The O-Shot is for women of all ages who suffer from dull vaginal sensation, vaginal looseness due to age or childbirth, women who have never had an orgasm and women looking to improve sensation during sex. The O-Shot can also help with urinary incontinence and women suffering from common sexual disorders. Regaining vaginal sensation and an enjoyable sex life is possible with The O-Shot® at aNu Aesthetics and Optimal Wellness!

The O-Shot uses Platelet-Rich Plasma (PRP) which is extracted from the patient’s own blood and injected into the clitoris and the anterior vaginal wall, proximal to the G-spot. The O-Shot adds volume to the treated area, in turn increasing sensation and sensitivity. Injections are quick and little pain, if any, is experienced due to the area being numbed prior to the injections.

After a few weeks, the stems cells and tissues in the injected areas grow and regenerate, causing an increase in blood flow and tissue rejuvenation in the clitoris and vaginal walls.

PRP treatments have proven to be effective in creating a fuller, younger-looking appearance in other areas of the body such as the face. As PRP for facial rejuvenation (also known as the Vampire Facelift®) became increasingly popular, it expanded into other, more intimate areas – creating The O-Shot.

Because The O-Shot utilizes Platelet-Rich Plasma from a person’s own blood and is not a chemical or synthetic substance, it is completely safe.

The O-Shot helps:

• Increase sexual desire, arousal and libido
• Tighten the vaginal opening
• Decrease painful intercourse
• Create stronger and more frequent orgasms
• Increase ability for vaginal orgasms
• Increase vaginal lubrication
• Decrease urinary incontinence
• Women experiencing sexual disorders such as: Dyspareunia, Female Orgasmic Disorder, Hypoactive Sexual Desire Disorder and Female Sexual Arousal Disorder

ThermiVa – The Laser Enhanced O-Shot

To improve vaginal tightness and sensitivity even more, combine The O-Shot with ThermiVa Non-Surgical Vaginal Tightening. This combination of procedures will not only improve tightness and vaginal sensitivity, it also helps to improve urinary incontinence and to restore a more youthful vagina. This innovative non-surgical vaginal rejuvenation treatment helps to improve overall sexual health.

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What is Fat Melting?

Fat melting is the non-invasive fat elimination treatment of choice for people who have failed to eliminate stubborn areas of body fat, despite strict dieting and training in gyms for hours and even for people who have not achieved their desired results from surgical procedures. Genetics does play a role where different people retain their unwelcome “fat pockets” and often they may find that their parents and grandparents also retained these “fat pockets” in the same areas.

After all, who doesn’t want all their fat removed without surgery or dieting!

Who wants these procedures?

It is a fact that most people have some insecurity regarding their bodies. For some it is their love handles and for others it may be the shape of their buttocks. Fat deposits in any body zone can significantly spoil a figure, and for aesthetically conscious people – it is a nightmare.

With the advent of a new generation of non-invasive body contouring and fat melting equipment, we can effortlessly get rid of these stubborn fat bulges. The question is, are they effective? Absolutely!

The ASAPS (American Society for Aesthetic Plastic Surgery) data on emerging aesthetics trends clearly reflects the recent hype of non-invasive fat melting and body sculpting. Some important items to take note of are:

•      Non-surgical skin tightening has jumped from 9th to 7th most popular nonsurgical procedure showing a 58% increase between 2014 and 2015.

•      Non-surgical skin tightening has secured the top 5th spot for most popular procedures among men, replacing microdermabrasion in the top 5.

•      Non-surgical fat reduction stats show an increase of 18.7% over last year.

So, what really is “non-invasive fat reduction”? 

Non-invasive fat reduction, as its name signifies, melts away your body fat without making an incision in your skin. For people experiencing a dreaded plateau in their battle with weight loss or aggressive exercise plans, these procedures can act as a life turner. Here is a birds-eye view of the extensive list of benefits which non-surgical body-sculpting (fat reduction) technologies offer:

•      They are minimally invasive (no incisions or aesthetic needed)

•      They offer a short procedure time, with minimal downtime

•      They provide you the best aesthetic results compared with the side effects and recovery period

•      The results are permanent (if one adopts healthy life style after the procedure)

•      They are literally pain free compared to surgical procedures like liposuction

•      There are minimal side effects

•      They are FDA approved.

