February 2009 PDF

High blood pressure is not a life sentence
Get off those deadly pills and learn to control your blood pressure with safe, effective cures.

If you’ve ever been diagnosed with high blood pressure, I bet your doctor had his prescription pad out faster than a gunfighter drawing his pistol.

And here’s the reason—most docs don’t want to spend the time it would take to learn what’s causing your hypertension. I’m not kidding—mainstream medicine claims that over 90 percent of all cases of high blood pressure are “essential,” which is a bizarre medical term for “we don’t know the cause.”

In my experience, it’s not that doctors don’t know or can’t find out—it’s that finding out will take more time and effort than they’re willing to spend.

So doctors are literally trained to throw up their hands and put you on a drug for the rest of your life (as if your blood pressure problem is due to some sort of drug deficiency). In fact, they’ll put you on…

Drugs so terrible you wouldn’t wish them on your enemies!

Docs will usually start you off with a cheap first-line drug called hyrdochlorothiazide (HCTZ). HCTZ is a water pill that helps your body absorb less salt. But that’s not all it does—is can cause dry mouth, fatigue, irregular heartbeat, nausea, stomach pain, clay-colored stools and dark urine, to name a few. And get this—HCTZ actually hastens the onset of diabetes, probably because is depletes your body of magnesium.

But even if you try to avoid the prescription pill carousel, you might find that some of the most popular recommendations for lowering blood pressure aren’t all that effective either.

Why most blood pressure advice isn’t worth its salt

I remember one patient, Tom, who was 52 years old and in reasonably good shape, except for his high blood pressure. He didn’t want to take HCTZ, so, like a lot of people, he tried to get his blood pressure under control by lowering salt.

Lowering your salt intake isn’t a bad idea—but don’t expect it to be the silver bullet that lowers your blood pressure. Recent research tells us that only about 20 percent of the population is salt sensitive, where salt would have a significant impact on their blood pressure. So unless you’re consuming loads of processed foods and making heavy use of a salt shaker, reducing salt is unlikely to fix the problem.

But, somehow, cutting salt consumption remains the number-one recommendation doctors dole out for people with high blood pressure—even though, in all likelihood, it won’t change a thing! My recommendation—keep your salt consumption to about 2 grams a day (preferably sea salt), and you should be fine.

If you’ve been told to lose some weight and exercise to lower your blood pressure, that’s pretty good advice. Tom started taking brisk walks with plenty of arm swing 45-60 minutes a day, at least five days a week. He dropped 10 pounds, got into better shape, and did see his blood pressure drop—but still not to a desirable level.

And, really, prescription drugs, exercise and reducing your alcohol and salt consumption are all that mainstream medicine has to offer for lowering blood pressure. It’s no wonder so many people never get their blood pressure under control!

Fortunately, alternative medicine has taken a more thorough and holistic approach to identifying the causes of—and curing—high blood pressure. We’ve got a little more in our toolkits than typical mainstream M.D.’s, and you can use these tools to get hypertension out of your life.

The vitamin deficiency that sends your blood pressure skyrocketing

You’ve heard me talk before about how most Americans are deficient in vitamin D and how this deficiency can unleash a barrage of health problems. High blood pressure is one of them.

One important function of vitamin D is to normalize renin levels. Renin regulates salt and fluid balance, key determinants of blood pressure. If your blood pressure is high and your vitamin D levels are low, getting more vitamin D may help lower your pressure. It may be all you need, as it was for one of my patients, a 66-year-old woman who lowered her blood pressure by taking vitamin D supplements and getting a little more sun during the warm months.

A high renin level of over 0.6 ng/ml (which your doc can determine from a simple blood test) might require vitamin D3 therapy, even if you’re getting enough vitamin D.

If your renin levels are very low, your doc may recommend diuretics and calcium channel blockers, two drug types. But drugs are by no means your only option. In fact, you may even be able to…

Replace prescription drugs with celery!

Celery is a potent diuretic—try a few stalks (4-6 would be a typical daily dose) or a glass of celery juice, and you’ll soon see what I mean. Or you can try celery seed extract in capsule form.

Celery seed has a long history of use in the Indian Ayurvedic tradition for water retention, calming nerves, muscle cramps, arthritis and gout. Nature’s Way, Natural Factors, Swanson and Puritans Pride all offer reliable celery seed products.

Celery seed is not the only natural tool you can use to bring your blood pressure under control. Here are five other natural cures that I’ve used with good results:

• Grape seed extract: This helps relax blood vessels and lower blood pressure. New Chapter offers a remedy called Blood Pressure Take Care that also includes Hawthorn, which has been used for decades in Europe to treat high blood pressure.
  
• Coenzyme Q10: Try 100 to 300 mg daily. CoQ10 also supports an ailing heart and is a must if you happen to be on a cholesterol-lowering “statin” drug like Lipitor, which depletes your CoQ10 levels. Make sure you take a gel cap for optimal absorption.
  
• Garlic: Try the equivalent of one clove a day. Cook with garlic or get it in a supplement from New Chapter, Mediherb, Kyolic, Garlique or Garlicin.
  
• Taurine: This amino acid is used by savvy doctors to treat high blood pressure, heart failure and anxiety. For blood pressure, it helps regulate fluid balance and normalize aldosterone levels, so it may be useful in people with primary hyperaldosteronism (See my sidebar, “The blood pressure problem that most doctors miss”). Take 2—4 grams daily, split into two doses.
  
• Bonito Fish peptide: This is a fish-derived protein that has been used with a lot of success in Japan. It’s available in a product called Vasotensin from Metagenics.

In addition to these supplements, there are plenty of other treatment strategies patients have used with success. In fact, here are three questions I get all the time as people look to make lifestyle changes to improve their blood pressure.

Question #1: Will eating more vegetables really make a difference?

Quite possibly. The magnesium and potassium found in a variety of plant-based foods help relax blood vessels and lower blood pressure. If you’re not getting enough magnesium (which you can find out from a red blood cell magnesium test), eat more nuts and leafy green vegetables, or add a magnesium supplement. Avoid magnesium oxide, which is poorly absorbed and will just cause diarrhea. Instead, use magnesium citrate, orotate, malate, or fumurate: 400—1200 mg daily. Magnesium is a good calmative, so take it in the evening to promote better sleep.

Question #2: Is there such a thing as a “chocolate cure” for high blood pressure?

In a word, yes. Even small amounts of high quality dark chocolate (< 1 oz) have been shown to drop blood pressure by a few points. I don’t recommend dark chocolate as a first-line therapy for blood pressure—it is loaded with calories. Instead, enjoy small amounts a few times a week as part of your overall blood pressure program.

Question #3: How big a role does stress really play in raising blood pressure?

I get this question all the time, because people who think they live low-stress lives will sometimes end up with high blood pressure. On the other hand, people who are constantly stressed may find their blood pressure isn’t a problem.

The truth is, each of us handles stress a bit differently. But, as a rule, stress can have a tremendous effect on your blood pressure. The patient I talked about earlier, Tom, got great results from RESPeRATE (see www.resperate.com), an FDA approved device that directs you to breathe slowly and rhythmically, reducing stress.

I’ve seen other patients get great results through regular yoga that includes deep breathing, called Pranayama. For others, biofeedback may be the answer (see my “Knock anxiety out of your life” article on page 4 for more information on this treatment). Deep breathing training in the Buteyko Method or Yogic tradition also can be effective (search online for training opportunities).

Finally, both acupuncture and various forms of massage can be useful parts of an overall blood pressure management program. They key here is to connect with the therapy that personally appeals to you, then stick with for at least three months.

The blood pressure problem that most doctors miss!

I’ve seen plenty of patients who’ve lost weight, eaten smart and taken a fistful of prescription drugs, only to see their blood pressure stay put. If that sounds like you, ask your doc is you may be suffering from primary hyperaldosteronism.

Primary hyperaldosteronism is something every doctor learns about in medical school— but it’s probably more common than they’re ever told. Researchers now say that as many as 15 percent of people with high blood pressure have primary hyperaldosteronism—much higher than the 1 percent I was taught in med school.

When you have too much aldosterone, a hormone made by your adrenal glands that regulates salt and fluid balance, your high blood pressure may not respond to most drug treatments. A simple blood test that measures both aldosterone and renin is the first step. If levels are high, one cause may be a non-cancerous mass on your adrenals, which forces them to make a lot of aldosterone. A relatively safe surgery can solve the problem.

Or, your adrenal glands may just be enlarged and overactive. If that’s the case, you’re doc may try a drug called spironolactone, although an amino acid supplement called taurine may be useful here.

At any rate, if you have hard-to-treat blood pressure, get tested! I’ve seen three cases of primary hyperaldosteronism myself the last two months!

What is normal blood pressure anyway?

When it comes to blood pressure, many patients wonder how high is too high. The following are simplified national guidelines used by doctors.

Normal: Under 120/85
Borderline: 120/80 to 140/90*
High: Over 140/90

* Most doctors will start a drug around 140/90 or above.

Knock anxiety out of your life
You could be just 10 steps from living the calm, stress-free life you deserve.

