Holistic Family Medicine • Primary Care • Eugene/Springfield

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Synchronicity in Jamaica

December 24, 2016





What happened today is unfathomable. Luckily, my daughter captured a video. At the end of this blog, you shall see the footage that confirms this uncanny synchronicity!  A conspiracy of countless improbable events transpired, with a climactic ending in Jamaica.


The chain of events began almost twenty-two years ago. In fact, during the fall of 1995, I was a pre-medical student in college at F.I.U. To release stress from studying, I was singing and dancing to reggae in the dance halls of Miami. Buju Banton was my favorite artist. His now famous album “Til Shiloh,” was released in the summer of 1995. Laboriously, I memorized organic chemistry jargon. However, I effortlessly committed to heart every song on that album. My favorite track was “Til I’m Laid to Rest” which starts with the lyrics, “Strange, this feeling I'm feeling…”


Ironically, my wife and kids witnessed me sing this song out loud all day after what unfolded in Jamaica. Truly, the twist and surprises in the story are “strange.”


Momentous events have transpired in my life since my college days in the dance halls. I am a husband, father, doctor, business owner, author, professor, and have moved to the Great Northwest. Twenty-two years have passed since I burst into song with a Buju Banton tune.


This morning, our Liberty of the Seas cruise ship stopped on the large, gorgeous island that Usain Bolt calls home. Despite my wife’s best efforts to plan every waking moment of our vacation, today was a free day. Impulsively, the family decision was to sojourn at a world-renowned snorkeling spot. Jamaica has spots. Alas, Rockhouse and Ocho Rios were too far away from port. Surprisingly, there was a special healing beach known as Doctor’s Cave, discovered by a famous Osteopath! We were thrilled, especially after learning there was snorkeling there, too!



We were delayed disembarking from the ship and all a bit frazzled. Coordinating the biorhythms of five people proved no easy task. Once we finally got to the taxi station, my kids said I look at home in the Caribbean since I am from Cuba. The native hostess reported the cost is $20 per person for our trip to Doctor’s Cave. Nevertheless, we all jumped into the small van. A special healing spot with renowned snorkeling was only 30 minutes away. We could hardly wait.


Yet, we sat in the small van waiting and waiting…


We waited for 30 hot minutes in the “taxi.” I mustered the courage and said, “Eh mon, how much longer be the wait, mon?”  The driver reported that the small van cannot leave with only five people. Unfortunately, we should find a small “taxi” in order to leave now. I summoned the remaining bodies out of the small van and began a quest for a personal “taxi.”

Another nice Jamaican man offered to take us to our special Doctor’s Cave “right now but it will cost you more money.” We changed our plans yet again… Inconceivable, how many times our plan vacillated. We were stranded at the Port of Falmouth, crushed by the thought we would never see Montego Bay, so close yet so far away...


At that instant, a charismatic, young Jamaican man drove by in a small taxi and said, “Wah gwaan wid yuh todeh?”


Since I am multilingual, born in the Caribbean and raised in Miami, I naturally responded, “Irie mon, weh yuh ah seh.”


This driver offered to take us to a nice beach only 10 minutes away with free wifi and beach chairs. The cab fare and beach admission were reasonable. However, this beach did not offer world-class snorkeling or the majestic Dunn’s River Falls. My disenchantment was transient.

Everything that transpired next is magical. Things happen for a reason.


I loaded my family into the taxi. After escaping the shiny gates of the Port of Falmouth, we encountered the real Jamaica with reggae music blasting in the distance. Then I asked the taxi driver, “When is Buju Banton getting out of prison?”


“Buju me brotha” states the driver with a serious look on his face.  He grinned. “He me brotha from e notha motha” as he chuckled. Our driver sported a short sleeve white guayaberas shirt and tall head wrap concealing his dreadlocks. He wore a scraggly beard and was slim. Indeed, our personal taxi driver is Buju Banton’s double as you shall see in the video. What happened next is eerie…


“Strange, this feeling I'm feeling, But Jah love we will always believe in, I know you may think my faith is in vain, Til Shiloh…” spontaneously our taxi driver burst into song. He serenaded us with one of my favorite songs from twenty-two years ago! Glancing back, he noticed we were vibin’, swaying our heads in approbation. My daughter realized I was silently singing along. Consequently, he sang my other favorite song, “While I'm Living, Thanks I'll Be Giving, To the Most High You know, I am living while I am living to the father I will pray…” and I got goosebumps as I lip-synced to his singing. He glanced back and smiled.


He dropped us off at Blue Waters Beach Club and it was epic. Live reggae music, comedy, tropical white sandy beach, Red Stripe beer, warm waters and sun bathing. We all forgot about the world-renowned snorkeling. Here is heaven on earth. This moment is what love feels like…


In fact, a few days ago I was pondering a title for my new book. After much deliberation, I decided on a title: "L.O.V.E.S: The Answer" A myriad of possibilities exist when choosing a title for a book. I was left wondering, “is this the right title for my book?” Ultimately, the universe, in her own mysterious and most surprising ways gave me the answer…. A resounding “Yes!”


