EcoHealth and Wellness Inc.

A Centre for Holistic Healing | Jozef Krop MD (retired), CNP

Category: Informative (page 1 of 3)

Fatigue: Why am I So Tired?

Natalie Rose works in the education field and has been a client for over 15 years.  Here she gives us a peek into the results of her journey to better health with us on an issue that many people struggle with: Fatigue

I have struggled with fatigue for most of my life. Numerous doctor visits occasionally gave a diagnosis of low iron or low Vitamin B12, but improving these still left me tired most of the time. I I couldn’t find answers despite seeing my doctor over and over again. It was incredibly frustrating and discouraging. I finally discovered with Dr. Krop and Eco-Health and Wellness that there are sometimes reasons beyond the obvious. Here are my surprising discoveries to the causes of my fatigue.

8 Glasses of Water a Day?! And Protein Every 2 Hours?!

I’m notorious for getting involved in an activity and letting time fly by. I forget to eat, I forget to drink. Hours go by. I don’t get hungry or thirsty but then I suddenly wilt.

Yes, you can get tired if you are dehydrated! And if your blood sugar is low from not eating often enough! This seems like common sense but apparently some people, like me, needed to be hit in the head with this information.

So yes, drink 8 glasses of water per day and eat something every 2 hours. But, as Dr. Krop told me, you need to watch what you eat. Protein at every meal and at every snack. No high glycemic foods like cane sugar, white rice, white flour etc. Did this help my fatigue? Yes and I was flying with all the extra energy and mental clarity I had!

But I Like How My Clothes Smell!

I used to use conventional products for everything. By conventional, I mean scented. Full of chemicals. But then I suddenly developed severe asthma in my adult years, and I couldn’t gain control over it. I was sick all the time. And tired all the time.

I figured out perfume was a really bad trigger for my asthma attacks. So I stayed away from it. But I still used all my other regular products. It was Dr. Krop who told me to go fragrance free with everything. And I did. I didn’t think my detergent, fabric softener, shampoo, conditioner, body wash, cream, hair spray, gel and deodorant were doing anything to me. It was perfume that set off my asthma, not that other stuff. But I was always sick with asthma attacks and I was always tired and I always felt lousy. By always, I mean always. Daily. So I decided what the heck. I’d go fragrance free to see if it would help. Guess what? It did. Less asthma attacks and way more energy.

The same chemicals that are in perfume are in other scented products (like your deodorant, fabric softener, detergent, shampoo, etc). There may be less of them, but they are still there. Unless you’re away from all fragrances for a while, you can’t really tell what they are doing to you. And guess what? Some of them make me tired. So tired I want to lie down and take a nap on the spot.

Food Made Me Feel Lousy

Dr. Krop had me screened for over 100 foods. I found out I have a whole bunch of food intolerances. I hate having food intolerances. Some of my favourite foods are on that list…like gluten, sugar, dairy, chocolate and alcohol. Ugh. How do you live without chocolate?!! But honestly, when you have a serious, chronic health condition, you need to give your body the best fighting chance to recover. And frankly, you don’t know what these food intolerances are doing to you and what strain they’re putting on your body. Well, that was the argument that convinced me to go cold turkey off everything on my list. For several years.

Guess what? Many of those things weren’t benign. I discovered some of those foods really did make me feel lousy. Like gluten. And sugar. And alcohol.

They all made me feel incredibly tired, so when I cut them from my diet, my energy returned.

But I Really Like Sugar!

I have a sugar addiction. Chocolate, cookies, cake, cupcakes, cinnamon buns. You name it, I crave it! In my quest for better health, I discovered I was not only intolerant to sugar and gluten (insert loud groan here), but that I had an issue with candida (an intestinal fungal overgrowth) (insert second loud groan here). All those years of antibiotics as a child did a number on me. So now I had to go on an anti-candida diet (insert third loud groan here). That meant not only avoiding my numerous food intolerances but it meant avoiding anything that would feed this candida overgrowth in my body. So bye bye sugar,alcohol, vinegar, yeast and foods such as mushrooms, strawberries, etc. Can I say brutal?!!! Yes, it was. But I was determined to give my body the best fighting chance to get healthy and frankly, I knew I had a problem in this area. My gut was really out of balance. But that’s a whole other story. We are now learning more and more about the relationship with gut health and our overall health. So if my gut health was contributing to some of my health issues or was preventing me from getting healthier, I was going to fix it.

