A new report published last Friday in the peer-reviewed journal Environmental Sciences Europe is raising significant concern that weeds are evolving to become resistant to GMO crop technology, causing a significant increase in the use of toxic pesticides. Super weeds are cropping up in a similar fashion to the superbugs that have plagued our hospitals. Read more here.
GMO Crops Increase Pesticide Use
October 5, 2012
1 Comment | 
agriculture, Latest Nutritional Research | Tagged: Dr. Gina Cushman, drgina.com, GMO Foods, HealthBridgeHealing.com, Pesticides | 
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Posted by Dr. Gina Nick
Stay On Top of the Thyroid Epidemic
November 22, 2011
Dr. Gina Cushman of HealthBridge Management LLC to lead a live online continuing education (CE) event on “Innovative Strategies for Optimizing Thyroid Function.” Licensed healthcare professionals receive 1.25 hours of LIVE pharmacy credits by logging on to www.freece.com and registering for Dr. Cushman’s seminar. The first presentation, Monday November 28th, 2011, offers 1.25 hours of live pharmaceutical CE credits and runs from 10:30 AM ET to 11:45 AM ET.
As always, you won’t want to miss this talk, that will provide new information on how best to prevent and treat the most prevalent thyroid conditions of our time.
Note from Dr. Cushman…”most of my patients associate thyroid issues with weight gain or weight loss. This is true, but just as significant is the powerful impact that an unhealthy thyroid has on your mental health, causing depression, anxiety, difficulty focusing, and difficulty handling stressful situations. Most physicians only test “TSH” which is an antiquated and ineffective way to catch and treat the MAJORITY of treatable thyroid conditions our country is challenged with. I encourage all practitioners to attend this seminar that includes digestible, take home strategies and clinical pearls that you can apply in your practice the next day.”
1 Comment | Depression, Hormone Replacement Therapy, Pharmaceuticals, Thyroid Health, Weight loss, Women's Health | Tagged: Continuing Medical Education, Dessicated thyroid gland, Dr. Gina Cushman, drgina.com, HealthBridge Medical Center, healthbridge.tv, Hypothyroidism, Nature-throid, Thyroid and Adrenal Health, Thyroid Treatment, Westhroid | Permalink
Posted by Dr. Gina Nick
thank you for the inspiration
August 28, 2011
We love patient testimonials, and want to thank all of our HealthBridge Medical Center patients and DrGina.com customers who take the time to share their experiences with us. Below is a testimonial that just came in, and instantly helped us to renew our strength, inspire us and served as a reminder of why we work so hard to share the message and be a demonstration for you, that Naturopathic Medicine works, even in the most seemingly hopeless situations.
In gratitude,
–DrGina.com, HealthBridge Medical Center & Dr. Gina
—
Dear Dr. Gina Nick (Cushman), I’m writing this to thank you for your expertise and for the information you are sharing on your website. I want to tell you my experiences, along with how much you helped me. I was diagnosed as a Manic Depressive in 1979, along with being a alcoholic with a cocaine problem. I was prescribed lithium and at that time I quit drinking and quit cocaine. I took lithium for 30 years but still continued to have bouts of depression which I attribute to hypoglycemia, which I was told I had even before 1979. My kidneys were beginning to be compromised by lithium and although I was scared about going off of it, in March of 2010 I gradually decreased the dosage and finally quit taking it. I found my system to be even more sensitive to the low blood sugar problem and I decided for the first time in my life to start taking it seriously and to eat a high protein, low carb diet. I started to feel better and the depression and confusion started to lift, but it seemed that every time my allergies (inflammation) got bad, the blood sugar issue along with the headaches and feeling so fatigued etc. got worse. I added Vitamin D (4,000 ui/day, Twin Lab, water soluble) to my diet and it helped me a lot, but I ran out one day and bought another brand of Vitamin D3 (not water soluble) and within 3 weeks I found myself really depressed. After analysing it I realized it was the water soluble product that was working for me. I kept thinking though, the inflammation I had was directly related to the hypoglycemia but I didn’t understand why, this is when I ran across the paper you wrote about cytokines. I then started searching for more of your work and I ran across your ‘sicksyndrome.com’ site and took your assessment test. I scored a 17, knowing it would have been much worse if I would have taken it prior to the diet change. I followed your 5 Step Program and started doing the following daily… 1) A tablespoon of Sesame Oil/day. 2) A handful of Walnuts/day. 3) 450 mg of Holy Basil/day. 4) I’m unable take Flaxseed Oil, I tried in the past but it doesn’t seem to digest properly. 5) I don’t know if my DHEA level is low, so I haven’t taken it. 6) I picked up a meditation sound file and I’m meditating at least 5 times per week. I was always so fatigued, along with all the other mental and physical things that went along with what you explained regarding the cytokine overload, and after I started your ‘5 Step Program’ I have to tell you how good I feel mentally and physically and the blood sugar issue is much better also. I hope I didn’t give you to much information, but I am so happy to feel good and I had to tell you how much you have changed my life. I hope I can refer someone to you in the future because I feel indebted to you.
