Genetic Test? For the Birds?
By Mark Schauss | July 23, 2010
A recent Congressional hearing uncovered something I’ve been saying for a while, that genetic testing and acting on the results just isn’t ready for prime time. At Burlingtonfest, I commented that just because you have a gene doesn’t mean it is expressing itself. The gene is like a key to a car, it can turn it on, but an outside force must be used to do that. Our outside environment activates genes for good or bad. Toxins are a leading cause of bad expressions of genes. See more on this subject here.
Topics: Uncategorized | No Comments »
Dryer Sheets – Yuck!!!
By Mark Schauss | July 21, 2010
Want to know what is in fabric softeners? Well according to Care2 here is a list of what is contained in a number of these household products:
Kidney Toxicant, Neurotoxicant,
Respiratory Toxicant, and Skin or Sense Organ Toxicant.
Another chemical that supposedly comes out of dryer sheets is toluene which is a dangerous neurotoxin. Thanks to Dr. Peck for that tip.
Pretty scary eh? What purpose does a fabric softner really have? Dryer sheets actually accelerate the deterioration of clothes so why use them. Do you really need the smell and short-term softness? I hope not.
Topics: Environment, Health, Petrochemicals, Solvents, Toxicity | 2 Comments »
Seizures or Autism – Are we getting the diagnosis wrong?
By Mark Schauss | July 19, 2010
Thought provoking talk by Aditi Shankardass: A second opinion on learning disorders. It says that many of the children being diagnossed as autistic are actually having seizures. Fascinating talk.
Topics: Health, Healthcare, Neurological Disorders, autism | No Comments »
Burlingtonfest Presentation
By Mark Schauss | July 15, 2010
Here is a link to the audio of my talk recently in Burlington Vermont on Laboratory Testing and Healing the Brain. I’ve also attached a pdf of the presentation for anyone who wants to follow along. Just click the following link – Helping to Heal the Brain.
Topics: Uncategorized | 2 Comments »
Artificial Sweetners May Cause Type II Diabetes in Some
By Mark Schauss | May 10, 2010
My favorite science journal has to be Science News. It comes bi-weekly and it delivers synopsis of recent scientific findings in an easy to read manner. I’ve been getting it since 1984 and love it.
A recent (March 27, 2010) article entitled Stomach’s Sweet Tooth, talks about recent finding that show that not only does the tongue have taste buds but our gut does as well. So how would this affect blood sugar regulation? Well it turns out that when the gut taste cells run across an artificial sweetner (or any sweet substance) it notifies the pancreas to get ready to produce insulin. As the article states, “Diet drinks are often enjoyed without food, which means the gut may be preparing for fuel that never arrives.” We know that overproduction of insulin can strain the pancreas to the point that it begins to fail and you develop Type II diabetes.
Turns out there have been three studies that found a association between diet soda intake and Type II diabetes, on in Circulation in 2008. Another great quote from Science News is at the end of the article, “So beware those little white lies. Thousands of years of evolution have yielded a finely tuned digestive machine, one that recognizes incoming energy and knows how to make the most of it. These intricate chains of events evolved during a time when that sweet zing reliably indicated food rich in valuable calories. And for thousands of years, the gut reacted appropriately.
Perhaps the adage “trust your gut” should be accompanied with another edict: “Tell it no lies.”"
Couldn’t have said it better myself.
Topics: Food, Health | No Comments »
Disturbing Trend – Phthalates
By Mark Schauss | May 4, 2010
Over the years, I’ve lectured and at times ranted about the problem with phthalates in our environment. Well, I’m here to rant a little more because of a disturbing trend I’m seeing. When I get a call from a university medical center concerned with a dramatic increase in the number of under 30 year old males with low testosterone levels, I get concerned.
Phthalates are known to depress testosterone levels in males so I began to dig into my database of thousands of urinary toxin tests and lo and behold, I’m finding hundreds and hundreds of young males with high levels of phthalates showing up in their urine. This is truly disturbing. Research has suggested that males are now more infertile than females for the first time in human history. Can this be one of the culprits? I think it is a strong contributing factor.
We know that phthalates can damage DNA in male sperm, cause insulin resistance, shorten the length of pregnancies and affect the ano-genital distance in male fetuses aside from the testosterone effect. You can find many of the studies at the website of the journal, Environmental Health Perspectives. How long as a society should we put up with a product that hurts us and future generations? You know my answer, never. But when money and greed step in and politicians lack the back bone to do what is necessary, we doom ourselves to continue hurting ourselves.
