Dummy Weed?

By On · Add Comment · In controlled substances, federal agents, legalization, Legalize Pot, Los Angeles, marijuana clinics, medical marijuana, meta-analysis, psychotic illnesses, respiratory function, schizophrenia
Medical marijuana is dominating the news again. Last week, Congress defeated a measure that would have prevented the U.S. government from blocking the use of medical marijuana in states that allow it. On the same day, Wednesday, July 26, 2007, federal agents raided 10 marijuana clinics in the Los Angeles area. Seems like this battle will continue to rage on.

On the one side, you’ve got medical marijuana activists, which are really Legalize Pot advocates, and on the other, the federal government, or in some people’s opinions, the moral majorists. Basically, the former group wants the legalization of what they consider a benign substance, while the latter believes that all controlled substances are a danger to society.

I find this an interesting debate because it almost seems silly that a substance like marijuana would be illegal when taken in context to liquor, tobacco, and pharmaceuticals, all of which are more physiologically harmful to the body (for a laugh you have just got to see what the man on the street says about it all). Along with that, consider the benefits the government would achieve through legalization, like taxation and control, you know, things governments typically care about. It’s not like it wouldn’t be lucrative. I mean, doesn’t Snoop Dog still live here?

On the flip side, the medical marijuana clinics aren’t helping their cause any by supplying healthy customers with pot. These “clinics” are exploiting gray areas to basically operate as legal drug dens. Hey, I’m the first one to say that we should legalize marijuana – prostitution too – but first we’ll have to overcome our deep-rooted puritanical mores. Until then, well, the law is the law.

What I find particularly hysterical is that opponents to marijuana legalization (I’m using the term opponents here loosely – please play along) are looking for anything to rationalize their position. They are feeling hard pressed to show that marijuana use is harmful, so the best they can come up with is that pot smokers may be at a higher risk for schizophrenia and other psychotic illnesses.

Let’s get serious here. First, these results come from a meta-analysis (a comparative study) of 35 studies done over the last 27 years and not a single clinically controlled study. This means that the conclusions have been extrapolated and are therefore not definitive, not at all. Further, we have no way of knowing whether the mental illnesses observed were due to marijuana use, or whether the mentally ill are more likely to smoke marijuana. Basically, this is a flawed study. Even the study’s authors admit that “it may be impossible to establish for sure whether cannabis causes psychosis on the basis of current methods.”

But wait; before you start thinking that there are no health risks associated with marijuana use, think again. Pot smoking is hard on the lungs, so it could affect respiratory function (increased coughs, asthma, and upper respiratory infections) and cardiovascular capacity. Interestingly, though, it does not increase one’s chances of developing lung cancer.

It has other physiological consequences too, like possible dizziness, confusion, light-headedness, racing heart, agitation, feeling of tenseness, dry mouth, increased appetite, and loss of coordination. Marijuana also has cognitive consequences like short term memory loss, paranoia, anxiety, interruption of linear memory (difficulty following a train of thought), altered sense of time, psychological dependence, and loss of motivation.

So don’t think that pot smoking is all just fun and games – it has its risks too. But as I’ve said before, compared to some other substances that are perfectly legal in this country, marijuana does seem a bit lite by comparison.

Bottled Water Ripoff

By On · Add Comment · In Aquafina, bottled water, Coca-Cola Co., Dasani, filtered, municipal water, natural spring water, PepsiCo, purifying, tap water
Well, well, well…Aquafina bottled water will soon be sporting labels disclosing their source – the good ‘ol tap! Whaddaya know. The bottled water industry has become so lucrative – $15 billion in sales in the U.S. alone – that major beverage players, PepsiCo and Coca-Cola Co., have their own brands, Aquafina and Dasani respectively, which they push on the American public.

C’mon Campos, take it easy – consumers have a choice don’t they? Not always. Try this sometime: Walk into a gas station convenience store, or in my neighborhood, the local Rite Aid, and you’ll see nothing but Aquafina. Hmmm….

Want to know why? It’s simple – here’s what they say: Carry our water exclusively or kiss Pepsi, Mug Root Beer, Mountain Dew, Sierra Mist, Slice, Lipton Ice Tea, and all the other liquid sugar drinks goodbye. Well, if Mountain Dew is your big seller, then you’ll carry Aquafina. I mean, it’s just water, right? Who the heck is going to know the difference?

Well now you do. Aquafina, Dasani, and any other bottled water that labels its source as municipal water is selling you tap water, plain and simple. True, it’s filtered tap water, which has already been previously filtered by the municipalities, but okay, it’s filtered again. But does that make it worth MORE than gasoline. That’s right, in some instances when you buy those brands (i.e., movie theaters, sports arenas, concerts), you are paying more than you do for gas.

