Prostate Assessment Tool

If you score a 7 or higher, it is strongly advised to schedule a prostate examination. Men 55 and over should have a yearly prostate examination as well.

Dr. Wiancek, N.D.

970-926-7606

INTENSIVE LIFESTYLE CHANGES MAY AFFECT THE PROGRESSION OF PROSTATE CANCER

Purpose: Men with prostate cancer are often advised to make changes in diet and lifestyle, although the impact of these changes has not been well documented. Therefore, we evaluated the effects of comprehensive lifestyle changes on prostate specific antigen (PSA), treatment trends and serum stimulated LNCaP cell growth in men with early, biopsy proven prostate cancer after 1 year. 

Materials and Methods: Patient recruitment was limited to men who had chosen not to undergo any conventional treatment, which provided an unusual opportunity to have a nonintervention randomized control group to avoid the confounding effects of interventions such as radiation, surgery or androgen deprivation therapy. A total of 93 volunteers with serum PSA 4 to 10 ng/ml and cancer Gleason scores less than 7 were randomly assigned to an experimental group that was asked to make comprehensive lifestyle changes or to a usual care control group.

Results: None of the experimental group patients but 6 control patients underwent conventional treatment due to an increase in PSA and/or progression of disease on magnetic resonance imaging. PSA decreased 4% in the experimental group but increased 6% in the control group (p  0.016). The growth of LNCaP prostate cancer cells (American Type Culture Collection, Manassas, Virginia) was inhibited almost 8 times more by serum from the experimental than from the control group (70% vs 9%, p 0.001). Changes in serum PSA and also in LNCaP cell growth were significantly associated with the degree of change in diet and lifestyle.

Conclusions: Intensive lifestyle changes may affect the progression of early, low grade prostate cancer in men. Further studies and longer term followup are warranted. Although this decision was made for reasons unrelated to this study, the choice to perform watchful waiting was clinically reasonable in these men. This subgroup of patients provided an unusual opportunity to have a nonintervention randomized control group to avoid the confounding effects of interventions such as radiation, surgery or androgen deprivation therapy. MATERIALS AND METHODS Patients in this study had biopsy documented prostate cancer with Gleason less than 7, serum PSA 4 to 10 ng/ml, and stages T1 and T2 disease. They had elected not to undergo conventional treatment. Patients were excluded if they had active prostatitis, had already made comprehensive lifestyle changes, had other life threatening comorbidities or major psychiatric disturbances, or were abusing alcohol, nicotine or other drugs. The University of California-San Francisco Committee on Human Research institutional review board approved this study and all patients provided proper consent. A randomized consent design was chosen to decrease the likelihood that control group patients might make diet and lifestyle changes comparable to those of the experimental group that could dilute between group differences and increase the likelihood of a type 2 error by decreasing the amount of information about the lifestyle intervention available to the control group. 

8 Of the 181 patients who were eligible for the study 93 enrolled, including 44 in the experimental group and 49 in the control group. Reasons for refusal to participate were unwillingness to make or not make comprehensive lifestyle changes and/or refusal to undergo periodic testing. An additional 15 patients with Gleason scores of 7 or greater were excluded because it is a unique prognostic category with biologically distinct and more aggressive neoplasms. Three experimental group patients withdrew soon after beginning the intervention because they said it was too difficult to follow and they refused further testing. No other patients were lost to followup. 

Experimental group patients were prescribed an intensive lifestyle program that included a vegan diet supplemented with soy (1 daily serving of tofu plus 58 gm of a fortified soy protein powdered beverage), fish oil (3 gm daily), vitamin E (400 IU daily), selenium (200 mcg daily) and vitamin C (2 gm daily), moderate aerobic exercise (walking 30 minutes 6 days weekly), stress management techniques (gentle yoga based stretching, breathing, meditation, imagery and progressive relaxation for a total of 60 minutes daily) and participation in a 1-hour support group once weekly to enhance adherence to the intervention. 
The diet was predominantly fruits, vegetables, whole grains (complex carbohydrates), legumes and soy products, low in simple carbohydrates and with approximately 10% of calories from fat. The diet is intensive but palatable and practical. In earlier studies most patients were able to adhere to this diet for at least 5 years.

