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Dr Clement Plaatjies

About Dr Clement Plaatjies

Posts by Dr Clement Plaatjies:

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What’s the difference between Botox® and Fillers?

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Let’s debunk some misconceptions!

-By Dr Marlise De Jager

Botox® (Botulinum toxin) and fillers are two of the most popular injectable cosmetic treatments worldwide, but they are two VERY DIFFERENT products with different end results.

 

Not only are botulinum toxin and fillers two different substances, but they also differ in the way they work:

Botox® (Botulinum toxin type A) is a neurotoxin that is injected into muscles, reducing wrinkles by relaxing the muscles underneath the skin. So in simple terms, this product would temporarily paralyse a given muscle so as to not contract the skin and form a wrinkle.  (Insert before +after pictures)

Dermal fillers are most commonly hyaluronic acid, which is a naturally occurring substance in the body. It is injected beneath the surface of the skin to fill in wrinkles, lines, and scars or to add volume and fullness to targeted areas of the face. Fillers are commonly used in the cheeks, lips, and around the mouth. Plumping up these areas cause a more youthful look by smoothing lines and adding volume. (Insert before + after pictures).

 

Botulinum toxin and dermal fillers are both minimally invasive and very effective for the treatment of fine lines and wrinkles, among other cosmetic concerns.  They are both, also, very safe in the hands of a skilled practitioner.

 

Are Botox® or Fillers Better?

Botulinum toxin and fillers treat different problems and different areas of the face and skin.

They both play an important role in your anti-ageing routine and work even better when combined.

Both procedures are temporary. Botox results will last for three to six months, while dermal fillers will last for six to 18 months. You will need repeated treatments to maintain a youthful appearance.

 

Long Term Effects of Dermal Fillers and Botox

One of the most common concerns that people have when they are considering Botulinum toxin or dermal fillers are the long term effects.

 

Botulinum toxin is generally considered safe. The most serious side effects are when botulinum toxin is injected into the wrong muscle group or spread from the injection site, causing temporary paralysis of unintended muscles.

 

The overall incidence of long term adverse reactions secondary to the dermal injection of hyaluronic acid skin fillers is believed to be low, the vast majority representing a foreign body-related chronic inflammatory reaction.

 

Both injectable therapies are temporary and repeated treatments are necessary. If you decide to stop treatments, the only effect will be that your wrinkles will return, but it might be more slowly. You will still look younger than you would have if you had never been injected.

 

Both Botox and fillers are safe and effective procedures. By understanding the differences between Botox and fillers, you can decide which procedure is right for you. Always do your homework and have your injections performed by a reputable doctor. Every practitioner has different philosophies, techniques, and levels of experience. Communicate with your doctor about realistic expectations and results before allowing any treatment.

The best way to determine which product would be best for you is to schedule a consultation.

 

 

happy gut

Irritable Bowel Syndrome (IBS):

Let’s make things simple…

-By Dr Marlise De Jager

What is it?

Irritable bowel syndrome (IBS) is a functional gastrointestinal disorder that is characterised by chronic abdominal pain and a change in bowel habits (either constipation and/or diarrhoea).

 

What causes IBS?

There are many theories about how and why IBS may develop.

  1. Abnormal contractions of the colon and intestines (“Spastic colon”)
  2. The brain gut connection
    – Stress and anxiety can affect the intestine. There are millions of nerve cells in the lining of the gastrointestinal tract which control digestion and tell the bowel when to contract, move and secrete fluids. A stress response in the gut can make symptoms more frequent and severe.
    – Increased sensitivity of the intestines is when the nerves in the intestines are overactive.
  3. Imbalance of good and bad bacteria in the gut
    – Some people develop IBS after a severe viral -or bacterial gastrointestinal infection.
    – Small intestinal bacterial overgrowth (SIBO) is an overgrowth of bacteria in the small intestine that causes bloating, stomach pain and/or excessive gas.
  4. It is possible that IBS is caused by food intolerances. The best way to find associations between symptoms of IBS and food sensitivities -or allergies, is to exclude certain food groups (follow an “elimination diet”). Speak to your doctor or nutritionist before excluding food groups.

