Energetic Balancing » Heart Health http://www.energeticbalancing.us Quantum Resonance Technology Wed, 11 Jan 2012 16:40:40 +0000 en hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.0.5 Sepsis http://www.energeticbalancing.us/sepsis http://www.energeticbalancing.us/sepsis#comments Sat, 28 May 2011 05:45:07 +0000 Mony http://www.energeticbalancing.us/?p=2835 By Wikipedia.

Sepsis or Septicemia

Sepsis  is a potentially deadly medical condition that is characterized by a whole-body inflammatory state (called a systemic inflammatory response syndrome or SIRS) and the presence of a known or suspected infection. The body may develop this inflammatory response by the immune system to microbes in the blood, urine, lungs, skin, or other tissues. A lay term for sepsis is blood poisoning, more aptly applied to septicemia, below. Severe sepsis is the systemic inflammatory response, plus infection, plus the presence of organ dysfunction.

Septicemia (also septicaemia or septicæmia is a related medical term referring to the presence of pathogenic organisms in the bloodstream, leading to sepsis. The term has not been sharply defined. It has been inconsistently used in the past by medical professionals, for example as a synonym of bacteremia, causing some confusion.

Severe sepsis is usually treated in the intensive care unit with intravenous fluids and antibiotics. If fluid replacement is insufficient to maintain blood pressure, specific vasopressor medications can be used. Mechanical ventilation and dialysis may be needed to support the function of the lungs and kidneys, respectively. To guide therapy, a central venous catheter and an arterial catheter may be placed; measurement of other hemodynamic variables (such as cardiac output, or mixed venous oxygen saturation) may also be used. Sepsis patients require preventive measures for deep vein thrombosis, stress ulcers and pressure ulcers, unless other conditions prevent this. Some patients might benefit from tight control of blood sugar levels with insulin (targeting stress hyperglycemia), low-dose corticosteroids or activated drotrecogin alfa (recombinant protein C).

Terminology

Systemic Inflammatory Response Syndrome or SIRS is evidence of the body’s ongoing inflammatory response. When SIRS is suspected or known to be caused by an infection, this is sepsis. Severe sepsis occurs when sepsis leads to organ dysfunction, such as trouble breathing, coagulation or other blood abnormalities, decreased urine production, or altered mental status. If the organ dysfunction of severe sepsis is low blood pressure (hypotension), or insufficient blood flow (hypoperfusion) to one or more organs (causing, for example, lactic acidosis), this is septic shock.

Sepsis can lead to multiple organ dysfunction syndrome (MODS) (formerly known as multiple organ failure), and death. Organ dysfunction results from local changes in blood flow, from sepsis-induced hypotension (< 90 mmHg or a reduction of ≥ 40 mmHg from baseline) and from diffuse intravascular coagulation, among other things.

Sepsis can be defined as the body’s response to an infection. An infection is caused by microorganisms or bacteria invading the body and can be limited to a particular body region or can be widespread in the bloodstream. Sepsis is acquired quickest with infections developed in surgery and physical contact with someone with sepsis.

Bacteremia is the presence of viable bacteria in the bloodstream. Likewise, the terms viremia and fungemia simply refer to viruses and fungi in the bloodstream. These terms say nothing about the consequences this has on the body. For example, bacteria can be introduced into the bloodstream during toothbrushing. This form of bacteremia almost never causes problems in normal individuals. However, bacteremia associated with certain dental procedures can cause bacterial infection of the heart valves (known as endocarditis) in high-risk patients. Conversely, a systemic inflammatory response syndrome can occur in patients without the presence of infection, for example in those with burns, polytrauma, or the initial state in pancreatitis and chemical pneumonitis.

Signs and symptoms

In addition to symptoms related to the provoking infection, sepsis is characterized by presence of acute inflammation present throughout the entire body, and is, therefore, frequently associated with fever and elevated white blood cell count (leukocytosis) or low white blood cell count and lower-than-average temperature, and vomiting. The modern concept of sepsis is that the host’s immune response to the infection causes most of the symptoms of sepsis, resulting in hemodynamic consequences and damage to organs. This host response has been termed systemic inflammatory response syndrome (SIRS) and is characterized by an elevated heart rate (above 90 beats per minute), high respiratory rate (above 20 breaths per minute or a partial pressure of carbon dioxide in the blood of less than 32), abnormal white blood cell count (above 12,000, lower than 4,000, or greater than 10% band forms) and elevated or lowered body temperature, i.e. under 36 °C (97 °F) or over 38 °C (100 °F). Sepsis is differentiated from SIRS by the presence of a known or suspected pathogen. For example SIRS and a positive blood culture for a pathogen indicates the presence of sepsis. However, in many cases of sepsis no specific pathogen is identified.

This immunological response causes widespread activation of acute-phase proteins, affecting the complement system and the coagulation pathways, which then cause damage to the vasculature as well as to the organs. Various neuroendocrine counter-regulatory systems are then activated as well, often compounding the problem. Even with immediate and aggressive treatment, this may progress to multiple organ dysfunction syndrome and eventually death.

Diagnosis

According to the American College of Chest Physicians and the Society of Critical Care Medicine, there are different levels of sepsis:

  • Systemic inflammatory response syndrome (SIRS). Defined by the presence of two or more of the following findings:
    • Body temperature < 36 °C (97 °F) or > 38 °C (100 °F) (hypothermia or fever).
    • Heart rate > 90 beats per minute.
    • Respiratory rate > 20 breaths per minute or, on blood gas, a PaCO2 less than 32 mm Hg (4.3 kPa) (tachypnea or hypocapnia due to hyperventilation).
    • White blood cell count < 4,000 cells/mm3 or > 12,000 cells/mm3 (< 4 × 109 or > 12 × 109 cells/L), or greater than 10% band forms (immature white blood cells). (leukopenia, leukocytosis, or bandemia).
  • Sepsis. Defined as SIRS in response to a confirmed infectious process. Infection can be suspected or proven (by culture, stain, or polymerase chain reaction (PCR)), or a clinical syndrome pathognomonic for infection. Specific evidence for infection includes WBCs in normally sterile fluid (such as urine or cerebrospinal fluid (CSF)); evidence of a perforated viscus (free air on abdominal x-ray or CT scan; signs of acute peritonitis); abnormal chest x-ray (CXR) consistent with pneumonia (with focal opacification); or petechiae, purpura, or purpura fulminans.
  • Severe sepsis. Defined as sepsis with organ dysfunction, hypoperfusion, or hypotension.
  • Septic shock. Defined as sepsis with refractory arterial hypotension or hypoperfusion abnormalities in spite of adequate fluid resuscitation. Signs of systemic hypoperfusion may be either end-organ dysfunction or serum lactate greater than 4 mmol/L. Other signs include oliguria and altered mental status. Patients are defined as having septic shock if they have sepsis plus hypotension after aggressive fluid resuscitation (typically upwards of 6 liters or 40 ml/kg of crystalloid solution).

Examples of end-organ dysfunction include the following:

  • Lungs
    • acute lung injury (ALI) (PaO2/FiO2 < 300) or acute respiratory distress syndrome (ARDS) (PaO2/FiO2 < 200)
  • Brain
    • encephalopathy
      • symptoms:
        • agitation
        • confusion
        • coma
      • etiologies:
        • ischemia
        • hemorrhage
        • microthrombi
        • microabscesses
        • multifocal necrotizing leukoencephalopathy
  • Liver
    • disruption of protein synthetic function: manifests acutely as progressive coagulopathy due to inability to synthesize clotting factors
    • disruption of metabolic functions: manifests as cessation of bilirubin metabolism, resulting in elevated unconjugated serum bilirubin levels (indirect bilirubin)
  • Kidney
    • oliguria and anuria
    • electrolyte abnormalities
    • volume overload
  • Heart
    • systolic and diastolic heart failure, likely due to cytokines that depress myocyte function
    • cellular damage, manifest as a troponin leak (although not necessarily ischemic in nature)

More specific definitions of end-organ dysfunction exist for SIRS in pediatrics.

