Health to Fight Evil

High-Fructose Corn Syrup Produces Toxic Chemical "HMF" When Heated

2010-02-27T13:43:00.000-08:00

http://www.naturalnews.com/027286_HFCS_food_honey.html

Mike Adams
Natural News
Tue, 20 Oct 2009 03:00 EDT

If it kills honey bees, could it damage the brains of children?

If you know anything about the food supply, you know that honey bees are a crucial part of the food production chain. In the United States, they pollinate roughly one-third of all the crops we eat, and without them, we'd be facing a disastrous collapse in viable food production.

That's why, when honey bees started to disappear a few years ago, scientists scrambled to find the root cause of the phenomenon, which has since been dubbed "Colony Collapse Disorder."

The name is a bit of a misnomer, though. It's not really a "disorder." It's more of a poisoning. Or at least that's what we may be learning from new research that's just been published in the ACS' Journal of Agricultural and Food Chemistry.

It's been difficult, of course, trying to determine the cause of colony collapse disorder. Some of the suggested theories for explaining the phenomenon included chemical contamination from pesticides, genetic contamination from genetically modified crops, changes in the Earth's magnetic field, climate change and air pollution. In an attempt to nail down some scientific answers, researchers from the USDA Agricultural Research Service in Tucson, Arizona joined with other researchers in New Orleans and the University of Wisconsin to check out another possible culprit: High-fructose corn syrup (HFCS).

HFCS, as you may already know, is a processed, liquid sweetener used in disturbingly large amounts throughout the global food supply. You can find it in not just sodas, but pizza sauce, salad dressings and even whole wheat bread. It's in breakfast cereals, food bars, peanut butter, ketchup and a thousand other products.

There are two reasons why you find HFCS in so many food products:
1) It's sweet.

2) It's cheap.
It is for these same two reasons that high-fructose corn syrup is fed to honey bees. It provides them the sugar calories to stay active without resulting in a huge cost for the beekeeper. That's why HFCS has been used for decades as a food source for honey bees.

But this very food source may, in fact, be poisoning the bees.

HFCS forms hydroxymethylfurfural

What these USDA researchers discovered is that when HFCS is heated, it forms hydroxymethylfurfural (HMF), a chemical that can kill honey bees. The production of HMF during cooking rose in parallel to the temperatures to which HFCS was exposed.

To put it plainly, when you cook HFCS, it becomes contaminated with HMF. And according to the research, levels of HMF "jumped dramatically" when temperatures rose above 120 degrees Fahrenheit (which isn't very hot, by the way).

This is similar to the way in which browning or frying carbohydrates produces acrylamides, a cancer-causing chemical that's also ubiquitous in the food supply.

The upshot is that HMF could be part of the reason why honey bees are dying off. Feeding a chemical contaminant to your bees, after all, doesn't sound like a good way to support their long-term health. But if HFCS has been fed to honey bees for decades, why the sudden collapse of bee populations in just the last few years?

We don't know the answers to that yet, but HMF is likely only part of the picture. It could be that honey bees are already stressed from pesticides, GM crops and other environmental sources. With their chemical burdens already maxed out, one additional dietary stressor might have just pushed them over the edge. There's a limit, of course, to how much chemical stress any biological organism can tolerate, and honey bees appear to have been pushed one chemical too far.

Perhaps hydroxymethylfurfural will one day be known as "the chemical that killed the honey bees."

You can read a bit more about this chemical on Wikipedia.

Could HMF harm humans, too?

Beyond the issue of honey bees, this research on HFCS and HMF raises some potentially serious questions about the use of the ingredient in the human food supply:

Is HMF toxic to humans?

If it kills honey bees, could it damage the brains of children? Could it disrupt normal neurological function in the human body? And if so, might this help explain why so much research links HFCS to diabetes and obesity?

The researchers from this particular study stated that "...the data from this study are important for human health as well." They also went on to state two very important facts you need to be aware of:
Fact #1) HMF has been linked to DNA damage in humans.

Fact #2) When HMF breaks down in the human body, it breaks down into substances that may be even more harmful than the HMF itself. (Similar to the way in which aspartame breaks down into formaldehyde, formic acid and other potentially harmful chemicals.)
These are bombshell revelations about the potential dangers of high-fructose corn syrup. There's no such thing as "raw" or "cold-pressed" HFCS. It's all subjected to high temperatures during processing, meaning that all HFCS may be generating some level of the HMF contaminant before it's even put into foods.

And then, once it's added to manufactured food items, it's often cooked again! This second cooking could theoretically generate even more HMF, further contaminating the food with potentially dangerous chemicals.

Perhaps when you eat HFCS, you're consuming a chemical that "scrambles" health intracellular communication, causing physiological disruptions that, if allowed to continue for long enough, are expressed as diseases like "diabetes" or "obesity." We don't know this for sure, but it's a question that clearly needs to be asked... especially given the tremendous quantities of HFCS currently consumed in the diets of mainstream consumers.

How to protect yourself

There are two ways to protect yourself from all this:
1) Don't eat (or drink) high-fructose corn syrup! This is seemingly the easiest way to avoid the potential danger here, but it does require a level of vigilance with the reading of food labels. HFCS is found in many products you would never suspect, so you've got to watch for it carefully.

2) Don't eat cooked, processed foods! Work more raw foods into your diet and greatly reduce your consumption of factory foods.

And finally, don't believe the spin of the HFCS industry. Those lobbying groups will always insist HFCS is perfectly safe, regardless of what research concludes otherwise. They act a lot like Big Tobacco, in my opinion, criticizing good research while promoting a product that can contribute to the decline of health among those who consume it.

The sooner we get HFCS out of the diet of both humans and honey bees, the better off we'll all be in the long run. In my view, eating raw, dehydrated cane juice crystals is far better for you than eating cooked, contaminated HFCS.

Blueberries Improve Memory, Slow Aging and Much More

2010-02-20T12:51:00.001-08:00

http://www.NaturalNews.com/z028192_blueberries_memory.html

February 18 2010
by Luella May, citizen journalist

(NaturalNews) Blueberries are one of the richest sources of antioxidants, the natural substances that fight damage caused by free radicals. In addition to helping prevent memory loss, these versatile and delicious berries have been shown to be effective in fighting chronic degenerative diseases, including cardiovascular disease, cancer, high blood pressure, diabetes, muscular degeneration, Parkinson's and Alzheimer's.

The flavonoids contained in blueberries are thought to be responsible for these effects. Although it is not clear as to how flavonoids affect the brain, it has been shown that they are absorbed in the blood stream, crossing the blood/brain barrier. This enables them to influence regions involving memory and motor function. The researchers explained that it is thought to enhance neural connections, thereby improving cellular communication and stimulating neural regeneration.

Blueberries have been shown to be instrumental in protecting the brain from free radicals, radiation, inflammation, and excitotoxicity. Additionally, blueberries may reverse decline in cognitive and motor function. In addition to its anti-aging properties, blueberries are also high in Vitamin C and Vitamin E.

A recent study at the University of Cincinnati found that drinking a couple of cups of blueberry juice each day may give aging memories a boost. The study was led by Robert Krikorian, PhD and Associate Professor of Clinical Psychiatry, and was published in the American Chemical Society's Journal of Agricultural and Food Chemistry. In the study, people in their 70's with age-related memory problems were tested for learning and memory. One group of volunteers drank 16 to 20 ounces of a commercial blueberry juice every day for two months while the control group drank a non-juice beverage.

At the end of the study, the group of volunteers who drank blueberry juice showed significant improvements on tests for learning and memory compared to the control group. The study scientists concluded that the preliminary findings were encouraging and that "consistent supplementation with blueberries might offer an approach to forestall or mitigate neurodegeneration."

Previous animal studies had indicated that blueberries may help aging memories, but until the recent study, there had been little actual testing of blueberries' effect on people. The study also indicated that blueberries are linked to lessening depression symptoms and lowering glucose levels.

Another plus is that blueberries contain a compound called pterostilbene which may be effective in lowering cholesterol. A test conducted by Dr. Agnes M. Rimando, a research chemist for the Federal Department of Agriculture in Oxford, Mississippi, found that pterostilbene activates a cell receptor that participates in lowering cholesterol and other blood fats.

An additional study published in The Journal of Nutritional Biochemistry and performed by researchers from Florida State University and Oklahoma State University found that blueberries can even be instrumental in preventing osteoporosis. This study showed that nutrients in blueberries may be responsible for preventing bones from weakening after menopause. In this study, ovaries were removed from rats in order to simulate menopause. While the control group showed bone loss, the group given blueberries retained their bone mass.

Ongoing research at Rutgers University in New Jersey has isolated other compounds called proanthocyanidins which promote urinary tract health by preventing bacteria from attaching to the urinary tract walls.

Scientists recommend consuming the whole fruit rather than just drinking the juice or taking blueberry extract capsules. The reason for this is that it is not known what part of the blueberry contains all its nutrients and antioxidants.

Anti-Aging Pill: Super Gene Discovery Leads to Fruitless Attempts to Mimic Nature

2010-02-20T12:50:00.000-08:00

http://www.NaturalNews.com/z028169_anti-aging_discovery.html

February 16 2010
by Marek Doyle, citizen journalist

(NaturalNews) Scientists continued their obsession with pill-based cures today as they announced a breakthrough in their ambitions to 'revolutionise.' They discovered three so-called `super-genes` that are linked to increased longevity and reduced risk of senility though their effect on insulin signaling. Whilst many will consider the research to simply document the importance of insulin sensitivity in aging, the researchers clearly feel that reducing dietary sugar is too radical. Instead, they hope to produce a drug to mimic the genetic benefits and aim to have the product ready for testing within three years.

