Fibromyalgia and Vitamin D Deficiency Link

http://bestself.myshaklee.com/us/en/welcome.html#/pop_VitaminD_quiz

Fibromyalgia and Vitamin D Deficiency Link

Chronic Pain & Low D Levels May Be Linked, Research Mixed

Feb 2, 2010
In 2008 the online site Pain Treatment Topics released a review of research on the potential benefits of vitamin D for patients with pain conditions, notably musculoskeletal and back issues. Although results varied, researchers agree insufficient vitamin D is an underlying factor in fibromyalgia and other chronic pain conditions.

Chronic Pain and Vitamin D Deficiency Linked Long Ago

Multiple studies link vitamin D deficiency to chronic aches and pains, muscle fatigue or weakness, and other disorders including immunity and some cancers (Holick 2003b; ODS 2008; Plotnikoff and Quigley 2003; Reginster 2005; Tavera-Mendoza and White 2007; Vieth 1999).
A study presented at the American Society of Anesthesiologists 2007 Annual Meeting reported that about one in four patients with chronic pain also have inadequate blood levels of vitamin D. Patients with insufficient vitamin D also needed higher doses of morphine for longer periods of time.

According to study author W. Michael Hooten, MD, medical director and anesthesiologist at the Mayo Comprehensive Pain Rehabilitation Center in Rochester, Minn., researchers have long known that inadequate levels of vitamin D can cause pain and muscle weakness.
“The implications are that in chronic pain patients, vitamin D inadequacy is not the principal cause of pain and muscle weakness,” said Hooten for a press release, “However, it could be a contributing but unrecognized factor.”
The jury is still out on the exact connection between vitamin D and chronic pain but scientists believe it may begin with lower levels of circulating calcium (hypocalcemia) due to inadequate vitamin D. A cascade of biochemical reactions then occurs that hinders bone metabolism and health. Low levels of calcium elevates parathyroid hormones which impairs proper bone mineralization causing a spongy matrix to form under periosteal membranes covering the skeleton.
This gelatin-like matrix can absorb fluid, expand, and cause outward pressure on periosteal tissues, which generates pain since these tissues are highly innervated with sensory pain fibers (Holick 2003b; Shinchuk and Holick 2007; Yew and DeMieri 2002).

Fibromyalgia and Vitamin D Deficiency

The association between low levels of 25-hydroxyvitamin D and non-specific musculoskeletal pain, including fibromyalgia syndrome remains controversial.
In one study, Israeli researchers found no association between women with fibromyalgia and low levels of vitamin D (Tandeter et al. 2009). Yet researches in an earlier study in the Middle East found a significantly greater prevalence of low D concentration in women with fibromyalgia compared to women without fibromyalgia (43% vs 19%).
Yet researchers in the Middle East found that 90% of patients diagnosed with fibromyalgia and/or non-specific musculoskeletal pain treated with vitamin D improved.(Badsha et al. 2009).
One reason for the conflicting evidence is researchers have yet to adequately measure patients' response to different formulations, doses, and durations of vitamin D. In addition, scientists believe vitamin D receptors have different genetic make up and activity so individuals may respond differently to vitamin D therapy. (Kawaguchi et al. 2002; Videman et al. 2001).

Vitamin D Dose For Pain Relief

Dr. Cannell, Executive Director of The Vitamin D Council recommends supplementing with Cholecalciferol (vitamin D3). D3 is the naturally occurring form of vitamin D and is made in large quantities in skin when sunlight strikes it. Dr. Cannell explains that Calcidiol is the only blood test that should be drawn. Doctors can order calcidiol levels although labs will know calcidiol as 25-hydroxyvitamin D.
Take enough vitamin D3 to get 25(OH)D levels above substrate starvation levels, 50 ng/mL or 125 nmol/L. Current recommendationst for adults and children are inadequate to maintain optimal health and certainly to treat chronic pain conditions and illness.
Dr. Cannell suggests people supplement with vitamin D before getting their blood tested, then adjust their dose so their 25(OH)D level is between 50–80 ng/ml during both the summer and the winter. These are conservative dosages explains Dr. Cannell. People who avoid the sun, and nearly all dark-skinned people need to increase their dose if their blood levels are still low, even after two months of the above dosage, particularly during the winter months.
Exact levels are difficult to determine because requirements vary by age, body weight, percent of body fat, latitude, skin coloration, season of the year, use of sun block, individual variation in sun exposure, and how sick someone is.
“If you use suntan parlors once a week,” says Dr. Cannell, “or if you live in Florida and sunbathe once a week, year-round, do nothing.” However, if you receive very little UVB exposure the Council recommends the following dosing levels of D3 (maintenance level):

• healthy children under the age of two - 1,000 IU per day*
• healthy children over the age of two - 2,000 IU per day*
• adults and adolescents - 5,000 IU per day.

