Womens Health
More reasons to avoid Soy products.
10 October 2008The Evil That Soy Does!?!
This came into my inbox on Tuesday from Dr. Mercola’s newsletter posted for all to read at his website Mercola.com
We have already written about the merits or rather demerits of consuming too much soy, but now it seems that any amount is too much if it is the wrong genetically modified, processed version such as soy lecithin. Soy lecithin is incredibly hard to avoid especially if you choose to eat those processed food varieties. To make the processed food stable and give it a shelf life longer than your carrots, companies simply have to add products to your food to make it last, be it high salt content, preservatives, additives or soy. Consuming any of these products in high quantities can be detrimental to your health. As always fresh is best when it comes to what you are putting in your body.
Dr. Mercola goes on to say: What’s So Wrong With Soy?
Unlike the Asian culture, where people eat small amounts of whole soybean products, western food processors separate the soybean into two golden commodities–protein and oil. And there is nothing natural or safe about these products.
Says Dr. Kaayla Daniel, author of The Whole Soy Story, “Today’s high-tech processing methods not only fail to remove the anti-nutrients and toxins that are naturally present in soybeans but leave toxic and carcinogenic residues created by the high temperatures, high pressure, alkali and acid baths and petroleum solvents.”
Dr. Daniel also points out the findings of numerous studies reviewed by her and other colleagues — that soy does not reliably lower cholesterol, and in fact raises homocysteine levels in many people, which has been found to increase your risk of stroke, birth defects, and yes: heart disease.
Other common health problems linked to a high-soy diet include:
Thyroid Problems, including weight gain, lethargy, malaise, fatigue, hair loss, and loss of libido
Premature puberty and other developmental problems in babies, children and adolescents
Brain damage
Reproductive disorders
Weakened immune system
Severe, potentially fatal food allergies.
Most soy, perhaps about 80 percent or more, is also genetically modified, which adds its own batch of health concerns.
Despite these findings, many people still want to believe the hype, thinking that these studies must somehow be wrong. But the content of soy itself should be a clue. For example, non-fermented soy products contain:
• Phytoestrogens (isoflavones) genistein and daidzein, which mimic and sometimes block the hormone estrogen
• Phytates, which block your body’s uptake of minerals
• Enzyme Inhibitors, which hinder protein digestion
• Hemaggluttin, which causes red blood cells to clump together and inhibits oxygen take-up and growth
• High amounts of omega-6 fat, which is pro-inflammatory
To read the article in its entirety and also view comments posted by Dr.Mercola’s readers go to the Mercola website. Simply put, Mercola has a plethera of information on reasons not to consume Soy. It is such an important topic to understand, as more and more in the coming months, companies are going to be touting soy as the next big health food/drink. In reality soy is not the answer to your health situation, a well-balanced, nutritious diet with adequate amounts of exercise is. Read the articles, become informed and choose whether soy is right for you based on the information you find out not just on what we can write here.
Make an adjustment: Stay Healthy ~ Be Happy!
Call Dr. Paul or Dr. Susan at 303.674.1500 or email office@fontanachiro.com
An update on the effectiveness of D-mannose.
29 September 2008An update on D-Mannose to resolve urinary tract infections. I had previously written: “This new product that these (UTI) bacteria are highly attracted to will kill bad bacteria fast. In fact they would rather bind to this substance than the lining of the urinary tract. When the proper dose is taken the bacteria promptly detach from the urinary tract lining and bind to this substance. Now the freely floating bacteria attached to this substance is then eliminated upon urination flushing the infection away. ”
After a trial by fire this weekend, I can say that in my case, the D-mannose failed to perform as suggested. Sadly I am back on antibiotic treatments after a hellish weekend of waiting for the supplement to do its work. I must confess to not using this as a preventative treatment, I only started to use it once I already had a UTI and maybe that was the error. I gave it my best shot taking 12 pills over the course of 5 hours and the following day taking 12 pills over 12 hours. It did initially seem to ward of the symptoms but after about 24 hours on the supplement my symptoms came back with avengeance.
It seems as this may be natural answer for some people in knocking out a bacterial infection, but not in my case. Not one to give up, although I am resigned to antibiotics again this time, I have already found the following cures at Home Remedies, and I will be trying these the next time.
- A mixture of 1/2 tsp baking soda in eight ounce glass of water can be very helpful on the first signs of urinary tract infection. The presence of baking soda in your system raises the acid-base balance of the acidic urine.
- It is very important for your system to have a good flow of urine. This can be done by consuming plenty of water. It cleanses your body by diluting and flushing out the unwanted substance.
