Lubbock Integrative Medical Associates

Anti-Aging Although we typically think of the external signs of aging with the emergence of wrinkles and graying hair, aging is also an internal process that has roots at the cellular level. All the organs of our bodies are made up of individual cells that have limited life spans. While we are young, our cells divide many times as we grow. Our cells are capable of repairing themselves, communicating with other cells, and interacting with all the physiological molecules that ultimately define our current state of health. Scientists have discovered, however, that our cells have a limited capacity to divide and repair. Laboratory studies have shown that cell aging patterns are genetically encoded and cell death occurs along a predictable schedule of events for different cell types. Our DNA is bundled into chromosomes, each capped with repeated sequences called telomeres. During cell division, the cell attempts to make a complete copy of itself, including all of its DNA, but researchers have discovered that these telomeres shorten over successive cell divisions. The telomeres help protect the DNA from radical arrangements (that might cause cancer, for example) and they can be lengthened by an enzyme called telomerase. If the telomeres are allowed to become too short, however, the cell senses this problem and puts in motion a cascade of events that will result in its own death. This mechanism of programmed cell death, also called apoptosis, is a critical part of proper human development and a natural part of the life cycle of a cell. A cell’s life also comes to a close if its DNA sustains damage more quickly than the DNA repair machinery can compensate for it. One of the major causes of DNA damage in our cells is the presence of free radicals. These highly reactive molecules can cause significant damage to both the proteins and the DNA in our cells by undergoing chemical reactions with them. The free radical theory of aging suggests that these molecules accumulate naturally over time and that our DNA repair machinery copes less and less well with the damage. Thus, our physical aging would be correlated with this decline in the health of our individual cells. Free radical damage has also been scientifically linked to many age-related medical conditions, including arthritis, Alzheimer’s, heart disease, diabetes, and cancer. Intriguingly, it has been shown that antioxidants can slow or stop the damage caused by free radicals by helping to balance the chemical reactions in the cells. Antioxidant levels can be increased by adding antioxidant rich foods to the diet or by taking nutritional supplements. Because our cells become less resilient as we age, so do our bodies. We become more susceptible to illnesses and once we get sick, it takes longer to recover. Wounds may also take longer to heal. As some cells begin to lose function, they cease expressing hormones, further shifting our physiological balance. All of the changes to our immunity, metabolism, and body chemistry can have a huge impact on our health and well-being as we age. A Low-Fat, Low-Sugar Diet Can Prolong Life Dietary fat is a major source of free radicals. Many age-related and degenerative diseases, including cancer, arthritis, atherosclerosis, Parkinson's disease, and cataracts, are associated with increased intake of fat. In addition, dietary sugars chemically alter the proteins and chemical make-up in your body, ultimately damaging your immune system and kidneys. Following a low-fat, low-sugar diet is one of the most effective ways to slow down the aging process. More important, our practitioners will teach you how to shop for and prepare low-fat, low-sugar meals to make them part of your regular diet. High blood cholesterol, for example, can put undue pressure on the cardiovascular system, causing the heart muscles to age prematurely. By identifying this particular risk, we can increase the longevity of your heart and your life. Detoxification Depending on your case, a detoxification program may also be recommended. By reducing the toxin levels in your body, damage to your cells and stress on your cell repair systems can be minimized and ultimately slow the aging process. Carefully regimented dietary restrictions may be suggested to cleanse the body of ingested toxins it may be harboring. We are available to guide you through a complete detoxification program. The path toward greater longevity requires a steadfast commitment to healthier habits beyond these specific treatments. It sounds simple, but keeping active, eating a diverse diet rich in antioxidants, and getting plenty of sleep are some of the most natural, effective anti-aging measures that one can take. As with all of our treatments, we can help devise a plan centered on achievable goals for your health that mesh well with your lifestyle and personality.

