Stay Healthy: Save A Penis

By On · Add Comment · In accidental, amputation, health, healthy, medical mistakes, penis, plastic surgeon, Romanian, urologist

Do your part to save the male appendage today: Stay healthy at all costs! What?!?! You heard me right–staying healthy is your best insurance to keeping your organs, appendages, digits, and yes, your genitalia too.

According to a recent report, a Romanian man lost his penis in an “accidental” severing during a testicular surgery. Whoops! And the surgeon performing the operation wasn’t a hack, either; he was a renowned and “highly respected” urologist and anatomy professor. Double oops! Ain’t that just enough to make you cringe?

The slippery-wristed surgeon was ordered to pay the 38-year-old man $500,00 euros (785,000 dollars) in compensation. That’s all?!?! for an amputation of that nature? Sheesh! I guess I think very highly of myself, but, well…I wouldn’t have been happy with less than $10 million that’s for sure–I’m still building my family, for heaven’s sake!

I’m not posting this story to poke fun at this poor man’s misfortune–his wife has since left him, to add insult to injury–but I use this as an example of why it’s best to use the medical system as little as possible–emergency and life threatening situations only; for the most part, anyway. As I discuss in detail in the first chapter of my book, The Six Keys to Optimal Health, medical mistakes are one of the leading causes of morbidity and mortality in this country. I guess they happen in Europe, too.

Listen, we need modern medicine: it is absolutely critical in times of crisis, and many of its marvels have improved the quality and quantity of life significantly for millions of people around the world. However, far too many use it as a quick fix for all their health woes, even the most minor ones; and frankly, that’s foolish. Be smart–take care of your health to the best of your ability. Honor your body and put in at least the minimal amount of work to maintain it. Follow The Six Keys To Optimal Health and assure yourself the greatest chance of staying healthy and vibrant for years to come. And as a result, you may just do your part to save a penis one day.

Antioxidant Brain Cleaner

By On · Add Comment · In antioxidants, brain fog, free radicals, insulin resistance, memory, mental function, oxidative damage, type 2 diabetes

Want to know which natural substances have been shown to clear the mind of brain fog and improve mental function and memory? Antioxidants, that’s what.

An interesting study out of the University of Toronto found that antioxidants, like vitamins C and E, can clear mental sluggishness, confusion and forgetfulness in people with type 2 diabetes. Type 2 diabetes is a metabolic disorder characterized by insulin resistance and high blood sugar. This type of diabetes is known as adult-onset diabetes because it is usually related to lifestyle–that is, poor diet, lack of exercise and obesity.

People with type 2 diabetes often get brain fog following a fatty meal. This mental sluggishness, the researcher have found, is due to oxidative damage caused by free radicals. Free radicals damage cells, tissues, and DNA, which can lead to cancer. They also speed up the aging process. Case in point, according to the Canadian scientists, brain fog in type 2 diabetics “makes the 50-year-old brain more like the 75-year-old brain.”

So what makes this study important? If brain fog is caused by oxidative damage from free radicals, don’t you think everybody might benefit from antioxidant supplementation? Yeah, so do I. Once again, that’s vitamins C and E, as well as vitamin A and selenium. And if you’ve read my book, The Six Keys To Optimal Health, then you know I really like alpha-lipoic acid (ALA). ALA is known as the universal antioxidant because it is both water and fat soluble, and it crosses the blood-brain barrier easily. It’s powerful and I highly recommend it. Research conducted at UC Berkeley showed alpha-lipoic acid to improve brain function and memory.

I don’t know about you guys but my mind is important to me, so I’m all about supplementing with antioxidants. If supplements aren’t your thing–and I’d strongly advise you to reconsider–then at least pound the real fruit juices I talked about in an earlier post. But for those of you who supplement regularly, don’t forget to include vitamins C, E and ALA in your nutritional regimen.

Burning Tongue

By On · Add Comment · In burnt, burnt tongue syndrome, deficiency, nutritional, tongue, vitamin B
Ever had a burnt tongue feeling? I have. Just recently, too. Yeah, it sucks.

What’s a burning tongue? Everybody has burnt their tongue before, right? Hot coffee, hot soup, hot lasagna….goes away in a day or two, but not burnt tongue syndrome. Burnt tongue syndrome is the feeling of a burnt tongue that lasts for several days, weeks, months, or years. Yowsa! It can be caused by menopause, oral thrush, dry mouth (xerostomia), nutritional deficiencies, and psychological problems including anxiety and depression.

So I’ve had this sensation for the last five days–had me real perplexed, too. But I remember that vitamin B deficiency can cause some unusual tongue symptoms, so I started pounding the vitamin B (actually three supplement capsules a day). And what do you know? Burnt feeling going away slowly but surely.

How does one become vitamin B deficient? Chronic stress, heavy alcohol consumption, cigarette smoking, heavy sugar consumption, heavy coffee drinking and poor digestion (inflammatory bowel syndrome) among other things. In my case, could have been any of those things, with the exception of alcohol and smoking since I don’t do either. But I love sugar, and I do get stress out…plenty. And, when I don’t eat right (for me–i.e. sugar, caffeine, wheat, pork, mint, and other food substances) I definitely have digestive disturbances (The Six Keys To Optimal Health, it’s in there).

So if you find yourself with a burnt tongue sensation for more than a couple days, try increasing your vitamin B. If it doesn’t get better within a few days, then you’d better get it checked out by your medical doctor.