- Cranberry juice disallows bacteria to cling to the cell, which line the urinary tract. It is a great remedy to fight this infection. If you cannot have the cranberry juice directly you can mix it with apple juice to add some taste.
- You can make an essential oil by using equal parts of sandalwood, bergamot, tea tree, frankincense and juniper. Mix all these ingredients to make an oil to be rubbed over your bladder area. Continue this massaging technique for three to four days once the symptoms subside.
- You can consume at least two capsules three times a day of Echinacea and Oregon grape root or goldenseal to fight the infection.
- In acute cases try having 1/2 tsp of tincture every hour. Severe infection needs severe measures. Blend equal parts of pipsissewa, buchu, echinacea, and uva ursi tinctures. Have 20 drops of this blended mixture every two hours for first two days and later 1 tsp four times a day, till you have completely recovered. Have a soothing tea such as marshmallow root to counter the strong antiseptic effect of urva ursi.
We would love to know what works for other people. Let us know by posting your comments about your experience with this supplement or other supplements that you found that you consider the cure all for you.
Make an adjustment: Stay Healthy ~ Be Happy
Call Dr. Paul or Dr. Susan for your next chiropractic appointment at
303.674.1500 or email office@fontanachiro.com
Subluxations and other chiropractor speak.
16 May 2008Subluxations and other chiropractor speak.
Bad back? Pain in your hips? Sciatica, or some other unexplained pain in your wrist, ankle or another part of your body. It could be a subluxation! But what is a subluxation? It isn’t catching or contagious that’s for sure. A simple explanation is that a subluxation is when one or more of the bones of your spine (vertebrae) move out of position and create pressure on, or irritate, spinal nerves. Because of pressure and irritation the nerves don’t work properly and the end result it that the signal traveling along those nerves is interrupted. As your nervous system is responsible for all the functions in your body having a malfunctioning nerve signal is going to have a domino effect on the rest of your body. It’s fairly obvious that if parts if your body are not getting the correct nerve messages the result is that some part of your body will not be working as it should. Your chiropractor is an expert at locating these subluxations to reduce or correct the problem, this is done with regular chiropractic adjustments specifically designed to correct the vertebral subluxations in the spine. Your chiropractor has undergone years of training to be an expert in recognizing and correcting subluxations.
When your spine is out of alignment, your central nervous system reacts. People who have regular chiropractic adjustments do so to both maintain their good health and also because keeping the spine nice and straight reduces or eliminates all kinds of chronic symptoms. Chiropractic care can help provide seasonal allergy relief, alleviate sinus problems, eradicate sleep problems, ease back pain, reduce sciatica and clear ear infections. Those are just a small number of ailments that having regular adjustments can help improve. It’s important to understand that chiropractic isn’t curing these illnesses, once the Chiropractor finds and adjusts the subluxation the normal energy flow throughout the body is restored, this enables the body to then take care of its own healing. The Chiropractor is removing the obstruction, allowing the bodies own healing power to take effect.
YouTube has an amazing video about pregnancy and infant care using chiropractic techniques. It is also an interesting video to watch if you have never had chiropractic care, you will see that the whole adjustment and care process is painless, fast and really quite gentle.
So the next time you are feeling under the weather, or you have that nagging pain in your leg or back, or that you are just not sleeping well, take a visit to your chiropractor and regain the ability to help your body heal itself.
Make an adjustment, Stay Healthy ~ Be Happy: Call Dr. Paul or Dr. Susan Fontana Chiropractic in Evergreen Colorado, at 303.674.1500 to schedule your next appointment or email
One More – or One Less? HPV Vaccine – you decide.
2 May 2008HPV Vaccine – harm or help?
One Less – you bet, I am going to be one less parent that subjects their child to the HPV (GARDASIL) vaccine.
I watch the advertising on the television and it makes me sad; the final 2 seconds listing the adverse reactions are mediocre to say the least. As I searched the internet I found a list of over 5000 reactions that have been reported (including 3 deaths from the vaccine) it seems dizziness and passing out might be the most common symptom. It appears there are so many children reporting this particular side-effect that doctor’s giving the shot are instructed to watch the patient for at least 20 minutes after they administer the vaccine. Ok, anything that makes my daughter pass out or get dizzy just doesn’t sound good? What is it in the vaccine that causes this reaction? What is in this vaccine that would cause a child to pass out up to 20 minutes after they get the shot? Few parents are aware of the clinical trials full details and it appears that the FDA allowed MERCK to market this drug, after only around 1200 girls under 16 were included in the trials, although the vaccine is recommended to begin with girls as young as 11. Twenty-eight states including the District of Columbia have passed regulations to say that girls as young as 11 should have this vaccine, this in addition to the other multiple doses of vaccines that are already required of our young children before the age of 12. “The U.S. Centers for Disease Control panel that recommended routine HPV vaccination told Merck that it opposed making Gardasil mandatory, the Washington Times reported.” Corpwatch. has an excellent article about Merck and the Guardasil vaccine.
