You’ve probably always known that physical activity was good for you - but I’ll bet you didn’t know it was this good! The British Journal of Sports Medicine showed that even a little bit of regular home-based exercise could produce an anti-aging effect of up to 12 years. They showed that exercise counseling by doctors that focused on encouraging aerobic activity was an important part of slowing down the deterioration that comes with normal aging. Older patients tend to become more fatigued and less independent because their heart and lungs can’t carry enough oxygen to the tissues that need it. When doctors encourage healthy lifestyle, patients have a much higher likelihood of actually following through and taking action. A simple reminder may be one of the most powerful anti-aging tools we’ve found so far!

"They're really full of it!" has taken on a whole new meaning. In typical fashion a new drug has come on the market for the treatment of intestinal problems - specifically constipation. It causes nausea in almost 30% of the people taking the full dose. Some people experience such severe shortness of breath that they need to contact their doctor or be whisked off to the E.R. Since the drug is brand new it's also important that pregnancy is avoided because no one is quite sure how a baby will turn out under the influence of the "chemical." I'm only concerned because the drug costs about $160 a month and does what $5 worth of high-quality magnesium would do - safely! Our national attitude toward nutritional supplementation needs to change. In medical school we were taught that our first duty was to "Do no harm!" Apparently, we’ve forgotten some of the most basic principles.

Simple relief for allergies has been around for thousands of years but finally there is a tablet that acts like the ancient remedies to reduce symptoms of allergy by almost 40%! So what's the wonder drug? It's grass. Yes, the research shows that a small amount of grass extract put in a pill will make a big change in allergy symptoms. Honey has been used for eons to treat allergy by a similar mechanism. Bees take pollen from the flowering plant and deposit it in the hive where the honey is being made. The tiny exposure to the pollens in the honey (locally-grown) is enough to decrease the immune stimulation that goes along with seasonal allergy.

Cleveland Clinic researchers have discovered a link between cell phone usage and reduction in sperm counts.  The longer a man spent on his phone the lower his sperm count became.  The most pressing issue is not the issue of fertility but what this means to overall health and simple steps that can be taken to reduce potential risk.  Though there is little we can do to stop big towers from emitting radiation we can definitely move our cell phones away from our faces.  Hands-free and BlueTooth technologies could both avoid potential problems with sensitive organs (brain, reproductive and thyroid).  The debate will rage on and scientists will say we "Need more studies" but for my part I recommend everyone use a headset, go BlueTooth or get a hands-free rig for the car.

The latest from the Lancet released February 16th shows an amazing connection between cancer and obesity.  The rates of many cancers was as high as doubled.  If an average weight person gains twenty to thirty pounds their cancer risk is dramatically higher.  That means that it's very likely that weight reduction would result in lower cancer rates.  Since we've been working hard to help our patients lose weight, I thought the cancer risk reduction would be a strong motivator for anyone who might have been straddling the fence..

It seems there's no limit to the stubbornness of the medical mainstream.  The latest news from the Journal of the American Medical Association (JAMA) journal reports that it doesn't matter whether or not a specific thyroid treatment makes you feel better.  Only the numbers on the lab test are important.  In fact they went out of their way to discredit several studies that showed patients having better memory, mood and overall sense of well-being on additional triiodothyronine (T3).  This is important because doctors are supposed to be advocating for their patient's quality-of-life.  Oh well, I guess not when it comes to thyroid treatment.

Lancet Oncology just released a study that showed that the uninsured and Medicaid patients had at least two times the likelihood of having advanced cancers at the time of their diagnosis.  It's bad enough that people have to suffer the ravages of poverty but to subject them to shabby scientific conclusions is adding fuel to the fire!  The fact that cancer is very difficult to cure and much easier to prevent was not even discussed.  There are specific behaviors that contribute to cancer and are a much greater contributor than medical screening issues.  Obesity, smoking, stress and excess alcohol consumption are easily the greatest contributors to advanced cancer and are frequently found at much higher rates in the poor.  Health insurance really doesn't insure anything but partial payment of medical expenses.  Real health insurance is a body, soul and spirit reality.  There's more that can be done to beat cancer than to beat the "insurance drum!"

It was bound to happen.  The most common complaint I hear from people who are pursuing a very-low-calorie diet (VLCD) is that they don’t have any tasty foods to eat.  Even though VLCD’s have been shown to be one of the most effective tools for weight loss they also have the highest drop-out rates because people are so hungry and bored with the limitations on their food choices.  The good news is that a new book has become available that makes VLCD eating a pleasure.  In conjunction with a medically supervised program it can be pure joy to folks who have struggled with weight problems their whole lives.

You might want to consider not getting a flu vaccination based on a new study from the respected Lancet, Infectious Disease journal.  The claim that flu vaccination reduced winter deaths in the elderly by 50% was a clear tip-off that something was wrong with the data.  Only 5% of all deaths occur in the very weak elderly because of the flu.  That would mean flu vaccine saved ten times as many people who would have died from the disease.  Any time that natural immunity is weakened the risk of premature death is going to rise.  The question then is "Does flu vaccine produce the best immune response?"  I think the manufacturer's claims are severely over-hyped and should be taken with a grain (if not a boulder) of salt!

Researchers at U.C.L.A. have found that fish oils have a specific Omega-3 fat that breaks down the protein that causes Alzheimer's disease.  The good news is that even small amounts of this fat (DHA, or docosahexaenoic acid) increases the protein that breaks down the tangles of amyloid protein that are part of Alzheimer's devastating effect on the brain.  You've probably heard  the word "fathead" used in less  flattering situations, but in this case -  "It's all good."
 

