Jan Michael | Mark Moxom

Should I Stop My Statins?

by Jan Michael | Jan 8, 2014 | General Health, Health organization, Research | 0 comments

You’ve probably heard of Lipitor, Zocor, and Crestor. You may even be taking one of these cholesterol-lowering drugs, which are known as statins. They are the most commonly prescribed medication, and for years, they’ve been touted as the best way to manage cholesterol.

Now, top Harvard cardiologists are questioning current cholesterol guidelines. The data to support this claim isn’t as solid as we thought, and we are now seeing that statins can cause some serious side effects, such as:

Muscle pain, damage, and aching
Mitochondrial damage
Type 2 diabetes
Neurologic problems such as memory loss
Sexual dysfunction

In fact, researchers are now learning that mistakes were made in previous studies, prompting doctors to prescribe statins to patients who really didn’t need them. And this is a dangerous mistake to make, because statins come with some serious risks. Morecardiologists are speaking out.

We used to think that there were very few side effects associated with this drug, but the truth is, up to 20 percent of statin users have experienced serious side effects like muscle pain, damage, and aching or high muscle enzymes. Statins can also poison your mitochondria, which are your cells’ energy-production factories and the single most important factor in healthy aging and wellness. Statins can hinder the mitochondria’s ability to produce energy effectively and can even kill cells off completely.

In one study, two groups of overweight, sedentary people were put on an exercise program for 12 weeks. One group was given a statin and the other group wasn’t. After 12 weeks, the group that had been taking the statin saw no improvement in their fitness level. It was as if they hadn’t exercised at all! In fact, when muscle biopsies were performed, doctors found the members of this group had four and a half percent less energy-production capacity in their cells. They were actually in worse condition than before they started the exercise program!

This is quite serious. I believe, in the next 10 years, we’re going to see a backlash against statins. In fact, we’re starting to see it already. We’re seeing now that they may not benefit everybody we thought they would. And we’re seeing that there are some serious risks involved. So, stay tuned for more on this.

Watch Dr. Hayman’s video here

Most People Know That Soda Leads To Weight Gain — But Not How Many Calories Are In Soda: Study

by Jan Michael | Jan 7, 2014 | Artificial Sweeteners, Sugars | 0 comments

Even though it’s widely known that soda can contribute to weight gain, the majority of adults don’t actually know how many calories are in a bottle of soda, a new study reveals.

The research, published in the Journal of the Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics and based on data from 3,926 adults, shows that eight in 10 adults — 84.4 percent — know that sugar-sweetened beverages can promote weight gain. However, nearly the same percentage of adults — 81 percent — did not know (or inaccurately stated) the number of calories in 24 ounces of soda. (There are 251 to 350 calories in a 24-ounce soda).

In addition, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention researchers found that knowledge about sugar-sweetened beverages and weight gain, as well as the calorie information of sugar-sweetened beverages, differed by sex, household income, education level and race.

Paleo diet for 2014?

by Jan Michael | Jan 6, 2014 | Diet, High Fat Diet, Natural food | 0 comments

What is the diet you should be following in 2014? It might be the paleo diet, the most googled diet of 2013. But what is it exactly? The paleo diet endorses eating foods similar to those hunter-gatherers consumed about 2.5 million years ago, during the Paleolithic era. According to Dr. Loren Cordain, one of the world’s leading experts on the natural human diet, it entails eating the foods of our hunter-gatherer ancestors, such as fresh meats, fresh fruits, vegetables, and healthy oils, such as avocado and olive. According to his research, hunter-gatherers were able to avoid obesity, cardiovascular disease (heart disease, stroke, high blood pressure, congestive heart failure, atherosclerosis), type 2 diabetes, cancer, autoimmune diseases (multiple sclerosis, rheumatoid arthritis, Crohn’s disease, ulcerative colitis, etc.), osteoporosis, acne, myopia (nearsightedness), muscular degeneration, glaucoma, varicose veins, hemorrhoids, diverticulosis, gastric reflux, and gout — all diseases and illnesses that have reached epidemic proportions in Western societies.

7 Tips to Beat the Post-Holiday Blues

by Jan Michael | Jan 3, 2014 | General Health | 0 comments

“It’s all over now, baby blue.” Bob Dylan may have been referring to the end of a love affair in that refrain, but it rings true for most of us after all the hoopla of the holidays. There is so much buzz, so much activity, during Christmas and New Year’s celebrations, that just the lack of action after January 1 is enough to cause some people anxiety, feelings of disappointment and depression.

If you’re one of those people who tends to succumb to the post-holiday blues, try simplifying your schedule and approaching the new year with a fresh anticipation of what’s to come. Rather than focusing on creating a set of resolutions or goals, choose one thing that you’d like to do differently or change about your life. Picking — and sticking to — one goal is easier than five or six.

In addition to simplifying your goals, here are some tips for boosting your energy, mental health, and overall outlook on life for the new year:

1. If your holiday schedule had you overlooking your support-group community, go back to your AA meetings or another group that will help you with addictions that might have been activated during the holidays. With the stress of Christmas and increased party attendance, several of my patients started drinking again. I have found this to be a common occurrence with those struggling with addictive behavior.

2. Assess the damage excessive holiday shopping did to your bank account and establish a new savings plan. Regaining a sense of financial control can boost your mental health and alleviate stress. If necessary, seek the assistance of a financial counselor or money manager.

3. Join a new health club or hire a trainer to get back in shape. If you found you gained a few pounds over the holidays, then embrace January as the time to take those pounds off. If you can’t afford a health club or trainer, get out and walk daily or walk up and down the stairs of your apartment house or office building. Exercise, even just 20 minutes several times per week, is one of the simplest ways to improve your mood and reduce anxiety.

4. If possible, plan a trip for January or February, and go to a place you haven’t yet visited. A change of environment does wonders for your mood and forces your brain to change. In my experience, just having to deal with new places can activate different parts of our brains, and patients often report that a change in scenery (or place) elevates their mood.