Archive for the ‘Wellness’ Category

GERD: More Than Heartburn

Wednesday, October 5th, 2011

GERD Quiz

Which of the following are signs and symptoms of gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD)?

  1. Chronic cough
  2. Wheezing
  3. Heartburn
  4. All of the above

    The answer is 4, all of the above.

Although heartburn is the signature sign of gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD), these other symptoms are also common manifestations. GERD is caused by a glitch in the esophageal sphincter, the ring-like muscle at the bottom of the esophagus. Like a one-way valve, it opens when you eat or drink to allow food and liquids into the stomach, but most of the time it remains closed to prevent stomach contents from backing up into the esophagus. Unfortunately, this muscle occasionally relaxes enough to allow reflux, or backward flow, of gastric acid to spill into the esophagus.

Gastric acid is potent stuff. With a pH of 1-3, it could eat right through your skin. But while your stomach and intestines are shielded by a dense layer of mucus that allows them to tolerate a high degree of acidity, your esophagus lacks this protective lining. So, even small amounts of corrosive acid in the esophagus can cause heartburn and other problems.

Chronic Cough. Acid reflux irritates the esophagus and can stimulate the cough reflex. Although few people are aware of it, GERD is the third most common cause of “unexplained” chronic cough.

Wheezing. When these strong acids get into the airways, they cause inflammation and irritation. Studies suggest that untreated GERD may be a significant cause of asthma, and that a majority of adults with asthma also suffer from GERD.

Chest Pain. Many a patient has called an ambulance or rushed to the ER with intense chest pain, believing they’re having a heart attack—only to be told their pain was caused by the caustic action of acid in the esophagus.

Other Symptoms. Chronic hoarseness, laryngitis, and throat clearing; recurrent sore throats, ear, and sinus infections; difficulty swallowing; and dental erosions can all be caused by GERD.

Natural Solutions. Most doctors prescribe acid-suppressing drugs such as Nexium, Prilosec, and Prevacid. These pricey drugs do provide symptomatic relief, but they don’t address the underlying problem. In most cases, GERD can be controlled with weight loss, avoidance of problematic foods and overeating, and deglycyrrhizinated licorice (DGL), an inexpensive supplement that is remarkable effective at improving GERD symptoms. The suggested dose of one or two tablets, chewed 20 minutes before meals. Look for it in health food stores or order from the clinic by calling 800-810-6655.

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Prevent Diabetic Complication with Antioxidants

Friday, September 9th, 2011

The epidemic of diabetes is gathering steam. More than one in 10 adults in this country and nearly one in four over age 60 are now affected—and its related complications are on the upswing. Hundreds of thousands of Americans suffer with vision loss, kidney failure, neuropathy, and lower-limb amputations brought on by diabetes-induced nerve and blood vessel damage. Millions more have hypertension and blood lipid abnormalities, and thanks to diabetes’ two- to four-fold increased risk of heart attack and stroke, 68 percent of them will die prematurely of cardiovascular disease.

The only thing that can save your eyes, legs, kidneys, heart—and your life—is you. Yes, that’s right, you!

Antioxidants Protect Against Complications. The increase in urination that is characteristic of diabetes causes nutritional deficiencies. Subpar levels of vitamin D, vitamin C, magnesium, B-complex vitamins, zinc, and other essential nutrients are very common in this group. Did you know, for example, that metformin, the most popular diabetes drug, impairs vitamin B12 absorption and leads to deficiencies in 30 percent of patients who take it—and that a B12 deficiency can cause nerve damage? Or that patients with diabetes who have the lowest levels of magnesium are at greatest risk of retinopathy and vision loss?

Antioxidants are particularly important because diabetes unleashes a storm of oxidative stress, or free-radical damage, which plays a key role in the vascular and nerve damage that underlie diabetic complications. That’s why I recommend you take extra antioxidants (in addition to those in your multi). There are many excellent “designer” antioxidants, including coenzyme Q10, acetyl-L-carnitine, and N-acetyl-cysteine. But if I had to choose just one for people with diabetes, it would be alpha lipoic acid (ALA).

