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

<ahref=http://fixdhealthcare.com>

http://www.facebook.com/pages/Fixd-Health-Care/123810761130727

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.

<ahref=http://fixdhealthcare.com>

Guided Imagery: More Effective Than Medication?

Over the past few decades, the effectiveness of guided imagery/visualization has been the subject of numerous research studies.  These studies have shown the positive impact that guided imagery can have on the health, creativity and performance of an individual.  When we first began our practice, biofeedback was in its infancy and definitely not widely accepted by the medical profession as having any credibility.  Now, this and other forms of guided imagery are an accepted part of medical practice by most physicians.

We know that just ten minutes of imagery can reduce blood pressure and reduce cholesterol.  It has shown to reduce blood loss during surgery and postoperative morphine use as well as reducing the intensity of headaches and pain.  It can reduce anxiety and reduce the adverse effects of chemotherapy, especially nausea, depression and fatigue.  It has been found to be very effective for the treatment of emotional stress, which has been shown in various studies to negatively impact fertility.

Imagery is at the center of relaxation techniques designed to release brain chemicals that act as your body's natural brain tranquilizers, lowering blood pressure, heart rate and anxiety levels.  Dr. Bernie Siegel, an internationally recognized expert in the field of cancer treatment and complementary medicine says, "Guided visualization and mind/body programs can be applied to fertility issues just as well as patients experiencing more serious health concerns."

For more information about the science behind some of these programs, please see:
http://www.circlebloom.com/the-secret-power-of-guided-visualization-does-it-work-for-fertility/#!

<ahref=http://fixdhealthcare.com>

Your Exercise Routine Might not be Helping You as Much as You Think

Most of us have been told that regular exercise helps to relieve stress.  Intuitively, that makes perfect sense.  However, research as far back as three decades shows that ones state of mind can affect the effectiveness of our exercise routine.

A study at Yale University, published in Psychosomatic Medicine in August, 1981, detailed the relationship between exercise and stress.  The researchers used actors because of their ability to access emotional states.  The actors were divided into two groups.  The first group was asked to make themselves angry.  The second group was asked to remain as calm and peaceful as possible.  Both groups were monitored for physiological functions, including heart rate, blood pressure and respiration.

The subjects were asked to perform light exercise, such as climbing a set of stairs.  The "angry group" showed a marked difference in physiological functions (increased heart rate and blood pressure that was significantly greater than expected for both light exercise and their baseline data) from the "peaceful" group.  Only in the "peaceful" group did the exercise prove advantageous.  

Commonly held beliefs that exercise reduces stress have been proven incorrect when the subjects performing the exercise are emotionally stressed.  Our state of mind when exercising is just as important as the type and duration of the exercise, itself.  One has to wonder why this information is not more forthcoming from the exercise-focused community, including our medical community.

Perhaps, yoga or meditation before exercise would be beneficial for all of us, on many levels.

<ahref=http://fixdhealthcare.com>

A Yummy "Fried" Fish Recipe for the Holiday Weekend

This is a really quick, easy and non-gluten version of "fish n chips" fish without the "chips."  I think that your entire family will enjoy the taste of this golden brown, crunchy fish that you can serve on non-gluten bread or a bed of lettuce.

Fish Sandwich

This is a non-gluten variation on the traditional “fish and chips” sandwich. I use Bob's Red Mill non-gluten flour to coat the fish and use low heat in a non-stick fry pan containing only a tablespoon of oil. The fish is tasty and the coating still gives the sandwich a wonderful crunch. This recipe serves 4.

Ingredients:

1 pound of cod or other firm white fish, cut into 4 ounce equal-thickness pieces

2 small eggs with 1-2 Tbsp. of water

1 ½ cups of non-gluten flour

2 Tbsp. grape seed or avocado oil

salt and pepper to taste

4 Tbsp. mayonnaise, homemade if possible

2 Tbsp. organic ketchup

1 small dill pickle, diced

Directions:

Mix together the mayonnaise, ketchup and diced pickles in a small bowl and set aside.

