APRIL 6, 2023 COLONOSCOPY

Do you need to get a colonoscopy ? It depends on your age, but the answer is yes. It can be a life saving procedure to detect colon cancer. I am seeing more and more colon cancer in younger individuals. I had mine in November 2022. So I decided to look at some reading and statistics.

In the cross-sectional study with a nested cohort of more than 7,000 patients undergoing colonoscopy for screening, 30% of those ages 76-80 years had a life expectancy below 10 years, a percentage that jumped to 71% for those ages 81-85 years, and to 100% for the smaller group of patients age 86 and up

Among the full study population, 37.7% had a non-advanced neoplasia and 5.7% had an advanced neoplasia, including 0.2% with colorectal cancer (CRC). Detection of advanced neoplasia increased with each age group (from 5.4% to 6.2% to 9.5%, respectively; P=0.02).

This says it all. The answer is a definite YES. Yes as a physician we should look at the patients age and their expected life expectancy. Yes it is an invasive procedure but it can save your life and detect cancer early. The physician has to really listen to the patient about their bowel habits, changes in weight and dietary lifestyle. If you are thinking about your colonoscopy—book it today

Until tomorrow…

APRIL 5, 2023 MEDICINAL PROPERTIES OF THE BEEHIVE

As a beekeeper and President of the American Apitherapy Society I want to educate you about the medicinal properties of Apitherapy. All products of the beehive can be used medicinally. The products include propolis, bee pollen, royal jelly, honey and of course bee venom.

BEE POLLEN - Bee pollen delivers B vitamins, minerals, free-forming amino acids, and antioxidants. Sprinkle it on anything to nourish your body and support your busy schedule. I prefer to put it on my gluten free cereal in the morning

PROPOLIS With 300+ beneficial compounds, propolis is the bodyguard of the beehive. Bees use it to line the walls of their hives to keep the germs out. and protect themselves from the cold in winter months We use it to support our immune systems, soothe scratchy throats, and combat free radical damage in the body. I tincture my own bee propolis during the year There was benefit using propolis to fight against COVID / and other viruses as EBV.

ROYAL JELLY Royal jelly offers nutrients and antioxidants that may support hormonal balance and brain health. Thanks to rare beneficial compounds, like 10-HDA, this substance may help improve cognition and fend off brain fog. You must find the right Royal Jelly and it can be expensive

RAW HONEY One of the most nourishing foods on the planet, raw honey delivers an energizing source of fuel for the body. It also helps with the production of calming serotonin and melatonin in the brain, making it great for catching some quality sleep Great for wound healing

BEE VENOM Bee venom has been studied for a variety of conditions . It has been used for autoimmune diseases as multiple sclerosis, rheumatoid arthritis, injuries to bones/ligaments, Lyme Disease and much more

COME AND HEAR THIS FOR YOURSELF AT OUR ANNUAL conference sponsored by the American Apitherapy Society

WHERE: PARSIPPANY NEW JERSEY

WHEN: MAY 19- 21, 2023

REGISTER AT WWW.APITHERAPY.ORG

SPEAKERS: Frederique Keller, Dr Andrew Dennison, Dr Petrusia Kotler, Andrew Cote, Michael Szakacs and Kristine Jacobson and C Marina Marchese.

SEE YOU THERE….

APRIL 4, 2023 CHEMOTHERAPY DERIVED FROM PLANTS

I see many patients with cancer. I feel it is overwhelming at times. Much of chemotherapy is synthetic. Some chemotherapy is derived from plants. There are well known chemotherapy derived from the periwinkle plant. These chemotherapies derived from plants are called plant alkaloid

Navelbine belongs to a class of chemotherapy drugs called plant alkaloids. Plant alkaloids are made from plants.  The vinca alkaloids are made from the periwinkle plant (catharanthus rosea). The taxanes are made from the bark of the Pacific Yew tree (taxus).  The vinca alkaloids and taxanes are also known as antimicrotubule agents. The podophyllotoxins are derived from the May apple plant. Camptothecan analogs are derived from the Asian "Happy Tree" (Camptotheca acuminata).  Podophyllotoxins and camptothecan analogs are also known as topoisomerase inhibitors.  The plant alkaloids are cell-cycle specific.  This means they attack the cells during various phases of division.

