Creative Compounds

Flu Season - Don't Let it Get You Down!

2009-10-06T16:13:00Z

What is the latest on the flu shot? Last year there was a shortage and this year it is slowly being released. The peak time to get the shot is now, so that you have a good six weeks to build up anti-bodies before the flu starts really circulating.

The questions most asked is..”Should I get the flu shot?” If you have a reasonably healthy immune system, the answer is usually no. If you have a weakened immune system the answer is yes.

Then the next question that follows....”What alternative do you have for the shot? We do carry products by Heel.

Heel Products are a line of homeopathic remedies with a protocol for flu. Engystol is a group of homeopathics designed to stimulate a non-specific defense system in viral infections, including influenza, cold sores and feverish conditions. As with a majority of Heel products, Engystol is a sublingual tablet that simply dissolves under the tongue. The protocol designed by the company is to simply take 2 tablets per the first five days of each month during the flu months. The only contraindication is for those who are lactose intolerant.

The next product in the protocol is Gripp-Heel that includes different homeopathics that help with the temporary relief of symptoms of influenza, including fever, malaise, body aches and painful joints. Simply take 2 tablets per day for the first five days of each month during the flu months. The only contraindication is for those who are lactose intolerant.

The final product is a nasal spray called Sinusin. It’s designed to help with the temporary relief of nasal congestion, runny nose, rhinitis, sinusitis, dry nasal membranes, cold and flu symptoms. It provides 3 - 4 hours of protection and should be done 3 - 4 times per day.

Should you develop flu-like symptoms, Heel's product Lymphomyosot will help with the lymphatic system.

All these products are in stock at the pharmacy and online at http://shopping.creativecompounds.net

How to Improve Concentration in School

2009-08-18T17:32:00Z

Fall is around the corner and school bells are set to start ringing soon. The mad dash to buy school supplies and dress code appropriate clothing has everyone’s focus.

Although these things are essential to getting a good start to the school year, there is one thing that needs to be considered. What supplements should your child be taking that could help improve their school performance. One such supplement should be DHA.

DHA stands for "docosahexaenoic acid." It is a polyunsaturated omega-3 fatty acid (22:6 n3) and is considered a beneficial fat. DHA is critical for the optimal development and function of the brain, eyes, and central nervous system during infancy and childhood. The brain grows rapidly throughout the first years of life, and DHA usage by the brain is significant during this time.

Babies get DHA from breast milk, where it is found naturally. Infant formulas are now being supplemented with DHA. But when young children are weaned from breast milk or formula to solid foods, their intake of DHA tends to decrease.

Natural sources of DHA are found in:

Breast milk

Organ meats

Seafood, especially oily, cold-water fish such as salmon, herring, sardines, and anchovies

Algae

Because DHA makes up a large portion of the brain and the retinas of the eyes, a deficiency could negatively impact the development or function of these organs. Studies revealed that babies with higher DHA levels have better mental and visual function. In addition, children who were breastfed tend to have higher IQ scores and better academic performance than those who were formula-fed; this is believed to be partly related to the high DHA content of breast milk. This Essential Fatty Acid is important factor in concentration. Furthermore, studies in 2004, boys who were diagnosed with ADHD had low levels of DHA present in their blood lipids.* Meanwhile, a study in 2008 who studied pre-children with high levels of DHA had higher cognition and vocabulary scores.*

In addition to diet, there are several choices of supplements available to help increase your child’s DHA levels. Care must be taken when purchasing any Essential Fatty Acid. Fish are similar to humans in the manner handling a toxic load. Those toxins that cannot be excreted are stored in fat. This is the key reason why there are limits on how much fish children and pregnant women should consume per week to limit the toxins ingested. Special care must be taken when these fish fats are processed to insure that the toxins have been removed.

Creative Compounds carry professional lines of Essential Fatty Acids from reputable companies. These companies provide a certificate of analysis proving the toxin levels are within low acceptable levels. Buying Essential Fatty Acids from a box store are sometimes more economical there’s no analysis of the composition available. The dollars saved is not worth the risk of your child’s long term health. Creative Compounds staff can make recommendation on the supplement that will fit your child’s needs.

ActaP – Benefits of oily fish and omega-3, increased IQ
Aberg MA, Aberg N, Brisman J, et al. Fish intake of Swedish male adolescents is a predictor of cognitive performance. Acta Paediatr. 2009;98(3):555-60.

2004-12-25 AJCN - Boys with ADHD have lower levels of key essential fats
Stevens L, Zentall S, Deck J et al. Essential fatty acid metabolism in boys with attention-deficit hyperactivity disorder. Am J Clin Nut 1995; 62:761-768.

