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  • The Importance of Religion and Spirituality in Healing

    Spirituality and religious faith are important to many of our Wellness Club members, customers, and HealthBeat News readers.

    Dr. Myatt has long recognized the importance of spirituality in healing and wellness, and in fact she has taught and lectured on this subject and has produced 2 very popular videos:

    In The Body/Mind Connection Dr. Myatt explains the Body/Mind Connection in terms of easy-to-understand physiology. She explains how thoughts become translated into flesh via the endocrine and nervous system. She also explains how we can draw upon that knowledge to change unproductive habits, heal our bodies, and create new circumstances.

    In Remembering Who You Are Dr. Myatt explains that Recognition and remembrance of our true nature has always been the goal of both science and religion. It is a necessary component of the healing process, whether of body, mind, or spirit. Drawing from well-accepted scientific principals, plus wisdom from a variety of the worlds great religions, she will lead you on a journey of remembrance that may prove to be the most valuable tool of your entire existence.

    With this in mind, we thought our readers might enjoy this combining of of wisdom from two rather different belief systems, expressed in familiar sayings from each:

    If there is no self, whose arthritis is this?

    Be here now.
    Be someplace else later.
    Is that so complicated?

    Drink tea and nourish life;
    with the first sip, joy;
    with the second sip, satisfaction;
    with the third sip, peace;
    with the fourth, a Danish.

    Wherever you go, there you are.
    Your luggage is another story.

    Accept misfortune as a blessing.
    Do not wish for perfect health, or a life without problems.
    What would you talk about?

    The journey of a thousand miles begins with
    a single ” Oy Vey”

    There is no escaping from karma
    In a previous life, you never called, you never wrote, you never visited.
    And whose fault was that?

    Zen is not easy.
    It takes effort to attain nothingness.
    And then what do you have? Bupkis.

    The Tao does not speak.
    The Tao does not blame.
    The Tao does not take sides.
    The Tao has no expectations.
    The Tao demands nothing of others.
    The Tao is clearly not Jewish.

    Breathe in.
    Breathe out.
    Breathe in.
    Breathe out.
    Forget this and attaining Enlightenment will be the least of your problems.

    Let your mind be as a floating cloud.
    Let your stillness be as a wooded glen.
    And sit up straight.
    You’ll never meet the Buddha with such rounded shoulders.

    Deep inside you are ten thousand flowers.
    Each flower blossoms ten thousand times.
    Each blossom has ten thousand petals.
    You might want to see a specialist.

    Be aware of your body.
    Be aware of your perceptions.
    Keep in mind that not every physical sensation is a symptom of a terminal illness.

    The Torah says, Love your neighbor as yourself.
    The Buddha says, There is no self.
    So, maybe we’re off the hook.

  • Reader Questions Soy Benefits: “One Man’s Meat is Another Man’s Poison”

    Michael writes to comment:

    All of my other “Natural Health” information areas (including the book , “The Whole Soy Story”) are stressing the detriments of soy, so I am surprised to see such a positive review (of course, with some caveats). This statement from “The Dangers of Soy” actually contradicts what you have stated: Soy phytoestrogens disrupt endocrine function and have the potential to cause infertility and to promote breast cancer in adult women.”
    What’s up??? I usually trust what you have to say, but I have a hard time believing that soy is good for us!!!

    Dr. Myatt replies:

    Hi Michael:

    Your question brings up several good points that I’d like to address. The first one is taken directly from my “Read This First” letter found on the footer of every page of my website. I’m betting about 3 people have read this in the 14 years I’ve been in business, but here’s the “short course”:

    “Also keep in mind that although my advice and statements are supported by scientific research, experts do not always agree on the meaning and interpretation of research data. Another physician might look at the same information and draw a different conclusion. This is why it makes good sense to get a second (and even a third and fourth!) medical opinion…”
    Read the full letter here.

