By Guest Blogger on January 31, 2012
It’s 1982, and tomorrow I am donating my bone marrow for my 9- year-old brother, who has leukemia. I am his only hope. I’m scared for him and truthfully just plain scared because tonight will be this first night I have ever stayed in a hospital.
I have never felt so vulnerable. Hospitals do that. Make you feel vulnerable, and in this state we often give away our power.
A nurse’s aid waltzed into my hospital room and tossed down my chart and flipped it open. She then excused herself and left my chart unattended.
Did I peek at my open chart? Hell, yeah. And what did I see, but instructions to shave my posterior. This made sense as I knew that they had to extract my bone marrow from my ileac crest, i.e. tale bone.
The aid returned and carefully unwrapped her razor and got out some medicinal form of shaving cream and began to shave … my anterior! Yes, she shaved my bush clean off, this before it was fashionable to remove all of one’s coverage leaving women to look like 3rd graders.
She then, of course, had me flip over and shaved my backside for good measure.
Here’s the thing: I clearly knew the difference between anterior and posterior. Anterior=front; posterior=back. But I felt so vulnerable that I didn’t have the courage to speak up, even to an aid, who clearly isn’t as intimidating to question as a doctor!
For weeks after, I would try to discreetly rub my itchy pelvis into anything I could find for relief. I actually had fun entertaining my co-workers with my various ways to scratch my itch. It added levity to such a grave situation, and for that aspect, I was grateful.
Unfortunately, my brother passed away five weeks into the transplant process. As you can imagine, immense grief ensued.
Fast-forward two years. I have just received a diagnosis of Hodgkin’s Lymphoma. My left collarbone is full with a softball -sized tumor, and my chest has a tumor a third of its size attached to my heart and lungs.
As I lie under the cobalt machine, radiation technicians are attempting to align me just right for my treatment. As I’m being positioned, I am informed that I will be receiving an extra dose of radiation on my right side.
Huh? Right side? Even in my heightened state of anxiety, I knew this was an error … one with potentially serious consequences for me!
Alas, a breakthrough. I speak up, albeit a bit too politely, and maybe even a tad apologetically, but I do it.
“Excuse, me. Don’t you want the added dose of radiation to go to the side where the softball-sized tumor is located?”
All of a sudden there is a huddle of professionals, including the radiologist, in the safety zone. That closed room off to the side to keep workers administering radiation safe. It’s not at all comforting when everyone runs for cover from what you’re being doused with, but I digress.
The time-out is over, the huddle breaks, and the officials on the field have issued a penalty. The play will be re-done, this time with the extra radiation going to the left clavicle!
Although I was scared out of my wits, I did find the courage to speak up, which is a good thing considering the stakes were much higher this time than just having an itchy vee-vee.
Now, nearly 30 years after my initial diagnosis and 20 years since my own bone marrow transplant, it’s still a work in progress to stand up for myself. On occasion, I want to kick myself for a question I didn’t ask or a test/treatment that I didn’t demand when leaving the doctor’s office. However, I have come a great distance, and I’m now much more cognizant of that fact that I am in charge of my own health and body. That translates into a much happier and healthier me!
Jennifer Warden makes veggies fashionable, one bite at a time. She is a plant-consuming, peace-promoting, animal-loving, compassion-spreading, environment-protecting, mother, daughter, friend, cook, photographer, psychotherapist and lover of words.
Photo credit: Howard Lake
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By Mark Hyman MD on January 27, 2012
Here’s some depressing recent medical news: Antidepressants don’t work. What’s even more depressing is that the pharmaceutical industry and Food and Drug Administration (FDA) have deliberately deceived us into believing that they do work. As a physician, this is frightening to me. Depression is among the most common problems seen in primary-care medicine and soon will be the second leading cause of disability in this country.
