Have You Heard About "Biomimetic Dentistry"?

This is a new one on me.  I was reading an article about how amalgam fillings are not only dangerous to our health, but also to the health of our teeth.  If you have access to LinkedIn, the title of the article is, "Do amalgam fillings wreck your teeth?"  by Dr. Shvartsman.  I'll summarize the dentist's information for those who don't.

The problem with the mercury fillings is that they cause "rusting" of the area, including injury to the teeth.  This mercury/silver, zinc and tin powder combination is reactive, eventually leading to cracks in the teeth and possible permanent damage. Also, this amalgam is not a true permanent seal for the decayed area and more decay can take place. 

"Amalgam fillings are not cemented in to the tooth like an inlay or a crown. The only technology available in the 1800’s to keep amalgam fillings in place were basic wood working principles. These include a dovetail joint design: the base needed to be wider than the top so the filling would not fall out of the tooth. Since a cavity creates a bowl shaped hole, the undercutting of healthy tooth to hold larger fillings in place. For replacing huge fillings, cusp holes are drilled and pins are screwed into the tooth; this can lead to micro crack formation, tooth perforation and even nerve trauma. As a result, root canal treatment is needed.
Not only do mercury-silver fillings do nothing for rebuilding the integrity of the tooth following decay removal, they further weaken the tooth by removing additional healthy tooth structure. To make matters worse, silver-mercury fillings expand with time and heat putting pressure on the already compromised tooth. This can have dire consequences: catastrophic tooth fracture."

Dr. Shvartsman says, "Fortunately there is an alternative to silver-mercury amalgam fillings. Since the 1980’s bonded, tooth colored, resin composite fillings have evolved into predictable, long lasting restorations. After three decades of worldwide research. A new dental restorative concept has emerged: Biomimetic Dentistry. Its premise is simple: let the natural tooth design be the blueprint for dental tooth restoration. Instead of re-inventing how teeth are built, biomimetic dentists mimic the natural biomechanical properties of teeth with the latest dental, synthetic materials. Instead of further weakening an already structurally compromised tooth as amalgams do, bonded (fused to tooth) resin-composite materials are employed to synthetically mimic the natural tooth in structure, function and esthetics."

For anyone living in the NYC area, this dentist practices in Smithtown, Long Island.  I wish I lived closer to this dentist; I'd be on his doorstep in a flash.

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If You've Heard About This Study, Stop Before You Believe It

A few days ago a study was published by European researchers as to the safety of Aspartame in foods.  Specifically, they studied adding this sugar substitute to soda for diet soda drinkers.  According to their results, Aspartame is so safe that one could drink up to 16, 12 ounce cans of soda with no problem.  Really?

Let's think about this, putting aside, for a moment, the absurdity of the safety of even drinking 192 ounces of soda a day on our kidney, liver, heart and gut.  Just how long of a study was this, with how many people in what kind of health?  The problem with these types of studies is that we all know how resilient our bodies are when it comes to imbalance and cell wall breakdown.  People can smoke for decades before developing lung cancer.  None of these "safety" studies are conducted over decades and no children or elderly are ever included....that weeds out unwanted data-skewing negative results for the researchers.  This study is so full of bias that I'm flabbergasted that it was taken seriously by anyone, let alone being taken seriously by a couple of M.D.s on The Today Show.

I've posted two blogs on the subject of artificial sweeteners and soda and their affects on the body...April 2 and August 21.  I wouldn't recommend drinking 192 ounces of water a day, let alone other beverages, especially those with artificial sweeteners. 

This is an example of, "Let the listener beware."

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Do you really need that blood pressure medication?

New guidelines have been suggested for whom should be medicated for high blood pressure.  Researchers conducted a meta-study (looking at years of data from past studies), focusing on health outcomes for people over 60 with blood pressure readings reaching 140/85.  After reviewing all the data for relationships between cardiovascular events, strokes and death rates and the efficacy of hypertensive medications, a conclusion was reached that this type of medication made little morbidity and mortality differences for those in this age group.

Researchers concluded that people over 60 years of age received no clear benefits from hypertensive medications until they showed a systolic of 150 and diastolic of 90.  Simply put, too many people are on medications that are of no proven benefit. 

As might be expected, the National Heart Association disagrees with the results of the study and wants to conduct one of its own.  Please remember, not all studies are valid and all contain biases.  However, the conclusion about the necessity for medications for hypertension was made after looking at data that were collected over more than a decade.  Any conclusions drawn by a single study by the NHA would most likely be flawed by biases, especially since the member doctors of the NHA were so quick to criticize the conclusions.  We have to remember that 75% of all doctors in this country do have some financial connection with the pharmaceutical companies whose drugs they prescribe.  No one, that I know of, has ever even hinted that this could be considered a conflict of interest.  Perhaps, it's not.

My suggestion is for those in any age group to at least consider alternatives to taking hypertensive medication, as I know of a number of studies, done over 30 years ago, concluded that 50% of all people on hypertensive medications are not helped by them....at all.  Yet, we know of the explosion of prescription meds for high blood pressure.  Is anyone else out there confused, too?

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Why Bother With Chiropractic Care?

I think this is a really good question that is often asked.  Some people say that it makes them feel better, helps to take pain away and even helps them feel more energetic and in balance.

These are all really great reasons.  What interests me, though, is why people feel this way.  When it comes right down to it, we never really understood all the affects that were generated by an adjustment and musculoskeletal rebalancing.  With the new information we now have about how the central nervous system functions, I can tell you that one main reason chiropractic therapy works is that it helps in re-patterning neural pathways. 

We know that in order to affect change, we have to correct old neural pathways that carry "injury" or "incorrect" information from the brain to the rest of the body.  This is accomplished through the repetition of corrected information, somewhat the same way that we learn balance in walking or riding a bike. We continue to fall down until the brain, "gets the hang of it."  Without correct information repetitively being fed to the brain, we simply cannot affect any significant change in the information the brain puts out. 

I really like the idea that we, in the chiropractic profession, were "right" all along when it came to the need for a balanced neuro-musculoskeletal system.  It just took technology to catch up with us to prove it! 
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FDA Warning to Those Taking OTC Diet Pills

Dieting is a minimally successful method of weight loss, at best, as it necessitates the use of "will power" as it's primary method of weight control.  As such, many people decide using diet pills is a way of circumventing this problem.  However, the FDA has found that many of these pills may be giving the user more than he/she bargained for.  Here are the latest diet pills that have been shown to cause problems:

The products include Slim Max, Diet Master, Super Slim, Body Beauty 5 Days Slimming Coffee, 1 Day Diet, and SlimExtra Herbal Capsules. All of the products are marketed, promoted, and sold for weight loss.
Slim Max, Diet Master, and Super Slim have all been found to contain the undeclared ingredient phenolphthalein. Phenolphthalein was an ingredient in some laxatives, but was reclassified by the FDA as "not generally recognized as safe and effective" in 1999.
Laboratory analysis confirmed that Slim Max, Diet Master, Super Slim, Body Beauty 5 Days Slimming Coffee, 1 Day Diet, and SlimExtra Herbal Capsules all contain the hidden ingredient sibutramine. This controlled substance was removed from the market due to safety concerns in October 2010.
These products pose a potential health threat because sibutramine may significantly increase blood pressure and/or pulse rate in some people. Sibutramine may also pose a significant risk for those with a history of coronary artery disease, heart failure, abnormal heart rhythms, or stroke, and may interact in dangerous ways with other medications that a consumer may be taking.

It's important for us all to remember that any change a person wishes to make, whether it be in their personal life or physical life, takes time and a considerable amount of work and effort.  There are no "quick fixes" that make any real or lasting differences.

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Thermotherapy for Cancer and other Ailments

Continuing yesterday's discussion about the benefits of a specific type of "heat" therapy for those with cancer, anyone interested in reading more about this topic can find it in the following book:  The Fourth Treatment for Medical Refugees, Thermotherapy in the New Century, by Nobuhiro Yoshimizu, M.D., Ph.D.