  • Cardiovascular dysfunction (after fluid resuscitation with at least 40 ml/kg of crystalloid)
    • hypotension with blood pressure < 5th percentile for age or systolic blood pressure < 2 standard deviations below normal for age, OR
    • vasopressor requirement, OR
    • two of the following criteria:
      • unexplained metabolic acidosis with base deficit > 5 mEq/L
      • lactic acidosis: serum lactate 2 times the upper limit of normal
      • oliguria (urine output < 0.5 ml/kg/hr)
      • prolonged capillary refill > 5 seconds
      • core to peripheral temperature difference > 3°C
  • Respiratory dysfunction (in the absence of cyanotic heart disease or known chronic lung disease)
    • the ratio of the arterial partial-pressure of oxygen to the fraction of oxygen in the gases inspired (PaO2/FiO2) < 300 (the definition of acute lung injury), OR
    • arterial partial-pressure of carbon dioxide (PaCO2) > 65 torr (20 mmHg) over baseline PaCO2 (evidence of hypercapnic respiratory failure), OR
    • supplemental oxygen requirement of greater than FiO2 0.5 to maintain oxygen saturation ≥ 92%
  • Neurologic dysfunction
    • Glasgow Coma Score (GCS) ≤ 11, OR
    • altered mental status with drop in GCS of 3 or more points in a patient with developmental delay/mental retardation
  • Hematologic dysfunction
    • platelet count < 80,000/mm3 or 50% drop from maximum in chronically thrombocytopenic patients, OR
    • international normalized ratio (INR) > 2
    • Disseminated Intravascular Coagulation
  • Renal dysfunction
    • serum creatinine ≥ 2 times the upper limit of normal for age or 2-fold increase in baseline creatinine in patients with chronic kidney disease
  • Hepatic dysfunction (only applicable to infants > 1 month)
    • total serum bilirubin ≥ 4 mg/dl, OR
    • alanine aminotransferase (ALT) ≥ 2 times the upper limit of normal

Consensus definitions, however, continue to evolve, with the latest expanding the list of signs and symptoms of sepsis to reflect clinical bedside experience.

Neonatal sepsis

Main article: Neonatal sepsis

In common clinical usage, sepsis specifically refers to the presence of a bacterial blood stream infection (BSI), such as meningitis, pneumonia, pyelonephritis, or gastroenteritis. in the setting of fever. Criteria with regards to hemodynamic compromise or respiratory failure are not useful clinically because these symptoms often do not arise in neonates until death is imminent and unpreventable.

Treatment

Adults and children

The therapy of sepsis rests on antibiotics, surgical drainage of infected fluid collections, fluid replacement and appropriate support for organ dysfunction. This may include hemodialysis in kidney failure, mechanical ventilation in pulmonary dysfunction, transfusion of blood products, and drug and fluid therapy for circulatory failure. Ensuring adequate nutrition—preferably by enteral feeding, but if necessary by parenteral nutrition—is important during prolonged illness.

A problem in the adequate management of septic patients has been the delay in administering therapy after sepsis has been recognized. Published studies have demonstrated that for every hour delay in the administration of appropriate antibiotic therapy there is an associated 7% rise in mortality. A large international collaboration was established to educate people about sepsis and to improve patient outcomes with sepsis, entitled the “Surviving Sepsis Campaign”. The Campaign has published an evidence-based review of management strategies for severe sepsis, with the aim to publish a complete set of guidelines in subsequent years.

Early goal directed therapy

Early goal directed therapy (EGDT), developed at Henry Ford Hospital by Emaneul Rivers, MD, is a systematic approach to resuscitation that has been validated in the treatment of severe sepsis and septic shock. It is meant to be started in the Emergency Department. The theory is that one should use a step-wise approach, having the patient meet physiologic goals, to optimize cardiac preload, afterload, and contractility, thus optimizing oxygen delivery to the tissues. A recent meta-analysis showed that EGDT provides a benefit on mortality in patients with sepsis. As of December 2008 some controversy around its uses remains and a number of trials are ongoing in an attempt to resolve this.

In EGDT, fluids are administered until the central venous pressure (CVP), as measured by a central venous catheter, reaches 8–12 cm of water (or 10–15 cm of water in mechanically ventilated patients). Rapid administration of several liters of isotonic crystalloid solution is usually required to achieve this. If the mean arterial pressure is less than 65 mmHg or greater than 90 mmHg, vasopressors or vasodilators are given as needed to reach the goal. Once these goals are met, the mixed venous oxygen saturation (SvO2), i.e., the oxygen saturation of venous blood as it returns to the heart as measured at the vena cava, is optimized. If the SvO2 is less than 70%, blood is given to reach a hemoglobin of 10 g/dl and then inotropes are added until the SvO2 is optimized. Elective intubation may be performed to reduce oxygen demand if the SvO2 remains low despite optimization of hemodynamics. Urine output is also monitored, with a minimum goal of 0.5 ml/kg/h. In the original trial, mortality was cut from 46.5% in the control group to 30.5% in the intervention group. The Surviving Sepsis Campaign guidelines recommend EGDT for the initial resuscitation of the septic patient with a level B strength of evidence (single randomized control trial).

Steroids

During critical illness, a state of adrenal insufficiency and tissue resistance (the word ‘relative’ resistance should be avoided) to corticosteroids may occur. This has been termed critical illness–related corticosteroid insufficienc. Treatment with corticosteroids might be most beneficial in those with septic shock and early severe acute respiratory distress syndrome (ARDS), whereas its role in other patients such as those with pancreatitis or severe pneumonia is unclear. These recommendations stem from studies showing benefits from low dose hydrocortisone treatment for septic shock patients and methylprednisolone in ARDS patients. However, the exact way of determining corticosteroid insufficiency remains problematic. It should be suspected in those poorly responding to resuscitation with fluids and vasopressors. ACTH stimulation testing is not recommended to confirm the diagnosis. The method of cessation of glucocorticoid drugs is variable, and it is unclear whether they should be weaned or simply stopped abruptly.

Activated protein C

Recombinant activated protein C (drotrecogin alpha) in a 2011 Cochrane review was found not to decrease mortality and thus was not recommended for use. Other reviews however comment that it may be effective in those with very severe disease.

Neonates

Main article: Neonatal sepsis

Note that, in neonates, sepsis is difficult to diagnose clinically. They may be relatively asymptomatic until hemodynamic and respiratory collapse is imminent, so, if there is even a remote suspicion of sepsis, they are frequently treated with antibiotics empirically until cultures are sufficiently proven to be negative.

Prognosis

Prognosis can be estimated with the MEDS score. Approximately 20–35% of patients with severe sepsis and 40–60% of patients with septic shock die within 30 days. Others die within the ensuing 6 months. Late deaths often result from poorly controlled infection, immunosuppression, complications of intensive care, failure of multiple organs, or the patient’s underlying disease.

Prognostic stratification systems such as APACHE II indicate that factoring in the patient’s age, underlying condition, and various physiologic variables can yield estimates of the risk of dying of severe sepsis. Of the individual covariates, the severity of underlying disease most strongly influences the risk of dying. Septic shock is also a strong predictor of short- and long-term mortality. Case-fatality rates are similar for culture-positive and culture-negative severe sepsis.

Some patients may experience severe long term cognitive decline following an episode of severe sepsis, but the absence of baseline neuropsychological data in most sepsis patients makes the incidence of this difficult to quantify or to study. A preliminary study of nine patients with septic shock showed abnormalities in seven patients by MRI.

Epidemiology

In the United States, sepsis is the second-leading cause of death in non-coronary ICU patients, and the tenth-most-common cause of death overall according to data from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (the first being heart disease). Sepsis is common and also more dangerous in elderly, immunocompromised, and critically ill patients. It occurs in 1–2% of all hospitalizations and accounts for as much as 25% of intensive-care unit (ICU) bed utilization. It is a major cause of death in intensive-care units worldwide, with mortality rates that range from 20% for sepsis to 40% for severe sepsis to >60% for septic shock.

Research

PD-1 and monocytes/macrophages activation

PD-1 was found to be up-regulated on monocytes/macrophages during sepsis in human and mice. This up-regulation was related to the up-regulation of IL-10 levels in the blood. Interestingly, Said et al. showed that activated monocytes, which is the case in sepsis, express high levels of PD-1 and that triggering monocytes-expressed PD-1 by its ligand PD-L1 induces IL-10 production which inhibits CD4 T-cell function.

Inflammatory signal blocker

A study reported in Science (journal) showed that SphK1 is highly elevated in inflammatory cells from patients with sepsis and inhibition of the molecular pathway reduced the proinflammatory response triggered by bacterial products in the human cells. Moreover, the study also showed the mortality rate of mice with experimental sepsis was reduced when treated with a SphK1 blocker. Similarly, inhibition of the p38 MAPK signaling transduction pathway may help to block enhanced procoagulatory activities during septicemia.

Nitric oxide

Medical research is focused on combating nitric oxide. Attempts to inhibit its production paradoxically led to a worsening of the organ damage and in an increased lethality, both in animal models and in a clinical trial in sepsis patients. In a study published in the Journal of Experimental Medicine, nitrite treatment, in sharp contrast with the worsening effect of inhibiting NO-synthesis, significantly attenuates hypothermia, mitochondrial damage, oxidative stress and dysfunction, tissue infarction, and mortality in mice.

