Dr Michael Borkin NMD

Michael Borkin, N.M.D. has been in professional practice since 1981.

Considered the "Father of Naturopathic Endocrinology," he was responsible for establishing the board specialty and authored the first "National Board in Endocrinology for the American Naturopathic Medical Certification & Accreditation Board" in Washington, DC. In 1989 he began development of a transdermal delivery system designed to deliver hormones and nutriceuticals. In 1996, he established "Market Resource International" to market these transdermal formulas to the medical community.

Presently, Dr. Borkin is Director of Research of Sabre Sciences, Inc., the company he co-founded in 1999 with Victor Salerno. Sabre Sciences is a leading laboratory for salivary analysis of hormones and electrolytes, as well as a manufacturer of advanced custom transdermal remedies. With more than 10,000 patients to date, Sabre Science’s "Evidence-Based Approach" has proven the efficacy for the use of transdermal hormonal crèmes for the treatment of hormonal imbalances and dysfunctions related to stress. Dr. Borkin is also Research Director of the National Institute of Endocrine Research.

In 2000, Dr. Borkin developed a certification program entitled "Natural Approaches to Endocrinology," which he has taught at campuses throughout the United States. The program allows physicians of all disciplines to study Naturopathic Endocrinology and qualifies them to sit for the National Boards. For his professional training programs, Dr. Borkin describes his goal as "to guide physicians to see their patients with eyes that recognize the core of dysfunction, and not allow symptoms to mislead and misdirect the development of an effective protocol."

Dr. Borkin is also known for his development of innovative manipulative therapies employed by hundreds of naturopaths, chiropractors and dentists. In 1987, he developed Neuro Emotional Sensory Training (NEST), a technique that increases healing capabilities through mind-body integration. Later Dr. Borkin developed Quantum Magnetic Manipulation (Q2M), a three-dimensional technique that utilizes magnetic energy as a means of diagnosing and treating all forms of dysfunction, from its emotional origin to its corresponding musculoskeletal manifestation. In the early 1990s, Dr. Borkin incorporated Heart Rate Variability (HRV) into a system he named Autonomic Equalization (AE), which allows the practitioner to manipulate autonomic activity and normalize sympathetic and parasympathetic activity while using computer verification.

From 1993 to 1997, Dr. Borkin was President of the California State Naturopathic Medical Association, a chapter of the American Naturopathic Medical Association. In this position he was responsible for the development and implementation of new policies and philosophies including all political activities, educational programs, continuing education, research programs, relicensing seminars and data retrieval efforts.

In 2002, Dr. Borkin was inducted into the Alternative Medicine Hall of Fame, making him the youngest inductee ever so honored.

Stress 101 - Concise course in understanding and managing the nation's number one killer.

Stress is communicated in the body by two primary vehicles: neurological impulses and chemical messengers. In response to external stressors perceived via the senses, nerve impulses carry data from our environment into the body. The brain then sends messages through nerve impulses to parts of the body in response to the incoming data.
The chemical messengers for communicating in the body are hormones, which are produced by the endocrine system. The hormonal system, while functioning at a much slower pace than the nervous system, works with the nervous system to maintain internal harmony and balance.

The adrenal glands are the core of the endocrine stress response system. They produce about 40 hormones, responsible for many body functions. The adrenals are the shock absorbers of the body, and two of their most important hormones (adrenaline and cortisol) are responsible for the fight/flight response. Adrenaline provides the first burst of energy in a crisis situation. Cortisol assists in this phase and then continues working for hours afterward.

When the body perceives stress, nerve impulses and chemical messengers immediately work together to respond. Stress activates specialized cells in the cerebral cortex (where thought takes place), which sends an impulse to the hypothalamus (the brain's main stress control center). The hypothalamus then stimulates the sympathetic nervous system (SNS) and activates the survival mode (the fight/flight mechanism). After the crisis, the homeostasis mechanism kicks in, seeking to recreate balance through the parasympathetic nervous system the function of which is summarized as "rest and digest."

When cortisol levels increase, the body turns off the immune system and growth and repair functions. If threshold stress continues and body reserves become depleted, the adrenals begin to falter. Symptoms of this phase include fibromyalgic type symptoms, heart arrhythmia, increased urine flow, profuse sweating, night sweats, muscle spasms, migraine, anxiety, depression, tension headaches, memory laps, stiff neck and shoulders, asthma, irritable bowel, herpes outbreaks, psoriasis, eczema, low back syndrome, sciatica, erectile dysfunction; amenorrhea, hot flashes, hypertension, skin blotching, rashes, acne, and immune suppression.

A New Understanding of Panic Disorder
One of the most disabling psychological manifestations of chronic, inescapable stress is Panic Disorder. Previously, panic was restricted to psychiatric interpretation. Research by William Stuppy, MD, FCAP, FACP, FACG   sheds new light on this disorder.
Acute stress produces adrenal cortex and adrenal medulla response, and changes homeostasis. Chronic stress can eventually result in the exhaustion of the adrenal system, and inability of the body to normalize; it remains in a state of "hypervigilance." This can ultimately lead to inescapable stress, and the failure of the adrenal and stress hormone system.

Evaluating Long Term Stress and Implementing Protocols
It is only when stress continues that it causes damage. Experiencing long-term stress at threshold levels even affects the way cells express, develop and mature, causing premature cell death. While every system reacts to stress in its own way, most people aren't aware that they're experiencing destructive or long-term stress. Those of us who are suffering from long-term stress need help to change our stress response and recover. While it usually takes several months, complete recovery form adrenal exhaustion is possible. Whether or not we've reached a state of extreme or long-term stress, what we all need ultimately is a method of healthy adaptation - a method by which we prevent stressful situations from producing a destructive stress reaction syndrome.
The Comprehensive Salivary Adrenal Stress Test for hormones and the 10AM Urine Collection Test for Nerve Chemistry Evaluation are the preferred baseline evaluation tools used as a first line approach that demonstrates real time stress status (adrenalin and cortisol) and identifies the markers that are followed through the treatment process.