ICIM Blogster

ICIM Blogster

DTox

At ICIM, we believe that all of us can use a tune-up. 

Most of us have a buildup of toxins just waiting to come out through sweat, urine or poop.

Often your detox might need a little assistance.

Therapies to help you detox include eliminating certain inflammatory foods, adding supplements to flush the liver, or an IV therapy to cleanse the blood. Our hope is that you will start feeling better after applying these therapies.

However, sometimes you might experience an unexpected reaction when those nasty toxins start are released from the liver and eliminated via sweat, urine, or feces.

You might experience any of the following side effects:

  • Anxiety
  • Irritability
  • Body pain
  • Tremors
  • Changes in appetite
  • Nausea and vomiting
  • Diarrhea
  • Fatigue
  • Sleeplessness
  • Sleepiness
  • Leg cramps
  • Cravings
  • Sweating
  • Shivering
  • Or other mild, but annoying, symptoms

Consider any of the following remedies to help deter the detox symptoms and make the process go faster:

  1. Stop taking the supplement for 3-5 days and then restart low and slow. Document your reactions if you think that you might forget the details.
  2. Consider consuming a binder, such as Activated charcoal, bentonite clay, or zeolite to help mop up the toxins and speed up healing. Our helpful front office staff can assist you with these products.
  3. Epsom salt baths are fabulous for helping elimination pathways do their job. Treat yourself to some bath time.
  4. Schedule yourself for asauna at our clinic and sweat out the bad stuff!
  1. Make sure you’re having 2+ BM’s every day and use a magnesium citrate or Vit C, as needed.

Most importantly, don’t get discouraged. Remember that detoxing and die-off is headed in the right direction toward health and healing. Check out this article (https://healthygut.com/5-die-off-myths-everyone-needs-to-know-about/) to help you determine if you are indeed experiencing die-off or perhaps symptoms due to another cause. Don’t hesitate to call us if you have any questions and would like to talk to our Functional Medicine Practitioners or Nutrition Coach.

Many of our clients report that they wake up nightly to use the restroom.

 
If you are already limiting your water intake at night, there might be something else going on.
 
Did you know that when our bodies are sleeping soundly we release an antidiuretic hormone, called vasopressin, that reduces the urge to pee when sound asleep? Poor sleep, therefore, can lead to lower vasopressin release and may lead to more frequent urination trips. Additionally, since vasopressin is released later in the sleep cycle, getting only 6 hrs of sleep, as opposed to 7 or 8, can cause you to miss that release and become dehydrated the next day.
 
Something as simple as addressing your sleep may fix that urge to pee when you should be sleeping like a baby. Pay attention to your sleep habits, especially consistency, duration and quality, as are all three are critical factors to consider in your sleep routine.
 
If you missed our recent Sleep Workshop at the clinic, led by Lyndsy Kinghorn, NP, then check out our handy Sleep Checklist below. To read more about the connection between sleep, hydration and vasopressin, read this study. And dial in those zzz's!
 
 
Your Sleep Checklist
We are thrilled when our clients regain their quality of life after trying one or more of our therapies. In an effort to share their success stories so that others might be helped, we are creating in-house case studies to publish periodically. Our hope is that more people will say, like our current success story patient who we'll call Bree W. (to maintain her anonymity), that coming to ICIM meant that she found hope.
 
 View PDF by clicking on the links below:

Suffering from Long Covid?
 
Recovering from long COVID symptoms might take some time.
 
At the Idaho Center for Integrative Medicine, we're here to help patients manage and even recover from their long-term symptoms.
 
Some of the most common long COVID symptoms include:
  • Fatigue
  • Breathing difficulties/shortness of breath
  • Cough
  • Chest Pain
  • Change in smell or taste
  • Depression
  • Joint or muscle pain
  • Menstrual cycle changes
 
Some experts say persistent symptoms for longer than four weeks post-infection qualify as long COVID, while others require 12 weeks or more of symptoms to diagnose someone as a long hauler. Regardless, you know your body and if things are off. Talking to one of our Functional Medicine doctors can help you determine if you might be suffering from some prolonged effects of covid.
 
At our clinic, we take into account your entire health history in order to help you get back to normal. Blood work results often help us know where you might be out of balance. Upping the quality and quantity of your sleep and nutrition are also important. While these are integral skills for everyone, a person with long COVID certainly needs to address the basics.
 
Recent research suggests that a fasting diet might offer medical benefits to some sufferers. This is because decreased energy intake causes mitochondria to produce fewer free radicals as well as cellular renewal and protection from disease. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC8029627/ We can help you determine the best way to implement an eating plan that will encourage cellular health and hopefully less covid symptoms.
 
Additionally, some patients have found that IV fluids give them the boost that they need to feel better. Intravenous Vitamin C or Ozone have many proven benefits for people who need help.
 
Call us today to help you address long COVID and get back to feeling like you again!

Integrative medicine often combines the benefits of both traditional and alternative approaches.  Here is an example with acupuncture helping a traditional, more invasive approach like IVF improve efficacy and decrease miscarriages.

"The retrospective study included 131 women who were undergoing standard in vitro fertilization (IVF) or Intracytoplasmic sperm injection (ICSI). All of these women were considered good prognosis candidates for IVF/ICSI and were given the choice of having acupuncture.  A total of 83 women declined (controls) and 48 accepted.  The study found that pregnancy rates per embryo transfer were not significantly different between the two groups (50% in the acupuncture group and 45% in controls). The miscarriage rate was almost halved in the acupuncture group (8% vs. 14%)."

