Very Dangerous Legislation Looming - Take Action Today!
by Terry Grossman, M.D.

A very dangerous bill was presented to Congress on Thursday February 11, 2010. This legislation seeks to approve a plan that would take away many health freedoms and put centralized restrictions on the nutritional supplements available to the American people.

Senate bill S 3002 has been sponsored by former Republican presidential nominee John McCain and misnamed the "Dietary Supplement Safety Act" (DSSA). This bill will give even greater powers to the FDA and make it far easier for them to take nutritional supplements OFF the market for relatively trivial reasons.

This bill is modeled after the “Codex Alimentarius” legislation which has been passed in Europe and was defeated in the United States two years ago because of public protest. The Codex legislation has resulted in the inability of Europeans to have access to many nutrients (vitamins, minerals, antioxidants, herbal products, etc.) along with extreme reductions in potency for those they still can buy. It is estimated that if the “Dietary Supplement Safety Act" passes Congress, 80 percent of our supplements could be taken off the market!

McCain’s legislation will mean that American citizens will no longer have access to the types of supplements and the dosages needed to treat many conditions. They will be left with only one alternative – the use of pharmaceutical drugs.

It is also possible that McCain’s "Dietary Supplement Safety” bill S 3002 will be merged with a companion "Food Safety” bill S 510 proposed by Senator Tom Harkin and both our foods AND our supplements will be subjected to increased FDA scrutiny.

Read more... To read the complete McCain “Dietary Supplement Safety Act" bill, S 3002:

The Many Benefits of Vitamin D
by Diane Henry, Fitness Director

The UV Foundation has dubbed February “Vitamin D Deficiency Month” in a nation wide effort to raise awareness about vitamin D deficiency and its negative health effects. Numerous research studies in recent years have shown important relationships between vitamin D deficiencies and many health problems and diseases in humans.

Vitamin D is naturally produced in the outer layer of the skin (epidermis) upon exposure to ultraviolet B radiation from sunlight. Historically, Vitamin D has been added to milk and other products to promote health teeth and bones. However, new research has found that Vitamin D has many benefits. In fact, Vitamin D deficiency has now been shown to be associated with increased risks of heart attacks, strokes, rheumatoid arthritis, diabetes, inflammatory bowel disease, psoriasis, multiple sclerosis, lupus, periodontal disease, fractures, impaired cognitive function and many forms of cancer.

Most experts agree the easiest and best way to get enough vitamin D is through sunlight and UV light. Although dermatologists advocate avoiding sunlight to prevent skin damage, a growing body of science suggests that sun exposure is associated with many healing benefits. In fact, epidemiological studies indicate that you are much more likely to die from disorders aggravated by chronic underexposure to the sun than disorders aggravated by overexposure. In just one of many examples, epidemiologists estimate at least 55 men die prematurely from prostate cancer from too little sun for every man that dies from too much.

A Harvard Medical School study published in the New England Journal of Medicine has reported that over 60% of Americans are Vitamin D deficient. It’s important to have your Vitamin D level checked by your healthcare practitioner with a simple and inexpensive blood test. If you find you are deficient in Vitamin D and can’t get the necessary amount of sun exposure (about 15 minutes a day), then the use of vitamin D supplements and a diet rich in vitamin D fortified foods can help. The richest natural source is fish liver oils such as cod, where it is concentrated by fish feeding on vitamin D producing algae. Vitamin D is derived from fungal and algal plant sources. Other dietary sources include eggs, beef liver and vitamin D fortified milk.

Chronic Inflammation and Depression, The Making of a Blue Friendship
by Lolita Hanks, Family Nurse Practitioner

There are a number of diseases that cause whole body inflammation, such as heart disease, cancer (chemotherapy and radiation both cause inflammation), diabetes, or rheumatoid arthritis. Inflammation is the appropriate response for the body to protect itself from invading microbes or damage. If you have seen an infected cut, the swelling, heat and sometimes pain is a result of inflammation. However, the diseases listed above cause internal inflammation that is not readily visible as an open wound. Internal inflammation triggers a negative chain reaction because the body thinks it is under attack. This not only leads to serious chronic disease conditions, but inflammation can also jeopardize the immune system, increase allergies, asthma, fatigue and depression.

Dr. Thomas McPherson Brown, who pioneered antibiotic therapy for rheumatoid arthritis patients, noted over 30 years ago that all of his patients suffered from depression. Logically, we assume that a chronic medical condition can cause depression because of physical discomfort and disability, but there is a biological basis for the depression. The chronic, low grade, inflammation present in these conditions triggers an enzyme called indoleamine dioxygenase (IDO2). This enzyme helps regulate male fertility and blood pressure, but in the presence of chronic inflammation “the enzyme IDO2 seems to play a very important role in regulating the immune system through its ability to control the proliferation of T lymphocytes and their ability to produce cytokines (chemical messengers between cells, can regulate inflammatory messages)’ . This enzyme will cause tryptophan, a precursor to serotonin (our feel good neurotransmitter) to be converted into an amino acid that helps produce the B vitamin, niacin. The effect of this enzyme catabolizing available tryptophan results in a deficiency of serotonin, resulting in a depressed mood. In the face of bacterial infection, the enzyme catabolizes the available tryptophan that the bacteria would like to use to grow.