A registered dietitian was available for nutrition education and counseling. A nurse case manager contacted patients by telephone once weekly for the first 3 months and once monthly thereafter. Control group patients were asked to follow the advice of their physicians regarding lifestyle changes. All therapeutic decisions, including whether to undergo conventional treatment during the study course, were deferred to the personal physician of each patient. Serum PSA was measured twice at baseline and at 1 year. 

Patients were counseled to avoid activities that might affect PSA for 3 days prior to testing, including sexual activity, exercise and digital rectal examination. Serum PSA was measured at Memorial Sloan-Kettering Cancer Center prospectively by a heterogeneous sandwich magnetic separation assay with the Immuno 1™ System. Testosterone was measured by a competitive immunoassay with an Immulite® automated analyzer. 

LNCaP cells were grown in 75 cm2 flasks in RPMI-1640 medium without phenol red, as previously described in detail.12 Cells were collected using 0.25% Trypsin-ethylenediaminetetraacetic acid (Sigma Chemical Co., St. Louis, Missouri) and then experiments were performed in duplicate (5 103 cells per well in 96-well plates). After 24 hours fresh medium composed of 10% fetal bovine serum (FBS) or 10% human serum was replaced and the cells were incubated (37C, 5% CO2) for 48 hours. FBS served as a control for each assay and results are expressed as percent FBS. Cell growth was assessed by MTS Assay (Promega, Madison, Wisconsin). For apoptosis cells were plated at a density of 1 104 cells per well in 96-well culture plates and incubated as described for the growth assay. After 48 hours apoptosis was detected by Cell Death Detection ELISAPLUS (Roche Applied Science, Indianapolis, Indiana). CRP determinations were done in duplicate by ultrasensitive enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay with 1.6 ng/ml sensitivity, and with intra-assay and interassay coefficients of variation of 3.9% and 5.1%, respectively. 

Dietary intake assessing the percent of calories from fat and mg cholesterol was measured with a semiquantitative food frequency questionnaire. Nutrient assessment was calculated elsewhere using United States Department of Agriculture food composition tables and other sources. The frequency and duration of exercise and of stress management techniques were assessed by self-reporting questionnaires. Attendance at group support sessions was recorded. The level of adherence to the recommended lifestyle change was based on a formula validated in previous studies.

A total score of 1 indicated 100% adherence to the program and 0 indicated no adherence. Eligible patients were randomly assigned to the control or the intervention group. Assessment of outcome measures were done while blinded to group assignment. Baseline equivalence of the 2 groups were analyzed using the independent sample t test in the case of continuous variables and the chi-square test of association in the case of categorical variables. 

Between group differences in baseline to 12-month changes in clinical and behavioral outcomes were compared using ANCOVA with baseline values as covariates. Although control patients were not asked to make changes in diet and lifestyle, some did so in varying degrees, that is 18% to 137% (experimental group 58% to 316%). As a secondary analysis, we correlated the degree of lifestyle change with changes in serum PSA, LNCaP cell growth, LNCaP apoptosis, serum testosterone and CRP across the 2 groups regardless of group assignment with baseline values as a covariate. Natural log transformation achieved normality (ln-CRP). 

All reported significance levels are 2-sided and p 0.05 was considered the required value for concluding tAt baseline there were no significant differences between the groups in demographic or clinical measures (table 1). Subject age, PSA and Gleason scores in those who were randomized into the study but refused to participate were not significantly different from values in those who participated. After 1 year adherence to the intervention was 95% in the experimental group and 45% in the control group. There were no adverse events attributable to the lifestyle intervention. Diet, exercise, stress management techniques and group support improved significantly more in the experimental group than in the control group (table 2). 
Six control group patients withdrew before 12 months and underwent conventional treatment, including radical prostatectomy in 3, and androgen deprivation, external beam radiation and brachytherapy in 1 each. Four of these patients underwent conventional treatment due to an increase in PSA during the study and 2 underwent it due to progression of prostate cancer, as assessed by magnetic resonance imaging compared with earlier studies. 

