Dr. Jared Gruhl - Denver Nutritional Clinician & Chiropractic Physician

The Way We Are Living is CRAZY!

2011-12-17T11:01:00.000-08:00

When I speak to groups and organizations about the state of health in this country, many are surprised when I explain that we, as a species, are sicker than we've ever been in history. "How can that be?" "What sickness?" "Isn't that normal?" are all comments I hear quite a bit.
Being a holistic doctor, I take great pride in asking my patients lots of questions when they come in to the office. Even if someone is simply coming to me for chiropractic care for headaches or neck pain, I do a full work-up to find out how their entire body is working; and as importantly how it ISN'T working well.
In doing so, what I find is that the vast majority of people have multiple issues, multiple symptoms, and multiple problems that they've come to accept as being normal, because they all know someone else who has some or more health problems than they do. Whether it's digestive complaints, hormone dis-regulation, mood disorders, pain, fatigue, ADD/ADHD, etc., people today are suffering from a wider variety and greater number of illnesses than ever before.

I live my life and practice healthcare with the underlying philosophy that being HEALTHY is NORMAL. IDEAL HEALTH is NORMAL. We are not genetically programmed to develop Diabetes, or to be obese, or develop cancer, or to have chronic pain. These are all the result of one of two things: Not getting pure and sufficient amounts of the things we genetically require for health (clean air, clean water, clean, natural/organic food, daily physical movement, and a supportive social community), and/or getting TOO MUCH of the things that are toxic and unhealthy (polluted air & water, unnatural, processed & synthetic food, environmental toxins, sedentary lifestyle etc.).

I recently came across this MANIFESTO for Thriving in a Mixed Up World, by Pilar Gerasimo.
I often tell my patients that these days, it takes a conscious act of societal disobedience to be healthy, and this manifesto captures that idea beautifully.
Please take the time to read through it, and leave any comments you wish. I'd love to get your feedback!

Being Healthy Is a Revolutionary Act: A Manifesto for Thriving in a Mixed-Up World

By Pilar Gerasimo

In case you haven’t noticed, we live in a society where the idea of health and fitness is wildly popular, but where actually becoming a truly healthy person can be mighty tough to pull off.

There’s a reason so many of us are sick, overweight, depressed and stressed out: We’re living in a society that is wired up to make us sick, overweight, depressed and stressed out.

We can change this mixed-up reality. We can reclaim our well-being and create a better, more blissful world. But it’s going to take some revolutionary moxie to make it happen.

This manifesto is a collection of ideas, reality-checks and insights designed to help those of us who value our health create and sustain healthy change—even in the face of some daunting challenges.

If you’re up for that, way to go, friend—and welcome to the revolutionary club!

Here are 10 revolutionary truths that a growing number of us hold to be self-evident . . .

1. The way we are living is crazy.

The United States currently produces more obese, chronically ill and depleted people than it does vital, fit, resilient ones—and this trend is worsening.

Two out of three U.S. adults is overweight or obese. At any given time, half of us are contending with at least one chronic disease. A growing number of us are reliant on pharmaceuticals whose side effects and interactions undermine our health and quality of life.

Our children, too, are becoming ill and prescription dependent at ever-younger ages, and their life spans are being shortened as a result.

Enough already! Our collective lack of vitality has become an oppressive source of misery and waste, one that threatens to impede our lives, our liberties, and our pursuit of happiness.

We can change this. We must change this—together.

2. There are powerful social, economic and political forces undermining our health.

Our culture didn’t get this unhealthy by accident. From the processed-food industry to pharmaceuticals, well-funded interests rake in huge amounts of money off our unhealthy population. They’ve been doing it for decades, and they pay billions of lobbying dollars to make sure they can keep doing it.

These special interests not only manipulate public policy and the media to our disadvantage, they conduct huge misinformation and marketing campaigns designed to keep us buying into products and behaviors that hurt us.

