Natural Antibiotics Are there such things? You bet! Ancient civilizations have used them in the past. Traditional medical systems such as Chinese medicine and Ayurvedic medicine texts are replete with information on natural germ fighting agents. In very recent times, just in 1987 in fact, one of the most comprehensive studies was conducted in Scotland that determined the most powerful antibacterial agents. These include the essential oils of thyme, cinnamon, clove and geranium. According to another study published in the International Journal of Food Microbiology, the oils of cinnamon, thyme and clove killed 92% of 25 different Gram negative and positive bacterial strains. As a side note, do you know that Listerine antiseptic was originally named after Joseph Lister, the Father of modern surgical antisepsis? The formula has the following essential oils, namely; thymol (from thyme essential oil), eucalyptol (from eucalyptus essential oil), methyl salicylate (from wintergreen essential oil) and menthol (from peppermint essential oil). A study done in 1999 published at the Journal of Clinical Periodontology showed that a mouthwash that had the essential oils of thyme, peppermint, wintergreen and eucalyptus, was more effective in improving oral health than an antiseptic that was fluoride-based. In 2006, powerful anti-fungal oils were identified by researchers and they include the following: essential oils of cinnamon, clove, lemongrass, geranium and thyme. They were all found to be equal or superior to a well-known anti-fungal medication. Other natural anti-fungal agents include garlic, caprylic acid (from coconut), melaleuca (tea tree oil) and Saccharomyces boullardii (an anti-fungal yeast). One common infectious cause of gastritis is H. pylori. Mastic gum has been used traditionally to treat this. Other agents were found to be effective in a study conducted at the Kyoto Prefectural University in Japan. These include the essential oils of manuka, cinnamon bark, carrot seed, savory, white grapefruit, clove and eucalyptus. Meanwhile, natural anti-viral agents include eugenol from clove oil (found to be effective against Herpes virus), peppermint oil, and manuka essential oil. Finally, what natural agents are effective against MRSA and VRE antibiotic-resistant bacteria? In studies done at the Western Infirmary in Glasgow, UK, it was found that melaleuca, lavender, peppermint and thyme essential oils showed the strongest activity against these germs. Anyway, I want to acknowledge Dr. Carolyn de Marco for providing a lot of great information regarding the use of essential oils. If someone is suffering from an infectious illness, work with your healthcare provider on how to improve your immune system so that you won’t get sick in the first place.
Holistic Approach to Chronic Infections (including Lyme disease) Are antibiotics effective enough to take care of infections? We all hope so but it doesn’t always happen in real life especially in the case of chronic infections. A more comprehensive way of addressing chronic infections should involve the following: 1. reduction of microbial load through the use of anti-infective agents, 2. immune system support, 3. optimizing detoxification mechanisms, 4. nutritional support, 5. optimizing sleep/rest and 6. hormonal support. We all know the different ways to reduce microbial load. It involves the use of synthetic/prescription and herbal antibiotics, anti-virals, anti-parasitics and anti-fungals. Immune system support is critical, since ultimately, it’s our immune system that takes care of killing these microbes. Vitamins (vitamin C complex, vitamin D), minerals (selenium, zinc), herbal agents (echinacea), therapeutic-grade essential oils (oregano, clove, frankincense), homeopathic/spagyric remedies, and acupuncture are among the tools used to optimize immune system function. Support of detoxification mechanisms is absolutely essential to prevent a severe die-off or a Herxheimer reaction, a process that takes place when the body is overwhelmed with byproducts of microbial destruction. We’re looking at improving colon, kidney, liver, skin, lymphatic and lung function since all these organs are involved in detoxification (and drainage, for that matter). Having a sensible diet and the judicious use of nutritional supplements could go a long way in improving overall health. Sleep is a time when our body repairs and regenerates itself. During this time (“anabolic phase” according to Dr. Revici’s work), our body secretes hormones such as growth hormone, prolactin and melatonin (which are all involved in the anabolic process). Finally, hormonal support is essential in cases of chronic infections. Our adrenals and thyroid could be burned out (from the stress of chronic infection) and supporting these organs could help the body overcome and win the fight against infection.