That doesn’t mean all bottled water is a rip off. Natural spring water – like Arrowhead and Sparkletts – is different. It comes from naturally occurring springs and it’s also filtered and taken through the purifying process. It’s overpriced too, but at least it’s more than what you can get out of your home faucet. Yeah, I’ll drink Aquafina occasionally, like when I’m in a pinch, you know – need water, no other options available. Oh well, let me just go ahead and get the liquid jack. However, if I have the option, it’s always spring water. Or you can just buy a washer safe plastic sports bottle and fill it up yourself, if you can remember to pack it. But never, ever refill your Arrowhead bottle – it’s a breeding ground for bacteria. Other than that, if you don’t mind paying hard earned cash for water coming from some factory faucet, well…it’s your money.

Anorexia Is Not Just For Kids Anymore

By On · Add Comment · In aging, anorexia, body image, diet, eating disorders, health, mature, Park Nicollet Health Services' Eating Disorders Institute, patients, skinny, ultra-thin, under weight, weight
Experts say that the number of women in their 30s, 40s and 50s being treated for anorexia is rising fast. One eating disorders treatment center in Minnesota says that its number of mature patients has increased from 9% in 2003 to 35% through only the first half of this year.

According to Carol Tappen, director of operations for the Park Nicollet Health Services’ Eating Disorders Institute in St. Louis Park, Minn., women over 30 are dealing with body image issues and more, such as work, divorce, stepchildren and aging parents. They also are dealing with an aging process, or childbirth, that changes the way they look. Tappen says, “One day, (a woman) wakes up and the kids are gone and she has a sense that nobody really needs her. She looks in the mirror and she says, ‘My body is shot.’ This woman says, ‘You know, that’s it. I’m going on a diet.'”

This really is a complex issue with no easy answers. At the risk of stating the obvious, this is a serious self image issue with deep rooted beliefs on what makes a person worthwhile or desirable. Being healthy is one thing, and yes, your body can give you an accurate picture of your current level of health, but skinny does not equal healthy. Far too many people (both men and women) use their weight as a guide to their health – that’s their reference point.

If you wake up one morning, look at your body and say, “I gotta make some changes.” Great, make changes. Start exercising, eat healthy foods, see a chiropractor and get that neck ache squared away, but don’t starve yourself. First off, it’s counterproductive: You’ll actually end up looking worse – it’s not attractive. And secondly, it is so damaging to your health. What difference does it make at the end of the day if you’re skinny but you drop dead because of the stresses you’ve put on your body?

I can’t speak for every man (or woman – this is not a heterosexual thing) but I’m pretty certain that most men find self confidence and self comfortability more attractive than skinniness. Unfortunately, I think that society is inundated with images of ultra-thin fashion models and celebrities and begins to think it’s normal. It’s not! Maybe a few of those images reflect the normal body shapes of some particular celebs, but many of these women are anorexic too.

Some women will say, “I don’t need to lose weight for anybody but myself – I feel better when I’m thinner.” Really? Somehow, I just don’t buy it. A fine line sits between being over and under weight, but as I’ve said before, weight is simply a poor way to evaluate one’s health. Do the right things, practice The Six Keys To Optimal Health, and if you don’t look and feel great, you just haven’t given it enough time. Remember one thing: nobody is rejecting you because of your weight – it might be a lot of things, but it ain’t that. And if for any odd reason it is, then that person isn’t worth a pound of….

What The Heck’s Going On Here?

By On · Add Comment · In conventional wisdom, health, heart bypass surgery, obese, obesity, Parkinson's disease, preventative, smokers, smoking
Am I seeing this right? Are studies now showing that smoking and obesity might have some benefits after all? Researchers are reporting that smokers are at a lower risk for developing Parkinson’s disease, while obese people who have heart disease live longer than their non-obese counterparts. What!?!? Now let me get this straight, two pillars of conventional health wisdom might be partial truths? Whaddaya know.

Check this out: 11 studies conducted between 1960 and 2004, looking at over 11,000 people, showed that current smokers had the lowest risk of developing Parkinson’s disease, while former smokers, some having quit as long as 25 years earlier, showed the next lowest risk. Scientists are not quite sure what provides the preventative effects, but they extend to cigar smoking, pipe smoking and chewing tobacco as well.

Regarding obesity: among 6,900 men with symptoms of heart disease, researchers found that those who were obese were less likely to die over the next seven-and-a-half years compared with normal-weight men. Some studies also hint that obese people may survive heart bypass surgery better.

Now this doesn’t mean that we should all pick up a pizza, beer and Marlboro lifestyle habit, but it does bring up a very important point. We still know very little about the workings of the human body. According to one of my former professors, we probably know about 40%, and I think this might be a generous estimate.

