More on Chemicals and Toxicity...

I recently read an article regarding Public Health Measures on banning bisphenol-A, or BPA, from use. BPA is a toxic chemical that has been in the news lately because of reported adverse (negative) health effects in both children and adults. It is found everywhere plastics are; particularly liners of water bottles, baby cups, soft plastic toys, etc.

In the article, the American Chemistry Council (whose member companies create the bulk of the 1,500 new, synthetic, never-before-seen-on-planet-Earth chemicals introduced into our lives each year), thinks that worrying about BPA is unnecessary, as is any effort to ban the chemical from use, as is being done in Europe right now...

"The American Chemistry Council thinks all the fuss is premature... 'Based on the science, an international panel of experts organized by the World Health Organization recently concluded that public health measures on BPA are premature.' "

In other words, the ACC thinks we should just keep using these chemicals regardless of whether we have data that they are safe or not. The assumption is that until we have die-hard proof that these chemicals are dangerous for the majority of the human population, we should just keep using them as we have been for years.

Wouldn't a more prudent, and common sense approach be to recognize that there is not enough scientific data showing BPA and triclosan are SAFE, and to have NOT BEGUN using them in the first place until there was die-hard proof that they are safe? The industries creating these chemical compounds seem to think using our bodies and our children's bodies in ongoing toxicity experiments is just fine. How many people will needlessly suffer in the decades of untested chemical use in the meantime? Why is the burden of proof left on the human population of brothers, sisters, sons, daughters, and grandchildren? Why must the answer come from waiting until we develop disease over the course of years or decades?

There exists a philosophy of "better living through chemistry" that began in the 1950s and has continued through today in many aspects of our collective culture. Synthetic plastic products, synthetic clothing material, synthetic fabric for automobiles, flame-retardants in carpeting and upholstery... Indeed, technology is a tool that has moved our culture forward in innovative and important ways. We take for granted how much of our lives depend on chemical-based, technological advances, and many of these are beneficial and have the capacity to save lives. But technology must remain the tool that we as humans use, and not the other way around. When we start assuming that we can create chemical compounds that are totally unique and not known in the natural world, we cannot assume that they are safe. We cannot assume that we can put these chemicals in our foods (through genetic modification), in our bodies (through food processing, plastics containers, water bottles), on our bodies (in health and beauty products absorbed through our pores), and they will magically be assimilated without having some accumulative deleterious affect. The President's Cancer Panel recently made a huge step in acknowledging that environmental toxins and chemicals play a much bigger role in the development of disease than previously thought. They actually officially recommend that we avoid unnecessary exposure to pollutants and chemicals in our food, air, land, and water!

Whatever you do consistently over time has either a positive or negative affect on your body, your mind, and on your health and well-being. If you minimize your intake and exposure to toxic chemicals, move your body, eat whole, natural, organic food, & surround yourself with a supportive and loving social circle, you will be driven toward a state of health, growth, and evolution. This is true 100% of the time.

But if you trust that synthetic, unnatural chemical compounds are safe without having been tested for synergistic negative health effects over years; if you live a sedentary life, eat processed food, stay consistently stressed-out and surround yourself with an indifferent and unsupportive social circle, you will be driven toward a state of decreased cellular health, increased dysfunction and disease, and an early death. This is true 100% of the time!

With the exception of life-saving drugs and critical new technological advances, we as a culture should not be afraid to slow down; to embrace the fact that not all chemical or technological advances are good or necessary; and to assume that any toxin, chemical, or new piece of technology has the capacity to do harm on a grand scale.

In the words of esteemed naturalist Aldo Leopold, "An action is right when it tends to preserve the integrity, stability, and beauty of a living community and wrong when it tends to do otherwise." We can only truly do this when, with every action we take personally and collectively, we take into consideration the generations that come decades after us.

Weight Loss Resistance, Toxicity Part 2

2 Reasons Toxins Cause Weight Gain

In my last article, we spoke about some of the reasons weight loss can be a challenge for so many people, and I discussed some very simple ways to start on the path to improving your diet in order to naturally increase your body's fat-burning ability. This article we'll be talking about the underlying barriers that are keeping you from burning fat, despite your best efforts... Toxins!

A recent (March 2008) peer reviewed study published in the Journal of American Neurotoxicology and Teratology states that only small to moderate amounts of pesticides in rats cause excessive weight gain by damaging brain structures like the hypothalamus and the pituitary (Lassiter, 2008). Why are toxins causing weight gain? There are 2 solid reasons:

1) When toxins enter your body they have an affinity for fat cells, due to the fact that they are fat soluble. When the toxins attach to the outer cell membrane, which is made of a lipid bi-layer (two layers of fat), it causes the cells to continually release Leptin. When Leptin is elevated too often, just like Insulin in Type II Diabetes, the receptors burn out and the message is not heard. Remember, Leptin is the hormone that tells the brain to burn fat for energy. Therefore, weight gain that does not respond to exercise or diet is inevitably due to Leptin resistance.

