A 49-year-old male patient came in to my office a few weeks ago for a visit and mentioned that he noticed his left arm felt numb after sitting at his computer for a prolonged period. It was an incidental complaint, not what he had come in for but he wanted to mention it to see what I thought. This is a patient who takes very good care of himself, eats a healthy diet, exercises regularly, maintains a good weight and has normal blood pressure and cholesterol. Essentially, minimal risk factors for anything too serious here. Those of you in the medical field probably know where I’m heading with this story; it is one that is not all that uncommon. I was not too suspicious so I examined the patient and told him to follow-up if his symptoms persisted or go to the ER if it got any worse.

Fast forward to later that night, my patient was getting ready to go to the gym and he noticed that the numbness in his arm had gotten worse and that he, “just didn’t feel right.” numbness in most areas can be caused by many things but symptoms in the left arm tends to give us a little more pause because of the association with heart attacks. My patient then made the most important decisions of his life and decided to go to the ER as I suggested earlier that day. He was seen right away because of his symptoms, was found to have an abnormal EKG and blood work and was also found to have a 95% obstruction of his left anterior descending artery in his heart, otherwise known as the widow maker. Because of the extent of the blockage, the artery could not be stented and so he required open heart bypass surgery to fix the problem, a procedure that saved his life.
There are many lessons in this story. As a physician hind site can sometimes be very scary. The what-ifs that creep in can keep you up at night. What if my patient had not mentioned the problem because he thought it was not important, what if I had not been concerned enough to tell him to go to the ER if his symptoms got worse, What if he had waited one more day to see if his symptoms improved? I could go on and on but the outcome would probably be the same. I would be writing about the loss of a patient rather than one who beat the widow maker. We can rejoice in the outcome that we had however, and I will file this story away and use it to become a better doctor going forward.
The other side of this story is that as much as we want to believe we are in control of our health and our destiny, sometimes life steps in and shows us that despite our best efforts, we are all headed for the same fate. Sometimes sooner rather than later.  The question is what do we do with this information? My two cents, do everything you can do to live a healthy life and minimize your disease risk, and live your life knowing that your time here is fleeting. Trying to follow these two rules will sometimes have you living at opposite ends of the spectrum. That’s OK. To be diligent about your health is a good thing. Skipping a workout once in a while, and having pizza and beer with your friends or family is too. It is easy to get comfortable in our ruts: working long hours, taking care of family, and going through our routines of exercise. Blink and you lose a month, blink twice, a year. Finding meaning in your life and chasing those big dreams can get lost in those weeks that pass us by. Jobs got it right; acknowledging you are on borrowed time is good motivation, a good way to prevent using a busy life as an excuse to delay chasing dreams and relishing the small moments that give our lives meaning. In 2012 look to my blogs to provide you with information on improving your health and wellness throughout the year. But don’t forget about the other stuff: spend time with the people you love, pursue laughter, order desert once in a while, and take time to ponder what gives your life meaning. Stop putting off the big decisions.

The first recommendation I will give for the new year is to complete a detox program. There is never a convenient time for this but the start a of a new year is a good time to  detoxify the body after a long year ending in the overindulgence of the holiday season. Our staff will be doing a one week detox starting next week to get the New Year kicked off. Check out our prior blogs on our detox program and the experience we have had with it if you are interested. A detox week, followed by a week of an organic diet, is a good way to kick-start a weight loss program,  help your body eliminate toxins you have built up over the past 12 months, and leave you feeling energized for the new year.

 Until next time, Stay Healthy and Live Well… Dr. Mike

-Martial, 66 AD,

 “The work of the doctor will, in the future, be ever more that of an educator, and ever less that of a man who treats ailments.”

- Lord Horder

 I love the holiday season for many reasons. One of which is that it is a time to reflect on the past year, and to begin thinking about goals for the next. The past year has been a busy one for us at The Center for Health and Age Management. Our growth has been a blessing and we are thankful to our patients for allowing us to participate in your health and wellness. As I begin to formulate goals for my practice and my life over the next year, I began thinking about something bigger than what I will aspire to over the next 12 months. I wondered what my legacy will be. As I’ve pondered this thought, I think I have come up with a glimpse of at least part of the answer to that question as it pertains to my practice.