CP - High DHA blood levels are positively correlated to preschool children's listening comprehension and vocabulary.
Ryan A, Nelson E. Assessing the effect of docosahexaenoic acid on cognitive functions in healthy, preschool children: a randomized, placebo-controlled, double-blind study. Clin Pediatr (Phila). 2008;47(4):355-62

How to Avoid Dehydration and Enjoy Summer Sports

2009-07-02T14:02:00Z

Here’s a concerning article about dehydration and how it can affect animals. One such event concerns dehydration in pigs. At a hog farm in Iowa, it was normal to put small feeder pigs in the finishing barn so they could be fattened to their marker weight of 220 pounds. In this particular barn, nipple watering devices that could be adjusted for height were used. When the feeder pigs were introduced, the devices were at their lowest height, and were progressively raised as the pigs grew. Then, they were supposed to be lowered to the correct height for the next batch of feeder pigs. On one occasion, the farmhands forgot to lower the devices, and the pigs were without water for 3 days. Upon realizing their mistake, the workers lowered the devices to let the pigs drink. Within a a couple of hours, all the pigs were dead. Porcine physiology is very similar to human physiology, so this is pertinent to our discussion. The pigs lost a lot of electrolytes as they perspired. As they progressively dehydrated, the greatest osmotic pull was in the cells of the brain. Once they drank all the water they desired, they all died of cerebral edema. If professional veterinary advice had been sought-after, the workers would have been apprised to spray the flooring of the finishing barn with a water hose numerous times a day for 3 days. That way, the fluid and electrolytes would have had a chance to equilibrate so they would have been able to safely drink all the water they wanted.

During the extremely blistering Oklahoma summer of 2006 (daily highs 100 to 110 degrees), our military personnel in the Middle East with daily high temperatures can reach 140 degrees, and they are wearing MOPP suits and are packing a full combat load of ammunition and supplies. They are also rehydrating with water and maybe sport drinks. The troops are young and strong, but the extreme conditions are stripping them of the ability to make effective decisions i.e.. it is the belief they are suffering a degree of cerebral edema. Since combat is the ultimate team sport, where your very life depends on your "teammates" doing their job, it is essential the troops have a clear head in order to make good decisions.

Two fallacies that have spurred the make up of traditional sport drinks are: an athlete/soldier needs sodium to replace the sodium lost in sweat and an athlete/soldier needs simple carbohydrates/sugars to replace energy stores lost in extreme exertion. In my opinion, almost every American has way too much sodium in their diet, and this is just a variation of the archaic salt tablet. Basic physiology tells us sodium "lives" extracellularly, which means added sodium will osmotically draw more water increasing the blood pressure (by increasing the volume in a closed system) that is already increased with exertion, and dehydrating the cells. This could possibly increase the risk of heart attack and/or stroke. Also, increased sodium forces potassium out of the body in the distal loops of Henle in the kidney. Potassium is about 94% intracellular, and it is vital in keeping the osmotic pull of water coming into the cell, thus hydrating the cells. This is essential for cellular and thus whole body health. By adding carbohydrates of an extremely high glycemic index, about 78, the athlete experiences a "sugar rush" and an initial energy surge. However, by definition, high glycemic index means a huge surge of insulin is released, which will drive glucose into the cells, depressing serum blood sugar levels, and thus dramatically decreasing the athlete's energy level. It's similar to an insulin dependent diabetic taking an injection of insulin and then not eating. One small benefit is the insulin surge will drive some potassium into the cells, but there is a very small gain traded off for a significant downside. In comparison, the glycemic index of a candy bar is about 46. Watermelon, at 82, was one of the few foods with a higher glycemic index. In addition, the muscle cells of an athlete use up stored glycogen via aerobic metabolism. When this runs out, they are very capable of switching to burning fat via anaerobic metabolism. If simple sugars with a high glycemic index are given, this interferes with this cycle and hinders rather than helps the athlete compete and recover.

If one considers the makeup of most sport drinks, it is evident they're full of simple carbohydrates with a high glycemic index and they have a great deal more sodium than potassium. They as well have none of the additional minerals that are by and large accepted as being essential to assist cells work and rejuvinate.

One great product that Creative Compounds carries is Complete H20 Minerals Electrolyte Sports Blend. Complete H2O Minerals Sports Blend Mix is an attempt to amend this situation. It has zero carbohydrates in the least, hence promoting the athlete/soldier to employ his natural energy stores and pathways. It in addition to has no sodium at all, so it does not encourage hypertension. It has a significant amount of potassium and chlorides, thus encouraging cell work and rejuvination. In addition, 9 other molecular minerals are present in the blend: magnesium, calcium, MSM, zinc, manganese, chromium, selenium, molybdenum and boron. This blend of 11 minerals is an optimal blend in helping cells do what they were designed to do.

