NOVEMBER 15, 2023 DO YOU HAVE A HOBBY ?

There is one regret you never have to worry about. This is the choice of a simple hobby to boost your self esteem. This should be a fun creative hobby. These hobbies not only boost self esteem but fill the time you wasted on those addictions. The addictions I call energy thieves. Your energy thief could be sugar, television, your iphone or the family drama.

I have many hobbies. Most of my hobbies are creative - card making, knitting, needlepoint and collecting autographs . Others have included coin collecting. One of the best hobbies I have is beekeeping The question is what do I do for our hobby from November to April? The girls are hibernating and keeping warm for the spring and summer ahead. So what do we do? I read old and new bee books. I am also the President of the American Apitherapy Society ( www.apitherapy.org ) My affiliation with the AAS has been fulfilling and rewarding. We had a conference this year in New Jersey. We are planning the next conference for October 4,5 and 6 2024. It will be held in Chicago. We educate ourselves more and spread the word everywhere.

I even get to fit in a bee needle point now and then.

So are you ready to start beekeeping as your hobby? You have some basic reading to do.

Here are just a few:

1. ABC and XYZ of Bee Culture

2. The Beekeeper's Handbook

3. The Backyard Beekeeper

4. Natural Beekeeping

5. Better Bee Keeping

One book I thoroughly enjoyed is The Beekeeper's Lament. It tells the story of beekeeper John Miller and how one man and his half a billion bees feed America.

If you are thinking of becoming a beekeeper, take a course- http://www.honeybeelives.org or the beekeeping course at the NY Botanical Gardens (http://www.nybg.org) Or better yet contact Andrew Cote, friend /colleague He is the author of ‘Honey and Venom’ and the President of the NYC Beekeepers Association

Your local Beekeeping Society is your best resource for the area you might live in.

BEE THE CHANGE

Until tomorrow…

NOVEMBER 14, 2023 REFLUX

Gastrointestinal reflux disease (GERD). The reason it is so prevalent is the bad dietary habits of Americans, as well as the over-the-counter antacids that are available. Many people seem to think they can eat whatever they want if they take an antacid.
Studies have shown that many OTC medications can be the cause of memory loss.

GERD could be reduced or eliminated if you change your dietary lifestyle. The most important factor is the consumption of simple carbohydrates. You need to eliminate sugar. I am talking about simple carbohydrates as bread, cookies, pasta, etc that convert to sugar quicker than table sugar. This is the glycemic index. In order to alleviate GERD try to eat low glycemic foods.

I want to help my patients support, maintain and restore their digestive systems. I do this with three changes to the diet: 1. elimination of the above mentioned foods, 2. the addition of amino acid L - glutamine, and 3. the addition of probioitc. These should be in powder form as it is better for the gut to absorb. Of course, there are many herbs i use. Some of these are slippery elm, licorice as DGL, marshmallow and meadowsweet.

One epidemiological study showed that aspirin overuse and psychosocial stress contributed to GERD. There is also a statistical correlation between halitosis (bad breath - probably originating from gum disease), pickle consumption and headaches with GERD. Smoking is a well known contributing factor to GERD. Some even say coffee causes GERD. This may be so, but what happens if you want black coffee. Studies show prevent Alzheimer's. It is a double edged sword.

Until tomorrow..

NOVEMBER 13, 2023 MCT

There is a lot of talk about MCT oil Here’s the scoop

Unlike traditional fats, MCTs, or Medium-Chain Triglycerides, are swiftly metabolized in the liver, yielding energy almost instantly. This unique property, coupled with other health-enhancing attributes, makes MCT oil a subject worth delving into MCT oil plays a vital role here, as it’s rapidly converted into ketones upon ingestion. These ketones, in turn, serve as a direct and efficient energy source for the brain.