What is Integrative Medicine? We believe in treating the problem not just the symptom! This is where Traditional & Integrative Medicine Unite. What is integrative medicine? Integrative medicine uses a fusion of traditional, holistic and natural medical strategies that are designed to heal the body using primarily its own natural strength. This method takes into account the “whole” person (mind, body, and spirit) including all aspects of a healthy lifestyle. It emphasizes therapeutic healing techniques and simple natural therapies to dramatically improve the way you look and feel. Welcome to our Integrative Family Practice, where you'll find the highest level of quality healthcare from Dr. Stephen Dalton D.O. who has been in business since 1996. Our staff includes healthcare professionals with over 25 years of combined experience that offer a pleasant environment. We are committed and dedicated to your ultimate health and well-being. We are passionate about understanding your current health status and designing a health plan that treats the WHOLE person and not just a symptom. We are a well rounded Integrative Family Practice that caters to Pediatrics, Men’s Health, and Woman’s Health. See the information provided below that defines each area of our practice and provides you with common issues in each area that we treat on a daily basis. Men’s Health Men are statistically less likely to visit doctors but men are at an even greater risk for some of the common diseases we face today! Obesity Heart Disease Diabetes Osteoporosis Stress and fatigue Nutritional Evaluation Hormone Evaluation CV Assessment Weight Management Libido Evaluations & Supplements Testosterone Deficiency Children's Health Children today have unique and evolving health challenges. Healthy children are more than vaccines and well checks. Learn more about the health of your child, the interplay of nutrition and neurotransmitters, and your child’s BIOTYPE. Food allergies Food Intolerances Nutritional Deficiencies Detoxification Functional Medicine DiagnosisADD/ADHD Anxiety Asthma Autism Depression GI Dysfunction Weight Management Infant Nutrition Women's Health Women are the building blocks of family and society but still one of the most neglected health groups. Our research dollars today do not match the issues that women battle.A healthy family requires healthy women. Hormone Detoxification Hormone Replacement Bioidentical Hormone Replacement Therapy (BHRT) Comprehensive Thyroid Evaluation Weight Management Anxiety Depression GI Dysfunction Autoimmune Diseases

Signs & Symptoms of Hormone Imbalance What are the signs and symptoms of low testosterone in men? A low level of testosterone in a man means more than just a low sex drive or erectile dysfunction (ED). Symptoms consistent with low testosterone are: Low sex drive Erectile Dysfunction (ED) Chronic fatigue Loss of muscle mass Increased body fat (especially in the waist area) Decreased bone mass Mood changes Lower mental capacity Depression Irritability Brain Fog Additionally, studies have shown there are some conditions that are consistent with low levels of testosterone including: Diabetes Cardiovascular Disease Depression Stress Anxiety Alcohol use High Cholesterol What are the signs and symptoms of low testosterone in women? There are a variety of symptoms from hormone imbalance in women including: Fatigue Night Sweats Hot flashes Decreased sex drive Weight gain Insomnia Irritability Anxiety Depression Cold hands and feet If your menstrual cycle has stopped before menopause, or if you are experiencing this or any other symptom of menopause, you may have low estradiol. An increase in UTIs, depression or painful intercourse may also indicate low estradiol in women. I can identify with these symptoms, what do I do next? How do I get started? First, schedule an office visit with LIMA Lubbock to test your current hormone levels. Based on your comprehensive consultation and thorough blood work panel, we will determine if you are a candidate for pellet therapy or BRT, or traditional hormone therapy. Then we will schedule a quick follow-up appointment for your pellet therapy insertion, or other hormone treatment method! DO YOU HAVE DIFFICULTY WITH: Difficulty sleeping at night Lack of energy and fatigue Reduced mental focus and memory Feel moody Muscle and/or joint pain Anxious or depressed Experience weight gain Inability to lose weight Decreased muscle strength Reduced sexual desire Anxious or depressed THE DANGER OF HORMONE IMBALANCE Research repeatedly points to the relationship between the hormone imbalance that occurs during perimenopause, menopause, and andropause, and an increased risk for developing cancer, osteoporosis, stroke, thyroid malfunction and other age-related disorders.

