Dr. Joe on the Radio

Dr. Joe will be on the radio all next week at 6:30 AM.

KEST –AM 1450 on the dial

All about what we do in the office. Stay tuned!

Free Byetta

We have free Byetta coupons for the 5 mcg pen. These are for any of our patients. Come in and pick it up with the Rx if you can use it.

They expire by the end of this month!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Byetta and Insulin Relase

Exenatide, with the trade name of Byetta, has been a useful addition to treatment options for type 2 diabetes. It is particularly useful in regulating after meal glucose. Diabet Med 2006 3;23(3):240-5

Since the timing of insulin dosing in relation to a meal is critical to such glucose regulation it is important to know the optimal time of Byetta administration. This research is an observation that the insulin values are markedly increased if the Byetta is given after meal as compared to Byetta given within an hour before a meal. Could the optimal time to give byetta be after a meal in certain circumstances?

This study provides very reassuring information suggesting that there is a large before meal window during which the drug can be administered.

Further research is warranted to understand the mechanisms underlying and the implications of the exaggerated insulin rise if the drug is administered after a meal.

Rimonabant Perspective

The two year results JAMA 2006 2;295(7):761-75 of treatment with 20 mg/d of rimonabant plus diet promoted modest but sustained weight loss as well as favorable changes in cardiometabolic risk factors. At year 1, compared with the placebo group, the rimonabant 20 mg group produced greater mean reductions in weight (–6.3 kg; P<.001) and waist circumference (–6.1 cm; P<.001).

The rimonabant 20 mg group also produced greater changes in levels of triglycerides (% change, –5.3; P<.001) and increases in HDL cholesterol (% change, 12.6; P<.001), as compared with placebo. Subsequently, the weight loss achieved during year 1 was maintained during year 2 in the patients continuing to receive rimonabant 20 mg.

A limitation of the study, pointed out by the authors was the limited data in minority groups, with the population predominantly white female.

The Power of Probiotics - Keys to Optimal Health

by Christine Rosche, MPH, CBT
The Light Living Program to Optimal Nutrition and Weight

Balancing Your Intestinal Flora

Your intestinal tract contains more than 500 species of bacteria. The right ratio of good bacteria to bad bacteria (80% -20) needs to be maintained in the intestinal tract for optimal immunity and health.

If the bad bacteria outnumber the good guys and yeast is prevalent, a condition called Dysbiosis can occur. Dr. Eli Metchnikoff, early in the 20th century stated that: "disease begins in the intestinal tract because of an imbalance of intestinal bacteria. A major part of the immune system is in the intestinal tract."

Dysbiosis weakens your ability to protect yourself from disease-causing microbes, which are composed of low-virulence organisms. Unlike salmonella, which causes immediate food-poisoning reactions, low-virulence microbes are insidious. Published research in functional medicine and functional nutrition lists Dysbosis as the underlying cause of constipation, arthritis, auto-immune diseases, B12 deficiency, chronic fatigue, skin disorders and early stages of breast and colon cancers.

What causes Dysbiosis or imbalanced bacteria in your intestinal tract? Antibiotics, medically necessary at times, simultaneously kill both harmful and beneficial bacteria throughout your digestive system, mouth, vagina and skin. This leaves you more vulnerable to bacteria, parasites, yeast, fungus that are resistant to the antibiotic that was used.

Pro-Biotics (Meaning Pro Life, Supportive Bacteria in your Intestines)

Research by leading functional medicine doctors recommend taking a good quality ProBiotic product twice daily for 3-6 months after a 10 day course of antibiotics. This helps you replenish the "good bacteria" in your intestines that were killed off by the antibiotic.

Other factors that cause dysbiosis, or imbalanced bacteria in your gut, is constant high levels of stress, exposure to manufacture chemicals, envronmental pollution, poor food choices, oral contraceptives, surgery, and the use of certain drugs, including pain killers.

Some microbes produced by dysbiosis may hurt the intestinal lining directly by damaging the brush borders. They can then become absorbed into the blood stream, causing system-wide effects.