 

Irritable bowel syndrome symptoms

Not all IBS look the same and symptoms may vary. Speak to your doctor if you have any change in bowel habits. These may include abdominal pain, diarrhoea and/or constipation, or bloating, increased gas and belching. Seek help if your stress and anxiety cause abdominal symptoms or physical pain.

 

How is IBS diagnosed?

There is no single test to diagnose IBS. Your doctor will look at your symptoms, medical history, physical examination, and may do blood tests. Selected blood tests will rule out deficiencies and distinguish IBS from other gastrointestinal disorders that have similar symptoms to IBS. Referral to a specialist may be needed in severe cases.

 

How is IBS treated?

IBS varies from person to person, so there are many different treatments and therapies. It may be necessary to try more than one combination of treatments to find what works best for you. Treating IBS can take time. It is important to communicate with your doctor about symptoms, concerns, stressors or other problems that develop during this process.

 

Tips before consulting with your doctor:

Monitor symptoms – Pay attention to anything that may influence your gut and worsen symptoms (such as food intolerances and stress). Keep a food diary.

Diet changes – Try to eliminate foods that worsen IBS symptoms. Always communicate with your doctor or nutritionist before eliminating foods to avoid worsened symptoms or new problems.

Increasing dietary fibre – Increasing dietary fibre may relieve IBS symptoms, especially if you have constipation. You can either add certain foods to your diet or use fibre supplements.

Reduce stress and anxiety – Counselling or participation in a support group may be very helpful.

Exercise – Many studies have shown that physical activity improves IBS symptoms. Exercise also improves quality of life, fatigue, depression and anxiety.

Medication – There are many drugs available to treat the symptoms of IBS. Speak to your doctor to determine the best treatment for your unique situation.

PS:

The doctors at EPSWI have designed a customised dietary supplement which facilitates gut reconstitution.  By building and maintaining the lining of your gut, and assisting in digestion with the help of digestive enzymes, this supplement can optimise the breakdown and absorption of nutrients; making sure that everything which passes your lips is fully digested and absorbed for utilisation by the cells of your body.

Call, email or WhatsApp us to find out more or to purchase this AMAZING personalised product!

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Why intravenous therapy (IV Drips) MUST be bespoke

The correct way to administer IV nutrition

-By Dr Clement G. Plaatjies

The popularity of intravenous therapy is increasing, but so too are the potential negative effects associated with putting liquids directly into your bloodstream without the input of a physician. The focus of this blog is to outline the potential side effects of these therapies as well as to offer understanding as to why it’s not a one-size-fits-all service. 

Firstly, things can go wrong:

IV drips can be placed by either a doctor or a nurse, but complications can arise (although they rarely do). Anaphylaxis is a medical emergency and IMMEDIATE intervention is needed or death may ensue. As such, it’s advisable to have a doctor on hand to tend to any such eventualities. 

You don’t know what you need:

It’s quite simple, there IS such a thing as too much of a good thing. The only way you could know what your body is deficient in is by testing. Assuming you’re feeling tired could very well be a vitamin B deficiency, and while these exist they are rather rare. Vitamin B injections or drips may boost you for a day or two but then you’re back to where you started. 

Iron deficiency has actually been found to be the more likely culprit here.  Iron drips can only be done at selected medical facilities due to the potentially serious side effects they may present with. To know what your body really needs, ask it by having the CORRECT bloods drawn first. 

Your genes determine what happens to the nutrients: 

Why is it that some of us can fall asleep after a cup of coffee and for the rest of us, we’re up all night after just one cup?  One answer is…your genes!! We don’t all absorb and utilize nutrients in the same way. Some people struggle to absorb iron due to a genetic mutation affecting the stomach. Some people are better at breaking down caffeine or even alcohol so they require higher doses to get a kick out of it. This could all come down to our genetic differences determining how we process what goes into our body. We are all different metabolizers. So thinking one form of therapy will work for EVERYONE is not the best way to practice personalised medicine. This is even true for medications. Panados don’t work for everyone.  While genetic testing is possible, a good start is always a thorough history taking first.  

