From the yearly archives: "2014"


IMAG2397_1_1 (Copy)I saved my daughter’s life today. This post is not about me wanting praise or to be seen as a hero, but as a plea for you to learn CPR. I needed to know it today, and my CPR training saved my daughter’s life. One day you may need it too.

My youngest daughter, who is six years old, found it hysterical that my older daughter saw a film in her class which she described as, “blood driving pee around in a car.” The only problem with it was that the younger had a mouth full of food, and within seconds her uncontrollable laughter turned into silence and a look of despair, which quickly became the look of terror.

child choking CPRLuckily I was sitting right next to her. I asked if she could breathe; she shook her head no. And the training went into action. You hear it said by law enforcement and other civil servants trained to protect and rescue. I did not even think twice. She tried to stick her fingers in her mouth; I calmly said, “Stop.” She did. I then picked her up, as she is small and gave her two quick thrusts with my fist in her abdomen. Putting her down, I asked if she could breathe; she nodded no. I picked her up again, two quick thrusts—I was about to rap her on her upper back—but quickly put her down.

“Can you breathe?” I again said calmly.

She shook her head, yes. I asked again. This time she spoke, “I swallowed it.”

Phewwwww…long breath of relief. You know the one: we just survived something major. Sh*#!

Child CPRThat was not the first time I needed to use CPR. I saved my mother’s life back in 2007 when she choked on her food as well. I cannot stress it enough: you will never learn another skill more valuable than CPR. Take it from a guy who could have lost both his parent and child if not for the First Aid/CPR training he received as a rescuer. You don’t realize how fast it happens, and until you see the look of terror in a person’s eyes who is choking, you will never know how scary it can be.

You can take a class in a few hours one day. You will come out knowing how to perform the Heimlich maneuver, CPR and use an automated external defibrillator (AED). Local fire departments offer classes, so does the American Red Cross, the American Heart Association and the YMCA. They even have special classes for babysitters, nannies and au pairs.

Everybody knows that they should take a CPR class, but it is so easy to put off, and I promise you will be glad you took the course when the time comes. The alternative is unthinkable for the most of us. Take a CPR/First AID class today—don’t even wait for the New Year. You’ll be so happy when you look at your child and think, “I have more time with you, angel,” like I did today thanks to my knowledge of CPR.


Holy Hormones Honey! Interview with @DrNickCampos - Applying Universal Principles to WellnessI spent last Wednesday evening being interviewed by the fascinating Leslie Carol Botha for her radio show, Holy Hormones Honey! The Greatest Story Never Told. The show’s topic was Applying Universal Principles to Health and Wellness (listen to archived show here). While I have written previously on The Four Dietary Principles, I thought I would touch on some more universal principles as they pertain to physical health and wellness here. As a quick review, the four dietary universals are:

  • Food as an energy source
  • Food as a vital nutrient source
  • Food as a source of hydration
  • Food as a source of body composition

Remember that universal health principles are true for everybody no matter what age, gender, creed or color, while health nuances may be true for some people, or more exaggerated than true, as many cases tend to be. Take for instance the above universals—these dietary needs are true for everyone and all living things, no exceptions. Some associated nuances, however, might relate to a way of eating, like vegetarianism, or Paleo, or raw food diets, and so forth. While some people thrive on each of these diets, none is correct for all people.

So what are some other universal health principles? In no particular order:

  •  hydrationHydration — all living things need water; life cannot exist with out the good ol’ H2O. The universal solvent is a must and so getting sufficient amounts (two liters per day minimum) is imperative.
  • Movement — we live in a dimension of movement; movement is the hallmark of the physical universe. If you are not moving, you are stagnating, collecting cobwebs, degenerating, and your time in this plane will neither be long nor pleasant. Get moving regularly—stretching, contracting, and aerobically—and more than half of your physical problems will be solved.
  • Touch — all living things need to exchange energy with other living things; touch is the most effective form of this energy exchange (as well as a source of comfort and security). What would happen to a plant, a pet or a child if it were rarely or never touched? We know that children deprived of touch have different levels of circulating hormones, which has major affects on brain development.
  • Rhythm — this pertains mostly to cycles, although it can also refer to the universal sound (also cycles or oscillations) within space, the oceans, and of course, music. The universe has a multitude of cycles including the orbiting of planets, solar systems and galaxies. Our seasons are cyclical (sun), as are our months (moon) and days (earth). Being mindful of the changes that occur in accordance with these cycles is paramount, and operating within these cycles — sleeping more during winter months, planting seeds (goals) during spring, and so forth — will lead to the greatest growth, fulfillment and wellness.Touch is love
  • Rest — one such rhythmic cycle is the sleep/wake cycle. Getting sufficient rest is of utmost importance, and while everyone is different, we all need both REM and non-REM deep sleep. There was a movement some years back on conscious sleep deprivation, and I must say I have heard of nothing stupider. Many regenerative and storage/sorting processes occur during sleep. Consistent lack of sleep is one of the most damaging acts one can carry out. It is bad enough when one has trouble sleeping, but to deprive oneself when one actually can sleep is pure foolishness.
  • Moderation — which can also be thought of as balance. This is the true essence of a harmonious cycle—fluctuating calmly between two poles, around the center, avoiding the extremes. Extremes are body, mind and soul disrupting, while smooth and small fluctuations are more rhythmically enhancing and growth inducing. We can apply this principle to diet, movement, touch, sex, mind-altering substances, medications, herbs, teas, tinctures, caffeine and other foreign or toxic substances. And most crucially, balance is necessary with regard to the mind.
  • Balanced mindBalanced Mind — The Buddha said, “Whatever an enemy might do to an enemy, or a foe to a foe, the ill-directed mind can do to you even worse.” A chaotic mind is the foundation for all other “problems” and human suffering. We cannot control the circumstances of life but only our perception of those circumstances. A balanced mind is adept at being still. In stillness lies awakened perspective, insight and wholeness. All other aspects of wellness are enhanced by this most powerful of universal principles.

I am certain that these universal principles will get you farther than any particular diet, extreme fitness regimen, supplements, special pH water, or any other nuance you’ve been sold as the answer. Take it from me — I’ve studied health and wellness for going on three decades; I’ve met many of the masters. These universal principles are the common themes of all great teachings as they apply to wellness; they also happen to be common themes present throughout the entire universe in various forms. Apply these principles and forget about the fads. If you find a nuance that works for you, it is because it fits in a greater universal scheme as applied to your unique individuality; but in the end it is the universal aspect that nuance falls within that is bringing the most benefit. Think about it, and I believe you will see the truth behind this statement.


From Couch Potato To Fitness Dynamo In 7 Expertly Guided StepsEvery January I write out my goals for the year (I told you all about it here). One of my missions for 2014 was to find a way to get my wealth of knowledge on exercise physiology and technique out to more people. I have been deeply involved in the sports injury world for the last fifteen years, exposed to and trained in the most cutting-edge sports rehab practices available today. I have worked with professional athletes and dancers for over a decade. And for the last five years I have been able to share this knowledge with a select few thousand professionals—mostly in the chiropractic reeducation arena.

But one thing I was able to do rather effectively within my practice was to create simplified programs that I could teach to anybody; athletes, yes, but also everyday people—stressed out entrepreneurs, professionals with little time for the gym, stay-at-home moms, people who had never exercised a day in their life, elderly folk who thought it was a laugh that I would even suggest exercise to them—would be amazed at how simple and effective my programs were. And because these programs were progressive, the farther my client would want to go, I would have another graduating level for them, and their strength, endurance and flexibility would expand.

