Immunity Rot. The biggest American health concern of the 21st century?

The details contained in this video are downright startling… Three times over the past 5 years, the brightest minds in medicine met behind closed doors to discuss an emerging health phenomenon. An estimated 40 million Americans over the age of 55 are currently affected… So why is hardly anyone is talking about this? In this exclusive video, one doctor is finally breaking the silence on this 21st century health phenomenon… Find out what you haven’t been told here.

Are You Making These Anti-Health Gardening Mistakes?   
Could the solution to disease be found in the quality of the soil in which you grow your food? Yes, if you pay attention to these points... To feed the world, we must feed the soil.

EPA's Next Target -- American Dentists Who Are Mercury Polluters
For under $60 a month, your dentist could stop toxic mercury waste from contaminating the environment... but many choose not to install this simple device.

Sleep is key: Another reason to get your zzz's 

If you read my Reality Health Check e-letters even sporadically, you know how passionate I am about sleep. Getting adequate, quality rest is integral to your health. And now yet another study supports this fact. 

According to the new study, sleep loss can increase the risk for cardiovascular disease, hypertension, weight gain, and type-2 diabetes, and even lead to an earlier death. 

The researchers believe chronic insomnia triggers inflammation throughout the body. And, as you know, inflammation leads to all of the problems listed above--and then some. 

The study postulates that treating insomnia may lessen the severity of this inflammation. They also believe the best treatment is cognitive behavioral therapy. Yes, good ol' psychotherapy. While I have nothing against that (as long as you're going to a good therapist), I think there are better options for getting good sleep. 

As I've discussed before, there are a number of safe, natural supplements that can help you get good, quality sleep. The short list once again:

• 5-HTP--100 mg to 5,000 mg at bedtime (start at 100 mg and increase by 100 mg a day until you see the effects. Most people don't need more than 1,000 mg)
• SAM--400 mg every morning
• L-theanine--200 mg in the morning and another 200 mg, 30 minutes before bed
• GABA--800 mg, 30 minutes before bed

And lastly--though perhaps most importantly--melatonin. Your body generates melatonin not just to help you sleep, but also to aid the immune system. Unfortunately, production takes a nosedive as you age. I always recommend starting with 3 mg at bedtime. You can work your way up, if needed, to a max of 21 mg. 

Until next time, 
 
Dr. Fred Sources: 

"A Call for a Low-Carb Diet That Embraces Fat," The New York Times, 9/2/14 (http://www.nytimes.com/2014/09/02/health/low-carb-vs-low-fat-diet.html) 

"Effects of Low-Carbohydrate and Low-Fat Diets: A Randomized Trial." Ann Intern Med. 2014;161(5):309-318. ( http://annals.org/article.aspx?articleid=1900694) 

"What If It's All Been a Big Fat Lie?" The New York Times, 7/7/02 (http://www.nytimes.com/2002/07/07/magazine/what-if-it-s-all-been-a-big-fat-lie.html) 

"Treating insomnia in elderly reduces inflammation, lowers risk for chronic diseases," Science Daily, 9/17/14 (http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2014/09/140917092742.htm) 

"Cognitive Behavioral Therapy vs. Tai Chi for Late Life Insomnia and Inflammatory Risk: A Randomized Controlled Comparative Efficacy Trial." SLEEP 2014; DOI:10.5665/sleep.4008

3 everyday mistakes that wreak havoc on your health

Are you feeling tired, rundown or having trouble sleeping? Then there’s a good chance you’re making one of three simple mistakes that can wreak havoc on your immune system. That’s why I’ve created this simple video that spells out these simple mistakes (look for them during minute 3:00!) to help not only keep you healthy all year-round… Watch it here now!

