Dr. Whitaker

Our youth- and beauty-obsessed culture has fueled the creation of a multi-billion dollar skin care industry. Advertisers have convinced people to spend a boatload of money on the “promise” of wrinkle-free, younger-looking skin. Unfortunately, though, many of the products out there are nothing more than a chemical soup, filled with ingredients that can damage your skin and your health.

What the beauty industry won’t tell you is that there are natural ways to keep your skin healthy, and youthful-looking:

1. Clean up your diet. In one large study, trained dermatologists evaluated the skin of more than 4,000 middle-aged women and rated it in terms of wrinkling, dryness, and thinning. These scores were then compared to the women’s nutrient intake. What they found is that higher intake of vitamin C and linoleic acid, and lower consumption of fats and carbohydrates were strongly associated with younger-looking skin.

2. Take antioxidants. You’re probably familiar with taking antioxidants to boost your health, but did you know they can help you look younger, too? In a three-month placebo-controlled study, those given an antioxidant-rich daily supplement regimen consisting of 3 mg lycopene, 3 mg lutein, 4.8 mg beta-carotene (8,000 IU), 10 mg vitamin E (15 IU), and 75 mcg selenium showed marked improvements in skin density and thickness, plus their scaling and roughness improved.

3. Apply alpha hydroxy acids. You can stimulate growth of new epidermal cells—the most superficial layer of skin—with alpha hydroxy acids (AHAs).These are natural substances that stimulate old cells to shed more rapidly, revealing the younger skin beneath the surface. They also increase the number of glycosaminoglycans—complex molecules that help skin retain moisture. By applying an AHA cream or lotion each night, you’ll give your skin a fresher appearance and reduce fine lines and wrinkles. Look for a product that contains eight to 10 percent AHAs—potent enough to make a real difference, but not so strong as to cause irritation.

4. Use a good moisturizer. An easy way to keep your skin hydrated is to use a moisturizer. In addition to soothing your skin, a moisturizer will produce immediate results in your appearance, smoothing out fine lines and wrinkles and plumping up the skin. Most any oil or lotion will help seal in moisture—you can even use olive oil. You want to apply it in the morning and again at bedtime.

5. Drink plenty of water. Seventy percent of the dermis—the inner layer of the skin—is water. One of the main reasons our skin sags and wrinkles as we age is that the dermis loses about 30 percent of its total water content. The result is flat, dry-looking, flaking, itching skin. Moisturizers certainly help dry skin, but don’t overlook the importance of hydrating your skin from the inside by drinking copious amounts of fresh, purified water. This is vital for overall health and imperative for supple, moist skin. I recommend at least eight 8-ounce glasses every day.

Now it’s your turn: Do you have a secret you use to care for your skin?

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Over the years, several studies have shown that coffee drinkers have a lower risk of developing type 2 diabetes. One 2009 study published in the Archives of Internal Medicine showed that every cup of regular coffee you drink lowers your risk of type 2 diabetes by seven percent. And drinking three to four cups of decaffeinated coffee per day reduces that risk by 33% compared to non-coffee drinkers.

Now, a new study published in the Journal of Agricultural and Food Chemistry found similar effects and shows exactly why coffee is so protective against diabetes. What researchers found is that coffee contains two compounds that help to block a substance called human islet amyloid polypeptide (hIAPP). The “misfolding” of  hIAPP has been implicated in the development of type 2 diabetes, and regular coffee consumption appears to interfere with that destructive process.

But diabetes prevention isn’t coffee’s only benefit. Coffee also reduces the risk of skin cancer, Parkinson’s disease, and Alzheimer’s disease. Plus, it improves concentration and alertness, and can even halt a full-blown asthma attack. 
 
Yet, as I often caution there are some people who need to watch their coffee consumption. If you have high blood pressure or you’re pregnant or expecting to become pregnant, I recommend that you go easy on caffeine. And if you’re struggling with osteoporosis, limit your coffee intake to a cup every now and then—higher intake has been linked with a decrease in bone density.

Now, as compelling as it is to think you can drink a cup of coffee and just sit back and reap the benefits, it shouldn’t be anyone’s primary strategy for preventing disease. But if you enjoy drinking coffee, you can drink up knowing you’re benefitting your health!

Now it’s your turn: How many cups of coffee do you typically drink?

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Falls are no joking matter. Every year, about a third of Americans age 65 and older have a fall, and more than a quarter of them end up in the hospital. Falls are the leading cause of brain trauma and the number one cause of fractures among older people—upwards of 500,000 per year.

