South Asians at an Increased Risk of Cardiovascular Diseases

Studies have shown people native to India, Pakistan, Bangladesh, Nepal and Sri Lanka can die from heart disease five to 10 years earlier than those from other ethnic groups.

Atherosclerosis in S. Asians is unlike the classical picture. It is diffuse in nature and doesn't just occur at the top of the arteries which is what is normally seen in other ethnic groups.

Reasons why:

• South Asians may have smaller than avg blood vessels in the heart. Therefore fat deposited on the blood vessel walls will shrink the available space for blood to flow.
• Abnormality in glucose and insulin signalling is seen much earlier in life in this segment of the population.

Pesticides and the foods you should eat organically.

Have you ever wondered which foods contain the most pesticides? The Environmental Working Group (a US non-profit organization) analyzed over 42,000 of the latest U.S government tests for pesticide residues on commonly-eaten fruits and vegetables. Then they ranked the results based on six measures of pesticide load, even after washing and peeling. It is probably a fair assumption to say that U.S results will mirror that of Canada's. There are three charts and one link to a short video clip below:

1) The dirty dozen

The Dirty Dozen	Score*	% with pesticides	% with 2 or more pesticides
Peaches	100	96.6	86.6
Apples	96	93.6	82.3
Sweet bell peppers	86	81.5	62.2
Celery	85	94.1	79.8
Nectarines	84	97.3	85.3
Strawberries	83	92.3	69.2
Cherries	75	91.4	75.8
Lettuce	69	68.2	44.2
Grapes (imported)	68	84.2	53.2
Pears	65	86.2	45.7
Spinach	60	70	31.2
Potatoes	58	81	18

2) The consistently clean

The Consistently Clean	Score*	% with pesticides	% with 2 or more pesticides
Onions	1	0.2	0
Avocado	1	1.4	0
Sweet corn (frozen)	2	3.8	0
Pineapples	7	7.7	0.6
Mango	9	7.1	0.5
Sweet peas (frozen)	11	22.9	2.3
Asparagus	11	6.7	0.6
Kiwi	14	15.3	3.4
Bananas	16	41.7	2.0
Cabbage	17	17.9	4.8
Broccoli	18	28.1	3.2
Egglpant	19	23.4	6.9

3) Here is the full list in order from worst to best:

RANK	FRUIT OR VEGGIE	SCORE
1 (worst)	Peaches	100 (highest pesticide load)
2	Apples	96
3	Sweet Bell Peppers	86
4	Celery	85
5	Nectarines	84
6	Strawberries	83
7	Cherries	75
8	Lettuce	69
9	Grapes - Imported	68
10	Pears	65
11	Spinach	60
12	Potatoes	58
13	Carrots	57
14	Green Beans	55
15	Hot Peppers	53
16	Cucumbers	52
17	Raspberries	47
18	Plums	46
19	Oranges	46
20	Grapes-Domestic	46
21	Cauliflower	39
22	Tangerine	38
23	Mushrooms	37
24	Cantaloupe	34
25	Lemon	31
26	Honeydew Melon	31
27	Grapefruit	31
28	Winter Squash	31
29	Tomatoes	30
30	Sweet Potatoes	30
31	Watermelon	25
32	Blueberries	24
33	Papaya	21
34	Eggplant	19
35	Broccoli	18
36	Cabbage	17
37	Bananas	16
38	Kiwi	14
39	Asparagus	11
40	Sweet Peas-Frozen	11
41	Mango	9
42	Pineapples	7
43	Sweet Corn-Frozen	2
44	Avocado	1
45 (best)	Onions	1 (lowest pesticide load)

4) Video clip:
http://www.ewg.org/node/22100

"Canada Organic" - New regulations for Organics!!!

To buy organic or not to buy organic? From a health perspective, it's an easy choice, but something I learnt in my naturopathic medical education was that there really was no standard for organics. There really was no policing for organic goods so there was a chance that consumers were paying organic prices for non-organic goods. Of course, I was taught this many years ago when there were a number of logos competing for organic supremacy. And the fact is, I haven't seen a recognizable logo come out on top - no gold standard if you will. That is until now!

The Canada Food Inspection Agency has undertaken steps that will require mandatory certification for agricultural products represented as organic in imports & exports. The national standard for Canada will bear a logo as shown above. Finally, a recognizable logo that you can trust and one undertaken by the federal government as the demand for organic products increase. This logo will be coming into force on 2008-12-14. This logo will be permitted for use on:

• Products with at least 95% organic ingredients.
• That use natural fertilizers during production.
• Avoid genetically modified plant seeds.
• Raise animals in conditions that mimic nature as much as possible. So I'm assuming here that no hormones or drugs can be injected.
  

