Monday, December 8, 2014


The enemy you touch every day

A little while back, I wrote a Reality Health Check about: phthalates: harmful everyday chemicals that, added up over time, can take a disastrous toll on your health. I cited one study in particular that showed increased exposure to phthalates resulted in lower testosterone in both sexes and a variety of age groups. And, as I mentioned yesterday, low testosterone can be responsible for everything from low sex drive and fatigue, to impaired cognitive and cardiovascular function. What makes phthalates especially scary is that you encounter them every day.

But these aren't the only dangerous chemicals you come into contact with on a daily basis. There's another type of environmental toxin that's just as bad. I'm talking about bisphenol A (more commonly known as BPA).

If BPA sounds familiar, it's probably because this toxin has been in the news quite a bit over the years. I've written about it here in the Reality Health Check and in my Logical Health Alternatives newsletter numerous times. But it's a subject that bears repeating. Because one of the most disturbing things about BPA is that it lurks in some unexpected places.

Most people think of plastic bottles when they think of BPA. But a new study revealed there's an even more common source: receipts.

Store and ATM receipts use large amounts of BPA on the paper's surface as a print developer. And while I've mentioned before that these little slips of paper aren't as harmless as they seem, this study highlights just how dangerous they really are. Especially in combination with some other common products that just about everyone has on hand--literally.

Researchers found a rapid increase in blood levels of BPA when subjects touched a store receipt after using skin care products. Hand sanitizers, hand creams, soaps, and sunscreen all dramatically increased how quickly BPA was absorbed through skin.

As an added step, subjects who had handled the receipts then ate using their hands. And, again, researchers observed that BPA was absorbed very rapidly. As one of the study authors noted: "Our research found that large amounts of BPA can be transferred to your hands and then to the food you hold and eat as well as be absorbed through your skin."

That's incredibly scary--especially in light of the fact that BPA has been proven to cause reproductive defects in infants, children and adults. Not to mention cancer, metabolic and immune problems in rodents. The study's author also noted that with the high levels of BPA absorbed from receipts "many diseases such as diabetes and disorders such as obesity increase as well."

So next time a cashier asks if you want your receipt, just say "no." And while you shouldn't stop washing your hands (with regular soap and water), it is a good idea to cut back on the use of lotions, creams, and hand sanitizers.

Until next time,

Dr. Fred

Sources:

"The Maddening Way That TV Docs Affect Your Practice," MedScape, 9/18/14

"Thermal paper cash register receipts account for high bisphenol A (BPA) levels in humans." ScienceDaily, 10/22/14

"Holding Thermal Receipt Paper and Eating Food after Using Hand Sanitizer Results in High Serum Bioactive and Urine Total Levels of Bisphenol A (BPA)." PLoS ONE, 2014; 9 (10): e110509 
Are you kidding me?
This could be the greatest link ever discovered for supporting unbelievable head-to-toe health.

Your heart, your brain, your sex drive and every single aspect of your health absolutely thrives off of this one common connector. And until now--no one has tried to help it--not like this.

Discover what one renowned physician calls, “the most important thread to early aging,” and how you can finally help it flourish with an unbelievable one pill wonder
Time to change the channel:
The problem with medical advice on TV
Dear Reader,

I always cringe when a patient starts a sentence with "I heard on TV..." It's not so much the topic I worry about. In fact, you come across a lot of interesting things while channel surfing. But the problem is, nine times out of 10 (and that's a generous estimate) you simply don't get the whole story from TV. Especially when it comes to health information presented by those well-known celebrity medical "experts."

I am going to go out on a limb here and say that there's no doctor on mainstream TV who is qualified to give you the information about health and nutrition that I can give you.

Let me clue you in on how these "doctors" (who shall remain nameless) get their information. Do you think they're out there like me reading the journals, scanning the Internet for the latest research into the world of health and nutrition, or even seeing patients? NO! (But I AM doing all of this...and much more.)

