Random? Half Cancers Preventable

Some people think we live in a random universe, nothing but probability--a chance for this, and a chance for that. Some also think that health is random. Some people get sick, others do not. A roll of the dice for the most part. In fact, that's what insurance is for: you purchase insurance hoping that you won't get sick, but if by chance you do...

This approach to health, however, is foolish. We know that health and wellness are not random. What we do regularly determines whether we will experience health or not. It certainly is about probability when it comes to our health. The more we engage in healthy behaviors, the greater the probability we will remain healthy; and the more we  engage in unhealthy behaviors, the greater the probability we will develop illness or disease. True, it's never one hundred percent, as Jim Fixx showed that any fitness enthusiast can drop dead from a heart attack, while George Burns smoked cigars into his 100s. Go figure.

But what we do is still the most important determinant of health. Take a recent study that now shows 50% of all cancers are preventable. That's right folks! And the big C is the second leading cause of death following another preventable condition...you got it--heart disease.

The numbers one and two killers in the U.S. are preventable. Smoking is blamed for 33% of all cancers, while 75% of lung cancers are due to smoking. Shoot, I used to smoke, I get it. I liked smoking, heck yeah...but I quit. Simple as that. My cancer risk went way down. Probabilities.

Here's another: Obesity is responsible for 20% of all cancers in the U.S. Throw in booze, pollution, poor diet, prescription drugs by the pounds... Why, heck...of course cancer is the number two killer--people are poisoning themselves.

And the political perspective is that these people just don't have enough resources. State smoking cessation programs are being financially undercut, and people don't have money, or the insurance, to be treated once they get sick. Random.

But by quitting smoking, eating well, minimizing junk food (like sodas), and exercising regularly actually helps lessen the risk of heart disease and cancer. Not random.

Duh.

Low Cholesterol's Cancer Link Illustrates Innate Intelligence

Oh boy, here we go...so you know that I'm not shy about discussing my health. I've got nothing to hide, and I approach my health from a very proactive position. I also have a belief system that is integral to how I care for my health--I know that one day I am going to die, could be tomorrow, but for me to experience my life to the fullest today, I am quite certain that it requires me to care for my body as one of my most valuable assets. So I don't obsess about "never getting sick," I just treat my body like I love it, and I trust that it knows--through its innate intelligence--how to run my body, provided I treat it in the right ways. Simple.

So long-time readers of this blog will recall that I have high cholesterol. Have I ever been worried about it? No, never. Not even a little. In fact, I just had my annual physical in February. Once again, stellar health, thank you, thank you...athlete's numbers...'cept I have high cholesterol.

If you've been following my story, you'll recall that my doc (love him, bless his heart...and I mean that sincerely; he is the greatest) has, of course, recommended I go on statins. Now I've got my inner theories about it, regarding liability and stuff like that, but whatever...he knows I'm not going to take them. It's simple: my HDL levels ("good" cholesterol) are above and beyond excellent. My total cholesterol to HDL ratio is at the "optimum" level. Ha ha ha...I'm in the absolute lowest risk category for heart disease: I'm not taking statins!

And my doctor knows this. I saw the perplexed look on his face when I pointed out those values to him (I guess that's not the typical presentation of his high cholesterol patients). Shrugging it off, he still recommended the statins (and has every year for the last four). Sigh...

Okay, here's the point of this piece: A recent study has shown that low levels of LDL ("bad") cholesterol, in the absence of cholesterol lowering medications, has a strong link to cancer. What?! That's right, and although we've known of this link for a long time (30+ years), this study was the first ever look at the low LDL-cancer link over an extended period of time (~19 years), and only in patients with no history of taking cholesterol-lowering drugs.

The results showed a couple things. One, the link cannot be due to taking statins since all subjects were statin-free throughout the study, and two, low cholesterol cannot be a byproduct of the cancer itself, since low LDL levels were observed well before any preclinical signs of cancer were present. In other words, statins don't cause cancer, and cancer doesn't cause low cholesterol. That we know.

What we don't know is what the connection is. Hmmm.... Well let me give it a try: I believe that the body has an internal wisdom, an Innate Intelligence, that directs its operation. I believe this system is flawless. The body knows what to do at all times, and provided with the right fuel (whole, natural foods), necessary movement, proper bodywork and tension relief, adequate rest, adequate hydration, full, deep abdominal breath and minimal toxins, it will continue to operate flawlessly until it expires (which it will also do flawlessly).

However, too many people do not observe the natural laws of health--they eat poorly, fail to exercise regularly, ignore bodywork until they are in so much pain they can't stand it, get little rest, drink too many sodas and not enough water, breathe shallowly from their chest, and take multiple drugs and other toxins, and so, yeah...their Innate Intelligence get severely challenged and fatigued; or it can only do the minimum with the resources it is given and becomes overloaded.

Further, we have a medical science that believes its own limited observations are the whole to the puzzle, and it make erroneous conclusions based on this small, piece-wise information, and yet it still believes it knows how to run the body better than Mother Nature does. And then we find out later that there is, in fact, more to the puzzle. You don't say...?

