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Dr. David Brownstein’s August 2012

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5 Foods That Must Be In Your Diet

he most frustrating part of being a doctor is discussing dietary choices with my patients. On a daily basis, I see patients making poor dietary choices. Even when confronted with the evidence that certain food choices are harmful, many patients are reluctant to make the appropriate changes in order to improve their health. Don’t get me wrong, I know that my patients want to eat healthier. However, in today’s information-packed world, there is a logjam of conflicting dietary advice out there. Dr. Atkins’ diet says eat protein. Dr. Ornish’s diet says a vegetarian diet. Which one is right? Of course, no single diet is correct for everyone. However, there is one thing I can say with certainty: Avoiding devitalized food and eating nutrientrich food is the foundation of a good diet — for everyone. Why? Because eating devitalized food leads to a devitalized body. In last month’s newsletter I wrote about what not to eat. In this month’s issue of Natural Way to Health, I will present food sources that provide the body with the basic raw materials to promote a healthy immune system. Certainly, there are more healthy foods out there than the ones I write about. But with these five you can begin your journey to a better diet.

Coconut Oil: A Better Way to Cook

About 40 years ago, the powers-that-be started telling Americans that polyunsaturated fatty acids

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— like corn, canola, or sunflower oil — were the healthy choice. We were also advised to avoid oils with saturated fats for cooking. So we stopped using saturated fatty acids like coconut oil and switched to polyunsaturated oils. What has been the consequence of this change? We have more cancer and chronic illness, and we still have high levels of heart disease. I believe one of the main reasons we have not made much of a dent in chronic illnesses is due to the misinformation about which oils are healthy and which are not. In fact, coconut oil is one of the best substances to cook with. Fats are classified as short-, medium-, or longchain based on the number of carbon molecules they contain. Most of the saturated fat in coconut oil is short- and medium-chain fats. Approximately 50 percent of the fatty acid content in coconut oil is a medium-chain fat called

In This Issue . . .

Cook Your Food With Saturated Fats.................... 2 Wild-Caught Fish Is Better Than Farm-Raised..... 2 Free-Range Meat — Is It Healthier?....................... 3 Case Study: Magnesium Treats Chest Pain............ 4 The Myth About Organic Eggs.............................. 5 In the News: Fluoride and Heart Disease.............. 6 Eat Only Organic Fruits and Vegetables................ 7 Ask Dr. Brownstein................................................. 8

Saturated Fats Are Better for Cooking You have probably heard about the dangers of trans-fatty acids. This refers to the abnormal configuration of the carbon bonds in an unsaturated fat. Trans-fatty acids are not essential fats and provide no benefit to humans. These abnormal fats can disrupt normal cellular function, and have been shown to increase the risk of coronary artery disease. Finally, transfatty acids increase the production

of LDL cholesterol. Diets free of trans fatty acids are healthier diets. Still, most of the oils found in grocery stores contain copious amounts of trans-fatty acids. Saturated fats are much better to cook at high temperatures. The reason is that exposing oils to high heat can disrupt the chemical structure of the oil and cause the oil to become rancid and full of transfatty acids.

lauric acid. In our body, lauric acid is converted into a substance called monolaurin. Medium-chain fats, like monolaurin, have a number of antibacterial, antiviral, and antiparasitic properties. Another medium-chain fatty acid found in coconut oil is capric acid, which is converted into monocaprin in the body. This also has been shown to have antiviral and antibacterial properties. In fact, the antimicrobial properties of coconut oil has been recognized for more than 50 years. Short- and medium-chain fats are not found in polyunsaturated oils like corn, sunflower, soy, or canola oil. Many different viruses can be inactivated by coconut oil including: • Cytomegalovirus 1 • Herpes simplex • HIV • Measles Patients suffering from chronic infections can benefit from adding 1 to 2 tablespoons of coconut oil into their diet. Unfortunately, many people are reluctant to add

Saturated fats do not become rancid when heated at higher temperatures; they maintain their structure. Trans-fatty acids do not occur in saturated fats like coconut oil. Coconut oil supplies healthy saturated fats which aid our cell membranes. There is no evidence that coconut oil causes heart disease, but there is evidence that coconut oil can help the immune system fight infections.