With the exception of nerve cells, more than 60 trillion cells in our body are going through duplication and apoptosis (cell death) on a daily basis.  In its balanced state, the body is designed to control cells so that they only grow when the body needs them to do so.  Imbalances in the cell nucleus caused by inflammation, stress and genetic weaknesses often lead to cellular overgrowth or mutations.  Mutagenic cells easily become malignant over a period of time.

Typically, Western medicine offers three methods of treatment for malignancies: surgery, radiation and chemotherapy.  Through much research (in foreign nations), it has been found that the application of thermo-therapy (39 degrees centigrade) causes cancer cell apoptosis.  Under normal circumstances, cancer cells do not undergo apoptosis because they are missing Cytochrome C, a necessary component of cellular death that happens normally in all our cells.  Thermo-therapy increases certain transporter genes that replicate the cells that produce Cytochrome C.  This is a very basic description of how this particular heat therapy works and I would encourage any of you who wish to know more to get the book.

Certain gems have been shown to improve the rate and depth of healing from thermo-therapy.  Under normal circumstances, infra-red heat only penetrates a few millimeters into the body.  With the addition of these gems, the penetration is increased to 6 inches!  This is the primary reason that the specific type of thermo-therapy that Dr. Yoshimiza uses, has been so successful in reducing cancerous growths, improving immune function and destroying viruses.
We have found this type of therapy to be particularly helpful in those suffering from immune system compromise.  

There are definitely choices for those who would like to combine traditional medical therapies with alternative ones in order to ensure the best possible outcome for both life-threatening and life-altering health problems.  I encourage those dealing with these challenges to consider learning about thermo-therapy as one such option and talking with your medical doctor about this choice.

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Can Cancer be Successfully Treated Without Chemo?

I've been reading a research study published by a medical doctor from Japan who is experimenting with a non-invasive method of eradicating cancerous tumors.  I haven't yet finished this study, but am very excited by his findings and wanted to alert you all to his findings.

I'll include more details, tomorrow, but the method of tumor reduction and elimination is HEAT.  Surprising, isn't it?  Apparently, tumors cannot reproduce above certain body temperatures.  These findings are fairly recent and are, of course, controversial.  They are, however, still valid and, I believe, need to be included in the course of conversation with the medical doctor when it comes to treatment possibilities.

Stay tuned for more information.

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Is There a Way to "Talk" to the Brain to Help It Heal?

Yesterday, I wrote about the necessity of healing our brains in order to change our eating patterns and habits so that we might be able to both lose weight and change our approach to healthy living, at the same time.  I noticed that blog was the third most read blog I have written, and that's after only one day.  I take from that, that many of you are interested not only in losing weight, but also in learning just how important brain function/health is to our overall health.  So, I thought I'd continue to talk about how we, in our office, address the issue of brain connection and optimal function with some of our patients.

Many people come to us with physical/mechanical symptoms, but also with symptoms of anxiety, fear and depression.  Medications can be very useful for those with severe symptoms, but it's my experience that most people deal with low levels of anxiety that are not debilitating, but are interfering with the feelings of joy and happiness that they once had in their lives.  These anxious feelings actually re-pattern our neural pathways and can  cause us to become stuck in a circle of unhappiness and, sometimes, despair.  There is something that can help "jump start" the brain into re-balance.  It's called, "harmonic resonance."

Dr. Robert Fulford, an osteopath and innovative practitioner who lived decades ago, researched the electrical impulses and energy fields of our bodies.  He noted that our peripheral nerves (the nerves that feed all information about movement/sensation to our central nervous system) communicate with the brain via specialized vibrations, at a set frequency.  Also, we know that our cells"memorize" all traumatic events, whether they be physical or emotional, within the central nervous system (CNS)...spinal cord and brain.  As the result of Dr. Fulford's research, an instrument has been developed that emits the same frequency as the CNS, allowing us to re-balance the neurological signals that have been unbalanced by physical or emotional trauma...no matter how long ago or how severe.

The CNS understands the harmonic frequency that is emitted and we have seen some amazing healing take place with its use.  Many patients have told us that, after treatment with this device, they feel as though they have had a, "day at a Spa," because they feel so  relaxed.  

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What One Thing Must be Changed to Lose Weight?

Everyone is interested in either losing weight or maintaining their weight.  What we now know is that when we gain weight, we actually lose brain size!  The good news is that the brain can be restored to its normal size when we lose weight by eating a truly healthy diet.  Simply taking off unwanted pounds by dieting will not help to restore our brains to health.  We have to feed our brains and bodies, correctly.  Therefore, the one thing that must be changed in order to lose weight is, the health of our brains!

In order to begin a proper weight reduction program, it must be understood that we have to reprogram our brains to be able to reestablish a healthy way of thinking and eating.

The first step is:

     A detoxification program.  What are the foods that we need to give up for 10 consecutive days?   Dairy..........Sugar.............Gluten

These three categories of foods have been shown to cause toxicity in our bodies and brains.  Most of this toxicity process takes place in the intestines.  We need to remember that the intestines are responsible for 60-80% of our immune function.

The good news is that our taste buds regenerate every 10 days, so its highly likely that after 10 days, our tastes will change, our brains will have been reprogrammed and we won't be nearly as likely to demand those high glycemic index foods.  We will have begun to change our brains.

The second step is:

     Change what's in our pantry and refrigerators.  We need to remember that if it grows on plants, it's probably good to eat; if is manufactured in plants, it's not good to eat.  We need to eat a diet that consists of 50% complex carbohydrates (mostly vegetables), 10% low-glycemic index fruits (mostly dark in color), 20% essential fatty acids and 20% protein, 50% of which should be non-meat proteins.  People who cut out essential fats when dieting are harming their brains.  The brain functions best on a high essential fat and low simple sugar diet.

The more "fake foods" we eat (processed, pre-packaged foods, refined sugars, sodas, etc.) the more our brains will be affected.

The third step is:

     Make different choices.  Choose organically grown, pesticide free foods.  I wrote a blog about brain function and how it relates to chemicals (July 1) and how it relates to pollution and pollutants in our environment (June 21).   Our brains are highly susceptible to both dietary and environmental chemicals...especially our children's developing brains.  Get the whole family on board with this.  We women are responsible for the emotional tone and health of our families.  It's really important that we don't let the demands of others dictate our food choices.  While it may not always be the case, I have found over the years that when decisions are explained to our children, they react in a much more positive manner than if they were simply told, "Because I said so, " or, "Because it's good for you."

Decide that this way of eating will be your chosen lifestyle.  We know that diets don't work because they rely on will power.  One can last only so long on will power.  It's  through "thought" power or "choice" power that lasting changes are made.

The fourth step is:

Decide to make these changes as a family.  Make the changes as fun and enjoyable as possible.  Decide on activities that the whole family can do together. I've seen a change in the last few decades in which children are signed up for so many individual activities that families have stopped eating together and have stopped communicating.  All the electronic devices that we find so vital may be lots of fun to use, but we are losing our human connections as a result.  Exercise with others in your family and exercise with friends.  Statistics show that people who are responsible to others and for others are much more successful in their weight loss and lifestyle changes than those who go it alone.

We have an epidemic in this country of anxiety, depression and obesity.  Psychotrophic drugs are being prescribed in alarming amounts.  Eating poorly affects our brains and how we cope with everyday life.  Huge numbers of children are being treated for depression, also.  The obesity rates among children and adults is staggering.  The question is: "Do we continue to make the same dietary and activity choices and keep taking diet pills or do we decide to make a change, no matter how much work it takes, and become a healthy nation, one person/family at a time?"

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More Benefits noted from Eating a Mediterranean Diet

Over the years, there have been many studies published as to the efficacy of eating a Mediterranean-type diet.  Basically, this diet consists of eating anti-oxidant rich fruits, vegetables, oils high in omega 3 fatty acids and fish.  The Annals of Neurology published a meta-analysis of all the studies about the benefits of eating this type of diet and found the following:

Through data analyses,  researchers found that people who consistently adhered to a Mediterranean diet had a 40 percent reduced risk of cognitive impairment, 32 percent reduced risk of depression, and a 29 percent reduced risk of stroke. Those who moderately adhered to the diet had similarly reduced risks for both cognitive impairment and depression, while the reduction in stroke risk was minimal. After further analysis, the authors noted that the effects on stroke risk appeared to be more prominent in men than in women.

