National Poison Your Child Day, Will You Participate?

It's that time of year again, where we are all given the option of setting our children and our family up for a sickly Winter.  As the title of this article says, National Poison Your Child Day is the holiday we choose to celebrate by giving out bags and buckets full of candy and other processed sugar "treats" to all the little children who come to our doors dressed in costumes that represent their alter egos or opportunities to dress like their heroes.  

From a kids perspective, I'm all for it.  They should have several days a year in which to do this.  We, even as adults, deserve a day of being able to dress up like someone we don't normally dress like for the sheer fun of it.  As long as it is done in a respectful manner that doesn't offend or hurt others, we should all do it.  Letting go of the notion that we have to be the same all the time is healthy, and this is the time of year for "Letting go."  What is a concern is the rewards that are given during the time of "Trick or Treat."  This is what creates the problems.  The question is, "Will you participate?"

The concept of giving away candy to children who recently seemed to have developed more allergy-type conditions, upper respiratory ailments and other conditions such as adult-onset diabetes before the children are adults, is something that needs to be considered. Not considering the potential downside of receiving large amounts of candy and the effect it has on the Immune System is just plane irresponsible.  So I am writing this today to encourage you to consider celebrating the holiday, get the kids dressed up in whatever costume makes them happy and make it a game to see how much candy you can collect so you can simply throw it out.  I realize this is quite the extreme idea, of which could potentially upset your little Ninja or Princess, but if you position it correctly, they will actually get excited about the idea.  Before I get into how to handle the rewards of going door to door, I wanted to help you understand how eating refined sugar interferes with the functioning of your Immune System and how it sets the body up for more infection. 

Every person has 3 major components that help to maintain balance within their digestive tract.  These include good, healthy bacteria, such as E.Coli, along with two different classes of Fungus, known as Yeast and Candidia.  Normally, a healthy person has a balanced amount of all three that enables the proper breakdown and assimilation of the foods eaten.  But if your intestinal flora is out of balance, as a direct result of taking Antibiotics, you will have a digestive system that is deficient in bacteria and has excess amounts of Yeast and Candidia.  This imbalance causes the person to have irrational cravings for sugar, and other simple carbohydrates, in an effort to feed and satisfy the excess Yeast and Candidia.  What results is a body that produces too much mucus.  This will stem from the excess Yeast and Candidia in association with consuming cheese, milk, vinegar, alcohol, especially beer, and other fermented foods.  The mucus and overgrowth of Yeast and Candidia leads to lots of gas and bloating.  It also causes stagnation or constipation.  This, over time, will cause tiny micro-tears in the lining of your intestines, leading to a condition known as "Leaky Gut Syndrome."  This then follows with undigested food particles entering the blood-stream.  When this occurs, a normal Immune Response will take place where the Immune System attacks the undigested food particles.  This results in what is called Food Allergies.  Since the Immune System is now attacking the undigested food particles needed to build health within the body, slowly over time, your Immune Response is lowered and you're now more prone to developing infections.  Compound the issue with the excess mucus from certain foods, and your body is now ready to trap infections that the Immune System isn't strong enough to get to, nor does it have the ability to fight effectively.  This leads to Upper Respiratory Infections, Lung Infections, Asthma, Pneumonia, as well as, Colitis, Diverticulitis and other Digestive System dysfunction.  Since this is the time of year for the Lungs and Large Intestine to be most active, based on being the two components of the Metal Element in the Chinese 5 Element Theory, it is important not to stress either of them out in a negative way.  Consuming large quantities (any quantity) of sugar is the quickest way to throw these two organs into crisis.  Participating in National Poison Your Child Day and allowing your children to eat the candy they receive form Trick or Treating, will set them up for a Winter full of sickness and Antibiotics.  What should a good parent do?  You could say NO!

 

Allowing your children to partake in the dress-up aspect of Halloween is something every parent should enjoy.  And taking the time to show them off to all the neighbors is fun for everyone.  But what to do with the bags, buckets and baskets full of candy?  One choice is to make a deal with your kids.  For every piece of candy they collect, they get a certain amount of money, lets say a nickel.  Perhaps you can give them a specific amount for the whole amount of candy collected, something like $5.00 or $10.00.  You decide.  The rule is though that when they get home, you both go through the candy, and you can use the money as an influence to giving up the candy.  Is it bribery?  I wouldn't call it that.  If, when going through the candy, there are some natural treats, those they can eat.  But for all the hard candy with concentrated sugar, you should consider, for the health of your children and your household, tossing all of it.   It can be an opportunity to teach your children about proper foods, and what is not good to eat.    

