But the good news is—eating a nutritious diet, taking brain-boosting supplements and summoning some powerful healthy thoughts (sexual fantasies) can all aid your engine in starting well and staying tuned-up.

You see, your brain is a mass of electrical circuits that control your bodily functions. Even how you think and feel can affect your internal organs. To get the electrical impulses flowing with the chemicals that arouse the desire for sensuous lovemaking, certain settings must be in proper balance. Let me explain these settings in more detail.

Just like a car that’s been sitting for several months and won’t fire right up, the hormones of sexual intimacy take some warming up—the process begins in the electrical system first. By this I mean that the subconscious mind has everything to do with the experience.

Have you ever dreamed you were young, wildly sexy and ready to make love for the first time? By imagining this scenario—or any others you choose—you’re allowing yourself to fantasize and create a sexual experience in your mind.

These can be very powerful thoughts. Practice removing all worries, stress or anger from your mind. Learn to let go of all criticisms toward your partner—focus on the “here and now” moment and let go of future fears and past guilt.

Now take your embarrassments about your physical body and laugh at them—they are one of the biggest reasons for inhibited sexual desire. If you or your partner thinks—or even if you think your partner thinks—your body is unappealing in any way—then picture yourself instead as madly-attractive and passionately sexy.

Give yourself permission to feel young and promiscuous (especially if you never were)—doing something sexually pleasing that even you may feel is forbidden. Remind yourself that one of the main reasons you exist is to celebrate your relationship by recreating your emotional and physical bond together!

Now that you’ve got your thinking on the right path, why not supplement with an all-natural solution that will help keep your arteries clear to protect your brain… help fight off brain aging… and even help increase your sexual desire and performance. Try adding Advanced Artery Solution™ from True Health™ to your health regimen today!

Welcome to House Calls with Dr. Cutler™!

As we all get older, our bodies change physically. So why wouldn’t the chemical make up of our bodies change, too? To combat this change, there are many natural supplements to take for improved health. I’ll explore these alternatives that can help you get your whole self back in line!

Also, why worry about risk factors of heart disease that you can’t change—just work on the ones you can! In this week’s issue I provide a quick checklist to help lessen your chances of heart disease.

PLUS, are you thinking about having acupuncture? Don’t make an appointment until you read this article!

Yours for healthy living,

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

A Case for Natural Hormone Balance

As you may or may not know, when the ovaries finally quit making estrogen (called estrone, estradiol and estriol), progesterone and testosterone, then menopause is completed.

Progesterone usually drops first, as some of the premenopausal symptoms can be alleviated with just progesterone supplementation. The good news is that not all of the sex hormones are lost at this point. For example, approximately 50 percent of a woman’s testosterone comes from the ovaries and adrenals; the other 50 percent comes from other organs of the body including the liver, skin and brain.

With a gradual drop in estrogen, but severe drop in progesterone nearing menopause, the common condition called estrogen dominance occurs. According to Dr. John Lee, who many look to as the national authority on natural hormone therapy, the key to hormonal balance is optimizing the progesterone to estrogen ratio. Too much “bad” estrogen can be damaging to not only women—but men, too!

What You Should Know About Bio-Identical Hormone Prescriptions

Before talking to your doctor about bio-identical hormone therapies you should understand the treatments available:

• Bi-est (or two estrogens) is a combination of the human bio-identical hormones estradiol and estriol, which is compounded by a pharmacist. Although dosing may vary, the percentages of each are typically 80 percent estriol (the one that lowers breast cancer) and 20 percent estradiol (which in some studies increased breast cancer risk).

  The best form is a topical cream/gel or as an oral troche (like a gummy bear). For my patients, I typically recommend adding the following bio-identical hormones to the Bi-est or as a separate cream:

  • 2.5 or 5 mg of Testosterone
  • 15, 25 or 50 mg of DHEA
  • 25 or 50 mg of Progesterone

  You should know that progesterone has so many beneficial effects that I nearly always include it in my bio-identical hormone prescriptions. For women in menopause it is used daily without a break. And for pre-menopausal women, it is taken or applied daily for the second half of the month to mimic the normal menstrual cycle.