But taking all the above points into consideration: Somehow, when LDL cholesterol is disrupted from one of its many functions--that is, when it's in too low of concentration--leads to cell overgrowth, or cancer. Thus, not that statins, by lowering cholesterol, will cause cancer, but instead, perhaps this medical campaign to reduce cholesterol at all costs is an erroneous one. Perhaps the body produces what it needs (cholesterol can be both endogenous [created within] and exogenous [recieved from without]), and putting everybody on statins, particularly those with stellar numbers in all other health measurements, is just plain foolish.

No medical doctor or pharmaceutical researcher will ever know human physiology better than the human body does. Why the arrogant medical scientific (?) machine believes that it understands what cholesterol levels should be better than the body does is completely perplexing to me. If we were simply talking about a few hundred thousand people on statins because they have super-dangerously high levels that puts them at severe risk of heart disease, then...okay, I would understand. But to have tens of millions of Americans on these useless and dangerous cholesterol lowering drugs is purely idiotic.

So once again I have to believe it all comes down to three things--money (pharmaceuticals), liability (doctors protecting their asses) and job protection (medical professionals making sure they do not become obsolete). That's the reality behind the cholesterol-statin push in the western world. I'm sure that's why my doctor recommends statins to me despite my excellent health, I'm sure it's why statins are called "the best selling drugs of all time," and I'm sure it will continue until the next blockbuster drug addressing normal physiology comes along to take it's place. Shouldn't be too far off--stay tuned.

Scottish Showers Promote Wellness

So I've recently posted on dry brushing--a health and beauty secret that I've used for two decades to help keep my skin soft and pliable. It also keeps my sensory system stimulated, and the blood and lymph flow circulating freely through their respective vessels, which in turn promotes a beautiful complexion.

But there's a second practice to go along with dry brushing, and that's the Scottish shower (Ss). The Ss is a practice of alternating hot and cold water while taking a shower. At a bare minimum, it's finishing a shower with a blast of cold water. I've also been practicing this technique for many years, and the benefits are enormous.

The principle behind Scottish showers is that heat causes the blood vessels to move toward the surface in a process called vasodilation. The body does this to increase circulation, release heat, and promote healing. Cold, on the other hand, causes vasoconstriction--a narrowing of the blood vessels due to contraction of smooth muscle. The vessels also contract inward, deeper toward the organs of the body, preserving heat, reducing blood flow and decreasing blood pressure. Taken in alternating rounds, the hot then cold water blasts will induce a sort-of pumping action by the circulatory system, leading to a number of physiological benefits.

Scottish showers promote optimal temperature regulation by modifying the sensory functions of hypothalamic thermoregulatory centres to increase heat release during hot weather, and lowering heat loss during cold.

They also stimulate the neuroendocrine and immune systems. Studies have shown that the regular practice of taking cold showers increased white blood cells and the production of the body's natural blood thinning enzymes, improving micro circulation. It also stimulated the production testosterone in men, and boosted women's production of estrogen.

Taking cold showers has also been shown to increase the body's anti-oxidant capabilities, with a rise in glutathione and a reduction of uric acid. Low glutathione is involved in many illnesses including cardiovascular conditions, pulmonary diseases, diabetes, inflammatory bowel diseases, cancer, osteoporosis, aging, and toxic pesticide exposure.

Cold water immersion reduces recovery time in athletes, enhances repeat performance, and reduces exercise induced muscle damage. It also raises thresholds of pain tolerance, reduces muscle spasm, and improves subjective well-being. It has even been shown to improve mood in depressed people.

Next, how do you take a Scottish shower? You begin by making the water as hot as you can handle. Let the water run over every part of your body including the scalp (good for promoting healthy hair and scalp). Then turn the water temperature down to the coldest you can take (you'll be able to take more as you get used to the practice). Let the water run over your entire body (this is the tough part, but you can let out a yelp; I do) for about half a minute or so, then back to hot again, and repeat in cycles, always finishing with cold.

You can do this for anywhere from one to seven cycles. I do three cycles every shower.

I'm telling you that this will quite possibly be the most invigorating practice you'll ever take part in. Along with the benefits I've listed above, you will feel the sensory stimulatory effects for up to several hours afterward, see improvements to your skin tone and complexion, and men will discover an increase in sexual endurance, all from the regular practice of taking cold showers.

Scottish showers is a simple yet powerful practice, and worth the discipline. From neurological to immune to aesthetics, nearly every system is benefited from alternating hot and cold showers. Practiced along with dry brushing and your body will respond with renewed youth and vigor. Take it from me, these two timeless health and beauty practices work.

Invasive Procedures Overseas Not Smart

It appears as if I must close out 2011 by warning people against getting invasive procedures overseas. Yesterday breast augmentation, today tattoos. Yes, tattoos are invasive--and if you're planning on getting one overseas because the price is right, reconsider. Australian officials claim that a recent tattoo receiver likely caught HIV from the ink-needle of an artist on the Indonesian resort island of Bali.