The good news is that you can prevent yourself from becoming a statistic, simply by taking a few simple steps:

1. Make sure your medications aren’t setting you up for a fall. One of the biggest, and often overlooked, causes of falls is medications. Muscle relaxants, opioids, and some meds used to treat gastrointestinal problems and arrhythmias can cause you to lose your balance. Check with your doctor or pharmacist to see if any of the medications you take can contribute to a fall.

2. Get your vision checked. For some people, falls are caused by vision issues that make it difficult to judge distances. Many doctors will try and tell you that vision changes are irreversible, which is simply not true. Here are three ways to protect your vision. 

3. Make sure you don’t have low blood sugar. Forty percent of falls are caused by misdiagnosed health issues, including low blood sugar (hypoglycemia). Severe symptoms are virtually always associated with diabetes drugs, which can drive blood sugar too low. But hypoglycemia can affect people without diabetes, too. Here’s how to keep your blood sugar on an even keel.

4. Check your blood pressure. Another common cause of falls is low blood pressure, or hypotension. Sometimes brought on by alcohol or prescription drugs, hypotension can cause dizziness, light-headedness, confusion, or blurred vision. If you notice any of these symptoms, be extra careful when sitting up or standing and check your blood pressure. For most people, anything under 90/60 mm Hg is considered “low.” If yours falls below that, talk to your doctor about whether any of your medications may be responsible.

5. Wear properly fitting shoes with good support. Forgo high heals, flip flops, or other shoes that can cause you to lose your footing. Also, avoid walking around your home in stocking feet which can cause you to slip and fall.

Now it’s your turn: How do you protect yourself from falls?

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Men, if your sexual function isn’t what you’d like it to be, you can take Viagra, Cialis, or a related drug—a temporary fix at best. Or you can make lifestyle changes and use nutritional supplements and other natural therapies to get a handle on high blood pressure, diabetes, elevated lipids, obesity, metabolic syndrome, inactivity, and smoking, which are the most significant contributors to cardiovascular disease and to erectile dysfunction (ED).

Weight loss, regular exercise, a high-fiber low-fat diet, and targeted supplements not only reduce risk of heart attack and stroke, but according to a 2011 meta-analysis in the Archives of Internal Medicine, may also give your sex life a boost. And don’t forget that prevention is the best medicine. Some degree of ED affects 42 percent of men between the ages of 40 and 70. By tending to your cardiovascular health today, you probably won’t have to deal with ED in the future.

Here are some ways to improve your cardiovascular health and reduce your risk of ED:

* Lower your intake of saturated fat and cholesterol by eliminating high-fat dairy from your diet and only eating meat a few times a week. Also, avoid pork and fatty poultry, processed meats, refined sugars, oils, most margarine, and excess salt.

* Eat plenty of fresh, whole fruits and vegetables, beans, legumes, nonfat yogurt, and poached fish. Plant foods are good sources of antioxidants, B vitamins, and minerals that are crucial to protecting your heart and blood vessels.

* Establish a reasonable exercise program. Don’t be afraid to exercise because you have symptoms of cardiovascular disease. Inactivity can exacerbate the problem. Work with your physician to set up a plan for regular low-impact aerobic activity that’s appropriate for your condition.

* Take fish oil supplements. The omega-3 essential fatty acids in fish oil help lower cholesterol and especially triglyceride levels, improve blood flow, reduce the risk of blood clots, lower blood pressure, and help prevent atherosclerosis. I recommend 2–10 1,000 mg capsules of fish oil a day.

* Take antioxidants, which neutralize the free radicals that contribute to heart disease. I suggest 1,500-5,000 mg daily of vitamin C in divided doses, 400 IU of vitamin E, 1,500 IU of vitamin A, and 15,000 IU of beta-carotene daily. Plus, make sure you’re taking a good multi-nutrient.

Now it’s your turn: Which of these heart-healthy habits have you adopted?

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It’s been all over the news this week. Pharmaceutical company Novo Nordisk has hired the master of fried everything, Food Network star Paula Deen, to be their spokesperson. Deen recently revealed she has known for three years that she has type 2 diabetes, and now she’s promoting Victoza, Novo Nordisk’s daily injectable drug marketed to help improve blood sugar levels in adults with diabetes.

So, they’ve essentially taken a celebrity whose show features dishes loaded with butter, sugar, and heavy cream—and who calls her deep fryer a “kitchen essential”—and turned her into a spokesperson for one of the most insidious diseases in America. Folks, one of her recipes is for deep-fried cheesecake—that’s a recipe for diabetes and a heart attack all rolled up into one.

