This past weekend, I had the distinct pleasure of listening

to one of my favorite authors speak at a medical confer-

ence in Chicago. Dr. David Perlmutter, the world-

renowned Neurologist and author of several books, includ-

ing the newest jewel in his crown, the international best

seller “Grain Brain”, lectured to a standing room only

crowd. His topic, “The Role of the Microbiome in Brain

Health and Disease” fascinated me and drew me further in

to his intellectual journey to educate the public about how

the lifestyle choices that we make have a direct impact on

our health and wellbeing. His three-hour talk focused on

the importance of sustaining a healthy interface with the

trillions of bacteria that exist on or in our bodies. Just an

aside, even though I am very happily married, I may possi-

bly have a secret crush on Dr. Perlmutter and just may

have stalked him until he signed my copy of Grain Brain.

No one got hurt. See how happy he looks in this picture

standing between me and Hope?

Whether you are aware of this fact or not, we live in a great

symbiotic harmony with bacteria. Within our GI tract are

trillions of bacteria called our microbiome. Our microbi-

ome helps us to digest our food, produce adequate levels of

vitamins including vitamin K and several of the B complex

vitamins, protects us from harmful bacteria and yeasts, aids

in the elimination and neutralization of toxins, helps us

maintain bowel regularity, and is very critical in maturing

our immune system response. In addition, the proper bac-

terial balance in our gut is paramount in how we metabo-

lize our hormones. In other words, if our gut isn’t healthy,

we may suffer from hormonal imbalances. In addition,

there is new research that shows that our microbiome even

influences whether we are fat or thin. We have 10 times

more bacteria in our gut than we have cells in our body. It

is very important that we nurture our microbiome so that it

can continue to keep us enjoying optimal health.

Your microbiota is like a fingerprint – yours is unique and

no two people’s microbiome is the same. Our microbiome

is influenced by several factors – several of which are in

our control but one very important one is not – the mode

with which we came into this world (by vaginal delivery or

cesarean section). The human microbiome is influenced

by what we eat as well as our climate, medications, envi-

ronmental chemicals and pesticides, stress, antibiotics, ge-

netically modified food, mode of delivery (vaginal vs. c/s),

and whether we were breast-fed or bottle-fed. Our micro-

biome is initially obtained by passing through our mother’s

birth canal. Children born by cesarean section lack the

benefit of protective vaginal bacteria. The initial microbio-

ta to which a neonate is exposed, and which may be related

to the type of delivery, is critical in the development of the

child’s immune system. Babies who are unable to properly

colonize friendly bacteria can become colicky, irritable,

and have gas pains, diaper rash, or eczema. Babies who

don’t develop the right balance of beneficial bacteria are

also more susceptible as they age to diarrhea, constipation,

irritable bowel syndrome, allergy, asthma, acne, and ecze-

ma. Breast-feeding is also very critical in facilitating

proper colonization of beneficial bacteria.

Continued on next page...

A message from Dr. Michele A. Couri:

“If You Don’t Like Bacteria, You’re on the Wrong Planet”, Stewart Brand

July 2014

6708 North Knoxville Avenue, Peoria, Illinois 309.692.6838 www.CouriCenter.com

A note from Dr. Michele Couri continued...

“Restoring Health to Women’s Healthcare.”

Even though we can’t control the mode in which we were

delivered, we can control several other aspects of our life

that play a direct role in the health of our microbiome.

The following are tips you can use to help be the best

hostess possible:

Limit your intake of antibiotics to only those that are

absolutely necessary. Numerous rounds of antibiotics,

especially in our childhood, create an imbalance in the

gut that gives an advantage to harmful bacteria and

yeast organisms. Remember that viruses cause most

“colds”, and that antibiotics are not an indicated treat-

ment for the common cold. Remember that antibiotics

don’t just come from the pharmacy. Be sure to choose

organic meat and chicken to avoid antibiotic residue

in your food. A shocking 70% of the antibiotics

produced in this country are used in livestock.

Be careful not to overdo antibiotic hand soaps and

antiseptic gels. Our fear of germs has led to

overaggressive use of antibiotics in drugs, in hand

soaps, and in raising animals. Good old hand soap and

hot water are adequate for nearly all applications.

Don’t fear getting dirty. Researchers now believe that

our lack of contact with dirt is preventing us from

creating a balanced gut microbiome and leading to a

higher incidence of autoimmune diseases. This

hygiene hypothesis is thought to contribute to the

higher prevalence of allergies and autoimmune

diseases in our hyper-clean environment.

Eat real food. Avoid food that is full of sugar,

chemcals, and ingredient lists that are unidentifiable.

Avoid food that is genetically modified. Avoid food

that has health claims on its label and that has a

commercial on TV. Broccoli doesn’t have a

commercial and has no label. Got it??

