It's hard for me to imagine that the medical community could be so focused on the drug treatment of mood problems that they would be willing to subject the unborn to serotonin drugs.  The Society for Maternal-Fetal Medicine met this week to discuss the latest developments in OB-Gyn and especially how drugs impact delivery and newborn health.  I just can't help but think that our medical system is a bit twisted when a study shows that women can safely take anti-depressant drugs during pregnancy with NO SERIOUS RISK to the mom or baby!  I know that they mean well but I see so many adult patients who are struggling with the effects of anti-depressant withdrawal that I can't believe tiny infants aren't starting their lives in a nightmare scenario.

This is clearly one of the goofiest studies to come out in a long time. The JAMA editors decided it would be a good idea to show that people who had heart attacks at night and on wekends were far more likely to die than those who had a heart attack during a weekday! Well, let me think. Is it possible that the fully-staffed, rested and alert daytime staff might do a better job than those who have been up all night without an on-call anaesthesiologist or support staff? Maybe that could be a factor. I guess I just wonder how the people who pay for these studies justify their expense accounts.

The latest news on heart disease shows that surgery (CABG or
stent placement) or catheterization are no better at saving lives than medical
treatment at five years.  In fact, it
seems that people who got more aggressive intervention had a higher risk of
death at the five year point.  This could
be due to the fact that these were sicker people to begin with, but I suspect
that the “less is better” mantra applies to cardiac care as well as every other
form of medicine.  The medical care that
people received was blood pressure medicine, nitroglycerin (nitro – under the
tongue) and other drugs that support heart circulation.  One of the big players in this whole process
is cholesterol lowering medication which has some serious side effects that we
eliminate with natural treatment.

 

Scientists at Newcastle
University just completed the first phase of a study looking at
organically raised fruits, vegetables and dairy products.  The massive
study showed dramatic increases in all major beneficial antioxidants
when these foods were compared to non-organic foods.  The benefits of
organic produce have always been an important part of the nutritional
support program at the Center for Hope and Healing but many patients
have balked at the expense of organic foods.  Sometimes they may cost
twice as much as their chemical-laden counterparts.  The good news is
that this study found antioxidants in such high levels that half the
amount of a given food could be eaten while getting the same
nutritional benefit.  Instead of having to eat 5-9 servings of
vegetables and fruit a day to reduce disease risks, the study showed
that as little as 3 servings could provide the same benefits! 
When adding the benefit of reduced exposure to toxic pesticide,
fertilizers and other chemicals, the benefits of organic eating become
well worth the extra effort!

Scientists at Newcastle
University just completed the first phase of a study looking at
organically raised fruits, vegetables and dairy products.  The massive
study showed dramatic increases in all major beneficial antioxidants
when these foods were compared to non-organic foods.  The benefits of
organic produce have always been an important part of the nutritional
support program at the Center for Hope and Healing but many patients
have balked at the expense of organic foods.  Sometimes they may cost
twice as much as their chemical-laden counterparts.  The good news is
that this study found antioxidants in such high levels that half the
amount of a given food could be eaten while getting the same
nutritional benefit.  Instead of having to eat 5-9 servings of
vegetables and fruit a day to reduce disease risks, the study showed
that as little as 3 servings could provide the same benefits! 
When adding the benefit of reduced exposure to toxic pesticide,
fertilizers and other chemicals, the benefits of organic eating become
well worth the extra effort!

I found this in a recent article in the British Evening Standard

including this reference to an interview with Hilary Swank.  She's been
a winner in many ways besides her Oscar award.  In an interview with a
reporter from the "W" magazine, Miss Swank, 33, talked through the
array of pills she takes on a daily basis.  She explained: "This is my
Aloe C, which I dissolve in water.  Here's my flax. This one's for my
immune system, and this one is my BrainWave - it's great, like if I
have a lot of lines to memorize."  She added: "I just took my most
important ones, which are my Oz Garcia Longevity Pak. "I shoved them in my mouth right before I met you, which I actually shouldn't do, because I choked on my vitamins once before."

Vitamin D has become the “rock-star” of recent health research
showing reduction in cancer, bone and joint disease and all sorts of
serious medical problems.  The only legitimate concern revolves around
the possibility of toxicity (extremely rare) and the best method for
increasing healthy levels.  In the same news flash that shows the
powerful contribution of vitamin D against osteoporosis there is a
warning that the drugs (biphosphonates) for osteoporosis triple the
rate of hip bone death in the socket (avascular necrosis).  It is
heart-warming to know that I have been counseling my patients to trust
their instinct when it comes to taking drugs for “prevention” unless
there is no other option.  Bone, skin, immune systems and total health
require balanced vitamin and mineral levels.  Vitamin D is officially
“Major League!”

