APRIL 14-15, 2018 – BLOOD PRESSURE GUIDELINES

The standards have changed for defining hypertension (high blood pressure). This is the second or third time the criteria standards have changed since I finished my Cardiovascular Fellowship in June 1994. In November 2017, the new guidlelines for high blood pressure have been reduced.

The classic 140/90 is now 130/80. This new criteria has lead to an immediate 12% increase in new individuals with blood pressure. Who benefits? More visits to the doctor and more sales for anti-hypertensive medications by pharmaceutical companies. 

I feel, as an integrative physician, that blood pressure can be managed without conventional medications. It can be certainly managed effectively with dietary and exercise lifestyle changes as well as supplements and botanical herbal preparations. In addition, other approaches such as meditation, yoga, visual imaging, and acupuncture can be used to lower blood pressure.

Until tomorrow...

APRIL 13, 2018 – NOT A BAD FRIDAY

For many people, Friday the 13th is a holiday that carries ominous overtones and is considered unlucky in Western culture. It’s a day which occurs at least once every year and may occur up to 3 times in a calendar year. There are two Friday the 13th this year – today and in July 2018. There are two in 2019.

I always try to use a different essential oil that can be aromatic on Friday the 13th. For the last two years I have used essential oils daily. For me it has been uplifting and a reminder that the past is truly in the past.

Today I will use one of the oldest known essential oils – Cedarwood. It is an all around tonic and stimulant. It does treat an individual with a sluggish system. When a little melancholy, it is as great an oil as it is exhilarating.

Until tomorrow...

APRIL 12, 2018 – PANCREATIC CANCER

I am seeing more cancer patients than ever. I am NOT an oncologist. I offer a different approach to cancer utilizing dietary changes, supplements, botanical herbs and mushrooms, intravenous support, meditation, and much more. What is going on? Five years ago, pancreatic cancer was the 4th leading cause of death in the USA. Today it is number 3. It only accounts for 3 percent of all deaths. 

There is little to do when a patient presents with stage III or IV as their initial diagnosis. Chemotherapy is used with little or no change in the tumor mass. Every case of pancreatic cancer is different. Immunotherapy has not worked well for pancreatic cancer as it has with other cancers as breast. 

We do know that smokers face a higher risk of pancreatic cancer. Yet smoking is not the problem today. It is diabetes and obesity. These two risk factors along with smoking have really increased the occurrence of pancreatic cancer as well as other cancers. We need better early detection  of pancreatic cancer. 

We need to employ lifestyles changes aggressively with our patients. Dietary lifestyle changes are key. These changes will reduce obesity and diabetes which will lead to less cancer.

Until tomorrow...

APRIL 11, 2018 – HIGH FAT DIETS

There is a lot of data that has been collected on various dietary lifestyles in the last thirty years. There are more than 100 diets on the market today. The newest craze is the Paleo Diet. In the 1970's, the craze was the Atkins Diet founded by the late Dr. Robert C Atkins. I had the distinct pleasure of having daily breakfast with him at a diner across from the Atkins Center on east 55th. He was one of my mentors as well as my patient, friend, and colleague.

I have never practiced more than 5 blocks from that original office location at 152 East 55th Street.  The diet craze that is still here is a low carbohydrate lifestyle originally described by his diet. Today we have a Paleo Diet – again not far from the original high protein, high fat and low carbohydrate Atkins lifestyle.

Today I advocate the original low carbohydrate lifestyle but with better good fats. 

A multi-university study found that a high fat diet increase the risk of relapse in patients with multipole sclerosis. On the other hand, an additional cup of vegetables decreases the risk by 50%.

Until tomorrow...

APRIL 10, 2018 – CHAPLIN SPEAKS THROUGH...

In one month, my rescue dog, Chaplin will be 2 years old. I adopted him when he was five months. It is hard to believe we have been together for 19 months. I adopted him because no one would. He has a cardiac problem. He was born without a mitral valve or the left sided heart valve separating the top left (atria) chamber from the bottom left (ventricle) chamber. I have given Chaplin love, food, shelter, a new coat, and many toys. What he has given me cannot be described in words. At this point I don't know who saved who.  

Chaplin – named appropriately for Sir Charles Spencer Chaplin (April 16, 1889-December 25, 1977) – has taught me about life, love, and happiness.

He has touched my soul and allows me to ponder if another human ever touch my soul again. Our play-time together allows me to be creative in my own hobbies while he is by my side. Chaplin allows me to experience happiness and every minute I can – I share about him and I on social media. 

He has taught me not to judge. He loves everyone he meets. He has taught me to be still and quiet when my mind races. We communicate with each other every day. He needs me to give him his medication and his supplements and herbs. I need him to remind me that every day is special.

Lastly, we love each other unconditionally – that needs no explanation.

Until tomorrow...

APRIL 9, 2018 – BOSWELLIA

When I think of Boswellia, I think of anti-inflammatory properties. The Latin name for frankincense is Boswellia serata. This conjures up its use in ceremonies and rituals. Often you read that Boswellia is used for gastrointestinal ailments, mood issues, respiratory ailments, and even wound healing. 

The inflammatory pathway that Boswellia uses is the 5-LOX pathway (5-lipooxygenase). It has been studied for its use in cancer and has been shown to up-regulate (turn on) tumor suppressing genes, while down-regulating (turning off) tumor promoting genes. 

AKBA (acetyl-11-keto-B boswellic acid) was shown in a 2016 study to be a very potent anti-cancer compound in the Boswellia family.

Until tomorrow...

APRIL 7-8, 2018 – NEW DRUGS

I am always amazed that new drugs are being developed and approved by the FDA in this country. In the years to come, I want to read that a botanical medicine or an herb has been approved by the FDA for a cancer or a disease.

For years, patients with Hepatitis C needed a 13 month protocol with interferon. There were many side effects with this therapy and most patients could not finish the protocol. Today, treatment with Mavyret (glecaprevir and pibrentasvir) requires as few as eight weeks of therapy. It was evaluated in 2,300 patients with 6 different genotypes. While there were side effects such as nausea and fatigue, the side effects were better tolerated than those of the older treatment options.

I recently read of a new IV antibiotic for urinary tract infections. This scares me as we will start to develop resistance this drug. Vabomere (meropenem and vaborbactam) was studied in 545 patients with a high efficacy of about 98%. 

Technology in medicine in regards to treatment is excellent, but I stil feel we need to be cautious.

Until tomorrow...

APRIL 6, 2018 – FASTING AND CANCER

There are many non-conventional treatment protocols for cancer therapy. These range from diets to supplements and herbs. It has been well documented to decrease sugar levels in patients with cancer by using insulin and this will regress the tumor. This is done using Insulin Provocative Therapy (IPT). This has been done on the west coast of the United States and in Europe.

There has been reports of 'fasting' for certain types of cancer. I have seen it work for some patients but is not suitable for all. As published in a peer review cancer journal, BMC Cancer, "Evidence indicates that 'short term fasting' protects healthy cells against side effects of chemotherapy and makes cancer more vulnerable to it."

We know that cancer is fueled by glucose. This is the reason why insulin provocative therapy works in reducing glucose thus killing cancer. In the same vein, interim fasting can produce the same results.

Until tomorrow...