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Clinical Nutrition: Entry #2

This week's online discussion topic revolves around a dyslipidemia case study presented in our Clinical Nutrition course notes.

Scenario: A general overview states that Mrs. X is a 47 year old depressed, obese, hyperlipidemic, hypertensive, menopausal female who feels she is at a point in her life where she can put some energy toward becoming healthier. She wants to know if there is anything outside the conventional allopathic approach (i.e. drugs) that would be helpful for her (note: considerably more health information regarding Mrs. X is revealed in the course notes than what I can share with you here).

Marty's Contribution: Mrs. X's story is an all too familiar one. In the final assessment of Mrs. X's condition, we learn that after 47 years of bodily abuse and fighting a losing battle with her dietary addictions, she is finally considering turning an eye towards her health. 47 years. Without drawing too many larger conclusions about societal priorities, I thought that Rusty (a classmate) brought up a great point in class about getting good, truthful health information into the school systems so that students can have positive lifestyle options as early as possible. Then, perhaps, folks like Mrs. X would not be faced with the dire health situation she currently finds herself in (and based on her history and current issues, she truly is in a dire situation).

Reading Mrs. X's history provoked feelings of sadness and sympathy. Slowly, her life began to degenerate, and along with it, her health. The truth is, the seeds of degeneration had been planted long before Mrs. X's life began to spiral out of control - the various stressful events in her life were simply the proverbial straw which broke the camel's back.

I agree whole-heartedly with Jess (another classmate) that Mrs. X has classic thyroid symptoms. The pounding heart, the obesity, the depression, the bouts of anxiety, the constant fatigue, the hypercholesterolemia, etc. all suggest thyroid involvement. And if there is thyroid involvement, you can bet there is also adrenal involvement, as the two operate on a teeter-totter system. Mrs. X's adrenals are probably fried from the chronic stress she has had to weather over the past decade or so. I expect she has entered the "exhaustion" phase of Selye's classic General Adaptation Syndrome.

The hypercholesteremia and the hypertension are not so much of a concern to me. These things are transient and can be altered in a relatively short span of time (without meds), provided there is good patient compliance. In fact, we expect to see an increase in BP with age - again, this is normal (BP should go up with age).

There are many natural supplements and dietary choices Mrs. X could make to reduce her cholesterol burden. But let's keep in mind the fact that cholesterol alone is not necessarily a "bad" thing. In fact, we need adequate amounts of cholesterol to support membrane-building cellular activity, intrinsic steroid production, etc. It's not the cholesterol Mrs. X is consuming which is the problem - it's the sugar. The sugar consumption forces the body to synthesize it's own cholesterol, which is then added to the cholesterol contributions from the diet which, in turn, sends blood lipid levels through the roof. Cut out the sugar and the body no longer feels the need to produce it's own cholesterol, provided an adequate amount is received through the diet. Before any other changes in health or lifestyle selection can occur, we have to stabilize Mrs. X's blood sugar. Taking the sugar out of the diet would most likely allow the depression to lift as well.

At one point in time, we harbored a similar cavalier attitude toward the effects of tobacco as we do today regarding sugar consumption. I have always felt that a large tax placed on sugary products (which turns out to be almost every processed food product) could help cut down on sugar consumption in general. Money is what people seem to understand and respond to best (as evidenced by the current increase in gas at the pumps). However, I can't imagine the sugar lobby would be too thrilled with this decision.

Mr. X is truly the "X" factor in this equation. Despite his good intentions, he's going to have to be willing to support his wife in her attempts to create a new, healthy lifestyle. The report mentions that the two share a very loving relationship, so the opportunity to work together to mutually raise the quality of their health is a hopeful possibility. Even though Mrs. X has abused herself for such a long period of time, the fact that she is looking to turn things around is very positive. You just hope you catch patients in a head-space where this sort of change is possible, and even if such a change isn't immediately possible, there is nothing wrong with planting a seed in their mind so that the next time they hear the information, it may be the right moment for a monumental lifestyle change.

The Cold Laser Project

The cold laser produces 680 nanometres of healing wonder. In case you have not heard of the term "cold laser", the chiropractic profession is increasingly using laser therapy to address health concerns ranging from superficial wounds to carpal tunnel syndrome to acne. I first became aware of the healing power of laser therapy when a classmate suffered an incredible contusion on his shin. Later, a current patient suffered a fall from his bicycle with subsequent bruising on his thigh which was treated quickly, and effectively with cold laser therapy.

The term laser is actually an acronym for "light amplification by the stimulated emission of radiation", and there is a marked difference between "hot" lasers and "cold" lasers (the former often used in industrial processes and the latter used in health clinics). The term "cold" is used to indicate that it's use does not cause cellular damage like other lasers we are familiar with (a la James Bond or Austin Powers).

Cold laser treatments (also known as low-level light therapy) utilize light (or photon) energy with the unique property of being able to penetrate up to two inches below the skin surface to increase cellular metabolism (i.e. healing) with no tissue damage whatsoever.