Dr Nir Barzilai, the lead scientist, was upbeat about the discovery: "The advantage of finding a gene that involves longevity is we can develop a drug that will imitate what this gene is doing. If we can imitate that, then long life can be terrific."

Moral issues aside, the scientist`s enthusiasm is understandable, given the potential meaning of his work. However, upon analysis, the impact of this research seems very unlikely to change society in any meaningful way, even if a drug makes it to testing stage. The scientists went on to explain that they have identified three genes known to be present in Ashkenazi Jews residing in New York. Carriers of these genes have a 1 in 500 chance of making it to 100 - which is significantly higher than the odds of non-carriers making it a century, currently 1 in 10,000 - and they have a reduced propensity for developing high cholesterol, diabetes. The incidence rate of senility amongst carriers is also less. Whilst the newspaper reports were keen to point out the increased health seen in the Ashkenazi Jews studied, there was no discussion of the increased rates of specific diseases amongst this ethnic group.

Based on the research currently available, the increased longevity and resistance to chronic disease can be explained fully by the gene conferring improved insulin sensitivity upon the carrier. Impaired insulin signaling has been shown to increase systemic inflammation, cause mismanagement of lipids, and increase risk of cancer and neurodegenerative diseases such as Alzheimer`s.

Despite this potentially simple explanation and the resources likely to be invested in coming years into developing some sort of drug to mimic the gene, there currently are no plans to compare the biomarkers observed with a low sugar diet against those found in Ashkenazi Jews. Neither is there likely to be any research done on the relationship of these super-genes to the increased incidence of inherited disease amongst the Ashkenazi populations; conditions include Gaucher disease and cystic fibrosis. This selective study fits the Big Pharma research model, whereby the results of a team of keen scientists trigger massive spending on a complex, expensive and ultimately fruitless quest to mimic nature.

True to form, the charities were equally selective in their optimistic view of the news. On the discovery of the so-called supergene, Professor Judith Phillips said: "It`s a huge opportunity because the ageing population is growing anyway." The president of the British Society of Gerontology said the discovery would change how people look at growing old: "They would be a huge resource because people would be able to work longer and they would have to healthier life, and it would revolutionise the way we look at older people. And it would reduce costs in terms of care."

With these benefits in the offing, the multi-million pound costs to develop a drug suddenly seem less daunting to the pharmaceutical companies considering investment. Whether or not it comes to fruition is another question altogether, as is the logic in spending millions on developing a pill that can only mimic what sugar restriction has done for millennia.

Beet Juice Boosts Athletic Performance by up to 16 Percent

2010-02-20T12:49:00.000-08:00

http://www.NaturalNews.com/z028189_beet_juice_athletic_performance.html

February 18 2010
by David Gutierrez, staff writer

(NaturalNews) Regular consumption of beet juice may boost athletic performance, increasing endurance while lowering blood pressure and reducing fatigue, according to a study conducted by researchers from the University of Exeter and published in the Journal of Applied Physiology.

On two separate occasions, the researchers had the same group of eight men between the ages of 19 and 38 drink 500 milliliters of an unknown beverage for six consecutive days, then perform a series of standardized tests on an exercise bicycle. On one occasion, the beverage was 500 milliliters of organic beetroot juice; on the other, it was a placebo of blackcurrant cordial.

The researchers found that men who drank the beetroot juice were able to cycle for 16 percent longer (92 seconds) than those who drank the placebo. This, in turn, would allow a cyclist to cover a set distance 2 percent faster. Participants also had a lower resting blood pressure after drinking beetroot juice than they did after drinking the placebo.

The beetroot juice apparently caused the body to burn oxygen more slowly, thus staving off tiredness longer.

"We were amazed by the effects of beetroot juice on oxygen uptake, because these effects cannot be achieved by any other known means, including training," said researcher Andy Jones. "I am sure professional and amateur athletes will be interested in the results of this research.

Jones noted that the research might also lead to benefits for people who have diseases related to lack of physical activity, such as metabolic syndrome, cardiovascular disease and respiratory diseases.

"I am also keen to explore the relevance of the findings to those people who suffer from poor fitness and may be able to use dietary supplements to help them go about their daily lives," he said.

The researchers do not know why beets cause the observe effect, but they believe that the nitrates in the vegetables might slow the body's oxygen uptake.

"Certainly, a diet high in nitrate-rich fruits and vegetables is good for your heart health and this study provides further evidence of this," Jones said.

Sources for this story include: news.bbc.co.uk.

Activists Want Makers to Come Clean on Cleansers

2010-02-20T11:33:00.001-08:00

The corporate killers for the status quo have to make sure they poison us while they make a profit on it...

http://www.commondreams.org/print/52524

February 5, 2010 by Associated Press
Activists Want Makers to Come Clean on Cleansers
by Jennifer Peltz

NEW YORK - It's the mystery under the kitchen sink.

Exactly what's in floor cleaner? What's stain remover made of? And what effects, if any, might they have on human health or the environment?

Environmental advocates want to know, and they asked a court Thursday to use a 1971 New York state law to force such manufacturers as Procter & Gamble and Colgate-Palmolive to reveal just what makes up such household staples as Ajax, Ivory soap and Tide.

The cleanser industry - which recently ramped up voluntary efforts to unveil product ingredients - says that the legal case is unwarranted, and that fears about health risks are misinformed.

But groups including the American Lung Association and the Sierra Club want the public to know more.

Members "want access to the information so they can determine the kind of chemicals that they are introducing into their homes and whether there are any risks associated with them," Keri Powell, an attorney for the environmental firm Earthjustice, told a state judge at a hearing Thursday.

A victory in the New York case would require companies to report their contents only to the state. But the advocates hope it will fuel nationwide reform of regulations on chemicals in cleaners and other products.

The case comes amid growing concerns about potential toxins lurking in consumer goods, from the heavy metal cadmium in jewelry to the chemical bisphenol A in baby bottles. While lawyers argued the cleaning-products case in New York, a Senate subcommittee in Washington held a hearing to examine current science on the public's exposure to toxic chemicals.

Some studies have linked cleaning product components to asthma, antibiotic resistance, hormone changes and other health problems. The industry's major trade group, the Soap and Detergent Association, assails the research as flawed, says the products are safe if used correctly and notes that cleaning can itself help stop the spread of disease.

Federal environmental laws don't require most household cleaning products to list their ingredients, though there are congressional proposals to change that. The Consumer Product Safety Commission requires hazard warning labels on some cleansers, and the National Institutes of Health offer some health and safety information for hundreds of cleaning products, drawn from data gathered for industrial use.

Cleanser industry groups unveiled their own ingredient-listing initiative last month, offering information on participating manufacturers' Web sites. New York-based Colgate-Palmolive Co., Cincinnati-based Procter & Gamble Co. and several other industry heavyweights are participating.

"We think we've done it in a meaningful way that provides more information than ever before," Soap and Detergent Association spokesman Brian Sansoni said.

Environmental advocates welcome the disclosures but say they are too selective and vague - some components can be listed simply as "fragrance" or "dye," for instance.

"We must be careful about exposures for all household chemicals," said Joseph A. Gardella Jr., a Sierra Club member from Buffalo.

The activists say only regulation can insure full disclosure, and they hope the New York law can serve as a model.

The law and subsequent regulations authorized the state Department of Environmental Conservation to make manufacturers detail household cleaning products' ingredients, as well as any company-led research on the products' health and environmental effects.

The DEC, and the companies fighting the lawsuit, say the law allows but doesn't require the agency to collect the data. The companies have said in legal papers they would make the disclosures if required but haven't been officially asked.

"The DEC has never enforced these regulations," John J. Kuster, a lawyer for New York-based Colgate-Palmolive, told the judge Thursday.

The companies - also including Church & Dwight Co. Inc., Procter & Gamble and Reckitt-Benckiser Inc. - asked a state Supreme Court judge to dismiss the case. There's no definite timeframe for a ruling.

Reckitt-Benckiser, a British company with its U.S. headquarters in Parsippany, N.J., makes products including Lysol and Woolite. Princeton, N.J.-based Church & Dwight makes Arm & Hammer cleaners, among other items.

Some other companies have sent ingredient lists to the DEC since Earthjustice and other organizations began asking in 2008.

Seventh Generation, which prides itself on its environmental bona fides, already listed ingredients on most of its cleaning products' packages. But the Burlington, Vt.-based company said it released more detailed information to the New York environmental agency, including the percentage of various ingredients within cleaners.

"We thought it was the right thing to do," said Dave Rapaport, Seventh Generation's senior director of corporate consciousness.

The DEC is looking at ways to publicize such information for consumers who want it, spokeswoman Maureen Wren said.

© 2010 Associated Press

Aspartame Has Been Renamed 'AminoSweet'

2010-02-20T04:44:00.000-08:00

http://www.rense.com/general89/aminosweet.htm

Beware - Aspartame Has Been Renamed 'AminoSweet'
And is now being marketed as a 'natural' sweetener!
By Ethan Huff
Citizen Journalist
2-13-10

In response to growing awareness about the dangers of artificial sweeteners, what does the manufacturer of one of the world's most notable artificial sweeteners do? Why, rename it and begin marketing it as natural, of course. This is precisely the strategy of Ajinomoto, maker of aspartame, which hopes to pull the wool over the eyes of the public with its rebranded version of aspartame, called "AminoSweet".

