Should You Get a Flu Shot?

Perhaps you have noticed that, in the last couple of years, flu shots are being marketed so aggressively that you can practically get a flu shot at along with your favorite coffee drink.

Is this to protect you from the bad old flu? Or is this a way for the pharmaceutical companies, who are beholden to their stock holders to ever increase profits, to make more money. Take a look at the math. There are about 20 million childhood vaccines sold. There are 300 million flu vaccines sold.

So, does the flu vaccine protect you against flu? Influenza infection causes muscle aches, headache, congestion, fever and coughing. The side effects of the flu vaccine are muscle aches, headache, congestion, fever and coughing. Hmmm. Plus the flu vaccination puts you at risk for shingles and Guillain-Barre syndrome. [i]

Does the flu vaccine save lives? The National Vital Statistics System, which tracks actual causes of death, estimates that there are only 500 deaths from flu per year. By comparison, almost 3000 people die from ulcers.

The CDC (Center for Disease Control) estimates, based on computer models, that, in 2006-2007. flu deaths ranged from 3,000 to 49,000. [ii] Their website states is difficult to say how many people actually die of flu because other illnesses have similar symptoms, and often those who die are already aged and ill. Also, many deaths are actually from pneumonia. Well, does that mean that flu leads to pneumonia? No, as it turns out influenza is only one of 30 different causes of pneumonia, according to The American Lung Association, and not the most common one.

The CDC distributes flu vaccines. A few years ago few people were availing themselves of flu shots, so what was the CDC to do?  Apparently lacking oversight by any regulatory agency, the CDC turned to PR and marketing to get the job done and sell the American people on flu vaccines. [iii] The CDC does not monitor either the effectiveness of the inoculation campaign, nor the risks of continued vaccination year after year, even in infants and children.[iv]

An important risk to getting a flu shot is the fact that many of the shots contain mercury in the form of thimerosal, added as a preservative.[v] Mercury is a potent poison and needs to be cleared from the body before it accumulates to toxic levels. If you decide to get a flu shot, is advisable to ask about the presence of thimerosal and opt for a formula without it.[vi] Thimerosal was used in the infamous DPT (Diphtheria, Pertussis and Tetanus) vaccination formula that started the controversy about childhood vaccines and autism. That formula was later changed. Interestingly an MD, who spent thirty years researching vaccine safety and was instrumental in getting the DPT formula changed, is against flu shots. Dr. Mark Geier says that there are no long term studies on the safety of getting repeated flu shots year after year, that the flu vaccines cause Guillain-Barre, and that flu shots are ineffective against flu virus because the formula must be changed every new flu season.[vii]

So, what can you do to protect yourself and your family? We are exposed to viruses frequently, but we don’t always get sick. Some people never get the flu at all and others seem to catch it often. The difference is in the response from the immune system when threatened.

Viruses are not “alive,” in the same sense as bacteria or other organisms. They invade our cells and use the cellular material to replicate themselves. Then the cell bursts open, releasing many more viruses. That is the reason flu tends to come on so quickly. And most often, the flu will run its course and the virus will mutate until it is no longer a threat to the host. If there is a lingering cough, that is probably because a bacterial infection set in, or there is an underlying weakness in the tissue of the bronchia or lungs.

At any stage along the way natural medicine, including nutritional, herbal and homeopathic medicines, can handle the symptoms and shorten duration far better than pharmaceutical drugs. The time to go for drugs is if a bacterial infection threatens to develop into something severe like pneumonia.

To prevent the flu from catching you, there are several things I recommend.

1.     Avoid sugar as much as possible. The cells in our bodies that are doing the job they are supposed to, the eye, liver, heart and skin cells to name a few, don’t need sugar and are greatly impaired by sugar. Sugar causes inflammation, it robs the body of vital nutrients, and it feeds fungus, parasites, bacteria and cancer. Really.

