According to Reuters, researchers in Canada have found that serious bacterial or viral infections of the digestive system may lead to irritable bowel syndrome or functional dyspepsia, which includes the symptoms of heartburn, indigestion and fullness.

The research team followed nearly 1,100 individuals who lived in Walkerton, Ontario during an outbreak of bacterial gastroenteritis when the town’s water supply was contaminated with cow manure.

They found that among those who became sickened during the outbreak, 50 percent had symptoms of dyspepsia eight years afterwards, compared to 30 percent of the people who didn’t get sick during the original outbreak.

The researchers write in the journal Gastroenterology that severe stomach viruses "have the ability to trigger symptoms that affect the upper, as well as the lower gastrointestinal tract, with long-lasting consequences."

Among some ways to combat heartburn include avoiding acidic and other foods known to trigger symptoms, cutting back on portion sizes, eating slowly, avoiding eating within a few hours of going to sleep, adding living enzymes to the diet and wearing loose-fitting clothing.

First of all, it’s important for people to know what causes their heartburn. According to WebMD.com, common food triggers include chocolate, orange juice, coffee, tomato-based sauces, wine and high-fat foods. Eliminating reflux-causing foods and cutting back on portion sizes can help reduce the occurrence of heartburn. Eating slowly can help too.

Sufferers should avoid eating late at night. Eating at least two or three hours before lying down is recommended to give the stomach time to digest and empty some of the acids that can cause pain. Individuals who have heartburn at night are advised to raise the tops of their beds with blocks or to prop themselves up with pillows.

Losing weight can help manage acid reflux as well, as can quitting smoking and wearing loose-fitting clothes, according to WebMD.com.

Kevin Trudeau, author of Natural Cures They Don’t Want You To Know About tells NaturalNews.com that eating raw, organic foods and adding living enzymes to the diet can eliminate heartburn. He also says drinking a tablespoon of raw apple cider vinegar before meals will stop acid reflux.

The most common symptoms of acid reflux are chest pain and heartburn. It may also result in stomach acid and contents rising in the back into your throat, and ejecting through your mouth, or regurgitation. It may be followed by a bitter taste in your mouth and a burning pain in your throat.

Since these symptoms often rear their heads at night—lack of sleep, exhaustion and low energy levels are common problems that result from the condition.

And over time, the digestive acids can begin to eat away at the lining of your esophagus, possibly leading to esophageal cancer—a disease that kills about 13,000 Americans each year.

What you need is a proper balance of stomach acid levels. You need your stomach to produce acid during meals… not between meals. And the “good” stomach acid you need is called hydrochloric acid (HCl). In fact, you need about two grams of HCl to digest a simple meal—but by age 50, many of us are lacking about 85 percent of the HCl that we need!

And scientists have also discovered that the prescription and over-the-counter drugs intended to neutralize and kill the bad acids in your stomach are also destroying the necessary good levels of HCl.

Another possible cause of your acid reflux could be a lack of critical digestive enzymes—they break down the foods you eat so they can get absorbed into your body. Unfortunately, as you get older, you produce fewer digestive enzymes, which can cause acid reflux.

So what is the solution? Many suggestions have been offered—don’t smoke… don’t overeat… avoid alcohol and high fat meals—all very sensible advice for overall health.

But you may have been told to avoid your favorite foods and beverages… sit upright for an hour after eating… or prop up the head of your bed to help you sleep. What a pain!

I suggest you take an all-natural supplement to give you the needed levels of good HCl during meals, and to help stop too much “bad” acid production between meals. And for this, I highly recommend my True Health™ Ultimate Digestion Formula™.

I read your article “For A Deeper Cleanse… Try This” about fasting and I want to fast for all of the reasons you stated. However, I suffer from hypothyroidism and take Synthroid® everyday. Is it safe to do a liquid or water fast under this condition? Would it be safe to stop this medication during a fast? —Kathy L.