Another possible solution is perhaps you could convince them to donate the candy to "the needy children who can't go Trick or Treating."  This works with the younger ones.  Tell them a story about the "needy children" and see if you can teach your kids to give the candy away.  Once you have them convinced, you could tell your kids you will bring it to those children.  And then when they are at school, you could then simply throw the candy out.  Either choice allows you to avoid setting your children up for a Winter of sickness, and allows you to teach them something valuable. 

Consider what I have said here when making your decision to allow your children to go out Trick or Treating on Halloween.  I think if you really consider the consequences of letting them eat any or all of the candy they receive, you'll realize it is very important for their health and well being.  Dealing with a sick child, especially when you don't feel well yourself, is not a fun, nor an easy thing.  Setting yourself up to have to deal with a sick child as Winter approaches is now up to you.  Will you participate?

 

If you have any questions about anything contained in this newsletter, please contact me directly through docrick@spineboy.com where I will be happy to answer all of your health related questions. 

Cleansing Programs and What To Consider

I was doing some research about a product I heard on the radio called Evercleanse, as I was intrigued by the concept.  After all, I offer The Doctor Supervised Fall Clean Up Program this time of year, and was curious about other products on the market.  So I went to the Evercleanse web-site and did some looking around.  Then I did some comparisons with The Doctor Supervised Fall Clean Up Program.

On the home page of Evercleanse (www.evercleanse.com) is a woman in a white bikini that has oil on her stomach and of course is very thin and shiny (from the oil).  And they have all the different products and programs available on the site with clearly marked prices for your consideration and a description of the different programs offered.  So I called the 800 number that is listed on the site and was greeted by a gentleman named Jermaine who was very smooth with all of his sales tactics and used key phrases related to the importance of cleaning out your body similarly to the way you’d want to clean out your car if it wasn’t working properly.  Almost sounded like myself on my radio show, When Your Health Matters.  In my defense, it is a great analogy.

So when he would allow me to ask questions, I inquired about the product, the three different programs available, the cost difference involved, how long until I see results, and listened to him go on about “even if you have had my colon removed from surgery, our product would still help you be able to “go” better.”  That was a fascinating statement.  He also told me there is a 30 day money back guarantee if not completely satisfied.  So I asked the important questions from a doctor standpoint and learned that you do not need a doctor’s prescription to buy these products which would mean it is not a “Medical Food” which I learned about last week when looking into the product called Digestive Advantage (www.digestiveadvantage.com). 

To review my findings, Medical Foods are to be administered and monitored by a medical professional and do not need the approval of the Food and Drug Administration, again which I found fascinating since anyone can buy the product over the internet or at many major stores and pharmacies without a doctor’s prescription or supervision.  Somehow that doesn’t seem legal (in fact it is illegal) and yet the FDA doesn’t seem overly concerned with it.  That’s our government; Always looking out for the citizens and their best interests.

So next, I called the parent company and manufacturer of Evercleanse which took a while to find, but I was persistent.  Their main company name is Hindsight Nutritionals out of Milford, Connecticut.  When I got the sales person on the phone, she wasn’t clear that the company she worked for was Hindsight Nutritionals, as she was certain she worked for Evercleanse.  She did some research and came back on the phone and did affirm she worked for Hindsight Nutritionals. 
 

Next, I questioned her about the products, where they Medical Foods or supplements and she said they were not FDA Approved yet were a supplement. We then discussed the ingredients in the basic Evercleanse program and it is a 3 product program: 10 days of Evercleanse, 10 days of Replenish and 10 days of a Colon Health Formula.  The Evercleanse is primarily a fiber product, like a Metamucil, designed to “clean” you out.  The Replenish formula provides 5 billion CFU’s (Colony Forming Units) in one capsule to replace the “good bacteria” and then the final product for the last 10 days called Colon Health Formula consisting of flaxseed, fructooligosaccharides and some other ingredients designed to feed the new bacteria and, as I would imagine, allow them to grow. 

