2013 Recommended Movie list Nutritional/environmental must see movies!!

  MOVIES RECOMMENDED BY MARZ

                 Tabor Hill Clinic Portland, OR 97215

2/13/13 Russell Marz, N.D., L.Ac.

President Omnivite Nutrition Inc.

Director Tabor Hill Clinic

Mission Statement-

As the president of Omnivite Nutrition Inc. and the director of the Tabor Hill Clinic I am in the business of improving the health of people and the planet earth. We are in a very critical stage in human history. Our survival on the earth as well as that of all other species depends on being educated and making conscious decisions.

I have selected the movies below as educational tools to learn more about food, medicine, environmental issues, politics, history and generally the survival of the human species.  Some of these movies are in the form of: a documentary, a docu-drama, an interview, a biography, or a semi-fictional educational experience. They will be both entertaining and educational. There are some science fiction movies included as well that bring up important social, ethical and philosophical issues and allow for thought provoking ideas.

The following movies I recommend to see in the following rough chronological order:

MOVIES ABOUT FOOD,  AGRICULTURE AND HOW WE LIVE

Genetic Roulette   2012 by Jeffrey Smith (I’m in it very briefly) critical movie about genetically modified food

Fluoridealert.com google Fluoride:Let the Truth be Told Interview with Dr. Paul Connett & Dr. Hardy Limeback a scientific discussion on the research done on fluoride

“Forks Over Knives” 2011 about “The China Study” sustainable and healthy food- Very convincing

“Fat, Sick and Nearly Dead” 2010 Joe Cross http://www.hulu.com/watch/289122/fat-sick-and-nearly-dead (watch for free) documentary about 2 obese men who transform their lives by juicing!

Tapped (2010) and Flow (2008) ­- regarding bottled water and the water crisis

Queen of the Sun (2010) Taggart Siegel & Silence of the Bees (2007) Doug Shultz. 40% of food from bees!

The Future of Food 2005 by Debra Garcia (a very informative film about our food, the nature of genetically modified foods and how they may effect the biodiversity of our food supply. This film includes info on: the loss of small farms, the growing dependence upon oil for agriculture and how Monsanto Corp. is genetically modifying & patenting seeds in order to control the world’s food supply.

The Seeds of Deception (3 CD collection) by Jeffrey Smith concerning the history and deleterious effects of genetically modified foods. Read The Botany of Desire The Omnivores Dilemma,  Defending Food  M. Pollen

Read The Botany of Desire and The Omnivores Dilemma,  Defending Food  Michael Pollen for great followup.

The World According to Monsanto 2008- The history of Monsanto & how they have come to dominate our food supply. Sweet Misery A Poisoned World- How Nutrasweet came to be legal when it never should have.

Food Inc. 2009 (about the food industry Michael Pollen and Eric Schossler (Fast Food Nation & Chew on This) narrate and direct. Fast Food Nation- based on the book by Eric Schoosler

The Real Dirt On Farmer John 2006 (about a Midwest farmer’s story and local farming vs agribusiness) There is also a book to compliment the movie that has additional information.

MOVIES ABOUT OIL, WAR, SUSTAIN. , ENERGY, GLOBAL WARMING & ENVIORNMENT

Call of Life: Facing the Mass Extinction (2009) documentary narrated by Peter Coyote on how humans are causing the greatest mass extinction since a comet hit earth 63 million yrs ago. Great Interviews with scientists.

The 11^th Hour- Leo Dicaprio excellent documentary on the “big picture”, and how humans need to wake up to the fact that they are causes dramatic changes in the health of the planet and how they may be causing permanent damage to ecosystems that may never recover. Solutions & answers are discussed related to these major problems humans face .http://wip.warnerbros.com/11thhour/mainsite/site.html each scientist is interviewed

The Corporation-2007 a documentary about how and why corporations have come about and how they have affected the environmental health of the planet. Great educational movie and a must see!

