July Newsletter

Hi.  I trust you are well and reveling in your freedom as an American.

I want to let you know that I am going to Haiti for a week, from July 23^rd to the 30^th.   I will be a boys’ counselor at a camp put on by an American couple who run an orphanage in Haiti.  This will be a most interesting trip, unlike any other I’ve taken before.  I am asking for your prayers, that I may stay safe and not contract malaria or typhoid.  I’m also taking with me an extra bag of toys, craft items and sports equipment.  If you would like to help, either with some money to buy the toys, or by buying the toys yourself, that would be great.  I want to take yo-yos, tops, soccer balls, colored paper, glue sticks, scissors, stencils, crayons, etc.  If you would like to donate directly to the orphanage, you may write a check to Maranatha Childrens’ Ministries and I will send all the checks to the home office.  I am also taking cash with me to give to them, and will give you a receipt if you want to contribute that way.

This is just one of those things you do when you are called to step out of your comfort zone to do something larger than yourself.  I really did not have any interest in ever going to Haiti, but here I am, going, and taking toys and craft stuff with me, too.  You can make appointments with Janet if you want to come in before the 23^rd.  During the week of July 25^th, Drs. Perez and Rosen will be able to treat you in Tarzana and Dr. Thompson will be able to treat you in Thousand Oaks.

Now, on to the business of health.

EXERCISE OF THE MONTH

The Stork.  You know that I continually try to impress upon you the importance of improving your balance.  This exercise will do that.  Stand on your right leg and lift your left leg up until your thigh/knee is level with your waist.  Preferably do this barefooted.  Hold this position for 30 seconds, or as long as you can.  If you have to use your arms to help you balance, stop and put your foot down, adjust your posture, and lift the leg again.  The closer you can get to a balanced posture, the easier it will become to stand on one leg.  Repeat with the left leg.  This exercise is for everyone, by the way.

MAINTAINING A HEALTHY WEIGHT

            I know that many of you are sensitive about your weight, and that some of you, if you are reading this, will not come back to see me because I mentioned that you must do something about your weight.  Here is my concern; According to the Scientific Laboratory for Food Intolerance, there are 20 diseases directly attributable to being overweight.  It has become an epidemic, and it is affecting people of all ages.  There is strong scientific evidence that “obesity significantly increases the risk of serious chronic diseases and contributes to overall mortality.”  Here is a partial list of the diseases that can affect you when you are obese:  Diabetes, Cancer, Congestive heart failure, Fatty Liver Disease, Erectile Dysfunction, Urinary incontinence, Cellulitis, Stroke, Depression, Osteoarthritis,, Gout and Gall Bladder Disease.

Basically, every one of these is a preventable, life-style condition or disease.  You do have the power to change your present level of health and fitness.  One of the most successful ways is the Medifast Meal Plan with Take Shape for Life.  Log on to www.drben.tsfl.com and look at the program and listen to the testimonials on the video clips at the bottom of the page.  I have personally seen a number of success stories in the past year, and you could be one of them.

According to the AMA, a 10% reduction in body weight reduces your risk of various weight-related diseases by 50%.

THOUGHTS FOR THE MONTH

He can inspire a group only if he himself is filled with confidence and hope of success. - Floyd V. Filson

The boss drives people; the leader coaches them. The boss depends on authority; the leader on good will. The boss inspires fear; the leader inspires enthusiasm. The boss says “I”; The leader says “WE”. The boss fixes the blame for the breakdown; the leader fixes the breakdown. The boss says, “GO”; the leader says lets, “GO!” - H. Gordon Selfridge

Only through experience of trial and suffering can the soul be strengthened, vision cleared, ambition inspired, and success achieved. - Helen Keller

Leaders establish the vision for the future and set the strategy for getting there; they cause change. They motivate and inspire others to go in the right direction and they, along with everyone else, sacrifice to get there. - John Kotter

EAT, DRINK AND BE MISERABLE?

