“Every human being is the author of his own health or disease.”

“Every human being is the author of his own health or disease.” Buddha

Do we create/influence our level of health and ill health/disease?

In over 22 years of helping thousands of patients, I would say that at least 90+% of our current state of health is self-created. 10% +/- is pure genetics, which may be influenced, negatively or positively, by our daily acts.

So, which diseases are predominately caused by US, knowingly/on-purpose (smoking, poor eating habits, lack of exercise, drugs, excessive alcohol, chemicals, avoidable stressors….) or unknowingly (basically, lack of knowing that the acts just listed are health damaging)?

First and foremost:

• Diabetes (pre-diabetes and insulin resistance)
• High Cholesterol
• Hypertension / High Blood Pressure
• Obesity / Over-Weight
• Osteoporosis
• Heart Disease
• Cancer

Other conditions that are very strongly related to what we do or don’t do to our body:

• Alzheimer’s
• Auto Immune Conditions (middle age onset)

Which diseases respond the best to lifestyle modification (diet, exercise and target nutritional supplementation) than the do to potentially dangerous drugs?

• Diabetes (pre-diabetes and insulin resistance)
• High Cholesterol
• Hypertension / High Blood Pressure
• Obesity / Over-Weight
• Osteoporosis
• Heart Disease
• Stomach and GI Conditions (Ulcer, Ulcerative Colitis, Irritable Bowel Disease, Crohn’s Disease…)
• Eczema
• Cancer (as a preventative more so than a treatment. Chemotherapy and radiation are even worse as a long-term treatment, as success is only measured as, “being alive five years post original diagnosis, no matter what the state the cancer is in at that time”).

The above disease states, as well as many more not listed, can and have be treated, with almost 100% effectiveness, utilizing lifestyle modifications, alone.

Here is a set of questions to see if there needs to be some attention paid to the topic of health. Please email me back with your responses and/or questions (cut and paste) – info@advancedhealing.com. If you are presently under active care, then this would apply to anyone you know that would benefit from my help.

Do you or someone you know have any of the above conditions?

1. If there was an easy, safe, affordable and effective way to reverse the condition/disease would you be interested in knowing more about it?
2. Is there something stopping you from getting better?
3. Is there something about your present state of health that needs changing? What is it?
4. If on a medication, would you like to get off of it, if it were possible?
5. Do you ever complain about how bad you feel?
6. Do you move with pain or lack of breath?
7. Does having more energy, living longer and healthier interest you?
8. Would you like to save money on your health care spending?

In 22+ years of active practice I have helped thousands of people, just like you, live happier and more productive lives. All without the use of harmful drugs. There is no better time to make your health a priority, than right now. You owe it to yourself to live every day to the fullest, without pain or illness.

I look forward to hearing from all of you.

Sincerely,

Dr. Marcus Ettinger

Maile being a show-off before her annual blood test.

No crying for this tough kid.

Orange County California preventative medicine. We treat the problem, not the symptom.

Don’t let the Medical Doctors foo you by giving you drugs!

I would like to thank Dr. Marcus Ettinger for explaining to me what arthritis and autoimmune conditions really were, and how they can affect the body. Basically, these conditions can start from a build-up of toxins, which settle in the joints or other tissues, causing pain, inflammation, stiffness and the potential for a wrong targeting of the immune system toward the synovial membranes or other body tissues.  To get rid of arthritis or autoimmune conditions, you need to thoroughly clean and detox your body.

Dr. Ettinger helped me build a program to stop what was causing my Reactive Arthritis (Reiter’s Syndrome) from attacking and destroying my body, and helped me repair my immune system to such a high degree that my body could actually heal itself.  Note:  My Reactive Arthritis was so bad that it was eating away the joints of my toes and causing permanent deformity. Luckily, I am constantly healing and rebuilding my bones back to normal.

With Dr. Ettinger as my health coach, here are the steps I took to cure my Reactive Arthritis (Reiter’s Syndrome):

1. First I stopped taking all of my medications: methotrexate, prednisone, even aspirin. Medications only temporarily relieve the symptoms and ultimately weaken the immune system. To get to the real problem you need to clean the body and let the immune system do its job – heal the body.

