Category: General

Testosterone may be beneficial as a treatment for CAD because testosterone can improve conditions that contribute to heart disease, such as diabetes, obesity, high cholesterol, and triglycerides. Testosterone improves conditions that contribute to heart disease by: dilating the arteries, improving circulation, and lowering blood pressure in most studies (Dubey et al. 2002). Because some people get an increase in blood pressure with testosterone therapy, it is very important to monitor blood pressure. binding to receptors on the arterial wall. Testosterone receptors have been found within human arteries, including aortic, coronary, pulmonary, and carotid arteries, providing evidence that it can affect the arterial wall (Muller et al. 2004). lowering LDL, triglycerides, and Lp(a). activating nitric oxide synthase and, thus, increasing nitric oxide-dependent vasodilatation (Jones, Hugh Jones, and Channer 2004). converting into estrogen via the aromatase enzyme. Normal levels of estrogen may have a beneficial impact on the arterial wall in men. If your total testosterone is normal (say, above 350), your free testosterone may still be low. Make sure to ask for total and free testosterone. If you are borderline low, your doctor may be unwilling to prescribe testosterone. Don’t despair, because there are methods for raising the free level with...

CHRONIC FATIGUE SYNDROME  Although newly defined and currently popular, CFS is not a new disease at all. References to a similar condition in the medical literature go back as far as the 1860s. In the past, chronic fatigue syndrome has been known by a variety of names including, among many others: •   chronic mononucleosis-like syndrome or chronic EBV syndrome •   Yuppie flu •   postviral fatigue syndrome •   post-infectious neuromyasthenia •   chronic fatigue and immune dysfunction syndrome (CFIDS) •   Iceland disease •   Royal Free Hospital disease In addition, symptoms of chronic fatigue syndrome mirror symptoms of neurasthenia, a condition first described in 1869.Although a definitive cause of CFS has not been determined, one of the most persuasive hypotheses is that various triggering events, such as stress or a viral infection, may lead to the chronic expression of cytokines and then to CFS. Physical or emotional stress, which is commonly reported in CFS patients, activates the hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal axis, or HPA axis, leading to increased release of cortisol and other hormones. Long-term activation of this axis may lead to adrenal fatigue/exhaustion. Cortisol and corticotrophin-releasing hormone (CRH), which are also produced during the activation of the HPA axis, influence the immune system and many...

Coconut oil is a highly saturated vegetable fat that has a very good smoke point profile. This means that coconut oil can handle much higher heat than other oils. This is important because it is the oxidative changes from high heat that makes many oils bad for us. As a rule of thumb, if an oil is smoking in the pan the heat is too high. Recent studies on olive oil indicate that the beneficial poly-phenols in olive oil begin to get destroyed even below the smoke point. In a recent study from Barcelona in the journal of antioxidants, the effects of heat on extra virgin olive oil was studied. They found that at 120 Celsius 40 percent of the polyphenols were destroyed and data showed that at 170 Celsius up to 70 private percent of the polyphenols were degraded. The results of the study showed that during the process of sautéing, there was a definite degradation of the polyphenols of EVOO. Time also played a role, the researchers found. It affected some of the phenols such as hydroxytyrosol, but the overall content of polyphenols was unaltered with the long term heat exposure to the oil. The team noted that...

Post-flood Mold Information and Resources

Breaking news for those affected by allergy or mold in the greater Denver and Boulder area: A new type of immunotherapy is now available. The recent flooding has given rise to more indoor mold problems than ever before. Mold can hide behind walls which adds to the problem. Mold can be toxic to people and animals as well as cause allergy symptoms. Bottom line: people can get sick and allergies can get worse. Immunotherapy (allergy shots) is a treatment in which small, regular doses of the same allergens that trigger symptoms are given to a patient. This is sometimes also referred to as desensitization therapy. The concept is very naturopathic (treat the cause with natural methods) and even homeopathic (like cures like). There is a new exciting form of immunotherapy now known as sublingual immunotherapy, or SLIT, in which daily doses of allergens are dropped under the tongue by the patient in their own home. This is NEW, convenient and very effective. Plus you don’t have to drive to the doctor’s office to get a shot every week. Typically allergy shots are administered in the doctor’s office, weekly, for a period of 3 to 5 years and then discontinued. Commonly...