coconut oil into their diet because they have been told that coconut oil causes atherosclerosis, also known as hardening of the arteries. Nothing could be further from the truth. Not only does coconut oil not cause heart disease, it can help reverse it. Research dating back as far as 20 years concluded that the “available population studies show that dietary coconut oil does not lead to high serum cholesterol or to high coronary heart disease mortality or morbidity.”2 Other researchers have since reported that native Pacific islanders who have a high intake of coconut oil had no signs of atherosclerosis until they migrated to New Zealand and significantly lowered their intake of coconut oil. The scientists found that, after migration, the islanders experienced increases in total cholesterol and LDL cholesterol, and decreased levels of HDL cholesterol. 3

Ask for Wild-Caught Fish

Fish has long been touted as a healthy food, mostly because it contains omega-3 fatty acids

Dr. David Brownstein’s Natural Way to Health is a publication of Newsmax Media, Inc., and Newsmax.com. It is published monthly at a charge of $54.00 per year and is offered online and in print through Newsmax.com. Our editorial offices are located at 560 Village Boulevard, Ste. 120, West Palm Beach, Florida 33409. The owner, publisher, and editor are not responsible for errors and omissions. Rights of reproduction and distribution of this newsletter are reserved. Any unauthorized reproduction or distribution of information contained herein, including storage in retrieval systems or posting on the Internet, is expressly forbidden without the consent of Newsmax Media. For permission, contact the publisher at: PO Box 20989, West Palm Beach, Florida 33416. CEO Christopher Ruddy Health Publisher Travis Davis Author David Brownstein, M.D. Contributing Editor Matthew Kalash Production/Art Director Elizabeth Dole To contact Dr. David Brownstein’s Natural Way to Health send e-mail to: [email protected]. Subscription/Customer Service contact 1-800-485-4350 or naturalway@newsmax. com. Send e-mail address changes to [email protected] © 2012 Newsmax Media, all rights reserved. Please note that this advice is generic and not specific to any individual. You should consult with your doctor before undertaking any medical or nutritional course of action.

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August 2012

that have been shown to have anti-inflammatory properties. Furthermore, these omega-3 fatty acids prevent blood clots, can function as an antidepressant, reduce triglycerides, and decrease the risk of developing hypertension and coronary artery disease.4, 5, 6, 7, 8 Fish oils can be obtained either by eating fish or taking supplements. Supplements of fish oils can be beneficial, but taking too many fish oil pills can have detrimental effects. For instance, excess fish oil can promote bleeding and elevated glucose levels. Although the research is not clear that fish oil supplementation raises glucose levels, my experience has shown that patients who take too many fish oil supplements may have increased blood sugar levels. Fish can either be farm-raised or wild-caught. Farm-raised fish has become more common in recent years. However, the best way to get omega-3 fatty acids is to eat wild-caught fish. What is wrong with farm-raised fish? A lot. First of all, farm-raised fish have been found to be contaminated with PCBs and other chemicals. Recently, the Environmental Working Group purchased farm-raised salmon from 10 grocery stores across the United States. The scientists found that 70 percent of the samples they gathered were contaminated with PCB’s at levels that raise serious health issues..9 On the other hand, the levels of PCBs in wildcaught Alaskan and Canadian salmon were much lower. Farm-raised salmon had 16 times more PCBs than wild salmon and 3.4 times more than is found in other seafood. The Environmental Working Group reported, “In total, these studies support the conclusion that American consumers nationwide are exposed to elevated PCB levels by eating farmed salmon.” Farm-raised fish can also be contaminated with sea lice. In addition, they are often given high levels of antibiotics to prevent infection and increase their size. What most people don’t know is that the normal color of farm-raised salmon is gray. To combat this, the industry feeds them dyes to give the fish a more August 2012

pleasant pinkish color. Another problem with farm-raised fish is their fatty acid content. Compared to wild-caught fish, farm raised fish have much higher omega-6 to omega-3 ratios. Farm-raised fish, such as Atlantic farmed raised salmon, should be avoided. It is not a healthy food choice. Whenever I am at a restaurant, I ask if the fish is farm-raised. If it is, I do not order it.

