Fighting Heartburn and GERD Naturally – and Safely! :: Terry Talks Nutrition

Almost everyone has experienced heartburn. Usually, the first thing a person does to stop the pain is reach for a couple of antacids. It’s almost a trained response; we’ve all seen the commercials on TV telling us why stomach acid is the culprit behind acid reflux, and the best thing to do is eliminate it as quickly as possible.

Actually, that’s about the worst thing you could do.

We need stomach acid. Without it, we risk broken bones, food poisoning, infections, and even pneumonia, in addition to not being able to digest food properly. But that doesn’t mean you have to suffer with the pain and worse, esophageal damage, of heartburn. There are extremely effective natural ingredients that can stop the burn and soothe the digestive system without interfering with stomach acid. In this week’s Terry Talks Nutrition, we’re going to talk about botanical solutions to the growing heartburn problem.

What causes the fire?

While it isn’t immediately life-threatening, the pain from heartburn can be so severe that sometimes people mistake it for a heart attack. The “burn” is caused by stomach acids overflowing from the stomach into the esophagus. This is usually because of a one-way valve called the lower esophageal sphincter (LES). This valve allows food to enter the stomach from the esophagus, but keeps the stomach contents from coming back up into the esophagus. When the LES opens at the wrong time, or doesn’t close properly, the acidic digestive juices in the stomach splash onto the unprotected lining of the esophagus, causing the characteristic “burn” of heartburn.

Of course, heartburn is one thing, but gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD) is another, more serious condition. When stomach acid repeatedly washes up into the delicate structures of the esophagus it causes real damage over time, destroying the mucosal lining – possibly leading to ulcers. Even worse, chronic irritation of the lower end of the esophagus may lead to a pre-cancerous condition called Barrett’s esophagus, which in turn can lead to cancer. In fact, it has been estimated that people with Barrett’s esophagus have 40 times the risk of esophageal cancer as those without this problem. Therefore, it is important to eliminate chronic heartburn for more reasons than merely reducing occasional discomfort.

People with GERD may have other symptoms as well, including chronic coughing, wheezing and regurgitation of food. And unfortunately, the billion dollars a year that Americans spend for antacid products to treat their heartburn and GERD not only won’t help – they are making the problem worse!

Stomach acid is not the enemy.

While many manufacturers promote and sell products that reduce stomach acid as a way to treat heartburn, these products are not the solution. Although they may – temporarily – stop the pain of heartburn, interfering with the body’s production of stomach acid does not help the underlying processes that lead to heartburn in the first place. And reducing stomach acid causes a whole new set of problems instead.

Normally, when the contents of the stomach are properly acidified, the pyloric valve at the lower end of the stomach opens, allowing stomach contents to move into the duodenum, the first section of the intestines, where digestion continues and absorption of nutrients begins.

However, if stomach acid levels are low, it takes a lot longer for the stomach’s contents to ferment, and that causes gas that presses against the esophageal valve. Over time, the valve weakens and the acidified contents of the stomach spill back into the esophagus, causing the pain of heartburn, and over time, the potential complications of GERD.

Reducing stomach acid is not the answer.

The reason why antacids and drugs that reduce acid production appear to work is because, as they neutralize stomach acids, the pyloric valve opens too quickly and allows the not fully-processed stomach contents into the duodenum. Because the stomach empties faster, there is less chance of the contents escaping back up into the esophagus. Plus, anything that does back up is less acidic, and less irritating to the esophagus.

So why is this bad? There are some important reasons:
Proteins that were supposed to be broken down in the stomach are now in the intestines, and could actually act as an allergen. This may contribute greatly to leaky gut syndrome and irritable bowel.

Protein not being broken down properly means that calcium and iron aren’t being absorbed properly either. In fact, use of acid inhibiting drugs has been associated with a 25% increased risk of bone fracture.

Harmful bacteria that could have been destroyed by stomach acids now have a “free pass” into the intestines, where they could do much more harm. Particularly dangerous bacteria called Clostridium difficile have been found to cause infections much more often in people who use acid blocking drugs.

