Treat The Cause Not The Symptom

(Originally appeared in the July 15, 2004 edition of the Century City News)

  

Holistic medicine looks at the causes of ailments and aids the human body in drawing upon its own healing powers. The human body is an intelligent self-sufficient system that holds enormous healing powers. It is an entire universe constantly working to maintain a state of balance. When the weather gets too hot, you sweat in order to lower the body’s temperature. During cold weather, your body keeps heat inside itself. During this process alone, there are millions of cells working together to keep the body in proper function. Each cell is well programmed to do its own job and keep you healthy. Disease usually enters the body when cells become confused and deprogrammed so they stop working for you and thus you are thrown off balance.

Homeopathy, a prominent form of medicine, draws from the body’s inherent strengths to heal itself. This form of science works on a sub-physiological level. Meaning, it works with the energy of the body to create a state of balance where all the cells are harmoniously working together. This 200 year old system of medicine treats the person and not the disease whether the condition is acute, chronic or even life debilitating.

The Encino-Acu Medical Center, run by Dr. Salar Farahmand, has been dedicated in the research and unique practices of this science. Dr. Farahmand has helped many people overcome disease and reach a state of balance by giving them individualized homeopathic treatments.

Homeopathic medicines are tiny doses of naturally occurring substances used to stimulate the body's innate healing powers. Because the doses are so small, these remedies are completely non-toxic, non-addictive and there are no side effects. Yet their effectiveness has been proven repeatedly in double-blind clinical trials. With its therapeutic properties, low expense and two hundred year history, homeopathy has the potential to become the medicine of the future. Homeopathy is gaining recognition throughout much of the world, comprising a significant part of the national health program in many European countries. For example, in England there are entire hospitals within the national health program devoted to the homeopathic care of patients.

Based on the Greek words homoios, meaning "similar", and pathos, meaning "disease", Homeopathy works through the Law of Similars, or likes curing likes. This means that if a substance produces certain symptoms in a healthy person, then a homeopathically prepared dilution of that substance will help treat similar symptoms in a sick person. Homeopathic medicines are chosen holistically, taking into account the patient's physical, mental and emotional symptoms and characteristics.

The process of immunization is similar to homeopathy: a vaccination is a minute dose of a substance that can cause physical symptoms, given to increase the body's resistance to similar, but more serious symptoms. The difference is that the vaccine usually of actual killed microorganisms, and creates a controlled immune response, whereas homeopathic remedies are usually taken from natural substances which stimulate more than just the immune system to facilitate healing.

A medical doctor named Samuel Hahnemann is recognized as the father of modern Homeopathy. He stumbled onto the concept when he was identifying and cataloguing new medicinal herbs. He often experimented on himself, and carefully noted his symptoms and their duration with each new medication. When he took a large dose of cinchona bark, which was used to treat malaria, he was amazed to experience symptoms of malaria. They lasted only a few hours, and recurred consistently every time he took another dose. If large doses of a substance create certain toxic symptoms in a healthy person, then homeopathic doses of the same substance can be used to cure the same disease, or one with similar toxic symptoms. Further experimentation revealed that this principle was true for hundreds of substances. Hahnemann spent the rest of his life testing and documenting the effects of micro-doses of medicinal herbs.

These micro-doses are prepared by taking an extract of the original herb, mineral, or animal substance and putting it through a series of dilutions. Between each dilution, the preparation is succussed, or vigorously agitated with impact -- a process which is believed to capture in the diluent fluid (usually water) the living essence or biological information of the herb. Unlike allopathic drug, with every step of dilution and succussion, the potency or strength of the substance is increased. How homeopathy works is not completely understood, but it is clearly the succussion process which is responsible for transferring or incorporating therapeutic properties to the diluent, as preparations which are diluted but not succussed are ineffective.

Homeopathic remedies offer a wide variety of benefits:

•      Effectively treat the symptom of disease.

•      Release toxins from storage sites in tissues.

•      Facilitate drainage of toxins and their elimination from the body.

•      Desensitize the body to prevent and treat allergic reactions.

•      Increase one's ability to withstand stresses without undue harm.

•      Antidote to substances which poison the system.

•      Aid in the assimilation and absorption of nutrients in the body.

•      Neutralize the action of free-radicals and help to repair and regenerate the damaged cells and tissues.

•      Revitalize and support the immune system.

Ingredients for these remedies are obtained from plants, naturally-occurring chemicals and minerals, animal substances, and other biological sources. More than half of the 3000 commonly used homeopathic remedies are derived from plant sources, such as roots, stems, leaves, bark, flowers, buds, fruits, berries, seeds, and whole plants. Other sources of homeopathic ingredients can be mineral (such as calcium), chemical (sulphur, etc.)or animal extract (snake venom).

Upon taking a homeopathic remedy, one may initially experience a mild, brief worsening of symptoms, called a healing crisis. This is taken as a sign that the remedy has allowed the disease to express itself and it is indeed correct for that illness. The healing crisis is usually followed by a disappearance of symptoms. Hahnemann felt that the remedy artificially reproduced the illness in the body, to stimulate the body's natural defenses to destroy the disease, and his observations of hundreds of patients supported this theory.