• Vinca alkaloids: Vincristine, Vinblastine and Navelbine

• Taxanes:  Paclitaxel and Docetaxel

• Podophyllotoxins:  Etoposide and Tenisopide

• Camptothecan analogs: Irinotecan and Topotecan

Mistletoe is one of the most widely studied CAM therapies for cancer. In certain European countries, the preparations made from European mistletoe (Viscum album, Loranthaceae) are among the most prescribed drugs offered to cancer patients.

Many plants have beneficial effect on killing cancer More plants need to be studied. Curcuma longa ( Tumeric) has been studied by the NIH in the last five years More plants need to be studied . Carnivora ( from the Venus fly trap ) has been studied in Europe

Until tomorrow…

APRIL 3, 2023 BLACK CUMIN

There are many herbs and supplements I use to manage sugar ( glucose ) Diabetes affects 9 million people worldwide. We know that diabetes and obesity are two epidemics in this country Both lead to Cardiovascular Disease, Diabetes can be managed with lifestyle changes Type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM) is characterized by high blood glucose levels due to tissue insulin resistance and inadequate insulin production.

A systemic y was published in the American Botanical Council HerbalGram about black cumin Black cumin (Nigella sativa, Ranunculaceae [NS]), with its major bioactive component thymoquinone, exerts a protective effect against diabetes and its complications.

There are many studies published on herbs used in diabetes management. I have seen studies on fenugreek, cinnamon, gymnema, and bitter melon. This study concluded that black cumin showed a considerable decline in fasting blood glucose and HbA1c levels.

Black cumin was shown to enhance laboratory measures of hyperglycemia and diabetes control," the authors conclude. The findings suggest that NS could be effective when used as an adjuvant to treat and manage patients with T2DM and its complications.

In my practice I use an integrative approach- dietary liufstyle changes, exercise, herbs/ supplements and even some conventional medicine

Until tomorrow

MARCH 30, 2023 AWE

On my morning podcast Feel Better Live More with Dr Rangan Chatterjee I listened to his conversation with Dr Dacher Keltner. I am leaving for Chicago tonight and I needed a book to read on the plane. I have plenty of books at home . I listened to both men discuss Awe- those moments we might take for granted- Awe Moments

I listened them discuss Birth and Death and the chapters in Keltner’s book “ The New Science of Everyday Wonder and How It Can Transform Your Life- Awe is an emotion that’s all around us —waiting to be discovered. I know about AWE but I needed a reminder.Being sober almost 29 years I know how to recognize an AWE moment - cherish it , keep it and rediscover it at any time

Dachner defines AWE as our response to powerful things that are obsure, vast and mysterious. I listened to him discuss his brotjhers death . I then listened to Rangan discuss his mother’s health and her current changes. Tears flowed from my eyes. Rangan is a younger version of me. I feel I am a dinosaur in the field of Integrative Medicine as Drs Heyman, Bland, Weil and many others. I have been doing this type of medicine for nearly thirty years.

I have had many awe moments. I had one this past weekend with my grandson, Matthew and I in the museums of Washington DC. I realized I experience AWE everyday - some things are good things and some are bad- but not really bad. I am here to help people So what did I do… I bought the book to read on the plane

You will want to buy it too.. I hope one day to be a guest of Dr Chatterjee

Until tomorrow..

MARCH 29, 2023 LETTUCE

Lettuce is one of the world’s most widely eaten vegetables. Who doesn’t love a good salad ? In the real world, of course, many people love their salads; a good one can be a tasty, crunchy way of getting lots of veggies, especially leafy greens

Economically, lettuce is one of the world’s most significant leafy vegetable crops. And as production spreads to more communities, consumers are now able to enjoy many varieties other than iceberg lettuce. As a child I ate a lot of iceberg lettuce. Other types of lettuce werree not readily available in the 1960’s

Today I enjoy all types of lettuce. There are 4 types of lettuce —romaine, loose-leaf, crisphead, and butterhead. Of these four types, you can further differentiate by color, with green leaf and red/purple leaf varieties in each of the four main categories.