The Journal of Clinical Endocrinology and Metabolism released findings from a study that showed women who are chronically fatigued may have low levels of a hormone called Cortisol. The great thing about this news is that there are lots of ways to boost energy without having to take the hormone itself. The hormone is a very weak steroid (like a much milder form of prednisone). Instead of replacing the hormone right away I try to get to the reason that it’s low in the first place.  What’s stressing the system?

Researchers in South Korea have found that flu vaccine under the tongue (sublingually) has better safety and efficacy than previously found with nasal and injectable forms.  The important thing to note is that the way we contract flu is through our mouth and respiratory tract.  That would suggest that our immune systems have the best-engineered defenses in the same area.  I like to think that God knows exactly what He's doing.  When the body is attacked through a specific route (the airways) then it makes sense to immunize along the same path. That’s juts using good judgment.  Injections make sense for lots of treatment but flu vaccination isn’t one of them!

The FDA just released a "warning" in the form of a public advisory that EDTA should not be used to remove heavy metals from the blood or any other reasonable purpose because of the risk of death with this drug.  The crazy thing is that there have been only 16 deaths over the past 31 years from this "demon drug."  For a nifty comparison consider the 7,600 annual deaths from aspirin and aspirin-like drugs.  Over a thirty-one year period that would amount to 235,600 deaths.  I don't hear any clamor to remove these drugs from the marketplace.  Wonder why?  I don't!

In a predictable turn of events, giant drug manufacturer Wyeth  petitioned the FDA to rein in successful compounding pharmacies that were offering Estriol to women as a safer alternative to the Premarin they were shoving down our collective throats.  Since the Women's Health Initiative demonstrated the clear danger of their multimillion dollar darling, Premarin, Wyeth has been scurrying to regain market share at the expense of women's health and lives.  It is absolutely appalling that a company would seek to remove an effective treatment from women to replace it with one that may cause cancer and multiple other problems.  It's amazing how their love and interest in women is just compounding (like the pharmacies they seek to destroy). 

The World Health Organization just released a study on 2037 children in Pakistan who were being treated for pneumonia.  They concluded that pneumonia could be treated just as well (or better) at home as compared to the hospital.  One of my patients came in last week asking to be treated for a bad cough which I diagnosed as pneumonia.  His blood oxygen was fine at 98% so I agreed to let him battle it out at home rather than being exposed to the possibility of resistant bacteria and medical errors in the hospital.  after an inhection of Rocephin (a powerful antibiotic) and some steroids he improved within 24 hours.  I agree with the investigators who found that the death rate was four times as high in the hospitalized patients compared to those who took antibiotics at home.  When it comes to being treated for serious medical problems, less is more when it's possible to avoid hospitalization.

Universal health care, according to the most strident and obnoxious Democratic contenders for presidency, will outlaw the health savings account (HSA) provision that’s been positively transforming patient-powered care.  Instead of free choice, Bill Richardson (D) New Mexico believes that the government should be making all the decisions and no one has the right to have health care freedom.  The government should be in control of everything we do.  The rot of socialism is bad enough but I am more concerned about the health care arena experiencing the same anti-God pressure that has permeated the government school system.

It seems the more things change, the more they stay the same.  Two studies came out this week which support your grandmothers wisdom more than ever.  The Journal of the American Medical Association (JAMA) lead off with an article on sinusitis that showed no benefit to treating sinus infections with antibiotics and nasal sprays.  Then, The Archives of Pedicatric and Adolescent Medicine reported that honey is the best cough reliever when compared to common over-the-counter (OTC) products.  How great is that?  Your mom was right after all.  A cup of tea with honey and a little lemon was always my grandma's favorite.  There were some problems with the studies, but the point remains the same.  Natural remedies are often your best bet.  I've got lots of ideas about preventing and treating "colds" naturally.  If you're interested, read on!

The latest research from the journal "Sleep" shows that maintaining a 6, 7 or 8 hour-a-night sleep pattern protects against premature death.  More sleep or less contributes to early death from all causes.Short sleep duration is a risk factor for weight gain, insulin resistance, and type 2 diabetes, the authors write. Short sleep is also accompanied by increased cortisol levels and abnormal growth hormone secretion and has been associated with hypertension and some cardiovascular diseases, they said. “It’s fairly obvious what’s going on there,” Dr. Ferrie added.  OK, if you don't sleep well you get fat, sick and die.  What can be done besides taking drugs?  Read on!

Sleep. 2007;30:1659-1666.

Researchers at Brown University proved what we probably already assumed. Obese patients that ate because of emotional cues or thoughts about food tended to lose the least weight when dieting. It makes sense to pay attention to the body-soul-spirit connection when any health goal is considered. If losing weight was easy, everyone would be skinny. If the mind can be mastered there’s a much easier path to weight loss.

The latest from the Archives of Sugery suggest that weight loss surgery may not be the best way to help severely obese people to get back in shape.  In fact the death rate at 5 years was 6% in patients who got the surgery.  That's as bad as some cancers.  The facts is that bariatric surgery is a good option for people who have failed all other less invasive procedures when their weight is going to kill them in short order.  Unfortunately most patients never get the whole spectrum of treatments that might help them lose weight without the "knife!'  I've got some pretty exciting news about weight loss that's a lot less deadly.

A new study out of Ohio shows that depression increases the levels of inflammatory chemicals in the blood that lead to plaque formation and heart disease.  This comes as no huge surprise to most people who have noticed the link between the body and mind.  The results of this study give us something we can sink our teeth in to and change our risk for premature death.  The recommendation of the traditional physician may not create the optimum benefits because the treatment of depression in primary care and psychiatric settings usually involves the use of drugs that have a strong negative impact on quality of life.  I use a protocol that reverses depression in most situations without the use of drugs.  It's not really all that difficult.