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So as I do every year, I read and reread my goals, and lo-and-behold come summer I was approached by the UK based company, mer-ka-bah, whose mission it is to provide hi-quality, self-empowering, life-changing online courses taught by a group of international instructors for a world-wide audience. After discussing the company’s purpose and direction, I knew my exercise programs were perfect for the mer-ka-bah mission: To provide tools to support people in implementing and sustaining life-long, positive behavior change…“Tiny Habits” coaching in how to build new, sustainable habits leading to life-long behavioral changes…As they told me, “Small Steps – Big change.”

From Couch Potato To Fitness Dynamo In 7 Expertly Guided StepsIndeed! And that matched perfectly with what I have to offer in the form of exercise programs. I envisioned taking people from the ground up, from the level of the smallest, most fundamental stabilizer muscles to the complex muscle movements we call compound movements, with the idea that anybody taking the program could be assured gains in strength, endurance and flexibility with the lowest risk of injury. It was a simple thought to me: One of my most common client-type is the injured amateur athlete, and those injuries are usually a result of three things:

  • Poor form
  • Deconditioned stabilizer muscles
  • Hyper-contracted and tight muscles

My mer-ka-bah course, From Couch Potato To Fitness Dynamo In 7 Expertly Guided Steps, addresses and corrects these issues while teaching the viewer fundamentals of stretches, strengthening contractions and cardiovascular activity. Watch the video below to understand exactly why you should take this course, and then sign up for the most cutting-edge, scientifically proven exercise technique program you will find on the web.



The new drug cultureI’m usually of the opinion, “Live and let live.” I mean, as long as people are given all the current and relevant information, then it’s up to them as to how they wish to live their lives (for the most part anyway). Let’s take drugs for instance: You want to shoot heroin? As long as you do it in the privacy of your own home, with no children exposed to the lifestyle, and you are not harming anyone other than yourself, AND I don’t have to pay for you, or it, through welfare programs, then go ahead—live it up!

Funny but I am certain that many of you reading this, or “still reading,” as the case may be, are shaking your heads in disapproval right now. “Live it up!? On heroin?…How irresponsible.” Yet far too many people still have no problem with doctors doling out dangerous medications like they are candy. Heck many of you are probably on your own fair share, because THAT’S the modern “health care” climate today. And the faction that’s actually aware of—and in firm opposition to—this cultural dysfunction is tiny; growing perhaps, but minuscule in the grand scheme of things.

But you are live and let live, Campos!

prescription drug overdosesRight! If people can make an informed choice… so that means they get ALL the relevant information, not just the selective sh** that were suppositorily fed by the pharmaceutical pushers and manufacturers. And before you think I’m of the Big This or Big That conspiracy club, think again: I look to the consumer as having the most responsibility because IT’S YOUR HEALTH! You better care enough, or put your life willingly in the hands of your cultural health authorities.

Face it: Most junkies know quite clearly in what ways they are f**king themselves up, and they make the choice regardless; however, they make informed choices—do you? Here’s what makes me convinced the bulk of Americans (westerners in general really) do not:

  • Deaths from drug overdose have been rising steadily over the past two decades and have become the leading cause of injury death in the United States
  • Drug overdose deaths from prescription drugs (53% in 2012) have surpassed those from recreational drugs (47%)
  • Among people 25 to 64 years old, drug overdose caused more deaths than motor vehicle traffic crashes
  • In 2012, 79.9% of the 41,502 drug overdose deaths in the United States were unintentional
  • In 2012, 53%  of the 41,502 drug overdose deaths in the United States were related to pharmaceuticals
  • Most common prescription drugs leading to overdose death:
    • 70% involved opioid analgesics (aka prescription pain killers) – OxyContin, Vicodin, Percocet, etc
    • 30% involved benzodiazepines (sedatives) – Xanax, Valium, etc
  • People who died of drug overdoses often had a combination of benzodiazepines and opioid analgesics in their bodies

prescriptiondrugdeaths (Copy)And you know what the number one most dangerous activity one can do when it comes to prescription drugs, and that includes over-the-counter medications (like cold medicines)? Drinking alcohol while on them! Duh!

You still want those pain killers, junkie? Live it up! But understand something that every heroin addict must: each day on your (doctor prescribed) fix could just be your last. Okay now you are informed.


Trees: Magic of LifeHeads up vegetarians—you’re eating living things. You know that, right? In fact, those living things—plants, vegetative life forms—have senses. Yes! And they know when they are being eaten—ewww…. This from a new study showing that plants can sense vibrations (see video below), they actually ‘hear’ themselves being chewed. I repeat, ewww… So brutal.

(Original paper here: Plants respond to leaf vibrations caused by insect herbivore chewing)

Researchers at the University of Missouri (MU) put caterpillars on Arabidopsis, a small flowering plant related to cabbage and mustard, and by using lasers and reflective material, measured the movement of the leaves in response to the chewing vibrations of the grazing larvae. They then played back recordings of the chewing vibrations to some plants and not to others, and they found that the plants hearing the chewing vibrations released more mustard oils—a chemical that is unappealing to many caterpillars—on subsequent feedings. Wow!

caterpillar-on-leaf

According to lead researcher Heidi Appel, “We found that ‘feeding vibrations’ signal changes in the plant cells’ metabolism, creating more defensive chemicals that can repel attacks from caterpillars.”

As a control the researchers also exposed the plants to different vibrations like gentle wind or “different insect sounds that share some acoustic features with caterpillar feeding vibrations,” explained study co-author Rex Cocroft, neither of which increased the chemical defenses. “This indicates that the plants are able to distinguish feeding vibrations from other common sources of environmental vibration.” Simply mind-blowing.

MU researchers

Heidi Appel (left) and Rex Cocroft (right) from the University of Missouri led the research.

Appel and Cocroft say future research will focus on how vibrations are sensed by the plants, what features of the complex vibrational signal are important, and how the mechanical vibrations interact with other forms of plant information to generate protective responses to pests.

This study fascinates me for a number of reasons. First it demonstrates what metaphysicians have claimed for millennia: all sentient beings express the same life force, and that force is expressed in the physical universe as vibration. Okay this may sound obvious to some, but there is at least one group that continues to deny Einstein’s mass-energy equivalence as having any relevant significance to the nature of consciousness (although they don’t classify it as such, as most keep as far away from consciousness discussions as they possibly can), and another group that takes an über self-righteous position on dietary practices. These findings show at the very least how nature uses vibration in a sensory manner, and also defensively for life preservation. Say the researchers:

“Plants have many ways to detect insect attack, but feeding vibrations are likely the fastest way for distant parts of the plant to perceive the attack and begin to increase their defenses,’ Cocroft said.

“Caterpillars react to this chemical defense by crawling away, so using vibrations to enhance plant defenses could be useful to agriculture,” Appel said.

life eats lifeAnd to the militant meat-is-murder set: looks like eating plants is murder too, by that type of irrationality anyway. Listen, if I’ve said it once I’ve said it a thousand times: Life begets life. We must eat living material to maintain our own existence. To vilify the consuming of one life form over another is purely nonsensical. All living beings vibrate at a certain frequency. You are not being more humane by consuming vegetation. Sorry. And this study shows exactly why: Plant life, like ALL life, wants to survive. Geez, it wasn’t that long ago that we humans were on the food chain. Playing the arrogant life-overseer who places judgement on the value of life forms is simply an exercise in egocentricity. Eat however you choose, but don’t berate those that eat differently on some feeble argument of being ‘more humane.’ Yeah right.

The other fascination for me is simply the intelligence present in all nature—the universal order if you will. If you haven’t read my pieces on Universal Intelligence or Innate Intelligence, please do so; I describe this order in detail so that you can better appreciate our profound connection to all things. This does not mean we refuse to take part in the process of life by renouncing the eating of living things. Duh! Instead it is to simply appreciate the magnificence that we are a part of, from the microscopic to the macroscopic. Appreciate life in its totality, and leave the foolish self-righteousness alone . So say the plants of the world—I know, they told me.



