A very recent meeting discussed the American Hypertension Society's findings that an enlarged heart can be brought back to normal size equally well by a wide variety of medications. Usually, drug manufacturer's jockey for position by setting their particular medication apart from the others through showing a unique benefit. This time the study showed that it really doesn't amtter which drug you use as long as blood pressure gets down into a reasonable range. (The top number-systolic B.P. - needs to be in the low 130's.) Even though this may seem like a pretty unimportant finding, the implications for natural treatments is HUGE. The "take-away" message here is that lowered blood pressure helps the heart no matter how it got lower (within reason - of course). So, if magnesium would drop blood pressure, or fish extracts would lower blood pressure, or garlic..... I think you get the idea!

Continue reading "Can the Results of Drug Studies Help Holistic Medicine?"

There can be no denying that the stakes of the presidential elections are higher than they've been in years. "W" has done little to shift the painfully eroding health system into a better place. Congress has done less and we are all in for unlimited pain if we anticipate a governmental fix to our health care problems. It always comes down to a simple truth.......... Take control or experience the whims of politicians. OUCH! That will definitely leave a mark.

Where can you go to find the answers to the questions about your deepest fears about life-and-death issues that require wise counsel and true compassion? The discount "five-and-dime" quickie doc? I think not. I've been reading the medical literature from the United Kingdom (England for the most part) and I find one consistent thread. The give and take of serious scientific discussion and the spirited argument of brilliant clinicians is rapidly being replaced by technicians parsing the minutiae of the latest algorithm. Sad! The legacy of medicine in the 21st century is hanging in the balance and we'd better be paying attention. If the "land of the free and the home of the brave" falls prey to socialistic bean-counting demagogery the whole world may suffer for generations, if it ever fully recovers. This is possibly our finest hour to demonstrate what leadership means.

Continue reading "Health and Life Adrift in Politics"

I can't imagine what it would be like to walk into a Whole Foods store and be told I will have to eat the conventionally-grown variety of strawberries because they determined it would be unfair for me to have organic when others chose to spend their money on a brand-new Escalade instead of an old Buick. My options for food and other basic services should be in my control. The government has nowhere near the discretion or ability to decide what kind of health services I should receive. I am the only one who understands ALL OF MY VALUES. I would much rather spend my money on excellent food and the highest quality health services than on a bigger house or a newer car. Unfortunately, the single-payer plans that are being touted by socialistic organizations don't include your input. If you've ever tried to get the Department of Motor Vehicles to make a special exception for you, I think you understand my concern.

Continue reading "Single Payer Healthcare is a Great Idea! As Long as the Single Payer is You!"

The future of medicine in the U.S.A. and around the world is
hanging in the balance. Teddy Kennedy has served for over 45 years in the U.S.
Senate and has been diagnosed with an incurable brain cancer. All the tough
talk aside, he is likely to die within the next year or two. He may be a
valiant fighter but no one is a match for that kind of brain tumor with our
current technology - short of God's direct miraculous intervention. I've seen
that happen, but it would be so much better if cancer treatment wasn't always
such an ugly painful affair that left patients with only two choices:

1. Take a toxic, expensive,
   sickening futile treatment
2. Turn your face to the wall
   and die like a coward who won't take #1

I don't know about you but I'd like to be able to explore lots of other
possibilities before I'd opt for #1 or #2. Even Teddy Kennedy with all of his
enormous resources is going to find it hard to get treatment that honors his
own healing choices. I'd wish for better for him.

Continue reading "A Senator's Sad Song"

The universal health care proposals from Hillary Clinton and her current nemesis, Barack Obama have a decidedly big-government focus. I have ranted endlessly on the disaster that Medicare has become and the expansion of that disaster in the form of universal health care funded through tax dollars. People always spend less money when they are spending their own. In my practice pateints pay cash for the services we provide unless they are given a charitable "gift" because of special circumstances. I only see patients that are willing to spend their own money for treatment. That puts significant pressure on me to perform to the patient's satisfaction. The patient is in charge of the process and makes choices based on discussion of the merits and expense of each option. When I used to work in the emergency department there was never a discussion of payment except in the rarest of circumstances (mostly just venting about high prices). Both systems can be viable but the patient-centered approach will invariably provide greater satisfaction for all parties in the transaction.

Continue reading "Clinton, Obama or McCain on Health Care? Your Choice - Literally!"

One of the great fallacies about the push for single-payer national health insurance is the assumption that people will be healthier. Until everyone takes advantage of the simple health-giving and lifesaving resources of good food and regular physical activity we're heading for a financial disaster as well as a personal one. I've seen the statistics about the "uninsured" and remain unconvinced that universal taxpayer funded insurance will do anything to stem the tide of obesity, heart disease and cancer. In fact, I believe that "free health care" will dramatically increase consumption and absolutely result in rationing. At that point only government officials will have the latitude to receive what they need when they need it. Instaed, I propose adoption of health technologies that encourage better lifestyle choices through coaching and personalized wellness planning. Corporations throughout the world are benefitting by instituting wellness plans that incentivize good health outcomes and reduced usage of insurance. Less utilization is the goal - not more!

Continue reading "Universal Healthcare? How About Universal Health!"