Over 25 years ago, aspartame was first introduced into the European food supply. Today, it is an everyday component of most diet beverages, sugar-free desserts, and chewing gums in countries worldwide. But the tides have been turning as the general public is waking up to the truth about artificial sweeteners like aspartame and the harm they cause to health. The latest aspartame marketing scheme is a desperate effort to indoctrinate the public into accepting the chemical sweetener as natural and safe, despite evidence to the contrary.

Aspartame was an accidental discovery by James Schlatter, a chemist who had been trying to produce an anti-ulcer pharmaceutical drug for G.D. Searle & Company back in 1965. Upon mixing aspartic acid and phenylalanine, two naturally-occurring amino acids, he discovered that the new compound had a sweet taste. The company merely changed its FDA approval application from drug to food additive and, voila, aspartame was born.

G.D. Searle & Company first patented aspartame in 1970. An internal memo released in the same year urged company executives to work on getting the FDA into the "habit of saying yes" and of encouraging a "subconscious spirit of participation" in getting the chemical approved.

G.D. Searle & Company submitted its first petition to the FDA in 1973 and fought for years to gain FDA approval, submitting its own safety studies that many believed were inadequate and deceptive. Despite numerous objections, including one from its own scientists, the company was able to convince the FDA to approve aspartame for commercial use in a few products in 1974, igniting a blaze of controversy.

In 1976, then FDA Commissioner Alexander Schmidt wrote a letter to Sen. Ted Kennedy expressing concern over the "questionable integrity of the basic safety data submitted for aspartame safety". FDA Chief Counsel Richard Merrill believed that a grand jury should investigate G.D. Searle & Company for lying about the safety of aspartame in its reports and for concealing evidence proving the chemical is unsafe for consumption.

Despite the myriad of evidence gained over the years showing that aspartame is a dangerous toxin, it has remained on the global market with the exception of a few countries that have banned it. In fact, it continued to gain approval for use in new types of food despite evidence showing that it causes neurological brain damage, cancerous tumors, and endocrine disruption, among other things.

The details of aspartame's history are lengthy, but the point remains that the carcinogen was illegitimately approved as a food additive through heavy-handed prodding by a powerful corporation with its own interests in mind. Practically all drugs and food additives are approved by the FDA not because science shows they are safe but because companies essentially lobby the FDA with monetary payoffs and complete the agency's multi-million dollar approval process.

Changing aspartame's name to something that is "appealing and memorable", in Ajinomoto's own words, may hoodwink some but hopefully most will reject this clever marketing tactic as nothing more than a desperate attempt to preserve the company's multi-billion dollar cash cow. Do not be deceived.

Sources
Ajinomoto brands aspartame 'AminoSweet' - http://www.foodbev.com/news/ajinomoto-brands-aspartame-aminosweet

Aspartame History Highlights - Janet Starr Hull http://www.sweetpoison.com/articles/0908/aspartame_history.html

FDA's approval of aspartame under scrutiny - The Globe and Mail (Canada) http://www.wnho.net/fdas_approval_of_aspartame_under_scrutiny.pdf

An Overdue Ban On A Dangerous Sweetener - Huffington Post
http://www.huffingtonpost.com/samuel-s-epstein/an-overdue-ban-on-a-dange_b_250249.html

Stop Using 'Natural' Deodorants Until You Read This

2010-02-17T14:09:00.000-08:00

http://articles.mercola.com/sites/articles/archive/2010/02/16/aluminum-lurks-in-crystal-deodorants.aspx

Stop Using 'Natural' Deodorants Until You Read This
Posted by: Dr. Mercola
February 16 2010 |

Some of the most popular natural deodorants are the "crystal" deodorant stones and sprays. But most people don't know that these crystal deodorant products contain aluminum.

The crystal deodorant stones are made from alum. The most widely used form of alum used in the personal care industry is potassium alum. The full chemical name of potassium alum is potassium aluminum sulfate.

The reason that most people try to avoid aluminum in deodorant is because of its possible link to Alzheimer's disease. There is some strong evidence of a link -- for instance, in 1988 a truck driver accidentally dumped 20 tons of aluminum sulfate in to a town's drinking water.

Now, over 20 years later, they are finding a higher incidence of Alzheimer’s in the people of this town.

Incidentally, the article linked below notes that, “many doctors such as popular web guru and natural health expert Dr. Mercola suggest avoiding aluminum as much as possible.”

Sources:

Bubble and Bee January 21, 2010

Dr. Mercola's Comments:

Let’s get this straight. Even though aluminum is widely distributed in the earth’s crust, it is NOT needed in ANY amounts in your body. All evidence to date points to aluminum as a poison that serves no beneficial role in your body and should be avoided.

Aluminum is widely recognized as a neurotoxin, which has been found in increased concentrations in the brains of people with Alzheimer’s disease.

Unfortunately, if you use antiperspirants or some deodorants, you are most likely exposing yourself to aluminum.

Aluminum salts can account for 25 percent of the volume of some antiperspirants.

A review of the common sources of aluminum exposure for humans found that antiperspirant use can significantly increase the amount of aluminum absorbed by your body. According to the review, after a single underarm application of antiperspirant, about .012 percent of the aluminum may be absorbed.

Multiply this by one or more times a day for a lifetime and you can have a massive exposure to aluminum -- a poison that is not meant to be in your body.

Antiperspirants work by clogging, closing, or blocking the pores that release sweat under your arms -- with the active ingredient being aluminum. Not only does this block one of your body’s routes for detoxification (releasing toxins via your underarm sweat), but it raises concerns about where these heavy metals are going once you roll them (or spray them) on.

In some cases, it is clear that they may be wreaking havoc directly on your brain. In 1988, for instance, a truck driver accidentally poured 20 tons of aluminum sulphate into a tank containing drinking water.

Some 20,000 people in the village of Camelford were exposed to the chemical for several weeks, and then went on to develop a rare form of early-onset Alzheimer’s disease, along with showing the presence of high levels of aluminum in their tissues.

Deodorants and Antiperspirants Linked to Cancer

Alzheimer’s disease is not the only reason to ditch your aluminum-containing antiperspirant and deodorant, as this heavy metal has also been linked to cancer.

A 2006 study found that aluminum salts can mimic the hormone estrogen, and chemicals that imitate that hormone are known to increase breast cancer risk. Animal studies have also found that aluminum can cause cancer.

Given that antiperspirants are used on your armpits, the aluminum salt concentration is highest near your breast tissue. Further, when women shave under their arms it can result in a higher aluminum-salt absorption rate due to the damaged skin.

In a 2007 study published in the Journal of Inorganic Biochemistry, researchers tested breast samples from 17 breast-cancer patients who had undergone mastectomies. The women who used antiperspirants had deposits of aluminum in their outer breast tissue. Concentrations of aluminum were higher in the tissue closest to the underarm than in the central breast.

Aluminum is not normally found in the human body, so this study was a pretty clear sign that the metal was being absorbed from antiperspirant sprays and roll-ons.

It’s worth mentioning that deodorants are not the same thing as antiperspirants. Deodorants may actually be less problematic than antiperspirants, as they work by neutralizing the smell of your sweat and by antiseptic action against bacteria, but do not prevent sweating.

However, many deodorants also contain aluminum, along with chemicals called parabens, which have also been linked to breast cancer. So, you’re clearly better off avoiding both antiperspirants and deodorants.

Supposedly “Safe” Crystal Alum Antiperspirants

“Crystal” deodorant stones are a popular natural deodorant alternative, often used by health-conscious shoppers looking to avoid the aluminum and other chemicals common in most antiperspirants and deodorants.

However, if you’re looking to avoid aluminum, crystal deodorants may not be your best choice.

While many claim to be aluminum-free, they are referring to aluminum chlorohydrate, aluminum chloride, aluminum hydroxybromide or aluminum zirconium.

These types of aluminum are widely used in antiperspirants and deodorants. The aluminum is taken into sweat ducts in the top layer of your skin where they act as a plug, stopping the flow of sweat to your skin’s surface.

There is evidence, however, that this aluminum is absorbed into your body where it may cause serious damage.

The aluminum in crystal deodorant stones is a different type of compound known as an alum, the most common form being potassium alum, also known as potassium aluminum sulfate.

Potassium Alum or Ammonium Alum are natural mineral salts made up of molecules that are too large to be absorbed by your skin. They form a protective layer on your skin that inhibits the growth of odor-causing bacteria. These deodorants are recommended by many cancer treatment centers.

But while this may be a better alternative to most antiperspirants and deodorants on the market, it is not completely aluminum-free.

I’ll share with you my top tips for staying odor-free naturally shortly, but first I want to explain why I stopped using any antiperspirants or deodorants over 25 years ago … and suggest you also do the same.

Final Recommendation:

Please note that this recommendation is for antiperspirants only, not deodorants. Many confuse the two. Nearly all antiperspirants use aluminum or alum-based salts to achieve their sweat reduction effect.

It is an absolute no brainer for you and your family to avoid all conventional aluminum-based antiperspirants. The evidence is very clear that these are absorbed and will contribute to aluminum in your body.

Regarding purportedly safe “alum” based antiperspirants found in most health food stores, the companies that produce these claim that the mineral salts are too large to be absorbed and thus provide no danger. However, we have been unable to uncover any solid evidence that supports this claim so it would seem prudent to avoid using them.

While these crystals are probably better than using a conventional antiperspirant, they are clearly not aluminum-free and it still poses a possible Alzheimer's risk and contributes to background toxicity in your body.

It would seem best to exercise the precautionary principle at this time and avoid these crystal-based alum antiperspirants.