Fall is the beginning of the cold and flu season and this year has been no different. I’ve noticed however that very few of my patients have come in with acute illnesses this year. One of my goals for my patients has always been to maximize health and wellness. Medicine has turned into an industry that defines itself by how well it manages chronic illness at worst and the absence of disease at best. Medicine should be more than this.

 My goal for my patients goes way beyond what to me is an unacceptable standard of care. That goal is to provide my patients with the most cutting edge information to not only minimize disease risk, but to maximize their body’s ability to fight disease. Anti-aging medicine is about slowing the aging process that makes our bodies progressively more susceptible to those diseases. It is not just about increasing longevity, but increasing the quality of that longevity. Not just living, living well. My hope is that this will become my professional legacy

 If you have seen me as a patient you have heard my recommendations for treating acute respiratory illness naturally but it bears repeating as the cold and flu season is upon us.

 Healthy diet and proper sleep are always the first step in improving your immune system. If you don’t sleep well, find a way to do so even if it requires taking a medication for a short time. It is that important. In addition,  there are some very important supplements to have on hand when you become sick or better yet take year round. They all have convincing research behind their immune boosting and disease fighting ability. Below is a list of those supplements and the dosages I recommend.

 Vitamin C: 500 – 1000 mg 2 – 3 times daily

L-Glutamine: 1 gram 2 – 3 times daily

Zinc – in the form of zinc chelate, glycinate, or citrate: 50 – 100 mg daily.

Vitamin D3: This one depends on your blood levels but 2000 IU is safe for most people but increase to 5000 IU during illness. You can take too much vitamin D3 so make sure you know what your blood levels are before taking high doses for prolonged periods. Have your levels checked annually and aim for 60 – 80 ng/ml.

Green tea: drink throughout the day when sick or healthy for immune boosting power

These are the supplements I have personally used for years with good results. Keep them on hand and you will find that if you do get sick, you will reduce symptoms and recover faster.

I learn a lot from my patients. They tend to be well-informed consumers that have made an effort to educate themselves on matters of health. They eat healthier, exercise more, and take more supplements than the general population. Because of their diligence, they have become a resource for me. I learn what has worked for them to improve their health, lose weight, and live a happier life. At times they also inspire me.

Those of you that know me are aware that I have had a 20 year career of competing in triathlons. The pinnacle of the sport is the iron man distance: 2.4 mile swim, 112 mile bike, followed by a 26.2 mile marathon. I have tried twice to train for this race but each time my body has broken down under the strain of the training. As the injuries have mounted over the years, I had pretty much given up on this life long dream and had resigned my self to training for shorter races and staying in shape in other ways.

That was until a patient came to me who has overcome more injuries than I can imagine, yet continues to train and race with great passion for the sport, despite her pain and limitations.

She made me believe again and inspired me to give it one more go. I don’t know if my body will hold up, truth is I will likely have to walk the marathon portion. I’m OK with that. Life is about the journey, it is about the struggle to attain whatever greatness you aspire to. On November 3^rd, 2012 I hope to obtain mine at Ironman Florida. I encourage you to find what greatness you will strive for in the coming year. I’ll keep you posted on mine.

 Until next time, Stay Healthy and Live Well…

Dr. Mike

In my last blog on caloric restriction and longevity, I mentioned a supplement that produces similar effects in the body without the pain of following a low-calorie diet. That supplement is Resveratrol.  As I covered in last month’s blog, research has shown that caloric restriction or intermittent fasting can have an enormous impact on your health and has been shown to increase life span by up to 60% in animal studies. It is believed this result is due to a survival mode which the body reverts to when it goes through periods of time without a readily available fuel source. This survival mode leads to improved fuel efficiency, improved immunity and disease fighting ability.

 Resveratrol is a compound found in many common foods including red wine, grapes, berries, and peanuts. Before you get too excited about the Resveratrol content in wine however, know that you will have to consume a liter of wine to get about 5 mg of this nutrient and that the recommended dosage is 250-300 mg daily. Luckily, Resveratrol is also available as a nutritional supplement. It is believed that Resveratrol simulates caloric restriction and the resulting health and longevity benefits it provides. Animal studies have shown a longevity benefit from Resveratrol, even in subjects that were given a high caloric diet, but there is an even greater, synergistic effect when the two are combined (Resveratrol supplement with some sort of caloric restriction protocol as discussed in my blog last month).

