CONTINUING EDUCATION Julius Silver - Wien/Österreich - Pixabay I confess. I love attending quality CE (Continuing Education) Seminars. There is such a massive amount of new information out there that is pertinent to my patient's health. Fail to stay current with it and you and your patients will be left behind. If you are one of those suffering with one or more CHRONIC INFLAMMATORY DEGENERATIVE CONDITIONS, the fact that you are reading this post means that you have finally come to the realization that drugs and surgery are not going to magically solve your problem. You've figured out that you will have to step outside the "medical" box if you want to have any sort of hope at solving your problem and having a normal life again.
When you get down to brass tacks, practically all disease is really just one big thing. For all intents and purposes, most sickness and disease has a common cause ---- as well as a common cure (HERE). But to truly grasp the complexity of what I am talking about, you'll have to understand the relationship between Inflammation, Leaky Gut Syndrome, Gluten Sensitivity, and Autoimmunity (HERE). If you fail to have a cursory understanding of the dance taking place between these four players, it is much more likely you will fail in your bid to return to health. Oh, you will have no problem finding a doctor who can give you something to mask your symptoms. But as far as long-lasting relief and seeing long term positive changes (healing) ---- it simply will not happen with pharmaceuticals --- it can't. That is not what drugs do (HERE). Allow me to give you a quick overview. One of the many bad things that INFLAMMATION often does is to cause the Small Intestine to become "sieve like" or hyper-permeable. As SYSTEMIC INFLAMMATION increases, the holes in the sieve get larger. This increases the number and amounts of things that should not be let through into the blood stream, getting through. The medical community calls this INCREASED INTESTINAL PERMEABILITY (aka Leaky Gut Syndrome), and there are way over 10,000 peer-reviewed studies on this topic in the scientific literature. For a whole host of reasons (HERE), people's immune systems frequently recognize GLUTEN --- wheat protein --- as foreign, and attack it. Once your body starts attacking Gluten or (THINGS IT THINKS ARE GLUTEN), it often starts making antibodies against it's own tissues (AUTOIMMUNITY). (HERE) is a short list of the Autoimmune Diseases that have been linked in some form or fashion to Gluten. By the way, it is critical to understand that most Gluten Reactions do not manifest as gut problems (indigestion, bloating, gas, etc), but as NEUROLOGICAL PROBLEMS. The thing about this vicious cycle is that it can start from anywhere. In other words, there is not necessarily a beginning or end, just a self-perpetuating cycle that can be entered into at any point. If you have a cursory understanding of what is on this page, you already know more than 90% of the medical profession. They are still chasing their proverbial tails; treating you with things like pain meds, CORTICOSTEROIDS, ANTI-NEUROPATHY DRUGS, Anti-inflammatory meds, Muscle Relaxers, and many others (HERE) --- and that's just for starters. If you think this is a good thing, you might want to check out THIS SHOCKING LINK. Knowledge is power. I would hope that you believe nothing that any doctor tells you --- self included --- without doing some serious research of your own. The cool thing about the internet is that you now have access to millions upon millions of studies and a wide array of information on these particular topics at your fingertips. If you are suffering from any of these problems, make yourself an expert. With a bit of well-placed study, you can know more than your doctor about the best ways to deal with your particular problem. And as far as helping yourself get better is concerned, HERE is a great place to start.
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WHICH SODA IS BETTER..... |
 Gepharts3d - English - Pixabay |
Believe it or not, it's a question I get all the time; Which soda is better for me, diet or regular? Huh? You're asking me? You already know my answer to that question grasshopper. Neither one is better. They are both bad for you. But not equally bad.
REGULAR SODA is crazy high in white sugar. Regular consumption of white sugar can cause a myriad of health problems by ruining your body's ability to CONTROL ITS BLOOD SUGAR LEVELS. In fact, it seems that every study coming out about the dangers of PROCESSED SUGAR (particularly HFCS) are freakier than the study that came out before it. This is scary considering the explosion of Diabetes here in America and the fact that studies are saying that for those in the 15 - 25 age group; their #1 source of calories is soda (HERE). But despite the problems that regular soda creates, it seems that diet soda is worse --- possibly much worse.
A large European study of over 15,000 subjects that was published this week in the medical journal Diabetologia, said that just one can (12 oz) of regular, sugar-sweetened soda a day increased one's chances of developing Type II Diabetes by 22%. However, if that drink is a diet drink ("artificially-sweetened") your chances of developing Type II Diabetes increase an additional 30 points to an astounding 52%. In the words of the immortal Harry Caray, "Holy Cow"! But truthfully, you should not be surprised. Clear back in October of 2011 I wrote about DIET SODA, using a study by Dr. Sharon Fowler of the University of Texas Health Science Center.
REGULAR SODA is crazy high in white sugar. Regular consumption of white sugar can cause a myriad of health problems by ruining your body's ability to CONTROL ITS BLOOD SUGAR LEVELS. In fact, it seems that every study coming out about the dangers of PROCESSED SUGAR (particularly HFCS) are freakier than the study that came out before it. This is scary considering the explosion of Diabetes here in America and the fact that studies are saying that for those in the 15 - 25 age group; their #1 source of calories is soda (HERE). But despite the problems that regular soda creates, it seems that diet soda is worse --- possibly much worse.
A large European study of over 15,000 subjects that was published this week in the medical journal Diabetologia, said that just one can (12 oz) of regular, sugar-sweetened soda a day increased one's chances of developing Type II Diabetes by 22%. However, if that drink is a diet drink ("artificially-sweetened") your chances of developing Type II Diabetes increase an additional 30 points to an astounding 52%. In the words of the immortal Harry Caray, "Holy Cow"! But truthfully, you should not be surprised. Clear back in October of 2011 I wrote about DIET SODA, using a study by Dr. Sharon Fowler of the University of Texas Health Science Center.
| By now, everyone knows that sugar makes people fat, but a large review of 26 years of patient data found that people who drink diet soft drinks were more likely to become overweight than those who drank regular sodas. Not only that, but the more diet sodas they drank, the higher their risk of becoming overweight or obese - 65 percent more likely for each diet drink per day! The findings, the latest from the long-term San Antonio Heart Study, took even the researchers by surprise as they found that regular soft drinks had significantly less connection with serious weight gain than did diet soda. |
THE BAN ON TRANS FATS
Igor Ovsyannykov from Pexel
| "The removal of partially hydrogenated vegetable oils containing industrially produced trans fatty acids from the food supply has been described as one of the most straightforward public health interventions for improving diet and reducing the risk of noncommunicable disease." Dr. Shauna Downs, University of Sydney's Menzies Center for Health Policy, witing in the current issue of the Bulletin of the World Health Organization |
Let me start by saying that I am a person who believes in personal-responsibility. I do not want the government acting as the "Food Police" --- something they are doing with increasing regularity. However, when people vote for government-funded healthcare, they do not typically realize that in the end, they are handing over the right for the government to control every facet of their lives --- including what they eat.
Despite what one believes about government-run healthcare, there are certain substances that have been labeled as "food", that are as far from the definition of food as one can get (HERE). MSG is one of these. Another is Trans Fats. Although TRANS FATS occur in nature in very small amounts (these are actually good for you), they are, for all intents and purposes, a man-made product that is not real food. Why should they be banned? Only because they are directly related to a whole host of devastating and deadly diseases such as heart disease, CANCER, DIABETES, infertility / endometriosis, gallstones, ALZHEIMER'S DEMENTIA, and a host of others. In fact, if a disease is considered to be INFLAMMATORY, it is likely to be related to the consumption of Trans Fats.
Despite what one believes about government-run healthcare, there are certain substances that have been labeled as "food", that are as far from the definition of food as one can get (HERE). MSG is one of these. Another is Trans Fats. Although TRANS FATS occur in nature in very small amounts (these are actually good for you), they are, for all intents and purposes, a man-made product that is not real food. Why should they be banned? Only because they are directly related to a whole host of devastating and deadly diseases such as heart disease, CANCER, DIABETES, infertility / endometriosis, gallstones, ALZHEIMER'S DEMENTIA, and a host of others. In fact, if a disease is considered to be INFLAMMATORY, it is likely to be related to the consumption of Trans Fats.
Studies have shown that when bans / mandatory labeling of Trans Fats were undertaken, good things resulted. One of these was a 35% reduction in the amount of Trans Fats found in Canadian breast milk. Another was a nearly 60% decrease in plasma Trans Fats here in America. Still another resulted in increasing levels of HDL (the so called "good" cholesterol) and decreasing LDL (the so called "bad" cholesterol).
BEETS ARE HEART HEALTHY
Anwar2
Maybe you've heard the term "Superfood" before. Superfoods are usually plant-based foods that are low in calories but extremely high in nutrition (omega threes, antioxidants, vitamins, minerals, phytonutrients, etc). Beets are undoubtedly a Superfood. Note that I am not talking about pickled beets here, but beets that are eaten raw, or lightly baked / steamed. For years, I have been preaching the benefits of beets (both the root and the greens) as a huge help for liver / gallbladder issues as well as high cholesterol. Now it seems that portions of the medical community are coming around to this idea.
According to the latest issue of Hypertension: Journal of the American Heart Association, Dr. Amrita Ahluwalia and her research team from Queen Mary University of London found that, "Drinking a cup of nitrate-rich beetroot juice significantly lowered blood pressure (BP) in hypertensive individuals." Beet juice is thought to accomplish this by dilating the arteries via a conversion of organic nitrites into nitric oxide (NO) --- a powerful vasodilator that many are familiar with from its use in bodybuilding supplements.
Can't find good beets in your neck of the woods? Never fear, Standard Process is here. A product that I particularly like for my patients (and myself when beets are not available) is AF BETAFOOD. DR. ROYAL LEE formulated AF Betafood back in 1951, which was itself based on a product (BETAFOOD) that was formulated 70 years ago (1943) ---- during the peak of WWII. Why do I love the Whole Food Ideology behind Standard Process so much? It's utter simplicity is a breath of fresh air in our hi-tech world. Man can never improve on something made by God (HERE).
According to the latest issue of Hypertension: Journal of the American Heart Association, Dr. Amrita Ahluwalia and her research team from Queen Mary University of London found that, "Drinking a cup of nitrate-rich beetroot juice significantly lowered blood pressure (BP) in hypertensive individuals." Beet juice is thought to accomplish this by dilating the arteries via a conversion of organic nitrites into nitric oxide (NO) --- a powerful vasodilator that many are familiar with from its use in bodybuilding supplements.
Can't find good beets in your neck of the woods? Never fear, Standard Process is here. A product that I particularly like for my patients (and myself when beets are not available) is AF BETAFOOD. DR. ROYAL LEE formulated AF Betafood back in 1951, which was itself based on a product (BETAFOOD) that was formulated 70 years ago (1943) ---- during the peak of WWII. Why do I love the Whole Food Ideology behind Standard Process so much? It's utter simplicity is a breath of fresh air in our hi-tech world. Man can never improve on something made by God (HERE).
WARNING WARNING WARNING
Cinnamon by Sam Mugraby, Photos8.com
CINNAMON CHALLENGE COULD BE HARMFUL TO YOUR HEALTH
DEFINITELY NOT DOING ANYTHING FOR THE BRAIN EITHER
For centuries, Cinnamon has been touted for its numerous virtues --- including a wide array of health benefits. Some of the peer-reviewed scientific literature includes benefits for things like.....
If you're like me , you may have never heard of the Cinnamon Challenge until someone sent me a link to the forthcoming video. The Cinnamon Challenge is usually undertaken by kids who try to hold a tablespoon of Cinnamon powder in their mouths for somewhere between 10 and 60 seconds without consuming any kind of liquid. Dr. Steven Lipshultz, MD, of University of Miami's School of Medicine wrote of the potential dangers of this practice in this month's issue of the medical journal Pediatrics.
Not to make light of his study, but this reminds me of similar studies from our not so distant past. You know; the kind of taxpayer funded research that boils down to plain old common sense. These include things like, "Over the Road Truck Drivers Live Unhealthy Lifestyles", "Cattle Fart a Lot", or "Inhaling Powdered Cinnamon Could be Bad for your Health". As you might imagine, The Cinnamon Challenge can prove to be quite problematic. Below is one such example. BTW, as you are watching this clip, keep repeating to yourself, "This is a serious problem ---- this is a serious problem ---- this is a serious problem."
- Helping to REGULATE BLOOD SUGAR.
- Helping to reduce LDL LEVELS.
- Its Antibiotic powers --- particularly against H. PYLORI.
- It works against INFLAMMATION. Not only does this potentially help with everything from Arthritis to Heart Disease, but is showing promise for various Inflammatory Neurodegenerative Diseases, including: ALZHEIMER'S, PARKINSON'S, MS, and a host of others.
- It helps to fight CANCER.
- It works as a natural food preservative.
- It helps balance the HORMONAL SYSTEM.
- And to top it all off, it tastes great. And face it --- if it didn't, most of us would not care so much about the health benefits.
If you're like me , you may have never heard of the Cinnamon Challenge until someone sent me a link to the forthcoming video. The Cinnamon Challenge is usually undertaken by kids who try to hold a tablespoon of Cinnamon powder in their mouths for somewhere between 10 and 60 seconds without consuming any kind of liquid. Dr. Steven Lipshultz, MD, of University of Miami's School of Medicine wrote of the potential dangers of this practice in this month's issue of the medical journal Pediatrics.
