Background:
There are eight B vitamins generally known as thiamin (B-1), riboflavin (B-2), niacin (B-3), pantothenic acid (B-5), pyridoxine (B-6), biotin (B-7), folic acid (folate) (B-9), and cyanocobalamin (B-12). Like most vitamins, B vitamins are essential — your body needs them but cannot make them; you must get them from your diet or from supplements.
Each B vitamin is associated with a variety of functions, many of which relate to turning food into energy and other needed substances. Folate, for example, is important in reducing birth defects of the spinal cord and is, therefore, a critical ingredient in prenatal vitamins. But at a high dosage, folic acid may increase the risk of certain cancers. Niacin, when taken in very high doses, can improve cholesterol levels but can also cause side-effects and toxicity. Several (B-6, B-12, and folate) have been shown to reduce elevated homocysteine levels -- a risk factor for cardiovascular disease, although studies have not shown this combination to reduce cardiovascular risk itself
 
Previous reviews by ConsumerLab.com have uncovered problems with the B vitamin content of several supplements. Neither the U.S. government nor any agency is responsible for routinely testing B vitamin products or other dietary supplements for their contents or quality


    •    5-Hour Energy (Berry) contained only 75.5% of its claimed folic acid, although it did contain its claimed amounts of niacin, B-6, and B-12. The amount of B-6 and B-12 in this product is many times higher than the RDAs for these ingredients, although not exceeding tolerable upper limits for those vitamins. For young adults, the RDA for B-6 is 1.3 mg and for B-12 is 2.4 mcg, while the suggested serving (one bottle) provides 40 mg of B-6 (3,100% of the RDA) and 500 mcg of B-12 (20,800% of the RDA). 

5-Hour Energy lists among its ingredients an "energy blend" that includes caffeine. The label notes that the amount of caffeine is comparable to that in a cup of "leading premium coffee." ConsumerLab.com found the 2 fluid ounce bottle to contain 207 mg of caffeine. However, this is 15% higher than what you would get from a "short" cup (8 fluid ounces) of a premium coffee such as Starbucks, which Starbucks claims to have 180 mg of caffeine (Starbucks.com 2010). 

    •    Stacker 2 6-Hour Power Shot contained just 40.4% of its claimed folic acid. It provided the same high levels of B-6 (40 mg) and B-12 (500 mcg) as 5-Hour Energy. Also, like 5-Hour Energy, 6-Hour Power Shot also lists among its ingredients an "energy blend" that includes caffeine. The label notes that the amount of caffeine is comparable to that in a cup of "brewed coffee". ConsumerLab.com found the 2 fluid ounce bottle to contain 156 mg of caffeine. However, this is 64% higher than what you would get from a cup (8 fluid ounces) of brewed coffee based on measurements by the USDA of coffee brewed at home and from fast food restaurants (USDA National Nutrient Database 2010)). 

Unlike 5-Hour Energy which directs the user not to exceed 2 bottles per day, 6-Hour Power Shot only cautions not to exceed 1 shot every six hours -- which means taking as much as four bottles per day. Be aware that taking 3 or 4 bottles of 6-Hour Power can result in exceeding the Upper Tolerable Intake Levels for several B vitamins (niacin, vitamin B-6, and folic acid), creating a risk of toxicity. Intake exceeding 1,000 mg of folic acid, for example, may increase the risk of precancerous tumors becoming malignant: If 6-Hour Power contained the amount of folic acid that it claimed, 3 to 4 bottles would provide 1,200 mg to 1,600 mg of folic acid, exceeding the ULs. It would be prudent to limit intake of 6-Hour Power to under 2.5 bottles per day. B Complexes:
Supplements containing more than one B vitamin are widely sold. However, two common reasons for buying these complexes are not well supported by scientific evidence.

