January 27, 2010

Really reaching back through the dim mists of time for this one, today. We’ve been toying with the idea of getting another large flat screen TV for the bedroom wall. Originally thought about doing this for Christmas, as a gift to ourselves, but budget constraints and other expenses put the kibosh on that.
 
While considering this, with all the pre-Super Bowl sales going on, I had occasion to think of the many TV’s we have and those we’ve had in the past. Now, I don’t use the TV continually. I read quite a bit, too. But I tend to get most of my news from the TV, I enjoy the news analysis and opinion shows and I’m a sucker for a classic movie–hooks me right in.
 
(Have you ever noticed that even if you OWN the movie, on a DVD or tape, you just HAVE to see it, if it comes on TV? Or is that just me?)
 
Anyway, this all caused me to reflect on my very first TV, back in the 50′s. Now, I realize that you, like many others, may not have been alive then. And it may be difficult for you to imagine a world without a color TV somewhere in it. But the first TV’s were black and white. 
 
Ours was a big console, a real piece of wooden furniture, with this rounded greenish, cream colored screen, maybe 13 inches wide or so. It had rounded corners and a curved front and a few very basic controls. My Dad always tried to provide the best for his family, so we were the first on our block to get one, or so I recall.
 
I remember the day it arrived, in this gigantic cardboard box. It was quite the event. My mother, me and I think, one of my friends(though I don’t remember who) were there for the unwrapping. The delivery guys lifted the big wooden console out and placed it against the wall in our living room. This was in the semi-attached house on 88th Street in Brooklyn, between 3rd and 4th Avenues, so the neighbors were all agog at this development, on display.
 
I DO remember playing with the box, crawling around inside and playing hide and seek. I had no idea that I should have been interested in the screen. Had no idea what it was. Never saw one before. Didn’t take long to find out, though.
 
Although they came with rabbit ear antennae at that time, my father had sprung for a real antenna, for installation on the roof, to improve reception. It didn’t take long for me to see the potential. I had a number of favorite shows: Howdy Doody with Buffalo Bob(and Clarabell the clown, Flubbadub, Mr. Bluster, Indian Princess Summer-Fall-Winter-Spring, Chief Thunderthud and the rest of the gang), The Lone Ranger (stirring strains of the William Tell Overture, and the sonorous tones of the announcer: “Return with us now to those thrilling days of yesteryear…the Lone Ranger rides again…”), Captain Midnight (sponsored by Ovaltine–I never DID like that stuff, but I loved the show), and perhaps my favorite, “Winky Dink and You.”
 
This last was an early educational show for kids. Winky Dink was what we’d call today a virtual character: he was this animated guy, with a big, five-pointed star for a head. Winky dink would give you hints about the object that was developing in front of you, as dots on the TV screen. 
 
You were supposed to apply a special orange plastic film to your TV screen, so you could draw on it and connect the dots, to make the picture. Very clever, interactive idea to educate kids and get them involved. Only, we didn’t have the special screen. So, seeing no real impediment to connecting the dots, I drew directly on the actual TV screen, with a grease crayon.
 
Mom nearly had a stroke! I remember her scrubbing that crayon off the family treasure. I was in bad odor for a while (though she never could stay mad at me for long). I also loved “Captain Video and his Video Rangers” (beloved of Ed Norton, on the Jackie Gleason classic, “The Honeymooners”), “Tom Corbett, Space Cadet” and many others. All in black and white, all primitive by today’s standards, but a whole world of imagination, right in our living room. 
 
It’s different today. Five year old kids are more facile with computer screens and iPhones than I am. Ah well. We are each a product of our respective Age, aren’t we? Today, many of us have a TV in every room, some so large that they rival the movie experience, images so crisp and defined in living color that they seem to include us in the action on the screen. That’s progress….
 
Yet, in many ways I was just as happy with my big cardboard box and my imagination, too innocent to know that the TV itself was the key to many worlds of wonder. It was a different world then (Alert! Sure sign of advancing age…).
 
Same thing with Medicine in that time. Mostly, it was GP’s, General Practicioners (Family Practicioners in today’s parlance). Specialists, like surgeons were relatively uncommon and the GP’s actually DID surgery, set bones, you name it. Primitive by today’s scientific standards, but warm and comforting, too.
 
In those days, many home remedies were used side-by-side with the latest advances in medical science. The Family doctor knew that many of these remedies worked, so they were an accepted adjunct to treatment. When Big Pharma became Big Pharma, however, all that changed. Like priests of sacred secrets, who do not wish to share their monopoly with the laity, many of today’s doctors view alternative, home remedies with contempt, citing the lack of double blind, controlled studies. Yet, many of these simple remedies WORK.
 
Take fish oil, for example. Literally thousands of well designed studies have shown that the omega 3 fatty acids in fish oil have tremendous potential for healing and for preventing heart attacks, lowering blood pressure, slowing (or even reversing) arterial plaque, lowering triglycerides and (with garlic) lowering cholesterol, and even combatting the pain of arthritis, on account of its potent  anti-inflammatory properties. All this, and virtually NO serious side effects (something you CAN’T say about many drugs, including Advil and Aleve).
 
Yet many conventional physicians STILL don’t fully recognize the healing potential of these natural remedies. Lucky for you, you have ME. And my POWERHOUSE OMEGA FORMULA http://www.favoriteformulas.com  Used with a healthy diet, sensible habits and daily exercise, like my PAIN-FREE PROGRAM & DVD  http://www.drbillsclinic.com/exercise_eliminate.html  it can not only help you optimize your health, but help extend you life, as well. Regarding supplements, alternative and natural remedies, in many cases, it’s “Back To The Future,” using the best of them, in conjunction with the latest cutting edge medical technologies, to give you the best chance of being your very best.
 
Well, that’s it for today, my friend. If you haven’t done so, please go by and sign up for my Podcasts and Video Podcasts at iTunes or http://thewellnesswarrior.mypodcastworld.com   Til next time, be well.
 
Yours for a pain-free tomorrow and your optimal health,
 
Dr. Bill
 
“The Wellness Warrior”           TM 
 
P.S. For DR. BILL’S LITTLE GREEN BOOK ON ELIMINATING KNEE PAIN, a concise, but complete handbook on the root causes and the various options for treating knee pain, go to http://drbillsclinic.com/eliminate_knee_pain.html 
 
P.P.S. For DR. BILL’S PAIN-FREE PROGRAM: EXERCISES TO PREVENT OR ELIMINATE KNEE PAIN, please go to
 http://drbillsclinic.com/exercise_eliminate.html 
 
P.P.P.S. For conventional and alternative treatments and exercises to relieve knee pain without surgery click on http://drbillsclinic.com/avoid_knee_surgery.html 
 
P.P.P.P.S. For the giant, comprehensive ADVANCED MASTERS’ COURSE: HOW TO ELIMINATE KNEE PAIN–ONCE & FOR ALL!, everything you need to know on causes and solutions for knee pain and the complete exercise program, too, go to
 http://drbillsclinic.com/advanced_masters.html 
 
FREE BONUS CD with any order: THE HEALING POWER OF POSITIVE PAIN PERCEPTION
 
Copyright, 2010 by William Thomas Stillwell, MD, FACS
All rights reserved

January 28, 2010

Just finished hearing President Obama’s first offical State of the Union speech before a joint session of Congress, last night. Also listened to the Republican response by Governor Bob McDonnell of Virginia, from the Virginia State House, in Richmond. And I just finished reading some comments about the speech, left by some of our fellow citizens on MSNBC. Truly incredible (and frightening, in that these imbeciles probably vote).
 
