On this week’s A Different Perspective, we share another Wellness Way success story. Then Dr. Flynn continues his cholesterol series, sharing another cardiovascular disease marker to watch instead of LDL and total cholesterol. In the product knowledge segment, Doc covers the benefits of turmeric for increasing your niacin intake, lowering inflammation, and reducing your risk of cardiovascular disease. Then, in his Last 10%, Doc talks about how our schools are like giant Petri dishes that challenge the immune system.
Introduction
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Dr. Flynn begins by introducing some of the chiropractic students who are at The Green Bay clinic for a VIP weekend. They flew in on Thursday and are here for training with our doctors for a few days. He then goes over some ways to connect with The Wellness Way –through the newsletter, Instagram, our clinic search engine, and more. Next, he introduces a Wellness Way story shared by W. Butch Kostreva, a patient of Dr. Jason Nobles.
Wellness Way Stories: W. Butch Kostreva
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Dr. Jason of The Wellness Way Green Bay then introduces one of his patients, Butch. Butch is a local radio personality. He came in with some hormone issues.
Butch Shares His Background
Butch begins by sharing that he is a part of a radio station that shares a positive message with the listeners. Giving back to the community is something he really enjoys. He loves being able to impact people’s lives through the radio waves. Initially, a friend told him about The Wellness Way and what we do here. Then he started to do his own research through The Wellness Way website. The website got him so interested that he kept reading more and more about The Wellness Way approach.
Health Goals: Digestion and Low T
Butch had two main health issues he wanted to resolve: a stomach issue, where he wasn’t digesting well, and low testosterone. He was really impressed with The Wellness Way, and how we test the blood and get down to the nitty-gritty of what’s going on. Then we make a plan of how to fix it. Butch isn’t 100% yet, but he is on that road to healing.
Mental Attitude Makes a Difference
One thing Butch noticed about The Wellness Way is that we put a large emphasis on improving patients’ mental attitudes toward health. Dr. Jason encouraged Butch to get his mind in the right direction – so that he was naturally driven to make the changes and get himself better. Butch found that to be very helpful.
For him, that enthusiasm felt like healing his brain. He felt more energetic and positive about things. The things that would bother him before no longer got him down. He noticed the change in mental attitude also helped him physically. He no longer felt like he was dragging himself out of bed. Instead, he was jumping out of bed, ready to work. Working in his profession so long, he didn’t think that feeling would come back again. But it did!
Butch Experienced Additional Benefits
When Butch came to The Wellness Way, he was very overweight. So far, he has lost nineteen pounds. He wants to lose more weight, but he’s happy with what he has lost so far.
When Butch first came to The Wellness Way, he found out there were all kinds of foods he was allergic to. He was amazed to find out he had been eating some of these foods his entire life and they were causing issues for him. Once he started cutting these foods out of his diet and added the supplements almost immediately, he started feeling better –happier, more energetic, with an improved sex drive.
Milk was one of the foods he was allergic to, so now he has switched to coconut milk. He had issues with beef, so now he does more chicken and fish. He has worked to include more of the foods he was not allergic to in his diet – like cabbage.
His Confidence Increased as He Saw the Results
As Butch started to experience results, his confidence increased. As he saw more results, he was encouraged to take another step, and then another. He felt inspired to do whatever it took to get his health back to normal. Once he saw results, and he felt better about himself, it gave him the confidence to push harder. While he says he has a long way to go, Butch is very happy about the progress he has made so far.
Butch praises Dr. Jason as someone who is there as a friend rather than a doctor. He talks to you like he truly cares. Butch says being at The Wellness Way doesn’t feel like being in a doctor’s office. It feels like you’re there surrounded by a group of people who truly care about you.
Perspective: Cholesterol Part 2
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Doc then continues with the cardiovascular system series that he began last week. One of the most confusing topics around the cardiovascular system is cholesterol. Is cholesterol good? Is it bad? How about eggs? Are they good? Or are they bad? There’s so much confusion about this – So, we are here to give you a different perspective.
Cholesterol is Not Good or Bad
If you didn’t watch last week’s A Different Perspective, go back, and watch it. We talked about how cholesterol is really in the middle. It’s not good or bad –They are giving you an incomplete story. What do we mean by incomplete? Well, let’s look at a typical definition of “Bad” (LDL) versus “Good” (HDL) cholesterol.
Bad (LDL) cholesterol stores cholesterol in the bloodstream
Good (HDL) cholesterol regulates LDL storage and promotes excretion
Well, that doesn’t make too much sense because the majority of LDL is made by your liver. If they say LDL is bad, when did your liver start making bad stuff for your heart and body in general?
There are different particles we need to look at. If we just look at LDL in general, it is made up of multiple things: triglycerides, phospholipids, and other things needed for daily life. We talked last week extensively about apolipoprotein B.
