One of my patients -- let's call him Dave -- found out that his cholesterol was up. His GP immediately prescribed Lipitor, a common cholesterol-lowering drug.
Glancing over the prescription, Dave said, "Listen, I don't exercise. I'm eating junk food most of the time. I'm going to clean up my diet and work out. Let's see how that goes. Can I hold off on the drugs for now?"
Usually doctors will agree that exercise and diet are a good first route. But not this time...
"No, that won't help," said his GP. "Both your parents have high cholesterol so it MUST be genetic."
You've seen the commercials, haven't you? Where they say: "Cholesterol comes from TWO sources: From FOOD or from YOUR GENES. Talk to your doctor about the new so-and-so drug that will control..."
Yes, genes can cause someone to lean towards high cholesterol (just like some people lean towards being overweight). I don't think, however, that many people give exercise and diet a solid effort before they conclude it's "genetics."
Even if it is due to "genetics," does that conclusively mean that exercise and diet won't help? Absolutely not. I'm not saying that walking and broccoli will cure you every time, but it would be difficult to argue that they won't have a positive impact.
Let me put this another way... If Dave's parents lived off fruits and vegetables, swam 40 laps everyday and STILL had high cholesterol then chances are we need to take further action.Yet, as was the case, Dave's folks still considered French-fries a serving of vegetables and they exercised as rarely as an oak tree.
So, yes, Dave probably did inherit high cholesterol from his parents... but it sounds to me more like they passed it down habitually, NOT genetically. They're the ones who taught him these e-food diet and, probably by example, to neglect physical fitness.
Well, Dave cut the red meats and refined sugars out of his diet, started eating more vegetables and whole grains. He reduced his trips to the fast food hut. He started eating more fruit instead of sugary snacks. Never a jogger before, he took it up 3-4 times a week, for five kilometers at a time.
Strange thing, he found... he liked it.
And, not surprisingly...
...six months later, Dave had his cholesterol checked again, and it went right back down to NORMAL. No hint of a problem.
"This is cool!" Dave told me. "I'm gonna tell my parents, 'cause they need to get off their butts too. They're thinking it's all genetic and they need to stay on these drugs because THEIR parents died from a heart attack."
Well, Dave's example got his parents walking each day and eating better. Now their cholesterol is down to normal and they're off the drugs.
If Dave hadn't made the first move, I bet his kids would be labeled with the "cholesterol genes." Same with his grandkids. A whole family tree taking drugs they don't need.
If you've been told your cholesterol is high, and you would like to lower it naturally -- avoiding costly drugs and their side-effects -- then here's how I can help:
* Pin-Point the MAIN Causes of Your High Cholesterol: Many factors cause high cholesterol in different people. Sometimes it's diet, sometimes it's lifestyle, stress, lack of exercise, genes or the result of another illness. The first thing I'll do is examine your case history, ask you key questions and run some non-invasive tests. Then I'll be able to determine what is the main issue we need to address to quickly start dropping your cholesterol points and extending your life.
* Easy Cholesterol Lowering Diet: I can put together a list of tasty, natural foods to replace typical (and not so typical) culprits that directly or indirectly fill you up with artery-clogging cholesterol. Using a special Food Pharmacy computer software system, I can create a diet plan tailored to your body type and needs. This should produce faster results than following a generic plan written for the general public.
* Herbal Shortcuts: I can determine, for example, which herbs or vitamins/minerals would help insulin better bind to sugars in your bloodstream -- so they don't get sent to your liver and recycled as cholesterol-laden fat.
If your cholesterol is above 5.2, you're body is at risk for a heart attack or stroke. Would you rather be like Dave? In three to six months you could drop back down into the risk-free zone. Call my receptionist Suzanne at (519) 739-2402 to book a "Conquer Your Cholesterol" appointment.
Yours in health,
Dr. Karlo Mauro, N.D.
www.thenaturopath.ca/feelbetter
(519) 739-2402
P.S. Check out the article about fish oil in the April InnerCircle Newsletter (mailed to active patients). Fish oil helps your insulin bind to sugars so it doesn't get sent to your liver and recycled as fatty cholesterol. Fish oil also cuts cravings so you don't absolutely, must, can't-live-without a chocolate bar this afternoon.
