STEP ONE
First step is to eat well, which many people do not do. Some general guidelines include:
• Eat whole foods, rather than processed foods.
• Reduce/eliminate refined sugar and refined carbohydrates (white flour, pasta, white rice).
• Eliminate/ reduce fried foods and junk foods
• Reduce wheat
• Increase intake of fruits and vegetables
• Drink more water

STEP TWO
However, even if one eats relatively well, there are still other problems that occur.
A major problem is the fact that often food is not properly broken down into small particles where it can be absorbed from the small intestine into the blood stream. This is because many today do not have the proper amount of digestive enzymes, especially hydrochloric acid (HCL) in the stomach.

This lack of HCL is also a major cause of reflux or GERD.
The widespread use of proton- pump inhibitors such as Nexium, Prilosec, Prevacid, Acifex and Protonix , while sometimes helping to relieve symptoms, do not correct the underlying cause of reflux. Worse, these often have serious and damaging long- term consequences. (More of this in future newsletters)

STEP THREE
Even if food is properly broken down, many people still have malabsorption problems. Where they are unable to absorb these small nutrients from the digestive tract into the bloodstream, to be carried to each of our over 12 trillion cells. Why is this? Often the lining of the small intestine or colon becomes irritated or inflamed, for various reasons, and simply does not work properly.

Hence, we get labels such as “ irritable bowel syndrome”, “colitis”, “intestinal permeability”, “leaky gut syndrome”, and “Crohn’s Disease”. All of these problems can usually be greatly improved and often eliminated, provided one finds a doctor that can address the true underlying causes.

STEP FOUR
Even if the small nutritional particles make their way into the blood stream, they still must get to the part of the body that needs them and across the cell wall into the cell. Each of our cells is like a little person, where nutrients must be able to get in and waste products must be able to get out. Very specific “carrier-nutrients” are needed to carry and transport the essential nutrients to the proper cell location and then across the cell wall.
A good analogy for this idea is: the highways (blood stream) can be full of trucks carrying food, yet this does not guarantee they will get to my street (the part of the body that needs it) or then through my front door and into my kitchen (across the cell wall).

An important example of this is: Many people today, especially women, are taking large amounts of calcium in an effort to prevent osteoporosis. Yet, if there is not enough of the proper omega- 3 fats, calcium will not be absorbed into the bone cells and often will actually become harmful, as it deposits in the arteries (heart/ stroke problems) or into the joints (arthritis).

Many people today have problems in some or all of these areas, with negative impact on their health. If you, or anyone you know, suffers from constipation, very hard or soft stools, gas, bloating, reflux, heartburn, indigestion, abdominal pain/ cramps, there are definitely problems in these areas that need to be addressed.

Most things do not get better on their own. The longer problems exist, the deeper they go and the more difficult they are to correct. This greatly increases the risk of chronic conditions and disease.

For further info, please go to my website www.holisticnyc.net. As always, feel free to call us to discuss any health issues at 212-223-8683.

“The body heals itself in a sure, sensible, practical, reasonable, observable, predictable manner…. This recovery potential needs the hand, the heart, and the mind of a trained individual.”

Dr. George Goodheart, Founder of Applied Kinesiology

This widely used term really means anything that creates a disturbance in our system. This includes the daily demands of living in New York (e.g. job pressures, finances, family, relationships), environmental toxins (e.g. air pollution, pesticides, herbicides, harmful effects of electronics), physical stressors (e.g. pain, trauma, physical activity) strong emotional reactions (e.g. anger, worry, depression) and insomnia (e.g. lack of sufficient, refreshing sleep).

How stress affects us: We have precise mechanisms for dealing with stress, centered around the adrenal glands and their production of cortisol and DHEA. In acute stress situations cortisol levels rise, then return to normal once the stressor is removed. Cortisol is a vital hormone that affects virtually every system in the body, especially for providing energy and for anti-inflammatory benefits.