Since allergic sensitivities may be, in effect, cumulative,
certain foods and beverages can make you more vulnerable to
allergy symptoms such as sneezing, sniffling, congestion,
skin irritations and red, watery eyes, confirms Daily
Health News contributing editor Andrew L. Rubman, ND. In
his opinion, it’s simplistic to just suppress these
symptoms with medication. Instead, he advises looking
deeper into dietary connections to potentially
“cure” the problem rather than simply mask it.
Dr. Rubman shared more of his thoughts on so-called food
allergies, along with advice on what you can do about them…

In most cases, what we commonly refer to as food
“allergies” would be more accurately described as
food “sensitivities.” On occasion, a person may
experience a true food allergy — in the worst case, a
life-threatening allergic reaction (anaphylaxis) to foods
such as shellfish or peanuts. Far more commonly, however, a
runny nose, sneezing, hives and other sorts of allergy
symptoms reflect a sensitivity to certain foods that are
difficult for the body to process, notes Dr. Rubman. The
foods that typically are hardest to digest — cow’s milk
and gluten grains (wheat, barley, rye) — are the most
likely to cause problems.

I asked Dr. Rubman how a glass of milk and a sandwich on
whole-wheat bread — a meal you digest in the gut — can
cause symptoms in the nose. The body has several mechanisms
to deal with digestive challenges, he explains. Normally,
food residues are effectively contained within the
intestine, through which nutrients are absorbed while the
remainder pass efficiently and completely from the body.
However, when factors such as disease, stress, excessive
alcohol, medication or foods containing dairy
proteins/sugars or gluten cause inflammation, the
intestinal wall may “leak,” permitting tiny partially
digested food particles to escape, causing the body to
produce antibodies to attack the unknown particles
(called antigens).

One surprising manifestation of these microscopic food
particles is rhinitis, due to the body’s powerful
immune-modulating system. While nasal defenses normally
handle airborne challenges, deftly filtering out and
destroying millions of irritating pollutants, particles and
chemicals in the air you breathe, at these times they also
react to immune system responses due to intestinal
permeability (or what’s called leaky gut). This is asking a
lot of the mucous membranes in the sinuses, which react by
producing extra mucus (hence, the sniffles) to attempt,
often ineffectively, to respond to antigens in the body.

STRATEGY TO REDUCE THE SYMPTOMS

While mainstream medicine generally treats allergy symptoms
with antihistamines, decongestants or immunotherapy, far
better, says Dr. Rubman, is to examine and change your diet
as necessary. In general, he advises consumption of more
whole foods — such as fresh vegetables and fruits and
legumes, deep-water fish like salmon and tuna, and poultry
without skin — and fewer processed foods laden with
additives, saturated fats and sugar, all of which can
worsen allergy symptoms and leaky gut. In particular, limit
your intake of cow’s milk, milk products and products with
gluten because these have the greatest capacity to disrupt
the gut lining, particularly the large intestine. 

Specifically, Dr. Rubman recommends… 

*Leave cow’s milk to baby cows. This seemingly “healthy”
drink has absolutely no place in the human diet, stresses
Dr. Rubman. Every species of mammalian mother produces milk specially designed to be consumed by their young. Given that,
it is not surprising that some people are allergic to the
specific milk whey and casein proteins, since they are immunologically different from what humans naturally digest.
Many people are also sensitive to lactose, a milk sugar.
Among the unappealing symptoms cow’s milk can cause are digestive disturbances, mucus build-up in the sinuses, immune system
reactions and more. (Note: Cheese and yogurt are more easily tolerated in the lactose sensitive or intolerant. Start by
cutting out cow’s milk, and see whether you feel better.)

