Just Ask Terry

Just Ask Terry - February 12, 2010

Terry is happy to provide his opinion on diet and nutrition, supplements and lifestyle choices. This information is for educational purposes only. It is not meant to replace the advice of your physician and is not to be considered medical advice, diagnosis or treatment. Should you have any concerns please contact your physician directly.

Q. Hi Terry. “I am 42 years old and didn’t realize how fast age can creep up on you. I love to go out and play with my kids on the weekends, but by the end of the day, they have kicked my butt. Is it just age or is there something I can take to reduce the soreness and aches and pains from my weekend activities?” Ron H, Grand Rapids, MI A. Dear Ron: Well, of course, as we age we are going to feel the effects and will not perform as we did when we were 20. Everything starts to slow down and we notice those subtle changes of the aging process. But, I have good news for you that I think will help you enjoy your outing with the kids on the weekends. Curamin is an all-natural, safe and effective, pain relieving formula for muscle pain due to overuse and excessive exercise. I know this products works fantastically as I use it myself. If you want to learn more about Curamin, go to www.Curamin.com.

Q. Terry. “My grandmother has lots of aches and pains that the doctors have not found a solution for but said she just has to live with it. She is 74. Have you come across anything naturally that would help her?” Lois D, Toledo, OH A. Dear Lois: There have been many studies on reducing aches and pains using a blend of natural substances which have the ability to reduce inflammation and therefore the ensuing pain. I would suggest looking for a combination of curcumin, boswellia, DLPA (amino acid) and nattokinase (enzyme). There have been very good studies on all four ingredients to justify the use for reducing pain and inflammation, but when using all four together, they are much more effective than any one individually. It comes down to the sum total is greater than the individual parts. For best results, I would look for this combination at your local health food store.

Q. Hi Terry. “I just had a physical with my physician and he prescribed two medications, one for high blood pressure and one for high cholesterol. He advised me to discontinue any vitamin supplements I was taking as he said they were dangerous and all I was doing was “peeing them out.” I didn’t know how to answer the doctor, but I really hate to give up my supplements. I think they’ve been helping me but I’m concerned with his negative advice.” — Jennifer T, Rochester, MN

A. Dear Jennifer: I’m glad you didn’t ask me my opinion of the prescription drugs. I have a real difficult time understanding the need to prescribe medications for high cholesterol because no one has any confirmed, controlled studies that has determined exactly what is high cholesterol. Not to belabor this answer, I will leave the cholesterol question for another time. I will, however, address your doctor’s negative advice concerning taking supplements. Your doctor should also have told you to give up eating if you’re going to give up your supplements, since supplements are just highly concentrated therapeutic food supplements. In fact, the FDA has classified them as dietary food supplements. If you can eat food, you can take most supplements. Also, please keep in mind that by taking medications, you may well increase the need for certain nutrients, particularly vitamin C, B complex, potassium, etc. It is now well known that oral contraceptives increase the need for the B complex group of vitamins. Drugs like sulfasalazine used to treat colitis, depletes folic acid. Just plain old aspirin depletes nutrients like vitamin C and folic acid. Diuretics commonly deplete the body of many minerals, especially potassium. These drug-nutrient depletions are well know and described in both medical and pharmaceutical literature. A good resource is by a well-known pharmacist and is called the Drug-Induced Nutrient Depletion Handbook (Lexi-Comp, 1999) by Ross Pelton, Ph.D., C.N.; James B. LaValle, N.D., C.N., D.H.M.; Ernest B. Hawkins; and Daniel L. Krinsky. There are several online information sources that contain this information as well. In fact, there are several studies that have shown that certain vitamins and minerals have a supportive and enhancing effect on prescription drugs. Vitamin C, for example, has been found to enhance the benefits of many drugs, including those used in chemotherapy. Niacin and vitamin B3 enhance the benefits of cholesterol-lowering medications. There is a tremendous amount of positive research surrounding the use of supplements. After 40 years in the health food business, I’ve witnessed more healing from natural supplements than I could ever record. Regarding the “peeing out any supplements,” I would say to that comment, “Great!” When you eliminate by urination (“pee out”) an excessive amount of supplements, that is a positive sign that your body is saturated with the nutrients it needs. If you did not “pee” any supplements out, more than likely your body would be short of the supplements you need! Putting in less is not going to accomplish the mission of good health. You can put the best gas in your car, but if you only put in one gallon, you will not travel very far. You need to put in an excess of gas to make sure you arrive at your destination. So, don’t worry what you “pee out,” be happy with what you retain. If you are unsatisfied with your doctor’s lack of support regarding natural interventions, you may think about looking for a physician who is open minded to the use of dietary supplements. They often call these “Integrative Medical Practices” because they integrate the best of both worlds, and they are one of the fastest-growing areas of medicine. Natural medicines and supplements will do no harm but plenty of good, and they are far from dangerous. Non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDS) are the cause of 16,500 deaths annually in the US, and may be responsible for up to 100,000 hospitalizations annually for stomach and intestinal bleeding. And according to A1 Drug Facts and Statistics, aspirin use and heroin use kill about the same number of people each year. And the annual numbers of people who die in hospitals from the negative effects of drugs (and this comes from the Journal of the American Medical Association) are over 106,000. Deaths from herbs and vitamins? Zero annually!