In my experience, there are few things that can cripple a person’s well-being like anxiety.
Some worry is normal. But when that worry becomes non-stop…when you can’t keep your mind from wandering from one issue to the next…when you start obsessing over the smallest of issues…you need help.

Left unchecked, anxiety can trap you in a cycle of negativity that can undermine your relationships and your physical health.

People with anxiety disorders may tire easily, have difficulty concentrating, and suffer from restlessness, poor sleep and memory impairment. As many as 40 percent of anxiety sufferers are plagued by other medical conditions, such as irritable bowel syndrome and depression.

A menace affecting millions

If you suffer from anxiety, you’re not alone. Over 13 percent of the population—19 million people—suffer from involuntary, difficult-to-control, irrational thoughts.

And, because anxiety is so quickly missed or dismissed by doctors, the average individual with an anxiety problem ends up consulting 10 medical professionals before getting a correct diagnosis. And then guess what happens?

Most doctors’ “cures” for anxiety are worse than the problem itself!

You see, getting to the root of a person’s anxiety problem is complicated. It can be caused by so many things. Some people with anxiety experience low cortisol and high levels of epinephrine, which keeps them in a state of constant perceived threat. Others may have low levels of the brain chemical serotonin, while still others may have a genetic tendency toward anxiety or learned it from their family.

Rather than root out the cause of a person’s anxiety, most docs simply turn to prescription drugs. This is a crazy idea if ever there was one, as many anxiety sufferers are already self-medicating with drugs and alcohol. It’s like giving the wolf the key to the henhouse.

And these are some pretty serious prescription drugs. The most commonly prescribed drugs for anxiety are called benzodiazepines, or “benzos,” and they include Valium, Ativan, Xanax and Halcion.

Long-term use of these drugs can lead to physical and psychological dependence. Side effects include confusion and memory loss. Sudden, unsupervised withdrawal could kill you. Plus, they have been associated with increased risk of falls and motor vehicle accidents.

You get the picture—these drugs are bad news unless used with great care and discretion. And that’s often not the case.

Fortunately, if you suffer from anxiety, you don’t have to be sentenced to a lifetime of misdiagnosis and ill-advised treatment. Here are 10 supplements and techniques that I have prescribed to really improve the lives of people suffering from anxiety.

1 Green tea’s secret ingredient

Theanine is a calming amino acid found in green tea. It helps you focus and think better, and it reduces blood levels of stress hormones epinephrine (adrenalin) and norepinephrine (noradrenalin). It also acts gently and safely at the same brain receptors targeted by common tranquilizers like Valium and Ativan. Try 100-200 mg once or twice day.

2 Restore your balance with this versatile amino acid

Taurine is getting a lot of interest from medical researchers and clinicians, who are impressed by its ability to reestablish the balance between glutamate, an excitatory neurotransmitter, and GABA, a calming neurotransmitter. It is also involved in the production of serotonin. You can use 1000-2000 mg once or twice a day.

3 A sleep aid from “across the pond” that’s running circles around Valium

Valerian has been used in Europe for over 100 years to treat insomnia. It has been used in combination with passionflower and St. Johns Wort, and it has been more effective than Valium in small trials. Try 150 to 300 mg in the A.M. and 600-900 mg in the P.M. in standardized formulations containing 3.3 percent valpotriates. I recommend formulations from Nature’s Way and Mediherb. It takes two to three weeks for valerian to take effect, so it cannot be used to treat acute anxiety or insomnia.

4 The “Swiss Army Knife” of minerals

Magnesium is an incredibly versatile mineral and it is lacking in most Americans. Most folks suffering from anxiety are probably low in it, too. I recommend 400 to 1200 mg of magnesium citrate, orotate, fumurate or malate, which should help you sleep. Don’t bother with magnesium oxide, which is poorly absorbed and more likely to cause diarrhea.

5 A delicious new way to calm your nerves

NuSera is a latte-flavored soft chew from a company called Metagenics. NuSera is new to the market, but the results so far have been excellent. Within 30 minutes it has a noticeably calming, relaxing effect. Research on the active ingredient, derived from milk protein, shows that it reduces the stress response and calms GABA receptors in the brain. Because NuSera can work so quickly, it’s worth keeping some on you as an “as needed” anti-anxiety aid.

6 Soothe your brain with a calming energy

Alpha Stim is a well-researched, safe product that sends a very low-energy, electric waveform through your brain. It has been used extensively to treat pain, depression and especially anxiety. Access to Alpha Stim devices is only available through licensed health care practitioners. It can be highly effective for anyone suffering from debilitating anxiety, especially when accompanied by chronic pain. See www.alpha-stim.com.

7 Let in some air—and feel your stress melt away

Some form of structured breathing should be part of any anti-anxiety program. Deep nasal breathing activates the calming branch of your involuntary nervous system, reduces the stress response and quickly brings about favorable changes in your brain chemistry. Most Yoga programs include Pranayama breathing. I also recommend the easily learned and applied Buteyko breathing method (www.buteyko.com), devised by a Russian physician, and sudarshan kriya breathing methods, which you can learn at courses given worldwide by the Art of Living Foundation (www.artofliving.org).

8 Learn the Chinese art of meditation in action

Tai Chi Chuan is a traditional Chinese medicine practice. It incorporates soft movement, breathing and focusing your mind to promote health and longevity. Tai Chi is an excellent way to reduce stress. Think of it as meditation in action. You can practice it alone or in a group. It is now widely taught in community centers, schools and hospitals across the country. As with all mind-body therapies, regular practice and lifelong commitment is key.

9 Connect with your spiritual side

Centering prayer traces its roots back to early Christianity. It involves emptying the mind of all thoughts, achieving an inner silence and focusing on the presence of God, or a greater universal being beyond oneself. In its practice, it bears a striking resemblance to other forms of prayer and meditation from the world’s great religious and spiritual traditions. It offers the promise of profound, long-lasting results to those who are inclined to make a strong commitment. For more information, go to www.centeringprayer.com.

10 Get control of your body

Biofeedback is one of the best studied forms of stress reduction and anti-anxiety therapies. It uses devices that measure quantifiable bodily functions such as heart rate, blood pressure, skin temperature and tension. You become aware of these functions and start to exert conscious control over processes once thought to be involuntary. And it works quickly. In terms of its benefits, it’s like an effective, accelerated form of meditation. Heartmath (www.heartmath.com) and Healing Rhythms (www.wilddivine.com) both offer excellent, easy-to-learn programs. Or you can work with a biofeedback specialist (www.bcia.org).

As always, you’ll get best results when you tailor treatment to your individual needs, combine multiple therapies and work with an experienced professional.

Any anti-anxiety program also should include a whole foods diet with plenty of healthy omega 3 fats from fish and B vitamins. Exercise at last five days a week, and remove unnecessary stimulants, such as nicotine, drugs and caffeine. Also consider trying acupuncture and massage, which help some people break the anxiety cycle.

Forgotten cures
Use this Native American secret to ward off heart disease, memory loss and cancer

For centuries, Native American tribes regularly gathered their members in hunting expeditions that scoured Maine’s rocky coast looking for something they considered critical to their survival.

They weren’t hunting deer, or elk, or any of the other dietary staples you might imagine.They were hunting blueberries.

In Maine, Native American tribes cherished the wild blueberry for its powerful healing properties. They believed these wild blueberries—which only grow naturally along the coast of Maine and the eastern coast of Canada—kept them strong and disease-free as they aged.

We know now that they were right—and that this miracle fruit may be the key to warding off heart disease, dementia and even cancer!

This health-packed berry leaves other fruits in the dust!

When it comes to health benefits, most fruits can’t hold a candle to wild blueberries. It’s not just that other fruits aren’t in the same ballpark—they’re not in the same Zip Code.

Wild blueberries rank #1 in antioxidant content over 20 other fruits, including apples, cranberries and grapes—they’re even miles ahead of cultivated, farm-grown blueberries.

Wild blueberries are also particularly effective at boosting antioxidant levels in your blood. You see, eating and digesting a meal is a major cause of oxidative stress on our bodies. The digestion process releases harmful free radicals, so topping off a meal with wild blueberries can actually protect your body from the damage these free radicals cause.

Like most antioxidant-rich foods, wild blueberries are great for your heart. They work at the gene level to suppress inflammation that can lead to heart disease and other degenerative diseases, such as arthritis, cancer and dementia.

The powerful polyphenols in wild blueberries also help protect the inner lining of your arteries from the formation of atherosclerotic plaques.

While much of the early science focused on the heart-health benefits of wild blueberries, researchers now realized that they’ve only scratched the surface of what this wonder food can do.

Just over the past several years, study after study has shown that wild blueberries might:

• Stop cancer in its tracks—The compounds in wild blueberries help prevent early steps in the formation of cancer cells.
  
• Ward off Alzheimer’s—Researchers believe wild blueberries could be the key to reversing the loss of memory and muscle coordination found in early Alzheimer’s disease.
  
