Blog Archive for the ‘Alternative Medicine’ Category

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Supplements Reduce Health Care Costs

Thursday, March 25th, 2010

Although legislation revamping our health care system has been signed into law, debate continues to rage, and one topic of discussion is how we’re going to pay for it all. There is no doubt that health care costs are out of control. Annual spending is more than $8,000 per person, and government statisticians predict that by the year 2018, it will exceed $13,000 for every man, woman, and child. That’s 20 percent of our gross domestic product!

 

We must get a handle on this. Sure, we need to tackle inflated prices, inefficient and inappropriate care, poor management, and waste. But, according to a study based on an extensive review of the medical literature, targeted use of nutritional supplements could save more than $24 billion in health care costs over five years. Here are some of the study’s findings.

 

• If everyone age 65 and older took calcium and vitamin D supplements, approximately 776,000 hospitalizations for hip fractures could be avoided. Estimated savings: $16.1 billion.
• If people in that same age group took 1,800 mg of fish oil daily, we’d be able to cut back on 374,301 hospitalizations for coronary artery disease. Estimated savings of hospitalization plus physicians’ fees: $3.2 billion.
• If just a quarter of the women of childbearing age not taking folic acid took 400 mcg every day, 600 families could be spared the heartbreak of having a baby with spina bifida or other neural tube birth defects. Estimated savings, minus the cost of supplements: $1.4 billion.
• If people with macular degeneration took 6–10 mg of lutein with zeaxanthin daily, 190,927 of them might be able to remain independent and stay out of nursing homes due to vision loss. Estimated savings: $3.6 billion.

 

Routine use of just a handful of supplements would result in astounding savings, not only in money but in pain and suffering as well. The government conducts public health campaigns encouraging people to get vaccinations, to say no to drugs, and to wear seatbelts. Why not broadcast the benefits of nutritional supplements? Insurance companies require only a small co-payment for drugs, hospitalizations, and surgeries. Why not help pay for supplements, too?

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Posted in Alternative Medicine, Medical Politics, Vitamins | 1 Comment »

Act Now: Your Supplements Are in Danger

Wednesday, February 24th, 2010

Sen. John McCain has introduced a bill to give the FDA broader regulatory control over the manufacture, sale, and use of nutritional supplements.

 

The Dietary Supplement Safety Act of 2010 would require registration and extensive reporting by any business engaged in “manufacturing, packaging, holding, distributing, labeling, or licensing” of supplements. This includes everyone from large manufacturers to people who sell multilevel products out of their homes. Failure to comply would be a violation of the law.

 

This bill would also make it easier for the FDA to remove supplements from the market. A list of “Accepted Dietary Ingredients” would be prepared, and if a nutrient didn’t make the list, it would be banned. It would also be easier for the FDA to outlaw any supplement with even a suspicion of potential harm. Furthermore, there are no safeguards to protect against abuses of these extensive powers—a real concern with this bureaucracy, which is openly hostile towards nutritional supplements.

 

Quite a few individuals and organizations are jumping on this bandwagon. After all, isn’t it all about safety and protecting the public? Wrong. Supplements are among the safest of all consumer products. The American Association of Poison Control Centers in their 2008 annual report did not attribute even one death to a nutritional supplement. Compare this to the 100,000 deaths per year caused by prescription drugs. These guys should be going after pharmaceutical companies instead of the supplement industry.

 

Current laws are perfectly adequate to ensure supplement safety. Let’s not invite in more unnecessary government red tape. Contact your U.S. Senators and encourage urge them to oppose the Dietary Supplement Safety Act of 2010. To learn more and to email your Senators on this very important issue, visit anh-usa.org.

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Posted in Alternative Medicine, Medical Politics | No Comments »

Natural Solutions for Conquering Colds

Thursday, January 14th, 2010

A sore throat, runny or stuffy nose, headache, and sneezing—the common cold is just no fun. Head to any supermarket or drug store and you’ll be overwhelmed by the vast number of products at your fingertips. But these over-the-counter remedies have their drawbacks—from treating symptoms you don’t have to being only marginally effective.