In contrast, no experimental group patients underwent conventional treatment during the study. Changes in serum PSA and LNCaP cell growth from baseline to 12 months were significantly different between the groups, showing more favorable changes in the experimental group. 
Specifically serum PSA decreased an average of 0.25 ng/ml or 4% of the baseline average in the experimental group but it showed an average increase of 0.38 ng/ml or 6% of the baseline average in the control group (F  5.6, p  0.016, fig. 1). Serum from experimental group patients inhibited LNCaP cell growth by 70%, whereas serum from control group patients inhibited growth by only 9% (p 0.001, fig. 2). CRP decreased more in the experimental group (p  0.07). There were no significant differences between the groups in serum testosterone or in apoptosis (table 3). Pearson correlations between changes in serum PSA, LNCaP, apoptosis, testosterone and CRP, and following recommended lifestyle changes in the entire sample indicated that the extent to which participants made changes in diet and lifestyle was significantly related to decreases in PSA (r  0.23, p  0.035, fig. 3) and to LNCaP cell growth (r 0.37, p 0.001, fig. 4).

Key words: prostate, prostatic neoplasms, prostate-specific antigen, life style, nutrition Increasing evidence from epidemiological and laboratory studies suggests that diet and lifestyle may have a role in the development of prostate cancer.1–5 The intake of total and specific vegetables, tomato products (lycopene), vitamin E, selenium, vitamin C and soy products has been inversely associated with prostate cancer risk. In addition, epidemiological evidence and migrant studies indicate that the incidence of clinically significant prostate cancer is much lower in parts of the world where people eat a predominantly low fat, plant based diet.6 There is considerable interest in the role of diet and lifestyle changes as complementary therapy in those with prostate cancer, especially because no consensus exists regarding the relative benefits and risks of conventional treatments in many patients. Many men are making changes in diet and lifestyle in the hope of preventing or slowing the progression of prostate cancer without the benefit of data from randomized, controlled trials to help guide these decisions. We examined if comprehensive changes in diet and lifestyle may affect the progression of prostate cancer, as measured by serial prostate specific antigen (PSA), treatment trends and serum stimulated LNCaP cell growth, in men with early, biopsy proven prostate cancer. To assess possible mechanisms mediating the relationship between changes in lifestyle and these measures we also evaluated changes in testosterone and C-reactive protein (CRP). Patient recruitment was limited to men who had chosen not to undergo any conventional treatment and who had low risk prostate cancer, as defined by baseline serum PSA and Gleason score. Submitted for publication September 9, 2004. Study received University of California-San Francisco Committee on Human Research institutional review board approval. Supported by Department of Defense Uniformed Services University Grant MDA905–99 –1– 0003 via the Henry M. Jackson Foundation Grant 600 – 06971000 –236, The Prostate Cancer Foundation, National Institutes of Health 5P50CA089520 – 02 University of California-San Francisco Prostate Cancer Specialized Program of Research Excellence, Bucksbaum Family Foundation, Ellison Foundation, Fisher Foundation, Gallin Foundation, Highmark, Inc., Koch Foundation, Resnick Foundation, Safeway Foundation, Wachner Foundation, Walton Family Foundation and Wynn Foundation. Foundation, Walton Family Foundation and Wynn Foundation. No supporting agencies were involved in the design or conduct of the study, in the collection, analysis or interpretation of the data, or in the preparation, review or approval of the manuscript. *

