Tackling Migraines

Like so many of today’s diseases, migraines are on the rise. While we still do not fully understand the process, we do know some basics. There are two components of the migraine to be concerned about.

Stage 1:  Blood vessels leading to the head and brain go into spasm. This produces neurological symptoms called “aura” in many migraine sufferers.

Auras can include blurred vision, sudden weakness, tingling in the face, tongue or extremities, difficulty speaking, dizziness and a loss of balance. All of these can be confused with symptoms of a stroke.

Stage 2:  Dilation of the same arteries that went into spasm is what causes the headache. While this stage produces the most devastating symptoms, it is Stage 1 that is most dangerous. In some people, the artery (in Stage 1), constricts so intensely that it causes a stroke.

Some people have migraines with little or no headache. They just have the aura. This is called a “migraine without migraine.”

Before resorting to powerful drugs laden with side-effects, one may want to try the following natural methods:

• Avoid all Excitotoxins.

Excitotoxins are compounds that bind to certain receptors and cause brain cell death. Avoid all MSG (Ajinomoto), aspartame (artificial sweetener), hydrolyzed protein, isolated protein, protein drinks, soy products and soy proteins. All of these are major triggers for migraine. (You will find these in abundance in readymade foods. Read ingredient labels carefully).

• Increase your Magnesium intake.

Magnesium naturally relaxes blood vessels. Vegetables and nuts are high in magnesium. In addition, taking a magnesium supplement (if you can find it) will accelerate the process.

• Migraines and Reactive Hypoglycemia are closely connected.

Low blood sugar depletes magnesium and increases brain excitotoxin levels (glutamate). Avoid all sugar, especially soft drinks. Include beans (and other proteins) in your meals to retard carbohydrate absorption. Avoid all potatoes except sweet potatoes.

• Riboflavin (Vitamin B2)

Eat foods rich in Riboflavin, such as almonds, dairy products, eggs, liver and shellfish. This can significantly reduce migraine attacks.

• Anti-inflammatory flavonoids are important.

Inflammation of blood vessels in the head and brain plays a major role in migraines. The best natural anti-inflammatories are: Curcumin (found in Turmeric) and Quercetin (found in apples, black & green tea and raw onions).

• Free radicals are closely connected to inflammation and excitotoxicity.

Oxidative damage can be contained by increasing your intake of antioxidants such as vitamins A, C, E (either in their natural forms from fresh fruits and vegetables or as supplements).

• DHA, (a fatty acid found in fish and flaxseed oils) reduces migraine attacks.

One tablespoon of fish oil or flaxseed oil daily acts as a potent anti-inflammatory (without the side-effects of painkillers). Keep these oils in the refrigerator.

• The 30 minute migraine miracle.

Drink 2 oz. of freshly-made celery juice whenever you feel a migraine coming on. Then lie down and rest. You should start to feel relief within 30 minutes. Drink some more juice later.

Preventive Nutrition

There are many causes for chronic illness, but two of the most critical components are: inflammation and fungal overgrowth. These two components feed one another in a vicious cycle that never ends unless you address the real cause.

Wellness and illness are based on the basic principles of biochemistry and biophysics. 

Understanding and following these principles will lead to optimal health. Good nutrition starts with the use of organic foods and clean water. The next step is to become aware of the role of intestinal flora. There are trillions of microorganisms and a hundred different species that live in the intestines. In a healthy digestive system, the majority of flora is beneficial to your body. 

In a healthy individual, the digestive tract has a lot of beneficial flora, a few commensals (organisms that are neutral in function) and a few “recyclers” to clean up the garbage.

Disease strikes when the rules of nature are broken. Eating undesirable toxic foods, refined sugars along with a “fast and toxic lifestyle” is the prescription for ill health. 

