Spring Cleaning!

Here in Chicago it seems as if winter has been dragging on forever and spring is getting a slow start...but make no mistake about it...spring is here! Many people get motivated to clean their houses and gardens in the face of spring, I get motivated to clean my body! This is indeed the time to be thinking about a spring body detoxification.

Detoxification or cleansing does get a unfortunate reputation among many allopathic physicians. The conventional thought is that the liver (one of our detoxification organs) can handle any load we place on it. I have to respectfully disagree. Our world today is nothing like it was even a hundred years ago and our bodies no matter how awe-inspiring and miraculous, simply do not adapt that rapidly.

We live in a toxic world. Our foods have changed, from processing to how we grow them. Our enviroment is littered with chemicals and pollutants. Even when we have the best of intentions by eating and living clean and conciously, it is simply just not enough. Each day our bodies are bombarded with hundreds of toxins. Where do these toxins go? They reside in our cells until our liver can detoxify them and our bowels and skin can eliminate them from our bodies. When our liver becomes polluted, it begins to affect digestion (gas, bloating, constipation, diarrhea), energy production (slow and lethargic), mood (feelings of anger or irritability), and sets the stage for many chronic diseases (eczema, arthritis, PMS…to name a few.)


So what are some simple things we can do to cleanse our bodies for the spring?

• Every morning before anything..even breakfast, drink the juice of 1/2 lemon squeezed into 8 oz. of warm water.
• End each hot shower with 30 seconds of cold. Shower hydrotherapy can get the lymphatics moving!
• Drink at least 1 L of distilled or spring water daily (2 L is better!) Herbal non-caffeinated tea counts.
• Eat your veggies! Especially beets, broccoli, spinach, dandelion greens, romaine lettuce, broccoli raabe, cabbage…
• Eat organic. Eating locally grown is even better (reducing your carbon-footprint) Go to http://www.stonyfield.com/Organic/EWGShoppersGuide.pdf for a guide to foods grown with the most amount of pesticides and therefore those that are most important to eat organically.
• Avoid alcohol, caffeine (green tea is beneficial), refined sugar, white flour/pasta/bread, and processed foods.
• Reduce animal products (meat, dairy, eggs.)
• Ensure regular bowel movements (at least one daily) to remove toxins.
• Get outside and move! At least 20 minutes of exercise to increase heart rate 3 times weekly. Walking at a brisk pace is a simple activity.
• More specifically, there are herbs, supplements, and protocols that can be individualized for for annual or bi-annual detoxification. These are often a little more thorough and intensive, and naturopathic supervision is recommended.

Flu Vaccine Makers Preparing 143 Million Doses for Next Season

Hoping they picked the right viruses this time, the five companies that make influenza vaccine plan to offer at least 143 million doses to Americans for the 2008-2009 flu season, the Associated Press reports.

The 2007-2008 flu season was indeed a tough one and many say that it was partly due to the fact the viruses used in the flu vaccine were ineffective against many of the viruses that actually circulated in the population. It is not easy to predict the exact virus strain that will circulate in the up coming season. Is it really worth getting the flu vaccine at all?

I encourage my patients to really investigate the use of vaccines in this country. The flu vaccine indeed still contains the preservative thimerosal (50% mercury). In 1999, many other vaccines eliminated the use of thimerosal as a preservative, but the flu vaccine still contains it. Recently, a lawsuit alleging mercury causes autism is to begin in U.S. Court of Claims as two Oregon families seek to prove that the thimerosal found in vaccines caused two 10-year-old boys to develop autism.

Thimerosal is in question here and with mercury being a potent neurotoxin and the second most toxic substance known to man behind uranium. It is enough for me to personally say no to the Flu vaccine.

Aside from the Flu Vaccine, I would also take a closer look at the vaccines that contain live-viruses. This includes the combined measles, mumps, and rubella (MMR) vaccine; chickenpox (varicella) vaccine; and the live-virus polio (Sabin) vaccine. Live-virus vaccinations hold a special risk due to the fact that free radicals can cause the latent viruses to transform by genetic mutation into disease-causing organisms later in life.

