(828) 290-WELL (9355) Fitness – Nutrition – Lifestyle – 1825 Asheville Hwy, Hendersonville NC 28791

From FACT Website (March 4, 2010):

Leading experts argue that medical procedures really are the leading cause of death. This study only included properly prescribed medicines, not mistakes. Doctors were proven ten years ago to be the third leading cause of death in the United States, published in JAMA, 7/26/2000 by Dr Barbara Starfield.

This is vital information for patients and doctors to be fully familiar with, as only by knowing the dangers of mainstream medicine can patients form a fully informed consent to use Alternative or Advanced Medicine, as I call it. If they know how serious the side effects of proposed mainstream medicine is they will realize how “doctored” the claims for its benefits are. In other words, just like for mild to moderate depression antidepressants are virtually useless, still they carry serious potential for harm. Yet patients that we treat really improve and have virtually no downside, except there is no insurance coverage in USA for natural medicine, only for toxic medicine that can kill, while the drugs simply mask symptoms, never treating causes, but at least it is “covered”.

Garry F. Gordon MD,DO,MD(H)

President, Gordon Research Institute

On July 26, 2000, the US medical community received a titanic shock to the system, when one of its most respected and honored public-health experts, Dr. Barbara Starfield, revealed her findings on healthcare in America.

The landmark Starfield study, “Is US health really the best in the world?”, published in the Journal of the American Medical Association, came to the following conclusions:

Every year in the US there are:

• 12,000 deaths from unnecessary surgeries;
• 7,000 deaths from medication errors in hospitals;
• 20,000 deaths from other errors in hospitals;
• 80,000 deaths from infections acquired in hospitals;
• 106,000 deaths from FDA-approved correctly prescribed medicines.

The total of medically-caused deaths in the US every year is 225,000. This makes the medical system the third leading cause of death in the US, behind heart disease and cancer.

The Starfield study is the most explosive revelation about modern healthcare in America ever published. The credentials of its author and the journal in which it appeared are, within the highest medical circles, impeccable. Yet, on the heels of Starfield’s astonishing findings, although media reporting was extensive, it soon dwindled. No major newspaper or television network mounted an ongoing “Medicalgate” investigation. Neither the US Department of Justice nor federal health agencies undertook prolonged remedial action.

All in all, it seemed that those parties who could have taken effective steps to correct this mind-boggling situation preferred to ignore it.

You can read the full interview and commentary here:

http://drbloem.com/2010/03/04/medically-caused-death-in-america/

Last week I got the opportunity to give a health and fitness talk for the Rotary Youth Leadership Awards camp in Brevard NC.  This is my 3rd year in a row, and it is such a blast to talk to young people who are so enthusiastic about life!

I have some pictures to show you.  There were about 40 kids this year, all sophomores and juniors that have been chosen Regionally by their Rotary Clubs for their Leadership Potential.  Unfortunately since they are minors without photo releases I can’ really show you the crowd, but you can see some of the things I showed and some of the Camp Counselors are returning RYLA grads.

Every year I bring in some strongman toys as it really seems to get the kids engaged in the presentation.

This year I decided to use a small strongman tire to show some stunts, and the fact that they don’t need a gym membership to exercise – body weight and a tire is plenty!

The tire I brought was a small 300 lb size we use for cardio and ladies strength training.  I also showed how I use it to simulate the hip drive on picking up an atlas stone.

I talked about how much sugar and chemicals are in soda, sweet tea, and commercially produced fruit juices.

I was also tying the health and fitness information into the ethics and leadership theme through these 3 main areas:

Personal Responsibility

Self-Esteem

Leading by Example

If you don’t lead from the front, you aren’t going to be able to help others.  You must do what you are asking others to do 1st!

One of the kids asked me before the event if I could actually jump on top of the tire.

I said sure – I think =) …

As you can see, I Did make it!  Unfortunately my heel caught in the tread of the tire, and I proceeded to fall backwards and hit my head and back on the concrete – OUCH!

I heard a collective gasp, and everyone started asking me if I was OK?