Appreciate that this Evercleanse product seems to have the right idea in mind, but they fall short when it comes to delivery.   Taking 10 days of Evercleanse fiber to clean you out is not going to do the job for those with longstanding imbalances from antibiotic therapy and the Standard American Diet.  Using their Replenish formula of 5 billion CFU bacteria once a day is not going to replenish the necessary bacteria needed for you to be healthy.  And lastly, 10 days of Colon Health Formula is not going to allow the amount of bacteria used in the Replenish Formula to grow sufficiently to restore balance.  Perhaps that is why they put people on “auto ship” and have people continue using their products even after the 30 day program is over.

So, although the premise for the product seems like they are attempting to do the right thing, they fall quite short over a 30 day period.  AND I am sure many people will buy their program.

So How Does The Doctor Supervised Fall Clean Up Program compare?

Number One.  The title says it all.  You have me supervising the program the whole way.  Have a question?  Call me or e-mail me, or simply stop in and I will answer your question directly.  If there seems to be a problem and you are in the office with your question or concern, we can evaluate you right then and there, and remedy any concern.  You will not and cannot get that with the Evercleanse program.  

Number Two.  Evercleanse is a program you simply call up or go and get at some of your big box stores and go home and try.  It is not based on evaluation, simply on you thinking it might be the thing to do.  The Doctor Supervised Fall Clean Up Program is only recommended after we do an evaluation of you and your system to determine if now is the right time for such a program.  And we follow that up by seeing if the program needs to be modified in any way specific to your body needs, before you begin. 

Number Three.  Their program is 30 days broken up into 3-10 day periods, as laid out above.  The Doctor Supervised Fall Clean Up Program is only 9 days and uses stronger ingredients and natural foods to clean your body out, while helping to maintain your energy and function in the process.  Jermaine, who I spoke to initially, told me you simply mix their ingredients in with your food, he used it in his coffee, and go right on with your day. 

If you are not changing your diet, how do you expect your body to clean itself out?  Again, The Doctor Supervised Fall Clean Up Program uses real food and your diet is modified as laid out in the manual during the 9 days. 

Number Four.  The Evercleanse program is designed for your digestion only.  The Doctor Supervised Fall Clean Up Program is designed for your Digestive System, your Respiratory System and your Skin System.  Therefore it helps you in a faster way, 9 days vs. 30 days, and it helps the two other main systems within the body that support your Digestive System.  

And finally, Number Five.  We continue to monitor you after the program is over and offer continued support.  We answer your questions and have the ability to evaluate you if concerns arise.  I am happy to say, no one who has done The Doctor Supervised Fall Clean Up Program has ever had any problems while doing the program or after the program. 

So there is a comparison for you to consider.  Are you considering doing something to clean your Intestines out of all the Completely Refined And Processed (CRAP)food?  If so, stop into the office and have The Doctor Supervised Fall Clean Up Program Evaluation.  Simply call the Office at (845)561-BACK or 561-2225 and ask us to schedule the time for the evaluation.  Let’s take advantage of the energy of the body and clean your Large Intestine Lungs and Skin out before the body shuts down for the Winter.   And since the best time is to do this before the end of November, and with Thanksgiving being on the 24th, why not get started now, and be done before Thanksgiving gets here.  I look forward to helping you.

Probiotics: Which One Is Right For You?

I have recently been spending some time listening to the radio, especially when my show When Your Health Matters is airing.  For those of you who do not know, I have a weekly radio show where I discuss information related to health issues of the month so that you can get a dose of healthful information even if you are unable to make it to the office on a regular basis.  This way you can continue to support yourself and your health with the information provided.  The show airs every Thursday at 9 am on any of the following 3 AM Stations (920 AM, 1260 AM and 1420 AM).  I also air on Saturday mornings at 9am on WKIP 1450 AM as well as Sunday mornings at 6:30 am on WRWD 107.3 FM.   I would welcome your listening and love some feedback and your input to topics that are important to you.  You can always e-mail me at docrick@spineboy.com or simply call the office at (845)561-BACK or 561-2225. 

So after listening to the radio and hearing some commercials about something I discuss all the time in the office, I felt it important to do some research to determine if what is being said is accurate.  So I went to the website associated with the product, www.digestiveadvantage.com and looked at what they have posted.  What I came away thinking is they have some great marketing people and impressive layouts to the site and even have some research abstracts related to their product.  Again, all very impressive to the average consumer.  AND since Probiotics have been a topic that is near and dear to my digestive health, as well as my heart for the past 20 years, I thought I would look a little deeper into the information.  After all, the average consumer does not know what to believe and what not to believe.  So some of the claims being made I will discuss and give you more complete information and of course my opinion on the matter. 

