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1. How High Cortisol Wreaks Havoc On All Your Hormones
2. Drugged Driving in America
3. Benefits of Eating Functional Foods
4.
Candida - a Yeast Infection, what is it?
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How High Cortisol Wreaks Havoc On All Your Hormones
Hey, It's Dr. Martin here…
A few weeks ago, I wrote about how most people with hormonal problems never have anything really show up in their blood work. This is why you can have textbook hormonal symptoms and be told everything "looks good" by your doctor.
One reason hormonal issues are problematic for doctors to figure out is that they forget there's a hormone hierarchy.
The fact is a couple of hormones ultimately control or influence all the other hormones. This means a problem with "king" hormones will affect all other hormones and cause all types of hormonal symptoms everywhere in your body.
As I mentioned a few weeks ago one of the "king" hormones is CORTISOL (…which is why I talk about it so much.)
Someone who has been struggling with messed up cortisol for a long time will present to their doctor something like this:
Doctor: "Tell me what's going on?"
Patient: "I don't know where to start…I can't sleep, and I'm tired…and I feel exhausted..."
Doctor: [Interrupts] "I can give you something to help you sleep…"
Patient: "But I'm also struggling with mental fog… I'm more irritable than I used to be…I lack enthusiasm, and I feel anxious…"
Doctor: [Interrupts again] "I can give you something to help with anxiety…"
Patient: "I've also been gaining weight, especially around my belly…and the weird thing is…sometimes I have no appetite at all…almost feel nauseous…and other times I can eat everything in the house…"
Doctor: Hmmm.
Because the patient has uncontrolled cortisol. They're suffering from hormonal symptoms that seem all over the place.
So, after the doctor orders comprehensive blood work (without checking vitamin D levels…which is weird), the patient is typically prescribed something to help them sleep, something to help with anxiety and usually, a cholesterol-lowering drug if they're over 40.
None of the recommended solutions do anything to address the actual problem, they're all just bandaids. And…the longer someone struggles with uncontrolled cortisol the more likely they are to end up with hypothyroidism and estrogen dominance.
If you are stressed or struggling with symptoms of uncontrolled cortisol, then fixing cortisol is an important place to start.
Talk soon,
P.S. Years ago, we wrote a book called "Serial Killers: Two Hormones That Want You Dead" It is about INSULIN and CORTISOL.
Insulin and cortisol are two of the "king" hormones.
Most people who aren't well have issues with both of them.
Drugged Driving in America
An examination of recent data regarding drugged driving in the US shows the problem has worsened. And unlike drunk driving, public health officials and law enforcement have yet to establish effective protocols for preventing drugged driving.
“The dangers of drugged driving are outpacing drunk driving.” That is the headline from a January 2021 study that sought to warn Americans of the growing danger of drugged driving, an epidemic on US roadways that may soon become worse than drunk driving. The study showed that a sizable percentage of individuals surveyed reported being under the influence of marijuana and other illicit drugs while behind the wheel.
What the Findings Show
A study titled “Drugged driving among US adults: Results from the 2016-2018 National Survey on Drug Use and Health” appeared in a January 2021 issue of the Journal of Safety Research. The findings of that study provided some of the first evidence that suggests drugged driving is a critical safety concern in America, one that borders in its severity on that of drunk driving.
Unlike drunk driving, a long-time issue that has led to numerous preventive campaigns and law enforcement strategies to address it, widespread drugged driving is a relatively newer phenomenon. The startling rise in the percentage of Americans who use drugs and drive – coupled with a slow prevention and law enforcement response to the issue – has made American roads much less safe.
To arrive at their findings, researchers at the University of Cincinnati surveyed a large group of American adults, finding that while 8.52% reported driving under the influence of alcohol, 4.49% reported driving under the influence of marijuana. Further, another group of adults said they used marijuana and alcohol before getting behind the wheel of the car. The 8.52% figure reported for drunk driving is about the same as figures reported in previous years, but the percentage for marijuana-impaired driving is not.
The 4.49% figure for drugged driving represents an alarming increase over previous survey responses and is almost certainly an underestimate. For example, according to the National Conference of State Legislatures in partnership with the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, at least 8% to 12% of people test positive for cannabis intoxication when stopped by law enforcement, figures that are double and triple the rate of adults admitting to cannabis while driving in the Journal of Safety Research study cited earlier.
