Your Life-Your Choice May, 1998 issue 8A Question & Answer Supplement So here we are... together again for another series of informative questions and answers. I know that some very hot topics are covered in this segment. Feel free to forward this on to friends that would benefit from the information here. We have many testimonials sent to us regularly. Most of them discuss positive results from the use of herbs. These are really terrific, and Your Life-Your Choice is happy to publish these. However, as we see, there are many other forms of alternative treatments as well. As the editor of Your Life-Your Choice, I need your help to find testimonials relaying positive experiences with treatments like Reiki, Chiropractic, Dowsing, Iridology, etc. I know there are many people out there who have a story to tell. Your story could offer support to someone else and could possibly help them solve their problem. Send your testimony to mailto:testimony@life-choices.com with "Testimony Your Life-Your Choice" in the subject heading. Size limitations prevent us from publishing all the questions & answers. If your question is time sensitive, Dr. Abrams is extending an offer for you to call him on his 800 number to ensure a timely response. This is a toll free call from anywhere in the U.S.A and Canada; 1-800-777-1328. Brigitte Synesael Your Life-Your Choice Editor Traditional Medicine Needs Our Help! Your life is your choice-don't make it the doctor's choice! http://www.Life-Choices.com ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ This newsletter is meant to educate and inform. It is not intended to diagnose or prescribe. As the editor of Your Life-Your Choice, I encourage you to consult with a reliable professional in your area in regards to any specific health issue. ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Subscribe: mailto:majordomo@po.databack.com. Type "subscribe yourlife-yourchoice" in the body without the quotes. Or you can subscribe from the Newsletter Headquarters: http://www.Life-Choices.com Unsubscribe: mailto:majordomo@po.databack.com. Type "unsubscribe yourlife-yourchoice" in the body without the quotes. Or you can unsubscribe from the Newsletter Headquarters: http://www.Life-Choices.com Copyright 1997-1998 by Brigitte Synesael All rights reserved ********************************************** Please take a moment and visit our sponsors: Finally! Everything you could possibly need in one convenient package. * Fully loaded Computer * Merchant Accounts * Web sites * Training and much, much more! 100% FINANCING - NO MONEY DOWN! 99.9% APPROVAL! Visit now and create the perfect package for YOU! http://www.admaxgold.com/PCBestBuy/ ^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^ Control Your Mind To Become What You Want To Be! Improve Your Mental and physical Health. Eliminate your fears and addictions. Enhance your sexual pleasures. Increase your ability to learn, read and retain. Create powerful, success recordings that are irresistible to your subconscious mind! http://www.icemall.com/picto_super_deal.html ^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^ Your Life-Your Choice's Questions & Answers Hosted by Dr. Norman R. Abrams (Read his portfolio at http://www.Life-Choice.com/DrAbrams.html) 1. Why Is The Excessive Use Of Non-Steroidal Anti-Inflammatory Drugs Harmful? Numerous studies have shown that non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs) disrupt the intestinal barrier function and cause increased permeability. This is of special importance in arthritic patients treating with NSAIDs because the increased permeability most likely contributes to the progression of the disease process. This is an example of relieving the symptoms at the cost of aggravating the disease. Examples of the most common Non-Steroidal Anti-Inflammatory Drugs include: Acetaminophen (e.g., Tylenol), Aspirin, Fenoprofen (e.g., Nalfon), Ibuprofen ( e.g., Advil, Motrin, Nuprin ), Indomethacin (e.g., Indocin, Indometh ), Meclofenamate (e.g. Baprosyn), Phenylbutazone, Piroxicam (e.g. Feldene), Sulindac (e.g. Clinoril), Tolmetin (e.g. Tolectin). ========== 2. What Is The Problem With Exposure To Heavy Metals? All metals in our environment are toxic at some level of exposure. Even metals that are required nutrients, such as iron, are toxic at high levels, while some such as lead, aluminum, and mercury are toxic at any level of exposure. Aluminum for example is showing in more and research that it poses a serious health problem for humans. We now know that aluminum catalyzes free radical damage to the nervous tissue in the brain. This is a major problem for those with Alzheimer's disease, because the ability to transport and detoxify aluminum appears to be impaired. But a high exposure to aluminum is probably a problem for everyone. Those individuals on dialysis for kidney failure have to be especially careful, because a side effect of the chemical used for the procedure is the leakage of aluminum salts into the body tissues. When the aluminum builds to a toxic level, these people develop a condition known as dialysis encephalopathy. This manifests as dementia, speech disorders, jerking muscles, seizures, and psychotic episodes. Before symptoms occur, their EEGs ( a measure of electrical activity in the brain) become abnormal as the aluminum starts to disrupt brain neurochemistry. Mercury is also highly toxic, especially to the nervous system. The tendency of mercury to concentrate in the nervous tissue is well documented and the role of mercury-containing tooth fillings as a chronic source is cause for concern. Autopsy samples of the central nervous system (especially the olfactory [smelling] region and the pituitary gland) and kidney cortex have revealed a high concentration of