Australian health authorities recommended that people who had recently been tattooed on the island, known for its white sandy beaches, partying and nightlife, should consider being tested for HIV and other blood-borne viruses (and I'm personally even more afraid of hepatitis).

"All the evidence points to a tattoo received recently in Bali as being the source of the infection," Western Australia's Department of Health said in a statement dated Friday.

"This case demonstrates the very real health risk in having this type of procedure done overseas," said Paul Armstrong, the department's director of communicable disease control.

No shiitakes! Dang people, what's with the utmost trust in others that makes you think humans are above using dirty tools on you? That's just foolish. Forget the ignorance and differences in standards of many third world countries--but some people just don't care. One reason we take things as simple hygiene for granted in the western world is that we've gone through the pain of experience over the last century to understand the cleanliness/godliness thing. In other words, we've got to be clean by law, and any violation is met with punishment and shutdown. Can we say the same for Bali?

The real answer from me is, "I don't know"...but that's enough for me to keep my procedures home-grown. So if you don't know, these procedures would include:

• plastic surgery
• tattoos
• dental work
• other surgeries
• ear piercings
• other body piercings
• delivering babies
• and darn it...probably sex too (but that's just my peculiarity)

If you feel like the deal you're getting overseas just can't be beat, then, well...just know the risks. I'd pay top dollar, myself, to know I'm getting the best procedures done; but really, I do care and think about my health like that. Hope you do too.

Younger Generation Eating at Home

Bravo to the younger generation! Millennials have got it right--they're cooking at home. And if you don't know how I feel about that, then you haven't been listening. The most predominant dietary advice I give is to eat whole, natural foods; and in that vein, you're better off preparing those foods at home, than eating out at a restaurant.

According to a survey conducted by Mintel, a market research company, home cooking has become an increasingly popular among younger generations. The survey polled 2,000 adults over the age of 18 and found that 25% of respondents between the ages18-34 said they "love cooking," while only 17% of seniors and Baby Boomers said the same.

The survey also found that 51% of respondents eat at home primarily for dietary reasons, as "homemade meals tend to be healthier than restaurant fare and prepared grocery foods." Nice!

Looks like the younger generation are doing thing the right way for the right reason. I love it. What it means (I hope) is that this practice will be passed down to even younger generations. Millennials seem to be aware of the fast food revolution of their parents era, and are smart enough to connect the poor health dots. Once again  I say bravo to the younger generation. They've got it right when it comes to the way they're eating. Keep up the good health practices, kids--you're going to reap the rewards they offer.

Women Over 50: Health Choices

Ladies: Are you over 50 and considering a boob-reduction?  Hope you're healthy then, because a recent study shows that you're at an increased risk for infection. That's right. And on top of that, women over 50 also have a higher rate of wound-healing problems as compared to younger women, leading to a higher rate of repeat surgery to remove areas of dead skin (debridement). Something to think about if you're considering a slash to the sag.

The study conducted at Johns Hopkins University looked at 1,192 women who had breast reduction surgery between 1999 and 2009 and found that the post-surgery infection rate for women over 50 was 2.7 times higher than for those under 40. 

Researcher believe that the differences are due to age-related changes to hormone levels. Yes, of course! And the reason is that they found older women on hormone replacement therapy (HRT) were less likely to have post-surgery infections. Further, women who had undergone hysterectomy or removal of the ovaries, both of which result in large decreases in hormone levels, had higher rates of infection. Accordingly, the study's authors conclude that doctors should investigate any factors that might effect hormone levels in women considering breast reduction surgery, and that hormone replacement therapy might be warranted in women with reduced hormone levels.

So why would I say "hope you're healthy?" Because health isn't simply which chemical or hormone we're missing. When the body is in a state of wellness, it's missing nothing. Why not instead encourage older women to do some things that might improve their health overall? Why not encourage younger women now to maintain their health to their best ability? 

Spoke to a lovely lady this evening in my practice who told me that she does what she does cosmetically because it makes her feel better about herself, which in turn, motivates her to do other right things for herself (like exercise and eat well, etc). While I certainly understand where she's coming from on an emotional level, I'd say it's somewhat illogical reasoning: You alter yourself through surgery so that you feel better about yourself, and then you exercise and eat well?

Ladies, your body is yours to do what you deem appropriate. But I assure you that by doing the right things:

• Exercising regularly
• Drinking lots of water
• Eating whole, natural foods
• Supplementing with vitamin D and calcium
• Visiting your chiropractor regularly
• Getting regular body work done
• Being aware of your body (through gyno checkups and breast self-exams)
• Minimizing alcohol and tobacco use
• Practicing safe sex
• Getting plenty of rest

...you should be healthy for years to come. And if you are in your fifties and pick up these habits now, your highly intelligent body will rebalance itself. If you don't feel better about yourself then, it's time for me to hang up my hands (sorry, I'm a chiropractor, and it's all I could think of...). At the very least, if you decide to get that breast reduction after all, you'll be in the best shape to handle the surgery.

