Vaccination is a four-letter word these days. I am an alternative health care practitioner, a doctor of Chiropractic who runs a holistic nutrition center in Atlanta, Georgia. For someone like me, discussing the subject of vaccinations can be a no-win situation. For many in my line of work, being against vaccinations comes along with the territory. My profession, holistic health care, has a skepticism of the mainstream health care system, which is often not misplaced. But right now, if I were to state any misgivings at all about a particular vaccination or ask for more transparency, I risk the label of “anti-vaxxer” and “crazy.” On the other hand, someone who fully vaccinates their kids become the “enemy” and supports the “evil empire.”
There are many things that modern medicine has right. The technology of imaging, diagnosis of disease processes, and correction of damaged body parts with surgical procedures and emergency medicine are second to none. However, some very pointed weaknesses exist in the medical system. Being in the field of alternatives, I am very often able to supply some of the pieces that our healthcare system is missing, especially regarding chronic health conditions. I utilize safe and straightforward solutions to a variety of health concerns often overlooked in many medical settings.
Despite the weaknesses and strengths of medicine, I do not think that a conversation about vaccinations should be a forum for name-calling and abuse. We are about as divided on vaccinations as we are on politics and unable to speak about either safely.
What’s Wrong with Medicine
Our current healthcare system is very much in partnership with pharmaceutical companies and large corporate structures that were created to make a lot of money. Many of these companies have failed the trust we placed in them and in the medical system they serve. The doctor-patient relationship is, for me, a sacred honor. Patients rely on me to help them in some of the most challenging times of their lives, and I need them to be honest with me so I can give them the best possible advice. In conventional medicine, there is this same requirement. There must be trust for patients to be helped, but in many cases, this trust is violated.
The public is losing its trust in medicine as a whole. The perception that the medical model is driven by profit and not by the patient’s needs or health concerns is becoming more apparent. When you see the inflated prices of a hospital stay and what the hospital charges the insurance company for aspirin, it is hard to remain idealistic in the face of sheer insane overcharging. In our current healthcare system, a third party often makes the decisions, not the patient and the doctor. Prescription drug prices are skyrocketing, and patients don’t always believe that the procedures recommended are in their best interest. Patients may be treated as a number, and patient care suffers in the face of corporate profit.
Distrust
Added to this distrust are the racial bias, fraud, and medical malpractice perpetrated on minorities. Medicine has a checkered history to overcome. Examples: the infamous Tuskeegee study where doctors let black men die of syphilis, and the case of Henrietta Lacks, a poor African-American woman whose cancer cells were used for decades without her permission.
I see many minorities in my practice. Often I am the only healthcare provider they will agree to see because of deep distrust in the “system.” This year alone, I have referred at least three patients in some stage of kidney failure, a breast cancer patient, and numerous others who needed medical intervention for severe diabetes or unmanaged blood pressure—but who were afraid to seek medical care. In many cases, they would not have gone but for their trust in me as their doctor. Because they trusted me, they were able to receive the medical intervention needed that they had been afraid to seek because of distrust of the system.
Vaccinations, like any health care, must be safe, effective and above all, trusted. Polls done this past May showed only about 50% of Americans are willing to get a coronavirus vaccine. Right now, especially now, there is distrust in government and the science that that government represents in the form of public health initiatives.
False Information
Possibly because of this distrust, we’re experiencing an explosion of “at home experts.” These are people who mistake their internet “research” for the professional opinions and advice of the actual experts who spend their lives studying and perfecting their art and science.
The internet and social media are a constant source of misinformation and outright lies, and many people can’t tell the difference. Confirmation bias is the tendency to interpret new evidence as confirmation of one’s existing beliefs or theories. In many cases, people only see and recall proof that supports their ideas. For example, if one believes that vaccinations are harmful, one only searches for this type of data and for studies that back up their beliefs on the subject. The more one finds people and articles that confirm this belief, the more that belief is bolstered and strengthened. People tend to ignore information that contradicts their existing beliefs.
