Natural Health Review

As men age the balance of the hormones begins to change and this generally favors increased estrogen in the male body.  Testosterone and DihydroTestosterone (DHT) decline along with progesterone, and estrogen levels, assisted by an increased body fat percentage that often accompanies advancing age, may contribute to conditions such as prostate problems, baldness, low libido and breast development.  Keep in mind that fat cells have been found to produce estrogen along with other substances.  Adding natural progesterone to the male body in the form of a creme can help in the production of testosterone and prevent the conversion of testosterone to the DHT form.

Men, hormones have a dramatic effect on our bodies, and along with clean living, exercise, minimizing body fat and consuming good nutrition, adding back progesterone in the form of a natural creme may help us prevent some of the problems often associated with advancing age.  I do not believe we are destined to experience age-related diseases of our western civilization thought it seems most accept this dire picture without question.  Do something about it- take responsibility for your own health.  One small but very important step is maintaining hormonal balance.  For more information on the use of natural progesterone for male health consider the following links:

Progesterone Therapy Progesterone for Men Paula Owens

Your in Good Health-

Thomas Ranz, NHD

Hi Everyone:

Exercise is essential to maintaining top health especially since most people in our society hold jobs that keep them sedentary.  Add to that all the stress of many jobs and you have a situation that can become very unhealthy.  So some type of exercise like running seems like a simple and worthwhile endeavor for maintaining our well-being, and it is.  Running is what I have used throughout the years to keep myself in good shape and the stress low.  Since I’ve run for 30+ years now I’ve come to some interesting conclusions on how to best do it.  About 3.5 years ago I started experimenting with running without shoes (on a treadmill first).  It soon became apparent that I couldn’t just abandon shoes all at once and maintain my running mileage, but I was determined to give it a try since I heard of others doing so and it seemed to make sense.  Slowly I started wearing shoes less and less… now I try to run (conventional) shoeless all the time.  Keep in mind that, for example, most if not all great runners from Kenya run (or can run) without shoes.  Our feet are designed to do so, and not wearing shoes does not appear to hurt them.

Fast-forward 3.5 years… I just learned that for at least a couple of years a company has been making running footwear that very closely mimics barefoot running, and virtually everyone who adopts this way of running notes improvements in their physical conditioning and have virtually no issues with injuries even if they had some while using shoes when running.  The product I am talking about is the Vibram Five-Fingers footwear.  I am not hawking these products or this company, it just seems they are note-worthy for taking a different (and probably better) approach to an age-old form of exercise that many people may find hard to accept.  Having been trained as a Licensed Physical Therapist Assistant I have learned the mechanics of the lower limbs and can reason why it is better to run barefoot.  Think about it… we encase our feet in these  “flappers” that often use “arch supports” that push up on the bottom of the feet, as well as other components.  We cannot use the toes properly to grab. How unnatural is that?  It seems all the cushioning and controls of the modern footwear just allows out feet and lower legs to become lazy and weak, and I strongly believe it does.  So I’m ditching the conventional running shoes except when absolutely necessary.

Does any of this sound interesting? Want to learn more?  If yes, then use the following links to find more information:

Vibram FiveFingers

Barefoot Ted’s Adventures

Barefoot Runner

There is much more information on the internet on how and why to get started on this most beneficial form of exercise, and I hope you will give it a look.  And as always I hope you will offer your thoughts and suggestions here.

Thanks!