I went cold turkey. The first few days were brutal.  Huge cravings. Crazy exhaustion. Lots of willpower to not throw in the towel. But then my energy increased with a vengeance! I had vitality like never before.

And if I cheated, even slightly, guess what? I felt like hell the next day. Exhaustion beyond exhaustion. Like being hit with a bad flu or a big Mac truck. That’s what sugar does to me. Is it worth it? Nope.

Allergies Can Do This?!!

My environmental allergies went absolutely crazy over a decade ago. I seemingly became allergic to almost everything under the sun…dust, mould, grass, trees, ragweed, cats, dogs, you name it. A dust bunny or a bit of mould on a piece of fruit would send me into an immediate asthma attack. Eek. I was on six medications every day for my asthma and allergies and they were not working!

Fast forward to the present and I am pleased to say all my hard work with Dr. Krop…yes I followed his protocol diligently…has reduced my allergy and asthma symptoms to the point where I’ve been off all my medications for years now. Yes, I still need to take an antihistimine or a puffer a couple times a year, but that’s a far cry from taking 6 medications each day and not having that be enough!

I have environmental allergies (dust, mould, grass, ragweed etc.) that have greatly improved since starting my health journey with Dr. Krop. No more daily asthma attacks, no more constant colds and sinus infections, no more daily unbearable congestion. Yay! It took years of hard work, but it paid off. Thanks Dr. Krop!

Although my allergies are night and day what they were over a decade go, I still do get the occasional light sinus congestion. Especially when moulds are high or it’s ragweed season. Last fall, I felt really under the weather. Tired, groggy, brain fog. I couldn’t figure out what was happening. Surprise! It was my allergies. The congestion was so slight, I didn’t even notice it. One antihistamine and …voila! No more fatigue!  Who knew congestion could make you tired?!!

Watch the Hot Yoga

A few years ago, when I got my health under control and was feeling a lot better, I got a great deal on a one month unlimited membership to a hot yoga studio. Unlimited!! Well, I wanted make use of that deal and go as many times as possible. So I ended up going 4-5 times a week. It was great! I felt so relaxed and nimble! But then, two weeks in, I suddenly started feeling like crap. Exhausted. Like a truck ran over me. And nothing would make it go away.

After struggling with this fatigue for a couple of weeks, I went to see Dr. Krop. During his assessment of me, I bragged to him that I had started hot yoga. “How often are you going?”, he asked. “4-5 times a week,” I proudly said. “Well, that’s it! You have depleted your minerals!!!”

I started taking a mineral supplement and…yes, that was it! I was back to feeling good.

These are all pieces of the puzzle of what has created fatigue for me. I’d guess some of these are common for many people. It can be overwhelming, but the fundamental changes I made had a huge impact on my baseline health and they allowed me to function at a higher level with more energy. That’s a gift. It took a lot of effort – but it was so worth it.

Symptoms and their Causes

Many causes for common health complaints

What really causes what symptoms? Gut issues, heart palpitations, adrenal insufficiency, stress, headaches, insomnia, pain, fatigue – these are really common health issues.

There is usually never just one problem causing our health complaints. It’s usually myriad of root causes creating a matrix of symptoms.

Zoom in on the picture above – and it’ll show you some of the possible causes for common health complaints.

If you consider your symptom and then try to trace it back to one of the exposures listed, you may be able to figure out where some of your health issues might be originating.

Pollens & Molds: Not Just Hay Fever

A runny nose isn’t the only symptom of seasonal sensitivities

Most people know that tree, flower and grass pollens can cause hay fever and asthma, but some people manifest their sensitivity differently. Pollens and molds can cause inflammation in the body – and depending on where this inflammation is – be it the muscles, joints, or brain – the results will be different.