Finally, the schedule for vaccination needs to be investigated: Before a child reaches the age of two, he or she will have received 32 vaccinations on this schedule, including four doses each of vaccines for Hemophilus influenzae type b infections, diphtheria, tetanus and pertussis -- all of them given during the first 12 months of life. Seven vaccines injected into a 13-pound, two-month old infant are equivalent to 70 doses in a 130-pound adult. Fifty years ago, when the immunization schedule contained only four vaccines (for diphtheria, tetanus, pertussis and smallpox), autism was virtually unknown. Health officials consider a vaccine to be safe if no bad reactions -- like seizures, intestinal obstruction or anaphylaxis -- occur acutely. The CDC has not done any studies to assess the long-term effects of its immunization schedule.

New knowledge in neuroimmunology (the study of how the brain's immune system works) raises serious questions about the wisdom of injecting vaccines in children less than 2 years of age. In humans, the most rapid period of brain development begins in the third trimester and continues over the first two years of extra uterine life. (By then, brain development is 80 percent complete.) Until randomized controlled trials demonstrate the safety of giving vaccines during this time of life, it would be prudent to question the administration of any vaccine to children under the age of 2-years.

As patients, we are our best advocates. I would never tell anyone what choice to make in terms of vaccination or any other health decision, we all know what is best for us as individuals. Education is the key. Knowledge is power. Consider this before you line up for your next flu shot or any other vaccination...

More information on vaccinations can be found at the National Vaccine information center: http://www.909shot.com/ and the Vaccine Awakening Blog at http://www.vaccineawakening.blogspot.com/

Are Osteoporosis Mediciations All They Are Cracked Up To Be?

28 million Americans suffer from osteoporosis, both men and women. The idea of having fragile bones and the likelihood of bone fracture can be a scary thought for many of us. We all want to age gracefully and maintain optimum health. In recent years, pharmaceuticals promising optimal and safe treatment for osteoporosis have been gaining popularity. We all have seen the television commercials with healthy, vibrant women doting on the benefits of biphosphonate drugs such as Fosamax and Boniva, but are these drugs all they are cracked up to be? The best thing we can do as patients is to be well informed.

I want everyone to think about this for a minute: your bones are designed to last a lifetime without drugs. Bone is, after all, a living, dynamic organ that constantly remodels itself through a process of resorption of old bone and laying down of new bone. And it’s completely normal to lose some bone around midlife. But that doesn’t mean you’re destined to get fractures. It’s your bone quality, not just bone density, that’s the issue here—and taking biphosphonate drugs puts your bone quality at risk.

The biphosphonates work by preventing bone resorption and loss. Inhibiting bone resorption secondarily inhibits the formation of new bone—and old bone is denser than new bone. It’s also more brittle than normal bone. So dense and hard, in fact, that it may be more difficult for this denser bone to maintain an adequate blood supply to ensure bone healing. Research on animals indicates that biphosphonates inhibit the normal repair of tiny fractures and porous bone (microdamage)—which eventually results in accumulation of microdamage and loss of bone strength. Worse yet, the biphosphonates are also associated with a very troublesome side effect known as osteonecrosis of the jaw—a side effect in which the jaw bone literally rots. Not only is this disfiguring, it’s very difficult to adequately treat. The biphosphonates have also been associated with the need for root canals and other dental problems. In fact, 60 percent of the cases of osteonecrosis of the jaw occur following dental surgery—probably secondary to the inability of this altered bone to heal itself.

So what can one do in the face of osteoporosis? First, look at your diet. If you are not getting at least 150o mg of calcium from your diet, consider supplementing the remainder with Calcium Citrate (the most absorbable form) Also, make sure if you are supplementing Calcium that you take an equal amount of Magnesium (Calcium will not get absorbed properly without Magnesium) You need to take these two in a 1:1 ratio.

Next, make sure you are taking a good Vitamin D supplement of 1000-2000 IU/day. Vitamin D deficiency is very common and you may need a higher dose, so consider asking you physician to test your levels.

Exercise, especially weight bearing cannot be overlooked, as well as simply living a healthy lifestyle free of alcohol and smoking.

These are some of the many safe and natural alternative treatments that respect the wisdom of the body.