Topics: Health, Healthcare, Laboratory Tests, Opinion, Research, Solvents | No Comments »
I’m Back – With a Cautionary Tale
By Mark Schauss | April 30, 2010
Sorry to all my loyal readers, it’s been an unusual year fraught with lots of stress. I had to deal with and get rid of all those distractions so I could concentrate on my blogs, podcasts and the like. Now that all that nonsense is over with, I can get back to the work at hand.
On a very somber note, many of you may know about my dear friend and colleague Robert Crayhon and his battle with stage 4 colorectal cancer. Today is Robert’s 49th birthday, hopefully with many more to come. He is one of those truly good people in a world with far too many bad guys out there. He is and remains an amazing educator which is quite obvious while reading his blog site about his battle with cancer.
When I called Robert the day before his surgery, I asked him if there was anything I could do for him. His response, just as I would have expected was that he wanted me to get a colonoscopy. In his hour of need, he still thought about someone else. So, I called my new doctor and set up an appointment so I could get a referral (you know how insurance works) to get one done. It also inspired me to do a podcast about taking care of oneself. And for any of you over the age of 45 (not 50, that is too late for some), go get a colonoscopy.
Robert is also in somewhat of dire straight’s financially. If you can help please go here to make a donation via PayPal.
To all my readers, I have lots of topics to write about and will be posting here regularly. Glad to be back
Topics: Health, Laboratory Tests | No Comments »
Synerplex Amino Acids – Replacing My Aminoplex
By Mark Schauss | September 1, 2009
This is a small plug for the new amino acid blend I created recently called Synerplex Amino Acids. It is meant to not only replace My Aminoplex which was carried by another company for a few years but to greatly improve the formula. The new formula contains increased levels of co-factors that were in the My Aminoplex namely vitamin B6, magnesium and zinc. New to the formula is vitamins B12 and B5 (Pantothenic acid). I decided to remove folic acid as there is quite a bit of folate being added to our diets and supplements and I felt that having another source may cause oversupplementation of this B vitamin.
More unique supplements, electrolytes and herbals will be available at the Knowledge Through Solutions website in the coming months. Hopefully in a week or so, a new and improved version of Peltier Electrolytes will also be available. We are naming it Synerplex Electrolytes Maintain (similar to the old standard formula), Recover (replacing the executive formula) and Active (replacing the sports formula).
Topics: Supplements | 1 Comment »
More on the Horror that is Fiji Water
By Mark Schauss | August 12, 2009
I’ve blogged in the past about why people should not buy Fiji Water. Now a report from Mother Jones shows you another even bigger set of reasons why you should never buy the product. It talks about how the dictators who allow their people to suffer through typhoid outbreaks due to a tainted water supply, are getting their funding from the people who own Fiji Water.
I for one believe a national boycott of this truly tainted water is called for.
Topics: Environment, Health, Opinion, Politics | 4 Comments »
A New Epilepsy Drug – Vimpat®
By Mark Schauss | July 22, 2009
Finally, after 6 months of waiting, we were able to see a new neurologist and she suggested that we try Tasya on a new drug called Vimpat®. We were desperately trying to get our daughter off of Topamax® as it was hurting her cognitively and she was beginning to have breakthrough seizures again.
So one day on it shouldn’t make much of a difference but something happened that hasn’t occurred ever before. Tasya was about to have a seizure upon waking (her most common type) but it didn’t happen. I rushed to the room hearing the cry that she has right before a seizure and there she was, clear eyed and talkative. She told both my wife and I how different she felt and that she felt clearer and sharper than before.
Vimpat’s® mode of action supposedly is to stop a seizure by changing the sodium channel slowly as opposed to older drugs which did it very quickly. Side-effects seem to be less than other drugs which try to dampen the entire brain like Topamax®.
While we are in the early stages of trying this med out on Tasya and the fact that it is only approved for people over the age of 17, we remain hopeful but not fully convinced of Vimpat’s® efficacy. Still, the fact that Tasya showed such a quick positive reaction makes us feel that maybe, just maybe, we have the answer to help stop her seizure activity completely.
Topics: Drugs, Epilepsy, Health, Research, pharmaceuticals | 1 Comment »