Dear Kathy,

The liquid fast (where you drink only water for an average of three to 10 days) will only improve your thyroid condition, not hurt it. Here are some of the effects you can expect with a water fast:

• Weight loss with little or no hunger.
• Detoxification, breaking down fat reserves and mobilizing stored toxins to be eliminated.
• Digestive system is allowed to rest.
• Resolve inflammatory processes, including painful arthritic conditions.
• Relief from allergic reactions, such as asthma and hay fever.
• Relief from abnormal fluid accumulations such as leg edema.
• Helps restore blood pressure to healthy levels.
• Clearer skin, and revitalized taste buds.
• And much more…

All the while, you are preparing yourself and your stomach for a lifestyle change to whole, natural foods.

However, keep taking your thyroid replacement medication. It has a gradual effect on metabolism. Only reduce the amount when you are feeling you need less, but please don’t forget to follow-up with a TSH (thyroid-stimulating hormone) level test with your doctor.

For more questions and answers like this one, check out my monthly newsletter, Easy Health Options™, by visiting www.easyhealthoptions.com.

All the best!
Michael Cutler, M.D.

Dear Health Conscious Individual,

Welcome to House Calls with Dr. Cutler™!

In this week’s issue, we will discuss getting your body in complete balance. This means monitoring your pH levels, which can ultimately lead to health problems if not kept in check. Be sure to read my checklist and see if you’re in danger!

Body balance also means eliminating free radicals from your system. The abundance of these floating molecules in your body could increase your risk for health problems!

Plus, can you truly spot organic and natural foods? Read below to find out how…

Yours for healthy living,

Michael Cutler, M.D.
Medical Advisor, True Health™

Do You Have Symptoms of Irregular pH Balance?

It’s no secret that your body is made up of about 70 percent water. Every one of your 100 trillion cells is filled with water. And every other chemical in your body—from the stomach acid you need to digest food… to the blood that carries oxygen and nutrients to the cells of all your organs—either contain water or are suspended in water.

Therefore, for you to be healthy, that water needs to have a healthy pH balance—even out into the tissues of the organs where metabolism actually occurs. The letters “pH” mean “potential of hydrogen” and simply measure how acidic or alkaline your body is on a logarithmic scale from 0 to 14.

Your body will work hard to keep your organ tissues in pH balance. You will achieve optimum health much easier when your organ tissues stay in a slightly alkaline environment—about 7.0 to 7.5 as measured by saliva.

Blood pH is very different, however. It remains in the 7.34 to 7.38 pH range normally. And urine is normally acidic at a pH of 6.2 to 6.8 upon your first morning bathroom visit. What some people don’t realize is that saliva is a fairly good reflection of tissue pH which can vary, while blood pH will be one of the very last things to change in a sick person.

Is an acidic pH balance behind YOUR symptoms? Take this simple test:

1. Do you suffer from high blood pressure, a failing heart or other heart problems?
2. Do your joints feel stiff, inflamed and painful or do you suffer from bone loss?
3. Has a doctor told you that your blood sugar levels are too high or too low?
4. Are you finding it more difficult to get a good night’s sleep?
5. Do you suffer from constant fatigue or energy crashes after meals?
6. Do you frequently endure cramping, constipation, heartburn or other digestive problems?
7. Do you sometimes feel depressed, negative and cranky?
8. Have you noticed that your ability to solve problems or to remember details is lacking?
9. Do you sometimes suffer from shortness of breath or other lung problems?
10. Do you experience pain, numbness or tingling in your hands, legs or feet?
11. Is your skin or hair aging more rapidly than they should?
12. Do you notice that your eyesight or hearing is fading at an alarming rate?
13. Do you suffer from low sexual desire or performance problems?
14. Do you contract infections more often with each passing year?

If you answered “YES” to one or more of these questions, there’s a good chance that you may be suffering from acid overload. In addition to the best nutrition you can consume, the next step is to supplement with alkalizing minerals.

Antioxidants: Your Body’s Natural Housekeeper

Did you know that the presence of free radicals in your system could increase your risk of health problems? But, despite the damaging effects they can have on your health, there’s great news! You can fight off—and even PREVENT the attack of free radicals naturally!

Here’s how: Your body has a natural defense system of antioxidants. Antioxidants are molecules that can safely interact with free radicals and terminate the chain reaction before vital molecules are damaged. Simply put, antioxidants play a housekeeper’s role by “mopping up” free radicals before they get the chance to do harm to your body.

