Clarity Promotes Safety and Health
Very Important Heart Health and Statins update!
The Latest on Covid19, Politicians and the CDC
from Dr. Dale Migliaccio, D.C.
Greetings!
This is my 11th Newsletter on Coronavirus, and this is the first time in awhile that I am attending to an additional key health topic; Heart Health and Statins. Please be sure to read that article below as it may be very important for you and/or someone you know.

We have created a Covid 19 Information and Resources grouping just below the latest Santa Barbara Updates/Facts. Here you will find past articles that are still pertinent and valuable resources to refer to and share with friends.

By sharing this you can help others reduce their risk and, at the same time, reduce their fear, and hopefully keep Santa Barbara open for business. Please see more specific information below regarding the situation in Santa Barbara. The good news is that I continue to be very proud of my patients. With their great efforts of taking care of themselves, I have still seen NO significant infections in my existing patients since early January! That is truly impressive and goes to show what can be done when you take preventative steps and behave intelligently.

Thanks to my caring patients that referred friends or loved ones, I have been fortunate enough to assist nine Covid-19 patients who have responded to our nutritional support in extremely rapid fashion and one Post Viral/Covid Syndrome patient. Even I have been surprised how quickly their recoveries have been. If you know someone who is sick and wants immune help, please have them call the office ASAP. The sooner they get proper support the better off they will be.
Dr. Dale Will Be Out of the Office!
The last real vacation we took was luckily a ski vacation the week before shut down! However, ever since the Virus and Shutdowns have taken place, I have worked more hours than I can remember. Finally, Laurie and I are off to Tahoe for some much needed recovery time.

I will be out of the office Thurs. Oct. 8th - Tues. Oct. 13th. I will be back in the office on Wed. the 14th. Please see either Dr. Mark or Dr. Niko while I am gone.
Covid Clarity, Politicians, the Media and the CDC
Clarity is very critical for you to be empowered to take the right steps in protecting yourself and loved ones from Covid-19. Unfortunately, in the midst of the greatest pandemic of our lifetimes, contradicting and mis-information is widespread. For many, this has made being clear, which are the right actions to take and not take, understandably challenging.

During President George W. Bush's administration, he very intelligently decided the U.S. needed a pandemic task force. He had read about the Great Influenza of the 1920's and realized that if this were to happen, we as a nation were fully unprepared and could be devastated.

So he started a task force to get us prepared, investing billions of dollars in Prevention, for health purposes. What a concept! Unfortunately, politicians thereafter, slowly but surely cut funds from this critically intelligent effort, one of the many reasons why the U.S. was far less prepared for Covid 19 than many less wealth nations.

However, a key point that the committee agreed on at that time was that "politicians" should not be the face of the efforts to fight an active pandemic. They should not be the spokespersons on the topic of the virus. Health experts should be the only speakers on the subject of the infection with the politicians speaking about the necessary economic strategies and support being provided by the government. When it comes to the infection and those specific strategies they should say, "listen to the experts."

The primary reason for this approach is that even the most loved politician has at least 30% of the population that does not trust them. And in reality, it's more often 40 - 50%. The task force knew that you need as great a percentage of the population as possible joining in concert with the defined program for fighting the pandemic in order to be successful. I will add that the politicians are also not even close to the knowledge of the experts in this arena, and often will contradict key information, creating more confusion.

Unfortunately, we have a President, a Governor, even County Supervisors who directly share false or poor information at best, frequently in direct contradiction of the experts (please recognize this is not a "political party" issue, they very effectively make this mistake on both sides of the fence). This creates confusion and conflict, not what you need when you are fighting a monster.

Regarding the media, need I say more? 98% percent of what they write about on this subject offers little to no value to you as an individual. They create mass confusion via clickbait articles designed to generate site traffic and revenue rather than provide critical, helpful and factual information. In fact, I can clearly say the Media is a Major Risk to your Health! Please be very selective in picking the articles that you read and when it comes to watching "the news", your nervous system is paying a price!

Unfortunately, and this creates even more problems, we have so called experts, i.e. our CDC director, Robert R. Redfield who is so incompetent, it can't be believed. He went so far as to say that people do not need to be tested if they found out they had been in contact with someone who during the time they were contagious, was Covid-19 positive!! He was forced to recant that idiotic statement a week later. It also took him until just the past week, to come to the conclusion that the Coronavirus is spread via airborne aerosols! Sorry but I just have to say, Dah! I wrote that this was the most significant form of viral spreading back in May and it was obvious to me significantly before that.

