Newsletter & Medical Articles

Coastal Naturopathic Center
Newsletter 2003

What is a Healthy Diet? That is the Question.
Dr. Richard K. Maurer

This question is always at the top of my mind. Specific dietary treatments have proven effective for many health conditions such as eczema, asthma, irritable and inflammatory bowel disease, chronic fatigue and ADHD. The list goes on. In practice, I am rewarded to see many adults and children restore their health in large part through dietary modification. On my days out of the office, I report and lecture to physicians around the country on current research related to nutritional and herbal medicine, thankfully my research the past 2 years has taken me further into the question of “what is a healthy diet” and evaluating the fallacies of the low-fat and fad diets.

FATS: Friend or Foe?

Fats are essential for life and good health. In my experience, as people increase the quality and quantity of healthy, natural fats, the healthier they become. For many people, I prescribe W-3 fats, such as high quality Cod Liver Oil, or DHA-rich egg yolks. In medical school we learn that saturated fat is bad. Then we proceed to start pointing around the world naming the French Paradox, Mediterranean effect, and the Eskimo Effect. This global reality-check shows cultures eating high saturated fat actually have LOWER cardiovascular disease risk The truth is that saturated fat DOES NOT cause cardiovascular disease. Furthermore, many “poly un-saturated fats” (e.g. corn, cottonseed, canola and soy oil) are significantly linked to disease.

But what about cholesterol?

Blood cholesterol levels between 200 and 240 mg/dl are normal. These levels have always been normal. In older women, serum cholesterol levels above these numbers are also normal, and in fact they have been shown to be associated with longevity. This could be a long discussion so I will put you toward 2 useful resources:

1. “Nourishing Traditions”, by Sally Fallon. A cookbook & resource for nutrient-dense traditional foods
2. The Cholesterol Myths: Exposing the Fallacy that Cholesterol and Saturated Fat Cause Heart Disease, by Uffe Ravnskov, MD, PhD.

Acupuncture at Coastal Naturopathic Center

Alexandra S. Maurer has returned to private practice. This fall she completed a pilot project at the Healthcare For the Homeless Clinic in Portland using the protocol for the National Acupuncture Detoxification Association.

While it is true that acupuncture serves a quarter of the world’s population, Alexandra serves the Greater Portland and Brunswick area. Alexandra has been in practice since 1994.

“Acupuncture treatment simply integrates the mind-body. I believe that no true healing can take place unless the body is truly capable of a deep and profound relaxation, Acupuncture treatments allow this to happen.”

Alexandra received her Masters in Acupuncture and Oriental Medicine in 1994 with training in Traditional Chinese Medical Diagnosis, Acupuncture and advanced certification in Chinese Herbs. Please contact our office to schedule appointments.

More about our Improved Professional Product Catalog

How are products chosen for the catalog?
You will notice that Dr. Maurer is not committed to one product line. We carry products from dozens of different manufacturers. We have no interest in any one product manufacturer over another; choices between products are made after in-depth research and scrutiny of quality, safety and effectiveness. I suspect that drug reps hate when doctors display this kind of independence, but I believe that it is the only ethical way to put patients’ needs first.

Coastal Naturopathic Center’s Product Quality Commitment
Dr. Maurer has been committed to selecting products that have a higher than usual commitment to quality. As the use of dietary supplements has become more widespread, as raw materials are being sourced from all over the world, as world wide agricultural pollution increases, and as many new inexperienced commercial companies are entering the raw materials market, product quality and product safety issues have escalated.

Some of what I look for in a company is

(1) Certified to manufacture with “GMP - Good Manufacturing Practices”, or

(2) Uses European guidelines and other international health agency guidelines for product quality and safety, including safety standards for dioxins, PCB’s, heavy metals, potentially toxic constituents of herbs, as well as standards for potency and quality. I want to see

(3) Independent lab tests to confirm the potency of nutrients and herbs, and

(4) FDA and FTC guidelines for product labeling and advertising.