• Restore your youthful eyesight—As we age, we lose the sharp vision we enjoyed when younger. Studies suggest blueberries may help reduce eye fatigue and improve night vision.
  
• Keep urinary tract infections at bay—Wild blueberries may be able to prevent bacteria from adhering to your bladder wall, which helps you avoid the pain and discomfort of UTIs.

All blueberries are not created equal—insist on the best

If you’re interested in tapping into the health benefits of wild blueberries, keep in mind that those little blueberry cartons in the supermarket produce section are not the same thing. As I said, wild blueberries only grow in certain areas of North America, and they are either organic or cultivated using sustainable integrated pest management, which carefully limits the use of pesticides.

Look for Wyman’s Wild Blueberries in the freezer section of your local grocery store. Flash frozen, they retain the rich nutrient content of the fresh berry. Dried wild blueberries are available from multiple sources online, and you can order frozen, organic wild blueberries from Vital Choice (www.vitalchoice.com).

And remember—all the health benefits of wild blueberries come packaged in a delicious food you can enjoy in countless ways. I add them to my breakfast cereal, cooked barley or oatmeal—along with some pecans, walnuts or almonds, and a little cinnamon. This usually supplies me with enough energy to get through the morning in fine form.

Your Questions Answered
Fishing for the truth about mercury poisoning

Q. I know fish is supposed to be good for you, so I’ve started to eat more. But I hear so much conflicting information about mercury and PCBs and am confused about safe choices. What is safe, and what isn’t? I’m 67 years old and have a little blood pressure problem.
––C. King, Danvers, MA

A:You know, I hear this all the time—and it’s not your fault you’re confused. Health officials have presented the issue of fish safety as a frightening trade-off.

Sure, you’ll get some toxic mercury, they say—but it’s worth it because of the numerous health benefits of fish. Fatty, cold-water fish such as salmon, sardines, mackerel and herring are especially rich in healthy omega 3s and vitamin D.

So, they’re basically saying you need to eat some poison in order to get vital nutrients—and then they wonder why people feel so ambivalent about fish.

Here’s the unvarnished truth—it is ABSOLUTELY POSSIBLE to eat fish safely. You just need to follow a few simple rules.

When it comes to fish, size matters

The first rule of eating safe fish is that smaller is better. It’s hard to go wrong with anchovies, sardines and herring. I know some people don’t like the taste, but in France canned sardines are regarded as a gourmet food, kind of like wine, with certain high-end, premium brands. No kidding!

Large fish at the top of the food chain concentrate toxins, so tuna (including canned albacore tuna), shark, swordfish and sea bass, for example, should be eaten rarely, if at all.

Other types of fish can be safe, as long as you’re smart about how frequently you eat them. According to the Health Alerts List from the Environmental Defense Fund, the following fish are safe to eat over four times per month: anchovies; Atlantic herring; Maine lobster; Atlantic mackerel; wild Alaska salmon (especially sockeye); sardines; farmed bay scallops; squid; American farmed tilapia; and farmed rainbow trout (See www.edf.org for more information).

There’s plenty fishy about fish farms

Just as important, you should take note of what did not make the list of fish you can eat regularly—farmed shrimp and salmon. These are both extremely popular and consumed in massive amounts in the United States.

But the wide-scale farming of both of these species is causing massive destruction to natural habitats around the world, and they lack the nutritional value of wild shrimp and salmon.

Because of the conditions at the farms where these shrimp and salmon are raised, they also are likely to contain undesirable toxins and are best avoided.

For the definitive list of fish that are either sustainably farmed or caught, I recommend the Monterey Bay Aquarium Seafood Watch List at www.mbayaq.org.

You’ll be surprised at how many endangered fish are still widely available at your supermarket and at restaurants serving fish!

For excellent sardines, mackerel and wild-caught Alaskan sockeye salmon—plus a variety of other healthy goodies—I highly recommend Vital Choice Seafood at www.vitalchoice.com.

I just placed a large order for canned sardines and salmon myself. I enjoy them as part of an easy-to-prepare lunch that keeps me alert and energized until my late afternoon snack.

Finally, check out two just-published books on the subject. The first is Diagnosis MERCURY: Money, Politics and Poison by Jane M. Hightower, M.D. This is an unsettling account of a San Francisco doctor’s encounters with mercury toxicity in patients eating fish and how the government and the health-care industry are dragging their feet on the issue.

The second book is Bottomfeeder: How to Eat Ethically In a World of Vanishing Seafood by Taras Grescoe. Grescoe has written an extremely readable account of the disastrous destruction of fish populations as well as the toxic consequences of high-intensity fish farming around the world.

December 2008 PDF

Dementia’s secret ingredient
Follow this detox plan to rid yourself of it––before it attacks your brain.

When it comes to forgetfulness, we men get a bad rap. Birthdays, anniversaries, garbage days––you name it, we’ll forget it.

But in this battle of the sexes, there is some new information emerging that you need to know about. It turns out abnormal levels of a hormone commonly associated with women may be causing mental decline, such as forgetfulness, dementia and even Alzheimer’s in men as we age.

A team of researchers has uncovered what I consider a very troubling link between estrogen and dementia. What’s particularly dangerous about this connection is that foods and environmental triggers men encounter every day seem to be conspiring to load our bodies with estrogen––and this excess estrogen is literally attacking our brains.

The good news is that you don’t need to wait for a dementia diagnosis to discover that your body is saturated with estrogen. I’m going to ask you five simple questions that will tell you whether you’re at risk for high estrogen levels. Then, I’m going to provide you with a four-step detox plan you can use to get estrogen out of your body and protect your brain from its onslaught.

How estrogen attacks your brain

As a doctor, there are few worse chores than diagnosing a patient with dementia. That one word–– and all it implies for a person’s independence, relationships and emotional stability––can truly change someone’s life forever.

In fact, dementia has been changing a lot of lives in America––far too many. Statistics show that 42 Americans per hour fall victim to dementia. I’ve seen many mainstream docs chalk up the explosion in dementia cases––which is occurring in several nations, by the way––to aging populations and better diagnostic techniques.

But a team of Dutch researchers suspected there were more factors at play, and they stumbled across something that I think will permanently change how we look at dementia cases in men.

These scientists discovered that high levels of estrogen in men were associated with a greater risk of cognitive decline, dementia and even Alzheimer’s disease. Men, I know what you’re thinking by now ––what is estrogen doing in my body? And how fast can I get rid of it?

Relax––men produce estrogen naturally when a fat-cell enzyme called “aromatase” breaks down testosterone. But when aromatase activity kicks into high gear, you can find yourself making far more estrogen than your body can handle ––and this estrogen can break down your brain’s nerve cells.

There are some simple warning signs that your aromatase activity may be too high. Answer these five questions to see if you’re at risk for producing too much estrogen:

Question 1: Are you significantly overweight?

Aromatase lives in your fat cells, so the more fat you’re carrying, the more aromatase is at work in your body producing estrogen.

All of that extra fat also harms your liver, which hosts enzymes that break down estrogen and other toxins. This is why alcoholics may develop enlarged breasts––they simply can’t get rid of the estrogen their bodies produce. But liver damage isn’t limited to alcoholics. Many overweight people get fatty deposits on their livers that interfere with normal function and prevent proper estrogen detox. Your doctor can usually pick up this problem on routine liver enzyme blood tests or by an ultrasound or CAT scan.

Question 2: Has your sex drive plummeted?

Aromatase essentially converts to estrogen. So if aromatase activity has been over-stimulated in your body––and if your liver is not functioning well enough to eliminate excess estrogen––you can expect your libido to suffer. If you’re overweight and have low sex drive, there is a very strong chance your body is loaded up with estrogen.

Question 3: Is there too much stress in your life?

When you encounter physical or emotional stress, your adrenal glands flood your system with cortisol, which spikes your blood sugar and insulin levels. If stress is constant in your life, your cortisol levels are going to be chronically elevated. Elevated cortisol levels stimulate aromatase activity and the conversion of testosterone into estrogen.

Question 4: Are you getting enough zinc?

Probably not. Most Americans aren’t getting enough zinc in their diets. Zinc supports your hormones and regulates aromatase activity. If your diet is heavy on cheap, processed carbs and low on fresh meats, fruits and vegetables, you might not have the zinc you need to help keep estrogen production in check.

Question 5: Do you have a sluggish thyroid?

Higher levels of estrogen can result in hypothyroidism or aggravate an existing thyroid condition. Symptoms of hypothyroidism include fatigue, depression, poor sleep, dry skin, constipation, hair loss, weakness and difficulty losing weight. If you think you might have hypothyroidism, ask your doctor to check your thyroid stimulating hormone (TSH) level. If your level is above 3.0, it means your thyroid has slowed down.

Man-made estrogen boosters lurking in plain sight

Maybe you came through my quiz with flying colors––but you’re still not out of the woods. The problem is, most of us are regularly exposed to a class of man-made chemicals known as “xenoestrogens,” which can elevate our estrogen levels. Plastic bottles, carpet fibers, Teflon coatings, pesticides and herbicides, and commercial, hormone-treated meats are all known to contain xenoestrogens.