2) The toxins also cause the release of chemicals called cytokines that damage Leptin receptors in the brain (hypothalamus). Once the receptors to Leptin have been damaged, Weight Loss Resistance is only the first of many problems (Pompa, 2007).

Your body makes an extremely important hormone called MSH (Melanocyte Stimulating Hormone). MSH is produced in the hypothalamus by Leptin, and it controls nerve, hormone, cytokine functions, skin and mucus membrane defenses, and the production of endorphins and melatonin. If your brain cannot hear Leptin, and is therefore “Leptin Resistant,” you will eventually become MSH deficient (Shoemaker, 2005).

What does this mean? It means that every immune and hormone response in your body will be altered. Practically speaking, you feel horrible and cannot figure out why. You find yourself on medications and chasing symptoms on a never-ending downward spiral.

The key to 21^st Century Health Care is understanding how toxins affect this hormonal cascade, causing inflammation, which leads to so many different diseases like depression, diabetes, cancer, heart disease, chronic fatigue and fibromyalgia … just to name a few. The science of weight loss resistance will bring us out of the dark ages of extreme dieting and exercise; not only for those who cannot lose weight, but also for those who are challenged with chronic illness.

Detox Myths and Truths

A common marketing strategy on the internet, magazines and TV is Colon Cleansing. Colon cleansing products are designed to stimulate the colon and eliminate colon build-up & waste, which may result in temporary weight loss and reduction in colon toxins. However, this does not translate into true fat reduction and a true decrease in your total toxic burden. True cellular detoxification and fat burning (the hormone leptin) occur only by using products that detoxify your body at the cellular level. In our office, we understand that you must approach this using diet AND supplementation. Without a change in what foods you are eating, any approach you take will be temporary or less than optimal.

Detox Tips and Tricks

Increase your quality of dietary fats (good fats like unrefined coconut oil, organic butter, and olive oil) and eliminate “man-made fats” (such as hydrogenated and partially hydrogenated fats “trans fats”).

More fat…How can this help?

1) Increasing good or natural fats bind circulating toxins.

2) Bad man-made fats prevent cells from eliminating toxins; Good fats allow cells to eliminate toxins!

3) Increasing good fats cause the liver to release stored toxins.

By the way, increasing good fats assist with reversing weight loss resistance and fat burning – the opposite of what you are told!

Remember consuming good fats does not make you fat, it is the inability to burn it. Your body needs fat to burn fat. Fats are also critical for hormone production, which is a real health concern for most women. I believe good fat to be the # 1 missing nutrients in the Standard American Diet (SAD). Bonus! High fat diets are a natural detox diet that can be added to any true cellular detoxification program. Call our office for more information on one of the best (if not THE best) detox diet around today!

Ananda Wellness Centers (720)-379-3519

(Latest Research) Shared by Dr. Dan Pompa

Recent research crossing my desk this month continues to link the consumption of high fructose corn syrup (HFCS) to weight gain, fat storage, obesity and appetite control.

The two (2) main conclusions from this work some other recent research articles are:

1) Leptin. Consuming even small amounts of HFCS impairs the body’s ability to recognize leptin, a hormone that controls appetite.

2) Toxins: Levels of metabolic waste products spike when HFCS is consumed. This can disrupt the body’s ability to control blood sugar, raising the risk factor of fat storage and weight gain. Again, using a detox cleansing diet plan along with true cellular detoxification products can remove the toxins and rebuild the cell membrane.

Source: Consumption of high-fructose corn syrup in beverages may play a role in the epidemic of obesityhttp://www.ajcn.org/cgi/content/abstract/79/4/537

Sources:

Lassiter,T. L. and Brimijoina, S. 2008. Rats gain excess weight after developmental exposure to the organophosphorothionate pesticide, chlorpyrifos, Neurotoxicology and Teratology. Volume 30, Issue 2, March-April 2008, pp. 125-130

Pompa, Dan. (2007.) Why You Can’t Lose Weight. In David Riklan and Joe Cilea (Ed.), 101 Great Ways to Improve Your Health. (pp.95-98). Marlboro, NJ: Selfgrowth.com.

Shoemaker R.C. 2005. Mold Warriors: Fighting America’s Hidden Health Threat. Baltimore: Gateway Press.

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Weight Loss Resistance and Diet, Part 1

Dear patients, friends, and first-time readers,

In this and the next few blog postings I will be discussing weight loss resistance and why some people find it so hard to lose those last 10-15 pounds. If you have tried to lose weight and failed miserably, or have succeeded many times, only to gain the weight back in a frustrating yo-yo cycle, you will want to read these in their entirety! This information is just in time for your summer pool parties and beach time, but also is timeless information as we learn more about how carrying excess pounds is linked to degenerative disease on so many levels.