Intoxicated Driving is Lethal
A direct correlation exists between increasing numbers of Americans driving under the influence and accidents. According to the data, among people killed in driving accidents in 2016, 43.6% of drivers who were drug tested had positive results. Of that group, 50.5% were positive for two or more drugs, and 40.7% were positive for alcohol. Driving a vehicle always has risks, but people driving intoxicated are putting themselves and others at far greater risk.
The study authors also found a correlation between increasing cannabis legalization and a rise in drugged driving incidents in states that legalized it. “There is serious concern as to how legalization will affect driving behaviors among adults,” said study co-author Keith King, pointing to the higher-than-average incidences of drugged driving accidents in states that legalized cannabis within the last few years.
The data bears out that concern. According to the National Institute on Drug Abuse, 11.7 million Americans drove under the influence of drugs in 2021, with 44% of drivers involved in fatal car crashes that year testing positive for drugs.
“Since recreational marijuana was legalized in 2013 [in Colorado], traffic deaths in which drivers tested positive for marijuana increased 135% while all Colorado traffic deaths increased 24%...”
The lethal effect of drunk driving has been particularly relevant in states that legalized cannabis. According to one organization dedicated to stopping drugged driving, “Since recreational marijuana was legalized in 2013 [in Colorado], traffic deaths in which drivers tested positive for marijuana increased 135% while all Colorado traffic deaths increased 24%. That equates to one person killed every 3 1/2 days in 2019 compared to one person killed every 6 1/2 days in 2013.” The organization showed similar findings for Washington State shortly after it legalized cannabis.
Education is a Critical Preventive Strategy
The researchers who found that more Americans are using drugs and driving also found that young Americans who received honest, non-stigmatized, and compassionate conversations from parents and teachers about drugs and alcohol were statistically less likely to drink or use drugs and drive than individuals who had not been involved in such conversations as children.
Unfortunately, educational interventions and public health approaches to drugged driving have been slow to catch up to the crisis, leaving the problem to households to address.
Another study analyzed this concern, concluding that “[Prevention professionals] reported needing training and resources to implement strategies related to drugged driving, particularly with regard to engaging youth and parents, if they are to address this problem effectively.
The majority of respondents also reported low levels of self-efficacy for implementing a wide range of drugged driving prevention strategies.” That study isolated a significant lack of state-wide and national tools for preventing drugged driving.
Thankfully, there is much that individual families can do to ensure their loved ones do not use drugs and drive. Parents should have conversations with their children about the dangers of using drugs and driving, as notions about experimenting with drugs and driving often begin in one’s teens or early adult years.
Young people should be shown that drugged driving is just as dangerous as drunk driving. Parents should help their children dispel the notion that people can somehow “control” the effects of their intoxication while driving.
Having these conversations is important because driving while under the influence of drugs is especially prevalent among young people. The organization Stop Drugged Driving found that driving under the influence of marijuana is a problem among young drivers aged 21-25 (10%) and 16-20 (6.3%) and was more common than driving under the influence of alcohol. Educational efforts, conversations, prevention strategies taught at schools, and coaching kids on saying no to peer pressure should be utilized to stop drugged driving where it begins, i.e., when people are young.
Treatment is a Must for Those Who Can’t Stop Using Drugs
Education and prevention efforts, when broadly offered to all residents, when worked at consistently, and provided to all age groups, demographics, and locales, can do much to stop people from ever using drugs and getting behind the wheel of a car.
However, for those who are already using drugs and drinking, for individuals who use mind-altering substances and cannot stop on their own, prevention efforts and education will not be enough. Such individuals will need the help of residential drug and alcohol addiction treatment centers.
If you know someone who is drinking or using drugs and who cannot stop doing so alone, please help them find and enter a qualified residential addiction treatment center as soon as possible. Someone who cannot stop using substances on their own is addicted and will need professional help to get clean.
Please do not wait until it is too late, as every time they drive intoxicated, they are risking their lives and the lives of others on the road.
