December 20, 2007 by Orville Campbell, MD.

 By Orville Campbell, MD

What is B12? Why Do We Need It?

B-12 is a water-soluble vitamin (versus the fat soluble vitamins: A, D, E, and K). It is necessary for the proper functioning of the nervous system and helping the body to make blood. This vitamin is known for the energy and vitality it imparts to individuals who take it. For this reason, thousands of individuals elect to get shots or injections. But are shots necessary when there is a sublingual (dissolved under the tongue) alternative? This issue will be discussed below. B12 is sometimes referred to as Energy in a Bottle! Its source is chiefly from dairy products and meats.

B12 Deficiency

A deficiency or lack of may lead to anemia and problems with the sensation of vibration. Anemia can make one continually tired or fatigued and even crave things such as clay or ice. Your energy is depleted!

B-12 deficiency is also associated with dementia and mood swings or other mood disorders. A significant deficiency could possibly alter your pap smear results. Excessive alcohol intake, chronic stomach diseases, strict vegetarianism, or any chronic poor absorption states places one at increased risk for deficiency. Also, recent research suggests that diabetics on a certain medication may be at increased risk for deficiency. If you are a diabetic, discuss this very important issue with your health care provider. Finally, the older we get, the greater the risk of deficiency. Individuals over the age of 65 may be at greatest risk.

Injections (Shots) versus Sublingual

It is no secret in the medical community that swallowing a vitamin b12 pill and depending on full absorption from the gut is unreliable. For this reason shots and sublingual routes are the more popular ways of getting b12 in your body. Shots can be painful. So, are shots really necessary? In some unusual cases yes, but for most people shots are not necessary. Under your tongue are numerous blood vessels. That is why medicines taken sublingually can gain rapid access to the blood stream. This rapid access to the blood stream can lead to a rapid increase in the level of a medicine. If you don’t believe me, ask the patient with heart disease who develops chest pain if sublingual nitroglycerin works.

Vitamin b12 can gain rapid access to the blood via the sublingual route. So leave behind painful and expensive injections. Do have your health care provider check your b12 levels to monitor if you are staying in a mid-range targeted level. Get a quality supplement with has little artificial flavoring and fillers as possible. Start enjoying the benefits without the painful shots.

Get Quality Sublingual Vitamin B12 Supplement: http://www.HealthandWellnessMarketing.com/6.html

Posted in Uncategorized | No Comments »

December 20, 2007 by Orville Campbell, MD.

 By Orville Campbell, MD

Ginseng is an adaptogen that has been demonstrated to decrease the blood sugar. It has also been shown to decrease the hemoglobin A1C (See: Am J Health-Syst Pharm 59(4):339-347, 2002). The hemoglobin A1C is your sugar control number. For diabetes to be considered in good control, this number should be less than 7%.

The closer the number to 6.5, the better. This number reflects the percentage of your red blood cells attached to sugar. As this number increases over 7, the risk increases for eye disease, including blindness and kidney damage and kidney failure. Diabetes is the number cause for individuals ending up on dialysis. Ginseng has other benefits which include: enhancing and supporting the immune system, adaptation to stress, energy, a sense of well-being, and stamina. Why is this important? Individuals with diabetes, tend to have fatigue or low energy, an immune system that is decreased in strength, and be prone to infections such as yeast, urinary tract, and respiratory infections.

Tunguska Blast is a dietary supplement that I have come across that is rich in plant adaptogens. Adaptogens are herbal or plant substances that help to energize the body and support its systems such as the immune, urinary, digestive and nervous systems. They can also help the body to adapt to physical and mental stress or internal and external stressors. One such adaptogen in Tunguska Blast is a Ginseng called Eleutherococcus Senticosus. Eleutherococcus can also support better oxygen utilization by muscles. Better oxygen utilization makes exercise more efficient and can lead to greater stamina. The more the individual with diabetes exercises, the better the glucose taken up by the muscles and the lower the blood sugar. Regular exercise will lead to better sugar control and a decreased risk for infection, heart disease, kidney disease, eye disease, etc.

