Sand Hill Philosopher

Harvard Medical Dean Condemns Medical Reform

The Dean of what is arguably the top medical school in the nation, Harvard Medical School, spoke out on Friday condemning those Congressmen who would vote for a reform of the nation's medical system that would lead to a one-payer system, or disrupt the patient/physician relationship in any way.

After the refusal of the AMA to sit astride the bull-ride of the Medical Reform battle,

Will AARP Position Cost Childrens' Lives?

The offenses committed by the US Presidency, Congress and the AARP should be championed by someone as an elder abuse.

For years, the AARP has said that it is the voice that speaks for America's seniors.  They have been heavy proponents of Obama-care, swearing repeatedly to older Americans that they represent "their" best interests.  In pushing this bill through Congress, and the voices of America's seniors supporting the AARP, the AARP members have  beeen extorted.  We cannot have a socialized medicine and strong new research that reveals expensive therapies.

Doctors for Patient Care

Last week, I reported to you that the AMA had been jolted to alertness by the AMA House of Delegates overwhelmingly calling them to use all efforts to stop the current health legislation changes, in my blog post, AMA Awakens to Speak for Doctors, Finally .  In this article, The Sand Hill Reader learned that the AMA only has 17% of  American doctors as members, yet they have taken liberal positions, or non-positions on these issues of healthcare. The AMA is seen as The Voice of American Physicians.

Several weeks ago, President BHO had a group of doctors invited to the White House in order to present the idea that "American Physicians support this Healthcare Reform."  It came to light that the medical doctors that were at the meeting were all members of a group formed during the Obama Campaign called, "Doctors for Obama".  As many as half of the people there who were wearing white laboratory coats, and presented as physicians, were actually researchers, research grant writers, lobbyists for liberal groups, and even Obama staff members. This presented a picture of much more support than he could legitimately get to portray his  plan's (non)-support.

Most doctors DO NOT support the proposed health care changes: they are not in either the group "Doctors for Obama", or in another minority professional group, such as the AMA. (Please note the above referenced article that reports that the AMA may be changing directions.) To take a leadership role for the other 83% doctors, as well as the portion of AMA members who were not heard, a group known as "Doctors for Patient Care" was started. Membership in this group is divided into Physicians and non-Physicians. Their leadership has evolved into a powerful mass of physicians and patient supporters. They have been on almost every talk radio program and news channel in America.  The Sand Hill Philosopher, aka, C. Dwayne Shafer, MD, PhD, has joined the group, and encourages you to do the same. They have used material that I wrote for them, and I have permission to share their information. The following is today's URGENT e-mail notice. I encourage you to ACT and REACT. The groups web address is in the following letter sent out today.

Just Thinking, The Sand Hill Philosopher

Colleagues and Friends:

The US House passed its HCR bill by a vote of 220-215.  The final version of this $1.3 trillion bill has grown to over 2000 pages and will have a profound impact on the lives of every American family.  Despite the promise of transparency and accountability, there was no opportunity for 72 hours of public scrutiny prior to the vote.  Consequently, this legislation is certain to:

Best of the Week

Here are a few of this past week's most read blog posts among Sand Hill Readers. A few were posted this past week, but some of the most commonly searched and read posts were from previous weeks. This is a chance for the new followers to see what people still value among the Sand Hill Philosopher's blogs.  This summary will become a regular weekend catch-up and re-cap on what people have been reading on the web site.

Just Thinking, The Sand Hill PhilosopherIs Congress Constitutional Anymore?
Posted: 11 Nov 2009 11:36 AM PST
Nancy Pelosi does not consider constitutionality of a bill "serious". Do you? Read here to find out when Congress lost that perspective. The Sand Hill Philosopher

Homeschooling American Patriots
Posted: 28 Oct 2009 05:15 AM PDT
Homeschooling Patriots: a frame work for a curriculum

AMA Awakens to Speak for Doctors, Finally
Posted: 12 Nov 2009 10:49 PM PST
Will the apparent awakening of the AMA to both physician and patient needs affect the healthcare reform movement in Congress? It could be explosive, or a dud.

Fibromyalgia: The Thirty Year Phenomenon, Part Fourteen
Posted: 12 Nov 2009 05:00 AM PST
The Fourteenth, and FINAL, post on this blog considering the Cause and Cure for Fibromyalgia, with the case proven by a study of physiology, pathology, anatomy and verified by patient reports,...Dedicated to Elder Sonny Pyles, who taught me to think, and believe in the incredible ability of God's Creation to care for itself.

AMA Awakens to Speak for Doctors, Finally

Only 17% of American Physicians are members of the American Medical Association (AMA), yet they are considered to be the Voice of American Doctors.  The AMA House of Delegates overwhelmingly demanded that the AMA Board of Trustees unleash all their powers and influence upon the legislators in Washington, DC, to declare their position: We will stand for Freedom in Medicine.

