Toxic Heavy Metals Can Suppress Your Immune System

Are you at greater risk for H1N1 because of what you eat or where you live?

An individual’s immune system can be suppressed due to the presence of toxic heavy metals. Heavy metal toxicity has been identified as a local issue by Advanced Medicine of Mt. Kisco. According to the Westchester Department of Health, Advanced Medicine of Mt. Kisco has uncovered more individuals with elevated toxic metals (mercury, lead, antimony, arsenic) than any other medical office in Westchester County.

“This is a red flag for individuals living in Westchester County” says Dr. Neil Raff, Medical Director of Advanced Medicine of Mt. Kisco. A depressed immune system can leave an individual more prone to infections including all types of flu.

Equally important, this condition makes individuals less responsive to vaccines, further aggravating their vulnerability. Other symptoms of heavy metal toxicity include fatigue, gastrointestinal upset, hormone imbalance, unusual weight gain, and headaches. Metal toxicity cannot be diagnosed by routine testing. Routine blood tests will not diagnose early toxicity until it has reached significant levels, because metals tend to reside in fatty tissue not blood.

Due to increased pollution on our planet even people living healthy lives can develop heavy metal toxicity. In fact, it was uncovered in New York City that random samples of tuna used for sushi were off the charts in mercury levels, and should not have been consumed by individuals. “We have to accept the fact that heavy metals are in our environment and that some people are more prone to accumulating them in their bodies” states Dr. Raff. Other causes of heavy metals include certain fish, contaminated ground water, amalgam fillings and mercury used in the processing of high fructose corn syrup, lead paint, treated wood and even some cosmetics.

When an individual is diagnosed with heavy metal toxicity, chelation is the FDA approved treatment program. EDTA is a special substance that binds heavy metals and removes them via the kidneys. In addition to chelation, specific antioxidants are prescribed to minimize tissue damage which has already occurred from the metal exposure.

The duration of the treatment depends on the degree of contamination and the patients underlying health status.

We invite you to come meet with us, at no charge, to discuss your health concerns and goals. Our practitioners and you will be more certain as to the appropriateness of developing a practitioner-patient partnership. Call us at (914) 241-7030 for a 15 minute complimentary consultation.

Testosterone and You

Are you concerned about osteoporosis, fatigue and decreasing strength and stamina?

As you reach your 60's and 70's, both men and women, yes--women and men-- both need testosterone to stay healthy and alert.

In this video from his You Tube Channel, Neil Raff MD, explains the importance of this vital hormone.

We invite you to come meet with us, at no charge, to discuss your health concerns and goals. Our practitioners and you will be more certain as to the appropriateness of developing a practitioner-patient partnership. Call us at (914) 241-7030 for a 15 minute complimentary consultation.

More Tips on Avoiding the Flu.....

Are you at greater risk for H1N1 because of what you eat or where you live?

An individual’s immune system can be suppressed due to the presence of toxic heavy metals. Heavy metal toxicity has been identified as a local issue by Advanced Medicine of Mt. Kisco. According to the Westchester Department of Health, Advanced Medicine of Mt. Kisco has uncovered more individuals with elevated toxic metals (mercury, lead, antimony, arsenic) than any other medical office in Westchester County.

“This is a red flag for individuals living in Westchester County,” says Dr. Neil Raff, Medical Director of Advanced Medicine of Mt. Kisco. A depressed immune system can leave an individual more prone to infections including all types of flu.

Equally important, this condition makes individuals less responsive to vaccines, further aggravating their vulnerability. Other symptoms of heavy metal toxicity include fatigue, gastrointestinal upset, hormone imbalance, unusual weight gain, and headaches. Metal toxicity cannot be diagnosed by routine testing. Routine blood tests will not diagnose early toxicity until it has reached significant levels, because metals tend to reside in fatty tissue not blood.