 Health benefits of Resveratrol alone or in conjunction with some form of caloric restriction include: lower blood sugar, cholesterol, and blood pressure, decreased inflammation, and weight loss.^1,2,3. Other studies have shown inhibition of viral infections as well as many cancers, including three of the most common cancers in the US; prostate, colon and breast cancer. ^4,5,6.  It is also a very powerful antioxidant..

 My recommendations for supplements start with the basics; a purified, pharmaceutical grade fish oil, a high quality multiple vitamin, and vitamin D3. From there it depends on an individual’s needs. Those needs take into account everything from activity level and mood, to family history and sleep quality. Resveratrol, although having been around for many years as a supplement, falls into sort of new category of supplements that can affect us on a genetic level. The most cutting edge of anti-aging medicine is beginning to look at and treat disease and aging at the DNA level by taking supplements that manipulate genetic activity and increase the longevity of our genetic makeup. My point here is that some supplements have immediate impact such as melatonin for sleep or magnesium for constipation. Although there are immediate benefits to be had from Resveratrol, others may take decades to realize. Reducing the degeneration of your DNA will pay dividends down the road in the reduction cardiovascular disease and cognitive decline.

 I’ve seen enough research on this supplement to add it to my own daily regimen and think that it may be worthy of adding it to my basic recommendations list. If you are going to add it to yours, make sure you get a pharmaceutical grade supplement that provides trans-resveratrol and take 250 – 300 mg daily.  If you are not ready to take that step, make sure your diet is rich in foods that contain this intriguing nutrient. At the very least you have one more reason to enjoy a good glass of red wine with friends, or your favorite doctor.

 Until next time, Stay Healthy and Live Well…. Dr. Mike

 1. Am J Clin Nut 2010;92:5-15

2. J Hypertension 2000 Dec; 18 (12):1833-1840 178

3. J Infectious Disease 2005 May 15; 191 (10):1719-1729

4. International Cancer 2005 Jun 10; 115 (2):194-201

5. Molecular Nutrition Food Research 2005 May;49 (5):462-471

6. Cancer Epidemiology Biomarkers Prevention2005 Mar; 14 (3):596-604

A topic getting some traction recently in the blogosphere is the concept of caloric restriction (CR), also known as intermittent fasting (IF). The concept has been around for years because of some early research which revealed increased longevity in mosquitoes kept on a caloric restricted (i.e. low calorie) diet. I recently sat through 6 hours of lectures given by Dr. Mark Houston who presented the most recent research on this topic and the potential for health improvement by following a caloric restricted diet. Dr. Houston is a clinical professor of medicine at

The concept of caloric restriction in a nut shell is just as the term sounds, following a calorie restricted diet in some form or another. The protocols that have been studied included fasting for one full day per week (24 hours), cutting daily calories by 20 – 40% below normal, and cutting calories by 40% on alternating days while eating normal diet on the other days. Studies have included many different species from yeast and worms, all the way up to primates and consistently show a 15 – 66% improvement in longevity and a dramatic reduction in disease, when following such diets^1,2,3,4,5. Studies have confirmed that these beneficial biological changes also occur in human studies.^5,6,7,8,9,10

There are many reasons why this makes sense from a health and medical perspective. The most obvious is the fact that these diets results in weight loss and lower cholesterol, blood sugar and insulin levels, all of which reduces of the most common causes of disease and death in industrialized populations. But the reasons go deeper than this. A good analogy is wild blueberries. Wild blueberries have a higher concentration of antioxidants and other disease fighting antioxidants than those grown in controlled farming environments using pesticides. It is believed that they become hardier because they must fight harder for survival in the wild. Similar things happen in the body when then body is given less of what it needs to survive, becoming ultra efficient at using fuel and fighting off disease.

Some examples include increased growth hormone production, decreased DNA damage that can lead to cancer, marked improvement in sugar metabolism, and decreased plaque formation on blood vessels which can lead to heart attack and stroke.

