Detoxification is an Effective Treatment for Environmental Toxins

March 11, 2008

no_drugs.jpgWatching a major news channel earlier this morning I was shocked when the medical correspondent was discussing pharmaceuticals showing up in our water supply. You can read about this issue in this previous blog post. The “medical expert” went on to explain that the frequency by which we are exposed to toxins from drugs in our water supply is an important factor- so even if there is only a trace amount found in each cup (or bottle) you drink, the fact that you drink many cups per day, for years on end- is what is concerning research scientists. THEN…pause…DEEP BREATH..the news correspondent went on to ask the “medical expert” if there was any truth to all the information out there about ways to detoxify the body from such chemicals and the “expert” smirked and said “no…not at all.”

Considering that nearly every cell in the human body has innate detoxification mechanisms in place to remove toxins from the body, paired with the fact that specific medicinal herbs and nutrients are clinically shown to enhance the effects of those mechanisms, there is more than ample justification for employing a safe and well designed, clinically proven detoxification program to assist the body in removing environmental toxins that it is not well equipped to handle. Beyond that are hundreds of thousands of medical records demonstrating the clinical efficacy of employing a sound detoxification program to remove environmental toxins from the body to prevent and treat disease. Keep in mind that our exposure to environmental toxins has increased exponentially over the last century and the body HAS NOT evolved to the point of being able to keep up with this sudden increase in exposure. The consequence of not supporting our body’s innate detoxification mechanisms is DNA damage and an increase of preventable disease.

Leave a Comment » | Diet and Disease, Toxins and Detoxification | Permalink
Posted by Dr. Gina Nick

Prescription Medications under Attack-Do Cholesterol and Blood Sugar Lowering Medications Make Sense?

February 20, 2008

Which Drug?The saying goes that they call it “practicing medicine” for a reason-because doctors don’t have all the answers when it comes to supporting your health and vitality. Case in point…most allopathic doctors prescribe medications as a first line therapy for treating disease. Now major pharmaceutical drugs are coming under attack, questioning the paradigm under which these drugs are prescribed. More often then not, drugs are prescribed to make the numbers on a lab report “look better” without assessing the person as a whole, and evaluating the potential drawbacks of taking a drug to force a lab report to look better. For example, a popular drug prescribed to hundreds of thousands of people called AVANDIA was used to lower blood sugar levels in Diabetics. And while the drug was in fact lowering blood sugar levels (appears, at least on the surface, to be a good thing) it was also increasing the risk of heart attacks. This is a perfect example of the importance of taking the WHOLE person and picture into consideration and not adopting a single minded focus on something as basic as blood sugar, without considering the fundamental CAUSE of why a patient’s blood sugar levels are low in the first place.

Then a few months after the news broke about AVANDIA Merck came out and said that VYTORIN, a popular drug used to lower blood cholesterol levels, did NOT slow the progression of heart disease. But wait..doesn’t high cholesterol CAUSE heart disease? So wouldn’t it make sense that if you block the body’s ability to make or use cholesterol then you treat the cause of the problem? NO- high cholesterol is a number reported on a lab report. Just forcing that number to go down does NOT address the UNDERLYING CAUSE of why your body has high cholesterol levels in the first place. It could be due to an autoimmune condition, or chronic inflammatory response, or damage to blood vessels caused by exposure to environmental toxins…these are all things that need to be assessed and treated and are far more valuable to a patient then simply forcing the body to make less cholesterol. Because guess what- low cholesterol doesn’t guarantee anything. People with low cholesterol get heart disease and so do people with high cholesterol-whether or not they are taking cholesterol lowering medications. For more information and examples regarding the ways in which prescription medications come up short click here

Here is a resource that offers some rationale for why we ought to rethink cholesterol and its role in disease: http://www.thincs.org/news.htm

In health,
Dr. Gina L. Nick
NMD PhD
President California Naturopathic Doctors Association

Leave a Comment » | Diet and Disease, Pharmaceuticals, Toxins and Detoxification | Permalink
Posted by Dr. Gina Nick

Vitamin Deficiencies, From Eating Too Much, Cause Modern Illnesses

February 19, 2008

White BreadPeople are eating more calories then ever before, yet nutrient deficiencies are considered one of the major causes of modern illnesses including cancer, obesity and age-related degenerative diseases. How can this be? Because when you eat more calories then your body needs, and they are “empty” calories-meaning they are not rich in nutrients-this will cause your body to become deficient in at least on of the 40 micro-nutrients essential for life. When this happens, your body overcompensates to ensure immediate survival, but in the process causes a lowered immune system, DNA damage and accelerated aging. Dr. Bruce Ames, a professor at the University of California, Berkley, has been studying the connection between micro-nutrient deficiencies, genetic damage and cancer for several decades and discussed his findings at a recent medical association meeting. I have been citing Dr. Ames’ work for the past 10 years when lecturing to physicians. What I like about his research is it clearly establishes the fact that nutrient deficiencies are a more significant and correctable CAUSE of diseases like cancer, obesity, Alzheimer’s disease, heart disease and diabetes then genetic predisposition. Just one more reason to look at your daily diet for true health.

Some examples of empty calorie foods are:

  • Pasta
  • All White Fluffy Foods (cakes, white bread, white rice, Twinkies)
  • Anything that has hydrogenated oil in it (read the labels!!!)
  • High fructose corn syrup
  • Fried foods

Some examples of nutrient dense foods are:

  • Green leafy vegetables
  • Sprouted grain breads and tortillas (e.g. Ezekiel sprouted bread and tortillas)
  • Organic goat’s milk dairy products
  • Quality protein that is prepared simply (broiled, baked, poached)
  • Fresh fruit in limited quantities (always eat twice as many servings of vegetables as you do fruit)

In health,
Dr. Gina L. Nick
NMD PhD
President California Naturopathic Doctors Association

To view the research referenced above click here

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Posted by Dr. Gina Nick

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