Blog
Alien Water
A few days ago while in the middle of a long road trip from Colorado to Texas my family and I stopped for dinner in a midwestern city at a very well known chain restaurant. We were by no means in the middle of nowhere. The server upon taking my drink order looked at me like I was an alien. He was actually quite stunned when I ordered a bottle of water. He stated he had been working at this restaurant for quite some time as a server and had NEVER had one patron order a bottle of water. I found that alarmingly strange…maybe it was just him. A few minutes later his serving partner came by and said “oh my god he actually sold you a bottle of water?” I quickly got the picture that I was indeed an alien of sorts to them because I had ordered a bottle of water. Why did I order a bottle of water?
Well because there have been several studies (some listed here) over time that show the increasingly poor water quality provided by local governments. Many studies show that the quality of the water can be out right dangerous to your health and thus can certainly perpetuate a chronic disease like diabetes.
While we are often searching for a magic bullet for our health care woes we often forget the basics of health like a healthy and natural diet, good sleep, and clean water. Take a moment to read some of the following articles and studies about what might be lurking in your municipal water. I am not saying you have to buy bottled water from now on, but some type of filtration system to ensure your water is as clean as possible just makes good common sense.
Dr. Brandon Credeur, DC
Diabetic Health Law
Some health laws of how the human body is set up to work can’t be broken (at least without consequences). I have long been beating the drum that it is ultra important to sleep when its dark and work and play when there is light outside. In fact I rarely except a diabetic into care that works “the graveyard shift”, because they rarely improve their condition. They don’t call it “the graveyard shift” for nothing.
I have provided a link today of an article on this very topic related specifically to diabetics. I hope you take this information into consideration and most importantly implement the necessary changes.
Sweet Dreams 
Dr. C
Many Diabetics Should NOT Exercise
Recently I posted a blog that began the process of breaking down a diabetic story that was featured on aol.com. The theme of the post was to show how Big Pharma and Big Media scratch each others backs while they cleverly shape your truth about your healthcare options. The second reason listed in what causes high blood sugar was “ you aren’t exercising enough.”
One of the big problems with diabetic recommendations from the mainstream is that they are overly general and often do not apply to you as an individual and in some cases the general advice could make you worse. This is certainly the case with this piece of advice. Let us first take a look at the statement itself…”you aren’t exercising enough.” Well then what would constitute enough? The premise is you should do enough exercise to control your blood sugar. But does this approach produce results and is it safe?
Well for many of you the approach does not produce the results of lowering blood sugar. One of the reasons this may be is because your blood sugar is not high because of lack of exercise, others do not have the energy or feel good enough to exercise.
Is it safe? For many diabetics exercise is the last thing they should do. Why? I know all you have ever been told about how to “manage” your diabetes is exercise is very important. True, exercise can be a very important part of any health care regimen, but it can also lead to a worsening of the condition. Exercise is a stress. The question then becomes is the exercise going to be a good stress or a bad stress? In other words will the stress and strain of exercise create a scenario where the body takes the stress and builds itslef back stronger and healthier or will the stress cause further degradation of health?
I submit to you that many people with chronic health problems (like diabetes) should not exercise until they are healthy and fit enough to do so. In fact for new patients in my clinic it is off limits to exercise for the first three months. PERIOD, or i don’t treat you! And even though my diabetic patients do not exercise for the first three months they often lose massive amounts of weight. GO FIGURE!
I learned a long time ago from one of my first mentors in healthcare…if you want to be closest to the truth just do the opposite of what the masses are doing. I believe this piece of advice holds very true in this case. After all look at what the masses are told to do regarding diabetes and look at the results we are receiving. The proof is in the pudding as they say…
Yours In Health,
Dr. C
Big Pharma and Big Media making Diabetics worse?
A Diabetes story featured on aol.com stealthily pushes insulin therapy and diabetic drugs as a first line of defense for diabetes. The title 11 tips for good diabetes foot care starts out providing very smart and helpful tips about how diabetics should care for their feet to possibly ward off or detect any complications associated with diabetes. On the surface a great service is being provided for the diabetic community, however embedded in the story another possible motivation is revealed. Contained within tip 11 of 13 “Control Your Blood Sugar” a link is provided where a diabetic can learn exactly how to control their blood sugar. In my next few blogs I will break down this article and show you how “the medical machine” and the complicit media work to shape how you think about healthcare and how you care for yourself as a diabetic. STAY TUNED!
Under the category “what causes high blood sugar”…The first reason given in this article is“YOU DIDN’T TAKE YOUR MEDICATION WHEN YOU WERE SUPPOSED TOO.” In yet another section titled “diabetes: handling your blood sugar” the article makes in my opinion a stunning statement…”The most obvious way to correct high blood sugar is with insulin.” Obvious to whom?
You may say…”What is the big deal?” Here is my point. The mass marketing of “anit-diabetic drugs” and insulin has created a standard of care in medicine that promotes a one-drug-after-another approach that often leads a diabetic down a dark and frustrating path. A path that is often fraught with uncontrolled blood sugars, perpetual weight gain, less quality of life , premature death and the potential for serious diabetic complications.
Shockingly the article does not give you the real skinny on the potential risks of insulin therapy. Insulin is a fat-storing hormone. So while the doctor tells you to diet and exercise to lose weight they recommend a fat-storing hormone. Insulin promotes one of the most common causes of type II diabetes, insulin resistance. After all what sense does it make to give someone insulin who is insulin resistant? Insulin also increases the risk of heart disease, cancer, and stroke only to name a few possible side effects.
Here is a novel idea. How about finding out for each diabetic the root cause or mechanism involved in creating a situation where a person can no longer regulate their blood sugar. Once those issues are diagnosed, allowing a “comprehensive diagnosis” to be achieved, then customize a plan for each diabetic that addresses each individuals root issues. When this is done type II diabetics in most cases and in very short order are able to reverse their diabetes.
Don’t believe me? check this out.