A study published in The New England Journal of Medicine provides the evidence. It found that drug companies selectively publish studies on antidepressants. They have published nearly all the studies that show benefit, but almost none of the studies that show these drugs are ineffective.1
That warps our view of antidepressants, leading us to think that they do work. And it has fueled the tremendous growth in the use of psychiatric medications, which are now the second leading class of drugs sold, after cholesterol-lowering drugs.
The problem is even worse than it sounds, because the positive studies hardly showed benefit in the first place. For example, 40 percent of people taking a placebo (sugar pill) got better, while only 60 percent taking the actual drug had improvement in their symptoms. Looking at it another way, 80 percent of people get better with just a placebo.
That leaves us with a big problem: millions of depressed people with no effective treatments being offered by most conventional practitioners. However, there are treatments available. Functional medicine provides a unique and effective way to treat depression and other psychological problems. Today I will review seven steps you can take to work through your depression without drugs. But before we get to that, let’s take a closer look at depression.
What’s in a Name?
“Depression” is simply a label we give to people who have a depressed mood most of the time, have lost interest or pleasure in most activities, are fatigued, can’t sleep, have no interest in sex, feel hopeless and helpless, can’t think clearly or can’t make decisions.
But that label tells us nothing about the cause of those symptoms. In fact, there are dozens of causes of depression, each one needing a different approach to treatment. Depression is not one-size-fits-all, but it is very common.
Women have a 10-25 percent risk and men a 5-12 percent risk of developing severe major depression in their lifetime.2 One in ten Americans takes an antidepressant. The use of these drugs has tripled in the last decade, according to a report by the federal government. In 2006, spending on antidepressants soared by 130 percent.
But just because antidepressants are popular doesn’t mean they’re helpful. Unfortunately, as we now see from this report in The New England Journal of Medicine, they don’t work and have significant side effects. Most patients taking antidepressants either don’t respond or have only partial response. In fact, success is considered just a 50 percent improvement in half of depressive symptoms. And this minimal result is achieved in less than half the patients taking antidepressants.
That’s a pretty dismal record. It’s only made worse by the fact that 86 percent of people taking antidepressants have one or more side effects, including sexual dysfunction, fatigue, insomnia, loss of mental abilities, nausea and weight gain.
No wonder half the people who try antidepressants quit after four months.
Despite what we have been brainwashed to believe, depression is not a Prozac deficiency!
How We Have Been Deceived by the Antidepressant Hoax
Despite what we have been brainwashed to believe, depression is not a Prozac deficiency!
Drug companies are not forced to publish all the results of their studies. They only publish those they want to. The team of researchers that reported their findings in The New England Journal of Medicine took a critical look at all the studies done on antidepressants, both published and unpublished. They dug up some serious dirt …
The unpublished studies were not easy to find. The researchers had to search the FDA databases, call researchers and hunt down hidden data under the Freedom of Information Act. What they found was stunning.
After looking at 74 studies involving 12 drugs and over 12,000 people, they discovered that 37 of 38 trials with positive results were published, while only 14 of 36 negative studies were published. Those that showed negative results were, in the words of the researchers, “published in a way that conveyed a positive outcome.”
That means the results were twisted to imply the drugs worked when they didn’t.
This isn’t just a problem with antidepressants. It’s a problem with scientific research. Some drug companies even pay or threaten scientists to not publish negative results on their drugs. So much for “evidence-based” medicine! I recently had dinner with a step-uncle who runs a company that designs research for drug companies. He designs the study, hires the researcher from an esteemed institution, directs the study and writes up the study, and the scientist just signs his or her name after reviewing it.
Most of the time, we only have the evidence that the drug companies want us to have. Both doctors and patients are deceived into putting billions of dollars into drug companies’ pockets, while leaving millions with the same health problems but less money.
The scientific trust is broken. What can we do? Unfortunately, there is no easy answer. But I do think functional medicine, on which my approach of UltraWellness is based, provides a more intelligent way of understanding the research. Rather than using drugs to suppress symptoms, functional medicine helps us find the true causes of problems, including depression.