It’s embarrassing to be wrong. If you have believed in a flat earth or a cheesy moon for your whole life, it’s going to be hard to admit to being wrong on these subjects, especially if those around you still believe it. Often, it is how we grew up, where we went to school, or in what church we had our upbringing; but by the time we reach our 20’s our world views have been formed and are difficult to change. I see this in friends I grew up with who never moved outside their small towns and belief systems. I also see it in health associates I went to school with, who were indoctrinated in a particular philosophical belief system. We are all the sum products of our nature and our nurture.
Looking At Both Sides
Opinions of vaccinations are subject to a person’s previous experiences as well. What you think about vaccinations and whether or not your kids are vaccinated probably has everything to do with what your education was on the subject and what your closest friends and family thought. You probably already have an opinion—perhaps a really strong one. I want to suggest a little experiment: whatever your belief, find and study ideas and content that is in direct disagreement with what you hold to be true.
When I was young, I came to realize that if something was true, I could examine it. If it still turned out to be true for me, then I’d consider it actually to be true. Do not be afraid to look and examine and ask questions and doubt. If your eyes are blue, you can examine it up and down, and no matter what you do or who you talk to, your eyes will still be blue.
With a belief, though, you do have to be brave. Your eyes being blue is different from a belief. Beliefs are, by their very definition, changeable. Be brave and be humble and be willing to examine information that is different from your previous experiences. Be willing to be wrong.
Do Your Research
If you think all vaccinations are safe, go to the CDC and read the ingredients and the side effects of childhood vaccinations. If you feel all vaccinations are harmful, read the efficacy rates and the rates of immunity for a particular immunization. Read how polio and smallpox affected our world when they ran rampant and what happened after we developed vaccinations for these diseases.
To counter confirmation bias, you need to study and read ideas and content that disagree with your stated belief. But you would have to have your mind open to learning and to possibly seeing something new. I don’t want to convince you one way or the other. Instead, I’m offering the possibility of broadening your experience.
The source of the material you read to get your information is essential. Reputable sources that use real science are the best places to get information. Personal experience and stories are just that—someone’s experience. They don’t add up to everyone’s experience and can’t always be extrapolated out to the population at large.
Public Health Needs Public Relations
I lay the responsibility for demonstrating and proving vaccination safety at the feet of our public health servants and other scientists. It is these professionals who should be safeguarding the public regarding pandemics and epidemics as well as vaccination safety. Certainly, these health officials desperately need a reputation makeover to handle the distrust that much of the public feels for their public health institutions—and vaccinations specifically.
A definition of public health is the science and art of preventing disease, prolonging life, and promoting health through the organized efforts and informed choices of society, organizations, public and private communities, and individuals. Public health is achieved by promoting healthy lifestyles, researching disease and injury prevention, and detecting, preventing, and responding to infectious diseases. So much of our lives benefit from public health initiatives like hand washing and hygiene, seat belts, and safe water, to name a few.
Vaccinations are part of public health, supposed to prevent disease and sickness. If someone believes that vaccinations will kill or damage themselves or their families, they won’t get vaccinated.
Lies, Truths, and Science
Winston Churchill said, “A lie gets halfway around the world before the truth has a chance to get its pants on. “ This certainly describes vaccinations. Mixed in with the lies are half-truths and urban legends, often creating confusion and misunderstandings. Churchill also said, “People always find lies more exciting and thrilling than the truth. Lies are like a virus that spreads easily around and contaminates the truth, making it impossible for people to separate actual facts from malicious rumors.”
Science is something one can see and can experience. Vaccination science is real science. In a fantastic turn of events, we humans can inoculate our bodies with a substance and create an immunity that is long-lasting and, in some cases, life-long. It’s a miracle and a fascinating story. My opinion is that public health advances in our world have been nothing short of miraculous, and to “throw the baby out with the bathwater” as many have advocated in regards to vaccinations rings particularly hollow.
In any application of medicine and with any drug, and especially vaccinations, we must demand transparency and safety. We must require this to improve our world with more and better science, not negating progress made and especially not lumping all vaccinations and scientists into a group intent upon harming the population. There is a real concern for the state of our healthcare. We have a “sick care” system, not a “well care” system, and that needs to change for all of us. We can do better than this. But do we want to go backward to a time when we had no vaccinations and no control over some pretty nasty diseases? To a time when our grandparents feared polio and smallpox? We are privileged not to have these fears and not to lose our loved ones to these incurable diseases.