Yet, Deen has said in interviews this week that she’s going to continue to cook the same unhealthy foods on her show, with slight modifications. By using Deen to endorse their diabetes drug, Novo Nordisk is sending a clear—and dangerous—message that you can eat as much junk as you want. Then, just take drugs to “fix” the resulting disease.

As I’ve often said, most oral hypoglycemic (blood glucose-lowering) agents are no more than a bandage approach to diabetes—they may lower blood sugar but do nothing to address the underlying condition. There is no magic pill for overcoming the disastrous effects of a poor diet and excess weight.

The only way to truly manage—and in many cases reverse—type 2 diabetes is with a combination of a sensible diet, moderate exercise, and targeted nutritional supplements. I’ve developed a program I call the Mini-Fast with Exercise that incorporates all three.

Plus, there are other natural breakthroughs that outperform many diabetes drugs. For example, researchers found that berberine, an alkaloid found in goldenseal and other plants, controls blood sugar as effectively as the world’s most popular diabetes drug, metformin (Glucophage). Yet, since it’s not backed by Big Pharma—and doesn’t have a celebrity endorsing it—most people won’t hear about it.

This is such an important issue that I’ll be addressing it even more in-depth in my free email health updates. If you’re not already receiving them, sign up now. I also encourage you to join the discussion on Facebook.

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A few years back, I talked about the doom-and-gloom warnings concerning the impending Alzheimer’s epidemic. The prevalence of this degenerative brain disorder, which currently affects an estimated 5.4 million Americans, is expected to increase as the baby boomers get older. But now, a new study shows that signs of age-related memory loss can actually begin to surface at a much younger age than previously believed.

A study published in the British Medical Journal looked at more than 7,000 civil servants in London between 45 and 70 years of age. The researchers found evidence of mental decline in all memory categories among the older age groups, which was to be expected, but the shocking discovery was that people as young as 45 also began to exhibit a decline in cognitive ability.

The good news is that there are things you can do at any age to sidestep age-related memory loss and Alzheimer’s—and the sooner you get started on them, the better. In addition to a good daily vitamin and mineral supplement, I recommend the following:

*  Take extra vitamins C and E. Researchers from Johns Hopkins studied the relationship between vitamin C and vitamin E intake and risk of Alzheimer’s disease in people over age 65 and found that taking 500–1,000 mg of vitamin C and up to 1,000 IU of vitamin E daily conferred a 78 percent reduction in risk! I recommend taking 1,000–1,500 mg vitamin C and 800–1,000 IU vitamin E daily.

* Get plenty of B vitamins. Dozens of studies have linked elevations in homocysteine with increased risk of Alzheimer’s disease and other types of dementia. A hearty intake of vitamin B6, vitamin B12, and especially folic acid helps keep homocysteine in the normal range, prevents neuronal DNA damage, and reduces brain atrophy. You want to take 800–1,000 mcg folic acid, 75–150 mg vitamin B6, and 150–200 mcg B12.

* To keep your memory intact, it’s also important to make sure you’re getting plenty of zinc. I recommend 30 mg of zinc along with 2 mg of copper daily. 

* Take resveratrol, a potent phytonutrient found in the skins and seeds of grapes. In lab studies, resveratrol promoted the breakdown of beta-amyloid plaques, lesions found in the brains of patients with Alzheimer’s disease. It’s widely believed to have therapeutic potential in the prevention and treatment of this neurodegenerative disorder. The suggested dose of resveratrol is 100 mg once or twice a day, taken with meals.

* Eat plenty of “brain food.” First and foremost is the omega-3 fatty acid DHA, which is most abundant in salmon, sardines, and other cold-water fish, as well as DHA-enriched eggs and fish oil supplements. DHA is a vital constituent of brain cell membranes. It is required for optimal cognitive function, and low levels are associated with mood and memory disturbances. I recommend 500 mg of DHA (3–4 fish oil capsules) daily.

* To further boost your brain power and help guard against cognitive decline, load up on these targeted antioxidants: curcumin, 900–1,800 mg; N-acetyl-cysteine, 500–1,500 mg; alpha lipoic acid, 200–400 mg; coenzyme Q10, 200–400 mg; acetyl-L-carnitine, 1,000–2,000 mg; phosphatidylcholine, 250 mg; and phosphatidylserine, 100 mg.