Work It! Work Out! Ever wonder why some people go to the gym regularly but don’t get results whatsoever or worse, they just get injuries? Well, let’s see the possible reasons why this is so. A lot of times, people aren’t able to accomplish their goals because they don’t have the nutritional support for their bodies (to create muscle tissue or lose body fat). There is a greater need for protein during the anabolic process. And this doesn’t mean just any protein. A high-quality protein source is needed by the body during this time, whether it’s from an animal or plant source (depending on a person’s individual needs). For those with busy lifestyles, using a protein meal replacement would work (whey, rice, pea). And it’s not enough to eat a diet that’s high in protein, however. Are you actually digesting and assimilating the nutrients from your food? Beginning in our 30′s, we actually produce less digestive enzymes (HCl, pepsin, pancreatic enzymes, bile). People usually manifest this lack of enzymes with symptoms such as heartburn, burping, indigestion, bloating and gas. So, it would be beneficial to take some digestive enzymes especially with high-protein meals or meals that are primarily cooked. If a person’s nutritional needs are already met but they still have a hard time reaching their goals, then it might be a good idea to have their hormones checked. Hormonal imbalance could lead to issues such as muscle and bone loss as well as fat accumulation. Deficient or even “low normal” levels of the androgens in men (DHEA and testosterone), estrogen/progesterone imbalance in women, imbalance in thyroid and adrenal hormones, and deficient or “low normal” levels of anabolic hormones such as growth hormone can all lead to futile work-out efforts. It would be really helpful to work with a anti-aging practitioner when someone is trying to optimize their hormone levels. One thing to remember by the way, is the difference in sexes when it comes to trying to achieve a certain body fat percentage. For men, the normal is between 10-15%, while in women, it’s 20-25% (since women are genetically programmed to have a higher body fat percentage). If the hormones are still out of balance in spite of efforts to optimize them , then it may be important to look at the role that toxins play in this scenario. Heavy metals, pesticides, herbicides and other environmental toxins could create hormonal imbalances. Therefore, it’s also important to rule them out if one is intent on achieving their health/fitness goals. More on this later.
Breast Care Breast cancer can be caused by a lot of things. These include hormonal imbalance (due to environmental toxins among others), ionizing radiation and trauma to the breast area, toxin build-up in the breast due to poor lymphatic drainage, tight bras (by impeding lymphatic circulation), genetic causes, etc. In a recent article on yahoo.com, it was noted that breast cancer rates dropped with a decrease in the use of HRT (hormone replacement therapy). The study was done in Canada on postmenopausal women in the earlier part of the decade. However, there is no mention whatsoever on what kind of hormones these women were put on. Synthetic hormones (non-bioidentical, derived from animal sources) could cause more hormonal imbalance in a woman’s body because the body is not used to processing these substances (unlike bioidentical hormones whose structure is similar to what the body produces and therefore is not recognized as foreign). It’s a good thing that there are bioidentical hormones available commercially now (at your regular pharmacies) as well as compounding pharmacies. All the risks and benefits should be taken into consideration before a person is placed on hormones. And for those women who prefer not be be on any hormones whatsoever, there are alternatives available including the use of herbal medications to alleviate the signs and symptoms associated with menopause. Homeopathic/spagyric remedies have also been used to help women go through perimenopause and menopause. As far as treatment for breast cancer is concerned (or any cancer, for that matter), I believe that an individualized, holistic approach should always be taken. In Europe, they are able to test cancer cell sensitivity to different chemotherapeutic agents (whether synthetic cancer drugs or natural agents), similar to how we are able to test infectious agent’s sensitivity to antibiotic medications. This test takes the guesswork out of what medication to use. For more information on this as well as other integrative approaches to cancer, please check out Suzanne Somer’s most recent book called “Knockout”. Check out www.breastcancerfund.org for more useful information on this subject.