Apo-Lipoprotein B
Apo-Lipoprotein B is a protein that you can measure. It’s a marker that can be highly suspect when it comes to cardiovascular disease. ApoB is the primary protein component of LDL. While the amount of cholesterol in LDL varies, each LDL contains one ApoB protein. So, ApoB is a superior indicator of circulating LDL than LDL cholesterol. As a result, ApoB is a better marker for cardiovascular disease. It’s strongly associated with an increased risk of coronary heart disease.
When you go to the doctor, they give you a general panel of LDL cholesterol and if it’s elevated, they say you have an increased risk of cardiovascular disease. But after all their treatment, 50% of those who die of heart disease have normal LDL cholesterol levels. It doesn’t consider all the other factors.
Low-Density Lipoprotein (LDL)
In general, LDL is a protein carrier of cholesterol. There’s Low-Density Lipoprotein, which is LDL, but there is also HDL, which is high-density lipoprotein. What does that mean? It’s based on protein content. High-density lipoprotein has more protein, and low-density lipoprotein has less protein. Why? Because it has LDL has more fat attached to it, so, it’s less dense.
The protein portion carries cholesterol to the cells, membranes, tissues, and glands of your body for the synthesis of what? Hormones! In general, if you look at the side effects of statin drugs, what happens? One of the side effects is low hormones. If you take the statin drug prescribed by your doctor because he’s concerned your LDL is elevated, he’ll say, “Look! You have a lower risk of cardiovascular disease.”
Yet, 50% or more die with normal LDL levels on their cholesterol panel.
Particle Size Matters
The LDL level doesn’t really matter when you’re looking at cardiovascular risk because there are different particle sizes. As we talked about last week, there are big LDLs and there are small, dense LDLs and they can be measured. When we talk about different-sized particles, imagine a cholesterol particle going through the arteries and think about a large beach ball.
These are the large buoyant LDL cholesterols that float through the system but never get into an artery. But then there are smaller, dense LDLs. Those small dense LDLs can permeate and get into an artery, causing some plaquing. So, for them to just say that LDL is bad for you makes no clinical sense. It all depends on particle size, which you can measure. You can look at the particle size and ApoB and have a much better idea of your risk. That’s why we do a complete panel.
Another Significant Marker: Lipoprotein-A
There’s another LDL marker that’s even more significant than ApoB. Doctors and researchers talk about it all the time, but they don’t have a treatment for it. If there’s no current treatment for it, do you think they care about measuring it? No. When they can’t explain it, what do you think they blame it on? Genetics.
When they blame it on genetics, it takes control out of the patient’s hands. It puts control into the hands of the scientists, “experts,” the “smart doctors,” who have the treatments that can change the gene pool. But guess what? It’s been very unsuccessful in multiple ways.
Now, this is a blood marker Doc constantly runs for cardiovascular issues, that he thinks everyone should know about: Lipoprotein A. If it’s elevated, it scares him when it comes to cardiovascular disease.
The medical field doesn’t think it’s worth measuring because “it’s genetic” and they don’t have a drug to treat it. Doc disagrees. He has A Different Perspective on it. He even has pre- and post-results of people who listened to our perspective rather than the medical perspective.
Lipoprotein-A Test
Doc goes over Healthline’s overview of Lipoprotein-A testing. Some (but not all) LDLs contain lipoprotein(a), or Lp(a). Doctors can test Lp(a) in the bloodstream, which is associated with a higher risk of heart disease. A standard lipid panel, which includes total cholesterol, LDL, HDL, and triglycerides doesn’t give you a good idea of whether you will develop heart disease.
Yes, it is common for these markers to be elevated when you have heart disease. However, it’s also common for them to be elevated if you have an injury, chronic inflammation, or low hormone levels. Lp(a) can be elevated when your body is trying to produce more hormones.
The body doesn’t make mistakes! It’s smart. It adapts to low hormone levels by increasing LDL to help provide needed compounds to make hormones.
What Other Conditions Increase Lp(a)?
Other conditions that increase Lp(a) levels include:
- High cholesterol
- Hypothyroidism
- Uncontrolled diabetes
- Kidney failure
- Nephrotic syndrome, a kidney disorder
Is it really Lp(a) that’s the problem? No. The last three of these are all based on sugar levels. Sugar can be very damaging. All these other imbalances lead to increases in cholesterol for the purpose of healing and repair. Is high Lp(a) genetic? No. Your body is responding to what you’re doing to it.
What Else Should You Know About Lp(a)?
Doc then brings up the Skeptical Cardiologist’s website and addresses what he says about Lp(a): What You Should Know About Lipoprotein(a) And Heart Attack Risk.
A few things to know are:
- Up to 20% of individuals may have elevated Lp(a)
- High Lp(a) is strongly associated with the development of a calcified aortic valve.
- Lp(a) is not included in standard cholesterol testing but can be measured with a simple blood test which should cost no more than $50 or $100.
- Your risk for heart attacks increases at 30 mg/dl. The higher the Lp(a), the greater the cardiovascular risk.
