Swine Flu Vaccine May Cause Narcolepsy

The Swedish Medical Products Agency has received reports from health care professionals regarding narcolepsy as suspected adverse drug reaction following Pandemrix flu vaccination.

The reports concern teenaged children who developed narcolepsy symptoms one to two months after vaccination against the H1N1 pandemic. Finland is also looking into the possible link following an increase in the sleeping disorder among children this spring.

According to The Local:
“In the European Union, around 30 million people were vaccinated using Pandemrix. Sweden bought 18 million doses, which was enough to provide two injections for each person in its 9.3 million population.”

The Pandemrix package insert shows that “somnolence”, although not narcolepsy per se, is a known potential side effect of the drug.

Finland's National Institute for Health and Welfare (THL) has also issued an order to stop the use of Pandemrix swine flu vaccine due the probable link to narcolepsy in children. The agency received six reports of children who developed chronic sleep disorders after they received the vaccine in January 2010, Seer Press News reports.

Six cases of narcolepsy with cataplexy – a rare disorder characterized by chronic sleepiness, together with a loss of muscle tone – have been detected in France in persons vaccinated against influenza A/H1N1.

As you may recall, Australia also banned the swine flu vaccine for children under the age of 5, back in April, 2010, due to excessively high rates of febrile convulsions.
Sources:
The Local August 19, 2010
Seer Press News August 26, 2010
WAToday.com.au April 23, 2010
birdflu666/wordpress.com August 29, 2010
The Epoch Times August 28, 2010

Dr. Mercola's Comments:

As you know, health authorities across the world fiercely maintain that flu vaccines are safe, regardless of what’s happening in the real world.

Time and again, serious side effects from vaccines are overlooked and swept under the rug as being “coincidental.”

Which begs the question, just how many coincidences does it take before a pattern emerges?
It’s all very convenient to ascribe all vaccine reactions to sheer chance…

Meanwhile, you know as well as I do that if a supplement were suddenly to be linked to, say, seizures or something as odd as narcolepsy, it would be banished from the market in short order – to protect your health, you see.

But when it comes to vaccines, they insist that the only way to protect your health, and that of your family, is to get a flu shot each and every season, from the age of 6 months until you die, and those who are harmed by this policy are simply viewed as being acceptable “collateral damage” or too defective to benefit from the prescribed health regimen, and their health problems would have occurred with or without the vaccine anyway.

This kind of flawed logic has been allowed to run amok for far too long.

Would You Want Your Child to Sleep Their Life Away?
Which would you rather risk experience: a week in bed, drinking hot soup, or a lifetime falling asleep at the most inopportune times; in class, during dinner, at work, in your car…

Narcolepsy, a mysterious, incurable neurological condition that causes you to suddenly fall into a deep sleep, is not something you hear about very often.

Yet Sweden and Finland recently sounded the alarm because young patients suddenly developed this abnormal sleeping disorder after being vaccinated with the H1N1 swine flu vaccine.

France, Germany and Norway have also started counting cases, and the EU has launched an investigation.

In Sweden, the Medical Products Agency (Läkemedelsverket) began their inquiry on August 18th. The vaccine in question is Pandemrix – GlaxoSmithKline’s vaccine against H1N1 influenza -- which has been used since September 2009 in Sweden and other European countries.

As of August 28, Sweden had 12 confirmed cases of narcolepsy which have been linked to the Pandemrix vaccine, the Epoch Times reports.

At least six of these cases involve children aged 12 to 16. Their symptoms developed within 4 to 8 weeks of being vaccinated with Pandemrix.

Finland has suspended the use of Pandemrix, the Seer Press reported on August 26, as Finnish children also began being diagnosed with narcolepsy at an unusual rate.

According to the Epoch Times:
“Six cases of narcolepsy is consistent with annual averages, reports THL [The Finnish National Institute for Health], but all of these patients were affected after being vaccinated, and there are nine additional cases that have not yet been confirmed."

Finland is expected to have preliminary results from their investigation by the end of this year.
Six cases of narcolepsy with cataplexy (a loss of muscle tone) have also been reported in France, as of August 29.

The French magazine Le Figaro states that three children and three adults have developed the sleeping disorder after being vaccinated with two different swine flu vaccines. The cases were all identified since August 23.

Five cases developed post vaccination with Pandemrix, and one case after vaccination with Panenza, manufactured by Sanofi Pasteur.

So far, a total of 27 cases of narcolepsy that occurred within weeks of being vaccinated with an A/H1N1 vaccine have been identified across Europe, according to Euorclinix.net.

As to why or how the vaccine may be causing narcolepsy has yet to be determined. But the Pandemrix package insert states that “somnolence”, although not narcolepsy per se, is a known potential side effect of the drug.

What is Narcolepsy, and What are the Known Causes?
Narcolepsy is a chronic neurological disorder that causes you to suddenly fall into a deep sleep. For unknown reasons, your brain becomes unable to regulate sleep-wake cycles normally, so at any point during the day you will simply fall asleep. Bouts can last from just a few seconds to several minutes. In rare cases, you may remain asleep for an hour or longer.

Needless to say, this is a very disabling disorder that can have a significantly detrimental impact on your quality of life, not to mention it can be dangerous, depending on where you suddenly fall asleep.

It can also be a terrifying disorder, because in addition to falling asleep, the majority (70 percent) of narcolepsy cases also involve cataplexy -- the sudden loss of voluntary muscle control – along with vivid hallucinations and total paralysis at the beginning or end of your narcoleptic attack.

The paralysis and hallucinations are both “intrusions” of REM sleep elements into your wakeful state. The hallucination is your brain dreaming, even though you’re conscious. The feeling of paralysis is actually normal “sleep paralysis”, which under normal circumstances occur while you are in deep sleep, so you never notice it.

For obvious reasons these symptoms can be quite terrifying when they first appear.
According to the US National Institutes of Health (NIH):
“Researchers have discovered abnormalities in various parts of the brain involved in regulating REM sleep that appear to contribute to symptom development. Experts now believe it is likely that -- similar to many other complex, chronic neurological diseases -- narcolepsy involves multiple factors interacting to cause neurological dysfunction and REM sleep disturbances.

A number of variant forms (alleles) of genes located in a region of chromosome 6 known as the HLA complex have proved to be strongly, although not invariably, associated with narcolepsy. The HLA complex comprises a large number of interrelated genes that regulate key aspects of immune-system function.

… Groups of neurons in several parts of the brainstem and the central brain, including the thalamus and hypothalamus, interact to control sleep.

… Genetic factors alone are not sufficient to cause narcolepsy. Other factors-such as infection, immune-system dysfunction, trauma, hormonal changes, stress may also be present before the disease develops.”

Unfortunately for the children afflicted with this incurable disorder, the symptoms tend to WORSEN over the two to three DECADES after the symptoms first appear. It is generally agreed that the earlier symptoms appear, the worse off you are. After the age of 60, symptoms typically lessen.

Australia Temporarily Banned Swine Flu Vaccine Due to Febrile Seizures
Back in April, Australia suspended its seasonal flu program for children under the age of five, after detecting an abnormal number of side effects within 12 hours of vaccination, compared to previous years. Side effects included high fevers and seizures. A one-year-old child also went into a coma after receiving the flu vaccine.

However, the Australian Department of Health resumed seasonal flu vaccinations for young children on July 30th, stating that:
“Continued close monitoring of side effects with this year's seasonal flu vaccine in children under five years of age has shown that the higher than usual occurrence of fever and febrile convulsions appears to be confined to the vaccine Fluvax, manufactured by CSL, so parents can now seek advice from their doctor to use other brands on the market if they want their young children vaccinated.”

The Chief Medical Officer of the Australian Department of Health also said:
“In my last report to parents and the medical profession on June 1 this year, I highlighted that Fluvax appeared to be the main concern but that, because of limited use, there was insufficient evidence about the extent of fever and febrile convulsions associated with the other vaccines on the market.

I therefore continued to recommend the suspension of use of all seasonal flu vaccinations for healthy children under 5 years of age… Since that announcement, continued investigations in Australia and overseas indicate that there does not appear to be the higher than normal incidence of febrile convulsions in children under five with the other seasonal flu vaccines Influvac and Vaxigrip.”

As you can see, there are a number of flu vaccines on the market. Some are specifically for A/H1N1, while others are a combination of H1N1 along with the seasonal flu strains.So far, significantly increased hazards have been associated with Pandemrix (GSK), and possibly Panenza (Sanofi Pasteur) in Europe, and Fluvax (CSL) in Australia.

Yet, all others are still claimed to be “safe.”
I would not bet my health on it!

So what does all this mean for Americans, for whom the flu season is drawing near?

This Season’s Flu Plan for the U.S.
The news for this year is that the flu vaccine you'll get this fall will be a combination vaccine that contains both the regular flu- and the swine flu vaccines – you will not be given the choice to take them individually, as was done last year.