Men In Balance As men age, hormones get out of balance just like in women. Testosterone levels (and growth hormone) tend to decline while hormones such as estrogen and DHT tend to increase. When testosterone declines, signs and symptoms such as the following could occur namely; loss of muscle mass, wrinkling of the skin, osteoporosis, mood changes (depression), hair loss, increase in body fat and cardiovascular disease, among others. With an increase in estrogen (due to increased body fat in some men as well as exposure to xenoestrogens in general), men could experience gynecomastia, emotional lability (mood swings) and prostate issues. With an increase in DHT, hair loss, acne and prostate problems could occur. We normally see this decline in men in their 50′s or older but we’re seeing this decline earlier in life now. Possible reasons for this include nutritional deficiencies, pharmaceuticals such as statins (which lower cholesterol, a precursor to testosterone), and environmental toxicity (organophosphates used in the agricultural industry for instance, mimic estrogen in our bodies). Among the people you know, how many of them actually manifest signs and symptoms of andropause? Unfortunately, most men who fall within the “normal” range may not be treated even if they’re symptomatic. The range of “normal” is so wide that those who are in the low normal range (and symptomatic as well) are not being treated properly. Fortunately, a doctor from Harvard named Abraham Morgentaler wrote a book called “Testosterone For Life” which seeks to educate more people about this issue. Anyway, the recommended treatment for low testosterone is testosterone itself. It comes in different forms such as sublingual tablets, transdermals gels or creams, injectables and pellets. Since everybody is different, the dose and route of administration is individualized to each person. It’s always good to do a baseline PSA (prostate specific antigen) and DRE (digital rectal exam) before starting anyone on testosterone. Since testosterone could metabolize into estrogen (esp. in men with excess body fat) or DHT, it’ll be wise to block those pathways with aromatase inhibitors and 5-alpha reductase (or DHT blockers) inhibitors, respectively. This could be done through natural supplements or prescription medications. Frequent testing is key to make sure people don’t get side-effects whatsoever. For men who are hesitant on using any type of hormone for improving their testosterone levels, options could include the use of amino acids (such as L-carnitine, which increases cell receptor sensitivity to endogenous tesotosterone) or herbal supplements (such as tribulus). While on a hormone replacement program, it’s important to include dietary and lifestyle changes as well to get optimal results. I highly recommend the Paleolithic diet and the PACE program by Dr. Al Sears for my clients.
Aging Gracefully Now Aging in the West conjures up images of people in nursing homes, unable to enjoy the few remaining years in their lives and totally dependent on other people for some of the basic things in life such as eating or bathing themselves. Who wants to have a long life if this would be the eventual outcome for anyone? How many people live independently and abundantly into their senior years? How can someone make sure that they could enjoy their lives free from chronic disease or infirmities?
That's where the concept of holistic preventive care comes in. Preventive care unfortunately, usually just involves early detection and screening in allopathic medicine. It's the advice given to women about annual Pap's smears and mammograms or PSA testing for men at a certain age. There's more to prevention however than getting yearly tests. Prevention should be done on a daily basis by taking care of the body's needs, primarily through clean food, water and air. Then, there are also important things such as sleep, exercise, stress reduction, detoxification and intake of nutritional supplements.
Our health is very closely related to that of the health of our environment. Just as clean air and water are necessary for the survival of the earth, they are also needed for our survival as a species.
There's a concept called "internal milieu." Dr. Louis Pasteur, on his deathbed, admitted that "the microbe is nothing, the terrain is everything." What this means is that for instance, if several people were exposed to the same germ/pathogen, not everybody gets sick. Some people may be more resistant to illness because of genetics as well as other factors that influence their immune system (diet, presence of toxins.) If I may borrow one of my colleague's analogies, "Our genes are like a loaded gun, our environment pulls the trigger."
The major medical systems in the world, such as Chinese medicine, Tibetan medicine and Ayurveda, all emphasize the important role that food plays in prevention of illness as well as influencing the course of illness. Unfortunately, this is not the case in other medical systems where people are told that they can eat anything after a certain diagnoses. Ever wonder why there are fast food joints that sell deep fried or highly refined foods at major medical centers?
Anyway, in more practical terms, what are the factors that could cause premature aging?
Among the different reasons behind aging there are hormonal imbalances, nutritional deficiencies, oxidative stress, chronic inflammation and toxicities. Just like doing maintenance work on our cars is imperative to make them work more efficiently, we need to do the same thing to our bodies. Let's start with the basics. The food we give our bodies could be compared to the things we do to maintain our cars. Again, to borrow another analogy, carbohydrates could be compared to the fuel system, fats to the oil used to lubricate the car and protein to the actual skeleton/frame of the car. Neglect one of these and it could lead to eventual breakdown of our cars and in this case, our bodies.
Regarding food, I believe that everybody is different and therefore, have different food requirements. One of my mentors taught me that we in North America, actually don't have a traditional diet unlike peoples from Asia, Africa or the Mediterranean. The Standard American Diet (SAD) of meat and potatoes in general doesn't give us adequate nutrition to prevent illness. What I would recommend for one person may be different from what I recommend to another.
