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Tired? sleepy? hungry? spacey?

Your next meal could be making you feel terrible.

Now, carefully think about when those problems may have ocurred. This may be an exercise for the future, but pay close attention if those problems occurred within 2 hours of eating. It is possible for foods to adversely affect you up to days later, but they are much more difficult to detect and sometimes needs a specialty test (sage test).

So for todays project let’s just focus on the obvious stuff. For example: If you eat lunch and within 2 hours you are tired, ding, ding, ding, back up and write down what you had for lunch. The next time you have a problem write it down.

Simple eating solution:

• What is the problem?
• What did you eat in the last 2 hours?

After you have a few entries look at the problem list and you will hopefully discover some trends. Then test them.

For example: I was pretty sure chicken made me tired. So I specifically paid attention to how I felt after a chicken meal versus a beef meal. Chicken is tolerable, but tiring for me, but beef makes me feel like a rock star. I also don’t do well with all veggies, I need meat.

Some people don’t need meat at all to feel great, some will do better with fish, and so on. Keep an open mind and try all kinds of possibilities.

This one idea alone can dramatically affect your health and life, yet it is so simple. Each person is different. You need to test it for yourself if you aren’t feeling fabulous.

These would be food “intolerances” not specific allergies. And I’d bet almost everyone has them. Everytime we did full-blown testing there was always some problem foods. The problem for most people is that testing with a good blood test costs a minimum of $500.

A few things to consider and why you’d want to do this.

1. The human specicies hasn’t evolved to deal with what we would consider “normal” foods. Many didn’t exist thousands of years ago.
2. Intolerances can be made worse with modern foods. The average grocery store foods are lower in nutrients the liver needs to detoxify the stuff your body can’t handle. This is one reason I recommend organic foods and Cruciferous Complete from Standard Process. If your liver doesn’t have the fuel, then your immune system has to pick up the slack. Can you say “modern inflammatory” diseases.
3. Poor digestion just complicates matters. Burping, gas, reflux all can be helped, just ask.

Just the idea of paying attention to how you feel can revolutionize how you approach health when you can directly link problems to your lunch.

If you have so many problems it is seeming impossible to figure it out, just do it in reverse. Start with watermelon and zuccini and add a new food each meal. But, only add one food. Those two foods are generally considered the least problematic.

Also don’t miscount spices and condiments. Three out of five people are actually allergic to black pepper.

Also, don’t take this too seriously. Eat good food and do your best to identify stuff that affects you the most.

Enjoy supper tonight,
Dr. Altman

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This isn’t a lecture on not doing your make-up or texting while driving.  Those are obvious no-no’s but ironically I see people doing it.  After I thought about it for a bit, driving is an excellent example of health care.

We all drive almost everyday.  Nothing bad ever really happens, but there is always a potential for something to happen.  So what do we have… insurance, right.  You almost never need it, but if you do, you’re glad you have it.

I’ve hit 2 deer in my life.  One demolished my front windshield and almost killed me and the other was nothing more than a big bump in the road that just rocked the truck.  We kept going and nothing happened.  Both were instantaneous and unavoidable.  Boom…there it is.

Next time you hop in your car you can get a health lesson.

1.  The primary thing you probably think about when owning a car is how much fuel does it take, and you might even ponder what kind.  Over all thou, your choices are pretty limited.  If you put diesel fuel in an unleaded vehicle, you have problems.  Now, it is the wrong fuel.

Your body needs the right fuel.   Veggies, fruit, fats, meat.  Things like processed cereal, bread or many of the sugar items are the wrong fuel.  Would a Ferrari owner ever put bad fuel in their car?  You can’t expect your body to perform at a peak level running on processed food, soda, and anything nuked in a microwave.

One more fuel thought.  A year ago gas was $2.26, today it is $2.89.
Two years ago, it was $4.11, the highest recorded price in America.

Did you buy gas at $4/gallon?  I did.  My car needed the right fuel.  I wasn’t happy about it, but I did it, but I also used less.  You body needs the best fuel you can buy.  Did you know? There is more nutrients in organic food and no chemicals.  If you eat better quality food, your body will need less.  Processed food will taste great on the lips, but because the real nutrients have been stripped out of it, your body is constantly hungry for the missing nutrients.  Did you know?  Oreo’s are graded on 90 different characteristics, taste, texture, color, blah, blah, blah.  Manufacturers go to amazing lengths to hook you on their crappy food.

Fight back by buying from your local farmers, then organic food.  Put the best fuel in your body and start running like a Ferrari.