Personally, I have not used antiperspirants for over 30 years, once I realized that they were actually causing the stains in the underarm area of my shirts and that wasn’t due to my own sweat. That was a major clue to me to avoid them.

All I do is use simple soap and water and that seems to work well enough that my friends and relatives do not tell me I have any offensive body odor. I typically will wash under my arms in the morning and after I workout.

This approach has served me well for over three decades, however if you find you need a more aggressive approach, then try a pinch of baking soda mixed into water as an effective all-day deodorant.

Additionally, there are many non-aluminum or alum-based alternatives in your local health food store that would likely serve your needs, but I would encourage you to at least TRY going without before making your mind up.

Remember you will need to check the label not only for “aluminum” but also for potassium alum or potash alum, as the full chemical name of potassium alum is potassium aluminum sulfate.

This Silent Killer Now Verified in Non-Smoker's Lung Cancer Posted by: Dr. Mercola February 16 2010 | 39,329 views By Dr. Mercola Radon exposure is

2010-02-17T13:49:00.001-08:00

http://articles.mercola.com/sites/articles/archive/2010/02/16/this-silent-killer-now-verified-in-nonsmokers-lung-cancer.aspx

February 16 2010 | 39,329 views
By Dr. Mercola

Radon exposure is the number two cause of lung cancer in the U.S., second only to cigarette smoking. It is the number one cause of lung cancer among non-smokers.

It’s estimated between 15,000 to 22,000 people die each year from radon-related lung cancer.[1] A majority of those deaths occur among people who also smoke cigarettes.

Of the 11,000 lung cancer deaths among non-smokers, an estimated 20 to 25 percent are radon-related. [2]

Radon in your home can originate from a number of sources, including:

Building materials

Well water

Outside air that seeps into your home through cracks in the foundation, walls and floors

Smoke detectors installed in your home

Certain clocks and watches

Radon gas can be deadly and is present in nearly all the air we breathe. I strongly encourage you to investigate how much of this gas you and your family are exposed to, and take the necessary steps to remediate the problem if the levels in your home are excessive.

What is Radon?

Radon is a radioactive gas which comes from the normal breakdown of uranium in rocks, soil and water throughout the world.

You can’t smell, taste or see radon in the air. But it’s in the environment both outside and indoors, and is unique in that it is an indoor air contaminant from a natural source.

Concern about levels of radon in homes and businesses is the result of extensive research that has proved exposure to the gas causes lung cancer in underground miners who work with uranium.

How Radon Causes Disease

Radon has a half-life of three and a half to four days. In other words, half of a given amount of radon takes over three days, but less than four, to decay.

The breakdown products of radon, also known as radon progeny or the daughter products of radon, are a series of solid elements including lead-214, polonium-214 and polonium-218. These elements give off alpha particles of radiation. Alpha particles, unlike gamma radiation, cannot deeply penetrate the tissues of your body, but they do contain sufficient energy to permanently change the structure of your DNA.

If the breakdown elements of this gas reach your lungs, these alpha particles can damage the cells lining your lungs and increase your risk of developing lung cancer, especially with chronic, long-term exposure.

Lung Cancer in Miners

Radon is a very well-studied carcinogen. The scientific community has learned how inhaling radon delivers radiation to the lungs, and how the particles from the radon progeny can damage human cells.

The link between working in underground mines and high death rates was recognized in the mid-1500s, before radon was even identified as an element.

In the early 20th century, scientists linked lung cancer in miners with the high levels of radon found in mines in Czechoslovakia and Germany. In the 1950's, researchers determined it was radon’s breakdown elements and not the gas itself that caused cancer.

In the United States, increased incidence of lung cancer in Mormon and Native American miners was of particular interest since these groups normally have low rates of the disease overall.[3]

Subsequent epidemiologic studies in the 1950’s and 1960’s confirmed the direct connection between radon exposure and lung cancer in miners.

Radon exposure in cigarette smokers is particularly dangerous, because radon breakdown elements attach to the particles in cigarette smoke and lodge in the lungs. The combination of the two carcinogens creates a much greater risk for lung cancer than either factor by itself.

Radon and Non Lung-Related Cancers

There is some evidence radon is linked to cancers outside the lung as well.

One study conducted in Denmark from 1968 to 1994 suggests a statistically significant link between radon exposure and acute childhood lymphoblastic leukemia.[4]

Another more recent study by the University of Texas Medical Branch concluded radon exposure may be a significant risk factor for pancreatic cancer in African Americans, American Indians, and Asian Americans.[5]

How Much Radon is Safe?

Radon levels inside most homes are normally significantly lower than in uranium mines. However, it has been discovered that the range of levels of exposure found in heavily contaminated homes can be the equivalent of levels found in mines, and may actually exceed the established standards permitted for underground miners!

The EPA has developed guidelines for maximum tolerable levels of radon in homes by extrapolating data from high occupational exposures in the mining industry to the much lower residential exposures.

Radon is measured in picocuries per liter of air, or pCi/L. A measurement of 0.4 pCi/L is a typical level of radon in outdoor air and 1.3 pCi/L is the average level for indoor air.

According to the EPA, an average annual indoor level at or above 4 pCi/L is unacceptable. Regularly inhaling that amount of radon inside your home or office carries about the same risk for lung cancer as smoking half a pack of cigarettes a day ...

At the end of this article I will give you some guidelines for how to measure and minimize the radon levels inside your home.

Sources of Radon Exposure

You and your family are exposed to radon in your home, at the office, at school, in commercial buildings -- inside every structure you enter.

Radon in the outside air disperses before it reaches high levels of concentration, but in tightly sealed or poorly ventilated indoor spaces, even low levels of radon can accumulate and pose a significant health hazard.

The radon gas emitted by soil and rock can seep into buildings through gaps in the foundation, construction joints, and through cracks in floors and walls. Since radon levels are highest in rooms closest to the ground, if you spend a lot of time in basement rooms at home, work or school, your risk for exposure could be greater.

Soil radon levels vary widely across the United States and depend on the geology of the area. Regions of the Mid-Atlantic States and the upper Midwest have higher radon levels than those found in the southeast and west into Texas, and along most of the west coast.

In 1998, the EPA estimated that as many as eight million U.S. homes have elevated radon levels. To find out what the natural radon levels are in your area, check out the EPA’s radon map at this link.

Keep in mind that elevated radon levels have been found in almost every state, so be careful not to make assumptions about the safety of your own home based on this map. You will still need to measure the radon levels in your home or office to determine whether or not you may be exposing yourself and your family to dangerous levels.

What is Your Exposure Risk?

Your radon exposure risk will depend on:

The levels of radon in your indoor environments

The amount of time you spend in those environments

Whether or not you are a smoker

Naturally, your radon exposure is likely to be very high if you work in an underground mine (uranium and some other types as well) or a uranium processing facility, if you live near a uranium mine (although few facilities are still in operation), or if you come in contact with phosphate fertilizers.

You can also be exposed to radon gas through drinking water. As the radon is released from the water into the air, you can inhale it into your lungs.

The risk of exposure from water is minimal, unless you happen to use a deep, underground well sunk into rock with a high radium concentration. Water from such a well could have a high level of radon, but surface water from lakes and rivers has very low radon levels.

Radon exposure can also come from certain building materials, including:

Silicone-rich magmatic rocks, particularly granite, and especially the more exotic granites like the red, pink and purple varieties

Gypsum waste products

Cement

Concrete

Pumice

Basaltic rock

Another source of radon you may never have thought could harbor any danger is smoke detectors. You may not realize it, but there is more than one type of smoke detector for your home, and some are emitters of this deadly gas. There is the ionization type, the photoelectric type, and detectors which contain both types of sensing devices.

Ionization smoke detectors are less expensive and more commonly used, but they emit small amounts of radon, and also have a higher rate of false alarms than the photoelectric variety.

Certain clocks and watches can also add to the overall radon levels of your surroundings. If you own a new or relatively new watch with a luminous dial, it probably contains either Tritium, a radioactive form of hydrogen, or Promethium, a man-made radioactive element.[6] Both elements emit small amounts of radon, and while most of it is contained in the cover of the watch, there is still a minimal risk associated with having luminous watches around.

If you happen to own a World War I vintage “glow in the dark” clock or watch, be aware that highly radioactive radium was used to make the luminous paint for the dials. Wearing such watches, and certainly repairing them, poses a significant risk of radon exposure.

How to Test Your Indoor Environments for Radon

There are a number of things that can cause indoor radon concentrations to vary. The EPA recommends you perform long-term rather than short-term measurements in order to make the most accurate assessment of consistent radon levels in your home or office.

Indoor radon concentrations can be affected by:[7]

The type and operation of ventilation systems

All forces which affect indoor air pressure, such as window openings, window fans, driers, and fireplaces

Weather

Water usage

The time of day

Different areas inside your home or other structure

If you’d like a certified technician to measure the radon levels in your home or other indoor environment, you can contact the American Association of Radon Scientists and Technologists. Testing costs from $100 to $300.

You can also obtain information on certified technicians and do-it-yourself testing from the EPA. State and regional information can be found at http://epa.gov/iaq/whereyoulive.html.

Do-it-yourself test kits for radon run between $20 and $30 and can be purchased online and at your local hardware store.

Common types of test kit detectors include charcoal canisters, alpha track devices, electret ion chambers, continuous monitors, and charcoal liquid scintillation detectors.

