Get Your Body Back On Track With These 5 Points of Wellness

From The Doctor’s Desk: New Year Solutions

The Truth About Low T: Customized Testosterone Therapy

Testosterone is on the decline in American men making low testosterone a growing epidemic. As we mentioned in an earlier post, The Truth About Low T: Men, Middle-Age, and More, low testosterone has many causes and results from a combination of issues. From 1987 to 2004, Americans saw a 15% decline in serum testosterone. We can expect to see even lower tissue levels, as determined by salivary testing. So, the problem is likely much worse.

Two recent articles confirm the metabolic and health benefits of testosterone therapy in men with low testosterone.

The first study, published online from the Journal of Clinical Endocrinology and Metabolism, reviewed 820 studies and found that “low endogenous testosterone levels are associated with increased risk of all-cause and CVD death.” The results of this study substantiates previously documented publications.

The second study, published in the Journal of Clinical Endocrinology and Metabolism, was reported in the Newmax article Low Testosterone Does Not Shorten Life.  However, when you actually read the article, there is very little evidence to support the headline. The study states that “low testosterone is linked to diabetes via a bi-directional relationship with visceral fat, muscle, and possibly bone. There is consistent evidence from randomized trials that testosterone therapy alters body composition.”

The conclusion that diabetes in men should be treated with dietary management and exercise as the foundation, is correct. However, testosterone support in men identified to have low testosterone is also appropriate. Testosterone therapy in diabetics is just one piece of the puzzle. Low testosterone is found to be common in type II diabetes and  obesity. A one-size-fits-all approach is never appropriate in medicine.

Testosterone support in men with documented low T does provide many metabolic and health benefits. Unfortunately, it is not as simple as it appears in the “Is It Low T?” commercial with the man dancing with his shadow. Customized testing will determine your exact hormone levels and from these results, we can create an individualized therapy plan for you. Our individual pathways to health and wellness are unique and should be treated that way.

Now that you know the truth about the metabolic and health benefits of customized testosterone therapy, what will you do about it? If you have symptoms and need answers or more information, call our office at 318-255-3223.

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We have provided links to these studies and more on the Seasons Diigo bookmarking service.

 

Is The Flu Shot As Good As Gold?

Ah, fall! The crisp, cool mornings, the return of football, and the sweeping changes of color found throughout the landscape. Fall is a welcome change after the long, hot Louisiana summer. With all of the wonderful changes that fall brings, there are a few unwelcome visitors. Just as we move past the summer heat, fall ushers in the cold and flu season.

Recently, I overhead a good friend of mine say that the flu vaccine is “as good as gold” and that as far as results, “the proof is in the pudding.” Not long after that, I saw an ad campaign for the flu vaccine with the tagline: “the value of wellness.”

So, I have to pose this question. With the upcoming cold and flu season, what is the best way to protect my family? How should I treat or even prevent the flu? Is the flu vaccine “as good as gold” and is the “proof” really “in the pudding?”

Today is the era of evidence-based medicine.  So, to answer these questions let’s see what the evidence shows.

Is the flu vaccine “as good as gold?”

The answer is no. While not surprising to me, I’m sure this comes as a surprise to you!  Let me show you the evidence.

A Cochrane analysis, “Vaccines for preventing influenza in healthy adults,” published in 2010 looked at over 70,000 adults ages 16-65 from 1966 to 2010. The objective was defined as: “identify, retrieve and assess all studies evaluating the effects of vaccines against influenza in healthy adults.”

The results may surprise you.

• Flu vaccine was found to be a very poor match (1%). Each year, the 3-strain flu vaccine is created in attempt to match the up coming viral strains.
• Flu vaccine only had a modest effect on reducing flu symptoms and days missed.
• No evidence was found that the flu vaccine affects complications. Complications were defined as pneumonia, hospitalization, and TRANSMISSION.

In my opinion, if you are a healthy adult, the flu vaccine is a waste of your time. But don’t worry; there are many scientifically proven preventive and therapeutic treatments available.  The problem is most are labeled “natural” or “alternative” so you may not have heard of their benefits.