Neutralizing stomach acids with antacids (Rolaids, Tums, Maalox, Mylanta, etc) causes a rebound effect in which the body in turn OVER produces acid to compensate for the lack of acid in the stomach where it is needed.

A new study published in the Journal of the American Medical Association (JAMA) shows that if you go into a hospital and are prescribed Prilosec (omeprazole), Nexium (esomeprazole) or Prevacid (lansoprazole)—all drugs that greatly reduce acid production--you have a 30% increased risk for contracting pneumonia during your stay. [Shoshana J. Herzig, Michael D. Howell, Long H. Ngo, Edward R.

Marcantonio. Acid-Suppressive Medication Use and the Risk for Hospital-Acquired Pneumonia. JAMA. 2009 May. 301(20):2120-2128.]

Fortunately, there are ingredients that help relieve and prevent heartburn naturally, without interfering with normal, healthy stomach acidity!

Natural ingredients work with your body—not against it!

Additional things to remember about heartburn and GERD

Of course, if you have problems with recurring heartburn or suspect that you have GERD, there are other lifestyle choices you must consider. If you smoke, stop. The benefits will far exceed stopping your heartburn, and you’ll be healthier and feel better overall. Avoid those deep-fried foods that can upset the stomach and cause inflammation throughout the body. And, consider eating smaller, more frequent whole food meals to avoid filling up all at once.

Pregnant women often complain of heartburn as the increasing size of the baby places unusual pressure on the stomach and its contents. After the child is born, this issue usually completely resolves. Pregnant women may not need any further intervention for their heartburn than eating smaller meals and elevating the head of the bed with some wood blocks to help prevent reflux. If heartburn persists, please check with your health care practitioner to decide if using this natural intervention is right for you.

Obesity, especially apple-shaped patterns of obesity, contributes greatly to heartburn and GERD, as the additional fat places undue pressure on the stomach. Losing even 5 or 10 pounds can improve heartburn and GERD risk.

You don’t have to suffer

Heartburn and GERD are not only painful; they can be dangerous as the esophagus becomes damaged by excessive acid exposure. However, turning off the acid can do more harm than good. By avoiding acid-stopping OTC and prescription drugs, being smart about your diet and habits, and using high-quality natural ingredients, you’ll give your body a chance to heal itself naturally. It’s a solution that simply makes good sense—for the long run.

For more information on how to cope with acid naturally call our office!

Stevia: A Better Alternative to Sugar and Artificial Sweeteners

We always recommend that our patients and friends and family use stevia instead of artificial sweeteners and sugar. I found the below article on the internet and thought it was a great way to explain why!

Most medical experts would agree that one of the best ways to improve your health is to reduce your sugar intake. Doing this can help decrease one’s chances of getting diabetes and being overweight or obese---both epidemics in this country with adults and children alike. Consider these facts:
Since 1985, childhood diabetes has increased ten-fold. The Centers for Disease Control predicts that if this trend continues, one out of every three children born beginning in 2000 will develop diabetes in their lifetime.

About 2/3 of U.S. adults are overweight or obese; while up to 30% of children are overweight, compared to 4% in 1982. In the past 25 years, obesity in children has more than doubled, affecting at least 15% of school-age children! The average American ingests over 150 lbs. of sugar annually! That represents a whopping 30- 5 lb. bags of sugar each year! In reality, much of this sugar is in the form of high fructose corn syrup prevalent in foods because it’s much cheaper than sucrose, common tabletop sugar.

While some might think that artificial sweeteners are the best solution to curb our love affair with sugar, others disagree. Artificial sweeteners do eliminate the high calories and carbohydrates associated with sugar, however many believe that these alternatives are unsafe and are actually worse than sugar. So is there yet another alternative available?

If there were an all-natural sweetening ingredient that’s been used safely for over 30 years in other parts of the world for food applications and diabetes management with no ill effects, would you be interested? Well, such a substance does exist and it’s called stevia.