Unusual Symptoms

With exposure to pollen, a person can experience various symptoms like mood disruption, dizziness, headaches, joint and muscle pains – without ever having so much as a sneeze. In children, pollen sensitivity can manifest as personality changes or an inability to learn. Ragweed can create feelings of depression and serious physical inflammation that manifests as pain.

Sensitivity to molds can manifest as the usual allergy symptoms, but also mood disorders or general feelings of malaise.  Snowball mold (that grows as snow melts at the end of March) is a problem for people with who have these sensitivities. Many people look forward to spring to get back to gardening. But raking those damp leaves can also expose you to outdoor molds.  If you are sensitive, it takes the fun out of gardening.

Are you noticing symptoms when it’s damp outside after a spring rain? It’s probably mold. Do you start to feel malise at the end of February – it could be tree terpines. Do you feel neck spasms when the trees bloom? It’s probably a pollen sensitivity. 

How to Help Yourself

Did you know that your allergies can be made worse when other allergens are present? It’s true. When an allergen is present, such as pollen – a food that normally might not cause a reaction does. These are called concomitant food allergies. The immune system overacts to the substance entering the body, and histamines are released and trigger allergic symptoms. Avoid concomitant foods to reduce allergy symptoms:

If you are sensitive to cedar and juniper trees avoid beef, yeast and mold like mushrooms and cheese.

If Elm pollen is a bother, avoid milk and mint,

Oak pollen is concomitant with eggs, apples and chestnut.

The foods to avoid if you have grass allergies are beans, peas, soy, wheat, corn, rye, barley,, oats, rice, millet, apple, carrot and celery.

When ragweed allergies begin to bother you, avoid, egg, milk, mint, lettuce, melons and banana.

And if dust allergies are bothersome, skip the shellfish and seafood.

Some Vitamin C supplement combinations can be helpful for seasonal allergies – if they contain quercetin, and bioflavonoids.  In addition, there are some foods that can be important in the management of seasonal allergies. Always be sure to check that you can tolerate these foods if you are going to eat them and cross check for your concomitant allergies.

  • Apples, berries, red grapes, red onion and black tea are high in bioflavonoids which can reduce allergic reactions by having an antihistamine effect.
  • Another natural antihistamine, Vitamin C, is found in citrus fruits, bell peppers, strawberries, broccoli, tomatoes and leafy green vegetables.
  • Other foods that reduce inflammation and can aid in reducing the allergic response are carotenoids, found naturally in red, yellow and dark green fruits and vegetables.
  • Omega-3 fats reduce inflammation of the air passages
  • Spicy foods, such as cayenne pepper and ginger, can thin mucus secretions and clear nasal passages.
  • Increase your fibre to support a healthy, active colon which supports a healthy immune system.

Getting the Best Results from any Treatment Program: 3 Keys

Results you have control over

There are many wonderful healing methodologies available for your health concerns. But no matter which one you decide to pursue, there are fundamental building blocks to good health that need to be present. Without them good health is an impossible goal. With them almost any health challenge can be helped. They are the foundation on which any other protocol must rest to restore health and wellbeing.

Now these tips are pretty basic – but you would be surprised how many people go to all sorts of extreme lengths for various treatments, spending loads of money on the latest and greatest supplements, and lose themselves in the pages of Dr. Google, but neglect these basic principles. These tips are 100% within your control – they don’t require anyone to do anything to you or prescribe anything for you. Knowledge is power, and consistent, empowered action will heal you.

  1. Be aware of your food sensitivities

Our body uses food for fuel – it is the foundation of good health – without putting the right fuel in our body – nothing else is bound to be effective. Food sensitivities can cause different reactions from severe to mild. They can impact energy levels, pain, mood, and inflammation.

  • Be aware of your food sensitivities – even the seemingly mild ones
  • Follow the 4-Day Elimination/Rotation Diet
  • Eliminate junk foods, fast food, drinks & processed foods
  • Limit caffeine (if you need coffee have it 1.5 h after a meal)
  • Limit or eliminate alcoholic beverages
  • Limit Candida-promoting foods (sugar, yeast, white flour, vinegar)
  • Avoid GMO foods
  • Eat Organic Foods (when able)
  • Eat naturally fermented foods regularly as a natural probiotic
  • Filter drinking water.

