Have a SAFE and Happy New Year!

Allergies Might be More Dangerous than Just a Nuisance

Common airborne allergies have been linked to a slightly higher incidence of leukemia and lymphoma. They also have been possibly connected to autoimmune diseases, and many allergic people suffer from chronic sinusitis. Taking daily antihistamines might help the symptoms, but there is no evidence that they prevent complications. It really makes sense to desensitize if you have allergies, which evidently can compromise the immune system. We find that Sensitivity Reduction Therapy (SRT), which combines five therapies into one using acupressure without needles and low-dose allergen treatment (LDA) have helped many people, even those who have failed conventional allergy shots. Contact our office for details. See the poster presentation by Emily White on the VITAL study, presented at the American Society of Clinical Oncology in Chicago, 2012. Contact our office at www.healthcelebration.com in Bluffton, Ohio and Toledo, Ohio 419-358-4627.

We Wish Everyone a Happy and Healthy Merry Christmas!

Glutathione as a Powerful Antioxidant and Detoxifier in a Healthy Body

As an antioxidant, glutathione is the body’s strongest defense against oxidative stress that damages cell membranes. Oxidative stress has been linked to degenerative diseases, heart disease, cancer, memory and other neurologic problems, autoimmunity, arthritis, diabetes, and premature aging. Glutathione is the only antioxidant that works with enzymes throughout the body. It also binds to many chemical toxins including heavy metals and helps remove them from the body. There are tests to measure glutathione activity but they are not very reliable. Glutathione is poorly absorbed in the gut, but adding certain lipid factors can help. Certain nutrients can enhance the body’s glutathione activity, such as n-acetyl cysteine (NAC), selenium and vitamin E with mixed tocopherals. Intravenous glutathione can positively stimulate immune function and enhance healing. See Guilford, Tim. What Every Doctor Should Know About Glutathione. Holistic Primary Care, Fall 2012. P. 8.

Acupuncture Scores Well to Treat Chronic Pain

A meta-analysis (study of 31 studies) published in the Archives of Internal Medicine showed that patients treated with acupuncture had lower pain scores than those who received needles in areas of the body that do not have acupuncture points. Conditions treated included back and neck pain, osteoarthritis, chronic headaches and shoulder pain. These studies were difficult to perform because there are so many areas of the body that contain acupuncture points. We find that by placing acupuncture needles comprehensively, we see more dramatic results, quicker and more effectively than reported in this study. See Vickers AJ, et.al. Acupuncture for Chronic Pain. Arch Int Med, published on-line Sept, 2012

Berberine is a Remarkable Herbal Therapy

For many years, berberine has been used as an antimicrobial agent. One of its advantages is that it can fight intestinal infections or imbalances without facilitating yeast overgrowth. In fact, it might help fight off yeast problems. Berberine might help improve fatty liver disease and restore normal intestinal function. Recently, higher doses of this very safe herb can reduce cholesterol and control blood sugar, especially in patients with metabolic syndrome. Many additional indirect benefits might occur from its improvement of digestive function, where a good portion of the immune system is located. Be careful if you are pregnant or nursing, though. It has not been cleared a safe during pregnancy. www.thorne.com from Sept. 18, 2012 online newsletter

STAY HEALTHY NOTE

Stay healthy this winter! We recommend taking mucco coccinum every 2 weeks, Vitamin D, 3000-5000 units per day, Vitamin C, 1000-3000 mg per day taken on a regular basis, and Monolaurin if you get sick. We also carry preservative free flu shots. All we carry in our office.

Who Needs Flu Shots?

Just at a time when more employers are requiring their employees to get flu shots, University of Wisconsin researchers published a study in the Annals of Family Medicine that showed you can do better by meditating or getting regular exercise. Following 149 individuals for 21 months, they found that the control group had cold or flu symptoms 453 days and missed work 67 days. Those who meditated regularly had symptoms 257 days and missed only 16 days of work. The exercise group reported 241 days of sickness and missed 32 work days. Flu shots are only partially effective and overall do no better than practicing a healthy lifestyle. See July issue of Annals of Family Medicine. See my Healthy Note posting

Can Exercise Be Dangerous?

A New York Times article reported on the findings of Dr. Claude Bouchard, a famous proponent of regular exercise. Between 7 and 10% of patients who underwent rigorous exercise had increases in known risk factors such as cholesterol and blood pressure. However, another 10% had dramatic improvements in the similar risk factors. More importantly, only surrogate end points were examined. The study was not long enough to look at definitive end points such as death and heart attacks. Sometimes, people in rigorous studies have dramatic changes in body biochemistry that are not clinically significant. It would seem prudent to continue to recommend at least 150 minutes of exercise a week, and if the person is feeling well with higher degrees of exercise and wants to continue, I would say go ahead. But maybe watch your risk factors a little more closely. See PLoS One, May 30, 2012 and NY Times, May 31, 2012. www.healthcelebration.com