If you ever want to feel much smarter than you probably are, just read some of what passes for political commentary by the public: Long on passion, short on facts and sense. They were in fine fettle today, I can tell you that!
 
Well, if you’re expecting me to tear The One a new one, sorry. Not my job. Instead, I will share a few of my observations on specific points that stuck out in my mind, during the speech. Make of them what you will.
 
Overall, the tone of the speech was somewhat defiant, in the face of the very obvious public message delivered in the loss of Ted Kennedy’s Senate seat (held for over 40 years) to Scott Brown, a Republican who rode independent displeasure with the Administration’s policies, especially on Health Care, to a win in last week’s special election. It was also somewhat pedagogic–he was actually lecturing and several times, sounded like he was scolding.
 
That’s the thing about this guy–he sounds perfectly reasonable when he’s delivering a speech. But then you see how he executes what he says, or IF he does. And that does not often compute with the facts. 
 
First, there he goes again…blaming Bush. It’s been a year. He knew coming in that this was the situation. I will NOT defend Bush’s record on spending; it’s indefensible. However, I will observe that quadrupling the deficit is probably NOT the most fiscally sound move that Obama could make. But his constant whining about Bush causing all this is unseemly and as often as he’s used this ploy, it’s wearing mighty thin….
 
He is taking credit for such recovery signs as are currently evident and attributing this to his Stimulus Package (even though the bulk of the money has STILL not been spent). He says now that his number one priority is JOBS and proposed a new jobs bill. Yet, he intends to impose a tax on “Big Banks,” which will further inhibit lending by said banks, which, as a result, will also inhibit small businesses from hiring new workers. 
 
But, on a positive note, he proposed eliminating capital gains taxes and tax credits for small businesses. He is still sticking by Cap and Trade legislation, even though that’s been proclaimed DOA and is deeply unpopular, based as it is on phony “climate change” assumptions.
 
On Energy, he called for new nuclear power plants, clean coal technology, biofuels, and…be still my beating heart…offshore drilling of new oil and gas reserves. Terrific. Only…does he mean it and can we believe him? That’s not cynicism. Based on past performance, that’s a reasonable question.
 
And, completely ignoring or willfully misreading the message sent by the election of Scott Brown, and the gubernatorial elections in Virginia and New Jersey, he STILL wants to pass some kind of Health Care Insurance Reform. He SAYS he thinks it’s because he hasn’t explained it enough to the American people. This, from a guy who spends more time on TV than in the Oval Office. Amazing.
 
News flash to the President: Sir, it is BECAUSE they understand it all too well that the public has rejected this monstrosity. And they don’t want it.
 
Again with the straw man argument that if you’re against this Health Care Reform plan, you’re FOR the status quo. Again with the litany of claims that you can keep your own doctor or plan (you can’t), that it will reduce costs (it can’t; it won’t), it will reduce the deficit by over one trillion over the next two decades (a mathematical impossibility) and a few true claims: it WILL cover pre- existing conditions, and prevent care from being denied when you’re sick. He never mentioned the QUALITY of care, or the possiblity of rationing, which is my biggest worry.
 
And then, the completely disingenuous claim that if anyone has a better idea, let him know. He wants to know. Please. There was virtually NO outreach to the minority party. They deliberately kept the Republicans out of the deliberations and shot down any of their more reasonable ideas, like: Buying insurance policies over state lines; Requiring coverage for pre-existing conditions; True tort reform; Medical Savings Accounts.
 
So, it’s not dead yet. Given that, my advice is that you protect yourself now, by getting in shape and staying that way. Lose weight. Watch your diet. Get started on my pharmaceutical grade fish oil  http://www.favoriteformulas.com  which will reduce your risks of heart attacks and strokes, lower blood pressure, reduce joint pain and inflammation and lower triglycerides and (with garlic)cholesterol.
 
Daily exercise is crucial and the closest thing we have to a true “Fountain of Youth.” I’d recommend my PAIN-FREE PROGRAM & DVD:  http://www.drbillsclinic.com/exercise_eliminate.html   together with a walking program, to help you control weight, reduce insulin resistance and boost immunity. It will also help to prevent or eliminate knee pain, if that’s an issue for you.
 
He then moved on and proposed a spending freeze, of all discretionary government spending (except for the military, Medicare, Medicaid) to begin in 2011 (after first raising the spending by 24% just this year, thereby locking those increases in place). And he reiterated his proposal for increased income taxes for citizens earning over $250,000.
 
And, as a sop to his left-wing base, he called for legislation to repeal the “don’t ask, don’t tell” policy of Bill Clinton, to allow gays to serve openly in the military. All the problems we have and THIS is what he’s worried about. I feel safer now…
 
But my favorite moment was his ringing call to arms…eh…sanctions for Iran and North Korea and improved security against terrorists. The cameras then cut to Secretary of Homeland Security, Janet Napolitano, who sat there wide-eyed and looked like the Pillsbury Dough Boy. I’ll bet the mullahs are just $hitting themselves in fear….Oy!
 
He closed with an invocation of the American character: “In the end, it’s our ideals and our values that built America.” How I wish I could believe that HE believed that. But his every action belies that statement.
 
So, this speech was, in my opinion, redux, not reset. Many had predicted that he would press reset on his agenda, listen to the electorate and swing to the Center, like Bill Clinton did. But this guy is a true man of the left, not a pragmatic centrist like Clinton. He’s a true believer. So I don’t see him doing that. Instead, he’s doubling down. “I don’t quit,” he said. God help us all. 
 
The Republican response was the best in recent memory. The key points? We should restore the proper role of government and not increase taxes and litigation. Create energy jobs and lower energy prices. And, in a reference to the Christmas Crotch Bomber fiasco, we should use our dollars to defeat terrorists, not defend them. Pretty good stuff.

Well, November is coming…take solace in that. If Obama doesn’t get it now, maybe he’ll get it then. Til next time, my friend, be well.
 
Yours for a pain-free tomorrow and your optimal health,
 
Dr. Bill
 
“The Wellness Warrior”              TM
 
P.S. For DR. BILL’S LITTLE GREEN BOOK ON ELIMINATING KNEE PAIN, a concise, but complete handbook on the root causes and the various options for treating knee pain, go to http://drbillsclinic.com/eliminate_knee_pain.html 
 
P.P.S. For DR. BILL’S PAIN-FREE PROGRAM: EXERCISES TO PREVENT OR ELIMINATE KNEE PAIN, please go to
 http://drbillsclinic.com/exercise_eliminate.html 
 
P.P.P.S. For conventional and alternative treatments and exercises to relieve knee pain without surgery click on http://drbillsclinic.com/avoid_knee_surgery.html 
 
P.P.P.P.S. For the giant, comprehensive ADVANCED MASTERS’ COURSE: HOW TO ELIMINATE KNEE PAIN–ONCE & FOR ALL!, everything you need to know on causes and solutions for knee pain and the complete exercise program, too, go to
 http://drbillsclinic.com/advanced_masters.html 
 
FREE BONUS CD with any order: THE HEALING POWER OF POSITIVE PAIN PERCEPTION
 
Copyright, 2010 by William Thomas Stillwell, MD, FACS
All rights reserved

January 18, 2010

Back in my high school days, one of my closest friends was a guy named Vic. He was a strange kid, no question. He was a good looking kid of Italian extraction, who had an effete, almost feminine quality, but was tough as nails, was definitely not gay, as he nailed anything with a pulse in skirts (had excellent taste too, as I recall), and carried a ten inch knife down the front of his pants, at all times. It wasn’t uncommon for him to be in a fight with someone and I never saw him lose. The guy could really handle himself. 
 