Now, I know, some of you will say that it's not 100% organic and that there are other certification logos out there that say 100% organic. I can't argue with you there, but I definitely feel that this is a positive step especially when it's an initiative undertaken by the federal government and one that we know will be monitored at the federal level.

How to improve your home's indoor air quality.

As a naturopathic doctor who tries to practice holistically, I often find myself giving advice to patients beyond what one would typically get from a health care practitioner. I've had to do some detective work with patients trying to suss out the root cause of allergies or skin reactions. I remember one patient whose skin reacted negatively to a new brand of detergent she had begun to use.

I've also given advice on matters relating to household and indoor air quality. A few friends of mine have even laughed at some of the advice I give. For example, I advise patients with outdoor allergies such as pollen to brush their clothes and hair off before they enter their home. It seems simple, but how many people with allergies actually do that? Doing so will help to decrease the amount of allergens one brings into their house.

Here's an interesting article I found about ways to improve indoor air quality:
http://www.canadianliving.com/life/green_living/healthy_home_how_to_improve_indoor_air_quality.php

In addition to these tips, I would also recommend that families air out their homes once in a while by opening the windows. Studies have shown that indoor air quality is often worse that outdoors, so take the time to air out your residence even during the cold winter months. Of course, I don't recommend doing so during smog days and during allergy season if you have allergies.

If you have any good tips, I'd love to hear what you do to improve your indoor air quality.

Southern Ontario's drinking water contain drugs like pain killers and personal care products

It seems like just yesterday that I broached the topic of toxins in our water supply. Apparently, a new study led by University of Waterloo biology professor Mark Servos states that there are traces of personal-care products, painkillers and other drugs found in the drinking water of 15 southern Ontario municipalities. Pharmaceuticals drugs and antibacterial agents like triclosan were found in trace amounts.

Reasons cited include:

• Antibiotics leaching into the water from livestock manure.
• People dumping medications down the toilet.
• Drugs excreted into the toilet after ingestion by the public.

Sewage treatment plants are good at removing things like bacteria, but were never designed to get rid of compounds such as drugs. Hopefully governments will implement newer technologies to filter out these other toxins.

What can we do in the mean time?
We need to realize that everything is connected in our environment. That's why it's important to use environmentally safe products (ie. cleaning agents) when we can do so. Such steps are not difficult for the average consumer as these products are readily gotten at your local grocery stores such as Longos, Loblaws or Dominions nowadays.

Remember to properly dispose of your batteries & computer parts to ensure that toxic compounds such as mercury do no seep into our land and water systems.

The Rexall chain of pharmacies, which includes Pharma Plus, has started a collection program for expired medications. People can now bring their unused drugs to the pharmacies and the medications will be disposed of in an "environmentally friendly" fashion.

Being environmentally responsible does impact your health in a significant way. We're all in this together, so be good to the earth.

Update: Walmart/milk/growth hormones, Carbamazepine/Tegretol problems

Walmart/milk/growth hormones:

A news release from the U.S states that consumer demand has caused Walmart to provide only growth hormone free milk in its private label brand Great Value milk. This is a win for many reasons. It shows that if consumers demand it, big business will provide it. It also shows us that consumers are becoming more conscious about the environment and what we put into our bodies. I do not know if these changes apply to Canadian stores, but I am hopeful. The U.S. Food and Drug Administration has said that milk from cows treated with artificial growth hormones poses no risk to human health. Now I love science and evidence-based medicine, but some times I think that we just need to use common sense instead of relying on clinical trials and experiments.

Carbamazepine and serious skin reactions:

Health Canada has warned that carbamazepine (aka Tegretol), a drug used to treat epilepsy, mania, bipolar disorder and facial conditions like trigeminal neuralgia, has the potential of causing serious skin reactions.

It appears that people of Asian descent have a greater risk of developing these skin reactions. A genetic test is available that can identify a genetic marker in patients of Asian ancestry that are at an increased risk.

Reported cases of "Serious and sometimes fatal skin reactions known as Stevens-Johnson Syndrome and Toxic Epidermal Necrolysis have been known to occur very rarely with carbamazepine," reads the advisory. "While all patients treated with carbamazepine are at risk of these skin reactions, the risk is approximately 10 times higher in Asian countries than in Western countries."

If you experience any signs of serious skin reactions such as a rash, red skin, blistering of the lips, eyes or mouth, or peeling skin accompanied by a fever, please consult your doctor immediately. Otherwise, it is not advisable to stop treatment without consulting your doctor.

