Springing Into Summer and My Schedule

Springing Into Summer And My Schedule

Memorial Day is just around the corner. Although not the summer solstice, the day with the most daylight hours, it is still the unofficial start of summer. I hope you have wonderful and healthy plans for the Memorial Day weekend and warmer days ahead.

May 30th through 4 June I will be in LA seeing patients, with the exception of Saturday. Please let me know if you would like an appointment at the Toluca Lake Tennis Club, 6711 Forest Lawn Drive, Suite 104. Email, text or call 818-863-6346.

This week I was able to help some football players at an NFL Alumni Golf Classic. It is amazing to me how much beating up some people can take. One handsome former Captain of 2 NFL teams had pins and plates in his neck, and he was still smiling and looking forward to a round of golf.

We all take knocks of one kind or another, and it is so easy these days to reach for a bottle of pain pills. With Oxycontin one of the most abused and dangerous drugs around today, you could easily jump from the frying pan into the fire trying to manage and relieve pain.

More than 194,000 people have died from the overdose of opioid pain relievers. Because of the highly addictive nature of these drugs, mobs and gangs have gotten in on the action, using unethical doctors to prescribe for bogus reasons, and reselling the prescriptions. http://www.latimes.com/projects/la-me-oxycontin-part2/  More people die from opioid overdose than from automobile accidents, according to the FBI. http://flatheadbeacon.com/2017/02/18/law-enforcement-opioid-addiction-crisis/

And one-third of drug addicts start with prescription medications.

Opioids have a long history in medicine. Derived originally from opium poppies in ancient Mesopotamia 3000 years before Christ, opium was used “recreationally” for centuries before a Swiss-German alchemist made it into pills for pain relief in the 1500’s. In the 1800’s morphine was isolated from opium, concentrating the pain relief elements and morphine products were a mainstay of medicine for years. It was highly addictive and one of the aftereffects of the American Civil War was the number of soldiers who were hooked. Heroin is a synthetic form of morphine, and was touted as safer, but we all know how hollow that promise proved to be. Bayer (the aspirin company) called heroin non-addictive morphine and used it in a cough-suppressant formula.

Oxycodone, another synthetic derivative, was developed after WW II, to help returning soldiers with pain. It has been a source of abuse and problems ever since. Oxycontin, developed by Purdue Pharma, is a time-release form of oxycodone, heralded as ushering in a new era of pain control.

http://www.narconon.org/blog/narconon/two-dangerous-painkillers-which-is-worse-oxycodone-vs-oxycontin/

In 2007, Purdue pled guilty to charges of misleading the public about the dangerous addictive nature of Oxycontin and paid $635 dollars in penalties. https://sobernation.com/the-history-of-opioids-in-america-pain-patients-or-prescription-addictions/

Millions of people are using Oxycontin or Oxycodone for non-medical purposes, and are trapped by the addictive nature of these drugs.

But people who have pain do need relief. In the natural world there are a number of things that can help. Here are a few:

Stop sugar and high carb foods. These cause inflammation, which can aggravate pain. Food allergies and poor digestion can cause pain in other parts of the body, disguising the real problem.

A massage therapist, chiropractor, physical therapist or other practitioner who helps with manipulation of connective tissue may provide relief.  There are tools on the market for home use that may help with release of the fascia or connective tissue. https://www.anatomytrains.com/blog/2015/04/27/foam-rolling-and-self-myofascial-release/

There are some herbal remedies that can help, especially if used long term. Email me and I will be more specific if you have some pain you are trying to handle. Or book an appointment with me and let me know how I can help. Encourage your friends and loved ones to seek non-addictive help. Even drugs like Tylenol have long term harmful effects when taken regularly, and can be deadly when over-dosed. With natural medicine the cure is never worse than the disease.

Warmly;

Anne

Boobs, More or Less

Breasts are one of those things that rarely satisfy their owners. We either have too little, too much, or they are too saggy or the wrong shape, etc.

About 7 Million women have had breast augmentation surgery in the United States. The majority of these ladies live in the Western states and comprise 5-6% of the female population. Other women have had breast lifts, without augmentation. About 40,000 women a year have breast reduction surgery for cosmetic purposes and about 25,000 men a year have breast reduction surgery for “man boobs”.