Yours in good health-

Thomas Ranz, NHD

It seems with the new year comes the desire for positive change in our lives which so often includes increased exercise and reduced dietary intake- a great one-two punch for ridding ourselves of excess body fat and improving our muscle tone.  But it seems all too often we do not have the patience to realize the benefits of such a plan, wanting too much too soon and giving up because we label ourselves as failures when the scale is slow to move in the downward direction.  Lets keep a few facts in the forefront… don’t expect to change in a few months what it took several months or years to create, and don’t concentrate too much on the scale… after all if you just want to loose weight then do nothing- your muscles will shrink causing weight-loss, but that of course is bad… think FAT loss, and if you are building muscle while loosing fat, the offset of gained muscle weight may out-pace the loss of fat, so the scale will be a poor gauge of your progress.  In stead, pay attention to how your clothes fit and the shape your body is taking on.  Muscle gives shape to our bodies, especially you ladies, so get the muscle!  Also ladies, unless you are on steroids or the like, you will NOT become muscular looking, only more shapely.  A last pointer here… as you decrease your calories your body will want to slow its metabolism hence making fat loss harder.  This fact makes exercise essential to maintaining the fat loss you desire as it will help keep your metabolism in high gear.

A bit on food… It seems deprivation leads to failure.  Don’t sabotage your plan by feeling deprived of occasional treats.  Note the word “occasional“… If you can keep things in moderation you can probably have a little of any food and still keep on a great dietary & fitness plan.  I also tend to believe the lower carbohydrate diets can be beneficial for most of us.  Note that carbs can greatly increase your circulating insulin level and  increased insulin will turn off your fat burning and turn on fat storage.  Protein foods require more of the food energy simply to get digested and it does not raise the insulin level as dramatically as carbs, hence protein may contribute less to your fat stores.  The book “Natural Hormonal Enhancement” by Rob Faigin goes into great depth with clarity about how all this works, click here to visit his website.

The above is very brief but I do hope it helps get you motivated in the right direction for a healthier you.  As always your comments are welcome.

Thanks!

Thomas Ranz, NHD

We sometimes forget that what we think, even those deep little unspoken remarks  (we may think they are harmless), can have a considerable effect on our health.  My training as a Traditional Naturopath and the books I have read remind me of the three steps of creation: Thoughts – Words – Deeds.  It really is that simple.  The next time you think something negative about yourself (I’m too fat, too ugly, too stupid, etc.) sense how it makes you feel, and even better sense what it does to those around you.  Chances are the energy in the room will go down and we often do not realize this is happening until everybody is in a bad mood.  Do you not think this has an effect on your physical body?  The subtle energies we emit can affect us down to the cellular level, and starting at that point all systems of the body are subject to this energy.  But the reverse is also true… think positive thoughts and you will create a positive environment in which life flows freely and a sense of well being is present.  This sense of well being becomes our reality and better health is a possibility.

Never doubt the power of your thoughts, nor forget the three steps of creation… use them for the betterment of your health and those around you.

Thomas Ranz, NHD

OK ladies, Firsthand I know nothing about periods… but my wife does, and this article (inspired by her) is meant to inform all women that currently or will experience that monthly visitor about a healthy alternative to tampons in dealing with it.  Tampons are notorious for their health risks, most notably Toxic Shock Syndrome and exposure to Dioxins that occur as part of the manufacturing process of tampons. If all that is not bad enough then just avoiding the soreness that comes from changing tampons so often is reason enough to look for a better way.  And for you frugal ladies the cost savings over several years can be significant!

Generically named a Menstrual Cup, commercially it as available as the “Diva Cup”, “The Keeper”, “Moon Cup” and probably others.  Made of surgical grade silicone or latex, and approximately 1.5 inches round at its opening and about 2 inches long, the cup is inserted into the vagina and seated to prevent blood loss from leaking to the outside and functions as a sort of reservoir.  On those heavy days it may be necessary to empty it 2-3 times, but on lighter days it may not need to be emptied except in the morning and the evening. Once properly positioned it is possible to engage in virtually any physical activity without worry about leaks. A key to realizing the benefits of the Cup is getting it seated properly which may take a little practice, but, as my wife tells me, you begin to know by how it feels if it is in the correct position. Once positioned correctly it can be forgotten about and you can get back to your regular routine.