Recently my father visited his MD at the local VA hospital and was told he should lose weight. I asked him what they recommended, and he said, "Oh, you know- eat right and exercise." Of course. Eat right and exercise. We've all heard that a thousand times before. The problem is, most people have a sincerely warped view of what "eating right" means. Add to that the unending amount of misinformation or downright brainwashing perpetrated by the processed food industry, and it's no wonder why people are confused.

I like to keep things simple for my patients, and for my family and friends with whom I share health and wellness information. I have treated enough people to know that if it's not simple, chances are you won't follow through and you'll end up failing again and again. With this in mind, this posting on the nutritional aspects of weight loss is going to be VERY SIMPLE. In fact, I'm only going to share 2 actions that you will need to do to start shedding pounds and turning your body into a fat-burning machine:

1. STOP EATING ALL PROCESSED SUGAR

Sugars added to foods will be listed as any word ending in -ose. They also include any and all corn syrups, fructose, sucrose, cane sugar, malt, barley malt, maltodextrin, dextrose, and brown rice syrup, among others. Most people think they eat very little sugar, but when you begin to read labels of everything you eat or drink, Americans on average consume 120 pounds of sugar per year, per person. One-third of this comes from soft drinks, while two-thirds comes from hidden sources including: lunch meats, pizza, sauces, breads, soups, crackers, fruit drinks, canned foods, yogurt, ketchup, mayonnaise, etc. It is everywhere! 100 years ago, we consumed only 5 pounds of sugar per person per year!

Sugar is an anti-nutrient. High glycemic or refined sugars cause elevated glucose, which elevates insulin, and leads to premature aging, degenerative diseases such as Type II Diabetes, heart disease, cancer, chronic fatigue, ADD, & ADHD. Repeated unnatural spiking of insulin and leptin (through continuous sugar consumption) results in insulin and leptin resistance. The more sugar you eat, you literally shut off your body's ability to burn fat for energy. Consequently, you store fat and crave more sugar/glucose to get you through your day. Refined sugars also lower your immune system and make you more susceptible to infections and disease.

2. STOP EATING ALL PROCESSED GRAINS.

This includes white rice, white pasta, and white bread. These act just like sugar, and raise your glucose and insulin/leptin just like any other sugar will do.

To identify acceptable grains, the words "whole, stone ground, or sprouted" must be before the grain's name. If it doesn't say whole wheat, it is processed, has lost all nutrition, and is disease-causing to your body.

Just making these two changes, you will begin to see and feel changes within weeks. Your sugar cravings will cease, you will gain more energy, and you will be less irritable and moody. These changes are ESSENTIAL for any parent dealing with kids with mood or attention disorders. I advise cutting sugars and processed grains out of your diet cold turkey. Your cravings will cease much faster, often within 5-6 days.

In the following posts, we will discuss changing the types of fats and meats you eat, along with how environmental and chemical toxins in our home, work, and food sources are the cause of many individuals' inability to lose those frustrating last 10-15 pounds. That's right, it might not be your fault after all!

As always, if you have any questions about implementing these changes, please feel free to call the office. 720-379-3519.

In love and unending health,

Dr. Jared Gruhl

Breath: The great integrator

"Breath is the bridge which connects life to consciousness, which unites your body to your thoughts." -Thich Nhat Hanh

What an amazing miracle, the human body. The inherent wisdom and energy of your body-mind is constantly at work, whether you notice it or not. Of all of the billions of functions that are so perfectly coordinated and harmonized within our bodies at any given moment, our breath is perhaps the single greatest tool that we have to connect directly with this energy. It is the one autonomic, or automatic, function that is both unconsciously happening all the time, and that we can consciously control.

At Ananda Wellness Centers, we utilize Network Care and SRI, or Somato-Respiratory Integration exercises during your visits, and we use breath to connect more deeply with ourselves and with particular parts of ourselves. Some of you have asked how it is that we can breathe into different parts of our body. "If our lungs are contained in our chest cavity, why can I can feel my breath near my tailbone, or in my neck?"

Let's take a closer look at the physiology of breathing. Although we think of breathing only taking place within the lungs, the process of breathing takes place throughout the entire body. You breathe in air, oxygen, and other gases through your nose, down your trachea, and into your lungs. In your lungs the air branches off into the limbs similar to an upside-down tree, eventually making it to the little leaves, or alveoli at the far reaches of the surface of the lungs. Here, the clusters of breath-filled sacs are so thin that gases and molecules of oxygen can directly pass through into the small blood vessels and enter your arteries. It is then taken to your heart, your muscles, your internal organs, and your brain. There is an incredible amount of integration happening with each breath: the stretching out of the diaphragm muscle moves your internal organs toward your pelvis; sensations increase as oxygen moves throughout your circulatory system; muscles, tendons, and ligaments throughout your torso, chest, and back become both stretched and contracted.