Healthiest Juices

By On · Add Comment · In antioxidants, black cherry, blueberry, concord grape, cranberry, DNA, free radicals, juice, Linus Pauling, minerals, pomegranate, The Six Keys to Optimal Health, UCLA, vitamin C, vitamins

Want to know the most healthy juices to drink? A UCLA study looked at the antioxidant levels of a number of fruit juices and came up with some exciting conclusions. When it comes to healthy juices, pomegranate is the best; it is highest in antioxidants.

Antioxidants are vitamins, minerals, and enzymes that neutralize free radicals. Free radicals are substances that can damage cells, tissues, and DNA. These harmful substances can lead to degenerative disorders like cancer, and they also speed up the aging process. As I point out in my book, The Six Keys To Optimal Health, “Free radicals are formed naturally in the body during certain metabolic processes as well as by cells of the immune system to fight infections. They can also be formed by outside agents like cigarette smoke, pollution, and radiation.”

Vitamins and minerals that act as powerful antioxidants are vitamins A, C, and E, and the mineral selenium. I highly recommend supplementing with these essential vitamins. I personally take 1,000 mg vitamin C per day. But I also think that taking 2,000 mg isn’t such a bad idea. In fact, the great chemist and forward-thinker, Linus Pauling, believed that people should be taking much more than that (check out this interview), especially people battling cancer.

A great source of antioxidants are fruits and vegetables–that’s why nutritionist recommend eating so many servings of each. But another great source is fruit juice: this is what makes these findings so exciting. So here you go–the list.

  1. Pomegranate juice–the healthiest of them all because it contains the most of every type of antioxidant.
  2. Concord Grape juice–a great source of antioxidants. May also be good for the heart and decrease blood pressure.
  3. Blueberry juice (yum, my favorite!)–contains antioxidants, fiber and vitamin C…and it’s blue, dammit.
  4. Black Cherry juice–some studies have shown this juice to reduce muscle soreness following exercise. Booyah!
  5. Cranberry juice*–can actually prevent urinary tract infections in women.

Enjoy, and start drinking your fruit juice. Remember, eating the whole fruit is always better, but for a big blast, fruit juices pack the antioxidants in. It also packs in the calories, so if you’re trying to lose weight, then definitely stick to the whole fruit. Otherwise, juice away!

*Please note that there is a huge difference between real juice and the juice cocktails sold in most grocery stores. If you want the real deal, please visit your local hippie store, they’ll take care of you. And if you are in L.A.–ask me, I can get you the good stuff.

Natural Cancer Prevention

By On · Add Comment · In broccoli, cancer, cruciferous vegetables, genetic, isothiocyanate, prostate, sulforaphane
They say an apple a day keeps the doctor away, but a few daily servings of broccoli can ward off cancer. So says a new study out of Great Britain. Not only does the study show broccoli’s anti-cancerous effects, but it shows just how the cruciferous vegetable does it.

According to researchers, isothiocyanate–a chemical found in broccoli and other cruciferous vegetables like brussel sprouts, cabbage, cauliflower, and watercress–sparks a cascade of genetic effects which ultimately provide the body protection against cancer. Broccoli, however, is particularly powerful since it also contains the compound called sulforaphane, which may give it an extra cancer-fighting kick.

The study looked specifically at men with precancerous lesions of the prostrate, and found that by eating four extra servings of broccoli each week, genetic changes occurred such that certain cancer-fighting genes were turned on while other genes, those which tend to fuel tumors, were turned off. Brilliant! According to Richard Mithen, biologist at Britain’s Institute of Food Research, and one of the study’s authors, “When people get cancer some genes are switched off and some are switched on. What broccoli seems to be doing is switching on genes which prevent cancer developing and switching off other ones that help it spread.”

So there you have it: Reason to start pounding this stuff. Prostate cancer is the second-leading cancer killer of men following lung cancer. Each year some 680,000 men worldwide are diagnosed with prostate cancer and about 220,000 will die from it. So fellas, eat your broccoli by the bushel full. And women, you eat it too, since scientists believe that the cancer-protective effects of broccoli extend to other tissues besides the prostate. Remember, a large percentage of illnesses plaguing society are preventable. Now you know.

Check out this cool broccoli-blog.

“Good” Cholesterol Retains Memory

By On · Add Comment · In aerobic, Alzheimer's, cholesterol, dementia, exercise, fatty acids, high density lipoprotein (HDL), omega 3, weight

If I’ve said it once, I’ve said it a million times: Your high density lipoprotein (HDL) levels are the cholesterol readings that matter the most. If you remember my earlier posts, and my podcast on statins (Episode 7), you’ll recall that HDLs, or “good” cholesterol, are more important than low density lipoproteins (LDL) and total cholesterol when it comes to predicting whether you’ll develop heart disease. If you don’t, then maybe your HDL levels need a little boost.

According to British researchers, middled-aged people with low levels of HDLs had greater memory decline and were at greater risk for developing Alzheimer’s disease or other forms of dementia. The study looked at 3,700 British men and women, and found that falling levels of HDL cholesterol were linked to declining memory by age 60. The subjects were given a memory test, whereby they had twenty words read to them and then were instructed to write down in two minutes as many of the words they could remember. At age 55, those with low HDL cholesterol had a 27% higher risk of memory loss than those with high HDLs. At age 60, those with low HDLs had a 53% higher risk of memory loss compared to those with high HDLs.