In terms of simple biochemistry, the “recyclers” (microorganisms in the gut that take out the garbage) become huge in numbers and are no longer harmless but pathogenic (capable of producing disease). These pathogens in the gut are created by our own disregard for the “basic rules” stated above. As these pathogens gain control, they create inflammation of the gut and promote fungal overgrowth. Once the undesirable fungi (called Candida) get established in your body, they start a never-ending cycle of toxicity and disease.

Systemic candida yeast overgrowth is at the root of many of the most common health concerns such as: fatigue, loss of willpower, abdominal distension, fluid retention, gas and bloating, chronic headache, skin rashes, itching, brain fog, nail and skin fungal infections, sinus infection, muscle and joint pain, uncontrollable food cravings (especially for sweets and starches), irritable bowel, food allergies, lowered immune response leading to frequent infectious illness, disturbed sleep, etc.. 

When these chronic conditions are left untreated or are suppressed through the use of pharmaceutical drugs, the general health of the body will deteriorate, allowing more serious degenerative illnesses to develop at a later stage.

Fortunately, the science of Integrative Medicine can help you regain your vibrant health. 

There are two key components to recovery. This consists of reduction/elimination of inflammation and reduction and control of the hidden fungal overgrowth. Clinical experience using these methods to treat thousands of children and adults for hidden infections shows that once the infections (especially fungus) are under control, vibrant health soon follows.

The rules are simple. One must stop eating the common, nutritionally bankrupt foods and start using the proper nutritional supplements to control fungus. While fungus cannot be completely eradicated – it can be controlled through metabolically correct nutrition and lifestyle changes.

Women Are Treated As Second Class Citizens When It Comes To Healthcare

When a woman becomes irritable or depressed prior to her monthly cycle, people around her tend to be intolerant. If a woman goes to a doctor with a health issue (that cannot be detected through diagnostic tests), she is often categorized as being a hypochondriac or is told, “It’s all in your head”. Men are treated differently.

These are not character flaws but biochemical imbalances which can affect mood and behavior in specific ways. 

One cause of imbalance is today’s toxic lifestyle, which leads to an excess of estrogen in the body (called estrogen dominance), causing a host of “female” problems:

Fibrocystic Breasts, Uterine Fibroids, Endometriosis, Polycystic Ovaries, Menopausal Hot Flashes and Night Sweats, infertility and many other disorders.

Why? Because estrogens are able to produce fibrosis, a condition which leads to the painful disorders mentioned above. (Fibrosis is a thickening and scarring of connective tissue).

So, what causes estrogen dominance?

·         Breakdown of petrochemicals, pesticides, herbicides, plastics, sodium lauryl sulfate from cosmetics and vehicle exhaust produce substances that mimic estrogen activity (known as pseudo-estrogens)

·         Injecting cattle and poultry with estrogenic hormones to make them grow faster and bigger.

·         Use of powerful pharmaceutical estrogens (i.e. synthetic hormones) and oral contraceptive pills that magnify the existing estrogen excess in the female body.

·         Misuse of estrogens in therapy as a sole agent instead of combining natural estrogen with safe natural progesterone, which nullifies the adverse effects of “estrogen-alone” therapy.

·         Diets high in sugar and dairy products result in recycling estrogen into the body instead of eliminating it. These diets also interfere with proper production of progesterone.

Many women cease ovulation 10 or more years before menopause due to estrogen dominance. The heavy intractable bleeding they experience often leads to hysterectomy. Uterine fibroids tend to develop and enlarge under the stimulation of excess estrogen.

To make matters worse, excess estradiol (a form of estrogen), promotes the Bel 2 oncogene which blocks a natural phenomenon called ‘programmed’ cell death (apoptosis), leading to cancer.

On the other hand, both testosterone and progesterone promote the p53 gene leading to normal healthy cell death (apoptosis)...a phenomenon that protects the body from cancer.
There are natural therapies that can create hormonal balance and stop the development and enlargement of existing uterine fibroids and in certain cases assist in dissolving them without surgery.


So, let’s stop the PMS jokes, now that we are aware that hormonal balancing can generate normal menstrual cycles, create a smooth transition into menopause, protect a woman from various cancers and greatly improve overall quality of life regardless of age.