Yours in Health,
Dr. C
Husband and Wife Cure Their Diabetes?
FROM
DIABETIC TO NON-DIABETIC
It was March 17, 2011 when Mr. Robert Gonzales walked into my
office. He was diagnosed in 1992 with
Type II Diabetes. When asked what he was
hoping would happen as a result of his consultation with me he said; “I hope to be able to treat the right problem.”
I don’t think he had any idea the profoundness of his request.
He reported symptoms of dizzy
spells, lack of energy, excessive thirst, weight gain, high blood pressure,
swelling in feet and ankles, sexual difficulty, muscle pain, numbness and
tingling, and depression.
He reported frustration with having
to pay for “drugs that don’t work” and
the fact that he was only being offered
more and more meds. He was spending
up to $600 per month on meds!… and he had insurance! He was taking 3 different oral meds for his
diabetes and the doctor was considering putting him on a fourth, which would
have been some sort of injectable.
His goals were very typical…He
wanted to get off meds, lose weight, and reverse his diabetes. When asked what his real motivations were for
wanting to achieve those goals he stated he wanted to be able to be there for
his family, have a good quality of life, be able to hunt and fish, and travel
with his wife in his retirement years.
Basically the hopes and dreams of most Americans. Seemingly not too much to ask for out of
one’s life.
His initial blood test revealed a
hemoglobin A1C of 11.2 and a fasting blood sugar of 208. In addition his test results revealed
hypothyroidism which was previously not diagnosed. Other markers showed increased risk for
cardiovascular disease as well as neuro-degeneratitve brain diseases. His hormone profile showed estrogen levels
had increased above his testosterone levels a situation that created further
risk for heart disease and has been reported to also promote insulin resistance. In addition he also showed significant
adrenal gland dysfunction and he was infected with two intestinal parasites. Most of the above had never been tested for
and therefore he was unaware of the complexity of his health condition.
He was very committed to getting
better and making his health his number one priority so we decided to admit him
as a patient.
Four
short months later he had achieved non-diabetic status. His Hemoglobin A1C was now 6.1! In addition he had achieved this result while
consistently decreasing his meds and eventually getting off the drugs
completely.
His total cholesterol dropped from
203 to 181…His triglycerides dropped from 292 to 95…His Vitamin D levels
increased from extremely low (24.9) to 86.7, which is very important for
diabetics…His thyroid was functioning normally again…
In short a miraculous return to good
health! And he did it without drugs. He
was on a path of destruction and potential early death and only being offered
more and more meds and he reversed his diabetes to a non-diabetic state while
getting off the meds.
Just to show this is no fluke. His wife was so impressed by the thoroughness
of the evaluation, from comprehensive blood tests to salivary and stool testing
that she asked if we would be willing to evaluate her.
Of course we agreed. Low and behold she was diabetic and did not
even know it. To make a long story short
she started with a Hemoglobin A1C of 7.3…and again 4 short months later her
hemoglobin A1C had returned to a normal 5.9!
Her fasting blood sugar had returned to normal (her last test revealed
97 mg/dl). She did this without drugs
What a miraculous story of a husband
and wife taking charge of their health and beating the odds! They committed themselves to their health
made it their number one priority, followed my recommendations, and got the job
done.
GREAT JOB YOU GUYS!!!!!!!!!
A Patient Post
Our patient Carol R. was kind enough to share some receipes with us and write a little note for our blog this week!
I love food preparation and if I can do it on the weekend that makes the week easier.
We prepare a veggie mix with: sweet potatoes, butternut squash, carrots, and sometimes onion, beets, & zucchini; covered in olive oil with salt and pepper.
- We use the metal disposable baking pans on the grill or in the oven, and get quite a few uses before throwing them away.
- The chopped up mix can be eaten cold with lunch, fried for breakfast or warmed over for dinner.
Kale Chips
1 bunch of Kale (can be dinosaur, purple, or green kale)
2-3 Tbsp olive oil
½ tsp sea salt
Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Remove the center rib from the kale leaf. Tear or cut kale into 2-3 inch pieces. In a medium bowl, toss the kale with olive oil. Spread the kale in a single layer over a baking sheet. Bake for about 10 minutes until crispy, kale may need to be turned once. Lightly salt the kale chips and serve.
We bought a tall container to keep our kale chips handy on the countertop – I’ve been making two bunches of kale worth of chips and filling the container on the weekend.
- It’s a quick and tasty snack.
- They make a nice seasoning crumbled on top of a dish (nice on the veggie mix too!)
Here’s a couple favorite quick and easy recipes:
No Tahini Black Bean Hummus
By Jolinda Hacket, About.com
Ingredients:
1 15 ounce can chickpeas, drained (I kept some of the liquid and used what I needed to get the consistency right)
1 15 ounce can black beans, drained & rinsed
2 cloves garlic
1 tbsp olive oil
2 tbsp lemon juice
3 tsp cumin
1 tbsp dried parsley (optional)
salt & pepper to taste
Preparation:
Process all ingredients in a food processor or blender until smooth. It really is that easy to make homemade hummus!
Balsamic Chicken Breast with Apple and Spinach (w/ Walnuts if you like)
That’s it! All the ingredients are in the title (1 chicken breast and 1 apple per serving… depending on the size of the chicken breast, & your appetite, it may feed you lunch too)
Preparation: put raw cleaned chicken breast in glass cookware, cut up apple into chunks (I prefer gala or fuji). Pile apple pieces over raw chicken, pour balsamic vinegar over all and bake in 350 degree oven for 20-30 minutes or until done. Use the smallest cooking container you can, so the vinegar you pour over the apple immerses most of the chicken while it bakes.
Wilt, steam or fry Spinach. Serve the cooked chicken, apple & vinegar on top of the spinach. Sprinkle walnuts (toasted walnuts if you like) is a nice addition too.
Happy Thanksgiving!
