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Adrenal Fatigue

Adrenal fatigue is a condition which occurs because of our busy American lifestyle. With all of the demands placed on us today it is a commonly seen condition.   

More than 70% of people surveyed feel that their lives have been affected by the recession and feel more stress.   

Many of you are all ready seeing changes in your patients and practices. Times are very different.

Adrenal fatigue is defined as a deficiency in the functioning of the adrenal glands. People who suffer from adrenal fatigue do not suffer from full-blown disease. The extreme variations of adrenal disease are Addison’s and Cushing’s disease.  Addison’s disease is the rarest from of Hypoadrenia. 

It occurs in 4 out of every 100,000 people. It is also responsible for 70% caused by autoimmune disease.

Adrenal Fatigue is a collection of broad signs and symptoms, known as a “syndrome” that results when the Adrenal glands function below the necessary level.

Over the past century this disorder has been known as:

  • Non-Addison
  • Hypoadrenia
  • Sub-clinical Hypoadrenia
  • Neurasthenia
  • Adrenal neurasthenia
  • Adrenal apathy

Who Suffers From Adrenal Fatigue?

Anyone!

An illness, a life crisis, or a continuing difficult situation can drain the Adrenal resources.

Lifestyles can make one more prone to Adrenal issues such as:

  • Poor diet, substance abuse, too little sleep and rest, or too many pressures all result in the symptoms of Adrenal Fatigue.

Life Events

  • Death, Marriage, Birth of a child

Lifestyle leading to Adrenal

  • Executive working 60-70 hours a week, juggling family life, kids, a home, and financial stress
  • This situation goes on for several years.
  • Finally symptoms start to present but the person keeps going.

What are the symptoms of Adrenal Fatigue?

  • Fatigue
  • Weight Gain
  • Low Blood Pressure
  • Low Pulse
  • Depression
  • Light Headed/Dizziness
  • Hypoglycemia
  • Hair Loss
  • Decreased Sex Drive
  • Decreased Immune Function
  • Allergies
  • Arthralgia/Myalgia

Do these symptoms sound familiar?  It is estimated that 50% of the people diagnosed with hypothyroidism also suffer from adrenal fatigue.

Common Diseases

Many associated diseases can occur with chronic stress or adrenal fatigue.  These diseases can occur in a variety of mild to severe symptoms.

  • Hypoglycemia
  • Allergies
  • Arthritic Pain
  • Decreased Immune Function
  • Psychiatric Disorders
  • Syndrome X

The Stress Response

The stress response cycle is very complex. There are four different zones of the cortex each secreting different hormones such as; cortisol, DHEA, testosterone, aldosterone, and progesterone. The cortex produces over 50 hormones all working as bridges to form other adrenal hormones.   

These changes affect: Carbohydrate, protein and fat metabolism, insulin and blood sugar control, fluid and electrolyte balance, cardiovascular system and Sex drive.  

Testing for Adrenal Fatigue

A simple saliva test can be conducted at home to diagnose adrenal fatigue.  Blood or saliva testing can used to evaluate hormones to determine if adrenal fatigue is a concern. The most common hormones tested are testosterone, DHEA in saliva or DHEA-S in blood. Cortisol should always be tested using saliva. Typically a diurnal cortisol is evaluated but you can order one or two if you prefer. 

If you chose to order one or two you will usually order a morning or evening cortisol or both.

The regulation of cortisol is done by the HPA Axis.  The hypothalamus mediates between external and internal states to keep the body balanced. Cortisol is a chief agents used by the hypothalamus to balance body chemistry.  Any factors listed above can act as stressors and interrupt normal requirements for cortisol.

Cortisol is a chief agent used by the hypothalamus to balance body chemistry.  Any factors listed above can act as stressors and interrupt normal requirements for cortisol.

Cortisol protects the body by normalizing blood sugar levels. A drop in blood sugar triggers adrenals to make more cortisol. Cortisol increases blood sugar by converting fats and proteins to energy. Cortisol also has Anti-Inflammatory properties when secreted in normal levels.

Cortisol levels affect White Blood Cells, it specifically produces lymphocytes. Cortisol regulates blood pressure and central nervous system function by affecting; behavior, mood, excitability and all other neurons in the brain.

Stress hormones and neurotransmitters provide a quick burst of energy. 

They speed up the necessary body systems by increasing heart rate and breathing.  It can also shut down the unnecessary body systems such as the reproductive system and immune system.

Cortisol receptors exist on almost every cell in the body and have an important role in brain function. If serotonin is depleted it can result in fatigue and depression. Moderate and transient amounts of cortisol increase the release of dopamine. While high and chronic levels of cortisol decrease the production and release of dopamine.

  • The immune system can be directly affected by the adrenal function. 
  • Allergies involve the release of histamine a pro-inflammatory.
  • Cortisol is a strong anti-inflammatory. 
  • It is the histamine & Cortisol reaction that produces the symptoms experienced with allergies. 
  • Food allergies are common during adrenal fatigue. 
  • The most common foods are corn, wheat, eggs, and dairy. 
  • The symptoms can vary and be temporary if the adrenal glands can be restored.

How Common is Adrenal Fatigue

According to “The Adrenal Fatigue Organization” it is estimated that 80% of North Americans suffer from Adrenal Fatigue at some point in their lives!

Treating Adrenal Fatigue

Once Adrenal fatigue is diagnosed an Essence of Health and Vitality adrenal program can be initiated.  An adrenal program contains life style changes and nutritional support which will help balance the body.  It will restore the body’s ability to balance and correctly utilize sugar, support in digestion, and rebuild the adrenal glands to properly handle stress and return you back to normal.  In some cases it is necessary for hormones to be replaced for short period of times until the body can repair and produce them on their own.

Unfortunately, restoring the adrenals is not a quick fix.  You can expect a patient to be on this program for six to twelve months at minimum.  If patients have been ill for several years they can expect one to three years before they are healed.  Patients can expect to have periods of time that they feel good and then crash.  It is important to provide patients with education and support during this time.

