Dr. Whitaker

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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* Turkey, like other poultry, is a good source of crucial B vitamins, including niacin, vitamin B6, and vitamin B12, which are important to healthy brain and nervous system function.

* Acetaminophen in conjunction with alcohol can damage your liver, sometimes fatally. Instead, if you have a hangover headache, steep wintergreen tea for 10 minutes and spike it with as much hot pepper sauce as you can tolerate.

* You can enjoy some holiday indulgences without jeopardizing your weight or your health by exercising before breakfast. This forces your body to burn stored fat for energy, rather than relying on the food you just ate.

* When feasting at a holiday gathering, remember that a serving size of animal protein is about the size of a deck of cards and a serving of plant protein is the size of a tennis ball.

* Adding ginseng to your daily regimen can help your body adapt to holiday stress, and boosts your physical and mental function. There are many types of ginseng products out there; look for one with a standardized percentage of ginsenosides, the active component in ginseng, and take as directed during the holidays.

* To protect the air quality in your home, make sure the candles you burn this holiday season have lead-free wicks.

Now it’s your turn: Do you have a holiday season tip to share?

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It’s no secret that most of us make New Year’s resolutions only to break them a short time later. While we’re still a few weeks away from the start of the New Year, here’s a tip you can keep in mind to make this year’s resolutions more successful: Frame your resolutions in the positive.

Research suggests that one of the biggest reasons we can’t stick with our resolutions may be because of the way we frame them.

A study published in the journal Psychological Science concluded that negative words like “not” and “stop” throw off your brain. So if you resolve to “stop smoking,” your brain simply registers “smoking.” Or if you decide to “not eat sweets,” you may crave them even more.

If you’re one of the millions who are determined to lose weight in 2012, the key to success is to focus on positive steps you can take to achieve that goal. Here’s how to put that into action:

* Instead of telling yourself you won’t eat sweets, tell yourself that you can enjoy your favorite fresh fruit for dessert.

* Rather than thinking about all the foods you can’t eat, make a menu plan for the week filled with meals you can look forward to. In fact, look through a cookbook filled with healthy foods, and enjoy envisioning the meals you’ll make in the New Year.

* When you’re in the grocery store, don’t think about all the foods you shouldn’t buy. Instead, challenge yourself to find three new healthy foods you’ve never tried—and enjoy a dining adventure.

* Rather than telling yourself that you must exercise, and feeling like it’s a punishment, reward yourself by trying a fun new class, such as yoga, Zumba, or water aerobics.

Continue with these healthy habits for a while and the negative behaviors—like overeating and sitting on the sofa—will naturally fall by the wayside.

Now it’s your turn: Do you have a tip for keeping your New Year’s resolutions?

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The holiday season is in full swing, including feasts, festivities, and frenzied activity. To make it through the rest of the month with your sanity—and your waistline—intact, keep in mind that it's the people dear to you who are far more important than fancy meals and high-fat desserts. Focus more on the folks, and less on the food.

But of course you’re bound to overeat at some point during the season, despite this advice. So, here are four things to have on-hand if you do indulge.

1. Antioxidants. It helps to load up on the antioxidant vitamins C and E before a fatty meal. A single high-fat meal can raise triglycerides and increase your risk of heart attack, but supplementing with 1,000 mg of vitamin C and 800 IU of vitamin E blocks its damaging effect on your arteries.

2. Enzymes. Your body makes enzymes to break down food, but as you get older, it produces less of them. Supplementing with enzymes will help get rid of that overstuffed feeling.

3. Licorice. The deglycyrrhizinated form of licorice (Glycyrrhiza glabra) is an effective remedy for almost any gastrointestinal disturbance. It soothes the GI tract by increasing the production of the protective mucosal cells lining the intestines. Chew tablets 20 minutes before a meal.

4. Herbal tea. A traditional balm for an upset stomach is chamomile. Tea from the flowers of this common plant has a pleasantly relaxing effect and also relieves indigestion, heartburn, and flatulence. Peppermint tea has a similar effect. Steep for five to ten minutes, and sip slowly. It's a soothing end to a holiday meal.

Now it’s your turn: Do you have a natural remedy you use when you occasionally overindulge?

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One of the major risk factors for a stroke is carotid artery stenosis, which is the buildup of plaque in the arteries in the neck that supply blood to the brain. Treatment options include drugs and lifestyle changes.