• Tri-est, refers to the combination of estriol, estradiol and estrone which is typically compounded as 80 percent estriol, 10 percent estradiol and 10 percent estrone.
  Fortunately, plant-derived or bio-identical hormone compounds have always had advantages over synthetic pharmaceuticals. This is why we rarely have reports of hazardous side effects from bio-identical hormone compounds.

As a result, people now desire the anti-aging effects of estrogen, progesterone, testosterone and DHEA. These natural supplements may be the answer to reversing your undesired menopausal symptoms!

Risk Factors You CAN Change

As you read the list of risk factors for heart disease below, please keep them in a healthy perspective. Having a risk factor that you cannot change is really no fun to talk about. What are you able to do about being male or over age 65, for example?

These are the risks of heart attack that you CANNOT do much about:

• Family history of coronary heart disease.
• Aging, especially beyond the age of 65. Despite having normal cholesterol and no other risk factors, just the process of aging itself promotes damage to the endothelium.
• Female menopause is inevitable for most all women.

More important is knowing the risk factors you CAN modify. These are the risk factors that you can do something about:

• Tobacco smoking, which doubles your risk of heart attack.
• High blood pressure. This is caused by inflammatory foods, stressful lifestyle, smoking and anything else that causes or promotes heart disease.
• Diabetes with all of its contributors.
• Lack of physical activity or exercise. Even if you don’t lose weight by exercising, it has several benefits to prevent heart disease and heart attack.
• Obesity with its multiple causes and contributors.
• Subtle infection with chlamydia bacteria triggers an inflammatory response in the endothelium of your heart arteries. These are present in atherosclerotic lesions throughout the heart arteries and almost always absent in healthy arterial tissue. Also, human herpes virus 6 (HHV-6), nanobacteria (extremely small ‘stealth’ bacteria) and cytomegalovirus (CMV) have all been implicated in the development of heart disease.
• Allergies. In an Archives of Internal Medicine study assessing the five-year development and progression of heart disease in 826 men and women ages 40 to 70, they found enhanced cases among those subjects with common allergic diseases. They confirmed that key blood components of allergic conditions such as leukotrienes or mast cells play an active part in heart disease and heart attack.
• Chronic infections. The presence of chronic respiratory, urinary tract, dental and other infections were found to be independent risk factors, which quadrupled the rate of heart disease in a study where researchers followed more than 800 subjects for five years.
• Any chronic disease state. Chronic inflammatory disorders of many types have been linked with enhanced risk.
• Stress, anger and depression are independent risk factors for an unhealthy heart. Hostility is the “Achilles’ heel” of the heart. The heart is also adversely affected by stress and frustration via the stress hormones adrenalin, cortisol and the chemicals of inflammation. One study reports a five-fold increase in heart attacks in those who experience high and frequent anger.

Now that you have some idea of the things you can and cannot change, why not make a choice to start living a more health-conscious life today! You can achieve this in as little as 90 days. To find out how, click here!

Seeking Acupuncture? Good Advice

Acupuncture is generally safe, but as with any therapy—conventional or alternative—you should observe some precautions.

• Choose a therapist who is licensed and/or a graduate of a respected school of acupuncture, and who is willing to work with your doctor. Some 10,000 acupuncturists currently practice in the U.S., and most are regulated by the state in which they practice. About 4,000 doctors have completed a recognized acupuncture training program.
• Get a diagnosis from a medical doctor before undergoing acupuncture to make sure you don’t have a condition requiring prompt medical attention.
• Don’t stop your medications without consulting your doctor. Acupuncture works with, not instead of, conventional medicine.
• Tell the acupuncturist about all health conditions, including pregnancy; and list all medications (including herbs and non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs that could cause you to bleed, for example).
• Be sure the acupuncturist uses sterilized or disposable needles.
• Don’t take muscle relaxants, tranquilizers or painkillers right before acupuncture, as acupuncture may intensify the effects of these drugs.
• Tell the practitioner right away if you experience pain or bleeding. Acupuncture shouldn’t hurt after the initial sting of the needle’s insertion; you should not bleed more than a few drops.
• Don’t automatically take herbs offered by traditional Chinese practitioners. They could interact with prescription drugs.
• Keep notes about your response to the treatment, and tell your doctor and acupuncturist about any changes.
• Track your progress. If you have no response at all after four to six sessions, this therapy may not work for you. Or you may want to try another therapist, because, as in any therapy, skill levels vary.