2. I followed the Gerson Method, every day, of juicing and coffee retention enemas. After 30 days of this I progressed to eating only natural foods, never processed or refined. I kept the juicing in.

3. Chiropractic adjustments helped my body stay in alignment and helped my nervous system to function properly.

4. I took specific supplements, herbs and homeopathic remedies.

5. I did a sauna detoxification program to help rid my body of stored toxins.

Again, I would like to sincerely thank Dr. Ettinger for showing me the right path toward another chance at life. If it wasn’t for Dr. Ettinger, I would still be taking useless medications and going down a dwindling spiral toward pain, deformity and uncertainty about the quality of life I would live. At the rate my condition was progressing, I would have been in a wheel chair in a year or so. Instead, I’m 100% cured, and it was all done naturally.

P.S. If anyone does not believe this letter or would like to ask me a question, please call me (714) 832-xxxx* and I will be happy to talk with you.

Thank you Dr. Ettinger,

(signature on original)

Alan Schlines

*Alan Schlines is no longer at this phone number. Since writing this letter, Alan has written a book, Stop Arthritis: How I Defeated It Naturally. I had the privilege of writing the forward to his book. Dr. E

Book Description

An amazing true story of how one man went against the traditional medical treatment for incurable arthritis and found himself on an incredible journey into the world of natural health. Along the way he had the good fortune to meet four amazing natural health care professionals each of whom specialized in their own programs towards arthritis. They helped guide and teach him how to use these programs so that his body could rise up and defeat this devastating disease, naturally. Also, through his own hard work and research, he learned many other complimentary programs that are a basic guide to living a healthier lifestyle. In this personal story, his journey will be explained step-by-step showing you how his body went from the stages of rapidly deteriorating joints, to abandoning his medication and switching to a natural program, and finally to defeating his arthritis and becoming symptom free for over 10 years. In Stop Arthritis, his entire program will be revealed to you so that you can, not just cope with arthritis, but defeat it!

About the Author

Alan Schlines defeated his incurable arthritis over 10 years ago. He remains pain-free and his mission is to help educate people on natural health so that they too can enjoy a better quality of life. He believes that natural health options should be brought to everyone’s awareness and available to them if they so desire. He is a member of The Coalition for Natural Health, American Holistic Health Association (AHHA), Herb Research Foundation, and EarthSave International. He graduated with a business degree from Chapman University and lives in Southern California.

The goal I set with each each client is to discover the precise dietary, physiologic and/or structural imbalance that is the root cause of their body problem. The vast majority of today’s body problems are a direct result of long-term aberrations in both diet and lifestyle. With proper identification and correction, the body does exactly what it was designed to do – achieve vibrant and lasting health.

Today’s standard of medical care is to treat all diseases and symptoms with drugs or surgery. The problem here is that prescription drugs don’t correct the underlying cause – the nutritional, biochemical or structural imbalances. In fact, prescription drugs usually create more problems and actually make it harder for the body to heal. Prescription drugs are only designed to treat symptoms, by activating or suppressing reactions in the body. These drugs were never created to do what is truly needed to get ones health back and that’s – rebuild and regenerate tissue and/or function. The simple truth is that a chemical cure is not the answer to a nutritional biochemical or structural imbalances.

As an analytical thinker and compassionate doctor, I find it completely unreasonable that the current medical community chooses to label the vast majority of body problems as ‘diseases’ and to routinely intervene with chemical cures or surgery, as the first treatment option. More often than not, the cure ends up becoming worse than the disease. Patients who choose an alternative medicine approach often respond better to dietary, life-style changes and targeted nutritional supplements than to a plethora of prescription drugs.

I have personally found that most individuals, particularly those taking multiple prescription drugs for chronic conditions, fare better in the long-run when those drugs can be reduced or eliminated. In fact, the majority of chronic body problems such as diabetes, obesity, heart disease, low thyroid, high blood pressure and cholesterol can be managed successfully without the use of potentially harmful drugs or un-warranted surgery – if given a chance.

As an alternative and integrative medicine practitioner, I am not against prescription medications, as there are times when it is appropriate to use a medication. In fact, I routinely work with my patient’s medical doctor, in an integrative manner, sharing test results and formulating a plan designed to reduce or illuminate, if possible, their medication.