Beat the eggs and water with some salt and pepper together in a 9 inch shallow bowl or pan. Place the flour with some salt and pepper into another 9 inch shallow bowl or pan. Put the oil into a fry pan set on medium low....just high enough to get the fish to sizzle, but not too high as to burn the floured fish. On my stove, I set the heat on number 4 out of a possible 10 setting that is high. Dredge the fish in the flour, then coat it with the egg, then, flour a second time. This gives you a resulting crispy coating on the fish. Test the oil with a pinch of flour to see if the oil is hot enough to give a sizzle to the flour. If so, you are ready to cook the fish; if not, wait a little and retest until the test flour sizzles. Place the fish in the fry pan and cook for 3-5 minutes a side, according to the thickness of the fish. Each side should be a lovely golden brown color.

<ahref=http://fixdhealthcare.com>

Drinking Lots of Coffee Shown to be Linked to Increased Death Risk

For our 25+ years of practice, we have been trying to educate our patients as to the potential risks of coffee drinking, especially for those who love those "extra big" cups from their favorite coffee shop.  A cup of coffee is only 4-5 ounces, not one of those 64 ounce sizes.  I still chuckle when I think of the patient who insisted that he only drank one cup of coffee a day....one 64 ounce cup.

The Mayo Clinic has published the results of a study about the effects of coffee on the health of those who really love to drink lots of it, everyday.  Past studies have shown no significant effects from drinking 1-2 cups of coffee a day, although that could be a problem if it were espresso coffee or one used lots of sugar.

You'll notice that the effects of coffee were noted in those who are under 55 years of age.  One does wonder why older people weren't studied, but I guess the researchers had to stop somewhere or, maybe, they figure that we who are over 55 aren't going to last that much longer, anyway.  Please note that the definition of "lots of coffee," is over 28 cups a week.

In a recent study, researchers analyzed data on 43,727 participants from the Aerobics Center Longitudinal Study to assess the potential association between coffee consumption and risk of death from any cause as well as specific conditions.

Throughout the average 17-year follow-up period, 2,512 deaths were identified. Through data analyses, the researchers found that men who drank over 28 cups of coffee weekly had a higher risk of death from any cause. Furthermore, when analyzing the data by age and adjusting for certain factors such as fitness level, the researchers found that there was a significant link between high coffee consumption, 28 cups or more weekly, and death from any cause for both men and women who were under 55 years-old.

<ahref=http://fixdhealthcare.com>

Are Mercury Fillings Hazardous to the Health of Your Baby?

I came across the following article written by Alex Shvartsman, DDS about the connection between amalgam (mercury) fillings and possible health risks to unborn babies.  I thought this would be of interest to many of you.

During our years of practice, we have recommended the removal of mercury fillings to a number of our patients because of the significant symptoms they were experiencing.  Each person who was able to find a dentist both willing and able to safely remove the mercury from their teeth, almost immediately began experiencing relief from their long-standing problems.  It is extremely difficult to find a dentist who will agree to remove mercury and who is experienced in doing so.  Mercury is a poisonous heavy metal and has to be discarded as hazardous waste.  I was very surprised to read this article, as dentists have come under some very significant consequences from the ADA when they have been found to have removed amalgam from teeth that are intact.  The ADA admits to no problems from mercury and have actively and legally discouraged dentists who have removed mercury fillings, in the past.

Here is Dr. Shvartsman's article:

Long Island Holisitc Dentist discussed the possible dangers for their baby of mercury fillings in mothers' teeth.

     Dental amalgam fillings are the most common tooth filling material used today.  Many are unaware that “silver “ fillings are actually up to 55% mercury.  Mercury is considered the most toxic non-radioactive material on earth by toxicologists.  The mercury in dental fillings remains in its liquid state and binds the other metals in the filling together.  Liquid mercury vaporized easily even below room temperature and is highly ionizable.  It is the Ionized mercury vapor that cause numerous disruptions and misregulations in the human body.

     Numerous studies have confirmed that mercury vapor is being constantly released during chewing. Higher levels of mercury vapor is released during tooth grinding or eating hot foods and drinking hot beverages. In addition, tooth whitening releases extremely high amounts of mercury vapor as does polishing dental fillings during cleanings as well as drilling out old mercury dental fillings.   Mercury vapor is easily ionizable and quickly penetrates cell membranes, especially nerve cells.  Besides the brain, spinal chord and the nerves, most every organ in the body accumulates mercury.