The Federal Government is running a national advertising campaign for flu drug manufacturers.  The claim is that "flu shots save lives!"  This is absolutely true in very rare unusual circumstances:

1. HIV patients
2. Immunocompromised patients
3. Children with life-threatening chronic disease

Even in these circumstances the harm to the immune system from the shot may be equally damaging as influenza itself.  The "life-saving" effects of the flu shot are only significant in several hundred people in the United States per year.  The numbers in the tens of thousands are related to complications including pneumonia and other illnesses.  Certainly people are healthier without viral infections but there are lots of ways to avoid getting sick in the first place.  Resorting to potentially harmful injections is a matter of informed consent and should be undertaken only when the risks and benefits are clearly understood.  I always caution my patients to "Look before you leap!"  Let me give you some ideas to handle the flu season without flu vaccination!  Read On!

The last time I wrote about Human Chorionic Gonadotrophin (HCG) weight loss I wasn't quite as convinced as I am today.  The actions of HCG appear to have their action on every part of human physiology and function.  From helping to balance hormones to decreasing the negative effects of excessive stress, HCG seems to have a wide range of potential uses.  The weight loss industry has been very successful at creating an insatiable demand for books but has not been able to produce a great demand for waist size "30" slacks!  I have to believe that we're reaching a point where the obesity crisis will produce these kind of results soon.

Vitamins for Heart Attack Prevention? -You Bet!

If vitamin supplements protected your heart better than drugs or surgery you would be crazy to choose anything else, right?  At The Archives of Internal Medicine (August 13th edition) they obviously agree because they "fudged" the numbers to make vitamins look like they were useless.  Basically, they took all the people who were supposed to take vitamin E and included them in the results with the ones who actually did.  That way, enough people who never received the benefit of vitamin E were counted in the final numbers that showed no reduction in heart attack risk. 

Reuters just released a projection that 75% of all Americans will be obese by 2015.  At the same time a new book has been released called "The Weight Loss Cure" that makes some pretty amazing promises.  The tag line is "That They Don't Want You to Know About."  Exactly who is "They?"  I am always turned off by that kind of conspiracy theory.  There are always trade secrets but the point he's trying to make is that there are people lined up trying to keep you sick.  The real problem is that there are lots of businesses that are focused elsewhere and that are frequently making donuts and bacon cheeseburgers.  I guess you could make the leap that Krispy Kreme Donuts has a deep subterranean tunnel in which all the weight loss solutions are destroyed by a massive shredder.  On second thought........ Nah!

Just this past week the Publix Supermarket chain decided to provide many commonly prescribed antibiotics for free.  WalMart started a $4 prescription plan last year to great fanfare though I think that serious disease was unfazed.  Generic antibiotics have been used so frequently that they often don't eradicate the infections they were aimed to treat.  Even though these medications were a powerful part of our arsenal against life-threatenting disease, their overuse has lessened their power.  Though their benefits are questionable you're likely to recognize their names from years of use:

1. ampicillin
2. cephalexin (Keflex)
3. ciprofloxacin (excluding ciprofloxacin XR)
4. erythromycin (excluding Ery-Tab)
5. sulfamethoxazole/trimethoprim (or SMZ-TMP - Bactrim)
6. penicillin VK.

There's so much to know about how to do a good job to help your family stay well that I think you should keep going "deep" to learn what you can do to take control of the situation!  Read on................and tell your friends!

New research has revealed a key to reducing cancer of all kinds.  Scientists have identified the specific genes responsible for causing inflammation and promoting cell damage,  causing mutation in DNA.  These "inflammatory genes" are stirred up in smoker's lungs creating an ideal environment for cancers to grow and replicate.  The researchers watched these changes and found the exact inflammatory pathway that created the lung cancer.  What this means to non-smokers and everyone else is that anything that causes inflammation has the potential to increase the growth and development of cancers.  Reducing inflammation suddenly becomes important for everyone.  It's not just for people with arthritis and similar problems.  If you want to reduce your risk of cancer, you need to learn about how to put out the fires of inflammation.  Hint: It's not about taking aspirin!

Source: Engels EA et al. "Systematic evaluation of genetic variants in the inflammation pathway and risk of lung cancer." Cancer Res. 2007; 67(13):6520-27.

I was shocked to find out that children may be at high risk of dying from something so innocuous as building sandcastles.  The New England Journal of Medicine released a report revealing that more than 2 dozen young people died over the last decade when sand holes collapsed on them while enjoying the beach. Even though we have been sensitized by the movie "Jaws" there were only 12 fatal shark attacks during the same period. "Sand hole collapses occur horrifyingly fast", said Bradley Maron, M.D., of Harvard Medical School, the report's lead author. "Typically, victims became completely submerged in the sand when the walls of the hole unexpectedly collapsed, leaving virtually no evidence of the hole or location of the victim," wrote Dr. Maron.

It turns out that doctors need some basic training in good manners.  Chicago's Northwestern University just completed a very extensive study that revealed my mom was right after all (again).  Doctors create a much better relationship with patients if they greet them with a handshake and address them by their name.  It also helps if the doctor gives his first and last name.  I learned this when I was about 3 years old.  It would seem almost completely frivolous to do a study like this unless you were privy to the ridiculous indoctrination that goes on in medical training.  I have always been convinced that patients should be treated as equal partners in a very important project regardless of the slow erosion of respect that comes with 36 hour shifts and endless lines of "clinic" patients.