Two invasive procedures are also used: Carotid endarterectomy, in which the artery is opened up and plaque is surgically removed, and angioplasty with insertion of a stent to keep the artery open. Unfortunately, there are well-known and horrific dangers associated with both of these procedures.

A new Lancet study looked at patients with symptomatic carotid artery stenosis (such as a “mini-stroke”) who had undergone carotid stenting. What they found is that for patients 70 or older, the risk of having a stroke or dying within four months of stenting was 12 percent (1 in 8!).

That’s over twice the rate for endarterectomy, which was 5.9 percent (1 in 17). Plus, most of the strokes and deaths in both groups occurred in the first 30 days following the procedure.

Even more shocking, these two procedures weren’t compared to conservative treatment—it wasn’t even a consideration. You can’t possibly determine whether these interventions are really helpful unless you know the stroke/death rates of patients who don’t undergo any type of invasive procedure.

If you or a loved one is recommended to have a one of these procedures, I suggest you do these three things:

* First, if you’re 70 or older say no to stenting.

* Second, ask your physician for scientifically documented information that indicates if you were to follow a conservative course, your risk of having a stroke or dying within four months would be greater than 1 in 17, as it is for endarterectomy, or 1 in 8, the stat for stenting.

* Finally, before succumbing to any procedure, get a second opinion.

It’s also important to adopt good preventive measures, including eating a low-fat, high-fiber diet, getting regular exercise, and taking the right nutritional supplements. For more, see Four Ways to Prevent a Stroke.

Now it’s your turn: Have you or someone you know had a doctor recommend these procedures?

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In biblical times, frankincense was as valued as gold. This fragrant resin has also been treasured for its many medicinal uses, and it remains a staple in Ayurvedic medicine. The bulk of modern-day research focuses on an extract from the Indian frankincense tree, Boswellia serrata.

Scientists have discovered that this extract mimics the anti-inflammatory effects of NSAIDs and helps relieve arthritis pain—without any negative side effects.

A double-blind, placebo-controlled study examined the effects of Boswellia serrata on patients with osteoarthritis of the knee. Those who received the supplement daily for three months reported significant pain relief, some in as little as one week.

They also experienced improvements in function and stiffness. In addition, the group receiving Boswellia had markedly lower levels of an enzyme that breaks down cartilage.

Boswellia extracts are safe and well tolerated. To ensure potency, go with a supplement standardized for 65 percent boswellic acids. Good brands include Solgar and Nature’s Way. Look for them in your health food store and use as directed.

Now it’s your turn: What natural pain relievers have you tried?

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I’ve been extolling the benefits of supplemental vitamin D for nearly 10 years. This critical nutrient helps to protect against cancer, heart disease, type 2 diabetes, depression, dementia, falls and fractures, flu, and more.

Plus, having adequate vitamin D can lower your risk for 17 different kinds of cancer—and can lengthen your life. But to get these benefits you need to be sure you’re taking the right form of vitamin D.

There are two major types of vitamin D: D2 and D3. Vitamin D3 is the form your body makes in response to sun exposure. But unfortunately many doctors prescribe Drisdol, which contains vitamin D2 and is created by irradiating plant matter and fungus. So patients taking Drisdol are basically getting a “foreign” form of vitamin D.

Now, new research shows vitamin D3 is far more effective at reducing mortality rates than vitamin D2. Dr. Harvey Murff at Vanderbilt University analyzed 50 studies that included a total of more than 94,000 people. What his analysis found was that vitamin D3 reduced mortality by 6 percent, and D2 reduced it by only 2 percent.

The popular press never picked up on this study—perhaps because prescriptions for Drisdol make more money for Big Pharma than natural vitamin D3.

How much vitamin D should you be taking? That depends on your sun exposure, geographic location, skin color, age, weight, and other factors. There truly is no single dose that’s right for everyone. As a general rule, I’ve found that 5,000 IU daily works for most people. Your best bet is to have your blood level of vitamin D (25(OH)D) tested and take enough supplemental vitamin D3 (cholecalciferol) to keep it in the optimal range of 50–80 ng/mL.

Now it’s your turn: Has your doctor prescribed vitamin D2?

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As many of you know, the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) is still working on its plan  to remove resveratrol, curcumin, ubiquinol, and all other nutritional supplements introduced since 1994 from the market unless they undergo a ridiculous new approval process.

This is all under the guise of “protecting the public”—yet, at the same time the FDA turns around and approves yet another new sleeping pill. This is an outrage!