They have a team of producers who look at things on the Internet and then decide, "Oh, this will make for an interesting segment with lots of splashy graphics!" They then whip up a 7-minute segment. And just before it gets filmed, a production assistant hands the TV doctor a few index cards outlining the content. The doctor flips through the cards during a commercial break, and voila! He's an "instant expert" on the subject.

Yes, that is how it works. I know, because I've been on TV many times being interviewed for one thing or another. And the scenario I just described played out time and time again. The host interviewing me flipped through a stack of notecards and stashed them out of sight just as the camera started rolling. With just enough background "knowledge" to ask me a few basic questions. And this just doesn't happen on the shows hosted by doctors. It happens on every major network show. I should know...I have been on just about all of them.

But the fact is, television is filled with doctors whose faces have become familiar fixtures in American homes. Which is why I do my best to stay up-to-date on what these folks are saying (and mis-saying). So I can have a better conversation with my patients about these topics--and give you the details you won't get on TV.

Fortunately, my patients are well aware that I know more than these guys. But far too many Americans don't realize these celebrity doctors aren't the "experts" they play on TV. And, unfortunately, their doctors don't bother doing any of the legwork it takes to set the record straight.

Doctors SHOULD make it a priority to learn about the topics their patients are seeing on TV. But they don't. Why? Well, let me just share this quote from Robyn Liu, MD, Assistant Professor of Family Medicine at Oregon Health and Science University in Portland, which sums up most REAL doctors' thoughts on advice doled out by TV medical "experts."

Dr. Liu says, "At least once a day, a patient will reference something they saw on TV. And I cannot think of an instance where a patient came to me with information from a TV show that was beneficial to them."

I don't know if I'd go quite that far. Some of the things you see on TV are relevant. And if a patient is curious about it, it should matter to his or her doctor.

What I take issue with is that the so-called "experts" presenting the information on TV don't actually know anything about it. The extent of their "knowledge" lies in those little notecards they flipped through prior to their 7-minute segment.

I live and breathe these discoveries. I'm poring over the journals and finding out everything I can so that my patients--and you--have the WHOLE story.

That way, my patients don't have to look to television for the health information they need. Because I'm providing it to them, spending time with them, and learning what's on their minds.

The bottom line here? Don't look to the flashy TV medical shows for expert information. Instead, focus on building a solid, trusting relationship with your doctor. And if you don't have one who you feel comfortable asking questions or discussing a certain topic, well, then it's time to find a new one.

I always recommend searching for a physician who is well versed in both natural and allopathic (traditional mainstream) therapies. (If you need help finding one, try the search function on the American College for Advancement in Medicine's website, www.acam.org.) They tend to be aware of the new research and treat patients as individuals, instead of simply relying on established, one-size-fits-all protocols.

That way you can be sure you're getting the best of both worlds. 
This cancer fighting vegetable is finally back in season!
One of medicine's most powerful "super vegetables" is finally back in season. 
One compound in it is stopping the spread of tumors, helping to lower the overall risk of cancer, and another is halting the proliferation of prostate cancer cells.
In fact, one study found breast cancer survivors who ate the most of this vegetable lowered their risk of breast cancer recurrence by 35% and overall mortality risk from any cancer by 62%!

All you have to do is eat it--it's that simple!

Get the details on what's being called the "Garden of Eden" vegetable while it's still in season. 
These Foods Are Destroying Your Skin
Lotions, potions, scrubs and masks—you’ve got a medicine cabinet full of them, yet wrinkles and pimples don’t seem to be deterred in the slightest. If you wake up morning after morning with bags under your eyes, it might be your diet, not your sleeping patterns. It’s time to look deep inside your fridge for the answer. These six foods may just be destroying your skin.
 
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Learn The Secrets!
 
350 Calorie Fast Food: Feed your occasional fast food craving without wrecking your diet.
 
Pack the Perfect Lunch: Send them off to school with a lunch that will keep them full and focused.
 
