Are Medical Tests Causing Cancer?

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That’s the alarming concern raised by of one of the nation’s top cardiologists, Dr Chauncey Crandall, M.D., who says that high-dose radiation imaging is being used far too frequently, Newsmax Health reports. Radiation from CT scans, X-rays, and other tests has been proven to increase cancer risk. The more radiation a patient receives, the greater the person’s cancer risk.

In decades past, high-dose radiation diagnostic tests were reserved for serious health conditions. No more, says Dr. Crandall.

The danger from diagnostic radiation is cumulative. So when CT scans are performed along with other radiation-emitting tests such as dental X-rays, chest X-rays, mammography, bone density testing, and others, the radiation exposure can be enormous, and it can cause a person’s cancer risk to skyrocket.

“The problem with these tests is that they all emit ionizing radiation, the type that can damage DNA and has been linked to the development of cancer over time,” says Dr. Crandall.

Dr. Crandall recommends asking your doctor these questions before undergoing a CT scan or other type of test that uses radiation:

Is this test necessary? What will you learn about my medical condition from this test that you could not find out by other means?

Are you ordering this test in accordance with the recommendations established by the leading clinical guidelines?

Are there any tests that don’t use radiation that can provide you with the information you need?

Will the equipment that is to be used emit the lowest amount of radiation possible? For instance, a newer CT scanner that is known as the “Ultrafast” can deliver a lower amount of radiation than those that are called spiral or multi-detector CT scanners. Sometimes the type of test requires a CT scanner that emits a higher level of radiation; however this is not always the case.

Source: http://chaunceycrandall.com/2457/are-medical-tests-causing-cancer/

Should You Get That Flu Shot?

Protect Your Heart Against Flu

Each year at this time, there is a huge push from the government for people to get flu shots, and many doctors urge their patients to be vaccinated. “I am not among those doctors,” says Dr. Chauncey Crandall.

Though you wouldn’t know it with all the advertising in favor of the flu shot, the vaccine is really only moderately effective. Researchers have found that last year’s flu shot was just 56 percent effective among all age groups. And it declined to a mere 9 percent effectiveness for people over age 65, according to a report released by the Centers for Disease Control.

The reason for this poor showing — especially among older patients — is that the vaccine relies on the body’s ability to build antibodies. The vaccine is actually a live, weakened form of the flu that triggers production of antibodies. But the ability to create antibodies diminishes as people age. And although this weakened form of the virus is promoted as being safe, side effects can and do occur — including some that can be serious.

Another problem is that because of the way the flu shot is promoted, it can lead to a false sense of security, making people believe that they are better protected than they really are. After getting a flu shot, many become lax about precautions that could keep them healthy during flu season.

Here are some steps to protect against flu:

• Eat a healthy diet. Eating a wide variety of fruits, vegetables, and whole grains will provide you with the necessary vitamins and minerals to maintain a robust immune system.

• Get at least eight hours of sleep each night. Sleep deprivation suppresses the immune system in much the same way that stress does, making it more likely that you’ll get sick.

• Wash your hands frequently with soap and water. Flu viruses spread mainly from person to person through droplets made when people with the flu cough, sneeze, or talk. The cashier who hands you change, the server who hands you a cup of coffee, or any of the other people you encounter in your daily life can spread the flu to you. You don’t even have to encounter the person with the virus; research shows it can live on surfaces such as doorknobs for hours.

• If you are sick, stay home and take care of yourself. Avoid contact with people who are sick as well.
• Take 2,000 mg of vitamin C a day.

• Avoid places where people live in close contact. College dormitories, military barracks, hospitals, and other such places are fertile breeding grounds for the virus. If possible, avoid air travel and cruise ships during flu season. A Canadian study published in the Journal of Environmental Health Research reviewed passenger health histories after a five-hour flight between San Francisco and Denver, and found passengers were 113 times more likely to have caught a cold during the flight than during their normal daily lives.

