Dear THB Reader -

What do you want first? The good news or the bad?

The good news is, cancer deaths are declining. According to the American Cancer Society’s "Cancer Statistics, 2010" report, around 767,000 cancer deaths have been avoided since the 1990s.

The bad news? Cancer is still a big problem. American Cancer Society researchers estimate that some 569,490 people will die from cancer this year.

But there is also some better news. You can take positive action to drastically reduce your own cancer risk – without doctors, surgery, or expensive drugs.

Contributing Editor Starr Daubenmire has come up with a report all about the world’s strongest anti-cancer substance. It’s all-natural. It’s up to 1,000 times stronger than anything the medical or pharmaceutical industries have ever come up with. And if you make full use of it? You could cut your risk of cancer by 50%.

THB reader Clare S. said of Starr’s article, "I just want to thank you for letting me know the importance of [this substance]. I am lacking in this [substance] and I will endeavor to take it every single day now. My mother has cancer so I am so glad I read this article."

"This is incredible and at the same time fantastic," wrote Augustus. "This resource is free … and yet a lot of people die from various kinds of cancer. Thank you very much for this very important message."

Peter W. thought Starr’s article “was very informative … just printed it for my friend who has prostrate cancer and just hope it helps him."

It’s highly unlikely that you’ll hear about this anti-cancer substance from your doctor or anyone in the medical industry… So make sure you read Starr’s full article below.

And be sure to let us know what you think of it!

To Your Best Health,

To your health,

Ian Robinson,
Managing Editor, Total Health Breakthroughs

Cut Your Risk of Any Cancer in Half – Starting Today!

By Starr Daubenmire, Contributing Editor

The mainstream medical establishment doesn’t want you to know this… because they make so much money by keeping you in the dark…

But you can cut your risk of contracting any form of cancer in half – right now – with the information in this article.

Cancer is caused by stress – biological, psychological, chemical and physical stress. In modern times the stress has increased geometrically because of pollution, artificial foods and other factors.

But eons ago Nature created an antidote to stress – a natural hormone that stimulates the body’s immune system. If you make full use of this natural defense, studies show you can cut your risk of cancer in half.

I am talking about the world’s strongest anti-cancer hormone. In terms of prevention, it is probably a thousand times stronger than any substance that the medical and drug industry has ever come up with.

One very important – but largely ignored – study found that that 30% of all cancer deaths – which amounts to 2 million world-wide and 200,000 in the U.S. – could be prevented each year with higher levels of this hormone.

In addition to that:

• One study followed 400 postmenopausal women for four years and found that the group that had sufficient levels of this hormone had a 60% lower rate of all forms of cancer.
• Another study of 900 men found that the group that lacked this hormone had a 50% higher risk of cancer of the prostate.
• A third study found that people who have a high level of this hormone are 40% less likely to develop colon cancer..

Would you like to know what this hormone is?

Then sit back because this may surprise you.

The world’s most powerful anti-cancer hormone turns out to be something quite common: Vitamin D!

Surprised?

Don’t be. This is a scientific truth that the medical establishment consistently refuses to disclose.

They have even beclouded this truth by mis-naming the hormone. They call it a vitamin but it is not a vitamin at all.

Vitamin D is a hormone that you can get in modest doses from food and supplements, but most effectively from the sun.

That’s right. The sun is Nature’s primary stimulus for the creation of Vitamin D.

I’ll bet you have never heard that before.

If you are like most people you’ve heard that the sun is a bad thing. You have been told that it is the main cause of skin cancer.

But that is absolutely false and dangerously misleading.

I will explain why that is true later in this essay. I will also explain how the sun can stimulate all the Vitamin D your body needs. Plus you’ll learn why the media has spooked you into believing that you should avoid the sun.

Moreover, I’ll tell you why you should NEVER use conventional sun blocks…not on yourself or your children.

This is a report you must read.

Why has this information been kept from you? Maybe it’s because the healing energy of the sun is free.

When a cure like this is free, nobody stands to make a profit but you. So it is understandable that Big Pharma, Big Medical and Big Government – all of whom make billions every year off cancer – don’t want you to know.

Vitamin D Has Been Vilified by the Sunscreen Industry

Before sun block became popular in the 1960s, people believed that the sun was good for you. And for good reason. Our bodies respond positively to a natural amount of exposure to the sun. It makes us feel warm. It seems to “bake” out aches and pains. It even makes us look healthy.

Too much exposure to the sun, however, has the opposite effect. It causes us pain and discomfort. It makes us wish we hadn’t stayed out in the sun so long.

Sun block was created to prevent sunburn. And because it was effective in doing so, it caught on. So strongly in fact that it soon became a billion dollar industry.

With all those millions in profits, sun block makers funded studies. And those studies show a positive correlation between repeated sunburns and two non-lethal forms of skin cancer: basal cell and squamous cancers.

But none of these studies proved that the sun was the leading culprit in basal cell and squamous cancers. And none of them detected any relationship between sunburn and melanoma, which is the one cancer that kills.

Melanoma often appears between the toes and in other areas of the body where “the sun never shines.” If the sun were the leading cause of skin cancer, how could that be?

The studies that were funded by the sun block companies never bothered to answer these questions. Instead they lobbied the government to spread the word that the best way to prevent all forms of skin cancer (including melanoma) was to use sun block. And so the myth was born!Here are a few facts that you should know about sun block and skin cancer:

Sunscreen blocks your production of vitamin D –A sunscreen with an SPF of 8 reduces your ability to produce vitamin D by more than 95 percent. A sunscreen with an SPF of 15 reduces vitamin D production by more than 99 percent.

Lifeguards in Australia have the lowest rates of melanoma – In the February 2005 issue of the Journal of the National Cancer Institute a study confirmed that exposure to the sun reduces the risk of skin cancer. Additional studies have shown that lifeguards in Australia have the lowest rates of melanoma.

Sunscreen does not block all the rays of the sun – Most sunscreens block only the UVB rays that burn your skin. They allow you to stay in the sun for hours without burning, while your skin soaks up the highly penetrating UVA radiation.

Unfortunately, most people believe that sunburn protection equals skin cancer protection. Actual evidence suggests to the contrary – that excessive exposure to non-burning UVA rays not blocked by common sunscreens induces skin cancers including the deadly melanoma variety.

Sunscreen contains several carcinogenic substances, some of which are activated by the sun! – one of the most common ingredients in commercial sunscreens is PABA, which can produce genetic mutations that can lead to cancer. The very thing that sunscreen sellers claim to protect you from. Even more incredibly, PABA is mostly inert until it becomes illuminated. Exposure to sunlight causes it to become carcinogenic. After exposure to UV radiation in sunlight, PABA or padimate-O attacks and damages DNA.

Sunscreen contains chemicals that mimic estrogen in the body – A Swiss study published in 2001 in Environmental Health Perspectives found five chemicals commonly in sunscreens that behave like estrogen. These five xenoestrogens are:

1. Octyl-1. dimethyl-PABA (OD-PABA)
2. Benzophenone-3 (Bp-3)
3. Homosalate (HMS)
4. Octyl-methoxycinnamate (OMC)
5. 4-methyl-benzylidene camphor (4-MBC)

So the result of the anti-sun campaign is this: more than half a million cases of cancer occur each year – that could have been prevented – if only a moderate exposure to sunlight had been allowed to provide normal levels of vitamin D.

Sunscreens are the Enemy, Not the Sun!

Thanks to modern day lifestyles and anti-sun propaganda message, an estimated 1 billion people worldwide are now deficient in Vitamin D. The situation is epidemic.

Not only will sunscreens NOT protect you from skin cancer, they will INCREASE your chances of getting all forms of cancer, including breast cancer, prostate cancer and lung cancer.

Optimal vitamin D levels are one of your best protections against any kind of cancer – and regular sun exposure (without sunscreen) is the best way to achieve it.

Protection by Design…

As a hormone, Vitamin D influences the entire body. Almost every type of human cell has receptors that respond to vitamin D. Which means your body is designed to make vitamin D from exposure to sunlight.

It doesn’t take a whole lot. Fifteen minutes a day or a half hour two or three times a week is enough exposure to create the Vitamin D that your body needs.  

And as long as you listen to your body’s natural messages, you will never have to worry about getting too much sun. What happens is this: depending on the amount of stress you are under, you may need just 2000 units of Vitamin D or 20,000. You can’t tell how much you need by taking your pulse or using some other artificial device. But you can tell simply by noticing that your skin feels like it has had enough.

