Dr. J. Renae Norton, Alternative to Inpatient Treatment. I am an eating disorder specialist in the areas of bulimia, anorexia, bulimarexia, binge eating disorder, BED, emotional eating disorder and obesity.
The Quarantine 15, as many are calling it, or the weight gain from overeating associated with COVID-19, is not the only problem we are seeing when it comes to weighty matters. Calorie restriction and with it, weight loss, is also becoming more of a problem. Both may be triggered by the Scarcity Mindset that has been surging in our country for the past 7 months.
I don’t think there’s a better substitute for grain than hempseed florets. I like them as a morning cereal or as a substitute for rice at dinner. They are loaded with protein, 10 grams per 3 tablespoons. They also have 15 g of polyunsaturated fat, the good fat, and finally and best of all, they have effectively one carbohydrate.
I usually use the hempseed florets as a cold cereal in the morning. They’re perfect on a keto diet! I put berries on top, some cinnamon and heavy cream. If I’m not doing keto, I use coconut or almond milk. I like this warm as well as cold.
Another great way to use hemp seed florets is in place of rice. When I use it as a rice substitute, I heat it up in water or I sauté it with onions and celery. For the sauté, use a tablespoon of coconut oil and a half cup of diced celery and onion. Sauté celery and onion until translucent then add the hemp seed florets last. Season to taste. I use adobo seasoning on mine. Hempseed is the perfect complement to any meat or dish that you would normally serve with rice.
For more information on the health benefits of Hempseed florets be sure to check out the newsletter entitled Hemp as a Super Food.
Does someone you love suffer from an eating disorder?
Call 513-205-6543 to schedule an appointment or fill out our online contact form for someone to call you to discuss your concerns. We are located in Cincinnati, Ohio. Tele-therapy sessions available. Individual and family sessions also available.
Materials contained on this site are made available solely for educational purposes and as part of an effort to raise general awareness of the psychological treatments available to individuals with health issues. These materials are not intended to be, and are not a substitute for, direct professional medical or psychological care based on your individual condition and circumstances. Dr. J. Renae Norton does not diagnose or treat medical conditions. While this site may contain descriptions of pharmacological, psychiatric and psychological treatments, such descriptions and any related materials should not be used to diagnose or treat a mental health problem without consulting a qualified mental health care provider. You are advised to consult your medical health provider about your personal questions or concerns.
The problem is polluted food. The solution is to avoid the polluted food. But that isn’t enough. You must also get out into the sun and find foods rich in sulfur.
Let’s start with the clean eating.
Monsanto has changed the DNA of soybeans, corn, cotton, canola, and alfalfa by putting the insecticide DDT into it. Bugs bite into the plant and the DDT splits their abdomens open.It should go without saying then that DDT is not safe for human consumption. Unfortunately though, we unknowingly consume a lot of it in this country, through this type of DDT infused crop. You can be sure, that if you are eating a processed food, it goes without saying that it is probably from a genetically modified crop with some sort of DDT insecticide.
Although we do not immediately suffer the same fate as the bug, we apparently do pay a price as the number of gastrointestinal disorders has increased significantly over the past twenty years in the U.S. Once DDT gets into our gut, it appears to stay there for good.
Many of patients I treat for disordered eating are driven by a tendency to eat too much processed and/or polluted food in an effort to cut back on fat. This results in gastrointestinal problems that result, such as bloating, constipation, and weight gain.
According to the American Academy of Environmental Medicine regarding GE foods “…. it is clear that genetically engineered foods can pose serious risks to humans, domesticated animals, wildlife and the environment.” Although the role this problem plays in the field of eating disorders such as Anorexia, Bulimia and Binge Eating is not even on the radar of researchers, the impact that GE is having on the obesity epidemic is beginning to gain some traction.
Impact of GE Grains on Obesity and Other Eating Related Illnesses
Researcher and professor, Åshild Krogdahl, and her colleagues at the Norwegian Veterinary College, conducted a 10-year study to determine if eating genetically modified grain had any adverse effects on animals including rats, mice, fish and pigs. The work was a multi-national collaboration with researchers from Austria, Hungary, Ireland, Turkey and Australia. The results confirm the obvious:
According to the findings, feeding rats, mice, pigs and salmon genetically engineered feed causes obesity, along with significant changes in the digestive system and major organs, including the liver, kidneys, pancreas, genitals and more.
