Tamp Down the Sweet Stuff

From eNewsletter 1/3/2022

DID YOU KNOW that right now would be a great time to stop consuming artificial sweeteners, and sugar for that matter? Here are the many reasons we gleaned from new research. Aspartame, sold under the brands Nutrasweet and Equal, accelerate cancer cell proliferation, according to a study from Food and Chemical Toxicology. Saccharin (Sweet'n Low), aspartame, and sucralose (Splenda) cause a “breakdown in communication” among gut bacteria, changing the microbiome and potentially increasing the risk of disease, according to a study from the International Journal of Molecular Sciences. Sucralose actually causes the brain to experience more food cravings than normal sugary beverages, according to findings in a JAMA Network Open. A study from Molecular Nutrition & Food Research appear to corroborate a link between artificial sweeteners and impaired metabolism and oxidative stress, which can exacerbate cognitive decline. And if you thought plain old sugar was any better, let us temper that enthusiasm. A study from Frontiers in Neuroscience found that long-term overconsumption of sugar starting at adolescence produces persistent hyperactivity and neurocognitive deficits in adulthood. You know what does not cause any of the aforementioned? Organic stevia (not blended with anything else), inulin, and organic monk fruit (not blended with anything else).

Announcements

Food Intolerance Blood Draw Options to set up a Biotrition food intolerance test blood draw. By appointment only:

1. One Saturday per month at Biotrition in Glenview - 1/22/22 and 2/12/2

2. Tue, Wed, TH 9AM-3PM at NICL Labs in Northbrook

Text, email, or call us to set up your appointment.

Text Us If It Is Convenient! We encourage text messages at (847) 498-3422.

UPDATE - Our COVID-19 Vaccine Opinion The document at this link was updated January 3rd.

Virus Prevention And Treatment Vaccines will minimize COVID-19 related mortality and hospitalizations, but SARS-CoV-2 is not going away. Moreover, SARS-CoV-2 is not the only virus we fight. There are influenza (flu), norovirus (stomach flu), adenovirus (common cold), and four other coronaviruses (common cold), among others. We highly recommend continuing your immune support. See our Prevent and Fight Viruses 2.0 Protocol.

COVID-19 Condition Monograph For those interested in conventional and integrative treatments for COVID-19 with over 250 references, this is our COVID-19 Condition Monograph.

Post-COVID Syndrome 2.0 (updated November 2021) The official diagnosis for post-COVID syndrome (PCS) are symptoms that last for 12 weeks or more. If you, a family member, friend, coworker, or neighbor is suffering from PCS, diligently following our Post-COVID Syndrome 2.0 Action Plan for purchase, or free to paid members here, can bring measurable improvement.

Have a happy, healthy day! Steve and Bonnie Minsky

In Today's Issue

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• Well Connect Feature: Gain, Maintain Muscle Mass

• Recipe du Jour: Cleansing Green Drink

• Mythbuster: Is Office Clutter Really Problematic?

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• Intelligently Active: Minimal Effort Required

• Mental Minute: Stress and Your Genes

• Wild Card: Drinking Water and Your Gut Microbiota

• eInspire: Linus Pauling

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• Did You Know?

• Optimum Mental and Physical Wellbeing

• January 20% OFF Sale Items

• Pure Genomics

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Optimum Physical and Mental Wellbeing