Alternative medicine, on a gradient scale of treatment options, for most body problems, should be the first choice on the list. The reason being is that if dietary and lifestyle modification, along with targeted nutritional supplementation and exercise can’t handle the problem then there is always the medical option. This sequencing makes more sense because you can’t undo a surgery once performed or completely reverse the damage done by long-term pharmaceutical use.

I hope this has given you some food for thought.

In good health,

Marcus Ettinger BSc, DC

Founded in 1992, Advanced Healing Center of Orange County is an alternative medicine, integrative medicine and chiropractic clinic located in Orange, California. An alternative medicine expert, chiropractor and “21st Century Medical Detective”, Marcus Ettinger BSc, DC has over 21 years experience treating thousands of people, of all ages, with effectiveness, compassion, honesty and personal integrity.

Dr. Marcus Ettinger has extensive training and is a recognized expert in diagnosis, clinical nutrition, vitamin and mineral supplementation, herbal therapies, chiropractic, weight management, and trigger point therapy.

Integrating prevention into ‘health’ care

Due to successes in public health over the last 75 years, we are all living longer and increasingly, we are living with one or more chronic conditions for decades. This places new, long-term demands on our health care system and our loved ones. Not only are chronic conditions projected to be the leading cause of disability throughout the world by the year 2020; if not successfully prevented and managed, they will become the most expensive problems faced by the world’s governments and healthcare systems. People with diabetes, for example, generate health care costs that are two to three times those without the condition. In this respect, chronic conditions pose a threat to all countries from a health and economic standpoint.

Many costly and disabling conditions – cardiovascular diseases, cancer, diabetes and chronic respiratory diseases – are linked by common preventable risk factors. Tobacco use, prolonged, unhealthy nutrition, physical inactivity, and excessive alcohol use are major causes and risk factors for these conditions. The abysmal, dwindling-spiral we call “our daily diet”, expressed through an ever increasing consumption of high calorie, high fat, high sugar, high salt and nutritionally deprived food products are contributing to the rising burden of heart disease, stroke, obesity and diabetes. Changes in activity patterns as a consequence of the rise of motorized transport, sedentary leisure-time activities such as television watching, computer and video game playing, have led to an pandemic of physical inactivity in all but the poorest populations.

Our current system of ‘disease’ care

Many of today’s medical conditions are completely preventable, yet our current healthcare system does not and will not make the best use of their available resources to support a panacea – prevention. All too often, healthcare workers (MD’s and nurses) fail to seize patient interactions as opportunities to inform patients about common-scenes health promotion techniques and disease prevention strategies.

Our current healthcare system is based solely on responding to a patient’s acute concerns. Testing, diagnosing, relieving symptoms, and expecting a cure are all hallmarks of our contemporary healthcare model. While these functions are appropriate for acute and episodic health problems, a notable disparity occurs when applying this model of care to the prevention and management of chronic conditions, the most abundant group over-burdening our healthcare system. Preventive healthcare is inherently different from healthcare for acute problems, and in this regard, our current healthcare system falls remarkably short, to the point of practically being non-existent.

How my brand of alternative medicine and preventative health care responds to this challenge?

Given that most body conditions are preventable, every healthcare interaction includes comprehensive prevention support. When my patients are systematically provided with information and skills to reduce health risks, they are more likely to reduce substance use, to stop using tobacco products, to eat healthy foods, and to engage in regular physical activity. These risk reducing behaviours can dramatically reduce the long-term burden and healthcare demands of chronic conditions; they can also contribute to vibrant health, increased vitality and youthful aging.

To promote prevention in healthcare, awareness rising is crucial to promote a change in thinking and to stimulate the commitment and action of patients, their families, healthcare professionals, communities, and policy-makers.

Essential elements for action

1. We all need to embrace and support a paradigm shift towards integrated, preventive health care.
2. Equip patients with needed information, motivation, and skills in prevention and self-management.
3. Make prevention an element of every healthcare interaction.
4. Make health promotion a fundamental component in our personal lives.

I know all of you want perfect health. It’s an unreasonable notion that most of us take better care of our car than we do our body. You can always buy a new car; you only are given one body.

