Not all B vitamins are the same. Learn how to choose the right one for you.

Do you have any of the following symptoms? 

•      Sensitivity to light, sound, or smell
•      Night sweats
•      Arms or legs "jump" while falling asleep
•      Burning feet
•      Redness of the hands or eyes
•      Cracks in the corners of your mouth
•      Red or swollen tongue
•      Glycemic problems
•      A general lack of energy

If you have any of these symptoms, it's likely that you need B vitamins.  Caveat emptor, not all B vitamins are the same.  Here are some tips to finding a good quality B vitamin supplement.
    
It should not be "high potency" (HP).  Most all HP B vitamins are synthetic and are toxic to the liver.  Studies have shown that decreased liver function is related to obesity and insulin resistance.  So...while you may think you are doing yourself some good, unknowingly, you could be making yourself worse.  B1 and B2 are the keys that need to be looked at to see if it is HP.  If either of these are above 5mg, it is HP and should be avoided.
    
Two of the B vitamins that can be taken in higher levels are niacin (B3) and B6.  The key here is, again, the type of B3 or B6.  Many people are aware of the "niacin flush".  This is where the body has a allergic-type response to niacin ingestion:  itching and tingling sensations, sweating and shallow breathing.  If you have noticed this flushing, use the niacinAMIDE form as this will usually not cause the flush.  In high levels, B3 can be toxic, so utilize the help of a doctor skilled in clinical nutrition protocols.
    
The type of B6 needed is also crucial.  Avoid pyridoxine hydrochloride forms and ONLY use the pyridoxal-5-phosphate (P-5-P) form.  Pyridoxidine Hydrochloride is a synthetically produced chemical, generally produced through the condensation of cyanoacetamide (a cyanide containing chemical) and when heated to decomposition it emits very toxic fumes.  Although this toxic decomposition may not occur in the human body after ingestion, it indicates just how synthetically produced vitamins act more like chemicals, and less like nutrients.  Large doses of B6 can inhibit pituitary function, so they should be used with caution by pregnant or lactating women.  However, most women are "estrogen dominant" and frequently need B6.  A sensitivity to monosodium glutamate (MSG) is also a good indicator of B6 need.
    
Along with B6, vitamin B12 is necessary to decrease blood levels of homocysteine.  Increased levels of homocysteine are related to increased risk of:  heart attack, stroke, arterial plaque formation, Alzheimer's, depression, and can even cause regional and whole brain atrophy.  So, you can see that the right type of B12 is crucial for good health.  Most commercial B12 is what's known as "cyanocobalamin".  Cyanocobalamin can be produced from three sources: 1) extracted from mammalian liver 2) as a metabolic product of bacterial fermentation 3) extracted from sewage sludge.  I am sure you can imagine what the cheapest way to produce B12 is.  Yep...you guessed it, sewer sludge.  This obviously can be a toxic situation.  Two types of B12 to look for are methylcobalamin and hydroxocobalamin and lingual absorption (in the mouth) has been proven to have better results.  So, it needs to be in lozenge form and dissolved (not chewed) in the mouth.  However, if you have mercury in your teeth, do not use the methyl form of B12 as this can "activate" the mercury and cause it to be absorbed. 
    
Just randomly taking any vitamin simply because you heard it was good for you can have potentially nasty side effects.  Changing your diet should be higher on your priority list than trying to take a vitamin to justify eating poorly.  When utilizing nutritional supplements, it is extremely important to work with a professional that is skilled in clinical nutrition protocols.

This is a factor in why our government wants to regulate the sales of all vitamin, mineral, and herbal supplements.  However, the government does not compare it to the more than 100,000 people that die every year from adverse reactions to drugs and surgery.  According to a 174-page report just published, the number of people killed in 2009 across America by vitamins, minerals, amino acids or herbal supplements is exactly zero.  Also consider the thousands of women harmed or killed by medically-unjustified cancer treatments following false positives from faulty mammograms. And don't forget about the more than 16,500 Americans killed each year from internal bleeding caused by over-the-counter painkillers.

When you look at the facts, who should have more regulations? 



   

Fluoride containing medications

As many of you know, I am big on dispelling "flat-earth" theories in health care.  Just because something is published in "peer-reviewed" articles means very little to me.  For anyone who takes that information at face-value, I urge you to read "Overdosed America" by Dr. John Abramson.  It is a fantastic look at some of the truths that go one behind the scenes of pharmaceutical research.

I have written several posts on thyroid function and have also posted an article about iodine on my facebook page http://www.facebook.com/pages/Solutions-Integrative-Health-Care/167024840053867.  Iodine is fuel for your thyroid to function effficiently.  However, what I am going to write about this time, many people are completely unaware of; medications with fluoride in them.  Much has been written on the affect that fluoride has on thyroid metabolism, but not much has been said about medications that have an adverse affect on thyroid function; directly. 

This information came from the Fluoride Toxicity Research Collaborative.  I am only going to list what I consider to be the most common medications used, but for a full list see the FTRC website at http://www.slweb.org/ftrc.html. 

• Prevacid
• Cipro
• Levaquin
• Prozac
• Paxil
• Luvox
• Celexa
• Lexapro
• Diflucan
• Lipitor
• Vytorin
• Celebrex
• Advair
• Avodart

The medications in bold are more pertinent to our discussion here as what they are prescribed for what can be directly related to insufficient thyroid function.  Anxiety and depression are two very common symptoms related to thyroid disease.  Pathognomonic (meaning a particular sign whose presence means that a particular disease is present beyond any doubt) of hypothyroidism is an elevated cholesterol.  So, the medication used to lower blood cholesterol levels can actually cause thyroid disease directly, not just indirectly.

All this on top of the aspect of these medications inhibit the body's ability to convert thyroid hormone.

The very medications used to alleviate symptoms actually worsen the cause.

"Pregancy Brain" and Postpardum Depression

The term "pregnancy brain" or "mommy brain" gets thrown around a lot, and most moms-to-be are told that this is normal.  Just because something is common, does not mean it is normal. 

The brain of a pregnant female actually shrinks, especially in the third trimester.  Some neuroimaging studies show that the brain can shrink up to 8% and in some cases can take up to six months to return to its prior size.  On average how long does postpardum depression typically last?  If left untreated, postpartum depression can last for months or years.  The likelihood increases with subsequent pregnancies because some women haven't recovered from their prior pregnancy.

The brain and spinal cord begin to form by the 5th week of pregnancy.  Two thirds of the human brain is comprised of fat and to build brain cells you need fatty acids.

Two kinds of fatty acids are considered "essential," which means you must get these essential fatty acids (EFAs) from the food you eat. Your body cannot manufacture them.

The first essential fatty acid you need is Alpha-linolenic acid (ALA). ALA is the foundation of the "omega-3" family of fatty acids. Food sources of omega-3 ALA include flax seeds, chia seeds, pecans, sea vegetables, green leafy vegetables, and cold water fish like salmon, sardines, mackerel, and trout.

The second essential fatty acid you need is Linoleic acid (LA). LA is the foundation of the "omega-6" family of fatty acids. Food sources of omega-6 LA include expeller cold-pressed sunflower, safflower, corn, and sesame oils as well as black currant seed oil.