    2.  Oil changes... Why do you do that?  Prevention, right?  You want your car to keep running smoothly.  I like to think of prevention a little differently than  most doctors.  The only real recommendation you’ll hear is to get your early screenings.  To “prevent” bigger problems.  That’s not really prevention.

Does an oil change guarantee you’ll never breakdown…no.  Does eating organic food and exercising guarantee you’ll never get cancer…no.  Does getting an oil change hedge you bets that you’ll keep cruising down the road?  Sure, otherwise you wouldn’t do it.  Do I eat organic food because I believe it will help prevent problems in the future.  Absolutely!  The list of problems pesticides have been shown to cause is longer than I care to write today.  Eating pesticides is like driving every day.  You can do it for years and years, but some time those deer jump out in the middle of the night.  Stop taking a known risk with pesticides, go organic.   For the women, pesticides contribute to hormone problems.  This is one of the single largest health problems for women that is preventable.

  3.  Dash lights…most of the time they aren’t on.  But if a little light does pop on, it gets your attention right away.  These are early warning signs, like pain or any other symptom, for example:  can’t sleep, diabetes, heart disease, fatigue, acid indigestion, and over 600 other things.  I have this handy dandy little book listing all these early warning signs and how to potentially fix them with Standard Process supplements and herbs.  Take those warnings seriously and remember medications only put tape over your dash board lights.

4.  Fix the little stuff…if your car starts to smoke you don’t let it keep smoking.  Smoking leads to more serious problems, right.

5.  Ever leave your headlights on? …There is only so long that you can leave the lights on without the engine running.  If you do, your battery will be dead in the morning.  Ever have a hard time getting out of bed?  Your battery is dead.  It is a dead give-away that you are leaving the lights on and too stressed or working too hard or staying up too late or just plain have too many irons in the fire.   I’ve been there and speak from experience.  Take it seriously and change your lifestyle.   It is called adrenal fatigue.  It plays a significant role in heart health.  We’ll talk more about that later this summer.

6.  Use it…or lose it.   If you park your car and never use it, it will slowly become worthless.  It will rust or the gas will go bad or mice will make a nice home inside.  If you don’t exercise your body, you will lose it.  You know what I mean.  Cars need some highway time to clean out the gunk from city driving.  Your body needs the same.  A good sweat will go a long way.  If you are really out of shape don’t start doing a lot of exercise, ease into it.

7.   Insurance... You don’t dare drive without it.  To me health insurance isn’t from a company. Yeah, I have it in case a really bad accident happens, but health itself is determined by your habits.   Eating good organic food, getting sleep, taking Standard Process whole food supplements, exercise, chiropractic adjustments, thinking good, and not polluting  body with chemicals or even negative people.  God forbid something really bad happens, do you think you have better chance of survival if you are strong, energetic, and wildly healthy going in to it or tired, over-weight, crabby, and out-of-shape?  You need to work for health insurance, you can’t buy it.  You buy accident insurance.  Real health comes from within.

Women’s health week is coming to a close.  The governments site has some good info and reminders.

•     Eat well

•     Get your exercise

•     Get your sleep

•     Reduce your stress

•     Don’t smoke

•     Get some preventative screenings, just be careful with this one.  Read Bruce West.

That sounds a lot like my car story.  I’d like to add one more piece.  In my opinion, one of the single greatest health problems facing women today is hormone imbalances.  They are getting worse and harder to deal with.  That will take another whole article, watch for it soon.

-Dr. Altman

-To order Standard Process  Call 612-Be-Great or email docaltman [at] gmail [dot] com

-To order probiotics.  Now this is new!  You can set-up your own account using our office.  Just create a patient account here.  This is the 90 count probiotic that we order, Pro-flora concentrate  (PR123).  You also get a 5% discount doing it this way.  Any problems let me know.  Just put in Dr. David Altman and 507-359-3123 for the phone number.

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Black Currant Seed Oil from Standard Process might be the answer.

Why?  You might ask…

Black Currant Seed Oil is rich in GLA.  According to the University of Maryland Medical Center,

“Gamma-linolenic acid (GLA) is an omega-6 fatty acid that is found mostly in plant-based oils. Omega-6 fatty acids are considered essential fatty acids: They are necessary for human health but the body can’t make them — you have to get them through food. Along with omega-3 fatty acids, omega-6 fatty acids play a crucial role in brain function as well as normal growth and development.  Also known as polyunsaturated fatty acids (PUFAs), they help stimulate skin and hair growth, maintain bone health, regulate metabolism, and maintain the reproductive system.”