According to a press release on the HPV vaccine at 909shot, when administered with other vaccinations the results can be catastrophic as evidenced in parts of the following article, (to read the complete article) Washington, August 15, 2007 – The National Vaccine Information Center (NVIC) today issued a new report on HPV vaccine (Gardasil®) safety analyzing adverse event reports to the federal Vaccine Adverse Event Reporting System (VAERS). The analysis gives evidence for a reported association in VAERS between Gardasil and Guillain-Barre Syndrome (GBS), with a statistically significant increased risk of GBS and other serious adverse event reports when Gardasil is co-administered with other vaccines, especially meningococcal vaccine (Menactra®). … GBS is a disorder in which the body’s immune system attacks part of the peripheral nervous system, and can cause total paralysis. …A total of 1,930 reported Gardasil adverse events involved administration of Gardasil alone, and 135 adverse events involved co-administration of Gardasil with Menactra. NVIC’s comparative analysis of those two categories of VAERS reports indicates that when Gardasil was given simultaneously with Menactra rather than alone, there was a statistically significant increased risk of reported adverse events:
• respiratory problem reports increased by 114 percent;
• cardiac problems reports increased by 118 percent;
• neuromuscular and coordination problem reports increased by 234 percent;
• convulsions and central nervous system problem reports increased by 301 percent;
• reports of injuries from falls after unconsciousness increased by 674 percent; and
• GBS reports increased by 1,130 percent”
There are many parents protesting the vaccine being mandated for young girls. Some parents say that even the CDC is concerned as this vaccine only covers 2 of the 13 HPV viruses that cause cervical cancer, they don’t want girls lulled into a false sense of security after they have this vaccination. Its estimated that $4billion will be spent on giving this vaccination, when that money might be far better spent understanding what these vaccinations are doing to our children. The more you dig the more you hear the same rumor, only a few hundred young girls were studied for this vaccine, most of the participants were aged over 16, the three shot course of Gardasil only covers limited types of HPV and the side-effects of the shots can be catastrophic if not fatal. Its not just the results of this study that was painfully inadequate, MERCK chose (and was allowed by the FDA) to use an aluminum based placebo for their trials instead of a safer saline based placebo, animal and human studies have previously shown that aluminum can cause nerve cell death. It is NVIC’s position that this vaccine has not been tested adequately for the population that will be getting it.
The National Vaccine Information Center (NVIC) has compiled reports of 5758 events with vaccine HPV4. All are reports sent to the VAERS {Vaccine Adverse Event Reporting System}; scroll through to read dates of vaccine administration and side-effects reported.
In addition to the other stories posted at 909Shot, the National Vaccine Information Center conducted a small survey (January, 2007) … of private pediatrician offices in the Washington, D.C. area. Four pediatric practices in the Northern Virginia area were contacted to determine the total cost of the HPV three-dose series, administration fees and office visit charges. The cost for GARDASIL vaccine and administration fees ranged from $420 to $825 for a three-dose series plus additional charges for each office visit to receive the shot.
Dr Mercola answers to the financial ties also in an article posted at his website: “Who is Dr. Paul Offit?” … I personally didn’t recognize the name but perhaps I should. Dr. Mercola goes on to say, “…he is a fairly frequent commentator for the pro-vaccination camp. But what do you know about Dr. Offit? Dr. Offit, a.k.a. Paul “For Profit” Offit, by some vaccination opponents, is not just a doctor who believes that vaccinations save lives. Dr. Offit is also one of the patent holders of the rotavirus vaccine (Patent Application number 353547), and the recipient of a $350,000 grant from Merck for its development. Additionally, he is a consultant to Merck Pharmaceuticals. Talk about conflict of interest. Jeesh! But that’s not all. And if that doesn’t scare you silly go ahead and read this account detailing Jenny McCarthy’s son’s struggle with autism and how she believes environmental factors, including vaccinations contributed to his autism.
If you are curious about the vaccination schedule your child needs to adhere to, the CDC has a list of required vaccines with their individual fact sheet: Here you will find the CDC’s list regarding the current vaccination requirements and side-effects.
