The post BioIdentical Hormone Therapy appeared first on Del Mar Clinic & Spa - Integrative Medicine.

“Black elderberry extract may address obesity and metabolic-related inflammation, in a lab animal model.

Elderberries – image from Shutterstock
Previously, studies report that anthocyanins from dietary sources may reduce inflammation and address obesity-related medical complications.  An abundant source of anthocyanins, black elderberry extract was investigated for its potential to affect markers of inflammation.  NJ Farrell, from the University of Connecticut (Connecticut, USA), and colleagues employed a lab animal model of obesity, in which mice were fed a low-fat diet, high-fat diet, or a high fat diet supplemented with either 0.25% or 1.25% black elderberry extract, for 16 weeks. At the end of the study period, animals in the 2 elderberry supplemented groups displayed significantly lower liver weights, serum triglycerides, serum monocyte chemoattractant protein 1 – a marker linked to cardiovascular disease and diabetes, and higher homeostatic model assessment (HOMA) – a measure of insulin resistance, as compared to the animals fed the high-fat diet alone.  The study authors submit that: “These results suggest that [black elderberry extract] may have improved some metabolic disturbances present in this mouse model of obesity.”

VIEW NEWS SOURCE…
Farrell NJ, Norris GH, Ryan J, Porter CM, Jiang C, Blesso CN.  “Black elderberry extract attenuates inflammation and metabolic dysfunction in diet-induced obese mice.”  Br J Nutr. 2015 Aug 28:1-9.”

Annotations:

Tags:

anti-aging

top

The post Elderberry Eases Inflammation | Worldhealth.net Anti-Aging News appeared first on Del Mar Clinic & Spa - Integrative Medicine.

“According to WHO, 92% of the world’s population is exposed to unsafe levels of air pollution. The World Health Organization (WHO) has developed a new air quality model in collaboration with the United Kingdom’s University of Bath, regarding where air quality levels exceed the limits set by WHO. The heat map shows the highest and lowest levels of air pollution throughout the world, the countries having the air pollution danger spots, and provides a baseline for the monitoring of progress in combating the pollution.

The model also represents the most detailed data on outdoor (ambient) air pollution health data, by country, ever reported by WHO. The model is based on carefully calibrated data derived from ground station monitors, measurements by satellite, and air transport models for over 3,000 rural and urban locations.

Air pollution’s major sources are coal-fired power plants, inefficient transport modes, household waste and fuel burning, and various industrial activities. Human activity is not responsible for all air pollution; another influence can be something like dust storms in areas close to deserts.

Approximately three million deaths every year are linked to exposure to outdoor and indoor air pollution. In the year 2012, it was estimated that 6.5 million deaths, which were 11.6% of all deaths globally, were found to be associated with outdoor and indoor air pollution.

Almost 90% of deaths related to air pollution occur in countries with low to middle incomes, with almost two out of three in the Western Pacific, South-East Asia, and eastern Mediterranean regions. A similar May WHO report stated that 98% of residents that live in those large cities face excessively high air pollution.

It was noted that 94% of the deaths were due to non-communicable diseases such as stroke, cardiovascular diseases, lung cancer, and chronic obstructive pulmonary disease. Also increased, were the risks for acute respiratory infections. Air pollution takes a toll on the health of the most vulnerable populations, those being children, women, and older adults.

Pollutants such as nitrates, sulfate, and black carbon pose the highest risks to human health. They penetrate deep into the cardiovascular system and the lungs. Smog, for example, which is the mixture of smoke and fog in the air, is the result of large amounts of coal burning in an area caused by the mixture of sulfur dioxide and smoke.

Indoor air can often be more polluted and a greater health hazard than outdoor air. The air quality can be compromised by bacteria, mold, chemicals such as radon and carbon monoxide, allergens, or any energy stressor that can induce health effects. The primary methods for improving indoor air quality are source control, filtration, and ventilation to dilute contaminants.

Unfortunately, there is no evidence that the popular idea of wearing a face mask offers much protection against air pollutants.

Dr. Carlos Dora, WHO coordinator for social and environmental determinants of health, says that rich countries are getting better at improving the quality of their air, but poorer countries are becoming worse. North America is doing well compared to Europe. This is mostly because of Europe’s greater dependence on diesel fuel and partially due to farm policies generating agricultural methane and ammonia.  