The US Food and Drug Administration(FDA) lists a total of six monovalent and five trivalent flu vaccines approved for the 2010 season in the US, as well as one intranasal flu vaccine.
According to Barbara Loe Fisher this year’s seasonal flu shot will contain three type A or type B viruses, one of which will be H1N1.

As you may recall, in February of 2009 the CDC announced that every single American from the age of 6 months through the year of death should get an annual flu shot -- whether we're healthy or we're sick.

But despite the news coming in from around the world about harmful side effects from the A/H1N1 vaccines used, the US has yet to address any of these concerns as it pertains to the upcoming flu season.

Children are not the only group that seem to react more violently to the trivalent vaccine that contains the H1N1 component.

According to Barbara Loe Fisher of the NVIC, a special government committee has been created to investigate last year's H1N1 monovalent vaccine for signs that it may be associated with a higher rate of certain kinds of reactions. What the committee found out provisionally is that there were three signs of trouble with the H1N1 swine flu vaccine used last year.

In a recent NVIC video update, Fisher explained:
"One was Guillain-Barre syndrome (GBS), which we know has been associated with influenza vaccine since 1976 when the first swine flu vaccine was used. There is [also] a sign of a blood disorder called thrombocytopenia. Thrombocytopenia is when your blood cannot produce enough platelets. It's an autoimmune type reaction.

The other is Bell's palsy. That's a facial paralysis. It's a neuroimmune reaction.
The government is saying they don't know if these are true signals or not, but there were some red flags that were raised."

In light of the recent developments in Europe and Scandinavia, the US is now moving into the 2010-2011 flu season with a vaccine that may be very reactive.

"I am concerned," Fisher says, "We have over 300 million people [in the US] which… are supposed to get this influenza vaccine. And we have a very aggressive push by the media and others who are following the lead of the government, so we could have a bad situation."

Asia Gets in on the Action
Late last month the Korea Herald also reported that nearly 2,600 side effects had been reported to the Korea Centers for Disease Control and Prevention in association with the swine flu vaccine.

There, side effects included fevers, headaches and allergic responses, and 10 deaths.
Rep. Shim Jae-cheol of the ruling Grand National Party is quoted as saying:
“There is a possibility of the flu shots causing side effects in some individuals. Rather than pushing to consume the vaccines in stock, the government needs to be more cautious in giving the flu shots.”

Prevent the Flu Without Risking Your Health in the Process
I truly worry about the callous attitude that is so willing to throw our health to the wind and ignore any evidence that conflicts with the pro-vaccine agenda. Any time you’re dealing with the health of millions, the precautionary principle really should apply.

The signs that this year’s flu vaccine may be far more harmful than previous years’ are already there!
I urge you to take your time and really make an informed decision before you rush to get this year’s flu shot…
Fortunately, along with the bad news about flu vaccines we’ve also seen an upsurge in studies on vitamin D, strengthening the evidence that it is a potent preventive measure against colds and influenza.

For example, if you're pregnant or planning to become pregnant, you'll be pleased to know that an article published May 1 in the American Academy of Pediatrics News recommends pregnant women take 4,000 IUs of vitamin D daily to fight infection and disease, to maintain good health, and to deliver healthier, stronger babies.

But even this seemingly large amount may be seriously inadequate in many women. Some may need more than 10,000 units per day and the only way to know for sure is to have your vitamin D level tested.

Then, take a look at this Japanese study from last year, which showed that a group of children taking Vitamin D3 was 58 percent less likely to catch influenza A. That's a higher effectiveness than any flu vaccine can claim, and doesn't come with a barrage of potentially devastating side effects!

Since we already know that most children and teenagers are Vitamin D-deficient, I urge you to get your children's vitamin D levels tested, and if found deficient, follow my recommendations for optimizing their levels. Do this, and they'll be far less likely to catch any cold or flu this year.
For more information, I highly recommend you watch my one-hour free vitamin D lecture along with my video on vitamin D's role in flu prevention.

Dr. Mercola is the founder of the world’s most visited natural health web site, Mercola.com. You can learn the hazardous side effects of OTC Remedies by getting a FREE copy of his latest special report The Dangers of Over the Counter Remedies by going to his Report Page.

Inflammatory Bowel Disease

Bowel flora may play a role in inflammatory bowel disease (Crohn’s disease and ulcerative colitis). An article appearing in the Scandinavian Journal of Gastroenterology (2001;36(Suppl 234):29-40) discussed the role of bowel flora and intestinal permeability in this disease. The cells lining the intestine form a barrier that protects the body from the contents of the intestines. If these cells fail to act as an effective barrier, increased intestinal permeability becomes a problem. The article states that increased intestinal permeability leads to a lack of tolerance to the bacteria that normally exist in the bowel.

There is evidence of the immune system working against the bacteria that exist in the bowel, perhaps even overreacting. Also, the makeup of the bacteria is different in these patients than in normal controls. In patients with inflammatory bowel disease, the bacteria tend to invade the mucosa. Research appearing in Gastroenterology (January 2002;122(1) :44-54) compared colonoscopic biopsies in 305 patients with 40 normal controls. Patients with inflammatory bowel disease had much higher concentrations of bacteria invading the intestinal lining than did the healthy subjects. A normal, healthy intestinal lining has the ability to act as a barrier to bowel bacteria; this ability is compromised in patients with inflammatory bowel disease.

The Scandinavian Journal of Gastroenterology article mentions that taking probiotics is sometimes helpful; patients with Crohn's disease tend to have less Bifidobacteria, and more Bactero ides, Eubacteria and Peptost reptococcus. Generally, probiotics contain lactic acid bacteria, like Lactobacilli, Bifidobacteria (the species found to be in short supply in patients with Crohn's disease), and Streptococci. These bacteria can release antibiotic-like substances, reduce the pH in the intestine, improve the absorption of nutrients and help stimulate the immune system.
by: Dr. Paul G. Varnas & WholeHealthAmerica.com present

Patients with inflammatory bowel disease are often deficient in many nutrients. They commonly have problems absorbing nutrients, have poor appetites, are often on restrictive diets, or are nutrient deficient as a result of drug therapy. According to a review of research appearing in the Annual Review of Nutri tion (1985;5:463-484), nutritional deficiencies are common in patients hospitalized with inflammatory bowel disease. Iron deficiency was found in 40% of the patients, 48% were deficient in vitamin B12, between 54 and 64% were deficient in folate, between 14 and 33% were magnesium deficient, between 6% and 14% had a potassium deficiency, 21% were deficient in vitamin A, 12% were deficient in vitamin C, between 25% and 65% were deficient in 25-hydroxyvitamin D and between 40% and 50% had a zinc deficiency. Other vitamin deficiencies included vitamin K, copper and vitamin E. A study of 114 patients with inflammatory bowel disease, appearing in the Scandinavian Journal of Gastroenterology (1979;14:1019-1024) found low serum folate in 59% of patients with chronic inflammatory bowel disease. There is an increased risk for colorectal cancer in patients with inflammatory bowel disease. Research appearing Inflammatory Bowel Diseases (2008 Feb;14(2):242-8), correlated folic acid deficiency with an increased risk of colorectal cancer.

Patients who had inflammatory bowel disease, and both a folic acid deficiency and a high homocysteine level had 17 times as many cancerous lesions as patients who were not folic acid deficient. Vitamin deficiencies may also contribute to the severity of the disease. The disease creates vitamin deficiency, which in turn makes the disease more severe. A study involving 30 male and 31 female patients with inflammatory bowel disease was published in the American Journal of Gastroenterology (2003;98(1):112-117). It found that vitamin B6 levels were significantly lower in patients with inflammatory bowel disease than they were in healthy controls. Furthermore, vitamin B6 levels were lower in patients who were experiencing a flare up in their symptoms than they were for patients in remission. Low vitamin B6 levels were also associated with higher levels of inflammatory markers (chemicals that, when present, indicate inflammation) C-reactive protein is an example of an inflammatory marker; it was increased in patients
with low B6 levels.

One of the roles vitamin C has is as an antioxidant, protecting cells from oxidative stress. According to research appearing in Free Radical Research (1995;22(2):131-143), patients with inflammatory bowel disease (Crohn's disease or ulcerative colitis) have reduced levels of vitamin C in the intestinal lining. Patients with Crohn's disease have levels that are 35% below normal while patients with ulcerative colitis have levels that are 73% below normal. The researchers state that most of the loss of vitamin C is due to oxidative stress from inflammatory cells. The loss of vitamin C makes the cells lining the intestines more vulnerable to oxidative stress.