What’s the significance? Nothing we know today is 100% definite, so proceed with caution. Don’t just accept health information as it comes; think about it, be discriminating. As I like to say: today’s conventional wisdom is tomorrow’s obsolescence. You’ll be the safest if you practice the basics – The Six Keys To Optimal Health. These are tried and true principles, which haven’t changed for thousands of years – they’re timeless. So, instead of banking on Viagra, Lasix or Botox, how about caring for your health as your most important asset? You simply can’t go wrong that way.

Who Says They’re Not Normal!

By On · Add Comment · In birth defect, brain, cranium, Downs Syndrome, hydrocephalus, intelligence tests, IQ, mentally retarded, National Human Genome Research Institute, small brain, ventricle
Here’s a tripper: French researchers have reported that a man with an unusually small brain has been living a healthy, functional life as a civil servant and family man in France. MRI scans of the 44-year-old man’s brain showed that most of the room in the cranium was filled by a fluid filled chamber called a ventricle. Only a small, thin sheet of brain tissue was actually present.

The “small brained” man lived a very normal life; he was married with two children and worked as a civil servant (insert dumb joke here). He went to the hospital after suffering mild weakness in his left leg. Upon taking his medical history, doctors uncovered that he had a shunt inserted into his brain to treat him for hydrocephalus – water on the brain – as an infant. The shunt was removed when he was fourteen. Intelligence tests showed the man to have an IQ of 75, below the average score of 100 but not considered mentally retarded or disabled, either.

This story felt very satisfying to me because I’ve always been a little put off by the concept of a birth “defect”. Defective? According to who? What defect makes a human being defective? I know, I know…some variations threaten life. However, I’d argue that life spans vary – doesn’t make that individual defective in my eyes. Many people are born with circumstances that take them outside of the norm – heart murmurs, polydactyly, sickle cell, lactose intolerance, cleft palate, and now, small brains – they still can live rich rewarding lives within their own unique limits. You’ve got limits too, and so do I – doesn’t make us defective – so why someone with Downs Syndrome? I know of people with Downs Syndrome who live independently, work for a living, pay their rent, and LOVE their lives. And a man in France with a smaller brain is, I’m quite certain, happy to be alive.

As Dr. Max Muenke, a pediatric brain defect specialist at the National Human Genome Research Institute puts it, “What I find amazing to this day is how the brain can deal with something which you think should not be compatible with life. If something happens very slowly over quite some time, maybe over decades, the different parts of the brain take up functions that would normally be done by the part that is pushed to the side.” Ah, the miraculous adaptability of the human body. Makes you sort of rethink the notion of being defective, doesn’t it?

Don’t You Just Hate When Mom is Wrong?

By On · Add Comment · In aging, antioxidant, cancer, chicken soup, collagen, common cold, conventional wisdom, degenerative diseases, free radicals, health, healthy blood vessels, healthy skin, natural, nutrient, vitamin C

Just another blow to conventional wisdom: A review of 30 published studies confirms it even further – vitamin C does nothing to fight the common cold. I know, I know, that’s not what Mom said. Take plenty of vitamin C along with chicken soup and you’ll beat that cold in no time. Also, don’t go out with your hair wet or without a jacket, you might catch cold. Didn’t mom tell you that one, too?

Well, I hate to be the one to discredit Mom, but researchers at the University of Helsinki, Finland looked at people who took high-doses of vitamin C and found it did very little to reduce their risk of catching a cold (so small as to be clinically useless). Furthermore, it did nothing to reduce the duration of a cold or its symptoms.

That doesn’t mean vitamin C is useless, though. As I point out in my upcoming book – The Six Keys To Optimal Health – this nutrient is absolutely essential to achieving and maintaining great health. Vitamin C is a natural antioxidant, so it fights oxidizing free radicals, which can lead to aging and the development of many degenerative diseases, like cancer. It’s also an important player in the formation of collagen, so…that means healthy skin and healthy blood vessels and healthy joints and healthy ligaments and on and on and on. I think that vitamin C is so important that I believe, to have truly optimal health, you need to supplement with 1,000 mg per day.
But don’t feel badly for mom. She’s right about the chicken soup thing. I guess one out of two ain’t bad, now, is it?

Our Civil Liberties Being Challenged Once Again

By On · Add Comment · In Avandia, cervical cancer, disease, FDA, health, HPV, human papilloma virus, illness, lifestyle choices, mandate, mandatory, sexual behavior, Thalidomide, vaccinate, vaccinations, vaccine, Vioxx
Mandatory HPV vaccinations are once again at the top of the legislative agenda. California is the latest state to introduce a bill requiring girls entering sixth grade to receive the three standard doses of the HPV vaccine.