]]> http://www.energeticbalancing.us/sepsis/feed 0 Meat http://www.energeticbalancing.us/what-is-meat-glue http://www.energeticbalancing.us/what-is-meat-glue#comments Thu, 05 May 2011 19:08:55 +0000 Mony http://www.energeticbalancing.us/?p=2624 What is Meat Glue? Something new……

By; DR. Mercola and Dr. JW Keeling

By now most people probably realize that ground beef contains the meat from hundreds of animals from different parts of the world, but few would ever suspect that the same can be true for prime cut steaks! Well, that’s possible through the use of so-called meat glue, used to “super-glue” small chunks of meat together that are too small to sell, and passing it off as prime cuts…

Meat glue is an enzyme called transglutaminase. Some meat glues are produced through the cultivation of bacteria, while others are made from the blood plasma of pigs and cows, specifically the coagulant that makes blood clot.

When sprinkled on a protein, such as beef, it forms cross-linked, insoluble protein polymers that essentially acts like a super-glue, binding the pieces together with near invisible seams. The glue-covered meat is rolled up in plastic film, followed by refrigeration. Some manufacturers have gotten so proficient in the practice that even an expert butcher can’t tell the difference between a piece of prime beef and one that’s been glued together with bits and pieces of scraps!

Meat glue is also used for:

Pork / ham Lamb Fish products such as fish balls
Chicken Imitation crab meat Processed meats

 

Interestingly enough, Ajinomoto is one of the leaders in transglutaminase. You may recognize that name as they are also one of the leaders in aspartame. According to their website, transglutaminase is also used to “improve the general texture” of a variety of foods aside from meat, such as fat-free yoghurt and cheese.

Meat Glue—Both Unethical and Potentially Dangerous

First, there’s the obvious issue of misleading consumers. Since food manufacturers are not required to disclose what they’ve done, you think you’re buying a prime cut when in fact you’re paying top dollar for glued-together bits and pieces that would otherwise have been discarded or sold for a fraction of the cost.

But aside from the fact that it’s a pure scam, there’s the increased possibility of contracting food poisoning from these meats.

According to the featured report, the bacterial contamination of meat glued steak is hundreds of times higher than a solid piece of steak! Hence, if you cook your steak rare, which is the healthiest way to cook your meat, you’re at a much greater risk of contracting food poisoning.

Additionally, when an outbreak does occur, it’s difficult, if not impossible, to discern the source of the contamination, as chunks of meat from multiple cows have now been combined.

Food poisoning is a serious problem in the US. According to US CDC estimates, anywhere between 6 to 81 million Americans contract food borne illnesses each year, and food poisoning claims up to 9,000 lives annually. Considering the fact that our current food system encourages pathogens and contaminations of all kinds, it’s not all that surprising that as many as one in four people get sickened each year…

The Dangers of Mass Food Production

Many people are still in the dark about the vast differences between Concentrated Animal Feeding Operations (CAFOs) and organically-raised, grass-fed beef, both in terms of contamination and nutrient content.

It’s important to understand that when you raise animals in a CAFO — away from their natural environments and diets – you dramatically increase the risk of pathogenic contamination that can make you ill. Just take a look at the 2011 USDA list of recalls for various meat products. We’re not even half-way through the year and the list is already a long one.

Most CAFO cows are fed grains (oftentimes genetically modified grains, which make matters even worse), when their natural diet is plain grass. Grain diets create a much higher level of acidity in the animal’s stomach, which E. coli bacteria need to survive.

Meanwhile, E. coli contamination is actually quite rare in organic beef for this reason—the cows just aren’t susceptible to those kinds of disease-causing bacteria and viruses when they eat what they were designed to eat.

You’d think that since the meat is being raised in ways that are known to encourage disease-causing organisms, there’d be stringent requirements on testing. Unfortunately, that’s not the case. For example, there is no federal requirement for meat grinders to test their ingredients for E.coli prior to selling them. And most retailers do not test either. In August 2008, the USDA issued a guideline urging meat processors to test their ingredients before grinding. But the guideline is only optional and has been met with criticism and resistance from the meat industry.

Other Health-Harming Side Effects of Mass Food Production

Modern mass production of food has created a wide array of safety problems. And the methods employed to make food “safer” typically deepens rather than solves them. In fact, once you delve into the world of the food industry, it becomes clear that eating much of it is like playing a game of Russian roulette with your health.

While I’m not going to address them all here, one problem in particular, which relates to the issue of meat, is the issue of contamination with hormones, antibiotics, and pesticides. As much as 70 percent of all antibiotics used in the U.S. are for animals, primarily to serve as growth enhancers. The excessive use of antibiotics in agriculture is the primary reason for the rampant increase in antibiotic-resistant disease in humans.

As for pesticides, most people do not realize that conventionally-raised meat is actually one of the primary sources of pesticide exposure—not fruits and vegetables!

How’s that?

Again, it goes back to the fact that CAFO animals are raised on a diet consisting primarily of grains, which are of course sprayed with pesticides.

Genetically modified (GM) grains are another growing problem. Not only are they sprayed with MORE pesticides than conventional crops, but we also do not know exactly what the health effects on humans might be when you eat meat raised on GM grains.

However, in an open letter to Secretary of Agriculture Tom Vilsack, Dr. Don Huber, professor emeritus at Purdue University, warns that a never-before-seen plant pathogen in Roundup Ready GM soybean and corn appears to be responsible for high rates of infertility and miscarriages in cattle.

In the letter, posted on the Farm and Ranch Freedom Alliance website, Dr. Huber states:

“This previously unknown organism is only visible under an electron microscope (36,000X), with an approximate size range equal to a medium size virus. It is able to reproduce and appears to be a micro-fungal-like organism. If so, it would be the first such micro-fungus ever identified. There is strong evidence that this infectious agent promotes diseases of both plants and mammals, which is very rare.

… Laboratory tests have confirmed the presence of this organism in a wide variety of livestock that have experienced spontaneous abortions and infertility. Preliminary results from ongoing research have also been able to reproduce abortions in a clinical setting.

The pathogen may explain the escalating frequency of infertility and spontaneous abortions over the past few years in US cattle, dairy, swine, and horse operations. These include recent reports of infertility rates in dairy heifers of over 20%, and spontaneous abortions in cattle as high as 45%.”

Whether or not this could affect humans who consume these grains or meats raised on them is yet unknown, but I wouldn’t be the least surprised if that’s exactly what we’ll eventually find…

Meat Glue May Be the Least of Your Problems when it Comes to Processed Meats

As mentioned earlier, meat glue is also commonly used in processed meats, but that may be the least of your problems in this case. Processed meats are so bad for your health that I am firmly convinced they should NEVER be consumed. But that’s not just my opinion. It’s also the conclusion reached by the World Cancer Research Fund (WCRF) after reviewing more than 7,000 clinical studies examining the connection between diet and cancer.

Processed meats are those preserved by smoking, curing or salting, or the addition of chemical preservatives. This includes bacon, ham, pastrami, salami, pepperoni, hot dogs, some sausages and hamburgers (if they have been preserved with salt or chemical additives) and more.

Particularly problematic are the nitrates that are added to these meats as a preservative, coloring and flavoring. The nitrates found in processed meats are frequently converted into nitrosamines, which are clearly associated with an increased risk of certain cancers.

The latest research from WCRF is only the most recent of a slew of evidence linking processed meats to cancer.

A 2007 analysis by WCRF found that eating just one sausage a day can significantly raise your risk of bowel cancer. Specifically, 1.8 ounces of processed meat daily — about one sausage or three pieces of bacon — raises the likelihood of the cancer by 20 percent.

Other studies have also found that processed meats increase your risk of:

And that’s not all. Hot dogs, bacon, salami and other processed meats may also increase your risk of diabetes by 50 percent, and lower your lung function and increase your risk of chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD).

Why is Grass-Fed Beef Your Best Choice?

A safer option, as many consumers are now beginning to appreciate, is to choose locally grown and raised foods over those that have been mass produced, despite label claims of being “natural” or “organic.”

When selecting beef, grass-fed beef that has NOT been “finished off on corn” is definitely your healthiest option as it is:

  • A natural source of healthy omega-3 fats – Omega-3s in cattle that feed on grass is 7 percent of the total fat content, compared to just 1 percent in grain-only fed beef. It also has the optimal ratio of omega-6 to omega-3 fats (3:1)
  • High in CLA (Conjugated Linoleic Acid); a fat that reduces your risk of cancer, obesity, diabetes, and a number of immune disorders
  • High in beta carotene
  • Loaded with over 400 percent more of vitamins A and E
  • Virtually devoid of risk of Mad Cow Disease

You know, the rationale behind my nutritional guidelines really boil down to plain old common sense. My recommendations stem largely from what scientific research has determined are the types of foods that humans are naturally designed to eat. Health problems invariably surface the further you stray from eating such foods. Another way to say this would be that your body’s biochemical make-up is adversely affected if you eat things that aren’t right for you.

