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Don’t Look Your Gift Horse in the Mouth

By On · Add Comment · In angioplasty, coronary disease, health consciousness, heart attack, modern medicine, prevention, stents, The Six Keys to Optimal Health

Sigh…I know it’s hard to think about your health when so many other things need attention. I get it, not everybody eats, breathes and thinks health consciousness. But here’s the deal: Your physical body is your vessel. It carries your mind and your spirit, and as such, you really can’t do or experience much on the material plane without it. So it really does make sense to take care of it.

Here’s why I bring it up: I know that many people don’t think about their health much until there is a problem. Some people get as far as having a serious problem, one that is life threatening–like a heart attack–before they realize how important their body is. But when you get to that point, it much more difficult to bounce back–not impossible, mind you; just harder.

Take a recent study that showed that one in ten people that have angioplasty–a surgical technique to open clogged arteries–will land back into the hospital within 30 days.  The procedure, which includes the placement of a stent, or an artificial tube, into the blood vessel to create a new opening, and hopefully prevent further flow constriction. Worse yet, these individuals were more likely to die within a year when compared to their counterparts who were not readmitted to the hospital after their procedure.

A second study showed that the risk of rehospitalization remained after three years following the procedure. The rehospitalizations were for new procedures to open arteries, heart failure, heart attack or serious bleeds. According to study author Dr. Gianluca Campo, a cardiologist at the Azienda Ospedaliera-Universitaria di Ferrara in Ferrara, Italy:

“Coronary artery disease is a chronic condition that needs chronic care. Just because a stent is placed or bypass surgery is done does not mean that you don’t need continued care in terms of preventing other episodes. You have the disease and have been treated for this episode. Now we need to treat the rest of you to decrease the chance that you will have another episode in the course of this chronic and progressive disease.”

Exactly. In other words, you still need to take care of your health. Listen, modern medicine is amazing at giving people a second chance, but that doesn’t mean you should just go back to business-as-usual. You need to observe all six keys to optimal health–diet, exercise, bodywork, mental health, rest & recuperation, and toxin avoidance (smoking cessation, for example)–and it has to become a top priority.

But even more importantly, why not just start observing these practices now? Many illnesses are lifestyle related. You do have a choice; and you ultimately have a hand in your illness and health. Once you get to the point of an angioplasty, you have suffered severe damage. My philosophy: Prevent it starting NOW. And if you’ve already had the experience of heart disease, and modern medicine has given you a second chance, don’t look that gift horse in the mouth. Live as if your body is your life vessel, and do the right things to preserve it. You’ll have more life to live that way.

More on Brittany Murphy

By On · Add Comment · In Brittany Murphy, congenital disorder, death, drug toxicity, heart attack, natural causes, pain killers, prescription drugs

Some final words on the recent death of actress, Brittany Murphy. According to a forensic pathologist, attorney and medical-legal consultant, the 32-year old actress most likely died of drug toxicity. I know you are all thinking what I’ve already said, but since preliminary reports have the death listed as from “natural causes,” we can all sigh a collective, “No scheiße!”

Celebrity Web site TMZ is reporting there were “large amounts of prescription medications” on the nightstand when paramedics arrived at her Hollywood home, and that Murphy was “complaining of shortness of breath and severe abdominal pain” in the week before she died.

On Tuesday, pathologist Dr. Cyril Wecht (celebrity coroner that has worked on famous cases like Elvis Presley and JonBenet Ramsey) said on CBS’ The Early Show that although it’s possible Murphy died of natural causes, it would likely have been from a congenital heart abnormality (my words exactly); however, most people are aware that they have these disorders. More likely, he said, she suffered toxicity from a multitude of prescription drugs obtained both legally and illegally, a la Michael Jackson, Heath Ledger, and Anna Nicole Smith.