* Be active! Both physical and mental exercises reduce the risk of Alzheimer’s disease. Regular physical activity ensures robust blood flow and delivery of oxygen and nutrients to the brain. It also reduces age-related changes. Mental activity is also important. In other words, use it or lose it.

Finally, if you or a loved one are already facing a diagnosis of Alzheimer’s disease, try supplementing with medium chain triglycerides (MCTs), natural fatty acids that are abundant in coconut oil. (To read about this breakthrough therapy, visit coconutketones.com.) The recommended dose of MCTs for neurodegenerative disorders is 20 g per meal (7 teaspoons or 2 ½ tablespoons).

The pioneer of this therapy, Mary Newport, MD, suggests combining 16 ounces of MCT oil plus 12 ounces of coconut oil and use as needed (store at room temperature, it gets hard when refrigerated). Start with 1–2 teaspoons per meal and build up gradually—and be aware that some people will only be able to tolerate lower amounts. A minimum of 2 g of fish oil should also be taken daily with this regimen. Look for non-hydrogenated coconut oil in health food and grocery stores; refined MCT oil is available, but can be a little harder to find. To order, call (800) 810-6655.

Now it’s your turn: Which of these Alzheimer’s prevention strategies have you adopted?

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You may remember a blog I wrote several weeks back about how exercise can reprogram your brain so you won’t overeat. That’s a secret the diet industry won’t tell you about, since they can’t directly profit off your ability to take a brisk walk.

Well, now I want to reveal even more weight loss secrets the diet industry doesn’t want you to know:

* Flavonoids can help with long-term weight management. According to a study published in the American Journal of Clinical Nutrition, the key to long-term weight management may lie in the dietary intake of polyphenolic compounds called flavonoids. Researchers found that those with the highest intake had the smallest increases in body mass index (BMI). Good dietary sources of flavonoids include green and white tea, grapes, berries, apples, hot peppers, celery, thyme, broccoli, and kale.

* Eggs can accelerate weight loss. Wheaties may be the “breakfast of champions,” but if you’re trying to lose weight, you’re better off eating eggs. Researchers instructed overweight people who were on a reduced-calorie diet to eat either two eggs or a bagel with the same number of calories for breakfast. After two months, the egg eaters lost 65 percent more weight and reported feeling more energetic than those who ate bagels. Plus, despite eggs’ shady reputation when it comes to cholesterol, there was no difference between the two groups in LDL and HDL cholesterol or triglyceride levels.

* Food diaries help you eat less. If you want to lose weight, you will need two essential tools: a pen and some paper. Carefully documenting everything you eat and drink can result in double the weight loss you’d experience with diet and lifestyle changes alone. If you’re having trouble with your weight, try keeping a food diary.

* Interval training burns fat and calories. Alternating between low- and high-intensity exercise when you’re working out has been shown to burn more fat and calories than trekking along at a constant pace. Researchers from the University of New South Wales in Australia found that when study participants added intermittent sprints to their 20-minute jogs for 15 weeks, they burned three times more fat off their backsides and legs than their counterparts who jogged steadily for 40 minutes.

Now it’s your turn: Do you practice any of these weight loss secrets?

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Heart disease is the #1 killer in this country, and for many people a heart attack is the first symptom of the disease. The good news is you can absolutely prevent heart disease, even if you’re at high risk—and you don’t need powerful prescription drugs or surgery to accomplish this.

1. If You Have High Cholesterol: Get regular physical exercise, which helps to raise your protective HDL cholesterol. A half-hour four or five days a week is ideal. I also recommend high doses of niacin (vitamin B3), which has been shown to both decrease LDL and increase HDL levels.

I usually start patients with 500 mg twice a day, and work up to a total of 1,500–2,000 mg a day. Talk to your doctor before taking daily doses higher than 1,000–1,500 mg—high-dose niacin can impact blood sugar control, and shouldn’t be used by people with liver disease.

2. Eat a Low-Fat Diet: Numerous studies have shown that a low-fat diet can not only help prevent heart disease, but can also help reverse it. I recommend a diet rich in fruits, vegetables, legumes, and whole grains—as well as skinless chicken and fish. Avoid overly processed foods, red meat, refined sugars, margarine, and excess salt.

3. Keep Your Homocysteine in Check: High homocysteine is a primary contributor to heart disease. It can easily be brought down with a multinutrient containing adequate amounts of folic acid, vitamin B6, and vitamin B12. Food does not deliver these nutrients in amounts necessary to lower homocysteine— you must take these B-complex vitamins in supplement form. In addition to B vitamins, you can also add trimethylglycine (TMG) to your supplement regimen. The recommended dose is 1,000 mg daily. Check for it in your local health food store.

