AUGUST 24, 2011 WHAT IS A CAMU ?

"When you need to tell the truth, find the courage to open your heart, as well as your mouth."

Absolutely love this quote. You always need to tell the truth. The truth could go as far back as when you were young. When my own father was not doing well health-wise I wanted to tell him certain facts and truths. It was an open communication line. I wish I hadn't waited so long to tell him, but the main point is that I finally did. The real question is, "Do you lie? Are you honest?" The older I get, the less I can tolerate dishonesty. I despise dishonestly. I would rather hear the truth no matter how painful, than a lie which will only be uncovered at some other point.

I am always asked which is the best fruit berry to ingest. I am continually learning. I read ferociously . We once thought it was blueberries, but recently we found out that blackberries (also known as mulberries) have even greater antioxidant value. The total antioxidant capacity, measured as Oxygen Radical Absorbance Capacity (ORAC) is very important in choosing which berry to consume. The normal range for ORAC is 13.9 - 45.9 mmoles TE/gram. Blueberries can have a level as high as 50 mmoles TE/g versus strawberries which average only 17.4 mmoles TE/gram. The reason for the antioxidant potential depends on the several phytonutrients contained in these fruits and vegetables. Some of these flavinoids are flavones, isoflavones, anthocyanins and catechins. The deeper purple fruits have higher levels of anthocyanins.

Your mother once told you to drink a glass of orange juice for the amount of Vitamin C it contained. This is old in 2011! The fruit Camu camu from a shrub which grows wild in the Amazon River Basin has the highest content of Vitamin C. It is about 1000-3000mg/100g. In comparison to other fruits, Camu camu is outstanding in terms of its antioxidant capacity. Camu camu wins over blueberries, apples and oranges in the fight against free radicals like peroxyl and peroxynitrite.

I would encourage you and your loved ones to take camu. I love http://www.wholeworldbotanicals.com/ as a source. The American Botanical Council also recommends this site. I would prefer to obtain Wildcrafted Royal Camu (TM) (Camu Camu)

In addition to boosting immune function, Vitamin C was recently studied at Lund University. In June 2011, researchers stated that treatment with Vitamin C can dissolve the toxic protein aggregates that build up in the brain in Alzheimer's disease (AD). This study stated that the lumps of the so called amyloid plaques which consist of misfolded protein aggregates can be dissolved.

The notion that Vitamin C has a positive effect on AD remains to this day to be controversial. More studies need to be done, but I would not stop taking it at ALL !

Until tomorrow...

MAY 31, 2011 HEALTHIER TEETH MEANS A HEALTHIER HEART

"Life happens to US when WE happen to life in the NOW"

This oddly worded phrase can be better read as Things will happen if we stay in the moment. I never used to live in the moment. I lived in the past. I lived in the future. But I never lived in the current moment.

In the last seventeen years I have learned a lot about living. In order to live life to the fullest I have to stay in the moment. I grow, I learn, I progress when I stay in the moment. If I stay in the past I experinece things like anger, sadness, and resentment. There are of course also some good memories from the past that I conjure up and bring into the current moment. I have learned that if I live in the future [or project] I will only get disappointments. So I actively seek to live in the moment every day now.

There is a heart - mouth (teeth, gum) connection. I have seen this link in the last 15 years of clinical practice. As a I cardiologist I always focus on the mouth. You thought I would say the heart, but I didn't. There are studies to associate periodontal infections and heart disease.

As an integrative physician there are also good foods for dental health. You have always heard me talk about foods for your heart, but I want you to have the all-around approach.

The crunch foods like celery, carrots and apples act like tooth brushes as these are abrasive. The ADA (American Dental Association ) also talks about those foods for increasing saliva production.

One of the best vitamins is Vitamin C as it prevents gingivitis. I have always used Vitamin C in my clinical practice. I love it naturally-- in fruits and vegetables, but also recommend it in its supplement form and even intravenously.

Recently for some unknown reason, The FDA has banned intravenous Vitamin C. I couldn't believe my ears when I heard the FDA closed a reputable vitamin C supplier. An article in the Townsend Letter- June 2011 has all the facts. I was dumbfounded to learn that the FDA has recently classified Vitamin C for injection as "an unapproved drug". This is why medicine is failing in the United States. Since when can the FDA-- a federal agency, regulate the practice of medicine? We already have the pharmaceutical and insurance companies regulating how we as physicians practice, and now the FDA. I have helped hundreds of patients with diseases including cancer, MS, CFS, et al. with intravenous Vitamin C. Check the following website http://www.vitamincfoundation.org/ for more information. Join the online forum. I am glad I still have my Freedom of Speech!

So eat fruits like kiwi, papaya, red peppers, and strawberries for their richness in Vitamin C. The green herbs such as parsley, mint and thyme contain monterpenes which help the breath stay fresh and clean but also prevent the formation of bacteria in the gums which causes gingivitis.

IF YOU WANT TO KEEP YOUR TEETH WHITE, cut a strawberry in half and start to rub the white pulp side on your teeth. Otherwise visit the cosmetic dentist for those pearly whites. I did!

We now know that periodontal disease is more prevalent than we once thought. We underestimated how many Americans have gum disease. Since there is an association between gum disease and heart disease as well as other diseases--TAKE care of your oral health--not just for your PRETTY SMILE.

Until tomorrow...