Vitamin D

Hippocrates said, “Whoever wishes to investigate medicine properly should proceed thus: in the first place to consider the seasons of the year.” Vitamin D levels show an inverse relationship to the cold/flu incidence.

 Cannell JJ et al., in “Epidemic influenza and vitamin D,” showed that vitamin D levels reach their lowest levels during the winter months, often dropping by 24%. Below in “Epidemic influenza and vitamin D”, 2,000 IU daily versus 800 IU and placebo was shown to significantly reduce the incident of the cold/flu.

In addition to being preventative, vitamin D is active against ongoing infection. A recent study in the Journal of Virology, revealed that vitamin D has anti-viral properties. Because of its function in the innate immune system, vitamin D, a proven anti-viral, was suggested to be a primary method of treatment.

Probiotics

That’s right, a healthy gut equals a healthy immune system. In children with recurrent otitis media, 24 weeks of probiotics versus placebo was shown to reduce recurrent respiratory infections. Another study, revealed reduced otitis media recurrence in children given probiotics. Still another study revealed a reduction in fever, rhinorrhea, cough, days of antibiotics, and missed school days in children given probiotics daily for 6 months versus placebo.

How?  The current thought is that bacteria and viruses use a “biofilm” protective layer. This protects the virus or bacteria against the body’s immune attacks. This also appears to protect the offending virus/bacteria against administered therapies.

The importance of the gut to the immune system shouldn’t surprise us. It is estimated that 70% of the immune system is concentrated in the gastrointestinal system. In fact, we know that the route of delivery predicts the gut flora. Other events, including maternal steroids, antibiotics, and breast-feeding, can also alter the risk. Collectively, these early events can increase obesity risk.

Vitamin C

What do guinea pigs and people have in common? Their bodies don’t make vitamin C. That’s right, we humans, don’t make vitamin C. So, the only way our bodies get vitamin C is through our diet. Just like vitamin D, the majority of us don’t take in enough Vitamin C.

No therapies will have all positive studies, but therapy using vitamin C has a large body of evidence supporting its use against the common cold and flu. Vitamin C therapy came to prominence with Linus Pauling in the 1970’s. Linus Pauling was an advocate for Vitamin C therapy as an anti-viral therapy in the treatment of the common cold and flu. In his 1970 study, the incidence of colds were reduced by 45% and the duration of the colds were reduced by 63%. High dose IV vitamin C therapy has been shown to reduce the symptoms of the common cold and flu by 85% in a study of 715 people by Gorton and Jarvis. A study by Straten and Josling, showed that vitamin C reduced the incidence and the duration of cold symptoms. A large Cochrane review, showed a reduction of the severity and duration of cold symptoms with vitamin C therapy.

Furthermore, vitamin C has been shown to have many positive immunomodulatory effects. A study by Wintergerst, Magginini, and Hornig discussed many of the positive immune effects of vitamin C. And Harri Hemila in 2006, discussed the effects of vitamin C and the large body of evidence that show the positive effects it has on the immune system. The immune enhancement effects of vitamin C should be evident over the long-term. A study out of the European Journal of Clinical Nutrition in 2006 showed no change in severity or incidence of the common cold, BUT a 66% decrease in 3 or more colds over a 5-year period was seen; revealing just the long-term positive immune enhancing effect we were looking for. So the benefits are extensive, reaching beyond a therapy for the common cold and flu.

Homeopathy

Homeopathy goes back to the eighteenth century with Samuel Hahnemann, MD. In fact, it probably goes back even further. Hippocrates (400 BC) was quoted as saying, “through the like, disease is produced and through the application of the like, it is cured.” Homeopathy works by helping the body to heal itself first, before the powerful interventions of today’s therapies. These powerful interventions come with powerful side effects. The healing medical model of homeopathy fits the Hippocratic oath well, “First, do no harm.”