4. Avoid Vitamin C Deficiencies: The late Dr. Linus Pauling discovered a link between vitamin C deficiency and heart disease. I suggest building up to a daily intake of 3,000 to 6,000 mg, divided into two or three doses.

5. Protect Your Arteries from Free Radical Damage: Vitamin E helps protect your arteries from free radical damage—including free radicals from cholesterol particles. To significantly reduce your risk of heart attack, I recommend taking 400 to 800 IU of vitamin E daily.

6. Reduce Stress on Your Heart: Magnesium has many functions, one of the most important being that it relaxes the muscles of the artery walls and reduces stress on the myocardium, or heart muscle. To prevent a magnesium deficiency, you need 800 mg to 1,000 mg per day.

Now it’s your turn: Do you have a secret for keeping your heart healthy?

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It’s been all over the news this week—new findings released by the University of Massachusetts Medical School showed that cholesterol-lowering statin drugs can increase the risk of developing type 2 diabetes. 

For this study, researchers reviewed the records for more than 153,000 women in the Women’s Health Initiative. They found that 10% of the participants using statin drugs at the start of the study developed diabetes, compared to just 6.4% of the women who weren’t.

Already, the cardiology chairman at the Cleveland Clinic has chimed in to say that he hopes people won’t be “scared off of using the (statin) drugs because of reports like this.” And a diabetes specialist at the National Institutes of Health spoke out saying that statins’ benefits outweigh the potential side effect, and that newly developed diabetes won’t harm right away. 

Statements like that are outrageous and irresponsible. Diabetes is a major contributor to heart disease—so why would you want to increase your heart risk by taking a drug that has the known potential to cause diabetes?

Folks, the fact that statins can contribute to diabetes isn’t news—it’s just news that no one wants to hear!

• Back in June of 2011, I reported that a study published in the Journal of the American Medical Association found that using high-dose statin drugs (80 mg/day) can increase a patient’s risk of developing type 2 diabetes.

• A few years ago, the large-scale JUPITER study published in the New England Journal of Medicine showed that people taking the statin drug Crestor had a significantly greater incidence of diabetes than the placebo group. But that fact was lost in all the hoopla that called JUPITER “a breakthrough study” and “a blockbuster,” and even encouraged people without high cholesterol to start taking statin drugs.

I can’t emphasize enough just how dangerous statin drugs are. When people arrive at the Whitaker Wellness Institute taking a statin such as Lipitor, Zocor, Pravachol, Lescol, Mevacor, or Crestor, we stop it on sight. If you must take these drugs, make sure you are also taking 200-300 mg of CoQ10 daily. That can help prevent some of statin drugs’ side-effects—but the jury’s still out on whether that could help to protect you from diabetes. 

I also strongly encourage you to talk to your doctor about discontinuing these drugs and replacing them with a safe, natural program for lowering your cardiovascular risk factors. 

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If you have osteoporosis, it’s likely that your doctor has talked to you about Fosamax, Actonel, Boniva, or another bisphosphonate drug. These medications, which rake in $8 billion annually in worldwide sales, are prescribed to prevent fractures. But they too often make matters worse.

Bisphosphonates have long been linked with degeneration of the jawbone, and the FDA issued a warning that extended use is associated with “atypical” fractures of the thigh bone. In the same breath, however, the agency told consumers to “keep taking your medication unless you are told to stop by your health care professional.” (Translation: “Never think for yourself. Doctor knows best.”)

This is bad advice. In addition to causing the very problems they’re prescribed to prevent, bisphosphonates aren’t very effective. Your doctor may tell you that they reduce the risk of fracture by 50 percent, but when you dig down into the statistics they’re really only preventing one fracture in 100. The other 99? They’d be better off—a lot better off—taking a placebo.

Fractures are serious business, but you can reduce your risk naturally:

* Calcium (1,500 mg daily) can slow the rate of bone loss by 30 to 50 percent and offer significant protection against hip fractures. Some of the best-absorbed types of supplemental calcium are calcium citrate, ascorbate, gluconate, and malate. For proper absorption and metabolism, calcium should be balanced with magnesium in a 2:1 or 1:1 ratio.