Narconon
Sources:
ScienceDirect. “Drugged driving among US adults: Results from the 2016–2018 national survey on drug use and health.” Science Direct, 2020. sciencedirect.com
NCSL. “Drugged Driving | Marijuana-Impaired Driving.” National Conference of State Legislatures, 2022. ncsl.org
ScienceDaily. “The dangers of drugged driving are outpacing drunk driving.” Science Daily, 2021. sciencedaily.com
NIDA. “Drugged Driving Facts.” National Institute on Drug Abuse, 2019. nida.nih.gov
SDD. “The Drugged Driving Problem.” Stop Drugged Driving, 2023. stopdruggeddriving.org
NIH. “The Prevention of Drugged Driving: Needs, Barriers, and Self-Efficacy of Prevention Professionals.” National Institute of Health, 2019. pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov
SDD. “Reduce Drugged Driving.” Stop Drugged Driving, 2023. ibhinc.org
Benefits of Eating Functional Foods
In recent years, functional foods have gained in interest and popularity within health circles.
So, what are functional foods?
Functional foods are a variety of foods and ingredients that have benefits that extend beyond their simple nutritional value. They promote optimal health and help reduce the risk of disease.
Remember that most natural foods deliver physiological benefits including protein for muscle repair, carbohydrates for energy, and/or vitamins and minerals for cell function.
Essentially, functional foods are foods that include additional health benefits beyond basic nutrition and are designed to improve health.
Also known as nutraceuticals, nutrient dense functional foods are highly nutritious and associated with a number of powerful health benefits.
Examples of these nutrient dense functional foods are:
Cold water fish
Fish, such as salmon and sardines, are packed with protein and are high in omega-3 fatty acids.
Nuts
Nuts help you feel full and may promote heart health. They are also a good source of magnesium.
According to Medline Plus, “Magnesium is needed for more than 300 biochemical reactions in the body. It helps to maintain normal nerve and muscle function, supports a healthy immune system, keeps the heartbeat steady, and helps bones remain strong. It also helps adjust blood glucose levels. It aids in the production of energy and protein.”
Whole grains
Examples of whole grains are barley, brown rice, buckwheat, millet and oatmeal.
Whole grains are high in dietary fiber and may help lower cholesterol and assist with blood sugar control.
Beans
Examples are black beans, cannellini beans, chickpeas (garbanzo beans), kidney beans, lima beans and pinto beans. Beans provide dietary fiber, protein and potassium folate.
Berries
Blueberries, blackberries and raspberries are low in calories. Their anthocyanin pigments, which give them color, offer anti-inflammatory and other health promoting benefits.
Functional foods are foods that are associated with several potential health benefits. They may:
1) Prevent nutrient deficiencies - nutrient dense functional foods are typically high in important nutrients, including vitamins, minerals, healthy fats, and fiber.
2) They may protect against non-optimum health issues as many are especially rich in antioxidants. These molecules help neutralize harmful compounds known as free radicals, helping prevent cell damage and certain chronic conditions, including heart disease, cancer, and diabetes.
Camel milk
Camel milk ticks all the boxes for a functional food because it provides excellent nutrition. It’s packed with vitamins and minerals, such as B vitamins, Vitamin C, Vitamin E, Zinc, Potassium, Calcium, Phosphorus, Selenium and Iron.
Camel milk also offers potential health benefits as it contains high proportions of anti-bacterial and anti-viral substances, antioxidants and immune system boosters.
Functional foods can be used to boost your intake of important nutrients, fill in any gaps in your diet, and support overall health.
When planning your diet, consider eating as many functional foods as possible to help you stay healthy.
Learn more Camel Milk
Candida - a Yeast Infection, what is it?
Have you ever had a candida infection (sometimes it's even called thrush). Very uncomfortable, very itchy and very often not diagnosed correctly.
Candida albicans is a type of parasitic yeast-like fungus that inhabits the intestines, genital tract, mouth, esophagus, and throat. It is the disorder caused by an overgrowth of the yeast Candida albicans within the body.
Normally this type of fungus lives in a healthy balance with the other bacteria and yeasts in the body. It is important to note that a certain level of candida yeast is a useful, natural part of the human system, helping to balance normal body function. However, certain conditions can cause it to multiply and become an overgrowth while weakening the immune system. The fungus can travel through the bloodstream to many parts of the body.
Read more about it including a treatment that will rid your body of this problem. Candida
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