Steven F. Hotze, M.D., is the founder of the Hotze Health & Wellness Center in Houston, TX. We’ll take your calls but to start things off I’ll ask about thyroid issues and about bioidentical hormone therapy.Call the live show with questions at 1-800-281-8255. Click here to find podcasts, show archives and how to listen nationwide.

What happens when we get a scare?
Why is it that so many people go out of their way to see horror flicks or go to haunted houses? Could it be that the reality we come back to no longer seems so frightening? Our brain isn’t the only part of us that responds to a scare. I found a video that does a good job of explaining how the whole body reacts to one and why it may not be smart to jump out of the dark to frighten your aged grandmother. It is kind of funny because Travis Stork, MD a host of the TV show, The Doctors, seems to be doing an impression of Dr. Oz. Video link.

Trick or treat?
Halloween candy is both. It is a treat that becomes a trick when it shuts down our immune systems for hours, starts a winter long sweet-craving and throws the rest of our metabolism out of whack. (Author Nancy Appleton lists over 143 ways sugar is hard on your health.) Parents must worry not only about what to give out but, also what to do with a pillow case full of collected goodies. For us empty-nest health freaks, who think about giving out something other than candy…that is an invitation to getting our house decorated with toilet tissue. The safer alternative is to just turn off the porch light and hide but, that is no fun. (Don’t you just love the tiny princesses, the creative homemade costumes and those teens who think that a flannel shirt is a costume?) Here at least are some ideas for  what to do with leftovers:

• After one stomach-churning binge, parents sometimes trade toys for the balance of the loot.

• Creative dentists trade items donated by local businesses for the kids’ candy which is then sent to the troops. Halloween Candy Buy Back is an example and it tells how.

• Several other groups collect candy and other items to create care packages for members of the armed forces. (Service members don’t necessarily have access to convenience store snacks in far-flung parts of the world and can work off the sugar quickly. Sometimes they even use little treats to make friends with native children.) I’m sure there are others, but here are links to a couple of example efforts: Operation Gratitude and Do Something.

Last Week Follow-up
LISTEN to that show in the archives. Producer, Andy Hopkins, co-hosted as we interviewed Licensed Psychotherapist, Gary Avignon. He is the author of The Diet Mentality Take Down: Introduction to the Psychological Secrets of Successful Weight Control; Including “The 10 Myths That Sabotage Every Diet”. (He offers that free on his website!) We discussed some of those and a bit about how abuse in either childhood and marriage affect weight management. Then Andy interviewed me about how to avoid seasonal pathogens and how to keep our immune systems tuned up. One key to that is a healthy balance of gut organisms and use of Dr. Ohhira’s Probiotics and Propolis. Special offer: 2 of my books (request that Fat Free Folly be added) with purchase. Free Shipping.

Please help spread the good word—forward this newsletter to friends and family.

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