Today the startup that I work for Sharepractice http://sharepractice.com/ was featured in an article in Fast Company today. Here is a link to the article http://www.fastcoexist.com/3028524/a-yelp-for-medicine-so-doctors-can-rate-whether-treatments-work They did a good job succinctly explaining what our app does. We allow medical professionals to rate treatments for efficacy including drugs, supplements, and procedures.
We are excited as our hard work is paying off and we are beginning to get high quality information from healthcare practitioners to other healthcare practitioners in a format that is easy to use. Medical providers can check us out in the app store for iphone. Check us out and put in some practice pearls! Vote on your favorite treatments. Tell us what you would like to see. Dream big!
Wednesday, April 16, 2014
Bras contributing to breast cancer?
After my talk at the Dhyana Center last week there were some questions about whether bras contribute to breast cancer. I have been researching it a bit and there does seem to be a link. The theory is that bras (especially poorly fitting ones) constrict lymphatic flow in the breast to the axillary nodes in armpit. http://www.inquisitr.com/1202191/your-bra-may-be-killing-you-scientists-call-for-boycott-of-komen/ This may be important because lymphatic flow traffics both toxins and white blood cells.
Of note more breast cancers occur in the outer quadrant of the breast. However some researchers do not attribute this to bras and deodorants, but to the fact that this quadrant has more tissue... http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/15767185
Also of note many underarm deodorants contain parabens, substances that have estrogenic effects due to their ability to bind estrogen receptors. Combine this with an antiperspirant and you no longer can excrete the toxins from your lymph via sweat. http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/12975767
I do think it is feasible to say that the combination of impaired lymph flow may contribute to breast cancer, be it via antiperspirants or bras. Do they cause cancer in and of themselves? Probably not.
Again, To get breast cancer 3 basic things have to happen: 1.You have to mutate key genes in the DNA that lead to uncontrolled cell growth. You have to have DNA repair mechanisms impaired. 2. You have to have growth promoters (hormones and xenoestrogens) so those cells can grow. 3.You have to have the immune system not function in getting to and killing these cells.
Taking a look via a medical anthropologists lens, wearing a bra and deodorant is relatively new.. Roughly 2 generations out of 100,000+ years of human history. Cultures that go bra and deodorantless have way less breast cancer (although that may be due to a multitude of other factors). Here is a link to the book about bras and how they may contribute to cancerhttp://www.amazon.com/Dressed-To-Kill-between-Breast/dp/1930858051
In the end, I know it is a hard sell to recommend not wearing a bra, but to start I do recommend not wearing one at night. I am not in favor of antiperspirants of any type and especially not ones with parabens or aluminum.
Keep the questions coming!
Of note more breast cancers occur in the outer quadrant of the breast. However some researchers do not attribute this to bras and deodorants, but to the fact that this quadrant has more tissue... http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/15767185
Also of note many underarm deodorants contain parabens, substances that have estrogenic effects due to their ability to bind estrogen receptors. Combine this with an antiperspirant and you no longer can excrete the toxins from your lymph via sweat. http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/12975767
I do think it is feasible to say that the combination of impaired lymph flow may contribute to breast cancer, be it via antiperspirants or bras. Do they cause cancer in and of themselves? Probably not.
Again, To get breast cancer 3 basic things have to happen: 1.You have to mutate key genes in the DNA that lead to uncontrolled cell growth. You have to have DNA repair mechanisms impaired. 2. You have to have growth promoters (hormones and xenoestrogens) so those cells can grow. 3.You have to have the immune system not function in getting to and killing these cells.
Taking a look via a medical anthropologists lens, wearing a bra and deodorant is relatively new.. Roughly 2 generations out of 100,000+ years of human history. Cultures that go bra and deodorantless have way less breast cancer (although that may be due to a multitude of other factors). Here is a link to the book about bras and how they may contribute to cancerhttp://www.amazon.com/Dressed-To-Kill-between-Breast/dp/1930858051
In the end, I know it is a hard sell to recommend not wearing a bra, but to start I do recommend not wearing one at night. I am not in favor of antiperspirants of any type and especially not ones with parabens or aluminum.