2. Eliminate Household Toxins

Scented products, cleaners & toiletries are a concoction of chemicals that are neurological toxins, carcinogens and hormone disruptors. Eliminate them completely from your life.

These get absorbed directly through your skin, get stored in fat cells and others are inhaled and go directly to the brain and respiratory system from where they wreak havoc on your health.

Indoor mold growth is a major health hazard.  Mold mycotoxins are toxic to our nervous system. Most mycotoxins are also cytotoxic meaning they disrupt cellular structures and processes. A plethora of health issues result from toxic mold exposure.  Simply cleaning the mold with bleach is not enough as this only cleans away the surface mold, not what may be growing under the floors or behind the walls. Mold killers alone aren’t the answer. Even dead mold is still toxic. Professional bioremediation is the beginning of a medical detox program.

  • Eliminate scented air freshener (car or home)
  • Eliminate scented deodorant
  • Eliminate Scented lotions/creams
  • Eliminate Scented soaps, body wash
  • Eliminate scented shampoo, hair products
  • Eliminate perfume, cologne,
  • Eliminate scented laundry detergent
  • Eliminate scented fabric softener
  • Eliminate scented cleaning products
  • Eliminate cosmetics with toxins
  • Wash and air-out newly purchased items before use
  • Eliminate use of Raid, mothballs and any pescticide, herbicides or fungicides
  • Never heat food in plastic containers – use glass
  • Use air filter for bathing, washing and cooking.  If you don’t filter your water your body becomes the water filter.
  • Remediate indoor mold problems

3. Reduce electromagnetic exposure

The most vulnerable organs that can be affected are the brain, heart, testicles, and ovaries.  Evidence now supports that cell phones may cause brain tumors, cancer of the eye, salivary glands,  testicles, non-Hodgkin’s lymphoma, leukemia and Alzheimer’s. Other effects of EMR are insomnia, tinnitus, headaches, tremors, cataracts, dizziness, ‘spacey’ feeling, nausea, irregular rapid heartbeat, feelings of irritation and anxiety. The most vulnerable to electromagnetic radiation stress are babies, children, pregnant women and the elderly.

  • Don’t sleep with a cellphone near your body.
  • Use Ethernet, not wireless
  • Do not keep your cell phone on your body or to your ear.
  • Do not put computers or ipads on your lap
  • Eliminate electronics (TV, phone, computer, plugged in items) from the bedroom
  • Don’t use cordless phones as they are powerful transmitters of EMF
  • Do take regular breaks when working on your computer
  • Don’t use an electric blanket/bed
  • Keep computers a minimum 30cm away from your chest at a desk
  • Turn modem off at night

Our body and our home is the terrain in which health or illness lives. By removing these common, but easy to avoid blockages to health,  and creating habits that enhance health, we are creating an inner and outer environment where health & wellbeing, not illness, can thrive.

My Teeth Wreaked Havoc with my Health

Dental health is whole-body health

When I immigrated to Canada from Poland in 1972 at age 27 I had 17 white fillings.  The dentist at the university dental school in Toronto who examined me told me white fillings were inferior and replaced all 17 fillings with ‘state of the art’ mercury amalgam. Within about a half a year I started to feel sick.  I developed headaches. I wasn’t clear in my mind and felt foggy. Several months later, I experienced symptoms of nervousness, irritability, outbursts for no specific reason, poor concentration, tiredness, weakness, shaking, and trembling inside, ringing in the ears, dizziness. My allergy symptoms increased; Chemicals started to bother me also.  I could not figure out what was happening and had tears of frustration.

As I continued my alternative medical training I began to learn about how toxic mercury is. I decided to have my amalgams removed. Unfortunately the dentist had no training in how to do this safely and as I was not a dentist, I did not know what the proper procedure was. He told me some of the teeth were damaged and would need root canals. I accepted his explanation and ended up with white fillings but also 11 root canals.