In short, with SRI you consciously control your breath and direct it to certain areas of your body, becoming more acutely aware of all of these sensations. With Network adjustments, your body-mind unconsciously and spontaneously moves your breath to the place in your body where it can be used most efficiently to reduce spinal and life tension. And the strategies you learn throughout your care program can be used by you, anytime, anywhere.

As spring brings air that is fresher, sweeter, more floral, and more scent-ual, take the time to slow down your breath each day. Become aware of your inhalation, your exhalation, and the precious fuel you are giving all of the cells of your body. Once you begin experiencing the gift of conscious breathing, the rewards such as less stress, a calmer demeanor, and more presence in your life become every day occurrences.

Symptoms are our friends, but only if we listen to them!

Yoga means "Union," and throughout my yoga practice (and current teacher training program at Vital Yoga Highlands), we are often discussing the deep meaning of this and how it relates to our everyday lives. In yoga practice, our constant, conscious effort to stay present in our bodies during our classes is what brings about the long-term changes and benefits to our lives. It is bridging the gap, or making union of physical body, conscious mind, and ethereal soul. It is about making the unfamiliar aspects of ourselves more familiar. It is about "checking in" with ourselves, noticing the tight spots, the painful parts, the parts that work perfectly, and the parts that are a little more challenging. The beauty of exploring ourselves more deeply is that we get to enrich our experience of life on a daily basis.

From a chiropractic perspective, I always want people to feel better when they come into my office. But just as important, I want them to feel MORE. Our culture has ingrained into our collective minds the idea that less pain = better life. Therefore, we spend inordinate amounts of time trying to avoid pain and suffering.

Many times if we actually give voice to our symptoms, our pain, our fears, and we listen intently to what our body-minds are telling us, we can learn useful, timely, and beautiful lessons about ourselves and our lives. Many times it is not in avoiding or stopping the pain that we truly heal, but in becoming aware of our pain, acknowledging it, and accepting it as a real part of us. Then, instead of seeking freedom OF our pain, we find freedom THROUGH our pain. We can use the pain as a catalyst for positive change, reorganization, and increased health and well-being.

Symptoms are never welcomed, and are rarely pleasant. But they are our allies; they give us information about how we are living, how we are using our bodies inefficiently, how our lifestyle choices are affecting the vitality of our cells, our organs, and our minds. In short, they tell us when we are moving away from our innate state of perfect health. If we listen, they help us get back on track by seeking partners in healthcare, and by making lifestyle choices that serve us in a positive manner.

The next time you are suffering from an unwanted symptom, instead of reaching for the ibuprofen or the whiskey, I invite you to sit back and ask yourself for more. See if you can hear and feel the clues your body is giving you about what needs to change in your life, and what positive steps you can take to bring your body, mind, and life back into balance.

As a Network Care Practitioner and holistic Chiropractor, it is my goal to help you have an "In-Body Experience!" As you gain flexibility and range of motion in your spine, joints, and muscles, you automatically gain flexibility and range of Emotion in your life. I don't know anyone who wouldn't benefit from that!

As the numbers of spring songbirds continue to increase, so may the richness with which you experience your body and your life on a daily basis.

Cheers!

Dr. Jared

New Website, New Blog!

Spring Greetings!

As the Ananda Wellness Centers website begins its reconstruction phase, we have added a blog in order to keep in touch with as many of you as possible. Welcome to our first posting!

It is our vision that every person in the Front Range communities has access to natural health care that truly honors your inborn potential as a human being. Our unique, individualized structural and nutritional care programs have changed the lives of countless people already, and if you are looking for help in finding the hidden barriers to a pain-free and healthy life, we want you to be our next success story.

No matter how long you have been living with neck pain, no matter what you've been told by other doctors about your "condition," no matter how long you've struggled to lose weight and deal with your chronic fatigue, you are always only ONE STEP away from heading in a new, healthier direction. Your next meal can begin moving you in the direction of weight loss and an improved immune system. Your next activity can increase your flexibility and circulation. And your next visit to our office can begin the transformation of your spine, body, and life. It may not seem easy, but it is that simple. It's just up to you to decide to take action in that direction.

We are always waiting with open arms, ready to encourage you, inspire you, and help you in your journey.

Namaste, Grazie, Hasta Pronto!

In wellness and gratitude,

Dr. Gruhl

Dr. Jared Gruhl - Ananda Wellness Centers is blogging!

Hey, this blog is for all the patients (and those that wish to be patients) of Ananda Wellness Centers in Denver, CO.

Stay tuned for health information dealing with the all natural healing art; chiropractic.