If this type of approach interests you but you feel that you need more training on adrenal dysfunction  sign up for my free teleconference on Adrenal disease or attend my seminar “Unraveling the Mystery of   Adrenal Fatigue. ”

Testing for Adrenal Fatigue

A simple saliva test can be conducted at home to diagnose adrenal fatigue.  Blood or saliva testing can used to evaluate hormones to determine if adrenal fatigue is a concern.  The most common hormones tested are testosterone, DHEA in saliva or DHEA-S in blood.  Cortisol should always be tested using saliva.  Typically a diurnal cortisol is evaluated but you can order one or two if you prefer.  If you chose to order one or two you will usually order a morning or evening cortisol or both.

The regulation of cortisol is done by the HPA Axis.  The hypothalamus mediates between external and internal states to keep the body balanced.  Cortisol is a chief agents used by the hypothalamus to balance body chemistry.  Any factors listed above can act as stressors and interrupt normal requirements for cortisol.


The Differences Between Acute and Chronic Lyme Disease

What patients need to know about the differences between acute and chronic Lyme disease

What patients need to know about the differences between acute and chronic Lyme disease

The Lyme literate practitioners at our functional medicine clinic near Milwaukee understand the differences between acute and chronic Lyme disease. Many conventional medical practitioners do not even acknowledge that chronic Lyme disease exists. Our experienced staff has seen thousands of patients with Lyme disease, both acute and chronic, and they know how to diagnose and treat this complicated and misunderstood condition.

It’s important to understand the differences between acute and chronic Lyme disease

When a patient is seeking a diagnosis, it’s crucial to see a Lyme literate provider who has a complete understanding of the differences between acute and chronic Lyme disease. When a person receives treatment within six to eight weeks of exposure to Borrelia burgdorferi or, to Borrelia mayonii, and suffers no residual effects after treatment, the diagnosis is acute Lyme disease. Patients who are not treated at least two months after exposure and harbor the untreated disease for months or even years often develop chronic Lyme disease.

There are two problems that the conventional medicine community doesn’t recognize regarding the differences between acute and chronic Lyme disease.

  • Even patients who are treated for acute Lyme disease in a timely manner may go on to suffer from symptoms of chronic Lyme disease.
  • Many patients do not seek treatment or receive an accurate diagnosis in time to receive treatment for acute Lyme disease, and that leads to chronic symptoms.

Untreated and undiagnosed chronic Lyme disease can cause serious health problems

When patients consult medical practitioners who are not familiar with Lyme disease, they are often misdiagnosed. The chronic symptoms of Lyme disease resemble many other conditions, and inexperienced providers who do not recognize the differences between acute and chronic Lyme disease often misdiagnose these patients and treat them for conditions like fibromyalgia, multiple sclerosis or mental illnesses. These patients experience a variety of symptoms that get worse the longer they are left untreated, including serious neurological symptoms.

Patients who come to our functional medicine clinic near Milwaukee can rely on the fact that our medical team is on the case. They are experts at uncovering and diagnosing conditions that other medical providers miss, and they fully understand the differences between acute and chronic Lyme disease. Contact us for an appointment.

Women’s Thermography Breast Screenings

Breast cancer is most curable when it’s detected in the early stages, so women are eager to find tools to help them in their battle against cancer. 

Women often schedule Thermography, in addition to annual mammograms, to improve their chances of detecting changes in breast tissue.

Serenity is dedicated to breast cancer awareness

We hold breast cancer awareness events regularly. The foundation of our breast cancer awareness protocol is Thermography.

We advocate this harmless technology not only for breast cancer but for the detection of numerous other diseases including heart disease, digestive disorders, arthritis, and diabetes complications.

Breast thermography, when used as part of a woman’s breast cancer awareness program, has many benefits

The benefits are:

  • It helps identify patients who may be at high risk for developing breast cancer – male or female.
  • Breast thermography can increase the effective use of mammography by providing a clinical marker for physicians and radiologists. Thermography identifies a particular breast area that needs closer examination.
  • It benefits younger women who may have dense breast tissue or who may not be receiving mammograms due to current guidelines.
  • No radiation is involved.
  • No contact with your breasts.
  • No risk of torque compression.
  • It’s a low-cost screening procedure.

How accurate is breast screening thermography?

Serenity recommends Thermography or DITI (Digital Infrared Thermal Imaging) in conjunction with mammography. Thermal imaging is non-invasive and is 90% accurate for cancer detection (vs. 75% for traditional mammography). Thermography detects cancer up to 10 years sooner than conventional mammography.

Thermography gives the practitioner a color map of the body’s temperature. Abnormal physiology presents in different colors within the scan. 

Is Thermography as good as mammography?

Breast thermography is an excellent screening tool that women can add to their annual mammograms. Thermography digital imaging technology, has two distinct advantages over other breast cancer screening tools:

1. It is non-invasive

2. It does not emit any harmful radiation

The procedure lasts about fifteen minutes, and no equipment touches the breast. 

Digital infrared thermal imaging effectively detects potential problem areas in breast tissue that may indicate malignancy in the early stages because inflammation is visible prior to disease as the body begins gearing up to fight unwanted cells.

Breast thermography is an FDA-approved procedure that can help visualize and quantify changes in skin temperature. 

If breast thermography detects any suspicious findings, women can alert their physician so that they can pursue further testing and treatment. 

Breast thermography does not take the place of mammography when that test is deemed medically appropriate.

Don’t delay. Book your breast screening now here

How does breast thermography work?

Breast thermography employs digital infrared thermal imaging technology. 

An infrared scanning device, which does not touch the body, measures the skin surface temperature of the breasts. 

The device converts infrared heat that the skin naturally emits into electrical impulses projected on a monitor. As a result, breast thermography maps the body temperature. 

The spectrum of colors on the monitor indicates the amount of infrared heat emitted from the breasts’ surface.

Chest and breast screening of 4 different women and men showing colorful diseases in a thermogram.

Are you under 50? Younger women rely on Breast Thermography screening

Younger women, ages 30 to 50, often have dense breast tissue. Dense breast tissue can make it difficult for a screening mammogram to detect breast cancer. 

In addition, many physicians do not recommend mammograms for women under 50. So, breast thermography can serve as an early detection and monitoring tool for young women with a genetic predisposition to the disease.

What is the cost of thermography for breasts?

Most of our patients receive a full body Thermography scan because it helps to uncover hidden potential health issues so we can prescribe preventative health measures. 