You don't see them but they sure eat you

First of all, different biting insects can be repelled by different, natural, phyto-”plant-based”-chemicals, in the form of  the specific plants “essential oils”.  So, in order to get the most effective, broad-spectrum, natural repellent, you must combine a few different of these, insect-repelling essential oils.  If you are making large amounts of insect repellent, a good rule of thumb is to mix the repellent so it’s 5-10% natural essential oil – so mix 1 part essential oil with 10-20 parts carrier oil, alcohol or witch hazel.  For a smaller batch use:

• 10-25 drops (total) of essential oils
• 2 tablespoons of a carrier oil, alcohol or witch hazel

The natural essential oils below work well against most biting insects (mosquitoes, flies, ticks, fleas).

1. cinnamon oil (mosquitoes)
2. lemon eucalyptus or regular eucalyptus oil (mosquitoes, ticks, and lice)
3. citronella oil (mosquitoes and biting flies)
4. castor oil (mosquitoes)
5. orange oil (fleas)
6. rose geranium (ticks and lice)

Here is a combination of natural essential oils I recently tried; it worked great.  Essential Oil Mixture: Lemon eucalyptus essential oil (mandatory in any formula), citronella essential oil and orange oil.  Test Location: Puerto Vallarta Beaches and Jungle.  Protected the Family Against: Sand Fleas, Mosquitoes and No-See-Ums.

Safe carrier oils and other liquids include:

1. olive oil
2. sunflower oil
3. any other cooking oil
4. witch hazel – (personal choice)
5. vodka – (a cheap generic brand of alcohol will do)

I am a holistic psychiatrist who has been purchasing goji powder from your company.  I was wondering what percentage polysaccharides are found in the freeze dried goji powder that your company sells.  I also was wondering about the pros and cons of dried goji berry juice as opposed to the whole berry.

Thank you,

Holistic Doc.

Dear Doc,

It’s 240 mg’s per 6000 mg’s (or, about 1.2 grams per ounce) of goji powder.  There will be less in the juice than the whole fruit powder or whole dried, organic berries.

I hope this helps.

Sincerely,

Dr. Marcus Ettinger

Dear Doc,

I wanted to share with you a couple of specialty products I use in my practice to exchange psychiatric medications for nutraceuticals.

Gabatone by Apex Energetics.  Gabatone has 10mg of Lithium Orotate and other good stuff.  I take one before bed myself and my mild ADD/OCD/Type A personality is way better.  I can actually drive Southern California Freeways in traffic and not want to shoot someone.  I have at least 20+ clients on it and when it went on back order from Apex I had a lot of really pissed off people, so it must be doing something.

Sometimes I use Amoryn.  I mainly have used this, in conjunction with a lot of DHA, zinc 50-100mg’s and Gabatone 1-3, with patients who have come in on Abilify or other antipsychotics.  For these clients I also try to get them in Ketosis (monitoring every day w/keto-sticks).  The brain really utilizes ketone bodies, far better than it utilizes glucose.  Plus, when in ketosis there are no sugar crashes or sugar highs.  I have actually been in ketosis for the last 17 days and have never felt more clear headed in my life. More info on what I am doing here – My Personal Ultra Lite Program

Norival by Ecological Formulas http://www.naturalhealthconsult.com/Monographs/norival.html (for information only).  I use AK and/or CRA to see if this needs to be added.  I only have two clients on this and the swear by it.

Lastly, and what I use most often is L-tryptophan as a serotonin precursor and SAMe as a melatonin precursor.  I feel SAMe works far better than melatonin for sleep issues and calming the brain.

I would love to hear if you have any favorite products that you use in your practice.

Take care,

Marcus

Hi Marcus,

Thanks for the following information.  It was very generous of you to take the time to share what you have learned in your practice.  I took some time to learn about the U lite program.  It  seems to be a  diet that emphasizes the reduction or elimination of fast burning carbohydrates: sugars, breads, and pastas, but keeps the meats and vegetables as sources of nutrients.  I have not done this in my practice, but I do have patients get rid of wheat, dairy and white sugar as much as they can.

With regard to lowering antipsychotic medications, I am still in a learning phase.  I emphasize GABA support as well, in the form of having patients eat GABA rice and use the inhibitory amino acids that Neuroscience makes: TravaCor or TravaCor Jr.  But in addition, I use a lot of L-Taurine.