“When you have a 32-year-old person dying suddenly, and especially a celebrity in Los Angeles, you can place your bet down that it’s going prove to be a case of acute combined drug toxicity. And I bet you that this young lady tragically died in the same way that Michael Jackson did, and Anna Nicole Smith, and her son, Daniel Smith, and Heath Ledger — a combination of drugs that had been prescribed for her, prescribed for her husband, for her mother, in some fictitious names, probably by doctors who are very, very quick to make available anything that celebrities want, sometimes using knowingly fictitious names.

“So, even though these drugs are, quote, legal, unquote, they are, many times, illegally obtained. And it’s a tragedy. And it’s being played out everywhere in America every day, and we only come to know about it when it involves celebrities.”

The drugs in question? Ativan, one drug found in the Michael Jackson case, Klonopin, a drug involved in the Anna Nicole case, Hydrocodone, a common pain killer found in OD cases, and Vicoprofen, a form of Vicodin.

Another truism disclosed by Dr. Wecht, “I guarantee you that, if the pathologists at the Los Angeles coroner’s office had found something dramatic, like a heart attack, like a stroke, or like something of a definitive nature, would you have heard about it. The fact that they say that they’re going wait for toxicology tests and it will take a couple of months, you can be sure that this is going to prove to be a case of acute combined drug toxicity.”

Agreed. Either way, heartfelt condolences go out to Brittany Murphy’s family.

*Brittany Murphy was laid to rest this evening at twilight. RIP.

Let it Out!

By On · Add Comment · In anger, conflict, heart attack, men, resentment, stress, work-related

Men who stifle their anger at work are at a greater risk for heart attack; so says a recent study out of Stockholm, Sweden. Men who consistently failed to express their resentments over conflicts with a fellow worker or supervisor were more than twice as likely to have a heart attack or die of heart disease. And ignoring an ongoing work-related conflict was associated with a tripled risk of heart attack or coronary death, the study of almost 2,800 Swedish working men found.

Coping styles may play a big part in the physiological outcomes, as women did not show a risk of heart related disorders when stressed at work. Maybe men need to consider pedicures. Check it: Women in general appear to handle stressful situations better than men, noted Dr. Bruce S. Rabin, director of the Healthy Lifestyle Program at the University of Pittsburgh Medical Center.

“Social interaction, having people to talk to, is extremely important,” Rabin said. “If you keep things to yourself, you have high levels of stress hormones. Women are more comfortable in social interactions than men. They talk more, while men tend to keep within themselves.”

So men…let it out! You can’t scream at work, but you can certainly bring your frustrations home with you…and talk about them. Yes, talk…Find a friend, like your pitbull, Killer, maybe, and talk to him. Let him know how you’re feeling. Let him know that you’d love to feed him your boss’ appendages…starting with Mr. Douche’s third leg. You might not be able to actually do it in this lifetime, but just saying it helps. I know, I do it all the time.

How about a punching bag with your asswipe coworker’s headshot on it? I’ve seen video of one friend at the gun range with a picture of a sworn enemy’s face on the target–quite effective, I tell ya. Lastly, you can try a friendly game of Grand Theft Auto. I find the virtual beat-the-crap outta anyone and everyone enormously gratifying. Let it out, man. It’s for your heart health, dammit.

Baby Born to Comatose Mother

By On · Add Comment · In birthing, cesarean section, coma, heart attack, human, innate intelligence, medical paradigm

If you are not fully aware of the amazing intelligence of the human body, let me fill you in: A 40-year-old woman who fell into a coma while 13-weeks pregnant gave birth to a healthy baby 22 weeks later in a German hospital, sources disclosed this week. The incident occurred one and a half years ago, but was withheld until Friday to keep the astounding results from setting off a media circus.

The mother suffered a heart attack early in her pregnancy and remained in a coma throughout. Doctors did not disclose whether the baby was birthed naturally or by cesarean section. The baby is now 1 1/2 years old and healthy. Matthias Beckmann, a director at the hospital in Erlangen, Bavaria, said: “We wanted to keep the spectacular case secret for as long as possible to demonstrate that we’re not experimenting on people and that the child is still healthy.”