The best way we can achieve our goals for hope, optimism, stability, and the exciting things that are in store for the world post-pandemic, is to do as much as we can to stay mentally and physically optimal. Here's what we suggest: MENTAL WELL-BEING Getting between six and eight hours of sleep is a great place to start for optimum mental function. If you feel down mentally or anxiety-ridden, there are many ways to right this. One way to get out of your head is to ask yourself how you can contribute to the world. 40 years of research, culminated in a major study from Journal of Personality and Social Psychology, states that acts of willingly helping others can satisfy all three of the basic psychological needs: autonomy, competence, and relatedness. Autonomy means that you can engage in activities in which you feel true volition and find personal value. Competence means feeling effective and having a sense of accomplishment. Finally, relatedness means working with and feeling connected to others. The foremost psychology experts believe we should also be optimizing mental health instead of treating mental illness. Mental health problems are part of the human experience and exist on a spectrum. Psychoses benefit from medication, but for most people with mental health issues, such as anxiety or depression, the psychosocial model is more appropriate than the biomedical model. This is why we do not recommend medication as your first-line therapy. There are other therapies that are good not just for mental health, but your overall health. These include genetic wellness screening, talk therapy, cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT), meditation, mindfulness, hypnotherapy, spiritual or religious adherence, and targeted mental health nutraceuticals. Magnesium, which we fondly call "nature's valium," is essential for optimal mental health. Daily recommended value is 350 mg. for women and 400 mg. for men. PHYSICAL WELL-BEING If you have gained weight or stopped adhering to your optimal eating style, don't feel down about it. As a client, you already have the fundamentals we outlined for you to get back on track. If you need a refresh or helpful boost, we are here for you. You should still adhere to the immune support guidelines we outlined for you as far back as January 2020. These are critical for getting you through the darker times of winter and spring, as well as the recent COVID-19 infection spike. Even though many of our clients have one or more comorbidities that greatly increase their risk for severe COVID-19, there have been very few cases. Refer to our Prevent and Treat Coronavirus 2.0 for details. Finding and adhering to whichever method of physical activity works best for you is paramount. It is also important to stay within the confines of what your body can handle. Those starting exercise routines in the new year tend to overdo it, which can lead to injury, or overtly stress to your body, which causes your immune system to be depressed. At this time, there is no reason to be a weekend warrior or perform two hour workout routines every day unless you make a living doing it. By doing the aforementioned, you are contributing to yourself and the world in positive ways. And we are here for you if you need help achieving one or all of these.

COVID-19 in 2022 | Cut Heart Disease Risk

From free version of eNewsletter 12/29/2021

DID YOU KNOW that a study, published in the December issue of European Heart Journal, shows that people with vitamin D deficiency are more likely to suffer from heart disease and higher blood pressure, than those with normal levels of vitamin D? For participants with the lowest concentrations, the risk of heart disease was more than double that seen for those with sufficient concentrations. What we loved about this study is that the scientists considered low concentrations of vitamin D below 50 nmol/L and severe deficiency as below 25 nmol/L, which is how we assess vitamin D status.

Announcements

Holiday Hours Friday, December 31st - Open until 2PM Saturday, January 1st - CLOSED

Food Intolerance Test Blood Draw Update Options to set up a Biotrition food intolerance test blood draw. By appointment only:

1. One Saturday per month at Biotrition in Glenview - 1/22/22 and 2/12/2

2. Tue, Wed, TH 9AM-3PM at NICL Labs in Northbrook

Text, email, or call us to set up your appointment.

Text Us To better serve your needs, we now have the ability to accept text messages. Simply type in (847) 498-3422 and text away!

UPDATE - COVID-19 Vaccine Information We updated this document Monday, December 27th.

Virus Prevention And Treatment Vaccines will minimize COVID-19 related mortality and hospitalizations, but SARS-CoV-2 is not going away, as evidenced by its ever-mutating variants. Moreover, SARS-CoV-2 is not the only virus we fight. There are influenza (flu), norovirus (stomach flu), adenovirus (common cold), and four other coronaviruses (common cold), among others.We highly recommend continuing your immune support. For more information, refer to our Prevent and Fight Viruses 2.0 Protocol.

COVID-19 Condition Monograph For those interested in conventional and integrative treatments for COVID-19 with over 250 references, this is our COVID-19 Condition Monograph.

UPDATE - Post-COVID Syndrome 2.0 (November 2021) The official diagnosis for post-COVID syndrome (PCS) are symptoms that last for 12 weeks or more. If you, a family member, friend, coworker, or neighbor is suffering from PCS, diligently following our Post-COVID Syndrome 2.0 Action Plan for purchase, or free to paid members here, can bring measurable improvement.

Have a happy, healthy New Year! Steve and Bonnie Minsky

In Today's Issue...

