The ability to choose foods with which to nourish yourself is a fundamental human right, explicitly sanctioned in U.S. and state constitutions as the right to life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness. We acknowledge food freedom to such an extent that it is legal to commit slow suicide at the bottom of a fast […]
Lean Muscle and Weight Loss
There is an important corollary to our ongoing discussion on weight loss that needs special attention here. Fundamentally, obesity is a symptom of metabolic derangement. You can’t go long eating a diet full of processed high-carb foods before the “fuel injection system” of your body breaks down. Eating in this way shifts your body away from maintaining lean […]
Knowledge Speaks But Wisdom Listens
Different writers on holistic health all have their way of carving up the different faculties of human consciousness. Some favor the standard model of mind, body, and emotions. Some are willing to recognize the spiritual dimension and thus add that into the mix. Still others, like myself, recognize how tightly knitted the body and mind are to one […]
The Case Against Statins Part 1: Lipid Hypothesis
I have deep concerns about the widespread use of statins and an even deeper skepticism regarding the logic from which they are prescribed. The basic theory goes like this: cholesterol comes from your diet and your body makes it, misbehaving cholesterol clogs your arteries, clogged arteries leads to heart attacks, strokes, and ultimately an untimely […]
The Case Against Statins Part 2: Trans-Fats
Having established that lipid hypothesis does not square with either traditional wisdom or lipid science, we can begin to answer the question of what does cause heart disease and determine whether statins correct this imbalance. Oxidized cholesterol is the middle man in heart disease, clogging arteries and dramatically increasing clot and stroke potential. One of […]
The Case Against Statins Part 3: The Mechanism of Heart Disease
In the last post we explored how trans fats are an underlying cause of inflammation that sets the stage for heart disease, a fact that is fairly well documented. To be clear, rancid or oxidized oils that contain trans fats are themselves not the direct source of endogenous oxidized cholesterol (despite the similar name) and […]
The Holistic Treatment of Chronic Sinus Infections
Nothing can have you feeling down in the dumps quicker and more completely than a full blown sinus infection. Although common in spring with the rise in airborne allergens, susceptible individuals can succumb to a sinus infection any time of the year. In its chronic state, is not uncommon for sinus infections, despite multiple courses […]
Knowledge is Not Enough
It doesn’t take long for a practitioner of holistic medicine to discover that knowledge alone is not enough to make your patients well. A solid education and a few CEU classes will place most well-read practitioners in a position where they are able to offer a number of treatments and lifestyle changes that would make […]
The Story of Reflux Part 1: Too Much or Not Enough?
It used to be common knowledge that indigestion or heartburn was a sign that you were eating too much of the wrong foods. Avoiding certain foods and the occasional antacid, purchased over-the-counter, were the typical means of treatment. If a patient was ahead of the game, they may have taken steps to improve their digestive […]
The Story of Reflux Part 2: Treating the Root
Establishing whether you are producing too much stomach acid or not enough is prerequisite for the proper treatment of reflux. It is common practice within the allopathic medical profession to prescribe acid-stopping drugs on the basis of symptoms alone. While this might be effective for the those producing too much acid, what happens if you […]