I want to share some healthy and delicious recipes from my kitchen to yours. These recipes can be enjoyable for the whole family to join in making, and can help you on the way to a nutritious lifestyle today! This recipe and more can be found in my monthly advisory newsletter, Easy Health Options ™. For more information on Easy Health Options ™, visit www.easyhealthoptions.com.

Dr. Cutler’s Nutrition and Recipe Corner

Here’s a delicious and nutritious breakfast that sticks with you!

Super Granola Mix

1/2 cup whole wheat flour
4 cups regular, old-fashioned rolled oats
1 cup each of: sliced almonds, chopped pecans, raisins*, coconut*, sunflower seeds*, sesame seeds (opt.), and 1/2 bag craisins (optional)

*Be sure to rinse and strain your raisins (companies don’t do that). I buy my unsweetened coconut and no-salt sunflower seeds in the bulk section of the health food store. (If you are not familiar with craisins, they are partially hydrated cranberries.)

2 tsp. vanilla
2 to 4 tsp. cinnamon (to taste)
1 to 2 tsp. nutmeg (to taste)
1/2 cup olive oil (the darker the better)
1 cup of honey

Mix ingredients in large mixing bowl. (I like to pour the flour over the rolled oats, stir in the nuts, coconut, raisins/craisins, and then squirt vanilla from the bottle. Stir in the olive oil, then the honey. I don’t measure much so I pour the honey over last. Mix really well. Spray cookie sheets with cooking spray. Spread mixture onto large cookie sheets. Bake at 325 degrees for 20 minutes. Stir every 5 to 7 minutes with flat spatula, browning all sides. Cool and store in an airtight container. We love this snack over yogurt or fruit. Or take some in a baggie. It’s the perfect granola. Have fun!

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

Welcome to House Calls with Dr. Cutler!

You might be surprised to learn that aspartame (Nutrasweet^®) has been linked to serious health problems. In today’s issue I’ll share information about the research that confirms this, and about symptoms associated with aspartame. I urge you to read this article; aspartame is part of so many products, and even medications, it is essential that you understand its side effects!

This issue also includes an explanation of the link between the hormone melatonin and good sleep, and information on how to supplement
melatonin.

Regarding supplements, I’ve also included a guide for how to use supplements correctly—something I find most people don’t do!

And finally, in the Q&A section, I’ll talk about yeast as a health danger and whether supplementation with brewer’s yeast can be hazardous to
your health.

Yours for healthy
living,

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

The Aspartame (Nutrasweet®), Methanol and Formaldehyde Connection

Did you know that aspartame turns into methanol and formaldehyde when heated? Were you also aware that the American Diabetes Association (ADA) supports the use of aspartame (NutraSweet®) as an acceptable replacement for sugar for people with diabetes? This is despite the fact that aspartame has generated the largest volume of consumer reports (75% of them) describing adverse reactions.

To me, this means the ADA is not willing to look at healthier alternatives to sugar and aspartame, such as whole food alternatives like stevia. The ADA’s official statement reads: “The American Diabetic Association considers aspartame—as well as the other FDA-approved non nutritive sweeteners (saccharin, acesulfame k and sucralose)—acceptable sugar substitutes and a safe part of a diabetic meal plan.” Interestingly, Monsanto (producer of NutraSweet®) donates $250,000 a year to the ADA and is a Platinum Corporate Sponsor.