ALA has the unique ability to work in both water- and fat-soluble mediums and to regenerate vitamins C and E and other antioxidants. Furthermore, it actually improves the diabetic condition by enhancing glucose uptake, increasing insulin sensitivity, and protecting against beta cell destruction. Most important are ALA’s effects on diabetic complications. Studies show that daily doses of 600 mg or higher of ALA reduce pain, burning, numbness, tingling, and other symptoms of neuropathy. Benefits also have been demonstrated for diabetes-related eye, kidney, and cardiovascular disease.

The Damage Can Be Reversed. We’ve treated thousands of patients at Whitaker Wellness over the years who’ve come to the clinic as a last resort after being told by their conventional doctors that nothing else could be done. We put them on a lifestyle program and supplement regimen for lowering blood sugar, which is extremely important in addressing complications. And we treat them with safe, effective, noninvasive therapies that all physicians should be using.

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Posted in Alternative Medicine, Diabetes, Diabetic Complications, Prevention, Wellness | No Comments »

Vaccination Nation

Friday, August 26th, 2011

According to the National Survey of Children’s Health, one in 91 American children has an autism spectrum disorder. Thirty years ago, it was one in 2,500. Rates of other neurological and immunological disorders affecting children have skyrocketed as well.

Today, learning disabilities affect approximately one in six kids, and asthma one in nine. When I was young, these problems were rare to nonexistent. What’s happened? In my opinion, the major culprit in this unprecedented surge in childhood illness is the dramatic increase in federally mandated vaccinations.

The Lack of Evidence. You may find this hard to believe, but there is not a shred of evidence to support the safety of giving children so many vaccines, which are administered as early as a few hours after birth and as many as six or eight at a time. And any doctor who assures parents that vaccines are completely safe is flat-out lying.

To ascertain immunization safety and efficacy, large comparative studies of the health outcomes of statistically significant numbers of vaccinated and unvaccinated children would have to be conducted. But this has never even been attempted. Yet one vaccine after another has been added to the already overloaded list of required immunizations.

An Overload of Toxins. Depending upon which vaccine is being administered, a single shot can contain a brew of adulterated bacteria, viruses, aluminum, mercury, formaldehyde, hydrochloric acid, and/or numerous multisyllabic chemical additives. To say that repeated exposures to such a wide range of toxins have no cumulative adverse effects on a child’s developing nervous and immune systems is more than irrational—it’s diabolical.

What Should Parents Do? All parents want the best for their children. The most important thing you can do is base your decisions regarding their well-being on accurate, unbiased information. In the current climate, though, that’s easier said than done. You simply can’t depend on your doctor, school, or government for objective guidance. In fact, should you decide to question the status quo, be prepared to face rabid opposition.

Nevertheless, you have a right to make decisions about vaccinations for your children. Take advantage of the excellent resources available at the National Vaccine Information Center’s website, which includes scientific research, legal information, and guidelines for exemptions and alternative vaccine schedules.

Do your homework and hold your ground. Freedom of informed choice, tarnished though it may be, is your right as an American and your responsibility as a parent.

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Posted in Alternative Medicine, Dangerous Drugs, Wellness | No Comments »

Antidepressant Drugs Linked to Diabetes

Friday, August 12th, 2011

We have a serious drug problem in this country, and I’m not talking about marijuana or cocaine. I’m talking about dangerous medications that are prescribed to trusting patients by their physicians—at a cost of billions per year! One class of popular pharmaceuticals—antidepressants— may be contributing to one of the most prevalent and debilitating diseases in America today.

Use of antidepressant drugs has more than doubled in the past decade. In 2008, 164 million prescriptions were written for these medications, and pharmaceutical companies raked in a whopping $9.6 billion from their sales. These drugs are required to carry the most severe warning, a black box label stating that they increase risk of suicidal thoughts and behaviors in children, teens, and young adults. Imagine, doctors prescribing a drug that increases suicide—the one thing they most want to prevent!