Keep the questions coming!
Tuesday, April 15, 2014
Breast Cancer Prevention
Breast Cancer Prevention is not getting a mammogram. It is not getting your genes tested. I am disappointed to see such things being touted as prevention on the major cancer society websites. A few years ago Dr. Tierona Low Dog was speaking at a conference I was at and she said a very profound thing... "We'll never win the war on cancer until we agriculture and manufacturing at the table". This blew me away. Was she suggesting that how we live our lives, the things we make, the very things we eat may contribute to causing cancer? It was the first time I heard it being openly spoken at a medical conference. http://www.drlowdog.com/
Of course it does not take a PhD or MD to understand that our lifestyle is causing this. I think most of us intuitively know this. However, for those of us with advanced degrees, we must see proof. That proof is here, to the tune of billions of dollars of research dollars. Yet, the word is not getting out. Doctors are not talking with patients (who has the time in a 15 min appointment) about these factors. In many cases the medical system is complicit. For most of my oncology patients, I am the only doctor to ask them why they think they got cancer.
I have decided to spend my time here in Sonoma county looking at the risk factors that have led Marin and Sonoma county to having the highest breast cancer rates in the world. http://www.zerobreastcancer.org/breast-cancer-in-marin I think that the reasons may be due to the affluent lifestyle we enjoy here. I intend to spend time speaking to patients and professionals about the factors and use real world solutions to mitigate these environmental factors.
To get breast cancer 3 basic things have to happen: 1.You have to mutate key genes in the DNA that lead to uncontrolled cell growth. You have to have DNA repair mechanisms impaired. 2. You have to have growth promoters (hormones and xenoestrogens) so those cells can grow. 3.You have to have the immune system not function in killing these cells. To resolve these issues we will have to take a look at the causes of 1,2, and 3 and have a real conversation about how those chemicals, radiation, hormones, and xenoestrogens got into our bodies.
Breast Cancer Prevention is addressing the actual factors that cause breast cancer. It is actually addressing the environmental degradation that has led to the ever increasing toxic molecules in the air, water, and earth. It is addressing the economic and political factors that allow such things to occur. It is conducting research as to how xenoestrogenic compounds get into our bodies and how to get them out. Please come to one of my talks on Breast Cancer Prevention or schedule one for more information. See also Events and Resources on my website www.drchrisholder.com
More to come... Who is with me?
Of course it does not take a PhD or MD to understand that our lifestyle is causing this. I think most of us intuitively know this. However, for those of us with advanced degrees, we must see proof. That proof is here, to the tune of billions of dollars of research dollars. Yet, the word is not getting out. Doctors are not talking with patients (who has the time in a 15 min appointment) about these factors. In many cases the medical system is complicit. For most of my oncology patients, I am the only doctor to ask them why they think they got cancer.
I have decided to spend my time here in Sonoma county looking at the risk factors that have led Marin and Sonoma county to having the highest breast cancer rates in the world. http://www.zerobreastcancer.org/breast-cancer-in-marin I think that the reasons may be due to the affluent lifestyle we enjoy here. I intend to spend time speaking to patients and professionals about the factors and use real world solutions to mitigate these environmental factors.
To get breast cancer 3 basic things have to happen: 1.You have to mutate key genes in the DNA that lead to uncontrolled cell growth. You have to have DNA repair mechanisms impaired. 2. You have to have growth promoters (hormones and xenoestrogens) so those cells can grow. 3.You have to have the immune system not function in killing these cells. To resolve these issues we will have to take a look at the causes of 1,2, and 3 and have a real conversation about how those chemicals, radiation, hormones, and xenoestrogens got into our bodies.