I’m trying to tell you how important keeping your HDL levels up is. Here are the ways to increase HDL levels:

  • Regular aerobic exercise–walking, jogging, hiking, treadmill, stair climber–anything that makes you sweat for 20-30 minutes uninterrupted
  • Supplementing with omega 3 fatty acids–take these every day. I carry the best in my office
  • Losing weight–the two previous activities will help in this regard as will portion control (and by cutting sodas, and by going on the wagon)
  • Kicking the smoking habit

Pick up these habits, one at a time if you need to, and watch your HDL levels climb. You’ll not only benefit by reducing your chances of having a heart attack and retaining your sharp mental wit, but you’ll also feel better. And look better, too. Can I motivate you any more than that?

Hypno-Colon Relief

By On · Add Comment · In bowel, colon, hypnosis, inflammation, mental, ulcerative colitis, visualization

You are getting sleepy, sleeeeepy….

Ever tried hypnosis? Good stuff I tell you. I’ve done it several times and I got it right away. Hypnosis is the practice of taking the mind through mental and visual processes to help control the physical and material plane. Huh? Let me rephrase that: If you’ve got a physical problem, hypnosis can help guide you mentally to change your physiology. And, if you want to create or change an experience in your life–quit smoking, lose weight, gain confidence, reduce fears–hypnosis can also help there by guiding you through visualizations and help change mental patterns. Think it’s BS? Well check this out:

British researchers have found that hypnosis may help reduce bowel inflammation seen in ulcerative colitis. Ulcerative colitis is a disease that causes chronic inflammation in the lining of the colon and rectum, leading to symptoms such as abdominal pain and diarrhea. Although the standard medical treatment is drugs, a small study suggests that hypnosis may aid in the healing process.

In the study, scientists looked at 25 people with ulcerative colitis. Seventeen were taken through 50-minute session of “gut-focused” hypnotherapy aimed at relaxation and relief of inflammation, while eight simply listened to music of their choice for the same period. What they found was astounding: blood levels of IL-6–a marker of inflammation in the body–fell by 53 percent in the hypnosis group, whereas music listeners showed no substantial change. And they found a decrease in other chemical markers of inflammation as well.

The researchers were not sure why hypnosis eased inflammation but think that it might have direct effects on colon activity or it might affect people’s pain tolerance or perceptions of their symptoms. To me it’s quite simple: you cannot separate the body from the mind. In fact, all physical processes–both health and illness–have their origins in the mind. Trip on that for a minute. And if that’s true, then they must have mental solutions (components) as well. That’s my belief, anybody disagree?

I know two very talented hypnotherapists that I love to send clients to, one in Los Angeles and one in The Valley. Check them out–they work magic.

We Need MORE Statins!

By On · Add Comment · In cholesterol, nutrition, statins
More, more, more. We need more statins. What’s the delay: MORE STATINS! Is anybody listening?

Somebody must be, because statin use jumped 156% from 2000 to 2005. Woowee! Anybody, get the implications of this? Let me explain it this way. Either Americans are ignoring conventional wisdom and wolfing down cholesterol causing fatty foods like there’s no tomorrow–foods that we all know we should be avoiding (Don’t our doctors, and television commercials, and magazine articles, and New York City government, and Hollywood movies, and our neighbors, and the newspapers and radio stations all tell us endlessly that we should avoid fatty foods and trans fats and all the other cholesterol increasing substances, I mean, don’t we all know that?), yet cholesterol levels are spiraling out of control, and millions of us are on the verge of a heart attack or worse! right now–orrrr,  we are being duped like never before? Hmmm, let me think about this.

In 2000 15.9 million people were taking statins; in 2005, 29.7 million. That’s 10% of the entire population. Ten percent of the entire country has dangerously high cholesterol levels and needs to be on statins? Yeah. B.S.

OK, OK, let’s look at it this way instead: In 2000 Americans spent about $484 a year on statins for a total cost of $7.7 billion. In 2005, we spent $661 per year for a total of $19.7 billion.

So, let’s see, what makes more sense to you? Are the numbers of statin prescriptions going up because we are all so pathetically ignorant and weak-willed that we just can’t possibly stop our indulgences, despite pervasive dietary and nutritional information being pumped at us from all directions OR is somebody making a shipload of money from this crock of cow dung?

You decide.

Drive-through Medicine

By On · Add Comment · In drug-resistant, germs, immunocompromised, infections, Methicillin-resistant staph aureus (MRSA)

Want to know what aspect of modern living contributes significantly to the spread of drug-resistant germs? Fast food health care, that’s what.

What’s fast food health care? It’s the churning out of patients from over-crowded hospitals to make room for new and ever-growing patients. Yow! They’re pumping ’em out like Big Macs. Hold the bed sores, hold the lettuce…

According to Australian researchers, the overcrowding and quick turnover of hospital beds is leading to the spread of antibiotic resistant strains of bacteria, like the methicillin-resistant Staph aureus (MRSA) we saw spread to the general population at the beginning of the year. The problem seems to stem from super-busy doctors, nurses and other health care workers not washing their hands well and as frequently as recommended during busy times–that is, during times of understaffing and high workload. Eew! Yuck! Just what I want from my local fast food hospital. Shouldn’t we post letter grade ratings in the windows like we do with restaurants?