Apparently Dr. Robert Atkins was wise to conclude that high-protein dieting was a key to sustained weight loss.  Researchers have concluded
that protein suppresses hunger much better than carbohydrates or fats
through a hormonal appetite pathway.  Ghrelin and Acyl-Ghrelin are the
two hormones that cause hunger.  Meals high in protein suppress the
production of the ghrelins.  The concept of controlling hunger through
eating food rather than avoiding food got a big boost today.  The
Ghrelin “Gremlin” stirs up hunger and can be defeated by regular
protein consumption.  Carbohydrate IS a problem and fats have their
proper role in a weight loss program -  but only under specific
circumstances. 

Nearly every day medical journals report on the emerging
importance of “patient-centered care.”
In fact, the Journal of General Internal Medicine published an article
that promised a new vision for health care that centered on the patient by the
year 2020. The article went on to say,
“Seven attributes of patient-centered primary care are proposed here to improve
this dimension of care: access to care, patient engagement in care,
information systems, care coordination, integrated and comprehensive team
care, patient-centered care surveys, and publicly available information.” We’ve been working for years to improve the
way we take care of patients along that exact line.

The American Journal of Psychiatry published a couple of papers last
month that showed people with schizophrenia had a much higher
likelihood of infection with a parasite.  In fact, the parasite
(Toxoplasma gondii) can come from farm animals or cats.  This strongly
supports my theory that it takes a special kind of person to be a
cat-lover!  In the past scientists knew that parasites liked to grow in
the brain but just didn't recognize the connection between major
psychiatric disease and infections. 

A simple herbal treatment
with Artemesinin (Wormwood for all you Bible fans) can completely
eradicate the infection and is currently being studied in China to
treat schizophrenia.  Add this to last month's news that over 10% of
poor children with seizures had brain parasites and I think it's hard
to miss the connection.  If your immune system is weak or you have an
infection, you may just lose your mind!

It has long been a part of medical tradition to give the patient any possible bad news as soon as the opportunity arises.  I think this needs to be balanced with giving the patient every bit of evidence of good news as well.  When a patient arrives at my office with a "tummy ache" I can warn them of the possibility of cancer, dissecting aortic aneurysm and every other possible scary diagnosis.  I could also skirt my responsibility by saying "It's probably nothing."  Both approaches are weak medicine.  There is a better way to approach a patient that is infinitely more satisfying to both the doctor and the one who seeks their assistance.  I call it "Speaking Life."

It comes as no surprise to me that Swiss researchers found that quitting smoking was much easier for people who almost died of a heart attack but they did even better with a month-long program. Follow-up seems like a pretty lame intervention when dealing with adults until the data is considered. People really do better when someone else is looking over their shoulder. This is really about community. When other people are in the fight with you, it's much more likely you'll be happy and successful. I can see patients as part of my family and a community or as distant "consumers." The community orinetation yields greater rewards for everyone involved.

The British Medical Journal just released a study yesterday that showed acupuncture improves the rate of in-vitro fertilization. I've been using acupuncture in my practice to support hormonal treatments for years and have always thoughht that the high rate of pregnancies we see in our practice are a result of truly integrated medicine. Working with fertility specialists and maintaining an excellent health status for women makes much better sense than just "drugging and hoping!" I've seen the heartache that infertility creates and I love seeing the babies who cure the "ache." The acupuncture treatments that target the adrenal and other hormonal systems seem to be the most effective. In this study they actually did acupuncture while they were transferring the embryo. That's what I call putting it all together!

From the spotlight to the depths of depression, Mr. Ledger is a sad victim of a medical system that can't care, but only treat symptoms.  Though Health Ledger apparently had friends and people who cared for him he fell into the hands of a medical system gone mad with drugging instead of healing.  Though he may have had access to excellent counseling and all the financial capability necessary he still died from the prescription medication that was supposed to help him.  I'm not opposed to all medication.  I'm just opposed to a systematic reliance on drug therapy instead of identifying the roots of illness and addressing them.  Certainly Mr. Ledger could have afforded nearly any treatment in the world.  Regardless of his fame and financial status he became trapped in the treatment for his anguish.