Take probiotics to help maintain a healthy gut

microbial environment. While there are numerous

strains or species of probiotics, I usually recommend a

comprehensive blend of Lactobacillus and

Bifidobacterium strains that number at least 20 billion

per capsule. However, the store shelves are exploding

with many different brands of probiotics. It can be

overwhelming to say the least. My one piece of

advice to you – don’t buy your probiotic where you

also get your lottery tickets. Quality does matter when

it comes to probiotics. Consumer Lab tested 25

probiotic

products and

found that

eight of them

contained

less than 1

percent of the

number of

probiotic

bacteria

listed on the label. It is important to use well-

researched probiotics that have been found useful in

clinical settings. Always look for a batch number and

expiration date. Purchase your products from a health

professional or store where someone has done the

research for you. Leave the work to us -- we are

geeks by design. Ask us for our top picks. In

addition, eat foods that are considered prebiotics

(food for the good bacteria in our gut). These include

artichokes, asparagus, green tea, onions, yogurt, and

kefir just to name a few.

So I leave you with a quirky poem about your microbi-

ome to ponder . . . ( don’t worry, I won’t give up my day

job).

How we arrive on Earth is not ours to choose

Vaginal or c/s is the OB doc’s muse

Play in the dirt or never leaving your house?

Bacteria love fingers that aren’t attached to a mouse

Chicken soup for the cold will always suffice

Antibiotics too often come with a price

Feed your body food that your granny surely knows

The last time I checked, she hates GMOs.

Take time to laugh at yourself in good cheer

Trips around the Sun fly faster each year

Bring to the table the gardener’s rainbow of hues

Leave stress off the menu lest we are destined to lose

At last a final thought entered my measly brain

One that Dr. Perlmutter definitely did not entertain

If our genes are outnumbered by bacteria on a scale

of ten to one

Now put on your big girl pants and show them how

it’s done.

To Your Health, Dr. Couri

6708 North Knoxville Avenue, Peoria, Illinois 309.692.6838 www.CouriCenter.com

The month of June was full of travel for me - mostly work (and a little play). From San Francisco to Chicago, I had the opportunity to meet and learn from some of the brightest minds in the field of functional and integrative medicine. Dr. David Perlmutter, Dr. Lauren Cordain, Dr. Mark Hyman, Liz Lipski, Dr. Jeffrey Bland and Michael Pollan - just to name a few! They are scientific celebrities. I have read most, if not all of their published work. Their knowledge and insight has changed the way I practice medicine, and as such, I am not embarrassed to share with you that I was star-struck on many occasions. I tried my best not to lose all composure when I bumped into Liz Lipski in the ladies room. My better judgement told me a powder room 'selfie' with her may be unbefitting, so I settled for a smile and a slightly jumbled sentence professing my awe for her theories and management of GI maladies. Her graciousness made me feel much better about our less than glamorous introduction. Until we meet again Liz… It was so invigorating to be around like-minded practitioners from around the world. My goal in attending medi-cal conferences is to be an ambassador for my patients. To deepen my knowledge base so I can share the most up to date, scientific and cutting edge science with you. None of this information really matters if I can't share and apply it. So without further ado, I would like to take this opportunity to give you a CliffsNotes version of what I have learned. 1. Fat does not make you fat. This needs to be repeated; FAT DOES NOT MAKE YOU FAT. Consumption of high-glycemic carbohydrates create fat. So skip the low-fat, ultra processed Wheat-Thins and grab a handful of al-monds. 2. Chronic disease is not simply a consequence of 'bad' genes. It is the result of accumulated inflammation from our diet, lifestyle and environment. Good news - it's also reversible. We are here to help you do this. 3. Dr. Perlmutter, world renowned neurologist, states the absolute, most important thing you can do for the health of your brain is physical exercise. He'll even write you a prescription for it. At least 30 minutes a day, five days per week. 4. Cooking is what makes us unique from any other species. Unfortunately, we have become a society that spends more time watching television programs about cooking food than actually preparing food in our own kitchen. Let's celebrate the abundance of foods that are available to us by enjoying time in front of the stove instead of the television or computer. 5. The bacteria in your bowels outnumber the cells in your body by a factor of 10:1. Never underestimate the power of your gut. It's not just about what comes out, but what are we putting in? Proper probiotic balance helps control anxiety and depression, eliminates harmful hormones and toxins, improves your neurological func-tion and stimulates weight loss. A probiotic a day can keep the doctor away. 6. The Paleo Diet is not a fad. It is one of the best and most scientifically sound methods of eating. Only 3-5% of our genes have changed since the advent of agriculture, so eating like our ancestors is what we are still hard wired to do. Grains were not readily available most months out of the year to our Pilo-Pleistocene relatives. Our ancestors would not recognize most of what we eat today. Our body doesn't recognize most of it either. Focus on eating free range meats, veggies, fruits and nuts. Skip the dairy and grain. Your genes will thank you. 7. Feel as though you're addicted to sugar? It's not just a lack of will power - it's a real problem. Scientists have found that sugar is significantly (8x) more addictive than cocaine. If you're ready to make a clean break from the stronghold of sugar, join the Couri Center for a ten day sugar detox starting July 14th. Hope Placher, PA-C, MMS