However, the very things that make cortisol wonderful also makes it devastatingly dangerous when the levels are too high or too low for prolonged periods of time. High cortisol levels are a major factor in many conditions including heart disease, diabetes, insomnia, depression, chronic fatigue syndrome, obesity, lowered immune system, irritable bowel syndrome, ulcers and colitis, osteoporosis, thyroid disorders and fibromyalgia. Very low cortisol levels are even more dangerous as they predispose us to autoimmune and degenerative diseases. Common symptoms for cortisol imbalance include cravings for salt, sugar, and carbohydrates, mood swings and irritability, fluctuation in energy levels throughout the day, a feeling that the daily demands of life are overwhelming, insomnia and increased abdominal fat.

There are three levels of stress. The good news is that it is now possible through recent advances in testing to determine exactly which level you are at. The even better news is that once we have your exact stress level we can tailor an individual program to reverse or eliminate the harmful effects of stress. Certainly proper diet, regular exercise and efficient stress management can help to lower stress levels. However, for many people this is not enough. Very specific, targeted nutritional supplements, formulated to lower cortisol levels, are needed. A daily multi-vitamin will not do the job.
I want to emphasize two areas of concern for so many of my patients: 1) weight gain, especially in the abdominal fat pad which is so difficult to lose, even with diet and exercise 2) A wish to strengthen their immune system and resistance to colds, infections and the flu as winter approaches. Addressing the cortisol connection to stress along with our holistic approach will get the job done for most people.

For further info on how to relief and better deal with your daily New Yorker stress, please go to my new website NewYorkHolisticHealthCare.com. As always, feel free to call us to discuss any health issues at 212-223-8683.

“The body heals itself in a sure, sensible, practical, reasonable, observable, predictable manner…. This recovery potential needs the hand, the heart, and the mind of a trained individual.”

» Dr. George Goodheart, Founder of Applied Kinesiology

One study found that children eating more than 12 hot dogs per month have nine times the normal risk of developing childhood leukemia. A strong risk for childhood leukemia also existed for those children whose fathers’ intake of hot dogs was twelve or more per month.

Another study found that children born to mothers who consumed hot dogs one or more times per week during pregnancy has approximately double the risk of developing brain tumors. Children who ate hot dogs one or more times per week were also at higher risk of brain cancer.

» A third study found that maternal consumption of hot dogs during pregnancy was associated with an excess risk of childhood brain tumors.

Hot dogs contain nitrites which are used as preservatives, primarily to combat botulism. During the cooking process and possibly within the stomach, nitrites combine with amines naturally present in meat to form carcinogenic N-nitroso compounds. These compounds are known carcinogens and have been associated with cancer of the oral cavity, urinary bladder, esophagus, stomach and brain.

Not all hot dogs on the market contain nitrites. Because of modern refrigeration methods, nitrites are now used more for the red color they produce (which is associated with freshness) than for preservation. Nitrite-free hot dogs, while they taste the same as nitrite hot dogs, have a brownish color that has limited their popularity among consumers. When cooked, nitrite-free hot dogs are perfectly safe and healthy.

There is a lot a person can do such jogging or walking in the morning, playing basketball or any other sport with friends but if a person wants to have muscles and look lean, the best thing to do will be to sign up and workout in a gym.

Just like taking any medicine, one should first consult the doctor before undergoing any form of exercise.

Physical exercise is beneficial because it helps maintain and improve ones health from a variety of diseases and premature death. It also makes a person feel happier and increases ones self esteem preventing one from falling into depression or anxiety. It has also shown to make a person with an active lifestyle live longer than a person who doesn’t.

The best exercise plan should have cardiovascular and weight training exercises. This helps burn calories and increase the muscle to fat ratio that will increase ones metabolism and make one either gain or lose weight.

A person who has never worked out before should do it gradually. Doing it too much for the first time can make one pull a muscle or have an injury making it worse. Endurance will never be built in a day and doing it repeatedly will surely be good to the person.

Focusing on certain portion in the body can help make it improve. A good example is going to the gym and doing a workout more often in a specific area such as the abs can give one a chest pack.

But beauty is not only about having muscles which is what people can see. It is also about enhancing the beauty within.

Here are some things one can do everyday to stay beautiful and healthy;

· Reading books and other reading material more often keeps the mind sharp just like working out keeps the body in shape.