Yet, he also wrote the most beautiful, sensitive poetry. He DID however, threaten to kill me, if I ever told anyone that he wrote it. He also had a soft spot for pets and kept goldfish. Definitely a boy of complex nature. 
 
But as odd as he was, his father was a real piece of work. Reputed to have worked for the CIA (and I never did find out whether that was pure BS, or if it was true–which it well might have been), he was a big, broad shouldered, barrel-chested, handsome man of Italian lineage, with a massive, leonine head and a thick, but well-trimmed mane of long, wavy, jet black hair, barely touched by gray, though he was 53 at that time.
 
(Funny that we once all thought that anyone over 50 was OLD… time tends to change your perspective, doesn’t it?)
 
He was a apparently a very sophisticated man, who was usually very well dressed in business attire, and he had that urbane manner of the continental European, who was both wealthy and well travelled. All of Vic’s friends were very impressed by him, me included. 
 
He was always relaxed and friendly with us, but he had this underlying air of subtle menace about him, a sense that there was danger there, just below the surface. Vic had told me how his father could suddenly convert from an apparent wealthy cogniscenti to a savage fighter, in an instant, surprising a would-be opponent and putting him down for the count, before that poor bastard even knew he was in a fight.
 
Youthful hyperbole? Who knows? I never saw any of that. I only had Vic’s word for it. But he DID look very capable of it. And I only know that nobody would dare to screw around with him. He was accorded a rare and wary respect, by all of us.
 
I never did find out what happened to Vic’s mother, whether she had died, or if they’d been divorced, but Vic lived with his father in an apartment, a few blocks down from me, on 89th Street, a few doors up from Narrows Avenue in Bay Ridge, Brooklyn. His dad kept company with a very handsome woman, also very well dressed and of some sophistication, who also had a very cosmopolitan air about her. 
 
I never did figure out exactly if she was his wife, or his girlfriend, but she apparently lived in another house or apartment, not with Vic and his Dad.
 
The truly impressive thing about Vic’s Dad, though, that I DID see, was his great physical strength. It was amazing, especially to my young eyes, at the time. And the moreso, because he WAS 53.
 
He would lie face down, flat on the floor, to eliminate all leverage, and pick up a solid iron 55 pound dumbbell with one hand, palm upward, and a straight arm. He would then curl it above and across his head, pivoting on his elbow, for multiple repetitions, with no discernable effort. Try that some time. It ain’t easy!
 
I remember bringing my then girlfriend, Linda, over with me to visit Vic, when his Dad was there. She was a line-girl for the Copa Cobana, a professional dancer with a really well-toned body and an aura of sheer animal magnetism, that I’ve rarely seen in anyone else. I introduced her to Vic’s Dad and she was really turned on by this “old” guy, at 53 yet! Unbelievable!
 
Whatever he had, I wish I could have bottled it. Woulda made a fortune. That’s for sure. Guy had it all: looks, self-posession, that aura of innate authority and that kind of forever strength, that age couldn’t wither. We all knew he worked out, to maintain it, but still…

I don’t know if he took supplements or not, but I’m betting he did. I’m confident that a guy like him, so obviously concerned with staying fit, virile and young, would be a big proponent of my POWERHOUSE OMEGA FORMULA  http://www.favoriteformulas.com  if, of course, it had existed back then.

I never did find out what happened to him, or if he still lives. Vic and I sort of lost touch after college, when I went off to medical school and, though I’ve tried to find him, so far, no luck.
 
But the other day, I was watching TV when a commercial came on, with the tag line, “Forever Strength.” And for some reason, out of nowhere, I flashed on my memories of Vic and Vic’s Dad. HA! If he were still around, I’d use HIM as a model, for my next fitness program. 
 
As it is, you’ll just have to make do with the fetching blonde personal trainer, who is the model for the knee pain exercises and stretches in my new and expanded PAIN-FREE PROGRAM & DVD: http://www.drbillsclinic.com/exercise_eliminate.html 
 
Well, wherever Vic’s Dad is, I wish him well. He was someone I admired and looked up to, in my formative years and a really good guy. Y’know, I STILL can’t do that trick of his with the dumbbell… and I never could. The power that guy must have had….
 
Well, that’s it for today. Look for my new Podcast show, “The Wellness Warrior” on mypodcastworld.com and on iTunes. First episode is about the many health benefits of Omega 3 fatty acids.  Til next time, my friend, be well. 
 
Yours for a pain-free tomorrow and your optimal health,
 
Dr. Bill
 
“The Wellness Warrior”   TM
 
P.S. For DR. BILL’S LITTLE GREEN BOOK ON ELIMINATING KNEE PAIN, a concise, but complete handbook on the root causes and the various options for treating knee pain, go to http://drbillsclinic.com/eliminate_knee_pain.html 
 
P.P.S. For DR. BILL’S PAIN-FREE PROGRAM: EXERCISES TO PREVENT OR ELIMINATE KNEE PAIN, please go to
 http://drbillsclinic.com/exercise_eliminate.html 
 
P.P.P.S. For conventional and alternative treatments and exercises to relieve knee pain without surgery click on http://drbillsclinic.com/avoid_knee_surgery.html 
 
P.P.P.P.S. For the giant, comprehensive ADVANCED MASTERS’ COURSE: HOW TO ELIMINATE KNEE PAIN–ONCE & FOR ALL!, everything you need to know on causes and solutions for knee pain and the complete exercise program, too, go to
 http://drbillsclinic.com/advanced_masters.html 
 
FREE BONUS CD with any order: THE HEALING POWER OF POSITIVE PAIN PERCEPTION
 
Copyright, 2010 by William Thomas Stillwell, MD, FACS
All rights reserved

January 8, 2010

As luck would have it, everything seems to break down, or go wrong, all at the same time. Ever notice that? We’ve just finished the stress of the Holidays, gotten past the loss of our oldest cat, Misty, had and dealt with my recovery from recent surgery and… wouldn’t you know it? The toilet breaks down and was running and running and running….and it’s only a week into the New Year.
 
Now these are old toilets, original equipment in this house, which makes them about 19 years old. So even the old bolts are rusted. Because they’re located in guest rooms, on the second floor, they don’t get much use. 
 
We only found out there was a problem when my wife decided to sleep up there, so as not to inadvertantly injure me during sleep, in my postop recovery (belly’s still pretty sore, but getting better, daily). Naturally, with me physically out of action and my wife lacking the physical strength to turn a rusted bolt, or even turn off the water, we had a problem.
 
So, we called our plumber. Normally, he would come right over. But, as we were in the midst of a true “when it rains, it pours” episode, he was tied up installing a massive water heater for a hotel, in which 4,000 people had no hot water. Figures, right?
 
So, he sent over an assistant today. Nice guy. John’s his name. He’s only 28, next month. And he’s making his living as a plumber. We took him up and showed him the problematic toilet.
 
He knelt on the marble floor, while he opened the commode and saw what was what. Turns out that, given the age of the old unit, it would be smarter to simply replace the old appliance with a new one. Figures, right? 
 
He turned off the water, so at least we weren’t still wasting it, by letting it endlessly run. But because he was a young guy and a nice guy, I decided to give him some free advice, that will make a big difference to his future comfort.
 
You see, a plumber, like a bricklayer, roofer, rug layer, or any trade that must kneel on unyielding surfaces to do their work, all have the same problem. They MUST assume that position, but it eventually causes severe knee pain. That’s the plumber’s dilemma. Here’s the solution:
 
Never, NEVER kneel on a hard floor, especially marble, concrete, brick, porcelain tile, or even wood, without a knee pad, of some kind. Here’s why.
 