MRSA killed an estimated 19,000 Americans in 2005 and made 94,000 seriously ill. Wash your hands, McSceavy…please! MRSA infections can range from boils to more severe infections of the bloodstream, lungs and surgical sites. It is spread by the hands and on contaminated medical equipment. And last year nearly 5 percent of U.S. patients were infected or colonized with MRSA. Double Yecch!

So I’ll just say what I always do: Stay out of the American hospital system if you can help it (and British and Australian systems, too, while you’re at it). They are breeding grounds for filth. I’m the first one to trust in the strength of the environment of the human body with its immune system arsenal, but hospitals usually equal knocked ass-out on narcotics and left a bit immunocompromised. Under these circumstances, uh…I’ll put my dough on the germs. Stay healthy, practice the The Six Keys To Optimal Health, and wash your hands, arms, body and clothing profusely if you ever spend time in the fast food medical germ cafeteria. Makes a drive-through sound pretty darn good, now doesn’t it?

A Strange Double Standard

By On · Add Comment · In antidepressants, ephedra, GlaxoSmithKline, Metabolife, Paxil, pharmaceutical, weight loss drugs
So let’s say there is a supplement company selling a weight loss product that has ephedra in it. Ephedra, as you may know, was banned by the FDA in 2004 due to a high rate of serious side effects and ephedra-related deaths. Now let’s say that said supplement company, full well knowing the adverse health risk of ephedra, goes ahead to manufacture and sell this product to the public anyway. Should this company be held liable for any harm done to the public health? Should they be fined, punished, or shut down? What are the necessary measures to be taken to assure this doesn’t happen again?

If you believe that the supplement company acted out of negligence and greed, and compromised public health, then you probably also believe that the company should be punished to the full extent possible. Now what if it wasn’t a supplement company at all, but a pharmaceutical manufacturer instead. And let’s say the compound in question wasn’t ephedra but Paxil, the popular antidepressant, what would you say then?

Well that’s exactly what happened to ephedra–can anyone say Metabolife?–and it’s happening now with Paxil. In the Metabolife fiasco, Metabolife International Inc. the manufacturer of Metabolife 356, at its height a several hundred million dollar a year product, pled guilty to filing fraudulent tax returns and was sentenced to pay a criminal fine of $600,000, and more than a billion dollars in personal injury claims. Along with the banning of its most popular product, the monetary penalties buried the company which filed for bankruptcy in 2005.

So what will happen to GlaxoSmithKline PLC, makers of the mega best-selling antidepressant Paxil, which was the fifth-most prescribed antidepressant in the United States as early as 2006? A U.S. Department of Justice investigation is being conducted into whether the drug maker withheld data about the suicide risks of Paxil. Just another day at the office for antidepressant manufacturers. I’ve already reported on this and similar stories in earlier posts (and here, and here)–seems to be par the course with these massive money making meds. According to recent reports, the Justice Department is looking into GlaxoSmithKline’s marketing practices, pushing their product despite having information that the antidepressant increased the risk of suicidal tendencies in its takers.

So what will happen to GlaxoSmithKline? My guess, probably not much. They’ll fight the allegations professing the high road. They’ll lie and say they didn’t know about the risks. And when they eventually found out, they’ll say, they then took appropriate measures. I mean, what else could they possibly say? They’ll get slapped with a fine and warning. For a multi million dollar company like Metabolife that might cause ruin. But for a multi billion dollar company like Glaxo, well…it won’t do much. And I’m sure GlaxoSmithKline will be just fine. They’ll go on, business as usual.

The Way Chicken is Done in America

By On · Add Comment · In bacteria, Campylobacter, chemicals, chicken, chlorine, E. coli, Europe, food poisoning, poultry, Salmonella
What’s the difference between a huge and heavily populated industrialized nation and a group of smaller, more traditional countries that band together and take great measures to protect their publics’ health and their environment? What’s the difference between a country whose system sometimes encourages profiteering, even at the risk of public safety, and a de facto confederation that refuses to embrace “modern” food processing practices without question? If you answered, “a whole heckuva lot,” you’d be right.

Take for instance poultry preparation. In the U.S. it is common practice to wash freshly butchered chicken carcasses in a chlorinated wash to disinfect them of Salmonella, E. coli and Campylobacter, common causes of food poisoning. Salmonella and E. coli are particularly dangerous to humans, so this practice seems prudent, right? Add to that the cost effectiveness of using chlorine (it’s cheap!) and what you’ve got is a nifty little tool for mass chicken consumption. That’s what makes this country great. Everybody eats and somebody profits. Nice.

In that old fashioned land of Europa they do things a little differently. For instance, they refuse to use chemicals to clean and disinfect a carcass. Cave people. They believe instead that hygiene controls throughout the hatching and rearing cycle to better ensure that the bacteria does not develop in the first place. How yesterday. And they are very adamantly rejecting a proposed lifting of a decade-old import ban on poultry products from the U.S.

Of course, some people and some groups are muy pissed off, like, for instance, American poultry farmers. You don’t say. And a couple European folk are PO’d, too. Like EU Industry Commissioner Guenter Verheugen, who promised his buds in the U.S. that he would work to get the ban lifted. Hey, wouldn’t you be a bit annoyed if you were losing $180 million a year? I would. So, why can’t those sore sports just buck up and buy our chickens?

According to British lawmaker John Bowis, lifting the ban would be “outrageous and unacceptable, and would degrade EU citizens to guinea pigs.” Most vocal against lifting the ban is Europe’s biggest poultry producer, France. According to French Agriculture Minister Michel Barnier, “The Americans don’t have to buy our chickens (and) we don’t have to accept theirs.” Amen, mon ami, and you don’t have to accept American genetically modified foodstuffs, either.