Homeopathy has been shown to be an effective addition in the treatment and prevention of the cold and flu. Homeopathy was shown to reduce the infection rate of cold and flu viruses by 20-40%. Long waits to see the doctor are very common in Europe and one study showed that homeopathy effectively reduces URI symptoms in children versus a waiting-list control. Finally, in a head-to-head study, homeopathy was shown to be more effective and had lower complication rates than antibiotics in children with recurrent acute rhinopharyngitis.

So how do we stay well?  

One thing is certain, wellness doesn’t come from the flu vaccine. Working with your body and allowing what God created to work as it was intended provides true wellness. Your body wants to protect and heal you. Why not give it a chance, first? No one therapy can provide 100% protection against the common cold and flu. However, these four recommendations, vitamin D, probiotics, vitamin C and homeopathy, have been shown through scientific evidence, to be worthy preventive and therapeutic tools for the upcoming cold and flu season.

 

 

Healthy Living Tips: A Recipe for All-Natural Bug Spray

Toxins are everywhere. I am always looking for ways to reduce my families exposure to toxic chemicals.  There is nothing more dangerous than home fumigation for bugs, filling every corner of your home with toxins.  These toxins are very dangerous, as they linger in the house and we are continually exposed to them.

I have found a recipe for an all-natural alternative to your everyday bug spray, a home bug spray using essential oils. Not just any essential oil will do here; they must be pure and unadulterated.  For this reason, I use YoungLiving Essential Oils.

Here’s the recipe for an all-natural bug-spray solution.

• 20 drops of Peppermint Essential Oil
• 10 drops of Cypress Essential Oil
• 1 cup water

Mix well. Be sure to shake the mixture well before spraying.

You’ll enjoy a bug-free AND toxin-free environment. This solution is great for ants and cockroaches.  I have found that it works with spiders as well. With this approach, you are one step closer to detoxing your home and your life! At Seasons, we carry many Young Living Essential Oils, including peppermint and cypress essential oils. For more information, contact Seasons at 318-255-3223.

Live Healthy. Live Well.

What is the Cost of No Health?

“Health is like money, we never have a true idea of its value until we lose it.” – Josh Billings

The rising cost of healthcare is a big topic today, and rightly so.

In 2009, the cost of healthcare was $2.5 trillion. That is 17% of the United States’ Gross Domestic Product (GDP). This is the highest annual jump as percentage of GDP in history.

And what about health insurance premiums? They are on the rise, too, due to the increase in mandates through the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act, better known as ObamaCare.

Government healthcare mandates account for up to 50% of the costs of health insurance.  According to the Congressional Budget Office, the new federal mandates in the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act will cause a significant increase in individual health insurance premiums.

What are we getting for these rising costs? Are we healthier? Are we seeing less disease? Are we seeing less cancer? Are we seeing less depression and anxiety? Are we seeing fewer prescriptions? No. The exact opposite is true. Unfortunately, the poor health of Americans is on the rise. In fact, the US consistently ranks low in quality and efficiency of healthcare and ranks #1 for the highest percentage of obesity with 30.6% of all Americans considered obese.

When we talk about health, we are not talking about the cure of disease or about early detection. Instead, the conversation needs to begin with prevention. And prevention can only occur through healthy lifestyle choices.

A snapshot of poor health is to simply look at obesity. We are losing that battle. Obesity is the doorway to disease. According to the Center for Disease Control (CDC), 67% of Americans are overweight and over half of those are obese. In 2010, 38 states had obesity rates above 25%. Contrast that to 1991 when no state had an obesity rate that exceeded 20%.

What about the kids? Ten percent of kids 2-5 are obese, 20% of kids age 6-11 are obese, and 18% of adolescents are obese.

So, what is the cost of poor health? According to a study by the CDC and RTI, the direct and indirect healthcare costs are as high as $147 billion annually. Overweight individuals pay about 42% more in healthcare costs than comparable healthy individuals. This equates to an extra $1,429 out of your pocket annually. And that figure reflects 2009.  This amount will only increase annually.