Correspondence: Preventive Medicine Research Institute, University of California-San Francisco, 900 Bridgeway, Sausalito, California 94965 (e-mail: d.ornish@pmri.org). † Financial interest and/or other relationship with Random House and Harper-Collins. ‡ Financial interest and/or other relationship with TAP Pharmaceutical Products, AstraZeneca, Pfizer and National Institutes of Health. 0022-5347/05/1743-1065/0 Vol. 174, 1065–1070, September 2005 THE JOURNAL OF UROLOGY® Printed in U.S.A. Copyright © 2005 by AMERICAN UROLOGICAL ASSOCIATION DOI: 10.1097/01.ju.0000169487.49018.73 1065
DEAN ORNISH, GERDI WEIDNER, WILLIAM R. FAIR, RUTH MARLIN, ELAINE B. PETTENGILL, CAREN J. RAISIN, STACEY DUNN-EMKE, LILA CRUTCHFIELD, F. NICHOLAS JACOBS, R. JAMES BARNARD, WILLIAM J. ARONSON, PATRICIA MCCORMAC, DAMIEN J. MCKNIGHT, JORDAN D. FEIN, ANN M. DNISTRIAN, JEANMAIRE WEINSTEIN, TUNG H. NGO, NANCY R. MENDELL AND PETER R. CARROLL‡ From the Departments of Urology (PRC) and Medicine (DO) and Preventive Medicine Research Institute (DO, RM, EBP, CJR, SDE, LC, PM, DJM, JDF, JW, GW), University of California-San Francisco, San Francisco and Departments of Physiological Science (RJB, THN) and Urology (WJA), University of California-Los Angeles, Los Angeles, California, Department of Urologic Oncology, Memorial SloanKettering Cancer Center (WRF and AMD), New York and Department of Statistics, State University of New York at Stony Brook (NRM), Stony Brook, New York, and Windber Research Institute (FNJ), Johnstown, Pennsylvania ABSTRACT 

NSAIDs and your health

NSAIDs (non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs) include ibuprofen, naproxen, diclofenac and celecoxib. The uses of these over-the-counter drugs range from menstrual cramps to sports injury. Although it is stated on the drug facts label of these OTC drugs, many people fail to recognize that these drugs increase ones risk for stroke and heart attacks. An increase can occur in the first weeks of use. It is alarming that these drugs are FDA approved and still being sold over the counter! Meanwhile, the FDA is strengthening there warnings that NSAIDs "can cause heart attacks and strokes," why not just pull them off the shelves?

Here are some facts pulled straight from the FDA's website:

"Based on our review and the advisory committees’ recommendations, the prescription NSAID labels will be revised to reflect the following information:

• The risk of heart attack or stroke can occur as early as the first weeks of using an NSAID. The risk may increase with longer use of the NSAID.
• The risk appears greater at higher doses.
• It was previously thought that all NSAIDs may have a similar risk. Newer information makes it less clear that the risk for heart attack or stroke is similar for all NSAIDs; however, this newer information is not sufficient for us to determine that the risk of any particular NSAID is definitely higher or lower than that of any other particular NSAID.
• NSAIDs can increase the risk of heart attack or stroke in patients with or without heart disease or risk factors for heart disease. A large number of studies support this finding, with varying estimates of how much the risk is increased, depending on the drugs and the doses studied.
• In general, patients with heart disease or risk factors for it have a greater likelihood of heart attack or stroke following NSAID use than patients without these risk factors because they have a higher risk at baseline.
• Patients treated with NSAIDs following a first heart attack were more likely to die in the first year after the heart attack compared to patients who were not treated with NSAIDs after their first heart attack.
• There is an increased risk of heart failure with NSAID use.

There are other options when dealing with headaches, cramps, inflammation,etc. Temporarily treating one ailment with the risk of creating another is not medicine.

B-12 Injection

B-12 can help significantly reduce or resolve the following symptoms:

I have observed up to 90-95% success rates with patients experiencing improvement in one or more of the symptoms listed, especially if patients follow through the complete injection protocol. I have not been able to determine why approximately 5-10% of patients don’t respond. Also, I have had patients who didn’t have any overt symptoms still want to try B-12 injections in attempt to feel even better. This success rate has been over 50%.

