Holiday Gift Suggestions

Instead of harping on your usual holiday behavior of stuffing your face with whatever you want and using the excuse … ”its the holidays!,” I have decided to give you some gift suggestions that will improve the health of anyone you get the gifts for.

Let’s start with some reading material for those few of you and your friends that still read books. Of course there are YouTube versions of all these authors for those of you who have given up on reading. For me there is nothing like the print version that I can dog ear, markup and review again but I know the idea of a buying a physical book is fading like the memory of most 90 year olds.

First is a magnificent book on vaccines by Dr. Suzanne Humphries entitled Dissolving Illusions. I too thought that vaccines had saved more lives than any medication but after reading this book, and others, I now have a different view and so will you! Dr. Humphries was a practicing nephrologist (kidney specialist) when she started to investigate why her very sick patients were being given flu shots routinely when hospitalized and that changed her life forever. The book is not about her … the book is about the science and history of vaccination

Second is another book by a nephrologist but this one focuses on diet. Dr. Jason Fung wrote Intermittent Fasting after watching one too many diabetic patients end up on dialysis after pill after pill did nothing to affect their disease progression. Other longevity specialists call it time limited eating but the basic idea is there is nothing easier or more straightforward than fasting to improve your health. Gluten issues? Try fasting. Money issues? Try fasting. Food allergies? Try fasting. Limited food choices? Try fasting.
Fasting has been used for thousands of years to lose weight and improve your health. Dr. Fung lays out the when, where and whys in a very straightforward and simple manner. This book is not just for diabetics either. Anyone who has an interest in improving their health, their immune system, their mitochondria, etc. will benefit from this book.

Two other books I highly recommend are Dr. Thomas Levy’s Death by Calcium where he lays out the real cause of osteoporosis and details how dangerous calcium supplementation (other than through diet) may actually be. This book is not about his opinions … it is a scientific exploration of the actual effects of calcium in your body. If calcium supplements are as good for you as your health professional urges … why are drugs that block their effect so beneficial in dealing with hypertension and heart disease? The final book I recommend is by the great Dr. Robert Lustig who wrote The Hacking of the American Mind which lays out exactly why so many of us are addicted and depressed. It’s a fabulous read which will leave you very worried about the current health situation and future generations as well. We are doomed if we keep going down our current path but he lays out simple easy steps to reverse course.

For those of you less erudite let me recommend that instead of another sweater you consider a gift certificate this year … not to Dicks or Destiny … not that there’s anything wrong with that but what about a gift certificate for a massage for someone who works out all the time. A certificate for an hypnosis or acupuncture session for the person you love that still smokes or is in chronic pain. -That may be the gift that keeps on giving! 

Finally, give the gift of time and yourself … spend some time volunteering … spend some time in the nursing home … spend some time with your wife … your kids … your aunt Em. Take someone you care about but don’t see that often to a show. Check out the great Desantis at the Palace show Sunday December 9th. Fabulous orchestra, great venue, local singing talent, holiday tunes and fresh popcorn. -How can you go wrong with that?!

Until next month … get well … stay well.Merry Christmas and God bless us every one!

Table Hopping