Blast Belly Fat: The science checks out! Popcorn and dark chocolate can help you lose weight.
 
Bugs You’re Eating: Creepy crawly news: These 9 bugs are already in your food.
This Popular Drink Accelerates Aging as Much as Cigarettes
It may be popular, but it shortens your telomeres over time, forcing them to incompletely replicate with each cell division. Scientists found that this was exactly the same link found between smoking and telomere shrinking. Don't make this life-shortening mistake...

Understand That There Are Antibiotics in Your Fish
Salmon, tilapia, shrimp, and trout are touted as a healthy choice for dinner, but most tested positive for multiple antibiotic residues that could harm your health and the environment.
Skipping This Essential Vitamin May Double Your Risk of Dementia
Researchers believe half of the population may be deficient in this vitamin and that's bad news for your brain. It's needed for important brain chemicals, nerve growth, and nursing damaged neurons back to health. Don't put your brain at risk, make sure you get enough.

This Is Your Brain on Knitting
Engaging in hobbies you enjoy, like crafting and knitting, offers significant benefits to your mental health, happiness, and quality of life. It may even help to reverse brain degeneration.

Sugar kills--in more ways than one

In this month's issue of my Logical Health Alternatives newsletter, I wrote about a recent Swedish study that discovered a certain chemical in the blood called "high-sensitivity cardiac troponin T"--or troponin for short--can predict heart attack risk with tremendous accuracy.

Now there's new evidence that troponin may be especially dangerous for diabetics--and it may be able to predict much more than just heart attack risk.

In this new study, researchers at Johns Hopkins looked measured troponin levels in more than 9,300 people enrolled in a long-term heart risk study. None showed any signs of heart disease. But around half of those people had trace amounts of troponin in their bloodstream, which indicates that the heart muscle is suffering damage (even though the damage isn't visible... yet).

Here's the kicker: The researchers noted that those with diabetes were more than twice as likely to have elevated levels of troponin than non-diabetics. And people with pre-diabetes were around 30 percent more likely to have levels of troponin in their blood.

The reason this finding is so important? Diabetics with elevated troponin levels were six times more likely to develop heart failure and almost four times more likely to develop heart disease, compared to people without diabetes.

As I've warned you many times before, diabetes paves the way to many, many other serious health problems. So getting your blood sugar under control with a healthy diet (one like my New Hamptons Health Miracle, that includes plenty of lean protein, healthy fats, and fresh, organic fruits and vegetables) and regular exercise should be your No. 1 priority.

Bottom line: sugar kills--in more ways than one.

Until next time,

Dr. Fred

Sources:

"Diabetes Mellitus, Prediabetes, and Incidence of Subclinical Myocardial Damage,"Circulation 2014; 130:1,374-1,382

"New look at the diabetes, heart risk relationship." ScienceDaily, 9/10/14 (www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2014/09/140910120222.htm
This MRI could save your life
I've never seen anything like this... 

Experimental doctors treating a former gold medalist with terminal cancer got the shock of their lives when they held his MRI up to the light. What they saw could be hailed as the biggest cancer breakthrough in history. And after 7 years, their unbelievable discovery is finally being revealed in this free video.

If you're suffering from cancer or even if you just want to see something astonishing... You need to watch it now. The government has kept this rare footagequiet over the last 7 years for fear it will topple the billion dollar cancer industry... I can't guarantee how long it will be available, so watch now! 
Shady warnings from the Surgeon General
Dear Reader,

A few weeks ago, I was sitting outside on a gorgeous sunny day with my beagle, Remington. I was reading the newspaper, minding my own business, when I turned the page and got admonished by a message from the Surgeon General. The pronouncement? Indoor AND outdoor tanning must stop!

Honestly? Do, we really need the Surgeon General to tell us to get out of the sun? How many times have we heard that message by now?