I’m extremely concerned about what a growing body of science has said about xenoestrogens. These hormonally active agents latch on to estrogen receptor sites in your body, making it hard for your body to regulate its estrogen levels and properly detox. Xenoestrogens have been linked to breast cancer, reproductive ailments, and a variety of other illnesses. The worst part is that they’re practically unregulated by the government, which has seen fit to let manufacturers police themselves.

It’s a bit like making a wolf head of security at a hen farm. Mark my words: we’ve all been made part of a nasty human experiment that is bound to have serious outcomes.

Staying away from xenoestrogens is a tough task––they’re literally everywhere. Eating organic fruits and vegetables that have not been treated by herbicides or pesticides, and purchasing locally-raised beef that you know hasn’t been treated with hormones, are good first steps. Also store and microwave food in glass or ceramic dishes, instead of plastic.

Get the estrogen out and keep your brain sharp

I’ll bet by now you’re feeling like I hit you with a load of buckshot. I hope, at the very least, I have you thinking more seriously about your body’s estrogen levels and how to bring them under control. The good news is, there are some fairly simple things you can do to rid your body of excess estrogen.

Use my four-step estrogen detox plan to get your levels back under control and keep your brain safe from attack.

Step 1: Purge your fridge and cabinets

Your food choices can make you overweight––resulting in stimulated estrogen production––and may expose you to xenoestrogens. It’s time to take a second look at your fridge and cupboards, and eliminate the processed carbs and trans fats that may be enjoying too prominent a role.

Fill your refrigerator with organic meats from grass-fed animals, a medley of fruits and vegetables (your crisper should resemble a box of Crayola crayons—aim for the 64-color box), and healthy fish. Incorporate more sulphur-containing foods to support your liver’s detoxification system. These include cruciferous vegetables, such as Brussels sprouts, radishes, turnips and cabbage. Many of these vegetables also contain Diindolylmethane (DIM), a chemical that helps break down active estrogen into a form that promotes a more favorable balance between testosterone and estrogen.

Step 2: Drop a pants size (or two)

Making some smart food changes can help you decrease estrogen levels and could stimulate weight loss––after all, you’ll be cutting out the over-processed junk foods that leave spare tires around our waists. Depending on your situation, you may also need to work with a doctor or nutritionist to develop a more aggressive weight-loss plan. Remember, the more you weigh, the more estrogen you are likely producing. Being overweight may also signal insulin resistance, which can lead to a variety of health problems, such as diabetes. If your waist measures 40 inches or more, chances are better than 50 percent that you have insulin resistance.

Step 3: Follow this supplement regimen

Your body can’t naturally break down estrogen unless your liver is functioning well. For liver support, depend on this tripod of antioxidants: alpha lipoic acid (100 to 300 mg daily), milk thistle (I like the widely available Thisilyn product from Nature’s Way), and selenium (200 mcg per day, or get it from just a small handful of Brazil nuts). Add some N-Acetyl-L-Cysteine (100 to 300 mg per day) for even more detox support —especially if you’ve been diagnosed with a fatty liver, also known as non-alcoholic steatohepatitis.

As I mentioned, most people aren’t getting the zinc they need to regulate aromatase activity. For most people, 30 mg a day is enough zinc.

Finally, try an herbal support called epilobium. A powerful anti-inflammatory, it inhibits the aroma- tase conversion of testosterone into estrogen.

As an added bonus, it also provides prostate support. I recommend a product called Prolobium, which you can buy on the Internet at www.epilobium.com.

Step 4: Use exercise to reduce cortisol

As you know, cortisol, the body’s “stress juice,” stimulates estrogen production. The good news is that exercise burns cortisol and helps you manage stress.

I recommend combining strength training––which also can help reduce falls––with aerobic exercise. Consider working with a trainer at the outset, so you can learn how to properly exercise and avoid injuries that typically occur when people overdo it.

Give your lungs some exercise, too. Take 10 deep breaths a few times a day, which will help you manage stress and produce less cortisol.

Important: You can enjoy significant benefits from the above program. You may have your estrogen blood level checked–– estradiol is the form of estrogen commonly measured.

A balance between estrogen and testosterone is key for supporting good health. Normal male estradiol range is usually 13-42 picograms/nanogram.

10 holiday foods that can wreck your health
Holiday baking (and eating) have begun––here are 10 foods and ingredients you should avoid at all costs.

‘Tis the season for holiday baking. Country kitchens everywhere are filling with the smells of apple pies, gingerbread cookies, and just about every other treat you can imagine. Where I’m from, baking is more than country tradition––it’s practically our favorite pastime.

But this is also a good time of year to consider what exactly we’re putting in those sweet holiday treats. Now, I know telling people to eat well during the holidays is like telling Superman to try taking the bus. It’s just not going to happen.

But there are some things you can do to make the holiday season a healthier one. I’ve compiled a list of the 10 worst foods and ingredients that you should look to avoid this year. If you can eliminate any one––though hopefully all––of them from your diet, you could be on the road to a healthier new year.

Killer vegetable shortening

That cylindrical container of Crisco has been a fixture in many a baker’s cupboard over the years— and more’s the pity. Hydrogenated and partially hydrogenated fats and oils confuse the human body, promote inflammation, throw off cholesterol balance, and distort communication among cells. They also kill an estimated 20,000 people per year, mainly from heart disease. Scientists (who were ridiculed at the time) were pointing out these dangers as early as the 1970s.

Many doctors up until a few years ago actually proclaimed the health benefits of these fats — which was not unlike the medical profession’s support of cigarettes through the 1950s. Suffice it to say that we now know better.

Brain-busting nondairy creamer

Nondairy creamer is a true Frankenfood, if ever there was one. In an effort to duplicate the rich, fatty flavor of real cream, this con artist of a food product is made with hydrogenated soy or cottonseed oil. High-fructose corn syrup (HFCS) is added for sweetness, and it plays a nasty trick on the body. HFCS burdens your liver, ignites inflammation, and throws your cholesterol balance out of whack.

Nondairy creamer also contains sodium casseinate for flavor and texture. This protein is used to make adhesives, binders, plastics, and fabrics. Appetizing, isn’t it? Not surprisingly, it’s been linked to a variety of health problems, such as migraines and autism.

Artery-clogging egg substitutes

Fake eggs offer less fat and cholesterol—which at first sounds like a good thing. But your body needs the type of cholesterol found in eggs for everything from building muscle to supporting brain function. Egg yolks are also a valuable source of calcium, iron, potassium, zinc, folate, and vitamins A and D in a highly usable form. It’s hard to duplicate such natural perfection.

Powdered eggs contain oxidized cholesterol—the form that readily accumulates in artery walls. Do yourself and your health a favor and skip these sham foods.

Hormone-hounding soy products

Nearly 90 percent of the soy crops grown in our country are genetically modified. Eating these altered foods is like playing Russian roulette, as we still don’t know the full extent of the problems they may cause. We already suspect that GM foods may lead to allergies, inflammation, cancer and disturbance of normal gut bacteria.

Soy itself is a potential endocrine disruptor, especially in the processed soy-protein-isolate form that is commonly found in processed foods and soy baby formula. Endocrine disruptors behave like hormones in the body, telling cells how to behave. They interfere with natural processes, and we’re just beginning to understand the consequences. If you really want soy, stick with small amounts of the fermented variety in the forms of tempeh and miso. But stay away from processed foods and tofu, soy milk, powders, and soy-loaded meat substitutes.

Heart-breaking cooking oils

Commercial cooking oils often have been heat sterilized, incinerating their natural antioxidant protection. Corn, soy, canola, and sunflower oils are all subjected to this health-destroying insult.

When heated and eaten, these industrial oils become free-radical factories in your body, promoting oxidative stress and inflammation that can result in heart disease. That’s still another reason to remove them from your diet.

Coal-based food dyes

Most of these colorful dyes are made from coal tar, believe it or not. They simply are not meant to be eaten.

There is a clear association between food dyes and attention and hyperactivity problems in children. Furthermore, artificial food dyes are usually found in highly processed, sugary junk foods of little nutritional value.

Be vigilant when you shop, because these dyes are everywhere.

Aunt Jemima’s blueberry waffles aren’t getting that blue color from blueberries. No, sir—that’s a nice mix of Red 40 and Blue 2. It gives new meaning to that old saying “What you see isn’t always what you get.”

Cancer-causing preservatives

It’s amazing what garbage food producers will add to their products to keep them from spoiling.

Believe me, we’d be better off letting these foods rot once they’ve been tinkered with.

BHA and BHT are added to oil-containing foods to prevent rancidity. Their primary purpose is to boost profits for the food industry—not enhance the nutritional value of foods.

BHA has been listed by California as a cancer-causing agent. The World Health Organization also considers it to be a possible carcinogen. As for BHT, numerous studies suggest it also may cause cancer.

MSG in disguise

Longhand for monosodium glutamate (MSG), hydrolyzed vegetable protein is a known excitotoxin that may damage some people’s brains.