The debate comes down to this for me, I have a 3 year old daughter so I am confident that by the time she reaches 11 years old this country will have woken up and have done research into the damage vaccinations cause. I am not anti-vaccine, I think virus prevention is a great idea, but I think we need to be more cognizant of the ingredients and their effects on developing brains and bodies, and I think we need to pay attention to who is pushing through new vaccine legislation. After all there are so many drugs hailed as a cure to whatever it is that ails you, and then ultimately the drug ends up being removed from the market and the families or the injured party if they are lucky and don’t die, end up in a class-action lawsuit. Remember Fen-Phen, Baycol , Vioxx , Bextra (Celebrex warning), Rezulin and Zelnorm to name just a few.
If the FDA decides that a drug’s benefits outweigh its risks, the agency approves the drug for marketing. That doesn’t mean the drug is safe or has no damaging side effects, it just means that overall the treatment is effective and safe for most people, or the evidence at that time suggests that is the case. My son was given Prilosec when he was approximately 8 months old, I took one look at the side effects and threw the packets away, some of the side effects listed were bloody or cloudy urine, changes in vision, infrequent or frequent urge to urinate, mild skin rash or itching, and more severe : signs of liver damage, redness, tenderness, itching, burning, or peeling of skin signs of an allergic reaction (such as difficulty breathing, hives, swelling of the face or throat) signs of bleeding (such as easy bruising, bleeding gums, nosebleeds, vomiting blood, blood in the urine, dark tarry stools), this to a baby? I understand that the really negative effects only occur in approximately 1% of cases, but if you or your babies are part of the 1% it can be more than devastating. Pay attention, get the facts and work on staying healthy, medication should always be the last resort.
Make an adjustment, stay healthy ~ be happy: Call Dr. Paul or Dr. Susan at 303.674.1500 or email
Industrial Chemicals cause damage to children
25 February 2008Industrial Chemicals Cause Damage to Children.
Children who are exposed to the thousands of synthetic chemicals in our environment are at greater risk of developing various health, behavior and learning problems. When the exposure takes place before birth or in the early months of life, the potential for damage is particularly high. What’s more, the research suggests that’s not only is the infant likely to be harmed, but succeeding generations may be impacted as well.
In 2007 two hundred scientists from around the world met at the Faroe Islands to share their findings and call for decisive steps to address the thousands of toxic chemicals in our environment that are causing harm. Industries and governmental agencies have resisted taking any action, claiming that there is little evidence of harm from the thousands of chemicals in our air, water, food and consumer products.
In the United States, a key figure in determining policy has been James L. Connaughton, Senior Environmental Advisor and Chairman of the White House Council on Environmental Quality. His appointment was unanimously confirmed by the Senate in June of 2001. The Environmental Working Group reports “Before being appointed to this position, Connaughton was one of the Capitol Hill’s most successful lobbyists for the mining, chemical, industrial and asbestos industries.”
Of all the organs impacted by exposure, the developing brain is the most vulnerable. Not only is the child’s IQ likely to be reduced, the early exposure can impact on the muscles and nerves and possibly lead to Parkinson’s or Alzheimer’s diseases later in life.
Exposure to lead, pesticides and cigarette smoke has been found to set a child up for ADHD symptoms.
The baby’s immune system and cardiovascular system can be damaged by chemical exposure and the reproductive system is especially vulnerable.
If an infant’s metabolic system is damaged by such chemicals he will have a difficult time using nutrients appropriately, putting him at risk for obesity and diabetes.
Among chemicals named as most hazardous by the researchers are: pesticides, lead, arsenic, mercury, flame retardants and PCB’s.
Prenatal Exposure to Cigarettes
Researchers at the University of Washington studied a group of 133 children ages 7 to 15 with behavioral disorders. They found that children whose mother’s smoked during their pregnancy or whose mother’s were exposed to second-hand smoke during the pregnancy had more severe behavior problems than those who did not have the exposure. They believe that exposure to nicotine could make the child more likely to exhibit impulsive behaviors.
Reprinted from Pure Facts, the newsletter of the Feingold Association of the United States, http://www.feingold.org/
Make an adjustment, stay healthy ~ be happy: Call Dr. Paul or Dr. Susan at (303) 674 1500 to schedule a consultation or email office@fontanachiro.com
Probiotics, Prebiotics, and other natural digestive aids.