Breastfeeding Boosts IQ

In medical school we learn that breastfeeding is optimal for child development. Naturopathically speaking, a child should be breast-fed EXCLUSIVELY for at least one year. This is not an easy task...it means not introducing ANY other foods into the childs diet for 1 YEAR. Not only is it important to the proper development of a child, including imunological, but also to help prevent any food allergies in the future. It has not been until now that a long term study has emerged solidifing such recommendations: Exclusive, long-term breastfeeding improves a child's verbal intelligence and other intelligence measures, says researcher Michael S. Kramer, MD, professor of pediatrics, epidemiology and biostatistics at the McGill University Faculty of Medicine in Montreal.
The study was published in the May edition of Archives of General Psychiatry.

Kramer and his colleagues looked at almost 14,000 children in Belarus who visited 31 hospitals and clinics there. The participants are part of the large-scale study known as the Promotion of Breastfeeding Intervention Trial (PROBIT). The researchers assigned half to an intervention that encouraged them to breastfeed exclusively long term or to another group that got the usual maternity care and child care. Children who were breastfed longer scored higher on average at age 6 1/2 years in verbal intelligence, nonverbal intelligence, and overall intelligence, Kramer finds. Teachers rated them higher in reading and writing than children who weren't breastfed as long or as exclusively.

Whether the boost in IQ is due to the breast milk itself — such as healthy fatty acids or other substances — or the physical and social interaction that is part and parcel of breastfeeding is unknown, Kramer and others say.
"A mother who breastfeeds is likely to spend more time with her child," he says, as well as read to them later and do other activities. "The amount of time, the closeness, the way she interacts with the kids, undoubtedly differs between breastfeeding and non-breastfeeding mothers."

BREAST is still BEST. Now if we could just get over the whole breast-feeding in public thing....

Kramer, M. Archives of General Psychiatry, May 2008; vol 65: pp 578-84. Michael S. Kramer, MD, professor of pediatrics and epidemiology and biostatistics, McGill University Faculty of Medicine.

It's Back.....Allergy Season!

According to conservative estimates, approximately 15 million people suffer from hay fever (allergic rhinitis) and 17 million more from asthma.

An allergic reaction occurs when the immune system overreacts to a seemingly harmless substance. Allergens are absorbed into the body by the way of skin, nasal passages, lungs, or digestive tract. Once inside the body, the allergens stimulate the lymphocytes (white blood cells) to produce what is known as allergic antibodies. The reaction between allergens and these antibodies is what produces inflammation of the nose, eyes, lungs and digestive tract. A stuffy nose, sneezing, wheezing, skin rash, watery eyes, nausea and stomach cramps are some of the common results.

The common allopathic or traditional medical approach is to reduce the inflammation with such medications are steroids. But this approach does nothing to get to the "root" of why the allergy is happening in the first place.

Adrenal insufficiency is a major cause of allergies relating to dust, pollen, animal hair/dander, foods, chemicals and environmental pollutants. Nutrition and stress play important roles in the proper functioning of the adrenal glands. A stagnant liver congested with toxins and fatty tissue cannot effectively then neutralize an allergic reaction.

Allergies can be overcome by simply treating the root cause of the problem. Addressing adrenal insufficiency and liver congestion are at the forefront of treatment. There are also some simple homeopathics that can help desensitize your body to the specific allergens. Either way, addressing the root of your allergies is nothing to "sneeze" at. It can help you be rid of that hay fever for good!

I will be offering a class on how best to overcome allergies at Whole Foods in Lakeview in the next month. I will keep everyone posted!

It's All In Your Mind: Brain Health

Have you ever misplaced your car keys? Jot down notes to yourself, to do this or that? We all have. As we age structural and functional changes occur in the brain. The decrease in brain mass, white matter and chemical messengers, however, is not necessarily related to cognitive decline and contrary to what was once thought, we do not lose neurons but continue to form them as we age.
The new trends in neuroscience are to look for other causes for the deterioration of brain function. Among these is to research the role of whole body inflammation in brain health. As it turns out, the latest news reveals that the health of your brain and heart are closely related. Just as you would maintain a healthy lifestyle and nutritional habits to ward off heart disease and stoke, it appears that brain health is benefited as well.

Brain Boosting Prescription

■ Eat a Brain and Body Healthy Diet
Eating an anti-inflammatory diet that focuses on good fats (Omega-3), good carbs,
antioxidants and calorie monitoring can keep the brain and the body healthy.