Wednesday, April 18, 2007
Saturday, April 14, 2007
10-Year Old Boy Sentenced to Life
Last Monday at dinner, Ella, my two and a half year old daughter, eats three mouthfuls of food and sets down her spoon. Turning to me, with a slightly confused look on her face, she says:
"Wan choc-lick."
"Ella," I say, "just eat your dinner."
"No! Wan choc-lick!"
And she goes running off looking for her Easter baskets -- which we had conveniently RE-hid.
Hiding the horde works if you persevere for a few days. Easter night we stashed most of their candies away. On Monday night we hid even more. It's the whole out-of-sight, out-of-mind idea.
They don't even notice their inventory has diminished.
What else can you do, when family and friends drop by with enough sweets to turn your home into the set for the next remake of "Charlie and the Chocolate Factory"?
Now, I know I've talked about sugar for a few emails, and I promise after this Easter story I won't mention the S word again for a while.
It's just the amount of su... uh, glucose the average child is consuming is dangerous. If you think I'm being an alarmist, good. Never at any time in recorded history did so many teenagers have Type 2 Diabetes. In North America, diabetes is an epidemic cutting years off peoples' lives and adding a number of complications including kidney disease and vision problems.
One warning sign that diabetes is approaching: elevated cholesterol levels.
So when you start seeing high cholesterol in children, this isn't good news.
The American Heart Association currently estimates that 10% of children aged 12 to 19 have dangerous levels of total cholesterol towering above 200 (approximately 5.5 in Canadian units).
Now get this...
In February, the US Food and Drug Administration approved a powerful drug, lovastatin, for use by children to help them lower their cholesterol levels.
The American Academy of Pediatrics has pointed out that there's been little research into the long-term effects of this drug on children. For example, one study lasted only 12 months with boys and six months with girls. Hardly enough time to see what side-effects the drug will have.
Statin drugs are not like a mild antibiotic, with respect to their side effects. They go right to the liver and stop cholesterol from being produced. It requires a health care professional monitoring your liver every three months to make sure nothing is damaged. Statins literally block an enzyme in your liver from making cholesterol. You need to make sure it doesn't block any others in the process.
You see, cholesterol is necessary to sustain every single cell in our body. That's why our body produces it. The problem comes when it starts producing too much or we ingest too much.
So why are these kids producing too much cholesterol? Most kids, after all, aren't eating a pound of butter, a quarter-pound of steak and other animal fats. Cholesterol is only found in animal products such as eggs, meat, butter, etc. OR from your own"animal" -- your body.
Now, I promised not to talk about s***r, here, but I'm afraid it all comes back to it. Kids are not getting high cholesterol from steak -- they are more likely getting it from a Snickers bar...
* Too much sweets go into the blood.
* Their body can't burn it off fast enough.
* Excess glucose is sent to their liver where it turns into fat (which includes cholesterol).
Here are four things you can do to help your kids (or yourself) avoid being sentenced to life with statins or any other drug:
1) Avoid refined sug** which absorbs far quicker than even a hyper-active kid can handle. Focus more on fresh whole fruit, which takes longer to break down.
2) Make sure your kids are active enough (e.g. kicking a ball around, not sitting in front of the TV). Exercise will burn up the corn syrup in their blood stream, so that it doesn't get turned into fat (and cholesterol).
3) Often what happens is all those M&Ms, day-in and day-out, causes "insulin-resistance." That's where, the insulin in your blood (which usually helps absorb glucose) stops working as effectively. This, of course, can lead to diabetes. There are a number of supplements I offer at my clinic to help get your child's insulin back into shape.
4) Stress-reduction. Don't think kids don't experience stress. Some kids look at school with the same appeal as being drafted for the military. If children feel like they are in a "threatening" situation then their adrenal glands will send out cortisol. Cortisol tells the liver to dump its "emergency" supply of stored glucose from the liver into the blood. Once again, an increase in glucose levels. So talk to your kids and see how you can help them out and make them feel safer and calmer.
If I can help your children or you avoid or get off unnecessary medication, that may have serious side-effects and dependency issues, please book a "Conquer Your Cholesterol" consult with meat (519) 739-2402.
