What's With All The Pressure?

Doc Rick says, "Too many people are currently on blood pressure medication with no signs of coming off. And yet most of them do not even know what blood pressure represents. Read the following and gain the understanding you need to be healthy." Click on the link

What's With ALL The Pressure

Nowadays, more and more of you are developing high blood pressure and are being given blood pressure medications for this condition.  And if you don't currently have it, the likelihood of developing it is greater than 2:1.  With all the pressures of life to meet deadlines, pay our bills and keep up with "the Jones's," it's no wonder people's stress levels are up.  And with the fast paced lifestyles we all lead, while eating on the run, it's no wonder our blood pressure is up too.

Allopathic Medicine will tell you it is normal to develop high Blood Pressure as you get older.  That's a bunch of non-sense.  It may be quite common for people to have it, but it is anything but normal to develop it.  It's actually an indication that two or more of your important organ systems are having difficulty functioning correctly.  These would be your Cardiovascular System and your Adrenal System minimally.

In an effort to help you understand what Blood Pressure is, and what the numbers mean, I'd like to take the time to cover the subject of Blood Pressure.  This way you can be informed when you go to your Medical Doctor, whether the doctor takes the reading, the Nurse or the Physician's Assistant.  You'll also know what questions to ask and you'll know how to accurately interpret what the numbers are that are being measured for yourself.

Proper Measurement

The first thing that is important to understand is how to have your blood pressure taken completely and accurately.  You'll want your doctor to begin by taking your blood pressure while you are in a relaxed, seated position.  Once this reading is complete, the doctor should have you stand up immediately and while the BP cuff is still attached to your arm, take the blood pressure again.  Then the doctor should have you lay on your back, still having the BP cuff on, and take the pressure a third time.

You may be thinking to yourself, "My doctor has never done that, and why should it be taken that way?  And if it should be taken in three positions, why hasn't my doctor ever done that before?"  A possible explanation for that question could be that blood pressure is taught within the first 3 weeks of schooling.  Then during the next 4 to 6 years, a whole bunch of other information is taught and so the importance of taking complete and proper blood pressure readings are forgotten or relegated to the back of the mind.  And in an effort to be thorough, the Medical Association typically delegates this duty to a Nurse or the Physicians Assistant.  And because of the way our Medical System is currently set up, the average doctor visit only lasts 3 to 5 minutes.  This makes it difficult to do all the necessary evaluating, treatment and questions with answers within that time frame.  So in an effort to be time conscious, human nature would decide it's better to take one reading to establish a baseline, then to do the complete evaluation in the three positions.  Unfortunately, the only true information you will get from taking blood pressure in one position is a reading called Pulse Pressure.

What Is Pulse Pressure?

Pulse Pressure is the amount of stress on the Heart during the contracting stage and relaxing or filling stage.  It is determined by looking at the difference between the upper Blood Pressure number during contraction, known as Systolic Pressure, and the lower Blood Pressure number during filling, known as Diastolic Pressure.  It gives the person an understanding of how hard the heart is working.  For example, if a single blood Pressure measurement of 128/72 mm Hg is recorded, one might think this is pretty good.  And by today's accepted standards that would be correct.  But by healthy standards, the Pulse Pressure would be figured out as 128 minus 72 equaling 56.  Since a healthy Pulse Pressure should be somewhere between 30 and 50, if the number is greater than 50, the amount of stress on the heart between contracting and relaxing would be considered too great from a health standpoint.  This is because over time, the larger the gap between these two phases would be too much work, and therefore is unhealthy for the heart.  So even though the Blood Pressure would be called "healthy," ideally it isn't healthy at all.

Why Three Positions for Blood Pressure

To fully understand what something means, you have to have something else to compare to it.  With Blood Pressure, you want to know what the blood pressure does in relationship to stress.  The easiest way to evaluate this is to subject the body to the simple stress of gravity.  This can be done by having the person start in a seated position when taking their blood pressure.  Then have them move to a standing position to see if the pressure changes.  Finally, repeat the process by going from a standing to a laying down position.  These simple changes in position subject the body to the stress of gravity, and the body responds according to its ability to handle that stress.  A normal response would be for the Blood Pressure to increase 8 to 10 mm Hg upon standing up, followed by a decrease of 8 to 10 mm Hg when lying down.  Since the force of gravity would naturally pull down on all of the body and its fluids, the blood pressure would respond accordingly by going down.  But this is not ideal.  The body has a system, known as the Adrenal System, which is designed to off-set this response.  So when the body is functioning normally, the Adrenal System will respond with a normal increase in Blood Pressure, thereby off-setting the force of gravity, thus allowing the body to maintain it's equilibrium.  

Nowadays, if a person stands up from a seated position in a hurried manner, a very common response (not a normal one mind you) would be that the person might feel dizzy or light-headed.  This is called a "dumping" response, known as Ragland's Sign. This is a direct indicator that their body is not responding to stress in an efficient manner, and the Adrenal System is deficient. The longer it takes for the dizziness to pass, the more deficient the person's Adrenal System is, and the more out of balance the person.   Again, a healthy functioning body will compensate for this as I have indicated above, and likewise, the lessoning of the stress when going to a laying down position would naturally result in a lowered Blood Pressure.

What This Means To You

If you or a loved one is suffering from dizziness or feeling light-headed upon standing, even if it isn't all the time, it would benefit you to come to the office and have your blood pressure taken in three positions.  This will allow me to evaluate both the Pulse Pressure and the Blood Pressure helping the two of us know if 1) your heart is under too much stress, as indicated by a too high (greater than 50 mm Hg) a Pulse Pressure, and/or 2) if your Adrenal System is not responding correctly, as indicated by a Blood Pressure drop after going from a seated to a standing position.  Since this is an easy test to administer, it should be done at every visit to your Medical Doctor.