The authors concluded that consistently adhering to a Mediterranean diet may reduce the risk for a number of brain diseases, particularly cognitive impairment, stroke and depression. A study published earlier this year also found that maintaining a Mediterranean diet rich in extra-virgin oil or mixed nuts may improve brain function.

It makes perfect sense that eating a diet high in essential fatty acids would be found to enhance cognitive function as the brain thrives on a fat-rich, low-simple carbohydrate diet. One important point that I find to be missing when it comes to discussions about the benefits of a particular diet is that we need to understand that the authors assume that the person is only eating that particular way.  In other words, does the individual eat a Mediterranean-type diet AND eat refined sugary snacks or soda, eat a high-glycemic index diet,  drink caffeine-containing beverages or eat  processed foods and/or smoke?   You get the idea.  Eating well some, or even most, of the time is not a license to eat poorly, especially if one has any predisposing factors to ill-health or systemic imbalances.

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One Major Reason for Infertility

The burning of waste in incinerators is doing more than simply making our air smell bad; it appears to be causing infertility.  Dioxins are chemicals that are released into the atmosphere by burning refuse.  These chemicals contain environmental hormones.  So, we are not only receiving hormone-mimicking substances in our food and water, but also in the very air we breathe.

Japan's air is saturated with these dioxins because it incinerates more waste than any other nation on earth.  The Japanese people also have the lowest sperm count and highest concentration of estrogen-mimicking chemicals in breast milk of any nation.  It's estimated that 57 out of 60 Japanese women undergo fertility treatments every year.

Dioxin affects cellular DNA.  It causes liver and kidney dysfunction.  It hinders endocrinological activity, thus causing potential widespread dysfunction in every endocrine gland.  This chemical interferes with the function of our autonomic nervous system and contributes to neurological defects such as cerebral palsy, mental retardation and learning disabilities.  Dioxin accumulates in fatty tissue, so fish like tuna are especially toxic.

Insisting that our government both retain its present air quality standards and increase the level of these standards, in the future, is something that we all need to consider encouraging our elected officials to persue.

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ALA and Alzheimer's Disease

Alpha lipoic acid is an anti-oxidant produced in small quantities by our bodies as well as by some organic sources, such as organ meats and vegetables such as broccoli and spinach and by brewer's yeast.  It can also be found in smaller quantities in brussel sprouts, peas and tomatoes.

Anti-oxidants are vital as they attack free radicals that our body produces in the process of converting food into energy in the form of ATP.  Excessive amounts of free radicals cause tissue breakdown, premature aging and illness, or, as we have learned, systemic inflammation.

A study just published in the Journal of Neurodegenerative Diseases suggests that supplementation with ALA has been shown to improve the cognitive function of people with Alzheimer's who also have Type 2 diabetes.  People with Alzheimer's who didn't have diabetes did not appear to be significantly helped by ALA supplementation.

There is a growing consensus among researchers that there is a link between diabetes and Alzheimer's, to the point that some have referred to the cognitive disease as, "Type 3 Diabetes."  The results of this study appear to confirm that there is a fair argument to be made connecting the two diseases, but not a 1:1 cause and effect, at this time.

I hope that there will be more studies as to the efficacy of essential fatty acid and anti-oxidant supplementation for those suffering with dementia, in the near future.  We also need to be mindful as to the source of these supplements, as I have discussed in previous blogs (see February 18-21).

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"Fear Based" Health Care?

The other evening, I was watching, "Charlie Rose."  If you've never had the opportunity to watch his interviews, I highly recommend you do.  I think he's the best interviewer on television.  Mr. Rose was interviewing an actor who plays on the television show, "Homeland."  Now, I have to confess to never having watched that or "Breaking Bad," or "Mad Men," or any other of those shows that one has to pay for the privilege of watching.  However, something the British actor (whose American accent is impressive) said piqued my interest.

He said, speaking in reference to what he sees as one of the foundations of the American health care system, that we base our decisions and choices on fear.  The sale of pharmaceuticals, he said, is based on the Americans' fear of the potential of disease.  "Wow," I thought, "that fellow hit the nail on the head."  Look at the explosion of ads aimed at convincing us that if we don't take xxxxx medication, we'll surely die of heart disease, cancer, diabetes or some other horrible condition.  And, what particularly amuses me, in a sardonic sort of way, is that the marketing machine knows that it doesn't matter how many horrendous side effects the ads detail, we will buy, nay, demand them from our medical doctors.  And, once prescribed, we hang onto these prescriptions as though they were the very elixir of life.

Is it possible for us, as a nation, to recognize this fear-based choice as opposed to a wellness-based choice to health?  Honestly, I don't know, but, from my experience over this past decade, I highly doubt it.  I think I came to that final conclusion after watching an advertisement for an insulin medication for Type 2 diabetics.  If you have this type of diabetes (caused primarily by bad eating habits), you no longer have to watch your diet so carefully as you can simply inject insulin after any and all meals!  Ah, "health" made simple!  What the ad doesn't say is that synthetic insulin only helps for a period of time.  Eventually, the piper has to be paid, one way or the other.

We have a choice....take the "easy" short term road with our health or take the longer, more involved,  long term road that gives us the opportunity to take a pro-active approach to life rather than a fear-based approach.  In other words, do we want to take responsibility for our health or do we want to abdicate that responsibility to fear?
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Chron's Disease and Marijuana

I always find it fascinating as to what lengths the medical research community will go in its quest to find "cures" for particular diseases.  Now, in the following journal:
Clin Gastroenterol Hepatol. 2013 Oct;11(10):1276-1280 
 we find that researchers decided to find out if the symptoms associated with Chron's could be affected by Cannibas.

Their conclusion was that, yes, indeedie, those who smoked marijuana noticed a decrease in symptoms.  I'm shocked...not really.  Come on, now, if one smokes enough of this material,  I'm pretty sure that most any negative symptom would be decreased or eliminated for a period of time. 

I have a patient whose friend has been suffering from Chron's for most of his life.  Cutting out gluten from his diet has made all the difference in his world and has allowed him to live pain free with much less medication.  My suggestion to those suffering from intestinal symptoms on a daily basis (and for all of us, in general), is to cut out the gluten, dairy, refined sugar and other simple carbohydrates from the diet and you, too, may see either a decrease or the elimination of all those nasty intestinal symptoms....without the need for, "medical marijuana."

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Eliminating "doctoring-by-the-numbers?"

Back some 30 years ago (oh my, has it been that long?), our lab diagnosis professor taught us that it was bad doctoring to only look to laboratory results when deciding on the best treatment course for a patient.  He especially cautioned us not to look at total cholesterol levels as they could be misleading, particularly for a patient who presented with high HDL-2 numbers.  That could skew the total cholesterol results, contributing to a false positive, so to speak.  It truly amazed me as to how many patients had lab work done that did not include individual totals of both the "bad" and "good" cholesterol levels.  Even more troubling, we still find that so many patients continue to be prescribed cholesterol lowering medications that are still based on total bad cholesterol levels, alone.

Last evening, I was listening to the results of a report in which a panel of research doctors had decided that it was better to look at a patient's lifestyle and background along with his cholesterol results when determining if pharmaceutical intervention was necessary.  Amazing.  For example, a white male of 50 years who has an LDL level of 170 and an HDL-2 level of 45 has a calculated risk of heart disease of less than 5%, so no medication is recommended.  A black male presenting with the exact same numbers has a calculated risk of nearly 9%, therefore medication is recommended.  So, technically, the doctors are looking at race and gender to determine the need for medication and not just LDL levels.  Even that small change of approach is thought to pose a significant problem for those doctors used to simply looking at  predetermined cholesterol levels as the method of medication necessity.

It is quite possible that there really isn't a one to one direct link between a specific resulting number from a cholesterol test and the onset of heart disease.  These numbers assigned to LDL, VLDL and HDL levels are simply educated "guesses," and certainly not written in stone.
One person's "high" LDL levels may be another person's "normal."  We have found that to be true in cases of body temperature...one of my family members has a "normal" body temperature that is so low that he has a fever when the thermometer reads, "98.6."  He has trouble convincing doctors and nurses of this.

