I have and will always subscribe to the concept of everything in moderation. Knowing that, today’s article is on something that I was first introduced to about the age of 12 and is something that every patient asks me about. Coffee.

It’s funny. I read today about new discoveries in modern science and start to laugh because I know these are concepts that practitioners of alternative and preventive medicine touted decades ago. One of these is coffee.

Ok, I hear the uproar starting. Remember gang, everything in moderation. Anyway, there are good things and bad things about coffee. And now we even have “real” medicine agreeing. I’m sorry, but I watch these TV docs and I am amazed that people actually find them credible. Sorry, another discussion for another time. Probably best done over a cup of Joe.

Coffee is natural. It is a God given earth grown bean that has proven to be good for you. Again folks that moderation thing again!! Now for the latest “real” medicine research.

Coffee consumption has been linked with the prevention of liver cancer. In fact, in countries with a higher consumption of coffee, primary liver cancer is almost unheard of. In 30 years I’ve seen 2 cases of primary liver cancer. All the other liver cancers have been metastasizes. Namely the cancer started elsewhere and spread to the liver. In Japan where coffee intake is minimal, primary liver cancer is many times greater than that of the US. In fact the research showed that you don’t have to drink gallons of coffee to get this protection. One cup a day was enough. In fact one cup three of four times a week showed excellent protection as well.

Parkinson’s disease, dementia and Alzheimer’s disease may also be prevented with coffee. A study of 3,000 men showed that those men that didn’t drink coffee had a 5 time increased chance of developing Parkinson’s disease than men who drank a cup a day. The theory is that coffee indirectly stimulates the body’s production of dopamine, a neurotransmitter that is deficient in patients with Parkinsonism. Likewise recent studies from Harvard have demonstrated the benefit of coffee in the prevention in dementia and Alzheimer’s. I won’t go into the chemistry of coffee (YEAH!!). It’s on the web.

Ok, that’s the good. What about the bad and the ugly. Well, both can be attributed to types of coffee. First instant coffee is not coffee. It is swill, chock full of preservatives and extraction agents. Believe me when I say that manufacturers don’t just brew that perfect cup of coffee and freeze it magically into flavor crystals. There is more junk in there than most politicians’ speeches. Second coffee beans are incredibly bitter. Once roasted they taste better but the roasting does remove some of the benefits of the bean itself (remember pasteurization?). Brewing the bean in a coffee pot removes even more. Remember that the less heat used in cooking, the better. I like to “cold brew” my coffee. It takes a while for the bean to soak in the cold water but it is well worth it. It is incredibly strong too. Hey, I still will go to a coffee house for a hot cup too, as you will still get many of the benefits if you steam brew it. (Those studies I mentioned were done with steam brewed coffee.) Coffee is also acidic. For those with gastric issues, it may very well irritate them. Likewise, coffee is a stimulant (natural as it may be) and those people with blood pressure or irregular heart rates may be out of luck. Sorry, decaffeinated coffee is many times worse than instant coffee. Double the “junk” in instant and you will have the junk in decaffeinated. I’m not even going to get into flavored coffee, creamers, or sweeteners. All for another time.

Now I don’t know how many family physicians will advocate the starting or the continuation of coffee consumption. Run it by them. I will leave it to each of you to come to your own conclusion. I may even anger some who think I have abandoned the tenants of alternative and preventive medicine. As I have told patients in the past. If I would live to 95 without coffee or to 90 with coffee…..I won’t answer that as those who know me, know the answer. Regardless, check with your family MD or DO first. As always, the smart health care consumer is informed and aware.

Clifford Sonnie, M.D. is the Medical Director at the Balance of Life Clinic.

Recently I have been asked for my cholesterol article. Unfortunately it is usually in the store or rec center. I would usually tell people to stop by the office but that can be a hassle. We are going to put all the articles on our new web site but it ain’t finished yet. So I am going to reprint “What’s All The Fuss About Cholesterol” with a few tweaks.  

Every so often the news gets a hold of this and the advertisers plaster the TV about cholesterol. Seems to me that no one really knows what cholesterol is all about. After all the “normal” level has moved up and down so much since I was in medical school that it looks like a yo-yo. I wonder, did the level go down when a new cholesterol-lowering drug came out? Sorry, I digress.