Since diabetics are prone to urinary tract infections and digestive system disturbances, other adaptogens in Tunguska Blast may be of benefit since they support vital system functions. Let’s consider a few. Rhaponticum Carthamoides can further enhance physical performance by supporting the increase in muscle mass. Sorbus Aucuparia is an adaptogen that can enhance the body’s ability to prevent vitamin C deficiency. Glycyrrhiza Uralensis supports the proper functioning of the digestive, urinary, and respiratory systems. Other adaptogens in this supplement are: Licorice root, Chinese Magnolia (Schizandra Chinensis), and Golden root (Rhodiola Rosea).

Before starting any dietary supplement always consult with your health care provider, especially if you are on prescribed medicines such as blood thinners or blood sugar lowering medicines. Supplements help the body to heal itself or adapt to stress. They are not cures or treatments. Be careful of those who hold out supplements as cures or treatments.

Posted in Uncategorized | No Comments »

December 20, 2007 by Orville Campbell, MD.

If you have diabetes, there are multiple things you should ask your doctor. However, I have identified 5 must knows. If you don’t know these things about your diabetes, you could end up with kidney damage (and on dialysis), eye damage (and blind), and nerve damage in your hands and feet.

Question #1: Is my diabetes controlled?

To answer this, you should know your hemoglobin A1C level. This lab tells you the percentage of your red blood cells attached to sugar. In non-diabetics it’s usually less than 6%. If your diabetes is controlled, you want this number to be less than 7% (the closer to 6.5 the better). As this A1C level climbs over 7, you can have life-threatening complications. The aforementioned question is probably the most important.

Question #2: How often should I see an eye doctor?

A diabetic should see an eye doctor at least once per year. You may have to see one more frequently if you have eye disease. Uncontrolled diabetes can cause an eye disease called diabetic retinopathy. This kind of retinopathy causes the blood vessels at the back of the eye to grow and may be even burst and bleed. Progression can lead to permanent blindness. Diabetics are at greater risk for cataracts due to the higher blood sugars.

Question#3: Do I have kidney damage from my diabetes?

If the answer to this question is yes, then you need to see a kidney doctor (a nephrologist). Diabetes is the number one cause in the U.S. of people losing their kidney function and needing dialysis (stage 5 kidney disease). If you have kidney disease, ask your doctor to tell you the stage. There are 5 stages. The higher the stage the worse the kidney function. Stage 1 is mild, and at stage 5, you will most likely need dialysis or kidney transplantation. Your creatinine level (waste product in your blood), age, sex, race, and weight are all used to calculate the kidney function or stage of kidney function.

Question#4: What is my vitamin D level?

If you have stage 3 or greater kidney disease, you are at risk for vitamin D deficiency. Ask your doctor if you need vitamin D levels? If you do, you need 25-vitamin D and 1,25-vitamin levels. Depending on which level is low and which stage of kidney disease you are in will determine the specific treatment. The skin and liver are involved with critical steps in vitamin D production, but it is the kidney that activates or gives life to vitamin D. 1,25-vitamin D is the active and usable form of vitamin D. Your parathyroid glands are four little glands around the thyroid gland in the front part of your neck. It helps to regulate the calcium, phosphorous and vitamin D production via a hormone called parthyroid hormone (PTH). As one progresses in kidney disease, this gland may be damaged. If you have stage 3 or greater kidney disease, you need a PTH level in addition to the said vitamin D levels. A high PTH level combined with calcium problems and vitamin D deficiency can lead to weakened and painful bones.

Question #5: How often should I be checking my blood sugar?

The frequency of blood sugar checks should be tailor-made for you. This is a decision you should make in consultation with your doctor. You should however be checking your blood sugar at least twice per day before eating. There are some circumstances where you should check your sugar after eating (postprandial). Diabetics on an insulin pump may have to check their sugars 4 or more times per day. Again, consult with your physician. Uncontrolled diabetes can lead to nerve damage called neuropathy. This can lead to a loss or decrease in the sense of pain, touch, and vibration. However, pain and tingling can be signs of neuropathy.

Final Words:

Diabetes control is not an accident. You have to be intentional about diabetes control and your health and wellness. Make sure you ask these key questions. As an aside, if you are on a certain diabetic medicine (metformin) for at least one year, you could be at risk for low vitamin B12 levels. Find out if you need B12, calcium, vitamin D or necessary adaptogens.

Posted in Uncategorized | No Comments »

December 19, 2007 by Orville Campbell, MD.

