YourHealthMatters

Welcome to YourHealthMatters

I hope this becomes an important source of health-related information for you. My practice and philosophy combines both conventional approaches and complementary approaches to improving health, treating disease and improving healthspan.

I ALSO HAVE A WEBSITE FOR THE PRACTICE- www.drbobsager.com

I am writing and posting content here frequently and if you sign up for email alerts on the left hand column, you'll get emails about new postings. There is also an RSS feed on the right hand side for people with RSS readers. I also plan to use the email alerts to let my patients know when Lynda & I will be away, when flu shots arrive and other news about the office.

I welcome questions, comments, and ideas for content. Please click on the categories on the right side to find information which I think is useful. You will find files to download on various health issues. Tell your friends and share what I have written.

I hope you explore this site and return often to sample the new content. 

To Your Health -

drBob

Big Pharma Big Deceptions

 Check out this article on Dr. Mercola's site and read how Big Pharma carefully spins its research findings to increase its marketing rewards. Although there is nothing new here for some of my readers, I think we all need reinforcement of these ideas from time to time. This article focuses on the statin drug class which includes Lipitor and Crestor. Lipitor becomes generic in November 2011 and soon I think you will see ads from Lipitor suggesting it is superior to all other statins in many ways.

However, the FDA has given Crestor two indications for use that no other statin has, based on good research that I have evaluated. So the two biggest statin drugs will be battling it out on our TV's again. Stay tuned and watch the spin doctors at work.

In the article you will also read how someone not affiliated with Big Pharma asked for FDA approval to do an important study on CoQ10. They were told the study would only be approved if they got Big Pharma to supply the supplement which of course could taint the final published results.


drBob

Epidemic of Testosterone Deficicency in US Men

A recent article in the June 2010 edition of Life Extension magazine highlights the results of the blood test results for testosterone of over 7,000 males they have carried out. The results show widespread low levels of free testosterone in aging men. The largest majority of men from age 50 to over 70 had free testosterone levels below the optimal of 15 pg/ml. Only 4% of men in this age range had levels over 22 pg/ml, which is the level Life Extension recommends for all men. These results are actually within the "so-called normal lab ranges" which is not surprising. Normal lab values have little to do with "optimal" hormone function.

As the article states, "If men start paying as much attention to their testosterone blood levels as they do cholesterol, the incidence of degenerative disease would plummet."

Low levels of testosterone ave been linked by good research to increased risk of dying prematurely, heart disease, osteoporosis, muscle wasting, and chronic neuro-degenerative diseases. I have seen many men with depression and chronic fatigue related to their low levels of free testosterone.

The blood test is widely available and in my experience most insurance plans pay for the test.

An excellent book on this subject is The Testosterone Syndrome by Dr. Eugene Shippen, MD.

drBob

Superior Red Pine Needle Oil

Recently we have been using red pine needle oil products ourselves and with some  patients. We are seeing some great results. First, pine oil soap has healing properties for the skin. We have seen it improve chronic skin irritations, eczema and infection.

The more important product is liquid Superior Red Pine Needle oil as supplied by Steve Mason at www.livepine.com. If you are wondering about the taste, it is quite palatable and easy to take in water.

This Superior Red Pine Needle oil is harvested from carefully managed organic trees in Korea and has been used for thousands of years there. It contains 300 known bio-available nutrients and is readily adsorbed into the body when taken in drop form.

Some of its benefits include -

1.Helps reduce blood pressure by dilating the blood pathways throughout the body.


2.Stimulates the thyroid gland, correcting obesity, indigestion and improving energy.


3.Restores alkalinity to the blood.


4.Aids in elimination of Parasites, Candida, viruses, bacterial infections, nail fungus and other fungi, and mold from the body, including the blood and brain because it contains the C10 molecule.

Recommended use is to start with a few drops daily and increase to maximum of 10-12 drops per day for adults. We have both the Superior Red Pine Needle oil and the soap in our office now. You can read more at www.livepine.com.

This is the first of a series of posts on this very beneficial supplement.