Animals fed genetically engineered Bt corn were less able to digest proteins due to alterations in the micro-structure of their intestines. This fact that “they were less able to digest proteins” has huge implications in that the biochemistry of amino acids is necessary for all life processes. It not only explains the rise in obesity, but may explain increases in many modern diseases that are currently on the rise and/or reaching epidemic proportions in the U.S. including diabetes, digestive disorders, inflammatory bowel disease, colitis, autism spectrum disorders, autoimmune diseases, sexual dysfunction, sterility, asthma, and many more.
Perhaps the most important finding, from the perspective of what is and isn’t safe to eat, is the finding that the animals that ate fish that had been raised on GE grains also became obese and suffered the same gastrointestinal disturbances and immune disorders as those that were fed the grains directly.
Finally, the project did not just focus on weight gain but looked at the effects on organ changes too. Researchers found distinct changes to the intestines of animals fed GMOs compared to those fed non-GMOs. This confirms observations by other U.S. researchers. Significant changes occurred in the digestive systems of the test animals’ major organs including the liver, kidneys, pancreas, genitals and more.
The animals in this study were fed a diet of GE corn and soy, which contained toxic proteins from the bacteria Bt or Bacillus thuriengensis. As mentioned previously, Bt is an insecticide that works by killing larval insect pests which damage corn, soy, cotton, canola and other crops. By inserting and gene-stacking various Bt toxins, along with herbicide resistant gene sequences, the plants DNA is altered or genetically engineered for the specific purpose of killing the offending pests.
In essence, “The entire plant is made into a pesticide factory which is also resistant to herbicides….. Roundup, is such a product and is produced by Monsanto…….It is the most popular herbicide used on herbicide tolerant crops.”[1]
In view of what we do know from these animal studies, there is a shocking lack of data on the effects of GE food on humans. There are very few studies to begin with, and as the American Academy of Environmental Medicine states, “Not a single human clinical trial on GEs has been published.” A 2007 review of all published scientific literature on the “potential toxic effects/health risks of GE plants” revealed “that experimental data are very scarce” in general. The author of the review concludes his paper by asking, “Where is the scientific evidence showing that GE plants/food are toxicologically safe, as ‘purported’ by the biotechnology companies?” Famed Canadian geneticist David Suzuki answers, “The experiments simply haven’t been done and we now have become the guinea pigs.”
Another researcher, Dr. David Schubert[2] agrees, “If there are problems, we will probably never know because the cause will not be traceable as many diseases take a very long time to develop.” He postulates further, “If GE foods caused immediate and acute symptoms, with a ‘unique signature’ perhaps then we might have a chance to trace the cause.”
However, that is what happened during a US epidemic in the late 1980s with a genetically engineered brand of a food supplement, L-tryptophan. The disease was fast acting, deadly, and caused a unique and measurable change in the blood. It still took more than four years to identify that an epidemic was occurring and what the source was. By then it had killed about 100 Americans and caused 5,000-10,000 people to fall sick or become permanently disabled.
No Data Is Data
As discussed earlier, there is almost no research being done for the express purpose of scientifically establishing the links between GE foods and the dramatic increase in the specific health problems that US citizens are experiencing in comparison to citizens in other countries where GE crops are regulated or prohibited. But what we do have to go on is the unprecedented downturn in the health of one of the wealthiest developed nations in the world and what we can predict for the future based upon studies on the effects of GE on animals. If, as the biotech and food industries would have us believe, GE is safe, why are there no studies showing this?
The Link Lack of Sun Exposure and Obesity
Our skin produces huge amounts of cholesterol sulfate, which is also water soluble and provides a healthy barrier against bacteria and other potentially disease-causing pathogens that might otherwise enter the body through the skin. Cholesterol sulfate can enter both fat cells and muscle cells with equal ease. Dr. Stephanie Seneff proposes that, because of this, cholesterol sulfate may be able to protect fat and muscle cells from glucose and oxygen damage, which is known as glycation or more commonly inflammation.
She also argues that when you’re deficient in cholesterol sulfate, your muscle and fat cells become more prone to damage, which subsequently can lead to glucose intolerance; a condition where your muscles cannot process glucose as a fuel. As a result, your fat cells have to store more fat in order to supply your muscles. The more damage, the more fat that accumulates.