       Our Recommendations:
    •    AVOID! AVOID AVOID!
    •    Try to avoid taking too much of any B vitamin. Check the ULs listed above and, if you need to take a product with vitamins exceeding the ULs, do so under a physician's supervision and with awareness of potential side effects. For example, a recent large study of diabetes patients with advanced nephropathy (kidney disease) given high-dose B vitamins (folic acid - 2.5 mg, B-6 - 25 mg, and B-12 - 1 mg daily) showed a worsening of kidney function and doubling of the risk of myocardial infarction (MI), stroke, and death in the B-vitamin group compared to the placebo group. The study was designed with the expectation that the vitamins would have the opposite effect because of the ability of B vitamins to lower homocysteine levels, which did decrease. (House, JAMA 2010)
    •    Be aware that certain B vitamins can interact with other drugs and supplements as noted above.

Most patients and physicians are concerned about the costs of health care and wonder how we will ever be able to afford it. With Medicare and Social Security going broke and commercial insurance premiums soaring to record highs something has to be done.
Local health care attorney and author, Jonathan Fleece has written a book called “The New Health Age: The Future of Health Care in America”. In his book, he describes what he and other futurist think needs to be done. Basically, in one word, wellness. When insurance companies finally recognize the benefits of wellness over disease, maybe they will start covering programs, like the ones we have at Kaizen Total Wellness. We believe that our concept, which features a dietician, physical therapist, massage therapist and even our own unique gym, staffed by fitness trainers, will one day appear in many practices around the country.
Our practice has always emphasized wellness and prevention over disease. Maybe one day others will think that way too!

A recent study from CONSUMER REPORTS showed that 90% of the ground turkey samples that they tested showed fecal bacteria! The tested examined samples from retail locations in 21 states and 27 different brands.
According to Consumer Reports, eating this may cause food poisoning or other infections.
The National Turkey Federation obviously did not agree with the report, stating that the study was alarmist and that health risks were low.
Of interest is that both conventional and organic ground turkey were equally contaminated.
 
The big question is: ”What exactly does this mean?”
 
I’m afraid I don’t have any answer except that that I won’t be eating ground turkey for the time being.

A lot of my patients are using KRILL OIL as an alternative to FISH OIL. Krill are tiny shrimp-like crustaceans. Promoters, like DR. OZ, claim that KRILL OIL has all the benefits of FISH OIL but with fewer capsules and no fishy taste. Whereas some products may lower cholesterol,there is no proof that they work better. Krill does cost more. Our recommendation is to only use KRILL if you can not tolerate either the fishy smell or the non-fishy enteric coated capsules which hide the smell. And please remember our prior blogs which review studies that show that FISH OIL showed no benefit in patients who already had heart disease!

Harvey S. Mishner MD
Kaizen Total Wellness
941-747-2090 941-556-7788

1. Integrity Neutriceuticals has recalled MusclePharm protein cookies and banana cream powders due to contaminants in its production

2. Magno Humphries, Inc. has voluntarily recalled their brand of iron supplements due to a contamination with small pieces of plastic.

3. ForMor, Inc has been warned by the FDA about their products, CARDIO COCTAIL and ARGENIX dietary supplements were adulterated due to sub par manufacturing and industry standards.Another product, CALM COCTAIL was misbranded due to poor instructions on the label and also for making false medical claims.

4.The U. S. General Accountability Office (GAO) has noted that adverse reactions to dietary supplements are under reported by consumers. Because the FDA does not have any authority to test or approve dietary supplements, when you buy these products, please do not assume they have been tested and approved by the government. Once again, it is buyer beware.

5. The FDA recently warned consumers of the dangers of DMAA. This is usually found in weight loss and muscle building products, but has been shown to elevate blood pressure and heart disease.Because of this, it is actually illegal to use DMAA. However, OXY ELITE PRO and Jack3D still use it and are challenging the FDA's ruling

6. ZICAM. ON April 5,2013 the National Advertising Division has asked the makers of ZICAM to stop promoting this product for the prevention of colds.My regular blog readers are already aware that Zinc nasal sprays can affect the sense of smell, sometimes permanently

Christine Aikman, Certified Dietitian
Kaizen Total Wellness

Kaizen Total Wellness and Harvey S. Mishner MD are please to announce that we can now accept Medicare for nutritional services with our registered dietition, Christine Aikman MS, RD, LD/N. Christine has her Masters Degree in clinical nutrition from the New York Institute of Technology. She has previously worked at both Manatee Memorial Hospital and Sarasota Memorial Hospital. She specializes in diabetes. kidney disease, and weight loss and is experience in gluten free diets.
We are working with other insurance companies but unfortunately both Blue Cross/Blue Shield and United offer no nutritional benefits for their customers (whatever happened to wellness?).
For these patients, we can continue to accept self pay.