DHA (docosahexaenoic acid) is the most abundant fat in the brain. Loss in DHA concentrations in brain cell membranes correlates to a decline in structural and functional integrity of this tissue.

This is important, because the brain's ability to assemble these fatty acids can be compromised by stress, infections, alcohol, excess sugar, and vitamin or mineral deficiencies.

I have delved into the sugar issue in prior posts, so I will leave this alone for now.  White sugar intake actually decreases you white blood cell count and can increase the likelihood of infections.  What I do want to go into are the vitamin and mineral deficiencies; the most important of these being the B vitamins.  If a person is lacking riboflavin (B2), niacin (B3) or B6, they cannot breakdown EFAs to the usable forms of DHA and EPA.  Additionally, magnesium, zinc, and iron are needed for the same processes.  There are others, but these are the major players.

So what does all this mean?

Most women take their "pre-natal vitamins".  They are also told that these have plenty of DHA in them.  While this may be true, the "usablility" of these is slim at best and at times can actually create a toxic situation.  Synthetic vitamins should rarely, if ever, be consumed and whatever DHA may be in these vitamins is rancid from improper processing and shouldn't be used. 

What I am about to say here has helped many women from suffering the affects of "mommy brain".

Planning for your pregnancy is extemely important.  Taking a blend of good quality EFAs that are higher in omega 3 than 6 is crucial.  This can give you the "nuts and bolts" that your nervous system needs to function efficiently and on top of this needs to be a low potency B complex vitamin to increase the utilization of the oils.  Consumption of organic leafy greens should have enough minerals in them to suffice, however, extra may be needed.

If postpardum depression hits, the same reasons apply; brain atrophy.

To simplify; taking good quality oils and low potency B vitamins is crucial to helping pregnant females with "pregnancy brain".

Consistency in mother's psychological state is a big factor in child development

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2011/11/22/depression-pregnancy-child-development_n_1108356.html

The is a great study done by UC Irvine on the psychological links between mother and child in pre-natal development.  Most of this is not a surprise to me, except for one point.  As soon as I saw it though, it made total sense.

..."the findings suggest fetuses are somehow perceptive to their mothers' psychological state, and as they grow, gather information to prepare themselves for the environment they are likely to face."

If you think about this from the perspective of wild animals, it makes sense.  If a wild animal is not prepared for the life it is about to live, the likelihood of survival is slim at best.

What needs to be addressed now is, how well-adapted in mom to her actual environment? 

Diabetes, cancer,heart disease...the list goes on.  However, indigenous tribes like the African Masai and the South American Yanomamo have none of these problems.  They are some of the healthiest people on the planet.  The Inuit Indian (Eskimo) used to be that way until we started feeding them candy bars and white bread. 

The body is an extremely adaptable machine, but it must do that over many, many years.  Not abruptly like it is going through now.  Look what the refinement of grains has gotten us...almost every disease known right now. 

When we look at genetic adaptation, is it any surprise that Native American Indians and Latin Americans have the highest rates of diabetes.

• Different studies found that African Americans are from 1.4 to 2.2 times more likely to have diabetes than white persons.
• Hispanic Americans have a higher prevalence of diabetes than non-Hispanic people, with the highest rates for type 2 diabetes among Puerto Ricans and Hispanic people living in the Southwest and the lowest rate among Cubans.
• The prevalence of diabetes among American Indians is 2.8 times the overall rate.
• Major groups within the Asian and Pacific Islander communities (Japanese Americans, Chinese Americans, Filipino Americans, and Korean Americans) all had higher prevalences than those of whites.
• The combined prevalence of diabetes and impaired glucose tolerance in the Greenland Inuit population 55 years of age or older is 35.0%. 

 The body must adapt to the natural changes in the environment, not man made; it's too fast. 

We shall see (in about 80 to 100 years) what the genetic modifications of food will do.

NY Times article on thyroid related to mood disorders

http://www.nytimes.com/2011/11/22/health/for-some-psychiatric-troubles-may-begin-with-the-thyroid.html

I and thousands of other doctors on the vitalistic side of health care have been telling people that their depression and other mood disorders are coming from their thyroid imbalance. 

EVERY cell in your body has a receptor site for thyroid hormone.  Most people have heard that the thyroid controls the body's metabolism.  However,  when the majority of people think about metabolism, they think about weight loss and gain.  They don't understand that when your metabolism slows, so does your nervous system.

Low levels of brain serotonin (the happy hormone) have been implicated, for decades, in depression and mood issues.  If your nervous system conduction slows (slow metabolism), you could have plenty of serotonin in your system, but it won't be able to circulate easily and hence depression sets in.  Here's an analogy:  there might be plenty of water in the hose, but the hose isn't turned on.  Or, what if there's no water in the hose?

About 90% of the serotinin in our system resides in our gut (specifially the small intestine).  When people eat better food, their body can then produce more serotonin, and then their moods elevate.  Tryptophan is the metabolic precursor to serotonin and tryptophan is an amino acid.   Amino acids are derived by food sources of protein.  Many people with mood disorders are simply protein deficient.

In earlier posts, I have talked about iodine and thyroid function.  Guess how iodine finds the thyroid gland.  It attaches itslef to a moelcule of protein and then the protein carries it to the thyroid.

Be very careful all you vegetarians out there!

That's why many people's moods lift after exercise or going for a walk.  Circulation isn't just about blood flow; it's about the flow of every fluid in our body.  The brain has a large amount of water in it (I have read reports of up to 80% of the brain's mass is water).  Water is a conductor for electrcity...right? 

Circulation has a lot to do with why people feel better, in many ways, after a good chiropractic adjustment.  Their posture changes and when your posture is balanced, your body's circulation improves.

Mood imbalance?  Drink water, eat more protein (or just better in general), and take a walk.  Work on reclaiming your health yourself first.  Read, read, and read some more.  Use the internet (not webmd) and look for other articles and holistic physicians in your area.

BPA exposure affects neurological function in children

http://pediatrics.aappublications.org/content/128/5/873.abstract

Exposure to Bisphenol A, the controversial chemical used in the manufacturing of certain plastic products, including plastic baby bottles for infants, has been shown to affect behavior and executive function in children three years of age. Executive function is used to perform activities such as planning, organizing, strategizing, paying attention to and remembering details, and managing time and space.

"Gestational urinary BPA concentrations were associated with some neurobehavioral measures at 3 years of age in this cohort. In particular, gestational BPA exposure was associated with higher scores for measures of anxiety, hyperactivity, emotional control, and behavioral inhibition...results suggested that girls in this cohort were more sensitive to gestational BPA exposures than were boys."

Many holistic physicians observe these changes clinically in their practices, so it's nice to see some relevant topics being published in big, peer-reviewed journals that validate those observations.

BPA is everywhere.  This is more proof, that we, as a whole society, need to be more aware of, not only what we are eating, drinking, and breathing, but also what our companies are producing.

The big print giveth...and the fine print taketh away.

Organic Labels: Are you wasting your money?

It's important to realize that there are several different organic labels out there.  Growers and manufacturers of organic products bearing the USDA seal have to meet the strictest standards of any of the currently available organic labels.