Sulfur also plays an important role in glucose metabolism. She hypothesizes that if sufficient amounts of sulfur is available, it will act as a decoy to glucose, effectively diverting it to reduce the sulfur rather than glycating and causing damage. This would have the beneficial effect of reducing inflammation, as sugar (glucose) is highly inflammatory and wreaks havoc in your body.
What to Do
Dietary Sources of Sulfur
Sulfur is derived almost exclusively from dietary protein, so eat fresh caught fish and organic grass-fed beef, and poultry
Meat and fish are considered “complete” as they contain all the sulfur-containing amino acids you need to produce new protein. Needless to say, those who abstain from animal protein are placing themselves at far greater risk of sulfur deficiency.
Coconut oil and olive oil also contain sulfur (and are ideal sources of healthful saturated fats too).
Other dietary sources that contain small amounts of sulfur IF the food was grown in soil that contains adequate amounts of sulfur, include:
Another reason that we gain weight is that any diet high in grains and processed foods is likely to be deficient in sulfur. It turns out that once whole foods are processed, sulfur is lost.
Eating organic helps to insure that the soil is richer. Additionally, soils around the world are becoming increasingly sulfur-depleted, resulting in less sulfur-rich foods overall.
Drink water, such as Fiji water, that has minerals still in it. Soft water is easier to use for cleaning, but Hard water also tends to contain more sulfur than soft water, which, according to Dr. Seneff, may be why people who drink soft water are at greater risk of developing heart disease.
In addition to making sure you’re getting high amounts of sulfur-rich foods in your diet, Dr. Seneff recommends soaking your body in magnesium sulfate (Epsom salt) baths to compensate and counteract sulfur deficiency. She uses about ¼ cup in a tub of water, twice a week. It’s particularly useful if you have joint problems or arthritis.
[1]The Cornucopia Institute Obesity, Corn, GMOs July 24th, 2012 Brattleboro.com Anthony Samsel.
On this week’s episode I spoke about New Year’s Resolutions!
It is a new year, which means a new beginning. We all make new years resolutions and most of us keep them for maybe a month or two. And then Feburary and March come around and we find ourselves going back to our old habits. Change is hard, but with the right tools and the right support stystem, change is possible. Listen in as I talk about New Years Resolutions and how it is possible to keep them. For I have hope in all of you and I want to help you make 2015 your year.
1:36-Traditions of New Years Eve in Other Cultures
3:52-The First People To Start Resolutions
8:20-Post-It Hope Jar
10:10-Early Roman Calendar
10:43-Modern Calendar
12:25-How Do You Keep New Year’s Resolutions?
13:48-Most Common New Year’s Resolutions
15:24-Baby Steps/Set Realistic Goals
18:09-Change One Behavior At A Time
19:14-Talk About Your Goals
20:12-Don’t Beat Yourself Up
23:25-Ask For Support
25:55-Next Week’s Topic: Healthy Snack Recipes
Dr. J. Renae Norton is a clinical psychologist, specializing in the outpatient treatment of obesity and eating disorders such as anorexia, bulimia, bulimarexia, and binge eating disorder (BED) and the Director of The Norton Center for Eating Disorders and Obesity in Cincinnati, Ohio. She is the Director of The Norton Center for Eating Disorders and Obesity in Cincinnati, Ohio.
Medical Advice Disclaimer: The information included on this site is for educational purposes only. It is not intended nor implied to be a substitute for professional medical advice. The reader should always consult his or her healthcare provider to determine the appropriateness of the information for their own situation or if they have any questions regarding a medical condition or treatment plan. Reading the information on this website does not create a physician-patient relationship. This information is not necessarily the position of Dr. J. Renae Norton or The Norton Center for Eating Disorders and Obesity.
“As an Eating Disorder Professional, I know that many of my clients that are in treatment for Anorexia, Bulimia, Bulimarexia, Binge Eating Disorder or Obesity are overwhelmed by all the information in the news about our health. In hopes of relieving some of the stress this can inflict on both my patients and readers, I’ve highlighted some of the weekly health news that was of particular interest to all of us at The Norton Center for Eating Disorders and Obesity. From my eating disorder and obesity treatment center in Cincinnati, here is your weekly news update for the week of December 29th-January 4th!”