Cliffs Notes from June

6708 North Knoxville Avenue, Peoria, Illinois 309.692.6838 www.CouriCenter.com

Introducing Biofeedback for Stress Management 90% of health problems in the United States can be, in

one way or another, related back to “stress.” Stress

means different things to different people. A common

definition is the “wear and tear” on the mind and body

in response to everyday tensions and “hassles.” When

left unchecked, its effect may be detrimental to health

and well-being. Stress affects us physically, mentally,

and spiritually. However, it may not necessarily be the

stress itself or stressful events that cause harm, but—the

way people perceive and respond to stress.

At the Couri Center, we believe in providing women’s

healthcare that includes the mind, body, and spirit. We

have incorporated a biofeedback session into our TLC

program for people that wish to have individualized

instruction in reducing the risk of chronic disease and

improving health habits. We would like to offer this

biofeedback session as a service to all patients who

would like to learn techniques that may help with stress

management.

Our biofeedback program is called the emWave Stress

Relief System. With the program we teach people to

“self regulate” relaxation, and learn how to promote

positive emotions and feelings. Emotions and negative

feelings have a powerful impact on the human body. A

growing body of research indicates that positive

emotions may indeed be the key to optimal health.

Positive emotions have been demonstrated to improve

health, increase longevity, increase cognitive flexibility

and creativity, facilitate coping, and activate innovative

problem-solving. It has been shown to promote

helpfulness, generosity, and effective cooperation with

others.

When people apply self-regulation/relaxation techniques

and manage their stress, they become active,

empowered participants in directing their own health

and wellness as well as reducing symptoms of chronic

diseases. The technology for the emWave Desktop

Stress Relief System is based on research conducted by

HeartMath in Boulder Creek, CA. It combines the

science of physiological balance and state of the art

technologies in software with proven psychological

tools. It assists individuals in achieving a state of

“psychophysiological coherence”. This means that a

person can see in “real time” how thoughts and

emotions affect the heart and nervous system. One can

objectively monitor heart rhythms and determine when

“self regulation” or “self soothing” and true relaxation

occurs. This program shows how the heart is a sensitive

marker for emotional changes, reflected in the

“biofeedback” patterns we see with the emWave Sys-

tem. It measures the HRV, heart rate variability,

which has been determined through research to be an

excellent marker for predicting health outcomes and

assessing or treating stress reactions.

Self – regulation skills can be defined as strategies that

identify and cultivate the innate human ability to

achieve a desired level of health and wellness. This can

include techniques that promote sleep, healthy eating,

regular exercise, and daily activities, improved

communication, positive self talk, and relationships.

Individuals can develop health –enhancing strategies

and a sense of control over their health and potential

wellness.

As part of the biofeedback training, each patient will

learn how to use relaxation techniques as a tool to

responding to stress. At times, when under stress, our

bodies stress-managing system, the adrenal glands,

become imbalanced. Cortisol imbalance and adrenal

fatigue may be something you might wish to talk about

or have further evaluated in addition to your

biofeedback stress relief appointment. The cost of an

individual, 30-minute appointment, biofeedback session

is $75. We are happy to join you on your journey

toward health and wellness.

Terry Polanin, MSN, APN

Couri Center Chatter Question: I am interested in replacing my

mammogram with a test using thermography. I've

read that it gives a better picture, doesn't squish

your breasts, no radiation or whatever they use, and,

in general, is just better for you?

Dr Couri: What a great question! Dr. Andrew Weil says

it best, “Breast thermography, also called infrared

imaging, uses a special camera and computer analysis to

measure and map "hot spots" in the breast that may or

may not suggest cancer. Hot spots may indicate an area

where new blood vessels are forming to feed a tumor. If,

for example, thermography finds one in the left breast

that isn't present in the right, the difference might

suggest an abnormality - not necessarily cancer.

Breast thermography has been approved by the FDA as

a safe test, but not as an effective screening or

diagnostic test for early detection of breast cancer

because it misses some cancers and has a high false

positive rate. (That is, it identifies areas in the breast as

malignant that are not.)

Despite thermography's poor track record, it is widely

promoted on the Internet as a valuable tool that can find

breast cancer earlier than any other available test. It is

also described as more comfortable than mammography

(true, since no breast contact is involved) and

radiation-free (also true). These may be powerful selling

points for some women, but the FDA, the American

Cancer Society, and the American College of Radiology

warn that thermography is not a substitute for (or even a

useful adjunct to) mammograms at this time.