Well let me try to help you make a little sense of it. (Just a little science!)  Cholesterol is a precursor. Your body produces it. That means that your body makes it so that it can be turned into something else that your body needs. That makes sense. In fact cholesterol is one of the first things that your body makes and uses to repair damage anywhere in the body (helping to keep inflammation to a minimum). It brings the building blocks (the good fats) to repair the injury. I won’t get into the different types of cholesterol. Suffice it to say that certain kinds of cholesterol are increased with inflammation. Cholesterol is also the base from which literally every hormone in your body is made. That sounds like it is a pretty important thing to have floating around. Unfortunately it is also found in the plaque that can block your arteries. Now here comes the debate. It is not the only thing found in that plaque. To be truthful it doesn’t even make up a majority of the stuff found in plaque. Many MDs believe that inflammation of the artery’s inside wall starts the formation of plaque. Cholesterol was there trying to help (transporting needed materials) and got caught. It is like saying that since there were firemen at the scene of the fire, then the firemen caused the fire.

Another interesting fact was revealed in a study of Inuit Indians (Eskimos if that is politically correct) done a couple decades ago. The study was done to determine why they have very low heart disease. To make a long story short, researchers found that diet and lifestyle are very strong factors. In addition they found a very interesting fact. The cholesterol levels of Inuit Indians were sky high (due to diet). Wow high cholesterol and low heart disease. To make it even more confusing these same people were watched over the next decade as they relocated to the lower 48 states. A funny thing happened on the way to the lab. Their diets changed, their lifestyles changed, their cholesterols dropped to near normal (no more seal blubber) and their heart disease went sky high. Ok what am I missing? Low cholesterol and more heart disease. Maybe that inflammation thing is not caused by cholesterol. Maybe cholesterol is not only needed to repair the body but also to tell me that inflammation is there. Ok, I know this is confusing. Is cholesterol the cause or a casualty of heart disease? This is still an ongoing debate. Enough of this and on to the drugs.

How do the drugs work? The most popular cholesterol lowering drugs work in the liver by stopping an enzyme that makes cholesterol. Unfortunately that same enzyme helps make Co-Q 10 (real name is too long and has few vowels). Co-Q 10 is vital for the proper function of ALL muscles in the body (one of the side effects of those drugs is muscle pain amongst others). Others work in the intestinal tract by grabbing the cholesterol you eat so it can’t be absorbed. Other drugs work slightly different but aren’t used as much.

Don’t misunderstand. Very high cholesterol is a medical problem. Those levels are usually high because of genetics and you were born that way. For whatever reason very high cholesterol must be appropriately treated. The debate asks two questions. What is the definition of “high” and since cholesterol helps to repair the body, reduce inflammation and is needed to make your body’s hormones, when and how is the best way to treat it?

DO NOT stop any medication that your MD has started. I offer this for you to think about. I do not know the answer to heart disease but it can’t be as simple as taking a drug to lower something that is so important in your body. My cholesterol is 240 and last time I looked, I was ok (at least my heart is).

That’s where the Balance of Life Clinic comes in. When it needs to be treated, we believe that there may be a more natural (less synthetic) way to treat any problem.  Many times using natural things we can control not only your cholesterol level, but other things as well. This may result in your needing less of your prescribed medications. No matter what you do, make sure that you discuss this with a trained health care provider, namely your family MD or DO. After all the smart health care consumer is informed and aware.

I want to wish all a happy Memorial Day. This is a day to remember those who gave the “last full measure of devotion”. But don’t forget those too who returned with daily memories of lost comrades. God Bless our Troops.  

Clifford M. Sonnie, M.D. is the Medical Director at the Balance of Life Clinic.

Remember the commercial where the steroid enhanced German hunk with long flowing blond hair looked into the camera and said “I can’t believe it’s not butter.” Well, this has been the message that chemical companies have been pushing on us for some time. In fact I had an argument with a dietician who works at the “Mecca of Medicine” in northeast Ohio about this very subject. You see, the basis for all this hubbub, is that margarine has less saturated fat than butter and therefore is better for you. In fact, todays advertisements show a margarine product that is not only flavored with all different flavors but has all kinds of vitamins, minerals and omega 3 oils added. Folks, the additional ingredients are synthetic, so it don’t make a hill of beans what they put into it. It is still bad for you. Why? I’m glad you asked.