Due to increased pollution on our planet even people living healthy lives can develop heavy metal toxicity. In fact, it was uncovered in New York City that random samples of tuna used for sushi were off the charts in mercury levels, and should not have been consumed by individuals. “We have to accept the fact that heavy metals are in our environment and that some people are more prone to accumulating them in their bodies,” states Dr. Raff. Other causes of heavy metals include certain fish, contaminated ground water, amalgam fillings and mercury used in the processing of high fructose corn syrup, lead paint, treated wood and even some cosmetics.

When an individual is diagnosed with heavy metal toxicity, chelation is the FDA approved treatment program. EDTA is a special substance that binds heavy metals and removes them via the kidneys. In addition to chelation, specific antioxidants are prescribed to minimize tissue damage which has already occurred from the metal exposure.

The duration of the treatment depends on the degree of contamination and the patient's underlying health status.

Viruses and Your Immune System

The purpose of anti-viral vaccines is to stimulate our body's own immune system to produce all the normal natural, anti-viral material capable of our bodies.

To do so, we need a healthy immune system and without this, vaccines and antibiotics are almost useless.

See Dr. Raff's video blog on Boost Your Immune System.

At each visit to Advanced Medicine of Mt. Kisco, Dr. Raff follows through on his mantra: Taking time to listen to the patient is the most important diagnostic test there is. He does this by providing a very thorough intake that helps him look at your whole body system and how it is interacting.

We invite you to come meet with us, at no charge, to discuss your health concerns and goals. Our practitioners and you will be more certain as to the appropriateness of developing a practitioner-patient partnership. Call us at (914) 241-7030 for a 15 minute complimentary consultation.

Swine Flu Epidemic: The best defense is a strong immune system

The best defense against any infection is a strong immune system.

Why are most of the deaths in Mexico? I suspect that those “healthy” people who died had depressed immunity, due to the pollution and heavy metal contamination in that area.

How can you protect yourself?

My recent research shows that heavy metals and toxins:
a) depress the immune system
b) cause hormone imbalances
c) promotes unnatural weight gain

If you call my office, I will be glad to advise you on specific supplements to improve your immune system and viral resistance, as well as new tests to evaluate your toxic and heavy metal load.

Office hours are Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday and Friday,

Regards,

Neil C Raff, MD

Advanced Medicine of Mt. Kisco
37 Moore Avenue, Mt. Kisco, NY 10549

914-241-7030
www.advancedmedicineofmtkisco.com

Nutrition and Food Absorption . . .

In this short video, Dr. Raff discusses the primary role that proper absorption of food plays in nutrition. Thus, no matter how good your nutrition, no matter how healthy your diet,if it's not absorbed, you won't get the benefit.


This office has been doing this type of nutrional testing for many years with impressive results. For more information and a free consultation, please call us at (914) 241-7030.

Depression . . .

We are entering the Holiday Season. It is also the depression season and the poor economy will make it worse. Feeling blue and down, for brief periods of time is normal. When these feelings are there most of the time, or bad enough to effect our work and personal life, then that person has some degree of depression.

A sense of loneliness or personal failure is typical. This cloud hangs over millions of people and most are ashamed to talk about it. Instead they suffer from poor sleep, weight gain or loss of appetite and lack of interest in life. This condition affects almost 20 million Americans and yet it can be successfully treated.

Depression is usually due to an imbalance of chemicals in our brain. They are called neurotransmitters, sending the signals from one cell to another. There are many different types, some to keep things calm, others to stimulate and excite. They have names like serotonin, norepinephrine and GABA. Depression can respond to medicines called antidepressants. But sometimes, because of nutritional deficiencies, the brain cannot produce enough of these substances and the medicines are much less effective. This is quite common.

A proper in-depth nutritional evaluation of the patient and replacement of the deficiencies can result in a tremendous and natural improvement in brain function, relieving many of the symptoms of depression.

This office has been doing this type of testing for many years with impressive results. For more information and a free consultation, please call us at (914) 241-7030.

Sound Mind, Sound Body . . .

Psychosomatic Medicine (PSM) vs. "All Your Tests Are Normal"

PSM is training and awareness that what goes on in your brain effects your body and vice versa. Emotional issues cause dysfunction and disease, disease and dysfunction leads to emotional problems. This idea goes back to ancient Greece, where the expression, Sound mind, Sound body originated.