Your medication/supplements may be interfering:

If you’re already taking any supplements, or you’re on acute or chronic medication, your IV drip could render those meds or supps ineffective or indeed increase their potential actions. It’s always a good idea to consult with a knowledgeable physician on the interactions of medications or supplements even before deciding to purchase them.  A simple example?  Calcium reduces the availability of many nutrients, including iron. 

The ingredients aren’t of a high quality:

You may be very particular about where you get your meat or how your vegetables should be farmed.  Should the same not apply to what you’re putting in your veins?  Are the therapies used preservative-free?  Have they been stored correctly to ensure no degradation has taken place?  Are they, indeed, what they’re advertised to be and in the correct dose?  It’s your responsibility to check that all of these are in place before that needle goes into your arm. 

Is the nutrient in the correct form?

Unfortunately, even vitamins can be dangerous. As an example, taking cyanocobalamin as opposed to methylcobalamin could raise your cholesterol level. What exactly is cyanocobalamin and methylcobalamin?  Cyanocobalamin is Vitamin B12 bound to cyanide!  Cyanide is, broadly speaking, a poison in sufficient doses. 

Vitamin B12 bound to a methyl group (methylcobalamin) is more readily used by your body. Always check what your nutrients are bound to and what the elemental dose is where appropriate.  The wrong B12 could actually cause high cholesterol.

There are many other factors to consider but the conclusion is this:

Make sure that you actually need what you’re getting otherwise most of what’s going in will come straight out.  Make sure that it’s done safely, should things go wrong, you want to know that you’ll be well taken care of.

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Why energy drinks AREN’T bad for you!

What to consider before buying that energy:

-By Dr Clement G. Plaatjies

There seems to be consensus, especially among parents, that energy drinks are bad for you!  And when probed, the main reason seems to be the caffeine content.  Of course, there are many other reasons why energy drinks may be bad for you, but let’s consider the “main” reason…too much caffeine!!!

One thing we need to consider, before banishing energy drinks to the same dark place we’ve sent gluten, is what exactly is ‘too much’ caffeine.   However, the first thing we need to know is WHAT ON EARTH DOES CAFFEINE DO?! 

Caffeine is a stimulant. This means that it “switches our brains on”; unlike alcohol which turns it off. As such, caffeine will help with focus, memory and cognition. It does this by blocking the action of adenosine in the brain, causing it to pile up. Adenosine basically causes your brain to chill out. This accumulation of adenosine is what causes the caffeine-crash. Once the caffeine wears off, all that adenosine now has free reign to ‘slow your brain down’ again. 

According to various sources, the maximum dose of caffeine permitted per day is 400mg. For performance enhancement, Sports Physicians have found a dose of 6-9mg per kg of body weight to be effective. These are only recommendations! Underlying conditions such as hypertension, kidney disease, heart disease, etc will greatly influence the safe maximum dose you can consume per day. 

So consider this, too much of virtually anything is troublesome for your health. Being in a constant state of stimulation is not sustainable! You risk cardiac arrest, high blood pressure, anxiety and many more potential adverse health effects as a result of too much caffeine. And that’s the point!  Many emergency admissions as a result of energy drinks were because of an excess consumption of these beverages or consumption with alcohol which is definitely not advised!  

Here’s the conclusion, there’s nothing wrong with energy drinks provided you do not have any co-morbidities affected by too much sugar or stimulants or any of the other ingredients contained there in, and you only consume them in moderation! 

Food

How do I decide what supplements I need to buy?

Don’t get overwhelmed in the supplements aisle

-By Dr Clement G. Plaatjies

Let’s be honest, nearly all of us believe that we should be taking some sort of supplement to ensure that we’re functioning at our best.  The media has done a FANTASTIC job at convincing us that we “need more energy during the day” or that we have to be using “the best weight-loss supplement since the last best weight-loss supplement”!  If you’re content with wasting money buying supplements which may not be right for you, or indeed may be harmful to you, then stop reading now.  If you’d like to know what the correct way is to decide what supplements to take, or you’re really bored and you feel like reading something that will make you go “hmph, I knew that but now that a doctor has said so maybe I’ll actually listen…” then read on!

