Plantar Fasciitis and Heel Spurs

 

Looking for relief from Plantar Fasciitis and Heel Spurs? I did. I suffered with excruciating pain for more than a year trying many remedies with no success. Today I am pain free and very active. 
Continue reading to learn how I treat my patients with great success.

       -Dr. Eric A. Toranzo

 

Heel pain from plantar fasciitis can flare up when the plantar fascia, the band of connective tissue that stretches from the heel to the ball of the foot – which also supports the arch – becomes inflamed.. Calcium deposits may eventually form on the heel bone, resulting in mild to serious heel pain when applying pressure on the foot.

 

Plantar fasciitis is caused by inflammation of the plantar fascia, a thick band of tissue found on the underside of the foot. The plantar fascia spans the arch of the foot, from the base of the toes to the heel bone. When too much stress is applied to the plantar fascia, it creates tension around the heel bone. When this happens repeatedly, the area becomes inflamed, which can cause pain in the heel.

 

A heel spur is a hook-shaped piece of bone that forms on the heel bone. It is common to see heel spurs in people with heel spur syndrome. Heel spurs are considered a symptom of heel spur syndrome. They are generally not the cause of the condition.

 

The possible causes of these symptoms may be:

     1. Injuries: strain, tear, or sprain of a muscle, tendon, or ligament, especially older or longstanding.

     2. Degeneration of bone, cartilage, tendon sheath or ligaments, as evidenced by pain in joints, limbs, and knee.

 

When the tendons and ligaments are weakened due ot injuries or degeneration, they are unable to support a persons weight. This strain causes inflammation of the supportive structure.

 

After much research and trial and error, I found two products that work well to bring relief: collagen and Heel Seats.

 

The collagen is recommended to stregthen the bone, cartilage, tendon sheath and ligaments and the Heel Seats are used to support the weight bearing structures. I have used this combinations to successfully bring relief to those who have suffered with agonizing pain.

 

Not any collagen or heel seats will work successfully. Click here to see the ones I have found to work very well and quickly: http://www.elitehealthnow.com/#!collections/ywdf4

 

 

 

 

 

 

Honey, Why Are You Crying?

(Women and Their Hormones)

 

Since time began, husbands have been baffled about how their wives could laugh one minute and cry the next. Helplessly, they would inquire as to the reason for their wife’s mysterious mood changed and feel totally at a loss when their wife would tearfully and irritably reply, “I don’t know!” Husbands have tried everything—buying her a new pair of shoes with matching handbag, a day at the spa, a few nights away from the kids, and although the situation may be temporarily alleviated, the old emotional rollercoaster pattern seems to resurface in no time. This same unfortunate scenario has been occurring in practically every marriage. The world has pretty much labeled this behavior as PMS and counsels men to just hang in there and hope for the best until the premenstrual storm blows over.

 

As a woman ages, estrogen levels can increase to double what they should be because of lack of exercise, plastics in cookware, hormones in the foods we eat (meat, dairy, etc.), over refined diets (from bad fats), pesticides, soaps, products that contain petroleum (including cosmetics and skin care products), medication (birth control pills, hormone replacement therapies, etc.) and even spermicides in condoms. Typically for women over 25, the main problem is estrogen dominance or too much estrogen circulating in their bodies for too long. The excessive estrogen becomes trapped in uterus, ovary, and breast tissues, and cause overstimulation of cell division. This can lead to abnormal growths such as fibroid tumors (tough, fibrous muscle tissue that develops in the wall of the uterus) and cysts (fluid-filled sacs that can develop in any major organ). The typical woman is functioning at about 120%-160% over the normal levels of estrogen just through daily living. Progesterone, on the other hand, with age can literally decrease to nothing, unable to counteract and balance the effects of estrogen dominance. When a woman is very low in progesterone, she will feel like nobody loves her—she will feel insecure, emotional, and nervous. She will also tend to be critical and always find fault with herself and others. She will never be happy with herself or her efforts.

 

The following are indications of an imbalance in progesterone or estrogen hormones: increased appetite, craving for chocolate, French fries, salt, chips, and dairy fats like ice cream (can I get a witness?), and even accelerated aging. We’ve all seen couples where the husband looks middle aged but the wife looks like a grandmother! Another indicator of having abnormal hormone levels is a gradual weight gain in the late 20s or 30s with no real change in physical activity or diet; unfortunately, as time goes on, this weight becomes harder and harder to lose. Menstrual irregularity is also a strong indicator. Periods are missed or come too close together; there is an increased flow which may last longer than normal coupled with increased emotional sensitivity for no apparent reason, characterized by feeling of not being appreciates, respected, or loved. New mothers may experience the onset of unexplainable and irresolvable depression after the birth of their child (sometimes called the “baby blues”). Other signs include gradual or sudden onset of allergies or chemical sensitivities, unusual intolerance of smells, perfumes, soaps, and others that can cause sinus headaches, mental dullness, and other symptoms. Women with hormonal imbalance often complain about increased worry, spells of anxiety, fearfulness without reason, and trouble sleeping. There can even be a change in vision, dryness of the skin, the onset of blemishes, joint pain, and gradual loss of bladder control.