Please call our office at either 941-747-2090 or 941-556-7788 to make an appointment.

Everyone knows that too much salt is not good for you. It can cause High Blood Pressure and Heart disease. But did you know it has also been associated with brain disease? Sedentary adults who ate a lot of salt showed an increase in dementia. On the other hand couch potatoes who watched their salt intake showed NO increase in dementia.
 
 Research has shown consuming too much salt and being inactive leads to heart disease, but now a new study shows the same combination also can be bad for brain health.
Canadian researchers studied the salt intake and physical activity levels of 1,262 healthy men and women ages 67 to 84 over three years and found those with the highest levels of sodium (3,091 milligrams a day and greater) and the lowest levels of exercise tended to show poorer cognitive performance than those with a low sodium intake and an active lifestyle. The findings were published in the journal Neurobiology of Aging.
"These findings are important because they help people know they can be proactive in retaining healthy brains as they age," says Carol Greenwood, one of the study's lead researchers and a professor at the Baycrest Center for Geriatric Care at the University of Toronto. "Baby Boomers especially need to know that sitting on the couch watching television for long periods of time and eating salty snacks is not good for them."
Four million to 5 million adults in the USA have some form of dementia, and those numbers are expected to soar as Baby Boomers grow older.
Among other findings: Sedentary older adults showed no cognitive decline over the three years if they had low sodium intake.
One teaspoon of salt is equal to 2,000 milligrams. In the study, low and medium sodium intake were defined as not exceeding 2,263 and 3,090 milligrams respectively.
"This is one of the first studies that looks at sodium," says Deborah Barnes, a dementia expert at the University of California-San Francisco, who was not associated with the study. "It's another important point about diet. You need to eat more fresh fruits and vegetables and stay away from processed foods."
Hold the salt

Daily recommended sodium limits:
2,300 milligrams or less for many people
1,500 milligrams or less for people who are 51 and older and those of any age who are African American or have hypertension, diabetes or chronic kidney disease.

What's in your supplement? For additional information, click on links below.

On February 28, 2013, the FDA issued a warning letter to Healthwest Minerals, Inc., dba Mt. Capra Products, Mt. Capra Whole Foods, and Mt. Capra Cheese, following a facility inspection which found the company’s products, including Coconut Dream Deep 30, Banana Smoothie Deep 30, Strawberry Splash! Deep 30, Double Bonded Protein, and CapraGreens products to be adulterated because they were were prepared, packed, or held under conditions that violate Current Good Manufacturing Practices for dietary supplements.
http://www.fda.gov/ICECI/EnforcementActions/WarningLetters/2013/ucm343346.htm
 
 
On March 21, 2013, the FDA warned consumers not to purchase or use three sexual enhancement dietary supplements, Rock-It Man, Libido Sexual Enhancer, and Stiff Days, because they were found to contain sildenafil (VIAGRA)or sildenafil analogues.
Sildenafil is the active ingredient in an FDA approved prescription drug for the treatment of erectile dysfunction. This drug can cause symptoms like headache and flushing, and can interact with medications containing nitrates such as nitroglycerine, resulting in dangerously low blood pressure.
 
 
On March 7, 2013, Lifestyle Evolution Inc. issued a recall of various NuGO nutrition bars because the bars may contain undeclared milk, a potential allergen.
People with a milk allergy should not consume these bars because they could cause an allergic reaction, which can be life-threatening
http://healthycanadians.gc.ca/recall-alert-rappel-avis/inspection/2013/25865r-eng.php
 
On January 31, 2013, the FDA issued a warning letter to Liquid Health, Inc. following a facility inspection which found the company’s dietary supplements, including Attention, Calcium and Magnesium, Diabetic Support, Immune Balance, and Ultra-Antioxidant to be adulterated because they were prepared, packed, or held under conditions that violate Current Good Manufacturing Practices for dietary supplements
http://www.fda.gov/ICECI/EnforcementActions/WarningLetters/2013/ucm342866.htm