• Products labeled "100% Organic" must contain only organically produced ingredients
• Products labeled "Certified Organic" must contain at least 95 percent organic ingredients
• The label "Made with Organic Ingredients" can contain anywhere between 70 to 95 percent organic ingredients

In order to ensure you're actually getting your money's worth, you need to make sure the food you buy bears the "100% USDA Organic" label.  The problem with the latter two labels is:  up to 30 percent of the ingredients may be conventionally-grown, so you're still could be exposed to pesticide residues and other questionable ingredients. The "Made with Organic Ingredients" is often misused and misleading, just as the "natural" label, as it allows for plenty of conventionally-produced ingredients.  A "100% Organic" product on the other hand cannot be irradiated, and cannot contain preservatives or flavor enhancing chemicals. 

It must also be grown and processed using organic farming methods that recycle resources and promote biodiversity—so it encompasses organic in a holistic way, from start to finish. Crops must be grown without synthetic pesticides, genetically modified organisms (GMO), petroleum-based fertilizers, or sewage sludge-based fertilizers, and livestock cannot be given growth hormones.

So, in terms of organic food, there's really only one label that can provide you with any real measure of quality, and that's the "100% USDA Organic" label. 



The USDA certified organic label is your best guarantee that the food was produced without:

• Toxic pesticides
• Genetically engineered (GM) ingredients
• Carcinogenic fumigants
• Chemical solvents

This peace of mind is something the "100% Natural" label will NOT give you. Genetically modified  ingredients are of particular concern when it comes to food products like breakfast cereals and granola bars, because, in the US, the vast majority of the most common ingredients in these products—corn, soy, and canola—are genetically modified.  If you are new to this blog, please check earlier posts to find my "soon to be famous" energy bar recipe.  This is a fantastic way to know EXACTLY what you are eating.

To find the freshest, healthiest foods out there, here are a few other guidelines to live by:

1. Frequent farmer's markets.
2. Take part in organic food co-ops in your area.
3. Plant an organic garden.
4. If you must shop in a supermarket, look for locally grown items.

Here is another tip: 

• Just because you buy food at the health food store, does not automatically make it healthy; as these foods can still be loaded with junk sugars and contain ingredients with MSG derivatives.  However, your odds are better of finding better food at these stores (especially if it's in a box, bag, or can), but always, ALWAYS read labels.

pesticides and attention issues in kids

http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/21507778

CONCLUSION:

Our findings suggest that prenatal exposure to organophosphates is negatively associated with cognitive development, particularly perceptual reasoning, with evidence of effects beginning at 12 months and continuing through early childhood.

This should come to no surprise to those who are aware of how toxic our environment actually is.  However, this is an actual peer reviewed article that is verifying how foreign chemicals affect our nervous systems...directly.

Now, upon reading this article, if you are pregnant, DO NOT do any type of detoxification measures to try and clear your body of these toxic chemicals.  The best thing you can do is simply consume as much organic food as possible.

If you are planning on getting pregnant, then yes, a bio-detoxification program would be a great idea.  It can help thyroid function and take strain away from your adrenal glands; all helping to balance hormone function. 

The most important thing, by far, is to have your thyroid checked to be sure it is balanced.  Pregnancy really requires a lot of thyroid function in general.

3 Causes of Irritability

1. Fatigue

If adequate sleep is Beauty, then inadequate and/or poor sleep is surely the Beast. The health consequences of poor sleep aside, restless nights can lead to crankiness the likes of which have rarely been seen. The Solution: Make sure you get not only enough sleep every night; ensure that it's restful sleep with the right mattress, pillow, lighting (lack thereof) and preparation.

2. Stress

Stress manifests in many ways, but irritability is perhaps the most common symptom. Stressed about your job, the screaming kids, the unpaid bills, your lack of motivation to hit the gym, or any number of other life challenges? Irritability can't be far behind. The Solution: Manage stress by discussing it, dealing with it proactively and taking control; anything but avoiding it.

3. Hunger

Irritability that comes on like a wave and doesn't have any other obvious cause (like those above) could be due to hunger. Face facts: People don't eat often enough, and when they do, it's high-glycemic foods that rush into your bloodstream and rush right back out, leaving you tired and hungry. The Solution: Eat small, frequent meals high in complex carbs that fuel your whole day.

I would argue that blood sugar imbalances are wrecking our health as a society.  If you are hypoglycemic, you know that it can stress you emotionally; little things are all of a sudden very big.  If your blood sugar drops at 2 or 3a.m., your body will go into an alarm state and then wake you up.  It is my opinion that most people dianosed as bi-polar are simply severely hypoglycemic.

B vitamin intake is crucial for any sort of blood sugar issue.  Dr. Royal Lee called Cataplex B (thiamin) the "poor man's insulin".  Stay far away from high potency B vitamins; as these are almost always synthetic and can do more harm than good.  Only take low potency B vitamins.  The exception would be vitamins B6 and B12.

Cholesterol screening for 11 year olds...seriously?

I was trying to stay out off the choesterol medication bandwagon, but when I read this I couldn't resist anymore.

http://news.consumerreports.org/health/2011/11/cholesterol-screening-guidelines-now-urge-kid-testing-by-11.html

"One third of children and teenagers in the United States are defined as obese or overweight, with minorities such as African Americans, Mexican American, and American Indian children experiencing disproportionately higher rates of obesity and an increased risk of diabetes and heart attack later in life By fourth grade up to 13 percent of American children already have abnormally elevated cholesterol levels..."

"Bottom line: Parents should support this new and expanded childhood cholesterol screening. The potential benefits include less heart disease and fewer heart attacks for your children when they turn 50."
—Joseph Mosquera, M.D.

I was wondering when this nonsense was going to reach our children.  Would someone please show me some real evidence where it says that high cholesterol is somehow related to heart disease.  (Besides the silly commercials you see on TV)

Here are some little known facts about cholesterol and statin treatment.

• "It's a documented fact that as many adults experience a mortal heart attack with a total cholesterol count under 200 as ever 300" -Medical World News
• "Half of patients who are admitted to hospitals for a heart attack have normal cholesterol levels" -Medical World News
• Framingham Study
• After 30 years of follow-up, researchers reported no increase overall mortality with subjects with high cholesterol for those over 50 years old.
• Falling cholesterol levels found to increase cardiovascular deaths.
• 14% increased death rate for each 1 mg/dl drop in cholesterol level.

These numbers were published in the Journal of the American Medical Association.

"Facts are stubborn things..." -John Adams

In 2004 Lipitor had more than 7 million prescriptions written which brought in $7.7 Billion.  Zocor brought in a meager $4.5 Billion.

These side effects to statins were published in the American Journal of Cardiovascular Drugs in 2008.

1. ALS or ALS-like syndrome
2. Atrial fibrillation
3. Autoimmune illness (MS, Lupus, Hashimoto's thyroiditis, Rheumatoid Arthritis)
4. Cancer
5. Cataracts
6. CoQ10 depletion
7. Diabetes
8. Guilliain Barre (another name for polio)
9. Gynecomastia (Man boobs)
10. Heart Failure (Yepper!)
11. Hepatic dysfunction
12. Hyperkalemia
13. Hypertension
14. Inflammatory myopathies
15. Irritability/aggression
16. Liver pathology
17. Memory loss (over 50% of the dry weight of the cerebral cortex is cholesterol)
18. Myalgia
19. Myositis
20. New difficulty walking
21. Pancreatitis
22. Parkinson's disease
23. Peripheral neuropathy
24. Rhabdomyolysis
25. Renal insufficiency
26. Rippling muscle disease
27. Sexual dysfunction (Cialis anyone?)
28. Sleep difficulties (want some Ambien?) 
29. Tendinopathy
30. Thyroid disorders (Synthroid=70 million prescrptions)
31. Weight gain

Let's look at some things that cholesterol is good for.

