Cutting Asthma Costs

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In the decade between 1990 and 2000 the cost of asthma care went up 54%, according to Family Practice News (October 1, 2000:5). Perhaps if more focus was placed on diet, lifestyle and supplementation these costs could be reduced. Also, a bit more attention should be paid to drug therapy and efforts should be made to reduce drug intake. Inhaler overuse is an important issue, and can lead to increased hospitalizations and death. An article appearing in Family Practice News (April 15, 1993;46) stated that deaths from asthma could be cut by 50% if physicians monitored beta agonist inhaler overuse by patients. An inhaler should last one month, but often prescriptions are given with unlimited refills and the doctor has no idea how often the patient is using the inhaler.    Other medications can contribute to asthma attacks. An article in the Annals of Allergy (June 1992;68:453-462) stated that drugs may be responsible for as many as 10% of asthma attacks. NSAIDs (nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs) may be responsible for 2/3 of these drug-induced attacks. Other drugs, like muscle relaxants, beta-blockers, or antibiotics can trigger asthma attacks as well.

Diet is seldom stressed by the medical establishment, but it plays a role in asthma. Research appearing in the European Respiratory Journal (2009; 33:33-41) looked at the dietary habits of 54,672 French women and the association with asthma attacks. Of the subjects, 1,063 currently had asthma with 206 having asthma attacks at least once per week. There was a strong correlation between the frequency of asthma attacks the adherence to a “Western” diet including pizza, cured meats, sweets and other processed foods. Also the types of fats in the diet affect asthma symptoms, according to research appearing in the European Journal of Clinical Nutrition (2005; 59(12): 1335-46). It found that omega-3 fatty acids were especially helpful for preventing exercise induced bronchospasm. This was supported by a review article appearing in the Australian New Zealand Journal of Medicine (1994;24:727), which found that a diet low in omega-3 fatty acids and high in omega-6 fatty acids, and the increased use of margarine may be part of the reason that asthma is on the rise. The article notes that asthma is low in Scandinavia and in Mediterranean countries where there is less omega-6 consumption and more consumption of omega-3 and olive oil.

In Clinical and Experimental Allergy (2000;30:615-627) reviewed research about nutrients that may affect asthma. Magnesium supplementation was found to reduce bronchial reactivity; magnesium is also a mild broncodilator. Vitamin C intake has been shown to reduce exercise induced asthma. Vitamin C levels tend to be low in athmatics. Research in the journal Thorax (2009; 64(7): 610-9) also reviewed nutritional studies related to asthma and the intake of antioxidants, namely vitamins A, C and E. The authors concluded that “Relatively low dietary intakes of vitamins A and Care associated with statistically significant increased odds of asthma and wheeze.” This was echoed in the American Journal of Clinical Nutrition (1995;61(Suppl.):625S-630S). A study appearing in the journal Thorax (May 2006; 61: 388 – 393) looked at 1,030 subjects and found that dietary vitamin C and manganese intake were inversely associated with asthma symptoms.

Diet is a simple and inexpensive way to improve asthma symptoms. Omega-3 fatty acids, magnesium, manganese and antioxidant supplementation (especially vitamin C) can be of value t these patients. Unfortunately diet and supplementation are seldom recommended in medical offices.

The Amish and Autism

We all seem to pay attention to information sources that reinforce our beliefs. Conservatives watch Fox News and Liberals read the New York Times. It is pretty much the same way with the autism and vaccine controversy. I have heard from a couple of people “They did the study—the Amish don’t get autism.” We seem to take this kind of intellectual laziness for granted. It is in our politics, it is in our educational system and our news media are full of it. People who tend to believe in the medical establishment commonly say that there is no proven link to autism and vaccines. They feel as strongly—and with as little proof as the first group.
I looked for the fabled Amish study and could not find it. What I did find was a series of articles by a reporter, Dan Olmsted. Mr. Olmsted reasoned that if vaccines were causing autism, we should be able to look at an unvaccinated population. He wrote a series of articles on autism and the Amish and came to the conclusion that the Amish did indeed vaccinate, but they did less vaccination than the general population and have less autism—at least according to Mr. Olmstead.
One article he wrote was about children being cared for by Homefirst Health Services in Chicago. Many of the families using the clinic home school and tend not to vaccinate. To quote Dr. Mayer Eisenstein, “We have a fairly large practice. We have about 30,000 or 35,000 children that we’ve taken care of over the years, and I don’t think we have a single case of autism in children delivered by us who never received vaccines.” Dr. Eisenstein makes the point that these observations do not rise to the level of an actual study, even speculating the families with autistic children may have moved or stopped going to the clinic. It is unlikely, but possible.
Of course Dan Olmstead has been criticized for his work. Articles have been written stating the he did not look very hard when looking for autism among the Amish in Lancaster County, Pennsylvania. “The idea that the Amish do not vaccinate their children is untrue,” says Dr. Kevin Strauss, MD, a pediatrician at the CSC. “We run a weekly vaccination clinic and it’s very busy.” Dr. Strauss also notes that the Amish don’t vaccinate as much as the general population. He also says, “Autism isn’t a diagnosis – it’s a description of behavior. We see autistic behaviors along with seizure disorders or mental retardation or a genetic disorder, where the autism is part of a more complicated clinical spectrum.” Fragile X syndrome and Retts is also common among the clinic’s patients.
Olmstead’s critics say that Olmstead has not proven there is a connection between vaccinations and autism. The gorilla in the room is the fact that these critics haven’t proven that there isn’t. The research denouncing the idea that mercury in vaccines could be causing a problem says things like, “Gee, we gave the kids vaccines and tested the blood, stool and urine for mercury and didn’t find any.” or, “Gee, the Danes use a lower level of mercury in their vaccines and they have as much autism as we do.” or, “Gee, we checked kids with autism and those without and the mercury levels were about the same.”
All of the medical journals sell ads to drug companies. Is there a better way to corrupt your findings than money?
Autism basically didn’t exist until the 1940s—it started after we started vaccinating children. That doesn’t necessarily mean that the vaccines are to blame; our environment has also gotten worse since the 1940s. But if there were real scientists in the medical community, they would compare the health of a population that does not get vaccinated to one that does get vaccinated. In the mean time, maybe it isn’t unreasonable to put the burden of proof on those who think that vaccines are a good thing, because they really haven’t proven that there is no connection between vaccines and autism.