What about individual costs?  Remember, obesity is the doorway to disease.  So, let’s follow the path of disease development.  According to a report released by the George Washington University School of Public Health, the direct individual costs of obesity are $4,879 for women and $2,646 for men annually.

Let’s add the cost of disease to the cost for obesity.

• Diabetes. The diagnosis of diabetes increases by 1 million annually. According to the American Diabetes Association, the annual, individual costs of diabetes is $11,744.

• Cardiovascular disease. For our discussion purposes, this will include high blood pressure, cardiac events, strokes, and associated treatments for an initial event. Kaiser Permanente did a 7-year study of the direct, annual costs of cardiovascular disease. In this study, they found that the direct, individual costs of an initial cardiovascular event was $18,953.  A second event would increase the costs by 4.5 times.

• Cancer.  According to the American Cancer Society (ACS), the direct total costs were $93.2 billion in 2009. For our discussion purposes, let’s use prostate cancer (the highest incidence in men) and breast cancer (the highest incidence in women).

For prostate cancer, the average costs were divided into 2 categories: watchful waiting and treatment. The costs were followed over 2 years for more than 9,000 men. The direct individual costs of watchful waiting was $24,809. Compare this to the 2-year individual costs of $59,286 for the treatment group.

For post-menopausal women, the annual direct costs of breast cancer was found to be $13,925.  The costs of cancer are known to be a “U” curve. The highest costs concentrate in the initial phases and the last phases of disease treatment.

So, let’s add this all together assuming a 5-year window of treatment and assuming aggressive treatment, not watchful waiting.

Again, assuming a 5-year window of treatment, the total costs for men would be $314,930 and $247,505 for women.

Remember, these costs include direct costs only. They do not include indirect costs.  Additionally, these numbers are all pre-2011 dollars and are only calculated over 5 years, so the costs are even higher today.

This disease/cost hypothesis assumes the coexistence of obesity, diabetes, cardiovascular disease, and cancer simultaneously. Though the coexistence of all 4 diseases simultaneously is not common, it is very common for obese individuals to have diabetes and cardiovascular disease simultaneously. Then, give time, the risk for the examples of prostate and breast cancer increase significantly. These costs may be spread out over a lifetime, but still would exist.

Obviously, America is not getting healthier and the costs of healthcare continues to increase due to the prevalence of disease. The disease-focused model of healthcare is not working to improve the health of Americans.

We need a disease model to treat disease when it exists. However, the disease model is not effective in producing GOOD health and PREVENTING disease. We need a new health and wellness model. This can only be accomplished through an individual, metabolic analysis and treatment plan. This is the type of treatment we offer at Seasons Wellness Clinic in Ruston, Louisiana and Seasons of Farragut in Tennessee.

“The doctor of the future will give no medicine but will interest his patients in the care of the human frame, in diet and in the cause and prevention of disease.” – Thomas Edison

According to Wikipedia, the definition of health is this: the level of functional and (or) metabolic efficiency of a living being. Health implies being free from illness, injury or pain.

The cost of healthcare is directly proportional to the lack of health of our citizens. It is by practicing true preventive medicine, increasing the metabolic efficiency of the body, that we will actually reduce the cost of healthcare and provide good health for our nation.

 

The Truth About Low T: Men, Middle-Age and More

I admit it. Those low T commercials are great marketing. The middle-aged man dancing with his testosterone shadow, all his strength, energy and vigor restored. His simple solution? Testosterone supplementation. It paints an oversimplified picture of men, as if we are nothing but testosterone sponges. When we get low, we just stop off at the local testosterone dispenser and we are good to go. However, the truth is not that simple about low T.

Low testosterone is a very common problem in men today. But it is much more complex than just adding testosterone to solve the problem. Men are complex. (And you thought only women were complex!) Looking at the specific causes of low T in an individual is a critical part of creating a plan to solve the low T problem.

