Here you'll find the answers to a wealth of health and wellness questions posed by Healthy Talk fans.

Listen in because what you know helps ensure healthy choices you can live with. Today on Healthy Talk, you wanted to know:

I don’t want to get cancer, but I have a family history of cancer. What can I do to decrease my odds?

The key to cancer prevention is keeping your cells healthy. Cancer is a cell gone bad. The basic blueprint that drives the engine of a cell turns bad when you have cancer. The genetic makeup gets mutated.

Do things to promote DNA health. Broccoli is a cruciferous vegetable. Cruciferous vegetables preserve the integrity of DNA. Watercress, kale, cauliflower are also cruciferous. Eat at least a serving or two of cruciferous vegetables every day. The isothiocyanate inside is what protects your DNA. Diet is first, but it would be difficult to get enough isothiocyanate from just vegetables. Supplementation will help. Look for a product that lists the amount of isothiocyanate on the label.

Curcumin is the workhorse of cell health. It seems to benefit every organ system in the body. Try 400 mg a day.

If you have a health question or concern, Dr. Mike encourages you to write him at askdrmikesmith@radiomd.com or call in, toll-free, to the LIVE radio show (1.844.305.7800) so he can provide you with support and helpful advice.

Here you'll find the answers to a wealth of health and wellness questions posed by Healthy Talk fans.

Listen in because what you know helps ensure healthy choices you can live with. Today on Healthy Talk, you wanted to know:

Can you suggest a heart protocol for someone who has had a heart attack?

Many patients go on an ACE inhibitor or something to control blood pressure. We devise regimens that are appropriate based on individuals. Don’t stop taking medicine without talking to your doctor, but there are things you can do with nutrients.

You can take 200 mg a day of CoQ10. You want to know what your blood level is, so do a blood test to see if you’re between levels 4 and 6 because that’s a heart healthy range of CoQ10.

Omega-3 supplements will help as well. You should do 2-4 grams a day. They are blood thinning, so make sure your doctor knows that. You may have to cut down the dose of Omega-3 and watch for easy bruising.

Vitamin D3 should be about 5000 IU a day. That helps with cells.

You are at risk of a second coronary event if you’ve had a heart attack. Stabilize all of your arterial plaques by building a cap of collagen and calcium. That keeps all the fat and cholesterol from rupturing into the blood stream and forming a clot. Vitamin K2 will help stabilize the plaque. Gutocola is an herb that puts collagen into the cap of the plaque. You can try EDTA for oral chelation. Garlic oil can help.

Increase the activity of the PON1 gene to prevent the fat from oxidizing and getting sticky. You can be helped by 250 mg of pomegranate a day, as well as by supplementing with curcumin.

The endothelial cell lines the artery. You can boost the endothelial cells with resperital, SOD, and garlic extract.

If you have a health question or concern, Dr. Mike encourages you to write him at askdrmikesmith@radiomd.com or call in, toll-free, to the LIVE radio show (1.844.305.7800) so he can provide you with support and helpful advice.

Everyone knows exercise is a component of healthy living. It's important to exercise, even when challenged with lung disease.

Speaking with your doctor and starting out with a low gradient is the best way to get started.

Here are some exercises for beginners who are battling lung disease:

• Yoga, which focuses on breathing. There are classes available for those with difficulty breathing. You can feel your breathing improve if you continue practicing yoga.
• Walking, which is an easy way to get started with an exercise regimen. If outdoor air quality and factors are too tough on you, you can join an indoor walking group or walk around your local mall.
• Gardening, which involves walking and light lifting. It's also a great chance to relax and enjoy nature while you exercise.

Dr. Jack Coleman joins Dr. Mike to share how exercise can benefit those with lung disease.

Stem cells are the body's natural way of healing. When you are sick or injured, stem cells travel through the body to the site that needs repair.

But, the stem cells the body provides don't work fast enough to remedy a chronic progressive disease like chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD). Stem cell therapy introduces additional stem cells to battle the disease by rebuilding healthy cells in the affected area.

New developments in stem cell therapy indicate that the lung cells may be rebuilt, treating the cause of the chronic progressive disease.

Dr. Jack Coleman joins Dr. Mike to discuss how stem cell therapy can help combat lung disease.

Ginseng is well known for for its ability to support male sexual function, heart health, and endurance.

Dong quai is known as the female ginseng, mainly because of its ability to ease menopausal symptoms. But, dong quai can help men and women alike with a myriad of concerns.