Anyone else in awe of the body’s incredible innate intelligence? The body knows what to do and when to do it. The current medical/physiological paradigm perceives the body as highly fragile and fallible. There are some, it believes, that have “good genes,” and are therefore strong and resilient. But for some poor folk–those cursed with “bad genes” or those that have simply gotten the short end of the stick (whatever that’s supposed to mean)–medical science believes their bodies can’t produce proper amounts of cholesterol, or that their brains are dysfunctional in their regulation of neurotransmitters; and that somehow they needs a lifetime of medical intervention to function properly and sustain life.

You know, if this was the rationale behind some medical cases, then I might not scoff. But this paradigm is the prevailing belief system in nearly all of health care and medicine. It’s false.

The human body has an innate intelligence governing it, and the source is not simply genetics. The body knows what it needs and to what degree in development, maintenance and healing. It produces enough cholesterol, serotonin and dopamine for its particular host, even if that amount is outside “medically determined” norms. The innate intelligence of the body is smarter than man; it knows how to regulate a system better, within a wider range of variabilities, than man-made pharmacology does.

Don’t believe me? Ask a German-born child who spent 22-weeks developing in the womb of a comatose mother, who was delivered healthy, and remains alive and well one and a half years later. In a few years ask that child what he or she thinks about innate intelligence.

Let me know what you find out.

Billy Mays: Cocaine Backlash

By On · Add Comment · In Billy Mays, blood pressure, cocaine, heart attack, hypertension

This just in: Well known pitchman, Billy Mays, had cocaine in his system that contributed to his death in June. A recent autopsy report concluded that Mays probably used cocaine “a few days before his death,” but whether or not he was a regular user was inconclusive. The 50-year-old infomercial pitchman was found dead in his sleep by his wife, the unfortunate victim of a heart attack, with cocaine being a likely contributor.

According to recent reports, the surviving Mays family is up in arms about the findings. They say that no outward evidence of Mays’ cocaine use is apparent; but the toxicology tests indicate its presence, along with therapeutic amounts of painkillers hydrocodone, oxycodone and , as well as anti-anxiety drugs alprazolam and diazepam. Hmmm…..

I guess the only thing I have to say is fifty-year-old men don’t often drop dead in their sleep. When it does happen (think Danny Gans) suspect drug use right off the bat. Cocaine raises arterial blood pressure, and anybody who has ever done it knows how it affects heart rate. The real kicker is that when you use stimulant narcotics regularly, you don’t have to be doing it on the day it stops your heart–Billy Mays is prime example of that.

The Mays’ family is questioning the coroner’s findings and are seeking an independent evaluation of the autopsy findings. The statement said the family was “extremely disappointed” by the release of the information. They said the report “contains speculative conclusions that are frankly unnecessary and tend to obscure the conclusion that Billy suffered from chronic, untreated hypertension, which only demonstrates how important it is to regularly monitor one’s health.”

I certainly get that the Mays’ family is embarrased by the situation and they want to keep Billy’s name clean; however, it does no one any good to hide the truth and blame hypertension alone. Can chronic, untreated hypertension cause a heart attcak in a fifty-year-old man? Sure. Will doing cocaine while having chronic, untreated hypertension increase your chance of a heart attack? Well, what do you think?

Listen, I ain’t knocking whatever Billy Mays was doing to enjoy or deal with his life. To each their own. But for those of you who like to play, you better understand that you might just have to pay somewhere down the line; and that payment may prematurely cost you your life. That’s all–just thought you should know.

Wisdom

By On · Add Comment · In heart attack, medicine, nutritional supplements, paradigm, statins, stroke, vitamins

There has been a long history of competition between conventional medicine and proponents of nutritional supplements. Conventional medicine spends a lot of time “debunking” the utility of nutritional supplements. You know what I’m talking about; you’ve heard it; you’ve heard the medical “experts” on T.V. say that taking vitamin supplements is useless. I’ll bet it confused you.