We will have a vaccination soon for Covid-19. What will you do? How will we know if it’s safe? There is a lot to cover regarding vaccinations. I can’t possibly address all the pros or the cons right here. This is a post to encourage dialogue and discourse. If you cannot see how anyone could distrust vaccinations, read a book by Dr. Sears or talk to someone who has these beliefs—and really listen.
There are many organizations dedicated to educating people on the efficacy of vaccinations. If you think vaccinations are the devil’s work, find a doctor you respect and see why they think the way they think. You may find some interesting information from your asking. Be willing to learn and, at the very least, be ready to see another’s point of view.
There are rigid and structured steps to developing vaccinations. Nothing should be skipped, and one’s observational skills should be employed when examining data and evidence for or against vaccinations.
We have a lot of coming together to accomplish in this area, and I can only hope for more data and fewer lies and innuendo from both sides of the immunization issue. This could make a real difference in all our lives moving forward.
Find Out More
Here is a free booklet with the story of how I developed my techniques and how those techniques work (practical information that shows how your body works and how to start recovering your health for the rest of your life).
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Here you are in the chaos created by a pandemic added to the chaos of the year 2020. But in the middle of this confusion and stress, your body has real heroes: your adrenal glands!
They are your body’s guardian angels, and I want you to understand them because they are the difference between health and vitality, and disease and exhaustion.
In our more primitive incarnations as humans, the “fight or flight” syndrome was over very quickly. We would either run from the threat or stand and fight, and the body’s stress response would be completed. Today the stress we are under is often persistent and never-ending. It overpowers our thoughts and our day-to-day lives, creating scenarios our ancestors could never have imagined. Your body was not designed to handle a 24/7 stress load. When you don’t have a chance to recover, you can go down the spiral of ill health very quickly.
The Anatomy of Stress
I remember how fascinated I was when I first read about the stages of stress and how the body fatigues. Now, I want to help you to see how your adrenal glands are working for you every minute of every day to keep you healthy. They compensate for our stress, for our terrible diets, for our busy lives.
Hans Selye, MD PhD (1907-1982) was a Hungarian endocrinologist who is often called the “Father of Stress.” He called his theory of what we now call “stress” the General Adaptation Syndrome, or GAS.
According to Selye, a stress is an “occurrence that could threaten the wellbeing or survival of an organism.” Here’s what Dr. Selye said:
“Every stress leaves an indelible scar, and the organism pays for its survival after a stressful situation by becoming a little older.”
We can only imagine how old we become after so many stresses that start so young for some of us!
Selye describes the stress response by using three stages of fatigue: alarm, resistance, and exhaustion.
What Stress Stage Are You?
Alarm: When your body is in a healthy state, with fully-functioning adrenal glands, it marshalls all of its resources effectively to handle stress. This is amazingly effective when the stress is temporary but becomes a problem if the stress goes on too long.
Resistance: With long-term stress, the body calls on other resources from the nervous system, trying to return itself to normal. Meanwhile, it must handle the continuing stress, so it never gets any rest at all. Soon, hormone levels are lessening, and fatigue and exhaustion begin to set in. Your amazing body is working to stay functional despite the ongoing stress, but it’s growing weary.
Exhaustion: Your body can’t keep up a “code red” condition for months and years. The constant output of hormones exhausts your body’s resources and organs, and you become susceptible to illness, or even death. Exhaustion is the stage when I start to see most of my patients.
Symptoms of Adrenal Exhaustion
Here are some clues for you to see how close to exhaustion your body may be:
Sweet and carbohydrate cravings
Increased fatigue especially in the afternoon
Weight gain
Increased difficulty handling stress
Anxiousness
Mood swings
Memory problems
Sleep issues
High blood pressure
Heartburn
Yeast infections
PMS
Infertility
Decreased Libido
Hypoglycemia
Impaired immune function
Inflammation
As you age, and your stress continues, and your body strives to keep up. Suddenly, your blood pressure is higher when it’s always been low; your lipid levels and sugar levels are high when they were always normal in the past. As women age and stress continues, heart disease becomes a genuine risk. When you are young, you can push through almost anything you encounter. As your stress increases with work and family and children, however, those days and years add up. Your resistance is reduced, and illness and disease can set in.
You can start to feel very old, very quickly.