· Work no matter what kind it is produces stress. One can reduce this by taking the time out to do something special like lying in a hot tub, shopping or watching a movie. Studies have shown it is reliever and helps one from looking haggardly.

· Pollution is something people cannot control given the size of the problem. When one goes out, it is best to put some form of protection such as beauty products that contain antioxidants that protect the skin from damage. There are also other beauty products available and choosing the right one with the help of a dermatologist can help the person.

· Another way to stay healthy is to give up some vices. Most people smoke and drink. Smoking has been proven to cause lung cancer and other diseases as well complications for women giving birth. Excessive drinking has also shown to do the same.

· For people who don’t smoke, it is best to stay away from people who do since studies have shown that nonsmokers are also at risk of developing cancer due to secondary smoke inhalation.

· Lastly, it is best to always start the day with a positive outlook. Just as studies have shown that exercise makes a person feel happier, smiling produces the same effect. A smile can do a lot and it is contagious in a positive sense. It brightens the day of not only one but others as well.

Germs Don’t Cause Sickness… Lowered resistance does!

There are trillions of germs everywhere. Inside the body- outside our bodies, yet when our immune system, our resistance is strong, we fight off virtually everything. If the “germ” causes the flu, cold, infection, sinusitis, etc. then everyone who was exposed to it would “go down”, but as you know, this is not the case. Some do, others do not.

Why?
The most important question with any cold/flu/infection is one word: Why? Why didn’t the immune system fight this off? Why is there lowered resistance? We specialize in answering this question. It is almost always some combination of stress/energy depletions, toxins, microbes (especially mold, fungus, yeast, parasites) and nutritional deficiencies.

Good News!
We can discover and correct what is interfering with a strong immune system and also pinpoint the exact nutritional supplements the body wants to fight off the illness. The result is that people get better in a matter of days rather than weeks and have a strengthened immune system to resist subsequent illness.

We have many patients take advantage of this, and who no longer get sick at all during the winter months.

Sincerely,

cure found
Dr. Frederick MIndel

Anti-Aging Breakthrough

Aging is a process that takes place within every one of our 13 trillion cells. There is a new anti-aging product that came out within the past year, which is the best single nutritional supplement I have seen in 20 years as a Holistic Healthcare Specialist and certified Nutritionist. This product is a glutathione accelerator.

Most Powerful Antioxidant

Glutathione is a protein producted by every cell in our body- so important that no cell can live or function effectively without it. It is the body’s most powerful antioxidant, millions of times more effective than antioxidants such as vitamins C and E.

The problem is that increasing age, environmental toxins, mental/emotional/physical stress and nutritional deficiencies reduce our body’s production and utilization of glutathione. Research shows that glutathione levels decline by 8-12% per decade, beginning at age 20!

This new supplement is patented which is rare for a natural product, and requires rigorous scientific validation. Increased levels of glutathione have been shown to slow down the aging process and, strengthen the immune system, detoxify and improve liver function, and reduce the chances of developing cancer and other degenerative diseases. Our glutathione levels actually indicate our state of health and can predict longevity.

Great Patient Results

Many of my patients are on it with excellent results. The most common benefits are increased energy and stamina, improved focus, concentration and memory, better skin tone and elimination of blemishes and acne, elimination of arthritis-type pain and restriction of motion, and improved recovery time from exercise.

In my own case, I have lost 15 pounds, my blood pressure has returned to normal and certain skin blemishes have disappeared.

Of most importance to me, however, is the role of this product in slowing down the process of aging and in real preventative healthcare.

Unique
Simply taking glutathione will not work because the digestive system breaks it down and it cannot be absorbed.

What makes this patented formula unique is
1) it’s ability to synthesize glutathione within the cells, and
2) to recycle it so it can be used over and over.

How can I find out more?

If you would like to try this breakthrough product, which I definitely encourage you to do, or would simply like more information, call my office @ 212-223-8683 or email @ drmindel@earthlink.net.