Dong quai supports mood with potential seratonin-like qualities. It also supports bone strength and eases inflammation of the joints. It supports lung health with its anti-inflammatory ability, serves as a brain booster, supports heart health, and it may fight cancer.

Listen in as Dr. Mike discusses what dong quai can do for you.

Here you'll find the answers to a wealth of health and wellness questions posed by Healthy Talk fans.

Listen in because what you know helps ensure healthy choices you can live with. Today on Healthy Talk, you wanted to know:

I am healthy and 74 years old. My family doc said I need to take fosamax because I have osteopenia that could become osteoporosis. I have asthma and it has always been well controlled. I took my first fosamax pill and had a headache for 24 hours. I rarely get headaches, and I can easily treat the ones I do get with Advil. The main problem is that I coughed all week, night and day. Can fosamax cause my asthma symptoms to escalate? Is it worth the benefit to my otherwise healthy body? Are there other ways to stave off osteoporosis?

If you have asthma, any drug can be a stressor to your body, because the cortisol in your body increases. The reaction to this new thing might exacerbate some reactive airway symptoms.

You need to discuss the risks versus the benefits with your doctor. As you get older, you really must take care of your bones. Look at your total calcium intake. It’s good to take 1500 mg per day, and at least 1000 units of vitamin D per day. Vitamin D helps the calcium get into your bloodstream. Take vitamin K2 to help the calcium get into your bones. You don't want your calcium to be mismanaged and deposited into the wrong places, so be sure to take all three.

Boron, silicon, and plum extract all help increase the strength and mineralization of the bones. Strontium was very popular in the 1950s for low bone density. It’s perfectly safe in supplement form and awesome for your bones.

I’m 69 years old. A month ago I got sick with a virus that is still with me. Once a week I go to an alternative medicine doctor. I was treated weekly with nutritional and peroxide IV, and yesterday he prescribed erythromycin. I've had chronic yeast inflammation for many years, and I take several supplements. What else can I do?

The ache, coughing, and malaise that hang around are known as the viral syndrome. Antibiotics won’t hurt if you’ve had it for a while, because the bacteria may hang around in the respiratory system.

Vitamin D (5000 IU daily), reishi mushroom extract, and andrographis paniculata are all great. You can also try vitamin C to bowel tolerance. Give your immune system a chance to tackle the virus.

If you have a health question or concern, Dr. Mike encourages you to write him at askdrmikesmith@radiomd.com or call in, toll-free, to the LIVE radio show (1.844.305.7800) so he can provide you with support and helpful advice.

Here you'll find the answers to a wealth of health and wellness questions posed by Healthy Talk fans.

Listen in because what you know helps ensure healthy choices you can live with. Today on Healthy Talk, you wanted to know:

I read an article on www.lifeextension.com about curcumin and how it might be an Alzheimer's treatment. It didn't get into how it would do it, other than curcumin is a good antioxidant. Can you explain how curcumin works?

Curcumin is a potent antioxidant. It breaks the blood-brain barrier and can serve as an antioxidant in the brain. The theory is that oxidative stress contributes to Alzheimer’s disease development. It’s also a great anti-inflammatory.

Curcumin can also stimulate the immune system. Abnormal proteins clump together to form the Alzheimer’s protein plaque, which is just a symptom of the disease. Curcumin addresses oxidative stress and inflammation. It’s also helping to clear the amyloid plaques by attaching itself to the abnormal proteins. That combination is enough to stimulate a type of immune cell that internalizes the plaque and is able to clear it.

I’m a 60-year-old woman and I’ve been taking 5000 IU of vitamin D3 daily for over three years. I wear sunscreen daily. My blood level is between 80 and 99. There are so many opinions on what is a safe blood level for vitamin D3. I have read that 80 to 100 levels are cancer preventative. Am I in the safe zone regardless of the cancer prevention?

Vitamin D blood levels between 80 and 99 is great. A vitamin D level of 34 is the conventional blood level, but that's the level where you're safe from diseases specifically related to vitamin D deficiency. Vitamin D plays a huge part in the immune system that fights cancer.

If you have a health question or concern, Dr. Mike encourages you to write him at askdrmikesmith@radiomd.com or call in, toll-free, to the LIVE radio show (1.844.305.7800) so he can provide you with support and helpful advice.

Your moment-to-moment weight can ultimately be determined by a simple equation: calories in minus calories out.