The following are generic carbamazepine-containing products, with their makers in brackets, are sold in Canada:

• Apo-carbamazepine (Apotex Inc.).
• Bio-carbamazepine (Biomed 2002 Inc.).
• Carbamazepine (Pro Doc).
• Dom-carbamazepine (Dominion Pharmacal).
• Gen-carbamazepine (Genpharm ULC).
• Mazepine (Valeant Canada Ltd.).
• Novo-carbamaz (Novopharm Ltd.).
• Nu-carbamazepine (Nu-Pharm Inc.).
• PHL-carbamazepine (Pharmel Inc.).
• PMS-carbamazepine (Pharmascience Inc.).
• Sandoz-carbamazepine (Sandoz Canada Inc.).
• Taro-carbamazepine (Taro Pharmaceuticals Inc.).
• Tegretol (Novartis Pharmaceuticals Canada Inc.).

Laughter Therapy: Emulating Patch Adams

First off, if you haven't watched the movie Patch Adams, go out and rent it. To me, it is the best example of what a health care provider should be!!! He shows us the importance of treating the person as opposed to the disease. He brings laughter and joy to people's lives and he really listens to the patient.

Some quotable lines from the movie that I appreciate as a naturopathic doctor:

"Difference between a doctor and a scientist? If you want to become a doctor, you have to learn to treat the patient as well as the disease."

"You treat a disease.... you win, you lose. You treat a person, I guarantee you win, no matter what the outcome.""

"Why are patients referred to by their disease rather than their first name."

Here is a clip of one Mexican hospital that's emulating the work of Patch Adams: Clip

Important Updates: OTC lice shampoos, Colon cancer home screening kits, Pear juice recall

Lice and over-the-counter treatments:
Lindane, an agricultural pesticide has been banned in California lice products since 2002 because of concerns it was showing up in the state's water systems. California estimated that one treatment of a lindane-based product resulted in 22 million litres of contaminated water and brought contamination levels above the limit of 19 parts per trillion. Adverse side effects such as skin irritation, neurologic effects, dizziness, headaches and, in some extreme cases, convulsions and death were also seen in people.

The Canadian Paediatric Society is currently reviewing its position on lindane based products and recommends that they not be used on infants and children under 17 years of age. Pyrethrin or permethrin, are considered safe substitutes for lindane.

Colon Cancer Screening Kits:
In the first program of its kind, the Ontario government is offering free take-home screening kits for residents 50 years and older in an attempt to catch colon cancer. The program beings April 1, 2008 and the test is called a Fecal Occult Blood test where laboratories check for traces of blood in your stool. Blood in the stool is a sign that there could be other problems and further tests such as a colonoscopy will have to be done. In general, I recommend that anyone turning 50 get a colonoscopy. Colon cancers tend to develop slowly so if polyps are found, they are removed during the colonoscopy procedure right away. It can take over 10 years to develop colon cancer so some doctors and researchers say that if your colonoscopy results are clear, then you probably will not need to do another one for the rest of your life. So if you're 50 or over, don't delay, get screened!

Pear Juice Recalled:
Two products being recalled in Canada are the one-litre President's Choice Organics Pear Juice from Concentrate for Toddlers and the 128mL Beech Nut Pear Juice from concentrate with Vitamin C added. The Canadian Food Inspection Agency has warned consumers that these juices may contain arsenic, which is carcinogenic and poses developmental risks to children.

More about water & filtration systems

My previous post about the toxins in our water and the accompanying article cited got me to do a little bit of research into water filtration systems. Luckily or perhaps it was the universe giving me what I wanted a la The Secret, a University of Toronto friend of mine doing her PhD brought up the fact that she had just attended a presentation about water. I spent some time looking at the material she had received and most of it is too technical and of no use except for scientists who are doing complex experiments.

However, here's a summary of the good stuff I took from the material. I hope it's of use to some of you and will help you make decisions to benefit the health of you and your family.

Distillation:

• Apparently, this process DOES NOT remove volatile organics from the water. Organic compounds are things like pesticides, herbicides and solvents. So those compounds that vapourize at 100 degrees celsius will still be in the distilled water.
• Steam distillation isn't a viable option for households b/c it's impractical and costly.

Reverse Osmosis:

• This is probably one of the best all around filters, but it's quite inefficient & more costly.
• 40-60% of the water is expelled as "bad" water. This is an unnecesssary waste of water and energy.
• Filters out 95-99% of all inorganic ions. Inorganic ions are positively/negatively charged substances found in the periodic table or a combination. For instance, chlorine, fluorine, sodium, sodium chloride (ie. salt).
• Filters out 99% of all organics greater than 100 daltons in size.
• Filters out 99% of all particles and microorganisms
• Removes endotoxins (don't know what percentage). Endotoxins are toxins released by microbes. Boiling water kills microbes, but has no effect on endotoxins already released.