    Second, I believe the “black and white” argument about soy is completely misguided. Some folks totally vilify soy (as in the book you quote), while others make it sound so great that you’d think it should be added to the public drinking water supply!

    My opinion? Soy is neither a terrible substance nor a “miracle food” that everyone should take. As with many foods, it has “pros” and “cons.”

    Soy has estrogenic effects. That is, soy acts as a weak estrogen. Is this bad? Ask a post-menopausal female suffering from hot flashes if using a weak (and therefore presumably safer) form of estrogen is bad and she’ll probably look at you like you just got off a spaceship from Mars. Estrogenic effects have a role to play in medical practice, especially when they are safer alternatives to more potent estrogens. A number of studies have shown that soy helps prevent and may even be effective for treatment of hormone-related cancers. Please visit our webpage on soy for a complete list of references — 45 in total.

    Soy has also been shown to help lower cardiovascular disease risk (a claim allowed by the FDA), lower cholesterol levels, improve bone mineral density, and improve insulin sensitivity. Again, all of this is fully referenced on the above-mentioned page.

    Now, is estrogen good for babies? Hello? I think not. And for men? Sometimes in prostate cancer it is useful, but overall, increasing estrogen effects is not generally desirable in men.

    Further, as I have previously mentioned, unrefined soy (such as soy protein powder and soybeans) acts as a goitrogen and can lower thyroid function. Soy is also allergenic to many people, especially in this form. Fermented soy products such as tofu, miso, and tempeh are better tolerated.

    As for soy lowering fertility, this has not been a problem in Asian countries with the highest intakes of soy! Again, if someone is eating enough soy to lower thyroid hormone production, this can cause infertility. (low thyroid is associated with infertility). This is easy to monitor with a simple blood test.

    My summary: “Soy: not all good, not all bad.” It depends on the person and their unique cirumstance. Please be sure to take a peek at our website page on soy for a boat-load of references that reveal some of the “positives” of soy and it’s derivatives.

    P.S. You’ve got a book that vilifies soy? (There are a number of them).
    But here are some titles that sing soy’s praises:
    Soy One Choice For Menopausal Health, Ari Babaknia, M.D.
    Soy The Right Protein For Improving Your Health, Ari Babaknia, M.D.
    The Soy Zone, Dr. Barry Sears (author of The Zone Diet)
    Soy for Health: The Definitive Medical Guide, Stephen Holt, M.D.
    Earl Mindell’s Soy Miracle, Earl Mindell, pH.D

  • How Can I Have Mercury Amalgams Safely Removed?

    Mercury amalgams are increasingly in the news, and people are becoming better educated about the insidious dangers posed by this toxic kind of dentistry. Here at the Wellness Club we are receiving on an almost daily basis questions from readers who want to have mercury-containing amalgams removed from their mouths, but who want to do so safely.

    RJ’s letter to us is typical:

    Dear Dr, Myatt,
    Thank you for the informative article on amalgam fillings!
    Is there a list of dentists around the Country who know how to remove them safely? No one I know seems to be able to recommend a good dentist in the area where I live (the Treasure Valley of Idaho); let alone one who is knowledgeable regarding the above.
    Thank you for your time.
    Sincerely,
    R J

    As we have said before, having amalgam removal done safely is the problem.

    Many things need to be done to ensure safety from exposure to mercury liberated during the removal procedure, and further, the dentist needs to carefully consider and understand the electrical disturbances that partial removal of mercury amalgams can create.

    Many dentists will suggest a regimen of repeat visits where the patient can have one quadrant of the mouth worked on during each of 4 or more sessions – this can be convenient for the dentist and will be promoted to the patient as allowing them to “rest up and recover” during sessions, but it can actually make matters worse as the patient is sent home with very altered galvanic current flows now happening.

    This can result in some very serious health problems. The approach we favor, though it sometimes results in tiring marathon sessions for dentist and patient alike, is that all mercury-containing material be removed at the same sitting, or at most in two sittings on consecutive days. Few dentists are willing to do this.