 

Ladies, you don’t have to live like this. There is help that is affordable, safe, and simple! Nutritional supplements, for example, can help stabilize hormone levels naturally and effectively. I have treated many women with these types of hormonal problems and have seen a quick turn-around in their lives and relationships for the better. On a personal note, I identify with all the bewildered husbands out there because I also felt dazed and confused in the beginning years of my marriage. I did not know what my wife was going through and I did not know how to help her. I am grateful for the doctors that took the time to inform me of what was going on. Today, I have a great marriage with the same woman that I married over 20 years ago, and we are both thrilled to finally be off of that wild emotional rollercoaster ride. 

 

If you would like to learn which supplements I recommend to help the liver process estrogen in your body so that you too can experience a more emotionally-balance and high-energy life, please email at dr.eric@elitehealthnow.com

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Honey, Are You All Right? Part 2

(Healthy Hormones Part 2)

 

For years, women everywhere (and their distraught husbands) have been screaming, “Will someone please stop this crazy emotional rollercoaster—I want to get off!” After finding out in last month’s article that there is an emergency exit called balanced estrogen and progesterone levels, we are suddenly hearing a resounding chorus of “Hallelujah!” Yes, it’s true: the source of all those unexplainable emotional outbursts, those intense cravings for a whole gallon of Rocky Road ice cream at midnight, and those tears shed just because he forgot to pick up the dry cleaning might just be imbalanced hormones. Getting estrogen and progesterone levels in balance may be the first step toward a life of quiet peace and tranquility (so take a deep, soothing breath now before we begin).

 

The next step toward a life of emotional well-being would be what I call “the liver connection.” When something goes wrong in the body, there always seems to be a connection to the liver in some way or another. This is probably because the liver performs so many vital functions for us, including playing an important role in our emotional state. The liver is largely responsible for the emotional state of a woman because it enables female hormones to be correctly produced and processed through the body, as well as eliminating the used hormones by dumping them into the gallbladder for removal. If the gall bladder is congested (which it usually is with hormone imbalance), then the liver cannot adequately dispose of hormones—the used hormones are recycled again and again, accumulating and crowding. It is this recycling of worn-out hormones that negatively affects a woman’s emotional state. As you may recall from Part 1 of Healthy Hormones, estrogen creates the uterine lining each month in order to prepare for pregnancy as progesterone maintains the lining each month. When there is no fertilization, progesterone decreases since the need to maintain the lining disappears—this is when a period happens. These two hormones must function in the proper amounts in order for the woman’s body to function normally. When the liver is unable to maintain a normal flow of estrogen and progesterone, a woman will feel emotional ups and downs.

 

Ok, ladies, let’s get real: has anyone ever heard themselves say, “No, Honey, not tonight, I feel bloated”? Have you ever wondered how you could gain five pounds in one day when all you had was two carrot sticks and a diet Coke? Has someone ever asked you “how far along” you were without being pregnant? Have you ever had a hard time fitting into your pants just because you were on your period? If you have experienced any of these troubling moments, the culprit could be a liver that is too congested to process vital hormones. Bloating, weight gain (which may suddenly disappear and reappear), stomach bulges, fluid retention in the ankles and abdomen; all of these are just a few of the indicators of a congested liver. Some other symptoms are breast swelling and tenderness, the development of painful lumps diagnosed as cystic mastitis, a gradual, unexplainable weight gain, headaches that are improved by rest but always return during the same period of your monthly cycle, decreased appetite due to a constant full feeling, weight gain over the hips, upper thighs, breasts and upper arms (regardless of the hours you spend at the gym), joint soreness with characteristic left shoulder pain, congestion and sinus headaches that become worse in the afternoon and evening, menstrual irregularity, absence of menses or too frequent, food cravings for sweets and salty foods, PMS, moodiness and emotional sensitivities, anxiety occurring more at night, and (finally) menopausal symptoms like hot and cold flashes. What a list! All these symptoms can become aggravated if a woman is taking supplemental estrogens such as birth control pills, Premarin, Ogen, Estrace, or the Estroderm patch. Some indicators that the gall bladder may not be functioning well are indigestion after meals, nausea that can progress to vomiting an hour after eating, intestinal gas that develops as the day goes by, loose stool or constipation, right-sided neck tension, and even tension headaches. No fun at all!