The technology is ideal for preventative medicine and to identify the underlying cause of your regionalized inflammation, pain or swelling.Breast scans are often coupled with Lymph Enhancement Therapy as an integrative protocol. Depending on the requirements, scans range from around $350 and up, but prices depend on the body surface areas needed. The best way to get an estimate is to call our front desk or drop us an email.

Serenity’s Thermography expertise is available to you in Waukesha, WI

Serenity Health Care Center has the equipment and knowledge available to give our patients cutting-edge Thermography scans. 

Although patients can expect results from their test in 2-3 days, we can sometimes expedite within 24 hours if we see something that needs an urgent diagnosis.

Book a Thermography Scan here

Did you know that it takes 8-10 years of training to read results accurately?

from top left a thermogram of normal breasts, followed by an inflammatory breast cancer, followed by estrogen dominance thermogram, followed by an Inmune dysfunction thermogram, followed by a photo of male breast cancer and n the bottom left a thermogram of shoulder pain.

Serenity Health Care Center works with certified experts to perform this excellent diagnostic, and prognostic testing with trustworthy result interpretations.

At our functional medicine clinic near Milwaukee, breast thermography allows us to:

  • Detect and monitor abnormal physiology
  • Establish risk factors for developing breast disorders
  • Detect early indications that breast cancer may be present

If you want to know more about Thermography and its benefits visit our Medicine Thermography page

Call 262.522.8640 today to schedule your Thermogram scan with the professionals at Serenity Health Care Center in Waukesha

We can understand and see your pain with Inflammation Thermography

woman's knee photo showing a red halo as if it was painful due to inflammation

Inflammation is part of your natural healing process in response to infections and injuries. Your inflammatory response is a healthy way for your body to dispose of pathogens. Inflammation also isolates the injury by preventing adjacent tissues from damage. Inflammation flushes and cleans because the process helps your cells get rid of debris. 

In other words, your body repairs itself with inflammation – which is a good thing. 

Nevertheless, chronic low-grade inflammation is scientifically proven to cause cancer, heart disease, type 2 diabetes, and other deadly diseases. Inflammation involves chemical reactions and cellular function, and prolonged artery, capillary, and vein dilatation can tax your system and cause long-term health concerns.

By allowing inflammation to go unchecked, your entire body kicks into high gear to help combat illness. Unfortunately, sometimes your body goes overboard in the process and weakens over time – which is when more complex health problems arise. 

So, inflammation is not only an indicator of a health abnormality but also the cause of disease. Serenity wants to help you identify and control inflammation.

What is Thermography for Inflammation?

Using our Thermography camera detector, this technique precisely records the energy emitted in the infrared spectrum. Thermography uses infrared radiation (photons) emitted by your body into electrical signals that form a digital image on a monitor.

Even at a distance and without any direct contact, Serenity can measure the temperature of your inflamed area using the infrared detector because areas with increased blood flow indicate inflammation. Inflammation appears in red, while areas with little blood flow activity show in cooler colors. 

So, if we can see your health problem, we can help get it under control – and sometimes even reverse illness!

What can Thermography detect based on your inflammation levels?

Thermography not only detects illness based on inflammation but also measures the severity of the disease process. 

Inflammation is visible on Thermography scans with a variety of health concerns, including:

If you are a woman, Serenity is particularly interested in helping you fight against the risk of Breast Cancer. 

Thermography is helpful in the detection of Breast Cancer. It offers many benefits, including detecting Breast Cancer 7-10 years earlier than a mammogram. This is because mammograms are not prescribed to younger women and also because inflammation begins in the early stages of Breast Cancer.

Continue reading our blog to learn more about Breast Thermography Screening

Can Thermography detect infection?

Thermography can detect viral and bacterial infections because these invaders activate your immune system. Your immune system uses inflammatory cells and cytokines (substances that stimulate more inflammatory cells).  The job of these cells is to trap bacterial or viral intruders and activate your natural healing powers. These cells can cause pain, swelling, bruising, or redness – all of which are visible on a Thermography scan.

Why is Thermography used in medical diagnosis?

The temperature of a body or object correlates to the amount of infrared radiation emitted. Infrared radiation is invisible to the human eye. 

Thermography is expanding in diverse sectors such as engineering, rescue, meteorology, astronomy, public safety, electronics, meteorology, industry, and ecological analysis. 

Medical applications for this technology are making great strides; nevertheless, Serenity has been using Thermography for over a decade for the diagnosis and prognosis of our patients.

In case of infection and inflammation, the increase in temperature is clearly visible. However, depending on the severity of the lesion and the length of time of the problem, there may be a decrease in local temperature. This is because the body has given up its attempt to heal, or the lesion is so ingrained that no blood reaches the area anymore.

Continue reading our blog to learn more about: What is Medicine Thermography?

How can Serenity tell what your Inflammation Thermography results mean?

Body heat constantly dissipates from the skin by radiation, convection, conduction, or evaporation. Pathologies produce variations in blood circulation, which affect skin temperature. Due to these heat losses, the skin temperature is 5 °C lower than the internal body temperature. Thermographic imaging quantifies the skin’s surface temperature but also senses that of the deep tissues.

One crucial factor Serenity detects is symmetry. Both sides of a healthy body tend to emit similar color mapping. A marked difference requires further investigation and testing. 

Our experienced staff knows what typical heat emissions for organs look like. Trained professionals easily detect abnormalities.

To read Thermography results, certified professionals need at least ten years of training!

Serenity can even detect hidden Inflammation to avoid future health problems

Thermography reveals the primary area of injury and helps recognize secondary points of pain too. 

Secondary inflammation may not always appear in a clinical examination – but it also needs to be addressed with Integrative Medicine protocols. 

A significant advantage of this technique is that it allows early diagnosis of pathologies such as tendinitis or degenerative joint disease. 

Thermographic alterations are frequently evident before physical ones. 

Thermography can detect lesions 1 or 2 weeks before limps or pain manifest, which athletes often leverage the technology.

Once treatment begins, thermography can monitor progress. Your provider’s prescribed holistic treatment should produce the desired circulatory change. 

For example, if visible red hot inflammation is present with your baseline Thermography, then in subsequent scans, a decrease in temperature to normal levels will prove your healing progress.

