Advancing Health, Redefining Freedom

Are You Intense About Losing Fat?

2008-09-25T10:56:00.010-05:00

Are you logging in mile after mile on the treadmill or stationary bike and not getting the fat loss you desire? Maybe you lost some weight initially but now you have reached a plateau and losing weight has become rather difficult.

Maybe it's not you. Maybe it's your workout?

The definition of "insanity" is:

Doing the same thing over and over again and expecting different results.

I love to ride my bike and go inline skating. I did my first "century" (100 miles) on my bike back in the 90's. I would often ride my bike 17 miles to work and then home again. On the weekends, I would skate on my favorite bike path for 20 miles just for fun. One day, a coworker asked me, "If you workout and ride your bike so much, how come you have not lost any weight?" He was right. As a man, I was 6'2" at 235 lbs. and had stayed there for quite a while without losing much weight. I went to my doctor for advice. You can read what happened by clicking on my story (Is Your Scale Broken?). That did not help either. I was on my own. Eventually, I had to learn two things.

How to eat. I was sabotaging all of my weight loss efforts by eating the wrong kinds of foods and eating them in the wrong way. Many of my meals were served out of a box or a bag and were delivered through my car window. A few hours after that, I was hungry for another bag of junk food. I loved bagels and cream cheese, burritos and french fries, italian sausages and onion rings. Of course, I always washed it down with a large "DIET COKE" and finished it off with some low fat yogurt ice cream. Who was I kidding? It was not until I learned how to replace all that with fresh vegetables, fruit and lean protein that I began to see results. Eating more fiber and consuming the right kinds of fats did wonders. Going on a traditional, calorie starving "diet" was not an option for me. I had never met anyone who had gone on a diet and was successful at losing weight and keeping it off. Diets are programmed to fail.
How to exercise for fat loss. Obviously, the long steady cardio workouts on my bike and skates helped me lose a measly 5 pounds and then it seemed to stop. I knew better. I was a competitive swimmer in college. I was 90 pounds lighter (145 lbs @ 6'2") and ate over 12,000 calories a day. At that time, my ribs were sticking out and I had almost no body fat. I could not eat enough food to keep my weight up. My workouts were so hard that I was starting to lose muscle. So, what was the difference? It was the INTENSITY!! We did a lot of interval training. The theory behind interval training is this: By mixing bursts of high intensity work with low intensity periods of recovery, you're overloading both the aerobic and anaerobic systems at the same time, getting the benefits of both aspects of training simultaneously. You can realistically get a complete workout in thirty minutes with interval training. These intense, but short, sessions will cut fat off your body faster than a hot knife through butter. Weight resistance training gives you an added dimension to your fat-burning capabilities. Research has shown that regular resistance training can increase your Basal Metabolic Rate by up to 15%. So for someone burning 2000 calories per day, that's a potential 300 extra calories burned every single day. Combining interval training with resistance training would be the ultimate fat burning event.

Let me illustrate what I mean by "intensity." Watch the following video as six different people do several different weight-bearing exercises. They illustrate the intensity of interval training for four minutes. ONLY FOUR MINUTES! How many of us could carve out four minutes out of our day? Watch the guy lifting the sand bag. He lost 50 pounds doing this.

Did you hear what he said?!? For every effort you burn in high intensity exercise, you burn 9 times more fat than the aerobic calorie burn! Does that mean that I could burn just as much fat in 4 minutes as 30 minutes on the tread mill or exercise bike? Let's do the math for a minute. That would also mean that 15 minutes of this kind of training would save me 2 hours of time on the bike or treadmill. If you are like me and don't have much time to work out, this information is really good news.

If you did not catch what they were doing, it was 20 seconds of intense exercise followed by ten seconds of rest. They did this four times for a total of four minutes. This is called the Tabata Protocol. It was discovered and developed in Japan for the Japanese speed skating team. They would warm up for five minutes, followed by the 4 minutes of interval training and followed by 5 minutes of warm down. This is a total of 14 minutes.

As always, check with your doctor before you start to do any kind of physical exercise like this. Get a physical exam before trying this workout if you re over 40 or have two or more of the following risk factors: a family history of heart disease, you re a smoker, you re sedentary, you re overweight, or you have high cholesterol or high blood pressure.

If you are a beginner or have not worked out in a long time, it would be suggested that you start with 10 seconds of intense exercise followed by 30 seconds of rest. As you get better, you can gradually go to the regular Tabata Protocol of 20 seconds on and 10 seconds off.

It does not matter what exercises you are doing as long as you are moving, it get's your heart going and is a weight bearing exercise. Here are a few examples of a few more routines that will blast the fat off your body.

Kettle Bells - I bought a 35 lb. kettle bell a few weeks ago. I'm just getting started. What a fun workout! Here is a video of various exercises that could be done with this device. The lady on the left used to weigh 195 pounds. Forty four percent of that was body fat. In four months of using kettle bells, she lost 45 pounds and went to 17% body fat.

For a variation of the old push up, why not try this other version instead? It is called the Hindu push up. You don't need any special equipment. Just your own body weight.This uses more muscle and will give you more of a workout and will increase your flexibility.

If you have a Swiss Ball, here are several exercises you can do with this device:

Finally, here is an article you should read about . . .

The interval training mistake virtually everyone makes when they're trying to burn fat..

Some of the summary points of this article

Two groups of women burned 300 calories per workout session. The ones who did interval training increased fitness levels by 13 %. The women who did steady boring cardio increased fitness levels by 0%

Changes in body fat were also greater in subjects using interval training.

According to the research team, "... even if caloric expenditure during exercise is equal, higher intensity exercise may further aid weight loss due to an acute increase in energy expenditure up to 24 hours following exercise."

Australia News: Eight seconds key to weight loss

Interval Training (HIIT) | Get Leaner with Less Cardio?

Drop Excess Pounds Like A MOFO With Bodyweight Exercises!

Remember talking about EPOC training?

The Ultimate Secrets to a Flat Stomach and Six Pack Abs

Lose Weight And Get Healthy Without Exercise??

2008-09-23T18:00:00.004-05:00

Is this possible?

I guess that losing fat would be part of the picture of health. But can you truly be healthy and lose weight without exercise? I was reading a health blog recently that said exercise was not necessary for weight loss. Kim Klaver says, "Yes, I used to think exercise should be on the list to lose weight also. Only then I learned it may not be necessary for weight loss. Healthy, yes, to move around for circulation and energy...but for weight loss?"
What do the rest of you think?

There was a six month study that was published in the Journal of Clinical Endocrinology & Metabolism that examined the effects of diet alone (25 percent fewer calories consumed) versus diet plus exercise (12.5 percent fewer calories consumed and 12.5 percent more calories burned) in overweight but otherwise healthy adults. Researchers hypothesized that the diet plus exercise group would lose more body fat, but results showed equal amounts of weight and fat lost in both groups.

Most diets are based on calorie restriction or deprivation. The theory is that eating fewer calories than one uses, will equal weight loss. When you do this without any exercise, you could lose more than fat. You might be losing bone and muscle as well.

It is kind of funny that they only reported the results of fat loss over a six month period. 95% of all people who take a diet pill or go on a calorie restricted diet will gain all of their weight back in a year or two. Where are these same people today? I wonder if any of them experienced some of the other results of a calorie restricted diet? These would be things like:

* Weight gain.

* Depression.* Food cravings.* Feeling tired and listless.* Constant hunger.* Reduced interest in sex.* Chronic fatigue.* Hypothyroidism.* Hormone imbalance.* Scaly skin or eczema.* Premature wrinkling of the skin.* Dandruff or dull, lifeless hair.* Mood swings.

* Chronic yeast infections.* Poor immune system- frequent colds or respiratory illnesses.* Digestive problems.

That certainly is not a way to get your health back.

On the other hand, another study reported in the Journal of The American Medical Association showed that women who exercised around three hours per week (without dieting) lost 6.9% of their body fat around their middle.

Here are a few other articles that talk about weight loss and the effects of exercise vs. diet.

Older People Who Diet Without Exercising Lose Valuable Muscle Mass

Weighing Benefits Of Exercise, Diets: Both Work For Weight Loss, But Dieters Also Lose Muscle

Exercise and weight-loss

It is a fact. You can lose weight with diet alone. People do it all the time. It might surprise you to learn what that weight consists of. It is not just fat. Bone and muscle can be a part of this equation as well. Here is an article that talks about that:

Weight Loss Through Calorie Restriction, But Not Exercise, May Lead To Bone Loss

What if you are you are spending 5 or more hours a week on the treadmill or exercise bike, you are restricting calories through diet and you find yourself getting poor results. You might even be GAINING weight! That's what happened to me. Read my story by going to my post on "Is Your Scale Broken?"

The definition of "insanity" is:

Doing the same thing over and over again and expecting different results

If you have been yo-yo dieting and can't seem to keep the weight off, you need to do something else.

If you have taken diet pills, weakened your immune system, spent hours on the toilet and gained all your weight back, you need to do get a new plan.

If you have spent hour after hour sweating on a treadmill or bike and have little or nothing to show for it (weightloss), why would you want to continue doing something that is evidently not working?

Here are a few suggestions for effective weight loss:

1. Change the way you eat. Learning how to eat is preferable to learning how to diet. Forget counting calories and carbohydrates. Go low-glycemic.

The High-Glycemic Trap. Eating high-glycemic foods can sabotage even the best of diet plans because the resulting spike and subsequent drop in blood sugar leads to a more rapid return to feelings of hunger.
Solution: For optimal nutrition, our bodies need a balanced variety of nutrients, including the right types of carbohydrates, proteins, and fats.

Carbohydrates such as white bread, white flour, pasta, white rice, and potatoes release their sugars rapidly (high-glycemic foods) and increase the blood sugars faster than if you were slapping table sugar on your tongue. Foods such as green beans, rye bread, whole apples, and cauliflower release their sugars slowly (low-glycemic foods). This rapid rise in blood sugar after a high glycemic meal stimulates the release of insulin from the pancreas, which is needed to control the blood sugar level. The blood sugar drops and our body’s crave more calories and more high-glycemic foods.We simply keep repeating this pattern over and over—day after day. Medical studies are now showing us that this type of diet causes us to become less and less sensitive to our own insulin (insulin resistance). It is a lot like crying "wolf" all of the time—we are simply stimulating the release of insulin time after time.

An estimated 24% of the adults in the U.S. have insulin resistance, also known as Syndrome X or more recently the Metabolic Syndrome.
When Is A Calorie No Longer A Calorie?
When insulin resistance is involved, a calorie is not merely a calorie any more. You can exercise and starve yourself all you want. The fact is, your fat cells start acting like a sponge and soak up all the glucose and efficiently change it into fat no matter how many calories you try to burn. The concept of "a calorie in and a calorie out" that has been the mainstay of weight loss therapy throughout the past century needs to change. When you begin to recognize the effect that insulin resistance throws into this equation, a calorie is no longer just a calorie.
Insulin resistance leads to Metabolic Syndrome (Syndrome X) and can finally lead to full blown diabetes. Unless you can find a way to "reverse the tracks" on insulin resistance and get back to normal, you simply will not be able to lose weight even with the most aggressive diets. In this state, the body is resistant to almost any weight loss program being advocated today. Only a program designed to reverse insulin resistance will successfully "flip the switch back again."

2. Change your exercise routine - If you are losing weight with your current exercise routine and are satisfied with your progress, stop here. Don't read any further.

How many miles have you logged on the treadmill, eliptical or stationary bike, only to discover that your weight loss efforts are just not paying off like you want them too. Listen, too much aerobics burns muscle! Take a look at the vast majority of women who take aerobics classes after work: do they ever transform their physiques? Rarely.

Interval Training - Interval training has been shown to be the most effective cardiovascular training method for improving cardiovascular endurance, sport-specific performance, boosting metabolic rate, and burning fat! You might already be doing this but are you doing it in a way that will bring optimal results?? Click here to read an article called,

The interval training mistake virtually everyone makes when they're trying to burn fat..

Some of the summary points of this article

Two groups of women burned 300 calories per workout session. The ones who did interval training increased fitness levels by 13 %. The women who did steady boring cardio increased fitness levels by 0%

Changes in body fat were also greater in subjects using interval training.

These findings have been confirmed by researchers from the University of Alabama, who showed that 24-hour energy expenditure was 160 calories greater in subjects performing high-intensity interval training rather than continuous exercise. In other words, the interval training group of women continued to burn 160 more calories in the 24 hour period following their initial workout. Amazing!

Which is better for fat loss? Long or short intervals? Shorter is better. Two groups worked out at different intervals. The first one worked out for 6 seconds @100% effort, followed by 9 second rest periods. The second group worked out for 24 seconds @100% effort, followed with 36-second rest periods.
3 x more fat calories were burned during short intervals.

If you are out riding your bike or on the stationary bike, here is a good workout for you. Warm up by easy riding for 10 minutes before you start:INTERVAL TRAINING PROGRAM

Cardio equipment: stationary or spinning bike

Purpose: burning fat

Interval training protocol: 10 sec @ 100% : 30 sec @ 60% x 18 = 12 minutes

Ensure that you use a flywheel resistance that prevents you from bouncing up and down on the seat. Thus, you should feel a good amount of resistance during the 10-second work period. You can lower the resistance if you like during the 30-second recovery. This only takes 12 minutes!

2. Resistance Training -

Aerobic exercise may burn a few hundred extra calories for dinner, but for every additional pound of muscle you gain, your body burns around 50 extra calories every day of the week. 7 days x 50 calories= 350 calories. Most of that happens while you sleep!

Research has shown that regular resistance training can increase your Basal Metabolic Rate by up to 15%. So for someone burning 2000 calories per day, that's a potential 300 extra calories, more than a Mars bar, burned every single day.

Resistance exercise can reduce bone deterioration and build bone mass, preventing osteoporosis.

Working your muscles can also inhibit the affects of sarcopenia, the age related loss of muscle mass, strength and function. After the age of thirty there is a loss of 3-5% of muscle mass per decade, making day to day tasks gradually harder to perform and slowing down metabolism - increasing the risk of weight gain.

Weight training has been proven to have a positive affect on insulin resistance, resting metabolism, blood pressure, body fat and gastrointestinal transit time, factors that are linked to illnesses such as diabetes, heart disease and cancer.

Always make your workout about quality over quantity to get effective weight loss results. Resistance training, when done correctly, allows you to lose inches fast, see results almost immediately and boost your metabolism to burn more fat and calories every day.

The Many Benefits Of Cinnamon

2008-09-15T15:08:00.006-05:00

As I walked into the house, I was greeted by the aroma of hot apple cider and mulling spices. There is something about fresh apple cider on the stove with the fragrance of cloves, cinnamon, orange peel, allspice and ginger that tells you cooler weather, football games and the harvest season are upon us.

I especially love the smell of cinnamon. I put a dash in my coffee and boil prunes and cinnamon sticks together before I spoon it over my morning oatmeal. It is so warm, soothing and tasty.

Did you know that the ancients put a high value on cinnamon?In the first century A.D., Pliny the Elder wrote of 350 grams of cinnamon as being equal in value to over five kilograms of silver, about fifteen times the value of silver per weight.

Medieval physicians used cinnamon in medicines to treat coughing, hoarseness and sore throats. As a sign of remorse, Roman Emperor Nero ordered a year's supply of cinnamon be burnt after he murdered his wife. The spice was also valued for its preservative qualities for meat due to the phenols which inhibit the the bacteria responsible for spoilage, with the added bonus being the strong cinnamon aroma masked the stench of aged meats.

Here are some of the health benefits of cinnamon as found by a large number of research studies from around the world:

1. Studies have shown that just 1/2 teaspoon of cinnamon per day can lower LDL cholesterol.

2. Several studies suggest that cinnamon may have a regulatory effect on blood sugar, making it especially beneficial for people with type 2 diabetes.Click here for the results of another study.

3. In some studies, cinnamon has shown an amazing ability to stop medication-resistant yeast infections.

4. In a study published by researchers at the U.S. Department of Agriculture in Maryland, cinnamon reduced the proliferation of leukemia and lymphoma cancer cells.

5. It has an anti-clotting effect on the blood. Cinnamaldehyde (also called cinnamic aldehyde) in cinnamon prevents unwanted blood platelets clumping. Cinnamon lowers arachidonic acid release from cell membranes so also has anti-inflammation or anti-inflammatory effects which decreases body inflammation.

6. In a study at Copenhagen University, patients given half a teaspoon of cinnamon powder combined with one tablespoon of honey every morning before breakfast had significant relief in arthritis pain after one week and could walk without pain within one month.

7. When added to food, it inhibits bacterial growth and food spoilage, making it a natural food preservative. Because of this, bread may soon come wrapped in waxed paper that is made with cinnamon oil. In fact, the Journal of Agricultural and Food Chemistry recently reported that bread packaged in a cinnamon-based wrapper, stayed fresher for as long as 10 days. Not only that, but when the wrapper was tested on bread that was already beginning to mold, it inhibited mold growth by 96 percent.

8. One study found that smelling cinnamon boosts cognitive function and memory.
Research by Dr. P. Zoladz, presented April 24, 2004, at the annual meeting of the Association for Chemoreception Sciences in Sarasota, Fla., found chewing cinnamon-flavored gum or smelling cinnamon enhanced study participants' cognitive processing. Cinnamon improved participants' scores on tasks related to attentional processes, virtual recognition memory, working memory and visual-motor speed while working on a computer-based program. Participants were exposed to four odorant conditions: no odor, peppermint odor, jasmine, and cinnamon, with cinnamon emerging the clear winner in producing positive effects on brain function.

9. Researchers at Kansas State University found that cinnamon fights the E. coli bacteria in unpasteurized juices.

10. It is a great source of manganese, fiber, iron, and calcium.

Nutrient	Amount	DV (%)	Nutrient Density	World's Healthiest Foods Rating
Cinnamon, ground 2.00 tsp 4.52 grams 11.84 calories
manganese	0.76 mg	38.0	57.8	excellent
dietary fiber	2.48 g	9.9	15.1	very good
iron	1.72 mg	9.6	14.5	very good
calcium	55.68 mg	5.6	8.5	very good

11. Relief from congestion - Cinnamon and other spices have long been consumed to relieve congestion that comes from colds, allergies, and other common conditions.

12. Improved digestion - Cinnamon and other related spices have long been used as a digestive aid, and those who suffer from stomach cramps, IBS, and other common stomach disorders often find that adding cinnamon to their favorite dish aids digestion.

13. Relief from menstrual cramping and other feminine discomfort - Cinnamon has long been used to treat the discomfort that accompanies menstruation, and many women report that a daily amount of cinnamon greatly reduces cramping, pain, and other common menstrual complaints.

14. Fights tooth decay: "Cinnamon is an antiseptic that helps kill the bacteria that cause tooth decay and gum disease" - Daniel B. Mowrey, PhD, author of The Scientific Validation of Herbal Medicine.

15. Clears up urinary-tract infections: One German study showed that cinnamon "suppresses completely" the cause of most urinary-tract infections (Escherichia coli bacteria).

16. Antioxidant capacity: Cinnamon is so powerful an antioxidant that when compared to six other antioxidant spices (anise, ginger, licorice, mint, nutmeg and vanilla) and the chemical food preservatives BHA (butylated hydroxyanisole), BHT (butylated hydroxytoluene), and propyl gallate, it prevented oxidation more effectively than all the other spices (except mint) and the chemical antioxidants.

17. Miscellaneous: Cinnamon makes a nice nontoxic bug repellent when sprinkled in the kitchen cabinets (in large amounts it even keeps away fire ants as long as it is freshly applied around their mounds).

How to Select and Store

Cinnamon is available in either stick or powder form. While the sticks can be stored for longer, the ground powder has a stronger flavor. If possible, smell the cinnamon to make sure that it has a sweet smell, a characteristic reflecting that it is fresh.

Cinnamon should be kept in a tightly sealed glass container in a cool, dark and dry place. Ground cinnamon will keep for about six months, while cinnamon sticks will stay fresh for about one year stored this way. Alternatively, you can extend their shelf life by storing them in the refrigerator. To check to see if it is still fresh, smell the cinnamon. If it does not smell sweet, it is no longer fresh and should be discarded.

How do you like to eat cinnamon? What are your favorite recipes?

Politics and Alzheimer's Disease

2008-09-14T01:29:00.000-05:00

Watch actor David Hyde Pierce share his story about how Alzheimer's disease affected his family (after a 30 second commercial). His father and grandfather suffered from the disease.

Watch CBS Videos Online

A politician running for state senate knocked on my door yesterday. She told me she was running for the office and wondered if there were any issues that were important to me. I invited her in to meet my 90 year old father who has Parkinson's disease and showed her pictures of my mother who died last year from Alzheimer's disease. I told her that I believed that these diseases will grow to epidemic proportions unless someone steps into the ring to fight it with an act of PREVENTION! An ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure. In this election year, I am looking for a politician that will fix health care. One of the big elements of that will be a plan to prevent disease before it happens.

It starts by teaching our children how to eat better and to be more physically and mentally active. There is a strong link between obesity and dementia. Obesity is a huge risk factor for Alzheimer's. Get the pop machines and the junk food out of our schools. This is a message that will not get much support from the medical community and the pharmaceutical industry. Preventing people from getting sick in the first place will cut their income and profits dramatically.

Studies had shown, that exercise - even in the form of everyday activity - could stave off dementia, reducing the risk by 30% to 40%.

Diets rich in vitamin C cut the risk by about 15% and a very good study had shown that sticking closely to a Mediterranean diet could cut the chances of developing dementia by up to 40%.

