Health & Happiness (EECP): Ray Columbus

September 2007

Hi! Again. This week the focus is on Health and Happiness.

I've got two complimentary tickets to the Beach Boys' Concert at Vector Arena to give away and an opportunity for you to try out for a hot new medical treatment from the USA…which has just opened in Parnell ( September 1st). So keep reading…

OK…tell me, what do I have in common with Muhammed Ali, Stevie Wonder, Shaquile O'Neal (the 'Miami Heat' star Basketballer) and Cicely Tyson? Well – there's a couple of Entertainers in there but that's not the answer.

We are all being treated for cardiovascular problems, either because we have had a 'Heart Event'(as an attack is called here now…when you go to rehab) and like in my case don't want it to happen again or, as a preventative measure to ensure it NEVER happens! The treatment is called EECP.

In the USA the Food & Drug Administration(FDA) issued the first approval for EECP in the 1970's, it is covered by Medicare…if prescribed by a Cardiologist, BUT, unfortunately is often used as a LAST resort. More on that later.

More importantly for me (I'm a huge supporter of Chinese Medical treatments) – In China EECP has been used as a FIRST option treatment BEFORE Angioplasty, Heart Bypass surgery or other invasive, expensive surgery. That's been going on since Chinese Researchers began to extensively study the effects of EECP during the eighties.

OK what is EECP and what does it do? It was invented at Harvard University b the Kantrowitz Brothers in 1953.

China began developing extensive technological advancements with EECP and continues to do so.

I had my first treatment last night at the Primary Heart Care clinic 524 Parnell Road, Auckland. I donned a pair of light blue stretch tights (like leotards from the waist to the ankles), felt like Nureyev until I looked in the mirror. Then I lay on a very comfortable EECP bed where three blood pressure cuffs were wrapped around my calves, thighs and buttocks by the Clinical Director Howard Dell (a Canadian),who then hooked me to a heart monitor.

Because my heart was at rest, these blood pressure cuffs squeeze my calves, thighs and buttocks moving oxygenated blood from my lower legs to my heart and through my entire body. As Howard explained when your heart pumps, the cuffs deflate rapidly and do not interfere with my body's natural function.

This blood flow helps open new arteries and in the process bypasses any blocked artery in my body. EECP treatments are like having a second heart while mine is 'at rest'…amazing.

Let's pause here while I explain what I was told after my heart event almost three years ago…because it's relevant to the previous paragraph. I was laying on the gurney … flying on Valium….to keep me calm apparently, with the angiogram balloon stuck up an artery in my groin, which was then navigated all the way up into my Heart. The Cardiologist was from the UK and I could see him up in the control room…he said 'how are you feeling' and I said 'fine thanks but I'm a bit surprised that I had a heart attack because only 10 months ago an eminent Cardiologist in Santa Monica told me that there was nothing wrong with my heart and that I passed my ECG/treadmill test and recovery with 'flying colours'? He replied 'Yes your heart is actually in good shape..but I hear you are a Rock 'N Roll chap…sex,drugs,booze what?'…I laughed and said 'my only drug was Cigarettes (and wine)….I was so addicted to them until 30 years ago that I was too fearful of unpredictable outcomes to try anything else!' …He said 'AAAH!,,smokes well they cause a lot of damage to these little tributary-type vessels we call weeds (no pun honestly)…if you don't have bad habits..they eventually snap off and are replaced somewhere else …but with your ciggies…the one that caused your myocardial infarction (heart attack) was 100% blocked, so we obliterated that when you arrived in the ambulance..and now this little chap here next to it is 80% blocked so we're going to put a stent or two (actually it was 3) into that one, so that you don't have another attack.!'

So EECP is known to:-

Prompt growth of new arteries to naturally bypass arterial blockages.
Lower blood pressure without need to further medicate.
Reduce or eliminate chest discomfort as a result of heart disease.
Improve debilitating symptoms of stroke such as reduced motor skills, speech and walking.
Improve circulation of oxygen-rich blood to vital organs.
Enhance stamina and endurance for exercise and quality of life.
Influence better, more restful sleep and less fatigue.
Influence an overall happier outlook.

What's more EECP is 100% SAFE based on years of scientific research, it's simple and painless.
REQUIRES NO SURGERY AND NO MEDICATION.

In China EECP is also used to treat:- Multiple Sclerosis, Alzheimer's Disease, Parkinson's Disease, Dementia, Diabetes and Chronic Fatigue(ME).