This is a piece on technology, politics and the future. It is meant to be a wake up call. While it might sound obvious to some, I can see through my observation of the masses that, even if they do know, people are acting unaware. And this, dear readers, is a big mistake.

heidi-klum-mel-b-naked-selfieYou may have picked up on my interest in technology—particularly as it pertains to the future of human evolution. As I ponder which problems humans might face in the future, again and again my mind returns to technology. Humans and technology are merging—beyond the apparent efficiency technology brings us. But as our hi-tech machinery becomes even more incorporated into our personal lives (outside of business), we run some real risks of losing things that we take for granted—like privacy, civil rights, autonomy and even species dominance (as strange as that may sound).

An interesting story, dubbed Celebgate, has plugged the media waves last week, of a massive hack job, where pictures stored on the cloud, of celebrities in the buff, were stolen and then leaked onto the internet via sites like Reditt and 4chan. Although both sites have just pulled the photos, despite their simultaneous statement on a commitment to free speech, the Reddit page containing the leaked photos got over 250 million views—the fastest growing Reddit page in history.

unsecure cloud The backlash from the media and the public has been massive. Some have claimed that the breach is far more than simple theft—it is a sex crime, plain and simple. Proponents of this viewpoint point out that, once again, women have been violated, made into sexual objects for the pleasure of lascivious lechers of the male lot, and if the perpetrators are ever identified, they should be drawn and quartered, no questions asked.

Okay, all emotion aside, let’s look at the real issue here. There is no doubt that a theft has occurred, a massive violation of personal property and human dignity. Innocent victims have been hurt and humiliated, their bare assets put on display for anyone to see. I mean, 250 million views—that’s almost the entire U.S. population! And with all sincerity, I sympathize with the mostly women celebrities who had their nude pictures leaked, because who hasn’t done something like that, all the while cringing at the thought of somebody else seeing it, let alone millions of people. And the ugly verbal comments these young ladies have had to endure on social media sites like Twitter is simply appalling. When I read ilk of that sort my stomach turns at the despicability of some human beings. But, alas, that is today’s culture intoxicated on the anonymity of the internet.

Sh happens editSo what’s the real issue here, if this base violation of peoples’ privacy isn’t it? It is not, as far as I’m concerned, that people should refrain from taking nude photos of themselves, as some have suggested, because we all know that sh** happens. Face it: People party. Hormones rage. Body parts get exposed. Cameras click. Having the expectation that people should abstain from taking nudie pics on their mobile devices is about as realistic as expecting them to not have sex. Sorry but I just do not see it happening. The real issue is the notion that it is wise to trust the safety of your information—personal or otherwise—on the cloud. Duh! Stop it. Stop believing that any information which is easily accessible to you is safe from others. This belief is a byproduct of a political ideology, one that has been perpetrated in one form or another by both U.S. political parties, under the assumption that the more centralized your personal information, the more benefit to YOU. Don’t you see the absurdity of this concept? It is now being pushed in every facet of our lives—medical records, central identification and, of course, digital data.

With every new idea, every new invention, every new convenience, there comes a downside. With regard to technology, it is, and will remain, the threat to our personal freedom. Central governing (including of data) is always sold as individual convenience, safety and the like, but the drawback is control, and loss of privacy and freedom. Don’t take this lightly. If you want to be controlled in a Huxley-esque Brave New World fashion, then keep putting your information out there for everybody to access. Please take this Celebgate eye-opener as your own personal ice bucket challenge and wake the f*** up!

freedom-loss

The simplest solution, as I see it, is to reject the cloud as a means of backup. When I purchased my new HTC One phone, the salesman, working hard to make the sale, started pushing the HTC backup function. “Oh yes, and we can set your phone to automatically back up to the cloud…”

“Wait a second,” I said, “I don’t want to be on the cloud.” I had already investigated this issue when the federal government began pushing electronic health records (EHR) toward the end of the last decade. I saw the dangers back then and knew where it was all heading.

“Why not?” my pushy little dough-boy Sprint salesman wanted to know.

“Because I don’t need anybody seeing all my nudies,” was my exact answer. Prophetic.

He informed me that we could shut off the function, and that I could, “manually turn it on” anytime I wanted to. Yeah…fughdat!

Turn-off-delete-backup-dataSo if you are smart, you’ll shut off your iCloud, or HTC cloud, or any other cloud backup the powers that be are trying to push. Yes, okay, it has its use, and no doubt cloud security will improve over time; but if you think taking that chance now with your most private information, which includes your fleshy parts, is wise, then well you will have to learn the hard way. You could just stop taking nudie photos…but you know that’s unlikely to happen. So do the next best thing—instructions here:

How to Switch Off iCloud So Hackers Can’t Find Your Private Photos

Once again, I bring forth this information to remind you that when it comes to technology, and its rapidly progressing sophistication, you had better educate yourself on every aspect of that machine, otherwise suffer the consequences. Our cell phones and tablets are now an extension of us, and will become even more so as time moves on. Trust that you will have to treat mobile safety like gun safety. Make tech news a part of your daily news browsing, otherwise you might just find your privates public, loosely hidden for all to see under the black cloud.

I’m not afraid of dying. I don’t know how it’ll feel at the moment, but I’m prepared for death because I don’t believe in it. I think it’s just getting out of one car and getting into another.  ~ John Lennon

Robin Williams suicideIt has been several weeks since the world was shocked by the news of Robin Williams’ suicide, and the impact is still reverberating in me and many others, as we have such a hard time understanding why a man of Williams’ stature would take such an extreme measure. Then news this weekend of another public figure’s suicide—this one the hanging death of girl group singer Simone Battle—along with the death of an acquaintance of mine, of which I learned about via Facebook, it brought to light a number of factors I believe are worth discussing.

I was asked to “reach out” to the public regarding the subject of depression following Williams’ death, although I think that the decision to take one’s life goes well beyond that. It might be too easy to transfer our own perceptions on the one making the decision to end one’s life, as if we know or presume we can understand, or relate to, the origins of the psychological battle. And then by using these misperceptions we presume that we can then stop others from making the decision in the future. I think the notion is both false and a dishonoring of the free will of individuals. To assume that a person who makes such a decision is necessarily acting irrationally or irresponsibly is to impose one’s own morals onto another human being. And I think that those who take the most self righteous position regarding suicide have not yet felt the degree of pain and hopelessness that one must feel, to do what is likely the most difficult and counter-instinctive act any living being could carry out.

reincarnationI have heard it said that we all have a death wish at times—that is, the feeling that perhaps it would be better if we were just dead; to end the misery that we all face at one time or another. However, we also all have a life wish—that sense that life is the greatest gift we could ever have bestowed upon us. Both are one-sided illusions. The belief that we are born and we die, while ubiquitous and persistent, has no real truth outside of what happens to our material bodies. Science cannot unequivocally prove it, and spiritual teachers throughout the ages have insisted on it not being so, and they have rather compelling arguments to back up their claims. True, via our material senses, all we can surmise is a singular and solitary life cycle, but I would not bank everything on this idea, simply because our limited minds in their limited consciousness can only perceive one “reality” today. And even if it turns out to be the one reality, who is to say for anyone else whether that person’s life is worth living? We can only take such a moral position if we believe that life is the end-all-be-all, a position usually grounded in some antiquated religious belief or another. From a spiritual standpoint it makes no sense for a number of reasons (which is an article unto itself, so I won’t go into it here), and from a secular standpoint it really makes no sense. Yet that things will be better, easier, or simply ended by death is no less an illusion. From a philosophical standpoint there is no difference between life and death to the true Self. Only the Self alone exists, and it is eternal—all else is illusion.

