In Defense of Food

"Let your food be your medicine and your medicine your food." Hippocrates

Eat Food. Not Too Much. Mostly Plants.

Brilliance! Fundamental! Back to Basics! A must read and therefore it tops the current list of gotta have books! Michael Pollan does a phenomenal job of relaying how we veered from a group of people who ate food to a body of folks desperately looking and hoping to justify that what's in the food (specific nutrients) we've chosen to consume is certainly improving our health. Whether the nutrients claim to lower your cholesterol, decrease your risk for cancer, increase your energy, boost your immune system, or help you lose weight (just to name a few), food manufacturers have succeeded in getting Americans to buy based on the added nutrient not the food itself! The book reveals not only how since the inception of this change in behaviour that we've created more disease but that we've lost the need to ask the question, "What's wrong with the food itself that we must feel the need to fortify, add, or inject isolated, unnatural, environmentally imbalanced nutrients into the food?" The author eloquently shares many of the fundamental conflicts of interest behind those creating these anomalous chemical montages (still calling them food), government health standards, bias researchers, and the major implications and subsequent consequences of these decisions. Michael Pollan's articulately and fluently, without persuasion, encourages us to engage in thoughtful selection of our food that will augment our lives, improve our sensory perception of healthy food, and to revert back to the days of enjoying our meals again!!! I hope this book serves you and your family well!!!

Prescription Drug Statistics...

American Prescription Drug Use 

“The average number of prescriptions [drugs] per 

person, annually, in 1993 was seven. 

The average number of prescriptions [drugs] per 

person, annually, in 2000 was eleven. 

[The average number of prescriptions drugs per 

person], annually, in 2004 was twelve. 

The total number of annual prescriptions [drugs] in 

the United States now stands at about 3 billion. 

The cost per year is about $180 billion, 

headed to an estimated $414 billion by 2011. 

Pretty soon, you are talking real money.” 

Generation Rx 

How Prescription Drugs Are Altering American Lives, 

Minds, and Bodies 

Greg Critser 

Houghton Mifflin Company

Whole Spine Quote

Whole Spine Quote 

“We tend to divide the examination of the spine into regions: cervical, thoracic, and lumbar spine clinical studies. 

This is a mistake. 

The three units are closely interrelated structurally and functionally – a whole person with a whole spine.  The cervical spine may be symptomatic because of a thoracic or lumbar spine abnormality, and vice versa! 

Sometimes treating a lumbar spine will relieve a cervical spine syndrome, or proper management of cervical spine will relieve low backache.” 

Disorders of the Cervical Spine 

John Bland, MD 

Professor of Medicine, University of Vermont College 

of Medicine 

WB Saunders Company 

1987 

Page 84

Description of Chiropractic... in a Medical Journal of all places!

Treatment of Intervertebral Disc Herniation With 

Manipulation 

“Manipulation.  Some orthopaedic surgeons practice manipulation in an effort at repositioning the disc.  This treatment is regarded as controversial and a form of quackery by many men.  However, the author has attempted the maneuver in patients who did not respond to bed rest and were regarded as candidates for surgery.  Occasionally, the results was dramatic. 

Technique. The patient lies on his side on the edge of the table facing the surgeon, and the uppermost leg is allowed to drop forward over the edge of the table, carrying forward that side of the pelvis.  The uppermost arm is placed backward behind the patient, pulling the shoulder back.  The surgeon places one hand on the shoulder and the other on the iliac crest and twists the torso by pushing the shoulder backward and the iliac crest forward.  The maneuver is sudden and forceful and frequently is associated with an audible and palpable crunching sound in the lower back.  When this is felt, the relief of pain is usually 

immediate.  The maneuver is repeated with the patient on the opposite side.”

 “The patient should be cautioned beforehand that the 

manipulation may make his symptoms worse and that this is an 

attempt to avoid surgery.” 

