• Fights heart disease and hardening of the arteries.
• Helps protect against leukemia, colon and pancreatic cancers.
• Encourages increase of bone density and helps stop the breakdown of bone.
• Helps decrease LDL (bad cholesterol) and fat.
• Helps control fibrous lumps in the breast.
• Helps relieve symptoms of menopause such as hot flashes.
• Helps decrease symptoms of premenstrual syndrome (PMS).
• Helps with aging issues.

So doesn’t it make sense to include some delicious alfalfa sprouts in your daily diet regimen? After all, it is “the best!”

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.