My Offer To You

If you've ever experienced being dizzy or light-headed upon getting up too fast, call the Office at 561-2225 and ask us to put you in for the Pressure Test. 

For All Current Patients, I will be happy to do this evaluation on your next scheduled visit.  Please remind me when you come in and we can spend a few minutes discussing your numbers and what you can do to help yourself have better Blood Pressure numbers as well as better Adrenal and Cardiovascular Health.  This offer is valued at $75.00.  But for the rest of July, the offer is FREE!!  But you must act now, because it expires August 1st, 2010.  Although it can be done any time, it would be best to have it done every 3 months or when you know your stress levels have increased, rather than waiting until you start to experience the light-headedness.  This is an indication your body is already malfunctioning, and an underlying heart condition is in effect.

For ALL Potential New Patients, this will be handled as part of your initial Consultation and Exam.  So why not call the Office NOW and schedule to spend an hour and a half having this and the rest of your health evaluated.  My examinations are completely painless, and very enlightening and educational.  Take the time to make sure there are no underlying health issues that you are unaware of.  You deserve to know.

 

As a gift for any Potential New Patient who decides to come to my Tuesday Night Free Health Care Class, I will be happy to include the Pressure Test service.  The class begins at 6:30 pm on Tuesday and I spend about an hour or so answering any and all health related questions by the members of the class.  So if you have any burning health questions or are suffering with a health issue that medicine is not fully handling, why not take the time and sign up for the class.  Again, the class is FREE!  Call the Office at 561-2225 and reserve your spot.  As class size is limited, we ask you to call for reservations.

Are You Exercising Aerobically, or Are You Headed For A Heart Attack?

Doc Rick says, "The following information can save you from a sudden and life ending heart attack. Please read below and consider the offer to you."

How Is Your Main Pumper Doing?

As more and more of you find yourself outside doing physical activities, I felt it important to help you make sure that the rate at which you do these activities is proper for your health.  Whether you are running as a sport, hiking, cycling or simply going for a walk, you need to appreciate the importance of keeping your heart rate consistent.  For the alternative is doing these activities at an improper pace and creating underlying health concerns.  If you've heard of, or read any of the incidences of athletes having heart attacks, it is because of improper training that the heart becomes deficient, and then with the repeated improper training ultimately quits. 
By exercising at the proper pace and rate for you, you can go a long way toward building health and eliminating the little nagging aches and pains many associate with working out.  For the record, having these aches and pains in not normal, and shouldn't be thought of as normal just because you work out.  The best way to exercise properly is to know what your heart rate is when you are exercising.  Regardless of the activity, whether its running, swimming, cycling or simply walking, you'll want to know what your heart rate is and whether or not it is within the crucial Health Building Zone.  This is important because if you are out of the Health Building Zone, you will be creating muscle soreness and set yourself up for probable injury.
To avoid this and to find your own personal Health Building Zone, you'll want to apply the following formula.  It's called the MAF Formula named after my original Alternative doctor, Dr. Phil Maffetone.  MAF stands for Maximum Aerobic Function, and his formula is computed the following way: 
  1) Subtract your age from 180 (180 - age)
  2) Modify this number by selecting one of the following categories:
a) If you have, or are recovering from, a major illness (heart disease, any operation, any hospital stay, etc) or if you are on any regular medication....................................................................................................subtract 10
b) If you have not exercised before, or if you have been exercising but have been injured or are regressing in your efforts (not showing much improvement) or if you often get colds or flu, or have allergies.....................................................................................................................subtract  5
c) If you have been exercising for up to two years at least 4 times a week without any significant injury and you have not had colds or flu more than once or twice a year....................................................................................................................................subtract 0
d) If you have been exercising for more than two years without any injury, have been making progress, and are a competitive athlete........................................................................................................................................add 5
For example, if you are 30 years old and fit into Category b:  180 - 30 = 150 - 5 = 145 beats per minute (bpm).
This is called your Maximum Aerobic Heart Rate or your Upper Heart Rate Limit (UHRL).  You never want your heart rate to go above this number when exercising for health.  By staying below this number, you will be building health, burning fat and increasing your hearts ability to work more efficiently.  Anything above this number and you will be burning sugar and will also be Anaerobic.  But this is just the first half of the equation.  The second half is understanding your Lower Heart Rate Limit (LHRL).  Simply subtract ten from your UHRL and you'll now have your LHRL and then have the range with which to exercise for health.  This is your Health Building Zone. For more information about Health and Fitness, go to www.philmaffetone.com and check out Dr. Maffetone's website.  It has a wealth of great information. 
Using the above example the LHRL would be the 145 bpm - 10 to give you 135 bpm.  So based on that example, the persons Health Building Zone would be accomplished by keeping their heart rate between 135 and 145 bpm while exercising.  And you will want to do this for a minimum of 30 minutes, after a easy 10 - 15 minute warm-up of course.  The warm-up is where you would begin with your resting heart rate, and gradually increasing it until you get to that desired zone.  How will you know what your heart rate is?  You will want to purchase a Polar Heart Rate monitor from any of the sporting good stores, such as Dick's, several stores on-line such as www.Performancebike.com
By applying the MAF formula to yourself, you will be able to determine your Health Building Zone, and will be able to begin building an Aerobic Base necessary for increased health and longevity.  By beginning your workouts with a good 10 - 15 minute warm-up, slowly increasing your heart rate into your Health Building Zone, you will begin to improve your health, build your health reserves, and you will begin burning fat for fuel.  The longer you stay in that zone, for every minute after 20 minutes you will be burning fat.  This will help you to lose all the unwanted weight you gained during the Winter months.
My Offer To You
Take the time to go and get your heart rate monitor, and then bring it into the office.  I will help you set the appropriate zone and make sure it is working for you.  Then I will spend the time necessary to help you understand how to improve your health and your heart by exercising the right way.  I will help you learn how to activate your Fat Burning Mechanism and begin to lose weight while increasing your longevity. 
For ALL Current Practice Members: Pick up the phone now and ask us to put you in for the Heart of My Health Check.  This is a $ 100.00 value.  Make the appointment and the cost is FREE.  This Offer is good for the last three weeks of July only.  So call the office and schedule your appointment during the last 3 weeks of July, because as of August 1st, the offer will be gone.    Why not take advantage of the warm summer weather and begin exercising the right way.  As long as you're going to put the effort forth, you might as well do it right and gain the full benefit.  Call the Office NOW at 561-(BACK) 2225 and set up the appointment.  You'll be happy you did.
For ALL Potential New Practice Members: Attend my FREE Health Care Class held on Tuesday at 6:30 in the Newburgh Office located at 320 Robinson Ave. As part of the class, I will be happy to include the information on Proper Heart Rate, How to activate your Fat Burning Mechanism and I will even help you set up your Heart Rate Monitor.  All of this will be included in the FREE Class.  Call the Office at 561-2225 for reservations as they are required due to limited class space.

