My Biggest Regret When My Dad Passed

Dr. Al Danenberg ● Nutritional Periodontist

March 19, 2023

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Death is the beautiful end to life.

In New Orleans, death is celebrated with music, parades, and cheer.[1] And that’s the way all of us should view this miracle at the end of life. Certainly, it should not be feared. And family should not be discouraged from discussing death with each other and with the one who is dying.

Sadly, when my dad was close to death, my mom never allowed my sister or me to discuss his imminent death. I wrote about my biggest regret when my dad passed HERE. My mom never allowed my dad to talk about his fears and dreams as he approached his transition. In my mom’s world, death was to be feared and never spoken of.

I knew I could never repeat my mom’s ignorance of the beauty of death.

Since my diagnosis of incurable bone marrow cancer in 2018, I have discussed my eventual death with my wife and adult children. It is not a secret topic. Open discussion reduces the fear and allows our emotions to be expressed. This has been a cathartic experience for me encouraging my spiritual awakening and growth.

So, the big question I grapple with is, “What is death all about?

End of life experiences have been documented for thousands of years. The soul plays a major role in the process of dying. And in most cultures, the soul is revered. At the end of this blog, I share several fascinating documented studies about the end of life. They brought me great comfort in understanding what happens next.

 

Hospice

Today, hospice is a well-equipped, all-embracing, empathetic way of approaching the end of one’s life. The hospice team can provide care in the patient’s home. Staying at home in a loving and familiar place could make all the difference for the patient’s emotional comfort.

Hospice’s directive is to keep a person with a terminal illness comfortable until death. In addition, the hospice staff will support the entire immediate family by helping in many ways – both physically and emotionally.

When the time is right, the doctors and nurses of hospice will provide pain relief using various medications including opioids. Opioids progressively reduce severe pain and suppress respiration.

 

Dealing With a Loved One’s Death

Many family members may feel unprepared for the death of a loved one. This could lead to increased health costs and legal costs. In addition, being unprepared could lead to prolonged grief, emotional disturbances, sleep disorders, and guilt.

You can be better prepared for the death of your loved one if you understand what I have written in this paper. Ask yourself, “If my loved one were to die soon, how prepared would I be for his or her death?”

One of the benefits of hospice care as I mentioned already is that this organization also offers support for you. The hospice team will provide emotional and religious support as you require. They also will direct you to the necessary professionals to make sure financial and legal matters are set in place. The hospice professionals are available to answer all your questions about the preparations you must take. Approach hospice as a vital resource for the needs of your dying loved one as well as a resource for your needs to prepare you for the death of your loved one.

 

Prepare for Death

If you can think about your death, which may be imminent, you can prepare for it. Your goal should be to make your own death as comfortable, peaceful, and meaningful as possible. The following steps may make sense while preparing you and your immediate family for your ultimate moment:

  1. Make your wishes known. What are your goals? Share them with your loved ones. Be sure to complete the legal documents to assist your family.[2] They include a last will and testament, a living will, a durable power of attorney, and a durable healthcare power of attorney. See to it that your financial matters are in order.
  2. If you are concerned about your funeral arrangement, make them yourself. Some will want to be buried; some may want to be cremated. If the decision is important to you, make the arrangements while you are alive.
  3. Welcome your wide range of emotions that you will experience after your diagnosis of a terminal illness. There will be moments of denial, anger, bargaining, depression, and finally acceptance.
  4. Review your life. Discuss your regrets, your accomplishments, your hopes, and your dreams. This can be a personal review that you have with yourself. Or it could be a review that you share with your loved ones. You could write down your thoughts, record them on video or audio, or just internalize your deepest thoughts. Your review will serve as your legacy of your life. During your review, consider including these active steps:
    • Acknowledge the important people in your life.
    • Recall the memorable events from your life.
    • Apologize to those you love if you hurt them.
    • Forgive those whom you love but have hurt you.
    • Express your gratitude for all you have received.
    • Say “I love you” and “Goodbye” to all who deserve your love.
  1. Educate yourself of the common end-of-life symptoms. Most people experience physical and psychological changes near their end of life. Most of these events can be addressed at home through the hospice care system. As I said, hospice’s goal is to make you comfortable while going through the death process as well as assisting your loved ones who are coping with your death.

 

Celebrate

Death is the beautiful end to life. To only mourn but never celebrate is an injustice to you and the deceased. As I shared in the opening of this Blog, I regret that I did not share in my dad’s transition from life to death.  I never was allowed to discuss with my dad what was on his mind in his last stage of life. And my mom never allowed my dad to talk openly about his impending death. It saddens me to this day that there was no closure between my dad and me and his most inner thoughts!

But I learned two important lessons.

  1. Communication with one who is dying is powerful. Both the person who is dying and the family must be able to share in this natural endpoint of living.
  2. The soul is immortal and will transition out of the mortal body to return to its home leading to the Almighty.

 

More Than a Mortal Life

Dr. Christopher Kerr

Is there more to mortal life than what we experience here on earth in our physical body? Dr. Christopher Kerr[3] suggests that the dreams of his dying patients may give a glimpse into that ethereal, spiritual world.

Dr. Kerr is the Chief Medical Officer and Chief Executive Officer for Hospice & Palliative Care Buffalo. In 2020 he published his book, Death Is But a Dream: Finding Hope and Meaning at Life’s End. In his book, Dr. Kerr interviewed over 1400 patients who were in hospice. All his patients have two things in common – they are dying, and they know it. These extraordinary people have dreams, but they are not regular dreams. Many of his patients describe their dreams to be “more real than real”.

Are these dreams just the mind over-experiencing its memories, or responding to drugs, or being affected from a biochemical process in the dying mind. Or are these dreams coming from a higher place and a spiritual source? Those who are dying express comfort in their dreams and feel transcendence into a state of calm and acceptance.

Many of those hospice patients who were interviewed by Dr. Kerr see visions of deceased loved ones positioned around their death beds. Visitors in the room cannot see the entities who are real to the hospice patient.

 

Dr. Brian Weiss

In 1988, Brian Weiss, MD, a psychiatrist, published Many Lives, Many Masters.[4] This was a life chronicle of his patient, whom he calls Catherine, and her many reincarnations. Many of the details of Catherine’s experiences during her almost 100 lifetimes over thousands of years have been fact checked by Dr. Weiss.

 

Dr. Michael Newton

Dr. Michael Newton was a hypnotherapist who died in 2016. He authored two excellent books that detail his research regarding the immortal soul – Journey of Souls and Destiny of Souls[5]. He interviewed over 7,000 patients along his extensive career using “past life regression hypnosis”. This is a technique where a patient is guided into a state of deep hypnosis and then can recall “past lives” they have lived. During these hypnotic regressions, his patients also recounted their experiences of spiritual “life between lives”.

Dr. Newton’s patients confirmed that human souls were created by an incomprehensibly superior, all-encompassing power. They described in detail that a soul exists within a physical body here on earth, and a soul’s purpose is to experience important lessons – so many life lessons. After death, our soul returns to its spiritual home with other souls. After a while, the soul may return in various human physical bodies many times at its discretion to complete its learning process. Eventually, all human souls will go to the same place to become One with the Ultimate Creator of the cosmos.

For me, the most amazing discoveries from Dr. Newton’s work were that the people he guided into a hypnotic state had similar experiences once in the hypnotic state. However, his patients had many diverse backgrounds – some were religious, some were agnostic, and a few were atheists. They were from all walks of life and varied educational backgrounds. Yet all had similar descriptions of their “life between lives” once they were in a state of deep hypnosis and entered their superconscious mind.

 

Dr. Ray Moody and Robert Monroe

Other evidence of life after death was documented in the writings of researchers like Dr. Raymond Moody and Robert Monroe. Both Dr. Moody’s book, Life After Life[6], and Robert Monroe’s book, Ultimate Journey[7], explain the beauty and marvel of our soul’s home in the universe.

 

Dr. Elisabeth Kübler-Ross

Dr. Elisabeth Kübler-Ross[8] had a strong believe that we are more than our physical body. She said, “Death is simply a shedding of the physical body like the butterfly shedding its cocoon. It is a transition to a higher state of consciousness where you continue to perceive, to understand, to laugh, and to be able to grow.”

Dr. Kübler-Ross was a Swiss-American psychiatrist, a pioneer in near-death studies, and author of the internationally best-selling book, On Death and Dying (1969). In this book, she elaborated on the Kübler-Ross Model – a method that explains the five stages the terminally ill will go through as they experience dying. As I mentioned, these stages are denial, anger, bargaining, depression, and acceptance. And loved ones around the dying person also will experience these stages.

Dr. Kübler-Ross was a powerful intellectual force who helped create the hospice system in the United States, which I discussed earlier. Dr. Kübler-Ross helped turn the investigation of physical, psychological, and social problems associated with dying into an accepted medical discipline. In 1998, Dr. Percy Wooten (at that time, he was the president of the American Medical Association) said, “Dr. Elisabeth Kübler-Ross was a true pioneer in raising the awareness among the physician community and the general public about the important issues surrounding death, dying and bereavement”.

 

Going Home

As a person enters the last moments of conscious life, the mind continues to function. The mind is the manifestations of thought, perception, emotion, determination, memory, and imagination that take place within the physical structure of the brain.

As a matter of fact, the mind can still hear when other signs of death have occurred.[9]

To this end, the Monroe Institute[10] and Dr. Elisabeth Kübler-Ross have produced a specialized audio series with guided imagery for the caregiver and the dying person to listen to even after “death” has clinically occurred. The series is called, Going Home. They help an individual who is dying to transition in a positive way. They also aid caregivers who are tending to the person who is dying.