Later, I changed to an IAOMT dentist. He discovered that the mercury vapor readings in my mouth were off the charts. Could something have happened as a result of my last dental operation? I called the dentist who had performed my root canals and he told me that filled up all my root canals with amalgam. My heart sank. Then I was furious. But I was assured that this is a common standard dental practice.

I finally had the mercury removed from my roots and had those teeth extracted.  I came home and followed up with the detoxification supplement protocol and vitamin C IV. Before going to sleep, I noticed that I no longer had the brain fog that I had had for the past several years. It was such a relief. I was 62. It took 35 years to fully resolve my tooth-health issues.

You are probably thinking: you’re a medical doctor so how could you be so dumb with your teeth? You see, at that time, I was the patient and so I trusted that my practitioners knew what they were doing. I tell you my story so you can be an aware and informed client.  Here are 3 main areas to be aware of.

  1. Teeth are Connected to Your Body

According to acupuncture, each tooth is connected to a particular organ, vertabrae & gland via a meridian channel

Infection, an abcsess  or toxicity from dental material in a tooth can transfer disease to its corresponding organ, creating cascading health problems that can lead to degenerative illness.

  • 5 Harmful Effects of Mercury Fillings on Your Overall Health

Effects on the Nervous System: Alzheimer’s, Parkinson’s disease, epilepsy, disorder of gait, depression, anxiety, poor concentration, nervousness, irritability, aggressiveness, restlessness, dizziness, disorders of the memory, multiple sclerosis, autism, paralysis, neuralgia, visual disorders (tunnel vision), speech disorders, muscle spasms, tinnitus,  tiredness, weakness, loss of drive, weakness of  muscles.

Effects on Hormones: Contributes to impaired adrenal, thyroid and insulin function. Hormone disrupting . The impact on this system contributes to diabetes, infertility and cancer.

Effects on the Skin: Alopecia, eczema, different skin reactions and excessive sweating.

Effects on the Immune System: Increases susceptibility for infections, contributes to allergies, autoimmune disorders and cancer

Effects on the Gastrointestinal System: Kidney damage, paradentosis, gingival bleeding, metallic taste, abdominal pain, diarrhea, nausea, ulcerative colitis,

The removal of amalgam (mercury) fillings must be done by a qualified IAOMT Dentist along with a specific supplement protocol to assist the body in removing the stores of mercury.

  • Why Root Canals Can Be a Problem

By harboring bacteria that continuously release toxins into the body, root canal teeth weaken the body and contribute to degenerative diseases.

The problem is that even the most thorough procedures fail to completely remove the infection in an infected tooth/root.  This is because teeth are mostly made up of denitn, a hard material made of tiny tubules which transports liquid nutrients.  When a tooth is infected, the bacteria get into these tubules and become inaccessible during root canal therapy even with follow up antibiotic treatment.  The bacteria become locked in and continue to fester, leading to abscesses.

These toxins escape through the periodontal membrane and pass into the blood stream and lymphatic system and then on to other areas of the body.  Not only does a root canal tooth always remain infected, but this infection can contribute to a number of degenerate diseases, mainly of the heart, kidney , and joints.

Sooner or later, all root canals get abscesses. You might consider seeing a dentist trained in biological dentistry who has experience with cleaning out bacteria from dental pockets. The best alternative might be to have the tooth pulled. Be sure to seek qualified dental advice on the best course of action.

So, how about your? Is it your teeth?

Have you had root canals, mercury fillings or recurrent problems with your teeth? Do you get regular dental care? Many health issues, small and large, can be related to your teeth.