Breast Cancer Prevention is addressing the actual factors that cause breast cancer. It is actually addressing the environmental degradation that has led to the ever increasing toxic molecules in the air, water, and earth. It is addressing the economic and political factors that allow such things to occur. It is conducting research as to how xenoestrogenic compounds get into our bodies and how to get them out. Please come to one of my talks on Breast Cancer Prevention or schedule one for more information. See also Events and Resources on my website www.drchrisholder.com
More to come... Who is with me?
Thursday, February 6, 2014
Gifts of Life. Embrace of Death. What is in between?
I am not at war with death, I embrace death. An awkward statement to make by one who is in the medical profession. Healing does not require life to continue unendingly. It merely requires us to accept the gift of life in a body and accept the gift of the death of that body. Life is a cycle of gifts. The sun gifts us light. The plants gift us photosynthesis and with that a plethora of unique life giving substances via fruits, vegetables, building materials, and healing compounds. Animals gift us our lives so that we may live. May we too gift our lives so the earth may live. I wish to make the fruits of my life a gift so others may live. To do so I must embrace life and ultimately death. My ceasing to exist allows for new ones to bring forth their gifts. Often our attempts to avoid death are a great boon to the economy, yet ultimately will fail. Death comes for us all.
All of these things in the natural world are given to us. Yet increasingly our lives are taken over by a commoditization of everything. Humans have figured out how to charge for everything... even yoga :) Increasingly our lives are spent “making money” and servicing the unending debt that is required to have a “normal” life in this society. As a descendant of slaves, I am troubled to look at my life and see the multitude of ways that I am still a slave. I love Bob Marley’s lyrics “Emancipate yourselves from mental slavery, none but ourselves can free our minds... Have no fear for atomic energy..” Must have struck a chord as “Redemption Song” has over 29 million hits on You Tube. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OFGgbT_VasI&feature=kp
In attempting to emancipate myself I ran across the book “Sacred Economics: Money, Gift, and Society in an Age of Transition” by Charles Eisenstein. I started it on my plane ride this morning up to Seattle and have been unable to put it down. I am especially excited as his book promises to offer tangible solutions, not just trash on the problems with the status quo. I look forward to hearing his thoughts and solutions... Check it out. http://charleseisenstein.net/project/sacred-economics/
http://sacred-economics.com/film/
This exploration has lead to a newfound purpose in my life. In the time between my birth and death, I will strive for two things: Helping others heal themselves and the planet, and helping others emancipate themselves from financial slavery... May our lives be a great gift to the whole. Here’s to a great adventure!
All of these things in the natural world are given to us. Yet increasingly our lives are taken over by a commoditization of everything. Humans have figured out how to charge for everything... even yoga :) Increasingly our lives are spent “making money” and servicing the unending debt that is required to have a “normal” life in this society. As a descendant of slaves, I am troubled to look at my life and see the multitude of ways that I am still a slave. I love Bob Marley’s lyrics “Emancipate yourselves from mental slavery, none but ourselves can free our minds... Have no fear for atomic energy..” Must have struck a chord as “Redemption Song” has over 29 million hits on You Tube. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OFGgbT_VasI&feature=kp
In attempting to emancipate myself I ran across the book “Sacred Economics: Money, Gift, and Society in an Age of Transition” by Charles Eisenstein. I started it on my plane ride this morning up to Seattle and have been unable to put it down. I am especially excited as his book promises to offer tangible solutions, not just trash on the problems with the status quo. I look forward to hearing his thoughts and solutions... Check it out. http://charleseisenstein.net/project/sacred-economics/
http://sacred-economics.com/film/
This exploration has lead to a newfound purpose in my life. In the time between my birth and death, I will strive for two things: Helping others heal themselves and the planet, and helping others emancipate themselves from financial slavery... May our lives be a great gift to the whole. Here’s to a great adventure!
Sunday, January 19, 2014
Gratitude
Be grateful for this life, your one beautiful life in this body. Be gentle with yourself and with others. Life is too short to waste on that which is not lasting, true, and beautiful. Grieve sweetly, love fully. Hold each other.