• Precursor to Vitamin D production in the skin
• Necessary for fat and mineral absorption
• Integral substance for ALL cells of the body
• Forms the myelin sheath around all nerves
• Important for optimal functioning of serotonin receptors
• Important for optimal immune system functioning
• Necessary for the production of all the adrenal hormones

Here is some food for thought:  The CDC says that heart disease is responsible for over 600,000 deaths per year.  If Lipitor is the best selling drug in the U.S., and it decreases heart disease, why is heart disease still the leading cause of death? 

One in four children in the United States are on chronic medications

The Wall Street Journal reported that a study of prescription patterns in 2009, conducted by IMS Health, showed that 25% of children in the US were on regular medication.

IMS Health is a firm that provides “marketing intelligence” to pharmaceutical companies. The firm’s job is to keep the $800 billion per year global pharmaceutical industry on a continued pattern of growth.  Hopefully these consultants accomplished something quite different this week. Hopefully they provided our citizens with an overdue wake-up call.

One in four children in the U.S. are on chronic  medications.


And this doesn’t even include all the prescriptions we write to treat acute illness, or use of over-the-counter products. It is an astounding number.  We either have the sickest pediatric population in the world, or there is something very wrong with the way therapies are driven in our health care system.

According to IMS Health data, forty-five million children are on asthma medications, twenty-four million are on ADHD medications, almost ten million are on antidepressants with another six and a half million on other antipsychotics.  To some degree, every school shooting that has taken place involved these mood altering drugs.  Soon after the terrible incident at Columbine in Colorado, the pharmaceutical industry lobbied congress to not allow the medical records of the perpatrators of these incidents to be viewed by the public.  Why do you think that is?

A recent study by the AAP predicts that treatment of mood disorders will soon makeup 30-40% of a pediatrician’s office practice. To put this trend in perspective, an earlier study that appeared in the journal Pediatrics revealed that 8% of pediatricians felt they had adequate training in prescribing antidepressants, 16% felt comfortable prescribing them, but 72% actually did. This is just one example of the growing disconnect between rational medical practice and the way we deliver healthcare. 

Furthermore, where do both pediatricians and psychiatrists get most of their information about these psychotropic medications that are now flying off prescription pads? 

You guessed it...The pharmaceutical companies that produce them, through the hundreds of millions of dollars they spend each year on marketing and the clinical studies they fund.

A great place to start rectifying this situation is to look at what we are feeding our children.  Sugar, refined white flour (the same thing as sugar), MSG, artificial colors (most of these are in one bowl cold breakfast cereal)...and the list goes on.  Start reading food labels.

This is a sad, but true situation.  It's time for a change.  Our children ARE our future.

2004 harvard study

http://harvardmagazine.com/2004/05/the-way-we-eat-now.html

This is a great article that is STILL trying to bring our attentions to what we are eating. 

Calories are a factor in weight gain, however, it is a small issue.  How many people count calories and don't lose weight?  I have literally seen hundreds in my practice.  I can sum up weight gain and body fat deposition into one word:  INSULIN. 

Look at the rate of diabetes now:  it has doubled since 1980 to nearly 350 million!  This is out of control and largely due to the lack of nutritional and dietary knowledge of the average medical physician.  Most doctors, when they diagnose diabetes, give very few, if ANY, sound nutritional or dietary recommendations.  Most of the "go to" diabetes medications have been withdrawn to do liver and pH issues.  Avandia increases certain cardiovascular risks including heart attack, stroke, heart failure, and cardiac death.  Even metformin (Glucophage)   patients are at an increased risk of lactic acidosis (which can harm you kidneys).

Here's an idea:  STOP EATING SUGAR!! 

We have cracked down on the tobacco industry, when are we going to crack down on the junk food industry.  I would argue that sugar is just as bad, if not worse that tobacco.  Almost every debilitating disease can be related to malnutrition.

The widespread use of refined flour began in the late 1800s when manufacturers discovered that if they removed the germ (with the oils) the flour would not turn rancid. By the 1940s in the United States it had become obvious that enriched flour was a nutritional zero, and those who ate it as a staple food were developing health problems such as beriberi (thiamine deficiency).  The US Government stepped in, but instead of regulating the refining of wheat, they simply required that manufacturers "enrich" their white flour by adding back a few of the nutrients that were obvious health risks.  These are iron, niacin, riboflavin and thiamine.  (Much later folic acid was added to the enrichment list).

About 30 nutrients are removed from wheat when it is refined, and they only add 4 or 5 of them back to the enriched flour.

Refined white flour affects our body the same way sugar does.

Every person on the planet should watch Morgan Spurlock's film "Super Size Me".  Also be sure to watch the French fry experiment in the special features.  I am absolutely blown away by people who want to eat fast food after watching that film. 

The most common nutritent used with blood sugar issues is Chromium.  I will guarantee that Zinc, Magnesium, and Vitamin B6 are more effective.

cesarean section rates

COLUMBIA (10/2/11)— About half of South Carolina hospitals have formally agreed to stop delivering babies early through Cesarean sections that are not medically necessary.
Dr. Rick Foster of the state Hospital Association said Friday all 45 hospitals plan to sign the commitment. The goal of the Birth Outcomes Initiative is to eliminate elective deliveries prior to 39 weeks. The normal length of pregnancy is about 40 weeks.
Foster says even the last week of pregnancy is important for the full development of an infant’s brain and lungs. He says many people don’t realize the potential risks when they schedule a C-section for convenience.
The state’s Medicaid agency says the initiative is aimed at reducing the number of low-weight babies born with development problems, while reducing health care costs.

http://circleofmoms.wordpress.com/2010/03/26/caesarean-births-rule-the-day/

Tuesdays and Wednesdays have the highest rates of C-sections.  Why is this the case?  I have my own thoughts, what are yours?

Probiotics and the common cold

Research appearing in the International Journal of Sports Nutrition, Exercise and Metabolism (Feb 2011) looked at the use of probiotics and their effect on the immune systems of 58 athletes.  The 58 subjects of the study were randomly assigned to receive either a probiotic supplement (Lactobacillus casei Shirota) for a period of 16 weeks.  The placebo group had 36% higher incidence of upper respiratory infections (URTI) compared to the group receiving the supplement.  According to the authors, "regular ingestion of LcS appears to be beneficial in reducing the frequency of URTI in an athletic cohort, which may be related to better maintenance of saliva IgA levels during winter period of training and competition."

Let's put this into words that most people can understand. 

The number of microorganisms in your gastrointestinal tract greatly outnumber the cells in your body; your gut has about 100 trillion microorganisms and your body has about 10 trillion cells.  This gut "ecosystem" has dramatic affects on many different body systems, especially your immune system.