‘Tis the season to enjoy food and family, and why not do it in a healthy way? Here we have some great recipes by our own Dr. Heather Credeur that enable you to have a Thanksgiving that is Gluten, Dairy, Soy, Corn, and Sugar Free! Yes, it is possible–and delicious!–and no one will ever know!
Notes: If the recipe calls for xylitol, make sure it is made from birch tree also known as birch tree sugar. Do not use the xylitol made from corn.
Golden Turkey Stock
From Bon Appétit Magazine
You will need this turkey stock to make the gravy and baste the turkey. Must be made ahead, and can be made 2 weeks ahead and frozen or it will keep covered in the refrigerator for 3 days. I do not recommend store bought stock or broth unless it specifically says GLUTEN FREE. Homemade is always better!
4 ½ pounds turkey wings, cut in half
1 large onion, chopped
1 large carrot, chopped
1 large celery stalk, chopped
6 fresh Italian parsley sprigs (leaves removed)
1 fresh bay leaf
6 sprigs of fresh thyme
¼ tsp whole black pepper corns
Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Arrange wings in large roasting pan. Roast until deep brown, turning once, about 2 hours total.
Transfer wings to a large bowl. Spoon 3 TBSP of fat from the roasting pan into a large pot (reserve roasting pan) Add onion, celery, and carrot to the pot. Sauté over medium-high heat until vegetables are golden, about 20 minutes. Add turkey wings to the pot. Add 2 cups of water to the roasting pan; place over 2 burners and bring to boil, scraping up brown bits. Add liquid to the pot. Add remaining ingredients to the pot and enough cold water to cover wings by 1 inch.
Bring water to a boil. Reduce to medium-low heat, simmer uncovered and stock is very flavorful and reduce to 7 ½ -8 cups, about 2 ½ hours. Strain stock into a large bowl. Cool 1 hour, then chill until cold, about 3 hours. Skim off fat from surface before using.
Salted Roast Turkey with Chipotle Glaze and Caramelized Onion Gravy
This recipe calls for the turkey to refrigerate for 18-24 hours before roasting. You have to start the day before Thanksgiving.
From Bon Appétit Magazine
Southwestern –Spiced Salt
1 Tbsp– Cumin seeds
1/3 cup – mild oak smoked sea salt (found at Whole Foods or online at surfasonline.com)
1 Tbsp – smoked paprika
1 Tbsp – dried oregano
1 tsp – ground chipotle chili powder
Toast cumin in skillet over medium heat until darker and to smoke, stirring often, about 2 minutes. Cool; grind finely in spice mill or in mortar with pestle. Transfer to bowl. Mix in remaining ingredients. Cover, store at room temperatures.
The Turkey
1 14-16 pound turkey (neck, heart, and gizzard reserved)
¼ cup honey
2 tsp ground chipotle chili powder, divided
1 large onion, chopped
12 garlic cloves, chopped
1 stick unsalted butter, room temperature
2 cups of Golden Turkey stock (see recipe)
Special Supplies
1 roasting bag
1 metal or wood skewer
Butcher’s string
Rinse turkey inside and out. Pull all fat pads from main cavity; wrap, chill and reserve fat for roasting. Place turkey inside roasting bag; sprinkle inside and out with southwestern spiced salt. Close bag. Place on a baking sheet; refrigerate 18-24 hours.
Position rack on the bottom third of the oven and preheat to 325 degrees. Mix honey and 1 tsp on ground chipotle chili powder in a small bowl; reserve for glaze. Rinse turkey inside and out and pat very dry. Stir chopped onion, garlic, and 1 tsp of chipotle chili in a medium bowl to blend. Divide mixture between main and neck cavities. Fold neck skin under and secure with a skewer. Tuck wing tips under. Tie leg loosely.
Place turkey on a rack set in a large roasting pan. Spread butter all over the turkey. Place reserved fat pads and reserved neck, heart, and gizzard in roasting pan; pour in 2 cups of Golden Turkey Stock.
Roast turkey for 45 minutes. Baste with pan juices. Continue to roast until a thermometer inserted into the thickest part of the thigh reads 165-170 degrees, basting every 45 minutes adding water to the pan by the cupfuls if dry, and tenting the turkey loosely with foil if browning too quickly. 3-3 ½ hours longer.
Brush turkey with glaze twice during the last 30 minutes. Transfer turkey to a platter and tent loosely with foil and let it rest for 30-45 minutes. Reserve roasting pan with juices for gravy.
Gravy
3 Tbsp unsalted butter
1 ½ pounds onions, chopped
4 cups of Golden turkey stock (see recipe)
½ cup Gluten Free All Purpose Flour (Bob’s Red Mill is what I usually use. Even though this is gluten free, the flour will make your blood sugar go up but not as high as if you used regular wheat flour. If you are a diabetic please use sparingly.)
Melt butter in a medium skillet over medium-high heat. Add onions, sauté until translucent. Reduce heat to medium-low and cook until deep brown, stirring occasionally about 30 minutes. Set aside.
Remove the turkey neck, heart, and gizzard from roasting pan. Pull the meat off the neck, chop neck meat, heart, and gizzard and reserve for gravy. Pour pan juices into an 8 cup measuring cup. Spoon off the fat from the surface, reserving ½ cup of fat. Add enough turkey stock to the pan juices to measure 5 ½ cups total.
Place roasting pan over 2 burners on medium heat. Add ½ cup of reserved fat and ½ cup of flour to the pan. Wisk until the roux is light brown, about 2 minutes. Whisk in stock mixture. Bring to a boil, scraping up browned bits and whisking. Boil until gravy coats the spoon, stirring occasionally, about 5 minutes. Add chopped neck, heart, and gizzard. Season with salt and pepper.