One result of this is that your body’s composition will inevitably change.

Why would things be any different for a cow?

When you think of a cow in its natural environment, doing what it naturally does, you likely will picture it grazing. Is it grazing on stalks of corn? Of course not! It’s grazing on green grass. (Animals given a choice will also avoid genetically modified grains, which really should tell us something…)

When cows eat grains, their body composition changes in detrimental ways, just like your body and health changes for the worse when you eat lots of junk- and fast food. Most importantly for you, these changes include an alteration in the balance of fatty acids in their bodies, which leads to an imbalance in YOUR intake of omega-3 and omega-6s as well.

Does the E. Coli Risk Decrease With Grass-Fed Beef?

Yes, it does.

Grass-finished beef has a minimal risk compared to grain-fed beef due to the difference in epigastric pH in the two diets.

Grain diets create a much higher level of acidity in the animal’s stomach, which is exactly what the E.coli bacteria need to survive and thrive.

Additionally, grass-finished animals live in clean grass pastures—as opposed to dirty, crowded pens—where higher levels of sanitation greatly reduce the risk of contamination as well.

How to Make Healthier Meat Choices

If you want to eat beeft in a truly healthful way (and yes, meat can be, and is, healthy), while at the same time avoiding getting fooled by glued piece-meats passed off as prime steak, follow these guidelines:

  • The beef should be organic and grass-fed
  • It should ideally come from a local farmer (try finding a farmer’s market or community-supported agriculture program in your area to do this) who can verify that the products are raised on pasture without antibiotics and pesticides, and who can tell you which cuts you’re actually getting
  • The animals should be allowed to live in their natural habitats, eating their natural diets
  • The farmer should be aware of the relationships between animals, plants, insects, soil, water and habitat — and how to use these relationships to create synergistic, self-supporting ecosystems

As you may know, I recommend eating as much food raw as possible, including meat. However, it absolutely MUST be grass-fed!

You’re literally risking your life if you eat conventionally-raised CAFO meat raw due to the high rate of pathogenic contamination. That goes for both prime cuts and the glued variety.

Now that you have more info about life, check out Energetic Balancing technology and get a free energetic evaluation, find out about your life and your condition.(all mathematical-Quantum Mechanics 97% accurate). Free Evaluation

]]> http://www.energeticbalancing.us/what-is-meat-glue/feed 1 Thyroid Madness Definitions: http://www.energeticbalancing.us/thyroid-madness-definitions http://www.energeticbalancing.us/thyroid-madness-definitions#comments Thu, 14 Jan 2010 06:04:14 +0000 admin http://www.energeticbalancing.us/?p=232 Thyroid Madness Definitions:

  1. Treating hypothyroid patients solely with T4-only meds
  2. Dosing solely by the TSH and the total T4, or using the outdated “Thyroid Panel”
  3. Prescribing anti-depressants in lieu of evaluating and treating the free T3
  4. Telling thyroid patients that desiccated natural thyroid like Armour is “unreliable”, “inconsistent”, “dangerous” or “outdated”.
  5. Making labwork more important than the hypo symptoms which scream their presence
  6. Failing to see the OBVIOUS symptoms of poorly treated thyroid, and instead, recommending a slew of other tests and diagnoses.

NATURETHROID and WESTHROID are by RLC Labs (formerly Western Research Labs).  WESTHROID used to contain cornstarch as the filler, but is now made with the Microcrystalline Cellulose with identical ingredients as NATURETHROID.  Both are consistently good products and highly recommended.  Ingredients are:

  • Porcine Thyroid Powder, U.S. Pharmacopeia (USP)
  • Microcrystalline Cellulose  (synthetic fiber base to provide volume and bulk)
  • Dicalcium Phosphate  (from mined ore, holds tablet together)
  • Sodium Starch Glycolate (synthetically derived from starch molecule; aids in disintegration in stomach)
  • Magnesium Stearate  (derived from a vegetable source like palm oil; lubricating agent for tablet compress).
  • Hydroxypropyl Methylcellulose  (plant cellulose base, aka cotton or wood pulp; provides bulk with PEG)
  • Stearic Acid  (from vegetable source–typically palm oil; holds ingredients together).
  • Carnauba Wax  (from pores of leaves of Brazilian wax palm tree; provides complete seal of tablet)
  • Polyethylene Glycol (PEG)  (synthetic; used with Hydroxypropyl Methylcellulose for clear coating)
  • Colloidal Silicon Dioxide  (from mined ore: natural desiccant to protect from moisture and humidity)
  • Lactose Monohydrate (traceable amount as part of desiccated thyroid powder USP)

ARMOUR (Armour was reformulated in 2009, supposedly decreasing the amount of dextrose and increasing cellulose. Unfortunately, numerous patients report problems with it.  Many are switching to Naturethroid). It is made by Forest Pharmaceuticals.  It is made in the following strengths: 1/4, 1/2, 1, 2, 3, 4 and 5 grain tablets.  The 3 and 5 grain tabs are scored., One grain is 60 mg and contains 38 mcg of T4 and 9 mcg of T3, plus unmeasured amounts of T2, T1 and calcitonin. The latter three are not removed, as rumor occasionally states.  Each tablet contains:

  • Porcine Thyroid Powder, US Pharmacopeia
  • Dextrose, Anhydrous (anhydrous means any water has been removed and makes the tablet more stable)
  • Microcrystalline Cellulose, NF
  • Sodium Starch Glycolate, NF
  • Calcium Stearate NF (stabilizer and lubricant)
  • Opadry White (Titanium dioxide used as whitening agent, but also contains trace amounts of PEG (polyethylene glycol), Polysorbate 80, and Hydroxypropyl Methycellulose. See below.) Armour Thyroid does not contain gluten or lactose. But neither do Naturethroid or Westhroid.

*Hormonally, Armour and Westhroid and Naturethroid are absolutely identical–their thyroid powder meets the same USP guidelines.  Microcrystalline Cellulose is technically what makes a product hypoallergenic, but if you have an severe allergy to corn, the dextrose in Armour, aka glucose, may be a derivative of cornstarch and would not be recommended.

THYROID-S is from Sriprasit Pharma Co., Ltd. in Thailand (sister company of Sriprasit Dispensary R.O.P.) Advertising states that Sriprasit Pharma is “a leading importer of pharmaceutical products, and has been a GMP and ISO 9002-certified manufacturer of pharmaceutical products.” Patients report they are quite pleased with this product. To see a photo, go here. The ingredients, according to Pongsak Songpaisan of Sriprasit are:

  • Thyroid extract USP
  • Lactose (a milk sugar)
  • PVP K90 (Polyvinylpyrolidone; water soluble coating; no known hazard)
  • Avicel (microcrystalline cellulose; holds product together)
  • Aerosil (silicic acid powder; help disperse the ingredients)
  • Sodium starch glycolate (helps dissolute/disintegrate the pill)
  • Magnesium stearate (filling agent)
  • Eudragit (a common sustain released coating)
  • Methocel (a water soluble cellulose ether-helps bind pill)
  • Talcum (a filler)
  • Ponceau 4r lake (red additive-aluminum)
  • Tartrazine lake (yellow additive-aluminum)
  • Brilliant blue FCF lake (blue additive-aluminum)
  • Sunset yellow FCF (yellow additive)
  • Titanium dioxide (white)
  • PEG 6000 (water soluble polymer; binder)
  • Dimethicone solution

(Thanks to Ruth-Ann for obtaining the ingredients list above; descriptions added)

AUSTRALIA’s compounded thyroid: Desiccated thyroid in Australia is mostly done through compounding pharmacies and is usually called “thyroid extract”.  A patient asked Australian Custom Pharmaceuticals, Australia’s largest compounding-only pharmacy, about their ingredients.  It was stated that the only ingredients put in the capsules are the active ingredient (thyroid extract) and microcrystalline cellulose as the filler.  At ACP 60mg (equivalent to 1 grain) contains 33.4 mcg T4 and 8.37 mcg of T3.  However, together T4 and T3 may potentiate each other giving a therapeutic effect equivalent of 25mcg of T3 and 100mcg of T4 per 60 mg.  The thyroid extract in porcine derived, and it is bought from an overseas supplier. Australian Custom Pharmaceuticals Ph. 1300 853 620 Fax. 02 8536 4155 (Thanks to Juanita for providing this information)

CANADA’S “THYROID”, formerly by Phizer and now by Erfa, contains:

  • Dried Thyroid
  • Magnesium Stearate
  • Cornstarch
  • Talc
  • Sugar

http://www.erfa-sa.com/thyroid_en.htm, plus they have a question and answer forum: http://thyroid.erfa.net/distribution/index.php

DENMARK’S THYREOïDUM from Biofac in Kastrup, Denmark. Imported into the Netherlands from BUFA/Fargo, importers of pharmaceutical products.