What is testosterone? Testosterone is the predominate hormone in men. From the moment of conception, it is the key to male development. It is what makes a man a man. It is what gave us Tim “the tool man” Taylor.

What is low T? Quite simply, it is low testosterone. Symptoms include fatigue, reduced libido, estrogen dominance, weight gain, and loss of confidence and motivation. Low T is, in many ways, the middle-aged man suffering the dreaded “mid-life crisis.” Think about it. At the same time that women experience menopause, men are experiencing their own life change. Men are just as hormonal as women; however, the symptoms of change are different.

Low testosterone is a lot more common than you think. Approximately 40 million US men suffer from low testosterone. Only a fraction of these men are symptomatic, which means most men with low T don’t even know it.

Not only is low T a silent problem, it is a growing problem. Men are discovering low T at younger ages, too. I’ve seen men as young as their mid-20’s with low testosterone. Typically, however, most men living with low T are in their 40’s and beyond.

What is the cause of low T? It would be convenient if the answer was simply low testosterone production. But look at our bodies. We are complex creations. In most cases, low T results from a combination of issues.

Cause #1: Excess weight. Today, we eat so many items that suppress the body’s natural testosterone production. Just look at the American diet. Americans eat up to 200 pounds of refined sugar, 90 pounds of fats, 63 dozen donuts, 60 pounds of cakes and cookies, 23 gallons of ice cream, 22 pounds of candy, and 15 pounds of chips, popcorn, and pretzels annually. Obviously, this leads to excess weight.

Excess weight, especially around the mid-section, becomes a major estrogen-producing factory. Not only does the associated weight gain help produce more estrogen, but the enzyme that converts testosterone to estrogen increases as we age as well. We become estrogen dominant. Increased weight = increased estrogen and decreased testosterone.

Cause #2: The environment. The environment is full of hormone-like chemicals. Xenoestrogens are environmental estrogens. They range from pesticides and insecticides to plastics to hormone-laden meat and dairy products. Although not native to the body, the body views them as estrogens nonetheless. Xenoestrogens = increased estrogen and decreased testosterone.

Cause #3: Hormones. That’s right. Even giving testosterone to some men can be a problem. A 27-year male patient came to me after he was given testosterone for a suspected low T problem by another physician. The testosterone replacement made him feel worse. Why? He was already estrogen dominant, and the additional testosterone was like throwing gasoline on the fire. His proposed cure, testosterone supplementation, turned out to be the source of his problem: excess estrogen. Too much testosterone = increased estrogen.

What is the answer to low testosterone? There is no single answer. Answers are found through customized testing which determines exact hormone levels. From these results, we can create an individualized therapy plan. Because we are all created uniquely, causes can vary. Likewise, your therapy plan should be unique. Your symptoms are clues to the underlying problem. By uncovering the problem’s root cause, an effective treatment plan can be developed which will solve those health issues and eliminate your symptoms.

The truth about low T? Only a few men really need testosterone. The majority of men need weight loss, reduction of estrogen, and the elimination of environmental xenoestrogens. It is easier to simply supplement testosterone. But that will NOT treat the problem at the source and achieve true healing.

Now that you know the truth about low T, what will you do about it? If you have symptoms and need answers or more information, call our office at 318-255-3223.

 

It’s Not Depression…It’s Stress!

 

I am amazed at the number of clients that I see who are prescribed anti-depressants these days. I have only been in practice for 6 years, but I have seen these drugs used excessively to treat everything from PMS to stress.

The major problem with these medications is there are no long-term studies on the impact these drugs have on the body. Don’t forget that these medications have side effect profiles that rival the novel “War and Peace.

Aside from the litany of side effects, anti-depressants typically don’t treat the actual problem. And what I’m finding is that it’s not depression…it’s stress.

Sure, there are people out there that undeniably suffer from depression. But most are struggling with overwhelming stress. It is well accepted that 90% of doctor visits today are due to stress or some stress-related condition.

Let’s look at physiology to see how stress affects the body.