In a completely unsurprising development the bone enhancement drug, Fosamax, has been found to have a "fatal flaw" as soon as its patent expired. There is a consistency to this that should not be missed by anyone who is paying attention. While the drug was still covered by a patent (and able to provide a regular stream of high markup revenue for the manufacturer) all controversies regarding the medication were refuted by studies that revealed the prettier side of the problem. Now that there isn't any reason to defend the drug no one is going to spend the money to "put out the fires" that spring up when a negative study is published. Since Fosamax may cause fatal heart arrhythmias it's just best to switch to one of the drugs that's under patent so the cycle can repeat itself. Isn't it great having the FDA looking out for your best interest? Maybe we should let them run all of health care. Just kidding, maybe we should acknowledge that a government agency can't protect us as well as free speech and free flow of ideas from citizen to citizen. That's how our country was built and designed. Constitutional freedoms protect us better than the nanny government system ever could. That's why we need to fight for our rights before they're stripped away in the name of convenience or comfort.


Continue reading "Off Patent - Bad Drug, On Patent - Good!"

A recent press release from the National Taxpayers Union sounded a clarion call to doctors and patients alike. "When it comes to the financial condition of Medicare, the caregiver
has as many ailments as the patients," NTU Vice President for Policy
and Communications Pete Sepp said. "Unless Congress takes decisive
steps, large and small, to control spending and empower consumers, the
nation's taxpayers will soon be suffering from huge burdens they cannot
carry." The upshot is empowerment of the consumer. Without returning much of the decision-making to the patient there will always be perverse incentives that drive the costs of healthcare through the roof. In our practice every visit starts with the simple question "What are we going to do today?" The question is not based on poor memory or confusion but an acknowledgement that the patient has got to be involved with their care to produce the best outcomes. Anything less leaves the one with the most to lose (the patient) out in the cold. Medicare is built on the premise that it's someone else's responsibility to pay the bulk of the bills for the choices of the program participants. That someone else is the taxpayer -you and me!

Continue reading "Medicare Is On Life Support!"

Researchers put patients with serious bowel disease on Omega-3 supplements from the Epanova company. They took four capsules a day of enteric coated concentrated omega-3 fats. These are the same kind found in fish oils. They found that the 4 grams of mixed EPA and DHA (both omega-3 fats) did not reduce the rate of recurrence of Crohn's disease. They also did not do any of the other things that make a comprehensive nutritional plan succeed. They made no effort to remove allergens, milik, wheat or other irritants to the GI tract but instead treated the Omega-3 fat as a drug. It is not. The actions of natural remedies are much more subtle and need to be part of a comprehensive plan. When we treat Crohn's symptoms we always address diet, stress reduction, medications, hormones and probiotic supplements. Our success rate is really quite impressive with over 50% of patients in sustained remission without medication. They ALL take Omega-3 fats as part of their plan.

Continue reading "Another Study Designed to Fail!"

The American College of Osteopathic Pain Management and Sclerotherapy is meeting at the Hilton in Phoenix at the Tapatio Cliffs Resort. Most people think that it's a little bit vacation and a little bit work. In fact, the classes start at 8:00 AM with a one hour break for lunch and ends around 5:30 with intensive lecturing and then injection lab. When we're done we do usually go out for dinner (and maybe a glass of wine or two). The conference cost $750, the flight $250 and the room about $800 for the room. Food and lost income add up to a total cost of about $8000 to attend a conference. Why? To provide better care. Drug companies don't sponsor "alternative" treatment conferences. There are no subsidies and the doctors all pay their own way. Why? Because they care about their patients and want to give them an alternative to surgery. Prolotherapy (also called sclerotherapy) is an amazing alternative to all sorts of treatment for pain and musculoskeletal problems. It's inexpensive, effective and incredibly safe. Why doesn't everyone know about prolotherapy? Good question!

Continue reading "Arizona Prolotherapy"

In another foolish goverment-centric attempt at securing "health" for the entire population the latest legislation revolves around policing food consumption and activity. Because of the costs that are inherent in bloated bureaucracy it pressure builds for legislators and other government representatvies to show some kind of results for their spending. Governments regulate. Individuals innovate. Sociopaths manipulate. It is critical at this point in our national history and dialogue that we put the right people in government office.

Continue reading "Cheeseburger Police"

When researchers have different beliefs than the mainstream they can come up with some pretty wild results. Benny Shanon of the Hebrew University of Jerusalem stated that Moses was "High on drugs" in his encounter with God at the burning bush. He claims that the bark of the acacia tree has similar hallucinogenic effects as Amazon herbs used to connect with the "spirit world." I can't help but wonder if his experience with these herbs didn't have some effect on his ability to objectively weigh the facts of the case. There is no mention of any ceremonial use of psychedelics in the Bible at any point though there is ample documentation of precise mixing of herbs and spices for temple incense and other detailed concoctions. Maybe the evidence should be considered from all sources.

Continue reading "Moses, Myth and Medicine"

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.

Continue reading "Prenatal Drug Pushers? That Would Be Sick!"

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.

Continue reading "Heart Attacks Should be Timed Carefully"

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.

 

Continue reading "Heart Surgery or Supplements?"