Adrenals and Menopause
In addition to managing stress, the adrenals manufacture and secrete steroid hormones such as estrogen, testosterone, and cortisol. All your female hormones are necessary for health and wellness, and after menopause, the adrenals single-handedly create the bulk of these hormones all by themselves! If the adrenals have reached a severe level of fatigue by the time you are in your 40s, as they have for many women, you are in for a long, hard road ahead.
Adrenal Recovery is Possible
Over the past 27 years, I’ve helped many thousands of patients who have recovered their adrenal function. Here’s a summary of how this can happen:
A patient comes in with many symptoms listed above, often in addition to other problems.
Labs show the condition of the adrenals, so we’re starting with a known measure of exhaustion.
Lifestyle and diet are crucial components of any effective program for recovery.
Exact, tested supplementation can reduce stress on the adrenals and supply nutrients to help the body rebuild the damage.
Targeted acupressure treatments reduce specific stresses from allergies, toxins, and hormone imbalances.
Follow-up labs and reduced or eliminated symptoms show real, stable improvement.
I wanted to write to you and address some effective strategies that we all can take to improve the immune systems of our families and ourselves. There are many effective and surprising ways to boost your immune system against viruses and other immune system threats. It is understandable to be concerned about keeping your immune system strong in the face of the coming season of colds and flu and the news stories of the Ebola epidemic in Africa facing us every day. What I have found to be true is that there are sources that exist in our environments that feed our fears. Mindfully choose to avoid these sources and use your own common sense despite what is being said and beamed out to us continually by countless media outlets. Flu season is upon us and in addition we now have the Ebola epidemic not only “a world away” but in our own borders. The way I see it is that we have a couple choices. We can panic and cease to use our reasoning capabilities or we can look at the true risks and make decisions based on facts, not innuendo or hearsay. There are basic public health and hygienic principles to follow that would serve us all well if we would do them ourselves and get others to do them too. We hear the reports daily and all the information and disinformation can be very confusing and sometimes disturbing. I wanted to find some positive and fun ways to keep that immune system strong and your spirits high. I also have some amazing products to introduce that will support your body and help to keep your immune system strong. The following list has been shown, by study in many cases, to improve your immune system. I challenge you to find several of them and introduce them into your daily life.
Keep a Positive Attitude
Laughter is the best medicine! Laughter can strengthen your immune system and boost your energy. The best part is that laughter is fun and FREE! Laughter relaxes you and can decrease stress hormones, which will increase your infection fighting abilities and therefore your resistance to disease. Turn off the news! Watch a funny movie, play with your pet or your child and do something fun or silly and laugh!
Have sex! According to Yvonne K. Fulbright PhD a sexual health expert, people who have sex have higher levels of those defenses that protect your body against viruses and other invaders. Of course use a condom if you don’t know the STD status of your partner but take that time for you and that someone you love and just let go for a little bit. Reducing stress allows your body’s immune system to function better and more reliably. Studies show that regular sex lowers blood pressure, and keeps hormone levels in balance. A good sex life can be good for your heart. In one study, men who had sex at least twice weekly were half as likely to die of heart disease as men who had sex rarely. Sex, it does a body and an immune system good.
Keep a positive attitude. Sometimes it is easy to worry. Benjamin Franklin said, “Do not anticipate trouble, or worry about what may never happen. Keep in the sunlight.” We only feed the dark side of life when we worry. Savor the things that bring you joy. Seek them out and revel in them. That joy, that laughter, that positive outlook keep those stress hormones low and our protective mechanisms high. Look for the positive in life and work to not dwell on the negative. There is more than enough of that to go around. It really is true that your cup can be either half-empty or half full. It is all in how you choose to look at it.