Arch Intern Med. 2007;167:1172-1176

If you had to choose a treatment for depression would you rather:

1. Take a synthetic drug?
2. Take a natural hormone?
3. Tough it out?
4. Cry?

O.K, really, the answer seems to jump right off the page.  The side effects of antidepressant drugs include: sleep disturbance, sexual dysfuntion, suicidal thinking, constipation, diarrhea, dry mouth, agitation and lots more.  The side effects of thyroid treatment are usually limited by how much is given but usually revolve around being overly stimulated - rapid heart beat, anxiety and sleeplessness.  Of course, you can cut your dose slightly and still get the benefits and quickly eliminate any side effects.  When lab tests for thyroid show improvement after taking a very small amount of T3 thyroid (liotyhronine), depression is significantly improved.  This latest study showed that the drug treatment often failed but had a much better outcome with thyroid added.  I have seen the same effects in our practice without ever having to use the drugs for depression.  If thyroid treatment alone doesn't provide an improvement in mood then medication can always be added later.  Synthetic drugs can be a great tool for mood problems but we have a list of treatments that we always offer first.  Interested?  Read on!

Arch Gen Psychiatry. 2007;64:679-688.

It's hard to imagine that just twenty years ago the much maligned phrase "Just say No!" was being circulated as the answer to drug use.  The good news is that illegal drug use is down significantly from years past.  The really tragic news is that prescription drug use among children and teens is blowing away the old records and shows no sign of slowing down.  The most commonly prescribed medications are for colds and infections but asthma and allergy make a pretty good run at the record.  How can we possibly keep kids off of drugs when our answer to everything from sniffles to syphilis is medication?  (The syphilis drugs make sense, by the way!)  I thoroughly endorse using non-drug options for common colds and allergy treatment.  Let me give you my short list of common drugs and my alternatives. Read ON! 

Recent studies have shown that blindness from macular degeneration can be avoided through nutritional support from all different sources.  Most recently fish and vitamin D have been shown to reduce the risks for macular degeneration (MacD) by almost 40%.  I often see patients that eat nothing but "steak and potatoes" who have very high levels of inflammatory fats (Omega-6) and very low levels of vitamin D.  Food for thought is food for vision in this case!  If eating fish twice a week and drinking vitamin D enriched milk can produce this great a benefit, just imagine what can be accomplished with comprehensive nutritional support!  Interested in how to do that?  Read on!

Sources:  AREDS Report No. 20 "The Relationship of Dietary Lipid Intake and Age-Related Macular Degeneration in a Case-Control Study" Arch Ophthalmol. 2007; 125: 671-679.
Parekh N "Association Between Vitamin D and Age-Related Macular Degeneration in the Third National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey, 1988 Through 1994" Arch Ophthalmol. 2007; 125:661-669.

The language in this recent study reveals the bias against natural teratments for common illnesses that comes from the traditional medical community.  You can almost hear the aloof and nasal tone in the words used to describe the findings of the investigators.  They claim that "Most users of herbal supplements are doing it for anything that ails them, ignoring specific claims of efficacy, however tenuous, found investigators here."  This suggests that people who use herbal supplements ignore scientific evidence even if it is very poorly developed.  They're basically saying that nobody in their right mind would use herbs for enhancing their health or dealing with illness.  They refer to studies in this way "one so-called evidence-based study."  Their criteria for "evidence" depends upon an article being published in a journal that runs over 50% of their pages as drug-company sponsored advertising.  ANy journal that doesn't rely on drug company funding doean't qualify for consideration.  I'd say that's a pretty biased method to determine validity.  Do you want to know how to use herbs wisely?  Read on! 

Source:  Bardia A, et al "Use of Herbs Among Adults Based on Evidence-Based Indications: Findings From the National Health Interview Survey" Mayo Clin Proc.2007 82: 561-566.

THe latest research is showing that we can avoid geting "Mad Cow" Disease by maintaining the best environment in our bodies.  The study referenced in Nature showed that the presence of Candida and other environmental factors influenced the transmission of the little tiny proteins (prions) that cause the disease.  Since we may have a hard time avoiding every animal that may have prion disease at the very least we can take control of our health to limit the risk of having our brains rot out of our heads!  Take time to eat right and exercise as well as taking your supplements as needed and you can significantly change the way you'll live out your life.  It's true.  Little things mean a lot!

Source:  Tessier PM and Lindquist S. "Prion recognition elements govern nucleation, strain specificity and species barriers." Nature 2007; DOI: 10.1038/nature05848.

A brand new study shows that there is a specific marker in the genetic code for heart attack risk.  The big news is that this specific area of the DNA had no known genes. In other words there was no activity from the proteins on the DNA that directly caused a change in the body's functions.  This just demonstrates the very basic knowledge that we have regarding the "genome."  The idea that we have mapped out the genome is nothing new.  The idea that there are areas of the genome that have no useful activity has been a part of genetic dogma for years.  There are no areas of the genome that don't have some meaningful purpose or they simply wouldn't be there.  We didn't develop in a random and chaotic way.  We were designed to function in a precise and elegant way.  Dragging "trash DNA" coding through millenia would be incredibly inelegant and foolish.  To the trained medical eye the idea of these "unimportant areas" of the genome having such a great significance is shocking.  That's because scientific training is philosophically flawed at the very foundation of Darwinian evolutionary thought.  If a scientist begins with the notion that we will never fully understand the brilliance of creation, it is easy to be pleasantly surprised by findings like the one that predicts for heart attack risk.  God planned the genome to carry all the blueprints for human life.  From conception to reception in paradise we are formed by a loving Creator whose genius surpasses our wildest imagination.  So, beyond the shock, there is a beautiful story unfolding about how we are discovering the mysteries of creation and how they will impact health care and disease prevention.  From where I stand this discovery is simply "drop-dead gorgeous!"  Read on to find out what you can do to reduce your heart attack risk today.