HPV stands for the human papilloma virus, a sexually transmitted organism that is the cause of genital warts and 70% of all cervical cancers. On the surface, this may seem like a good idea to protect the lives of young women of our society. However, forcing people to vaccinate themselves against a disease that results from lifestyle choices is simply preposterous. This is no morality trip – I don’t think this mandate, in any way, is going to encourage young women to engage in sexual behavior as some suggest. But, I do think that when it comes to our health, the choice should be ours alone.

Now, this is very different from the scenario of being at risk of developing illness by being in the same room as someone who, say, has measles, or tuberculosis or even the flu. You cannot catch HPV without sexual contact, so the public health is not threatened in any way. Using the argument that mandatory vaccination will save lives is using the ends to justify the means. It would be like vaccinating people against drugs and alchohol – a la A Clockwork Orange – to prevent drunk driving deaths.

Sound like an exaggeration to you? It’s not. Consider this: I have a beautiful, healthy and happy 14-month-old daughter, Delilah, who is the apple of my eye. I don’t know anything about this vaccine other than the government (i.e. the FDA) says it’s safe. Do you know how many substances the FDA has deemed safe that we found out later were not? Here are a few:

So why would I want to give a vaccine to my daughter that hasn’t been comprehensively tested? I’m never the first to try out the new version of Internet Explorer, either. Quite frankly, I’d rather take my risk with my daughter contracting HPV, then inject her with something I know very little about. That’s just my opinion. If you want to vaccinate your daughter, go ahead. Nobody wants to stop you. If I, or she, decide down the road that we should do it, then we will – just don’t force it down our throats.

Start With the Basics – Health First

By On · Add Comment · In bodywork, Centers of Disease Control, exercising, health, health care system, health practices, health theory, magic bullet, medical doctors, mentally balanced, nutritious foods, rest, toxins

Our health care system is in a shambles – so says the director of the Centers of Disease Control, Dr. Julie Gerberding. Her solution: start from the ground up – train medical doctors in health theory and practice, and not just the treatment of diseases.

Bravo! I’ve been pushing this agenda for the last seven years. In fact, my upcoming book – The Six Keys To Optimal Health – runs precisely on that premise. It makes no sense to me to neglect basic health practices and hope that, in the future, a magic bullet will be waiting to save us. That’s a big fat fantasy. Dream on.

If you are not eating wholesome nutritious foods, not exercising regularly, not getting sufficient rest, not working out the stress and tension of your body with regular bodywork, not keeping mentally balanced, and regularly ingesting toxins – like prescription and over the counter medications, recreational drugs and cigarette smoke – then you’re flirtin’ with disaster. And…guess what? It’s going to continue to tax an already overloaded and overpriced medical system. Michael Moore can make 5,000 films and presidential candidates can campaign on the Universal Health Care platform till kingdom come – if the people of this country don’t start with the basics, then it ain’t gonna get any better – just worse. Nuff said.

Kids Do As Their Parent Do

By On · Add Comment · In child, childhood obesity, dietary habits, dieting, epidemic, exercise, fad diets, kids, parents, pre-teens, weight

Here’s a disturbing fact: Thirteen percent of 9-13-year-olds have reported dieting in the last month. Dieting pre-teens?

You might think, “What’s the big deal – it’s only 13%”? But I’m blown away that any child that age would be dieting at all. Dieting, as we commonly use the term, rarely means changing one’s dietary habits to healthy ones, but instead means following one of the current fad diets, or just not eating at all. In the 9-13 year old age range, it’s probably more like the latter.
Where on earth do kids this age learn about dieting anyway? Probably from their parents. And at the risk of sounding sexist – I guess I’m going to go out on a limb here – probably from their mothers. Whether we want to admit it or not, children observe and copy everything we do. If you smoke, expect your children to smoke; watch a lot of T.V., expect your children to watch a lot of T.V.; look in the mirror and say, “Ugh, I need to lose 10 lbs.”, expect the same from your child.
Okay, you may, in fact, really need to lose ten pounds. But how many women (men too, but mostly women) are trying to live up to some standard set by fashion magazines or the film industry? Knowing what I know about the epidemic rise of childhood obesity, I really doubt it’s the kids who actually need to lose weight that are dieting. My guess is that it’s more likely kids trying to emulate mom, and those looking up to the Lindsays and Nicoles of super-celebrity stature.
Do your kids a favor: eat healthy, well-balanced meals, exercise regularly, and stop obsessing about your weight. They’re watching you – and even though they won’t admit it – they’re copying most everything you do.