Test kits are placed in your home for several days, up to as long as three months, and then are mailed to a laboratory for analysis. Short-term test kits, which are often used at the time of a home sale, tend to give measurements that are above the actual level in the home. That’s why it’s a better idea to perform one of the longer tests or repeat measurements over a longer period of time.

Using a Geiger Counter to Measure Radiation

If you want to find out if items in your home are emitting radiation (for example, if you have a specific concern about your granite countertops), and in what amounts, you can use a Geiger counter.

A Geiger counter measures alpha, beta and gamma radiation. It won’t detect the presence of radon gas in your indoor air, however it can be a useful tool to locate the sources of radiation inside your home or other building.

What You Can Do To Reduce Radon Levels in Your Home

It is estimated that one in 15 homes has a radon level at or above the EPA action level of 4 pCi/L. Scientists estimate deaths from lung cancer could be reduced by two to four percent, or about 5,000 deaths, by lowering radon levels in homes exceeding the EPA’s action level.

You can reduce your own and your family’s health risk even further by lowering radon exposure in your indoor environments to levels well below EPA guidelines, and I would strongly encourage you to do so.

There are a variety of ways to reduce radon levels in your home, including:

Sealing cracks in floors and walls

Increasing ventilation through sub-slab depressurization with pipes and fans

Removing granite countertops if they are emitting high levels of radon

Replacing ionization smoke detectors with the photoelectric type

The cost of radon reduction measures depends on the size and design of your home and the specific methods needed. Costs range from $800 to $2,500, with an average cost of $1,200.

If you’re building a home or other structure, insist on building materials that are more resistant to the naturally occurring radon in the outdoor environment.

The five basic features of a radon-resistant home are:

Gravel laid below the foundation which allows radon in the soil to circulate freely underneath your house

Plastic sheeting or other vapor retarder laid over the gravel to stop soil gases from entering the structure

Vent pipe run vertically from the gravel layer up to the roof to safely vent radon from the soil outside the house

Sealing and caulking of all cracks, crevices and other openings in the concrete foundation and the walls of the structure

Electrical junction box installed in the attic for use with a vent fan, should one be needed

For more information on Radon-Resistant New Construction (RRNC), visit the EPA website at http://www.epa.gov/radon/rrnc/basic_techniques_builder.html.

[1] National Cancer Institute Fact Sheet, Radon and Cancer: Questions and Answers

[2] American Cancer Society, Radon

[3] Wikipedia, Radon

[4] PubMed.gov, Health Phys. October 2009, Radon and leukemia in the Danish study: another source of dose

[5] PubMed.gov, Pancreas May 2009, Racial disparities in pancreatic cancer and radon exposure: a correlation study

[6] RadonSeal, Radon and Radioactivity – Facts and Controversies

[7] Health Physics Society

What is a poison like fluoride doing in our tap water?

2010-02-16T05:48:00.001-08:00

Dr. Bill Osmunson -- a general and cosmetic dentist -- explains why he is now concerned about fluoride and water fluoridation.

Web Based Self-Management for Chronic Fatigue

2010-02-10T13:44:00.000-08:00

http://belleruthnaparstek.com/hot-research/web-based-self-management-for-chronic-fatigue.html

Web Based Self-Management for Chronic Fatigue
Monday, 08 February 2010

Investigators from the Chronic Fatigue Center at Radboud University Nijmegen Medical Centre in The Netherlands tested the usefulness of a minimal, cognitive behavioral intervention consisting of guided self-instructions combined with email contact on 171 chronic fatigue patients in a randomized, controlled trial.

Eighty-five were randomized to the intervention condition, and 86 to a wait list control condition. All subjects . met the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention criteria for chronic fatigue syndrome.

An intention-to-treat analysis showed a significant decrease in fatigue and disability after self-instruction. The level of disability was negatively correlated with treatment outcome.

The researchers conclude that guided self-instruction is an effective treatment for patients with mild to moderate chronic fatigue syndrome.

Citation: Knoop H, van der Meer JW, Bleijenberg G. Guided self-instructions for people with chronic fatigue syndrome: randomised controlled trial British Journal of Psychiatry. 2008 Oct; 193 (4): pages 340-1. j.knoop@nkcv.umcn.nl

Mycelium Mushrooms Provide Detoxification for the Earth

2010-02-10T13:08:00.000-08:00

http://www.naturalnews.com/028132_detoxification_mycelium.html

February 10 2010

Mycelium Mushrooms Provide Detoxification for the Earth
by Kim Evans, citizen journalist

(NaturalNews) Much of the land, air and water around the world have been contaminated by industrial waste and pollution. Many people are affected by the filth as it`s unfortunate but true that what`s in the air and water around our homes regularly ends up inside of our bodies. The problems are serious, but fortunately, nature has provided us with an environmental solution in an unlikely package: mushrooms. Mycelium from mushrooms has the unique ability to breakdown and detoxify a great deal of toxic industrial waste and pollution.

Mycelium is actually the fruit of a mushroom. In forests, the mycelia breakdown and recycle nitrogen, carbon and plant and animal debris; they turn the forests` waste products into rich soil.

However, Paul Stemets, a longtime mushroom researcher, discovered that mushroom mycelium also has the unique ability to break down hydrocarbons - and hydrocarbons are at the base of many industrial pollutants. Everything from pesticides to dioxins have a hydrocarbon base.

According to Stemets, mycelium can break down and detoxify biological warfare agents and heavy metals, including lead and mercury. In addition, he`s found that mycelium can remove industrial toxins from the soil, including pesticides, chlorine, dioxin, and PCBs. Since many of these poisons are showing up in the umbilical cord blood of infants, it`s about time we got serious about getting them out of the environment. Using mushroom mycelium is an environmentally friendly way to do it, and it`s far less expensive than conventional methods of environmental cleanup.

Conventional methods of removing industrial contamination include treating the waste with chemicals or capturing the waste and burning it. Of course, the burning of industrial waste just releases those chemicals right back into the air we all breathe. And this time, it contains new and unknown chemical combinations - ones that might be more dangerous than the original ones.

To cleanse the soil of contaminants, mycelium absorbs the compounds of the soil and water around it. It acts as a filter to remove any usable materials, and then it releases enzymes to break down any remaining contaminants. As an example of its effectiveness: when soil contaminated with diesel fuel is inoculated with mycelia from oyster mushrooms, it was found to lose its toxicity in just 8 weeks.

Many plants benefit from a relationship with mycelium, and mycelium makes up about 10 percent of many healthy soils. Trees often become more drought and disease resistant with mycelium. Mycelium can also kill many agricultural pests; it even kills problems including Staphylococcus sp. and E. coli.

Stemets tells us that mycelium can also be used to cleanse groundwater of contaminants and pollutants. Yet, as with many natural healing techniques, what we really need are more people using them.

Mediterranean Diet Prevents Depression

2010-02-10T13:07:00.000-08:00

http://www.naturalnews.com/028135_Mediterranean_Diet_depression.html

February 10 2010
by David Gutierrez, staff writer

(NaturalNews) The Mediterranean diet may improve not just heart health but also mental health, according to a study conducted by researchers from the Universities of La Palma and Navarra in Spain, and published in the Journal of the American Medical Association.

The Mediterranean diet is high in fruits, vegetables, nuts, cereals, fish, and monounsaturated fatty acids like those found in olive oil. It is low in meat, and intake of alcohol and dairy products are kept to moderate levels. Prior research has shown a significant connection between the Mediterranean diet and a lower risk of heart disease and cancer.

Researchers had 10,094 university graduates fill out regular questionnaires that allowed researchers to measure their adherence to the Mediterranean diet over the course of four-and-a-half years. During this time period, 156 male participants developed depression, as did 324 female participants.

After adjusting for depression risk factors such as marital status, number of children, lifestyle habits, anxiety, competitiveness and other personality and lifestyle traits, the researchers found that those who followed the Mediterranean diet most closely had a 30 percent lower risk of developing depression than those who did not follow it.

Researcher Miguel Martinez-Gonzalez said that while further studies of longer duration and with more participants would be needed to confirm the findings, the diet "may exert a fair degree of protection against depression."

"Thirty percent is a large reduction in the risk and this could be very important considering the large burden of disease represented by depression," he said. "We know how important the Mediterranean diet is in reducing cardiovascular risk factors and the same inflammatory proteins are also raised in patients with depression."

Clinical psychologist Cecilia D'Felice noted that diet can play a significant role in mental health.

"What we do know is that a diet high in olive oil will enhance the amount of serotonin ... available to you," she said. "Most anti-depression drugs work to keep more serotonin available in the brain."

The overall diet is likely to provide benefits above and beyond any individual component, Martinez-Gonzalez said.

Mainstream Drugs are Neither Safe nor Effective, Part III

2010-02-03T14:40:00.000-08:00

http://www.NaturalNews.com/z028077_drugs_side_effects.html

February 3 2010
Mainstream Drugs are Neither Safe nor Effective, Part III
by Tony Isaacs, citizen journalist

(NaturalNews) Over 95% of the 24,000 plus FDA approved medicines have side effects. In many instance those side effects lead to further conditions requiring still more drugs with more side effects in a never ending cycle. Millions of serious adverse reactions are reported each year and over 140,000 deaths in hospitals and homes happen each year even when the drugs have been properly prescribed and administered.

We are told that there is always risk versus reward to be considered. But it appears that often a great deal of the "reward" is drug company profits regardless of risks. Such was the case when the makers of Vioxx (Merck) reaped billions of dollars of profit while the body count piled up even higher than all the lives we lost in the Vietnam War. The same thing appears to be happening now with Paxil:

http://www.naturalnews.com/027962_P...