Years ago, the pathologist at the lab where I sent patients to get lab work done always ended his report with the following statement:  "Theses results should be used together with the patient's clinical presentation to determine method and effectiveness of care."  With the explosion of prescription medications for patients simply in response to their lab results, one has to wonder when the medical profession changed its collective mind about how important it is to look at the patient as a whole person and not just as a set of numbers.

Frankly, I think patients have done the same thing.  We've noticed a tremendous difference in patients' attitudes since we first started practice.  Many patients used to be interested in alternative choices for lowering their cholesterol or blood sugar levels.  Now, we find, with precious few exceptions, no patients interested in even discussing the possibilities of alternatives to medications.  I believe we are an over medicated nation and we have ourselves to blame for the unintended consequences that surely will follow.

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4.3 million People at Risk

Wouldn't you suppose that if there were a disease or problem that potentially threatened the quality or quantity of so many lives that we'd have an organization dedicated to raising money to find a cure?  How about Congressional hearings attended by the families of so many victims?  Apparently not, when it comes to that many children and young people whose lives may be at risk each year when stepping onto athletic fields to play the all-American sport of football.

I know that I have spoken about the subject of concussion injuries before, but, truly, I feel that if we aren't educated as to the risks to our boys, young men, husbands, fathers, brothers and uncles from this problem, we'll never get any movement in the helmet industry or the NFL as to how this can be prevented.

Part of the problem comes from the National Operating Committee on Standards for Athletic Equipment (NOCSAE).  This organization is responsible for determining the standards by which all helmets in this country are made.  Unfortunately, it is comprised of lawyers, not scientists, and the standards are 40 years old.  The the NOCSAE is funded by equipment manufacturers.  In all fairness, if any manufacturer were to develop a helmet outside those antiquated standards, it would open itself to law suits.

The other part of the problem appears to come from the scientific community, itself...there is disagreement as to how these injuries occur and how to prevent them.  Making it even more difficult is that every brain is different.  Young brains respond to injury differently than older brains; female brains differ from male brains; and, diagnosing CTE can only be done post-mortem.*

Research done by Peter Hallidin of Stockholm shows that there is much more damage done to a brain that has undergone rotational acceleration (the kind of injury sustained in football) than one submitted to a linear acceleration. Somewhat akin to the difference in injury to the cervical spine from a T-bone accident than from a rear end accident. Hitting one's head into a window creates more of a shearing stress than a forward to backward injury.  Mr. Hallidin has developed what he calls the, "Multiple Impact Protection System." Inside the helmet is a bright yellow layer of molded plastic attached with small rubber straps that sit between the padding and the head.  This allows the head to float during an impact. This mimics the way the brain sits in the skull.  It is bathed in and protected by a layer of cerebral spinal fluid, which helps to absorb minor hits to the head.

I won't go into all the details of his experiments, but Mr. Hallidin has been able to reproduce rotational acceleration injuries and collect data using both the traditional helmet design and his MIPS design.  Rotational injury is measured in radians.  A significant trauma to the head resulting in a concussive episode, while using a traditional helmet,  generated 14,100 radians per second squared. Using his redesigned helmet, that number was reduced by 55% to just 6,400 radians per second squared.  By reducing rotation in all directions, we see a reduction in rotational acceleration injuries.

One manufacturer in 2012, Bauer, the number- one helmet maker in ice hockey, released a helmet they called, "Suspend-Tech," which is made using that same technology that Mr. Hallidin developed.  It is the first attempt by a mainstream company to include a rotational layer in contact-sports helmets.

I think that unless we women (mothers, especially) demand that the NFL and helmet manufacturers change the standards by which these helmets are designed, there won't be much of a rush to change the way our men and boys are protected against concussive injuries.  Many of you readers are probably too young to remember the hue and cry by the car manufacturers against the necessity for installing seat belts in cars, back in the 1960's.  Ralph Nader was instrumental in forcing the industry to change by lobbying Congress to pass a law mandating seat belts in all cars.  I'm hoping that we individuals who care about the safety of our children will write e-mails or Tweets, or whatever we're doing to communicate these days, to our representatives to let them know that we want action on developing new safety standards for helmets.

This morning, before coming to the office, I listened to an interview with Tony Dorsett, a former running back with the Dallas Cowboys.  He said that he is suffering from memory loss which is increasing everyday.  He has a, "very short fuse," and is also very depressed....all symptoms of CTE.  I find this so very, very sad.  I'm afraid that the instance of these reports will only increase, in the future.

* An update to this information.  As of the Fall of 2014, scientists can now measure CTE by brain scan on live individuals.  We need no longer wait for a person to die before diagnosing this life-threatening condition. 

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Men's Health Awareness Month

Since last month was "Breast Cancer Awareness Month," it seems only fitting and appropriate that this month is dedicated to the men.  I rather like the testosterone-themed symbol associated with this awareness of growing facial hair and not shaving for a month....for men, of course.

There was a piece on the CBS Evening News about the increased usage of testosterone replacement therapy in older men and its association with the similar unintended consequences of estrogen replacement therapy....increased risk of cancer.  The urologist who prescribes testosterone said that there are "problems" associated with both not taking testosterone and taking it. Unfortunately, the journalist interviewing her failed to pin her down on the consequences to men if they don't take the hormone.  It really would have been interesting to have seen if she would have admitted that the problems associated with a decreased production of testosterone in older men are often a decreased libido, lethargy and, sometimes, difficulty with erections....all,  non-life threatening consequences.

What is particularly troublesome is that men are not offered the choice of natural testosterone replacement.  We women know about black and blue cohosh as alternative choices, but men aren't told about the need to include anti-oxidants in their diets as well as taking specialized supplements to support their adrenals that produce DHEA, which is converted to testosterone.

 Our fast-food and fast-paced, convenient-food eating style is a major cause of our body's decreased production of all hormones.  Eventually, the body is going to rebel against what I call, "The Convenience Diet," and those eating this way will have to decide what price they are willing to pay.

I do understand that it is often difficult to get men to admit that they aren't, "all powerful," but I can only hope that we women can subtly steer our men into the direction of accepting and being enthusiastic about changing their thinking into wellness from denial.

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Fibromyalgia: Cause or Effect?

Years ago, when we first began our practice, few doctors had ever heard of this condition and even fewer had any idea how to go about treating it.  Now, there is a new medication, based on, I have to assume, the medical community's research and findings for this diagnosis.

The advertisement, on TV, goes something like this:

     Fibromyalgia is thought  to be caused by overactive nerves.  Lyrica is thought to calm those nerves.

Interesting, isn't it?  The profession that at least 90% (based on only 10% of the population that utilizes alternative medicine) of our population considers to be based on "scientific" methodology, "thinks" that "overactive" nerves are responsible for a very painful and, heretofore, unresponsive to anti-inflammatory medications, condition.  I have to ask myself, "What are overactive nerves?"  And, why are we basing a medication-based treatment on nothing more than an idea?  I had no idea that the FDA approved a medication based upon a guess.  Wow.

The quickly-glossed over side effects are pretty scary, too.....allergic reactions, increased systemic muscle pain (what people are taking this for in the first place) and, my personal favorite...suicidal thoughts!

I can tell you that it has been our experience that fibromyalgia is NOT a cause, but an effect.  The problem for these patients is that by the time they present with their medical doctor's diagnosis of fibromyalgia, so many secondary compensatory mechanisms have developed that have to be nutritionally addressed. Treatment is neither quick nor easy and the patients have to be willing to change their lifestyle and eating habits and also must be willing to undergo both nutritional and bio-mechanical therapy that re-balances their neuromuscular system.  For people who simply want the pain to go away, medication is their treatment of choice and they appear to be willing to chance the side effects.

The primary point that must be considered is, what are the possible long-term ramifications of taking any medication?   In my book, that makes those who are taking any recently "minted" medication, guinea pigs.  