Natural Cures “They” Don’t Want You to Know About

By On · Add Comment · In Biotape, calcium citrate, Coral Calcium, Dr. Nick Show, FDA, health, health book, infomercials, Kevin Trudeau, Natural Cures "They" Don't Want You to Know About, supplements

This month, on the Dr. Nick Show podcast, I review the mega best selling health book, Natural Cures “They” Don’t Want You to Know About by Kevin Trudeau. Boy, what a blast. This guy is a trip. Read this fantastic article about him from the Washington Post.

Trudeau was banned from selling supplements by the FDA for his false claims about the product Coral Calcium. From what I understand, Coral Calcium is not better than calcium citrate as far as absorption goes, and anyway, Trudeau said it could cure cancer. Dummy! You can’t say that. One, because it’s just not true. And two…well, because it’s not true, and furthermore, people might believe you.

He was also banned from selling any health product on infomercials for both his claims on Coral Calcium and his product Biotape. Biotape, according to Trudeau could cure chronic pain. I don’t think it worked very well. Hmm, I see a pattern here.

So, on to the health book publishing biz. Natural Cures has sold over 5 million copies. Very impressive. And it has been proclaimed the greatest selling health book of all time. Wow! Kudos, man.

Anyway, I don’t think the book is totally useless. Check out my review on the Dr. Nick Show.
Here are some real Natural Cures books:
Enjoy.

A Future Cure For Cancer?

By On · Add Comment · In bacteria, bacteriophage, bioengineering, biotech, cancer, cancer cells, eradicate, genetically engineered, gentic material, herpes virus, living, molecular biology, treatments, virus
A German Biotech company is working on a genetically engineered herpes virus to combat and kill cancer cells. Apparently, the modified virus leaves healthy tissue alone, making it a promising tool in the fight against cancer.
This concept may seem weird to many unfamiliar with principles of molecular biology, but it is, in fact, possible, theoretically speaking. Viruses attack cells and other cellular organisms, like bacteria (called bacteriophages). Viruses are small packets of gentic material surrounded by a protien covering. Whether or not they can be considered living material is still being debated by modern science, but either way viruses are an enormous part of life on this planet.
Through bioengineering techniques, viruses can be manipulated to attack certain cells, so these recent finding a very important indeed. We may be getting a glimpse of the future with regard to cancer treatments – and other medical treatments in general. I think it’s exciting anyway. I’ve been saying for quite some time now that it’s futile to try to eradicate certain organisms, particularly microorganisms, from this planet. They wouldn’t exist if they had no purpose – so why try to play Zeus and remove them? In other words, if you can’t beat ’em, find a use for them, and manipulate them. Isn’t that what we humans are best at, anyway?

Nicole Richie is Pregnant???

By On · Add Comment · In anorexic, birth defects, Downs Syndrome, drug user, emotional scarring, miscarriages, mothers, Nicole Richie, pregnancy, pregnant, skinny, Tay-Sachs
My wife asked me today, “Can you believe that Nicole Richie is pregnant? How can she hold a baby?” I presumed she meant the skinny, anorexic, drug user thing.

“Why wouldn’t she be able to?”, I asked.

“Because she’s so skinny?”

That question reminded me of something I found very interesting and, quite frankly, peculiar during our own pregnancy with our daughter Delilah. I noticed that an enormous amount of fear and caution is circulated among new, expecting mothers. Downs syndrome, Tay-Sachs, birth defects, emotional scarring, miscarriages, preschool enrollment – you name it, there was a precaution for it. Quite the bit of nail biting involved.

I have to say that I find it a bit counterproductive. I see where it comes from; liability is a grave concern among doctors, especially OB/GYN docs. As I understand it, obstetricians have the highest malpractice premiums of all doctors simply because they are the most often sued. Think about it: a child is born with a birth defect – gotta blame somebody, right? That’s the American way. Couldn’t be destiny or have greater, let’s say, spiritual meaning now could it? Nor could it possibly be a blessing – for the child and the parents. Nah – it’s gotta be the doctor’s fault. Sue him!

Here’s what I always say: It’s true, things do happen. And it’s always better to be safe than sorry, so testing is o.k. But let’s lighten up a bit. Don’t go through your pregnancy freaked out. Consider this: There are starving women in Africa having babies, and many survive. The human body is incredibly resilient, so for the most part, everything should be o.k. If you happen to fall within the small percentage of there being “a problem”, then I think it’s wiser to look at the deeper implication; the deeper meaning, if you will. It’s still a blessing. You just have to see it as such.

As far as Nicole Richie is concerned, I have a confession to make. I just couldn’t pass up the opportunity to say Nicole Richie in my blog. Paris, you’re next.