Spiced and Roasted Winter Vegetables
Serves 6-8
From Whole Foods Market
2 Butternut squashes, peeled and sliced into wedges
3 parsnips, peeled and sliced into 1-inch pieces
3 sweet potatoes, cut into wedges
3 carrots peeled and sliced into 1-inch pieces
2 red onions, peeled and cut into wedges
8 cloves of garlic, peeled
1 tsp kosher salt
1 tsp pepper
1 Tbsp maple syrup
4 cinnamon sticks
¼ tsp ground cardamom
6 whole star anise
3 Tbsp butter
2 Tbsp fresh thyme, minced (thick woody stems removed)
Preheat oven to 400. In a large mixing bowl, mix the vegetables, salt and pepper with enough olive oil just to coat. In a separate bowl, mix together the cinnamon, cardamom and star anise. Put the vegetables in a roasting pan and bake for 25 minutes. Add the spice mixture to the vegetables, then add maple syrup. Stir well and continue to roast another 10-15 minutes until the vegetables are tender. Melt the butter in a small pan and cook over medium-low heat until it begins to brown. Stir in fresh thyme and pour over the cooked vegetables. Serve immediately.
Spiced Nuts
From Whole Foods Market
Can be made 1 week ahead. I usually make extra. This is a great snack food and guests like to munch on nuts before the main meal.
½ teaspoon of Stevia powder
2 ¼ teaspoons Kosher salt
2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
1 ½ teaspoons chili powder
½ teaspoon ground allspice
¼ to ½ tsp cayenne
1 large egg white
4 cups mixed nuts (pecans, walnuts, almonds, pistachios, and/or cashews)
Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Line baking sheet with parchment paper. Whisk Stevia, salt, and spices in a small bowl. In a large bowl, whisk egg white until light and frothy. Add nuts and toss until evenly coated with egg white. Sprinkle Stevia and spice mixture over nuts and toss well. Spread nuts in single layer on baking sheet and bake until dry, 10-15 minutes, stirring once or twice. Cool to room temperature.
Arugula and Endive Salad
From Whole Foods Market
4 cups baby arugula
2 large heads Belgian endive, cut crosswise into ¾ inch sections (about 4 cups)
Sea Salt
Freshly ground black pepper
1 cup red seedless grapes, halved
1 cup of spiced nuts (see recipe above)
½ cup pomegranate seeds
1/3 -1/2 cup of balsamic vinaigrette
2 parts olive oil, 1 part balsamic vinegar
Toss greens together in a large bowl. Drizzle with dressing and toss gently until greens are evenly coated. Adjust seasonings
Brussel Sprout Hash
Serves 6-8
2 bunches of brussel spouts, roughly chopped
4 cloves garlic, minced
2 pkgs applewood smoked bacon, cut into ¼ inch pieces
Salt and pepper
In a large skillet cook bacon over medium-high heat until almost done, about 7 minutes. Add brussel sprouts and sauté over medium heat until soft, add garlic, salt and pepper. Continue to sauté until just brown. Serve immediately.
Sweet Potato Casserole
3 cup mashed, cooked sweet potatoes
1 tsp Stevia or xylitol (1/4cup)
½ tsp salt
2 eggs
1/3 stick of butter
½ cup unsweetened almond milk
1 tsp vanilla extract
¼ tsp cinnamon
Preheat oven to 400 degrees and cook for 20-30 minutes.
Topping:
1/3 stick butter, softened
1/3 cup Grade B maple syrup
¾ cup chopped pecans
Mix the butter and maple syrup thoroughly. Add pecans and toss to coat. After the casserole is golden brown add topping and bake at 425 for 10 minutes. Serve immediately.
Diabetic Friendly Pumpkin Pie
¾ tsp Stevia or ¼ c of xylitol
1 tsp ground cinnamon
½ tsp salt
½ tsp ground ginger
¼ tsp ground cloves
2 large eggs
1 can (15 oz) Pumpkin puree
12 oz Coconut milk
Almond flour pie crust (recipe follows)
Preheat oven to 425 degrees. Mix Stevia, cinnamon, salt, ginger, and cloves in small bowl. Beat eggs in large bowl. Stir in pumpkin and spice mixture. Gradually stir in coconut milk. Pour into pie crust. Bake for 15 minutes. Reduce temperature to 350 degrees; bake for 40-50 minutes or until knife inserted near center comes out clean. Cool on wire rack for 2 hours. Cut and serve.
Almond flour pie crust
From Dan Gauron, www.scdrecipe.com
1 cup almond flour or almond meal
1 egg
1 cap vanilla extract
1 Tablespoon butter
½ tsp cinnamon
Maple syrup to taste
Pinch of salt
Preheat oven to 325 degrees. Mix all ingredients together until they form a ball. The ball should have a little moisture to it, but should not feel soggy. Taste the mixture to make sure it has a hint of cinnamon and butter. Smooth pieces of dough into pie tin with fingers until crust is made. Bake crust until just golden brown.
Cranberry Relish
2 cups raw cranberries, finely chopped 1 TBSP lemon juice
1 cup apples, finely chopped pinch of salt
1 cup fresh pineapple, finely chopped 1 cup pecans, chopped
1 tsp Stevia, or ¼ cup of xylitol
Mix all ingredients together and refrigerate. This relish tastes better if made the day before serving.
Pumpkin and Almond Bread
By Sandra Ramacher
4 cups almond flour
1 tsp baking soda
½ tsp salt
3 eggs
¼ cup butter, softened
1 cup pumpkin puree
½ cup walnuts, chopped
1 Tbsp orange rind, grated
½ tsp ground ginger
Preheat oven to 300 degrees. Line a 4 x 8 inch loaf tin with parchment paper
Combine the almond flour with the baking soda and salt. In another bowl whisk the eggs with the butter and add the pumpkin, walnuts, orange rind, and ginger. Combine the almond flour with the egg mixture until smooth. Pour the dough into the prepared loaf tin and bake for 1 hour, until the top of the loaf feels firm. Remove from oven and cool completely before serving. Store in the refrigerator.
Patient Appreciation Recipes
Dr. Heather Credeur shared some delicious gluten-free sweet potato and kale recipes during the last Patient Appreciation event held June 22. Enjoy!
