I grew up on the shore, fishing on the bay and ocean, so I have always loved to eat seafood and spend time on the beach. I spent the Memorial Day weekend on a local barrier island and was surprised to see an oyster vending machine outside a market. We purchased a box, ate half of them raw, and cooked the other half on the grill. I had never seen anything like it and was very impressed with the concept. I eat oysters every chance I get, Oysters are one of the most nutrient-dense foods, and in this post, I will talk about the incredible oyster and why you should include them in your diet.
Read MoreColostrum is something that many people are totally or partially unaware of. If you have heard of it, it may have only been because you or someone you know had a child and had to deal with lactation. Colostrum is the first yellowish fluid produced after childbirth. It is pure for about the first four days of lactation, and then it is slowly replaced by milk over several weeks. The early milk that still contains some colostrum is called transitional milk. All lactating mammals produce colostrum. Research has proven that pure colostrum promotes growth and health in all newborn mammals, including humans.
Bovine (from cows) colostrum is consumed by some traditional cultures and is becoming more popular as a supplement for its supposed health benefits. This post will cover what it is, what it does for newborn babies, and its use for adults.
Read MoreThe connection between Alzheimer's disease (AD) and vitamin D status has been known for some time. A 2015 review of the literature concluded that being deficient in vitamin D presented a 21% greater chance of developing Alzheimer's compared to those with adequate levels of vitamin D above 50 nmol/L. Researchers at the University of Calgary's Hotchkiss Brain Institute in Canada and the University of Exeter in England explored the relationship between vitamin D supplementation and dementia in more than 12,388 subjects. They found that subjects who had a history of vitamin D supplementation were 40% less likely to develop Alzheimer’s disease. The results are exaggerated due to normal statistical trickery, but there is still a strong correlation. I will break the study down and explain the real results. I will also give my two cents on whether you should supplement.
Read MoreThe major precursor of vitamin D is cholesterol. Without cholesterol, we cannot make it. Some people may find this shocking because vitamin D is highly praised, while cholesterol is demonized. Since vitamin D and cholesterol are so closely related, they have an interesting interplay. Statin drugs, which lower cholesterol, also take part in the interplay. The enzyme statins block is active at step two, so we would expect less production of all molecules in the cholesterol pathway, like CoQ10. Statins should block vitamin D production, but they don’t. Statins are supposed to lower your risk of heart disease. But by how much? You may be surprised by the answer. This post will cover the synthesis of cholesterol, vitamin D, and Co Q10 and discuss how statins alter the pathways.
Read MoreI have been on the carnivore diet for almost three years. From the start, raw eggs have been a big part of my diet. My go-to recipe is one dozen yolks mixed with bone broth. It fits in a tall glass that I drink down each morning. Another way I consume my raw egg yolks is to mix them with water and honey. If this sounds strange, this post will clarify why I consider it an important part of my diet.
Read MoreThe scientific literature was clear in 2020, and it still is: Lockdowns don't work. But, unfortunately, nobody was allowed to talk about it until now. So those of us who read the research and history books back then feel we may speak more freely without fear of disdain, ridicule, or censorship. We read the studies from the vaccine companies that clearly never looked at prevention or spread, only symptoms. We knew the previous studies on masks and quarantining showed they are no use. But things are changing.
The media and politicians are now having trouble maintaining their narratives. For instance, just recently in The Studies In Applied Economics Journal, a January 2022 paper entitled A LITERATURE REVIEW AND META-ANALYSIS OF THE EFFECTS OF LOCKDOWNS ON COVID-19 MORTALITY by Jonas Herby, Lars Jonung, and Steve H. Hanke stated that "…during the initial phase of the COVID-19 pandemic, lockdowns have had devastating effects. They have contributed to reducing economic activity, rising unemployment, reducing schooling, causing political unrest, contributing to domestic violence, and undermining liberal democracy. These costs to society must be compared to the benefits of lockdowns, which our meta-analysis has shown are marginal at best. Such a standard benefit-cost calculation leads to a strong conclusion: lockdowns should be rejected out of hand as a pandemic policy instrument." Their statement would have been taken off all social media and ignored by the mainstream press last year. This post will cover my previous observations about the pandemic over the last few years showing that the governments around the world did not “follow the science” as they claim.
Read MoreI was on a digital detox this week and therefore did not look at any research or explore new topics in health. I was incidentally celebrating my sixtieth birthday at the same time. During the week, I saw some old college friends, one of whom I had not seen since 1985. I was feeling a bit nostalgic, so I went on social media after my detox was over to look at pictures from the past. I found this one of me in a striped shirt from 1985 that my dad took by our pool. My wife always tells me that she thinks I look just as good as the younger me, so I got the crazy idea to try and strike the same pose and see how I really stack up to a younger man. We had a good laugh trying. She claims to like the silver fox with the fancy watch better! Unfortunately, many of the years in between the photos were spent with avoidable health problems. This post will cover what happened and how I was able to get healthy and strong again.