Okay why my insistence on this philosophical argument? Because, as I see it, the only ones needing to reconcile another’s suicide are the living—those persons who continue their consciousness on the material plane. So for us the question remains: How do we deal with someone’s decision to end life? I believe that we have to look at one’s individual circumstances to understand how and why one might make that decision, and more importantly, how they can actually carry it out, since survival is a hard-wired instinct, making suicide all the more remarkable a decision, and thus likely pushed by some very deep feelings.

extreme emotional painFrom a personal standpoint, I can understand why somebody would feel as if suicide is the only option. I have had the degree of pain that might push a person to take the leap—believe me, like you, I have thought about it. Who hasn’t? Of course, the level of pain, fear and hopelessness will vary from person to person, from life situation to life situation, but as I have said, I have felt a pain that intense. My understanding is that Robin Williams had a history of extreme fluctuations in emotional states, he had some underlying health issues that would scare the bravest of us, and sources have disclosed that he had gargantuan financial troubles, one of which was over $30 million paid in alimony to his ex-wives. It would be so easy and misguided to take the position that even problems of that magnitude could not warrant suicide, but let’s throw in drugs, alcohol, aging, and misperceptions about professional career and future, and I think it’s easier to understand, for me anyway, why checking out seemed like the best option. Again, you’d have to have been in that kind of hopeless state at one time or another to understand the mind which has to process such affairs.

So am I writing this to advocate suicide? No! I neither advocate nor reject suicide. I think it is a personal choice based on many factors, but in the end, I support the right for people to exercise their free will. Yes suicide is an enormous ethical issue, because if we become too lax within society on it there is a heightened risk for foul play (disguised homicides and such). However, I don’t knock Robin William’s decision. On the contrary, I think on a human level we can be grateful for the lessons attached to it, because it is a striking reminder that no matter how much fame, money or success one has, one can only feel fulfillment from the inside. An all too common misperception among us is that “if only” we had more money, or a better career, or a better marriage, or whatever else we fool ourselves into thinking brings perpetual happiness, or peace, or fulfillment, then our lives will be better. This, too, is an illusion. I will admit that my initial reaction to Robin Williams’ suicide was shock that a mega celebrity, an Oscar winner, and clearly a vastly wealthy man would take such an action, as he could not possibly have the mundane problems that the rest of us have. But thank you Mr. Williams for reminding me that we are all just people. It’s the human mind alone that creates the fantasy that there might be “something better.”

grass greener

I do believe, however, that no matter how tough life gets, there is an alternative to suicide, and it lies in being in-tune with one’s dharma. Yes having a purpose—something that drives our existence—is the only way to overcome the harshest of life’s circumstances. Because when driven by purpose, human beings will endure the lowest of lows, the most extreme circumstances that one could undergo. We press forward when the drive on the inside is bigger than the storm on the outside—and this is only possible through divine purpose. Think George Washington, Harriet Tubman, Nelson Mandela and the countless others who have braved extreme life circumstances—I can assure you that each was driven by a purpose greater than him or herself. Saying that, however, I will not discount the potential spiritual dharma of Robin Williams, because who is to say that his destiny was not tied into reminding us all that the grass is NOT necessarily greener in pastures that many of us only fantasize about.

The End...for nowI also believe that our spiritual or philosophical perspectives can divert the call of suicide; not in the moralistic sense that we are committing some crime against God, but that if we can perceive life and death as simply two sides of the same coin—a temporary state of the eternal Self—then we may not be so quick to jump from one side to the other. Because if true, if we really are experiencing a temporary state of consciousness leading us on a path of self-awakening and awareness, then we cannot escape the challenges we must inevitably face for our eventual self-realization, no matter how many lifetimes it will take. Either way, I honor Robin Williams’, Simone Battle’s and every other person’s decision to end this chapter of their existence. It’s free will, something many of us argue for and champion under most circumstances; but when it comes to suicide, our fears and moralistic imprints tend to guide our perceptions, leading us to suffering when somebody commits the act. But for the one who has made the decision to check out…honor his or her right to exercise free will.

Logan Stiner

Prom king, Logan Stiner dead from caffeine overdose

This post is for the fellas—especially those of you just coming up. Listen up, men—there is no quick road to anything. I know, I know…this or that guy told you this or that…it’s a bunch of horse turds, believe me. Take getting cut-up—there simply isn’t a pill or drink that’s going to do it for you faster or better than the ol’ tried and true, not without a major risk anyway, and one that might just cost you your life. Case in point: A high school senior was found dead in his home on May 27th, a victim of caffeine overdose. Caffeine?! Yes…caffeine.

Eighteen-year-old Logan Stiner, an Ohio teenager collapsed just days before his graduation. Found by his brother, the initial coroner’s report had natural causes listed as a cause of death. Then his mother found bags of caffeine powder, and a subsequent autopsy uncovered that he had 70 micrograms of caffeine per milliliter of blood in his system, 23 times that found in the average coffee or soda drinker’s blood. 50 micrograms of caffeine per milliliter of blood is considered lethal. That’s right—caffeine can kill you.

Why would a teenager be taking this kind of caffeine substance, and where the hell did he get it? Authorities seem perplexed on the former, dumbfounded on the latter, but let me shed some light: You see, Steiner was a wrestler, and he once told his mom he was taking the caffeine as a sort of “pre-workout” substance. Yes wrestlers, like boxers and other fighters, are under weight restrictions—that is, they compete in a weight class. It keeps competition fair, so that one competitor does not have an unfair advantage over another purely on weight and size. It is not uncommon for fighters to squeeze by, literally, into lower weight classes, or for athletes of the more endo- or meso-morphic body types to control their weight. Wrestlers, like bulimics, have been known to purge, and even do stupid things like wear rubber suits to try and sweat off the pounds. High doses of caffeine, no doubt, are being used to serve the same purpose, and can be added to the stupid category.

Caffeine PowderCaffeine powder is not hard to get; it is sold as a dietary supplement, allowing it to evade typical regulations on caffeinated products, highlighting one of the dark spots on the supplement industry, an open venue for shysters and anybody putting profits above public safety. Users add it to drinks to boost their workouts or control weight. A mere 1/16th of a teaspoon can contain about 200 milligrams of caffeine, roughly the equivalent of two large cups of coffee. What makes this product especially scary is its inability to be measured properly with common kitchen utensils, according to the FDA.

“The difference between a safe amount and a lethal dose of caffeine in these powdered products is very small,” FDA spokeswoman Jennifer Dooren said.

Dr. Robert Glatter, an emergency physician at Lenox Hill Hospital in New York, said he’s seen several younger patients experience complications from caffeine in the last few months. Some arrive with rapid heart rates.

“They’re starting to latch onto the powders more because they see it as a more potent way to lose weight,” Glatter said.

The number of emergency department visits involving energy drinks, which are high in caffeine, doubled—from 10,068 visits in 2007 to 20,783 visits in 2011, according to the federal Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration. Most of the cases involved teens or young adults.

len-bias-boston-celtics-1986 (Copy)Listen fellas, these practices are usually handed down from one guy to another after hearing of its miraculous powers. Whether we’re talking steroids, rubber suits, ephedrine, or even substances like meth as a means of getting cut (or high, or whatever), I’ve got news for you—that decision could be your very last. When I was a kid, this truth was brought to surface by a future NBA superstar, Len Bias. Oh, you don’t know his story? Read here.

Back then it was cocaine; today it’s caffeine. Seems crazy doesn’t it? Well it is. Listen to this story of prom king and stand-out athlete, Logan Steiner. It could happen to you too. Not worth it, man. Anything you want you can achieve on your own, without the external help. And if you truly need a boost to compete—well, then it’s probably not your real calling anyway. Hope Logan Stiner’s story wakes you up, and keeps you off the powder.

iPad RashWell more trouble for iPad users. If iPad neck wasn’t enough, now you’ve got to contend with iPad allergies. Yup, you got that right—iPads are causing allergies in some users. And before you think your Kindle or cellphone is off the hook, all new tablet/phone technology is being implicated, even laptops. Doh!