NEWS: Understanding Anorexia Nervosa
Anorexia nervosa is an eating disorder where people become concerned about their weight. They try to prevent weight gain and may starve themselves to achieve this. Anorexia nervosa is not about weight, but mostly an unhealthy way to cope with emotional problems. Thinness to them equates to self-worth.LEARN MORE
NEWS: 3 Reasons Diet Food is Making You Fat
There is no shortage of food products geared towards the weight loss market. After all, 50 million Americans will start (or restart) a weight loss diet next week. Catering to this large demographic has become a key strategy for many food companies. There’s only one problem with these foods. They don’t work. LEARN MORE
NEWS: About Those Vegetables in Kids’ Snacks
Every parent’s dream is a kid who eats her veggies. For various reasons (avalanche of ads for less healthy foods, poor adult role models, nothing fresh available when needed, etc.), the real thing is often a tough sell. Wouldn’t it be great to sneak veggies into a snack? LEARN MORE
NEWS: Mushrooms and onions contain immune-enhancing polysaccharides and phytonutrients
Plants have had to evolve through various environmental stressors and have developed very sophisticated systems to protect them from predators and the elements. These complex systems offer humans unique survival advantages through reducing oxidative stress and improving immune system coordination. Mushrooms and onions are packed full of immune-enhancing polysaccharides and phytonutrients. LEARN MORE
NEWS: Understanding eating disorders and how they are treated
In the early part of the 20th century, Wallis Simpson, Duchess of Windsor, proclaimed: “A woman can’t be too rich or too thin.” Cut to 2014, and that philosophy is alive and well and perpetuated in society—fueled in part by the media’s emphasis on youth and beauty. But in reality, too thin can be life threatening. LEARN MORE
Were there any news articles that you saw this week that really grabbed your attention? Leave a comment with a link. If the article helped you, it will likely help some of my other readers!
Dr. J. Renae Norton is a clinical psychologist, specializing in the outpatient treatment of obesity and eating disorders such as anorexia, bulimia, bulimarexia, and binge eating disorder (BED) and the Director of The Norton Center for Eating Disorders and Obesity in Cincinnati, Ohio. She is the Director of The Norton Center for Eating Disorders and Obesity in Cincinnati, Ohio.
Last night we welcomed Ed Forteau to the show! Ed had struggles with his weight, so he went on a mission to research and find out why people gain and lose weight, and how our lifestyle can improve our health without the use of drugs, fad diets, or extreme exercise programs. He is the founder of the Walk Fit Challenge! If you missed it last night, you can tune in HERE!
What We Covered:
1:28-Magi and Mongo book Series
2:08-Ed Forteau Bio
6:55-The 5 Things You Must Do To Get Results From Walking
10:72-How To Intensify Your Walk?
14:15-Heart Rate Zones
17:30-If Running is Fattening, Why Do Runners Look So Skinny?
18:43-Ideal Workout Is Sprinting
19:00-Can’t Sprint? What’s The Next Best Thing?
21:28-How To Add Variety To Your Walk
23:05-The Importance of Monitoring What You’re Doing
31:19-Is High Intensity/Shorter Distance Running Just As Beneficial As Distance Running?
33:50-Limit Jogging/Running To 15-20 Minutes
34:50-Intervals
37:09-Has Ed Experienced An Improvement in His Cardiac Function?
42:36-Importance of Nutrition
45:10-You Can Eat Significantly More Food If You Eat ‘Clean’
48:28-Metabolic Type
54:15-Importance of Staying Consistent
55:49-Recap of 5 Steps To Getting Results From Walking
Interested in learning more about the exercise you learned about during this podcast? Read this article to learn about High Intensity Interval Training (H.I.I.T) and why it’s one of the best forms of exercise for your body!
Dr. J. Renae Norton is a clinical psychologist, specializing in the outpatient treatment of obesity and eating disorders such as anorexia, bulimia, bulimarexia, and binge eating disorder (BED) and the Director of The Norton Center for Eating Disorders and Obesity in Cincinnati, Ohio. She is the Director of The Norton Center for Eating Disorders and Obesity in Cincinnati, Ohio.
Medical Advice Disclaimer: The information included on this site is for educational purposes only. It is not intended nor implied to be a substitute for professional medical advice. The reader should always consult his or her healthcare provider to determine the appropriateness of the information for their own situation or if they have any questions regarding a medical condition or treatment plan. Reading the information on this website does not create a physician-patient relationship. This information is not necessarily the position of Dr. J. Renae Norton or The Norton Center for Eating Disorders and Obesity.