Our stress response is a protective mechanism. It is our body’s way to help us run from that tiger or turn and fight that tiger. It is our fight or flight response. Therein lies part of the problem.

We aren’t running from any tigers, at least not on this continent. But our stress level is constant and higher than ever…bills, economy, family. From the time we wake up to the time we go to sleep, we are under stress. The body doesn’t know the differences between types of stress — whether tiger chase or financial pressure — it just responds to the stress.

We cannot discount the impact of stress on the body. The stress response comes from our adrenal glands. Epinephrine, norepinephrine, cortisol, and DHEA are the main components of the stress response. Under intense stress, our body releases norepinephrine and epinephrine. These neurotransmitters stimulate cortisol and DHEA release from the adrenal glands. This results in dilated pupils, fast heart rate, edginess…all physical manifestations of the fight or flight response.

It doesn’t stop there. That same long-term elevated cortisol will cause a depletion of the stimulators norepinephrine and an inverse drop in the serotonin levels. And THAT is the cause of depression.

The extended exposure to stress is the problem. And the band-aid solution of treating with anti-depressants is not a good solution.

The alternative? As a metabolic specialist, my approach is to support the the body’s stress response with a customized prescription of vitamins, minerals, bioidentical hormones, amino acids first. Then, we develop a healthy living plan that will help reduce stress and restore the body to normal function so that it is no longer non-functional from extended periods of stress overload.

While exercise and proper nutrition go a long way, the long-term affects of a stress-filled life require customized medical care to reverse their effects. And that’s what we do here at Seasons Wellness Clinic – customized wellness.

Cheers to the pursuit of wellness!

Related articles

• Cortisol and Stress: How Cortisol Affects Your Body, and How To Stay Healthy in the Face of Stress (stress.about.com)
• Stress (room4truth.com)
• Describing the Function of Adrenal Glands: A Study Guide (brighthub.com)

Black, White, and Gray in the World of Medicine

John 8:32 says, “You will know the truth and the truth will set you free.” As a Christian, I wholeheartedly believe that scripture. In that case, John was quoting Jesus Christ, and the truth of which he spoke was the truth of Jesus’ purpose for his life, death, and resurrection on this earth.

We hear that phrase thrown around in the everyday vernacular because it rings true for worldly topics, not just the heavenly. A good decision can only be made about a matter when the truth of opposing sides is known. Otherwise, any decision seems tainted in some way. Truth makes things clear and eliminates the gray in the black and white of the decision-making process.

So where is the gray in the world of healthcare? You don’t have to look far. In modern healthcare, physicians depend on the latest prescription drug to solve the problems of a symptomatic patient rather than delving deeper into the underlying physical chemistry. Having my practice dictated by which pharmaceuticals to dispense didn’t seem right in my soul. Where was the preventative care for the body? Was there a way to prevent disease and return the body to optimal health?

Truth in health and wellness is found in physiology and biochemistry. I, often begrudgingly, waded my way through the classes of organic chemistry, biochemistry, and physiology, not knowing that one day I would return to those roots as the fundamentals of my medical practice.

In returning to these fundamentals, I now spend time analyzing the body’s current function and, as naturally as possible, returning the body to optimal health.

Can I prevent disease? Well, not entirely. The overwhelmingly toxicity of our environment and the unique genetics of each person have a factor in disease, too. But the idea behind anti-aging and functional medicine is to provide my patients with the best quality of life possible for as long as they live instead of being debilitated by disease for years. It’s all about HEALTHY LIVING.

As I continue to practice medicine, I realize how important it is to EDUCATE. Health and wellness education is one of our primary missions at Seasons. It is the lack of wellness in north Louisiana which led me to seek further education in functional medicine (I am now board certified and fellowship trained in Functional Medicine) giving me the tools that I need to solve the health problems my patients deal with every day.

You see, I became a physician to help people get better and feel better. And because that wasn’t happening with the protocols currently being used by the American College of Gynecology, I sought a better way of doing things. But in doing so, I have also found that educating my patients, the community, the state of Louisiana, and even my fellow physicians is required. How to do that is the question!

