Donnie Yance is an internationally known master herbalist and nutritionist. He is the author of the book, "Herbal Medicine, Healing and Cancer" and "Adaptogens in Medical Herbalism"
In my last post, I shared my thoughts about the current dietary fad of avoiding grains and my personal approach to a healthful diet. In general, I recommend replacing refined grains with whole grains and suggest two servings of whole grains per day, served as part of two balanced meals. In this post, I delve deeper into the truth about grains, including scientific research that can help you make an educated decision about including grains in your diet.
At one time it was fat and cholesterol, then it was yeast, and then salt. Today, wheat is considered the “villain” and the cause of many health problems. In the popular press, wheat is blamed for everything from brain fog, to dementia, to obesity and cancer. How can a grain once considered “the staff of life” that has helped to sustain humanity since approximately 10,000 BC now be considered detrimental to health?
Why Grains Are Not The Problem
Fueling this trend are so-called experts who are vehemently anti-grain, and in particular, anti-wheat. They profess that wheat is the root of all disease, and cite a great deal of research in support of their theory—but in my opinion, they are overly simplifying the complex science of nutrition, and are picking and choosing research (and misinterpreting studies) simply to support their platform. The internet is a great resource for disseminating information, and that includes misinformation. In my practice, I often hear statements such as “I’ve heard that eating grains causes cancer,” or “Everything I read on the internet says that the healthiest way to eat is to avoid grains.” As a result, I spend a great deal of time helping to correct these misperceptions and to provide my patients with a more balanced perspective.
It’s important to understand that everyone, no matter how healthy, naturally has lower levels of most hormones—including estrogen, progesterone, testosterone, and growth hormone — as they grow older. I refer to this hormonal reservoir as our Vital Essence, from which we draw our restorative hormonal well being. We all need support as we age, and that’s why I recommend botanical extract formulations and companion nutrients to increase Vital Essence, enhance anabolic (building) processes, and maintain hormonal balance.
Pascha, also called Easter, is the feast of the Resurrection of the Lord. Pascha is a transliteration of the Greek word, which is a transliteration of the Hebrew pesach, both words meaning Passover. So I am saying Happy Passover as well.
Not so long ago, hormone replacement therapy (HRT) was routinely prescribed for menopausal women to alleviate menopausal symptoms such as hot flashes and insomnia, as well as to protect against osteoporosis, heart disease, dementia and aging. Even women who were content to age naturally were sometimes pushed into taking hormones. For example, my mother decided against hormones, and was told by her doctor, “All right then, you can just let your skin sag and watch your body age quickly.” Unfortunately for women, hormone replacement turned out to have unexpected negative consequences, as long-term clinical studies showed that HRT increased the risk of cardiovascular disease, stroke, blood clots, and hormone-related cancers such as breast and ovarian cancer—even with short-term use. HRT is also associated with a significant increase in lung cancer and death from lung cancer. It’s almost unthinkable, but HRT has even been prescribed for women with breast cancer, with the result being double the reoccurrence rate of cancer (J Natl Cancer Inst 2008; 100: 475-482).
Continue reading “Optimizing Hormones Naturally Versus Hormone Replacement Therapies: Part I”
A glue-like substance used by bees for building and protecting their hives, propolis at first glance appears to be an unlikely medicinal remedy. But the wide range of healing properties attributed to this sticky substance make it effective for everything from canker sores to cancer, and it’s one of my favorite natural remedies. In fact, I attribute my quick and complete recovery last year from a serious staph infection (contracted from a public hot spring swimming pool) in great part to propolis.