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just ask terry

Just Ask Terry - July 16, 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. “Terry, my husband and I live in Arizona. My husband suffers from COPD and Valley Fever. Is there anything you can suggest that can help him with energy? We prefer natural products whenever possible. He takes only one prescription for COPD, the rest is natural supplements. But he really needs more energy so any suggestions you might have would be appreciated.” —Sugee A. Queen Creek, AZ

A. Dear Sugee, First I would like to describe COPD and Valley Fever for those readers who may not be familiar with these conditions. COPD refers to Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease, a disease of the lungs. The symptoms include coughing, mucus, shortness of breath and wheezing. Valley Fever is an infection caused by inhaling spores from a fungus that is often found in desert areas. There are a wide variety of symptoms, which can be mild or severe, including cough, fever, muscle aches, wheezing, and joint stiffness.

Since your husband is under a doctor’s care for a chronic condition, and taking a prescription medication for his COPD, I encourage you to discuss your desire to add more natural products to his daily routine to make sure there is no reason he should not do so.

To help reduce any inflammation in the lungs, I suggest a combination of curcumin and boswellia. Although research in COPD is just getting underway, there are preliminary studies that have found that curcumin is helpful in reducing the inflammation of the lungs that can make COPD symptoms worse. Boswellia has been helpful in other inflammatory lung conditions, including asthma, and together curcumin and boswellia provide potent anti-inflammatory and antioxidant effects. Two things to keep in mind when choosing products: make sure the curcumin has excellent absorption and this is proven in published human studies (curcumin is notoriously hard to absorb) and make sure the boswellia has an AKBA standardization of more than 10% AKBA. There are some excellent combination products on the market. To help clear out mucus and keep airways clear, try thyme and ivy. Both have been found in research studies to ease congestion in the lungs and help expel mucus. Keeping the lungs clear of mucus improves air exchange, which improves oxygen absorption, which improves energy! I suspect that when your husband is breathing more easily he will have more energy. But one additional suggestion is to try chemotyped essential oils, specifically, a combination of the oils of pine, spruce and thyme. These natural energizers, taken at breakfast, can help give him a daylong boost without caffeine or artificial stimulants. Best of luck, and thank you for taking the time to write to me.

Q. Dear Terry, “I’m taking two prescription medications (Crestor and Tricor) to lower my cholesterol and triglycerides. However, my triglyceride levels are still high. I take my medications as directed, I eat a healthy diet, but nothing seems to work on triglycerides. Do you have any suggestions for me?” —Tom H. Eau Claire, WI

A. Dear Tom, I suggest you take two things – Indian Gooseberry (also called Amla) and omega 3 fatty acids. Indian gooseberry provides excellent results for reducing both cholesterol and triglyceride levels. Some experts feel that to get the best results for cholesterol and triglyceride reduction you should take 1,000 mg at night, just before going to sleep. Also, there are many studies showing the benefits of omega 3 fatty acids for reducing triglyceride and cholesterol levels. I recommend taking omega 3 fatty acids from salmon, naturally bound to phospholipids, which you can find in a tablet form. The advantage to this type of omega fatty acid supplement is that the absorption is increased up to 50 times over regular fish oil supplements, and the purity is vastly superior. Therefore, you only need one or two tablets a day instead of spoonfuls of fishy tasting oils. Although I am not aware of any negative interactions between these ingredients and the medications you are already taking, I always recommend keeping your doctor informed of any supplements you may be using.

Q. Hi Terry, “I am wondering if my sister can take the pain-relieving ingredients you recommend – curcumin, DLPA, boswellia and nattokinase. She has a lot of chronic pain, plus depression and anxiety. She is taking some prescription medications (methadone for pain and Effexor XR for anxiety). I’m concerned about interactions with these medications.” —April M. Indianapolis, IN

A. Dear April, I’m sorry to hear about the health challenges your sister is facing. I am not aware of any contraindication between the pain-relieving ingredients I recommend and the medications your sister is currently taking. I would also suggest she try a combination of natural plant adaptogens which can help bring her body and mood back into balance. I like to use rhodiola, ashwagandha, eleuthero and schisandra. If fact, I take these in a daily formula myself, and find they provide me with increased energy and a better mood. In case your sister is interested in herbs that target anxiety, there is a very new supplement on the market that was developed in Hungary at the Academy of Science in Budapest. It is a unique and special form of Echinacea angustifolia root extract designed to specifically target receptors in the brain to calm anxiety. It is very low dose—only 20 mgs—but in scientific studies, it performed very well, and results were noted on the first day of use, continuing to improve over time. But of course, make sure she tells her doctor about any supplements she may be using. No general advice can replace the oversight of the physician under whose care your sister has placed herself.

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