The Heart Of The Matter

Doc Rick says, "As we move into the heart of Summer, I thought it would be important to teach you some more about the organ that beats over 100,000 times a day." Click on the link

The Heart Of The Matter
As we move into the Heart of Summer, I wanted to go over the second part of the Fire Element, The Heart.  To give you a better perspective about the amount of physical work your Heart does, the average person's Heart beats over 100,000 times a day based on 72 beats per minute.  If you stop to consider that, you should make it a priority to appreciate the different relationships that help to support and regulate the Heart, as well as maintain its function at its highest level possible. 
Representing the Yin half of the Fire Element, the Heart is known for housing the Spirit, and is the main storage site for all your Wisdom.  Having "learned things by Heart," one could say they really embodied their knowledge as the storage site for all knowing is within the Heart.  True, one remembers from the different parts of the brain, but true storage occurs within the Heart.  The Yin activities associated with the Fire Element, represented by the Heart therefore are true Wisdom, all knowing and deep synthesis ('knowing') of life.  Related to the Heart is the Circulatory System, composed of the arteries that carry blood away from the Heart, the capillaries that bring blood to and from the cells, and the veins which bring blood back to the Heart.  Also related to the Heart is the pericardium, an outer protective covering of the Heart.  The chief muscles associated with the Heart and its related components are the Subscapularis (the muscle on the front side of your shoulder blade) the Adductors of the inner thigh, the Piriformis muscles within the buttock, and the Gluteals of the buttocks.  Pain in any one of these muscles could mean Heart dysfunction. 
When one experiences Heart symptoms, they are usually related to the nutrition of the Heart or the back-up systems to the Heart, more so then the Heart itself.  For instance, an irregular heartbeat, or Arrhythmia is primarily due to aB vitamin deficiency.  All irregular heartbeats, skipped beats, heart murmurs, etc., stem from a deficiency in the whole B vitamin Complex.  These B vitamins are required for normal Heart function and helps to regulate the Heart's contractions.  When the Heart becomes deficient in these required B vitamins, the Heart will begin to torque, or twist upon itself.  This twisting then causes the doors (valves) of the Heart to close unevenly, creating the murmur.  Another component to these Arrhythmias is a deficiency in iodine.  Due to poor understanding in the past, most doctors don't appreciate the importance of this mineral, and many people are afraid to take iodine.  Unfortunately, because of the refining of foods and the misinformed fear associated with iodine, most Americans are deficient in iodine.
Increases in Blood Pressure, although most feel is a Heart problem, usually is an imbalance between the primary back-up to the Heart, another Fire Element component known as the Adrenal Glands.  These are the glands that help to regulate our stress response.  Through its hormones, and their effects on the Kidney, they help to directly regulate the Sodium/Potassium balance.  Sodium, if you haven't heard, is the electrolyte the American Heart Association has conditioned people to be weary of when it comes to blood pressure concerns.  Unfortunately, the information being given is not fully accurate.  In reality, it's more about Adrenal burnout and the lack of the regulatory hormone Aldosterone that controls the Sodium/Potassium balance.  If one has high blood pressure, instead of going on medication, a natural solution is to consider Cataplex G from Standard Process.  This vitamin, known as Vitamin G, is a portion of the B Complex that helps to regulate the relaxation or vasodilation of the blood vessels.  If the body is deficient in this portion of the B vitamin Complex, the vessels will not relax fully and the blood pressure will slowly begin to increase.  Interestingly enough, the whole B vitamin Complex is necessary for normal Small Intestine function, the other main half of the Fire Element we discussed last month.  Different portions of the B vitamins (Folic Acid needed to activate Vitamin B12) are required to activate Acidophilus, allowing normal growth and development of the intestinal flora.  This directly effects your ability to absorb and assimilate your food properly.  Appreciating the need for the whole B vitamin Complex, if one becomes deficient in their ability to absorb B vitamins, due to their lack of intestinal flora from the intake of Antibiotics, their heart rhythm may have difficulties staying regular.  With a lack of support from the Adrenals, the Heart will not have the energy to continue beating the 100,000 plus beats per day, which could result in a Heart Attack.  Realize the number one symptom associated with Heart Disease is a life ending Heart Attack.  In fact, the first symptom for greater than 40 % of those who suffer from Heart Disease is death.  Their Heart fails and they die. 