I see this in so many of the patients I have treated over the years. Just as the same things that make us sick also make us fat, the same things that make us sick also make us depressed. Fix the causes of sickness and the depression takes care of itself.
Here are a few things you can do to start treating your depression today.
Seven Steps to Treat Depression without Drugs
1. Try an anti-inflammatory elimination diet that gets rid of common food allergens. As I mentioned above, food allergies and the resultant inflammation have been connected with depression and other mood disorders.
2. Check for hypothyroidism. This unrecognized epidemic is a leading cause of depression. Make sure to have thorough thyroid exam if you are depressed.
3. Take vitamin D. Deficiency in this essential vitamin can lead to depression. Supplement with at least 2,000 to 5,000 IU of vitamin D3 a day.
4. Take omega-3 fats. Your brain is made of up this fat, and deficiency can lead to a host of problems. Supplement with 1,000 to 2,000 mg of purified fish oil a day. Consider a vegan source of omega-3 (such as this one).
5. Take adequate B12 (1,000 micrograms, or mcg, a day), B6 (25 mg) and folic acid (800 mcg). These vitamins are critical for metabolizing homocysteine, which can play a part in depression.
6. Get checked for mercury. Heavy metal toxicity has been correlated with depression and other mood and neurological problems.
7. Exercise vigorously five times a week for 30 minutes. This increases levels of brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF), a natural antidepressant in your brain.
Overcoming depression is an important step toward lifelong vibrant health. These are just of few of the easiest and most effective things you can do to treat depression. For more information on how to optimize your health, see http://drhyman.com/.
Now I’d like to hear from you … Have you been diagnosed with depression? How have antidepressants worked for you? Do you plan to try any of the approaches mentioned here? Please let me know your thoughts by leaving a comment below.
References
1. Turner EH et al. 2007. Selective publication of antidepressant trials and its influence on apparent efficacy. N Engl J Med. 358: 252-260.
2.Eaton WW, Kalaydjian A, Scharfstein DO, Mezuk B, Ding Y. 2007. Prevalence and incidence of depressive disorder: the Baltimore ECA follow-up, 1981-2004. Acta Psychiatr Scand. 116(3):182-188.
Photo credit: walknboston
Disclaimer: The opinions presented in this article are those of Dr. Hyman based on his years of training and experience as a medical doctor. This information is not intended to treat, diagnose, cure or prevent any disease. All material in this article is provided for educational purposes only. Always seek the advice of your physician or other qualified health care provider with any questions you have regarding a medical condition, and before undertaking any diet, exercise or other health program.
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By Christiane Northrup MD on January 20, 2012
An excerpt from “The Wisdom of Menopause” by Dr. Christiane Northrup:
As a woman in midlife today, I am part of a growing population that is an unprecedented 48.5 million strong in the United States alone. This group is no longer invisible and silent, but a force to be reckoned with — educated, vocal, sophisticated in our knowledge of medical science, and determined to take control of our own health. Think about it: more than 48 million women, all undergoing the same sort of circuitry update at the same time. By virtue of our sheer numbers, as well as our social and economic influence, we are powerful — and potentially dangerous to any institution built upon the status quo. Baby boom women (those born between 1946 and 1964) are now the most affluent and influential group in the world. It’s clear that the world is changing, willingly or otherwise, right along with us. And in many instances, it’s changing for the better.
It’s no accident that the current movement of psychospiritual healing is composed largely of women in their thirties, forties, fifties and sixties. We are awakening en masse and beginning to deliver a much-needed message of health, hope and healing to the world.