Source:  McPherson R et al. "A Common Allele on Chromosome 9 Associated with Coronary Heart Disease." Science 2007; 10.1126/science.1142447.

Over the past several years I have noticed that my patients with fungal problems do better on a "rotation" of anti-fungal agents.  That means that when I am treating intestinal (gut) infections I like to use antifungals one at a time over several months.  The latest research on the ulcer-inducing "bug" called H-pylori shows that this approach works to produce a much higher "cure" rate.  When the anti-biotics for ulcer are given altogether there is a cure rate in the 29% range when a certain type of H-pylori is present.  When the treatment is given sequentially the cure rate goes as high as 89%.  I have always believed that drugs can be toxins if they're overused.  In this case it is highly likely that the risks of drug treatment are outweighed by the benefits because the treatment results are so miserable.  I'm glad that I trusted my "gut" feeling regarding fungal infections because I think the same principles apply.  Resistance to certain treatments is less of a factor when they are given in sequence.  In other words "No guts, no glory!"  My anti-fungal protocol is based on some precise points.  If you're intersted in knowing how I effectively reduce fungus in the gut, read on!

Ann Intern Med 2007;146:556-563.

Niacin overdose is being identified as the problem in several people who went to the emergency department for "reactions" to the vitamin.  Each of these people was trying to hide their illegal drug use from a urine screening test by police or their parole officer.  The researchers claim that niacin caused such severe reactions that its use should be identified as a risk for "life-threatening toxicity."  I can't help but notice that these people were taking other drugs and ecstasy was among them.  The possibility that these reactions were related to illegal drug use can't help be missed.  One of the younger emergency room patients took 5,500 mg of regular niacin.  In a normal person this would create an unbearable (but usually not life-threatening) reaction that would include a feeling like the skin being "on fire!"  It might be possible that this 14-year-old may have been drinking and doing other drugs that didn't show up on the drug screens.  It amazes me that these studies make the medical journals at all.  That the proper use of niacin isn't reported seems simply foolish.  If you're interested in learning about what good niacin can do, read on!

Source:  Heard K, Mendoza CD "Consequences Of Attempts To Mask Urine Drug Screens" Ann Emerg Med. 2007.

According to the latest study on prayer spritual matters.....matter!  The scientific and medical communities are speaking up about belief in God and how that can impact the outcomes of ptient care.  The actual number of physicians who believed that God actually "reached into" an event and changed a medical outcome was only at 5% in the study.  The study also showed that doctors who professed a strong belief had a higher number of patients who discussed these issues and felt that spiritual matters ipacted their health.  This makes sense to me because my network of referrals generally come through my contacts at church and other places where I might be available for casual conversation.  I believe the old saying of "Like attracts like" is probably true in this case.  People often choose a physician (healer in this case) who shares their core beliefs.  Over the last 20 years I have heard many patients vent their frustration and occasionally, anger at physicians that refused to accept their belief that miraculous opportunities were still possible in severe medical illness.  I have seen a few outright miracles in my practice.  Interested?  Read on!

Source:  Curlin FA, et al "Physicians' Observations and Interpretations of the Influence of Religion and Spirituality on Health" Arch Intern Med 2007; 167:649-654

More evidence that diet works on every one of the body's systems is coming to light.  There's not a person on the face of the earth that wouldn't do well to consider the foods that they eat as a potent form of medicine.  I read the book "Sugar Blues" years ago when a patient brought a copy to me.  The book spells out the effects of sugar on mood and brain chemistry.  Undoubtedly we could do a lot with diet alone if we made the effort.  The evidence is mounting.  Do you want to know more tips and tricks to influence common problems with diet?  Read on!

Source:  Chatzi L, et al "Protective effect of fruits, vegetables and the Mediterranean diet on asthma and allergies among children in Crete" Thorax 2007.

If you have hot flashes and night sweats you should get your hormone replacement started right away if you're going to do it at all.  The latest study reveals a direct relationship with the timing of hormone replacement and heart disease risk.  The sooner the better seems to be the key when estrogens and progesterone are needed to control uncomfortable symptoms.  Just how to do the therapy is an area of great interest to me and many of my colleagues.  I prefer using "natural" bioidentical hormones that have are exactly the same as those produced by the human body.  Others in the endocrine and gynecology fields are content to use the equine (horse) estrogens and synthetic progestins.  The reasons revolve around tradition and exposure to different philosophies.  I believe the natural hormones are soafer and research will bear this out over the next decade.  How can you decide which hormone therapy is right for you?  Ask questions and get educated.  You can start right here!

Source:  Rossouw JR et al. "Postmenopausal Hormone Therapy and Risk of Cardiovascular Disease by Age and Years Since Menopause." JAMA. 2007;297:1465-1477.

It appears that a good night's sleep has a beneficial effect on the testosterone levels of normal men.  The less sleep a man gets the lower his testosterone levels.  I see patients who are stressed out and sleep poorly who have very low testosteone levels frequently.  Now I know why so many young men are having trouble with attitude and sexual function.  It just makes sense that our system would slow down the reproductive machinery when stress is already high.  I have three of my own children so I know how that affects sleep.  Hint:  You don't get as much!  What else does sleep have to do with it?  Find out, read on!

Source: Sleep. 2007;30:427-432.