½ grain = 29 mg (12.7 mcg T4 and 4.5 mcg T3)
1 grain = 57 mg (25.3 mcg T4 and 9 mcg T3)

2 grain = 114 mg (50.6 mcg T4 and 18 mcg T3)

Pig thyroid.  Some websites state the T4/T3 ratio can vary from 2.3: 1 to 3.8: 1 depending on the lot.  Meets standards of US Pharmacopoeia.  Contains Microcrystalline cellulose as a filler. Also may contain lactose, sodium, chloride, starch, sucrose or glucose.

(Thanks to Julia Hendryx of the Netherlands for alerting me of this desiccated thyroid!)

GERMANY’S THYREOGLAND from Munchen (Munich), Kloesterl Apoteke, Waltherstrasse, 80337 Muenchen. Phone: 089 54343211

1 grain Armour=100 mcg levothyroxine=40 mcg Thyreogland. Clear gelatin capsules with loose powder inside. May have magnesium searate as a filler. The 25 mcg tablet specifies “25 mcg T4 and circa 6 mcg T3? on the label. Thanks to thyroid patient Amy for the above information.

Anna sent me this: the Kloesterl Apotheke (pharmacy) Munich Tel: 0049 (0)89 / 54 34 32 11 offers 4 different strengths:  25 mcgr T4+5.9 mcgr T3; 50 mcgr T4+11.8 mcgr T3; 75 mcgr T4+17.8 mcgr T3; 100 mcgr T4+23.7 mcgr T3. The 75 mcgr one is nearly exactly the equivalent of 2 grains of Armour.  Also they add the amino acid tyrosine in  the capsules as a filler. She advises all Germans to phone them and get the leaflet.  It’s more or less the only information about natural thyroid treatment available in German that one can take to a doctor.

ITALY’s “CINETIC” dried thyroid, produced by Teofarma srl – Pavia, Italy, contains:

  • Dried Thyroid
  • Dextrate
  • dicalcium phosphate
  • microcrystalline cellulose
  • magnesium stearate
  • talc
  • sandarac resin
  • gum arabic
  • gelatin
  • saccharin
  • titanium dioxide
  • indigotine (E132)
  • PVP
  • white beeswax

Active ingredients: 75 mg dried thyroid (equal to 25.5 mcg T4 and 7.5 mcg T3); organic iodine 0.150 mg in thyroid combination)

Tablets are coated. 75 mg with 50 tablets in blister pack. Package insert recommends 1-2 tablets, 3 times a day (though that may end up being different according to your needs). They also recommend to swallow pills with water, without chewing and without dissolving. To be stored not above 77F/25C

(Thanks to Beatrice for translating and sending the above information!)

NEW ZEALAND’S Whole Thyroid, which is compounded desiccated thyroid by Pharmaceutical Compounding New Zealand (PCNZ).   Phone: 09-442-1727  Fax: 09-442-5851  Email: info@pharmaceutical.co.nz Website: http://www.pharmaceutical.co.nz/

GENERIC NATURAL THYROID (which includes one called Qualitest) byTIME-CAPS LABS (as of 2009, this one appears to have been discontinued). It contained thyroid powder, microcrystalline cellulose, Dicalcium phosphate, Colloidal silicon dioxide, Sodium starch glycolate, Steric acid, Magnesium stearate, Hydroxypropyl methylcellulose, and “other ingredients” (which we did not know).  It was unpopular due to being weaker. Another generic maker is called URL, or United Research Labs, which is a sister company to Mutual Pharmaceutical.  As of 8-07, it’s reported by a patient that Qualitest now has the same smell as Armour, which is different than the lack of smell it had before.  As of 2009, it may have also been discontinued.  In 2009, an active generic still around by Major Pharmaceuticals, simply called Thyroid, or generic Thyroid, 31778 Enterprise Drive; Livonia, MI. 48150

NUTRI-MEDS PORCINE, a non-prescription brand of natural thyroid, contains:

  • Whole Dessicated Thyroid Glandular Concentrate – Porcine
  • Raw Porcine Thyroid Tissue 130 mg.
  • Dicalcium Phosphate
  • Magnesium Sterate (Natural Tableting Agent)

Patients report that over-the-counter thyroid products, including Nutri-meds, are FAR weaker than all the above.  Yes, they may be good in a pinch for help, but not for long term support.

THYROLAR: Thyrolar (liotrix) is not natural desiccated thyroid. But, since it’s a step up from using T4 alone, it’s worth a mention. Thyrolar is synthetic T3 (L-triiodothyronine) and synthetic T4 (levothyroxine sodium) with a ratio of four parts T4 to one part T3.  No T2, T1 or calcitonin.  The tablets need to be kept refrigerated.  Patients who’ve tried both Thyrolar and desiccated thyroid report the latter gives them far better results. But, when needed, Thyrolar can be another alternative.  Made by Forest Pharmaceuticals.

CYTOMEL, which is synthetic T3 only, and is sometimes needed temporarily by those who have a high RT3 and can’t tolerate the T4 in desiccated thyroid until they correct their adrenals or other issues causing it.  Made by King Pharmaceuticals.  Ingredients include:

  • Liothyronine (synthetic version of triiodothyronine aka T3)
  • calcium sulfate
  • gelatin
  • starch
  • stearic acid
  • sucrose
  • talc
  • Want to order your own labwork to later show your doctor??  We have recommended labwork with several lab facilities, plus two on the top with STTM created labwork!
  • Need help interpreting your labwork? Go to www.stopthethyroidmadness.com/lab-values/
  • INGREDIENT EXPLANATIONS:
  • Microcrystalline Cellulose
  • synthetically derived fiber base (similar to plant-derived). It is typically utilized as a filler in a tablet (to provide volume and bulk).
  • Dicalcium Phosphate
  • derived from a mined ore. It is typically utilized as a binder in a tablet (to hold all the ingredients during compression).
  • Colloidal Silicon Dioxide
  • derived from a mined ore. Typically utilized as a natural desiccant in a tablet (to provide barrier from moisture and humidity).
  • Sodium Starch Glycolate
  • Synthetically derived starch molecule (similar to potato starch). It is typically utilized as a disintegrating agent in a tablet (to aid in proper disintegration of the tablet in the stomach).
  • Magnesium Stearate
  • Derived from a vegetable source (typically palm oil). It is typically utilized as a lubricating agent in a tablet (to aid in proper compression of the tablet).
  • Hydroxypropyl Methylcellulose
  • Derived from a plant cellulose base (typically cotton blend or wood pulp). It is typically utilized as a granulating agent in a tablet (to provide bulk and density to the tablet for proper compression) as well as part of a clear coating solution (with PEG).
  • Polysorbate 80
  • An inactive water soluable emulsifying agent which blends the ingredients of mixtures and prevents separating.
  • Stearic Acid
  • Derived from a vegetable source (typically palm oil). It is typically utilized as a binder in a tablet ( to hold all the ingredients during compression).
  • Carnauba Wax
  • Derived from the pores of the leaves of the Brazilian wax palm tree. It is utilized in the final stage in tablet coating (to provide a complete seal).
  • Polyethylene Glycol (PEG)
  • Synthetically derived, water-soluble, waxy solid. It is utilized with Hydroxypropyl Methylcellulose as part of the clear coating solution.
  • Lactose Monohydrate
  • Present in traceable amount as part of Thyroid USP (diluent)

 

 

 

Original information:

http://www.stopthethyroidmadness.com/armour-vs-other-brands/

]]> http://www.energeticbalancing.us/thyroid-madness-definitions/feed 0 Our Comments on Heart Health http://www.energeticbalancing.us/our-comments-on-heart-health http://www.energeticbalancing.us/our-comments-on-heart-health#comments Thu, 14 Jan 2010 05:46:02 +0000 admin http://www.energeticbalancing.us/?p=211 Simple Heart Health

Diet

There are a number of factors which affect heart health, but it can be made very simple, by first following the concept of creating an alkaline terrain in the body, consuming mineral-rich, nutrient-dense foods and healthy fats. The more simple the diet, the better for your health. Cut down on or eliminate red meat, which is very unhealty in this country (read Howard Lymans’ book “Mad Cowboy”). You can meet your protein needs on a vegetarian diet if you understand the proper foods to eat. Nearly all vegetables, beans, grains, nuts, and seeds contain some, and often much, protein. A serving of leafy greens contains more assimilable protein than a serving of red meat! Whole, complex grains such as quinoa, amaranth, barley, rye, brown rice, millet, oats, spelt and wheat (be careful you’re not sensitive or allergic!) are good in moderate quantities. Vegetables are high in phytonutrients which prevent and repair damage to cells. Nuts are a good source of protein, and walnuts particularly good for heart health…buy raw nuts and seeds and be sure and soak them overnight to activate the enzymes in them. Have a varied diet in small portions throughout the day to meet your needs and feed and protect your heart. Some foods particularly good for heart health: walnuts and almonds (soaked), spinach, flaxseed (a whole protein), fatty fish (such as wild salmon), carrots, broccoli, asparagus, all leafy greens, sweet potatoes, blueberries, brown rice, chocolate made from cacao (sweetened naturally).