First lets discover why synthetic fats like margarine were developed. When I was a kid (no wise guy, not when the earth was cooling) I remember margarine first making the rounds. Again the big selling point was saturated fat. They called it the “bad fat” back then too. Problem was that margarine was being used long before that. You just didn’t know it.   Initially margarine was invented as a substitute saturated fat (butter was too costly) to give to animals (especially poultry) to bulk them up. They wanted a “heavier” animal. Go figure. Unfortunately, the heavier part was mainly added fat. Not only did a diet high in saturated fat cause this, but the injected hormones did not help matters any either.  At first the birds did not eat it. So, with persistence and making sure it was the only thing to eat, over time they did consume it as part of their diet. The hitch was that before the birds could reach adulthood so that they could be harvested for meat, they died. Oh shoot. Millions spent on research and what do we do with it now? Let’s add a yellow color, a flavor similar to butter and let’s give it to Mikey, he’ll eat anything. Welcome to the era of “I can’t believe it’s not butter”. Yes that is the story.

Now let’s look at margarine and butter. First they are right. Margarine has less saturated fat. Forget the fact that it is processed synthetic saturated fat. Harvard Medical School has three studies all showing that margarine increases the risk of heart disease in women by over 50%. Margarine is high in trans fats as well. Butter has none. Another study from the west coast shows that margarine not only increased oxidized cholesterol (yes folks that is the bad thing that can happen to the good guy cholesterol), but also increased the risk of cancer up to 5 times and is well known to decrease the effectiveness of the immune system. Butter on the other hand, has just as many ingredients as the “enhanced” margarine but they are all “God made”. Butter also has been shown to enhance the absorption of several vitamins and minerals including trace minerals and many of the vitamin B class. Bottom line, there is no contest. Butter is the clear choice and the ads are wrong.  Still think that the talking tub of margarine is better than butter? Ok, here it is. Google this when you get a chance. Find a chemical picture of margarine with all the carbons and hydrogens and what not. Then find a picture of plastic. Except for ONE molecule, they are identical. Look also at the ingredients in oil based paint. Margarine shares almost 2 dozen of the same ingredients.

I have said over and over that saturated fat, just like polyunsaturated and monounsaturated fat, is vital for your health. About a hundred million inhabitants of the South Pacific who uses coconut oil (a highly saturated fat) as a major staple in their diet can’t be wrong. Their incidence of heart disease, diabetes and obesity is far less than in the U.S. Remember, butter if taken in excess, as with anything, will do more harm than good. Margarine will do more harm than good too. Problem is you don’t need to take all that much.

As with any diet or exercise change please check with your family MD or DO or give us a call. In the meantime, I’ll have some butter on my popcorn. After all, the smart health care consumer is informed and aware.

Clifford Sonnie, M.D is the Medical Director of the Balance of Life Clinic.

I was sitting on my porch reading about the 60’s and the presidency of LBJ and I came across an interesting fact. When LBJ had developed cardiac problems near the middle of his term, one of his physicians actually had the audacity to suggest that diet and exercise (a remedy that had been practiced 50 years earlier) may be beneficial. He was fired. It struck me that given enough time, everything comes full circle. But what was even more amazing and disturbing is that in today’s medicine, if it is not proven with a double blind, placebo controlled study, it doesn’t count. (This is when the study has half the patients not doing the treatment or taking the real medicine and neither the patients nor the doctors knows who is or is not doing the real treatment.) It eliminates bias. Great! But do we really need a study to show me that if my hand touches a hot stove, pain is the probable result? I agree that studies need to be done to protect the public from sham remedies. But there is a limit. Sorry, this isn’t even what I wanted to talk about but it came to mind when a study by a leading local “Mecca of Medicine” came out stating that exercise and cardiac disease are related and that exercise can reduce anxiety in patients with chronic illnesses. Sorry, I’m off on a tangent again.

What I did want to talk about is exercise. In every article I write, I always tout the benefits of exercise and how we need to get off our duffs. Well, many of you are doing that and I am thrilled!! But many are also misinterpreting part of my message. When I say exercise, yes, going to a gym, walking, biking or the like is great but what of the other 15 hours that we are awake?  Working up a lather in the gym for a hour a day is excellent but it ain’t going to suddenly make you healthy and fit. Let’s forget diet, nutrients, sleep, relaxation and water and just look at exercise. This is what the folks at the British Journal of Sports Medicine did. Seems pretty much a no brainer to me, but I guess it had to be studied and said. Anyway, the journal stated that for every extra hour of sitting down watching Bowling for Furniture your risk of developing symptoms of the “metabolic syndrome” increases 26%.