Meanwhile, major side effects caused by natural herbs are rare and deaths almost non-existent.

Often we see the supporters of mainstream medicine refer to natural healing as "woo" and sometimes they liken belief in natural herbs as more akin to some kind of religion instead of "real science". Yet, true science is based on observation and mankind has observed nature to work and has used nature for healing for thousands of years. Most of the people around the world continue to rely on such observation and history of us to make herbal and natural healing their top choices for addressing health issues. Among those countries are several countries ranked above the U.S. (the world`s most medicated country) in health rankings, including two of the top three ranked countries. Our life expectancy ranks below 40 plus other countries and is closer to that of Mexico than it is the top 10 countries.

To claim that nature, from whence life itself came, is "woo" is patently absurd. Of course most of us would like to see scientific proof that anything we take is safe and effective, but when medical science has been sold off to the highest bidder far too often, choosing what others have observed to work time and again through the ages often appears to be a safer bet than taking the word of what medical science tells us will work and is safe.

History has taught us over and over that the science of today has but a fraction of the answers and is often overturned tomorrow. When you combine the record of safety and effectiveness of approved drugs with the lessons of history, one might well conclude that blind belief in mainstream medicine is much more of a religion than belief in nature.

Granted, just because something is natural does not mean that it will work or even that it is safe, but the fact that something has been approved by medical science provides no assurances either. According to Doctor Allen Roses, worldwide vice-president of genetics at GlaxoSmithKline and academic geneticist from Duke University, "The vast majority of drugs - more than 90 per cent - only work in 30 or 50 per cent of the people."

Despite the conflicting and incomplete studies on herbs, natural remedies, vitamins and minerals, studies largely agree on one thing: a great many of our health problems can be traced to vitamin and mineral deficiencies. On the other hand, no one ever became ill due to a deficiency in pharmaceuticals.

Mainstream Drugs are Neither Safe nor Effective, Part II

2010-02-03T14:39:00.000-08:00

http://www.NaturalNews.com/z028079_drugs_side_effects.html

February 3 2010
by Tony Isaacs, citizen journalist

(NaturalNews) Mainstream medicine assures us that their drugs are more effective than nature and that they have been scientifically proven to be both effective and safe. What mainstream medicine does not tell us is how they have rigged studies, withheld evidence of harm and paid doctors to prescribe their drugs.

The drug industry has been riddled with scandal again and again - including faked studies, rigged studies, hidden evidence of dangers, ghostwritten articles, fake medical journals, sex scandals, and much more. Merck, Vioxx. Pfizer, Avantis, GlaxoKilineSmith, Baxter Labs, the list goes on and on and on and leaves virtually no major pharmaceutical company untouched:

http://www.guardian.co.uk/uk/2002/f...

http://www.bmj.com/cgi/content/extr...

All one has to do to get an idea of how riddled with scandal the drug industry has been is to do a simple internet search for "drug company scandals". Absolutely shameful!

The latest example:

http://www.healthiertalk.com/pfizer...

Another problem with mainstream drugs is the influence peddling of the pharmaceutical companies to get doctors to prescribe their medicines. Many doctors receive incentives for prescribing drugs - such as honorariums, free lunches and other gifts, and even free massages and cruise trips, to name a few. There have been a number of scandals concerning drug companies essentially bribing doctors to prescribe their drugs, and there have been many cries for reform to insure that drugs are prescribed according to the patient's best interests and not the financial interests of doctors and drug companies.

Besides all the incentives, some doctors make profits directly from the drugs they prescribe, often with unhealthy consequences for their patients. In an article that appeared in the New York Times in May 2007 it was revealed that two of the world's largest drug companies are paying hundreds of millions of dollars to doctors every year in return for giving their patients anemia medicines, which regulators now say may be unsafe at commonly used doses.

The same article noted that:

"Federal laws bar drug companies from paying doctors to prescribe medicines that are given in pill form and purchased by patients from pharmacies. But companies can rebate part of the price that doctors pay for drugs, which they dispense in their offices as part of treatment. Doctors receive the rebates after they buy the drugs from the companies. But they also receive reimbursement from Medicare or private insurers for the drugs, often at a markup over the doctors purchase price."

See: http://news.blogs.nytimes.com/2007/...

No wonder a Harris Poll found that only 13% of Americans believe that pharmaceutical companies are "generally honest and trustworthy".

Mainstream Drugs are Neither Safe nor Effective, Part I

2010-02-03T14:37:00.000-08:00

http://www.NaturalNews.com/z028081_drugs_side_effects.html

February 3 2010
by Tony Isaacs, citizen journalist

(NaturalNews) For generations we have been told by mainstream medicine that their drugs are safer and more effective than natural alternatives such as those man has used for healing for thousands of years. Similarly, we have been told that herbs and other natural alternatives are unproven, usually of little or no value and often may be dangerous. History tells us an entirely different story.

Proponents of mainstream drugs and critics of natural healing usually cite the lack of scientific studies proving the effectiveness or safety of herbs and natural alternatives. Likewise, mainstream drug advocates point to the wealth of studies which prove the effectiveness and safety of patented mainstream drugs. However, relatively few comprehensive studies have been conducted on herbs other than to find a compound that can be synthesized or uniquely isolated so it can be patented and profited from by the drug companies. Drug companies are by far the largest source of funding for medical studies and the cost of such studies is a huge barrier for natural alternatives. The FDA trial process costs hundreds of millions of dollars, and no one can afford to get a natural item approved that they cannot control. Whole herbs and extracts of herbs that contain multiple compounds found in nature cannot be patented.

Despite the complicated, expensive and time consuming process of getting FDA approval, many point to all the harmful drugs that have been approved as an indication that the system is deeply flawed and rigged in favor of those who have the money. It has been shown that studies tend to return positive results for the funders up to eight times more often than independent studies on the same item.

The FDA approval process did not prevent us from having rigged studies on Vioxx. Nor did it prevent rigged studies for decades on the safety - and even claimed health benefits - of smoking cigarettes. Those are just two examples in a very long list of drugs and other items mainstream science told us were safe but weren`t. For example: thalidomide, heroin, opium, cocaine, Avandia, Fosamax, Prozac, Paxil, Aleve, Bextra, Aspartame . . the list goes on and on.

Another problem with mainstream medical studies is the apparent lack of quality standards employed by pharmaceutical companies in selecting doctors who oversee drug testing. A New York Times investigation in 2007 found that in Minnesota alone at least 103 doctors who had been disciplined or criticized by the state medical board received a total of $1.7 million from drug makers between 1997 to 2005. The median payment over that period was $1,250; the largest was $479,000.

One such doctor was Dr. Faruk Abuzzahab, whom the Minnesota Medical board accused of a "reckless, if not willful, disregard" for the welfare of 46 patients, 5 of whom died in his care or shortly afterward. The board suspended his license for seven months and restricted it for two years after that. One of Dr. Abuzzahab`s patients was David Olson, whom the psychiatrist tried repeatedly to recruit for clinical trials. Drug makers paid Dr. Abuzzahab thousands of dollars for every patient he recruited. In July 1997, when Mr. Olson again refused to be a test subject, Dr. Abuzzahab discharged him from the hospital even though he was suicidal, records show. Mr. Olson committed suicide two weeks later.

Heal yourself in 15 days by transforming your blood (part four)

2010-02-03T14:36:00.000-08:00

http://www.NaturalNews.com/z028075_blood_health_transformation.html

February 2 2010
by Mike Adams, the Health Ranger, NaturalNews Editor

(NaturalNews) This article continues part four of the 15-part article series called Heal Yourself in 15 Days. In part three, we explored how you are what you absorb, not merely what you eat (http://www.naturalnews.com/028067_s...). Today, in part four, we take a closer look at how to transform your health by changing your blood.

Your blood is a useful focal point for exploring your health. Whatever health outcome you are experiencing today, it is largely a result of what's in your blood.

Think about it: Your blood bathes your cells in nutrients 24 hours a day. Blood not only brings vital nutrients to your cells; it also carries away metabolic waste products. It is the superhighway of nutrition and detoxification that reaches into (virtually) every organ and cell in your entire body.

It stands to reason, therefore, that altering your health outcome depends largely upon altering the composition of your blood. If you want to make someone really healthy for a short time, for example, you can give them blood from a healthy person. Research has already documented that when you take blood from people whose bodies prevent cancer and then inject that blood into people who are suffering from cancer, the anti-cancer benefits of the blood are immediately reflected in the cancer patient (through tumor shrinkage, for example). There is such a thing as anti-cancer blood. And if you eat an anti-cancer diet, you're making anti-cancer blood every single day.

I eat a very strong anti-cancer diet. Most vegans do, too. They could theoretically help heal cancer patients by simply giving them some of their blood. The anti-cancer effects would be immediate and powerful. The FDA, not surprisingly, prohibits you from selling your own blood as "medicine," so don't think you can make money by eating a healthy diet and then selling your blood for $1,000 / pint (although it might very well be worth that much in a truly free market).

The other limitation with this idea is that the benefits from receiving donated blood are short-lived. If the blood recipient does not alter his or her lifestyle in some meaningful way, the anti-cancer properties of the "healthy" blood will, within just a few days, be erased and overpowered by the blood that person is manufacturing on their own.

And this leads me to the important question: How is your blood made?

How your body makes your blood
A typical human red blood cell only survives about 4-5 months. Your body is constantly producing new blood and releasing it into the bloodstream to do important work -- the work of carrying nutrients, hormones, water, chemical messages and even information throughout your body.