Essentially, stress in any form (structural, chemical, or emotional) can irritate the sensitive lining of your digestive tract and thus, affecting the amount of gut bacteria that are actually attached to the lining of your  digestive tract.

For example, many times long distance runners find that while they are training for competition their immune system will crash and flu type symptoms appear.  Why is that and what does that mean?  Intense training for competition, especially a marathon, can be very physically stressful.  And...stress (of any kind) can irritate the lining of your gut.  And as I noted above, your gut has a big affect on your immune system. 

Another common situation is antibiotic use.  Antibiotics will not only kill "bad" bacteria, but will also kill the "good" bacteria.  Which is why people notice antibiotics affecting their immune system and their digestive tract.

Here are some things that you can do to help yourself in this situation:

1. add natural probiotic rich foods to your diet like kefir, sauerkraut, and good quality yogurt.
2. avoid sugar.  this alters your gut environment and can feed other microorganisms like candida (yeast).
3. use coconut oil for cooking.  This oil has caprylic acid in it which has anti fungal properties.
4. supplement with a good quality probiotic that has mainly Lactobacillus acidophilus and Bifidobacterium.  These make up the majority of the "good" bacteria in your gut.

Hopefully this sheds some light on a sometimes confusing topic and helps you RECLAIM YOUR HEALTH.

Great new German study

This is a wonderful study done in Germany.  It is one of the first actually done by independent sources; the way research used to be done before big money got involved.  In my clinical experience, I have noticed that unvaccinated children tend to have far less ear infections.  In fact, I can only think of one case where an unvaccinated child had an ear infection and that was after he had fallen and hit his head.  That disrupted the circulation of fluid in his skull and the infection was the result.

I have highlighted a few lines that I feel are important.

Dr. Todd

New Study: Vaccinated Children Have 2 to 5 Times More Diseases and Disorders Than Unvaccinated Children
Preventable Vaccine-induced Diseases
A German study released in September 2011 of about 8000 UNVACCINATED children, newborn to 19 years, show vaccinated children have at least 2 to 5 times more diseases and disorders than unvaccinated children.
The results are presented in the bar chart below; the complete data and study results are here. The data is compared to the national German KIGGS health study of the children in the general population. Most of the respondents to the survey were from the U.S. (Click on the chart to see it better)
The data was collected from parents with vaccine-free children via an internet questionnaire by vaccineinjury.info and Andreas Bachmair, a German classical homeopathic practitioner. The independent study is self-funded and is not sponsored by a large “credible” non-profit or government health organization with political and financial conflicts of interest; hence Bachmair relies on Google ads and donations for revenue. Each one of the 8000 cases are actual cases with medical documentation. Three other studies had similar results according to Bachmair and are reported below.

No study of health outcomes of vaccinated people versus unvaccinated has ever been conducted in the U.S. by CDC or any other agency in the 50 years or more of an accelerating schedule of vaccinations (now over 50 doses of 14 vaccines given before kindergarten, 26 doses in the first year). Most data collected by CDC is contained in the Vaccine Adverse Event Reporting System (VAERS) database. The VAERS is generally thought to contain only 3 to 5 percent of reportable incidents. This is simply because only some immediate reactions are reported by doctors; but many are not admitted to be reactions to the vaccine. Most importantly, the VAERS numbers are only immediate reactions, which I would place with a few hours to a few weeks. Long-term vaccine-induced diseases and disorders are not recognized by parents or doctors when these conditions develop perhaps a few months to five years or more and would never be realized to come from multiple vaccinations. In other words, many children and adults have diseases and disorders that are vaccine induced and they never suspect they are from the vaccines, as this study indicates.
The comparisons of the health of vaccine-free children with the health statistics of the general population are the same as comparing unvaccinated with vaccinated. This is simply because the general population of U.S. children are nearly 100 percent vaccinated.

Only four of the unvaccinated 8000 responded with severeautism (0.05%) and these were said to be high mercury cases. On the other hand, I had noticed the results show about a 1% rate for autism in the unvaccinated over 3 years old–about the same as vaccinated children. So I asked Bachmair why the data does not show significantly less. He told me he had invited many autism groups and internet autism lists to participate and thus skewed the results accordingly. If the true rate is 0.5%, I calculated that only 40 extra respondents (above the true average number) responded yes to autism, it would skew the results by a factor of 2. If the true rate is 0.25%, only 60 additional respondents (above the true average number) of the 8000 responded yes to autism, it would skew the results by a factor of 4. So it would not take many respondents from these lists to skew the results significantly.

The only other bias in this study may include the fact that parents of unvaccinated children are obviously concerned about the health risks of vaccines, and are more likely to make other healthier choices such as feeding their children a much better diet and using more natural remedies and using fewer pharmaceuticals.
Now half the U.S. children suffer from chronic diseases and disorders and 21% are developmentally disabled. Yet the public health system always uses the sacred mantra “vaccine-preventable diseases” when referring to their top public health achievement of mass vaccinations. I think we should be talking more in terms of preventable vaccine-induced diseases

Depression and Suicide in the U.S. military

http://articles.mercola.com/sites/articles/archive/2011/09/17/low-levels-of-ths-fat-linked-to-suicide-in-military.aspx?e_cid=20110917_DNL_art_2

This is a fantastic article from Dr. Mercola that I would like to expand on. 

Depression, especially manic-depression (bi-polar disorder), is near and dear to me, as I have seen, first-hand, the affects that it can have on, not only an individual, but an entire family.  I mentioned, briefly, manic-depression in an earlier post about ADD/ADHD with regard to blood sugar imbalances.  The causes of depression (without mania) can be wide-spread and sometimes vague.  Nassir Ghaemi, M.D., a Harvard trained psychiatrist, tells us in his book A First Rate Madness, that there are four specific lines of evidence that have become standard in psychiatry:  symptoms, genetics, course of illness, and treatment.  The one that is pertinent to this post is treatment.   Ghaemi also states, "drugs used for mental illnesses are nonspecific; they can work for several different illnesses, and they can even affect behavior in people who aren't mentally ill."

The following from the Mercola's article is very important here with regard to the prior definitions I have provided.

....for the first time in history a sizable number of U.S. combat troops are taking daily doses of antidepressants to cope. This is a really bad idea and is likely part of the reason why the military is seeing such a dramatic upswing in suicide rates, as antidepressants have been linked to suicide in young adults aged 18-24, which is the prime age range of these combat troops.



Now let me add my perspective to this issue...

Dr. Mercola mentions that the breakdown of fatty acids in our systems is inhibited by impaired delta 6 desaturase activity.  The desaturase enzymes help our bodies utilize fatty acids efficiently.  Delta 6 desaturase activity is dependant on several co-factors.  These co-factors are:  Riboflavin (vitamin B2), Niacin (B3), vitamin B6, Magnesium, and Zinc.  Now, if you ask any nutritionist, dietitian, or any other health care provider that is worth a hill of beans, what foods are deficient in these co-factors, I would be hard-pressed to say that not one of them would say anything other than REFINED CARBOHYDRATES.  Or...anything that comes in a bag, can or box.  What are we feeding our military personnel?  Refined carbohydrates.  How do refined carbohydrates react in our body?  Just like sugar, and sometimes worse that sugar.