Because calcium is essential for healthy bones and teeth,
not to mention numerous vital body functions, many people
worry about giving up their daily glass of milk. However,
there are many other rich — and more readily digestible –
sources of calcium, including broccoli, kale, spinach,
turnip greens, salmon and sardines canned with bones.  
*Cut back on gluten grain products. Gluten — the complex
protein in wheat, barley and rye, to name a few — causes
disturbances in the structural and functional performance
of the intestine, explains Dr. Rubman. This can result in
both intestinal (gas, bloating, diarrhea, for example) and
non-intestinal symptoms (e.g., fatigue, irritability, and
bone and joint pain in addition to the allergy symptoms),
ranging from mild to severe. (Read more about gluten
intolerance in an article from the May 7, 2007 issue.)

http://link.dhn.bottomlinesecrets.com/t/KPES/XC30/82/CD3GC

Opt for gluten-free alternatives such as quinoa, amaranth,
buckwheat or brown rice. Look for gluten-free labels on
processed foods (such as soy sauce, ketchup and salad
dressings, which are among the surprising products that
often contain gluten).  Or, better yet, forego the
processed foods altogether.  

NOT SUCH AN “EXTREME” MAKEOVER

When you’ve explored the obvious causes — such as pollen
and mold — and your allergy symptoms remain bothersome and
unexplained, it’s time to wonder whether your diet might be
the real problem.  Since dairy and gluten products are
naturally challenging to the human digestive tract, it is
likely that everyone is affected to varying degrees by a
dairy and/or gluten sensitivity, says Dr. Rubman.

So the question is not “if”, but “how much” milk or cereal
it will take to trigger symptoms in you.  Often, the answer
depends on your overall health. Dr. Rubman advises taking
these factors into account… 

*How pumped is your immune system? The healthier you are,
the better prepared your body will be to meet the challenge
of processing hard-to-digest food and drink.

*How old are you? It’s not always the case, but usually the
older you get, the less robust immune protection you have,
compared with younger counterparts.
 
*Is your body busy meeting intermittent challenges such as
seasonal airborne irritants (pollen, ragweed, etc.)?  If
so, on occasion, this will leave you especially vulnerable
to the ill effects of digestive challenges, due to systemic
inflammation that can affect intestinal permeability.

Dr. Rubman says that even in the absence of obvious allergy
symptoms, everyone can benefit from eating more whole foods
and fewer processed ones, cutting out cow’s milk, and
limiting gluten. If you just can’t live without the pasta
or milk on your cereal, have it as a treat one or two times
a week. This allows your body to rid itself of the antigens
before the next “attack”. The more closely our diet resembles
what we were meant to eat, back in the days before processing
and manufacturing, the healthier we will be and the better
we will feel. 

Source(s):
Andrew L. Rubman, ND, director, Southbury Clinic for
Traditional Medicines, Southbury, Connecticut.
E-mail this Article:

http://link.dhn.bottomlinesecrets.com/t/VOF7/XC30/82/CD3GC?a1=42491

SOMETHING TO MAKE YOU SMILE:
http://biertijd.com/mediaplayer/?itemid=2763

September Health News

Boredom can kill you, weight loss is achievable, energy is renewable, super-size me can be avoided, and inspiration is everywhere

(I hate techonology sometimes. I apologize for the lateness of the newsletter, as it is easily 2 weeks late. I couldn’t write, then email out, this newsletter for 2 weeks while waiting to fix my writing program)

ARE YOU BORED TO DEATH?

A recent study from the University College in London, England found that after tracking the boredom levels of 7500 adults for over 10 years, 37% were more likely to have died, mostly from heart disease. The theory is that chronically bored people tend to be less fulfilled and happy. This may lead to smoking, overeating and /or drinking, all of which cause heart disease risk. Since being bored is your fault to begin with, pursuing fun and fulfilling pursuits is the best cure for boredom. Get involved in service projects, start a hobby, do gardening, help out with tutoring or volunteer in a classroom. I guarantee you won’t get bored, and you’ll live healthier and longer.

DID YOU HEAR THAT?

