Cholesterol: The Popular Villain

It has become ingrained in the American consciousness: cholesterol at “elevated” levels is bad and signals the onset of cardiovascular disease. This is such a prevailing belief that it has almost morphed into a “truth”.  Most distressingly, I hear it more frequently these days, not less. In an era when most faddish health claims usually have a mercifully short shelf-life, cholesterol has been public enemy #1 for more than a quarter century. More and more people, some of them quite young, are diagnosed, warned about cardiovascular risk, and urged (ordered) to begin treatment with medication.

Cholesterol has over the years been misunderstood and misrepresented. It has been wrongly maligned, in part by drug companies interested in selling as much product, to as many people, as they can. The generally negative impression most people have of cholesterol emerges from an oversimplification of the role it plays in health.

Your cholesterol level is by no means the only assessment factor that reveals the overall state of your cardiovascular health, though it has, in the past 20 or so years, become just that: a kind of battleground pitting good cholesterol versus bad, with numerical thresholds that establish high, or “bad” numbers versus low, or “good” numbers. In truth, cholesterol is a necessary and extremely important substance in our bodies. It is one of the fundamental building blocks of things like hormones and cell membranes.

Artificially lowering cholesterol levels through medication without addressing the cause for the elevated level in the first place has its own risks. Among the many possibly detrimental impacts of this artificial lowering is a loss of the ability to synthesize the hormones our bodies require to function correctly. Another is the impact on our myelin, or nerve sheaths. They, as well as our cell membranes, can be weakened or damaged by artificially low cholesterol levels. There is some evidence that a serious expression of this has been observed in an increase in the incidence of Alzheimer's Disease.

The key idea that I'd like you to take away from this article is this: Cholesterol is a good and necessary substance in our bodies. The trouble begins when it is not eliminated properly, and treatment should always begin with an assessment that determines the causes for this improper elimination. Efforts to lower cholesterol levels should first be undertaken through nutrition, rather than medication. It can be achieved; in fact, it's done all the time.

Next: Understanding what your cholesterol numbers really mean

Checklist for Holiday Health

Here are a few essential supplements that I highly recommend, especially for the holidays. They're all available at Incentives Organic Spa & Salon. Call 631-893-3490 if you'd like to place a phone order. 

•         Probiotics: Eating too many sweets and drinking too much alcohol causes constipation and diarrhea. Probiotics help reestablish colon health and regularity.
•         Oxypowder: For those times where constipation becomes a problem, Oxypowder is a non-habit-forming healthy nutrient that helps make you regular again.
•         Lecithin and Liver 2 Formulation: Lecithin is the single most important formulation for liver health. Poor diet and over-consumption of alcohol damages liver cells. Lecithin helps to promote liver health. Liver 2 is a specially formulated herbal liver supplement that combines all the most effective ingredients that aid liver recovery in one preparation.
•        Rapid Immunity: The holidays are often a time of colds and flus. This formulation helps to prevent colds from taking hold, and speeds recovery time.

Out with the Bad: DeToxification

What emerges during my initial consultation with the patient are details about what the patient is currently eating and drinking, which is an excellent place to begin. Again, attention to pacing is required, because too radical a change in diet implemented too quickly can cause some patients to reject the treatment entirely. Of course, pacing is often dictated in part by the status of the patient: some diets can be modified more gradually, while for others, an immediate change is imperative.

What I often do is identify those foods among a patient’s favorites that may be problematic, and suggest substitutes that are less so. If a patient is feeling especially poor, a sugar-fast—in some cases lasting several days—may be required. Each patient is different, and the balance I must strike is to render the changes in ways that the patient will accept, while ensuring that I achieve my goal: the improvement of the patient’s condition.

Children are most likely to require the gradual approach, but many older patients are highly motivated and request the quick transition…they want to institute the changes and, as soon as possible, proceed with their healthier lives.

There are certain obvious instances—professions where the potential to become sickened by exposure to toxins present in local environments are elevated. Firefighters come to mind. While they may live generally healthy lives, their bodies may retain toxins they absorb on the job. These must be cleansed from the system. It isn’t enough to institute changes in current behaviors…sometimes one must go back and perform a purge. The body must be de-toxed before it can receive the entire benefit of subsequent treatment.