Here are three links to the compact discs of Going Home: HERE, HERE, HERE.

If you are in a situation where death is imminent or anticipated, I highly recommend these audio recordings to ease the transition from life to death. Since the mind continues to function after physical death, the guided imagery of this series of CDs will assist the transition of the spirit from the mortal body to its immortal home.

 

Your Comments & Questions

“End of life” discussions are important subjects which demand more attention. They have been swept under the rug for so long. I would love to read your comments and questions. Let’s bring them out into the open for all to read. Just enter them below in the Comments Section. I will do my best to answer all your questions.

 

[1] https://www.joincake.com/blog/new-orleans-funeral/

[2] https://www.nia.nih.gov/health/getting-your-affairs-order

[3] https://www.drchristopherkerr.com/

[4] https://www.brianweiss.com/about-the-books/many-lives-many-masters/many-lives-many-master-chapter-1/

[5] https://www.newtoninstitute.org/books/

[6] https://www.amazon.com/Life-After-Bestselling-Investigation-Experiences/dp/006242890X/ref=sr_1_1?crid=3TXHNQH7CPBWX&keywords=dr.+raymond+moody&qid=1564147321&s=gateway&sprefix=dr.+raymond+moody%2Cstripbooks%2C140&sr=8-1

[7] https://www.monroeinstitute.org/catalog/61

[8] https://www.biography.com/scientists/elisabeth-kubler-ross

[9] https://www.nature.com/articles/s41598-020-67234-9?fbclid=IwAR1wWgWCtFDAV7BUtc8YV0NGUVucjiSpzZ-bkkihE5P3eHjwE8a4kBNAlaQ

[10] https://www.monroeinstitute.org/

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Older Folks
– My Firsthand Account –

Dr. Al Danenberg ● Nutritional Periodontist

March 12, 2023

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At some point in life, we all experience the aging of our loved ones. If we’re lucky, we’ll eventually become the “older folks”. What does that mean for us? Just because we’re aging doesn’t mean there’s a loss in value. In fact, in some cultures, the elders are revered to have more wisdom and value to share.

For this week’s blog, I want to shine a light on my firsthand experience after my recent move to a community comprised of “older folks”. I’ve made some eye-opening observations, and I want to share them along with the importance of being relevant.

 

Older Folks

My wife and I are “older folks” – both of us are almost 76 years old. We moved into a senior living community at the end of 2022. Because of my wife’s health issues and my cancer journey, it seemed to be the best move for us. And with the real estate market where we live moving significantly higher, it also was a wise financial decision. Our home sold quickly.

Although we are seniors, we are part of the younger “older folks” in our new community of elders. A large number of residents are in their 80s, and a few are nearing 100 and older.

Many in our new community are living independently as we are. Some are in assisted living apartments, and a smaller group is in the memory care units.

The independent and assisted living residents interact together for dining and social activities. And all residents receive at least one meal a day included in their monthly rent. Most of the residents either talk about or are concerned about the following topics …

  • Food – quality, taste, variety
  • “Happy Hour” – an hour before dinner where many residents gather in the “Pub” to socialize, have some wine, and often listen to live musical entertainment
  • Physical activity – exercise, yoga, walking, physical therapy
  • Mental stimulation – books, card games, trips to various venues around town, trivia contests
  • Medical concerns – personal aches and pains, personal dental health, doctor’s appointments
  • Financial concerns – adequate sources of income for their remaining years
  • The death of a friend, loved one, or spouse

Our facility is well-equipped for social functions. There are 2 libraries; 2 dining halls; a “Pub”; an outdoor patio with tables, chairs, and a gas grill; a large activity room; several smaller rooms dedicated to card games, table games, a pool table; and a theater with seating for about 50 people with amazingly comfortable leather chairs.

 

My Firsthand Account

Although this senior living complex has all the accoutrements for socializing, my interpretation is that the residents are just surviving or trying to thrive. However, I have not found any real discussion or effort to engender personal creativity among the residents.

Shortly after I moved into the complex, I got to know a 92-year-old women who published her first book of poetry when she was 85! But otherwise, I have not come across many people here who are trying to recreate themselves or be productive other than just living out their remaining years.

I am discovering that there is an underlying change in the way many elders think about themselves. They are playing out their final journey, and they know it. Being in a senior living facility only confirms this. Some residents question their relevance in society, and a few are deeply depressed.

My experience is that some of the residents are saddened by the fact that their once-close family members are less accessible than they were when they were living in their own homes. Sons, daughters, and grandchildren have their own lives and seem not to spend as much time with those older folks in a senior living facility.

Could the loss of self-relevance be a major factor that is suppressing the desire to be creative or productive?

 

Older Folks in Traditional or Nontraditional Cultures

Life for elders in traditional cultures is markedly different from elders in nontraditional cultures.

Traditional Cultures are tribes or other small groups of people that have not been affected by technology or the modern world. Nontraditional cultures are based on modern beliefs, rules, symbols, and principles.

In traditional cultures, older folks provide support, community involvement, and teaching. They pass down knowledge, shared experiences, and wisdom to the younger generations. These elders are held in positions of high esteem, honor, and respect. As seniors, they continue to be creative and productive for themselves and their community.

However, like most of us, I live in a nontraditional culture, which includes most of the U. S. Materialism is revered and efforts to make a person look “young” are the norm. All you need to do is to watch the commercials on TV to understand the emphasis on youth. Growing old is considered a curse – a time of worthlessness, alienation, estrangement, and uselessness. Efforts are made to continuously look young, feel young, act young, and medically stay young with cosmetic surgery.

For us “older folks”, our nontraditional youthful society seems to put us away somewhere. And elders begin to feel dejected, left out, unwanted, and obsolete.

Some seniors begin to encounter a dissonance between whom they feel they are on the inside and how they appear to the world on the outside. In my opinion, these older folks can lose their desire and impetus to be creative and productive. They can lose their desire to live.

 

My Integration with my New Family

Sue and I see ourselves as integral parts of this new family of older folks. I have had the privilege to become active in my new community of seniors. I feel creative and productive.

I continue to write, consult virtually around the world, and publish my blogs. I also share my knowledge and experience with my new friends in the community.

To date, I have created 3 PowerPoint Presentations for all residents who are interested. All my presentations have been scheduled in our theater. I’ve presented the first two already, and I will present the third in April.

#1. Dental Plaque is Healthy – Until It’s Not!
This was well received since no one knew anything about the facts I discussed and demonstrated. I also was able to give free samples of Revitin Toothpaste to all who attended. It was as if I was giving them a Christmas gift.

#2. Eat As If Your Life Depends On It – Because It Does!
This was another appreciated but highly controversial discussion. It seems that the management of my senior living complex is bent on providing residents with more carbohydrates than is healthy along with minimum red meat protein sources. There are pasta dishes, bread, pork and chicken choices, fried foods, and sauces with liquid oils – but very few preparations of beef. At the end of the meals, most residents relish ice cream for dessert, but they always want something sweet for dessert. Needless to say, I denounced these food decisions. Interestingly, the daily-changing menu does allow for à la carte selections which include beef patties and fresh fruit. My task was (and still is) to educate them about my animal-based diet with some fresh fruit and how to order these foods for their daily meals from the menu. Obviously, this is still a work in progress.

#3. 7 Paths to Wellbeing
This talk will be an eye-opener for many. It’s based on my Blog Get a Handle on Overall Wellness – 7 Pathways to Success. I’ll be discussing specifics that each resident can incorporate into their life to help assure their wellbeing as best as possible.

 

Be Relevant

As I enter the Older Folk chapter of my life, my goals are to be relevant and to continue to stay relevant. I am motivated to remain creative and productive.

  • I want to be physically active by participating in physical therapy and exercise programs.
  • I want to be mentally alert by preparing educational programs for the residents along with my writings and consultations.
  • I want to maintain my spiritual connection by reading books on my belief systems and testimonials of individuals from all over the world.

Aging to me is an opportunity to continue to grow productively and creatively. Social interaction with residents is my active means to share my knowledge and experience as well as be relevant. In the journey of life, aging is not an excuse to give up and settle for mediocrity or worse.

Do you have elders in your life? What questions do you want to ask them? Or are you one of those “older folks” who feel disengaged? Share your thoughts and ask your questions in the Comments Section below. I’ll get you the answers!

 

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6 Principles for Mouth Health
– Skip the Hype –

Dr. Al Danenberg ● Nutritional Periodontist

March 5, 2023

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Everybody wants to get on the bandwagon about “mouth health”.

Several companies are making their marks. A few want you to take a saliva test which will be the answer to your oral problems. Some are promoting specific probiotics and newly developed enzymes that only are designed to alter the bacteria in the mouth. Still others are producing a host of natural toothpastes that are touted to be healthy but still contain various chemicals to indiscriminately kill the bacteria in the mouth.

The mouth is not an island unto itself. It is an integral part of the human body. It would be unrealistic to think that the successful treatment of the mouth could be an isolated process. Whatever happens to one cell in the body can affect every other cell eventually.

I am a Periodontist (i.e., a dental specialist who treats gum disease and its associated complications). I had an active practice treating my clinical patients for 44 years. Also, I am a Certified Functional Medicine Practitioner and Certified Primal Health Coach. If you “google” Nutritional Periodontist, I’ll be one of the first names to pop up.

Because of my experience, I am here to tell you that the methods I just mentioned and others which are designed only to “treat the mouth” are not the methods to make your mouth healthy. They are treating the manifestations of disease and not the cause.