Consumption of refined carbohydrates can aggravate symptoms.
The European Journal of Gastroenterology and Hepatology (January, 1995;7(1):47-51) conducted a prospective, epidemiological study of 104 patients and found that patients with Crohn's disease and ulcerative colitis have a high intake of starch and sugar. Other research that appeared in Epidemiology (January 1992;3(1):47-52), followed the dietary habits of 142 patients with ulcerative colitis, 152 patients with Crohn's disease and 305 healthy controls over a period of three years. The relative risk of Crohn's disease increased with sugar intake and decreased with fiber intake.

Eating fast food increased the risk for both Crohn's disease and for ulcerative colitis. These studies may support Elaine Gottschall's model of inflammatory bowel disease. In her book, Ending the Vicious Cycle , Gottschall describes a possible mechanism for inflammatory bowel disease and a dietary solution. She reasons that we eat too many complex carbohydrates (disaccharides like table sugar and lactose in milk, and starches like bread, potatoes, rice and beans).

Our own enzymes are not adequate enough to digest the large amounts of sugar and starch that we consume, so it passes into the intestine without being digested. The undigested food allows bacteria to grow, irritating the intestinal lining. The irritation of the intestine causes a further reduction in the amount of enzymes produced, resulting in more undigested food. Gottschall suggests that completely avoiding starches and sugar (the sugar that is in fresh fruit is permissible). Some patients, but not all of them, go into remission after following Gottschall's recommendations. It would seem if this is the mechanism causing a patient’s disease, giving a digestive supplement, may be helpful.

Thanks to Biotics Research for this wonderful information!

Your Independence Day

This time of the year is always filled with nostalgia and feelings of achievement because we, The United States of America, are independent. We fought for this right, we achieved the ability to stand alone and make our own decisions on what is right for us in every aspect of our lives. We continue to fight, and to protect the rights of the peoples of the world, whether they realize the need us to or not. We desire to make the world a better place, a fair place, a place where individuals can make their own decisions about what is best for them and their families. Yet, as a people we have become complacent and many of us allow the powers-that-be (insurance companies and governmental agencies) to tell us what is best for us. I agree that the governing officials do a great job at making many decisions about this great nation and its future.



This Independence Day, I think we should all claim the right to be independent. I vote that we should each care for our own health, as individuals, independent from everyone else. Your body is different from your neighbors, and children's, and parents, and spouse! Your individual nutritional needs are separate and unique. Often, family members have similar health concerns because of lifestyle and eating habits, but each one of those family members has their own physiological makeup and is independent from the other members of the family. As Dr Jay says, "Heredity is 85-90% habit and only 5-15% genetic." You have choices, you just need to break the cycle.



This 4th of July, proclaim your independence, and choose to care for your body and health in the manner that is best for you! Make choices for yourself regarding diet and exercise, don't wait for someone else to decide it's time to make a change.

• Eat More Veggies - 8 out of 10 bites of food should be fruit or vegetables


• Eat at least 2 pieces of fruit a day - mix it up - choose different colors of fruits and veggies


• Cut back on breads - one serving of bread, pasta, rice etc. a day is plenty (1 piece of bread is a serving)


• Manage your blood sugar - keeping blood sugar levels under control helps with weight management and the prevention of diabetes and cardiovascular disease - use stevia!


• Stop drinking soda - no... diet soda is not good for you - did you know it makes you eat more? Diet drinks turn off your bodies ability to know when it's full.


• Don't drink flavored water - why drink your calories? Most of these drinks are full of salt and sugar. Sports drinks were designed for long distance runners and high output sports, as much as we would like to be like those people... we don't burn 1000 calories in one workout very often!


• Avoid energy drinks and high doses of caffeine - you only have one heart - don't wear it out


• Stop smoking - you can replace any habit. Trade cigarettes for carrot sticks not carbs.


• Get plenty of sleep - 7 hours a night is the recommended amount


• Work in 200 minutes of exercise a week - walking, jogging, bike riding etc. pump that blood


• Take your vitamins - as we age we lose the ability to assimilate nutrients from foods. Nutritional supplementation is necessary in order to maintain optimal health


• Check in - get your orthomolecular holistic health checkup once a year - find out where you stand so that you can make adjustments to your lifestyle and prevent illness from occurring

Take control of your own health. Celebrate the 4th of July this year by making a stand for your own independence!

If you could only do one thing to be healthier..... choose walking

If you only had the time to add one thing to your day to make yourself feel better and live longer, that one thing should be walking regularly. Adding just 200 minutes of exercise a week to your schedule can make long lasting changes to your body.

Many people find that doing things for their health is one of the hardest things to fit into their daily lives. Constantly running around and taking kids to ball games, and other social commitments leaves little time for many people to think about themselves. I recommend that you add daily exercise to your schedule so that you are sure to make time for it. It is one of the most important things you can do for yourself.

In a study reported in the Journal of the American Medical Association in 1989, 13,000 men and women were studied for eight years. The data showed that an unfit man could reduce his risk of death from all diseases by nearly 37 percent by becoming fit, and an unfit woman could reduce her risk by about 48 percent. *

Walking is so beneficial to your health and well being. Many studies have been done over the last several decades proving that walking is important to the mind and body. What are some of the benefits ?

• Lowered blood pressure - whether you walk 30 minutes several times a week or 10 minutes several times a day, regular walking has been proven to lower blood pressure by about 5 points. A 40 minute walk can reduce blood pressure for 7 hours!


• Lowered blood sugar - regular walking can lower blood glucose levels. Get that 200 minutes in every week to prevent type 2 diabetes and reduce the symptoms!


• Lower cholesterol - Walking can improve HDL (good cholesterol) which in-turn helps to lower bad (LDL) cholesterol.


• Improved circulation - Getting the heart pumping forces blood into the tiny capillaries and increases oxygen distribution to the tissues.


• Decreased risk of heart disease - According to The New England Journal of Medicine, August 26, 1999 Walking 3-4 hours a week can reduce female heart disease risk by 30-40%. Walking is a known benefit for cardiovascular health!


• Reduced inflammation - Getting that oxygen to all parts of your body with increased circulation also helps reduce inflammation. The blood carries O2 and nutrients out to the capillaries and brings the trash back to the liver and kidneys to be cleaned out.


• Reduction of stress - walking reduces stress. It gets you away from constant stressors and if you get outdoors, into the fresh air. A little sun adds some vitamin D which is also known to aid with depression or mood enhancement.


• Improved mood/reduced depression - If you are depressed, get outside and go for a walk. Moving around and getting some sunshine and fresh air can do a lot for your mental state. Getting away from television and constant noise can also help. Listen to the birds, smell some flowers and enjoy the outdoors.


• Reduced cancer risk - Studies show that not only does walking reduce the risk factors for heart disease but people in those same studies also show that they have a lower risk of getting cancer.


• Bone Building / reduces risk of Osteoporosis - Walking is very beneficial to your muscles, tendons, cartilage and bones. You have heard that old saying " if you don't use it you lose it"? well that is definitely true when it comes to bones, muscles, tendons and cartilage.


• Weight Management - Walking about 2.5 miles an hour for 40 minutes burns about 175 calories. That equals out to about a mile every 16 minutes. Do that 3 times a week and you have burned 525 calories.


• Better sleep - More oxygen, using your muscles, better mood and circulation all add to a better nights sleep.


• Improved energy - the more you walk the better you feel, which in turn gives you more energy. Get up and move around to give yourself more energy.


• Improved immunity - helps clear lymphatic system. Walking helps the immune system by clearing out the lymphatic system. Keep your system cleaner and healthier by walking.


• Brain health - walking improves circulation which in turn benefits the brain. You should also challenge your brain by doing things that require thinking every day. Read, do crossword puzzles or put together puzzles.

As you can see... walking has many benefits and if there was only one thing you could do to make yourself feel better, have more energy, live longer and be more mobile, it should be the thing you do.

Of course there are lots of other things you can do to increase your odds of living a fuller, healthier life. Eating right, which means increasing your vegetable and fruit intake and eating a variety of healthful foods. Avoiding inflammatory foods such as cow's milk, pork, chocolate, soda, diet drinks and fried foods. Supplementing your diet with additional nutrition when it's necessary is also very important. As we age, we lose the ability to build and to process some of the nutrients we need to be as healthy as possible. Supplementation is required in these instances to make sure we have what we need to build strong bones and new healthy cells.

CoQ10 is a good example of a supplement that we have a harder time making as we age. Calcium is a good example of a nutrient that we have more trouble breaking down and using, as we get older, because our stomach acid is not as strong as it was when we were young. For more information on supplementation, please come visit us at the office. We would love to help you get more information on your individual needs.

Have a good week and get out there and do some walking this week!

*(from all-about-lowering-cholesterol.com)

Natural Heart Health

Are you looking for a way to care for your heart and cardiovascular system naturally? There are natural means of reducing blood pressure, maintaining healthy arteries and lowering LDL cholesterol. Speaking with your naturopathic and chiropractic physician should be your first step in learning how to help manage these things without drugs, but we will discuss some of the alternative methods here.