We shouldn’t be so brazen about using chemicals (or molecular biology) to disinfect our foods; not until we understand all the risk involved, anyway. I’m all for progress, and lord knows, the risks of infected poultry isn’t something to play around with.* But I’m of the opinion that cleanliness starts in the chicken coop, and in this matter, American poultry farms are severely lacking (I talk in depth about this subject in my book, The Six Keys To Optimal Health). Further, there appears to be other options with regard to disinfecting carcasses which are supposedly a little safer. Whether or not this is true, I still tend to side with the Euros on this one: When it comes to the health and safety of my family’s foodstuffs, I rather not mess with chemicals if I don’t have to. Keep food production plants clean to the highest standards, and never, ever, ever let profits dominate public policy when it comes to our health.

*To be fair, here is an excellent piece on the risk cost-benefit analysis in favor of using chlorine to disinfect poultry and poultry preparation stations in production houses–pretty hard to argue with this writer’s reasoning.

Bright Light and Vitamins Help Dementia

By On · Add Comment · In Alzheimer's, antioxidant, dementia, elderly, insomnia, light, melatonin, sleep, sun, supplements

What’s the best thing you can do for a loved one suffering from dementia? Open the shades and let the light shine through during the day, and give them melatonin supplements at night. This according to a recent study out of the Netherlands this month. The research, conducted at the Netherlands Institute for Neuroscience in Amsterdam, showed that increasing light exposure, either from the sun or from fluorescent lights, along with nightly melatonin supplementation, helped elderly people suffering from dementia improve their sleep, mood, and overall well-being.

The study looked at 189 elderly Dutch women who were split into groups according to whether they were exposed to bright lights, given melatonin supplements, or both. Other groups were given standard Alzheimer’s medication, while others were given nothing at all. They then looked at various mental factors such as cognitive function, mood (as in depression and agitation), and sleep function. The researchers found that the group receiving bright lights and melatonin fared as well as those on the Alzheimer’s medication. Considering the side effects which usually accompany the medication (nausea mostly), these findings offer a great deal of encouragement.

I find this study especially interesting as I believe we can extrapolate these observations to the general population. I highly advocate both regular sun exposure and melatonin supplementation for overall health and well-being. Think about it: the source of all energy in the solar system is our sun. Every plant, animal, microbe, fungus or algae needs energy either directly from the sun, or by consuming another energetic life form. Either way, the energetic chain begins with the sun. Nothing could survive without the life-giving force of our primary star. So why would anybody avoid it? Yes, I know: skin cancer propaganda is at its highest–dermatologist need to market too–but we all need sunlight, plain and simple.

Melatonin is a naturally produced hormone that helps regulate our circadian rhythms, or our sleep cycles (you’ve read about it in The Six Keys To Optimal Health, right?). It is also a great natural remedy for insomnia. Melatonin has many other non-sleep related benefits. For instance, it has antioxidant properties. It has also been studied as a therapy against certain cancers. And it has also shown promise as an agent to boost memory and learning ability. Throw this in with the current findings on dementia, and what you’ve got is a very useful little substance.

One does need to be careful with both sun exposure and melatonin, though. Obviously, too much sun-worship can cause serious health problems. And taking melatonin every day can cause dependence, nasty withdrawals, and sluggishness when taken in too large a concentration. So I recommend taking it a couple time a week only, and then laying off completely for longer stretches, like say a month or so. Other than that, both practices should be highly beneficial and therefore done by everyone.

Weight Loss: All in the Mind

By On · Add Comment · In appetite, brains, calories, eating habits, nerve cells, nervous system, neurotransmitter, nutrients, regulation, serotonin, weight loss
Weight loss is all in the mind, you know. Well maybe not all in the mind, but mostly in the mind, it’s true. According to some fascinating new research, your nervous system, not your eating habits have the biggest role in determining whether you are fat or thin.The study conducted at the University of California, San Francisco, looked at serotonin levels in the nervous systems of worms. Serotonin is a neurotransmitter, which means it conducts messages across and among nerve cells. The researchers found that serotonin regulates feeding and calorie burning independently of each other. In other words, serotonin regulates not only how much you eat and want to eat (your appetite), but also what your body does with food once it has been consumed.

In worms, serotonin levels are a function of food availability. When resources are low, serotonin levels decrease and the worms go into fat storage mode. Interestingly, low serotonin also leads to decreased appetite in worms. Makes sense, when food availability is tight, worms get less hungry–after all, no food, no need to eat. They also become more efficient at storing energy as fat for the long haul. A perfect feat of optimized neural regulation. On the other hand, when food resources are high, serotonin levels increase and worms get hungrier and become more efficient at burning fuel. If we could only all be so lucky. Humans actually experience the opposite effect: when food resources are low, serotonin levels decrease, which causes appetites to go up and, unfortunately, fat to accumulate.

So why does this matter? This study shows is that although our eating behaviors–what we eat and how much of it–are important, they do not tell the whole story. The body actually has a very sophisticated neurological regulatory system which is more instrumental in our propensity to take in and store fat. The nervous system gauges nutrient availability (really folks, you’ve got to read The Six Keys To Optimal Health, it’s all in there) and determines whether to burn when in excess or hold on to when deficient in nutrients. In plain language, you can starve yourself on tofu shakes all you want, if you are not getting the right nutrients in the proper amounts, your body will increase your appetite–through lowered serotonin levels–to ensure that more nutrients come in.* And low serotonin means increased fat storage.