Allow me to introduce you to DIIGO. Notice on the front page of our website in the column on the right there is a box labeled Seasons Diigo Updates. Diigo is a “cloud-based information management service that enables users to collect, highlight, access and share a variety of information, on a variety of devices,” according to their blog. That’s a fancy definition. For you non-tech types, Diigo allows me to bookmark what I’m reading and share it with YOU.

From the Seasons Diigo list, you can see what I’m reading — the latest developments and research in health and wellness — and what I recommend that YOU read in order to educate yourself. I use this tool to organize scientific research available on the world wide web that will help YOU understand the Seasons Five Points of Wellness (nutrition, exercise, hormone balance, reducing inflammation, and detoxification).

The abstracts (brief synopsis of studies) and articles you find on our Diigo list represent the latest discussions by physicians and scientists from around the world whose research contributes to your understanding of health and wellness TRUTHS. This is not information regurgitated and twisted by a news report. This is the real, actual science.

If you have questions about our preventative approach to healthcare, then read, and learn for yourself what the latest research indicates about the Seasons approach to wellness. I update our Diigo list almost daily, so check back often. Or better yet, subscribe to our list so that you receive daily updates of new wellness research.

With the world wide web at your fingertips, information is so readily available. You are not limited by the resources on your street, in your town, in your region, or even in your state. You have a whole world of information available at your fingertips. At Seasons, we’re trying to get the right information into the hands of those who are truly passionate about taking charge of their own wellness. And if you are reading this, then THAT IS YOU!

Happy reading. And cheers to the pursuit of wellness.

How do I keep up with the Seasons Diigo List?

1. Visit our website regularly. You can click on any of the links in the Seasons Diigo Updates box and go directly to the article.
2. Visit Diigo regularly. Visit http://groups.diigo.com/group/seasonswc and see the list there.
3. Have summary emails sent to you daily/weekly. To do this, you’ll need to create a diigo account at http://diigo.com. Once you’ve created an account, you can join the Seasons Wellness group. Depending on the notification setting you choose when you create your account, you’ll receive a summary email with all the articles I’ve bookmarked that day or that week.

Related articles

• Wellness: Do Doctors Know What To Look For? (time.com)
• Healthy Medicine: A New Model for Cancer Care (truthonmedecine.wordpress.com)
• Seasons Diigo Updates

Vaccinations and Autism – Is The Verdict In?

You might have heard the recent proclamation of the “end to the vaccination and autism link debate.” This proclamation comes from new light shed on one of the studies compiled by Dr. Andrew Wakefield, a British surgeon and medical researcher whose research indicated a link between autism and the MMR (measles-mumps-rubella) vaccination.

Dr. Wakefield is accused of falsifying some of the data to manipulate his statistics to show more significance, a claim Wakefield categorically denies. If this study from Wakefield et al. was the only study that showed evidence of the harm of vaccines, then I would join the chorus. However, the evidence supporting the harmful effects of vaccinations are not just present in one article. The evidence is present in many articles.

Manipulation of the statistics and fabrication of data is nothing new in science. But as I stated in my previous post, Is Medicine Losing Its Way?, with regard to vaccinations, medicine lost its way a long time ago. Because of this, I and many other physicians continue to push for a physiologic-based practice paradigm. Physiology can’t be manipulated like statistical studies can.

Let’s get a little perspective.

What do we know about some recent statistics surrounding vaccinations?

• First, in 1983, children only received 10 vaccinations before school. At that point the autism rate was 1:10,000. Currently, children receive 36 vaccinations before entry to school and the rate of autism has climbed to 1:150. Coincidence? Not if you look at the physiology.
• In 2010/2011, the flu vaccine was pulled from the market in Australia due to seizures in children. (Click here for more information.)
• Japan no longer requires the Hepatitis B vaccine.
• A recent verdict of $22.5 million was awarded to a man who contracted polio from a polio vaccine given to his daughter.