The site offers the following:
Digestive Advantage Irritable Bowel Syndrome, Lactose Intolerance, Children’s Lactose Intolerance, Gas Defense Formula, Daily Constipation Formula and Colon Care Formula.  They are even nice enough to offer you a Special TV Offer for their daily Probiotic called Sustenex.  So I did some research related to their different products by looking on their site and followed that up by calling the manufacturer’s 800 number.  After being on hold for 36 plus minutes, the call center lady answered and was extremely helpful from the standpoint that she told me she works at a call center to answer the phone and answers questions “based on the information on the screen in front of me.”  I asked her what does she do with the medical questions above her understanding, and she said she refers them to their Medical Doctor.  She was then nice enough to give me a second phone number for the manufacturer.

Upon calling that 800 number, I was able to speak to the Vice President of Scientific Studies for the manufacturer Ganeden Biotech.  This is the company that manufactures the Sustenex as well as all the other Digestive Advantage products found on the website.  I asked about the labeling and the concentration of bacteria found in each dosage.  He said that because their product is considered a “Medical Food” and not a supplement, the rules and regulations enforced by the Food and Drug Administration doesn’t require they put on the label information related to the dosage per serving.  Only food supplements or food (of a non-medical type) are required to put information related to concentration, % of Daily Value, serving size etc.  I wasn’t aware of that, so getting that information related to the different standards for labeling was well worth the time it took to get it. 

So I went to the Food and Drug Administration to investigate this by calling their 800 number.  And after 36 minutes and 46 seconds of being on hold, I was able to speak to a woman who was not comfortable giving her name.  She was quite helpful though.  She helped me to navigate their website and directed me to the place where it discusses the term “Medical Food.”

The following is what I gathered related to Medical Foods:

Do the labeling requirements for nutrient content claims and health claims apply to medical foods?
No. Medical foods are exempted from the labeling requirements for health claims and nutrient content claims under the Nutrition Labeling and Education Act of 1990 (see 21 U.S.C. 343 (q) (5) (A) (iv)).

Following that recommendation and again being helped by the woman, who shall remain nameless, was directed to the following information:

Exempts from the labeling requirements food: (1) sold for immediate consumption in restaurants, or sold to restaurants for sale or use in restaurants; (2) processed and prepared primarily in a retail establishment and not for immediate consumption in the establishment; (3) including certain infant formulas; (4) which is a medical food; (5) which is customarily processed, labeled, or repacked in substantial quantities at establishments other than those where it was originally processed or packed; (6) in small packages containing no nutrition information; (7) which contains insignificant amounts of all the nutrients and does not make any claim with respect to the nutritional value of the food; (8) sold by certain small businesses, unless the label provides nutrition information or makes a nutrition claim; and (9) sold by a distributor to restaurants or certain other establishments. Allows the Secretary to require, if a food contains insignificant amounts of more than half the nutrients required to be included in the labeling, that the amounts of such nutrients be stated in a simplified form.

So what the Vice President of Scientific research said was indeed true and accurate.  If you are manufacturing “Medical Foods,” you do not have to post the specific nutritional information based on the FDA Rules and Regulations.

Then my “nameless” friend of the FDA directed me to the definition of a Medical Food from their site www.fda.org which I found interesting.  It stated the following:

(8) Medical foods as defined in section 5(b) of the Orphan Drug Act (21 U.S.C. 360ee(b)(3)). A medical food is a food which is formulated to be consumed or administered enterally (by feeding tube) under the supervision of a physician and which is intended for the specific dietary management of a disease or condition for which distinctive nutritional requirements, based on recognized scientific principles, are established by medical evaluation. A food is subject to this exemption only if:
(i) It is a specially formulated and processed product (as opposed to a naturally occurring foodstuff used in its natural state) for the partial or exclusive feeding of a patient by means of oral intake or enteral feeding by tube;
(ii) It is intended for the dietary management of a patient who, because of therapeutic or chronic medical needs, has limited or impaired capacity to ingest, digest, absorb, or metabolize ordinary foodstuffs or certain nutrients, or who has other special medically determined nutrient requirements, the dietary management of which cannot be achieved by the modification of the normal diet alone;
(iii) It provides nutritional support specifically modified for the management of the unique nutrient needs that result from the specific disease or condition, as determined by medical evaluation;
(iv) It is intended to be used under medical supervision; and
(v) It is intended only for a patient receiving active and ongoing medical supervision wherein the patient requires medical care on a recurring basis for, among other things, instructions on the use of the medical food.