Avoid processed sugars, alcohol, table salt, processed foods and simple carbohydrates – they are not nutritious foods and will actually deplete the body of precious nutrients and minerals, causing acidity and stress to the body, including the heart. Stimulants should also be avoided. Some other foods which can be detrimental to health and are best avoided; tomatoes, potatoes, all mushrooms, soy products, orange juice (see the chart of Acid/Alkaline foods).

Exercise

We have become very sedentary and often lazy as a society and some people view excercise as trudgery or something they’ve got to talk themselves into. That might be attributed to the fact that most diets don’t contain what we need to provide energy, then we use sugar and stimulants to try and fulfill the deficit, creating a vicious cycle and little motivation for exercise. Not to mention most people are working at jobs which are stressful and tiring and just want to rest when the work day has ended. If you’re in this place, you can start to shift your diet to one that is giving you energy, alkalizing your body and take smalls steps to integrate exercise into your day. You don’t have to join a gym to get exercise! Take the stairs whenever you can, park farther away from your destination and walk, take 10 minute breaks throughout the day and walk around the block. Or just take a moment from time to time to get up from your desk and do some stretches. Take a walk in your neighborhood when you get home, even if you think you’re too tired, you’ll find you have more energy. Begin with small increments and build up to an hour, or more per day. Look for natural places in your area to walk on the grass, take a hike in nature, walk in the moonlight and breathe the fresh air!! If it’s raining, put on a raincoat and take an umbrella! If it’s the cold of winter, find an indoor mall with stairs you can walk. Put on some uplifting music and dance when you get up in the morning instead of a cup of coffee! Get a rebounder (mini-trampoline) and bounce or jump on it – just ten minutes a day will move your lymphatic system (see our article on Lymphatic Health), get your heart moving and make you feel great – this is an amazing little exercise device and has immense benefits.

Exercise stimulates the production of endorphins and is necessary for heart and brain health. Exercise is a wonderful way to combat and even alleviate depression.

Stress/Emotion

We all hopefully know how much our mental state and attitude affects our heart and our overall health. Some would even argue that attitude is more of a determining factor in our health than diet or exercise – though, it’s difficult to maintain a negative attitude when one is taking natural care of their body through diet and exercise. Still, we all know of the person who is considered a perfect picture of health, who shockingly collapses from a heart attack as they’re going about their life. Upon closer examination, the underlying factor usually turns out to be tional/psychological, or even the stress of overexertion, as in the case of some athletes or runners.

In a study done at The University College London, they found evidence that stress can elevate blood pressure over an extended period, and trigger the release of high levels of clot-forming platelets. In their study, they identified that 99% of the men who had suffered a heart attack on an average of 15 months earlier, had symptoms which were preceded by acute stress, anger and depression. With or without research, we all know the effects of a stressful situation or emotions not handled properly; the hearbeat rises, inner pressure can build, adrenalin pumps…we might feel explosive if the feelings aren’t processed in an appropriate way and this of course, profoundly affects the body, often leading to heart problems for some people.

So it reasons to follow that learning how to manage our emotions and stress is important to maintain homeostasis of our chemistry and heart health. Everyone responds to stressful situations and emotions in different ways, and even perceives them differently. Those who have learned not to react, will be much less likely to have the stress effect them. We can all help ourselves by recognising what stresses us and come up with coping strategies to help control how we respond to these situations. If we have a daily practice of some kind which switches the mind out of it’s usual rigor of repetitive thoughts and emotions, and can experience times of quiet or thought focused upon peace, emotional skill, etc., then we can begin to live in a way where we become the observer of everything that goes on around us, without becoming emotionally upset, stressed or agitated. Even the most intense experiences with potential to be extrememly stressful can be handled in a way which doesn’t affect one’s physiology.

Look into different modalities for finding emotional resolution and well-being, such as E.F.T (Emotional Freedom Technique), B.E.S.T. (Bio-Energetic Synchronization Technique), NLP (Neuro-Linguistic Programming), (EMDR) Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing and Hypnotherapy, to name a few, to help you to begin to change the emotional programs which run in you and cause you to react in an undesirable (and usually predictable!) way to stressful factors and emotions in your life.

Other ways of dealing with stress and stressful emotion is to begin to be aware of how you react and simply resolve not to. Physical actitivity is a good way to release energy and tension – yoga, Tai Chi, and some martial arts combine breathwork, stretching and meditation. If that’s not for you, something more actively physical may help you to “let off steam”, such as tennis, a brisk walk, running, rebounding, racquetball, etc. Know your limits and don’t overexercise, as that can be equally stressful.

And, of course, don’t forget to have a lightheart, laugh and enjoy your life! If you find you tend to think negatively a great deal, begin to make a list daily of at least 5 things which you’re grateful for. Watch movies that make you laugh, listen to uplifting music and do and think things which make you happy. The more you learn to be in control of your emotions, and even focus on joy and happiness, the more you will experience it in your life. You’re in control of having a happy, healthy heart, or not!

]]> http://www.energeticbalancing.us/our-comments-on-heart-health/feed 0 First Aid for Heart Attack http://www.energeticbalancing.us/first-aid-for-heart-attack http://www.energeticbalancing.us/first-aid-for-heart-attack#comments Thu, 14 Jan 2010 05:45:03 +0000 admin http://www.energeticbalancing.us/?p=209 Heart attack: First aid

A heart attack occurs when an artery supplying your heart with blood and oxygen becomes blocked. This loss of blood flow injures your heart muscle. A heart attack generally causes chest pain for more than 15 minutes, but it can also be “silent” and have no symptoms at all.

Many people who suffer a heart attack have warning symptoms hours, days or weeks in advance. The earliest predictor of an attack may be recurrent chest pain that’s triggered by exertion and relieved by rest (angina).

Someone having an attack may experience any or all of the following:

§         Uncomfortable pressure, fullness or squeezing pain in the center of the chest. The pain   might last several minutes or come and go. It may be triggered by exertion and relieved by rest.

§         Prolonged pain in the upper abdomen.

§         Discomfort or pain spreading beyond the chest to the shoulders, neck, jaw, teeth, or one or both arms.

§         Shortness of breath.

§         Lightheadedness, dizziness, fainting.

§         Sweating.

§         Nausea.

If you or someone else may be having a heart attack:

§      Dial 911 or your local emergency medical assistance number. Don’t tough out the symptoms of a heart attack for more than five minutes. If you don’t have access to emergency medical services, have a neighbor or a friend drive you to the nearest hospital. Police or fire-rescue units also may be a source of transportation. Drive yourself only as a last resort, if there are absolutely no other options, and realize that it places you and others at risk when you drive under these circumstances.

§      Chew and swallow an aspirin, unless you’re allergic to aspirin or have been told by your doctor never to take aspirin. But seek emergency help first, such as calling 911.

§      Take nitroglycerin, if prescribed. If you think you’re having a heart attack and your doctor has previously prescribed nitroglycerin for you, take it as directed. Do not take anyone else’s nitroglycerin, because that could put you in more danger.

§      Begin CPR. If you’re with a person who might be having a heart attack and he or she is unconscious, tell the 911 dispatcher or another emergency medical specialist. You may be advised to begin cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR). If you haven’t received CPR training, doctors recommend skipping mouth-to-mouth rescue breathing and proceeding directly to chest compression. The dispatcher can instruct you in the proper procedures until help arrives.

]]> http://www.energeticbalancing.us/first-aid-for-heart-attack/feed 0 Heart Attack Symptoms: Know what signals a medical emergency http://www.energeticbalancing.us/heart-attack-symptoms http://www.energeticbalancing.us/heart-attack-symptoms#comments Thu, 14 Jan 2010 00:43:56 +0000 admin http://www.energeticbalancing.us/?p=207

Heart attack symptoms vary widely but often include chest pain or pressure, shortness of breath, nausea, or anxiety. See how women’s symptoms may be different from men’s symptoms.Heart attack symptoms vary widely. The symptoms you experience may be different from those experienced by a relative or neighbor. For instance, you may have only minor chest pain while someone else has excruciating pain. In addition, women often have different heart attack symptoms than do men.

One thing applies to everyone, though: If you suspect you’re having a heart attack, call for emergency medical help immediately. Don’t waste time trying to diagnose the symptoms yourself.