“Cinnamony” Sweet Potatoes
2 large sweet potatoes or yams, peeled
2-3 tbsp olive oil
1 tsp cinnamon
¼ tsp ground ginger
1/8 tsp ground nutmeg
Juice from ½ an orange
- Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
- Slice potatoes your favorite way…can be thinly sliced, cut into fries, or squares.
- Mix thoroughly with olive oil.
- Spread evenly on a baking sheet lined with parchment paper.
- Cook, stirring often, about 30-45 minutes or until crispy.
- Add cinnamon, ground ginger, nutmeg, and juice from ½ an orange.
Sweet and Savory Potatoes
2 large sweet potatoes or yams, peeled
2-3 tbsp olive oil
1-2 tsp sea salt
¼ cup cilantro or parsley
½ cup balsamic vinegar
- Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
- Slice yams your favorite way…can be thinly sliced, cut into fries, or squares.
- Mix thoroughly with olive oil.
- Spread evenly on a baking sheet lined with parchment paper.
- Cook, stirring often, about 30-45 mins or until crispy.
- While potatoes are cooking, reduce ½ cup balsamic vinegar over low/medium heat down to about 2 tbsp.
- Add sea salt and roughly chopped cilantro or parsley.
- Drizzle balsamic vinegar over the potatoes and toss.
Sweet Potatoes w/ A Southern Twist (NO not with marshmallows and pecans 
)
2 large sweet potatoes or yams, peeled
2-3 tbsp olive oil
2-3 poblano peppers
1 tsp paprika
½ tsp cajun seasonings
½-1/4 tsp chipotle powder
½-1 tsp sea salt
- Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
- Slice potatoes your favorite way…can be thinly sliced, cut into fries, or squares.
- Mix thoroughly with olive oil.
- Spread evenly on a baking sheet lined with parchment paper.
- Cook, stirring often, about 30-45 minutes or until crispy.
- While the sweet potatoes are cooking, roast the poblano peppers over an open gas flame or on the oven rack on the boiler setting. Roast peppers until charred on all sides.
- Place the peppers in a paper bag for 10 minutes, then peel off the skin and remove the seeds.
- Cut the peppers into long strips.
- Add the peppers to the sweet potatoes, with approximately 15-20 mins left to cook.
- Remove from the oven and toss with paprika, cajun seasonings, chipotle chili powder (if you like it spicy), and sea salt (you can also add the seasonings before cooking to add more complex flavoring).
Kale Chips
1 bunch of Kale (can be dinosaur, purple, or green kale)
2-3 tbsp olive oil
½ tsp sea salt
- Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
- Remove the center rib from the kale leaf.
- Tear or cut kale into 2-3 inch pieces.
- In a medium bowl, toss the kale with olive oil.
- Spread the kale in a single layer over a baking sheet.
- Bake for about 10 minutes until crispy, kale may need to be turned once.
- Lightly salt the kale chips and serve.
The Functional Endocrinology Center of Colorado specializes in helping patients with Type II Diabetes and Hypothyroidism. To learn more about our services go to www.drcredeur.com. To schedule a free consultation, call 303-302-0933.
Taking These Commonly Prescribed Drugs Could Raise Your Blood Sugar
Up to 1 million Americans may be taking a prescription drug combo that may significantly raise blood sugar levels, and in some cases may be responsible for a blood sugar spike that leads to the diagnosis of type 2 diabetes.
The drugs — Paxil and Pravachol — belong to two of the most commonly prescribed drug classes in the United States: antidepressants and statin cholesterol-lowering drugs. When taken in combination, Paxil and Pravachol increased blood sugar by an average of 19 milligrams per deciliter among those without diabetes and an average of 48 mg/dl among diabetics.
The fact that the blood sugar spike was so significant in those with diabetes is concerning considering the American Diabetes Association notes that statins like Pravachol are the “most effective cholesterol-lowering drugs” to reduce the amount of cholesterol your body naturally produces” as well as to “reduce heart attacks and strokes.” They also note in this PowerPoint presentation that “most people with diabetes need medications to reach their target blood glucose, blood pressure and cholesterol (ABC) targets.”
This is debatable, but the point is that many diabetics are prescribed cholesterol-lowering drugs, including Pravachol, by their physicians. Further, it’s estimated that up to one-quarter of people with diabetes also suffer from depression, a rate that’s nearly twice as high as it is among those without diabetes. So it’s safe to say that many diabetics are also prescribed antidepressants.
But taking this drug duo if you have diabetes clearly appears to be dangerous to blood sugar levels, and even if you don’t, the drug combo could potentially push your blood sugar into a diabetic or pre-diabetic range.
The finding was not a fluke, either, as in addition to analyzing data from human patients, the researchers conducted an experiment in mice. Once again, when taken together Paxil and Pravachol increased blood sugar, this time from an average of 128 mg/dl to 193 mg/dl — that’s a whopping 65 mg/dl increase!
Other drugs, ranging from corticosteroids to decongestants and cold remedies to statins on their own, can also wreak havoc on your blood sugar levels, so if you experience an unexpected increase in yours, always ask your health care provider if your medications could be to blame.
Clinical Pharmacology and Therapeutics May 25, 2011
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The Functional Endocrinology Center of Colorado is passionate about improving the lives and lifestyles of individuals with Type II Diabetes and Hashimoto’s Disease. Call us at 303-302-0930 to schedule your complimentary consultation.
Is This the Reason Why You’re So Tired?
Do you sleep soundly each night, but wake up feeling exhausted?
Are you so fatigued throughout the day that you feel you could fall asleep virtually any time you sit down (and sometimes do), even when you’re in a meeting or while driving?
Do you no longer have the energy to do the things you love, such as exercise?
And is it often difficult to get through your day without a nap (or at least wishing you could take one)?
If you answered “yes” to these questions, there’s a good chance your fatigue is not the run-of-the-mill “go to bed early and the next day you’ll feel rested” variety.