The knee joint is designed to bear weight from top to bottom, NOT front to back. In other words, the kneecap (patella) is not designed to directly bear the stresses of weight bearing. This has consequences for the protective cartilage coating behind the kneecap, over time.
 
These abnormal forces may lead to degenerative softening of that cartilage coating, leading to knee pain due to chondromalacia patellae. I describe this and what to do about it in great detail in my LITTLE GREEN BOOK FOR ELIMINATING KNEE PAIN, which you can get here:  http://www.drbillsclinic.com/eliminate_knee_pain.html   and the specific, startegic exercises, that can relieve that knee pain over the long term, are outlined, step by step, in my newly re-written, greatly expanded PAIN-FREE PROGRAM & DVD, which was designed as the perfect companion to the Little Green Book.
 
http://www.drbillsclinic.com/exercise_eliminate.html 
 
In the short term, knee pads are the way to go. The problem is that for some, like this guy, John, the straps of knee pads pinch and bind the backs of their knees, thereby discouraging their use.
 
So, instead, he should use a small pad upon which he can kneel, either cloth, a section of carpet, or a gel pad. In any case, the object is to spread out the body weight over a larger area. This effectively reduces the unit stress on the relatively small kneecaps, same principle as snowshoes, reducing pain and preventing compression damage to the retropatellar cartilage.
 
Simple. Easy. Cheap. And, most important, effective. And likely to keep this young man from developing knee pain and arthritis in the years to come. Keep this in mind, whenever you have a similar home care project, that requires kneeling. 
 
And be sure to take my POWERHOUSE OMEGA FORMULA,   http://www.favoriteformulas.com   an ultra pure, enteric coated, pharmaceutical grade fish oil, with maximal omega-3 fatty acids and potent, proven anti-inflammatory properties, that reduce joint pain, back pain and have numerous heart, brain and blood vessel benefits. I take it, twice a day, every day (at least when I’m not pre-or post-surgery). You should, too.
 
Well, that’s my tip o’ the day, my friend. Have a great weekend and be well. Talk to you again real soon.
 
Yours for a pain-free tomorrow and your optimal health,
 
DR. BILL
 
“The Wellness Warrior” TM 
 
P.S. For DR. BILL’S LITTLE GREEN BOOK ON ELIMINATING KNEE PAIN, a concise, but complete handbook on the root causes and the various options for treating knee pain, go to http://drbillsclinic.com/eliminate_knee_pain.html 
 
P.P.S. For DR. BILL’S PAIN-FREE PROGRAM: EXERCISES TO PREVENT OR ELIMINATE KNEE PAIN, please go to
 http://drbillsclinic.com/exercise_eliminate.html 
 
P.P.P.S. For conventional and alternative treatments and exercises to relieve knee pain without surgery click on http://drbillsclinic.com/avoid_knee_surgery.html 
 
P.P.P.P.S. For the giant, comprehensive ADVANCED MASTERS’ COURSE: HOW TO ELIMINATE KNEE PAIN–ONCE & FOR ALL!, everything you need to know on causes and solutions for knee pain and the complete exercise program, too, go to
 http://drbillsclinic.com/advanced_masters.html 
 
FREE BONUS CD with any order: THE HEALING POWER OF POSITIVE PAIN PERCEPTION
 
Copyright, 2010 by William Thomas Stillwell, MD, FACS
All rights reserved

January 7, 2010

Pity the global warming advocates. Here we are, freezing our butts off and they’re still pushing this bogus “man-made global warming” scam. I have yet to have anyone explain to me how they account for melting of the ice caps…on MARS, if Man is responsible. Ah well, I guess they figure if they say it often enough, there will be enough of the brain-dead among us to make it fly–despite the facts.
 
The sun shining today, brightly, but without much warmth, brings up the subject of what to do during the winter months, for our vitamin D requirements.
 
As you may know, Vitamin D is an extremely important substance, which takes part in many biological processes, including the absorption of dietary calcium from the gut (and therefore, in preventing osteoporosis) and, more recently, enhancing the immune system and preventing cancer. In many ways,  Vitamin D acts more like a hormone than a normal vitamin.
 
It’s one of those vitamins that our bodies can synthesize, in addition to its uptake in certain of our foods, like fish liver oil, green leafy vegetables and, of course, supplements. When skin is exposed to sunlight, the vitamin’s precursor, naturally present in the deeper layers of the skin, is converted by the ultraviolet B (UVB) radiation into a compound that is eventually converted into the biologically active form of Vitamin D, called cholecalciferol, or Vitamin D-3.
 
Supplements or dietary sources, unless they specify that they’re D-3, are instead a slightly different chemical form, called ergocalciferol, or Vitamin D-2.  Though it used to be thought that D-2 was inferior to D-3 as a supplement, more recent research shows that they both will lead to the active form the body needs.
 
One common mistake is to think that what is commonly called fish oil is a good source of Vitamin D. This arises because it’s been known for years that taking cod liver oil, for example, is a good way to increase vitamin D intake. But fish oil, unless otherwise specified, refers to fish BODY oils, which are a great source of omega-3 fatty acids, but NOT Vitamin D.
 
Conversely, people think that because they take cod liver oil, they’re covered for their omega-3 needs. Not so. In fact, that could be dangerous, because fish LIVER oil contains the FAT soluble vitamins D and A. So if they were taken every day, as frequently as fish BODY oil, you might easily become toxic, with overdoses of both D and A.
 
It’s best to remember that omega-3 fatty acids and the fat soluble vitamins (A & D) are two seperate types of nutrients, that are best taken from two seperate sources. 
 
Though sunlight is the best source of D-3 (you can’t overdose on Vitamin D derived from the sun), cod liver oil, or supplements derived from that, are acceptable substitutes. Fish oil, like my own POWERHOUSE OMEGA FORMULA
 
http://www.favoriteformulas.com 
 
is best as an ultra purified, enteric coated, pharmaceutical grade source of omega-3′s with many health benefits, including heart, brain and joint properties that are proven to be very beneficial, in many ways, with virtually NO significant side effects.
 
These contaminant-free, ultra pure fish oil capsules can and should be taken every day, two to three times throughout the day, to balance the overwhelming amounts of inflammatory omega-6 fatty acids, so common in the Western diet, today.
 
Though a daily dose of 400-1000 IU of Vitamin D is commonly recommended, many people actually need MORE. How can you tell what’s right for you?
 
Ask your doctor to check your blood levels of 25-hydroxy-vitamin D, perhaps 3-4 times a year. Most investigators agree that this chemical is the best measure of your personal stores of this important vitamin. I personally take 2000 IU a day, as my tested 25-OH-vitamin D levels were only borderline, on 1000 IU a day. Remember, that was over twice the RDA. 
 
The key thing to take home from this is that everyone is an individual. Everyone is different. And everyone has different needs.
 
So measuring the actual stores you have, a few times a year, is the only way to really determine your personal needs. The RDA (recommended daily allowances) are almost a joke. Because they are average, designed to harm no one and “fit” everyone, they don’t address any single person’s actual needs. And even more aggressive recommendations, even mine, cannot be applied across the board, for all individuals.
 
So invest in the test. 
 
It’s easy, it’s relatively cheap and it is THE best way to be sure you’re getting enough Vitamin D. And enough Vitamin D is critical, not just for your bones, but even more important for this time of year, your immune system and resistance to disease, like the flu.
 
And do your exercises. Exercise has so many benefits, on virtually every physiological parameter, including your immune system, that it can’t be over emphasized. Try to do SOMETHING, every day. If you have knee pain (and, let’s face it, many of us do) these exercises in my PAIN-FREE PROGRAM and DVD are good for relieving knee pain, and will serve as general exercise, as well. 
 
http://www.drbillsclinic.com/exercise_eliminate.html 
 
That’s it for today, my friend. Stay warm. Keep smilin’. Talk to you tomorrow. Til then, be well.
 