I do have to wonder what other problems and/or possible diseases/dysfunctions are being caused, down the road, for those who choose to treat symptomatically.  The possible unintended consequences of long term usage of any medication must be weighed against the possible benefits.  One must wonder about the benefits of a medication that is, by the medical professions own words, only "thought" to help its users.

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Do protective headgear help prevent concussions?

An in-depth study was just conducted at Brown School of Medicine in Rhode Island concerning the efficacy of protective headgear for the prevention of concussions in young people, specifically, nineteen and under.

The conclusion drawn from the study is that, no, none of the head protection that was studied provided any protection from concussions, whatsoever.  Additionally, the researchers found a surprising lack of understanding about the dangers from concussions by coaches and those responsible for our children's health and well being at the high school and middle school levels.

There are at least 250,000 concussive-related injuries in children 19 and under in this country every year, according to the Brown study.  We just don't know how potentially damaging these injuries are in the long-term.  Brett Farve has just said that, after countless years of concussions, he can't remember the events of an entire summer in which his daughter played soccer.   Ironically, soccer is the number one cause of concussive injuries in girls.  In boys, it's football.  Ice hockey is the number two cause.

I enjoy watching football and I'm certain parents of girls who play soccer enjoy watching them play, too.  I think it's time to re-evaluate how both games are played at both the non-professional and professional levels.  I told my husband that I'm beginning to think that watching professional football is almost akin to the Romans watching the Christians being fed to the lions.  There simply has to be more of an outcry among us sports fans for the need to protect the players from an after-football life of memory loss, personality changes, depression and permanent debilitation.  I know I would enjoy football much more if the unnecessary late hits, piling on defenseless players and just plain dirty tack ticks were no longer tolerated.  I just don't know if died-in-the-wool football fans feel the same.

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Breast Cancer Awareness Month

Everyone on TV appears to be wearing the color pink to remind us all that breast cancer needs more research and lots of money to cure this disease.  There are daily programs about breast cancer, talk show hosts and commentators wearing pink ribbons and every member of every football team can be seen sporting pink socks, shoes and towels.  I, too, believe this to be a very serious disease; I just think that we're going about this problem from the wrong angle.

We all understand and, I think, agree with the concept that the prevention of a disease is so much better than the horrific costs, in terms of money and life, that we incur from trying to cure a disease.  I don't know how many billions of dollars have been spent so far, but, as far as I know, the major amount of money has been spent on breast cancer patient treatment approaches....mostly radiation, radical surgery and chemotherapy.  I have been asked to discuss breast cancer prevention options, so that is going to be my focus for the remainder of the month.

We're going to explore the following major categories: diet, lifestyle, nutritional support and technology and how all of these can impact our health, generally, and cancer, specifically.  I have been told by a member of a younger generation that I need to keep the information simple and easy to access via mobile devices.  As such, I will do my best to keep the information simple and short. 

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Qi gong Benefits Women Receiving Breast Cancer Treatment

A scientific study published in the May issue of, Cancer, indicates that this therapy is beneficial to women receiving radiation for the alleviation of symptoms of depression, fatigue and sleep problems.

Qi gong is based on traditional Chinese medicine and the understanding that our bodies contain a network of energy pathways through which our vital energy, known as qi or chi, circulates.  This therapy can be easily administered through specific instrumentation that emits a frequency that our CNS (central nervous system) recognizes.  The instruments are highly specialized and also need to be used by someone who understands energy balancing.  We use such instruments in our office and they are highly effective.

The researchers wanted to determine if qi gong would affect the quality of life in women receiving radiation treatment for breast cancer.  A randomized trial for 96 women, half of which received qi gong therapy and the other half received sham therapy, was instituted for a 5-6 week period at 5 times a week, all while the women were undergoing radiation therapy.  The researchers used breathing techniques instead of the energy balancing instrument techniques that we use to administer the qi gong. 

The results suggested that women in the qi gong groups reported fewer symptoms of depression over time, compared to those in the control group.  Subjects who had significantly higher amounts of depressive symptoms at the onset of radiation therapy reported that they experienced less fatigue and better overall quality of life.  There was no noted statistically significant differences in sleep quality between the two groups.  However, I can say that the patients that we have treated with qi gong therapy have all reported improved sleep as one of the early benefits of this specific treatment. Perhaps, the breathing techniques associated with qi gong are not as effective as the instrument energy re-balancing techniques.  Also,  I believe that the significant emotional impact that accompanies cancer may have had much to do with the reported sleep disturbances of the women.

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Do You Own a Water-Saving, Front Load Washing Machine?

I thought I might share an experience that we have had with the front-loading, water-saving washer that we've had for 5 years. We have always made certain to dry the rubber seal around the door after each wash.  However, a few months ago, we noticed that our clothes began to emit an unpleasant odor after being washed.  We hadn't changed anything...same soap, softener and water supply, so my husband checked further and found mold had formed around the door gasket.  After doing some research, we have licked the problem using a baking soda/vinegar/water solution, for about 3 weeks' worth of washes, until the odor and mold dissipated.  The solution proportions are:  1/2 cup baking soda to 2 cups of vinegar to 1/2 cup water, mixed together, placing about 4 Tbsp. into the fabric softener dispenser during each wash.  I should warn you that the baking soda will expand, greatly.  Use a very large container in which to mix the solution.  After the initial washes, we regularly use only 2 tablespoons of white vinegar in the fabric softener dispenser to help keep the mold/mildew problem at bay.

I have heard of some commercial chemical products that can be used, but since we don't use any of those products and my guess is that most of you don't, either, I thought I'd let you in on our discovery.  I recommend that you still thoroughly dry the door gasket after each washer usage.

One of my patients reminded me that the baking soda/vinegar solution also works as a fantastic drain cleaner...no "drain-o" in her house!

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The Risk of CTE and Tackle Football, Especially in Youngsters

I was watching a PBS special on WGBH, Boston, last night.  I would strongly recommend any parent of young boys who are considering playing football, especially tackle football, to watch this show about the NFL and CTE before allowing their child to join a team.

CTE, for those of you not familiar, stands for, "Chronic Traumatic Encephalopathy."  This is a newly diagnosed condition caused by concussive events and even found in those with minor repetitive blows to the head.  You'll remember that I talked about the end effects of repeated micro-trauma in my blog, earlier this week.  The neuropathologists are finding that the frontal lobes of the brains of these men who used to play professional football have developed  multiple holes. The brain of one 18 year old young man who died, suddenly, was found to have holes in the frontal lobe and he had had only 4 known concussive events playing high school football. 

What this means is that we should, as a nation who loves football, at least be willing to reconsider the possible ramifications that those playing this sport face.  Is there irrefutable evidence linking concussions and CTE in every case? No, there isn't.  That fact is enough for the commissioner of football to continue to reflect any questions about this condition.  Remember when the tobacco industry tried the same tactics a couple of decades ago?  The reason they didn't get away with their ridiculous argument that tobacco wasn't addictive  was that the law suits by survivors went to court and all the evidence proving the contrary was able to come to light.  Unfortunately, the same situation isn't possible concerning CTE and the NFL because the scores of ex-professional football players who sued the NFL was settled out of court.  All the data that the football league compiled in regards to the connection between concussions and CTE have been buried.  However, we do have a number of neuropathologists, who are studying the donated brains of deceased professional football players, publishing their findings. 

One neuropathologist, who was interviewed in the PBS program, recommends that no boy under the age of 14 play tackle football.  The main problem is that the brains of children are smaller than the brains of adults and, thus, are more susceptible to damage from concussions.  The brain "bounces" around in the head after it has been hit.  This is called a, "contra coup," injury and can be more damaging because of the continued hits the brain takes after the initial contact.

There have been many reports of retired NFL players having personality changes and committing suicide, all as a result of CTE.  Junior Seau's brain after his suicide just a couple of years ago was found to contain multiple holes in the frontal lobe=CTE.  A survey was done by the NFL of retired players as to how many of them showed symptoms and signs of dementia and/or Alzheimer's.  Their own study showed a disproportionate percentage of players to the general population were suffering from these brain diseases.