Just as with heart disease and stroke, reducing blood pressure is also protective - yet less than one in three people who need it have their blood pressure properly managed.

Scientists think that as many as 4.5 million Americans (26 million people worldwide) suffer from AD. But in the next few decades, that number is expected to skyrocket by 350% as America's baby-boomers age. According to a recent study from John Hopkins University, by 2050, Asia will have 62.8 million of the world's 106 million Alzheimer's patients. The disease usually begins after age 60, and risk goes up with age. While younger people also may get AD, it is much less common. About 10 percent of men and women ages 65 to 74 have AD, and nearly half of those age 85 and older may have the disease. It is important to note, however, that AD is not a normal part of aging.

This year Alzheimer’s is costing Medicare $91 billion and Medicaid $21 billion. By 2015, the two programs will be spending $210 billion just on individuals with Alzheimer’s. Finding a "cure" would be beneficial. Prevention is something we could do now. Prevention will cost us a lot less in the long run. Prevention is the best cure that we have right now. There are no bad side effects to prevention.

Legal Drug Abuse

2008-09-06T12:05:00.009-05:00

According to the Journal of the American Medical Association (JAMA), Doctors Are The Third Leading Cause of Death in the US, Causing 225,000 Deaths Every Year.

Here are the statistics according to the author, Dr. Barbara Starfield of the Johns Hopkins School of Hygiene and Public Health as she describes how the US health care system may contribute to poor health.

ALL THESE ARE DEATHS PER YEAR:

12,000 -- unnecessary surgery
7,000 -- medication errors in hospitals
20,000 -- other errors in hospitals
80,000 -- infections in hospitals
106,000 -- non-error, negative effects of drugs

These total to 225,000 deaths per year from iatrogenic causes!!

What does the word iatrogenic mean? This term is defined as induced in a patient by a physician's activity, manner, or therapy. Used especially of a complication of treatment.

As a caregiver for my elderly parents, I have spent quite a bit of time in doctors offices over the years. It is amusing to watch the never ending line of drug reps that parade through the waiting rooms bearing gifts and samples for the doctors and their staff. Many of them look like Dallas Cowboy cheerleaders with perfect hair, perfect white teeth and perfect bodies. They seem to have bottomless expense accounts and often offer to buy lunch for the busy doctor and his whole staff in exchange for giving them a half hour presentation concerning their latest drug. Since they are not medical experts, they usually bring along another doctor to do the presentation. Click here to get an insiders perspective on how this all goes down.

Doctors can make $500 to $750 for these lunch presentations. Receiving $750 checks for chatting with some doctors during a lunch break is such easy money that it could easily leave any doctor giddy. Free vacations and fancy dinners await those who will attend a drug companies seminar or drug convention. Money to attend Broadway plays or sports events flows freely at these events. How does one remain objective and patient oriented in the shadow of these magnetic and influential events?

According to Shahram Ahari, who spent two years selling Prozac and Zypraxa for Eli Lily, the benefits could be lucrative for sales reps, who tended to earn more than researchers. On top of a base salary for starting reps of $50,000, "there were four quarterly bonuses, an annual bonus, stock options, a car, 401K, great health benefits, and a $60,000 expense account."It is a very lucrative occupation where pushing drugs is legal and you don't even have to go to jail. Here is a short video of a drug rep and why she quit the business.

Ex Drug Rep -- Manipulating Doctors

This is not a slam on doctors and those in the medical profession. I have tremendous respect for the doctors and nurses who have treated me and my family over the years. Without them, we would all be in a world of hurt or even dead by now. I'm not slamming drugs here either. In the proper circumstances, they can be a life saving and therapeutic miracle. I am just wondering if many medical professionals have lost their way due to greed and arrogance? I am just wondering if the big pharmaceutical companies have been given too much influence over our medical schools and the continuing education of medical personnel?

Many people are under the false assumption that the FDA is protecting them. They think the FDA has thoroughly looked at and approved all of the drugs that have come on the market. If enough money and pressure are available, the FDA looks the other way and approves the drug any way. The human trials (that should have been done before the drug is approved) end up being done after the drug is approved. Surprise, surprise! It is being tested on YOU! Remember Vioxx? It was pulled off the market after 55,000 people were reported to have died from a drug induced heart attack. Baycol, a profitable cholesterol-lowering drug, was pulled from the world market because thirty-one patients died while taking it. The drug caused an unusual condition in which muscle tissue broke down.

"The FDA 'protects' the big drug companies and are subsequently rewarded, and using the government's police powers they attack those who threaten the big drug companies.
People think that the FDA is protecting them. It isn't. What the FDA is doing and what the public thinks it is doing are as different as night and day."

Dr. Herbert Ley Former U.S. FDA Commissioner

So, what is the definition of "Safe?" According to Janet Woodcock, M.D., director of the Food and Drug Administration's Center for Drug Evaluation and Research (CDER), "safe" means that the benefits of the drug outweigh the risks for the population the drug is intended to treat and for its intended use. "Safe does not mean harmless," Woodcock says. "Every drug comes with risks, and our tolerance for risk is higher for drugs that treat serious and life-threatening illnesses."

Why should we trust the FDA? Why don't you decide for yourself what "risk" you are willing to take? Make sure you read all of the side effects on any drug label before you take it. I have seen some people who are taking up to 17 different drugs. Many of them are to treat the side effects of some of the other drugs. Here is a humorous video about drug side effects and the abuse of legally prescribed drugs.

The Drugs I Need

The FDA recently (September 5, 2008) published a list of drugs that are potential problems. It reports the top 20 potentially harmful drugs in compliance with a bill passed by Congress last year forcing them to report potentially unsafe drugs to consumers. It is from the first quarter of this year. Why did it take four months for them to finally publish this report? Whose side are they on? The consumer or the drug companies?

Our health care system is broken. Right now, it is all we have but it is broken. Doctors are too drug oriented. Most people expect to be given a prescription for something before they leave the doctors office or they don't feel the doctor has done his job. It is like the builder of a house whose only tool is a hammer. If you only know how to use a hammer, everything you see becomes a nail. The answer to all sickness will always be a drug. Is that why we get sick? Because of a lack of drugs? Have you ever seen a house that was built, using only a hammer? Not to pretty.

So, here is my open letter to medical professionals everywhere:

Dear Medical Professional,

First, I want to thank you for answering the call of a profession that deserves much respect and admiration. What you do, makes a tremendous difference in the lives of your fellow man. Where would we be without you? You have my never ending respect. You heal the sick and bind up the wounded. I am truly in awe of your gift.

I know that it must bother you deeply that you cannot help everybody. We both know that you are not God. Today's medical knowledge can only take us so far but I hope you can join me in my desire to make the American medical system better than it has been in the past. I call for an open mind and a return to your roots. Why did you become a medical professional in the first place? Remember the Hippocratic oath. Remember the part where it says "first of all, do no harm?"

Don't let greed influence your decision to prescribe surgery or drugs. When you do, you cast a shadow on your profession and make us trust you less than we should. We expect to be taken advantage of by a used car salesman. Please don't lower yourself to that position. It is my life we are dealing with here, not a car.

Make decisions based on real science. When the drug companies tell you about their studies concerning their latest wonder drug, don't believe them unless you do some digging on your own. They might be cherry picking the most favorable studies and hiding ones that might concern you. Ask other doctors what they think. Do your homework.

Don't always make drugs and surgery your first choice in modalities. Have an open mind. Try safer things first. Give it a chance to work. You can always go back to drugs or surgery later.

Don't look down your nose at chiropractors, naturopathic doctors, acupuncturists, physical therapists, nutritionists and dietitians. Just because you cannot see the science behind their advice does not mean that it is not there. It just means that you have not seen it. A true scientist has an open mind, an open ear and a discerning attitude. Too often, like politicians, we demonize things we do not understand or are not in our own selfish interests.

I know that treating the symptoms of disease is your bread and butter. You are like a person that faithfully stands at the bottom of the cliff. When someone falls off, we are so grateful that you are there to pick them up and hopefully put them back together. We need you to stand at the top of the cliff too. Benjamin Franklin once said that "an ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure." Alzheimer's and Diabetes will soon be reaching epidemic proportions. I know you might not make as much money in a prevention mode, but we are asking you to do the right thing and help us to do more to prevent disease before it happens.

Distance yourself from the pharmaceutical companies. Don't allow them to cloud your good judgment. Look yourself in the mirror every evening with a clear conscience and be able to say that you did the right thing today. Be an agent of healing and not harm.

Thanks for all you do,

Jeff

Sources
Death from Iatrogenic Causes

Dr. Drug Rep

The Drug Pushers

ABC News: Ex Drug Sales Rep Tells All

Following the Script: How Drug Reps Make Friends and Influence Doctors

Former Eli Lilly Drug Rep Details Marketing Efforts

Laughter Is Still The Best Medicine!

2008-09-02T16:14:00.005-05:00

The old saying that laughter is the best medicine appears to be true when it comes to protecting your heart.

A University of Maryland study says watching comedy boosts blood flow to the heart in the same way aerobic exercise does. “We do not yet know why this is so, but we know that mental stress is associated with impairment of the endothelium which is the protective barrier that lines our blood vessels," says Michael Miller, M.D., F.A.C.C., director of the Center for Preventive Cardiology at the University of Maryland Medical Center.

This can cause a series of inflammatory reactions that lead to cholesterol and fat build-up in the coronary arteries and in the end to a heart attack

Blood flow rates dropped after participants watched distressing movie scenes - and "increased" in nearly 100 percent of people after watching a comedy.

When volunteers watched a movie that caused mental stress there was a reduction in the diameter of the blood vessel which would reduce in some reduced blood flow.

It also released chemicals that may increase blood clot formation and that may have adverse affects that may promote hardening of the arteries.

The study seems simple but it mimics what researchers have long suspected that there is a link between depression and the development of heart disease.

If you have heart disease and you're depressed your outcome of survival in fact can be affected.

So along with regular excercise, experts prescribe 15 minutes of laughter a day wherever you can find it.

Sources: Keep Laughing And Live Longer, Laughter Is The Best Medicine

So, here is your daily prescription of laughter. Watch a few of these videos and call me in the morning!

BLIND DATE

LAUGHING BABY

BATHROOM BREAK

GET IN SHAPE

THE EVIL LOOK

GLADYS ROCKS THE ELLEN SHOW

Which Is Better? Eating Fish Or Taking Fish Oil Capsules?

2008-09-01T05:00:00.002-05:00

There is nothing like a day out on the water, FISHING! The only thing better than a fish dinner is eating fish that you have caught by yourself. Somehow, it seems to taste better! You can always guarantee the freshness and handling that way. My favorites are walleye, northern pike, bass and trout. I live near the Chicago area and this is some of what is available in my local waters. If I lived on the coast, I'm sure you would find me surf casting on the beach in most of my my spare time. I usually catch just enough to eat and I let the rest go until another day.

What is so great about fish? Other than it tastes good, it is good for you! It is a great source of protein and the Omega 3 Fatty Acids are good for your brain and your eyesight as well as your heart. Fish and fish oil contain two important omega-3 fatty acids: eicosapentanoic acid (EPA) and docosahexanoic acid (DHA). We do not get enough of these in our western diet.

HEALTHY FATS
Omega-3 and omega-6 fatty acids are the biosynthetic precursors of a family of compounds called eicosanoids (prostaglandins, thromboxins, and leucotriens). These compounds are hormone-like substances that help retain normal health processes in our bodies. It is important to maintain an appropriate balance of omega-3 and omega-6 in the diet as these two substances work together to promote health. Yet despite the clear health benefits associated with omega-3 fatty acids, dietary surveys indicate that most of us do not obtain enough omega-3 fatty acids from our diets.

Here is a list of some of the benefits of eating fish and their Omega 3 Fatty Acids:

They make your platelets less sticky and lower fibrinogen levels (fibrinogen is a blood-clotting factor). This means they decrease the chance of forming blood clots throughout your body, thus reducing the likelihood of a heart attack, stroke, or embolism (clot)

They make your red blood cells more flexible so your blood flows more easily, lowering your blood pressure and improving delivery of nutrients and oxygen to your cells

They lower blood fats (especially triglycerides) and increase HDL (good) cholesterol levels

They stabilise your heartbeat, preventing heartbeat abnormalities (arrhythmia) that can lead to cardiac arrest

They may reduce microalbuminuria (an abnormally high amount of protein in the urine) and thus help patients on dialysis (a machine to filter the kidneys)

They may elevate your mood, lift depression and improve your ability to deal with stress

They reduce inflammation and can relieve symptoms of arthritis, and

They may reduce the output of the stress hormone adrenaline.’

If you think this is a bunch of nonsense and wishful thinking, think again. The FDA does not allow health claims on most supplements unless there is overwhelming evidence to back up that claim. Next time you pick up a bottle of fish oil capsules, read the label. I think you will find several different claims as to the effects on heart health. One of them is "consumption of EPA and DHA omega-3 fatty acids may reduce the risk of coronary heart disease." The American Heart Association says, "Omega-3 fatty acids benefit the heart of healthy people, and those at high risk of —or who have — cardiovascular disease."

To reap the benefits of eating fish or taking fish oil capsules, it will depend on what kind of fish it is and where it comes from.

The FDA put out a warning a few years back about the risks of mercury in fish. They warned pregnant women that they should not eat more than 12 ounces of fish per week. It is the larger fish like the list below that seem to contain the highest amounts of methylmercury. Smaller fish have a little bit of mercury in them and these larger predators eat them and develop higher concentrations that can be dangerous to the nervous system and the brain.

Shark
Swordfish
King mackerel
Tilefish

Man has "polluted the nest" by emitting toxins into the air we breathe and the water that our fish swim in. If you test fish for contaminants, you will find other things like heavy metals, PCBs, pesticides, and organic residues. Unless your fish comes from the pristine waters off the coast of Alaska or Iceland, they probably contain some of these contaminants.

So, is there another way to get these Omega 3 Fatty Acids without ingesting the dangerous contaminants? How about fish oil capsules?

Unfortunately, the fish oil capsules that you buy at the grocery store or pharmacy could possibly contain whatever you are trying to stay away from. Many of them contain algae and other things that could cause stomach bloat and gas. A bad experience here could keep you from benefiting and having a positive experience from taking fish oil. Results from a study published in 1998 indicate that tests of 44 different fish oil supplement brands sold in 15 countries between 1994 and 1995 revealed appreciable quantities of organochlorines including PCBs and pesticide residues.

The difference comes in the quality of the fish oil. How can you tell the difference? A quality fish oil product has gone through a molecular distillation process. This removes the dangerous contaminants and concentrates the amounts of eicosapentanoic acid (EPA) and docosahexanoic acid (DHA). Some people call this a "pharmaceutical-grade" fish oil. Actually, there is not such thing as pharmaceutical-grade fish oil just as there is no such thing as pharmaceutical-grade apple juice. At the crux of the issue is the fact that there simply is no agreed-upon set of standards (in technical terms, a monograph) for fish oil supplements to date. These official monographs are set by the US Pharmacopoeia Convention (USPC) to provide standards for the active ingredients in drugs, biologics, dietary supplements, and devices, defining their 'strength, quality, and purity' for human use. Simply put, nothing can truthfully be deemed ‘pharmaceutical grade' until it has been officially defined by an approved USPC monograph.High quality fish oil is a natural product that is obtained from fish but is highly filtered and concentrated for purity and safety. If you look at the grocery store brands, they usually contain a lot less of the Omega 3 fatty acids compared to a quality "pharmaceutical-grade" brand. Here is an example of what is contained in the Costco brand of fish oil capsules:

Fish Oil Concentrate 1000 mg
EPA (Eicosapentaenoic Acid) 180 mg,
DHA (Docosahexaenoic Acid) 120 mg

Here is an example of a brand that has gone through a molecular distillation process:

Fish Oil Concentrate 1000 mg
EPA (EICOSAPENTAENOIC ACID) 290 mg
DHA (DOCOSAHEXAENOIC ACID) 235 mg

The higher quality pill has the toxins filtered out and is more concentrated. It should also contain some vitamin E. This is an antioxidant that will keep the pill from going rancid while it sits on your shelf at home. Look at the vitamin E as a natural preservative. You could also keep it in your refrigerator after you open the bottle, if you wish.

VITAMIN D
Most purification processes for fish oil remove any vitamin D from the product. Yet, experts now widely believe that a majority of people are not getting enough vitamin D, which has been shown to have many health benefits, such as supporting bone health and healthy lung function. If you can find a high quality fish oil that contains vitamin D, that is a plus. The omega-3 fatty acids in fish oil and vitamin D are also important structural components of retinal and neural tissues and may help retain eye health.

I take four pills (4 x 1000 mg.) spread throughout the day. My 90 year old father takes the same amount. He used to have arthritis pains in his shoulder that would wake him up at night. Those pains have been gone for the last three years now. He sleeps like a baby. His cholesterol levels (as well as mine) are perfectly normal without the use of statin drugs that have dangerous side effects.

If you are a vegetarian or have any problems with eating fish or taking fish oil, here is an alternative for you.

I take a fish oil capsule called Biomega by Usana Health Sciences. It goes through a double molecular distillation process and contains vitamin D and E. It does not get any purer than that. Other good brands are made by Carlson and Icelandic.

Here are some links to articles about the benefits of taking fish oil capsules:

If you are trying to keep from getting Alzheimer's Disease, read these articles.

Brain health dramatically improved by intake of omega-3 fatty acids and fish oils

Staving Off Alzheimer's Disease With The Right Diet, Prescriptions

If you are pregnant, read this article

Babies should get fish oil in the womb

If you have arthritis

Research: Anti-Inflammatory Effects of Omega-3 Fatty Acid in Fish Oil

The Truth About Cholesterol

2008-08-31T15:28:00.000-05:00

. . . and Its Affect on Your Health

Cholesterol is a waxy, oily steroid compound which has received a lot of bad press in recent years – especially when it comes to cardiovascular degeneration. The truth states cholesterol is vital to the body's health and functioning.

Cholesterol is an essential component in cell membranes. It helps us to absorb fat-soluble vitamins (A,D,E, & K) and essential fatty acids. It is also involved in manufacturing key male and female sex hormones and steroidal hormones. These are crucial for a healthy immune system and a smooth running hormonal system.

Ironically, a significant percentage of coronary heart disease occurs in people with normal to low cholesterol. The problem behind heart disease isn't the cholesterol itself – but oxidized cholesterol. Over the past decade researchers have recently begun to realize that heart disease is actually the result of long-term, low-grade inflammation of our arteries. Numerous nutrients have been indicated by thousands of published studies to promote healthy cardiovascular function. There are four primary benefits that can be achieved by using nutrition to promote cardiovascular health:

1) Antioxidant nutrients that prevent cell oxidation of the LDL (bad) cholesterol. Cholesterol only becomes your enemy when the LDL faction is hit by a free radical and becomes oxidized. The following are nutrients that have been shown to act as antioxidants and protect the LDL cholesterol from oxidation:

Garlic (400 - 2,000 mg per day - odorless aged extract is superior)

Vitamin E (400 - 1,200 IU per day - a natural blend is up to 3 times for powerful)

Grape Seed Extract (50 - 200 mg per day)

Red Wine Extract (50 - 200 mg per day - use standardized 30% or greater polphenols)

Green Tea Extract (100 - 300 mg per day - use standardized 80% polyphenols/55% epigallocatechin)

CoEnzyme Q10 (60 - 120 mg per day)

2) Nutrients that promote healthy homocysteine levels. Over 500 studies have been published in the medical literature about the dangers of homocysteine. Elevated homocysteine is up to 5 times more deadly than elevated cholesterol. Vitamins B6, B12, Folic Acid promote healthy homocysteine levels.

The following are recommended nutrients and levels to promote healthy homocysteine levels:

Vitamin B6 (50 - 150 mg per day)
Vitamin B12 (500 - 2,000 mcg per day - Methylcobalamin form is far superior)
Folic Acid (400 - 1,000 IU per day)

3) Nutrients that promote healthy cholesterol levels and ratios. Cholesterol levels are not the best indicators of cardiovascular health, the ratio of HDL (good) versus LDL (bad) are far superior. A ratio of 4 or less is good with 3 being optimal.

The following nutrients are recommended to promote healthy cholesterol levels and ratios:

Fish Oil (1000-4000 mg per day of EPA & DHA)
Garlic (900 mg per day - odorless aged extract)
Tocotrienols (10-50 mg per day)
Fiber (20 - 30 grams per day from food and supplements)
Olive Polyphenols (5-10 Mg. per day)

4) Nutrients that promote strong and healthy blood vessels. Many people's diets do not supply enough Vitamin C and Bioflavonoids to promote healthy blood vessels. Vitamin C and Bioflavonoids are critical to collagen formation, the major connective protein that maintains and promotes strong blood vessels.