Fibromyalgia: The Thirty Year Phenomenon, Part Fourteen

The Final Installment

Consult your Physician before making any diagnosis, changing medications, diet or other therapies. The information on The Sand Hill Philosopher is not intended to Diagnose or Treat any Medical Condition. Please see previous Blog Warnings in this Fibromyalgia Series.

Over the course of the previous thirteen installments, I have shown you how Shafer's Fibromyalgia Pentad is comprised of five co-morbid diseases. This was also shown to be connected to sugar-intake, particularly High Fructose Corn Syrup, and its stimulation of Insulin Release. This causes a physiologic cascade of complications that connect the five co-morbid diseases in the Pentad.

Fibromyalgia: The Thirty Year Phenomenon, Part Thirteen

Consult your Physician before making any diagnosis, changing medications, diet or other therapies. The information on The Sand Hill Philosopher is not intended to Diagnose or Treat any Medical Condition. Please see previous Blog Warnings in this Fibromyalgia Series.

Let's take a moment and recap seven major points that are critical in linking Shafer's Fibromyalgia Pentad together physiologically.

Knowing what you have been taught, and based upon several known facts, as demonstrated in this series on Fibromyalgia, we should consider the following:

Special Sand Hill Up-Date

First, I would like to thank you all for

Fibromyalgia: the Thirty Year Phenomenon, Part Twelve

Consult your Physician before making any diagnosis, changing medications, diet or other therapies. The information on The Sand Hill Philosopher is not intended to Diagnose or Treat any Medical Condition. Please see previous Blog Warnings in this Fibromyalgia Series.

Our last post ended with a schematic of cell wall receptors for insulin, and much of the mechanism for glucose entry into a cell; the chemicals involved in

JAMA Cover Art Reflects America's Attitude on Healthcare

Fibromyalgia: The Thirty Year Phenomenon, Part Eleven

Consult your Physician before making any diagnosis, changing medications, diet or other therapies. The information on The Sand Hill Philosopher is not intended to Diagnose or Treat any Medical Condition. Please see previous Blog Warnings in this Fibromyalgia Series.

Fibromyalgia: The Thirty Year Phenomenon, Part Ten

Consult your Physician before making any diagnosis, changing medications, diet or other therapies. The information on The Sand Hill Philosopher is not intended to Diagnose or Treat any Medical Condition. Please see previous Blog Warnings in this Fibromyalgia Series.

We will now resume our look at Shafer's Fibromyalgia Pentad. While we started toward the explanation of FLD previously, and its relationship within the FM Pentad, it is necessary to see the large scope with which we must view lipids (fat), such as its origins, storage and mobilization within the body. Much, if not most of the lipids in an FM patient is processed into that form by the liver. While it enters the body as a sugar (usually High Fructose Corn Syrup, as discussed previously) it is changed to glucose, converted to triglycerides and then stored. Next, we look at the way in which increased sugar "attacks" not only inhibit the liver, but are tied to EVERY other co-morbid disease within Shafer's Fibromyalgia Pentad.

Fibromyalgia: The Thirty Year Phenomenon, Part Nine

Consult your Physician before making any diagnosis, changing medications, diet or other therapies. The information on The Sand Hill Philosopher is not intended to Diagnose or Treat any Medical Condition. Please see previous Blog Warnings in this Fibromyalgia Series.

After showing the role of glucose (typically converted from High Fructose Corn Syrup) and describing the normal function of Insulin on Cell Wall Receptor Sites in our previous lessons, I also showed the reader the types of dysfunction that can lead to Insulin Resistance.

The next step is to take a look at Fatty Liver Disease (FLD).

Fibromyalgia: The Thirty Year Phenomenon, Part Eight

Consult your Physician before making any diagnosis, changing medications, diet or other therapies. The information on The Sand Hill Philosopher is not intended to Diagnose or Treat any Medical Condition. Please see previous Blog Warnings in this Fibromyalgia Series.

During the first ten years of high glucose levels, the Obesity develops, and after the Obesity reaches a point, typically after ten more years, signs of Insulin Resistance (or, DM-II) begin to develop. I have previously stated that common blood tests do not provide the criteria to diagnose or confirm FM. After learning about Shafer's Fibromyalgia Pentad, I will now show that there actually are some abnormalities in blood testing, but they have not previously been seen as interrelated, and are often subtle.

Fibromyalgia: The Thirty Year Phenomenon, Part Seven

Consult your Physician before making any diagnosis, changing medications, diet or other therapies. The information on The Sand Hill Philosopher is not intended to Diagnose or Treat any Medical Condition. Please see previous Blog Warnings in this Fibromyalgia Series.