It must be mentioned, a paper published by Rockefeller University 18-Jan-2002 entitled Another transmembrane protein structure solved by Rockefeller scientists specifically states that for water soluble charged minerals to be able to penetrate a fat soluble cellular membrane, specifically gated chloride ion channels exist that require minerals to be a specific size (very small) and a specific charge (negative/anionic) to cross the cell membrane. By no small chance, Complete H20 molecular minerals are angstrom sized and negatively charged anions. Thus, just a few milli or microgram amounts of these minerals do a better job than traditional sports drinks. Please visit our store for more detailed information of this product. Especially now that the dog days of summer is here!

Toxic Combinations of Summer

2009-06-22T17:18:00Z

The summer months are here to enjoy outdoor picnics, family vacations, and summer sports. There are lots of reasons to get out and enjoy the sun. Summer also means having to deal with dehydration, sunburns and bugs. There are some toxic combinations of chemicals used to fight the not so fun side of summer

First, dehydration can easily occur with too much sun causing heat stroke. Being active outside can lead to excessive perspiration that can cause dehydration. In addition to perspiration alcohol and caffeine will both dehydrate a person. Although, these drinks may be nice and cool while enjoying outside recreation they may be setting the stage for dehydration. There's no replacement, like good old water. Depending on the level of activity, a good electrolyte replacement maybe necessary to maintain proper electrolyte balance.

Second, another summer toxic combination is chemical based sunscreens with a chemical bug repellent. The largest organ of the body is the skin. By placing chemicals on the skin those chemicals may be absorbed into the body and have to processed by the liver. According to the AMA, sunscreens and bug repellents should not be in the same package nor applied at the same time.

Research is showing that with the chemical sunscreen can increase the absorption of the bug repellent. In a Canadian study, applying the chemical sunscreen then a bug repellent increase the absorption by 10 percent when compared to using the repellent on its own. Applying the repellent first then the sunscreen increase permeation by 47 percent and mixing the two together showed a 630 percent absorption of the sunscreen.

When using the combination sunscreen/bug repellent together it could create a very toxic situation for children. Simply because sunscreens need to be applied more frequently and bug repellents only once. Children are more susceptible because their skin is thinner and the chemical is easily absorbed and they have less body mass to deal with the excessive chemicals.

There are some natural alternatives that are very effective without creating a toxic load on the body. Zinc oxide is a mineral that provides a physical sunblock of UVA/UVB rays. The one downside is the white film it leaves. There are some micronized formulations of zinc oxide that reduce the white appearance of the product.

In the realm of bug repellent, one of Creative Compounds favorite products is Cactus Juice. It contains the natural prickly pear and emollients that can really deter assaults of mother nature. Creative Compounds is proud to carry this product.

How to avoid the Swine Flu

2009-04-28T13:09:00Z

Swine Flu, it's in all of the headlines and maybe already in a neighborhood near you. What can you do to insure that it passes you by, short of stock piling Tamiflu? Our systems are assaulted on a daily basis with various viruses, bacterias and fungi. The stronger the immune system, the less chance of infection and sickness. There are several things currently in the marketplace that helps boost your immune system that doesn't require a doctors prescription.

Vitamin D deficiency has been gaining awareness in medical circles for a few years. We make Vitamin D by taking in sunlight. As the incidences of skin cancer has risen and we've shied away from the sun or slathered on sunscreen, we've been reducing our vitamin D. Vitamin D is essential in bone, cardiovascular, cognitive, nervous system and most importantly immune health. Studies indicate that populations with limited sunlight exposure or vitamin D deficiency have been found to have weakened immune systems compared to populations with greater exposure to direct sunlight. Today, scientists worldwide have described an urgent need to raise the daily recommendation to as much as 1,000-2,000 i.u. per day, without additional testing. Vitamin D levels should be tested. If vitamin D levels are too high it could cause hypercalcemia.

Vitamin C is another great vitamin that can help boost the immune system. In general taking about 1,000mg of vitamin C is a baseline to consume. Too much Vitamin C at once or a more non-absorbable form can cause some gastric upset. The buffered Vitamin C is in ascorbate form. Ascorbic Acid is the from of Vitamin C that tends to cause gastric upset. However, by slowly increasing the amount of Vitamin C you take, it can lessen the GI upset.

A final recommendation to help boost the immune system is mushrooms. Not the white button mushrooms you cook with and not those funny psychedelic ones from the 60's. A favorite combination contains Reishi (Ganoderma lucidum), Shiitake (Lentinus edodes), Fu-Ling (Poria cocos), Turkey Tail Mushroom (Coriolus versicolor), Oyster Mushroom (Pleurotus ostreatus), Cordyceps (Paecilomyces hepiali), Maitake (Grifola frondosa). These mushrooms can help at a cellular level and promote a healthy immune response.