But worse is the FDA’s support of aspartame. Aspartame can be found in breath mints, gum, cereals, frozen desserts, coffee, juice, synthetic vitamins, pharmaceutical drugs, tea, wine coolers, yogurt supplements, and of course, diet soft drinks.

That doesn’t sound so bad until you meet people who have linked their health problems to aspartame consumption.

Aside from all the political and scandalous implications behind the supposed “safety” of aspartame, it’s equally appalling that Monsanto’s commercial brags that 200 million people are now consuming NutraSweet® in more than 4,000 different products. Don’t think for a minute that they cannot afford the best lawyers and lobbyists to keep their product “legally safe,” despite rising evidence to the contrary.

For example: A review of 164 studies on the safety of aspartame conducted by Ralph G. Walton, M.D., Chairman of the Center for Behavioral Medicine and Professor of Clinical Psychiatry at Northeastern Ohio Universities College of Medicine, revealed that 100% of the 74 industry-sponsored studies of aspartame claimed that no problems were found.

However, he also found that of the 90 studies funded by non-aspartame industry money, 92% identified one or more serious health problems. And if you consider that the remaining 8% of the studies (which found no problems with aspartame) were FDA-sponsored and not really independent, it means that in reality, 100% of the independent studies found serious health problems with aspartame!

Incidentally, a number of FDA officials were hired by the aspartame industry immediately following the FDA’s approval of aspartame use in the food industry, including the former FDA Commissioner.

You should eliminate aspartame from your diet—especially if you are experiencing these symptoms:

While you may not be able to eliminate Nutrasweet® from everything you consume (considering its widespread use in medicines) go as far as you can toward that goal to ensure you don’t experience serious health problems!.

Hormones and Sleep

Our bodies are controlled to a large extent by the hormones that are produced by glands throughout our bodies. Sleep, like most other body
processes, is also controlled by hormones.

Have you heard of melatonin? It is a hormone that controls our sleep patterns and is produced naturally by our bodies!

The Pineal gland, a small hormone-secreting gland located in the center of our brains, primarily secretes melatonin to help our bodies
regulate our sleep-wake cycles.

Synthesis and release of melatonin by the pineal gland is stimulated by darkness. Even without
darkness, there still is a circadian cycle in which melatonin levels peak in the wee hours of the morning and drop by midday.

Unfortunately, as we grow older, our body produces less and less melatonin. Scientists believe this may be the reason we have trouble sleeping as we age.

Supplementing with melatonin, dosed from 0.5 to 5 mg at bedtime (start low), can be very effective in improving your sleep patterns without the hazards or side effects of prescription sleeping pills.

But it seems to work best for short-term treatments (three months) followed by a melatonin-free period (about a week) to reset your own melatonin production. It works even better for jet lag, especially when you can get some sun exposure at your destination before going to
bed.

Good Supplementation Habits Mean Good
Health!

I live a busy lifestyle. With my family, community, church and medical practice activities, I rely on nutritional supplementation to help maintain my health. Participating in any kind of supplement regime means you will be faced with a few decisions in order to get started on the right path.

You will notice that most supplements are just vitamins and minerals. Please know that there are several other, even more important
supplementation items to consider.

For example, Americans are increasingly experiencing pancreas, thyroid and adrenal gland fatigue or burn-out. The pancreas makes digestive enzymes in combination with timed stomach acid secretion. When both of these become depleted (very common) we experience stomach acid pain, bloating or irritable bowel symptoms, and an unhealthy shift in bowel flora (the microbiological types of yeast or unfriendly
bacteria instead of the healthy Lactobacillus bacteria so important for digestion).

With thyroid and adrenal weakness we experience fatigue, hormone and sugar metabolism disorders, to name just a few.

Why does this occur? One of several reasons is when cell membranes (made of partially hydrogenated oils, which are found in so many man-made foods) become dysfunctional, and glucose transport into the cell for processing is impaired, we experience a host of symptoms or “diseases” such as obesity, diabetes, allergies, hypertension and even cancer.