Second, what we do know about the negative effects of vaccinations.

• Vaccines create long-standing immune suppression.
• There is an increased risk of infection with vaccinations, further increasing brain inflammation and damage to the developing brain.
• Vaccinations cause a shift to the Th2 part of the immune system for much longer than normal, an abnormal response creating increased risk of autoimmune disease.
• A child’s brain reacts differently than an adult’s and is much more sensitive to inflammation.
• Toxins accumulate in the body from vaccines which contain ionic mercury and aluminum.
• Toxic exposure creates excitotoxicity, damage done by chronic microglial activation in the brain resulting in brain inflammation, damage to the developing brain, and increases risk of seizures.
• The aluminum found in vaccines is thought to cause macrophage myofasciitis which can result in severe brain injury, muscle aches and pains, and weakness.
• Vaccinations cause an increased risk of Alzheimer’s and other neurodegenerative diseases such as ALS, Parkinson’s, and dementia.
• Vaccinations cause increased destruction of the brain’s protection mechanism: catalase, glutathione, peroxidase, Super Oxide Dismutase.
• Vaccines can be contaminated, up to 60% according to studies.

First, do no harm.

Lost in the debate of vaccinations, is the “art of medicine.” As quoted by all physicians as they take the Hippocratic oath, “I will remember that there is art to medicine, as well as a science,” and “I will not give a deadly drug to anybody who asked for it, nor will I make a suggestion to this effect.”  By endorsing the use of vaccinations, are we creating a new problem (increasing cases of autism) while ending another problem (reduced cases of polio, measles, mumps, rubella)?

As physicians, our oath was, and still is, to “first, do no harm.” As logic, thought, debate and questions are critical to learning, so we must continue to ask the tough questions. And one of those questions will continue to be whether there is a connection between autism and vaccinations. We must fulfill our charge to do no harm. Perhaps we should take another look at whether vaccinations are truly doing no harm.

The Hippocratic Oath:

I swear to fulfill, to the best of my ability and judgment, this covenant:

I will respect the hard-won scientific gains of those physicians in whose steps I walk, and gladly share such knowledge as is mine with those who are to follow.

I will apply, for the benefit of the sick, all measures [that] are required, avoiding those twin traps of overtreatment and therapeutic nihilism.

I will remember that there is art to medicine as well as science, and that warmth, sympathy, and understanding may outweigh the surgeon’s knife or the chemist’s drug.

I will not be ashamed to say “I know not,” nor will I fail to call in my colleagues when the skills of another are needed for a patient’s recovery.

I will respect the privacy of my patients, for their problems are not disclosed to me that the world may know. Most especially must I tread with care in matters of life and death. If it is given to me to save a life, all thanks. But it may also be within my power to take a life; this awesome responsibility must be faced with great humbleness and awareness of my own frailty. Above all, I must not play at God.

I will remember that I do not treat a fever chart, a cancerous growth, but a sick human being, whose illness may affect the person’s family and economic stability. My responsibility includes these related problems, if I am to care adequately for the sick.

I will prevent disease whenever I can, for prevention is preferable to cure.

I will remember that I remain a member of society, with special obligations to all my fellow human beings, those sound of mind and body as well as the infirm.

If I do not violate this oath, may I enjoy life and art, respected while I live and remembered with affection thereafter. May I always act so as to preserve the finest traditions of my calling and may I long experience the joy of healing those who seek my help.

And in case you are wondering, the answer to your question is no – my children no longer receive vaccinations.

For more insight into the autism debate, see Dr. Russell Blaylock’s court testimony on the dangers of vaccinations. Dr. Blaylock is a nationally recognized board-certified neurosurgeon, health practitioner, author and lecturer. He is the leading authority on excitotoxins and their effects on the brain and author of three books: Excitotoxins: The Taste That Kills, Health and Nutrition Secrets That Can Save Your Life, and Natural Strategies for Cancer Patients.

 

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