2.     Get plenty of rest. Human bodies are used to resting more in winter months when it is cold and this is probably pretty deeply programmed. Sufficient sleep allows repair to take place, and it allows our adrenals to get a break. Adrenals help the body to respond to stress and are big players in the immune system.

3.     Take mineral supplements, including good quality calcium. Consider quality, not high quantity. The cheapest calcium supplements may not be easily absorbed and utilized. The body needs minerals, as the building blocks of the body. Most of us are not getting enough minerals because the soil in which our vegetables and fruits are grown is very depleted. You can get calcium from leafy greens as well as dairy products. You may not be getting enough magnesium, zinc or iodine, as well as trace minerals. Supplementation may be needed.

4.     Be sure you can absorb your minerals, by having a high degree of stomach acid. Don’t drink high-ph water or take acid blocking medication unless you have an ulcer. If we were supposed to drink alkaline water, the fresh water on the planet would be alkaline. It isn’t. The ph of the blood must remain neutral, from 7.0-7.2. We cannot outsmart Nature. I will go over this more in another blog, but the old remedy for heading off a cold or flu is to drink apple cider vinegar diluted in water, with a little honey (local is best) or stevia. Or take Betaine HCL tablets to increase your stomach ph and help you digest protein.

5.     Salt and potassium are vital minerals. Make your own sports drink with fresh organic lemon juice, honey or stevia, mixed with water to taste. Add a pinch of sea salt or Himalayan salt.

6.     Zinc and iodine are two more minerals that are helpful to the immune system. Iodine is held in the thyroid gland and, when the blood passes by on its route all around the body, the iodine kills pathogens. So, even the thyroid is involved in the defense of our bodies.

7.     Take immune boosters when you don’t have the flu or a cold. Keep your immune system strong and don’t wait until you feel something coming on.

8.     Be happy. It has been shown that happy people have stronger immune systems.[viii] How you can make yourself happy will be the subject of a future blog. Meanwhile collect jokes, see funny movies and spend time around other happy people. They will be the ones who are not passing around the flu

If you feel you are susceptible to the flu, colds, winter or spring allergies, or bronchial infections, now is the time to treat your immune system.  We can identify the area of your body that is the weakest link and strengthen that. And we can help you keep your kids healthy, both for their sake and for yours. Stock up on homeopathic and herbal remedies so they will be there if you need them, and find out what supplements you should be taking to have your healthiest winter ever.

Mention this blog and get a $15 discount on an immune system assessment if you book before the end of October. And remember that Halloween sweets may trick your immune system, so ask about our blood sugar balancing Inositol supplement that kids love to take. Good tasting and chewable, our Inositol helps kids of any age avoid the sugar blues. It will minimize those sugar crashes and cravings that bring out the goblin in all of us.

[i] http://www.healthline.com/health/flu-shot-side-effects#severeallergicreactions7

[ii] http://www.cdc.gov/flu/about/disease/us_flu-related_deaths.htm

[iii] http://www.huffingtonpost.ca/lawrence-solomon/death-by-influenza_b_4661442.html

[iv] http://cpi.probeinternational.org/2004/10/24/vaccine-fevers/

[v] http://www.cdc.gov/flu/protect/vaccine/thimerosal.htm

[vi] http://emedicine.medscape.com/article/1175560-overview

[vii] http://healthimpactnews.com/2014/the-flu-vaccine-war-healthcare-workers-fight-back/

[viii] http://www.scientificamerican.com/article/how-happiness-boosts-the-immune-system/

Signs and Symptoms of Low Thyroid

Have you wondered if your thyroid was functioning correctly? Perhaps you are having trouble losing weight or you are tired. But, after blood work, your doctor says that your thyroid is “normal” or “fine”.

Your doctor is looking for a diagnosable disease on lab work. Your thyroid may be in the low normal range. This is not a disease state, yet the thyroid is still not functioning correctly, or the thyroid hormones are not able to do their job. TSH is the blood test used. TSH is a pituitary hormone called Thyroid Stimulating Hormone. The assumption is that your pituitary is shouting at your thyroid to make more thyroid hormone and the louder it shouts the more your thyroid is sleeping on the job. Thyroid function governs metabolism, so weight gain and fatigue are common symptoms when the thyroid is less active.

