Do You Feel Lucky
I ’m a lucky man. I can still talk and walk, I still have rational thought. I can do most of what I enjoy. Even though I’m not married and don’t have children I have a loving family, many friends and overall a great life. I also have cancer, leukemia. Not that I consider having cancer beneficial. Six years ago I was diagnosed while I was living in Chicago. I began chemotherapy there before moving to Vermont to help my parents as they were aging. My treatment was transferred to Dartmouth Hitchcock Hospital in New Hampshire. I received excellent health care. Great doctors, hospitals etc. In that time, I had over a dozen chemotherapy drugs, three clinical trials, dozens of CT scans, hundreds of blood tests, biopsies, etc. If it was related to leukemia I probably had it. Unfortunately, my body didn’t cooperate. My cancer mutated leaving a stem cell transplant as my only option. Unfortunately no one in my family was a match. Dartmouth located a donor but he failed his physical one week prior to the transplant and became unavailable. Dartmouth Hitchcock Hospital referred me to Dana Farber in Boston, one of the best cancer clinics in the world. The procedure is referred to an allogenic transplant meaning unmatched which is a more complicated transplant. I was fortunate to be at Dana Farber and have one of their top transplant doctors. I had the very best traditional medicine had to offer. My insurance was even paying for all of it. A month after the transplant I developed graft versus host disease(GVHD), a life-threatening side effect and had to return to the hospital for another month. Soon after I developed an intestinal infection. I was taking over a dozen different medications ranging from antibiotics/virals to anti-rejection drugs. The side effects of the drugs were intense. I could barely climb a flight of stairs due to polymyalgia from the steroids. I had to remain in isolation, no contact with anyone for a year. I had to close my practice and move to Boston to be closer to the hospital. I took a year off from my practice and lived on my own, without a care giver.
So why do I consider myself lucky? Because with all that has gone wrong, I’m still alive and all things considered healthy. I also know a great deal about clinical nutrition, environmental toxins and their impact on disease and lifestyle considerations that can adversely affect your health. I knew I had the best in traditional medicine but I also had 30 years in an alternative health care practice to add to my therapy. I have been a practicing clinical nutritionist for many years and have helped thousands of patients. I felt very comfortable in my knowledge and experience that I could now help myself. And I am. Why am I telling you all of this because it’s not about me. I want you to understand that good health just doesn’t come from one area of health care. You must integrate many areas of your health care system. If you only incorporate one area you are losing the amazing benefits that a multi-faceted approach brings. The different methods work together or synergistically to coordinate good health.
Diet/Nutrition is an amazing addition to living a healthy life. Unfortunately, most people take it for granted. They believe that processed, toxin laden food is healthy. Once they discover just how much damage these foods are causing and decide to make healthier changes it’s amazing how fast health can return. So many people believe that feeling bad is normal. That a couple of bowel movements a week is average. The food industry has done a great job at selling us on lies and misconceptions. Additives, preservatives, dyes and added sugar, are just a few examples of how we have been misled by a billion-dollar industry. Unfortunately, traditional medicine is compliant in the myths. Even though I was at the best cancer hospital and had one of the top transplant doctors the nutritional advice was questionable. I’m not saying that the nutritionists were bad individuals, they just followed a traditional program set out by the food industry. For example, when I would bring up taking probiotics for my intestinal issues caused from Graft Versus Host Disease(GVHD) they ignored me. When I discussed with my doctor about supplementing with iodine to protect my thyroid during radiation he told me it was unnecessary. Cutting down on my sugar intake was unnecessary per the experts. The people at Dana Farber and Brigham and Women’s Hospital are amazing but I knew I had to listen to my training and go outside the box if I really had a chance of surviving. So, despite having leukemia and working my way through a bone marrow transplant I am very fortunate because I can make sound, healthy choices that have proven to be effective. I have a loving family and many friends that have journeyed with me. I expect to live a long, healthy life, and you can to. With just a little knowledge of how your diet, lifestyle and environment interact daily with every system of your body, you can create an internal environment that promotes health. By listening to traditional medicine and integrating the latest technology with alternative methods you can thrive, not just survive. Am I too optimistic? Maybe but not only have I helped hundreds of patients restore their health but I have seen it in my own life. Knowledge is power but it must be the correct knowledge and you must act on it. Knowing what to do and expecting just the knowledge will help won’t work. You must work at integrating the knowledge into your daily routine. Incorporate a clean diet, detoxify your body and environment and reduce stress, exercise and incorporate positive beliefs go a long way in developing health. I know, I’m a healthy living example.
Environment. Our land, water and air are polluted. The EPA indicates that 1.2 BILLION pounds of chemicals that potentially can be harmful to humans are released into our air and water. Many of the toxins are carcinogenic. If they don’t cause cancer, then they surely are responsible for many diseases. 100,000 new chemicals are introduced into our environment every year. Most haven’t been tested for their toxicity. They have not been properly studied for their effects on the human immune, nervous, endocrine and reproductive system. About 50 different types of chemicals, such as herbicides, insecticides, fungicides are collectively called pesticides. Most are commonly used in agriculture and in our schools. Chemical sensitivities are exploding at alarming rates. Therefore, detoxifying your body is incredibly important but doing a detox that is effective, not just by taking a couple of pills occasionally. A detox program should be individualized for your issues. The third is, lifestyle. By this I mean how you handle stress, do you work out, etc. Stress is one of the leading causes of disease.