The potential of MCT oil doesn’t stop at mere cognitive enhancement. Recent research suggests that the oil may have protective benefits against neurodegenerative diseases. The elevation of ketone levels in the blood, a result of MCT consumption, is believed to have therapeutic effects on the brain, especially for conditions like Alzheimer’s disease

MCT can promote weight loss. There are studies to document this. The MCT oil also supports a healthy gut More importantly to me as a cardiologist is the benefits to the heart. Several research studies have highlighted the potential of MCT oil in reducing other cardiovascular risk factors, such as inflammation and oxidative stress.

Consult your health care professional about the use of MCT oil

Until tomorrow…

NOVEMBER 9, 2023 RESVERATROL

One of the most important anti-aging nutrients is resveratrol. It is found in red wine, the skin of unripe young red grapes, grape seeds and even in peanuts. It is also found in two herbs, one, is Polygonum cuspidatum and the other is Senna quinquangulata. These are Chinese and South American, respectively. Polygonum cuspidatum, is also known as Japanese knot weed The flowers are valued by some beekeepers as an important source of nectar for honeybees, at a time of year when little else is flowering. Japanese knot weed yields a mono floral honey, usually called bamboo honey by northeastern U.S. beekeepers, like a mild-flavored version of buckwheat honey . See everything comes back to the bees.
The young stems of knot weed are edible as a spring vegetable, with a flavor similar to mild rhubarb.If you a history of kidney stones I would caution you since this plant contains oxalates. Oxalates can be a cause of your kidney stones. This plant can also aggravate rheumatism, arthritis, gout, or hyperacidity.
Is your resveratrol from grapes or knotweed. Check the label. Both Japanese knot weed and giant knot weed are important concentrated sources of resveratrol, replacing grape byproducts. Many large supplement sources of resveratrol now use Japanese knot weed and use its scientific name in the supplement labels. The other source, is Senna quinquangulata. Senna is a genus of flowering plants containing at least 260 species, although only about 50 species are commercially important. Most species are native to tropical regions of the world, but a few grow in temperate regions. Herbalists most often prescribe senna leaf tea as a laxative. S. quinquagulata is the another source of resveratrol. The various research studies on resveratrol are impressive. It is a powerful anti oxidant, anti inflammatory and some have used it against some cancers. Resveratrol even has an anti platelet effect. I have seen other doctors use resveratrol for cholesterol lowering effects. I use plant sterols, guggulipids, policosinol, green tea and red rice yeast for their cholesterol lowering effects. New studies indicate that resveratrol reduces the risk of colorectal cancer . Other studies state resveratrol can slow the progression of Alzheimer's Disease. More studies need to be completed. What is the correct dose for resveratrol ? Who knows. I suggest doses greater than 250 mg. I use resveratrol in many cancer patients

Stop aging. Follow the anti aging tips and take one resveratrol per day.

Until tomorrow…

NOVEMBER 8, 2023 SWEETENERS

There are many natural sweeteners on the market today. Which natural sweetener do you use? We are NOT talking about the pink packet ( Sweet n Low),  blue packet ( Equal) and even the yellow packet ( Splenda).

You ave seen on the back of labels of some products, sugar alcohols. These are plenty in the protein bars. Some of these are maltitol, xylitol and erythriol. The side effects of these sugar alcohols are digestive in nature mainly diarrhea, bloating and flatulence. This is mainly due to the slow and incomplete absorption in the small intestines. The small intestines is the 'shag rug' of absorbtion.

Today more of my patients are using stevia. There are studies supporting the use of Stevia. The studies have revealed that Stevia may low blood sugar and triglyceride levels. There is even studies stating that stevia can act as free radical scavenger antoxidants.

I do recommend one natural sweeteners. It is high quality raw honey. As a backyard beekeeper I am passionate about bees and their honey. Raw honey furnishes the body with a number of critical vitamins as B2, B6, iron and manganese. The multitude of studies on honey reveal that honey is a natural weapon against free radicals. It is also a natural antibiotic. Support beekeepers and honey bee associations.  Do not forget Blackstrap molasses as this a more concentrated amount of vitamins, minerals and the trace minerals. I utilize black strap for those patients that are iron deficient..

