|
Who is Rick Schaff ? First let me say that I am not a doctor, nor do I try to pretend to be. MDs, Osteopaths, and Naturopathic Doctors are all individuals who have been exposed to a higher level of education and clinical experience than most people in the healthcare industry - and I applaud and admire all of them for their commitment to learn. That said, I am simply someone who is open-minded, aggressive about learning broadly, and lives by certain principles that make sense to me. Due to my own education and practical experience, I am someone who has more knowledge than your typical doctor when it comes to healthy lifestyle principles such as training, diet and nutrition... "If the doctors of today do not become the nutritionists of tomorrow, -- Rockefeller Institute of Medical Research Where it Began, and Why For a brief period, I felt safe; after all, this was supposed to be the solution to my “problem.” That could have been the end of the After re-thinking my diagnosis past the hereditary factors, I came to believe that I had been incorrectly categorized via statistics taken from middle-aged men who lived sedentary, unhealthy lifestyles, which were not applicable to my situation. As a result, I wanted to know what cholesterol was, how it functioned in the human body, and more to the point, my body in particular. I didn’t know the answers, but I was certainly interested in finding them out; and so began my journey toward understanding genuine health and fitness. After two decades of extensive reading and research, I’ve come to a fuller understanding of the human body and its systems. Through this knowledge, I was able to unravel many elements of my cholesterol puzzle. I now can see how all of us, including most conventionally trained doctors, have been cleverly misled through effective marketing campaigns, which seem to be heavily influenced by the pharmaceutical industry. Ask most of these doctors (and their patients) what LDL is and the response you will get is “the bad cholesterol.” Conversely, they will report that HDL is “the good” cholesterol.” The truth is that low-density lipoproteins (LDL) and high-density lipoproteins (HDL) are not even cholesterol at all; they’re proteins, as their name states. Their function is to carry cholesterol to and from areas where it is needed. It turns out that cholesterol is just cholesterol and is neither good or bad (unless it oxidizes of course). After years of believing my body was trying to kill me by producing an excessive amount of internal poison, I finally feel relieved and understand how and why cholesterol is vital to our overall health. In fact, what I have come to discover is that the real culprit for heart problems seems more connected to the particle size of the LDL, something that cannot be modulated by pharmaceutical drugs. In fact, it seems that the only things that will positively affect the particle size of LDL are diet and lifestyle choices. Given all of this, it’s easy to understand why the average person, in many cases, doesn’t stand a chance in determining the true cause of their illness and will easily succumb to most of the “solutions” provided by conventional medicine without inquiring further. My Career Between 2001 and 2003, I co-published the women’s fitness magazine DIVAS, which was a bilingual publication targeting the Latina population of the United States, Mexico, Spain, and Canada. During that time, I also became part owner and creator of a supplement company that produced an innovative antioxidant – protein - fiber drink called E2. Additionally, between 2001 to 2007, I became the co-owner of a successful, health-conscious fast-food restaurant in Marina Del Rey called Spin that served fresh fruits and vegetables, as well as hormone-free and antibiotic-free chicken. In addition to my endeavors behind the camera, I occasionally spent some time in front of it as well. In 1996, I competed in a natural fitness competition and won for best physique. I was also the featured fitness model for Bowflex’s I-trainer DVD series from 2003 to 2007.
|
||
story, but my curiosity led me to analyze, ask questions, and read. What I uncovered were the potential side effects of Mevacor, which sent me into an even greater shock. The choices confronting me were not acceptable; either drop dead from a heart attack or incur liver damage, cataracts, and/or a multitude of other health problems. My God, I was only 18 years old.
Clayton College of Natural Health. The curriculum I studied there was instrumental in helping me to further understand how and why the typical American is faced with so many health challenges. I am also a certified Metabolic Typing Specialist (CMTA level 1 certified), and in my opinion, this is the most effective tool available for creating genuine health.