Orthopaedics, Principles and Their Applications 

Samuel Turek, MD 

Clinical Professor, Department of Orthopedics and Rehabilitation 

University of Miami School of Medicine 

JB Lippincott Company 

1977 

Page 1335

"This is one of my favorite articles dating back to 1977.  Who says Chiropractors and MD's don't think similarly?  Read carefully and note that this Orthopedic Surgeon is recommending that instead of always "cutting" on patients with lumbar disc herniations, a more conservative approach such as manipulation often relieves the pain.  Check out his description of the position for the adjustment....sound familiar????" Dr. Rex

Whiplash 3

Whiplash Litigation Neurosis 

“Some patients in the author’s study had associated injuries.  In addition to injuring their necks, they sprained their ankles or broke their wrists.  Normal painless function returned to their ankles and wrists in the expected period of time. These patients did not complain for month after month about painful ankles or wrists, but they did still complain of neck pain.  It is difficult to understand why litigation neurosis in these instances should be confined to the neck.” 

Ian Macnab 

Associate Professor of Surgery, University of 

Toronto 

Chief of Division of Orthopaedic Surgery, 

Wellesley Hospital, Toronto. 

“Acceleration Extension Injuries of the Cervical 

Spine” Chapter 10 in THE SPINE by Rothman and 

Simeone.

Whiplash 2

Vehicle Size and Speed Quote 

“Acceleration depends on the force applied and the inertia of the vehicle that has been struck. The force is dependent upon the weight and speed of the striking vehicle, so that a streetcar 

traveling as 3 mph can apply as much force and initiate the same degree of acceleration as a compact car traveling at 40 mph.” 

Ian Macnab 

Associate Professor of Surgery, University of 

Toronto 

Chief of Division of Orthopaedic Surgery, 

Wellesley Hospital, Toronto.

“Acceleration Extension Injuries of the Cervical 

Spine” Chapter 10 in THE SPINE by Rothman 

and Simeone. 

WB Saunders Company 

1982 

Page 648

Whiplash 1

Vehicle Damage v. Passenger Injury 

“The amount of damage sustained by the car bears little relationship to the force applied.  To take an extreme example: If the car was struck in concrete, the damage sustained might be very great but the occupants would not be injured because the car could not move forward, whereas, on ice, the damage to the car could be slight but the injuries sustained might be severe 

because of the rapid accelerations permitted.”

Ian Macnab 

Associate Professor of Surgery, University of Toronto 

Chief of Division of Orthopaedic Surgery, 

Wellesley Hospital, Toronto. 

“Acceleration Extension Injuries of the Cervical 

Spine” Chapter 10 in THE SPINE by Rothman 

and Simeone. 

WB Saunders Company 

1982 

Page 648

Whiplash & Degenerative Disc Disease

Acceleration Of Degenerative Disc Disease Following 

Whiplash Injuries 

“Follow-up roentgenograms taken an average of 7 years after 

injury in one series of patients without prior roentgenographic 

evidence of disc disease indicated that 39% had developed 

degenerative disc disease at one or more disc levels since 

injury.” 

There was an expected incidence of 6% degenerative change 

in the population over this period of time. 

“Thus, it appeared that the injury had started the slow process 

of disc degeneration.” 

“In another follow-up study of patients with similar injuries but 

with preexisting degenerative changes in the neck, it was 

observed that after an average of 7 years 39% had residual 

symptoms, and roentgenographic evidence of new 

degenerative change at another level occurred in 55%.” 

“Of considerable interest was the finding in both series that 

there was no statistical correlation between the development 

of degenerative changes and continued symptoms.” 

The Cervical Spine 

The Cervical Spine Research Society 

Lippincott, 1989 

Mason Hohl, MD 

Professor of Surgery/Orthopedics, UCLA Medical Center 

pg 440

Toxic Fat & Inflammation

Toxic Fat 

Barry Sears, PhD 

2008 

“The underlying cause of chronic disease comes from increased production of a 

natural fatty acid called arachidonic acid (AA), which can be incredibly toxic at high 

concentrations. This is the toxic fat that is key to not only understanding our obesity 

epidemic but also providing the linkage between obesity and chronic disease.” P. 2 

“Classic inflammation hurts; silent inflammation slowly kills.” P. 25 

“All forms of inflammation (including silent inflammation) are ultimately controlled by 

a group of hormones known as eicosanoids.” 

“It is the balance of eicosanoids in your body that is the ultimate key to wellness.” 

“All eicosanoids are ultimately derived from dietary fat, in particular the 

polyunsaturated essential fatty acids that must be supplied by the diet.” 