The brain is comprised of approximately 60 percent fatty acids. Essential Fatty Acids (EFA), like the Omega-3’s found in cold-water fish, flaxseed and nuts improve communication between the brain cells and are also vital in controlling chronic inflammatory processes that affect such conditions as heart disease, arthritis and cognitive deterioration. Fish eaten at least twice weekly, or Omega-3’s taken as a daily supplement can improve levels.
Good carbohydrates, like those found in fruits and vegetables are valued for their brain-preserving antioxidants. Included are dark leafy green vegetables like spinach and berry varieties like blueberries or goji berries. Other antioxidants that help prevent cognitive decline are black or green tea and dark chocolate.

■ Exercise Your Brain
The brain is a muscle like any other. It requires exercise to stay fit. Reading, doing puzzles like sudoku, or playing musical instruments can significantly protect the brain from cognitive decline.

■ Supplement Your Brain
There are a variety of supplements that show promise in the realm of brain health. Among them are Ginkgo Biloba and Curcumin. Ginkgo can improve blood circulation to the brain and slow the progression of cognitive decline and Curcumin is high in both anti-inflammatory and antioxidant properties benefiting the brain.

Do We Really Need To Take Supplements?

It is not uncommon that I get asked the question of whether we really need to supplement our diet with vitamins or minerals. Many patients of mine who are eating a healthy, well-balanced diet believe that they are getting adequate amounts of nutrients in their food. Unfortunately, the state of our food supply has changed. Although it is important to eat fresh fruits and vegetables as well as whole grains and protein, these foods are nutritionally defcient compared to those cultivated even 50 years ago. Why?

Brian Halweil, senior researcher at The Worldwatch Institute and author of "Still No Free Lunch: Nutrient levels in U.S. food supply eroded by pursuit of high yields" cited data in his September 2007 study from findings collected by David Thomas from 1940 to 1991.

"A person would have had to eat three apples in 1991 to supply the same iron content as one in 1940."

The use of pesiticides and fertilizers is one probable explanation for the depletion of nutrients in our food. They allow the plant to grow rapidly and to a larger size, but diminsh the amount of time the plant has to absorb nutrients from the ground. In this case, organic foods grown without the use fo pesticides and chemincal fertilizers may be superior and we should consume organically grown foods when we can. Here are some other findings from Halweil's study:

"Spinach's potassium content dropped by 53 percent, its phosphorus by 70 percent, its iron by 60 percent and its copper by 96 percent."

"The iron content of meat products declined by an average of 54 percent. (The double-digit declines in the nutrient quality of meat and dairy products are some of the first indications that consumption of less nutrient-dense animal feed grains and forages has a measurable impact on the animals eating them, and perhaps secondarily, on people consuming the meat and milk from such animals.)" In other words, maybe we should rethink putting herbivores on an unnatural diet of grain. We are what our food eats.

Other nuggets from Halweil's report:

"Substantial data show that in corn, wheat and soybeans, the higher the yield, the lower the protein and oil content."

"The higher tomato yields (in terms of harvest weight), the lower the concentration of vitamin C, levels of lycopene (the key antioxidant that make tomatoes red) and beta-carotene (a vitamin A precursor.)"

"High production dairy cows produce milk that is less concentrated with fat, protein and other nutrition-enhancing components and are also more vulnerable to a range of metabolic diseases, infections and reproductive problems."

"Tactics farms use to increase yields--including close plant spacing and the widespread use of chemical fertilizers, irrigation and pesticides--tend to create big plants that grow fast, but do not absorb a comparable quantity of many soil nutrients."

It is difficult to eat 100% organic, but buying in season and from local farmers can help keep the costs down and support your local community. Even so, I find that many individuals peak out at about 50% organic consumption. In my experience, I find we have to therefore supplement our diet with AT LEAST a good Multivitamin/Multimineral. (But, read your label....please avoid supplements that have too many "Additional Ingredients." Stick to a capsule versus a tablet to avoid binders and fillers and please buy from reputable stores like Whole Foods or from your physician.) Oh, and a Omega 3 EFA is important too...but that's another topic another day...