Hidden Wars of Dessert Storm (about the history of oil and important info on depleted uranium and “Gulf War Syndrome”) Also Gulf War Syndrome: Killing Our Own 2007 Gary Null important info on deplete U.

Why we fight very informative film about why we fight wars today

The Oil Factor- ’04 Ungerman & Brohy (has chapts on depleted uranium, oil & agric)

The End of Suburbia Kinslter an excellent film on peak oil and how and why and we have set up towns in unsustainable ways to accommodate cars and oil companies. It discusses ways we can create towns in more environmentally sustainable ways that don’t make us beholden to the oil industry.

Interview with Richard Heinberg about his book Powerdown: peak oil, sustainability of our culture and the end of the carbon based society. He Also wrote The Party’s Over: War, Oil, and the Fate of Industrialized Nations 2005 and Peak Everything: Waking Up to the Century Of Declines. Discussion of the cultural, psychological and practical changes we will have to make as nature rapidly dictates our new limits.

The Return of the Scorcher Ted White-concerning bicycles and transportation and how we can change our psychological dependence on cars.

The Power of Community-How Cuba Survived Peak Oil- a very interesting movie on how Cuba adapted very rapidly to severe shortages of oil both from imposed sanctions from the U.S. & from no supplies from Soviet Union when they collapsed. 80% of farming went organic! People rode bikes instead! Also see you-tube learning from Cuba’s response to Peak Oil interview with Megan Quinn

Bowling for Columbine Michael Moore get the DVD, it has 4 more hrs of interviews especially with the people who did much of the research work for the film.

An Inconvenient Truth Al Gore 2006 this is an extremely well researched film on Global warming and the facts on our current global climate and economic situation.

The Tomato Effect by Faun Kime This movie concerns the death of environmentalist & physician Jeff Kime, who member of AAEM (Amer. Academy of Environmental Medicine).  Jeff was on the cutting edge of defending the practice of environmental medicine before his untimely death. Dr. Kime’s daughter Faun, who researches the death of her father, discusses the fate of other docs who are involved in environmental medicine.

The Power of the Sun-2007 a documentary film about using solar energy. The amount of energy that hits the earth from the sun for 1 hour provides enough energy to power the entire earth’s requirement for 1 year!

Stopping the Coming Ice Age by Larry Ephron discusses trace elements in the soil and feeding the microbes

Sicko Michael Moore’s movie about our current health care system, pharmaceuticals and the health insurance industry in the U.S.

Political Semi fictional movies

Good Night and Good Luck George Clooney (about McCarthism in the 50-60’s censorship)

Lord of War Nicolas Cage about global arms trade and U.S. & Russia

The Quiet American (Michael Caine, Brandon Frasier beautiful movie cinema photography Vietnam 1952 a real feel of what life was like with imperialist France and U.S. waiting in the wings, the movie was cut short for political reasons- a love story in the midst of political upheaval)

Blood Diamond- about the brutal existence of the people of Africa subjected to diamond trade

Children of Men (2007) – sci fi- about the loss of fertility among women and the possibility of the end of our species. Clive Owen, and Michael Caine  After seeing Gulf War Syndrome Killing Our Own especially

The constant Gardener Fines

MOVIES ABOUT NUKES

The Day After Trinity:JR. Oppenheimer & the Atomic Bomb, Jon Else ‘81 Biography of Robert Oppenheimer & the story of the first Atomic bomb (Manhattan Project) & the life of one of the great geniuses of our time.

The Atomic Café a humorous and not so funny look about the history of atomic bombs

The Story of the Atomic Bomb: Trinity & Beyond 1996- Documentary U.S. nuclear tests conducted 1945-1963. Top secret development of atomic and hydrogen bombs with footage of some of the most incredible explosions ever seen

The Day After (Jason Robards- A graphic, disturbing film about the effects of a devastating nuclear holocaust on small-town residents of eastern Kansas 1983. A very real depiction of what can happen.