Free-Range Cattle Meat: The Better Dietary Choice

Just as farm-raised fish is not a healthy choice, neither is the meat from animals raised on conventional farms. Conventionally raised animals are treated to a lifetime of confinement and fed grains and Continued on page 5

David Brownstein, M.D., is a board-certified family physician and one of the foremost practitioners of holistic medicine. Dr. Brownstein has lectured internationally to physicians and others about his success with nutritional therapies in his practice. His books include Drugs That Don’t Work and Natural Therapies That Do!; Iodine: Why You Need It, Why You Can’t Live Without It; Salt Your Way To Health; The Miracle of Natural Hormones; Overcoming Arthritis; Overcoming Thyroid Disorders; The Guide to a Gluten-Free Diet; B12 For Health; The Guide to a Dairy-Free Diet; and The Soy Deception. He is the medical director of the Center for Holistic Medicine in West Bloomfield, Mich., where he lives with his wife, Allison, and their teenage daughters, Hailey and Jessica. For more information about Dr. Brownstein, please go to www.drbrownstein.com. Important As a subscriber to Dr. David Brownstein’s Natural Way to Health you may have opted to get this newsletter with our Convenient Automatic Renewal program. If you decide not to cancel your subscription, your credit card will be billed each year and read NMX*DR BROWNSTEIN RPRT on your credit card statement. Thank you.

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Treat Chest Pain With Magnesium In each issue, I will share with you the story of one of my patients and how sometimes simple alternative approaches can solve major health problems. Names and some details have been changed for privacy’s sake, but the problems and their resolutions are real. — Dr. David Brownstein Debbie, a 58-year-old engineer, had been having chest pains nearly every day for a year. Sometimes they occurred when she was walking or exercising. Other times they came when she wasn’t doing much at all. “After testing, the cardiologist explained to me that I did not have blockages in my coronary arteries. But the arteries would occasionally go into a spasm. The blood flow declines during the spasm, and I feel pain. He told me no one knows what causes the spasms.” Debbie was prescribed verapamil to treat the coronary spasms, also called vasospasms. The medication helped about 25 percent, she told me. Her chest pains came less frequently, but she was tired and constipated. Verapamil is a calcium channel blocker (CCB), a class of medications that act to impede the flow of calcium into the cells. CCBs are used to treat hypertension and elevated heart rates, and to prevent artery spams in the brain and the heart. In the heart, a decrease in cell calcium results in less contraction of the smooth muscles of the arteries (vasodilation), which increases the diameter of the coronary arteries. Theoretically, if there is vasospasm of the coronary arteries, a calcium channel blocker should lower the cell calcium in the smooth muscles of the arteries, resulting in fewer spasms.

Use This Drug With Caution

I was exposed to CCBs more than 20 years ago, during my medical training. Back then, they were touted as the best thing to treat hypertension, angina, vasospasm, and many other conditions. CCBs became my most-prescribed antihypertensive medications. However, subsequent CCB research found that this class of medications was associated with many adverse effects, including headaches, dizziness, flushing, and edema. These side effects occur in 10 to 20 percent of patients. In addition, constipation can occur in 25 percent of patients who take verapamil. Because these medications block calcium intake to the heart cells, they can result in a diminished ability of the heart to contract. CCBs must be used with Page 4

caution by patients suffering from heart contraction problems such as congestive heart failure. CCBs are also associated with increased mortality after a heart attack. Yet these drugs are still widely prescribed for heart disease patients. In fact, one study found high-dose CCB therapy was associated with approximately a 200 percent increase risk of heart attack in hypertensive patients, according to the Journal of the American Medical Association. The body tightly controls calcium levels and very few patients have high calcium levels. Even high calcium levels deserve a full workup for an underlying cause, and treatment of the underlying cause can often rectify the situation.