In Summary

Serenity patients like you benefit from our experience with Thermography. We’ve provided this state-of-the-art technology to our patients for over a decade.

Thermography imaging technology, provides our skilled practitioners with valuable information that helps them accurately diagnose your wellness concerns and symptoms.

Book your Thermography Scan today!

Benefits of Thermography

Learn the benefits of thermography

Learn the benefits of thermography

We want you to know about the benefits of thermography, a technology we offer at our functional medicine clinic near Milwaukee.

Thermography imaging technology, DITI, employs digital infrared thermal imaging. This technology creates a visual image or map that shows us your body temperature. The various colors indicate the level of infrared radiation that your skin’s surface emits. We use your map, or thermogram, for various medical reasons.

  • To create a baseline image
  • To help diagnose a condition, disease, injury or infection
  • To identify areas of inflammation

Five benefits of thermography

  1. Thermography is a noninvasive procedure. A thermogram does not require any contact with your body so there is no discomfort.
  2. Unlike other imaging procedures, thermography doesn’t emit any radiation.
  3. Thermography serves as an additional diagnostic tool for many conditions. Digital infrared thermal imaging, or DITI, is sensitive to changes in your body, especially in the musculoskeletal and vascular systems.
  4. Breast cancer thermography is a helpful addition to breast cancer screening tests. One of the most exciting benefits of thermography is its applications in breast cancer screening. DITI is very sensitive to subtle changes in breast tissue. For example, the technology can detect the extra blood supply that may be feeding a small malignant tumor. Early detection saves lives.
  5. Sports medicine thermography not only helps diagnose injuries, but also helps assess a patient’s progress during treatment. Thermography is helpful if you have sports-related injuries, such as sprains, inflamed tendons and pain syndromes. Diagnosing pain syndromes is one of the lesser known benefits of thermography. If you develop this difficult to diagnose syndrome, you may suffer from pain for six months or longer after an injury. Thermography helps diagnose the problem so that you can receive treatment.

Discover how you can benefit from thermography

Whether you or your family members are working toward achieving optimal health or are suffering from a medical condition, the benefits of thermography can help you. For more information, contact us at our functional medicine clinic near Milwaukee.

Prostate Health Secrets for Men

What Is Prostate Cancer?

The prostate gland is a male reproductive gland located in the lower abdomen that produces seminal fluid. It is about the size of a golfball in younger men, but once a man is over 40 years of age, the gland typically starts to grow.

Prostate cancer occurs when an abnormal growth of cells (known as a tumor) forms in the prostate. Cancer can then spread to other areas of the body.

Prostate cancer is typically categorized by the speed with which it spreads. In aggressive prostate cancer, the tumor develops and grows quickly, and cancer then spreads to other parts of the body, such as the lymph nodes and bones. Conversely, with nonaggressive prostate cancer, the tumor either grows very slowly or doesn’t grow at all.

Who’s Most at Risk?

Certain factors increase your risk of getting prostate cancer. Risk factors include:

Age (men 65 and older are at highest risk)

Family history of the disease (especially first-degree relatives)

Certain ethnicities (African-American men are at greatest risk)

Weight (obese men are at increased risk)

Geographic location (men living in disadvantaged or rural areas are at greater risk)

What Are the Symptoms?

While there are often no symptoms with nonaggressive prostate cancer, symptoms can occur with the aggressive form of this cancer. One common symptom is urinary urgency, difficulty starting the stream of urine, bleeding with urination, urinary frequency. This is usually the first sign of prostate cancer.

Sexualy dysfunction can be another problem. Men can experience erectile dysfunction. Also, in cases in which intercourse is impossible, prostate cancer can cause blood in the semen. Additionally, when cancer spreads to other parts of the body, the person can experience pain in the pelvic region, lower back, hips, upper thighs, or chest. In severe cases in which cancer has metastasized in the spinal cord, feeling in the legs can be lost.

What Are the Screening Recommendations?

Men who are experiencing any of the described symptoms should be screened for prostate cancer. Also, it’s recommended that men with risk factors, such as age and ethnicity, should get a prostate screening even if they don’t have symptoms. While the risk of prostate cancer is highest for men over 65 years of age, it’s recommended that annual screenings start at the age of 50 for normal men and 40 for men in high-risk groups.

Screening can be done with a Prostate-Specific Antigen (PSA) test that measures PSA levels in the bloodstream. PSA is a protein produced by the prostate, and it becomes elevated when a man develops prostate cancer. However, an elevated PSA level can also be caused by other conditions, so follow-up testing is often needed. Additional testing can include a Prostate Health Index test, a digital rectal exam, a prostate biopsy, and possibly medical imaging procedures such as a CT scan, an MRI, an ultrasound, or a bone scan.

We also recommend having testosterone levels drawn on an annual basis. Testosterone levels can decline after the age of 40. There is a new testosterone therapy used for treatment of prostate cancer that is only done by special physicians.

Prostate cancer is a risk that all men need to be aware of. Because it’s the second most common cancer for men, it’s important to know your risk factors, seek help if any symptoms occur, and start having annual screenings as you age. Thankfully, when prostate cancer is diagnosed and treated early, the outlook is generally positive.

Natural Remedies and Herbs for a Healthy Prostate 

If you suffer from prostate enlargement then it’s important to be aware of the nutritional supplements that support the prostate. These herbs support the body and assist in decreasing  symptoms and slow the disease progression. Here are some of the top prostate herbal remedies:

  • Cat’s Claw – Has been used to support prostate cancer naturally, cat’s claw can help to improve the immune system through a natural compound called pentacyclic oxindole alkaloids (POAs). POA’s enhance immune activity to fight cancer cells.
  • Oregano – Oregano contains an active ingredient that can help our immune system fight cancer. Take oregano herbs for prostate health.
  • Pumpkin Seed – Pumpkin seed can help reduce the swelling of the prostate it has a high zinc content, which is important for prostate health. Pumpkin seed oil specifically may help to combat prostate tumors.
  • Baking Soda – Baking soda is an alkalizing ingredient, which may help to reduce prostate tumors.
  • Milk Thistle – Milk thistle main ingredient called silymarin, which supports liver function and assists the body with detoxification. 
  • Ginger – Ginger is anti-inflammatory and antioxidant that can help to reduce the swelling of the prostate. It is also good at assisting with nausea and stomach discomfort. 