 “Robert Newman’s The history of oil” 2003 Go to “Googlec.com” on line and type in the title.  This is a brilliantly humorous stand up comic Robert Newman who is a both a historian and a comic.  The information is very thought provoking. The production is very eco conscious powering the show thru bicycle power.

Additional documentaries

Life After People (History Channel) (2008)

Clash of the Cavermen between Neanderthal & Cro Magnon.

The little ice age the big chill  2008 history channel

Additional movies

Fahrenheit 9/11 Michael Moore 2004- award winning documentary film that presents a critical look at the presidency of George W. Bush, the "War on Terrorism", and its coverage in the American news media which were "cheerleaders" for the 2003 invasion of Iraq and did not provide an accurate and objective analysis of the rationale for the war or the resulting casualties there.

The Fog of War talks with Robert MacNamara, when he was defense secretary (and previous CEO of Chrysler Motor Corp.), and how the U.S. become so involved in the Vietnam war and how close we came to nuclear war in the early 60’s.

“Mind Walk”-1990 A US politician (Sam Waterston) visits his poet friend (John Heard) in Mont. St. Michael, France. While walking through the medieval island discussing their philosophies of life they happen upon Sonja (Liv Ullman), a scientist in recluse, who joins in their conversation. The two men listen to the ideas of this brilliant woman and discuss how her ideas can work in their own politician and poet lives. About the nature of physics and our universe

Motorcycle Diaries-2004 The Motorcycle Diaries adaptation of journal by Ernesto "Che" Guevara de la Serna when age 23. He & friend, Alberto Granado are typical college students who, seeking fun and adventure before graduation, decide to travel across Argentina, Chile, Peru, Colombia, and Venezuela in order to do their medical residency at a leper colony.

MEDICAL MOVIES

Crazy Sexy Cancer is produced by Red House Pictures & Cactus Three for TLC.    Kris Carr is writer, director, producer & cinematographer; Watching Kris’ honest journey thru the whole ordeal made me think that I need to take care of myself a lot better — especially as she resorted to a “healing diet” focused on veggies and such.

The Doctor 1991 William Hurt He was a doctor who thought he knew it all... until he became a patient.

Hoxy, the Quacks that Cure Cancer narrated by Peter Chokra

Patch Adams Robin Williams

Masks of Madness: Science of Healing A new documentary on the orthomolecular treatment of schizophrenia

Lorenzo’s Oil Susan Sarandon and Nick Nolte give brilliant performances as parents trying to save the life of their son from adrenoleukodystrophy (ALD), a rare and incurable nerve disease that is always fatal. Based on a true story parents research essential oils to try and save their son.

Percy Julian: The Forgotten Genius documentary of one of the first Afro American Scientists from the 30’s whom was hired by Gliden Paints to develop a wide variety of uses for the soy bean including progesterone, cortisone & physostigmin &  compounds bisphenol A.

The Beautiful Truth-  2009 or 10Gerson therapy movie; The Gerson Miracle Charlotte Gerson; Eating  - The rave diet

Rx Generation -  many people including Micheal Moore talks in this one, http://www.youtube.com/watch?

Woman with rare  CA Extra ovarian primary peritoneal carcinoma stage 4This woman was filmed in Charlotte’s movie The Gerson Miracle 5 years earlier. It had metastasized to her bones, liver, kidney Tufts university published paper that 100% mortality with this cancer using chemo and raditation.

Please note that this movie list is continually being updated and some of the titles may not be exactly correct so you may email me at marznd@mac.com for further updates.  Thanks for watching!!!

ADDED MOVIES & BOOKS-

Healing Cancer from the Inside Out by Mike Anderson.