Using stevia, an all-natural alternative to sugar and artificial sweeteners, is gaining increasing popularity worldwide. Stevia rebaudiana, its botanical name, is derived from a plant in the chrysanthemum family grown primarily in South America and Asia. The plant’s intense sweetening qualities are complex molecules called steviosides that are glycosides made of glucose, sophorose and steviol. These are what make stevia up to 300 times sweeter than sugar and non-caloric. These glycosides do not get absorbed into the body; rather simply pass through leaving no calories. The Japanese have used stevia in food applications from soft drinks to soy sauce since the 1970s and recent reports indicate that stevia commands up to an incredible 50% share of Japan’s commercial sweetener market. Moreover countries like Brazil use stevia for the treatment for diabetes.

The advantages to stevia are numerous, so the following are the most frequently cited. In its pure form, it’s non-caloric and doesn’t affect glucose levels, an advantage for diabetics and hypoglycemics. Also, it has no carbohydrates or fat, so it’s great for dieters, especially those watching carb intake. Unlike artificial sweeteners, high quality stevia has little aftertaste when measured properly. It has no known side effects like some chemical sweeteners and has been safely consumed around the world for decades. Actually, stevia’s original medicinal uses date back centuries ago with the Paraguan Indians who mixed the herb in teas for its healing properties. Since stevia is sugar-free, candida sufferers can use it. Health conscious consumers take advantage of stevia to avoid sugar and help prevent diabetes and obesity. The website www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov, under the direction of the National Institutes of Health, National Library of Medicine and National Center of Biotechnology Information, offers abstracts from stevia studies that indicate it may also aid in lowering blood pressure and regulating glucose levels.

The average consumer may not have heard about stevia until recently because of its current FDA approval as a dietary supplement, not as a sweetener or food additive. Numerous studies worldwide tout its overall safety and health benefits. As of this writing, about ten countries, including Japan, Paraguay and Brazil have approved stevia as a sweetener and/or food additive.

The FDA approved the use of stevia only as a dietary supplement since 1995. This means stevia companies must maintain a fairly low profile, thereby limiting its distribution and marketing potential. For instance, health food stores and natural grocers must place stevia in the supplements section, not with the natural sweeteners for fear of the FDA mandate. The stores cannot promote the “sweetening” qualities of stevia, even though that’s why it is purchased.
Stevia can be used as a healthy substitute in most sugar applications, including baking and cooking since it is heat stable. The average conversion rate of sugar to stevia is one cup of sugar per one teaspoonful of pure stevia extract. Clearly very little stevia is needed to replace sugar. When used in beverages, stevia dissolves quickly and easily and, depending on your taste preference, only a pinch is needed. The real challenge to using stevia effectively is knowing what ingredients to use in a recipe to make up for the volume and consistency lost with the elimination of sugar, especially in baked goods. That’s why it’s a good idea to find stevia cookbooks with proven recipes when you’re starting out. You can also find some free recipes online. Finally, stevia is not appropriate in recipes that require sugar caramelizing or browning like meringues.

Stevia is available in many forms including liquid, teas, plants/leaves, pure white and green powdered extract and powdered blends with different fillers. In baking, the pure extract is used primarily and, in some cases, the liquid variety. Stevia can be purchased at health food stores, natural grocers, food coops and online. Currently a big push is underway to expand distribution into grocery stores, vitamin shops and drugstores.

Due to the number of factors that can influence your stevia purchase experience, the following guidelines provide some good advice:

• You often do get what you pay for; don’t buy based solely on price; taste and quality matter.
• Higher % of stevioside doesn’t necessarily make the stevia better; you can find excellent tasting stevia with this key plant composition at even 80%.
• If you purchase the green powder for its slightly higher health benefits, it will usually have more aftertaste than the white powder.
• The product’s country of origin doesn’t matter; it’s farming, manufacturing and processing experience and techniques do.
• At this time, stevia production is not standardized, so taste and strength do differ depending on brand.