    We at the Wellness Club work closely with a local dentist whom we consider to be one of the very best in performing this sensitive work.

    Here is what Del Nichols DDS has to say about amalgam removal in his office:

    Most materials in the mouth have a current that is either positive (+) or negative (-) but, the natural tooth does not have a charge. The unique principal we have incorporated into our program is that the currents do not come out when they [the amalgams] are removed. The standard for normal removals is to remove one quadrant (upper right, upper left, lower right, or lower left) at a time. The problem with this is the current will reattach to the existing metals in the mouth which can create a meridian overload and an electrical short circuiting. We use an electro current analyzer to determine the currents of the filings. We then remove the highest cumulative current quadrant first, the next highest second and so forth. We will remove the amalgam filings two quadrants at a time and then replace them with the compatible material. Then we remove and replace the next two quadrants. The complete removal is accomplished in either one or two days depending on the number of filings.

    Recognizing the potential risks from mercury liberated during the removal process, Dr. Del goes on to say:

    We take many precautions to protect the patient during the removal. We use a rubber dam to keep as much debris as we can out of the patients mouth. We use special ionizers and a Swiss filtering system to pull any debris from the air. All of our patients are on oxygen during the entire procedure with gas also available. All staff in the room also have masks on for their protection.

    You can see more information about Dr. Nichols’ procedures and safety precautions here.

    Though Dr. Del Nichols is not associated with The Wellness Club otherwise, we feel strongly enough about his skills that we have given him space on The Wellness Club website. Interested persons may contact Dr. Del from that page.

    We can confidently recommend Dr. Nichols’ work – Dr. Myatt was sufficiently impressed with his knowledge and understanding of the problem that she entrusted the removal of all her mercury amalgam fillings and the follow-up restorations to him. She is very pleased with the results, and with his skills – and when one doctor is enthusiastic about the skills of another doctor, you know you’re on to something good! Dr. Myatt reports that her health is improved following the removal: some small lymph nodes that had been chronically enlarged promptly returned to a normal size within days.

    There may be other dentists who are also capable of safely performing this critical work – but we do not have personal experience with them. As Dr. Myatt mentioned in her article Three Hidden Causes of Disease Lurking in Your Mouth “Remember, there is currently no such thing as an holistic dental school (as there are holistic medical schools), so all “holistic dentists” are self-taught. A very few of them may understand all of the above-listed principals, but in my experience, most do not. The majority are only concerned with amalgam filling removal, and even then, their lack of understanding of the galvanic current phenomena means that they cause more harm than good by failing to remove ALL the offending materials at one time. Further, incautious removal can release mercury into the environment – and the patient – potentially making matters worse!”

    There is a resource on the Consumers For Dental Choice website which will allow a person to search for Mercury Free Dentists/Doctors/Health Care Practitioners by State – but again, we urge caution. Question any prospective amalgam removal dentist carefully, and be sure that he or she follows the very best practices to ensure your safety.

  • FDA Forced To Change Position On Toxic Mercury Fillings!

    In a remarkable development that comes in response to lawsuits against the FDA by several organizations, including Moms Against Mercury and Consumers For Dental Choice, the FDA has agreed to cease it’s stalling and stonewalling and “classify” (presumably as toxic) mercury-containing dental amalgams within a year of the close of public comments – that is, by July 28, 2009.

    Even more remarkably, the FDA has removed from it’s webpage (see: http://www.fda.gov/cdrh/consumer/amalgams.html ) all it’s claims that there is no scientific evidence of danger from mercury-containing fillings, and has adopted a more neutral tone where it now admits:

    “Dental amalgams contain mercury, which may have neurotoxic effects on the nervous systems of developing children and fetus.”

    and

    “Pregnant women and persons who may have a health condition that makes them more sensitive to mercury exposure, including individuals with existing high levels of mercury bioburden, should not avoid seeking dental care, but should discuss options with their health practitioner.”