If quality and natural matters to you, then make sure the source of your vitamins is whole foods. Is your supplement a synthetic (made up in lab) vitamin? If it is a whole food vitamin then the company will usually be proud to advertise as such and list the source of the vitamin. Here are the critical points you should know about whole food vitamins.

Don’t ever select a vitamin based solely on price point. There are significant reasons why one vitamin is cheaper than the other. When you decide on what is an acceptable quality, then comparison shop for that similar quality vitamin so you are comparing oranges with oranges and apples with apples. Watch out for companies with well recognized names who have purchasing power. Read the label even more.

Your body prefers to absorb vitamins and other nutrients from natural or whole foods. In other words, these are foods in their natural, unprocessed or unpolished states. Therefore, most health and wellness experts agree that whole food sources of vitamins and minerals and other nutrients are superior. Synthetic may mimic but will not be superior as good as natural. Your body will absorb and utilize the whole food vitamins more than synthetic.

The fewer additives the better and the fewer opportunities there are for allergic reactions. Remember, avoid artificial flavoring and colors. The supplement market is very competitive; the better the quality the better and more prominent the labeling stating such. Vague labels with minimal information are strong indicators of lower quality.

Find out if your vitamin is made by a company with rigorous quality control standards that are validated by a third party certification provider such as the NSF or ISO. Your vitamin needs to be NSF or ISO certified. Why would you take any dietary or nutrition supplement made by a company without one of these certifications? NSF certification for example assures the consumer that the product has been tested and will continue to be tested through periodic audits. In other words, the certification of a product is continuous, not a one time process. The product should have the high quality ingredients and manufacturing process that a company claims.

Vitamins are supplements. Just as all dietary supplements, they are not cure alls for disease states. They supply what the body is missing to heal itself for perform natural physiologic functions. They are not medicines. However, if not used in an appropriate manner they can harm you. For example, if you are on a blood thinner such as coumadin for whatever reason, you would not want to take vitamin K supplementation. It will oppose the coumadin to try and thicken the blood.

The question is frequently asked, who should take vitamins? The answer is most people. Most do not get enough vitamins because of a deficiency of adequate fruits and vegetables and whole foods in the diet. Look at the plate of most people eating around you. Are those plates colorful with fruits and vegetables or are do they lack color because of all the starch and meat?

Use a vitamin that is from a whole food source and that is NSF or ISO certified. Choose a supplement based on quality not price.

http://www.HealthandWellnessMarketing.com/2.html

Quality Vitamin B12: http://www.healthandwellnessmarketing.com/6.html

Posted in Uncategorized | No Comments »

December 18, 2007 by Orville Campbell, MD.

Smartlipo™ a machine that can accomplish Fast and Safe Liposuction Under Local Anesthesia. This technology uses laser energy to liquefy fat or destroy fat cells so that they can be suctioned (liposuction). It also tightens surrounding skin tissue. Unlike traditional liposuction which requires general anesthesia and more down time, this procedure is done in the doctor’s office or medical spa. This procedure is not for the obese needing large amounts of fat removed and are in frail health.

Here are some of the benefits:

1. Less recovery time than traditional liposuction: Most persons can return to work within 24 - 48 hours.

2. Local vs general anesthesia. General anesthesia obviously comes with greater risks.

3. Done in the doctor’s office or medical spa. This affords greater convenience.

4. Body contouring or sculpting for a more youthful appearance.

5. Versatile: procedure can be used on the belly, face, neck, upper arms, knees, back, enlarged male breasts, and thighs.

6. Promotes Skin tightening and improved tone for a more youthful appearance.

7. Less tissue trauma vs traditional liposuction. So, there is less bleeding, swelling, pain and bruising.

8. Less risk than traditional procedure in the hands of a capable user.

9. Approved by the FDA.

10. Ideal candidate is one who has localized fat deposits on body as well as face.

Before undergoing any medical procedure, make sure you discuss all your medical conditions and medication history. These can impact if you are a candidate or how well you tolerate any medical procedure. Again, this procedure is for healthy patients who have localized facial or body fat and not obese patients requiring large amounts of fat removal.

Posted in Uncategorized | No Comments »

December 18, 2007 by Orville Campbell, MD.