No problem, the concrete is fine!  I said.

I finished my talk, but afterwards I had to sit down for a bit to allow my mild concussion to recede =)

Then we all headed up to the cafeteria for lunch, where I am happy to report that the kids (and adults =) were carefully scrutinizing their plates to see if they fell within the rules I had laid out for nutrition.  I was told this went on for the rest of the week.  It is great to have your message sink in and make a difference in people’s lives!

I got a thank you note from one of the young ladies at camp:

Mr. Hoffmaster,

My name is Stefanie, I was the one who volunteered to show the lunges, inch worm, etc when you came to RYLA. I appreciate you taking the time to come and speak to us, you were my favorite speaker that we had come through the week. You made many great points and I loved what you said about real foods and that they don’t have ingredients.

I hope the best for you, your book and your new gym. I hope i can continue to stay healthy and work out, and with what you said about foods I hope that I can follow your guidelines to what I eat.
Thanks Again!! -Stefanie

So cool that she took the time to write me!

I hope you found this interesting, and that you will become personally involved in improving the local community.  Developing life long leadership, health, and fitness habits in the youth is critical if America is going to overcome the obesity epidemic that it (and the rest of the world) is facing.

Please contact me if I can help your group or organization in anything related to health and fitness in the local area! Hendersonville, Flat Rock, Fletcher, Brevard, Mills River, and Asheville are all easy for me to get to.  I have set aside Tuesdays and Thursdays to help out my local community however I can.

Ginger may reduce the pain associated with muscle injury after exercising. This could offer athletes a natural pain reliever.  Both raw and heat-treated ginger reduced pain associated with muscle injury by about 24%.

According to NutraIngredients:

“The rhizome of the ginger plant (Zingiber officinale) is a rich source of antioxidants, including gingerols, shogaols, zingerones and other ketone derivatives … ginger’s pain reducing effects are biologically plausible with both in vitro and in vivo animal studies showing an effect of gingerols, shogaols, and zingerones on inflammatory compounds.”

Ginger has a long history of medicinal use, primarily for soothing nausea and easing stomach upset and dizziness. But it’s also a natural immune system booster with anti-inflammatory and pain-relieving properties — as this latest study confirms — and has even been found to promote cardiovascular health.

Ginger as a Natural Pain Reliever

In this double-blind, placebo-controlled, randomized study, the participants were given either two grams of raw or heat-treated ginger supplements, or a placebo, for 11 consecutive days. They then performed a strenuous exercise with a heavy weight to induce “moderate muscle injury” to the arm. Pain- and inflammation levels were assessed prior to the exercise and for three days afterward.

While both types of ginger produced good results compared to the placebo, the raw ginger was slightly more effective, reducing exercise-induced pain by 25 percent within 24 hours. The heat-treated form reduced pain by 23 percent.

Part of the explanation for ginger’s pain relieving properties is its potent antioxidant content, which includes gingerols, shogaols and zingerones. It is believed that these compounds have particular anti-inflammatory and analgesic properties similar to nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs).

Co-author Patrick O’Connor is quoted as saying:

“The economic and personal costs of pain are extremely high. Muscle pain generally is one of the most common types of pain and eccentric exercise-induced muscle pain specifically is a common type of injury related to sports and/or recreation, like gardening.

Anything that can truly relieve this type of pain will be greatly welcomed by the many people who are experiencing it.”

Yes, knowing that there are far safer options out there that cost a fraction of conventional painkillers is indeed a very valuable piece of information.

I’ve written extensively about the health dangers of NSAIDs such as Vioxx, Celebrex, and even common over-the-counter painkillers. The short- and long-term side effects of these types of drugs can cause far more suffering than the pain you’re trying to get rid of.

Other Natural Pain Relievers

Aside from ginger, there are several other natural products and strategies that can offer pain relief, including:

Boswellia: Also known as boswellin or “Indian frankincense,” this herb contains specific active anti-inflammatory ingredients.