Antioxidants are produced by your body and taken in through foods you eat. Take the well-known L-glutathione, for example. It is produced by the body from three amino acids called: cysteine, glycine and glutamic acid. L-glutathione functions as an electron donor molecule for those free radicals that are stealing electrons from healthy stable molecular structures.

In this way, L-glutathione turns oxidized (damaged) vitamins back to their original molecular configuration. For example, vitamins C and E that get oxidized are restored as antioxidants. L-glutathione also destroys reactive oxygen molecules (such as superoxide, hydroxyl and other free radicals).

Antioxidant vitamins A, C, E, omega-3 fatty acids, minerals, glutathione, proteolytic enzymes, and a host of other antioxidant substances are scientifically proven to slow down the aging process. Furthermore, a diet rich in antioxidants helps keep your skin looking younger, improves your memory—and can even REVERSE many health problems!

It’s important to remember that free radical damage accumulates with age. If the production of free radicals becomes excessive, gradual severe damage can occur. So, the best way to ensure adequate intake of antioxidant nutrients is through a predominately whole foods diet.

For example, consuming six vegetable and three fruit servings per day will provide you with optimal amounts of fiber and micronutrients. Then, if approximately half of all your food is cooked and the other half is raw, then you are really on your way to true health!

Organic and Natural Food Products vs. Real Whole Foods

On a recent trip to Anaheim, Calif., my daughter and I attended the annual Natural Products Expo West. There were more than 3,000 exhibitors showing their food and natural products to the masses of attendees from all over the country. Here are just a few examples of the products on display (www.expowest.com):

• Gluten-Free: breads, brownies, cereals, pastas and snack foods
• Certified Fair Trade: personal care products, rice, teas, chocolate, snacks, coffee
• Whole and Sprouted Grains: pizza, kid snacks, nutrition bars, dinner rolls, desserts
• Healthy Omega-3 Fats: capsules and culinary oils to breakfast and dinner foods
• Reusable Shopping Bags: certified organic, hemp, recycled materials and biodegradable
• Pre- and Probiotics: from supplement capsules to yogurt snacks, drinks and bars
• Exotic Ingredients and Novel Flavors: from ’superfruits’ mangosteen, goji berry, yumberry and acai berry to yerba mate
• Healthy Kid-sized Foods: drinks, snacks and everything in-between

This is a pretty impressive list—with many great alternatives. But, what I learned when I arrived was both revealing and appalling! Besides eating food samples literally all day long, we got the overriding message that became very clear to us:

There is a huge marketing push to get you to believe that because it says “organic” or “natural,” it is good for your health!
Instead of high fiber, high nutrient, low sugar or real whole foods, I saw hundreds of food products with “natural” sugar in granola bars, yogurts, juices, cookies, candies, cakes, refined cold cereals, pretzels, sodas, etc., you name it. They were selling foods with a “natural” sugar version that is just as low in fiber and micronutrients as the regular ones!

We discovered that while many of these products could be better for your health because they are derived from organic sources (no pesticides, chemicals, hormones or antibiotics), they still don’t compare to the real thing. They don’t have live micronutrients in them: dietary fiber, whole vitamins, organic minerals, live enzymes, antioxidants, phytochemicals or healthy oils.

I was quite proud, however, of the ONE vendor who actually had real whole foods (he was selling the spices to go on the real whole foods). So, if you shop health food stores, consider staying in the organic produce section and not in the aisles where there are a myriad of “natural” boxed, canned, bottled and otherwise refined and processed sugary and fatty food products. Let these non-produce food products be the exception or the occasional condiment. They are NOT the basis for a healthy, whole foods eating lifestyle.

For a comprehensive list of good and bad foods, check out my 90 Days to True Health™ program today, with recipes and suggestions to help you figure out the right plan for your family.

Q & A

Each week in the Q & A section of House Calls with Dr. Cutler™, I will share with you some of the many questions I get every week from subscribers to my monthly advisory newsletter, Easy Health Options™”. For more information on Easy Health Options™”, visit www.easyhealthoptions.com

Peripheral Neuropathy In Feet and Legs

Dear Dr. Cutler,

I have severe pain in the feet and lower legs, of idiopathic origin. I’m controlling the pain, most of the time, by taking several prescription painkillers.