Another reason for organ weakness is the destructive emotions of worry, anger or depression. These change the body’s acid-base balance, nutrient absorption, enzyme activity and adrenal gland secretion of adrenaline, shifting away from its other functions of sex hormones, growth hormones and blood pressure-controlling hormones.

The thyroid gland is also enzyme- and nutrient-dependant and down-regulates in response to the above listed factors. It is dependant upon certain nutrients such as naturally occurring iodine, which can be found in kelp.

Therefore, be aware of “other” supplements which are important, or perhaps even required, to allow the vitamins you consume to actually work.

Here are the most important of the “other” supplements to consider:

Essential fatty acids such as EPA and DHA. These build healthy cell membranes (nearly 100 trillion in the human body) and brain tissue (made of approximately 90% fat).

• Proteolytic and digestive enzymes make every biochemical process in your body work.
• Anti-oxidation from phytonutrients (plant sources) keep the electron-seeking molecules (dangerous molecular by-products of metabolism) controlled, allowing repair enzymes to reverse disease processes.
• Amino acids are the protein building blocks must be are part of your nutrient intake.

Here’s a quick summary of good habits to follow when supplementing:

• Take your supplements with food for proper digestion and assimilation
• Keep all supplements out of direct sunlight; UV rays destroy their chemical quality
• Create a regular routine for your supplement taking, like at breakfast and dinner
• Keep supplements in the same place, to reinforce your habit; remember, it takes at least 21 days to form a new habit, so give it a little
  time

For proper nutrition, you need a balance of:

• vitamins
• minerals
• essential fatty acids & oils
• phytonutrients
• amino acids
• enzymes

Follow these recommendations and you’ll get the most from your supplements!

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

.

Is Taking Brewer’s Yeast Safe?

Dear Dr. Cutler,

I am a 91-year-old reader of your newsletter. I have been having some stress problems and took your advice—brewer’s yeast for
insomnia. It’s been working beautifully. Today I’ve been reading the book, Food Enzymes—the Missing Link to Radiant Health by
Hombart Santillo, N.D. pages 75-76 concerning yeast. This of course concerns me. I look to you for advice.—R. P. Frodahl

Dear Mrs. Frodahl,

Thank you for your confidence in me. And your question is a good one because there is still a controversy as to whether yeast hypersensitivity conditions can really cause as broad a range of symptoms as some authors claim.

First, let me explain brewer’s yeast (also known as baker’s yeast) just a bit, and clarify the difference between it and infection with the yeast called Candida albicans.

Brewer’s yeast is special yeast used to ferment beer and bake bread. As bad as taking yeast for therapy may sound, medicinally it is considered by the Chinese Pharmacopoeia as a vitamin, and by our American authoritative source, The Merck Index, as being a beneficial source of protein and B vitamins. More specifically, brewer’s yeast is officially approved in both Germany and by the American Botanical Council for the treatment
of chronic acne and loss of appetite.

In America we use it for these conditions and others, even though it is not a prescription medication.

It is used to help people sleep better, as you know. This effect probably comes from the Niacin (vitamin B3) and Pyridoxine (vitamin B6) present in the yeast working together to enhance serotonin in the brain.

In contrast to this beneficial yeast, overgrowth by the Candida yeast species is known to cause a long list of symptoms, some of which I know are real. Certainly we know that localized Candida yeast infections can cause the skin to itch, rash and swell. In the mouth it is known as
thrush.

But more insidiously, Candida overgrowth can and does occur when a patient is found to have even a mild immune weakness or overindulges in simple sugar forming foods. Mostly Candida overgrowth manifests as fatigue, urinary pain, irritable bowel syndrome and clouded thinking, and it also plays into allergies and other low-grade inflammatory conditions.

So don’t worry, the two yeasts in question are very different. Keep taking the brewer’s yeast if it works for you. If nothing else, it is a source of nutrition that some people call “nature’s wonder food.”

All the Best!

Respectfully,
Michael Cutler, M.D.