Dr. Houston did recommend a more practical way to obtain the benefits of caloric restriction without consistently starving yourself. His observations have seen similar changes in his patients who exercise consistently 4 – 5 days per week for an hour, including a combination of weight training and aerobic activity, along with fasting from 6 pm to 6 am 4 days per week. I have outlined more specific protocols for some of my patients and have seen some pretty dramatic results for those who follow the program. To be clear, most people are more interested in the weight reduction aspects of these programs but this research is about extending life and reducing disease. Weight reduction is just a nice side effect.  

There is a supplement that has been shown to induce some of the same biological changes, including weight reduction, that I will cover in my next blog so check in next week for more information on this promising new tool that could have a dramatic impact on your health and longevity.

Until next time, stay healthy and live well… Dr. Mike

1. European J of Clinical Nutrition 2007;61:160-65

2. Science 2003;299:572

3. Proc Natl Acad Sci USA 2003;100:6216

4. Physiol Rev 2002;82:637

5. Sci Aging Knowledge Environ 2003;8 RE 2

6. Clin Nutr 2006;84:1033

7. Rejuvenation Res 2008;11:793

8. J Clin Endocrinol Metab. 2008;93:3226

9. Obesity 2006;14:1211

10. Curr Opin Lipidol 2007;18:53

Cardiovascular disease is the leading cause of death in the US, comprising 36% of all deaths annually and costs the medical system a staggering 475 billion dollars annually. Heart disease and stroke are the main diseases that make up this number. The causes of  these lethal disease are many, but the most significant contributor by far is high blood pressure. Deemed the silent killer because many who have it have no symptoms at all and for many the first sign is a lethal heart attack or stroke.

 High blood pressure is number one cause of cardiovascular disease in the US and the number one cause of stroke. It is the leading cause for physician visits and prescriptions written in the US.

 A blood pressure of 120/80 is considered normal but research shows that the damage which leads to cardiovascular disease starts when blood pressure rises above 110/70. Additionally, there is an incremental increase in cardiovascular disease for every one point rise in blood pressure.¹

 One of the most effective ways to reduce high blood pressure is still exercise. A combination of resistance training and aerobic exercise has been shown to lower systolic blood pressure (the top number) 10 – 15 points and diastolic blood pressure (the bottom number) by 5 – 10 points.² Weight loss is good for another significant reduction in blood pressure when individuals lose 8 – 10 pounds regardless of starting weight. ² The catch with the exercise is, it usually takes 60 minutes of moderate exercise, at least 5 days per week for it to be effective. ²

 Another major problem for Americans is the enormous amount of sodium that we eat. Minimal daily requirements are 500 mg/day but the average intake is 5000 mg/day with a range of 3000 – 20,000 mg/day. Decreasing sodium to an intake of less than 2000 mg/day lowers all cardiovascular risk and works even better if you are getting adequate amounts of potassium and magnesium in your diet.³ In fact, increasing potassium intake lowers stroke risk even if blood pressure does not change. ³ Most Americans are deficient in both magnesium and potassium.

 Finally increasing protein intake has been shown to significantly reduce blood pressure. Specifically, consuming 20 – 30 grams of hydrolyzed whey protein per day has been shown to decrease blood pressure by as much as 11 points on the top number and 7 points on the bottom number. These are numbers that medication boast about and can be done through a simple diet change. ⁴

 There are many things we can do to reverse or prevent the sometimes silent but deadly disease of high blood pressure. An easy way to start is to begin the day with a fruit smoothie with 30 grams of hydrolyzed whey protein which can be purchased at any health food store. Add ½ of cup of low fat yogurt, a good source of calcium, potassium, and magnesium and fruits such as bananas which are high in potassium and magnesium. Nuts, seeds, and beans are also very high in these valuable nutrients.

 If you want to get really serious about lowering blood pressure and actually getting off medication all together, we are doing just that with patients in the anti-aging world. We are now offering spectracell™ testing which is a specialized white blood cell analysis of nutrients which gives a much better picture of your nutritional status than any traditional blood test. Many with high blood pressure have multiple nutritional deficiencies or metabolic disorders which, when corrected and combined with diet and exercise, have been shown to reduce blood pressure enough to get patients off of medications completely.⁵ The test can also help in other areas such as high cholesterol and blood sugar, chronic fatigue and fibromyalgia. If you’re interested in this simple blood test, call our office today for the details. Some insurance companies are now covering a portion the cost of the test.