Novartis Pharmaceuticals has stopped marketing the drug "Zelnorm" for the treatment of irritable bowel syndrome.  Constipation is a huge "pain" for many patients before they start on a nutritional program but alomost never requires medication in my experience.  Once in a while we may need to resort to an herbal bowel cleanser but hardly ever use drugs and never "Zelnorm."  Why?  Because Zelnorm affects the body by increasing the activity of the bowel through nerve signaling.  This same stimulation may be the reason that the risk of serious heart problems increases by almost 1000%!  That's a big increase for a problem that can be readily treated with natural non-toxic methods.  If you're interested in how we help our clients get relief from constipation problems and "IBS", read on!

Source:  Novartis. Novartis suspends US marketing and sales of Zelnorm in response to request from FDA [press release]. March 30, 2007. Available at: http://www.novartis.com.

 The Danish might do better sticking with pastry than studying the effects of manual manipulation (physical therapy) after a whiplash injury.  This study suggested that patients are better off wearing a rigid collar after a whiplash injury than receiving "hands-on" care.  I've seen patients with these kinds of injuries for years in my practice and the ones who wear rigid collars do the very worst by far!  The ones who receive gentle stretch followed by a graded appropriate increase in manipulative treatment do very well, require less pain medicine and are able to return to work much sooner.  This may be because I am that much better than our European colleagues but I doubt that is the sole reason.  The greatest likelihood is that the cheapest approach is favored by a system that relies on public funding.  The benefit of "hands-on" treatment (in my case Osteopathic manipulation) may be hard to study but the willingness of patients to pay cash for their treatments should speak volumes about the perceived benefit.  I really doubt the conclusions of this study.  The disability rate over 50% was also really alarming.  In my practice the disability after a similar injury is less than 10%.  I know that it doesn't qualify for a scientifically rigorous program but my experience tells me that the "PT" given in this study must have been very poorly applied.  If health care goes this way in the future it'll be a real "pain in the neck!"  I've got some better ideas for neck pain from injury.  Interested?  Read on!

Source: Spine. 2007;32:618-626.

I knew it was coming.  Hormone replacement makes sense in some circumstances.  Even using Premarin (horse-urine derived estrogen) and Progestins (synthetic progesterone) the results aren't as deadly as once feared.  Women with severe hot flashes that keep them up at night and disturb their life in other ways may safely take hormone therapy without excessive risk of heart disease and death.  I think it makes good sense to use the most natural forms of therapy available, but that's just good ol' common sense.  The medical profession sometimes takes a little while for the "common-sense" stuff to catch up with the science.  The best way to do hormone replacement is simple.  It involves a little more than common sense but you'll learn all about that coming up next!

Source:  Menopause. Published online in the February 25, 2007

Fish oils contribute to a significant reduction in heart problems according to a new study from Japan.  The only problem is that the study only included people who were on "statin" drugs as well.  There's nothing wrong with doing studies including fish oil with statins, but there's so little information regarding the proper use of any natural agent without drugs in the mix.  This points out the dilemna with the dominant drug-centric medical model.  It's very expensive to do good medical studies with large groups of patients.  They had almost 20,000 people in this study.  The good news is that there was a 20% reduction in serious cardiac events when 1,800 mg. of fish oil component eicosapentaenoic acid (EPA) was added to the diet of these patients.  The interesting thing here is that the average Japanese citizen takes almost 900 mg. worth of EPA and DHA (another fish oil) in their regular diet.  That makes it likely that Americans would have a significantly greater benefit from taking the additional fish oil.  I have a list of heart-healthy recommendations I make to my patients as a part of their regular medical care.  Interested in some other ideas about helping a healthy heart?  Read On!

Source:  Mozaffarian D. "JELIS, fish oil, and cardiac events." Lancet 2007; 369: 1062-63.

One of my favorite exercises of all time is swimming.  I swam competitively (sorta) in high school and was a varsity diver in college.  Though I was busy being a student and having the time of my life in school I always made time to get in the pool nearly every day.  I knew there was something to the bronchitis and runny noses we all had throughout the "season" but now I know the culprit.  The chlorine in pool water mixes with ammonia (from people in the pool) to make a toxic compound called trichloramine.  This chemical makes a mess of our breathing systems and creates oxidative stress on the mucous membranes of the nose and other areas as well.  So, what do you do if you're a pool-lover?  A saline purification system is probably the best choice for starters, but if you don't have that kind of control (or money) I have a few simple suggestions that  may make it a lot easier on your lungs this summer.  These tips are especially important in asthmatics, smokers and those with chronic sinus problems.  Interested?  Read on!

Source:  Jacobs JH et al. "Exposure to trichloramine and respiratory symptoms in indoor swimming pool workers." Eur Respir J 2007; 29: 690-698.

The latest Archives of Internal Medicine had a surprise for me.  Instead of the "goofy" annual exam that includes listening to the heart and lungs and confirming that, yes, indeed they are still there, the latest study shows that patients who got an annual exam were 3X as likely to be screened for cancer.  That's valuable.  The rest of the annual exam seems a bit strained.  As patients age there are some things that need to be checked that make a difference in the way life will play out and hwo soon the "Grim Reaper" comes knocking.  The United States Preventive Services Task Force (USPSTF) has a great list aof ages and screening that fits with each group. http://www.ahrq.gov/clinic/pocketgd/gcps1.htm.  The list may be a bit confusing but most doctors can put together the principles in a way you can understand pretty quickly.  Many of my patients say "I just don't want to know!"  I tell them "Oh yes you do!"  The treatments for almost any condition can be tailored to the individual to meet their needs and in most cases be very comfortably completed if caught early enough.  The trick is getting people to recognize the need for the screening.  That's where the annual exam comes in.  It's a time to remind (not badger or terrorize) patients about what's available and how to get it done.  Do you know what screening you need?  If not read my list of must-have screening.....