Instead, your fatigue may be thyroid related.
Your thyroid gland plays an instrumental role in countless body functions, from influencing your heart and respiratory rate, to regulating the rate at which calories are burned to helping with growth, temperature regulation, fertility and digestion.
When hypothyroidism (underactive thyroid) occurs, it means your thyroid is not producing enough thyroid hormones and you’ve got too little in your bloodstream to keep your body running smoothly. The result is a major slowing down of many bodily systems … including your energy levels. It is very common for people with hypothyroidism to suffer from sluggishness, lack of energy and serious fatigue.
Differentiating thyroid-related fatigue from “ordinary” fatigue can be tricky, but one of the best gauges is feeling tired even though you’re sleeping well, or experiencing exhaustion for no apparent reason. These two scenarios are hallmarks of people with hypothyroidism.
If you’re experiencing thyroid-related fatigue, you may be desperate for more energy, but resist the urge to rely on caffeine or energy drinks as a solution. This will only provide short-term relief to your tiredness, as it is the lack of thyroid hormones in your bloodstream that is responsible for your exhaustion.
By addressing the hypothyroidism at the foundational level, and of course first confirming that it is indeed a thyroid problem that is causing your fatigue, you can restore your energy naturally, and often permanently.
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The Functional Endocrinology Center of Colorado is passionate about improving the lives and lifestyles of individuals with Type II Diabetes and Hashimoto’s Disease. Call us at 303-302-0930 to schedule your complimentary consultation.
Avandia to be Pulled From U.S. Retail Pharmacies
Eight months after the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) announced it would significantly limit the use of blockbuster diabetes drug Avandia, the Agency has decided to take even further regulatory action.
With the first ruling, Avandia was no longer prescribed for new patients unless their physician certified that other medications and interventions were not working. The new rules, which go into effect November 18, state that Avandia will no longer be sold at retail pharmacies and will only be available to patients who:
- Could not successfully control their blood sugar with other medications
- Have been informed of the risks and still decide to take it
- Have been “safely” using the drug
But the notion of “safely” using Avandia is misleading at best, as it has been linked to serious risks to your heart. These risks have been known for years; in 2007 a study published in the New England Journal of Medicine linked Avandia to a 43 percent greater risk of heart attack and an increase in the risk of death from cardiovascular causes compared to patients not receiving the drug.
But while the steep heart risks came to light publicly just a few years back, the drug’s maker may have known of the risks for more than a decade — since 1999. As the New York Times revealed last year, a study by SmithKline conducted in 1999 found that Avandia was more dangerous to the heart than a competing drug, Actos.
But despite the negative results, SmithKline chose not to post the findings or submit them to the FDA.
The good news is that many people may be spared a future heart attack now that Avandia will be essentially blacklisted. You deserve to restore your health, not risk it with potentially toxic drugs. And you can often do just that — become free of drugs, blood sugar worries, even get off insulin and reverse type 2 diabetes — when you are able to identify the underlying causative factors of your condition, and address them with a customized treatment plan.
U.S. News & World Report May 19, 2011
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The Functional Endocrinology Center of Colorado is passionate about improving the lives and lifestyles of individuals with Type II Diabetes and Hashimoto’s Disease. Call us at 303-302-0930 to schedule your complimentary consultation.
Does Hashimoto’s Increase Your Risk of Thyroid Cancer?
Hashimoto’s disease (HD), also known as chronic thyroiditis, is the most common cause of hypothyroidism in the United States. This condition, an autoimmune disease that causes your immune system to mistakenly attack, and destroy, your thyroid, is linked with numerous health complications ranging from heart disease and depression to birth defects and infertility — but the link to cancer is hotly debated.
In the latest study, researchers found nearly 2 percent of those with HD tested positive for papillary thyroid cancer, compared to just under 1 percent of those with Grave’s disease (the most common cause of hyperthyroidism). Given the findings, researchers suggested:
“We recommend performing US [thyroid ultrasonography] at the time of the initial visit in patients with autoimmune thyroid disease, who have a high prevalence of thyroid papillary carcinoma, to detect malignant thyroid tumors.”
Past research has also found a heightened risk, including:
- A study in the Journal of Surgical Research, which found female patients with HD undergoing thyroidectomy were 30 percent more likely to have papillary thyroid cancer.
- A study in Thyroid, which found “… cancer is common in patients who have a thyroidectomy for Hashimoto’s thyroiditis even when not suspected preoperatively.”
What does this mean for you if you currently have Hashimoto’s?
It’s simply a risk factor to be aware of, and one that you may want to keep a close eye on in partnership with your health care practitioner. It’s not a reason to panic. As Jerome Hershman, MD wrote in Clinical Thyroidology:
“Despite this long-standing controversy concerning whether Hashimoto’s thyroiditis predisposes to thyroid neoplasia [tumor formation], I generally tell my patients that Hashimoto’s disease does not predispose to thyroid cancer (aside from the rare lymphoma), but that distinct nodules found on ultrasound have to be evaluated in a conventional manner.”
In the United States, about 4 percent of the population has hypothyroidism, and another 13 million have the condition but have not been diagnosed. Many of these people have Hashimoto’s as well, but may not be aware of it yet because conventional lab tests to diagnose the disease can be misleading, labeling thyroid hormones as within the normal range when a problem still exists.
If your health care practitioner is not experienced with the complexities of thyroid conditions, there is an even higher likelihood that the diagnosis could be missed entirely, especially considering that the symptoms often mimic those of other diseases.
Further, many health care practitioners will advise not treating Hashimoto’s disease in its early stages, but this may be a crucial time to stop the disease before it progresses. By working with a knowledgeable health care practitioner who is experienced with thyroid problems, you can often stop Hashimoto’s disease and its associated low-thyroid symptoms before serious or permanent damage occurs.
Clinical Thyroidology April 2011, Volume 23, Issue 4
Thyroid January 2011; 21(1):37-41.
