Happy Spring!


Since I celebrate my birthday on the vernal equinox, spring has always represented a special time for me. Growth and rebirth within is reflected by the beauty of Mother Nature outside. Here in Ojai, spring blossoms in glorious colors—mountains green from the winter rains overlook meadows where purple lupine dances with golden poppies. Here, camellias still bloom alongside roses that never wintered. My lush herb garden invites family and patients to sit and contemplate our blessings.

Yes, we are blessed to be here on this earth at this time. Great change is occurring. Political shifts and financial collapse are mirrored by the earth as quakes and tsunamis. We are transforming with our home. New diseases appear, species of plants and animals die or mutate, our very genetic code expresses the shift.

I have been receiving more emails from people around the world affected physically and emotionally by this transformation. My health care practice includes addressing the biological, psychological and spiritual roots of
dis-ease. We are not just a body, but energy communicating with matter. We interpret our reality through our perceptive and reactive minds. I find the body symptoms a wonderful way to understand our soul lessons.

I believe that this body is our vehicle for transformation and through our human forms, we can achieve enlightened states of being.

I recently got an email from a young woman who had a traumatic kundalini experience that resulted in physical and emotional problems. Kundalini is the energy believed to rise through the chakras (the power points that correspond with the endocrine glands) as one achieves an enlightened state. She asked if there were any therapies that could help her regain her health and still hold the higher vibration of her awakening.

During my 25 years of practicing Intuitive Integrative Medicine, I have encountered many spiritual seekers who were physically out of balance. Although certainly I seek spiritual enlightenment, I do not wish to sacrifice my health. I believe that if we support our bodies on the physical level, that holding the higher vibration of enlightened states is not only possible but joyous and without suffering or dis-ease. Partly this is a choice. We tend to believe that only through suffering do we achieve growth. But what if, joy was the way?

I think that is what is happening in the world. The old paradigms are breaking down to make room for the new. Joy is replacing suffering!
This hopefulness reflects my mantra of Choosing Love…always believing the best, trusting that all will be well, not living in fear, but in gratitude…Choosing Love led to my creation of Genesis Gold.

I have found since consuming Genesis Gold over the past 10 years, my body is able to withstand tremendous growth emotionally and spiritually, not just survive, but thrive. Although still very passionate with powerful emotions, the soul lessons are very clear to my inquiring mind and my body does not manifest dis-ease to help teach me.

People are often surprised at my age…I celebrated my 49th birthday last week…I guess, I don’t look and certainly don’t feel like I have been on earth nearly 50 years! I believe Genesis Gold helps me age more gracefully. You should see my mom! No one would guess she’s nearly 70! She also faithfully takes Genesis Gold.

The stress of life can age us, make us sick, and very tired. Certainly life has dished out stressors for me too. The last five months has been hectic with three of my elderly relatives critically ill, two at the same time! And all, I chose to help as caretaker, nurse, medical advisor. It was a great learning experience for me, teaching me the importance of self-care. A lesson I teach my patients yet the universe must have thought I needed a bit more empathy.

Now, I know how hard it is to be a caretaker and manage a family and household while working and still take care of myself. I have great admiration for all the women and men who choose the path of caring for the elderly. It was a blessing to be able to spend this precious time with aging loved ones. And I am grateful to have Genesis Gold not just to support my body, but help me live in the moment and receive the blessing of life’s drama.

So today on the first full moon of spring, I celebrate life with you. These seasonal communications help me to realize the blessings in my life. Thank you for the blessing of your readership. And have a glorious spring.

May you have Abundant Health and Happiness,


Deborah Maragopoulos MN FNP
Transforming Health—Body, Mind and Soul.
http://www.genesisgold.com/

So Your PSA is High!

First of all do not panic. Just recently in Medscape news, the scientist who discovered PSA wrote an article on how the test is being abused. In his opinion PSA best shows cancer progression but is NOT a good indicator of cancer in the first place.

As a hormone specialist, I've been following a few middle aged men with creeping PSA's for years now. They have chosen not to have a biopsy because of the likelihood of spreading encapsulated cancerous cells and possibly causing malignant disease. The body as it ages has to deal with cells going crazy-- otherwise known as cancer or mutated DNA. White blood cells known as lymphocytes eradicate the abnormal cells or encapsulate the tissue. All normal aging process.