When that happens it means your body is telling you that it has made the amount of Vitamin D that you need. Just get out of the sun at that moment and you won’t get sun burned and your immune system will be operating at full tilt.

Because vitamin D is fat soluble, it can be stored in the fatty tissues of the body. (That’s another reason it isn’t really a vitamin. It can be produced and stored naturally by the body.) But if, for some reason, a person can’t get out in the sun, he can and should supplement his intake of Vitamin D with natural foods and supplements.

How “ultra-violet” stacks up…

According to a leading vitamin D researcher, Dr. William Grant, vitamin D deficiencies cause 5 to 6 times more cancer deaths than any cancers due to excessive sun exposure.

Here’s why…

The sunlight produces two types of ultraviolet light: UV-A and UV-B.

UV-A has a longer wavelength. It is good for you. UV-B has a shorter wavelength and is bad.

Melanoma, the only type of skin cancer that can kill you, is caused by the longer wavelength ultraviolet A (UV-A).

UV-B rays stimulate Vitamin D and your immune system. They are the heroes of the cancer game. And the sun is the primary way your body gets UV-B rays.

Dr. Grant, a former NASA scientist, understood the benefit of UV-B waves. He knew that UV-B levels are measured geographically in the U.S. So he compared cancer maps with UV-B maps to see how levels of sun exposure related to cancer death rates.

What he found disproved the mythology that had been promoted for so many years by the sunscreen companies. His studies confirmed that the lower the sun exposure was, the higher the death rate was from common cancers. The final tally was this…

Premature cancer deaths due to vitamin D deficiency are 50-60,000 per year…compared to 9,800 who die of melanoma and skin cancer.

So a natural amount (15 to 30 minutes a day) of UV-B rays are healthy.

Getting the sunlight you need promotes the repair of damaged cells. This is important because damaged cells don’t repair themselves and don’t replicate. The more stress your body is subject too, the fewer healthy immune cells it has to fight cancer. Vitamin D reverses that process.

Vitamin D also helps prevent cancer cells from developing their own blood supply. This means it is harder for them to grow and spread. This suppresses metastasis.

The studies are clear about the benefits of Vitamin D and sunlight. But the government and mainstream medicine are not telling you what the studies have been saying. (Incidentally, the first study that showed the benefits of Vitamin D and sunlight dates back to an article on cancer mortality that was published in North America in 1941.)

So it’s not like the medical industry hasn’t known the facts. But they aren’t telling you. Is that because they are just plain stupid? Or might it have something to do with the billions of dollars that are made by sunscreen companies and skin doctors?

You don’t need to take a position on this question to benefit from the truth. Fear of the sun is nonsense. It is Nature’s best source of Vitamin D and Vitamin D is your body’s best protection against cancer.

If you would like to read more about the healthful benefits of the sun I can recommend this book: Your Best Health Under the Sun by Jon Herring Dr. Al Sears. Click here now for details…

He didn’t discover that cure overnight. It took 25 years of observation as a cardiac surgeon and over 5,000 heart surgeries to convince him of his findings. He dedicated his career to researching the most comprehensive studies and conducting his own cutting-edge research to find the truth.

In the second part of our exclusive interview with him, he reveals the truth behind heart disease. And even better… offers four critical steps to improve your heart health.

THB: Welcome back Dr. Lundell. Last week we talked a lot about inflammation. Can you please explain how inflammation is the real cause of heart disease?

Dr. Lundell: Inflammation is the real cause of heart disease because cholesterol would never be retained in the wall of the blood vessel and start causing plaque unless it was consumed by activated white blood cells. 

The white blood cells recognize it as an invader because it was either oxidized or changed by having a sugar molecule attached.  The biological and biochemical mechanisms demonstrating this have been well established.

THB: Let’s get into the nitty-gritty of all this. What is the connection between inflammation, obesity, and heart disease?

Dr. Lundell: To understand the connection between inflammation, obesity, heart disease and degenerative neurological disorders, and to prevent or reverse these conditions, we need to look at the factors that commonly cause chronic inflammation.

Chronic inflammation is our body’s response to chronic injuries, that is, small injuries that occur repeatedly and prevent healing from proceeding.

There’s no doubt that we live in a complicated environment with many chemicals and toxins that can injure us on a daily basis.  Some of these can be prevented and some cannot because we must live in our environment.

THB: What are the most common factors that damage heart health? And how can we prevent them?

Dr. Lundell: The four most common things that injure us repeatedly and can be changed easily are:

1) The excess consumption of simple carbohydrates and refined grains.

Every time we consume that delicious sweet roll loaded with sugar and flour we raise our blood sugar.  Every time we raise our blood sugar to high we injure the delicate lining of our blood vessels.  There is no more obvious or sad proof of this than to look at the patient who has type II diabetes that lose kidneys, vision, and limbs and die prematurely of heart disease.

2) The excess consumption of vegetable oils which contain large amounts of omega 6 free fatty acids.  We have been advised to avoid all animal fats and consume instead the supposedly healthy polyunsaturated fats from soybeans and corn.  We do need some omega 6, but unfortunately we are getting as much as 20-25 times more in our diets. These fatty acids are metabolized into chemicals that cause chronic inflammation. 

3) Deficiency in omega 3 three fatty acids from fish. Omega 3 is a very powerful natural anti inflammatory agent documented in extensive medical literature to reduce sudden death from heart attack; stabilize vulnerable plaque; and prevent and reduce Alzheimer’s disease and other neurological conditions.  Some 80% of the population of the United States is deficient in omega 3 because we do not eat enough fish or take fish oil supplements.

4) Oxidative stress.  This simply means the presence of more free radicals than antioxidants.  Oxidative stress has been clearly demonstrated to be detrimental to human health and is associated with multiple degenerative diseases, especially those of the brain and nerves, and is definitely associated with heart disease.

THB: How can we stop and reverse inflammation?

Dr. Lundell: To stop and reverse inflammation, we need to change our diets as mentioned above.  Increase our consumption of antioxidants especially those from colorful plants.  Protein is another critical building block that allows us to make our own antioxidants.

Coffee is the largest single source of antioxidants in the American diet. Since we drink so much of it, a high quality organic coffee such as Asantae Java, which has more antioxidants than any other, is a great choice.

We continually hurt ourselves by consuming added sugar and refined sugars in chips, cookies, baked goods, and other seemingly irresistible snacks we all seem to love. 

Avoid vegetable oils as much as possible especially those that are hydrogenated.  Recent Meta-analysis clearly demonstrates in very large studies that consumption of dietary cholesterol and saturated fats have no relationship to heart disease.

In Chapter 7 of my book, The Great Cholesterol Lie, there’s a list of essential nutrients and vitamins that work synergistically to combat inflammation.  Be sure to get pharmaceutical quality either locally or online. I created a product called HeartShot marketed by Asantae that is a once-daily drink containing all the items listed in the chapter with increased Vitamin D.  

THB: Do you have any final words of wisdom to share with our readers?

Dr. Lundell: This is a war, a battle of inflammation inside our bodies.  It’s a battle zone in our current culture and it’s a war of information that is fought by challenging incorrect philosophies that have made heart disease a terrible epidemic – one that should not exist in the first place.

There’s a cure for heart disease, but let me be clear: I cannot cure heart disease. Only you can. Anyone and everyone who follows the recommendations in my book will be able to save more lives than I ever could as a heart surgeon.

About Dr. Lundell: Dr. Dwight Lundell is the former Chief of Staff and Chief of Surgery at Banner Heart Hospital in Mesa, AZ. He is the founder of Healthy Humans Foundation and Chief Medical Advisor for Asantae. In 2003, Dr. Lundell made the most difficult decision of his 25 year surgical career. As traditional medicine continued to chase the cholesterol theory of heart disease, Dr. Lundell closed his surgical practice. He then devoted the rest of his life to speaking the truth that inflammation causes heart disease. By lowering inflammation, heart disease has a cure.

Dr. Lundell is the author of the world-wide bestselling book, The Great Cholesterol Lie. This book offers a revealing look at heart disease and the faulty theories of low-fat diets and cholesterol. He also reveals his clinically-tested recommendations for lowering inflammation that can prevent and reverse heart disease. Click here now to learn more.

[Editor’s Note: The best medicine might simply be good information. For almost every condition you could be suffering from, nature has provided a cure you should know about. Our mission at Natural Health Confidential is to find it, scientifically confirm it, and get it into your hands.

You will discover invaluable natural healing methods that make a real difference in your life and the lives of those you love.