Oh, there it goes again, the sound of someone dropping pounds and losing weight with the Take Shape for Life program. I didn’t think initially that this program would live up to its promotion, but it has. Everyone who has stayed on the Medifast diet has, and continues to lose, weight. Because being overweight leads to so many health issues, I am a strong proponent of helping people get to and maintain their desired body weight. The Medifast diet does this by changing the way you eat, and through it’s specific formulation, helps you burn off fat as well as lose weight. Since June one patient has lost 41 lbs. and another has lost 17 lbs. Since August one patient has lost over 12 lbs. and another who started 2 weeks ago has lost 14 lbs. For the folks who goofed off and not followed the diet, they still lost some weight.

So what are you waiting for? Who do you know that would benefit from losing 10 to 100 lbs.? Log on to www.drben.tsfl.com and look at the videos, read the info, check out the products, and then call me with any questions – 818.708.0740 or 805.358.8572

HAS YOUR “GET UP AND GO” GONE UP AND WENT?

There can be as many as 1 in every 5 adults who have fatigue that is severe enough to interfere with their daily activities. Are you one of them? While some people blame old age, stress and being too busy to exercise, the cause is often due to not properly nourishing your cells. You have thousands of tiny energy factories in you cells called mitochondria which process your energy and which need proper care. You also have to reduce the hormones that you produce when under stress, which can affect your body’s ability to produce energy. You do this with a combination of strategies, such as eating healthily, getting enough sleep, exercising regularly, reducing your stress, and changing some of your habits. Here are some suggestions from Dr. Woodson Merrill of Beth Israel Medical Center in New York.

1. Switch from coffee to green tea. While coffee can give you a quick energy boost, it’s temporary, and can lead to an energy slump afterwards. Green tea has less caffeine but also has theanine, a calming amino acid that moderates the stimulating effects of caffeine, giving you a longer lasting boost. Also remember to drink enough water throughout the day.
2. Eliminate wheat from your diet. A lot of people have wheat intolerance, which can cause fatigue, headaches, indigestion and joint pain. This is because modern wheat has been grown in hybridized forms, causing inflammatory responses with repeated exposure. You don’t have to deprive yourself, however. You can still eat sprouted breads, brown rice pasta, corn and rice cereals and cook with non-wheat flours.
3. Supplement your diet with ashwaganda (wasn’t he that famous Indian guy……?). This herb helps stimulate energy production while also calming your nervous system. It helps to metabolize the stress hormone cortisol and boosts your immune system. (I now carry this supplement in the office because it is also supposed to be a great combater of stress)
4. Research has found that saunas have the potential to eliminate toxins the can wreak havoc on your mitochondria (energy centers), plus there is something relaxing about being surrounded by heat. Do check with your M.D. first if you are on any medication before using a sauna.
5. Do Qi Gong or Tai Chi exercises throughout the week. These are ancient Chinese systems of energy movement that connects your energy circuits through mind, muscle and breath control. Some supporters call it “sweatless exercise”, but they are extremely gentle exercises which also help to strengthen your legs and back.

WHAT YOU SEE IS WHAT YOU EAT
(Why we are still an overweight nation that loves to be supersized)
From the September Nutrition Action health newsletter comes a comparison that will blow your arteries out. The good folks at the Center for Science in the Public Interest looked at a sampling of common restaurant foods and compared them with the government’s recommended official sizes. Here’s what you’re in for and what’s out to get you.
Panera Smoked Ham and Swiss sandwich – 14 oz. @700 calories FDA recommended size – 5 oz. @ 250 calories
Dunkin’ Donuts Blueberry Muffin – 5 oz. @ 480 calories FDA size – 2 oz. @190 calories
California Pizza Kitchen Pepperoni Pizza – 13 oz. @ 1,140 calories FDA size – 5 oz. @ 440 calories
TCBY Old Fashioned Vanilla yogurt – 1 1/3 cup @ 300 calories FDA size – ½ cup @ 110 calories
Chili’s Oldtimer Bigmouth Burger – 11 oz. @ 880 calories FDA size – 5 oz. @ 400 calories
Outback Steakhouse Ribeye Steak – 11oz (cooked) @ 1,190 calories FDA size – 3 oz (cooked) @330 calories
Chipotle Chicken Burrito – 21oz. @ 970 calories FDA size – 5 oz @ 230 calories
Olive Garden Capellini Pomodoro – 3 ½ cups @ 840 calories FDA size – 1 cup @ 240 calories
Starbucks Chocolate Chunk cookie – 3 oz. @ 360 calories FDA size – 1 oz. @120 calories