You may think I am off my rocker, but I know what I am talking about. After all my years in the clinical practice of periodontics and my research, I can share with you what works and what doesn’t work.

In addition, I do not sell any products, but I recommend products I use personally. And I offer my time for personal consults for a fee. I am not like some of the health professionals who go on and on about the merits and medical science supporting a new-fangled supplement or gadget that you cannot live without and then try to get you to purchase it from their website.

 

Our Primal Ancestors

If you want to know what is necessary for a healthy body, you must first investigate the evolution of our species.

If we go back to our primal ancestors and determine their oral health, we will discover there was very little gum disease and tooth decay.

Certainly, our ancestors did not have a toothpaste with lots of chemicals to brush their teeth, and they never went to their nearby dental cave to get fluoride painted on their teeth.

Our ancestors ate a healthy diet which was devoid of toxic chemicals. This way of eating supported a healthy gut microbiome. Even for the few primal societies in existence today around the world, all this is still true. Primal societies is the past rarely had (and primal societies living today rarely have) chronic diseases or dental diseases. And these peoples did not use any toothbrush, toothpaste, or antimicrobial mouthwash to keep their mouths healthy.

Looking at the animal kingdom, wild animals rarely have tooth decay or gum disease. But when animals are domesticated and live in our homes and eat commercially created animal foods, they develop chronic diseases and mouth diseases.

The underlying fact is that a nutritious diet supports a healthy gut, which is critical for a healthy mouth. Almost 2,500 years ago Hippocrates got it right when he declared, “All disease begins in the gut.”[1]

 

A Healthy Gut – A Healthy Mouth

If we can mimic some of the eating habits and lifestyle of our primal ancestors, we can have a healthy mouth (and incidentally a healthy body).

I am not suggesting that we live like our primal ancestors. They had a hard life and had many disasters befall them. But there is much to learn about our species’ requirements to thrive and become the dominant animal on this planet. And most of these requirements center around diet and lifestyle. If we understand these details, we can integrate them with other facts to help us thrive and be the best we can be.

I describe these facts below in my 6 Principles for Mouth Health. But first, let me share an analogy about how a healthy environment can turn into a toxic environment.

 

A Toxic Environment

Years ago, my son owned a 125-gallon saltwater aquarium. I wrote an allegory about it in a Blog titled We Swim in a Polluted Sea. The pristine water in the aquarium became polluted over time because of commercially prepared fish food and a change in the balance of healthy bacteria. My son had no idea that the slow degradation of the healthy water in the aquarium was becoming toxic to the fish and other aquatic living things.

And statistics suggest that a “polluted sea” is occurring in the mouths of most of the U.S. population.

  1. In 2010, a published paper demonstrated that 93.9% of adults in the United States had some form of gum inflammation (gingivitis)[2], which frequently had its origin in an unhealthy gut.[3],[4]
  2. In 2015, the CDC published an update in the Journal of Periodontology.[5] It showed the prevalence of severe periodontal disease (periodontitis) was estimated to be 47.2% for American adults. For adults 65 years old and older, the prevalence jumped to 70.1%.
  3. In data published and reviewed in 2022 by the CDC, approximately 91% of U.S. adults aged 20–64 had dental caries in permanent teeth.[6] The prevalence increased to 93% for those above 65 years old.[7]

 

6 Principles for Mouth Health

Putting all this knowledge into a practical approach, I’ve summarized 6 principles below which will assure a healthy mouth.

These principles may seem simplistic. But they are some of the fundamental facts for a healthy mouth. Also, these six pathways are not exhaustive. There are other healthy lifestyle activities that are important for overall wellness and mouth health. However, these 6 Principles are essential building blocks.

For each of these 6 Principles, I included links to articles which go deeper into an explanation.

First, there must be a healthy gut microbiome and an intact gut epithelial barrier. The gut microbiome is made up of approximately 38 trillion microbial cells. And humans only have about 30 trillion human cells.[8] In essence, humans are more microbial than human!

Our microbiome plays lifesaving and lifegiving roles for our body. So, if we damage them, all our body mechanisms can be affected. And that includes the mouth.

Second, the diet must exclude any foods that feed potentially pathogenic bacteria. Specifically, processed sugars can make unhealthy bacteria abundantly grow in the mouth and cause gum disease and tooth decay.

Third, the diet must include nutrient-dense, anti-inflammatory foods to nourish the entire body. Like high quality gasoline provides the energy for efficient function of a high-performance car engine, bioavailable nutrients must be absorbed through our gut lining to feed every cell in our body. Each cell has its own purpose (i.e., heart cell, brain cell, nerve cell, gum tissue cell, etc.) so that they will function as they were designed to function.

Fourth, all irritants or toxic elements which we have control over must be avoided or removed from our food supply and our environment. Toxic elements are like dirt that clogs up an engine’s pistons. The accumulation of toxic elements in the body will hinder and eventually stop our cells from performing properly.

Fifth, each of us should carry out a daily efficient oral hygiene program (correct brushing, flossing, tongue cleaning, interproximal brushing). Dental plaque starts off as healthy and remains healthy until it’s not!

You must understand that healthy dental plaque serves at least three important biological processes. It …

  1. Allows necessary nutrients and minerals from the saliva to enter the root of the tooth to remineralize it as necessary 24/7.
  2. Produces hydrogen peroxide to kill any potentially pathogenic microbes in the mouth from getting to the gum/tooth margin.
  3. Buffers the acidity around the gum/tooth margin to maintain an acid level of no more acidic than pH 5.5 to prevent demineralization of the root surface.

Unhealthy dental plaque is made up of pathogenic microbes that are stimulated by an unhealthy gut microbiome and unhealthy food choices. Unhealthy dental plaque forms on top of healthy dental plaque.

Properly performed oral hygiene will help remove the unhealthy dental plaque. The Oral Hygiene Program I recommend demonstrates the techniques to effectively clean the gum/tooth margins and the tongue.

Sixth, any inflammation and infection in the teeth, gums, and jawbone must be appropriately treated by a knowledgeable dentist. If there is a broken filling, an ill-fitting dental restoration, a necrotic tooth with an abscess, damage in the bone from an extraction, or anything else that is irritating the mouth tissues, they could act like a splinter. If you had a splinter in your finger, you would need to remove it before the skin could heal. If there is a “splinter” in your mouth, you must remove it before the mouth can heal.

 

The Result

Following these principles will ultimately balance the complex garden of microbes in the gut and in the mouth. When the body is provided with all the nutrients required for efficient metabolism, the garden of bacteria in the mouth will become and stay balanced. Homeostasis in the mouth will assure healthy gums and healthy teeth.

These principles are also necessary for a healthy body. Keep in mind the quote from Hippocrates, “All disease begins in the gut.” Every organ system is dependent on a healthy gut.

Do you have some questions about your mouth, your gut, or your health? I am here to help answer your questions. Schedule a free 30-minute consult with me to discuss your concerns.

 

[1] https://doi.org/10.1093/brain/awy017

[2] https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/20437720/

[3] https://aap.onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1002/JPER.21-0374

[4] https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/fcimb.2021.752708/full

[5] https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC4460825/

[6] http://www.nidcr.nih.gov/DataStatistics/FindDataByTopic/DentalCaries/DentalCariesAdults20to64.htm

[7] http://www.nidcr.nih.gov/DataStatistics/FindDataByTopic/DentalCaries/DentalCariesSeniors65older.htm

[8] https://journals.plos.org/plosbiology/article?id=10.1371/journal.pbio.1002533

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My Cancer Journey
– A New Surprise –

Dr. Al Danenberg ● Nutritional Periodontist

February 26, 2023

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Life can turn on a dime.

Just a few weeks ago, I published my updated Blog about my cancer journey and Continuing to Thrive.

And I was thriving!

And I’m still thriving!

But there’s a “but” …

But now, I’m dealing with a new surprise – a surprise I was not expecting. I guess that’s why I call it a surprise.

 

My New Surprise

My new surprise is “Long COVID”.

According to the CDC, 1 in 5 Americans who had Covid are struggling with “Long Covid”. Unfortunately, I am one of those as are many of you. So, I’m doing what I do best: finding unconventional methods to regain the quality of my life.

Read on to learn how I worked with my doctors to understand my condition, create benchmarks of my current state, and devise a plan to get me back on track. There is so much that medical professionals still don’t know about long COVID. If you find yourself in a similar battle, I invite you to follow along. I’ll be sharing what I learn, what works, and providing guidance to help you get your health back.

But first, here is how Long COVID crept up on me.

It seems like the COVID episode I had the week of Christmas 2022 caused undiagnosed damage to my lungs and heart. I didn’t know then what I know now. Now, I’m manifesting symptoms. And I’m getting educated about Long COVID.

My early symptoms began around the time I published my Blog about thriving. It started with having excessive phlegm. Then it progressed to shortness of breath. I had trouble taking deep breaths and was easily fatigued. And these symptoms increased.

As I said, not much is understood about Long COVID. As a matter of fact, Long COVID was not believed to be a “real” condition by many conventional healthcare professionals until recently.

Fortunately, my doctors have come to believe it to be real. Coincidently, one of my docs has had Long COVID herself and is empathetic to what I am experiencing.

My medical team recommended several medical tests. These are not specific for the diagnosis of Long COVID but can indicate changes that are consistent with those who have Long COVID symptoms.