For instance, for Asians in general, a typical meal of fish with rice and vegetables should suffice. However, for a Caucasian, I may recommend food combining with protein and vegetables without any starches during a meal.
There are many diets available out there. These include the blood type diet, the South Beach diet, raw food diet, etc. In general, I would recommend eating organic foods. Having greater portions of vegetables and fruits in the diet and a limited amount of meat would work for most people. As far as meat is concerned, free-range chicken or grass-fed beef would be a better choice than regular chicken or beef.
Then, there's concern about fish or seafood. The higher you go up on the food chain, the greater the chances of mercury toxicity. I would recommend smaller fish such as anchovies or sardines.
There's the timing of meals that's also equally important. I would recommend small, frequent meals rather than three "square meals a day." Not eating after 6 pm ideally would be best, but if necessary, at least keeping it light at night would be advisable.
Nutrition is a very touchy subject because of the different recommendations you get from authorities. What I would recommend in general is to only eat when hungry and only eat as natural as possible. Any food adulterated by man (boxed cereal grains, "low-fat" TV dinners) could cause more problems long-term. Just a quick note, fat is what tells our satiety centers that we're full. Thus, a low-fat meal won't really curb someone's appetite or help with weight loss.
Interview at Open Exchange magazine Q: At what age should I start taking supplements?
JOEL LOPEZ, MD: It is my belief that we should all start taking supplements during childhood. Remember taking multivitamins as kids? Everybody's different, however. So a one-size-fits-all approach won't work. Too much of a good thing could be harmful. For instance, iron if taken too much could cause some serious consequences. Ditto with fat-soluble vitamins. They could actually build up in our system causing different health challenges. One also has to take into consideration one's general health before taking supplements. People with kidney or liver disease or those taking prescription medications need to talk with their health care provider to see if it's appropriate to incorporate supplements.
Ideally, we should get everything from our diet. However, due to farming practices and soil mineral depletion, we aren't able to get all the nutrients that we need from our diet, even if we eat 100% organic.
There are also general recommendations that I give to my clients. Women after menopause should not take multivitamins with iron. Too much iron acts as a pro-oxidant. In other words, it contributes to premature aging.
Fortunately, there are functional tests available to see if a person has nutrient deficiencies. It takes the guesswork of out supplementation!
Q: Does everybody benefit from supplements?
DR. LOPEZ: Definitely. Our bodies need substrates for energy. Yes, ideally we should get it from our food. Refined food, however, only gives us empty calories and causes nutrient imbalances as well. Ideally, I would recommend whole-food based supplements rather than synthetic ones.
Q: How do I know what I need?
DR. LOPEZ: A careful history and physical should be able to reveal nutrient deficiencies. Some signs and symptoms of deficiencies could overlap, however. So, it's best to do functional testing for nutrient deficiencies. Fortunately, they're available here in the US. A general recommendation that I make for people is to get a good whole-food based multivitamin/mineral supplement as well as an essential fatty acid supplement.
Q: Are there risks or contraindications?
DR. LOPEZ: Yes there are. That's why it's important to work with a nutritionally–oriented physician. Working with your nutritionist or other natural health care provider should be helpful as well.
Usually, whole-food based supplements are harmless. Synthetic, isolated forms of nutrients could be dangerous, however. Once you isolate something from nature, it acts more of like a drug long-term. Consider an important study showing that cigarette smokers who took pre-formed vitamin A had an increased incidence of lung cancer.
Taking too much of certain nutrients could cause toxicity symptoms. That's why it's important to take things in moderation and if any symptoms arise to consult with your healthcare provider.
Q: Hormone replacement therapy can be a judgment call. Some doctors are more reluctant than others to recommend performance-enhancing drugs, too. How do you work with patients to decide how to weigh the potential risks versus rewards? Can you offer some examples?
DR. LOPEZ: Hormones are very powerful chemical messengers. Thus, I would only recommend HRT if it's clinically indicated. I would look at a person's labs as well as clinical symptoms. One is not more important than the other. For instance, a lot of people who have hypothyroid symptoms may have normal blood tests. Further evaluation however may show low body temperatures (Wilson's syndrome) or low free T3 (low T3 syndrome), both of which would benefit from thyroid support, whether through nutrients or the use of actual hormones. Then, you would also have to consider addressing adrenal function when treating the thyroid because they're yin yang organs according to Chinese medicine. Our hormones are like an orchestra. If one hormone is off, it affects the others.