The new generation antipsychotics block many receptors and subcategories of various classes of receptors, which makes them especially hard to get off of after being on them for several years.  I have started a “step down” approach that seems to make the process easier.  Zyprexa affects 17 different receptors (various Ds and 5HTPs etc.), while Seroquel affects 10 different receptors.  So I have patients take a little Seroquel as I lower their Zyprexa, then when they are only on the Seroquel, I shift them to Haldol (liquid), then off altogether.  Also, I have found that it is critical to wait a period of time (two weeks) before I lower the antipsychotic again.  This allows the number of receptors to be reduced in number after the amount of antipsychotic medication blocking them has been reduced.

In addition, I like using whole food antioxidants such as goji powder, acai powder, and maqui powder (freeze dried).  Most of my patient come with high levels of oxidative stress.

Also, I do a lot of muscle testing for information both for supplements, meds, and energy healing work.  The energy healing work helps a lot too.

With regard to lithium, I am routinely using a product called Li-Zyme Forte or Li-Zyme by Biotics Research.  It seems to be superior to lithium orotate as well as the oligo lithium I was using through Deseret Biologicals (no longer available).

With regard to energy work, I work with patients to help them use EFT, TAT, Emotion Code Technique (by Dr. Bradley Nelson) to heal from traumas.  The release of traumas facilitates the physical healing process and detoxification quite well.

I try to avoid anything that would be too stimulating in those trying to get off sedating meds.  So, I avoid glutamate, aspartate, and histamine amino acids.

Sometimes, I like to refer patients to a good chiropractor or acupuncturist around here.

All the best,

Holistic Doc.

4-15-2010

Dear Doc,

I wanted to share a combo that I have put my 5 year old on that is working great for her attention issues. Maile has an amazing ability to concentrate, as most kids do with so called ADD, on the things she likes, and to a lesser degree on, let’s say, homework.

I am using 1 tsp Molecularly Distilled Fish oil,  ¼ tsp Probiotic Defense Powder, 1 Tbsp Non GMO lecithin Granules, ½ scoop Whey Protein Isolate, 1 drop Liquid Vitamin D Forte (Biotics Research) and 1 scoop Absolute Acai Powder (CAOH). I mix this with a little apple juice, strawberries and Greek yogurt in a blender. Maile really loves the smoothie and her attention span has increased dramatically. Yes, she is still an active 5 year old, but the difference is very noticeable.

Do you have a combo that you like you young patients with ADD or ADHD to be on?

Have a great day!

Marcus

Hi Marcus,

I am happy to hear that your daughter is doing well.

I consider ADD or ADHD as problems that arise from chronic, but early adrenal stress (generally accompanied by a deficient detoxification system), so anything that would cause too much stress will result in a change in attention span as the adrenals kick in with hormones that send the message: “fight or flight.”  I have used everything you have mentioned below regularly, other than the lecithin (though I had used it in the past), but I tend to use liposomal products now which deliver similar supports, I believe, in healing the membranes.

Antioxidant support is very important.  I like using a combination of goji, maqui, and acai powders.  They have slightly different areas of strength it seems, because the muscle testing will indicate a need for all three in some individuals.  Sometimes for those who are getting off stimulants, I will support energy levels with UBQH, Malic acid, and D-Ribose.  Coming off stimulants is hard on appetite.  It goes way up, so I am using Hoodia, but will be trying out a Hoodia, Acai, and Wuyi tea combination to see if it is even stronger.  Also, I try to help detox with foot detox pads and liposomal glutathione (Empirical Labs or Readisorb Glutathione by YES).  Generally these kids have some kind of hypersensitivity reaction to wheat, dairy, and white refined sugar, so I tell them to get off of them.  I provide a great deal of mineral support as well.  Sometimes I must use Organically Bound Minerals by Standard Process, to avoid the copper.  Other times, I can get away with using the ionic liquid minerals called Cell Ready Minerals crangrapefruit flavor by Eniva, as long as I use additional zinc to counter the copper in it.  With regard to essential fatty acids, I generally use Chia seed oil and Black currant seed oil.

Hope this was of some interest.

All the best,

Holistic Doc.

Mediterranean Diet

Since high blood pressure is, for the majority of those who suffer from it, self created, following this simple plan can reverse the factors that created it.