 

Though I know it sounds trite, prevention is always the best medicine. That’s why you should wash your hands regularly and/or use hand sanitizer often, get plenty of sleep, stay away from sick people, stay hydrated, and take a high-potency multivitamin and mineral supplement. After all, a good offense is the best defense.

 

But sometimes, you just can’t avoid getting sick. If you do, here are a few natural steps you can take to conquer the common cold.

  • Boost Your Vitamin C Intake. At the first sign of a cold, take 500-1000 mg of vitamin C and continue doing so every hour that you are awake. Some gastrointestinal distress can occur with high doses so if you are sensitive, try taking smaller doses—500 mg every two hours for the first day and moving up to higher, more frequent doses on subsequent days. 
  •  Try Echinacea. Echinacea extracts can be tricky because there are so many different brands and delivery systems. The important thing is to look for a standardized product and use as directed. 
  • Use Zinc Lozenges. If you think you are coming down with something, start sucking on zinc lozenges every two hours. They’ve been shown to reduce cold duration by an average of three days compared to placebo.
  • Your Mom Was Right, Eat Chicken Soup. This folk remedy has more than word-of-mouth to support it.  A landmark study published in the medical journal Chest demonstrated chicken soup’s symptom-fighting ability and other research has shown that chicken soup acts on white blood cells to prevent them from causing inflammation and congestion.
  • Break a Fever With Cayenne Pepper. Despite its fiery taste, cayenne is a cooling herb with a long history of use as a fever reducer. Cayenne is a natural decongestant, which works much like cold and flu medications to restore free breathing. Add some to your chicken soup for added benefits or simply take a bite of hot pepper. This will quickly clear your airways and, as an added bonus, will provide a healthy dose of infection-fighting vitamin C.
  • Drink Ginger Tea. Ginger tea boasts myriad health benefits from relieving nausea, vomiting, and diarrhea to boosting immune function due to its high zinc content. To make ginger tea at home, grind a one-inch slice of fresh ginger and squeeze the juice of half a lemon. Add to a cup of steaming hot water, along with 1/4 teaspoon cinnamon.

Let me know how these remedies work for you and if you have solutions of your own, I’d love to hear them. Email me at testimonials@whitakerwellness.com. Here’s wishing you and your family a healthy remainder of the cold season.

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Posted in Alternative Medicine, Immune System, Vitamins | No Comments »

Early Use of Multivitamins Keeps Allergies at Bay

Tuesday, December 8th, 2009

There are several reasons to take a potent multivitamin and mineral supplement. Research shows that shoring up your nutrient status can bolster the immune system, reducing incidence of colds, flu, and sick days taken from work. A good multi can also help stave off chronic illnesses such as heart disease and diabetes. And new research shows that starting children on multivitamins early may prevent allergies down the line.

 

In the October issue of The American Journal of Clinical Nutrition, scientists reported the results of a study examining the correlation between allergies and multivitamin use in more than 2,400 8-year-old children. They found that the kids who began taking a multi before or at age 4 were less sensitive to food allergens. The children taking vitamins also had a decreased risk of developing allergic rhinitis (allergies). The researchers concluded that early use of multivitamin supplements had the potential to reduce risk of allergies in school-age children.

 

For more on this study, click here.

 

Parents and grandparents, this is one more reason to start your kids on vitamins early. But even if you or the children in your life didn’t get a jumpstart, there’s no time like the present. I believe that a potent daily multivitamin/mineral combination is the foundation for good health.

 

Don’t be fooled by those one-a-day multis out there. Most only offer the paltry RDAs (recommended daily allowances), and I don’t believe these amounts are adequate. Instead, look for a combination product that contains the following (or similar) daily dosages:

 

Vitamin A – 15,000-20,000 IU (mostly as beta-carotene)
Vitamin C – a minimum of 1,000 mg
Vitamin D – a minimum of 800 IU
Vitamin E – 400 IU
Vitamin B6 – 60-75 mg
Vitamin B12 – 150 mcg
Folic Acid – 400-800 mcg
Calcium – a minimum of 500 mg, preferably 1,000 mg
Zinc – 15-30 mg balanced with 1-2 mg of copper
Magnesium – 500 mg

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Posted in Allergies/Asthma, Alternative Medicine, Vitamins, Wellness | No Comments »

Do You Really Need to Test Your Blood Sugar Every Day?