Don't get me wrong, I agree that too much exposure to UV radiation is dangerous. And while I recommend getting 20 minutes a day of direct sun exposure WITHOUT sunscreen, it's important to wear it the rest of the time you're outside. (Just make sure to choose a natural, organic, non-toxic sunscreen like Lavera, Aubrey, Earth's Best, or Soleo.)

Yes, skin cancer is on the rise. But the skin cancers emerging now are often from damage done to the skin 20, 30 or even 40 years ago. Considering no one was aware of the potentially harmful effects of excess sun exposure back then--and no one wore sunscreen--of course we are going to see increasing numbers of skin cancer now.

Now, I'm not encouraging you to go sit in a tanning bed. But I think enough light (or should I say shade) has been shed on this topic. Today, everyone is well aware of the importance of sunscreen.

So what prompted this new, dire warning from the Surgeon General?

Well, it seems that 5 million Americans are treated for skin cancer each year at a cost of $8 billion.

Ok--point taken.

But let's compare that to the yearly cost of obesity and all of its associated illnesses in the U.S. That annual sum adds up to a whopping $700 billion. And overweight and obesity affects roughly 200 million Americans.

Now that's something that a Surgeon General needs to address.

But knowing our government, I can only imagine what "urgent" warning he'll move on to next.
Weird 7-question quiz can predict heart attack
Before he even gets out the blood pressure cuff, one world-renowned physician asks his patients seven weird questions.

Surprisingly, they don’t seem to have ANYTHING to do with your heart.

But these questions are an uncanny predictor of future heart attacks.

In fact, he’s found that this 7-item checklist zeroes in on your true heart health better than any stress test, blood sample, or cardiac catheterization.

Watch this shocking video NOW to find out what these odd questions are… How to find out what each of them means for your heart… And why you should never ignore any of them. 
U.S. Foods Banned in Other Countries
It’s no secret that our food system is broken. While the U.S. is busy labeling pizza a vegetable, other countries are taking steps to protect their people from dangerous food-like products. Here are some brands that you can find in your local grocery store that are banned in other countries. Which ones are you—shudder—eating?
 
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50 Best Go-To Snacks: Stash these in your office snack drawer to avoid the vending machine.
 
Low-Cal Guilty Pleasures: Say yes to your craving at these restaurants without sacrificing your skinny jeans.
 
Best Fast Food Breakfasts: On those rushed mornings, know where to turn for an egg sandwich.
 
Mood Boosting Foods: Cheer up with treats scientifically proven to banish the blues.
This Pre-Exercise Error Is Linked to Brain Shrinkage and Weight Gain   10 ways stress affects workouts
It can sabotage your fitness efforts in 10 different ways, but that really is just the tip of the iceberg. It's also been shown to cause plaque rupture in your arteries, and even trigger a heart attack or the onset of Alzheimer's. Be careful.

How Your Fitness Age Can Indicate Longevity
Your "fitness age" may better predict premature death than risk factors like being overweight, having high blood pressure, or smoking. Here's how to find out yours.
Works Wonders for Epilepsy Sufferers, Can You Use It to Eat-Your-Way Out of Cancer?   low carb high fat ketogenic diet
When drugs fail, this is what they use for Epilepsy - and it can reduce the frequency of seizures by more than 90 percent. Should it be an established treatment for cancer too?

Number of Children Lacking Vitamin D Soars
An epidemic of vitamin D deficiency in children is putting their health on the line... but thankfully, there's an incredibly easy fix.
The Potent Flaw in This Pervasive Immune Practice Used by Millions   ebola vaccine downside
One of its biggest dangers is that while you may not show symptoms, you can still transmit this virus to loved ones who may be more at-risk. But it gets even worse... It all goes to show that this immune trick is a fraud... here's a better way.

Roasted Root Vegetables -- A Tasty Treat
Move over mashed potatoes... these roasted root vegetables are satisfying and packed with the disease-fighting nutrients your body craves.
If You Think Wall Street Hurt Us in Banking, Wait 'Til You See What They're Doing to Your Health   bought documentary vaccine food healthcare
There's a hidden story going on behind the scenes that threatens to do us even more harm than what emerged from the massive banking debacle. Get an inside look at what's brewing inside the industries at the core of our food and healthcare system.