  • Head and neck pain
  • Rheumatism
  • Cancer
  • MS and other autoimmune disorders
  • Sinusitis
  • Hormonal problems
  • Tinnitus
  • Heart disease
  • Anxiety, irritability, poor concentration, fog
  • Muscle spasms, twitching, shaking
  • Diarrhea and GI issues
  • Hormonal imbalance
  • Exhaustion
  • Dizziness
  • Weak immune system

What can cause 75 systemic diseases due to pathology in the jaw bone and /or teeth? These common dental issues:

  • Bridges, Dentures, Implants
  • Mercury amalgams and other toxic materials used in dental work
  • Galvanic currents (electricity created between the metal fillings, crowns and gums leading to mercury staining of the gums)
  • Decay (cavities) usually created by excess sugar and bacteria creating plaque
  • Root canals & infections of the teeth and gums

Dental health is vitally important to overall health. I often tell my clients they have to get their teeth looked after before they can do any work with me. Even a highly knowledgeable health practitioner, with the most innovative and effective tools, recommending the highest quality supplements with the best intentions and the most willing and protocol-compliant client, cannot make significant headway in healing anyone if the clients dental health is problematic. I experienced these health issues myself, and I do not wish that experience on anyone – and that is why I am so adamant about proper dental health for my clients.

Good Health is Easy

3 Generations of Krops

When your dad is Dr. Jozef Krop you grow up immersed in understanding and doing what makes you healthy.  If I wasn’t my dad’s daughter – I don’t know if I would have come to know the basic principles of health so easily. 

I’m healthy because we lived the principles of environmental health growing up.  So let me share what that is – so you can have the same benefits.

  1. No sugar. My dad was super strict about this. We were the family of no dessert. My grandma thought this was crazy and would sneak kitkats in her purse for us to rummage though. But generally on a day to day basis – we did not eat sweets of any kind. We never drank pop.  Mixing watered down cranberry juice with orange juice was considered a treat. We drank water or herbal tea. 
  2. No Junk food.  Snacks were apples or celery. My mom would cut an apple to look like a sunshine. I’m still partial to cutting my apples like this today. It’s not that we didn’t eat junk food or sugary things when we were at friends’ houses or kids’ birthday parties – we did. But at home that food was just not kept in the house at all.
  3. No white bread. We ate the German style rye bread. We were not gluten free at that point in time, but I don’t remember eating a lot of bread in general.
  4. No scented products. That meant no air fresheners. No perfume. No scented lotions. No scented cleaners. No scented laundry products.  It was a bit tough to navigate the perfume craze as a teen with this restriction – but I knew that perfume gave me bad headaches and brain fog – so it was not that hard to stick to this.  I can only imagine what meds I’d be on had I not known the cause of my headaches. 
  5. No Toxic Exposure.  My dad would petition the school to not paint during the school year (wait till summer) so that students (all children – not just us) would not be exposed to harmful fumes. He railed against the use of smelly markers in class. He brought flyers about pesticide dangers to our neighbours who sprayed their lawns.  Before my parents implemented whole house water filtration, my dad would specially fill the baby tub with filtered drinking water to bathe the babies.  Our home always had an extra air filter on the furnace. We were already toxin-free but my dad still filtered the air because outdoor toxins come indoors.

Anytime we got furniture, or clothes or toys – they’d go through the smell check. If they were at all stinky with chemicals (and most of them were) – they’d immediately be washed or off-gassed or sealed.  To this day I still use a toxin-free sealant on all my furniture so I don’t get off-gassing in my home.

When I was looking for my first off-campus housing in college the first thing my dad told me was, “Make sure the house is mold-free and safe – use your nose!”

If we were around some toxic fumes – like driving behind a stinky car, or driving my a farm that was being sprayed with pesticides, or smelling diesel fumes when on a plane – my parents would give us lots of Vitamin C or Alka Seltzer to counter the toxicity.  Some moms keep gum in their purse – mine kept AlkaSeltzer.

6. We ate according to the Rotation Diet. Basically all foods are divided into 4 days’ worth of groupings. It is a rotation of foods meant to prevent food sensitivities from forming.  Our favourite day was “beef” day – that was spaghetti, meatballs, cheese, sauce was on the menu.  “Fish” day was not so popular and I admire my mom for concocting lunches we’d actually be able to eat school without garnering too much attention for our weird food.

