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This lining, called the endothelium, “is the single-celled layer lining the arteries of the body. In fact, it’s the most extensive organ system in the human body. It’s also a recipient of the abuse our bodies receive, a fragile organ that injury transforms into a plaque-lined landmine” explains Dr. J. Cooke of Stanford. “A healthy endothelium is like Teflon, a nonstick surface that enhances the flow of blood. By contrast, an unhealthy endothelium is like Velcro, with white blood cells...

Mental health conditions are usually treated symptomatically.  The underlying root physical causes are not often explored.  But science is showing us a smarter way to understand and treat mental health conditions. The Living Brain is a part of the whole body – and is affected in a very real sense to what is happening in that body.  Everything in our bodies is connected – tens of thousands of chemical feedback loops.  For example, good GI health is essential for proper...

This is possible with the Endo Pat 2000. Heart attacks occur when the linings of your arteries  – the endothelium – are damaged.  For many reasons, they can become inflamed, have fatty deposits and “hardening of the arteries” – atherosclerosis.  This is actually an ongoing inflammatory, damaging process which can lead to the formation of a type of clot called a “thrombus”.  Heart attacks are the result. Thus, measuring the health of this arterial lining is critical as a means...

Symptoms are far-reaching:  Dr. Mary Ackerley explains “Here is where it gets interesting. Gluten sensitivity is not just a disease of the gut. It is a multi organ, multi symptom disease. The antibodies gluten releases can cause a lot of harm by increasing inflammation and autoimmune reactions. The long term consequences of having a gluten allergy can be devastating. Autoimmune disorders shown to be adversely affected by gluten include insulin dependent diabetes, rheumatoid arthritis, irritable bowel and hypothyroidism. Women with...

Although they appear quite solid, bones are constantly breaking down and rebuilding in a process called remodeling.  When more bone cells are being discarded than are being created, the first condition that occurs is osteopenia, the precursor of osteoporosis. DEXA Scans are very helpful to determine how much bone mass you have the day of the test.  However, you wait another year or two until the next DEXA to see the effect of your therapy. When bones remodel, there are...

Medical science is constantly evolving – hence the conflicting news.  Let’s look more closely: Mammograms are a valuable – though not the only valuable – tool used for breast screening.  Martha Grout, MD, explains that “Mammography has been the state-of-the-art screening test for several decades. However, considerable controversy remains regarding its value, particularly in women under the age of 50. Results from the widely accepted BCDDP study documented that the overall ability of mammograms to detect cancer was only 70...

Standard cholesterol testing measures only a fraction of the indicators of cardiac risk.  Remember that half of the people who suffer heart attacks have normal cholesterol! So what is the rest of the picture?  There are many subtypes of both HDL and LDL particles, each carrying different degrees of risk.  Size matters.  Particle size is extraordinarily important; research shows that small dense LDL cholesterol is inflammatory and toxic to blood vessels.  Large particles – HDL – are protective while the small...

Despite heavy sunscreen use, the rate of melanoma has tripled over the last 35 years. The Environmental Working Group has published a list of 9 surprising facts about sunscreens and how to pick the best ones. 1. FDA’s sunscreen rules have changed but products haven’t improved. 2. The common sunscreen additive vitamin A may speed development of skin cancer.  3. Don’t be fooled by high SPF. High-SPF products tempt people to apply too little sunscreen and stay in the sun too...

S. Sinatra, MD, a leading integrative cardiologist, explains that the real cause of heart attacks is inflammation in the linings of your arteries.  Moreover, a healthy level of cholesterol is necessary for health.  Too little can lead to health problems! So what do you need cholesterol for?   1. Synthesizing essential nutrients such as vitamin D; steroid hormones such as estrogen, progesterone, testosterone, and cortisol; and bile acids needed for digestion 2. Constructing the semi-permeable membranes around each of the 100 trillion...

The most common cause of hypothyroidism is called Hashimoto’s Thyroiditis, is an autoimmune illness(immune system attacking the body itself).  Affecting 2-7% of the population, only about 10% are accurately diagnosed.   The problem:  if the cause of your low thyroid condition is Hashimoto’s, then the medication treatment you may be receiving may not work well or actually make it worse. Mary Ackerley, MD, explains: “Typically Hashimotos patients have been identified by standard testing as being deficient in thyroid. This is not because the thyroid is...