What makes these findings interesting to me is that I am certain that we have direct control over our neurology. And we have this control through our minds. How is uncertain right now, but findings like these only strengthen my convictions. If the nervous system is the information superhighway between our brains and our bodies**, and if we can find a way to influence serotonin regulation–and I don’t mean through the use of selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors, either–through specific mental processes, then weight management could be under our individual control in the near future. I do believe it’s possible, naysayers. Just a matter of time before we figure out how. Findings like these always get my intellectual juices flowing, and I can’t help but imagine what future innovations lie ahead in this regard. Whatever that may be sure looks promising to me.

*Your body just wants nutrients; it can only get those nutrients from food, and doesn’t know whether you’ll be feeding it broccoli or Cheetos; all it can do is increase the appetite and wait.

**And don’t forget that the ultimate way to optimize and maintain your delicate nervous system is through safe, natural chiropractic care.

The Real Thing

By On · Add Comment · In fast-food, habit, soda, soft drinks, water, weight loss
Spent the day in downtown L.A. fulfilling my civic duty. Jury duty called and I was promptly selected–aargh!

While having lunch in the local food court, I couldn’t help but notice a very interesting observation: about 90% of the people in my view were drinking soda. I am certain that I saw a couple hundred people, so that’s a heck of a lot of soft drinks. I counted a few water bottles, but mostly I saw people drinking out of waxy soda cups, the kind you typically find at fast food restaurants. True, it might have been water, but since I know the national soda consumption numbers, which are astronomical, I’m sure these people were drinking what most Americans choose–good ol’ fashioned candy pop.

I couldn’t help but think about the weight loss industry too; about how it’s booming, and about how promising its future looks. How many people in this country are trying to lose weight right now? How many of you reading this are?

Well I’ve got a real buzzkill for you: You are never going to lose weight if you don’t give up your sodas. I know, I know–eff you, Campos!–because people feel strongly about their soft drinks. Never have I received so much resistance when suggesting a habit kick than when suggesting people stop drinking soft drinks–not from smokers, not from heavy drinkers, not from heavy sushi eaters. Nope, soda drinkers beat them all. They come up with all kinds of reasons why everything but soda is bad for them. Soda is not that big of a deal. Yeah, right.

I used to drink soda, I get it. You can pound these things all day long. Some people nail six or more in 24 hours! That’s pure, unadulterated liquid sugar. No nutrients, no vitamins–pure calories, pure sludge. I’m telling you, you can watch every other thing you eat. You can work out seven days a week. You can get liposuction and a stomach staple. But if you keep drinking sugar, you’ll never lose weight. I’ve been there, done that. Believe me soda is the first thing you must kick if you’re ever going to drop pounds. Next is booze, but that’s another story (don’t worry, I’ll get to it one day).

Here is the scary thing: Most people I observed at the food court seemed to be employees of the legal court. I know because I followed a bunch of attorneys down there; figured they’d know the best place to grub. They did. But no way I could eat that way every day. However, as I clearly saw, many people in downtown L.A. do. I didn’t see many other places to eat in the area. Funny, but my pompous L.A. arse always assumes that we know better in this town, but clearly we don’t. I can’t even imagine what it’s like in other less health-conscious cities like Houston, Oklahoma City or Vegas.

So here’s the skinny: If you wish to lose weight, drop the sodas, man; it’s the only way. But if you love your sodas so much that you can’t kick the habit, then don’t be so hard on yourself–enjoy your coke and your smile, and just be content with the extra 20 pounds.

Super Duper Reefer

By On · Add Comment · In Legalize Pot, marijuana, potency, THC, University of Mississippi's Potency Monitoring Project

Will the madness ever end? The latest in the battle between the Just Say No!ers and Legalize Pot heads has opponents of marijuana use blazing: The potency of pot is peaking, they say, and this can lead to increased toxicity and mental impairment.

According to the latest analysis from the University of Mississippi’s Potency Monitoring Project (crazy where our money goes, isn’t it?), marijuana potency has increased over the last year to the highest level in more than 30 years. Maui Wowee!!! Researchers have found that the average amount of THC (the stuff that gets you high) reached 9.6 percent in 2007. Compare this to 1983 when it averaged just under 4 percent. 1983 was a bad year.

So I have to ask: is this supposed to be a bad thing? According to opponents, it is. John Walters, director of the White House Office of National Drug Control Policy, says, “Marijuana potency has grown steeply over the past decade, with serious implications in particular for young people.” He cited the risk of psychological, cognitive and respiratory problems, and the potential for users to become dependent on drugs such as cocaine and heroin. Holy scheisse! Cocaine and heroin?

But leave it up to the Legalize Pot advocacy to fight b.s. with b.s. According to Dr. Mitch Earleywine, psychology professor at State University of New York in Albany, and trusted adviser for marijuana advocacy groups, marijuana users generally adjust to the level of potency and smoke it accordingly. He says in his most convincing b.s. bravado, “Stronger cannabis leads to less inhaled smoke.” Anybody else enjoying this as much as I am?