I am grateful for my life, its trials, tribulations, elations. I thank all my exes for tough love, my sisters for tougher love. I am grateful for my teachers, for my my path. I am grateful for joy. I am grateful for pain.
I am grateful for my sweet love Jen... How did I get so lucky? I am grateful for nature and all it provides. I am grateful for emotions and how they get trapped and expressed in my body.
I am grateful for music, musicians, sirens, and audiophiles. I am grateful for Nina Simone http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GUcXI2BIUOQ.
I am grateful for ted talks http://www.ted.com/talks/louie_schwartzberg_nature_beauty_gratitude.html
I am grateful for gratitude. http://www.ted.com/talks/david_steindl_rast_want_to_be_happy_be_grateful.html
I am grateful for you.
I am grateful for my life, its trials, tribulations, elations. I thank all my exes for tough love, my sisters for tougher love. I am grateful for my teachers, for my my path. I am grateful for joy. I am grateful for pain.
I am grateful for my sweet love Jen... How did I get so lucky? I am grateful for nature and all it provides. I am grateful for emotions and how they get trapped and expressed in my body.
I am grateful for music, musicians, sirens, and audiophiles. I am grateful for Nina Simone http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GUcXI2BIUOQ.
I am grateful for ted talks http://www.ted.com/talks/louie_schwartzberg_nature_beauty_gratitude.html
I am grateful for gratitude. http://www.ted.com/talks/david_steindl_rast_want_to_be_happy_be_grateful.html
I am grateful for you.
Sunday, December 8, 2013
Leaning out...
Ironically I am writing this from an RV with my 4 year old daughter Penelope crawling all over me making otter noises... Yes after years of schooling, 2 advanced degrees, and a six figure income; I am starting over. I left a thriving practice in Seattle to come to California and find myself. Stupid maybe, entertaining yes. In the process of re-envisioning my life, I am running into trouble. Financial trouble, parenting trouble, career management trouble... I started out my career so promising, despite many challenges I somehow managed to land on my feet, grow a practice all the while co-parenting my daughter 50% of the time since she was 9 months old and resisting the temptation to put on a video for hours on end so I can work. I cook her organic fresh meals full of vegetables that she does not like. She tells me this daily.
In the end I have a bittersweet taste in my mouth. I am 33, unmarried, un-housed, and in a ridiculous amount of debt from all that schooling that was supposed to deliver me from that life of poverty I was accustomed to. In a way it has, have a higher standard of living than I grew up with. But alas there is not enough time, I need another 10 years to become a good provider. Yet time is not on my side in terms of having a family. My sperm are aging as I am dismayed to note, as more and more papers assert that male fertility like female fertility begins to drop off at 35. Many papers are linking autism spectrum disorders to aging fathers. Putting to end the myth and notion that males can indefinitely have healthy children. My own father is on the spectrum making it likely that I carry some of those genes. I always dreamed of having a happy family. Unfortunately, I spent the better part of my peak fertility chasing women that had no intention of partnering themselves to me. I feel a constant pressure to "do it all", have the family, career, house, car, all the things that make for a normal life in America. In the end, I have lost myself. I spend lots of time taking care of others, my child, and very little time on myself. I have a growing rage inside at having worked so hard only to see my career dwindle as I put in time and energy raising my child. Knowing that inside, if I don't exihibt sucess, then I won't be a good producer, and if I am not a good producer, then I will not be fit for a long term relationship. I have no trouble attracting women, they just don't stay when I can't keep up the pace of "doing it all". I am finding it very hard to advance my career while being a good parent. Let alone have time to have a relationship. Consequently, women come and go in my life as they should when I can no longer do the things that attracted them to me in the first place.
