Rumplestiltskin didn't have this problem : Sleep deprivation and fibromyalgia
Anyone who has ever missed a night's sleep knows how "off " you can be the next day. But what if you never got a good night's sleep? This is the problem many people diagnosed with fibromyalgia and/or chronic fatigue syndrome must deal with.
Mounting evidence suggests that sleep deprivation upsets the normal secretion pattern of hormones, leading to both short and long term problems, especially in the cognitive realm. New evidence shows that melatonin levels are much higher the afternoon after the test subjects lost sleep. Surges of this hormone are likely to cause intense feelings of drowsiness. At the same time, levels of the stress hormone cortisol were also much higher the day after loss of sleep. This is significant because if sleep deprivation is ongoing other hormone problems will result. For example, cortisol and progesterone have the same binding site. If stress is high (loss of sleep) then progesterone is knocked off its site. For women this can lead to increased symptoms of PMS or other symptoms associated with excess estrogen (estrogen and progesterone must be in balance. If progesterone cannot bind and estrogen is bound, excess estrogen results). Excess estrogen leads to uterine fibroids, endometriosis, tender breasts, increased breast cancer risk, fluid retention, weight gain, irritability, etc.
When I am trying to assess why someone is having disturbed sleep I must look at the nutritional status. This would include what they are eating, how well they are digesting it, what medications may be robbing vitamins and minerals, and what other medical conditions they may have. Most of the time I find that a person with chronic insomnia also is having chronic digestive problems. If the digestive tract cannot easily break down and assimilate food, many nutritional imbalances will occur. Some symptoms of digestive disturbance are heartburn, gas, bloating, burping, pain or nausea after a meal, not feeling hungry many hours after a meal, constipation, diarrhea, irritable bowel...
Treatment is always geared toward the individual, but some ways to recover bowel and digestive health are:
1. Probiotics to re-establish intestinal micoflora 2. Digestive enzymes to aid in breaking down food, when the body isn't producing the necessary enzymes. 3. Special herbs to aid in healing the mucus membrane of the lining of the gut. Examples: licorice, marshmallow, chamomile, fenugreek, dandelion 4. Special predigested protein supplements to increase protein and aid healing of damaged tissues. Examples: Seacure, Goatein 5. Individualized vitamin and/or mineral supplementation 6. Stress reduction
Once the digestive tract is healed it is easier to treat the remaining symptoms.
A contented digestive tract and eliminative system means a happy body that can rest comfortably in sleep. Medical news: The FDA has recently approved the use of irradiated beef for school lunch programs. Irradiated meat is a very different product than natural meat. There are high levels of benzene and new chemicals known as "unique radiolytic products" that are carcinogenic. Tests have also shown these to cause genetic toxicity. Irradiated meat is also highly susceptible to cross-contamination with food poisoning bacteria. Furthermore, there is generally no notice to the public as to what food is irradiated when you buy it or eat it at a restaurant. For more info see www.preventcancer.com Transdermal Secretin for Autism: A number of complementary and alternative medical treatments are useful in support of children with autism (digestive aids, avoidance of gluten and casein, nutritional supplementation etc). A study was carried out to see the usefulness of secretin, a hormone produced in the gastric tract, with improvements in speech, behavior, sleep and bowel patterns.
The use of secretin has had reported positive and negative results for children with autism, however it continues to show dramatic developmental gains in a number of children. Secretin is now available in a transdermal cream, which eliminates the emotional trauma of injection and the decreasing effectiveness of injection over time. The cream is applied to the child's back at bedtime, furnishing a periodic low-level doseage. This is also much less expensive than periodic injections in the office.
Secretin administration has shown remarkable improvements in behavior and developmental progress, but the effects are not lasting. If secretin is discontinued there is again regression in behaviors. It is hypothesized that if other treatments are concurrently used (diet, digestive aids, etc) the effects may prove longer lasting. There continues to be research into this interesting therapy. Clinical considerations for polycystic ovary syndrome: Polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS) is a very common disorder affecting up to 10% of women of reproductive age. The symptoms are menstrual irregularities, infertility, obesity and hirsutism (abnormal hair growth). The syndrome is associated with insulin resistance, increased risk of breast and endometrial cancer, increased cardiovascular disease, increased cholesterol levels. During the reproductive years, PCOS is associated with reproductive problems, abnormal uterine bleeding, miscarriage, and other complications of pregnancy.
Treatment options for PCOS:
1. weight reduction of obese patients should be the primary goal. 2. Antiangrogenic and antiinsulin agents only to aid weight control. 3. Diet should be low carb and sugar, higher protein and veggies 4. Physical exercise is a necessity! 5. Flaxseed oil 6. DHA/EPA oil 7. Vitex (chasteberry tree) 8. Saw palmetto 9. Chromium 10. Stinging nettle
For more information on this common female problem, please contact the office.
Dr. Jennifer Reid
27530 SE Division Drive, Gresham, OR 97030 Telephone: (503)492-9427