Yours in health,
Dr. Karlo Mauro, N.D.
www.thenaturopath.ca/feelbetter
(519) 739-2402
P.S. Check out the article about fish oil in the April InnerCircle Newsletter (mailed to active patients). Fish oil helps your insulin absorb s***r so it doesn't get sent to your liver and recycled as fatty cholesterol. Fish oil also cuts cravings so you don't absolutely, must, can't-live-without a chocolate bar this afternoon. Feel free to use the enclosed coupon to stock up this month.
P.P.S. Next week, I'm going to share with you a story from one of my patients (let's call him "Dave"). Dave's GP told him that because he had "high-cholesterol genes" in his family there was no point exercising or improving his diet, and that he needed to start drug therapy immediately. Dave didn't agree, and six months later he... well, I'll tell you next week.
"Wan choc-lick."
"Ella," I say, "just eat your dinner."
"No! Wan choc-lick!"
And she goes running off looking for her Easter baskets -- which we had conveniently RE-hid.
Hiding the horde works if you persevere for a few days. Easter night we stashed most of their candies away. On Monday night we hid even more. It's the whole out-of-sight, out-of-mind idea.
They don't even notice their inventory has diminished.
What else can you do, when family and friends drop by with enough sweets to turn your home into the set for the next remake of "Charlie and the Chocolate Factory"?
Now, I know I've talked about sugar for a few emails, and I promise after this Easter story I won't mention the S word again for a while.
It's just the amount of su... uh, glucose the average child is consuming is dangerous. If you think I'm being an alarmist, good. Never at any time in recorded history did so many teenagers have Type 2 Diabetes. In North America, diabetes is an epidemic cutting years off peoples' lives and adding a number of complications including kidney disease and vision problems.
One warning sign that diabetes is approaching: elevated cholesterol levels.
So when you start seeing high cholesterol in children, this isn't good news.
The American Heart Association currently estimates that 10% of children aged 12 to 19 have dangerous levels of total cholesterol towering above 200 (approximately 5.5 in Canadian units).
Now get this...
In February, the US Food and Drug Administration approved a powerful drug, lovastatin, for use by children to help them lower their cholesterol levels.
The American Academy of Pediatrics has pointed out that there's been little research into the long-term effects of this drug on children. For example, one study lasted only 12 months with boys and six months with girls. Hardly enough time to see what side-effects the drug will have.
Statin drugs are not like a mild antibiotic, with respect to their side effects. They go right to the liver and stop cholesterol from being produced. It requires a health care professional monitoring your liver every three months to make sure nothing is damaged. Statins literally block an enzyme in your liver from making cholesterol. You need to make sure it doesn't block any others in the process.
You see, cholesterol is necessary to sustain every single cell in our body. That's why our body produces it. The problem comes when it starts producing too much or we ingest too much.
So why are these kids producing too much cholesterol? Most kids, after all, aren't eating a pound of butter, a quarter-pound of steak and other animal fats. Cholesterol is only found in animal products such as eggs, meat, butter, etc. OR from your own"animal" -- your body.
Now, I promised not to talk about s***r, here, but I'm afraid it all comes back to it. Kids are not getting high cholesterol from steak -- they are more likely getting it from a Snickers bar...
* Too much sweets go into the blood.
* Their body can't burn it off fast enough.
* Excess glucose is sent to their liver where it turns into fat (which includes cholesterol).
Here are four things you can do to help your kids (or yourself) avoid being sentenced to life with statins or any other drug:
1) Avoid refined sug** which absorbs far quicker than even a hyper-active kid can handle. Focus more on fresh whole fruit, which takes longer to break down.
2) Make sure your kids are active enough (e.g. kicking a ball around, not sitting in front of the TV). Exercise will burn up the corn syrup in their blood stream, so that it doesn't get turned into fat (and cholesterol).
3) Often what happens is all those M&Ms, day-in and day-out, causes "insulin-resistance." That's where, the insulin in your blood (which usually helps absorb glucose) stops working as effectively. This, of course, can lead to diabetes. There are a number of supplements I offer at my clinic to help get your child's insulin back into shape.
4) Stress-reduction. Don't think kids don't experience stress. Some kids look at school with the same appeal as being drafted for the military. If children feel like they are in a "threatening" situation then their adrenal glands will send out cortisol. Cortisol tells the liver to dump its "emergency" supply of stored glucose from the liver into the blood. Once again, an increase in glucose levels. So talk to your kids and see how you can help them out and make them feel safer and calmer.