How your body handles stress, calorie combinations, seratonin in the brain, hormones, sugar management, inflammation, and chronic disease can all influence how your body works with that equation.

Combining sugar and fat together changes the types of bacteria that live in the small bowel. That can influence appetite and weight.

Not only can the brain influence hunger and digestion, the gut can influence the brain on the same things. Changes in the gut flora can impact the brain, affecting your memory, mood, and appetite. Fat-sugar combinations influence the brain the most.

Listen in as Dr. Mike talks about the relationship between gut bacteria and what we want to eat.

There is no miracle solution to weight loss. The latest cleanse or elimination diet won't shed the pounds and keep them off.

Learning better eating habits can help you lose the weight. Some foods give you an energy boost, and some foods make you drag. When you are aware of the foods that work for YOU, you will be on the path to success.

How do genetics and emotions lead you to eat certain foods?

Dr. Cliff Thomas joins Dr. Mike to discuss how your eating habits are influenced by genetics and emotions.

How do you like them apples? A new study indicates apple eaters may be less likely to require prescription medications.

Scientists tracked the nutritional habits of 8,399 individuals to compare the data of those who ate an apple a day to those who didn't eat apples. Nine percent of participants consumed an apple a day, and they were slightly less likely to be on medications than non-apple eaters.

Other benefits to eating raw apples:

• Better sexual health
• Lower cholesterol
• Lower blood pressure
• Less body fat
• Reduced risk of heart disease
• Decreased oxidative stress
• Reduced risk of colorectal cancer

Additionally, you should eat the apple peel to get the most nutrients.

Listen in as Dr. Mike discusses the wonders of apples.

Here you'll find the answers to a wealth of health and wellness questions posed by Healthy Talk fans.

Listen in because what you know helps ensure healthy choices you can live with. Today on Healthy Talk, you wanted to know:

Is mold really linked to cancer?

More oncologists and research doctors have been looking at the possibility that infectious agents in certain settings can initiate cancer over the past few years. Molds can create toxins. The toxin that gets into the cell damages the DNA. All cancer is defined as mutations in the DNA, regardless of the ultimate cause of that cancer. The process of cell replication is regulated by your DNA. If there’s damage to the DNA, it can lead to the cell mutation that ends in cancer.

The theory is that microbes in mold can produce the toxins that enter the cells. There is good evidence that these toxins can enter the cells and potentially lead to cancer. Science leads us to these conclusions based on testing and results. Alzheimer patients have a lot of spirochetes in their brains, which was recently found in research. Mycotoxins (toxins from mold) could lead to cancer, but it needs to be researched further. The theory that mold can create toxins that cause problems holds weight but needs further study.

Can sugar lead to cancer?

When a cell becomes cancerous, it starts to grow uncontrollably. The cancerous cells then are thrown into your circulation. They tend to use sugar and sugar only to grow. Glycolysis is the process where an unhealthy cell uses sugar for short energy bursts. This is the beginning of normal cell energy production, but cancer cells want the energy quickly. If you starve the cancer cell of sugar, you may make them more susceptible to cancer treatments.

Eliminating sugar may not prevent cancer. So many things can initiate cancer. Genetics can as well. One lifestyle change, like eliminating sugar, may not prevent cancer since cancer has many factors. However, doing so improves your overall health and wellness.

How long will the virus in my chest last? It's been almost two weeks and I still feel really bad.

Viruses can last a long time because of your body’s response to the virus. It's not uncommon for it to hang out in the respiratory system for two to four weeks; longer if you're older or have chronic issues.

If you have a health question or concern, Dr. Mike encourages you to write him at askdrmikesmith@radiomd.com or call in, toll-free, to the LIVE radio show (1.844.305.7800) so he can provide you with support and helpful advice.

Here you'll find the answers to a wealth of health and wellness questions posed by Healthy Talk fans.

Listen in because what you know helps ensure healthy choices you can live with. Today on Healthy Talk, you wanted to know:

What are five things I can do right now to look better and feel better?

It’s easy to believe anybody online. We have to be careful when we research. Not everyone knows what they’re talking about, and a lot of people are trying to sell you something.

These five things are well-supported by research:

1. Hydration. You need to be hydrated. Your skin is better, your kidneys work better, your liver detoxes better.
2. Exercise. Walking at a nice pace for 30 minutes daily can help joints, immune system, and mood.
3. Eat less. The excess of calories slows us down. Eat more nutrient-dense foods but eat less food overall.
4. Get better sleep. There is an epidemic of insomnia in this country. It puts you at risk for stress, anxiety, and mood issues.
5. Say no to sugar. We consume too much added sugar. We’re getting 10-20 tablespoons of sugar per day instead of a few teaspoons.