Mammograms may not be the ideal method of screening

for breast cancer - they can be uncomfortable and do

expose women to radiation, which has a cumulative risk

over time. Furthermore, there is widespread medical

uncertainty about how often women should be screened

(or even if they should be screened at all). Your best bet

is to review your family history and breast cancer risk

profile with your physician and make your decision

about mammograms accordingly. I would not rely on

breast thermography for the time being.”

We are looking for your questions! Because our newsletter is focused on our patients needs, the Couri Center will soon begin featuring your questions in our new question and answer column! Please send your questions about gynecology, women’s health, exercise, weight loss, hormones, nutrition, supplements and products, or whatever you can think of to couricenterwellness@yahoo.com. We will answer a few questions each month. And no need to worry, no names will be printed with the questions.

We will be addressing many of the questions we receive during our October 21 “Embracing Wellness” Series event, “A Q+A with Dr. Michele Couri.” Mark your calendar now!

The following was written by a mentor of mine, Dr. Tieraona Low Dog*:

“We must let go of the life we have planned, so as to accept the life that is waiting for us.”

I became a massage therapist because I wanted to learn to use my hands to ease their bodily suffering. I was told to do more with my life. I became an herb wife, a woman who knew the hiding places of the plant tribes and how to use them to end the suffering of the 2 and 4 legged’s. I was told to do more with my life. I became a midwife to help guide and bear to the new souls as they entered the world. I was told to do more with my life. I became a physician, to learn the mysteries of science so that I might ease the suffering of those who sought my help. I was told that I had made it. That I had achieved success. But I was running all the time and going no where. I knew in my heart that this was not the life that lived inside of me. I moved up to the mountains, got some horses and chickens, took the dogs and cats, live in a cabin, grow my vegetables, bake my bread, grow and gather my medicine. I help the 2 legged and 4 legged, share what I know when I can. I have learned a lot about what other people know. I’ve read a lot of books. I’ve gained a lot of knowledge. And yet, it is only in the stillness of the forest, that I have come to understand that wisdom only finds you when you are living the life you were called to live. Whatever that life may be…

*Dr. Low Dog is an internationally known speaker on topics ranging from the responsible use of herbal medicine and dietary supple-ments to integrative approaches to women’s health. With more than 30 publications, she serves on the editorial/advisory boards of Men-

opause and Explore journals, Prevention magazine and the American Botanic al Council.

Meet our staff: Dr. Michele Couri M.D., FACOG Physician of Gynecology and Integrative Medicine

Hope Placher PA-C, MMS Physician Assistant

Susan F. Lang MS, APN, CNM, LCCE Advance Practice Nurse

Terry Polanin MS, APN, FNP-BC Nurse Practitioner

Leslie Rusch-Bayer BASC, RD, LDN, CPT Registered Dietitian, Certified Personal Trainer

6708 North Knoxville Avenue, Peoria, Illinois 309.692.6838 www.CouriCenter.com

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Mexicali Chop with Crunchy Tortilla Strips Ingredients: Tortilla Strips 1 ½ tsp. canola oil 3 6-inch corn tortillas ½ tsp. chili powder ¼ tsp. maple crystals or sugar ⅛ tsp. salt Dressing ½ cup olive oil 2 cloves garlic, minced (2 tsp.) 2 tsp. ground cumin 2 tsp. ground coriander 1 tsp. sugar 1 tsp. salt ⅓ cup lime juice ¼ cup chopped green onion ¼ cup cilantro leaves Pinch cayenne pepper Salad 1 head romaine lettuce, sliced (8 cups) 2 medium tomatoes, chopped (2 cups) 1 avocado, diced (1 cup) 3 celery stalks, sliced (1 cup) 1 cucumber, seeded and diced (1 cup) 1 cup fresh or frozen, thawed corn kernels ¾ cup cooked pinto beans ½ cup red bell peppers, rinsed, drained, and sliced ⅓ cup finely chopped red onion

Directions: 1. To make Tortilla

Strips: Preheat oven to

350°F. Brush oil on

tortillas. Cut in half, then

cut into 1/8-inch-wide

strips. Spread on baking

sheet. Combine chili

powder, maple crystals,

and salt in bowl. Sprinkle

chili powder mixture over

strips. Bake 15 minutes, or until crisp. Cool.

2. To make Dressing: heat oil, garlic, cumin, coriander, sugar, and salt

in saucepan 2 to 3 minutes over low heat, or until garlic begins to

sizzle.

3. Blend remaining Dressing ingredients with garlic oil in blender

until smooth

. 4. Toss together all Salad ingredients with Tortilla Strips and 1/4 cup Dressing. Recipe courtesy Real Food Daily