You can find out more about “The Cure for Heart Disease” in the next edition of our monthly Natural Health Confidential newsletter. We review the latest research and findings and ask our experts if there is a “Cure for Heart Disease.”

Find out more about the dangers of statin medications, the case against cholesterol, and the true cause of heart disease… Discover easy, simple steps to treat heart disease without medications… Ways to overhaul your diet and lifestyle… and life saving nutritional supplements. All this and more in the upcoming issue of Natural Health Confidential.] If you aren’t already receiving this health advisory service, sign up here.

To your health,

Ian Robinson,
Managing Editor, Total Health Breakthroughs

But the drug has come under heavy scrutiny since a series of studies revealed that it increases the risk of stroke. The leading study was written by heart expert Dr. Steven Nissen in 2007. He’s the chairman of Cleveland Clinic’s department of cardiovascular medicine. He reviewed 40 studies related to the drug and uncovered a shocking truth: patients taking Avandia increased their risk of heart attack by 42 percent. His findings were later published in the New England Journal of Medicine.

Following these studies, sales began to drop, plummeting to $520 million last year. As sales have fallen, claims linking Avandia to increased heart risk have risen. And now they’ve snowballed into literally thousands of lawsuits against Glaxo.

The FDA clearly has its own doubts about Avandia. Its own reviewer – David Graham – presented expert data analysis at the panel meeting. He estimated that 100,000 heart problems were caused by the drug. He told the panel that Avandia will “put you in a hospital or a cemetery.”

Conflicted Decision

Yet despite this, the FDA panel voted to keep the drug on the market.

“The committee vote is gravely disappointing,” says Congresswoman Rosa DeLauro. It “raises questions as to whether the science was presented in an unbiased manner.”

Original study author Dr. Nissen attended the panel meeting. He believes that the panel data still confirms the risk of stroke. He says the panel had enough data to remove the drug.

Now, the decision was by no means unanimous. Twelve of the 33 members of the panel voted to eliminate the drug. Another 10 wanted ongoing supervision of the drug. And seven suggested stronger warning labels on it.

But the panel still gave Avandia the thumbs up.

Patterns of Approval

The same thing happened in 2007 when another FDA panel first reviewed Avandia. Dr. Nissen also attended that meeting.

He said at the time that “the FDA presented patient-level analysis at the meeting. This is far more accurate when you have access to patient data. The FDA confirmed a 40 percent increase in risk. Virtually identical to our findings.”

In 2007 the FDA voted keep Avandia on the market. The New England Journal of Medicine later printed a related article. The article was written by Dr. Clifford Rosen – the man who headed up the 2007 Avandia review panel.

In his article he said that Avandia was “a new wonder drug, approved prematurely and for the wrong reasons.” He noted the FDA was “a weakened and underfunded government agency subjected to pressure from industry.” He concluded that Avandia had “caused undue harm to patients.”

And certainly Glaxo seems to know something. The 2010 ruling comes one day after the drug maker agreed to pay out $460 million to settle thousands of lawsuits. Those suits claim that Avandia caused heart attacks.  Glaxo is quietly settling over 10,000 suits for $46,000 each.

Opting for the Safe Solution

Data suggests that Avandia may increase stroke risk. But the FDA approves it because it also does some good. That’s because it increases your sensitivity to insulin.

But THB panel expert Michael Cutler M.D. says there are many safer ways to do that.

“I was never taught any measures for my patients,” says Dr. Cutler, a board-certified physician with over 17 years of experience. “It baffles me that I couldn’t see the gap in my medical training. We did nothing to prevent diabetes.”

Many years have passed since Dr. Cutler graduated from med school. He’s spent years in practice since then. He’s also continued his own private research and learning. And he knows that modern medicine is missing the point.

“Conventional medicine today is still all about using drugs to lower blood sugar,” says Dr. Cutler. That’s “too late if you want to reverse the disease.”

The secret instead lies in what you eat. A healthy low-carb, low-sugar diet balances your blood sugar. And there are many tools to improve your diet.

For one thing, Dr. Cutler says herbs are a safe way fight diabetes. That’s because they can lower your blood sugar levels.

Your Herbal Path to Better Health

Dr. Cutler says herbal remedies can really make a difference to your health. They can work better than drugs and are a lot safer. The following seven herbs are backed up by solid scientific evidence in multiple studies. Dr. Cutler says these seven herbs will help control your blood sugar levels.

• Green tea.  It’s an old favorite and a good health promoter. One study reveals that green tea increases insulin activity. That’s thanks to its active ingredient, EGCG.

• Cinnamon.  Diabetes Care reports that cinnamon kicks up sugar metabolism. Sixty diabetics took a half teaspoon of cinnamon every day for 40 days. Researchers reported major drops in blood sugar levels.

• Ginseng root.  Several studies have tested Ginseng as a treatment for diabetes. One study showed a big drop in sugar versus placebo in Type II diabetes.

• Milk thistle.  Milk thistle cleanses the liver, which fights diabetes. Doses of over 1,500 mg increase bile flow and secretion. “This desired effect makes it the herb of choice for any liver-related diseases,” says Dr. Cutler.

• Devil’s claw.  Devil’s claw may have insulin-like elements. However, Dr. Cutler notes that research is ongoing.

• Bilberry.  Studies show that bilberry leaves also lower blood sugar levels. This is no news to country folk. They’ve been using it in “anti-diabetic” teas for years.

• Fenugreek.  A major study showed it greatly lowered blood sugar levels.

[Ed. Note: Michael Cutler, M.D. is a board-certified family physician. He has over 17 years of clinical experience. He is a graduate of Brigham Young University and Tulane Medical School. Dr. Cutler's practice focuses on solutions to health problems. He focuses on behavioral and nutritional medicine. For information, visit www.truehealth.com.]

Conventional wisdom tells us that high cholesterol is the cause of heart disease. But Dr. Dwight Lundell is fighting to expose this dangerous mainstream myth.

Dr. Lundell is a pioneer and leading expert in this field. He has enjoyed a long and a distinguished career, leading his peers to new breakthroughs. He spent 25 years as a cardiovascular surgeon and performed over 5,000 heart surgeries.

His experience in cardiovascular and thoracic surgery includes certification by the American Board of Surgery, the American Board of Thoracic Surgery, and the Society of Thoracic Surgeons. He was a pioneer in “Off-Pump” heart surgery, reducing surgical complications and recovery times. He’s in the “Beating Heart Hall of Fame” and has been listed in Phoenix Magazine’s “Top Doctors” for 10 years.

He has been recognized by his peers as a leader and has served as Chief resident at the University of Arizona and Yale University Hospitals. He later served as Chief of Staff and Chief of Surgery.

He was also one of the founding partners of the Lutheran Heart Hospital which became the second largest heart hospital in the U.S.

Dr. Lundell recently agreed to grant us an in-depth and revealing interview about the pioneering work he is currently conducting. It’s our privilege and pleasure to share part one of that exclusive interview with you today.

THB: You are the author of a controversial heart-health book called The Great Cholesterol Lie. The book challenges conventional wisdom and accepted medical theories. What’s been the response to this book?

Dr. Lundell: The response to the book has been overwhelming.  I regularly correspond with people from around the world who are enjoying better health from the new understandings they gained from learning about inflammation and heart disease.

THB: That’s good to hear. It’s a seminal book that charts your professional journey as a cardiac surgeon. And, more importantly, reveals your gradual discovery of the true cause of heart disease.

If you could go back in time to when you were a young cardiac surgeon… what would you tell yourself and would you take a different path?

Dr. Lundell: I was dedicated to treating heart disease and passionate about saving lives.  It was my responsibility to provide patients with a second chance.

As a young cardiac surgeon in the 1980s coronary bypass operation was the only effective treatment for people afflicted with severe coronary artery disease.  So, as you can imagine, this was a very exciting time.  Our ability to help people increased and the risks of surgery decreased as techniques and technology improved.

The scientific consensus at that time was elevated cholesterol levels in the blood cause a gradual deposition of cholesterol in the lumen of the blood vessel so two treatment forces were obvious: lower the levels of cholesterol in the blood or do an operation to detour the blood around the accumulated plaque thus restoring flow and heart function.

Rather than looking at more effective ways to lower blood cholesterol, there was relatively little research going on as to what was causing plaque.  Everyone settled on the idea that it was as simple as controlling fat and cholesterol.

Then new research was in part driven by industry and not basic science.  As balloon angioplasty emerged as an alternative to open heart surgery, the companies that produce the balloons became concerned by high rates of re-stenosis.  They began funding studies to understand exactly what was happening biologically to cause the re-stenosis. (Re-stenosis means a re-narrowing of the artery after angioplasty or a stent has been inserted.)