I truly hope that we will not offer up our young sons as guinea pigs until all the scientists agree about the cause and effect of CTE and multiple concussions.  We need to protect our children because we want the best for them and for them to live long, healthy lives.  We must decide what we are willing to sacrifice for the sake of our favorite sport: the well being of the players or the thrill of the "killer" hits.
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Do we Really Want all Those Antibiotics?

When I read the following, it fit right into the theme of my earlier blog:  Do we, as patients, want our symptoms or the cause of our problems treated?  Since the medical doctors apparently don't seem to understand that their over prescribing of antibiotics is detrimental to our health, maybe the public will want to enlighten them in light of the following article.  I include the following information in its entirety, from MSNBC:

Doctors ignore advice on sore throats, bronchitis

Lindsey Tanner The Associated Press

Oct. 3, 2013 at 2:32 PM ET

"Repeated warnings that antibiotics don't work for most sore throats and bronchitis have failed to stop overuse: Doctors prescribed these drugs for most adults seeking treatment at a rate that remained high over more than a decade, researchers found.
The results are in two analyses of national health surveys from the late 1990s to 2010, representing more than 2 million annual visits to doctors' offices or emergency rooms.
Antibiotics can have bad side effects, including stomach pain and severe diarrhea, and inappropriate prescriptions put patients at needless risk. The practice also can cause drug-resistant germs.
The findings show reducing inappropriate prescribing "is frustratingly, disappointingly slow," said Dr. Jeffrey Linder, a physician-researcher at Harvard Medical School and Brigham and Women's Hospital. He did the research with Brigham colleague Dr. Michael Barnett.
Dr. Reid Blackwelder, president of the American Academy of Family Physicians, said part of the problem is old prescribing habits that didn't change when evidence emerged showing most sore throats and bronchitis are caused by viruses; antibiotics only treat infections caused by bacteria, not colds, flu and other illness from viruses. Illnesses antibiotics can treat include bacterial pneumonia, most urinary infections, some types of eye and ear infections, and some types of food poisoning.
Patients' demands and doctors' time pressures also play a role: It's often easier to prescribe an antibiotic than to take time to explain why they don't work for some illnesses, Blackwelder said.
"We've all done it," he said.
Dr. Ed Septimus, a professor at Texas A&M Health Science Center in Houston, said development of more rapid testing to identify germs that cause sore throats or bronchitis could help curb the practice.
The research was being presented Thursday at an infectious diseases meeting in San Francisco.
One analysis found that antibiotics were prescribed at 60 percent of primary-care and emergency room visits for sore throats in 2010, a rate that didn't budge over 10 years but was down from about 70 percent in the 1990s. That study was also published online Thursday in JAMA Internal Medicine.
In an editorial, Dr. Rita Redberg, the journal's editor, noted that only about 10 percent of sore throats are caused by strep bacteria — which antibiotics can treat.
The second analysis found antibiotics were prescribed at 73 percent of all visits for bronchitis in 2010, a rate that didn't change from 1996. Only rare cases of bronchitis are caused by bacteria.
Bronchitis "just needs to take its time to run its course, which can be frustratingly long," sometimes three weeks or more, Linder said.
Some over-the-counter cough medicines can help bronchitis; gargling with salt water can help sore throats, and rest and fluids can help both, he said."
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What Tiger Woods Doesn't Know That My Patient's Do

For those of you who don't know who Tiger Woods is, he is a golfer...a very famous and successful golfer.  Unfortunately, golfing at as high a level as he has its hazards, not the least of which is back pain.  This year, he has pushed himself pretty hard and has won 5 tournaments....that's a lot.  He is getting older; he's 37 and his body is breaking down.  The latest problem is his back.  He suffered a back injury (soft tissue, primarily) and received allopathically-mediated ( PT and meds) care and I think he believed he was fine, as the pain had subsided.  Here is what he doesn't know....your body can mask up to 70% dysfunction before you ever feel pain.  Pain is the end result of multiple systems imbalance...in this case, multiple soft tissue function imbalance.  When the pain subsides, without re-balancing the neuromusculoskeletal system (or any system, for that matter), the amount of residual dysfunction is still about 50-55%.  What that means is, Tiger will continue to re-injure his back and it will continue to bother him with greater and greater frequency and take longer and longer for the pain to subside.  After a time, his back problem will become chronic and involve even more areas of dysfunction.  This is simply the way our bodies function.  Ignore the problem=deal with even greater problems, later.  This is a truism I try to convey to all our patients.

I compiled a check list for those who would like to know when it's time to no longer ignore what your body is trying to tell you:
1.  You no longer "move" the way you used to...walking, kneeling or regular activities are difficult.  I once had a patient who hadn't been able to put on his shirt or coat for a few months.  Yet, he waited until his shoulder hurt before he came in for care.  It would have taken much less time to treat him had he come in when the problem first started.
2.  You keep injuring the same area, over and over and it never really heals.
3.  Old injuries are bothering you more and more frequently and take longer and longer to heal and there is less and less time between re-injury.
4.  You are taking pain medication on a regular basis and it isn't really helping.
5.  You have pain.  Most would have put this problem first on the list.  However, we know that pain isn't the causative factor.  Lack of function, changed function or partial function all precede pain. By the time you feel pain, the body has been forced to compensate to the point that the original area of trauma is nearly hidden.  Multiple years of micro-trauma (repetitive movement) is equal in the dysfunction caused by one macro-trauma (significant injury).

Remember:  The longer the dysfunction continues, the greater the pain will be and the longer it will take to resolve the cause. 

I was thinking back to the time I was doing my chiropractic internship.  Our clinic would offer chiropractic care at a considerably lower cost to the public as a way to help us become better doctors and serve others at the same time.  One of my new patients was a little girl of about 8 who had asthma.  When I asked her mother about her decision to have her child receive chiropractic care, she told me that she had been bringing her to the clinic for two years.  The child hadn't had an attack in that time and she wasn't on any medication.  My first thought was how lucky that little girl was to have a mother who looking to address the cause and not just the symptoms associated with asthma.  I often wonder if this child, who is now about 35 years old, continued to choose chiropractic care.  It's a choice we all have to make, sooner or later.

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The Childhood Disabilities Caused by Our New Technology

I was listening to a news piece about the increasing numbers of our young people who are suffering from back and neck pain....from the hours they are spending, hunched over their electronic communication devices, "talking."  We need to remember that the muscle fatigue caused by hours in a static position is only one of the results of this activity.  These children are also being exposed to countless hours of electromagnetic field radiation emissions.  Since it takes a considerable amount of time for the effects of these emissions to be felt, ( I refer you to my blog entitled, "And the Children Shall Lead Us")  I truly am much more concerned about the potential of permanent cellular damage than by back and neck aches.  It is interesting that the back pain gets so much more attention than the cellular affects.  We tend to focus on the immediate and ignore the long term consequences.

Another e-world problem that dentists are seeing is micro-fracturing of teeth caused by grinding.  Apparently, as the youngsters are texting, they are clenching their jaws and grinding their teeth.  The stress of life always shows itself in some form or another.  This is more potentially serious than the report indicates.  We see so many patients with complaints of chronic pain and even disability that are directly related to TMJ dysfunction that is traceable to jaw clenching and hyperflexion/extension injuries (whiplash).  Grinding of the teeth over a long period of time will lead to the same musculoskeletal/neuromuscluar dysfunctions as presented by patients with whiplash injuries.  If left untreated, this dysfunction will significantly impact one's quality of life; we see this all too frequently.

Isn't it amazing how significant the unintended consequences of our technology can be for all of us?

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Do You Have Fatty Liver Disease and not Know It?

As many as 20% of the adult population and 6 million children are estimated to have NAFLD or non-alcoholic fatty liver disease.  Obesity and poor diet are believed to be the primary cause of this problem.
This disease can lead to much more serious problems such as cirrhosis, liver failure, liver cancer and even heart problems.

NAFLD is an excessive deposit of fat and scarring in the lobes of the liver.  This leads to further inflammation within the liver and, eventually, other systems in the body.  Inflammatory changes, we remember, are the basis of imbalances and disease.  And, since the liver is the primary center of detoxification in our bodies, this most important function is compromised.

