A friend of mine has a car that is 20 years old. It is safe and functions very well, even with almost 300,000 miles on it. Why is it in such great shape compared to other cars of exactly the same year? He took and takes care of it. Also, it has good genetics, so to speak. (It’s a Mercedes). Our bodies are similar. Some of us have good genetics. Some of us not so good. Either way, we all have work to do to take care of our body.

How? Many of us did not invest in our “body and health account” and as we age we began to have ailments. Is it too late, you may wonder, to be preventative? NO, as long as you are alive, even the smallest steps towards health and wellness count. This article is geared to answer the general question of “What can I do to have a healthier body and mind as I continue to age? ”

First, get a complete physical with a blood and urine workup. Many diseases can be avoided IF a person has the current information of the state of health of their body. And then compare, over time, under medical supervision, changes in these findings. Depending on your age and sex, other tests include regular pap and breast exams, thermograms, mammograms, EBT, dexascan, PSA and prostate checks, and colonoscopy.

Go over the results in detail with a physician. Give specific details of previous medical history, both personal and family. Ask questions if you need clarification of specific results. Keep records of your blood pressure, height and weight. Know your blood type, fasting cholesterol, and glucose.

Examine in detail your diet, lifestyles, and daily habits. If you are uncertain about the details of your life keep a monthly log and then examine. This includes sleep, food and drink, elimination, all over the counter supplements, prescription medications, exercise program, and weight changes.
QUIT SMOKING, chewing tobacco and taking recreational drugs. Aging is going to happen, like paying taxes and dying. However, these habits not only hasten the process, they can cause disease and decrease the quality of life along the way.

There are a number of supplements that are protective and may be part of a preventative program. These include antioxidants: vitamin C, selenium, zinc, B vitamins, including folic acid. Others are calcium and magnesium, and essential fatty acids.

We have all heard the expression “ Use it or Lose it”. Yes, if we do not use our muscles, we lose them. Resistance training or weight lifting and maintaining lean body mass is one of the key indicators of a healthy aging body. Exercise is important.

“Let food be thy medicine and medicine thy food”, is another expression we all have heard. And yet so few of us embrace and practice this philosophy. Water, fruits, vegetable, grains, nuts and seeds, quality proteins (free range, non-GMO, hormone free) must be the priority of our diets. There are so many benefits from these types of foods, such as vitamins, phytonutrients, and fiber just to name a few.

Taking care of injuries and symptoms as they arise before they become chronic disorders most often are excellent short as well long term investments into your overall health.

And lastly and certainly not least, the mind-body connection. Filling our lives with love and joy. Doing what we love with passion, loving and being loved in return nurtures our soul, spirit, and our body.

On average, the life expectancy age continues to rise. As we live longer, let us choose to also live healthier. THIS should be part of our legacy, an example to and for each other, and our children.

If you would like a consultation regarding this or any other health matter, please call (541) 383-3424 today to schedule an appointment. We look forward to serving you.

These words describe an inflammatory condition of the “bursae” and tendons of the body. The bursae are padded sacs that produce lubricating fluid and cover the joint areas. Tendons are the connections between muscle and bone and are surrounded by a sheath that protects and guides the tendon.

Lubricating fluid is also present in the tendon sheath. If these tendons and bursae are not properly lubricated, they may tend to become inflamed or hot. This would be somewhat like two moving mechanical parts that do not have sufficient lubrication and become hot and sometimes “freeze up.” In the body, this could be a frozen shoulder or other joints which lose some or all of their full range of motion.

Annually there are more than seven million people suffering from tendonitis/bursitis. Often over- the-counter or prescription drugs are used to reduce the inflammation and decrease the pain temporarily. The use of natural anti-inflammatory medicine, acupuncture, and physiotherapy modalities can be extremely helpful in decreasing the pain, and restoring normal ranges of motion in the joint.

Often these methods are used at the same time to reduce healing time. Prevention may include specific exercises, protein supplementation, glucosamine sulphate, chondroitin sulphate, calcium/magnesium, MSM, and other vitamin and mineral supplements.

If you know someone suffering with either bursitis or tendonitis, please offer them help by suggesting they call for an appointment.

Are you the man who doesn’t like doctors and/or doesn’t get sick often?

For your information: it may be important for you to have specific tests done on a regular basis depending on your age. We can help you with this. Dr. Brust can order specific lab work to monitor your health. Most conditions that affect men, e.g., diabetes, heart disease, prostate problems, high blood pressure, slow weight gain, and high cholesterol develop over time. Be preventative and proactive.

Schedule your annual lab and physical today. Call 383-3424.

Many patients ask me what supplements to take. Not all supplements are the same. Quality and price are not necessarily related. There are costly supplements on the market that are very poor quality.

If you are a person who is going to spend the money to buy the supplements, and take the time to take them, my recommendations are as follows:

Buy those that are prescribed to you by a physician who is an excellent clinician and is trained specifically in treatment with natural medicine. Naturopathic physicians are the only physicians who are educated, nationally and state tested, and state licensed in natural medicine. Supplements are considered natural medicine. The supplements that are prescribed in this office are not available at health food stores or over the internet. It is our general office policy not to sell supplements to people who are not clinic patients.