MSG masquerades under a variety of other names deliberately used to avoid scaring off consumers. And here they are: hydrolyzed protein, autolyzed yeast, yeast extract, textured protein, plant protein extract, sodium caseinate, and calcium caseinate. MSG is also present in thousands of processed foods. Stick with a natural whole-food diet to avoid the whole mess.

Bread’s banned ingredient

Added to bread as a “dough strengthener,” potassium bromate allows higher rising in an apparent attempt to puff up commercial bread.

Remember taking a whole slice of store-bought bread and squeezing it up into a little ball? You could use it to plug leaky pipes. In fact, that’s a better use than eating it.

Potassium bromate is considered a possible cancer-causing agent by the International Agency for Research on Cancer. Its use has been banned in Europe, Canada and most other countries since the 1990s.

In this country, the FDA has recommended that bakers voluntarily stop using it.

Good luck, but don’t hold your breath. Avoid it by staying away from those feather-light loaves that pack the shelves of your local supermarket chain.

Real whole-grain bread doesn’t need “dough strengthener.” Its fiber content hasn’t been removed, so as to weaken its structure and necessitate “enhancement.”

Gut-shredding sweeteners

Sorbitol is a so-called alcohol sugar. It’s simply glucose that has been modified so it’s absorbed more slowly.

Because it has a little over half the calories of regular sugar, this artificial sweetener is found in a variety of processed diet foods: candy, chewing gum, soft drinks, and ice cream.

Many people can not tolerate sorbitol. They experience flatulence, bloating and abdominal cramps, often showing up at the doctor’s office to undergo unpleasant testing. Meanwhile, the cause of their discomfort could be the “sugarless” gum they’re chewing.

Forgotten cures
Get as strong as an ox with this simple remedy

Let’s face it––none of us are teen-agers any more. But getting older didn’t always mean suffering through muscle atrophy or loose skin where our toned arms used to be. Country folks have a proud tradition of staying strong and active well into old age, and this country doc plans to be no exception.

In fact, there are some simple things you can do to keep your muscle tone while you age. While exercise is a key component in the fight against muscle loss, so is ensuring your body has the nutrients it needs to build muscle.

Taurine is an amino acid that’s exceptionally useful in muscle building and more. It’s considered a nonessential amino acid, which means our bodies can usually make their own supply––but our bodies make less taurine as we age.

Because we need amino acids like taurine to build the protein the feeds and grows our muscles, low taurine levels can force our once-proud muscles to wither on the vine.

This is why taurine has garnered a great deal of attention as a muscle- building, or anabolic, agent, and is commonly used by bodybuilders. Animal studies and anecdotal evidence in humans supports the notion that taurine allows you to exercise more with less fatigue. The end result–– stronger, larger muscles.

But taurine isn’t just for Olympic athletes––it’s good for you too. Improving and maintaining muscle mass and strength boosts your quality of life, makes everyday tasks easier to perform, reduces falls and bone-fracture risk, and improves insulin sensitivity—which cuts the risk of diabetes.

The fountain of youth?

Taurine just might make you feel younger as well. Research has uncovered that the level of taurine in the body is elevated when you exercise. That makes sense, considering that exercise is known to give you a glowing, youthful physical appearance—an antiaging fix if ever there was one.

Taurine also helps muscle cells retain more water, which increases their volume, boosts protein synthesis, and can make you look toned.

The problem with taurine is that the wrong people are catching on to its benefits. It has become a staple in energy drinks like Red Bull, which is loaded with so much sugar and caffeine that you have to be a little nuts to drink it.

There are much healthier ways to get taurine without enduring the jitters and racing heartbeats that come with energy drinks. It’s found in high concentrations in meat and fish, and in lower concentrations in its one plant source: seaweed.

For muscle support, I also recommend you take a taurine supplement, using 2,000 to 3,000 mg daily.

As an additional note, it’s worth pointing out that taurine also can benefit your brain and heart. It supports higher levels of the calming neurotransmitter GABA, so it can be a safe and useful tool in the treatment of anxiety––take 500 mg to 2,000 mg twice a day.

Research also has shown that taurine can boost the force of heart muscle contractions, which improves cardiac output. It may help with symptoms of congestive heart failure, such as fatigue and shortness of breath––try 2,000 mg twice a day. As always, you are best off working with an experienced health-care provider.

A prescription for pain
Patients continue to be injured by a drug interaction discovered six years ago––don’t be next.

I’ve told you many times before that keeping your muscles strong and healthy is absolutely critical as you age. We need our muscles to help us get around and enjoy the active, independent life-styles we all want––plus, good muscle control is important for preventing the falls that can be so dangerous in our senior years.

That’s why I’m absolutely horrified by the fact that dozens of Americans are suffering muscle damage because their know-it-all, prescription-happy doctors keep shoving drugs down their throats that interact in very dangerous ways.

According to a recent warning from the FDA, if you’re taking a drug to treat high cholesterol and another for an irregular heartbeat, you could be at risk for severe muscle damage.

You’re in particular trouble if your doc has you taking cholesterol- lowering statins (Zocor or Vytorin) along with the heart-rhythm drug amiodarone (Cordarone or Pacerone), especially if you’re taking more than 20 mg a day of the cholesterol drugs.

If you are on this drug combination, call your doctor. If you’ve suffered muscle damage, call your lawyer.

Were docs being ignorant or just arrogant?

The fact is, docs have known for years that cholesterol and heart-rhythm drugs are dangerous when mixed. The FDA issued an initial warning in 2002––and their latest warning shows that many docs simply ignored it. Since the 2002 warning, according to the FDA’s own numbers, there have been 52 accounts of serious muscle injury in people who are taking both drugs.

I can darn-near guarantee you that this is just the tip of the iceberg ––and I’ll give you three reasons:

1) With any voluntary reporting procedure, there is going to be a tendency to under-report.

2) If you were a doctor who ignored the FDA’s warnings and prescribed a dangerous drug interaction––and if reporting that interaction was voluntary–– what would you do?

3) Many of the people being prescribed both drugs are older. When an older patient suffers muscle damage, most docs don’t launch a full-scale investigation. They chalk it up to aging.

At the end of the day, we can reasonably expect that hundreds of people––most of them older––have had their quality of life ruined by the medical profession’s arrogance, recklessness, or both.

The FDA looks to trade one evil for another

The FDA’s solution to the problem isn’t likely to make things much better––they’re recommending simply switching patients to another cholesterol drug, such as Lipitor. Of course, some of the side effects for Lipitor (among the literally dozens) include muscle weakness and pain. Sounds like a prescription for injury to me.

So, you might be trading one muscle-damaging drug for another.

What we really need to eliminate is the continued over-prescribing of statin drugs to lower cholesterol. There is a lot of knee-jerk prescribing of statins for patients with high cholesterol.

But high cholesterol is not necessarily a sign of heart disease––or even that you’re at significant risk for heart disease. And now these statins are mixing with other drugs and causing mayhem.

Statins interfere with the liver’s production of cholesterol––and your body needs cholesterol to function. For many people, statins end up causing more problems than they could ever hope to solve.

Before you start statins ––if you truly have a cholesterol issues that needs to be brought under control–– you should take a look at your diet. Make sure you’re eating enough whole grains, vegetables and fruits. They contain nutrients called flavonoids, which help maintain healthy cholesterol levels, lower blood pressure, and quiet inflammation. You can also get flavonoids from tea and red wine.

Your Questions Answered
Trash your laxatives and cure constipation naturally

Q. I’ve been dealing with constipation on and off for years, and finally decided to make some lifestyle changes. I added a lot more fiber to my diet and am eating fruits and vegetables at every meal. But after the first few days, my constipation got worse instead of better! Am I just going to be on laxatives forever? I’m 68 and have high blood pressure, but am otherwise healthy. ––A. Shields, Tacoma, WA

A:The predicament you’re experiencing with consti-pation is a common one, especially in Western industrialized nations. Consti- pation results in over 2.5 million doctor visits each year, affecting over 25 percent of folks over age 65. Here in the United States, we spend over $725 million a year on over-the-counter laxatives.

I do not recommend them. They can lead to physical dependence and are just a symptom Band-Aid that fails to address the underlying problems. Factors contributing to constipation include inadequate fiber, not enough water, and a lack of exercise.

I noticed you didn’t mention anything about an exercise routine. Even a brisk, 20-minute daily walk can make a difference. By moving more, you get everything in your body to work more efficiently—including your digestive system. If you’re eating a lot of fruits and vegetables, you don’t need to drink as much fluid during the day, but you may find that two to three cups of green tea can help move things along. Try decaffeinated tea if the regular stuff gets you too jazzed.

When it comes to fiber, many people looking to remedy their constipation end up getting too much too fast. If your digestive system isn’t accustomed to a steady influx of fiber, suddenly loading up on it can bind you up and make things worse—as you experienced. You’ll need to experiment––try dropping to a lower fiber intake and then steadily increasing it over a couple of weeks.

Patients ask me all the time how much fiber they should be getting in a day. The government recommends 25 grams a day, but that isn’t enough for most folks. I always recommend doubling that number.