Vitamin C (500 - 2,000 mg per day)
Bioflavonoids (100 - 500 mg per day)
Gingko Biloba (50-100 mg. per day)
Phosphatidylserine (100-400 mg per day)

Lowering Blood Pressure Naturally - The Lifestyle Connection

2008-08-29T13:23:00.001-05:00

One of the best ways of lowering your blood pressure is to make a lifestyle change that incorporates exercise and a healthy diet designed to lower HBH (high blood pressure) Here is a video with Robert Kowalski (Author of the Blood Pressure Cure) where he talks about a diet that will lower your HBP naturally. You have probably heard of the DASH diet. It stands for Dietary Approaches to Stop Hypertension. The Mediterranean diet would be part of this. A delicious way to eat, stay healthy and lower blood pressure by about 6-8 points. The Dash Study A landmark study called DASH (Dietary Approaches to Stop Hypertension) looked at the effects of an overall eating plan in adults with normal to high blood pressure. Researchers found that in just eight weeks, people following the DASH diet saw their blood pressure decrease. Weight and sodium intake were held constant and thus were not a factor in the blood pressure reductions observed. The lowering of blood pressure among DASH participants were comparable (systolic 11 to 12 mm Hg and diastolic 5 to 6 mm Hg reductions) to those observed with single drug regimens.The DASH authors also noted that their results were generalizable to the entire U.S. population since the blood pressure reductions did not stratify based upon age, gender, weight or race. The conclusion of the study was that a diet rich in fruits, vegetables, and low-fat dairy foods and with reduced saturated and total fat can substantially lower blood pressure. This diet offers an an additional nutritional approach to preventing and treating hypertension as opposed to a drug treatment.

Exercise Reduces Blood Pressure...

... But too few doctors recommend it to their patients, study finds

Two-thirds of doctors don't take the time to tell their patients with high blood pressure about the importance of exercise and physical activity. "Patients do follow physician recommendations to exercise when instructed to, and patients who follow exercise recommendations tend to have lower systolic blood pressures than those who do not," said lead researcher Dr. Josiah Halm, a hypertension specialist at the University of Wisconsin School of Medicine and Public Health. 71 percent of patients with high blood pressure saw a drop in their blood pressure when they increased their physical activity, which means that they listened when doctors told them to exercise more, according to the report.
In a clinical trial, the participants in the Healthy for Life program ate a healthy diet and increased their exercise instead of taking drugs. After the trial, their systolic blood pressure dropped an average of 10 points and diastolic blood pressure dropped an average of 6 points in just 12 weeks. This is comparable to the DASH trial. The difference is that you will get more support with this program than trying to do the DASH program on your own. How would that affect your blood pressure if it dropped that much in 12 weeks? How long would it take to get off your meds?

Check out the Healthy For Life program by Dr. Ray Strand. The information on this site could help you to get on your way to lowering your blood pressure naturally. In a clinical trial, the participants in the Healthy for Life program ate a healthy diet and increased their exercise instead of taking drugs. After the trial, their systolic blood pressure dropped an average of 10 points and diastolic blood pressure dropped an average of 6 points in just 12 weeks.

Lowering Blood Pressure Naturally - The Grape Seed Extract Connection

2008-08-28T13:11:00.002-05:00

In a recent study done at the University of California at Davis, it was discovered that a standardized dose of grape-seed extract lowered blood pressure. Systolic blood pressure (the top number in a blood pressure reading) dropped 12 points, on average. Diastolic blood pressure (the bottom number in a blood pressure reading) dropped an average of 8 points. Click on the following article to read about it.

Grape-seed Extract for Blood Pressure?

Polyphenol antioxidants found in grape seeds naturally increase blood vessel dilation (vasodilation), which increases blood flow and decreases blood pressure. Grape-seed extract is exactly what it sounds like--an extract produced from the seeds of grapes--with high levels of polyphenols, particularly one polyphenol known as proanthocyanidin. I use it to control the pain and inflammation for my father's arthritis. Consequently, he has no more pain. Amazing.

A Unique Way to Manage High Blood Pressure!

Grape-seed extract is available in capsules, tablets, and tinctures. Look for products that are standardized to 95% OPC content. (OPC is an abbreviation for oligomeric proanthocyanidins, which are a class of flavonoid complexes.) Grape seed extract is considered safe. However, because herbs and dietary supplements are not strictly regulated by the U.S. food and Drug Administration, it is difficult to verify the purity and strength of products claiming to contain grape-seed extract. That is why you should look for one that is pharmaceutical-grade and has the letters "USP" on the label (United States Phamacopeia). This is a level of manufacturing that has higher standards and may assure the purity and potency of what you are taking. In addition, it should be certified by a respected independent lab like Consumer Labs or the NSF to make sure their claims are true.

I take a grape-seed extract product called "Proflavanol 90" made by Usana Health Sciences. It is a pharmaceutical-grade (USP) grape-seed extract that is standardized to 95% OPC content. It is certified by the NSF and carries NSF's trusted Certified for Sport™ Mark. USANA also received Good Manufacturing Practices registration and dietary supplement certification in 2007 through NSF. Usana Health Sciences is the official health supplement supplier to the Sony Ericsson WTA Tour. Thousands of Olympic and Pro athletes also trust their health to Usana Health Sciences.

Lowering Blood Pressure Naturally - The Magnesium Connection

2008-08-28T12:32:00.001-05:00

Doctors usually prescribe Toprol and (maybe) a diuretic for high blood pressure to reduce body fluids. Diuretics help lower blood pressure but also leach out the magnesium, potassium in the body and raises homocysteine by 16% which can bring on Alzheimer's and a heart attack. Toprol raises her triglycerides and lowers her HDL (good) cholesterol which can lead to a heart attack.

If you are looking for natural ways to reduce your blood pressure, here are a few tips that might help.

Taking supplements is not the total answer to reducing blood pressure. But with a low-glycemic diet and daily exercise, it could be a part of the answer to get you off of high blood pressure medicines. Are you taking enough magnesium? As always, check with your doctor or a naturopathic doctor before you do anything different, but . . .

Magnesium has been shown to lower blood pressure.

Dr. Cohen wrote a book called, "The Magnesium Solution For High Blood Pressure." In it, Dr. Cohen looks at one probable underlying cause of high blood pressure -- magnesium deficiency. He describes how up to 75% of Americans are deficient in this mineral and as a consequence are sick in many ways. The average American only gets 40% of the Magnesium that it needs from diet alone. Doctors are widely ignorant about magnesium and tend to think of drugs as first resort rather than last. In the Journal of the American Medical Association, it was reported that over 90% of all doctors failed to look at a patients low magnesium levels even though some of them died of heart attacks from so low a level.

Dr. Cohen explains how magnesium is an essential micronutrient in maintaining suppleness in the walls of blood vessels. In magnesium deficiency, the vessels become stiffer and so do not absorb the blood pressure surges properly. “Evidence suggests that magnesium may play an important role in regulating blood pressure. Magnesium deficiency can cause metabolic changes that may contribute to heart attacks and strokes. There is also evidence that low body stores of magnesium increase the risk of abnormal heart rhythms, which may increase the risk of complications associated with a heart attack. Population surveys have associated higher blood levels of magnesium with lower risk of coronary heart disease.”

Magnesium is one of the body’s most important minerals. It is required as a cofactor in hundreds of enzymatic processes within cells. Magnesium is a major factor in relaxing the smooth muscles within the blood vessels, thereby reducing peripheral vascular resistance and blood pressure. It also stimulates nitric oxide, a mechanism at work when we exercise, helping to relax and dilate blood vessels. In addition, magnesium reduces nerve and muscle excitability, stabilizes cardiac conductivity, and influences neurochemical transmission. Magnesium also affects circulating levels of norepinephrine and the synthesis of serotonin and nitric oxide.

Indeed, because of magnesium’s primary role in blood pressure regulation, for decades scientists have called magnesium “nature’s calcium channel blocker” because magnesium directly offsets the constriction of blood vessels caused by calcium. Because drug companies cannot make money from a natural substance like magnesium, they have developed a whole group of drugs called calcium antagonists or calcium channel blockers to do what magnesium does. In 2000, doctors wrote more than 95 million prescriptions for calcium antagonists, including top sellers amlo-dipine (Norvasc), nifedipine (Procardia), diltiazem (Cardizem, Tiazac), and others at a total cost of more than $4.5 billion. These drugs are not only costly, but they can also cause side effects such as dizziness, palpitations, fatigue, tiredness, and swollen legs. Over a five year period, they shrink your brain and you could end up with Alzheimer's disease like my parents. Yet many doctors do not hesitate to prescribe these drugs because they were never taught about magnesium. While legions of pharmaceutical sales representatives bring stacks of studies and free samples of these drugs, no one pushes magnesium.

Fortunately, a growing number of doctors are now learning about magnesium. Sherry Rogers, MD, a highly respected integrative medicine physician, has written extensively about magnesium’s benefits for disorders caused by abnormal muscle constriction: “In order for a muscle to contract, it needs calcium. In order to relax, it needs magnesium.” Hypertension is one of the conditions for which Dr. Rogers recommends supplementing with magnesium.

Evidence-based studies have shown the same thing. A 1989 study published in the journal Hypertension found that taking 625 mg of magnesium daily produced significant reductions in blood pressure in 21 subjects. A study published in 1993 in the American Journal of Hypertension found that taking supplemental magnesium reduced average systolic blood pressure from 154 to 146 mm Hg and cut average diastolic blood pressure from 100 to 92 mm Hg.

A study published in the International Journal of Cardiology in 1996 found that taking 600 mg of magnesium daily reduced systolic blood pressure by an average of 7.6 mm Hg and diastolic pressure by an average of 3.8 mm Hg.23 In another double-blind, placebo-controlled study published in the British Journal of Nutrition in 1997, subjects who took 411-548 mg of magnesium daily experienced significant reductions in systolic and diastolic blood pressure.

Summary
Magnesium should be considered by anyone seeking to prevent or treat high blood pressure. The foundation for a healthy blood pressure consists of a healthy diet, adequate exercise, stress reduction, and sufficient amounts of potassium and magnesium. If you eat plentiful amounts of vegetables, you are likely getting plenty of potassium.

Foods rich in magnesium and often other important minerals include all sorts of nuts and seeds, whole grains, beans, and leafy green vegetables such spinach, broccoli, peas and artichoke. Note that processing foods often degrades their nutrient value. That means refined grains lose most of their magnesium. Freezing and canning, on the other hand, usually retain the original nutrients.

A wise and easier choice would be to supplement the diet with a balanced mineral, trace mineral and vitamin solution, because although there is an abundance of good quality calcium, vitamin d, and magnesium supplements on the market, caution must be exercised when deciding how much to take of each one in conjunction to the effect on the others. And remember, they have to be easily absorbed into the intestines to bring maximum benefits.

I take 700 mg. per day in a combination of multivitamin and a calcium supplement. There are different forms of magnesium such as magnesium sulfate, oxide, gluconate, lactate and citrate. Look for one with magnesium citrate as it is more soluble and, therefore, more easily absorbed than some of the other forms.

Magnesium can be used in concert with drugs for hypertension. Check with your doctor first. My brother knew an advanced yoga instructor who developed muscle tightness as a side effect of her anti-hypertensive medication. Supplementing with magnesium allowed her to reduce her medication dose, and her muscle tightness went away. If you ever get muscle cramps in you legs at night, magnesium might help relieve that too and get you a better nights sleep.

You can have your magnesium, potassium, arginine and other vitamin levels checked by getting a blood test. This might help you to determine what to do. In any case, taking more magnesium would be a good idea

Is Your Scale Broken?

2008-08-23T16:05:00.001-05:00

I was thin most of my life and then it hit me. I started gaining weight around my middle, my thighs, chest and neck. Even my face became fat! I went to my doctor and asked him what I could do. He said, "Exercise more and eat less." Well, duh! I was expecting something a little more profound than that. I followed his advice and came back in a month. When I got on the scale, I weighed MORE! How could this be, doc? He said that when I increased my exercise, it must have made me hungrier and I must have eaten more. I don't think so. When I was younger, all I had to do was think about losing weight and it would come right off (fast). Why was it so tough now? It's a simple formula, isn't it? Burn more calories than you take in. I had done that all my life and it always worked before. What had changed?

I did not know it but I had put my body on a high-glycemic roller coaster ride. For many years, it was not a problem. My body seemed to handled it just fine with no telling symptoms. Then, all of the sudden, I started putting on 10-15 pounds a year. I was always tired in the afternoon and I found that my memory was not as good as it had been before. The results of the roller coaster had finally caught up with me.

Here's how the glycemic roller coaster works. In a healthy person, blood sugars work best in a narrow range. The glucose levels should be maintained in the body between 70 to 150 mg/dl. In 1981, Dr. David Jenkins discovered that some foods will spike your blood sugar higher than others. In the chart below, you can see what happens when you spike your blood sugar. When it gets too high, your body protects itself by releasing a fat-storage hormone called insulin. A few hours after a high-glycemic meal, your blood sugars go below the normal range. This is dangerous, so your body protects itself again by producing cortisol and adrenaline in an attempt to bring your blood sugars back up to a normal level. This is usually when you crave another high-glycemic meal. The roller coaster starts all over again.

Over the years, this kind of insulin abuse leads to insulin resistance. Your body compensates by making more and more insulin. In turn, your muscles begin to reject the glucose sent their way. Normally, 85 to 90% of all the glucose produced after eating a meal goes to the muscle cells to be either utilized for energy or stored as glycogen for immediate energy reserve in the muscle. This means that only 10-15% of the glucose ends up in our fat cells. If the insulin and glucagon levels are normal, there is a nice balance of fat being produced and broken down, and no weight gain occurs.

It Starts In The Muscle
When insulin resistance develops, muscle cells start rejecting a majority of the glucose following a meal and it is redirected to our fat cells. It is like a train switching tracks and going in a different direction. This is when the unexplained fat starts to develop around your middle at an alarming rate.

When Is A Calorie No Longer A Calorie?
When insulin resistance is involved, a calorie is not merely a calorie any more. You can exercise and starve yourself all you want. The fact is, your fat cells start acting like a sponge and soak up all the glucose and efficiently change it into fat no matter how many calories you try to burn. The concept of "a calorie in and a calorie out" that has been the mainstay of weight loss therapy throughout the past century needs to change. When you begin to recognize the effect that insulin resistance throws into this equation, a calorie is no longer just a calorie.
Insulin resistance leads to Metabolic Syndrome (Syndrome X) and can finally lead to full blown diabetes. Unless you can find a way to "reverse the tracks" on insulin resistance and get back to normal, you simply will not be able to lose weight even with the most aggressive diets. In this state, the body is resistant to almost any weight loss program being advocated today. Only a program designed to reverse insulin resistance will successfully "flip the switch back again."

Here is a video of Dr. Ray Strand explaining how this all happens.

Why Care About Blood Sugar?
If you're not diabetic, you probably haven't given much thought to your blood sugar, but are some compelling reasons why you should care:

You should care if you find yourself getting sluggish or tired every afternoon.

You should care if you reach for cookies, candy or cola when you need a shot of energy.

You should care if you find yourself hungry late at night and raiding the refrigerator.

You should care if your attempts at weight loss have yielded little or no success.

You should care if you've noticed your memory or vision slipping in recent years.

These are all warning signs of blood sugar imbalance. Blood sugar is to your body what gasoline is to your car – fuel. Every cell in your body depends on it for the energy to stay alive and function. Whether you're a diabetic or not, your goal is to keep your blood sugar tank full, but not too full. Without balanced blood sugar, in addition to the health problems above, you may be increasing the risk for diabetes, heart disease, stroke and cancer.

How Does The Glycemic Index Work?

The glycemic index (GI) ranks foods by how they affect your blood sugar levels.

Low-GI foods (less than 55) produce a gradual rise in blood sugar that's easy on the body.

Foods between 55 and 70 are intermediate-GI foods

Foods with high-GI numbers (more than 70) make blood sugar and insulin levels spike fast, which is a health threat.

Examples of high glycemic foods: White bread, white rice, white potatoes, soda pop, some fruit juices and most sugars.

Examples of low glycemic foods: Walnuts, peanuts, most fresh fruits and vegetables, chicken, turkey, tea (unsweetened), sugars like xylitol and stevia.

Research suggests keeping blood sugar from spiking pays off – low-GI foods stave off heart disease, prevent type 2 diabetes, help you evade serious side effects if you have diabetes, curb your appetite so you lose weight, and help boost energy.

The Science Behind The Glycemic Index
A study published in the November 2003 Journal of Pediatrics
showed that children who ate low-GI, high-fiber breakfasts were less hungry and ate less for lunch than kids eating a breakfast of refined sugary cereals. This is the first study to observe such an effect in a group of normal and overweight children and adds to the growing body of evidence that low-GI foods may have an important role in weight control and obesity management.

A study in the A merican Journal of Clinical Nutrition concluded that people who eat refined grains stripped of fiber are more likely to gain weight and be overweight compared to people eating high-fiber whole grains.

GlycemicIndex and Serum High-Density Lipoprotein Cholesterol Concentration Among US Adults
Dietary glycemic index, an indicator of the ability of the carbohydrate to raise blood glucose levels, and glycemic load, the product of glycemic index and carbohydrate intake, have been positively related to risk of coronary heart disease
Arch Intern Med.+2001;161:572-576.

State of the Art Reviews: Glycemic Index, Obesity, and Chronic Disease.
Diets based on carbohydrate foods that are more slowly digested and absorbed (ie, low glycemic index diets) have been independently linked to reduced risk of type 2 diabetes, cardiovascular disease, and some types of cancer. Although ongoing research is needed, the current findings, together with the fact that there are no demonstrated negative effects of a low glycemic index diet, suggest that the glycemic index should be an important consideration in the dietary management and prevention of obesity and chronic disease.
American Journal of Lifestyle Medicine, Vol. 2, No. 2, 142-150 (2008)

Glycemic index, glycemic load, and chronic disease risk --a meta-analysis of observational studies
Low-GI and/or low-GL diets are independently associated with a reduced risk of certain chronic diseases. In diabetes and heart disease, the protection is comparable with that seen for whole grain and high fiber intakes. The findings support the hypothesis that *higherpostprandial glycemia is a universal mechanism for disease progression.
American Journal of Clinical Nutrition, Vol.87, No. 3, 627-637, March 2008

Association between Carbohydrate Intake and Serum Lipids
Results of this study suggest that there is a complex and predominantly unfavorable effect of increased intake of highly processed carbohydrate on lipid profile, which may have implications for metabolic syndrome, diabetes, and coronary heart disease. Further studies in the form of randomized controlled trials are required to investigate these associations and determine the implications for lipid management.
Journal of the American College of Nutrition, Vol. 25, No. 2, 155-163 (2006)

Potato and french fry consumption and risk of type 2 diabetes in women
Nurses health study findings suggest a modest positive association between the consumption of potatoes and the risk of type 2 diabetes in women. This association was more pronounced when potatoes were substituted or whole grains .
American Journal of Clinical Nutrition, Vol. 83, No. 2, 284-290, February 2006

FastFood, Central Nervous System Insulin Resistance, and Obesity
Dramatic increases in fast food consumption over the past 30 years have occurred in parallel with the twin epidemics of obesity and insulin resistance. Some of the properties of fast food, including its high glycemic index and its fatty acid composition, induce hyperinsulinemia and the development of insulin resistance, both peripherally (increasing energy deposition into fat), and centrally. Of course, fast food is merely the most extreme example of what has become the typical Western diet, so this phenomenon has implications for all patients with weight gain. Hyperinsulinemia is the primary initiator of CNS insulin resistance, which may in part be responsible for leptin resistance. This promotes reduced energy. Therefore, it is our contention that fast food, based on all its inherent properties discussed, must not be viewed as a marker, but rather as a primary etiologic agent in the genesis of the current obesity epidemic.
(+Arteriosclerosis,Thrombosis, and Vascular Biology.+ 2005;25:2451.)© 2005 American Heart Association, Inc.

Suicide, Depression And Violent Behavior Linked To Low Cholesterol

2008-08-20T20:14:00.003-05:00

Lowering our cholesterol seems to have become a national competition of sorts. Doctors are handing out cholesterol lowering drugs like they were candy. During follow up appointments, patients are congratulated for lowering their cholesterol and encouraged to get it even lower. Although high cholesterol has been connected to heart disease and stoke, could low cholesterol have some equally nasty side effects?

An eight-year Finnish study of 29,133 men aged 50 to 69, published in the British Journal of Psychiatry, found that those reporting depression had significantly lower average blood cholesterol levels than those who did not. After eight years, they found that 280 had been hospitalized for major depression and 111 had committed suicide.

They reported a link between low levels of blood cholesterol and a fall in levels of the neurotransmitter serotonin in the brain.

Serotonin is thought to control moods and low levels have been linked to depression and aggression.

A team from St Vincent's Hospital, Dublin, compared 100 patients admitted to the hospital with self-inflicted injuries, including drug overdoses, with psychiatric patients and patients not suffering from any mental health problems.

The patients were rated on their level of depression, impulsivity and suicidal intent.

It was found that cholesterol levels in the patients who had deliberately harmed themselves were significantly lower than the other patients.

Cholesterol levels were also low in all patients who were rated as being impulsive. Lead researcher Dr Malcolm Garland said people who deliberately harmed themselves often had no intention of killing themselves.

Dr Garland said impulsivity stimulated by low cholesterol levels could be responsible for many types of dangerous behavior. For instance impulsive people might be more prone to road traffic accidents.

Statins may produce irritability or short temper in some people, a problem that occurs with statin therapy and resolves with its discontinuation (Golomb et al., 2004).

Low cholesterol linked to depression

Suicide link to cholesterol

Cholesterol And Violence: Is There A Connection?

Do Statins Make You Stupid?

2008-08-10T09:00:00.011-05:00

World-wide, some 25 million people take statins, including Zocor, Mevacor, Crestor, Pravachol and Vytorin to lower their cholesterol. Could they also be lowering their IQ at the same time?

In a recent Wall Street Journal article, Orli Etingin, vice chairman of medicine at New York Presbyterian Hospital and the director of the Iris Cantor Women's Health Center, declared that, "This drug makes women stupid." She told of a typical patient in her 40s, unable to concentrate or recall words. Tests found nothing amiss, but when the woman stopped taking Lipitor, the symptoms vanished. When she resumed taking Lipitor, they returned. I've seen this in maybe two dozen patients," Dr. Etingin said later, adding that they did better on other statins. "This is just observational, of course. We really need more studies, particularly on cognitive effects and women."