So, if you are looking for a way to make your period less of a hassle, cost less, and be a healthier method to deal with it, then look into trying the Menstrual Cop.  My wife is very squeamish about these kinds of things, but even she is getting used to this device and is more glad each cycle she discovered it.

Please share your questions or experiences with the menstrual cup as they may significantly improve the lives of other women.

Thanks!

Thomas Ranz, NHD

We’ve all seen the advertisements, i.e. Lance Armstrong promoting some product to give us energy.  Wow, I gotta get some! These products may help temporarily, but what ever happened to our naturally high energy levels?  Why did our energy go away in the first place?  There are probably as many answers to these questions as people with low energy, but it  may be helpful to explore some basic and common factors that can affect every-one’s energy level.

Toxins and pollutants in our environment are a common thread for many people with low energy and fatigue.  What are they?  Some are simple to identify such as car exhaust fumes, pesticides used in and around our houses, cleaning chemicals, and smog.  But what about the fragrance wafting in the air you breathe every day at the office, or even your home?  Even that perfume that we just love can cause us to feel spaced-out or tired, or at least affect our thinking processes  (olfactory (smell) receptors go straight to the brain… why do you think cocaine users snort it?).  Does that lunch you are about to eat have a drove of preservatives and food colorings that your body has to work at to get rid of, and are you even mildly allergic to them?  ADD or ADHD? Maybe you are allergic to the relatively pure food you are about to eat such as wheat, milk or eggs.  Every time you eat, the food molecules that are absorbed via the intestines flow through the hepatic portal vein to the liver to be processed… it is there that the toxins and pollutants are dealt with and hopefully packaged to make them less toxic to the body and set to eventually be removed from the body.  All of this takes precious energy.

Emotional and physical stress, even when our nutritional status is good can overload our energy system.  You’ve heard of fight or flight, the body’s response to stresses at work or home… our body can only do that so often before it can no longer respond.  We can exercise to help deal with mental stresses, but that too takes energy from the body and too much of it can weaken us and make us susceptible to illness.

Every day stress from work, play, toxins and pollutants can be cumulative and eventually our energy system may no longer be able to deal with the task of keeping our energy level up.  We are simply worn out, out of energy.  The HPA-Axis (Hypothalamus-Pituitary-Adrenal) controls most of the hormones that help us to deal with everyday stress, and to keep our energy high we must care for the involved glands.  Two key nutrients for the adrenals are Vitamin C and Pantothenic Acid (B5).  Once fatigued the adrenals may be helped by taking Ginseng and herbs such as Rhodiola and Coleus Forskohlii (list is not complete) which are known as adaptogens… herbs that help the body adapt to stress.  A better approach is to keep the HPA Axis glands from getting over-worked in the first place.  Look at food ingredient labels- do they list a bunch of food colorings and preservatives?  Avoid using cleaning chemicals and perfumes whenever possible.  If you notice that certain foods cause your pulse to rise shortly after eating them you are probably allergic and would benefit from avoiding them.  The same is true if the food causes digestive disturbances or your skin to break out or to become flaky.  Exercise to help burn off stress but don’t over-do it- too much, especially late at night can prevent restfulness.  Get plenty of quality sleep- if you are having issues with sleeping enough look into non-habit forming supplements to assist your body with getting back on track.  Valerian root is good for calming, and 5-HTP may be useful for restoring serotonin levels for  sound sleep, especially if you wake in the night and cannot get back to sleep.  L-Theanine can supply the body with what it needs to be calm naturally.  Try meditation throughout the day- I know first hand that this can be very helpful at reducing stress and helping to deal with future stress making life much more fun.

If you feel you have a real medical condition then by all means see your MD., the above is not medical advise.  But do try to take care of yourself naturally and without harmful drugs that often cause more problems than they cure (or cover up).

We’d love to hear from you… Do you have suggestions or know of a formula that has worked for you or someone you know?  If yes, then please share it here so that others may be helped by it.

Thanks!