P.S. I currently take Ultimate pH Balance™ and Liver & Kidney Cleanse™ and am awaiting my order of Advanced Artery Solution™.
—Frank C.

Dear Frank,

You are on the right track. There is a whole lot more to address, which is covered in my program called 90 Days to True Health™. Peripheral neuropathy is either from compression in the back, or it can be from diabetes or an “autoimmune” disease affecting the peripheral nerves. What has caused your immune system to attack your nerves this way is your question to be asking of the physicians.

The various things that you will want to explore are heavy metals (i.e., mercury) toxicity, liver function and the alkaline/acid status of your blood—and more importantly of your tissues. And you want to explore all possible types of allergens that can trigger the immune system and anything else that can turn on your immune system’s inflammatory process. Even sugar can worsen nerve function in sensitive patients.

So there are lots of possibilities you may want to explore. When reversed, you can get normal healing and at least partial restoration of function.

All the best!
Michael Cutler, M.D.

Dear Health Conscious Individual,

Welcome to House Calls with Dr. Cutler™!

In this issue, we explore the healing effects that love can have on your heart—literally. By opening yourself up to these intimate feelings, it has been shown to lower the risk of heart disease in both men and women.

Plus, there are many dangerous additives used in the thousands of products that fill our supermarkets and pantry. But did you know that these preservatives can wreak havoc on your body? I’ll tell you some of the main culprits to be cautious of, so be sure to check out this week’s article!

Yours for healthy living,

Michael Cutler, M.D.
Medical Advisor, True Health™

Love: The Best Medicine for Heart Health

While it is good to look beyond drugs and surgery to nutrition and exercise, please know that real health is more than just focusing on these physical aspects of the body. Rather, it is love and intimacy that are at the very root of health.

The type D personality traits, fearing other people’s opinions and closing off to others, is all too common. It’s not an illness, but a pattern that feeds depression or relationship dysfunction over time. And the real way to heal these and other personality types, as well as mood disorders for that matter, is for a person to actually feel within them the healing effects of the most important energy in motion (or e-motion) called love.

When I discover social or emotional dysfunction, I see a person who is struggling to find inner peace. Yet when they open up to it, they instantly recognize it when they feel it—the warm feeling of close connection and friendship.

All people innately thrive on acceptance and love. Let me share more about the amazing relationship between the feeling of peace and love with the outward result of physical health.

The feeling of love and acceptance can be as powerful as medications according to many scientific studies—even though it is not (yet absolutely should be)—prescribed by doctors like a drug. The real quality of your life is dependent upon the amount of peace and love you experience on a daily basis—it is the deepest human need and desire once you have enough oxygen, food and relief of any acute pain. And so life becomes all about finding love, yet most find it in counterfeit forms.

These counterfeit forms of love are represented as material things, the praise of society, and feeling more powerful or ahead of others. There are many forms of counterfeit love, yet they all fall short of the pure energy we recognize as unconditional love.

Another challenge for most people is the ability to let go of their beliefs about others and to truly open their heart to let love in. I call this, “the walls of protection.” These walls come in many forms—each layer being added during some experience in life that causes them to shut themselves in rather than experience life from the joyful and free perspective of a small and innocent child.

The power of love and connection has actually been measured in terms of health outcomes. In a Yale study, those who felt the most loved had much less blockage in their coronary arteries.

Similarly, Case Western Reserve University researchers studied almost 10,000 married men only to find out that those who said “yes” to the question, “Does your wife show her love?” had significantly less chest pain (angina).

Furthermore, Duke University researchers found in a survey of men and women with heart disease that the death rate after five years was three times higher for those who were single or lacked a trusted friendship connection.

All three of these studies found the protective effects of love to be independent from other risk factors. So it is time to view relationships as an essential part of your health and well being, not just as a luxury or worse, another “have to” in life. To experience compassion, forgiveness, service, love and intimacy is at the foundation of real health.

The Dangers of Food Additives

Most foods that are cured, canned, bottled or packaged have synthetic chemicals added to them. These additives are commonly called preservatives, dyes and artificial flavorings. Most of us never consider the dangers of these additives. After all, the FDA and USDA say they are safe.