Not to make light of his study, but this reminds me of similar studies from our not so distant past. You know; the kind of taxpayer funded research that boils down to plain old common sense. These include things like, "Over the Road Truck Drivers Live Unhealthy Lifestyles", "Cattle Fart a Lot", or "Inhaling Powdered Cinnamon Could be Bad for your Health". As you might imagine, The Cinnamon Challenge can prove to be quite problematic. Below is one such example. BTW, as you are watching this clip, keep repeating to yourself, "This is a serious problem ---- this is a serious problem ---- this is a serious problem."
THE CINNAMON CHALLENGE WITH GLOZELL
DRUG RECALLS FREQUENTLY INVOLVE NUTRITIONAL SUPPLEMENTS
If you have been around the field of nutrition for very long (I have been studying or working in this field since 1986), you are aware that the medical community --- via the long arm of the government --- has tried numerous times (unsuccessfully I might add) to have dietary supplements classified as "prescription only". This is because many of them are said to be "dangerous" or even "deadly". But is this true? Certainly not! INEFFECTIVE maybe, but not dangerous. But be warned; many of the so-called "nutrition" companies are fly-by-night affairs who are marketing and selling junk nutrition (several examples among THESE POSTS).
A recent issue of the medical journal JAMA Internal Medicine reported that just over half of all the Class I FDA Recalls are for dietary supplements. Most of this has to do with the fact that these supplements either contain things that are not on the label, they do not contain things that the label says that they do contain, or the ingredients are substandard. Are you surprised? You shouldn't be. Particularly when you find out that most of these "rogue" supplements fall into one of three categories.
I have always said that if my life's purpose was making money, I would create a cheap weight loss formula using whatever garbage I could get my hands on, make all sorts of wild claims about its abilities, hire a couple of website / SEO gurus to promote it online, and sit back and rake in the cash from gullible consumers. And if I were really ambitious, I could take to the satellites and do a TV infomercial. Once people figure out it doesn't work as claimed (eat anything you want and still lose weight), I repackage the same formula and start the process over under a different corporation and with a "different" product.
As one might well suspect, the study's lead author, Dr. Ziv Harel of St. Michael's Hospital in Toronto, stated that we need to, "regulate this industry through more stringent enforcement and a standard of regulation similar to that for pharmaceuticals. Keeping the status quo may taint the dietary supplement industry as a whole." Is Dr. Ziv correct here? What needs to be done?
Truthfully, I am not sure anything needs to be done. Regulation always leads to more regulation, which in turn leads to even more regulation. Although Dr. Mitch Katz (in an editor's note) states that the number of crappy dietary supplements is, "grossly underestimated", and that, "dietary supplements should be treated with the same rigor as pharmaceutical drugs and with the same goal: to protect consumer health," I am not personally convinced that anything drastic needs to be done about this problem.
Simply stop buying these cheap crappy supplements! Let the companies wither on the vine and die. If the claims seem too good to be true, they probably are! For instance, what is the best 'male enhancement' supplement for dealing with impotence? I discussed that just the other day --- and the answer is HERE. In fact, read what I had to say about this entire issue on my WHOLE FOOD NUTRITION PAGE. And the brutal truth is that I could say the exact same thing about the way that most people want to use dietary supplements.
A recent issue of the medical journal JAMA Internal Medicine reported that just over half of all the Class I FDA Recalls are for dietary supplements. Most of this has to do with the fact that these supplements either contain things that are not on the label, they do not contain things that the label says that they do contain, or the ingredients are substandard. Are you surprised? You shouldn't be. Particularly when you find out that most of these "rogue" supplements fall into one of three categories.
- Bodybuilding Supplements (31% of the recalls) (REAL SOLUTIONS)
- Sexual Enhancement (40% of the recalls) (REAL SOLUTIONS)
- Weight Loss Aids (27% of the recalls) (REAL SOLUTIONS)
I have always said that if my life's purpose was making money, I would create a cheap weight loss formula using whatever garbage I could get my hands on, make all sorts of wild claims about its abilities, hire a couple of website / SEO gurus to promote it online, and sit back and rake in the cash from gullible consumers. And if I were really ambitious, I could take to the satellites and do a TV infomercial. Once people figure out it doesn't work as claimed (eat anything you want and still lose weight), I repackage the same formula and start the process over under a different corporation and with a "different" product.
As one might well suspect, the study's lead author, Dr. Ziv Harel of St. Michael's Hospital in Toronto, stated that we need to, "regulate this industry through more stringent enforcement and a standard of regulation similar to that for pharmaceuticals. Keeping the status quo may taint the dietary supplement industry as a whole." Is Dr. Ziv correct here? What needs to be done?
Truthfully, I am not sure anything needs to be done. Regulation always leads to more regulation, which in turn leads to even more regulation. Although Dr. Mitch Katz (in an editor's note) states that the number of crappy dietary supplements is, "grossly underestimated", and that, "dietary supplements should be treated with the same rigor as pharmaceutical drugs and with the same goal: to protect consumer health," I am not personally convinced that anything drastic needs to be done about this problem.
Simply stop buying these cheap crappy supplements! Let the companies wither on the vine and die. If the claims seem too good to be true, they probably are! For instance, what is the best 'male enhancement' supplement for dealing with impotence? I discussed that just the other day --- and the answer is HERE. In fact, read what I had to say about this entire issue on my WHOLE FOOD NUTRITION PAGE. And the brutal truth is that I could say the exact same thing about the way that most people want to use dietary supplements.
But I hear it all the time. Hey Doc; you got anything good for high blood pressure? I need to lose about 60 lbs; what have you got for weight loss? What about my heart problems? How about my stomach problems? What can you do for my hormonal problems, acid reflux, fibromyalgia, blood sugar, chronic fatigue, (insert your disease of choice here) ......cancer? This is how medicine is practiced in our modern, hi-tech medical culture. The patient has symptom A, so give the patient drug B. If you have Disease X, just take drug Y. This is what most people want. After all; it's easy. It doesn't require any effort from the patient (except maybe digging a few bucks out of their wallet to cover a co-pay). It's a truth that is sometimes hard to face ---- the fact that it's far easier to pay someone else to do something for us than to actually take care of ourselves. That pretty much describes the society we live in. It's not my fault. It's not my responsibility. Gimme, gimme, gimme! |
Dietary supplements are usually cheap junk. Quality Whole Food Nutritional Supplements are made from cold-processed, real, organically-raised plants and animals are different. If you are one of those who are spending part of the estimated 20 billion dollars a year that Americans spend on supplements, make sure you are getting the greatest amount of bang for your buck. Nutritional Supplements should be just that ---- supplemental to a diet rich in nutrient-dense Whole Foods. And do not be fooled by the fact that this piece from JAMA Internal Medicine ended with the "trust us" disclaimer ---- The researchers reported no conflicts of interest. Don't kid yourself.
This article was not written with public safety in mind. It was written to soften up the public for the medical / pharmaceutical industry's next big grab ---- yet another attempt to heavily regulate nutritional supplements (including making them a prescription-only item). How do I know this? Despite the fact that there are, as claimed by the FDA, lots of cheap, ineffective dietary supplements on the market, the article stated that, "No adverse events related to these recalled products were noted in the FDA database". So even though many of the supplements were undeniably junk, there were no adverse events associated with them. Too bad we can't say that for THE PHARMACEUTICAL AND MEDICAL INDUSTRIES.
This article was not written with public safety in mind. It was written to soften up the public for the medical / pharmaceutical industry's next big grab ---- yet another attempt to heavily regulate nutritional supplements (including making them a prescription-only item). How do I know this? Despite the fact that there are, as claimed by the FDA, lots of cheap, ineffective dietary supplements on the market, the article stated that, "No adverse events related to these recalled products were noted in the FDA database". So even though many of the supplements were undeniably junk, there were no adverse events associated with them. Too bad we can't say that for THE PHARMACEUTICAL AND MEDICAL INDUSTRIES.
 | Like Annie said in her comment below, "it all works". The way you can help us reach more people is to forward these posts on to people you care about. Not to mention, it takes three seconds to like us on FACEBOOK. |
HYPOGLYCEMIA
LOW BLOOD SUGAR AND HIGH BLOOD SUGAR TWO SIDES OF THE SAME COIN
 |  |
By definition, Hypoglycemia means low blood sugar. In this age of UNCONTROLLED BLOOD SUGAR, CARDIOMETABOLIC SYNDROME (aka prediabetes) and outright DIABETES, wouldn't it seem logical that we would all want lower blood sugar? This is why it's important to realize that Hypoglycemia is ONE OF THE EARLY STEPS on the road to Diabetes. The reality is that the two problems are different sides of the same coin. Both are dangerous and potentially (eventually) deadly. But it's not like this is 'new' information.
| Severe hypoglycemia in type 2 diabetes appears to be associated with an increased risk of vascular complications and death, researchers have found. Type 2 diabetes patients who experienced these serious drops in blood glucose had nearly three times the risk of death and twice the risk of a major macrovascular event compared with those who didn't experience hypoglycemia, Sophia Zoungas, MD, PhD, of the University of Sydney in Australia, and colleagues reported in the New England Journal of Medicine. From a 2010 article on MedPage Today called Hypoglycemia a Marker of Poor Diabetes Outcomes |
If you are a person who has dealt with the symptoms of low blood sugar (hypoglycemia), do not blow it off. Get your blood sugar under control. What are the symptoms I'm talking about? According to the website of the American Diabetes Association, they include things like.....
The question on everyone's mind is surely why; why in the world is Hypoglycemia (low blood sugar) associated with Diabetes and Hyperglycemia (high or uncontrolled blood sugar)? The question, in fact, is greatly on the mind of the medical community as well. A study from the February 2017 issue of Diabetes, Obesity, and Metabolism (Hypoglycemia Manifestations and Recurrent Events) reiterates how common this is in diabetics (all quotes are cherry-picked due to restraints on time and space).
Hypoglycemia is a well-known risk associated with the use of sulfonylureas [HERE is a list] and insulin, often limiting achievement of glycemic goals. A cardiovascular outcome study of 16,492 patients allocated to [diabetes drugs] vs. placebo added to conventional care for a median of 2.1 years. Analyzing the features of the first hypoglycemic event for each patient revealed that a precipitant for the event was recognized by less than half of the patients... In 40% of patients reporting major hypoglycemic events [these require third party assistance], no precipitating factor was recognized and in over 60%, no previous hypoglycemic event was reported during the timespan of the study - underscoring the lack of predictability of such an event.
OK, it's common, but why is it common? According to the NIH's National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases website, "Hypoglycemia can be a side effect of insulin or other types of diabetes medicines that help your body make more insulin. If you take insulin or diabetes medicines that increase the amount of insulin your body makes—but don’t match your medications with your food or physical activity—you could develop hypoglycemia." When you take more medication than is needed, too much blood sugar is moved out of the blood and into the cells. Just realize that the same thing happens in people who aren't on insulin. This is why LOW CARB DIETS are so important for Type II Diabetics (or for anyone hoping to avoid going down that path).
By AVOIDING SUGAR AND JUNK CARBS, blood sugar levels are maintained in a more linear fashion. When people choose to eat junk, their blood sugar goes sky high before insulin (whether your own or in the form of a medication) can "grab it" and pull it back down to baseline. The problem is, as we've been discussing, it is common for insulin to bring blood sugar down, down, down to the point that it overshoots baseline, continuing to drop and create a deep valley. When this happens, people get the symptoms listed earlier. The solution? According to the NIH again, consuming fruit juices (OJ is the most common), SODA, raisins, SUGAR, honey, or CORN SYRUP. And as you might imagine, the yo-yo continues.
According to a group of thirty experts (MD's and Ph.D's) who got together and actually created the guidelines that the mainstream medical community largely continues to ignore (HERE), the thing that will prevent this yo-yoing is low carb. Interestingly enough, the American Diabetes Association still recommends a diet high in potatoes, corn, GRAINS (they actually refer to it as a "superfood", DIET SODA (research shows you'll gain double the weight as with sugared soda), and others that are equally as questionable, not to mention they continue to beat that old and worn out "LOW FAT" drum. And this doesn't even start to touch on the issue of inflammation.
It's also important to remember that first and foremost, the inability to control blood sugar (Diabetes / Hypoglycemia) is first and foremost an issue of INFLAMMATION. This is why it is not uncommon to see people who have lost huge amounts of weight, gotten downright skinny, yet can no longer maintain a normal blood sugar without meds. If this is you, at least need to take a look at THIS POST and see what it might take to figure out what could be driving said inflammation. Honestly, the most common causes are also the easiest to deal with (the low-hanging fruit if you will). It's just a matter of making the effort.
- Shakiness
- Dizziness
- Sweating
- Hunger
- Headache (Particularly MIGRAINES)
- Tired after eating
- Pale skin color
- Sudden moodiness or behavior changes, such as crying for no apparent reason
- Clumsy or jerky movements
- Seizure
- Difficulty paying attention, or confusion
- Tingling sensations around the mouth
The question on everyone's mind is surely why; why in the world is Hypoglycemia (low blood sugar) associated with Diabetes and Hyperglycemia (high or uncontrolled blood sugar)? The question, in fact, is greatly on the mind of the medical community as well. A study from the February 2017 issue of Diabetes, Obesity, and Metabolism (Hypoglycemia Manifestations and Recurrent Events) reiterates how common this is in diabetics (all quotes are cherry-picked due to restraints on time and space).
Hypoglycemia is a well-known risk associated with the use of sulfonylureas [HERE is a list] and insulin, often limiting achievement of glycemic goals. A cardiovascular outcome study of 16,492 patients allocated to [diabetes drugs] vs. placebo added to conventional care for a median of 2.1 years. Analyzing the features of the first hypoglycemic event for each patient revealed that a precipitant for the event was recognized by less than half of the patients... In 40% of patients reporting major hypoglycemic events [these require third party assistance], no precipitating factor was recognized and in over 60%, no previous hypoglycemic event was reported during the timespan of the study - underscoring the lack of predictability of such an event.