Low-level laser light is compressed light of a wavelength from the cold (or red) part of the spectrum of electromagnetic radiation. It is different from natural light in that it is one precise color; it is coherent (it travels in a straight line), monochromatic (a single wavelength) and polarized (it concentrates its beam in a defined location or spot). These properties allow laser light to penetrate the surface of the skin with no heating effect, no damage to the skin and no known side effects. Rather, laser light directs biostimulative light energy to the body's cells which the cells then convert into chemical energy to promote natural healing and pain relief.

The cold laser is perhaps the most easily transported physical therapy (PT) modality based on it's unobtrusive size and ease of handling. This fact, combined with the incredible healing effects which I have personally witnessed, was enough to convince me that it's use would be invaluable in the clinic of whatever health outpost I end up volunteering with this fall. The types of injuries which frequently occur in the rural setting of the developing world could be easily treated with laser, and it would be a wonderful gift to leave the tool in the hands of health professionals there.

The idea is to petition manufacturers of cold lasers to donate their product to the clinic I volunteer at so that when I leave, the tool can be left behind for the community to benefit from for many years to come. Lasers typically have wonderful longevity and durability, and power conversion is a relatively easy challenge to overcome.

A $3,000 - 5,000 piece of equipment could buy many things for many people in that sort of setting, but you can't overlook the cumulative effect this type of instrument could have on the general health and well-being of a community. Everyone contributes in their own way and I feel that this is one project I could sink my teeth into. So, the next step is to come up with a list of companies or doctors who might be willing to donate their laser to charity. I will keep you posted on how this unfolds. Dr. Joel Agresta, one of my instructors here at WSCC, has agreed to help me form a list of companies and local doctors who might be willing to help me out.

Clinical Nutrition: Entry #1

This quarter I am taking a class called "Clinical Nutrition", which is essentially an extension of an introductory course on nutrition I took roughly one year ago. As part of the course work, we are expected to contribute an opinion to an online thread on a given health topic each week as part of our coursework (a blogger's dream!). Seeing as how I don't get much of a chance to write these days, I figured that I would share my postings with you on a weekly basis. At the beginning of each entry, I will share the scenario with you followed by my comments. So, here goes.

Scenario #1: Discuss the role and the potential merits of colon detoxification. Choose a detoxification program or product and critique it for rationality and safety using information provided in class. You may choose one you or someone you know has tried, or one you find in a publication or on the internet (note: the concept of "detoxifying" the gut has recently been made popular by L. Ron Hubbard - the founder of Scientology).

Marty's Contribution: Over the past 100 years, the efforts of international commerce has increased our exposure to industrial chemicals from just a handful to over tens of thousands. The possibility that some (or many) of these chemicals have deleterious effects on human health is something to bear in mind. Keeping a wary eye on the fall-out of such mega-disasters as Bhopal and Chernobyl has been highly illuminating in revealing how the chemicals we are exposed to affect not only our health, but also the health of unborn generations. While not every toxin we may be exposed to is as insidious as methyl isocyanate or produces the same dramatic effects as the radioactive fall-out at Chernobyl, we live in an age which does not have the well-being of the individual in mind, and contemplating a detoxification of our systems might not be such a bad idea.

Many signs actually do point toward a generational decline in modern humanity. Widespread depression, acts of violence, decreasing sperm counts in males, and the appearance of PMS in females all signify an insidious process at work. I agree that lifestyle selection plays a HUGE role in this decline, but I also wouldn't discount the possibility of the chemical soup we are exposed to on a daily basis as being implicated in this health regression.

In terms of detoxification programs, the idea itself is a great one. If the effects touted by the various companies can be trusted, I don't see the harm in giving the detoxification program a try. In class, Dr. Gerber suggested that Thorne Research was a reputable company to purchase from. I am aware that they have some sort of detox kit (basic detox nutrients), which, in conjunction with light aerobic exercise and sauna sessions, might provide the cleanse that most of our bodies require. I would also recommend a review of products offered by Standard Process - perhaps the finest nutritional supplement manufacturer on the planet.

The following section lists my responses to several topics brought up by fellow classmates:

1) On the reason why people don't seem to be dying earlier based on their ignoring the need for detoxification:

I would suggest that it's not so much a matter of longevity (i.e. living or dying), but rather the quality of the final years of many people's lives that is of significance here. Easily extractable oil and other fossil fuels have given us the ability to expand our medical technology to the point where we can now prolong a sick person's life for many years beyond what their compromised state of health would normally allow. But how many of us have a loved one or an acquaintance that is suffering from one or more crippling degenerative diseases? The point is, many people are now capable of living a LONG life, but what about the QUALITY of the years that comprise that life?

Many of the degenerative diseases we now regularly suffer from did not make a strong appearance in the general population until we began altering our diet by consuming refined, polished, and processed foods while exposing ourselves to myriad toxins from industry following the industrial revolution.

