February 22, 2023 general

On the replayed show this week, Bill Sardi explained some things what our doctors should tell us about our health from just seeing us walk in the door. Listeners and I had also asked questions and since the show was so packed with valuable information, I thought it would be helpful to do a review.

Aspirin. Studies seem to indicate new benefits for low dose (81 mg) aspirin such as during cancer treatment and pregnancy. I mentioned that anti-inflammatory supplements like resveratrol, magnesium, fish oil and a diet lower in inflammatory sugars might be better than aspirin for inflammation. He said that for cardiovascular protection, the low dose is not enough to thin the blood. The full 325 mg dose does and reduces iron overload. However, it does so by causing GI blood loss and can lead to ulcers and thousands of bleeding deaths each year. Another reason he does not recommend any regular use of aspirin is that it depletes vitamin C. That might in turn lead to weak capillaries—e.g. in the brain, possibly risk of a brain bleed.

Moles on your skin, white moons and spots on finger nails? You may be deficient in the mineral zinc. Low zinc also reduces the effectiveness of your immune system.

Loss of short-term memory plus fatigue? (Especially if combined with burning feet, chronic cough, sore back, and sore tongue.) Those are classic symptoms of low levels of B₁₂ even if blood tests show that you are in the “normal” range. (Up to 40% of the subjects used to create that supposedly adequate range were low in this critical vitamin.) B₁₂ can be low because of inadequate stomach acid, the use of acid blocking drugs or a vegetarian diet.

Redheads? They have a marked increased risk for Multiple Sclerosis which is related to low vitamin D levels. (They don’t get much sun exposure.)

Dark skin? (e.g. Eastern Indian or African descent) Those folks need 10 times as much sun exposure as light skinned people to form adequate vitamin D. Vitamin D reduces the risk of diabetes, breast cancer and even dental cavities.

A man over age 50 (or post-menopausal woman)? You are likely overloaded with iron which may double the risk for premature aging, diabetes, heart disease and cancer. Blood tests for ferritin in the serum should be between 20-90 ng/mL but a large percentage of the population is in the 200-1000 range. Moderating consumption of red meat and donating blood are ways to reduce iron overload. Resveratrol and IP6 help remove the free iron (but do not take needed iron from red blood cells) and loose calcium that is also an aging factor. Those ingredients are in Longevinex and in smaller but significant amounts in Molecular Multi.

Vegan? You are at risk of being low in iron as well as vitamin B₁₂, zinc and omega 3 fatty acids.

Skin tags / overweight? (E.g. more than 30 lbs over our weight in high school.) Those problems lead to diabetes and heart disease, but can go away with a diet that limits fast-burning carbohydrates like bread, rice, pasta, cereals, cakes, pancakes, cookies, soft drinks, buns, donuts, bagels, pretzels, corn chips and so on. It makes sense to avoid grains (corn wheat, etc.) that farmers use to fatten animals for market. Processed foods also contain ingredients designed to deactivate leptin, the hormone that tells us when we are full.

Pap smear abnormal? Half those issues resolve on their own. The doc should prescribe folic acid and vitamin C [and check vitamin D levels] rather than rush to do a hysterectomy.

Numbness? If due to poor circulation, Bill recommended magnesium, garlic, and resveratrol. May also be due to repetitive postures and movements. B₁₂ helps nerve health. Hyaluronic acid helps build the cushioning around the nerves. Note that estrogen is required to make hyaluronic acid.

Dry skin, elbows, eyes, mouth? Sardi recommended borage oil. 

Hair loss. Make sure the thyroid gland is functioning well (and take digestive enzymes). Hair loss can be due to overgrowth of the stomach bug H. pylori which shuts off stomach acid and leads to nutrient malabsorption. Zinc carnosine supplements help with that. (I also cover those topics in both of my gut related books.) Spotty sudden hair loss can be due to an autoimmune condition caused by “leaky gut” which is due to an imbalance of gut bacteria. Reduced estrogen levels with age can cause hair thinning and loss. Resveratrol is a safe plant estrogen balancer.

Wow. We covered a lot! For more details on some of these items, read Bill Sardi’s article.