According to recent reports in medical journals, nickel used in the outer casings of various electronic devices can cause an allergy in some people. Nickel—one of the most allergy inducing metals—can cause uncomfortable skin rashes, like that which happened to an 11-year-old boy who used an iPad daily, as reported in the recent issue of Pediatrics. His rash was throughout his whole body, and although he has a known condition causing scaly skin, this particular rash did not go away prompting the skin testing.

It turns out that diagnosed nickel allergies—as determined by skin testing—are on the rise. According to national data, about 25 percent of children who get skin tested have allergies to nickel, versus about 17 percent a decade ago. Fortunately, nickel allergies are not life threatening and can be treated with steroids (or iPad use discontinuation…er, scratch that).

A simple and better long-term solution is to put your iPads and cell phones in protective cases. Since the nickel is on the outer covering itself, it only makes sense. Anyway, cases protect the devices from breaking, so duh…

Flip-Phones-Cause-Nickel-Allergies (Copy)Not everyone has to worry about nickel allergies, however. If you are, in fact, allergic to nickel but don’t know it yet, you will get a reaction from contact with nickel anywhere from minutes to never. According to to an advisory about cellphones on the website of the  Nickel Institute, a global association based in Toronto representing nickel producers, the risk arises from contact with nickel-plated outer surfaces “over prolonged periods of time,” so again, a protective cover seems the simplest method for prevention.

“The length of time required to elicit an allergic reaction will vary from 5 or 10 minutes to never, depending on the sensitivity of the individual,” the advisory says. And a nickel allergy rash doesn’t have to come from electronic devices; it can also develop from jewelry, eyeglass frames and zippers.

So if you have developed an unexplained rash you might want to get skin tested for nickel allergies. And, of course, doctors need to be on the alert for this uncommon, but growing, condition. Yes, our modern conveniences are godsends, but remember that nothing comes without its downside; and for our mobile computing devices, looks like nickel allergies are at least one…for now.


NickstrodamusCall me the Nostradamus of health care, as I did warn of impending doom. I said one of the ramifications of socialized health care in the U.S. would be treatments which only the privileged could afford. I know you didn’t believe me then; you wanted to believe the politicians and pundits who were selling equality through entitlement…yeah right…and I’ve got a bridge for sale. So as I, Nostradamus, have predicted: medical innovation will continue to boom. Case in point: , but reports have its price tag listed at $1,000 per pill. Egads…and a full treatment may cost along the lines of…ya ready?…gulp…$90,000! Yes and even better: it probably won’t be covered under Obamacare.

The new pill, called Sovaldi, apparently cures nine out of every ten patients treated for liver disease caused by the hepatitis C virus (HCV). An estimated 150–200 million people worldwide are infected with hepatitis C, a virus that infects the liver and which, when chronic, can lead to liver failure, liver cancer, or life-threatening esophageal and gastric varices. The virus is spread blood to blood, so from intravenous drug use (sharing needles), dirty tattoo parlors, and blood transfusions (see photo below). People who do develop cirrhosis or liver cancer may require a liver transplant.

Causes of hep CBecause the infection is often without symptoms, many of the 3 million Americans that carry the hep C virus don’t realize it. And even though no conclusive evidence shows HCV to be transmissible by sexual intercourse, multiple sex partners is in fact a risk factor. In 2007,  it surpassed AIDS as a cause of death, as an estimated 15,000 people died in the U.S. from complications associated with the infection.

While the discovery of Sovaldi is a godsend for anyone infected with HCV, the cost is something that brings to light the ugly realities of a new system intending to curb health care cost. Insurers, naturally, are balking at the price. Dr. Sharon Levine, a top official working on drug policy with insurer Kaiser Permanente, believes the price is out of line. She notes that countries where the government sets drug prices are paying much less. And while U.S. insurers aren’t interested in price controls, said Levine, “eventually the American public is going to start getting very uncomfortable” with high prices.

SovaldiThe California Technology Assessment Forum, a private group that reviews medical treatments, recently voted Sovaldi a “low value,” because it would be cost-prohibitive to treat the high number of potentially eligible patients. But after their own assessment, the Infectious Diseases Society of America and the American Association for the Study of Liver Diseases issued clinical guidelines recommending that doctors use Sovaldi as a primary treatment.

See the conundrum? Remember my words from February 2012 when I said, medical innovations will continue to flourish provided we do not try to curb costs. The socialist in us all can cry equality til we’re blue in the face, but the cold, hard fact is that drug research and development (R&D) is costly. If pharmaceutical companies cannot turn a profit, then expect innovation to fall in the lap of…gulp…academia. And well…ya know…

haves-havenotsBut if medical technology is allowed to flourish on its own, well then it is going to cost, especially for a big gun like Sovaldi. Drug maker Gilead Sciences, Inc., reported Sovaldi sales of $2.3 billion worldwide in just the first three months of this year. Gilead will not disclose its pricing methods, but vice president Gregg Alton said the drug’s high cure rate makes it “a real huge value.” As it should be.

Listen folks, I’ll say it again, you can’t have it both ways. You want ground-breaking medical science—bionic eyes, magic penis pills, and cure-me-from-instant-death-NOW medicines? Those cost ducketts. But if what you want is everybody gets the same…it ain’t gonna be Sovaldi, sorry. Anyway, it’s a rhetorical question because we human beings will not stifle progress ever—we can’t; it’s hardwired in us. But we can create greater discrepancies between the haves and have-nots. Trying to lower health care costs to satisfy insurance industry interests will be the greatest driver of that discrepancy. So say I, Nostradamus.

Neck pain has become more prevalent over the last decade probably as a result of increased computer usage, especially hand-held devices and tablets. Anybody that has had chronic neck pain knows how un-fun it can be. In fact, for some, neck pain along with its oft-associated shoulder pain, arm pain, or numbness/tingling can be unnerving, and enough to drive one slowly insane (I know, I speak from experience). So the following are the ten steps necessary to beat neck pain:



The first is to go see a chiropractor. Don’t delay—the longer you wait, the harder your neck pain becomes to treat, and the longer you can count on its sticking around. Neck pain can be stiffness, achiness, sharp or shooting pain, or severe pain on movement. If you have neurological symptoms—like numbness and tingling—in a limb, you really can’t afford to wait. Don’t lose limb function—get to your chiropractor (or medical doctor) right away.

Next (2 of 10)


illuminatedtree-570x356 (Copy) You have heard me talk about it over and over—tune into your dharma, find your purpose, connect all your endeavors to your life’s mission. I preach it because I am certain of its universality—knowing and carrying out your life’s purpose will bring you the greatest fulfillment, while serving humanity and the universal dharma at the same time. If you thought my discourse has been purely spiritual mumbo-jumbo, well think again, because a recent study suggests that having a purpose in life actually increases longevity. That’s right—living to fulfill a mission gives more life. Makes sense, doesn’t it?

The study, published in Psychological Science, looked at data from over 6000 participants collected in the longitudinal Midlife in the United States (MIDUS) sample, and found that people who self-reported “purpose” to their lives lived longer than their counterparts during the 14 years after the baseline assessment, even when controlling for other markers of psychological and affective well-being.

Said lead study author Patrick Hill of Carleton University in Canada:

master-class-maya-angelou-2-600x411 (Copy)“Our findings point to the fact that finding a direction for life, and setting overarching goals for what you want to achieve can help you actually live longer, regardless of when you find your purpose,” says Hill. “So the earlier someone comes to a direction for life, the earlier these protective effects may be able to occur.”