OK, it's common, but why is it common? According to the NIH's National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases website, "Hypoglycemia can be a side effect of insulin or other types of diabetes medicines that help your body make more insulin. If you take insulin or diabetes medicines that increase the amount of insulin your body makes—but don’t match your medications with your food or physical activity—you could develop hypoglycemia." When you take more medication than is needed, too much blood sugar is moved out of the blood and into the cells. Just realize that the same thing happens in people who aren't on insulin. This is why LOW CARB DIETS are so important for Type II Diabetics (or for anyone hoping to avoid going down that path).
By AVOIDING SUGAR AND JUNK CARBS, blood sugar levels are maintained in a more linear fashion. When people choose to eat junk, their blood sugar goes sky high before insulin (whether your own or in the form of a medication) can "grab it" and pull it back down to baseline. The problem is, as we've been discussing, it is common for insulin to bring blood sugar down, down, down to the point that it overshoots baseline, continuing to drop and create a deep valley. When this happens, people get the symptoms listed earlier. The solution? According to the NIH again, consuming fruit juices (OJ is the most common), SODA, raisins, SUGAR, honey, or CORN SYRUP. And as you might imagine, the yo-yo continues.
According to a group of thirty experts (MD's and Ph.D's) who got together and actually created the guidelines that the mainstream medical community largely continues to ignore (HERE), the thing that will prevent this yo-yoing is low carb. Interestingly enough, the American Diabetes Association still recommends a diet high in potatoes, corn, GRAINS (they actually refer to it as a "superfood", DIET SODA (research shows you'll gain double the weight as with sugared soda), and others that are equally as questionable, not to mention they continue to beat that old and worn out "LOW FAT" drum. And this doesn't even start to touch on the issue of inflammation.
It's also important to remember that first and foremost, the inability to control blood sugar (Diabetes / Hypoglycemia) is first and foremost an issue of INFLAMMATION. This is why it is not uncommon to see people who have lost huge amounts of weight, gotten downright skinny, yet can no longer maintain a normal blood sugar without meds. If this is you, at least need to take a look at THIS POST and see what it might take to figure out what could be driving said inflammation. Honestly, the most common causes are also the easiest to deal with (the low-hanging fruit if you will). It's just a matter of making the effort.
GLYN GILMAN'S OBITUARY
A TRIBUTE IN PICTURES
But they that wait upon the Lord shall renew their strength; they shall mount up with wings as eagles; they shall run, and not be weary; they shall walk, and not faint.
It is a sad day as I sit here trying to clear my mind and type through the tears. Even though we all knew that this day was coming, it does not make it any easier. "Papa" went to be with Jesus earlier today.
Those who knew him would agree that Glyn Gilman was an amazing man. I would go as far as saying that Glyn was the greatest man I ever personally knew ---- a Godly man of impeccable character ---- a man whom I pray my son emulates as he himself becomes a man.
Glyn was not only one of the funniest, smartest, and wittiest men I have ever been around, he was undoubtedly one of most loving, most giving, and most humble as well. He was also the toughest. Debilitated in his later years by the after-effects of childhood polio (Post-Polio Syndrome), Glyn was a modern-day JOB who never complained about the cards life had dealt him. And despite his physical adversities, his faith was on display for all to see ---- a life constantly, consistently, and purposefully lived as a witness for Christ. Like the old timers like to say, "He cut a wide swath". As a long-time teacher / coach / principal, "Mr Gilman" touched countless lives and will be sorely missed by all who knew him. We love you.
Those who knew him would agree that Glyn Gilman was an amazing man. I would go as far as saying that Glyn was the greatest man I ever personally knew ---- a Godly man of impeccable character ---- a man whom I pray my son emulates as he himself becomes a man.
Glyn was not only one of the funniest, smartest, and wittiest men I have ever been around, he was undoubtedly one of most loving, most giving, and most humble as well. He was also the toughest. Debilitated in his later years by the after-effects of childhood polio (Post-Polio Syndrome), Glyn was a modern-day JOB who never complained about the cards life had dealt him. And despite his physical adversities, his faith was on display for all to see ---- a life constantly, consistently, and purposefully lived as a witness for Christ. Like the old timers like to say, "He cut a wide swath". As a long-time teacher / coach / principal, "Mr Gilman" touched countless lives and will be sorely missed by all who knew him. We love you.
Glyn Wendell Gilman, age 75, of Imperial MO went home to The Lord Saturday April 20, 2013. Glyn was born January 15, 1938 in Belgrade, MO. Glyn is survived by his wife Mary Lou Gilman, his daughter, Amy Schierling (Russell), his son Randy Gilman (Joy) and six grandchildren Malachi, Michaela, Grace Adelyn (Schierling) Keira and Jackson (Gilman). His sister Ladonna Whaley (Orville), his brother Jim Gilman (Donna) and sister Robin Dickmann (Doug). Glyn was preceded in death by his parents,Clyde and Dorothy Gilman and sister Clyta Richart. Husband, father, brother, paw-paw, teacher, coach and friend to many, he will be missed! Those of you who knew Glyn will understand why one of his favorite verses was Isaiah 40:31
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THE LITTLE ONE-ROOM CABIN IN THE WOODS
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PAPA AND MICHAELA
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PAPA HELPING KALA SHOOT FROM THE BACK DECK
THE DAY PAPA TOOK MALACHI TO KILL HIS FIRST TURKEY
GOOD BYE GLYN
WE ALREADY MISS YOU MORE THAN YOU WILL EVER KNOW.
LOOKING FORWARD TO A GRAND REUNION SOME DAY!
DIETARY CRACKHEADS
PICK YOUR POISON
John Hain - Carmel/United States - Pixabay
It was not too long ago that I reviewed one of Dr. David Seaman's articles (HERE). Fabulous! He recently wrote another article called, Dietary "Crackheads" and the Never-Ending Battle Against the Bulging Waistline. Although the title sounds harsh, it is similar to a post I wrote back in January called, "ARE PROCESSED CARBOHYDRATES ADDICTIVE?. Of course the answer to my rhetorical question is a resounding "yes". But today I want to take a couple of minutes to share Dr. Seaman's viewpoint with you. Not only is he a FUNCTIONAL NEUROLOGIST, he is one of the Chiropractic Profession's most well-known and respected authorities on INFLAMMATION and squelching it dietarily.
The thing to understand is that Dr. Seaman's article is not written from a condescending point of view --- a view that would say since you are addicted to sugar, he is better than you. It is written from the viewpoint of someone who has learned what it takes to crush the cravings that plague those of us with sugar addictions (his junk of choice was candy corn, Snickers bars, marzipan, Twinkies, cinnamon toast, donuts, ice cream and Whoppers from Burger King). I get what he is saying because in this regard, I am him. That's right; my name is Russ and I am a sugarholic. I can relate to Dr. David because if I let myself, I could easily fall right back into the cycle of sugar addiction / craving / sugar addiction / craving / repeat ad infinitum (HERE). And all of you who have ever spun around in circles on this crazy cycle know how hard it can be to get off of it ---- and how easy it can be to climb right back on and start spinning again. Seaman's says that....
The thing to understand is that Dr. Seaman's article is not written from a condescending point of view --- a view that would say since you are addicted to sugar, he is better than you. It is written from the viewpoint of someone who has learned what it takes to crush the cravings that plague those of us with sugar addictions (his junk of choice was candy corn, Snickers bars, marzipan, Twinkies, cinnamon toast, donuts, ice cream and Whoppers from Burger King). I get what he is saying because in this regard, I am him. That's right; my name is Russ and I am a sugarholic. I can relate to Dr. David because if I let myself, I could easily fall right back into the cycle of sugar addiction / craving / sugar addiction / craving / repeat ad infinitum (HERE). And all of you who have ever spun around in circles on this crazy cycle know how hard it can be to get off of it ---- and how easy it can be to climb right back on and start spinning again. Seaman's says that....
| I would argue that careful moderation when it comes to these "crackhead" foods is reasonable. Otherwise, the use of the term moderation is really how out-of-control dessert and fast-food "crackheads" rationalize their behavior, which includes a very "moderate" intake of vegetables and fruit that often excludes green vegetables. |
I could not have said it better. In fact, in past posts I have spoken extensively how "Dietary Crackheads" cannot do "moderation". It is an unfathomable concept to us. As long as I am carefully CONTROLLING MY BLOOD SUGAR, I am good --- no cravings and life is peachy. But give me one single donut, and I turn into a stark raving lunatic. I could easily wolf down a dozen before I realize that I feel sick. Dr. David goes on to say that there area several potential reasons that can cause us to indulge our inner "Crack Head".....
| Not surprisingly, the data is very clear that inadequate sleep and stress increase the release of the hunger hormone ghrelin that propels us toward food reward. When this happens, it is a good idea to exercise or get very engaged physically with cleaning or yardwork, which has an appetite-suppressing effect and a limbic system-reward effect. Reward refers to anything from which we get pleasure. |
In other words, if you want to squash the craving, you will have to find something to substitute for the sugar (DON'T SUB THIS). I agree with his assessment above. Physical work is a good way to dampen cravings. Hitting the gym is also a great method of countering cravings. High intensity WEIGHT LIFTING & CROSS-TRAINING does it for me. And here is the really cool thing about these cravings ---- if you can do what it takes to get off sugar and starch for a week or ten days, you'll lose them. And how would Dr. Seaman's have you determine your level of addiction or "Crack Headedness"?
| Researchers have identified that humans and animals have a withdrawal experience when not consuming sugar, which is not unlike opiate withdrawal. People actually suffer just thinking about never again eating a sugary, floury, fatty dessert. This is actually a very good way to test yourself to identify the aggressiveness of your own personal dietary "crackhead." |
WHAT ARE THE MOST COMMON CAUSES OF BUTTOCK PAIN?
Paul E (Zanzibarski) - Nederland - Pixabay
"Prevalence of piriformis syndrome was 6.25%. Piriformis syndrome is one of the differential diagnoses of low back/buttock pain with Sciatica. Individuals of all activity levels can be affected. Females are more affected than males. Causes are overuse, prolonged sitting, trauma, and vigorous massage." From the abstract of a 2013 study from the Indian Medical Society called Prevalence of Piriformis Syndrome Among the Cases of Low Back / Buttock Pain with Sciatica: A Prospective Study
Butt pain. We've all had it at one time or another. Maybe you sat too long on a hard chair. Or maybe you fell on your rear end on the ice --- or while playing sports or roller skating. Or maybe you were like me and got your hind end SPANKED on a fairly regular basis as a child. These are all causes of butt pain --- but not the kind of butt pain that we will be discussing today. Today I want to address a few of the potential diagnoses in people who end up with debilitating buttock pain.
Most buttock pain, whether chronic or acute, can be dealt with using conservative methods (without DRUGS, surgeries, or EXPENSIVE TESTS). CHIROPRACTIC ADJUSTMENTS, understanding INFLAMMATORY CONDITIONS, TISSUE REMODELING, LASER THERAPY, CORE STRENGTH, or SPINAL DECOMPRESSION THERAPY will change most of these conditions.
- SCIATICA: Firstly, I want you to understand that SCIATICA is not so much a diagnosis as it is a symptom of an underlying problem. In the same way that it is not really helpful to go to the doctor with a headache, which he then miraculously diagnoses as a "headache," it is none too helpful to have a doctor tell you that your problem is Sciatica. There is always an underlying cause of Sciatica. Truth be known, there are lots of causes of Sciatica. Pinch or irritate one of the nerves that comes from your low back / pelvis area and you could easily end up with Sciatica, as it's a very common problem. And one of the most common causes of Sciatica is..........
- PIRIFORMIS SYNDROME: Despite the fact that many people have never heard of it, according to a 2005 study done at UCLA's Mount Sinai Medical School in Los Angeles, PIRIFORMIS SYNDROME is the most common cause of Sciatica and Buttock Pain (40% as opposed to the 6.25% touted above). Although the incidence probably falls somewhere in the middle, when severe, this poorly understood problem can destroy one's will to live (HERE). By the way, the large discrepancy between the two numbers likely has to do with the fact that Piriformis Syndrome is usually misdiagnosed as.......
- DISC PROBLEMS: These can be in the form of things like DEGENERATIVE JOINT DISEASE, SPINAL STENOSIS, or HERNIATED DISCS. The problems with disc diagnoses come into focus once you begin to grasp the concept of ASYMPTOMATIC DISC HERNIATIONS. Because all of these diagnoses have the ability to cause Sciatica, they all have the ability to cause severe buttock pain as well. HERE is a simple test for helping to differentiate between Disc problems and Piriformis Syndrome. Far from foolproof, but definitely a start.
- CUTANEOUS NERVE ENTRAPMENTS: This is an ultra common problem that I feel is way too often being diagnosed as Piriformis Syndrome (which also helps account for the 35% discrepancy discussed a moment ago). When CUTANEOUS NERVES (superficial nerves) become "entrapped" in FIBROTIC FASCIA, it can cause pain. Although this is super common to find just about anywhere, it is ultra common in the areas around the hip / buttock (HERE).
- SACROILIAC (SI) PAIN: You can find your SI joints by feeling for the two bony knobs of bone on either side of your spine at your belt line. I wrote an article awhile back on differentiating SI problems from Piriformis Syndrome (hint: it can often be difficult to do). To understand a little bit more about SI pain and its relationship to Piriformis Syndrome, go HERE.