 

We can now see the truth in Psalm 139:14 more clearly:  “I will praise thee; for I am fearfully and wonderfully made: marvelous are thy works; and that my soul knoweth right well.” Our bodies are an amazing construct of balance! When one area is not receiving the nutrients it needs, it will affect another area that seems to be unrelated. A good doctor has to be like a good detective: just like a detective investigates clues and motives, a doctor must analyze and research to discover which area is truly responsible for the distressing symptoms. I have to admit—in the beginning of my practice, I was guilty of treating only the symptoms, not the cause. After much trial and error, I learned to look deeper for the root cause and to reach higher for illumination at the same time. As a result, many women have been tremendously helped with their heath problems. I had one patient, for example, that lost about 4 inches from her waist within two weeks of taking steps to balance her hormones naturally; you can bet she walked away rejoicing! The most important person that I helped and rejoice over is my wife. Making our six children pick up their dirty socks and chew with their mouths closed and homeschooling is not always easy. She now has more energy, feels more alert, and does not struggle with bloating or water retention. Let me tell you, a bloated wife is no joke. There’s truth in the statement that “a happy wife means a happy life!”

 

If you would like to learn which supplements I recommend to help the liver process estrogen in your body so that you too can experience a more emotionally-balance and high-energy life, please email at dr.eric@elitehealthnow.com

 

 

 

 

 

 

What’s Wrong With My Man?

 

Women often come to my wife in tears seeking help because their husbands are depressed—they seem to have no goals or aspirations in life, and they only want to sleep or sit in front of the TV. They do not help with the kids or help around the house. These women also hurt and feel unloved and neglected because their husbands have little or no sex drive. They come to her believing that they have a serious marital problem, but the truth might be a simple one: many men suffer physical and emotional problems because of nutritional deficiencies. A simple nutritional adjustment can alleviate and even diminish many of these problems!  

 

The women that come to my wife feel as though their marriage is crumbling before their eyes—in reality, their husbands may simply be suffering from a lack of the hormones called testosterone. How terrible it is that a simple nutritional deficiency or problem if left untreated or unrecognized because of ignorance. Unfortunately, without knowledge of the source of our troubles, we tend to attack and blame the ones we love most for not living up to expectations or because of past actions or thoughtfulness. This can lead to divorce, and often has.

 

What do you do when the man you married is no longer the man you married? What happened to that energetic, goal-setting, ambitious, handsome, romantic man you fell in love with? One word: hormones! He no longer produces the same hormones he did when he was younger. The main male hormone is, of course, testosterone, the all-encompassing masculine chemical. It makes a man a man! It is responsible for giving the man his deep voice, his increased muscle tone, and decreased fat. It gives him his drive to set goals and conquer those goals; it’s also responsible for his sex drive. Testosterone levels are highest in the early twenties; this is why your man was so full of energy and fun to be with at that age. Testosterone levels decrease as a man ages. They can start decreasing as early as the mid-twenties and continue decreasing well into old age; when he complains that he “feels old”, this could be a reason. Some of the indicators of having low levels of testosterone include depression with loss of interest in things that use to be exciting, decrease in creative efforts and projects, becoming critical, fault finding, and hard to please, the tendency to become overweight with an increased appetite (which becomes the source of his “pot belly”, or extra fat placed over the stomach muscles), lethargy and wanting to do nothing, loss of productivity or energy, an insatiable libido or a libido that no longer exists (along with problems with erections, infertility, and an unhealthy prostate), tender and painful pimples and acne that form on the scalp and back, no energy during the day and quick to fall asleep after a meal, and decreased strength and endurance. Do any of these symptoms sound familiar? The good news is that there is a solution!

 

Besides the well-publicized and expensive testosterone injections that come hand-in-hand with a variety of side effects and require a doctor’s supervision, there are nutritional supplements that are natural, effective, and affordable. These supplements supply the body with the nutrients it needs to naturally produce more testosterone on its own. I have seen great results with patients I have treated as well as having personally benefiting tremendously from taking these supplements. I have felt more motivation, more energy, and I have a better outlook on life! More and more wives out there are realizing that the problem doesn’t lie with their marriages, with themselves, or with their husbands; it’s simply a physical problem that a simple nutrient supplement can easily solve!

 

If you would like more information about nutritional products I recommend to naturally increase testosterone levels in the man or in the woman, please email us dr.eric@elitehealthnow.com