Jim LaValle, R.Ph.,C.C.N. author of Your Blood Never Lies: How to Read a Blood Test for a Longer, Healthier Life, discusses blood sugar tests and testing for allergies, thyroid, optimum vitamin D levels and best tests for zinc, magnesium and vitamin C. Click here to find podcasts, show archives and how to listen nationwide.

Take us with you!
NEW: The Healthy by Nature Show is now available on a phone app. Download the “Dirt Doctor” app to your smart phone. Howard Garrett’s show and ours stream in a continuous loop 24 hours a day…one and then the other.

Ouch!
As the headline of a full page story in the Dallas Morning News announced, “We are all getting stung.” You’ve likely heard about “colony collapse” that is drastically reducing the number of honey bees. In case you haven’t followed the story, please know that we can’t just switch to maple syrup and give up honey. We depend on bees to pollinate one third of our food supply.

It appears that a number of subtle factors may be combining to damage the bees. Those apparently include some that are specific to beekeeping such as lack of genetic diversity and hive size. But, suspects also include these industrial farming practices which also affect humans as well:

•Pesticides, herbicides and other ag chemicals. Pollen can contain dozens of these poisons. Among other effects, bees can lose their ability to communicate and navigate back to the hive.

   •  Malnutrition. When bees are transported to pollinate a large single crop, there may not be a variety of plants to nourish them. It seems no surprise that the common practice of supplementing their diet with high fructose corn syrup (HFCS) does not help them flourish. Worse yet, HFCS is often contaminated with the heavy metal mercury which can cause death from ulcers in their tiny digestive tracts.

• Pathogens. Bees succumb to various viruses, parasites and pests. It seems likely that the bees’ ability to resist these attacks is diminished by the stressors listed above.

It seems that honey bees are the current day version of the “canary in the coal mine” giving us early warning of danger to our own health!

You can help bees

• Buy organic food. That supports the economics of safer farming practices (and is obviously better for you too). Organic also avoids GMO’s (Genetically Modified Organism). We can guess that those may harm bees as they have in many animal studies.

• Don’t use synthetic chemicals in your yard and garden. DirtDoctor.com is a great resource for finding a safe solution to any horticultural issue.

 • Plant a wide variety of bee-friendly plants.

Frozen Shoulder
“Frozen Shoulder” vividly describes the pain that makes it difficult to put on a shirt, reach into a cupboard or even to sleep. Treatments like physical therapy, medications, steroid injections and surgery can be inconvenient, expensive and painful. Some of those options lead to serious side effects and they typically offer only temporary relief. In contrast, micro-current treatment is fast, painless, cost-effective and it is free of side effects. This non-invasive pain method has been reported to improve shoulder function in as little as one treatment. The makers of the Avazzia micro-current devices have just a very few openings left to participate in a small study to be conducted at a doctor’s office in Plano, TX on Monday, September 22. There is no cost for the treatment. To see if you qualify for this Frozen Shoulder study and make your appointment, call Devyn at 214-575-2820. Study details here.

Last Week Follow-up
LISTEN to that show in the archives. First we talked with Sally M. Pacholok, RN. She is the author of the terrific book: Could It Be B12?: An Epidemic of Misdiagnoses. There was so much to cover…kids going back to school, diabetes, heart disease, seniors…I did the best I could. Brian Hitchcock was a Type 2 Diabetic. As you might expect, given his book is titled, Exdiabetic, now he isn’t. I asked him about the natural methods he used to attain that enviable status.  (He now has PayPal. For other methods of payment for the book, email him at [email protected].) If you know anyone with a “frozen shoulder“, for their sake, please ask them to listen to this show in the archives. At the end we announced the short term study noted above. Although the study was to be conducted in the DFW area, the information will be useful for anyone suffering with frozen shoulder.

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MY BOOKS:

Fat-Free Folly. Challenges dangerous mainstream thinking about fats. Supported with generous amounts of current science and grounded in a common sense historical framework. Learn how to build health and lose weight while enjoying more delicious food.

Natural Alternatives to Nexium, Maalox, Tagamet, Prilosec & Other Acid Blockers. Subtitle: What to Use to Relieve Acid Reflux, Heartburn, and Gastric Ailments. Besides explaining the dangers of these medications and helping fix the real cause (which is seldom too much acid) this book is also helpful for solving other digestive problems.

Aloe Vera – Modern Science Sheds Light on an Ancient Herbal Remedy. Research shows that Aloe has benefit beyond skin and digestion–also for immune function, detoxification, nutrient absorption, blood antioxidant levels, blood sugar regulation and more. Learn how to pick the most potent brands.

The information contained in this newsletter has not been evaluated by the Food and Drug Administration and is not intended to diagnose, treat, cure or prevent any disease. The contents are for informational purposes only and should not be used as a substitute for professional medical advice.

Copyright 2014 Martie Whittekin, CCN