Do You Know Where that Vit. B. Supplement is Made?

Those who take a vitamin B supplement NOT from a whole food, organic source need to know that 90% of it is produced in China.  We all know the stringent codes under which that country works. 

Where is the other 10% of non-whole food B vitamin produced?  Reilly Tar and Chemical Company.  That's correct, the source of all non-whole food, organic vitamin B sold in this country is petroleum!

Whether it's sold in health food stores, pharmacies or the big chain stores, the source of the Vitamin B (and, other vitamins, too) is the by product of tar production and a petroleum product.

This, and many, many other reasons, is the primary reason that I only distribute whole food, organically produced nutrients.  I hope you find this information illuminating...I know I do.

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Ebola and Other Viral Problems

I told myself I wasn't going to comment on the news coverage of our latest viral infection, but there is so much misinformation out there, I couldn't let it go.

First, this is not an "outbreak," that every single news anchor and local station likes to call it...an outbreak necessitates the involvement of hundreds to thousands of people...it's an outbreak over in Liberia, but not here.

Second, the people who are being interviewed on the news demanding that all the residents of the apartment building that the newly diagnosed doctor lives in be guaranteed, are, again, misinformed.  And, putting them on the news I'm certain increases ratings, but does nothing to further the truth....one cannot contract this disease, casually.  This virus is transmitted via bodily fluid contact.

Third, this is a virus, not some unknown entity.  Unless one is already immuno-suppressed, sick or very old, the body will recover on its own if supported, nutritionally and with the proper fluids and electrolytes.

I wonder how many people know the number of deaths attributed to the flu, every year, in this country?  Over 2.5 MILLION, that's 807 deaths per 100,000 people! 

I think that a little perspective is always a good thing.  Keep your immune system strong, as I have elaborated on in past blogs this month, and everything will be fine. (Don't forget what added refined sugar does to the immune system...especially with what's coming up next week.)

Autism and Water...A Revolutionary Treatment

We've been reading a book entitled, Blue Mind by Wallace J. Nichols.  The author talks about the science that shows how being around water and, more specifically, our oceans, can cause changes in our emotional health.  One of the chapters talks about the results of various studies done connecting getting into the ocean and improvements in the emotional responses of autistic people.

Going into the water you leave autism behind...  Don King, whose autistic son, Beau, bodysurfs with him

"Clinicians who study aquatic programs designed for autistic kids discovered that parents and recreational therapists report increases not just in swimming skills, muscle strength and balance in children, but also greater tolerance of touch and ability to initiate/maintain eye contact.  In a Taiwanese study, children had fewer negative behaviors and demonstrated greater attention and focus and more appropriate conversations with peers following a ten-week swimming program."

I highly recommend this book to anyone struggling with anxiety/depression and for those with autistic children/adults.  I'll leave you with part of a memoir written by a young man of 13 who suffers from autism...

"In the water it's so quiet and I'm so free and happy there.  Nobody hassles us in the water, and it's as if we've got all the time in the world.... Outside of the water there's always too much stimulation for our eyes and ears and it's impossible for us to guess how long one second is or how long an hour takes..."

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The New Marketing for Milk...Milk=Life

I have just seen the latest in television advertising by the dairy industry.  I have to say, in terms of effective marketing, I think this one deserves an "A." Back on July 15, 2013, I wrote a blog that contained a number of studies and opinions from medical doctors about the need/efficacy of our population (children and adults) to get their calcium from cow's milk.  I would highly recommend this as a great refresher for those who continue to believe the dairy industry's message.

You all know my opinion about cow's milk, so I don't think any further comments are necessary.

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Breast Cancer Awareness Month & Chiropractic Care Month

I think the American Chiropractic Association might want to re-think the timing of "Chiropractic Care Month."  Maybe, November.

I did a series on breast cancer prevention last year, during October.  You'll find it in the blogs of October 17-30, 2014.  I hope that it contains some helpful information for all of us to remember and apply it to our general health.

For those not dealing with breast cancer, might I recommend you consider the importance of chiropractic care in the prevention of mechanical imbalances, a major cause of pain and the primary cause of lost work days, in this country.

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Probiotics Help Prevent Tooth and Gum Disease

According to Dr. Alex Shvartsman, a wholistic dentist that I'm "linkdin" with, probiotics are a tool that he uses in his treatment and care of gum disease and tooth decay.  As I have said before, I wish he could be my dentist as I have never run into any other dentist that is actively practicing naturopathically (he's also an ND).

One word of caution, here. Not all probiotics are equally effective.  Even if the probiotics are manufactured from a "natural" source, there is only one sub-type of each of the different bacteria groups that has been shown to be biomedically active,and therefore, helpful.  That would rule out all the commercially sold products that supposedly contain active bacteria.

I wrote a blog on August 2, 2013, which contained information from a study about this very topic that supports the validity of Dr. Shvartsman's therapy.