‘Wish I Had Known Before’

The absence of atherosclerosis left Debbie with a clear diagnosis of coronary vasospasm. While CCBs do help with the symptoms (chest pain), they do not treat the underlying cause of the illness. There is a plethora of literature to support the use of magnesium to treat coronary artery disease and vasospasm. In fact, magnesium deficiency has been associated with nearly every cardiovascular disease. And nearly 60 percent of the American population is estimated to be magnesium deficient, according to the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s Community Nutrition Mapping Project. I asked Debbie if anyone had checked her red blood cell magnesium level. She said that no one had. The test showed that Debbie’s magnesium level was very low at 4.0 mg/dl (normal is 4.0 to 6.4 mg/dl). I told Debbie that her extreme magnesium deficiency may be the underlying cause of her chest pain. I prescribed 400 mg of magnesium (magnesium aspartate) for her to take at bedtime. I also asked Debbie to ingest a half teaspoon of unrefined salt (Celtic Brand Sea Salt or Redmond’s Real Salt) per day, as unrefined salt is a good source of magnesium. Within three weeks, Debbie reported that all signs of angina were gone. I told her to stop the CCB and the side effects (fatigue and constipation) also resolved within four weeks. “I feel so much better with the magnesium. I wish I had known about this before,” she said. Debbie’s case is not unique. Magnesium is a vital nutrient that most of us do not get a enough of. It is important to have your magnesium levels checked (via red blood cell testing) on a yearly basis.

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August 2012

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o you struggle to maintain healthy blood sugar metabolism? Often, a blood sugar issue first manifests with symptoms like fatigue, mood swings, food cravings and weight gain. But as it progresses, your doctor may tell you that your only option for avoiding serious health problems is to take a dangerous drug for the rest of your life! Well, I’m here to tell you that this is nonsense. My name is Joshua Corn and I am the Editor-in-Chief of Live in the Now, one of the fastest growing natural health publications in the nation. My passion for natural health drives me to seek out alternative health solutions that are both safe and effective. Please keep reading because getting a handle on your blood sugar (the natural way) will improve every aspect of your health.

Warning Signs of Blood Sugar Trouble

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The Dangers of Drugs for Blood Sugar Management

The current mainstream medical mentality on blood sugar management has created Big Pharma’s most lucrative class of drugs. But are they safe? Incredibly, despite evidence that the controversial drug Avandia caused over 83,000 heart attacks, it is still being prescribed! Big Pharma has an ugly track record of misrepresenting the truth about the safety of its drugs, and there’s no reason for you to jeopardize your health for their profits.

A Spice That’s Nice for Blood Sugar and Weight Loss

Recent groundbreaking research on cinnamon has led to some exciting findings. USDA scientists were the first to discover that cinnamon very effectively balances blood sugar. And a recent study published in the American Journal of Clinical Nutrition showed that cinnamon improves insulin function while preventing food cravings and overeating, making it an ally for dieters.

Cinnamon Supports Optimal Heart Health Too!

In addition to its blood sugar benefits, numerous studies have shown that cinnamon balances cholesterol levels and promotes a strong, healthy heart! It turns out that cinnamon contains powerful antioxidant substances that tame inflammation and support optimal heart function.

WARNING: Don’t Take Cinnamon by the Spoonful

Taking full advantage of the benefits of cinnamon is not as simple as sprinkling it on your food. Whole and powdered cinnamon contains volatile oils that can be toxic to the liver in large doses. Currently, most experts recommend taking 500 mg a day of a standardized cinnamon supplement made using a water-soluable method that removes toxins while leaving the active compounds intact.

The Perfect Blood Sugar Solution

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soybeans. The reason they are fed a primarily grainbased diet is that it has a high caloric value. As with humans, a diet that is high in soybeans and grains leads to a rapid weight gain. Why do they do this? Because the goal of a conventional farmer is to have their cattle reach peak weight as fast as possible. In order to achieve this goal, the animals are also given growth hormones. Residue of these growth hormones ends up in the meat people ingest. Conventionally raised animals are also given antibiotics to prevent infection. Likewise, remnants of these antibiotics are found in the end products that make their way to supermarkets. Contrast this with meat from cattle raised in a free-range setting. Organically raised animals are not fed on soy and grains. Instead they graze on grass in a pasture. Eating pasture grass provides the animals with the proper nutrition. Animals eating a pasture-based diet are able to absorb the fat-soluble vitamins (A, D, and E) in higher quantities. Studies have shown that grain-feeding results in lower quantities of fat-soluble vitamins in milk that cows produce.10 Also, animals raised on free range farms are not given growth hormones. Animals raised this way would be expected to have no trace of growth hormones in their end products. As noted, residues of growth hormones have been detected in conventionally raised meat. Finally, there is a difference in the fatty acid content of the meat in conventional and organically raised cattle. Conventionally raised cattle meat contains a much higher percentage of omega-6 fatty acids

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compared to organically-raised cattle meat. In fact, organically raised cattle meat is found to have a healthier fatty acid balance — which means more omega-3s. 11 Organic meat is a good source of absorbable nutrients such as iron and B-vitamins including vitamin B12. There is no question that eating meat from animals that are organically raised in a free-range environment — free of hormones and antibiotics — is a better dietary choice.