Typical heart attack symptoms

Symptom Description
Chest discomfort or pain This discomfort or pain can feel like a tight ache, pressure, fullness or squeezing in the center of your chest lasting more than a few minutes. This discomfort may come and go.
Upper body pain Pain or discomfort may spread beyond your chest to your shoulders, arms, back, neck, teeth or jaw. You may have upper body pain with no chest discomfort.
Stomach pain Pain may extend downward into your abdominal area and may feel like heartburn.
Shortness of breath You may pant for breath or try to take in deep breaths. This often occurs before you develop chest discomfort.
Anxiety You may feel a sense of doom or feel as if you’re having a panic attack for no apparent reason.
Lightheadedness You may feel dizzy or feel like you might pass out.
Sweating You may suddenly break into a sweat with cold, clammy skin.
Nausea and vomiting You may feel sick to your stomach or vomit.

Common heart attack symptoms in women

Women may have all, none, many or a few of the typical heart attack symptoms. For women, as for men, the most common symptom of a heart attack is some type of pain, pressure or discomfort in the chest. But women are more likely than are men to also have symptoms unrelated to chest pain, such as:

§                     Neck, jaw, shoulder, upper back or abdominal discomfort

§                     Shortness of breath

§                     Nausea or vomiting

§                     Abdominal pain or “heartburn”

§                     Sweating

§                     Lightheadedness or dizziness

§                     Unusual or unexplained fatigue

Heart attack symptoms demand emergency help

Some heart attacks have the classic symptoms as portrayed on television or in the movies — where someone clutches their chest and writhes in excruciating pain. Not all heart attacks announce themselves so clearly, though. In fact, most heart attacks begin with much more subtle symptoms — with only mild pain or discomfort. And your symptoms may come and go. Don’t be tempted to downplay your symptoms or brush them off as indigestion or anxiety.

Getting treatment quickly improves your chance of survival and minimizes damage from a heart attack. Don’t “tough out” these symptoms for more than five minutes. Call 911 or other emergency medical services for help. If you don’t have access to emergency medical services, have someone drive you to the nearest hospital. Drive yourself only as a last resort, if there are absolutely no other options.

]]> http://www.energeticbalancing.us/heart-attack-symptoms/feed 0 The High Cholestrol Thyroid Connection http://www.energeticbalancing.us/the-high-cholestrol-thyroid-connection http://www.energeticbalancing.us/the-high-cholestrol-thyroid-connection#comments Thu, 14 Jan 2010 05:42:41 +0000 admin http://www.energeticbalancing.us/?p=205 Undiagnosed Thyroid Disease May Be the Reason for Your High Cholesterol
By Mary Shomon

from about.com

As many as ten million Americans with high cholesterol levels may not know that their cholesterol is elevated due to undiagnosed thyroid problems.

High cholesterol affects an estimated 98 million people, half the American population, and is a major contributor to heart disease, America’s number one killer. But the most commonly known cholesterol raisers — diet or insufficient exercise – are not necessarily the problem for everyone. Undiagnosed and undertreated hypothyroidism can cause elevated cholesterol, and of the estimated 13 million Americans with thyroid disease, at least half are undiagnosed and millions more are not sufficiently treated, opening them up to the risk of continued hypothyroidism symptoms despite treatment.

Some experts even believe that the numbers of undiagnosed are underestimated, and that the current thyroid diagnostic criteria are too narrow and rigid, and are missing many millions more with subclinical and low-level hypothyroidism.

This January, as part of Thyroid Awareness Month, the American Association of Clinical Endocrinologists (AACE) has released the results of a new survey on the thyroid-cholesterol connection, looking at the connection between undiagnosed hypothyroidism and high cholesterol.

Materials released by the AACE in support of this information campaign include:

The survey had several important findings:

Fewer than half of the adults who had been diagnosed with high cholesterol know if they had ever been tested for thyroid disease, despite the well-documented connection between the two conditions.

Ninety percent of those surveyed were unaware of the thyroid gland’s impact on cholesterol regulation.

According to AACE President Richard A. Dickey, M.D., “Patients who have been diagnosed with high cholesterol should ask their physician about having their thyroid checked. If they have an underlying thyroid condition in addition to their high cholesterol, the cholesterol problem will be difficult to control until normal levels of thyroid hormone are restored.”

The National Cholesterol Education Program and the Food and Drug Administration recommend thyroid testing in patients with high cholesterol levels. The prescribing information for the popular cholesterol-lowering drugs also recommends that patients be tested for thyroid disease before beginning cholesterol-lowering drug therapy.

It’s unclear why, given that guidelines strongly recommend thyroid testing, more doctors are not insisting on thyroid testing upon the finding of high cholesterol. This may be a result of the medical profession’s general lack of understanding about thyroid disease, or the tendency of doctors and patients to write off general symptoms such as fatigue, weight gain, and depression, particularly in women.

]]> http://www.energeticbalancing.us/the-high-cholestrol-thyroid-connection/feed 0 Cholesterol is Not the Cause of Heart Disease http://www.energeticbalancing.us/cholesterol-is-not-the-cause-of-heart-disease http://www.energeticbalancing.us/cholesterol-is-not-the-cause-of-heart-disease#comments Thu, 14 Jan 2010 05:41:04 +0000 admin http://www.energeticbalancing.us/?p=202 By Ron Rosedale, MD

Cholesterol is not the major culprit in heart disease or any disease. If it becomes oxidized it can irritate/inflame tissues in which it is lodged in, such as the endothelium (lining of the arteries). This would be one of numerous causes of chronic inflammation that can injure the lining of arteries. However, many good fats are easily oxidized such as omega-3 fatty acids, but it does not mean that you should avoid it at all costs.

Common sense would indicate that we should avoid the oxidation (rancidity) of cholesterol and fatty acids and not get rid of important life-giving molecules. Using the same conventional medical thinking that is being used for cholesterol would lead one to believe that doctors should reduce the risk of Alzheimer’s disease by taking out everybody’s brain.

In fact, cholesterol is being transported to tissues as part of an inflammatory response that is there to repair damage.

The fixation on cholesterol as a major cause of heart disease defies the last 15 years of science and deflects from real causes such as the damage (via glycation) that sugars such as glucose and fructose inflict on tissues, including the lining of arteries, causing chronic inflammation and resultant plaque.

Insulin & Leptin Resistance

Hundreds of excellent scientific articles have linked insulin resistance and more recently leptin resistance to cardiovascular disease much more strongly than cholesterol, and they are in fact at least partially responsible for cholesterol abnormalities. For instance, insulin and leptin resistance result in “small dense” LDL particles and a greater number of particles.

This is much more important than the total cholesterol number. Because of particle size shift to small and dense, the total LDL cholesterol could still be low even though the number of particles and the density of the particles is greater. Small, dense LDL particles can squeeze between the cells lining the inside of the arteries, the “gap junction” of the endothelium, where they can get stuck and potentially oxidize, turn rancid, and cause inflammation of the lining of the arteries and plaque formation.

Importantly, many solid scientific studies have shown a mechanistic, causal effect of elevated insulin and leptin on heart and vascular disease, whereas almost all studies with cholesterol misleadingly only show an association. Association does not imply cause. For instance, something else may be causing lipid abnormalities such as elevated cholesterol and triglycerides, and also causing heart disease.

This “something else” is improper insulin and leptin signaling. Similarly, sugar does not cause diabetes; sugar is just listening to orders. Improper insulin and leptin signaling is the cause of diabetes. Likewise, cholesterol does not cause heart disease, but improper metabolic signals including improper signals to cholesterol (causing it to oxidize) and perhaps to the liver that manufactures the cholesterol, will cause heart and vascular disease and hypertension.

Removing cholesterol will do nothing to improve the underlying problems, the real roots of chronic disease, which will always have to do with improper communication, and the generals of metabolic communication are insulin and leptin. They are really what must be treated to reverse heart disease, diabetes, osteoporosis, obesity, and to some extent aging itself.

Cholesterol; Wrongly Accused?

Before we can begin to talk about the real cause and effective treatment for heart and blood vessel disease, we must first look at what is known, or I should say what we think we know. The first thing that comes to mind when one hears about heart disease is almost always cholesterol. Cholesterol and heart disease has been almost synonymous for the last half-century. Cholesterol has been portrayed as the Darth Vader to our arteries and our heart.

The latest recommendation given by a so-called panel of “experts” recommends that a person’s cholesterol be as low as possible, in fact to a level so low they say it cannot be achieved by diet, exercise, or any known lifestyle modification. Therefore, they say cholesterol-lowering drugs; particularly the so-called “statins” need to be given to anyone at high risk of heart disease. Since heart disease is the number one killer in this country that would include most adults and even many children. The fact that this might add to the $26 billion in sales of statin drugs last year I’m sure played no role in their recommendations.