Please, as much as Redfield may say some accurate statements about Covid, the public should not trust what he says and he should be replaced. Unfortunately that is a political rats nest, so what "should" be done may not be.

Please understand that there will be disagreements about the virus and pandemic even amongst the experts. I have listened to extensive interviews by many of the most knowledgeable Pandemic and Coronavirus experts in the world and they agree on a lot and also disagree on some issues. Dr. Fauci, as much as I don't agree with the plan he put into place for addressing this pandemic, has taken the route that most world experts agree is the way to go. He doesn't make errors in what he says about the virus and he is very cautious about making statements that have not been "proven".

The bottom line, find a few sources that you trust and as usual be prepared, take care of yourself and loved ones. And anytime you have any unanswered question about Covid please email me at drdale@silcom.com and I'll get back to you asap.
Very Important Heart Health and Statins Update
This past August a very important study lead by 3 researchers from the U.S., Brazil and France was published in The British Medical Journal. This analysis selected the 35 highest quality research projects investigating the benefits of statins in lowering LDL Cholesterol levels to "target" ranges in Moderate and High-Risk groups under the age of 75. They were looking to see if the use of Statins significantly reduced the number of deaths and cardiovascular incidence enough to justify the broad spectrum prescribing of Statins.

The authors reported that 75% of these prior studies showed NO positive impact on the risk of early death. On a subject so thoroughly researched, one would expect a much higher correlation with positive results, especially considering this analysis looked only at the highest quality designs with the most reliable result. Much greater proof is usually required for a drug to be used with so many people.

The authors noted that the approach of lowering LDL levels into target zones to reduce mortality risk had never been validated. The research they performed made it very clear: when the Gold Standard, Double-Blinded Controlled studies, were thoroughly analyzed, the results showed that little to no benefit was reported in the majority of them.

An example from one representative paper showed no mortality benefit at all, with some reduced risk of a cardiovascular events. However, that reduced CV risk showed that out of every 56 individuals taking statins over 6 years, 55 would receive no benefit and one would have a reduction of cardiovascular events, even though all had shown lowered LDL levels into target ranges.

They also pointed out that from 2002 - 2013, statin usage in the U.S. doubled while cardiovascular deaths still rose. In Sweden, recent widespread utilization of statins did not equate to any significant reduction in acute myocardial infarction or deaths.

Of course each individual should have a thorough discussion with their doctor regarding the risk vs. reward of taking any medication. The following risks are noted to be among the Most Common in Statin users.

  • Muscle pain and damage
  • Liver damage and inflammation
  • Increased blood sugar or type 2 diabetes
  • Neurological side effects

Additionally, the following are the side-effects most commonly reported for the more popular Statin medications.

Simvastatin (Zocor)
  • Dizziness
  • Fainting
  • Irregular heart beat

Lipitor (Atorvastatin)
  • Hemorrhagic stroke
  • Arthralgia
  • Diarrhea
  • Nasopharyngitis

Rosuvastatin (Crestor)
  • Difficulty in moving
  • Joint pain or swelling
  • Muscle pain, cramps, spasms, or stiffness

Statin sales have provided some of the largest revenue streams for many pharmaceutical manufacturers.  At one point, Lipitor was the world’s best selling drug.  To date, it has generated over $170 billion globally.  Crestor, the next most popular statin, has generated over $63 billion since being introduced in 2003.  Despite the expiration of these patents, revenue for statins is expected to rise, with total sales on track to reach an estimated $1 trillion by 2020. 

It is a crime that a drug like this has been used for so many years (since 1987), at the cost of billions and billions of dollars, without providing significant beneficial results. This while producing serious side effects, some that are permanent, and has remained on the market and is still being prescribed extensively.

As is traditionally the case, you will find that a medical doctor who prescribes statins is very slow to change their viewpoint on this issue and will continue to argue that you should still take your Statin.
COVID-19 and Santa Barbara: Critical Keys and Facts
The Very Good News is that in Santa Barbara County, we have lowered our new cases and positivity rate to a level that qualifies us for an Red tier as defined by the state. This allows for increased opening of numerous small businesses!