Source:  Fenton JJ, et al "Delivery of Cancer Screening: How Important Is the Preventive Health Examination?" Arch Intern Med. 2007; 167: 580-585.

It appears a new standard of care is developing in the treatment of hypertension.  A study completed by George Bakris M.D. is being published in the Human Journal of Hypertension showed that a chiropractic treatment of the neck reduced blood pressure as well as medication.  That's amazing news.  The study's authors were equally shocked by the findings which were way more pronounced than they expected.  The benefits of the blood pressure reduction were not just equal to a single blood pressure medicine, but a combination of two drugs.  For me this simply means I have an added impetus to provide my patients with Osteopathic treatment to the head and neck region.  I already provide "hands-on" care to most of my patients but nowI have additional scientific support for the use of manipulative treatment.  Leave it to an 84-year-old chiropractor to turn the treatment of hypertension around!  What else can you do to help control blood pressure?  Read on............

SOURCES: Bakris, G. Journal of Human Hypertension, advance online publication, March 2, 2007. Grassi, G. Journal of Human Hypertension, advance online publication, January 25, 2007. George Bakris, MD, director, hypertension center, University of Chicago. Marshall Dickholtz Sr., DC, Chiropractic Health Center, Chicago.

The latest buzz on "snotty noses" is a breath of fresh air to me.  Doctors at the University of Nebraska reported that antibiotics were prescribed for over 80% of sinus infections when only 1/3 had a bacterial problem.  2/3rds of the patients went to the doctor expecting to get an antibiotic.  In my practice most of my patients are looking for any way they can avoid an anitbiotic.  I screen for strep and do a blood count to check for more serious infection but I usually wind up giving treatment that doesn't include antibiotics unless absolutely necessary.  The list isn't too long and if you're really interested.... Read on!

Source:  Sharp HJ, et al "Treatment of Acute and Chronic Rhinosinusitis in the United States, 1999-2002" Arch Otolaryngol Head Neck Surg 2007; 133:260-265.

Jerome Groopman M.D. has written a book that I just read an excerpt from that is......... well, fascinating.  He has taken the time to discover the truth about doctors poor performance when it comes to listening and also, being wrong.  Doctors are generally held in high esteem (as they should be) but often aren't giving their very best for a variety of reasons at work.  The most pressing problem for patients according to Groopman, is that doctors get the diagnosis wrong as much as 25% of the time (I believe the numbers have to be significantly higher).  In my practice patients sit down "in the big purple chair" and get to tell their story.  It may take an hour to get done but it usually provides all the information I need to get started on a path that leads to recovery more often than not.  Diagnosis is almost as important as each patient "being known!"  A patient is a complex person who happens to need treatment for something they see as a medical problem.  Frequently a medical solution is part of the puzzle.  Rarely is that the end of the story.  Usually there is a childhood followed by an adolescence followed by more life with its attendant excitement, boredom, victories and failure.  All of these things make up the person, called a patient, that doctors are allowed to treat by virtue of their training and experience.  The patient is the one who ultimately has to decide on whether they will live (or die) by their physician's advice.  Groopman's book is exciting because it points out the painful truth about doctors.  We're people who can't afford to hurry, but too often do.  How can you possibly escape the hurry and worry trap?  Read on.... 

The latest news from the FDA about sleep medications is a step in the right direction.  Anyone who doesn't sleep well despite all of their best efforts at natural methods should consider the warnings the FDA has presented.  People tend to do things when they're taking sleep medication that may not be what they intended.  Besides "spilling their guts" to old girlfriends/boyfriends on the phone after taking their "sleepers" they also have a tendency to:

• drive while sleeping (much like sleep-walking)
• prepare meals and eat some or all of them
• Take second doses (or more) of sleep meds forgetting their earlier dose
• Have complete amnesia of what they did or said after taking their sleep meds

These are pretty serious problems and make me think twice about prescribing these medications to anyone who is even the least bit irresponsible.  The likelihood is that my patients have already been counseled on proper sleep hygiene and alternative treatments.  If you haven't, read on..............

The latest evidence on the chickenpox vaccine shows that folks who get the vaccine become rapidly susceptible to infection within 5 years.  At 10 years the coverage the vaccine confers is negligible.  The problem with this is that children have the least problems with chickenpox (varicella) infection and adults and adolescents tend to have much more severe cases which very rarely kill.  Though not embracing vaccination orthodoxy is heretical in the medical community I can't help but think that children might be better off getting chickenpox when they're 3, 4 or 5 years old and developing a natural immunity which lasts lifelong.  Though this may present an inconvenience for the families and children involved it certainly seems to be a viable option worthy of discussion.  Which would you prefer?  Chikenpox now or later?

Source: Chaves SS, et al "Loss of Vaccine-Induced Immunity to Varicella over Time" N Eng J Med 2007;356:1121-1129.

If your parents lived to be 85 the likelihood is that you'll live to a ripe old age as well.  It should come as no secret in the age of genetic testing and risk modification strategies that we can begin to predict who can live the longest.  The great thing about this study is the validation of the Natural Health Coach model!  If you have parents that had problems like heart disease or Alzheimer's you are likely to have the same problems.  This study just stands that idea on its head and shows that if your parents didn't have heart problems that "took them out" at a young age then you are likely to live a long life as well.  It jusy demystifies the whole health picture.  You can't change your genes (yet) but you can readily change the way those genes affect your health and life (phenotype).  Good nutrition, exercise and targeted supplementation can make all the difference.  Check out www.betterbodybrightermind.com to get the details on creating a plan to maximize your genetic expresson and live a long healthy, disease-free life! 