*The American Academy of Pediatrics recommends 400 mg per day for children.
While the exact relationship between vitamin D and chronic pain syndromes like fibromyalgia isn't fully understood, most researchers agree that vitamin D deficiency contributes to muscuskeletal pain. Patients and practitioners should consider including vitamin D supplementation in their therapy for patients suffering with chronic pain syndromes.
Sources:
"Vitamin D Inadequacy May Exacerbate Pain," American Academy of Anesthesiologists, Press Release, October 15, 2007.
Tandeter H, Grynbaum M, Zuili I, Shany S, Shvartzman P., "Serum 25-OH vitamin D levels in patients with fibromyalgia." Israeli Medical Association Journal, 2009.
Badsha H, Daher M, Ooi Kong K. Myalgias or non-specific muscle pain in Arab or Indo-Pakistani patients may indicate vitamin D deficiency. Clinical Rheumatology. 2009.
Leavitt, Steward, B. MA, PhD., "Vitamin D: A Neglected ‘Analgesic’ for Chronic Musculoskeletal Pain: An Evidence Based Review and Clinical Practice Guideline," June 2008, http://Pain-Topics.org/VitaminD.
"Vitamin D for Pain: Update of Research Evidence," Pain Treatment Topics, Accessed: January 10, 2010.
Arvold DS, et al., "Correlation of symptoms with vitamin D deficiency and symptom response to cholecalciferol treatment: a randomized controlled trial," Endocrine Practice, 2009 May-Jun.
Armstrong DJ, Meenagh GK, Bickle I, Lee AS, Curran ES, Finch MB., "Vitamin D deficiency is associated with anxiety and depression in fibromyalgia," Clinical Rheumatology. 2006 Jul 19.

News Release - Who do you know that wants to lose 10#?

Mensa News Release

Who do you know that wants to lose 10#?

Q: What percentage of adult Americans

would YOU guess is carrying

unhealthy “poundage?” (Answer below, you will be shocked!)

You are invited to attend this month’s

Mensa Health Sciences Seminar

Our focus for March will be on how we can

Get Fit & Feel Great !

Sat. March 12, 1PM

(Seminar also open to Non-MENSA members)

Losing just an extra 10# not only can help us to look better and feelbetter, and also make a big difference in our health!
Did you know that being overweight may increase your risk for developing many health problems? Being overweight could put you at risk for:

Diabetes            Coronary Heart Disease    Stroke        Metabolic Syndrome       Liver Disease

Sleep Apnea    Joint & Bone Problems     Cancer        Gallbladder Disease        Osteoarthritis

Learn what you can do NOW to prevent becoming a statistic!

Protect your health, for your own sake and the sake of those who care about you!

Bunny and Sam Sewell have decades of experience in creating wellness vs. treating disease.

They are the authors of “I Fired My Doctors and Saved MY Life.”

www.ifiredmydoctors.blogspot.com

Plan ahead. Call someone you care about.

 Learn how you can help create healthier, happier lives, beginning this month!

RSVP:

10202 Vanderbilt Dr

(NE corner at 102^nd Ave)Naples, Fl 34108 591-4565

A: According to the Governmental Center of Disease Control’s National Center of Health Statistics,

results from the 2007–2008 National Health & Nutrition Examination Survey (NHANES), using measured heights and weights, indicate that an estimated

34.2% of U.S. adults aged 20 years and over are overweight, 33.8% are obese, !and 5.7% are extremely obese.

That totals 73.7% of all American adults!

Dear Doctor Generic,

Dear Doctor Generic,

I am sure you are aware that many traditional doctors are responding to the growing public interest in natural heath and a clean environment.  We can help you tap into that market without needing products in your office and no additional paper work.  The checks will just be deposited into your bank account and that is all there is to it, as far as you are concerned.