It confused you because common sense tells you that vitamin supplements are helpful. It also confused you because you’ve heard from so many people–your chiropractor, your acupuncturist, your trainer, your nutritionist, other medical doctors, the same T.V. news program reporting on a different story–that taking vitamins is good for you. So which one is it: good for you, or not necessary?

Well you won’t get a straight answer any time soon, as the mainstream medical machine is stepping-up the propaganda. According to new reports, vitamins C and E are useless for cutting the risk of heart attack or stroke. So are vitamins B12 and folic acid, according to another report. However, a third report shows that the statin drug Crestor cuts the risk of heart attack and stroke as well as reduces deaths from both, even in people with normal cholesterol. Wow! Frickin’ drugs, man…they’re miraculous!

Okay, here’s my problem with these studies. Taking nature and trying to squeeze it into a faulty paradigm is erroneous at best, and dangerous at worst. Vitamins are substance not produced by the human body, but necessary for life. We get most of our vitamins from the foods we eat. But the important point is: we need them. We do not need drugs. Drugs are useful, but we don’t need them. We’ve gotten through ~200,000 years of evolution (or 99.9% of our existence) without drugs…but not without vitamins. True, we have been supplementing for a far shorter time than we have been taking drugs…but we need vitamins. So the real questions should be: Do vitamins supplements work, and what do they work for?

The problem with the types of studies mentioned above is that modern researchers are trying to fit a natural and essential substance into a medicinal paradigm. Today’s medical paradigm is a disease treatment paradigm, not a health paradigm. Nothing wrong with fighting disease, but it’s entirely different than enhancing health. To look at vitamins for their disease fighting properties alone is nonsensical. They are life giving substances, health-enhancing material–taking vitamin supplements promote life, they don’t necessarily fight disease. That’s where medicine goes wrong; with medicine everything is about fighting disease.

Frankly, this paradigm and disease-fighting model is severely limited, and becoming progressively more expensive. When we spend billions of dollars studying and focusing on a small percentage of the population’s health woes then, ultimately, to sustain the costs, the model must be carried over to the general population. Thus the powers that be start rationalizing why we need drugs “even in normal people.” I’m not saying it’s a conspiracy–these well meaning “experts” believe it. Why? Because they create studies, and collect data, that fit into their model. And the results, by design, are forced to reflect the operative paradigm, so we get limited knowledge. As it has been said: Knowledge comes from knowing the facts, but wisdom comes from asking the right questions. So validating substances, or the practices surrounding them, based on their disease-fighting capabilities alone is simply foolish.

One Fish Oil Capsule a Day

By On · Add Comment · In cholesterol, essential fatty acids, exercise, heart attack, omega 3s, triglyceride

Have I told you how stellar my blood panel was? Not to brag, but…

I did have exceptional cholesterol and triglyceride levels–you know, the stuff that’s supposed to predict the risk of having a heart attack or stroke. But how can that be? I salt everything; I eat red meat three time a week. Shouldn’t I be the MI poster-boy?

Not necessarily. I exercise regularly and take lots of essential fatty acids (EFAs). EFAs are essential nutrients–that is, they are not produced in the body–so they must be obtained in the diet, or through a supplement. There are two classes of EFAs–omega 3s and omega 6s. We get plenty of omega 6 fatty acids in the typical Western diet. It’s the omega 3 variety that most of us are lacking. You’ll find omega 3 fatty acids, naturally, in fish; but you can also get them from a good EFA supplement (ask me, I carry the best).

Without going into the long list of benefits (you can catch them, here, in the following article), EFAs are important for cells, blood vessels, the brain, the skin, and many, many other tissues, organs, and processes. I’ve been pushing these babies for years. And I’ll keep pushing them here: If you aren’t taking omega 3 fatty acids regularly, what the heck are you waiting for?