If I can help your children or you avoid or get off unnecessary medication, that may have serious side-effects and dependency issues, please book a "Conquer Your Cholesterol" consult with meat (519) 739-2402.
Yours in health,
Dr. Karlo Mauro, N.D.
www.thenaturopath.ca/feelbetter
(519) 739-2402
P.S. Check out the article about fish oil in the April InnerCircle Newsletter (mailed to active patients). Fish oil helps your insulin absorb s***r so it doesn't get sent to your liver and recycled as fatty cholesterol. Fish oil also cuts cravings so you don't absolutely, must, can't-live-without a chocolate bar this afternoon. Feel free to use the enclosed coupon to stock up this month.
P.P.S. Next week, I'm going to share with you a story from one of my patients (let's call him "Dave"). Dave's GP told him that because he had "high-cholesterol genes" in his family there was no point exercising or improving his diet, and that he needed to start drug therapy immediately. Dave didn't agree, and six months later he... well, I'll tell you next week.
Wednesday, April 4, 2007
Sweetness of Life
One out of every FOUR natives is at a high risk of developing Type 2 Diabetes. Diabetes is reaching epidemic proportions amongst aboriginals worldwide. It doesn't matter whether they're living in a condo in Toronto or an igloo in Nunavut.
Film West Associates, from Kelowna, BC, produced a video series quoting an elder who offers an unexpected explanation for diabetes amongst his people...
"The reason why Aboriginal people suffer gravely from diabetes is because we have lost the 'sweetness in life.'
"In essence, the Aboriginal way of life - eating off the land, getting in touch with the environmental, physical, mental and spiritual elements of life and looking after our bodies - has been lost."
The elder took a pause and continued. "Once we have found the sweetness in life, the diabetes will leave us."
Now, I realize that there is plenty of evidence suggesting that diabetes is a result of weight issues amongst aboriginals falling prey to North American eating habits. It is believed natives may be more prone to weight gain. Their ancestors experienced many famines which taught their bodies to efficiently store any excess calories when available, to help them survive in times of need.
So, yes, maybe weight gain is the superficial reason for the rise in diabetes amongst natives. But, I liked the elder's response better, which explains the deeper cause to why they have become prone to weight gain in the first place.
All the sweetness has been taken out of life. Let's look at what he said...
Eating off the land: In our modern era of TV dinners, hormone injected meat and pesticide laden food, we are moving away from that more and more. How often do people go out and pick their own strawberries, keep a garden in their backyard and snack on fresh fruit instead of a donut?
Staying in tune with the environment: Again, what is more sweet and makes you feel more alive than simply spending an afternoon at a park, going for a walk along the river, or spending a week hiking in Algonquin Park?
Physical Health: Daily exercise, playing sports (not just watching them on TV or using an Xbox) and taking time for a massage or an Epsom salt bath is so simple. You feel great doing it, you feel great after.
Mental Health: Mentally, we are regressing as a nation. The average Canadian reads 1.5 books a year, yet watches six hours of TV a day. There was a time when everybody had a hobby that they looked forward to each day -- whether it is quilting, playing the guitar, water painting, poetry writing or building a deck. Keeping our minds busy is a sure way to keep life interesting. And there's nothing sweeter than finishing a project, and seeing what you've accomplished.
Spiritual Health: Spiritually, the more we turn to technology to satisfy us, the more it can become our God. Now, I'm just a doctor not a shaman, and I'm using technology to write this letter to you. Let's just say that the Indian elder has a point... The more we fall away from our connection with the Source of everything, the more we'll seek sweetness where it cannot be found, and walk away feeling unsatisfied.
Last email, I pointed out a few side-effects from eating too much sugar. It's a touchy subject. Everybody likes their sweets. But what I'm trying to show you here is that you can find sweets in more things than dessert.
Examine how your day goes, what you are accomplishing, what you are doing with your time. Is it satisfying you? Are there things you'd like to accomplish that you aren't? Do you look forward to work each day? Did you want to learn to draw or play the piano, but haven't done so yet? Can you remember the last time you spent a day with your family amongst nature?
Sweetness of life is essential to happiness, health and prosperity.