Symptoms that mimic a Heart Attack are those of a Hiatal Hernia.  This is where the Stomach herniates up through a hiatus (opening) within the Diaphragm, thereby putting pressure on the Heart.  The reflux associated with the hernia creates the "heart burn" sensation.  Since the Diaphragm is involved in the Hiatal Hernia, and the nerves that control the Diaphragm primarily come out of the C5/C6 area of the spine, which also supply the shoulder and upper arm area, one (including the ER doctors) could believe they are having a Heart Attack, when in fact they usually are suffering from a Hiatal Hernia.  If the ECG and the rest of the physical findings do not indicate a Heart Attack, know you have a Hiatal Hernia and you should come to the office to have it fixed. 
The other back-up to the Heart is the Thyroid.  This too is part of the Fire Element. This gland, located in the middle of your throat, is responsible for your Heart Rhythm.  When one's Heart Rhythm is off, think Thyroid first.  Two conditions related to Heart Rhythm problems are tachycardia (where the heart beats too fast, above 100 bpm when resting) and bradycardia (where the heart beats too slow, below 60 bpm when resting).  Tachycardia is a serious condition and should be addressed sooner, rather than later.  Bradycardia, on the other hand, is normal for people who are in great physical condition aerobically and have a healthy heart.  Arrhythmias, as mentioned above, relate to deficiencies in iodine.  Prolamine Iodine by Standard Process should be taken to restore proper levels of this vital nutrient.  This can sometimes take several months to restore, and then a maintenance dose is usually required.    
Supporting Your Heart
Nutritional support for your Heart are Cardiotrophin PMG to help rebuild a damaged Heart from years of abuse and other more serious Heart conditions.  Cardio-Plus in asssociation with Cataplex E2 help to maintain an efficient Heart by increasing the utilization of oxygen by the Heart.  Also important, as mentioned above, is Cataplex B which maintains the necessary fuel for normal Heart contractions.  Prolamine Iodine is vital for normal heart rhythm.  All of these are available through the office from Standard Process.
Herbal support related to the Heart and the Circulatory System are Hawthorn by Mediherb for normal Blood Pressure and the promotion of Cardiovascualr Health and antioxidant protection.  Horsechestnut Complex, also from Mediherb promotes venous integrity, eases the effects of heavy exercise, and supports healthy peripheral circulation.  Celery seed helps to maintain blood pressure within a normal range.  This too is carried by Mediherb, and all of which are available through the office.
What This Means To You
If one suspects they are having any concerns with their Heart, you'll want to get that checked out.  Consider improving your digestion by supporting your Small Intestine.  By improving the absorption of the B vitamins, thus supporting the effectiveness of Acidophilus, this will lead to less indigestion, less potential for Hiatal Hernias, and will allow the Adrenals to take a break so they can go back to supporting the Heart and normal Blood Pressure.  All of this will go a long way toward improving the health of your Heart.  Also, it is vital to begin exercising in an Aerobic fashion.  This will increase the health of your Heart and allow it to become stronger with age, not quit without warning.  For information about exercising Aerobically, within your specific target heart rate zone, I will be discussing this in my next newsletter to you.
My Offer To You
For ALL Current Practice Members: If you suspect you are having Heart concerns, and want to know for sure, you need to come in and have the Full Heart Check.  I will take the time during your next office visit and evaluate your Heart and Circulatory System with their related organs, like the Adrenals and the Small Intestine.  Normally this is a $75.00 value, but through the end of July, I will include this as part of your normal office visit.  That's right, It's FREE!  But you must call Jean first at (845) 561-2225 and ask for the Full Heart Check.  This will let me know to plan for the extra time needed to do the evaluation and explain the results to you.  Why wait, call NOW while the thought is fresh.
For All Potential New Practice Members, I extend to you the same offer.  But you too must act quickly.  As of July 31st, the offer will be gone.  Call the Office at (845) 561 2225 and tell us you want to become a New Practice Member and I will include the Full Heart Check as part of the initial consultation and examination. Haven't you waited long enough to take care of your health?  Have a Heart and call TODAY!
As always, I offer Free Health Care Classes on Tuesday evenings at 6:30 pm in the Newburgh Office, located at 320 Robinson Avenue.  This is where you will have the chance to ask all of your difficult health questions and have them answered by Dr. Huntoon at NO CHARGE!  Since class size is limited, reservations are required.  So why not gather up your family and friends, and spend some time having all your health related questions answered.  Call the Office at (845) 561-2225 and reserve your seat TODAY!  