Sometimes wrinkles can be extremely overwhelming and come upon us prematurely. LED Therapy helps maintain your youth and eliminate wrinkles. It's an affordable, relaxing, pain-free way to nourish your skin from within. Our skin and body tissue have the ability to convert absorbed light into usable energy. LED therapy provides light for our bodies to use in a similar way plants absorb energy from the sun. LightStim is UV-free, and emits beneficial light energy to the skin. Infrared therapy uses different wavelengths, or colors of light to accomplished said "issue." When the light is applied directly to the skin it can diminish fine lines and wrinkles, provisionally increase blood circulation, and treat mild acne. The light is good for a wide variety of skin types, and is designed to release slight warmth. Our LightStim for Wrinkles consists of 72 LEDs of amber, light red, dark red, and infrared. LIghtStim LED Therapy is advanced with NASA's LED technology, allowing LightStim to concurrently emit multiple wavelengths of light. The different colors of light team up to help give your vibrant, vigorous skin back. Light Therapy has proven to be optimal source of treatment by medical spas, dermatologists, and estheticians for a couple decades. The process requires a freshly cleaned, make-up free face. It is also suggested to bring some sort of eye protection.

Allergy Food intolerance is much more common than food allergies and is characterized by digestive disorders, migraines, obesity, chronic fatigue, aching joints, skin disorders and behavioral issues. It has been stated that upwards of 70-80% of the US population has food intolerance. Unfortunately for many, those food intolerance symptoms are often identified as individual problems and treated as such, thus treating the symptoms and not the cause. Food Intolerances Check out our Delayed Food & Allergy testing page for more information about how food can have a huge effect on your bodies health. Current and Future! Hormone Hormonal imbalances have been linked to a broad spectrum of health conditions and clinical symptoms in both men and women. Hormones change as we age. Identifying and managing such changes is critical in the prevention of many chronic diseases. Measuring critical hormone levels and interpreting the results can help explain symptoms and accurately recommend proper treatment. This makes hormone testing, replacement and detoxification an essential component to every annual check-up and disease-prevention program. Gastrointestinal Health With 70-80% of the immune system located in the gut, we see functional gastrointestinal disorders affecting almost 2 in 5 Americans. As IBS affects up to 20% of the US population, Crohn’s and Ulcerative Colitis another 5-7%, celiac disease between 1-3% and functional dyspepsia and constipation up to another 15%, there is overlap between these disorders. A gut health profile evaluates the GI tract on a genetic, antibody and cellular level. Leaky Gut An intestinal permeability test (also called increased intestinal permeability) will confirm and determine the severity of your leaky gut. We can offer stool testing through one of the labs we partner with. We only partner with the best labs for your testing and knows how to interpret the results. Celiac Disease GI (Gastroenterologists) will diagnose this only after a small bowl biopsy that shows damage to your villi. You may have silent celiac disease for numerous years (and decades) before this test comes out positive so this test is not 100% accurate at all times. Instead, have your doctor test for anti-gladin antibodies (AGA) and anti-deamidated gliadin antibodies (ADGA). If either are positive, it’s a sign that an autoimmune attack is taking place in your body. If these tests are negative you may still be gluten-sensitive because these tests were designed to pick up only celiac disease and gluten can cause other autoimmune diseases, as well. Therefore, if these tests are negative, it’s a good idea to remove gluten from our lifestyle. You can have a genetic test done to see if you have an increased risk of developing celiac disease called HLA DQ2 and HLA DQ8. The reports will explain your risk for developing celiac disease. Prevention Optimal Health represents the highest achievement of an individual’s health potential. It should not be mistaken simply as freedom from disease. It refers to the physical, emotional, spiritual and social harmony that comes from a balanced life. To achieve optimal health one must consider nutrition, stress, hormonal balance, environmental factors, family history and lifestyle. For optimal health and prevention of diseases like diabetes, cardiovascular disease, obesity, and Alzheimer’s, evaluating environmental effects on health is critical. The following studies look at these factors including toxic elements, malabsorption and nutrient status to create an individualized diet and treatment plan. Cardiovascular Health Heart disease (or cardiovascular disease) refers to various disorders affecting blood vessels that feed the heart, most often atherosclerosis. Contributing factors are diverse and interactive, including genetics, diet and lifestyle, age, emotions, and hormonal and biochemical balance in the body. Early identification of underlying imbalances and early indicators can significantly impact the disease, thereby halting its progression. Together, these markers provide a thorough assessment of cardiovascular health status. Inflammation The term inflammation refers to the complex response of bodily tissues to harmful stimuli such as toxins, irritants, or pathogens. Although inflammation is the immune system’s attempt to remove the harmful stimuli and initiate the healing process, it can also promote uncomfortable side effects such as pain, swelling, and redness. In chronic inflammation, tissue may be simultaneously healed and compromised. Evidence points to inflammation as the driving force in many chronic conditions such as cardiovascular disease, autoimmune conditions, and allergies. Brain Boost Anti-Aging refers to the science of slowing, arresting, and often times reversing the effects of human aging. In so doing, medicine offers patients the opportunity to live longer while enjoying the benefits of optimal health.