But the fact is, though they are not likely to make you sick right away, they can be extremely harmful to your health over time.

One example is red dye #40 and yellow dye #5. These are the two most widely used artificial colorings found in soda pop, candy, gelatin desserts, pastry, sausage, baked goods and pet food. Even though evidence of the toxicity of red dye #40 and yellow dye #5 has been found in mice models, an FDA committee said the evidence isn’t substantial enough to ban their use.

Instead, these dyes continue to be used causing mild allergic reactions in some people… and who knows what reactions could occur over long-term use! Here are more additives you should consider avoiding in packaged foods:

• Blue #1 (beverages, candy, baked goods): Some studies suggest it may cause cancer.
• Blue #2 (pet food, beverages, candy): The largest study suggested a correlation to brain tumors in male mice, but the FDA concluded it has a “reasonable certainty of no harm.”
• Green #3 (candy, beverages): A 1981 study done by the industry hints at bladder cancer, but the FDA re-analyzed the data and concluded it was safe.
• Red #3 (cherries in fruit cocktail, candy, baked goods): Convincing evidence shows it causes thyroid tumors in rats. The Reagan Administration overruled the FDA’s recommendation that the dye be banned.
• Yellow #6 (beverages, sausage, baked goods, candy, gelatin): Animal tests performed by the industry indicate it causes adrenal gland and kidney tumors. Yellow #6 can also contribute to allergic reactions and ADHD in children.
• Acesulfame Potassium (baked goods, chewing gum, gelatin desserts, soft drinks): This artificial sweetener is approximately 200 times sweeter than sugar. The safety tests conducted in the 1970s were of mediocre quality at best. Two rat studies have since found that this substance may cause cancer.
• Aspartame (Equal^®, Nutrasweet^®): This is the most controversial additive. It was banned for use in foods in the U.S. in 1970 after a study suggested that aspartame caused brain tumors in rats. The FDA managed to reverse its decision to allow it in foods again. In 2005, an EPA-sponsored study found that even low doses of aspartame increased lymphoma and leukemia in female rats and possibly caused occasional brain tumors.
• Butylated Hydroxyanisole (BHA) and Butylated Hydroxytoluene (BHT) (cereals, chewing gum, vegetable (and other) oils and potato chips and in food packaging to preserve freshness.) The preservatives have been found by some studies to cause cancer in rats.
• Hydrogenated fats: You may now begin to see all trans-fats and hydrogenated oils as additives, because they are not naturally found in foods and are as harmful as any of the above chemicals.
• Monosodium glutamate (MSG) (soups, salad dressings, sausages, hot dogs, canned tuna, potato chips and many restaurant foods.): Reported reactions to MSG include headache, nausea, weakness, burning skin sensation, wheezing, changes in heart rate, and difficulty breathing. In the 1960s, it was discovered that large amounts of MSG fed to infant mice destroyed nerve cells in the brain. After that research was publicized, public pressure forced baby food companies to stop adding MSG to their products.
• Olestra (Olean) is a synthetic fat found in chips and crackers that is not absorbed by the body so it has an extremely high incidence of diarrhea, abdominal cramps, gas and bloating. At the same time it inhibits the absorption of valuable fat-soluble vitamins from fruits and vegetables.
• Potassium bromate is an additive that has long been used to increase the volume of bread. Bromate itself causes cancer in animals and has been banned internationally, except in the U.S. and Japan.
• Propyl gallate is used much like BHA and BHT, described above. This is a preservative in vegetable oil, meat products, chicken soup base and chewing gum. Rat studies suggest it might cause cancer in rats.
• Saccharin (Sweet ‘N Low^®) is a well-known artificial sweetener in diet soft drinks that is 350 times sweeter than sugar. Many animal studies have shown that it can cause cancer of the urinary bladder, uterus, ovaries, skin and blood vessels. In May 2000, the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services removed saccharin from its list of cancer-causing chemicals and later that year Congress passed a law removing the warning notice.
• Sodium Nitrite and nitrate are preservatives, colorings and flavorings in bacon, ham, frankfurters, luncheon meats, smoked fish, corned beef and many other processed meats. However, it slowly breaks down into nitrite, which leads to the formation of nitrosamines (potent cancer-causing chemicals), especially in bacon that gets fried. Although the meat industry justifies the use of sodium nitrate because it prevents bacterial growth, there are other safer ways to achieve this.