This leads me into delta 5 desaturase.  Insulin (which is stimulated by carbohydrate consumption) increases the activity of delta-5-desaturase.  Which promotes the formation of arachidonic acid or "bad" fats. On the other hand, higher intake of protein increases the activity of delta-6 desaturase, thus increasing the conversion of essential fatty acids, while glucagon (which is stimulated by protein consumption) decreases delta-5 desaturase activity, thereby reducing the formation of arachidonic acid and "bad" fats. In short, a diet that is high in protein and low in carbohydrate is ideal for producing "good" fats.



So.....what does all this mean?  Depression can not only be helped by increasing animal based EFAs, but can also be helped with by stopping the consumption of junk sugars and increasing good quality animal protein sources.  This will help to regulate the delta 5 enzyme.  Consider taking a LOW-POTENCY B-complex vitamin with some magnesium and zinc to stimulate the delta 6 enzyme (most HIGH potency B-complexes are synthetic and can actually worsen the issue at hand).

I have the utmost respect for the men and women that put their lives on the line every day so that I can write this post.  I have never been in the military so it is hard for me to even imagine the emotional trauma that can happen.  However, when you are dealing with emotions, biochemical balance is paramount.  EFAs with B vitamins and dietary changes can have profound affects on how the brain functions.

If you or someone you know is in has been in the military, and emotional therapies are helping, but not thouroughly have them try some of the aformentioned dietary tips to see if it helps.  It sure won't hurt things, and it just might be the link to healing some of the psychological trauma our brave veterans deserve.

Bed-wetting (enuresis)

Question:  Is it normal for my 5 year old to have nighttime bed-wetting problems a few nights a week?

Answer:    Many pediatricians would say, resoundingly, yes.  However, in my opinion, there are several factors that need to be addressed before we can accurately answer this question; it is not exactly black and white. 

The sympathetic nervous system (SNS) is essentially the "fight or flight" response and the parasympathetic nervous system (PNS) controls the feelings of relaxation.  Both of these branches on the Autonomic nervous system must be in balance for the bladder to function efficiently.  The ability to voluntarily inhibit urination actually develops by the age of 2–3 years, as control at higher levels of the central nervous system develops.  (right about the time when "potty training" is going on)

The urge to urinate is controlled by the SNS and the actual act of urinating is controlled by the PNS.   Many times the older child (7 to 10 years) is dry until 4 to 5 a.m. and then wets the bed.  This, many times, is due to the fact that the child is so fatigued that they cannot physically wake themselves up. 

Look for things that may be stressing them emotionally; grades, friends, siblings, and even parents.  Many times fatigue runs in the family.  Have your natural health doctor check for adrenal fatigue and thyroid problems.

Hypoglycemia (low blood sugar) is also common, very common, with these kids.  When the blood sugar drops too low (usually around 4 to 5 a.m.) and the SNS doesn't respond by waking up the child, the PNS does it's job anyway and the bladder lets go.

Things to avoid that can commonly disrupt blood sugar balance include:

•  WHITE SUGAR
• artificial food coloring
• food with artificial sweeteners
• MSG (read labels like a hawk...it's in many things)

Things you can do to help balance your child's blood sugar include:

• Supplement with the B complex vitamins (low-potency); many times high potency B vitamins are synthetic and can make the problem worse in the long term.
• Probiotics work wonderfully, as your body generates B vitamins from the "good" bacteria in your gut
• Having them eat a small high protein snack before bed can be a great idea.

Your chiropractor is trained to balance the nervous system.  If your child has problems wetting the bed, make an appointment to get him adjusted.  Many times it is a structural imbalance that is irritating the nervous system.  

As the child gets older, this issue becomes more emotional.  Knowing that there are things that parents can do, NATURALLY, can be very empowering for all who are involved.  Balancing the nervous system early when symptoms first appear can help prevent long term emotional scars.

Hopefully this sheds some light on an issue that can be difficult to treat at times.

ADD/ADHD study

http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/16699814

This is a great start to addressing the actual causes of attention disorders.  However, this study only addresses one aspect of this diagnosis; elevated dopamine and and adrenaline levels.  Clinically known as adrenal-cortical HYPER function (elevated cortisol) and with this state of functioning comes the increased fight or flight mechanism in our nervous system and in the short term, can be a very good thing; not so good in the long term. 

Prolonged elevated cortisol levels are very detrimental to the body and lead to increased heart rate, increased blood pressure, digestive problems and thyroid dysfunction to name a few.  The body begins to "break down"  faster than it can repair itself.  One example of this would be someone that has just had a big emotional stress like a death in the family.  If emotional healing isn't addressed in an efficient time frame, the body then starts to degenerate and a myriad of physical symptoms can develop.  When the emotional trauma has healed, the body has "paid the toll" so to speak and then the physical symptoms must be addressed as a separate issue.

In my clinical experience, ADD/ADHD is what I call a multi-layered issue.  Treating physicians must "peel away the layers"; much like that of an onion.  Once the cortisol levels have decreased, these patients generally go into adrenal cortical HYPO function (another layer of the onion).  More commonly known as adrenal fatigue.  With this comes a whole host of symptoms where patients present with the "I feel like crap and nobody can figure out why" syndrome.  One of the biggest issues with adrenal fatigue is hypoglycemia, or low blood sugar.   When the blood sugar is decreased, the body craves food to get its sugar back up.  What type of food would that be you ask?  Yep...more sugar.  Then the blood sugar is elevated too much, the blood sugar then comes crashing down again.  And then the roller coaster ride begins...up, down, up, down.  Many of these people are diagnosed psychologically as bi-polar.  Why?  Moods generally follow the blood sugar.   

Contributing factors to ADD/ADHD

1.  Sugar Overload
2.  Heavy Metals
3.  Adrenal Stress
4.  Mineral Imbalances
5.  Fatty Acid Deficiencies

What can you do from a more holistic standpoint, to balance these factors?

1.    Stop eating sugar and sugar-laden foods.  This puts a large amount of stress on the adrenal glands.  As I described above, this is a very important issue when dealing with ADD/ADHD.

2.  This is a heavily debated topic.  Dental amalgams, vaccinations, and aluminum cookware are a few factors involved with heavy metal body burdens.

3.  I have addressed some of the adrenal balance factors above and touched on it in an earlier post on salt.

4.  Trace mineral imbalances are running rampant in the U.S.  This has a lot to do with the amount of refined carbohydrates people are eating.  These nutrient devoid foods actually deplete the trace minerals in our systems.  A large one being zinc.  Zinc is necessary for MANY biochemical functions in the body.  It is needed for proper insulin in the pancreas production and hydrochloric acid production in the stomach.

5.  This is an area that has received more attention in the mainstream media in the last 7 to 10 years.  Essential Fatty Acids (EFAs)  are just that: essential.  Our bodies are not able to produce these by itself so it is essential we get these from our food.  EFAs are needed for just about every function in the body.  Largely, liver and brain function (ever loose your train of thought?). 

EFAs include fish and flax seed oil, coconut oil, avocado, etc.    However, what most people are not told is that the hydrogenated, or bad fats, actually deplete the EFAs, good fats, from our system.  Hydrogenated fats (margarine, vegetable oil, fried foods among others) are in just about everything that comes in a bag, can, or box.  These bad fats are also one molecule away from plastic.  Read EVERY food label.  Know what you are eating and what you are feeding your family. 

