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Telomere Testing: What’s Your Real Age?

This past Wednesday, I finally did it. I rolled up my sleeve and had my blood drawn for Telomere testing!

 

The needle stick was inconsequential to me since I routinely get serum lab tests and also nutritional IV therapies. Just as I counsel and plan with all of my patients regarding everything from thyroid to toxic metals, I also devise my own therapies to correct, tweak, and improve my health markers. I have had my own major challenges, so I know personally that initial gut reaction to lab results!

 

However, Telomere testing kicks it up a notch regarding true aging. Telomeres are sections of DNA at the end of every chromosome that serve as a cap to your genetic material. Think of them as the small plastic strands on the end of a shoe lace.

 

Each time one of your 100 trillion cells divide and replicate, the new strand becomes shorter which causes the cell to age. By evaluating the Telomere length on white blood cells, we can assess biological age versus chronological age. The higher the score, the “younger” the cells are, and thus, the goal is to slow the loss of Telomere lengths.

Spring Cleaning Through Organic Acids

Last weekend, I needed to find some specific items in my garage. I soon became overwhelmed with all the stuff I had to pick through before I found what I was looking for!

Spring cleaning was more intense than I had anticipated. However, after organizing and “detoxing” this vital area, I began to appreciate the many functions of my garage! As I threw away the last bag of debris, I realized that our bodies also need a thorough review and cleansing. Many times, vague symptoms such as fatigue, apathy, muscle pain, insomnia, and irritable bowel issues need more than a quick fix. Antidepressants and laxatives may initially soothe our symptoms, but they don’t heal our bodies.

A better approach is to assess the situation by getting to the root cause. A unique test at Forum Health Knoxville measures energy production, metabolism, B vitamins, small intestine bacterial overgrowth, ability to detoxify, and markers for emotional and behavioral problems.

Breast Cancer: Avoiding The Diagnosis Through Prevention

Mammograms continue to be the mantra we hear every October during the annual Breast Cancer Awareness month. This screening tool may help identify cancer but it certainly doesn’t prevent breast cancer. At Forum Health Knoxville, every month is breast cancer awareness month as we are always looking at risk factors and working towards strengthening the body.

Cancer cells have three basic characteristics. They multiply more rapidly than normal cells; they are less differentiated (immature); and they don’t die (apoptosis) when they are supposed to. Many factors either contribute to or help prevent this horrific chain of events. Our goal at Forum Health Knoxville, is to uncover these factors before the mammogram reveals cancer.

Dr. John Lee describes in his book, “What Your Doctor May Not Tell You about Breast Cancer,” risk factors that are not commonly discussed. We are vigilant to uncover all of these and more. Through testing, we can identify such risk factors as estrogen dominance, insulin resistance, elevated cortisol levels, and how your body metabolizes estrogen.

Furthermore, as a breast cancer survivor myself, I am dedicated to helping women avoid this diagnosis.

On Thursday, December 8, we will be offering thermogram screening. To schedule an appointment for the screening or for more information regarding true breast cancer prevention, call our office at (865) 675-9355.

Thermography: A Mammogram Alternative

Thermography is quickly becoming the new standard in the field of breast-cancer screening. This procedure is non-invasive, inexpensive, comfortable, and does not cause radiation exposure or compression of the breasts. On Thursday, December 8th, from 10 a.m. until 2 p.m., Forum Health Knoxville is will offer Thermography Breast Screening.

Winter Blues or Something Else?

“Maybe I just have the winter blues,” she said. This statement leads the list of commonly heard complaints from patients who come to me seeking answers for their symptoms.

“Sarah” came to our office frustrated that all of her lab work showed normal levels of everything. “My thyroid levels weren’t even low,” she exclaimed hoping that low thyroid would explain her symptom list including fatigue, sleep disturbance, mild anxiety and depression, as well as brain fog. She even had a prescription for an antidepressant but was reluctant to fill it. “I hate the person I have become! Even my family has noticed a change in me. Can you help me?”