Researchers at the University of California at San Diego are nearing completion of a randomized controlled trial examining the effects of statins on thinking, mood, behavior, and quality of life. Separately, the UCSD researchers are collecting anecdotal experiences of patients, good and bad, on statins; memory problems are the second most common side effect, after muscle aches, in about 5,000 reports to date.

"We have some compelling cases," says Beatrice Golomb, the study's lead researcher. In one of them, a San Diego woman, Jane Brunzie, was so forgetful that her daughter was investigating Alzheimer's care for her and refused to let her babysit for her 9-year-old granddaughter. Then the mother stopped taking a statin. "Literally, within eight days, I was back to normal -- it was that dramatic," says Mrs. Brunzie, 69 years old.Doctors put her on different statins three more times. "They'd say, 'Here, try these samples.' Doctors don't want to give up on it," she says. "Within a few days of starting another one, I'd start losing my words again," says Mrs. Brunzie, who has gone back to volunteering at the local elementary school she loves and is trying to bring her cholesterol down with dietary changes instead."I feel very blessed -- I got about 99% of my memory back," she adds. "But I worry about people like me who are starting to lose their words who may think they have just normal aging and it may not be."

The brain is largely made of of cholesterol, much of it in the myelin sheaths that insulate nerve cells and in the synapses that transmit nerve impulses. Lowering cholesterol could slow the connections that facilitate thought and memory. Statins may also lead to the formation of abnormal proteins seen in the brains of Alzheimer's patients.

The cognitive changes can affect men as well as women. But women on statins are often simultaneously losing estrogen due to menopause, which can also cause cognitive changes. "Women are getting hit with a double whammy," says Elizabeth Lee Vliet, a women's health physician in Tucson, Ariz., who has a background in neuroendochronology.

According to the "LDL hypothesis," lowering bad cholesterol prevents plaque buildup in the arteries. And that, in theory, reduces the risk of heart attack and stroke. Vytorin -- which combines Merck's Zocor, a statin, and Schering-Plough's Zetia, a new class of LDL-lowering medicine -- does lower bad cholesterol but has also been proven to thicken the plaque in the carotid arteries (in the neck) of patients more than in those who took Zocor alone -- apparently contradicting the "LDL hypothesis." A blocked carotid artery can lead to restricted blood flow to the brain and a stroke.

Another cholesterol lowering drug called, Torcetrapib (Pfizer) represented a new class of cholesterol medicine designed not only to lower LDL cholesterol but also to boost HDL, or "good" cholesterol. But the results of two large-scale studies linked torcetrapib to deaths and showed it failed to prevent the buildup of arterial plaque. Soon after, Pfizer abandoned the project.

Myth: High cholesterol Goes Hand In Hand With Heart Disease

In the Framingham heart study done near Boston that spanned 30 years , the researchers concluded that high cholesterol was a risk factor for heart disease, but when one really dissects the data, one must question how they came to that conclusion. For example, when the participants of the study are plotted on a graph it clearly shows that those with cholesterol levels between 182 and 222 did not survive as long as those with higher cholesterol levels of between 222 and 261. The study shows that about half the people with heart disease had low cholesterol, and half the people without heart disease had high cholesterol.

Most studies have found that for women, high cholesterol is not a risk factor for heart disease at all - in fact, the death rate for women is five times higher in those with very low cholesterol. In a Canadian study that followed 5000 healthy middle-aged men for 12 years, they found that high cholesterol was not associated with heart disease at all. And in another study done at the University Hospital in Toronto that looked at cholesterol levels in 120 men that previously had heart attacks, they found that just as many men that had second heart attacks had low cholesterol levels as those that had high.
Why is it that over half the people who die of heart disease do not have high cholesterol? Could it be that cholesterol is not the main problem?

A personal note

My parents were taking Zocor for a number of years. At $60 per month, it was quite expensive. My mother died of Alzheimer's disease last year. My father has Parkinson's related dementia too. Before I took him off statins, my dad was experiencing muscle pain, numbness, memory loss, muscle weakness and many other side effects listed on the Zocor label. Although they claim that these side effects are rare, I believe that they are just under reported. Read the article below on, Is Your Doctor in Denial?

Other Side Effects Of Statins

Talk to your physician about the side effects of statin drugs which might include:

Inability to concentrate
Depression
Confusion
Impotence
Amnesia
Lowered sex drive
Disorientation
Violent BehaviorWeakened immune system
Shortness of breath
Liver damage
Fatigue
Kidney failure
Nerve pain
SuicideDeath
Muscle weakness
Rhabdomyolysis (painful bursting of muscle cells)

Getting Less Of What You Need
Statins block the production of Co enzyme Q10 in your body. Why is that so dangerous? Coenzyme Q10 is very important for heart function, it acts as an antioxidant in conjunction with Vitamin E, and it is important in energy metabolism in the mitochondria of muscles, which is why muscle pain is a common side effect of statin drugs. Your heart is one of your biggest and most important muscles. If your heart is weakened by the lack of Co enzyme Q10, statins could actually cause you to have a heart attack. Co enzyme Q10 is important for healthy brain function as well, and when Co enzyme Q10 levels are low, through statin use or otherwise, memory is affected.
Lower Your Chance Of Heart Disease Naturally
Eskimos, who eat a traditional diet of almost pure saturated fat (whale and seal blubber) have almost a zero incidence of heart disease. Danes, on the other hand, eat a high fat diet but have a much higher occurrence of heart disease. What's the difference? Eskimos eat a high-fat, high-cholesterol diet but one rich in fish, especially those containing the omega-3 fatty acids EPA and docosahexaenoic acid (DHA). These fatty acids lower plasma of very low density lipoproteins (VLDL) and triglyceride (a type of fat in your blood) concentrations by depressing synthesis of triglycerides in the liver.

If you are not eating at least 3 meals a week that includes fatty, oily fish, you might want to consider taking some pharmaceutical-grade fish oil pills. These are more concentrated and purer than your regular grocery store brand. They are also less likely to give you the "fish burps" and you will have to take half as many pills because of the concentration.

Researchers at University Hospital in Basel Switzerland did a statistical analysis, called a “meta-analysis” of 97 double-blind, controlled studies, involving 137,140 people who received a heart-disease “intervention (statins, niacin, two other pharmaceutical drugs, diet or fish oil) and 138,976 who received a placebo. The remarkable findings: Fish oil reduced cardiac deaths by 32 percent; statins by 22 percent. Fish oil cut deaths from all causes by 23 percent; statins, by 13 percent. That means, say experts, that omega-3 fish oil was 45 per more effective than statins in preventing heart fatalities and 77 percent better at saving lives in general. (Marco Studer., Arch Intern Med 2005; 165:725-730)

Fish oil’s strong anti inflammatory activity is also a prime reason for its cardiovascular protection, say the Swiss scientists. Other reasons fish oil might beat statins: Omega-3s help regulate heart rhythms, preventing sudden cardiac deaths; thwart formation of blood clots; improve endothelial and vascular function, reduce triglycerides, lower blood pressure, and raise good HDL cholesterol. (Mori TA, Curr Atheroscler Rep 2004 Nov; 6(6): 461-7)

Fish oil has NONE of the side effects found with statins.

First Step Therapy

Doctors have always been encouraged by the medical community to help their patients to become heart healthy by prescribing healthy lifestyle changes like diet and exercise prior to beginning any medication at the early signs of these diseases. This is referred to as First-Step Therapy. Physicians have for the most part been very discouraged with the results of First-Step Therapy and have a tendency to simply write a prescription without offering their patients an opportunity to improve their clinical situation with healthy lifestyle changes. This is happening because physicians believe that their patients will simply not be able to make these lifestyle changes or even if they do, they will not be that effective. This attitude along with the tremendous amount of marketing by the pharmaceutical industry directly to the patient has led individuals to believe that their best option is to just begin taking medication. However, it is becoming more evident each and every day that there is also an inherit risk with taking any medication. In fact, adverse drug reactions to properly prescribed and properly administered medication are the FOURTH leading cause of death in this country.

Sources:
Statins May Spur Dementia

Is Your Doctor in Denial?

Can a Drug That Helps Hearts Be Harmful to the Brain?

In wake of Vytorin study, some heart doctors reassess LDL factor

Diet Comparable To Statin Drugs In Lowering LDL Cholesterol
Omega-3 fatty acids reduce mortality risk more effectively than statin drugs

Would You Give Your Dog A Diet Pill?

2008-08-03T16:33:00.009-05:00

Is your pooch getting pudgy? Pfizer just released the first FDA-approved prescription diet drug for dogs. You heard me right! Can you believe that? It's called "Slentrol."

ADVERSE REACTIONS:
The adverse reactions associated with treatment with SLENTROL include vomiting, loose stools/diarrhea, lethargy, and anorexia. These adverse reactions were mainly observed during the first month of treatment or during the week after a dose increase. Vomiting was usually mild in severity, of short duration, and resolved with continued SLENTROL treatment. The SLENTROL-treated dogs generally had an increased frequency and duration of vomiting and diarrhea compared to the control dogs. The control dogs received corn oil.

In addition to the adverse reactions listed above, there were other abnormal findings. Many control and SLENTROL-treated dogs had dental disease, abnormal skin and ear findings, and lameness/arthritis.

So, if you can put up with your dog puking and defecating all over the house, all you have to do is deal with a lethargic dog who might be anorexic, have dental disease, skin disease and arthritis/lameness. Not only will your pooch be slender but "sicker than a dog" should be.

Slentrol works by preventing your dog’s digestive tract from being able to absorb fat. It also makes them feel full. It works just like Glaxo-Smith-Klein's drug for humans that is called "Alli." By the way, if you or your dog take these pills, you will also block several fat-soluble nutrients that are vital to a healthy diet. Here are a few of them:

Coenzyme Q10
This nutrient is the major energy source for almost every cell in your body as well as your pet’s and the key to healthy function of all major organs, especially the heart, brain and liver. It is what gives muscles their energy and strength, including your heart. Depriving your muscles of CoQ10 can bring about a condition called rhabdomyolysis. This breakdown of muscle causes pain and inflammation.

Vitamin A
Prevents many skin disorders. Enhances the immune system - protects against colds, flu, and infection to kidney, bladder, and lungs. Maintains and repairs the mucous membranes (all tissue that interacts with air, such as lungs, throat and eyes).

Vitamin D
Supports bone and tooth formation, muscle function and thyroid gland function. Important in the prevention and treatment of breast and colon cancer, osteoarthritis and osteoporosis. Needed for strong bones.

Vitamin K
Important for blood coagulation and increased calcium absorption.

Vitamin E
A major antioxidant that is important in the prevention of cancer and cardiovascular disease. Promotes healthy skin and coat (hair). Improves blood circulation and blood pressure. Aids in healing and the formation of red blood cells.

The American medical system and the big pharmaceutical companies are notorious for giving you a pill to treat the symptoms (obesity) instead of focusing on the cause. Why is your dog fat in the first place? Is it because of a lack of drugs? How about taking a look at diet and exercise?

What Are You Feeding Your Dog?
Look at the ingredients on most commercial dog foods and you will find things like corn, rice, wheat, soy, beans—even peanut shells. Giving them food that contains a lot of grains will have the same effect that it has on humans: it produces an insulin spike, raises their blood sugar, and packs on the pounds.

Low Fat Dog Food?
Dogs have survived for thousands of years on a diet of mostly protein and fat. Fat doesn't make you fat. People lose weight on the Atkins diet every day and it includes plenty of healthy fats. The next time you go to a restaurant, take a pad of real butter (without the roll), put it in your mouthand swallow it. You will soon notice that your hunger is greatly diminished. Fat sends a message to your brain that you are full. When you feed your dog low-fat dog food, you could actually be making him/her fatter! Well-intentioned pet owners feeding Fido and Spot so-called “reduced calorie” specialty foods are actually giving them the exact opposite of what they need to stay fit and trim.

Here are some tips on feeding your dog:

If you feed your dog a commercial food, consider looking for one that has more protein (fish, lamb, chicken, beef) and less fillers.
Look for a food that contains less of the bad fats (corn oil) and more good fats (fish oil, omega 3's, flax seed oil, poultry oil). It’s the key to reducing heart disease, high blood pressure, ramping up HDL cholesterol levels (the “good” kind), and keeping their joints, eyesight, and immune systems strong and healthy. I’ll add a tablespoon of cod liver oil into my dog's bowl to make sure she’s getting plenty of omega-3.

Feed your dog real meat like chicken, beef, lamb, fish and turkey.

Cook your dog a few eggs every morning.

Eliminate or restrict rice, corn, bread or potatoes from your dog's diet.

Exercise

I know that most dog owners are not home enough to be able to exercise their dogs as much as they should. But there are steps you can take to get them enough exercise. One is to hire a dog walker or have neighbors let their kids take your pet out to play under their supervision. You can also bring your dog with you on the go when you do errands. Even the extra walking is good for them. Extra walking would not hurt a pet owner either.

Why Is Junk Food So Addictive?

2008-07-01T18:05:00.008-05:00

Have you ever noticed that after eating a meal at a fast food restaurant, you feel hungry a few hours later? Why is that? Are you just plain hungry or is there something in the food that is causing this hunger? If you haven't had the chance to watch the movie, "Super Size Me", click here and watch it now for free!
"Super Size Me" is one man's journey into the world of weight gain, health problems and fast food. It's an examination of the American way of life and how we are eating ourselves to death. Filmmaker Morgan Spurlock unravels the American obesity epidemic by interviewing experts nationwide and by subjecting himself to a 'McDonald's only' diet for thirty days straight. His Sundance award-winning feature is as entertaining as it horrifying as it dives into corporate responsibility, nutritional education, school lunch programs and how we as a nation are eating ourselves to death.

Before you start to roll your eyes at this video, I understand that no one would eat all of their meals from McDonald's for a month. It's a little extreme. I know that. But, I was fascinated by the chemical effect this diet had on his brain. When he got depressed, he ate another junk food meal and felt better immediately. Wow.

McDonald's calls the people who eat there once a week, "Heavy Users." 72% of the people who eat at McDonald's are heavy users. "Super Heavy Users" eat there 3-5 times a week. 22% of the people who eat there are super heavy users!

I recently heard a registered dietitian say that people do not get addicted to food, they just get hungry. She said that we can have an "extreme hunger and the physiological drive to eat" but there is no such thing as a food addiction. Really? Do you believe that?

In 2002, McDonald's took out a full page add in the newspaper in France in which a nutritionist stated that there is no reason that anyone should visit a McDonald's more than once a week. McDonald's corporate headquarter went crazy and responded that this was only one opinion. They continued that the majority of nutritional professionals agree that McDonald's food can be a part of a healthy diet. The people who made the movie, "Super Size Me" contacted 100 nutritionists to see if this was true. Two out of 100 nutritionists said that it was ok to eat fast food two times a week or more. Twenty eight said it was ok to eat there once a week to once or twice a month. Forty five said you should never eat it and 95 of them agreed that it was a major contributor to the obesity epidemic that was sweeping America.

America is now the second fattest nation in the world. Australia has the dubious honor of being number one! The latest figures show 4 million Australians — or 26% of the adult population — are now obese compared to an estimated 25% of Americans. A further 5 million Australians are considered overweight. Are we both nations of weak-willed ninny's or is fast food physiologically addictive? I believe there is a chemical reason behind this addiction as well as a behavioral one. Let's take a look at the brain chemicals that are at work in the addiction process. Here are a few videos that talk about the chemical effects behind food addictions. The first one talks mainly about the addictive power of fast food.

FAST FOOD ADDICTION

This second video talks about the chemistry behind our addictions to food

THE SCIENCE OF ADDICTIVE FOOD

This third video features Dr. Vincent Bellonzi as he talks about how junk food and fast food has an adverse effect on your health.

THE TRUTH ABOUT JUNK FOOD AND FAST FOOD, CLINICAL NUTRITION

Here are a few articles to read concerning the chemically addictive qualities of junk food.
Is Junk Food Addictive?

Burgers on the Brain: Can You Really Get Addicted to Fast Food? What constitutes an Addiction?

Fast Food As Addictive As Heroin, Study Confirms

What Happens to Your Body When… You Carb Binge?

For more information on fast food, obesity and addictions, click on the links below

When Does A Happy Meal Become Sad

Food Addictions

Why Diets Fail

Can Using Sunscreen Cause Cancer?

2008-06-23T12:32:00.004-05:00

When I was in high school and college, I spent my summers as a lifeguard. Exposing my skin to the sun was an occupational hazard. Fortunately, I tan very dark but I still covered up with hats, umbrellas, sunglasses and sunscreen. Little did I know that sunscreen would protect me from getting burned but would not protect me from getting cancer.

Suscreen came on the scene in the 1940's. Improved tanning lotions came on the market in the early 1960s, and a few years after that, the melanoma rate zoomed up (refer to the chart on the left). Sales figures jumped from $18 million in 1972 to $500 million in 1996. Public health authorities became concerned, and melanoma became news. Seeing a commercial opportunity, the makers of tanning lotions repositioned their products as "sunscreen," and the now familiar sermonizing began. Since then, melanoma has become the nation's fastest-rising cancer and sunscreen sales have continued to climb. Ozone depletion may play a role in the higher melanoma rate, as some scientists say, but melanoma cases began to go up long before ozone depletion became an issue.

There are three main kinds of skin cancer: basal cell, squamous cell, and malignant melanoma. The first two are common (about 1 million cases a year) and almost always medically minor. The American Cancer Society and the National Cancer Institute don't even count them in the nation's cancer statistics. Melanoma is much less common (40,300 diagnoses last year), but often fatal (7,300 deaths).Of the three different kinds of skin cancer, malignant melanoma causes the most concern. If not caught in time, it can metastasize (spread destructively) easily and is often fatal.

According to a survey of new research by epidemiologist Marianne Berwick of the Memorial Sloan-Kettering Cancer Center in New York, there is no evidence that sunscreen offers any real protection against malignant melanoma, the most dangerous form of skin cancer. "It's not safe to rely on sunscreen," Berwick told the press.

The first thing to know: Ultraviolet light from the sun comes in several wavelengths: UVA, UVB and the rarely discussed UVC (which is blocked out by the Earth's ozone layer). UVB, which damages the outer layer of the skin, has been recognized for decades as the cause of sunburn and as a major contributor to skin cancer and skin aging. UVA rays — while not contributing to sunburns — damage deeper layers of the skin and probably play an important role in wrinkling, spotting, lost elasticity and, most ominously, the dangerous skin cancer melanoma.

When sunscreens were developed, they were made to prevent sunburn and targeted only UVB. An SPF number refers to the UVB burning protection a product offers (one with an SPF of 15, used correctly, allows the user to stay in the sun 15 times longer without burning). So, instead of staying in the sun for 30 minutes, you could stay in the sun for 7.5 hours. Thinking that you are safe, you unknowingly expose your skin to damaging UVA rays for an extended period of time. By blocking the UVB rays, you block your skins ability to produce vitamin D which could prevent cancer and you are letting in dangerous amounts of UVA rays that could promote cancer. Although scientists have known for several years that UVA penetrates more deeply into the skin than UVB, they believed that less of it was absorbed by DNA, causing fewer dangerous mutations. However, an Australian-US study shows that UVA causes more genetic damage than UVB in skin cells where most skin cancers arise - the keratinocytes in the basal layer of the epidermis. UVB tends to cause damage in more superficial epidermal layers.

Even if sunscreen blocked UV-A completely, almost no one uses it in the way that grants real protection against sunburn. For sunscreen to live up to its hype, you have to slop it on real thick and reapply it every few hours. We're talking at least one full bottle per person per day at the beach. Meanwhile, the vast majority of sunscreen users apply a thin layer once or twice.

Around 1981, an ingredient called "Avobenzone" (Parsol 1789) was developed . It was an additive to sunscreen that was designed to block some of the dangerous UVA rays. The only problem with it is that it broke down in the sun and had to be reapplied constantly. Now there are additives that have increased it's stability such as mexoryl, octocrylene and oxybenzone. These have increased the protective abilities of sunscreen but at what cost to the health of your body and skin?

A team of researchers from the University of California has found that sunscreen can do more harm than good once it soaks into the skin. The sunscreen is supposed to be applied as a layer on the skin. When it is rubbed in, it penetrates to the deeper layers and promotes formation of harmful compounds. Thus sunscreens ironically cause the same damage against which they are meant to protect. Further, the chemicals present in commercial sunscreen products have also been found to be toxic and said to actually promote some forms of cancer.

Click on the following link to watch a short news clip from CBS about many of the toxic chemicals that are found in our personal care products.

CBS NEWS - Sunscreen Concerns

The sunscreen lotion is usually massaged into the skin. It penetrates into the deeper layers. The chemicals in the sunscreen are acted upon by the cells in the skin to produce free radicals and superoxides. These damage the skin structure and function resulting in aging.

What's even worse is the fact that both chemical sunscreens (methoxycinnamate, padimate-o and the like) and physical sunblocks (titanium dioxide and zinc oxide) generate free radicals when exposed to sunlight, which then can attack the nuclei of your skin cells and cause mutations. That's right: they can cause skin cancer. Furthermore, sunscreen chemicals have been found to pass through the skin and mimic the effects of estrogen, which may disrupt the delicate balance of the body's natural hormones.

Titanium dioxide is now being used as a new treatment for window glass because it attacks and degrades anything that touches it, thereby helping to keep windows clean. You probably don't want to have anything attacking your skin! My recommendation: Loose-fitting clothing, big hats and shady trees.