Click on this image for a link to the Fox News article about Orthorexia

Orthorexia is a relatively new term for a disorder where a person becomes obsessed with the “perfect diet” and the cleanliness of food, eating on a highly regulated regime. Orthorexics, (mainly women) can be under pressure to stay fit and young while experiencing life stress on an intense, long-lasting level. Orthorexics cut out too many meat and dairy products as well as whole grains, which rob the body of essential nutrients. Apart from missing out on nutrients, the health of your mind and the quality of your thoughts can have a huge impact on your body.
 
Remember that extreme diets are never healthy and  common sense along with moderation should always play a role in diet and exercise.

Kaizen Total Wellness
11505 Palmbrush Trail, Suite 220
Lakewood Ranch, FL 34202
(941)556-7788

British Medical Journal
Egg Consumption and Risk of Coronary Heart Disease and Stroke: Dose-Response Meta-Analysis of Prospective Cohort Studies
 
 
For years both patients and doctors have misunderstood the clinical implications of eating eggs. Of course eggs are high in cholesterol and will cause a heart attack!
Well, some good news. Not only do eggs not increase your risk for heart disease and stroke (only exemption may be diabetics-more studies are needed) but they are a great source of protein and nutrients.
Our recommendation is to continue to enjoy your eggs but as with anything else moderation and common sense should guide your consumption. As far as diabetics, we do not know what to recommend, but I would suggest no more then 1 egg/day. Also, remember to limit your salt intake and when possible eat the yolk intact (as opposed to scrambled).

"How did this guy ever graduate from medical school? Hippocrates must be rolling over in his grave!"
Here is another exposé from the James Randi Educational Foundation to expose fraud:

The Media Pigasus Award goes to Dr. Mehmet Oz, who has done such a disservice to his TV viewers by promoting quack medical practices that he is now the first person to win a Pigasus two years in a row. Dr. Oz is a Harvard-educated cardiac physician who, through his syndicated TV show, has promoted faith healing, "energy medicine," and other quack theories that have no scientific basis. Oz has appeared on ABC News to give legitimacy to the claims of Brazilian faith healer “John of God,” who uses old carnival tricks to take money from the seriously ill. He's hosted Ayurvedic guru Yogi Cameron on his show to promote nonsense "tongue examination" as a way of diagnosing health problems. This year, he really went off the deep end. In March 2011, Dr. Oz endorsed "psychic" huckster and past Pigasus winner John Edward, who pretends to talk to dead people. Oz even suggested that bereaved families should visit psychic mediums to receive (faked) messages from their dead relatives as a form of grief counseling.

Just because you see something on TV or the Internet does not mean it is true!

(Information below is reprinted, unedited from The Prescriber’s Letter March 2013)
 
 “ You'll get questions about red palm oil, Dr. Oz's latest miracle food.
   He calls it a "stop sign for aging" because of its red color and theoretical antiaging effects.
   Red palm oil contains short- and medium-chain triglycerides...plus vitamin E and carotenes. The carotenes give the oil its red color.
   Red palm oil is being promoted to slow aging...prevent dementia...fight heart disease...and help weight loss.
   Proponents claim that two tablespoons per day of this "healthy" oil lowers LDL cholesterol and increases blood circulation.
   They also say it can help prevent dementia...partly by providing medium-chain triglycerides that can be used by the brain as an alternative to glucose.
   But people already get plenty of refined palm oil in their diet from processed foods. Also point out that antioxidants aren't proven to stop aging...and essential fatty acids aren't proven to help dementia.
   Steer patients toward therapies with proven benefits. Remind them if something sounds too good to be true...it probably is.”