“Why?,” you may ask. These supplements are biochemically active. This means that they cause physiological changes in the body. This is the whole purpose for taking a supplement. If a supplement is therapeutically prescribed, the desired effect should be manifested. In some cases, however, there may be interactions between the supplements and the prescribed medications. These reactions may in fact be very serious and dangerous to one’s health.

Often I hear new patients on their first visit say, “I stopped taking all my vitamins that I bought at the store. I thought I would feel better taking them but I didn’t so I stopped. I still don’t feel well. What is wrong with me?” Over the counter supplements must be “safe” for the average person. This means that most people will have some or no improvement, and very few people will have negative side effects. There are many companies that take advantage of a consumers’ lack of knowledge about their own body’s specific needs and its individual physiology. A trained physician will diagnose and treat each patient individually and with specific formulations and dosages.

A quality supplement enhances and supports the body’s functioning in say, the immune system, the digestive system, the hormonal system, and/or the neurological system. For example, take two patients of Preventative Medicine Clinic. Their supplement regimes will not be identical. This is because each person is an individual. The doses and types of supplements and length of treatment are chosen and prescribed according to the individuals health issue and needs. And yes, too much of a good thing is dangerous. For example, not all patients need iron. Yet, for most multi-vitamins/mineral supplements over the counter contain this ingredient. There also may in fact be other ingredients in the over the counter products that are not healthy; e.g., carnauba wax. The supplements prescribed in this office are of highest quality. If you are prescribed and take them as prescribed, your health will in fact be positively impacted. My patients often hear me say, “the proof is in the pudding.” There is no ambiguity. That is the power of the proper prescription and use of supplementation. If you would like Dr. Brust to review your supplement program, and/or you would like to refer a friend or family member for this service, please call (541) 383-3424 to schedule an appointment.

VJ Huffman can see, but a year ago she was legally blind.

Since 1973, she has suffered from macular degeneration, then an untreatable disease. And she is not alone. This disease affects 13 million Americans, most often people over 65. By age 75, as much as 30% of the population may be affected. For some it means a loss of visual acuity and the ability to perform tasks such as sewing or writing. For others such as VJ, it means walking with a white cane.

Now new technology is offering hope for many sufferers. Preventative Medicine Clinic is on the forefront of this treatment as an alternate to surgery and evaluating patients who may be appropriate for its application. It’s so important that we’ve devoted a section of our web site to the discussion. See more information here…

What is the controversy surrounding Hormone Replacement Therapy (HRT)?

For years, women going through menopause have been prescribed hormones to reduce hot flashes, vaginal dryness and other perimenopausal and menopausal symptoms. In many cases women continued to take the hormone supplements for the rest of their lives in the belief they also reduced the risk of heart disease. A recent large scale study (11,000 plus women) showed dangerous side effects for a significant percentage of the women in the study. These side effects included risks for stroke, heart disease and breast cancer.

What are the new recommendations arising from the study?

1. Women should be more careful in embarking on the prolonged use of HRT
2. Short term use of HRT for symptomatic relief of hot flashes, insomnia, mood swings, and vaginal dryness may be more appropriate
3. Individual approach with different hormones doses, and types depending on a woman’s age, weight, sensitivity, personal and family medical history should be considered
4. Preventative measures of non-pharmaceutical approaches such as dietary changes, exercise, meditation, natural medicine, herbs and use of supplements may also be indicated.

Are there other treatments for hot flashes and menopausal symptoms other than hormone replacement therapy?

The evaluation and treatment of perimenopause and menopausal symptoms are at the heart of naturopathic medicine. We are the only physicians trained in the art and science of medicine involving prescription medications and hormones as well as natural medicine, herbs, supplements, lifestyle and nutritional counseling. If, as a woman you desire and integrated or natural approach to your health concerns please call our office today. We look forward to serving you.

As an expert in natural medicine, and because so many women are confused about this issue, we have decided to provide a brief summary of the Women’s Health Initiative (WIH) research study for women who are interested in more of the study details. Keep in mind, the clinical implications are complex, and therefore should be evaluated on an individual basis with each woman and her physician.

Specific study findings using both oral conjugated equine estrogens (.625 mg/day CEE) known as Premarin and oral medroxyprogesterone acetate (2.5mg/day MPA) known as Provera compared to a placebo group over an average period of 5.2 years are:

• A 41% increase in strokes
• A 29% increase in heart attacks
• Over 100% increase in venous thromboembolism (blood clots)
• A 22% increase in total cardiovascular disease
• A 26% increase in breast cancer
• A 37% reduction in colorectal cancer
• A 30% reductions in hip fractures
• A 24% reduction in total fractures
• No difference in total mortality

If you would like a more detailed report of the study, please contact our office at (541) 383-3424.