So, please consider both the size and the item up front when you order, because the hidden calories can add up to an obviously large behind.

THOUGHTS FOR THE MONTH
Don’t get older; get better: Live realistically. Give generously. Adapt willingly. Trust fearlessly. Rejoice daily. -Charles Swindoll

One doesn’t discover new lands without consenting to lose sight of the shore for a very long time. -Andre Gide

There is one elementary truth, the ignorance of which kills countless ideas and splendid plans: the moment one definitely commits oneself, then Providence moves too. All sorts of things occur to help one that never otherwise would have occurred…

Whatever you can do, Or dream you can do, Begin it. Boldness has genius, power and magic in it. Begin it now. -Goethe

I steer my bark with hope in the head, leaving fear astern. -Thomas Jefferson

SOMETHING FUN, AND I CAN’T FIGURE IT OUT

http://www.angelfire.com/ak2/intelligencerreport/magic_chainsaw.html

Dr. G’s May health ezine

Happy May to you.  So far it looks like we’re going to have a great month.  Here’s some news you can use.

For those of you who think we’re crazy to exercise, recent research has found a link between regular physical activity and mental and emotional health.

Exercise, fitness level, and depression: A large study of 5,451 men and 1,277 women tested participants’ level of aerobic fitness and compared it to their scores on a depression inventory and an emotional well-being assessment.  Results showed that people with a higher fitness score have a lower risk of developing depression and had higher emotional well-being scores. 

In addition, when the participants were assessed for their activity level, results showed that for each increase in weekly miles of exercise completed, protection from depression and improved emotional well-being increased.  In other words, the more participants exercised and the more fit they were, the better their mental and emotional health.

Another study relates the relationship between exercise and dementia:  A study of 1,740 mentally healthy people aged 65 and older were examined for six years to determine who developed dementia and Alzheimer’s disease. Results showed people who exercised at least three or more days per week were 32 percent less likely to develop dementia than those who exercised less than three days per week. 

The reduction of Alzheimer’s disease in exercisers was found to be similar to dementia. It is thought that the reason is due to improved circulation and oxygen transport to the brain during exercise which improves cognitive function.

What it all means: You may be able to take an active role in your mental and emotional health. Evidence continues to show that regular physical activity has a positive effect on your brain as well as helping your body and is one of the key factors in being happy and emotionally healthy. In addition, moving your body could decrease your risk of developing more serious mental health problems including depression, dementia, and Alzheimer’s disease. 

Sources: Galper, Trevedi, Barlow, et al. (2006). “Inverse Association Between Physical Activity and Mental Health in Men and Women”, Medicine & Science in Sports & Exercise, 38; Larson, Want, Bowen, et al. (2006).  “Exercise is Associated with Reduced Risk for Incident Dementia among Persons 65 Years of Age and Older.” Annals of Internal Medicine, 144.

Source: Northwestern Health Sciences University, www.nwhealth.edu/nwtoday/index.html

For those of you who still won’t exercise, here is the next best thing:

Laughter is a highly complex process. Joyous or mirthful laughter is considered a positive stress (eustress) that involves complicated brain activities leading to a positive effect on health. Norman Cousins first suggested the idea that humor and the associated laughter can benefit a person’s health in the 1970s. His ground-breaking work, as a layperson diagnosed with an autoimmune disease, documented his use of laughter in treating himself—with medical approval and oversight—into remission. He published his personal research results in the New England Journal of Medicine and is considered one of the original architects of mind-body medicine.