For men that are experiencing issues without cancer shockwave therapy can be beneficial in improving the blood flow to the pelvis. 

If you have questions about men’s health, testosterone therapy, or shockwave contact Serenity Health Care Center at 262-522-8640. contact our hormone experts at Serenity Health Care Center in Waukesha, WI now to schedule an appointment.

9 Symptoms That May Be Corrected With Bioidentical Hormone Therapy

At Serenity Health Care Center in Waukesha, WI, we offer several medical treatments to address a number of medical conditions, including chronic illness, erectile dysfunction, adrenal and chronic fatigue, Lyme disease, obesity-related illness and more. Today, we’re talking about one of our most popular services: bioidentical hormone therapy.

9 Symptoms That Can Be Corrected With Bioidentical Hormone Therapy

1. Weight Gain

One of the most universal signs of imbalanced hormones is weight gain. Weight gain occurs as you age because, while your diet hasn’t changed in years, your body simply doesn’t need as much fuel to operate and maintain its weight. However, the appropriate solution to weight gain isn’t to start eating less. It’s to bring your hormone levels back in balance to restore your metabolism.

If you are experiencing unexplained weight gain, we strongly encourage you to come in for an initial consultation and have your serum hormone levels tested. If you let your weight gain go unchecked, you will increase your risk of numerous medical conditions associated with excess fat, including: 

  • Type II diabetes
  • Heart attack
  • Stroke
  • Pancreatic cancer
  • Renal failure
  • Non-alcoholic fatty liver disease 

2. Low Bone Density

Another incredibly common sign that your body isn’t producing enough sex hormones is low bone density. Testosterone tells osteoblasts to make more trabecular bone and supports osteocytes in the prevention of trabecular bone loss. When either your osteoblasts or osteocytes are too few in number, brittle bones and other bone disorders can occur. When both are too few in number, it is only a matter of time before your bones become weakened significantly.

It is of the utmost importance that you test your bone density and serum hormone levels if you have a family history of osteoporosis or osteopenia. Having a member of your immediate family suffer from one of these bone disorders puts you in a much higher risk category of developing the condition yourself. Unfortunately, muscle weakness, loss of muscle mass, and balance issues caused by low hormones increase your risk of falling and fracturing a bone.

3. Major Depressive Disorder

When you think of the signs of aging, you may not think about your mental health. However, sex hormones play a critical role in keeping your mood stable. In fact, testosterone is so important for your mental health that a low level of serum testosterone can result in major depressive disorder.

Major depressive disorder affects everyone differently. Some people become so apathetic about life that they don’t have the motivation to cook and eat, either losing weight through extended periods of fasting or gaining weight due to eating prepared high-caloric density foods. Furthermore, depression can cause such side effects as fatigue, making exercise nearly impossible. If you have recently noticed signs of depression, come in to get your hormone levels checked.

4. Generalized Anxiety Disorder

Another mood disorder that may crop up due to imbalance hormone levels is a generalized anxiety disorder. This mood disorder nearly always causes abdominal fat gain because stress increases the level of cortisol, aptly also known as the stress hormone.

Cortisol is responsible for several functions, including instructing your body to store visceral fat (the most dangerous kind of fat there is), increasing your body’s production of ghrelin (the hunger hormone) and decreasing your body’s production of leptin (the satiety hormone). All of this is a recipe for a drastically increased risk of heart disease and similar medical conditions.

5. Excessive Nighttime Urination

There are many things you should be doing for your health. One of the most important things for overall health is adequate sleep. Unfortunately, women going through menopause and men going through andropause often struggle to get an adequate night of rest regularly.

There are many symptoms of imbalanced hormones that can make adequate rest challenging. Among these are excessive nighttime urination, insomnia, hot flashes, and night sweats. All of these can be treated with an appropriate hormone replacement program. This way, you do not have to sacrifice adequate hydration for the opportunity to sleep through the night.

6. Cognitive Decline 

Cognitive decline is one of the scariest signs of imbalanced sex hormones because it can also be a sign of dementia, Alzheimer’s disease, and other serious medical conditions. However, if you don’t have a family history of such disorders, your first call should be to a hormone expert.

Cognitive decline due to imbalanced sex hormones affects everyone differently. However, the most common sign of cognitive decline is forgetting where you put important objects. For example, you may forget where you put your car keys. Similarly, you may put your wallet in the freezer and leave your frozen burrito in your desk drawer. Other common signs that you are experiencing cognitive decline include: 

  • Forgetting important dates
  • Forgetting words you use commonly
  • Losing your train of thought
  • Struggling to hold a conversation 
  • Difficulty forming new memories

7. Mood Swings

If you suffer from a major depressive disorder or generalized anxiety disorder, your feelings will probably remain constant throughout the day. For example, you may feel fleetingly excited for an event, but for the most part, you feel apathetic, sad, hopeless, or helpless. Similarly, if you suffer from generalized anxiety disorder, you may feel anything from on edge to anxious throughout the day with very few moments of reprieve.

The primary exception to this general rule is that generalized anxiety disorder, or GAD, can cause mood swings. What we mean by this is one potential result of living with GAD is mental and emotional exhaustion. It feels virtually impossible to fight through life when you are constantly on edge. This mental and emotional exhaustion can lead to you snapping occasionally, becoming irritable or angry over something small. Bioidentical hormone replacement can help with that.  

8. Loss of Muscle Mass

Yet another symptom of imbalanced hormones that can be treated by bioidentical hormone therapy is the loss of muscle mass. There are several reasons why it is crucial to maintain your muscle mass or build more muscle. The most compelling argument for maintaining your muscle mass is mass loss leads to strength loss. Strength loss can lead to falls and bone fractures.

Another extremely compelling argument for maintaining your muscle mass is that muscle is roughly three times more metabolically active than white fat. In other words, a pound of muscle will burn approximately three times more calories than a pound of fat when your body is at rest. This makes it easier to maintain weight without changing your diet too much as your overall metabolism slows with age.