OB/Gyn News, Copyright © 2005

 

The Meyers’ Cocktail has been found to help people with fibromyalgia and other autoimmune issues. The unique blend of nutrients works in the body, bypassing the digestive tract, to help relieve painful symptoms associated with many autoimmune conditions.

A 48-year-old woman presented with a six-year history of fairly constant myalgias and arthralgias, with pain in the neck, back, and hip, and tightness in the left arm. Six months previously she was found to have an elevated sedimentation rate (50 mm/hr). She was diagnosed by a rheumatologist as possibly having polymyalgia rheumatica, although the diagnosis of fibromyalgia was also considered. Her history was also significant for migraines about eight times per year and chronic nasal congestion. Physical examination revealed extremely stiff muscles, with decreased range of motion in many areas of her body. The patient was given a therapeutic trial consisting of 6 mL vitamin C, 4 mL magnesium, 2.5 mL calcium, and 1 mL each of B12, B6, B5, and B complex. At the end of the injection, she got off the table and, with a look of amazement, announced her muscle aches and joint pains were gone for the first time in six years.”

Alternative Medicine Review Volume 7, Number 5 2002

 

Most people experience fatigue on occasion while some experience it daily and with severe debilitating effects on their quality of life. There are many factors in what causes such terrible fatigue, but many have found that the Meyers’ Cocktail provides them with energy and relief for anywhere from one day to several weeks. The feeling of normalcy is priceless to those who suffer from terrible fatigue on a daily basis and nutritional IV therapies can give that gift.

Many patients with unexplained fatigue have responded to the Myers’, with results lasting only a few days or as long as several months. Patients who benefited often returned at their own discretion for another treatment when the effect had worn off. One patient with fatigue associated with chronic hepatitis B experienced marked and progressive improvement in energy levels with weekly or twice-monthly injections.”

Alternative Medicine Review Volume 7, Number 5 2002

 

 

Migraine headaches can be some of the most debilitating conditions. Often times, patients suffering from persistent migraines or even cluster headaches find significant relief with magnesium. The Meyers’ Cocktail is rich in nutrients like magnesium and is given through an IV to prevent those valuable nutrients from being lost during digestion. Most patients notice a great improvement during the therapy.

A 44-year-old female suffered from frequent migraines, which appeared to be triggered in many instances by exposure to environmental chemicals or, occasionally, to ingestion of foods to which she was allergic. Allergy desensitization therapy had provided little benefit. Over a six-year period, the patient was given IV therapy on approximately 70 occasions for migraines. Nearly all of these injections resulted in considerable improvement or complete relief within several minutes, although a few treatments were ineffective. Through trial and error, it was determined her most effective regimen was 16 mL vitamin C, 5 mL magnesium, 4 mL calcium, 2 mL B6, and 1 mL each of B12, B5, and B complex. The 4-mL dose of calcium was found to provide better relief than lower calcium doses. Over the years, a half dozen other patients have presented one or more times with an acute migraine. In almost every instance, the Myers’ produced a gratifying response within a few minutes.”

Alternative Medicine Review Volume 7, Number 5 2002

 

Asthma can be a very frightening disorder that often sends patients to the hospital for treatment. Dr. Alan R. Gaby has experienced significant improvement in his asthmatic patients by using the Meyers’ Cocktail in intravenous therapy. IV therapies bypass the digestive tract so nutrients are delivered for immediate use. The B vitamins, magnesium, and calcium seem to offer an amazing preventive quality for those who suffer from asthma and other similar disorders. Many asthma sufferers are triggered with allergens as well. The Meyers’ Cocktail helps the body dispel allergens and helps to avoid the flare-up of the bronchial tubes.

A five-year-old boy presented with a two-year history of asthma. During the previous 12 months he had suffered 20 asthma attacks severe enough to require a visit to the hospital emergency department. His symptoms appeared to be exacerbated by several foods, and skin tests had been positive for 23 of 26 inhalants tested. His initial treatment consisted of identification and avoidance of allergenic foods, as well as daily oral supplementation with pyridoxine (50 mg), vitamin C (1,000 mg), calcium (200 mg), magnesium (100 mg), and pantothenic acid (100 mg), in two divided doses with meals. On this regimen, he experienced marked improvement, and had no asthma attacks requiring medical care until nearly 11 months after his initial visit.”

Alternative Medicine Review Volume 7, Number 5 2002

Nutritional IV therapy, such as the Meyers’ Cocktail, has been shown to improve many different ailments by introducing vitamins and minerals often lost in the digestive process to the body for immediate use. Many see results for weeks or months over oral supplementation of the same nutrients. Here is an excerpt from an article by Alan R. Gaby:

Over an 11-year period, approximately 15,000 injections were administered in an outpatient setting to an estimated 800-1,000 different patients. Conditions that frequently responded included asthma attacks, acute migraines, fatigue (including chronic fatigue syndrome), fibromyalgia, acute muscle spasm, upper respiratory tract infections, chronic sinusitis, and seasonal allergic rhinitis. A small number of patients with congestive heart failure, angina, chronic urticaria, hyperthyroidism, dysmenorrhea, or other conditions were also treated with the Myers’ and most showed marked improvement. Many relatively healthy patients chose to receive periodic injections because it enhanced their overall well being for periods of a week to several months.”

Alternative Medicine Review Volume 7, Number 5 2002

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