What do I need to know about diet?You’ll find differing opinions regarding a diabetic diet on the Internet. There are some diabetic diets that are available that are high in carbohydrates but I do not recommend these for my patients. High carbohydrate diets are a causative factor in type II diabetes. We can control blood sugar levels with medication despite eating high carbohydrate diet, however it appears to be counterproductive to eat large, carbohydrate concentrated meals. Carbohydrates come in the form of sugars and starches.If you attend a diabetic class you will learn about the glycemic index. The glycemic index is a total amount of carbohydrate minus the total amount of fiber in a giv...

What is diabetes? Diabetes is a group of metabolic disorders that results in high glucose (sugar) levels in the blood. Diabetes type I is a result of a decreased production of insulin in the pancreas. Insulin is a hormone that is produced in the pancreas and is necessary to transport sugar into cells where it is used for energy. Type II diabetes is the most common type and it is a result of insulin resistance. Type II diabetes usually occurs in people that are overweight. The road to diabetes starts with excess consumption of calories, usually sugar or starches and insufficient exercise. Insulin resistance results when the body becomes dulled to the excessive insulin exposure and insulin is...

Why exercise? We have worked diligently over the last century to eliminate laborious activities from our daily life. Much of the civilized world has moved away from a farming community which requires hard physical labor to sedentary and yet mentally stressful activities. To make matters worse, because of long hours and the stress of their jobs, many people find it difficult to exercise after work. Yet exercise is even more important now than ever. Exercise increases our energy level, reduces depression and pain, reduces stress, controls weight, improves cardiovascular fitness and helps us look and feel young. Some of my patients will tell me that they think they are getting plenty of ...

Dr Sharon Irvine will be speaking about women’s hormones with the intent of bringing clarity to a subject that is often times confusing. She will address the difference between synthetic and bio identical compounds, the function of estrogens and progesterone in the body and the importance of balancing these hormones for overall health and wellness. Additional topics will include an overview of the endocrine system as well as appropriate testing for accurate hormone dosing. A question and answer period at the end of her presentation will allow a deeper discussion suited to the interests of the audience. Come join us! We look forward to seeing you there!...

The endocrine system in a woman is composed of glandular organs:  the thyroid, pancreas, adrenals and ovaries.  What is the commonality of these glands? They all secrete hormones that impact the entire body.  Receptors are found in every body system for these hormones. This is important to remember when we consider the impact of the ovarian hormones, progesterone and the estrogens. If we were to look at tissue from the brain, bones, heart, skin, nerves, immune system, etc with an electron microscope, we would see receptors for estrogen and progesterone in these tissues. The receptors are there because all these body systems/ tissues need est...