Spirituality and Health

Tempest Milky Way from Randy Halverson on Vimeo.

Today I would like to discuss an oft-overlooked aspect of health: Our connection to something bigger than ourselves.  Yes, I am a spiritualist--I believe in God.  Maybe not in the way of some organized religions, but I am convinced that the universe is a part of a grand order, of which we are bound in our physiology, and thus our health.

I'm not going to necessarily discuss the universal order as it pertains to physiology and health here.  Instead I am going to touch on a few points on spirituality and health, as well as encourage you to watch the beautiful video above to witness the magnificence of the universe from our earthly perspective, and hope you realize it is all much bigger than even this.

• Studies show that people practicing any type of mainstream faith actually live longer (more here)
• "Lack of religious involvement has an effect on mortality that is equivalent to 40 years of smoking one pack of cigarettes per day" ~ Dr. Harold Koenig of Duke University Medical Center
• People that practice spirituality have lower incidences of drug abuse, alcoholism, suicide and family violence
• Meditation, prayer, and participation in devotional services reduce feelings of depression and anxiety significantly
• Meditation lowers the risk of heart disease (among other conditions)

Health is directly related to our connections to a greater source.  Whether real or psychological is irrelevant to our discussions here--all I wish to point out is the improvement to physical health when spirituality is believed/practiced/observed.

If we can put aside for one minute our politics, our illusions, our human drives, and our emotional oscillations to just witness the beauty of the all, if only for just this one needle-point view of the grandness offered by the accompanying video, then I am certain we can all catch a glimpse of what we truly are.  THIS is the source of health, and it's a confirmation that we can all have optimal health if we are in touch with the source.  That's my belief anyway.

A Bigger, Badder Sociopath

According to a recent Scientific American article titled, How to Build a Better Learner, neuroscientists believe that the cognitive functions of good learning depend heavily on what psychologists call 'executive function'.  Executive function encompasses cognitive attributes such as attention, working memory (what you can hold in your mind with regard to recently learned material), and gratification delay.  They believe that these abilities can predict whether a child will, succeed academically in the future.

One of those attributes in particular--the ability to delay gratification--scientists believe is the foundation of better learning.  And more importantly, they believe it is a teachable skill.  One program, called Tools of the Mind, tried in some low-income school districts where children typically have poorer  academic outcomes, trains children to resist temptations and distractions, as well as to develop working memory and flexible thinking.

The techniques seem so powerful that some educators and economists are now contemplating public policy measures to 'improve self-control' as a way to "enhance the physical and financial health of the population and reduce the rate of crime."  These are the remarks of authors of a recent study which appeared in the journal, Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences USA.

I find this an interesting concept, albeit a potentially misguided one.  Although I agree that children, and therefore people, fare better in life when they are able to practice discipline and delay immediate gratification, and I also agree that these are the foundations for successful academic learning, I do take exception to the idea of making 'self-control' a public policy, in the form of a required class or instruction for children, because I know that it will also have a backlash.  Self-control can be taught, but I think it's better to lead by example (in the family), than pushing it through a curriculum.  Anything forced on children will have a significant amount of resentment accompanying it.

I just do not believe a program like this will succeed in its goals of enhancing health and finances, or in reducing crime, simply because children that have trouble controlling their impulses will never be forced into practicing self-control.  Yes, many children will respond favorably to the program, but I beleive these same children would do well anyway, no matter what their programs.  Okay, perhaps a handful that wouldn't otherwise get to learn about self-control and delayed gratification might benefit, but an equal amount will actually do worse as a result of the forced behavior.  Many will seek immediate gratification even more, as a rebellion toward authority.  Listen, some children can't conform to classroom rules right now for the same reasons, and so they are labelled as having a disorder, and they are drugged.

This type of program will actually create poorer physical and financial health and likely increase crime (if not in number, than in severity).  It's a fallacy to believe that every child will respond to any program, let alone a  majority.  More likely, there will be gradations of responses--some good, some poor, and everything else in between.  But again, I contend, when something becomes mandated, the rebellious members of society will revolt and actually go against the grain.  That's life.

What also bothers me is that it seems very similar to what religions do right now, as far as teaching morality in their schools and churches.  Our current public policy, however, has been to veer away from the moralistic teachings of religious institutions, so why package it as something new, with just a different name, under the guise of a psycho-therapeutic and neuroscientific approach to child development?  It's gratification delay!  It's what the church and moral majority have been preaching for forever!  Why is it okay now?

It was always okay.  Political ideologues got hold of something they wanted to do away with, and are now realizing it was actually serving a purpose all along--amazing when those discoveries are made, when science and religion coincide.  Nevertheless, you mark my words, if it does become public policy, this type of program will create a bigger, badder sociopath to counter the hordes of children being 'taught' self-discipline.