Supplements, so called because they are meant to supplement an otherwise adequate diet, can be a vast chasm of confusion.  There are many valid reasons why we can’t get all the nutrients we need from our food anymore:  soil quality has depreciated due to nutrients being leeched, farming methods and the use of chemicals prevent absorption and metabolism of nutrients by our bodies, we live in high-demand states as a result of strenuous exercise and lifestyle stressors so we simply need more, or a number of other possible explanations.  So, how do we know if we need to be using a supplement?  The most obvious and accurate answer is to check, draw blood and LOOK.  Our Functional Blood Chemistry Analysis (https://epswi.co.za/functional-blood-chemistry-analysis-fbca-explained/) allows us to identify an array of deficiencies and dysfunctional organ states which no other blood panel could offer.  Our goal is not to ensure you’re just ‘not sick’, it’s to ensure that you are functioning at 100% of your capacity.  So, to get the most out of the supplements you take, your first question should always be “do I need everything in this product”?  

Part of the service we provide at EPSWI is full customisation of your supplement regimen.  Once you’ve drawn your bloods and received your FBCA report, we design a customised blend which you can add to your morning drink to ensure ALL your health needs are met.

Start by booking a consultation with our doctor, your path to complete health starts here!

PS:

We have done A LOT of research into deficiency states and as such, we have identified the most common deficiencies relating to common dysfunctions.  For this reason, the practitioners at Eastern Province Sports and Wellness Institute have developed pre-blended supplements to optimise function in various organ systems.

These include:

  • Cognitive support: Activating
  • Cognitive support: Calming
  • Thyroid support
  • Digestive tract support

More options will be coming soon and more info will be posted on each of the above.  For now, contact us directly for more information.

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Oxidative stress: How to balance free radicals and antioxidants

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A preamble to our post on ozone therapy; first we need to understand what oxidative stress is.

-By Dr Clement G. Plaatjies

What is oxidation?

There are many chemical reactions occurring in your body at any given time.  These reactions are happening so that bodily functions can be carried out.  Simply put, oxidation occurs when an electron is donated during a chemical reaction.  When this happens, free radicals are formed.  Free radicals are necessary to ensure normal functioning of the body but, they have to be kept in check.  This is the job of antioxidants, which has the simple job of donating an electron to free radicals to restore stability and balance.  And balance, or homeostasis in medical terms, is what the body strives for.

What is oxidative stress?

When the aforementioned balance is tipped in one direction, havoc may ensue.  Oxidative stress is the term given to the state in which there are more free radicals than can be balanced by antioxidants.  Free radicals are highly unstable molecules and the donation of an electron by antioxidants renders them more chemically stable.  Free radicals have the ability to react with fat (lipids), DNA and proteins within the cell.  When this happens, normal cell function is hindered.  This could lead to neurological diseases such as Parkinson’s, Alzheimer’s and attention deficit and hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) as well as systemic diseases like diabetes, high blood pressure and even some cancers.  Oxidative stress is also related to premature aging.

What are antioxidants?

As mentioned before, antioxidants are basically electron donors.  There are MANY antioxidants, or free radical scavengers, in the body.  Some are produced by the body itself and some can be taken orally.

Foods rich in antioxidants include: 

  • Berries (of any kind) and cherries
  • Green tea
  • Nuts

And many more.

Supplementary antioxidants include:

  • Vitamin C
  • Vitamin E
  • Resveratrol
  • Co-enzyme Q10 (especially when combined with ozone therapy)

 

Conclusion:

The important point to remember here is that there needs to be a balance between free radicals and antioxidants, both of which are essential for normal body functioning.  The commercial drive towards consuming more antioxidants makes it difficult to know which end of the scale you’re tipping.   This is where ozone therapy may be beneficial.  Ozone has the unique property wherein in creates free radicals which stimulates the body’s own natural production of antioxidants.  This restores the homeostasis reducing oxidative stress.