This stimulated a lot of research and culminated in the seminal article published in 1999 in the New England Journal of Medicine announcing that “atherosclerosis [is] an inflammatory disease.”

THB: How did you discover that the true cause of heart disease was inflammation?

Dr. Lundell: I was excited to understand this new research because in the operating room I had observed the classic signs of inflammation around the coronary artery and was very disappointed that surgery, although effective at relieving symptoms and extending life, was not a cure for heart disease.

Many brilliant scientists and university centers continued to do more research that confirmed the basis for coronary disease was chronic inflammation.  Sadly the attention was all directed at finding a therapy rather than looking at the cause of chronic inflammation.

Research is hugely expensive and was largely funded by drug companies who were making billions of dollars from the prescriptions for statin drugs.

One of the many side effects of statin drugs is that they seem to have a mild anti- inflammatory effect.  Because of the size of the industry and how entrenched the cholesterol theory had become, the focus continues to be on treating everyone with statin drugs rather than understanding the cause and the ability to control chronic inflammation.

The makers of statin drugs have been so skillful at influencing science and controlling public policy that prescribing statins is the standard of care. Anyone questioning or disagreeing with these policies is labeled as a heretic and disregarded.

THB: Why were you so convinced inflammation was the culprit? You were so convinced that you made a major life – and career – change based on that conviction.

Dr. Lundell: I knew that I did not have enough influence to change any of the policies or practices from inside mainstream medicine. Taking a lesson from the drug makers with their direct to consumer advertising I decided to write the book and hopefully people would learn and make the changes needed to truly prevent and cure heart disease.

THB: You describe inflammation very powerfully in your book as a battleground. Can you give our readers an overview of what inflammation is?

Dr. Lundell: Inflammation truly is a battleground. For most of human history we died because of infection and trauma. Our immune system and our inflammatory systems are designed to aggressively respond to these two challenges.

If we get invaded by bacteria or injured in some way, our immune system recognizes the challenge and marshals all of the body’s resources to respond to defeat the invader and heal the wound.

We all have experienced the classic signs of inflammation: warmth, swelling, redness, and pain.  Acute inflammation is the response to acute injuries.  Chronic inflammation is the response to chronic smaller injuries and so we do not always get the four classic signs.

THB: You’ve taken the bold step to speak out against statin medications. But playing devil’s advocate for a moment… surely there are some situations when statin medications are effective?

Dr. Lundell: Statin medications have proven to be somewhat beneficial to a small group of people; that is a middle aged man with a previous heart attack. They have never been documented to benefit any woman of any age with any condition.  They have not been documented to help people who have not had a previous heart attack of any age or gender.

There may be some people who would take great offense at the previous paragraph – especially the makers of Crestor and cardiologists who support treating almost everyone with statin drugs.

They might quote the Jupiter study which was touted as proving Crestor would reduce heart attack rates by almost 50% in otherwise healthy people.  Happily, this month in The Archives of Internal Medicine, four peer reviewed articles gave a scathing rebuke to the Jupiter study – the methodology, the conflict of interest by most of the authors, the early termination of the study which almost always provides false results, and the conclusion that statin drugs were beneficial in this population of patients.  At last I am getting reinforcements!

THB: That’s a good point to make – and you make it well. So, if statin meds aren’t effective, why are they so dangerous?

Dr. Lundell: Statin drugs are dangerous not necessarily because of the side effects which can be disabling or fatal, but because they divert our attention from understanding and preventing heart disease and merely treat it with statins, allowing us to think that this is beneficial.

Even some of the foremost cardiologists in the country who have written extensively about inflammation as the true cause of heart disease offer no solutions except taking statin drugs.  $30,000,000,000 in worldwide sales of statin drugs has a lot to do with it.

In part two of our revealing interview, Dr. Lundell tells us why inflammation is the true cause of heart disease and offers critical solutions to prevent it. We also discover the four most common lifestyle factors that injure heart health and get expert guidance on how to improve it. All this and more in next Wednesday’s edition of Undercover.

About Dr. Lundell: Dr. Dwight Lundell is the past Chief of Staff and Chief of Surgery at Banner Heart Hospital, Mesa, AZ. He is the founder of Healthy Humans Foundation and Chief Medical Advisor for Asantae. In 2003, Dr. Lundell made the most difficult decision of his 25 year surgical career. As traditional medicine continued to chase the cholesterol theory of heart disease, Dr. Lundell closed his surgical practice. He then devoted the rest of his life to speaking the truth that inflammation causes heart disease. By lowering inflammation, heart disease has a cure.

Dr. Lundell is the author of the world-wide bestselling book, The Great Cholesterol Lie. This book is a revealing look at heart disease and the faulty theories of low-fat diets and cholesterol. He also reveals his clinically-tested recommendations for lowering inflammation that can prevent and reverse heart disease. Click here now to learn more.

To your health,

Ian Robinson,
Managing Editor, Total Health Breakthroughs

People Will Try CRAZY Things to Lose Weight…

Weight loss drinks, powders, and pills… Calorie counting… Tummy tucks… Crazy fad diets… Hours of cardio at the gym…

Americans spend between $33 million and $55 million a year on weight loss products and services. But the fact is, you don’t have to use any of the above methods to burn fat and get lean.

The independent research team from Natural Health Confidential has tracked down the ultimate fat burner.

This unconventional weight loss technique is all-natural. It’s based on solid science and backed up by research. It’s simple to implement. It doesn’t require counting calories or crazy diet plans. It works. And – best of all – it’s totally free.

Now, you can discover this little-known secret to losing weight more easily than ever before… Plus get monthly research reports on cutting-edge cures for cancer, heart disease, diabetes, and more.

Simply sign up for Natural Health Confidential right here.

The Age-Defying Power of Antioxidants – Part One

Berries Boost Brain Power

Our mental functions slow down as we age. Our focus weakens with each passing year. We lose memory clarity. That’s because oxidative stress ravages our mental systems across the decades. And our brains lose nutrients for prime function.

But antioxidants can help reverse this damage. The right combination of foods can replace the nutrients we lose. They can even prevent memory loss.

THB panel expert Dr. Al Sears says, “Feed your brain [what] it needs. You can maintain and even improve your brain function… no matter how old you are.”

You can find antioxidants in everyday food. Simple store-bought berries are a rich source. Studies show that blueberries “increase health and enhance cognitive function in aging.”

The first step to restoring brain power is simple. It can be as easy as adding fresh blueberries to your yogurt at breakfast time.

How Our Brains Age

Most experts agree about the cause of mental decline. Decline is caused by oxidative stress or free radical damage to the brain.

“There is strong evidence that oxidative stress participates in neurodegenerative diseases,” says Dr. M. M. Rahman, a researcher for Niigata University in Japan.

According to Dr. James A. Joseph, another expert on cognitive decline, “Ample research indicates that age-related neuronal decrements are the result of oxidative stress.”

Dr. Joseph has published several papers on cognitive decline. He also runs a research lab at Tufts University. "Oxidative stress and inflammation are the evil twins of brain aging," he says.

In 1999, Dr. Joseph published a landmark study on the subject in the Journal of Neuroscience. His study revealed that blueberries reversed mental aging. Dr. Joseph took four groups of rats and fed them a normal diet. Three of the groups were given strawberry, spinach, or blueberry extracts. Over the course of 18 weeks, he tested the rats for coordination and mental functioning.

The blueberry group performed best on the coordination tests. This group also showed improved neuron functioning. His research led him to nickname blueberries “brainberries.” He has since released several other studies on the subject.

The Science behind “Brainberries”

“Our previous study [showed] that rats given high antioxidant[s] retarded declines in cognitive function,” says Dr. Joseph.

Blueberries produce antioxidant effects. These limit cellular damage created by free radicals of oxygen. They block pathways by which oxidative stress damages cells.

Blueberries also function as anti-inflammatory agents to protect brain integrity.

Subsequent studies also discussed a further benefit of blueberries. They are rich in phytochemicals. 

“Antioxidant-rich foods reverse the course of [mental] aging,” says Dr. Joseph. They work on a molecular level. They signal pathways to turn vital genes on or off in brain cells. This makes brain cells respond to messages from other cells. They can also promote the growth of new nerve cells.

His findings are supported by several other independent studies. Dr. M. A. Papandreou conducted research for the University of Patras, Greece that examined the effect of blueberries on mental performance. His findings also “stress the critical impact of blueberries on brain function.”