Natural Immune System Boosters
And speaking of sunlight, go out in the sun. It has been shown that just 20 minutes of summer sun without sunscreen can make 20,000 units of vitamin D for our bodies. That’s 100 times the RDA of Vitamin D. Vitamin D is ESSENTIAL for good immunity. A German study found that vitamin D increases your immune function by a factor of 3-5 and it helps your body to produce over 200 antimicrobial peptides. These peptides help fight all kinds of infections. Vitamin D is also one of nature’s most effect cancer fighters. Do you know your Vitamin D serum Level? 25(OH)D or 25-Hydroxyvitamin D is the better overall D status and the best marker for overall health. To help a body that has cancer or heart disease the recommendation is to keep your vitamin D levels between 70-100ng/ml and optimal is 50-70ng/ml. Your best defense against any intruding disease process is a healthy strong immune system. Getting vitamin D from sun exposure is the best way to get your “sunshine vitamin.” We can test you for vitamin D and help you supplement where necessary to optimize your immunity. Getting your vitamin D levels into optimal range is one of the MOST IMPORTANT and easy things you can do to improve your immune system. Call us (770-937-9200) or ask about it at your next appointment!
Get some good and restful ZZZZZZZZs. Yes, lack of sleep can and does affect immunity. Studies show that people who don’t get enough sleep are more likely to get sick. After exposure to a virus, like a cold virus or flu virus, lack of sleep can cause people to be more likely to contract the illness. Sleep restriction and sleep deprivation can decrease white blood cells, which make us more open to infection. Sleep loss can decrease our body’s antibodies, which are our natural defenses against infections and illnesses. Long-term sleep deprivation can also leave you at an increased risk for obesity, diabetes and heart disease. Most adults need 7-8 hours of sleep. Teens may need 9-10 hours and younger children may need 10 or more hours of sleep. Go to bed ideally between 10-11 and sleep 7-8 hours. Get good restful sleep and keep that immune system in top form.
Eat some delicious whole foods. Enjoy a wide range of colorful fruits and vegetables. Oranges, green peppers, broccoli, strawberries, carrots, squash, kale, melons. The bounty of the garden can give you a very healthy dose of antioxidants. These substances help to protect your cells from free radicals that can damage cell structure. Just dropping the soft drinks and junk food in favor of a healthy salad or gently cooked veggies can be a treat to a stressed immune system. What we eat determines our body’s ability to respond to the stresses around us. Make sure you are getting the nutrients your immune system needs for optimal health. Vitamins A, C, E, zinc, selenium and magnesium are essential for good health. Whole fruits and vegetables are full of these nutrients.
Take your “good bacteria”. Probiotics can boost immune system health via your gut’s mucosal immune system. Most people do not realize that 80% of your immunity is in your gut. A strong immune system is the best prevention against ALL disease and infection. Probiotics help the body produce antibodies to pathogens. Without good digestive system bacteria your body does not absorb nutrients well. Probiotics help your body produce both vitamin K and B and aid in the breakdown of foreign toxins. Probiotics are an essential part of your body’s immunity. Not all probiotics are created equal. You want a probiotic that is acid safe and can survive the stomach acid and reach the small intestine. Ideally, there would be no need for refrigeration. Cultured and fermented foods like yogurt, some cheeses and sauerkraut can be good sources of good bacteria. See the list below for a good preventative probiotic. Ask at your next visit about probiotics or call us with any questions.
There are many possibilities out there and many scenarios can occur. The best defense against any pathogen is a strong immune system. In addition to the above suggestions, follow good hygiene and wash your hands frequently. If you or another are sick, stay home if you are contagious. Stay observant and keep your head and your wits about you. Eat well, sleep well and surround yourself with people and activities that you love and that bring you joy. Make your day count everyday and help someone else as part of it. Do the important things and let the other things work themselves out. Be well and live healthy!
Great News! We have “Immune System Booster Bags”!
We will have the following supplements available at the office in “immune system booster bags”. You can purchase them for yourselves and for your families. Please understand that these products in no way treat Ebola or any other virus. They merely assist your body and immune system in being healthy. Please follow all CDC guidelines for prevention and treatment of Ebola.
Healthy Immune System is Key
Note from DesBio:DesBio has not developed protocols or products for either Ebola or enterovirus, nor do we intend to do so. We recommend that our doctors and their patients follow CDC guidelines for prevention and treatment of Ebola and enterovirus. With any illness, keeping your immune system healthy is essential in supporting resilience against infection. Here is a list of supplements, homeopathics and herbals to help keep your immune system healthy:
Smart Silver Liquid
Provides preventative support
2 tsp orally twice daily
Smart Silver Gel
Use in high-contact areas to limit transmission
Apply frequently to hands and dab in nostrils
Vitamin C Liposomal
Adequate nutrition, especially Vitamin C, has been linked to improved ability to handle infection
1/2 tsp daily
Immune Support
General homeopathic for immune support
10 drops 3x daily
Virus Plus
A combination of virus nosodes to support the immune system when fighting a viral infection
10 drops 3x daily
Flora Synergy
A nutritional supplement designed to support healthy intestinal and immune function
Liquid Vit D with Vitamin K
A unique, highly concentrated tasty liquid that provides vitamin D3, vitamin K2 plus vitamin E, beta glucan, turmeric, L-carnatine, calcium and magnesium. It includes liver and kidney support.