     Constant low-level mercury exposure accumulation, as occurs from mercury dental fillings is cumulative over the years. Many health experts and researchers agree that chronic low-level mercury exposure has detrimental health effects on our bodies, especially after decades of exposure.

     No one can argue that as parents, protecting our children is our primary responsibility and duty.  Studies have confirmed that ionized mercury easily penetrates the placenta and is detectable in the breast milk of mothers.  While there are no studies on the effects of this mercury exposure to the developing baby and the nursing infant due to ethics of such experiments, concerned and responsible mothers should be informed of its probable dangers. 

     In addition, the FDA has advised the discontinuation of mercury containing fillings in “growing children” following several laws suits.  A ten year study, which followed children for the age of 8 to the age of 18 confirmed that children with  mercury-filled teeth have higher incidence of health problems. This same study helped to identify a gene variant that predisposes boys to mercury toxicity even at small levels.

     Women who are planning to get pregnant may want to consider removing mercury containing dental fillings from their teeth prior to conception and to evaluate themselves for mercury toxicity.  Since drilling out mercury fillings releases high amounts of ionizable mercury vapor, concerned mothers may want to protect themselves by having their dentist follow the International Academy of Oral Medicine and Toxicology’s (IAOMT) protocol for safe dental mercury filling removal. 

Unfortunately, few dentists are aware of this protocol and fewer still adhere to it strictly. 

     Dr. Alex Shvartsman of Long Island Center for Healthier Dentistry is the only accredited member of the IAOMT on Long Island. He has successfully passed the IOAMT written toxicology exam, as well as the oral presentation on his adherence to the protocol. He currently serves on the Educational Committee of the IAOMT.

Would You Like to Eat an Anti-Inflammatory Diet?

We've talked about the role diet plays in our health, such as eating foods that alkalize our blood rather than acidifying it and making sure that we have sufficient quantities of the right type of bacteria in our intestines in order to properly digest and assimilate nutrients.  I thought we might discuss specific foods that can help to ensure that we keep the levels of inflammation to a minimum in our bodies.  An anti-inflammatory diet has been shown to decrease the production of certain chemicals that cause inflammation and, therefore, tissue breakdown and the aging of our cells.

We need to remember that organically grown foods are reported to have 2-5 times more nutrients than their conventionally grown counterparts and contain no added pesticides...always a plus.  Your meals should consist of 55% carbohydrates (only 5-10% of which should be simple carbs, i.e. "white foods"), 25% protein and 20% healthy fats or essential fatty acids that we've talked about in past blogs.  These numbers are approximate but show the importance of vegetables, grains and legumes in the diet as opposed to meat-based foods.  Remember, you need fats together with vegetables in order for the nutrients to be assimilated more effectively.  As much as possible, I recommend you eat a non-gluten diet which also will decrease inflammation in the body.  Do not eat any one food more than 5 times a week.

Vegetables:
     Eat mostly lower carbohydrate vegetables, those containing only 3-6% carbohydrates.  You can find specific lists on the internet or check with me.   Steaming vegetables improves the availability of the nutrients in foods.  I don't recommend eating a large quantity of raw vegetables, except in salads.  Vegetables contain a very tough outer coating on the cell walls that are difficult to digest.

Grains:
     Include 1-2 cups of cooked grains per day.  I recommend quinoa grains instead of wheat or white grains because quinoa has a much lower glycemic index than traditional grains.  Also, I recommend only 1 piece of bread be eaten per day...non-gluten, if possible.  Wheat bread has a very high glycemic index and diabetics, those with hypertension or high cholesterol should beware.  Amaranth, barley, millet, oatmeal and basmati are all superior grains.

Legumes:
     Soak your legumes overnight and cook them slowly the next day.  Split peas, lentils, kidney beans, pinto beans, black beans and garbanzo beans are a few of the beans on the "suggested" list.

Seafood:
     Deep sea-ocean fish are an excellent source of essential fatty acids and should be eaten 3-4 times a week.  Avoid lobster, shrimp and crab because of what they eat.

Meat:
     Eating protein with every meal helps to maintain a steady blood sugar level and energy level.  I suggest you get at least 50% of your protein from non-meat sources.

Spices:
     There are no restrictions in this category.

