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Fish oil contains both DHA and EPA. These are essential fatty acids for human health. They can be made from plant-based oils that contain alpha linolenic acid in foods such as nuts, flaxseeds, and leafy greens. But the conversion is not always easy to do in the human body.  Evidence is accumulating supporting a better effect from DHA over EPA for cardiovascular protection. DHA is more effective at lowering blood pressure and improving endothelia...

Steve Parcell, ND Statins are either mainly lipophilic (fat loving) or hydrophillic (water loving). Those that have the least amount of blood brain barrier permeability include pravastatin, rosuvastatin and atorvastatin. 26% of cholesterol in humans is found in the brain. Studies indicate there is more benefit than risk when it comes to taking statins and even some improvement in patients with dementia. Just to be safe take one with the least blo...

Steve Parcell, ND Sometimes I like to cut and paste the abstract. I consider this important news and plan to discuss it with a number of my patients on simvaststin. J Am Coll Cardiol. 2013 Apr 10. pii: S0735-1097(13)01403-4. doi: 10.1016/j.jacc.2013.02.074. [Epub ahead of print] Simvastatin impairs exercise training adaptations. Division of Cardiology at Duke University Medical Center, Durham, NC. Abstract OBJECTIVES: Determine if simvastatin imp...

Steve Parcell, ND The hormonal hypothesis is one of the most important biologically plausible hypotheses in prostate cancer etiology. In addition to hormones, other possible causative factors include; dietary fat, calcium, dairy products and genetic polymorphisms.  The purpose of this paper is to provide a background for the understanding of how various hormones may be implicated in this disease. Because of the difficulty in measuring hormon...

Stephen W. Parcell, N.D. As long ago as 2737 B.C., Chinese Emperor Shen Nung was boiling drinking water when the leaves of a nearby bush fell into the pot, creating a wonderful smelling drink and the first pot of tea. Coffee originated in Africa around 575 A.D., where beans were used as money and consumed as food. Eleventh century Arabs were known to have coffee beverages.  While exploring the New World, Spanish conquistadors were treated to...