Blood Pressure - the number one addition to your natural health care regimen should be to get 200 minutes of aerobic exercise a week. Walking, swimming and other blood pumping activities are a great way to help lower blood pressure, and help the body deal with daily stress.

Secondly, stress should be dealt with and managed. There are many kinds of stress and some stressors are healthy, but emotional stress can have a negative effect on your health.

In addition to regular exercise and the reduction of stress there are several herbs and foods which can help reduce blood pressure, and stress; such as, Hawthorne, Garlic and Resveratrol.


Cholesterol - Eating fatty foods, particularly fried foods, can thicken the blood which increases the risk of cardiovascular concerns such as heart attack and stroke. This is compounded by plaque in the arteries, which narrows the arteries and restricts blood flow. You can see how these two things together can increase your chances of having a heart related problem. Again, diet and exercise play a role in lowering cholesterol. It is also a good idea to evaluate liver health when considering cholesterol levels, since the liver makes most of the cholesterol in our body.

When considering whether your cholesterol levels are within a healthy range you can use this formula. Take your total Cholesterol number and divide it by the HDL number, for example if your total cholesterol is 240 and your HDL cholesterol is 60 then your coronary risk factor is 4. We prefer to see a risk factor of 4 or less in our patients.

Good additions to your diet and nutritional regimen should be Garlic and Onions, along with Bromelain and Hawthorne to help reduce cholesterol levels in the blood.


Hawthorne has been used since the 17th century for heart health, and may be beneficial not only for the heart but for the kidneys as well. Hawthorne can increase the blood flow to the heart, increase the pumping action and reduce the workload of the heart muscle itself. Resulting in a steady heartbeat, increased performance and increased resistance to oxygen deficiency, such as during times of stress. It also may be used in cases of congestive heart failure. Many people use Hawthorne to relieve chest pain, and it may also help remove plaque buildup in the arteries which can lead to heart attack and stroke.


Garlic and Onions are both known to help the liver eliminate fats and cholesterol through the bile. Adding these two things to your diet can help the body naturally reduce the amount of cholesterol in the blood. These foods may also help reduce blood pressure. Garlic and Onions are best eaten raw or added to the recipe in the last couple minutes to add some flavor, but should stay as raw as possible. In order for Garlic to help it needs to be a regular part of the diet. You may also take a supplement if you do not like the flavor.


Bromelain is an anti-inflammatory, mucous reducer and a digestive enzyme. When taken with meals it helps to digest food. If taken away from meals it is beneficial to the flow of blood through the arteries and reduces inflammation in the body. Bromelain works like a blood thinner, but it does not thin the blood. It actually helps the blood flow better, by keeping it from sticking together. We recommend 2000 mg per day of this supplement when using it for cardiovascular health. It has no side effects and is safe for people of all ages. It is natural and made from pineapples. If you have an allergy to pineapple you should not use it. Essential fatty acids, such as fish oils and flax seed oil are also very effective and anti-inflammatory agents, as is vitamin C.


Resveratrol is a powerful antioxidant which has been shown to increase the health of the arteries. It has been said to slow down the ageing process, to reverse hardening of the arteries, increase energy, aid the body in processing high fat foods, and reduced blood sugar. Resveratrol supplements need to be processed carefully by a lab so be careful where you purchase it from. We have a product which we use for heart health that contains resveratrol and several other heart healthy nutrients. If you are interested please stop by our office for more information. Its name is Vasculosirt.


CoQ Enzyme 10 is another vital nutrient for heart and artery health. As we age, our bodies lose the ability to make our own CoQ 10. Supplementation is necessary to replace what we are lacking. If you are over 40 this is something you should consider adding to your daily nutrition. Co Q 10 may help with several other conditions such as diabetes and inflammation as well as adding a boost to your immune system.


There are other nutrients and foods that may help with heart health, these are just a few. Please stop by our office for more information on your particular concern. Because each person is different, there is no one size fits all approach to cardiac health.

What is a DABCI?

DABCI is an acronym for Diplomate of the American Board of Chiropractic Internists. A chiropractic internist is a doctor who uses specific diagnostic skills to diagnose and treat a wide variety of internal disorders. These doctors are the "cream of the crop" when it comes to diagnosing chronic illnesses and in many instances can help people who have been told "there is no more we can do." They are also very educated in disease prevention and achieving and maintaining optimal health!

DABCI diplomate doctors have completed an additional 300 hours of classroom instruction on the inner workings of the human body and the processes that keep it functioning at its optimal level. Often these criteria are overlooked or ignored by standardized medicine. There is nothing "cookie cutter" about a DABCI doctor's practice. These specially skilled doctors look at each patient as an individual, their patient history, blood work, level of health, overall appearance and attitude, are all taken into account before a diagnosis can be made.

DABCI practitioners are skilled at getting to the core of the problem and treating the cause of the symptoms. They do not treat symptoms, they treat the disease process. Many illnesses that modern medicine has no cure for can be treated by DABCI doctors with much success. Illnesses such as fibromyalgia, chron's disease, IBS, migraine headaches, lyme disease, heart disease and diabetes can be greatly improved and often completely resolved with natural therapies offered by these doctors.

Many times, DABCI practitioners, through specialized diagnostic testing and skills, can pinpoint health problems before symptoms become evident and prevent illness from occurring. These specialized tests are not new, nor are they only used by the DABCI doctor, but in the hands of a DABCI practitioner these tests are indispensable tools for detecting future health concerns. The tests themselves are the same tests that are run at many clinics and hospitals. It's how the tests are interpreted and understood which makes the difference.


DABCI doctors understand that occasionally a person does need critical or crisis care, and must be sent to the hospital for emergency intervention, but in many cases these crises can be prevented by taking charge of health before the situation becomes critical. It's this skill that DABCI doctors hold dear; the ability to help people overt serious health problems with lifestyle changes and proper nutrition.


Changing habits and balancing nutrition is an effort that takes time and requires the patients participation and commitment. Many conditions can be eliminated rather quickly with minor changes to eating habits and nutritional supplementation, but some conditions require a more complex approach and complete health may take a little longer to achieve. Having a healthy body without the intervention of drugs is something that many people wish to accomplish. DABCI doctors are very well educated on how to prevent disease, as well as, how to treat it with natural therapies and nutrition. If you wish to learn how to help yourself and your family live longer, more active and healthy lives call your DABCI practitioner today. For a list of practicing DABCI doctors in the US you can go to our website www.drkessinger.com/dabci_locator.html. Doctors are listed by state and can be found through their local phone directory.

Why do we cough, sneeze and experience other symptoms?

Did you know that coughing, sneezing, runny nose and eyes, diarrhea and fever are natural responses to bacteria, viruses and allergens? Your body knows to do these things to rid itself of invading organisms. Of course, many of us find these symptoms bothersome and difficult to deal with. Before you reach for that bottle of fever reducer or cold medicine, you should think about how your body functions.


The symptoms that your body exhibits when you have a cold or flu are actually an immune response. Your body coughs to clear out the lungs, sneezes & sniffles to rid the sinus passages of dirt and germs, watery eyes cleanse the soft tissue of the eye, fever is to make the body less habitable for organisms, and diarrhea is to rid the intestines of unwanted organisms.


When you look at it this way, it makes less sense to run right to the medicine cabinet and reach for an over the counter relief product, doesn't it? Your body has an innate ability to heal itself, when it is provided with proper nutrition and rest. Why would you want to stop your body from doing what it does best? Taking medicines to reduce the normal symptoms of a cold or flu can actually prolong the duration of an illness, because the body can not expel the invading organisms like it needs to. Of course, we all have responsibilities and things to do, but if we take the time to rest and allow our body to heal itself we would be healthy, and back on course much sooner.


Natural Solutions


Prevention is key, but even the most healthy person gets a bug occasionally. Maintaining a strong immune system is vital to avoiding the seasonal viruses that seem to run rampant through schools and work places. Below are some great ways to help boost your body's natural response and immunity.


Vitamin A - Vitamin A is often overlooked, but its role in immune health is not to be undersold. Vitamin A is depleted when the immune system is in high gear and fighting off bugs. Replacing this vitamin is very important for children and adults alike. Supplementation is available, and eating foods such as; carrots, spinach, apricots, cantalope, sweet potatoes, dark leafy greens, and other orange colored vegetables can increase your vitamin A levels over time. It is important to make sure your diet contains these foods regularly.


Vitamin C - This vitamin can not be made by the human body. It is very important to cell growth, immune health, cancer prevention and other body functions. Eating citrus fruits frequently and taking a good vitamin C supplement is necessary for a healthy immune system.