So my understanding at that point says the website selling these products are in fact not legal and as my “friend” from the FDA recommended, “You should never buy anything claiming to be a ‘medical food’ on the internet because it has to be used with “Medical Supervision.”  In other words, Digestive Advantage should not be able to be sold directly to the consumer, even if they have a diagnosis related to a digestive concern.  The Supervising Doctor is supposed to administer the “Medical Food.”

So I continued investigating the products available (illegally?) through the Digestive Advantage website and the website of Ganeden Biotech.  When I called the 800 number for the website for a second time, I was able to speak to an operator who told me "the product is available for anyone who has these conditions stated on the labels for the different products."  I asked her if I needed a prescription for obtaining any of these products and she told me “No.”  So I asked if I needed to be under a doctor’s supervision to buy the products.  And I was told if I had medical questions to direct them to a doctor, but I didn’t need a doctor to purchase the products.  In other words, the “Medical Food” is being distributed without adhering to the Guidelines for the Medical Food as stipulated in the FDA Rules and Regulations. 

Choosing to look deeper into the Medical Food being offered and upon further review, I found the following:

The information available on their products is incomplete.  But is that an issue?  My understanding is the information is incomplete by label standards for foods and supplements because “Medical Foods” do not need to adhere to the label requirements of foods or supplements.  They are a distinct category not subject to the same rules and regulations, as stated above.  AND that still doesn’t sit well with me, but it gets better later on.  Please keep reading.

I continued to research the information on the FDA Rules and Regulations for “Medical Food.”  I came across the following rule, which I found completely intriguing.

Do medical foods have to be approved or registered with the FDA?
No. Medical foods do not have to undergo premarket review or approval by FDA and individual medical food products do not have to be registered with FDA.

That is what it says at the FDA website as posted at www.fda.org 

What I take away from that statement is any Medical Doctor can formulate anything they choose and administer it to his or her patient(s) without any approval from the FDA or any governing body.  Does anyone else reading this have an issue with that?

Then what naturally follows is par for the course.

They also make claims that are not based in any logic.  For instance, the following is information on their biggest seller, Sustenex.  It says the following related to how it helps immunity within the body:

Sustenex with GanedenBC30 boosts your immune system by replenishing your digestive tract with beneficial bacteria cells, otherwise known as probiotics. These probiotics help boost your immune system by keeping the levels of beneficial and harmful bacteria balanced, creating an optimal environment in which the immune system can function.

The only problem with that statement is you do not want your beneficial and harmful bacteria to be balanced, nor does it say how it does the balancing.  Ideally, you want next to no harmful bacteria and plenty of beneficial bacteria to keep the yeast and Candidia in balance.  This prevents Leaky Gut Syndrome from occurring which strengthens the Immune System.  When you have too much Yeast and Candidia, you get the condition of Leaky Gut and this keeps undigested proteins, due to a lack of healthy bacteria, from breaking down in your digestive system causing foreign proteins to "leak" across the digestive system wall creating an Immune Response and causing weakness over time.  Not ideal if you are interested in increasing your overall health.

I was able to find this label from their website and wanted to point some things out. 
 
Active Ingredient: GanedenBC30 (Bacillus coagulans GBI-30, 6086)
Other Ingredients: Calcium (calcium carbonate), vegetarian capsule shell (hypromellose, water, titanium dioxide (color), chlorophyll), microcrystalline cellulose, magnesium stearate and silicon dioxide.
Allergy Warning: Sustenex may contain trace amounts of casein (milk protein).
Sustenex is lactose free

Under Active Ingredients, they list their special patented bacteria formulation Ganeden BC30 and then list it as Bacillus coagulans GBI-30, 6086.  What makes it special is it contains a protective ‘spore’ within the capsule which, according to what they say, is able to sustain the harsh acids of the stomach.  This is a good thing, as we’d like the bacteria to make it to the place where it is needed, the intestines.  So far, no problems with the product.