9. Hair Loss

The final symptom of imbalanced sex hormones that we’d like to address today is hair loss. One of the most common causes of hair loss is imbalanced hormones. If you notice more hair than usual in your hairbrush or hair tie, you may suffer from imbalanced hormones and benefit from bioidentical hormone replacement therapy.

Learn More About the Benefits of Bioidentical Hormone Replacement Therapy Today

If you are experiencing any of the aforementioned symptoms of imbalanced hormone levels, you can benefit greatly from bioidentical hormone therapy. However, the symptoms discussed today are only a portion of the symptoms that can be relieved with this therapy. To learn more about the benefits of treatment, contact our hormone experts at Serenity Health Care Center in Waukesha, WI now to schedule an appointment.

10 Signs You May Need to Get Lyme Disease Treatment

Lyme disease is one of today’s most challenging healthcare problems. In addition to being difficult to prevent, the condition’s wide range of symptoms and individualized presentation also makes it difficult to diagnose. Worse, many people suffer inadequate treatment after a diagnosis, with long-term effects that can be disastrous to their health. Serenity Health Care Center in Waukesha, WI offers exceptional, specialized expertise in Lyme disease and the most complete Lyme disease treatment available.  

10 Signs You May Need to Get Lyme Disease Treatment

There are both acute signs of Lyme disease, which show up in a few days or weeks following transmission, and also symptoms of chronic Lyme disease, which develops over time when the disease hasn’t been treated right away. The symptoms of Lyme disease often mimic the symptoms of other diseases or discomforts we might experience in everyday life, such as fatigue or joint pain.

This “masquerade effect” makes Lyme disease easy to overlook, which can be extremely dangerous. The first five signs on the following list are acute symptoms that show up sooner than later. Left untreated, the second five signs are an indication that the disease may have been resident for months or longer:

1) The Bull’s Eye Rash

About a week after Lyme disease infection, 20-30% of people develop a telltale rash somewhere on their body. It’s not generally itchy or painful, but it grows larger over the course of a few days. As it grows, it sometimes looks like a target – a discolored circle of skin with a bull’s eye in the middle that looks like a bite.

2) Fever and Chills

These days we’re all especially concerned with fever and the need to monitor our temperature when we’re not feeling well. Ticks don’t travel through the air; they lurk in grasses. If you’re experiencing fever even when you’ve stayed safe in every other respect, you may have Lyme disease.

3) Joint Pain

Left untreated, Lyme disease can wreak havoc on the body’s joints and become a spearhead for painful chronic arthritis that lasts a lifetime. If you’re experiencing an unusual new pain or stiffness in one or more of your joints, it may well be a symptom of Lyme disease and you should be examined.

4) Headaches

We all get the occasional headache for a variety of reasons, so it’s easy to miss this sign. If headaches become persistent or have unusual intensity, it’s time to question why. Unfortunately, Lyme disease is extremely prevalent in our region.

5) Unusual Fatigue 

This is another symptom that’s easy to overlook. We live in busy, stressful times and stress is a natural lever for fatigue. However, if you’re feeling notably more tired each day than you think you ought to be, it may not be ordinary fatigue. Feeling inordinately tired is also a frequent symptom of Lyme disease.

6) Joint Inflammation

Moving beyond stiffness into severe inflammation and pain around the joints, later Lyme disease brings on arthritis, which is a chronic condition that can only be managed rather than cured. If your knees, ankles or other large joints are swollen and painful, Lyme disease may be the culprit.

7) Facial Disfigurement

Left untreated, Lyme disease induces a form of palsy on the facial muscles. If you’ve noticed that the skin or muscles around your mouth, cheeks or eyes have become numb or misshapen in any way, you may need to seek Lyme disease treatment.

8) Shortness of Breath

This symptom is one that everyone is aware of these days and should never be taken lightly under any circumstances. Respiratory changes, which lead to dizziness and contribute to fatigue, are a common effect of entrenched Lyme disease.

9) Ocular Infections

The bacteria in Lyme disease can interact with and even empower other harmful pathogens in our body. One of the most vulnerable organs is the eye, and eye infections, including conjunctivitis (pinkeye) are frequent advanced symptoms. These diseases are painful and contagious, and can permanently damage vision.

10) Heart Problems

Palpitations and irregular heart rhythms may be signs that the Lyme disease has attacked the heart muscle. This syndrome, called Lyme carditis, is a deeply serious condition that can be fatal if not treated. According to the Centers for Disease Control (CDC), Lyme carditis appears in 1 of every 100 patients.

Thorough Treatment: More Than You Think

Most people who are familiar with Lyme disease assume that treatment is simple and the disease is completely cured with a course of antibiotics. The truth is actually much more complex. Clinical evidence shows that the typical antibiotic treatment does of course kill the Lyme disease parasite. However, it does not kill the toxic residue that the Lyme disease cells release when they’re destroyed.

This leftover after-effect, known as an “endotoxin,” remains a health hazard to the patient even after antibiotic treatment. The body needs to be detoxified, and its tools for discarding harmful toxins should be strengthened with vitamins and complementary therapies.  

An Integrated Approach

In considering the most effective Lyme disease treatment, antibiotics on their own are inadequate and leave many patients still-vulnerable to the disease’s effects. Our bodies have outstanding capabilities for fighting infections and eliminating harmful toxins. Lyme disease places tremendous strain on these systems, which require assistance during treatment and rebuilding once the antibiotics have run their course.

Beyond immediate therapy that destroys the bacteria at the root of Lyme disease, an integrated approach ensures that the body heals itself from the damages and symptoms that the disease has inflicted.

State-of-the-Art Treatment for Lyme Disease

Lyme disease should not be taken lightly. The disease is not only virulent, its symptoms often resemble other physical complaints, so they get overlooked. Many Lyme disease patients are misdiagnosed, and many that are diagnosed correctly are often treated incompletely. Effective treatment requires more than pills. Thorough recoveries are achieved through a holistic approach that engages the entire body

Detox and Rejuvenation 

A full approach for treatment includes a detoxification process that helps the body flush the harmful residue through its natural elimination processes. In order to do this, our Lyme disease experts map the patient’s specific body chemistry and needs in a finding called a “bio terrain,” so that an individualized treatment plan can be formulated.