Do Antibiotics Make You Fat?

Doc Rick says, "This article says what I have known for 20 years and have practiced for just as long. Please read the information and know that it applies to you. Then let's talk about what can be done to help you. The first step, CALL THE OFFICE."


Do Antibiotics Make You Fat?
     The obesity epidemic is rampant, and there are many reasons for this big fat problem. Although asking if antibiotics make us fat may initially sound like some type of joke, recent articles in Scientific American and Science magazine shows that some researchers are taking it seriously.
     Actually, evidence suggesting that antibiotics may make people fat is old (but forgotten and ignored) knowledge. As far back as 1955, research published in a leading nutrition journal showed that weight gain may be linked to prolonged antibiotic usage.(1)
     It is well-known that farmers supply livestock with frequent doses of antibiotics in the guise of "preventing disease," but it is also widely known that prolonged antibiotic usage causes such disruption in the digestive tracts of these animals that the food that they eat is not properly assimilated, leading to significant weight gain. Normal bacteria in the gut help animals (and humans) metabolize fat, but the deficiency of these normal bacteria, caused by antibiotic usage, disrupts proper fat metabolism, leading to weight gain. The farmers benefit from being able to sell fatter and heavier meat, even though meat quality is significantly compromised.
     An article in the December 16, 2009, issue of Scientific American expresses serious concern that antibiotics kill off many important microbes essential for human life.(2) The Scientific American has even chosen the word "extinction" to refer to the disappearance of certain important bacteria that are killed off by antibiotics.
     This article reports some impacts from antibiotic usage are short term, but other impacts are much more long-lasting and deleterious. Martin Blaser, a professor of microbiology and chair of the Department of Medicine at New York University Langone Medical Center in New York City, notes, "the [antibiotic resistance] selection can persist for years and possibly permanently." The gastric Helicobacter pylori bacteria (commonly referred to as "H. pylori"), for example, have been facing eradication in the U.S. and other developed countries in large part as a result of widespread antibiotic use. Although the demise of these bacteria has some medical benefits, including a decrease in the incidence of ulcers and gastric cancer, its reduced population can also increase the risk for various reflux diseases by upsetting the regulation of hormones and pH levels.
     However, even more serious problems result from killing off of the H. pylori.  Blaser and Stanley Falkow, of the Department of Microbiology and Immunology at Stanford School of Medicine, note, "H. pylori-positive individuals have lower risks of childhood asthma, allergic rhinitis and skin allergies than those without H. pylori." These scientists also posited that the bacteria's role in mediating the hormone ghrelin, which helps regulate fat development and hunger, might also "be contributing to the current epidemics of early-life obesity, type 2 diabetes and related metabolic syndromes."
     Blaser wonders, "If [H. pylori is] disappearing...might there be other things that are disappearing?" He worries that many other, less well-known or understood microbial species and even certain metabolic pathways might also be on their way out due to antibiotic use.
     Science magazine has just published on March 4, 2010, other important research that observed similar phenomena as Blaser.(3) Researchers at Cornell, Emory, and the University of Colorado have found that gut microbiota determines how food is digested and fat is stored in the body. They too noted that antibiotics disrupt certain bacteria in the gut that can lead to obesity as well as to increased inflammatory processes that can cause metabolic syndrome, a serious condition that can lead to high blood pressure, high cholesterol levels, and a higher risk for developing diabetes and heart disease.
     The uniquely American obsession with eradicating germs is also creating other problems, not just obesity. A study published in the December 9, 2009, issue of the journal Proceedings of the Royal Society B: Biological Sciences, is the first to investigate whether microbial exposures early in life affect inflammatory processes related to diseases in adulthood.(4) Remarkably, the Northwestern study suggests exposure to infectious microbes in childhood may actually protect youngsters from developing serious illnesses, including cardiovascular diseases, when they grow into adults.
     "Contrary to assumptions related to earlier studies, our research suggests that ultra-clean, ultra-hygienic environments early in life may contribute to higher levels of inflammation as an adult, which in turn increases risks for a wide range of diseases," Thomas McDade, lead author of the study.
     "Medication-related weight gain has become far more important over the past decade as obesity increases in prevalence and more people are taking medications for chronic illnesses,"(5) says Lawrence Cheskin, M.D., Director of the Johns Hopkins Weight Management Center.
     Ultimately, microbial flora in the digestive tract plays a role in converting nutrients into calories. Reduced variations in microbiota composition are found in obese humans and mice.
     Didier Raoult, MD, PhD, full professor at Marseille School of Medicine, has found that the microbiota from an obese mouse confers an obese trait when transferred to a mouse.(6) Dr. Raoult further asserts that there is a large body of experimental evidence and empirical data in the food industry showing that both antibiotics, which modify the gut microbiota, can act as growth promoters, increasing the size and weight of animals. He therefore concludes that the current obesity pandemic in human may be caused, in part, by antibiotic treatments.
     This review of the literature on antibiotics and weight gain does not necessarily mean that a single round of antibiotics will make someone fat. However, it is increasingly common for people to take multiple rounds of antibiotics for recurrent infections and long-term usage of antibiotics to treat acne and various other diseases, such as Lyme Disease. It may be to question what short-term and long-term problems result from repeated antibiotic usage.
     While repeated courses of antibiotics may sometimes lead to weight gain, there is also a case that can be made that some people experience deleterious weight loss as a result of diarrhea caused by antibiotics. This type of weight loss is rarely considered beneficial to the person's health because many important nutrients are excreted with the diarrhea, and this weight loss may be just as deleterious to the person's health as weight gain can.
     In any case, antibiotics kill off the pathogenic bacteria as well as many of the important and beneficial bacteria in our bodies. Because health depends upon a complex web of life, pharmaceutical agents such as antibiotics that simplify this inner ecosystem weaken the web, thereby creating a wide variety of possible acute and chronic diseases. Even many serious diseases, such as breast cancer, have been found to have significantly increased incidence based on the degrees of higher usage of these drugs. (7) It is indeed important and even vital for health that people respect inner microbial life and reduce antibiotic usage.
Considering Alternatives to Antibiotics
     Ultimately, health and medical professionals as well as the general public have to consider using various alternatives to antibiotics whenever possible. The good news is that we will ALL benefit from such actions, and further, that there IS a body of evidence to show that some alternatives are effective. When skeptics say that there is no evidence that alternative or homeopathic treatments are effective for infectious diseases, they are simply showing their ignorance of history and of modern clinical research (sadly, this ignorance does not seem to stop some skeptics, who I prefer to call "deniers", from trying to provide misinformation).