* Vitamin D (5,000 IU daily) helps control calcium balance in the body and facilitates calcium absorption from the intestines into the bone. As we age, vitamin D levels in the blood decrease, especially among women, so supplementing is critical. I recommend that you start with 5,000 IU every day for three months, have your vitamin D blood level tested, and increase or reduce your dose to keep your level in the target range of 50–80 ng/mL.

* Vitamin K (300 mcg) helps attract calcium to bone tissue.

* Strontium (680 mg of elemental strontium, taken at least two hours before or after eating or taking other supplements) doesn’t simply stop bone loss, but actually increases bone density.

* Weight-bearing exercise has been shown to increase bone mass by five to 10 percent, even in those with low bone mass to begin with. That’s because it stimulates the rebuilding of bone cells. The best exercises for maintaining bone strength are those that strengthen muscle against gravity, such as dancing, walking, and mild weight lifting. Try to add two weekly strength-training sessions to your regimen. 

Now it’s your turn: What do you do to keep your bones strong?

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Although owning a pet doesn't make you immune to illness, pet owners are generally healthier than those who don’t have pets. Study after study shows that people with pets have fewer minor health problems, require fewer visits to the doctor and less medication, and have fewer risk factors for cardiovascular problems.

If you own an energetic puppy, it's almost impossible not to get adequate exercise. If you have a loyal and protective dog, you're probably not suffering through sleepless nights. And if a faithful cat is constantly rubbing up against your legs or purring contentedly in your lap, it's hard to feel lonely.

Plus, interacting with animals produces measurable, positive physiological responses in humans. In one study, researchers found that volunteers who talked to and petted their dogs had more normal blood pressures than volunteers who read aloud or rested quietly.

Numerous studies have also found that people with impaired cognitive function are less agitated and smile, laugh, and talk more when a therapy dog is present. In addition, working (and playing) with animals helps boost mood and can even improve self-esteem.

If you are considering pet ownership, do a little research. Whether you live in a big house with a large backyard or a tiny apartment with a “no dogs allowed” policy, you are sure to find a pet that suits your needs and lifestyle. Whatever pet you choose, you'll have a friend for life.

Now it’s your turn: Do you have a pet?

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At this time of the year, you can’t turn on the TV without seeing dozens of ads for products to treat everything from the sniffles to a fever. Pharmaceutical companies are counting on the fact that you’re going to get ill so they can rake in the big bucks off their remedies. But what you’re not going to see in a TV ad are the natural remedies that can help you stay healthy in the first place.

Here are the five stay-healthy secrets Big Pharma doesn’t want you to have:

1. Avoid sugar. Research has shown that sugar can decrease the activity of the immune system for up to five hours. For optimal immune power you need to eat a diet that gives you lean proteins, and lots of fresh fruits and vegetables.

2. Flavor your foods with cayenne. Cayenne (red pepper) contains a compound called capsaicin, which can help to lower your body temperature by stimulating the cooling center in the brain. Try sprinkling it in soup, or if you can bear it, simply take a bite of this hot pepper. You will experience its therapeutic powers almost instantly.

3. Take vitamin C, a key antioxidant that helps support immune function by fighting free-radical damage and stimulating the production of white blood cells. It also supports healthy joints, connective tissue, bones, and blood vessels. Since it is water-soluble you can safely take large doses of vitamin C. I recommend taking at least 2,000 mg daily with meals, in divided doses.

4. Up your intake of quercetin, a bioflavonoid that helps to support healthy bronchial passages. Quercetin is found in a wide variety of foods, including red wine, grapefruit, onions, tea, and green leafy vegetables. Therapeutic doses, however, are difficult to obtain through diet alone. That is why I recommend taking it in supplement form. I recommend taking 400 mg daily.

5. Boost your immunity with probiotics, which is a fancy term for healthy, live, essential bacteria. These critical bacteria are the “immune-boosters” of your digestive system—lining the walls of your intestines with healthy flora that crowds out bad bacteria. Look for a product that provides Lactobacillus and Bifidobacterium probiotic strains.

Now it’s your turn: Do you use any of these immune boosters?

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If you've ever tried to quit smoking, swear off sugar, or kick caffeine, you know the symptoms of withdrawal: headaches, irritability, fatigue, depression, anxiety, and insomnia. These symptoms can be enough to derail even the most committed among us.

Fortunately, withdrawal symptoms can be eased considerably with these seven secret weapons:

1. Buffered vitamin C is particularly helpful for those addicted to nicotine, alcohol, and sugar. Take 500-1,000 mg whenever you feel a craving, up to a maximum of 10,000 mg per day (high doses may cause GI upset).

