In This Edition:
- Cancer & Veganism
- Patient Testimonial
- Dr. Minkoff’s Breakfast Smoothie
- Hyperthyroidism
- Dr. Springer talks about Hypothyroidism
- Patient Testimonial
- Meridian Health Analysis
Greetings all!
This week I had a number of cancer patients come in after being on vegan diets and having their cancers progress. When I asked them why they were eating this way, they said the Internet was full of testimonials on how Veganism was curing cancer.
Unfortunately, no such thing is true or ever proven. I can find no controlled studies showing that a Vegan diet makes people live longer who have cancer. It’s probably the opposite. Vegans over a short period of time become malnourished and their immune systems go down, rather than up.
This week a study was published in Lancet, showing that a low-fat diet raises the risk of early death by almost a quarter. The Lancet looked at 135,000 adults and found that those who cut out things like meat and butter had much shorter lives than those who didn’t.
Main takeaways from the study
- The study included 18 countries at varying economic levels
- Researchers found that high carbohydrate intake (more than about 60% of energy) increases total mortality and non-cardiovascular disease mortality
- Higher fat intake lowers risk of total mortality, non-cardiovascular disease mortality, and stroke
- Higher intakes of individual types of fat reduced total mortality, non-cardiovascular disease mortality, and stroke risk
- Higher fat intake did not cause major cardiovascular disease events, myocardial infarction, or cardiovascular disease mortality
- Current recommendations to limit total fat intake to less than 30% of energy and saturated fat intake to less than 10% of energy should be changed
- Individuals who eat a lot of carbohydrates might benefit lowering carbs and increasing their fats[1]
Here is the practical take away…
The study confirms what we’ve known for a long time. Carbohydrates and low-fat processed foods are not the answer, but major health organizations have been telling you for decades to eat more carbs and limit your fat.
This is simply bad advice. In fact, once the low-fat recommendations took hold, people became fatter and sicker.[2]
So don’t give up your meats and fats. Do eat good meats and good fats and limit your carb intake of grains, beans and potatoes. You will live longer and be healthier in the process.
Have a great week.
Dr. David I Minkoff, M.D.
Patient Testimonial
Everyone should start their day with an awesome breakfast.
Why don’t you try Dr. Minkoff’s daily breakfast smoothie recipe!
• 1 cup of frozen blueberries (high in antioxidants and fiber)
• 1 Scoop of Body Health Perfect Greens (has the power of 10 servings of fruit and veg)
• 2-3 raw eggs
• 2000 mg organic coconut oil
• 2 tablespoons ground organic flax
Blend everything together and enjoy this tasty smoothie.
Hyperthyroidism
The kidneys are extremely important and play a vital role in our bodies. They are responsible for filtering the blood and excreting the waste products/excess water in the form of urine. The kidneys also control our body’s acid/base balance. When blood and body fluids are too acidic or alkaline, the kidneys alter the acidity of the urine to restore the balance.The thyroid gland is a small gland located in the front of the neck. It normally weighs less than once ounce. It is made up of two lobes that lie along the windpipe and are joined together by a narrow band of thyroid tissue, known as the isthmus.
The thyroid releases thyroid hormones which regulate the metabolism, growth, development and body temperature. The two best known thyroid conditions are Hypothyroidism (under-active thyroid) and Hyperthyroidism (over-active thyroid). Hyperthyroidism is when the thyroid produces an excess of T3 and T4 which speeds up the body’s metabolism. Hyperthyroidism symptoms may not become obvious for a while and can be sometimes mistaken for other conditions. Finding the right treatment for overactive thyroid is very important and so is the correct diagnosis.
Hyperthyroidism Symptoms
Common symptoms include:
- Anxiety
- Irritability
- Trouble getting to sleep and staying asleep
- Increased sweating
- More frequent bowel movements
- Less frequent menstrual period with lighter than normal menstrual flow
- Weight loss, despite eating a good amount of food
- Increased appetite
- Rapid pounding of the heart
- Fatigue, muscle weakness
- Skin thinning
- Fine, brittle hair
- Tremor – usually a fine trembling in your hands and fingers
- Sweating
- Increased sensitivity to heat
- Changes in bowel patterns, especially more frequent bowel movements
- An enlarged thyroid gland (goiter), which may appear as a swelling at the base of your neck
Dr. Springer Talks About Hypothyroidism
Patient Testimonial
“I can’t say enough great things about the staff here at LifeWorks!! Everyone makes you feel good during a time when you are really down. The IV room rocks – Angel has a great style and always has a positive attitude. Wanda is patient and makes you feel welcomed. I think they all deserve a good raise. You really look forward to seeing them each day.
Lisa does awesome work too even though she really messes with your diet for 25 hours. Amelia loves her work and it shows. Jennifer and Sue are great care givers. Dr. Minkoff is the coolest doctor I have ever met. Thank you to everyone for giving the best care and getting me well again.”
– Ryan. H.
Meridian Health Analysis
The autonomic nervous system is a communication network within our bodies. This nervous system coordinates all of the involuntary processes in the body such as heartbeat, blood pressure, respiration, digestion, body pH, etc. Chinese physicians knew of the pathways of the autonomic nervous system as early as 500 AD and they called them “meridians.” There are 12 meridians which travel over very distinct routes. Each meridian originates from the skin surface on either the feet or the hands. If you were to see an acupuncture physician, these origination points are actually the acupuncture points that they would treat.
The Meridian Health Analysis (MHA) will also recommend a homeopathic which will improve the electrical flow along the meridian.
What can I expect during an MHA?
When you visit LifeWorks Wellness Center, you will be seated comfortably in an examination room while the technician obtains information about your body by touching specific points on your hands and feet with a pen like instrument. It is a painless procedure and can be done on adults and children.
How long does a Meridian Health Analysis take?
On average it takes one hour, depending on what areas are being looked at.
How do I prepare for the MHA?
Before your appointment, you should eat a high protein meal and have had a good night’s rest. You should also make sure you have washed your hands and feet. DO NOT apply any kind of lotion before the test.
All the staff at LifeWorks Wellness Center are here to help our patients through their programs and guide them through their journey to better health.
We are so proud of all our patients with their hard work and commitment to following their programs.
Click here if you would like to write a success story on how LifeWorks has helped improve your health.
LifeWorks is happy to announce that we are now accepting CareCredit cards. For many people CareCredit can provide an easier way of financing you and your family’s healthcare needs*. For more information go to carecredit.com
*Subject to credit approval.