Chris Ha, DO, RMSK

Dr. Casey Means: “I learned virtually nothing at Stanford Medical School about the tens of thousands of scientific papers that elucidate the root causes of why American health is plummeting.” “I did not learn that for each additional serving of ultra-processed food we eat, early mortality increases by 18%. This now makes up 67% of the foods our kids are eating. I took zero nutrition courses in medical school. I didn’t learn that 82% of independently-funded studies show harm from processed food, while 93% of industry-sponsored studies reflect no harm. I didn’t learn that 95% of the people who created the recent USDA food guidelines for America had significant conflicts of interest with the food industry. I did not learn that one billion pounds of synthetic pesticides are being sprayed on our foods every single year. 99% of the farmland in the United States is sprayed with synthetic pesticides, many from China and Germany, and these invisible, tasteless chemicals are strongly linked to autism, ADHD, sex hormone disruption, thyroid disease, sperm dysfunction, Alzheimer’s, dementia, birth defects, cancer, obesity, liver dysfunction, female infertility and more. I did not learn that the eight billion tons of plastic that have been produced just in the last 100 years … are being broken down into microplastics that are now filling our food, our water, and we are now even inhaling them in our air, and that very recent research … tells us that now about 0.5% of our brains by weight are plastic. I didn’t learn that there are more than 80,000 toxins that have entered our food, water, air, and homes by industry, many of which are banned in Europe, and they are known to alter our gene expression, alter our microbiome composition and the lining of our gut, and disrupt our hormones. I didn’t learn that heavy metals like aluminum and lead are present in our food, our baby formula, personal care products, our soil, and many of the mandated medications like vaccines, and that these metals are neurotoxic and inflammatory. I didn’t learn that the average American walks a paltry 3,500 steps per day even though we know, based on science and top journals, that simply walking 7,000 steps a day slashes by 40-60% our risk of Alzheimer’s, dementia, type 2 diabetes, cancer, and obesity. I certainly did not learn that medical error and medications are the third-leading cause of death in the US. I didn’t learn that just five nights of sleep deprivation can induce full-blown pre-diabetes. I learned nothing about sleep, and we’re getting about 20% less sleep on average than we were 100 years ago. I didn’t learn that American children are getting less time outdoors now than a maximum security prisoner, and on average, adults spend 93% of their time indoors, even though we know from the science that separation from sunlight destroys our circadian biology, and circadian biology dictated our cellular biology. I didn’t learn that professional organizations that we get out practice guidelines from, like the American Diabetes Association and the American Academy of Pediatrics, have taken tens of millions of dollars from Coke, Cadbury, processed food companies and vaccine manufacturers like Moderna. I didn’t learn that if you address these root causes that all lead to metabolic dysfunction and help patients change their food and lifestyle patterns … we could reverse the chronic disease crisis in America, save millions of lives and trillions of dollars in healthcare costs per year. This is a spiritual crisis. We are choosing death over life, we are choosing darkness over light. We need a return to courage. We need a return to common sense and intuition. We need a return to awe for the sheer miraculousness of our lives. We need all hands on deck.” Source: Sen. Ron Johnson’s Roundtable on “American Health and Nutrition: A Second Opinion”

Orthopedic Truths: Tennis Elbow Stupid name Most people who have it don't play tennis. Nearly every person will get it. The most common cause of lateral elbow/upper forearm pain. It will resolve almost everyone on its own. Without "treatment". But it might take 6-12 months. Yep, 6-12 months. It may not resolve in some people. Some people have minimal symptoms. Some have severe pain. Some people deal with pain well. Some don't. Most people are in our office because they're afraid of hurting themselves or they have a fear of the unknown. If you tell them the proper story about tennis elbow, most are relieved and will go on to live their active lives without needing anything. The pain when lifting with your palm facing down is real. It also will amaze you how often the outside of your elbow contacts doors, etc. Lift with your palm up... no pain. The examination is straightforward. The diagnosis is straightforward. MRI imaging isn't needed. It always says, "partial thickness tears.... yada, yada, yada...." MRI findings are rarely a reason to have surgery. Basically... there's very little reason to operate on these at all. Besides... there are plenty of surgeries described to manage this... most involve releasing/removing the offending tendon-- the ECRB... so why would a tear need to be "fixed" 😂 It can be super annoying... I'll agree to that. It's worse in people who lift a lot for work. Some people might insist that something be done. That's fine... But far, far, far too many are offered injections as a first-line treatment. Steroid injections are not kind to tendons. They're not kind to the lateral ligaments, either. If not appropriately placed, steroids dissolve the fat under your skin. That pale dimple with veins running through it is unsightly. Tendons really don't like steroid injections. A steroid injection might feel great for a few weeks or months... but the pain often returns. Not in everyone, though. So... it might have worked for you. But it made many others worse. PRP injections, anyone?? Maybe It won't cause harm. You should never pay > $500-1000. It could work... Then again... so do placebos I'm not calling PRP injections placebos... But, you know, maybe??? Physical therapy? Meh... But anything that distracts you while nature runs its course is valuable. Braces? Meh... That damn placebo effect again Try it... no harm, no foul. Red light, laser, blue/purple pulsed lights... whatever. Shockwave therapy... maybe. Hard to find... and it hurts... but it might help. This very common yet annoying ailment is so prevalent. Most everyone is going to get it. Carry on... No need to rest or stop activities unless the pain is too spicy. Everyone on IG has a cure: save your money, and if you can move on, wait it out. As usual... it's always far more complex than most people think.