Vitamin D - This nutrient is key in immune health and almost all Americans are low on vitamin D. This vitamin is not taken in by eating foods, it is metabolized by the body when exposed to the sun. Even in the summer time we do not absorb enough of the suns rays to metabolize adequate levels of this important vitamin. Before you take a D supplement you should have your levels checked, and your physician should monitor your levels to ensure they are in optimal range. Vitamin D not only helps fight depression, autoimmune disease and fibromyalgia, it is known to reduce the risks of certain kinds of cancer, too.


Vitamin E - An antioxidant, helps the body reduce free radicals and is an essential nutrient for immune health. It is known to prevent certain types of cancer, heart disease, eye disorders and mental disorders.


In addition to the nutrients listed above there are many other nutrients that are required for a healthy body. Some of these include, zinc, iron, iodine and essential fatty acids. If you are concerned about managing a healthy immune system, feel free to stop in and talk to our staff about what you can do to increase your odds of staying healthy.


Reducing Allergic Reactions


For those of us that have seasonal allergies, immune health is very important. Allergies are a sign that the immune system is not opperating at its optimum level. Along with supporting the immune system allergy sufferers must take an active role in preparing their bodies to deal with the symptoms of allergies.


Symtom prevention - We use a product in our office which contains Quercitin, a powerful flavonoid, which helps to stabilize mast cells. Mast cells are the cells responsible for releasing histamine and other symptom producing chemicals into your blood stream. Quercitin strengthens mast cells and helps to prevent histamine release. (Histamine is what causes those annoying sinus and respiratory symptoms.) This product also has vitamin C, and Stinging Nettles Leaf, which is great to help support sinus passageway health. Bromelain is also used as an anti-inflammatory and it helps the body to absorb quercitin, along with supporting normal mucosal tissue. This great allergy fighting combination would not be complete without N-Acetyl L Cyeteine, which is also great for reducing the viscosity of mucous. We use this product for anyone who is suffering from an allergy or who wishes to prevent symptoms in the future.


Homeopathic remedies are also helpful with symptom prevention. Homeopathic tinctures which help the body build its response to specific allergens have been used for hundreds of years. There are options for broad spectrum products or to target specific allergens like cat dander or ragweed. These products can help your body become desensitized to a specific allergen so that your response is lessened over time.


Exercise is also important. In order for your immune system to operate at its optimum level, you must get regular exercise. Exercise promotes blood flow to all parts of your body, and by doing this it helps the body carry the important nutrients that all cells need to their destinations, along with carrying away things it no longer needs. Oxygen, which is increased by exercise, is vital to every cell in your body, and exercise is the best way to get it to those cells.


I hope you feel more educated about those annoying symptoms that happen when your body senses an invader. I also hope that you will think twice before you pop a pill for those symptoms in the future. Occasionally, we must do something to reduce the symptoms of a virus or allergy, but remember that by doing so we are hampering our bodies natural ability to handle things its own way.

Bone Density and Osteoporosis

Have you had a bone density test?

Do you know what information a bone density test provides you?

Do you know if your calcium or vitamin D levels are in an optimal range?



Your bones are not just bones. Bones are actually a living organ system that protects your internal organs, give you strength and the ability to move, and they are a vital part of blood cell production.



All of the systems in your body, including your bones, are constantly being torn down and rebuilt. The old cells are recycled and new ones are created to take their place. As a growing child bones are very flexible, but as they age they become more brittle. If proper nutrition is not provided to nourish the bones they can become brittle or weak, because they are not able to properly rebuild. This process is called bone loss. Bone loss causes the bones to become more porous and less flexible; therefore, more breakable!



Using prescription drugs to prevent osteoporosis actually defeats the purpose. These drugs stop the bones from tearing down and rebuilding the old bone cells. Which results in more dense, but old, fragile bones. Some drugs claim to stop bone loss, however if we stop the body from doing what it is meant to do, we can not expect it to function properly. Preventing bones from getting rid of old, used bone cells does not result in stronger bones. Supporting the body's natural process of rebuilding is what we should be focusing on.



Calcium alone does not make strong bones. It requires vitamin D, phosphorus and magnesium in the proper ratios (among other things) to provide the nutrients that bones need to rebuild. This said, these nutrients must be in the proper ratios in order to be effective. For Example; eating a diet high in phosphorus can cause the body to pull calcium from the bones to help the body process excess phosphorus. Carbonated beverages are high in phosphorus, and phosphorus requires calcium to be utilized by the body; so by consuming soft drinks (soda) and having insufficient calcium in your diet, you are depleting your bones every time you drink a soda. The same process happens if you have a low blood calcium and your body needs calcium for something, it pulls it from your bones! Sugar can also upset the balance of phosphorus/calcium in your body. Osteoporosis is not just a problem for the elderly any more!



Vitamin D has been found to be a very important nutrient and is essential for calcium absorption. Most Americans are low in vitamin D because of a lack of sun in the winter time, and many use sunscreen when outdoors. It is important to know what your vitamin D levels are, and take a supplement if necessary. Vitamin D supplementation can be very tricky and if you do not use an easy to absorb form, you are wasting your money. Vitamin D supplementation should be monitored by a health care practitioner. Vitamin D is responsible for helping calcium to be absorbed, building the immune system, fighting some kinds of cancers, and believe it or not, scientists are still learning about this wonderful vitamin.



Magnesium is found in the bones, but is also used in other body functions. It is known to assist in muscle relaxation, cardiovascular function and many other processes in the body. Calcium and magnesium also work together just as calcium works with phosphorus and vitamin D. If magnesium levels are too low or too high, it can be a serious condition.



The acid in your stomach is also an important factor in the utilization of calcium and other nutrients. If antacids are taken to reduce stomach acid, then calcium is not properly broken down and it can not be utilized by the body. Some antacids brag that they have calcium in them, but the calcium in those antacids (calcium carbonate) is not easily absorbed by the body, and if the stomach acid is reduced by the antacid.... how are you supposed to digest that calcium anyway?



All forms of calcium are not created equally. Calcium citrate is the most readily absorbed by the body. Calcium lactate is great for muscle cramps, and calcium gluconate is most often used for children. Again, taking a calcium supplement without the supporting minerals and vitamins doesn't provide the proper balance, so it's important to discuss this with your doctor.



Osteoporosis can be prevented, and in most cases reversed. Nutrients are very important in this process, but weight bearing exercise is also very important. The bone's ability do stay dense hinges on the body's need for bone strength. If you compare a sedentary person and an active person of the same age and sex with similar diets, the active person will have a higher bone density than the sedentary person. The body only does what it deems is necessary for survival and if you are not using your bones, you lose them!



Most hip fractures are not caused by a fall, but instead, actually cause the fall. Spontaneous hip fracture is common in the elderly. Sometimes they are the result of a simple twist which snaps the bone and causes the person to fall. These hip fractures caused by osteoporosis tend to force the individual to be confined to a wheelchair and can be very painful. Many people never fully recover from this type of fracture. Many times these painful falls could be prevented by proper dietary changes, regular weight bearing exercise, and necessary supplementation.



A bone density test can be done at any age, and provides you a comparison of what your bones look like compared to other healthy people your age. This information can be a pivotal point in your own personal health care goals. Having your bone density and vitamin levels checked is crucial in managing bone loss. Call us today to schedule an appointment to make sure that your bones are healthy and strong.

For a short video on Osteoporosis click here.

Are Energy Drinks a good idea?

Do you or your children drink energy drinks such as Red Bull, Monster or Rock Star? Have you ever read the label on these drinks?



I think that everything you put in your body should be considered for its nutritional value. Empty calories are definitely one of the reasons that America is the most overweight society in the world. What I mean by empty calories is, food or drinks that we consume which have very little nutritional benefit per calorie.



Energy drinks, though they do give you a burst of energy, are full of caffeine and sugar. One energy drink may have as much as 6 times the caffeine as a similar sized soda. Caffeine raises heart rate, and if consumed in high quantities, a person with heart problems could die from altered heart rhythm.



Some of the symptoms caused by energy drinks are:

• Heart Rate Acceleration or Irregular Beat


• Dehydration (caused by the diuretic effects of caffeine and excessive sweating)


• Stomach Problems


• Fatigue


• Insomnia


• High Blood Pressure


• Weight Gain


• Irritability

Energy drinks were not designed to quench your thirst. They do not hydrate the body, in fact, they cause dehydration through excess sweat production and frequent urination. This can cause an imbalance in electrolytes, which are what help your heart function properly. Caffeine can also cause heart burn.

Many people find that when they use energy drinks they have a boost of energy, but then they feel tired later, which causes them to drink more energy drinks. If you consume high doses of caffeine in the afternoon, it can disrupt normal sleep patterns and cause you to feel less rested in the morning. Which leads to weight gain, and irritability. Some things never change. Remember the Dr. Pepper sign is 10, 2 & 4, denoting the time of day you should consume it to cure the craving.