Primary symptoms that usually improve:

• Fatigue, lack of motivation/apathy, low stamina/weakness
• Sleep problems (insomnia, poor sleep quality, not rested in the morning/hard to get up)
• Mood issues (irritability, anxiety, mild-moderate depression, low sense of well being)
• Poor short term memory, lack of focus/concentration, decreased mental sharpness, “fuzzy thinking (While potentially useful for anyone, this is particularly effective in the elderly. But if B-12 levels have been too low for too long in the elderly, success can be limited.)
• Peripheral Neuropathies (numbness/tingling of extremities), paresthesias, sciatica
• PMS (especially emotional reactions)
• Jet lag (reduction in symptoms or susceptibility)
• Dizziness/balance problems, ringing in ears/tinnitus
• Loss of appetite
• Sore mouth/tongue, tingling sensation in mouth
• Arthritis/Bursitis, chronic pain        

Medical observation has also identified B-12 as being supportive in these conditions: 

• Wheezing/asthma type problems
• Eating disorders/Alcohol abuse
• Cervix problems (PAP smears)
• Pre-eclampsia (in pregnancy)
• Infertility
• MS

B-12 supplementation is important or required with these situations or conditions:

• Strict vegetarians (vegans) after 1 year
• Gastrointestinal problems (inc. bypass surgery), use of Rx acid blockers (i.e. Prilosec, Prevacid, Protonex, Nexium)
• High Homocysteine blood levels (contributes to heart attack, stroke, and Alzheimer’s disease risks)
• Diabetic Rx use - esp. Glucophage (Metformin)
• High alcohol intake –  (all B-Complex vitamins are required)
• Macrocytic/Megaloblastic Anemia (B-12 type)

 Note: Pernicious Anemia requires a different protocol and its treatment requires a different discussion.                                  

Common Questions:

Can B-12 deficiency be identified through blood tests?

• B-12 activity is not effectively measured in blood. First, what is considered a “normal” range is often too low for optimum benefit. More important - what is in the blood doesn’t necessarily pass into the tissues, so you really need to measure tissue levels. The only effective test for this is Methyl Malonic Acid (MMA), a metabolite of B-12. B-12 is the only chemical in the body that produces this chemical, so there are no confounding factors to its levels. Serum B-12 levels can look falsely normal, while the MMA test can more accurately identify if a deficiency exists. Western medical practitioners are often not aware of this test or its significant value. If testing B-12 levels, serum B-12 is the primary method used. MMA can be measured in blood and urine, but the urine test is more reliable for deficiency identification. If not offered by a local lab, there is a urine collection kit available that can be mailed to a specific lab (see below). I do not routinely test the B-12 levels before initiating treatment, as this has little bearing on the therapeutic success. Patients with “normal” B-12 levels still can benefit from shots.

Why injection?

• Published research says the oral tablets are just as effective to reverse deficient B-12 blood levels, but I do not see the same therapeutic benefit (symptom improvement) as with the injection. B-12 can be very hard to absorb through the stomach/intestinal route. Then it requires transport from the serum into the tissues via specific Transcobalamin carrier molecules. Injections provide superior delivery which can result in significant therapeutic effects. The second best route is a sublingual dosage (dissolved under tongue), because this avoids stomach/intestinal absorption issues, though I do not see the same therapeutic effect or benefits with the symptoms discussed above compared to the injection. NOTE: IV B-12 does not work as well as the IM injection route due to more rapid detoxification via the liver.

Are there any Toxicity or Side Effects?