     A little known fact of history is that the primary reason that homeopathic medicine became so popular in the 19th century was its remarkable results in treating people suffering from the infectious disease epidemics that raged at the time.(8)(9) Epidemics of cholera, scarlet fever, typhoid, and yellow fever were rampant and killed large numbers of people who became ill with them. And yet, death rates in homeopathic hospitals were commonly one-half or even one-eighth of the death rates in the conventional medical hospitals (at the turn of the 20th century, there were over 100 homeopathic hospitals in the US, at least one in every large population center).
     Today, the American Academy of Pediatrics and the American Academy of Family Physicians no longer recommend antibiotics as routine when treating children with an ear infection.(10) In fact, they assert that a viable option is to AVOID ANTIMICROBIAL AGENTS during the first 72 hours. Because ear infections represent the most common reason that children seek medical attention, knowing about the alternatives to antibiotic usage is essential.
     A randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled study prescribed individualized homeopathic medicines or placebo to 75 children.(11) There were 19.9 percent more treatment failures in children given a placebo. Diary scores showed a significant decrease in symptoms at 24 and 64 hours after treatment in favor of those given a homeopathic medicine. What was particularly impressive about these results was that improvement from homeopathic medicines occurred rapidly, within the first day of treatment.
     Another study that also provided evidence of rapid resolution of ear infection in children given a homeopathic medicine was a trial of 230 children.(12) These children were given an individually chosen homeopathic medicine. If pain reduction was not sufficient after just six hours, another individually-chosen homeopathic medicine was prescribed. The researchers found that 39 percent of patients experienced sufficient pain reduction in the first six hours and another 33 percent after just 12 hours. This improvement was 2.4 times faster than in children prescribed a placebo (the speed of improvement for patients given a placebo was determined by an earlier meta-analysis of those children given a placebo in a conventional medical treatment trial).
     A study was conducted with 499 children between 18 months and four years of age who had had at least five bouts of acute rhinopharyngitis (cold and sore throat) in 1999 and who had consulted a physician in 2000 either for preventive treatment or for treatment of a current episode.(13) A post-hoc analysis was conducted of these children, 268 of whom were treated by a homeopathic MD and 231 who were treated by a non-homeopathic MD. The researchers evaluated the children who had received at least one homeopathic medicine but no antibiotics and compared them with those children who were treated with antibiotics but no homeopathic medicines.
The researchers found that the children prescribed a homeopathic medicine were significantly more likely to experience a positive result of treatment compared with those children prescribed an antibiotic (the number of episodes of acute rhinopharyngitis: 2.71 vs. 3.97, P<0.001). The researchers also found that the children given a homeopathic medicine had significantly fewer complications and a higher quality of life. Further, the study found that the parents of the children given the homeopathic medicine had significantly less sick-leave days than the parents of children given an antibiotic (9.5 percent vs. 31.6 percent; P<0.001).
     Research has also shown that homeopathic medicines can be real lifesavers for people with serious, even life-threatening infections, such as severe sepsis. The incidence of severe sepsis in the United States is between 70,000 to 300,000 patients per year. Septic shock often leads to death in-between 40 percent -- 90 percent of cases.
At a University of Vienna hospital, 70 patients with severe sepsis were enrolled in a randomized double-blind, placebo-controlled clinical trial, measuring survival rates at 30 days and at 180 days.(14) Those patients given a homeopathic medicine were prescribed it in the 200C potency only (in 12 hour intervals during their hospital stay). The survival rate at day 30 was 81.8 percent for homeopathic patients and 67.7percent for those given a placebo. At day 180, 75.8 percent of homeopathic patients survived but only 50.0 percent of the placebo patients survived (p=0.043). One patient was saved for every four who were treated.
The researchers concluded that homeopathy may be a useful addition with long-term benefit for severely septic patients.
     Today's medicine needs alternatives to antibiotic treatment and, more than ever, we need an integrative model of medicine that brings together of best of conventional medicine and with the variety of natural therapeutic interventions. Welcome to the 21st century!
References:
(1) Haight T, Pierce W. Effect of Prolonged Antibiotic Administration on the Weight of Healthy Young Males. Journal of Nutrition. May 1955, Volume 56, Issue 1. http://jn.nutrition.org/cgi/reprint/56/1/151.pdf
(2) Harmon K. Bugs Inside: What Happens When the Microbes That Keep Us Healthy Disappear? Scientific American, December 16, 2009. http://www.scientificamerican.com/article.cfm?id=human-microbiome-change
(3) Vijay-Kumar et al. Metabolic Syndrome and Altered Gut Microbiota in Mice Lacking Toll-Like Receptor-5. Science 4 March 2010: science.1179721v1-1179721
DOI: 10.1126/science.1179721. Reported in: Park A. A Hidden Trigger of Obesity: Intestinal Bugs. Time. March 5, 2010. http://www.time.com/time/health/article/0,8599,1969807,00.htm
(4) McDade T. Early Origins of Inflammation: Microbial Exposures in Infancy Predict Lower Levels of C-reactive Protein in Adulthood," Proceedings of the Royal Society B: Biological Sciences. December 9, 2009. http://www.northwestern.edu/newscenter/stories/2009/12/germs.html
(5) http://www.johnshopkinshealthalerts.com/alerts/prescription_drugs/JohnsHopkinsPrescriptionsDrugsHealthAlert_656-1.html
(6) Raoult D. Obesity pandemics and the modification of digestive bacterial flora.
European Journal of Clinical Microbiology & Infectious Diseases. 27, 8(August, 2008): 631-4.
(7) Velicer CM, Heckbert SR, Lampe JW, Potter JD, Robertson CA, Taplin SH. Antibiotic use in relation to the risk of breast cancer. JAMA. 2004 Feb 18;291(7):827-35. http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/14970061
(8) Bradford TL, The logic of figures: The comparative results of homeopathic and other treatments. Philadelphia: Boericke and Tafel, 1900.
(9) Coulter H.L., Divided Legacy (vol. II, III). Berkeley: North Atlantic, 1975, 1977.
(10) http://aappolicy.aappublications.org/cgi/content/full/pediatrics;113/5/1451#SEC10
(11) Jacobs, J, Springer, DA, Crothers, D, "Homeopathic Treatment of Acute Otitis Media in Children: A Preliminary Randomized Placebo-controlled Trial," Pediatric Infectious Disease Journal, 20,2 (February 2001):177-183.
(12) Frei, H, and Thurneysen, A, "Homeopathy in Acute Otitis Media in Children: Treatment Effect or Spontaneous Resolution?" British Homeopathic Journal, October, 2001,90:180-182.
(13) Trichard, M, Chaufferin, Nicoloyannis, N., Pharmacoeconomic Comparison Between Homeopathic and Antibiotic Treatment Strategies in Recurrent Acute Rhinopharyngitis in Children, Homeopathy (2005)94, 3-9.
(14) Frass M, Linkesch, M, Banjya, S, et al. Adjunctive homeopathic treatment in patients with severe sepsis: a randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled trial in an intensive care unit. Homeopathy 2005:94;75-80.