As far as recommending drugs for improving brain performance, there's dilantin and eldepryl, among many others. Again, the recommendation I give is individualized. I would have to know a person's SNP's through a genomic test. This gives me information on how a person would metabolize drugs or nutrients, thus eliminating concerns for safety.
Q: Beyond hormone replacement therapy, do you recommend specific drug therapies for peak performance and life extension?
DR. LOPEZ: There are different nutrients that could help with our peak performance. Among the more popular ones are L-carnitine, coenzyme Q10 and D-ribose. These nutrients are responsible for optimizing muscle function, especially our heart muscles, which actually contract 24/7.
People with chronic fatigue, fibromyalgia and congestive heart failure are among the conditions that would greatly benefit from these nutrients. People who desire more energy for working out could also take these supplements. As far as brain aging is concerned, nutrients such as ginkgo biloba, acetyl-L-carnitine and vinpocetine actually help. By the way, there are clinical studies done on these nutrients and they could be found in a publication called German Commission E.
Q: What else should I know before starting a program?
DR. LOPEZ: It's important that we pay attention to the basics before even taking supplements. A healthy diet, adequate water intake, enough sleep and exercise all should be addressed prior to the intake of supplements. There are tests available for people who are ready to embark on a wellness program. There are tests to find out if one is nutritionally deficient, toxic, inflamed or hormonally imbalanced. Failure to address these things leads to premature aging. On the other hand, address all these factors and you surely will age gracefully.
Vitamin D and H1N1 Swine Flu (Vitamin D Council) This is an announcement to alert readers to a crucial email I received from a physician who has evidence vitamin D is protective against H1N1. I ask you, the reader, to contact your representatives in Washington to help protect Americans, especially children, from H1N1 before winter comes. -Dr. John Cannell
Canada examines vitamin D for swine flu protection (The Huffington Post) The Public Health Agency of Canada (PHAC) has confirmed that it will be investigating the role of vitamin D in protection against swine flu, NutraIngredients-USA.com has learned.
The agency started a study last year on the role of vitamin D in severe seasonal influenza, which it said it will now adapt to the H1N1 swine flu virus.
Gene Therapy Holds Promise as Parkinson's Disease Treatment (www.worldhealth.net) Affecting more than 4 million people worldwide, Parkinson’s Disease (PD) is a chronic motor system disorder characterized by tremor, rigidity; bradykinesia (slowness of movement) and postural instability. There presently is no cure, and medications, while offering symptom control, can become less effective over time. Bechir Jarraya, from the department of neurosurgery at Henri-Mondor Hospital (Paris, France), and colleagues inserted genes into brain cells of Macaque monkeys induced to have PD-like symptoms, in an effort to resume production of dopamine, the neurotransmitter that is thought to be deficient in PD patients and the cause of the neurological manifestations. They restored dopamine at about 50% of normal concentrations, resulting in motor improvements without the side effects seen with conventional drugs. The benefits were sustained for up to 44 months. Commenting that: “Gene therapy–mediated dopamine replacement may be able to correct Parkinsonism in patients without the complications of dyskinesias,” the team is hopeful that these advancements will herald innovations that may be applied to humans afflicted with Parkinson’s Disease.
Swine Flu Vaccine: Too Little, Too Late (Scientific American) As health care workers in the U.S. gear up for the flu season, they face a paradox: on the one hand, they will have too little vaccine against the novel influenza A (H1N1) strain to protect the entire population; on the other, some people will resist the shots that are offered to them. Sadly, both problems can be traced, at least in part, to the last time "swine flu" loomed. The 1976 national vaccination campaign against a pandemic that never materialized left the public with lingering doubts about whether inoculations harmed some recipients and spawned lawsuits that cost the federal government nearly $100 million.
Black Cohosh May Cut Breast Cancer Risk (Yahoo! News) In a large population-based study, researchers from the University of Pennsylvania found that women who took black cohosh were at 61% lower risk of breast cancer while those who took Remifemin had a 53% lower risk of the disease.
Green Tea May Ease Rheumatoid Arthritis (Forbes) Already touted for its cardiovascular and anticancer benefits, green tea may also help ease the inflammation and pain of rheumatoid arthritis. A new study conducted at the University of Michigan Health System has demonstrated that epigallocatechin-3-gallate (EGCG) in green tea protects joint cells from damaging biochemicals associated with rheumatoid arthritis The findings were presented on Sunday at the Experimental Biology 2007, an annual scientific meeting held this year in Washington DC.