If you must travel, take special precautions. Carry hand wipes to sanitize toilet seats and door handles and also keep a supply of zinc lozenges on hand. (Zinc was shown in clinical trials to shorten colds). Use a saline nasal spray to keep nasal passages moist, as viruses can enter through dry membranes. Don’t use a decongestant spray because it can cause a rebound effect.

Source: http://chaunceycrandall.com/2382/flu-shot-2/

Heart Disease is Increasingly Preventable

Heart disease is the Nation’s #1 killer, but the death rate is declining thanks to progress in prevention and treatment.

Research shows that 80 percent of coronary heart disease is preventable. A good way to do this is to follow a heart healthy diet and evidence is showing that the The Mediterranean Diet is the way to go. A recent study found this diet cut recent heart disease risk 35 percent in 780 firefighters.

Elderly people with aortic stenosis used to have to undergo open-heart surgery to get a new valve but now there’s transcatheter aortic valve replacement, or TAVI. This innovation uses a procedure to implant a new valve that takes over the function of the old, ailing one using only minimally invasive surgery.

A tiny new pacemaker could someday replace the kind millions of people now use. This new type, which is a fraction of the size, is placed directly into the heart without surgery. It also has no leads, so there is less chance of infection, and people wearing it won’t have to worry about it becoming dislodged or needing surgery to replace the battery.

There’s even good news for people with serious congestive heart failure. The left ventricular assist devices, which take over the beating function of the heart, can help them. Just a few years ago, these were devices like the kind Dick Cheney wore in a vest before his heart was replaced. Not only was it bulky but also the open-heart surgery needed to implant it nearly killed him, he has written.

Nowadays, a new, smaller LVAD, called an “Impeller LVAD,” is used and it is delivered to the heart without surgery, using a catheter.

Dr. Chauncey Crandall is author of the #1 Amazon bestseller “The Simple Heart Cure.”

Source: http://chaunceycrandall.com/2451/heart-disease-is-increasingly-preventable/

New Research: Chelation Therapy Heals Hearts

Chelation is an accepted method for treating metal poisoning, but when it comes to using it for heart disease, cardiologists have often dismissed it as quackery. This is changing thanks to some new research.

“For years I didn’t believe that chelation worked for heart disease, but I’m now reconsidering,” says Chauncey Crandall, M.D., head of the preventive cardiology department at the Palm Beach Cardiovascular Clinic in Palm Beach, Fla. “We’ve had patients who have been asking for this for years and years and years, and we’ve recommended against it, but the tide is turning.”

New Acceptance 
  
A recent major clinical study shows that chelation affords a modest, but significant benefit for heart attack survivors. Based on these findings, Dr. Crandall said the treatment could be a valuable tool to fight circulatory disorders in patients who are difficult to treat with regular therapies. These include those with diabetes, who often develop cardiac small vessel disease, a condition in which the small vessels of the heart become narrowed.
In addition, Dr. Crandall noted that chelation “could be good therapy for people also who have recently been diagnosed with heart disease and want to make sure they are doing all they can to fight it.”

What is Chelation?

The word “chelation” comes from the Greek word “to claw.” The therapy uses a medication called ethylene diamine tetraacetic acid (EDTA), which binds to toxic metals and minerals in the bloodstream, allowing a patient to excrete them.
Chelation treatment dates back to World War I, when it was used as an antidote against arsenic-based poisonous gases used in combat. It was also used to help sailors who suffered from lead poisoning during World War II after being exposed to lead-based paints used on navy vessels. Nowadays, chelation continues to
be an FDA-approved method to treat lead and other toxic metal poisoning.
Get the Lead Out

Chelation has become popular with alternative doctors as a means of treating many conditions, including heart disease, Parkinson’s disease, Alzheimer’s disease, cancer, macular degeneration, and autism, among others. The theory is that heavy metal contamination causes, or at least contributes, to these conditions.