Use a minimal amount; can be overwhelming if you add too much initially; add more later if needed. Widespread use of sugar and artificial sweeteners are at dangerous levels. The negative side effects and controversial studies regarding their proposed safety suggest that another alternative is desirable and necessary. Stevia may be a welcome option for those who want to ingest more natural ingredients with no known side effects, no calories, no carbs, no fat, no affect on glucose levels and no sugar or artificial sweeteners. Stevia may also be advantageous in the prevention and treatment of diabetes, obesity and other health conditions. Check with your doctor before including stevia to your diet. If he/she doesn’t recommend it, politely ask why to see if the reason is satisfactory to you.

Stevia: A Better Alternative to Sugar and Artificial Sweeteners © Lisa Jobs

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)

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.

Alpha Lipoic Acid - Diabetes and Cardiovascular Health

The first time alpha lipoic acid was reported as beneficial for diabetics was in 1951. By the late 1980s, researchers realized that alpha lipoic acid had long been overlooked as a powerful antioxidant. It has been proven to slow aging, help protect against heart disease, and strengthen our immune system (which fights against infections, including colds, flu, pneumonia, cancer, etc). More recently, alpha lipoic acid has been shown to increase brain and memory function, as well as muscle strength. Athletes report that it also improves endurance.

In addition to it being a strong antioxidant itself, alpha lipoic acid also greatly improves the function the other antioxidant nutrients, such as vitamins A, C, and E and coenzyme Q-10. In fact, alpha lipoic acid has been called the "universal" or "ideal" antioxidant because it can work in more parts of the body than either vitamin E or C can.

It is well reported that antioxidants should be employed for the treatment of all atherosclerosis (hardening of the arteries). Vitamins C and E and coenzyme Q-10* are well known and respected antioxidants, but all have limitations. Since Alpha Lipoic Acid has no restrictions, it is certainly an indispensable nutrient in treating cardiovascular disorders.

Diabetic patients should be especially excited to learn that alpha lipoic acid speeds the removal of glucose from the blood stream. Also it has been effectively used in Europe for nearly 30 years to treat nerve damage, including that caused by diabetes. Alpha lipoic acid protects our nervous systems from diabetes, in addition to other devastating nerve disorders, such as Parkinson's disease and Alzheimer's disease. In Germany, it is an approved medical treatment for most types of nerve damage.

Very small amounts of alpha lipoic acid are produced by our bodies, and it is found in only very small amounts in red meat, spinach and potatoes. The richest source is liver; however, you would have to consume 50 tons of beef liver to get 100 mg of Alpha Lipoic Acid.

The unavoidable and literally epidemic amount of pollution in our modern environment makes supplementing with antioxidants essential for good health.

Supplementation is the only way to obtain adequate amounts of antioxidants for prevention or treatment of any chronic disease. There are no unwanted side effects from Alpha Lipoic Acid. Most authorities suggest we take between 50 and 100 mg of Alpha Lipoic Acid daily.

Diabetes and Alpha Lipoic Acid
Eighty percent of all diabetics are classified as type 2, or non-insulin dependent diabetics. While type 1 diabetics must take insulin injections to live, type 2 diabetics commonly produce as much insulin as ever. The problem in type 2 diabetics is they have lost the ability to utilize their insulin.

In order for type 2 diabetics to recover their ability to utilize insulin, three steps are essential:
1) Dietary modification: Saturated (trans) fats and refined sugar must be avoided while consuming foods that are easily metabolized (vegetables and fruits).

2) An adequate exercise program: It must be vigorous enough to cause the body to better utilize its insulin.

3) Adequate nutrition through proper diet and supplements: Even though most diabetic patients are overweight, they are malnourished.

The most common problem for diabetics is nerve damage closely followed by cardiovascular disease.

Alpha lipoic acid is indispensable in improving utilization of insulin and reversing nerve damage.

Nerve damage from diabetes causes muscle weakness which leads to an irregular heart rate and numbness with burning and extreme pain, especially in the feet. The first symptom of nerve damage from diabetes may be foot drop caused by weakening muscles. Blindness, kidney failure, and amputations are all expected diabetic complications which are caused by arteriosclerotic disease and nerve damage.

There are no effective medicines for treating diabetes. However, there is now hope. Recent studies report that the antioxidant nutrient, alpha lipoic acid, can begin restoring nerve function after only four months of high dose treatment.

