Brain-Body Breakthroughs - Larry McCleary MD

An interview with Dale Peterson, MD (http://www.drdalepeterson.com/index.php). About thirty years ago only 15% of elderly Americans received the flu shot. Today the CDC (Centers for disease Control) (http://www.cdc.gov/flu/about/qa/flushot.htm) is recommending flu shots for everyone over the age of six months. Tune in to hear what impact this wide-ranging vaccination program has had on the elderly and those most at risk for flu-related deaths. The results will surprise you. I'll be discussing how flu vaccines are produced, how the experts decide what flu strains to vaccinate against, what some of the unlikely ingredients are that you'll find in the flu vaccine "cocktail" and what happens if the experts are wrong. If you had the flu shot last year, tune in to hear whether you need to get it again. You'll learn how the drug companies disagree with the CDC and why this might impact the health of you and your baby. I'll also be discussing a novel approach that might shorten flu symptoms if you become one of the unlucky persons to get the flu. Please join me for an enlightening program and hear what you're NOT being told about flu shots.

Cholesterol. It's the buzz-word in medicine. It's the darling of the cardiologist. The lower the "normal" level of cholesterol is set, the more patients cardiologists have to see. And what's considered "normal" has fallen dramatically in recent years. The question is "Why?" Today millions of Americans are being told by their doctors that they need to take a potentially toxic, and very expensive, medication for 40, 50, or more years. Many of them are totally asymptomatic. Their only mistake was to have their cholesterol level checked in the first place. Once that is done, many of them will end up taking one of an army of statin drugs. And can they ever lower cholesterol ... often by up to 50%. The only kicker is that how much the cholesterol level is lowered has NO relation to any benefit the drug may provide. If this sounds absurd, you need to read the book The Cholesterol Delusion (http://www.amazon.com/Cholesterol-Delusion-Ernest-Curtis-M-D/dp/1608449629/ref=sr_1_1?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1322066601&sr=1-1). If you do, the trust in your doctor, and in medicine in general, will be changed forever. We have all been inundated by the adds for drugs like Lipitor, Zocor and Crestor. We will be discussing how these drug companies "legally" distort the purported benefits of these drugs with a well-known statistical trick. You'll learn how funding of heart research for the last generation has been more political than scientific. And you'll get a sense of why doctors feel compelled to treat a number (your "high" cholesterol level) rather than treating the patient (you!).

Have you heard there's a new drug that can slash your risk of a number of deadly cancers by up to 50%, almost eradicate childhood diabetes, diminish the risk of multiple sclerosis and double the health benefits of exercise? Sound too good to be true? That's because it doesn't exist. However, if it did, the drug company would be advertising it every chance they got and they'd probably sell billions of dollars of it each year. Don't despair because there is a solution and you can get it for free. My guest today is someone who stuck with his guns and dared to buck the medical system. He was forced to resign as Professor of Dermatology at Boston University School of Medicine by the same person who had previously nominated him for a prestigious research award and actually made the presentation. He did so because he believed that current medical dogma he was being asked to support was incorrect. He will provide some startling insights about the vitamin deficiency that afflicts almost 2 billion people worldwide including approximately 160 million Americans and many newborn children. If you're overweight or have dark skin you are at even higher risk. The pressing problem is that of vitamin D deficiency (http://www.vitamindcouncil.org/about-vitamin-d/vitamin-d-deficiency/). You will hear as Dr. Holick estimates that correcting this problem could eliminate $260 billion from our yearly health expenditures. He will also provide some unexpected insights about tanning beds and explain why millions of Baby Boomers have the wrinkles they do today and how it's due to their sunscreen.