There is more information about autism and other health issues available for free at
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Three Things to Consider if You Have Trouble Losing Weight

Thyroid: The thyroid is the thermostat of the body. It regulates how fast you burn calories. Symptoms of hypothyroidism include:
Low body temperature; the patient feels cold even when others do not
•    Inability to lose weight
•    Fatigue
•    Lack of motivation
•    Poor memory
•    Loss of interest in sex
•    Dry, itchy or scaly skin
•    High cholesterol
•    Muscle cramps at rest
•    Constipation
•    Cysts and fibroids
•    Sadness or crying for no reason (This can include women who have this symptom or experience mood swings at certain times during their menstrual cycle)
•    Puffiness under the eyes
•    Ankle swelling
•    Depression
•    Frequent colds

The test commonly used for hypothyroidism is TSH, which is not a thyroid hormone, but a pituitary hormone. The British Medical Journal [BMJ 2000;320:1332-1334 (13 May)] published research examining the flaws in diagnosing hypothyroidism. The authors concluded that there are indeed flaws with the way that we diagnose hypothyroidism. You cannot do a good job by simply relying on lab tests. You can read more about testing the thyroid at
http://www.wholehealthweb.com

Hidden food sensitivities: Sometimes a good food can be bad for you. One sign of this is when you go on any kind of diet and lose a lot of weight in the first few days. Very often a person having trouble with weight loss may be doing everything right, but is not enjoying a good result because they are sensitive to a regularly eaten food. One type of allergic reaction is known as the addictive allergy. This is an allergic reaction where you crave the food to which you are allergic. You crave the substance like an alcoholic craves alcohol. In fact, Dr. Theron Randolph, a noted allergist and pioneer in the field of environmental medicine, calls alcoholism the ultimate food allergy.
People with addictive allergies eat the food that they are addicted to every day. They usually don’t even know that they are allergic to that food. In fact, when told that they may be allergic to a favorite food, they are incredulous. “I can’t be allergic to that, I eat it every day.” The real tip-off to an addictive allergy is that the patient is very distressed at the idea of giving up that particular food, much the same way that an alcoholic is distressed at the idea of giving up alcohol.
People with addictive allergies suffer from a wide variety of symptoms, including fatigue, obesity, overeating, chronic sinus problems, repeated infections, hives, rashes, acne or other skin problems, digestive problems, headaches, anxiety depression, joint pain or hypoglycemia. Even gallstones may be caused by allergies. Instead of having sudden and severe symptoms, people with addictive allergies have chronic problems that they seldom associate with their allergy.
Digestion: Poor digestion can cause you to hold on to excess weight and may contribute to the desire to overeat. Often patients do not produce enough hydrochloric acid in the stomach. One sign of this is gas and bloating immediately following a meal. Also these people are prone to allergies. Commonly their fingernails break easily. Whole Health Web has a variety of articles about weight loss and digestion. Many times taking digestive aids or avoiding certain foods will go a long way in making weight loss more effective.

Natural Viagra?

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Is there a way to improve sexual performance naturally without resorting to drugs like Viagra? Yohimbine is a substance obtained from the bark of the African yohibe tree. For generations it has had a reputation for being an aphrodisiac, and the folklore surrounding it. There are a number of scientific studies that support its use for impotence including articles in the journal Archives of Sexual Behavior (1996;25(4):341-360), in the Lancet (August 22, 1987:421-423) and in the International Journal of Impotence Research (2002;14:25-31)
There are some safety concerns with Yohimbine. You should not take it if you have kidney disease or heart disease. Anxiety is the most common side effect seen with yohimbine, especially higher doses, and for this reason it should not be used by if you are prone to panic attacks or with stress-related disorders. Talk to your doctor if you have a medical condition, particularly hypertension, heart disease, or diabetes. Be careful if you take medications, particularly tranquilizers, antidepressants, sedatives, antihistamines, amphetamines and other stimulants, including caffeine and herbal stimulants such as ginseng. Some of the side effects of high dose yohimbe include anxiety, changes in blood pressure, heart rate increase, palpitations, dizziness, headache, visual disturbances, nausea or abdominal cramps, increased body temperature and sweating.
Like many health problems, erectile dysfunction is complex. Addressing it with a single pill, whether it is Viagra or some herb, is short-sighted. Since an erection is dependent on good circulation, and many of the conditions that make for poor cardiovascular function, like arteriosclerosis, diabetes and high blood pressure. A healthy diet (go to wholehealthweb.com for nutritional information), and moderate exercise may help even more than a magic pill.

