- Integral Medicine | Alexander Smithers M.D., A.P.1014 N. East Ave.
Sarasota, Fl. 34237941-444-6336 - 1014 N. East Ave.
Sarasota, Fl. 34237941-444-6336 - Testimonials
Dr. Smithers has been taking care of my knees for a few years now. My experience with him has been consistently outstanding. His care has allowed me to avoid knee replacement surgery. There was a point when I had so much pain that I was not able to spend more than 15 minutes on my feet.. Because of his treatments and direction I have gotten my life back, including 20 mile bike rides and trips to the Disney parks with
... Read more »Dr. Alex Smithers is outstanding…a talented Dr. Who is extremely passionate about healing as well as the skills involved in rejuvenative therapies. I go to him for ozone (prolozone) and dextrose (prolotherapy) injections. Have gone to him already at least 8 times. He uses ultrasound to diagnose and monitor and his injections really work. Best of all he’s a great guy and very easy to chat with.
I had my second appointment with Dr. Alex Smithers today. I was treated for painful arthritic hip, back, and neck. After treatments I felt immediate results. I was able to go shopping with my daughter with no pain which wouldn’t have been possible before without considerable pain. I am very thankful to my daughter who found Dr. Alex and this office. I am also very thankful to Dr. Alex. I have flown twice from Pa. To see him and will
... Read more » - TestimonialsI became interested in pursuing ozone injections from Dr. Smithers after a friend received the treatments
and recommended it to me. I just finished my second round of injections in my neck, lower back, hips and both knees. I have experienced lower back/hip pain most of my adult life, endured a knee injury while white river rafting in my 20’s and have had progressively worsening neck pain since a car wreck in my early 30’s. For reference I am 47
... Read more »Dear Dr. Smithers,
I just wanted to thank you for treating my trigeminal neuralgia pain.
In May of 2012 I hit my head on a concrete ledge resulting in severe head trauma with unusual and very painful symptoms that followed—throbbing, knife stabbing, severe tension in and around my head, constant clicking noise, and my soft palate in continual motion. I was first diagnosed with TMJ for which I was given an appliance to align my jaw. Which did not take away the severe pain
... Read more »Dr Smithers is so acute and atuned to what others miss. I had been suffering with abdominal issues for over 20 years getting no help from traditional medicine. He found and correctly treated the issue. Words cannot describe the quality of life that has been restored to me. He’s very caring and takes the time to listen.
In Oct of 2013 I was diagnosed with stage 4 Cholangiocarcinoma Malignant Neoplasm Cancer of the Bile Ducts of the Liver. In addition I had a tumor on the left lobe of the liver that ruptured and allowed cancer cells to escape and cake on the majority of my abdominal area. The issues, pain and effects are too numerous to mention. After 9 months of Chemo Therapy Treatments I was left with major issues with neuropathy in both my feet
... Read more »Dr. Alex Smithers is outstanding…a talented Dr. Who is extremely passionate about healing as well as the skills involved in rejuvenative therapies. I go to him for ozone (prolozone) and dextrose (prolotherapy) injections. Have gone to him already at least 8 times. He uses ultrasound to diagnose and monitor and his injections really work. Best of all he’s a great guy and very easy to chat with.
Dr. Smithers has been taking care of my knees for a few years now. My experience with him has been consistently outstanding. His care has allowed me to avoid knee replacement surgery. There was a point when I had so much pain that I was not able to spend more than 15 minutes on my feet.. Because of his treatments and direction I have gotten my life back, including 20 mile bike rides and trips to the Disney parks with
... Read more »
Uncategorized
Mediterranean Diet and Brain Structure in the Elderly
TAKE-HOME MESSAGE
- High-resolution structural MRI scanning was completed in a cohort of 674 elderly multiethnic people (mean age, 80.1 years) with no history of dementia. Participants completed a food frequency questionnaire to determine adherence to a Mediterranean-type diet (MeDi). Those who showed higher adherence to a MeDi had a larger total brain volume (TBV), total gray matter volume (TGMV), and total white matter volume compared with people who showed a lower adherence to a MeDi. There was an association seen between higher fish and lower meat intake and larger TGMV as well as lower meat intake and larger TBV. Higher fish intake also showed an association with increased mean cortical thickness.
- MeDi adherence in the elderly is associated with significantly less brain atrophy. The key elements of the MeDi appear to be a higher fish intake combined with a lower meat intake.
OBJECTIVE
To determine whether higher adherence to a Mediterranean-type diet (MeDi) is related with larger MRI-measured brain volume or cortical thickness.
METHODS
In this cross-sectional study, high-resolution structural MRI was collected on 674 elderly (mean age 80.1 years) adults without dementia who participated in a community-based, multiethnic cohort. Dietary information was collected via a food frequency questionnaire. Total brain volume (TBV), total gray matter volume (TGMV), total white matter volume (TWMV), mean cortical thickness (mCT), and regional volume or CT were derived from MRI scans using FreeSurfer program. We examined the association of MeDi (scored as 0–9) and individual food groups with brain volume and thickness using regression models adjusted for age, sex, ethnicity, education, body mass index, diabetes, and cognition.
RESULTS
Compared to lower MeDi adherence (0–4), higher adherence (5–9) was associated with 13.11 (p = 0.007), 5.00 (p = 0.05), and 6.41 (p = 0.05) milliliter larger TBV, TGMV, and TWMV, respectively. Higher fish (b = 7.06, p = 0.006) and lower meat (b = 8.42, p = 0.002) intakes were associated with larger TGMV. Lower meat intake was also associated with larger TBV (b = 12.20, p = 0.02). Higher fish intake was associated with 0.019 mm (p = 0.03) larger mCT. Volumes of cingulate cortex, parietal lobe, temporal lobe, and hippocampus and CT of the superior-frontal region were associated with the dietary factors.
CONCLUSIONS
Among older adults, MeDi adherence was associated with less brain atrophy, with an effect similar to 5 years of aging. Higher fish and lower meat intake might be the 2 key food elements that contribute to the benefits of MeDi on brain structure.