Newsletter - December 9, 2008

December 9, 2008 - In this Issue

Cancer Rates (and Deaths) in U.S. are Falling
by Terry Grossman, M.D.
Old Drug, New Use, LDN
by Michael Catalano, M.D.
Breast Cancer Really Does Regress Spontaneously
by Terry Grossman, M.D.
Gluten Sensitivity: Common and Underdiagnosed
by Lolita Hanks, Family Nurse Practitioner
Finding Inspiration Through Respiration
by Karen Kurtak, L.Ac., Dipl.Ac.
Keeping Up the Balancing Act
by Diane Henry, Personal Trainer

Cancer Rates (and Deaths) in U.S. are Falling
by Terry Grossman, M.D.

For the first time cancer rates are dropping in the United States according to a comprehensive study of cancer in the U.S. and the decrease in cancer deaths previously seen has decreased further as well. Government experts feel the reason is due to improved screening – in particular, for breast cancer through mammography and for colorectal cancer with colonoscopies. The continued decline in the number of people who smoke was also felt to play a critical role as 30 percent of cancer deaths are due to smoking and the good news is that smoking rate has dropped below 20 percent.

We still have a ways to go, however, as cancer remains the second leading cause death of Americans, second only to heart disease with over 500,000 deaths due to cancer each year. Even though the cancer death rate has been falling since 1991, until recently, cancer occurrence has continued to increase. The most important finding of this report was that the overall incidence of cancer has finally begun to fall as well – for the first time since recording began in the 1930s.

New cancer cases in men fell 1.8 percent and for women fell 0.6 percent. Among men cancer death rates fell 1.5 percent per year from 1993 to 2001 and a further 2 percent per year between 2001 and 2005. Among women, the cancer death rates fell by 0.8 percent per year and 1.6 percent over the corresponding periods.

The report was published in the Journal of the National Cancer Institute and focused on the three most common cancers in men - lung, colorectal and prostate -- and the two most common types among women - breast and colorectal.

All the news was not so good, however. Death rates for esophageal cancer for men, pancreatic cancer for women and liver cancer for both sexes increased.

Old Drug, New Use, LDN
by Michael Catalano, M.D.

FMI practices “integrative medicine”, endeavoring to combine the best features of conventional and alternative medicine. Sometimes that means using a conventional drug in a safe and effective-but unconventional-way. This report describes one such case.

A 36-year old elementary school teacher from the midwest consulted us for multiple sclerosis, which she has had for 8 years. Her ongoing symptoms of muscle weakness and fatigue have worsened, or relapsed, on 3 occasions, all during times of emotional stress. She reduced her workload last May because of severe fatigue. Her mother had severe MS and the patient feels very negative about the complications her mother experienced during conventional MS treatment, including severe skin ulcers.

She read about taking “low dose naltrexone” (LDN) for MS and asked us to consider it for her. Naltrexone is an old drug developed for treatment of heroin overdose; it antagonizes the actions of narcotic drugs. More recently, integrative medicine physicians have used it in very low doses (about one tenth the dose for heroin overdose) to treat diseases like MS, inflammatory bowel disease, rheumatoid arthritis and fibromyalgia, all “autoimmune” conditions in which the immune system seems to attack the patient’s own body. It seems to help these conditions by getting the body to make more endorphins, morphine-like brain chemicals which help the immune system into more balanced function.

After 3 months on LDN she reports less nerve pain, more energy and better stress management. She is back to full-time 4th grade teaching.

For more information about LDN which is being used with a wide variety of diseases ranging from autism to cancer to Crohn’s to rheumatoid arthritis, visit the LDN Info website

Breast Cancer Really Does Regress Spontaneously
by Terry Grossman, M.D.

Dr. Per-Henrik Zahl of the Norwegian Institute of Public Health in Oslo and Norwegian and U.S. colleagues examined invasive breast cancer rates among nearly 120,000 women aged 50 - 64 who had mammograms every two years over a six-year period.

These women were compared with a group of 110,000 Norwegian women of the same age and similar backgrounds who were screened just once at the end of the six-year period.

The researchers expected to find no differences in breast cancer rates but actually found 22 percent more invasive breast tumors in the group who had mammograms every two years.

This suggests that many cancers disappear naturally, according to Dr. Zahl, in an article in the Archives of Internal Medicine.

Most European women have mammograms every two years after age 50 except for in Britain where it is every three years, while The American Cancer Society recommends that women get an annual mammogram beginning at age 40.

American Cancer Society estimates are that 1.3 million new cases of breast cancer are diagnosed worldwide each year and that about 465,000 women die.

Gluten Sensitivity: Common and Underdiagnosed
by Lolita Hanks, Family Nurse Practitioner

A 2005 article in the Journal of Gastroenterology, noted “Celiac Disease is one of the most common lifelong disorders worldwide.” (Fasano, A., Clinical. Presentation of celiac disease in the pediatric population. Journal of Gastroenterology 2005; 128:4:S68-73.) The above statement is shocking. The realization that the current number of Americans and Europeans that cannot tolerate gluten is estimated by the Celiac Sprue Association and The Gluten Intolerance Group of North America to be one out of 133 people These estimations are most likely on the low end given the wide variety of emotional, physical and/or neurological symptoms associated with gluten intolerance or celiac disease and the low rate of diagnosis.