But your thyroid may be trying to work, and even producing enough thyroid hormone. Every cell in your body has receptor sites for hormones of all kinds. The thyroid hormone that is utilized by the cells must be converted, mostly by the liver, to the active form that the cells respond to.  So liver health is also a key to your getting the full benefit of your thyroid function. This is just one more example of how much the health of one organ affects the health of the entire body. http://www.liverdoctor.com/thyroid-health-depends-on-your-liver/

You can see that the problem may be one of distribution and delivery to the cells that rely on thyroid hormone signals, and not of the production of thyroid hormone.

Here are some of the other symptoms of low thyroid function:

Weight gain and hard to lose                      Full and puffy around the eyes

Coarse hair, possibly thinning                     Thick nails

Poor flexibility                                               Cold hands and feet                                    

Depression                                                     Low energy-fatigue

Slowed thinking                                            Poor concentration

Thinned eyebrows                                        Brain fog

Insomnia, restless sleep                               Waking up exhausted

Slow heart rate                                              Low blood pressure

Thinned eyebrows                                        Pale, pasty skin

Decreased body hair                                                Vertigo

Hoarse voice                                                  Thickened tongue

Muscle pain                                                   Recurrent headaches

Fibrocystic breasts                                        Infertility, miscarriages

Elevated cholesterol                                     Edema (swelling of ankles)

Thyroid function is one of the vital elements of cancer protection, so thyroid health goes beyond issues of weight and fatigue. Supplementing with iodine, which is vital to thyroid hormone production, may help.

At Well Body Clinic, we get your thyroid functioning correctly, and make sure that your entire hormonal system is working together, with each gland working well. We call this Total Hormone Balancing If you are already on thyroid medication, we can make sure that your medication is working well.

We are all exposed to multiple chemicals and pesticides every day, in our offices, homes and through our food and air. These toxins interrupt the function of the glands by binding with the hormone receptor sites. Cleanses and detox programs can remove the toxic burden, so that you have better hormone function.

When you are on the right program for you, you can start to notice the difference quickly, If you suspect you suffer from low thyroid function, book an appointment and see how much better you can feel and that you really can lose the weight that has been so hard to budge.

Will You Remember? How To Keep An Aging Mind Sharp

Perhaps the most concerning of the new epidemics that face us is Alzheimer’s and Dementia. The prospect of being a prisoner in a body with no recognition of loved ones, and no recall of the most basic personal information, is terrifying to many. Baby Boomers surveyed now say that they are more worried about losing their mind than they are about cancer.

What do we know about Alzheimer’s? Very little, which tells you that medical science is still in the dark about how the brain works and the relationship of the mind to the body. Brain scans may reveal plaque or signs of reduced neurological activity, but nothing conclusive enough for a safe and effective treatment plan.

So, what do we know? We know that Alzheimers has increased dramatically in the past 50 years. Epidemiological data shows the incidence of Alzheimer’s in the 1960s was 2% in people over the age of 85 years. Today, the incidence in this population is 50% or more.  In people over 75 it is 20% – and 10% in individuals over the age of 65.

The genetic link to Alzheimer’s does not seem likely, given that the increase resembles an epidemic. Lifestyle and environment are more likely culprits. This means that something can be done to prevent the disease.

One key factor may be the type and amount of dietary fats. The brain is composed of 80% fat and uses 25% of the body’s production of cholesterol. The low-fat recommendations of the time period since the 1960’s may have proven disastrous for brain health. The widespread use of statin drugs to lower cholesterol is cited as a risk factor. [1] Are we sacrificing our brain health for the sake of our hearts? And the evidence is that heart disease continues to rise, despite the use of statin drugs, so we may be sacrificing needlessly, and harmfully. [2]

Another key factor may be environmental toxins. There are 18,000 pesticides approved in the U.S., with over 2 billion pounds applied each year. DDT and other pesticides have been linked to a 53% increase in cognitive decline in one study. [3]

What can you do to protect yourself? Eat good quality fats and avoid sugar and flour products. Enjoy butter, coconut oil, virgin olive oil and unrefined nut oils. Eat your carbs green in the form of vegetables and small amounts of fruit. Eat moderate amounts of protein. This is a brain-healthy diet.

