Is That Surgery REALLY Necessary?

One of the most common medical problems I’m asked to help with is low back pain.  Unfortunately, a high percentage of ACUTE low back pain is ignored or treated poorly and becomes CHRONIC low back pain.  Since our medical system is not geared to treat chronic conditions, many patients will eventually become “hooked” on pain medications while continuing to experience disabling pain, depression, anxiety, hyperirritability, fatigue and lack of motivation.  Eventually, the frustration or the patient and the doctor will lead the patient into the welcoming arms of the orthopedic surgeon, whose motto is “A chance to cut is a chance to cure.”

 

In 2008, more than 400,000 operations on the low back were performed in the USA.  The European Union has a population similar to the USA, and the number of low back problems is virtually the same.  In 2008, less than 12,000 operations on the low back were performed.  Guess what?  Their percentage of good results is higher than ours!

 

Let me tell you some of the deep, dark secrets of back surgery that the surgeons WILL NEVER TELL YOU.

• The latest fad in back surgery is to sell you on the merits of “minimally invasive surgery”.  The first large study comparing minimally invasive surgery outcome to conventional open surgery was published in the Journal of the American Medical Association in July 2009, and it showed that the results of the minimally invasive procedures were worse than those of open surgery.
• Surgeons tend to minimize the risks of low back surgery while over-promising good results.  However, all of the results that they discuss are the improvement seen during the first year.  THE DIRTY SECRET IS THAT BY THREE YEARS AFTER SURGERY, 90% OF ALL PATIENTS HAVE AS MUCH OR MORE PAIN THAN THEY HAD PRIOR TO SURGERY!

 

Well, what is the alternative?  Although the dream of the “instant cure” of surgery is incredibly tempting, the reality is that there is no “magic wand” to cure chronic pain!  As you know by now, all pain is due to inflammation.  Chronic inflammation becomes progressively worse and blocks healing.  Therefore, treatment must be directed first and foremost toward reducing inflammation, then toward healing the nerve damage that always accompanies chronic pain.  Livinity has the answer, but you also have to be part of the solution!  Here is the program that will help you and why it works:

            1.  Ice packs to the low back for 30 minutes twice daily.  Use high quality ice packs, such as Colpac, made by Chattanooga Medical Equipment.  Check with your local medical supply store or on the Internet.  Purchase 1-11″x14″ ice pack.  Wrap the ice packs in only one layer of thin plastic (such as Saran Wrap) and apply directly to the skin with no towel or clothing in between.  Ice packs are the single most effective method of reducing inflammation that you can use at home.

            2.  Perform the stretching exercises attached to this blog twice daily.  Exercise has proven to be effective in speeding the healing process.

3.  Livinity Relief Capsules 2 capsules three times daily for 2 months, then 2 capsules twice daily for 2 months, then 1-2 capsules twice daily.  This product is the most powerful natural anti-inflammatory available.  This will relieve the inflammation from the inside-out.

 4.  Livinity Relief Gel applied every 2-3 hours to the low back until the pain has decreased by approximately 50%, then apply 3-4 times daily until the pain has mostly subsided, then use twice daily.  This product will give immediate relief, and repeated use will produce increasing anti-inflammatory activity from the outside-in.

 5.  NeuroLiv 2 capsules three times daily for 2 months, then 2 capsules twice daily for 2 months, then 1 capsule twice daily.  This is the only product with ingredients proven to heal and regenerate damaged nerves.

 6.  Tru-Blue 1 capsule twice daily.  This product will yield increased energy, more rapid healing, excellent antioxidant activity to decrease inflammation and improved nervous system function.

 

If you perform this program diligently and consistently, in most cases you will see gradual improvement.  This is truly “Going Blue”.  It’s you becoming proactive and controlling what goes on in your body.  It’s you taking charge of your own destiny.  Go Blue!