Prostate Specific Antigen or PSA is a measurement of a protein produced by the prostate. PSA elevates with enlarging prostates, either from inflammation, infection or testosterone deficiency. Prostates look for more testosterone, thus all aging men have lower levels of testosterone than they did as youths and the prostate enlarges to "suck" up more testosterone to convert to the active form--dihydrotestosterone. The amount FREE or unbound by protein in the blood serum is the percentage of how much PSA circulates free compared to the total PSA.

Men with 15-25% of their PSA free (unbound) are considered within normal limits.
Over 25% PSA free (known as free PSA or fPSA) usually indicates an enlarged prostate.
Less than 15% free PSA is suspicious for dysplasia or early cancer.
Less than 7% is highly suspicious of cancer.

If you are going to have your PSA levels measured than be sure and ejaculate within a week of the test but no sooner than 3 days for the most accurate result. AND never have a PSA test after a digital rectal exam. Touching the prostate will raise circulating PSA levels.

If your PSA is elevated than a percentage free PSA must be measured.

The most I recommend for marginally elevated PSA levels (4-10) with a high percentage free is a prostate ultrasound, not a biopsy. Being surgeons, urologists favor biopsies as standard care. I am concerned about spreading early disease and would rather boost my patients’ immune system to help them eradicate crazy cancer cells themselves, using the PSA levels to monitor prostate inflammation.

That's why the scientist who discovered PSA was so disturbed. So many men undergo unnecessary biopsies based on a test that was never meant to be used as a screening test.

It's like using a Ca125 to screen all women for ovarian cancer. It means very little in the general population but for those with ovarian cancer, it is highly sensitive marker of cancer growth. If we used this test on women like we use PSA on men, many would undergo unnecessary surgery because Ca125 can elevate for many other gynecological inflammatory conditions.

So if your PSA is elevated, breathe. Do some investigation as to the cause.

• Do you have a strong family history of prostate cancer? If so, then follow your PSA and if rapid elevation with high percentage free PSA then seek specialist care for further investigation (ultrasound and possible biopsy)
• Do you have signs and symptoms of testosterone deficiency? (low libido, erectile dysfunction, insomnia, night sweats, anxiety, depression, poor muscle tone, low energy, brain fog) If so, then get tested by a hormone specialist.
• Are you experiencing signs of enlarged prostate? (frequent urination, nocturia, difficulty voiding or emptying your bladder, weak urinary stream, rectal pain or heaviness following ejaculation) If so, then you may need a urine analysis, then digital rectal exam followed by a post exam urine analysis. The two urine tests are compared to differentiate between bladder and prostate infections.

I have used testosterone replacement therapy in my male patients with elevated PSA levels (totally against conventional thinking) with subsequent lowering of PSA levels. I have had excellent results with Genesis Gold in harmonizing male hormone levels for those men who do not wish to use hormone replacement therapy (HRT). And for those who do use HRT, Genesis Gold helps them metabolize hormones safely and can help decrease their dose, so less is more.

An added benefit of using Genesis Gold as a foundation formula is the boost to immune function. Supporting the stressed and aging immune system helps the body fight disease including cancer.

Saw Palmetto, pygeum, pumpkin seed oil, all help to decrease prostate inflammation and can help lower PSA.

Being a holistic practitioner, I address the triad of mind-body-soul health. I find that men with prostate issues are more likely to lack a creative outlet in their lives. When our time to procreate is over, we energetically need a means for healthy creative expression. Some of my male patients have discovered that they are quite talented artists; others find that creating a garden, remodeling a room, rebuilding an engine to be creative outlets. Volunteering to coach young athletes, lead boy scouts, build stages for youth productions provide a creative outlet for many of my retired patients. Some find that being involved with their grandchildren helping to create healthy families to be their best creation ever. A healthy sex life with a loving partner does wonders to boost self esteem, hormone production and lower prostate inflammation.



Be Well,

Deborah Maragopoulos MN FNP
Intuitive Integrative Medicine
http://www.genesisgold.com/