Every day I swallow my anger and resist my urge to scream "This is not my life!!" at the top of my lungs. I hate being a single parent, it boils my insides every day. It was the last thing I wanted in life after growing up in a single parent immigrant home. I love my career and wish I could spend more time at it. At first I blamed and aimed my anger and vitriol toward Penelope's mother, later I turned a corner and began blaming myself. For A Long Time. As I move and start my life over in a new place I have come to realize that what is happening is beyond myself and the choices I have made. The world is and has been changing, rapidly. Faster than this guy or guys in general can adapt to the demands of the world we find ourselves in. Consequently, both men and women are unhappy and unhappily ever after. And no one is writing a men's book about it. I have tried to find it. Maybe there should not be a "men's" book, but some guidelines and leadership to allow both sexes to work together.
The world is changing, women are "leaning in" to borrow Sheryl Sandberg of Facebook phrase from her book "Lean in" http://leanin.org/. I am in a profession that is predominantly women. (Naturopathic medicine... Medicine in general is also looking to be predominantly female as there are less and less males going into it as a profession). As I look back at the second paragraph of this blog I am struck by the notion that what I am experiencing is what women have been experiencing for a long time. The tension of having to figure out how to juggle family life with career aspirations. All the while feeling like we are doing both poorly. (Right now I have a pink teddy bear and a mermaid laying across my arms as I type). I wonder what will happen to all the men that lean out so women can lean in...
Since there were no books I could find to guide me in this brave new world, I have picked up "Lean In" to see what if any advice there is to men. I am lost. My initiatory experiences as a male have not prepared me for this world. I was programmed with antiquated notions of what my role is. I am programmed to be a provider. I am not the only male in this place. I am just the only one brave enough or stupid enough to write about it on a public forum. As the battle of the sexes rages on, I wonder when we can stop battling and move into true partnership. I am seeking partnership not just romantically, but as a society, so that all may lead fulfilling lives. I am now retiring this to go make a fort with my daughter. Stay tuned.
In the end I have a bittersweet taste in my mouth. I am 33, unmarried, un-housed, and in a ridiculous amount of debt from all that schooling that was supposed to deliver me from that life of poverty I was accustomed to. In a way it has, have a higher standard of living than I grew up with. But alas there is not enough time, I need another 10 years to become a good provider. Yet time is not on my side in terms of having a family. My sperm are aging as I am dismayed to note, as more and more papers assert that male fertility like female fertility begins to drop off at 35. Many papers are linking autism spectrum disorders to aging fathers. Putting to end the myth and notion that males can indefinitely have healthy children. My own father is on the spectrum making it likely that I carry some of those genes. I always dreamed of having a happy family. Unfortunately, I spent the better part of my peak fertility chasing women that had no intention of partnering themselves to me. I feel a constant pressure to "do it all", have the family, career, house, car, all the things that make for a normal life in America. In the end, I have lost myself. I spend lots of time taking care of others, my child, and very little time on myself. I have a growing rage inside at having worked so hard only to see my career dwindle as I put in time and energy raising my child. Knowing that inside, if I don't exihibt sucess, then I won't be a good producer, and if I am not a good producer, then I will not be fit for a long term relationship. I have no trouble attracting women, they just don't stay when I can't keep up the pace of "doing it all". I am finding it very hard to advance my career while being a good parent. Let alone have time to have a relationship. Consequently, women come and go in my life as they should when I can no longer do the things that attracted them to me in the first place.
Every day I swallow my anger and resist my urge to scream "This is not my life!!" at the top of my lungs. I hate being a single parent, it boils my insides every day. It was the last thing I wanted in life after growing up in a single parent immigrant home. I love my career and wish I could spend more time at it. At first I blamed and aimed my anger and vitriol toward Penelope's mother, later I turned a corner and began blaming myself. For A Long Time. As I move and start my life over in a new place I have come to realize that what is happening is beyond myself and the choices I have made. The world is and has been changing, rapidly. Faster than this guy or guys in general can adapt to the demands of the world we find ourselves in. Consequently, both men and women are unhappy and unhappily ever after. And no one is writing a men's book about it. I have tried to find it. Maybe there should not be a "men's" book, but some guidelines and leadership to allow both sexes to work together.