Yours for a pain-free tomorrow and your optimal health,
 
DR. BILL
 
“The Wellness Warrior” TM
 
P.S. For DR. BILL’S LITTLE GREEN BOOK ON ELIMINATING KNEE PAIN, a concise, but complete handbook on the root causes and the various options for treating knee pain, go to http://drbillsclinic.com/eliminate_knee_pain.html 
 
P.P.S. For DR. BILL’S PAIN-FREE PROGRAM: EXERCISES TO PREVENT OR ELIMINATE KNEE PAIN, please go to
 http://drbillsclinic.com/exercise_eliminate.html 
 
P.P.P.S. For conventional and alternative treatments and exercises to relieve knee pain without surgery click on http://drbillsclinic.com/avoid_knee_surgery.html 
 
P.P.P.P.S. For the giant, comprehensive ADVANCED MASTERS’ COURSE: HOW TO ELIMINATE KNEE PAIN–ONCE & FOR ALL!, everything you need to know on causes and solutions for knee pain and the complete exercise program, too, go to
 http://drbillsclinic.com/advanced_masters.html 
 
FREE BONUS CD with any order: THE HEALING POWER OF POSITIVE PAIN PERCEPTION
 
Copyright, 2010 by William Thomas Stillwell, MD, FACS
All rights reserved

December 29, 2009

Nothing like listening and watching the news to get your mind off your own, more immediate troubles. Since this most recent terrorist attack, the news services have been buzzing with new developments and the reactions of the pundits and politicians on this subject.
 
I refer, of course, to NWA flight 253, from Amsterdam, Netherlands to Detroit, Michigan, where one Umar Farouk Abdulmutollab set off an incendiary device, in an effort to kill everyone on board, over American soil, using specially prepared underware, laced with powdered explosives. 
 
The terrorist is a 23 year old Nigerian man, whose own father, a prominent businessman, warned our embassy that his son was a radicalized muslim, bent on jihad. Hmmmm…young muslim man attempts to blow up a plane arriving on U.S. soil, on Christmas Day (second holiest day of the year for Christians, not the first, as erroneously reported by some–that would be Easter). Nice. Think that might indicate a religious motive, ie., an act of jihad inspired terrorism and a direct affront to Christians? Naaah! 
 
According to our eminent Secretary for Homeland Security, this past Sunday, “the system worked.” Really? (Where DOES he get these idiots to serve in his cabinet?) Next day, a 180 degree about face, with words to the effect that the system DIDN’T work, after all. Dammit Janet! (inside joke–Rocky Horror reference)
 
The TSA response? Now, no one can go to the bathroom for the last hour of the flight (good luck if you’re pregnant, diabetic, on diuretics, have prostate enlargement, etc.) AND you can’t have a paperback book, or blanket on your lap. You just have to be bored for an hour. Then, after the outcry at this stupidity, they modified the policy, so now the captain of the plane can decide. 
 
Idiocy. All of it. This does NOTHING to insure our safety. Where are the trained dogs, to sniff out explosives? Where is the rational profiling of potential terrorists? Are we all to die, for fear of offending our enemies?
 
This guy should have been on terror watch lists. He paid for a one-way ticket, with cash and no luggage. He lacked a passport, yet was allowed to get on board the plane. WHAT “system?” 
 
Then, the President, after delaying 72 hours, y’know, just to be sure he’s got all the info correct, came in off the golf course in Hawaii, long enough to mention the pro forma phrases expected about the “alleged” “suspect.” 
 
Alleged? Suspect? Legalistic terms, which reveal Obama’s legalistic frame of reference. It is KNOWN that this guy actually detonated his igniter. Luckily, he’s not too swift and his bomb assembly in the bathroom of the plane was faulty. Otherwise, we’d have had a real massacre in the air, with nearly 300 dead.
 
Thanks to a Dutch guy, with some balls, who grabbed this moron, subdued him and said moron’s own ineptitude in bomb assembly, he wasn’t successful. But he DID set off his device–we were just lucky that it failed to detonate. This was NOT a crime, like holding up a liquor store, or mugging an old lady. This WAS a terrorist attack. Not attempted either–completed, but fortunately unsuccessful. This was a real Christmas miracle.
 
This was also an ACT OF WAR by people who hate us and want to KILL US. Somebody clue-in the Commander-in-Chief.
 
Then he said something that should send chills down your spine: He said that this was “an isolated incident.” 
 
Waitaminnit!
 
We know this guy was radicalized, per his own father. We know he was trained by Al Qaeda in Yemen. Al Quaeda has taken credit for the attack, publically. “Isolated incident?” Are you friggin’ kidding me?
 
Our President STILL can’t bring himself to realize or admit that we’re in a WAR with maniacs, religious fanatics, who think that killing innocent civilians is doing Allah’s will.  (As if an all powerful, omniscient, transcendant Deity, who created all the world and all of us, believers and infidels alike, needs the likes of these unwashed mongrels to do His will. Well, one cannot expect logic from a fundamentally non-rational construct. But I digress…)
 
Look, I hope I’m wrong, but I think these guys, all of them, in this Administration, are rank amateurs, if not complete fools. And I think they will continue to do incredibly stupid things, and keep their collective head in the sand, until one day, there are 10,000 dead Americans in the streets (or in the air). Then, there’ll be hand wringing aplenty. And commentators will ask, in great seriousness, “What went wrong?” and “Were there warning signs?”
 
I don’t expect genius, especially from this crowd. But I do expect common sense. And there seems to be a real dearth of that commodity in Washington, these days. 
 
As more and more details of this case come out, one’s incredulity grows apace. But now, with the “suspect” having lawyered up, he cannot now be questioned by the CIA or FBI. His “rights” would be violated. WHAT rights? So now, we can’t learn about future planned attacks. That’s the legacy of a “criminal” approach.
 
The terrorist (which is what he is) has reportedly gotten third degree burns from his little stunt, according to his lawyer. Are we supposed to feel bad for this guy? Screw waterboarding. I’m for tying this guy on an ant hill.
 
AAAARRRGGHH! I can’t stand it any more! There are still people out there who support this Administration, despite all this massive incompetence, the spineless supination, despite the clear and present danger they represent for our republic and our safety. What will it take to convince them they were WRONG about this guy and his minions. I wish I were wrong… but I know I’m not.
 
Ah well, I just had to vent my spleen, one more time, for the end of the old year. I’ve got other things to worry about–like my own surgery coming up this Thursday morning. I wanted to get it done this year (before you know who screws up the health care system, for good) and start the New Year with healing, with the procedure behind me. So, since I can’t do it for a while, immediately after, I’m going to do my knee pain exercises now, while I can.
 
http://www.drbillsclinic.com/exercise_eliminate.html 
 
And if you have any knee pain, or just want to avoid it, I’d recommend that you do the same. The healthier you are, the more problems you fix, the less likely you are to need to be in the health care system.
 
I’d also like to recommend my POWERHOUSE OMEGA FORMULA  http://www.favoriteformulas.com   an enteric coated, highly concentrated, pharmaceutical grade fish oil, packed with omega-3 fatty acids that have been shown to reduce heart attacks and strokes, lower blood pressure and resting heart rate, help to stabilize lipid levels and drop triglycerides and, my favorite, reduce inflammation and arthritis pain. Best of all, it’s completely natural. 
 
Well, up and at ‘em. Talk to you soon, my friend. Til next time, be well.
 