2. The mineral chromium helps to balance blood sugar levels and curbs cravings for sugar. Take 200-400 mcg per day of chromium picolinate or polynicotinate. Another aid to reduce sugar cravings is Gymnema sylvestre, 400 mg per day.

3. The amino acid l-glutamine is a tried-and-true therapy for alcohol cravings that also works for sugar cravings. Take 250-500 mg up to three times a day. To stop intense cravings, open a capsule and let the contents dissolve on your tongue. At the Whitaker Wellness Institute, we recommend 2-4 capsules per day of Anxiety Control. It contains glutamine and other amino acids that act on brain receptors to deactivate your emotional alarm center.

4. To minimize caffeine withdrawal, wean yourself off by brewing or mixing your coffee with small amounts of an herbal coffee or coffee substitute. Gradually (over a two- or three-week period) increase the amount of herbal coffee or substitute while decreasing the coffee.

5. If you crave chocolate, try drinking tea made from anise, fennel, and licorice root. These herbs contain natural sugars that stabilize blood sugar levels and diminish the cravings for sweets.

6. The craving for sweet and creamy foods that are high in fat may be triggered by a deficiency of the mineral zinc. Take 30 mg zinc daily. And avoid crash dieting—a rapid loss of body fat can trigger the craving for fatty foods.

7. Sulfonil, a sulfur-based compound that binds to the nicotine receptors in your brain, is a natural antidote for cigarette cravings. Taking two capsules every four to six hours throughout the day will get you through the two to three weeks it takes for the biochemical addiction to nicotine to dissipate. Sulfonil is available directly from the manufacturer, Thorne Research at 800-228-1966 or www.thorne.com, or through your healthcare provider or pharmacy.

Now it’s your turn: Do you have a secret for kicking a bad habit?

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As the ball drops in Times Square this New Year’s Eve and we toast to 2012, you can ensure an even brighter new year with one simple secret—think like an optimist.

Like nutritious food, pure water, and exercise, a positive outlook on life keeps you healthy. Though scientists aren't sure exactly how optimism promotes good health, they suspect it has to do with the effects of your mental outlook on immune function.

An entire field of medicine called psychoneuroimmunology has been created to study the effects of your thoughts and emotions on immunity, and the findings are compelling. From laughter to tears, from friendship to romantic love, your emotions and attitudes all have a bearing on promoting good health.

Optimism is a skill, one we can all acquire (or get even better at)—here’s how:

* Count your blessings. While pessimists tend to focus on what is wrong with their lives, optimists are more likely to count their blessings. 

* Smile. Studies have shown that you can actually "change your mind" by changing your body language. Smiling on the outside will send a message to your brain, which will "assume" that you're happy.

* Walk tall and meet people's glances. Like smiling, this simple act will "tell" your brain that you are confident and upbeat. The positive responses you get from others will reinforce that, improving your optimism.

This one simple change in perspective can profoundly enhance your emotional and physical well-being.

Now it’s your turn: Are you an optimist?

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Laugh Your Way to Less Stress and Better Health

As we head into a brand new year, many of us will be making resolutions—and near the top of that list for many is to stop smoking. Few resolutions can have such a dramatic impact on your health.

Here are a few of the many beneficial changes that happen when you quit smoking:

* Within 20 minutes of your last cigarette, your blood pressure and pulse rate return to normal.

* After eight hours, your carbon monoxide levels will have dropped and your oxygen levels will return to normal.

* By the end of day two, you'll notice an improvement in your senses of taste and smell.

* After two weeks to three months without a cigarette, your risk of having a heart attack will drop, and your lung function will improve.

* After one year, your risk of heart disease will be cut by 50%, as will your risk of lung cancer after five years. In short, I don't know anyone who has stopped smoking for any length of time and is sorry they did. Your chances of being happy without cigarettes are close to 100%.

Yet, as beneficial as it is to quit smoking, it can be a tough row to hoe. Fortunately, you can make it easier.

Nicotine addiction occurs because nicotine binds with specific neuroreceptors in the brain. As the nicotine dissipates from the brain, the receptors literally cry out for more. This is the premise behind the gum and patches containing nicotine.

There's a product called Sulfonil that binds with nicotine receptors and blocks the craving even more effectively than nicotine itself. The U.S. patent states that Sulfonil is "the preferred agent for performing this function." It’s designed to be used from the day you stop smoking to reduce nicotine cravings.

