“Healthy Obesity” is a Myth

In the recent past, it was thought that people who were overweight but were OK with cholesterol, blood sugar and blood pressure were not at increased risk. However, a recent meta-analysis that followed these patients over a ten-year period showed that an increased risk of cardiovascular disease and mortality catches up with them, no doubt about it. If you are overweight, you should shed the excess pounds. It makes a big difference in your future health. See Family Practice News, December, 2013, p.25. Celebration of Health Association website

Chelation Plus Multivitamins Halved Cardiac Events in Diabetic Patients

The TACT study showed even better results in patients who received both multivitamins and EDTA chelation therapy than previously reported with chelation treatment. There was a 34% reduction of a composite of cardiovascular risk, heart attack, and stroke in patients that had had a previous heart attack. Diabetic patients had a remarkable 51% reduction in risk with this therapy combination. Critics of the therapy are becoming less vocal as more and more details of the study are reported. In my experience of 30 years giving chelation in the office, the results are even better yet. See Family Practice News, December, 2013, p. 24-25. Or visit my website at healthcelebration.com. Celebration of Health Association website

Weight Loss Results in Reversal of Aging

Short telomeres are unique markers for accelerated aging. Many lifestyle factors, such as smoking, depression and lack of exercise are associated with shortening of telomeres. There are only a few activities that can lengthen telomeres, including raising HDL and reducing inflammatory markers such as CRP sensitive. If you are overweight and have elevated inflammatory markers, you can actually reverse the aging process, as documented by a lengthening of your telomeres. Weight loss by any technique from a healthy diet to Gastric bypass will increase your telomeres and help prevent many chronic degenerative diseases. See Family Practice News, December, 2013, p. 11-12 or go to icimed.com to find an integrative physician. Celebration of Health Association website

“Fibrofog” is More Likely Due to Yeast Toxins than a Prelude to Alzheimer’s Disease

Fibromyalgia and chronic fatigue patients often have mild to moderate cognitive dysfunction that they readily label as “brain fog”. The American College of Rheumatology has found that this is not a harbinger of Alzheimer’s disease, but they are mystified as to why it occurs. Any integrative physician or health food store proprietor will tell you that “brain fog” is due to yeast toxins and/or food allergies that often cause or make fibromyalgia and chronic fatigue worse. Treatment is available if the problem is recognized. See International College of Integrative Medicine to find an integrative physician who gets very good results for these conditions. Celebration of Health Association website

Fibromyalgia Responds to Naltrexone and Hyperbaric Oxygen

Speakers at the American College of Rheumatology meeting were disappointed in the “inadequate” results of the FDA-approved drugs for fibromyalgia (Cymbalta, Lyrica, Savella) but were encouraged by results seen with low-dose naltrexone and hyperbaric oxygen treatments. These novel treatments are often available from alternative physicians. Sometimes oxygen generators can be combined with exercise to get similar results to hyperbaric treatments at a much reduced cost. Se Family Practice News, December, 2013 issue, p. 6 or contact International College of Integrative Medicine to find an integrative doctor near you. Celebration of Health Association website

Computerized Risk Calculators are Overcalling the Actual Risk

Risk calculations recently released by the American Heart Association and others have created “confusion, dismay, and protest”, according to a panel at the AHA meeting in November, 2013. According to the new calculations, 33 million more Americans will be asked to take statin drugs when their risks for heart attacks are minimal. We can get a much better assessment of risk by asking if there is a strong family history, doing lab such as a CRP sensitive, Lp(a), homocysteine, and toxic metal screen. A cardiorisk test for arterial plaque, a calcium score with a CAT scan, and/or an ankle/brachial blood pressure test for peripheral circulation can tell us if plaque is developing. Lifestyle changes, nutritional support, and chelation if indicated can be much more effective than a massive use of statin drugs. See Family Practice News, December, 2013, page 1, 13 or contact International College of Integrative Medicine to find an integrative doctor near you. Celebration of Health Association website

Innovative Treatments for Neuropathies

Neuropathies, whether peripheral or triggered by the central nervous system, can be very difficult to treat with conventional drugs and surgery. Steve Kaufman’s pain neutralization techniques can often be very helpful with his light touch procedure. Neural prolotherapy is a series of injections along cutaneous nerves with a simple sugar that often relieves neuropathic pain. Soft lasers can be equally effective. Low dose naltrexone is a very low dose of an oral preparation that is often helpful. Lately, reports suggesting that HCG, natural progesterone, or Oxytoxin are hormones that can possibly help with pain syndromes. Different patients respond to different approaches. Google the med to get more information about effectiveness and safety. Celebration of Health Association website