My personal experience, now shared by millions of others, tells me that the perimenopausal lifting of the hormonal veil — the monthly cycle of reproductive hormones that tends to keep us focused on the needs and feelings of others — can be both liberating and unsettling. The midlife rate of marital separation, divorce and vocational change confirms this. I, for one, had always envisioned myself married to the same man for life, the two of us growing old together. This ideal had always been one of my most cherished dreams. At midlife I, like thousands of others, had to give up my fantasies of how I thought my life would be. I had to face, head-on, the old adage about how hard it is to lose what you never really had. It means giving up all your illusions, and it is very difficult. But for me the issue was larger than where and with whom I would grow old. It was a warning, coming from deep within my spirit, that said, “Grow … or die.” Those were my choices. I chose to grow.
For most women, identity and self-esteem are generated by our associations and relationships. This is true even for women who hold high-powered jobs and for women who have chosen not to marry. Men, by contrast, usually get most of their identity and self-esteem from the outer world — the job, the income, the accomplishments, the accolades. For both genders, this pattern often changes at midlife.
Women begin to direct more of their energies toward the world outside of home and family, which may suddenly appear as a great, inviting, untapped resource for exploration, creative expression and self-esteem. Meanwhile, men of the same age — who may be undergoing a midlife crisis of their own — are often feeling world-weary; they’re ready to retire, curl up and escape the battles of the workplace. They may feel their priorities shifting inward, toward home, hearth and family.
It’s an ironic transposition: The man is beginning to look to relationships for his “juice”; the woman is feeling biologically primed to explore the outer world. In married couples, this often produces profound role shifts. In the best of all worlds, the man retires or cuts back on work, becoming the chief cook and bottle washer at home, and providing emotional and practical support for his wife’s new interests. She, in turn, goes out into the world to start a business, get an education or do whatever her heart dictates. If their relationship is adaptable and resilient, they adjust to their new roles. Some are so energized by their newfound freedom and passion that they fall in love all over again. If a woman’s partner is not willing to grow, however, he (or she) may become jealous of her success and independence, and put pressure on her to continue to care for him as she has always done. He may even get physically sick, often in the form of heart disease and/or clinically dangerous high blood pressure. It’s important to note that this is not a conscious or willful act; he’s simply responding to the promptings of our lopsided culture.
A woman often finds herself in the difficult position, then, of having to choose between returning to the role of caretaker to nurture her husband at the expense of her own needs and pursuing her own creative passions. It’s an old story, common to women in many cultures, not just our own. The woman in menopause, who is becoming the queen of herself, finds herself at a crossroads of life, torn between the old way she has always known and a new way she has just begun to dream of. A voice from the old way (in many cases it’s her husband’s voice) begs her to stay in place — “Grow old with me, the best is yet to be.” But from the new path another voice beckons, imploring her to explore aspects of herself that have been dormant during her years of caring for others and focusing on their needs. She’s preparing to give birth to herself and, as many women already know, the birth process cannot be halted without consequences.
Caring for others and pursuing unexplored personal passions are not necessarily mutually exclusive choices, but our culture makes them seem so, always supporting the former at the expense of the latter. This is part of what makes the midlife transformation so much of a challenge — as I know only too well.
Excerpted with permission from The Wisdom of Menopause, by Christiane Northrup, M.D. (Random House, 2012).
Click here to read another excerpt from “The Wisdom of Menopause.”
This information is not intended to treat, diagnose, cure or prevent any disease. All material in this article is provided for educational purposes only. Always seek the advice of your physician or other qualified health care provider with any questions you have regarding a medical condition, and before undertaking any diet, exercise or other health program.
© Christiane Northrup, Inc. All rights reserved. Reproduction in whole or in part without permission is prohibited.
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By Guest Blogger on January 16, 2012
So you’re a “wellness warrior,” but for some reason you are still not always practicing what you preach with self-care, and everything you’ve been “meaning to get back into for a while now” still keeps getting put on the back burner.
What gives?
I am not here today to mother you. Lordy … I don’t want that job. But I am here to take a stand for what I know is possible when you commit to having the life you always dreamed of. And guess what sister … to attain that, your self-care has GOT to be numero uno!