Listen to this: According to this recent study, fish oil capsules do an equally good job of enriching the blood and other body tissues with healthy omega 3 fatty acids as fresh fish does. Wow! Get it? You can do just as well with fish oil capsules as you can with gulping down the fishy stuff. Not a big deal for sushi lovers; but for someone like me, who can’t stomach the taste of fish…well, it’s nothing short of extraordinary.

Let me reiterate. You’ve gotta get proper amounts of omega three fatty acids in your body. By doing so, you will do wonders in reducing your risk of heart disease. Trust me, it’ll show in your chem panel over time. However, exercise plays a big part, too; so you’d better get the fever for it, real soon. Omega three fatty acids plus exercise equals good heart health–enough to give you bragging rights.

Sleep or Die!

By On · Add Comment · In heart attack, heart disease, sleep, stroke

OK, it’s been a while–vacation–but I’m back, so here goes. Research shows that people who do not get adequate sleep are twice as likely to die of heart disease. A 17-year British study looked at 10,000 government workers. Those who cut their sleep from seven hours a night to five or less had two times as much chance of dying of any cause, but especially from heart disease. Although the reasons for this are as of yet unknown, researchers believe it has to do with increased blood pressure, leading to heart attack and stroke, in those consistently robbing the sandman.

If I’ve said it once I’ve said it a million times, sleep is absolutely essential to maintaining good health. The importance of this study is that in today’s high paced, produce or crumble culture, more and more people are depriving themselves of sleep–and now we know it can kill you.

Hey, I’m the first one to admit that forcing oneself to rest is tough. I know–I run a business, I have a family, I blog!–sometimes, sleep has got to take the back burner. But consistently missing sleep will catch up with you sooner or later. It increases your risk of catching colds or flu. It increases your chances of injuring yourself or having an accident. And it disrupts your mental function and mental capacity significantly. So do yourself a favor: shut off the T.V., say goodnight to your friends, and go to bed–it’ll save you a few years of life. Now you know.

Exercise More, Live Longer…and Better!

By On · Add Comment · In angioplasty, empirical, evidence, exercise, experiment, heart attack, physical activity, survival

Everybody knows that exercise is important, right? But on what level do you know it? Intellectually? Intuitively? Or have you put your nose to the grindstone and figured it out empirically?

Empirical evidence is information gathered by observation or experiment. It is not merely philosophical or intuitive, but instead observed by the senses. So the only way to truly know the benefits of exercise is to actually do it – regularly.

New research coming out of the U.S. and Italy shows that elderly people who exercise regularly have the greatest probability of survival following a heart attack. Scientists at the Federico II University in Naples observed that men and women, aged 70 years and older, who had a recent angioplasty (the mechanical widening of a narrowed or totally-obstructed blood vessels), and who exercised more than 30 minutes every day, were three times less likely to die of heart attack than those who had low (less than 15 minutes of daily activity) and medium (15 to 30 minutes of daily activity) activity levels.

Here’s my question, then – if regular physical activity can prevent cardiac related deaths in the over-70 crowd – the group most likely to die from heart related conditions – then what does it mean for relatively healthy 60-year-olds? 50-year-olds? 30 and 40-year-olds? And how about – gulp – 20 year olds?

Let me answer. Regular exercise done by anybody regardless of age, not only prevents premature death (see my earlier post on the subject), but it enhances most other aspects of physical life. Here are some of the benefits of regular moderate exercise:

  • increased energy
  • increased mental clarity
  • better sleep
  • more stamina for work, play, or sex
  • less pain
  • enhanced looks
  • balanced mental attitude (i.e. less feelings of depression)

To find out more about the many benefits of exercise, as well as tips to maximize and enjoy your efforts, you’ll need to read The Six Keys To Optimal Health, my book on natural health enhancement, due for release in October 2007. Until then keep exercising regularly. And if its been awhile since you’ve pushed yourself to the gym, then what are you waiting for, man? Get moving and see – empirically – how good life can be.

Copyright © 2013 Dr. Nick Campos - All Rights Reserved.