Wow! Moreover, longevity benefits were not dependent on age, how long participants lived during the follow-up period, or whether they had retired from the workforce. Simply put: having a life’s purpose “appears to buffer against mortality risk across the adult years.”

But even so, researchers were surprised by the results: “These findings suggest that there’s something unique about finding a purpose that seems to be leading to greater longevity,” said Hill.

The longevity benefits of purpose in life held even after other indicators of psychological well-being, such as positive relations and positive emotions, were taken into account.

Mandela at 90Well I am not surprised; as I said, it makes sense. When living ‘on purpose,’ we have a reason to get up and go every morning, afternoon, and evening. This must have an effect on our physiology—rarely do body and mind act independently. Just think of stories we hear of people exhibiting super-human strength to save a loved one who’s in danger; or even the somewhat-known statistics showing that many people die shortly following retirement. Once the purpose goes, so often does the will to live.

Purpose gives meaning, and meaning drives us to carry on, so again, to me, these new results are not surprising in the slightest. I will keep pushing people to find their purpose in life—we all have one, on display or latent, I believe we all have a reason for existing in this lifetime. So find it and live it…and you might find that life gives you just the right time to accomplish your mission. If you need help tapping into your purpose—contact me; I have fool-proof methods for uncovering your dharma. And if you are fully attuned to your life’s purpose now—great, keep moving in the direction of its accomplishment, and you will find your fulfillment complete as well.

Love is NOT:

Always being happy

Never fighting

Agreeing on everything

Having all the same interests

Expecting one to live up to unrealistic idealisms

Always having the same vision

Not hurting one another

Never crying

Having the same friends

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Love is:

Accepting and honoring the whole person

Freedom to grow

Wanting the best for everyone

Even if it goes against what you want

Supporting the path of another

Even when that path differs from your own

Working to help others get what they love

While getting what you love

And knowing when to walk away instead of standing in the way…

That’s love

Part 2 of a multipart series (part 1 here)

So what if the flow stops flowing? Can you say it has ever been flowing? Ask yourself the tough question, because if the answer is no, then it is quite possible that you aren’t living according to your values. Huh? Yeah…it really isn’t that uncommon, people living according to someone else’s values, or even to what they think their values should be.

MVrlpMO (Copy)Take money for example: I have yet to met a Westerner who has said he or she doesn’t want it; that he or she, in fact, renounces wealth. Uh uh… In fact, if you were to ask a roomful of Americans, Canadians, Brits, Australians or other European or South American people whether or not they would love to be wealthy, I am certain that 99.9999999% of them would say, “Yes definitely!”

But how many people actually do what it takes to be wealthy? Sure, sure, we all think of the mega-superstar, multi-platinum performing artist—the Jay-Zs, the Calvin Harris’s, the Kardashians (or insert any superstar in your industry)—and think that is the way to riches, and that it just might happen for us too. Yeah right. Sorry but those people are not even the 1% (.05% by one calculation).

No to become wealthy requires saving, accumulating and earning interest (or capital gains or profit). And only when people value money do they actually do this. Most people, in my observation, value what they can buy with money. In other words, it’s something other than the money they truly value, even though money is the means by which they acquire it.

MillionaireI know a man who epitomizes true wealth valuing. This man rarely spends money. He wears old tattered tee-shirts. He always looks for bargains. If he has to pay a fine or a ticket of some sort, he nearly has a heart attack. And this man is rich—filthy, stinkin’ rich—he can afford it, but that’s besides the point to him. He drives the cheapest car he can find; he doesn’t care. If you explained ‘bling’ to him, he’d laugh, guaranteed. Bling is for people who don’t really value money—they value bling. And they often don’t keep their money for very long either. That is reality.

Nonetheless, ask most Westerners if they would love to be wealthy, and most will say yes. But why, then, are so few people monetarily rich? Simply put: because in reality, most people only think they value wealth—or even more accurately, they think they are supposed to value wealth. We are so inundated with the concept of bling in the Western world, and the illusions of wealth put forth by the popular media, that people create a fantasy that they, too, want bling.

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Think of all the stuff one could buy, or do, or the power, or the girls, or the guys, or whatever… And when one’s current reality doesn’t live up to one’s created fantasy, then the inevitable happens: one beats oneself up…and says their flow is not flowing.

donald-trump (Copy)Yes this is the quintessential example of living by someone else’s values. Observing the illusions of the outer world and desiring them without doing what it takes to truly achieve them. Sorry but here’s a wake up call: If you want Donald Trump money, then you gotta act, think and breathe like The Donald. But if you aren’t thinking, living, or breathing money 24/7; if you aren’t saving more than you are spending, and if you aren’t sacrificing your consumerist urges to watch your bank account grow, then well…keep dreaming.

Stressed_Mom_and_Baby_Web (Copy)But not just money that people mistakenly think they value: also success, relationships, children, a particular career can all be false drives when a person thinks those things are virtuous and should be valued. However, if I have said it once, I have said it a thousand times: No values are more virtuous than any others! You love art, fashion, music, sports, physical intimacy, animals, math, scuba diving—then indulge in them. You are not required to value money, a particular profession, children, or anything else. In fact trying to do so, outside of your true values, is the quickest way to frustration, and ultimately to depression.

So when you think that the flow has stopped flowing, just ask yourself: what is my criteria? Is it financial gain, recognition, helping people, or creating something? And is your criteria aligned with your values? Because if you are only using finances as your criteria, and you don’t actually value money, but instead value what it affords you, then you will have a hard time seeing any flow other than outflow: from your bank account to your vendors.

dsc_1734 (Copy)A better approach, then, would be to be honest about what you really value—let’s say, helping people—and if you are doing it, then your flow is flowing, simple as that. However, we all know how important money is to survival, and because of this people think they must value it. Just remember that earning money and accumulating money are two very different things (ask Mike Tyson). So you can connect your earning potential to your true values very simply, but that is an entirely different subject—one I can help you with if you contact me (drnick@drnickcampos.com).

Next time I will discuss the very real scenario of decreased money flow despite money being a true value.


Knee pain is not uncommon in athletes, particularly in sports that require lots of sharp cuts and turns like basketball, football and soccer. But even the amateur and non- athlete are prone to knee pain and injury. Walk or run for health purposes and increase your susceptibility to knee pain and injury. In fact, people who are not regular exercisers, but pick up activity to get back into shape, are at a higher risk for knee injury, and when it happens it can be the killer of any future exercise regimen. So what to do? The following are the seven most important steps to take when you feel knee pain or suffer an injury:

Get evaluated by a sports chiropractor

Get evaluated by a sports chiropractor

The first step is to get evaluated by a professional. There can be a simple fix for some knee pain, but not caring for your injured knee properly can make things worse, and leave you susceptible to further damage (some irreparable without surgery). Being evaluated, at the very least, will set you in the right direction, and might even solve your problem without the knife.

Next (2 of 7)

Part 1 of a multipart series

business planTwo years ago I wrote a piece called, Planning To Go With the Flow, in which I described a strategy for launching any endeavor, whether that be a new business, a creative project, or even starting a family. I explained the necessity of having a ‘purpose’ to one’s cause—what Aristotle called the final cause—and then constructing a blueprint to achieve that cause. Once the cause is determined, I explained, it is wholly appropriate to research, plan, influence, seek help and so on—what I call the planning or pushing stage.

There comes a point, however, when it is simply wise to let nature take its course. You have done all the planning; you have started the action necessary to get the ball rolling—the things you can control have been taken care of. Unfortunately many continue to push here, and if things do not go according to plan, then frustration set in…the stress. My suggestion here, then, is for one to allow things to just happen naturally—to go with the flow—because the unexpected, the stuff we cannot predict, very often leads to the greatest discoveries, the greatest implementations, the things we simply could not plan, those which make an endeavor unique, outstanding instead of just good.

dry riverThis piece stirred some thought in my readers, and an excellent question came as a result: What if the flow stops flowing? What if where there was once a stream stagnancy now sits? My initial answer was that many factors could be responsible for that type of scenario, as well there being multiple solutions, each depending on the cause of the drying up. Over the next few posts I will address some of the reasons why someone’s flow might stop flowing.