Take two capsules upon awakening, one every four to six hours during the day, and two more at bedtime. You'll only need to take it for as long as cravings persist (three days to two weeks). Sulfonil is available directly from the manufacturer, Thorne Research at 800-228-1966 or www.thorne.com, or through your healthcare provider or pharmacy.

Now it’s your turn: Have you found a habit that helped you quit smoking?

The Secret to Successful New Year’s Resolutions

Commit to Get Fit

If you have trouble finding the time to exercise, here’s good news. New research that appeared in the latest edition of the Journal of Applied Physiology showed that brief, high-intensity workouts can decrease blood sugar in people with type 2 diabetes.

In the study, which was conducted at McMaster University in Canada, researchers had participants ride a stationary bike for ten intervals of 60-seconds each, at 90 percent of their maximum heart rate. The sessions included a warm-up and cool down, with one minute breaks between intervals.

What the researchers found is that just six of these high-intensity workouts over a two week period reduced the participants’ 24-hour blood sugar concentrations. Plus, it reduced blood sugar spikes following meals.

What’s the take-away for you? This study confirms something I’ve written about many times, namely that exercise not only lowers your blood sugar level at the time you're active, it also increases your body's overall sensitivity to insulin.

A brisk 10-minute walk alone has been shown to lower blood sugar levels dramatically in some people, and if it's done after a meal it can help prevent the elevation in blood sugar that is so common among people with diabetes after eating.

But if you haven’t already been exercising, don’t begin with high-intensity workouts. Instead, start with 10-20 minute walks at a moderate pace—walking more briskly over time. Also, if you have blood sugar levels over 300, I don't recommend strenuous exercise until this level is reduced. For the majority of patients with diabetes, though, exercise is as important as any other aspect of their treatment regimen.

Now it’s your turn: What type of exercise do you like to do?

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The Charles Dickens classic A Christmas Carol is a holiday favorite of mine, as I know it is for many of you. But what does A Christmas Carol have to do with you or your quest for health?

Let's redefine your quest for health as actually a quest for "quality living." Quality living is sculpted from the decisions we make daily, not only about physical health, but also our relationships with others. It is decisions that make character and that build health.

Dickens' A Christmas Carol is not so much a story as a display of characters who were shaped by conscious decisions. You see and instantly recognize the characters in Bob Cratchit's free-living, free-wheeling, loving family. You know the joy he experiences in his extended family and the obvious loving bond he has made with his crippled son Tiny Tim are real.

You'll even more clearly understand and recognize, as I did, that the greed and selfishness of Scrooge were conscious decisions. The frightening part of this story is the magnitude of alienation that these decisions wrought upon him.

Nothing enriches life more than supportive human relationships, and nothing impoverishes it more than their absence. At the end of the story, we celebrate—and possibly weep, as well—at Scrooge's redemption. For him, it was not too late.

What I also like about A Christmas Carol is that while it’s a Christmas story, the message is universal. As you celebrate the holidays this year—whether it’s by lighting the candles on the Hanukkah menorah, enjoying the traditions of Kwanzaa, or gathering around the Christmas tree—make a conscious decision to revel in your relationship with those around you. You’ll be healthier and happier for it.

Now it’s your turn: What’s your favorite holiday tradition?

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Each year, thousands of people die in US hospitals because of medical errors. Your best defense is to educate yourself in advance of a hospital stay. Here are three things you need to know:

1. Your surgeon may not actually be performing your surgery. Check ahead to make sure your care won’t be turned over to a partner or last-minute replacement.

2. Some hospitals use “slow codes.” Slow Codes, also known as partial, show, light blue, or Hollywood codes, are cardiopulmonary resuscitative (CPR) efforts in which the medical staff only goes through the motions to revive a patient who has advanced terminal illness or preexisting conditions that indicate poor prognoses. Although common in hospitals, the public is virtually unaware of the practice of slow codes and that it’s done without the consent and knowledge of the patient or the patient’s family.

To protect yourself, you want to have a frank discussion regarding end-of-life preferences and options with your physician, and make sure a family member or friend is aware of your wishes and is willing to act as your advocate when and if you are incapacitated.

3. Adverse drug events (ADEs) cause nearly one in five injuries or deaths among hospital patients each year. Dosing errors are the most common mistake. You have the right to request proof that the staff is administering the right drug, the right dose ordered by the doctor, and that it is being administered correctly at the right time. This is one area where blind faith can be dangerous—even lethal.

Now it’s your turn: Have you, or someone you know, been given the wrong medication in the hospital?

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