Air pollution represents a huge global burden, and quick action to tackle this major problem cannot come soon enough. Solutions could exist with industrial emissions reductions, solid waste management, the use of renewable energies, sustainable transport in cities, clean household cook-stoves and fuels, and other measures.”

Tags:

top

airquality

The post 9 out of 10 People Breathe Polluted Air | Worldhealth.net Anti-Aging News appeared first on Del Mar Clinic & Spa - Integrative Medicine.

“Research has shown that type 2 diabetes continues to be persistent health problem afflicting almost 30 million in the U.S and over 400 million globally. But a new study shows that people can significantly reduce the risk of diabetes by eating more legumes (peas, lentils, beans, chickpeas, soybeans, peanuts, alfalfa, and clover). One reason legumes are so healthy is because of their low glycemic levels and fiber that makes them digest slowly, releasing blood glucose much slower than processed food. Legumes are also nutritious containing high levels minerals, B vitamins, and phytochemicals (which are compounds that have proven to protect against certain diseases like diabetes and cardiovascular disease).

Until this new study, there was little evidence to support high consumption of legumes and the association between a reduced risk of type 2 diabetes. Researchers from Spain investigated this link in people who were already at a higher risk of developing heart disease. The study also investigated the effects of legume substitutes like high protein and carbohydrate foods. The study was published in the journal Clinical Nutrition.

Eating Lentils Significantly Reduces Diabetes Risk

The research team analyzed over 3000 healthy individuals without any signs of type 2 diabetes. The participants were tracked for their consumption of legumes. One group had a lower consumption of about 28 grams of legumes per week. The other group consumed about 60 grams of legumes per week. Data was collected from the participants every year for just over 4 years, and researchers found only 266 cases of type 2 diabetes.

After at the end of the study period, those individuals who ate more legumes had a dramatic 35% less risk of developing type 2 diabetes. More surprising was that lentils had the strongest correlation between the high consumption of legumes and a lower risk of type 2 diabetes. In fact, people who had one hearty serving of lentils per week were 1/3 less at risk of developing diabetes.

In another twist, researchers discovered that individuals could replace legumes with carbohydrate and protein rich food such as potatoes, rice, bread, eggs, and still get a moderate reduction in their overall diabetes risk. The authors of the study concluded that a Mediterranean diet along with a frequent consumption of lentils and other legumes may be a good diabetes prevention program. This is especially true for older people who have a higher than normal risk of cardiovascular disease.”

Annotations:

Tags:

type2diabetes

top

The post Reduce Risk of Type 2 Diabetes by Eating More Legumes | Worldhealth.net Anti-Aging News appeared first on Del Mar Clinic & Spa - Integrative Medicine.

Despite how common it is for pregnant women to experience musculoskeletal pain during their pregnancy, one study suggests that the vast majority of women don’t receive treatment for their pain.

Fredrick Wilson, DO, an osteopathic physician and spine specialist at the Cleveland Clinic’s Center for Spine Health, uses osteopathic manipulative treatment (OMT) to reduce low back pain in pregnant women. OMT is a set of techniques DOs use to diagnose and treat illness and injury. Using their hands, DOs move their patients’ muscles and joints via various techniques including stretching, gentle pressure and resistance.

Dr. Wilson has found that OMT for a pregnant woman’s back pain is typically effective for about two weeks before symptoms return. Since he can’t see each patient that often, he’s come up with an innovative way to make sure his patients are getting continued relief — by training the women’s partners in manual therapy based on his OMT techniques.

“As more than one pregnant patient has told me with a smile: ‘Who better to help me reduce my pain than the man who got me into this in the first place?’ ” says Dr. Wilson.

Dr. Wilson conducts shared medical appointments (SMAs) once a month on Saturday mornings with roughly five pregnant women and their partners.

“As SMAs have become more in vogue, I’ve started showing partners the landmarks of pain and a few helpful techniques,” he says.

Because 1 in 10,000 pregnant women have a herniated disk, Dr. Wilson first makes sure each patient’s pain is mechanical before he invites her and her partner to attend the SMA. At the SMA, attendees learn gentle muscle energy and myofascial manual therapy techniques.

“The techniques and positions I currently teach have been refined over several years to identify those that have proven to be most effective while remaining gentle,” says Dr. Wilson. “Examples include the myofascial release to the sacrum and leg traction to the posterior pelvis.”