- BURSITIS: The ischial tuberosity (the butt-bone that you sit on, often referred to as the "sits" bone) has a BURSA on it. If it gets inflamed it is known as WEAVER'S BOTTOM. In similar fashion to people with PS, these folks cannot sit down unless maybe they are sitting on a pillow or cushion of some sort.
- TENDINOSIS: Although TENDINOSIS can happen at any muscle tendon in the body, it is not terribly rare to have HAMSTRING TENDINOSIS. And because the hamstrings attach to the ischial tuberosity (the butt-bone), the pain is frequently felt in the region of the lower buttocks. If these are bad enough, they will be seen with MRI. People with hardcore tendinosis of the upper hamstring cannot sit down without major discomfort. Tendinosis can also occur in the piriformis or any of the other hip rotator cuff muscles.
- TAIL BONE PAIN: This is pain that can be felt in the Sacrum (the triangular bone that the lowest spinal vertebrae sits on), or it can be in the tail bone (the coccyx --- the tip; just above the anus). Although this is frequently the result of a fall or even having a baby, there are many cases of "Coccydinia" that have unknown origins.
- TRAUMA: Fall on your butt, and you are likely to end up with a bruise --- or even a broken tail bone (super common). I have seen many of these type of injuries result in both SCAR TISSUE and TRIGGER POINTS that can lead to buttock or hip pain, which, by the way, commonly manifests in the HIP FLEXORS as well.
- OTHERS: Truth be known, there are a number of other causes of Pain in the Butt (CANCER, tumors, INFECTIONS, WEIRD NEUROLOGICAL CONDITIONS, labral tears, FAI, pelvic floor issues, etc, etc, etc). The really cool thing is that......
Most buttock pain, whether chronic or acute, can be dealt with using conservative methods (without DRUGS, surgeries, or EXPENSIVE TESTS). CHIROPRACTIC ADJUSTMENTS, understanding INFLAMMATORY CONDITIONS, TISSUE REMODELING, LASER THERAPY, CORE STRENGTH, or SPINAL DECOMPRESSION THERAPY will change most of these conditions.
FASCIAL ADHESIONS
CHRONIC PAIN'S PERFECT STORM
LEAVES SUFFERERS SHIPWRECKED
ATDS Photo (Versailles/France) from Pixabay
FASCIA is the tough, mucousy, cellophane-like membrane that adheres tightly to nerves, blood vessels, and yes, muscles. One of the things I've learned from 25 years of treating patients is that if a person has FASCIAL ADHESIONS --- Fascia whose fibers are not lined up in a neat orderly manner, but are instead clumped into a tangled, matted, wad (like THIS or THIS) --- they will never hold adjustments (HERE). This means they are coming in over and over and over again, for the same old problems. While some chiros might look at this as their bread and butter (HERE), my goal is always to do whatever I can to get your problem solved ASAP. Remember; I'm the guy that wants to see less of you instead of more (HERE).
Not only will the folks described in the previous paragraph likely end up with some sort of Chronic Pain issue; when they go to the doctor for EXAMINATIONS and TESTS, their pain will probably be blamed on the most common scapegoats --- ARTHRITIS and FIBROMYALGIA. While people with these problems certainly exist in significant numbers, "Arthur and Fibro" usually get way more credit than they deserve. Problems in the Fascia often lead to Chronic Pain's "Perfect Storm" because.......
Not only will the folks described in the previous paragraph likely end up with some sort of Chronic Pain issue; when they go to the doctor for EXAMINATIONS and TESTS, their pain will probably be blamed on the most common scapegoats --- ARTHRITIS and FIBROMYALGIA. While people with these problems certainly exist in significant numbers, "Arthur and Fibro" usually get way more credit than they deserve. Problems in the Fascia often lead to Chronic Pain's "Perfect Storm" because.......
- Fascia is arguably the single most pain-sensitive tissue in the body (see link at beginning of the post). When you couple this with the fact that it is also the most abundant Connective Tissue in the body, you can begin to see the potential for disaster looming on the horizon.
- Fascial Adhesions will not show up on MRI (HERE) even though most of you believe that your pain is so bad it should make your MRI glow red (HERE). Unfortunately, Fascia is so thin that it will not show up excepting in certain places like possibly the PLANTAR FASCIA (no, it does not do a good job with the THORACOLUMBAR FASCIA, although there is some newer technology out there that is helping --- HERE). What happens when your MRI comes back negative? You are likely to be labeled a hypochondriac, DEPRESSED, a DRUG SEEKER, or trying to get on Disability (unfortunately, there are lots of people in each of these categories). Once your insurance company says it will not pay for any more tests or treatments, you will be discarded by the medical community like a piece of trash, or forwarded on to "Pain Management" where standard fare is THE BIG FIVE along with any number of invasive procedures.
- If you have areas of Fascial Adhesions (the SCAR TISSUE that the medical community usually refers to as "FIBROSIS"), they can cause problems like ALLODYNIA OR HYPERALGIA. In other words, Scar Tissue has the potential to be ridiculously pain-sensitive when compared to normal tissue --- up to 1,000 times more pain-sensitive (HERE). Few doctors are aware of this, nor do they seem to be aware of the intimate relationship between inflammation, fibrosis, and degeneration (HERE) --- of if they are, they're doing a great job of keeping it a secret.
- It's increasingly likely that your doctor will likely not touch you or examine you (they usually rely on imaging and other diagnostic testing), which is really the only way of determining whether or not Fascial Adhesions might be present (HERE or HERE). Yesterday I treated a young physician who has been dealing with progressively worsening CHRONIC NECK PAIN. One of his big complaints about his care (one that I hear regularly), is that when he went to pain specialists, neurologists, orthopedists, etc, they did not touch him, watch him move, check RANGES OF MOTION, or look at anything else that might actually provide some valuable clues as to what the problem is. Instead, tests were ordered, pictures were taken, blood was drawn, and he was charged incredible amounts of money for injections of BOTOX, CORTICOSTEROIDS, or LIDOCAINE, and then prescribed the STANDARD MEDICATIONS when nothing was found.
FIBROSIS: AN UNHOLY RECIPE FOR DISASTER
Take the four bullet points above, put them in a witch's cauldron, stir them all together, throw in the COPIOUS AMOUNTS OF DRUGS that your doctors continue to prescribe, bring it all to a boil, and you have a recipe for disaster --- the "Perfect Storm" for perpetuating your Chronic Pain (drugs cause INTESTINAL PERMEABILITY, which leads to increased inflammation and SYMPATHETIC DOMINANCE). Maybe it's time to step outside the box and actually address the underlying cause(s) of your pain. I do not want to insinuate for even a moment that I help each and every person I treat ---- BUT I HELP A HECK OF LOT OF YOU. The nice thing is; you'll know in just one treatment if what I do is going to help (HERE). There are parallel approaches to the Inflammation / Fibrosis problem that are likewise invaluable for maintaining the good results over the long haul (HERE).
 | Do you know someone struggling with pain that sounds like it could be caused by Fascial Adhesions? If so, forward this post to them. You can also spread the word by liking us on FACEBOOK. It's the best way going to reach those you love and care about most. |
ANECDOTAL EVIDENCE FOR WHAT I DO IN MY CLINIC
Awhile back, I wrote about the MYTH OF EVIDENCE-BASED MEDICINE. Why would I take such a "sacrilegious" stance against one of the recent catch-phrases of modern medicine? Read the link! I have been helping people with SEVERE HEADACHES and MIGRAINES for well over two decades, and videos, while not considered to be "evidence," are just that. If you are struggling with Chronic Headaches, watch the video.
FIVE-PLUS DECADES OF MIGRAINE HEADACHES GONE FOR OVER A DECADE
SCAR TISSUE REMODELING VIDEO TESTIMONIALS
Ronnie and Brandi have both had our TISSUE REMODELING done for several different problems including CHRONIC NECK PAIN, HEADACHES, and ELBOW TENDINOSIS. When you log for a living and ride horses for fun, the potential for serious injury increases dramatically. The Terrill's results have been tremendous! But don't take my word for it ---- take theirs. Watch the videos. Thank you guys for taking a couple of minutes out of your busy day to do this for us.
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PRESCRIPTION DRUGS & ERECTILE DYSFUNCTION (ED)
It is an interesting dichotomy. Despite the fact that I am seeing increasing numbers of patients who take no prescription or over-the-counter drugs at all, I am also seeing more people who are taking the proverbial "boatload" of medicine. Not too long ago, I wrote about the drug explosion that has taken place in the past couple of decades ---- something called "Polypharmacy" (HERE). Although there are all sorts of SIDE EFFECTS associated with Polypharmacy (taking lots of prescription medications), one of the more common is Erectile Dysfunction. How common is Erectile Dysfunction here in America?
Known by its initials, ED, it;s defined as the inability to achieve and/or sustain an erection that is firm enough for sexual intercourse at least 50% of the time. Despite everything you may have heard or been told, ED is not normal at any age. However, here in America, it is rampant (as is LOW TESTOSTERONE). According to the National Institutes of Health (NIH), approximately 1 in 20 40-year-olds and 1 in 4 65-year-olds struggle with ED. And although there are a host of known risk factors (OBESITY, UNCONTROLLED BLOOD SUGAR / DIABETES, Heart Disease, STRESS, DEPRESSION / ANXIETY, etc), one of the more common, but least talked about, is the type and number of medications one is taking. Some of the offending drugs include......
Known by its initials, ED, it;s defined as the inability to achieve and/or sustain an erection that is firm enough for sexual intercourse at least 50% of the time. Despite everything you may have heard or been told, ED is not normal at any age. However, here in America, it is rampant (as is LOW TESTOSTERONE). According to the National Institutes of Health (NIH), approximately 1 in 20 40-year-olds and 1 in 4 65-year-olds struggle with ED. And although there are a host of known risk factors (OBESITY, UNCONTROLLED BLOOD SUGAR / DIABETES, Heart Disease, STRESS, DEPRESSION / ANXIETY, etc), one of the more common, but least talked about, is the type and number of medications one is taking. Some of the offending drugs include......
- Hydrochlorothiazide (Esidrix, HydroDIURIL, Hydropres, Inderide, Moduretic, Oretic, Lotensin)
- Chlorthalidone (Hygroton)
- Triamterene (Maxide, Dyazide)
- Furosemide (Lasix)
- Bumetanide (Bumex)
- Guanfacine (Tenex)
- Methyldopa (Aldomet)
- Clonidine (Catapres)
- Verapamil (Calan, Isoptin, Verelan)
- Nifedipine (Adalat, Procardia)
- Hydralazine (Apresoline)
- Captopril (Capoten)
- Enalapril (Vasotec)
- Metoprolol (Lopressor)
- Propranolol (Inderal)
- Labetalol (Normodyne)
- Atenolol (Tenormin)
- Phenoxybenzamine (Dibenzyline)
- Spironolactone (Aldactone)
- Fluoxetine (Prozac)
- Tranylcypromine (Parnate)
- Sertraline (Zoloft)
- Isocarboxazid (Marplan)
- Amitriptyline (Elavil)
- Amoxipine (Asendin)
- Clomipramine (Anafranil)
- Desipramine (Norpramin)
- Nortriptyline (Pamelor)
- Phenelzine (Nardil)
- Buspirone (Buspar)
- Chlordiazepoxide (Librium)
- Clorazepate (Tranxene)
- Diazepam (Valium)
- Doxepin (Sinequan)
- Imipramine (Tofranil)
- Lorazepam (Ativan)
- Oxazepam (Serax)
- Phenytoin (Dilantin)
- Dimehydrinate (Dramamine)
- Diphenhydramine (Benadryl)
- Hydroxyzine (Vistaril)
- Meclizine (Antivert)
- Promethazine (Phenergan)
- Naproxen (Anaprox, Naprelan, Naprosyn)
- Indomethacin (Indocin)
- Biperiden (Akineton)
- Benztropine (Cogentin)
- Trihexyphenidyl (Artane)
- Procyclidine (Kemadrin)
- Bromocriptine (Parlodel)
- Levodopa (Sinemet)
- Disopyramide (Norpace)
- Cimetidine (Tagamet)
- Nizatidine (Axid)
- Ranitidine (Zantac)
- Cyclobenzaprine (Flexeril)
- Orphenadrine (Norflex)
- Flutamide (Eulexin)
- Leuprolide (Lupron)
- Busulfan (Myleran)
- Cyclophosphamide (Cytoxan)
This list is long, but there are others ---- many others. The July 2012 issue of BJU International (a urologist's journal) published a study called, "Population-Based Study of Erectile Dysfunction and Polypharmacy," where some interesting findings came to light. Records from over 35,000 of Kiaser Permanante's Health Care System (California) males, aged 45-69, were reviewed for ED.
Not only did almost 30% of the men in the study have moderate to severe ED, the incidence and severity of the Erectile Dysfunction increased with the NUMBERS OF DRUGS that the subjects were taking. By the way, these stats were adjusted for things like SMOKING, DIABETES, HIGH BLOOD PRESSURE, HIGH TRIGLYCERIDES, peripheral vascular disease, CORONARY ARTERY DISEASE, and obesity.
Not only did almost 30% of the men in the study have moderate to severe ED, the incidence and severity of the Erectile Dysfunction increased with the NUMBERS OF DRUGS that the subjects were taking. By the way, these stats were adjusted for things like SMOKING, DIABETES, HIGH BLOOD PRESSURE, HIGH TRIGLYCERIDES, peripheral vascular disease, CORONARY ARTERY DISEASE, and obesity.