But the White House isn’t buying it. They point to the latest unsubstantiated claims that marijuana use can increase one’s risk for suffering depression and suicidal tendencies. Add to that the risk of developing other mental disorders, they say, and our nation is likely on the brink of moral collapse. Opponents gravest concerns are that higher THC contents are likely to increase addiction by triggering changes in the brain. Forget the scientific data to support these claims, they are inconveniently nonexistent.

Well, if I’ve said it once I’ll say it a thousand times: It’s gonna be a bloody battle between these two bovine scat slingers; and who’ll come out on top is anybodies guess. But I still think it’s pretty hard to defend the criminalization of marijuana use when a far more malignant mind-altering substance is legal and pretty much found everywhere. Add to that ethyl alcohol’s limited use medicinally and you’ve got to expect some resentment from the Rastafarian Resistance.


Whichever way you stand on this issue, I think we can all agree: If we are to judge marijuana in it’s proper context, then we probably need some cold hard facts, and not the baloney the anti-marijuana camp has been feeding us on rye bread.

Readers’ Comments

By On · Add Comment · In Uncategorized

I love readers’ comments. It shows me people care and think about their health. And I’ve received many since starting my blog last year. Thank you to all who have contributed in this manner.

But there is something I will absolutely not tolerate on this blog, and that’s offensive, baseless insults that spew from ignorance or worse. Don’t get me wrong, I welcome differing opinions and I just love it when somebody disagrees with me. How else are we to develop insights into this fascinating and ever dynamic world of human health and healing?

But when a reader posts an insulting absurdity with no backing whatsoever; no reference, nothing, nada, nunca, I have to simply say see ya: I delete the post right away. There’s no place for that here. Feel free to disagree, tell me I’m an idiot or whatever. I’m man enough to take it. But you better back your sh&* up, or the post is gone. I will even entertain keeping up ignorant, baseless drivel if the writer has the balls to post contact info along with the post (Yogi Bear, Darth Vadar and the like don’t count); if you can live with your words for all the world to see, then who am I to deny you the embarrassment? But the same posts written by Anonymous are simply unacceptable. Sorry.

So there you have it. Feel free to post, feel free to disagree, feel free to call me a jackass. Sometimes I am. But don’t even bother posting insults that have nothing to do with the subject at hand. Nobody will ever see it.

Probiotics May Protect Against Allergies

By On · Add Comment · In allergies, antibodies, bacteria, digestion, good bacteria, IgG, immune system, kefir, Lactobacillus casei, probiotics, yogurt

Probiotics may be beneficial for more than just digestion, a new study shows. The good bacteria that make up probiotic drinks and supplements may actually change the immune system’s response to grass pollen–the cause of hay fever. And even better it may help balance antibodies reducing allergies in general.

Oh, blessed be the Lord, I say! If these findings are correct, then those of us who suffer from seasonal allergies (which in L.A. means year round) can breath a sigh a relief. One in five Americans suffers from some sort of allergy. That’s fifty million sniffling, snorkling, and stuffed-up people suffering on a daily basis. The allergy remedy industry is booming, as people try to find relief from this maddening malady.

Enter probiotics. Probiotics are supplements containing various strains of beneficial bacteria–bacteria that reside naturally in our gut; symbiotic squatters, if you will. Everyone has heard of acidophilus. The probiotic strain used in the study, however, was Lactobacillus casei. Volunteers were given a milk drink–some with the bacteria and some without–which they imbibed daily for five months. Researchers took blood samples before the grass pollen season, at its peak, and after the end of the season. They found that people who had been drinking the probiotic drink had lower levels of an antibody that help produce allergy symptoms. And the people receiving the probiotic drink had higher levels of the antibody IgG, which protects against allergy symptoms.

I’ve been taking probiotics regularly myself for a couple of weeks now and I feel amazing. I started my regimen for digestive purposes and they have definitely delivered. Can’t recommend probiotics enough. Our modern lifestyles leave us susceptible to diminished gut bacterial colonies and we need to replenish regularly. Probiotics are it. Yes, you can eat yogurt, and you can certainly drink kefir, but for my money I want the biggest bang, and that comes from supplementing with probiotics. This is the brand I like and carry in my office. Great company, great product. And now great news for allergy sufferers. You heard it here first: supplement with probiotics for optimal digestive, immune and respiratory health.

Baby Boomers Breaking Down

By On · Add Comment · In active lifestyles, baby boomers, exercise, fitness, wear and tear injuries
Flash! Breaking news: Baby boomers are not invincible. That’s right, recent reports disclose that baby boomers, like every generation before them, wear down.

Is that news?

According to Dr. Jeffrey A. Ross, foot and ankle podiatrist from Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, who spoke at the recent annual meeting of the American College of Sports Medicine, an increasing number of baby boomers are suffering wear and tear injuries as a result of living active lifestyles. As the middle-aged generation continues to play hard and exercise balls to the wall, they are developing an inordinate amount of repetitive use injuries of the feet, ankles, knees, hips, shoulders and elbows. These numbers seem alarming because this is the first generation to take a highly active lifestyle into older age. Despite these facts, I say bravo!

These types of headlines might make some people think that active lifestyles are hazardous to the health, but it’s important to put it all into perspective. Previous generations tended to decline in physical activity as a sort of “natural process”. During the 1st half of the 20th century, medical science even saw increased physical activity in the elderly as detrimental. Pshaw, I say. We know now that staying physically active is more than just good for you–it’s essential.

The problem happening with baby boomers is one of faulty form, poor biomechanics, and ignoring the need to establish parameters. Many baby boomers have jumped into physical fitness without taking the time to be properly trained, and the result is an increase in injuries. No problem. It’s never too late to learn to do it the right way.