Dr. Wilson’s efforts to hone his techniques prove especially worthwhile for women and their partners who conceive more than once. Pregnant women with low back pain are likely to experience it again and sooner in their next pregnancy, according to Dr. Wilson. Women who have attended Dr. Wilson’s SMAs tell him their partners often remember the techniques from the previous pregnancy.

Not a single injury has been reported to Dr. Wilson from over 1,000 pregnant women and their partners he has treated and trained. Dr. Wilson says he has only received positive feedback from patients.

“It’s a win-win,” he says. “This approach helps keep pregnant women more comfortable while enhancing their partner’s involvement in the pregnancy. It really can form a special bond.”

The post OMT helps reduce musculoskeletal pain during pregnancy appeared first on Doctors That DO | Doctors of Osteopathic Medicine.

The post OMT helps reduce musculoskeletal pain during pregnancy appeared first on Del Mar Clinic & Spa - Integrative Medicine.

After receiving a double lung transplant in 2014, Dollar Tree founder and CEO Macon Brock and his wife, Joan, donated $2 million to the Cleveland Clinic to create an endowed chair for lung transplant research and education.

Marie Budev, DO, MPH, who directs the Cleveland Clinic’s world-renowned Lung and Heart-Lung Transplant Program, is the inaugural chair holder.

Dr. Budev’s transplant program made history in 2009 by reaching a world record for the highest number of lung transplants in a year—159—she says. With a new name being added to the national transplant waiting list every 10 minutes, the program’s services are very much in demand. This is an edited transcript of our conversation.

What’s it like to be the medical director of the Lung and Heart-Lung Transplant Program at Cleveland Clinic?

Successful transplants are the most rewarding aspect of my job because it’s like a rebirth for these patients. As director of the program, I still remain very clinically oriented. I get to see patients almost every day.

What’s involved with your role as the Inaugural Macon and Joan Brock endowed chair holder?

A portion of the $2 million we were awarded will be released each year and will be devoted to research. I’ve already begun using some of the monies to find the right groups to talk to about transplants for populations that may not typically have access due to antibodies or difficulty matching with donors.

As the endowed chair holder, I’m looking forward to gathering and disseminating knowledge of the challenges we face, including post-transplant rejection and the need to increase organ donation.

What has been one of your biggest challenges as director of the program?

So many patients are well-deserving of a transplant, but having the finances to transplant is challenging. I’m encouraged that the Affordable Care Act has helped more people become insured, but there are still great disparities in access to health care.

Further efforts regarding organ donation are needed because we can’t transplant if people don’t donate. We need more donors, and that starts with education.

She was just looking forward to putting her grandson on the school bus. It’s been five years since her transplant and she’s put four grandkids on the school bus.”

What can fellow physicians do to help?

Organ donation is an important subject to talk about at the primary care level. It can be incorporated into discussions you have with patients about advanced directives, power of attorney, and driving safety.

It’s not just the physician’s job, though—it truly takes a village. My patients often feel they owe me a debt of gratitude, and I tell them to go out to community groups and talk about how their lives have changed. If you inspire one person to become an organ donor, that person could ultimately save seven lives.

How do you stay motivated?

My patients keep me from burning out. They keep me coming back every day.

One patient told me when I’d transplanted her that she was just looking forward to putting her grandson on the school bus. It’s been five years since her transplant, and she’s been able to put four grandkids on the school bus in that time.

Listening to you and partnering in your care are at the heart of the holistic, empathic approach to medicine practiced by DOs, or Doctors of Osteopathic Medicine. DOs are trained to promote the body’s natural tendency toward health and self-healing.

The post Find your DO: Dr. Budev is making a difference in lung, heart transplant patients’ lives appeared first on Doctors That DO | Doctors of Osteopathic Medicine.

The post Find your DO: Dr. Budev is making a difference in lung, heart transplant patients’ lives appeared first on Del Mar Clinic & Spa - Integrative Medicine.

No matter your skin color, you’re probably not getting enough exposure to the sun and it’s crucial byproduct, vitamin D.

Nearly 1 billion people worldwide may have deficient or insufficient levels of vitamin D, according to a clinical review published in The Journal of the American Osteopathic Association. The deficiency is likely due to an increase in chronic diseases and lack of sun exposure related to sunscreen use.

The study also found that 95 percent of African American adults may have vitamin D deficiency or insufficiency. Vitamin D variations among races are attributed to differences in skin pigmentation.

