease in its later stages, rest assured that our expertise and knowledge makes a great resource for people in all stages of Lyme disease.

Preparing Your Child for Allergy Skin Testing

Written by Dr. Debra Muth on . Posted in Allergies, Blog, General Health. No Comments on Preparing Your Child for Allergy Skin Testing

3 ways to prepare your child for allergy skin testing

At our natural medicine clinic near Milwaukee, we try to create a stress-free environment for our patients. That being said, we know that parents and children usually experience some anxiety when they find out we need to perform allergy skin testing. We use a method of skin testing called intradermal testing. During this test, we use very thin needles to gently inject diluted allergens just underneath the skin. Prior to testing, we apply a numbing cream to help children with any discomfort they may feel during testing.

We observe the skin for approximately 15 minutes after the injections, looking for reactions such as wheals, which are red, raised bumps that itch. We know that this process can seem intimidating to both parents and children, but our experienced staff strives to make allergy skin testing a minimal-stress situation.

Serenity Health Care Center’s suggestions for preparing your child for allergy skin testing

  1. Prepare yourself.

    You are your child’s advocate, voice and comforter-in-chief. The best way to prepare your child for allergy skin testing is to come to the test prepared with knowledge about what is going to take place and what your child will need from you. Ask questions at our natural health clinic near Milwaukee before testing so that you understand the process. We are happy to explain! Please read all the written instructions, familiarizing yourself about what to do prior to testing to ensure the best results.

  2. Explain the process to your child before testing using age-appropriate language.

    Now that you understand how allergy skin testing works, it’s time to sit down and spend some time with your child explaining the process. The type and amount of information you provide will depend on the child’s age. Timing is also important. The best time to discuss allergy skin testing is the day before or the day of the testing so that the child will not obsess or worry about it for days in advance. Older children may want more detailed information.

  3. Come prepared to comfort and distract your child.

    Our staff has a lot of experience in working with children, and we will help your child through allergy skin testing. We suggest that you bring along any comfort items your child has, such as a blanket or stuffed animal. Also, bring books, devices or other items to distract your child while waiting for the test results.

We strive to make allergy skin testing as stress-free as possible for parents and children at our natural medicine clinic near Milwaukee. If you would like to discuss allergies and testing, contact us.

All Detox Diets Are Not Equal

Written by Dr. Debra Muth on . Posted in Blog, Nutrition. No Comments on All Detox Diets Are Not Equal

Detox diets are trendy today.

While each fad diet varies, typical characteristics are fasting followed by a strict diet of raw vegetables, fruits and water. Some detox diets also include colon cleansing and supplements. We’re constantly bombarded with novel detox diets and products in the media.

Like most fad diets, there is little evidence that unsupervised detox diets work. Fad diets aren’t the same as a medically supervised metabolic detox diet. It’s important to understand the difference and benefits between the two.

A metabolic detox diet, supervised by a medical professional, focuses on transporting toxins in your body to the liver or kidneys. Then, the body can eliminate the toxins by excreting them. This filtering process typically involves the digestive tract, lungs, liver and kidneys.

Some of the typical toxins eliminated from your body are:

  • Excess hormones
  • Inflammatory molecules
  • Prescription drugs
  • Alcohol
  • Fat-soluble substances

Many chronic illnesses build up over time with few, if any, symptoms in the early phases. Diseases such as arthritis, heart and lung disease, diabetes and high blood pressure are often attributed to toxins in the body. A medically supervised detoxification diet can flush out chemicals and toxins. Eliminating these toxins can help reduce or reverse the effects of many chronic illnesses without additional medications.

You shouldn’t undertake a strict detoxification diet on your own. Assessing and managing underlying health conditions are critical. Issues such as diabetes, blood pressure, anxiety, heart disease and other chronic illnesses must be monitored by a health professional.

The more you and your medical professional knows about your body, the better your detox diet will work. At Serenity Health Care Center, we offer a professional detox approach to help our patients improve health. Call us today to find out more about how a metabolic detoxification diet can put you on the pathway to wellness.

Gluten Sensitivity Questions

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Gluten causes health issues for people who are sensitive to foods containing gluten. If you have gastrointestinal problems or irritable bowel syndrome, gluten could be your problem. In fact, research shows that a gluten-free diet may improve many symptoms in a variety of illnesses, including multiple sclerosis and rheumatoid arthritis.