Poor biomechanics can be a simple issue of poor form or it might be due to biomechanical dysfunction. Chronic subluxations, poor flexibility, and funky feet can all exacerbate the problem…and eventually lead to injury. Gotta get your stuff worked out. See a chiropractor. Take yoga classes. Get fit for orthotics. You can get back to normal functioning; I see it happen every day in my practice.

And establishing parameters just means always reevaluating your limits. You can do this by keeping records of your current physical abilities–how far you run, how quickly you lap Runyon Canyon, how much weight you push, and so forth. If you wake up one morning feeling beat to hell, take note: you might need to change that current parameter and work back up to where you were. Wisdom is listening to your body. You will slow down eventually, but that doesn’t mean you have to hang ’em up at fifty. Keep going, just listen to your body when it tells you to bring it down. That way, you will be able to enjoy all the benefits of an active lifestyle for years to come.

Social Ties Keep People Mentally Sharp

By On · Add Comment · In decline, dementia, energetic, Harvard School of Public Health, memory, social integration, social life, socialization


In the fight against dementia, a rich social life may be just as important as cognitive calisthenics. According to a recent study, staying connected with family and friends may delay memory decline among the elderly.

This month’s issue of the American Journal of Public Health features a study conducted out of the Harvard School of Public Health, which looked at the effects of social integration on memory. Almost 17 thousand older adults were followed for a six year period and their memory tested over time. The people were categorized by marital status, volunteer activity, and frequency of contact with children, parents, and neighbors. Memory was assessed by immediate and delayed recall of a 10-word list.

Researchers found that highly social people had less memory decline (all participants had some memory decline) than their less social counterparts. And people with the least social integration had twice the rate of decline than the most socially integrated. Gives you something to think about when considering whether to let that ol’ crotchety pal of yours go, doesn’t it?

What wonderfully pleasant results coming out of the social and psychological sciences. Yes, we are social organisms. We thrive when interacting with others. Socialization is one of the seven major areas of life (along with physical, mental, spiritual, familial, financial, and vocational aspects) and it’s a fact that each one effects the others enormously. And now we know just how much socialization effects our mental and physical health.

As energetic organisms we need to have energetic exchanges regularly with other life forms. The most obvious is with our own species. However, I do believe that people can receive this necessary exchange with nature too. And some people can get all their energetic interaction needs fulfilled through nature–you know, the Dr. Doolittles of the world, Euell Gibbons, and such. But the social recluse who sits at home, watching T.V. and cursing the world is doomed to a later life of rapid mental decline.

Bottom line is this: If you want to stay sharp into old age, increase your social life. It’s fun. It’s healthy. It’s happenin’. Socializing is a great way to stay young.

My Favorite Hippie Store

By On · Add Comment · In Beta carotene, carrot juice, cayenne pepper, chlorophyll, Erewhon Natural Foods, ginger, juice bar, vitamin A, wheatgrass
Just went to my favorite hippie store today–it’s been a long time. Erewhon, that natural-foods icon located near CBS on Beverly Boulevard, is the best place to go for natural foods and products, period. There have been a few imitators–good try all–but none live up to quality of Erewhon Natural Foods.

I’ve been going to hippie stores for as long as I can remember. I hail from the hippie capital of the world, you know–San Francisco. Anyway, I love the atmosphere at hippie stores and I love the natural products. They’re real natural products, not simply labeled as such like in some of the other fake hippie/yuppie stores that are popular right now. Back in the day–1970s-80s–you were a real freak if you shopped at hippie stores. Not anymore! It’s super-hip. But that’s cool–I think health is hip, too.

So something I really love about Erewhon is their juice bar. I usually like a big carrot juice with a shot of wheatgrass (my mom used to shove this stuff down our throats when my siblings and I were kids, but now I love it), but today I tried something new that I want to turn you all on to. Today I had a shot of wheatgrass juice with a shot of ginger juice and a sprinkle of cayenne pepper. Woowee! Was that ever the schwizzle! You have got to try it–it’ll knock your socks off.

Carrot juice is high in vitamin A (Beta carotene) and vitamin B. It’s high in minerals like calcium, copper, magnesium, potassium, sodium, phosphorous, chlorine, sulfur, and iron. It’s great for the eyes (great remedy for night blindness), the mucous membranes (think lining of nose, mouth, throat, digestive system, and eliminatory organs), the bones and the teeth.

Wheatgrass is high in chlorophyll, amino acids, minerals, vitamins, and enzymes. It is good for:

  • improving the functions of the digestive system
  • preventing cancer, diabetes and heart disease
  • curing constipation
  • detoxifying heavy metals from the bloodstream
  • helping to make menopause more manageable
  • promoting general wellbeing.

Ginger is known as a digestive aid, increasing the production of digestive fluids and saliva. Ginger helps relieve indigestion, gas pains, diarrhea, and stomach cramping. Ginger has also been known to treat nausea, reduce inflammation, increase blood circulation, improve respiratory function, promote sweating (to break fevers), and detoxify the body.

Cayenne pepper has digestive benefits, circulatory benefits, and is used as a topical analgesic in many sports creams (it contains capsaicin–the chemical that causes heat). So all three together in a drink is…Booyah! Good stuff.

If you haven’t had the pleasure of checking out Erewhon, please do. As far as hippie stores go, it’s one of the best.

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