22 February 2008PROBITOICS AND DAILY LIVING
Probiotics have been making the news recently with the advent of specially formulated yogurts, cereals and other fortified foods. More and more we see foods appearing on the supermarket shelves boasting added bacteria strains for healthy digestion. In reality if you have no remarkable digestive issues and you don’t want to add another supplement to your daily regime, the easiest way to introduce good bacteria into your diet is through yogurt, buttermilk or kefir (available at any health food store), these products all contain strains of healthy bacteria. However you need to eat them regularly, and in quantity, to make sure you make the most of the benefits. If you do have some indigestion, stomach upsets, digestive disorders, or are interested in adding some positive changes to your routine and helping that digestive process along, you might want to look at adding healthy bacteria to your diet. When you mention the words bacteria and healthy in the same sentence it confuses people, but we must remember not all bacteria are detrimental to your health, and may, in fact, provide some health benefits, particularly those in the Lactobacillus and Bifidobacteria genera. And here is where the Probiotic comes in.
What are Probiotics?
One widely used definition, developed by the World Health Organization and the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations, is that “Probiotics are live microorganisms, which, when administered in adequate amounts, confer a health benefit on the host.” (Microorganisms are tiny living organisms—such as bacteria, viruses, and yeasts—that can be seen only under a microscope.) The live microorganisms that are similar to beneficial microorganisms found in the human gut. They are also called “friendly bacteria” or “good bacteria.” The most common strains are thought to be Lactobacillus acidophilus and Bifidobacterium bifidus.
A few common Probiotics (the word means “for life”), such as Saccharomyces boulardii, are YEASTS, which are different from bacteria. My son takes a combination of Prebiotics (Prebiotics are non-digestible food ingredients that selectively stimulate the growth and/or activity of beneficial microorganisms already in people’s colons), Probiotics, in addition to a daily dose of Saccharomyces. We utilize all three remedies to combat reactions to antibiotics prescribed for parasites, anaerobic bacteria and a yeast overgrowth which we have found through testing of his gut.
For those who suffer from Celiac disease, or similar reactive gut disorders, you may find that Probiotics helps with some of the symptoms associated with flare-ups of these conditions.
Probiotics are widely available, usually in the refrigerator section of your health food store. To learn more about how Probiotics were discovered and the positive actions of Probiotics check out THE NIBBLE.
A good Probiotic should not be terribly expensive; in fact we consider it a fairly inexpensive investment for good stomach health. Many of my friends with toddlers or infants will use Probiotics to combat what GI specialists term as “Toddler diarrhea” apparently a common complaint in children from age 6 months to 5 years old.
If you are taking antibiotics it’s a great time to add the Probiotics to your diet along with your daily medication, especially if the course is going to be longer than the standard ten days. If you expect to be on the antibiotics for a long period, you may consider adding in the Saccharomyces boulardii in addition to the Probiotics, to further combat the yeast overgrowth that often occurs while taking antibiotics.
When it comes around to immunization time, a good dose over several days before and after the immunizations of Probiotics, vitamin C and Omega 3 fish oils may actually counteract some of the negative side effects we often see with the shots; it also may help those internal pathways remove toxins from our bodies more efficiently.
The effect of a yeast infection on a child can be very troubling, and you may not realize the behaviors associated with yeast overgrowth. My son in particular will become very noise sensitive, hyperactive, unable to focus and generally quite aggressive when his yeast gets out of control. The first sign we watch for is him covering his ears and telling us that sounds make his ears hurt, a quick check of his tongue usually confirms it’s a yeast problem. He uses pro/prebiotics combinations daily and we expect this will continue at least through his childhood if not his adult life. Read more about how childhood yeast problems may affect your child.
Is there a link between yeast and Autism behaviours?
Read one study that concludes “There is a great deal of evidence that a form of yeast, candida (rhymes with “Canada”) albicans, may cause autism and may exacerbate many behavior and health problems in autistic individuals, especially those with late-onset autism”. The paper linking autism, developmental delays, behaviour problems and yeast, by The Center for the Study of Autism can be read here.
One brand of probiotic is Udo’s Choice™ these, like all Probiotics, work to maintain the delicate balance of “good” or “friendly” bacteria in the gastro-intestinal tract. According to the Udo’s Choice website: Probiotics derive from the extensive group of friendly micro-organisms already present in nature that we commonly obtain from yogurt and raw foods. Udo’s Choice™ Probiotic Blends consist of SIX distinct varieties, each engineered for a specific age group or condition:
- Infant’s Blend, Children’s Blend,
Adult’s Blend,
Advanced Adult’s Blend (for seniors),
Hi-Potency Bowel Blend,
Super 8 Hi-Potency,
And Super 5 Lozenge.
You can go to UDO’s Choice to learn more about their products and the strains of Probiotics available.
Make an adjustment, stay healthy ~ be happy: Call Dr. Paul or Dr. Susan at (303) 674 1500 to schedule a consultation or email office@fontanachiro.com