Additionally, researchers examined the medical records of nearly 166,000 patients over the age of 30 who had no initial history of diabetes and who had been prescribed at least one drug to treat depression. They discovered that using an antidepressant for two or more years increased risk of developing diabetes by 84 percent! The most problematic drugs were the selective serotonin-reuptake inhibitor (SSRI) paroxetine (Paxil and Seroxat) and the tricyclic antidepressant amitriptyline (Endep and Elavil). Patients taking more than 20 mg of paroxetine daily experienced a fourfold increased risk of diabetes.

This is bad news on many levels. Studies reveal that these drugs have minimal effects on relieving depression. They also have unacceptably dangerous adverse effects. In addition to the suicide link, antidepressants are associated with sexual dysfunction, weight gain, headache, sleeping problems, fractures, emotional apathy, and violent, sometimes murderous outbursts.

We’re already experiencing an epidemic of diabetes in this country. Unbridled use of antidepressants, which are notorious for causing weight gain—the likely link with diabetes—is simply throwing fuel on the fire. There’s no need to open yourself up to the risks of pharmaceuticals when safe, natural therapies can provide similar, if not better, results.

Posted in Alternative Medicine, Dangerous Drugs, Depression, Diabetes, Wellness | No Comments »

Mini-Fast Your Way to Health

Friday, July 29th, 2011

If you really want to lose weight, I recommend that you try something new this summer. It’s a program we use here at the Whitaker Wellness Institute that is so simple, so logical, so easily implemented, and so inexpensive that it’s like the missing glasses you finally find resting on your nose. It’s the “mini-fast” coupled with exercise.

Here is how it works. Simply get up in the morning and drink a glass of water or a cup of coffee or tea with a little creamer or low-calorie sweetener like xylitol or stevia. You can also take your supplements if they don’t upset your stomach, but do not eat breakfast or drink anything else.

Then put on your workout gear and do some aerobic exercise. You can walk briskly, jog, or cycle; use a treadmill, stair-stepper, mini-trampoline, or stationary bike; or take an aerobics class or work out with an exercise video at home. The important thing is that you exercise for 30–45 minutes with moderate effort. (Don’t go overboard. You don’t want to burn yourself out before you get started.)

After you exercise, get on with your day, but continue fasting until lunch. Drink water, of course, and feel free to have coffee or tea. And don’t worry about being too hungry to make it through the morning. You may have to try this to believe it, but this fasting/exercise combo seriously dampens your appetite, and the caffeine in coffee and tea helps blunt hunger as well.

At lunchtime, break your fast and eat normally for the rest of the day. Get plenty of lean protein and low-fat, low-glycemic carbohydrates. You don’t have to count calories, but you don’t want to pig out at lunch or dinner, either. Fortunately, you’ll find that eating sensibly for two meals a day requires far less discipline than cutting calories all day long. This mini-fast program also makes sticking to the routine much easier over the long haul.

If you’re burning fat, you’re losing weight. Obviously, if you miss one meal per day every day of the week, you’re making a significant dent in your overall food intake. This caloric restriction in and of itself contributes to weight loss. Furthermore, regular exercise also burns calories. What’s unique about this program, however, is that exercising while in the fasting state burns mostly fat.

You see, when you eat no food from dinner until breakfast, your body burns up available carbohydrates. This puts you into ketosis, which means you’re burning fat instead of carbs. Skipping breakfast and then exercising accelerates the process, allowing you to rapidly burn fat. And if you want to eliminate fat from your body, you’re going to have to burn it.

Try the mini-fast today! If you want to lose weight or are dealing with any of the many health concerns associated with obesity, I urge you to give this regimen a try. By maximizing the substantial benefits of exercise and calorie restriction, the mini-fast with exercise can be your ticket to weight loss, lower blood sugar and blood pressure, better health, and a longer life.

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Vitamin Mistakes Most People Make

Friday, July 22nd, 2011

In this week’s blog, I want to focus on some of the most common supplement mistakes people make as well as a few misconceptions so that you can be a more educated and healthier consumer.

Using supplements that don’t contain the amounts of ingredients claimed on the label. A study conducted at the University of Maryland School of Pharmacy showed that some products had not one bit of the active ingredients promised. That’s shameful! The study looked at 14 products containing glucosamine and 32 with chondroitin (some had both). Actual contents ranged from 115 percent of the label claim, all the way down to zero. To avoid this common pitfall, always buy your supplements from a manufacturer you trust.

