FEBRUARY 7-9, 2020 MURDER, MAGIC AND MYSTERY

I consider my books to be my worldly possessions. I am constantly reading. On the shelves at work sits “ Murder, Magic and Mystery” by John Mann. In the introduction is the verse from Macbeth IV - “ Double double toil and trouble” Any book that begins with Shakespeare cannot be all that bad,

When you get to read the evolution of medicine from folklore medicine you begin to understand the true meaning of healing through plants. It mesmerizes you. The use and abuse of natural medicines through the ages has led to the development of many commonly used drugs. There is still so much to discover in the natural world that could save our planet. The destruction of many of the earth’s wild places like the fires in Australia could destroy some plants yet to be discovered.

Although the book is 28 years old its stories are still relevant today. It will make you ponder how you can get involved. Be proactive Take up a cause. I advocate to Save Our Bees. You do something….

Until tomorrow….

FEBRUARY 6, 2020 APPLE CIDER VINEGAR

Have you ever tried apple cider vinegar? I have. I alternative between room temperature water and lemon and water and apple cider vinegar every other day It is the way I start my morning. Of course that is after my meditation and Chaplin’s walk . There are many touted benefits of using apple cider vinegar.

Additionally, apple cider vinegar has many potential health benefits, such as being antibacterial, antifungal and helping manage blood sugar levels. Apple cider vinegar is also a potent antioxidant, meaning it can prevent and reverse the damage caused by free radicals. Free radicals cause much harm to the body.

When it comes to heart disease… apple cider vinegar can improve cholesterol levels. Apple cider vinegar can lower cholesterol levels, potentially decreasing heart disease risk. In animal studies, it can decrease LDL (bad) cholesterol and triglyceride levels, while increasing HDL (good) cholesterol.

Although there are many benefits of apple cider , most of the research and published data is done in the animal model. There needs to be more human studies

Until tomorrow…

FEBRUARY 5, 2020 TOMATOE AND BLOOD PRESSURE

Did the Italians have it right with putting tomato sauce on every food ? Wed do know that oxidative stress and inflammation play a role in the development of hypertension. Current drugs used to treat hypertension have been associated with some adverse effects. Alternative and complementary treatments for blood pressure control include lifestyle and dietary modifications, especially inclusion of additional fruits and vegetable. This has been well studied with the Mediterranean dietary lifestyle.

Tomatoes contain lycopene which has been written about for its use for prostate disease. Tomato (Solanum lycopersicum, Solanaceae) carotenoids such as lycopene, phytoene, and phytofluene promote the antioxidant defense mechanism. This has been well understood and documented. A Tomatoe Nutrient Complex ( TNC) was prepared and given to patients in a study. This study was published in the American Botanical Council HerbalGram. There was a reduction in blood pressure

 Patients in the 15 and 30 mg TNC groups had significant reductions in SBP from weeks 2 to 8 . It was concluded that there are variations in lycopene levels and more studies need to be done. I feel this is a great beginning and more studies using fruits and vegetables to treat hypertension should be done

Until tomorrow…

FEBRUARY 4, 2020 MULTIPLE SCLEROSIS and YARROW

Multiple sclerosis (MS) is a chronic, progressive disease with motor and cognitive complications. There is no cure for MS. Although there are disease-modifying drugs that may slow the progression of the disease, there is a need for safe therapies that can also control the relapse rate and reduce the incidence of disability.

I use a different approach to MS and other autoimmune disease. I usually recommend a patient to have a gluten free lifestyle and avoid simple sugars ( or carbohydrates) I check for heavy metal intoxication either by provocative urine or hair analysis. I do a comprehensive autoimmune testing for other autoimmune diseases. In most cases if not all, I prescribe LDN , low dose naltrexone from 1- 4.5 mg /day

Recently the American Botanical Council had an article about the use of the herb Yarrow (Achillea millefolium,) as an add on therapy for patients with MS. The study was published in the HerbalGram . In conclusion ,the authors state that one year of supplementation with yarrow extract improved MS-related measures and relapse-related clinical outcomes in patients with relapsing-remitting MS. Disease progression appeared to be delayed, based on EDSS scores and MRI imaging. The authors explain that there were no major differences between the effects of the 250 mg and 500 mg daily doses;

Until tomorrow…

Re: Yarrow May Delay Disease Progression in Patients with Early Stage Multiple Sclerosis

Ayoobi F, Moghadam-Ahmadi A, Amiri H, et al. Achillea millefolium is beneficial as an add-on therapy in patients with multiple sclerosis: A randomized placebo-controlled clinical trial. Phytomedicine. January 2019;52:89-97. doi: 10.1016/j.phymed.2018.06.017.

FEBRUARY 3, 2020 MEDITATION

Do you meditate? For me, meditation is a must do lifestyle change that must be incorporated into your daily lifestyle. I never did know how to meditate. I had a college roommate meditate daily. I never understood how and why he did it.