Many of you may ask, "what about the ADD/ADHD drugs like ritalin?".  These drugs are in the same class as cocaine.  Yes, you heard me correctly, cocaine.  This is a huge adrenal STIMULANT.  Why would a doctor stimulate an already over-stimulated person?   Most doctors cannot answer this question, they just know that ritalin helps these people.  It really is simple, it addresses the adrenal fatigue.  These drugs, however, "burn-out" the nervous system, which is why many times people notice that they "stop working".  The prescribing physician then changes the medication to another stimulant that works slightly differently.  Then that one stops working and then they are back on the one prior.

We cannot forget to look at the structural component of these issues.  Above I mentioned the nervous system with the increased fight or flight mechanism, chiropractors call this "sympathetic dominance".  Many times there has been physical trauma creating the sympathetic dominance.  For example, sports injuries, falls, and even the birth process itself.  Balancing posture through chiropractic care utilizing applied kinesiology diagnostics has made massive changes in many of the patients I have treated with ADD/ADHD.

These people that have been labeled with the diagnosis of ADD or ADHD really are on a roller coaster so to speak.  In my opinion, attention problems are notoriously difficult to work with.  It is not as simple as "take this pill and you will be fine".  It requires dedication from not only the treating physician, but also the patient.

My goal with this post is to inform the reader that there are other options other than medication.  I have attempted to be as thorough as possible, but many times questions arise.  Please don't hesitate to contact me with further questions. 

From Scientific American

http://www.scientificamerican.com/article.cfm?id=the-neuroscience-of-gut

I would like to put emphasis on the following line from this article.  This describes the importance of breast feeding immediately. 

"This suggests that there is a critical period in the development of the brain when the bacteria are influential."


Years ago, a color pigment called crystal violet (also known as crystal gentian) was widely used as a topical antiseptic. There are good reasons to believe that long-term exposure to artificial food coloring may affect intestinal bacteria in the same way crystal violet affected (killed) topical bacteria.


The following is from Wikipedia.  It describes colostrum and its effects on the newborn.  I think it goes very well with the article from Scientific American.


Newborns have very small digestive systems, and colostrum delivers its nutrients in a very concentrated low-volume form. It has a mild laxative effect, encouraging the passing of the baby's first stool, which is called meconium. This clears excess bilirubin, a waste product of dead red blood cells, which is produced in large quantities at birth due to blood volume reduction, from the infant's body and helps prevent jaundice. Colostrum is known to contain antibodies called immunoglobulins such as IgA, IgG, and IgM in mammals. IgA is absorbed through the intestinal epithelium, travels through the blood, and is secreted onto other Type 1 mucosal surfaces. These are the major components of the adaptive immune system. Other immune components of colostrum include the major components of the innate immune system, such as lactoferrin,^[4] lysozyme,^[5] lactoperoxidase,^[6] complement,^[7] and proline-rich polypeptides (PRP).^[8] A number of cytokines (small messenger peptides that control the functioning of the immune system) are found in colostrum as well,^[9] including interleukins,^[9] tumor necrosis factor,^[10] chemokines,^[11] and others. Colostrum also contains a number of growth factors, such as insulin-like growth factors I,^[12] and II,^[13] transforming growth factors alpha,^[14] beta 1 and beta 2,^[15][16] fibroblast growth factors,^[17] epidermal growth factor,^[18] granulocyte-macrophage-stimulating growth factor,^[19] platelet-derived growth factor,^[19] vascular endothelial growth factor,^[20] and colony-stimulating factor-1.^[21]
Colostrum is very rich in proteins, vitamin A, and sodium chloride, but contains lower amounts of carbohydrates, lipids, and potassium than normal milk. The most pertinent bioactive components in colostrum are growth factors and antimicrobial factors. The antibodies in colostrum provide passive immunity, while growth factors stimulate the development of the gut. They are passed to the neonate and provide the first protection against pathogens

About fluoride from Dr. Mercola

Everyone should become aware of what is being done to our food supply.  Eating fruits (minimally) and vegetables is a good thing and most people need to eat more.  Most people may not feel differently when they eat food that has been sprayed with chemicals, however, the patient population that I see are very sensitive for many different reasons and these toxins, even in small amounts, can not only make their symptoms worse, but can cause their symptoms all together.

http://articles.mercola.com/sites/articles/archive/2011/08/11/sulfuryl-fluoride-what-is-it-the-story-so-far.aspx?e_cid=20110811_DNL_art_1

Thank you Dr. Mercola

If you are unaware of Dr. Mercola's website, please take a moment and view it.  http://www.mercola.com/  Sign up for his free email newsletter also.  I have been on his mailing list since 2001 and I can tell you, I have learned quite a bit from it. It is the largest natural health website on the internet and is choke full of information about natural health care.  You can search his site for just about any health related topic there is; from cholesterol myths to artificial sweeteners to fluoride in our water supply.  He has done a huge service for mankind through this website and I highly recommend it.

Thank you Dr. Mercola

More on Aspartame

I could care less if the FDA takes aspartame off the market.  I just want the entire population to stop consuming it.  If you are unfamiliar with the true affects of aspartame use, please take ten minutes and watch this quick video.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ELgW4KBY-o4

Sunscreen info

This is a prime case of the fine print taketh away.

Make sure you read the labels of everything you put on your body.


Did you know there are chemicals used in sunscreens that absorb easily through your skin and...
Act like the female hormone estrogen, disrupting your body’s hormone balance;
Are linked to breast and skin cancers;
Injure your DNA;
Interfere with the production of thyroid hormones;
May contribute to male infertility

They’re called parabens, and you’ll find one or more of them in almost every sunscreen on the market.
Too much sun may be hard on your skin, but sunscreens are a case of “the cure may be worse than the disease.”  And for years you’ve been told to spread them all over your body...

Here are the other chemicals, that I am aware of that are in sunscreen, to avoid.
Para amino benzoic acid
Octyl salicyclate
Avobenzone
Oxybenzone
Padimate O
Dioxybenzone
Phenylbenzimidazole
Homosalate
Sulisobenzone
Menthyl anthranilate
Trolamine salicyclate
Octocrylene

Here are two links for good quality sunscreen without any harmful chemicals in them.
http://shop.mercola.com/images/product_images/sunscreen-30_large.jpg
http://www.3rdrocksunblock.com/

About salt intake

Salt is to the adrenal gland like iron is to the blood and iodine is to the thyroid.  We need salt for our adrenal glands which supply adrenaline and help our body adapt to stress.  In today's world, salt is automatically thought to increase your blood pressure and ultimately be bad for you.   However, salt avoidance can be harmful also.  For example, if you get dizzy when you stand up or move around quickly you might be low on salt.  I have seen many people's blood pressure actually go down when they increase their salt intake.  Do not use regular white table salt though.  Not only is it refined, but it has aluminum in it as an anti-caking agent.  Aluminum is implicated in Alzheimer's disease.  Only use real sea salt.  The best salt I have found is Himalayan sea salt.  It is unrefined and it tastes better also.  If you're outside sweating a lot, you should add a little salt to all that water you are (or should be) drinking. 