Sincerely,

Dr. Frederick MIndel
Holistic NYC logo
212-223-8683

In this newsletter, I will be focusing on Acid Reflux, an ever-growing problem. We have much success with our holistic approach to this condition. I also want to introduce an extremely exciting and promising area, that of neurotransmitters (brain chemicals) and their relationship to hormones.

Sincerely,

Dr. Frederick Mindel

A HOLISTIC APPROACH TO ELIMINATING REFLUX

Acid Reflux is an ever-growing problem. Seven million people in the United States suffer from it. Acid Reflux, otherwise known as GERD (Gastroesophageal Reflux Disease) is a condition that occurs when the LES (lower esophageal sphincter) does not properly shut. This causes the stomach contents, comprised of both stomach acid and partially digested food, to splash back (reflux) into the esophagus. The esophagus is extremely sensitive and even small amounts of stomach contents can cause major discomfort. This results in a variety of symptoms that range from heartburn, difficulty swallowing, a constant pressure in the area, regurgitation anywhere in the esophageal tube (including the throat), pain in the chest, hoarseness in the morning, trouble swallowing, feeling like you have food stuck in your throat, the feeling of choking or tight throat, dry cough, bad breath, and excessive clearing of the throat.

The Conventional Medical Approach
This approach is based on two central premises:

1. “No one knows why people get GERD” as claimed by the National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases.
2. The production or over-production of stomach acid is the problem.

It first recommends lifestyle and dietary changes. Lifestyle changes include eliminating tobacco and alcohol, losing weight if needed, eating small meals, wearing loose-fitting clothes, avoiding lying down for three hours after a meal, and raising the head of your bed six to eight inches. Dietary changes include eliminating citrus fruits, chocolate, caffeine, fatty and fried foods, garlic and onions, mint flavorings, spicy foods, and tomato-based foods.

When symptoms persist, which they usually do, drugs and medications are prescribed. These generally fall into three categories: Antacids (e.g. Alka-Seltzer, Maalox, Mylanta), H2-Blockers (e.g. Tagamet HB, Pepcid AC, Zantac 75), and Proton-Pump inhibitors (e.g. Prilosec, Prevacid, Nexium), which are the most prevalent today.

Antacids mop up stomach acid whereas H2-Blockers partially suppress, and Proton- Pump inhibitors completely suppress the secretions of Hydrochloric Acid (HCL). This approach, while only addressing symptoms and neglecting underlying causes (obvious – since if you stop the medications, all the symptoms come back), also has deleterious long-term effects.

HCL has critical roles in normal physiology. It is necessary to:

1. break down and digest foods,
2. prevent overgrowth of harmful microbes such as yeast/candida, parasites, and bacteria, which cannot live in an acid environment,
3. absorb minerals, especially calcium,
4. maintain a proper pH or acid-alkaline balance throughout the body.

More importantly, over time, people get sicker and sicker. There is an insidious progression from heartburn to GERD to Bartlett’s Esophagus (pre- cancerous cell changes) to stomach and esophageal cancer. An article reported in the New England Journal of Medicine by specialists at the prestigious Karolinksa Institute in Stockholm have reported heartburn as anything but harmless. In fact, it carries a high risk of evolving into cancer of the esophagus for which there is no cure.

The Holistic Approach

The rest of this article will address some of the underlying causes and their correction. Often, a number of them occur simultaneously and it is the cumulative effect, or total load, which results in the prevalent symptoms.

1. Nervous System Stress: Exposure to constant stress frequently leads to imbalances in the autonomic nervous system which is divided into the sympathetic and para-sympathetic nervous system. The para-sympathetic is involved in the repair, restoration, and healing of the body, and regulates such functions as digestion. Chronic stress creates a situation of sympathetic dominance with lowered para-sympathetic function. This results in a hyper, overly-stressed nervous system (“fight or flight”, or “wired but tired”) and interferes with all aspects of digestion and healing.

2. Lack of Digestive Enzymes, Especially HCL : The parietal cells of the stomach produce HCL which is critical to digestion, especially of proteins. The pancreas makes digestive enzymes that digest the different food groups, such as proteins, fats, dairy, starches, and sugars. HCL levels decrease with stress and with age. The presciption drugs listed above which in some cases completely suppress its production have disastrous effects. This results in partially digested foods, that just sits there and purifies, ferments, and becomes rancid. Also, proper signals to move it down the digestive tract are not given. This stretches, inflames, and irritates the LES, which prevents it from properly closing.