    This is an amazing turnaround from an agency that has been more concerned up to now with protecting the interests of the American Dental Association than the health of the American public and is in sharp contrast to their previous statements, taken from that very same FDA webpage on May 31, 2008:

    “To date, the agencies have found no scientific studies that demonstrate dental amalgams harm children or adults.”

    and

    “The panel generally agreed that there is no evidence that dental amalgams cause health problems in the majority of the population.”

    and this little bit of wisdom:

    “There are no scientific studies that show that having dental amalgams is harmful, or that removing your amalgam fillings will improve your health.”

    So, in the current language of the FDA, mercury “may have neurotoxic effects on the nervous systems of developing children and fetus” – but they have stopped short of admitting that mercury is toxic to children or adults unless they are “Pregnant women and persons who may have a health condition that makes them more sensitive to mercury exposure, including individuals with existing high levels of mercury bioburden”.

    But this begs the question: if mercury is now acknowledged by the FDA as toxic to some, isn’t it toxic to all?

    In my humble, non-FDA-approved opinion, toxic is toxic is toxic – young, old, sick, well, toxic is toxic. We can debate whether it is more toxic for some than for others, but in the end poison is just that: poison.

    More information regarding this development can be found here:

    International Academy of Oral Medicine and Toxicology – www.iaomt.org
    Consumers for Dental Choice – www.toxicteeth.org
    Moms Against Mercury – www.momsagainstmercury.org

    Be sure to see our HealthBeat articles about dental amalgams –Three Hidden Causes of Disease Lurking in Your Mouth – and Your Dental Fillings Could Be Poisoning You! – and our Wellness Club webpage on dental health.

  • FDA Bans Natural Human Hormone!

    Women’s International Pharmacy is a compounding pharmacy that Dr. Myatt trusts to make up custom compounded formulations for her patients.

    The folks at Women’s International recently contacted us with the following information and “Call To Action” – we feel that this is very important information for everyone who uses natural products, not just for people using Bio-Identical hormones (both men and women!)

    CALL TO ACTION

    THE FDA AND WYETH WANT TO TAKE AWAY YOUR BIO-IDENTICAL HORMONES (BHRT)!

    Contact Your U.S. Senators and Congressperson Today!

    TO SUBMIT AN EMAIL FORM TO YOUR U.S. CONGRESSIONAL OFFICIALS, CLICK HERE:  SUBMIT MY COMMENTS

    WHAT IS THE ISSUE?

    Wyeth, the maker of Premarin® and Prempro®, wants the FDA to prevent the compounding of bio-identical hormones prescribed for you by your doctor.  If Wyeth had its way, it would take away your freedom of choice in medication.  With that said, the FDA recently took action to impose harmful restrictions on the compounding and dispensing of bio-identical hormone replacement therapies (BHRT), which includes bio-identical hormone prescriptions that contain estriol.  Click here for more details: Home Coalition article.

    WHAT IS HAPPENING?

    U.S. Representatives Mike Ross (Arkansas) and Jo Ann Emerson (Missouri) presented a Sense of the Congress Resolution (H.Con.Res.342), challenging the FDA’s new policy. The resolution is being co-sponsored by U.S. Representatives Tammy Baldwin (Wisconsin), Michael Burgess (Texas), John Carter (Texas), Sam Farr (California) and Gabrielle Giffords (Arizona); deeming FDA’s policy as inappropriate and is requesting reversal of this policy.

    WHAT CAN YOU DO RIGHT NOW?

    Submit your comments to protect your choices in healthcare by writing to your U.S. Senators and Congressperson now!  Time is of the essence! Congress could act very soon!  It is extremely important that you submit your comments to your U.S. Senators and Congressperson today!  Please note that your comments are most effective by submitting an email form, sharing your personal experiences with BHRT (estriol) and/or other compounded medications stating the positive impact it has had on your quality of life.

    Please be sure to visit The Wellness Club website for a very thorough discussion of menopause and sex hormones as well as information on hormone testing.