“People are spending less time outside and, when they do go out, they’re typically wearing sunscreen, which essentially nullifies the body’s ability to produce vitamin D,” said Kim Pfotenhauer, DO, assistant professor at Touro University in Vallejo, Calif., and a researcher on this study. “While we want people to protect themselves against skin cancer, there are healthy, moderate levels of unprotected sun exposure that can be very helpful in boosting vitamin D.”

Dr. Pfotenhauer also said chronic diseases like Type 2 Diabetes and those related to malabsorption, including kidney disease, Crohn’s and celiac disease, greatly inhibit the body’s ability to metabolize vitamin D from food sources.

Considered a hormone rather than a vitamin, vitamin D is produced when skin is exposed to sunlight.

Vitamin D receptors are found in virtually every cell in the human body. As a result, it plays a wide role in the body’s functions, including cell growth modulation, neuromuscular and immune function and inflammation reduction.

So, how do you know if you’re deficient? Symptoms for insufficient or deficient vitamin D include muscle weakness and bone fractures. People exhibiting these symptoms or who have chronic diseases known to decrease vitamin D, should have their levels checked and, if found to be low, discuss treatment options. However, universal screening is likely neither necessary nor prudent absent significant symptoms or chronic disease.

How to get enough vitamin D

Increasing and maintaining healthy vitamin D levels can be as easy as spending 5–30 minutes in midday sun twice per week. The appropriate time depends on a person’s geographic location and skin pigmentation—lighter skin synthesizes more vitamin D than darker skin. It is important to forgo sunscreen during these sessions because SPF 15 or greater decreases vitamin D3 production by 99 percent.

“You don’t need to go sunbathing at the beach to get the benefits,” said Dr. Pfotenhauer. “A simple walk with arms and legs exposed is enough for most people.”

Food sources such as milk, breakfast cereals, and Portobello mushrooms are also fortified with vitamin D. Dr. Pfotenhauer said supplements are a good option, as they are effective and pose few risks, provided they are taken as directed and a physician is consulted beforehand.

Vitamin D’s role in disease

Research is ongoing to determine whether vitamin D deficiency has a role in multiple sclerosis, autoimmune disorders, infections, respiratory disease, cardiometabolic disease, cancer, and fracture risk.

“Science has been trying to find a one-to-one correspondence between vitamin D levels and specific diseases,” said Dr. Pfotenhauer. “Given vitamin D’s ubiquitous role in the body, I believe sufficient vitamin D is more about overall health. Our job as osteopathic physicians is to recognize those patients that need to be tested and treat them accordingly.”

Currently, insufficiency is defined as between 21 and 30 ng/ml and deficiency is considered below 20ng/ml by the Endocrine Society.

The post Let the sun shine: The DO approach to addressing vitamin D deficiency appeared first on Doctors That DO | Doctors of Osteopathic Medicine.

The post Let the sun shine: The DO approach to addressing vitamin D deficiency appeared first on Del Mar Clinic & Spa - Integrative Medicine.

When it comes to quitting smoking, smokers are divided on whether positive or negative health messages help them quit.

A recent Harris Poll of over 2,000 U.S. adults found Americans believe health information focused on the positive impacts of quitting tobacco and nicotine to be slightly more effective than information focused on the negative impacts of these known carcinogens. The March survey was conducted online on behalf of the American Osteopathic Association, the professional family for over 129,000 physicians and medical students.

The poll revealed many Americans (23%) think collaboration from family members or friends is the most effective aid for a tobacco/nicotine user who is trying to quit. Nicotine replacement products such as patches, gum or mouth spray were believed the second most effective (22%), followed by prescription quitting medication (17%).

Doctors of osteopathic medicine (DOs) can be valuable partners in the effort to help smokers quit and enjoy healthier lives. With their focus on the whole person (mind, body and spirit), DOs can help patients form a personalized approach to smoking cessation that meets their specific needs and challenges.

“What’s often missing—and most difficult to prescribe—is a support network dedicated to health goals,” said Richard Bryce, DO, an osteopathic family physician practicing at the Community Health and Social Services Center (CHASS), a federally qualified health center in Detroit. “As an osteopathic physician, I’m an integral member of their quit team,” said Dr. Bryce. “Together, we identify reasonable lifestyle alterations that can reduce temptation and empower change.”

Nearly half of smokers try to quit each year, according to the Centers for Disease Control, and the majority of tobacco and nicotine users say they want to quit. Tobacco and nicotine use is the leading cause of preventable death and disease in the U.S. and it is a risk factor for heart disease, stroke, diabetes, cancer, and other common chronic diseases. However, only 4 to 7 percent of smokers are successful in quitting each year.