The DASH (Dietary Approaches to Stop Hypertension) eating plan has been researched and proven to lower blood pressure in only 14 days. Those who will experience the best results are people whose blood pressure was only moderately high, including those with prehypertension(1). For those of you with more severe hypertension and may not be able to eliminate medication, the DASH diet can help to improve your response to medication, and at the same time it will help lower blood pressure. The DASH diet can also aid in lowering cholesterol levels, raise HDL’s and if with a little exercise added in, weight reduction will be seen allow with a reduction in insulin resistance.

Most of you reading this will easily admit that this seems like a very healthy way of eating, but initially when implemented may find it hard to sustain. The truth is that the average American only eats 2 – 3 servings of fruits and vegetables combined each day, so following the DASH diet may involve making a determined effort.

The best part of eating this way is that you will be reducing your chances of developing degenerative diseases, cancers or autoimmune diseases. Also this is a preventive diet against weight gain, obesity and diabetes.

Some helpful tips for lowering your blood pressure and following the DASH diet

1. Eating fewer processed foods, such as snack items, luncheon meats, and canned soups, will reduce the amount of sodium in your diet and help you lower your blood pressure.
2. A diet high in calcium, potassium, and magnesium (fruits and vegetables are excellent sources of this nutrients) may lower your blood pressure.
3. A diet high in sodium may cause high blood pressure.
4. DASH recommends that you eat 8 to 10 servings of fruits and vegetables and 3 servings of low-fat dairy products each day.
5. Eating a diet low in both saturated fat and total fat will also help lower your blood pressure. Only 30% (I recommend using olive oil as your fat source) of your total calories should be from fat, with only 7% to 10% of
   your fat calories from saturated fat. Saturated fat is found in meats, cheeses, butter, poultry, snack foods, and other processed foods.
6. In general, vegetarian (Mediterranean diet) diets reduce blood pressure. The DASH diet could easily be a vegetarian diet if legumes were substituted for meat. Vegetarian diets tend to be higher in potassium, magnesium, and calcium, as is the DASH diet. Vegetarian diets also are higher in fiber and unsaturated fat than other diets.
7. Controlling your weight, increasing your physical activity, and reducing sodium in your diet will help reduce your blood pressure even more when combined with the DASH diet. More information here: Mediterranean Diet Helps Prevent Depression.

(1). Prehypertension is considered to be blood pressure readings with a systolic pressure from 120 to 139 mm Hg or a diastolic pressure from 80 to 89 mm Hg. Readings greater than or equal to 140/90 mm Hg are considered hypertension.

Marcus Ettinger DC, BSc

If you would like to purchase any of these products, please call us at (714) 639-6360. We can ship anywhere in the US and Canada.

1.  Magnesium

Deficiency: 8 out of 10 clients show clinical signs of magnesium deficiency.  The average American diet only contains 50% to 60% of the Recommended Daily Allowance (RDA).  According to Dr. Guosong Liu, half the population of industrialized countries have a magnesium deficit, which increases with aging.

Symptoms: Anxiety, confusion, heart attack, hyperactivity (ADD/ADHD), insomnia, nervousness, muscular irritability (twitches, spasms or cramps), restlessness, Restless Leg Syndrome (RLS), weakness, heart palpitations, depression….

Recommended Foods: All green leafy vegetables (ex. Swiss chard and spinach), Seeds (pumpkin or sunflower seeds), Beans (black or navy beans).

Recommended Nutritional Supplements: Magnesium aspartate, glycinate or citrate (400 – 600 mg’s per day) OR Transdermal Magnesium Chloride (1 ounce rubbed over the body, per day).

2.  Zinc

Deficiency: 7 out of 10 clients show clinical signs of deficiency.

Symptoms: Acne, ADD/ADHD, brittle nails, delayed sexual maturity, depression/apathy, diarrhea, eczema, fatigue, growth impairment, hair loss, high cholesterol levels, immune impairment, impotence, irritability, lethargy, loss of appetite, loss of sense of taste, low stomach acid (HCl), male infertility/abnormal sperm, memory impairment, night blindness, paranoia, white spots on nails, poor wound healing, psoriasis….

