CCH Health Review
Ideas & Strategies to Improve Your Health
March 2007
Does Asthma Really Exist?
According to research recently published in the British medical journal The Lancet (2006;368:705), asthma may not really be an illness. The diagnosis of asthma, especially in children, has increased dramatically over the past two decades. Now researchers are admitting that the term may actually be used to describe a variety of symptoms that have multiple causes - most of them allergy related.
Environmental changes with the introduction of huge numbers of toxins in our environment are likely at fault. We all know that dietary assault from refined foods and pesticides in foods account for many allergic symptoms. Asthma may just be another symptom like fever- not an illness but a warning sign that begs us to heal the actual cause and not mask the problem with more and more medication. Sounds to me like the basic natural medicine guideline of “seek the cause and treat it holistically”.
On that same note a new study published in the journal Thorax shows that children who eat more fish and whole grains are less likely to suffer from asthma. (Thorax 2006;61:1048–53).
Remember the Probiotics!
We frequently see children with eczema in our practice. Eczema is a noncontagious inflammation of the skin, often caused by an allergy and characterized by itching, scaling, and blistering. Most of the therapeutic focus for eczema is on dietary improvements, supplementation with omega 3 (fish oil & flax oil) and/or omega 6 fatty acids (evening primrose, borage or black currant seed oil) and the daily use of a high potency hypoallergenic multivitamin. We also investigate the possibility of food sensitivities or intolerances as a primary cause of the eczema.
Recently, one of our doctors was surprised at the lack of improvement in a 4-year-old girl with eczema. Her name is Katie. Her mother had made drastic improvements in their eating habits and Katie was taking her supplements (she had even learned to swallow capsules!). Despite this her arms and ears were still aggravated with dry, red patches although her knees had cleared almost completely.
Then the doctor remembered that a very important nutrient had been overlooked – probiotics (good bacteria for the intestines). Probiotics are dietary supplements containing potentially beneficial bacteria that help to strengthen the immune system. In 1908 the Russian scientist Elie Metchnikoff won the Nobel Prize for his work in immunology. His theory that certain bacteria may improve health is still of major importance today.
Many studies have been conducted on the effect of probiotics in eczema. Some of the most compelling ones demonstrate the positive effects of Lactobacillus acidophilus and Bifidobacter lactis in the treatment of eczema. We routinely prescribe a product with these two organisms to maintain the growth of the normal intestinal bacteria.
Healthy amounts of good bacteria in the intestine helps to minimize food sensitivities or allergic reactions that may result in skin diseases like eczema. Katie had been treated with antibiotics several times for ear infections, which may have reduced her good bacteria balance in her intestine so the doctor prescribed a probiotic for her to take.
After 2 weeks of taking Acidophilus/Bifidobacter, 2 capsules daily, her skin had almost completely cleared and within a month, she had no signs of eczema. We are certain the dietary improvements were of great benefit but without the correction and normalization of her intestinal bacteria, her symptoms would have persisted.
Spring Cleaning? Think Spring Cleansing of Your Body!
After months of winter, many clean their homes and open their windows to let the fresh air in. Why not take the same approach to your health? Leave holiday indulgences and the dark days of winter behind. Jumpstart a healthy spring and summer – sign up for our upcoming cleanse.
This three-week program is designed to reduce the toxic burden on your body. Every day, we are all exposed to toxins and our body constantly excretes or stores these toxins in our tissue. Over time, we can reach a state of overload where our body’s ability to handle chemicals is overwhelmed. In this state, symptoms may include chronic congestion, headaches, muscle pain, depression and fatigue.
Our spring cleanse program will be in West Hartford and begins April 24th. These popular programs fill up quickly, so phone us today and sign up by April 11th to secure your spot! This physician-led program walks you through a successful cleanse and provides all the information to repeat the process on your own, including:
- Learn how the body eliminates toxins through the skin, lungs, liver, bowel, kidney and sweat
- Get personalized information about nutrition and your optimal diet for cleansing
- Obtain support from the physician leaders and other members of the group to handle obstacles
- Receive supplements and reading materials to successfully complete your program
Call the office today (860-347-8600) for more information and to sign up for this program. Spaces are limited.