Consumption of sugar is linked to a low functioning immune system, ADD, ADHD, Fibromyalgia and many other physical ailments including Candida overgrowth. Reducing daily intake of sugar is recommended for all ages.

The natural approach to eliminating these drinks from your diet would be:

• Get enough sleep ( most people need 7-8 hours a night to feel rested)


• Get daily exercise - 20 minutes of walking at a fast pace


• Eat more nutritious foods - get the best out of the calories you consume


• Take a multi vitamin with B-Complex ( B vitamins help the body process glucose and turn it into energy)

Using chemicals to alter your body function is never recommended to maintain a healthy lifestyle. Doctors are still learning what high amounts of caffeine can do to a growing child. Parents should definitely limit intake of caffeine in children.

For a list of foods and their nutrients go to http://www.drkessinger.com/images/foods_nutrients.pdf.

Are statin drugs safe for healthy people?

According to some new information that's been hitting the presses lately, the FDA has approved using statin drugs such as Crestor in otherwise healthy adults to "prevent" high cholesterol. According to an article on National News Desk from Dec. 17, 2009, the FDA has approved statin drugs for people who have an elevated C-Reactive Protein, to reduce the risk of heart attack and strokes, but this benefit may increase the occurrence of diabetes in these patients.

As you well know, our practice has always taken the stance that healthy people don't need chemicals or drugs to stay healthy. If you read the article noted above it appears that the FDA would rather you die slowly from diabetes, than quickly from a heart attack... It makes no sense to trade one catastrophic event for another, especially when both type 2 diabetes and heart disease can be prevented by a healthy diet and a minimal amount of regular aerobic exercise. We prefer that you live a long prosperous life, and die naturally of old age!



It is becoming more and more obvious that we, as humans, must take responsibility for our own health. The current "health care system", which has trained doctors and patients alike to look to prescriptions and surgeries to change the outcome of our nations health, has come under much scriutiny this year. This challenge has brought to light the fact that, as a nation, we have become a complacent society; in more ways than just one. It is up to each of us, as individuals, to take stock in what is important for ourselves and our family, and change our future for the better.



C-Reactive Protein is an inflammation marker that we use in our clinic every day to help monitor the cardiovascular health of our patients. Often "CRP" can be lowered rather quickly with some minor changes to lifestyle, diet and nutrients. Hemoglobin A1C is also a test that is used to monitor a persons sugar levels over time. These two very simple blood tests are great ways to check a patients progress.



Keep in mind that when something is too good to be true, most times it is. When a study is published that goes against what you believe to be true, challenge it. Check to see who funded the study, and who completed it. If the company who completed the study stands to make money from the outcome of the information, then chances are the deck was stacked to come out on their side.



True wellness requires that you pay attention to your body, listen when it tells you something is not quite right, educate yourself on a healthy diet, and work in that 15-20 minutes of aerobic exercise every day. As our bodies age, we lose the ability to make and utilize some of the nutrients that we need to stay healthy, such as;

• Essential Fatty Acids, commonly referred to as fish oil or Omega 3, 6, 9. Used to fight inflammation, ease depression and lube up the joints and arteries.


• Vitamin D - the sunshine vitamin. Boosts the immune system, fights cancer cells, aids calcium absorption and many other great things yet to be discovered!


• Vitamin E, a powerful antioxidant which also helps fight inflammation and is known to ease PMS and Menopausal symptoms too.


• Vitamin C - Crucial to good health, known to fight cancer, build the immune system and has a chelating effect on the plaque in the arteries


• Co-Q Enzyme 10 - many people over 40 have lost the ability to make this key antioxidant which is known to help reduce inflammation and lower C-Reactive Protein.


• Alpha Liopoc Acid - another important element to health that is reduced with age, Alpha Lipoic Acid is known to reduce blood glucose levels by converting it to energy, it also eases neuropathy related to diabetes.


• B-Complex - B Vitamins including folic acid are among some of the many essential vitamins and minerals that Americans lack. They are also the first to go when you are under constant stress. The body relies on B-vitamins for energy, and stress uses them up rather quickly.

Of course... I could go on all day about nutrients that supply your body with the help it needs to stay healthy...the point is... its up to you to stay well. No magic pill is going to rescue you from diabetes or heart disease if you eat a diet high in processed foods, sugar and fat.

If you wish to check your health status call us to set up your March Madness appointment. To get a complete work up its only $250.00. More information is available on our website at http://www.drkessinger.com/images/march.pdf

Healthy New Attitudes for the New Year

We hope you all had a fantastic holiday season and that you are looking forward to a blissful and healthy new year. With that in mind we wanted to give you a few pointers as to how to achieve a healthier you over the next several months.

Exercise is the most important thing that you can do for your health. All you need to start lowering your risk for Diabetes, Heart Disease, Weight Gain and many other health related issues is 210 minutes of exercise a week. Take the stairs, park in the back of the parking lot, walk around the block when you go get the mail or take the dogs for a walk. It's easy to fit in, if you make it a priority. Exercise increases the amount of oxygen in your blood and increases blood flow to extremities also.

Water is required for all life. Your body is made mostly of water, and without it you would die in a few days. Water cleanses your system and helps your body process nutrients. There is no substitute for clean water. You should try to consume at least 6-8 eight ounce glasses of water a day, more if you are exercising or doing physical activities.

Sugar reduces your body's ability to handle pain, and it decreases the effectiveness of your immune system. One teaspoon of sugar, can reduce your immune system by 50% for up to 4 hours. Sugar is found naturally in fruits, but fruits contain fiber, enzymes and other nutrients that are good for your body. Sweetened drinks provide a concentrated amount of sugar which is more than the body can use in a reasonable amount of time, so it is saved as fat. This fat often surrounds your vital organs such as your liver or heart. Even "diet" drinks which have no sugar added have sweeteners which may not increase your blood glucose levels, but they do require that the body process them, much in the same manner as sugar. Which has the same results as eating sugar, such as High Fructose Corn Syrup.

High Fructose Corn Syrup is a highly concentrated sugar which is in many processed foods. It's used in Ketchup, breads, cereals and many of the foods you eat every day. In order to reduce your sugar intake you must be ready to read food labels, and take responsibility of the amount of sugar, in many different forms, that you consume. For a list of names that sugar appears as in food labels, stop by our office. We are happy to provide a printed list of the many technical names for sugar. Avoiding packaged foods is the number one way to reduce the amount of high fructose corn syrup and sugar you consume.

Protein is vital for energy, and the rebuilding of tissues and cells. Lean proteins are a great way to help burn off those excess calories, too. Your body requires protein to survive and it can come from many sources. Beans and lentils are a great low fat way to add protein to your diet. The fiber in beans & lentils also help to reduce fat and sugar in your blood stream.

Fiber is one of the things that the American diet does not have enough of. Many Americans fall very short on the recommended amount of fiber, which has shown to reduce the occurrence of colon cancer, IBS, diverticulitis and other intestinal problems. Fiber helps to lower the sugars and fats in your blood by absorbing them in the intestines and moving them out of the body. If there is not enough fiber in your diet these sugars and fats are re-absorbed into your blood and processed. Wouldn't you rather get rid of the excess sugar and fat in your system??? Eat More Fiber! We also have a great psyllium seed fiber product for those of you who have a hard time getting enough fiber. Come see us for more information.

Vegetables and Fruits are the best way to make sure you are getting more fiber, and they are rich in antioxidants. You should eat a variety of these vitamin packed foods every day. Try adding different colored vegetables and fruits to your diet, because each color has different antioxidant properties. Studies show that people who eat 7 servings of fruits and/or vegetables a day have less cancer, are thinner, healthier and have more energy than people who do not. Beware: Fruit juice may count as a serving of fruit, but remember that fruit juices do not always have the fiber and other benefits that come with eating the fruit itself, and they have more of a sugar concentration than the actual fruit. Unless you are doing your own juicing, try to stick to eating the whole fruit and vegetable.

Grains are important also, but many of the wheat and oat products that are available in stores today are so broken down and bleached that there are hardly any nutrients left. B vitamins come from whole grains along with other very important nutrients, which aid in keeping your mood elevated. Oatmeal is great for you if you eat real oatmeal, the minute version and the prepackaged microwave packages are not the best source for oats. Grains should take more than a minute to cook if they are whole. Oatmeal usually requires 5 minutes in boiling water to be cooked, and most other grains require similar treatment. Look for these kinds of grains when shopping for healthy whole grains. In breads watch out for high fructose corn syrup also.