Years ago, your Coke or Pepsi was sweetened with glucose. These days high fructose corn syrup is the sweetener of choice. It is known that glucose can reduce blood flow in parts of the brain that control appetite and hunger. However HFCS does not-it actually increases blood flow which makes us feel less satisfied.
In a study published in JAMA 2013;309:63-70, this was actually shown in volunteers either drinking pure glucose or fructose. Fructose was also shown to lower both plasma insulin (increasing blood sugar) and the hormone GLP-1 which makes us feel full.
Increases in obesity mirrors the use of fructose which is now found in almost every soft drink as well as in energy and sports drinks and fruit juices marketed to children. If that doesn’t make you mad, it is also added to processed foods like meats and sauces!
Readers of my blog may remember the article I wrote several months ago showing the relationship to HFCS to both heart and liver disease.
So, if this is so bad for us, why doesn’t the FDA simply ban it and return us to the sugar standard?

Some studies suggest that garlic may cause a moderate, short-term reduction in total cholesterol of about 4% to 12%, including decreases in triglycerides and LDL (bad) cholesterol. Garlic alone is probably not sufficient to treat people with significantly elevated cholesterol levels and garlic does not improve HDL (good) cholesterol levels.
There are more than 200 chemicals in garlic and some may interfere with other medications.

Quality Concerns and What ConsumerLab.com Tested for:
Some non-aged garlic preparations may not generate the amount of allicin regarded by some as effective due to use of poor quality (low allicin yield) garlic and/or low recommended dosages.
 
CL purchased fourteen garlic products and tested them for garlic-related compounds to determine whether or not they met their claims and the minimum standards for garlic quality applied in this review
 
What CL Found:
Not all garlic products are created equal. Eight out of the 14 products did not meet standards!
Our recommendations?
 
AVOID!
In 30 years of medical practice, I have never seen Garlic products significantly reduce cholesterol levels. (I wonder how much Larry King got paid for his testimonials!)
Save your money.

Who knows? There have been several studies showing that high doses of calcium supplements can increase the risk of heart disease, especially if taken on an empty stomach.
Our recommendations; Try to take 500 mg/day of a supplement and get the rest from vitamin enriched foods and exercise.
Genetics and life style play a large role and it seems to be much more important to get enough VITAMIN D and sunshine in your life as well as regular TOTAL BODY WEIGHT RESISTANCE EXERCISES.

Sure, prescriptions can help, but I have seen so many failures that medications should only play a part of your treatment. Of course, they are expensive and now come loaded with increased long side effects after you have been on them for more then 5 years.
At Kaizen Total Wellness, we utilize the latest state of the art equipment along with certified fitness trainers to help our patients achieve their goals .Our exclusive Power Plate machine was actually invented by the Russian Space Program in the 1970’s and is still being used by NASA to this day. SPACE=NO GRAVITY=NO WEIGHT BEARING=DECREASED BONE AND MUSCLE MASS!)

15-30 minutes twice a week on our low impact machines are very safe, and most likely covered by insurance.
Call us for more information or a free demo.
Kaizen Total Wellness
(941)556-7788

Yes it is healthy to eat fish a few times a week, but do you really know what you are eating? A recent study showed that 33% of fish species are mislabeled through DNA testing! The biggest offender is “red snapper” which is mislabeled up to 87% of the time. The biggest offenders were located in  Southern California, Austin, Houston and Boston. (Do you remember the grouper controversy here several years ago when restaurants were “serving” it even though it was unavailable at the time?)
Sushi was mislabeled 74% of the time.
Since it is difficult for the average person to tell what he or she is actually eating, maybe the time has come for more FDA inspections.
 
 
KAIZEN TOTAL WELLNESS
LAKEWOOD RANCH, FLORIDA
941-556-7788
941-747-2090

The dietary supplements, manufactured by GLOBE ALL WELLNESS,LLC  included various lots of SlimXtreme, SlimXtreme Gold, SlimPlus, SlimLee, GelSlim, SlimDrops, and Colonew. These all contained the banned prescription MERIDIA (heart disease and strokes).
Globe All Wellness also made drug claims about some of its dietary supplements, promoting them for lowering blood pressure and cholesterol, in addition to weight loss. The company was warned by the FDA in February 2012 when it was discovered that SlimXtreme and another supplement, ViaXtreme Ultimate Sexual Enhancer Dietary Supplement for Men, contained sibutramine
 
There was a voluntary recall of the energy supplement MET-Rx Extreme Thermo Rage Watermelon 8 fl. oz. (Manufactured by MET-Rx Nutrition, Inc.) due to bacterial contamination (Acetobacter lovaniensis)). MET-Rx Extreme Thermo Rage contains caffeine, vitamin C, niacin, vitamin B6, potassium chloride, sodium, taurine, beta-alanine, L-Tyrosine, L-Carnitine, 5-HTP, yerba mate extract, green tea and yohimbe. It was promoted for energy and increased mental focus. Remember--Energy drinks are not safe to begin with due to cardiovascular side effects.
 