The FDA has just announced that it’s approved Intermezzo (zolpidem tartrate sublingual tablets) that treats middle-of-the-night insomnia. So now we have a Big Pharma pill for falling asleep, and another for staying asleep. What’s next, a pill for waking up in the morning?

Folks, as the FDA itself stated, Intermezzo is a federally controlled substance that can lead to abuse or dependence. But meanwhile they want to “protect you” from safe, effective, healthy supplements like resveratrol and ubiquinol?

Once again, nature has provided sleep solutions that are just as effective and far safer:

* Melatonin: Research has shown that taking 1–3 mg of melatonin 30 minutes to an hour before bedtime can reduce the amount of time it takes to fall asleep. And at least one study has demonstrated that 3 mg significantly increased the amount of time spent in REM sleep.

* Valerian: This herb which is native to North America, Asia, and Europe has been used since at least the mid-1800s for promoting sleep. The root of the plant is considered to be the most potent. The suggested dose is 250–500 mg, 30–60 minutes before bed. 

* L-theanine: This amino acid derived from green tea is renowned for its calming effects. Research suggests that L-theanine works by enhancing alpha-wave activity in the brain, which results in relaxation. The suggested dose is 200 mg, 30–60 minutes before bed.

Now it’s your turn: What’s your opinion on the FDA’s actions?

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As soon as the New Year’s Eve ball comes down in Times Square, you’ll be bombarded with advertisements for every weight loss program and diet pill out there.

New research published in Obesity Reviews shows that when we’re surrounded by food ads and high-calorie temptations, our inhibitory control caves. Inhibitory control is the brain’s ability to manage impulsive behavior.

Chronic exposure to unhealthy, high-calorie foods beats down our inhibitory control, so it’s literally not your fault that you’re craving fries, a donut, or a candy bar. But what researchers also found is that regular exercise enhances inhibitory control—reprogramming your brain to eat healthier.

But the benefits of exercise don’t end there. Physical activity makes your brain more sensitive to feelings of satiety, so you’re less likely to overeat. It also revs up your metabolism so you continue to burn calories at a faster rate for hours after you stop exercising.

Here are some easy ways to sneak in exercise, even during the busy holiday season:

* If you have holiday guests in town, put on a pair of walking shoes and take a brisk 20-30 minute walk before everyone wakes up.

* Going holiday shopping? Park at the far end of the parking lot and take the long way around the mall. Every step counts.

* Baking holiday cookies (to give away as gifts, of course)? Take a brisk walk around your house while they’re baking.

* Enjoying a holiday special on TV? Walk in place while you watch.

Now it’s your turn: How do you sneak exercise into your day?

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When I use the term “anti-aging,” I’m not talking about living forever. The real goal is to function at peak capacity throughout life, feel great, and be able to do all the things that make life worth living. Regardless of your chronological age, you want to be biologically young.

You already know your chronological age—even if you'd rather not admit to it. But do you know your biological or functional age?

How Old Are You Really?

Although there is no universally accepted yardstick for biological or functional age, experts have identified several biomarkers of aging that can be measured by a physician. These include muscular strength, exercise tolerance, vision and hearing, blood pressure, vital capacity (lung function), heart size, and laboratory tests of DHEA, glucose, lipids, and creatinine clearance (kidney function).

There are also some do-it-yourself tests to determine your functional age.

Now it’s your turn: How did you score?

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We’ve long known that fish is a good source of low calorie protein, and that red meat can be bad news for your heart. But now a new study from the University of Valencia has quantified just how important your food choices are to your risk of developing diabetes.

What the researchers found is that a diet high in fish can help to lower the concentration of glucose in your bloodstream and lower your risk of developing type 2 diabetes. Plus, the inverse is also true. High red meat consumption increases your risk of developing diabetes and gaining weight.

The researchers also proved the same things I’ve often warned about when it comes to red meat. Specifically they found that a diet high in red meat puts you at increased risk of developing cardiovascular disease, high blood pressure, and dying younger. Fish eaters, meanwhile, live longer and stay healthier.

What’s the bottom line for you? These findings confirm the same dietary recommendations that I’ve long given to my readers and patients—in fact, they underscore them. Folks, you want to get the majority of your protein from fish (particularly coldwater fish like wild salmon), skinless poultry, egg whites with an occasional yolk, and low-fat or fat-free dairy products, legumes, and whole grains.

At the same time you want to keep the amount of red meat you eat to a minimum. If you want to occasionally eat red meat, I recommend choosing organic beef.

Now it’s your turn: How much fish do you eat?