*******************************

Here is our Shaklee on-line store.  http://bestself.myshaklee.com/us/en/welcome.html

Your store will look much the same, but will need some customizing touches to make it unique to Generic Wellness Center (or any other name you want.)  Please pay attention to the research for Medical Professionals:

http://bestself.myshaklee.com/us/en/whynow.html#/healthyhome/pop_MDPros

And here: http://www.clinicals.shaklee.com/

*********************************

“Get Clean” organic cleaning products

The Shaklee cleaning products part of the store is the easiest marketing I have ever done:

Shaklee cleaning products are always GREEN

Shaklee cleaning product add zero pollution to the environment

Shaklee cleaning product add zero pollution to your home

Shaklee cleaning products are third party tested and perform better than mass marketed cleaning products

Shaklee cleaning products cost much less:

EXAMPLE:

One gallon of Fantastic costs about $10 a gallon

One gallon of Seventh Generation (organic) costs about $24 a gallon

One gallon of Shaklee “Get Clean” costs 22 cents a gallon

Full cost comparison chart here:

http://www.scribd.com/doc/36698870/Get-Clean-Cost-Comparison

Why are cleaning products important to our health?

http://bestself.myshaklee.com/us/en/whynow.html#/healthyhome

Shaklee is the first company in the world to be certified “climate neutral” by the EPA.

https://www.shaklee.com/company_awards.shtml

In short; a person would need to be stubborn, stupid, and want to get sick to not buy Shaklee cleaning products.

NUTRITION

Shaklee nutritional products are the highest quality in the industry, which is what makes Shaklee the largest natural nutrition company in the world.

Here is why: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Keb0UYHfp3w&feature=related

AND: http://www.youtube.com/user/FCShaklee#p/c/E45E23233867CAC5/0/eG-3StLcArg

AND: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yyx8a5qJKtc&feature=related

If you like, we will also train your staff and conduct seminars for your patients.

*****************************

Sam and Bunny Sewell 239/591-4565

bunnysam@bestselfusa.com or info@bestselfusa.com

******************************

Top 10 Trends in Healthcare

America is undergoing a dramatic shift in healthcare. Actually, ten distinctly different shifts.

Although the changes are unsettling, and will cause dislocations in our economy, the overall trends are positive and will help us all be healthier and wealthier when it all shakes out.
1. Western Medicine Costs Continue to Rise

It's hard to imagine, but the cost of going to a regular MD or hospital is going to get more and more expensive. This is not because doctors or hospitals are getting greedy, but instead because their own costs are rising every year. Malpractice insurance for risky surgical procedures, pharmaceutical drug reactions and deaths with accompanying lawsuits, complex medical equipment for diagnostic testing – everything is rising dramatically in cost. Pharmaceutical drug costs will continue to escalate also, leaving consumers holding the bag, because...
2. Health Insurance Opt-Outs Surge

For many years, corporations and small businesses have provided health insurance as an employee benefit. Often, employees would choose a job based on who offered the best health insurance. No longer. Small businesses have almost completely opted-out of the insurance game, and large corporations are not far behind. General Motors complains that health insurance costs them more per year than steel for their cars. In a few years, health insurance through your employer will be only a memory. Everyone will be buying health insurance the same way they buy home insurance or car insurance – independently.

Because of this shift, consumers will begin treating health insurance the same way they treat car and home insurance. Which is to say, they will treat it like INSURANCE.

Today, many Americans run to their doctors for even the smallest maladies, and they expect their health insurer should pay for everything. In fact, they're incensed when they don't. “What, you're not paying for this bottle of antibiotics for my kid's ear infection? How terrible!”

This is opposite of how we treat car insurance. Imagine expecting your insurer to pay for oil changes, car washes, pockmarks in the paint job, a broken cup holder. Can you picture it? Of course not. It would be ridiculous.

Yet, with health insurance, it's been okay. Why? Because the employer is picking up the tab. Not anymore, they're not.

As a result, Americans will pay more attention to preventive healthcare, like regular exercise, good diet and meditation, etc. They will also do more cost comparisons between all their healthcare options, including a trip to the doctor, or...
3. Alternative Medicine Becomes the Dominant Healthcare System in America

I feel bad calling this a future trend, since this has almost already occurred. Alternative medicine, including naturopathy, hypnotherapy, Chinese medicine, chiropractic, yoga, etc. is fast overtaking Western medicine (drugs and surgery) as the dominant healthcare system of America.

Several studies have shown that Americans spend more out-of-pocket on alternative medicine than on Western medicine. They've also shown that people are making more trips to these alternative practitioners than they are to regular MDs. These are positive developments. The downside is that people are reticent to mention their alternative therapies to their doctors, because they're afraid of disapproval by their doctor.

But the trend is clear. Alternative medicine is often less expensive (especially outside of insurance), equally effective and produces less harmful side effects, as was evidenced by the flurry of pharmaceutical drugs this past year that were removed after being prescribed to hundreds of thousands of patients.

People's trust in Western medicine is diminishing, and their relief in finding alternatives is rising.

Major institutions are now doing large numbers of studies on alternative medicines, including herbal remedies, bodywork, meditation, dietary changes and many others. Randomized, controlled studies are available on almost every type of alternative healing practice, and they typically show good results.

