Our Functional Medicine experts offer all the Integrative Medicine tools you need for a healthier New Jersey summer!
This month, Dr. Jessica Miller and her dedicated Fusion IFM team highlight essential practices for men to enhance prostate health, emphasizing the significant impact of diet, particularly refined sugar, on prostate function. By integrating these Functional Medicine strategies, men can take proactive steps to improve their overall well-being and reduce the risk of prostate-related diseases. Check out our July newsletter:
We also delve into the importance of making informed daily lifestyle choices, combining integrative treatments with traditional medicine for a holistic approach to health.
Our Certified Functional Health Nutritionist and Health Coach Brianna Manginelli is sharing a delicious Brussels Sprouts Salad recipe featuring a creamy tahini dressing that will be perfect for your summertime entertaining. This refreshing dish is perfect for summer gatherings and adds a nutritious boost to your diet.
Certified Health Coach Cortney Goodstadt provides valuable advice on reducing exposure to environmental toxins, a crucial aspect of maintaining long-term health. With a special promo code for discounts on Designs for Health products and a link to schedule a free Discovery Session, the newsletter is packed with resources and actionable steps to help you lead a healthier, fuller life. Dive into these expert tips and discover how Integrative and Functional Medicine can transform your health journey.
We’d love to meet you and learn more about your personal health challenges and goals. Call our practice manager, Mara Munoz, at 732-631-4410 or email us at info@fusionifm.com to learn more about Fusion’s holistic health services and review some of the conditions we treat here: https://fusionifm.com/services/
By Jessica Miller, MD – Founder & Medical Director
June is Men’s Health Month, a perfect time to re-focus on prostate health—a critical yet often overlooked aspect of men’s well-being. As an Integrative & Functional Medicine physician, I’ve seen firsthand how lifestyle choices, particularly diet, can protect or adversely affect the health of the prostate.
One major dietary risk factor is sugar. Below, I explain the connection between sugar and prostate health and explore strategies to optimize prostate function:
The Sugar-Prostate-Cancer Connection
Emerging research suggests a strong link between high sugar intake and prostate health issues, including prostate cancer and benign prostatic hyperplasia (BPH), also known as an enlarged prostate. Excessive sugar consumption can lead to chronic inflammation, insulin resistance, and obesity—all factors that contribute to prostate problems.
A diet high in refined sugars can create an environment conducive to cancer cell growth because sugar fuels insulin and insulin-like growth factor (IGF), both of which can promote cancer cell proliferation. High blood sugar levels can also suppress the immune system, making it harder for the body to combat cancer cells.
Four Simple Steps to Optimize Prostate Health
Integrative & Functional Medicine emphasizes a holistic approach, addressing the root causes of acute and chronic health issues, rather than merely treating symptoms. To offset prostate disease risk, I recommend the following action steps, which are simple, direct and achievable:
I. Reduce Foods with Processed Sugar: Limiting refined sugars and high-glycemic foods can help lower insulin levels and reduce inflammation. Choose whole foods like fruits, vegetables, lean proteins and whole grains. (You can quell sugar cravings within about 10 days of reducing intake.)
2. Keep Your Weight in Check: Obesity is a significant risk factor for prostate issues. Regular physical activity and a balanced diet can help manage weight effectively.
3. Anti-inflammatory Diet: Incorporate foods rich in antioxidants and anti-inflammatory properties–berries, leafy greens, nuts and fatty fish. Aim to eat a rainbow of nutritious foods daily.
Functional Medicine Approach to Address Prostate Conditions
For men diagnosed with BPH or prostate cancer, functional medicine offers integrative treatments that complement conventional approaches:
Herbal Supplements: Saw palmetto and beta-sitosterol are known to support prostate health and alleviate symptoms of BPH. Mushrooms such as Lion’s Mane and Turkey Tail help to support the immune system and encourage the body to find/eliminate cancer cells.
Nutritional Therapy: Tailored dietary plans focusing on reducing inflammation and boosting immune function.