The following tests showed several disconcerting results …

  1. My BNP blood test result was elevated. BNP stands for Brain Natriuretic Peptide. BNP is a protein secreted by the ventricular musculature in the heart in response to volume or pressure overload. Since its discovery over 30 years ago, BNP has emerged as an important biomarker in the diagnosis of congestive heart failure (CHF).[1]
  2. My Chest CT Scan showed signs of some recent lung damage from possible infection. This may suggest the presence of Long COVID.
  3. Although I have a CBC (Complete Blood Count) blood test performed every 4 weeks, my current CBC showed a lower RBC (Red Blood Cell), Hemoglobin, and Platelet count than my usual results. Also, my NLR (Neutrophil Lymphocyte Ratio)[2] was significantly elevated, which is consistent with COVID.

Up until a couple of weeks ago, my cancer journey was centered around my efforts to improve my immune system to help heal my body as best as possible and as naturally as possible. My most recent battle with Long COVID symptoms has put another wrinkle into my equation. Although the equation has changed, I’m going to continue with my Unconventional Cancer Protocols to help my body heal.

Among other things, my Protocols provide all the bioavailable nutrients my body requires to function properly in their natural ratios and symbiotic relationships with other nutrients that are consistent with healthy metabolism.

In addition, I will repeat the BNP and CBC blood tests once a month and the Chest CT Scan in 3 months.

My original goal is still my current goal – to enjoy a quality of life as best as I can. Longevity is not my primary concern although that would be quite fine. (See, I still have a unique but morbid sense of humor.)

However, from everything I read, therapy for Long COVID should be approached gradually, and recovery could take a long time.

 

My Doctors’ Recommendations

It is my decision to continue with my Unconventional Cancer Protocols to support my immune system. Also, my doctors have recommended the following 2 practices to assist my body’s healing and repair …

  1. Breathing exercises with an Incentive Spirometer[3]
  2. Physical therapy to slowly regain muscle efficiency and assist with functional movement and improvement[4]

 

Facts about Long COVID[5],[6]

Long COVID has many names:

  • COVID Long-Haul
  • Chronic COVID-19
  • Long-haul COVID
  • Post-acute COVID-19
  • Post-acute sequelae of SARS CoV-2 infection (PASC)
  • Long-term effects of COVIDTop of Form

As I mentioned earlier, the CDC has determined that 20% of those having COVID go on to develop Long COVID. To receive a diagnosis of Long COVID, a patient generally continues with symptoms for at least three or more months following the viral infection.

The SARS-CoV-2 virus can wreak havoc on virtually every body system …

  • Lungs
  • Brain
  • Heart
  • Blood
  • Kidneys
  • Liver

Of course, not all people with Long COVID have the same symptoms. There are more than 200 reported symptoms associated with various individuals suffering from Long COVID. And these symptoms can linger, change, or reappear over time. Here are just a few of the organ symptoms affected and their manifestations …

 

Lung and Heart Symptoms

  • Breathlessness
  • Fatigue
  • Chest pain
  • Chest tightness
  • Cough
  • Heart palpitations

 

Neurological & Muscular Symptoms

  • Brain fog and memory issues
  • Dizziness when standing up
  • Headache
  • Muscle aches and pain
  • Joint pain
  • Sleep problems
  • Feelings of “pins and needles”
  • Loss of taste or smell
  • Depression or anxiety

 

Digestive Symptoms

  • Abdominal pain
  • Acid reflux
  • Constipation
  • Diarrhea

 

Diagnosis

There is no test to specifically diagnose Long COVID, but some of the following medical tests may suggest changes that occur with those suffering from Long COVID.

  • Brain Natriuretic Peptides: Elevations in the proteins measured in this test can indicate heart failure.
  • Complete Blood Count: This can rule out anemia in a person who is short of breath and provide information about red and white blood cell counts. An elevated white blood cell count can signal an active infection. This test also can be used to uncover an elevated Neutrophil Lymphocyte Ratio (NLR)[7] , which is a feature of acute COVID.
  • C-Reactive Protein: This test detects the liver’s response to inflammation in the body. This biomarker is usually elevated in people with COVID-19.
  • Ferritin: This test also can be used to detect anemia or problems with red blood cells, as well as inflammation in the body.
  • Complete Metabolic Panel: The CMP can be used to detect imbalances in minerals and electrolytes, as well as provide information on kidney and liver function.
  • Troponin: Elevated troponin levels can indicate heart damage or even a heart attack.
  • Electrocardiogram and a Chest CT Scan: These tests may help if there is concern about heart damage or lung damage.

 

Treatment

Current treatment for Long COVID appears to be “hit and miss” with little or no emphasis by the conventional medical community on healthy nutrition and lifestyle changes. In some cases, Long COVID damage may be permanent and may require ongoing care.

Here is further information about Long COVID and possible contributing factors.

 

My Personal Cancer & Long COVID

I’m travelling a path that is uncharted. Multiple Myeloma has no known cure in conventional oncology. And Long COVID is still being debated among the medical profession. However, recent studies have shown that patients with multiple myeloma have a higher mortality rate after they contracted COVID[8].

These uncharted health concerns are motivating me to be even more courageous and unconventional. I’m a fighter. I will fight the fight in my own way with the integrated assistance of my medical team.

If you suffer from Long COVID, I know what you are going through. Although we may have different symptoms, recovery must be thought out and approached gently. Various medical disciplines might need to be consulted. I’ll share everything I learn from reading and from my approach to my personal treatment.

By the way, do you know that I proclaim myself to be a Survivor and not a Victim? Let me help you if you have questions about your coping skills and anything else relating to your nutrition and wellness. I offer a free 30-Minute Consult with me to discuss your concerns.

 

[1] https://www.medicinenet.com/bnp_test/article.htm

[2] https://drdanenberg.com/powerful-inflammation-marker-using-routine-cbc/

[3] https://www.healthline.com/health/incentive-spirometer

[4] https://www.therapeuticassociates.com/supporting-covid-long-haulers-through-physical-therapy/

[5] https://www.verywellhealth.com/covid-long-haulers-5101640

[6] https://health.usnews.com/conditions/coronavirus-and-your-health/articles/long-covid-treatments

[7] https://drdanenberg.com/powerful-inflammation-marker-using-routine-cbc/

[8] https://www.nature.com/articles/s41408-021-00588-z

 

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Get a Handle on Overall Wellness
– 7 Pathways to Success –

Dr. Al Danenberg ● Nutritional Periodontist

February 19, 2023

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Wellness is a state of mind and a state of being. Your attitude can dictate your path leading to health or disease. And your state of being is the manifestation of your overall wellness or illness.

You and only you must get a handle on the pathways that can guide you to happiness and wellbeing. I’m going to offer 7 specific pathways for you to consider. Think of each as part of a “To Do” list.

But first, here are some ‘Don’ts …

  • Don’t depend on health insurance to make you healthy.
  • Don’t depend on the medical community to pave your way.
  • Don’t depend on synthetic, mass-produced supplements for prevention or cure.
  • Don’t deviate from our species’ specific needs for nutrition and physical activity.
  • Don’t dismiss the benefits which conventional medicine can offer when you find yourself in an acute situation that requires allopathic treatment to overcome a medical emergency.

Get a handle on your overall wellness as naturally as possible. Do your research and make your decisions.

 

7 Pathways to Success

Here are seven “to-do” pathways that can lead to success or lead to failure if not followed. These are pathways that I have followed personally along my cancer journey …

  1. Feed your body with bioavailable nutrients, which are required to thrive
  2. Avoid all toxic elements in your food sources and your environment that you can control
  3. Exercise efficiently
  4. Sleep restoratively
  5. Control emotional stress
  6. Have a support team or a partner to share your ups and downs when necessary
  7. Believe in a superior power that offers guidance and spiritual enlightenment

 

Do Your Research

Scour the available references to learn what is working and what is hype.

  • Use key search words on PubMed to find abstracts from peer-reviewed medical papers published all over the world to read and understand what is out there.
  • Read medical results of patients treated with unconventional methods by medical practitioners.
  • Be careful when you read various healthcare “professionals” who tout their products for sale. Their conflicts of interest may ultimately cloud their judgement and their motivation. I’ve written about conflicts of interest in the world of nutrition.

As you do your research, you may want to search my website. I have written extensively about these pathways to success. You can go to my website Blog page and use the “Search” box to enter the keywords for what you are interested in. The search engine will bring up all my published content that I have created on my website regarding your search.

 

Links to 7 Pathways to Success

I have selected several links that go into detail about these specific pathways. Check out the ones that interest you …

#1. Bioavailable nutrients

 

#2. Avoid toxic elements

OXLAMS is an acronym for Oxidized Linoleic Acid Metabolites. OXLAMS are bad stuff.

  • They are destructive byproducts of an element in the food which most of us eat every day.
  • They create metabolic dysfunction and mitochondrial dysfunction over time.
  • They are the elephant in the room that could be killing us slowly.

Humans have adjusted gradually to a change in diet over the thousands of years of evolution. But our DNA has not kept up with the dramatic and rapid changes in the foods we eat. Some of these foods have inherent substances, which can accumulate little by little in our body. The slow accumulation of these unhealthy elements can and will be our downfall metabolically.

The more we educate ourselves of all toxic elements in our food system and our environment, the more we can take appropriate steps to prevent serious chronic diseases that become debilitating and life-threatening as we age.

 

#3. Exercise efficiently

In August 2017, I wrote a blog about high intensity interval training. Before that in May 2017, I published my article titled, Connecting The Dots: HIIT, Mitochondria, Gingivitis. I explained how science has demonstrated a positive link between high intensity interval training (HIIT) and overall health. Specifically, I described the link between HIIT and the health of the mitochondria relating to improved mouth health.