Read MoreSarcopenia is a condition that starts in our forties characterized by loss of muscle, strength, and stamina. Unfortunately, 10% of the population over the age of 60 have it. It starts slowly, and the rate of muscle loss can reach 15% per year in later years. It typically progresses until 50% of muscle mass is gone by our eighth decade. Since muscles account for 60% of our total mass, this condition can result in serious weakness and other health issues. Although the effects may be noticeable early, they can lead to increased hospitalizations and nursing home care, and early death with older age groups. The good news is that it can be avoided with proper lifestyles. Read on for more information.
Read MoreIf you are seeing this on Facebook, I bet there is a link below warning you of misinformation. This would be a shame, as I am presenting data from The New England Journal of Medicine about the three Vaccines and their effectiveness according to Pfizer, J&J, and Moderna. I am also presenting the current breakthrough cases in Israel, according to the Israeli government. I believe you will see a large discrepancy between the actual data and what governments are telling you to believe. I think this post stands a very good chance of being taken down. I hope I am wrong.
Read MoreMedical researchers have known for some time that we cannot always assume that our bodies always use vitamin D efficiently. About 25% of the population do not respond to standard doses of vitamin D3 supplementation. Many of them have healthy levels of vitamin D. A new condition has been identified called vitamin D resistance. Only a fraction are genetic in origin. Most cases are acquired during life. Some of the causes are known. This blog discusses the causes and the treatment options.
Read MoreIt has been about one year since we started to hear about Covid-19. In that time, we have amassed tons of data on the disease. One thing is clear: the average person who dies from it has 2.6 underlying illnesses. Since most of our modern ailments are rooted in inflammation, I want to suggest six things you can do starting today to decrease it.
Read MoreAs Covid-19 is dominating this respiratory illness season, the flu season has disappeared. It turns out that the flu virus does not conform to many known properties of infectious diseases. It can appear simultaneously around the globe and disappear just as quickly. Additionally, there may be a relationship between Covid-19 and influenza activity as well. Lastly, there is a link to solar activity, sunspot activity, and pandemics that I explore in this post.
Read MoreMore commonly known as canker sores, recurrent aphthous stomatitis (RAS) can be quite a nuisance. Because the sores are associated with systemic inflammation, I believe that they can be preventable, and I have seen this first-hand in patients. Today I want to cover three important ways you can help prevent them. I also want to tell you about a surprising at-home treatment that has proven to be more effective than prescriotion medication.
Read MoreWhen tested, masks actually look very effective. The website called Smartairfilters.com is a treasure trove of information about air filtration systems and masks. They clearly show the effectiveness of masks, even the cloth home-made ones. Some of the better masks filter out 99.7 percent of all particles. With such convincing results, why do masks seem to be failing us? The paper entitled Masks Don't Work: A Review of Science Relevant to COVID-19 Social Policy may have the answer. They list numerous studies that all conclude that masks don't protect against contracting a whole host of illnesses. We will find out why in this post.
Read MoreNow that we are heading into winter in the northern hemisphere, many of us may experience lower vitamin D levels as the sun is no longer capable of helping us produce it. A promising study showed that using a form of vitamin D called calcidiol reduced the risk of ICU admission by 93% compared to the group that took no calcidiol in Covid-19 patients. But some people don’t respond to supplementation when their levels are already low. I will tell you how you can improve your production of active vitamin D, whether you should supplement, and how a commonly available supplement can really help.
Read MoreThe literature is replete with the adverse health effects of incorrect sun exposure, and I don't dispute them. These include sunburn and increased risk of skin cancer and eye diseases. However, summer is in full swing, and I love the additional sunlight it brings in the northern hemisphere. I crave sun exposure and feel much better when I can get it regularly. Some people have noticed that I am very tan (at least for me) and warned me that I might be jeopardizing my health. My skin type allows me to spend up to two hours in the sun, which is not enough for me to burn, even though I don't use sunscreen. I want to explain why the risks are exaggerated and why it is essential to get regular non-burning sun exposure.
Read MoreAccording to The Vegan Society, “Veganism is a way of living which seeks to exclude, as far as is possible and practicable, all forms of exploitation of, and cruelty to, animals for food, clothing or any other purpose.” They state on their site that “There are many ways to embrace vegan living. Yet one thing all vegans have in common is a plant-based diet avoiding all animal foods such as meat (including fish, shellfish, and insects), dairy, eggs, and honey - as well as avoiding animal-derived materials, products tested on animals and places that use animals for entertainment.” You can see from their definition that the primary goal is admirable, but not related to health and wellness. You may be surprised to hear that vegan (or any other) diets done carelessly can cause some harm.
Read MoreIn Part two, I discuss the top ten things you should be doing to ensure your child has a perfect mouth.
Read MoreSince the teeth are supported by bone, osteoporosis can affect the mouth. Oral manifestations can include gum recession, gum disease, loose teeth, tooth loss, implant failure and I’ll fitting dentures. The medication to treat osteoporosis poses a sever risk for your jaws. This post addresses osteoporosis, your mouth, and what you can do to prevent it.
Read MoreThis time of year is great for getting back outside after the long cold winter months. Here are a few tips about staying healthy in the sun.
Read More