With that good news of course comes the risk of increased exposure/infection rates, like what happened the last time we were open at this level. So, this is the time to be even Smarter and Be Safe! Please be really good with your supplements and wear your masks when indicated.

Again, I am proud of my patient base as, "knock on wood", no one has reported contracting Covid-19 under my care. This is what you can accomplish with Foundational Nutrition and Smarts!

The numbers for this Edition are based on the 10/01/20 Public Health Dept. report.

  • South County is currently averaging 7.4 new cases per day.
  • North County is averaging 21.2 new cases per day.
  • Test results are coming back positive 6% of the time.
  • To Date, 7,809 county residents have tested positive (prison excluded).
  • There are currently 23 patients hospitalized, with 6 in the ICU.
  • Total deaths has increased to 115, with the county averaging 0.43 deaths per day.

All of these numbers represent a trend in the right direction. The county as a whole is averaging 28.6 new cases and 0.43 deaths per day, the lowest either has been in over 3 1/2 months (June 15th and June 13th, respectively). The ICU has seen beds totaling in the single digits for 20 days straight now, while a 2 month stretch over summer (June 24th - August 27th) had at least 20 patients in the ICU everyday, reaching as high as 32.

All of the Positive cases I have treated have responded very quickly, with one exception who was limited on the supplements they could take. They still responded, just at a slower rate. Literally, this virus with those I have treated has been easier to treat, even with some fairly sick individuals, than the more severe Influenza cases I have to deal with every year. The reason why it looks so bad is that the majority of individuals end up in the hands of traditional M.D.'s who admittedly, if they are being honest, have very POOR tools for fighting most viruses, including this one. They primarily have to try and control symptoms rather than fight the virus itself.

Once again, highlighting the need for preventing exposure or being in a state of health that if you do get exposed you are able to handle this virus readily.
Critical Key #1: This is a Dangerous Virus for a small percentage of our population, those with chronic health challenges. This Virus is minimally dangerous for a large percentage of our population, most of those with no chronic health problems.

Low Risk vs. High Risk: We have 2 very distinct risk groups and this is our key. Those over 65 comprise about 16.5% of the total population, and the group most at risk is only portion of that. However, this age group makes up 80% of the deaths from Covid-19. If we include our 55 and over age group with chronic health problems then we have 91% of U.S. Covid-19 deaths.

The Key to minimizing deaths and re-closure is the Protection of individuals that are most at risk. We know who these individuals are. The are mostly over 65 and in the vast majority of cases have at least one chronic health condition, often two or more. The majority being lung or heart issues, but pretty much any chronic health condition increases an individuals risk, even for the young.

From the beginning, this at risk group should have been where we, as a nation, directed 95% of our focus. My personal opinion since the beginning on this issue is that had our leaders across the board, put the time, attention and resources on this group we would have had far less deaths and we could have avoided shutting down our economy.

It is far easier for everyone to focus on a small group (9%) that is at high risk, rather than trying to manage a much larger group, meaning the other 91%. Especially when most of the much larger group are at very low to zero risk of dying from the Virus.
COVID-19 Articles and Resources
Foundational Immune Support
Preventing and/or minimizing a strong COVID-19 infection is the key amidst this pandemic. The good news is that from what I have seen in my patient base, and with key reports from around the world, there are key Foundational Nutrition products that are critical in this effort. What I mean by "foundational", in this instance, are products that are important for our overall health, which also provide significant protection against COVID-19 or some of the more severe side affects. Read More

Immune Protocol Updates
We have Humacel in stock and plenty of it. So, if you want to be prepared come and get it! Our only Immune product that is still on backorder is Immune Balancing Complex and we have no concrete date on when it will be back. We are using Herbal Biotic as the replacement, which is an exceptional product that I have used for 19 years. Read More

Post Covid/Viral Syndrome - Critical Information
If you are following Coronavirus news stories you have probably come across what some are calling Post COVID-19 Syndrome or Post Coronavirus Syndrome or Post Viral Syndrome. These are a group of symptoms that can be common for months. With COVID-19, the research has clarified the high percentage of patients who have this syndrome, with Fatigue and Difficulty Breathing being by far the most prominent. Read More