Is Cracking Your Knuckles Harmful?
If you're addicted to cracking your knuckles, are you putting your joint health at risk?
This is it...
Twenty years ago an award winning scientist discovered one "secret signal" sent out by your fat cells that helps crush cravings and obliterate fat. And now, after 2 decades and $20 million in research... scientists have finally found a revolutionary way to harness this one signal like never before.

And the results are nothing short of amazing (see for yourself!) Now it's your turn to reign in those cravings, rev up your metabolism and start LOVING the way you look.

Simply visit here now to see how this fat-busting breakthrough could easily help take you from size "what?" to size "wow!" in as little as just 10 weeks!
Prescription-happy docs get more
irresponsible as the day goes on
Dear Reader,

By now you're used to me telling you about alarming studies. But this one made me even angrier than usual, because it shows the mainstream medical community at its most jaw-droppingly irresponsible.

This new study looked at the rates at which doctors prescribed antibiotics for acute respiratory infections. These types of infections bring familiar symptoms like runny nose, nasal congestion, sneezing, sore throat, and cough. And a virus almost always causes them. Since antibiotics only combat bacterial infections, they're useless against viruses. So the fact that doctors prescribe antibiotics for respiratory infections at all is maddening. But this new research found that this already-inappropriate practice gets worse over the course of the day.

The group of doctors in this study appeared to "wear down" and prescribe more antibiotics at the end of the day than at the beginning.

Here's the breakdown: The researchers gathered data from 23 different primary care practices over the course of 17 months. They looked at diagnoses, visit times, antibiotic prescriptions and chronic illnesses. After analyzing over 21,000 incidents of respiratory infection, they found antibiotic prescribing generally increased as the day went on, with 5 percent more patients receiving antibiotics at the end of the day compared to the beginning.

Here's what's even sadder. The researchers suggested, "Remedies for this problem might include different schedules, shorter sessions, more breaks, or maybe even snacks."

Snacks? Really? I can guarantee you that I don't need a snack to help keep me from flagrantly prescribing antibiotics to patients who don't need them. But maybe that's just me.

The study's authors also noted, "Clinic is very demanding and doctors get worn down over the course of their clinic sessions." Again, this is no excuse. If you can't treat patients appropriately after five or six hours on the clock, you shouldn't be treating patients AT ALL.

The fact is, every single dose of antibiotics taken when it's not absolutely necessary contributes to the serious problem of antibiotic resistance in this country. A problem EVERY medical professional should be acutely aware of--and actively trying to stop.

What can you do to make sure you're not on the receiving end of one of these shoddy prescriptions? Well, first of all, you should keep your immune system operating at peak performance so that, hopefully, you don't wind up with a respiratory infection in the first place. (For my complete immune protocol, refer back to the May 2014 issue of Logical Health Alternatives. Subscribers can download and view this issue for free by logging on to www.drpescatore.com. And if you're not already a subscriber, now is a great time to become one--to make sure you have this important info on hand for before the winter sniffles hit.)

If you do find yourself under the weather and feel like you need to see a doctor, make sure to schedule your appointment for the morning (or as early in the day as possible).

Like I said, good doctors should have their wits about them no matter what time of day it is. But better safe than sorry, I suppose.
A free bottle of my best blood sugar secret
Late last year, I made a discovery that would change everything I know about how to make blood sugar support easy. It's a new, natural blood-sugar marvel--and it could be the answer that propels you to perfect blood-sugar support. Finally, something that helps address the missing link...what I call "stowaway sugar." I want everyone who is struggling with blood sugar support to try it--and I'm going to prove it to you right now. I'm giving you up to 3 BOTTLES of Glucynergy Advanced at NO EXTRA COST. That's right--FREE. Discover all of the details now
Can This "Hopeless" Disease Be Treated with a Simple Nutrient?   vitamin d deficiency asthma multiple sclerosis
It's long been considered a hopeless disease with few treatment options, with the typical prescription focusing on highly toxic medications. However, research over the past few years suggests it may be improved by this simple, everyday nutrient.