Stress Management: Chronic stress can exacerbate prostate issues. Techniques such as mindfulness, yoga, and meditation can be beneficial.
Fusion IFM Specializes in Functional Health for Men
As an Integrative and Functional Medicine physician, I aim to empower men with ‘real-life’ education and best practices to take charge of their prostate health. By making informed lifestyle choices and seeking integrative treatments, men can significantly improve their quality of life and reduce the risk of prostate-related diseases.
Protect your prostate—and your overall health and wellness–by breaking the sugar habit once and for all. You’ll be amazed by how much better you look and feel every day. Feel free to schedule a consultation with me or a free Discovery Session with my team for personalized health guidance.
Jessica Miller, MD, is double Board Certified in Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation as well as Integrative Medicine. She is also a Certified Institute for Functional Medicine Practitioner, located in Marlboro, NJ. Learn more about her approach and services here.
This article is for informational purposes only and should not be used in place of an individualized healthcare visit.
Fusion IFM certified Health Coach Cortney Goodstadt provides real-world guidance to minimize daily toxin exposure.
By Cortney Goodstadt, DPT, AFMHC
Take a moment and think about our food supply, the products you use to clean your home, the products and cosmetics you place on your skin, and the general environment and air that you breathe in your home and office.
If you’re like me, you might feel a little disgusted now. Furthermore, you may be struggling with health issues due to toxin exposure and not even realize the symptoms. It is essential to understand the specific toxins we commonly encounter and how to remedy the exposure to live longer, healthier and happier lives.
Humans create many environmental toxins, but others occur naturally in the environment–
Examples:
Man-Made Toxins Naturally Occurring Toxins
Phthalates Mercury
BPA Formaldehyde
Pesticides Cadmium
Lead
Radon
Benzene
Arsenic
These toxins have four distinct entry methods into the body:
Skin
Inhalation
Digestion
Injection
Once encountered, the body has various ways of handling or metabolizing the objectionable toxin. This reaction often varies, depending on how long you have been exposed to the noxious substance.
Brief or mild environmental toxin exposure
Being exposed to toxins for a short period of time can have somewhat negative, yet in the scheme of life, mild consequences. These may include:
Abdominal pain
Cough and sneezing
Diarrhea
Excessive fatigue
Headaches
Nausea and vomiting
Skin irritation
Throat and nose irritation
Long-term toxic environment exposure
Long-term exposure to toxins is incredibly unhealthy. Many short-term effects of exposure begin to take hold and can present as complex and more serious physical conditions. As exposure continues, the damage it causes can result in chronic disease and have permanent physical effects.
Toxins can affect the body by disrupting the endocrine system and can become carcinogenic. Those toxins that disrupt the endocrine system interfere with the body’s ability to produce hormones and participate in cell signaling. This can negatively affect the reproductive, immune, and neurological systems.
Additionally, it may alter a person’s behavior and personality. In children, it can cause issues with development. Possible effects may include (but are not limited to) obesity, aggressive behavior, hormone-dependent cancers such as breast and prostate, infertility, early-onset puberty, low sperm and testosterone, increased risk of diabetes, thyroid dysfunction, lung cancer, Parkinson’s disease and other neurological disorders.
Actionable steps for environmental toxin protection
As a mom and health coach, I am shocked by this information and want to educate others on making simple yet actionable lifestyle changes to affect your health and save our planet. Here are some things that you can do to make a difference.
Here are simple and achievable action items to reduce everyday toxins and protect yourself and your loved ones:
1. Reduce exposure as much as possible to decrease your risk of adverse health effects.
2. Remove toxins from your home and your skin:
Use green cleaning products (be aware that some products that market themselves as “toxic-free” or “clean” are not! Read the labels.)
Replace candles and air fresheners with essential oils.
Add plants to your home to create cleaner air.
Use natural skincare and makeup.
Replace non-stick cookware.
Avoid using the microwave whenever possible.
Reduce the use of plastics.
Leave footwear outside or by the entrance to your home.
