embracinghealthradio's podcast

This is the first part of at least a 2-part episode on thyroid health, highlighting a major controversy that exists when treating the thyroid.  How effective is Synthroid (levothyroxine) in improving thyroid health?  What's the difference between the clinical and functional observations of thyroid health?  Can your doctor tell you your thyroid is healthy yet still have low-thyroid function?  These are a few questions that I raise as I discuss a recent article in the New York Times titled Could Be the Thyroid; Could Be Ennui. Either Way, the Drug Isn't Helping.  https://www.nytimes.com/2017/04/21/health/could-be-the-thyroid-could-be-ennui-either-way-the-drug-isnt-helping.html?_r=1 The article references a recent study from the New England Journal of Medicine that questions the use of the drug levothyroxine in older adults.  As you would expect from me, there is much more to consider in health and when it relates to the thyroid, many misunderstandings and oversights have been woven into standard thyroid care. I end with a little gem I picked up from an obscure Turkish journal that I feel does a real good job in summarizing the thyroid and the many dietary and environmental factors that influence its function.  I only got to the beginning, and will be following up with the full analysis soon. http://www-en.trakya.edu.tr/ http://dergipark.ulakbim.gov.tr/trkjnat/article/download/5000185652/5000163491.

On this show, I highlight an article written by Nina Teicholz, author of The Big Fat Surprise: Why Butter, Meat and Cheese Belong in a Healthy Diet, for the Wall Street Journal. https://www.wsj.com/articles/the-questionable-link-between-saturated-fat-and-heart-disease-1399070926?tesla=y I discuss the questionable underpinnings of our current food and dietary policies and beg for a more nuanced representation of the science behind what is good for us to eat.  It's confusing for sure and it seems like we're flip-flopping all the time on what is best - high-carb/low-fat one day, low-carb/high-fat the next, eggs good/eggs bad, red meat causes cancer, red meat is health sustaining, etc.  The reality is that economics and the way we've built our centralized food system has created an industry where certain ways of doing things have been set in motion long ago and we have this large industry that by nature, is resistant to change.  As per our previous episodes on the topic of dietary fat, it appears that saturated fat is not the problem eaten in the context of a balanced diet. This show is from 2014 and you can see how my views have evolved - refined is a better term. Enjoy the show, and as a bonus, I read from American scholar Manly Hall's concise treatise 10 Basic Rules for Better Living.  Worth the episode alone (in my humble opinion!) :)    

Allergies – what is it?  How do you define it?  How does your body interpret a stressor?  How do you interpret a new situation?  Think like PTSD, you have an initial trauma, and now you are hardwired to interpret future similar events with great reaction.  So, what I'm saying is that between the stimulus and you, lies something in between, something that shapes, conditions, alters your final reaction to the stimulus.  We don't all respond in the same way, right?  Why?  Well, you have to think about that, you have to think about the fact that you are having a problem where other people aren't.  It gets more difficult when many people are having a problem, as then in a more cultural, societal way, it becomes normal.  This is how oftentimes, diseases become commonplace and nobody gets alarmed when the next diagnosis comes. A recent study is highlighting the fact that stroke rates appear to be rising in young adults. https://www.washingtonpost.com/news/to-your-health/wp/2017/04/15/stroke-rates-appear-to-be-rising-steadily-in-young-adults/?utm_term=.e5040a57ca48 So, what's normal?  Are allergies, seasonal ones, 'normal'?  What's the extreme version of allergies?  Autoimmune disease, right?  And to make matters more confusing, the deterministic idea that genetics is a cause for all these things with very fancy and technical explanations, leaves no room for thinking about these problems in any other way, where perhaps these immune conditions have to do with the overall health of the individual.  Health equation….remember?  This is why I bring up things like the equation and then the inflammation set point idea, as then our brains can start thinking about other ways of improving our health and conjuring up new, more creative solutions to these problems. Inflammation set point ---- then go into the gut as a primary contributor to the set point. http://m.motherjones.com/environment/2013/04/gut-microbiome-bacteria-weight-loss https://www.newscientist.com/article/2104864-bacteria-lurking-in-blood-could-be-culprit-in-countless-diseases/#.V9Hfh4QpMdA.facebook   https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/allergy Definition of allergy plural allergies 1 :  altered bodily reactivity (such as hypersensitivity) to an antigen in response to a first exposure a bee venom allergy so severe that a second sting may be fatal 2 :  exaggerated or pathological immunological reaction (as by sneezing, difficult breathing, itching, or skin rashes) to substances, situations, or physical states that are without comparable effect on the average individual 3 :  medical practice concerned with allergies 4 :  a feeling of antipathy or aversion

