THREE COMMON MEDICAL FACTS THAT ARE….
IN FACT, NO LONGER ABSOLUTELY TRUE!!
By Bill Murphy, MD, Medical Director, Turquoise Springs Medical Spa
It is very difficult to know what to believe as we are inundated everyday with medical information. It flows from social and broadcast media, books, podcasts, and even from our Aunt Maria. The Covid pandemic made us question the FDA, the CDC, the NIH and even our doctors and health personnel in some cases. RFK Jr. is a controversial figure who is picked to run the HHS department. You may like him or not, but he is known for questioning what is considered common knowledge. Questions like, are our vaccines safe for children and adults? Does our food contain toxic chemicals which increase profits for producers, but cause harm to our health? Why is 42% of the American population now considered obese compared to only 13% in 1960? What has changed if it is not our genetics? What has caused this difference over the last 65 years since 1960 when RFK Jr’s uncle was president? These seem to be questions worth asking.
Over the last 40 years, I have seen many changes in medical knowledge. I have changed my views on a myriad of supposed absolutes. I wonder now how I could have possibly believed some to be true. I forgive myself when I remember everyone once thought the world to be flat. So, let’s go over some common certainties which are no longer so absolute.
High cholesterol is said to be absolutely bad for your health and body. In truth, your body needs cholesterol to make hormones, vitamin D, and to heal and restore brain cells. Cholesterol is vital to insure normal function for your body. We now know if cholesterol gets too low, bad things happen to brain and body function. We also hear there is good cholesterol (HDL) and bad cholesterol (LDL), but in fact the cholesterol molecule is the same. The difference is how it is packaged with a carrier protein and transported to your cells. Indeed, the main problem is, in fact, inflammation of your blood vessels. When we eat poorly, fail to exercise, and flood our body with toxic food additives, heavy metals, and plant based seed oils (canola, sunflower, corn, grape seed) we cause inflammation and damage to the lining of our small blood vessels. This increases the risk of heart attack, stroke, and organ damage. As the LDL (low density or fluffy cholesterol molecules) cross this damaged lining, they get stuck, form plaque, and eventually block the blood vessel. If you eat “clean”, exercise, and use healthy oils (olive, coconut, avocado), you have less LDL and more HDL (high density particles). HDL crosses the membrane easily and does not congregate on the vessel wall. So it’s not so much, how high is your blood level of cholesterol, but what is the ratio of high density particles to “fluffy” LDL particles and how much body inflammation you have?
Fluoride in our drinking water is a good thing. Right? Not necessarily. Fluoride was first added to our drinking water back in the 1940’s to prevent tooth decay. Two out of three homes in America have fluoride placed in their drinking water. Some newer research has raised concerns about the effect of fluoride on gut health, neural health in babies and long term effects on IQ. It may also contribute to body inflammation noted in #1 above. An analysis by the Cochrane group, an international non-profit that reviews medical research, has found “very little contemporary evidence” water fluoridation successfully prevents cavities. If someone tells you fluoridation of the water supply is entirely safe and essential for public health, that is an opinion, not a fact.
The use of estrogen and progesterone was considered something of a miracle for women in menopause, helping with symptoms such as hot flashes and depression, while also lowering the risk of heart attacks and Alzheimer’s for decades before the late 1990’s. However, in 2002, the NIH declared based on a poorly sourced study, HRT (hormone replacement therapy) results in a “26% higher incidence of breast cancer”. The study used synthetic hormones or pills made from hormones found in horse urine. When human based or Bio-identical hormones are used and compared to placebo, there is no statistically significant difference in rates of breast cancer compared with placebo. Tragically, it seems, a generation of women have been denied this life changing treatment and the benefits of same.
I base the care and advice I give my patients on the latest information gleaned from traditional medical, naturopathic, functional medicine, and wellness literature. My Concierge Specialty care program gives my patients the best opportunity to live healthy, happy, and hopefully long, active lives. www.turquoisesprings.com. 210-253-3313