Bottom line, no amount of exercise can offset the negative effects of being too inactive. What happens is that inactivity causes chemical reactions to develop in the body which can’t be overcome with an hour of exercising. Essentially, (no science I promise) when you exercise vigorously you develop free radicals, which causes inflammation. You also develop those items in your body needed to fight them. Vigorous exercising does produce the bad guys but it also helps the body produce the good guys. Confusing, I know, but if you don’t remain active the bad guys eventually catch up and overtake the good guys. I know it’s a simplistic way of looking at it, but it works for me and keeps me off the couch as much as possible (except when “The Big Bang Theory” is on). Anyway, back to the British Journal, it stated that in addition to exercise, people have to remain active. Remember too that all muscles work on a “use it or lose it” principal. The point is that it is not necessary to increase stressful exercise, but you need to cut down on the inactivity. Walk to the store or park at the back of the lot. Take the stairs. Take the spouse to dance lessons or go for a second and third walk today. The possibilities are many, simple and best of all free (in most cases).

I’ll be writing of different types of exercises from time to time, but the best thing to do is check with a trainer. There are a lot of them out there and they are the experts. Heck, I thought a kettle ball was something you hung around a cow’s neck. As always any exercise program should be cleared by your family MD or DO. After all, the smart health care consumer is informed and aware.

Clifford Sonnie, M.D. is the Medical Director at the Balance of Life Clinic.

While surfing the net (do they even say that any more?) I came across an article about running. It stated that humans are better off running in bare feet. (So much for the pedicure industry) Being a runner myself, I started to research this a bit and I opened a hornet’s nest. There are two schools of thought. Either it is the best thing since sliced bread or it is a crazy notion. I found no one in between. So playing devil’s advocate or perhaps treading where I should not go, I will look for that happy compromise.

Running bare foot is not new. A goodly percentage of the world today trod this earth shoeless. In fact over the past few years barefoot running is gaining in popularity. Abebe Bikila won the 1960 Olympic marathon barefoot in a time that would win most marathons today. Zola Budd ran barefoot and set several, long distance records. Modern day marathons and road races are establishing a barefoot category. It is not new and it looks like it’s here to stay.

Ok, first some science mixed with a bit of history. Dating way back to a study done in 1906, tribesmen in Africa and the Philippines were evaluated and compared with “modern” man. The big difference amongst these people was the widely spread foot with toes angled out from the midline of the foot. This obviously gave the individual much greater stability. Modern shoe wearers had great toes angled toward the midline of the foot. Narrower foot, less stability. Since then many studies confirmed this finding and even a study by Harvard and several other universities stated that the increased stability offered by running barefoot decreased the joint torque of the hip, knee and ankle and significantly reduced these injuries as compared to those who ran in shoes. Some researchers actually go as far to state that running shoes are causing injuries.

Humans have evolved to run. It is the mechanics that is in question. The magazine, Popular Mechanics, had a series of articles that brought to light several issues. When running in shoes we tend to heel strike first and most shoes are well cushioned for this. Barefoot we tend to strike the ball of our feet first. So what’s the benefit of either? The running shoes with it’s cushioned heel strike helps protect the foot from the high intensity impact that hard surfaces create. Also walk on a stone barefoot and see which is better. Unfortunately it also exaggerates the foot’s outward and inward rotation. However, barefoot running will create a rotation-free stride and minimize foot and ankle stress especially caused by over pronation. Bottom line, less injuries.

What is the answer? Running barefoot allows a more natural form and will prevent injuries. Running shoes will protect us from road debris and running on unforgiving surfaces like concrete. Is there a medium? Not yet. There are several shoes out there that look like moccasins. Some even have toes and they do protect the foot while giving it the freedom of a more natural form. There is also a shoe that has a spring built into the heel. It’s not that simple and obviously couldn’t be used for competition but it could eliminate some of the problems by softening the heel strike and perhaps moving the point of impact toward the ball of the foot. Those new “rocker” shoes on TV are supposed to serve a similar function but I’ll not hold my breath.  

So again you may ask, what is the answer? And I will respond with, I have no idea. I run. I love to run. I wear shoes. I have and will run barefoot in the park but Fido’s offerings and the trash and broken glass left by uncaring morons still are an issue. I even ran on the high school’s track and it did feel great barefoot, but it got hot and those little hunks of black stuff that get in between the toes are a nuisance. Check out the alternative running shoes on the internet. Try each yourself. Also if you wear shoes to run in, and if you run on sidewalks you will, go to a store knowledgeable in running shoes. Medina has an excellent store on the north side of town. They may not agree with the barefoot aspect, but they will find a better fitting shoe than the average discount house.