Gluten Sensitivity Questions
Gluten Sensitivity Questions

Is gluten causing your health problems? Here are some questions to help you find out if it is contributing to your poor health. If you answer yes to 4 or fewer, it’s unlikely that gluten is causing you problems. If you answer yes to 5 or more of these questions, gluten sensitivity is likely contributing to your health issues.

  1. Unintentional weight gain
  2. Unexplained fatigue
  3. Difficulty relaxing or feeling
  4. Unexplained digestive problems
  5. Female hormone imbalances
  6. PMS or menopausal symptoms
  7. Muscle or joint pain or stiffness of unknown cause
  8. Migraine or severe headaches
  9. Food allergies or sensitivities
  10. Difficulty digesting dairy products
  11. Tendency to consume too much alcohol
  12. Excessive sensitivity to physical & emotional pain
  13. Cravings for sweets, bread, carbohydrates
  14. Abdominal pain or cramping
  15. Abdominal bloating or distention
  16. Intestinal gas
  17. Craving specific foods
  18. Eat when upset or to relax
  19. Constipation or diarrhea of unknown cause
  20. Unexplained skin problems and rashes

If you answered yes to 9 or more of the above questions, I recommend that you make an appointment with your health care provider to discuss a potential sensitivity. Due to the cross-contamination of many foods, setting up a gluten-free diet on your own is challenging. Your health care practitioner or a professional that he/she recommends can help you implement a diet that is packed with nutrition and taste.

If you are looking for gluten-free recipes, check out Serenity Health Kitchen. Identifying allergies and sensitivities is one of our specialties at Serenity Health Care Center. Schedule an appointment to find out how a different diet can make you feel like a new person.

Leptin Called Obesity Hormone

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Leptin, often called the obesity hormone, plays a significant role in regulating appetite and body weight. As weight decreases, leptin falls to stimulate your appetite. When body weight increases, levels should decrease to suppress appetite. If your levels are abnormal, it has a negative effect on your weight and overall health.

Learn about leptin and optimizing leptin levels in Dr. Muth’s video.

A disorder could mean that your body is making a lot of leptin that doesn’t work. Your brain doesn’t listen. Thus, there is no decrease in appetite or increase in metabolism. This means your eat more, you gain weight…..you eat more, you gain weight. This cycle must be broken to regain your appetite signals.

Check out the video or call Serenity Health Care Center for a consultation to find out more about how you can optimize your health.

Organ Donation Is Gift of Life

Written by Dr. Debra Muth on . Posted in Blog, The Dark Side of Injury. No Comments on Organ Donation Is Gift of Life

Donating your loved one’s organs after death is a precious gift of life. In giving to others, you cherish and honor your loved one. It’s a way to remember your loved one time and time again. Yet, not all organ donation organizations are non-profit. Something that should be so easy requires careful research before making a decision.

A single donated body can provide tissue, tendons, ligaments, and corneas that yield between $140,000 and $220,000. While some tissue banks are non-profit, others are profit operations. Selling cadaver body parts has become so profitable that many people are imprisoned for body snatching.

Upon my father’s death, we donated his organs. It was a source of comfort and humor as we remembered him after his passing. Yet, it added a great deal of anxiety when I discovered that some donation organizations use this as a profitable business model. You can read more about my journey in my book, The Dark Side of Injury.

Here are some frequently asked questions about tissue and organ donation.

  1. Who Can Donate? People of all different ages are able to donate, so don’t discount donation due to age. Either you as a family member or your loved one may decide to be an organ/tissue donor. One of the important things in your decision is to make sure that the donation is given to a reputable organization.
  2. How are organs/tissues managed? Typically, organs and tissues are matched to recipients who are prioritized on a waiting list. Matching may include blood type, need, age, weight as well as other medical criteria.
  3. Which organs/tissues can be donated? Heart, kidneys, lungs, tendons, liver, corneas, bone marrow and more can be potentially transplanted. As an organ donor, you can specify all or certain organs to donate. The donor’s medical condition at the time of death may influence which organs are eligible to be donated.

One organ donor can save eight lives and change the lives of more than fifty people. It truly can be the Gift of Life.

Research nonprofit donation organizations before taking action. Or, find out more about my experience in The Dark Side of Injury.

Bio-Terrain Assessment Offers Personalized Therapy

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Bio-Terrain assessment is used to understand the elements within an individual’s body chemistry. Instead of simply treating symptoms, Bio-Terrain assessments help reveal underlying causes of a patient’s illness. This leads to solutions to restore your overall health.