Echinacea Premium
Assists the body’s immune response in a number of ways. One of the most important is the nonspecific immune response; particularly white blood cells helping with phagocytosis. Phagocytosis is a process involving certain white blood cells that engulf and digest foreign particles or cells that might challenge the body. (The response is nonspecific because the body launches this broad attack against particles of all kinds. It is not specific to just one particle.) A practical effect is that top quality Echinacea root helps the immune response following stress or sudden changes in weather.
Patients who experience flu-like symptoms should consult their primary care physician or, if there is any chance that they may have been exposed to the Ebola virus go to the nearest hospital emergency room. Comments are welcome! If you have questions, please call the clinic at 770-937-9200. We are happy to talk to you.
How Your Spouse’s Blood Sugar can be Dangerous to YOUR Health
Do you avoid certain people if you know they haven’t eaten in a while? Or is someone avoiding you?
If your brain and nervous system are like a light bulb, the electric cord supplying power to the bulb is your blood sugar. Any reduction creates a nervous system and brain “brown-out” with severe consequences.
Your body’s ability to maintain the correct level of sugar in your bloodstream is a vital part of keeping your body healthy and functional. I’m not talking about diabetes, which is a whole different blood sugar problem. This problem is mainly from adrenal issues, not the pancreas!
Symptoms of Blood Sugar Imbalance
Even though the cartoon makes light of this issue, this can become a serious situation if not handled. Perhaps you or someone you know is dealing with someone who…
“Flies off the handle” at almost anything—when they’re hungry?
Can’t wake up in the mornings… wanders around in a fog for half an hour?
Can’t get to sleep at night, or wakes and can’t get back to sleep?
Loses all their energy at 3:00 PM and struggles to stay alert or even awake until after dinner?
Gets anxious, lightheaded and shaky if they get hungry, or even randomly whether hungry or not?
Eats “like a horse” and is hungry right afterwards. These people will eat three snacks in a row from 9:00PM to bedtime?
Getting between this person and sugar could be hazardous to your health?
Just generally “feels like crap” so much of the time that it has become the new normal?
Gets randomly dizzy?
Has periods of behavior that are just… well, psychotic?
Complains about their memory and is suffering with an inability to remember important and even simple things?
Each of the above problems can originate from a blood sugar problem. Maintaining a controlled blood sugar level is imperative for your optimal health. Even if you have not been diagnosed with having diabetes, blood sugar levels that are consistently unbalanced can have detrimental effects on your body. For more details on the effects watch this video: Sugar In Your Diet–What it really does to your body
Imbalances in sugar can lead to loss in energy, changes in metabolism, weight gain and even diabetes. This is why it is important to be aware of signs that your blood sugar levels are not staying level.
Fixing the Blood Sugar Imbalance
What can you do to keep your blood sugar balanced? The answer depends entirely on what is causing the problem, how long it’s been happening and what other contributing issues may be happening at the same time. SO: The first step to handle blood sugar would be to get tested to find the answer to these problems. Once we have the causes and areas of stress underlying the problem, a program (or just some simple diet and lifestyle actions) can be designed to support your body and help it heal.
To get tested and find out what’s causing your problem, call us at 770.937.9200 and make an appointment for an initial evaluation.
OR…
You can do our Blood Sugar Program for less than $250 complete, which includes the testing as a part of the program!
What Does the 10-Day Blood Sugar Program Entail?
Autonomic Response Evaluation of your body’s most stressed areas to determine the causes of your problems.
Professional consultation and interpretation of your test results and recommendations.
10-Day supply of supplements and dietary guidelines.
