If at some time during your life you have expressed some interest in health, nutrients, good eating or other natural pursuits, you are no doubt on at least one and probably multiple mailing lists from various "natural health-oriented" publications selling products. You may well also subscribe to at least one or more health newsletters. From some of these sources, you have most likely been exposed to various promotions touting oral chelation therapy. The typical promotion refers to improvements in various symptoms of chronic degenerative diseases. The promotion goes on to say something about the results of an intravenous chelation therapy program can be obtained by taking oral chelating agents. The promotion cleverly states that it will take longer with the oral chelating agent than with the real chelation therapy program.
Chelation as defined in the Dorland's Medical Dictionary is "combination with a metal in complexes in which the metal is part of a ring". The definition of chelate includes "chelates are used in chemotherapeutic treatments for metal poisoning". The medical profession, in general, and the area of toxicology more particularly, view and treat toxins and toxic reactions from the acute viewpoint. Chronic long-term toxic exposure is not popularly viewed, diagnosed or treated. 8 of 10 Americans die from cardiovascular disease (heart attacks or strokes) and/or cancer. These have been clearly associated with chronic toxic metal exposures. The good news is that this wonderful body we live in has the potential of chelating or ridding itself of toxic metals to some degree. Problems arise when the total load of the toxic metal exposure exceeds the body's ability to rid itself of them on an ongoing basis. Metals then become entrapped in various tissues in the body and their presence leads to chronic degenerative disease development, as well as speeding the aging process.
Chronic degenerative disease development and the aging process are also impacted upon by metastatic calcium. Metastatic calcium is calcium that is deposited in soft tissue where it is not supposed to be, such as in arteries, tendons and ligaments. Calcium's presence in soft tissues contributes to stiffening and hardening. Iron and copper, and calcium are essential for normal function in the human body but can also contribute to damage and contribute to chronic degenerative disease development, as well as the aging process. While natural oral chelating agents can have an impact to some degree on toxic metal excretion, they do not have an effect on calcium and iron and copper, and handling these minerals along with the toxic metals is essential for the restoration of the quality and quantity of life and the retardation of chronic degenerative disease development and the aging process.
Real chelation therapy (properly prescribed comprehensive chelation therapy program) has been helping hundreds of thousands of people in this country and around the world over 50 years. We know from observation what the intravenous chelation treatment plus the rest of the properly prescribed comprehensive program can do. When any single oral chelation product can duplicate this 50-year history with the thousands of references that have been developed over that 50-year period, then we will talk. In the meantime, I am going to continue my own chelation therapy program and continue to prescribe it to others. As an aside, I might mention that a recently developed carotid artery ultrasound protocol, which uses a patented computer program to evaluate the inner most lining of the artery, that I had done last spring showed that while my chronological age at the time was 68, my arterial age was 42. I have been on a preventive chelation therapy program for about 25 years.
Iodine, The Forgotten Element
Iodine is an essential element. Any element that the body cannot produce but has to be introduced into the body from the outside is essential. We are totally reliant on eating or drinking it. Iodine's main function is in the production of thyroid hormones, which are in turn essential for cellular energy production. Without iodine, the thyroid hormones will not function. Hypothyroid (below-average function of the thyroid) results in numerous symptoms and life quality issues, including virtually every cell and tissue and organ system.
Additionally, there has been evidence of insufficient levels of iodine and the presence of fibrocystic breast disease, as well as ovarian and uterine cancer.
A study published in Physiological Reviews in 1943 spoke about the use of iodine to inhibit the development of atherosclerosis in rabbits fed cholesterol. Another fascinating observation in the experiment was that the lipid (fat levels) in the blood were elevated, but in spite of that, the atherosclerotic process was impeded by the addition of iodine. A previous study published in 1935 demonstrated the same findings.