This non-invasive assessment offers personalized therapy for a variety of health issues. We’ve had success with a specialized program for chronically ill Lyme disease patients. Find out more about it at Personalized Bio Terrain Therapy for Lyme Disease.

Bio-Terrain Assessment for Lyme Disease
                          Bio-Terrain Assessment for Lyme Disease

Other chronic diseases that could potentially benefit from Bio-Terrain assessment are staph, strep, mycoplasma, Epstein Barr and bartonella.

Today, we use Bio-Terrain to define an individual’s biochemistry based upon blood, urine and saliva. The results allow us to personalize a treatment plan. It is pain-free, safe and appropriate for any age. Personalized Bio-Terrain therapy sessions require six visits within a 14-day timeframe. Patients see gradual improvement over a three-month timeframe. Treatment consists of:

  • Bio-magnetic pairing
  • Crania sacral work
  • Detoxification
  • Dietary recommendations
  • Ondamed treatment
  • Sacral Occipital Technique blocking

An unhealthy lifestyle, environmental toxins or chronic disease can all affect your terrain. When your terrain is out of balance, few if any treatments work well. Bio-Terrain assessment puts a stop to the endless cycle of chasing and treating symptoms. It gets to the root of the problem by determining the primary biological dysfunction(s) that need to be treated.

A 19th century physiologist, Claude Bernard, is credited with the original bio-terrain concept of a cell’s environment determining its function. After years of research, Dr. Robert Greenberg designed the assessment device in 1994. He continues to be recognized today as a leading authority on Bio-Terrain.

This assessment is a valuable tool in analyzing and monitoring the treatment progress or regression in chronic diseases. It’s a way that you can take control and get your health back on track.

If you, your child or other family member is struggling to manage a chronic disease, call Serenity Health Care at 262.522.8640 to find out if Bio-Terrain assessment has the potential to help you.

Managing Chronic Pain

Written by Dr. Debra Muth on . Posted in Blog, Healthy Lifestyle, The Dark Side of Injury. No Comments on Managing Chronic Pain

Managing chronic pain can be challenging at best. Yet, living with pain is a way of life for many people. Narcotics simply put you to sleep and take more of a toll on your health. You can’t live an active life when you’re looking through a constant haze. Finding alternative ways to manage your pain can drastically improve the quality of your life.

When my husband was injured on the job, he had acute back pain. Acute pain comes on suddenly. It may be caused by an injury, illness or even an unknown source. Acute pain goes away when the cause is corrected. When the underlying cause cannot be treated, it may lead to chronic pain. This type of pain can last for months or years.

My husband’s initial injury led to chronic pain that affected our emotional well-being for many years. You can read more about our journey in my book, The Dark Side of Injury. Managing chronic pain and your pathway to recovery isn’t an easy road, but the rewards are definitely worth the pursuit.

Tips for Managing Chronic Pain

Managing Chronic Pain is Important
Managing Chronic Pain is Important
  1. Some conditions are affected by dehydration. Drinking enough water to stay well hydrated sometimes reduces the pain. Avoid caffeinated sodas, juices and teas that have a diuretic effect.
  2. Many foods have anti-inflammatory properties that can alleviate some of your pain. Low-sugar fruits, leafy greens and soy products are excellent choices. Foods rich in omega-3 fatty acids (salmon, walnuts, tuna, etc.) are also good choices.
  3. Some herbs such turmeric have anti-inflammatory products that are known to be beneficial in reducing chronic pain.
  4. Avoid foods that are known to be instigators of inflammation. Some of these include high-fat red meats, wheat products, processed foods, dairy, chocolate and tomatoes.
  5. Get out and move. Exercise and yoga add strength and flexibility. You don’t have to do a lot. Simply walking can decrease stress and combat the depression that often goes hand in hand with managing chronic pain.
  6. Massage therapy, chiropractic treatments and/or other therapy may be beneficial for managing chronic pain.
  7. Individual meditation or group support may reduce some of the stress associated with managing chronic pain. Both are ways to calm your mind.
  8. Take each day as it comes. Do things that you enjoy as much as you can without making the pain worse. Simply doing one thing that you enjoy will lift your spirits.

If you are struggling with managing chronic pain, schedule a consultation at Serenity Health Care. Our medical professionals are well-versed in combining traditional and alternative pain management techniques.

Let us help you put the “spring” in your step again.