• Well Connect Feature: Scrumptious New Year's Entree*

• COVID-19 Update

• January & December 20% OFF Sale Items

• Chiro Corner

• Pure Genomics 2.0

• Blog Briefs

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COVID-19 UPDATE

Steve: Although we are in the throes of the latest coronavirus variant spread, I have reason for optimism. As I elucidated last week in my update, the severity of Omicron is significantly less than Delta. This was confirmed by the CDC's announcement Monday to cut quarantine time in half. Moreover, because Omicron is so infectious, the hope is that most of the world's population is exposed. This will accelerate the process of getting us out of the pandemic and into an endemic state, where we co-exist with SARS-CoV-2 by intermittently what amounts to getting a cold. This is what the human body wants, and believe it or not, what SARS-CoV-2 wants. Viruses don't want to kill their hosts because if their hosts die, they die. It took millions of deaths and many more severe infections for SARS-CoV-2 to mutate to the point where it can exist in the human body, but I believe Omicron is this variant. With the belief that 2022 may be known as the year the pandemic ended, I want you to know that it is my honor to be your guide. With so many around the world rudderless, I hope the guidance we provide helps you, family, friends, and coworkers through the pandemic with the least amount of suffering possible. And now for the latest updates on the pandemic... COVID-19 Supplements Supplementation with vitamins A, B, C, D, and E could improve the inflammatory response and decrease the severity of disease in ICU-admitted patients with COVID-19, states authors of a new study in BMC Trials. Booster Shots Do Little to Protect From Omicron Several small studies from South Africa found that the defense against Omicron infection was poor even in triple vaccinated persons. Because Omicron is much less severe for most persons, and we have heard accounts of more severe side effects after the booster, we are still recommending against having the booster. WHO Director's Sensible Talk Getting an initial course of COVID-19 vaccines to unprotected groups all over the world should remain the top priority before offering booster shots to vulnerable groups, World Health Organization Emergency Director Mike Ryan said last week. Ryan, among many public health officials, have said that because Omicron is less severe, and even if fully vaccinated persons get sick, T-cell immunity is robust and will in most cases stave off serious illness. T-cell immunity is what shows up 2-3 days after initial symptoms to shut down the virus. Children 0-4 Show Much Higher Immunity Than Adults It may be a blessing in disguise that Pfizer's recent mRNA vaccine trials for 2-5 year-olds failed. A new study from Medrxiv shows that children 0-4 years exhibit much higher immunity and ability to fight SARS-CoV-2 than adults. Thus, a vaccine seems pointless unless the child has severe immunosuppression. Quarantine for Health Workers Reduced The CDC announced Monday: "Given what we currently know about COVID-19 and the Omicron variant, CDC is shortening the recommended time for isolation from 10 days for people with COVID-19 to 5 days, if asymptomatic, followed by 5 days of wearing a mask when around others. The change is motivated by science demonstrating that the majority of SARS-CoV-2 transmission occurs early in the course of illness, generally in the 1-2 days prior to onset of symptoms and the 2-3 days after. Therefore, people who test positive should isolate for 5 days and, if asymptomatic at that time, they may leave isolation if they can continue to mask for 5 days to minimize the risk of infecting others. Here is the full guidance. COVID-19 Pills The FDA approved two COVID-19 treatment pills by Merck and Pfizer. Our opinion of these is simple: we do not recommend them except for the groups at highest risk who have not been vaccinated.

Flu Shot a Dud | New Pain Management

From eNewsletter 12/27/2021

DID YOU KNOW that this year's flu shot is a mismatch? According to a study from Medrxiv, in which scientists examined this year’s vaccine and its ability to stop 2021’s dominant flu strains, found the shot is unable to beat a mutation in the flu which will likely be the main variety infecting people this winter. This should not come as a surprise because over the last decade or more, world health officials have guessed wrong much of the time with regard to choosing dominant flu strains.

Announcements

New Year's Business Hours Friday, December 31st - Open until 2PM Saturday, January 1st - CLOSED

Food Intolerance Blood Draw Options to set up a Biotrition food intolerance test blood draw. By appointment only:

1. One Saturday per month at Biotrition in Glenview - 1/22/22 and 2/12/2

2. Tue, Wed, TH 9AM-3PM at NICL Labs in Northbrook

Text, email, or call us to set up your appointment.

Text Us If It Is Convenient! We encourage text messages at (847) 498-3422.

UPDATE - Our COVID-19 Vaccine Opinion The document at this link was updated December 27th.

Virus Prevention And Treatment Vaccines will minimize COVID-19 related mortality and hospitalizations, but SARS-CoV-2 is not going away. Moreover, SARS-CoV-2 is not the only virus we fight. There are influenza (flu), norovirus (stomach flu), adenovirus (common cold), and four other coronaviruses (common cold), among others. We highly recommend continuing your immune support. See our Prevent and Fight Viruses 2.0 Protocol.