Sweeteners:
     No artificial sweeteners of any kind and no table sugar (white sugar).  I have white sugar in the house to make my hummingbird nectar, only.

Butter and Oils:
     Use butter sparingly and not more than 1-2 Tbsp. in a week.  Butter is better than the artificial substitutes, but still organic oils are your best source of essential fatty acids.

Dairy:
     I recommend no dairy in the diet as it produces mucous in the gut, is a major source of allergic and adverse reactions.  Hard cheeses such as parmasean from Italy or goat's parm. as well as goat's feta and cheddar are fine.  No soft cheeses from cow's milk, at all.

Nuts and Seeds:
     There is a shorter list for "nuts to avoid," so I'll include those:  no peanuts or peanut butter.

Drinks:
     No coffee, soda, juice, caffeinated teas or alcohol.  Sorry, alcohol is extremely inflammatory, but one 2-3 ounce drink of wine a day is acceptable, if you have no chronic illnesses.

Misc:
     Organic eggs are fine.  I suggest no more than 5 a week.  No corn products, hydrogenated oils, processed foods or fried foods.

I hope this list is helpful.  Let me know if you have any specific questions about this.
                                                                                                                                                                                                

<ahref=http://fixdhealthcare.com>

Do you Have IBD? Here are Some Ideas That may Help

IBD or inflammatory bowel disease used to be known as IBS.  I guess the medical community decided that "inflammatory" was more descriptive than "irritable."  A rose by any other name, although there is little that is sweet about this problem.

Those suffering from this condition frequently suffer from chronic fatigue.  This is hardly surprising because this occurs when the body is unable to assimilate and utilize foods, an affect of inflammation.   We have discussed many of the problems that can result when the intestines are inflamed or unable to produce sufficient amounts of necessary bacteria in a number of previous blogs.

In this month's Journal of Alternative Complementary Medicine, researchers studied thiamine (B1) and its possible benefits for those with IBD who are suffering with chronic fatigue.  This was a very small study, only 16 people, but it appears that the positive effects of this vitamin were statistically significant. It certainly makes sense that any B vitamins would be of help because this classification of vitamins helps to calm nerves.  I'm not sure why only B1 was chosen as there is no food in nature that contains only one of the B vitamins without any other accompanying phytonutrients.  Also, we can be certain that the source of this vitamin is both fractionalized and laboratory-produced.  That being said, it is still of interest to me just how vitamin deficient many people must have been in this study to produce such a positive result from one course of 600-1500 mg. per day.

For those with this condition that have sought our help, we have been extremely successful in reducing the symptoms by changing their diet, adding probiotic and other nutrient supplementation and using cold laser. Certain food groups have been identified as major irritants, and once removed completely from the diet, people have found incredible relief.  We would occasionally add back the offending foods to the diet and, virtually without exception, the symptoms would return.  I'm not certain just how much relief one would get taking only one vitamin, but at least this study is a step in the right direction.
<ahref=http://fixdhealthcare.com>

Which Foods can Help Balance our Blood?

I've had a few questions about where to find lists containing the pH of foods.  After researching this, I have come to find that some sites list the actual pH of foods, while others take into consideration the pH after the food has been metabolized by the body.  This can lead to some confusion.  The list of foods that I give to interested patients contains the pH of foods once they have been metabolized.  The reason for this is that a food may contain a significant amount of acid, but once eaten, it becomes alkaline in the blood.  One such example is a lemon.  While acidic on the "plate," it is alkaline in the blood.

I thought I might include some examples of foods that might be thought of as "acidic," but, once metabolized, become alkaline and, therefore, food that should be eaten both frequently and in some quantity.  For a complete list of alkaline foods, I suggest you check the internet.

Mildly alkaline:
Almond milk, grapefruit, pomegranate, herbs, avocado oil, olive oil, coconut oil, grapeseed oil, hemp oil

Moderately alkaline:
Ginger, lemon, lime, rhubarb, hemp seeds, Quinoa

Highly alkaline:
Green drinks (Innate carries the best)
pH 9.5 water, Himalayan salt, avocados, cruciferous vegetables, tomato, spinach, sprouts, parsley, garlic, kale, cucumber, celery, turnip greens

<ahref=http://fixdhealthcare.com>