This scrutiny might mean some products will be discontinued or switched over time but we know this is a small price to pay for quality assurance.

RESEARCH UPDATES

Selenium and health of your community

This is one of those revealing nutritional studies that have considerable consequences.
2 groups of mice were given a benign Coxsackie virus – this is a virus that has few serious consequences, it causes foot and mouth disease in kids in the summertime. One group of mice was eating a selenium deficient diet; the other group had adequate selenium. The selenium deficient mice developed a fatal heart condition from what was found to be a mutated virulent strain of coxsackie. The selenium-rich mice developed no problems and the virus was self-limiting.

Here’s the kicker, the virus that was then taken from the selenium deficient mice was more virulent and caused fatal heart problems when given to EITHER group of mice.

There is a take home message from all this: First, don’t be selenium deficient, and second; don’t be around other people who are selenium deficient!

Levander, OA, Beck MA. Selenium and viral virulence. Br Med Bull 1999;55(3):528-33

Acupuncture and Low Back Pain

Acupuncture relieves chronic low back pain more effectively and in a more lasting way than conventional orthopedic treatments, according to a recent study.
After 12 weeks, 65% of those in the combined acupuncture/ physical therapy group sere feeling significantly improved versus 43% of those getting physical therapy alone. Interestingly, at a follow-up three months after the end of the trial, the proportion of people in the conventional therapy group who maintained significant improvement in pain dropped to 14%, while in the acupuncture group the number rose to 77%.
The results of this study demonstrate the lack of lasting benefit from conventional therapies, and the benefits in integrating acupuncture for effective treatment of low back pain
Molsberger AF, Mau J, Pawelec DB, Winkler J. Does acupuncture improve the orthopedic management of chronic low back pain--a randomized, blinded, controlled trial with 3 months follow up. Pain 2002 Oct; 99(3):579-87

How Hhhhhealthy is Your Prostate?

Men who eat garlic, onions, leeks, shallots, scallions, and chives (vegetables of the Allium family) as a regular part of their diets may reduce their risk of developing prostate cancer. While consuming these foods has been associated with a reduction in the incidence of stomach, colon, esophagus, and breast cancers, this is the first study to show that eating these vegetables may also lower prostate cancer risk

Journal of the National Cancer Institute (2002; 94:1648–51)

Bowen Therapy in the News

Bowen technique is a therapy that uses a light, non-invasive pressure applied to specific and prescribed locations throughout the body to trigger the body's own self-healing powers. Frozen shoulder is a painful condition associated with a reduced range of motion in the affected shoulder that is often resistant to conventional treatment. Overwhelmingly, the Bowen Technique was experienced as being gentle, relaxing and noninvasive and of help with significantly eliminating and improving the symptoms associated with frozen shoulder.

Carter B. A pilot study to evaluate the effectiveness of Bowen technique in management of clients with frozen shoulder. Complement The Med 2001 Dec;9(4):208-15

Editor Note: I have seen the Bowen Technique significantly helpful for everything from carpal tunnel syndrome, plantar fasciitis, hip or pain in the pelvis, and even less specific conditions like asthma and headaches. Frozen shoulder lends itself well to a clinical trial because there is immediate and measurable improvement in most people.


Thank you for your referrals

Our heartfelt thanks go to all of you who have shown your appreciation and trust in what we do by referring others to us. I am hopeful that through your referral of friends, colleagues, family, and acquaintances, I have the opportunity to help provide a more healthy community. I am grateful for the opportunity to offer naturopathic medical care.
Thank you.



Disclaimer
The information on this website is not intended to replace a one-on-one relationship with a
qualified health care professional and is not intended as medical advice. It is intended as a
sharing of knowledge and information from the research and experience of Dr. Maurer and
Coastal Naturopathic Center. We encourage you to make your own health care decisions
based upon your research and in partnership with a qualified health care professional.