BOOKS RECOMMENDED BY MARZ
Nutritional Medicine Alan Gaby, M.D. technical well referenced	Medical Nutrition from Marz  Russell Marz, N.D., L.Ac.
Garbage Land: On the Secrete Trail of Trash  Elizabeth Royte-	Diet and Nutrition, Rudolph Ballentine, M.D.
Cultures of Habitat On Nature, Culture & Story Nabhan 1997	Dr. Wright's  Healing with Nutrition  Jon Wright, M.D
Ecological Medicine Healing the Earth & Ourselves Ausubel 2004	Genetic Nutritioneering ‘99   Nutria-aerobics  / Jeff Bland, PhD
Fateful Harvest Wilson 2002	Nutrition Against Disease Roger Williams, Ph.D.
Hope’s Edge The Next Diet for a Small Planet Lappe 2003	The Complete Food Handbook Doyle and Redding
Our Stolen Future Colborn, Dumanoski, Myers 1997	Your Health Under Siege: Using Nutrition Bland, PhD
The Sacred Balance Suzuki1997	Hungry Planet What the World Eats Menzel & D”Aluisio 2005
Nature's Operating Instructions: The True Biotechnologies	Pottingers Cats by Francis Pottinger
The Lost Language of Plants The Eco Importance of Plants Buhner	The Healing Factor, Vit C against Disease Irwin Stone
Beyond the 120-year Diet 2000 Roy Walford	Diet and Nutrition, Rudolph Ballentine, M.D.
Formula for Life The Definitive Book on Correct Nutrition,, Antioxidants, and Vitamins, Disease Prevention, and Longevity	Dr. Wright's  Healing with Nutrition  Jon Wright, M.D The China Study by T. Colin Campbell
Okinawan Program Willcox & Wllcox & Suzuki	Genetic Nutritioneering ‘99   Nutria-aerobics  / Jeff Bland, PhD
Living to 100 Lessons in Living to Your Max Potential Perls,  ‘99	Nutrition Against Disease Roger Williams, Ph.D.
Longevity Fulfilling our Bio Potential Pelletier, PhD	The Complete Food Handbook Doyle and Redding
Maximum Lifespan Walford, PhD	Your Health Under Siege: Using Nutrition Bland, PhD
Stealing Time: The New Science of Aging Warshofsky 1999	Health and Light John Ott, Ph.D.
The Anti-Aging Plan 1994 Roy & Lisa Walford	Biomimicry Innovation by Nature Janine Benyus

How to Avoid Genetically Modified Foods?

How to avoid eating genetically modified foods?

People are amazed at the considerable evidence of health dangers of GM foods and the extent of the cover-up by industry and government. The first question people ask is how they can avoid eating GM foods. A more complete treatment of this topic is found in Seeds of Deception, in chapter 8.

By not eating GM foods, you not only protect yourself from the risks, you also contribute economic pressure on food manufacturers to remove GM ingredients. They won't wait for a large percentage of shoppers to switch to competitors' non-GMO alternatives. If they lose even a small percentage of their market share, food producers will likely source non-GMO ingredients to protect their sales.

Earlier print runs of the book have a mistake that I am happy to correct here. Organic foods are not allowed to contain GM ingredients. Although there are a percentage of non-organic ingredients allowed in foods labeled organic, even these non-organic ingredients are not allowed to contain GMOs. (Just as with the organic ingredients, however, there is no testing required and it is possible that some contamination may have occurred.)

There are three categories of genetically modified (GM) foods: crops, dairy products and meat, and enzymes and additives created from GM bacteria and fungus. Not everyone who conscientiously avoids GM foods chooses to be strict in all categories. I mention this so that the task does not seem so daunting or difficult. It's also a good idea to have a family member or a friend to make the change with you. The site www.truefoodnow.org offers an extensive list of foods by brand and category, indicating if they have GM ingredients.

If you take the step of going non-GMO, I encourage you to let the manufacturers of your “former” favorite foods know that you have stopped eating them until they confirm that they have removed GM ingredients. Only a small percentage of the population making this switch may do the trick to convince major manufacturers to go non-GMO. In fact, if one of the largest food manufacturers makes the switch, it might create a landslide of other companies also removing GMOs. This happened in England, where the all the major food manufacturers committed to remove GM ingredients in the same week, following the announcement by Unilever.