Humans have proven repeatedly that, with the assistance of chemical compounds (i.e. prescription drugs) and modern technology, we can live in a compromised state of health and well-being for an extended period of time - but is this something we have learned to accept as the norm? It is NOT normal, but it IS the new average.

2) On whether the purchase of organic foods may or may not add significantly more years to one's life and/or promote improved health in an already healthy person:

Choosing organically grown products is not only a good strategy for recovering the lost nutrient content of our food, it is also a moral imperative if we hope to retain arable land to provide bounty for the generations which come after us. In this sense, selecting organic products becomes not only a PERSONAL health issue, but also a PUBLIC health issue and the debate goes far beyond what organic products can do for our health as current consumers.

The environmental crisis instigated and inflamed by the industrial farming complex is such that our reliance on abusive agricultural practices will necessarily need to come to a close if we want to continue working the land in a sustainable manner. The industrial farming process treats the land as a commodity which can be traded for quick cash, while in the meantime, this process also kills the microbial life in the soil we depend upon (not to mention the devastating loss of topsoil which has occurred over the past few decades - more than several feet in some parts of the U.S.). When the microbial life in the soil dies, the mineral content of the soil suffers greatly. A radically reduced mineral content in the soil confers significantly less nutrients to the produce, meats, or whatever else it is down the line that we consume.

Whether or not the use of organic products has a significant impact on our health (which I strongly suspect they do), the answer to whether we will have ANY more years to our lives and the lives of our children and grandchildren largely depends upon how smooth the transition is from an industrial form of agriculture to a more intensely local and smaller-scale system of farming - and we have an important role to play in this transition.

3) On items we take for granted as conferring important health benefits, but which we may not actually require (e.g. in this case, toothpaste):

I feel that given the choice, we could actually do without a lot of the items we have been told for years are indispensable for maintaining our health. Toothpaste, for instance, is one of those items. Studies of Indigenous populations have revealed that prior to contact with the so-called "foods of commerce" consumed (and still consumed) by those of European ancestry, dental caries were almost non-existent in those populations. In fact, the development of the dental arches, the quality of the teeth, and the gross absence of facial deformity within the Indigenous populations could actually be shown to be far superior to their European counterparts...and all without the use of toothpaste. It wasn't the toothpaste - it was the diet centered on whole foods which helped to protect the Indigenous populations studied from dental caries and facial deformity at birth.

4) On the promotion of health behaviour change amongst patients:

Harry (a classmate) makes a lot of good points about the program proposed by Hubbard and also raises a very important question concerning health behavior modification for our patients. Just as the person striving for optimal health needs to find a way to incorporate exercise, proper nutrition, and healthy coping strategies for the stress of life, perhaps they also need to find a way to do a periodic detox which is appropriate for their given health presentation (and based on the recommendation of a qualified health professional).

Keep your eyes peeled for future entries!

Love & Suffering

In moments of great hurt and suffering, one must be allowed to feel vulnerable. A sense of loss, a sense of mourning - none of it makes any sense and nothing soothes the pain. We do not sign up for this life, but we are charged to live it with dignity and humility. Dignity and humility are the only things I have to cling to. As I creep back towards the isolation which seems to haunt me, I have only memories of you to take with me. I don't know of any other way to keep you in my life. Today I feel empty and broken.

You came into my life slowly, on your own time, and now you vanish as though you were a ghost. A mysterious, puzzling woman with all the makings of a wonderful companion. All the love I could bestow on another soul I have given to you - if not through my physical presence, then at least through my thoughts and actions towards you and on behalf of you. I would do it again in a heartbeat though because of the gifts you have given me and the lessons you have taught me. And just as I have in the past, I will continue to uphold your integrity and protect you. And tonight, on a warm July evening, I will think about you and you will remind me that even though love is fleeting, we need to make ourselves vulnerable in order to experience the true depths of this life.

I can write about love and suffering...because I am a human being. It is my right.

Setting The Tone

I am about to head into what will prove to be the toughest academic quarter I will face here at chiropractic college. On the eve of a new term, I can't help but feel as though I am headed into battle as my jaw begins to clench and I re-enter the alarm phase of Selye's General Adaptation Syndrome (GAS).

I wanted to write a few words tonight in order to set the tone for the quarter because I feel like it will help guide me through the stress and turmoil that is part and parcel with this commitment. I am not a religious person, but I do occasionally hope that whatever force made me will lend their ear and their helping hand through stressful times.

Thus, on this sultry summer evening, I am asking for humility in the face of seemingly insurmountable challenges; I am asking for grace under fire and the type of good-natured laughter that will see me through the early mornings and the long days; I am asking for strength to avoid becoming jaded and cynical about the tasks I must perform; I am asking to be open to learning opportunities and to accept the wisdom of my peers; and I am asking to retain all of the finest qualities of a good friend, family member and companion. I also ask for this experience to be uplifting and positive. I am not afraid to ask for these things because I do it out of a simple desire to be the best that I can be. Nothing more, nothing less.

I wish you all the best too.