Lifestyle/Stress induces high levels of cortisol which damages almost every area of your body. If your muscles are weak your cardiovascular system isn’t efficient, it will assist in developing life-threatening diseases. The body treats physical and emotional stress in the same manner. Stress is one of the most significant reasons chronic inflammatory diseases are escalating. Too much stress in our lives produces destructive hormones that alter many functions. It can alter thyroid function. It can decrease your resistance to disease, attack organs such as your heart and brain. It can alter your responses to insulin and ultimately, alter the way your body handles sugar. Stress causes your adrenal gland to hyper secrete a hormone called Cortisol. This hormone is sometimes referred to as the stress hormone. Other hormones are produced in response to stress and in combination with Cortisol can wreak havoc throughout the body. The internal damage done to organs, such as the liver, thyroid gland, adrenal gland, gastrointestinal tract, and cardiovascular system is extensive.
So why do I consider myself lucky? Because with all that has gone wrong, I’m still alive and all things considered healthy. I also know a great deal about clinical nutrition, environmental toxins and their impact on disease and lifestyle considerations that can adversely affect your health. I knew I had the best in traditional medicine but I also had 30 years in an alternative health care practice to add to my therapy. I have been a practicing clinical nutritionist for many years and have helped thousands of patients. I felt very comfortable in my knowledge and experience that I could now help myself. And I am. Why am I telling you all of this because it’s not about me. I want you to understand that good health just doesn’t come from one area of health care. You must integrate many areas of your health care system. If you only incorporate one area you are losing the amazing benefits that a multi-faceted approach brings. The different methods work together or synergistically to coordinate good health.
Diet/Nutrition is an amazing addition to living a healthy life. Unfortunately, most people take it for granted. They believe that processed, toxin laden food is healthy. Once they discover just how much damage these foods are causing and decide to make healthier changes it’s amazing how fast health can return. So many people believe that feeling bad is normal. That a couple of bowel movements a week is average. The food industry has done a great job at selling us on lies and misconceptions. Additives, preservatives, dyes and added sugar, are just a few examples of how we have been misled by a billion-dollar industry. Unfortunately, traditional medicine is compliant in the myths. Even though I was at the best cancer hospital and had one of the top transplant doctors the nutritional advice was questionable. I’m not saying that the nutritionists were bad individuals, they just followed a traditional program set out by the food industry. For example, when I would bring up taking probiotics for my intestinal issues caused from Graft Versus Host Disease(GVHD) they ignored me. When I discussed with my doctor about supplementing with iodine to protect my thyroid during radiation he told me it was unnecessary. Cutting down on my sugar intake was unnecessary per the experts. The people at Dana Farber and Brigham and Women’s Hospital are amazing but I knew I had to listen to my training and go outside the box if I really had a chance of surviving. So, despite having leukemia and working my way through a bone marrow transplant I am very fortunate because I can make sound, healthy choices that have proven to be effective. I have a loving family and many friends that have journeyed with me. I expect to live a long, healthy life, and you can to. With just a little knowledge of how your diet, lifestyle and environment interact daily with every system of your body, you can create an internal environment that promotes health. By listening to traditional medicine and integrating the latest technology with alternative methods you can thrive, not just survive. Am I too optimistic? Maybe but not only have I helped hundreds of patients restore their health but I have seen it in my own life. Knowledge is power but it must be the correct knowledge and you must act on it. Knowing what to do and expecting just the knowledge will help won’t work. You must work at integrating the knowledge into your daily routine. Incorporate a clean diet, detoxify your body and environment and reduce stress, exercise and incorporate positive beliefs go a long way in developing health. I know, I’m a healthy living example.
Environment. Our land, water and air are polluted. The EPA indicates that 1.2 BILLION pounds of chemicals that potentially can be harmful to humans are released into our air and water. Many of the toxins are carcinogenic. If they don’t cause cancer, then they surely are responsible for many diseases. 100,000 new chemicals are introduced into our environment every year. Most haven’t been tested for their toxicity. They have not been properly studied for their effects on the human immune, nervous, endocrine and reproductive system. About 50 different types of chemicals, such as herbicides, insecticides, fungicides are collectively called pesticides. Most are commonly used in agriculture and in our schools. Chemical sensitivities are exploding at alarming rates. Therefore, detoxifying your body is incredibly important but doing a detox that is effective, not just by taking a couple of pills occasionally. A detox program should be individualized for your issues. The third is, lifestyle. By this I mean how you handle stress, do you work out, etc. Stress is one of the leading causes of disease.
Lifestyle/Stress induces high levels of cortisol which damages almost every area of your body. If your muscles are weak your cardiovascular system isn’t efficient, it will assist in developing life-threatening diseases. The body treats physical and emotional stress in the same manner. Stress is one of the most significant reasons chronic inflammatory diseases are escalating. Too much stress in our lives produces destructive hormones that alter many functions. It can alter thyroid function. It can decrease your resistance to disease, attack organs such as your heart and brain. It can alter your responses to insulin and ultimately, alter the way your body handles sugar. Stress causes your adrenal gland to hyper secrete a hormone called Cortisol. This hormone is sometimes referred to as the stress hormone. Other hormones are produced in response to stress and in combination with Cortisol can wreak havoc throughout the body. The internal damage done to organs, such as the liver, thyroid gland, adrenal gland, gastrointestinal tract, and cardiovascular system is extensive.