Vancouver’s Source for Health News & Information

I am so pleased to be offering Medical Needling, also known as Collagen Induction Therapy (CIT). This is a revolutionary treatment that creates smoother, tighter, brighter and younger-looking skin. It requires no downtime and is completely natural! This is an in office procedure that uses a skin roller with microscopic stainless surgical steel needles. As the needles are rolled over the skin, tiny punctures are created within the epidermis and dermis that encourage the skin’s own natural healing response, causing skin cells (fibroblasts) to migrate the point of injury and produce collagen fibres, increasing collagen production over the span of many months. Increasing collagen production is the key to younger, brighter and firmer skin. While the channels in the skin are open, I apply a Stem Factor product with 150 – 300 growth factors, which greatly enhances the results.

Are you feeling nervous about this flu season? Does your family tend to get sick often? There are so many simple things that can be done to strengthen your immune system!

Cutaneous aging signs of sun-damaged skin become visible from as early as the twenties, especially with excessive sun or environmental exposure. However between the ages of 35 to 49 years, there is a sharp increase in prevalence of skin changes clearly ascribable to photo-aging such as pigmented spots and sun-damaged skin. Awareness of the damaging effect of UV radiation on the facial appearance and sun avoidance and protection before the age of twenty will help reduce the risks for developing sun-damaged skin later in life.

I’m a huge proponent of grass-fed meat; there are numerous studies that show it has a multitude of health benefits over conventional grain-fed meats.

The Environmental Working Group (EWG) has recently put out their annual sunscreen guide.

There is no doubt that pregnant women pass pollutants (either consumed or inhaled) to their infants; the placenta does not shield a developing infant from toxic chemicals. In a study done by the Environmental Working Group (EWG), researchers found an average of 200 chemicals, pollutants and pesticides in umbilical cord blood.

Omega-3 fatty acids (EPA and DHA) are dietary essentials, and are critical to brain development and function. Increasing evidence suggests that a relative lack of omega-3 may contribute to many psychiatric and neurodevelopmental disorders. Numerous studies are pointing at the benefits of omega-3 fish oil supplementation for children diagnosed with ADHD (attention deficit hyperactivity disorder).

As if you needed another excuse to eat chocolate, right? Well new research has reported that a small daily intake of dark chocolate helps lower your blood pressure and reduce your risk for diabetes.

Chronic diseases of various types are the large majority of my clinical practice. As chronic diseases have assumed an increasingly common role in premature death and illness, interest in the role of sleep health in the development and management of chronic diseases has grown. Both insufficient and un-restorative sleep have been linked to the development and progression of a number of chronic diseases and conditions, particularly diabetes, cardiovascular disease, obesity, some types of cancer and depression.

The incidence of colorectal cancer appears to be rising across the globe. Despite this unfortunate statistic, it is imperative to recognize that early detection dramatically improves survival rates and that there are preventive measures that can substantially reduce incidence.

It is no surprise to anyone that infertility rates are on the rise. The first study in more than two decades was recently completed to measure the number of Canadians having difficulty conceiving. According to the study, 16% of couples aged 18-44 are having difficulty conceiving; this is DOUBLE since the last study was done in 1992! This is a very quick decline in fertility rates in a very short period of time.

Some of the usual suspects that affect fertility are age, obesity, smoking, and alcohol use. However there are so many other factors that can impact fertility including lifestyle, nutritional, environmental, and mental/emotional factors.

Naturopathic Medicine is ideal for addressing all issues of fertility. We take a holistic approach, addressing the many aspects of health that can contribute to fertility.

Reference

http://www.vancouversun.com/health/Infertility+rat...

A recent article in The Vancouver Sun discusses some of the negative effects of cholesterol-lowering Statin drugs. Statins are big business and big money; millions of Canadians take the pills, even those at low risk for heart disease.

Numerous recent studies have confirmed that maternal supplementation with probiotics significantly reduces the risk of atopic diseases like eczema and asthma in children.

The benefits of green tea, and its extracts such as EGCG, have been well researched and documented for the prevention and treatment of a variety of conditions including breast, prostate and ovarian cancers, arthritis pain, heart disease prevention, and migraine prevention. Recently, however, studies have highlighted new benefits for the reduction of LDL cholesterol.

Here’s some interesting research on the value of pomegranate fruit for the treatment and prevention of cardiovascular disease. It looks like there are a number of benefits, including blood pressure reduction, lipid reduction, and preventing oxidative damage to vascular endothelium. Plus it tastes good!

Reference
Antioxidant and antiatherogenic effects of pomegranate
Stacy L. Haber, Jamie K. Joy, and Roxanne Largent
Am J Health Syst Pharm July 15, 2011 68:1302-1305; doi:10.2146/ajhp100610

The latest news from the Telegraph.

“It’s better for you because it’s genetically modified.” Call me a skeptic but somehow I just don’t think so…

In this June’s issue of Archives of Opthalmology, they released a study indicating that high dietary antioxidant intake lowered the risk of age-related macular degeneration. They looked specifically at omega-3 fats EPA and DHA, zeaxanthin, lutein, zinc and beta-carotene. While this is not new information, it certainly fortifies the previous evidence. Especially in the summer months, when UV light exposure is high, there is greater need for antioxidant protection for your eyes. Wear sunscreen, hats, sunglasses and take your antioxidants!