With so much attention on the size and shape of breasts, we may forget how wonderful the breast is for its biological function of converting the mother’s blood into a sweet milk for nursing, as well as being a nerve center tied to pleasure and arousal. There is no replacement for mother’s milk that we can create in a lab and we don’t yet know all the components that not only feed the baby for growth, but also build the developing immune system.

Because breasts are influenced by hormones, and comprised of fatty tissue, they are susceptible to disease. Keeping breasts healthy is dependent on good thyroid function, hormone balance, and maintaining a body and lymphatic system that is free of toxins that may store in breast tissue and cause mutation in the cells.

Doing a regular general or liver cleanse is a good defense against breast cancer. Thyroids, and therefore breasts, do well with generous levels of the mineral iodine. Taking an iodine supplement is smart. I like Mintran from Standard Process, which contains calcium and magnesium in the correct forms and ratios, along with iodine. I also like Lugol’s liquid Iodine available online, and can be applied topically to belly or leg.

For men or women who wish to reduce breast size, one thing that influences tissue is excess estrogen, which is also a cancer risk. Of course, maintaining a normal weight, and thus avoiding sugar and carbs is a first defense. Eating cruciferous vegetables helps the liver to metabolize and break down excess estrogen. These include cabbage, Kale, broccoli, Brussels sprouts, and cauliflower. Think of the ones that are smelly when cooked! They contain sulfur, which is vital for full liver detoxification processes.

There is a supplement called DIM, which contains the extract from cruciferous vegetables, and is a smart supplement to take. Men needing more testosterone can take it, and women who use estrogen hormone replacement can benefit from DIM. Here is a good source of DIM.

Hormone balance is not just dependent on what and how many hormones you are making, but also what happens to them afterwards. And that is where the marvelous liver comes in. No matter what kind of health or cosmetic issue you are battling, supporting liver health is vital.  Livers process out junk, and they also process out excess things like hormones, so they are no floating around in the body. For more on info on liver detox programs, let me know. Spring is the best detox time.

So, for the Mom’s in our lives, thanks for being the hubs to the family wheels and the anchor points of our lives.  Happy Mother’s Day! For me personally, thanks to my sons for letting me be your mother, because being a Mom is awesome and I wouldn’t have missed it for anything!

Warmly

Anne

Spring Renewal Time

Like the trees and flowers, I am emerging again after the winter months. Something unavoidable came up in February and I was unable to return to LA-until now.

I will be back in LA from 17 March for a week and seeing patients every day, except Saturday, including Sunday. I will be at the new office at Toluca Lake Tennis Club in the office of Aquino Acupuncture (Better) at 6711 Forest Lawn Drive, suite 104, LA 90068.

It has been a time of great renewal for me, and I hope that you are doing well.  During the winter months, the body slows down a bit. Heavier winter foods are welcome, but now is the time to add in more spring vegetables, and get the metabolism working a little faster, in anticipation of greater activity levels.

Oxygen is a vital nutrient. Did you know that your cells actually breathe? Your lungs take in air, in order to get the oxygen into the blood for transport throughout the body. The cells take in oxygen and respire (breathe out) carbon dioxide. So, deep breathing has numerous benefits. It is relaxing and counters stress, and it gets more oxygen into the blood. Oxygen is carried to the cells via the red blood cells. There is a special protein called Hemoglobin, which allows the red blood cells to carry oxygen and exchange it for carbon dioxide. Having rich, healthy red blood cells is very important because every cell must have oxygen to function correctly. Carbon dioxide is released through the lungs. https://www.ebi.ac.uk/interpro/potm/2005_10/Page1.htm

Sitting up straight at your desk will allow your lungs to open up fully and take in more oxygen. Exercise helps increase oxygen capacity. Feeling a mid-afternoon slump? Try moving around and doing some deep breathing, instead of reaching for caffeine or snacks. Sufficient B vitamins are vital to lung function. Check yourself on your oxygen capacity by timing how long you can hold your breath.  You should be able to hold your breath for a minute or more. Divers who must hold their breath for sustained lengths of time have slowed metabolisms. That should tell you that oxygen is vital for increasing your metabolism and some people have found they can lose weight by drinking more water and practicing more deep breathing.

