Thermography Better than Mammograms if You are Taking Bio-Identical Hormones

The Women’s Health Study tells us that women who have been taking hormone replacement therapy, especially the natural kind, have denser breasts. This makes it more difficult to detect breast abnormalities by X-rays. Dense breasts are better followed with thermograms, which assesses the circulation patterns in the breast tissue. Blood flow and circulation are not affected by dense breasts. See WomensHealthResearch.org and ThermaScan.com Celebration of Health Association website

CDC States that Flu shots are Ineffective, but Take Them Anyway

According to Robert Rowen’s excellent newsletter, the Center for Disease Control tells us that flu shots are estimated to be about 9% effective in the elderly this year. But we should encourage everyone to take them anyway. Dr. R suggests 5000iu of vitamin D3 daily as a much better preventative. I agree. But homeopathics like mucococcinium and colds and flu drops also work well, and oral vitamin C is not bad either. If you are at high risk, a monthly IV of intravenous vitamin C, plus other nutrients would be great. We call it a Meyer’s cocktail. See Second Opinion, December 2013, p. 1. Celebration of Health Association website

An Integrative Approach Does Much Better than Drug Therapy for Type 2 Diabetes

Treating type 2 Diabetes with metformin appears OK but if you add a common second drug (usually a sulfonylurea) you increase the death rate from 14 per 1000 patient years to 45 per 1000 patient years, according to a British study. On the other hand if you treat diabetic patients with vascular disease with chelation therapy, as in the TACT study, you decrease cardiac events over a three-year period by 50%. It sure seems to me that doctors should be recommending chelation therapy for their diabetic patients, but they rarely do, probably as a result of a long-standing prejudice against alternative medicine. See Diabetes Care 2012;35:1364-1379 and JAMA 2013;309:1241-1250. Celebration of Health Association website

Dogs are Good For You

The American Heart Association has declared that owning a pet might be a factor in preventing heart attacks. Of course, a randomized, placebo-controlled, clinical trial would be required for definitive proof. I am not sure how that could possibly be done. But I am sure that a dog who shows gratitude and affection would be good for you. See Family Practice News, June 15, 2013, p. 9. Celebration of Health Association website

Not Enough Estrogen Can Increase Belly Fat in Men

Testosterone deficiency is a common problem in men, but now we know that insufficient estrogen can cause problems too. Actually, if you are given supplemental testosterone, some of it might be converted to estrogen, which can be a good thing. Recent protocols actually block that conversion, which is not so good. Your doctor can guide you through hormone imbalance, especially if he or she uses bio-identical hormones. Dr. Peter Snyder at University of Pennsylvania Medical school for more info. Celebration of Health Association website

Foods Can Help You Sleep

Things to avoid to prepare you for sleep are large meals at bedtime, chocolate, and alcohol. Things to help include lite bites of food (unless you have reflux), kiwis in the evening (increases serotonin), and tart cheery juice (increases melatonin). During the day, go outside for natural sunlight and some exercise and at night, sleep in a dark room with no electronics. See the AARP newsletter, Strive for Healthy Living, Fall, 2013. Celebration of Health Association website

Diabetic Drugs Cause Cardiovascular Disease?

In 2011, the FDA slammed restrictions on the diabetic drug, rosiglitazone, because it apparently increased the risk of vascular problems. Most diabetic complications are vascular. Other new diabetic drugs also had suspicious results. Now the FDA is saying there isn’t enough evidence to say they are safe or dangerous. A much better choice would be IV chelation therapy. The TACT study showed a 40% decrease in cardiac events in patients with diabetes and a history of a heart attack when they took chelation for only a year and a half. See Hunting for cardiovascular signals from diabetic drugs in Family Practice News, 11/1/13, p. 1, 17. and Google TACT.