Use a dehumidifier to reduce mildew or mold.
Consider an air purifier.
Filter and remineralize drinking water.
3. Remove toxins from your diet:
Reduce refined seed and vegetable oils.
Eliminate foods stored in plastic as they may disrupt hormone function.
Eliminate foods with trans fats.
Eat organic foods whenever possible.
Avoid buying and consuming sugar-laden foods and beverages.
Eat certified organic and grass-fed meats and wild-caught fish.
Reducing environmental toxins: Committing to living safer and disease-free
While it is difficult and nearly impossible to live a full, toxic-free lifestyle — as the air we breathe is full of pollutants —choose to make small changes to minimize toxins you can control in daily life.
Unfortunately, in traditional health and wellness, environmental toxins are an overlooked piece of the wellness puzzle, but our Fusion IFM team is dedicated to helping our patients live as toxin-free as possible in today’s world.
Allow me to help lead the way as you build a healthier future for you and your family.
To learn more about improving and protecting your lifelong health, schedule a Free Discovery Session with Cortney or one of our certified functional medicine health coaches. Learn more about the conditions we treat here: https://fusionifm.com/services/.
This article is for informational purposes only and should not be used in place of an individualized healthcare visit.
We are deeply appreciative when our patients take the time and effort to leave a review about our Functional Medicine services on Google and other patient satisfaction sites. Last week, we were delighted to receive this review from Jane, who has been with us since 2020.
I have been working with Dr. Jessica Miller since 2020 and I fully believe in the value of functional medicine and having a dedicated practitioner who will spend a full hour following up with you – not something you will find with most primary care physicians practicing conventional medicine.
Functional medicine provides a different approach in that it looks for root causes of disease instead of treating symptoms. Instead of putting a band-aid over the problem, Dr. Miller will use her extensive knowledge to suggest the underlying mechanism for the symptoms and will then prescribe targeted therapies to address the imbalances that may be present.
If you’ve been through the conventional medical system and have seen numerous doctors and haven’t made any progress with your health, I would fully recommend seeking out an alternative approach and seeing if Dr. Miller and her team can help.
Dr. Miller combines her passion for functional medicine with empathy and compassion for her patients, as she seeks to support the health of the whole individual. In between appointments with Dr. Miller, there is the option of meeting with a health coach in more frequent intervals to make sure you are staying on track with your health goals.
A health coach can be helpful to address any specific, smaller concerns such as questions about supplements or alternatives, questions about specific exercises, or even certain foods or diets. For me this has been a great experience.
Cortney Goodstadt, DPT, AFMHC
Health Coach Cortney Goodstadt has a calm and centered approach and a determination to bring unique solutions to each individual patient and meeting with her helps me feel on track with my health goals and makes me feel like I have a constant supporter in my corner who is rooting for me to take care of myself every day.
She will listen to your concerns and do research after your appointment to bring you suggestions on everything:
Diet
Exercise
Sleep
Supplements
Emotional/mental support
Gathering patient-specific resources
Cortney is invaluable to discussing what health strategies worked, so I can continue to feel better and get stronger.
Dr. Miller will meet with you and give you a big-picture idea of what may be underlying your symptoms and what areas can be improved; Cortney will delve into the specifics with you and make sure you stay on track and also listen to any concerns you may have through your journey.
The great thing about functional medicine is that it grows with you. It is directed by your health goals and what are your most bothersome symptoms. They will start from there and begin the work of suggesting possible ways to improve your health and your life. Supplements are just one part of functional medicine and they can be highly supportive in many cases. But they aren’t the only healing modality that will be suggested to you.
I also like that you can pause your appointments at any time. The functional medicine practitioners, doctors and health coaches will not do the work for you – it’s up to you to use the resources they suggest, work on your health every day.
This is a very different approach and it’s important for people to understand that taking care of yourself is a lot of work–and it’s ultimately up to you. Having Dr. Miller and health coaches like Cortney to support me in my health journey has been one of the best decisions I have ever made.