The Skeptical Cardiologist says diet and exercise have no effect on Lp(a). Really? But then he says only niacin has been shown to reduce Lp(a) across broad populations but that there’s no evidence that lowering Lp(a) with niacin lowers cardiovascular risk, so it can’t be recommended.
So, because they haven’t put it through the basic medical studies… niacin lowering Lp(a) leading to decreased cardiovascular disease… they can’t recommend it because there’s no evidence.
Well, they don’t like the idea of giving you a natural supplement and missing out on prescribing pharmaceutical drugs.
Niacin May Help
Well, Doc says it’s worth a try to add in some niacin. After all, it comes from food – it’s vitamin B3. Let’s look at some of the highest niacin foods:
- Nutritional yeast
- Liver
- Heart
- Anchovies
- Medicinal mushrooms
- Chicken breast
- Kidney
- Tuna
Notice the organ meats? Nutritional yeast can be inflammatory for some people but look at all the organ meats: liver, heart, and kidney are great for increasing your niacin and lowering your Lp(a) levels.
Why Don’t Medical Doctors Test For These Things?
Back to the Skeptical Cardiologist, who wonders, “If we have no effective therapies that work by lowering Lp(a) why recommend testing for it?” Because they have no form of treatment to address it.
People wonder why Doc is covering all these other cardiovascular markers when their cardiologist isn’t. It’s because cardiologists can’t put it into clinical practice. As Doc says, “Medical research and medical practice never match up.”
They can see that niacin and other things work and they can learn about markers like Lp(a), but they don’t run them because there’s no form of treatment. Insurance only pays for medically approved treatments. They may not even cover the lab that you run.
Doc shows the before and after labs from a patient of his. The Lp(a) goes down over 4 months from 325 to 211! Did Doc change the guy’s gene pool? No! He found out what was causing inflammation for him –including allergies and infections. He changed the environment, and now the genes are doing what they are supposed to do.
You are genetically programmed for health and vitality –not for disease and sickness. The genes just respond as best they can, based on their environment.
Product Knowledge: Turmeric
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Dr. Flynn covers an important spice in the product knowledge section –the most studied on the planet: turmeric. Turmeric is an antioxidant, supports healthy liver function, supports/maintains cellular health, maintains/supports healthy joints… and it’s extremely good for cardiovascular issues.
Doc went on the USDA national nutrient database. He highlighted in red that by consuming turmeric either in spice form or liquid herb form, you can get 32% of your daily niacin needs. It also has well-documented cardiovascular effects. Here’s a study: Role of Curcumin in Disease Prevention and Treatment. There are studies to show what all turmeric does for all body systems. Here’s from the section on cardio-preventative effects:
A recent study reported that curcumin prevented ISO-induced cardiac hypertrophy, oxidative stress, inflammatory events, necrosis, and neutrophil infiltration and protected cardiomyocytes from cellular injury.
Turmeric may support your body in a way that is preventative. When’s the last time your doctor said, “Hey listen, I’m going to give you something that not only may rebuild your body, has no negative side effects, but also be regenerative and reduce the inflammation that could lead to elevated Lp(a) and other cardiovascular risk factors.”?
It’s not to say that you might not need some cardiovascular surgery if you’ve gotten to a point of no return but knowing your risk factors and adding some nutrients can really help in lowering your risk for cardiovascular disease. We need A Different Perspective!
Doc’s Thoughts: Last 10%
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Doc concludes with his final thoughts –his “last 10%.” He talks about how his four girls are headed back to school – from elementary school to college – and how schools are the greatest Petri dishes on the planet.
Over the last couple of years, we have gotten so afraid of “bugs.” Doc had all kinds of people come to him over the last week expressing fears about their kids going back to school his year. Their kids are already getting colds and touches of flu. Doc says, “Good!” Schools are the greatest immune-building places in the world!
People are so scared — There are many articles out there about “Preventing Back-to-School Sickness.” We have been programmed to fear bugs. Have you been around people who have had the flu before? YES. Why didn’t you die? People die of the flu all the time. Well, because you have a strong immune response.
When a healthy person encounters a “bug,” the body recognizes that it doesn’t belong there. The immune system decides to build a response or a tolerance and raises your temperature to kill the infection. It might even opt to make you sneeze, cough, puke, or have some diarrhea to get rid of it. The immune system is doing exactly what it’s supposed to do. If you get a cold or flu, thank God every single day.
Doc then goes through the article linked above. If SARS-CoV-2 was so bad, why didn’t we all die from it? The plagues of old wiped out millions of people, but not everybody died. No matter what it is, it’s a matter of having a strong immune response. That’s what we emphasize at The Wellness Way: A Healthy Back to School Transition: 8 Immunity Building Goals – The Wellness Way.
Our patients don’t fear going back to school. Being exposed to that giant Petri dish helps build the immune response. Childhood infections lead to fewer health problems later in life, including cancers.
Tune in on Saturday Mornings LIVE
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