The only proven way to prevent melanoma is to cover up. Our forebears did so in the days before sunscreen. Clearly it worked because melanoma was so rare. It's also what people now do in Australia. White Australians come largely from light-skinned British/Irish stock. Queensland province, in northeastern Australia, has the highest melanoma rate in the world, but as the SCF proudly pointed out when it rebutted Berwick's study, melanoma rates there have started to flatten. What the SCF did not mention is that while the Queensland public health authorities began a big-budget PR campaign promoting sunscreen in 1981, they shifted the campaign's focus a few years ago to strongly encourage people to cover up and stay in the shade.

Another problem with sunscreen and sun avoidance is that UVB rays are responsible for creating vitamin D in our body. Sunscreens with a sun protection factor of 8 or greater will block UV rays that produce vitamin D. If you’re young, fair, scantily clad and near the equator, 10 to 15 minutes of peak sunshine produces 20,000 IUs if vitamin D.

There is a growing body of evidence that a higher intake of vitamin D may be helpful in the prevention and treatment of cancer, high blood pressure, fibromyalgia, diabetes mellitus, multiple sclerosis, and rheumatoid arthritis and other diseases.

Vitamin D works inside the cell nucleus as a basic building block to help turn genes on or off. Starting in the 1970s, researchers began finding the receptor for vitamin D in a huge variety of cells that have nothing to do with bone growth, including breast, colon, lung, brain, prostate and white blood cells. More recently studies using DNA chips have found that vitamin D can raise or lower the activity of at least 1,000 genes, says McGill University molecular biologist John White.

How vitamin D might ward off cancer is murky. But it's known that vitamin D stimulates white blood cells to produce a powerful natural antibiotic called cathelicidin. In the Mar. 24, 2006 issue of Science, scientists led by ucla dermatologist Robert Modlin found that when white blood cells were mixed with blood serum samples from African-Americans (who are prone to low vitamin D levels), they produce 63% less of this antibiotic than if the cells were mixed with blood samples from Caucasians. So, says Georgetown University immunologist Michael Zasloff, "Vitamin D has the capacity to turn on powerful antimicrobial genes." He predicts there will be new ways of staving off infections by modulating vitamin D levels.

So, getting a little unfiltered sun on your body is not a bad thing as long as it is done in moderation. It is a good thing. Your skin can handle it. The trick is not to get a sunburn. It is like alcohol consumption. A glass of wine with dinner can provide antioxidants and resveratrol which is very good for your body. Your liver can handle that but four bottles of wine is way to much and can lead to health problems.

Here are some tips for safe sun exposure:

Look to get at least 20-30 minutes of unfiltered sun on as much of your body as you can every day. Regular and moderate unprotected sun exposure in the early morning or late afternoon will help maintain a protective tan and keep your vitamin D stores at an optimum level.

Do Not try to get a tan by visiting a tanning studio. The rays from their UV lamps are extremely harmful and the tan produced does not have the protective effect of a sunlight-induced tan.

A sunblock with SPF 8 reduces the skin’s vitamin D production by 95 percent. Getting a sun tan through glass does the same thing. If you wear sunscreen ‘properly,’ you’ll become vitamin D deficient.

DO wear protective clothing and a wide-brimmed hat when you are outside. Avoid sun exposure between 10 AM and 3 PM if at all possible. Remember that UV rays, particularly UVA, are present even on cloudy days.

DO wear sunglasses that filter out 100% of the ultraviolet light to protect yourself against the development of cataracts.

DO make sure you get enough vitamin D3 and beta-carotene, if necessary through supplementation. Recent research has shown that taking 30 mg of beta-carotene a day protects against the suppression of the immune system by UVA rays.

DO make sure to supplement your diet with antioxidants. Vitamin C, vitamin E, and selenium can be used as a protection against the damages of excessive ultraviolet radiation. Try to get daily dosages of 1000 mg or more of vitamin C, 800 IU of vitamin E, and 200 micrograms of selenium (l-selenomethionine). Vitamins C and E also protect against cataract formation.

Cut down on the fried foods and saturated fat in your diet. Recent research has shown that patients with non- melanoma skin cancers can reduce their risk of developing additional actinic keratoses (precursors to skin cancer) by switching to a low fat diet. Use healthier oils like Olive oil, coconut oil, walnut oil or grape seed oil.

DO cover up by wearing a wide brimmed hat or a physical sunscreen with a SPF of 15 if you absolutely must be out in the sun for extended periods of time. Physical sunscreens containing titanium dioxide, zinc oxide, or talc work by reflecting the UV radiation rather than by absorbing it. Sunscreens that are tested by using artificial UV light and a screen with a SPF of 30 are not twice as effective as one with a factor of 15. Also, reapplying sunscreen during the day does not extend the period of protection. Even "broad-spectrum" sunscreens are not very good in filtering out UVA rays. A natural suntan is probably more effective.

DO see your health care provider if you spot any unusual moles or growth on your skin - particularly if they are irregular in shape, bleed, itch, or appear to be changing. Most skin cancers can be cured if caught in time.

*If you would like to check your suntan lotion or any other personal care products to see if there are any harmful chemicals in them, go to www.cosmeticdatabase.org

Here is a list of the top ten sunscreens according to the Skin Deep Cosmetic Safety Data Base. Click Here to read.

Helpful Sources:

Creighton Study Shows Vitamin D Reduces Cancer Risk

Sunbathers: Beware the A-ray

Sunscreens Promote Some Forms Of Cancer

Sunscreens and Cancer

When Does A "Happy Meal" Become Sad?

2008-06-11T18:06:00.006-05:00

This is not a funny picture. It is the kind of picture that McDonald's executives would rather you not see. I do not see two cute little chubby boys here. I see two young addicts who are headed for life of sickness and pain unless their parents decide to make some healthy life changes. We would not knowingly expose our child to a deadly virus or bacteria. Yet, many parents allow unhealthy eating habits for their children, putting them at risk for disease. This is the disease that we don't see, disease that lurks under the surface, within the cells, within the arterial walls, and within the bones of our children. This is not as obvious to us, nor will it become obvious until many years down the line, perhaps, long after we're gone.

Since the 1970s, the percentage of overweight kids and adolescents in the United States has more than doubled. Today, 10% of 2- to 5-year-olds and more than 15% of children between the ages of 6 and 19 are overweight. If you combine the percent of kids who are overweight with the percent of kids who are at risk of becoming overweight, about one out of three children are affected.

Nutritional Report Card

Many of today's children are overfed and undernourished. As nutrients fall short and as empty calorie processed foods fill our children up, we see that health risks in their future will be inevitable. They predict that 1 in 3 children born in the United States today will develop Type 2 diabetes in their lifetime. If that child is Black or Hispanic, that risk goes to 1 in 2. This generation of children may have a shorter lifespan than their own parents. It is no secret that we are facing rising trends in the number of children who are overweight as seem by the graph below from the National Health Examination Surveys.

Here are some statistics to think about:

American children are getting 40% of their calories from extra fat and added sugars.
Only 1% of children between 2 and 19 years of age met all the Food Pyramid recommendations. Sixteen percent of children met none of the recommendations.
Nearly 1 in 7 10-year-olds get 50-70% of calories from snacks.
1/3 of all calories are now eaten outside the home.
A survey of nearly 300 students in 3rd, 5th and 8th grades found that students consumed fewer fruits and vegetables, less milk and more soft drinks as they moved from childhood to adolescence.
Soft drink consumption increased 21% among 2- to 5-year olds over the last 20 years and 37% among 6- to 9-year-olds. Milk consumption has dropped in all age groups.
Average soda consumption in 13 to 18-year-old males is 3 cans or more a day; 10% drink more than 7 cans a day. Soft drinks are given to infants as young as 7 months of age.
Nearly 2/3 of children failed to get the Recommended Dietary Allowances (RDA) for vitamin E and zinc. Half did not meet the RDA for calcium and close to 1/3 fell short of the FDA for iron and vitamin B6.
Nearly 25% of all vegetables consumed by children and teens were in the form of french fries. French fries are the most popular "vegetable" for children under age 5.
51% of children and teens eat less than one serving of fruit and day and 29% eat less than one serving a day of vegetables that are not fried.
The average child between 2 and 5 years of age watches nearly 28 hours of TV a week.

Overweight children are at risk of developing medical problems that affect a child's present and future health and have direct impact on quality of life including:

high blood pressure, high cholesterol and abnormal blood lipid levels, insulin resistance, and type 2 diabetes
bone and joint problems
shortness of breath that makes exercise, sports, or any physical activity more difficult and may aggravate the symptoms or increase the chances of developing asthma
restless or disordered sleep patterns
tendency to mature earlier (overweight kids may be taller and more sexually mature than their peers, raising expectations that they should act as old as they look, not as old as they are; overweight girls may have irregular menstrual cycles and have fertility problems in adulthood)
liver and gall bladder disease
depression

Risk factors present in childhood (including high blood pressure, high cholesterol, and diabetes) can lead to serious adult medical conditions like premature death, type 2 diabetes, hypertension, dyslipidemia, cardiovascular disease, stroke, gall bladder disease, respiratory dysfunction, gout, arthritis, macular degeneration, and certain kinds of cancers. Preventing or treating obesity in children may reduce the risk of developing these conditions as they get older.

Steps to take:

GENERAL SUGGESTIONS

Let your child know he or she is loved and appreciated whatever his or her weight. An overweight child probably knows better than anyone else that he or she has a weight problem. Overweight children need support, acceptance, and encouragement from their parents.
Focus on your child's health and positive qualities, not your child's weight.
Try not to make your child feel different if he or she is overweight but focus on gradually changing your family's physical activity and eating habits.
Be a good role model for your child. If your child sees you enjoying healthy foods and physical activity, he or she is more likely to do the same now and for the rest of his or her life.
Realize that an appropriate goal for many overweight children is to maintain their current weight while growing normally in height.

PHYSICAL ACTIVITY SUGGESTIONS

Be physically active. It is recommended that Americans accumulate at least 30 minutes (adults) or 60 minutes (children) of moderate physical activity most days of the week. Even greater amounts of physical activity may be necessary for the prevention of weight gain, for weight loss, or for sustaining weight loss.
Don’t make exercise a punishment. Forcing your child to go out and play may increase resentment and resistance.
Plan family activities that provide everyone with exercise and enjoyment.
Provide a safe environment for your children and their friends to play actively; encourage swimming, biking, skating, ball sports, and other fun activities.
Reduce the amount of time you and your family spend in sedentary activities, such as watching TV or playing video games. Limit TV time to less than 2 hours a day.

HEALTHY EATING SUGGESTIONS

Be a role model to your children. Don't expect them to make any changes unless you are willing to make some changes in your own life. Kids will pay more attention to what you do than what you say. Spend less time watching TV and playing with the computer and spend more time outside and being active. Eat more fruits and vegetables and less junk food.

Guide your family's choices rather than dictate foods.
Eat meals together as a family as often as possible.
Don't place your child on a restrictive diet.
Avoid the use of food as a reward.
Avoid withholding food as punishment.
Replace soda pop with real fruit juices (no added sugars), lowfat milk and lots and lots of filtered water. Add a slice of lemon or a strawberry to the water. It will make it more fun!
Take a high quality multivitamin every day. Vitamin water is NOT a good choice since the vitamins in it are suspect and it contains way to much sugar.
Aim to eat at least 5 servings of fruits and vegetables each day.
Discourage eating meals or snacks while watching TV.
Eating a healthy breakfast is a good way to start the day and may be important in achieving and maintaining a healthy weight.
In breads and cereals, look for whole grain and whole wheat listed as the first ingredient.
Find cereals with whole grains and at least 4-5 grams of fiber per serving. Some brands include: Cheerios, Shredded Wheat, Wheaties, Toasty-O's, Grape Nuts, Raisin Bran, wheatena, oatmeal and oat bran. Mix healthier cereals with your child's less healthy cereals to get some benefits of added fiber.
Eat brown rice instead of white.
Find whole wheat pasta, amaranth pasta or quinoa pasta (the last two are available at health food stores).
Add fiber to meals by adding kidney beans, black beans, pinto beans, lima beans. Add them to salads; soups; main dishes like burritos or tacos or chili; mash and mix in with meatloaf and burgers.
Add wheat bran or Fiproflax (available at most health food stores) to casseroles, meat loaf, baked goods, pancakes, and cereal.
Add All-Bran cereal to muffin recipes.
Drink plenty of fluids when you are eating fiber. This will help offset the gas, cramping and bloating that may occur.
Raw fruits and vegetables with the peels on have more fiber than cooked or canned.
Dried fruits are good fiber sources, especially figs, apricots and dates.
Discover other whole grains and find ways to cook them. Whole grains are getting easier to find these days. Look for them at your health foods stores. May stores have bins of raw grains where you can buy a small quantity. Some grains to try: amaranth, barley, buckwheat, kamut, millet, oats and quinoa.
Don't offer dessert as a reward. Withholding dessert sends the message that dessert is the best food, which may only increase your child's desire for sweets. You might select one or two nights a week as dessert nights, and skip dessert the rest of the week. Or redefine dessert as fruit, yogurt or other healthy choices.

For more tips and ideas, check out the following web sites:

Kids Eat Great by Dr. Christine Wood (pediatrician)

Dr. Green on Obesity in Children

Dr. Greene on Children's Nutrition

American Heart Association - Children and Exercise

Here are some books that might help:

How to Get Kids to Eat Great & Love It!

Ending the Food Fight: Guide Your Child to a Healthy Weight in a Fast Food/ Fake Food World

The Sneaky Chef: Simple Strategies for Hiding Healthy Foods in Kids' Favorite Meals

Healthy for Life: Developing Healthy Lifestyles that Have the Side-Effect of Permanent Weight Loss

Can Cholesterol Lowering Drugs Cause Parkinson's Disease?

2008-06-09T12:08:00.012-05:00

My mother died of Alzheimer's disease about this time last year. Click here to read about it. My father will be 90 next month and he is suffering from Parkinson's and related dementia. Back in the 1970's or 1980's, their doctor put them both on a drug called Zocor to lower their cholesterol. Drugs like Zocor, Lipitor, Crestor and Pravachol are in a class of drugs called "statins."

Many of these drugs have known side effects like:

Abdominal Pain
Arrhythmia
Asthenia
Myalgia
Myopathy
Pancreatitis
Rhabdomyolysis
Kidney Failure/Dialysis
Hospitalization
Death

Now, scientists are exploring the connection between statin drug usage and the development of Parkinson's disease. American researchers have found that patients with low levels of LDL are more than three times more likely to have Parkinson's than those with high levels. Here is a news article that appeared in the Telegraph (U.K.) last year.
Scientist raises fears over statins and Parkinson's +Here are some highlights from the article:

Dr Xue Mei Huang, an assistant professor of neurology at the University of North Carolina's School of Medicine, was "very concerned" by her study's findings and plans a 16,000-patient survey to examine the possible role of statins.

Dr Huang, whose study was published in the journal Movement Disorders, said there was a well-established link between Parkinson's and apoE2, a gene associated with lower LDL cholesterol.

Participants in her study with LDL levels lower than 114 mg/dl (milligrams per decilitre) had a 3.5-fold higher risk of Parkinson's than participants with LDL levels of more than 138 mg/dl.

It was unclear, however, whether the low cholesterol levels in those with Parkinson's predated the disease.

Asked whether she was worried by the initial results, Dr Huang told Chemical and Industry magazine: "Yes I am very concerned, which is why I am planning a 16,000-patient study to examine the possible role of statins."

Dr. Ronald Ziman, a California neurologist and board member of the American Parkinson Disease Association, said he is intrigued by the study.

"Parkinson's is a neurodegenerative illness like Alzheimer's. We know lipid profiles have a bearing on Alzheimer's, and there are a lot of similarities between Parkinson's and Alzheimer's. So I wouldn't be surprised by the link" between LDL and Parkinson's that the University of North Carolina team described," Dr. Ziman said.

Duane Graveline MD MPH was a former USAF Flight Surgeon, NASA Astronaut and retired family doctor. He wrote a provocative book calledLipitor Thief of Memory In it, he talks about his experience with taking Lipitor and how he temporarily loses his short-term memory. He goes on to warn people about what needs to be done to prevent the devastating side effects to body and mind from the escalating use of the statin drugs.

Statin drugs work by inhibiting the HMG-CoA reductase enzyme which is what lowers the LDL (bad) cholesterol. At the same time, it also inhibits the production of Coenzyme Q10. Every human cell contains a cellular power plant called the "Mitochondria." This is where food is converted to energy. Ninety-five percent of all the human body’s energy requirements (ATP) is converted with the aid of CoQ10. The heart and the liver have the highest energy requirements and without CoQ10, it could eventually lead to a heart attack and/or liver failure.

Dr. James Whittaker petitioned the FDA in 2002 to put a warning label on every bottle of statin drugs. The warning label read:

Warning :
HMG CoA reductase inhibitors block the endogenous biosynthesis of an essential co-factor, coenzyme Qlo, required for energy production. A deficiency of coenzyme QlO is associated with impairment of myocardial function, with liver dysfunction, and with myopathies (including cardiomyopathy and congestive heart failure). All patients taking HMG CoA
reductase inhibitors should therefore be advised to take 100 to 200 mg per day of supplemental coenzyme Q~Recent studies have shown that the antioxidant properties of Coenzyme Q10 benefit the body and the brain in animal models. Some of these studies indicate that Coenzyme Q10 protects the brain from neurodegenerative disease such as Parkinson's, although it does not relieve the symptoms. Dosage was 300 mg per day. Consumption of 100 to 200 mg per day of CoQ10 can reverse CoQ10 depletion induced by statins. It is interesting to note that Merck Pharmaceuticals has obtained a patent for the combination of CoQ10 with statins in one prescription dose.

I took my parents off of Zocor about 5 years ago after discovering that heart disease is not a disease of high cholesterol. Most people who die of a heart attack or stroke do not have high cholesterol and statins could actually cause you to have a heart attack. Read two of my other posts on this subject.

The Cholestrerol Conspiracy

Debunking The Cholesterol Myth

In addition to that, my father had peripheral neuropathy (numbness and pain) in his hands and lower legs, pain in his spine and memory loss. The pain in his spine was so great that we were scheduled for a back operation with an orthopedic surgeon. For many years, he got steroid shots in his spine every so often to ease the pain. We got another opinion from a Neurosurgeon and decided against the surgery. We opted to try physical therapy, changes in diet, a pharmaceutical-grade multivitamin and stopping the statin drug Zocor.

He has been pain free for over five years now. I am so glad we did not do the operation on his back. Even his nagging arthritis is mostly gone. We went to the doctor recently and found that his cholesterol is normal without the use of statin drugs. Here is the kicker, though. Our doctor asked me if I would like to put him back on Zocor. Can you believe that? I was almost speechless.

I am angry though. Although I cannot prove it, I strongly suspect that all those years of taking Zocor is one of the root causes of their physical and mental decline. Lowering their LDL cholesterol and depriving their cells of Coenzyme Q10 for all those years was not a good thing if it caused them to have neurodegenerative diseases like Parkinson's and Alzheimer's. I will wait for the study by Dr. Huang to be completed and see what they find.

Lowering your LDL cholesterol will NOT keep you from having a heart attack. Click here to find out why you can have PERFECTLY NORMAL LDL cholesterol and still have heart disease. For those of you who are interested in raising your HDL cholesterol naturally and are not getting answers from your doctor on how to do this without drugs, I suggest a three pronged approach:

Eat a healty diet that encourages you to eat those good carbohydrates, good fats, and good proteins.
Start a modest but consistent exercise program.
Take high-quality nutritional supplements every day

Other articles of note:
Cholesterol is NOT the Cause of Heart DiseaseHigh Cholesterol Does Not Cause Heart Disease

**Update as of February 2012
The FDA has finally seen fit to put a "Black Box" warning on all statin (cholesterol lowering) drugs. It warns of a connection between the use of statin drugs (Zocor, Lipitor, Crestor, Mevacor, etc.) and getting diabetes and memory loss and confusion (dementia, Alzheimers, Parkinson's, etc.).
Click on the following links to read about it.
Forbes - The Latest Statin Scare: Are You At Risk
Black Box Warning Labels for Statin Drugs

Do The New Energy Drinks Really Give You Energy?

2008-05-29T20:07:00.007-05:00

Are you feeling a little run down and tired? Don't you wish you had this kind of energy?

Look around at the grocery store or the convenient mart sometime and you will see some new beverages starting to crop up with names like Amp, Battery, Sparks, Blue Charge, Pimp Juice, Liquid Blow, Crunk, Full Throttle, Red Bull, Monster, Bawls, Reload and Rockstar. These are what they call energy drinks. There is really only one problem. They don't really give you any energy. They give you the illusion of energy but, this "boost" — which may last as long as a few hours — typically results from the large amount of sugar and caffeine these drinks contain. (Sugar-free versions of many energy drinks still contain large amounts of caffeine.)

According to a recent article from Reuters News Agency, just one can of the popular stimulant energy drink Red Bull can increase the risk of heart attack or stroke.

The caffeine-loaded beverage, popular with university students and adrenaline sport fans to give them "wings", caused the blood to become sticky, a pre-cursor to cardiovascular problems such as stroke.

"One hour after they drank Red Bull, (their blood systems) were no longer normal. They were abnormal like we would expect in a patient with cardiovascular disease," Scott Willoughby, lead researcher from the Cardiovascular Research Center at the Royal Adelaide Hospital, told the Australian newspaper.