It’s best to simply avoid all processed foods since it is most likely some sort of additive has been used to preserve it from the manufacturing plant to your table. This preservation takes away from the foods’ nutritional value and could increase your chances for life-threatening diseases, so why not stick with whole, organic foods that you know are additive free?

Next week, we will look at nutritional labels. I will help you understand how to read them and best determine what’s REALLY in all those products stocked in your pantry!

Drug-Free Solution for Eliminating Allergies!

One well-known, acclaimed method for eliminating allergies is Dr.Nambudripad’s Allergy Elimination Technique (NAET). This is a non-invasive, drug-free, natural solution for eliminating allergies of all types and intensities.

NAET uses a blend of selective energy balancing testing and treatment procedures from acupuncture, allopathy, chiropractic, nutritional and kinesiological disciplines of medicine. One allergen is treated at a time. If you are not severely immune deficient, you may need just one treatment to desensitize one allergen.

A person with a mild to moderate amount of allergies may need several office visits to desensitize multiple food and environmental allergens. Basic essential nutrients are treated during the first few visits, while chemicals, environmental allergens, vaccinations and immunizations are treated after completing about 10 basic essential nutrients.

Practitioners skilled in NAET or similar techniques achieve an approximately 80 percent success rate. It can successfully eliminate adverse reactions to egg, milk, peanuts, penicillin, aspirin, mushrooms, shellfish, latex, grass, ragweed, flowers, perfume, animal dander, animal epithelial, make-up, chemicals, cigarette smoke, pathogens, heat, cold and other environmental agents.

This bio-energetic allergy elimination technique typically lasts for three months to a few years. More than 7,500 licensed medical practitioners have been trained in NAET procedures and are practicing all over the world. To help you find a NAET-trained specialist, go to www.naet.com and click on “Find a Practitioner.”

Q & A

Each week in the Q & Asection of House Calls with Dr. Cutler, I will share with you some of the many questions I get every week from subscribers to my monthly advisory newsletter, Easy Health Options”. For more information on Easy Health Options”, visit www.easyhealthoptions.com

GERD and pH Balance

Dear Dr. Cutler,

I have had GERD (gastroesophageal reflux disease) and hiatal hernia at varying degrees of severity for about four years. I take Nexium^® (40 mg) twice daily, which controls symptoms fairly well during the day. During the night I usually awaken for about an hour with repetitive burping. I ordered a trial of Ultimate pH Balance™, which should arrive today, I think. Should I continue with the Nexium® and add Ultimate pH Balance™ to see how it goes initially? And hopefully taper off the prescription soon?

—Christine Y.

Dear Christine,

The best thing for GERD is to take a digestive enzyme with Betaine HCL with each meal; eliminate the processed foods and sugary snacks between meals; address (reduce) your stress; and within two to four weeks you could taper your Nexium® intake (please get your physician involved).

All the Best!

Respectfully,
Michael Cutler, M.D.

Dear Health Conscious Individual,

Welcome to House Calls with Dr. Cutler™!

We are exposed to harmful chemicals every day—but did you know long-term exposure can increase your chances of developing cancer? In this issue I will discuss some of the products that contain these chemicals, and how you can avoid them.

We also look at one of America’s most debilitating eye diseases, Adult Macular Degeneration, which affects more than 12 million people. But don’t worry—there are many preventative measures you can take today to reduce your risk!

Plus, if you experience the “sugar blues,” or the exhausting sleepy sensation after consuming too much sugar, I can help! Read this article to find out some healthy solutions.

Yours for healthy living,

Michael Cutler, M.D.
Medical Advisor, True Health™

Are You Being Exposed to Cancer-Causing Xenoestrogens?

It’s recently been reported by the National Toxicology Program that 90 percent of Americans are exposed to bisphenol A (BPA), which is a chemical present in hundreds of household items and plastic products.