- 1 or 2 drugs increases the risk of ED by 16%
- 3 to 5 drugs increases the risk of ED by 20%
- 6 to 9 drugs increases the risk by 25%
- More than 10 drugs increases the risk of ED by 31%
OBESE PETS EMULATE OBESE OWNERS
OBESITY RULES THE DAY
America is the fattest nation on earth ---- and it's not even close. Almost 3/4 of our population is overweight, while nearly half of those are obese (according to the CDC, over 30% of adult Missourians are obese). As you may have imagined from the title and pictures above, this obesity has carried over to our pets. Dr. Ernie Ward, a Veterinarian from Calabash North Carolina, recently published the results of a survey for his organization, APOP. Here are some cherry-picked quotes from the brand new study posted on his website.
The sixth annual National Pet Obesity Awareness Day Survey conducted by the Association for Pet Obesity Prevention (APOP) found 52.5 percent of dogs and 58.3 percent of cats to be overweight or obese by their veterinarian. That equals approximately 80 million U.S. dogs and cats at increased risk for weight-related disorders such as diabetes, osteoarthritis, hypertension and many cancers.... Pet obesity remains the leading health threat to our nation’s pets..... The causes of pet and childhood obesity are largely the same: too many high-calorie foods and snacks combined with too little physical activity. Parents need to encourage children to put down their video games and pick up the dog leash to go for a walk. Instead of snacking on sugary treats, share crunchy vegetables with your dog. Eat more whole foods instead of highly processed fast food...... The soaring rate of feline and canine obesity is taking a terrible toll on our animals’ health. There is a vast population of overweight cats and dogs facing an epidemic of diabetes. The best preventive measure a pet owner can make is to keep their dog or cat at a healthy weight. Diabetes is far easier to prevent than treat, especially when twice daily insulin injections are needed...... This is a war veterinarians, pet owners and parents must win. Obesity is the number one preventable medical condition seen in veterinary hospitals today and is the fastest growing health threat of our nation’s children. Our goal is to help pets and people live longer, healthier, and pain-free lives by maintaining a healthy weight, proper nutrition, and physical activity. The most important decision a pet owner makes each day is what they choose to feed their pet. Choose wisely. Your pet’s life depends on it. |
What do you think? If you changed just a little bit of the language, Dr. Ward and his colleagues could be speaking of the owners instead of their pets. According to an article on the National Institute of Health's / National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute's website (What Are the Health Risks of Overweight and Obesity?), the health risks of obesity / overweight are as follows.....
It seems that these risks are similar whether you are a dog, a cat, or a human. The truth is, if you care to dig into the peer-reviewed scientific literature, virtually every conceivable health issue you can name is being tied to Obesity's twin sister --- UNCONTROLLED BLOOD SUGAR. Knowing all of this, we could easily have changed the last sentence in the red quote above to read, "The most important decision a person / parent makes each day is what they choose to feed their children / family / selves. Choose wisely. Your life and the life of your family depends on it."
- Coronary Artery Disease
- Coronary Heart Disease
- Heart Attack / Heart Failure
- Stroke
- High Triglycerides
- Degenerative Arthritis (DJD)
- Gallbladder Disease
It seems that these risks are similar whether you are a dog, a cat, or a human. The truth is, if you care to dig into the peer-reviewed scientific literature, virtually every conceivable health issue you can name is being tied to Obesity's twin sister --- UNCONTROLLED BLOOD SUGAR. Knowing all of this, we could easily have changed the last sentence in the red quote above to read, "The most important decision a person / parent makes each day is what they choose to feed their children / family / selves. Choose wisely. Your life and the life of your family depends on it."
THE COMMON THREAD
IN OUR PIRIFORMIS SYNDROME PATIENTS
I have said several times that not all PIRIFORMIS SYNDROME cases are alike (HERE). In fact, there are many different reasons that people get Piriformis Syndrome --- not all of them having to do with Scar Tissue, FASCIAL ADHESION, and / or TENDINOSIS. There does, however, seem to be a common thread among the patients that I treat. If you have watched many of our PIRIFORMIS SYNDROME VIDEO TESTIMONIALS (or HERE), you may realize what it is. It seems that most of the people we see with Piriformis Syndrome have been struggling with it for years. In fact, it is not really uncommon to see people who have had it for decades. And despite everything they have done (the stories are all quite similar --- tests, MRI's, NCV's, pain meds, muscle relaxers, injections, more tests, pain management, more meds, etc, etc, etc ---- it's a regular MEDICAL MERRY-GO-ROUND), they are not only not getting better, they are getting worse.
Here is a video of Pat. She fell not quite 15 years ago, starting a progressively worsening case of Piriformis Syndrome. This video was shot directly after her second visit to my office. Thanks for the video Pat!
Here is a video of Pat. She fell not quite 15 years ago, starting a progressively worsening case of Piriformis Syndrome. This video was shot directly after her second visit to my office. Thanks for the video Pat!
BOTOX INJECTIONS FOR
PIRIFORMIS SYNDROME
fotoblend - Willfried Wende - Pegnitz/Deutschland - Pixaby
Botox is the trade name for a version of the Neuro-toxin Botulism. Interestingly enough, the Botulinum Toxin is arguably the single most toxic substance known to man. It causes paralysis by blocking the neurotransmitter acytelcholine, and takes only slightly more than one one billionth of a gram per kilogram of body weight to kill a person via total paralysis.
Because it causes paralysis, local injections of diluted amounts of Botulinum Toxin are used medically for several purposes. One of these is to "relax" the layer of muscle / fascia underneath the skin in order to temporarily smooth out wrinkles. Another is to act as a relaxer for chronic conditions such as Torticollis (a bent or tipped neck), crossed eyes, over-active bladders, and even over-sweaty armpits, etc. As you may have guessed, injecting such a toxic substance into your body can have some potentially serious side effects. Some of these include things like......
Because it causes paralysis, local injections of diluted amounts of Botulinum Toxin are used medically for several purposes. One of these is to "relax" the layer of muscle / fascia underneath the skin in order to temporarily smooth out wrinkles. Another is to act as a relaxer for chronic conditions such as Torticollis (a bent or tipped neck), crossed eyes, over-active bladders, and even over-sweaty armpits, etc. As you may have guessed, injecting such a toxic substance into your body can have some potentially serious side effects. Some of these include things like......
- Trouble breathing, talking, or swallowing
- Hoarseness
- Drooping eyelids (Because Boxtox is given for facial wrinkles --- particularly wrinkles around the eyes, many of the side effects have to do with the eyes, face, or head.)
- Abnormal or severe muscle weakness (particularly in areas that were not injected)
- Loss of bladder control or UTI's
- Visual disturbances
- A wide array of eye problems (itching, crusting, etc)
- Skin rashes and / or itching
- Abnormal heartbeat (too fast, too slow, not in time)
- Chest pain and other heart attack like symptom
- Generally feeling bad.
- Muscle weakness at or near the injection site
- Bruising, bleeding, pain, redness, or swelling at or near the injection site
- Headache, stiff muscles, neck pain, back pain
- Fever, cough, sore throat, runny nose, flu-like symptoms
- Dizziness
- Drowsiness, feeling tired or lethargic
- Nausea, diarrhea, vomiting, stomach pain, poor appetite
- Dry mouth / dry eyes
- Ringing in the ears
- Increased sweating in areas other than the armpits
- Increased sensitivity to light
- Eyelid swelling or bruising
- Anxiety
- Anaphylaxis
- Inflections
BOTOX AND PIRIFORMIS SYNDROME
One of the commonly tried treatments for hardcore PIRIFORMIS SYNDROME is Botox Injections. Does this work? While I know that there are people out there who have successfully used Botox for their Piriformis Syndrome, I have never met one for whom it worked for longer than a very short time. For more information about a different method, visit the link above.
SURGERY OR BACTERIA?
During the first 2 weeks after RYGB, the Verrucomicrobiales increased more than 10,000-fold as compared with baseline. In contrast, Verrucomicrobiales increased modestly (threefold versus baseline) in the sham-operated and weight-matched animals. From Medpage Today. |
Last months issue of Science Translational Medicine published the results of a collaborative study between Harvard University and Massachusetts General Hospital in Boston. The study, called Conserved Shifts in the Gut Microbiota Due to Gastric Bypass Reduce Host Weight and Adiposity, contained some mind-bending information on the relationship between one's weight and Gut Flora (the amount and types of bacteria found in the digestive tract).
Besides containing 80% of one's Immune System (HERE), the Gut and bacteria contained within are involved in numerous critical functions in the body (HERE). When these bacteria get out of kilter (too many baddies and not enough of the good guys), it is referred to as DYSBIOSIS. As you might imagine, ANTIBIOTICS and UNCONTROLLED BLOOD SUGAR are two of the biggest culprits in the various forms of Dysbiosis.
This problem has gotten so out of control that doctors are resorting to some bizarre sounding methods of treatment. Because Standard Medical Care (drugs) is failing so miserably, all sorts of INFLAMMATORY health problems including AUTOIMMUNITY are now being treated with things like FECAL MICROBITA TRANSPLANTS. This latest study gives more proof of how we should be thinking about the development of virtually all sickness and disease.
In this study, it was discovered that Gastric Bypass Surgery creates the potential for one to lose weight regardless of the fact that people are likely to be eating much less than they previously ate. In fact, it seems that for whatever reason, certain kinds of surgeries improve the Gut's flora, leading to less body fat and more weight loss. According to Lee M. Kaplan, MD, PhD, of Massachusetts General Hospital in Boston, "These findings provide the first empirical support for the claim that changes in the gut microbiota contribute to reduced host weight and adiposity after RYGB [Gastric Bypass Surgery]". Furthermore, the authors concluded that certain normal gut bacteria play a, "substantial role in regulating host adiposity [body fat] and weight loss."
Does this mean that I am now touting Gastric Bypass Surgery for my overweight and OBESE patients? Certainly not! The truth is that the sort of changes in Gut Flora that are capable of producing weight loss are attainable without needing to go through the surgery, which can carry a number of serious side effects. If you have been following my blog for any amount of time, this study's findings would not be totally novel.
Besides containing 80% of one's Immune System (HERE), the Gut and bacteria contained within are involved in numerous critical functions in the body (HERE). When these bacteria get out of kilter (too many baddies and not enough of the good guys), it is referred to as DYSBIOSIS. As you might imagine, ANTIBIOTICS and UNCONTROLLED BLOOD SUGAR are two of the biggest culprits in the various forms of Dysbiosis.
This problem has gotten so out of control that doctors are resorting to some bizarre sounding methods of treatment. Because Standard Medical Care (drugs) is failing so miserably, all sorts of INFLAMMATORY health problems including AUTOIMMUNITY are now being treated with things like FECAL MICROBITA TRANSPLANTS. This latest study gives more proof of how we should be thinking about the development of virtually all sickness and disease.
In this study, it was discovered that Gastric Bypass Surgery creates the potential for one to lose weight regardless of the fact that people are likely to be eating much less than they previously ate. In fact, it seems that for whatever reason, certain kinds of surgeries improve the Gut's flora, leading to less body fat and more weight loss. According to Lee M. Kaplan, MD, PhD, of Massachusetts General Hospital in Boston, "These findings provide the first empirical support for the claim that changes in the gut microbiota contribute to reduced host weight and adiposity after RYGB [Gastric Bypass Surgery]". Furthermore, the authors concluded that certain normal gut bacteria play a, "substantial role in regulating host adiposity [body fat] and weight loss."
Does this mean that I am now touting Gastric Bypass Surgery for my overweight and OBESE patients? Certainly not! The truth is that the sort of changes in Gut Flora that are capable of producing weight loss are attainable without needing to go through the surgery, which can carry a number of serious side effects. If you have been following my blog for any amount of time, this study's findings would not be totally novel.
CHRONIC SHOULDER AND NECK PAIN CLEARED UP WITHOUT SURGERY
Sasin Tipchai - Amphoe Phochai/Thailand - Pixabay
BEFORE YOU EVEN THINK ABOUT SHOULDER SURGERY, TALK TO ME
It is exciting to have lots of people come from out of the area, out of state, and even from out of the country to see me for their health-related problems. Many of these people have all but given up hope of ever having a normal life again (HERE IS A RECENT EXAMPLE). If you read or watch very many of our PATIENT TESTIMONIALS, you will begin to notice a trend --- the fact that most of these "LONG DISTANCE" patients have had their problem(s) for years, or even decades. Here is a really cool testimonial from Liz, whom I saw on Monday. Liz, like so many others, was at the end of her rope as far as the Chronic Pain and dysfunction was concerned.
| I don’t think my family could understand the chronic pain I had been suffering. My range of motion and strength diminished after a shoulder injury. My life changed dramatically and I could no longer enjoy many activities. The simplest tasks- lifting a pan of water- were extremely painful. I was enduring life, not living it. My neck was so stiff I couldn’t fully turn left and right - driving became risky. As my life became more limited, I felt weak and frustrated. Then one fortunate day, I found Dr. Schierling’s website and booked an appointment. This technique is a life-saver. This is not a wait and see treatment, the relief is immediate. After one session I can turn my neck left and right and the extreme pain is literally GONE. I am grateful to Dr. Schierling and am now learning more about nutrition and caring for myself. Liz Jacobsen, Hideaway, TX. |
Many --- maybe even the majority of CHRONIC NECK and SHOULDER PROBLEMS are the result of FASCIAL ADHESIONS and TENDINOSIS. It is imperative that people suffering with CHRONIC PAIN understand these two concepts. Fascia is the single most pain-sensitive tissue in the body and does not image with MRI. SCAR TISSUE is up to 1,000 times more pain-sensitive than normal tissue. Add these facts together and you can see a recipe for disaster --- a perfect storm of pain and dysfunction.