In the case of our hypothetical firefighter, I might begin by rendering the bowel as clean as possible. This requires the elimination of a lot of sugar from the diet. That means all sugars…bad sugars, so-called ‘good’ sugars, even fruit-derived sugar. When the Body Ecology is that compromised, you must clean out everything. You must re-populate the colon with probiotic bacteria; you must cleanse the liver using any of a variety of formulations, so that as it performs cell-replenishment, it does so with healthy ones. Phytonutrient-rich foods*, which promote detoxification, may be recommended. Again, there is an emphasis on the liver and the colon systems.

The Diagnostic Process

I begin by meeting in consultation with the patient. The purpose here is to form a kind of historical blueprint of the patient’s health history, beginning as early in life as possible and extending to the present. One way to think of it is as a catalogue of exposures. What has the patient been exposed to, and when and for how long? What has he or she ingested? Have illnesses been experienced, and how were they treated? What medications have been taken? What diets, if any, have come and gone? What are or have been enduring dietary habits?

Of course, exposure isn’t just about what is consumed. I also inquire about what chemicals and preparations they are putting on their skin and in their hair—cosmetics, sun blocks, topical ointments, etc…how they clean their homes and what products they use…important data because we, as modern people, are surrounded by chemicals. Whether because they combine in undesirable ways, or owing to individual sensitivities (or both), these chemicals can produce negative effects on our health.

The pacing of the delivery of information and recommendations to patients is important. To be told that you are harming yourself through the consumption of favorite foods is one thing…but to then also learn that how you’re shampooing the carpets is having a similar, negative impact can be overwhelming. This ‘external environment’ phase often comes later in the treatment process.

This sounds a lot like detective work, and it is. The process often has the flavor of cracking a code. I’m identifying causes and effects; establishing connections and influences that, in most cases, the patient is unaware of or has never identified as being important. Seemingly inconsequential events or behaviors can, and often do, have profound effects. My job is to identify them, examine them as they relate to the patient’s complaint, and then formulate a plan for their treatment.

Learn more about Body Ecology and Digestive Health at Dr. Brown's Free Seminar, Thursday, October 13th at 7pm at Fitness Incentive, 157 Deer Park Ave., Babylon Village. 

All are welcome!

Free Digestive Health Seminar, October 13th

On October 13th at 7pm, at Fitness Incentive in Babylon Village. I will be doing a lecture on Digestive Health. This will be the first in a series of lectures aimed at increasing your overall health from the so-called "bottom to the top".  

Why is digestive health so important that I have made it my first lecture? 

Digestion is the fundamental pathway to achieving optimal health. It is where our body and the external environment meet. It's the interface our bodies have with the outside world and the place where our very vital nutrients are broken down, absorbed and passed into the blood. How well our bodies do these tasks is a direct reflection on how healthy our blood is and since our blood feeds every cell in our body,  it becomes a direct reflection on our present and future health.  A battered digestive system shows symptoms in many forms. These can be as simple as constipation and bloating or as complicated as chronic fatigue syndrome and depression. When patients come into my office for evaluation, I always address the health of their colon and overall digestion.  I find digestive problems to be the most important change we can make to ensure improved health and wellness.  

In my lecture I will be discussing common problems such as acid reflux, bloating and chronic constipation, but I will also speak about irritable bowel, chronic fatigue, depression and inability to lose weight. Come join us and bring someone you care about. Let's get started on the path to optimal health. 

The lecture is free, but space is limited so we request that you register. 

You can call 631-893-3490, or stop by Incentives Organic Spa & Salon, 157 Deer Park Avenue, Babylon NY. 

All are welcome!

Body Ecology and Friendly Formulations

Based on extensive research, I recommend the following supplements for a healthy Body Ecology:

Probiotic Formulation

There’s some controversy surrounding probiotic supplements. Some believe that for maximum efficacy, the supplement must be refrigerated. The Original Medicine supplement I chose to be offered for sale at Incentives was selected because each of the probiotic strains in that capsule are the most stable organisms of their kinds available. They do not deteriorate at room temperature. This means that if there are 8 billion probiotic units in  the capsule, that’s how many are being delivered to your system. With the less stable refrigerated varieties, there may be 85 billion units encapsulated in order to scrape together a delivery of perhaps 5 billion units.

Green Foods Perfect Food

A highly alkalizing formulation. It contains all the phytonutrients I mentioned earlier, as well as necessary enzymes. Our bodies manufacture enzymes, but as we get older, this capability occurs less efficiently. Enzymes aid in the digestion of the food we take in, and these are also active at the cellular level. There are also probiotics in this formulation, which delivers great digestability and alkalinity.

