CORVALLIS INTEGRAL MEDICINE News Update Marcia A. Liberatore, MD PC, DABMA, FACEP Office address: 917 Grant Ave. NW, Corvallis, OR 97330 Phone (541) 753-1172; Fax (541) 752-9935 www.DrLIntegral.com - Home Page

August 29, 2009

Greetings!  It’s time for another update.  We hope this finds you well.

First:  We have some upcoming office closure.  I will be in week long training in Baltimore, Maryland with the Institute of Functional Medicine from Monday September 21 through Friday September 25, 2009.  I will be in class that entire week from 8 am to 5 pm.  So I will try to return any calls in the evening (that is East Coast time).  On the way to Baltimore and the way back, I will be visiting my family in Colorado.  So I will be taking Friday, September 18th off to allow for more visit time.  My mother was just diagnosed with Alzheimer’s and my Dad is taking over her care so they can stay in their own home.  I will be back with usual office hours on Monday September 28, 2009.  Kim and/or Amber will be in an out of the office during that week to check messages and faxes.  We will also have the answering service.  I post anticipated office closures on my website:  www.drlintegral.com. 

The next office closure will be December 17 through the December 29, 2009, for a family vacation.
I really appreciate your understanding and consideration during these times.    I am planning to maintain phone contact and have internet access to my office computer.  Please try to consider office closure dates when anticipating any medication refill needs. 

Second:  Spectracell Labs has added new lab tests.  I am really happy to see that they have added measuring Vitamin K2 levels to their nutrient analysis test, the FIA (Functional Intracellular Analysis).  This is a very important nutrient for bone health.  They continue to offer one of the best and most comprehensive cholesterol testing, the LPP (Lipoprotein Particle Panel).  If you are taking aspirin, and wonder if the amount you are taking is efficacious, they also have a test for that.  There newest test is Telomere length testing.  This is a measure of the length of the telomere portion of DNA strands which correlates with your true biological age.  The telomere is at the end of each chromosome and its function is to prevent “fraying” of the DNA strand when a cell replicates.  As the cell ages, the telomere shortens, and if it becomes too short, the cell stops replicating and eventually dies.  There are studies that have correlated shorter telomeres with more heart disease and more complications from diabetes.  There are therapies that can be directed to slow the loss of telomere length and thus may slow aging and age-related diseases.  Yearly measurements of telomere length provide a means of tracking the rate of aging compared with a normal population.   The Telomere Testing is not covered by insurance and costs $345.  It requires a blood draw. I was able to have a test performed and was pleased that my results indicated that my cells are biologically younger than 99% +of the population my age.  I am fortunate though not to have diabetes or heart disease.  You can read more about Telomere testing on Spectracell’s website:  www.spectracell.com . }

I should also mention that my first Spectracell FIA showed I was deficient in zinc and co-enzyme Q10.  I took the Biogenesis TriZinc and the Ultra Co-Q10 and when I repeated the FIA, my levels were among the highest in the range for these nutrients.  That certainly raises my confidence in the supplements I am carrying. 
Third:  We now have a limited supply of Flu Mist in stock.  FluMist is indicated to prevent influenza for ages 2 through 49.  This is a pleasant nasal spray with no needles.  It gives immunity days afterwards and lasts the entire season.  The regular flu shot can be given too early and then won’t last the entire flu season.  The recommended time for the routine influenza vaccine shot is in October.   We will have the shot form of the influenza vaccine starting October 2009.  You can call us now to reserve a dose of FluMist (again for ages 2 to 49) or the regular influenza vaccine. The Swine Flu Vaccine is not available yet, but is anticipated to be available later this year.  It will be a separate immunization from the routine influenza vaccine, whether in the Flu Mist form or the injectable form.  

Fourth:  I attended a course with the Functional Institute on Gastrointestinal Health and learned about many valuable assessment and treatment tools.  There was a lot of discussion about how to get patients off of proton pump inhibitors (PPIs) such as Prilosec (omeprazole) and Nexium.  Trying to go off cold turkey will lead to worsening symptoms due to the increase gastrin release which increases symptoms.   If you would like help getting off of PPIs, it is difficult, but it can be done with less discomfort.  We can help you in this effort. 

AS A REMINDER:  We offer a urine test for the 2:16 hydroxyestrone ratio, which helps indicate breast and uterine cancer risk, based on estrogen metabolism.  We also offer urine, blood and hair testing for environmental toxins.  It is sobering to consider that between 1920 and 1980 thousands of new chemicals were created that had never been seen before in a biological system (our world). 
As many of you already know, I carry in office and on my website excellent nutraceuticals offered by companies that deliver what's on the label, with greater likelihood of absorption and without potential toxic additives, at a reasonable cost.  These companies are listed on the Resource Links page linked from the home page of www.drlintegral.com.  I carry selected products from Biogenesis, Metagenics, Prothera, Emerson Ecologics, Vitamin Research Products, and Biotics.
Just a reminder, when you are going for a fasting blood test, be sure to drink lots of water prior to the blood draw.  The fast is for caloric foods and drinks and not for water.  Avoid caffeine because this can dehydrate also.  The blood draw will go much easier if you are well hydrated.
I encourage you to read Dr. Donald W. Miller’s article on Iodine for Health at lewrockwell.com/miller/miller20.html.
You can prepay for a phone consult and save yourself a trip into the office for such things as reviewing lab tests.  Insurance doesn’t cover phone consults, but you won’t have a co-pay or gas costs of an office visit.  You can prepay at the Established Patient's Only section on my home webpage.  If you wish to have a phone consult, but don’t have internet access, you can call our office directly to discuss scheduling.

We look forward to seeing you again and wish you and your families all of the best! 

Marcia A. Liberatore, MD
PS.  If you have an email and want to share it with us, we can add this to your chart.  We may eventually be able to send you notices on email instead of snail mail.
OFFICE HOURS:   Monday and Thursday 9 am to 5 pm; Tuesday 9 am to 4 pm; Friday 9 am to 12:30 pm. 
Planned time off:  September 18 through 27, 2009 (training with IFM), and
December 17 through December 29, 2009 (for family holiday)

Please plan your prescription refills with these dates in mind.  When making a prescription refill request it is best to request this through your pharmacy.  The pharmacy will then send us a request form with all the needed information.  This will reduce errors due to mispronunciation or transcribing, and then we will also have the pharmacy you are using.