SP Complete: Whole Food supplement shake that includes amino acids, essential fatty acids, vegetable concentrates, and powerful antioxidant protection to support the entire range of body systems.
SP Cleanse: Combines 20 unique whole food and botanical ingredients designed to support the body’s normal toxin removal process.
Diaplex: Encourages healthy blood sugar levels and supports healthy function of the pancreas when combined with a balanced diet.
Gymnema: An herbal product that helps maintain healthy blood sugar levels when combined with a balanced diet.
Professional guidance from caring practitioners.
So What Could Happen By Doing the Program?
Weight loss
Better sleep
Less cravings
More energy, less fatigue
More balanced cholesterol
Healthier blood sugar levels (if the person has diagnosed blood sugar problems)
And more!
What You Can Do Next
If you want to find out if this program is right for you or for a friend of yours, call the office and talk to Tamiko. 770-937-9200.
I just read some pretty startling news regarding breast cancer, and it’s not good. As a health professional and a woman, I am very concerned about the health issues facing us regarding breast health and breast cancer. I have been touched by this illness personally, as many of you have, too.
When I first opened my practice almost 20 years ago, breast cancer diagnosis was relatively rare. Now the American Cancer Society estimates that almost 233,000 new cases of invasive breast cancer will be diagnosed in women and of those women, 40,000 will die. That is, 1 in 8 women will develop invasive breast cancer in her lifetime. Here are some more statistics
1 out of 8 of these invasive breast cancers will be found in women younger than 45 and about
2 out of 3 invasive breast cancers are found in women age 55 or older.
The incidence of breast cancer in the U.S. rose 24% between 1973 and 1991.
Breast cancer is the second leading cause of cancer death in women, exceeded only by lung cancer.
A woman in 1940 had a 1 in 20 chance of contracting breast cancer. Now our risk is 1 in 8.
I don’t know about you but that is pretty scary information to me. Watch the video below to see how you can reduce your risk of ever getting breast cancer in the first place.
Are You Smart Enough? NO? You May Need More Omega 3’s.
Article at a glance:
Definition of fatty acids: The building blocks of the fat in our bodies and in the food we eat. During digestion, the body breaks down fats into fatty acids, which can then be absorbed into the blood.
The brain, eyes and heart need the poly-unsaturated Omega 3 fatty acids. It’s essential that we eat them.
Two of the Omega 3’s, EPA and DHA, are so vital to the functioning of the brain, that if it has a shortage it will rob these fats from wherever it can to the detriment of the rest of the body.
There are only two things known to leach EPA and DHA fatty acids from the brain: alcohol and a fetus. For a fetus’s brain to grow it needs EPA and DHA, especially in the last trimester. If the mom isn’t eating enough Omega 3, the fetus will take it from the mom’s brain. Many pregnant women suffer from memory loss (of foggy brain) and depression–two symptoms of not having enough Omega 3.
It’s important to have the right balance of Omega 3 and Omega 6. Most Americans eat 20 times more Omega 6 than Omega 3 (20:1). You should be eating NO MORE than two times the amount of Omega 6 as you do Omega 3 (2:1).
The source of one of the most fundamental ways the body manages itself DOES NOT come from a particular gland or the brain, but from the food we eat. Omega 3 and Omega 6 fatty acids produce substances called prostaglandins. Prostaglandins help micro-manage the body, especially in an emergency such as getting injured.
Omega 6 prostaglandins create inflammation which is important to protect the body when injured. Omega 3 prostaglandins reduce the inflammation as the body heals itself.
A good fat can become bad for you if the ratios are unbalanced.
Fat Superheroes
The brain, eyes and heart need Omega 3 fats. It’s essential that we eat them.
Two Omega 3 fatty acids, EPA and DHA, are very alive, vibrating and electric – and very concentrated in the areas of the body where things need to happen fast: like the brain with all the neurons firing off, the eyes where images need to be made in a split second and the heart where we need to keep it beating in a regular rhythm.
Fat is key to making things happen fast. Exactly the opposite of what we have been taught! Based on what you’ve been told about fat, you’d think that if we had fat in our brains it would be slowing things down, not be key to speeding things up.
EPA and DHA are so vital to the functioning of the brain, that if it has a shortage it will rob these fats from wherever it can to the detriment of the rest of the body. There are only two things known to leach these fatty acids from the brain: alcohol and a fetus.