Thomas Ranz, NHD

I’ve been doing some research on Manic-Depressive disorders and it is becoming clear that Low-Dose (5-20mg) Lithium Orotate may be beneficial for people dealing with this and other psychological disorders.  Generally speaking it appears that a person’s sense of well-being may be affected in a positive way and that there are few if any side-affects with the supplementation.

Have you had experience with Low-Dose Lithium supplementation?  If you have or are familiar with someone who has I’d really like to learn about  experiences with this supplement, good or bad.

Thanks!

Thomas Ranz, NHD

Ridding the body of mercury can be a long and pain-staking task but the rewards of restoring health is worth all the effort.  No matter what program you follow be sure to remove current sources of mercury such as amalgam fillings before you start a program so that you do not distribute even more new mercury with chelation supplements.  You must be patient with the detox process and be gentle with yourself since the body is already stressed from the mercury and it will need all the TLC you can give it.  Follow your supplement schedule to the letter to help prevent additional damage and side effects from the detox process, and monitor your periodic tests for mercury status so you can see your progress.  And last but not least try to keep a positive attitude that you can and will succeed in this endeavor.  My own process took two years, and yours may be shorter or longer, but do your best not to get down when it seems hopeless and try to have some fun along the way too.

Thomas Ranz, NHD

During the course of my mercury Detox program there were three events that stand out in my mind as most significant and I will describe them here.  Keep in mind that everyone seems to react a little differently to mercury poisoning and detox so do not expect the same events should you attempt such a program.

First, after about one month on my program I started developing an incredibly intense itch that seemed to affect the front of the thighs and my upper back.  This would occur completely unexpectedly (business meetings at work, etc.) and would cause me extreme distress- I wanted to tear my skin off!  I tried lotions and oatmeal baths and achieved only limited relief.  Finally, despite my resistance to use pharmaceuticals, I tried the anti-itch prescription (also used for anxiety) named Atarax and within a day the itch was gone!  The tablets come in many strengths, I used the smallest, 25 mg, and only took about a quarter of that.  I have no idea how or why this worked but it did end what was becoming a daily nightmarish event.

Next I experienced a “turning up” of the senses when using the supplement “H3″.  I’ve read that mercury turns down the sensitivity of the nervous system, so when taking H3 (reported to be a MAO (mono-amine-oxidase balancer), and the mercury was mostly gone, the sensitivity of my senses was heightened.  Colors seemed brighter, music sounded richer, and life just felt much better.  Gradually this sensation level became normal and is what I experience today, but the transition back to normal was scary at first.

The third event involved soreness in the jaw and teeth when using NAC to assist with mercury removal from that area.  I had read that NAC could give the body the ability to do this but it was very uncomfortable.  Being determined to get myself healthy again I continued using the NAC at 600 mg twice a day.  Slowly but steadily my gums went from a grayish red to a healthy looking pinkish-red.  My dental hygienest at the time was astonished with the changes and she also noted the general improvement in overall oral health (tighter “pockets”, less pockets).

There were many other events during my detox program that had a significant impact but those listed above seemed to stand out.

Thomas Ranz, NHD

Using the manual written by Andrew Hall Cutler, Amalgam Illness: Diagnosis amd Treatment, I started taking a regimine of DMSA & ALA every four hours for 1/2 week at a time.  When I say every four hours, I mean EVERY four hours!  I bought a dual alarm clock and set it to wake me a couple of times a night to take my pills.  My wrist watch would remind me throughout the daylight hours.  The timely manner of taking the supplements was essential to efficient chelation of the mercury while minimizing the potential damage of mobilizing the mercury from the tissues.  Periodically (every 1-3 months) I would do a 24 hour urine collection and send a simple to a lab for analysis of mercury content.  Over the course of 2 years the mercury coming from my body gradually lessened to the point I could stop the program.  Many of my health issues cleared during this period.

Thomas Ranz, NHD