In previous posts, I have described the conundrum a physician faces in deciding upon the diagnosis of Fibromyalgia (FM), or not. I have also stated that five co-morbid diseases typically accompany one another, and these five diseases comprise the Shafer's Fibromyalgia Pentad. Many patients are wrongly classified as having FM because

Fibromyalgia: Thirty Year Phenomenon, Part Six

Consult your Physician before making any diagnosis, changing medications, diet or other therapies. The information on The Sand Hill Philosopher is not intended to Diagnose or Treat any Medical Condition. Please see previous Blog Warnings in this Fibromyalgia Series.

In the last post I drew a relation between five diseases, nominated "The
Fibromyalgia Pentad." These are five diagnoses that are closely related. I also pointed out the timing of the onset of Fibromyalgia (FM) Symptoms, co-morbid diseases, and correlated these with the use of High Fructose Corn Syrup. The Pentad include Fibromyalgia, Diabetes (or, Glucose Intolerance), Fatty Liver Disease, Obesity and Depression.

Fibromyalgia: Thirty Year Phenomenon, Part Five

The management of these diseases are often complicated, and mismanagement (including self-management) could lead to complications or death. Changes in your current medical management plan should only be made and monitored by a qualified and licensed physician. Your diagnoses should be confirmed, managed and monitored by a physician.

Medicare is the Public Option

The October 26, 2009 issue of American Medical News(news supplement for AMA) has a front page feature entitled, Senate Panel’s Health Reform Bill OK’d with 0.5% Medicare Pay Hike.

Earlier this year, physicians screamed

Fibromyalgia: Thirty Year Phenomenon, Part Four

This information is not meant to diagnose or treat any person or disease. At this point, I face a legal responsibility to inform you that while a licensed physician, I am only licensed within the State of Texas. The earlier posts did not recommend any change in therapy in any particular patient, nor should be implied to, nor do the following posts.

Fibromyalgia: Thirty Year Phenomenon, Part Three

I closed the last section of this series on Fibromyalgia with the question, “Why thirty years of new disease prevalence?”

Quotes: Small Tastes of History

Quotes give us licks from the lollipop of history. They should inspire us with ideas,

Fibromyalgia: Thirty Year Phenomenon, Part Two

Fibromyalgia is so closely related to diet and co-morbid diseases that the disease is almost undeniably connected to them.

Obama Goes for Nobel Grand Slam

After his unprecedented Ten Day achievement in winning what was previously the world’s most Prestigious Prize for out-standing progress toward World Peace President BHO has decided to go for the Grand Slam.

Fibromyalgia: Thirty Year Phenomenon, Part One

I believe that Fibromyalgia is a consequence of a nutritional disorder, and can be corrected.

Who is the Sand Hill Philosopher?

Since starting this blog, many people have contacted me wanting more information on my background and qualifications to speak on some of these topics, such as medicine.

What's Good About Old Medicine? (About 4,000 years old)

I have had the privilege to spend 30 years in the medical field, though severely limited over the past seven years.

Medical Reform: The Tear in the Fabric

While sitting here thinking today, the mail arrived, and the Journal of the American Medical Association appeared.

Healthcare: The Deadly Co-Pay

While I was in medical training, a new renovation came to the health insurance industry: the Medical Office Co-Pay.

Healthcare and Debt: Driving Forces Behind Economic Decisions

When able to practice medicine, every year we would go through the meetings, where employers, insurance companies and doctors

Doctors Know How to Cure All Diseases: Health Reform's First Step

Link to this article:  http://bit.ly/vTxUh

While doing medical training, I had dozens of people tell me, "We know all doctors know how to cure all cancer, they just don't,

Censorship of Medical Education

The following was an ad in a medical journal, which is quite significant to the overall BOH Healthcare Reform

The "Obscene" Pharmaceutical Profit: Drug Research, Pt 2

If you missed the well-reviewed first installment,

The "Obscene" Pharmaceutical Profit: Drug Research, Part One

President Barack Hussein Obama has been a frequent critic of “the obscene profits of pharmaceutical companies,”

Texas Medical Association Opposes Health Care Reform

The Texas Medical Association (TMA) has recently mailed out a package to all members

Book Review: Or Perish in the Attempt: Medical Aspects of the Lewis & Clark Expedition

Dr. Peck has rewarded us all with his thorough research and clear explanations.

Health Care Debate Exposes the Left's Anti-Democratic Agenda

The following is an excerpt from an article on Health care Reform by Hillsdale College Assistant Professor of Political Science, Dr. Kevin Portteus.

Private Enterprise "Can't Do It", so the Government Will

President Barack Hussein Obama announced massive new funding to the NIH today

The Golden Stethoscope

Have you ever wandered what your Congressman's or Senator's view is of