Female leg stepping on weigh scales. Healthy lifestyle, food and sport concept.

What you haven’t thought about when trying to lose weight

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Losing weight isn’t as simple as fewer calories in, more calories out…

-By Dr Clement G. Plaatjies

In fact, we should reconsider how we think about calories altogether.  Instead, start being mindful about how your body responds to carbohydrates (sugar), fats and proteins.  What your body does with these three macronutrients is dependent on so many factors, especially what your hormones are doing!  We could all agree that limiting yourself to a 1500 calorie-a-day diet and only eating sugar or fat or meat will have different effects on the body.  A proper history should be taken by your doctor to understand your underlying hormone status, as well as any other factors which may affect your body’s ability to absorb, utilise and excrete these nutrients.

 

Exercise plays a big role in your body’s hormone state, so obviously it will affect what happens to those calories you consume.  But, what exactly is exercise?  Well, to answer that maybe consider what exercise is NOT.  Walking the same distance everyday for the same duration is not exercise.  If you’re not constantly challenging your body with progressive loading, you’re not exercising!  You need to walk further or faster each time you walk for it to be considered exercise.  For those of us (present company excluded) who spend most of our day at work walking in the factory, office, on the farm…wherever…that does not count as exercise.  Set aside half an hour each day, for three days a week to get your heart rate to the point where you can only say 3 words at a time (because you’re out of breath, of course); that’s how you know you’re at the right exercise intensity.  Maintain that intensity for the full half an hour (or 15 minutes six times a week) and you’ll be doing the minimum recommended amount of exercise.  So, exercise hard enough to release the hormones you need to cause your body to burn fat, build muscle and most importantly, make you happy!

Okay but, what about my genes?…I hear you ask

People often think that because their parents were overweight, they’re destined to have the same fate.  Not necessarily.  Yes, you may be genetically predisposed to gaining weight because of “bad genes”, but it’s clearly not that simple.  We can easily modify our genes by what we eat or by our physical activity level.  So simply considering your diet and exercising correctly will make the genetic argument, for the most part, null and void.  That said, consider this, maybe it’s not so much that you’re genetically predisposed to gaining weight but rather you’re predisposed to the poor eating habits you picked up from your parents.

So by now we understand that diet is a bit more complicated than we’ve let on, and exercise actually means putting in work.  But, is that ALL we can do to lose weight?  Well, no, because fortunately we also have medication and supplements we could use.  However, even meds and supps are under the influence of what your body decides to do to them once consumed, and how they react when you’ve stressed your body with exercise.  So there is this interplay between the three which we need to get right.  We need to ensure that the one aspect doesn’t overpower the other.  It also means that you simply cannot just do one and expect to see the results you want.  Or maybe you will see those results, but they definitely will not be maintained.

So what’s the point of all this?  Firstly, you’re not going to lose weight and keep it off if what you’re doing is causing you to gain weight.  Seems obvious yet we still think that continuing to eat the way we are will just be cancelled out by a single drug.  Secondly, to truly get the results you want, your doctor will spend time taking a thorough history, examine you and possibly even draw blood to get a better understanding about how your body works.  Once we know that, we’ll have a better idea as to what is needed to get the body you want.

 

 

Does it matter WHEN I take my supplements as much as IF I take them?

Does it matter WHEN I take my supplements as much as IF I take them?

What’s the point of taking any supplement if it’s not doing what you want it to do?

-By Dr Clement G. Plaatjies

 This could happen for a few reasons:

  • You’re not taking enough
  • You’re taking enough but your body isn’t able to absorb it all
  • You’re absorbing it all but your body can’t use it adequately

These are just three of the many reasons why you may not be getting the best out of your supplements.

Taking “enough” means that you’re taking what your body needs, preventing a state of deficiency.  How do we do that? By actually drawing blood to see if you’re in the optimal range or possibly deficient using our Functional Blood Chemistry Analysis (see previous blog).

