Dr. Taz MD Living Healthy, Naturally Issue 21

TIP:  In integrative medicine, we place a lot of focus on the health and function of your gut. One way we do this is by ensuring patients have a healthy balance of flora or good bacteria in their GI system. Candida, which is a microorganism or yeast-like fungus, is naturally found in the gut, however, when there is an overgrowth of Candida it becomes problematic and can wreak havoc on a normally healthy digestive system. Currently, it’s not yet a common focus for most conventional doctors. However, I see many patients who present with symptoms of Candida overgrowth who tend to have abdominal pain, bloating, sugar cravings, constipation and even more serious symptoms. Candidiasis, the overgrowth of Candida, can sometimes be diagnosed by the symptoms or, more commonly through integrative testing.

For my patients struggling with Candida overgrowth, we immediately limit sugar in their diet (including limiting fruits to 2 servings per day) lower dairy to a maximum of 1 serving a day and add probiotics and berberine. White flour, refined carbohydrates and alcohol, are all reduced/eliminated.

If we cannot seem to get the Candidiasis under control, then we move on to considering a prescription anti-fungal such as Diflucan or Nystatin. Typically, a prescription is also needed in vaginal and oral cases of Candidiasis.

In many cases, my patients will feel slightly under the weather for 3 – 4 days or have mild flu-like symptoms once they implement the Candida regimen. This is what’s become known as the Candida Die-off period – since the fungus requires sugar to thrive and grow, the reduction in one’s sugar intake starves or causes the Candida to “die-off.” Once the initial detox period passes, most all patients report an increase of energy, less cravings and mood swings as well as an increase in clarity and even memory. It’s very important to drink 8 – 10 glasses of water a day during this period as it helps to flush out the toxins.

Check out my Candida Friendly Buckwheat Crepes recipe below!

*This column information is not intended to diagnose, treat or cure any medical condition. Prices are approximate and taken from online industry averages.

Beauty Buzz

Dr. Taz’s Secret to Beautiful Skin?

One of my secrets to keeping my skin “Red Carpet” ready is having regular non-invasive HydraFacial™ treatments. I can truly say the results are instant and it helps with those fine lines and wrinkles, reduce any sun damage and shrink those large pores! Who doesn’t want results like that?

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I also love that there is no downtime after the treatment, like invasive treatments have, which is part of the reason why I decided to offer it at our Center.

So if you’re in Atlanta, be sure to come see us and book your appointment today. Mention that you read about HydraFacial™ in the Dr. Taz newsletter and receive an additional 10% off.

And if you’re not in town, I encourage you to find a spa or wellness center near you that offers the treatment. You’ll thank me later…trust me!

Book today by calling our office, 404-814-9808.

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Living Healthy Tip

Strawberry & Creme Buckwheat Crepes A Candida Friendly Recipe!

• 2 cups coconut milk 
• 2 tablespoons coconut oil for the batter + a little for cooking the crepes 
• 6 eggs 
• 1 ¼ cup buckwheat flour 
• ½ teaspoon stevia (optional, this is a good brand) 
• Pinch of unrefined sea salt 
• Strawberries and coconut cream or yogurt for serving

Preparation:

1. Blend the ingredients (except for the strawberries and cream) in a blender until well mixed. 
2. Heat a 7-inch cast iron skillet over medium heat (any larger and the crepes will be hard to flip). Add a small amount of coconut oil to the pan to prepare it for your first pancake. Ladle ⅓ cup of batter (a scant ladle full) into the skillet and swirl it around until it covers the bottom of the pan and starts to set. Allow it to cook for about a minute, maybe less. Keep an eye on it. 
3. Once the first side is done, use a spatula to loosen it off the pan and confidently flip it over. Let it cook for 15-30 seconds, until golden. Repeat until your batter is done. Swirl the batter in the blender from time to time to keep the flour from settling. 
4. If your pan starts looking a little dry, add some more coconut oil in between the pancakes. The heat may need to be adjusted occasionally as the pan will get increasingly hot throughout the cooking. 
5. Serve the crepes with strawberries and cream or plain yogurt sweetened with a little stevia (approximately ¼ teaspoon powdered stevia – the equivalent of ½ teaspoon sugar – per ¼ cup cream or yogurt). 
6. Makes 12 gluten-free crepes! Bon appetit!

Check out my blog for more delicious recipes I love!

Summer Safety for your Kids

Summer is here and the kids have traded in their math books and spelling tests for lemonade and adventures in the great outdoors. But while the kids let loose, I am urging parents to heighten their awareness. Unfortunately, a disproportionate 40 percent of all injury-related deaths and trips to the emergency room occur between May and August. As a trained pediatric E.R. specialist who has spent many summers working in the emergency room, I have seen the tragedies first hand. I won’t burden you with the disturbing stories, but I do want to bring into focus the risk of injury to children during the summer months. This is the reality.

• Unintentional injury is the leading cause of death in children age 1-19. 
• The vast majority (90%) of these injuries are preventable.

Keep summer memories healthy and positive by following this 3-step injury prevention plan. Have a discussion with your children’s caregivers to make sure they are on the same page.

• Prepare the environment.

Take some time before school lets out to scan your home environment, where roughly half of all injuries take place.Are any poisonous plants growing where the kids play or explore? Are the batteries in the fire alarms charged? Does the swing set need a tune up? Take a little time to take care of these issues now. Not only will doing so create a safer environment, but it will allow children more freedom in their play and lower your stress levels.

• Keep a watchful eye.

The trend lately is to loosen the reins on our kids. “Hovering” or “helicopter parenting” is quickly losing popularity as an effective style of parenting. But there is an important distinction between protecting our children and helicopter parenting. Judith Warner of the NY Times (in her review of the book ‘Teach Your Children Well’ by psychologist Madeline Levine PhD.) describes helicopter parents as being physically hyper-present but somehow psychologically M.I.A. This typically refers to parents who take the reins of their children’s school performance, extra-curricular activities and social lives while being neglectful to the emotional needs of their children. Protecting children from environmental dangers does not fall under the description of helicopter parenting. It is our responsibility as parents and caregivers to keep kids safe.

Discuss with your pediatrician age-appropriate supervision guidelines and commit to following them no matter what. Be especially watchful during parties – when adults gather, fewer eyes tend to be on the kids.

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Goal of Dr. Taz MD’s Living Healthy, Naturally

With gratitude, 
Dr. Taz Bhatia MD