Enhance Fertility with Chiropractic Care

Thirty-five year-old Tracy had tried everything: monitoring her cycles through body temperature, over-the-counter fertility predictors and finally, fertility-enhancing drugs and in vitro fertilization. But after three years of trying, she still wasn’t pre

Thirty-five year-old Tracy had tried everything: monitoring her cycles through body temperature, over-the-counter fertility predictors and finally, fertility-enhancing drugs and in vitro fertilization. But after three years of trying, she still wasn’t pregnant. She began to think she was “too old” to have a family, though she was seemingly in great physical shape.

Tracy is not alone. Thousands of women go to fertility specialists each year. “After fertility treatments fail, many women are told ‘no’ [about having children] because of their age,” says D’arcy Brown, DC. But chiropractic may offer hope. At least one recent study showed that, after receiving chiropractic care, previously infertile women were much more likely to become pregnant (Journal of Vertebral Subluxation Research, 2003). And while reasons behind chiropractic’s success in treating infertility aren’t certain, there are a number of possibilities why it may work.

Dr. Brown, who practices in Aspen, Colorado, believes proper alignment works in several ways to increase the likelihood of becoming and staying pregnant. Chiefly, improper alignment of the cranial, spinal, and pelvic bones can hinder the nervous system, which controls a woman’s reproductive system, causing imbalances and hampering her ability to get and stay pregnant.

Distortions of the sphenoid bone in the skull— which can result from passage through the birth canal or from accidents later in life— are particularly problematic, says Brown, since misalignments there can affect the cranial nerve and pituitary gland. The pituitary gland is the regulator of a number of hormones important to fertility, including the follicle-stimulating hormone, estrogen, and progesterone. If any of these are out of balance, explains Brown, it can be very difficult to get pregnant.

Like Tracy, many of the patients Brown sees for infertility have tried everything. They come to chiropractic as a last resort. Brown first talks to them about their menstrual health history, noting signs of imbalance, which have often been problematic since the onset of menstruation, including heavy cramping, mood swings, and missing periods. “We balance the body [through chiropractic],” says Brown. Patients receive a combination of chiropractic and craniosacral adjustments, three times a week to start. After adjustments start to hold, patients visit once or twice a week.

How long should chiropractic take to work? Not long, says Brown. “We give it three months. Often women will become pregnant in the third or fourth month of treatment.” Brown has an impressive 75 percent success rate so far. Unless there have been serious compromises to reproductive health, he says, such as a history of extreme athletic activity or substance abuse, chiropractic may set the stage for a successful pregnancy for women like Tracy.

Master vs. Technician

Doc Rick says, "Many times we will settle for service that just goes through the motion without understanding the real problem. Technicians perform service without understanding. Masters know what to do and why they are doing it, and most importantly can explain what the problem is and why it developed. Do you use a Master or a Technician?"

Master vs. Technician

What are you looking for in a practitioner?  Like anything else in life, when you want a service or need a service, which would you prefer?  A Master or a technician.  When life requires you to get a job done right, do you go with the basics, or do you go with what will truly take care of the problem?  Do you relieve the problem, or truly fix it so you don't have to worry about it again?  These are a couple of questions we all consider either consciously or sub-consciously when making choices.  And our choices, and more importantly our outcomes, usually show us what we have chosen.  I am reminded of a quote I use all the time in my office, "How you do the little things, is how you do everything."  And I try to teach that to all my younger practice members.  After all, they are still developing their habits and their way of doing things, right?  And they will probably benefit most by applying those words.  But what about the adult practice members?  What are they looking for?  How are they approaching life?  What do they feel they deserve?

We all live with certain blind spots.  And, at some point in our lives, we all are willing to put up with somewhat less then what we would ideally want for ourselves or our loved ones.  Let's face it, We compromise.  When we have certain problems, and are faced with various constraints, like time, money, people, materials, etc., we will have a tendency to take what is given to us, rather than have the courage to say, "This isn't what I asked for, or this isn't good enough."  We don't have to verbalize that to the person giving us less then what we would want or choose.  We may simply look at the circumstances and, because of the constraints, etc., we will take what is given and deal with it being less than ideal.  And if, over time, we are continuously given something lesser then what we asked for, we begin to be conditioned that perhaps we deserve less then what we would ideally want or choose.  This is one of the major things I deal with every day in my practice.  People who are willing to deal with whatever life throws at them, and reacting to life, instead of taking a stronger stance and demanding better, and creating their ideal life.  Once again, they compromise.

When it comes to a person’s well-being, there should be no room for compromise.  Yet it goes on every day.  Society has been conditioned to want better, but will choose less because of the conditioning they have experienced.  And yet so many practice members are told by their other practitioners, "This is the best that can be done for you." or "There is nothing else that can be done for you." "You'll have to learn to live with it."  Or perhaps, "There is nothing wrong with you, it's all in your head."  "Face it Mrs. Jones, you are getting older, and this is a natural process of aging."  How many of those statements inspire confidence? vs. How many of those statements sponsor being complacent?  I say it is a bunch of crap that a person should be told any of those statements.  Those are the limited thinking of the person making the statement.  What they are truly saying to you is, "There is nothing more that I can do, for I have reached the end of my understanding and hence, my ability to help you."  And rather then make a referral to a more qualified practitioner, they will not want to appear "less then" themselves, and will stand by their original limiting statements.  And what is worse is the person(s) will accept these limiting statements as truth, and then spend the rest of their lives with a health issue that certainly could change for the better, if given a broader understanding of the possibilities.  It all goes back to what goes on between a person's ears.  And then it also will depend upon the attitude and ability of the practitioner.  Which brings us back to how all this started.  Do you choose a Master, or a technician when it comes to your health and health care choices? 