Teen Girls Dumbed Down by Binge Drinking

Teens and binge drinking ain't nothing new--but understanding the ways in which heavy drinking affects teenage females is.  So says a recent study looking into the effects of alcohol on the teen brain.  Researcher at the University of California, San Diego (UCSD) and Stanford University found that binge drinking--four or more drinks for women, and five or more for men--hits the brains of teenage girls harder than it does teen boys.

Functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) studies were conducted on 95 teen volunteers in the San Diego area, including 40 binge drinkers and 55 controls.  The volunteers self-reported how much and how often they had tied one on in their lifetime, and how much alcohol they'd consumed in the three months prior to the study.

The teens performed a spatial working memory task while the researchers observed brain activation using fMRI. Spatial working memory is the ability to perceive the space around you and then remember and work with that information, which could affect such tasks as driving, sports, and using a map.  Previous studies have shown spatial working memory to be impaired by heavy drinking.

The results showed eight different regions of the brain in teenage girls that were affected by the heavy drinking...but here's the kicker: The detrimental cognitive effects lasted well beyond the study period.

"Long after a young person--middle school to college--enjoys recovery from a hang-over, this study shows that risk to cognitive and brain functions endures," said Edith Sullivan, a professor in the department of psychiatry and behavioral sciences at Stanford University School of Medicine. 

Comparatively, teen boys had only four regions of the brain related to spatial activity affected by binge drinking.  These results showed that developing girls are more susceptible to neurological effects of alcohol. Some potential reasons are that girls' brains develop two years ahead boys, hormonal differences, and the lowered amount of alcohol needed to affect women due to slower rates of metabolism, higher body fat ratios, and lower body weight.

These are frightening results since 3 in 10 American teens in the final year of high school reported binge drinking in the past month.  Especially scary for teen girls and their parents.  As peer pressure increases, so do the risks young ladies take by hitting the bottle hard.  And because of the lingering effects, the detriments may affect their studies, their safety and their health.

No easy answer to this problem as we were all young once.  My personal feeling is that I feel immense gratitude for the numerous stories on the nightly news of teen accidents, celebrity overdoses and drunken car crashes, teen sexting screw-ups, and other SNAFUs.  It's what I'll use, hopefully, to deter my own daughters from taking up teen binge drinking.  But the truth is you never know what they're going to do.  I'll mention these results to my girls when the time comes, and just hope they have other ways of expressing their youthful energy.

Beverly Hills Chiropractic: Bicep Stretches for Shoulder Pain Relief

Shoulder injuries are some of the most common conditions people walk into my Beverly Hills sports chiropractic office with, and treating them can be tricky.  I find that shoulder impingement, along with rotator cuff syndrome, has become increasingly problematic for people, especially as people pick up exercise as a lifestyle habit.  Now everyone knows that I think doing so is of mega-importance to achieving and maintaining great health, but it's not without its challenges.

First, without proper form, most people lifting weights can cause injury to themselves.  So form is foremost, period.  This is true whether were talking about lifting weights, doing yoga, Pilates, or whatever.

Poor form during shoulder exercises can lead to impingement syndrome.  I find that in stubborn cases of impingement syndrome, the offending agent is an inflamed biceps tendon.  Please don't take this to mean that the biceps is the primary problem in shoulder impingement syndrome--it's one of three structures that can get inflamed--but it is the most often missed and neglected during the treatment process.

What you can do on your own to speed up the healing process for shoulder impingement syndrome is to ice and stretch.  Watch the video below to see the best home stretch for a biceps tendonitis.

When dealing with a stubborn shoulder injury (that means chronic, not one you've just hurt), go see a sports chiropractor right away.  But you can help your own case by icing and stretching your shoulder, particularly the biceps.  Enjoy.

Vegetarianism and Health Rant

A reader recently commented on a piece I wrote on vegetarianism and vitamin/protein deficiency.  She said I was wrong when I commented that people should "drop the vegetarian thing" if they wanted to improve their health.  She said she the vegetarians she knows are "extremely healthy," as they eat eggs, cheese, and some even fish.  She essentially asked me if she's missing the point, or is it just me that's crazy (just kidding, Caroline).

By all means I stand by my original point: It is difficult for vegetarians to get sufficient protein.  Now I'm not saying there are no healthy vegetarians--that would be ludicrous; but I will say that many vegetarians I have met don't appear as healthy-looking to me.  Does that mean they are not healthy?  No.  It's just an observation.  However, saying that, I do look at people all day, almost every day--I am paid to evaluate health.  But can I prove my observations?  No.

What I am quite certain of is that vegetarians, like all people, need a proper intake of protein on a daily basis.  As far as I know, eating fish is not vegetarian, so we don't have to discuss that any further.  But, yes, an ovo-lacto vegetarian should probably be okay, provided he or she is getting enough protein every day.

My reader was right when she pointed out that people who eat no meat, fish, eggs or dairy are called vegans.  These people need to get their protein from vegetable sources--beans, avocados, nuts, grains, and so on.  Everybody needs a minimum amount of protein every day (women 46 grams of protein per day, men 56 grams), therefore each meal should contain some.