IV Nutritional Therapy Provides: Enormous health benefits leading to increased energy providing better overall health! Rejuvenating your body with Intravenous (IV) Nutritional Therapy can provide enormous health benefits. In many respects, IV nutritional therapy is a preventive aging measure. The therapy is so powerful that many patients report benefits within hours of receiving the treatment. In general, these therapies are very safe, well tolerated and pose minimal if any negative side effects. If you are suffering from the following: Cancer Detoxification General Immune & Wellness Support Asthma Fibromyalgia Allergies and Sinusitis Chronic Fatigue Syndrome Chronic Depression Anxiety Acute and Chronic Viral infections ...or if you are an athlete in need of faster healing and recovery, IV Vitamin Therapy may help to rejuvenate your body and help you feel better again. What is Intravenous Nutritional Therapy? Intravenous (IV) nutritional therapy is a method of delivering vitamins, minerals and other vital nutrients to the body directly into the bloodstream. A small intravenous catheter is temporarily placed into a vein, and the nutrients can be administered slowly over a period of time, which is dependent upon the nutrients that are used. For example, some nutrients can be administered over a 5 to 15 minute period; however, most intravenous infusions last approximately 30 to 45 minutes. In effect, IV Nutritional Therapy "feeds" the cells with nutrients and can increase and optimize cellular health. IV therapy is particularly relevant since many vitamin and mineral supplements are not well absorbed by the body. For some people, barriers exist in the gastrointestinal tract that prevent adequate absorption. But with IV therapy, we can safely deliver large doses of nutrients safely into a vein that would otherwise not be tolerated if administered orally. This is what we mean by "feeding" the cells with nutrients. Vitamins, minerals, amino acids and certain other nutrients can have an incredibly potent drug-like effect when given directly into a vein, but without the side effects of many prescription medications. All of the nutrients we use are natural and safe to be administered intravenously. IV nutritional therapy may be needed only a few times, or needed periodically for an extended period of time. The benefits and specific protocol is dependent upon the individual patient and the problem(s) being treated. How do I get started? The first step in considering IV nutritional therapy is to schedule a Comprehensive Initial Assessment. With lab results in hand combined with your detailed health history and specific issues, Dr. Dalton will outline the specific treatment plan that is most likely to help you improve your health.