Krill oil: The omega-3 fats EPA and DHA found in krill oil have been found, by many animal and clinical studies, to have anti-inflammatory properties that reduce joint inflammation and promote joint lubrication.  (You can get a great Krill oil supplement HERE)

Bromelain: This enzyme, found in pineapples, is a natural anti-inflammatory. It can be taken in supplement form, but eating fresh pineapple may also be helpful.

Cetyl Myristoleate (CMO): This oil, found in fish and dairy butter, acts as a “joint lubricant” and an anti-inflammatory. I have also used this for myself to relieve ganglion cysts and a mild annoying carpal tunnel syndrome that pops up when I type too much on non-ergonomic keyboards. I used a topical preparation for this.

Evening Primrose, Black Currant and Borage Oils: These contain the essential fatty acid gamma linolenic acid (GLA), which is particularly useful for treating arthritic pain. I personally prefer the use of GLA supplements from evening primrose oil but borage oil contains a higher concentration of GLA, which means you need fewer capsules, and it tends to be less expensive.

Cayenne Cream: Also called capsaicin cream, this spice comes from dried hot peppers. It alleviates pain by depleting the body’s supply of substance P, a chemical component of nerve cells that transmits pain signals to your brain.

Another pain relieving strategy that includes neither drugs nor supplements or creams of any kind, is to use an energy tool such as the Meridian Tapping Technique/Emotional Freedom Technique (MTT/EFT).

Many types of pain, especially chronic pain, can be the result of a disruption in your body’s subtle energy system, caused by unresolved emotions or emotional trauma.

Granted, emotional trauma may have little to do with the pain you experience after straining your muscles from vigorous exercise. However, if you suffer from chronic or other hard-to-treat pains, MTT/EFT may be something you’ll want to look into as this simple do-it-yourself technique has been shown to provide effective pain relief about 80 percent of the time — on everything from headaches to cancer pain.

Ginger – The BEST Therapy for Nausea and Morning Sickness!

Getting back to ginger, one of the most common traditional uses of this medicinal tuber is for nausea, including the morning sickness experienced by about 80 percent of pregnant women.

Ginger has been proven to be more effective in reducing nausea and vomiting in pregnant women than a placebo, and it also works just as well as vitamin B6, which can also improve morning sickness symptoms in pregnant women.

I believe it’s one of the absolute best therapies for nausea of any kind, and can even work on motion sickness as well.

However, last year NutraIngredients reported that the Finnish food safety agency, Evira, “recommended warning labels for ginger supplements, after its Risk Assessment Unit highlighted dangers for consuming them for pregnant women.”

“The assessment found that ginger food supplements, teas and drinking powders should be limited in pregnant women because elements in ginger may be harmful to fetal development if consumed in great enough quantities.” [Emphasis mine]

The warning label issued in Finland was not necessarily due to scientific evidence of harm, but rather implemented as a precaution.

I’ve previously stated that ginger is safe for consumption during pregnancy, and I still believe it is safe in moderation.

It’s worth considering that whole ginger root contains a variety of synergistic compounds. This natural synergy typically ensures that one compound in the food doesn’t “overtake” the others to inflict harm. It is rare for any type of whole food to be dangerous enough to not eat during pregnancy.

That is typically only a concern that arises when you extract individual ingredients or compounds from a food or plant source, which is done in drug development, and to a more limited extent for certain supplements.

That said, whole ginger can be consumed in a variety of ways, including:

My favorite way of using it is to cut off about a teaspoon worth, dicing it very fine and swallowing it with water. This is far more potent, inexpensive and effective than any other way I know of.

Cooking with it: Ginger tastes great lightly sautéed with other vegetables, meat, sesame oil, and a pinch of natural, unprocessed salt.

As a tea: Simply put a couple of thin slices into hot water. A little bit of raw honey can sweeten the otherwise “hot and spicy” flavor of the tea.

I’ve previously also recommended ginger syrup, which you can easily make on your own or purchase in most health food stores. However, knowing what we now know about the massively negative health ramifications of fructose consumption, I’d recommend avoiding this alternative and just stick to eating or drinking the ginger without loading up on unnecessary sugar.