“As an Eating Disorder Professional, I know that many of my clients that are in treatment for Anorexia, Bulimia, Bulimarexia, Binge Eating Disorder or Obesity are overwhelmed by all the information in the news about our health. In hopes of relieving some of the stress this can inflict on both my patients and readers, I’ve highlighted some of the weekly health news that was of particular interest to all of us at The Norton Center for Eating Disorders and Obesity. From my eating disorder and obesity treatment center in Cincinnati, here is your weekly news update for the week of January 23-30 2013!”
Were there any news articles that you saw this week that really grabbed your attention? Leave a comment with a link. If the article helped you, it will likely help some of my other readers!
Medical Advice Disclaimer: The information included on this site is for educational purposes only. It is not intended nor implied to be a substitute for professional medical advice. The reader should always consult his or her healthcare provider to determine the appropriateness of the information for their own situation or if they have any questions regarding a medical condition or treatment plan. Reading the information on this website does not create a physician-patient relationship.
“As an Eating Disorder Professional, I know that many of my clients that are in treatment for Anorexia, Bulimia, Bulimarexia, Binge Eating Disorder or Obesity are overwhelmed by all the information in the news about our health. In hopes of relieving some of the stress this can inflict on both my patients and readers, I’ve highlighted some of the weekly health news that was of particular interest to all of us at The Norton Center for Eating Disorders and Obesity. From my eating disorder and obesity treatment center in Cincinnati, here is your weekly news update for the week of January 16-23 2013!”
Were there any news articles that you saw this week that really grabbed your attention? Leave a comment with a link. If the article helped you, it will likely help some of my other readers!
Medical Advice Disclaimer: The information included on this site is for educational purposes only. It is not intended nor implied to be a substitute for professional medical advice. The reader should always consult his or her healthcare provider to determine the appropriateness of the information for their own situation or if they have any questions regarding a medical condition or treatment plan. Reading the information on this website does not create a physician-patient relationship.
“As an Eating Disorder Professional, I know that many of my clients that are in treatment for Anorexia, Bulimia, Bulimarexia, Binge Eating Disorder or Obesity are overwhelmed by all the information in the news about our health. In hopes of relieving some of the stress this can inflict on both my patients and readers, I’ve highlighted some of the weekly health news that was of particular interest to all of us at The Norton Center for Eating Disorders and Obesity. From my eating disorder and obesity treatment center in Cincinnati, here is your weekly news update for the week of July 8-15 2012!”
Were there any news articles that you saw this week that really grabbed your attention? Leave a comment with a link. If the article helped you, it will likely help some of my other readers!
Medical Advice Disclaimer: The information included on this site is for educational purposes only. It is not intended nor implied to be a substitute for professional medical advice. The reader should always consult his or her healthcare provider to determine the appropriateness of the information for their own situation or if they have any questions regarding a medical condition or treatment plan. Reading the information on this website does not create a physician-patient relationship.
When we think of managing our weight, the areas of our lifestyle we look at are usually diet and exercise. Right? What if there was something lurking in your shower that was the culprit for some of these excess pounds? Obesogens; agents that when absorbed, contribute to obesity. Our world is full of them. They lurk in everything from the foods we eat to the receipt for things we purchase.
According to Leah Zerbe of Rodale, obesogens are “chemicals and compounds in our environment that disrupt hormones, making it hard to maintain a healthy weight”. Obesogens mimic estrogen, causing the body to send a signal to convert stem cells to fat cells. In addition to affecting our endocrine (hormone) system, research shows that obesogens may also cause cancer, birth defects, infertility, insuline resistance, ADHD, autism, and high cholesterol. The main sources of obesogens are pesticides, BPA, personal-care products, vinyl, non-stick products, PCBs, soy and nicotine.
Pesticides, which are designed to disrupt the hormone systems of pests, also affect the hormone systems of humans. Some genetically modified organisms (GMOs) are even designed to create their own pesticides.
So, what is the solution to this seemingly impossible situation? There are several easy things we can do to reduce the amount of obesogens we are exposed to. There are also some more difficult things that will require more of a lifestyle change.
We can purchase organic foods and avoid GMOs.
Eliminating processed foods is also important, because they often contain soy and corn. Soy and corn are two of the most commonly modified crops in the US.