Lastly, don’t think barefoot is also restricted to running. Walk barefoot. Grass between the toes can be an excellent cathartic. I know this article doesn’t answer any mystery of health or longevity. The reason I wrote it is because I am convinced people just won’t exercise if the shoes hurt. I know, I know, you still have to get up and outside in the first place but try to make the activity as comfortable as possible. Enough harping.

As I reread this, I guess I really didn’t answer anything. My advice like I said, try both. However before you start a serious training program sans footwear, check with your foot specialist first. Do so especially if there is any prior ankle or foot issues. There are some conditions that will require a shoe and possible orthotic so as I have always said, check with your doctor first. Likewise, before you start any new exercise program, check with your family MD or DO. After all, the smart health care consumer is informed and aware.

Oh yeah, before I forget, free sports physicals on Friday from 3PM to 7PM at The Balance of Life Clinic. No appointment is needed. Just show up with the completed forms, which can be downloaded at the www.mcsoh.org site. Check the ad in today’s newspaper or call 330-764-4242 if you have any questions.

Clifford M.Sonnie, M.D. is the medical director at the Balance of Life Clinic

In keeping with my kick on home remedies, today I want to talk about baking soda. It’s also known as bicarbonate of soda. First of all, I am not referring to baking powder. This is essentially baking soda mixed with cream of tartar and cornstarch. They are not the same. It’s not going to hurt you but today let’s talk about baking soda. As a side note, cream of tartar is excellent for relieving itching. No, it’s not topical. You drink it. (Another topic another time.)

The sources of my information includes my folks, grand folks, family, friends and numerous patients. I have also looked all these remedies up before regaling you with them. Now for the science. Ready? Baking soda is sodium and bicarbonate. This is a salt and a base. There, science over. Don’t know about you but I’m spent! Anyway, let’s talk about what we can do with baking soda.

Insect bites can cause pain or itch. Making a paste out of baking soda and water and applying it as often as you can will help. In fact, if you get stung use a paste with baking soda and meat tenderizer. It will not only relieve the irritation but will reduce and sometimes if applied soon enough stop the reaction. Stinging insects inject protein venom. Meat tenderizer breaks down protein. Just that simple. Don’t forget the vinegar from last week too.

Next are sunburns. Making a paste may be silly if you have a large sunburn although I would love to see someone try it. Soak in a tepid bath with a half or whole box dissolved in it. Likewise baking soda is excellent for burns from any acid around the house or outside. Rinse off the area well. After doing this apply a cold compress and baking soda to the area. See your doctor as well.

Muscular aches have been soothed by soaking in a warm bath with a box of baking soda. Add to this a couple cups of Epson salt (an excellent source of magnesium) and drift away. 

Baking soda can be used as a deodorant. I have recommended this but personally, have had no success with it. On the other hand, some people swear by it. Try it.

Likewise, eye irritations from allergies can be helped. Not too much baking soda. A quarter teaspoon in water is enough. If you cannot tolerate saline eye solutions, don’t do this.

I use baking soda as a breath freshener. A half a teaspoon in water and rinse away. I also add about a tablespoon of peroxide but that’s me. Continuing in this theme, I also use baking soda as a toothpaste. Now, you can make your toothpaste with baking soda, glycerin for the paste and a bit of water. You can also add stevia for flavor as well as mint extract (also good for that mouth wash too). This is also sold in health food stores and we have it at the clinic too. Or you can rough it, and just make a paste with water, but it does taste a little bitter.

Stuffy noses can be helped by using a vaporizer with baking soda mixed in the water. You can also use it as a nose spray. Mix ¼ teaspoon in about a tablespoon of water and put a couple drops in each nostril.

Sore throats are also helped with baking soda. Mix a tablespoon in warm water and gargle.

Mayo Clinic actually has a stop smoking program that uses baking soda. I won’t get into it, but it involves many doses and this is not for anyone where too much alkalinity or sodium would be detrimental. Google it or we can talk.

The last thing I want to mention is baking soda’s use as an antacid. First and foremost do not use this more than two times a day. I prefer only once. It is a band aid for the occasional stomach upset. It is NOT a cure for acid reflux. It is a remedy for the upset stomach at 11:30 at night because an hour earlier you just had to eat those last two pieces of pizza with everything on it, promising yourself that you would be sure to exercise it off tomorrow. After all, people are starving and food shouldn’t go to waste. Well, this article is not about acid reflux. I won’t get into my opinion about the overuse of acid blockers. (Remember my opinion about cholesterol?). Suffice it to say if your stomach is upset, trying baking soda for a quick relief instead of wolfing down a half dozen Tums or a Zantac. Mix 1 to 2 teaspoons of baking soda in a glass of water (6-8 ounces) and drink it. You will burp. Deal with it. The irritation will subside. Again, if the irritation comes often, then baking soda is NOT THE CURE. See your family MD or DO. This could be an ulcer and it needs to be treated.