The advertising campaigns are really slick. Coca Cola makes a product called Full Throttle and encourages 20-30 year old men to "Let Your Man Out." In order to include women in the marketing mix, "Go Girl" is a sugar free drink that contributes a portion of their proceeds to Breast Cancer research. Over 500 new energy drinks hit the market in 2006. The 3.4 million dollar market for energy drinks is expected to double this year. If you don't know much about them or you just want to know more, watch this review from CBS News.

CBS Energy Drink Review

Some of these energy drinks can contain up to 300 mg. of caffeine, compared with 80 mg for a typical cup of coffee), which can lead to:

Increased anxiety and panic attacks
Increased blood pressure

Bowel irritability

Insomnia

Increased gastric acid

Meanwhile, ingesting 500 mg or more of caffeine (the amount easily ingested in four to eight servings of typical energy drinks) can lead to caffeine intoxication that can cause:

Vomiting

Fatigue

Sweating

Palpitations

Chest pains

Neurological symptoms

Diarrhea

Insomnia

CNN News: School Bans Energy Drink After 18 Students Get Sick

Sparks is a unique beverage in that it combines 87 mg of caffeine and 6-7% alcohol. "Rock Star 21" (not to be confused with regular Rock Star energy drink) also contains 6% alcohol while "Tilt" has 8% and "Joose" has a whopping 9.9%! Before these came out, Red Bull and vodka were very popular with college age students. It might seem good at first glance but you are really mixing an upper and a downer... thats why some people get bad hangovers from this. Sparks has often been consumed on campus in front of faculty who have no idea that it contains alcohol. Just think! If it contained a little nicotine, it would be the perfect "energy drink." It would be like drinking a beer, a cup of coffee and having a cigarette all at the same time! What a concept! If you have an addiction to all of these, it could save you a lot of time.

Seriously, you should never combine alcohol with caffeine. The combination of large amounts of caffeine and alcohol is especially dangerous, since alcohol by itself is known to trigger fast heart rhythms. To avoid this serious health risk — even if you don't have heart disease — you shouldn't combine alcohol with energy drinks. Caffeine is a stimulant and alcohol is a depressant. The resulting mix can lead to cardiopulmiary and cardiovascular failure.

Meanwhile, researchers from North Carolina's Wake Forest University revealed that mixing alcohol and energy drinks increases students' risk of harm.

After surveying over 4,000 U.S. students, they found that those who drank alcoholic energy drink cocktails were more likely to:

Suffer injuries

Require medical help

Travel with a drunk driver

Get into trouble over sex

These harmful effects occurred because the energy drinks masked much of the alcohol's intoxicating effects, which allowed students to drink for longer periods.

"Students whose motor skills, visual reaction times, and judgment impaired by alcohol may not perceive that they are intoxicated as readily when they're also ingesting a stimulant," said lead researcher Dr Mary Claire O'Brien. "Only the symptoms of drunkenness are reduced -- but not the drunkenness. They can't tell if they're drunk, they can't tell if someone else is drunk. So they get hurt, or they hurt someone else."

Here are some of the common ingredients in some of these drinks and what affect they can have on your health.

Yellow #5 and 6 - has a tendency to change the color of the tongue and teeth temporarily, after consumption of several of these beverages due to FD&C Yellow No.5.

Sugar - Although the various sugars used to sweeten energy drinks can briefly increase energy, consuming large quantities of sugar is likely to cause weight gain. Sugar can also be addicting and too much sugar in your diet can lead to heart disease and diabetes.

Sucralose - (Also known as Splenda) There have been no independent human tests regarding the long-term safety of this product. That's reason enough to be wary. But there was a study of its effect on rats that was published in the FDA's Federal Register. It showed that rats that were given sucralose experienced shrunken thalamus glands, enlarged livers and kidneys, reduced growth rate, reduced red blood cell count, aborted pregnancies, and diarrhea. Many people dislike it because of the unpleasant aftertaste.

If you ingest Splenda in any amount, I urge you to read firsthand accounts of its harmful effects. There are more than 30 posted on Dr. Mercola's website

Aspartame -Nutrasweet, Equal, Spoonful and Equal-Measure are all synonymous with aspartame. Aspartame is a known neuroexitotoxin. Some people react to aspartame immediately, while others can take 10 to 20 years for the aspartame reaction to become noticeable. Problems attributed to aspartame include:

* anxiety and panic attacks
* problems concentrating and focusing
* loss of memory
* depression or irritability
* dizziness
* headache or migraine pain

Sodium Benzoate (to protect taste) - The reason it protects taste is because it is a preservative that prevents bacteria growth, yeast and fungi. One of the big concerns has been the apparent dangers of it being combined with vitamin C (ascorbic acid). When this happens, it forms a chemical called Benzene which is carcinogenic (causes cancer). Benzene has shown the ability to affect mitochondria and produce cell death.

Caffeine - is a stimulant, which also can temporarily perk you up. When taken in moderation, the caffeine in coffee has shown the ability to increase athletic performance. A study conducted in 1979 showed a 7% increase in distance cycled over a period of two hours in subjects who consumed caffeine compared to control tests. Other studies attained much more dramatic results; one particular study of trained runners showed a 44% increase in "race-pace" endurance, as well as a 51% increase in cycling endurance, after a dosage of 9 milligrams of caffeine per kilogram of body weight. The extensive boost shown in the runners is not an isolated case; additional studies have reported similar effects. Another study found 5.5 milligrams of caffeine per kilogram of body mass resulted in subjects cycling 29% longer during high intensity circuits. But too much caffeine can cause adverse side effects, such as nervousness, irritability, increased blood pressure and insomnia. Caffeine abuse can also make your heart beat faster and trigger abnormal heart rhythms, which is especially dangerous if you have any type of heart disease. While some energy drinks have as much as 300 mg. of caffeine, I would look for one that uses a natural source of caffeine like green tea. Look for a drink that has a lower 80 mg. of caffeine. That is about the same amount as found in a normal cup of coffee.

Guarana Extract- the guarana fruit is about the same size as the coffee berry but with three times as much caffeine. Again, be careful of the caffeine content. A little can be beneficial but a lot can be harmful.

Phenylalanine - may be used to reduce chronic pain by stimulating pathways in the brain to control pain. It is also given to people for the treatment of depression as it promotes the production of dopamine and norepinephrine in the brain. If you are taking antidepressant medicines already, phenylalanine may cause an increase in blood pressure leading to a stroke or heart attack.

Taurine - Despite its presence in many energy drinks, taurine has not been shown to be energy-giving. Taurine does alleviate muscle fatigue in strenuous workouts and raises exercise capacity. Taurine has also been shown in diabetic rats to decrease weight and decrease blood sugar.

In some of the more health conscious energy drinks, you might find the following ingredients:

B Vitamins - increases the rate of metabolism and fights the symptoms and causes of stress and depression. Niacin (vitamin B3) is involved in the biological process of producing energy.

Rhodiola rosea (Golden Root, Roseroot) is a plant that grows in cold regions of the world. It may be effective for improving mood and alleviating depression. Pilot studies on human subjects showed that it improves physical and mental performance as well as reducing fatigue.

Ginseng Extract - is widely used to lower cholesterol, increase energy and endurance, reduce fatique and effects of stress and prevent infections. The roots of Asian and American ginseng contain several saponins named ginsenosides that are believed to contribute to the adaptogenic properties. They are used in traditional Chinese medicine to improve stamina and combat fatigue and stress. Saponins are interesting natural compounds found in many plants, herbs, roots, and beans. Saponins have potential in the prevention and treatment of diseases of the heart and circulatory system. For instance, they inhibit the formation of lipid peroxides (fat oxidation) in cardiac muscle or in the liver, they influence the function of enzymes contained in them, they decrease blood coagulation, cholesterol, and sugar levels in blood, and they stimulate the immune system.

L-Carnitine - boosts energy by stimulating the body's burning of tryglycerides (a type of fat found in the blood) as fuel, and sparing the supply of glycogen stored in the liver for heavier exertion. During exercise, the body will burn fat at a rate of 75-80% of maximum exertion, thus less glycogen from carbohydrates is burned. L-carnitine allows the body to burn more fat, save more glycogen, and ultimately boost stamina and endurance. By providing more fat to the muscles, carnitine makes accessible an otherwise unavailable energy source.

Calcium and Magnesium - Calcium is needed for muscle contraction and magnesium for muscle relaxation. They also play an integral role in the body's energy generation and enzyme production at the cellular level.

D-Ribose - Enhances cardiac energy levels and support cardiovascular metabolism. Ribose has been shown in clinical trials to enhance the recovery of heart muscle ATP levels and improve myocardial function following exercise. Studies suggest that ribose supplementation can increase the tolerability of the cardiovascular system to exercise-induced fatigue.

Cacao Extract - Known to decrease blood pressure and improve insulin sensitivity in healthy persons. Am J Clin Nutr. 2005 Mar;81(3):611-4.

Choline Chloride - Is a member of the B-complex group of water-soluble vitamins (vitamin B-4). Those who do strenuous exercise may drastically reduce their levels of choline. The probable reason for this is the need for choline to metabolize fat. This need increases during exercise. It also works in movement control. Choline chloride is found in concentrations in the tissues of the nervous system.

Coenzyme Q10 - is a fat-soluble antioxidant that is found in virtually all cell membranes. CoQ10's key role is in producing adenosine triphosphate (ATP), needed for energy production in every cell of the body. Secondary to that, CoQ10 functions as a powerful antioxidant.

Biotin - Helps us use carbohydrate, fat, and protein to produce the energy that allows us to stay alive.

An Energy Drink Alternative
Why not energize with something that is good for you? Developed by USANA’S nutrition experts, Rev3 Energy is a superior alternative to crash-and-burn energy drinks.

You can experience the energy of Rev3 in two great-tasting ways—Rev3 Energy drink or Rev3 Energy Surge Pack, perfect for your water bottle.

Cleaner - crisp, all-natural taste
Smarter - contains smart sources of caffeine and low-glycemic sugars while providing important vitamins, antioxidants, and minerals
Stronger - Complete and proprietary energy complex with the energy-producing ingredient L-Carnitine. Formulated to help improve the body’s response to stress and fatigue.*

Cleaner - crisp, all-natural taste
Smarter - contains natural caffeine from a blend of teas to improve mental alertness and stamina. Teas also provide important antioxidants and phytonutrients known to be beneficial to health and metabolism
Stronger - formulated with green tea, Korean ginseng, and rhodiola rosea to improve the body’s response to stress and fatigue.*

Click here to see how Rev3 compares to three other popular energy drinks.

Click here to see what the actual ingredients are and make your own comparison.

If you are looking for some other natural ways to increase your energy, here are three things that will provide you with the all-day the energy you need:

Get plenty of uninterrupted sleep.

Eat low glycemic meals that will not spike your blood sugar.

Exercise at least 20-30 minutes per day (if not longer)

If you are looking for foods that will naturally energize your day, check out the following article"

Eight Healthy & Delicious Foods that Will Provide You a Major Energy Kick

Are Your Vitamins Synthetic Or Natural?

2008-05-29T15:47:00.004-05:00

About 40% of Americans popped a vitamin or mineral within the past month. The most common vitamins taken include vitamin C, B12, B6, niacin, thiamin, B2, E, A, D and folic acid. But are they the right kind? For many years, the pharmaceutical companies have produced synthetic vitamins in a laboratory setting. The "Whole Food" supplement industry claims that only natural vitamins from whole food sources will give you the health results your body needs and deserves. They claim that "Natural" vitamins from whole food sources are safer and more effective (absorbable) than a synthetic vitamin made in a lab. To defend their position, they site several vitamin studies that have come out over the last few years that seem to suggest that taking synthetic vitamins could be useless and even life threatening.

Although I would agree that many vitamins that come from a natural source are more superior to a synthetic source, I will not get into the flawed science of these studies today. I have covered this before. It is nothing but a regurgitation of the old anti-supplement propaganda. When the “Whole Foods” multivitamin companies use these studies as a proof that all synthetic vitamins are bad, they show themselves to be intellectually and professionally irresponsible. They prove no such thing. Here are a few links that might explain what I mean.

Vitamins Found To Be Risky And Impotent

Rebuttal to the Recent FLAWED Report that Antioxidants Shorten Lifespan

Vitamin Studies: Rebuttal to Allegation That Certain Vitamins May Shorten Lifespan

Many of these studies used synthetic forms of vitamin E that are petroleum-derived products or they used dosages that were 100 times higher than the safe upper limits would allow. In some cases, they used dosages that were way under the amount that would be therapeutic for their condition. Would you take a tenth of an aspirin for a headache? How about 100 aspirins at one time? If you drink to much or not enough water, it could kill you too.

But what about multivitamins? Can I trust them to be balanced and safe? According to the following report from MSNBC, Consumer Labs studied 21 products and found that only 10 met the stated claims on their labels or satisfied other quality standards. Two contained high amounts of LEAD and one (for children) contained a dangerous amount of vitamin A.

Synthetic Vitamins vs. Whole Food Supplements

Some claim that synthetic vitamins are the problem and encourage you to trade your synthetic vitamins in for whole food supplements which they claim are safer and more effective. I have noticed at least a dozen different companies that are marketing a "natural" whole food supplement in the last year. My chiropractor believes that vitamins should come from natural sources. Synthetic vitamins do not absorb well into the body and can sometimes do more harm than good. He claims that 90% of all synthetic vitamins are not absorbed and that they go down the toilet. He recommends an all-natural vitamin that is made from real fruits and vegetables. He sells it in his office. I read over the literature that he gave me and did a little research on my own. Let me ask you a question. Which one of the following three pictures looks "natural" to you?

The vitamin that my chiropractor was selling had a vegetable based pill and a fruit based pill with several fruits and vegetables packed into a tiny pill. The American Society for Nutritional Sciences published a study of this vitamin in the Journal of Nutrition five years ago. The vegetable blend for the vitamin was made of carrot,broccoli, spinach, tomato juice extract and kale leaf powder,which contain a variety of carotenoids.The claim was that it lowered your chances of getting a heart attack through the lowering of plasma homocysteine in men.

In a response to that study, two German scientists observed that the vitamin was fortified with ß-carotene, ascorbic acid, vitamin E andfolic acid. After testing the plasma levels of test subjects, they found a significant increase in ß-carotene but the other carotenoids levels like plasma lycopene and lutein+zeaxanthindid not change at all. They suggested that the dried vegetables in the vitamin had carotenoids that were either not bioavailable (not well absorbed) or that there were none in there in the first place. In other tests, subjects who ate real vegetables saw a rise in plasma levels of the carotenoids missing in the vitamin takers (source: Fruit and Vegetable Concentrate or Vitamin Supplement?).

A whole food supplement sounds like a good idea in theory. Eating more organic fruits and vegetables is certainly the way to go but sounds questionable when put in the form of a pill. What happens to the fruits and vegetables that are dehydrated and ground into a powder form? Remember, fruits and vegetables contain some vitamins but are not pure vitamins. You would have to eat 7-10 oranges to get 500 mg. of natural vitamin C. You would have to eat 33 pounds of spinach or drink a whole quart of canola oil to get a therapeutic level (400 mg) of natural vitamin E. How do you fit that in a few tiny little pills?

Fiber Reduces Heart Disease
What happens to the fiber? According to the American Heart Association, it is the fiber in our diet that contributes to lower incidence of heart disease. The whole food supplements are devoid of most or all of the fiber they once contained. They take all of the water and fiber out so that they can fit it into the pill form. People who don't get enough fiber in their diet pop a few veggie or fruit pills thinking this will make up for their lack of fresh fruits and vegetables in their diet. This becomes their excuse for not eating and lulls them into a false sense of security. Less fiber in your diet has been linked to more obesity, higher blood pressure and cholesterol. How much fiber should you be eating per day? Click here to access a fiber calculator that will tell you how much you need personally. Remember, the average American eats about 14 grams of fiber per day. That's way below what is considered healthy.

Taking Whole Food Supplements is not the same as eating whole foods.

When preparing a whole food (fruit or vegetable) for use in supplements, the water must be removed by either spray or freeze drying the food. The amount of food left is usually within a ratio range of 10:1 and 5:1. In other words if you had a supplement containing say 500mg of a particular freeze dried whole food then that would be equal to between 2.5 – 5 grams of the real fruit or vegetable. Consider that in relation to an average sized banana (which weighs approximately 125 grams). So, our 500 mg supplement provides the gross weight and nutritional value of only about 1/25th to 1/50th of a banana! That's one TINY bite of the Banana. It also means you'd have to swallow 25 to 50 (500 mg) supplements just to equal one average banana!

Fruits and Vegetable Have Declining Nutrients

Of the 13 major nutrients found in fruits and vegetables, six have declined substantially over the last fifty years, according to a study by Donald Davis, a biochemist at the University of Texas at Austin.

Using data from the U.S. Department of Agriculture, Davis concludes that recently grown crops have shown decreases of up to 38 percent in protein, calcium, vitamin C, phosphorus, iron and riboflavin when compared with produce from past decades. According to the Journal Of The American Medical Association, "low levels of the antioxidantvitamins (vitamins A, E, and C) may increase risk for severalchronic diseases. Most people do not consume an optimal amountof all vitamins by diet alone. Pending strong evidence of effectivenessfrom randomized trials, it appears prudent for all adults totake vitamin supplements."

Because of our depleted soils, green harvesting, cold storage, processing, and food preparation methods, our foods have a significant decrease in nutritional value. This is certainly true of the micronutrients, especially the antioxidants.

So, if the vitamin content of fruits and vegetables is dramatically declining, what are you getting in a whole food supplement? Maybe a better question is, what are you not getting?

What is in a Whole Food Supplement?

I looked at the ingredients of a popular new whole food supplement. They have a veggie and a fruit supplement. Here is what I found. The veggie supplement contains broccoli, cauliflower, cabbage, kale, brussels sprouts, celery, asparagus, bell pepper, cucumber, carrot, tomato, spirulina, dunaliella, chlorella, cilantro, parsley, milk thistle, aloe vera gel, vitamin A as beta carotene plus mixed carotenoids, real vitamin C from camu-camu, alpha lipoic acid, green tea extract, grape seed extract, barley leaf, acidophilus and bifudus, inulin fiber, Bioperine, ginger, clove, garlic, lycopene, lutein and Indole 3 carbinol. The fruit supplement contains wolfberry , blueberry, bilberry, elderberry, cranberry, strawberrry, camu camu, noni, orange, lemon and lemon peel, lime, tangerine, grapefruit, mango, papaya, pineapple, grape, cherry, apricot, apple, pear, watermelon, tumeric root, cayenne, cinnamon, malodextrin, vitamin B12, Dulse, coral powder and several other ingredients that are also found in the veggie supplement.

It sounds great! What is in the supplement does not bother me. It is what I don't see, that concerns me. How much wolfberry is actually in each pill? How much of anything is in each pill? Why won't they disclose this? If I want to compare how much vitamin C is in there compared to another vitamin, how would I go about that? If I want to compare anything to that vitamin, it would be very hard without knowing how much of anything is really in there.

According to the literature, they claim that it is not about the quantity. It is about the balance of cofactors and the synergy between all of the ingredients. Vitamin C is better absorbed when it's cofactors of bioflavonoids are present. According to them, "less is more."Unfortunately, they will not independently verify the ingredients and the vitamin potency of those ingredients. The marketing is energetic but the science is weak.

According to the Comparative Guide to Nutritional Supplements, synergy of all the vitamins and cofactors are also important. So is quantitiy and quality. The conclusion of the author and biochemist, Lyle MacWilliam and 13 other nutritional experts (whose opinion are noted in the book) is that vitamins work best when they are in balance with each other and in balance with their cofactors. While many vitamins (A, C, E) are best in their natural forms, some vitamins are more readily absorbed and more efficient in their synthetic form.

Are Synthetic Vitamins Poorly Absorbed?

According to a recent advertisement for a whole food multi, 90% of all synthetic vitamins are not absorbed. They just make "expensive pee." Again, this is an intellectually irresponsible statement that makes a distortion of the truth.

A multivitamin might be made up of 40-100 different ingredients. Some are more absorbable than others. Calcium, for instance is poorly absorbed (~25-35%), no matter what form it is in - and for good reason, to prevent dangerous "calcium intoxication." The idea that any calcium is 100 percent absorbed by the body is ridiculous and if true, would be potentially hazardous. Coral calcium is a form of calcium that has been touted as a superior form of calcium because it is natural. It is nothing but the dead remains of a coral reef that has washed up on some beach. It is made up of calcium carbonate and is the same thing as the calcium carbonate in found in "synthetic" vitamins. It does not absorb any better than the "synthetic" form.

There are many factors that can affect the absorption of vitamins and minerals in the body. Some of these factors are a function of the person taking the nutrient and are dependent on the age of the person, the integrity of their digestive system, the state of their health, the time of day, the person's gender, and if the supplements were taken on a full or empty stomach. People whose nutrient needs are greater - such as growing children, pregnant or lactating women, and those who are currently deficient - may have significantly enhanced absorption rates for certain nutrients.

Boron, molybdenum, and iodine can be absorbed at over 90 percent, while the average absorption rates of zinc, copper, and selenium can range from 30 to 80 percent depending on the form.

Asking The Wrong Question

Assuming that all synthetic vitamins are bad and all vitamins derived from whole foods are good is not wholly accurate and misses the point. There is a common misconception that "natural" vitamins and minerals are extracted from plants in their pure form, and as such, are superior to "synthetic" vitamins and minerals which are made in a laboratory. This is a very misleading distinction.