Now we’ll go to Other Ingredients.  The first of which is Calcium listed as Calcium Carbonate.  Knowing a little about nutrition and physiology and a healthy response within the body, Calcium Carbonate is an excretory product the body produces from the ideal form of calcium for the body, Calcium Bicarbonate.  In other words, it is a waste product for the body.  Therefore, having Calcium Carbonate seems like a waste of an ingredient, since the body will simply excrete it.

Next we have Hypromellose which is hypromellose /hy•pro•mel•lose/ (hi-pro´mĕ-lôs) a propylene glycol ether of methylcellulose, supplied in differing degrees of viscosity; used as a suspending and viscosity-increasing agent and tablet binder, coating, and excipient in pharmaceutical preparations, and applied topically to the conjunctiva to protect and lubricate the cornea.  Basically it is a binder for formulating a capsule.

Then we have Titanium Dioxide. Titanium dioxide has recently been classified by the International Agency for Research on Cancer (IARC) as an IARC Group 2B carcinogen ''possible carcinogen to humans''. Titanium dioxide accounts for 70% of the total production volume of pigments worldwide. It is widely used to provide whiteness and opacity to products such as paints, plastics, papers, inks, foods, and toothpastes. It is also used in cosmetic and skin care products, and it is present in almost every sun block, where it helps protect the skin from ultraviolet light.  Pretty sure I do not choose to put that in my body on a regular basis, as it is classified as a possible carcinogen in humans. 

After that we have microcrystalline cellulose which compacts well under minimum compression pressures, has high binding capability, and creates tablets that are extremely hard, stable, yet disintegrate rapidly. Microcrystalline Cellulose is basically cellulose and is derived from high quality wood pulp.  No real issue there, as they break it down so much that your body doesn’t have to work hard to handle it.  My question is what is the process for preparing it for use?  Is there bleach used in the process?  Do you choose to eat bleach? 

Then we have Magnesium stearate, made by hydrogenating cottonseed or palm oil, and is used throughout the supplements industry as a lubricant. It is added to the raw materials in supplements so that production machinery will run at maximum speeds. This fatty substance coats every particle of the nutrients, so the particles will flow rapidly. This ensures that production schedules will meet profit targets.

Cottonseed oil has the highest content of pesticide residues of all commercial oils; cotton crops are heavily sprayed. In the hydrogenation process, the oil is subjected to high heat and pressure in the presence of a metal catalyst for several hours, creating a hydrogenated saturated fat. Hydrogenated vegetable fats contain altered molecules derived from fatty acids that may be toxic. The metal catalyst used in the hydrogenation process may also contaminate the stearates produced.  Pretty sure I would choose to go without putting that into my body.

Finally, we have silicon dioxide.  Most multivitamin or combination supplement products I've come across use silicon dioxide (or silica, SiO2) as an excipient. Recent research has shown that silicon dioxide nanoparticles (size 1-1000nm) can be cytotoxic (i.e. kill mammalian cells) but I'm not sure as to whether "larger" silica particles have this property. What is unclear to me is whether the silicon dioxide used as excipients in nutritional supplement products are formulated in larger pieces (which would not be expected to be absorbed by the GI tract) or if they are indeed being added as nanoparticles instead (which could potentially be much more harmful).

While nanoparticles are a very recent and emerging field and much of the research is preliminary, because of their higher surface area, it has been suggested that they can be more reactive, catalytic, or harmful to mammalian cells than "larger" particles (of the same molecular formula).  For this reason I choose not to put this into my body.

Now appreciate that each of these ingredients are part of the capsule for the GanedenBC30 (Bacillus coagulans GBI-30, 6086).  What that means is you would be ingesting these ingredients every day.  AND over time this would lead to accumulation within the body and potential health issues could result.  You get to make that choice for yourself.  Personally, I choose not to do the active ingredient and therefore do not have to worry about the package it comes in.

So what is the product I recommend? 

I personally use UltraFlora Plus Dairy Free Probiotic made by a company I deal with which is also a Medical Food and does not sell directly to consumers.  They adhere to the principle of requiring you to go to a health care practitioner and to be monitored regularly.  And since I know the benefits of taking this probiotic every day, as I have been using this specific product for the past 10 plus years, I can highly recommend and do highly recommend this product to every one of my patients.