In situations where organic produce is not accessible, a wash and rinse with a water and vinegar spray will remove many pesticides.
To avoid BPA, choose fresh, jarred or frozen foods instead of canned. Cans are often lined with BPA to avoid a chemical reaction between the contained food and metal of the can. Some companies do not line their cans with BPA, but the chemical the do line the cans with has not been in use long enough to be deemed “safe”.
Also, try to avoid getting receipts, whenever possible. Receipts are printed with thermal printers, and BPA is used during this printing process.
Avoid using plastics. Use metal water bottles instead of plastic, use glass or stainless steel food storage containers.
If you really want to get serious:
Vinyl contains obesogens called “phthalates”. Many shower curtain liners are made of vinyl. We can used hemp shower curtain liners as an alternative. Hemp is naturally anti-microbial, and has a much longer lifespan than vinyl.
Non-stick coating is found on many products, including cookware, microwave popcorn bags, fast food packaging and non-stick cooking sprays. We can avoid being exposed to this obesogen by using stainless steel or US-made cast iron cookware, popping popcorn in coconut oil on the stovetop, and using healthy oils (such as coconut or olive oil) to cook our foods.
Personal care products and household cleaners contain many obesogens, including phthalates, petrochemicals (petroleum products), and parabens. The ingredients “fragrance”, “parfum” and “perfume” are 95% petrochemicals. By eliminating products that contain “fragrance”, we can eliminate up to 700 petrochemicals from our lives. When shopping for personal care products and household cleaners, avoid any products containing ingredients ending in “eth”, such as “sodium laurETH sulfate”.
Anything ending in “eth” was produced using petrochemicals. Also, avoid any ingredients containing the words “methyl”, “propyl”, “butyl”, “ethyl”, “mineral oil” or “paraffin”, these are all parabens. Some products use a “natural” preservative called “grapefruit seed extract” but petrochemicals are used to derive this extract from the seed.
According to “green beauty expert”, Paige Padgett, good quality safe personal care products are available. Some companies that make these products include: Jane Iredale, Eco Nvey, Primitive, Suki, David Babaii, and Prima Vera. Seventh Generation makes safe household cleaners. Visit www.paigepadgett.com and www.rodale.com for additional suggestions for safe personal care products and household cleaners. Rodale also offers tutorials on creating your own household cleaning products.
Sources Paige Padgett – Green Beauty Expert (//paigepadgett.com/) Croxton, S. (2011, July 21). The Organic Manifesto. Underground Wellness Podcast. Podcast retrieved from www.undergroundwellness.com Michaels, J. (2011, April 8). Fat is not the enemy and green beauty. Jillian Michaels Radio Show. Podcast retrieved from www.jillianmichaelsradioshow.com
Medical Advice Disclaimer: The information included on this site is for educational purposes only. It is not intended nor implied to be a substitute for professional medical advice. The reader should always consult his or her healthcare provider to determine the appropriateness of the information for their own situation or if they have any questions regarding a medical condition or treatment plan. Reading the information on this website does not create a physician-patient relationship.
Dieting without exercise fails 95 percent of the time, yet the U.S. weight loss industry is a 130 billion dollar per year industry. So a lot of people are using weight loss products. How can a group of products fail so spectacularly but sell so well? Perhaps one reason is the Consumer Trade Commission (CTC) does not regulate the false claims that advertisers of weight loss products make.
According to the CTC, there are at least one false claim in 74 percent of the ads in tabloid publications. The report went on to say that many of the ads that were identified as making false claims also appeared in mainstream media publications such as Family Circle, Cosmopolitan, Women’s Day, McCalls’s, and Redbook.
The danger of false claims is that they give the mistaken impression that weight loss is easy, which adds to the frustration and hopelessness of overweight individuals, causing many of them to give up and/or go to the extremes that lead to other disorders. The CTC says that it does not regulate this industry because there are too many ads to regulate. Seriously?
>>Like me on Facebook >> Twitter @drrenae >> Contact Dr Norton by phone 513-205-6543 >> Read About Dr Norton
Medical Advice Disclaimer: The information included on this site is for educational purposes only. It is not intended nor implied to be a substitute for professional medical advice. The reader should always consult his or her healthcare provider to determine the appropriateness of the information for their own situation or if they have any questions regarding a medical condition or treatment plan. Reading the information on this website does not create a physician-patient relationship.