Since we can all anecdotally speak of whom we know or what our personal experiences are, let it be stated that mine are just opinions.  But since opinions are like...well, you know...I've got one too, and I am not afraid to share it.

Yes, vegetarians are often skinny.  Big deal!  Skinny ain't health.  In fact, for people that exercise, children and teens, and pregnant/lactating women, protein is needed big-time.  I wouldn't recommend vegetarianism (sorry, veganism) to any of these groups unless it's a part of a long-standing cultural practice.  For Americans that have picked up vegetarianism for their political beliefs (call it humanitarian, call it what you will), if you are in one of the groups mentioned above--well, I wouldn't do it.

So my original article was in response to a woman that called me about her 17-year-old daughter who was having some cognitive difficulties.  She suspected vitamin deficiency, and was asking about vitamin testing.  HELLO!  Seventeen-year-old girl, mother concerned about vitamin deficiency?  I stand by my assessment and would say it again and again and again (oh...I guess I am now)--DROP THE VEGETARIANISM.  Give that girl a steak, send her to the gym, slap a little sense into the little princess--you are too young to be playing with your health that way.  The American Dietetic Association and Dietitians of Canada warn that poorly planned vegan diets can be deficient in vitamin B₁₂, iron, vitamin D, calcium, iodine, and omega-3 fatty acids.

We have canine teeth for a reason.  Duh!  We are meant to eat a variety of foods, meat included.  Yes, vegetarians can survive.  They are skinny (couldn't have anything to do with that in a seventeen-year-old girl, now could it?).  But healthy?  Don't know.  I certainly wouldn't take the chance with my daughters.

But hey...for some people their politics is their religion.  Wouldn't eat a slaughtered animal but no problem eating a plant violently pulled from the ground, removed from it's life source.  Imagine that...taking the life of a living thing.  Or should plant life be minimized?  To the people that vehemently (and for some, violently) oppose meat eating, pick up a biology book and learn something about the life cycle--life must consume life--crazy thing that.

For those that want to be vegetarians, please...go ahead.  But when it comes to your kids' health, make sure they do it the right way, that's all.

Thank you Caroline for stimulating my thoughts...or rant...whichever.

Health Consequences of Grief, Part 1

A reader asked my opinion on grief and how it affects health.  I though it would be a great topic for a blog post, so here goes:

Since we cannot separate the mind from the body, any charged (let alone hyper-charged) emotion that goes unresolved will affect the health.  Let's look at the definition of grief: keen mental suffering or distress overaffliction or loss; sharp sorrow; painful regret.

Most people grieve when they feel they have lost something--a loved one, whether person or pet, a possession (like a house), or for some people even losing face.  The sense of loss is so deep it can consume the mind for weeks, months or years.  This mental anguish can be so intense that all experiences become bathed in the sorrow that the person has over the loss.


What's important for people to connect with in these situations is that, in the whole of the universe, there is no gain or loss.  Let's take the seeming loss of a loved one, for instance.  Einstein showed that mass and energy are equivalent (represented by the equation E=mc²).  Essentially, all matter and energy are interchangeable, which in practical terms for humans signifies that we, too, are simply energy.

The first law of thermodynamics states that energy can neither be created nor destroyed; it is called the law of conservation of energy.  Energy can only change from one form to another.  A simple example: pour ice cubes into heating pot and they will change their state from solid to liquid (changing energy form); keep observing and the liquid water will turn to steam and evaporate.  Does this mean the particles making up the ice cubes is gone?  No, it has changed form from a solid to a liquid to gas (the steam), and will disperse throughout the room.  It could even be used to power an engine (energy in motion).


 

Why am I talking physics with regard to grief?  Because the same is true of living things.  We die, but our energy isn't gone--it transforms.  Here is the beauty in this truth: it corresponds with nearly every spiritual teaching.  Whether you believe in heaven or Valhalla--there is no denying that the energy of the deceased person is not gone.  Even for the secularist, all one must remember is the law of conservation of energy: Energy cannot be created nor destroyed.  Think about that.  More to come.

Aging Through Metabolism

Check it out: Higher energy states may lead to quicker aging.  No, no, no...not vibrancy--higher energy as in cost, energy expenditure.

A recent study showed that energy expenditure, measured in a metabolic chamber over 24 hours and during rest, predicted natural mortality.  Researchers looked at 652 non-diabetic, healthy Pima Indian volunteers.  Total energy expenditure was tracked between 1985 and 2006 with a mean follow-up time of 11.1 years, while resting metabolic rate (RMR) was evaluated between 1982 and 2006 with a mean follow-up time of 15.4 years.  During the study period, 27 study participants died of natural causes.

The results were that as energy expenditure increased, so did the risk for natural mortality.  Hmmm...

According to Reiner Jumpertz, M.D., lead author of the study, "We found that a higher endogenous metabolic rate, that is, how much energy the body uses for normal body functions, is a risk factor for earlier mortality.  This increased metabolic rate may lead to earlier organ damage (in effect accelerated aging) possibly by accumulation of toxic substances produced with the increase in energy turnover."

