Pressure from standing upright creates pressure in the legs and leads to enlarged leg veins. This pressure makes the valves in the veins ineffective, in effect turning the little systems of blood veins in the body into one long vein. This pushes fluid out into the tissues, causing swelling of the legs and varicose veins.
Reversing gravity by elevating the legs is a great natural treatment. Another natural treatment is the use of horse chestnut extract, which contains multiple bioflavinoids including a flavinoid called escin. Horse chestnut products are standardized based on escin concentration, as this is considered to be the active ingredient. It has multiple beneficial effects. The other bioflavinoids present in the extract work synergistically with the escin.
As a bioflavinoid, ascin strengthens the capillaries and blood vessels. It prevents leakage of material through the capillary walls by supporting the layer of cells that form the inner lining of the blood vessels. That reduces the amount of leg swelling from leakage of fluid. It also has constrictive effects on the vessels.
Elevation of legs and horse chestnut use are just a few of the ways to support leg varicosities. Since there are other steps to take, possibilities of slowing the process if action is take early, and dangerous consequences if clots form in these vessels, it is important to get evaluated by your physician when leg vein problems begin.
To your health,
Alan M Dattner, MD
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As always, the content of this blog is for information and education purposes only, and should not be used to prevent, diagnose or treat illness; please see your physician for care.
Posted at 10:00 AM in Health Tips | Permalink | TrackBack (0)
All of the data which was presented demonstrated the various aspects of the process of sun damage leading to aging, at the molecular level. The speaker is a respected authority on the science of skin aging, so the data appears valid. I have reviewed other studies in the past which show similar findings, which also lends credibility to his argument. I will discuss the benefits of sunlight and vitamin D production in later blogs, which inform the other side of this controversy. If you sign up for my monthly newsletter, I will email you the top five tips to minimize the effects of solar damage
Alan M Dattner, MD
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As always, the content of this blog is for information and education purposes only, and should not be used to prevent, diagnose or treat illness; please see your physician for care.
Posted at 11:00 AM in Health Tips | Permalink | TrackBack (0)
To your health,
Alan M Dattner, MD
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As always, the content of this blog is for information and education purposes only, and should not be used to prevent, diagnose or treat illness; please see your physician for care.
Posted at 10:00 AM in Beauty Tips | Permalink | Comments (0) | TrackBack (0)
Unfortunately, although products I have used are appearing, the philosophy and understanding with which I employ these seems to be sorely lacking. Probiotics (healthy bacteria, like acidophilus) were both praised and questioned for use in treating atopic dermatitis. Despite multiple positive studies, skeptics mentioned one study in which children's dermatitis actually did worse with probiotics. But no consideration was given in the study regarding which diets corresponded to counteracting yeast and helping the probiotics work better. Now that alternative medicine supplements are being accepted into traditional medicine, researchers are creating studies on them, but are treating these supplements in the same way they treat pharmaceuticals. So the idea of having a magic pill that cures everything still seems to float above the concept of treating the whole person, which is what I continue to do and promote as a holistic dermatologist.
To your health,
Alan M Dattner, MD
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As always, the content of this blog is for information and education purposes only, and should not be used to prevent, diagnose or treat illness; please see your physician for care.
Posted at 10:00 AM in Holistic Philosophy | Permalink | Comments (0) | TrackBack (0)
I recently read an article in the Science Section of the New York Times by Tara Parker-Pope entitled “Telling food allergies from false alarms”. The article focuses on the efficacy of food allergy antibody tests (only one of many kinds of allergy tests there are.) It suggests that people avoiding a number of foods face malnutrition and inconvenience.
The article overlooks the great value in helping patients eliminate foods which trigger a wide variety of conditions, most of which have an inflammatory etiology. Any blood test, be it of antibody reactivity, neutrophil change, or lymphocyte response, may be helpful to point out foods to test for potential clinical improvement by elimination and challenge. I have seen numerous conditions including acne, eczema, irritable bowel, hidradenitis, migraines, and fatigue improve with food elimination. A physician experienced in multiple forms of food testing can help associate symptoms with exposures, choose appropriate tests, and interpret results.
