Dr. BT's Blog

Leading authorities are advocating red yeast rice as an effective way to lower cholesterol (e.g., this article on WebMD), despite the fact that the primary ingredient in these red yeast rice supplements, lovastatin, is also the active pharmaceutical ingredient in prescription drugs for high cholesterol such as Mevacor, Lipitor, Zocor, and Statins. In fact, lovastatin was originally derived from another type of red yeast called Monascus ruber (read this article).

• Login or register to post comments
• Read more
• report spam

There have been confusing studies about cellphone use in relation to brain tumor. A new warning from Dr. Ronald B. Herberman, director of the University of Pittsburgh Cancer Institute, is contrary to numerous studies that don't find a link between cancer and cell phone use, and a public lack of worry by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration.

As the cellphone signals getting stronger and stronger, from 2G to 2.5G, and to 3G, as well as the added signal of WiFi, Bluetooth, radio, etc., it's prudent for us to take the precaution - so that we won't regret too late in the future.

• 1 comment
• Read more
• report spam

Remember that the modern technologies and investment created a huge processed food industry in the developed nations. This food industry was supposed to produce a lot of "easy to digest" (e.g., refined), "nutrients enhanced" (e.g., vitamin D enforced), tasty, and convenient (e.g., fast foods) processed foods. The result of this modern industrial de-naturing has produced generations of metabolic syndrome related diseases.

• Login or register to post comments
• Read more
• report spam

I was talking to a client. He is a perfectionist in his health, fitness, and look. "I'm scared of tofu. I've stopped eating tofu," said he. "Why?" "My doctor told me it contains phytoestrogen, which can make man woman."

"Well, phytoestrogen is contained in many natural plant foods, oilseeds (such as flaxseeds, sunflower, sesame, olive, etc.), legumes (such as alfalfa, clover, peas, beans, lentils, lupins, and peanuts), grains (e.g. wheat, oats, barley, rice), fruits (e.g. berries, apples), vegetables (e.g. carrots), herbs (e.g. ginseng), alcohol (e.g. beer). Are you going to avoid all of these?" asked I.

• Login or register to post comments
• Read more
• report spam

Although many doctors claim to have minimally invasive "micro" discectomy for lumber spine surgery. However, all the standard discectomies are "open surgeries", which means the surgeons will have to cut up muscles, bones, etc. Usually the incision is about 3-5cm. Despite all the claims, there's a great chance for scar tissue to form, which may make the pain worse after surgery, as seen from this example.

• Login or register to post comments
• Read more
• report spam

• Login or register to post comments
• report spam

A new study showed that keeping a food diary -- a detailed account of what you eat and drink and the calories it packs -- is a powerful tool in helping people lose weight, U.S. researchers said on Tuesday.

Yes, I know, life has more fun things to do than everyday writing diaries. It's hard to keep doing this for long term. Thus, it's really important to find better way.

• Login or register to post comments
• Read more
• report spam

Prostate cancer, like many other cancers, is definitely not fun to go through. Not only the potential of death when the cancer spread, but also the risk of side effects such as impotence after surgery. Just listen to the Voice of Prostate Cancer from the New York Times - that will motivate you to try all you can to avoid it.  There's really no good "cure"!

• Login or register to post comments
• Read more
• report spam

To maintain a young male hormone level and balance, we need to avoid alcohol consumption.

Most studies of alcohol's effects on male reproduction have been conducted in rats because the rat model mimics the human male reproductive system. Research has demonstrated that both acute and chronic alcohol exposure are associated with low levels of hypothalamic LHRH and pituitary LH in the adult and pubertal male rat, and further studies have suggested that alcohol inhibits testosterone secretion by the testes as well.

• Login or register to post comments
• Read more
• report spam

Sugar is not good for a healthy diet. But many "sugar-free" foods with sweeteners should not be consumed either.

• Login or register to post comments
• Read more
• report spam

Many of our patients visiting our anti-aging clinic are confused about tofu. This is because of the confusing report in the media. It has become a FAD that eating tofu is bad, because it "turns" male to female, "due to its phyto-estrogen content", especially when this concept is promoted by some famous doctors (e.g., watch Dr. Mercola's video). There's even articles talking about "soy makes kids gay".

• Login or register to post comments
• Read more
• report spam

In my blog entry "Is Exercise for Burning Calories?", I talked about why it's not an efficient way of losing weight. In this post, I'd like to talk about other myths of exercises.

• 2 comments
• Read more
• report spam

Sometimes, I wish scientists would spend the scarce research dollars doing some real stuff. For example, this research showed taking painkillers can enhance muscle mass during weight training. So everyone should take painkiller during training? What about the side effects to liver and kidney? A common sense explanation of this may be that people would be less in pain and could do more exercise if they take painkillers, therefore increasing muscle mass more. But this is not to trade with all the side effect of the drug.

• Login or register to post comments
• report spam

Have you seen thin people with a belly? As one age, there's a gradual fat redistribution, some areas such as face, neck, arm, hands, lower legs lose fat, while others such as belly (both visceral and subcutaneous), hip, upper legs, beasts gain fat. It is as though nature makes you ugly after you become useless from the aspect of re-productivity.
The worst of this redistribution, not mentioning about the beauty side of it, is the growth of visceral fat, for it is the main cause of many degenerative diseases.

• Login or register to post comments
• Read more
• report spam