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.

What Does Prop 64 Really Bring to California?

Regardless of what you think about the legal use of marijuana for non-medical purposes, you should understand what Prop 64 really means.

Prop 64 is being pushed by big money interests to commercialize and market recreational marijuana. Many people think that no one should go to jail for smoking a little pot. That is not what this Prop is about. Commercialization and marketing of marijuana means that it will be marketed and advertised to adults. What does that mean for our kids?

Alcohol is not supposed to be marketed and advertised to kids. So, do kids turn off the TV when beer ads are shown? Apparently not, since alcohol is the most abused drug among California teen-agers.

Alcohol costs California billions of dollars for the social problems it creates, and leads the country as number one for alcohol consumption.

Background:

California is the largest alcohol market in the United States. In 2005 alone,Californians consumed almost 14 billion alcoholic drinks, which contributed to many severe and potentially fatal alcohol-related illnesses and conditions. Alcohol use also causes violent and non-violent crimes, as well as injuries and traffic collisions. While several studies have estimated the magnitude and cost of these problems nationally and others have analyzed underage drinking costs, no overall cost estimate at the state level currently exists for California. We present the first comprehensive estimate of the cost of alcohol consumption in California. 

Results:

Alcohol consumption in California led to an estimated 9,439 deaths and 921,929 alcohol-related problems, such as crime and injury in 2005. The economic cost of these problems is estimated at between $35.4 billion and $42.2 billion. Our main estimate is $38.5 billion, of which $5.4 billion was for medical and mental health spending, $25.3 billion in work losses, and $7.8 billion in criminal justice spending, property damage and public program costs. In addition, alcohol is responsible for severe reductions in individuals’ quality of life in California. We estimate that the disability caused by injury, the personal anguish of violent crime victims, and the life years lost to fatality are the largest costs imposed by alcohol. The total value for this reduced quality of life in California is between $30.3 billion and $60.0 billion. Our main estimate for quality-of-life costs is $48.8 billion

 ://www.eatdrinkpolitics.com/wpcontent/uploads/CostAlcoholCaliforniaSimon.pdf

Do you think that legalizing marijuana will give us less of a drug problem? Do you want your kids eating THC-laced gummy bears on the way to school? Just as alcohol is regulated, so would pot. But the kids don’t seem to have much trouble getting their hands on alcohol, and there is no reason to think they could not figure out how to get marijuana, particularly when the edibles come in the form of candy bars, “pot tarts”, and chewing gum. A young patient of mine from Colorado Springs told me that pot shops are now as common as 7-11’s in Colorado.

Sound public drug policies are supposed to encourage less addiction and abuse. More drug use of any kind creates social problems that harm communities and families and clog social services. Regardless of whether or not you think that pot smoking should be decriminalized, realize that Prop 64 is not sound policy because it puts big money interests ahead of the well-being of families, kids and the community. It will allow George Soros, the largest investor in Monsanto, and Sean Parker (cofounder of Napster and first president of Facebook) to make billions of dollars when pot is advertised like cola drinks. Marketing is always aimed at the most vulnerable and gullible populations, so targeting young people, minorities, and under-served communities makes good business sense if money is your sole motivation. http://wakeup-world.com/2016/07/20/monsanto-big-pharma-george-soros-and-the-push-to-legalize-marijuana/?doing_wp_cron=1469633726.8202860355377197265625  It is speculated that Monsanto will create GMO marijuana seeds and may even intend to corner and patent the seeds in order to dominate the world market.

80% of addictive substances like tobacco and alcohol are consumed by 20% of the population. Drug manufacturers never want you to be responsible in your behavior. They want you dependent so they can have you as a life-long customer. Check this out to follow the money on Prop 64. http://theweedlynews.com/2016/08/28/when-you-follow-the-money/

This is not about adult freedoms. It is about the “freedom” of greed and vested interest to market their wares to vulnerable people. Watch the celebrities and sports stars get on board for marketing purposes if Prop 64 passes. And what will our kids think about drug use then?

How harmful is marijuana to developing children? This has been a controversial topic, but it makes sense to be concerned about any chemical substance that is introduced to an immature system. For details about neuropsychological decline and decline in IQ for heavy users who started as adolescents see this study. chttp://www.moffittcaspi.com/sites/moffittcaspi.com/files/field/publication_uploads/Meier_PNAS_Cannabis_2012Published_0.pdf

This is not your grandmother’s pot anymore. I recall observing motivational issues in heavy pot smokers among my college classmates in the 70’s when the THC content was 1%. Through years of hybridization and sharing of seeds and plants, the marijuana growers have created plants that have a THC content that ranges from 16 to 32%, and may go even higher, as will you, if you smoke it. It would take 17.5 joints of the 1975 vintage to equal 1 joint today. http://herb.co/2015/09/30/modern-day-weed-vs-hippie-weed/

Marijuana plants do have medicinal properties and one company in particular is in late-stag testing. But guess what? It is not THC that is medicinal- it is another component of the plant called cannabidiol or CBD. When THC goes up, CBD goes down and vice-versa. So, the hallucinogenic and “high” aspect is not medicinal, but just the opposite. CBD has anti-inflammatory effects that hold promise for the treatment of pain and inflammation and a variety of conditions. We don’t need commercialized high dose THC marijuana for that purpose. https://www.leafly.com/news/cannabis-101/whats-the-deal-with-these-high-cbd-strains/

We may need reform regarding our laws about marijuana, but only 1% of our prison population is incarcerated for possession. http://www.rollingstone.com/culture/lists/top-10-marijuana-myths-and-facts-20120822/myth-prisons-are-full-of-people-in-for-marijuana-possession-19691231

Since marijuana is already easily available in California, Prop 64 is not needed and, if passed, may cause great harm to our kids and teenagers at a time when their developing minds and neurological systems are most vulnerable.

“Other symptoms of Colorado’s pot culture include increased use among teens, resulting in educational problems in middle schools and high schools, a spike in “edibles”-related emergency room visits, consumption by children and pets resulting in illness and death and regulatory confusion surrounding public consumption and enforcement.” http://www.newsweek.com/unexpected-side-effects-legalizing-weed-339931

“Marijuana-related emergency room visits grew 57 percent in two years, from 8,198 in 2011 to 12,888 in 2013, the study found, with a 29 percent increase in emergency room visits for teens. The report also found that drug-related suspensions and expulsions increased 32 percent between the 2008-2009 and 2012-2013 school years. The majority of expulsions were for marijuana violations.” https://www.rt.com/usa/316148-marijuana-related-deaths-injuries-study/

Raising teenagers is difficult enough these days. I am very grateful that my sons’ schools did not have more of a drug problem. It is now up to us to decide what kind of drug problems our kids and grandkids will face going forward. Prop 64 will surely make them worse.