Why it’s Not a Good Idea to Slow Down With Age

By David Blyweiss, M.D., Advanced Natural Wellness

February 14, 2022

We’ve been raised with the idea that, when we reach a certain age, we should retire. Just slow down and live the good life.

I think this is a problem. We’re already less active than we should be, simply due to the fact that while we know we need to be active, advances in  everything from transportation to TV remotes has allowed us to stay on our behinds. As recently as the 1800s, if you wanted to go somewhere, you walked. Or you got on your horse. You didn’t get into your car to drive one mile.

Back then, most people lived on farms. They didn’t have John Deere tractors like we do today. So they had to walk behind a horse with a plow. Continue reading

Frailty is Not a Normal Part of Aging

By David Blyweiss, M.D., Advanced Natural Wellness

February 11, 2022

Some people think it’s “normal” to grow weak, lose weight and start moving at a snail’s pace as we grow older.

But if it’s so normal, why are there so many active, healthy and engaged senior citizens out there?

Take Betty White, for example. Along with nearly everyone in America, I was shocked and saddened by her recent death. She was just shy of her 100th birthday when it happened. Continue reading

These aren’t Your Grandparent’s Fruits and Veggies

By David Blyweiss, M.D., Advanced Natural Wellness

February 9, 2022

Over the years, the growing soil for our fruits and vegetables has been stripped of nutrients and and their microbiome. That’s because we screwed it up.

We put poisons, like pesticides and herbicides, into the soil. We focused on higher yields instead of leaving fields unplanted for a season or two to allow them to renew their soil. We’ve failed to rotate crops the way we’re supposed to….basic knowledge was ignored or forgotten. “Six years you shall sow your land and gather in its produce, but the seventh year you shall let it rest and lie fallow.

In the last 60-80 years, these degenerative agricultural practices have been wiping the nutrients and life out of our soil so that plants can’t pull what we and they need from a robust and recycling earth environment into their roots ,– and into the fruits and vegetables we’re eating. Soil is not just a matrix to retain minerals and keep plants in one place. Evolving research indicates that the soil microbiome may well have an even more positive effect on our health than previously thought. Remember  the saying, (paraphrasing here) “ Kids need to eat their pound of dirt” to be healthy? Continue reading

Better than Butter

By David Blyweiss, M.D., Advanced Natural Wellness

February 4, 2022

I use extra virgin olive oil (EVOO) in the majority of my meals. Not only does it have great flavor, it’s absolutely THE BEST choice for my health.

Unlike margarine, butter and other saturated fats, EVOO has medicinal properties that can reduce your risk of health issues and early death. I’m talking about things like heart conditions, cancer, neurodegenerative diseases and respiratory disease.

As a matter of fact, I recently saw in the American College of Cardiology that replacing just over two teaspoons of margarine, butter, mayonnaise or dairy fat with olive oil each day had up to a 34% lower risk of early death. So EVOO is the hands down winner. Continue reading

Should You be Concerned About Carbotoxicity?

By David Blyweiss, M.D., Advanced Natural Wellness

January 31, 2022

We hear a lot of bad news about carbohydrates. So some people try to avoid carbohydrate foods altogether. They’re afraid of “carbotoxicity.” This is the idea that eating any type of carbohydrate will contribute to chronic disease.

Well, that’s a misconception.

It’s not about whether you eat carbs or not. It’s more about whether you’re eating the right carbs or the wrong carbs. Continue reading

Meds that Cause Blood Pressure to Climb

By David Blyweiss, M.D., Advanced Natural Wellness

January 26, 2022

Sometimes people with high blood pressure do everything right. They start exercising, eat a healthier diet and monitor their sodium intake. But then they find that their blood pressure still isn’t budging.

It can be really frustrating when someone with high blood pressure can’t get it under control, especially if they’re also taking blood pressure meds.

Well, it turns out that a lot of people with high blood pressure are unintentionally taking other drugs that make it worse. And you won’t believe how easy it is to fall into this rabbit hole. Continue reading

Sneaky Ways to Drink More Water

By David Blyweiss, M.D., Advanced Natural Wellness

January 24, 2022

Back in 2018 a video made the rounds on social media. It featured Odell Beckham, Jr., who was a wide-receiver for the New York Giants at the time. And he was having a horrible problem with muscle cramps, something that can be avoided with something as simple as drinking water.

But what did he have to say about it?

“I really don’t like water,” he said. “I’m trying, I really just don’t like it, when you get that stomach feeling, it’s all slushy. I’m trying to stay hydrated but sometimes I just gotta get an IV.” Continue reading

Can Alzheimer’s Be Stopped?

By David Blyweiss, M.D., Advanced Natural Wellness

January 21, 2022

I talk to so many patients who say they wished they would have known more about Alzheimer’s before a loved one progressed to severe mental decline. Was there a specific warning sign they should have been watching for? Was there one, little thing that might have alerted them of things to come?

They also worry about getting Alzheimer’s themselves, and wonder what they should watch for in their own actions. Should they worry if they miss an appointment or misplace the remote?

Alzheimer’s disease isn’t just one thing. Sure you lost the remote last week. But if you can generally find what you’ve misplaced by retracing your steps, you’re probably good to go. We do stuff like that all of the time. Continue reading

Your Gut is Your Prime Source of Immunity

By David Blyweiss, M.D., Advanced Natural Wellness

January 19, 2022

In the January 10th issue of Advanced Natural Wellness, you learned how low levels of vitamin D reduce your immune response. However, while vitamin D supplementation can do a lot to prevent infections and tame autoimmune disorders, there are other factors that can influence the onset and severity of them.

For example, I recently had a patient diagnosed with RA. She had joint pain and swelling in the fingers, wrists, elbows, shoulders, knees, ankles; everywhere!

When she came to see me, we did a comprehensive digestive stool analysis. This is a stool test that looks at a lot of things. This includes markers of digestion, absorption, gut permeability, inflammation and immune function. Continue reading

Weak Bladder and Falls Go Hand-In-Hand

By David Blyweiss, M.D., Advanced Natural Wellness

January 14, 2022

Isn’t it funny how you can feel the need to urinate when you’re driving home, but you don’t have any problem holding it? You’re fine. But the second you pull into your driveway the urge gets really bad. And then, when you put your key in the door, the need to pee suddenly becomes urgent. You can barely hold it in.

What just happened in the last five seconds?  It’s almost as if, when you placed the key into the lock, it unlocked your bladder. And now you’re rushing as fast as you can to get to the toilet.

There’s actually a name for this. It’s called “latchkey urgency.” Or, if you actually experience leakage, it would be “latchkey incontinence.” Continue reading