Oh, What A Pain In the …

As most of you know, I’m Board-Certified in the specialty of Physical Medicine & Rehabilitation, but my major focus for the past 35+ years has been Pain Management. For many years, increasing emphasis was placed on control of pain with anti-inflammatory medications. This approach made good sense because:
• All pain is caused by inflammation
• If the pain could be controlled by anti-inflammatory agents, less people would become addicted to narcotic pain-killers.

The proverbial “fly in the ointment” was that no one was aware of the devastating, life-threatening side effects of anti-inflammatory medications. For the past ten years, I’ve tried to educate physicians, medical personnel and patients about these incredible risks, while stopping the use of those drugs in my practice. Here are the sobering facts:
1. 20,000 people die from the side effects of anti-inflammatory medications EVERY SINGLE YEAR.
2. 140,000 additional people are hospitalized due to the side effects of anti-inflammatory medications EVERY SINGLE YEAR.
3. 80% of all patients taking anti-inflammatory medications longer than 2 weeks are CONTINUOUSLY BLEEDING from ulcerations somewhere in the gastrointestinal tract.
4. Most of the 25 anti-inflammatory medications have been found to increase the risk of heart attacks or strokes by up to 300%.

On May 14, 2009, the American Geriatric Society announced that “Nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs and COX-2 inhibitors should be virtually eliminated as analgesics in older adults’ medicine cabinets.”

While I applaud the decision, their conclusion leaves much to be desired. Stating that “Persistent pain is common among seniors” and that “If ignored or incorrectly treated, pain may cause falls, functional impairment, disruptions in sleep, depression and anxiety, and increased healthcare costs”, their recommendations for control of the pain were Tylenol and, if that failed, narcotics. As we know from the past, this approach created more drug addicts than the Mafia ever dreamed of!

The burning question is “Do we have anything better to offer?” The answer is a resounding “Absolutely!” The Livinity Pain Relief System is a proven, safe treatment for both acute and chronic pain from any cause. It includes:
1. Livinity Relief Capsules that reduce inflammation from the inside-out.
2. Livinity Relief Gel that reduces inflammation from outside-in.
3. NeuroLiv—the only product available that heals and regenerates damaged nerve tissue.

These products are not only safe, but ETArol, the main ingredient in Livinity Relief Capsules, has been proven in studies to actually PROTECT the stomach and intestines! This is the only pain-relieving program designed to be taken for extended periods of time without significant side effects.

It simply makes good sense to me to relieve your pain, increase your functional abilities, and improve your quality of life—and do it all SAFELY. Go Blue!

TRU-BLUE—THE BEST? OR NOT

Since there are now several resveratrol products on the market, it is important that we delineate our product, Tru-Blue, from all of the others.

The science of anti-aging medicine has discovered a series of events that leads to aging of the cells. When this process affects enough cells, we become aware of aging within the different organs, and, finally, in our body. That process of intracellular aging progressing to aging of our body may take 10-20 years, depending on the health and genetic makeup of the individual. Obviously, the place to slow, stop or reverse the process is at the earliest point–in the cells, if possible. The following are the intracellular changes that occur to start the process of aging:

Abnormal cellular metabolism is our “Early Warning System”
1. The CIRT-1 genes that maintain optimal intracellular function begin to turn off
2. Less nutrient absorption occurs through the small intestine & the cell membranes
3. Reduced metabolic rate of glucose
4. Decreased energy production & increased free radical production
5. Intracellular inflammation which damages the cell

Tru-Blue is the best product on the market, and here are just some of the reasons:
1. Resveratrol is the only nutrient found that “turns on” the CIRT-1 genes.
2. Our product combines resveratrol with high levels of blueberry fruit extract, which has the highest ORAC value (the best measure of antioxidant activity) of any fruits or vegetables.
3. Our product is the only one that addresses ALL of the cellular defects leading to aging and death of the cell and, eventually, us.
4. Our product contains blueberry leaf extract and French Lilac, a combination that offers the most powerful method of stabilizing and controlling blood sugar while maximizing the amount of glucose delivered to the cell for the production of energy.
5. Our product is the only one containing high levels of digestive enzymes which maximize the absorption of the ingredients in the product through the intestinal wall and through the cell membrane.
6. These features all work together to produce the most powerful result possible.