The first clear evidence that nutritional treatment can reverse the nerve damage done by diabetes was produced by a German team. Seventy-three type 2 diabetics from seven German medical centers were ultimately selected and randomly assigned to receive either 800/mg of alpha lipoic acid or a placebo (sugar pill). At study's end (four months), there was appreciable improvement in those taking alpha lipoic acid while no change was noted in the placebo group.

In 1993, Diabetes Care reported that gamma-linolenic acid from borage, black currant seed, or oil of evening primrose would reduce the always-present inflammation in diabetes. Yet, so far it has not gained favor with traditional medicine. It is probably safe to assume alpha lipoic acid will meet the same fate.

* Coenzyme Q10 has been shown to reduce inflammation and have beneficial affects on Diabetes, Heart Disease and other inflammatory conditions.

For more information on CoQ10 visit our website.

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

HCG Diet Plan

Have you been struggling to lose weight?
New research shows that HCG can help burn the hard to lose fat that many can not shed.

Three Kinds of Fat

1. Structural Fat, Used to protect body organs, and arteries, and to keep skin smooth and taut
2. Normal Reserve Fat, Used to store energy for immediate use.
3. Abnormal Fat, burned only after normal fat stores are depleted. It is not available to the body in emergency energy situations.

When you diet to lose pounds the first fat to be used up are the normal reserves, then the structural reserves. Finally, the body resorts to the abnormal fat stores to find the energy it needs. By this point most people have already gotten so tired and weak that they give up on the diet. Instead of losing the largest stores of fat they have decreased the important fat that protects their bones and makes their skin look taut, so they look older and more wrinkled. The HCG diet burns the abnormal fat around the hips, thighs, potbelly, and double chin. It releases 2000 calories per day to burn as energy from these places.

An obese person requires more calories to function than a leaner person, because it takes more energy to move around, maintain body temperature and simply exist. If you recall the fat types we discussed in the previous paragraph you will notice that these people are burning their normal stores of fat for energy, and then feeling exhausted until they consume more calories.

The standard length of treatment is 23 days for an overweight person. Obese patients may stay on the program for 40 days, and then if needed may wait no less than 6 weeks and do another round. If more rounds of treatment are required each resting period must be progressively longer than the last. Scheduled breaks are 6 weeks, 8 weeks, 12 weeks, 20 weeks and 6 months.

HCG contains Human Chorionic Gonadotropin - a hormone naturally produced in the body. It has many functions and is used medically to treat a variety of conditions. It is the pregnancy hormone, but during pregnancy the levels double every two days. This hormone allows the body to mobilize fat and use it as energy for both mother and fetus. This acts as a "fail-safe" mechanism when energy is needed immediately. For weight loss, we use only a very small amount of HCG to capitalize on this same mechanism. Using HCG in this way does not mimic pregnancy; in fact, it can be safely used by both men and women.

In a non-pregnant state, HCG as a weight-loss aid helps reduce the craving for food by making stored fat available for metabolism thus aiding in the ability to adhere to a rigid diet program. HCG accesses unnecessary fat stored in the body just as it does in early pregnancy. Abnormal fat deposits disappear; the double chin, potbelly and fat around hips and thighs are the first to go. HCG does not deplete subcutaneous or other essential fat. For many, complexion improves, gaining a natural freshness and healthy glow with a noticeable reduction in fine lines and wrinkles. Most HCG Weight-loss participants see a loss in girth (inches) before they see any substantive drop in the scales. When properly supervised, the result is rapid weight loss and improved body shape during and after treatment. Scientific evidence suggests that HCG promotes lipolytic (mobilizes fat) activity. Reshaping of body contour is quickly noticeable in those patients who struggle with fat located in buttocks and hips area. As the HCG metabolizes stored body fat, about 2000 calories are released into the bloodstream, thus allowing for a low calorie per day diet without experiencing fatigue, weakness or hunger.

What is Preventive Health Care

Preventive health care, means exactly that. Many practitioners spend a great deal of their time consulting patients on how to prevent chronic and acute illness. Atherosclerosis, Cardiac events, Strokes, Alzheimer's, Diabetes, Osteoporosis, and many other illnesses can be prevented.