I had knee surgery because my bones were shattering and my knee was leaning in. I was bow-legged my entire life. The leg that had knee surgery was straightened, and it's now longer than the other leg. I now have new pain in my hips and back. My doctor had me get an orthotic lift, but it's still not adjusted perfectly. The pain is making me crazy.

The lengthening of the leg puts pressure on the other joints. Chiropractic care can help readjust the hip joint and knee joint so your gait matches with the other leg. Natural supplements can also help. Taking 400 mg of a high quality curcumin extract,  250 to 500 mg of glucosamine, and 1000 mg of methylsulfonylmethane (MSM) should help.

If you have a health question or concern, Dr. Mike encourages you to write him at askdrmikesmith@radiomd.com or call in, toll-free, to the LIVE radio show (1.844.305.7800) so he can provide you with support and helpful advice.

Knees receive a lot of stress and torque on a daily basis.

The way you stand, walk, and move can greatly impact your knee health.

What habits are harming your knees? How can you change those habits to preserve your knees?

Listen in as Dr. Gregory Martin joins Dr. Mike to discuss how you can stop destroying and start preserving your knees.

Knee problems are very common, and they happen in people of all ages.

Nearly everyone will have some knee trouble at some point, possibly requiring surgery.

There are treatments and options that can not only reduce and eliminate knee pain, but also postpone or prevent surgery.

Listen in as Dr. Gregory Martin joins Dr. Mike to discuss simple ways to keep your knees strong and healthy, including the following:

• Lose weight
• Exercise regularly
• Reduce intake of inflammatory foods
• Choose supplements wisely

Not all dietary recommendations are based on research. Dr. Mike skips past the assumptions about food and makes recommendations based on solid evidence.

What five foods live up to they hype for improved health?

1. Avocados. They have good fats that may combat triglycerides. Their fiber content is high. Half of an avocado provides 4.5 to 5.5 grams of fiber. Americans should get 40 to 50 grams of fiber per day, but most only get 10 to 15 grams of fiber per day. Avocados also good for the eyes, cardiovascular support, and digestion. Peel off the skin instead of scooping the flesh out with a spoon to get the most nutrients.
2. Coconuts. They have a high percentage of saturated fat that can be antimictrobial and good for cell membranes. Coconut oil can improve memory and cognition. Oil pulling (using coconut oil as a mouth rinse) can help with oral bacteria.
3. Chocolate. Look for 75% cocoa content. Chocolate has great antioxidants. It contains compounds that can lower systolic blood pressure and help boost nitric oxide production. There's also a euphoria from eating chocolate.
4. Seaweed. It's full of minerals and fiber. Seaweed is rich in nutrients.
5. Ancient grains like spelt. They lower cholesterol and sugar.

Listen in as Dr. Mike shares the five foods that are great for you and have a variety of health benefits, all supported by research.

Here you'll find the answers to a wealth of health and wellness questions posed by Healthy Talk fans.

Listen in because what you know helps ensure healthy choices you can live with. Today on Healthy Talk, you wanted to know:

I’ve been taking 100 mg of CoQ-10 enzyme for cell energy for many years. In the past six weeks, I’ve started taking AMPK activator as well. Lately I’ve had trouble sleeping more than four or five hours a night. I have lots of energy. I’m 72 and have a 70% raw food diet that I alternate with a paleo-ish diet two to four times per day. I've rarely had sugar for the past two years. I avoid most bread and eat grains and nuts. Is the high energy-low sleep because of the CoQ-10 and AMPK supplements?

AMPK activator contains ynostemma pentaphyllum and rose hip extract. Those have been shown to activate an enzyme in your cells called AMPK. When AMPK is activated in your cells, they manage energy better. You tend to make more ATP (coenzyme used as an energy carrier in the cells), burn more fat,and  burn more sugars. The cell becomes cleaner and functions at a higher level.

When people first start taking CoQ-10, they may feel energized and have some sleepless nights because their blood level of CoQ-10 was so low and it's being recharged. Your body will reach a steady state with a supplement and there will not be peaks and valleys. The energy you might get early from CoQ-10 is gone, but the supplement is still good for you. You should be at a steady state with it if you take it on a consistent basis.