Their message? That their health-sapping options are wholesome, easy, appealing, cool, fun, affordable, delightful indulgences (or absolute necessities) that will make us and our lives oh-so-much better.

And we’ve taken the bait. We have been brainwashed into adopting daily behaviors and choices that poison our bodies, fog our minds and cost us billions in medical bills.

Here’s what those powers-that-be won’t tell you: Buy into what currently passes for “normal” in America, and you’re unlikely to stay healthy for long.

3. The time for complicity is over.

Tempting as it may be, we can’t blame this all on a conspiracy of health-sapping influences.

Yes, it is true that we’re surrounded by supersized junk foods and sedentary pastimes. Yes, we’ve been saddled with misleading labels and industry-influenced dietary guidelines. Yes, we’ve been bombarded by demoralizing media, manipulative advertising, and downright lousy advice.

But still. We’ve taken a lot of that sitting down.

For too long, we’ve allowed ourselves to be overprescribed, overfed, underinformed and overindulged. We’ve been quick to embrace superficial solutions and half-baked ideas.

We’ve permitted ourselves to be pandered to in the name of ease, convenience and “value”—and we’ve grown passive, expecting effortless cures to come from the outside.

Conspiracy theories notwithstanding, the greatest threats to our well-being lie in the health-sapping decisions we make every day by default. Because healthy choices have been rendered tougher than they ought to be. And because—like frogs in hot water—we’ve been willing to tolerate the intolerable. Until now.

4. The resistance is alive and well.

Every day, more and more of us are waking up to the realization that no one is going to save us but us. We’re getting clear that if we don’t want to get sucked into an unhealthy quagmire, we’ve got to start swimming against the tide.

So we are learning about our bodies and minds, and doing what it takes to keep them strong and well.

We are growing, buying and preparing more whole, nutritious foods and avoiding processed junk.

We are moving and sweating and exploring. We are resting and playing and connecting.

We are reclaiming control of our healthcare choices. We are dealing with the root causes of our health challenges, rather than simply suppressing our symptoms.

In short, we are treating our health like the fundamental priority it is.

We are rising up to take back the power for our own well-being. And we are discovering just how good that feels.

5. Being healthy is a revolutionary act.

Throwing off the chains of poor health and reclaiming our full vitality is both our individual right and our collective responsibility. And there is perhaps no more life-transforming choice.

Being strong and healthy in an unhealthy culture makes you part of an empowered minority. It gives you freedoms and opportunities that poor health and fitness prohibit. It endows you with the energy, clarity and resiliency to fully enjoy your life, and to make bigger, more meaningful contributions in anything you do.

Choosing a healthy way of life involves making some revolutionary choices, and it also has revolutionary results.

Because when you change your health for the better, you change the lives of everyone around you for the better, too.

In a very real way, you change your world.

6. This is not about six-pack abs and skinny jeans.

Sure, healthy is sexy and beautiful. A strong, fit body looks as good as it feels. But the most valuable rewards of good health and fitness have very little to do with rippling muscles or thin thighs.

You’d never know that by looking at conventional media, though.

All those sensationalized headlines, sexy images and instant-results promises may get our attention and appeal to our vanity, but they can also make getting healthy seem like a self-indulgent undertaking or a trivial, out-of-reach fantasy.

Worse, the unrelenting focus on largely unachievable ideals has a way of playing to our body-image insecurities.

Those superficial obsessions can also distract us from the deeper, lasting motivations that matter more.

So if mass media is messing with your mind or sapping your self-esteem, tune out the hype and turn your attention elsewhere. Like the reasons being healthy matters to you.

Maybe you have your heart set on six-pack abs and buns of steel; maybe not.

Either way, connecting with your own authentic healthy-life vision and values is the best way to start.

7. Inaction is not an option.

The time for passivity is past. Today, nearly every U.S. household is touched by obesity or chronic disease. And most often, when one family member’s health is compromised, the whole family suffers.