Recommended Foods: Calf’s liver, beef, mushrooms, spinach, green peas and pumpkin seeds.

Recommended Nutritional Supplements: Zinc Glycinate (50 – 100mg’s per day). Take with food, as zinc supplementation may cause nausea if taken on an empty stomach.

3.  Vitamin D3 (cholecalciferol)

Deficiency: 10 out of 10 clients show deficiency (99.8% of all of my Labcorp, client blood tests have shown deficiency).

Symptoms: Allergies, auto immune diseases, burning sensation in mouth, cancer, diarrhea, insomnia, myopia, nervousness, osteoporosis, poor calcium utilization, rickets, scalp sweating, weight gain….

Recommended Foods: Cod liver oil, shrimp and eggs.

Recommended Nutritional Supplements: BEST VITAMIN D3 (cholecalciferol) PRODUCT: Liquid Vitamin D Forte by Biotics Research ($20  for 700+ drops. Each drop = 2,000 IU’s). Recommended dosage of emulsified Vitamin D3 (cholecalciferol) -  (6,000 – 10,000 IU’s per day for adults and 2,000 IU’s for children above the age of five).  Skin exposure to the sun, 15 minutes per day, is another great way to get adequate Vitamin D exposure.  Note: living in southern California, I only take my Vitamin D3 during the months of October through the beginning of June. I surf a lot, and as soon as my wetsuit comes off and I can get 15 minutes+ of direct sunlight, I no longer need the supplement form. In fact, if I kept taking it, I would sunburn within 15 minutes. This is what your body does when the vitamin D3 level is maxed-out.

4.  Vitamin E (d-alpha tocopherol)

Deficiency: 3/10 Males and 2/10 Females show signs of deficiency.

Symptoms: Neurological disturbances (gait disturbances, poor reflexes, loss of position sense, loss of vibration sense), shortened red blood cell life….

Recommended Foods: Green leafy vegetables (Mustard greens, chard, spinach and turnip greens), almonds and sunflower seeds.

Recommended Nutritional Supplements: d-alpha Tocopherol w/Mixed Tocohperols (400-800 IU’s per day) or Organic Cold Pressed Wheat Germ Oil (1 Tablespoon per day supplies 400IU’s of d-alpha tocopherol).

5. Omega 3 Fatty Acids (ALA, EPA, DHA)

Deficiency: 8/10 show signs of deficiency.

Symptoms: Diarrhea, dry skin and hair, hair loss, acne, eczema, psoriasis, immune weakness, infertility, poor wound healing, premenstrual syndrome, gall stones, liver degeneration, ADD/ADHD and Depression….

Recommended Foods: Flax seed and/or flax seed oil, walnuts, sardines and wild-caught salmon (Important: avoid farm-raised salmon! Eating farm raised salmon vs wild salmon increases your risk of being exposed to PCB’s, dioxin and other toxic pollutants. Farm raised salmon is colored with artificial color and lacks the omega 3 fatty acids of wild caught salmon).

Recommended Nutritional Supplements: Organic, Cold Pressed, Solvent Free – Flax Seed Oil (1 Tablespoon/10 grams per day – Best source of alpha-linolenic acid); Mollecularly Distilled Fish Oil (1 Teaspoon per day – Best source of EPA/DHA).

6. Iodine (potassium iodide)

Deficiency: 6/10 show signs of deficiency and/or therapeutic need.

Symptoms: See – Iodine and the Body & Iodine and Disease

Recommended Foods: Most Kelp or Kombu has about 2500 mcg/gm. Other common seaweeds are much lower; for example, Nori (16 mcg/gm), Wakame (32 mcg/gm), Dulse (72 mcg/gm), Hijiki (629 mcg/gm).

Shellfish is variable, but some typical amounts of iodine are: Prawns (21mcg/100 g), (60mcg/100 g), Mussels (140mcg/100 g), Lobster (100mcg/100 g), Shrimp (100mcg/100 g). For a complete list, pleas go to Iodine in Food.

Recommended Nutritional Supplements: Iodoral – 50mg’s per day for three months, then 12.5mg per day. Do not start on Iodine without first consulting your physician!