Darn it … the vicious circle of a catch-22
The great thing about you already being pretty health savvy is that it won’t take much for you to get back up in the saddle. All you probably need is to pull yourself up by the bootstraps and do some tweaking here and there to get back on track.
Keep it simple sister, just like you tell everyone else to do.
Remind yourself that living a holistic lifestyle is a natural, fun, explorative, individualized-to-you kind of approach. And it is a choice. Bring yourself back to those day-to-day habits that you already know support you in a way that feels really good. Is it incorporating natural foods that tempt your taste buds? Finding a rockin’ new song that makes you wanna pull out your rebounder and jump your little heart out? All the while you are taking into consideration that these habits are sustainable for that life you are deliberately designing.
Plus … you already know that healthy is super sexy.
You have been there before and understand from personal experience that when you are glowing on the inside you are naturally radiant on the outside. It is like you are shooting off pheromones as you walk into a room and all heads turn. You love being comfortable in your own skin. You dig how the fabric of that sexy little camisole feels on your bod. And that is most certainly the healthy you with a bit more swing in your hips… you bet I saw that, mamma (wink wink).
I get that life can be overwhelming sometimes and your health seems to take the back burner. So, I’m gonna knock out seven easy steps that will help you get it back on track.
Seven Easy Steps to Get Your Health Sexified:
1. Take Off the Blinders: First things first and that means you need to get really honest about where your health is today. No more sweeping little secrets under the rug. If you are not proud of any habits you are doing today, meaning you wouldn’t feel comfy doing them in front of another person, then it is time to transition out of that habit.
2. Tune In to You: Yep, you got it. You were born intuitively knowing health and, through this whole crazy thing called life, you may have gotten a bit confused. That’s cool … no worries. Heavens child, certainly don’t sweat it. But now let’s start reconnecting with you, so you can remember what feeling naturally good really feels like.
3. Create Your Daily Rituals: Design a.m. and p.m. rituals that nurture you. Do you feel great when you meditate every morning, dry brush, then have a cup of your fav herbal tea? In the evening, do you turn off your cell and spend time in a nice bubble bath with candles? Create healthy rituals that you miss when you don’t do them.
4. Love a Farmer: In today’s society there sure is an abundance of dead food available at all times. I know that sounds weird and maybe you haven’t thought of it that way, but let’s do so now. How much life is really in Doritos? I don’t know, but I am thinking not much. Start going to the farmers markets and fill your fridge with organic produce, becoming a really good friend to all those little cells taking residence in your body.
5. Bottoms Up!: Drinking plenty of water is one of the cheapest, easiest and nicest gifts that you can give your body. As I am sure you know, you can live days without food, but water … well that is something that you must have no matter what. Sexy your water up with a slice of citrus or make it feel special by drinking it from your favorite wine glass. Bottom line is you do need to get about eight glasses down the chute a day.
6. Know What Floats Your Boat: OK, I am going to debunk some pretty major myths that are floating around our universe about exercise. You do not need to exercise two hours a day or eliminate an entire food group from your diet to maintain your weight. Not the general public at least. What you do need to do is create a lifestyle that is sustainable and enjoyable for you … oh yeah, and you really should move your bod at least 30 minutes a day. No groaning! I am not talking about 30 minutes of hard-core spinning, unless that’s what floats your boat. I am talking at least 30 minutes of an activity that you really enjoy, whether that is brisk walking, hip-hop dancing or surfing. Just do it.
7. Sleep Like You Mean It: I mean… reaaaallly mean it! Not a measly two hours here or four hours there. Your body, mind and spirit all deserve a full night’s rest, all the time. Sleep is the time when your body is able to fully rejuvenate. You know that p.m. ritual we talked about earlier? Well including a decent bedtime is a part of that.
You getting the picture, mamma? Getting/being/staying healthy can be enjoyable if you let it be. So much of it is your attitude and the approach that you choose to take. Developing a lifestyle that is healthy and has your inner you grinning from ear-to-ear is at your fingertips.