It’s time for that suffering to stop. But simply suppressing symptoms and “managing” diseases is not the answer.

As you read this, approximately 75 percent of our healthcare dollars are being spent ineffectively on chronic conditions, many of which can only be resolved through lifestyle change.

These burdens of chronic illness are simultaneously gutting our economy, our communities, and our whole population’s ability to thrive. They’re undermining the lives of our children, and the potential of future generations.

It’s time to face the reality that unless we’re part of the solution, we’re part of problem. And the problem is plenty big already.

None of us can afford to sit this challenge out. None of us deserves to live less than the best, healthiest life at our disposal.

So raise your sights. Raise your standards. Restake your claim to a vital body and mind. And never, ever back down.

8. The best defense is a good offense.

In the battle for our well-being, the forces of ill health may have won the last few rounds. But we’ve got some crazy judo moves they aren’t expecting.

Like giving up on diets and self-denial, and focusing on nourishing our bodies instead.

Like giving up on spot reducing and calorie counting and finding feel-good ways to get active and fit.

Like investing in healthy foods, stress management and proactive health support now—instead of paying gigantic medical bills later.

The healthier and more clear-headed you are, the better your chances of fending off the unhealthy influences that besiege you on a daily basis.

The stronger and more resilient you are, the better your chances of weathering the challenges that come your way.

And the more of us healthy, happy people there are, the better our shot at creating the kind of world in which thriving comes more easily for everyone.

So don’t let your guard down, and don’t let anyone convince you to settle for less than full-throttle vitality.

Remain vigilant. Defend your right to be well with unflinching determination and all the mojo you can muster.

9. Forget about quick fixes.

No magic diet, powder, pill or elixir is going to solve the problems we’re wrestling with now. And forking over cash for quick fixes only lines the pockets of the quick-fix hucksters who helped get us into this mess.

So instead of squandering your valuable time and money on miracle cures, invest in making healthy life changes for the long haul.

If you’re having trouble with that, know that you are not alone. You are not a bad, weak, lazy or doomed person—you’re just up against some tough opponents.

If you’re willing and determined, you can defeat them. Handily.

It may require developing new skills, strategies and perspectives.

It might mean connecting with new support systems and role models.

It could mean nursing some healthy indignation and cultivating some well-deserved self-compassion.

Almost certainly, it will require connecting with your own deepest sources of healthy motivation and stoking them into revolutionary action.

All this takes time and awareness and a willingness to experiment. And there’s no better time to start than now.

10. Solutions in the mirror may be closer than they appear.

The scope and scale of our national health crisis is so massive that it may seem beyond all hope. But it is not.

In fact, each of us has an important role to play in solving these problems for ourselves, and for each other.

Every time one of us starts taking the steps necessary to build and protect our health, we rescind our support of the nasty systems that are breaking millions of us down.

And if enough of us start treating our own bodies well, we will create new norms of vitality and well-being.

If we band together to demand and embrace healthier options—in our grocery stores, cafeterias, homes, workplaces, schools, healthcare centers, neighborhoods — we can reverse the trends that have been depleting our life force for decades.

Most of the trends and public policies responsible for our country’s ill health have occurred over the past 40 years—in large part, by design. And they can be turned around in a fraction of that time by a swell of grass-roots insistence.

So if you can help make that happen, do. Connect with others who share your healthy convictions. Then go boldly forth and start thriving—one conscious thought, one empowering choice, one revolutionary act at a time.

101 Revolutionary Ways to Be Healthy

Here’s a few to get you started. Find the rest (and share your own) atRevolutionaryAct.com.

1. Defy convention. Do the healthy thing, even when it’s challenging, inconvenient or considered weird. Take pride in that.

5. Repossess your health. Reclaim responsibility for your well-being; own your daily choices; minimize your reliance on the broken sick-care system.