Taking insufficient amounts of key nutrients. You need a lot of nutrients every day, some in pretty large quantities. To fit all you need into one pill or tablet, it would have to be the size of a golf ball. The manufacturers of popular multivitamins know that. What’s their solution? Cut back on the amount of each nutrient! The result is those one-a-day tablets that only have enough of each nutrient in them to meet the recommended daily allowances (RDAs). This may cut it for some manufacturers, but I don’t believe that these paltry amounts are nearly enough for optimal health.

Taking all supplements with food. Actually, some supplements are best taken on an empty stomach. For example, if you take amino acids with food, they compete with dietary protein for absorption. To get the most bang for your buck, take them a couple of hours after eating or at least 30 minutes before eating.

Storing supplements anywhere. The best place to store nutritional supplements is in a cool, dark, dry environment, such as a kitchen cabinet away from the oven. Keep your supplements tightly capped, and don’t expose them to excess light.

Ignoring expiration dates. The FDA doesn’t require an expiration date on supplement labels, so many companies don’t provide them. However, without them, you have no guarantee of freshness and potency. Look for products with expiration dates, and throw away those old dusty bottles of supplements. They won’t harm you, but they probably won’t do you much good, either.

Now that you know what to do, and what not to do, you’ll be able to get right to work making better use of the supplements you take and improving your well-being.

Posted in Alternative Medicine, Vitamins, Wellness | No Comments »

The Beauty of Bioidentical Hormones

Monday, July 18th, 2011

Just a few short years ago, the term “bioidentical hormones” didn’t register with many people. But enter that phrase into any Internet search engine today, and you’ll come up with hundreds of thousands of hits. I’ve been prescribing and promoting bioidentical hormones for more than 20 years and here’s why.

They are better than synthetic. Bioidentical hormones are identical to the hormones produced in a woman’s body. Because these are compounds the body is already familiar with, most of the concerns that arise with conventional hormone replacement therapy (HRT) are not an issue.

According to a recent review of published studies, “Physiological data and clinical outcomes demonstrate that bioidentical hormones are associated with lower risks, including the risk of breast cancer and cardiovascular disease, and are more efficacious than their synthetic and animal-derived counterparts. Until evidence is found to the contrary, bioidentical hormones remain the preferred method of HRT.”

Natural hormones are also better tolerated. Drugs come in a limited number of standardized dosages and delivery systems, so there’s little room for addressing individualized needs. That’s one reason so many women have a hard time adjusting to Prempro, Premarin, Provera, and other conventional hormones. With bioidentical hormones, however, your doctor decides on the precise amount and combination of hormones that are right for you.

For example, a small amount of testosterone can be added to estrogen cream for women dealing with low libido, and special vaginal preparations can effectively relieve dryness. The physician then sends the prescription to a compounding pharmacist, who prepares it per these specifications. Imagine, a personalized prescription designed for your unique individual needs!

They are beneficial for women and men. Hormone replacement isn’t just for women. Much as we men hate to admit it, testosterone levels slowly decline as we get older, and the results start to become noticeable in our mid-40s, with reductions in libido, muscle mass, bone density and so on.

At the Whitaker Wellness Institute, our doctors regularly prescribe natural hormones to men and women alike. Restoring your hormone levels to those of a young adult with bioidentical HRT can make a world of difference in how you look and feel.

If you ask your conventional doctor about bioidentical hormones, expect a blank stare. He probably won’t know anything about them. Nevertheless, it’s worth the effort to find a physician who will work with you.

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Fight Fatigue With B12

Friday, July 8th, 2011

Dog tired, bone weary, worn out, bushed, just plain pooped—there are as many ways of describing fatigue as there are causes. Fatigue is the number one complaint that brings patients to doctors’ offices, and it’s one of the most difficult problems to diagnose. That’s because fatigue isn’t an illness per se. Instead, it’s a common symptom of a number of problems.