Tuesday, November 3rd, 2009

Many people with type 2 diabetes are told by their doctors to test their blood sugar levels multiple times daily. This is not only inconvenient and expensive but also unnecessary—especially if you aren’t on insulin and this testing isn’t resulting in changes to your treatment.

 

For instance, if you aren’t using your readings to adjust your medication dosages or to identify and eliminate problems foods from your diet, then what’s the point?

 

Last year, two studies published in the esteemed British Medical Journal found that regular self-monitoring of glucose levels was associated with lower quality of life, increased costs, and higher rates of depression. What’s worse is that this obsessive testing did not result in better glycemic control. (For study details, click on the links below.)

 

http://www.bmj.com/cgi/content/abstract/336/7654/1174
http://www.bmj.com/cgi/content/extract/336/7654/1139

 

Here at the Whitaker Wellness Institute, instead of regular self-testing, we monitor our patients’ A1C levels. Unlike finger-stick glucose tests, A1C reveals an average of blood sugar over the past few months. This test gives us a broader picture and allows us to determine if the diet and supplement regimens we prescribe are working effectively to keep blood sugar under control.

 

Instead of oral drugs or insulin, we treat our patients who have diabetes with targeted nutritional supplements and lifestyle modifications (more exercise, fewer carbohydrates, weight loss, etc.). This natural approach has helped tens of thousands of our patients say goodbye to diabetes and its debilitating complications and hello to a healthier, more vital life.

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Posted in Alternative Medicine, Diabetes, Diabetes Treatment | No Comments »

Celebrating 30 Years

Tuesday, October 20th, 2009

On Saturday night, more than 400 people gathered in the ballroom of the Hilton Hotel to celebrate the 30 years of healing that have taken place at the Whitaker Wellness Institute. We opened the doors of the clinic in 1979, and since then, tens of thousands of people have come to us to get well—without dangerous prescription medications and invasive procedures.

 

I was honored and humbled to be surrounded by so many friendly faces, and I felt proud to be a part of what helped these people get back on the road to health.

 

Our esteemed guests included Academy Award winning-actor Jon Voight, constitutional lawyer (and my partner in fighting the FDA) Jonathan Emord, scores of patients from across that nation, and the dedicated and loyal staff of Whitaker Wellness—without whom, there would be little cause for celebration.

 

Thanks to all of you for believing in me and the Whitaker Wellness Institute. I’m looking forward to what the next 30 years has in store, and I hope you are too.

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Posted in Alternative Medicine, Wellness | No Comments »

Can Vitamin D Keep Your Immune System in Tip-Top Shape?

Friday, October 16th, 2009

With all the talk of the H1N1 virus and flu season upon us, people are searching for ways to bolster their immune systems and stay healthy. Could the key to better immunity lie in a simple vitamin?

 

John J. Cannell, MD, an innovative physician and founder of the Vitamin D Council, had a “eureka” experience a few years ago that resulted in a theory that’s now rapidly gaining ground: Vitamin D deficiencies underlie a vulnerability to influenza and other infectious diseases, and boosting levels of this vitamin protects against infection.

 

Here’s how it came about. In early 2005, an influenza epidemic ran rampant through the California maximum-security psychiatric hospital where Dr. Cannell was working. In his ward, however, nobody got sick. His patients were no younger or healthier than the others, and they had mingled with infected patients and been treated by the same nurses. The only difference was that his patients had been taking 2,000 IU of vitamin D each day for several months.

 

A light bulb went off in Dr. Cannell’s head. Since then, he’s gathered a wide body of research that backs his theory in spades. (Visit his website, http://www.vitamindcouncil.org/, for more information.) 