In your case, consider adding some nuts and cooked beans to your meal planning, both of which are nutrient- and fiber-rich foods. They’ll help move you toward at least one or two healthy bowel movements a day.

I’ve written a lot about Salba (Salvia hispanica L.)— a marvelous Aztec grain grown in the Peruvian Amazon basin. It’s rich in both soluble and insoluble fiber and can hold up to 18 times its weight in water, which keeps you well hydrated. That, in turn, helps keep stools soft and easier to move through your digestive tract. As with your fiber-rich foods, start low and go slow. I’m not kidding—it’s that effective. Sprinkle it on your morning oatmeal––see how you fare with just half a teaspoon. You can gradually increase it to a tablespoon or more over the next two or three weeks.

If diet changes don’t work, here’s something you can try instead of laxatives––magnesium citrate capsules, anywhere from 400 to 1,200 mg at a time. Take them in the evening, since, in addition to supporting digestion, they can act as an effective calmative and sleep aid. That may not be convenient earlier in the day.

It’s going to take a little trial and error on your part to hit on what works in ridding your body of constipation. But I have faith you can do it without resorting to laxatives ––give it the old college try.

Remember…
A recent change in bowel habits that lasts more than a few days could signal an underlying problem you want to know more about. You should tell your doctor immediately.

September 2008 PDF

Eat your way off diabetes
A drug-free plan that can slash glucose levels

There’s an old saying about digging your grave with a fork and a knife. As it turns out, that adage may be true: The single greatest contributor to your developing type-2 diabetes could be your food choices.

But who could fault you? With all the conflicting nutritional advice, it’s a wonder we don’t bump into ourselves trying to navigate grocery store aisles. Good fat, bad fat, good carb, bad carb—I talk with patients all the time who are on the road to type-2 diabetes, and who had no idea they were eating so poorly despite following these popular “guidelines.”

But I’m going to let you in on a secret I share with those patients—just as you can eat your way into type-2 diabetes, by making some better food choices you often can eat your way back to health again.

I’ve convinced many of my patients that drugs are not their only recourse in dealing with type-2 diabetes. I have a strategy that takes a lot more work than just popping a pill—but it’s worth it in the long run.

I’m going to show you how my plan worked for one of my patients, Jim, and how it can work for you too.

Facing down disease

Jim is a 52-year-old patient of mine. I met him when he showed up at our small, local hospital suffering from pneumonia. Turned out he also had new onset diabetes, with a sky-high fasting-blood-sugar reading in the 300s.

It didn’t get that way overnight. Diabetes is a long-latency disease, which means it was in the making for at least 10 years before coming on stage and sending Jim’s blood-sugar level into the stratosphere. But Jim did have one early warning: His father had diabetes too and ended up dying of a heart attack at 60. Heart disease is the most common complication of diabetes.

Jim wanted a fix that didn’t include a bottle of pills. He was open to making lifestyle changes, which, as you know, is the first thing I recommend. And guess what? It took less than six months to fix his blood-sugar problem without a drug in sight.

I’m going to show you how to do it too, but first it’s important to understand diabetes and the mechanics of how it affects your body.

Behind the curtain

Diabetes is defined as a fasting blood glucose (FBG) level of 125 or more. Prediabetes consists of having an FBG level of 100 to 124. In fact, a FBG of 90 or more merits attention.

Type-2 diabetes accounts for more than 95 percent of all diabetes in the United States. The main problem is insulin resistance (which means your cells are refusing to cooperate with the insulin in your body). The development of insulin resistance starts in your digestive system, which breaks down whatever carbs you eat into glucose (i.e. blood sugar).

Forget everything you think you know about carbs. We need carbs—they’re the most efficient fuel for energizing our bodies. The problems begin when we overdose on just one type of carb for too long.

Further, there are no such things as “good” and “bad” carbs—it’s just a matter of where they fall on the glycemic index (GI). The GI gives you a sense of how quickly the sugar in the foods you eat is entering your bloodstream as glucose and causing the trademark blood sugar and insulin “spikes.” You don’t have to give up your favorite carbs—you just have to practice moderation and balance. Get a good GI guide that shows you whether a food is high on the GI scale, then balance that selection with something that’s lower.

When you don’t pay attention to the GI scale, problems with insulin are bound to develop. Insulin is a hormone produced in the pancreas, and “insulin resistance” is just what the phrase implies: Your cells stage a rebellion, resisting the efforts of insulin to do its job and escort glucose into your cells, where it can be burned as energy. Next thing you know, you have a backlog of glucose idling its engine in your bloodstream. That excess sugar in your blood is basically a time bomb.

Reevaluate your food options

I hope that by now I have convinced you of the need to balance what you eat to keep your blood sugar in check. Jim had failed to do this for years and was experiencing the grave results. Like most of my diabetic patients, Jim thought he was making decent food choices, but he was wrong. Here are two dietary truths I share with my diabetic patients––and they tend to be quite surprised:

1) You must avoid “white death”: A lot of folks have taken up the “Fat is Bad” mantra and rushed to purchase “low fat” foods—which often are a mother lode of white sugar and white flour. “Low fat” should be read as “cheap, carbohydrate-rich, edible manure,” courtesy of the fat cats at Big Food corporations.

2) You need fat: I can’t emphasize this enough: Eat fat. Overall, fat consumption has decreased over the last 30 years (except for people who eat fast food daily). I think it’s no coincidence that as fat consumption has dropped in this country, diabetes cases have skyrocketed. Fats provide vitamins A, D, E and K, vitamins that protect your heart, your metabolism, and your immune and nervous systems. Fats support hormone production and electrical functions. They’re also the clean-burning energy source your body prefers.

But not just any kind of fat will do. Trans fats (a.k.a. hydrogenated or partially hydrogenated ones) are lethal. Here’s a mantra to memorize: Increases shelf life? Decreases human life. Trans fats are found in thousands of processed foods—mainly packaged baked goods, snack foods, salad dressings, margarines, and french fries (sad but true, I know). Trans fats will be here with the cockroaches when the world ends.

The saturated fats we’ve been eating since the beginning of time in dairy and meat products are better—as long as they have not been tampered with. The mischief begins when hormones, antibiotics and pesticide residue enter the picture, which is why you need to choose organic dairy products and meat.

You have a picture now of what not to eat. Now I’m going to put the pieces together for you and show you a diet that can keep type-2 diabetes out of your life.

A blood-sugar-friendly diet

The diet I prescribe to patients looking to shed their type-2 diabetes requires discipline, but the results are worth it. Here’s a typical day’s worth of food and snacks.

Breakfast: Eat a couple of eggs (try boiling them and adding a pat of butter) plus an apple with chopped nuts. You’ll get the vitamins and filling proteins you need to avoid hunger and develop an ample supply of energy. Try a glass of unsweetened green tea as your beverage, which will give you a rich supply of antioxidants.

Many of my diabetic patients had been starting their days with over-processed cereals, skim milk and a cup of coffee. If you’re looking to avoid diabetes, this is a disaster. Skim milk consists of sugar and protein, and when combined with some fake-food dry cereal is guaranteed to spike blood sugar and lead to cravings by midmorning.

Midmorning snack: Instead of reaching for a doughnut at midmorning, opt for some walnuts, almonds or pecans, or a piece of cheese, plus a large glass of filtered water.

Lunch: For many people, lunch means a sandwich. That’s OK if you eat the right type of sandwich. Use one slice of very dense whole-grain bread from a local bakery, along with organic meats and cheeses. Add a big salad or a bowl of soup (which can include beans, whole grains and vegetables).

Afternoon snack: By late afternoon, grab some nuts or cheese again or some leftovers from lunch. No more potato chips, candy or soda pop.

Dinner: Your dinner should include a piece of fish, chicken or organic beef or lamb (from a pasture-fed animal) plus a plate piled high with vegetables (mostly the non-starchy green-leaf variety, such as bok choy, broccoli, kale or collard greens), and another salad. For dessert, try a piece of fruit—it’s a good way to savor a bit of sweetness without blowing your blood sugar sky high.

Tips and tricks

There are some simple tricks you can use to augment your diet—shake cinnamon onto your fruit and nuts, since cinnamon lowers blood sugar. Use apple cider vinegar on your salads, as research has shown that it significantly reduces blood-sugar and insulin levels after meals.

Take a good once-daily supplement. I recommend Every Man’s One Daily or Every Woman’s One Daily from New Chapter. Also, take a daily tablespoon of Carlson’s Cod Liver Oil for healthy vitamin D and omega-3 fatty acids, both important for their favorable effects on inflammation and blood-sugar levels.

Finally, consider adding some Rhodiola rosea, one of a class of adaptogens that can aid in balancing the internal workings of your body. One study showed that Rhodiola can significantly reduce blood glucose.

Get some exercise and manage your stress. Building muscle and losing weight will improve your insulin sensitivity, and getting a handle on stress will lower your body’s production of cortisol, which fuels insulin resistance. Several times a day, take a 60-second time-out, during which you slow your breathing down to six breaths per minute. It’ll make a difference.