BPA falls into the category of xenoestrogens. The word “xeno” means foreign. The word “estrogen” means hormone. Xenoestrogens, therefore, refer to the more than 100,000 registered chemicals used throughout the world which have hormonal, toxic and cancer-causing effects upon humans.

These “endocrine disruptors” can affect the hormone function of the human body in 100- to 1,000-times greater concentration than normal human hormones. For example, DDE (the body’s natural conversion of the deadly pesticide DDT, which was banned in 1972) can remain in body fat for decades!

Xenoestrogens have been found in the following:

• Plastic Drinking Bottles
• Plastic Baby Bottles
• Plastic Food Storage Containers
• Detergent Breakdown Products
• Canned Foods
• Commercially Raised Beef, Chicken and Pork
• Skin Lotions, Gels & the Preservative Paraben
• Herbicides
• Plastic IV Bags
• Sunscreen Chemicals
• And more…

However, through oral chelation, the harmful effects of xenoestrogens and other toxic materials—including lead—can be safely eliminated from the body

Adult Macular Degeneration

Clear vision is a true blessing and a gift, especially as we age. The following is important information regarding one of the main threats to healthy vision in people over the age of 50—adult macular degeneration (AMD).

According to some studies, there are approximately 200,000 new cases of macular degeneration in the U.S. each year and more than 12 million sufferers.

In general, patients suffering from AMD are in their mid-70s. Macular degeneration is the name given to that group of diseases that cause sight-sensing cells in the macular zone of the retina to malfunction or lose function.

Sometimes only one eye loses vision while the other eye continues to see well for many years. The condition may be hardly noticeable in its early stages. But when both eyes are affected, reading and close up work can become difficult.

How does AMD damage vision?
According to the Macular Degeneration Organization, AMD occurs in two forms: Dry AMD affects about 90 percent of those with the disease. Its cause is unknown. Slowly, the light sensitive cells in the macula break down. With less of the macula working, you may start to lose central vision in the affected eye as the years go by. Dry AMD often occurs in just one eye at first. You may get the disease later in the other eye. Doctors have no way of knowing if or when both eyes may be affected.

Wet AMD accounts for 90 percent of all severe vision loss from the disease, only about 10 percent of all people with AMD have this type. It occurs when new blood vessels behind the retina start to grow toward the macula. Because these new blood vessels tend to be very fragile, they will often leak blood and fluid under the macula. This causes rapid damage to the macula that can lead to the loss of central vision in a short period of time.

What are the symptoms of AMD?
Neither dry nor wet AMD causes any pain. The most common symptom of dry AMD is slightly blurred vision. You may need more light for reading and other tasks.

Also, you may find it hard to recognize faces until you are very close to them. As dry AMD gets worse, you may see a blurred spot in the center of your vision. This spot occurs because a group of cells in the macula have stopped working properly. Over time, the blurred spot may get bigger and darker, taking more of your central vision.

People with dry AMD in one eye often do not notice any changes in their vision. With one eye seeing clearly, they can still drive, read and see fine details. Some people may notice changes in their vision only if AMD affects both of their eyes.

An early symptom of wet AMD is that straight lines appear wavy. This happens because the newly formed blood vessels leak fluid under the macula. The fluid raises the macula from its normal place at the back of the eye and distorts your vision.

Another sign that you may have wet AMD is rapid loss of your central vision. This is different from dry AMD in which loss of central vision occurs slowly. As in dry AMD, you may also notice a blind spot. Many people wait too long to go to their eye doctor.

If you are over age 50 or have noticed any vision problems, make sure you are getting regular screenings. You may not be able to see the problem before it’s too late, that’s why a doctor’s exam can help with early detection.

What can you do if you are diagnosed with macular degeneration?

• Wear sunglasses with UV protection.
• Do not smoke and avoid exposure to secondhand smoke. Smoking can reduce this vital blood supply by contributing to narrowing of the blood vessels and thickening of the blood, as it does in the heart and brain where this process contributes to heart attacks and strokes.
• Consume a low-fat, low cholesterol diet. A high-fat, high cholesterol diet can lead to fatty plaque deposition in the macular vessels hampering blood flow.
• If you are post menopausal, you should consult with your physician concerning estrogen replacement therapy. This may have a favorable impact upon cholesterol lipid levels that play a role in worsening the disease.
• If you are post menopausal, you should consult with your physician concerning estrogen replacement therapy. This may have a favorable impact upon cholesterol lipid levels that play a role in worsening the disease.
• Try to consume at least two servings of leafy dark green vegetables per day.
• Eat food and/or supplements rich in vitamin E, C and lutein. Lutein is a plant antioxidant found in high quantities in spinach, kale and other dark green, leafy vegetables.