I Think I’ve Got It

By On · Add Comment · In ache, chiropractic, chiropractors, discomfort, neck, neck muscles, neck pain

O.k. my neck started bothering me again this morning. If you’ve read my entry from last month, Even Chiropractors Need Chiropractic, then you’ll remember that I’ve been having neck pain on and off for about a month and a half.

What gives? You’re a chiropractor Campos.

I’ve told you, chiropractors need chiropractic the most.

Anyway, I’ve been noticing that the discomfort would begin after a leisurely night in front of the T.V. on my…seven year old couch. Aha! It all makes sense now. My couch is so worn that I sink into it, which forces the muscles in the back of my neck to contract. Do this for and hour, two hours…o.k., o.k., SIX HOURS, I admit it…your neck is going to ache. Try holding a baseball bat out at arm’s length for 60 seconds and see what happens. This happens to the neck muscles too, just not as quickly, or as dramatically.

So, duh, I hadn’t considered that before: a couch – like a bed – needs to be replaced, and probably within around the same amount of time. If you’re not sure when to replace your bed, then please read my article How Sweet the Sleep 2. Now, for some people, the couch sees more action than the bed. If that the case, you’ll need to replace the couch sooner. Clearly, my couch has seen a lot of action.

For you do it yourselfers – check out this cool page on replacing the cushions of your sofa.

And another all about cushions.

Which One Is The One?

By On · Add Comment · In Atkins Diet, burn, calories, diet, exercise, fitness, Jenny Craig, South Beach, supplements, The President's Council on Physical Fitness, The Zone, weight loss, Weight Watchers

Atkins, South Beach, The Zone, Weight Watchers, Jenny Craig – which diet is the best? Well, if you listen to the latest flavor-of-the-month diet guru, then their diet is the best. Want to know one of the quickest ways to riches – write a diet book, open a weight loss clinic, or market your trim slim miracle supplements to a desperate culture. That’s it – instant millionaire.

Just ask Dr. Phil. Or Kevin Trudeau. Ask them about the biggest scam “they don’t want you to know about”. Yup, Dr. Phil discontinued his weight loss program – guess he wanted to keep some sort of credibility. The other guy? He doesn’t care. Trust me – he doesn’t care. To quote Mr. Trudeau, “It’s always about the money.” Uh huh, yeah, whatever.

Here’s the skinny: To lose weight, you need to burn more calories than you take in. To gain weight, you need to take in more calories than you burn. To break even, your calorie intake must equal exactly what you burn. Simple mathematics.

Yes, some diets work for some people. But no diet works for all people. And according to a recent study, many diets work about the same – which is, not very well. Never thought I’d do it, but if I’ve got to endorse a diet, it would be Weight Watchers. Their protocol is to control, or watch, the amount of calories one takes in on a daily basis. Duh! Makes sense to me. And…they offer coaching and support, something I think is absolutely essential.

You can’t do it without exercise either. There are metabolic reasons for this – you can read about them in detail in my upcoming book, The Six Keys To Optimal Health -but suffice it to say that without a fitness routine to help you burn calories, you won’t find success by dieting alone.

See what the The President’s Council on Physical Fitness has to say about it.

It’s Never Too Late

By On · Add Comment · In exercising, health, healthy habits, heart disease, lifestyle habits, premature death

It’s never too late to start thinking about your health. So says a group of researchers at the Medical University of South Carolina. Adopting healthy lifestyle habits, even in middle age, can decrease one’s risk of developing heart disease and premature death.

A study has shown that by practicing healthy habits – eating five or more fruits and vegetables every day, exercising for at least 2 1/2 hours a week, keeping weight down and not smoking – the risk of developing heart disease decreased by 35% and premature death by 40%. Researchers began tracking 16,ooo Americans between the ages of 45 and 64 in the late 1980s, and they found that people who did not practice healthy habits in the beginning of the study, but picked them up four years later, caught up to the people who were practicing healthy habits from the start.

No surprise here but according to the article “men, blacks, people with less education and lower incomes, and people with high blood pressure or diabetes were less likely to follow the health guidelines from the beginning or adopt them later in life.” I find the same thing in my practice. I just don’t understand why men wait so long to take care of themselves. Oh well, you can only lead them to water.

Oh the Irony…

By On · Add Comment · In adverse drug reactions, calories, fast-food, fat, health, junk food, nutrition, obesity, saturated fat, trans fat, unnecessary surgeries
The American Medical Association has said it wants fast-food restaurants to post nutritional factson their menus as a means to combat obesity. These facts should include calories, grams of fat, grams of saturated fat, and grams of trans fat in each fast food item.You probably already know how I feel about this notion if you’ve read my June 18th post, Barking up the Wrong Tree. Not only do I think it’s ludicrous to penalize fast-food chains (what about pizza parlors, ice cream shops, candy stores, Chinese restaurants and burger stands, like Fat Burger and every other junk food supplier?), it ain’t gonna do diddly if people don’t value there health to begin with.

