Bacteria in the Digestive Tract Can Have a Huge Impact

The New England Journal of Medicine reports that we might be witnessing the birth of a revolution in our understanding of human health and disease.  Bacteria in our guts are being linked to cancer, autoimmunity, liver disease, asthma, autism, obesity, diabetes, heart disease, synthetizing important vitamins and amino acids, detoxification, and improving digestion.  Our bodies typically contain 13 trillion cells and 130 trillion bacterial cells, 20,000 genes and 5-8 million bacterial genes.  Alternative practitioners have been talking about the biofilm for years.  It is about time that physicians are finally paying attention.

 

See the New England Journal Watch, Year in Review for 2013.(subscription needed)

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Migraines in Children

Migraine headaches occur in 10.5% of children ages 10-15 years of age and 7% of 7 year olds.  Environmental triggers can include lack of sleep, dehydration, stress at school including bullying, and hormone imbalance.  Many drugs are available.  Often overlooked are food allergies and yeast problems, which are readily treatable.  The Kaufman techniques of pain neutralization might be particularly helpful.

See Family Practice News 1 Feb 2014, p. 15.

Celebration of HealthAssociation website  

 

 

Controlling Diabetes and Preventing Complications

You might have heard the advertisements lately about controlling diabetes while getting off the drugs used to treat it.  In the scientific literature, the Geisinger Health System in Pennsylvania reported that it saved 300 heart attacks, 140 strokes, and 160 cases of retinopathy for 25,000 patients over 3 years by treating them with a “bundle”.  This included measuring the HBA1C every 6 months and maintaining it at less than 7%, measuring the LDL and urine protein annually and keeping the former below 100, maintaining BP <140 and="" avoiding="" date="" flu="" keeping="" pneumococcal="" span="" style="mso-spacerun: yes;" to="" tobacco="" up="" use.="" vaccines=""> 
14.5% of patients complied with all points of the “bundle”.  The results were reported as “fabulous”.  Getting off oral drugs, if possible, is a laudable goal since some might even increase the risks for diabetes.  Monitoring the biomarkers is certainly useful.  But patients will get far better results if they also lose weight with a low carb diet, get regular exercise, take the natural products, berberine, chromium, and cinnamon, and especially take IV chelation.

 

See Family Practice News, Feb. 2014, p. 1, 32.

Celebration of HealthAssociation website  

 

What is the Lp(a) and Why Might it be Important for Me?

The Lp(a) was promoted by Linus Pauling as the most important sub fraction of the lipid panel.  If it is high, it increases the risk of heart attacks and strokes substantially.  Any lab can do the test.  Just ask your doctor if it is not included in your standard lipid panel.  Dr. Pauling advocated high dose vitamin C to reduce an elevated Lp(a).  I have found that intravenous chelation might be even more reliable.
 

See any of the many books by Linus Pauling.

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A Cheap and Easy Way to Reduce your Risk for Vascular Disease

Drink more water!  Increased water consumption might optimize blood viscosity, reduce gum disease, improve cardiac muscle efficiency, lower cholesterol, and improve kidney function.  A useful guideline is half your weight in ounces per day, although you might not need that much to see a noticeable benefit.

 

See the Townsend Letter, May, 2013, p. 40-41 for more information.

Celebration of HealthAssociation website  

 

Do You Have Metabollic Syndrome? If so, Pay Attention!

In a nutshell, you have metabolic syndrome if you have 3 of the following 5 signs and symptoms:  Increased waist measurement (35 inches for women, 40 inches for men), BP > 130/80, fasting blood sugar >100, triglycerides >150, and HDL <50 .="" span="" style="mso-spacerun: yes;">  If you qualify, you have a substantially increased risk for heart attacks and strokes.  Most important for treatment is weight loss with a low carb diet.  Exercise helps, and chelation might lower your risk, according to the results of the TACT study.  Moderate changes can make a big difference.

 

See the Townsend Letter, May, 2013, p. 52-60 for more information.

Celebration of HealthAssociation website  

New Stroke Guidelines for Women

The American Heart Association has published new stroke prevention guidelines for women. The include getting your blood pressure checked before taking birth control pills, consider taking BP meds for slight elevations when pregnant, and getting screened for atrial fibrillation if you are at least 75 years of age. Lifestyle suggestions are eat well, exercise regularly, don’t smoke, and don’t eat too much salt or drink too much alcohol. All of these make good sense. I would add getting screened for carotid plaque with a CardioRisk test and taking chelation if plaque is developing, especially if the family history is positive for heart attacks or strokes, and using bio-identical hormones instead of synthetic hormones if needed for menopause symptoms. Next CardioRisk screening will be in Bluffton COHA office on March 11th, you do not have to be a COHA patient. See American Heart Association/American Stroke Association Guidelines for Stroke Prevention in Women. Celebration of Health Association website