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The Functional Endocrinology Center of Colorado is passionate about improving the lives and lifestyles of individuals with Type II Diabetes and Hashimoto’s Disease. Call us at 303-302-0930 to schedule your complimentary consultation.
Diabetes Drug Linked to Cancer
Adverse reactions among those taking anti-diabetic drugs are common; more than half a million reports of side effects were received by a U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) database between 2004 and 2009 alone.
Among them were 138 reports of bladder cancer, of which one-fifth were among people taking Actos (pioglitazone). This represents a “disproportionate risk” compared with other anti-diabetic drugs, and, according to researchers, “needs constant epidemiologic surveillance and urgent definition by more specific studies.”
This finding adds to an ongoing safety review the FDA is currently conducting on Actos, which also found potential bladder cancer risks. After analyzing data from a 5-year period of an ongoing 10-year observational study being conducted by the drug’s manufacturer, Takeda Pharmaceuticals, a significantly increased risk of bladder cancer was found among those who had been using Actos for more than two years and in those who had the highest cumulative dose of the drug.
Actos belongs to the class of diabetes drugs called TZDs (thiazolidinediones), which also includes Avandia, a diabetes drug that’s use has recently been restricted due to increased heart risks. TZDs are also known to lead to significant weight gain, which increases your risk of diabetes and diabetes complications
As for the cancer connection, Reuters reported:
“It’s not clear how Actos might increase the risk of bladder cancer, [study author Dr. Elisabetta Poluzzi] added. The drug treats diabetes by activating certain receptors on cells – much as a key opens or closes a lock, and this same mechanism may also encourage some cells to become cancerous, she said.”
Every diabetes drug carries with it an increased risk of side effects, some severe. The good news is that these drugs are not the only option if you have diabetes, as type 2 diabetes can often be prevented, managed and even reversed naturally.
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The Functional Endocrinology Center of Colorado is passionate about improving the lives and lifestyles of individuals with Type II Diabetes and Hashimoto’s Disease. Call us at 303-302-0930 to schedule your complimentary consultation.
How Diabetes Medications May Make You Fat
TZDs (thiazolidinediones), a class of diabetes drugs that includes Actos and Avandia, are used to help lower blood sugar levels in diabetics, but at a steep cost: they often lead to significant weight gain.
Now researchers have uncovered why these drugs cause users to pack on the pounds.
A study on rats found the drugs influence a molecular system called PPAR-y. PPAR-y is found not only in fat tissue, where it influences the production of fat cells, but also in your brain. The diabetes drugs activated PPAR-y in the brain, leading to changes in appetite regulation that caused the rats to eat more. High-fat diets also activated the same system.
The researchers concluded one solution to the weight gain problem would be to redesign the drugs so they have less influence on your brain, but that would not do anything about the drugs’ other side effects. Avandia, for instance, has been linked to an increased risk of heart attack and stroke, and as a result U.S. regulators recently restricted its use.
Rather than rely on diabetes drugs that can cause heart troubles or lead to weight gain — which, ironically, increases your risk of diabetes and diabetes complications — why not try natural methods to restore your health?
It’s now well established that diabetes can actually be reversed, and numerous patients at the Functional Endocrinology Center of Colorado have experienced this firsthand. Often, a commitment to healthy lifestyle changes — including exercise and dietary changes that include limiting your refined carbohydrates — is successful at getting your blood sugar levels back into a healthy range, with no drugs required.
Nature Medicine May 2011;17(5):623-6
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The Functional Endocrinology Center of Colorado is passionate about improving the lives and lifestyles of individuals with Type II Diabetes and Hashimoto’s Disease. Call us at 303-302-0930 to schedule your complimentary consultation.
Lab Tests May Miss Low Thyroid Function
A debate is raging over what the proper laboratory reference range should be for normal thyroid function. Prior to 2002, the “normal” range for thyroid-stimulating hormone (TSH) was 0.5 to 5.0, with hypothyroidism diagnosed when levels progress above 5.0.
But many experts believed this range was too broad, and as the Los Angeles Times recently reported, many with levels within this “normal” range still felt symptoms of hypothyroidism, including fatigue, weight gain and sensitivity to cold.
In 2003, the American Association of Clinical Endocrinologists revised their recommendations to reflect this, and actually tightened the normal laboratory reference range. In a press release, they stated:
“Until November 2002, doctors had relied on a normal TSH level ranging from 0.5 to 5.0 to diagnose and treat patients with a thyroid disorder who tested outside the boundaries of that range. Now AACE encourages doctors to consider treatment for patients who test outside the boundaries of a narrower margin based on a target TSH level of 0.3 to 3.04.”
This adjustment nearly doubled the number of people with abnormal thyroid function, but even in 2011, many laboratories are still referencing the old numbers, and many doctors are not aware of the change.
As thyroid expert Mary Shomon recently wrote on About.com:
“Even though recommended changes to clinical laboratory standards for the thyroid stimulating hormone (TSH) “normal range” were announced in 2002, your doctor probably is still unaware that a major revamping has been done to this reference range.”
So, even if your labs have come back normal, it’s important to seek help if you’re experiencing any of the symptoms below, as you could have an undiagnosed, or misdiagnosed, thyroid condition:
- Inability to lose weight — even with exercise and a low-calorie diet
- Fatigue
- Emotional instability
- Memory issues
- Foggy brain
- Hot flashes
- Constipation
- Depression
- Hair loss
- Always feeling cold
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The Functional Endocrinology Center of Colorado is passionate about improving the lives and lifestyles of individuals with Type II Diabetes and Hashimoto’s Disease. Call us at 303-302-0930 to schedule your complimentary consultation.
Cholesterol Drugs May Give You Diabetes
A growing number of studies are prompting concerns that widely prescribed statin drugs, used to lower cholesterol, could be contributing to increasing rates of diabetes.