Researchers are hoping to develop a medication that can block IDO2. This may decrease depressive symptoms, but may also have side effects as IDO2 has important bodily functions.

If you suffer from depression and suspect that inflammation could be a contributor, work with an integrative health care practitioner. A simple blood test is available to check your inflammation level and NeuroScience has a test that can evaluate neurotransmitter levels and provide recommendations to restore balance.

A True Gift of Love
by Diane Henry, Fitness Director

February is the month of Valentine’s Day cards – a holiday of love, so appropriately enough, it is also Heart Disease Awareness Month. Heart disease continues to be the leading cause of death in the United States and is a major cause of disability. Coronary heart disease often appears as a heart attack. In 2010, an estimated 785,000 Americans will have their first heart attack and about 470,000 will have a recurrent attack. About every 25 seconds, an American will have a coronary event and one person dies from same every minute.

Exercise can reduce your risk of heart attack. Exercise has been shown to lower cholesterol and fat levels, reduce inflammation in the arteries, keep blood vessels flexible and open, and also helps with weight loss programs. Studies show that physical activity and avoiding high fat foods are the two most successful means of reaching optimal heart health. The link between heart health and exercise has been well established, and the chance of developing coronary heart disease can be reduced by taking steps to prevent and control factors that put people at greater risk.

Sedentary lifestyle is one of the major risk factors for heart disease. Fortunately, it’s a risk factor you can do something about. Inactivity is one of the major risk factors for heart disease, however exercise helps to improve and can even reverse some heart disease risk factors. Some studies suggest that for the greatest heart protection, regular exercise, especially aerobic activity, has the most benefit, but any amount of exercise is beneficial. Studies find that light to moderate exercise is even beneficial in people with existing heart disease, however, anyone with existing heart disease or cardiac risk factors should seek medical advice before beginning any exercise program.

Like all muscles, the heart muscle becomes stronger as a result of exercise, so a person who exercises often and vigorously has the lowest risk of heart disease; yet, seven out of ten adults do not exercise. There are many ways to obtain exercise including walking, jogging, lifting weights, aerobic activity and many others. The American Heart Association recommends that individuals perform moderate to intense exercise for at least 30 minutes most days of the week. It is not the duration of the exercise, but the total weekly amount of energy expended.

Do something loving for yourself today – EXERCISE ! Nothing says I love you like a gift from the heart, to the heart.

Menopause Primer: Part One
by Lolita Hanks, Family Nurse Practitioner

Menopause is a normal, expected event in a woman’s life. Menopause is medically described as a cessation of the monthly female cycle for at least one year. For some women it is a welcome relief from the monthly cycle and reproduction. There are some women who sail through menopause seemingly without a care in the world while many struggle with symptoms that range from annoying to life altering.

When a woman’s menstrual cycle ends, it is a signal to the body that reproductive potential has ceased and lower hormones initiate the symptoms typically associated with menopause. In addition to hot flashes and sleep and mood disorders, memory is often affected. Typically, short term memory is affected more than long term memory. Searching for car keys and glasses become frequent events. A sluggish mind and inability to concentrate become frustrating companions. You find yourself saying, “What did you say your name was again?” (for the 4th time). Other signs of menopause can be: difficulty sleeping, weight gain, problems with word retrieval, irritability, mood swings, lagging sex drive, decreasing muscle tone, and lack of lubrication.

As we learn more about hormones we realize the critical role they play in many bodily functions. Estrogens (estradiol, estriol and estrone, each with different functions), progesterone, DHEA (dehydroepiandrosterone), pregnenolone and testosterone contribute to muscle tone and function, sexual desire, skin integrity, bone density, maintaining hearing and eyesight. Many women who want to delay aging and obtain symptom relief find that natural, bio-identical hormone replacement accomplishes both tasks.

Traditional hormone replacement (such as Premarin and Provera) has been in the news over the last few years as the detrimental side effects of these artificial hormones have become increasingly evident through The Women’s Health Initiative. Many conventional doctors no longer will prescribe these hormones because of the side effects but don’t offer effective alternatives. These estrogens are comprised of 100% estradiol, the estrogen that has growth aspect to it (such as growing the uterine lining prior to menses). Premarin is literally pregnant mare’s urine. Ladies are not horses.

Bio-identical hormones are comprised of 17 beta-estradiol, estrone, and estriol. (Estradiol is the form of estrogen that decreases at menopause.) Bio-identical progesterone is simply progesterone. It’s micronized (finely ground) in the laboratory for better absorption in the body. The Harvard Women’s Health Watch states, “Technically, the body can’t distinguish bio-identical hormones from the ones your ovaries produce.”

The good news is that bio-identical hormone replacement therapy (BHRT) can provide symptom relief as well as health benefits for women who are experiencing any hormone imbalance from irregular menses, premenstrual syndrome through all phases of menopause. Additionally, the physiological benefits to utilizing hormone replacement include increased bone density, heart protection, decreased risk of some cancers, maintaining cognitive function and skin tone.