Finally, you have to remember that you get what you pay for. There are many different levels of potency of each of these ingredients, and the more potent they are, the more they cost. I know that you’re much too smart to believe that the quality of multivitamins you buy at Costco for a cheap price is the same as you would get from Livinity. The quality and potency of the ingredients in Tru-Blue are top of the line, and, yes, that does cost a little more. I don’t know about you, but that is certainly worth paying for in my book!

I hope that this explanation will make it crystal clear why Tru-Blue stands head and shoulders above the crowd of lesser resveratrol-based products. Once again, Livinity delivers the optimal product to you.

Don’t Let the Flu Bug Bug You!

During the last couple of months, I’ve received a number of e-mails from people worried about catching swine flu or even the plain, old garden-variety flu, and requesting information about the best way to prevent it.  Those are great questions for two reasons:

1.  It’s now predicted that the swine flu will enjoy a new resurgence over the next 12 months, and, due to rapid mutations, will be even more difficult to prevent and treat.
2. For the first time in recent medical history, it’s predicted that the flu season will last ALL YEAR.  We don’t know yet if that will be limited to just this flu season or whether this is a permanent change.

Well, what about all of the marvelous vaccines that we’re hearing about?  They’re in the preliminary testing phase of the swine flu vaccine, but it appears, at least initially, to be effective in only 55%-60% of patients.  Even worse, they’re now stating that everyone may need not one, but three vaccinations to prevent the usual flu.  This is due to the rapid mutation of the flu viruses and the greater variety of those viruses infecting people during this flu season.  As we all know, the common variety flu vaccine is, at best, effective in as low as 44% or as high as 70% of those receiving it.  In any event, these statistics are not designed to make any potential flu victim very confident that they can avoid becoming infected.

Good heavens, is there anything that we can do?  Absolutely!  After all, the flu involves an infection, meaning that, in order to resist it, we should keep our immune system strong.  In addition, the flu produces a high level of inflammation with a significant degree of congestion in the respiratory system.

Livinity has an excellent system to prevent those very problems, and, therefore, help protect us from the swine flu or the common varieties of flu.  Here is what I have found is effective:

1. StressESE Plus 1 oz twice daily
2. Tru-Blue 1 capsule twice daily or 2 oz BlueRez daily
3. Livinity Relief Capsules  1 capsule twice daily
4. BREATHEese 1 caplet twice daily

The StressESE Plus and either Tru-Blue or BlueRez will build up the immune system.  Livinity Relief Capsules, Tru-Blue and BlueRez all have extremely powerful antioxidant and anti-inflammatory effects.  BREATHEese provides very potent and very rapid natural antihistamine and decongestant benefits.  This combination of ingredients and products can’t be beat for the maximum  possible protection.

Prevention of illness helps you maintain your peak quality of life.  That part of what Going Blue is all about.

GOING BLUE…ALIVE AND GROWING

Despite the glowing promises of cheap medical care for everyone under universal medical insurance, the American public is beginning to see the downside of this program.  As medical costs have increased while the reimbursement to doctors has decreased, patients have seen the quality of their medical care spiral downward. 

The time their doctor spends with them has progressively decreased; more of the doctor’s duties have been allocated to nurses and medical assistants; approvals for expensive studies and medical procedures take longer and are more difficult to obtain; and treatment for chronic diseases is often limited or denied.  We have already seen that “managed care” has managed to give us less care!   It doesn’t take a genius to realize that under the proposed government health insurance plan, all of these problems will simply get worse and worse.