How does one recognize fatty liver disease?  That can be much more difficult than you might think because the symptoms associated with this problem can be associated with many other different conditions: fatigue, weakness, nausea, loss of appetite, trouble concentrating, abdominal pain and even susceptibility to sickness. You may never be diagnosed with this problem but for blood work indicating changes in liver enzymes.

The best thing one can do is to prevent this disease from happening.  The best way to do this is by eating an organic, well balanced diet.  I have blogged the specifics of this in the past few months.  Health really does boil down to what we eat, drink and what and who we surround ourselves with.

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What Really is "Normal" When it Comes to Our Health?

The other day, someone was telling me about having gone to the medical doctor for a check up and needing to undergo the removal of a significant number of polyps in the colon.  I mentioned that I was sorry that the person was dealing with bowel problems and that helping to nutritionally re-balance the body was my area of expertise.  This person then said that there were no problems in the bowel, implying that this was just a routine matter.

I found this idea very interesting.  I think that many of us have bought into the idea that the breakdown of our bodies is a normal process.  True, we all age and, as such, can expect that we will feel differently than when we were in our twenties or thirties.  However, that doesn't mean that we necessarily will develop chronic conditions or diseases as a matter of course.  Polyps, for example, are caused by an inflammatory condition in the distal portion of the intestines.  This inflammation is caused by imbalance; in my opinion, all disease, pain and chronic problems are caused by imbalances in our bodies.

The question is:  "Do we believe that imbalance is the inevitable result of aging?"  I get the impression that most assume the answer is, "yes."  As we age, our cells rejuvenate at a slower and slower rate.  However, there are many things that we can do to significantly increase cellular regeneration into our seventh and eighth decades and even beyond.  Look at Betty White.  This amazing woman is 91 and has her own situation comedy and appears regularly in movies....one of my recent favorites is, "The Proposal."  I was just watching a news program on NBC  which highlighted a story about a 93 year old woman who still works as a riveter, just as she did in World War 2!  If possible, she looks even better than Betty White.

I know these are rare examples, but they do exist.  Wouldn't it be wonderful if we decided to develop and define a new paradigm for aging well and in a healthy manner and didn't assume that the chronic diseases that plague so many of us are, "just the way it is?"  We can do this, but I don't think that relying on medications with all their unintended consequences is the way to accomplish this goal.  I believe that understanding what foods, activities and behavior, both on an individual and global level, lead to imbalances is the way all of us can live healthy and productive lives well into the future.
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Do You Take Glucosamine and/or Chondroitin? Beware of the Following....

I was just reading about a study published in last month's issue of the World Journal of Gastroenterology.   Many doctors are seeing a connection between the taking of glucosamine and chondroitin and altered liver function test results, especially in those over 59 years of age.

The population that was studied was a fairly small one and no serious liver damage was reported in conjunction with the taking of these supplements, but for anyone taking these in the above age group who has had an abnormal liver function test result, you might want to inform your doctor.

I've had quite a bit of experience with both of these supplements and I can say that the quality and derivation of these supplements varies quite a bit.  I don't recommend purchasing the less expensive products from a Wall Mart or CVS-type of facility as they carry laboratory-produced supplements.  I've written extensively about how lab supplements are produced in comparison to their more expensive and effective whole food counterparts.  I don't know what the source of the chondroitin or glucosamine was that was studied, but I'm betting that it was made in a lab.

At any rate, I think this is worth noting as any supplement that may cause an abnormal result in a lab test is worth knowing about.

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Planning on Having a Child? Read This, First!

Guess which country is the most expensive in which to give birth?  That's correct--the United States.  I suppose this really shouldn't be a big surprise, but in light of this fact, shouldn't we expect to have the lowest infant mortality rate?  I wrote about this in my May first blog entitled, "The Business of Being Born," in which I list a number of surprising countries that have a lower infant mortality rate than we: Cuba, Brunei, Croatia and Cyprus being among them.  What number are we in the US?  Number 34! Why is it that we pay the most of any nation in the world and receive, at best, mediocre results?

Did you know that the average hospital bill (this does not include the doctor's fees) for a C-section is over $14,000.00 and that for a simple vaginal delivery is over $9,000.00?  Why?  The answer appears to be, "fee for service," billing.  In layman's terms, "nickel and diming," practices.  Charges for every least little service/therapy that is delivered (no pun intended).  However, it really isn't as simple as that.

Recently, a medical doctor delivered her baby at a hospital.  She waited until the last minute, delivering 15 minutes after arriving.  She stayed that night and took her little one home early the next day.  Her baby stayed with her in the room and she received no medications during her short stay.  What was her hospital bill?  Over $14,000.00!!!!  She was appalled.  Now, we in the medical profession are pretty adept at understanding "billing-speak" and she combed over the bill.  It turns out that she was billed for two nights at $2200.00 a night (can you imagine what kind of high end spa at which we could pamper ourselves for that price?), pain medication that she was never given, nursery fees for two days in which her baby never stayed and numerous other fees, representing services of which she never received. After considerable negotiations with the hospital, it generously reduced the bill to around $9,000.00.

This story is not an isolated incident.  Indeed, it most likely represents the norm.  I believe part of the reason for these outrageous billing practices is because hospitals need to make up for fee losses as the result of being mandated to treat uninsured and under-insured people.  However, I think we need to be honest, here, and call out the hospitals for what many might consider to be outright lies and and deceptive billing practices.

What can be done about this, I truly do not know.  Most consumers find the bills they receive complex and difficult to read....perhaps, by design.  If we stay quiet, these deceptive practices will most definitely continue.  I see no relief offered by our President's health care reform.  Indeed, as we will all be forced to obtain health care in order to pay for those who cannot afford it, I see no reason the hospitals should change their billing practices.  Until consumers demand full disclosure and easy-to-understand hospital billing, nothing will change and we will continue to live in the country that charges the most to have a child without being held accountable for our high infant mortality rate.
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Sometimes, Researchers Just Don't Quite "Get It" When it Comes to Probiotics

I was reading a research article by Dr. Roberts, et. al., that was published in BMC Gastroenterology, in which they did a randomized controlled study regarding the efficacy of probiotics in the management of IBS.  Their two choices were:  a dairy source of probiotics and  non-probiotic dairy products.  These two sources were given to 179 people between the ages of 18 and 65 who experienced IBS symptoms. After 12 weeks on a non-probiotic dairy product or a dairy probiotic twice a day, the people showed no statistically significant improvement in their IBS from either source.

Now, we've been "talking" for over 8 months about all sorts of nutritional topics, the negative effects from eating dairy being one of them.  It amazes me that none of the researchers ever even thought to test the effects of a non-dairy probiotic in their study.  That is the material point GI inflammatory conditions...they are ALL exacerbated, if not caused in part, by dairy...especially cow's dairy sources!

I can tell you that, without exception, every patient who ever came into our office suffering from any of the gut diseases experienced significant relief from eliminating cow's milk dairy sources from their diets. We also had to eliminate other foods from their diet and/or perform adverse reaction to specific foods evaluations, but one of the "big three" offenders is always cow's milk.  So, the idea that probiotics derived from cow's milk is not particularly helpful, in my opinion.  And, as such, should never be used by anyone with any type of inflammatory condition.  I truly hope that someone will take the time to study probiotics that are not cow's milk derived;  I believe that the results of such a study would prove to be much different than those of this study.

No matter how much any of us likes Jamie Lee Curtis, she simply shouldn't be our source if information when it comes to diet and trying to promote gut health.  Unfortunately, cow's milk yogurt actually causes the very problems that her endorsed product claims to eliminate.

There are excellent non-dairy sources of probiotics that are readily available.

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Worried About Your Memory? Eat Chocolate!

I think that this is one of the best studies I've read in a very long time!  A group of neurologists, geriatric doctors and other scientists decided to study the relationship between neurovascular coupling and cognitive (memory and thinking) function in elderly people with vascular risk factors (aka risk for stroke or dementia)  to determine whether cocoa consumption might affect that relationship.

Simply put, neurovascular coupling is the relationship between neural function/activity and cerebral blood flow, which affect cerebral white matter integrity.  When one has a stroke, neural activity and blood flow are affected, as well as motor.  When one develops dementia, Alzheimer's or memory problems, blood flow in the brain, in the cognition areas, is always affected as well as neural activity.