GHC Oxy Powder

This preparation is excellent for cleaning out the colon and will benefit anyone with constipation and any kind of irregularity—even what seems to be mild cases. Oxy Powder is ozonated magnesium. Magnesium is the central atom of the chlorophyl molecule. This matters because of the following similarity: in our hemoglobin, iron is the central atom; in chlorophyl—essentially plant blood—magnesium is. Again, excellent for colon health. It acts to place oxygen into your colon, which is a very anearobic environment. The oxygen kills the anaerobic bacteria, effectively ‘scrubbing’ the colon and cleaning it.

Nuti Health Lecithin Protocol

I’ve heard  lecithin described as “the guardian angel of the brain and the liver.” It’s the single most important nutrient for the hepatocytes, which are your liver cells. During cell replacement, lecithin helps ensure that the new cells are healthy and robust. 


All of these products are available at Incentives Organic Spa & Salon. 631-893-3490


If you'd like to learn more, please be my guest Thursday, October 13th at 7pm at Fitness Incentive for a free seminar on Digestive Health. 


Call 631-893-3490 to order these products and to register for the seminar. Or simply stop by Incentives. 

Sugar Addiction

The biggest single issue I see is the superabundance of sugar in people’s diets. It’s essentially sugar addiction, which comes in many forms, and I don’t know that I’ve ever met a single person who isn’t a victim of it at some level. There are the obvious ‘bad’ sugars—soft drinks, alchohol, candy and sweets, etc.—and then there are what I term the ‘stealth’ sugars: fruits, which are insidious sources of sugar because we’ve been convinced that they are invariably ‘good for you’; and the grains. Even whole grain baked products are indeed sugars. The body functions best when it is exposed to the fewest sugars. I recommend a diet of quality proteins and fresh vegetables—organic when possible.

I’m frequently met by people who assure me that they eat according to a healthy diet. But when they describe what they eat, the flaws become quickly apparent. As an example, someone might come to me and describe a breakfast of cereal with blueberries, a serving of fruit juice, and coffee. Not so bad, right? But even if the cereal is whole grain, it contains added sugar. The grains themselves contain sugar. The coffee is sweetened, and the fruit juice is pure sugar.

Sugars, or foods that the body rapidly convert into sugar, produce the energy yo-yo effect so common these days: high sugar breakfasts which generate a sugar spike in the bloodstream followed by the inevitable lethargy that follows when we ‘come down’. Then lunch, then dinner, each of which follow the same pattern.

I’d suggest replacing that ‘healthy’ breakfast with one that included more protein and vegetable matter—perhaps an omelet of a couple of organic eggs and vegetables. Proteins and vegetables take the body longer to convert into fuel. These foods—unlike the quick-burning sugar-foods—slow-burn over a long period of time and don’t produce the yo-yo. Blood sugar levels remain even and balanced—so important to the maintenance of good health.

For a snack, you might be better off with protein in the form of some nuts—walnuts, almonds, pecans—rather than the more standard cookies, snack cakes, or candy. Or a whey protein shake with flax meal. In each case the body converts these foods into fuel over a longer period of time, avoiding the spiking effect on blood sugar levels.

I’d never demand that someone not enjoy a piece of their own birthday cake…so long as they remember that they only have the one birthday per year! Seriously, though, everything apart from the quality proteins and vegetables I’ve mentioned should be approached with caution, or at least with the awareness of the effects they have on our health, and consumed in moderation.

Visit Dr. Brown at Incentives Organic Spa & Salon's Website

Body Ecology and Childhood Depression

Body Ecology - Depression and Anxiety

I’ve had a number of patients who have realized remarkable improvements once treatments conforming to the concepts of Body Ecology were instituted.

I've treated several children suffering from depression and doing very poorly in school. I performed the health history analysis we discussed earlier and found that they’d been prescribed antibiotics for much of their lives; their diets were saturated with sugar in many forms; and their colons were completely depleted of beneficial colon bacteria. This is particularly alarming in depression patients, because colon bacteria produce B-Vitamins, which positively influence mood.