I’ve written many times about vitamin B12’s crucial role in detoxifying homocysteine, a compound linked to an increased risk of heart disease, cancer, and Alzheimer’s disease. Vitamin B12 is so important in clearing homocysteine from the body that elevated serum homocysteine is now recognized as a reliable indicator of a vitamin B12 deficiency.

However, vitamin B12 is no one-shot wonder. This nutrient is a key player in the burning of fats and carbohydrates for energy, the formation of healthy red blood cells, and the maintenance of the myelin sheaths that protect nerves. Because of these diverse roles, a deficiency of vitamin B12 can cause fatigue, memory loss, and depression. Sadly, physicians often chalk these symptoms up to the inevitable effects of aging, not recognizing that their patients suffer from a treatable nutritional deficiency.

At the Whitaker Wellness Institute, we treat patients with fatigue with B12 on a regular basis. Conventional doctors may order blood tests looking for the obvious causes and suggest their patients get more sleep, perhaps even offering addictive sleeping pills. But they generally overlook this simple solution that can dramatically improve energy and quality of life.

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Mouth-Watering Independence Day Marinades

Friday, July 1st, 2011
Independence Day is just around the corner and backyard chefs are getting ready. If barbecues are a summertime ritual for your family, consider this: your Fourth of July feast may increase your risk of cancer. Grilling meat at high temperatures produces carcinogenic compounds called heterocyclic amines (HCAs). And when fats drip onto hot coals or heating elements, additional cancer-causing compounds called polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) are formed.

There are several simple steps you can take to avoid HCAs and PAHs. Start by using the leanest cuts of meat and poultry. Reduce grilling time by cutting meat into small chunks or precooking it in a microwave for two to five minutes— this can decrease HCAs by 90 percent. Finally, marinate your meat or poultry. Even a few minutes of marinating sets up a barrier against heat that dramatically reduces the formation of HCAs. Make sure your marinade recipe includes an acidic component (lemon juice, orange juice, vinegar), combined with your favorite herbs and flavorings (onions, garlic, soy sauce). Although traditional marinades include oil, it’s not necessary; omitting it will reduce smoking on the grill and minimize the formation of PAHs.

Here are two delicious marinade recipes that taste great and can help you grill healthier this holiday.

Mouth-Watering Ginger Marinade
More delectable than Gilligan’s Ginger.

Ingredients
1/4 cup water
3 Tbsp. low sodium soy sauce
2 green onions, chopped
1 clove garlic, minced
2 tsp. freshly grated ginger or 1/2 tsp. dried ginger

Directions
Mix water, tamari, onions, garlic, and ginger in small to medium bowl. Pour over the meat of your choice and marinate for one hour in the refrigerator prior to cooking.

Peg’s Perfect Marinade
As easy as 1-2-3!

Ingredients
1/3 cup extra virgin olive oil
1/3 cup low sodium soy sauce
1/3 cup lemon or lime juice

Directions
Mix olive oil, soy sauce, and citrus juice in small bowl. Soak your favorite meats or vegetables for 10–30 minutes and they are ready for cooking.

Note: Decreasing this recipe is easy. Just use equal parts olive oil, soy sauce, and citrus juice.

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Protect Your Skin From the Inside Out

Friday, June 17th, 2011

An internal sunscreen? That is what beta-carotene and vitamin E provide, according to a study published in the American Journal of Clinical Nutrition. In this trial of men and women with fair skin and a tendency to sunburn, a combination of 25 mg (40,000 IU) of beta-carotene with mixed carotenoids and 500 IU vitamin E taken for 12 weeks protected against sunburn.

This study provides proof that beta-carotene and vitamin E protect from the inside out. These nutrients scavenge free radicals in the skin caused by UV exposure and quench their harmful effects in the skin. Animal studies suggest that these antioxidants also offer protection against skin cancer and premature aging of the skin. I recommend taking therapeutic doses of these nutrients throughout the year, particularly during the summertime.

Though 20-30 minutes of sun exposure a day is beneficial and necessary for vitamin D production, if you’re going to be outside for longer periods, wear protective clothing and use a sunscreen that blocks UVA and UVB rays as well.

Skin health is obviously about more than appearance. But it’s never too early—or late—to tend to your skin.

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