A home run

By sticking to my diet and making the necessary lifestyle changes, I have seen diabetic patients achieve remarkable results without drugs. After just six months, Jim lost 30 pounds and his fasting sugar levels went back to normal—under 100. (Remember: They were originally in the 300s!) His glycated hemoglobin reading dropped from 9.3 to 5.7. Glycated hemoglobin (hemoglobin A1C) gives you a three-month measure of your average blood-sugar. Although most doctors don’t wave the red flag until it’s over 7.0, anything over 5.8 suggests progression toward diabetes.

Jim’s results may seem remarkable, but I promise you they are not. If you’re looking to get your type-2 diabetes under control, stick to my diet. Clip this article and post it to your refrigerator door, then refer back to it often. Change what you eat and how you manage your life, and you will see improvements. With a little discipline, you really can eat your way to being diabetes-free.

Balance your blood sugar with magnesium

Nearly half of all Americans are not getting the 400 mg of magnesium per day needed in their diets. It plays a major role in insulin and glucose metabolism. Get it naturally from these sources:

• Whole-grain breads and cereals
• Beans: varieties include lima, black, and navy
• Avocados
• Pumpkin seeds
• Leafy green vegetables: includes Swiss chard, spinach, mustard and turnip greens
• Broccoli

Dr. Inglis recommends…

More great menu items for managing blood sugar

Breakfast

• Eggs with a banana-almond smoothie
• Whole oat groats and hulled barley (soak overnight) topped with nuts and berries

Lunch

• Salad: romaine lettuce and your choice of vegetables, topped with black beans
• Steamed bok choy and broccoli over brown rice
• Soup: navy beans, barley and a variety of vegetables with a side of hearty bread and a pat of butter

Dinner

• Whole-wheat pasta topped with organic ground-beef meat sauce
• Whole-wheat tortillas with your choice of black beans or organic ground-beef, cheese, and heavy on the veggies
• Grilled organic chicken breasts with steamed kale or collard greens with brown rice

Snacks & desserts

• Small plate of sliced pear or apple with a portion of cheese
• Baked berry or apple-betty made with a whole-oat, chopped-almond and cinnamon-rich topping

10 ways to stay eagle-eyed for life

Your vision provides as much as 80 percent of your sensory input. You want to preserve it at any cost, because it has an enormous impact on your quality of life. You have a couple of conditions working to erode your eyesight. Cataracts are the chief cause of vision loss in both developing and developed countries and are the leading cause of blindness worldwide. As if that weren’t enough, age-related macular degeneration (AMD) has become the bane of the “golden years,” currently affecting as many as 20 million elderly Americans.

Most physicians still believe that progression to either of these conditions is inevitable, and they’ll wait to intervene until you start exhibiting symptoms. This type of “reactive” medicine could cost you your eyesight. You’re better off focusing on a variety of proven prevention strategies, running the gamut from nutrition to lifestyle choices, that can help keep your eyes healthy.

Here are 10 areas you can focus on to help promote a lifetime of good eye health:

Use vitamins as a first line of defense

Vitamins A, B, C and E play vital roles in eye health. You can get plenty of these vitamins if you are smart about food choices. Numerous studies have shown that a good way to fill up on vitamin C, thiamine (B1), riboflavin (B2) and niacin (B3) is with a whole-food diet. It should be a smorgasbord of vividly colored vegetables and whole grains. For vitamin E, I prefer to see patients supplement with food-based multivitamins (available from New Chapter or Mega Food) that include all four tocopherols. Get your preformed vitamin A (retinol) from cod-liver oil, up to 10,000 units a day for most folks. Higher doses may be risky for smokers, people with liver disease stemming from alcohol abuse, or women who are pregnant.

Incorporate sulfur-containing foods into your diet

Glutathione is an eye-supportive antioxidant that works as a major free-radical scavenger in the human lens. It’s found in sulfur-containing foods like onions, garlic, avocados, cruciferous vegetables (broccoli, kale, Brussels sprouts, turnips, and cabbage), asparagus, and watermelon—all of which you should eat to your heart’s content. Glutathione boosters include alpha lipoic acid, MSM and N-acetylcysteine (NAC). Astronauts, who are exposed to high levels of oxidative stress-producing UV lights, supplement with as much as 3,000 mg of NAC per day. As for us earthbound folks, we can usually manage this need through nutrition.

Learn to love the yolk

Lutein and zeaxanthin are sibling carotenoid antioxidants found in abundance in leafy green vegetables and egg yolks. Because they’re fat-soluble, you’d be well advised to make sure your diet includes adequate amounts of healthy fats. Lutein and zeaxanthin are present in high amounts in the retina and lens—more so than beta carotene, found in orange-colored fruits and vegetables such as carrots. Folks with early cataracts or AMD should include 6 mg daily of supplemental lutein.

For extra supplemental lutein, Jarrow Formulas Lutein is an excellent, widely available choice. (Go to www.jarrow.com to locate a store near you.) For general prevention, getting 2 mg included in a multivitamin is recommended.

Get your amino acids

Taurine is an interesting amino acid, because it’s the only one that circulates freely on its own through your bloodstream and tissues. Capable of truly multitasking in the body, it helps stabilize biologic membranes in addition to being a useful mood stabilizer and a calmative and cardio-protective agent. It’s the most abundant amino acid in the retina and is known to protect the eye from toxins. For the eye, taurine deficiency is common in people with the retinal degeneration associated with AMD. Consider a supplemental dose of 1,000 mg daily. Taurine can be found naturally in fresh fish and meat.

Mine for minerals in your food choices

It’s not difficult to come up deficient in mineral intake—especially when you consider our food is being grown in increasingly mineral-depleted soil. But minerals are necessary for your eye health.

Zinc, magnesium, and selenium are key multitasking minerals, which means they work as cofactors in your body. The retina has some of the highest concentrations of zinc found in the body. Zinc is found primarily in meat, poultry, and fish and other types of seafood, especially oysters. Magnesium, which supports healthy blood flow to the eye, is found in leafy green vegetables and a variety of nuts. Selenium has been linked to cataract prevention. It’s found in whole grains, shellfish, and especially Brazil nuts—a couple per day can supply your daily requirement.

There’s no need to supplement with more than 200 mcg of selenium per day, as toxicity may kick in with regular ingestion of as little as 750 grams per day.

In one study, high-dose zinc sulfate (100 mg per day) significantly slowed the progression of AMD. While high doses of zinc can suppress the immune system, forAMD sufferers the benefits generally outweigh the risks.

If you don’t have AMD already, 15 to 30 mg per day in a supplement should be sufficient. Also, look for a supplement that includes 2 mg of copper, as supplemental zinc of 30 mg per day or more can reduce copper levels.

Eat more fish

A building block of every cell membrane in the body—and a key player in eye health—is DHA. It’s one of the two key fish-source omega-3 fatty acids that I recommend you look for when choosing an omega-3 supplement. It supports the health of your retinas, improves night vision and hand-eye coordination, and makes up 30 percent to 50 percent of the retinal photoreceptors responsible for light sensitivity. You can obtain it naturally in such fatty cold-water fish as salmon, mackerel, herring, and sardines. Go one better, and get at least 1,000 mg of DHA from cod-liver oil. In one study, the combination of fish-based omega-3 fatty acids (DHA and EPA) in conjunction with acetyl-l-carnitine (1,000 mg) and coenzyme Q10 (100 mg) improved and stabilized vision in the elderly.

Use time-tested herbs

Ginkgo, sage, bilberry and milk thistle all have a role in eye support. Ginkgo (160 mg twice per day) has been shown to increase retinal blood flow by up to 23 percent. Sage also improves circulation. Unlike ginkgo, which can be excitatory for some people, sage is calming. Herbalists recommend 2 grams orally twice per day. Bilberry jam was used by RAF pilots in World War II to help support their night vision. Bilberries (similar to blueberries) and bilberry jam can be tasty additions to your diet. Bilberry is also found in many combination eye-support supplements.

Your liver supplies important substances that aid in molecular repair of the eye, including glutathione (which I mentioned earlier). To help support your liver while it’s supporting your eye health, I recommend you take the time-honored milk thistle (150 mg two or three times per day) to boost liver function.

Be wary of drug-treatment effects

If you’re taking any medication regularly, play it safe and wear sunglasses whenever you’re outside. More than 300 common drugs are known photosensitizers, which means they lead to increased light sensitivity. Cholesterol-lowering “statin” drugs, such as Lipitor, can diminish glutathione production in the liver (and that’s just one thing they do to your liver). Tylenol may also be liver-toxic, even in small amounts (over 4 grams per day, and as little as 2 grams daily if you drink even moderate amounts of alcohol each day). Corticosteroids (e.g. prednisone and hydrocortisone) are known to raise the incidence of both cataracts and glaucoma.

The danger is most pronounced with the topical steroids used to treat eye inflammation and allergies. These medications are best avoided, so ask your eye doctor for an alternative.