I cannot end without mentioning agave syrup. It contains 97% of fructose. This is the very type of sugar when isolated from its fruit based origins has been implicated in the rapid rising rates of obesity, diabetes and cardiovascular diseases..  So agave in my opinion might not be the best natural sweetener.

My choice is honey…

NOVEMBER 7, 2023 SLEEP AND HEART DISEASE

I feel we underestimate the importance of sleep in our lives. When I was a college and medical student I didn’t value the importance of sleep. As a medical resident and fellow at the hospital I knew I had to get sleep in order to be on call at all times

In the last 6 years I have re evaluated my sleep and its importance. I have a routine every night n preparation for sleep Since I get up every morning at 5 am whether working or not, I need to get quality sleep. I get into bed by 8:15 pm I read for about 30 minutes every night. I take some sleep aid whether MyoCalm, CBD or a homeopathic remedy. I wear a black mask. And I turn ‘Babbling Brook” or “ Ocean Waves”

It was fund that in a 2022 study that having more self reported sleep problems was associated with a 54 % increase in heart disease. When a sleep monitoring device was added to the study , it was found that sleep problems were associated wutg a 141 % higher risk of heart dsease. This is frightening

We know now that sleep apnea is associated with coronary artery disease and arrthymias. For this reason I always discuss sleep with my patients and discyss if he/she snores.

Data suggests that heart disease is correlated with sleep problems which includes poor quality sleep. I feel it is important to discuss sleep with your health care practitioner

Until tomorrow…

NOVEMBER 6, 2023 SLEEP AND DEMENTIA

If you sleep 6 hours or less per night in midlife there is a 30 % more likely to develop dementia. If this is less than 5 hours, you can double your risk for dementia. This is frightening. You need to sleep.

1. You need to develop a sleep routine 2. You need to get in bed early 3. Yiu need to use different techniques to sleep as Calm App, Sound Apps

The adverse impact of sleep deprivation is not hidden. There are numerous published studies that show an increase in a wide variety of disease

Some of these diseases are 1, Alzheimer’s , 2 . Parkinson’s Disease 3. Stroke 4. Frequency of epileptic seizures. ; 5 behavioral changes in those on Autism Spectrum and those with neuropathic pain

It has been estimated that nearly 50 % of older adults have some sort of sleep problem. I know I did. I addressed it professionally. There is not one complete solution. There are many modalities I have used to combat my sleep problem. If you have a sleep issue—- try to solve it using different modalities

Until tomorrow…

NOVEMBER 2, 2023 OLIVE OIL

Did you have your olive oil today? I was probably bathed in olive oil as a child. The vegetable oils that predominantly monounsatured lead to a less cardiovascular risk than polyunsaturated. It was long ago that physicians did recommend those polyunsaturated oils to protect your heart. But as it turns out- That was WRONG. Margarine took the place of butter at that time. That was a big mistake. From research we know better today.

Do they still sell margarine ? I hope not.

The following oils do not pose a threat to the cardiovascular system
1. OLIVE
2. CANOLA
3. PEANUT
4. AVOCADO
There are differences in all four, and the one I prefer and highly recommend above all is OLIVE OIL. I would consider consuming the oil for your blood type. For me , Blood Type O , the best oil is olive oil
By replacing saturated fat in the diet wit olive oil will reduce your LDL ( bad cholesterol). Who can argue with an oil that has been around for thousands of years.

Virgin Olive Oil is extracted with gentle pressure rather than with heat or solvents.

No matter what you decide , Olive Oil has the best correlation with health. The populations that use olive oil solely and mainly as their cooking fat oil have lower reductions in degenerative disease, cancer and cardiovascular disease.

If you replace butter ( and for those unfortunate that still use margarine) with olive oil you are making the first step to a healthier lifestyle.

So imagine this: combine olive oil in your diet daily with omega 3 fatty acids from good quality fish--and you will have longevity

Until tomorrow…