Pharmageddon: What You Should Know

Did you know that for 62% of men and 46% of women, the first sign of cardiovascular disease is a heart attack? I recently attended the International Symposium on Integrative Cardiology and was fascinated about new measures where one can evaluate cardiac risk more efficiently. A lab test called the LPP Profile, which is available through my office, tests new biomarkers that more accurately assess your risk. The more exciting news is there are several natural interventions that can greatly reduce these cardiac risks, such as adequate amounts of Omega 3s, specific forms of Vitamins E and K, ribose, magnesium, and carnitine, to name a few.

People think that having elevated cholesterol is the main way to get atherosclerosis (hardening of the arteries).  Dr. Mark Houston, a top integrative cardiologist, observes that antherosclerosis is a post prandial disease. This means if you eat unhealthy food (such as fast food), your body creates anthersclerotic plaques within the walls of the arteries immediately after eating. If you eat healthy foods such as veggies and clean lean protein, it directly counteracts this tendency to make plaques.

A recent study found unequivocally that taking statin medication commonly prescribed for high cholesterol dramatically increases the incidence of diabetes, more so in women. It is vital to manage your cholesterol naturally and not rely on statins. To paraphrase Dr. Mark Hyman, if we’re taking statins to prevent high cholesterol, but it causes diabetes, which causes cardiovascular disease, that’s ‘Pharmageddon!’               

I am available to create a protocol for you to help you manage cholesterol levels naturally and guard against diabetes and cardiovascular disease. Contact our office to set up an appointment.

The Facts About BPA

Bisphenol A, or BPA, is a harmful chemical found in some plastics. Governor Brown recently signed legislation that will ban the use of BPA in baby bottles and child sippy cups as of July 2013. While this is great news, use of BPA is widespread, and I strongly recommend you avoid using products that contain it.  It is commonly found in plastic bottles (#7 in particular) and in the lining of canned goods. It is also used in thermal cash register receipts, so it's important to throw such receipts away rather than recycle them to help break the cycle of BPA in our environment.

BPA is xenobiotic, meaning it mimics life. Its structure is similar to that of estrogen, allowing it to get into the body and act like a toxic estrogen. This results in weight gain and loss of DNA integrity. Young women are experiencing periods earlier in life due to BPA, and for older women BPA makes menopause worse by blocking healthy estrogen. In men it contributes to breast development, lack of sex drive, and prostatitis. It's also linked to other conditions such as infertility, PCOS, cardiovascular disease, and diabetes.

The Environmental Working Group has a great guide on how to avoid bisphenol A.  [edited on March 27, 2012 to add:]  Real Age has also published an article on how to avoid BPA. Educate yourself and lower your chance of BPA's adverse health effects.