I’ve run across a few research studies that have the headline “statins protect against memory loss.”  Of course I had to read it to see what the heck they were talking about.  You know how adamant I am about the abuse of statin drugs and how we’ve been misled about the “dangers” of cholesterol.  So when researchers come out and say that statin drugs can be helpful in the prevention of dementia, I have to raise an eyebrow and question the headline.  

There’s been tons and tons of research done on statin drugs and their ability to lower the production of cholesterol.  See my previous post about the Cholesterol Conspiracy.  But the truth behind why statins may prevent heart attacks is because they have antioxidant characteristics and block inflammation.  The majority of cardiovascular studies out there state that 70% of all heart attacks occur in people who have no prior history of artery blockage or any signs of artery blockage upon autopsy.  

Since memory loss such as dementia is a degenerative process, we can conclude that oxidative stress and inflammation will speed up that process.  It’s well known that as you get older your body produces less and less antioxidants and your need for antioxidant supplementation increases.  So if your body produces less antioxidants, your oxidative stress increases and degenerative processes such as dementia speed up.  Here’s the logic behind these studies: 

Increased oxidative stress increases dementia.  Statins can lower oxidative stress.  Therefore…statins may protect against memory loss.  

But hold on here…what else do statins do?  Well…they block the production of CoQ10 and Vitamin D.  Hmm.  You really need those to function optimally.   

I know…enough blah, blah, blah already.  Just cut to the chase.  Well the solution: if you want to decrease oxidative stress, take some antioxidants.  Simple, yet effective.  

Think back to your early teen years where your voice began to change and bodily hair began to grow in uncharted regions.  You began to take interest in the opposite sex and acne became a huge social deterrent.  This is the phase we all came to love called puberty.  The time when your hormonal system was kicked into high gear.

Years have passed now and you begin to enter into a new hormonal phase.  Something I call: The Second Puberty (or commonly known as Menopause and Andropause).  As much as men will not admit they go through this, well…we do (it’s usually put off as a ‘mid-life’ crisis).  Menopause is actually the cessation of menses, meaning there’s no eggs being released!  Andropause, on the other hand, basically means that there’s a moderate decrease in testosterone production.  But males still produce sperm through this time.

So here’s what’s happening:

Essentially your body begins to make less of the primary sex hormones: Estrogen (females) & Testosterone (males).  So physically speaking, women begin to form more male characteristics and men begin to form more female characteristics. You know the saying, “the longer you’re married to a person, the more you begin to look like them.”

Menopause usually dominates the scene, because women are more attune to their bodies and men just shrug it off.  But both usually are afflicted with hot flashes, night sweats and usually a decrease in libido.  Here’s the kicker: you can actually prevent this from happening.

How Doc?

Well we have to step back and give you a brief schooling on your hormonal system.  Your sex hormones are primarily produced in the gonads (ovaries and testes) and also your adrenal gland cortex.

When you go through these phases, the drop off in sex hormones produced by the gonads should be buffered by the production of sex hormones in the adrenal glands.  The majority of the time the culprit tends to be decreased levels of progesterone.

The common treatment for menopausal symptoms has been hormone replacement therapy, specifically synthetic estrogen.  Most women are given Premarin.

What is premarin?

Hold on to your seats when I tell you this, but premarin is actually horse urine.  Yes, they get premarin from pregnant mares (hence the name Pre (gnant) Ma (res) u(Rin)e.  Every time I tell patients this, they look at me in disbelief and shock that their OB/GYN didn’t disclose this information.  We’ll leave this topic for a discussion at another time.

What’s the solution to hormonal balance:

1. You need to have your hormones levels properly tested.  I highly recommend salivary hormone testing which looks at the bioavailable forms of estradiol, progesterone, DHEA, testosterone, and cortisol.  I work with Labrix, which specializes in salivary hormone testing.
2. Once you get your test results your treatment plan may include support for your adrenal glands (glandulars, adaptogens and supportive nutrients), topical bio-identical progesterone, dietary change and exercise.
3. Other tests may be warranted such as a liver detoxification capacity test and thyroid panel.

If you would like to have these tests run, please call my office at 949-559-7999 and request these tests and I can help devise a treatment plan for you.

We’ve all heard the phrase “it runs in the family” and have taken it to mean that “there’s a good chance that I’ll develop that disease too.”  But just because grandma Betty had stomach cancer, doesn’t necessarily mean that you’ll get stomach cancer too.

The field of Molecular biology has made leaps and bounds into unveiling the role of DNA in disease process.  It is common belief that the segments of DNA called “genes” are directly responsible for the disease process.  The human genome project has mapped thousands of genes related to different diseases like cancer and diabetes.  The kicker is that each person has all the genes for every disease process.  So then the question becomes:

If we have the genes for certain diseases, why don’t we have those diseases?

Well…in order for a gene to make a protein/enzyme it needs to be activated.  So basically genes are like light switches.  They need to be turned on in order to create a response.

When a gene is expressed we call that a Phenotype.  Your genetic code can express either HEALTH or DISEASE.

How to get your genetic code to express a Healthy Phenotype

• Optimal levels of nutrients
• Optimal detoxification
• Low levels of environmental stressors

How to get your genetic code to express a Disease Phenotype

• Sub-optimal levels of nutrients
• Sub-optimal functioning of your detoxification system
• High levels of environmental stressors

Next we’ll talk about “biochemical individuality” why you need different levels of nutrients than the next person for optimal health.

A patient at Velocity Wellness Center (Merry Neitlich) was featured on a California news channel talking about integrating Eastern and Western medicine.  She is an awesome person and very fun to work with.  You can check out the video of her here: http://video.knbc.com/player/?id=230835 

Just goes to show that with preventative care, age really doesn’t become a factor.  You wouldn’t think that she’s the age that shows up on her driver’s license.  She’s currently competing at Lake Placid right as you’re reading this. 

Congratulations Merry!!!

This is the world’s oldest woman (120)…she says her secret lies in daily exercise and a glass of olive oil daily!

Woman applying for new ID says she’s 120 – Mideast/N. Africa – msnbc.com