Chelation’s use is growing, with more than 100,000 Americans now undergoing the treatment each year, according to the National Center for Health Statistics. The treatment remains popular even though it is time-consuming and expensive – $5,000 is the average cost – and it is not generally covered by insurance.
In the case of heart disease, chelation may help rid the body of excess mineral deposits, which lead to atherosclerosis, the disease process that causes coronary arteries to become narrow, leading to heart attacks.

How It Works
       
Chelation is administered in different ways, depending on its goal. For heart disease, it is done intravenously, in a process known as “infusion.” In most cases, a needle is inserted in the arm, and a fluid containing the EDTA drips slowly into the vein over the three and-a-half hour session.

Two or three infusions are administered weekly over a course that can range from 20 to 30 sessions or more. A number of side effects have been reported, including headache, nausea, diarrhea, extreme fatigue, lightheadedness, cramps, fever, and joint pain.

The Evidence

In a major, government-funded study, 1,708 heart attack survivors were divided into two groups – one that received chelation, the other a placebo treatment. The course of treatment lasted two years.

The findings show that those getting chelation had a 4 percent lower risk of recurrent heart problems. Diabetic heart patients, however, were dramatically helped, getting a 39 percent reduction in risk.

Critics of chelation have raised concern that the procedure may leach vital minerals from the body, but no safety issues occurred during the study.
The findings have elicited much controversy among cardiologists. They say they are concerned that some patients who are afraid of coronary bypass surgery will opt for chelation instead, depriving them of a time-tested procedure.

Yale University School of Medicine Professor Harlan Krumholz, M.D., says the size of the study and the fact it was government funded means it should not be dismissed by mainstream heart doctors. “If a drug manufacturer had gotten this result, they would have celebrated,” he said.

Read Latest Breaking News from Newsmaxhealth.com http://www.newsmaxhealth.com/Headline/chelation-therapy-heart-disease/2014/02/03/id/550492#ixzz2sHC0HyEZ

How To: Stop Taking Blood Pressure Meds

While blood pressure medications are necessary in some cases, you can beat high blood pressure in the same way you beat heart disease — by changing the way you eat, move (or don’t move!), and handle stress.






First, get your diet under control. When it comes to fighting hypertension, diet is the key. Every 10 pounds of weight you lose can get you off one blood pressure medication. Embrace a plant-based diet that consists of whole foods and is free from processed foods.

Why is processed food the enemy? Because it’s packed with salt, and when you consume salt, your body retains fluid. This makes your heart work harder, and raises blood pressure.

Here’s what you need to understand: Most of the salt we consume does not come from the salt shaker. It’s estimated that 70 percent comes from foods that contain “hidden sodium.” They may not even taste salty, but they are.
These include common foods such as breads, frozen dinners, cereals, soups, and ketchup. Even foods that taste sweet can contain high levels of sodium.
The easiest way to eliminate this hidden sodium is to fill your shopping cart from the outer perimeter of the supermarket, which is where you’ll find the fruits, vegetables, organic eggs, and non-fat dairy products.
Instead of using a salt shaker, season your fresh ingredients with lemon juice, lime juice, and herbs. Your food will be tastier, and your blood pressure will plummet.

You can also walk off high blood pressure. Scores of studies show that exercise is vital to lowering blood pressure. Research published in May 2012 in the journal Hypertension followed 6,300 highly fit people ranging in age from 20 to 80 for nearly five years. Of this group, one-third had a parent with high blood pressure.

The researchers found that fit subjects had a 34 percent lower risk of developing hypertension than people who also had a family history of high blood pressure but were not as physically fit.

One of the best ways to get fit is to walk. Do what I do: walk one hour a day. You’ll reduce your risk of high blood pressure, and you’ll prevent heart disease at the same time.

Read Latest Breaking News from Newsmax.com

http://www.newsmaxhealth.com/Dr-Crandall/hypertension-diet-heart-disease-exercise/2014/01/22/id/548450#ixzz2sUIbUeBC