First, it is not possible to extract pure vitamins from plants without considerable and significant chemical processing. Dehydrating and grinding the plants into powder is a form off processing too. Some of the natural qualities of fruits and vegetables are lost in such a process.

Next, the biological activity of a compound has nothing to do with its source but is determined by its chemical structure. In other words, it makes no difference whether the chemical originates from a leafy plant or a test tube - it is the same compound, regardless. Some (not all) vitamin and antioxidant compounds can be efficiently synthesized in laboratories to produce products that are identical in chemical form to those found in nature, and that are totally pure and totally safe (and oftentimes much less expensive than their "natural" counterparts).

In addition, some synthetic vitamins are preferentially absorbed over food sources. One good example is folic acid, which is preferentially absorbed and utilized over natural food folates that must go through several conversion processes to be utilized as folic acid.

Vitamins should not be chosen based on whether they are "natural" or "synthetic." Ingredients should be chosen based primarily on their effectiveness, bioavailability, purity, and safety.

When choosing a vitamin supplement (natural, synthetic or a combination), choose one that is

A pharmaceutical-grade product. Most vitamins are manufactured on a food-grade level. The difference between the two are like the difference between how pizza and penicillin are produced. When you make a pizza, it doesn't matter how many or how much of any one ingredient you put on there. You don't have to be that exact with pizza. If a rat hair gets in there, no one will know. Penicillin, on the other hand has to be exact and pure. Every pill must have the EXACT amounts with no other traces of anything else in there. Vitamins that are manufactured at a pharmaceutical-grade level should insure the potency, safety and purity of their product. What is on the label should be guaranteed to be in the bottle.
Certified by an independent lab. Vitamins are not regulated by the FDA, so there is no way you can know if there are contaminants (lead, steroid, pharmaceuticals) in the product without having it certified by an independent lab like the NSF, Consumer Lab, Natural Products Association (NPA), True-Label Program, USP Dietary Supplements Verification Program, NHPD (Canada's version of FDA), Therapeutic Goods Association (TGA - Australia's version of the FDA) and Independent ISO 17025 verification.
Rated Highly in the Comparative Guide To Nutritional Supplements . If you are from the United States or Canada, watch the first movie clip about the Comparative Guide to find the top rated supplements. If you are from Australia or New Zealand, watch the second clip about the Comparative guide and the top supplements in your country.

U.S and Canada

NutriSearch Comparative Guide to Nutritional Supplements

Australia and New Zealand

Comparative Guide to Nutritional Supplements, Australia-New Zealand Edition

Can Coffee Be Good For You?

2008-05-15T16:58:00.006-05:00

I dropped by my local coffee shop last week to get a fresh cup of joe. The sign above the counter said, "Any unaccompanied children will be given a large cup of expresso and a free puppy!" I'm sure that has struck fear in many a parents heart. The effects of caffeine can last up to ten hours. Yikes!

I've always been told that coffee and caffeine were bad for me. Now there is news that, taken in moderation, it could have a lot of health benefits. At least six research reports show that people who drink coffee are up to 80 percent less likely (men not women) to develop Parkinson's, have a 25 percent drop in their risk for colon cancer, an 80 percent drop in their risk for liver cirrhosis, and an almost 50 percent lower risk for gallstones.

Other studies find that coffee could help to reduce the risk of Alzheimer's, gout and heart disease.

Click on the following link to watch a news clip from CBS about the health benefits of coffee.

CBS NEWS - Study: Coffee May Help One Live Longer

When taken in moderation, the caffeine in coffee has shown the ability to increase athletic performance. A study conducted in 1979 showed a 7% increase in distance cycled over a period of two hours in subjects who consumed caffeine compared to control tests. Other studies attained much more dramatic results; one particular study of trained runners showed a 44% increase in "race-pace" endurance, as well as a 51% increase in cycling endurance, after a dosage of 9 milligrams of caffeine per kilogram of body weight. The extensive boost shown in the runners is not an isolated case; additional studies have reported similar effects. Another study found 5.5 milligrams of caffeine per kilogram of body mass resulted in subjects cycling 29% longer during high intensity circuits.

And the controversial information on coffee and diabetes is still in great debate. Some research indicates that coffee consumers actually have decreased risk for Type II diabetes (54 percent for men and 30 percent for women)as it may help regulate glucose levels, but because of the increased risks of increased homocyteine and other factors related to heart disease with coffee, many authorities strongly advise diabetics against it.

On the one hand, preliminary findings from a small study suggest that drinking moderate amounts of coffee may put healthy individuals at risk for decreased insulin sensitivity, or an inability to process blood sugar efficiently. Decreased insulin sensitivity is a precursor to diabetes.

Caffeine reduced insulin sensitivity by 15%. The decrease in insulin sensitivity was comparable to the increase in sensitivity produced by taking diabetes drugs.

The caffeine group also had higher blood levels of free fatty acids than their peers in the comparison group, the report indicates.

Caffeine's ability to decrease insulin sensitivity could occur because the drug boosts levels of free fatty acids, as well as the hormone epinephrine. The caffeine group exhibited a five-fold increase in blood levels of the hormone.

On the other hand, a systematic review that was published in the Journal of the American Medical Association seems to indicate that coffee consumption by 193,473 participants from several studies actually lowered the chances of getting type 2 diabetes.

One of the huge benefits of coffee is that it contains a great deal of antioxidants that help control the cell damage that can contribute to the development of the disease and inflammation. A typical serving of coffee contains more antioxidants than typical servings of grape juice, blueberries, raspberries and oranges.

Consumption of coffee is associated with reduced risk of death attributed to inflammatory and cardiovascular diseases in the Iowa Women's Health Study

A 2002 study at Duke University found that even if people don't consume caffeine after 1pm, the effects remain until they go to sleep. That's because caffeine takes a long time to deteriorate in the body - twelve hours after consumption, the body still contains one-eighth of the original amount of caffeine. With regular consumption, these long-lasting effects could increase the risk of heart disease.

In the study, 47 regular coffee drinkers consumed 500 milligrams of caffeine - about the same as four 8 ounce cups of coffee -- in the form of two pills, and no later than 1pm. They took these active pills one workday, and inactive pills the next day, never knowing which type of pill they were consuming. The researchers monitored their blood pressure, heart rate, and quality of specific substances in their urine.

The subjects showed higher stress levels on days they consumed the caffeine pills, and produced 32% more epinephrine, a stress hormone. They also had slightly higher blood pressure with the caffeine pills.

Is Coffee Good For You?

Before you stock up on coffee, keep in mind that unless you drink it black, you could be drinking a lot of extra sugar with your cup of joe. And watch out for "mega-coffees" that pack in extra caffeine. Starbucks coffees always seem to have a lot more flavor as well as more caffeine.

One more word of advice: Don't drink coffee after about 4:00 in the afternoon. The caffeine stays in your system for a long time and can interfere with the length and quality of your sleep.

Do you ever wake up in the morning and you cannot start your day without a cup of coffee? Do you get headaches if you don't get some? Are you dependent on caffeine to function throughout your day? Are you addicted? There is nothing wrong with a little caffeine now and then but it can become addictive and destructive. Some of the signs of caffeine abuse are nervousness, irritability, anxiety, tremulousness, muscle twitching (hyperreflexia), insomnia, headaches, respiratory alkalosis and heart palpitations.

Do you have a rough time getting to sleep at night? Do you have a rough time getting up in the morning? Your body may not be producing enough cortisol due to caffeine drug abuse. Your adrenal glands are exhausted from being over stimulated. Watch this short clip about how caffeine can destroy your health.

If you try to stop drinking coffee "cold turkey" you will likely experience symptoms of withdrawal that can include severe headache, fatigue and depression. This can be avoided by cutting down the amount you drink gradually over a period of days or even weeks. It's also important to drink plenty of water during the process in order to keep your body well hydrated.

If you find that you miss your morning coffee-drinking ritual, replace it with a new tradition that will also boost your health and energy. Vegetable juice makes a great coffee replacement.
Furthermore, because caffeine increases the production of stomach acid, high usage over time can lead to peptic ulcers, erosive esophagitis, and gastroesophageal reflux disease.

A study done on coffee drinkers in Finland showed that people who drink many cups of coffee every day appear to be at a higher risk of developing rheumatoid arthritis. Those who drank four or more cups of coffee a day had twice the risk of developing rheumatoid arthritis, compared with people who drank less coffee. Most of them drank boiled coffee that was not filtered. That may have made the difference. I don't know. Annals of the Rheumatic Diseases 2000;59;631-635. The Iowa Womens Health study came to the same conclusion using decaf coffee.

Unless your coffee is organic, you might be drinking some things that you might not like. Since most coffees are not grown in the United States, they contain a great deal of toxic pesticides, insecticides and fertilizers.

I drink about five or six cups per week as well as drinking juices and green teas. I am highly aware of the addictive qualities of coffee and caffeine. That is why I limit my intake to small amounts. Caffeine is one of the most abused drugs on the planet. I was addicted once and it took me a while to get free. I just don't want to go there again. I like coffee now and then and I like the health benefits it gives me but, like most things, it needs to be taken in moderation and with care.

I have found a way to brew a healthier cup of coffee. It is called the Toddy Cold Brew Systemand it uses cold water to make 48 oz. of concentrated coffee. You simply take a pound of coffee and put it in the brewing container. It has a filter and a cork in the bottom. Then you put 9 cups of cold water in and wait 12-18 hours. It's kind of like sun tea in that it contains 67% less acid and slightly less caffeine than regular coffee. Since there is no heat involved, there is less oils released from the beans too. It keeps for a week in your fridge or for longer if you freeze it in your ice cube tray or several small containers. When you want a cup of smooth coffee, you simply put in one part concentrate to three parts water. If you like stronger tasting coffee, add less water. Heat it on the stove or microwave.
You can pick one up at Gloria Jeans Coffee Beans or Seattle' Best Coffee in Borders Bookstore.

Winning The War On Cancer. For Real, This Time.

2008-05-13T17:44:00.007-05:00

I watched intently last night as Elizabeth Edwards, Lance Armstrong (cancer survivor) and entrepreneur Steve Case appeared before Congress to give testimony about renewing the war on cancer. All three of them urged our government to make a new plan to deal with cancer on a more comprehensive basis. Over 560,000 people died from cancer last year alone.

Evidently, the war on Cancer has been going on since 1971 when president Nixon first declared it. That's 37 years! Let's take a look at a few other wars that we have been in. Here are the total American casualties from our last six wars.

Iraq war – 4000+ and counting

Vietnam war - It lasted 9 years from 1964 to 1975.

90,209 Americans were killed and 304,000 wounded out of 2.59 million who served.
During the Vietnam War the national debt increased by $146 billion (1967-1973). Adjusted for inflation, the debt in 1992 dollars was $500 billion. If you adjusted for inflation for 2008, the number would be much higher.

The Korean war lasted for three years between 1950 and 1953

36,940 died in theater during the war
54,246 deaths from all causes

World War II lasted 6 years from 1939 to 1945

From 6 June 1944 to 8 May 1945 in Europe the Allies had 200,000 dead and 550,000 wounded
Total U.S. Casualties came to 405,399

World war 1 = 116,516
Civil War= 498,332

Total wars = 1.2 million

If at least 500,000 people have died from cancer every year (for the last three years), that would equal 1.5 million people. More people than have died in our last six wars combined!

Our government has spent over 1.3 trillion dollars on the war on cancer in the last 37 years and over 800 million on the war in Iraq in the last few years. It is interesting to hear the politicians rant and rave about the failed policies in Iraq. What about the failed policies in the war on cancer?

If you listen to the propaganda from the cancer establishment, you would think that we are winning the war on cancer. They report that survival rates are increasing and cancer is more treatable than ever before. According to Dr. Ralph Moss, nothing could be further from the truth. He writes two articles that expose the shell game that we have been fed.

Three kinds of lies - lies, damned lies and statistics.

LOSING THE WAR ON CANCER

Here is an excerpt from one of these articles:

The US News article further claims that "nearly 10 million Americans are living with cancer. Most were diagnosed five or more years ago; many who would have died just 15 or 20 years ago are alive today.." This is highly misleading. As the Fortune article showed, it is METASTATIC cancer that kills the great majority of those who die, and for the most common forms of the disease (such as cancers of the breast, colon, lung, and prostate) metastasis is still the relentless killer it always was. There has been virtually NO change in the survival from metastatic cancer over the last 50 years. The apparent improvement in the survival figures has mainly been due to the earlier detection of illness: people appear to be living longer, whereas in fact what has often happened is that they have received a diagnosis earlier, and have been officially on record for longer before metastasis overtakes them. In other words, many of them are the beneficiaries of a statistical artifact.

Sophisticated screening and early detection tests have also succeeded in finding many patients who have conditions that are not life-threatening (for example, some very early precancerous or encapsulated lesions of the breast or prostate). These people are often labeled as cancer patients, thereby weighting the statistics to make it appear that people with cancer are living longer overall. But many if not most of these people would not have died of cancer even if their tumors had not been detected. Of course, none of these statistical irregularities is a secret to the biostatisticians who are the gatekeepers of data analysis in the cancer field. But these are not the sort of facts that it is considered wise to share with the general public, upon whose generosity vast enterprises such as the American Cancer Society depend.

According to an article in Fortune magazine, author Clifton Leaf explains “Why We Are Losing The War On Cancer.”

Leaf gives some facts about cancer that are well known to insiders but will come as a shock to many readers:

--More Americans will die of cancer in the next 14 months than have died from every war that the US has fought combined.

--Cancer is about to replace heart disease as the number one US killer. It is already the biggest killer in many age groups.

--Even adjusting for age, the percentage of Americans dying from cancer is about the same as it was in 1971 (when Nixon declared the war on cancer) or even back in 1950! Meanwhile, age-adjusted deaths from heart disease have been slashed by 59 percent and from stroke by 69 percent during that same half-century.

--The much-vaunted improvement in survival from cancer is largely a myth. "Survival gains for the more common forms of cancer are measured in additional months of life," says Leaf, "not years."

--Most of the improvement in longevity of cancer patients can be attributed to life style changes (the promotion of which has not been a conspicuous priority for the National Cancer Institute) and especially to early detection.

--The few dramatic breakthroughs (such as in Hodgkin's disease) mainly occurred in the early days of the war on cancer. There has been little substantial progress in recent decades despite nearly ubiquitous claims to the contrary.

--According to one biostatistician at M.D. Anderson Cancer Center, long-term survival from common cancers such as prostate, breast, colorectal and lung "has barely budged since the 1970s."

--According to Andy Grove, the chairman of the Intel corporation and a major "player" in funding research, "It's like a Greek tragedy. Everybody plays his individual part to perfection, everybody does what's right by his own life, and the total just doesn't work."

Today, Leaf concludes, the cancer effort is "utterly fragmented - so much so that it's nearly impossible to track down where the money to pay for all this research is coming from." And what money! Leaf estimates that US $14.4 billion is spent each year on cancer research. "When you add it all up, Americans have spent close to $200 billion, in inflation-adjusted dollars, since 1971." It is certainly justifiable to ask for an accounting of that one-fifth of a trillion dollars.

The Cancer industry and the Pharmaceutical industry have gotten rich off of their cancer treatments and drugs. If a real cure for cancer ever came along, I wonder if they would embrace it or try to bury it? If cancer dropped by 20%, I wonder how much of a hole that would put in their wallet?

It seems to me that there are two things that would go a long way towards finding a cure or at least lowering the incidence of cancer to a significant degree.

Support and fund promising new treatments. As I wrote in another post, there are several new treatments out there that might save hundreds of thousands of lives each year. By funding the research, we could get these treatments to the public in a much more timely manner. I mentioned a few of these at Cancer: Hope For A Cure.
Prevention. Teaching people how to eat in order to lower the chances of cancer is very important. Exercise and supplementation with nutrients that have been shown to have a positive effect on cancer should be part of the curriculum of every grade school and high school. Vitamin D3 could even be the answer to lowering cancer by 60% according to some doctors. Click here to read an article about this from Science Daily.

The last time we as a nation declared war on Cancer, it was a political move by a savvy politician to get more votes. If we have any failed policies on war, it was the 37 year failure to barely make a dent in the progress we need to defeat this foe. Unlike, the Iraq war, we cannot afford to walk away from this one. We need to take it serious this time.

Big Bang - Let The Games Begin

2008-05-13T12:27:00.029-05:00

Want to increase your Technorati authority as well as your page rank?
Then join the *Big Bang* movement and add this list to your blog post and post your comment
with your name and the site u want to add to the master list and seat back and watch your technorati authority and your google page rank shoot like a rocket Lol!

Remember that Technorati Authority only looks at links over the past 180 days, therefore, by moving the Big Bang to your front page it will keep it alive and maintain most of the authority for the participants.

*Start Copy Here*
You do not have to be tagged to play along. This game is simple and so are the rules.

1. Copy from *Start Copy Here* through *End Copy Here*

2. Add your site(s) to the list. Just be sure to post the "Big Bang" at each site you add.

3. Tag or don’t tag, your choice, however, the more tags you create the longer the list will grow.

4. Let me know your blog’s name and url by leaving me a comment HERE. I will add you to the master list. (If you would like a scroll box code, leave me your email address and I will email it to you.) Scroll Box Example. (I decided not to use the box for the Big Bang for ease of copying.)

5. Come back and copy the master list back to your site, often. This process will allow late-comers to get as much link benefit as the first ones in. Once you are on the master list people who have participated earlier will update their bookmarks and help everyone lower than them out on the list.