Here is a short news clip of a colleague of ours being interviewed regarding the new provincial regulation changes regarding prescriptive authority for naturopathic doctors. This is something that the naturopathic medical profession has been working towards for years and that we finally achieved last year. Adding prescriptive authority to our scope of practice allows us to be truly holistic and comprehensive primary care physicians.

A recent review of all the significant short- and long-term randomized controlled trials and cohort studies since 1965 with respect to the use of bisphosphonate medication in the treatment of osteoporosis has revealed some very interesting insights.

The Cochrane Database for Evidence-Based Medicine just released a systematic review of the oral zinc therapy in the treatment of the common cold. Their findings suggest that there is sufficient evidence for the recommendation of taking zinc at the first sign of cold or upper respiratory tract infection to reduce the severity and duration. Not that this is big news to most people; at least we now have further evidence to support this treatment. My recommendation is to take 30mg of zinc twice per day for the duration of your cold. Don’t forget ginger tea, vitamin C, and plenty of rest!

Recent research from the Karolinska Institutet in Sweden has shown that gut bacteria has a significant influence on the production of neurotransmitters and in neural development.

Migraine headaches have been documented in ancient medical texts for thousands of years. Migraine is a debilitating condition characterized by moderate to severe headaches and nausea, about 3 times more common in women than in men.

Dr. Patrick Purdue is a Doctor of Oriental Medicine and practices in Seminole, Florida. He is nationally board certified in acupuncture, as well as certified in homotoxicology (an advanced, modern approach to homeopathic medicine). He has completed extensive post-graduate education in Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM), TCM gynecology and internal medicine, nutrition, naturopathic medicine, as well as many other areas of medicine, and has taught classes in TCM gastroenterology and prolotherapy (an injection protocol to treat chronic joint pain). Join KC Craichy, Founder and CEO of Living Fuel, as he interviews Dr. Purdue about the healing benefits of Prolotherapy.

Check out the link here.

New data showing nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs) have cardiovascular risks are putting the well-known pain relievers back in the headlines. Investigators evaluating available evidence report they have found little to suggest that any of the investigated options are safe.

Check out the link here for more details.

All the more reason to use prolotherapy as the treatment of choice for both acute and chronic musculoskeletal pain conditions.

Not All Calories Are Created Equal.

The Environmental Working Group is an amazing non-profit group that works to expose threats to our health and the environment.

The 2008/09 Annual Report of the President’s Cancer Panel was recently published; the title is “Reducing Environmental Cancer Risk”.

This is such bad news! Agave nectar/syrup has been marketed as a healthy alternative to sugar especially for diabetics because it has a low glycemic index and doesn’t spike blood sugar.

A new meta-analysis in the American Journal of Clinical Nutrition concluded that evidence does not support the conventional idea that reduced saturated fat intake is beneficial for cardiovascular health. The study shows that increased carbohydrate consumption is to blame for poor cardiovascular health, not saturated fat.

To read more about this study, visit:
http://www.medpagetoday.com/Cardiology/Atherosclerosis/18538?utm_content=GroupC&utm_medium=email&utm_campaign=DailyHeadlines&utm_source=mSpoke

There is no food I am asked about more than milk: should we drink it, should we not? What about raw milk? I wish there was a straightforward answer to that question, but unfortunately there isn’t.

The public, and especially parents, are becoming more aware of toxic chemicals found in plastic, and most ethical retailers are no longer carrying plastic items (baby bottles, water bottles, toys) that contain bisphenol A (BPA).

I’m getting so sick of hearing about H1N1, yet I’m compelled to read every article about it. Finally there is a doctor willing to take a stand about the overblown panic of the whole thing.

Reported in the Vancouver Sun today, researchers in BC have reviewed 19 studies involving 425,000 people, and have found that the risk of asthma increased by 60% in those children given acetaminophen (Tylenol®) in the year prior.

Everyone should be on Vitamin D, especially in our climate and especially with H1N1 lurking! Here is an interesting story on the protective benefits of vitamin D for H1N1.

British Columbia is currently experience an earlier resurgence of H1N1 infections than anticipated. However, the majority of the infections have been relatively mild and have not required any medical intervention at all. Let’s look at a few details of the current H1N1 influenza outbreak.

Prolotherapy, also known as regenerative injection therapy (RIT), is a non-surgical treatment for damaged ligaments and relief of musculoskeletal pain. A growth factor stimulant solution is injected into areas with ligament or connective tissue damage, stimulating injury repair and thereby naturally strengthen the connective tissue.

Proper training leading up to a race or athletic event is extremely important for successful completion and prevention of unnecessary injuries. However, proper nutrition and hydration is as, if not more, important than the training leading up to a race. Athletes need to carefully plan pre-competition eating to prevent fatigue during events and to maintain optimal energy levels throughout.