Here is a 2022 peer-reviewed article about high intensity interval training as well as a 2022 article about vigorous intermittent physical activity. Both explain the benefits of this type of exercise.

 

#4. Sleep restoratively

The lack of sleep or poor-quality sleep can produce damaging effects on a variety of essential day-to-day functions. Memory consolidation, body healing, and metabolic regulation occur during the sleep cycle. The lack of sleep or poor-quality sleep can negatively affect a person’s ability to properly function and can result in many chronic disorders such as diabetes, obesity, depression, bipolar disorder, seasonal affective disorder, and many other chronic diseases.

There are noninvasive ways to balance your brain waves to improve your sleep naturally and to check if you have other breathing issues that can affect your sleep.

 

#5. Control emotional stress

You might imagine my stress level went through the roof in 2018 when I received my cancer diagnosis and devastating prognosis. I feared my career was over, my quality of life would end, and the ability for me to provide for my family would stop abruptly. All that did not happen!

But now I have the stress from the repercussions of having COVID, which include the reactivation of the multiple myeloma.

Many of the people with whom I coach have experienced increased levels of emotional stress. A major cause has been the pandemic and all the collateral damage this destructive force has had on their daily living and their ability to maintain an income. But chronic emotional stresses can be caused by many things.

Consequently, increased stress levels can significantly influence a person’s eating habits, gut health, pocketbook, and overall health. Working on a Game Plan to address any emotional stresses has been helpful for many people. In fact, my Game Plan has delivered solutions for me. I know it can help you.

 

#6. Support team

I am only human. And being human, I have had significant but short bouts of depression. But I owe my strength to my wife, Sue, who always has been there to lift me up by my bootstraps and out from the abyss of depression. When she had some personal medical complications, I tried to be her support pillar.

She and I are a team, and she has helped me regain my focus whenever necessary. I refuse to be a victim.

I am extremely fortunate to have Sue in my life, and I know that not everyone has a “Sue” in their life. That’s why I’ve created this online community. Facing illness is tough, and I want each one of you reading this to know you are supported in your journey.

 

#7. Spiritual support

Most of my followers know that I was placed in a hospice hospital in late August 2019 to die. But most don’t know what happened to me during those hospice days of deep depression and preparing for death. And then how my spirituality lifted me up to where I am today.

Here’s a sweet story that affected me deeply and challenges you to think about life through the lens of a child.

 

You Have Power Over Your Own Health

You have the power to be your own advocate. Your wellness is up to you. You may not agree with all my recommendations and opinions, but these may be important steps for you to take control.

We come into this world alone, and we leave this world alone. Our existence during our life is under our control. But we are social beings. Although we can do this alone, it may be better and easier with the help of a support team. However, never give away your right to make your own health decisions and to follow your wellness pathways.

If you need guidance, set up a free 30-minute consultation with me. No sales pitch, no obligation. I’ve been through it all with my journey, and I want to use my knowledge to help others make their health journeys less confusing and less complicated. Your path won’t be the same as mine, nor do I expect you to follow the same plan. What I can do is provide you with reputable resources and tools to create a foundation of health that will serve you for years to come. Schedule your consultation here.

 

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My Cancer Journey
– Continuing to Thrive –

Dr. Al Danenberg ● Nutritional Periodontist

February 12, 2023

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We all are going to die. But I am not going there yet. I have so much to accomplish yet and don’t have time to participate in end-of-life thinking. I am continuing to thrive!

Based on my original prognosis in September 2018, my oncologist suggested that I had 3-6 months to live! Almost 5 years later and counting, it gives me great pleasure to prove him absolutely wrong.

Although I rejected chemo, I have integrated some conventional therapy to reduce deep bone pain, which I experienced from various pathological fractures – especially those in my ribs. In my Unconventional Cancer Protocols, I discuss these therapies.

I continue to visit my original oncologist every 4 weeks since I learned of my diagnosis and prognosis. He is still surprised that I am alive. And I believe my success is the result of changing my way of eating, improving the diversity of my gut microbiome, healing a leaky gut, and various other improvements such as stress reduction, restorative sleep, and efficient exercise.

However, the 2 biggest secrets for success I have learned are to …

  1. Avoid and remove any identifiable toxic elements in my diet and my environment.
  2. Reduce chronic emotional stress. (Chronic stress has been one of the most misunderstood factors in the progression of gut dysbiosis, oral diseases, chronic diseases, and cancer. But reduction of emotional stress is difficult. It’s not like a light switch that you can turn “on” and turn “off” with the flick of your finger. Here is A Unique Way to Understand Stress.)

 

State of Mind

Being human, I have bouts of depression. And without a doubt, my pillar of strength (my wife Sue) has been there always to throw me a proverbial lifeline.

But my time is filled with good stuff.

Since moving into a retirement facility with my wife in November 2022, we have been active with the residents. For example, I’ve provided 2 seminars for the residents – one on how to take care of their mouths and one on how to eat an animal-based diet while living in our facility.

Starting on February 20, 2023, I will host a monthly session titled, “Be a Survivor” for the residents. The management of the senior living community asked me to create this support group. There is a need to help some who suffer emotional stress from losing their ability to live by themselves. Sadly, some people who become residents of a retirement apartment complex are not there because they want to be there. They may be there because their family members want them to be in a safe place. A few of these residents have medical problems which have prevented them from living by themselves. The select group of people who might benefit from “Be a Survivor” are depressed and see themselves as victims. “Be a Survivor” forum will allow those residents to voice their fears. My input will be to be the moderator of the monthly sessions and offer specifics about my challenges which I have overcome. We’ll delve into some coping tools to change their mindset from being a “victim” to being a “survivor”.

 

State of Health

Medically, I’m stable. But I’m not in remission.

During Christmas week in 2022, I contracted COVID once again. This affected my immune system by increasing dysfunctional antibodies, which are created by malignant plasma cells in my bone marrow. These unhealthy antibodies continue to erode the internal structure of various bones in my body. This makes my bones susceptible to pathological fractures. And I’ve had many.

I certainly will continue to see my oncologist every 4 weeks and to follow my Unconventional Cancer Protocols. And I will continue to tweak these protocols as often as I deem necessary.

 

A Learning Experience

My cancer journey has been an amazing learning experience. Here are 4 lessons I’ve learned …

  1. I’ve learned to enhance my immune system to the extent that it has helped me live a quality of life.
  2. It reinforced my spiritual belief that I am here on this earth in a mortal body to learn specific lessons.
  3. It motivated me to share all that I learned with all who want to hear what I have to say.
  4. It has been a cathartic awakening for me to be able to verbalize and write about my journey.

Moving forward, my wife, my oncologist, and I have discussed my next path.

 

Moving Forward

Conventional oncology and medical treatment to-date have played out their hands. There are no other “conventional medical treatments” that can cure this bone marrow cancer or prolong my life while still maintaining my quality of life until the end.

My biggest medical concern is bone pain because of the damage created by malignant plasma cells in my bone marrow. To help with my pain, I take non-narcotic pain meds. But I will take as little as possible. And most importantly, I will continue with my Unconventional Cancer Protocols to enhance my immune system so that it can fight the fight it was designed to fight. I will continue to emphasize my animal-based diet, my diverse and healthy gut microbiome, stress reduction, efficient exercise, and restorative sleep. All these should help me maintain the quality of life as best as I can during my continuing cancer journey.

Being a realist, I know that there will be a time when my body will succumb to this cancer. I don’t know when that time will come. Based on my oncologist, he believes my bone marrow cancer is not progressing into the “end of life” stages. Based on how I have managed my body’s ability to enhance my immune system in the past, I could live for many more years.

As I see it, I will continue to function as normally as possible. I’ll be here writing my Blogs, offering individual consults regarding diet, gut health, oral health, and overall wellness. In addition, I will continue to offer my 12-Week Balanced Metabolic Coaching Program as well as offer hope to all those who are dealing with serious medical diagnoses and prognoses as I find myself. And I am proud of the written legacy I have published, Eat As If Your Life Depends On It.

I refuse to become a victim waiting to die.

What does all this mean for you? I share my story because I know there are too many people facing similar obstacles. Never did I think this would happen to me. I have tried everything in my power to maintain a good quality of life, despite facing an extremely painful form of cancer. I believe in transparency, and my hope is to provide you with options if you find yourself in a difficult spot. Facing illness can feel scary and helpless but you’re not alone. The unconventional methods I have tried on myself work because they are based in science, and they may work for you too.

I offer a free consultation if you need guidance. No obligation, just one-on-one time with me. Take it from me, you want to take control of your health before something goes wrong.

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Today’s Human Nutrition
– Part 2: Goals of Nutrition & Conflicts of Interest –

Dr. Al Danenberg ● Nutritional Periodontist

February 3, 2023

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In last week’s blog, we looked at false narratives. Three of the main pillars of health and nutrition that we’ve been taught simply aren’t true. But how did that come about? This week, we’re looking at the basic goals of nutrition and how conflicts of interest have complicated things, putting our health in jeopardy.

 

Goals of Nutrition

Basically, there are 2 general goals of nutrition …

  1. To provide energy for our cells
  2. To assure structural components to build and maintain our cells

These two goals are purposeful and specific. Nutrition gives us the fuel to run our human engines just like batteries give power to flashlights. And nutrition provides the structural components that allows each of our cells do what they are intended to do.

Humans are animals. We are not plants or trees or shrubs. Our cells require what all animal cells in the wild require – basic and bioavailable elements to sustain life.

