| Sylvia Skefich, D.C. |
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What the heck is an MTHFR defect? You will want to know the answer because this gene defect is becoming more and more implicated in a wide array of common ailments and diseases. Methelenetetrahydrofolate reductase (or MTHFR) is an enzyme that is needed in important processes of the liver called “methylation.” A gene regulates the ability to produce the enzyme. It is said about 45% of people have some level of reduced ability to produce the enzyme, thus a reduced ability to have the natural chemical sequences that would occur from the presence of the enzyme. What results from a defect?...a buildup of toxins in the body ensues. Also a reduction of the powerful antioxidant called glutathione occurs. This double whammy can set a person up for many health problems due to cumulations of toxicity in the tissues. The toxicity can trigger other genes, or can simply muck up the system. Many conditions have been associated with the MTHFR defect including Parkinson’s, frequent miscarriages, bipolar disease, anxiety, cancer, neuropathy, dementia, atherosclerosis and more. The defect is testable with scientific medical tests. People with the defect should be aware of their lifestyle choices so as not to compound the problem. For example, people with the defect cannot properly process some B vitamins, and yet are deficient in other B vitamins. These people will also be greatly affected by the toxins that alcoholic beverages and candida yeasts cause.
Web resources on this subject are Suzy Cohen, RPh, Dr. Ben Lynch, and Dr. Amy Lasko. A great local resource on this topic is Charlie Savoka, Licensed Acupuncturist. Charlie tests for this defect and helps people understand what to do about it. He is speaking at the MY Health speaker series on Wednesday, February 18th at noon for one hour on the topic of “Understanding Methylation.” See below for more details.
The MY Health speaker series features health care practitioners speaking on topics that help people get and stay well. After Charlie, the next speaker will be Craig Lane on Friday March 13th at 6:30pm. Craig is a Certified Herbalist with a BS in Nutrition and a practice on River Street in Santa Cruz. He has been an advocate for natural health care methods. Craig is going to talk about how to recognize the signs in your own body, and how to translate their meaning into something that makes sense and can be worked with. He is inspired to give us some tools to take control of our own health, and to recognize signs that might otherwise be overlooked.
Sylvia Skefich is a Doctor of Chiropractic who practices at 920 41st Ave., Suite G in Santa Cruz 95062. (831) 475-1995. She sponsors the MY Health 10 Month Challenge series of speakers from February through November. There are two local health care practitioners speaking each month. All one hour talks are held at the Shambhala Center at 920 41st Ave. rear entrance and are $12. You can attend for free if you take the “challenge” — which is to make a commitment to come to at least one talk per month for 10 months. Call Sylvia’s office to commit to the challenge.
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Doctor of Chiropractic, Sylvia Skefich – Santa Cruz, California 831-475-1995 |