Intro

Bacteria are every where in and on our body. Some bacteria are bad and if not kept in check by our immune system, will disturb the delicate balance between good and dangerous bacteria. Good bacteria are key components in our immune system. When balance is disturbed, the good bacteria can make us sick. Sicknesses can take the form of pneumonia, strep throat, poor digestion, urinary tract (bladder and kidney) infections, diarrhea, etc. An inflamed stomach which can be caused by bacterial infection can lead to a decrease in Vitamin B12 absorption. Super bugs such as MRSA (methicillin resistant staphylococcus) are on the rise due to antibiotic resistance and overuse. Don’t forget about the secondary exposure to antibiotics we get in our non-organic meat supply.

Probiotics are good bacteria that are in the food we eat or added to a dietary supplement. One good example is lactobacillus which is found in yogurt. It can help us fight or prevent infection. So, yogurt contains a probiotic and plain yogurt is better than flavored.

Why a Probiotic Supplement is Needed

A lot of food sources may contain only one strain or limited amount of probiotics. In today’s fast paced and often crowded environments, you need a source of probiotics with multiple strains or multiple types of pribiotics to support the body in preventing infection and maintaining that delicate balance between good and bad bacteria.

Probiotics will help the body make some B vitamins and vitamin K. They will help clean up toxins which can increase the risk of cancers such as colon cancer. Still, they can lower the effects of lactose intolerance and are key players in the immune system in fighting viruses and fungal overgrowth (for exampe vaginal yeast infection). Probiotics can enhance the body’s ability to fight colitis and irritable Bowel Syndrome. Finally, probiotics can enhance nutrient absorption by the intestines. One way it does this is by helping us to make important enzymes (proteins) necessary for digestion.

As we age, the number of probiotics in our body decline. This is one reason why the elderly are at greater risk for infection, cancer, and Vitamin B12 and other vitamin deficiency.

Other factors that can lower the probiotics in your system includes: Stress, carbonated beverages, antibiotic overuse, toxin build up, certain birth control pills, and laxatives.

Posted in Uncategorized | No Comments »

December 18, 2007 by Orville Campbell, MD.

An all natural nutrition or dietary supplement should be rich in plant adaptogens and antioxidants. One or two adaptogens will not make the cut since you need multiple adaptogens to support many of the body’s systems: digestive, respiratory, urinary, immune, etc. Supplements with corn syrup and artificial colors or flavoring should be avoided. Given today’s stressful lifestyle which raises the body’s cortisol level to promote weight gain, adaptogens become even more vital.

Adaptogens are herbal or plant substances that help to energize the body and support the multiple systems of the body. They also help the body to adapt to physical and mental steress. Some examples are: Eleuthero root (used to be called Siberian Ginseng), Licorice root, Chinese Magnolia (Schizandra Chinensis), and Golden root (Rhodiola Rosea).

The notable adaptogen, Eleutherococcus, supports better oxygen utilization by muscles. Rhaponticum Carthamoides can further enhance physical performance by supporting the increase in muscle mass. Why harm the body with anabolic steroids when they are natural muscle builders? Sorbus Aucuparia is an adaptogen that can enhance the body’s ability to prevent vitamin C deficiency.

Dietary or nutrition supplements are just that. They supplement your diet and healthy lifestyle. They do not reverse unhealthy lifestyles or the abuse some may inflict on their own body. They are not treatments or cures. Anyone making treatment or cure claims should be cautioned regarding doing so. High quality, natural supplements should be used with the knowledge of your healthcare provider. If you are on medication, discuss any potential supplement-medication interaction with your healthcare provider.

As a physician I use several supplements. One with which I am especially pleased is Tunguska Blast. This is a dietary supplement made by a company called Cyberwize. It has 10 Powerful and vital Plant Adaptogens. I use it to support my immune and nervous systems. My favorite use of this supplement is to obtain the energy and stamina it imparts to me. I try not to refer to it as a juice because juice implies that the product is obtained by just juicing fruits. This is a nutrition supplement rich antioxidants and adaptogens.

Antioxidants are neutralizers of free radicals. Free radicals are charged particles your body generates in disease (e.g. high blood pressure, obesity, cancer, etc.) and stress states. Free radicals promote aging and tissue damage in blood vessels and organs. High quality, natural supplements should be used with the knowledge of your healthcare provider.

Posted in Uncategorized | No Comments »