If you have any of the symptoms reported on television that include high fever, body aches, headaches, coughing, sore throat, diarrhea, vomiting, fatigue and chills, please seek medical attention. All these immune boosting things are good, but it doesn't take the place of seeking medical attention when you are truly sick.

Soda Tax - Who's Really Behind it?

2009-04-09T18:21:00Z

The proposed food tax on sugared beverages is preposterous. It alleges the soda tax will discourage consumption of sugared beverages and leave the consumer to reach for sugar-free less expensive drinks. Magically, the obese will no longer be obese. Unbelievable that a proposal of this magnitude without any studies would come from a respected journal such as the NEJM (the New England Journal of Medicine).

Searching for studies on weight loss and diet drinks there was a very interesting article on WebMD. In 2005, at the University of Texas Health Science Center in San Antonio showed just the opposite. Yes, those who consumed sugared beverages daily had a higher percent of being obese. The study went on to sight that those who consumed sugar free drinks had a 41% higher chance of becoming obese.

How can this be? It's all based on sugar. There are enzymes in saliva that starts breaking down simple carbohydrates (i.e. bread, pasta, crackers). These simple carbohydrates breakdown to sugar inside the mouth. The pancreas senses something sweet in the mouth and releases insulin into the bloodstream to be ready to transport the sugar into the cell. The sugar is then bound to the insulin and is eventually delivered to the cell which uses it as energy.

When the diet drink is consumed, the pancreas senses that there something sweet in the mouth, so it releases insulin to bind with the sugar and transport it to the cell. The problem is that there's no sugar to bind and the person experiences a drop in the sugar. With the drop in sugar the body sends out a message in the form of a craving sugar. At this stage in the game with high insulin and low glucose, the person usually doesn't reach for something healthy. It's usually a higher caloric food.

It's a common fact that a soda (sugared) per day results in 15 pounds in a year. By University of Texas observation, a diet soda per day results in 21 pounds in a year.

To read the article by UT, click the link: http://www.webmd.com/diet/news/20050613/drink-more-diet-soda-gain-more-weight

Health Buzz: Broccoli and Your Stomach and Other Health News

2009-04-06T16:38:00Z

As seen in US News and world support a small Japanese Study shows that eating as little as 2 1/2 ounces of broccoli sprouts each day could defend against h. pylori bacteria. H. Pylori has long been the suspected culprit in stomach ulcers and other gastric maladies. What the study sites is it doesn't kill the bacteria but helps the body defend against it.

Interesting! Organic is probably a better choice over conventional. The reason is under the conventional growing model, all the conditions are controlled allowing the plant to grow without any threats from predators. Since there's no threat then the plant doesn't make any of the chemicals usually used to ward off those pesky threats. Have you had broccoli that didn't have that "bite"? When things are grown organically, the plant has to do a little more to protect itself.

Basically the study doesn't specify the difference between organic or conventional, but when in doubt go organic if the pocketbook allows. Regardless, do something nice for your GI Tract and say yes to a serving of broccoli. Like I always told my kids "Broccoli is your friend!"

Seasonal Allergies -

2009-04-03T19:22:00Z

Seasonal Allergies Here for Spring

Spring is in the air, and so is the pollen with the sound of sneezing whistling through the air.

There's several natural remedies that have been very effective dealing with that over stimulated immune system.

One remedy that has been a staple for several of our patients is Natural D-Hist by Orthomolecular. Here's a brief description of the ingredients any why :

Quercetin
Naturally found in onions, quercetin is a mast cell stabilizer and a powerful natural flavonoid. Quercetin has been shown to inhibit certain compounds that typically affect sinus and respiratory health.

Stinging Nettles Leaf
Studies have shown stinging nettles have demonstrated both promising mechanisms and clinical results for supporting nasal passageway health. While further study is needed, trials have shown stinging nettles demonstrated measurable differences vs. placebo after only one week.

Bromelain
A strong pineapple enzyme, bromelain has proven mucolytic properties. As such, bromelain supports normal mucousal tissue function and enhances the absorption of quercetin.

N-Acetyl L-Cysteine (NAC)
An amino acid that is a natural mucolytic, NAC reduces the viscosity of mucus. Studies have shown individuals have been treated effectively without side effects when given NAC.

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Another Favorite Product is

Luffeel Nasal Spray . Luffeel is an all-nautral treatment ideal for addressing the symptoms of allergy season. Unlike conventional treatments which primarily suppress symptoms (antihistamines, steroidal nasal sprasy, etc.), Luffeel supports the body's natural response and works to minimize over-reactivity of the immune system that leads to allergic reactions.

Both of these products are in stock and available for shipping. Please call us we'd love to make a recommendation.

Welcome

2009-04-02T14:00:23Z

Welcome to my blog. Please check back soon for new entries.