A new review published in Current Opinion in Cardiology noted:
“The increased incidence of diabetes with rosuvastatin [brand name Crestor] treatment in Justification for the Use of Statins in Primary Prevention: an intervention Trial Evaluating Rosuvastatin (JUPITER) reignited attention on the link between statin therapy and diabetes.
The JUPITER findings are supported by two recent meta-analyses of large-scale placebo-controlled and standard care-controlled trials, which, respectively, observed a 9% and 13% increased risk for incident diabetes associated with statin therapy.”
Separate research has also shown that statin use is associated with a rise of fasting plasma glucose in patients with and without diabetes.
If you are one of the millions of Americans taking statin drugs and you’ve recently been diagnosed with type 2 diabetes, it’s worth considering whether it could be drug-induced.
Current Opinion in Cardiology April 15, 2011
Lancet February 27, 2010; 375(9716):735-42
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Dr. Heather Credeur, D.C. and Dr. Brandon Credeur, D.C. of The Functional Endocrinology Center of Colorado are passionate about improving the lives and lifestyles of individuals with Type II Diabetes and Hashimoto’s Disease. Call us at 303-302-0930 to schedule your complimentary consultation.
Medical Schools Offering More Courses in Alternative Medicine
Americans’ growing demand for complementary and alternative medicine (CAM) providers is driving changes in medical school curriculums and prompting them to embrace alternative medicine.
In 2000, eight academic medical centers joined to create The Consortium of Academic Health Centers for Integrative Medicine, which helps promote CAM education across the United States. It now has 46 medical school members.
Among the many alternative approaches now being taught in medical schools are courses in acupuncture, nutrition, magnet therapy, Indian ayurveda, functional medicine, and more. As U.S. News & World Report wrote:
“ … the Loma Linda University School of Medicine in California … is planning a second, more in-depth elective on functional medicine for chronic conditions. Such an approach to managing—even reversing—diabetes, for example, emphasizes exercise and a plant-based diet rich in whole foods, with medication as a last resort.”
U.S. News & World Report April 12, 2011
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Dr. Heather Credeur, D.C. and Dr. Brandon Credeur, D.C. of The Functional Endocrinology Center of Colorado are passionate about improving the lives and lifestyles of individuals with Type II Diabetes and Hashimoto’s Disease. Call us at 303-302-0930 to schedule your complimentary consultation.
Herbal Medicine May Improve Pre-Diabetes
It’s well known that by eating better and exercising you can drastically improve the outcomes of pre-diabetes, a pre-curser to full-blown diabetes that also increases your risk of developing heart disease and stroke. However, you may be able to get even better results by also taking specific herbal supplements.
Chinese herbal medicines have long been used to prevent diabetes in Asian countries, and anecdotal evidence supporting their effectiveness is plentiful.
A review of 16 clinical trials involving people with pre-diabetes also found that those receiving Chinese herbal medicines combined with lifestyle modification were more than twice as likely to normalize their blood sugar levels than those using lifestyle modification alone. Those taking the herbal supplements were also less likely to develop type 2 diabetes.
It’s estimated that 79 million people in the United States are currently suffering from pre-diabetes.
Cochrane Database of Systematic Reviews. October 7, 2009 (4)
National Center for Complementary and Alternative Medicine
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Dr. Heather Credeur, D.C. and Dr. Brandon Credeur, D.C. of The Functional Endocrinology Center of Colorado are passionate about improving the lives and lifestyles of individuals with Type II Diabetes and Hashimoto’s Disease. Call us at 303-302-0930 to schedule your complimentary consultation.
University of Maryland Highlights Alternative Thyroid Treatments
The University of Maryland Website points out numerous complementary and alternative (CAM) therapies for hypothyroidism, noting “nutrition and herbs can help support conventional treatment … “
Among the nutritional tips mentioned to “help reduce symptoms” are eating foods high in B vitamins and iron, such as fresh vegetables and sea vegetables, and those rich in antioxidants, including blueberries, cherries, squash and bell pepper.
They also list two supplements, omega-3 fatty acids and L-tyrosine, along with a few herbs that may help, and include a mention of homeopathy, acupuncture and contrast hydrotherapy (hot and cold applications to the neck and throat) as ways to balance and/or stimulate thyroid function.
About 38 percent of U.S. adults use complementary and alternative medicine, and studies by the National Institutes of Health and the American Medical Association show that the number of health care visits by adults to CAM health practitioners is growing by 30% per year.
University of Maryland Medical Center, Hypothyroidism
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Dr. Heather Credeur, D.C. and Dr. Brandon Credeur, D.C. of The Functional Endocrinology Center of Colorado are passionate about improving the lives and lifestyles of individuals with Type II Diabetes and Hashimoto’s Disease. Call us at 303-302-0930 to schedule your complimentary consultation.
What Does Dr. Oz Say About Diabetes?
Type 2 diabetes is labeled a “chronic” disease, which automatically sends the message that this is a condition you have for life. But those of you with a new diabetes diagnosis can take comfort in the fact that this does not have to be the case.
In fact, acceptance is growing among the mainstream medical community that type 2 diabetes is reversible. Dr. Mehmet Oz is among the many physicians who now say diabetes is completely treatable, and reversible, by making better lifestyle choices
As reported on Oprah.com, Dr. Oz stated:
“Most diabetes is preventable,” he says. “It is treatable, even reversible … Ninety percent of type 2 diabetics can actually reverse their problem.”
Yet, type 2 diabetes is often labeled a “silent killer” because it can take years before you notice any serious symptoms, But by that time it may be too late, and the damage done may lead to heart attack, kidney disease or amputations.
So if you’ve been diagnosed with type 2 diabetes, don’t wait to get help. The sooner you act the more damage you will prevent, and the better your chances of a full recovery will become.
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Dr. Heather Credeur, D.C. and Dr. Brandon Credeur, D.C. of The Functional Endocrinology Center of Colorado are passionate about improving the lives and lifestyles of individuals with Type II Diabetes and Hashimoto’s Disease. Call us at 303-302-0930 to schedule your complimentary consultation.
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