The rise of alternative medicine and the opting-out of employer-funded health insurance has led us inevitably to an era of...
4. Consumer-Driven Healthcare

People are making their own choices in healthcare and health insurance. They want to make their own decisions.

This is extremely positive. One study after another shows that hospital patients who are disruptive, picky, nosy and non-compliant are the ones who fare best with any surgery or recovery from illness. The patients who are compliant and put their fates in the hands of their doctors are the ones who fare most poorly. Taking charge of one's health is part of consumer-driven healthcare.

This term also refers to how people are deciding to use whatever treatments they think will work best, based on their own research. Fewer people simply accept their “doctor's orders” and instead they find out for themselves what is available and make informed choices. This also means they are deciding to use a different kind of health insurance, which is more compatible with their free-will healthcare style...
5. High-Deductible Health Insurance and Health Savings Accounts (HSA)

As corporations drop their employees' health plans, the employees are choosing to buy high-deductible health insurance policies, which are much cheaper.

In fact, a high-deductible policy ($2,500 deductible or higher) is almost always so much cheaper, that even if you had to pay the entire deductible yourself every year, you'd still save thousands of dollars. The monthly premiums are reduced MORE than the amount of the deductible.

Along with high-deductible policies, people are choosing to use the Health Savings Account (HSA), introduced in 2003. This is a tax-deductible savings account that can be used for any medical treatment (Western medicine, actually), which is basically a tax savings for everyone who buys their insurance independently.

High-deductible policies and HSAs allow people to have Western medicine waiting in the wings when they have serious health problems that require expensive drugs, tests and surgery. But until then, they are able to use alternative medicine as the best service for prevention and small day-to-day health problems.

Alternative medicine provides a “first line of defense” while Western medicine provides the expensive, dangerous, but necessary backup.

Since alternative medicine has taken such a major role in healthcare, the state and federal laws have had to adjust, which has meant...
6. The Rise of Health Freedom Laws

Health freedom is a term applied to a particular kind of legislative bill. It is a bill that allows alternative medical practitioners to practice their healing arts, as long as they stay out of the areas where extensive Western medical training is required:

• performing surgery
• prescribing pharmaceutical drugs
• administering injections (like vaccinations)
• knowingly contradicting an MD's orders

If alternative medical practitioners are caught doing any of these, they can be arrested for practicing medicine without a license. But otherwise, they can use any other type of healing art, including bodywork, dietary changes, movement therapies, hypnosis, etc. to help their clients.

This bill is needed in many states, because current laws state that no one can practice medicine except medical doctors, and the definition of practicing medicine is anything that helps people with their health! This means that if someone has a cold, and they go to a massage therapists who recommends echinacea, that massage therapist is breaking the law! Ridiculous? Practitioners have been shut down in many states for doing less.

Health Freedom laws are common sense. They've been passed in four states already – Minnesota, Rhode Island, California and Idaho. These states have had excellent results from these bills, including patients from neighboring states making trips to these states to seek relief from health problems. Can you say “boost to the economy?”

For more information about Health Freedom initiatives, visit the National Health Freedom Website.

With Health Freedom information, and alternative medical options available, it is only natural that people turn to...
7. The Internet As a Healthcare Information Resource

The Internet has become the first stop for someone who has a health concern. Feeling low? Do a search on depression remedies on the Internet. Just been diagnosed with cancer, and the doctor says it's chemotherapy or die? Jump on the Internet and see what your other options are.

Of course, the Internet has its benefits and its problems. There is a tremendous amount of misinformation about healthcare on the Internet. Much of it comes from well-meaning entrepreneurs who have been sucked into a multi-level marketing (MLM) scheme and are trying to pitch some health elixir or other. A second source of health misinformation comes from the Western medical establishment, who seek to discredit alternative medical therapies that could take significant revenues away from their invested therapies. A third source of misinformation comes from the anecdotes of individuals who experienced relief from one therapy or another, but who do not (and cannot) actually represent a proven, documented “cure” to a particular health problem.

Even with all these caveats, the Internet's influence in healthcare decisions will gain momentum. People will understand the “good sources” and “bad sources” of information and new portals will crop up that separate the wheat from the chaff.

The reason people are turning to the Internet in such numbers is due to a lack of trust...
8. Distrust in Existing Medical Institutions

At one time, you could hold no position of higher trust than to be a doctor. My wife's father was a doctor in a small town in Ohio. When he died, the funeral was packed with his patients over the years. People appreciated his caring and his dedication to keeping them healthy.