 Until next time, stay healthy and live well… Dr. Mike

 . 1. J of Am Soc of Hypertension. 2010;4:255

2. Circ 1990; 81: 1560

3. Annals IM 1991; 115: 753-9;

4. J Clin Hypertens 2006; 8: 775

5. M.C. Houston et al: Progress in Cardiovascular Disease 52 (2009) 61–94

The flu season is officially in full swing! A quick check of the CDC website reveals that confirmed cases of the influenza virus have been steadily rising since the beginning of the year and may have peaked last week if we are lucky. All three strains: A, B, and H1N1 seem to be in equal abundance and are in widespread circulation throughout most of the U.S. And yes it is possible to get more than one strain. I have seen several cases of patients who tested positive for both the A and B strains at the same time and it usually isn’t pretty.

The flu is a virus, which sweeps across the globe annually, usually occurs in the winter months but can start in the fall and last until spring. The actual bug (virus) varies from year to year and so the flu shot must also vary from year to year to match it. Symptoms can vary from strain to strain and person to person but generally, those infected experience sudden onset of fever, body aches, headache, sore throat, and a non productive cough which can be severe. Other symptoms can include nasal congestion, diarrhea and marked fatigue. Most people start having symptoms within 48 hours of being exposed. From what I have seen this year the symptoms are pretty typical but people seem to be complaining of a more severe sore throat with this year’s strain.

In healthy people, the flu lasts 3 – 5 days but you may continue to have fatigue and cough lasting a couple weeks. It can be a serious infection for some however as roughly 25,000 deaths per year can be attributed to the flu in the U.S. alone. The majority of those deaths occur in young children less than 2 year of age, the elderly, and those with chronic diseases such as lung disease, diabetes and HIV. These are the main populations that should receive the flu shot although everyone should consider it.

If you think you are coming down with the flu, get to your doctor or a local walk-in clinic right away. The flu can be diagnosed just based on symptoms but there is also a rapid flu test available that give results in 15 minutes. The flu is a virus so antibiotics will not help but you may be prescribed anti viral drugs such as Tamifu,™ which can have a dramatic effect on your symptoms and the duration of your illness. The catch here is these medications work extremely well if you start them within 48 hours of symptoms. After that they may not help much.

So what can you do to arm yourself against the flu? The flu shot is your best bet at reducing your risk for severe symptoms and serious complications of the flu. There are of course other things you can do to boost your immune system and reduce your risk of catching most respiratory infections. At the first sign of any respiratory infection you should have a few things on hand to get stated right away.

The first supplement is zinc. There is good research that suggests zinc interrupts viral replication which can greatly diminish the duration and severity of common viral respiratory infections that cause the majority of the “colds,” that we get.1 Zinc is one of the main ingredients in the over the counter preparations such as air borne™ and zycam™. Many people are deficient in zinc which is an important nutrient for proper immune function. Take 50 mg twice a day while you are having cold symptoms.

Next is vitamin c, a powerful antioxidant which has a key role in immune function. Opinions vary on dosages but I generally recommend 1000 mg 2 – 3 times a day when you cold and flu symptoms

Drink green tea throughout the day when sick, it has many immune boosting as well as antiviral and antibacterial  properties. Brew it yourself and drink it fresh rather than the bottled varieties from convenience stores.

There is some preliminary research that suggests that part of the reason the flu comes in the winter months is because lack of sun exposure causes vitamin D levels to decline leaving us more succeptible to common viral infections. I recommend to my patients that they take 5000 IU of vitamin D3 daily whenever they have an upper respiratory symptoms. You should get your levels checked before you stay on levels this high but it is safe to do so for a few weeks at a time during illness. ³

If you really want to get aggressive, keep a stock of the amino acid glutamine in your cabinet. Glutamine is the most abundant amino acid in our bodies and is the essential for proper immune function. Studies have shown that levels decrease during illness and stress so replenish it with capsules or powdered form that you can put in a smoothie. Aim for 4 grams a day when you are sick. If you are a competitive athlete, use glutamine after exercise for faster recovery and prevention of upper respiratory infections during heavy training. 2

To help with symptoms, always stay well hydrated when you are sick by drinking plenty of purified water. Take Tylenol™ or Advil™ for fever and aches unless you have been told by your physician not to take these medications or if you are allergic to them.