There Is No Better Food Than Organic Eggs

Probably no food has been more vilified than the egg. I have heard all the lines: “My doctor told me to avoid eggs.” “Eggs raise your cholesterol levels.” “Eggs cause heart disease.” But I can assure you that there is no better food in the world than an organic egg. Eggs are the only food source that contains a full complement of essential amino acids — the building blocks for protein in the body. Eggs are the best source for amino acids. Yet in my practice, I see many patients with deficiencies of amino acids. Organic eggs also provide healthy sources of protein and fat. Adequate protein and fat help absorb fat-soluble vitamins A, D, E, and K. Another misconception lies in how we should eat eggs. Many people believe that it is best to eat only the white part of the egg and avoid the yolk. But, once again, nothing could be further from the truth. Egg yolks are rich sources of carotenoids including lutein and zeaxanthin,12 both of which aid the body with eye disease such as macular degeneration. In fact, eggs are the best food source of lutein and zeaxanthin. In addition, eggs provide a healthy source of cholesterol for the body, with about 200 mg in each. Many patients I see are under the mistaken impression that ingesting eggs will raise their cholesterol levels. This is another myth. There are no studies

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August 2012

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In the News: Reading Between the Medical Headlines Fluoride May Cause Cardiovascular Disease

Scientists recently studied atherosclerotic arteries and their ability to take up fluoride, and published their results in the January 2012 issue of the journal Nuclear Medicine Communications. Using positron emission tomography (PET/CT) scanning, the researchers found a significant correlation between fluoride uptake and calcification of arterial walls. There was also significant correlation between a history of cardiovascular events (heart attacks) and presence of fluoride uptake in coronary arteries. The conclusion of the article stated, “An increased fluoride uptake in coronary arteries may be associated with an increased cardiovascular risk.” Perhaps what we know as “hardening of the arteries” is more than calcium deposits. Most of us still drink fluoridated water. But there is no good data supporting the benefits of adding fluoride to the water supply. Now we have a study finding that those with a history of heart disease have more fluoride in their coronary arteries compared to subjects without heart disease. Fluoride is a known neurotoxin which poisons hundreds of enzymes.

More Bad Press for Bisphosphonates

A headline in the May 10, 2012 issue of The New York Times read, “Study Cautions Over Long Use of Bone Drugs.” The article reported about an FDA review that was published in the previous day’s issue of the New England Journal of Medicine, which cautioned about the long-term use Page 6

of osteoporosis drugs. The authors stated, “ . . . patients at low risk of fracture may prove to be good candidates for discontinuation of bisphosphonate therapy after 3 to 5 years.” Although the NEJM article made headlines across the country, its conclusion did not go far enough. There is concern that long-term use of bisphosphonate medications can lead to serious adverse problems such as pathological fractures in bones. I have written about bisphosphonate medications before in Natural Way to Health. A large portion of my book, Drugs That Don’t Work and Natural Therapies that Do, is devoted to the dangers of bisphosphonate medications. This class of medications should be pulled from the market. Why? Because the mechanism of action of the bisphosphonate drugs guarantees that there will be adverse effects in the bones. Osteoporosis does not form due to a bisphosphonate-drugdeficiency syndrome. Osteoporosis forms from a variety of issues such as eating a poor diet full of refined food, being vitamin D deficient, overuse of antacid medications, magnesium and calcium deficiency, as well as poor exercise capacity. Correcting the underlying cause of osteoporosis will result in healthier bones. Many times this is accomplished by eating a healthy diet, avoiding soda and correcting nutritional deficiencies. If you have osteoporosis, I suggest working with a knowledgeable healthcare provider who is skilled with searching for the underlying cause. drbrownstein.newsmax.com