Blood is primarily made of three things: Red blood cells (oxygen carriers), white blood cells (immune function) and blood plasma (a liquid solution that carries everything else).

When more red blood cells are needed, your body (with its infinite healing wisdom) automatically generates new ones. Naturally, it must create those red blood cells using the materials that are available: Materials that are circulating in your blood at the time.

Got that? So the blood cells you make TODAY, which circulate throughout your body for the next four months, are made out of the materials being carried in your blood right now.

So what's in your blood right now?

Your blood is largely comprised of the things you ate, drank and absorbed over the last several months.

So if you ate a McDonald's cheeseburger today and chased it with a large Coke, the blood cells your body generates today are going to be made, in part, of materials from that cheeseburger and Coke. If you think about where cheeseburgers really come from -- with all the cruelly slaughtered, hormone-injected animals, the ammonia-injected beef parts, the refined white flour in the bun, the processed cheese "food" substances, and so on, it's not exactly the kind of thing you probably want coursing through your veins for the next few months.

If, on the other hand, you spent the last several days consuming fresh living juices, superfoods and clean, energized water, then guess what your new blood is going to be made of? It will be super blood that's energized with the elements and vibes of all the good stuff you've been consuming!

Bad blood leads to bad health results. It leads to angry, moody mental function and chronic disease. But good blood results in happy, healthy outcomes. Good blood improves your sleep, your sex, your moods and cognitive function. Good blood keeps your body free from cancer, youthful, energized and actively healing itself at multiple levels.

Once you understand all this, it only seems natural to work consciously towards creating good blood every single day.

Amazing facts about your red blood cells
• A whopping one-quarter of the human cells in your body are red blood cells. But most cells in your body are actually non-human cells (bacteria).

• A red blood cell circulates around your body in about 20 seconds. The same red blood cell makes tens of thousands of trips around your body, transporting oxygen to cells, before it is recycled by your own immune system.

• Red blood cells in humans are molecularly quite similar to chlorophyll cells in plants.

• Your red blood cells are made partially of cholesterol. Although the drug industry has tried to label cholesterol a villain, in truth you couldn't survive without it!

Check out this amazing real-time animation of a red blood cell in a human body:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:E...

Cleaning your blood
Having good blood means keeping it clean! Your blood is cleaned primarily by your kidneys and liver, but some additional "cleaning" functions are also accomplished by your lungs (through respiration) and even through your skin.

Ask anyone on a dialysis machine and they'll tell you what a huge difference it makes to keep your blood clean. Your kidneys normally do this for you, but in many people, kidney function is impaired and kidney cells don't work as well as they should to remove waste products from the blood. (Drinking sodas can impair kidney function, by the way...)

Hence the thinking behind an occasional kidney cleanse or liver cleanse. Keeping these organs functioning smoothly and efficiently helps keep your blood clean, and that translates into improved health for both body and mind. The two best cleansing product lines I know of are offered by Ed Group's Global Healing Center (www.GlobalHealingCenter.com) and Baseline Nutritionals (www.BaselineNutritionals.com).

How to create good blood
You are your own blood bank. You manufacture and distribute all your own blood. Given that your life depends on your own blood, doesn't it make sense to manufacture the healthiest, most life-giving blood possible?

In fact, you can! You have conscious control over the qualities of the blood you manufacture. Because your blood is made of what you eat, drink, breathe and absorb, you can alter the composition of your blood by consciously choosing healthier things to eat, drink, breathe and absorb.

Here are some of the most powerful pointers for making healthy blood:

Healthy blood needs healthy fats
You must consume healthy fats in order to create healthy red blood cells. This means consuming healthful omega-3 fatty acids. From the world of plants, healthful fats come from coconuts, avocados, flaxseed, Chia seeds and other similar sources. From the animal world, the best source for omega-3 fatty acids is, in my opinion, the green-lipped mussels oils in Moxxor, which come from a pristine marine environment. To learn more about Moxxor, check out Jonathan Landsman's Moxxor page at: http://moxxbiz.com/clients/getVideo...

There are other quality sources, too, including fish oil supplements from companies like Nordic Naturals or Carlson Labs. Some people take krill oil to get their omega-3s, and companies like Living Fuel (www.LivingFuel.com) offer high-end fish oil supplements. This isn't a complete list of good sources for omega-3s. Do your research and use what works best for you. The more healthful omega-3 fatty acids you take, the healthier your blood will be (to a point, of course).

Consuming damaging fats will harm the health of your blood. Damaging fats include trans-fatty acids and fried fats (such as those used in fried foods).

Making healthy blood also requires the right minerals. Red blood cells themselves need iron, but you'll want all the trace minerals, too, so they can be delivered by your blood to your cells. When you lack sufficient quantities of minerals like calcium, magnesium, zinc and selenium, biological functions start to go awry.

Healthy blood also needs plenty of water, of course. Water is the primary fluid of your blood plasma -- it's a solvent that can dissolve and transport all sorts of crucial building blocks for health including water-soluble vitamins like Vitamin C. Without adequate water, your blood turns to sludge blood -- sticky, gooey blood that your heart can't easily pump through your circulatory system. The forceful pumping required to push this blood through your system is frequently diagnosed as high blood pressure.

Human blood also needs many other elements, all of which can be found in a plant-based diet (including the proteins needed for blood).

You can make what modern science can't
When thinking about the health-enhancing qualities of your blood, remember this astonishing fact:

Modern science cannot make human blood. But YOU can.

Sure, they can try to make artificial blood. But clinical trials have shown that artificial blood doesn't work very well. It carries only a fraction of the oxygen of real blood, and it's no long-term replacement. YOU can manufacture blood that's more technologically advanced than anything ever invented by modern medicine. The only question you need to ask yourself is: What kind of blood will I make today? (And tomorrow...)

Will you manufacture blood out of trans fats, Gatorade, pharmaceuticals and junk food proteins? Or will you make your blood out of living fruits and vegetables, healthful omega-3s and positive energies from Mother Nature?

It's your choice, each and every day. You can have good blood or bad blood, and the health results you get will directly reflect the quality of your blood.

Want to transform your health? Transform your blood and your health results will automatically follow.

Heal yourself in 15 days - You are what you absorb (part three)

2010-02-03T14:35:00.000-08:00

http://www.NaturalNews.com/z028067_self_healing_digestion.html

February 1 2010
by Mike Adams, the Health Ranger, NaturalNews Editor

(NaturalNews) This article continues part three of the 15-part article series called Heal Yourself in 15 Days. In part two, we explored your innate healing potential and saw how powerful your self-healing abilities really are (http://www.naturalnews.com/028060_s...). Here in part three, we look at a powerful principle of nutrition: You aren't what you eat; you are what you ABSORB.

Many people suffer from poor digestion. In fact, you might say that most people aren't able to absorb the nutrients they swallow, so they remain in a state of nutritional starvation even though they're taking supplements that would otherwise be quite helpful.

These people tend to scratch their heads, wondering why all the nutrients they're swallowing aren't having the positive effects they had hoped for. The answer to this conundrum is found in enhancing the absorption of those nutrients.

Strong stomach acid is good for you
Pharmaceutical pill pushers have convinced many people that stomach acid is bad for your health. By promoting diseases like "acid reflux" or GERD, they misinform consumers into believing that heartburn and stomach pain are caused by too much stomach acid. But the truth is that in most (but not all) cases people actually suffer from weak stomach acid and they need stronger stomach acid to properly digest foods.

It's easy to test this by swallowing a teaspoon (or so) of vinegar with your meal and asking yourself whether it feels better or worse. For a surprisingly large percentage of people, the extra vinegar halts the pain they might normally feel after such a meal. This is a strong indication that they lack proper stomach acid production and could benefit from stronger acid. Vinegar is acidic, you see. Not as acidic as stomach acid, but far more acidic than most foods or beverages.

Consumers have been persuaded by drug advertising to swallow over-the-counter antacid tablets -- products that are actually very alkaline and therefore lower the acidity (i.e. raise the pH) of the liquids in your stomach.

What most people don't realize is that minerals require an acidic digestive environment to be properly digested and absorbed. If you lack proper stomach acid, you won't be able to properly absorb minerals even if you swallow them! And this can lead to mineral deficiencies that promote the development of diabetes, cancer, chronic pain, arthritis and even heart problems (among other things).

So how do you encourage the production of healthy stomach acid? In my experience, drinking fresh vegetable juices each day -- especially celery and cabbage juices -- greatly boosts stomach health, ultimately supporting healthy stomach acid production.

Digestive enzymes from living foods
Digestion is a complex process. It requires biochemical and physical processes to break down ingested substances into their nutritional components. This process is significantly aided by digestive enzymes which exist naturally in living foods (fresh, raw vegetable and fruit juices, for example).

Heating foods (cooking them) destroys all digestive enzymes. This is one reason why cooked foods steal life away from people while raw, living foods impart life. Living foods usually come with their own digestive enzymes, aiding your digestive processes in breaking down and absorbing nutrients.

Dead foods -- which include anything pasteurized -- stress your liver, pancreas and gallbladder by requiring these organs to produce extra digestive enzymes that are missing from the foods themselves. Because many people suffer from poor digestive organ function, they have difficulties absorbing the nutrients they've swallowed.

Probiotics
Many people suffer from serious intestinal flora imbalances. Western medicine, for the most part, remains astonishingly ignorant about the importance of intestinal flora to overall health, but those who study more holistic medicine understand the important role that these "inner bacteria" play in your health: The bacteria in your gut actually digest and transform nutrients you eat into other nutrients.