Dr. Lee S. Berk, a preventive care specialist and psychoneuroimmunology researcher at Loma Linda University’s Schools of Allied Health (SAHP) and Medicine, and director of the molecular research lab at SAHP, Loma Linda, CA, and Dr. Stanley Tan have picked up where Cousins left off. Since the 1980s, they have been studying the human body’s response to mirthful laughter and have found that laughter helps optimize many of the functions of various body systems. Berk and his colleagues were the first to establish that laughter helps optimize the hormones in the endocrine system, including decreasing the levels of cortisol and epinephrine, which lead to stress reduction. They have also shown that laughter has a positive effect on modulating components of the immune system, including increased production of antibodies and activation of the body’s protective cells, including T-cells and especially Natural Killer cells’ killing activity of tumor cells. Their studies have shown that repetitious “mirthful laughter,” which they call Laughercise©, causes the body to respond in a way similar to moderate physical exercise. Laughercise© enhances your mood, decreases stress hormones, enhances immune activity, lowers bad cholesterol and systolic blood pressure, and raises good cholesterol (HDL).

As Berk explains, “We are finally starting to realize that our everyday behaviors and emotions are modulating our bodies in many ways.” His latest research expands the role of laughter even further.

I’ve mentioned to you in the past the importance of eating healthy, and to particularly avoid “inflaming” your digestive system.  Here, again, are the top foods to eat and the top foods to avoid.  Bon apetite.

10 BEST ANTI-INFLAMMATORY FOODS

*Wild salmon, mackerel and other omega-3-fatty-acid-rich fish.
*Berries.
*Green, leafy vegetables (e.g., spinach and kale).
*Cruciferous vegetables (broccoli, Brussels sprouts, cabbage, etc.).
*Deeply pigmented produce, such as sweet potatoes, eggplant and pomegranate…  along with carrots, plums, oranges, peppers, peas and red grapes.
*Nuts, particularly almonds, walnuts, and cashews.
*Whole grains, including sprouted grains.
*Tea — specifically black, green and white teas.  
*Cold-pressed fresh oils, including avocado, flaxseed and olive oils in particular.
*Spices (specifically, garlic, ginger, turmeric, saffron).

10 WORST INFLAMMATORY FOODS

*Desserts made with lots of sugar (cookies, candy, ice cream and so on).  
*Sweetened cereals. 
*”White” carbohydrates (white bread, white rice, white potatoes, English muffins, etc.).
*Non-diet soft drinks.
*Anything containing high-fructose corn syrup.
*Processed meats (bologna, salami, hotdogs, sausage and others made with preservatives and additives).
*French fries, potato chips and other fried snack foods.
*Fast foods, most specifically the ones that are high-fat, high-calorie, high simple carbohydrate — which describes most of the inexpensive offerings at quick-serve restaurants. 
*Margarine, because it contains processed sterols called stanols that have been implicated in both atherosclerosis and various fatty-deposit diseases.
*Organ meats such as liver, because these often contain undesirable products including antibiotics, fertilizer and other unwanted residues.

 THOUGHTS FOR THE MONTH

The heart of a fool is in his mouth, but the mouth of a wise man is in his heart. – Benjamin Franklin

A wise man will not communicate his differing thoughts to unprepared minds, or in a disorderly manner. – Benjamin Whichcote

The secret of health for both mind and body is not to mourn for the past, worry about the future, or anticipate troubles, but to live in the present moment wisely and earnestly. – Buddha

There is a difference between happiness and wisdom: He that thinks himself the happiest man really is so; but he that thinks himself the wisest is generally the greatest fool. – Charles Caleb Colton

Cheers.  Dr. Ben