Black Currant Seed Oil is a superior source of GLA as compared to the more common Evening Primrose oil.  Some of the most common uses here in the office are for chronic inflammation, significant dry skin, and PMS or Menopausal symptoms. 

Also from the University of Maryland Medical Center:

Uses:

Some preliminary clinical research suggests that GLA may be useful for the following conditions:

Diabetic neuropathy

Some studies show that taking gamma linolenic acid (GLA) for 6 months or more may reduce symptoms of nerve pain in people with diabetic neuropathy. People who have good blood sugar control may find GLA more effective than those with poor blood sugar control.

Rheumatoid arthritis

Studies are mixed as to whether evening primrose oil helps reduce symptoms of rheumatoid arthritis. Some preliminary evidence suggests evening primrose oil may reduce pain, swelling, and morning stiffness; but other studies have found no effect. When using GLA for arthritis symptoms, it may take 1 - 3 months to see any benefit. It is unlikely that evening primrose oil would help stop progression of the disease, so joint damage could still occur.

Allergies

GLA from evening primrose oil or other sources has a longstanding history of folk use for allergies. And women and children who are prone to allergies appear to have lower levels of GLA in breast milk and blood. However, there is no good scientific evidence that taking GLA helps reduce allergy symptoms. Well-conducted research studies are needed.

If you decide to try GLA for allergies, work with your health care provider to first determine if it is safe for you. Then track your allergy symptoms closely for any signs of improvement or lack of improvement.

Attention deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD)

Clinical studies suggest that children with ADHD have lower levels of essential fatty acids (EFAs), both omega-6s and omega-3s. EFAs are important to normal brain and behavioral function. Some studies seem to indicate that taking fish oil (containing omega-3 fatty acids) may help reduce ADHD symptoms, though the studies have not been well designed. Studies that used evening primrose oil have found it was no better than placebo at reducing symptoms.

Breast cancer

One study found that women with breast cancer who took GLA had a better response to tamoxifen (a drug used to treat estrogen-sensitive breast cancer) than those who took only tamoxifen.

Eczema

Evidence is mixed as to whether evening primrose oil can help reduce symptoms of eczema. Some early studies found it did, but they were not well designed. Later studies that examined people who took evening primrose oil for 16 to 24 weeks found no improvement in symptoms. If you want to try evening primrose oil, talk to your health care provider about whether it is safe for you to try.

High blood pressure (Hypertension)

There is some preliminary evidence that GLA may help reduce high blood pressure, either alone or in combination with the omega-3 fatty acids eicosapentaenoic acid (EPA) and docosahexaenoic acid (DHA), found in fish oil. In one study, men with borderline high blood pressure who took 6g of blackcurrant oil had a reduction in diastolic blood pressure compared to those who took placebo.

Another study examined people with intermittent claudication, pain in the legs while walking that is caused by blockages in the blood vessels. Those who took GLA combined with EPA had a reduction in systolic blood pressure compared to those who took placebo.

More research is needed to see whether GLA is truly effective for hypertension.

Menopausal symptoms

Evening primrose oil has gained popularity as a way to treat hot flashes associated with menopause, but so far studies have not shown that it works. If you want to try evening primrose oil for hot flashes and night sweats, ask your health care provider whether it is safe and right for you.

Mastalgia

Some evidence suggests that evening primrose oil may reduce breast pain and tenderness in people with cyclic mastalgia. It may also help reduce symptoms to a lesser extent in people with non-cyclic mastalgia. However, it does not seem to be effective for severe breast pain.

Osteoporosis

Some studies suggest that people who don’t get enough of some essential fatty acids (particularly EPA and GLA) are more likely to have bone loss than those with normal levels of these fatty acids. In a study of women over 65 with osteoporosis, those who took EPA and GLA supplements had less bone loss over 3 years than those who took placebo. Many of these women also experienced an increase in bone density.

Premenstrual syndrome (PMS)

Although most studies have found no effect, some women report relief of PMS symptoms when using GLA. The symptoms that seem to be helped the most are breast tenderness and feelings of depression as well as irritability and swelling and bloating from fluid retention.

Dietary Sources:

GLA is found in the plant seed oils of evening primrose, black currant, borage, and fungal oils. Spirulina (often called blue-green algae) also contains GLA.

Since it is used for so may things by so many people it is part of Standard Processes fundamental supplements.

Have questions?

Just email docaltman [at] gmail.com  or call the office 507-359-3123.  We are still open 4 days a week until June.  You can also call our Standard Process order line 612-BE-GREAT.