I became more familiar with the idea of meditation after attending a 12 step meeting in March 1994. I did know that I could not sit still and breathe quietly for longer than one minute. Once attending a twelve step meeting on a regular basis I came familiar with one of the steps in the program It is the 11th Step

“Sought through prayer and meditation to improve our conscious contact with God as we understood Him, praying only for knowledge of His will for us and the power to carry that out.”

Today meditation is part of my daily activities. I start in the early morning and I can sit, breathe and calm for a minimum of 30 minutes to a maximal time of 45 minutes. It centers me for the day ahead.

Meditation has many health benefits. There are clinical studies revealing the benefits of meditation . Here are a few

1.  PMS and Infertility
Believe it or not, meditation can help reduce PMS symptoms and increase fertility by promoting hormonal balance. 
 
2.  Immune Booster
People who meditate regularly have been found to have higher levels of antibodies in their system.  Translation?  Get sick less often!
 
3.  Anti-depressant
Meditation has been shown to be as effective as anti-depressant medication by changing certain brain regions that are specifically linked with depression.  Amazing!
 
For me, meditation brings calmness and stillness.

Until tomorrow…

FEBRUARY 1-2, 2020 PLANTS FOR THE SENSES

One of the best mentors that I ever had is Tieraona LowDog, MD She inspired me as a student at the University of Arizona Fellowship of Integrative Medicine in Arizona. She guided me to the path of botanicals I began to study. It was at a time when I had recent cardiac surgery for valves. In her book, “ Life is Your Best Medicine’ she discusses a women’s guide to health and healing. I apply the lessons in this book to all individuals, both men and women. When she lists the plants for the senses I view these plants as plants or herbs for all

Rosemary is an herb from my childhood. The herb of remembrance reminds me of my Poppy cooking in his kitchen on a Sunday morning. Great flavor for his fresh tomato sauce

The gladdening herb of the Middle Ages is Melissa officinales which is Lemon Balm. This is from the mint family . I use it for unwarranted anxiety and stress reduction. I also use this herb to help the individual with hyperthyroidism ( overactive thyroid )

Yet the herb that I think of the most for my senses is Oregano. It was a staple for Poppy’s cooking. It is used for relieving cold and helps the sinus congestion.

I find it so ironic that the herbs my Poppy used in the kitchen as a staple for his cooking are in my Herbal Closet for healing.

Until tomorrow…

JANUARY 31, 2020 RETINAL VEIN OCCULSION

This is a common vascular disorder of the retina affecting the veins. This is a leading cause of vision loss worldwide. there are two types central and branch vessel. The branch type is more common. There are very few conventional treatment to unblock the occlusion Some drugs have been tried as ranibizujmab and bevacizumab. The major causes are l;ifestyle driven so I focus of changing lifestyle choices.

There are certain nutrients such as zeaxanthin, lutein, omega fatty acids, bilberry an d ginkgo that may help reserve vision.

The one I use most frequently is lutein in a dose of 6 - 20 mg . There is a lot of research done on this supplement to maintain a healthy retina. With respect to atherosclerosis ( hardening of the arteries- a cardiovascular disease) people that were given lutein, zeaxanthin and astaxanthin reported more significantly improvement that in the controls. I use zeaxanthin the dose I use is 2mg up to 12 mg /day . I also have used nattokinase as a natural blood thinner. The dose of astaxanthin is usually from 6- 12 mg /day . There are other nutrients which are helpful as taurine, vitamin D and green tea. I love the website www.visionworksusa.com or www.naturaleyecare.com

Until tomorrow…

JANUARY 29, 2020 SEXUAL DYSFUNCTION IN MEN

Well men… Expect that this might happen to you. It is due to part to prostatic enlargement in middle life. I am in the middle of my life actually over the 50 year mark by 10 years . It is part of the aging process. This happens when free testosterone starts to decline. There is a lot of controversary about testosterone. The prostate is stimulated by increasing levels of estradiol. DHEA, prolactin and SHBG ( sex hormone binding globulin.) To find exactly what you need I encourage a IGS. This is Integrated Genetic Solution. I can find out how much hormones you need without guessing by checking your blood leve3ls and your genetics. I can actually make your own individualized and personalized Rx. I tailor medicine to you I do this for most of not all my patients

Reducing the size of the prostate with herbs can help sexual dysfunction I sometimes use treatment for BPH by using conventional medicine. By who needs drugs when I have at my disposal- HERBS

There are great trials using Saw Palmetto ( the DBRPC trial) I also use Pygeum africanum and Urtica diocia , pygeum and stinging nettles bark respectively. These herbs in the trial were not inferior to conventional drugs

Selenium in men also plays a pivotal role

So get your appointment today to get a IGS blood test to find exactly what you need.

Until tomorrow…

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