Homeopathics are generally regarded by the FDA as safe, due to their extreme dilution. They are listed in the U.S. Homeopathic Pharmacopia and are controlled by the Homeopathic Pharmacopia Convention of the United States, which is responsible for establishing standards for the industry, in collaboration with the FDA.

Dr. Salar Farahmand received his M.D. in Iran where he practiced Pediatric and Preventitive Medicine. He holds a Doctorate Degree in both Homeopathic Medicine and Oriental Medicine, it a Certified Naturopathic Physician and California Licensed Acupuncturist, and holds a Ph.D. in Disorders caused by changes in the environment. He currently works out of his office in Encino, California, specializing in using mineral salt therapy, traditional and clinical homeopathy, acupuncture and magnet therapy on acupuncture points to manage pain, treat disease and rehabilitate the body. You can reach Dr. Farahmand at 818.501.2000

The Shape of Things

(Originally appeared in the July 1, 2004 edition of the Century City News)

The newest villain to invade our psyche (while expanding our waistlines) is the dreaded carb. Naturally, we react in typical fashion by wiping it out altogether, banishing it from breads, snacks, and even beer. Banning it from any public display will undoubtedly render us skinny.

Or so we thought. Here we are, months into the low carb/no carb movement and waistlines are still bulging. It’s time to rethink the calories and rewrite nutritional plans.  Even the USDA is taking a look into how to redesign the classic food pyramid so people have a better understanding of healthy eating.

Rather than practice extreme dieting and eliminating an entire food group, pay attention to the amount of calories consumed each day. Many foods that scream  “low-carb” or “no-carb” contain as many calories as their full-carb cousins. Sometimes even more.’ “The low-carbohydrate claim on a label does not necessarily mean low calorie”, says David Heber, M.D., Heber, director of Center for Human Nutrition at University of California, Los Angeles. “Many of these foods contain sweeteners which may have the same number of calories as regular sugar, and there are ‘low carb’ candy bars available that contain 200 calories”, says Heber. 

Not all carbs are evil; there are the good carbs, think fruits and veggies, and whole grains such as brown rice and whole wheat pasta.  Fruits, vegetables and whole grains have fewer calories ‘per bite’ than do more refined carbohydrates such as white rice, cakes and cookies.  Also, in addition to vitamins, mineral and fiber, these healthy carbohydrates contain a wealth of healthy phytonutrients – plant compounds which provide additional health benefits.    

In addition to watching caloric intake, a high-protein diet can help one lose weight. But eating healthy protein is the key. There’s no point in eating a high protein diet if that protein is clogging your arteries at the same time.  Poultry breast, egg whites, fish and shellfish, soy and whey protein powders and nonfat milk are excellent sources of high quality, low fat protein. 

“Because protein plays a key role in controlling hunger, it is the key to weight loss,” says Dr. Heber.  “Increased daily protein intake, along with exercise, builds muscle and lean body mass. The more lean body mass you have, the higher your metabolism and the more calories you’ll burn.”

A study published in Journal of Nutrition reported on the effects of a diet high in protein compared with a high carbohydrate diet.  Those individuals in the high protein group experienced greater improvements in body composition with an increased ratio of fat to muscle loss over those consuming the high carbohydrate diet.  The same study concluded that test subjects eating higher protein diets reported a higher level of satiety.

The challenge is in knowing how to implement these recommendations.  One option is to substitute a protein-rich meal replacement shake for breakfast and/or lunch.

According to experts reporting at the North American Association for the Study of Obesity annual meeting, studies show that people who follow a meal replacement plan not only lose more weight, but also weigh less over time – on average about 33 pounds less over a ten year time span than those who follow a traditional weight loss plan. Dr. Heber also emphasizes the importance of exercise and eating a healthy, balanced meal when using meal replacement shakes instead of breakfast and lunch.

Products such as Herbalife’s new ShapeWorks™ meal replacement shakes use a combination of soy and whey proteins in an overall meal plan which allows individuals to personalize their daily protein intake.  Pre-mixed protein drinks typically don’t contain enough protein to replace a nutritious meal and to keep hunger at bay.   

Dieting is a personal process; food choices need to be made taking  each body’s specific needs into account.  Someone who is active all day requires more protein than a sedentary person because their bodies have more lean muscle mass. Likewise, men typically need to eat more protein than women.  By knowing how much protein your  body needs to in order to lose weight and build muscle, and how many calories the body burns each day, it is possible to reshape your  body in a positive and healthy manner.

Closing note:

Find out how much protein you should be consuming  daily and how many calories you burn at rest with a free “Shapescan” body analysis from Herbalife. .Call 866-61SHAPE to arrange free body analyses at your office, or go to www.shapeworks.com to arrange an individual body analysis with one of our ShapeWorks coaches.

Jim Lynch Hits the Road

(Originally appeared in the July 1, 2004 edition of the Century City News)

Jim Lynch is still burning the midnight oil.  Beverly Hills oil, that is.  July 12th marked Lynch’s official switch from Century City Chamber of Commerce Executive Director and CEO to heading up the chamber in Beverly Hills.  Some things never change, despite geography.  