Celiac disease is a digestive disorder that causes the body to attack the small intestines when wheat/rye/barley and/or spelt products are consumed. These grains contain a protein called gluten. Symptoms vary widely and can include: fatigue, mood disorders, diarrhea/constipation, poor growth (in children), hair loss, neurological problems such as seizures, impaired concentration and/or memory loss, anemia, mouth ulcers, abdominal pain, bloating, infertility, anxiety, depression, bone pain, weakness, liver disorders and/or malnutrition issues such as osteoporosis. Many who suffer from autoimmune disorders have gluten sensitivity as well.

Gluten sensitivity can be difficult to diagnose, as the expression of sensitivity can be found in organs other than the digestive tract. Medicine has and continues to view this disorder as an intestinal problem. Following that mindset, most tests look for intestinal damage. This leads the practitioner to the wrong conclusion if the disease process is not affecting the gut. As we learn more about this problem, it is becoming increasingly clear that it can damage other organs. The median time for diagnosis is estimated between 8-11 years with a patient seeing at least five different physicians before diagnosis. There are long term consequences to gluten intolerance as it can over stimulate the immune system causing systemic inflammation in the body. Intestinal lymphoma, autoimmune disorders and premature death can result from a chronic state of inflammation if an affected individual continues to consume gluten in light of having an intolerance. This happens often as many patients are undiagnosed or misdiagnosed.

At Grossman Wellness Center, we strive to provide our clients with cutting edge medical information, testing and technology. A new test can determine if a person is forming antibodies to gluten – a hallmark of celiac disease. This a noninvasive test utilizing saliva. Another option is diet elimination, but, it is important to work with an integrative health care practitioner if you suspect that you are gluten intolerant.

Finding Inspiration Through Respiration
by Karen Kurtak, L.Ac., Dipl.Ac.

Modern Western society has risen and thrived around the idea of “doing” and “accomplishing”. Those of us who have grown up inside this paradigm are always looking to the next thing we are going achieve. Reflecting upon Ray Kurzweil’s Law of Accelerating Returns we look back on human history and can see the pattern of our achievements in which we are now approaching the “knee of the theoretical curve”. However, like the rhythms in everything that is a part of our world, we must consider the curves within the curve. -the constant dance between light and darkness; the natural cycles that are driven by it.

Many of humankind’s greatest minds found their inspiration not by “doing” but by “being”. By allowing inspiration to come, these moments of genius have brought creative and profound change to our species from the beginning of time. Think back on your life to times like these that you’ve had. When you sank into a single moment with a sudden certainty and understanding that wasn’t there the moment before. These times often come when we allow ourselves to open up and “be”, if only for a second.

For those of us living in the northern hemisphere, we are approaching the winter solstice, the darkest time of the year. Think about what is happening to everything else on this part of the Earth. Everything is going inside itself, slowing down, resting more. It’s a time of regeneration. There is darkness, silence and solitude. In Traditional Chinese yin-yang theory we are approaching the most yin time of year. Like the trees that put all their resources in the ground to be able to bloom again in the spring, we have the same opportunity with our bodies and with our minds.

How do we allow some of the stillness to enter our lives so we can make room in ourselves for new inspiration? One way is through respiration. When we focus on our breath we bring ourselves back to the very fundamental rhythms that encompass all of nature which we are a part of.

Below are several simple, effective breathing and meditation exercises that help you to tap into the parts of yourself that can bring about inspiration.

For those of you who have taken up residence with your PC or Mac there is a great meditation and napping program called Pzizz. www.pzizz.com

Any amount of breathing or meditation exercise can be life-changing. Like anything, the more you practice the easier it becomes. When you start out it can often takes several minutes for the mind to calm down enough to become present. For some people it takes several sessions. It is recommended that you allow yourself at least twenty minutes or the amount of time it takes for you to notice a shift in the activity of your mind. You will absolutely know when you achieve this. For anyone who finds it very difficult to focus on your breath, you might consider simply doing nothing for a few minutes per day.

Exercise 1: First, sit or lie comfortably with your eyes closed. Inhale deeply through your nose into

your upper chest. Exhale somewhat forcefully through your mouth. Try to focus completely on the process of breathing. Repeat this part 10-15 times. Second, inhale and exhale slowly through your nose into your lower abdomen (the area below your naval). As you do this, allow your tummy to naturally rise and fall.

Exercise 2: This one is a little more challenging but with practice you can gain a new appreciation and understanding for your body. Sit or lie comfortably with your eyes closed. Take a few deep breaths to get centered and relaxed. Exhale deeply and allow your body to inhale on its own. Practice allowing your body to breathe on its own, as if you are an observer, watching a child breathe as he or she sleeps. The more you practice this, the more you will relinquish your need to feel the illusion of control. Enjoy!

Exercise 3: This meditation is a little more active and can be helpful if you find that you have difficulty focusing on your breath. It has the additional benefit of activating the parasympathetic nervous system. This part of the nervous system is normally more active when you are calm. It brings increased circulation to the digestive system, promotes relaxation, calms the mind and enables sexual function. It also enhances healthy weight loss in the abdominal area, balances neurotransmitters and promotes cleansing of the intestines. It’s exceptionally helpful for people with chronic constipation.

Instructions: Stand with your feet shoulder width apart and your knees slightly bent. Place your hands on the lower abdomen below the naval bringing your attention to this area. Breathing naturally while exhaling, pull the lower abdomen in, imagining that you are trying to touch your naval to your spine. Then, exhaling, press the abdomen out as far as you can. Repeat 50-200 times. The repetitions can be done fairly quickly averaging about 1 every 3-4 seconds. You can also do this exercise or lying down.

[Note: The first few times you do this exercise you may experience more gas and more frequent bowel movements. This is a very good sign and should resolve after a couple of days.]