One things I do agree on is that allergy tests can give a wide variety of food and allergen sensitivities which may or may not indicate the cause of a patient's presenting condition. The absolute best way to learn what foods are causing skin or any other problems is to eliminate all possible trigger foods, check to see if the problem clears, and then every few days, add a food back to the diet to find out which is the culprit. The value of trials of food elimination to improve disease should not be overlooked for lack of definitive testing in major centers.
To your health,
Alan M Dattner, MD
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As always, the content of this blog is for information and education purposes only, and should not be used to prevent, diagnose or treat illness; please see your physician for care.
Posted at 09:00 AM in Holistic Philosophy | Permalink | TrackBack (0)
This winter, be sure to protect your skin from the sun, snow, and wind. Here are five tips for your best dry skin protection.
To your health,
Alan M Dattner, MD
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As always, the content of this blog is for information and education purposes only, and should not be used to prevent, diagnose or treat illness; please see your physician for care.
Posted at 02:19 PM in Health Tips | Permalink | Comments (0) | TrackBack (0)
To your health,
Alan M Dattner, MD
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As always, the content of this blog is for information and education purposes only, and should not be used to prevent, diagnose or treat illness; please see your physician for care.
Posted at 10:34 AM in Health Tips | Permalink | TrackBack (0)
Some of the best features of natural, unprocessed remedies made from plants is that they are often less toxic and less expensive than pharmaceuticals. However, as an integrative physician and holistic dermatologist, I believe in using the medicine that is best for each individual patient at each individual time. Some of the best medicines that exist and are being developed are naturally occurring remedies which are strengthened through pharmaceutical concentration. For example, a friend of mine developed a highly concentrated form of blue-green algae in the form of a pill which may be beneficial for fighting virile strains of the flu.
An exciting development from researchers at New Delhi Jamia Hamdard University in India: they have successfully used cucurmin--extracted from turmeric and turned into nano form--to control and cure cirrhosis of liver in animal model experiment. The experiment has been shown to reverse severe damage to the liver. Human trials are starting and researchers hope for major breakthroughs.
The university studies and develops traditional methods of treatment and medicines, "We have all come across references to turmeric's healing powers in history and mythology. So, we decided to check its efficacy. It was found that when used in large doses, turmeric wasn't particularly useful. But broken into nano particles, it worked wonders. It even reversed cirrhosis which is incurable," said S. Ahmad, vice-chancellor of Jamia Hamdard.
Curcumin extract is an antioxidant that helps revive dying cells. As a repairing agent, it can regenerate cells that have begun to break. The experiments on animals have proved that it has no toxic effect. "The trouble with traditional medicines is that not enough studies have been done to prove their efficacy. Neither do we know how their utility could be enhanced. We are trying to fill in the blanks. In this case, the result has been fascinating and we are confident that the human trials will be successful as well," added Ahmad.
I am excited that this and other experiments like it could pave the way for treating diseases like cancer and Alzheimer's!
To your health,
-Dr. Dattner
__ As always, the content of this blog is for information and education purposes only, and should not be used to diagnose or treat illness; please see your physician for care.
Posted at 10:00 AM in Holistic Health | Permalink | TrackBack (0)
Varicose veins are caused by pressure from the blood in the veins. When there is prolonged pressure from standing upright, hormonal changes, and weakening of the elements of the vessels, the valves begin to break down, causing the veins to appear on the surface of the legs.
There are several ways to relieve the pressure. Putting your legs up in the air on a desk or doing a shoulder stand and other upside down Yoga poses throughout the day are also very helpful, if you are careful about your spine.
Eating a diet rich in bioflavinoids, and taking bioflavinoid supplements, helps prevent and improve disorders of the veins, blood vessels, and capillaries.
When prolonged standing cannot be avoided, be sure to wear comfortable shoes with good arch support. Some walking or movement of the legs periodically will help the pumping action to return blood. Your stockings should not bind anywhere. Any signs of pain or tenderness in the veins should immediately be reported to a physician, because of the possibility of venous thrombosis, with a clot that could break loose and block blood flow in vital organs like the lungs, heart or brain.
Top Four Tips for Healthy Veins from the Holistic Dermatologist:
To your health,
-Dr. Dattner
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As always, the content of this blog is for information and education purposes only, and should not be used to diagnose or treat illness; please see your physician for care.
Posted at 09:03 AM in Holistic Beauty | Permalink | TrackBack (0)