Mushroom Extract Might Eradicate HPV Infection
Immune-boosting mushroom extract points to an effective way to clear up infection with the human papillomavirus (HPV).
What Elderly People with Good Memories Have in Common   aging well
If you want to age gracefully, without suffering through endless aches and pains, forgetfulness, and loneliness, this is one of the easiest and best things you can do - it can make a huge impact on your ability, mobility and even add 7.5 years to your lifespan.

Linked to Seven Different Health Problems, Yet Almost Every Doctor Endorses It   vaccine safety greater good
Please do your research before trusting your doctor about this - it's linked to a whole bundle of health issues, including an increased risk for brain damage, learning disabilities, allergies, asthma, gut problems, autoimmune diseases, and chronic infections.

Can This "Hopeless" Disease Be Treated with a Simple Nutrient?   vitamin d deficiency asthma multiple sclerosis
It's long been considered a hopeless disease with few treatment options, with the typical prescription focusing on highly toxic medications. However, research over the past few years suggests it may be improved by this simple, everyday nutrient.

3 Foods That May Be Sickening Americans More Than Any Other   maui gmo moratorium
These 3 foods have become a mainstay on American plates and all genetically engineered and loaded with pesticides, which only ratchets up their hazard profile. There's no doubt they are primary contributors to disease and failing health. Are you still eating them?

The New Religion: Will This 'Holy Grail' Really Wipe Out All Causes of Sickness and Death?   vaccination health freedom
As medical scientists increasingly use religious symbols and crusading language to describe this controversial procedure, do you dare question or speak out against it and risk being labelled an anti-science heretic and threat to public health? Here's why you must join the conversation.

The Cancer Diagnosis You May Be Better off Ignoring
Despite up to 15 times more diagnoses, death rates haven't come down - telling researchers they aren't, in fact, dangerous. Yet removing them can lead to a slew of cascading health problems including depression, hormone deficiencies, and damage to your vocal chords.
How Much Weight Will You Actually Gain on Thanksgiving?
Our Pilgrim forebearers may have been Puritans, but what they unleashed a whole lot of impurity on us latter-day Americans. What once was a lean dinner of game, fish and vegetables has become a festival of marshmallow-topped taters and lard-stuffed stuffing. But what does it all add up to when you step on the scale the next day? We sat down with a nutritionist to find out just how much weight you could actually gain on Thanksgiving. The answer will shock you.
 
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Holiday Cheat Sheet: Get the healthy eater in your life presents even fast food lovers will want.
 
Recovery Plan: Ease that aching stomach with these tips for getting back on track after your turkey fest.
 
One Day Detox: So you overindulged. No big deal. We have a plan to get you back to normal in no time.
 
Plan Your Plate: Have your favorites without overeating with our guide to the best and worst dishes.
 


Eat THIS, Never Diet Again!


See why millions are praising this as the
"Holy Grail" of weight loss... [continue]
Foods That Make You Hungrier
Food is weird. There’s no such thing as money that makes you poorer, or clothing that makes you more naked. But just as we have a love/hate relationship with food, its feelings toward us can be a little iffy as well. The job of food is to nourish us and satisfy our hunger, but some foods don’t get with the program. If you’re finding yourself with the munchies right after lunch, you may be feeding your cravings with these foods that fuel your hunger.
 
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Master the Morning: Delicious toppings for your oats that just happen to also pack a major health boost.
 
Top Frozen Meals: Still burnt out from the holiday? These will save you time and stress while you recuperate.
 
Detox Naturally: No juice fasts or weird lemon-cayenne shots, here. Just whole foods that help your body cleanse itself.
 
Out With the Old: Start breaking these 8 old, unnecessary food rules today.