Now, doctors are viewed with suspicion. Will my doctor let me die by not revealing an alternative therapy that could help me? Is my doctor getting kickbacks from the cute, young, female pharmaceutical rep who visits him twice a month?

The system has gained the pallor of corruption, even when it's not really true. Big medicine has become big business, and the number one concern is no longer the patient; it's dollars and cents.

But hospitals and doctors are not the only things that Americans distrust...
9. Distrust of Socialized Medicine

People in government and in society seem to feel that some brand of socialized medicine will be the magic solution for America's healthcare problems. The “single payer system” of healthcare, successful in other countries, must be implemented here, they say.

But America is a different kind of country, from its very beginnings. Americans praise the independent spirit, the entrepreneur, the underdog.

Socialized medicine will not work in America. And Americans know it. They do not want a government-run system. What is the least efficient organization you can imagine? It's the government. Do you really want a government worker making decisions for you about healthcare?

Yes, America needs to find a way to insure every single person in this country. But socialized medicine is not the cure for this illness. Having been born in Canada and living there for the first twenty-eight years of my life, I can say that Canada's socialized medicine program leaves much to be desired. It does cover every person, but in a way that benefits no one.

I understand that the person in the middle of this entire crisis, the professional who has the most to gain or lose, is the doctor, the general practitioner. They will be devastated by a socialized medicine system, and they will also be affected greatly by the other trends in this article.

Because of this, I see the emergence of a final trend...

10. Doctors Incorporate Alternative Medicine Into Their Practices

Doctors will have no choice but to use pieces and parts of alternative medicine in what they do, day-to-day with patients. “The customer is always right,” as they say, and the customer definitely wants a choice.

Although doctors are increasingly using alternative medicine in their own practice, and hiring alternative practitioners to work in their offices, the independent alternative practitioner will still be the rule, not the exception. There are just too many alternative practitioners (massage therapists, chiropractors, yoga instructors, etc.) for doctors to absorb everyone. And people will want a choice. A Western medical experience, or perhaps an alternative medicine experience.

And a choice they will receive.

The Western medical practitioners who are clearly leading the way are nurses. Nurses are much more open to alternatives than doctors, and they are increasingly opening their own offices, as nurse-practitioners sometimes, and treating patients with a wide variety of healing methods. Patients appreciate the nurses Western medical knowledge, and also their openness to a new set of options.

Overall, the outlook for healthcare is extremely positive for everyone involved. Tremendous change, yes. But upheaval can create some wonderful new circumstances.

Q&A _ Important Heart Health Procedure Under Used

We personally endorse this procedure as well as Dr. Evenhuis. 

We trust him and we personally like him.

Sam and Bunny

No surgery and results the same as bypass. 

No wonder doctors are keeping this secret!!

The only facility for EECP in Collier County is:

Walther R Evenhuis, MD
(239) 262-5770
1351 Pine St
Naples, FL
Specialty
Cardiology, Internal Medicine, Cardiovascular Disease