20. Aim for 85%. You don’t have to make 100%-healthy choices all the time. It’s what you do most of the time — day in, day out — that counts. The healthier you get, the easier and more automatic healthy choices will become.

29. Beware the USDA Food Pyramid. It is a whole lot healthier for Big Ag and Big Business than for humans. Fill two-thirds of your plate with an array of vegetables, add in some other whole foods you enjoy, and don’t let the rest of the Pyramid’s propaganda confuse you.

31. Go easy on the sugar and flour. These two ingredients (combined with unhealthy industrial oils) have a starring role in most packaged foods we eat. More than any other culprit, they fuel inflammation, obesity, diabetes, high cholesterol, heart disease and cancer.

43. Redefine your goals. If you’ve been trying to lose weight and are struggling, make it your goal to get superbly healthy, well nourished, fit and energetic instead. Don’t be surprised when the excess weight starts melting off.

65. Rest up. Rest = recovery, repair and resilience. Exhaustion = illness and messed-up metabolism. Prioritize sleep time as the health essential it is.

81. Invest in your health. Money spent proactively on your health delivers far better returns than money spent reactively on treating illness and disease. When healthy choices seem “too expensive,” consider the long-term costs of health-sapping alternatives.

97. Focus on action, not outcomes. Live the life of a healthy person, and the results will take care of themselves. Every healthy step is a victory. Every day is an opportunity to feel, live and be better than the day before.

Join the Healthy Revolution at RevolutionaryAct.com.

(Photo Courtesy of Happy Healthy Foods.com)

Breast Cancer Prevention

2011-10-02T19:42:00.000-07:00

With the Susan G. Komen Breast Cancer Awareness Walk having just taken place here in Denver, Colorado, and with several friends of mine actively taking part, I wanted to pass on this article I recently read regarding Breast Cancer Prevention and Vitamin D serum levels. An increased interest in actual prevention of the disease, rather than finding new treatments, is truly inspiring and where I believe we should be focusing our efforts as a culture. Cancer rates across the board are increasing every decade, especially in childhood cancers, and some experts believe over 70% of cancers have an environmental cause (toxicity in our air, food, water, soil, etc.).

As noted in the article, “Breast cancer outcomes that matter most have not changed much over the last 20 years. The rate at which women are diagnosed with metastatic disease has remained constant for more than 40 years, and mortality from the disease has declined only slightly."

"We don’t do prevention,” said one organization, “we have to care for the patients who have cancer.” According to Baggerly, “No organization will be able to truly prevent the occurrence of breast cancer or to reduce the recurrence without attention to vitamin D.”

My heart goes out to every individual who has had to deal with cancer directly or indirectly, and especially to those who have lost loved ones to this disease, including my beloved mother Ruth Ann. May we collectively find an end to unnecessary illness, disease and early death through the best combination of natural living, true health promotion, and safe, effective treatments.

Why are so many people now Gluten-intolerant?

2011-05-25T09:10:00.000-07:00

You've undoubtedly seen the increasing variety of gluten-free products lining the shelves of your local grocery store, and might even be overwhelmed by friends or colleagues jumping on the "gluten-free" bandwagon. What's this all about? And why are so many people moving towards a gluten-free diet?

First of all, gluten is the common name for proteins found in all wheat (including durum, semolina, spelt, kamut, einkorn, and faro) and related grains rye, barley, and triticale. When persons with gluten sensitivity eat these proteins, many different reactions can occur...

1. In clinically diagnosed Celiac Disease (with a positive HLA-DQ 2 or 8 gene), the person suffers digestive complaints such as gas, bloating, pain, diarrhea, constipation, other symptoms of irritable bowels, and more, including fatigue, weakness, and skin disorders.

2. In persons without the Celiac genotype, similar symptoms can occur. This is considered "Non-Celiac Gluten Enteropathy".