4/27/09 – Dr. Marcus Ettinger – Orange, CA

With the swine flu infecting more than 1700 people and claiming over 100 lives in Mexico, sickening people who live nearby in San Diego, and evoking responses from President Barack Obama and Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger, I am hoping you’ll find this current perspective helpful.  Call me with any questions, concerns, or to make an appointment to get on the latest in preventative nutritional supplementation.  I have specific products for children too. (714) 639-4360

Below, you’ll find some answers to common questions about Swine flu, compiled from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), local and state health departments, news reports and myself. At the bottom you’ll also find links to other resources.

What is swine flu?

It’s a respiratory disease caused by influenza viruses that cause regular outbreaks in pigs. People don’t normally get swine flu, but it does happen, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. The scary part about this new strain is that it contains pig, bird and human genes, in a combination that has never been observed before anywhere in the world. This is no joke and everyone needs to take preventative measures to insure that this does not become an epidemic.

How is swine flu spread?

Swine flu viruses have been reported to spread from person-to-person, but in the past, the transmission did not continue beyond three people. It’s spread through coughing or sneezing, and sometimes people may become infected by touching something with flu viruses on it and then touching their mouth or nose. (see “what can I do” below for helpful tips)

Can I get swine influenza from eating or preparing pork?

No.

Has it been reported in the U.S. before?

Yes.  From 2005 to 2009, 12 human cases of swine flu were reported in the U.S., none caused death.  This new strain is very virulent and we need to really stay on top of this with preventative measures. (see below)

What’s the scope of this outbreak

U.S. officials declared a public health emergency on Sunday, much like the government makes when preparing for a hurricane.

At the time of writing this post, a total of 40 cases have been reported in at least five states, according to the Associated Press. Seven of these cases are in California in San Diego and Imperial Counties. No cases have been reported in Orange County, California Department of Public Health spokesman Ken August said today.

What can I do to keep from getting sick?

These suggestions come from CDC’s website and myself:

As of now there is no swine flu vaccine. Any vaccine that may become available will be at least a minimum of 3-4 months down the road. There are everyday actions that can help prevent the spread of virus’ that cause respiratory illnesses’ like influenza. Remember, an ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure. Take these everyday steps to protect your health:

• Cover your nose and mouth with a tissue when you cough or sneeze. Throw the tissue in the trash after you use it.
• Wash your hands often with soap and water, especially after you cough or sneeze. Alcohol-based hand-cleaners are also effective.
• Avoid touching your eyes, nose or mouth. The virus can spread this way.
• Try to avoid close contact with sick people. If unavoidable, ware a mask.
• If you get sick with the flu, The CDC recommends that you stay home from work or school and limit contact with others to keep from infecting them.
• Wipe down everything that you come in common contact with at the office and at home with rubbing alcohol – phone, door knobs, remote control, steering wheel, computer mouse and keyboard….
• If swine flu cases become identified in Orange County, take precautions to avoid group events in confined spaces.
• There are many nutritional and dietary options that help to boost the immune system and provide anti-viral protection. I will be stocking-up on the most effective products that help support the immune system and help support the body against viral infection. (714) 639-4360

What should I do if I think I am sick?

If you live in areas where swine influenza cases have been identified and become ill with flu-like symptoms, including fever, prolonged headache, body aches, runny nose, sore throat, nausea, or vomiting or diarrhea, you may want to contact myself or another health-care provider, particularly if you are worried about your symptoms.  Myself and other health-care providers will determine whether influenza testing or treatment is needed.

If you are sick, you should stay home and avoid contact with other people as much as possible to keep from spreading your illness to others.

If you become ill and experience any of the following warning signs, seek emergency medical care.

In children emergency warning signs that need urgent medical attention include:

• Rapid breathing or trouble breathing
• Bluish tint to the skin
• Prolonged Headache
• Not drinking enough water or fluids
• Not waking up or not interacting
• Being so irritable that the child does not want to be held
• Flu-like symptoms improve but then return with fever and a worse cough
• Fever with a skin rash
• In adults, emergency warning signs that need urgent medical attention include: rapid or difficulty breathing, shortness of breath, pain or pressure in the chest or abdomen, sudden dizziness, mental confusion, severe or persistent vomiting.

More on the swine flu:

Stay updated with the CDC

Interactive map: How the swine flu spread around the world

Is swine flu the big one, or the one that fizzles?