Q&A
Q: What is angina? A: Angina is the global term for all symptoms associated with coronary artery disease, which occurs when the heart is not receiving enough blood. It occurs when vessels that carry blood to the heart muscle become dysfunctional, and are often narrowed or blocked. Angina may feel like chest pain or pressure, shortness of breath, pain in the jaw, neck, arms, back, nausea, or generalized fatigue. Each patient experiences angina differently.
Q: What does EECP stand for? A: The acronym EECP stands for Enhanced External Counterpulsation.
Q: What is EECP? A: EECP is a non-invasive, outpatient treatment for heart disease that is used to relieve or eliminate angina. During the treatment, blood pressure cuffs are wrapped around your legs, and squeeze and release in sync with your heartbeat, promoting blood flow throughout your body and particularly to your heart. In the process, EECP develops new pathways around blocked arteries in the heart by expanding networks of tiny blood vessels (“collaterals”) that help increase and normalize blood flow to the heart muscle. For this reason, it is often called the natural bypass.
Q: What are the advantages of EECP? A: Unlike bypass surgery, balloon angioplasty, and stenting procedures, EECP is non-invasive, carries no risk, is comfortable, and is administered in outpatient sessions.
Q: Are there any risks or side effects of EECP? A: EECP is safe. Occasionally, some patients experience mild skin irritation under the areas of the blood pressure cuffs. Experienced EECP therapists address this irritation by using extra padding where needed to make the patient comfortable. Some patients experience a bit more fatigue at the beginning of their course of treatment, but it usually subsides after the first few sessions. In fact, patients typically feel energized by EECP.
Q: How long does EECP take? A: The standard course of treatment is one hour per day, five days per week, for seven weeks (a total of 35 one-hour sessions). Some patients have two treatments in one day in order to complete the program more quickly. Some patients extend the program beyond 35 treatments, depending on their particular medical situation and goals.
Q: When can I expect to start feeling better from EECP?A: Most patients begin to experience beneficial results from EECP between their 15th and 25th treatments. These benefits include increased stamina, improved sleeping patterns, decreased angina, and less reliance on nitroglycerin and other medications. There is variation, certainly, and some patients start to feel better as soon as their first week of treatment!
Q: What happens if I miss a treatment?A: You are encouraged to come for your EECP treatment everyday. However, missing a day will not have a negative effect on your overall results. When you come back, you will simply pick up where you left off, and the missed treatment will be added to the end of your program until you have a total of 35 sessions. Just like exercise, the more consistent you are with your EECP schedule, the better your results will be.
Q: What does EECP feel like?A: EECP feels like a deep muscle massage to your legs. During the treatment, you do not feel anything in the chest or heart. You only feel the cuffs that are wrapped around your legs squeezing in time to your own heartbeat. Our patients have affectionately described this sensation as “gentle hugs.” Most of our patients relax, listen to music, or read during their treatments. Some even sleep!
Q: Do the benefits of EECP last?A: Yes. In patients followed for three to five years after treatment, the benefits of EECP, including less angina, less nitroglycerin usage, and improved blood flow patterns documented on stress tests, had lasted.
Q: How does EECP compare to angioplasty or bypass surgery? A: The five-year outcomes for EECP patients are virtually the same as for angioplasty and bypass surgery patients.
Q: Is EECP FDA-approved? What kind of research has been done on it? A: EECP was approved by the FDA in 1995 as a treatment for coronary artery disease and angina, cardiogenic shock, and for use during a heart attack. In 2002, the FDA approved EECP as a treatment for congestive heart failure. It has undergone rigorous clinical trials at leading universities around the country and EECP has been the subject of more than 100 scientific studies published in leading medical journals throughout the world. (Please see our Clinical Studies page for more information.)
Q: Does insurance pay for EECP? A: Yes. EECP is covered by Medicare and paid for by private insurance carriers.
Q: I have a pacemaker. Is that a problem with EECP? A: No. Pacemakers and internal defibrillators do not interfere in any way with EECP.
Q: I am on Coumadin. Is that a problem with EECP? A: No. Patients on Coumadin are able to undergo EECP treatments safely.
Q: I have congestive heart failure (CHF). Is that a problem with EECP?A: No. In fact, in July 2002 the FDA approved EECP as a treatment for congestive heart failure (CHF). After completing a course of EECP treatment, patients with CHF typically have less swelling in their legs, less shortness of breath, less fatigue, and often require less diuretic medication.
Q: Is there an age limit for EECP?A: No. We have successfully treated patients as young as 36 and as old as 97 without any difficulties. Many of our patients are in their 80s and 90s and complete the entire EECP program with excellent results.
Q: I have already had bypass surgery/angioplasty/stents. Can I still have EECP?A: Yes! Most of our patients have already had one (or many) of these procedures. They come for EECP treatment because they still have angina.
Q: Can EECP dislodge plaque and cause a stroke or heart attack?A: No. Our bodies obey the laws of physics, and one principle law is that fluid will follow the path of least resistance. Atherosclerotic plaques are calcified and hard, and they create an obstruction that detours the blood through alternate routes. During EECP, when your blood is flowing to your heart, it will naturally bypass arteries with plaque and enter healthy, non-diseased blood vessels to go around the blockages. Going around the blockages is a longer trip, but it is a much easier one. In time, these new pathways are reinforced and become lasting routes for blood to reach your heart beyond the blockages. Every EECP patient has had multiple, serious blockages. No one has ever had a heart attack or a stroke as a result of the treatment.
Q: Are there any patients who are not able to have EECP?A: There are very few patients who are unable to have EECP. Those who should not be treated include pregnant women, individuals with a severe leakage in their aortic valve requiring surgical repair, and patients with an active blood clot in their leg.
Q: I had a blood clot in my leg three years ago. Can I have EECP?034958
A: Yes. Having a history of a blood clot (deep venous thrombosis or DVT) in your leg does not preclude you from having EECP. It is recommended that you have a Doppler ultrasound of your leg to confirm the blood clot has resolved before beginning the EECP program.
Q: Does EECP aggravate high blood pressure (hypertension)?A: No. If you have hypertension that is properly managed, you may undergo EECP without difficulty. Oftentimes, patients with hypertension find that their blood pressure improves as they proceed with EECP. If your hypertension is uncontrolled, you must seek medical care to get your blood pressure under control with proper medications before proceeding with EECP.
Q: I have bad circulation in my legs (peripheral vascular disease or PVD). May I still have EECP?A: Yes, and you should! EECP improves blood flow throughout the entire body, including your legs. If you have poor leg circulation, you might need more than 35 treatments. My patients typically require at least 50 treatments to get the full benefit of the program. In addition to improved stamina, less angina, and less nitroglycerin use, patients with PVD have a marked improvement in their leg circulation in response to EECP.
Q: I have atrial fibrillation and an irregular heartbeat. May I still have EECP?A: Yes. An irregular heartbeat, including one caused by atrial fibrillation, will not interfere with EECP if the heart rate is controlled and no faster than 100 beats per minute.
Q: I have varicose veins. May I still have EECP? A: Yes. Varicose veins are typically a cosmetic issue, not a medical one. As such, they do not preclude individuals from receiving EECP. We often use extra padding in patients with varicose veins to ensure maximum comfort.
Q: What happens if my angina returns months or years after I finish my EECP treatment course? Can I come back for more?A: Yes. EECP is not a once-in-a-lifetime treatment. Heart disease is a chronic illness and symptoms may return at some point in the future. The door is always open for you to return for additional courses of EECP as needed.
Q: Is EECP similar to chelation therapy?A: No. There is no relationship between EECP and chelation therapy. Chelation is an invasive procedure whereby a substance called EDTA is given intravenously in an attempt to bind to calcium and remove it from atherosclerotic plaques. The fundamental problem with the concept of chelation is that atherosclerotic plaques are not only made of calcium; they include fat, cholesterol and cellular deposits as well. Chelation is a technique which has never been shown by scientific research to have any therapeutic value for heart disease. Since it has never been proven to work, chelation is not paid for by Medicare or any insurance carrier, and therefore is not accessible to most heart disease patients. Patients who choose to try it must pay out of pocket. Each treatment costs approximately $80-$100, and patients often go for numerous treatments over a period of several months, and then continue indefinitely on a maintenance regimen. Chelation can actually be harmful – even fatal – when administered to the wrong person or under the wrong circumstances. It poses particular danger to individuals with congestive heart failure. The amount of fluid administered with each treatment may overtax their weakened heart, leading to severe fluid overload and problems including pulmonary edema (a life-threatening condition in which there is an excess of fluid in the lungs).