This basic mind-body connection has been lost in today's health care system. MRI's and CT scans, even of the brain, show nothing of the emotional status and psychiatrists-psychologists rarely go below the neck.

I was fortunate to have several years training with a founder of The Academy of Psychosomatic Medicine. What I learned and use everyday is how to listen to the patient as a person:

1. Hearing what they say as well as what they don't say,
2. Understanding that all symptoms have emotional components.

I am not saying they are not real. They are very real, very intense and are associated with problems like peptic ulcers, irregular heart beats, high blood pressure, even heart attacks.

Underlying stress, anxiety or depression contributes to all physical symptoms. What is worse, the patient gets checked out and is told that all tests are normal. This makes it sound as though the symptoms are not real or legitimate.

Can this type of situation be treated? Of course it can, but it takes experience and special tests to understand the delicate mind-body connection. Once this is achieved, proper treatment is readily available, restoring the patient to good health.

- Dr. Neil Raff, MD

At each visit to Advanced Medicine of Mt. Kisco, Dr. Raff follows through on his mantra: Taking time to listen to the patient is the most important diagnostic test there is. He does this by providing a very thorough intake that helps him look at your whole body system and how it is interacting.

We invite you to come meet with us, at no charge, to discuss your health concerns and goals. Our practitioners and you will be more certain as to the appropriateness of developing a practitioner-patient partnership. Call us at (914) 241-7030 for a 15 minute complimentary consultation.

A few thoughts on the flu . . .

Some guidelines I hope you will find helpful about the Annual Flu shot and H1N1, Swine Flu shot.

Annual Flu shot:

1. For healthy people under 60, it's a matter of convenience - getting the shot and a small chance of an allergic type of reaction, vs. 4-5 days in bed with the flu.
2. For those over 60, or having chronic lung and heart problems, the flu could be more serious. However, this group generally has a diminished immune system and often does not get full protection from the vaccine. It is very important to get added protection from the right combination of antiviral supplements.
3. For healthy people over 60, the annual flu shot is up to you, but definitely do the supplement plus program. It will give you added protection no matter what you decide.

Swine Flu, H1N1 - The same rules apply, except:

1. In spite of the world-wide scare, H1N1 has not seriously harmed many people in this country. It may be just another infrequent variation on the annual flu.
2. In the past, some Swine Flu shots were associated with Guillain-Barre Syndrome, a serious paralyzing neurological condition. The British Government has just warned their neurologists to be on alert for them. To me, this raises serious concerns about the safety of the vaccine which is being rushed into production. Personally, I am going to do my anti-viral supplements and wash my hands regularly.

Vitamins - What To Take - A Guide

Vitamins are molecules that control and regulate many of the biochemical proteins in our body. Most of them were discovered in the 1920's - 40's. Here are some guidelines.

1. As we get older, our absorption decreases and so vitamins and supplements become more important.


2. We can only absorb so many vitamins at one time. Taking large amounts of one type can block the absorption of another.


3. Food allergies, colitis, ileitus and mobility disorders all interfere with vitamin absorption. So does decreased stomach acid or the regular use of stomach acid suppressant pills.


4. Certain drugs block absorption of certain nutrients. Statin drugs (such as Lipitor) interfere with absorption of CoQ10. Check with the pharmacy or doctor.


5. Prolonged use of antibiotics kills off beneficial gut bacteria which produce some natural nutrients. Probiotics are very important.


6. The RDA - The recommended daily allowance is an average figure. It does not take into account your individual needs of absorption.


7. I don't like the A-Z multivitamins. Too little of what you really need, too much of what you don't need.


8. It is easy to manufacture inexpensive and inferior forms of most vitamins. Beware of the bargains.


9. There are many tests to determine your vitamin needs and absorption. You don't have to guess or waste money.


10. Vitamins should come from food. Unfortunately our foods are overly processed, preserved, contain additives for freshness (if its old, spoiled or preserved, I want to know about it). So who is going to eat 3lbs. of brocolli and drink a gallon of OJ daily? - That's why we need supplements.