Before you get all worked up, the data did not apply to exercise-related energy expenditure.  Said Jumpertz, "This activity (exercise) clearly has beneficial effects on human health."

Here's the best way to look at this: Energy expenditure increases during fight or flight responses--or during times of stress.  Further, the body will also increase metabolism when it has lots of food to breakdown (another form of stress).  When the energy needs of the body go up during these times of stress--so does natural aging.

The ideal situation is to get your body to the lowest energy state possible.  This means eating smaller meals, getting physically fit, and reducing musculoskeletal stress by bringing your body back into proper function (through things like chiropractic care, massage, and functional rehabilitation).  Fail to do these things and you will increase the rate at which you age.  These results may be preliminary, but I think they're telling.  May as well start now, before time passes you by.

Symptoms Are Health!

When giving health talks I usually ask, "What is health?"  I am amazed at some of the answers that seem to come up again and again.  The most common is disease or symptom free.  This answer comes up so frequently that, obviously, it's what most people think, if they think about it at all.  Unfortunately, this definition or belief is probably what guides these people in their health decisions, whether consciously or not; and approaching health from this angle won't always lead to wise choices.

The truth is that symptoms actually are health.  Think of your common cold symptoms--runny nose, sneezing, coughing, congested sinuses, fever, and night sweats.  Each one of these has a role to play in fighting the infecting organism:

• Runny nose--mucous membranes in the nasal passages and nasopharynx (orifice connecting nasal passages to the throat) release a thick, sticky substance that carries away microorganisms which have tried to infiltrate this primary entrance to our internal environment.  Think of mucus as quicksand or mud in a mudslide--nothing will escape.
• Sneeze--a powerful blast of air, saliva, lacrimal secretions (tears) and mucus taking out anything and everything in its path.  Microorganisms entering the mouth, nose or pharynx are sneeze-blasted the heck out of there.  Consider a sneeze your body's internal tornado, just worse.
• Cough--similar to a sneeze, just clearing out the lungs, bronchi and oropharynx, as well as the nose and mouth.  Well call the cough the body's internal hurricane--not a dang thing left unshaken; and during a coughing fit--fuggedaboutit--category 5 cyclone!
• Congested sinuses--infections or any other irritants, including allergens, can lead to swelling of the mucous membranes; as membranes swell, they close off the nasal passages.  Essentially, sinus congestion is the Royal Guard--try getting in, go ahead...try.
• Fever--heats the body to incinerator temperatures, much higher than in what microorganisms can survive.  Fever is Death Valley for germs.
• Night sweats--heat and sweat flush the external barriers out, so the skin, scalp and orifices are like a hot, wet boiler room.  Consider night sweats a monsoon for microbes.

You can see that each one of these symptoms is the body's way of protecting itself.  And every illness/disease has associated symptoms to return the body to homeostasis.*  So why associate symptoms with sickness?

It's because historically--at least over the last 80 years or so--medical care has focused on relieving symptoms.  OK, that's nothing new--we all know that.  However, it is the reason why so many people still see the presence or absence of symptoms as the definitions of illness and health.  But I assure you what most consider illness actually is health.  Any questions?

*Or in the case of the body being overloaded by disease (AIDS, let's say), it's the body's attempt to return to homeostasis.  Whether or not the body can return to homeostasis is the true difference between illness and health.

Superfood? Superhype

Beware labels that market some foods as healthier than others.  That's my advice regarding superfoods, a term used to ascribe nutritional potency to certain foods in the same way the term 'natural' is used to sell anything from chickens to cereal.

A few of the foods touted as 'super' include blueberries and green tea, but the latest to make the grade is maple syrup.  According to recent research, funded by the Federation of Quebec Maple Syrup Producers and Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada (hello!), chemists have identified 54 beneficial compounds in maple syrup that "possess anti-oxidant and anti-inflammatory properties, which have been shown to fight cancer, diabetes and bacterial illnesses."

Initial studies also suggest that polyphenols in the syrup may help keep blood sugar levels in check, important for diabetics, by inhibiting enzymes that are involved in the conversion of carbohydrates to sugar.

Now that's nice, as are the findings on the phytochemical makeup of maple syrup.  But what we do with that information is also important.  For instance, creating a label such as superfood denotes a connotation that somehow it is at the top of a nutritional pyramid.  At the very least, it tells unsuspecting consumers that they'll be healthier if they eat this food.  But healthier than what?

I appreciate this news, however, because I think we can gain a few insights from it.  First, I love maple syrup; so, naturally, I embrace the information because I know that unprocessed natural sugar is better than processed white sugar.  And corn syrup?  Forget about it--I encourage everybody to throw theirs away.  Nothing, in my opinion, is worse for the health than high-fructose corn syrup (HFCS).  Not lost on me is the significance of its advent into the western diet and the increases in obesity, diabetes and heart disease.  Am I calling HFCS a direct cause?  Nooooo....just noting the coincidental timing.  If I have pancakes, it's nothing other than maple syrup for me, no exceptions.