3. In persons without intestinal complaints at all, research is finding that the proteins can still cause many unwanted effects upon other body systems. These include organ and tissue inflammation, neurochemical (brain) imbalance, and tissue autoimmunity. In other words, the proteins end up confusing your body, and your immune system starts attacking other healthy tissues, such as your thyroid, pancreas, brain and nerves.

Although Celiac Disease is perhaps the most extreme example of gluten-induced illness, there are countless other people who are suffering mild to severe digestive complaints, along with autoimmune conditions (Hashimoto's Thyroiditis), mood disorders, sleep disorders, neurologic disorders (dementia, Alzheimers, Parkinson's, MS, learning delays in children, etc) that may also have a gluten-related basis. Cellular inflammation is the common denominator in all of these seemingly unrelated illnesses; a hallmark of any allergic or autoimmune response by the body.

The July 2009 issue of Gastroenterology found that in the past 50 years, the incidence of Celiac Disease went from 1 in 700 to 1 in 100, and this was not simply due to increase detection. They also found a 4-fold increased risk of death with undiagnosed (or silent) Celiac Disease.

Why is this? What are the factors leading to increased prevalence of Gluten Sensitivity in all its forms? Isn't bread the "Staff of Life?" Don't all cultures eat bread and gluten? The answer lies in several probable causes:

1. Poor nutrition and processed foods. When we process foods, we remove critical aspects of their integrity and nutrition that are meant to supply us with vitamins, minerals, phytochemicals, antioxidants, and more. Whole, natural, and organic foods are the foods we are designed to eat, from a genetic standpoint. They are required by our cells for normal, optimal function. Until the industrial revolution, organic food was the only food ever available on the planet. Processed, refined, adulterated foods may have some benefit in that they may keep us from starving, from the long-term effect upon our bodies is that of chronic malnourishment, depleted energy, and cellular dysfunction & early death. We must ask ourselves if a fast meal and an (artificially) cheaper grocery bill are worth chronic disease and illness later in life.

2. GMOs. Genetically-modified organisms may certainly have a role in the drastically increased incidence of not only gluten sensitivity, but increased food allergies across the board. GMOs have not had long-term health and safety studies performed in humans for any meaningful amount of time. We are all part of a vast experiment on the part of Agricultural and Biotechnology corporations, and have had our right to choose not to eat these "foods" taken away from us through aggressive marketing and lobbying efforts. Over time, the natural, heirloom varieties of wheat and grains our ancestors ate have become almost non-existent on our grocer's shelves. Anecdotal evidence shows that Americans with mild to moderate gluten sensitivity at home can eat breads, pastas, and gluten-containing products when traveling in other countries because they use more traditional species of grains that have not been genetically modified or hybridized to death to over the past decades.

3. Gluten storage in bins for long periods of time, leading to enterotoxin contamination.

4. Leaky Gut Syndrome. For those individuals with compromised intestines to begin with, any type of gluten sensitivity, allergy, or outright CD will be increased. And the incidence of leaky gut, or inflamed and dysfunctional bowels is increasing dramatically as well. (Stay tuned for an upcoming blog on the Gut-Brain-Immune Connection!)

5. Chronic Stress. We are living our lives at unprecedented levels of chronic stress; physical, chemical, and emotional/spiritual. Whereas our ancestors had very stressful events, such as surviving a clan attack or fighting a wild animal, we have traded stressful events for chronically elevated stressful lifestyle. This directly impacts our immune system and its tolerance to what we are consuming.

6. Enzyme insufficiency. This is a cause and a result of all of the above. Without enzymes to break down the proteins we are consuming, we are susceptible to not just gluten intolerance, but all of the common digestive complaints such as heartburn, indigestion, gas, bloating, etc.

What can be done and what should you do?

The simplest way to see if you are experiencing gluten sensitivity is to stop eating all gluten-containing products for at least 30 days. Then introduce them back into your diet and see if you notice a difference in your energy, your mental clarity, your digestion, etc. However, many foods that do not contain gluten can be contaminated with gluten during processing or in facilities that make multiple food products. It helps to have a professional guide you through the process.