The first question I would ask a person in this situation is how they are determining flow. Aha! Back to the final cause… Yes! What is the purpose of the endeavor? Is it fulfilling a need; is it filling a void? Who’s void? What is the purpose to the one carrying out the endeavor—what Aristotle would call the efficient cause? Is it a money maker? Is it one’s dharma? Or is it purely what one loves to do? We must know both the final and efficient causes to answer the stop-flow question sufficiently.

I am certain that we all have a dharma—our truth; our life’s purpose if you will. I am equally certain that if every undertaking is aligned with one’s dharma, one can never go wrong. But the biggest challenge I see people face is that they are not in-tune with what that is. What is your dharma? Call it the final cause of your life—what do you envision your life to be about, its meaning? When you are in those last moments of life, and your history flashes before your eyes, what would you love that story to be? If you have not thought about it, well now is the time to do so.

You will never have a problem refocusing your flow if you tune-in to your dharma. I have said it before: Your purpose need not be grand or lofty. It may simply be to raise healthy, fulfilled and prepared children so that they may carry out their own dharma—can anybody argue the virtue of that? Perhaps you are a teacher, or a merchant, or in transportation—can’t you see the necessity of your life to the entire operation? Take not one life lightly—they all matter.

ripplesBut again when you tune-in to your dharma, it will be impossible for the flow to stop flowing; on the contrary, you will flow even beyond your lifetime, because the ripples of your life affect those you come into contact with daily, and can extend outward to an unknown number of generations. I have read how deeply impacted a twelve-year-old Jack Kerouac was by seeing a man drop dead in the middle of the street one evening, to the degree that it influenced his writing. Just think how one anonymous man’s death became part of a literature that shaped a generation. Nothing is insignificant.

Always have the end in mind, whether in an endeavor or your life. Take the time to think about your dharma, your life’s purpose, and connect all your undertakings to it. If you still find the flow not flowing, then you will know it is for a reason related to—or better yet detached from—your purpose. Next time I will discuss the magnitude of being true to your values.

Being an avid exerciser for decades, as well as a sports chiropractor for going on fifteen years, I have seen my fair share poor form SNAFUs. Improper form when working out can lead to injuries, from the minor, to the severe, to the flat-out serious. Here are ten of the worst offenders causing sports injuries to walk into my West Hollywood Sports Chiropractic Clinic:

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Wrong! Rounding the back while stretching hamstrings can lead to herniated discs. I know he’s old; he probably shouldn’t be doing that version…find the stretch right for your level.

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Perfect! Back straight and leg at proper height to maintain arch. No matter which version you do, maintaining back arch of utmost importance.

Next



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Wake up world! The future isn’t in “affordable health care,” it’s in genomics; genomic medicine to be exact. While the masses grasp for the hope of equality, the real world manifests duplicity. Standard health care may, in fact, become etched into the collective consciousness as a so-called entitlement, but cutting edge will always go to those who can afford it.

Take medical genomics, for example—it has been plugged as the next panacea since penicillin for over a decade now. But civilization may finally be on the verge of its newest major paradigm: man-machine integration—a synthesis of super-human existence through the assimilation of technology with biology. And it appears that genomic medicine is the beginning.

Leading the charge to bring genomic medicine to the mainstream is Human Longevity Inc., a company founded by genomics-pioneer Craig Venter; a sort of Larry Ellison meets Robert Jarvik meets Deepak Chopra. Venter and Human Longevity Inc. are no dummies when it comes to the big bucks inherent in genomic medicine, and they’ve got a plan to get every man, woman and child sequenced—that’s biotech speak for mapping the genome.

The belief has been that to know one’s genome is to have the best form of prevention available, because we all know that genetics is everything when it comes to health…right? I mean anybody following health news could see that genetics has become the cultural health authority’s explanatory standby for many of medicine’s biggest mysteries. Everything from cancer, to heart disease , to Alzheimer’s would be at the mercy of genomic medicine, for if the genetic code is the blueprint of life, then surely the cause, and cure, for many diseases has to be wrapped up into the code in some way.

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Human Longevity Inc. founder Craig Venter

The big idea behind genomic medicine is that everyday people like you and me would be wise to get our genomes sequenced. By comparing our genome to that of a database, we can determine where we fall into the health norm, and where, by mutation or risk thereof, we might be susceptible to illness, disease or faulty physiology (think high cholesterol).

But the coolest thing about this story, by far, is that “the first complete (six-billion-letter) genome of an individual human” ever sequenced was Venter’s itself. While working for Celera Genomics, another company he founded, but which was seeded by private investors, Venter switched his own DNA with the composite samples the company had planned on sequencing (in its race against the government-funded Human Genome Project). As a result the first mapped human genomes belong to Venter and DNA double helix discoverer, James Watson (also financed by private company), of Watson and Crick fame.

According to his biography, and the original genome sequencing publication, some chains in Venter’s genome are associated with wet earwax, increased risk of antisocial behavior, Alzheimer’s and cardiovascular diseases. Can you see the ginormous benefits here? Vetner does, and he always has: His company Human Longevity Inc. is setting out to make what industry insiders have long thought to be economically prohibitive—the cost of sequencing—affordable for all. At $1,000 a pop, many genetics-is-the-answer-to-everything proponents are singing the praises of this move. Venter’s goal with Human Longevity Inc. is to sequence 40, 000 human genomes a year, in a search for new therapies for some of today’s most tenacious diseases. The low-cost of sequencing, due in part to what Venter calls “pretty stunning” recent advances, promises to fulfill this mission of creating a comprehensive human genomic database over the upcoming years, and genomics is “just on the threshold” of delivering results, Venter says.

personalized med (Copy)Knowing one’s individual genomic sequence, the idea goes, will lead to highly personalized treatments, and that’s where the real money is to be made. Venter and Human Longevity Inc. have thus decided to take on cancer first.

“We’ve still only scratched the surface of what the genome holds,” said Jay Flatley, Chief Executive at Illumina Inc., makers of the HiSeq X Ten machine, a high-speed sequencer can map a single genome for as little as $1,000. Compare that to the government-funded Human Genome Project which spent $3 billion and took 13 years to sequence the human genome. “What we need to do now is get hundreds of thousands to millions of genomes in databases with clinical information.”

Can you see where we’re headed? Listen I am not suggesting this is a bad thing at all, in and of itself—just pointing out the direction medicine is going. But if you think the ground-breaking treatments that are discovered as a result of this technology, if any at all, will be cheap, then…can I offer you another bucket of Obama Care?

Understand that dirt cheap genome sequencing is mostly a way to get the data base populated and paid for by consumers, a win-win if you happen to think that genetics is the answer to most of mankind’s health woes. While the consumer receives a ‘blue print’ of their potential problems—“you’re at risk for heart disease, NOW you’ll exercise, won’t you? God bless genomic medicine”the biotech/health industry gets…well, cha-ching!

And, again, that’s not a bad thing; but the treatments may not necessarily be offered up as standard care. Worse yet will be the potential for standard care to simply become a litany of lifestyle drugs—à la statins, antidepressants and Ritalin—sold as prevention. Don’t underestimate the drive for profit in every new paradigm. And I have no reason to believe that genomic sequencing itself won’t be covered by insurers. That’s a no-brainer: Anything that promises to reduce insurance reimbursements through prevention (wink, wink), and maybe even uncover some potential risks so important in evaluating any insured-to-be, will be accepted with open arms by the insurance industry. These economic factors make it clear to me, along with Venter and many other string-pullers, that medical genomics is the next frontier in modern medicine.