Using a ginger syrup, which consists of about twice the amount of sugar to ginger, doesn’t make much sense in terms of overall health – especially if you’re drinking it regularly.

Added Boon: Ginger May Also Help Prevent Heart Disease

In the past decade, researchers have also discovered that ginger may benefit your cardiovascular health, including:

• Preventing atherosclerosis
• Lowering cholesterol levels
• Preventing oxidation of low density lipoprotein (LDL)

One animal study found that mice who received 250 micrograms of ginger extract daily experienced:

• 44% reduction in aortic atherosclerotic lesion
• 27% reduction in triglycerides
• 29% reduction in cholesterol
• 53% reduction in VLDL cholesterol
• 33% reductions in LDL (bad) cholesterol
• Reduced LDL oxidation and aggregation

As you can see, there are plenty of reasons to make sure you’re eating (or drinking) fresh herbs and spices such as ginger on a regular basis.

I finally got my 1st book published, and I have already sold a Bunch of copies!

How to Skyrocket Your Energy!  … and look and feel 10 years younger =)

So what I am about to do may seem a little strange to some of you.

I am going to GIVE Away the digital version of my book, with no strings attached of any kind!

Why would I do this?  I believe this information Needs to get out, and YOU need to read it.

The Universe is an Abundant place,

and I believe the more people I can personally help,

the more the Universe will help me in return.

You can simply click the link and download my book for Free – I just want to ask you for 2 favors:

1. You Actually Read it and Use the Information to Better Your Life
2. You Pass the Information on to your Friends, Family, and Co-Workers

My BELIEF is that we are all Personally Responsible for the Life we Choose to Lead.  Let me help you to find the answers to more Energy, Better Health, and Longer Life.  And then help others do the same.  Pay it Forward.  And leave me some feedback, please!

It is a pretty big PDF file, so be patient.

If you want a hard copy I have them for sale for $10, and if you haven’t already, please sign up for my weekly Fitness Now! newsletter, where you will receive fitness tips, healthy recipes, and support to Transform Your Life.

Americans consume close to 50 billion liters of soda per year, which equates to about 216 liters, or about 57 gallons per person. Mostly in the form of high fructose corn syrup (HFCS).   Tragically, high fructose corn syrup, in the form of soda, has become the number one source of calories in the United States, and it is very clear that it is the primary cause of the obesity epidemic.

A study in the British medical journal found that 12-year-olds who drank soft drinks regularly were more likely to be overweight than those who didn’t.

In fact, for each additional daily serving of sugar-sweetened soft drink consumed during the nearly two-year study, the risk of obesity jumped by 60%.  Just 1 extra can of soda per day can add as much as 15 pounds to your weight over the course of a single year!

At that rate, it’s no wonder more than 65% of all American adults struggle with overweight and obesity.

And those who drink diet soda are just downing another type of poison, as diet drinks contain artificial sweeteners instead of caloric sweeteners. They don’t do anything to curb the obesity epidemic since diet soda is clearly linked to obesity as well, but through different mechanisms.

Sodium Benzoate (a common preservative in soda) can damage your DNA, which eventually can lead to cirrhosis of the liver and Parkinson’s.

High amounts of sugar, and more specifically fructose increase your risk of Many Cancers, Diabetes, and Gout to name a few.

Fructose, as opposed to glucose, is particularly damaging to your body due to the way it’s metabolized. The entire burden of metabolizing fructose falls on your liver, which creates a number of waste products and toxins, including a large amount of uric acid, which drives up blood pressure and causes gout.

Likewise, it’s the difference in how your body responds to fructose that also makes it the leading cause of obesity.

Whereas glucose suppresses the hunger hormone ghrelin and stimulates leptin, which suppresses your appetite, fructose has no effect on ghrelin and interferes with your brain’s communication with leptin. The result is overeating, weight gain and ultimately obesity.

Your body can safely handle about 25 grams of fructose per day from fruit, and this is actually quite a lot of fruit.  But just one serving of soda or “fruit juice” can exceed this threshold.

Via: Online Schools