Through these procedures, one can accomplish similar results without the risks of surgery. One can avoid:

•      Anesthesia and its complications

•      Risk of fat embolism

•      Bleeding problems

•      Extended post op recovery phase

•      Post op infection risk

•      Extensive post op medications

•      In addition, some fat burning procedures also provide a certain degree of skin tightening, to protect from the aftereffects of lipolysis (i.e. saggy body areas).

Remember these procedures are not an alternative for a healthy lifestyle, it just gives one the push to jumpstart the motivation to maintain healthy habits. These procedures are not for anyone who wants to lose weight, in fact these procedures rarely result in any weight loss. If weight loss is their goal, they should first participate in a physician-directed medically supervised weight loss program, which we offer at aNu with Dr. Watkins.

As well, none of these devices rival the results of surgical intervention. It is important to understand what this equipment can and cannot do. For most people, they will have better results with a tummy tuck / liposuction combination then with any of these devices. However, most patients also don’t want the downtime, surgical scars, and having to wait months to see their final results which are associated with these surgeries. Non-invasive fat elimination procedures are really meant for patients who don’t want to go under the knife, and are happy with a one-inch reduction of the circumference of their abdomen. Often patients just want their clothes to fit better, and dropping a size or two is all they want. Many are of a healthy weight, and no amount of exercise is ridding them of their problem area.

What options are available?

Wide ranges of non-surgical, non-invasive equipment options are now available for body contouring and are highlighted on episodes of Dr. Oz, The Doctors, The View or another talk show.

At aNu, we offer CoolSculpting which you can read about here.

Invasix BodyFX™:

The BodyFX™ (formerly known as TiteFX) body contouring procedure provides improved circumferential reduction through a combination of vacuum and RF energy.

FDA Approval: “reduce the appearance of cellulite” 

The mechanism behind the technique:

BodyFX™ uses a vacuum applicator that draws the skin and fat into the applicator, where radiofrequency (RF) energy targets the fat. One of the selling points is that the fat is pre-heated, giving you better results. RF has been demonstrated to provide tightening results on the skin.

Where does all the fat go?

No anesthesia, no downtime, nominal pain, minimal side effects, and immediate recovery are the key features of these procedures. These non-invasive, non-surgical techniques are designed specially to target the adipose fat cells, without damaging the skin and subcutaneous tissue itself. The equipment, through various mechanisms, in effect disrupts the fat cells by inducing a non-inflammatory, apoptotic death of the fat cell (accelerated natural cell death) in the treated area. Gradually, in a matter of few weeks the damaged fat cells are removed by body’s lymphatic system leaving behind a smart, slim, contoured body area.

When will I see the results?

The body removes damaged fat cells gradually, but most patients begin to see visible results at about 6 weeks and optimal results at about 12 weeks. Once the fat is zapped, a patient cannot just go back to eating and drinking all that bad stuff! We take baseline measurements (weight and body measurements), and photos of every patient before and 9 to 12 weeks after the procedure.

The final word on Fat Melting procedures

In recent years, nonsurgical alternatives to liposuction have exploded onto the aesthetic market. Over the years, the results have also progressively gotten much better.

For the most part, these techniques are ideal for patients with good skin laxity and for those who can’t undergo invasive procedure or do not want to and want a 1 or 2-inch loss.

The results may vary individually and appear around 4-6 weeks after the procedure. It must be clear, that the remaining fat cells can expand to take the place of the dead ones. So if they want to keep the results, they need to maintain a healthy lifestyle post procedure.

Have a healthy 2017!

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One of the most common health complaints today is the experience of fatigue and lethargy. If you have fatigue along with other symptoms such as difficulty concentrating, insomnia, inability to lose weight, feeling anxious, allergies, or brain fog, Adrenal Fatigue Syndrome (AFS) may be at the root of the problem.

Adrenal Fatigue consists of many nonspecific but debilitating symptoms. The onset of this condition is often slow and insidious. Sufferers are told that they are stressed and need to learn to relax more. Yes, we all know that “stress kills” to a large extent. But, the question is how?

The real truth is that stress and Adrenal Fatigue are not a mysterious entity at all. Our body has a built-in mechanism to deal with it. Being able to handle stress is a key to survival, and the control center in our bodies is the adrenal glands.