But this is the only practical application I would extract from these latest findings.  OK, okay...if you want to put maple syrup in your green tea, or use it as a sugar substitute--fine!  Just don't think that now syrup shots are going to be some great health practice (I know, but you'd be surprised).

Without a doubt, marketers will use these findings to their advantage; but my role is to act as a 'snap-out-of-it' eye opener for zombie-like behavior some people exhibit when it comes to health.  Just because a company uses the term 'natural' to sell their over-priced product, doesn't mean its any healthier for you.  If it makes you somehow feel better to buy it anyhow, then be my guest: I'm just pointing out some realities, that's all.

Now the term organic is a different story.  Organic denotes a way of growing produce (sorry people, not chicken), and it is tightly regulated.  A company using the term organic is subjected to fines and closure for using the term inappropriately (check this video post on just this happening in Los Angeles Farmers Markets).  But natural or superfoods?  Puh-leeze...buyer beware.*

Second principle: There ain't no food more important than any other.  Despite what some snake-oil salesmen may push on you promising super-health, you must eat a variety of foods to get all the nutrients necessary for good health.  No yet-to-be-discovered food, juice or herb will give you better nutrition than a variety of whole natural foods.  No recently or yet-to-be-discovered tropical fruit will ever be the solitary answer to cancer, gout or skunk-gum since these diseases are mutifactorial (okay, maybe not skunk-gum).  Although I will admit that blueberries will probably give you more anti-oxidants than blackberries, raspberries or strawberries, they won't give you that much more.

So again, take these findings on maple syrup with a grain of salt: It may be rich in phytonutrients--thus prompting its hailing as a superfood--but it doesn't mean you now need to go out and purchase the latest drinks, juices and supplements that will surely follow.

*Since 1 July 2007, the marketing of products as "superfoods" is prohibited in the European Union unless accompanied by a specific medical claim supported by credible scientific research. ~ Wikipedia

Physical Fitness Memory Enhancement

Good news for active adults--brisk walking improves memory by increasing the size of a brain region directly responsible for processing information to be stored.  This has promising implications for preventing age-related cognitive degeneration seen in Alzheimer's disease.

The hippocampus region of the brain grew by 2% in study subjects that walked briskly.  The study, led by researchers at the University of Pittsburgh and University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, looked at 120 sedentary people, aged 55 to 80.  They were divided into two groups: Half began a program of walking for 40 minutes a day, three days a week to increase their heart rate; the others only did stretching and toning exercises.

Memory improved in both groups, showing that physical activity in general has cognitive effects.   Preliminary studies have shown that aerobic exercise leads to reduce brain atrophy in early-stage Alzheimer's patients, and that walking leads to slight improvement on mental tests among older people with memory problems.

The hippocampus is known to shrink slightly in people as they age, and this is, in fact, what happened to the stretch-only group.  The brisk walk group, though, did show increases in hippocampal size, leading researchers to believe this physiological effect sustains memory.

Kirk Erickson, professor of psychology at the University of Pittsburgh and the paper's lead author, said in a statement, "The results of our study are particularly interesting in that they suggest that even modest amounts of exercise by sedentary older adults can lead to substantial improvements in memory and brain health."

So get up and start walking, folks.  It's never too late.  What you do today might just preserve your marbles for another couple decades.  So just do it--walk!..for the health of your hippocampus.

Natural Health Icon Jack LaLanne Has Passed

A hero of mine has passed today: Jack Lalanne died this afternoon at his home in Morro Bay, Calif.  He was 96.  The cause was respiratory failure as a result of pneumonia.

LaLanne was the godfather of the modern physical fitness movement.  I remember as a kid watching him every morning at 7 am while my mom made breakfast.  He made exercise a household activity, and had many other contributions to the world of health.  He invented the Jumping Jack exercise, as well as the Smith machine (a weight-training machine that has a barbell fixed within steel rails, allowing only vertical movement).

A little known fact is that he was a Doctor of Chiropractic.  Yeah, baby!  And a huge advocate for juicing.  He was a bodybuilder, a vegetarian, and believe it or not, a skeptic of organic foods, which he believed were "a bunch of bull."


LaLanne was one of the first to advocate weight-lifting for women.  At a time when it was believed that lifting would cause women to look big and bulky, LaLanne was always one step ahead of the crowd when it came to health and fitness.

"The Jack LaLanne Show" was the longest running television exercise program.  It was started in my home town, San Francisco--perfect for us hippies and weirdos...but we made him an icon.  LaLanne became a popular inspirational speaker, author of several books, a recording artist (for exercise records), a video producer, and promoter of exercise equipment, many vitamin supplements and two models of electric (one his own, Power Juicer).  He made famous the phrase, "That's the power of the juice!"

Jack LaLanne was definitely one of my heroes.  He lived an amazing life, contributing greatly to the world we live in today.  He will continue to inspire me, as he has for my entire life.  Thank you, Jack LaLanne for inspiring me to follow the path of natural health and healing that I have chosen.