Kick carbs to the curb

Dear Reader, The New York Times has been a tremendous ally for those of us who believe in low-carb diets. They were among the first whistleblowers exposing the hazards of mainstream dietary advice--and extolling the virtues of the original low-carb diet, pioneered by Dr. Robert Atkins, with their amazing article published back in 2002 titled "What if It's All Been a Big Fat Lie"? And now, the Times has taken up our cause once again. Last month, they ran an in-depth article on a brand new study on low-carb diets. It showed people who avoid carbohydrates and eat more fat--even saturated fat--lose more body fat and have fewer cardiovascular risks than people who follow the low-fat, carb-heavy diet health authorities have blindly favored for decades. If you could see me now, you'd see me doing my happy dance. Financed by the National Institutes of Health and published in the Annals of Internal Medicine, the new study included a racially diverse group of 150 men and women--a rarity in clinical nutrition studies. The participants were assigned to follow either a diet that limited carbs or one that limited fat for one year. But neither diet limited overall calories. Honestly, that's one of the main advantages of a low-carb diet...you're not a slave to calorie counts. Which means you aren't starving yourself--and setting your metabolism up for failure. Many nutritionists and health authorities, says the study's author, have "actively advised against" low-carbohydrate diets, and instead push high-carb approaches. I certainly hope this shuts these do-nothings up once and for all. By the end of the yearlong trial, people in the low-carb group had lost an average of eight pounds more than those in the low-fat group. They had significantly greater reductions in body fat than the low-fat group, and more improvements in lean muscle mass. And they enjoyed these benefits despite the fact that neither group changed their physical activity levels. (Imagine how much better the low-carb group would have fared if they'd upped their exercise too--even just a little bit!) While the low-fat group did lose weight, they appeared to lose more muscle than fat. And that's what kills your metabolism. It's also worth noting that the people in the low-carb group took in a little more than 13 percent of their daily calories from saturated fat. Which is more than double the limit recommended by the American Heart Association (AHA). Imagine that...Ignoring the good ol' AHA left these patients BETTER off. The majority of their fat intake, however, was unsaturated fats, like avocado and macadamia nut oils. The low-fat group reduced their total fat intake to less than 30 percent of their daily calories, which is in line with the federal government's wimpy dietary guidelines. (Again, why does our government get involved in things it knows nothing about?) They also included more grains, cereals and starches in their diet. In the end, people in the low-carbohydrate group saw markers of inflammation and triglycerides plunge. Oh, and their HDL (so-called "good cholesterol") rose more sharply than it did for people in the low-fat group. In fact, they ultimately did so well that they managed to lower their Framingham risk scores, which calculate the likelihood of a heart attack within the next 10 years. Meanwhile, the low-fat group on average had no improvement in their scores. These results make sense when you consider eating refined carbohydrates tends to raise the overall number of LDL ("bad") cholesterol particles and shift them toward the small, dense variety, which contributes to atherosclerosis. In contrast, saturated fat tends to make LDL particles larger, more buoyant and less likely to clog arteries--at least when carbohydrate intake remains low. Really, these results speak for themselves. So I just have one more thing to say about this study: Being vindicated sure is fun.

Top Cardiologist Cures Chronic Conditions... Without Drugs

Now you can heal chronic conditions with food, but you have to do more than just "eat more broccoli." Because new scientific evidence confirms that it's not just what you eat that matters...you need to know the specific food combinations that boost the nutritional value of foods and increase their healing power. Which is why world-renowned cardiologist and nutritional expert, Stephen Sinatra, MD, traded his prescription pad for a recipe book and began curing his patients' chronic conditions with food, not pharmaceuticals. Learn about dozens of Dr. Sinatra's scientifically proven, medically tested food prescriptions for fatigue, memory loss, digestive disorders, arthritis, heart disease...and more. He also exposes the so-called "health foods" that can make you sick! Visit here to read more...

It’s not a joke: You will lose weight following this plan. Each bottle delivers a package of micro- and macronutrients that can help you shake off body flab and replace it with firm muscle. When served ice-cold, the creamy sweetness flows across your tongue with all the pleasure of a milkshake. Yum. The trick is to know when exactly to drink it, and how much. Discover the plan inside.   Stop Craving Junk Food:Constantly reaching for chocolate, baked goods, or french fries? Hack your chemistry with these tricks.   Fatty Foods That Make You Skinny: Indulge! You won’t believe what “bad for you” foods are actually fat-blasters.   Surprising Sources of Sugar:Here's how it's still sneaking into your diet (including health foods).   Worse Than Corn Syrup: What you need to know about the 5 food additives that are making you sick.   Foods that Kill Your Sex Drive If you have a date tonight, listen up! These 5 foods ruin your chances of getting it on.