Brain-Body Breakthroughs - Larry McCleary MD

How would you react if your dad told you during your teenage years to do something significant like find the cure for aging? Well, that is exactly what my guest today was told as a young boy. And he never forgot it! As the Founder, President and CEO of Sierra Sciences (http://www.sierrasci.com/index.html), a bio-tech company in Reno, Nevada, he is in the process of doing just that. Seem unlikely? You wont feel that way after you hear what he has to say. Dr. Andrews views aging just as any other disease. He tells you why he feels that way and has data to back him up. The Nobel Prize for Medicine or Physiology in 2009 was awarded for work done on telomere (http://www.sierrasci.com/telomere/index.html)biology. This is the same field we will be discussing today. You'll soon see why it has the potential to turn back the hands of time as well as cure cancer and a host of other chronic diseases. You'll even hear how the ability to lengthen telomeres might enable AIDs patients to live normal lives. Sound too good to be true? Only if you've never heard Bill Andrews (http://www.sierrasci.com/staff/bill.html)explain how close he is to solving these difficult problems.

We all know how much oil is consumed in the production and transportation of food to our table. And it seems like we are always hearing of repeated food-borne illnesses due to organisms such as enteropathogenic E. coli or Salmonella. Our food just doesn't taste the way it did fifty years ago. Nor is it as healthy as it once was. On today's program I have the pleasure of interviewing an expert in sustainable home-scale food production who has put in the requisite "dirt time" to know what it takes to educate us on how to avoid the common pitfalls in growing our own groceries. Her video program has been used by over 250,000 individuals and she is a passionate and informed advocate for her brand of sustainable agriculture. So whether you live in the country or in Manhattan, you will learn how to grow nutritious, tasty meals inexpensively and with minimal time expenditure. Today you'll hear about bio-intensive gardening, food forests and highly efficient techniques that homeowners can use that are unavailable to commercial growers and will really learn how to grow your own groceries. Join us today and become a changed person! LINKS Link to Marjory Wildcraft -- http://marjorywildcraft.com (http://marjorywildcraft.com)/ Link to learn how to grow your own groceries -- www.GrowYourOwnGroceries.com (http://www.GrowYourOwnGroceries.com)

I watched a recent video from the Onion News Network (http://www.theonion.com/video/social-security-reform-bill-encourages-americans-t,21006/)that promoted a tongue-in-cheek way to keep social security solvent. It outlined an approach that encouraged Americans to live faster and die younger. It cut taxes on cigarettes, outlawed helmets and encouraged sleep only "when dead." In place of senior citizen's checks, vouchers were handed out for grain alcohol and hang gliding. The goal was to cut health costs by shortening lifespan by 15-20 years. Another way of achieving the same cost-cutting goals while lengthening lifespan and living a mindful, fulfilling and healthy life might be to listen to my guest today Dr. Lorene Wu -- a specialist in blending Western and Eastern medical approaches that balances energy through mind-body-spirit medicine. She is an MD who is board-certified in Family Medicine and is also a Diplomate of Acupuncture and Traditional Chinese Medicine. She describes how you can lead a truly "balanced" life and benefit from the best of both medical worlds. You will be thoughtfully walked through the ins and outs of Eastern medical philosophies, learn how they complement our Western medical approach and how and when to choose one over the other in a manner that best suits your mind and body. She founded The Whole Life Center (http://www.thewholelifecenter.org/)in the Chicago area and will change how you think about medicine and life. Please join us!

If you want to lose weight, stay healthy and protect your heart, exercise is a dose of just what the doctor ordered. However, it may be one of the best things for your brain if you want to think more clearly, learn faster, prevent Alzheimer's disease and age more gracefully. My guest, Arthur Kramer (http://www.beckman.illinois.edu/directory/a-kramer), Ph. D., Director of the Beckman Institute for Advanced Science and Technology (http://www.beckman.illinois.edu/about/index.aspx) at the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign tells how his interest in science and jock-like activities conspired to propel him into a career as a distinguished scientist who speinfocializes in cognition and brain plasticity. Brain plasticity was recently popularized by Norman Doidge in his book The Brain That Changes Itself: Stories of Personal Triumph from the Frontiers of Brain Science (http://www.amazon.com/Brain-That-Changes-Itself-Frontiers/dp/0143113100/ref=sr_1_3?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1307663432&sr=1-3). While much has been said of neuroplasticity (the ability of the brain to re-wire itself on the fly) and its ability to help heal from stokes, head trauma and even Alzheimer's disease, there have been painfully few therapeutic interventions designed to use it in a meaningful fashion. In this episode of Brain-Body Breakthroughs Dr. Kramer reveals how certain types of exercise can literally revitalize brain structure and function. He discusses startling new findings illustrating how exercise can turn back the clock on brain aging, especially involving the frontal lobes where executive functions such as working memory are located. He'll tell us what to do if we want to make that memory center called the hippocampus (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hippocampus) bigger and better and how to learn faster at any age. And he'll provide insight into tools that work effectively on refurbishing brain skills whether you're 20 or 70.