More and more people are looking at this picture and realizing that they have to assume the responsibility for their own health care.  This is the essence of “Going Blue.”  That’s exactly why a government report issued on July 30, 2009 stated that in 2007, the most recent year for which statistics are available, Americans spent $34 billion on alternative and complementary medicine.  Furthermore,   “Natural products,” not including vitamins or minerals, accounted for the biggest chunk of self-care spending at $14.8 billion (44%) of total complementary medicine out-of-pocket expenditures.

Going Blue includes the following…and much more:

1. You are personally responsible for your own health care.  Health problems should be treated first with natural products.  Potentially dangerous medications should only be used if all attempts to use a natural approach fail.
2. You must become an educated consumer.  Livinity is providing you with comprehensive information about health problems, natural products and anti-aging techniques.  Attend the conferences.  Listen to the conference calls.  Read the health information on the web site.  Read the blogs.  Request answers to your medical questions from Dr. Harris.
3. Prevention, rather than treatment, is the key to good health.  Livinity has the products to help you do this.  Take them regularly.  They will help you improve your quality of life.
4. Eat healthy.  Reduce the excess carb intake that characterizes the American diet and leads to obesity, illness and early death.  This is one of the keys to prevention of illness.
5. Do 30 minutes of moderate to heavy aerobic exercise daily
6. The ultimate goal of the Going Blue movement is to give you the best quality of life possible, the best health and fitness possible and the longest time possible to enjoy life and those you love.
7. Pass this philosophy and information on to everyone you know.  Going Blue is not just for you.  Once you “get it”, begin practicing it and feel great, your next responsibility is to expose the concept to all those around you. 

 

Going Blue is the new, explosive grass roots movement that YOU are now part of.  Be proud and loud!

 

Respectfully submitted,

Dennis H. Harris, MD

“Be Sure to Eat Everything on Your Plate”, Mom said!

Unfortunately, we, as a nation, followed Mom’s instructions too literally, and we have become progressively more overweight and obese.

 “Excess Weight and Insulin Drive Up Prostate Cancer Mortality”.  “Fat Young Adults at Greater Risk for Pancreatic Cancer.”  And “Increasing Obesity Carries Heightened Risk of Death” are the titles of just three recent clinical studies highlighting the unbelievably severe risks of disease and death surrounding obesity.  In spite of that, a study published on 7-2-09 by the Trust for America’s Health reported that adult obesity rates increased in 23 states over the past year, and not a single state posted a decrease in obesity, while three of every ten children living in 30 states are overweight or obese.

 Many people continue to try losing weight, only to regain the original weight and more time after time.  Diet books and diet cookbooks are always on the top seller list.  Doctors prescribe hundreds of millions of dollars worth of diet medications, only to find that each has horrible side effects.  Are we doomed to become fatter and fatter and be plagued with diabetes, strokes, high blood pressure, heart disease, cancer and more?  Why do we keep failing?  Is there anything that can assist in losing significant weight, keep the weight off and still be healthy?

 The answer is simple.  You can’t just take a pill and say, “Now I’m going to lose all of the weight that I want and keep it off forever,” and then do nothing else!  You must commit to a life style change.

 Meet the Livinity Weight Management Program.  Since its introduction less than a year ago, Livinity members and customers have lost thousands of pounds without being hungry!  And they’re keeping it off.  This effective program incorporates a low carbohydrate diet, activity and supplementation to achieve unparalleled success.

 Exercise geared up your metabolism to burn calories faster.

 Diet experts and former critics now accept the fact that, for most people, the low carbohydrate diet will produce higher weight loss, keep it off longer and is healthier than any other diet.

 LivinSlim Plus is the only supplement to offer the following weight loss benefits:

1. Stabilizes blood sugar
2. Reduces appetite
3. Lasting feeling of fullness
4. Helps with portion control
5. Reduces urge to snack between meals
6. SAFELY speeds metabolism to convert fat to energy faster
7. Reduces stress, thereby decreasing cortisol production
8. Aids directly in weight loss

 Try the program for 3 months.  The only thing that you can lose is a lot of pounds!