3. Microbes: There has been a huge increase in microbes in today’s world which are almost always involved in reflux problems. There are five main categories of microbes, which are virus, bacteria, parasites, mold, and yeast/candida. The last three, in my experience, are largely overlooked and not treated properly by the vast majority of health care professionals. Yeast overgrowth is extremely common today. The major reasons for this are over- consumption of refined carbohydrates, especially sugar, stress, antibiotic use, and birth control pills. Again, an insufficient acid environment allows for the overgrowth of these microbes. We usually see two or more microbes present at the same time. Properly addressing them, which requires specific nutritional therapy, often has great positive results.

4. Food Allergies: There are both overt and hidden food allergies, which are a major contributor to reflux, and other digestive symptoms. Besides the common offenders such as milk, wheat/gluten, corn, eggs, and peanuts, there are many other foods that an individual may have sensitivities/allergies to. There are numerous ways to test for food allergies, some more effective than others. I find kinesiological (muscle testing) to be the most effective, least invasive, and most cost-effective. Whatever method you decide to use, this area must be addressed.

5. Structural Imbalances: These often contribute to reflux, especially the diaphragm, which is a strong thick muscle that separates the chest cavity (where the esophagus is) from the abdominal cavity (where the stomach is). It frequently becomes extremely tight, in spasm and/or develops adhesions which keep a constant upward pressure resulting in the stomach being pressed up against the diaphragm muscle. Also, the entire ribcage can become misaligned creating abnormal gas/pressure, irritation, and inflammation. Often, simple adjustments to release and free up these structural imbalances alone reduce or eliminate the symptoms of GERD, especially gas, belching, burping, and pressure.

6. Improper Diet: In her book, No More Heartburn, Sherry Rogers, M.D. recommends “cutting out the C.R.A.P.” (meaning cigarettes, coffee, refined sugars, alcohol, aspirin, pop, and processed foods). Many people realize the harmful effects of these things. What is not so clear to many is the great harm done by processed and refined foods. Refined foods (e.g. sugar, white bread, pasta) are stripped of most all of their original nutrients. Processed foods are changed from the natural form found in nature to unnatural forms, which besides lacking vital nutrients, range from being difficult to nearly impossible to digest and results in irritation, inflammation, and malabsorbtion. The basic principle to follow is to eat only foods that spoil, but eat them before they do.

7. Other Beneficial Nutrients:
A) Hydrochloric Acid (HCL) and digestive enzymes (already discussed).
B) Aloe Vera (soothing, healing properties)
C) Glutamine (acid/base balancer)
D) Deglycyrrhizinated Licorice (DGL) (increases protective mucus-secreting cells)
E) Cabbage (cleanses mucus membrane of the stomach)
F) Slippery Elm (soothes mucus membranes)
G) Okra (relieves irritation of the digestive tract)
H) Glandular Support (repairs damaged cells)
I) Bismuth (inhibits Helicobacter Pylori)
J) Ox Bile (promotes enzymatic digestion)

There are two additional additional modifications I recommend. Since digestion begins in the mouth, thoroughly chewing food is extremely important. Also, do not drink liquids with meals, as it can dilute digestive enzymes.

The more these different areas are properly addressed, the deeper the corrections and the better the results. In most cases, there is great improvement not only of acid reflux, but also of overall health and well-being.
Read on…

NEUROTRANSMITTERS

Many of you know that I continually search out and study the latest new breakthroughs in natural healthcare in order to provide the most effective approach to achieve and maintain optimal health. I’m extremely excited about two seminars I recently attended given by cutting-edge “enlightened” M.D.’s. It involves the inter-relation between neurotransmitters (brain chemicals) and hormones. This is an integrated system and imbalances or depletions here have deep and wide ranging effects on health.