People visit us because they are tired of going to the doctor and getting eye rolls, insinuations of malingering, accusations of being a drug seeker, and then being prescribed things like PAIN MEDS, CORTICOSTEROIDS, and ANTI-DEPRESSANTS. There is a better way. Do not give up hope. Take charge of your health and change your life for the better! Our goal is to provide you an exit strategy to get off the MEDICAL MERRY-GO-ROUND and take your life back.
By the way, thanks Liz. I wish you and your husband nothing but the best! It was an awesome couple hours I was privileged to spend with you.
People visit us because they are tired of going to the doctor and getting eye rolls, insinuations of malingering, accusations of being a drug seeker, and then being prescribed things like PAIN MEDS, CORTICOSTEROIDS, and ANTI-DEPRESSANTS. There is a better way. Do not give up hope. Take charge of your health and change your life for the better! Our goal is to provide you an exit strategy to get off the MEDICAL MERRY-GO-ROUND and take your life back.
By the way, thanks Liz. I wish you and your husband nothing but the best! It was an awesome couple hours I was privileged to spend with you.
TOP REASONS FOR CHRONIC FACE PAIN
Patrick J. Lynch, medical illustrator; C. Carl Jaffe, MD, cardiologist.
If you are a person who has dealt with severe Facial Pain, you know how debilitating it can be. There are many different reasons that people get Face Pain. These can range from the simple and mundane to the severe and complex. The bottom line is that Face Pain, like other forms of pain, can potentially be debilitating. Follow along as I take you on a short journey into the various reasons that people get Facial Pain.
- TMJ / TMD / TMJD: The Temporomandibular Joint (TMJ) is the "jaw hinge". You can find the TMJ by putting your finger just in front of your ear and opening and closing your mouth. When problems are present, there can be pain around the joint itself or in the muscles of the face that involve chewing (the jaw muscle or masseter, and the temporalis or temple muscle are the chief culprits).
- SINUS PROBLEMS / ALLERGIES: If you have a CHRONIC SINUS ISSUE, it can cause Chronic Face Pain. Usually this pain is going to be felt over the area of the sinuses (just over and under the eyes).
- DENTAL ISSUES: Dental problems are a common cause of Chronic Face Pain. It is not uncommon for people to have longstanding sub-clinical infections associated with root canals and other complex dental procedures.
- POST-HERPETIC NEURALGIA DUE TO SHINGLES: It is not terribly uncommon that SHINGLES can lead to chronic nerve pain.
- CLUSTER HEADACHES / MIGRAINE HEADACHES: Although these are technically two different classes of headaches, they can both cause Chronic Facial Pain. HERE is some more information.
- TRIGEMINAL NEURALGIA: This is a problem with the fifth Cranial Nerve (the trigeminal). Be aware that Trigeminal Neuralgia (aka Tic Deouloureux or "Suicide Disease") is terrible. Medscape describes Trigmenial Neuralgia this way, "Brief paroxysms of "electric shock-like" pain in one or more divisions of the trigeminal nerve (cranial nerve V). This condition manifests in "machine-gun-like" volleys lasting a few seconds to a minute, recurring frequently for weeks."
- OTHERS: Chronic Facial Pain can come from EENT (Eye, Ear, Nose & Throat issues), cellulitis, erysipelas, mastoiditis, vascular issues, cysts, MS, Parkinson's, Seizure Disorders, after-effects of strokes, tumors, and even upper-lobe lung cancer. In fact, it almost seems like the list of potential causes of Chronic Facial Pain are endless.
- SCAR TISSUE: Although no one ever seems to talk much about this one, it may very well be the most common. The primary causes of Scar Tissue-induced Chronic Facial Pain are MVA, SPORTS INJURIES, and physical abuse --- I have seen many cases of each. A couple of years ago I saw a woman who was in the back seat of a car that went head-on with another at almost 100 mph. She had over two decades of Chronic Pain related to this incident ---- as well a huge amounts of FASCIAL ADHESIONS in the area of her face. Like I said, SCAR TISSUE as the cause of Chronic Facial Pain is more common than people would be led to believe.
NEUROLOGICAL CONDITIONS AND GLUTEN SENSITIVITY
A PERFECT STORM OF NEUROLOGICAL DYSFUNCTION
James Watkins
I went to see the consultant who had carried out the gall bladder operation and excitedly told him about my discovery that gluten and lactose were the source of all my health problems and how dramatic had been the results of excluding them from my diet even after a few weeks. He seemed quite uninterested but told me to carry on with the gluten and lactose exclusion diet “if you find it is working for you.” From "A Patient's Journey". November 2012 issue of the British Medical Journal
"Gluten sensitivity can be primarily and at times, exclusively a neurological disease." Dr. Maios Hadjivassiliou, a neurologist who happens to be one of the world's leading authorities on Gluten Sensitivity from "Does Cryptic Gluten Sensitivity Play a Part in Neurological Illness?" in the Feb 1996 issue of The Lancet. The quote below that was cherry-picked from a 2010 article in the Huffington Post called, Gluten Sensitivity and the Impact on the Brain. "Gluten sensitivity is caused by elevated levels of antibodies against a component of gluten called gliadin.... When a person is exposed to any gluten-containing food like wheat, barley or rye, the antibody combines with this protein, and inflammatory chemicals are created called cytokines which are directly detrimental to brain function [see YESTERDAY'S BLOG POST]. In fact, elevated cytokines are seen in such devastating conditions as Alzheimer's disease, Parkinson's disease, multiple sclerosis and even autism. Basically, the brain does not like inflammation and responds quite negatively to the presence of cytokines.... This direct role of anti-gliadin antibody in combining with specific proteins in the brain, has been described for decades and again leads to the formation of cytokines, the chemical mediators of inflammation."
If you follow my blog at all, you know that I have written extensively about GLUTEN SENSITIVITY ----- a health condition which is a much bigger problem than most ever realized. This is because firstly, most people know very little about Gluten other than the fact they may have heard the term "GLUTEN FREE" in passing or on TV. Secondly, when people who know a little something about Gluten think of Gluten Sensitivity, they almost always think of GI symptoms such as terrible gas, bloating, IBS, diarrhea, cramps, etc. Unfortunately, GI symptoms are not the most common symptom of Gluten Sensitivity or the most severe ---- not by a long shot.
Even before DR. PERLMUTTER came on the scene, we knew that the most common (and severe) symptoms of Gluten Sensitivity are neurological. When you start affecting the brain and nervous system with inflammation, all bets are off as to which of a wide array of health problems you might end up with. I was hit full in the face with this fact at a recent seminar in St. Louis. Dr. Steve Noseworthy, a Carrick-trained FUNCTIONAL NEUROLOGIST from the Tampa area, was teaching one of Dr. Datis Kharazzian's seminars on the neurological effects of Gluten.
After telling us that according to the most current and up-to-date scientific literature of our day, at least 60% of all Gluten Sensitivity manifests in the form of neurological problems as opposed to GI problems, he began hitting us with one study after the other, after the other, after the other, on the neurological effects of Gluten as they are related to PARKINSON'S DISEASE.
As amazing as it sounds, he made a jaw-dropping case from the peer-reviewed literature that Parkinson's Disease is caused by AUTOIMMUNE GLUTEN REACTIONS to specific parts of the brain. In fact, he referred to Parkinson's Disease as a form of Brain-Based Gluten Sensitivity (this is similar to the way that the scientific medical community now refers to Alzheimer's as Type III Diabetes (HERE even though these people would do well to avoid gluten as well -- HERE). Below is a list of some of the other Neurological Conditions that have been associated with Gluten Sensitivity in the scientific literature. These are in no particular order.
In fact, if you suffer from practically any of the list above, or any unexplained neurological illness or CHRONIC PAIN SYNDROMES, you seriously need to consider Gluten as a potential cause or contributing factor. What does this mean? You need to do a stringent GLUTEN ELIMINATION DIET. In order to do your Elimination Diet right the first time, you absolutely have to understand the concept of GLUTEN CROSS-REACTIVITY as well.
If you were to Google "Gluten Neurological". I promise that you'll be shocked by what you find. And for those of you who are interested, HERE is Part II of Gluten Sensitivity is Mostly Neurological.
Even before DR. PERLMUTTER came on the scene, we knew that the most common (and severe) symptoms of Gluten Sensitivity are neurological. When you start affecting the brain and nervous system with inflammation, all bets are off as to which of a wide array of health problems you might end up with. I was hit full in the face with this fact at a recent seminar in St. Louis. Dr. Steve Noseworthy, a Carrick-trained FUNCTIONAL NEUROLOGIST from the Tampa area, was teaching one of Dr. Datis Kharazzian's seminars on the neurological effects of Gluten.
After telling us that according to the most current and up-to-date scientific literature of our day, at least 60% of all Gluten Sensitivity manifests in the form of neurological problems as opposed to GI problems, he began hitting us with one study after the other, after the other, after the other, on the neurological effects of Gluten as they are related to PARKINSON'S DISEASE.
As amazing as it sounds, he made a jaw-dropping case from the peer-reviewed literature that Parkinson's Disease is caused by AUTOIMMUNE GLUTEN REACTIONS to specific parts of the brain. In fact, he referred to Parkinson's Disease as a form of Brain-Based Gluten Sensitivity (this is similar to the way that the scientific medical community now refers to Alzheimer's as Type III Diabetes (HERE even though these people would do well to avoid gluten as well -- HERE). Below is a list of some of the other Neurological Conditions that have been associated with Gluten Sensitivity in the scientific literature. These are in no particular order.
- CELIAC DISEASE: Celiac Disease is an autoimmune response against the lining of the Small Intestine. Although it is more commonly associated with GI symptoms, CELIAC DISEASE is associated with great numbers of neurological conditions as well. As I have shown you in the past (HERE), it's important to be aware that Celiac is not necessarily "worse" than other forms of gluten intolerance. It's just that it's very specific to the small intestine.
- HEADACHES / MIGRAINE HEADACHES: HERE and HERE are my pages on Headaches and Migraine Headaches respectively.
- BRAIN FOG / TROUBLE CONCENTRATING: These are common symptoms seen in FIBROMYALGIA, and are commonly referred to as "Fibro Fog".
- INSOMNIA: Usually related to some form of SYMPATHETIC DOMINANCE.
- PERIPHERAL NEUROPATHY: Characterized by Numbness / Tingling / Pain / Pins & Needles in the extremities. HERE'S the link to my articles on the subject.
- RESTLESS LEG SYNDROME: A form of Peripheral Neuropathy / affecting the legs. Like PN above, RLS is an Autoimmune Disease.
- PARKINSON'S DISEASE: I've already talked about this one.
- SEIZURE DISORDERS: EPILEPSEY is a common one to be associated with Gluten, which has been successfully treated with KETOGENIC DIET for over a century.
- GLUTEN ATAXIA / VERTIGO: (The former often looks quite similar to Parkinson's Disease. Gluten can cause Autoimmune reactions against one's cerebellum which lead to equilibrium problems --- HERE)
- AUTOIMMUNITY: Not all of THESE problems are neurological, but lots of them are. If this does not light a fire under your butt to learn more about protecting yourself from Gluten, nothing will. HERE is a rather freaky post on the relationship between Autoimmune Diseases and Non-Celiac Gluten Sensitivity.
- AUTISM: If you have a child with AUTISM or Autism-like symptoms, and are still allowing them to consume GRAIN-BASED PRODUCTS, shame on you. You are likely condemning your child to a lifetime of increasingly severe health problems.
- MANY MORE: This list could include practically anything in your ENDOCRINE SYSTEM (particularly THYROID PROBLEMS), YOUR GUT, or just about anything else for that matter. HERE is the latest research on Leaky Brain Syndrome, Leaky Nerve Syndrome, and Leaky Cord Syndrome.
In fact, if you suffer from practically any of the list above, or any unexplained neurological illness or CHRONIC PAIN SYNDROMES, you seriously need to consider Gluten as a potential cause or contributing factor. What does this mean? You need to do a stringent GLUTEN ELIMINATION DIET. In order to do your Elimination Diet right the first time, you absolutely have to understand the concept of GLUTEN CROSS-REACTIVITY as well.
If you were to Google "Gluten Neurological". I promise that you'll be shocked by what you find. And for those of you who are interested, HERE is Part II of Gluten Sensitivity is Mostly Neurological.
INFLAMMATION
AND THE RELATIONSHIP TO SICKNESS, PAIN, AND DISEASE
Gerd Altmann - Freiburg/Deutschland - Pixabay
"EVERYTHING IS INFLAMMATION"
I was recently at a Standard Process WHOLE FOODS nutritional seminar where the instructor made an interesting statement. In referring to various disease processes in the body, he said, "Everything is Inflammation". What did he mean by this? Think about it this way. Practically every single health problem you can name has its foundations in Inflammation. The funny thing is, I find that very few people have any real idea what Inflammation is, what sorts of things can drive it, or for that matter, how to quench it.
Inflammation comes in two distinct forms, chronic (Systemic) and acute (Localized). Acute Inflammation is characterized by the Latin terms Rubor (Redness), Dolar (Pain), Tumor (Swelling), Calor (Heat), and Functio Laesa (Loss of Function). These are the things that happen when you sprain and ankle, burn your leg, put your low back out of place, or hit your thumb with a hammer. A certain amount of acute inflammation is a good thing, as it is actually necessary for healing. The problem, however, is not so much the Acute Inflammation that occurs in our bodies, but the CHRONIC SYSTEMIC INFLAMMATION that most of us are carrying around with us 27 / 7 / 365.