Crops:

Currently, the major genetically engineered crops are soy, cotton, canola, and corn. Other modified crops include some U.S. zucchini and yellow squash, Hawaiian papaya, and some tobacco. GM potatoes and tomatoes have been taken off the market.

Dairy and Meat

U.S. dairy products may contain milk from cows injected with rbGH. And both meat and dairy products usually come from animals that have eaten GM feed.

Enzymes, additives, sweeteners

Genetically modified bacteria and fungi are used in the production of enzymes, vitamins, food additives, flavorings and processing agents in thousands of foods on the grocery shelves as well as health supplements. Aspartame, the diet sweetener, is a product of genetic engineering.

Unlike many nations around the world, in the United States and Canada GM foods are not labeled. Avoiding them, therefore, is both a science and an art. Here are some techniques.

Vegetable Oil

Most generic vegetable oils and margarines used in restaurants and in processed foods in North America are made from soy, corn, canola, or cottonseed-the four major GM crops. Unless these oils specifically say “Non-GMO” or “Organic,” it is probably genetically modified. Non-GM substitute oils include olive, sunflower, safflower, butter (see dairy below), almond, and just about any other oil available.

Soy and Corn Derivatives

Most packaged foods contain soy and/or corn in some form: as soy flour, soy protein, soy lecithin, textured vegetable protein, corn meal, corn syrup, dextrose, maltodextrin, fructose, citric acid, lactic acid, and of course, soy or corn oil. To avoid them you'll have to check the list of ingredients. For each type of food, there is usually a brand that is non-GM. These are often found in health food stores, but there are also plenty in supermarkets-depending on the food. Mayonnaise, for example, which is traditionally made with soy oil, comes in both non-GM soy and safflower varieties.

According to Cornell University's website Genetically Engineered Organisms, Public Issues Project (GEO-PIE), only 3 to 5 percent of the sweet corn in the U.S. is GM, and it is very unlikely that popcorn or canned sweet corn are engineered.

Foods that may contain GM soy or corn derivatives or GM vegetable oil include: infant formula, salad dressing, bread, cereal, hamburgers and hotdogs, margarine, mayonnaise, crackers, cookies, chocolate, candy, fried food, chips, veggie burgers, meat substitutes, ice cream, frozen yogurt, tofu, tamari, soy sauce, soy cheese, tomato sauce, protein powder, baking powder, alcohol, vanilla, powdered sugar, peanut butter, enriched flour and pasta. Non-food items include cosmetics, soaps, detergents, shampoo, and bubble bath.

Fruit and Vegetables

More than 50 percent of papaya from Hawaii is genetically modified to resist a virus. Most U.S. papayas come from Brazil, Mexico, or the Caribbean, however, where there are no GM varieties. According to GEO-PIE, your chances of encountering a GM papaya “are highest in Hawaii or the continental west coast.” Some zucchini and yellow crookneck squash are also GM but they are not popular with farmers.

Honey

Honey can be produced from GM crops. For example, some Canadian honey comes from bees collecting nectar from canola. This has shut down exports of Canadian honey to Europe.

Wheat, rice, and salmon on the Horizon

A major food fight is in the works, as biotech companies are trying to introduce GM wheat, rice, and salmon. We will keep you informed of the developments, and let you know how you can take action to help prevent the introduction of these new GM varieties.

Dairy Products

About 22 percent of cows in the U.S. are injected with recombinant (genetically modified) bovine growth hormone (rbGH). Dairies generally collect their milk from many sources. In the U.S., if a dairy product is not labeled organic, non-GMO, or made without hormones, it is likely that a portion of the product came from cows that were injected with rbGH. You can always call or email the dairy to find out. Also, non-organic dairy farms typically use GM feed. No studies have been done on whether that affects the milk.