You might be wondering, what is the difference between the two?  You appreciate the difference in terms, but how does that apply to reality?  How does that apply to your reality?  What makes a practitioner a Health care Master, vs a Health care technician?  Let me start with the technician, and then I will go to the Master. 

A technician is someone who has been trained in a particular discipline.  They have the necessary schooling, the proper degree and the licensing to practice.  That isn't what makes them a technician.  After all, the Master must meet the same criteria.  What makes them a technician is the way they go about their particular discipline.  One of the differences is, what sponsors their way of doing things?  Do they have the understanding as to why, what they are doing is appropriate for the person's particular case?  Are they doing or recommending the same thing for every person who is placed before them?  Are they understanding the reason for the choices of what they are doing and applying the understanding to that person, or are they simply going through the motions?  Can they explain, in simple terms, why they are choosing that particular way they are treating, and why that is the appropriate treatment for this situation?  A technician will do things because that's what they were taught to do when the situation is that particular way.  That's what they know, so that's what they apply.  And this is an easy thing to fall into, either from the practitioners stand point, or the patients stand point.  Heck, the patient doesn't know any better, right?  It all goes back to what we feel inside related to what we feel we deserve.  If the technician feels what they know is all they need, and it doesn't require a deeper understanding, because they never took the time to truly learn the reasoning behind the technique, they will simply go through the motions.    If the person receiving the care feels worthy of less, or non-deserving of the best, they will accept what the technician is giving, and that's the best it gets.  They will never ask the necessary questions.  They, themselves, will never understand the reason why.  And they will come to accept the care without fully understanding what the true outcome will be.  And they will continue to go to the technician, and it never gets any better.  Neither their condition, nor the situation they are dealing with.  What's worse is they will become 100 % dependent on the technician to maintain their situation or circumstance.  Yet this will create security within the technician.  Which is a good thing for the technician's survival.  After all, hasn't society created the need for security, along with the expectation of obsolescence?  Pay for the cheaper version now, after all it will probably become obsolete very soon and you'll need a new one later anyway.  But is that true for your health?  Is that the right attitude you want for your health?  Do you want to take that attitude and apply it to your most important asset?  Appreciate that this can be applied to any discipline, from mechanic vs. Master Mechanic, cook vs. Master Chef, salesmen vs. Master of Sales, technical plumber vs. Master Plumber, etc.  Is this the choice you would make under ideal circumstances for your health? 

A Master, on the other hand, understands the reasons behind everything that is being done.  A Master can see the big picture, or at least has an understanding of the big picture.  A Master expects certain outcomes, because the Master understands the process of cause and effect.  A Master begins with the origin and creates something new as an outcome.  A Master works with natural laws and understands the ramifications of choosing a particular path or course of action.  A Master will be able to explain the reasoning behind why they are doing what they are doing in simple terms.  A Master will be able to help the person see and feel the outcome before the outcome occurs.  A Master will take the time to demonstrate why a particular solution to a problem will yield specific results.  A Master will be able to duplicate the understanding within the person receiving the service.  A Master will be able to support the situation from every angle.  A Master will truly create another Master.  They will do this by giving the understanding necessary to allow the person to take full responsibility for their own situation.  They will return ownership to the rightful owner.  There will be no dependence sponsored. 

So when it comes to your health, what do you choose?  Do you choose a technician who goes through the motions?  Do you choose that because that is what you feel you deserve?  Do you do that because you never thought better, or have simply become conditioned to expecting and accepting less?  Please don't do that to yourself.  You deserve better.  Better choices, better understanding and most of all, BETTER OUTCOMES!   You deserve to Be a Master!

My Offer To You

If you are currently a practice member and have been accepting less than ideal outcomes, I want you to come to me and discuss what we need to do to get you the better understanding necessary so you can become a Master of your own health situation. I want to sit down with you and come up with a plan that you can implement to change your current level of health and function to better suit your ideal vision of what your health and life could be.  I don't want you to accept a life of less than ideal.  I want you to have radiant health, ideal function and abundance of energy based in the understanding necessary to sponsor and maintain such an outcome.  I truly want to help you transform your health and your life.  Do you feel you deserve that?  Could you get excited about that?  Will you allow yourself that?  All you need to do is call the office and tell us to schedule you for the Master Check.  We will take the time to address anything that is less then ideal related to your health and help you to understand what can be done to change your health outcomes.  If you feel you deserve better, you will call the Office right NOW!  (845)561-BACK (2225)  Tell us to put you in for the Master Check!  This $100.00 consultation will be given to you for FREE through the 20th of July.  So you must act fast.  That's only 4 weeks from today.  So call and schedule yourself for the Master Check and do it NOW!

If you are not currently a practice member and want to become a Master of your own health, I offer you the same opportunity.  Call the Office and register to come into one of my FREE Health Care Classes, held every Tuesday evenings at 6:30 pm in my office in Newburgh.  You simply have to call the Office at (845)561-BACK (2225) and tell us you want to come to a Free Health Care Class for you Master Check.  You want to become a Master because you deserve to be healthy.  In the class I will teach you how to take you first few steps toward Health Mastery.  But you have to call and register for this class, because class seating is limited.  So call (845)561-BACK (2225) today and begin your road to Health Mastery!