An inability to absorb nutrients could be due to a problem with your digestive system, or something as simple as taking two medications which interact with each other.  A common example of this is calcium and iron.  Taking calcium will prevent the absorption of iron when taken at the same time.  In fact, the tannins in tea could do the same thing to iron.  Vitamin C, on the other hand, could actually improve the absorption of iron into the bloodstream.

Sometimes, everything you take can be absorbed, but for some reason your body isn’t making it available to be used by your body cells.  An example of this is glucose which cannot enter your cells unless insulin opens the door for it to be taken up and used.

The focus of this blog is actually to guide the reader as to WHEN to take your vitamins, relative to eating.  This is being done to ensure that those of you taking Vitamin C and Vitamin A, etc, during the pandemic actually get the benefits of the nutrients you’re consuming.  For simplicity’s sake, I will focus on a handful of nutrients but talk about specific principles.

There are, broadly speaking, two groups into which vitamins would fall; they can be either water-soluble or fat soluble (remember, blood is basically water with stuff added!).  The relevance of this is that water-soluble nutrients can mix with water whereas fat-soluble nutrients cannot (because fat and water don’t mix).  Fat-soluble vitamins are thus better taken after a fatty meal.  These vitamins include Vitamins A, D, E and K.   So, make sure to eat before taking any of these.  It may be interesting to note that Ivermectin is also fat-soluble, something to keep in mind when taking it with a glass of water thinking you’re protected.

All other vitamins should be taken on and empty stomach.  Vitamin C and all your Bs are best taken first thing in the morning!

The two elements we always advocate our patients supplement with are Zinc (improves immune function) and Magnesium (balances blood pressure, relaxes muscle, assists with gut function).  The best time to take your Zinc supplement would be after a meal, about one or two hours later should do.  Magnesium on the other hand can be taken at any time of the day, but we’ve found it’s best taken in the evening before bed.

Although these are only guidelines and the timing may change from patient to patient, the basic principles stand true.  The best way to ensure you’re getting the most from your supplements is to firstly ensure that you actually need it, then consult your sports physician as to when and how much would be best for YOU!

 

 

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Functional Blood Chemistry Analysis (FBCA) explained!

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When a doctor draws blood from you, what do your results really mean?

-By Dr Clement G. Plaatjies

When a doctor draws blood from you, he/she uses reference ranges to determine whether your blood value is “normal”.  In essence, your doctor is asking: “Do your values fall within the same range as 95% of the population?”  This means, all we can actually tell you is whether you’re ill or not.  What if you’re an outlier? What if your body functions at a different range of “normal”?  Remember, YOU ARE UNIQUE!  If your value is lower than the optimal level then something needs to be replaced, if it’s higher than optimal then something more needs to be done.

 

What these reference ranges don’t tell you is whether you’re functioning OPTIMALLY…the best way possible!  What should your glucose be to ensure you’re functioning at your best and not just not diabetic? What must your ferritin be to make sure that your iron stores are sufficient to maintain your body’s demands? 

This is where optimal ranges come in.  The optimal range for any blood test is the range we use to determine whether you’re an OPTIMALLY FUNCTIONAL human being as opposed to “just sick”.

Here’s an example:  When assessing liver function, 9 biomarkers are tested.  Should one be outside the reference range, a doctor may not react.  We usually need to see two or three abnormal markers before we intervene.  In fact, if something is below the reference range, this may also not induce any action. But, a simple liver biomarker being low could be a reflection on your zinc levels being low.  For men, this could be a very early marker of prostate cancer before it even becomes cancer!  For this reason, we need to interpret blood results according to the optimal range and consider blood as a single entity and not look at values in isolation or confined to a single set of results per organ system.

At EPSWI, our full blood chemistry analysis allows us to tell you if you’re functioning at your best (optimally) or if there are problems lurking.  By picking up imbalances before you actually fall ill, we become proactive in preventing illness altogether and not just act reactively to abnormal blood tests when a diseased state has already established itself.