“No, you’re wrong Campos. People will make better choices if they can see how many calories they’re consuming.” Poppycock! This information has been on food packaging for years at our country’s biggest supplier of junk food – the good ol‘ fashioned grocery chain. That’s right, the American institution known as the grocery store is the largest pusher of junk food in the world, and they’ve been advertising calories and fat counts for ever. It hasn’t stopped people yet from stuffing their faces full of Dinty Moore Beef Stew. And neither will it help people choose between the Double Quarter Pounder and the MacSoy Melt.

I find it especially hysterical that the AMA is promoting this idea. Wait. I’ve got a better idea. Why don’t fast-food restaurants include this information on the back of their receipts in technical language and with the smallest print the human eye can distinguish – just like they do with prescription medications? That’ll at least put them up to par with the medical/pharmaceutical industries as responsible informers.

And here’s another good idea: why not have medical offices post the number of deaths associated with adverse drug reactions (also see here) and unnecessary surgeries (and here, and here) in their waiting rooms so that people know just what they’re in for. Think the AMA will push for that kind of responsible advertising anytime soon?

More links on unnecessary surgeries:
Life Extensions Magazine,
Dr. Joeseph Mercola
New York Times

Google unnecessary surgeries or adverse drug reactions and get blown away.

Gotta Eat Grains

By On · Add Comment · In carbohydrates, diet, fats, heart disease, high protein, low carb, natural foods, proteins, stroke

There’s a misconception among some people that a high protein, low carb diet is best – especially for those trying to remain slim. I’ve got nothing against low carb diets if they’re done for a short period of time to reach a goal, and then transitioned to a more balanced diet. But for some people this type of diet seems to be the Holy Grail.

I delight in bursting this bubble because I am convinced that over the long-haul this diet is just unhealthy. A new study shows that whole grains are important to preventing the thickening of arteries – a precursor to heart disease and stroke – so a balanced diet consisting of carbohydrates, proteins and fats is still the best.

I think that those people touting the high protein, low carb diet have evaluated it relative to a diet high in substandard carbs – french fries, bagels, corn dogs, pringles, Pop-Tarts, Cracker-Jacks…need I go on? Relative to diets high in processed carbohydrates, yeah, high protein, low carb is way better. But let’s get serious here.

I’ve always said that eating a diet rich in whole, natural foods is best. And it’s important to fill that diet with whole grains, fruits, vegetables, moderate portions of meat, cheese, fish and eggs, and of course, whole, natural fats and oils (avocados, butter, fish) in moderation. Trying to compare a fad diet to one balanced in junk is not going to lead you down the right road necessarily. There is no need to reinvent the wheel. Eat whole, natural foods as you were meant to, and you shouldn’t have any problems.

Time for the Vitamin Industry to Raise the Bar

By On · Add Comment · In Dietary Supplement Health and Education Act, FDA, L-tryptophan, regulation, supplement, vitamin
Well, it’s about time. The FDA has finally set new manufacturing standardsfor the vitamin and supplement industry. Makers of vitamin and herbal supplements will now have to meet government standards to show that their products are free from contamination and contain exactly what the label says, U.S. health officials said on Friday.Some supplements have been recalled in the past, like the contaminated L-tryptophan that killed or injured hundreds of people in 1989. Other companies are selling supplements that contain undisclosed drug ingredients while still others sell products with less than advertised levels of vitamins A, C and folic acid.

I’ll say it again – it’s about time. The vitamin and supplement industry has for too long escaped regulation, opening it up to scheisters and crooks to scam the public. I applaud the FDA for seeing the need to step in and do something. Granted it’s taken thirteen years to finally implement the rule set forth by the Dietary Supplement Health and Education Act of 1994 (DSHEA), but any action in this area is welcomed.

Take it from a health care practitioner who is inundated by advertisements touting one miraculous supplement after another. I sometimes scan through these marketing materials just to see what the latest gimmick is – it really is quite amusing. And I especially love that every company says they have the research data, all of which was compiled by – their own labs! Har har har…does that one really still slip by consumers?

Here’s what I want as a clinician recommending supplements to my clients – high quality vitamins offered singly (as in vitamin C or E), in a complex (as in vitamin B complex) or with a few other ingredients that are known to enhance absorption, assimilation or function (as in vitamin C with bioflavanoids) – that’s it. I don’t want the heart function formula, or the women’s formula, or the male enhancement formula – just the isolated vitamin, mineral or multivitamin that has, well…vitamins. I don’t need rhinoceros horn or bovine adrenals or magic mushroom tops from Belize (um…no, no I don’t want those either) or Chinese herbal mixes. No thank you. Just the vitamins, please.