Preventive health care can be practiced by everyone, even people who have become ill already and wish to regain their health and stay healthy. Of course, if you wait too long to start a preventive health care plan you are no longer preventing disease, you are treating it. Either way, adopting healthy practices, having diagnostic testing done on a regular basis, and taking steps to adjust your lifestyle to accommodate any undesirable test results is key.

Insurance companies and employers are starting to understand the importance of preventive health care. Employers have taken notice of the amount of lost hours due to illnesses like Diabetes, heart surgeries to replace valves and install stents, and obesity. Many people do not consider obesity an illness, but if you add up all of the factors involved and the ramifications of not dealing with being overweight - it becomes illnesses - consider Diabetes and Heart Disease.

Diagnostic testing for preventive care is the same as testing for illnesses. Our clinic tests for several more criteria than a standard blood panel. We do this to get a complete picture of our patients health and organ function. Some of our patients pay cash for their testing, others do have insurance that will pay for their tests. It may take a few more years to get your insurance company to buck up the money for "preventive diagnostic testing" though. Insurance companies like to be able to put a label on what they are paying for. They like to be able to say you are being treated for Diabetes or Heart Disease. They are not comfortable with the term prevention. Insurance companies want to pay for something that is broken, or needs repair. They like to have definitive proof that illness is present. They also like to see precriptive drugs as treatment for illnesses. This information gives them a black and white definition and a name and treatment to go along with it.

Preventive medicine doesn't fall into those guidelines. To prevent illness you must examine a persons lifestyle, their eating habits, run specific diagnostic tests and comprehend the data that is received. Many times due to elevated levels of specific proteins or blood levels, a doctor recognizes the signs that if something doesn't change illness is coming. Often this doctor recommends or prescribes that a patient get 30 minutes of excercise 4-5 times a week, remove certain foods from the diet and add specific foods or supplements to prevent a disease. There are no prescriptions to prescribe, no surgeries to perform, no NAME to place on the disease, because it hasn't become a disease yet. There is nothing for the insurance company to pay for, except the diagnostic testing and the office visit. The responsibility lies on the patient, both for getting well and paying for the knowledge to do so.

Unfortunately, insurance companies prefer that you wait until the disease has taken over and medical intervention is required. They prefer to pay for expensive prescriptions, repetitive check ups, and surgeries because they can measure those results. If you are prescribed insulin to inject yourself with daily, because you have diabetes, they understand that. Have you ever tried to measure what might have happened "if"? If I hadn't started walking a mile a day and stopped eating processed foods I would have diabetes today... Insurance companies do not deal in "what if's".

Whats the answer?
Don't count on your insurance company to pay for your health. Insurance companies pay for illnesses. They pay for something when it's broken. You must make the choice not to wait until you are broken to be concerned about your future health. You only have one heart, one pancreas, one liver and fortunately a couple of organs that come in twos!

If you wait until your heart is sick or damaged to start taking care of it.... what happens if it can't be returned to 100%. If you wait until your pancreas can no longer make insulin to prevent diabetes... Guess what!!!! It's too late. Once your pancreas is exhausted from making too much insulin to fight off all of the sugar and processed food and it runs out... it's done. It can not make insulin ever again. You will be dependent on a shot for the rest of your life.

Preventive health care is important for all of us. Changing our lifestyles to include exercise, a balanced diet with lots of fruits and vegetables and regular check ups with your preventive health care doctor are the best way to get started.

Does Obesity Cause Allergies?

Obesity has been a challenge in the US for the last couple decades, due to fast food, poor eating habits and a lack of exercise. There are dozens of diets and diet pills available for anyone who wishes to lose a few pounds, but these "fad diets" offer nothing more than a way to drop a few pounds, then gain them back when you return to your normal way of eating. Maintaining a healthy weight for children and adults must be done by adhering to a healthy eating plan, and it must be a way of life, not a short term solution.