I don’t remember taking many supplements as a kid – except when the we’d start to get the flu – our family remedy is: oregano oil, loads of vitamin C, loads of vitamin D, zinc, garlic, magnesium, vitamin A – as soon as you feel a tickle in your throat.  I think I get a bad flu maybe once every 4 years. I have never gotten the flu shot. If we were sick, my dad would chase us around the house to get a throat swab – because he needed to check if it was something bacterial or not to prevent the use of unnecessary antibiotics.

If anyone of us had a bad mood – acting out, being moody – the first thing my parent would ask was – “What did you eat? Have you been exposed to?”  It made us aware of the impact foods and toxins have on our health – which included symptoms like headaches,  rages, and crying spells. When I was a teacher from 2000-2010 I would see so many kids who’d act out.  Screaming and kicking. When you have lunchroom duty you see what kids are eating – a lot of it is processed, sugary foods. You smell the fabric softener on their clothes or the perfumey scent of their personal care products. It always upset me because some slight changes  – no sugar, no junk, no scents – could have a profound impact on improving these kids behaviour – because it wasn’t their behavior that was the problem – it was the neurotoxic effect of foods and chemicals. It was sad because it didn’t have to be that way – but environmentally aware way of living is out of most people’s paradigm and certainly not on the radar of the school behaviour assessment committees.

I really think my good health as an adult is 100% because of my dad implementing these healthy living principles as part of our family life. It’s not that hard to do. The environment we create to live in is the single most important thing we can do for being and staying healthy.

🙂 Joanna

Understanding Detox

Detox is much more than doing cleanses.  It’s understanding the relationship between toxicity and stress – and the impacts of that on your physical, mental and emotional health.

Please read about this in the article Dr. Krop recently wrote for Vitality Magazine

ENERGIZE YOUR SPRING DETOX: Banish the 7 Stressors That Sabotage Wellbeing

Dr. Krop Wins Award!

groundbreaker-award
Dr. Krop has been awarded one of the Groundbreaker Awards for Excellence in Complementary & Alternative Medicine

The Dr. Rogers Prize for Excellence in Complementary and Alternative Medicine is pleased to announce the winners of the Dr. Rogers Prize Groundbreaker Awards. Five Canadian leaders in health care have been selected by an international jury in recognition of their lifetime of dedication to patient care, often in the face of adversity.

In celebration of the 10th anniversary of the Dr. Rogers Prize, the Groundbreaker Awards are a one-time award to honour those individuals whose personal conviction to pursue practices above and beyond the medical status quo prepared the way for future leaders, evocative of Sir Isaac Newton’s famous quote –

“If I have seen further, it is by standing on the shoulders of giants.”

Dr. Jozef Krop, Recipient, Groundbreaker Award

Born in 1944 in Poland, a personal experience with tuberculosis inspired Jozef Krop to become a doctor. He studied medicine at the Jagiellonian University in Kraków (1962 – 1968). After immigrating to Canada in 1972, he completed his medical internship at Saskatoon City Hospital where he worked with psychiatrist Dr. Abram Hoffer. Impressed by Dr. Hoffer’s success using dietary interventions and therapeutic doses of Vitamins B3, C and B6 to treat schizophrenia, Dr. Krop went on to train in orthomolecular and environmental medicine, and became a Fellow of the American Academy for Environmental Medicine in 1983. From 1984 to 1988, he was involved in government-initiated, university-based projects exploring the potential benefit of environmental medicine for Canadians and presented before the Brundtland Commission.The College of Physicians and Surgeons (CPSO) pursued disciplinary action against him (1989-2010) – without patient complaint or harm – with the documented intent of stopping his use of particular medical modalities despite their published scientific basis. Several colleagues endured similar persecution. Two decades of nation-wide publicity resulting in public pressure brought changes to medical legislation. The treatment modalities which the CPSO attempted to discredit are now accepted and recognized by mainstream medicine. The legal success achieved on his behalf is today taught in law school (i.e., the Krop Defense). The Canadian Human Rights Commission’s 2007 Report required accommodation for Environmental Sensitivities. Dr. Krop is currently involved in introducing environmental medicine to the curriculum at the University of Łódź in Poland. His work is documented in various scientific papers and in his book Healing the Planet One Patient At a Time.