The addition of the AMPK activator could be the culprit. It creates cell energy, which the CoQ-10 was already doing. You may reach a steady state with the AMPK activator in another week. If nothing changes after a week, try dosing every other day or every third day. If that doesn’t help, stop the AMPK activator and just use the CoQ-10.

My question is about plaque in the blood. As we try to eat healthy and supplement to clean our blood, is there a chance that a dissolved or dislodged piece of plaque might float around and cause blockage down the line?

Eating better, getting more exercise, taking supplements targeted to the cardiovascular system and supplements targeted to the plaque itself (pycnogenol made from pine bark extract, pomegranate, vitamin K2, gotu kola, EDTA, resveratrol) can help with plaque burden. Nothing totally gets rid of plaque. It's more about stabilizing the plaque.

You can decrease plaque burden by doing the right things. The body puts a fibrous cap on the plaque, shrinking the plaque and decreasing the plaque burden. You’ve stabilized the plaque and it is less prone to rupture. Your body knows how to take care of the plaque. The contents of the plaque (fat, cholesterol, immune cells) can be absorbed by the arterial wall itself or just leave as you stabilize the plaque. Vitamin K2 can help the cap become stronger and keeps calcium out of the way. Focus on stabilizing the plaque to prevent cardio events in the future.

If you have a health question or concern, Dr. Mike encourages you to write him at askdrmikesmith@radiomd.com or call in, toll-free, to the LIVE radio show (1.844.305.7800) so he can provide you with support and helpful advice.

Here you'll find the answers to a wealth of health and wellness questions posed by Healthy Talk fans.

Listen in because what you know helps ensure healthy choices you can live with. Today on Healthy Talk, you wanted to know:

I eat more whole foods than processed foods and I try to remain very healthy. I've been drinking a few ounces of kefir every day on an empty stomach. I've been reading great things about it-- including healing, preventative, and wellness benefits. I purchase it from a local store and he uses organic whole milk to make it. How much is recommended daily? Is it actually "liquid gold" as some say?

Kefir is a cultured, enzyme-rich food. The main reason people use it is for the probiotics made from cultured whole milk. Yogurt isn't bad, but it's overly processed in this country and doesn't have a lot of healthy, viable, living, good bacteria. Kefir is basically a fermented probiotic product for replenishing healthy gut bacteria.

Kefir has a high number of good bacteria and a high number of strains. With any probiotic, you want to be sure it has at least six or seven common bacteria strains (phytobacteria, lactobacilli, and others). It's a strong drink so most healthcare practitioners will tell you to start with two to three ounces a day and work up to a cup a day. It's good for you, but it's not liquid gold. Skin, immune, brain, mood, heart -- they all benefit from healthy probiotics.

But, it has to be done in the context of a healthier lifestyle. One probiotic product is not liquid gold.

What are your thoughts on telemedicine?

Doctors love telemedicine because they don't have to do a physical exam and can be connected to the patient from any computer. It's great for many common conditions like cold and flu that general doctors address. There is risk, however, because nothing is better than talking to a person face to face and doing a good physical exam.

If you have a health question or concern, Dr. Mike encourages you to write him at askdrmikesmith@radiomd.com or call in, toll-free, to the LIVE radio show (1.844.305.7800) so he can provide you with support and helpful advice.

An estimated 44 million American adults are suffering from mental illness.

Omega-3s and vitamin D have been previously suggested to help treat mental illnesses. New research has determined the role each plays in increasing serotonin.

Listen in as Kathy Gruver, PhD, joins Dr. Mike to discuss what each supplement can do to boost serotonin levels.

Hypnosis is a natural state for human beings.

We've all had the experience of driving and suddenly realize we passed our exit and have no idea where we are. Or, you're reading a book and realize you've turned three or four pages but haven't actually read anything.

Those are both examples of moments of hypnosis.

How can this natural state be employed to help people? Who can be hypnotized? How does it work? What conditions can it help treat?

Dr. Kathy Gruver, alternative medicine practitioner, joins Dr. Mike to discuss hypnosis, some common misconceptions and fears, and how to find a skilled hypnotist near you.

Fenugreek extract has been used to treat many ailments, including female reproductive issues and digestive issues.

Recent studies show that it may assist in lowering cholesterol and blood sugar levels.

Fenugreek extract has also supported the male libido, and clinical trials have shown success in boosting female sexual desire as well.

How can this supplement boost your desire?

Listen in as Dr. Mike discusses all the benefits of fenugreek extract on female sex drive.