How to Chose the Right Probiotic for You

In my clinical nutrition practice, I do a Comprehensive Digestive Stool Analysis (CDSA) or a Probiotic Evaluation Test. Its a simple stool test that tells you the specific levels you have of the beneficial flora, the imbalanced flora in your intestines, levels of any pathogenic bacteria or yeast. In addition, it screens for malabsorption and how well you digest your food (presence of the proper digestive enzymes). We can also see if there is any intestinal permeability in the walls, or damage to the villi and brush borders of your intestines.

Once the evaluation is complete, we then chose the right Probiotic for your particular body chemistry.

It is important to distinguish which probiotic strains are the right ones for you. How much should you take of each kind and at what time of day? How long should you take each kind? At your test result appointment, the probiotic will be customized for you.

"One size fits all" does not always provide your unique daily requirement. All brands are not alike and consistently viable.

For health maintenance you need 2 to 4 billion cultures daily. For health issues, you may need 10-15 billion cultures once or twice daily.

Periodic Re-testing to see how well Probiotics working in your body is essential.

The names of the cultures that you may need are Lactobacillus Acidophilus, Bifidobacterium bifidum, lactobacillus salivarkus, Bifidobacterium Longum. We want to make sure that the cultures you take are viable, effective and produce results. Follow up testing, 6 months later, ensures that you now have the proper balance in your gut and eliminated the "bad guys" such as yeast and fungus.

Your digestive evaluation also includes an introduction on how to make cultured vegetables and kefir, another good source of friendly bacteria.

For further information on the type of Probiotic Product that is best for you or to inquire about the Evaluation of your Beneficial Gut Bacteria, please contact the office of Christine Rosche, MPH, CBT at 650-856-3151 and go to www.lightlivingprogram.com

L-Arginine

Historically I have felt I had to be involved in the sale of l-arginine because so many companies were inconsistent in what they offered the consumer. I have been involved in the planning and production of all the ForMor products containing l-arginine and I am compensated for this work. I like to send out an email defining this every time I get the feeling that some people may not know this association.

We have received many recent remarks of praise from other companies who have l-arginine products. I am very proud of what we are doing. I’m very proud of our product.

The following is a response from our webmaster which you might find helpful.

My name is Peggy Prendergast and I manage Dr. Joe's E-News lists and the EMMC website. I'm going to forward your message to Dr. Prendergast to address however he chooses, but I wanted to address one your concerns as I have tried to make Dr. Prendergast's affiliation to ForMor clear.

If you scroll down to the bottom of this message, just above the bolded information about how to remove yourself from this list, is a sentence about Dr. Joe and ForMor. That footer goes out in every one of Dr. Joe's newsletters. Also, the announcement of Dr. Joe's association with ForMor was linked from the EMMC home page (in the lower left, "In The News") but was removed due to other news occurring. However, the Press page still lists the announcement, it is the 8th in the list.

DVD for Newly Diagnosed Families

Doug has a very product here. I’m sure you will find this worth while.

DVD SUPPORTS PARENTS OF KIDS NEWLY DIAGNOSED WITH DIABETES

Shock. Fear. Confusion. Guilt. These are common reactions when parents are told that their child has Type I diabetes. They learn that there is no cure, so its a life sentence for the child. At the same time, they are overwhelmed with medical information about the disease as well as about blood testing, insulin shots and new dietary routines. But what about the initial emotional impact of this diagnosis on those parents? Too often, little is done to help parents cope.

Moving Forward With Diabetes is a new informative video that addresses the emotional journey faced by parents of children newly diagnosed with Type I diabetes. It offers support to parents with insights, stories, advice and reassuring messages from parents who have been through that difficult first year following the diagnosis. Topics include: facing the diagnosis, managing diet and testing, finding support, dealing with schools and normal activities, re-establishing a normal life, teaching responsibility to the child, and coping with emotions. There is plenty of helpful advice and lessons learned. Their children also offer advice to parents and talk about living with diabetes.

This 72-minute program, on DVD, retails for $30 (US). The exclusive retailer during the initial release is Amazon.com. A preview video and details are available on the company's Web site. The target audiences include parents, health care professionals, diabetes educators, support groups and others who interact with families of children with diabetes. This program does not offer medical advice.

Moving Forward With Diabetes is from Arnold Creek Productions, Inc., an award-winning media producer based in Portland, Oregon. They previously released I Have Diabetes Too! which presents children talking to their peers about diabetes and their lives. Arnold Creek specializes in educational and inspirational media on health and sustainability.