When reading this, do NOT automatically think if you have high blood pressure, that increasing your salt intake will lower it.  There are many different reasons for high blood pressure; liver, kidney, adrenal, etc.  This is why it is important to get an accurate diagnosis first.  If you have questions, send me an email or contact your natural health care physician.

Robyn O'brien on food additives

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rixyrCNVVGA

If you have a few minutes or so, watch this video.  It's very worthwhile.

Surfing Bulldog

In my opinion, if you are not having fun, do something else.

This made me chuckle.

http://www.youtube.com/watch_popup?v=cqxTUxzOceE&feature=youtube_gdata_plaJ

Vaccine Info

You can't have a blog like this and not have anything about vaccines on it.

Dr. Clarence S. Gonstead made this statement: "Vaccines did not clean up the country, clean living did."

There is no such thing as a "safe" vaccine and no vaccine ever prevented, ameliorated or cured any disease.
All of the major "epidemic" diseases were just about on their way out long before any serious vaccinations took place and even then the percentages of those vaccinated were minuscule at best. 

Dr. Jonas Salk, the developer of the first polio vaccine, has stated that the polio vaccine was "the principle if not the sole cause of the polio cases reported since 1961.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=K1Hw-Q23S_s

Expecting a Baby?   Did you know…?

Hospitals routinely give newborns a hepatitis B injection shortly after birth. This vaccine contains brain and nerve damaging ingredients, including aluminum hydroxide. (Aluminum has been linked to Alzheimer’s.)  After many vaccinated newborns died and thousands suffered serious side effects, including seizures and permanent brain damage, the dangers of the hepatitis B vaccine were brought to the public’s attention by ABC’s 20/20 in 1999.  Since 1991, the hepatitis B vaccine has been responsible for, over 25,000 adverse reactions including hundreds of deaths, according to the Vaccine Adverse Event Reporting System.

The Association of American Physicians and Surgeons (AAPS) has called for a mandatory hepatitis B vaccination for children, pending independent scientific research.  AAPS says the risk of a serious reaction to the hepatitis B vaccine is 100 times greater than the risk of the disease–which is usually transmitted through blood, shared needles and “multiple sex partners.”

( Sounds like something newborns are really susceptible to (wink, wink))

The germ theory is just that, a theory.  Saying that germs cause disease is like saying flies cause manure piles.  Just because they are there, does not mean that they caused it.  Bacteria change form and are not the cause of, but the result of disease.   Healthy people do not "get" sick, sick people "get" sick.  If the germ theory were anything more than a theory, nurses and general physicians would be the sickest people on the planet.  We have somewhere around 7 pounds of bacteria in our digestive tract.  Bacteria feed on dead and decaying material and the sooner we learn to live with bacterial balance, the healthier we will be.

Let's define a few words

First of all, let's define the word "health".

Dorland's medical dictionary defines the word health as, "A state of complete physical, chemical, and social well being, and not merely the absence of disease or infirmity".  Our current medical system has very little to do with actual "health" care.  It is more sickness care.

Second, let's define the word "cure".

1. a means of healing or restoring to health; remedy.

2. a method or course of remedial treatment, as for disease.

3. successful remedial treatment; restoration to health.

The third definition of cure has the word "successful" in it.  Let's define the word success.
Dictionary.com defines success as, "the accomplishment of an aim or purpose".

Success, in my opinion, is a very subjective word.  It is different for every single person.  My definition evolves from day to day.

Discovering what success means to you might take a while, it might be a long process and the answer might not come to you immediately. However, the result of your search will be more than worth it.

One more thought, Gandhi was was dirt poor, but he freed the entire country of India.

Book Recommendation

"Knockout" from Suzanne Summers

This book looks at cancer therapy from a completely different mindset.  Natural therapies that are curing cancer and having large success rates.  The success rate of the conventional therapies has been defined as meager, at best.  Many times it can actually weaken the body and cause the problem to worsen.  I personally have studied the method practiced by Dr. Gonzalez out of Manhattan.  His method was actually discovered in the early 1900's by Dr. John Beard, an embryologist, and it works and works well.

This book also describes the trials and tribulations of being a physician that utilizes natural therapies that put a "chink in the armour" of the establishment's stronghold on cancer therapy.  What the FDA has done to Dr. Burzynski should be considered harassment, at the very least. 

I am not a proponent of bio identical hormones (i think there are better ways of balancing hormones), however, most of the population thinks that the only way to "treat" cancer is through chemotherapy and or radiation.  This book talks about alternatives to conventional cancer treatment and I highly recommended it.  Anyone that knows someone that is dealing with cancer, either directly or indirectly, should read this book and recommend it to others.

Dr. Todd's soon to be famous energy bars

1 1/2 cups pure maple syrup
1 cup chunky natural peanut butter
2 2/3 cups oatmeal
1 cup of flour
1/3 cup protein powder
1 tsp. cinnamon
1/2 cup unsweetened dried coconut
1 cup raisins
1/2 cup chopped nuts

Procedure

1. Preheat oven to 350 F.  Lightly grease a 8 X 11 Pyrex baking pan.  (Don not use non-stick cookware)
2.  In a large bowl, mix the syrup and peanut butter together.  Make sure to use a WOODEN spoon and not something flimsy.
3.  In a separate bowl, mix the remaining ingredients.  Stir this into the peanut butter and syrup mixture a little at a time.  It gets think quickly and your arm will get a workout.
3.5 Or you could just put everything in a big mixer.
4.  Press into the Pyrex and bake for 25 to 30 minutes.
5.  After they are finished baking, let sit for for 30 minutes.  Cut into bars while they are still warm.  They store easily in a gallon Ziploc or individually as well.

Now, before everyone starts to freak out, let me explain a few things.  First of all,  I understand the allergy aspect of things.  If you are allergic to peanuts, DON'T USE PEANUT BUTTER.  Use almond butter or whatever you would prefer to substitute.  I am also aware that peanuts tend to carry molds.  If you have a problem with yeast and or candida, this probably will not work for you.  Second, don't use soy protein.  I don't care what anyone says, soy isn't good for you (the Japanese do it differently, so that doesn't count).  Third, I use Bob's Red Mill Gluten free oats.  I don't think it's possible to get a completely gluten free oatmeal (I could be wrong), but I have patients that are sensitive to gluten and they do fine.  I haven't had anyone with full blown celiac disease try these.  If you are a celiac patient, be careful.  Don't just dive in.  "Test the waters" if you know what I mean.  Fourth, I don't use regular wheat flour.  I substitute 1/2 cup millet flour and 1/2 cup buckwheat.  Not only is it better texture, but they are gluten free grains.  Combining these two grains also makes a complete protein (contains all the essential amino acids).  Buckwheat can tighten your capillaries so it can help with easy bruising.

I don't know how these rank on the glycemic index, so don't ask.  I have eaten them for years and so has my wife.  We are very aware of how we feel when we eat things and have never had a problem.  I have had many patients who are hypoglycemic and they have done very well also.

Warning:  these taste very good, almost like an oatmeal cookie.  They are filling and will give lots of energy. 

These are great as snacks and great substitute for the crappy granola bars you can get anywhere.  I would tend to think they would be just as filling as cold breakfast cereal (better too).

Try them and see.  I would love feedback.