Vitamin D Cancer Study Excites Scientists (CityNews) Next month, US researchers will announce what they say is the first direct link between vitamin D and cancer prevention. A four-year clinical trial has demonstrated that women taking the vitamin had a 60% reduction in cancer incidence compared to those not taking it.
Vitamin D May Reduce Falls In Elderly Nursing Home Residents (ScienceDaily) New research suggests that reducing the number of falls suffered by seniors in nursing homes may be helped by taking a vitamin, along with other measures known to decrease falls. According to a study published in the February issue of the Journal of the American Geriatrics Society, seniors taking a high daily dose of vitamin D experienced 72% fewer falls compared to those taking a placebo.
A Cherry On Top: Tart Cherries May Alter Heart/Diabetes Factors (Medical News Today) The All-American dessert ingredient appears to improve markers of cardiovascular health, including cholesterol, blood sugar and oxidative stress. According to researchers from the University of Michigan, animals given powdered tart cherries in their diet had lower total cholesterol, lower blood sugar, less fat storage in the liver, lower oxidative stress, and increased production of a molecule that helps the body handle fat and sugar, compared with rats that didn’t receive cherries as part of an otherwise similar diet. The researchers presented their findings at Experimental Biology 2007 in Washington, April 27 to May 2.
Echinacea May Support Immunity in Athletes (Natural Products Industry Insider) Researchers from Elmhurst College and Detroit’s Wayne State University subjected 32 adults to an exercise protocol known to affect mucosal immunity. Saliva was then collected prior to and five minutes after exercise. Subjects were then randomized to receive a supplement with Echinacea purpurea or a placebo for four weeks. While both groups demonstrated significant exercise-induced reductions in salivary IgA, echinacea supplementation provided the athletes more.
Changes To Nerves In Throat Lead To Medical Issues In Elderly (Medical News Today) As we grow older, changes to the nerves in the throat result in less sensitivity, which may play a role in why the elderly are more likely to develop repeat cases of pneumonia, as well as trouble swallowing and aspiration, according to a new study published in the May 2007 edition of Otolaryngology- Head and Neck Surgery. The small study found that the total number of myelinic fibers in the superior and recurrent laryngeal nerves in adults in the younger of two age groups was significantly higher than that of a group comprised of the elderly.
Pistachios May Take Bite Out of Cholesterol (Forbes) Volunteers who ate three ounces of pistachios a day for one month lowered their total blood cholesterol by 8.4%, low-density lipoprotein (LDL), by 11.6%, and had less LDL relative to high density lipoprotein (HDL). At the start of the study participants ate an average American diet consisting of 35% total fat and 11% saturated fat for two weeks. They were then put onto one of three different diets, all variants of a normal cholesterol-lowering low-fat diet. One included no pistachios, the second 1.5 ounces of pistachios a day, and the third three ounces of pistachios a day.
Moderate Drinking Linked to Breast Cancer (LiveScience) It’s well-known that alcohol increases a person’s risk of developing cancer, but the effect of drinking once cancer is present has been less established. A University of Mississippi team gave female mice the human equivalent of two drinks a day for four weeks, causing a doubling in tumor growth.
Fruit: The New Defense Against Skin Cancer? (FOXNews) Leave the Coppertone at home. Your best defense against skin cancer brought on by sun exposure may be grapes and black raspberries, according to two separate studies released by university researchers. The studies, one conducted at The Ohio State University College of Medicine and the other, conducted by the University of Alabama at Birmingham, purport that grape seed and black raspberry extracts may prevent skin cancer.
Chemotherapy Fog Is No Longer Ignored as Illusion (New York Times) For years, breast cancer patients’ complaints of short-term memory loss, poor concentration, and fuzzy thinking were often met with a patronizing “there, there” by oncologists. A flurry of new research, however, has demonstrated that patients with cognitive losses are not imagining things.
MS Increasingly a Woman's Disease (WebMD) Women with multiple sclerosis (MS) outnumber men with the disease by a ratio of four to one according to research conducted at the University of Alabama. The researchers found that in 1940, twice as many women as men in the US had multiple sclerosis. By the year 2000, however, it had grown to about four to one, an increase of nearly 50% per decade. The findings mirror recent research from other countries with more comprehensive MS registries, including Canada, Norway, and Denmark.