Over 600,000 years of homo sapiens evolving on planet earth, we have preferred and required animal protein, animal fat, bone marrow, cartilage, and animal organs to become the dominant animal of our planet. While humans are omnivorous, our species has preferred animal products eaten from nose-to-tail.[1]

The bioavailable nutrients that we require are in the cells of the animals we eat. As I discussed in Today’s Human Nutrition Part 1 – False Narratives, the animals with the densest nutrient concentrations that are also absorbable and useful for your body come from ruminant animals.

One question may come to mind:

“How does our body tell us it needs more nutrients?”

And the answer is:

“Our appetite”.

When we are hungry, our appetite tells our body to eat to obtain another round of essential nutrients.

In addition, our body provides the complex mechanisms and pathways to use these nutrients to facilitate our overall wellness.

When our body needs to clean itself out, various organs produce biologically active chemicals to “detoxify naturally”. Antioxidants, which our body produces internally, are set in motion to neutralize damaging free radicals, which could cause various chronic diseases. A low-carbohydrate way of eating can stimulate our endogenous production of these natural antioxidants.

 

Conflicts of Interest

Money and power are the great spoilers. They shouldn’t have any influence in our decisions for a healthy way of eating These spoilers create conflicts of interest. Some companies that provide us with our food use their money and power to influence organizations which are deemed responsible for making our dietary guidelines. It’s no wonder why there are false narratives surrounding nutrition and our food products. You can read about 3 False Narratives I discussed in my Blog last week.

In a March 2022 paper titled Conflicts of interest for members of the U.S. 2020 Dietary Guidelines Advisory Committee, the authors stated their results and conclusions …

Results: Our analysis found that 95% of the committee members had COI (Conflicts of Interest) with the food, and/or pharmaceutical industries and that particular actors, including Kellogg, Abbott, Kraft, Mead Johnson, General Mills, Dannon, and the International Life Sciences had connections with multiple members. Research funding and membership of an advisory/executive board jointly accounted for more than 60% of the total number of COI documented.

Conclusions: Trustworthy dietary guidelines result from a transparent, objective, and science-based, process. Our analysis has shown that the significant and widespread COI on the committee prevent the DGA (Dietary Guidelines for Americans) from achieving the recommended standard for transparency without mechanisms in place to make this information publicly available.

In another revealing peer-reviewed paper which was published in October 2022, nutrition policy appears to be compromised by money and power. The Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics (AND), which provides over 100,000 dietitians with data to help people make the right decisions concerning healthy eating, is in the crosshairs. The authors of The corporate capture of the nutrition profession in the USA: the case of the Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics explained their results and conclusions …

Results: The Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics (AND), the AND Foundation (ANDF), and its key leaders have ongoing interactions with corporations. These include AND’s leaders holding key positions in multinational food, pharmaceutical or agribusiness corporations, and AND accepting corporate financial contributions. We found the AND has invested funds in corporations such as Nestlé, PepsiCo, and pharmaceutical companies, and has discussed internal policies to fit industry needs and has had public positions favoring corporations.

Conclusion: AND and its Foundation assist the food and beverage, pharmaceutical, and agribusiness industries through their large network of professionals and students, their lax internal policies on corporate partnerships, and their topical position papers. The AND/ANDF have been supported financially by these corporations throughout the years despite public criticism and internal organizational changes. With a registration as a trade association, the AND and corporations interact symbiotically. This sets a precedent for close corporate relationships with the food and nutrition profession in the USA, which may negatively affect the public health agenda in the USA and internationally.

Here is still another example of real nutritional facts being stifled as big pharma gets into the picture …

For the most part, obesity is a result of poor food choices and unhealthy lifestyle choices over time. Obesity may be influenced by genetics, but it is not a genetic disease. Interestingly, on the 60 Minutes TV Show which aired on January 1, 2023, Lesley Stahl interviewed Dr. Fatima Stanford (an obesity doctor at Mass General Hospital) and Dr. Dr. Caroline Apovian (a weight management specialist at Brigham and Women’s Hospital in Boston). Dr. Stanford tells Leslie Stahl that, “Obesity is a brain disease.” Both doctors advise companies developing drugs for obesity, including Novo Nordisk, (maker of Wegovy and Ozempic). Both drugs are designed to treat obesity. And both doctors recommend these drugs. Could there be a conflict of interest here? Real nutritional facts do not suggest that a drug is the first choice for treatment of obesity. The real facts indicate that curtailing specific poor food choices, which are increasing fat accumulation, mitochondrial damage, and appetite, are the appropriate means to address obesity. More specifically, obesity is largely related to excess consumption of linoleic acid (an omega-6 polyunsaturated fat), which is prevalent in most processed foods as well as seed and nut oils. Excess consumption of linoleic acid is a major cause of chronic diseases.[2]

Here is a shocking example of misapplied facts that demonstrate at least a conflict of interest and at worse a dangerous and unhealthy nutritional advisory.

Read this 2023 article by Nina Teicholz, who summarized the results of the Tufts Friedman School of Nutrition’s Food Compass published in 2021. According to Nina Teicholz, the Tufts Food Compass suggests that “Kellogg’s and Post cereals” are healthier than meat and eggs! What is the world coming to? Tufts Friedman School of Nutrition receives funding from 60 different companies including several that are ranked highly on their Food Compass. Can real nutritional science conclude that junk cereal is healthier than meat and eggs?

Now that these conflicts of interest have come to light, how many other corporations are “paying to play”? Our nutrition is not a “game” to “play”. We need and deserve correct, unbiased information that is untainted by payoffs coming from the vested interests of corporations prioritizing profits and influence. It’s no wonder that the average person as well as health professionals are confused about our human nutrition and the real goals of nutrition.

 

Bottom Line

There are companies producing the food we eat who are paying off companies that supposedly were created to protect us by standardizing nutritional facts (i.e., conflicts of interest). Money and power grabs are confounding our need-to-know facts.

I have taken the path of researching medical journals and experimenting with my own body. I have been to the edge of death and back during my cancer journey. I have learned a lot and have incorporated my success and results in my 1:1 coaching program.

In my 12-Week Balanced Metabolic Coaching Program, we will go beyond just what you eat. My goal for you is to improve the quality of your life as I have done for myself. It’s that simple. We look at your pain points and come up with solutions (usually unconventional methods!) to help you feel and be your best. Interested in learning more? Book a completely free, no obligation consultation. What do you have to lose?

[1] https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1002/ajpa.24247

[2] https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7kGnfXXIKZM

 

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Today’s Human Nutrition
– Part 1: False Narratives –

Dr. Al Danenberg ● Nutritional Periodontist

January 29, 2023

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What makes something true? Is it because it’s based in fact, or because we’ve heard it so many times, we believe it to be true?

Take for example one of the most well-known accepted quotes from Star Wars, “Luke, I am your father.” Even those of us who aren’t into the Star Wars universe are familiar with that line. Except, it was never actually said in the movie! The line was, “No, I am your father.” Not quite as memorable.

Now, think about that old food pyramid we were taught. Grains are the foundation, followed by plants and fruit. We believed it to be true because it was so mainstream. But knowing what we know now, it was a terrible foundation for nutrition.

Here are some questions for you to mull over …

  • What if almost everything you knew about health and nutrition was based on facts that are not factual?
  • What would that mean for you and your family today?
  • How would that change what you do for yourself and your family if you corrected those false narratives?
  • And how would the influence of corporations “buying off” major nutrition companies change your mind about the food products you buy?

 

3 False Narratives

I don’t shy away from thinking outside of the box. Especially when it comes to my unconventional methods of nutrition and fighting cancer. However, my thinking is backed by a combination of personal experience and in-depth research. Sometimes, I don’t think my thinking is so out of the box after all. It makes a lot of sense. The truth is some of the narratives we’ve been told simply aren’t true. So, let’s talk about them.

 

#1. Humans require plants to survive and thrive: FALSE

Humans are not required to depend on plant-based nutrients to survive and thrive.[1] Humans are animals. As homo sapiens evolving on planet earth for over 600,000 years, we have preferred and required animal protein, animal fat, animal organs, bone marrow, and cartilage to become the dominant animal of our planet.[2] We are not plants or trees or shrubs. Our cells require basic, bioavailable elements to sustain our life.

In addition, many plants contain antinutrients.[3] Antinutrients are natural or synthetic compounds that interfere with our body’s ability to absorb other necessary nutrients in foods. Many of these antinutrient chemicals are produced by plants to harm or kill animals that attempt to eat them. Basically, antinutrients are a plant’s defense mechanism to prevent a plant’s destruction when animals eat them and then to assure that the plant’s ripening fruit will be eaten by animals who can spread the plant’s seeds for propagation.

We have been told that plant nutrients are critical for our health. Yet practically all the nutrients which humans require can be found in ruminant animals when eaten from nose-to-tail.

Ruminant animals include cattle, sheep, goats, buffalo, deer, elk, giraffes, and camels.[4] But my easily-purchased and practical-to-eat ruminants are cattle and sheep.

These animals all have a digestive system that is uniquely different and highly specialized from the human digestive system. Instead of one compartment to the stomach they have four. Of the four compartments, the rumen is the largest section where most of the digestion occurs.

The rumen is filled with billions of microbes that can digest grass and other vegetation that humans with one stomach cannot. Humans cannot break down many plants because of antinutrients or indigestible substances inherent in the plants. However, ruminants can convert these plants and residues into high quality protein and other necessary nutrients that are eventually stored as bioavailable nutrients in their tissues. And all these absorbed nutrients are readily available to us when we eat these animals from nose-to-tail.