Bodily depletions caused by Lyme disease can be rebuilt through an individualized regimen of intravenous nutrients and supplements. These therapies assist the body’s immune system and allow its regenerative abilities to operate at peak capacity. Finally, a considered selection of herbal supplements helps restore and retain overall wellness, without the need for additional medications.  

How Do I Get Started?

Lyme disease can be effectively dealt with, but early detection is critical. The longer the disease is present, the more damage it does and the more difficult it becomes to treat. If you suspect you may have Lyme disease because you’ve seen a telltale rash or connected the dots to other symptoms, you should seek medical treatment immediately.

Our practitioners are experts in Lyme disease treatment. We offer the most accurate testing systems and an investigative approach that finds the Lyme disease that’s hiding behind other symptoms. If you think you may have Lyme disease, schedule an appointment today with Serenity Health Care Center in Waukesha, WI, serving the greater Milwaukee area.

Is HCG Weight Loss Right for You? 5 Things to Know

If you’re sick and tired of disliking what you see in the mirror, you may be the perfect candidate for HCG weight loss at Serenity Health Care Center in Wisconsin.

Today, we reveal five things you need to know about this program to help you determine if it is the appropriate solution for your needs.

5 Things You Need to Know About the HCG Weight Loss Program

1. You Will Lose Weight Rapidly

Our HCG weight loss program is probably appropriate for your weight loss needs if you need or want to lose weight rapidly. Whether you’re looking to mitigate your risk of life-threatening illnesses caused by obesity or you just want to fit comfortably into your favorite jeans again, this program will help you lose weight faster than you’ve ever lost weight in your life.

There are several reasons for this. However, the most significant driving factor of weight loss is the diet involves eating between 500 and 1,000 calories daily, depending on how quickly you want to lose weight. According to the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, the average American woman burns between 1,600 and 2,400 calories daily, and the average American man burns between 2,000 and 3,000 calories daily.

hCG 1000 Calorie Diet

If you’re an average American woman and burn 2,000 calories daily, but you only eat 500 calories daily, you will experience a net loss of 1,500 calories per day. To lose a pound of fat, you need to create a caloric deficit of 3,500 calories.
If you’re achieving a net loss of 1,500 calories daily, you’re achieving a weekly net loss of three pounds weekly.

If you want to eat 1,000 calories daily while on the HCG diet, you will achieve a daily fat loss of 2/7 of a pound and, subsequently, lose two pounds of fat weekly nearly effortlessly.

Keep in mind, it is perfectly safe for you to exercise on the HCG diet, so you can lose weight even faster without cutting too much food out of your diet.

2. Not All of the Initial Weight Loss Will Be Fat

We feel you must know that not all of the initial weight loss will come from burning excess adipose tissue for fuel. In fact, quite a lot of the initial weight loss will come from water loss. If you lose seven pounds in the first week, remember that for every gram of stored carbohydrates that your body burns for fuel, it also purges itself of two to three grams of water.

We also find it crucial to note that you will not lose muscle mass on this diet. There is a common misconception that if you eat fewer than 1,200 calories daily your body will catabolize healthy muscle mass. This isn’t true. Your body only catabolizes dead or damaged muscle cells so they can be replaced with stronger, healthier muscle cells.

The Bottom Line

The only way to lose muscle mass on a diet is to cause your muscles to atrophy due to inactivity. In other words, if you maintain your daily routine of walking, shopping, cooking, cleaning, and working, your muscles will not atrophy.

It’s also important to note that the water weight loss you experience may be permanent. Your body only stores glycogen when you eat more carbohydrates than you need for fuel. Once you’ve gone into ketosis, your body uses dietary and stored fat for fuel. You may find that you have so much energy and mental clarity on ketosis that you don’t want to go back to the sluggishness and brain fog of significant carbohydrate consumption.

3. You Won’t Feel Hunger

One of the most common reasons people fail at their diets is that they feel like they’re starving. They ignore this sensation for as long as they can and then start to binge on quick carbs. As if the initial binge wasn’t bad enough for their weight loss goals, quick carbs provide little-to-no satiety beyond physically filling the stomach.

This leads to more hunger, more attempted discipline, and more binges.

You don’t have to worry about feeling hungry on the HCG diet. HCG, or human chorionic gonadotropin, is sometimes known as the pregnancy hormone because it is the hormone that is identified by pregnancy tests.

This hormone, among other functions, revs your overall metabolism, boosts your fat metabolism and helps to keep your hunger at bay.

4. It Is Divided Into Three Stages

The HCG diet is divided into three simple, yet effective, stages.

Phase 1 of hCG Diet

The first stage of the diet, also known as the loading phase, lasts for 48 hours and involves the administration of the HCG. We offer HCG supplementation in the form of injection. During this phase of the diet, you are encouraged to eat as much high-fat food as you want to while limiting carbohydrate consumption. This helps your body enter ketosis.

Phase 2 of hCG Diet

The second stage of the HCG diet, also known as the weight loss phase takes place over the course of three to six weeks. During this phase you will eat a significant amount of fat and protein to keep you full and focused while teaching your brain to listen to your body’s hunger cues.

Phase 3 of hCG Diet

The third and final phase of the HCG diet lasts for six weeks and may lead to starting the first phase again.

5. You May Struggle a Little at First

Another important thing you have to know about the HCG diet is it may not be easy at first.

While you don’t feel hunger, in part because you are put into ketosis, many people find it hard to resist the temptation to eat carbs, anyway. If you feel tempted to binge on carbs, go for a walk, drink some water, play a video game, or put together a puzzle. The temptation will wane.

One of the most exciting things about the HCG diet is that one of the effects of the HCG supplementation is that your hunger is quelled. Combined with the fact that ketosis also quells hunger and boosts mood, if you’re truly ready to lose weight, you won’t struggle too much on the diet. It becomes even easier once you see the progress you are making.

Helpful Tip

If you find your carbohydrate cravings are making you irritable, journal.
If you’re considering HCG weight loss, you want to change your life. Pull out your journal or the Notes app on your phone and write about a time you felt happy, healthy, and strong.
If you can’t remember what that feels like, journal about what you will do when you are happy, healthy,- and strong.