Packing a Punch

It’s clear that blueberries are good for you. But they can be even better.

The trick is to eat them with certain foods.

These foods should be rich in fats. At the top of the list are walnuts and avocado. Walnuts are rich in omega-3 fatty acids. That makes blueberries and walnuts a powerful combination. These foods promote youthful flexibility in brain cell membranes.

Brain cell membrane flexibility is more important than it sounds. You see, every thought begins with a transaction across a brain cell membrane. These membranes are host to a wide array of receptors, which are the gateways to nerve cells.

However, receptors become less effective over time. Our membranes become rigid as we age. That’s why it’s important to eat foods that promote membrane flexibility.

"Polyphenols in berries and fatty acids in walnuts fluidize the cell membrane," says Dr. Joseph. "They make it responsive to a wide array of signals." This increases the efficiency of those transactions.

Walnuts have another good effect on brain health. They also block disease-causing inflammation in our cells. Recent research links inflammation to Alzheimer’s disease, so reducing inflammation is important to promote better mental function. It might even reverse Alzheimer’s disease.

"All this is reversible," says Dr. Joseph. “Adding walnuts and berries to the diet could delay the onset of the diseases of aging.”

Scheduling Your Brain Fuel

According to Elizabeth Somer, M.A., a registered dietitian with over 25 years of experience, breakfast is essential for a fast brain.

“Every food you choose is an opportunity to either nourish or neglect your health,” she says. “Choose health and you will be amazed how your body will repay you.”

She says that people who eat breakfast are more mentally alert. They remember more, react quicker, and are more creative. This first meal delivers fuel to the brain after fasting all night.

She also recommends a light lunch rich in protein, fruit and veggies. She advises stocking up on five to nine servings of fruits and veggies. That’s because they’re packed with antioxidants.

But you can also super-charge your brain by eating delicious snacks during the day. You can build these snacks around breakfast and lunch. A great way to go is to combine antioxidant-rich foods.

Combo Snacks Deliver Super Benefits

Dr. Joseph says there are many foods which help improve brain function. When combined they deliver a super antioxidant punch. "The effects of natural combinations such as walnuts and blueberries are powerful," he says.

These “trail-mix” combinations are easy and convenient. You can pack them and take them with you. So even on busy days you can get those all-important antioxidants.

Try a handful of blackberries and mix them with almonds. Wash them down with green tea. All three are packed with antioxidants.

Or, switch it up and go for strawberries and pecans. These are both rich in antioxidants. The best thing is antioxidants don’t just boost brain power. They promote overall good health.

To your health,

Ian Robinson,
Managing Editor, Total Health Breakthroughs

This Doesn’t Have to Happen to You!

Conventional wisdom says that any man who lives long enough has a 90 percent chance of developing prostate cancer.

And every year, 220,000 men are diagnosed with this disease. 31,000 of those men will die from it.
Conventional medicine writes this disease off as simply a men’s health issue that goes hand-in-hand with growing older.

But our health researchers have tracked down a pioneering New York physician… And he believes that most of those deaths are completely preventable!

In the just-released Natural Health Confidential newsletter, our research team reveals:

• Exactly how you – or a loved one – can avoid this frightening illness…
• 6 all-natural disease-fighters that can help stave off prostate and other cancers…
• Why one New York Presbyterian Hospital surgeon believes that surgery is NOT the answer to the problem…
• 3 simple changes to your diet that could help determine whether prostate cancer affects you or passes you by…
• The “PIN Prevention Protocol” that helps keep prostate cancer from ever developing…

And much more! Click here for all of the details.

Is Your Blood Sugar Dialing 911?

It’s 3pm and you still have a report to write before you can leave the office. You head to the coffee machine for a caffeine fix to help you focus.

This is your brain on low blood sugar.

And it’s dialing 911 for caffeine, or sugar, or both.

Where it all starts

Afternoon slumps don’t have to be a way of life. Keeping your blood sugar under control can eliminate those mid-day concentration crashes and lets you have a natural energy supply all day long.

And two nutrients play an important role in managing your glucose metabolism. Not only that, they can turn you into a fat- and carb-burning machine, helping you to burn off what you eat, instead of storing it on your belly, hips and thighs.

The nutrients I’m talking about are biotin and chromium. And they’re vital for controlling your blood sugar.

It’s important to look at glucose control from the cellular level because that’s where it all starts. Making sure you have the basic building blocks in place gives you a solid foundation for all that has to happen to keep your energy level on an even keel.

Biotin – working from the inside

This vitamin, part of the B complex family, makes your body better at using glucose. It triggers an enzyme that detects the amount of sugar in the blood, telling that enzyme to send out the alert.1 Biotin is like a first responder, setting the whole glucose metabolism in motion.

It can also tell when the liver has been notified to turn its energy stores into glucose. When blood sugar is falling or getting too low, the pancreas releases the hormone glucagon. Glucagon causes the liver to make glucose and boost blood sugar levels back to normal. Research has shown that as little as 3mg of biotin gives the enzymes a nudge to get busy.

An added bonus of biotin is that it is known for strengthening hair and nails. So it not only works to make you feel more energetic, it gives you thicker hair and stronger nails. That way you can look as good as you feel when your blood sugar is steady as a rock.

Biotin is commonly added to beauty products and cosmetics because it’s a powerhouse that works from the inside out.

Chromium – knocking on the door

Chromium is a mineral that enhances the action of insulin. Insulin, of course, is a hormone that regulates blood sugar. Let’s back up a moment for a brief look at how it works.

After you eat and your body starts absorbing sugar into the blood, insulin is released into the blood stream from the pancreas. It travels through the body, binding itself to cells, particularly fat and muscle cells, causing them to take sugar from the blood and use it for energy.

Basically, what insulin does is attach to the cell and “knock on the door.” When the cell responds, it opens up and lets the sugar in. This fuels your metabolism and keeps your energy levels even.

Problems arise when the cell is slow to respond. That might happen if you’re sick or under a lot of stress or if you consume too many carbohydrates. The pancreas then has to send more insulin to the cell, effectively creating a louder knock. This means the cell is becoming resistant to the insulin signal.

No more “fixes” in your future

You can avoid this blood sugar disaster by preventing the cycle of highs and lows from even getting started. Obviously the first step is to avoid high-glycemic carbohydrates that send your blood sugar on a roller-coaster ride, soaring and crashing.

When it comes to supplements, biotin and chromium are a good place to start. Biotin targets glucose directly, while chromium helps insulin bind to the cell so it can knock on the door. Together they pack a powerful punch.

Biotin and chromium are a first line of defense in keeping your blood sugar levels steady. Equally as important, they regulate metabolism of both fat and carbs in your diet, making sure you use up blood glucose as cellular fuel instead of storing it as fat.

Having complete control of your blood sugar means you won’t need the mid-afternoon caffeine or sugar fix. Understanding how your body manages glucose levels – and putting it to work for you – will keep your metabolism in high gear all day.

Steady, even blood sugar means you don’t have to worry about what you eat or don’t eat. When your blood sugar is being regulated like it was meant to be, you don’t get those sugar highs followed by an energy crash. You won’t fight food cravings and your brain power won’t fade in and out like a distant radio station.

No more drowsy afternoons. No more urgent cravings. No more mood swings and feeling out of balance. Just a constant flow of energy all day long.

Jon Herring
Contributing Editor, Total Health Breakthroughs

Who Ever Heard of Burning Cancer Out Of Your Body?

Can the cure for cancer really be as simple as heat?  You’ll be amazed by these simple but powerful health solutions:

• A simple cure for heart disease that could eliminate the need for anyone to ever have bypass surgery again.
• An amazing breakthrough that can make you look and feel up to 20 years younger
• A way to eliminate your “emotional” cravings for food.

But read on because the craziest part is where our health research team found them…

Everyone knows that not getting enough sleep can make you cranky, but did you know it will also make you fat… and possibly fatally ill?

Most people believe everyone has their own sleep requirements and that how it varies makes little difference. But I can tell you that it makes a very big difference.

Lack of sleep delivers a double whammy:

• First you gain weight…
• Then you have an increased risk of type 2 diabetes.

Just from not sleeping? You bet.

I’ll give you some tips for getting better sleep in a few minutes. Meanwhile, here’s the deal…

It turns out that when you’re sleep deprived, your body develops symptoms of insulin resistance. And it doesn’t take long. It happens as soon as you build up any sort of sleep debt.

This surprising connection was made during a study of young, healthy adult males who slept for only four hours – for six nights in a row. At the end of those six nights, every single one of those healthy young men showed impaired glucose tolerance… a precursor to developing diabetes.