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But again I believe the greatest use of genomic sequencing will be for those that can afford it—not the sequencing itself, because at $1,000 a pop it’s a bargain. Venter and other biomedical entrepreneurs are smart enough to know that the current ‘sickness’ paradigm lends its way perfectly to swaying the masses in the direction of needing to know their genetic susceptibility to disease, so offering sequencing for a modest price (relative to the sophistication of the technology) is a rather genius form of seed-planting.

No the real costs, and profits, will come as the actual actions one takes to prevent their potentialities from expressing—in the form of double mastectomies, bariatric surgery, lifestyle drugs, and so forth. Health care entitlement will be to know, in this case to know one’s susceptibility to disease, while the actual doing something about it will cost. Your doctor’s opinion will no longer be enough to keep you medicalized for life—for that you will need genetic proof. And thanks to Venter and his colleagues within the biomedical sciences business, genomic medicine will be that proof.

Happy sequencing.


thyroid cancerLooks like the thyroid is going the way of the spinal disc, with a diagnostic system prone to overdiagnosis, false positives and aggressive, unnecessary treatment. A recent study finds that thyroid cancer diagnoses have nearly tripled since 1975, and many, the study claims, are treated more aggressively than necessary. And although thyroid cancer remains rare overall, this study points to the we-do-because-we-can phenomenon potentially at play.

The study, published online Thursday in JAMA Otolaryngology, found that thyroid cancers jumped from 5 cases per 100,000 people to 14 per 100,000 (that’s 15,695 to 43,946 in real numbers). Because the most common treatment is surgical removal, which is recommended and carried out in over 85% of thyroid cancer cases, the study calls into question the practice as many thyroid cancers (along with certain breast, lung and prostate cancers) have been shown in previous studies to be slow growing, and not deadly.

thyroid cancer symptomsThe thyroid is a hormone-releasing gland (endocrine) in the neck that helps regulate the body’s metabolism. Thyroid cancer treatment often includes surgery to remove the butterfly-shaped gland, followed by lifelong daily hormone pills.

However the study’s authors believe that the low risk of the majority of thyroid cancers really calls industry standards into question. Says Dr. Gilbert Welch, co-author of the thyroid study and a professor of medicine at the Dartmouth Institute for Health Policy and Clinical Practice, patients “can no longer assume” that labeling a disease as cancer means treatment is necessary. “It’s a challenging rethinking,” he added.

Yes precisely. With the arrival of newer, more accurate diagnostic testing, diagnoses go up almost by necessity. We saw it happen with the advent of advanced diagnostic imaging, or radiology. Along came MRIs and up and away went herniated disc diagnoses. Were there more herniated disks than ever before, needing more discectomies than ever before? If judging by the enormous rise in numbers of bulging discs discovered by MRI, then yes!…it would seem so to the indiscriminate eye. But as one of my teachers in chiropractic college would say so eloquently, “When all you have is a hammer, everything looks like a nail.”

Thyroid Cancer Treatment

I have always felt that one should be careful in how vigorously one chooses to ‘locate’ a problem, because I have always felt that one might just get what one is looking for…or worse. Not that people shouldn’t be prudent in trying to figure out why they might not be doing/feeling well. However, when the doc tells you that you are okay…well then gosh… I feel like far too many people become adamant about finding something. And this story certainly confirms to me that we (almost) always get what we are looking for. But in this case the thyroid cancer diagnoses are questionable…and the subsequent treatment (a thyroidectomy) is too.

“Our old strategy of looking as hard as possible to find cancer has some real side effects,” said Dr. Gilbert Welch

Hey I don’t deny that some people just feel better from getting medical procedures done—any procedure for some people, as I know one couple that prides themselves on their annual body parts removals…seriously…ok maybe ‘pride’ is subjective. Nonetheless they seem to feel comfortable (and happy) each time they get this or that procedure done. Great. To each his own.

But if you aren’t really into donating your body parts to science, then I would question everything. Find out if the “-ectomy” is truly necessary. And doctors it is okay to discuss it with the patient, and not simply assume that he would be as open to the idea of surgery if he were to understand that risk of death (without tumor or gland removal) is rather low.

Medical Marijuana Dispensaries

Medical Marijuana Dispensaries

Another step in the right direction here in the U.S. as the Obama Administration has issued new law-enforcement guidelines aimed at encouraging banks to start doing business with state-licensed marijuana suppliers. Bravo! Bout time. Although marijuana distribution remains illegal under federal law, the administration recognizes the massive revenue amassed by the marijuana industry, and while these guidelines seek to protect public safety, they are also likely intended keep tabs on the gajillions funneling into ganja dispensaries.

As it now stands, marijuana suppliers must deal strictly in cash—to purchase inventory, pay employees and conduct sales, requiring elaborate and expensive security measures and putting them at risk of robbery. Yes you think having stockpiles of cash lying around might attract some undesirables like street thugs, drug cartels and terrorist organizations? Uh…. And purely cash-based businesses make accounting for Uncle Sam far more difficult—I mean, the tax man needs to get a piece of the action too, right?

Medical Weed for Cash Only

Medical Weed for Cash Only

The new guidelines, which make sense on many levels, are not without potential problems. To begin with, many in the banking industry fear prosecution for dealing with technically illegal businesses. Says American Bankers Association attorney, Rob Rowe, “Compliance by a bank will still require extensive resources to monitor any of these businesses, and it’s unlikely the benefits would exceed the costs.”

That could be true, although I suspect the banking industry just wants to protect it’s own arse. The Justice Department has said that the administration was planning ways to accommodate marijuana businesses so they would not always be dealing in cash. Said U.S. Attorney General Eric Holder,

“There’s a public safety component to this. Huge amounts of cash, substantial amounts of cash just kind of lying around with no place for it to be appropriately deposited, is something that would worry me just from a law enforcement perspective,”

Uhhh…yah! However, a separate memorandum from the Treasury Department’s Financial Crimes Enforcement Network (FinCEN) laid out the due diligence that banks should carry out, both before working with a marijuana business and during the relationship. That means banks would have to check state licenses, understand the normal activity for the business and monitor for suspicious activity…and they would not be immune from state laws: As more states allow marijuana distribution either medically or recreationally, a number still do not, and they regulate the drug strictly (still a Schedule 1 substance, meaning no currently accepted medical use and a high potential for abuse). So wire transfers entering states where marijuana is illegal could put banks at risk of money-laundering.

Federal Law for Marijuana Rooted in Puritanism

Federal Law for Marijuana Rooted in Puritanism

Yes…still a complicated issue stemming from our historically Puritanical perspective on cannabis use. Oh well, nothing worth doing comes easy. In my opinion, doing whatever it takes to change our archaic laws regarding marijuana sales/distribution is wisdom. I’ve written extensively on the subject, and to me it’s a real no-brainer: tax revenue, strengthening the economy, and a bunch of smiling people walking around…duh! And  next we need to remove marijuana’s Schedule 1 classification. Under this grouping, marijuana is restricted from scientific research. Now does that seem appropriate, worthwhile or wise? Enough people report physical and psychological benefits from the substance to warrant study. Freakin’ duh!

Legalize Marijuana?

Legalize Marijuana?

I applaud the Obama administration for recognizing the value in the national marijuana trade. Federal authorities say they believe the new guidance will get more marijuana money into the banking system. A win-win-win-win, as far as I can see.

Those most likely to open their doors to marijuana businesses first would be “probably some of the smaller or medium banks rather than some of the largest ones in this country,” a FinCEN official said.

“The amount of money in this business is significant,” the official said.

No s#%&! Decriminalize it.

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