Chronic Inflammation is the collective name given to a group of Immune System chemicals that are released by your body in response to tissue damage. When these chemicals are driven to abnormally high levels --- usually due to damage from dietary and lifestyle factors (CRAPPY DIETS, poor exercise choices (too much or too little), SMOKING, heavy drinking, sedentary jobs, DRUGS & CERTAIN MEDICATIONS (ANTIBIOTICS are the worst), emotional or physical stress (HERE), etc, etc); bad things happen ---- really bad things. Before we cover some of the more common disease processes that are driven by Inflammation, it might prove helpful to see the names of some of these immune system chemicals.
Inflammation comes in two distinct forms, chronic (Systemic) and acute (Localized). Acute Inflammation is characterized by the Latin terms Rubor (Redness), Dolar (Pain), Tumor (Swelling), Calor (Heat), and Functio Laesa (Loss of Function). These are the things that happen when you sprain and ankle, burn your leg, put your low back out of place, or hit your thumb with a hammer. A certain amount of acute inflammation is a good thing, as it is actually necessary for healing. The problem, however, is not so much the Acute Inflammation that occurs in our bodies, but the CHRONIC SYSTEMIC INFLAMMATION that most of us are carrying around with us 27 / 7 / 365.
Chronic Inflammation is the collective name given to a group of Immune System chemicals that are released by your body in response to tissue damage. When these chemicals are driven to abnormally high levels --- usually due to damage from dietary and lifestyle factors (CRAPPY DIETS, poor exercise choices (too much or too little), SMOKING, heavy drinking, sedentary jobs, DRUGS & CERTAIN MEDICATIONS (ANTIBIOTICS are the worst), emotional or physical stress (HERE), etc, etc); bad things happen ---- really bad things. Before we cover some of the more common disease processes that are driven by Inflammation, it might prove helpful to see the names of some of these immune system chemicals.
- Kinnins
- C3 and C5a
- Factor XII
- Substance P
- Histamine
- Membrane Attack Complex
- Thrombin
- Plasmin
- Cytokines (As you'll soon see, extremely common. This family contains numerous immuno-modulaters made up of proteins. These proteins carry messages between cells that regulate immune system responses. The most common of these are interleikins (IL) and interferon (IFN).
- Chemokines such as MCP-1 and MIP-1β
- Certain kinds of Immunoglobulins (IgA, IgE, IgF, IgG, etc, etc) (These are what are seen in ALLERGIES, Sensitivities, and Intolerances --- usually to food, although other things can be involved as well.)
- Growth Factors of All Sorts, including what's found on THIS LIST.
- IFN-y (Interferon Gamma)
- Various forms of TNF (Tumor Necrosis Factors)
- A wide array of Interleukins (IL- 6 and IL- 1 are both common culprits)
- Leukotrienes
- Prostaglandins (PG)
- Eicosanoids
- Nitric Oxide (NO)
- Too many others to list --- this list grows every day
Unfortunately, here in America, Inflammation is, to a large degree, controlling most people's lives. Where does Systemic Inflammation start? Usually in the Gut, and almost always via one or both of two different pathways (DYSBIOSIS or LEAKY GUT SYNDROME). A leaky gut occurs when the small intestine barrier that normally keeps things like large undigested food particles, viruses, bacteria, yeast, MOLD, fungus, PARASITES, and other toxins, out of your blood stream, opens wide the door and lets them in. Poor Gut Flora (aka Dysbiosis) is the imbalance when bad bacteria and things like H. PYLORI, SIBO, or CANDIDA take over your Gut. It is highly unlikely you'll hear any of this from your doctor, even though the peer-reviewed scientific literature is overflowing with studies on these topics.
Your doctor will continue to treat the symptoms of your various inflammatory health problems (DIABETES, MIGRAINES, THYROID PROBLEMS, ADD / ADHD, OBESITY, etc) without ever touching on --- or even mentioning the root causes. The problem is that not dealing with the underlying cause(s) of Systemic Inflammation frequently leads to AUTOIMMUNITY ---- the process whereby your Immune System begins making antibodies against, and attacking its own cells, glands, organs, nerves, joints, muscles, and other tissues.
As Leaky Gut Syndrome repeatedly damages the intestinal lining and the "MICROBIOME" (one's flora) becomes progressively dysbiotic, the Gut is increasingly unable to perform its two main functions. Number one, digestion suffers. It is easy to understand that if you damage the lining of the Gut, you will not be able to break down and absorb nutrients in a proper manner (you might end up with CONSTIPATION or IBS symptoms as well). But number two could be even bigger. The second way that Leaky Gut Syndrome destroys health is by destroying your Immune System. You see, 80% of your entire Immune System is found in your Gut (HERE). This means that problems in the Gut are going to affect your overall health --- usually in a big way!
As your Immune System continues to attack the foreign invaders that are pouring through the sieve that has become your intestinal lining, your body becomes more and more reactive. Before long, it starts attacking itself in almost every conceivable fashion. This is why I have always said that Autoimmune Diseases are like Lay's Potato Chips ---- you can't have just one. They tend to swarm around like a pack of hungry wolves. Once your system is "Autoimmune", you are just as likely to have several Autoimmune Diseases as you are to have only one (HERE is a list, and HERE is a common mechanism).
Be aware that the underlying Inflammation has probably been smouldering for years --- or even decades before a named disease process actually becomes visible to the point where doctors can actually put a name on it (one reason that MUPS is one of medicine's biggest dirty little secrets). I have created a list of some of the more common Disease Processes that are intimately related to Inflammatory Processes. Many of these are also of the Autoimmune Family as well (see previous link). Just remember that any time you see the word "itis", it is the Greek word for Inflammation (Arthr--itis, Burs--itis, Gastr--itis, etc, etc, etc).
Your doctor will continue to treat the symptoms of your various inflammatory health problems (DIABETES, MIGRAINES, THYROID PROBLEMS, ADD / ADHD, OBESITY, etc) without ever touching on --- or even mentioning the root causes. The problem is that not dealing with the underlying cause(s) of Systemic Inflammation frequently leads to AUTOIMMUNITY ---- the process whereby your Immune System begins making antibodies against, and attacking its own cells, glands, organs, nerves, joints, muscles, and other tissues.
As Leaky Gut Syndrome repeatedly damages the intestinal lining and the "MICROBIOME" (one's flora) becomes progressively dysbiotic, the Gut is increasingly unable to perform its two main functions. Number one, digestion suffers. It is easy to understand that if you damage the lining of the Gut, you will not be able to break down and absorb nutrients in a proper manner (you might end up with CONSTIPATION or IBS symptoms as well). But number two could be even bigger. The second way that Leaky Gut Syndrome destroys health is by destroying your Immune System. You see, 80% of your entire Immune System is found in your Gut (HERE). This means that problems in the Gut are going to affect your overall health --- usually in a big way!
As your Immune System continues to attack the foreign invaders that are pouring through the sieve that has become your intestinal lining, your body becomes more and more reactive. Before long, it starts attacking itself in almost every conceivable fashion. This is why I have always said that Autoimmune Diseases are like Lay's Potato Chips ---- you can't have just one. They tend to swarm around like a pack of hungry wolves. Once your system is "Autoimmune", you are just as likely to have several Autoimmune Diseases as you are to have only one (HERE is a list, and HERE is a common mechanism).
Be aware that the underlying Inflammation has probably been smouldering for years --- or even decades before a named disease process actually becomes visible to the point where doctors can actually put a name on it (one reason that MUPS is one of medicine's biggest dirty little secrets). I have created a list of some of the more common Disease Processes that are intimately related to Inflammatory Processes. Many of these are also of the Autoimmune Family as well (see previous link). Just remember that any time you see the word "itis", it is the Greek word for Inflammation (Arthr--itis, Burs--itis, Gastr--itis, etc, etc, etc).
A FEW COMMON HEALTH ISSUES AND DISEASES RELATED TO INFLAMMATION
- ACID REFLUX: Otherwise known as GERD, the combination of food sensitivities (particularly GLUTEN), high pH (not enough strong stomach acid), and H. Pylori (HERE), are the known cause of gastritis and upper digestive tract ulcerations (Great information about your body's ACID / ALKALI BALANCE).
- ACNE: Although I've written about Acne as it pertains to Gluten (HERE, there is ample evidence that it is a distinctly "Western" problem, caused largely by inflammation (HERE and HERE)
- ALLERGIES & SENSITIVITIES: These can cause both Chronic and Acute Inflammation (HERE), and are highly related to the "HYGIENE HYPOTHESIS".
- ALZHEIMER'S DISEASE: Chronic Inflammation kills brain cells. Sugar is one of the most inflammatory substances you can put in your body (HERE). Alzheimer's is essentially "Diabetes" of the brain (HERE is an interesting post on the subject).
- ANEMIA: Inflammation (certain Cytokines) decrease red blood cells via diminished EPO production (EPO carries oxygen and is often used by cyclists as a PED or Performance Enhancing Drug). HERE is some information on Anemia.
- ANKYLOSING SPONDYLITIS: Inflammation in the form of TNF α and IL-1 cause the body to create immune responses against its own joints. Along with several others, it's associated with the HLA-B27 antigen (HERE).
- ASTHMA: Now thought to be an Autoimmune Disease, according to the New England Journal of Medicine, the incidence has exploded to approximately 7% of our population. HERE is more information on the subject.
- AUTISM: Autoimmune / Inflammatory cytokine responses are heavily related to GUT HEALTH and can cause abnormal development of the brain. AUTISM information.
- ARTHRITIS, INCLUDING RHEUMATOID ARTHRITIS: Autoimmune inflammatory cytokine responses attack and destroy both the joint surfaces and fluid that lubricates them (HERE and HERE). Be aware that even though degenerative osteoarthritis was until recently, believed to be simply due to wear and tear (HERE), we now know that Inflammation plays a huge part in it's pathogenesis (HERE).
- CANCER: Yes, it's true. CANCER is one of the "Inflammatory Diseases" as well. It is critical you understand that sugar is cancer's FOC (FOOD OF CHOICE).
- CARPAL TUNNEL SYNDROME: Chronic inflammatory responses cause scar tissue in the form of FASCIAL ADHESIONS & TENDINOSIS of the wrist. This compromises the integrity of the nerves in the region. More information HERE. By the way, there are an increasing number of experts who believe that CTS is a form of Peripheral Neuropathy (more in a moment).
- CELIAC DISEASE: Chronic inflammatory immune responses to wheat protein as well as the enzymes that break it down and digest it, cause damage to the Gut (HERE). And for those who still believe the old line that just because you don't have CD you can't have Gluten Sensitivity, HERE, HERE, and HERE are some posts to show you otherwise.
- CROHN'S DISEASE: Chronic inflammatory immune responses cause severe damage to the Gut (HERE), and is heavily associated with both Gluten Sensitivity and IRRITABLE BOWEL SYNDROME. Although issues with GUT HEALTH do not always cause "gut" problems, they are always related to Inflammation (HERE).
- CONGESTIVE HEART FAILURE / HEART ATTACK: Inflammatory responses have been implicated in all forms of heart disease and cardiovascular events, including HIGH CHOLESTEROL and Myocardial Infarctions (MI).
- DENTAL PROBLEMS / CAVITIES / GUM DISEASE: Read a quote taken from Web MD.
"In one recent study, people with serious gum disease were 40% more likely to have a chronic condition on top of it. Over time, inflammation and the chemicals it releases eat away at the gums and bone structure that hold teeth in place. The result is severe gum disease, known as periodontitis. Inflammation can also cause problems in the rest of the body." For more about dental issues both as the result of inflammation as well as causing occult inflammation, HERE and HERE are the posts. - DEPRESSION: DEPRESSION and all sorts of other mental problems, are known to be heavily influenced by Inflammatory mediators. HERE is a post specifically on this topic.
- ECZEMA: Chronic inflammatory response drives the immune system to make antibodies against one of the enzymes that breaks down Gluten (HERE).
- FIBROMYALGIA / ADRENAL FATIGUE: Inflammatory reactions attack muscles, fascia, tendons, etc, causing inordinate amounts of pain. Thought to be Autoimmune and aggravated by food sensitivities and nutritional deficiencies. More information HERE and HERE.
- FIBROSIS / SCAR TISSUE: This one hits close to home. Inflammatory cytokines irritate tissue (MUSCLES, LIGAMENTS, and FASCIA --- and even with TENDONS) that has been compromised via traumatic (WHIPLASH, SPORTS, etc), or repetitive / postural injury (DEGENERATIVE ARTHRITIS, FHP, etc). The result is that FIBROSIS (the fancy doctor's word for SCAR TISSUE) has become America's #1 cause of death (HERE). All of this is due to the fact that inflammation always results in Fibrosis (HERE).
- GALL BLADDER PROBLEMS: Strongly related to Leaky Gut Syndrome, inflammation attacks the bile duct and causes excess cholesterol production (an inflammatory problem of its own). Many researchers throw Appendicitis in this category as well, as many believe it to be an Autoimmune Disease. HERE is a cool post on liver function.
- GUILLIAN-BARRE SYNDROME: An Autoimmune attack on various parts of the nervous system --- frequently triggered by chemical toxicity or VACCINES.
- HASHIMOTO'S THYROID DISEASE: This is Autoimmune Hypothyroidism due to the body making antibodies against its own thyroid. Much more information HERE.
- INFERTILITY / SEXUAL DYSFUNCTION: Although these problems are in no ways identical to each other, they can both have similar roots. The number one cause of INFERTILITY in America is PCOS. We now know that large numbers of cases of SEXUAL DYSFUNCTION --- probably the majority --- have their roots in Inflammation as well (HERE).
- CERTAIN KIDNEY PROBLEMS: Kidneys can be damaged, or even destroyed by restricted circulation caused by Inflammatory Cytokines.
- LUPUS: Autoimmunity induced by Inflammatory Cytokines attacks the various Connective Tissues of the body.