Hopefully the season will be winding down over the next month but keep these supplements handy throughout the year if you start experiencing cold and flu symptoms.  

 Until next time, Stay healthy and live well…. Dr. Mike

1. Prasad AS, Beck FW, Bao B, Snell D, Fitzgerald JT. Duration and severity of symptoms and
   levels of plasma interleukin-1 receptor antagonist, soluble tumor necrosis factor receptor, and
   adhesion molecules in patients with common cold treated with zinc acetate. J Infect Dis 2008
   ;197:795-802.

2. Mackinnon LT, Hooper SL. Plasma glutamine and upper respiratory tract infection during intensified
  training in swimmers. Med Sci Sports Exerc. 1996;28:285-290.

3. Adit A. Ginde, Jonathan M. Mansbach, and Carlos A. Camargo, Jr
   Association Between Serum 25-Hydroxyvitamin D Level and Upper Respiratory Tract Infection in the Third
   National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey Arch Intern Med. 2009;169(4):384-390.

 

My 9^th grade marine biology teacher once told me: “Only believe half of what you see and nothing of what you hear.” Keep this in mind when you hear news reported about recent research findings or read  recommendations given by the government and medical organizations.

 I’ve had a few patients ask questions recently about conversations they have had with their primary care doctors or recent articles they have seen in the newspaper. My suggestion is always to do as I do, interpret carefully, use common sense, and remember the bell curve. The knee jerk reaction to many published studies is to apply the results to the entire population even though in most cases, research is narrowly focused on a small population and age range. In addition, research does not always examine other factors that can affect the outcome of the study.

 Female hormone replacement is a classic example. The Women’s Health initiative study, released in 2002, studied the risks and benefits of female hormone replacement and because of the results led many medical organizations to issue the opinion that all hormone replacement treatment was dangerous and that the risk of treatment outweighed the benefit. The knee jerk reaction in the medical community was to take all women off of hormone replacement and discourage its use other than in the most extreme of cases. The problem with this is the study was conducted using synthetic estrogen derived from the urine of pregnant horses (premarin®) or the combination of this equine estrogen with synthetic progesterone (prempro®). Additionally, the patient populations were largely over 65 and half of them were smokers. What is also not reported is that the branch of the study that used estrogen alone is still ongoing, the branch that was stopped prematurely, because of the increased incidents of blood clots, breast cancer, and heart attacks, used the combination of equine estrogen and synthetic progesterone.

 Looking closely at the data, many in the medical community believe that the true culprit in this picture is the synthetic progesterone. In addition, the fact that we make blanket recommendations about all hormone replacement based on a study done on animal hormones given to humans, doesn’t pass the common sense test. Can you really apply findings of this study to say, a healthy 40 year old woman who eats healthy, doesn’t smoke and exercises daily? To date there has not been a study that has shown that bioidentical hormones (those that are the identical chemical produced in your body and not animal derived) have the same risks. In fact there are numerous studies that suggest a protective effect in many areas including heart disease, stroke, osteoporosis, and breast cancer. ¹

 Another question concerning new recommendations by the IOC (Institute of Medicine) for vitamin D intake was recently making the rounds on the news. They increased the recommendations for daily supplementation, but in the process put out warning statements about taking too much vitamin D and, in the opinion of many in the anti-aging world, fell woefully short on the recommendations they have made. It seems they are following the RDA’s antiquated approach to nutritional recommendations by recommending the minimum amount of a nutrient to prevent disease. Granted, there is risk in taking too much vitamin D and you should have your levels checked before taking larger doses, but recent research reveals that 75% of our population is deficient in this important nutrient. Other recent studies suggest deficiencies in Vitamin D increase your risk of many cancers including colon and breast cancer, two of the most common types of cancer in the US. Their recommendation of keeping vitamin D3 levels above 20 (the lower threshold of normal) is simply dumbfounding. My patients take 5000 IU of vitamin D3 per day until levels reach 50 – 60 and then we drop them down to 2000 IU daily for maintenance. I take into account the recommendations but treat my patients as I would treat my wife. Vitamin D is not a nutrient you want to be deficient in based on the research that I have reviewed and do you really want your standard to be meeting the lower threshold of anything? View my prior blog on vitamin D for further information on this important nutrient