Meat and Eggs

Organic meat and eggs come from animals that have been raised without hormones and with feed that is non-GMO. So-called “natural” meat is usually free of hormones and antibiotics, but the animal may have been raised on GM feed. If you want to avoid this, you'll need to ask the producer.

GM Additives, Cooking Aids, Vitamins, and Enzymes

Genetic engineering is used in the production of many food additives, flavorings, vitamins, and processing aids, such as enzymes. According to the Non-GMO Source, “Such ingredients are used to improve the color, flavor, texture, and aroma of foods and to preserve, stabilize, and add nutrients to processed foods.”

Among vitamins, vitamin C (ascorbic acid) is often made from corn, vitamin E is usually made from soy. Vitamins A, B2, B6, and B12 may be derived from GMOs as well. (In the first print run of Seeds of Deception, the book mistakenly indicated that folic acid was created from other GM vitamins. This is untrue, and we are not aware of any GM sources of folic acid.) In addition, vitamin D and vitamin K may have “carriers” derived from GM corn sources, such as starch, glucose, and maltodextrin. In addition to finding these vitamins in supplements, they are sometimes used to fortify foods. Organic foods, even if fortified with vitamins, are not allowed to use ingredients derived from GMOs.

Flavorings can also come from corn or other GM sources. For example, “hydrolyzed vegetable protein (HVP), a commonly used flavor enhancer derived from corn and soy could be GMO,” says the Non-GMO Source. Vanillin can also be GM.

“Genetically engineered bacteria and fungi are routinely used as sources of enzymes for the manufacture of a wide variety of processed foods,” says GEO-PIE. The live organisms are not added to the foods themselves. Rather, they are grown in vats and produce large quantities of enzymes. The enzymes are removed, purified, and used in food production. Oftentimes, the enzymes get destroyed during the cooking process and are not present in the final product. As such, they are rarely listed on the label.

One common enzyme is called chymosin, which is used in the production of hard cheeses. In the past, it was taken from the stomach linings of calves (called rennet). Since the GM variety was introduced in 1990, more than 70 percent of U.S. cheeses now use this variety. It is not allowed in organic cheese. Xanthan gum is another product that may be derived from a GM process.

According to the Non-GMO Source, “Europe, which is known for sensitivity about GMOs, is more advanced in genetic engineering of enzymes and microorganisms. The newest GM food labeling laws proposed by the European Parliament call for labeling of food additives and colorings, but not processing aids such as enzymes.”

Avoiding GM additives is difficult, since the label will rarely list them. You can find a list of GM enzymes and their uses at www.seedsofdeception.com or in the book's appendix B.

Tobacco

The company Vector has a GMO tobacco being sold under the brand of Quest® cigarettes in the U.S. It is engineered to produce low or no nicotine.

I offer some tips for eating non-GMO in restaurants, both in the book and at www.seedsofdeception.com

Thank you for your support and SAFE EATING.

Jeffrey M. Smith, author of “Seeds of Deception” and “Genetic Roulette”

The Dirty Dozen Foods to Avoid

In keeping with Earth Day April and sustainability, I am presenting the "Dirty Dozen Foods" to avoid when traveling and can't find organic foods. We don't want to encourage eating local and organic foods just for your own health but also for the health of the planet. Omnivite Nutrition Inc supported "Earth Hour" in turning out all lights. Thank you to all those who participated. It is estimated that such a very small contribution resulted in saving thousands of dollars in electricity just for turning off lights for one hour. What is more is the symbolic nature and gesture where people are coming together as a planet to acknowledge that we must all participate in saving our species. Here is the text message that Omnivite Nutrition sent out to encourage people all over the world to participate in this healing gesture.

"Omnivite Nutrition Inc urges all people and businesses to participate in "Earth Hour" turning off all lights from between 8:30pm and 9:30pm Saturday night in support of saving our species."