It can be pretty easy to lose weight ... the same 15 pounds, over and over again. Just like it's easy to stop smoking. As Jonny's dad said, "I've done it 20 times!" Once you've lost the weight, the difficult part is keeping it off. Dr. Jonny Bowden (http://www.jonnybowden.com/)believes the secret to weight-loss success lies between your ears. We all know what is good food, how much to eat and what to avoid. The hard part is doing the right things consistently, day in and day out, especially when we are constantly being bombarded with eating triggers on TV, on line and in magazines and newspapers. The food manufacturers know what we crave and they package it appealingly and market it with billion dollar marketing budgets. So, what can we do to fight back? Jonny tells us in his new program Unleash Your Thin (http://naturalhealthsherpa.com/unleash/video/webinar-replay/5109)where he discusses how the messaging we are bombarded with literally rewires our brains and makes it almost impossible to resist. The secret is knowing how to bullet proof our minds and achieve the slim self we all desire. To hear about the 150 healthiest foods on earth and how to navigate our toxic food environment, please join me for a rollicking interview with Jonny Bowden.

As we learned last week, Tracy Greene-Mintz (http://www.seniorcaretraining.com/about.html)is a real expert in how to take the sting out of addressing difficult life transitions such as the move of a parent or loved one into assisted living, a group home or a memory care unit. She reveals secrets accumulated during years of teaching life transition strategies to concerned family members and health care professionals. She has a delivery that combines professionalism with her sage sense of humor in an engaging manner that makes learning easy and provides many helpful tips along the way. This week we'll be discussing what different living choices are available, how to choose which one is most appropriate, how to allow the senior to become invested in the process and what questions to ask to evaluate the new lifestyle and make the most out of the living arrangements.

Have you ever had a loved one, parent, or friend who you knew might not be safe living alone? And worse yet, had no idea how to broach the subject or what to do. Didn't even know what the options were? Well my guest today is Tracy Greene-Mintz (http://www.seniorcaretraining.com/about.html), a licensed clinical social worker specializing in the field of aging, and a nationally recognized expert in the field of Relocation Stress Syndrome (http://www.seniorcaretraining.com/index.html)in the elderly. She has written an extremely helpful book on the subject, which is available at her website www.SeniorCareTraining.com (http://www.SeniorCareTraining.com)at the bottom of the page. She has agreed to provide free shipping with the purchase of the book if you mention Brain-Body Breakthroughs. We'll be discussing how to know when a move might be required, how to avoid one, if possible, how to talk about the subject in a meaningful fashion and why it is so important to preserve the dignity of the older person involved. Tracy has savvy, poise and a sense of humor as she discusses these sensitive issues and provides numerous practical pointers for successfully navigating potential minefields along the way.

Have you ever gotten to the point where you only had 5-10 pounds more to lose but were unable to get there no matter what you did? Well, what might have done the trick for you was probably the last thing you would have considered -- SLEEP! My guest today is Dr. Michael Breus who has a new book out called The Sleep Doctor's Diet Plan: Lose Weight through Better Sleep (http://www.amazon.com/Sleep-Doctors-Diet-Plan-through/dp/1609611330/ref=sr_1_1?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1313279596&sr=1-1). He is an expert in sleep disorders and will be talking about why we need sleep, who is most in need and how to get all the beauty rest that is required. He has even developed a better sleep system that is based on the concept of thermo-neutrality (http://www.thesleepdoctor.com/the-dr-breus-bed/index.html). Please join me to hear why you shouldn't drink coffee before bed even if you have no trouble falling asleep, what is the real skinny about melatonin and who is most likely to sleep walk! You'll even hear what to do to prevent jet-lag.

We're all getting older and as we do many of us are getting shorter as well. You might have thought this was merely a nuisance but today you'll hear why this is so much more important. My guest is Dr. Paul Miller -- an expert in bone research and osteoporosis -- and the founder of the Center for Bone Research (http://www.centerforboneresearch.com/)in Colorado. He'll be discussing the latest findings about how much calcium you should be taking and why too much is BAD. We will be talking about how to know when your bone health program isn't working, what to do about it and what is the absolute best form of exercise to prevent fractures. You'll also learn about blood tests that can predict what your DEXA scan will show two years down the line. So, if you want to be the most well-informed person on the block regarding the latest news on bone health this is the program for you. And do a friend a favor and tell him/her about the show. Paul Miller -- Link to: Paul Miller -- Link to: http://www.centerforboneresearch.com/About-Dr-Miller.php (http://www.centerforboneresearch.com/About-Dr-Miller.php)

Delirium -- an acute brain disorder -- is as serious as having a heart attack! Once it develops, the risk of death is the same as having a heart attack ... and you probably haven't even heard of it. What's worse, it frequently goes undiagnosed. It's probably the most common acute brain disorder affecting adults in general hospitals involving 10% of all hospitalized adults, 33% of elderly hospital patients and up to 80% of those in the ICU (Intensive Care Unit). It accounts for $150 billion of health care expenditures and doctors are even beginning to think it is a risk factor for the development of Alzheimer's disease. Some of the OTC (over the counter) products on your nightstand might even put you at risk of getting delirium. Join me today to find out what they are. To hear more about this widespread problem, what it is, how it is treated and even how it can be prevented, listen to what Dr. Boustani -- Research Director for the Healthy Aging Brain Center at Wishard (http://www.wishard.edu/314.html)-- has to say.