 

#2. Recommended Daily Allowances (RDAs) are the goals for humans to stay healthy: FALSE

Recommended Daily Allowances[5] are supposed to be goals we must meet. And an array of dietitians teaches us how to meet those magic numbers even though these RDAs were formulated from what were just guesses. Nutrition science is based around fundamental assumptions that have never been thoroughly tested.[6]

However, individuals eating a high-carb diet have a greater need for higher concentrations of some nutrients than those eating an animal-based diet with low carbohydrates. For example, individuals have maintained adequate and healthy levels of Vitamin C[7] and Magnesium[8] when on a strict animal-based diet. The reason: Vitamin C and Magnesium are in the ruminant animals we eat, and these nutrients compete with carbohydrates to enter human cells. The less carbohydrates we eat; the less amount of Vitamin C and Magnesium we need to be healthy.

 

#3. Normal ranges for most medical tests are based on healthy people: FALSE

The normal ranges of most medical tests are based on the average ranges for the average healthy individual. If your blood test results come back in the normal range, then your medical doctor will assume your results show you are a healthy person. The fact is that these values are based on a Bell Curve[9] that says that 95% of the population is normal and the 2.5% on either end of the Bell Curve are abnormal.[10] But at least 88% of the US population has been determined to be metabolically unhealthy.[11] So, how can these “normal ranges” be a goal for a healthy person if these “normal ranges” are obtained from a relatively unhealthy population? I believe a healthy range for various medical tests should be studied and obtained from the small percentage of metabolically healthy individuals in our population – not from a population of metabolically unhealthy individuals.

 

Concluding Thoughts

If you investigate human results from an animal-based diet, you may be impressed.

Paul Saladino, MD; Shawn Baker, MD; and Kevin Stock, DDS actively write about the medical benefits of an animal-based diet. Some recommend stricter “diets” than others, but each of these health professionals promote the consumption of ruminant animals eaten from nose-to-tail.

In addition, The International Center for Medical Nutritional Intervention (previously called the Paleomedicina Clinic) in Budapest, Hungary has been treating serious chronic diseases and cancers since 2011. They have treated over 6,000 sick patients with a strict animal-based diet with compelling results. The clinic has published case reports in various medical publications. Go to their website and click on “Scientific Work and Articles“[12].

I know your frustration; I’ve been there. There are so many diets and “healthy” methods out there that promise to fix your entire life. It’s hard to know what to believe.

How about taking some insight from someone who has been to the brink of death and back? In my 1:1 coaching plan, we go beyond just what you eat. My goal for you is to improve the quality of your life. It’s that simple. We look at your pain points and come up with solutions (usually unconventional methods!) to help you feel and be your best. Interested in learning more? Book a completely free, no obligation consultation. What do you have to lose?

 

[1] https://carnivore.diet/debunking-proper-nutrition/

[2] https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1002/ajpa.24247

[3] https://www.sciencedirect.com/topics/food-science/antinutrients

[4] https://www.animalwised.com/ruminant-animals-full-list-and-fun-facts-206.html

[5] https://www.karelsavry.us/optimal_health/how_are_the_rdas_determined.html

[6] https://carnivore.diet/digging-up-the-real-data-on-minerals/

[7] https://nutriintervention.com/the-brain-researcher-says-szent-gyorgyi-was-wrong-its-no-use-taking-vitamin-c/

[8] https://escholarship.org/uc/item/7fh8h2vs

[9] https://communitymedicine4all.com/2018/01/19/understanding-the-standard-normal-distribution/

[10] https://www.labme.ai/blood-test-optimal-ranges-and-why-they-are-important/

[11] https://www.liebertpub.com/doi/10.1089/met.2018.0105

[12] https://nutriintervention.com/patients/

 

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VAPING
– A Deadly Alternative –

Dr. Al Danenberg ● Nutritional Periodontist

January 22, 2023

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One of my close friends has asthma. I know he knows better than to compromise his lungs with cigarettes. However, he never knew the danger of vaping. The marketing of e-cigarettes is so believable, he thought he would be safe with vaping. Vaping was touted to be the safe alternative to smoking traditional cigarettes.

On a Wednesday, a few weeks after daily vaping, he was found unconscious and not breathing. The cause – VAPING! The damage to his lungs was extensive and possibly permanent.

Fortunately, he didn’t die. He was revived to live longer and hopefully smarter.

So, what will it take to knock some sense into the heads of most people? And when will that day come?

 

Vaping – a Deadly Alternative

In 2003, a new product came to market that was supposed to be harmless. The “powers to be” marketed it as a healthy alternative to smoking cigarettes. And it tasted good, too! The news was that “Vaping” was the answer to the addiction of cigarette smoking – especially among the younger generation.

But in the last couple of years, vaping has proven to be harmful to the mouth, damaging to the lungs, and a deadly alternative to cigarette smoking.

Again I ask, “What will it take to knock some sense into the heads of most people – especially our children?”

 

Will We Ever Learn?

Confirmation comes very slowly.

Waiting for confirmation is not an excuse to “vape” until all the evidence is in and proves without a doubt that vaping is deadly. We certainly did that with cigarette smoking allowing its devastating consequences to affect millions of smokers and nonsmokers.

For example, there wasn’t solid evidence before 1950 showing that cigarette smoking was bad for you. Doctors were recruited in those days to tout the benefits of cigarette smoking for themselves.

One of the most famous campaigns in those days was the “More Doctors” campaign for RJ Reynolds Tobacco Company’s Camels brand cigarettes. These ads, which appeared in magazines from Time to Ladies’ Home Journal and then in television commercials, claimed that according to a nationwide survey, “More doctors smoke Camels than any other cigarette!”[1]

It took decades to understand the lethal health effects of smoking tobacco[2], which still kills over eight million people annually[3]. How long will we want to wait before we understand that vaping is harmful and potentially deadly?

In 2022, the CDC and FDA released its findings on the use of all tobacco products by the youth in the US. It showed that more than 10% of middle and high school students used a tobacco product during the past 30 days.[4]

And when it comes to vaping, a Gallup poll uncovered that one in five adults between 18 and 30 vape regularly. That’s more than twice the number of adults in any other age group. Roughly four out of five 18- to 30-year-olds say smoking is “very harmful to health,” according to Gallup data. However, just one in five thinks vaping is very harmful to health.[5]

So, my questions are …

  • “When will we accept that vaping can be deadly?” And …
  • “What will it take for the youth in our country to become proactive with their health?”

Research did not begin to show the toxicity of E-cigarettes until 2010.[6] We’ve already lived 13 years since this research confirmed vaping’s toxicity. Need I say more?

I’m going to review some of the medical evidence to-date that may be helpful for the parents of our youth and for the youth themselves.

 

The Facts – Nothing but the Facts [7],[8],[9],[10],[11],[12],[13]

Let me enumerate what we know about vaping and its effects in the mouth, the gut, and our overall health …

The Mouth
  1. Our mouths are probably home to between 2,000 to 3,000 species of microbes, many of which may not be able to be cultured but are normally in a state of balance
  2. Vapor-producing chemicals are toxic to cells and can cause cancer
  3. Nicotine e-cigs will change the oral microbiome by increasing the potentially pathogenic periodontal bacteria
  4. Nicotine e-cigs will change the bacterial composition of dental plaque more than that of cigarette smokers and non-smokers
  5. Nicotine e-cigs will increase the risk of dental caries
  6. Nicotine e-cigs will increase inflammatory cytokines and decrease the non-inflammatory cytokines in oral environment by affecting the immune system
  7. Nicotine e-cigs will produce increased break down in pocket depths and attachment levels around teeth
  8. Nicotine e-cigs caused more nicotine to accumulate in oral tissue and saliva than conventional tobacco cigarettes
  9. Two e-cigarette pods can contain as much nicotine as an entire pack of cigarettes

 

The Gut
  1. E-cigarette aerosols will increase openings in tight junctions in the gut epithelial barrier allowing for leakage into the circulatory system (i.e., leaky gut) and increased chronic systemic inflammation
  2. Two chemicals used as a base for all e-cigarette liquid vapor — propylene glycol and vegetable glycerol — were the causes of inflammation.
  3. E-cigs create toxicity via oxidative stress, inflammation response, and DNA damage

 

Overall Health
  1. Vaping does not work as a “quitting agent” for conventional smoking
  2. Vaping is on the rise with youngsters and is seen as “not harmful”
  3. Flavorings can cause damage to lung tissues as well as irritate receptors in nerve endings linked to the heart and blood vessels
  4. Chemicals in e-cigs can increase secretions in the nasal passages and throughout the lungs and airways, leading to coughing and breathing difficulties
  5. Heating elements in e-cigs can cause increase in heavy metal exposure and ultimately heavy metal toxicity
  6. Vaping has been associated with severe respiratory health injuries and untimely deaths
  7. Vaping may increase the risk of severe symptoms and complications in people infected with SARS-CoV-2, the virus that causes COVID-19
  8. Nicotine e-cigs may inhibit apoptosis, thereby causing tumor cells to survive and proliferate while reducing the effects of chemotherapy drugs

 

My Personal Experience

At the beginning of this blog, I shared with you the scary experience my friend had with vaping. He was lucky.

Sadly, some of our younger generation wants to be “cool”. And sadly, vaping is perceived as “cool”. There are many activities that we think are fun and “cool” but are potentially deadly.

I encourage you to share this blog with your friends. Despite cautionary tales, vaping is becoming increasingly common. Sharing this information with your loved ones can help prevent them from dire consequences.