Adjusting the patient-physicians interaction to focus on creating quit “wins” can reset the conversation, and ultimately improve outcomes, Dr. Bryce added. On average, patients require seven quit attempts before they achieve success. “Every quit counts,” he noted.

Personalizing a quit plan

Osteopathic physicians review the patient’s physical, emotional state as well as their environment when developing a quit plan. A shared understanding fosters success on the patient’s terms.

1. Identify individual triggers: smoking reduction often starts by limiting exposure to specific situations and stressors. When possible, rethink the places—and potentially the people—that trigger the habit.

2. Create layers of support: a coordinated approach is most effective for managing physical and mental cravings. Patches, pills and other smoking cessation products are best used in conjunction with counseling, and are exponentially more effective when supported by family and friends, according to Dr. Bryce. When possible, Dr. Bryce schedules appointments with both the patient and their partner or family.

3. Celebrate successes: a failed attempt is not a failure. Even reduced tobacco and nicotine consumption can have a real impact on individual health, and an extended network.

4. Rework the reward system: tobacco use is often tied to a specific reward impulse, which can be recalibrated. Over a period of time, that reward system can be rewired to receive a “buzz” from exercise, coffee or other more healthful triggers.

According to the CDC,  about 36.5 million American adults still smoke, and 480,000 Americans die each year from a smoking-related disease. Tips, the CDC’s national campaign on smoking cessation, aims to reduce these sobering statistics by giving a face of a real person to the millions of Americans who are living with these consequences.

Helpful reminders

While everyone has their own reason for wanting to quit smoking, such as the desire to lead a healthier life, save some money or keep their family safe, it is important for smokers to find ways to remind themselves of them every day. The CDC’s Tips campaign offers the following reasons to quit that you may not have considered:

• Your chance of having cancer, heart attacks, heart disease, stroke and other diseases will go down.
• You will be less likely to get sick
• You will breathe easier and cough less
• Your skin will look healthier and more youthful
• Your teeth and fingernails will not be stained.

If you’re ready to quit

The CDC’s recommended resources include:

• Free telephone-based state tobacco quitlines: 1-800-QUIT-NOW
• The National Cancer Institute’s website: www.Smokefree.gov
• The National Cancer Institute’s text-messaging quit smoking program: SmokefreeTXT; Text QUIT to 47848
• The Department of Health and Human Services website: BeTobaccoFree.gov
• Appropriate community-based or local cessation resources (e.g., classes, support groups)

The post Breathe easier: Resources, support abound for smokers looking to quit appeared first on Doctors That DO | Doctors of Osteopathic Medicine.

The post Breathe easier: Resources, support abound for smokers looking to quit appeared first on Del Mar Clinic & Spa - Integrative Medicine.

DERMAL FILLERS SUBSTITUTE FOR PLASTIC SURGERY

The post Dermal Fillers Botox appeared first on Del Mar Clinic & Spa - Integrative Medicine.

Heart disease is the leading cause of death for men and women in the U.S. with about 610,000 people dying from it every year. Osteopathic physicians try to prevent illness before it occurs. Rob Danoff, DO, an osteopathic family physician from Philadelphia shares his tips to help you make healthier choices for your heart.

1. Sleep between six and eight hours a night
About 1 in 3 adults don’t get enough sleep. Sleep deprivation affects your heart by increasing the risk for heart disease and stroke by almost double.

2. Go to the dentist
Getting a checkup at the dentist is not only good for your oral hygiene, but also your heart. Poor dental hygiene can cause an increase of risk for inflammation of mouth tissues which can release bacteria into the bloodstream.

3. Keep it moving
A sedentary lifestyle is linked to cardiovascular disease, congestive heart failure, obesity, hypertension and more. Sitting decreases our metabolic rate which can cause weight gain. To help combat sitting a lot during the day, get up and stretch or walk around for a minute every half hour.

4. Eat green more fruits and vegetables
Eating more fruits and vegetables can decrease the risk of heart disease. A greener diet was also linked to a reduced risk of stroke.

Listen to Dr. Danoff’s tips for a healthier heart!

The post 4 healthy steps to reducing your risk of heart disease appeared first on Doctors That DO | Doctors of Osteopathic Medicine.

The post 4 healthy steps to reducing your risk of heart disease appeared first on Del Mar Clinic & Spa - Integrative Medicine.