Healthy regards!

Terry . . . Naturally

Q. Dear Terry, “I have very active sinus drainage. The phlegm collects around and on my vocal chords, which causes very bad voice consequences. I have virtually no voice until this material, which is super sticky, gets coughed out or swallowed. Over this last year I have stopped all soda and any other caffeine and carbonation sources. I’ve been drinking massive amounts of water for about 6 months, but I still run into problems. Very often a natural cough drop will loosen this material so it can be expelled. At the same time, my mouth gets so dry I can’t speak. I sing and read out loud, so this problem is very disquieting.” Jack O, Green Bay, WI A. Dear Jack: First, you need to determine if your excessive sinus drainage is from an illness. If your doctor has ruled all this out, I would highly recommend for anyone who experiences excessive sinus drainage to eliminate wheat and all gluten bearing grains along with dairy products. This does not include eggs and butter. I have two favorite formulas that I like to recommend for people who want to improve the structure and function of their sinuses. SinuCare is a wonderful blend of eucalyptus oil and oil of myrtle which are soothing and comforting for the mucus membranes of the sinus cavities. I would also suggest using Bronchial Clear which supports the structure and function of the sinus cavities as well as the bronchi. Bronchial Clear is a blend of ivy extract and thyme.

Q. Terry, “I really enjoy your weekly info and spiritual advice. My 74 year old brother-in-law in Ireland has prostate cancer. At one time you’d recommended someone (a doctor or naturopath or?) in Ireland or Europe but I lost the name? Are there EuroPharma prods in Dublin? What do I look for? Thanks.” Frank A. Dear Frank: I’m sorry to hear that your brother-in-law is challenged with prostate cancer. I would recommend that he contact a wonderful holistic physician in the UK, Dr. Jan De Vries. You can contact him at the following website, www.jandevrieshealth.co.uk. As for product recommendations, always check with your healthcare practitioner to combine his current treatment with supportive dietary supplements. That said, I would highly recommend that your brother-in-law support his prostate function for the best of good health with a prostate specific formula that includes saw palmetto, zinc, lycopene, selenium and pygeum. I would also recommend adding iodine, as it is an important mineral for the health of prostate cells. Usually 12.5 mg to 50 mg of iodine per day is a recommended dosage by holistic physicians. BCM-95 is a clinically studied, highly absorbable and potent curcumin which acts as a natural anti-inflammatory and antioxidant . BCM-95 can be found in a select number of quality curcumin products.

Q. Hi Terry. “In one of your features on Natural Solutions, you gave a look out for a formula that helps children with concentration and focus. Do I mix this with water and give every day or every week? Thanks.” Regards, Sandra, Kildare, Ireland. A. Dear Sandra: Well, top of the morning to you. It’s good to hear that we’re reaching the far corners of the world! My passion is to help as many people as I possibly can to improve the quality of their lives. There is a wonderful formula that can support children as they grow to have a better focus, concentration and calmness in their lives. The formula that I would highly recommend is called Berry Calm Kids. It’s in capsule form for oral use. If there is a difficulty swallowing capsules, the capsules can be pulled apart and the contents put into yogurt, applesauce or your favorite nut butter. Follow the directions on the label. You will find such a product in a good health food store, natural pharmacies and from holistic practitioners. We have a wonderful, dear friend in the UK who distributes EuroPharma/Terry Naturally products. He can be contacted at www.jandevrieshealth.co.uk.

Q. Hi Terry. “I’ve been suffering from acid reflux and gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD) for many years. I take omeprazole, 20mg to help relieve the symptoms of the coughing and throat clearing. I periodically go on a detox diet for 20 to 30 days just to get off of the med, however after two or three weeks the coughing begins. I’ve tried DGL as well as Mastic Gum 500 but it doesn’t seem to work. My doctor, as usual, said I just have to face the fact that I will have to be on omeprazole for the rest of my life….any advice on what to do? Thanks.” Tom A, San Rafael, CA A. Dear Tom: I totally disagree that you will have to be on acid blockers the rest of your life because I have personally witnessed many people like yourself who have had superior results with a natural approach. I encourage you to talk with your doctor and see what he/she thinks of using the following protocol to get your problem under control. I am sure you will be extremely happy with the results. First of all, the drugs you are on completely block your hydrochloric acid and greatly reduce the activity of certain digestive enzymes that are required to break down all minerals and protein. Over time, you will increasingly have problems absorbing protein and minerals. To improve your digestion naturally, use the following combination in softgel capsules; 450 mg of d-Limonene and deglycyrrhizinated licorice (DGL) root extract. Also add to your daily intake, Betaine HCL, 10 grains per capsule. Any good brand is fine. Take 1 capsule at each meal to start, and if feeling better but not 100%, try 2 capsules each meal thereafter. If at any time you feel warmth in your stomach after taking your capsules, reduce your dosage at the next meal. Experiment a bit and you will find a dosage somewhere between 1-3 capsules per meal will work for most. These types of formulas are available in all good health food stores. This problem actually occurs because you do not have enough healthy digestive acids in your stomach. This protocol will correct that. Let me know how you’re doing!