• B-12 is considered to be non-toxic in general. Few side effects are observed generally. Using high dose B-12 (5mg/ml – 1ml doses or higher), urine can turn pink. There are occasional responses that fall out of the norm. I have had a very few patients that get overstimulated initially - if they get the shot in the afternoon they then can have trouble sleeping at night. Morning shots generally do not cause this problem in these cases. A few patients have wanted to take a nap after getting the shot, then they feel refreshed. Rarely – the opposite of expected positive effects have occurred, such as anxiety. A few patients have had itching and redness at the site of injection. The injection site reaction seems to start with mild symptoms but increases with repeated injections. If this occurs, I discontinue the injections. I have had reported a sense of swelling in joints or body overall. Very rarely patients can have an allergic reaction, including hives or breathing difficulties. It is possible that a gout reaction can occur in susceptible patients. Heart palpitations or other chest sensations have been reported, though I have not seen this. I have seen a comment about an association with rosacea and B-12 injections. There has been an association of high levels of B-12 and increased prostate & breast cancer occurrence, but I believe this has been seen in long term use of Folic Acid. A short series of shots or occasional repeat IM B-12 with FA in the future does not seem to qualify for a high quantity or repeated exposure that could possibly create this issue. Also there may be many other factors involved. It is theoretically possible that high dose/long term use of B-12 injectable (especially with Folic Acid) can stimulate the bone marrow to produce excessive amounts of red blood cells and platelets over time. Patients with Leber’s Disease (a hereditary condition) should not supplement with B-12 because it can cause damage to the optic nerve.

Why aren’t dietary sources of B-12 sufficient?

• B-12 is supplied via foods that have had blood in them – primarily meat, dairy, and eggs. This is why strict vegetarians are at risk. But eating foods containing B-12 does not insure sufficient blood levels due to the absorption issues mentioned above, or therapeutic response. Again, the B-12 injections have the ability to create a therapeutic effect that is not seen with other routes of absorption. I provide a high potency B-Complex tablet if patients require longer-term or high dose B-12 injections to keep an overall balance of B vitamins in their system.

Free Supplement and Drug Interaction Consultations for Naturopathic Medicine Week!

Are you combining drugs with supplements and herbs?  Have you wondered if what you are taking in combination is safe? This can be very complicated for the average consumer to figure out. On Wednesday October 8^th, the Riverwalk Natural Health is offering free consultations to go over all medications, supplements and herbs that you are on to let you know if what you’re taking is safe. Fifteen minute consultations will be free all day from 9am to 6pm at the Riverwalk Natural Health Clinic & Natural Pharmacy in Edwards, right across the street from Starbucks. 

When: October 8th 9 am - 6 pm

Where: Riverwalk Natural Health Clinic & Natural Pharmacy

Who: Dr. Deborah Wiancek

Please RSVP to the Riverwalk Natural Clinic at 970-926-7606

Erectile Dysfunction in Military Males is Triple the Norm

Men age 40 and younger who are enlisted in the U.S. military are three times more likely to have erectile dysfunction (ED) than civilian men of similar age, but few military men report receiving treatment, according to a new study.

The study, one of the first assessments of sexual-functioning problems among male military personnel, included 367 enlisted men, ages 21 to 40. Participants completed an online sexual-functioning survey during an eight-week period in October and November in 2013.

The aim of this study was to estimate the prevalence of sexual function problems in male military personnel, examine its effects on their quality of life and evaluate barriers for seeking treatment, said Sherrie L. Wilcox, research assistant professor at the University of Southern California's School of Social Work in Los Angeles, and one of the authors of the study.

"The overall rate of erectile dysfunction in our sample is three times higher than the rate of ED in civilian males of similar age, and 10 percent more than civilian men over the age of 40," Wilcox told Live Science. "The most alarming data, however, is the rate of ED in the 36- to 40-year age group, which is nearly twice the rate of civilian men over 40."

According to Wilcox, the high rates of sexual problems among men in the military could be due to exposure to traumatic events during deployment, mental and physical health issues, and relationship problems with their spouses or significant others. "Sexual-functioning problems are typically associated with increasing age, but those exposed to traumatic events and physical injuries are at risk for developing them, regardless of age," she said.