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We're Coming Into Flu Season

As we approach yet another flu and cold season, I thought it might be a good idea for my readers to review the information that I posted in a blog that I wrote on January 2, 2014.

This is especially important as we want to keep our immune systems as strong and healthy as possible in light of what's going on right now in Africa and in some areas of this nation.

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Why I Have Never Liked Fish Oil Supplements

Many of you already know that I have discouraged patients from taking fish oils as their source of fatty acids for many years.  My opinion has been and remains that there is no where in the world's oceans that significant pollution hasn't invaded...including the supposed "pure" waters off the coast of Scotland.

In January of 2012, Consumer Reports released the results of their in-depth study of fish oil brands and rated whether they met basic criteria for quality.
The results verify what I have always suspected...that the brands they tested failed for various reasons.  Fish oils from CVS, Sundown, Nature's Bounty and GNC all contained PCBs...a group of highly carcinogenic chemicals found in the ocean.  The Costco Kirkland's brand should also be avoided as, for some reason, they had an enteric coating problem. Nordic Naturals tested for spoilage...something to which all oil-containing foods are susceptible.

Your best sources of essential fatty acids (the importance of which we discussed in my Oct. 7 blog) are hemp hearts (87% fatty acids), salmon that is wild caught from rivers and some nuts and seeds.  It's not that our rivers are any less polluted, but salmon don't live long and, as such, don't contain the high levels of carcinogenic chemicals that other fish (such as tuna) have....that's why I like the vegetable (which we carry) and nut sources of omega fatty acids, better than fish. See my February 14, 2014 blog for more information about alternative sources of essential fatty acids.

A certain amount of chemicals are considered "allowable" by the FDA in all our foods, supplements and drinking water.  We need to keep that in mind when looking for brands of supplements...that's why we only use organic,whole food supplements in the office...they have to pass much more rigorous inspections than the regular supplements, whether they be sold by health food stores, pharmacies or large retailers.

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Why Do We Experience Pain?

Pain is one of the most difficult of all symptoms to alleviate, permanently.  Those suffering from chronic pain know how difficult it is simply to get through another day.  The majority of time lost from work is as a result of pain...primarily low back pain.

Pain is the signal by our body that something is seriously wrong.  Those of you who are our patients or who have been reading my blog know that the body can experience up to 70% dysfunction before it signals a problem with pain.  I thought I'd give you a brief lesson in the biochemistry of pain.

Our bodies break down nutrients via metabolic pathways into usable molecules.  Fats are broken down into usable energy via specific pathways according to the types of fats we eat.  The hormone-like lipid compounds that are enzymatically derived from fatty acids are called, "Prostaglandins" or PGs.  I'll use the abbreviation "PG" just because it's easier.

There are three PG groups, referred to as, PG1, PG2 and PG3.  It's the PG2's that we are concerned with that result in pain.  The following foods are broken down in the arachadonic acid (inflammatory) pathway from:  red meats, organ meats, dairy fats, shellfish, mollusks and hydrogenated fats (we talked about these in a former blog).  Since this is an inflammatory-causing pathway, these foods are responsible for excessive PG2 production that can contribute to inflammatory diseases and problems (including cardiovascular disease, cancer, strokes, autoimmune disease, asthma, skin problems, hot flashes, PMS and menstrual cramps) and pain. Inflammation is the body's response to infection, injury and certain substances. 

What are the PG1 and PG3 compounds responsible for, you ask?  They are anti-inflammatory and healing.  There are specific fats that are metabolized into the PG1 and PG2 pathways, but there are substances that can inhibit PG1 &2 production and throw the metabolism into the arachadonic acid pathway....certain medications and even excesses of certain good fat-containing supplements.   Aspirin works by inhibiting ALL prostaglandin activity.  So, your pain or headache is resolved at the cost of the protection of the anti-inflammatory compounds.  For those interested in what supplements, foods or substances can cause a systemic inflammatory response, you may contact me, directly via the options listed on my website.

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Do You Know any Children who Experience these Problems?

The following is an excerpt from the book, Lick the Sugar Habit, by Nancy Appleton, Ph.D.--

"It's so simple, so simple.  If your child has a hard time falling asleep or staying asleep, cannot concentrate in school or at home, has low grades in school, suffers with allergies, is prone to headaches, is hyperactive or listless, is overweight, cannot go for more than four hours without eating, has a hard time keeping friendships or has colds or bacterial infections more than once a year, I suggest that you remove sugar (all forms) from his or her diet for two weeks....Once sugar has been removed from the diet, energy levels increase, concentrations levels become strong and self-esteem improves."

Your child need not suffer from all of the above in order to be reacting to too much refined sugar in the diet. If a child is experiencing some of the above mentioned problems, I suggest the parent not only look to refined sugar, but also to dyes and additives commonly found in prepared or prepackaged foods.  Alleviating many childhood maladies can be as simple as removing these things from the diet.

I refer the reader to yesterday's blog subject about the biochemistry of refined sugar on the body as to why sugar can cause so many negative and significant physiological reactions.

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