Yours for a pain-free tomorrow and optimal health,
 
Dr. Bill
 
 
P.S. For DR. BILL’S LITTLE GREEN BOOK ON ELIMINATING KNEE PAIN, a concise, but complete handbook on the root causes and the various options for treating knee pain, go to http://drbillsclinic.com/eliminate_knee_pain.html 
 
P.P.S. For DR. BILL’S PAIN-FREE PROGRAM: EXERCISES TO PREVENT OR ELIMINATE KNEE PAIN, please go to
 http://drbillsclinic.com/exercise_eliminate.html 
 
P.P.P.S. For conventional and alternative treatments and exercises to relieve knee pain without surgery click on  http://drbillsclinic.com/avoid_knee_surgery.html
 
P.P.P.P.S. For the giant, comprehensive ADVANCED MASTERS’ COURSE: HOW TO ELIMINATE KNEE PAIN–ONCE & FOR ALL!, everything you need to know on causes and solutions for knee pain and the complete exercise program, too, go to
 http://drbillsclinic.com/advanced_masters.html 
 
FREE BONUS CD with any order: THE HEALING POWER OF POSITIVE PAIN PERCEPTION
 
Copyright, 2009 by William Thomas Stillwell, MD, FACS
All rights reserved

The early Christmas party went well, last night. Everyone ate their fill (and that’s one real advantage to an early celebration–if you run out if anything, the stores are still open, so you can just go out and buy whatever you want). We did our presents (except for the bride and myself–we like to do our own gift exchanges in private… we always did). And everyone seemed to have a really good time.
 
Slept in late today. That last minute push before an event at the house always knocks me out, so I indulged myself with lying abed this morning and allowed myself to recharge.
 
Not sure if I mentioned this before, but I recently discovered that I have developed an inguinal hernia–just came out of the blue. Don’t recall any trauma, or any sensation of straining, or tearing. But a few days after Thanksgiving, I noticed it for the first time–it just WAS. The surgeon says that’s how these things normally present in us middle aged guys. Another step on the road to decreptitude.
 
This is one of those “mechanical problems” I’m always talking about, as a differentiation between “necessary” and “unnecessary” surgeries, a point I make repeatedly in my newest healing program, HOW TO AVOID KNEE SURGERY: http://www.drbillsclinic.com/avoid_knee_surgery.html  
 
Anyway, it seems I need some surgery soon, to fix it, so I have to stop all dietary items that could cause excessive bleeding, during the procedure.
 
That would include any low dose aspirin, or garlic, or fish oil, that are normally taken precisely because they “thin the blood” and reduce the incidence of abnormal clotting. The problem is that they all have additional effects, like the proven, potent anti-inflammatory properties of omega-3 fatty acids, found in pharmaceutical grade fish oil, like my POWERHOUSE OMEGA FORMULA   http://www.favoriteformulas.com 
 
That means that if I stop the fish oil and the other items for any single reason, I give up ALL their benefits. And having done so now, for a few days, I can TELL it’s missing, when my back and joints start aching again.
 
There’s no question that those anti-inflammatory properties really exist. Same thing can be said for its anti-platelet aggregation properties, that make the blood platelets less “sticky” and therefore, less likely to form clots. 
 
That’s why the doctors tell you to quit them a week, or ten days, before surgery. That’s tacit admission from the medical establishment that omega-3′s WORK.
 
Then, earlier today, my oldest cat, Misty, started falling around. Poor thing is over 18 1/2, which makes her over 80, in human years. We were very upset, fearing that she had had a stroke. We’ve lost a few of our older cats to sudden strokes. And there’s no coming back from that, if it’s a big one.
 
So, I was moping around all day, until I could get her to the vet. My wife was convinced she’d come to the end of the road and that we’d have to put her down. Some timing! I hate that. And I was dreading hearing that I would have to do that, today. 
 
I know she’s old, but she’s really sweet and I tend to fight for my pets, every step of the way, whatever is needed, so they get every minute of quality life that’s coming to them. Funny, but I apply the “Medical Ethic” to my cats, while Congress is getting ready to apply the “Veterinary Ethic” to us (ie., those who pay the bill determine the level of care), with their Christmas Eve vote on their alleged Health Care bill. November can’t come soon enough, for me….
 
But when the vet finally looked at her, blood work was great, x-rays were OK and he only found some high blood pressure, ie., a treatable condition. Thank God! You know, I can handle anything involving my health, or that of my family, but I still get all choked up about our cats.
 
So Misty got a reprieve–she came home and promptly went to sleep, none the worse for wear. And you know what? As far as I was concerned, it was the best gift of all!
 
Well, nothing left now, but some last minute shopping for my bride and then, the peaceful interlude of Christmas Day. I wish you every joy for this Holiday Season, and hope you enjoy a very Merry Christmas, you and your loved ones, and a Happy, Healthy New Year! Til the next time we speak, enjoy the peace and the hope of this special time of year…and be well, my friend.
 
With seasonal greetings and my warmest wishes for your optimal health,
 
Dr. Bill
 
P.S. For DR. BILL’S LITTLE GREEN BOOK ON ELIMINATING KNEE PAIN, a concise, but complete handbook on the root causes and the various options for treating knee pain, go to http://drbillsclinic.com/eliminate_knee_pain.html 
 
P.P.S. For DR. BILL’S PAIN-FREE PROGRAM: EXERCISES TO PREVENT OR ELIMINATE KNEE PAIN, please go to
 http://drbillsclinic.com/exercise_eliminate.html 
 
P.P.P.S. For conventional and alternative treatments and exercises to relieve knee pain without surgery click on http://drbillsclinic.com/avoid_knee_surgery.html 
 
P.P.P.P.S. For the giant, comprehensive ADVANCED MASTERS’ COURSE: HOW TO ELIMINATE KNEE PAIN–ONCE & FOR ALL!, everything you need to know on causes and solutions for knee pain and the complete exercise program, too, go to
 http://drbillsclinic.com/advanced_masters.html

FREE BONUS CD with any order: THE HEALING POWER OF POSITIVE PAIN PERCEPTION
 
Copyright, 2009 by William Thomas Stillwell, MD, FACS
All rights reserved

December 14, 2009

Luckily, the wounds I acquired in my hands and knees in my less than graceful swan dive, off the steps of the great Library of Celsus in Ephesus, mainly abrasions and shallow lacerations, did NOT become infected. Good thing, too. I had no idea what the state of the medical arts was in Turkey and I had no desire to find out, first hand. 
 
We finally docked at the end of the cruise in Istanbul, known in ancient times as Constantinople, after the Emperor of the Byzantine Empire, Constantine. We stayed in a magnificent place, now a Kempinski hotel, The Ciran (pronounced Sheer-on’) Palace, which was located right on the Bosphorus River. The city is unique in that it is the meeting place of East and West, Europe and Asia.
 
As beautiful and ornate as any Western palace, Ciran was fabulously opulent, with certain touches that you’d never see in the West, like spiral glass ballusters of pastel shades, supporting massive marble bannisters on the main staircases. There was a certain pallet of colors that was definitely oriental, that let you know you were somewhere…different. Our room was very nice, with a small balcony overlooking the great river.
 
Once we were settled in, we decided to see the town. First thing we always did in any new place was take a tour. Best way to get a lay of the land and see what and where the local sights are. Then, having identified what we’d like to see in greater depth, we can always go back and explore on our own.
 
Istanbul is one of the most fascinating cities you’ll ever see. The people looked very European, but were 99% muslim. They were very friendly with Americans at that time and were fiercely proud of their very secular government, and many civil liberties, as set up by their great leader, Attaturk. Of course, this was in the nineties, and things may have changed since then, in that regard. I don’t know, ’cause it’s been a while….
 