The Facts about Masks
There is a lot of confusion about the Coronavirus in general, and one of the key areas of stress, discontent and confusion is all about masks. "To Wear or Not to Wear", that is the question. To be honest, I hate wearing a mask. However, due to the evidence, I have been wearing them more and more often. And as soon as I know that I don't need to wear a mask, I take it off. Read More

Pulse/Ox Meters
Pulse/Oxygen meters are a great home tool for becoming clear on what your normal O2 level is and if you are trending in the wrong direction. A normal blood oxygen reading should be between 96 and 100 percent. Read More
Bio-Adreno - Our Product of the Month!
BioAdreno is one of the 3 most popular products for my patients. This specific adrenal support product is the best I have found in my 36+ years of using adrenal products, and a very important product in supporting you in feeling noticeably better. This has been my first choice adrenal support since 2000.
 
Adrenal support is critical for most people who have any kind of persistent health challenges, persistent highs stress or ongoing fatigue.  The need for this support is generally the result of either long-term stress, the Standard American Diet (SAD), frequent dieting, nutritional depletion, prescription medications, chronic infections, or most commonly, a combination of more than one of the above.
 
The choice of BioAdreno for my patients is made based on either a specific symptom pattern that they present with, or it is indicated by one of the tests we did in our initial examination.
 
BioAdreno is a concentrated glandular product, rich in all of the nutrients that the adrenal gland requires and is carefully selected with quality and health in mind. Glandular products of this kind have a very long history of use by nutritional experts, and have withstood the test of time for their efficacy and safety. This product is really a "rich food for supporting your adrenals."
 
This product can make a noticeable difference for many patients by providing steadier and increased energy levels, or by minimizing many symptoms of blood sugar imbalance that are common (i.e., cravings, fatigue, light headedness, headaches, weakness). It is also a frequent key for individuals with recurrent infections, injuries or pain. BioAdreno is designed to provide the nutrients for supporting and rebuilding your adrenal glands, which is necessary for long-term health. When your adrenals are performing optimally, you will just plain feel better, adapt to stress better, and generally find it is easier to make healthy food choices.
 
Dosage of BioAdreno most commonly begins at two for breakfast and two for lunch with none at dinner. The length of time BioAdreno is used depends on how healthful your diet is over time, your specific symptom profile, and your stress levels. BioAdreno, like most of the products I use, is well tolerated with very rare side effects.

Our October Special: Buy 2 or more bottles of Bio-Adreno at once and SAVE 10% from now until the end of the month!
 
If you have any further questions regarding the use of BioAdreno for yourself or for a loved one, please let us know.
Recommendations for Fun and Enrichment
This is a new column that hopefully I will be able to do with each newsletter.

My first recommendation is for Fun and Upliftment: Ted Lasso (a TV show on Apple TV+). I have this thought that "The world would be a better place if... There was a new Ted Lasso episode everyday and everyone in the world watched it everyday!" Need I say more? Most people will love it and it is quite different in a positive sense from the majority of what is on the TV. A very uplifting and funny TV series starring Jason Sudeikis.

The First Cell: And the Human Costs of Pursuing Cancer to the Last, is an excellent book by Azra Raza, a renowned Oncologist and Oncology researcher of more than 30 years. This book is not light in it's content, but fascinating and enlightening for someone who really wants to understand more about the shortfalls of Cancer treatment and research, or anyone who has a family member or friend who will be going through cancer treatment.

The movie Kiss the Dirt is an excellent documentary on Netflix. It's family approved, very educational, hopeful and an excellent science lesson on the power of our soil to reduce carbon emissions. Many farmers take place in this film and everyone should see it!
In Closing
I am still very hopeful that one outcome of this catastrophe is that our country shifts from a focus of treating disease to Preventing Disease, Creating Health and most importantly Creating Very Strong Hosts. So far this is not something that we are hearing about in the media. However, I have seen a response of more patients recommitting to their own health, coming in to restart on a healthy diet' lifestyle and supplement focus.

Additionally, I am very optimistic that this catastrophe will move our federal government to return to the investment of a national pandemic branch of the public health department that the most successful countries had in place when this crisis began.

This could be the beginning of a major positive change for our country that will improve the quality of life for many, save many lives, and save many national resources that can be used for other important causes.

Also, please send me any of your Coronavirus questions or comments at drdale@silcom.com