Activated Carbon:

• Removes chlorine and converts it to chloride. There was no mention of whether fluorine is removed.
• Removes organics like pesticides, herbicides, solvents
• DOES NOT remove bacteria or inorganic compounds

A better alternative than Aspirin to prevent asthma.

The latest study from the U.S shows that regular aspirin use may reduce the risk of asthma. The postulated benefit comes from the anti-inflammatory effects of aspirin. Inflammation is a part of almost every disease process so it explains why aspirin benefits many conditions.

But why take aspirin when you can you can eat more curry or drink ginger tea or take fish oil supplements? There are many ways to decrease inflammation in the body, why not incorporate more positive lifestyle changes into your day. Not only will you be targeting the asthma if that's your concern, but you'll be making greater contributions to your health as well. For example, eating more fish will give you the needed omega 3 fats that your body needs, in addition to decreasing inflammation & pain, helping stabilize mood & stress and decreasing your risk of cardiovascular diseases. Or take tumeric, the main ingredient in curry - it also decreases pain & inflammation, reduces your risk of developing alzheimers, it's anti-microbial, it's an anti-oxidant and it's anti-cancer.

A professor's final lecture with important lessons for all

This lecture has been seen & downloaded by millions around the world. I just thought I'd share in case you haven't seen it. Sometimes, life becomes hectic and we need reminders about what's truly important.

http://video.stumbleupon.com/#p=ithct48cqw

What toxins are in the water you drink? And the best way to remove them.

Ever wonder what kind of toxins are in the tap water you drink? I certainly do and I've tried researching for the best way to filter all these toxins. Steam distillation & reverse osmosis are two systems that can provide you with pure water, but pure water lacks all the good minerals that you tend to find in hard water such as calcium, magnesium, etc... Theoretically, pure water isn't necessarily the best liquid to put into your body either as it distorts the concentrations of minerals to liquids in your cell's environment. There is such a thing as water intoxication, but I'm beginning to think that reverse osmosis water might be the best option we have considering what we're finding in our tap water these days. As long as we're not drinking gallons of pure water without eating foods with the minerals that we need, water intoxication should not be a concern.

Please take the time to read this article (http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20080309/ap_on_re_us/pharmawater_i) from the Associated Press regarding the pharmaceutical drugs found in tap water across the U.S. I have no doubt that this problem affects Canada, Europe and many other countries and cities around the world. I believe that this will become a bigger issue for human health in the coming years.

These days, people are concerned about the foods that they put in their bodies. They don't want to ingest any hormones, antibiotics, pesticides & herbicides, so the shift towards organic foods has become more prominent. But few people have sat down and thought about what's in the water that we drink. We trust that the wells or the city's water purification plants are doing their jobs and are filtering any & all toxins. Maybe it's time that we push for even more stringent standards.

If anyone has any ideas or suggestions about water purification systems that they know are effective, I'd love to hear about it.

When it comes to Happiness: More is NOT Better! The Science of Happiness.

Many psychological and economic research papers have come out noting that wealth is not quite as big a determinant of happiness as many believe. I'm sure some of you wonder why you're not as happy as people surveyed from less well off countries. A few months ago, I remember seeing on the CBC news that individuals in "richer" areas of Canada (ie. Toronto, Vancouver, Calgary, etc...) were not as content with their lives as people from Newfoundland or Nova Scotia who do not have as much material wealth as their big city cousins.

Yesterday, I had a discussion with my naturopathic colleagues about the topic of happiness. I've noticed that in North America and other "first world countries" we always want MORE. It seems like the more money we make, the more we need. That's because as people make more money, they begin to buy luxury vehicles and bigger, more expensive houses. With that comes the increased burden of more expensive insurance, higher debt & utitilies, etc...

For many, the act of shopping releases feel good chemicals in our brains which leads to a euphoric high and it is one way of achieving happiness. Unfortunately, that euphoria is short-lived and many people are off to the shopping malls to try to regain some of that feeling. If people are constantly shopping for pleasure, it leads me to believe that there is a void in their lives that needs to be filled. I suspect that in North America, it's the lack of human contact and personal time. We're too busy and too stressed these days - at least, that's what my patients have told me. Time spent with family and friends has diminished over time. We spend our days cooped up at our desks rarely seeing the sun and a lot of us eat at our desks, devouring our food - rarely do we sit down and savour the flavours and aromas that emanate from them. How can anyone be happy under these circumstances?