If all you try to do to get sugar-cravings under control is suppress them, then you know you'll just give in when life gets too rough. Suppression is futile. Substitution is key. If you have other "sweets" in your life to look forward to, then that extra slice of cake or bottle of pop starts to loose its appeal.
If you need someone to talk to about how your current lifestyle, work and environment may be affecting your health, please book a"Sweet Life, Healthy Body" consult with me by calling my receptionist Suzanne at (519) 739-2402.
Yours in health,
Dr. Karlo Mauro, N.D.
www.thenaturopath.ca/feelbetter
(519) 739-2402
P.S. If you're an active patient you should have received yourApril newsletter in the mail already. Check out the top-ten finalists for the newsletter contest and send in your votes.
Film West Associates, from Kelowna, BC, produced a video series quoting an elder who offers an unexpected explanation for diabetes amongst his people...
"The reason why Aboriginal people suffer gravely from diabetes is because we have lost the 'sweetness in life.'
"In essence, the Aboriginal way of life - eating off the land, getting in touch with the environmental, physical, mental and spiritual elements of life and looking after our bodies - has been lost."
The elder took a pause and continued. "Once we have found the sweetness in life, the diabetes will leave us."
Now, I realize that there is plenty of evidence suggesting that diabetes is a result of weight issues amongst aboriginals falling prey to North American eating habits. It is believed natives may be more prone to weight gain. Their ancestors experienced many famines which taught their bodies to efficiently store any excess calories when available, to help them survive in times of need.
So, yes, maybe weight gain is the superficial reason for the rise in diabetes amongst natives. But, I liked the elder's response better, which explains the deeper cause to why they have become prone to weight gain in the first place.
All the sweetness has been taken out of life. Let's look at what he said...
Eating off the land: In our modern era of TV dinners, hormone injected meat and pesticide laden food, we are moving away from that more and more. How often do people go out and pick their own strawberries, keep a garden in their backyard and snack on fresh fruit instead of a donut?
Staying in tune with the environment: Again, what is more sweet and makes you feel more alive than simply spending an afternoon at a park, going for a walk along the river, or spending a week hiking in Algonquin Park?
Physical Health: Daily exercise, playing sports (not just watching them on TV or using an Xbox) and taking time for a massage or an Epsom salt bath is so simple. You feel great doing it, you feel great after.
Mental Health: Mentally, we are regressing as a nation. The average Canadian reads 1.5 books a year, yet watches six hours of TV a day. There was a time when everybody had a hobby that they looked forward to each day -- whether it is quilting, playing the guitar, water painting, poetry writing or building a deck. Keeping our minds busy is a sure way to keep life interesting. And there's nothing sweeter than finishing a project, and seeing what you've accomplished.
Spiritual Health: Spiritually, the more we turn to technology to satisfy us, the more it can become our God. Now, I'm just a doctor not a shaman, and I'm using technology to write this letter to you. Let's just say that the Indian elder has a point... The more we fall away from our connection with the Source of everything, the more we'll seek sweetness where it cannot be found, and walk away feeling unsatisfied.
Last email, I pointed out a few side-effects from eating too much sugar. It's a touchy subject. Everybody likes their sweets. But what I'm trying to show you here is that you can find sweets in more things than dessert.
Examine how your day goes, what you are accomplishing, what you are doing with your time. Is it satisfying you? Are there things you'd like to accomplish that you aren't? Do you look forward to work each day? Did you want to learn to draw or play the piano, but haven't done so yet? Can you remember the last time you spent a day with your family amongst nature?
Sweetness of life is essential to happiness, health and prosperity.
If all you try to do to get sugar-cravings under control is suppress them, then you know you'll just give in when life gets too rough. Suppression is futile. Substitution is key. If you have other "sweets" in your life to look forward to, then that extra slice of cake or bottle of pop starts to loose its appeal.
If you need someone to talk to about how your current lifestyle, work and environment may be affecting your health, please book a"Sweet Life, Healthy Body" consult with me by calling my receptionist Suzanne at (519) 739-2402.
Yours in health,
Dr. Karlo Mauro, N.D.
www.thenaturopath.ca/feelbetter
(519) 739-2402
P.S. If you're an active patient you should have received yourApril newsletter in the mail already. Check out the top-ten finalists for the newsletter contest and send in your votes.
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