If I’ve said it once, I’ll say it again: vitamin supplementation is absolutely necessary if you want to live in Optimal Health. But we need some group to watch the rats who’ll sell us ground oregano and tell us it’s as good as eating a whole week’s worth of vegetables.

Thoughts on Evolution

By On · Add Comment · In chimpanzees, gene, gorillas, HIV, immune system, immunity, infection, infectious agents, microorganisms, monkeys, PtERV1, retrovirus, TRIM5a, virus

Scientist have reported that our human ancestors won a significant battle against an ancient retrovirus millions of years ago, one

that may have ultimately left us susceptible to HIV.
According to experts, human beings have a gene, called TRIM5a, which was successful in fighting the ancient PtERV1 retrovirus. This retrovirus infected chimpanzees, gorillas and old world monkeys about 4 million years ago but not humans. Scientists believe that the presence of the TRIM5a gene in humans neutralized the retrovirus and therefore prevented infection.
Monkeys were not so lucky. Without a copy of the virus fighting gene, apes’ were susceptible to the retrovirus lodging itself into their genome, thus causing disease. In monkeys that did not die, the retrovirus mutated, and was passed on to offspring. These mutations led to future immunity to the HIV virus, something humans did not get.
Sounds right to me; from my understanding of evolution, this is one mechanism in which an organism can develop immunity. As I say in my upcoming book, The Six Keys To Optimal Health, we actually need to be exposed to infectious agents – it’s the only way for our immune system to evolve. The virus and other microorganisms we encounter today, may protect us from new diseases tomorrow. Microorganisms evolve just like we do, as does our immune system. Think of it in the same way you would a computer virus-scan program – gotta do the updates, otherwise you’re susceptible.
So, in my opinion, it’s futile to eradicate microorganisms. We need them to further our own evolution. What’s more important is keeping the body healthy, so that we can effectively stave off infection, illness and disease on our own – just as chiropractors have been preaching for over a century. Do the right things – eat well, sleep well, get regular chiropractic adjustments – and appreciate those bugs for what they are: accomplices in the evolution of life on planet earth.

Barking Up the Wrong Tree

By On · Add Comment · In calorie counts, fast-food, food, menu, trans-fats

What the heck are they doing in NYC? Has that city gone mad? Is the Big Apple now the food fascist capital of the world? When a society believes that its citizens can’t think for themselves they start to pass silly laws, like making trans-fats illegal. Or their newest one – requiring some restaurants to list calorie counts on their menu boards next to the price.

Now I understand the rationale behind what they’re doing – I mean for God’s sake some people act as if they don’t have a sensible brain cell in their noggin – but to impose this kind of regulation on the public and the food service industry is just ridiculous.

I just don’t believe that this is the answer to get people healthy. On the contrary; when you start forcing businesses to prepare food in a particular way you are removing the responsibility from the consumer. And I’m sorry but that’s not in the public’s best interest. What next? Tell them when to exercise, when to get vaccinated (this is actually happening to some degree right now, especially in Texas), when to have sex? Gimme a break!

Pulling the responsibility away from the consumer is actually disempowering her. What it says is, “We know you are a mindless sheep, you stuff yourself full of unhealthy food and drink, and since you can’t control yourself, we’re just going to make it unavailable. And as far as what we will offer you, here’s how many calories it has, Ding Dong.” Yeah, that’s the answer.

Well, what about me. I’m not obese. I don’t overindulge in Whoppers (BTW, only 10% of the city’s restaurants – read: national fast-food chains – are required to abide by this regulation). I happen to enjoy an occasional trans-fat laden McDonald’s French Fry. Why do I have to suffer? Because your fellow American can’t control himself, that’s why.

I got news for you NYC: people who don’t care for their health aren’t going to care for it more by imposing regulations. People care for their health when they value it, plain and simple.

And it’s a slippery slope too. What next? Can’t have ice cream – it’s gotta be frozen yogurt. Can’t smoke cigars anywhere except in Cuba…oh, but you’re American so you can’t go there, sorry. Oh no, can’t run marathons or box or play football – heavens forbid, you might get hurt.

Listen, I’m all for taking care of one’s health. But I know for certain, that it’s got to be a part of your consciousness. Removing the pleasures of life – and yeah, for some people (like me), fast food is nothing more than an occasional pleasure – is not going to make people value their health more. I think it will do the opposite. I think it actually will turn people into mindless sheep. Baaaaah!!!

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