 Finally, you may have seen reports on a recent study that revealed that fish oil showed little benefit in preventing recurrent Atrial Fibrillation, a common heart rhythm abnormality. In this 24 week study of 663 patients taking, “high doses of fish oil,” (4 grams daily) there did not appear to be a benefit in terms of preventing a recurrence of the abnormal heart rhythm. Other similar studies have shown mixed results the effect of fish oil on A-Fib and multiple studies have shown marked benefit for other health conditions as well as mortality in general.^2,3,4,5,6  Prior blogs address fish oil as well.

 Research is a good thing. We must continue to question and test old assumptions if we are to continue to improve patient care and health but we must also use our big picture goggles when it comes to practical application. I will do my best to keep you informed of the most recent research and the recommendations but will also try to give you the practical take home message after I examine them through my own common sense and big picture goggles.

 Until next time, stay healthy and live well… Dr. Mike

1. Postgraduate Medicine, 2009; vol 121, issue 1
2. Circulation, 2002; 105:1897-1903
3. JAMA vol 287. No. 14 p 1815.
4. N Engl J Med. 2002 346:1113-1118
5. Br J Nutr. 2002;87:281-289
6. Lancet. 2001;3571764-1766

I read some interesting statistics today in the most recent issue of Medical Economics:

“Up to 80% of our nation’s health costs are related to chronic conditions that have their origin in poor lifestyle behaviors.” “1.8 trillion of the 2.4 trillion spent on healthcare in 2009 can be attributed to unhealthy lifestyle behaviors,” and, “Our current healthcare system is primarily geared toward returning people to living unhealthy lifestyles and not to changing their unhealthy lifestyles.” ¹

 Think about those numbers for a moment the next time you are discussing the pros and cons of universal health care. This little talked about aspect of health care in my opinion is one of the strongest arguments against government-run i.e. tax payer funded universal health care. I have seen it for years as a physician. To simplify it for you, most people are sick because of what they have done to themselves or what they refuse to do for themselves. Sure it’s an oversimplification. Clearly there are people with health problems that are no fault of their own. But any honest physician will tell you, half of what they see is self-inflicted. Does that mean they shouldn’t have access to care? Of course not, but in my opinion self accountability should somehow be worked into the equation before we allow our government to write a check that my grandchildren have no hope of covering.

 Don’t get me wrong, our health care system has monumental problems that need fixing and I do not proclaim to be the guy with all of the answers. What I do know however is that within my practice model I have seen my patients improve their cholesterol panels, lose weight, come off of blood pressure and diabetes medications because they were willing to make wholesale changes in their lifestyle. In other words they became accountable for their health.

 As I read these stats and reflected on the first year of my new practice I realized a few things. We have much to be grateful for at The Center for Health and Age Management. Our first year in practice greatly exceeded our expectations and projections despite opening in the middle of the worst recession in my life time. I firmly believe the reasons for that success revolve around two main factors, and that those two factors hold the key for not only fixing what is wrong with many of our patients, but will fix a lot of what is wrong with much of our health care system in general.  First and foremost, our patients have made the decision to take a proactive approach to their health and aging. They refuse to accept the common response from the western medical community that the health problems they are experiencing are just part of aging, or that they just need to take another pill or learn to live with whatever health problems they have. Secondly, we have provided a medical home to help our patients in their quest to maximize their health and longevity and we have made a commitment to providing exceptional and individualized care to patients who want to look and feel their best, not simply drag themselves through life lacking the energy and vitality of youth.  