Here are some easy, delicious fish recipes to try:

Easy Baked Salmon

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Tomorrow in households all across the country, people will be lounging in their armchairs watching football while turkeys roast in the oven. Yet Thanksgiving is more than just one meal—it’s the start of an entire holiday season filled with food, fellowship…and more food!

"Holiday feasting" is as human as wearing shoes. But so are heart attacks, strokes, obesity, and the terrible discomfort of engorgement. Here are seven tips for keeping your waistline and health intact, without sacrificing your holiday cheer:

1. Eat the turkey, but skip the skin. A 3-ounce serving of turkey contains 6 grams of fat. The same serving size without the skin has only 1 gram.

2. Remember, feasting is as much fellowship as food. We gather to enjoy each other's company, so focus on the conversation as much as you do the meal.

3. Keep your portions reasonable. You don't have to eat half the turkey; no one will be offended if you don't. Load your plate to where you can always see some plate between the items.

4. Embrace the salads, sweet potatoes, fruits, and vegetables. Crowd your plate with them, leaving little room for the higher-fat items.

5. Put down your fork between bites, slow down, and focus on how each food tastes. In other words, enjoy your meal.

6. Drink plenty of fluids. You'll be taking in a lot of nutrients, including protein, and washing these out takes lots of water. (Beer and wine don't count.)

7. Gather up your family and friends and organize a post meal walk. Exercise boosts your metabolism and helps clear glucose from your bloodstream, improving control for those with diabetes.

Now it’s your turn: How do you avoid overdoing it during the holiday season?

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When we think of Thanksgiving, we think of food. But the average holiday dinner is loaded with a whopping 3,000 calories and more carbohydrates and fat than most people should eat in a day, never mind one meal. But keeping your calorie count down doesn’t mean skimping on delicious holiday food.

Here are several delicious, easy, and healthy recipes that the entire family will love:

Two-Hour Roasted Turkey

Roasted Vegetables with Mustard Vinaigrette

Garlicky Spinach

Emerald Dip

Now it’s your turn: Do you have a healthy Thanksgiving recipe to share?

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If you have trouble swallowing vitamins and supplements, you’re not alone. It’s estimated that nearly 40 percent of Americans have that same difficulty. For most, this difficulty stems from an oversensitive gag reflex.

The key to making your supplements easier to swallow is to fool that reflex—here’s how…

1. The next time you take your vitamins, try drinking from a water bottle. Keep your lips pursed and attached to the bottle at all times and use a sucking action to drink. This will trigger an automatic opening of the throat and the natural urge to swallow, allowing the pills to go down smoothly.

2. Here’s another technique that sounds a bit odd, but it really works. Since most supplements are in capsule form, they are light and buoyant in liquids. Put one or more capsules in your mouth along with a mouthful of water and bend your head forward. (Your instinct is to tilt your head back, but that constricts your throat.) More often than not, the pills will float to the back of your throat and swallowing them will be a breeze.

3. I also suggest taking several sips of water prior to taking your pills to moisten your throat. Swish the water along with your supplements around in your mouth.  Be sure to the water is room temperature or cold. Washing pills down with a warm beverage can dissolve the capsules before they leave your mouth which can impact the potency of the nutrients.

4. Still having trouble? I don’t normally recommend crushing tablets or opening capsules because they can quickly lose their potency, but if that’s the only way you can take your supplements, please do so. If you find the taste disagreeable, mix the capsule contents or crushed tablet with a cold food, such as yogurt or mashed banana.

Now it’s your turn: Do you have a pill swallowing tip you can share?

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If Big Pharma could find a way to patent magnesium, it could drive their already sky-high profits even higher. That’s because this single mineral is one of the most potent, versatile, and safe therapies available.

1. Saves lives after a heart attack. In a double-blind, placebo-controlled clinical trial, British researchers administered intravenous (IV) magnesium sulfate or a saline solution to 2,000 patients within 24 hours of heart attack onset. Incredibly, patients receiving magnesium had 24 percent fewer deaths. And  one to five years later, the cardiovascular death rate was 21 percent lower in those who had been treated with magnesium.

2. Lowers blood pressure. Magnesium relaxes the smooth muscle tissues that dilate the arteries and reduce blood pressure. In one study, participants with hypertension who took 300 mg of magnesium daily for three months had marked reductions in blood pressure compared to those who took a placebo pill.

3. Prevents diabetes. Swedish scientists reviewed several published trials that examined magnesium intake and found that for every 100 mg increase in daily magnesium, there was a 15 percent decrease in the risk of developing type 2 diabetes.