You are what I consider a real Doctor to be.
Sincerely, B.H.
Leave a Comment » | Depression, Diet and Disease | Tagged: Dr. Gina Cushman, drgina.com, HealthBridgeHealing.com, Naturopathic Medicine, Patient Testimonials | Permalink
Posted by Dr. Gina Nick
Cocoa Flavonols: Vision And Cognitive Function – Nutraceuticals World
August 3, 2011
1 Comment | Diet and Disease, Industry News, Latest Nutritional Research, News, Nutritional Supplements and Disease | Tagged: Cocoa health benefits, Dr. Gina Cushman, drgina.com, HealthBridge Medical Center, healthbridge.tv, HealthBridgeHealing.com | Permalink
Posted by Dr. Gina Nick
Tell Jerry Brown to Prioritize Safe, Sustainable Food as his #1 Agenda Item
January 19, 2011
Please sign this letter to Gov. Jerry Brown, encouraging him to make healthy, local, organic and sustainable food policies a central part of his administration.
Food Democracy Now has prepared a letter to Gov. Jerry Brown, asking him to prioritize healthy, sustainable and local food and farm policies that benefit all Californians. The letter prepared by Food Democracy Now asks for California food policies that place a strong emphasis on improving access to healthy food to underserved communities, create economically vibrant farms and farm jobs, reward and adequately protect farm workers and ensure that the bounty of California’s natural resources are preserved for future generations.
In health,
Leave a Comment » | agriculture, Childhood Nutrition, Healthcare Politics, organic foods, Prevention | Tagged: Dr. Gina (Nick) Cushman, drgina.com, Governor Jerry Brown, LTP Natural Medical Center, Organic Farmers, Organic Food California, www.ltpmedical.com | Permalink
Posted by Dr. Gina Nick
Fish Oils Reduce Inflammation and Treat Diabetes
November 11, 2010
Finally, a study has identified the mechanism by which omega-3 fatty acids appear to effectively fight chronic inflammation, insulin resistance and diabetes. The study found that there is a key receptor in obese body fat and that omega-3 oils – specifically docosahexaenoic acid (DHA) and eicosapentaenoic acid (EPA) – activate this receptor, which results in broad anti-inflammatory effects and improved systemic insulin sensitivity. (There is a strong connection between obesity and diabetes.) The effect of fish oil was powerful, according to the researchers, and, “The omega-3 fatty acids switch on the receptor, killing the inflammatory response.” The study team warned that more study is required to determine how much fish oil constitutes a safe and effective dose. Researchers suggested that the study could eventually lead to a natural dietary remedy for the more than 23 million Americans who suffer from diabetes. This study was published in the journal, Cell. The full-text version is now available online by clicking here.
In health,
Leave a Comment » | Diabetes, Diet and Disease, Inflammation, Latest Nutritional Research, Obesity, Prevention, Weight loss | Tagged: Diabetes Natural Treatment, Dr. Gina (Nick) Cushman, drgina.com, Essential Fatty Acids and Inflammation, Fish Oils, LTP Natural Medical Center, LTPMedical.com, Obesity, vitamin deficiencies, Weight loss, www.drgina.com, www.ltpmedical.com | Permalink
Posted by Dr. Gina Nick
Weight Loss and Toxic Exposure
September 16, 2010
A new study (1) published in the International Journal of Obesity found that those individuals who lost a significant amount of weight had an average of 50% higher levels of six of the most toxic organic environmental pollutants in their blood, as compared to those who gained weight! This is based on data collected from among 1,099 adult participants age ≥40 in the CDC’s National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (NHANES).
Toxins are stored in fat cells and once fat cells purge their contents, those toxins will begin to circulate in your blood stream. There is an association between the increased level of toxins in our environment beginning with the industrial age, and the increased incidence of obesity in our country. This new research provides further evidence that undergoing a 21 Day Purification Program can be a wise step to take on your weight loss journey. This program is clinically researched and includes custom formulas that are proven to bind to environmental toxins and remove them from your body so that they do not cause DNA damage and disease.
If you are interested in learning more about the role toxins play in the body and how detoxification methods help, click here.
To your health,
(1)The authors declared they had no conflicts of interest. Lee D-H, et al “Inverse associations between long-term weight change and serum concentrations of persistent organic pollutants” Intl J Obesity 2010; DOI: 10.1038/IJO.2010.188.
Leave a Comment » | Purification, Purification Program, Toxins and Detoxification, Weight loss | Tagged: detoxification, Dr. Gina (Nick) Cushman, drgina.com, environmental toxins, LTP Natural Medical Center, LTP Purification Program, Toxins and Detoxification, www.ltpmedical.com | Permalink
Posted by Dr. Gina Nick
Heavy Metals Increase Risk of Depression and Panic Disorder
June 10, 2010
Even at low levels generally considered to pose little or no risk, exposure to environmental lead might increase – by as much as 2.3 times – the risk of depression and panic disorder but not of generalized anxiety disorder. That was the suggestion of a Canadian study appearing in the December, 2009 issue of the Archives of General Psychiatry. Gender and ethnicity were also factors and the researchers stressed that lead exposure cannot be determined to be a cause of these psychological problems.