1-Attitude, the Ultimate Power 2-Juliana's Site 3-Rusin Roundup 4-Grow Rich Along With Me 5-Comedy Plus 6-lynda's loft 7-Amel's Realm 8-MAX 9-Speedcat Hollydale 10-Mariuca 11-Complain Complain Complain 12-Mariuca's Perfume Gallery 13-Life Is A Roller Coaster 14-Sugar Queen's Dream 15-First Time Dad 16-Life 17-My Life 18-The Painted Veil 19-My Thoughts 20-DatCurious.com 21-Little Aussie Cynic 22-A Nice Place in the Sun 23-DatMoney.com 24-The Down Side OF Up 25-Ladyjava's Lounge 26-Cat Tales 27-moms.....check nyo 28-Colorado Baby 29-It's a Woman's World 30-ENLIGHTENED BITS 31-My View of "It" 32-My Reviews and Finds Along the Way 33-Our Hep Chat 34-Rantings of a Woman 35-The Callalily Space 36-Mom Knows Everything 37-Hazel 38-Chronicles and Tales Unlimited (RED) 39-From the Mouth of Jabber Jaws 40-Sunny Side Up Foodie & Lifestyle 41-Carmel Corn 42-Daily Stock Picks 43-The Whole New World 44-Wifespeak 45-Slavery Bliss 46-Rooms of My Heart 47-Unpredictable Life 48-My Life, My World 49-At Your Service 50-All About Ebay 51-Everything Amazon 52-Turn On, Tune In, Drop Out 53-My So-Called Site 54-New Wife Blog 55-Tendre Poison 323 56-Nick's Bytes 57-My Scratch Pad 58-Choc Mint Girl 59-Life Is Just Around the Corner... 60-Amori, poseia, art... virtuali by Hanna 61-Maryannaville 62-monaco - monaco's 63-Nyumix's Blog 64-read my mind - my keyboard monologues 65-Shower You Children With Love - The Right Way 66-Secret Agent Mama 67-Pinaymama's Diary 68-Answers to the Questions 69-Work of the Poet 70-A Total Blog 71-My life, my hope, my future 72-NORTE 73-A Window to Our World 74-Life as a Mom 75-FIELD OF DREAMS 76-lisgold 77-See Me for What You 78-Caught in The Stream 79-Pinay Mommy Online - My Home 80-foster me up 81-CRUEL VIRGIN 82-Garden of Moments in Blog 83-So Cute 84-Love Everlasting 85-WeLcOmE To My CriB 86-WELCOM TO PINAYSMILE'S JOURNEY 87-Ice's Icelog 88-Jenny's Wandering Thoughts 89-Hobbies and Such 90-Sweet Paradise 91-Mommy's Gibble Gabbles 92-Rusin Review's 93-My Small World 94-Little Peanut 95-Online Ramblings 96-My Mood My Feeling 97-BLOG it with ALLEN 98-Entertainment World 99-Let's Go Singapore 100-Firelynx 101-Catsy Carpe Diem 102-Every Beat Of My Heart 103-Always Da Fresh Princess 104-Listening.. Learning..Living 105-All About Mars 106-Syii From Afar 107-Some Thoughts I Have 108-From Here and Beyond 109-My Paid To Blog 110-Scholarship Corner 111-Cell Phone Review 112-"Apples of the Eyes" 113-It's All About Play 114-The Luttrull Journey 115-RennyBA's Terella 116-Unchained Melody 117-Out of the Blue 118-The Lure Of the Unknown 119-Maricel's 120-my blog 121-Spiff, the Spaceman 122-Living Well 123-The Dog Log 124-Catnip Corner 125-A Piece of Idea 126-Observations From the Back 40 127-Poetry by The Redneck Gypsy 128-Odd Facts 129-Juliana's Lair 130-My life is murphy's law 131-lisgoldsmemoirs 132-My memories, as time goes by 133-Somewhere over the rainbow 134-Blogging by Sandee 135-Our Journey to this so called life 136-Idaho Daily Photo 137-Memories that Never Fades.. 138-Anything goes 139-Your Caring Angels 140-Little Paces 141-Laketrees 142-PoeARTica 143-fracas 144-Just FraCas 145-Archies Archive 146-Growing Up Together 147-A Woman's Diary 148-Mother's Got A Dot Com 149-Close To You 150-Hot Shit Form Here 151-Astro Galaxy 152-Detector 153-Beauty is in the eye of the beholder 154-My Life is Peachy 155-The Down Side of Up 156-Magical Milestones 157-In Search of Life 158-RebelationsdotNet 159-Jen Jen's Place 160-Mimi Writes... 161-Strange but true 162-Depois de minha viagem 163-Your Perfect Wedding: 164-Make Money Online 165-Primitive Ornies and Bowl Fillers 166-Vegetarian Diet Lifestyle 167-Looking Out For You 168-BENOLSATUEM 169-OtherSide 170-Hacko's Site 171-where was I 172-Making Money Resources 173-text's Site 174-Movie Corner 175-Rahasia Bisnis Internet 176-Online Dating Tips 177-Beauty Kissing Tips 178-Forex Trading Tips 179-Singapore Tour Guide 180-PPC vs PTR 181-Indonesian Film 182-Adsense Success Stories 2008 183-Bali Tour 184-Paypal Indonesia 185-Review Bisnis Internet 186-Blog Daniel Scardua 187-Much of a muchness 188-Gagiers Amazing World 189-Clumsy Mommy 190-Leaotheblogger 191-PBDesigns Reading and Crochet Blog 192-Gagiers Striking Zone 193-DrowseyMonkey 194-Yesterday Today n Tomorrow 195-Auntie Dar's Life 196-Sky Windows... 197-Filippino Life Abroad 198-Leao the Blogger 199-Zoop's Rantings on Life 200-My Journey 201-A Sweet Taste of Life 202-This is a Miracle 203-Lavanderia Virtual 204-Nancies's Web - Family Life 205-Dating Profile of the Day 206-my wooden robot 207-Juliana's World 208-urban : trendy : lifestyle 209-Lucel Juliana's Library 210-Cooking Momster - My Life Journal 211-Anggie & Jeremy boy Online Journal 212-'Doc Doc Doc' 213-Transforming My Life 214-Gratitude Journal 215-Simplydunn.net 216-emila's illustrated blog 217-AZZY'S BLOG-A-ROONIE! 218-MAMABLISS' TREASURED MOMENTS 219-The Sky's the Limit 220-PROJECT HEAVY TRAFFIC 221-just another ordinary story.. 222-Samuel Rolo 223-The end mission! 224-R S S Submissions 225-Laice's Pics 226-Health and Fitness 227-Brainybimbo 228-Journey with WaterLearner 229-Zoop's Rantings on Life (at Blogspot) 230-Dear Me (Ivan) 231-Tour the Tabon Caves 232-Book Calendar 233-Love me. Hate me 234-Everyday health and beauty 235-BLOGANDO & ANDANDO 236-Memoirs.:*CRoSs mY hEARt*:. 237-The Chic Shopaholic 238-CK Go Places 239-Red Empress: Hell Flavored, Taste like Valentine 240-QUEENBEE 241-Le bric a brac de Cherie 242-jaqqq in the blogs 243-Bijoux & Banter 244-When Silence Speaks 245-MadTomatoe's Blogging Tools and Widgets 246-Conceptis addict 247-Madamoiselle 248-My Wooden Robot Blog 249-A Simple Life 250-It's a dog's life 251-A Technocrat's Blog 252-Misty's Words 253-My Dogs Keep Me Sane 254-New England Lighthouse Treasures 255-NoDirectOn (not: NoDirection) 256-Additional BlogLOve 257-I am DZOI 258-Caroland's Breathtaking Adventure 259-Blur Ting 260-Rojoy's Daily Update 261-Down River Drivel 262-Momhood Moments 263-Real World Mom 264-REALWORLDMOMUNPLUGGED'S WEBLOG 265-Lucca D Jiwa 266-AngrianiWorld 267-Marketing•Review 268-sejuk sesangat 269-Everything and then Some..... 270-Gbex...reachingOut 271-Heart of Rachel 272-The working mom / Finding balance... 273-Madamoiselle ver.2 274-Latest Keyword 275-Tanny's Blog 276-Pay to Review 277-Happy Life 278-Pet Haven 279-Teratak Nurani 280-A Melhor Novela de Todos os Tempos do Ãšltimo VerÃ£o 281-TYNIE World 282-Wanmus's Blog-get cheapest web hosting 283-mokkikunta 284-BLOGHIT, POLIBLOG, TOP TOPICS 285-none of your business 286-Expat Travels 287-The Poor Mouth 288-GIRLIEGEEK.ORG 289-Tau Tau 290-Points of View 291-kimf3's Blog 292-Bing-My Treasures 293-Everything Green 294-The Pipeline Fixation 295-~Menempuh Arus Masa-Life-Photography~ 296-Pea in a Pod 297-{Me and Mine} 298-Beblan Anak Tukang Jahit 299-How Bourgeois 300-Julie's Blog 301-Emphbone 302-Simply the Best 303-Euroangel Graffiti 304-My Daily Nourishment 305-the worldwideweb addict 306-(¯`•._.• PalavraS ArticuladaS •._.•´¯) 307-The Big Life 308-Wild Borneo 309-Failure is the Key to Success 310-The muxic box's memories 311-What Goes Under the Sun 312-Cronaca di Gatteo 313-Angelika's other blog 314-So Real 315-Jaque 18 316-Overtime 317-When Life Becomes a Book 318-On the Bricks 319-Central Perk New York 320-The Simple Life of a Baghag 321-BlogBlast For Peace: The Official Site 322-Miss Cellania 323-Miss C Recommends 324-homeschooling.teacherjulie.com 325-belolats.com 326-The Original Blue Ribbon Bloggers 327-No nonsense Internet Tips 328-Its Not a Weekend; Its a Lifestyle 329-myfavehangout.com (Rich Valla) 330-Blog District 331-Official Travel Guide 332-EMJEI SAYS 333-www dot project rasso dot org 334-Work At Home Opportunities 335-VirusHead 336-Gracie de Guzman 337-Jollyjo 338-Jollyjo.tv 339-Ev Nucci's THE CAREER STRATEGIST 340-Ev Nucci's Resource Economics..Grease your brain 341-MARKETING MYSELF 342-NORTE 343-ACROSS THIS BRIDGE 344-STRUGGLING PARENTS 345-Read Between the Lines 346-Internet Lifestyle 347-THE SLEEPING TURTLE ART GALLERY 348-HIDUP BIAR SEDAP 349-BLOG ABOUT RICH 350-7101 Islands 351-Binding Ink III by Ndp the Poetress 352-mutiara hati 353-GreenBucks 354-Istilo Pinoy 355-Sweet and Complex Living 356-Angelika 357-my thoughts in writing 358-sharingplatform 359-Just the way it is... 360-LUCID CREATIVITY (Nelle-MyVirtualWorld) 361-TEACHERJULIE.COM 362-Bits and Pieces 363-Confessions Of A Breathing Tote Bag 364-My Joys 365-Fiction Earth 366-... My Precious ... 367-MY VIEWS ON MY SO CALLED LIFE 368-A Reality Bite 369-Cobb Community 370-Angelea's Blog 371-Janeth Vicy's Life Journey 372-NinaRepublic 373-Peaceful Mind 374-ME, MYSELF + 2 375-Mommy Jane and Little Sophia's Fasion misADVENTURES 376-ONKNEES - ITS NOT WHAT YOU THINK..... 377-SHEENISM 378-SAILIN' THRU LIFE (ASecretPlace) 379-Project Management Tutorial 380-Labindalawang Piraso ng Kokomban 381-Gorgeous Traveller 382-Sharing Gifts and Ideas 383-MUMBLINGS 384-Because Life Is Fun 385-PsychPatient MD 386-Everything Is Free 387-BRAINY MOMMY 388-Simply Unique 389-precious moments 390-Pearly Scripts 391-LIGHTNING AND THUNDER 392-Rayani Friends 393-WORK CULTURE 394-Psychology 395-Gold News 396-Applied Psychology 397-Scientific Psychology 398-Backwoods Drifter 399-New Beginning 400-Life in General 401-Life Is Like That (That's Life) 402-Life With Roxxymetal 403-SEXY MOMMA 404-The Z Files 405-I'll Never Forget the Day I Read a Book! 406-DOODLE PAGE 407-Escape Hatch 408-The Official Afterslaughter Weblog 409-Mommy's Little Corner 410-MALTED MONKEY 411-MOM AND THE CITY 412-Life with the Two Crazy Dogs 413-the joys (and pains) of being a woman (My Untamed World) 414-Making Cents-Sense of Technology 415-USER GAME REVIEWS 416-Write Shy 417-DOMANTYS.net 418-ZWANG 419-ANYTHING GOES! (my world, my place, my views...!) 420-Matt's blog (World of Insanity) 421-Lifestyle chronicles 422-The Alien Next Door 423-CMAQUEST 424-The Mascot 425-NARUTO ADDICT MANIA 426-Friendster Layouts 427-borneo tatoo...the original body ink 428-DOMANTIX 429-CULTURED SHOCK 430-EuWorx 431-HUBPRIME 432-STAR SURFACE 433-MY KALEIDOSCOPE WORLD 434-luckycharms 435-John's Blog - Maybe I Am Joking? 436-NEW WORDPRESS THEMES 437-WEB VIDEO HITS 438-TOP MUSIC VIDEOS 439-TEXT MESSAGES 440-Homemade Haven 441-TAGMEMEAWARD CAT 442-Coriander Dreams 443-BrainLoops 444-Soul Meets World 445-Speak The Speech 446-The Tall Poppy 447-My Day Off 448-Internet Business Promotions and Opportunities 449-Gage's World 450-PIXY ROSE 451-John's Cynical Blog 452-Poliblog 453-Techcheck 454-RoseateMarketingTips.com 455-RUSTYGANGSTER 456-Napaboaniya's Music Videos 457-EZINE PRIME 458-Prime Scrolls 459-FactMundo: World of Facts 460-CHAE 461-GOLDFINGER 462-OnlineBiz and Resources 463-ASTRO GALAXY TRAVEL 464-The Singapore Housewife 465-Climate of Our Future 466-Anorexic Queen 467-Eleanoreblog 468-Turnip of Power 469-Old Life 470-Shiphire Dustbin 471-POSTCARD HEADLINES 472-crazyblog 473-V.Col 474-Simple Life, Simply Me 475-Rasso Photoblog 476-Bagwine Ruminations 477-The Travel Bug 478-Short Stories 479-OPENGIGA TECH 480-Yogatta Dot Com 481-Net Diary of Rasal 482-WORDPRESS MEME 483-divaness 484-Thinking Tunnel 485-My decisions, my mistakes, my feelings, my LIFE 486-E-News (Gossip, Scandals, Movies, Music, etc) 487-FRAPPUCINO JOWN 488-MAYBELLE DOODLES 489-And the Legend Lives 490-In His Time - Endless Frontier 491-Travels in Time 492-Money Making Reports 493-MY HAPPY PLACE 494-The M&M Online BloG 495-Carol's Corner 496-http://individualathome.blogspot.com/ 497-Confessions of a Social Climber 498-Moderately-Confused Pinay In Deutschland 499-BLOGSILOG 500-DigiScrapz: Captured Memories 501-Cherry’s Comfort Zone 502-Thinking Out Loud 503-Wishing and Hoping 504-Jobs for Davao 505-Jobs for Abroad 506-PRC Exam Results 507-Wish Washy 508-Captains bridge 509 Colourrain 510 Modus Vivendi 511-Our Hep Chat 512-I forgot where I was going with this... 513-MRS FANCYPANTS LIVE 514-Real Estate News and Tips 515-MY.........STORIES 516-Garaphernalia 5.0 517-Everything Everywhere Travel Blog 518-lane of memories 519-Avee's Adeventures 520-Celebrating Life 521-Me and the World 522-Paul, Toni and Lance ----- Bridging The Distance 523-Paul and Toni 524-This is My New Chapter of Life 525-Online Competitions 526-posh lifestyle 527-Creative In Me 528-Life's Lessons 529-KERSLYN'S COMFORT ZONE 530-Piece of Mine 531-One World One Dream 532-HUMBLE HOME OF OURS 533-Life Is Beautiful; Life Is Love 534-Journey of Two 535-Tutiger's Blog 536-JORDAN CREEK 537-NEURO PATCH 538-Tour and Travel 539-Musings of a Daydreamer 540-DELICIOUS YOUNG BOI 541-SugarMagnolias 542-Heart and Style Woman 543-SURREAL-GEORGIA 544-Girls Do It All 545-OgenDicht/EyesClosed 546-Christy DeKoning; Travels in Watercolor 547-living life to the fullest 548-Holy Cuteness 549-FILIPINOLIFEABROA 550-Filipina Love stories 551-Interracial Marriages 552-SWEETHEART ALLEN 553-Living laughing and loving 554-A Day to Savor and Relish 555-Catsy's Pet Blog 556-SimplyCatsy's BLogs 557-Catsy's Out of the Blue 558-Mohanitguy 559-ItBuddy 560-alanzain 561-3 Sides of Crazy 562-Life abroad wifey 563-My Life's Rollercoaster Ride 564-ONLINE ENTREPRENEUR 565-Verb 566-Laptop Tip 567-US GIRLS 568-Our Journey as a Family 569-Let's talk....everything... in one space 570-http://oscar-vg.blogspot.com/ 571-BENOLSATUEM 572-blockbuster movie trailers 573-Bodybuilding & Fitness 574-Lemon Iced Tea and Me 575-GloboGeek 576-butterfly chewables 577-The SuperStar John Blog 578-CultCase 579-Allen's-collections 580-lyrics 581-fil-amstories 582-allen-library 583-Ad Hoc Doctor 584-In The Life Of...Mne 585-The Social Network Blog 586-T-CRIB 587-The iSurfer 588-Review dan informasi bisnis internet 589-A Place of Being 590-Medicinet 591-Make Money Blogging 592-LONG TERM STOCK PICKS 593-Pet Monologues 594-fingers dot crossed 595-Simple Life 596-Small Business Guru 597-Life's a journey, not a destination 598-Blog Portfolio 599-Nurse's Dose 600-ONE STOP GAMES 601-DianeCA's Metamorphoses 602-Sultana's Blog 603-Joze's Crap 604-landscaping 605-Geng's Journal - 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Share it. 831-paid-ad-clicks 832-rueManueelbis 833-Filipino in Canada 834-Softwares - The M&M Online 835-Of Colors and Styles 836-Artsy Creatures 837-Gandalf the Green 838-Devils View~ ~Study 839-Simply Tagged 840-A Nice Thought 841-DouDy Sketche 842-Lyric Popular Today 843-Game WareZ 844-DOT BLOGGER 845-Lilyruths "This and that friendly cottage" 846-Life Quest 847-Blogging Resources 848-Being Woman 849-Make Money Online ~ with LadyJava 850-Bulgaria Property 851- Advancing Health, Redefining Freedom 852-My Inspiration Sharing Land 853-aNgRiAniWoRLd Dot Com 854-Nita's Random Thoughts 855-Nita's Corner 856-My Wandering Thoughts 857-Nita's Ramblings 858-Filipino Online Community 859-Island Paradise Of Bohol 860-Famous Lyrics Collections 861-Thomas Digital Services 862-Make Money Online 863-Thomas Recipe Collections 864-Erlinda's Wandering Thoughts 865-Great Finds and Deals 866-Thomas Web Links 867-Thomas Travel Tales 868-PRC Board Exam Results 869-Click Here To Forward 870-Daily Motivation 871-Artscapes 872-Melissa Khalinsky 873-La Scatola Dei Colori874-seconds thoughT 875-Travel Puerto Princesa City and Palawan 876-KEITH'S REVIEW 877-CJ NICHOLS PHOTOGRAPHY 878-dibujandoarte 879-Felinesophy 880-Save Time Online 881-Techyplus 882-Day Break 883-Day to Day 884-Making sense...(somehow) 885-sherry rambling 886-Paintingart's Weblog 887-BIG-TIME 888-the course of the black hacker 889-My Life as a NOMAD 890-Optimizing for Search Engines 891-Make Money Online 892-Filipino love stories 893-A mom's note 894-Tasteful voyage 895-WitchBoop's Keeper 896-The good things in life 897-Pinay Heart Wanderings and Musings 898-Me, the islands and the world 899-Just Life 900-Asawa's Love Book 901-A Mother's Journal 902-Jackie's Everyday Life, Jackie Simply Pinay 903-Pinay In States 904-Stick It To The Man 905-Movie Reviews!! 906-MAKE MONEY ONLINE 907-Gadgets World 908-Crazy Blog 909-Ultimate Star AJITH Gallery 910-Blogger Design Tips 911-A Mother's Simple Thought's 912-Stupid Wise 913-Watchamacallit! 914-NELLYPIE'S CHATTERBOX 915-ENTRANCE TO MY WORLD 916-This Is What's Cool 917-SHARZ-Pangit's Journey in the States 918-The Lion's Den 919-kapamilya corner 920-BudgetCents.net 921-Blame The Vain 922-ButtonWood Project 923-HayWire Farm 924-John Boy Multimedia 925-Mosquitos In Paradise 926-RJ Paulsen 927-Snookies 928-SpykerMan 929-Test Land 930-VT Griffin 931-Smith $ amp ; Co. 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Can Diabetes Type 2 Be Reversed Naturally?

2008-04-03T12:46:00.007-05:00

Raw For 30 Days

Six McDonalds-munching Americans eat 100% vegan, organic, live, raw foods for a month in order to reverse diabetes naturally. In four days, they were off insulin and in 30 days, their diabetes was totally reversed. Medical results are fantastic. They are challenged to give up meat, dairy, sugar, alcohol, nicotine, caffeine, soda, junk food, fast food, processed food, packaged food, and even cooked food – as well as go without their loved ones and many of their creature comforts – for 30 days.

"It's ridiculous," said David Wolfe, nutritionist and author. "How do you go from being insulin dependent for twenty years to no insulin at all in two weeks?" If you have diabetes type 2, has your doctor told you that you will be a diabetic for the rest of your life? Has he told you that you will always be on diabetic medicine and be dependent on insulin shots? Maybe it's time you got a new doctor.

Many medical professionals will disagree with this. They believe that once you are a diabetic, you will always be a diabetic. You might be able to control things a little better with exercise and diet but the diabetes will always be there and you will always be labeled a diabetic. Here is my question: Well, what would you call it if they no longer take medications or insulin and their blood sugar is always normal? I would call that REVERSED!

Doctors are trained very well by medical schools to treat the symptoms of disease. What about treating the cause? What caused us to get diabetes in the first place? A lack of drugs? Why is diet and exercise always an afterthought?

I'm not saying that you have to go to some "New Age" clinic or retreat in the deserts of New Mexico in order to reverse your diabetes. But isn't it interesting how all of these people reversed their diabetes in such a short amount of time? The question is whether or not they can keep it reversed. I must admit that I am a little skeptical. Can a 30 day program reverse a lifetime of poor lifestyle choices? What happens when they get back home to their old familiar environment? I hope they can stick with it and that there is some kind of follow up program with these folks. I look forward to watching the follow up video when they interview them again.Dr. Julian Whitaker treats thousands of patients at the Whitaker Wellness Institute in Newport Beach, California. The clinic offers diabetic patients a "Back to Health Program." It teaches them about diet, exercise and nutrition. Click on the following link to read the testimonies and judge the results for yourself.

Whitaker Wellness Diabetes Testimonies

Sanoviv Medical Institute also treats those with diabetes in a similar fashion.

Not everyone can take the time or spend the money to go to California or Mexico. For those people, there are several programs out there that can help you and you can do it from the comfort of your own home. Here are some tips to help you with your search.

Make sure the program has a multi-year track record of success and has had some clinical trials done on it that you can show to your doctor.
Look for a program that will help you to lower or eliminate your diabetes drugs or insulin dependence.
Make sure that it is science-based. The people that run the program should have the letters "M.D." after their name. Being a doctor of philosophy will not suffice.
If it sounds too good to be true, it probably is. Stay away from gimmicks that over promise and under deliver. We would all like a "quick fix" but that isn't always a reality.
Make sure it lasts more than 30 days. It is highly unlikely that your diabetes will be reversed and stay reversed in as little as 30 days without continued education and motivation. Changing lifestyle habits is not a quick fix.
Nothing is free. It will cost you something. Think about the cost of diabetes. What is it costing you now? What is the cost of amputation and blindness? What if you no longer had to pay for meds and doctor visits? What is the value of a program that could deliver you those kinds of savings?
Look for a program that will put the emphasis on educating you and holding you accountable. If they just want to sell you some magic pills or an exotic elixir, this is not what you want. Success is based on helping you to learn and reinforce a new lifestyle. Education and accountability are the main keys to success.
Staying motivated. Look for a program that has a human element. It is great to be able to talk with a real live human being every week. If you have questions or you are just discouraged with your progress, having a mentor can be a real life saver. If they have a group that you can be a part of, that would be even better. You can learn what is working and not working from others. Besides, being part of a group is more fun.
Find a program that uses the power of the Internet. Having tools like an on-line journal and a forum to read or post questions or comments to can be valuable. If you are having a problem, your personal lifestyle coach can read your journal for the week and pinpoint the changes you need to make. Educational emails and healthy on-line recipes and fitness tips are a plus too.

One such program is the "Healthy For Life" program developed by Dr. Ray Strand. He wrote the book,What Your Doctor Doesn't Know About Nutritional Medicine May Be Killing You Click on the following link to read about this program.

Healthy For Life Overview
Healthy for Life: Developing Healthy Lifestyles that Have the Side-Effect of Permanent Weight Loss