mercury in those having amalgam fillings when compared to amalgam-free individuals. ========== 3. What Is The Best Way To Recognize Heavy Metal Overload? While acute poisoning or high levels of heavy metal toxicity are easy to recognize, chronic low level exposure can be difficult since the symptoms can be subtle. A simple and inexpensive test, hair analysis, can easily warn of exposure. Unfortunately, hair analysis has developed a controversial reputation because some practioners have inappropiately used this procedure to try to evaluate nutritional status. The research is clear, with a few exceptions, hair analysis is not reliable for measuring mineral status and absolutely worthless for assessing vitamin status. It is, however, very useful and reliable for detecting heavy metal exposure and is sensitive enough to detect exposure before it is bad enough to cause significant clinical symptoms. Hair analysis is useful for recognizing exposure to mercury, lead, iron, and arsenic. ========== 4. Which Antioxidant Do I Use To Get The Maximum Free Radical Destruction Effect? The extreme diversity of free radicals and the mechanisms and sites for oxidant damage means that no single antioxidant could possibly provide all the protection we need. Also, antioxidants and antioxidant enzyme systems appear to work best synergistically. As might be expected, studies indicate that a diversity of antioxidants provide more antioxidant protection than a single nutrient. ========== 5. What's The Story On The Drug Ritalin and ADD or ADHD? I call Ritalin "pediatric cocaine." The drug Ritalin, or its generic equivalent, methyphenidate HCL, is very similar to cocaine. Both drugs use the same receptor site in the brain, give the same "high," and in medical research are used interchangeably. The only difference appears to be that cocaine leaves the receptor site more quickly, possibly making it more addictive. All drugs have side effects. Ritalin has been used for many years, so we are very familiar with the short-term side-effects of the drug. The known short-term side-effects of Ritalin include: loss of appetite, decreased growth, tics, visual disturbances, nervousness, insomnia, depression, social withdrawal, irritability, abdominal pain, increased heart rate, psychoticlike symptoms. Again these are side-effects which occur from short-term use. Since long-term use is a relatively new phenomenon, the long-term side-effects have yet to be discovered. The long-term studies are being conducted right now, on our children, without you or them even being aware of it. The drug companies make it clear in their drug insert that the safety and efficacy of long-term use of Ritalin in children is NOT available. The drug insert that comes with the medication reveals that the medication is not to be given unless environmental causes of the problem have been ruled out. And the drug insert advises that Ritalin should not be given without other concurrent treatments such as academic and behavioral modification. Sometimes this insert is removed from the medication package. You can ask your pharmacist to include it whenever you get any prescription filled. ========== 6. What Is Functional Medicine? This term was coined by internationally recognized nutritional biochemist Jeffrey Bland, Ph. D., who defines it as: "The field of health care which employs assessment and early intervention to improve physiological, emotional/cognitive and physical function of the human body." According to Dr. Bland: In functional medicine, the presence or absence of a disease is of secondary consideration to an understanding of the function or dysfunction which prevents or allows a disease to occur.....Functional medicine does not focus on the isolated entity called disease, but rather on the specifics of structural and functional mechanisms which comprise the whole person at any particular point in his or her life. ========== If I didn't answer you question in this months issue of Your Life-Your Choice and you need an immediate answer contact me on my Health Hotline At: 1-800-777-1328 This is a free call in both the U.S.A. AND Canada. Yours for better HEALTH Dr. Norman R. Abrams /////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////// Subscribe: mailto:majordomo@po.databack.com. Type "subscribe yourlife-yourchoice" in the body without the quotes. Or you can subscribe from the Newsletter Headquarters: http://www.Life-Choices.com Unsubscribe: mailto:majordomo@po.databack.com. Type "unsubscribe yourlife-yourchoice" in the body without the quotes. Or you can unsubscribe from the Newsletter Headquarters: http://www.Life-Choices.com ****************** Remember to visit Your Life-Your Choices's Wellnes Locator! Find a practitioner near you. Visit Your Life-Your Choice's new Wellness Locator! http://www.Life-Choices.com/directory.html Visit often, there will be new additions regularly. Help us make this the most comprehensive directory available. Visit http://www.Life-Choices.com/promote.html for listing details. ****************** Ask Dr. Abrams your personal health questions. Let him share his 31 years of wellness expertise with you. mailto:questions@life-choices.com Type "Questions Your Life-Your Choice" in the subject heading. For sponsorship & advertising information, visit http://www.Life-Choices.com/promote.html or mailto:promote@life-choices.com SUBJECT: Send Your Choice Advertising Rates Send in your testimonies, mailto:testimony@life-choices.com with "Testimonies Your Life-Your Choice" in the subject heading. This is YOUR newsletter! Share your thoughts, what you'd like to see by emailing, mailto:feedback@life-choices.com with "Feedback Your Life-Your Choice" in the subject heading. /////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////