CAM--Complementary and Alternatice Medicine

ALTERNATIVE AND COMPLEMENTARY MEDICINE FOR PHYSICIANS

Bad habits,bad drugs and big bucks...(from page 1)

BEFORE YOU GO on, let me answer the question that's probably uppermost in your mind--that is , after years of training , and making big bucks , did I toss it all away and go into 'alternative' medicine?

The #1 reason I advocate these therapies is that they work, and show better results with much lower toxicities than therapies that are primarily pharmacologic in nature.And to be accurate , I didn't really 'toss anything away' except for some bad habits ( and some drugs that do more harm than good ).I still rely heavily on biochemistry,physiology, nutrition , etc.

IF YOU SMOKE, quit. If you don't smoke, don't start. Yeah, yeah. If you do smoke, here's a collection of facts and wisdom you can share with fellow smokers while y'all are outside freezing your butts off this winter on your smoke breaks.
Smoking will take, on average, 7-10 years off your lifespan. But those are the years at the end and they pretty much suck anyway . (I've always liked that one. )
Nicotine doesn't cause cancer. True! In fact, recent studies have found nicotine to benefit some patients suffering from Parkinson's disease,Altzheimer's, some attention disorders,etc. But the effects are transient, and nicotine's still addictive.
Cigarette companies really had us pegged when they came out with lite cigarettes. They know our urge to smoke is driven by our craving for nicotine. They also know we want to feel good about about ourselves, even when we engage in destructive behaviors. And so, the light cigarette has become the biggest selling smoke on the market. And everybody's happy. We're happy because we're watching out for our health, smoking lite smokes. They're happy because we're buying 2-3 times as many lite smokes in order to maintain our nicotine addiction.
Carbon monoxide (CO), we all know, is found in smoke in high levels--here's why it's bad for us.
We 'burn' oxygen for pretty much everything we do, including healing injuries and keeping cancer cells from reproducing and taking over. Oxygen (O2)is carried to where we need it by attaching to hemoglobin in the lungs, going to where it's needed, then hopping off. CO that gets into our lungs also wants to attach to the hemoglobin. CO and O2 compete for available hemoglobin, only CO's attachment is 200 times stronger than that of O2, and we can't 'burn' CO. Oxygen doesn't make it out of the lungs, our cells can't breathe, injuries can't heal, cancer cells don't get killed.
SO, if you're going to smoke:
-- Buy the highest nicotine smoke you can stand! Only smoke enough to satisfy your nicotine jones, then put it out (you can relight it later when no one's looking). You'll get your nicotine, with less CO.
--Don't smoke inside and don't keep your smokes in a convenient place. That way you'll smoke less--you'll light up to satisfy the addiction, not just out of habit. If anyone else in your household (esp. kids) has a history of asthma, bronchitis, earaches, sinusitis, etc., they'll have fewer problems after you get the smoke away from them. It really will make a difference. Try it and see.
--Buy some nicotine gum, patches, and/or the inhaler. It doesn't have to be an all or none situation; you can use them and smoke, too. Just not at the same time, dummy.
Again, the idea here is to keep your carbon monoxide intake to a minimum while keeping the nicotine cravings away.
FEEL FREE to add to this list; just drop us a note, and as usual, MORE SOON...
More on bad habits and bad drugs soon...

SUNSHINE !
First, you hear for years that it's good for you, then suddenly it gives you wrinkles and will kill you with skin cancer. What's a mother to do?Who to believe? It's got to the point that people are afraid to go outside without smearing SPF 2000 all over themselves and their kids.
So who's right? Both are, as usual. It's not hard to understand, if we use a little common sense and ignore 99% of what we hear in the media. Sunlight exposure is a great example of a 'good thing vs. too much of a good thing'. We all know (and have known all along) that too much sun is bad for us. What we've been forgetting, the past several years, thanks to the sensationalists, is that sunlight is also essential to good health. And we're not just talking about vitamin D here, although that's reason enough to get some sun.
OK, here's where we start another of our lists...Keep an eye on it, because as usual, it will continue to grow over time; contribute if you'd like--

How much sun each day ? There's a lot of variables to consider here--your skin type, time of day, time of year, latitude (distance from the equator), altitude, humidity, cloud cover,etc.
Note: You can and will get a sunburn on a cloudy day.
Since there's no chart or formula to dictate how much exposure we need, start out slow, preferably early morning or around sunset. Start with 10 to 15 minutes and adjust from there. Remember, though, the goal's not to get tanned, although a little color's unavoidable and OK. Keep an eye on that tan line.
A daily outing at sunrise is especially nice, with the air crisp and the world all fresh. This's a wonderful way to get a little spiritual boost/quality time with yourself or loved one. And hey, you can always go back to bed .
Don't wear sunglasses during your sunbathing sessions. More on this later. Maybe.
Wear as few clothes as possible, of course.
Note: sunblock and shades (and clothing) are still appropriate for longer periods of exposure."But my doctor told me to" doesn't work against an indecent exposure rap.
Tanning beds are acceptable, I suppose, but only if you can't get the real thing. Set them so you only get 10-20% of a dose per day.
Try showering before, and dry off in the sun, if you have the privacy (or a body that deserves showing off). You can always rinse off after, if you get sweaty, but try to avoid soap, as those new oils you just secreted are good for your skin. Skip the cologne afterward-- most folks find them offensive, but are too nice to say so.
Now you have the perfect excuse to build that greenhouse or solarium you've always wanted--it was recommended by a doctor, so it's tax deductable, right? Just be sure the glass or plastic doesn't block any ultraviolet or infrared rays.

Why are we so enthusiastic about sunlight? Stay tuned....more soon...

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