Obesity, or being overweight causes many stresses on the body. First of all, fat cells cause inflammation. When inflammation is present in a persons body, it causes the systems that are used to fight off disease and inflammation to work overtime. This leaves less of the bodies defenses available to fight off things like the common cold, viruses and bacteria, and allergens. When the body is fighting chronic inflammation, it doesn't have the extra ability to tell your cells that the pollen that you just inhaled is not a problem, therefore it sees it as an intruder and tells the body to get rid of it right away. This causes the standard allergy symptoms like, sneezing, itchy & watery eyes, etc. These symptoms are the body's way of cleaning or flushing out the intruders. Chronic inflammation such as obesity can also cause the body to see foods that are eaten frequently; such as wheat or gluten as intruders. This reaction causes food sensitivities and food allergies.



Obesity is considered one of the main causes of type 2 diabetes, which causes even more inflammation and affects blood vessels and arteries. Type 2 Diabetes is characterized by obesity, overproduction of glucose by the liver, and ineffective utilization of available insulin. The problem for type 2 diabetics is not insufficient insulin production, but rather insulin resistance. In other words, the body is making plenty of insulin, it is just unable to utilize it due to a history of poor nutrition. Also, individuals, whose close relations -- mother, father, sister, brother, aunt, uncle, etc. -- have developed type 2 diabetes, have a much greater risk of developing the disease themselves. Not only because of genetic factors, but eating and lifestyle habits are passed down through generations too! Heredity is only about 10-15% genetic and 85-90% habit. Type 2 Diabetes, which is also considered insulin resistance, can typically be controlled by a change in eating habits and proper exercise.



If you have a history of Diabetes in your family, you can help protect yourself by avoiding processed foods. This includes refined or enriched bakery products, all refined sugar, saturated, hydrogenated or partially dehydrogenated fats, luncheon meats, dairy products, all soft drinks, chocolate, chips and crackers. Table salt should be kept to a minimum. Diet soft drinks are also known to engage the pancreas, which is where insulin is produced. Diet soft drinks are not a solution for diabetics. Eat more fiber. Vegetables and fruits are a great source of fiber, and are much better choices for people with diabetic tendencies. Get plenty of exercise, which has been proven to reduce glucose levels. A good place to start is by getting at least 200 minutes of aerobic blood pumping exercise a week.

Keeping your children healthy.

Has all of the media coverage about the swine flu got you to thinking about how to keep your children healthy? Schools are closing, businesses are changing hours and closing in some areas of the world, people are frightened, and even though the CDC says don't panic, the media is using words like "pandemic", quarantine & contagious... how can you not think about it?

Helping your family maintain a strong immune system is key to avoiding the normal bugs that are passed around every year, but it can also be a very important factor in beating serious illness, too. Drinking soda, diet drinks, energy beverages and eating fast food are a sure way to hamper your bodies ability to ward off disease. Add in some normal daily stress, a lack of exercise and contact with hundreds of people every day, and you are sure to contract a virus at some point. Whether the virus settles in and makes you sick depends on your health and immune system.

In order to regain optimal health we need to stop eating and drinking chemicals and chemically altered foods. Soda, Pop, Cola, Soft-Drinks or what ever it is you call them... contain a number of chemicals. Sodas contain; phosphoric acid - which interferes with Calcium absorption, Caffeine - which raises the blood pressure, shortens attention span, causes fatigue, headaches and other symptoms, Very high amounts of sugar, or worse yet aspartame - which has been linked to MS, Fibromyalgia, Lupus and other serious illnesses.

• Aspartame when stored at temperatures over 86 degrees Fahrenheit changes its chemical composition to methanol. Methanol is an alcohol that ultimately turns into formaldehyde and formic acid, which are both carcinogens.
• Phosphoric acid not only interferes with the absorption ability of calcium, it also depletes the calcium in healthy bones and teeth.
• Sugar, even though it is a natural product (in what we consider a normal dose of about 1 soda) reduces your immune systems ability to fight off bacteria and viruses by 50% for about 4 hours.

Eating your RDA (recommended daily allowance) of 7 fruits and vegetables, along with lean protein and essential fatty acids are very important to your immune system because without these things your body is short on the building blocks it needs to create healthy new cells.