Adrenal Fatigue Syndrome is one of the most prevalent conditions. Most people experience it at one point or another. However, most conventional physicians are not taught about Adrenal Fatigue in medical school. As such, they are not prepared to take Adrenal Fatigue as a serious threat to health.

This condition was seldom considered as a dysfunctional sickness. Instead, people think of Adrenal Fatigue Syndrome as a condition related to stress. Thus, the solution was to tell the person to “relax” and take anti-depressants. This does not solve the underlying issue and over time, the condition worsens. Adrenal Fatigue Syndrome is not a medical condition recognized by mainstream institutions. Invariably, the adrenal glands are structurally normal. Low cortisol, the most common associated finding, may be caused by factors outside the adrenal glands.

Your doctor is likely unfamiliar with this condition. Adrenal Fatigue Syndrome is a sub-clinical non-Addison’s form of adrenal dysfunction. Because there are many causes, Adrenal Fatigue Syndrome is a more accurate name. The addition of “syndrome” implies no definitive cause.

Excerpts By: Dr. Michael Lam, MD, MPH; Dr. Justin Lam, ABAAHP, FMNM

Signs and Symptoms of Adrenal Fatigue

• Tendency to gain weight and unable to lose it, especially around the waist.
• High frequency of getting the flu and other respiratory diseases.
• Infections that tend to last longer than usual.
• Tendency to tremble when under pressure.
• Reduced sex drive.
• lightheaded when rising from a horizontal position.
• Unable to remember things.
• Lack of energy in the mornings and in the afternoon between 3 to 5 pm.
• Feel better suddenly for a brief period after a meal.
• Often feel tired from 9 – 10 pm, but resist going to bed.
• Need coffee or stimulants to get going in the morning.
• Cravings for salty, fatty, and high protein food such as meat and cheese.
• Increased symptoms of PMS for women.
• Pain in the upper back or neck with no clear reason.
• Feels better when there is less stress, such as on a vacation.
• Difficulties in getting up in the morning.
• Lightheaded.
• Mild depression.
• Food and or inhalant allergies.
• Lethargy and lack of energy.
• Increased effort to perform daily tasks.
• Decreased ability to handle stress.
• Dry and thin skin.
• Hypoglycemia.
• Low body temperature.
• Nervousness.
• Palpitations.
• Unexplained hair loss.
• Alternating constipation and diarrhea.
• Dyspepsia.

If you have many of these signs and symptoms, it is time to consider Adrenal Fatigue as a possible cause. None of the signs or symptoms by themselves can definitively pinpoint Adrenal Fatigue. However, when looked at collectively, these signs and symptoms form a specific picture of a person under stress. These signs and symptoms are often the end result of acute, severe, chronic, or excessive stress. The body is unable to reduce such stress.

The ability to handle stress, physical or emotional, is a cornerstone to human survival. Our body has a stress modulation system in place, known as the neuroendometabolic (NEM) stress response. The adrenal glands are part of this response system. When these glands become dysfunctional, our body’s ability to handle stress is reduced.

Common Causes of Adrenal Fatigue

Chronic stress is common in western society. The most common causes of stress are work pressure, changing jobs, death of a loved one, moving homes, illness, and marital disruption. Adrenal Fatigue occurs when the amount of stress exceeds the capacity of the body to compensate and recover.

Stressors that can lead to Adrenal Fatigue include:

• Anger
• Chronic fatigue
• Depression
• Chronic illness
• Excessive exercise
• Chronic infection
• Fear and guilt
• Chronic pain
• Gluten intolerance
• Low blood sugar
• Mal-absorption
• Mal-digestion
• Toxic exposure
• Severe or chronic stress
• Surgery
• Late hours
• Sleep deprivation
• Excessive sugar in diet
• Excessive caffeine intake from coffee and tea

What Happens to the Body when Cortisol Is Lowered Due to Adrenal Fatigue?