Dietary Magnesium Lowers Stroke Risk

Researchers studying the relationship between magnesium intake and stroke risk looked at seven studies that included 241,378 subjects. This population included 6,477 cases of stroke In the February 2012 issue of the American Journal of Clinical Nutrition, the scientists reported an inverse association between magnesium intake and risk of stroke. An increase of 100 mg of magnesium per day was associated with an 8 percent reduction in risk of stroke. The authors concluded, “Dietary magnesium intake is inversely associated with risk of stroke . . . ” Magnesium is essential for life. Unfortunately, our food supply is woefully deficient of this mineral. Where do we get magnesium from? Nuts, coffee, cocoa, tea, and green leafy vegetables are good sources. Unrefined sea salt is also a rich source of magnesium. Due to the depletion of the mineral content of our farmland, the magnesium levels in our food products have been declining over the years. I have been checking magnesium levels in patients for nearly 20 years, and I have seen a steady decline of magnesium. Supplementing may lower your risk of not only stroke, but also heart disease, headaches, asthma, diabetes, and osteoporosis. Average doses of magnesium range from 100 to 400 mg/day. The only major side effect of magnesium supplementation is loose stools, which can be rectified by lowering the dose. If your doctor is not checking your red blood cell magnesium levels, I suggest finding one who does. August 2012

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proving that eating eggs raises the body’s cholesterol levels. What’s more, cholesterol is an important substance for maintaining cell integrity and helps prevent cancer. Cholesterol does not cause heart disease. More information about cholesterol can be found in my book, Drugs That Don’t Work and Natural Therapies that Do. Another essential nutrient in eggs is choline, which is found in every one of the body’s cell membranes and is particularly concentrated in the brain. Choline absolutely is necessary for proper nerve function. Deficiency causes problems with the liver, kidney, nervous and cardiovascular systems, as well as causing problems with bones. Choline deficiency can even cause cancer.13 I encourage my patients to eat organic eggs as part of a healthy diet. I even advise my vegetarian and vegan patients to introduce organic eggs to their diet, as these patients are almost all deficient in essential amino acids. How many eggs per day do I recommend? I recommend that people eat at least two organic eggs per day. Personally, I usually consume three each day.

More Fruits and Vegetables for a Healthier Population

Our mothers were right: We need to eat our fruits and vegetables. Fruits and vegetables provide the body with a host of antioxidant nutrients including: • Carotenoids • Magnesium • Vitamin C • Vitamin E Most Americans do not eat enough fruit and vegetables. If we all increased the intake of fruit and vegetables we would have less chronic illness and a healthier population. Once again, it is best to eat organic fruits and vegetables that are free of pesticides, which frequently contain toxic halogens such as bromine, fluoride and chlorine. The ingestion of pesticides poisons enzymes and causes iodine depletion. August 2012

I have written in past issues of Natural Way to Health about the consequences of iodine deficiency, which include cancer of the breast, ovary, uterus, thyroid, and prostate. Iodine deficiency is also associated with other diseases of the thyroid gland, including autoimmune thyroid disease. Fruits and vegetables are best eaten as soon as they are harvested. Studies have shown that nutrient levels decline the longer it takes to bring the food source to market.

The Most Important Decision You Make Every Day

There is no question that you are what you eat. Eating a diet full of devitalized, refined food sources which contain refined sugar, salt, flour, and oil will result in a nutrient-depleted body. On the other hand, eating a healthy diet full of unrefined food choices can supply the body with the vital nutrients necessary to promote health. The biggest daily health decision anyone makes is what they eat. There are still a lot of myths about food, but it’s not that difficult to make good food choices. I encourage you to educate yourself about the food you are eating. And I am sure that once you learn about the health benefits of organic fruit and vegetables, eggs, meat, and wild-caught fish as well as coconut oil, you will come to the same conclusions that I have reached. More information on maintaining a healthy diet can be found in my book, The Guide to Healthy Eating. references