Inflammation, Infection and Heart Disease

Research has consistently revealed the significant role inflammation plays in the development of atherosclerosis (narrowing of the arteries). C-reactive protein (CRP) is a key marker for inflammation that many mainstream researchers now regard as a far more reliable predictor of atherosclerosis than elevated LDL cholesterol.

But now, CRP may have met its match…White Blood Cells (WBCs).

The new red flag

WBCs (also known as leukocytes) are an important part of the immune system; WBC count rises when the body is fighting infection due to bacteria or viruses. A new study shows that white blood cell count may provide doctors with an accurate and easy-to-use tool for predicting heart disease.

Researchers examined data collected from the Women's Health Initiative, an ongoing study from the National Institutes of Health, USA. More than 72,000 women aged 50 to 79 participated, who had no history of cardiovascular disease (CVD).

After an average of six years of follow up, researchers found that:

• Women with the highest WBC counts at the outset of the study were more than twice as likely to die from coronary heart disease compared to women with the lowest WBC counts

• Those with the highest counts also had a significantly increased risk of stroke and nonfatal heart attack.

• The highest WBC counts in the study did not exceed the upper end of the ‘normal’ range, (which means it was not an extremely high count)

• The results demonstrate that WBC count may be just as reliable as CRP in predicting cardiovascular events linked to coronary heart disease.

The chicken or the egg dilemma

Inflammation however presents a chicken-or-egg dilemma. Researchers are not yet sure if atherosclerosis triggers inflammation or if inflammation sets the stage for atherosclerosis. In either case, inflammation presents a problem that won't be solved with a ‘one-size-fits-all’ quick fix. (But that won’t stop our friends at the drug companies from trying!)

A case in point: Drug companies have started positioning some of their products to treat patients with elevated CRP…even though CRP is considered a MARKER, not the CAUSE of inflammation.

Some natural solutions for inflammation

Enzymes such as Bromelain, Curcumin (an extract from the spice Turmeric), Omega 3 Fatty Acids from Fish Oil or Flaxseeds, are some of nature’s best anti-inflammatories. Raw walnuts are another good source.

Note: In cases of severe inflammation, therapeutic doses of Omega-3, certain amino acids and herbs (under the care of a knowledgeable naturopath) may be needed.

The next time you go for a check up, ask your doctor to check your CRP and WBC levels. Somewhere in those readings lies the spark that can ignite the potentially dangerous flame of heart disease.

How to Use Biorhythms to Optimize Your Life

There are three natural biorhythm cycles that govern our lives; the Physical, the Emotional, and the Intellectual.  Each cycle has a unique period and therefore the interaction of these cycles constantly varies.

·         Physical Cycle = 23 days

·         The Emotional Cycle = 28 days

·         The Intellectual Cycle  = 33 days

They all start at the zero value on the day of birth and begin to climb the positive part of the cycle. Half way through the cycle, they again cross zero and move into the negative part of the cycle. This cyclic nature resembles a wave pattern.

At birth all three cycles begin at zero (day 1) and follow the above pattern. First going in the plus direction (upward), returning to zero (mid cycle), then going in the minus (downward direction), turning around and returning to the day 1 position to begin the cycle again.  During the upward swing, the physical, emotional and intellectual traits have the most energy and are "discharging".

The downward swing puts a person in the recuperative, "recharging" cycle.  The critical days are when the cycle crosses the zero point. That is when the trait is "switching" from the low, recuperating phase to the high, discharging phase (day 1 of the cycle) or when it is "switching" from the high, discharging phase to the low recuperating phase (mid-point of the cycle). On critical days your physical, emotional, or intellectual state is in flux and has a higher degree of instability.  

The physical and emotional cycles seem to have the most influence on one's state of being (disposition to human error or accidents).  Besides, the intellectual cycle is nearly 1.5 times as long as the physical cycle and has far fewer days of criticality.