And if that isn’t bad enough, lack of sleep delivers a double-diabetes risk:

People who sleep less gain weight easier than those who enjoy better sleep. Increased weight is a key factor in developing diabetes. In other words, poor sleep creates a chain that can contribute to diabetes.

Sounds far fetched? Not really. It all comes down to hormones…

The Sleep-Diabetes Chain

Lack of sleep does make you gain weight faster. And that can lead to diabetes. This is how it happens: the hormone ghrelin, produced in the intestines, stimulates appetite. The hormone leptin, made by fat cells, signals the brain when you are full. Lack of sleep causes ghrelin levels to go up – and leptin levels to go down.

When that happens you get hungry (particularly for carbs) – and you’re less satisfied when you do eat. So you want more food… a constant cycle that can lead to weight gain.

In fact, a Stanford study actually confirmed that people who slept less than eight hours a night had higher levels of ghrelin and lower levels of leptin. As expected, they also had more body fat – which correlated with their sleep patterns. Those who slept the least — weighed the most.

Adequate sleep is essential in maintaining hormone balance. It breaks that night-time hormonal chain that leads to weight gain. Eliminating that gain can in turn reduce your diabetes risk.

Modern sleep deficit…

You probably know that Americans are sleeping less than they used to. That may even be true of you. Looking back, adults slept eight to nine hours a night in 1960. By 1995 that average was down to seven hours. And now the average is just over six-and-a-half hours. That’s getting pretty skimpy.

There are lots of reasons for the difference. Distractions like television and the internet keep people up around the clock. Society is increasingly busy 24/7… cell phones and Blackberries make contact possible any time. You can even go to the grocery store in the middle of the night if you like.

And since the economy took a nosedive over the past couple of years, a lot of people say they are working more to make ends meet – and worrying more about it at night. In a poll of 7,000 people, 52 percent said they were losing sleep from stress. So even if you are in bed, you may not be sleeping the whole time.

That’s especially true if you have insomnia or sleep apnea. Repeated waking during the night can make eight hours of sleep feel more like four. But whatever the reason, too little sleep raises the risk of diabetes.

One study showed that people with insomnia who slept five to six hours total had twice the risk of diabetes. In those who slept fewer than five hours the risk was almost three times greater than someone who gets a full seven to nine hours.

Sleep problems and diabetes go hand in hand. More than half of all people with type 2 diabetes have some sort of sleep disorder such as sleep apnea. At the same time, almost 40 percent of people with sleep apnea have diabetes – as well as a much higher risk of developing diabetes. That’s a strong correlation between sleep and diabetes.

Other research examples include:

• People in their late 20s and early 30s who slept less than six-and-a-half hours a night had the insulin sensitivity of someone more than 60 years old.
• A group of young adults in their 20s were studied in a sleep lab. Each time they started to drift into slow-wave deep sleep, they were subjected to sounds that disrupted their sleep but didn’t fully wake them up. After three nights of decreasing their slow-wave sleep by 90 percent (comparable to the slow-wave sleep of someone in their 60s), they became 25 percent less sensitive to insulin. The result was a 23 percent raise in blood glucose – the equivalent of gaining 20 to 30 pounds.
• Sleep habits of 276 subjects were analyzed for a six-year period. 20 percent of those who slept less than seven hours or more than eight hours developed diabetes or impaired blood glucose. Only seven percent of those who slept between seven and eight hours developed blood glucose problems.

So when you’re tempted to trade a few hours of sleep for another activity, it might be wise to reconsider.

Finding Your Sleep Rhythm…

We each have an internal clock that determines our sleep-wake cycle over a 24 hour period. It is called “circadian rhythm” and it works best if you maintain a consistent schedule. That can be hard to do if you work different shifts or if you regularly travel to other time zones.

Disrupting your circadian rhythm is why you get out of sorts when you have jet lag or an illness that causes you to sleep more or less than usual.

Other things can also wreck a good night’s sleep. Letting pets sleep with you seems harmless enough, but you’re adding a distraction. Remember the study where young people were interrupted by sounds just when they were falling into deep sleep? The same thing can happen when your pet’s tags jingle in the night.

Another sleep wrecker is alcohol at bedtime. It might make you drowsy to start with, but then it turns around and wakes you up. Best to stop drinking several hours before bedtime to skip that effect.

Keys To Better Sleep

There are plenty of distractions that will interfere with sleeping. But there are also many techniques to promote better sleep. Try a few of these tips for restful sleep…

• Go to bed and get up at the same time each day, even on weekends. It’s the best way to strengthen your circadian rhythm.
• Have a regular relaxing bedtime routine. Taking a hot bath or reading a chapter of a book in soft light will help you get ready to sleep.
• Make sure your sleep environment is dark and comfortable. Use eye shades, ear plugs or “white noise” if it helps you stay asleep. Replace your mattress if it is more than eight or nine years old.
• Finish exercising several hours before bedtime. Body temperature goes up during exercise and takes a while to drop. Cooler body temperatures are needed to go to sleep.
• Don’t eat anything too heavy or spicy at bedtime. Restrict fluids late in the evening so you aren’t awakened later to go to the john.
• Keep work materials, computers and televisions out of the bedroom. Use your bed only for sleep and sex.

Prioritize your sleep time…

Sleep is so important for health that you need to make it a priority. Borrowing time from sleep is like taking out a bad loan – it’s a debt you’ll pay for in decreased productivity and higher risk of health problems like diabetes.

Our society often puts useless value on people who brag that they need very little sleep. As though they are somehow more aggressive and dynamic. Or that they can attribute a measure of success to sleeping less.

Well, forget that. Getting your best sleep – for eight or nine hours a night – is what will have you rested, focused and productive. Your body uses that time to repair itself and keep you in good health. Don’t skimp on it.

[Ed. Note: The absolute best medicine just might be good information. For almost every condition you could be suffering from, nature has provided a cure you should know about. Our mission at Natural Health Confidential is to find it, scientifically confirm it, and get it into your hands.

You will discover invaluable natural healing methods that make a real difference in your life and the lives of those you love. The latest issue offers a solution for a disease that affects millions of people worldwide today. It is the sixth leading cause of death – and the shocking news is that a large percentage of people who have it, don’t even know it!

Please don’t allow yourself or your loved ones to suffer damage to your health that is entirely preventable! Click here now to read more…]

To your health,

Ian Robinson, Managing Editor, Total Health Breakthroughs

But screenings are not only virtually pointless but potentially harmful too. And most of the players in the medical community know it. The feds know it. The American Cancer Society knows it. Even the guy who discovered PSA’s knows it. In fact, the only group that doesn’t know it is Joe Public, who’s out there blindly taking the tests!!

Simply put: PSA testing can’t detect cancer; it can’t even distinguish between malign and benign prostate cancers. So why are 30 million American men still taking the tests? Because it’s become a big money-making industry; generating $3 billion per year.

What is PSA Screening?

PSA is a protein created by the prostate gland. It is found in small amounts in the blood of healthy men. Men with prostate cancer may show elevated levels. However, so too do men with benign prostate enlargement.

The PSA test was approved by the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) in 1994. It is now the most popular tool for detecting prostate cancer.

But do PSA screenings save lives? The answer is a resounding ‘no’. Most statistics suggest they don’t even lengthen life. In fact, many experts suggest they don’t make any difference at all.

Early Detection

Supporters argue that PSA screenings allow for early detection of prostate cancer. Advocacy groups use ‘survivor’ statistics to ‘prove’ that people are living longer after early detection. The simple message: early detection saves lives, so PSA tests are good. However, in the case of prostate cancer, early detection does not necessarily save lives. Why? Because most prostate cancers are slow growing: those ‘survivors’ would have enjoyed the same lifespan with or without treatment.

The man who discovered PSA is Dr. Richard J. Ablin. He recently spoke out against PSA screenings.

“American men have a 16 percent lifetime chance of receiving a diagnosis of prostate cancer, but only a three percent chance of dying from it,” he said. “That’s because the majority of prostate cancers grow slowly. In other words, men lucky enough to reach old age are much more likely to die with prostate cancer than to die of it.”

This theory was supported by a wide-ranging study published in 2008. The study revealed that screening did not reduce the death rate in men 55 and over. In other words, early detection usually offers little benefit. What’s worse, it can lead to unnecessary personal harm.

PSA Screenings Inherently Flawed

According to Dr. Ablin, PSA screenings ‘can’t detect cancer’. They only diagnose how much prostate antigen men have in their blood. However, PSA levels are a flawed diagnosis. Everyday factors can significantly affect those levels.

