Not Antibiotics – There are Alternatives
This is the first in a series of articles about alternatives to common pharmaceutical medications.
There are situations when antibiotics are necessary and sometimes life-saving. Severe infections of the nervous system, kidneys, blood, and lungs require antibiotics. But common respiratory and ear infections, for example, do not need antibiotics. Most of these are caused by viruses anyway, so antibiotics will have no benefit. And antibiotics can cause significant adverse health effects, including setting the body up for future infections. Antibiotics kill off beneficial bacteria that discourage infections. Antibiotics also have a suppressing effect on the immune system, especially whilte blood cell productions and the body’s own ability to fight infection. In addition, overuse of antibiotics and exposure to antibiotics through the food we eat has led to bacterial resistance. Then antibiotics are ineffective in fighting infections and we have to move to stronger antibiotics with even more side effects.
A better way
A much better solution is to use antiviral and antibacterial herbs and supplements to fight infections. So at the first sign of a virus take a Chinese Herbal Yin Chiao (pronounced “chow”) formula. There are also children’s liquid versions of this formula (Children’s Clear and Release by Golden Flower and Yin Chiao Jr by Health Concerns and). Windbreaker by Kan Herbs is a similar formula. Black Elderberry (Sambucus nigra) is also an excellent antiviral and safe for children. It is available in liquid extracts for children. Echinacea is sometimes helpful to stimulate white blood cell production as well. These are all available at many health food stores or on the Internet.
For any infections take liquid silver, vitamin C (children can take Emergen-C powder, vitamin A (10,000-50,000 IU), and increase your vitamin D to at least 10,000 IU (children can take 4,000-5,000 during infections).
Use homeopathic Belladonna pellets for any type of acute inflammation and infection, whether it’s a fever, red sore throat, earache, or skin infection. If colds develop with congestion then switch to Pulsatilla. And for flus with chills, aching muscles, and extreme tiredness take Gelsemium. Homeopathic medicines are always safe for children as well.
Stock up on these supplements for the winter season. Keep them available and start taking them at the first sign of infection.
Dr. Neustaedter’s Presentations
These presentations were delivered by Dr. Neustaedter. The notes are available here as reference for attendees.
Cabo – Holistic Pediatrics for Parents (ppt)
Cabo – Immune System (ppt)
New Year’s Note
For everyone – I hope your new year has gotten off to a great start and your resolution is to achieve optimum health this year through healthy eating and exercise. I have plans to continue sending regular health guides to you about breaking news and easy alternatives to treat illness and create good health. Watch for the new series about alternatives to drug treatment starting later this week.
For patients – I will be out of the country, lecturing in Mexico next week. If you need any supplements or medicines before then, come into the office.
I wish you all a wonderful year filled with the best of everything. And I will be there to help you achieve your goals.
Thanking Your Doctors
At this time of year when we give thanks and gifts I would encourage everyone to thank their favorite practitioners by writing a Yelp review and sending them a testimonial. This is an excellent way to guide other health care consumers to find practitioners they can trust. Many people are finding it hard to justify spending money on health care, but they are also seeking holistic care in unprecedented numbers. You can encourage them by recommending practitioners you rely on for your own health care. Writing a Yelp review is one of the best ways for you to express your thanks and ensure that your high opinion of your trusted medical providers is communicated to others.
Your holistic doctors need your support, whether they are chiropractors, acupuncturists, naturopaths, or holistic physicians. Your massage therapists, midwives, nutritionists, personal trainers, coaches, and everyone on your health care team need to hear your thanks and gratitude.
The holistic health care movement is a groundswell of monumental proportions. But make no mistake, the full power of the pharmaceutical industry aligned with the FDA and government health committees have no love for your access to holistic care, natural remedies, or nutritional supplements. Your access to these forms of treatment is constantly threatened. Legislation, FDA rulings, and international laws are all being designed to limit your ability to seek alternative care. We all need to join together to preserve everyone’s access to holistic medicine and make sure that the field thrives. All of us can support the holistic medical world by opposing legislation that promotes only the conventional medical model.
Support your own health care practitioners. Take a moment to write a Yelp review that will guide others to the best sources of health care outside the allopathic medical world. You know who those practitioners are. You have researched the best providers for yourself and your family. Share that information with others and help build others’ support network in their quest for health and the best medical care for their families.
For my patients you can write a Yelp review by clicking on the following address. Send it to me as well and I will post it on my website also.
http://www.yelp.com/biz/neustaedter-randall-omd-lac-redwood-city
How the Mighty (Cancer Screening Tests) Have Fallen
Three of the most widely used screening tests in medicine have taken a hit lately and been cast into disfavor or abandoned.
Prostate Cancer
The Prostate Specific Antigen (PSA) test has been condemned as useless in saving lives and accused of leading to unnecessary surgical interventions. This test, which had previously been popular as a screening tool for prostate cancer in men over 50, is now reviled. It not only does not reveal cancers that lead to loss of life, but it leads to unnecessary biopsies and surgeries that can result in impotence and incontinence. It is no longer recommended.
Breast Cancer
Mammograms have also run aground amidst accusations that they cause the very problem they are intended to prevent – breast cancer. The radiation risk from repeated mammograms puts women at a higher risk of getting breast cancer, not a very good trade-off when alternatives are available. And mammograms too lead to aggressive treatment which may not be necessary in many cases. A better testing tool is breast thermography, which detects heat changes from abnormal tissue growth. Thermography does not involve any exposure to radiation.
Colon Cancer
And now colonoscopies have been questioned as well. An editorial in the Nov. 9, 2011 issue of the Journal of the National Cancer Institute suggests that colonoscopy as a screening tool has not been adequately investigated for benefits and harms. Colonoscopy is expensive and prone to overdiagnosis and overtreatment as well. The primary result of colonoscopies is the removal of benign polyps, which are not cancerous. A better strategy, these authors suggest, may be to screen for blood in the stool with a simple test and perhaps perform limited flexible sigmoidoscopy before recommending a full colonoscopy. The strategy of screening for blood and performing a sigmoidoscopy has been shown in controlled studies to reduce mortality from colorectal cancer, but no additional benefit has been shown from performing an additional colonoscopy.
True Prevention
Perhaps our focus should shift from unproven, expensive, and invasive screening tests to a strategy of prevention with supportive measures. Certainly limiting alcohol and tobacco use are proven methods of reducing cancer risk. Avoiding known carcinogens in the form of petrochemicals in household products, pesticides in foods, and skin care products (soaps, shampoos, moisturizers, deodorants) makes sense. Eating a primarily whole foods diet with minimal amounts of processed food products will provide essential vitamins and minerals. A diet focusing on plenty of fresh fruits and vegetables along with clean, preferably organic protein sources is ideal. A program of regular exercise is also essential for maintaining a resilient immune system.
Supplements
Vitamin D supplementation is probably the most important single measure for preventing these cancers. A sensible strategy is to take 5,000 IU of vitamin D3 per day and then testing 25-hydroxy vitamin D levels to make sure this an adequate dose. Levels should be in the range of 40-100.
Taking antioxidant supplements is another preventive measure that can help avoid abnormal tissue growth and the deleterious effects of aging on cells. A potent antioxidant program could include resveratrol, alpha lipoic acid (or r-lipoic acid), astaxanthin, Coenzyme Q10 (CoQ10), and n-acetyl-cysteine (a precursor of the body’s own antioxidant glutathione). Taking a high quality multi-vitamin supplement can also supply the cofactors necessary for detoxification and prevention of oxidation in the body’s tissues, supporting healthy organ function.