THE PHYSICAL CYCLE (23 days)

The physical cycle is from your masculine side and affects your physical condition.  During the plus side of the cycle (day 2 through day 11), your physical condition is in a charged state and is discharging (i.e. expending energy).  Physical work is easier.  You feel more vigorous and have more vitality.  Your endurance level is higher.

During the minus portion of the cycle (day 13 through day 23) you are in a recuperative, recharging state and may tire more easily.  This period is conducive to recuperation.  Some athletes, depending on the state of other cycles and factors may have a slump during this time.

The critical points of the physical cycle are at day 1 and day 12 1/2.  You may be more prone to misjudge your physical energy or endurance while switching from one phase to the other.

THE EMOTIONAL CYCLE (28 days)

The emotional cycle governs the nervous system.  It is due to the influence on nerve cells from one's feminine side and affects the emotional level.  During the high end of the cycle (day 2 to day 14) one is more inclined towards optimism and cheerfulness.  Creativity, feelings, love and cooperation are favourably influenced.

During the low end of the cycle (day 16 to day 28), your emotions and emotional state are in a recuperative state.  You are more inclined to be irritable and negative.  The relative high and low of these two phases is definitely influenced by your general temperament.  An excitable person will have a wider swing than a more sedate or calm person.

THE INTELLECTUAL CYCLE (33 days)

When the intellectual cycle is in its high, "plus" phase (day 2 to day 16) one is more capable of absorbing new ideas and can think more clearly.  Mental responses are more spontaneous and memory functions well.  This is a good time for creative thought and studying new ideas.

During the low phase (day 18 to day 33) your capacity to think may be reduced. This may be a better time to rehearse and review known concepts.

HOW TO USE BIORHYTHMS

Biorhythm cycles can be used to explain why we have good days and bad days. The rise and fall of these cycles are relative levels, not absolute.  You can not predict the future with biorhythms, but you can give yourself the advantage of informed judgement.  With practice, your biorhythm cycles will help you to understand your day to day ups and downs and to prepare for them.

Note: The outcome of your day-to-day activities is, for the most part, in your hands. So don't hide on “low” days. Just be prepared to exercise some extra caution. Perhaps put off an important decision or activity for a day or two. Knowing that your energy level may be low during a certain period will allow you to be prepared for it.

What’s worse for your Heart than Cholesterol, Blood Pressure and Obesity?

If you, (like millions) are convinced that cholesterol is the main culprit in heart disease, consider the following eye opener:

“Half of all heart attack victims have normal cholesterol levels. Consequently, doctors are looking for new methods to improve heart disease prevention.”

–     The Harvard Medical School Family Health Guide

The above statement clearly indicates that in many cases of heart disease, cholesterol is not the culprit, as is commonly believed.

According to research published in the Annals of Internal Medicine, it may be your blood sugar and not your blood pressure or cholesterol that is the most important factor in determining whether or not you'll suffer from heart disease.

Most people think blood sugar is a concern only for diabetics. So, if you’re not diabetic, this news does not apply to you, right?

Wrong.

The way your body uses sugar, whether you’re diabetic or not, can increase or lower your risk of heart disease.

The American Diabetes Association (ADA) has established the following blood sugar guidelines:

• 90 mg/dL to 130 mg/dL before meals (fingertip blood sample)
• 110 mg/dL to 150 mg/dL at bedtime (fingertip blood sample)
• Less than 180 mg/dL one to two hours after meals

However, the disadvantage with blood sugar tests is that they give you only a short-term snapshot. Doctors sometimes do a test called Glycosylated Hemoglobin (HbA1c), which shows how well blood sugar levels have remained within a safe range over the previous 2 to 3 months. This information is a lot more useful in this context. The ADA recommends an HbA1c target level of less than 7%. However, it is possible (and desirable) to achieve a level of less than 5%.

The lower the HbA1c level, the lower the rate of disease complications.