Jerry Rice (http://www.yourspine.com/Chiropractic/Jerry+Rice+Speaks+Out+for+Chiropractic.aspx), perennial Pro Bowl receiver for the San Francisco 49ers and winner of three Super Bowl rings swears by his chiropractor as being the key to keeping him in the game for so many years. His sentiments are mirrored by many other athletes including Arnold Schwarzenegger, Evander Holyfield and Tiger Woods. Whether its relieving pain, getting ready for the big game or relaxing sore muscles, chiropractic therapy has the answer. However, you don't have to be a world-class athlete to benefit from what this unique branch of medicine has to offer. According to Dr. Rob Harrison, the body is a big erector set and it needs to be maintained. He speaks candidly about how he approaches healing, what it's like to visit a chiropractor and what you can expect. He even explains how low level laser therapy can decrease inflammation and improve a number of conditions. So tune in to be entertained and educated.

Last week we discussed how prolonged, low-grade vitamin deficiencies (http://www.ajcn.org/content/90/4/889.full.pdf)could contribute to the development of many chronic diseases and premature aging. This week we'll carry on the discussion of nutritional supplementation and you'll learn how specific supplements can play vital roles in the prevention of many of the diseases that plague society today including cancer, Alzheimer's disease, heart attack, congestive heart failure, diabetes and stroke. You'll be hearing about new uses for well-known supplements, supplements you might not be aware of, what you MUST be taking if you are on one of those "statin (http://www.umm.edu/altmed/articles/coenzyme-q10-000295.htm)" medications, how a simple spice could save your life and what supplement you should definitely NOT be taking if you want to live a long and healthy life. So take an hour of time to learn what could add years to your life!

There have been recent medical studies all over the news (http://archinte.ama-assn.org/cgi/content/short/171/18/1625)claiming that your vitamin supplement may be killing you. Is that really the case, or are things not so clear cut? There are other studies showing that vitamins may slow cognitive decline (http://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1002/gps.2758/abstract) or increase levels of deficient nutrients in your body (http://www.springerlink.com/content/j268884096h28038/). What are you to believe? To hear a lively discussion that peels the onion and delves into what is really being said in scientific circles listen to what Dr. McCleary has to say about the cutting-edge research into how subtle, but chronic, vitamin deficiencies are harming your health and what you can do about it. Dr. Bruce Ames has published detailed findings about his TRIAGE theory of long term mild micronutrient deprivation and how it contributes to DNA damage and cellular deterioration that contributes to chronic disease development including cancer and Alzheimer's disease. He describes how our evolutionary heritage directed our cells to deal with vitamin deficiencies ... and what the consequences are for you! It's all in today's program.

Several years ago, during the convocation of the newly-admitted medical school class at Harvard Medical School the Dean admitted that half of what they will be taught would ultimately be proven to be false -- he just didn't know which half. That appears to reflect the current state of medicine regarding recommendations about screening for prostate cancer -- the second leading cancer in American males. The United States Preventive Services Task Force (http://www.uspreventiveservicestaskforce.org/uspstf12/prostate/prostateart.htm#discussion)has just released recommendations suggesting that PSA-based prostate cancer screening for healthy men not be performed, thus reversing a long-standing medical policy. This has triggered a maelstrom of emotional responses, controversy and misunderstanding. Tune in for an informative discussion to help make sense of what you've been hearing in the media. I also discuss a novel approach (still in the research stage) that could revolutionize treatment for severe allergies, new ways to prevent an array of neurodevelopmental disorders such as ADD and ASD (Autistic Spectrum Disorder) and a new link between Celiac Disease and osteoporosis. Today's shorter program is fast-paced and very informative.

It can be pretty easy to lose weight ... the same 15 pounds, over and over again. Just like it's easy to stop smoking. As Jonny's dad said, "I've done it 20 times!" Once you've lost the weight, the difficult part is keeping it off. Dr. Jonny Bowden (http://www.jonnybowden.com/)believes the secret to weight-loss success lies between your ears. We all know what is good food, how much to eat and what to avoid. The hard part is doing the right things consistently, day in and day out, especially when we are constantly being bombarded with eating triggers on TV, on line and in magazines and newspapers. The food manufacturers know what we crave and they package it appealingly and market it with billion dollar marketing budgets. So, what can we do to fight back? Jonny tells us in his new program Unleash Your Thin (http://naturalhealthsherpa.com/unleash/video/webinar-replay/5109)where he discusses how the messaging we are bombarded with literally rewires our brains and makes it almost impossible to resist. The secret is knowing how to bullet proof our minds and achieve the slim self we all desire. To hear about the 150 healthiest foods on earth and how to navigate our toxic food environment, please join me for a rollicking interview with Jonny Bowden.