To satisfy the FTC, of course our office makes a small profit if you buy supplements from us. Those profits go to support our practice.


drBob

Score One For The Common People!!

The FDA lost big in the past week on a key judgment which affects all of us who take natural supplements. The FDA was sued over the health care claims allowed for selenium (which can lower the risk of prostate cancer for instance). The law firm of Emord & Assoc. fought the case and won one for us. Henceforth, unless the FDA appeals in 90 days, supplements will be able to make health claims based on good scientific evidence. Read about this ruling here and rejoice!! There is still hope we can take supplements to improve our health and longevity.

Now to soundly defeat John McCain's DSSA legislation. Read my previous post about this insane idea and take action please to defeat this proposed law NOW!

drBob

For My Patients - Advance Holiday Notice

DR. BOB & LYNDA are leaving on their summer vacation On Tuesday, June 15 at 5 pm. We will be back to work Monday, July 6. The staff will be in the office daily except the Fridays to take your calls and sell supplements.

drBob

SHIFT Your Experience of Cancer

Southwest Kansas is very fortunate to have a center to help people cope with cancer. Garden City now has the Shift Center which will help people with many aspectes of coping with cancer. Read all about the services at http://www.shift-center.com/

A good friend of ours, Kriz Retsema, developed this center and she has a number of talented people working there. Help with breast prostheses, and wigs is available as well as therapy for improving energy, mood, and pain - common problems for people taking chemotherapy or radiation. If you have cancer or know someone who does, check out the website and then call to talk to Kriz about what her center could offer you.

drBob

Watch the Dynamic Duo Again

Dr.Everard  Hughes and I made our debut Tuesday night on PBS talking about cancer. I thoroughly enjoyed doing this program. It was the first time I have done any public speaking since my brain surgery 2 years ago. Thanks to everyone who phoned in questions.

The station is doing a rerun of the program Sunday, May 16 at 3.30 pm on Channel 5 on cable in this area. Satellite TV shows it on SHPTV on channel 7.

The program is now online at this link

http://www.iismarketingservices.com/doc513.html

After you watch this show, please think about supporting Public Television so they can continue to offer programming that you don't see on the big networks. SHPTV is online at www.shptv.org

drBob

Dr. Bob on TV

On Tuesday May 11 I am appearing on Doctors on Call, a live phone-in show on PBS, channel 5. The show is on from 7-8 pm. I will be appearing with Dr. Everard Hughes, my favorite oncologist in Garden City. Our topic will be alternative cancer therapies. Please listen in and phone us with your questions about cancer therapy. If you have a question now that you would like answered on the show let me know. This will be my first US TV appearance.

drBob

Sneak Preview for My Patients

Guess Who is Coming to Dinner was a famous movie with Spencer Tracy. So I ask you - guess who is coming to join us in Liberal this July?

On July 26 Dr. Sue Rodgman, MD will be joining us in the office. She worked here before we moved here in 1997 and in fact lived in the house Lynda and I now live in. To start she will be in our office Mondays and Fridays and in Hugoton Tuesday through Thursday. She will eventually take over our practice full-time when we finally retire in the "distant" future. She is eager to learn how we do what we do for our many patients.

You are all going to love her as we do. We are both excited and looking forward to this fantastic opportunity for us and our patients. We will begin accepting advance bookings to see Dr. Rodgman on July 5.

drBob & Lynda

Check Out Any Diet on this WebSite

If you hear about a diet and want an honest opinion about it - check www.everydiet.org.
This comprehensive site reviews all the diets out there such as the HCG Diet. I get calls from people asking for my advice on diets almost weekly. I am now referring them to this site for up-to-date accurate information.

For example, the HCG diet is regaining popularity again even though it was completely disproven to be effective in the 1970's. The site shows why this diet does not work. Don't even think about using this diet please.

By contrast, read what the site says about Leo Galland's Fat Resistance Diet, which is one of my favorite diets for many people to try and also the extensive report it has on the Atkin's Diet, both the original one I first suggested to people in the 1970's and the latest version which is much better in some ways.

drBob