Tuesday, March 26, 2013

Be Careful How You Take Calcium

Taking calcium supplements increases the risk of dying from heart disease, cardiovascular disease and cerebrovascular disease in men, but not in women. Eating foods high in calcium did not have this effect. The authors did not speculate why, but the answer should be obvious. Calcium is in balance with magnesium throughout the body. It is toxic for too much calcium to enter the cells. All we need to do is take at least half as much magnesium as calcium in our supplements, and we will get the benefits of these important elements without the risks. However, we should also avoid the high doses of calcium that have previously been recommended. I believe that up to 1000 mg of calcium balanced by 500 mg of magnesium is safe. See Qian Xiao and associates of the National Cancer Institute. http://health.usnews.com/health-news/news/articles/2013/02/04/calcium-supplements-may-raise-mens-death-risk-from-heart-disease www.healthcelebration.com

Thursday, March 21, 2013

Preventing Cancer

Harvard’s Michael Gaziano was the chief investigator for a study of 15,000 physicians which showed that taking a multivitamin daily reduced the chances of cancer by 8% over a period of 10 years. Other studies have shown that a good diet, regular exercise, and not smoking each reduce the risk of cancer by 20%. Putting these altogether has a huge impact. A healthy lifestyle is the answer to cancer. See the October 18, 2012 issue of the Toledo Blade, p. 1. www.healthcelebration.com

Tuesday, March 19, 2013

Public Enemies Number 1,2,3

The Centers for Disease Control have stated that Public Enemies 1 and 2 are tobacco smoking and uncontrolled blood pressure. I agree with these assessments, but what is Number 3? In my opinion, it is iatrogenics. Iatrogenic means caused by the physician. That includes mistakes, drug interactions, drug side effects, complications from surgeries, and omissions. Conventional physicians have chosen a high-risk path when they limit themselves to potentially toxic drugs and surgery. Prevention, nutrition, exercise, stress reduction, supplements, and many other low-risk, effective therapies are available and should all be considered and perhaps tried before riskier therapies are offered. www.healthcelebration.com

Wednesday, March 13, 2013

When the Elderly Begin High BP Meds, the Incidence of Hip Fractures Soars

Hip fractures is one of the leading causes of death, and thus should be carefully avoided. The incidence of hip fractures rose by 53% within 45 days of beginning the common BP meds, ACE-inhibitors or beta-blockers in older patients who were not residing in nursing homes. The most obvious reason might be postural hypotension and resulting light-headedness. Blood pressure needs to be controlled but medications should be added very carefully. Perhaps more natural substances or low dose meds should be given initially to ease the transition. See Family Practice News, November, 2012, p.1,6. www.healthcelebration.com

Thursday, March 7, 2013

Should Flu Vaccines Be Required?

More and more workplaces and childhood immunization clinics require annual flu shots. Approximately 42% of the general public and 67% of health care workers were vaccinated last year. 65% of those older than 65 years were vaccinated, but this was a drop from 74% in 2008-2009. Many physicians refuse to get the shot, some even when their job is threatened. Despite claims that it does not happen, many people get sick after receiving a shot. Other side effects are rare but devastating when they occur. The shots are not completely effective, and most of them contain either mercury or aluminum as a preservative. In my experience, homeopathic preparations such as “colds and flu” and mucococcinium appear to be effective without risk of side effects. Washing hands, being careful of coughs and sneezes, and the prompt use of herbal anti-virals when needed appear to be effective measures. Vitamin C IVs also can be helpful when needed. Here are links to a few websites, there are many more when searching the pros and cons of immunizations http://www.naturodoc.com/library/children/immunizations.htm http://vaccines.procon.org/ http://www.justmommies.com/family-life/family-health Dr. Chappell's website www.healthcelebration.com

Tuesday, March 5, 2013

Either Too Much or Too Little Sleep Increases Your Risk

Dr. Rohit Arora of the NHANES database and the Chicago Medical School stated that either less than 6 hours or more than 8 hours of sleep per night can double your risk of heart disease. The mechanism is not clear but is thought to be related to autonomic dysfunction, glucose intolerance, or blood pressure and cortisol variance. See the 2007-8 Health and Nutrition Examination Survey. www.healthcelebration.com