 

In addition to its role in immune function, vitamin D is active in tissues throughout the body. Research shows that deficiencies in this vitamin can lead to a number of other health problems including:

 

• Cardiovascular complications
• Type 1 diabetes in children
• Parkinson’s disease
• Osteomalacia (softened bones) and osteoporosis
• Cancer
• Depression
• Rheumatoid arthritis and other autoimmune conditions
• Increased mortality rates

 

I could go on, but here’s all you really need to know: To prevent flu and other infectious illnesses, and to bolster your overall health, you need to increase your level of vitamin D.

 

Over the years, as more benefits of the “sunshine vitamin” have emerged, my suggested dosages have slowly crept up. Here are some general guidelines. (Please note, higher doses may be necessary to raise blood concentrations to protective levels.) For infants, 1,000–1,800 IU; for children ages 1 to 12, 2,000 IU; and for adults, 2,000–4,000 IU per day—or more, if needed. Get your 25 (OH)D blood level tested through your doctor and take enough supplemental vitamin D3 to bring your level into the 50-70 ng/mL range.

 

Vitamin D is perfectly safe at these levels and, for short periods of time, in much larger doses. High-dose vitamin D may be required to overcome deficiencies, but it should be taken only under the care of a physician.

Posted in Alternative Medicine, Immune System, Vitamins | No Comments »

Is Diet a Viable Natural Diabetes Treatment?

Friday, October 2nd, 2009

A recent study published in the Annals of Internal Medicine examined the effects of a Mediterranean diet versus a low-fat diet in 215 overweight patients newly diagnosed with type 2 diabetes. Half of the group was instructed to follow the Mediterranean diet (less than 50 percent of calories from carbohydrates) and the other half went the low-fat route (less than 30 percent of calories from fat).

 

After four years, the participants on the Mediterranean diet required fewer drugs to control blood sugar and they experienced improved insulin sensitivity, greater weight loss, and a reduction in coronary risk factors. http://www.annals.org/cgi/content/abstract/151/5/306

 

This study doesn’t surprise me in the least. I’ve been using diet and other lifestyle modifications to treat—even reverse—diabetes for more than 30 years with excellent results.

 

Here at the Whitaker Wellness Institute we help patients with diabetes control their blood sugar levels with a lower-carbohydrate version of the Mediterranean diet. Meals are centered around lean protein (fish, chicken, turkey, tofu, beans, legumes), plenty of fresh vegetables, nuts and seeds, healthful fats, and a small amount of low-glycemic fruit. Exercise, at least 30 minutes most days of the week, a targeted nutritional supplement program, and weight loss (if appropriate), round out our natural diabetes treatments.

 

Before consenting to a drug regimen that your conventional doc will likely say you’ll have to be on for the rest of your life, you owe it to yourself to give these natural diabetes treatments a try.

Posted in Alternative Medicine, Diabetes, Diet | 1 Comment »

Welcome to My Blog

Thursday, October 1st, 2009

Well, folks, it’s finally happening. I’m starting my own Whitaker Wellness blog. I want to use this medium to communicate with you on a more regular basis and share my thoughts on some of the topical issues that arise day-to-day and week-to-week in the world of alternative medicine.

 

I often find that there’s not room or time enough to talk to you about everything I’d like to cover in the eight pages of my newsletter, Health & Healing, so I’m hoping this blog can help.

 

In the coming weeks I will be commenting on news stories, sharing health tips, and debunking some of conventional medicine’s bogus beliefs and practices. I’ll give you my opinions and advice on a variety of topics and try to answer some of the questions I hear most often from my patients and subscribers.

 

Be sure to check back regularly for new posts on common health conditions, cutting-edge integrative medical therapies, and my comments on what’s going on in the world.

 

In the meantime, be sure you sign up for the Whitaker Wellness Institute’s free weekly eNewsletter. Just visit our homepage, enter your email address in the brown box on the right entitled “Online Newsletter,” and click “submit.”

 

I look forward to this new form of communication and hope you’ll enjoy what’s to come.

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Posted in Alternative Medicine | 2 Comments »

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