Part of having a healthy immune system is managing your stress level. Our standard of living has changed so that we rush everywhere. We eat on the go, we run from event to event, we grab unhealthy snacks and teach our kids that mealtime is not a time of day. It may sound old fashioned, but there is something to be said about a sit down meal at the end of the day with your family. If you have the whole family get together for dinner every evening, you can cook it together, sit and relax while you eat a nutritious and balanced meal, digest your food as its meant to be digested, know what your kids are putting in their mouths, teach them a great way to stay in touch with the family, wind down from the busy day, reduce stress and enjoy family mealtime. If you just do not have time for mealtime, plan ahead and ensure that your family has good on the go food choices. Carrots, Apples, Bananas, Celery and other easy to carry foods are great ideas for fast snacks.

Eating for a healthy body will help your heart, cardiovascular, maintain a healthy weight, reduce stress on your body and make you feel great. Reducing the stress on your body from all causes will help your immune system be ready for the next attack!

Maintaining a Healthy Weight

What is your BMI (Body Mass Index)? Do you know?
For Adults:
Formula: weight (lb) / [height (in)]² x 703

Calculate BMI by dividing weight in pounds (lbs) by height in inches (in) squared and multiplying by a conversion factor of 703.

Example: Weight = 150 lbs, Height = 5'5" (65")
Calculation: [150 ÷ (65)²] x 703 = 24.96

We also have a BMI Calculator at our office that you hold in your hands and squeeze. It is used to get a more accurate reading, based on your body rhythms. We use this calculator with all of our "New You" Weight Loss Patients. It gives us a good base reading to start from, and a great way to monitor their body fat levels as they progress through the program.

Obesity is a nationwide concern. Overweight individuals carry a higher risk of heart disease and diabetes, and also have weaker/overused immune systems. Employers are beginning to see the benefits of offering weight management programs to their employees, because they are seeing lower health care costs due to a healthier workforce. It is best to work with a Doctor when beginning a weight loss program, because each person is different and has different health and nutritional needs. A properly trained professional can help you make sure you are meeting your unique nutritional and exercise needs.

Maintaining a healthy weight begins with proper nutrition, eating frequently to maintain optimal metabolism and a steady exercise plan. We recommend our patients get 200 minutes of exercise per week, and keep a food journal so that they know (and are accountable for) what they are eating. Sometimes they are amazed when we tell them that in order to lose a few pounds they need to eat more! Your body knows how much energy it needs to maintain life. If you eat less than your body needs on a regular basis, it will store everything it can in fat cells for emergency use. This means if you are "dieting" and are eating less calories than your body thinks it needs, everything that is not used immediately (even vegetables) are saved as fat. This is why it is sometimes necessary to increase your caloric intake with good healthy foods. Eating small healthy meals frequently, will help kick start your metabolism.

Think of your body as a furnace. If you put fuel into the furnace, it slowly starts to burn and uses up the fuel more quickly as it gets hotter. If you wait till the fire is almost out before you add more fuel, it takes a while for the furnace to get hot again and use up the fuel. When more fuel is added to an already hot flame, the burning process is not slowed down and the furnace starts burning the new fuel immediately. Your body works in much the same way. To take it one step further, if you start a fire with poor fuel, like dry rotted wood or green wet wood, a fire will not burn at its peak potential. It will either burn up the dry wood immediately, or it will smolder and struggle to burn up the wet wood, either scenario produces little, or no heat. In most cases, wet wood will burn if placed on an already hot fire, but it pops and crackles and fights the process. If you think of this in terms of healthy foods vs. sugary, refined foods with little health value, you can understand how the body's furnace (metabolism) works.

In unison with a healthy diet (lots of vegetables, fruit, protein, whole grains and nuts), our office offers a special formulation of supplements to help flush the sugars and fats from your system naturally. If you provide your body with what it needs, and offer it support when it needs some assistance or is working harder on something (like losing weight), it will return to a proper balance and good health will follow. Nothing changes overnight, but with diligence, and proper counseling, you can achieve and maintain a healthy weight.