In brief, neurotransmitters are divided into excitatory (e.g. Epinephrine, Norepinephrine, and Glutamate) and inhibitory (e.g. Seratonin, Gaba). It is estimated that 70% of us are low in inhibitory neuro-transmitters resulting in chronic stress, which is a major contributor to depression, anxiety, insomnia, ADD/ADHD, fatigue, and weight gain (especially the “abdominal fat pad” around the middle). There is now new hope for these debilitating problems. Who doesn’t know someone suffering from one or more of these symptoms?

Neurotransmitter status can now be easily evaluated with a simple urine test, and stress hormones with a saliva test. They can usually be balanced with targeted nutritional therapy, including amino-acid precursors to the neurotransmitters. This has major positive effects. More to follow in future newsletters.

Spring is in the air and as we shed our winter layers and get ready to spring clean our homes we need to also think of our bodies. This issue is dedicated to weight management, cleansing and detoxification.

Enjoy the sunshine,
Dr. Frederick Mindel

A Holistic Approach to Weight Loss

Over the years, we have found that most people must take a holistic approach to weight loss to successfully lose and keep off excess weight. As many of you know this is not easy! WHY? Because there are a number of different areas involved. It is not as simple as just diet and exercise. This newsletter will take a look at some of these areas.

• Energy depletions: A critical factor in weight loss is to have enough of the right kind of energy. We all know when our energy is low. Fatigue and slow metabolism clearly interfere with weight loss. Most people however don’t realize that too much “stress energy” (sympathetic nervous system) rather than “healing energy” (parasympathetic nervous system) leaves one feeling “wired but tired”. Both types of energy depletions must be corrected.
• Microbes/Toxins: Microbes are yeast, mold, parasites, bacteria and viruses. Toxins are both waste products from digestion and from the environment. Both of these severely affect weight loss and must be eliminated. One result here is excess water retention, especially in the belly area.
• Nutritional Deficiencies: We cannot emphasize enough that nutrition, both diet and vitamins, is more complicated than most people realize. Specifically for those trying to lose weight it is critical to pinpoint and individualize nutritional needs. Many of the bio-chemical processes involved in weight loss require very specific enzymes and co- factors in order to work. Vitamins need to be converted to their active form in order to be effective. It is not what you take, but what your body utilizes.
• Hormonal Imbalances: These are extremely common today and must be corrected for proper weight management. The bottom line here is two things: Hormonal Imbalance 1) decreases the burning of fat and increases the storage of fat, specifically around the “abdominal fat pad” and 2) results in excess water retention often so difficult to eliminate. There is a complex and delicate balance among all of the hormones, especially the stress hormones (cortisol), sex hormones (estrogen/progesterone in women and testosterone in men), sugar handling hormones (insulin) and the brain chemicals (neurotransmitters). The level of each hormone and the balance among them is critical to weight management and often the missing link. We have extremely effective techniques for balancing hormones naturally.
• Mental/Emotional Stress: Most people recognize that there are mental, emotional and psychological issues with food, overeating and weight loss. There are techniques available such as Body Talk, Neuro-Emotional Technique and Total Body Modification, which are quite effective at pinpointing these emotional issues and lessening their negative effects.
• Nervous System Interferences: This is the most overlooked area in healthcare today. The nervous system controls every function in our body. When some of the “programs” that regulate metabolism and fat burning are out of synch, weight loss becomes quite difficult until these programs are “reset”.
• Structural Imbalances: There are a number of important ways this affects weight loss. Obviously, if one experiences muscle aches and pain this can interfere with a proper exercise program and weight loss will be negatively affected. What is not so obvious is that structural imbalances like tight muscles and adhesions restrict blood circulation and lymphatic flow. This results in increased fluid retention, toxic buildup and cellulite.

We have seen considerable success with our holistic approach in both losing weight and keeping it off.

A FAT Loss Program

We have two specific weight loss programs that we frequently use. One is a more gradual approach and the other is an accelerated fat loss program where most people lose between 5-12 pounds of body fat in the first week. The key success of this program is that you will lose actual body fat rather than muscle mass or water weight like so many other weight loss plans. With this program you will revitalize your body as you eliminate toxins and decrease fat. It is one of the healthiest and manageable programs on the market. You will lose your weight through effective cleansing and exceptional nutritional support and have increased energy during and after the program.