- MULTIPLE SCLEROSIS: When exposed to Inflammatory Cytokines, some people develop an Autoimmunity to the nerve's "Meylin Sheath". HERE is some interesting information on MS.
- NEUROPATHY: This covers a lot of ground, including things like RLS (Restless Leg Syndrome), Diabetes, and even CARPAL TUNNEL SYNDROME. Inflammatory Compounds attack both Connective Tissues and the Neurovascular Bundle, irritating nerves. More on NEUROPATHY.
- OBESITY: As crazy as it sounds, OBESITY is considered to be an inflammatory condition. Obesity and BLOOD SUGAR DYSREGULATION are two sides of the same coin. The abstract of a six year old study done at Harvard University's medical school stated that, "A chronic state of inflammation often accompanies the accumulation of excess lipid [fat] in adipose tissue and liver [fatty liver], evidenced by changes in both inflammatory cells and biochemical markers of inflammation. These changes can be seen in the involved tissues and systemically, in terms of elevated circulating levels of inflammatory markers."
- OSTEOPOROSIS: Yep; believe it or not, OSTEOPOROSIS is now being specifically related to Systemic Inflammation. HERE are the studies (there are a bunch).
- PANCREATITIS: Inflammatory Cytokines cause cellular injury and death in the Pancreas. Again, anything that ends in "itis" is inflammatory. Pancreatitis is a debilitating problem that frequently ends in Pancreatic Cancer.
- PSORIASIS & PSORIATIC ARTHRITIS: Chronic Inflammation of both the liver and gut leads the body to Autoimmune responses that effect the skin and joints.
- POLYMYALGIA RHEUMATICA: This is characterized by Autoimmune attacks against muscles and fascia ---- caused by Inflammatory Cytokines (HERE).
- SCLERODERMA: Sclero (hardening), Derma (skin). Inflammatory Cytokines cause Autoimmune responses to certain Connective Tissues resulting in scarring and hardening of botht the skin and in some cases, organs.
- VASCULAR ACCIDENTS / STROKES: This could be lumped into the Congestive Heart Failure / Heart Attack section above. Although all sorts of things get the credit for this (i.e. HIGH BLOOD CHOLESTEROL --- itself a reaction to inflammation) the truth is that this class of disease is caused by high levels of inflammatory markers coursing through the body. HERE is the information on hypertension (High Blood Pressure), which is also thought to be Inflammatory.
- OTHERS: HERE is another list of Inflammatory Problems, as well as a list of autoimmune diseases that are also known to be inflammatory in nature (HERE). The truth is, almost every single problem you can name is being tied to Inflammation. The field of EPIGENETICS has made us realize that this is actually true for most of the diseases that we used to scapegoat off on our family.
ATTACKING INFLAMMATION AT ITS SOURCE
We know that Inflammation is an Immune System response. Other than giving patients various IMMUNO-SUPPRESSIVE DRUGS, NON-STEROIDAL ANTI-INFLAMMATORY MEDICATIONS (NSAIDS), or CORTICOSTEROIDS, there is little that modern medicine is effectively doing to help people with these above-mentioned problems. It's not that these drugs don't work. In fact, these drugs can sometimes provide nearly miraculous short-term results. It's just that said results are both short-lived and cause serious and even deadly side effects (can anyone say VIOXX?). Covering Inflammation with drugs is similar to your mechanic covering your "check engine" light with duct tape --- and then patting you on the back and telling you your problem is solved, while charging you big bucks to do it. As you might imagine, this approach always leads to further problems.
Several months ago, I wrote about the cause and cure of practically all kinds of sickness and disease. A small but growing body of mainstream physicians are starting to come around to the way that the "Alternative Practitioners" have been thinking for decades. According to Dr. Mark Hyman, author of The Blood Sugar Solution, Inflammation is the root of all kinds of disease process. Just listen to his words from a 2010 blog about healing Autoimmune Diseases.
Several months ago, I wrote about the cause and cure of practically all kinds of sickness and disease. A small but growing body of mainstream physicians are starting to come around to the way that the "Alternative Practitioners" have been thinking for decades. According to Dr. Mark Hyman, author of The Blood Sugar Solution, Inflammation is the root of all kinds of disease process. Just listen to his words from a 2010 blog about healing Autoimmune Diseases.
INFLAMMATION IS A “HOT” TOPIC IN MEDICINE. It appears connected to almost every known chronic disease — from heart disease to cancer, diabetes to obesity, autism to dementia, and even depression. |
And what, pray-tell, might be the best ways to deal with Inflammation-induced Autoimmunity? To grasp the answer, you first need to see some of the things Dr. Hyman listed as triggers. Hidden Infections such as H. PYLORI, YEASTS, MOLDS, SIBO, and other forms of DYSBIOSIS. Food Sensitivities --- particularly GLUTEN (he talked about using an ELIMINATION DIET if you would rather not get tested). Heavy metal toxicity --- particularly lead and MERCURY (although not a "heavy" metal, ALUMINUM is equally damaging). There are also ADVANCED GLYCALATION END-PRODUCTS, HEAD TRAUMAS, PARASITES, OVER-MEDICATION, along with many many others. He went on to talk about FIXING THE GUT, PROBIOTICS, FISH OIL, and other nutritional helps. This goes hand in hand with checklist created by FUNCTIONAL NEUROLOGIST, Dr. David M. Marquis, called, "How Inflammation Affects Every Aspect of Your Health".
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Hopefully you are beginning to see how big a deal Inflammation is, as well as the terrible consequences of letting it spiral out of control. Truthfully, it is not a stretch to say that Inflammation is at the root of the vast majority of all sickness and disease (and as I showed you, death) here in America. If you can effectively manage your Inflammation, you have just put yourself on the path to getting well.
Where is the best place to start? How about looking at the importance of an ANTI-INFLAMMATORY DIET --- my favorite being PALEO. For some of you, getting out of pain and returning to health might take a bit more than just changing your diet. For an incredible generic protocol for taking control of inflammation, take a look at THIS SHORT POST.
Where is the best place to start? How about looking at the importance of an ANTI-INFLAMMATORY DIET --- my favorite being PALEO. For some of you, getting out of pain and returning to health might take a bit more than just changing your diet. For an incredible generic protocol for taking control of inflammation, take a look at THIS SHORT POST.
MAX GERSON, CHARLOTTE GERSON,
AND THE GERSON INSTITUTE
There are doctors, and then there are healers. In the mold of DR. ROYAL LEE, DR. FRANCIS POTTENGER, and numerous other Whole Food Pioneers, Dr. Max Gerson was definitely one of the latter. I bought his famous book, A CANCER THERAPY: THE RESULTS OF 50 CASES, about two decades ago when I was a clueless recent graduate. It was one of the books that began transforming my ideas about WHOLE FOOD NUTRITION and the effects that a whole food diet could have on disease.
Max Gerson was born in Germany in 1881. While in medical school, he focused his efforts on using diet to cure his migraine headaches. Having had good results treating himself, he began treating patients using his diet. It was not long before one of Dr. Gerson's patients who was on his "Migraine Diet" realized that it had cured his 'Skin Tuberculosis'. Eventually, Gerson ended up creating a special treatment program for Skin TB at Munich's famed University Hospital using his diet as the foundation of the treatment protocol. Dr. Gerson's diet therapy for Skin TB was so successful that he ended up publishing numerous papers in the day's peer-reviewed scientific medical journals. But the icing on the cake was his experiment on 450 people with Skin TB ---- 446 were completely cured using his Whole Foods diet as their treatment.
It was because of this that Nobel Prize winner, Dr. Albert Schweitzer, sought out Dr. Gerson to help his wife. She had contracted lung TB, and all forms of conventional medical treatment had failed her. Dr. Gerson's diet not only cured her, but ultimately, Dr Schweitzer cured his own TYPE II DIABETES with the same diet. Gerson was eventually eulogized by Schweitzer (he moved to the US in the 1930's).
Max Gerson was born in Germany in 1881. While in medical school, he focused his efforts on using diet to cure his migraine headaches. Having had good results treating himself, he began treating patients using his diet. It was not long before one of Dr. Gerson's patients who was on his "Migraine Diet" realized that it had cured his 'Skin Tuberculosis'. Eventually, Gerson ended up creating a special treatment program for Skin TB at Munich's famed University Hospital using his diet as the foundation of the treatment protocol. Dr. Gerson's diet therapy for Skin TB was so successful that he ended up publishing numerous papers in the day's peer-reviewed scientific medical journals. But the icing on the cake was his experiment on 450 people with Skin TB ---- 446 were completely cured using his Whole Foods diet as their treatment.
It was because of this that Nobel Prize winner, Dr. Albert Schweitzer, sought out Dr. Gerson to help his wife. She had contracted lung TB, and all forms of conventional medical treatment had failed her. Dr. Gerson's diet not only cured her, but ultimately, Dr Schweitzer cured his own TYPE II DIABETES with the same diet. Gerson was eventually eulogized by Schweitzer (he moved to the US in the 1930's).
“…I see in him one of the most eminent geniuses in the history of medicine. Many of his basic ideas have been adopted without having his name connected with them. Yet, he has achieved more than seemed possible under adverse conditions. He leaves a legacy which commands attention and which will assure him his due place. Those whom he has cured will now attest to the truth of his ideas.” |
Prior to his death, Gerson went on to use his Whole Food Diet to treat many other chronic health conditions ---- including heart disease and cancer. Despite the fact that he and his (cured) patients testified before congressional hearings back in the 1940's, he was branded as what DR ROBERT MENDHELSON would have referred to as a 'Medical Heretic' and persecuted relentlessly by our federal government. Finally, in 1977 ---- 18 years after his death ---- his daughter Charlotte founded the Gerson Institute in Mexico (just south of San Diego in Tijuana) to be able to treat diseases like cancer, without harassment from the FDA and other governmental organizations.
Below is a recent video of Dr. Gerson's 91 year old daughter Charlotte. I love Charlotte because she is passionate about what she is doing, and has obviously practiced what she preaches. Let me ask you a simple question before I leave. Who do you trust more; Max & Charlotte Gerson, or the FDA? If you have followed my blog for very long, you'll quickly realize that the FDA has a serious credibility gap (HERE).
Below is a recent video of Dr. Gerson's 91 year old daughter Charlotte. I love Charlotte because she is passionate about what she is doing, and has obviously practiced what she preaches. Let me ask you a simple question before I leave. Who do you trust more; Max & Charlotte Gerson, or the FDA? If you have followed my blog for very long, you'll quickly realize that the FDA has a serious credibility gap (HERE).
"DISEASES" USED TO MARKET DRUGS TO BABIES
Photo by Brazzouk
"When it comes to marketing, the medical community has caught on quickly. One of the ways that marketing has exponentially increased market shares in numerous areas of medicine is by convincing people they have "Diseases". If they can convince you that you have a disease that can never be cured, but only 'managed' with a lifetime of drugs and surgeries, they will make money off of you for decades. Multiply that by tens of millions of people, and you have a cash cow whose value is unfathomable. A perfect example of this is Degenerative Joint "Disease", otherwise known as DJD. Instead of Degenerative Osteoarthritis (the old name), you now have a "disease" in your spine. In the words of the animated cardboard cutouts selling Guinness Beer, brilliant! But this "disease" is certainly not alone" |
This quote was taken from my post on the relationship between Hypochlorhydria, GERD, H. Pylori, and the drugs used to treat it all, just a few short weeks ago (HERE). I have been warning people about this phenomenon of "manufacturing and selling diseases" for years. Now it seems the scientific community is starting to agree with me. The current issue of the journal Pediatrics must have pilfered my blog post.
The study by the National Institutes of Health stated that, "This is compelling evidence that the choice of words by physicians can significantly affect parents' views of their children's health. The way we identify and deal with annoying normal or insignificant variations and how we discuss them with parents makes a big difference in the quality of care."
According to the study's authors, "GERD is certainly not the first or only condition to be suspected of widespread overdiagnosis and overtreatment." This confirms what I have been saying for a very long time. Simply tack the word disease onto the end of any health problem you choose, and you can turn people's brains to mush. Big Pharma is very aware of this simple trick, and uses it quite effectively to scare people into just about anything they wish ---- most specifically buying their drugs.
It should be noted what the study's authors actually told parents after they told them their child had a "disease". "Studies have shown that this medicine probably doesn't do anything to help improve symptoms in babies with [GERD/this problem]." Educate yourselves, or you and your family will wind up as tools ---- commodities to be used by Big Pharma as lifetime money makers!
The study by the National Institutes of Health stated that, "This is compelling evidence that the choice of words by physicians can significantly affect parents' views of their children's health. The way we identify and deal with annoying normal or insignificant variations and how we discuss them with parents makes a big difference in the quality of care."
According to the study's authors, "GERD is certainly not the first or only condition to be suspected of widespread overdiagnosis and overtreatment." This confirms what I have been saying for a very long time. Simply tack the word disease onto the end of any health problem you choose, and you can turn people's brains to mush. Big Pharma is very aware of this simple trick, and uses it quite effectively to scare people into just about anything they wish ---- most specifically buying their drugs.
It should be noted what the study's authors actually told parents after they told them their child had a "disease". "Studies have shown that this medicine probably doesn't do anything to help improve symptoms in babies with [GERD/this problem]." Educate yourselves, or you and your family will wind up as tools ---- commodities to be used by Big Pharma as lifetime money makers!
Dr. Schierling completed four years of Kansas State University's five-year Nutrition / Exercise Physiology Program before deciding on a career in Chiropractic. He graduated from Logan Chiropractic College in 1991, and has run a busy clinic in Mountain View, Missouri ever since. He and his wife Amy have four children (three daughters and a son).
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