Three Things the Uninsured can do to Avoid Disaster

Insurance coverage is decreasing—employers can’t afford it. 15% of all Americans have no insurance, and 23% of the working population has no insurance. From 1995-2001 the number of uninsured in the $50,000-$74,999 income range increased by 47%. It increased by 77% for people earning more than $75,000/yr.

Going without insurance has the potential to create financial disaster. If your finances are such that you feel that you cannot afford health insurance, then you need to take some basic steps to ensure that you do not get sick.

1.    Reduce Stress: When you are under stress you produce hormones that can be harmful to your body. Stress can make you sick. It undermines your immune system and makes you more susceptible to the cold or flu. It is linked to heart disease, digestive problems, fatigue, headaches and even cancer. Something as simple as deep breathing exercises can do a world of good.
2.    Watch what you eat: Eating sugar, for example, causes you to produce insulin. Excess insulin production is linked to high cholesterol, chronic inflammation and diabetes. Problems like gastric reflux, acne, fatigue and even fibromyalgia are easy to control when you watch what you eat. Also there are foods that are high in antioxidants that can protect you from things like heart disease and cancer.
3.    Exercise moderately: Keep moving. Exercise can help reduce stress, prevent heart disease, fight depression and increase your energy.

While it is not a good idea to try to diagnose and treat yourself, knowledge about staying healthy is vital. This free online resource, http://www.wholehealthweb.com that gives you access to hundreds of articles, free tools and educational content showing you how to live a healthier life.  There you can learn about stress reduction, diet, exercise and foods that are high in antioxidants. There is also a lot of information about the latest research in natural health care.

Hormones and Weight Loss

For more information about weight loss, go to www.wholehealthweb.com and download a free ebook: Fifty Ways to Lose Your Blubber

Many people believe that fat cells simply hold fat and do not have any real function. That is not the case; fat cells produce a hormone-like substance that acts on the central nervous system. They signal the brain about your energy balance—in other words, they let the brain know if you are well-fed. Leptin is a hormone produced by adipose cells, and because it has the potential of reversing obesity, at least in mice, it has been intensely studied.

Not surprisingly, leptin has been shown to have many other properties and actions beyond inducing satiety. Scientists at the Howard Hughes Medical Institute and The Rockefeller University in collaboration with investigators at Yale University have found that leptin affects both the architecture and function of neural circuits in the brain. The body’s response to leptin is very complex.

Leptin appears to decrease insulin secretion from the pancreatic beta cell. Leptin has roles in weight maintenance, increasing insulin sensitivity, decreasing triglycerides and increasing energy expenditure. Leptin acts on the hypothalamus to decrease food intake.

Leptin levels are involved in obesity. They increase as body fat increases. The brain has receptors to monitor the body’s leptin levels. Leptin is responsible for your brain’s response to food deprivation.

On a practical level, leptin has a very important role in weight gain and weight loss. If you have a lot of adipose (fat) tissue, your leptin levels tend to be high. You can actually become insensitive to leptin, much the same way that a type II diabetic becomes insensitive to insulin. Rapid weight loss rapidly lowers leptin levels, which may be the reason that many people regain weight after dieting.

Another hormone that is important in weight loss is insulin. Everyone knows that insulin moves sugar from the blood into the cells. What is equally important is that insulin stores all calories, including fat. You can’t break down fat when the body is under the influence of insulin.

Another hormone, glucagon, is produced between meals. It has the opposite effect of insulin. Just as insulin stores calories immediately following a meal, glucagon burns calories between meals. When you are losing weight, you want to encourage glucagon and discourage insulin.

Cortisol, a hormone produced under stress, also contributes to weight gain. Stress is the most commonly reported trigger of binge eating, and high cortisol levels are positively related to both central body fat and food intake after laboratory stress. There is a link between cortisol an insulin resistance.

When forming a strategy for weight loss, take these hormones into consideration. It will make your task much easier.

• Don’t starve yourself. Rapid weight loss from food deprivation will drop leptin levels and your nervous system responds as if it is starving.

• Eat slowly; it will help you to become full with less food and you will produce less insulin with the meal. Eat a lot of vegetables with each meal. They will slow absorption and insulin production.

• Exercise moderately—without becoming out of breath. It will produce less cholesterol than an anaerobic workout. Increase activity in general.

• Don’t snack between meals or eat late at night. It produces insulin and stops the production of glucagon.

• Eat a good breakfast, one that contains protein.

• Avoid high glycemic foods like sugar and white flour. These cause you to produce insulin.