“Virtually all chronic diseases can be viewed as a consequence of a continuing 

imbalance of good and bad eicosanoids.” P. 259 

“There are only three such essential fatty acids that can be made into eicosanoids: 

Dihomo-gamma-linolenic acid (DHGLA) 

Arachidonic acid (AA) 

Eicosapentaenoic acid (EPA)” P. 19 

Smoking marijuana dramatically increases appetite; it gives one the “munchies.” This 

is because of the chemical tetrahydrocannabinol or THC. 

The brain makes its own endocannabinoid hormones, making one dramatically more 

hungry, from the toxic fat arachidonic acid. P. 39 

Silent inflammation causes both insulin and leptin resistance. P. 45 

Sleep deprivation and stress create both insulin and leptin resistance. 

“From AA come all the pro-inflammatory eicosanoids that in excess accelerate chronic 

disease.” P. 77 

“From DHGLA come very powerful anti-inflammatory eicosanoids that accelerate 

cellular rejuvenation.” P. 77 

“EPA dilutes AA concentration in cell membranes, making it difficult to make 

pro-inflammatory eicosanoids.” P. 77-8 

“It is excess insulin that makes you fat and keeps you fat” p. 87

2 

The Numbers 

TG = triglycerides 

HDL = high density lipoprotein (good) cholesterol 

If the TG/HDL ratio is greater than 4, you probably have Toxic Fat Syndrome because 

it means you have insulin resistance. 

If your fasting insulin is greater than 10 uU/ml you have increased activity of the 

delta-5-desaturase enzyme that is the key to the production of arachidonic acid. 

Ideally, fasting insulin should be less then 5 uU/ml. “The lower your fasting insulin 

levels, the longer and better you are going to live.” P. 77 

“The true marker of Toxic Fat Syndrome is the AA/EPA ratio. If it is greater than 10, 

then you have Toxic Fat Syndrome, regardless of how good you look in a bathing 

swimsuit. A good ratio is 3, and the ideal ratio is about 1.5.” p. 78 

Chronic disease people tend to have an AA/EPA ratio greater than 20. p. 78 

Markers of Malignant Toxic Fat: p. 80 

AA/EPA > than 15 

Fasting insulin (uU/ml) > than 15 

TG/HDL ratio > than 4 

Dangerous Poor Good Ideal 

AA/EPA >15 10 3 1.5 

Fasting Insulin >15 10 5 <5 

TG/HDL >4 3 2 <1 

AA/DHGLA <> 

Condition (p. 113) Amount of EPA + DHA Required 

No chronic disease 2.5 grams / day 

Overweight, obese, type 2 diabetes, 

heart disease, before starting any 

weight-loss program 5 grams / day 

Chronic pain 7.5 grams /day 

Neurological Disorders 10 grams / day 

“You will also need to take at least one hundred times more EPA compared to the 

levels of supplemented GLA not to have problems.” P. 268 

“The AA/DHGLA ratio will indicate where you stand in terms of the body’s ability to 

increase cellular rejuvenation (anti-aging).” P. 259 

“The AA/EPA ratio will tell you the extent of silent inflammation in the body.” P. 258

"Seeking Higher Ground"

Onwards and Upwards you ask?  The theme of our Wellness blog will attempt to encapsulate is how we as humans progress, adapt, and evolutionize into an improving species that is "Seeking Higher Ground!"  It is our innate desire as a people to do what is right, just, moral, and therefore advancing forward.  In this case, we will address our aspirations of improving overall health, limiting self-inflicted disease, and escalating quality to human longevity!

And so we enter the "Blog World" in an effort to create a resource for SLO County residents.  We will discuss lifestyle related diseases (heart disease, obesity, diabetes, etc.), environmental issues, hormones, food, supplements, must read books and more.

So as we broach this tall task of digging through and condensing the countless array of information both from the past and what is continuing to arise on a daily basis, we ask that your mind continues to gaze ahead.  We trust that you never be satisfied with hopeless conclusions about your health, but rather will be constantly looking forward knowing that your body always acts perfectly if given the perfect environment!

Come explore with us as we seek to find the fundamental answers behind this incredible creation known as the "human body" ... of course, always looking "Onwards and Upwards" as we go!!!