The world is changing, women are "leaning in" to borrow Sheryl Sandberg of Facebook phrase from her book "Lean in" http://leanin.org/. I am in a profession that is predominantly women. (Naturopathic medicine... Medicine in general is also looking to be predominantly female as there are less and less males going into it as a profession). As I look back at the second paragraph of this blog I am struck by the notion that what I am experiencing is what women have been experiencing for a long time. The tension of having to figure out how to juggle family life with career aspirations. All the while feeling like we are doing both poorly. (Right now I have a pink teddy bear and a mermaid laying across my arms as I type). I wonder what will happen to all the men that lean out so women can lean in...
Since there were no books I could find to guide me in this brave new world, I have picked up "Lean In" to see what if any advice there is to men. I am lost. My initiatory experiences as a male have not prepared me for this world. I was programmed with antiquated notions of what my role is. I am programmed to be a provider. I am not the only male in this place. I am just the only one brave enough or stupid enough to write about it on a public forum. As the battle of the sexes rages on, I wonder when we can stop battling and move into true partnership. I am seeking partnership not just romantically, but as a society, so that all may lead fulfilling lives. I am now retiring this to go make a fort with my daughter. Stay tuned.
Sunday, November 3, 2013
Starting Over
Last night was a solar eclipse. I don't know much about astrology, but when I looked up the meaning I found out that solar eclipses mark new beginnings. http://www.astrologyzone.com/forecasts/eclipse.html Today is a new beginning for me. Yesterday I flew down to Sebastopol, CA my new home and left Seattle. I will be joining Hill Park Medical Center for those who don't know. http://hillparkmedicalcenter.com/ I have lived in Seattle since I was 18. I went to college and med school there and never left. Seattle has been my home base for many exciting adventures. It has been my home where much learning and maturing has come to fruition.
It has also been made clear to me in the last year that my time there is coming to an end. There are bigger things ahead for my life. I am not entirely sure what these are, but they are eminent. I started reading Michael Pollen's new book "Cooked" http://michaelpollan.com/books/cooked/ yesterday on the plane. There was a section where it was being discussed the differences between humans and animals, one of which was the concept of cooking food. This got me thinking about another concept that is somewhat uniquely human other than a few exceptions... Tool making.
Many of you who know me know that I have had a long standing criticism of the role of technology in our lives. I am constantly struggle with the long term consequences of the technology I choose to have in my life. My iphone also falls into these bittersweet musings. Ironically in this move I have had to buy a car (a hybrid of course), something that has always bothered me. I also love practical gifts and making things that make my life better. Another Irony is that I am going to be working with Share Practice http://sharepractice.com/, Andrew Brandies' brainchild linking conventional and alternative medicines in a easy to use app that is going to revolutionize medicine. In the end, our role as humans in toolmaking is extraordinary, I am now joining humanity in assisting in making a cool tool for practitioners.
Where am I going as in individual? Where are we going as humanity? I am excited to begin my new beginning.
It has also been made clear to me in the last year that my time there is coming to an end. There are bigger things ahead for my life. I am not entirely sure what these are, but they are eminent. I started reading Michael Pollen's new book "Cooked" http://michaelpollan.com/books/cooked/ yesterday on the plane. There was a section where it was being discussed the differences between humans and animals, one of which was the concept of cooking food. This got me thinking about another concept that is somewhat uniquely human other than a few exceptions... Tool making.
Many of you who know me know that I have had a long standing criticism of the role of technology in our lives. I am constantly struggle with the long term consequences of the technology I choose to have in my life. My iphone also falls into these bittersweet musings. Ironically in this move I have had to buy a car (a hybrid of course), something that has always bothered me. I also love practical gifts and making things that make my life better. Another Irony is that I am going to be working with Share Practice http://sharepractice.com/, Andrew Brandies' brainchild linking conventional and alternative medicines in a easy to use app that is going to revolutionize medicine. In the end, our role as humans in toolmaking is extraordinary, I am now joining humanity in assisting in making a cool tool for practitioners.
Where am I going as in individual? Where are we going as humanity? I am excited to begin my new beginning.
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