“The dirty dozen foods”: what foods should be avoided unless grown organically. The following foods are listed in order of toxicity:

1) Peaches	7) cherries
2) Apples	8) Kale
3) Bell Peppers	9) Lettuce
4) Celery	10) grapes (imported)
5) nectarines	11) Carrots
6) strawberries	12) Pears

The Clean 15 produce with the least amount of pesticides in case you don’t have a choice but you want to be somewhat clean. These foods have relatively lower levels of herbicides and pesticide residues.

Onion	Asparagus	Papaya
Avocado	Sweet Peas	Watermelon
Sweet Corn	Kiwi	Broccoli
Pineapple	Cabbage	Tomato
Mango	Eggplant	Sweet Potato

Why Should You Care About Pesticides?

The growing consensus among scientists is that small doses of pesticides and other chemicals can cause lasting damage to human health, especially during fetal development and early childhood. Scientists now know enough about the long-term consequences of ingesting these powerful chemicals to advise that we minimize our consumption of pesticides.

What’s the Difference?

EWG research has found that people who eat the 12 most contami­nated fruits and vegetables consume an average of 10 pesticides a day. Those who eat the 15 least contaminated conventionally-grown fruits and vegetables ingest fewer than 2 pesticides daily. The Guide helps consumers make informed choices to lower their dietary pesticide load.

Will Washing and Peeling Help?

Up to 20 different pesticides are used in the traditional production of the Dirty Dozen and contrary to popular belief, simply washing or peeling your fruits and vegetables doesn't guarantee elimination. The pesticides used are often absorbed into the plants, which allows them to bind to the fruits and vegetables, making it impossible to eliminate their presence. Nearly all the studies used to create these lists assume that people rinse or peel fresh produce. Rinsing reduces but does not eliminate pesticides. Peeling helps, but valuable nutrients often go down the drain with the skin. The best approach: eat a varied diet, rinse all produce and buy organic when possible.

How Was This Guide Developed?

EWG analysts have developed the Guide based on data from nearly 87,000 tests for pesticide residues in produce conducted between 2000 and 2007 and collected by the U.S. Department of Agriculture and the U.S. Food and Drug Administration. You can find a detailed description of the criteria EWG used to develop these rankings and the complete list of fruits and vegetables tested at our dedicated website, www.foodnews.org.

Upcoming Ayurvedic cooking seminar with Dr. Kaushik & Dr. Marz!!

What prescription drugs sell the most?

At a recent seminar it was very interesting to see what pharmaceuticals sell the most in 2008:

1. LIPITOR - Treats: High cholesterol - Pfizer - $8.4 billion

2. ZOCOR - Treats: High cholesterol - Merck - $4.4 billion

3. NEXIUM - Treats: Heartburn - AstraZeneca - $4.4 billion

4. PREVACID - Treats: Heartburn - Abbott&Takeda - $3.8 billion

5. ADVAIR DISKUS - Treats: Asthma - GlaxoSmithKline - $3.6 billion

6. PLAVIX-Treats:Heart disease-Bristol-Myers Squibb -$3.5 billion

7. ZOLOFT - Treats: Depression - Pfizer - $3.1 billion

8. EPOGEN - Treats: Anemia - Amgen - $3.0 billion

9. PROCRIT - Treats: Anemia - Johnson & Johnson - $3.0 billion

10. ARANESP - Treats: Anemia - Amgen - $2.8 billion

1) Lipitor- to lower cholesterol (in women, eating fish once per week had greater effect than lipitor.
2) Zocor- studies have shown that cholesterol lowering drugs increase your risk of dying by suicide, homicide and by violent accident 3x.
3) Nexium- people who develop stomach ulcers most often actually have decreased acid secretion.
4) Prevacid- Maybe NOT eating ones favorite food would stop the heartburn!
5) Advair diskus- perhaps we should clean up the air we breathe!
6) Plavix
7) Zoloft- perhaps if everyone took Zoloft and Prosac we wouldn’t worry anymore about global warming!
8) Epogen, procrit and aranesp- how could a country that eats so much be so anemic!?