In the third trimester of pregnancy, a fetus’ brain doubles in size. It needs EPA and DHA to help make that happen. So if mom isn’t getting enough EPA and DHA, the baby will take it from the mom’s brain.
So once you start leaching EPA and DHA from the brain, brain functions start to be affected like mood, memory, learning abilities. Two traits associated with alcoholism and pregnancies are memory and depression/postpartum depression.
Our Superheroes: Prostaglandins
The source of one of the most fundamental ways the body manages itself DOES NOT come from a particular gland or the brain, but from the food we eat.
The body takes fatty acids from the Omega 6 and Omega 3 and transforms them into powerful substances called prostaglandins. They have an enormous impact on our body.
To understand how these powerful prostaglandins impact our bodies, we need to first take a step back and learn how our body manages itself. We have all this stuff inside: cells, blood, organs, tissue, etc. All of this needs to be managed and regulated; communication needs to happen between the systems. The body does that in two ways:
The nervous system through short fast electrical impulses sent through the nerves.
The hormone system through chemical hormones in the blood stream and body fluids.
We have hormones to manage just about everything. The basic mechanism behind this is that a hormone gets secreted by a gland and circulates around in the blood to communicate to various cells and orchestrate a particular task.
Prostaglandins, on the other hand, are micro-managers, and tasks that need to occur quickly are handled by them. Prostaglandins are used in every tissue cell and organ in the body to regulate and control, even down to the cellular level, like moving calcium in and out of the cells. They have so much responsibility that scientists are still uncovering their functions, to the point where they are now referring to fat as an endocrine (hormone) gland.
Prostaglandins are particularly useful in emergencies where the body needs something to happen fast and it doesn’t have time to wait for a hormone to be circulated around in the blood. For example, if you get injured. The body will take the fatty acids in the tissue that was affected and create prostaglandins and quickly provide inflammation to isolate the injury. Prostaglandins are very much like hormones in the way that they regulate and control cells.
So think about how incredible that is. All the body requires is that we get a good balance of Omega 3 and Omega 6 coming in so that it can use the prostaglandins to fine-tune the work that needs to be done.
If you have too much Omega 6 coming in the “helpful” inflammation can get out of control. Because it is the Omega 6 fatty acids that are responsible for providing the inflammation, and the Omega 3 that brings the inflammation down.
Most Americans are getting a 20:1 ratio of Omega 6 to Omega 3. So inflammation is rising in the body and all the inflammatory conditions are happening: joint pain, asthma, arthritis, etc. We should be getting no more than a 2:1 ratio of Omega 6 to Omega 3.
It is important to make sure that all the fatty acids you eat are in good balance. This is one of the reasons a good fat goes bad—too much of one and not enough of another.
In my next article I’ll talk more about why we get more Omega 6 than Omega 3 and other reasons good fats go bad…Stay tuned! In the meantime, check out this article on getting more Omega 3 into your diet:
If you are curious about what the Poly Unsaturated Fatty Acids are made up of…
Omega 3 Parent is …
Omega 6 Parent is …
Alpha Linolenic Acid (ALA for short)
ALA can be transformed into…
EPA (Eicosapentaenoic acid) and
EPA can be transformed into…
DHA (Docosahexaenoic acid)
Linoleic Acid (LA for short)
LA can be transformed into…
GLA (Gamma-linolenic acid) and
GLA can be transformed into…
AA (Arachidonic acid)
Essential Fatty Acids (the stuff you need to eat be because your body can’t make it)
From the chart above, you can see that if you have the parent fat, then the rest of the family of fats can be made. Our bodies can’t make the parents (ALA and LA) so they are called essential fatty acids (EFA). Whenever the body can’t make something it is referred to as essential and so we must get it in the food we eat. If you aren’t eating Omega 3 and Omega 6, you don’t have it available in your body and your body isn’t making the other fatty acids in the family. Good sources for these EFA’s are:
Omega 6
Omega 3
Vegetables and seeds (LA)
Flax (ALA)
Evening Primrose Oil (GLA)
Cold water fish, like salmon, herring and mackerel (EPA and DHA)
This video explains in greater detail how the fetus uses the EPA and DHA from the brain.