Ketamine was first synthesized in 1962 by Calvin Stevens at Parke-Davis Co (now Pfizer) as an alternative anesthetic to phencyclidine. It was first used on humans in 1965 by Corssen and Domino and was introduced into clinical practice by 1970. Ketamine is frequently described as a “unique drug” because it shows hypnotic (sleep-producing), analgesic (pain-relieving) and amnesic (short-term memory loss) effects; no other drug used in clinical practice produces these three important effects at the same time. Severe depression is a disorder that can most often be improved with present day oral antidepressants. These drugs generally work by increasing the amount of serotonin or norepinepherine in the brain. While effective in most patients, these medications can take weeks to begin working. In addition, your physician may have to try several different antidepressants before finding the right medication or combination that will help. Patients with severe depression, and/or those having thoughts of self harm, immediate relief of their depression could be life saving. Until now, electro convulsive therapy (ECT) has been the only proven method of treating severe and life threatening depression with minimal delay. For over a decade scientists have been studying the role of another neurotransmitter, glutamate, and its role in understanding depression. It has now been proven that the administration of subanesthetic doses of ketamine, a glutamate (NMDA) receptor antagonist, results in a dramatic and rapid improvement in severe depression. It is often used for: Mood Disorders Chronic Pain Migraine Bi-Polar Disorder PTSD Anti-Inflammation Anxiety Depression * Ketamine is not a cure, however, it may provide patients with an extended period of relief from treatment resistant symptoms. Contact us to learn how Ketamine offers hope to people suffering from some of the symptoms listed above. Types of Mood Disorders Depression and anxiety are considered to be mood disorders that can severely disrupt your life. Potential candidates for Ketamine infusion therapy may have previous diagnoses of the following: * Treatment Resistant Depression * Major Depressive Disorders * Post-partum Depression * Bi-polar Depression * Severe Anxiety Chronic Pain When you’re in pain, nothing else matters. If you have chronic pain, your life is completely interrupted. It doesn’t take long for your quality of life to suffer due to pain. At LIMA Lubbock, we want to help you get your full life back. That’s why we’ve developed protocols for infusion therapy that will help alleviate your pain and get you back on your feet again. * Chronic migraines * Fibromyalgia * Migraines * Diabetic Neuropathy * Chronic Inflammation The Procedure The infusions take place in private rooms, in out-patient office setting. Patients sit in a comfortable reclining chair. The infusion takes about one hour depending on patients needs and treatment. Patients generally stay another 15-30 minutes before leaving, but may stay until they feel comfortable enough to leave. Patients are encouraged to be accompanied for at least the first visit. During the infusion patients are also encouraged to listen to music they enjoy from their own playlists. Wi-Fi is available. During the infusion you will experience some dissociation, which are not hallucinations, but rather altered reality. Most patients find it pleasurable and non-threatening. If it does make you uncomfortable the infusion can be stopped, or medication given which will end the thoughts within a minute. It is rare that this is necessary. By the time you leave the office your mentation will be close to normal. Some patients are able to return to work, go to airports, and carry on as an otherwise normal day. Other patients prefer to go home and take a short nap. The only restriction after leaving the office is no driving until the next day. You must have a designated driver when leaving the office after an infusion. Your improvement in mood will not be immediate. The earliest that you might expect to feel better is several hours after leaving the office. KETAMINE IS OFTEN USED FOR AND A GREAT TREATMENT OPTION FOR THE FOLLOWING: Underlying Factors May Also Contribute to Current & Future Health Conditions: Mood Disorders Chronic Pain Migraine Bi Bolar PTSD Anti-Inflammation Anxiety Depression *We are one of the only offices registered with American Society of Ketamine Physicians in The Panhandle. (nearest is Dallas area)

Men are statistically less likely to visit doctors but men are at an even greater risk for some common diseases we face today; obesity, heart disease, diabetes, osteoporosis, stress and fatigue. Some of the most common things men have concerns with are also areas we can care for are: Diabetes GI Dysfunction Heart Disease Libido Evaluations & Supplements Nutritional Evaluation Prostate Health Stroke Testosterone Deficiency Weight Management Unique health conditions that only affect men, such as prostate cancer and low testosterone. Many of the major health risks that men face - like colon cancer or heart disease - can be prevented and treated with an early diagnosis. Screening tests can find diseases early, when they are easier to treat. It's important to get the screening tests you need. Men & Women also have many of the same health problems. But these problems can affect men differently. For Example: Men are 24 percent less likely than women to have visited a doctor within the past year and are 22 percent more likely to have neglected their cholesterol tests. Men are 28 percent more likely than women to be hospitalized for congestive heart failure. Men are 32 percent more likely than women to be hospitalized for long-term complications of diabetes. They are more than twice as likely than women to have a leg or foot amputated due to complications related to diabetes. Men are 24 percent more likely than women to be hospitalized for pneumonia that could have been prevented by getting an immunization. Whether you’re a teen or you're 90, we’ve got you covered. Click Below to schedule an appointment or to find resources to prolong your life and enhance your health.