• Reduced insulin sensitivity, reduced glucose utilization, and increased blood sugar, which leads to diabetes.
• Reduced secretory IgA (the main cellular defense factor), natural killer (NK) cell and T-lymphocyte activity which lead to increased chances of getting infections such as Herpes, yeast overgrowth, and viral infections.
• Increased inflammation in the body resulting in muscle and joint aches/pains.
• A block in calcium absorption results in an increased loss in bone mass. The demineralization of bone occurs, leading to osteoporosis.
• Increased fat accumulation around the waist and protein breakdown. This leads to muscle wasting, an inability to reduce weight.
• An increased in water and salt retention (swelling), leading to high blood pressure at first, with low blood pressure as the condition worsens.
• Estrogen dominance, leading to PMS, uterine fibroids, and breast cancer.

Adrenal Fatigue Protocol

Adrenal Fatigue can be reversed. You may need to allow 6 months to 2 years for the recovery process to take place. These are some of the important steps.

Removal of stressors
This is the most important step. It is important to deal with stressors such as marital, family, relationship or financial problems.

Sleep
It is important to go to sleep by 10 p.m. every night. Why? This is because our adrenal glands kick in for a “second wind” to keep us going from 11 pm to 1 am. This puts tremendous stress on the adrenals. When we rest early, our adrenals are rested. Between 10 p.m. and 1 a.m., our adrenals work the hardest to repair the body. We should also try to sleep in until 8:30 a.m. or 9: 00 a.m. if possible. This is because our cortisol level rises to its peak from 6:00 a.m. to 8:00 a.m. to wake us up and get us going for the day.

In later stage Adrenal Fatigue, the level of cortisol falls and we feel tired. It will be more difficult to wake up. If we wake up too early, this will only increase stress on the adrenal glands, which will have to produce more cortisol.

If you are unable to sleep, your physician may recommend a natural sleep supplement such as L-theanine, Melatonin or Magnesium.

Avoid Coffee or Caffeinated Beverages
Coffee and tea can act as stimulants and interrupt sleep pattern. Herbal tea is okay because it does not contain caffeine

Avoid TV and Computers
Some people may be photosensitive. Watching television or working at the computer may prevent melatonin levels from rising to induce sleep. Turn off your phone, television and computer by 8 p.m.

Exercise
This is a wonderful stress reducer and a tremendous oxygenator. Exercise reduces depression, increases blood flow, normalizes level of cortisol, insulin, blood glucose, growth hormones, thyroid, and makes you feel generally much better.

Exercise is a key component to adrenal recovery if done right. The key is to adjust the level of exercise in accordance to your capacity and do the proper amount at the right time. Over-exercise is a trigger for adrenal crash. More is not necessary better when it comes to exercise and Adrenal Fatigue. The more advanced your Adrenal Fatigue, the less you should exercise vigorously. Vigorous exercise can lead to a catabolic state and worsen Adrenal Fatigue. Those with severe adrenal weakness should start with gentle adrenal breathing exercises. Progress to adrenal restorative exercises, then to special adrenal yoga exercise series. Discuss proper exercise with your physician.

Nutritional Supplementation

In an adrenal recovery program, it is prudent to consider optimizing the adrenal gland functions. An optimal balance of vitamins and minerals for optimum adrenal function can include:

Vitamin C
500 mg to 3,000 mg of vitamin C with bioflavonoid and synergistic co-factors is beneficial. Vitamin C is one of the gentlest of all adrenal supporting nutrients.

Glutathione
Glutathione to enhance the effectiveness and cellular bio-availability of vitamin C, E, alpha lipoic acid, and carnitine. Specifically, glutathione acts as a liver detoxifier. It helps recycle inactive oxidized vitamin C back to its reduced active form in the body after vitamin C has served its function.

Vitamin B5
Most hormones in the adrenal gland need co-enzyme A for production. Co-enzyme A is a product of vitamin B5

Vitamin E
400-800 I.U. of Vitamin E is another important nutrient. It is involved in at least six different enzymatic reactions in the adrenal cascade.

Vitamin D
5000 I.U of Vitamin D is a good nutrient to support hormonal synthesis.

Adrenal glandulars, extracts and herbs
Adrenal glandular, adrenal extract and herbals such as ashwagandha root, licorice root, Korean Ginseng, Siberian Ginseng, ginger root, and ginkgo leaf can be helpful for short term due to their effectiveness and adaptogenic properties.  Only use under the direction of your physician.

Please schedule with Dr. Watkins for your full Wellness Evaluation if you feel you are suffering from this condition and would like to be evaluated for diagnosis and treatment.