We all arrive at that time in our life when we feel the need for contemplation about the decisions we have made and how our life has unfolded. Tumultuous events we encounter along the way can refocus the prism with which we filter future experiences. Nowhere is that more prescient than with my guest today -- Paul Okimoto. At a tender age he was plucked from his Japanese homeland and taken to San Diego, California shortly before the outbreak of WWII. He and his family were subsequently placed in an internment camp in Poston, Arizona (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Poston_War_Relocation_Center)where they spent three years. Mr. Okimoto describes these poignant memories and how they catapulted him off to college and then around the world. He reveals his unease with the opposite sex and how he used humor to defuse stressful situations such as childhood dates where he referred to holding hands as "promiscuous interdigitation." He learned to read at age 4 and was introduced to Tchaikovsky's Symphony Pathetique the same year. These events simultaneously launched his musical career and wanderlust. In his memoirs the reader is exposed to many glimpses of an unconventional lifestyle. Join Mr. Okimoto on his journey across Russia, through medical school in Bordeaux, for early morning educational training with a Palestinian mathematician and while careening through Amsterdam streets with crazed cabdrivers. Listen as Mr. Okimoto reflects on a life well-lived and what he would do differently if given a second chance.

As the Founder, President and CEO of Sierra Sciences (http://www.sierrasci.com/index.html), a bio-tech company in Reno, Nevada, he is in the process of doing just that. Seem unlikely? You wont feel that way after you hear what he has to say. Dr. Andrews views aging just as any other disease. He tells you why he feels that way and has data to back him up. The Nobel Prize for Medicine or Physiology in 2009 was awarded for work done on telemore (http://www.sierrasci.com/telomere/index.html)biology. This is the same field we will be discussing today. You'll soon see why it has the potential to turn back the hands of time as well as cure cancer and a host of other chronic diseases. You'll even hear how the ability to lengthen telomeres might enable AIDs patients to live normal lives. Sound too good to be true? Only if you've never heard Bill Andrews (http://www.sierrasci.com/staff/bill.html)explain how close he is to solving these difficult problems. George Clooney just celebrated his big 5-0 and he said his current aspiration is to be AARP's Sexiest Man to Still be Alive! We all want to live long and healthy lives. Listen today to learn how to take the first step!

Liz Taylor developed a brain tumor. Suzanne Somers had breast cancer. And Farrah Fawcett had colon cancer. At some point in our lives one third of us will have to walk in their footsteps. And we'll have to decide what is the treatment that we believe has the best chance to make us cancer free ... and live, or die, with that decision. Sandra Miniere (http://www.co-creativecoach.com/)did just that. She is now a 10-year breast cancer survivor who was told shortly after surgery that they "didn't get all the cancer." Listen to her tell about the journey that took her from coast-to-coast and hear about how she "hit the jackpot" on her trip to "the cure." She reveals how a psychic enabled her to realize what was important, get in touch with her body and realize that she had to heal herself if she was going to beat her cancer. Her training as a life coach (http://alightersidetocancer.com/)helped guide her, but nothing fully prepared her for having to say "No" to one of her doctors. Join us and gain insight into a courageous woman's fight for her life.

Imagine classrooms filled with happy learners. Children anxious to stand up and discuss what they just read. Movement, energy and enthusiasm. At GALSCHOOLS (http://www.galschools.org/index/GALS_Home.html)(Girls Athletic Leadership Schools) they call it their brand of active pedagogy. And if standardized testing is any measure of success, they are succeeding! After only their first year, they rank in the top 18% in the Denver Public Schools. Based on new research, exercise and movement facilitate learning and at GALSCHOOLS they take both seriously. Not only that, but imagine a school where eating in class is allowed ... because the brain needs fuel for optimal learning. According to Liz Wolfson (http://www.galschools.org/index/Founding_Team.html), Founder of GALSCHOOLS, young girls need more fruits and vegetables in their diets to more effectively fuel the creative learning environment the school fosters. It's not just the kids who move, there are frequent runs with the teachers leading the pack. It is their job to ignite learning in their students so that the kids take charge of their lives and naturally evolve into community leaders. The passion for learning starts at the top with Liz and permeates the teachers, assistants and students. Come join us for a far-ranging conversation where nothing is off limits. Find out how learning is enhanced by Zumba classes, bouncy balls in computer lab and children playing electrons as they fly around the nucleus.