Next, avoid drugs and medication unless they are necessary to save your life. Even without being currently on drugs, you must detoxify. Our livers and kidneys were never designed to handle the burden of chemicals, poisons and toxins currently in use in our advanced technological society. Drinking adequate water is not enough. Many toxins are fat-loving and, if the body cannot break them down with enzymes, these circulating toxins are stored in the fat tissue. And too many people have an abundance of fat tissue.

There are a variety of detoxes and cleanses you can do. The garbage that goes in must come out and it won’t unless you work at it. Chemicals and poisons cause an enormous amount of damage to cells, over-burdening the organs, and eroding nerve cells, since most pesticides are neuro-toxins.  If it kills bugs and pests, it will also kill you, if ingested in sufficient quantity. A large-scale human experiment was performed that proved this beyond any doubt. It was called The Holocaust. Pesticides were used in the ovens by the Nazis to exterminate Jews and other “undesirables.”[4] Your knowledge of this is your power to fight back.

If you need help changing your diet, or want to discuss your detoxification options, contact us. We have many programs that are easy to follow, and do not involve starvation or uncomfortable symptoms. Your long-term health is very important and everything we do at Well Body Clinic is designed to improve your state of health and quality of life.

[1] http://www.webmd.com/alzheimers/news/20080630/low-hdl-linked-to-memory-loss

[2] http://cholesterol-and-health.org.uk/

[3] http://www.webmd.com/alzheimers/news/20090715/pesticides-may-raise-alzheimers-risk

[4] http://www.world-war-2-diaries.com/holocaust-facts.html

Tricks To Help You Stay On Your Weight Loss Plan

Notice that I did not use the four-letter word “diet.”  We have forgotten how to eat sensibly, so patients have told me that any time they are not eating candy bars, they feel like they are on a diet. But candy bars aren’t food. Real food does not make you fat, only processed and refined foods make you fat. Things you eat that provide calories and flavor are not always food. Real food offers nourishment in the form of minerals, vitamins, essential fatty acids and essential proteins, all of which are utilized for growth, healing and repair of cells.

So, next time you sit down to eat, ask yourself if you are eating any real food. Subs from Subway are a good example of the dilemma. There is protein and some small amount of vegetables-food. But there is a huge amount of refined bread-or non-food. So the value of the good is outweighed by the bad, making Subway a zero in terms of benefits to the body, and a poor choice for a weight loss plan. Lots of calories with little return.

Dense calories should be used only when they will offer nutrition, and keep blood sugar stable. Butter, avocado, oily fish, and salad dressings made from unrefined oils are examples. This type of fat offers vital fatty acids needed for brain function and anti-inflammation properties, so this is a good place to “spend” calories.

You can score anything you eat this way. Fresh, whole foods, especially organic and prepared at home, score the highest. Restaurant food is usually not as good, unless you are eating at one that serves organic food.

Take off points for any chemicals or preservatives added. And take off points if you choose a non-food, like bread or dessert, to go along with your meal. Whole grain bread? Depends on how it is made and most is not very good quality these days, so hard to say if it has any value.  If you have any kind of gluten sensitivity or hypoglycemia (low blood sugar) or Diabetes, any wheat product is a non-food.

The best choices are going to be vegetables, protein and fruit, with healthy fats. So, the next tip is to plan ahead. The worst thing is to arrive home starving, and reach for something quickly before you pass out. Or get stuck on the road with no time for anything but junk.