Sugar Highs and Lows

Have you ever experienced the “sugar blues”? For some, it is an allergy symptom of headache, runny nose, stuffy nose, or just fatigue that immediately follows the sugar high. This down slump of fatigue is the outward immediate indicator that this food is not creating vibrant health.

Why the sedation after meals? Apparently, high-sugar meals trigger the amino acid tryptophan, which acts in the brain as a sedative. This sedation effect is usually quite profound for me personally, unless I am literally on the run. Otherwise, it is enough for me to think twice before eating a donut or other refined sugar product. It is just not worth the moment of sweet satisfaction!

As cells are overloaded with simple sugars, they make energy immediately (in the form of adenosine triphosphate, ATP), while storing excess energy into fat cells in the form of glycogen (to be used later when the body energy needs arise).

The hormone that controls the amount of sugar allowed into the cells is called insulin. Insulin is in balance with the opposing hormone, glucagons and adrenaline (adrenaline is an adrenal stress hormone). These hormones fluctuate widely as the amount of sugar in the bloodstream fluctuates.

Therefore, the smoother the transition of sugar fluctuation, the easier and more effective is the function of these hormones. This is why reversal of diabetes is so successful through strict nutrition alone.

Joel Fuhrman, M.D. explains in his book, Eat to Live, that 90 percent of his diabetic patients on insulin get their blood sugar normalized, plus get off insulin through eating high density whole foods.

This may sound impossible, but once a person learns what foods are highest in nutrient density while being lowest in empty calories, their body resumes its normal blood sugar metabolism of youth. In order to achieve this, one must eat as much of these foods as they possibly can each day and frequently no longer need to inject insulin to control blood sugar.

A whole host of other illnesses are commonly reversed as well through such a nutrition and diet plan, including arthritis, heart disease, early stage cancer, allergies, asthma, etc.

So… Just How Much Sugar Does America Consume?
Those tasty foods like frosted flakes, doughnuts and pizza are our favorite refined foods. ‘But I don’t eat foods like that’, you say? What about white bread products (croutons), white rice, over-baked potatoes and pasta? These are also refined, and the body puts them into the blood stream much like simple, white sugar.

According to USDA statistics, the average adult consumes 20 teaspoons of sugar per day, which can add up to two or three pounds of sugar each week! Or, at most, 156 pounds per year!

If we all learn to adopt healthy eating habits, then we can get off this “ride” of sugar highs and lows! For alternatives to your worst snacking weaknesses, check out my 90 Days to True Health™ program today!

Q & A

Each week in the Q & A section of House Calls with Dr. Cutler™, I will share with you some of the many questions I get every week from subscribers to my monthly advisory newsletter, Easy Health Options™”. For more information on Easy Health Options™”, visit www.easyhealthoptions.com.

Gastric Surgery and Supplements

Dear Dr. Cutler,

I am a 53-year-old woman with adult onset diabetes. This condition has greatly improved since losing weight. I had a gastric band installed and successfully lost 174 pounds over the past two and a half years.

—Your friend in Washington

Dear Friend in Washington,

You are on the right track with cleaning up your diet for sure! The supplements that would assist in keeping your stomach acid at bay in addition to the pH product are found at www.truehealth.com.

1. Ultimate Digestion Formula™—This product will help with digestion, occasional heartburn, stomach cramps, diarrhea, gas and bloating.
2. Capra Mineral Whey™—This product will help build stronger bones, improve your immunity and ensure better digestion as it contains natural substances derived from goat’s milk. These are easier to digest than cow’s milk.
3. The 90 Days to True Health™ program—This will help you sustain healthy weight loss with eating plans, recipes and exercise tips. Plus, it will help you overcome stress, tension, anger and toxic emotions!

All the best!,
Michael Cutler, M.D.