On January 29, 2013, the FDA issued a warning letter to M.D.R. Fitness Corp. following a facility inspection which found violations of good manufacturing practices which cause the company’s products to be adulterated.A review of the company’s website also found statements made about the dietary supplements Artery Factors, Cardio Tone, Cranberry Concentrate, Fitness Tabs for Men and Longevit-E to be drug claims. The FDA also noted that typing the key words “cancer” or “diabetes” into the M.D.R. Fitness website’s product search produced results including Fitness Tabs for Men, Longevit – E and others products, and found that this implied the supplements were intended for use in the “diagnosis, cure, mitigation, treatment or prevention of such diseases. All supplements have to have a disclaimer on their label stating that the product is not intended to diagnose or treat any illnesses—check the label of any supplement that you use.
 
On January 25, 2013, the FDA issued a warning letter to NX Generation Ltd. following a facility inspection which found the company’s products, including Unique Children’s Chewable Vitamins and Unique Prenatal Care dietary supplement products, to be adulterated because the products were prepared, packed or held under conditions that violate current good manufacturing practices for dietary supplements. Violations include failure to maintain proper maintenance and quality control documentation.
 
 
 
KAIZEN TOTAL WELLNESS
LAKEWOOD RANCH, FLORIDA
941-556-7788
 

Basically  macrobiotic diets became popular in the 1970’s and originated from Japan. The diet consists of mainly vegetables and whole grains along with beans, seaweed and fish. What is important is the absence of fatty meats, refined flour and sugar, and most dairy products. These diets are supposed to reduce weight gain and inflammation.
Please note that some staples, like brown rice, while healthier than white rice, may contain arsenic! And don’t forget that many species of farm raised fish may also contaminated with toxins. (Pregnant women should probably avoid all fish!)
Our advice is to avoid the flour and sugar when possible and to remember that even “healthy” foods may not be what they seem. Always eat in moderation.
 
 
KAIZEN TOTAL WELLNESS
LAKEWOOD RANCH,
FLORIDA
941-556-7788

Deer Antler Spray has gotten a lot of publicity because of the Super Bowl. But what is it and does it work?
Deer antler supposedly contains IGF-1 (insulin growth factor). The prescription form is approved to treat a rare form of dwarfism. Since this is considered a food supplement, there is no regulation by the FDA. Since it is supposed to improve healing, many athletes may have tried it because it can not be detected in the urine.
The only problem is that there is NO proof that IGF-1 is really in deer antlers and there are NO studies showing that the stuff works anyway.
But the real interesting fact is that, according to Johns Hopkins Hospital, the only way that real FDA approved IGF-1 can be given is by  injection only!
Because it is an unstable substance, it is impossible to use it in a pill or spray. Even its manufacturer doubts that deer antlers contain IGF-1.
Another fraud and case of buyer beware.Deer Antler Spray has gotten a lot of publicity because of the Super Bowl. But what is it and does it work?
Deer antlers supposedly contains IGF-1 (insulin growth factor). The prescription form is approved to treat a rare form of dwarfism. Since this is considered a food supplement, there is no regulation by the FDA. Since it is supposed to improve healing, many athletes may have tried it because it can not be detected in the urine.
The only problem is that there is NO proof that IGF-1 is really in deer antlers and there are NO studies showing that the stuff works anyway.
But the real interesting fact is that, according to Johns Hopkins Hospital, the only way that real FDA approved IGF-1 can be given is by  injection only!
Because it is an unstable substance, it is impossible to use it in a pill or spray. Even its manufacturer doubts that deer antlers contain IGF-1.
Another fraud and case of buyer beware.