You can keep bits of meat like Chicken and turkey or jerky to grab. Cheese and nuts are not good choices, because they are too dense calorie-wise, and will blow your diet in a few bites. Celery with a touch of peanut butter or humus can work. This is a good snack if you feel you must eat before bedtime. Celery is known to lower blood pressure, so is a good choice if yours runs high.

You can prepare a nutritious/protein drink in the morning and save some for when you arrive home from work. Spin it again in the blender with some ice and drink it before you reach for something less healthy. We have chocolate Stevia in the office, and that can be added to a shake. A chocolate protein shake is also a dessert choice for after dinner when you or a family member feels like snacking.

An apple or cut up veggies, eaten on the way home, or when you arrive, can satisfy you while you prepare a meal. If you stock up on small steaks, burger patties or chicken cutlets, you can grab something from the freezer and throw it on a small grill or broiler for fast protein. A fast stir-fry or green salad rounds out the meal. Prepare oil and vinegar dressing ahead and avoid the bottled dressings. I like olive oil and balsamic vinegar with a little mustard and salt. If you or your family likes blue cheese dressing, you can make a basic oil and vinegar and add blue cheese crumbles. Avocado can also be added to oil and vinegar in a blender to make a creamy dressing so you avoid mayonnaise. Or make your own mayonnaise, but avoid the white goo in a jar, made with soybean oil and a list of chemicals.

Sliced avocado is delicious with smoked salmon, for a gluten-free breakfast that is a break from eggs. Have 2/3 of your calories for the day before 4 pm. That change alone can make all the difference in weight. By survey the biggest eating mistake made is eating too much food in the evening, and often it is snack food, empty of any nutrients, but full of addictive chemicals. The U.S. leads the world in the production of non-food, and it is killing us slowly, and making us fat and miserable meanwhile.

Sweet tooth? Try a few strawberries with a little cocoa powder and a sprinkle of xylitol. Slice peaches, plums or pears in a baking dish, drizzle with stevia or xylitol, and bake until soft. Add some butter and chopped nuts if your eating plan allows it.

Even if you are tired, move around after dinner. Take a walk, either outside or on a mini-trampoline or treadmill.  Stretch. Especially if you have been sitting down most of the day, work out a simple stretching program to take out the kinks and get some blood circulating. You may find that you sleep better. Many people suffer from leg cramps or sore feet. Stretching may make all the difference. For a good book on simple moves to relieve body aches, check out Pete Egoscue’s “Pain Free” and “Pain Free At Your Computer.”

At work, set an alarm and get up and stretch or walk around every hour. People who stand instead of sit down lose more weight, according to research. http://www.livestrong.com/article/371881-how-to-lose-weight-while-standing/

Can you think yourself thin? Perhaps, but it doesn’t seem to be easy to do or more people would be doing it. However, you can certainly decide to be thin and act accordingly. Forget the idea that skinny people eat anything they want to. Most thin people I know are very aware of what they eat, and how their eating habits affect their body. They have worked out a plan that fits them and they know what they need to do to maintain their weight. It may look effortless, but usually it is not, especially these days. And anyone who reaches the age of 40, 50 or beyond and is still slim has most often lead a lifetime of good habits. 

Being thin does not mean a person is always healthy. I had one very thin (and unhealthy) patient whose diet consisted of spoons of ice cream nibbled throughout the day, and not much else. But a thin person has developed eating habits that keep their metabolism in check. Choose whole foods and the weight loss will be easier. If you have let yourself get seriously overweight for a length of time, it may take quite a lot to reverse it. One way is the Ketogenic diet. I have my own version of it; so if you want more information, contact us.

I don’t think that being fat comes naturally to human bodies, although the evidence before our eyes might make it seem otherwise. There is such a change in metabolism and the body is so over-burdened by too much food, that I think we are meant to be slim. But the body will get used to eating too much, and breaking that habit may require a real strategy, and a new perspective on food. We can help.

Email me your favorite tips for staying on a diet, and I will share them here.

May you always be well-nourished but not over-served.