As the New Year looms, I hope you will think of your health in a different way in the coming year and that you will make positive changes to improve your health and well-being. Reflect on the lifestyle choices you have made over the past year and consider how those choices have affected your health. Just as we are planning for the next year in business, you should do the same for your health. Instead of making a new year’s resolution this year, pick a few simple lifestyle changes that can make a huge impact on your health and do not compromise on them for the month of January. Making a change for a month is much more realistic than trying to change a life long habit forever and hopefully the changes you see in that month will motivate you to make additional healthy changes. Use this simple tool to hold yourself accountable. Put a blank calendar on your refrigerator and put a red check mark for every day that you stick to your goals. Sounds simple but when you are staring at three straight days of no check marks you will more than likely be motivated to work harder to earn check marks over the next three. If you need suggestions, my top three choices would be:

 Eat at least 4 servings of vegetables and 2 servings of fruit every day. Increasing fruit and vegetable intake pretty much dwarfs any other changes you can make to improve your health. Make at least one serving of vegetables from the cruciferous family (broccoli, cauliflower, brussel sprouts) and at least one serving of fruit from the berry family.

 Add resistance training to your exercise program. As you age, you lose muscle mass which causes a steady slowing of your metabolism over the years. This trend results in subsequent steady increase in body fat. Maintaining and building muscle mass is your best defense against the long list of health issues that come along with increases in body fat.  

Eliminate foods containing high fructose corn syrup and enriched wheat from your diet. This may be the hardest one to accomplish as these two ingredients have become ubiquitous in our food supply but if you have read my prior blogs you know why this one is so important.

 A great way to get a jump-start on the two dietary goals is to complete a detox program the first week of the New Year. Check out my blog on our Core Restore, 7 day detox program,  http://www.tampahealthcenter.com/766/. Part of this program is to eliminate refined foods and foods that cause inflammation i.e. high fructose corn syrup, refined wheat and gluten, as well as increasing fresh fruit and vegetable intake during the week to aid in the detox process. Soon you will be able to order online through our website but if you would like to try it, just give us a call and we will ship it to you free of charge.

We are looking forward to another great year at The Center for Health and Age Management and hope that we can help you to achieve your health and wellness goals.

Until next time, stay healthy and live well… Dr. Mike

1. Medical Economics. Vol 87 No. 22. November 19, 2010.

The word is out on high fructose corn syrup, and the food industry is getting the message. Some companies, such as Hunt’s Ketchup, Gatorade, and Snapple have removed it from their products and public concern over health risks associated with this man made sweetener has caused consumption to dip to a 20 year low according to a recently published AP article by Emily Fredrix. So what does the food industry do? Repackage of course.

Pending FDA approval, the new name for this product will be corn sugar. Apparently there is a focus group somewhere that has told the Corn Refiners Association that corn sugar is a less onerous name and that we, the uninformed masses, will skip over this seemingly innocent innocuous ingredient while searching for HFCS in the ingredients list and deem the food healthy in it’s absence. After all how bad can “corn sugar,” be?

The article goes on to quote people with long titles like “executive director of the center for science in the public interest,” who go on and on about this poor little, “ highly disparaged and highly misunderstood,” product. Really? I wondered at times while reading this article if I was reading an old script from a Seinfeld episode. What was really rich was that the author independently states that, “there is little scientific evidence,” to support the public’s perception that HFCS is more harmful and more likely to cause obesity than, “ordinary sugar.” I’ve got 2 words for Ms Fredrix: Pub Med. A quick search on this medical reference search engine will yield numerous studies that reveal the true nature of poor little high fructose corn syrup.

Between 1970 and 1990, the consumption of HFCS has increased by more than 1,000% and now accounts for more than 40% of all caloric sweeteners in our food and beverages. During that same time the incidence of obesity and diabetes has followed suit with unprecedented increases. As I’ve written in prior blogs, and referenced by the way Ms. Fredrix, there are countless studies linking HFCS to many of the western diseases such as metabolic syndrome, diabetes, high blood pressure, and atherosclerosis, all of which lead to the leading cause of death in the US – heart disease.

So the latest ploy it seems is to attempt to dupe the public with a name changing shell game. Fortunately, we are becoming more informed and less willing to blindly eat whatever the food industry puts on our shelves and the stats back this up with the drop in consumption of what in my honest medical opinion is an unhealthy product. So keep up the good work in reading your labels and refusing to purchase the foods that contain it. You body will thank you and eventually the food industry will get the message and go back to good old fashion sugar to sweeten our foods. The link to my prior blog on this subject is listed below.

Until next time, Stay healthy and live well… Dr. Mike

http://www.tampahealthcenter.com/high-fructose-corn-syrup/