If you have digestive related issues, or have health issues in general, you may also choose to consider what has been said here.  Being able to purchase Medical Food without the direct recommendation or supervision for the product is not legal, nor very smart.  Taking any health related product without proper supervision is simply irresponsible.  And as long as health related issues continue to plague society, don’t you think it is time you gained the understanding you require in order to fully restore your health? 

If you have any questions related to this or another health related topic, please feel free to contact me through my office at (845)561-BACK or 561-2225.  Or you can e-mail me at docrick@spineboy.com as I always return e-mail within 24 hours.  I thank you for your consideration and for your time.

Strategies To Prevent and Treat the Flu

The following are the recommendations published by the National Vaccine Information Center organization which I felt would be useful for all of you who read this newsletter.  For information about this organization, go to www.NVIC.org and read up on this worthy organization. 

As the Flu season seems to be upon us (although it is earlier this year than previous years), it is important to pay attention to the following recommendations before the Flu Season hits.

1. Wash your hands frequently.
2. Drink plenty of fluids, especially water.
3. Exercise regularly.
4. Eat a healthy diet.
5. Consider herbal and homeopathic remedies for prevention and treatment.
6. Consider adding Chiropractic or Osteopathic care to your wellness plan.
7. Get adequate sleep.
8. Lower stress. 

Natural Immune Solutions: They Build Your Immunity From The Inside Out

Available through the office are Natural Immune and Flu fighters, which include Calcium Lactate and Cataplex C for strengthening the Immune System Response by supporting the cells that fight off infection.  Calcium Lactate is important to take because it makes sure your system does not have any holes in it allowing viruses or other "bugs" to get into your system.  So having sufficient amounts of Calcium Lactate in your diet allows for you to resist infection.  Cataplex C is the whole vitamin C Complex (Cataplex C) designed to stimulate the Immune Cells which fight off infection.  It is the food for these Immune Fighting Cells and allows them to be strong to eat up any pathogen that gets into the body that could cause infection.  These two should always be taken together to support a strong Immune response.  Also being understood is the critical role of vitamin D.  The Vitamin D Complex works to help support ideal Immune Response in the body in conjunction with Calcium and Vitamin C.  These three supplements Calcium Lactate, Cataplex C and Cataplex D are a must for anyone who chooses to build their Immunity in a natural way, promoting strong immunity. 

Also available are Immuplex for Immune System support to combat viruses, Thymex to build strong Immune Cells and we also carry a homeopathic product called FluImmune, designed for the prevention of the Flu as well as treatment for the Flu.  Since the Flu season is now here, if you want to support your Immune System before getting the Flu, consider stopping into the office and receiving an Immune Boosting treatment, and/or picking up some nutritional and/or homeopathic support.  Why wait until you get the Flu, as it is better to strengthen your body so you won't have to get it.  Consider the supplements mentioned above.

But What About The Flu Vaccine?

Appreciate that the Flu Vaccine, Swine Flu or otherwise, does not prevent the flu, nor does it stop the spread of the flu.  It simply lessens the length of time one has the flu by about 6 to 18 hours out of a 6 day period of time.  So it will not stop you from getting the flu like many believe.  This is important to understand.  Please share this information with anyone you know and care about.  Flu Vaccines will not stop the flu from affecting you, it will simply lessen the length of time you suffer from it by 6 to 18 hours.  Does the potential for side effects from injecting a pathogen into the body to help develop immunity, while potentially creating a lifetime of neurologic symptoms like those found in Guillian-Barre Syndrome make sense? (Click on the blue link for information)  Please be smart and know you have been forwarned. 

What does the manufacturer say about the Flu Vaccine?

Click on the following link to get the information directly from the "horses mouth."  I think you'll be surprised.  What Does The Manufacturer say?  Also consider going to Flu Vaccine Exposed for more information about the effectiveness of the flu vaccine.  Very educational! STRONGLY CONSIDER THIS INFORMATION BEFORE TAKING THE SHOT!!

I Am Here To Help

Please know that my purpose in life is to help people better understand their health and their health choices.  If you ever have a question about your health or a health related question, please call me at (845)561-BACK or 561-2225 or e-mail me at docrick@spineboy.com  It is my pleasure to assist you to better health.