Or did it?

Expert Conflict of Interests

Major consumer groups think so. They found out that eight of the nine “experts” that made the recommendations were on the payroll of pharmaceutical companies that manufacture those drugs. Major scientific organizations have chastised medical journals for allowing the pharmaceutical industry to publish misleading results and half-truths. There is a major push under way to force the pharmaceutical industry (and others) to publish results of all of their studies, and not just the ones that appear positive. The studies that showed negative results would be forced to be published also.

It could be that lowering cholesterol might not be as healthy as we are being told. More and more studies are coming out showing just how unhealthy lowering cholesterol might be, particularly by the use of statin drugs. In particular, statin drugs have been shown to be harmful to muscles causing considerable damage. A common symptom of this damage is muscular aches and pains that many patients experience on cholesterol-lowering drugs, however most do not realize that these drugs are to blame.

Hmm…isn’t the heart a muscle?

Statin Drugs Actually Increase Heart Disease

Indeed, low cholesterol levels have been shown to worsen patients with congestive heart failure, a life-threatening condition where the heart becomes too weak to effectively pump blood. Statin drugs have been shown to also cause nerve damage and to greatly impair memory. One reason that statin drugs have these various serious side effects is that they work by inhibiting a vital enzyme that manufactures cholesterol in the liver. However, the same enzyme is used to manufacture coenzyme Q10, which is a biochemical needed to transfer energy from food to our cells to be used for the work of staying alive and healthy.

Statin drugs are known to inhibit our very important production of coenzyme Q10. Importantly, while many cardiologists insist that lowering cholesterol is correlated with a reduction in the risk of heart attacks; few can say that there is a reduction in the risk of mortality (death). That has been much harder to show. In other words it has never been conclusively shown that lowering cholesterol saves lives. In fact, several large studies have shown that lowering cholesterol into the range currently recommended is correlated with an increased risk of dying, especially of cancer.

No Such Thing as Good and Bad Cholesterol

Because the correlation of total cholesterol with heart disease is so weak, many years ago a stronger correlation was sought. It was found that there is so-called “good cholesterol” called HDL, and that the so-called “bad cholesterol” was LDL. HDL stands for high-density lipoprotein, and LDL stands for low-density lipoprotein. Notice please that LDL and HDL are lipoproteins — fats combined with proteins. There is only one cholesterol. There is no such thing as a good or a bad cholesterol. Cholesterol is just cholesterol. It combines with other fats and proteins to be carried through the bloodstream, since fat and our watery blood do not mix very well.

Fatty substances therefore must be shuttled to and from our tissues and cells using proteins. LDL and HDL are forms of proteins and are far from being just cholesterol. In fact we now know there are many types of these fat and protein particles. LDL particles come in many sizes and large LDL particles are not a problem. Only the so-called small dense LDL particles can potentially be a problem, because they can squeeze through the lining of the arteries and if they oxidize, otherwise known as turning rancid, they can cause damage and inflammation. Thus, you might say that there is “good LDL” and “bad LDL.” Also, some HDL particles are better than others. Knowing just your total cholesterol tells you very little. Even knowing your LDL and HDL levels do not tell you very much.

A mistake that is rarely made in the hard-core sciences such as physics seems to be frequently made in medicine. This is confusing correlation with cause. There may be a weak correlation of elevated cholesterol with heart attacks, however this does not mean it is the cholesterol that caused the heart attack. Certainly gray hair is correlated with getting older; however one could hardly say that the gray hair caused one to get old. Using hair dye to reduce the gray hair would not really make you any younger. Neither it appears would just lowering your cholesterol.

Perhaps something else is causing both the gray hair and aging. Even if elevated cholesterol were significant and heart disease (which I question) perhaps something else is causing the elevated cholesterol and also causing the heart disease.

Let’s look little more at cholesterol or, as Paul Harvey was fond of saying, “the rest of the story.” First and foremost, cholesterol is a vital component of every cell membrane on Earth. In other words, there is no life on Earth they can live without cholesterol. They will automatically tell you that, in of itself, it cannot be evil. In fact it is one of our best friends. We would not be here without it. No wonder lowering cholesterol too much increases one’s risk of dying. Cholesterol also is a precursor to all of the steroid hormones. You cannot make estrogen, testosterone, cortisone, and a host of other vital hormones without cholesterol.

Cholesterol Is The Hero, Not The Villain.

It was determined many years ago that the majority of cholesterol in your bloodstream comes from what your liver is manufacturing and distributing. The amount of cholesterol that one eats plays little role in determining your cholesterol levels. It is also known that HDL shuttles cholesterol away from tissues, and away from your arteries, back to your liver. That is why HDL is called the “good cholesterol;” because it is supposedly taking cholesterol away from your arteries. But let’s think about that.

  • Why does your liver make sure that you have plenty of cholesterol?
  • Why is HDL taking cholesterol back to your liver?
  • Why not take it right to your kidneys, or your intestines to get rid of it?

It is taking it back to your liver so that your liver can recycle it; put it back into other particles to be taken to tissues and cells that need it. Your body is trying to make and conserve the cholesterol for the precise reason that it is so important, indeed vital, for health.

One function of cholesterol is to keep your cell membranes from falling apart. As such, you might consider cholesterol your cells “superglue.” It is a necessary ingredient in any sort of cellular repair. The coronary disease associated with heart attacks is now known to be caused from damage to the lining of those arteries. That damage causes inflammation. The coronary disease that causes heart attacks is now considered to be caused mostly from chronic inflammation.

What Is Inflammation?

Think of what happens if you were to cut your hand. Within a fraction of a second, chemicals are released by the damaged tissue to initiate the process known as inflammation. Inflammation will allow that little cut to heal, and indeed to keep you from dying. The cut blood vessels constrict to keep you from bleeding too much. Blood becomes “thicker” so that it can clot. Cells and chemicals from the immune system are alerted to come to the area to keep intruders such as viruses and bacteria from invading the cut. Other cells are told to multiply to repair the damage so that you can heal. When the repair is completed, you have lived to be careless another day, though you may have a small scar to show for your troubles.

We now know that similar events take place within the lining of our arteries. When damage occurs to the lining of our arteries (or even elsewhere) chemicals are released to initiate the process of inflammation. Arteries constrict, blood becomes more prone to clot, white blood cells are called to the area to gobble up damaged debris, and cells adjacent to those damaged are told to multiply. Ultimately, scars form, however inside our arteries we call it plaque. And the constriction of our arteries and the “thickening” of our blood further predisposes us to high blood pressure and heart attacks.

So Where Might Cholesterol Fit Into All Of This?

When damage is occurring and inflammation is being initiated, chemicals are being released so that that damage can be repaired. One could speculate that to replace damaged, old and worn-out cells the liver needs to be notified to either recycle or manufacture cholesterol since no cell, human or otherwise, can be made without it. In this case, cholesterol is being manufactured and distributed in your bloodstream to help you repair damaged tissue and in fact to keep you alive.

If excessive damage is occurring such that it is necessary to distribute extra cholesterol through the bloodstream, it would not seem very wise to merely lower the cholesterol and forget about why it is there in the first place. It would seem much smarter to reduce the extra need for the cholesterol — the excessive damage that is occurring, the reason for the chronic inflammation.

So Why Take Cholesterol-Lowering Drugs?

The pharmaceutical companies thought that you might think that. They went back to the drawing board. They did more “research” and found (coincidentally) that statin drugs had anti-inflammatory effects. Therefore we’re currently being told to stay on our cholesterol-lowering drugs because now they work by reducing inflammation and perhaps not even by reducing cholesterol, and in fact perhaps in spite of it. Aspirin reduces inflammation for a lot less money. So does vitamin E, and fish oil, and dietary changes without the dangers of drugs and having many other benefits instead.

What About Triglycerides?

Triglycerides are just medical terminology for fat. A person with high triglycerides has a lot of fat in the bloodstream. Triglycerides are generally measured when a person has fasted overnight. High fasting triglycerides are either from manufacturing too much, or using (burning) too little. In other words, what high triglycerides are telling you is that you are making too much fat and you are unable to burn it. This indeed is a major problem. The inability to burn fat underlies virtually all of the chronic diseases of aging, and in fact may contribute to the rate of aging itself.

As such, one might think that the control of fat burning and storage might be very important in heart disease, and the other diseases of aging such as diabetes, obesity, osteoporosis, and even cancer. Indeed, this appears to very much be the case. The two hormones that to a major extent control our ability to burn and store fat, insulin and leptin, appear to play a major role in all of the chronic diseases of aging. I would call them the most important hormones, indeed chemicals in the entire body. But that is a story for next time.

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Leptin: How Diabetes and Obesity Are Linked

What You Don’t Know About Leptin Can Make You

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