A few hours later, our taxi driver friend took us back to the cruise ship. My wife kindly asked him, “Please sing us one more song?”


Immediately, he responded, “May I sing you an original?”  


What he shared with us is breathtaking! This complete stranger who lives 3,188 miles away, serenaded us with “Love’s the answer!” We were all stunned! I hope you enjoy the video that my daughter captured. See the video by clicking this link!  


















































 

The Magic Of Transformation

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“Quit your job now, pursue your dreams, and live a long and happy life. Otherwise, prepare for a premature death because stress is killing you, Hombre!” the pot-bellied Cuban doctor reprimanded Pedro. 


Pedro is a rotund man, with a big red nose scarred by rosacea, and a gray mustache. He is an overworked, underpaid, frazzled truck driver. When his doctor gave him the diagnoses of high blood pressure, diabetes and obesity, he was in despair. Cheap rum became his medicine.


“I am killing mys...


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September 19, 2016



On Friday, August 19, 2016, I developed an insidious left flank pain. My mind thought the worst: it must be a malignant solid tumor compressing my internal organs. With such a grave predicament, my time is limited. I kept this information quiet since we were going on an epic journey. The next week, my family and I vacationed in Yosemite National Park. My mysterious pain that had a potential ominous diagnosis would not impact a once in a lifetime trip to one of America's Great National Parks. ...


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Diagnosis and Treatment Of Low Testosterone

September 10, 2016

Summary on Diagnosis and Natural Treatment of Low Testosterone in Men


What is Low Testosterone?


It is estimated that millions of American men have hypogonadism, which is defined as low serum testosterone with clinical symptoms of androgen deficiency. (1)  There is a relative decline in testosterone with increasing chronological age, and there are other health and lifestyle factors that contribute to a decline in this vital hormone. (2,3) The lowering of testosterone is a complex and multifacto...


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Work Stress, Your Dream Job, and Dr OG's Story

September 2, 2016


In modern society, work-related stress places a tremendous burden on an individual's mental, emotional, and physical health. This work-related exhaustion causes premature aging. We have known for years that on Monday mornings, there is a greater incidence of heart attacks than on any other day of the week. Why? The dread of returning to work after a relaxing weekend, to a stressful job, causes an increased release of cortisol and adrenaline. This upsurge of stress hormones causes higher blood...


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Olympic Stir Fry, Dr. OG's Rap!

July 2, 2016




It is all smiles

during the Olympic Trials.


Minds are open,

one bad omen,

hearts are broken,

dreams are stolen.


After many miles of training,

precious time is waning.

The best athletes are here,

no more complaining.


Historic Hayward field offers the thrills and the chills. Ironic, how some athletes barely make enough to pay the bills,

while others make millions.


I’ve digressed.

Can you guess?

What is the secret to their running success?  

More importantly, what is the secret to avoid sudden death?...


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Superfood For Preventing Sudden Death

June 24, 2016

To watch my 1 min skit on kale copy this link to your browser:
 https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ewg7psa6UFs

For pennies a day you can keep the doctor away. Regular consumption of this high protein superfood can also prevent our number one killer: heart disease. This epidemic kills one out of three men and women in America. The first symptom can also be the last: Sudden Death. If Americans centered their meals around a plant-based diet, with a large serving of kale, heart disease could be preve...


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Too Much Animal Protein is Toxic!

June 24, 2016

To watch my 2 min skit on Bone Broth Protein copy the link below to your browser: https://youtu.be/6bYp1mnoh8I

The wildly popular low-carb diets, such as paleo, that aim to lower carbohydrates and increase animal protein, are toxic to the human body! Anyone on a Paleo type diet is increasing their risk of death from all causes.  We know that diets high in animal protein are linked to weight gain and premature death.  Older women are especially at risk of premature death from heart disease ...


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Detox From Dangerous Supplements and B6 Toxicity.

May 16, 2016





“Doctors give drugs of which they know little, into bodies, of which they know less, for diseases of which they know nothing at all.” - by Voltaire


Are you experiencing problems with your liver or kidneys? Are you experiencing headaches or nerve problems? Unexplained high blood pressure or kidney stones? Memory problems? Unexplained nausea or dermatitis? These are just a few symptoms that “natural” supplements can cause. A myriad of health concerns exist with over-the-counter supplemen...


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Are You Overdosing On Vitamin B6?!

May 4, 2016




This is an urgent update for anyone taking vitamin supplements.  If you are experiencing chronic fatigue, nerve pain, dermatitis, headaches, memory problems, nausea, gait abnormalities or liver problems you are at risk for vitamin B6 toxicity!  I have diagnosed a dozen cases of vitamin B6 toxicity by testing for serum vitamin B6 levels.   If you are experiencing a deterioration in your health and you are taking megadoses of vitamin B6 follow up with your doctor immediately.


We have known for...


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About Me


Orestes Gutierrez, D.O. Board Certified in Family Medicine and Integrative Holistic Medicine. Author and All American Masters Runner.