EECP stands for External Counterpulsation it saves lives, saves countries and Insurers money without surgery or medication.

In my humble opinion New Zealand could really do with the treatment here, BIG TIME!.

I've been waiting for it to get here so when I got the call from the Primary Heart Care Clinic yesterday while waiting for my flight in Wellington, I drove straight there from Auckland airport.

Consider this – I was in the Capital for The Good Morning Show on TV1…. up at 5.45 am (after 5 hours sleep) had a light breakfast and got ready for pickup to go out to Avalon studios at 7am.

..On arrival, makeup, soundcheck and wardrobe change…live to air at 9am…then over three hours, sang two songs live, was interviewed, put on apron then had some fun with the incredibly eccentric Astar in the kitchen with three dishes.

Debrief, change, pack and out to the airport…my ticket was a cheapo and it couldn't be brought forward…so I waited for 3 hours to fly out at 4pm (my fault..a meeting I'd planned was postponed)…as happens my Air NZ flight was delayed so we didn't land until 5.20pm.

Grabbed my car from Koru parking and ran into the Mangere gridlock. Arrived at the Clinic at 6.15…they asked me to come back for my first treatment after 8pm, which was cool as I had to spend at least an hour in-studio with brilliant Composer/Producer Rick Male (his music can be heard in soundtracks of hot new TV commercial for Steinlager Pure with Harvey Keitel and Prime TV's 'The Crowd Goes Wild" to name two of his brilliant works…he's just around the corner from the Clinic…so great.

On my return they took my blood pressure which was abnormally high for me…5 cups of coffee?( I'm normally a tea drinker ). Howard assured me that after treatment it would drop…it did and I would have renewed energy to drive the one hour journey back to Matakana.

Well I was so pumped I got home at midnight, called The States and researched for this column – got to sleep at 1.30am …eighteen hours after rising!

I slept like a rock, woke up at 7.54am all invigorated, clear headed. Did my 5 Tibetan yogas, felt my abs and buns had had a good workout from the EECP (which is a bonus)…ate oatmeal, mangos and yoghurt plus a Vogels toast and Chai Tea and for the first time that I can remember did not need to sit quietly on the couch and take a little rest. Instead I checked and replied to emails and got onto this column.

More on EECP next week.

Francis emailed the magazine my spot on GM and wanted to know about Digestive Enzymes which I mentioned while adlibbing with Astar.

OK in the mid-'80's while eating particularly Schnapper, or Chicken dishes I used to get reflux…a blockage in my gullet…and (excuse me) had to vomit the meal up…quietly and privately of course!

I didn't have bulemia I can assure you. This condition was often made worse if I dined after a show…when my throat was still open…and if I ate too fast while chatting…which is another disease of mine I'm afraid.

Anyway when I first met my second wife Linda…who has an amazing penchant for self-help health based on a great deal of research (she hates me saying it but she should have been a scientist). Instead of being disgusted by my malady Linda was fascinated with it.

I had already been told by a succession of Doctors that my stomach was too high in acid and that was why I had a little hernia at the gateway to my gut, that would not shut while digesting food…so the acid came back up…hence the hideous result!

As one does, one respects GP's and even specialists…but that doesn't mean that the diagnosis is always correct!

So I lived with the problem, was prescribed Zantac and nothing changed. After Linda and I eloped on my 50th…I was still choking here and there. So Linda studied the properties of Zantac…told me that they only clouded the symptoms and did not cure the problem.

So I stopped taking them. She then suggested that in fact with my wining and dining, travelling lifestyle I did not have ENOUGH…acid in my stomach and during a visit to Sydney she took me into a health shop and bought some digestive enzymes with HCL…Hydrochloric Acid…she said to me…'These will put some acidity back into your stomach and fix the problem…!' and she was right on the money.

You can also get them with Pepsin which may help the problem Francis…They are available here now…Thompsons and Radiance…are a couple of brands.

But please read the instructions on the label thoroughly and stick to them. I found that I took them every day before meals for a while but now only take one before a big meal out night or other social gathering. So many of our friends in the 45plus bracket take them now including Astar…who like me was told that she was heading for Barretts Disease…cancer of the Oesophagus…if we didn't take Zantac etal!

We both had Gastroscopy and Colonoscopy and proved Linda right and the GP's and big Pharmaceutical Companies WRONG! Linda was my witness at my 'camera in both ends' episode…and was told by the specialist that as she could see…." I was as clean as a whistle".

So I hope that little story helps you too..all care n responsibility!