If you have any of the above mentioned symptoms, you should also have an evaluation by a professional with experience in dealing with nutrition and gluten-free lifestyles. At Ananda Wellness, we test for not only the Celiac-specific genes that your medical doctor tests for, but up to a dozen other specific markers that might be positive... even if you test negative for Celiac Disease!

Here are some links to other websites that may be of use to you and your loved ones.

Happy reading, and my best to all of you as always!

Sincerely,

Dr. Jared C. Gruhl

Celiac Organization

Check out the Gluten-Free Links on our website!

Another Gluten-Free Blog

And here's some of the research for this post...

A 2007 study in the Journal of Neurology, Neurosurgery, and Psychiatry found that of all psychiatric patients with neurological manifestations and gluten sensitivity, only 1/3 of those had gut and digestive complaints. JNNP, 2007:72:560-563.

Another article around the same time estimates that "The current ratio of clinically diagnosed to undetected cases [of Celiac Disease] is approximately 1 to 8." Gut, 2006; 55:1037-1046.

And a 2001 article in Gastroenterology stated that "for every symptomatic patient with CD there are 8 patients with CD any cheaper grocery bill each month.d no gastrointestinal [digestive] symptoms.

Chemical toxins in your Anti-aging face cream?!

2011-04-21T08:46:00.000-07:00

Our favorite website that rates the safety of health and beauty products just got a makeover! This is one of the best resources I point all of my patients to. You can search your own brands of shampoo, lotions, face creams, soap, perfume, and more. Not only will you learn how healthy or UNhealthy your current brand of baby shampoo might be, there is a comprehensive list of the best, safest, and most natural products available.

If you already agree that eating whole, natural, and organic food is better for you, the soil, and the environment, but haven't thought much about how beauty products play into your health, check out these common myths about beauty product safety. You will be shocked at the lack of oversight and regulation by the industry! Start today, and make this year your and your family's healthiest yet.

In wellness,

Dr. Jared Gruhl

Should you be worried about nuclear fallout from Japan?

2011-04-06T10:07:00.001-07:00

With all of the recent news about the natural disasters in Japan, along with their nuclear reactor problems, people have been asking about whether they should be worried about radiation here in the United States.

Here is a link to an article giving some pretty sound advice on the subject:

Plug in to our facebook page for more updates as the situations continues to change.

Spring cleaning time is here...

2011-03-17T09:08:00.001-07:00

All through the month of March, we are offering FREE Adrenal Stress testing, FREE blood pressure check-ups, and FREE Body Composition Analysis. Step on our non-invasive body comp. machine and instantly read your percent body fat, body water, muscle mass, etc. This is a great way to establish a baseline for your health before doing any spring diets or cleanses. It's important to know if you are losing fat, water, or muscle, as you progress through any program.

Also, ask about our functional blood chemistry analysis! Bring in your recent lab work and find out what your doctor ISN'T telling you about your blood markers and your overall health status. This work can actually save some lives, and will definitely help many of you prevent outright illness from developing. We can see things like thyroid disease, diabetes, & insulin resistance before they show up as symptoms for you.

Remember, prevention and early detection are the key to getting and staying well for a lifetime.

As always, we are here to answer any questions you have! 720-379-3519

February is Heart Health Month!

2011-02-15T11:13:00.000-08:00

If you're like millions of Americans who go in to have their cholesterol & blood lipid levels tested, and your LDL or total cholesterol is above the currently defined "normal" level, you're likely to hear something like this:

"Eat a low-fat diet, stay away from dietary cholesterol, and use the salt shaker a little less. Oh, and exercising more wouldn't hurt, either. Now here's a prescription for Lipitor (or Crestor, or fill in the blank with one of the popular statin drugs) just to be safe.