Doctors: Marijuana Triggers Psychosis, Study Used Brain Scans For First Time To Show Link Between Pot And Paranoia (CBS News) Doctors in Britain have conducted a study using brain scans to show a clear physical link between chemicals in marijuana and psychotic episodes in people who use it. The drug caused temporary symptoms including hallucinations and paranoid delusions. The results, to be presented at an international mental health conference in London, provide physical evidence of the drug's damaging influence on the human brain.
Teaching Old Mice New Tricks Opens Door to Lost Memories - CME Teaching Brief� (MedPage Today) Researchers at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology have found it may be possible to recover long-term memory in humans with dementia. Mice that were placed in enriched environment cages for four weeks demonstrated marked recovery of long-term memory compared to control mice. While the enriched environment did not trigger new neuronal growth, it did appear to correlate with sprouting of dendrites, an increased number of synapses, reinstated learning behavior, and access to long-term memories.
Events
ILADS Dr. Lopez is now a member of ILADS (International Lyme and Associated Diseases Society).
Aesthetic Medicine Dr.Lopez now offers alternatives to Botox using Guna homeopathic remedies.
New Blog DrJLo.com: Hot Tips, News and Trends for Healthy Aging
WOSAAM Dr. Lopez is proud to be a member of the World Society of Anti-Aging Medicine.
Wiley Protocol Dr. Lopez is now a Certified Wiley Protocol provider.
Anti-Aging Blog Please check out Dr. Joel Lopez's Blog on Anti-Aging. www.YoungerDaily.com
Fan Page on Facebook Dr. Joel Lopez, M.D., C.N.S. is now on FaceBook. Please join his Fan Page for constant updates.
ACAM Integrative Medicine Blog Dr. Lopez is proud to be one of the guest bloggers for the ACAM (American College for the Advancement in Medicine) Integrative Medicine Blog.
Good News Update Dr. Lopez is now a Diplomate of the American Academy of Anti-Aging and Regenerative Medicine. He starts his Fellowship early next year.
Orthomolecular Society Dr. Lopez, as part of the Scientific Advisory Board of the Orthomolecular Society, is inviting all holistic healthcare practitioners to join the organization. Check out www.ohmsociety.com for more information.
Continuing Education Highlights Dr. Lopez continues to stay up to date with cutting-edge medicine. He just recently attended the American Academy of Anti-Aging conference in San Jose, California and a Medical Aromatherapy conference in Minneapolis, Minnesota in September, 2009. He will be in Manila, Philippines for the Philippine College for Advancement in Medicine meeting in November as well as Bangkok, Thailand for it's first Anti-Aging conference on November 12 to 15, 2009.
New Blog Watch out for Dr. Lopez's new blog called www.YoungerDaily.com in the next few days.
Good News Update Dr. Lopez is proud to be a member of the board of The Orthomolecular Society. He is scheduled to guest on the health radio show called "Body Language with Dr. Christopher Springmann", also available on Heathradio.net.
Holistic Lecture series Our lecture series scheduled to begin this March has been postponed temporarily. In lieu of this, we will be doing a virtual lecture series where people can actually watch in the convenience of their homes. Actual dates will be posted soon.
Living Well Dr. Lopez appears as guest on NBC Bay Area's Living Well program on Thursday, February 26 at 11 am. To view the program any time, please check www.wellnesssecrets.tv and see episode 2 of the Living Well program.
Holiday Break Happy Holidays to everyone! We will be offering new, cutting-edge services starting the new year. In the meantime, please check out www.wellnesssecrets.tv and click under doctors to see film clip with Dr. Lopez and the staff.
Good News Update Check out Jenny McCarthy's new book on ASD (autism) where Dr. Lopez is listed as one of the holistic medical doctors providing the biomedical approach to it's treatment. In November, all supplements would be 15% off. We also have an Open House on the 3rd Wednesday of November. Likewise, a free 20 minute complimentary therapeutic massage is being provided by Jeffery David, CMT. If you choose to extend the session to 1 hour, then the introductory new client special price is only $60.00.
Coming this October We will begin offering therapeutic massage and bodywork in October. In the next few weeks, we will let you know more about our therapist, Jeffery David.
