Here are the contents of our Family Newsletter:

Family Update
Publication Update
HomeLife Magazine article
Great reviews for The Influenza Bomb continue
Events of the last month
Upcoming Events

Family Update
As I write to you, we’re on our annual family vacation. Kate, Barb, and I flew from Colorado Springs to Pensacola to spend a week and a half at Barb’s parents’ beach [...]

Several readers have requested that I post the advice that I both use in practice and teach other healthcare professionals when it comes to a topic on which I frequently teach, Natural Medications for Osteoarthritis: An evidence-based evaluation.
This year I’ve given this talk in several hospitals and to state and national gatherings of physicians and [...]

The New York Times reports that although “tablets that combine glucosamine and chondroitin are popular for those seeking relief from arthritis. Elations offers the supplements in the form of a bottled eight-ounce juice drink or powder mix, and it turns out the beverage appeals to consumers who have trouble swallowing not just pills – but [...]

I’ve posting a blog on the effectiveness of glucosamine sulfate for osteoarthritis of the knee. In my practice, it’s never seemed to work well for arthritis or degenerative disc disease of the lower back. Now, there’s new data supporting my observation.
On its website, ABC News reported, “Glucosamine has looked like salvation to many people with [...]

Here’s another update for you from Craig DeLisi about his unborn child Anastasha, who has been diagnosed with anencephaly, for which there is no cure or treatment. Craig is now letting us know of how many days she’s been alive, from the date of her conception. I hope you’ll join with me in keeping the [...]

According to the experts at the Natural Medicines Comprehensive Database, Vitamin D doses recommended for routine supplementation in adults will continue to move higher.
Many experts, including me, have long been calling for higher doses.
Now new guidelines from Osteoporosis Canada recommend up to 1000 IU/day for adults under age of 50 and up to 2000 IU/day [...]

According to a report from LifeNews, the Family Research Council has released a new report that refutes claims made recently by the Royal College of Obstetricians and Gynaecologists (RCOG) saying an unborn child is not able to feel pain before 24 weeks of development.
FRC is concerned that detractors are using RCOG’s study to uphold Britain’s [...]

According to a report in HealthDay News, all children and adolescents 6 months of age and older should receive the annual trivalent influenza vaccine this flu season. The updated recommendations are from the American Academy of Pediatrics.
The AAP also says special efforts should be made to immunize anyone who falls into the following categories:

all family [...]

FOR most of us, the formula for losing weight is a simple one: eat less, exercise more. But humans are anything but simple, and the majority of Americans struggle endlessly with losing pounds and keeping them off. Consuming fewer calories is perhaps the most difficult part of the weight-loss equation; many dieters are daunted by [...]

Here are a few well-regarded weight-loss programs to consider, courtesy of a report in the New York Times.

LOSEIT (iPod Touch, iPad and iPhone; free): Tell the app how much weight you want to lose and how many pounds per week you want to take off, and it calculates the amount of calories you can consume [...]

The more we learn about the physical and emotional side effects of abortion, the more concerning it becomes. Now, LifeSiteNews.com is reporting on a new study out of McGill University in Montreal that has found a strong link between a past abortion and premature delivery in subsequent pregnancies.
Dr. Ghislain Hardy, a third year resident in obstetrics [...]

USA Today reports, ”Women who want to prevent weight gain as they age should hop on a bike or take a brisk walk,” discoveries that add “to mounting evidence of the importance of moderate to vigorous exercise for weight control.”
Those who participated in the Harvard study “gained an average of 20½ pounds over 16 years,” but [...]

CNN reports, “Overweight women who experience hot flashes — the uncomfortable flushing and sweating spells that accompany menopause — may be able to cool those symptoms by losing weight,” according to a study published in the the Archives of Internal Medicine.
HealthDay explained that study participants “were encouraged to exercise at least 200 minutes a week and [...]

For the last couple of years, I’ve been offering my adolescent patients the option of checking their lipid panels, especially if they are overweight or obese. Now, new research is showing the wisdom of this approach. The Wall Street Journal reports that research published in the Annals of Family Medicine suggests that even younger people should [...]

Every Monday, I try to have an update for you from Craig DeLisi about his unborn child Anastasha, who has been diagnosed with anencephaly, for which there is no cure or treatment. I hope you’ll join with me in keeping the DeLisis in your prayers. And, per Craig’s request at the end of this note, [...]

In past blogs, I’ve exposed what I consider to be the unethical and unscrupulous actions of Dr. Andrew Wakefield and his so-called autism research. Here are just a few:

Lancet formally retracts paper linking vaccine to autism
U.S. study clears measles vaccine of autism link
Does the MMR vaccine cause autism? A redux.
Vaccine Myth #1: Vaccines Cause Autism

Wakefield’s [...]

The Chicago Tribune reports that a letter sent on June 17 by the FDA to retired Kentucky chemist Boyd Haley “details five violations of the Federal Food, Drug and Cosmetic Act related to his product, OSR#1.”
According to the agency, the purported autism treatment “is NOT a harmless dietary supplement, as claimed, but a toxic unapproved [...]

Autism (and the autism spectrum disorders) are so very frustrating for parents just because there are so few therapies that have been shown to be helpful. Therefore, parents are left to try this or that and see what helps. Dietary manipulation is one that is frequently tried and yet has not been well studied.
Now, USA [...]

Readers of this blog are well aware than many (if not most) Americans have insufficient to deficient levels of vitamin D. Other than prescribing oral vitamin D or vitamin D-containing foods, we doctors were left with prescribing a little sunshine. But, we know that exposing your skin to unprotected UVA or UVB light can increase [...]

Many healthcare experts believe breast-fed babies are less likely to become overweight and obese in childhood and later in life — but, we’ve never really understood why. Now, a new study in the journal Pediatrics is suggesting that cues which a breast-fed baby learns, that a bottle-fed infant doesn’t learn, may help later on. Here’s [...]