This is called the "Diet-Heart Hypothesis," and it is just that - an interesting theory. It's a theory that sometimes makes sense, and has some data showing correlation between eating cholesterol and higher rates of heart disease. But is also a theory based on messy, soft science, and lots of repetitive dogma. The scientific world is no different from the rest of the world in that matter. There are religious fundamentalists, and there are scientific fundamentalists. (My definition is one who clings to a belief with complete disregard for any idea or concept that contradicts said belief. A fundamentalist refuses to listen to or consider new facts, ideas, or concepts because they hold onto their beliefs so strongly.) The allopathic ("Western") medical profession, along with the public health industry, pharmaceutical industry, and processed food industry have repeated this pseudoscientific dogma so often, it is regarded as unquestionable truth. And as long as we cling to these ideas and call them facts, people will continue to suffer needlessly.

The Diet-Heart Hypothesis is based on data showing a correlation (not definitive causation) between certain populations of people who consume high dietary cholesterol and higher rates of cardiovascular disease (heart disease, coronary artery disease, stroke, etc). From the start, the scientists who promulgated this theory had to ignore data that contradicted their theory. (Spain, Switzerland, and France, for instance, all consume more fat and cholesterol than we do in the U.S. but all have consistently lower incidence of CVD.) There have always been cultures and countries that consume far more saturated fat and cholesterol than the U.S. that have lower rates of cardiovascular disease (CVD), but that correlative data is ignored. So is the fact that Americans have consumed LESS fat and LESS cholesterol every year for the last 40+ years, while being medicated MORE with the statin drugs every year for the last 10 years, while heart disease and CVD continues to rise each year. In fact heart disease is the number one cause of death in the U.S., and kills over 800,000 people per year (34% of all deaths). Take into account the following facts regarding statin drugs, which are the drug treatment of choice, both therapeutically and beginning to be prophylactically: (Originally compiled by Mark Hyman, M.D.):

if you lower bad cholesterol (LDL) but have a low HDL (good cholesterol), there is no benefit to statins (i)
If you lower bad cholesterol (LDL) but don't reduce inflammation (marked by a test called C-reactive protein), there is no benefit to statins (ii)
If you are a healthy woman with high cholesterol, there is no proof that taking statins reduces your risk of a heart attack or death (iii)
If you are a man or a woman over 69 years old with high cholesterol, there is no proof that taking statins reduces your risk of heart attack or death (iv)
Aggressive cholesterol treatment with two medications (Zocor & Zetia) lowered cholesterol more than one drug alone, but led to MORE plaque buildup in arteries and no fewer heart attacks (v)
75% of people who have heart attacks have normal cholesterol!
Older patients with lower cholesterol have higher risks of death than those with higher cholesterol (vi)

In short, the answer to helping people with heart disease, and with all illness, is in asking the appropriate questions scientifically. We should not be asking "How do I lower my LDL cholesterol?" (Whether through drugs or natural medications like herbs or supplements.) Instead, we should be asking "Why is my body dysfunctioning?" Unless you get to the root cause of the problem, you will inevitably end up providing temporary symptom relief while you allow the person to become sicker and more dysfunctional. (To a large degree, this is the current state of our medical system!)

So what does cause CVD, and what can you do about it? It is becoming ever more clear that chronic inflammation is much more the root cause of most types of CVD, and cellular inflammation is a common denominator in many of today's chronic diseases, including CVD, cancer, metabolic syndrome, autoimmune disease, etc. You must decrease systemic inflammation, but you also must take responsibility for your state of health. The good news is, nothing beats diet and exercise in treating cardiovascular disease. And nothing beats diet and exercise for preventing CVD in the first place!