Three common factors that elevate men’s PSA levels include:

• Infections
• Over-the-counter drugs
• Benign swelling of the prostate

A man with high levels of PSA does not necessarily have cancer. Men with low levels may have prostate cancer. Dr. Ablin is not alone in speaking out against the tests. Dr. Otis W. Bramley, MD, also opposes them. Dr. Bramley is the chief medical officer for the Cancer Society.

“I’m against telling people that (PSA testing) works,” said Dr. Bramley. “That it saves lives when the evidence that supports those statements simply does not exist.”

An in-depth study published by the British Medical Journal last year provided further testimony that PSA screenings are flawed. The study was led by Jennifer Stark, research fellow at Harvard School of Public Health, Boston.

“PSA cannot differentiate between indolent and lethal prostate cancer,” said Stark. “Before PSA testing is performed, men should be… informed that the test cannot tell whether they have a life-threatening cancer.”

The experts agree: PSA screenings are a worthless indicator of prostate cancer. The question is, if they don’t do much good, do they do much harm? The answer, simply put, is ‘yes’.

Harmful Diagnosis

PSA screenings immediately impact the patient in a negative way. Three negatives include:

1. Adverse psychological effects, including stress and anxiety
2. Financial expense
3. False readings leading to unnecessary biopsies

Bullet #3 is the real problem. A positive PSA test starts the ball rolling on a painful and often unnecessary personal nightmare.

Having tested positive, the doctor then calls for a biopsy. A prostate biopsy is something that most men dread and with good reason. There are many negative factors associated with them.

Negative Consequences of Biopsies include:

• Psychological stress
• Pain
• Fever

If the biopsy shows any signs of cancer, the doctor then pushes for treatment. Treatment options include anything from prostate surgery to radiation therapy. The conventional treatments may vary, but the results are all damaging.

Three damaging side effects of prostate surgery or radiation therapy include:

1. Depression
2. Urinary incontinence
3. Erectile dysfunction

Now consider this: 70 percent of diagnosed men have cancers that will cause them no harm whatsoever if left untreated. A European study revealed further shocking findings in 2009.

“People who were never going to get a dangerous cancer get treated and suffer the ill effects of needless treatment,” said study co-author Dr. H. Gilbert Welch. “Over diagnosed patients cannot benefit from treatment because there is nothing to be fixed, but they can be harmed.”

The study showed that just one out of almost 50 men would be saved through PSA screenings. The other 49 men would receive surgery with no benefit whatsoever. What’s worse, they’d suffer impotence or incontinence because of the treatments.

Alternatively, men who chose to practice ‘watchful waiting’ often lived out their lives unimpaired.That’s according to research presented by Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center. The study was conducted by Dr. Martin Sanda.

“Men diagnosed with low-risk tumors who deferred treatment were still doing fine an average of eight years — and up to 20 years — following their diagnosis,” said Dr. Sanda.

The Truth is Out There

Study after study is discrediting PSA screenings. Leading field authorities like doctors Ablin and Brawley are not alone in condemning the tests. Earlier this year the American Cancer Society urged greater caution using PSA screenings. The American College of Preventive Medicine refuses to recommend routine screening. Even the Preventive Services Task Force, a federal panel evaluating screenings, found issues. They recommended against screenings for men 75 years and older. The panel has yet to issue guidance for younger men.

The industry experts and organizations know the truth. So why are 30 million men still taking the screenings?

Financial Gain

The answer is simple: because there are huge profits to be made out of screenings. PSA testing is a long-established source of revenue. Drug companies push the tests. Advocacy groups promote prostate cancer awareness: awareness through PSA screenings. And many of the advocacy groups are funded by the drug companies.

“Several of the leading prostate cancer survivor organizations that do a lot of the pushing of screening are funded by the makers of the PSA screening kits,” said Dr. Brawley.

Likewise, the man who discovered PSA knows that PSA screenings are a money-making scam.

 “I never dreamed that my discovery four decades ago would lead to such a profit-driven public health disaster,” said Dr. Ablin. “The medical community must confront reality and stop the inappropriate use of PSA screening. Doing so would save billions of dollars and rescue millions of men from unnecessary, debilitating treatments.”

Wake Up to Healthful Alternatives

PSA screenings do not effectively test for prostate cancer. But that doesn’t mean you can stop worrying about prostate cancer. In fact, it means you are entirely responsible for your own health. That’s a scary idea. But it doesn’t have to be. Knowing how to prevent prostate cancer is more empowering than a medical test.

Medical science has let you down: this is your wake up call to change your lifestyle and your diet. Steer clear of the causes of prostate cancer. Discover your options for protecting yourself against – and preventing – prostate cancer.  

Powerful Prostate Cancer Preventers

You are what you eat and your health depends on your diet. Diet is one of the key factors in preventing prostate cancer.

Here are 10 foods can significantly cut a man’s risk of prostate cancer:

Tomatoes: This red fruit is a rich source of lycopene. Lycopene is a powerful antioxidant. Studies show that antioxidants protect against prostate cancer. The National Prostate Cancer Foundation recognizes its protective power and recommends that men stock up on lycopene-rich foods.

Green Tea: Study after study shows the benefit of drinking green tea for general good health. Now two recent studies show that green tea also delivers a powerful protective punch against prostate cancer. So brew up a cup and toast to good health.

Cruciferous Vegetables: You probably won’t be surprised that super-food broccoli battles prostate cancer. It’s not alone: other cruciferous vegetables include cauliflower, kale, mustard greens, and Brussels sprouts. Three or more servings per week may reduce the risk of prostate cancer by 50 percent.

Garlic: The ancient Egyptians believed Garlic could prevent brain tumors. More recent studies suggest it cuts the risk of prostate cancer tumors by over half. That’s possibly because it contains selenium. Selenium is an essential antioxidant that fights cancer. According to Dr. Al Sears, studies show selenium supplements lead to a 50-percent drop in prostate cancer risk.

Brazil Nuts: Another great source of selenium. A daily handful of Brazil nuts offer enough selenium to lower your risk by 50 percent.

Fish: Dr. Al Sears has also conducted exciting research on combining vitamin E with selenium. The two taken together forge an effective shield against prostate cancer. Vitamin E is found in significant quantities in fish. Best sources: Sardines, tuna, and salmon.

Flaxseeds: Another rich source of vitamin E are flaxseeds. Research conducted on mice shows that flaxseeds may slow the spread of prostate cancer.

Pomegranate Juice: Pomegranate juice also slows the growth of prostate cancer, according to research on mice.

Scallions: One study showed that eating just a tenth-of-an-ounce of scallions each day reduces the risk of prostate cancer by 70 percent.

In addition to vitamin E and Selenium, herbal supplement saw palmetto also boosts prostate health. Saw palmetto alleviates the symptoms of prostate gland enlargement.

The herbal extract is the initial treatment for urinary tract problems in several European countries.

In the 1920s, Dr. Gerson pioneered a revolutionary diet that proved to be a potent nutritional and metabolic therapy for tuberculosis, diabetes, and even migraine headaches.  Then amazingly, he started curing his patients’ cancer with it.  The Gerson therapy blends a diet of organic fruits and vegetables and fresh juices with special detoxification methods.  For decades — both during and after Gerson’s lifetime — his therapy has helped thousands of people recover from cancer — despite the fact that the FDA and AMA did everything they could to discredit him.

Dr. Gerson understood the connection between diet and cancer.  He knew that poor nutrition, exposure to chemicals, and cooking that destroys vital nutrients are big reasons our bodies get sick.  When we add to these factors a poorly functioning liver, pancreas, and immune system, cancer can flourish.  But importantly, Gerson also believed cancer could be controlled with a healthy liver and a proper balance of sodium and potassium in the body.

His theory was that a sick body quickly becomes overtaken by sodium.  But with his dietary therapy, potassium could be built up and sodium could be excreted, returning a sick body to its natural balance.  His findings show that a low-sodium metabolic therapy that includes detoxification and nutritional replacement can stimulate the immune system to naturally dissolve tumors.

The diet is rich in whole, natural and organic foods.  It does not allow coffee or foods with additives or preservatives like white flour and sugar.  The vitamins, minerals, and enzymes that are added to the therapy help the immune system to properly deal with toxins produced by tumors.  Enemas, gallbladder flushes, herbal teas and lots of fresh juices also contribute to detoxification.