Kerry Tepedino is an internationally trained holistic health practitioner and creator of You-Defining-You Coaching, as well as the Healthology Method, a holistic approach to total wellness.
Photo credit: Werner Moser
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By Frank Lipman, MD on January 3, 2012
This modern, hermetically sealed lifestyle is turning many into indoor zombies — with dulled senses, suppressed immune systems, depressed spirits, and sharply increased risk for illness and disease. One can hardly call that living — particularly when the healing power of nature is so close at hand and, literally outside your front door. If you are suffering from a nature deficiency, and there’s a good chance you are, the good news is that it’s an easy fix — with benefits that have the power to change the course and quality of your life. Here’s how to get started:
Here comes the sun.
Though many of us have been scared off the stuff, sunshine in moderation is essential to our health. It enables the body to create vitamin D, which is key to boosting immunity and warding off serious disease. How to slip in a bit of sun without booking a flight to the Bahamas? Eat lunch outdoors a few times a week. When the days grow shorter, get out there for a brisk walk, point your face to the sun, and get your dose of D!
What’s that smell?
Stale office air, off-gassing office carpets and chemical-spewing copy machines at work all chip away at our overall health. Why steep yourself in it? Get out at lunchtime, even if it’s just to pick up some food from down the street. While you’re walking, take a few deep breaths, and fill your lungs with fresh outdoor air instead of the re-circulated indoor stuff. It will help clear your lungs, boost alertness and reduce your exposure to office toxins. In the evening, take a walk around the neighborhood with one of your kids, to sneak in a bit of fresh air plus that all important quality time. When I was growing up my father used to take a 30-minute walk with either me or my brother several times a week, and I remember how we each relished the time we spent on our one-on-one walks with Dad.
Keep it simple.
Getting into the great outdoors doesn’t necessarily mean climbing Kilimanjaro — although I highly recommend walks and hikes in peaceful locales. Sometimes, the wilderness is where you find it. Even a 10-minute break on park bench in a quiet park or garden will help calm your mind and reconnect you with the natural world. If getting yourself and the kids outdoors is a challenge, make a celebration of it. One of my patients turned an annual summer meteor shower into a friends and family star-gazing event, complete with a picnic dinner for all and kids on the lawn in sleeping bags on the watch for shooting stars.
Listen to the world around you.
Just as honking horns, barking dogs and crying babies can escalate irritation and blood pressure levels, soothing sounds from the natural world can calm the mind and body, and help bring blood pressure back down into the healthier range. When possible, head to a peaceful park, take the headphones off, and listen to the sounds around you. If getting outside isn’t an option, sound machines that replicate the sound of things like streams, running water and soft rains can help bring the sounds of nature indoors — at least until you can get out for a dose of the real thing.
Surprise your eyes.
Make your brain work a little harder by exposing your eyes to the ever-changing light and colors of the natural world. More vivid than any computer screen, the colors found in nature actually force your brain to work a bit harder to process it all — helping to increase activity in the brain and develop those neural pathways. Think of it this way: Step outside and get smarter — now that’s a no-brainer!
Explore new ground.
Hug a tree. Lie in the grass. Dig your toes deep into the sand by the sea. Bottom line: Connect physically with the earth and natural world to energize your body. By making regular contact with the ground, you’ll restore and help maintain the body’s natural electrical balance, thereby promoting your optimal health. To read more about the “earthing” connection to wellness, take a look at the fascinating new research in “Earthing.”
No matter what big pharma would like us to believe, ultimately, true health just doesn’t come in pill form — it comes from the things we do to promote our well-being. Though most of us know that spending time at the beach, in the woods or far beyond the city limits is a rejuvenating experience, it’s important to remember that nature has the power to heal — as long as we give it a chance — so get out there!
For more information on how to optimize your life, visit drfranklipman.com/.
Photo credit: Marina Perevezentseva
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