From: Gail Eberharter <gaileberharter@gmail.com>
Subject: News from Gail Eberharter MD, PA
Reply: gemdcarmen@gmail.com
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June 2011
Gail Eberharter MD
Functional and Integrative
Medicine of Idaho, PA
Dear friends and patients,
In This Issue
Allergen-Free Support Group
Summer Greetings from the Functional and Integrative Medicine
Clinic of Idaho. June marks the month where the weather in Idaho
warms up and people can get outside to enjoy the many activities in the
valley. Farmer's markets are a great way to support local growers and
Latest from the Institute of Functional
Medicine Symposium
Fragrance-Free Clinic
find some fresh produce. At a recent visit to the Capital City Public
Anti-Cancer: A New Way of Life
Market in downtown Boise, we discovered several new vendors some
Quick Links
specializing in gluten free and vegan baked goods and a new goat
cheese vendor with sensational herb cheeses.
This month's newsletter highlights the Institute of Functional Medicine
Symposium attended by Dr. Eberharter and Jolyn Seibert, RD. In
Our website
The Institute of Functional Medicine
Join our Mailing List!
addition, some information about the "fragrance free" clinic policy and a
book review.
We hope you enjoy the summer festivities and we wish you all a safe
and fun-filled summer!
Allergen-Free Support Group
The clinic holds a monthly Allergen-Free Support group to provide support and education to
individuals and families with food allergies and food intolerances. If you are recently diagnosed and
looking for ideas, information and support, please feel free to join us. The next meeting is
Wednesday, June 1st, at 5:30 p.m. at the clinic. Cost is $5 per person. For June, we will be talking
about the importance of reading labels for hidden allergens. We look forward to seeing you there.
**Note- due to vacation schedules, there will be no meetings the months of July and August.
Hot Off The Press From the Institute of Functional Medicine
Dr. Gail and Jolyn Seibert RD were able to attend the most recent Functional Medicine Annual
Symposium in Seattle several weeks ago. The Institute for Functional Medicine celebrated it's 20th
year this year and a lifetime achievement award was given to Dr. Jeff Bland, founder of IFM. The
Symposium was excellent and we are all reviewing and re-reading lectures to gain all the information we
can. The theme of the conference was the challenge of chronic infections. This included information on
Lyme disease, abnormal bacteria in the gut and urinary tract, mycoplasma and mold. We looked at
research which shows specific infections triggering specific illness in genetically susceptible people (such
as rheumatoid arthritis, autism, and many autoimmune diseases). There was an excellent talk on using
vaccines in a safer manner - much of which we have already implemented in our practice. There continues
to be tremendous evidence for the importance of diet as a key anti-inflammatory and immune building
treatment. Please let any of our practitioners know if you have a special interest in any of these topics as
we apply the latest information to your unique challenges.
Fragrance-Free Clinic
As some of you may have noticed upon entering the clinic, we have a office policy posted on the door that
the clinic is a "fragrance free" clinic to support an environment that is free of synthetic chemicals. You may
wonder why we need to include this notice and what does it really mean.
When we talk about fragrance or scents, we usually mean the smells or odors from cosmetics (perfume,
make-up, shampoo, deodorant, etc.) or from other products such as air fresheners, cleaners,
etc. Unfortunately, there is no exact definitions for "scent-free", "fragrance-free" or "unscented".
Products labeled as "unscented" may actually contain ingredients that are used to mask or hide the smell
of other ingredients. Many of these scents are not natural but rather are synthetic chemicals.
Can scents cause health problems?
We now know that people can have chemical sensitivities and for some people they can have multiple
chemical sensitivity (MCS). MCS is a chronic medical condition characterized by symptoms attributed
by the exposure to low levels of chemicals. Commonly suspected substances include smoke, pesticides,
plastics, synthetic fabrics, scented products, petroleum products and paints. Symptoms may be nonspecific and variable, such as nausea, fatigue, headaches, numbness, upper respiratory symptoms, and
skin irritation to name a few. Allergic and asthmatic patients, as well as those with other conditions, report
that certain odors, even in the smallest amounts, can trigger an attack. The severity of these symptoms
can vary. Some people report mild irritation while others are incapacitated and/or must give up many
'normal' activities in order to avoid exposure (such as going to public places).
Based on our clinic's mission and support for our patients with chemical sensitivities, we respectfully ask
that you refrain from wearing any synthetic products into our office.
What types of products contain fragrances or scents?
Scents are included in a very large range of products including:

shampoo and conditioner, hairspray, deodorant, colognes & aftershave, fragrances & perfumes,
lotions & cream, potpourr, industrial and household chemicals, soap, cosmetic, air fresheners &
deodorizer, oils, candle, diaper, some types of garbage bags
It is important to remember some products which claim to be 'scent free' may have only masked the scent
by use of an additional chemical. One of the best ways to rid yourself from chemicals or potential chemical
sensitivity is to buy products that contain 100% natural plant-based ingredients with no synthetic
chemicals. There are products that say organic and natural but upon looking at the label you'll find that
they can also contain synthetic chemicals which does not restrict them from labeling their product 'organic'
or 'natural.' To be safe, find products that only contain 100% plant-based ingredients. This month's
book review also discusses the importance of minimizing and removing synthetic chemicals from our lives.
Book Review: Anti-Cancer: A New Way of Life
By: Carmen Oldenburg
This month's book review is one of my favorites as it provides a plan for how we can take care of our life
through learning about those things that impact a healthy lifestyle and steps you can take to make
lifestyle changes.
Excerpt from http://www.anticancerbook.com/
When Dr. David Servan-Schreiber,was diagnosed with brain cancer, his life changed. Confronting what
medicine knows about the illness and the little-known workings of his body's natural cancer fighting
capacities, and marshaling his own will to live, Dr. Servan-Schreiber found himself on a fifteen-year
journey from disease and relapse into scientific exploration and, finally, to health.
Combining his memoir, concise explanation of what makes cancer cells thrive and what inhibits them, and
drawing on both conventional and alternative ways to slow and prevent cancer, the book Anticancer is
revolutionary. It is a moving story of a doctor's inner and outer search for balance; radical in its discussion
of the environment, lifestyle, and trauma; and compelling and cautionary in its proposal that cancer cells lie
dormant in all of us and that we all must care for the "terrain" in which they exist.
Advocating a sea change in the way we understand and confront cancer, Anticancer is a radical synthesis
of science and personal experience, an inspiring personal journey, and certainly a guide to "a new way of
life."
The book, Anticancer: A New Way of Life, tells us:
◊ Why the traditional Western diet creates the conditions for disease and how to develop a sciencebased anticancer diet.
◊ How and why sugar and stress feed cancer and ways to achieve life balance and good nutrition to
combat it.
◊ Why the effects of helplessness and unhealed wounds affect our ability to restore health.
◊ How to reap the benefits of exercise, yoga, and meditation.
◊ How to minimize environmental toxin.
◊ How to find the right blend of traditional and alternative health care.
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Gail Eberharter MD, PA | 2717 W Bannock | 208-385-7711 | Boise | ID | 83702