Today, we are going to look at allergies, its many manifestations, what they communicate in essence, and what we all can do to minimize their impact on our well-being. Naturopathic medicine is a distinct system of health care - an art, science, and philosophy of health that has at its root, a more holistic perspective of the body, encompassing the whole of the individual.   Consistent with systems biology thinking, the whole is greater than the sum of its. Parts. Naturopathic medicine is distinguished by the principles which underlie and determine its practice. These principles are based upon the objective observation of the nature of health and disease, and are continually reexamined in the light of scientific advances. Methods used are consistent with these principles and are chosen upon the basis of the unique needs of the individual. Naturopathic physicians are trained as primary health care physicians whose diverse techniques include modern and traditional, scientific and empirical methods. The following principles are the foundation for the practice of naturopathic medicine: Introduction to Allergies – setpoint theory Inflammation setpoint Allergies: sensitization to the environment; exaggerated immune response immune system's job is to fight infection and to clean up debris from damage Symptoms – irritation, think of it as a chronic irritation Irritable skin Irritable bowel Irritable nose Irritable throat Irritable eyes Irritable lungs Irritable psyche? This means that tolerance has been breached Think about when you haven't slept well for a few days, what does that do to your emotional set-point? Steps to improve allergies: Fundamental health equation – you + your environment = your state of health Let's look at your environment Hygiene hypothesis The "YOU": Concept – inflammation set point #1 dietary strategy – you guessed it – avoid PUFAs omega 6 Role of prostaglandins First, look at any other sign of allergy you may have present Look at skin health – if rashes, if eczema, look to resolve that Improve digestive health Watch for diet and digestive symptoms Diet Role of endotoxin – LPS Foods that increase gut permeability Additives in food that increase gut permeability Examples: Carrageenan Toxins in foods – aflatoxin (fungal toxin) Pesticides Heavy metals The focus on simple foods Food preparation – cooked, easily digestible Role of histamine Elimination/provocation Improve liver health Cholegogues – herbs that move bile Dandelion root, turmeric, milk thistle, black radish, rosemary, schizandra Foods – bitter herbs/greens/ - well cooked lemon water in the am, with honey improve lymphatic health lymph drains metabolic waste of organs lymph transports fats – chylomicrons – need to decongest signs of edema? Fluid retention – excessive? Kidney helps drains lymph – energy/meridians Liver also helps drain lymph Analogy of a gutter, leaves bunched on the bottom Increases the load, toxic burden General nasal / sinus hygiene Neti pot Xlear – xylitol Histamine modulators Herbs – quercetin, nettle, bromelain, vitamin C Role of histamine Bigger context, tied with estrogen Estrogen causes the cell/tissue to take up water Of course, gut is large source of potential histamine production Total load concept Infections; Increases the set point Examples of a gut pathogen – remove pathogen, then allergies decreased Lead in air, food, water smog

On this show, I explore trends of our digestive health in today's news.  Also, recent news where United Nation experts denounce 'myth' that pesticides are necessary to feed the world.  Are pesticides really that much of a problem? Invoking the precautionary principle and 'first do no harm'. Colorectal Cancer Incidence Patterns in the United States, 1974–2013 Journal of the National Cancer Institute https://academic.oup.com/jnci/article-lookup/doi/10.1093/jnci/djw322   Colorectal Cancer Rare but Rising Among Millennials, Gen X – Associated Press https://www.nytimes.com/aponline/2017/02/28/health/ap-us-med-young-colorectal-cancer.html   UN experts denounce 'myth' pesticides are necessary to feed the world https://www.theguardian.com/environment/2017/mar/07/un-experts-denounce-myth-pesticides-are-necessary-to-feed-the-world   Use of Proton-Pump Inhibitors Predicts Heart Failure and Death in Patients with Coronary Artery Disease http://journals.plos.org/plosone/article?id=10.1371/journal.pone.0169826 http://www.thecardiologyadvisor.com/heart-failure/acid-reflux-medication-linked-to-death-in-coronary-artery-disease/article/639391/   Stomach acid drugs linked to chronic kidney disease http://www.medicalnewstoday.com/articles/304994.php  

I speak about the role that PUFAs play in our health, promoting chronic inflammation and a host of disorders.  We discuss the Food Pyramid in the context of the challenges that our current political and economic structures give rise to. Practical tips are given in how to become aware of and avoid these PUFAs - enjoy! References:   Am J Clin Nutr. 1991 Apr;53(4 Suppl):1064S-1067S. Dietary fats and cancer.   J Nutr Health Aging. 2003;7(1):24-9. Lipoproteins and lipid peroxidation in Alzheimer's disease.

Here I use diabetes as a global example of aging, inflammation, and the influence of the environment - lifestyle - on our health.  I draw from the work of Dr. Raymond Peat to discuss diabetes being so much more than high blood sugar.  What's behind diabetes?  Is it a disease of stress? Plus, I give a little history of my own personal development in the field of nutrition and health. References: http://www.functionalps.com/blog/2011/08/12/commentary-on-type-ii-diabetes/   Glucose deprivation in the brain sets stage for Alzheimer's disease, Temple study shows https://www.eurekalert.org/pub_releases/2017-01/tuhs-gdi012717.php

This show highlights the idea of food as medicine and how far reaching the effects that diet has on our health and its role in aging and disease.  As an example, I introduce the concept of lipofuscin, otherwise known as liver spots or age spots, as a way to discuss that what we see on the outside of the body is really happening on the inside.  These skin pigments tell a far greater story and are even implicated in neurodegenerative diseases like Parkinson's and Alzheimer's.  Just what is behind all of this?  What can you do to help prevent unhealthy aging?   References: Brain Iron May Predict Progression in Alzheimer's http://www.medscape.com/viewarticle/874539   Age pigment: Cause and Effect of Aging and Stress http://www.artcamp.com.mx/EZINES/30OpeningEyes/7/aging&stress.htm   Systems Biology https://www.systemsbiology.org/about/what-is-systems-biology/

On this show, I discuss the vital role of nutrition in health and disease.  I get into how food affects our endocrine systems, impacting our growth and reproductive health in tremendous ways.  I talk about stress and how stress influences thyroid and adrenal function.  Nutrition truly is fundamental in all of this and we all need to learn how to best eat in order to stave off the damage and inflammation which comes from stress, most of which is preventable.   References: Browned Toast, Potatoes May Raise Cancer Risk http://www.medscape.com/viewarticle/874874 https://www.cancer.gov/about-cancer/causes-prevention/risk/diet/acrylamide-fact-sheet