Vitamins and Minerals are what keeps our bodies running like a well oiled machine. Without them you would not be able to function at all. With the lifestyles that most of us live and the limited amount of time we have to prepare our meals, many of us do not get the proper amount of nutrition from our diets. Studies also show that most Americans are low on vitamin D which is essential to calcium absorption, and immune function, along with other bodily functions. We just don't absorb enough of the suns UV-B rays to make enough vitamin D. The reasons for this are numerous; lack of exposure, use of sunscreen, inability to convert/absorb etc. Supplementation for most of us is crucial to our development. Without the proper nutrients, our bodies just can't create new healthy cells. Adults over 40 should supplement with CoQ10, as well as vitamin D and several other important nutrients. If you wish to discuss these nutrients with one of our doctors please come by or call for an appointment. Visit our blog for more information on these nutrients.

Rest is ultimately important for stress reduction and overall health. Your body needs sleep to rejuvenate and build new cells, and manage your metabolism. Setting a standard sleeping pattern is best. Go to bed about the same time each day and rise at about the same time every day to help train your body to rest completely. It's also good to plan mealtimes, eating a small meal or snack every three hours is also a good practice. Its good for the metabolism.

The Bottom Line
Remember the old adage "Your body is a Temple"? We should treat our bodies like temples, if we don't we may end up with a shack. We need to provide our well oiled machines with the building blocks of healthy cells. If we exercise, get plenty of rest, drink clean water, avoid processed foods and eat a healthy diet of lean protein and fruits and vegetables, we are surely on the right track. Supplementing nutrients that our bodies either lack, or are not proficient at producing, is also key to keeping our temples in tip top condition.

We wish you all the best in the years to come, and if there is anything we can do to assist you in your quest for a healthy you... just give us a call!

Diabetes Epidemic Expected to Double

Reprinted with Permission of Dr. Mercola December 15 2009

According to recent estimates, the total number of Americans with diabetes will almost double in the next 25 years -- from the current 23.7 million to 44.1 million in 2034. Annual costs for treating those patients are expected to soar, nearly tripling from the current $113 billion to some $336 billion.

The figures are, if anything, on the conservative side, since they are based on the notion that obesity levels will plateau, and even decline, by 2033. If actual prevalence outpaces these estimates, the cases of diabetes, and resulting costs, could be even higher.

Past estimates often dramatically underestimated just how quickly the problem would grow. Figures from 1991 projected that some 11.6 million Americans would have diabetes by 2030. In fact, that's fewer than half of the total number of Americans with diabetes right now.
Sources:
Time November 27, 2009
Diabetes Care December 2009, vol. 32 no. 12 2225-2229

Dr. Mercola’s Comments

Diabetes cases are growing at lightning speed. Nearly 14 percent of men and 12 percent of women over 30 in the United States have diabetes, and close to one-third of them don’t know it.

But even worse are those with pre-diabetes, who are a hair’s breath away from the full-blown disease. Nearly one in four people in the U.S. have pre-diabetes.

That is just absolutely amazing. ONE IN FOUR. Please read that again a few times. Again, many are walking around clueless that they have this illness.

Further, in the next 25 years the number of people with diabetes is expected to double to over 44 million, while annual costs for treating those patients are expected to nearly triple from the current $113 billion to $336 billion.

Most of my paternal relatives (my dad included), have, or have died from, diabetes, so this is an issue very close to my heart. It’s also a disease that is becoming so commonplace that it’s easy to overlook the very serious consequences it can have on your health.

But diabetes is not a disease to be taken lightly. It increases your risk of heart disease and brings on fatal and non-fatal heart attacks, strokes and other cardiovascular events 15 years earlier than in those without diabetes, as well as significantly shortens your lifespan.

The additional health complications that diabetes fosters are numerous, and quite serious, including:
Heart disease and stroke
High blood pressure
Blindness
Kidney disease
Nervous system disease
Amputations
Dental disease
Pregnancy complications

Why are Diabetes Cases Surging?
The latest statistics on diabetes in the US are a very sad testament and a major clue that conventional medicine has it all wrong; their standard diabetes recommendations -- both in terms of medication and nutrition -- are incorrect.

At best, they simply do not work. At worst, they’re aggravating your problem and speeding up the deteriorating disease process.

By some estimates, diabetes has increased more than 700 percent in the last 50 years. What does this tell you about the advice you’ve been given and the direction you’ve been led in by conventional medicine?

There’s no doubt in my mind that if government agencies and the medical community would do the right thing; i.e. stop catering to the greedy demands of the industries of sugar, grain and pharmaceuticals, and start issuing recommendations that actually promote health rather than deteriorating it further, this modern epidemic would be curbed in fairly short order.

Unfortunately, the vast majority of physicians are still seriously confused about this issue, which is why most doctors cause diabetics to D. I. E.

Serious Problems With Conventional Diabetes Recommendations
Diabetes is NOT a blood sugar disease like your doctor may have led you to believe.

Type 2 diabetes is a disease caused by insulin resistance and faulty leptin signaling, both of which are regulated through your diet.


Until that concept becomes well-known in both the medical community and by the public at large, the misconception about what diabetes is and the appropriate way to treat it will continue to be promoted.

Conventional treatment that is focused on fixing the symptom of elevated blood sugar, rather than addressing the underlying disease, is doomed to fail in most cases. Treatments that concentrate merely on lowering blood sugar while raising insulin levels can actually worsen rather than remedy the actual problem of metabolic miscommunication. It just trades one evil for another.

Since most treatments for type 2 diabetes utilize drugs that either raise insulin or lower blood sugar, the tragic result is that the typical, conventional medical treatment for diabetes contributes to the additional diseases and the shortened lifespan that diabetics experience.

Let me assure you, the cure for type 2 diabetes has NOTHING to do with giving insulin. Giving someone with type 2 diabetes insulin is one of the WORST things that can be done. Any physician doing this is suffering from ignorance of insulin physiology.

If You Have Diabetes, You Need to Know About Leptin
The hormone leptin is largely responsible for the accuracy of insulin signaling and whether you become insulin resistant or not.

Leptin, a relatively recently discovered hormone produced by fat, tells your body and brain how much energy it has, whether it needs more (saying "be hungry"), whether it should get rid of some (and stop being hungry) and importantly what to do with the energy it has (reproduce, upregulate cellular repair, or not).

In fact, the two most important organs that may determine whether you become (type 2, insulin resistant) diabetic or not are your liver and your brain, and it is their ability to listen to leptin that will determine this.

When your blood sugar becomes elevated it is a signal for insulin to be released to direct the extra energy into storage. A small amount is stored as a starch called glycogen in your body, but the majority is stored as your main energy supply -- fat. Thus, in this regard insulin's major role is not to lower sugar, but to take the extra energy and store it for future times of need.
Insulin lowers your blood sugar as a side effect of directing the extra energy into storage.

This is why treatments that concentrate merely on lowering blood sugar for diabetes while raising insulin levels can actually worsen rather than remedy the actual problem of metabolic miscommunication.

Please understand that if you only implement strategies to treat your blood sugar level, you are destined for premature death. Taking insulin is one of the WORST things you can do, as it will actually make your insulin and leptin resistance worse over time.

Most Diabetes Cases Can be Cured With Lifestyle Changes
Nearly 100 percent of type 2 diabetics can be successfully treated -- meaning you will no longer have the symptoms of diabetes, or the high risk of developing health complications -- if you are willing to implement the recommendations I provide below.

If you follow these recommendations, your likelihood of successfully going off of drugs and having normal blood sugars is close to 100%, as treating type 2 diabetes is simply a matter of implementing some basic strategies to improve your insulin and leptin resistance:

1. Exercise
Exercise is an absolutely essential factor, without which you’re highly unlikely to get this devastating disease under control. It is clearly one of the most potent ways to lower your insulin and leptin resistance.

Typically, you’ll need large amounts of exercise, until you get your blood sugar levels under control. You may need up to an hour or two a day. Naturally, you’ll want to gradually work your way up to that amount, based on your current level of fitness.

2. Eliminate Grains and Sugars
For the last 50 years, many people have been following the nutritional recommendations dictated by conventional health agencies, which advise a high complex carbohydrate, low saturated fat diet. The end result has been a 700 percent increase in diabetes in the same time frame and many have come to view diabetes as an incurable chronic disease…

This is clearly not true; rather, it’s the inevitable result of seriously flawed dietary recommendations. Instead, you’ll want to eliminate foods that your body will react to by creating insulin, which includes all types of sugars and grains -- even “healthy” grains such as whole, organic grains. This means avoiding all breads, pasta, cereals, rice, potatoes, and corn (which is in fact a grain). You may even need to avoid fruits until your blood sugar is under control.

3. Eat Right for Your Nutritional Type
Exercising and avoiding grains and sugars might not be enough unless you balance your protein, carb and fat ratios for your unique and specific genetic biochemistry. This is based on The Metabolic Typing Diet.™

4. Monitor Your Fasting Insulin Level
This is every bit as important as your fasting blood sugar. You’ll want your fasting insulin level to be between 2 to 4. The higher your level, the worse your insulin receptor sensitivity is.