Wear sunglasses

Taking medication isn’t the only reason you should don sunglasses. Excessive sun exposure and high altitudes have long been known to raise the frequency of cataracts and AMD. (Astronauts who go into space even once have a higher incidence of cataracts.) One study found that those who reported higher levels of sun exposure than their peers were able to cut their risk in half for developing deposits on their retinas (which signal degeneration)––just by wearing sunglasses. The damage from sun exposure is cumulative over a lifetime, so children especially should be encouraged to wear sunglasses.

Avoid lifestyle risks

There are many lifestyle-related risk accelerators that can lead to eye disease. These include smoking, excessive alcohol consumption, not exercising, having diabetes, high blood pressure, hypothyroidism, lack of sleep, poor nutrition and poor stress-handling skills. They all contribute to increasing your chance of developing eye problems.

Postmenopausal women have higher rates of AMD than do men. While hormone replacement therapy (HRT) may be beneficial, I wouldn’t recommend it simply for this reason.

Remember, you’re in control of your lifestyle. Make sure you eat plenty of fatty cold-water fish, leafy green vegetables like spinach and kale, and fruits like blueberries and grapes. Round out your food selections with nuts and extra-virgin olive oil. Finally, make sure you get a regular eye exam from a specialist. Ask your primary-care doctor how often you should get one, since individual need varies.

Finally, I recommend you consider taking a good, comprehensive eye-support formula. Mega Food has a well-designed botanical combination eye formula called Vision Strength. Another good product, though more challenging to obtain, is Ocuforce, from Designs for Health. It’s available through many health professionals and some related Web sites.

I don’t care for the commonly prescribed Bausch and Lomb Ocuvite products, although they were used successfully in studies. Unfortunately, they contain inferior forms of zinc and vitamin E. Your eyes deserve the best. Getting the best products may cost a little more, but good eye health is well worth the price.

Setting the record straight on vitamin E

It seems as though the medical community thrives on creating confusion—one day something is good for you, and the next it isn’t. The reason for this is often a simple one: The “studies” that some mainstream docs cite as gospel are frequently funded—or at least influenced—by special interests. One of the things I’m here to do is help you separate the genuine medical information from the bunk—and a lot of the information that has emerged lately on vitamin E is pure bunk.

Vitamin E is classified as an antioxidant that pgle

rotects fats found in human tissues from free-radical damage. It stabilizes cell membranes, regulates vitamin A, protects red blood cells, and helps control cell division, which could possibly confer an anti-cancer benefit. So why is it getting a bad rap?

A great deal of attention has been focused on vitamin E and heart-disease prevention, and doctors often cite two prominent, negative studies. In one, a review of 19 clinical trials concluded that long-term use of 400 IU or more of vitamin E per day was associated with a small 4 percent increase in overall risk of death. In another study, people with heart disease who took 400 IU daily developed heart failure more often than did those taking a placebo—5.8 percent vs. 4.2 percent. I cite these two studies because doctors will often use them as “proof” that vitamins are no good.

Risk-benefit analysis

But here’s what you won’t hear: Both studies had serious methodological flaws. Both studies—like the vast majority of vitamin E clinical research—used only the alpha-tocopherol form. Researchers seem to have fixated solely on this one form because it’s more potent in humans than are the other forms. This is a classic example of an archaic, limited-reductionist approach.

Another thing you won’t hear is that the benefits of vitamin E far outweigh the “risks” found in these flawed studies. High-dose supplemental vitamin E (usually 400 to 800 IU daily of the alpha-tocopherol variety) has been used to treat a wide variety of complaints. It speeds the healing of burns, provides immune-system support (particularly for the elderly), and has been known to benefit patients suffering from leg pain due to poor circulation, Alzheimer’s disease, diabetes, and age-related macular degeneration (for more on eye health, go to page 4). I hate to think that people suffering from these conditions are being scared away, quite unnecessarily, from vitamin E.

Let’s face it—vitamin E has been an important dietary staple throughout history. We know from the research of nutrition expert Dr. Weston L. Price in the 1930s that many pre-industrial, primitive diets around the world supported excellent health and vitality. And those diets were rich in key vitamins, including vitamin E.

Food sources for vitamin E include wheat germ, nuts and seeds, whole grains, egg yolks, and leafy green vegetables. Foods that feature vitamin E often contain other nutrients that help support its function, including selenium, unsaturated fats, sulfur-based amino acids, and antioxidants like vitamin C and beta carotene.

Here are my common-sense recommendations: If you’re going to use vitamin E to treat a condition (the way you would use a drug), use a full-spectrum product with all four tocopherols and tocotrienols, such as Carlson E-Gems. (Go to www.carlsonlabs.com to locate a store near you.)

Other full-spectrum products include New Chapter’s Vitamin E and Standard Process’ Wheat Germ Oil Fortified™. I highly recommend either, as it would be reasonable to expect overall health benefits from a food-based product.

CAUTION: Supplemental vitamin E in higher doses over 400 IU has blood-thinning effects. Usually desirable, this could actually pose a hazard to people on the blood-thinning drug Coumadin (warfarin).

Vitamin E––naturally

• Sunflower seeds
• Almonds
• Peanuts
• Spinach
• Kiwi
• Broccoli
• Mango
• Wheat germ

Your Questions Answered

When your heart takes a hit, you can fight back

Q. I’m 62 years old and have been told I have congestive heart failure. I have a history of high blood pressure and am now on three drugs for it. My doctor tells me I had one or more silent heart attacks in the past because my heart isn’t pumping normally. My ejection fraction is 35 percent—whatever that means. I’m now taking a water pill, Lasix, to help the swelling in my legs and feet. I’ve finally quit smoking and have become serious about my diet and weight, but isn’t there something more I can do? I don’t want to live on Lasix the rest of my life.
––A. Potts, Charlotte, NC

A:The short answer is yes—there’s plenty you can do. In particular, there are specific nutrients that can help your heart to pump more efficiently.

First, let’s talk about your ejection fraction. This number reflects how much blood is being pumped out per heartbeat. Based on your heart’s ejection fraction, you’ve lost 25 percent to 30 percent of your heart’s strength. So now there’s back-up pressure in the vessels leading to your heart. As a result, fluid is pushed out of these blood vessels into tissue—mainly in the lungs and liver but also in the legs and feet. Another name for visible swelling due to fluid build-up is edema. All this waterlogged tissue is what the term “congestive” refers to.

When your doctor took his assessment, he probably saw a combination of things. One most likely was an abnormally thickened left ventricle, which is common in patients who have been dealing with high blood pressure for years. Another may have been some degree of damage from a silent heart attack. In a heart attack, the vessels serving the heart are blocked, preventing blood from delivering essential oxygen to the hard-working heart muscle. You end up with irreversible damage—a permanent scarring. A silent heart attack can happen in the absence of symptoms and occurs in up to 25 percent of cases.

And in case you weren’t aware, your heart is an energy hog. Many folks with CHF are functionally deficient in key nutrients required to produce energy in the heart muscle. These key nutrients are magnesium, carnitine, coenzyme Q10 and ribose. Many people with congestive heart failure are also deficient in vitamin D and vitamin B2 (riboflavin).

For vitamin D, ask your doctor to check your 25-hydroxy vitamin D level. Make sure it’s between 40 and 60 nanograms per milliliter, which for most folks will require 1,000 to 2,000 IUs of D3 daily. Most folks with CHF have some degree of vitamin D deficiency.

Here’s a roundup of nutraceuticals that you should consider adding to your daily regimen. They’ll help support and energize your heart.

1) Magnesium: Any form but the “oxide” version is good, so look for citrate, glycinate, orotate, or lactate. Take 400 to 800 mg daily.

2) D-ribose: Take 10 to 15 grams. It’s a huge energy-restorer and will help you to feel better than ever. I recommend you take a look at the product from Valen Labs (www.valenlabs.com). It includes both ribose and magnesium, which is also an effective treatment for chronic fatigue ass puociated with CHF.

3) L-Carnitine: 2,000 to 3,000 mg a day.

4) Coenzyme Q10: Take 100 to 300 mg in the gel-cap form. I put my wife’s grandmother on this while her ejection fraction was 40 percent. It increased to 50 percent after coenzyme Q10 treatment.

5) Vitamin B: Obtain this important vitamin through a whole-food diet that includes bananas, chicken breasts, tuna, liver, and beef tenderloin (from organic sources).

6) Food-based multivitamins: Use of multivitamins is the easiest way to give your body much of what it may be lacking. New Chapter (www.newchapter.com), Mega Food (www.megafood.com), and Standard Process (www.standardprocess.com) all carry multivitamins that I recommend highly.

7) Heart-healthy omega-3s: Take 2,000 to 3,000 grams of fish oil that includes DHA and EPA. (You’ll need to add up the amounts on the label.)

I owe a huge thanks to Frank Sinatra, M.D. (not to be confused with “Ol’ Blue Eyes”), an integrative cardiologist who spells this all out in his excellent book The Sinatra Solution, which I consider recommended reading for anyone suffering from CHF.

By the way, you may be able to eliminate the need for Lasix entirely and reduce—or even eliminate—the need for your blood-pressure medications with the right combination of these supplemental nutrients, exercise, and a whole-food diet.