So I hope that, when I see you soon in LA, you will have rosy cheeks and plenty of energy. If you are concerned about your blood quality or suffer from poor circulation, we can check that and get you on a blood-building program. For the body, the blood and circulation might be called the River of Life. Spring is a perfect time to get your river flowing beautifully.

Text me at 818-863-6346, or email me at anne@annedunev.com or dr.dunev@gmail.com to book an appointment for next week.

Happy Easter! Happy Passover! Happy Spring!

Warmly;

Anne

Can Healthy Foods Make You Sick?

You have probably heard the old saying “One man’s meat is another man’s poison.” This is not an argument to go vegan, but a reminder that we are each biologically unique individuals. Even people in the same family have nutritional needs that belong to each member alone.

From the moment of conception and the DNA combining from our parents that gave us our physical start in life, our experiences and exposures are unique. We now know that even our DNA is not always fixed, and can be altered as we grow and live. So, allergies, or susceptibility, may run in families, or they may be uniquely yours. There are emotional, mental and spiritual aspects that can greatly influence each individual's health, as well.

So, even the healthiest foods in the world, in terms of nutritional bang, can make a person “sick” with symptoms that are uncomfortable, or even horrific. Eventually, these symptoms, which trigger inflammation and mobilize the immune system to over-react, and become over-burdened, may lead to a breakdown of health, opening the door to chronic, or even fatal, disease.

What are some of the signs that you are suffering from a food allergy?  Chronic skin conditions such as acne, eczema, psoriasis, rashes, headaches and migraines, bloating and indigestion, mood swings and violent behavior, hyperactivity, difficulty losing weight, menstrual cramps, sinus allergies and asthma, fatigue, mental fogginess, lethargy and insomnia and snoring.

So identifying your unique dietary needs could give you very desirable benefits. It might even change your life.

If you suffer from any of the above symptoms, one thing that you can do is a Standard Process Purification and cleanse program to help rid your body of the most common allergens. There are blood tests that can help identify your long term allergies. I was born in Iowa but, ironically, found out that I am allergic to corn, even non-hybridized ancient grain corn.

If you would like to know how to determine if food allergies are plaguing you, I have a book I can share with you, written by the leading expert on the subject, Keith Scott-Mumbry, MD, PhD. Just email me at dr.dunev@gmail.com and I will send you a pdf version of the book.  Here is an excerpt. “It is an unpleasant truth that if you are eating foods which in effect act as poisons you will damage the mucous linings of your intestinal tract. Since these linings are essential for the proper performance of the digestive functions and the selective absorption of necessary vitamins and minerals, most food allergy and intolerance patients become very deficient in proper nutrition”.

One of the great things about this program is that you may be able to add back in offending foods (which are so often the very foods we enjoy) by following the advice strictly. You will be more in control of your symptoms, and your health for a lifetime.

I can help at points along the way, such as suggesting alternatives to the Epsom salts routine Dr. Scott-Mumbry gives for constipation or hormonal issues.

Also, email me or call 818-863-6346, to get your Standard Process cleanse kit delivered to your door. There is plenty of food on the program and it eliminates the top allergens, and unburdens your digestive/detox organs. No one goes hungry but, if you need to lose weight and sleep better, you will. To view the program click here https://www.standardprocess.com/Products/Literature/Patient-Purification-Program-Guide

You know that I love whole food supplements, and many people have experienced enormous benefits and improvements from taking them. But I really care about your health. And I don’t want to suggest supplements to fix underlying issues that eliminating a food would solve. I want you to be the healthiest you can be so you can enjoy life and live forever (or as close as we can get.)

Let me know what you find on your journey of discovery and if I can help along the way. If the self-testing seems daunting, there is a blood test that can easily be done to identify your personal allergens.

Once you eliminate your food triggers, and your symptoms improve, there are still foundational supplements that you can take, such as multi-vitamins and minerals (Catalyn and Cyrofood) and digestive enzymes (Multizyme and Zypan) and immune system repair and support (Congaplex and Thymex). You may need to rebuild your gut flora that has been damaged by the damaging foods. Our soil is depleted and no one is getting all the nutrients they need. But this would be a maintenance program, and few people ever get there because they never get on top of their various symptoms.

Happy Hunting! And let me know how it goes.