Discover How to Change Your Life for Good Today

If you’re ready to make a permanent change in your eating habits, our HCG weight loss program can help. You will lose weight rapidly, you will not feel hunger and you will learn how to reshape your eating habits so you can maintain your lower weight for the rest of your life.

If this sounds like a program you could stick to, contact us now at Serenity Health Care Center in Waukesha, WI to schedule an appointment.

We will review your medical history and discuss your aesthetic goals to customize our HCG weight loss program to meet your needs most effectively.

We hope to hear from you soon!

Adrenal Fatigue: What Causes It, and How to Treat It

With the world undergoing drastic changes and our individual lives feeling tossed around, many people feel stressed. This stress can build up and zap energy. It can also lead to adrenal fatigue. If you have been feeling exhausted even after sleeping well, are having headaches or dizziness for no reason, or are feeling depressed or anxious without cause, Serenity Health Care Center in the Milwaukee-Waukesha, Wisconsin can help heal your adrenal glands.

What Is Adrenal Fatigue?

Adrenal gland fatigue is the name of several signs and symptoms that happen when your adrenal glands stop functioning at the normal level. Your adrenal glands produce important hormones that affect almost every organ in your body. If your glands are functioning at a lower level than necessary, your whole body will feel the weight and impact. This syndrome has had many other names through the years, such as non-Addison’s hypoadrenia, neurasthenia, and adrenal apathy.

The most common and debilitating symptom is in the name: fatigue. Fatigue is a tiredness that doesn’t ease with rest or sleep. It can be so debilitating that you may only be able to get out of bed for a couple of hours at a time. You may feel like you need to live on coffee or other energy drinks just to make it through a day. You may also have other symptoms such as feeling dizzy, generally unwell, depressed or experiencing headaches. 

Typically, it follows intense stress, but chronic infections can also cause it. It is not something to take lightly. It can affect every part of your body, from your heart to your metabolism to even your sex drive. Left untreated, it can become debilitating for some people. However, it is treatable. If you feel you are experiencing adrenal gland fatigue, you can make some simple lifestyle changes to begin healing it.

The Theory of Adrenal Fatigue

When you are under stress, your body’s immune system kicks into action. Your body produces hormones like cortisol and adrenaline when your brain signals a “flight or fight” mode. These hormones increase your heart rate and blood pressure. That helps you when you are in a high-stress moment, such as saving a child from a burning building or escaping a hungry bear. However, this mode can hurt us when we are intensely stressed for long periods of time.

Your adrenal glands sit on top of your kidneys and produce cortisone and adrenaline. When your body is over-producing them, it can wear your glands out and cause fatigue. Your adrenal glands can’t produce the necessary hormones properly and your body will feel exhausted. Adrenal fatigue can also be related to decreased thyroid function. It’s important to get properly tested. Anyone can experience it, even a completely healthy person who has suddenly gone through an intensely stressful period.

What Causes It?

This condition is caused typically by intense periods of prolonged stress. As the stress demands the production of the hormones, your adrenal glands slow and wear. They begin to be unable to meet the demands. This can also commonly occur after chronic infections, a type of immune stress, such as pneumonia, bronchitis, or the flu. 

Stress can manifest in a few different ways. You can experience emotional stress, such as after losing a job or a loved one. You can also have physical stress, such as when dealing with a chronic illness or after a surgery. Intense stress can come from a single moment or from a set of repeated chronic stresses which build over time. If your glands are unable to keep up with production or maintain homeostasis, that’s when they are becoming fatigued from the stress. 

Testing

Whenever you feel you may have a syndrome or disorder, the best thing to do is consult a doctor. When testing for adrenal gland fatigue, seeking out a holistic medical practitioner may be your best bet. Conventional practitioners often overlook this syndrome, causing patients to suffer for years before being properly diagnosed. Testing can help your practitioner find the right diagnosis for you and help them create a treatment plan. 

Adrenal testing can be done using saliva or blood. The main hormone tested in adrenal testing is cortisone. It can be tested at home using a simple saliva test. If your body is producing too much or too little cortisone, it can be a sign of adrenal fatigue. You should also test other hormones such as DHEA, testosterone, aldosterone, and progesterone. These can be tested during an office visit or at a lab through a blood test or using a saliva test. If these other hormones are also out of homeostasis, it may be time to seek treatment.

Treatments

There are many different ways to treat adrenal gland fatigue. Many of them are things you can begin doing right in your home. The most important place to begin in helping your body heal itself is relieving stress. If you do not relieve your stress, your adrenal glands will only become more fatigued and your syndrome worsen. Yoga, warm baths, meditation, and other alternative therapies can help you destress. Sleeping well is also vital for your health.

Nutrition is another big one. If your body isn’t getting the right nutrition, it won’t have the proper building blocks to heal itself. A good place to start is cutting out junk food and caffeine. A low-sugar diet will also help with your energy levels. Boosting your vitamins and minerals by eating colorful fruits and veggies will help your body get back to healthy. You can also seek vitamin supplement recommendations or hormone supplements from your holistic physician.

Related Health Issues

Chronic illness can place intense stress and demands on your adrenal glands. Chronic illnesses are chronically stressful to your body. This means if you have a chronic health issue, such as arthritis, cancer, fibromyalgia, etc., you may also have adrenal fatigue. The fatigue of the adrenal glands can follow chronic infections as well. Even certain medical treatments can decrease adrenal gland function. 

Thyroid and other hormone deficiencies are also related to adrenal deficiency. These can include syndromes like Hashimoto’s and Hypothyroidism. Your thyroid and adrenal glands both produce hormones that control most of your bodily functions. When either of these systems is out of homeostasis, it can affect the other system. This means thyroid issues can create adrenal wear and vice versa. 

If you think you may be experiencing adrenal gland fatigue, you don’t have to worry. While it can be a debilitating syndrome if left untreated, you can also make simple changes to your life today to begin the healing process. Emotional and physical stress can cause it, but eating well, sleeping well, exercising, and getting some stress relief are all important to treating fatigue.

Get the Help You Need

Some conventional doctors may overlook your adrenal symptoms, but adrenal testing from a holistic practitioner can help you determine what you have and get you the treatment that’s right for you. Visit us at Serenity Health Care Center in the Milwaukee-Waukesha metropolitan area, where we believe in creating optimal health and wellness to help your body heal itself.