The Gala Award Dinner is to be held in Toronto on Friday, February 24, 2017.

To learn more about the award and the other four recipients please click here.

Stop the Leak – beginning to heal leaky gut

Most GI tract diseases are treated with the wrong medication

Stop the leak! Beginning to heal leaky gut.

Good digestion is key to good health. Without it, the nutrients in our food cannot be transported to where they are needed to power the amazing machine called our body. There are many factors that support good digestion and gut health – and we are going to look more closely at one key factor to keeping your gut healthy.

An appropriate level of hydrochloric acid (HCL) in the stomach is a key factor to good digestion.  The ideal  pH of HCl is an acidic 1.5 – 3.0. This right level of HCl contributes to many processes that not only aid digestion, but improve health.

It’s easier to understand just how important HCL is, by understanding what happens with our digestion when we don’t have enough of this essential acid.

When your HCL is LOW – you might notice the following:

You develop leaky gut and might be diagnosed with an autoimmune disorder. This cascade begins because low HCl decreases the pancreatic secretion of bicarbonates, which prevents neutralization of acidic stomach contents, which leads to a damaged small intestine wall, which leads to leaky gut syndrome.

Your digestive tract can become flooded with pathogens. Why? Appropriate HCl levels sterilize food from pathogens (like parasites, bacteria, virus, fungus) in the stomach. Without sterilization these pathogens enter your body and create health problems. An example of a fairly common bacterium is H. Pylori – which is responsible for stomach discomfort, then ulcers and if left untreated, can lead to stomach cancer. H. Pylori is also a pathogen that affects heart tissue.

You have more food allergies and sensitivities because of decreased amino acids. How does this happen?  Because without HCL proteins aren’t pre-digested.

You end up with a B12 deficiency. Why? Because low HCl leads to a decreased production of Intrinsic Factor that ultimately leads to a B12 deficiency

You can end up with mineral deficiency – and minerals are integral to good health.  How does this happen? Without HCl minerals not ionized or chelated

You have less effective digestion – because a lack of HCl leads to decreased secretion of bile.

The treatment mistake

The problem is that most upper Gastro-intestinal problems are often mistakenly treated with medications to lower HCl. These medications, antacids, inhibit HCL – which creates a vicious cycle of poor digestion and pathogenic infection in the gut leading to all sorts of health issues. The reality is that 90% of upper GI problems start with low HCl in the stomach.

There are 10 factors that lower HCL in our body. By avoiding these 10 factors and substituting better habits we can begin to create better conditions for digestion in our gut.

LOW HCl is preventable. 10 Factors that lower HCL … and their antidotes

  1. Animal meats & fats … opt for vegetarian meals more frequently
  2. Milk (casein) … consider being diary-free
  3. Processed foods = dead food = no enzymes … add whole, fresh, raw foods to replace these
  4. Iced beverages, carbonated water and pop drinks … opt for filtered water with lemon
  5. Chlorinated water  … use filtered water
  6. Caffeine, nicotine …try herbal teas or just cut down on the coffee to 3 times a week.
  7. Nicotine à don’t smoke!
  8. Stress (physical, chemical, mental)… try practices that can relieve stress: yoga, meditation, nature, counselling and emotional healing, avoid chemicals like scented body and cleaning products
  9. Age (after 40 a loss of 10% with every decade) … after 40 be more mindful of your eating habits to you are not lowering your HCL levels with poor eating habits.
  10. Nutritional deficiency of Zn, B1, B6 … if you are low in these nutrients, consider supplementing.

Considering how our eating habit influence HCL is a step in the right direction for preventing GI discomfort – and also bigger problems down the road.

Documentary: Toxic Trespass – June 7

See the award-winning documentary this Friday, June 7.

Toxic Trespass on Children’s Health and the Environment
All screenings at Centre for Social Innovation, 215 Spadina Ave., Suite 120, 7 p.m. PYWC (pay-what-you-can). Q&A and discussion to follow. Wheelchair accessible.
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