Wilcox hopes to do a longitudinal study in the future, with a larger sample size and perhaps one that focuses on women as well. "This study is important in that it raises awareness for this problem and puts it on the radar of professionals who work with military personnel and their families," she said.

Fruit Anthocyanins

  

What are Fruit Anthocyanins? 

Our Fruit Anthocyanins are an organic dark fruit and berry concentrate designed by Dr. William Mitchell, who pioneered its use as a powerful tool in promoting health.  Over the years he modified his blend to achieve optimal clinical health benefits.  This product is his final formulation, which he used in thousands of patients for a wide variety of health concerns.

Many scientific studies have been conducted around the world, which have shown that the particular fruit and berries contained in this blend — Red Grape, Elderberry, Blueberry, Aronia Berry, Pomegranate, and Red Raspberry — have extraordinary health benefits.  Many of the promising research areas for human health applications are listed below:

• Anti-Bacterial • Erectile Dysfunction • Anti-Inflammatory • Eye Conditions • Anti-Oxidant • Gastrointestinal Conditions • Anti-Viral • Nerve Conditions • Cancer • Obesity • Cardiovascular Diseases • Pulmonary Conditions • Connective Tissue Health • Skin Health • Dental Health Diabetes • Urinary Conditions Cardiovascular disease: The flavonoids are helpful in protecting the heart. Since 1995 I have had virtually no incidence of repeat cardiac events in patients who have had heart attacks. It is essential medicine for heart attack recovers. I also use it for patients who have heart disease in their family histories. Arterial disease: Arteritis, vascular disease with compromised peripheral circulation,phlebitis, and varicosities have all improved. Some of these cases are actually quiteremarkable. I have had no diabetic patients needing to undergo amputation as a result ofcompromised peripheral circulation since using the berry flavonoids. Diabetes: Using a tablespoonful of flavonoids in a large glass of water daily has resulted in lower blood sugar levels.  Diabetic retinopathy is a condition that the flavonoids are particularly helpful with.  Here again, the flavonoids in a large glass of water consumed with a meal twice daily. Macular degeneration:  I have had 6 cases of macular degeneration that have healed using the flavonoids. I am particularly excited about this application of the flavonoids. Pulmonary fibrosis:  The cases I have treated have recovered a great deal of energy and liveliness.  They have less shortness of breath and are actually able to take walks again.  An established case of pulmonary fibrosis where the breathing is severly compromised is considered progressive and terminal.  Given this, I am very pleased to see progression slowed and even stopped in some cases.  Follow up in these cases is currently ongoing. Cancer:  Studies on the organic acids in the pigments are interesting, such as ellagic acid from raspberries.  I use the flavonoids in all of my cancer patients as a protective nutrient. I have seen some amazing results with these concentrated fruit anthocyanins they are high in antioxidants and anti-inflammatory.  If you are interested in trying them please stop by my office or call to order 970-926-7606.

Nine Steps to Better Health Experts Want Men to Know

On average, men live 5 years less than women.  According to experts, if men were to pay attention to these nine things they would have better health and potentially narrow the longevity gap.