Are you thinking this - Is lettuce nutritional for me We know . the darker the color, the more nutrition and antioxidants the lettuce contains. These nutrients typically include vitamins A, C, and K1, as well as select B vitamins (like folate). Lettuce leaves also often contain polyphenols, carotenoids, and flavonols. Green lettuce types contain more chlorophyll, while red varieties provide more anthocyanins.

Eat salad There is no reason not to like lettuce. Be adventurous eat all types of lettuce .. and add flowers to your salad with nuts, pomegranate seeds and other fruit

Until tomorrow…

MARCH 28, 2023 EATING FLOWERS

look forward to Spring and Summer due to the amount of flowers in my garden Some of them have been grown in my greenhouse and when warmer I transplant them to my garden I grow many species of flowers . For me spending time in the gardens with my bees is most serene and peaceful Some flowers can even be eaten

One such flower is the Marigold ( Tagetes erecta) It is s9milar to Calendula ( Calendula officinales ) Both these flowers are edible Calendula’s flowers, especially the petals, are edible with a slightly peppery taste. Calendula is used in many herbal preparations for the skin

Both of these flowers have culinary use. I add some to my salad in the summer Its pigment is so potent that it is used as a coloring and a substitute for saffron. Its fresh and young buds can be eaten and added to various salads.

Dandelion and Red clover can also be eaten Many people know about this. One flower that is edible is in my fresh pond every year It is the Lotus Flower ( Nelumbo nucifera ) is an edible plant from its roots , stem, flower , leaves and seeds . These parts are often chopped and cooked into stir fries and soups. Ground lotus petals are steeped into tea to relieve fever while its root extract is traditionally used for treating lung diseases. 

So read about Edible Fowers and start growing and tasting the flowers in your garden

Until tomorrow

MARCH 27, 2023 INFUSING HERBS

I want today's hobby to involve herbs, so I could only think of Olive Oil Infusions. In ancient times, olive oil was called Liquid Gold for a number of reasons. The best reason is that olive oil is one of the healthiest oils to consume. It also tastes better than most oils. Now I want you to make it taste even better. I want you to create an intoxicating and enticing concoction that will add even more flavor to anything you cook. It is an easy hobby, satisfying and does not cost a lot of money.

This is what you will need:

1. Extra virgin olive oil

2. A bottle with cork or airtight lid

3. Funnel

4. Fresh herbs or spices

5. Mortar and pestle

I prefer to infuse my olive oils with herbs, but I have seen others infuse it with fruit, peppers and spices. The process is remarkably easy. First make sure you have all the ingredients. Obtain the herb you wish to infuse. I get all my herbs from http://www.mountainroseherbs.com If you do not like ordering from a computer or you do not have a computer, but live in New York City and want an herb, I have a suggestion. Visit FlowerPower on east 9th Street and 1st Avenue. This store has been there for many years and never had a bad batch of any herb. I was there last weekend purchasing some Bladderwrack, Marshmellow, Meadowsweet and Catnip. If you want to infuse fresh garlic, then chop the garlic. If you want to infuse an herb, grind very fine. I use the white marble mortar and pestle my friend Linda and Valerio gave me Add the herb to the oil, and let the mixture sit for a couple of weeks. Then it is ready for salads, fish, meats, and for the bread dipping individuals. How delighted would you be when you see your herb infused oil on the shelf in your local gourmet market someday?

I want to tell you a secret. This summer I know you will make me proud and start an herbal garden. Fresh is better than dried herbs for your olive oil concoction. If you are collecting fresh herbs harvest the aerial parts after their flower buds have formed but before they are in full bloom. You want the fresh herb since it does lose flavor as it dries. You can freeze your herbs instead of drying.

Until tomorrow…