The recommendations mentioned above are the key steps you need to achieve this reduction.

5. Optimize Your Vitamin D Level**
Interestingly, optimizing your vitamin D levels can not only help improve type 2 diabetes if you have it, but can likely eliminate the risk of type 1 diabetes in your children if you are pregnant. It’s also vital for infants to receive the appropriate amounts of vitamin D in their early years for these same reasons.

Ideally, you’ll want to do this by exposing a large amount of your skin to appropriate amounts of sunshine (or a safe tanning bed) on a regular basis, year-round. Your body can safely create up to 20,000 units of vitamin D a day this way.

However, if neither of these options are available, you may want to use an oral vitamin D3 supplement. But remember, if you choose to take an oral supplement it’s essential that you get your levels tested regularly by a proficient lab to make sure you’re not reaching toxic levels, and are within the therapeutic range. Maintaining your vitamin D levels around 60-80 ng/ml can significantly help control your blood sugar.

These are the top steps you should take, starting today, if you have type 2 diabetes. Doing so will virtually guarantee that your diabetes will disappear. And if you want to make sure you are not one of the millions impacted by the coming diabetes epidemic, these same steps will help you to stay healthy and diabetes-free.

**Vitamin D testing can be done with a simple blood test at our office in Rolla, MO. We also have a great Micelized vitamin D3 supplement available for those who need it. Studies show that most americans are low on vitamin D.

Managing Inflammation in Your Body

Inflammation is your body's natural response to bacteria, viruses and foreign matter. It is a normal reaction and is actually part of the healing process.....in a normal situation. The problems begin when this normal response to everyday stimulus, doesn't do its duty and then go away.


In any situation where your body finds something that does not belong, a reaction begins immediately to fight off the invader. Depending on the type of invader it is, you could have several different reactions. Many common reactions to these invaders are itchy-watery eyes, runny nose, fever, rash, body aches and the like. These irritations are actually not symptoms of the invader itself, they are caused by your body's natural response to the foreign objects. Due to years and years of ads showing that you can reduce fever with pills, many people think that a fever is a bad thing and they take an over the counter medicine as soon as it hits. This actually goes against what your body does automatically to fight off viruses and bacteria.


In a situation of constant inflammation, such-as many autoimmune disorders, the body is continuously fighting, and sometimes its even fighting itself. Chronic inflammation numbs the body's ability to determine the good guys from the bad guys. Which means it could also attack its own tissues, or become so inflamed that it can not do its job properly.

Chronic inflammation of the arteries is what allows plaque to attach itself to the walls of the arteries and cause blockages and hardening of the arteries. This particular type of inflammation can be checked by testing the levels of C-reactive protein in the blood, which we do at our clinic.


If your intestines are inflamed, much of what we eat could pass on by and the nutrients would not be absorbed. This could also allow things that we would not normally use as nutrition (such as pesticides, and microorganisms) to be absorbed by the body. Intestinal inflammations are most often caused by what we eat. Food sensitivity testing is the best way to find out what is causing this type of inflammation.

Many people are unaware that being overweight actually causes inflammation in your body, and that diabetes is an inflammatory condition. Testing shows that reducing your weight, and your risk of diabetes reduces the amount of inflammation in your body automatically. Exercise is also a great way to help your body fight inflammation. It gets all of your "juices" flowing and gets blood and oxygen into places where it may not be reaching easily.

Chronic inflammation can be caused by many different factors. Many times inflammation is increased by the types of foods we consume, but it can also be reduced by what we eat. We do recommend that you avoid certain types of foods if you have inflammation of any kind. Soda, pork, chocolate, cows milk, and sugar are some of the foods that increase inflammation. To reduce inflammation you should increase your intake of certain nutrients. We typically recommend supplements such as buffered vitamin C, Essential Fatty Acids, Bromelain, Quercetin, and sometimes others, depending on the type of inflammation.

For more information and to reduce the inflammation in your body please feel free to stop by our office. We have dietary recommendations and supplements available at your convenience.

What Soft Drinks are Doing to Your Body

Soda, pop, cola, soft drink — whatever you call it, it is one of the worst beverages that you could be drinking for your health. As the debate for whether to put a tax on the sale of soft drinks continues, you should know how they affect your body so that you can make an informed choice on your own.

Soft drinks are hard on your health
Soft drinks contain little to no vitamins or other essential nutrients. However, it is what they do contain that is the problem: caffeine, carbonation, simple sugars — or worse, sugar substitutes — and often food additives such as artificial coloring, flavoring, and preservatives.

A lot of research has found that consumption of soft drinks in high quantity, especially by children, is responsible for many health problems that include tooth decay, nutritional depletion, obesity, type-2 diabetes, and heart disease.
Why the sugar in soft drinks isn’t so sweet

Most soft drinks contain a high amount of simple sugars. The USDA recommendation of sugar consumption for a 2,000-calorie diet is a daily allotment of 10 teaspoons of added sugars. Many soft drinks contain more than this amount!

Just why is too much sugar so unhealthy? Well, to start, let's talk about what happens to you as sugar enters your body. When you drink sodas that are packed with simple sugars, the pancreas is called upon to produce and release insulin, a hormone that empties the sugar in your blood stream into all the tissues and cells for usage. The result of overindulging in simple sugar is raised insulin levels. Raised blood insulin levels beyond the norm can lead to depression of the immune system, which in turn weakens your ability to fight disease. Something else to consider is that most of the excess sugar ends up being stored as fat in your body, which results in weight gain and elevates risk for heart disease and cancer. One study found that when subjects were given refined sugar, their white blood cell count decreased significantly for several hours afterwards. Another study discovered that rats fed a high-sugar diet had a substantially elevated rate of breast cancer when compared to rats on a regular diet.

The health effects of diet soda

You may come to the conclusion that diet or sugar-free soda is a better choice. However, one study discovered that drinking one or more soft drinks a day — and it didn’t matter whether it was diet or regular — led to a 30% greater chance of weight gain around the belly. Diet soda is filled with artificial sweeteners such as aspartame, sucralose, or saccharin. These artificial sweeteners pose a threat to your health. Saccharin, for instance, has been found to be carcinogenic, and studies have found that it produced bladder cancer in rats. Aspartame, commonly known as nutrasweet, is a chemical that stimulates the brain to think the food is sweet. It breaks down into acpartic acid, phenylalanine, and methanol at a temperature of 86 degrees. (Remember, your stomach is somewhere around 98 degrees.) An article put out by the University of Texas found that aspartame has been linked to obesity. The process of stimulating the brain causes more cravings for sweets and leads to carbohydrate loading.

Carbonation depletes calcium

Beverages with bubbles contain phosphoric acid, which can severely deplete the blood calcium levels; calcium is a key component of the bone matrix. With less concentration of calcium over a long time, it can lower deposition rates so that bone mass and density suffer. This means that drinking sodas and carbonated water increases your risk of osteoporosis. Add in the caffeine usually present in soft drinks, and you are in for even more trouble. Caffeine can deplete the body’s calcium, in addition to stimulating your central nervous system and contributing to stress, a racing mind, and insomnia.

Skip the soda and go for:
• Fresh water
Water is a vital beverage for good health. Each and every cell needs water to perform its essential functions. Since studies show that tap water is filled with contaminants, antibiotics, and a number of other unhealthy substances, consider investing in a quality carbon-based filter for your tap water. To find out more about a high-performance filtration system, click here.
On the go? Try using a stainless steel thermos or glass bottle, filled with filtered water. Enhance the flavor of your water with a refreshing infusion of basil, mint leaves, and a drop of honey.

• Fruit Juice
If you are a juice drinker, try watering down your juice to cut back on the sugar content. Buy a jar of organic 100% juice, especially cranberry, acai, pomegranate, and then dilute three parts filtered water to one part juice. You will get a subtle sweet taste and the benefit of antioxidants. After a couple of weeks, you will no longer miss the sweetness of sugary concentrated juices.

• Tea
Tea gently lifts your energy and has numerous health benefits. Black, green, white, and oolong teas all contain antioxidant polyphenols. In fact, tea ranks as high or higher than many fruits and vegetables on the ORAC scale, the score that measures antioxidant potential of plant-based foods.

Herbal tea does not have the same antioxidant properties, though it is still a great beverage choice with other health benefits, such as inducing calming and relaxing effects.

If tea doesn’t satisfy your sweet tooth, try adding cinnamon or a little honey, which has important health benefits that refined sugar lacks. For a selection of healthy teas that promote total body wellness, click here. Drink up!

I hope you find the ways and means to avoid soft drinks. I invite you to visit often and share your own personal health and longevity tips with me.

May you live long, live strong, and live happy!
Dr Mao