The Beauty of a Bath

Many of you are familiar with the liquid baths we use. They are the single best product I have ever come across in 20 years of searching for the most effective ways to improve health.They are great at pulling toxins out of the body. This is especially important for weight loss because one of the main ways the body “contains” toxins is to surround them with fat. Therefore if you do not get rid of the toxins you will not get rid of the fat. As you eliminate toxins fat goes with it. I encourage you all to experience these baths for yourself.

Was one of your New Year’s Resolutions to be healthier this year? If so, The Natural Choice monthly newsletter can help you achieve your goal. Have friends with the same resolution? Pass this newsletter on to them.

In good health, Dr. Frederick Mindel

Germs Don’t Cause Disease…
runny nose

Our immune system is a complex and miraculous system that is responsible for protecting us against infections. Most people think that “germs cause disease” yet this is not really the case, lowered resistance does. There are millions of germs all around us, both inside our bodies and in the environment yet when our immune system is strong we will fight off almost everything.

What decreases our immune system? An imbalance in any of the 8 areas,which comprise a holistic approach (see left sidebar) can interfere with the immune system. This is why balancing the whole person is so important and effective.

I will emphasize a few important facts about immunity as related to these areas: 1. Chronic Stress: which results in elevated levels of the adrenal hormone cortisol, often throws the immune system into choas, signaling many immune system cells to simply shut off or stop working. 2. Multiple Microbes: In almost every case of colds, flu’s and infections we find the presence of at least two, often three types of microbes, which include viruses, bacteria, parasites, molds, fungus and yeast. We also frequently find sensitivity/allergy to food, pollen and other airborne antigens as well as heavy metal accumulations which lower immunity and must be properly addressed. 3. Precise targeted nutritional supplements are a vital part of a fast recovery process. I have studied for over 20 years to find the most effective nutritional remedies to insure a strong immune system. Many of these are combination products with multiple ingredients because the synergistic effects are much more powerful then using single products such as Echinacea, Golden Seal or Vitamin C. With muscle testing we can quickly identify which supplements are needed to boost the immune system most effectively.

I am happy to say we have many patients who no longer get sick at all during the winter months. And those who do, get sick much less frequently than before and recover much more quickly and often dramatically, often 1-3 days instead of 1-3 weeks. I strongly encourage you to come in for a real immune system evaluation and strengthening. This is true prevention for the winter months.

Do You Have Food Allergies??

One of the most overlooked things in nutrition is allergies and sensitivities to food. Many people don’t even know they have food sensitivities. Often, some foods we crave and eat all the time are having a negative effect on our health.

Through muscle testing, which is fast, accurate and non-invasive (unlike many ‘conventional’ allergy tests) we can quickly pinpoint food sensitivities. We use a method called ‘allergy desensitization’, which involves stimulating acupuncture points with a cold laser. This ‘resets’ the body so it is no longer sensitive or allergic to a particular food. Usually, a person needs to abstain for only 2-3 weeks, after which time most people can go back to enjoying most things.

This state-of-the art technique is extremely effective. For many, this greatly improves digestion, helps decrease skin problems, eliminates fatigue, strengthens the immune system and aids in weight loss.

Patient Case History

# Patient – Male, early 40′s
# Occupation ‘ Opera Singer
# Problem – Constant Sinus Infections
# Symptoms: excessive mucous production, fatigue, weight gain,post nasal drip, congestion, inflamed nasal passages and coughing.
# Previous Treatments: For over 12 years was given shots, antibiotics and steroids. 15 rounds of antibiotics and steroids in the last 2 years. Saw a variety of internists, ENT’s, allergists and rheumatologists. He was told by 3 doctors surgery was his only chance.
# Treatments from Dr. Mindel: Reduced chronic stress (high cortisol), balanced essential fatty acids, liver detoxification, eliminated yeast (candida) and parasites and general immune strengthening.
# Outcome: All symptoms elliminated in 4 weeks. He no longer takes any prescription or OTC drugs and was spared painful surgery.