The architecture is fantastic, from the Haja (pronounced Hi-ya) Sophia, once the largest domed church in Christendom, now a converted mosque, to the famed Blue Mosque and the Suleyman Mosque (my personal favorite–elegant, sleek, graceful and sophisticated). In addition, they have the Topkapi Palace, a huge complex, once the domain of the Sultan of the Ottoman Empire.
 
The Topkapi is immense, with unbelieveable exhibits, including a footprint of the Prophet Mohammed, a few of his teeth and beard hairs, the purported forearm bones of John the Baptist, a solid gold throne, a Damascened scimitar with an emerald pommel, carved  from a single giant emerald. So much, in fact, I can’t even recall it all. But a display that would make any history buff salivate. 
 
But then, we decided to take a walk in the famed Turkish Bazaar, which was walking distance from the hotel. No sooner had we entered than we were beset by hordes of children and teenagers, all looking for handouts from the rich Americans. We stood out like sore thumbs. And they were very insistent.
 
Fortunately, before the Bazaar could become a Turkish Bizarre event, a policeman came by and, though he was carrying a nightstick, he didn’t brandish it. He just looked at the kids. Just looked. And woooosh! They vanished, just like that. Apparently, their cops don’t fool around and the kids didn’t want him to do more than look. They took the hint. 
 
He was very kind and escorted us around. He advised us not to weaken and give anyone anything, or there would be no stopping them. We walked around a bit more, sampling some sweets and apple tea, as we shopped and looked at the wild profusion of every kind of object, device, apparel, food stuff, sculpture, rug, art, hookahs, swords, pottery, jewelry, you name it, that was on display in this huge number of stalls, crammed one atop the next. You kind of felt like you had been magically transported right into the market of the Arabian Nights.
 
The merchants could not have been friendlier. One guy, a jeweler, actually put a pave diamond ring on my wife’s hand and suggested she take it home(!) to the US, and send him the money, if she liked it. Can you believe that? The ring was worth over 20 grand in the early nineties, so given inflation, do the math…that’s a lot of trust. I guess they develop a sense of who they can trust to do the right thing. But, I said no. The merchant and my wife were disappointed, but c’mon, that WAS a bit much!
 
We finally wended our way back to the hotel, exhausted but dazzled by all we had seen. They had a small gym, where I did the maintenance knee pain exercises I now teach, in my PAIN-FREE PROGRAM  http://www.drbillsclinic.com/exercise_eliminate.html
while my wife rested and bathed. Then, after I showered, we had dinner in the hotel’s restaurant, while we watched the boats go up and down the Bosphorus and saw a wedding taking place on the grounds, before us. The menu was so alien to my experience, except for some kebabs, that I can’t even remember what I had–only that I really loved it.
 
This was in the days, well before I knew about the many health benefits of omega-3 fatty acids in pharmaceutical grade fish oil, like my Powerhouse Omega Formula  http://www.favoriteformulas.html  or I would have taken some, just before bed. As it was, it was just a spectularly memorable day. Almost too much jammed into one 24 hour period to recall. If you’re ever up for a different vacation, you might want to give Turkey a try. Til next time, my friend, be well. 
 
Yours for a pain-free tomorrow,
 
Dr. Bill

P.S. For DR. BILL’S LITTLE GREEN BOOK ON ELIMINATING KNEE PAIN, a concise, but complete handbook on the root causes and the various options for treating knee pain, go to http://drbillsclinic.com/eliminate_knee_pain.html 
 
P.P.S. For DR. BILL’S PAIN-FREE PROGRAM: EXERCISES TO PREVENT OR ELIMINATE KNEE PAIN, please go to
 http://drbillsclinic.com/exercise_eliminate.html 
 
P.P.P.S. For conventional and alternative treatments and exercises to relieve knee pain without surgery click on http://drbillsclinic.com/avoid_knee_surgery.html 
 
P.P.P.P.S. For the giant, comprehensive ADVANCED MASTERS’ COURSE: HOW TO ELIMINATE KNEE PAIN–ONCE & FOR ALL!, everything you need to know on causes and solutions for knee pain and the complete exercise program, too, go to
 http://drbillsclinic.com/advanced_masters.html 
 
FREE BONUS CD with any order: THE HEALING POWER OF POSITIVE PAIN PERCEPTION
 
Copyright, 2009 by William Thomas Stillwell, MD, FACS
All rights reserved

December 10, 2009

I’ve been really hewing to the line in talking about strictly orthopaedic and/or medical problems, of late. You are no doubt agog with amazement at my incredible self restraint, in the wake of Harry Reid continuing to try to ram the Health Care legislation through the Senate, despite a considerable majority of the country being against it, or the comedy of the big climate change conference in Copenhagen, where the Anointed One will likely try to sign away some of America’s sovereignty over the ongoing fiction of man-made global warming…excuse me, “climate change.”
 
I admit it is tempting and how long I can maintain my restraint is anyone’s guess, but it IS rather like shooting fish in a barrel. So, I will only urge you to let your senators know how you feel about this health care debacle and move on to other, more palatable items.
 
Some years ago, one of the best trips my wife ever took me on was to the Greek Islands and Turkey. She was the one who planned our trips and vacations. I was busy all the time, so I went where I was told and always enjoyed it.
 
On this trip, we flew to Greece, where we went aboard the Windstar, a 400 foot, computer guided sail ship. Much more sophisticated than the Windjammer Cruises, the guests were not expected to work the ship. Quite the contrary. They had almost as many staff as they had passengers. If you ever want a really relaxing, virtually silent cruise, a different experience from those mammoth cruise ships, try a Windstar cruise.
 
I’ll tell you about the Greek islands another time. Today, it’s about our adventures in Turkey, what you might call our “Turkish Delight.” Many people think of camels and Arabic culture when they think of Turkey, because it is a Muslim country, the original seat  of the fabled Ottoman Empire. But in fact, the language is closer to Hungarian than Arabic, and though most of the people ARE muslims, they are much more European in appearance, quite a few with blond hair and blue eyes. Perhaps you knew this, but it was a surprise to me.
 
On our way to Istanbul, we sailed the Mediterranean Sea, along the coast, stopping first at Kusadasi, where we drank apple tea and bargained for the best prices, with Turkish rug merchants. I must have done OK, because the shop owner told me that if I ever wanted to come into the business, he would hire me.
 
This bargaining process, however, is not quick.
 
We were late getting back to the ship, which was just getting ready to pull up the gangplank, when we ran up breathlessly and checked in. The First Mate checked us off and looked at us balefully, but he didn’t say anything except, “Welcome aboard.” We were the very last to board and they really were getting ready to leave us. Closest I’ve ever come to being left behind.
 
No, of course I wasn’t carrying the rugs! They were to be shipped back to the States. 
 
Well, we got back to our cabin and I decided to go to the little gym that they had on board. They had some free weights, dumbbells and such, and an old exercise bicycle, what we in the trade call an ergometer. Thing about ergometers is that you can adjust them to develop your quadriceps, by raising the seat, so you get maximal contraction on each downstroke. I show you exactly how to do this and why in my latest version of the PAIN-FREE PROGRAM:   http://www.drbillsclinic.com/exercise_eliminate.html 
 
After that, a quick shower and then, dinner. The interesting thing about dining on a sailing ship is that the entire ship lists to one side, as it is actually pulled along by the giant sails. At times, this is a good 20 degrees, or more. And if the sea is rough, it gets to rockin’ ‘n’ rollin’ pretty good, too. (This may not be ideal if you get sea sick, easily.) 
 
So you have to have strong legs and a good sense of balance to be able to stay upright and develop your “sea legs.” We eventually made it to the table. Very amusing to watch the meniscus of the water in the goblets indicate just how much of a cant we were on.
 