In contrast, EECP is entirely non-invasive, proven by hundreds of published scientific studies, and safe. It is an accepted, mainstream medical treatment and, as such, is approved by Medicare and covered by insurance. Chelation does not interfere with EECP, so you may undergo both simultaneously if you choose.
Q: Is there a difference between EECP and ECP?A: Yes. EECP and ECP are very different things. EECP is a registered trademark of Vasomedical, Inc., the leading manufacturer of EECP equipment in the U.S. Vasomedical has a patent on the timing mechanism of the machine (when the cuffs squeeze and release in time to the patient’s EKG, the most critical part of the treatment). This timing mechanism distinguishes them from their competitors who make other external counterpulsation (ECP) equipment, and makes the EECP machine by far the most clinically effective device on the market. Every published U.S. study (more than 100 of them) and most studies originating in countries around the world and published in the leading English-language medical journals have used the Vasomedical EECP equipment exclusively. Accordingly, EECP – not ECP – machines are the ones found in every university hospital, major community hospital, and well-known practice that offers the treatment.

I think it is a pyramid scheme

Junk food diet linked to lower IQ - study

Junk food diet linked to lower IQ - study

A woman eating a hot dog at a fast food restaurant. Toddlers who have a diet high in processed foods may have a slightly lower IQ in later life, according to a British study described as the biggest research of its kind. AFP - Toddlers who have a diet high in processed foods may have a slightly lower IQ in later life, according to a British study described as the biggest research of its kind.

The conclusion, published on Monday, comes from a long-term investigation into 14,000 people born in western England in 1991 and 1992 whose health and well-being were monitored at the ages of three, four, seven and eight and a half.

Parents of the children were asked to fill out questionnaires that, among other things, detailed the kind of food and drink their children consumed.

Three dietary patterns emerged: one was high in processed fats and sugar; then there was a "traditional" diet high in meat and vegetables; and finally a "health-conscious" diet with lots of salad, fruit and vegetables, pasta and rice.

When the children were eight and a half, their IQ was measured using a standard tool called the Wechsler Intelligence Scale.

Of the 4,000 children for which there were complete data, there was a significant difference in IQ among those who had had the "processed" as opposed to the "health-conscious" diets in early childhood.