4. Halts asthma attacks. Just as magnesium relaxes the smooth muscles of the arteries and improves blood flow, it also relaxes the airways and thus acts as a bronchodilator. Even after conventional treatments such as inhaled bronchodilators have failed, IV magnesium can be lifesaving.

5. Stops migraines. Research has shown that individuals who experience frequent migraine attacks are likely to have low levels of magnesium in the brain. Ensure adequate levels by supplementing your diet with 500 mg of magnesium daily.

How much magnesium should you take? The suggested dose of oral magnesium is 400–1,000 mg daily. It comes in several forms (citrate, aspartate, etc.) and all are acceptable. Build up gradually as magnesium has a laxative effect in many people.

Now it’s your turn: Do you take magnesium?

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I’ve been practicing medicine for nearly 30 years now, and I’ve seen lots of screening and diagnostic tests come and go. Many of the currently prescribed tests are overused and unreliable, and some are downright harmful. 

However, there are four tests I believe strongly in, and highly recommend you get:

1. Periodic Blood Workup: A simple blood test can reveal a tremendous amount about your heart attack and diabetes risk, immune and liver function, and more. I recommend getting a complete baseline blood work-up and periodic rechecks if you’re monitoring a specific condition.

2. Regular Blood Pressure Checks: According to the American Heart Association, as many as 72 million Americans have hypertension, 28 percent of them are unaware of it, and a large percentage of those who have been diagnosed have poor blood pressure control. This is why I recommend that everyone over 35 have their blood pressure checked regularly. For the most accurate reading, I recommend getting your own blood pressure monitor and checking it at home periodically.

3. Noninvasive Tests of Heart Function: Because heart disease is the leading cause of death in the United States, it is important to evaluate the health of your cardiovascular system. While blood tests can help, sometimes we need more direct information about the heart. The best, least invasive methods of getting this information are the exercise stress test and the echocardiogram.

4. Bone Density: Although I don’t recommend bone mineral density screening for everybody, I think it is important for postmenopausal women who are at greatest risk of osteoporosis. The best, most reliable test for this is dual energy x-ray absorptiometry (DEXA). This test is quick, painless, noninvasive, and quite safe—although it does expose you to a very small amount of radiation. 

Now it’s your turn: Do you get any of these screening tests?

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High blood pressure is a huge boon for pharmaceutical manufacturers. It affects roughly 75 million Americans, and, as with many medical conditions, most doctors are treating it by wearing out their prescription pads.

But most people aren’t getting the truth behind those blood pressure numbers:

1. Four in five blood pressure readings taken at the doctor’s office are inaccurate! Texas researchers enrolled patients with blood pressures higher than 120/80 and tested them according to the standard—but rarely followed—guidelines: sitting in a chair with a back support, feet planted on the floor and legs uncrossed for five minutes, no restrictive clothing or caffeine, and no exercise or tobacco for at least 30 minutes prior to testing. When these guidelines were followed, blood pressure readings went down significantly.

There’s a simple way to avoid this: Buy a blood pressure monitor, learn how to use it correctly, and periodically take your blood pressure at home. Do not, I repeat, do not simply accept a diagnosis of hypertension and allow your doctor to put you on the drug merry-go-round. Check and re-check your numbers, and try reducing your blood pressure through healthy lifestyle changes before you consider any pharmaceutical therapies.

2. Fixing your sodium-potassium ratio can lower your blood pressure. Human beings evolved as hunter-gatherers, on a diet virtually devoid of sodium and very high in potassium. Consequently, the kidneys tend to get rid of potassium but hang on to sodium. The solution? Eat less salt and more potassium-rich foods, including avocados, bananas, tomatoes, cantaloupe, and lima beans. In addition, try drinking Low Sodium V8 Juice each day.

3. Losing weight can reduce your blood pressure. Investigators at the Cooper Clinic in Dallas found that excess weight had a far greater impact on blood pressure than cardiorespiratory fitness. Normal-weight individuals had an average systolic blood pressure 12 mmHg lower than heavy people, even if they were only modestly fit.

4. Nutritional supplements can combat hypertension. I recommend the following daily: coenzyme Q10 200–300 mg, magnesium 400–800 mg, hawthorn 360–600 mg, fish oil 2–5 g, vitamin D 2,000–5,000 IU, and quercetin 500–750 mg.

Now it’s your turn: Have you been the victim of an erroneous blood pressure reading?

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