By 1946, Dr. Gerson had so many successes with his natural therapy, that he presented his findings and many of his recovered patients to the US Senate.  Soon after, the medical director of New York’s Gotham Hospital called his recoveries “miraculous.” An independent doctor who reviewed Gerson’s records for Congress stated that “relief of severe pain was achieved in about 90 percent of cases.”

With this kind of recognition and success, why didn’t the Gerson therapy become the gold standard of cancer care? Enter the AMA Dr. Morris Fishbein, editor of the Journal of the American Medical Association (JAMA).

Here’s why Gerson became an enemy of the AMA.  First, he had the sense to take a stand against tobacco.  This upset Fishbein because Phillip Morris was JAMA’s biggest source of advertising revenue at the time. (Can you believe it?!)  Second, by presenting his dietary findings to the Senate, Gerson ignored the formal stance of the AMA that [incorrectly] stated there is no connection between cancer and diet.

As a result of his honesty, Dr. Gerson was openly attacked in writing in JAMA, expelled from the New York medical society, and deprived of all hospital affiliations.  He even lost his malpractice insurance.  In 1959, Dr. Gerson, one of the great minds of modern medicine, died.  This after years of harassment from the AMA who pressured hospitals, labs, and other doctors not to work with him.

It’s outrageous at how badly this brilliant doctor was treated by the medical establishment.  It’s even worse when you consider how many millions of lives might have been saved if his therapy was accepted by mainstream medicine.  But the medical establishment did not defeat Dr. Gerson.  His legacy lives on with forward-thinking health professionals who continue to save lives based on his findings.

In tomorrow’s Undercover we’ll take a closer look at the Gerson therapy and the latest research that supports his work.

[Ed. Note: The absolute best medicine just might be good information. For almost every condition you could be suffering from, nature has provided a cure you should know about. Our mission at Natural Health Confidential is to find it, scientifically confirm it, and get it into your hands.

You will discover invaluable natural healing methods that make a real difference in your life and the lives of those you love. This month’s issue offers a solution for a disease that affects millions of people worldwide today. It is the sixth leading cause of death – and the shocking news is that a large percentage of people who have it, don’t even know it!

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Logically, it makes sense that the earlier you discover a cancer, the more likely you will be alive in five years. This has driven millions of people to their doctors’ offices for screening and it has poured billions of dollars into the coffers of the cancer industry.

But does it save lives? And do the risks outweigh the benefits? Apparently, the answer to both of those questions is no.

While the statistics do show that, on average, people are living longer after their diagnosis, that is only because we are diagnosing the disease much earlier. For the majority of cancers, there is little or no evidence that early detection is helping people to live longer. In fact, the age-adjusted mortality rates for all forms of cancer combined have steadily increased over several decades. Orthodox medicine is losing the war on cancer.

The Cancer Organizations Have Overstated the Benefits (and Hidden the Risks)

In the last month, the British government’s National Health Service (NHS) and the American Cancer Society (ACS) both have stated that they are updating their public health messages regarding cancer screening.

For decades, these organizations were among the staunchest defenders of screening. The organizations now admit that they overstated the benefits of screening. Even worse, they intentionally downplayed the risks.

In a New York Times article, Dr. Otis Brawley, chief medical officer of the American Cancer Society states that, “American medicine has overpromised when it comes to screening. The advantages to screening have been exaggerated.”

In the U.K., Dr. Joan Austoker is the person who writes the advice the National Health Service provides to women about breast cancer screening. She recently told The Sunday Times that it was “a mistake to withhold information from women” that treatment for a particular type of cancer might be unnecessary. You think?

These organizations are softening their stance because the facts have become too blatant to ignore. The Journal of the American Medical Association recently published an analysis showing that early stage breast cancer diagnoses have doubled. Yet, the number of cancers that have spread elsewhere in the body has barely budged.

The cancer organizations are also finally beginning to acknowledge the risks of cancer screening. You might wonder the “risks” could be. After all, isn’t it a good idea to know if there is a health concern you should worry about?

The Risks of Cancer Screening

First, there is the risk of “false positives.” Take breast cancer, for example.  For every 1,000 healthy women who undergo annual mammograms for 10 years, half of them will receive a false positive result.

Being told that you could have only months or a few years to live can be devastating. It can cause family distress and deep depression. Desperate for a solution, many women opt for treatment. Conventional treatment – like chemotherapy and radiation – is costly and debilitating. In the case of mastectomies, it can be also be painful and disfiguring – and all of that for a problem which did not exist in the first place.

The other major risk is over-diagnosis. This is when doctors treat small lesions or innocuous tumors as if they could be imminently deadly. In most cases, these “cancers” would not spread and are too slow-growing to cause harm within the patients normal lifespan.

For Every Life Saved… 10 Healthy Women are Treated Unnecessarily

Breast cancer screening, in particular, is rife with over-diagnosis. Research shows that for every life saved by breast cancer screening, 10 healthy women receive unnecessary treatment.

And while the American Cancer Society continues to state that a mammogram is “one of the best things a woman can do to protect her health,” the facts suggest otherwise. To avert just one death from breast cancer, doctors must screen 1,000 women ages 50 and older for 10 years.

The statistics are similar for prostate cancer. For every 100 men that are diagnosed with the disease, as many as 70 have cancers that would never have harmed them, if untreated. The Agency for Healthcare Policy Research produced evidence showing that men who had their prostate gland removed had an average survival of 14 years after surgery. That sounds great – until you consider that the men who chose “watchful waiting” instead of surgery, also lived an average of 14 years after diagnosis.

Despite these statistics, hundreds of thousands of men each year are subjected to aggressive treatments that often leave them with impotence, urinary incontinence and depression.

The same trends are evident with skin cancer. According to a Dartmouth Medical School study, skin biopsies have risen by 250 percent since 1986. However, during the same period, there was no change in the melanoma death rate or the incidence of advanced stage melanoma.

Renowned dermatologist, Dr. A. Bernard Ackerman, emeritus director of the Ackerman Academy of Dermatopathology in New York believes dermatologists have gone too far. “There has been a mania for taking off these moles that are of no consequence,” he said. “We’re talking about billions and billions of dollars, based on hype.”

The over-diagnosis and over-treatment of early stage cancers clearly leads to a huge number of unnecessary procedures. However, it also leads to a false sense progress in the war on cancer.

We are now diagnosing cancer at a much earlier stage. By adding these very early cancers to the data pool, the number of “five year cancer survivors” grows. That makes it appear that cancer patients are living longer. However, it is a delusion to equate longer survival rates after diagnosis to progress. What matters is the number of actual deaths, and most forms of early-detection and treatment have not reduced that number.

The War on Cancer – “A Qualified Failure”

In May of 1986, the New England Journal of Medicine commented on the state of modern cancer treatment, stating, “The main conclusion we draw is that some 35 years of intense effort focused on improving treatment must be judged a qualified failure.” Their report concluded, “We are losing the war against cancer” and argued for an emphasis on prevention.

Of course, that would make sense. According to the International Agency for Research in Cancer, our lifestyle and environment is the cause of up to 90% of human cancer. That clearly means that we can avoid it. Yet, here we are – nearly 25 years later – and there is still no real emphasis on prevention. Less than 10% of the National Cancer Institute budget is set aside to study the environmental causes of cancer. Less than 1% is budgeted for nutrition studies.

Why?

Because treating disease is enormously profitable. Preventing it is not. And whether the screening involves cancer, cholesterol, diabetes, or any number of other markers and diseases, the objective is the same. The goal is not to “prevent” disease. The goal of Medical Monopoly is to detect the symptoms earlier so that more “treatments” can be given.

This does not mean that you should not be concerned with cancer, or that you should avoid regular check-ups, as long as they are safe (Digital breast thermography should be favored over the dangerous radiation of mammograms, for example). If anything, cancer screening should be a serious wake up call to change your lifestyle, your environment and your diet. It should be a stark reminder to avoid the causes of illness and disease and do more of the things proven to prevent and successfully treat that disease. We must accept responsibility for our own health.

To Your Great Health,

Jon Herring
Contributing Editor
Total Health Breakthroughs

Editor’s Note: Contrary to what we have been told, we are NOT winning the war on cancer. In fact, rates of this terrible disease are rising at a frightening rate across the globe. Even worse, the long-standing, conventional anti-cancer methods (cut, poison, and burn) are “holding actions” at best – and signify the failure of mainstream medicine to really address our health needs and heal cancer.

In future issues of Total Health Breakthroughs, we will talk about the real causes of cancer. We will show you how to avoid them. And we will introduce you to the many nutrients and natural medicines that have been shown to effectively prevent and treat this dreaded disease.