Here’s where it starts to get really interesting…

An increase of 1% in HbA1c predicts:

• An 18% increase in diseases of the cardiovascular system
• A 28% increase in clogged arteries

What's more, researchers found that with each 1% increase in HbA1c levels, there was a 30% increase in chance of death. Not very thrilling news is it?

Ignoring the blood sugar/heart disease connection while favouring blood pressure and cholesterol control, has made us miss the mark in our approach to heart disease prevention in many cases. Studies reveal that lower HbA1c levels significantly lower your chance of cardiovascular disease and death, even if you're older, fatter and suffer from high blood pressure and cholesterol.

So what does all this mean?

You've got to monitor and control your blood sugar to protect your heart. It doesn't matter whether you're diabetic or not.

The good news is that you don't have to prick your finger to draw blood like diabetics do; instead you need to have your HbA1c levels tested at least once a year, (more often if find you’re at risk). The HbA1c level for those with healthy hearts and the lowest rates of cardiovascular disease is less than 5%. (Diabetics, please note: This test is even more important for you. You need this in addition to your fasting and postprandial blood glucose tests).

In the meantime, no matter who you are, you can lower HbA1c levels and help your body control blood sugar by doing the following:

1. Reduce your calorie intake: Calorie Restriction offers many benefits such as improved glucose control, better cholesterol and blood pressure levels, longer life, anti-aging, etc. Even a 10% reduction shows exceptional benefits. However, reducing calories too much will have the opposite effect as it will drive the body into starvation mode. (As always, it’s a question of balance) 
2. Choose low glycemic foods: Low glycemic foods are foods that will not trigger a huge spike in blood sugar. Some examples are: Green leafy vegetables such as spinach, whole grains, fruits such as apples, etc. (Avoid or reduce refined grains, sugary desserts, etc.)
3. Increase your exercise: Both aerobic and anaerobic exercises will have a beneficial effect on blood sugar. Strength training builds muscle which forces the body to burn more calories at rest (to maintain the muscle).

While it is important to pay attention to your blood pressure, cholesterol levels and weight, it will greatly benefit you to also monitor your blood sugar levels via the HbA1c test on a regular basis. This humble test may make the difference between success and failure in your battle against heart disease…which sometimes doesn’t give you a second chance!

Suppressing Symptoms - A Recipe for Disaster

If you think you are healthy because you made your symptoms “go away” with medication, you couldn’t be further from the truth!

One needs to understand that doctors are very well-trained to treat symptoms and diseases, but NOT to address the underlying imbalances that cause long-term illness.

What’s the problem you may ask?

Suppressing symptoms with drugs is like taking the batteries out of a smoke detector instead of trying to find the fire.

However, symptoms have their use. A good doctor pays careful attention to all of a patient’s symptoms, because they are the clues to deeper imbalances.  Once you find those deeper imbalances and correct them, the symptoms go away!

That is holistic medicine at its best, because it looks at the whole body, not just the part that’s giving trouble.

Unfortunately mainstream medicine doesn’t work that way.

If an asthma patient also has psoriasis, for example, he is sent to the dermatologist. If the same patient has irritable bowel syndrome or acid reflux, he is sent to the gastroenterologist.  And if his poor health causes him to become depressed, he’s sent straight to the psychiatrist.

From each of these specialists he gets the “perfect” medicine for each problem. But it doesn’t occur to any of his doctors that all these symptoms may be related, or how addressing the underlying causes of these symptoms might fix everything at once. No one tries to get to the root cause and the answer always seems to be drugs.

The good news is that it doesn’t have to be that way!

We do not get high blood pressure because we are deficient in blood pressure medication!  We get sick because our bodies are in a delicate balance and something such as  poor diet or lifestyle upsets that balance.

The cure therefore is to restore balance — not drugs.

This is a much different way of looking at health.

The way conventional medicine is practiced today is like trying to fix a car by listening to the noises it makes instead of looking under the hood.

Time to look under the hood...for REAL CURES.


Welcome to medical sanity. Welcome to Wishing Well Healthcare!