Diet: Eating a "Mediterranean Type" diet (lots of veggies, fruits, whole grains, lean meats, nuts, fats, and seeds) has been shown to:

Reduce recurrent CVD mortality by over 70%
Has been shown to reduce ALL CAUSE mortality by 72% (no drug even comes close to working this effectively on any chronic illness)
HALE study showed that beginning the Mediterranean Type Diet after age 70 resulted in a 23% reduction in all-cause mortality. This rose to 65% when combined with other lifestyle factors (exercise, no smoking, etc)

Exercise: It doesn't have to be high-impact, 3-hour long workouts. "Moderate" exercise in the scientific journals is described as 20 minutes of physical activity (walking) 3 times a week!:

48% of Americans are completelysedentary
Key factor in CVD, obesity, Cancer, Osteoarthritis, osteoporosis, and dementia
Walking 20 minutes, 3x per week reduces CVD in women by 35%, in men by 25%
Daily activity reduces colon cancer risk by 35-40%
2006 data shows exercise 2x/week reduces Alzheimers diagnoses by 60%!

Get checked! Prevention is not the same as early detection of disease. Get your blood work done, regardless of whether you have overt symptoms or not. Have your doctor look at basic lipid panels, but also the inflammatory markers C-reactive protein and homocysteine, which will tell you much more about your CVD risk.

In our office, we order inexpensive blood work that reveals information on your cardiovascular, liver, kidney, insulin and glucose metabolism, thyroid, and hormone function. Combining subjective information that you provide on questionnaires with lab work gives us a clear roadmap to guide you towards growing your health. You will know you are making positive strides as you see your functional assessment improve over time, and you will be feeling the difference in your health! We also work with insurance companies and have deeply discounted cash rates through our membership in a laboratory co-op.

Call our office to get started right away! We are always here to answer any questions you have and to help you grow your health!

720-379-3519 Ananda Wellness - Nutrition Programs

In true wellness,

Dr. Jared Gruhl

References

(i) Barter P, Gotto AM, LaRosa JC, Maroni J, Szarek M, Grundy SM, Kastelein JJ, Bittner V, Fruchart JC; Treating to New Targets Investigators. HDL cholesterol, very low levels of LDL cholesterol, and cardiovascular events. N Engl J Med. 2007 Sep 27;357(13):1301-10.

(ii) Ridker PM, Danielson E, Fonseca FA, Genest J, Gotto AM Jr, Kastelein JJ, Koenig W, Libby P, Lorenzatti AJ, MacFadyen JG, Nordestgaard BG, Shepherd J, Willerson JT, Glynn RJ; JUPITER Study Group. Rosuvastatin to prevent vascular events in men and women with elevated C-reactive protein. N Engl J Med. 2008 Nov 20;359(21):2195-207.

(iii) Abramson J, Wright JM. Are lipid-lowering guidelines evidence-based? Lancet. 2007 Jan 20;369(9557):168-9

(iv) IBID

(v) Brown BG, Taylor AJ Does ENHANCE Diminish Confidence in Lowering LDL or in Ezetimibe? Engl J Med 358:1504, April 3, 2008 Editorial

(vi) Schatz IJ, Masaki K, Yano K, Chen R, Rodriguez BL, Curb JD. Cholesterol and all-cause mortality in elderly people from the Honolulu Heart Program: a cohort study. Lancet. 2001 Aug 4;358(9279):351-5.

(vii) Hansson GK Inflammation, Atherosclerosis, and Coronary Artery Disease N Engl J Med 352:1685, April 21, 2005

More on Chemicals and Toxicity...

2010-11-30T08:44:00.000-08:00

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

2010-08-13T10:55:00.000-07:00

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.

Tags: best detox diet, cleanse detox diet, cleansing detox diet, detox cleansing diet, detox diet weight, detox diets for weight loss, natural detox diet

Weight Loss Resistance and Diet, Part 1

2010-06-17T12:37:00.000-07:00

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

2010-04-11T17:43:00.000-07:00

"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!

2010-03-29T16:53:00.000-07:00

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!

2010-03-19T14:25:00.000-07:00

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!

2010-03-18T12:29:00.001-07:00

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.