 

[1] https://rarehistoricalphotos.com/doctors-smoking-cigarette-1930-1950/

[2] https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/books/NBK222369/

[3] https://www.who.int/news-room/fact-sheets/detail/tobacco

[4] https://www.fda.gov/tobacco-products/youth-and-tobacco/results-annual-national-youth-tobacco-survey

[5] https://news.gallup.com/poll/267413/percentage-americans-vape.aspx

[6] https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/33770885/

[7] https://www.hopkinsmedicine.org/health/wellness-and-prevention/5-truths-you-need-to-know-about-vaping

[8] https://www.factretriever.com/vaping-facts

[9] https://www.mass.gov/service-details/get-the-facts-about-vaping

[10] https://digitalmedia.hhs.gov/tobacco/educator_hub/students/vaping101/vaping_facts?locale=en

[11] https://www.timeslifestyle.net/nicotine-in-e-cigarette/

[12] https://www.cdc.gov/tobacco/basic_information/e-cigarettes/severe-lung-disease.html

[13] https://cps.ca/en/blog-blogue/covid-youth-and-substance-use-critical-messages-for-youth-and-families

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Quality Sleep
– An Update of My Cancer Journey –

Dr. Al Danenberg ● Nutritional Periodontist

January 15, 2023

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Sleep is Critical for Life.[1]

The lack of sleep or poor-quality sleep can produce damaging effects on a variety of essential day-to-day functions. Memory consolidation, body healing, and metabolic regulation occur during the sleep cycle. The lack of sleep or poor-quality sleep can negatively affect a person’s ability to properly function and can result in many chronic disorders such as diabetes, obesity, depression, bipolar disorder, seasonal affective disorder, and many other chronic diseases.

Over the last several months of my cancer journey, I’ve had increasing sleep problems. I knew I had to improve my sleep to assist my overall healing. And I did not want to do this with drugs or supplements.

There are many causes of poor-quality sleep. One of the causes of poor-quality sleep is the inability to enter a deep sleep state, which involves the creation of delta brainwaves.

 

Types of Brainwaves

There are four basic categories of brainwaves: Beta, Alpha, Theta, and Delta. And our brain is always generating these wave patterns. But some of them are more prevalent at different times.

  1. Beta brainwaves are the fastest frequencies ranging from 14 to 38 Hertz (cycles per second). Beta frequencies originate in the cortex of the brain and are dominant in the normal thinking state. When we are in this state, we are usually wide awake and alert.
  2. Alpha brainwaves are dominant in the relaxed state of the brain. They range between 9 to 12 Hertz. Alpha waves originate in the thalamus, which is the relay station in the brain that receives sensory input from external and internal stimuli. The thalamus then passes them on to the cortex and other parts of the brain for processing. Alpha is the gateway to meditation and provides a bridge between the conscious and the subconscious mind.
  3. Theta brainwaves represent the subconscious mind. Theta brainwaves are instrumental in the limbic system (amygdala, hypothalamus) in the brain. The limbic system is the key to emotional and memory aspects of our brain function. Ranging from 4 to 8 Hertz, they are present in the dream state of sleep and provide the experience of deep meditation when you meditate. Theta waves also contain the storehouse of creative inspiration and are where you often may have a spiritual connection.
  4. Delta brainwaves are dominant in the unconscious mind and the deep-sleep state. These waves range from 0.5 to 4 Hertz and are generated by the brainstem. They allow the cortical, thinking brain to be downregulated when we need to have rest and recovery. When present in combination with other waves in a waking state, Delta waves seek out information and reach out to understand on the deepest unconscious level things that we can’t understand through the thought process. Delta waves provide intuition, empathetic attunement, and instinctual insight. They also are involved with energy healing.

 

My Experience with Brainwaves

Way back in 1992, I had the opportunity to attend a 6-day intense program at the Monroe Institute in Faber, VA. It was called “Gateway Voyage”.[2] It was an introduction to reach various levels of brainwave activity which could lead to altered states of consciousness.

In those days, the program was held live at the Institute and was limited to about 15 people. The participants experienced progressive states of altered consciousness through the guidance of recorded audio tapes while experiencing the brain enhancing frequencies called Hemi-Sync®[3].

 

Hemi-Sync®

Robert A. Monroe, the founder of Hemi-Sync®, is internationally known for his work with audio sound patterns that can have dramatic effects on states of consciousness. Monroe observed, during his early research, that certain sounds create a “Frequency Following Response” in the electrical activity of the brain.

Those observations led to some remarkable findings dealing with the very nature of human consciousness. Researchers learned specific sounds could be blended and sequenced to gently lead the brain to various states ranging from deep relaxation or sleep to expanded states of awareness and other “extraordinary” states. This compelling research became the foundation of a noninvasive and easy-to-use audio-guidance technology known as Hemi-Sync®.

Hemi-Sync® (hemispheric synchronization) is a process using headphones. It works through the generation of complex, multilayered audio signals that are slightly different for the left ear and the right ear. Together, these frequencies create a resonance of brain waves in the left and right hemispheres which assists an individual in “balancing” both hemispheres and entering various states of altered consciousness. The process is like transcendental meditation, but much quicker. Hemi-Sync® gets you “there” almost immediately.[4]

Here is a visual representation of a brain with no Hemi-Sync® frequencies. Without Hemi-Sync®, there is an incoherent brainwave pattern with limited thought processes.

 

 

Here is a visual representation of a brain with Hemi-Sync® frequencies introduced into the right and left hemispheres using headphones. With Hemi-Sync® frequencies, there is a coherent brainwave pattern with enhanced whole-brain potential.

 

My Personal Experience at the Monroe Institute

As each of the attendees arrived at the Institute, we were greeted by the staff and allowed to mingle until the formal introduction session. We all knew we were in for an amazing and life-changing week.

We were paired with a roommate and assigned our living quarters for the week’s experience. Each of the attendees had a private cubicle where we would lie down for each audio session, put on the headphones, and listen to the verbal guidance which had Hemi-Sync® frequencies embedded. Our cubicles were also where we slept.

Each day we had 4 separate audio sessions. After each session, the group leader would assemble all 15 participants in the meeting room to discuss our experiences.

Each session was devoted to different experiences in levels of altered states of consciousness. And each session introduced different frequency patterns to set up these different levels.

In the evenings, we had guest speakers who spoke about their unique research in various disciplines of altered states of consciousness. All were beyond my comprehension at the time, but all advanced my curiosity of the vastness and the power of the mind.

 

How I Use Hemi-Sync®

My recent sleep problems have brought me back to revisit the concepts of Hemi-Sync®. I knew that I had to enhance my Delta Wave frequencies. And Hemi-Sync® possibly could help me do this.

Two Hemi-Sync® audio productions have been created to enhance restful and deep sleep – “Super Sleep” and “Sleep Deeply”.

These Hemi-Sync® sleep products incorporate Delta frequencies, which are predominate in deep sleep. As I mentioned, the Hemi-Sync® process consists of a sound played in the left ear as a single tone and a different sound played in the right ear as a single tone. When played together, the result is a third sound (called a binaural beat) that encourages the desired brainwave activity. This is hemispheric synchronization.

Hemispheric synchronization occurs naturally in daily life, but typically only for random, brief periods of time. Hemi-Sync® can assist individuals in achieving and sustaining this highly productive, coherent, brainwave state for extended periods of time. This is my goal, and I will be using this method nightly.

 

My Nightly Routine

I purchased Super Sleep and Sleep Deeply. I also purchased a Bluetooth CD player and a Bluetooth Sleep Headphones on Amazon. However, I’ve noticed that when using these recordings with the conventional set of earbuds from the CD player, my sleep is restful and sustainable. So, I have not needed to use the wireless Bluetooth Headphones. Also, I am concerned about using Bluetooth technology on a regular basis.

When I go to bed, I set the CD Player to play the CD repeatedly. I place the earbuds in my ears, get comfortable in my bed, and turn the CD on to play. I fall asleep relatively quickly and only wake to go to the bathroom. I don’t seem to be tossing and turning as I was without the Hemi-Sync® frequencies.

If I wake in the middle of the night to go to the bathroom, I may turn off the CD player and go back to restful sleep. If I wake before I am ready to get out of bed, I may turn on the CD player again.

From the first night of using Super Sleep, I noticed surprising results. My sleep was more restful than I can remember in a long time.

I alternate between the Super Sleep CD and the Sleep Deeply CD. The main difference in the two CDs is that the Sleep Deeply CD uses a slower frequency to facilitate a stronger resonance, leading to a more calming and soothing effect. However, both CDs produce significant Delta Wave sleep frequencies.

 

Continuing with Hemi-Sync®

Using this new sleep protocol allows me to explore many realms of higher states of consciousness. I will continue to keep you updated on my experience through future blogs.

I’m always updating my coaching program, and this is a technology I’m thrilled to introduce with my clients to amplify healing through restorative sleep.

If you haven’t yet booked your one-on-one consult with me, here’s the link to do so. I work with a limited number of clients who are experiencing health complications. Together, we formulate a plan to improve health through restorative sleep, healthy eating habits, stress reduction and efficient exercise. My unconventional methods have helped me recover my quality of life after an incurable cancer diagnosis, and I’m using what I’ve learned to help you do the same.

You can sign up for a free 30-minute consultation here to determine if we are a good fit.

 

[1] https://www.sleepfoundation.org/stages-of-sleep/deep-sleep

[2] https://www.monroeinstitute.org/products/gateway-voyage

[3] https://www.monroeinstitute.org/blogs/blog/so-hemi-sync%C2%AE-works-but-how

[4] https://www.monroeinstitute.org/pages/early-history-research-article

 

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