Source:  Dellara F. Terry, MD; Levy; and colleagues appears in the March 12 issue of Archives of Internal Medicine.

Reuters just released the results of a study that suggests that the healthcare bill for the U.S. will increase by about 25% by 2030 if we "don't get a move on!"  Exercise, healthy eating and quitting smoking are the biggest players in this trend.  In my practice I have three or four smokers (who admit it).  I always let them know that I have the tools to help them quit when they're ready at every visit:

1. Stress reduction
2. Gum, patches, meds
3. Acupuncture (my most successful intervention so far)

The rest of my patients are just like you and me.  They eat well most of the time but "cheat a little" and exercise less than they should.  How do we change all that?  I've got some ideas!

A new study of 300 healthy people revealed that flossing drops the level of an important heart disease risk marker.  The study participants flossed at least every other day and had their C-reactive protein (CRP) checked at the beginning and end of a 6-month period.  The ones who flossed had a significant reduction in their CRP.  This result gives a promising path to "whole-health" seekers who want just one more way to improve their overall health.  The crazy thing is that the study has clearly shown a reduction in CRP (heart risk) but flossing is not being promoted as a means to reduce heart risk!  That's just silly in my opinion.  If flossing is good for you anyway, why not recommend it as a positive behavior to reduce heart disease?  I think there's more than just a little bit of politics going on here.  There's a whole world of information in this study and the recommendations (or not) that go with it!  Read on!

Source reference: Gundry, SR et al "Teeth Flossing Habits Directly Correlate with Serum hs C-Reactive Protein Levels: Plaque in the Mouth-Plaque in the Arteries" Poster 232

Garlic doesn't lower cholesterol?  Well, what does?  The list is long and the reasons that the latest studies on garlic came up short on cholesterol reduction could be as much a case of bad science as it is a case of therapeutic ineffectiveness.  The uses for garlic have been known for thousands of years.  From warding off vampires to killing fungus garlic has had a proud tradition that far exceeds its delicious contribution to Italian bread!  The fact that this recent study showed garlic to have a negligible effect on cholesterol comes as no surprise to me.  The quantity of quality "allicin" extract could have been too low or the actual dosage may have been inadequate.  Either way the benefits of garlic have been shown in many studies from around the world in current scientific literature.  Read on and learn how to lower your cholesterol and what garlic really IS GOOD FOR!............

Nobody wants to believe that their weight problems are exclusively their fault.  The traditional medical position is simple.  Calories in should be less than calories expended during exercise and daily activity in order to lose weight.  This is great if you're a thin person and happy with the status quo.  For those who have starved themselves and exercised until they're exhausted trying there has to be a better way!  Yesterday on "Your Health" TV I did an interview with Dr. Becker on how weight loss can be influenced by hormones, stress and other factors that affect metabolism.  The New Better Body Brighter Mind System helps identify the cause of weight gain and targets the best way to get things moving in the right direction again.  It's really a simple way to figure out where the missing pieces of the puzzle are!  The TV show was a lot of fun too..............

It's crazy to think that we know anything about how the complex systems of the body work together.  More evidence that we're just "getting our feet wet" when it comes to the connection between the gastrointestinal tract and the cardiovascular system.  We already know that what you put in your mouth affects your heart.  What comes as a surprise is that the condition of your gums may decide whether or not you have a heart attack and die.  Simply rinsing your mouth with 1/2 strength peroxide may be a "heart-healthy" solution to reduce inflammation and the chronic infection that lingers around the base of the teeth in most people.  Periodontitis is often treated by dentists after it has progressed to a pretty severe state.  I've got some ideas that might help avoid dental visits.  Check it out!

Source:  Tonetti MS, D'Aiuto F, Nibali L, et al. Treatment of periodontitis and endothelial function. N Engl J Med 2007; 356:911-20.

The lethal dose of niacin is about two pounds at a single sitting.  That's roughly a little less than 1 million milligrams.  The benefits from niacin in brain disease start at about 20 mg. per day.  That means that the window of safety in the use of niacin is about 50,000 times that therapeutic dose in Alzheimer's prevention.  The study from the Journal of Neurology in 2004 showed that as little as 17 mg. of niacin in the daily diet reduced the odds of Alzheimer's disease by as much as 70%.  The benefit in heart patients can come from as little as 100 mg. up to 3 to 4,000 mg.  It's amazing to me that people have been told to beware of nutritional supplements because they're unregulated...... and they believe it!  Though prescription drugs cause tens of thousands of fatalities a year it is unusual that nutritional products cause more deaths in a year than lightning strikes.  In fact, nutritional supplements cause four times less!  Niacin is very safe and can be helpful to head and heart along with every other body part.  I'll tell you how I use Niacin in my heart support program....next!

SOURCE: Morris, M.C. Journal of Neurology, Neurosurgery, and Psychiatry, August 2004; vol 75: pp 1093-1099

It turns out that napping is good for you after all!  I've always enjoyed taking a nap (since med school).  I have always felt revived and refreshed after about 30-50 minutes of sleep in the middle of the afternoon.  I'm joined by millions of fellow nap afficianados who rest in the middle of the day because of their culture (Spain, Mexico, Italy and others) or their choice to improve their mood and productivity.  I even have a couple of doctor friends who roll out a little napping pallette and idoze away a half hour in the middle of the afternoon.  The research shows that napping will reduce the incidence of heart attack by as much as one third!  Man, I love medical research like this.  Napping is good for you!  I knew it all along.  The mechanism for how it helps the heart is the really interesting part.......

Source:  Arch Intern Med. 2007;167:296-301.