The 20 percent of children who ate the most processed food had an average IQ of 101 points, compared with 106 for the 20 percent of children who ate the most "health-conscious" food.

"It's a very small difference, it's not a vast difference," said one of the authors, Pauline Emmett of the School of Social and Community Medicine at the University of Bristol.

"But it does make them less able to cope with education, less able to cope with some of the things in life."

The association between IQ and nutrition is a strongly debated issue because it can be skewed by many factors, including economic and social background.

A middle-class family, for instance, may arguably be more keen (or more financially able) to put a healthier meal on the table, or be pushier about stimulating their child, compared to a poorer household.

Emmett said the team took special care to filter out such confounders.

"We have controlled for maternal education, for maternal social class, age, whether they live in council housing, life events, anything going wrong, the home environment, with books and use of television and things like that," she said.

The size of the study, too, was unprecedented.

"It's a huge sample, it's much much bigger than anything anyone else has done," she said in an interview with AFP.

Emmett said further work was needed to see whether this apparent impact on IQ persisted as the children got older.

Asked why junk food had such an effect, she suggested a diet that was preponderantly processed could lack vital vitamins and elements for cerebral development at a key stage in early childhood.

"A junk food diet is not conducive to good brain development," she said.

The paper appears in the peer-reviewed Journal of Epidemiology and Community Health, published by the British Medical Association (BMA).

Natural approach to lowering LDL cholesterol - Dear Doctor, -

If you are interested in non surgical, non drug solutions to heart health problems be sure to see this fascinating article:

Vitally Important! -Why your Cardiologist Doesn’t Want You to Know About Fighter Pilot's “G-Suits.

Sam and Bunny Sewell

Independent Shaklee Distributors

Senior Coordinators

http://bestself.myshaklee.com/us/en/welcome.html

bunnysam@bestselfusa.com

Dear Doctor,

Please allow me to introduce a new dietary supplement from Shaklee Corporation that provides a natural approach to lowering LDL cholesterol. Shaklee Cholesterol Reduction Complex delivers 2,000 mg of a combination of sterols and stanols, an efficacious intake level recommended by the National Institutes of
Health Therapeutic Lifestyle Changes (TLC), Your Guide to Lowering Your Cholesterol with TLC
(http://www.nhlbi.nih.gov/health/public/heart/chol/chol_tlc.pdf) .

The TLC recommendations are a comprehensive approach to reducing elevated LDL cholesterol levels for the purpose of reducing the risk of heart disease. The essential components include:
• Reducing the dietary intake of LDL-raising dietary factors (saturated fats, trans fats, and dietary cholesterol)
• Increasing the intake of LDL-lowering dietary factors (consuming 10–25 g of soluble fiber andadding 2,000 mg per day of sterols/stanols)
• Losing weight and increasing exercise

Plant sterols and stanols are found in the cell walls of plants and occur in very small amounts in plants, fruits, vegetables, seeds, and grains. Supplementing the diet with sterols and stanols was shown to significantly lower LDL cholesterol in a recent meta-analysis of 84 studies (http://jn.nutrition.org/cgi/ This effect has been shown in as little as three to four weeks. Furthermore, another meta-analysis of eight studies shows that intake of sterols and stanols can further reduce cholesterol levels even in those already using statins (http://www.jacn.org/cgi/content/abstract/28/5/517).

When used as directed, Cholesterol Reduction Complex provides 2,000 mg of sterols and stanols daily, which qualifies for the FDA-approved health claim for lowering cholesterol levels for the purpose of helping to reduce the risk of heart disease.*

Shaklee has a long history in the nutritional supplement industry, beginning when our founder, Dr. Shaklee,
first sold a multivitamin in 1915. Shaklee Corporation was founded in 1956 and today is the number one natural nutrition company in the U.S. We are committed to creating products that are relevant to people’s health needs—and there continue to be major issues in our country due to people’s diets, obesity, and elevated lipid levels leading to the spiraling health costs associated with cardiovascular disease.
Thank you for your time and please feel free to contact me with any questions you may have.

Sincerely,
Jamie McManus, M.D., FAAFP
Chair, Medical Affairs & Health Sciences
Shaklee Corporation
E-mail: drjmcmanus@shaklee.com
Phone: 925.924.3093

*Products containing at least 400 mg per serving of plant sterols and stanols, when eaten twice a day with meals for a daily intake of 800 mg as part of a diet low in saturated fat and cholesterol, may reduce the risk of heart disease. A serving of Cholesterol Reduction Complex supplies 1,000 mg of plant sterols and stanols for a daily intake of 2,000 mg when used as directed