I don’t really remember what I ate that particular night, but I do remember they had a very nice Dover Sole, which I enjoyed frequently. These days, I don’t eat fish too often, so I make sure I get my omega-3 fatty acids from my very own POWERHOUSE 
OMEGA FORMULA, an ultra pure, enteric coated, pharmaceutical grade fish oil:   http://www.favoriteformulas.com 
 
Next day, we stopped at Ephesus, further up the coast. And I had quite an adventure there, too… which I’ll tell you about tomorrow. Til then, my friend, be well.
 
Yours for a pain-free tomorrow,
 
Dr. Bill
 
P.S. For DR. BILL’S LITTLE GREEN BOOK ON ELIMINATING KNEE PAIN, a concise, but complete handbook on the root causes and the various options for treating knee pain, go to http://drbillsclinic.com/eliminate_knee_pain.html 
 
P.P.S. For DR. BILL’S PAIN-FREE PROGRAM: EXERCISES TO PREVENT OR ELIMINATE KNEE PAIN, please go to
 http://drbillsclinic.com/exercise_eliminate.html 
 
P.P.P.S. For conventional and alternative treatments and exercises to relieve knee pain without surgery click on http://drbillsclinic.com/avoid_knee_surgery.html 
 
P.P.P.P.S. For the giant, comprehensive ADVANCED MASTERS’ COURSE: HOW TO ELIMINATE KNEE PAIN–ONCE & FOR ALL!, everything you need to know on causes and solutions for knee pain and the complete exercise program, too, go to
 http://drbillsclinic.com/advanced_masters.html 
 
FREE BONUS CD with any order: THE HEALING POWER OF POSITIVE PAIN PERCEPTION
 
Copyright, 2009 by William Thomas Stillwell, MD, FACS
All rights reserved

December 2, 2009

If you are one of my subscribers who thinks I speak too critically, too often, about President Obama, especially if you’re one of my European fans (who is used to socialism and doesn’t understand why some of us make such a big deal about it), or if you find my remarks about politics annoying, please delete this, right now. This will spare us both a lot of unnecessary angst. Then, come back tomorrow, when I’ll be back on strictly orthopaedic and medical topics.
 
If you’re still here, you have been warned. 
 
Actually, I’m not going on a rant here, but I couldn’t let Obama’s West Point speech on Afghanistan pass, without some comment. And this does have some bearing on the pending Heath Care legislation, which IS part of our focus, here.
 
This speech had a number of points that deserve examination, the good, the bad and the ugly. Let’s take the good, first. 
 
The President has determined that the War in Afghanistan is crucial to our national security. He once called it a “War of Necessity.” And it is. He has therefore decided to take the fight to the Taliban. He laid out clear goals: to degrade, dismantle and defeat Al Qaeda and their Taliban allies. To that end, he has decided to send 30,000 more troops, in a “surge,” if you will. In so doing, he has stood up to his rabid left wing, mindlessly anti-war base, who want us out of there immediately, for the benefit of the country as a whole. That is an act of political courage, rare in this hyper political Administration, so it should be applauded.
 
He seems to have finally recognized that these guys are, in fact, terrorists (not laughably and euphemistically named “man-made disasters”) and that’s good, too. He drew a clear distinction between the violent, radical, repressive islamists of the Taliban and the rest of the Islamic World. He made it clear that “the days of writing a blank check” for the corrupt Karzai government were over. And he encouraged our NATO allies and the rest of the world to step up (good luck with that). 
 
He correctly cited Pakistan as the linch pin in the fight against the Taliban and recognized the vital importance of our alliance and strategic partnership with the Pakistani government. That’s where the Al Qaeda biggies are hiding out. And it’s an islamic country, which already HAS nuclear weapons, which cannot be allowed to fall into the hands of terrorists. Overall, I think his policy was right. All of this was good. 
 
Now, for the bad. He took three months to review all the facts, when his own general had asked for 40,000 troops, or risk failure, and meanwhile, our boys are dying over there, with inadequate support. And the new troops won’t be deployed until early 2010. He also said that troops would begin drawing down in 18 months. Well, if I were the Taliban, I’d just lie low, until he pulled out the troops, before making my move. In war, or even playing poker, you NEVER let your opponent know what your end game is. NEVER.

So we have a limited commitment of troops, for a limited period of time. In other words, a tepid, bloodless, passionless,  cerebral, split-the-difference response, when what was called for was red meat. One of the analysts called the speech “aspirational, not inspirational.” I wish I’d thought of that.
 
I can’t forget that this same guy said last July (7/23/09), “I’m always worried about using the word victory….” Really?Look, just as I predicted, whatever this guy’s gifts, he’s just NOT a warrior. And this speech will not convince anyone, friend or foe alike, of anything different. That’s not good. Nothing like weakness, real or perceived, to invite aggression.
 
Now the ugly was again with, “we’ve made mistakes.” (No $hit. I can think of one, only 316 days ago.) But we all make mistakes. Stop with the apologies, already!  And yet another side swipe at the Bush Administration (“after eight years, I’ve decided to finish the job.”). Enough, already. You knew the job when you signed on. And worse, you can fairly see the political calculation behind every utterance. The guy clearly resents the money being spent on this, which he’d much rather redistribute, in gigantic social programs, like Health Care. 
 
So, that’s my take on The One’s latest address. His audience was polite, but I didn’t see, or hear any cheering. But then, it WAS West Point. And his back drop WAS our finest young officers in training. And they get jazzed when they hear their Commander-in-Chief exhort them to VICTORY, not “a responsible end to the War in Afghanistan.” Our elected leader, but not a leader of men….
 
Well, the decision is made. Let’s hope for the best. And pray for our troops.
 
I will say that all the folks in this Administration would benefit greatly from the brain boosting properties of the omega-3 fatty acids in my ultra pure, enteric coated, pharmaceutical grade fish oil
 
http://www.favoriteformulas.com 
 
and the President might get a little more ”heart” with my pharmaceutical grade, crystal-free CoQ10
 
http://www.favoriteformulas.com/CoQ10formula 
 
Now, I’m off to do my knee pain exercises, to keep my thigh muscles strong and arthritis pain at bay, with my PAIN-FREE PROGRAM:   http://www.drbillsclinic.com/exercise_eliminate.html 
 
Best way I know to start the day! That’s it for today. Back to medical stuff tomorrow, as promised. Til next time, my friend, be well.
 
Yours for a pain-free tomorrow,
 
Dr. Bill

P.S. For DR. BILL’S LITTLE GREEN BOOK ON ELIMINATING KNEE PAIN, a concise, but complete handbook on the root causes and the various options for treating knee pain, go to http://drbillsclinic.com/eliminate_knee_pain.html 
 
P.P.S. For DR. BILL’S PAIN-FREE PROGRAM: EXERCISES TO PREVENT OR ELIMINATE KNEE PAIN, please go to
 http://drbillsclinic.com/exercise_eliminate.html 
 
P.P.P.S. For conventional and alternative treatments and exercises to relieve knee pain without surgery click on http://drbillsclinic.com/avoid_knee_surgery.html 
 
P.P.P.P.S. For the giant, comprehensive ADVANCED MASTERS’ COURSE: HOW TO ELIMINATE KNEE PAIN–ONCE & FOR ALL!, everything you need to know on causes and solutions for knee pain and the complete exercise program, too, go to   http://drbillsclinic.com/advanced_masters.html 
 
FREE BONUS CD with any order: THE HEALING POWER OF POSITIVE PAIN PERCEPTION
 
Copyright, 2009 by William Thomas Stillwell, MD, FACS
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