The year is 1967.

A patient brought this book “The Joy of Cooking” in with a nice note and highlighted a very interesting passage.  On page 497 of the “Know Your Ingredients” section here is the highlighted text referring to Enriched Flour.

Enriched Flour:“We have become so accustomed to our highly bleached white flours that we forget that earlier cooks knew only whole-kernel flours.  These were not the so-called whole wheat of our commercial world, but the whole grain, which includes the germ….”

….”When rats and gray squirrels are given corn in abundance, they eat the germ and leave the rest.  People leave the germ and eat the rest.”….

….”After the removal of the outer coats of germ, our flours may be “enriched”, but the term is misleading.   Enriched flour contains only four of the many ingredients known to have been removed from it in milling.” 

With the removal of the germ there is also a loss of B and E vitamins.  We’ll talk about this later.

Fresh ground flour is one of the most perishable products on earth.  It starts to go rancid quickly, just like a sliced up apple turning brown.  To combat the processors pull the oils out with chlorine derived bleaches.  I’m thinking that chemical toxins taste yummy.Sounds bad…it can be.Quality matters!  So if you are so inclined.   The best scenario is to grind your grains fresh and use them within 20 minutes.

I’m a realist and I know most people won’t do that, and grains are very common in almost everyones diet.  So what do you do?

If you can’t or won’t grind your grains and bake your bread, then lets try and off-set some of the deficiencies and problems.

• First, we have a loss of B and E vitamins with almost any processed  grain.   We need to take a whole-food replacement.  For example, if the vitamin E in wheat was a deck of cards, a supplement on almost any store shelf will say “alpha-tocopherol” and that’s about it.  That’s a card game with one card.

• The processing leaves chemicals behind for your body to deal with

Best case scenario if you are a regular grain consumer, and not grinding it yourself.Vitamin loss can be helped with Catalyn, Cataplex B, Cataplex E.   If money is tight leave out the Cataplex E.  You need a supplement, just eating better won’t work.  Think of having a hole and you start digging somewhere else and start filling in your original hole.  You just keep moving the hole.  You need to bring in dirt from somewhere else.  Try and get organic dirt

Chemicals can be helped with fueling liver detox with eating kale, Brussels sprouts, and other dark greens.  If you hate greens try Cruciferous Complete.  As an added bonus, I use LivCo as well, to help my liver keep humming along.  Many weeks I just alternate between the two.

Any of the supplements are from either Standard Process or Mediherb.

I
I was goofing around in the kitchen today while I was home with the kids.  I wanted something warm to drink, but not coffee.  My wife really likes Chai tea, but I don’t like the sugar.  So, like any scientist, I started playing around with some formulas.

So here it is:  docaltman’s Chai Tea (version 1)

1. Brew a cup of Tazo Organic Chai Tea (one tea bag)
2. Squeeze the tea bag out so there is lots of flavor
3. 5 drops of liquid Stevia
4. 1/8 tsp. Organic Molasses
5. Top it off with some raw milk

I know it may seem like an unusual  combo, but it was good.  I didn’t add much molasses because it has a strong flavor but it gives it a little sweetness along with the stevia.

Here is a health run down:

• Black Tea- used forever as a drink.

• Stevia- herbal sweetener, that doesn’t trigger insulin, and actually helps the body use sugar.

• Organic Molasses: A little sweetness with high amounts of Potassium, Calcium, Iron and other minerals.  This is the “waste product” from refined sugar.
• Raw milk - OK this will be difficult for some to get.  Use your best judgment on this.  Differences in milk Why raw milk is better

Just don’t use SOY milk-This I pulled from a recent press release from the Weston A Price Foundation.

“Soy foods and soy milk contain plant estrogens that cause endocrine disruption as well as components that block the uptake of protein and the utilization important vitamins and minerals,” says nutritionist Kaayla T. Daniel, PhD, author of The Whole Soy Story: The Dark Side of America’s Favorite Health Food. “Consumed in large amounts, soy foods can lead to serious reproductive and thyroid problems as well as malnutrition. Soy is totally unacceptable as a major food source, especially for growing children. The Israeli Health Ministry in 2005 warned its citizens that children should not eat soy foods or drink soy milk more than once per day or more than 3 times per week. It also advised adult men to exercise caution because of adverse effects on fertility.”

“Soy contains plant estrogens and other factors that may contribute to infertility problems for these school children later in life” says Fallon. “To regularly feed food products full of anti-fertility agents to young children and young men is unconscionable.”

Not a bad little beverage, with some health benefits to boot.