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Why do I need hormones, vitamins, and supplements?

Well, simply put, hormones it is the first step to get you feeling like your younger self again. At the very least, you’ll try something new and amazing. At best, it could change your life!

And how could it change everything?

Well, let’s talk about what’s going on with you. Does this sound familiar? You’re trying to take all the right steps; eating ‘healthy’ foods and being as consistent as possible with your exercise routine, but are still experiencing weight gain or difficulty losing weight, hot flashes, sleep issues, & brain fog.

Why is this happening to you?

The honest-to-goodness biggest culprit? Your hormones may need some fine tuning. Good nutrition (proteins, healthy fats, low glycemic fruits and vegetables), is key to helping your body make the hormones you need. If your body cannot make hormones, then it cannot be in balance. If it’s not in balance, you’ll be getting hot flashes and asking people ‘what was the name of that friend of yours?’ or saying ‘I’m so sorry I missed our lunch date, I just forgot!’ for much longer than you anticipate. Let’s start by understanding hormones so we can give your body the nutrients it needs to stay in balance.

Thyroid hormones

The thyroid produces hormones that control how your body converts calories into energy. Essentially, it controls your metabolism and your ability to metabolize.

When your thyroid hormones are too low the calories metabolize straight to fat leaving you feeling depleted and fat-igued! If you feel this, we need to check your thyroid hormones which include TSH, free T4 and free T3 and thyroid antibodies to start.

When the thyroid gland is under-active, hypothyroidism, your metabolism is sluggish too. This equals less energy, less initiative, less movement.

Some other signs of thyroid problems include: hair loss, dry dull skin, brittle nails, constipation, joint pains and muscle aches.

Support your thyroid with:

Natural Compounded Thyroid
A high quality multivitamin (Albion micronutrients, chelated minerals)
200 mcg of selenium or 2 brazil nuts daily
Foods rich in iodine, zinc and tyrosine such as sushi and seaweed and oysters

Adrenal hormones 

Cortisol, our stress responder and natural anti-inflammatory, is one of the biggies here. The adrenal gland cortex also produces aldosterone, which helps maintain blood pressue and our salt and water balance; and Androgens such as DHEA and Testosterone.

Let’s talk about cortisol. Too much or too little of this can cause weight loss resistance. In other words, weight loss becomes difficult and feels impossible. It can also lead to burnout, inflamation, and low levels of oxytocin. Some of us lead such stressful lives (or are constantly dinged and pinged) that our cortisol levels are always high. Eating fast food and simple carbs stress your adrenals, which increases your cortisol levels and is a cause of the “muffin top”.

When you’re not producing enough cortisol, you simply feel drained. This may cause you to reach for caffeine, sugar and simple carbs to get an energy boost, but these all significantly strain your adrenals.

What to do?

Adrenal Support Supplements
Try to get your body more alkaline
Reset your circadian rhythm by getting a good nights sleep
Breathe – deep breathing is an excellent cortisol reducer
Meditate
Focus your thoughts on the positive good in your life and express gratitude which will make you happy too.

Reproductive hormones

It’s not all about reproduction. These hormones are essential in creating the balanced, joyful, healthy, and connected lives that we desire. Men and women both have estrogen, progesterone, testosterone and DHEA which are all key in keeping extra weight off, feeling stronger and happier too. In fact, men and women thrive relationally when their hormones are balanced. Testosterone helps maintain lean muscle mass, libido and healthy bones. Low levels are also linked to lack of motivation.

One of our crowning hormones and key connection hormones is the “bonding, love and affection hormone” Oxytocin. Yes, increase your levels of Oxytocin! More oxytocin means more love and a lower appetite. It contributes to healthy aging, healthy connections, and long-lasting partnerships.

It really is hard to obtain and maintain hormone balance without TLC or therapeutic lifestyle changes. But when your body is in balance nutritionally and hormonally, then it can balance itself physically. Many of you are time-crunched and feeling the pressure of having so many responsibilities. We are here to help! The first step is labs and a patient questionnaire (under new patient forms). Call for your appointment.

“The lifelong pursuit of wellness and vitality… at the very least, you’ll spend time trying something amazing. At best… it could change your life. Are you ready for ‘aNu you’?”

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