One of the main, and often overlooked, sources of heavy metals, including lead, is our water supply-both drinking water and shower water. I recommend investing in a quality water filtration and ionization system to all of our patients. The link between heavy metal exposure and mental illness suggested in this study and proven in many others (including practical, real life studies completed with patients at LTP Medical) is one of the reasons why we always test patients with mental health challenges for exposure to environmental toxins including heavy metals and treat them using the LTP Medical Custom Purification Program to remove the toxins from their systems. This is one of the simplest and most effective ways to see immediate benefit in patients suffering needlessly with these challenges. Other treatments include custom amino acid therapy, fatty acid therapy, orthomolecular therapy, hormone therapy and food allergy testing and treatment.
In health,
3 Comments | Depression, Heavy Metals, Latest Nutritional Research, Naturopathic Medicine, Orthomolecular Medicine, Orthomolecular Psychiatry, Purification, Purification Program, Toxins and Detoxification | Tagged: Depression, detoxification, dr. gina nick, drgina.com, environmental toxins, heavy metal detox, heavy metal toxicity, LTP Natural Medical Center, LTPMedical.com, Sickness Syndrome, vitamin deficiencies | Permalink
Posted by Dr. Gina Nick
The Wall Street Reform Bill…Stop FTC Censorship of Science Based Health Information and Nutritional Supplements
May 12, 2010Below is a reprint of a call to action by the Citizens for Health regarding deceptive language hidden within the Wall Street reform bill that grants the FTC the power to end access to information about the health benefits of the nutritional supplements you rely on. The provisions relating to this increased legislative power (which incidentally was taken away from the FTC before because they abused it) has already passed the House (H.R.4173) and is now being considered by the Senate Commerce Committee. Act now to help stop these provisions from becoming law.
In health,
—
Hidden inside the Wall Street reform bill are provisions that would grant the Federal Trade Commission (FTC) the equivalent of extraordinary legislative powers. These provisions have already been passed by the House (H.R. 4173) and are being considered by the Senate Commerce Committee.
If signed into law, this bill would grant the FTC:
Unbridled authority to create rules about “unfair or deceptive acts or practices” across all but a few sectors of the American economy;
Power to seek immediate civil penalties for “unfair or deceptive acts or practices without first giving companies the opportunity to change their practices”;
Authority to go after companies for allegedly “aiding and abetting” others in an FTC Act violation, even without actual knowledge of the violation; and
Power to seek such penalties without coordinating with the Justice Department.
Make no mistake – this is a serious threat to manufacturers, distributors and retailers of dietary supplements, and would censor your access to truthful, science-based information about the positive health effects of supplements, vitamins, herbs, and other natural health products.
The Senate Commerce Committee is ready to act – click here to send a letter now urging them to oppose this bill.
Examining the impact of this dangerous legislation further shows that delegating such unbridled regulatory authority would harm the economy, limit market innovation, and jeopardize the jobs and products that flow from such innovation. The FTC could use expanded rule-making authority to regulate areas where its involvement would hinder new and emerging business practices, such as internet marketing. The threat of FTC rule-making would lead to the stifling of innovation in the marketplace, stunting growth that would otherwise create a projected 2.6 million new jobs in the internet marketing workforce over the next five years.
Citizens for Health will continue to fight efforts to limit your access to truthful, science-based information about the benefits of supplements – but we need your help.
Click here to contact your senators today and stress the importance of upholding the long-standing safeguards that prevent FTC over-reaching.
Thanks for making your voice heard,
The Citizens for Health Team
2 Comments | Diet and Disease, Healthcare Politics, Latest Nutritional Research, Nutritional Supplements and Disease | Tagged: Access to Nutritional Supplements, Citizens for Health, dr. gina nick, drgina.com, healthcare, Healthcare politics, LTP Natural Medical Center, The Wall Street reform bill, www.ltpmedical.com | Permalink
Posted by Dr. Gina Nick
Flaxseeds Lower Cholesterol in Men
April 30, 2010
A new study just presented at the American Society for Nutrition’s annual meeting at Experimental Biology 2010 shows that consuming 150 milligrams – about three tablespoons – of flaxseed lignans daily decreases cholesterol in men by almost 10 percent within three months. PureMeal, a part of the 21 day LTP Medical Purification Program, includes flaxseed meal and is a convenient, tasty way to support purification and lower your cholesterol on a daily basis!
Leave a Comment » | cholesterol, Diet and Disease, heart disease, Latest Nutritional Research, Naturopathic Medicine, Nutritional Supplements and Disease | Tagged: cholesterol, dr. gina nick, drgina.com, Flaxseed, LTP Natural Medical Center, LTP Purification Program, PureMeal, www.ltpmedical.com | Permalink
Posted by Dr. Gina Nick
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