In the early 1960's potassium iodate was used as a dough conditioner in the making of bread and as a result, many people had improved or adequate iodine stores. Late in the 1970's into 1980's, bakers replaced the iodine with bromate as a dough condition. Both elements are halogens. Bromide unfortunately causes goiters and is carcinogenic. The Japanese consume at least 100 times the USA RDA for iodine. Inorganic iodine is safe and effective. The organic iodine that is used in drugs and X-ray dyes is not.
There is a simple way to determine whether you have an iodine insufficiency. It involves taking four specially prepared iodine tablets and then a laboratory specializes in the procedure measures the amount of iodine, and the iodine insufficiency that is identified can be easily remedied by taking a special iodine preparation orally.
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Dr. Maulfair has not retired. For several years pronouncements of my retirement have filtered to us. I can categorically state that not only have I not retired, but I am more active than ever and continue to expand and plan to do so well into the future. My father practiced to age 87. My goal is to surpass that, so you will be seeing me for a long time.
Hints on Choosing a Doctor
There is a wildly held believe in society primarily I guess based on observations of people within the society, that as you get older, life quality decreases, chronic degenerative diseases occur, arthritis, hardening of the arteries, diabetes, high blood pressure, heart attacks, strokes, cancer, and that is natural. The notion that aging is synonymous with loss of life quality is specious. There are areas in the world where people live to well in their 80's, 90's and beyond with health. Health is a normal state, disease is the aberrated state.
Physicians are trained to diagnose and treat disease. As a consequence, we do not have a healthcare system in this country. We have a disease care system. If your ideal scene is to live a long, healthy life, then waiting until you have symptoms of chronic degenerative disease and advanced aging and then hoping standard medical philosophy with total reliance on drugs and surgery to correct the loss of health is going to be ineffective and will probably hasten the loss of health. If you have been told or know of others who have been told by a number of the medical profession that "after all you are getting older", some way explains the occurrence of the symptoms and the loss of health and it is to be expected. In other words, if the physicians that you consult have a basic disease-oriented approach and believe that it is normal to lose life quality as you age, then you should be prepared to accept loss of life quality as you age as a result of that medical viewpoint. You need to know, however, that you can change your mind at any time about anything. If you decide that getting older does not have to be consistent with illness and loss of life quality, then you need to seek a physician who shares that viewpoint with you. The bottom line is your life quality can be high right up until you die at an old age. If you do not see that as your future, you need to make some changes now.
Social Diseases
Years ago, the term "social disease" was used to refer to usually sexually transmitted venereal diseases. It was also used to refer to other diseases that are related to social or economic factors, such as tuberculosis. That definition does appear in Webster's Dictionary, but "social disease" does not appear in the Dorland's Medical Dictionary that I looked at. I suggest that the term "social disease" be reinstituted in medical dictionaries and that the term should include coronary artery disease, diabetes, cerebrovascular disease, arthritis and peripheral vascular disease. These diseases have become so prevalent in our society that they are social diseases. I guess the standard medical profession's inept handling of these diseases, their prevalence, prevention and treatment would not allow them to admit that the frequency does indeed categorize them as social diseases. This is not a healthy country. We are not healthy people. All it requires is that you change your mind, become educated, ask questions, do not accept something just because it is popular, learn about what you can do to control your future health. Do not wait until your health is gone to try to reclaim it. You have got to maintain it. Disease does not start and as a result you lose your health. Health begins to disappear long before disease becomes evident. Treating disease does not restore health, it just treats disease. Restore and maintain health and there is no room for disease. The two cannot occupy the same space at the same time.
Dr. Maulfair is an Osteopathic Physician (DO) certified in Radiology, Family Practice and Chelation Therapy. In demand for radio and television shows he brings his 40+ years of clinical experience in helping his patients regain their health and energy with complementary, alternative medical modalities. His energy and passion inspires others to leave surgery and prescription drugs as a last resort in medical choice. He takes his own advice and enjoys the high energy level possible with good health. Find Dr. Maulfair at drmaulfair.com