Long-term Antibiotics is not the Answer for Long-term Symptoms of Lyme Disease

The New England Journal of Medicine published an editorial pointing out that there was no evidence that treating Lyme disease with long-term antibiotics is effective in treating persistent symptoms of Lyme disease.  The infection with this disease does not persist after initial antibiotic treatment.  The editorial did not recommend any other treatment at this time.  However, a small group of physicians in the American Academy of Environmental Physicians that I am proud to belong to have used an allergy desensitization technique called Low-dose immunotherapy (LDI) to reduce the autoimmune response of Lyme disease with impressive results.

See the editorial in the March 31 issue of the NEJM and Google AAEM for more info on LDI.

Celebration of HealthAssociation website  

 

 

 

Eating Fish or Taking Fish Oils to Prevent Alzheimer’s Disease and Dementia

An Editorial in the AMA journal summarized the limited evidence and concluded that it is indeed beneficial to increase fish intake to slow the progression of various neurogenic diseases such as Alzheimer’s disease and Parkinson’s disease.  The benefit exceeded the risk of eating fish, much of which is contaminated with mercury.  My advice is to be as sure as possible that your source of fish oil has been tested for the absence of mercury.  Further, a simple challenge test for mercury accumulating in the body should be done at least every 2-3 years for fish-eaters.  If the level is high, chelation can bring much of the mercury out of the body and brain.  This should increase the benefit of eating fish substantially.

See the Editorial on Fish Consumption in JAMA, Feb 2, 2016 issue.

Celebration of HealthAssociation website  

Could Statin Drugs do More Harm than Good?

A stunning article in the American Journal of Medicine questioned the widespread use of statin drugs.  At the present time, millions of patients are taking these drugs based on a computerized risk score predicting at least a 7.5% risk of having a heart attack over the next 10 years.  This is based on guesswork.  There is no proven benefit that statin drugs will reduce the risk.  Furthermore, after 15-20 years of taking a statin drug, there is a 363% increase in the incidence of diabetes, which is a major risk factor for vascular disease.  If you already have had a cardiovascular event, then statin drugs or at least red yeast rice are indicated.  Otherwise, maybe not.

 See the March, 2016 issue of the American Journal of Medicine.

Celebration of HealthAssociation website  

 

 

Are You at Risk for Silent Heart Attacks?

A recent report in Circulation from Wake Forest University revealed that 43% of heart attacks in middle-aged men were silent.  Patients did not have typical chest pain or shortness of breath.  Some of them had vague symptoms, such as fatigue.  From 20 to 60% of all heart attacks are silent.  Sometimes the first symptom is sudden death.  Get a CardioRisk test of the carotid arteries or an ultrafast CT scan to detect calcium deposits in the coronary arteries to see if you are at risk.  If you know you are at risk, strict control of BP and cholesterol, regular exercise, a great diet, and perhaps chelation therapy could save your life.

Silent heart attacks in Circulation magazine.

Celebration of HealthAssociation website  

 

 

Lead: The Problem Goes Much Deeper Than Flint

Many children in Flint are still at risk of brain damage and vascular problems.  A comprehensive detection and treatment program has yet to be formulated.  Recently, the Cleveland Chief of Public Affairs revealed that 507 homes in Cleveland were at high risk from lead-based paint.  Lead is present throughout the environment and especially in the food supply.  Lead does not stay in the blood for more than a few days.  It is stored in the bone and brain.  Thus to detect levels of this very toxic metal, a challenge test is required.  But the government stubbornly refuses to accept such tests as appropriate.  If present in the body, chelation therapy is necessary to remove it.  Wake up, America!  Our future is at risk.

Go to http://bit.ly/1UOYBUo for the Cleveland report.

Celebration of HealthAssociation website  

 

What’s wrong with American health care?

 

This question was asked by Tim Bolen of Rick Jaffee, prominent defense attorney, for the Bolen Report.  I am going to paraphrase Rick’s answers with some of my own comments:

--The US has the most expensive health care system in the whole world.

--643,000 people go bankrupt each year due to medical bills.  Britain, France, Japan, Germany, Canada, the Netherlands, and Switzerland each had no one go bankrupt for this cause.

--Many countries have better health care statistics than we do in the US.

--New technologies and drugs are developed and researched primarily in the US, but are often too expensive for patients to utilize.

--We continue to choose to let a significant portion of our population live without adequate health care.  We pay too much for too little.

--Big Pharma (Drug companies) often raise prices for drugs by huge amounts without justification.

--Insurance companies refuse to pay for therapies that are effective.

--Diet, exercise, and stress reduction are not routinely provided for patients.

--Hospitals charge huge mark-ups for their services.

--Even single payer health insurance will not work because costs are out-of-control and are not connected to regular market forces.

--Doctors ignore nutritional supplements, which can be effective and very safe.

--Defensive medicine, malpractice lawyers, and federal regulators have combined to greatly increase the cost of medical care, while making medical practice much more difficult to provide.

 

See bolenreport.com for more details.

Celebration of HealthAssociation website  

 

You might be more successful at quitting smoking by stopping “cold turkey”

The studies show that sudden cessation of smoking is slightly more successful than gradually cutting down.  However, the differences were not great.  Choose whichever method sounds good to you.  Your success rate at 6 months is going to be about 15-22%.  We provide a supplement called “crave arrest”, which can raise the success rate.  Even more potent is to get a brain map test in the office and then undergo a series of neurofeedback treatments to change your brain waves so that the addiction is no longer present.

Call our office to get more information on neurofeedback at 419-358-4627 or email Mail@healthcelebration.com for a brochure.

Celebration of HealthAssociation website