There was one child who’s family was recommended to me by his guidance counselor. This boy, who was performing poorly in school and was unable to concentrate, would arrive at school and place his head on the desk and remain inert all day. Ordinarily, a patient like this would summarily be placed on medication. But the root cause of his problem was his terrible diet and atrocious colon health. I changed his diet—there was some resistance but we worked on it over time and changed it gradually—and re-populated his colon with beneficial bacteria. It was heartwarming to see this child blossom. He turned completely around, emerging from his shell to become and active, productive child.

I hear complaints all the time about depression and anxiety—it’s a huge problem, especially as we get older. Again, Body Ecology pointed the way. I purge the liver and perform a general detoxification, then treat the depleted colon with probiotics and a natural raw B-complex vitamin supplement. Changes in diet address blood-sugar level problems, and before long, visible improvements in mood occur. Patients report being happy! As important, they’re off any medications they’d been taking. For some people, the changes are truly dramatic—they emerge from treatment like different people.

Drugs and Medications

In the Western world, we have become almost completely dependent on drugs as healing agents. Certainly drugs often confer upon the afflicted a beneficial response. But the problem with drugs is that they also, invariably, deliver undesirable responses—side effects.

Chief among the organs affected is the body’s gatekeeper—the liver. The drugs pass through the liver, and leave behind residues, causes congestion and damage that eventually must be repaired.

Another problem with drugs is that once you take one, you often must take another to counteract the side effects produced by the first. This leads to another set of side effects, which are treated with another drug. And another, and so on. Soon you find yourself taking six or seven different medications per day, with each addressing the undesirable responses caused by another.

My goal is to help people avoid medications and drugs. Medications are designed to treat symptoms. I’m trying to address root causes.

Proper Body pH

The Tricarboxylic Acid or Kreb Cycle

Our bodies use oxygen and glucose. These are our fuels, and they get transported via the bloodstream to our cells. This process of fuel production and transport is mediated by enzymes. If the enzymes do not function properly at this level, the health of the body is compromised. Metabolism; digestion; hair growth…every aspect of life is impacted. Our bodies spend a lot of energy regulating their internal temperatures. This is done to protect the integrity of enzymes. If you get too hot or too cold, the enzymes get de-natured, with potentially catastophic results. It’s the same with the body’s pH, the balance between acid and alkaline. When the pH is altered too much, enzymes don’t work as well. Keeping your body in an alkaline state enables the enzymes to work better. This is what I’m really trying to do: maintain the proper level of alkalinity in the body by maintaining good colon bacteria and eating the right foods. Colon bacteria inhibit the growth of acid-producing organisms. When the colon bacteria are growing and flourishing, the bad organisms die off. So the whole body is rendered less acidic.

People who are more generally alkaline are healthier. Acidic environments are those in which cancers grow. Cancers cannot grow in an alkaline environment. They also prefer an anaerobic environment, as oxygen kills cancer.

I strive to introduce more alkalizing foods into peoples’ diets, and determining what these are is often difficult…counterintuitive, even. Take lemons, for example. One would think that they are highly acidic, but when the body digests them, they are alkalizing in impact. In fact lemons are one of the most alkalizing foods.

Next time: The Impact of Drugs and Medications

Body Ecology

e–col–o–gy (n) 1. The branch of biology dealing with the relations and interactions between organisms and their environment, including other organisms.

I first became acquainted with the concept of Body Ecology during my years at school. I was immediately struck by the scientific soundness of the thinking. This soundness has been proven and reinforced over the ensuing years by the evidence of case studies and my own, first-hand experiences with my patients.

Body Ecology begins with the concept that effective healing cannot be achieved simply through the treatment of individual symptoms, but can only occur when the root cause of the illness—the fundamental source of the symptoms—is identified and addressed. This requires the analysis of more than what the body communicates about its health through symptoms…how the body is interacting with the external environment is equally important. The term ‘ecology’ is uniquely apt here, because the body, with all its ceaselessly interacting internal components, is simultaneously ingesting and absorbing elements of the greater, external environment.

There are two regions of the anatomy—two organs—the condition and operation of  which have far-reaching effects on the degree and frequency of the experience of illness: the liver and the colon. The general health and functioning of these organs is of primary—though not exclusive—importance in the consideration of Body Ecology as it relates to health and wellness. They are, in a manner of speaking, the ‘base of the pyramid’. When these ecologies are clean, the functioning of the rest of the anatomy—dependent on these for their own efficiencies—is improved.

Whenever illness is reported, the liver and the colon must be analyzed, diagnosed, and restored in order for patients to feel better.

Next, I'll discuss the diagnostic process.