That’s about it. I know there are many more uses and “cures” out there but this will get you started. As with anything, always check with your family MD or DO especially if you have been told to curtail salt. Or stop in and we can gab.

Remember, the smart health care consumer is informed and aware.

Clifford Sonnie, M.D. is the Medical Director at the Balance of Life Clinic.

Have you ever noticed how the smallest thing in our lives could have the biggest impact on it?  Well a good example of this is vitamin B12.  It is one of those vitamins that we often don’t think about and in fact it is often ignored.  Well that little thing may be responsible for an entire array of preventable age related diseases. 

Interestingly enough, it has been shown that 40% of Americans have a low level of B12 and 20% of Americans over the age of 65 have a severely low level of B12.  So, let’s talk about (you guessed it) B12. 

B12 is something called an “essential vitamin” (remember essential amino acids?).  This is a vitamin your body doesn’t make.  You have to get it from your diet.  It is found in great abundance in meat, eggs, and milk.  I won’t go into the exact chemistry of B12( yeah, you say)  but I will tell you that it is vital in the formation of myelin which is the insulation around every nerve, the synthesis of red blood cells, the synthesis of DNA, and the breaking down of homocystine.  As a result B12 deficiency has been strongly related to depression, age related dementia, heart disease, stroke, and rheumatoid arthritis and recent literature has even linked it to Alzheimer’s. Why don’t we suspect it earlier?  For the most part, B12 deficiency is a very slowly progressing problem, whose symptoms literally take years to surface.  Some will rear their ugly heads earlier than others, but this is not an overnight event. 

Before we get into the symptoms, (you guessed it) a little science!  There is something in our bodies called an intrinsic factor.  It is found in our intestinal tract and is responsible for the absorption and function of many GI processes, one of which is the absorption of vitamin B12.  The intrinsic factor tends to decrease over time; therefore the body’s ability to absorb B12 diminishes.  It is not eliminated, just decreased.  Secondly, the use of those nasty “proton inhibitors” can also be linked to B12 deficiency.  You know these as Prilosec and Nexium to name a few, but they all work the same way.  Basically, these medications decrease the amount of gastric acid.  The less acid available for digestion, the less B12 is released from food.  The less acid, the higher the possibility of bacteria overgrowing in the intestine.  Overgrowth of bacteria and the decreased gastric acid will decrease the absorption of B12. 

So, like I said before, B12 deficiency sneaks up on you.  What are you looking for?  The symptomology is confusion, vision changes and memory loss.  As I said before too, it can be associated with rheumatoid arthritis, heart disease, and should be measured with the suspicion of any neurological condition.  Every patient with unexplained anemia or any neurological condition; and patients with long standing intestinal problems likes Crohn’s disease, should be evaluated for B12 deficiency.  Depression is another condition that should be evaluated for B12 deficiency.  Here is where I disagree with some of the recent testing.  I believe the lower limit of the so called “Normal Level” for B12 is too low.  Many times it is indeed measured, but because it is in the normal range, therapy is not begun. 

So, how do we fix it?  The replacement of B12 can be done in any of these three ways; orally, sublingually or by injection.  I don’t know of anyone, myself included, with perfectly operating intestinal systems.  So my concern is the oral and sublingual absorption of B12 may not be the most efficient way to replace it.  Unfortunately the only other way to give it is by injection.  They don’t have to be done by a physician, but they do have to be initiated by a physician, who writes a prescription for the injection, and the patient can then give it to themselves.  Levels should be monitored by a simple routine blood test.  B12 injections are generally given frequently at first to

“fill up the tank”  and then they can be routinely done as often as every couple of weeks or every month depending on what is necessary for that patient to maintain their levels. 

As you can see B12 is very important to many aspects of our health.  But it is usually not monitored early.  In my opinion, routine blood tests should include not only the “usual suspects”, but B12 as well.  Before we all go scurrying to our MD’s, demanding to be injected with B12, or buying up all the B12 at your health food store, please have the levels checked first.  So make that appointment with your family M.D. or D.O. or call us at the Balance of Life Clinic and we’ll do the appropriate testing and start you on your way to good health.  As always, a smart healthcare consumer is informed and aware.

Clifford M. Sonnie is the medical director at the Balance of Life Clinic.