I don't know who decided that cocoa might affect the way our nerves function or the blood in the brain flows, but what a great idea.  Sixty people, aged 73 (+/- 5 years) were given brain function tests, in a double blind study (the most accurate form of study) at 24 hours and 30 days after eating cocoa.  I won't go into all the technical details, but the results were amazing, at least to me.

After 30 days, the study showed a significant correlation between cocoa consumption and improved cognitive function.  Neurovascular coupling and cognitive functioning can be improved by eating cocoa, regularly.  Better neural activity is associated with, "greater white matter structural integrity," aka, better thinking power.  And, remember, this result could be seen in people who already showed cognitive impairment.  Think what eating cocoa, regularly, could do for those of us who haven't yet gotten to that point.

Now, this doesn't mean that you can eat all the Hershy's candy bars you want.  The cocoa content needs to be at least 70% and only 1-2 ounces per day.  Still, I think this is really exciting...see, we women knew all along that chocolate was good for us!
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The "Skinny" on Coconut Oil

It seems as though I have been barraged by e-mails, Linkedin topics and merchants such as VitaCost and Health Tree, to buy, buy, buy the wonder oil, coconut.  One doctor went so far as to publish the latest impressive-looking article about how coconut oil can protect one from heart disease.....until you actually read through the "mights" and "maybe linked to's" sprinkled liberally throughout the piece.   The article states that the use of coconut oil in the diet has dropped in Indonesia and India in the past couple of decades and the incidence of heart disease has risen in India but not in Indonesia. Therefore, the doctor somehow makes a connection between the incidence of heart disease and a drop in the use of coconut oil.  That simply looks like this person is trying to make a point, but the point is illusive, at best.

Over the years, I have had many people come to me asking about coconut oil.  Coconut oil contains no essential fatty acids, like the omega three fatty acids (hemp nuts, sunflower oil, olive oil, grape seed oil, avocado oil) that have been studied, extensively, and been proven to be heart-protecting fats.  The links between coconut oil and heart health has not been proven, at least in the many articles that I have read. Now, if the question is, "Is coconut oil a good oil for me to use in addition to other oils?" then, certainly, use small amounts of this oil in your diet.  But, if the question is, "Is coconut oil the only oil I need in my diet?" then, my answer is, "No."  Just as it is important to eat a variety of fruits, vegetables and grains, it is very important to eat a variety of fats.

I like coconut oil, coconut flour and unsweetened coconut and use these items as part of our non-gluten diet regimen.  If you look at any of the recipes I have on my website, you will see that I use many other oils in my day-to-day cooking and baking.   It's simply important to remember that no one food or supplement or medication is a, "cure-all," for what ails us.  I included information as to the importance of eating a variety of foods and which foods are best for our overall health in a blog that I wrote last week.

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A Topic Request From one of my Readers

One of my favorite things to have happen is for my reader/readers to request a topic for discussion.  I really appreciate it when someone takes time out from their busy day to contact me about a concern or question.  This reader requested that I talk about fungus.  I'm guessing that it's not exactly a topic for discussion around the dinner table, but it is something that affects most everyone, sooner or later.

As a normal course of events, viruses, bacteria and fungi live on our skin and other body areas.  This is just a part of living on this planet.  When we are healthy, these microscopic organisms pose little threat to us.  However, as soon as our immune system is stressed, whether physically or emotionally, any or all of these organisms may affect us.

The most frequent cause of fungal infections is the result of a disturbance in the quantity and quality of the normally occurring bacteria in our intestines.  Once a person has taken even one course of an antibiotic, their flora population will be diminished significantly and fungal overgrowth can begin.  We have seen patients present with bowel problems and other associated difficulties from antibiotics.  Anytime you are taking even one course of antibiotics, you absolutely need to take a full spectrum probiotic; I'm sorry, but yogurt just won't help reestablish the necessary intestinal flora population.  If the intestinal environment is not normalized, a person will begin to experience symptoms of a systemic fungal overgrowth:  including nail and skin fungal infections and systemic inflammatory imbalances.

For anyone who has taken antibiotics and is experiencing symptoms from which they cannot seem to get relief, the first step is to normalize their intestinal environment with probiotics, most likely a number of courses of probiotics.  The adrenals, which mediate the immune system, will always be affected by intestinal imbalances and need to be supported, nutritionally.  Adrenal exhaustion is very common and is an underlying cause of chronic fatigue syndrome as well as other systemic chronic imbalances.  All this, from an all-too-frequently prescribed medication that has been introduced to our children as young as a few months old.  The younger the age this is first taken, the greater the effect will be over the ensuing years.  You might be surprised at all of the symptoms/problems that have been attributed to bacterial and fungal overgrowth...headaches, musculoskeletal symptoms, ear infections,  candida infections, hormonal imbalances...the list goes on and on.  I highly recommend probiotics for any children who have been taking antibiotic medication.  I would also ask why these medications are being taken...for what symptoms?  If it's an ear infection, the doctors in Europe are way ahead of their American counterparts on that score.  It has been shown over and over in numerous studies that antibiotics are not necessary in the majority of cases of ear infections. Develop a healthy immune system with specific nutriceuticals and the ear problems will retreat.

For those who are dealing with nail or skin fungal infections, you must begin taking probiotics and use a nutritional support such oil of oregano.  This is very effective, in most cases.  Also, if the toes are affected, my recommendation is to wear only cotton socks as nylon does not allow the skin to breathe.  Even if your dermatologist has prescribed only topical antibiotics or corticosteroids, I would still recommend the use of probiotics.



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Be Careful What Cosmetics You Use

Many of us use cosmetics, daily, without thinking about what chemicals are actually in them.  In the past 10 years, we have seen an explosion in the prescription of thyroid and other endocrine medications in our female patients.  I believe this is due, in part, to the widespread use of endocrine disrupting chemicals in the cosmetics and manufacturing industry.

Many of us, over the age of 55, remember the problems with the use of DDT and DES, both endocrine disrupting chemicals.  DDT almost completely devastated the raptor and robin population in this country and DES caused breast and ovarian cancer as well as female babies ( as young as 9 months old) to lactate!  However, there are a host of other equally potentially damaging chemicals in widespread use that have not been banned by the FDA.  Some of these chemicals are commonly used in our cosmetics--parabens and phthalates, for example.

I am including a website that I think contains very valuable information concerning this topic for those of you using commercial, non-organic based cosmetics.   http://www.ewg.org/skindeep/

100 percent pure is an online company that offers lip sticks, cosmetics, lovely eye shadows and bath and body products that are all certified organic.  I posted their website on my Facebook page some months ago.  I highly recommend you check out their website.  http://www.100percentpure.com

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Causes of Breast Cancer

I was reading an article about breast cancer.  On the website, you could find the statement that environmental factors have been found to be associated with only 7-9% of the cases of breast cancer. As I continued to read, I began to get the idea that this health care professional was a bit more interested in selling their "formula" for breast health than giving women concrete scientific data.

There is an excellent book on the subject of breast cancer that I have recommended in past blogs, but I believe that it's a good idea to give you the title and author, again.  Dr. Jane Plant, a British scientist, wrote this book in response to her personal journey with repeated bouts of breast cancer and remission.  It is an easy read but full of important information.  "Your Life In Your Hands," was written over a decade ago but is still very much relevant to today.

The website to which I referred in my opening paragraph talks about the importance of hormone balance, eating an organic diet, decreasing stress, taking specific supplements and many more topics.  All these points are valid when talking about breast or any other type of cancer, when you get down to it.  However, there is one important point that most everyone, doctors and laymen alike, fail to talk about in terms of a major contributing factor to the cause of breast cancer....it's not the environment or stress or lack of supplements or imbalance female hormones....it's a genetically modified hormone that we have been ingesting since the 90's...rBGH.  Sources:  all non-organic dairy, all non-organic beef and any other animal that the government has allowed to be injected.

For any of you who have a concern about breast cancer, please read this book.  It just might save your life or the life of someone you love.

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