We've come a long way since the days of Dr. Kildare and Marcus Welby, MD. When men were doctors and we just sat in the office when DOCTOR was ready, and listened. Now times have changed and the stakes are much higher. It's no surprise that many patients are discouraged, upset and confused after leaving a doctor's visit. This often foments an antagonistic relationship with the person who holds your (medical) life in his hands. Because of this, along with the desire to streamline and improve health care delivery and medical outcomes, this entire field has come out of the closet and has gone mainstream. It's new name is patient-centered care (http://communications.medicine.iu.edu/newsroom/stories/2011/training-future-doctors-to-enlist-patients-as-partners-in-care/). And it includes the use of computers and the Internet as tools to facilitate the effective and timely communication of salient medical information and enhance the ability of doctors and patients to relate to each other and accomplish common goals such as improved safety and better health care. An integral component of this transformation is the 4-Habits Model of communication which we will discuss. It is being incorporated into medical school curricula and even medical practitioners who have been in the field for decades are reaping benefits, feeling better about their patient contacts and are experiencing improved outcomes with less time expenditure. So please join me for a trip into the Brave New World of doctor-patient medicine. And find out how it feels and how it will improve your health!

Liz Taylor developed a brain tumor. Suzanne Somers had breast cancer. And Farrah Fawcett had colon cancer. At some point in our lives one third of us will have to walk in their footsteps. And we'll have to decide what is the treatment that we believe has the best chance to make us cancer free ... and live, or die, with that decision. Sandra Miniere (http://alightersidetocancer.com/)did just that. She is now a 10-year breast cancer survivor who was told shortly after surgery that they "didn't get all the cancer." Listen to her tell about the journey that took her from coast-to-coast and hear about how she "hit the jackpot" on her trip to "the cure." She reveals how a psychic enabled her to realize what was important, get in touch with her body and realize that she had to heal herself if she was going to beat her cancer. Her training as a life coach (http://www.co-creativecoach.com/)helped guide her, but nothing fully prepared her for having to say "No" to one of her doctors. Join us and gain insight into a courageous woman's fight for her life.

Learn how to choose food during your pregnancy that keeps you healthy and prevents your baby from becoming overweight as a child or developing diabetes, high cholesterol or high blood pressure as an adult! Moreover, you'll hear from a mom and a nutritional researcher why this is so. Join us and hear how to eat a guilt-free diet that is good for you and your baby! LINK: Adele Hite -- Link to: http://fireofthegodsfitness.blogspot.com/2010/08/adele-hite-on-usda-food-guidelines.html (http://fireofthegodsfitness.blogspot.com/2010/08/adele-hite-on-usda-food-guidelines.html)

Learn how The Dietary Guidelines for Americans (http://www.cnpp.usda.gov/dietaryguidelines.htm), a governmental description of what constitutes a nutritious diet, has become a political tool of the US Department of Agriculture. Listen to how the USDA operates under a large conflict of interest -- they must maximize the sale of American farm products, mainly wheat and corn, while providing guidelines for what Americans should eat. This typically means that their definition of "nutritious" is crafted to coincide with what the farmers grow despite the negative impact on our health. This is the story told by someone in the trenches -- an expert in nutrition who has your health as her number one concern. Listen and be amazed. You'll be outraged at what you hear.

An interview with Dr. Mary Anne Block (http://blockcenter.com/blog/about/). How would you respond if you were the parent of a young child who is sent home with a note from the teacher saying your son has been repeatedly disruptive in class and can't sit still? She has suggested that you take him to the doctor to see if something can be done for it. This is very commonly how children get placed on Ritalin (http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmedhealth/PMH0000606/) or a number of other powerful drugs that act in a manner similar to cocaine. It is exactly how many children are treated. The problem is that placing kids on Ritalin is not dissimilar to giving a child with a brain tumor some Tylenol for the headache. The underlying problem has not been diagnosed and it is not being treated. This happens in adult medicine with some regularity as well. If you are diagnosed with high blood pressure, you will frequently walk out of the doctor's office with a prescription for a diuretic (water pill) without having the doctor look for the underlying cause of the high blood pressure, which is usually NOT treated by the water pill you were prescribed. Today there are over 5,000,000 children diagnosed with ADHD and many of them are on powerful stimulant drugs ... for many years. What impact does this have on their brain and their health in general? Today I'll be talking with a doctor who approaches ADHD differently and you'll hear why. If you are the parent or relative of a child with ADHD, or are an adult with ADHD-like symptoms, you won't want to miss this program.