“At least I’m not doing a midnight council meeting tonight. It’s good because I could use the sleep,” says an ambitious, yet calm and collected Lynch from his new Beverly Hills office, fresh from a three-day string of late-night city council meetings and 7 a.m. mornings. 

“I’ve just got a lot of stuff to take care of. I jumped right in from day one,” continues the Pasadena native, who is now working with the Los Angeles City Council on the Montage Hotel Project, a plan to replace some older buildings and a parking lot in Beverly Hills’ Golden Triangle with a five-star luxury hotel complete with retail, public gardens, and water treatments.

As Lynch gets straight to work a few miles away, the impression he leaves on the people and the businesses in Century City remains indelible. 

July 16th would have celebrated Marianne Klein’s fifth year working with Lynch at the Century City Chamber. “We’re a three-member office here, so I’ve always worked very closely with Jim as the Director of Membership,” says Klein, who has accumulated much respect for Lynch, as both a professional and a friend.  “He’s a walking dictionary and encyclopedia about the city, the population, development, and political issues.”

Many agree that Lynch’s knack for public service has been specifically instrumental in making The Century City Chamber what it is today.  

“I think he made the chamber a better place, a more amicable place,” continues Klein, “He made people feel welcome to the chamber as opposed to before he came. He was always so hospitable that it gave the chamber a better image.  I hear from others that ours is the best chamber in the vicinity--that it has never been run like this.”  

Stefan Pollack, current chair of the Century City Chamber’s Board of Directors and Vice President and CFO of The Pollack PR Marketing Group, was on the search committee that hired Lynch.  “In a nutshell,” says Pollack, “I have worked with Jim in just about every capacity.” 

Pollack’s meticulous remembrance of Lynch’s Century City achievements provides a good breakdown of Lynch’s impact on the community:

“During Jim's tenure with our chamber we had a lot of exciting things happen,” Pollack begins. “We saw our Golf Tournament grow to become our single biggest networking event and fundraiser in our history.  We reformatted and repurposed our Annual Luncheon and Citizen of the Year event, enabling it to grow and become one of the City's ‘must attend’ events. Jim also possesses a wonderful personal nature about him that allowed our chamber to become a warmer and friendlier environment.  Additionally, he brought greater civic and government visibility to our chamber on key issues that involved our entire community, such as…the recent hospital change over, as well as the many non-profit and charity activities that our chamber and Century City as a whole, rallies behind.”

But which of his Century City contributions makes Lynch, himself, most proud?  

“Something I’m really happy about that we were able to do during my time in Century City was build the MGM Tower and get unanimous approval from the Los Angeles City Council to develop the new 2000 Avenue of the Stars Project,” Lynch says modestly. “Those are two big achievements that I’m very pleased about.”

Lynch has also left his mark on several projects that are still ongoing in Century City today.  He worked to devise the Comprehensive Emergency Management Plan for all of Century City—a safety measure taken to ensure readiness in the event of a natural disaster or terrorist attack.  Due to the concentrated nature of the office towers and their occupants, a plan like this will continuously evolve. Additionally, the enduring Santa Monica Blvd. construction project is the largest street improvement project in the history of Los Angeles, and Lynch helped to coordinate it everyday by inspecting the site to ensure that people could get to and from work safely.  

The breaking-in process typical with a new CEO will be much smoother in Beverly Hills this summer thanks to Lynch’s experience in Century City.  “The same issues that face businesses in Century City are a lot of the same issues that face businesses in Beverly Hills,” says Michael Robinson, Director of Communications at the Beverly Hills Chamber of Commerce. “So even from a big picture perspective, it’s going to be a much smoother transition, I’m sure.”

Lynch’s move to Beverly Hills does not mean a complete shift away from Century City, however.  Key to Lynch’s continued involvement in Century City is his leadership of the Entertainment Industry Council, which he began during his time in Century City.  The  collaborative effort involves five chambers, including the Beverly Hills, Century City, Santa Monica, West Hollywood, and the Los Angeles Area Chambers of Commerce. “Lynch may no longer have authority as to the Century City Chamber’s organization,” adds Klein, “but when it comes to The Entertainment Industry Council, he will still be able to make decisions that may ultimately affect us in this chamber.”

While Lynch’s ties to Century City should remain strong, the chamber will undergo a definite adjustment period.  “Right now, we’re in mourning,” says Klein, “It depends on who takes over his leadership. He will be difficult to replace.”  

While there are several applicants eager to fill Lynch’s shoes, no decisions have been made just yet.  The Century City Chamber hopes to locate someone by August 1st.

Pollack is confident that Lynch’s legacy in Century City will nurture the chamber’s new leader.  “Jim leaving our chamber obviously leaves us with a great void to fill,” says Pollack, “but we are excited about our future, as Jim brought our chamber to a wonderful platform that any new person coming into the position will have to grow from.”

In late July, the Los Angeles City Council will honor Lynch for his years of service to the Los Angeles area.  From his venerated and evolving position, where does Lynch see Century City going?

Lynch replies, simply, “I think Century City has a great nucleus of people and a lot of dedicated volunteers that put together some wonderful programs, and I think they’ll do just fine.”