Now that you understand the critical difference between brain activity and true brain training, and have read the SharpBrains 10-point guide to choosing the best brain-training tool for you, the next step is to find out what the choices are. That will be covered in this week's edition of Brain-Body Breakthroughs. CEO and co-founder of SharpBrains (http://www.sharpbrains.com/), Mr. Alvaro Fernandez, will be discussing the top brain-training tools in the fields of general cognition, memory and learning, enhancing focus in ADHD and even how to improve your driving skills. He goes on to provide perspective on brain-training as an additional resource in the rehabilitation after traumatic brain injury and stroke. We all live in a stressful world and brain-training can be a useful tool to help us unwind, relax and chill out. We'll be mentioning the best tools for that purpose as well. So, please join us for a stimulating program that is sure to expand your mind! And if your brain still needs more stimulation and challenge, go to the SharpBrains website and check out their interactive 3-D brain (http://www.healthline.com/human-body-maps/brain#3/5).

We all know that physical exercise is good for your heart, your brain and your well-being. But what can you do beyond physical exercise that is good for your brain? What really is brain training? And who should care the most about it? Those are the topics of today's program. If you did five weeks of aerobic training with a one week refresher course one year and three years later, do you think your body would still be reaping benefits from it five years later? Probably not, since the benefits from such physical exercise only last a brief period of time. But when researchers looked into what a similar time investment in brain exercise provided they were able to detect a beneficial and persistent effect on brain function five years later. WELCOME TO THE BRAIN FITNESS REVOLUTION! This week we will be talking to Mr. Alvaro Fernandez (http://www.linkedin.com/in/alvarofernandez), co-founder of SharpBrains (http://www.sharpbrains.com/) and co-author of . He is also the teacher of the brain health course at the University of California-Berkeley. If you want to glimpse the newest trend in brain health and learn about the exploding world of brain training, please join us for an exhilarating discussion. You'll learn about the critical difference between mental activity and mental training, video games and brain-training tools, how to choose among the various products on the market, how to improve your driving skills more effectively than taking a driving course, and even hear about programs that facilitate recovery from strokes and traumatic brain injuries (TBIs). And you can do all of this from the comfort of your own home.

For an elderly person who has a hip fracture, the mortality rate is 20-50%. Osteoporosis (http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmedhealth/PMH0001400/) is no laughing matter. Yet, many indivisuals are not aware of how they are jeopardizing their bone health or what to do about it until it is too late. Gwyneth Paltrow (http://topcelebrityheadlines.com/gwyneth-paltrow-has-vitamin-d-deficiency-might-develop-osteoporosis/ )is vitamin D deficient and has osteopenia. So anyone can be at risk. And it is well-known that she has followed many extreme diets over the years that may have contributed to her current bone health crisis. Not alone, Britt Eckland (http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/health/5004992.stm)has osteoporosis and has been encouraging public awareness of the condition. This program is designed to educate women (and men) about metabolic bone disease -- what is it, how the skeleton evolved into the multi-functional organ it is, why early bone health is important and how adolescent children are at risk for the same type of "fragility" fractures post-menopausal women experience. Join us to hear more about vitamin D, learn about the newest bone-forming supplement, find out how your diet might be sabotaging you and what you can do about it -- and should be doing about it as soon as possible. If you smoke, find out another reason why it is mandatory that you stop! You'll even learn how a woman can lose 10% of her skeletal calcium in six months ... at age 30! This is not a program that you can afford to miss!