Remember: Health and wellbeing is more than the sum of your physical parts. Yes, it's important that your liver functions well and that your kidneys properly filter all the fluids that you consume, but it's also important that you nourish your mind and spirit. How do we accomplish this? It begins with simple steps such as savouring your food and being thankful for all that you have (no matter how little is may seem compared to the movie stars that we see on tv). Appreciate the beauty of nature and the architecture around you. Get out and enjoy the sunlight, even during the winter months! Do something that you love! MAKE TIME for that hobby that you "just don't have the time for". Address any underlying "issues" that might be hindering your progress. Masking or avoiding these issues does not address the root cause of the problem, something all Naturopathic Doctors feel is of vital importance. And then one day, you'll wake up with a smile on your face. You won't need to 'keep up with the Jones' anymore' and nor will you need to buy things to make you happy. Happiness comes from within. Begin your journey today!

This brief video is a good addition to the comments mentioned above. Click on the title of this blog to go to the video. Enjoy!

http://cosmos.bcst.yahoo.com/up/player/popup/?rn=3906861&cl=6462881&ch=4227541&src=news

Proof positive of how our thoughts affect change.

It was my first year in naturopathic medical school when I was introduced to something miraculous. A professor of mine introduced our class to the work of Dr. Masaru Emoto. At first I didn't believe it, his research seemed magical.

We watched a video of Dr. Emoto performing experiments with water and photographing frozen water crystals. His hypothesis was that our thoughts and words can affect change even down to the molecular level. To prove this, he wrote negative words like 'hate' & 'sadness' onto glass containing water. He also wrote positive words like 'love' & 'respect' on other glass containers. After a couple of days, he froze the water and began to take photographs of the water crystals. The result was that water that had been exposed to positive thoughts and words formed beautiful, symmetrical water crystals whereas those exposed to negativity produced shapes that weren't as pleasing to look at. Don't believe me, next time you're at the bookstore, look through his published photograph collection entitled The Message from Water. You too will be astounded. Some of you may have heard of the saying "energy follows thought" and I believe that this is an example of that.

Visit Dr. Emoto's website to learn more about his work and don't forget to check out the 'Water Crystal of the month'. This month's featured word is "courtesy".

http://www.masaru-emoto.net/english/entop.html

http://NaturopathicEssentials.com

naturopathic doctor

Living to 100 may be easier than we once thought.

A study printed in the medical journal Archives of Internal Medicine (Feb 2008) states that “the probability of a 72-year-old to reach age 90 years was 54% in the absence of 5 key adverse factors.” Those factors are smoking, diabetes, obesity, hypertension, and living a sedentary lifestyle. In contrast, having all 5 factors dropped the probability to 4%.

As a Naturopathic Doctor, this study highlights the importance of starting the journey towards a healthier lifestyle. These 5 factors are for the most part controlled by lifestyle & dietary choices that YOU make. Yes, genetics can increase your risk of developing diabetes, obesity and even hypertension. For people with a family history of these conditions, it’s even more important that you begin your new journey today. The future does not have to unfold as is written by your genetic code.

Here are my 7 keys to living a long, healthy life:

1. Eat right – lots of fruits & veggies. In North America, meat is the centre piece of a meal and veggies are the sides. It should be reversed!
2. Drink right! When you’re thirsty, reach for a glass of water or make some fresh juice from your juicer. Stay away from the soft drinks and the fake juices out there.
3. Sleep right. Make sure you get at least 7-8hrs of shut eye at night. Sleep shuts down the mind and body and allows it to repair itself.
4. Move right. In today’s day and age, many people live an inactive lifestyle. This has contributed to the ever expanding waist lines of North Americans. Begin by increasing the amount of movement you do during the day: park far from your work entrance and walk, take the stairs instead of the elevator, go for a brisk lunch hour walk with a co-worker. The goal is to get you moving again! Once you’ve done that, you can then begin lifting weights and start a cardiovascular exercise regime.
5. De-stress! Stress isn’t necessarily a bad thing. Human beings need a certain amount of stress to function at peak efficiency. The problem arises when we are constantly stressed and have no outlet to dissipate this pent-up energy. Meditation works well for some people as do yoga and qi-gong. For me, exercise seems to do the trick.
6. Share your life with people you love – family, friends, a spouse and even a pet.
7. Perform regular check-ups with your health care practitioners and let them know if anything is bothering you. Then try to figure out the cause(s) of the problem(s) together. It’s not enough if you can get rid of the symptoms, you must always try to address the causes of disease.

There you have it folks. The above advice seems simple and many people tell me that they know all this, yet few have taken the initiative towards achieving optimal health. Be good to yourself, start your journey today and you too may live to be 100.

naturopathic doctor