Iron will kill you (or save you...)

Why you should get your tissue levels of iron checked?

IRON DEFICIENCY

Most people, when they think of iron, they think of how it is important for making red blood cells and preventing anemia. Iron deficiency anemia is a condition whereby your ability to make hemoglobin becomes diminished and red blood cells (RBC’s) lose their ability to hold oxygen. This inability to hold oxygen and distribute it to all your tissues in your body is what doctors call “being anemic”. Anemia is the decreased ability to carry oxygen to your tissues with the resultant wide array of symptoms including fatigue, dizziness, headaches, cold intolerance, restless legs, poor memory, lack of ability to concentrate, depression just to name a few.

Numerous biochemical reactions in the body require iron and a deficiency in the tissues of the body is possible without actually being anemic. In fact, many symptoms described above to anemia may be more linked to low tissue iron levels.

IRON OVERLOAD

Iron Overload- also known as “hemochromatosis” is a disease where the body stores excessive amounts of iron in the tissues (“iron overload”). It is the most common inherited genetic defect to afflict humans. The abnormal gene that causes hemochromatosis is present in about 10% of the human population! There are little or no symptoms of iron overload in the early stages, but if left untreated people may eventually experience chronic infections, local inflammatory conditions such as bursitis, arthritis, tendonitis, fatigue and dizziness. As symptoms progress, early heart disease, diabetes, sterility, impotence, abnormal menstrual cycles, hepatitis and cancers may also develop.

Measuring iron levels in your tissues?

Years ago iron levels in the tissues could only be checked by doing a bone biopsy, a rather painful and unpleasant experience to say the least. Scientists have discovered a much simpler and easier way to determine tissue levels of iron by measuring ferritin, TIBC and % transferrin saturation in the blood. These can be measured, very simply and inexpensively, in the blood, with results coming back in as little as 24-48 hours. For as little as $20.00 to $50.00 your complete tissue levels of iron can be checked.

More information concerning iron:

Hemochromatosis (iron storage disease) & silent killer: easily diagnosed & treated

It has been known for many years that many people tend to store iron in their tissues in excessive amounts in a condition known as hemochromatosis. It is believed that this hereditary disease was actually very helpful for survival. In Paleolithic times, because iron was in short supply in our diet, people who could store their iron more efficiently had a better chance of survival. They were less likely to become anemic (fatigued and exhausted), thus succumbing to other hostile humans or wild animals.

Why don’t more people get tested for this condition?

Most physicians are not aware that some of these conditions may be related to iron overload and do not practice the art of preventive medicine. Here at the Tabor Hill Clinic we are very aware of screening for common conditions that may affect your health. We routinely screen all of our patients for hemochromatosis by checking ferritin and % transferrin saturation. We also look much closer at what is “an ideal level” of iron and as a result we have a much tighter range that we consider as “normal”.

What to do if high levels of iron are found? There are a number of therapeutic options to consider depending upon the progression of the condition and how high your iron levels are. Mildly elevated levels can be conservatively treated by just avoiding sources of iron such as supplements, cooking in cast iron pans, foods high in iron, and high levels of vitamin C with meals, which can greatly increase absorption of iron.

Higher levels of iron may require periodic blood donation, oral or intravenous chelation, depending upon the individual case, always remembering that most reference ranges are set way too high. For more information go to www.americanhs.org.

What to do if low tissue levels of iron are found?

Increasing foods high in iron, especially those that have better absorbed iron, is the first line of treatment. Supplements (there are many different ones), oral, IM or IV may be used in more advanced conditions. Please make sure that at some point you get your ferritin and % transferrin levels checked when getting your blood analyzed. Contact our office if you have any further questions.

• Dr. Russell B. Marz