1. Journal of Food Safety, 1982; 4; 1-12. 2. Phillipine J of Int Med, 1002; 0: 165-71. 3. Am J of Clin Nutr, 1981: 34: 1552-61. 4. Nutritonal Neuroscience, 2004; 7(2); 91-99. 5. Eur J Clin Nutr, 1996; 50(9): 617-24. 6. Am J of Clin Nutr, 1975; 29(9): 958-66. 7. Circulation, 1993; 88(2): 523-33. 8. Eur J Prev Cardiol, Jan 30, 2012 (Epub ahead of print). 9. Env Working Group, July, 2003. 10. Veterinary Clinics N American Food Animal Practices, 1991; (7)2: 391-415. 11. British Journal of Nutrition, 78: 49-60. 12. Am J Clin Nutr, Aug 1999; 70(2): 247-51. 13. FASEB J, June 22, 2008; (6): 2045-52.

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Ask Dr. Brownstein Dear Readers, I will try to answer as many questions as I can. However, because of the volume of questions, I cannot answer each letter personally. Please include your full name, city, and state when submitting. If you have a question for me, please email it to: [email protected]. How do I kick the sugar habit? Is there a food that I can substitute? — Narda K., Dallas, Ga. We certainly eat too much sugar in the United States. Teenagers are estimated to ingest more than 34 teaspoons of sugar per day. That corresponds to more than 130 grams. The U.S. Department of Agriculture guidelines suggest a healthy diet for teens should contain 72 grams of sugar. Unfortunately, much of our food supply has refined sugar added to it, so it’s easy to exceed the USDA’s recommendations. You could do it simply by eating a quarter cup of pancake syrup or having a 12-ounce soft drink. Even a fruit-filled yogurt contains nearly the entire daily allotment. What’s more, the USDA’s recommendation does not take into account the quality of sugar. We should all avoid refined sugar. Unrefined sugar (such as pure cane sugar), which contains potassium, calcium, and magnesium, is a much better choice. Sugar substitutes include xylitol, maple syrup, and molasses. I was diagnosed with Graves disease and a goiter about four years ago. Every time I eat pasta or bread I feel extremely full and have gastrointestinal pains. Is there anything you could suggest? — Peggy G., Shreveport, La.

thyroid illness, I have no doubt that there are two key factors: iodine deficiency and gluten sensitivity. It is impossible to experimentally induce Graves disease in an animal without ensuring iodine deficiency. According to the Centers for Disease Control, iodine levels have declined more than 50 percent over the last 30 years in the U.S. During this same time, we have seen an epidemic increase in all thyroid disorders including thyroid cancer and autoimmune thyroid disorders. I have also found a direct correlation between gluten sensitivity and autoimmune thyroid illness. Simple blood tests can often detect antibodies to proteins found in wheat, rye, oats, and barley. These antibodies often react with thyroid tissue, causing an inflammatory response in the thyroid gland. Removing gluten from the diet can help reduce the inflammatory cascade and should be a priority for those suffering from autoimmune thyroid illness. Studies have shown an improvement in autoimmune thyroid illness when gluten is removed from the diet. Not everybody who is suffering from an autoimmune thyroid illness improves on a glutenfree diet. But my experience has shown that more than 70 percent of autoimmune thyroid patients will improve. If you are going to try a gluten-free diet, I suggest at least a six-month trial in order to ascertain if the diet will improve your condition. More information about how to implement a gluten-free diet can be found in my book, The Guide to a Gluten-free Diet. To your good health,

Graves disease is an autoimmune illness of the thyroid gland. Although we do not know exactly what predisposes a person to get an autoimmune

Please note: All information presented in Dr. David Brownstein’s Natural Way to Health is for informational purposes only. It is not specific medical advice for any individual. All answers to reader questions are provided for informational purposes only. All information presented in Dr. David Brownstein’s Natural Way to Health should not be construed as medical consultation or instruction. You should take no action solely on the basis of this publication’s contents. Readers are advised to consult a health professional about any issue regarding their health and well-being. While the information found in Dr. David Brownstein’s Natural Way to Health is believed to be sensible and accurate based on the author’s best judgment, readers who fail to seek counsel from appropriate health professionals assume risk of any potential ill effects. The opinions expressed in Dr. David Brownstein’s Natural Way to Health do not necessarily reflect those of Newsmax Media. Page 8

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August 2012