1. There is no Shame in Depression. It is a real physiological event, says certified athletic trainer Ken Locker. Men tend to think it's better to tough it out because they don't want to talk about it: "It might make things worse," or "I'm admitting weakness." Action: Talk to your family doctor who can recommend a professional counselor.
2. Yoga isn’t just a girl thing. Men should aim for cardio and muscle building exercise.  Yoga is great as you age because it helps with balance.
   Action: Ask friends for recommendations, and then try a class.
3. “No pain, no gain” is a none-sense.  Certified chiropractor, Logan Sherman has witnessed plenty of examples of the falsity of this silly saying.  Sherman stated that his male patients are guilty of pushing past the minor things that could be caught at an earlier stage, and turning them into an injury.
   Action: If you feel a twinge, rest. For plantar fasciitis, avoid going barefoot. Roll a tennis ball, golf ball or frozen water bottle under the foot several times a day. If the pain persists, check with your doctor
4.  Certain cancer screenings are imperative. “Prostate cancer is “the easiest cancer to kill if it’s detected,” Locker says. But men, of course, would happily skip that part of a physical, he says.  Another villain is colon cancer, which can be detected early, he says. “Men tend not to want to know, or to think they don’t have any problems.”
   Action: Schedule the screenings, for crying out loud.
5. You don’t need a gym to be fit.  “Gravity,” Locker says, “was the first gym ever invented.”
   Action:  What to do: Pushups, crunches and squats can be done anywhere. Ditto for walking.
6.  You don’t know what to do at the gym. “What men do that’s the biggest problem in exercise is not asking for help,” O’Bryant says. “It’s like that asking for directions thing. I go to the gym, and see people there for the first time and they think they automatically know what they’re doing. But they’re probably doing it wrong.”
   Action: What to do: Use a trainer. Most gyms offer a free session with membership.
7. Sunscreen isn’t for wusses. According to the American Academy of Dermatology, the incidence of melanoma is higher in women than men until age 45. By age 60, though, rates are twice as high. 
   Action: What to do: Use a zinc or titanium based face cream with SPF of at least 15, Locker says.  And Schedule a skin check at least once a year.
8. Exercising isn’t a free license to eat anything. “Men who are successful getting into physical activity often think that’s enough,” O’Bryant says. “‘I work out so I can eat what I want.’ ‘I work out so I can drink whatever I want
   Action: Think moderation. Also remember that diet “is not only related to heart health, but intimately related to brain health,” O’Bryant says. “It’s very, very powerful.”

Obesity Negatively Affects Sperm Health in Men

findings can hopefully encourage perspective fathers to maintain a healthy weight not just for themselves but for their future children too

Obesity raises a slew of health concerns for the American people. One in particular is an issue surrounding perspective fathers’ weights during time of conception.

Recent findings published by the Research Center for Reproductive Health at the University of Adelaide in South Australia, find that a father’s weight during conception can negatively affect the genes given to their offspring increasing their chances for diabetes. They also found that these genes could negatively affect the second generation too. Dr. Tod Fullston states "Fathers should aim to be as healthy as possible at the time of conception to give future generations the best possible chance of good health."

These findings can hopefully encourage perspective fathers to maintain a healthy weight not just for themselves but for their future children too.

Healthy Lifestyle and Prostate Cancer Prevention for Men

It’s not the first time we've been told that living a healthy lifestyle is beneficial.

It’s not the first time we've been told that living a healthy lifestyle is beneficial. Acknowledging this statement is certainly true, yet what is the extent of it? Current cancer research tells us just that and gives us new hope in cancer prevention.

 

In a new Study titled “Healthy Habits Linked to Longer Telomeres in Prostate Cancer”, directed by the Preventive Medicine Research Institute, the association between a healthy lifestyle and chromosome length was explored. This study notes on previous findings that the length of telomeres, or protein complexes at the end of chromosomes, are linked to later cancer onset when a healthy lifestyle is implemented.

 

For this Study a cohort of 35 men with biopsy-proven, low risk prostate cancer, were opted into a lifestyle program. This program consisted of a diet low in fat and refined carbohydrates and high in whole fruits and vegetables; exercised aerobically for at least 30 minutes 6 days each week; engaged in stress management programs; and took part in a 1-hour weekly support group. Over a 5 year span, these men experienced a lengthening in telomeres, and consequently, an improvement in chromosome and overall health.

 

Results not only concluded an improvement in the intervention groups’ telomeres, but in the control group who were solely monitored for 5 years, in contrast, concluded with an overall shortening in telomeres.

 

As results are encouraging, further research into the correlation between lifestyle and health will continue to broaden the understanding of the extent of benefits our society may incur.