They are, in essence, nutrient transformers that operate inside your body, producing nutrients needed for your health. That's why people who take antibiotics often suffer serious digestive side effects in the days that follow: They've wiped out all the friendly intestinal bacteria that were providing essential nutrients!

It's easy to remedy this imbalance: Take probiotic supplements on a regular basis. This will feed your digestive tract the friendly bacteria you need.

And don't fall for the marketing sham of eating yogurt, thinking it's loaded with probiotics. Virtually all store-bought yogurt is pasteurized, and pasteurization kills the friendly bacteria. This makes most "probiotic yogurt" products nothing more than a dishonest marketing gimmick.

By the way, if you want healthy intestinal flora, it's also important to reduce your consumption of dietary sugars. When you consume more sugars, you alter the bacterial population in your gut, causing a shift toward bacteria that feed on sugars. As you alter your diet to exclude refined sugars, the population of bacteria in your gut follows suit, shifting towards a non-sugar bacterial population.

References
Everything I've said here is supported by quotations on the website www.NaturalPedia.com where I've assembled over one million unique web pages covering tens of thousands of natural health topics.

For those looking for more specific scientific references, simply use Google.com or Google Scholar to search for the topics described here. You'll even find many of them right here on NaturalNews if you use the search box at the top of this page.

(I'm often amazed when some people demand references for things that can be easily found with a simple Google search. The classic use of article references dates back to the era of library card catalogs when finding information was a laborious task. But today, not even 20 years later, finding information is virtually effortless on the 'net. If you want to find information about how eating sugars alters the bacteria in your gut, for example, just search Google for "eating sugars alters the bacteria in your gut".

When I run that search on Google, I get over 70,000 page results...

How to Fight Candida Yeast Infections Naturally

2010-02-03T11:37:00.000-08:00

http://www.NaturalNews.com/z028076_candida_remedies.html

February 3 2010
by Fleur Hupston, citizen journalist

(NaturalNews) A yeast-like fungus, Candida albicans usually lives in the intestines along with many other microorganisms known as intestinal flora. If these microorganisms are not carefully balanced, Candida can multiply unchecked, causing infection. The taking of antibiotics, steroids, a diet high in yeast-containing foods, alcohol and refined carbohydrates can affect the delicate balance of intestinal flora. Prevent and treat Candida the natural way to restore and maintain health.

Also called thrush or yeast infection, a serious Candida infection can cause various symptoms including fatigue, headaches, poor digestion, flatulence and general feelings of malaise.

In women, in the vagina, it causes a white, thick discharge often accompanied by itching and soreness. Oral thrush causes sore, yellowish patches in the mouth and on the tongue.

Tips to Prevent Candida

Cut out refined sugar and foods containing refined carbohydrates. Reduce intake of foods containing natural sugars such as milk, fruit and wine, since Candida thrives on sugar.

Candida fighting foods include plain, unsweetened yogurt with live cultures, leafy green vegetables, garlic and olive oil. The bacteria in yogurt help to maintain a healthy balance of microorganisms in the intestines. Other items on the menu should comprise mainly of a vegetable rich diet and carbohydrates in the form of whole grain cereals, nuts and seeds. Eat two or three freshly chopped garlic cloves daily.

As far as vaginal Candida goes, be sure to keep the genital area clean. However, avoid very hot baths or showers. Do not use bubble bath products or soap bars with fragrances and/or emulsifiers or anything that might irritate the skin. Use a plain, mild, non perfumed soap. Be sure to wear cotton underwear rather than synthetic fiber underwear.

Herbal Remedies and Aromatherapy to Fight Candida

Echinacea and grapefruit seed extract are known herbal remedies to inhibit the growth of intestinal Candida. Adding a few drops of lavender, thyme or tea tree essential oil to a warm bath can help to cure vaginal yeast infections and ease discomfort, since these oils are known for their anti-fungal properties.

If a Candida infection does not clear up after a few days, if a mouth infection starts developing or the condition worsens, make an appointment to see a professional homeopath for further analysis and treatment. When it comes to herbal remedies, stick to recommended doses and do not mix herbal remedies in combination with conventional treatments without the approval of a homeopath.

Cocaine, Spices, and Hormones Now Being Found in Drinking Water

2010-02-01T14:28:00.000-08:00

http://www.naturalnews.com/028066_drinking_water_hormones.html

Ethan Huff
NaturalNews
Mon, 01 Feb 2010 00:00 EST

A University of Washington research team recently released the results of a study it conducted on contaminant residue in the waters of Puget Sound in Washington State. Various spices, flavorings and other substances are being identified as making their way out of water treatment plants and back into the world's water supply.

Winter holidays like Thanksgiving and Christmas bring extra amounts of cinnamon while chocolate and vanilla are especially popular on the weekends. Likewise, caramel corn residue and waffle-cone pieces are particularly excessive around the Independence Day. The most popular contaminant found in the sound is artificial vanilla flavor which is found at an average of 14 milligrams per liter of water.

Around the world, scientists are finding all sorts of things from pharmaceutical drugs to illegal drugs in water supplies despite rigorous efforts to remove them at water treatment facilities. Piggy-backing a report from last year that found trace levels of pharmaceutical drugs in most U.S. water supplies, this report highlights even further how easily water is being contaminated by various human elements.

While spices and flavorings may not inflict any noticeable harm, the concept that traces of everything flushed end up in the water is what researchers wish to convey. Contaminant byproducts, also known as metabolites, regularly make their way out of water treatment plants back into natural waters. Experts hope that awareness of this will encourage people to be cautious about what they flush and engaged in working toward a solution.

Illegal drugs have become a problem in many water supplies where the residue is toxic to both animals and other humans. A 2008 study found that 92 percent of water samples at a Spanish treatment plant contained trace elements of cocaine. Italy's longest river, the Po River, is also said to carry daily noticeable levels of the narcotic through its waterways as well as 44 pounds of daily pharmaceutical drugs which are also highly problematic.

Of notable concern is water contaminated by perchlorate, a chemical used in rocket fuel and fireworks that inhibits the uptake of iodine. Iodine is vital for proper thyroid gland function, and without it serious diseases like hypothroidism run rampant. Perchlorate is currently unregulated by the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA).

Current EPA guidelines require that more than 90 known contaminants be removed from water supplies, but the introduction of new chemicals as well as the use of ones that are not completely filtered out are becoming troublesome. Awareness of the issue will hopefully drive the effort to remedy the problem.

Vitamin D Promotes Weight Loss

2010-02-01T13:18:00.000-08:00

http://www.NaturalNews.com/z028051_Vitamin_D_weight_loss.html

January 29 2010
by E. Huff, staff writer

(NaturalNews) A recent study conducted by researchers from the University of Minnesota found that overweight people have better success in losing weight when their vitamin D levels are increased. Dr. Shalamar Sibley, the researcher who headed the study, placed 38 obese men and women on a diet program and discovered that those whose vitamin D levels were increased lost up to a half pound more than those who followed the diet plan only.

When combined with a reduced-calorie diet, it appears that supplementation with vitamin D helps to promote increased weight loss among those whose levels are low to begin with. For each nanogram per milliliter increase in vitamin D precursor in the blood, it was observed that an extra half pound loss in weight was able to be achieved while the diet plan.

A study published earlier this year in the Archives of Internal Medicine found that 75 percent or more of American teens and adults are deficient in vitamin D. Vitamin D deficiency is linked to all sorts of serious illnesses including cancer, diabetes and heart disease. Researchers in the weight loss study are unsure whether vitamin D deficiency causes obesity or if obesity causes vitamin D deficiency. Nevertheless, there is a clear connection between the two.

Vitamin D, in conjunction with calcium and sunlight, helps to properly assimilate food and regulate normal blood sugar levels. When there is a lack of calcium, oftentimes due to a vitamin D deficiency, the body increases production of synthase, a fatty acid enzyme that coverts calories into fat. Calcium deficiency can cause synthase production to increase by up to 500 percent, explaining the correlation between low levels of vitamin D and obesity.

Mainstream research has only begun to scratch the surface about the importance of vitamin D in general health maintenance. A clinical study conducted in April of 2000 revealed that patients who were bound to wheelchairs because of chronic fatigue and body weakness became mobile after just six weeks of supplementation with 50,000 IU of vitamin D per week. Other studies are showing remarkable healing from all kinds of diseases when vitamin D is brought up to proper levels.

Although current guidelines suggest daily intake somewhere between 400 and 600 IU, recent research is suggesting that this may be too low. Getting between 4,000 and 10,000 IU a day will have a much more therapeutic effect, boosting health and fending off disease. When natural sunlight is not an option, supplementation with vitamin D3 is the next best option.

Treat Depression Naturally and Avoid Harmful Drugs

2010-02-01T13:17:00.002-08:00

http://www.NaturalNews.com/z028048_depression_remedies.html

January 29 2010
by Fleur Hupston, citizen journalist

(NaturalNews) Depression is a prolonged feeling of unhappiness and gloom. The condition can range from a short spell of "the blues" to chronic long term sadness, which may have its start or be exacerbated by events in a person`s life, such as a death in the family, divorce, retirement or childbirth. Someone with chronic depression may contemplate suicide. In many cases, over-the-counter or prescription medicines only seem to worsen the condition. There are herbal, homeopathic and aromatherapy methods and supplements which may help sufferers.

Herbal Remedies for Depression

Herbs that can be taken for depression include balm, borage, limeflower, oats, rosemary and vervain. These can be taken as herbal teas, taken in tablet form or added to bath water. Oats in the diet contain a rich source of antidepressant B vitamins.

Tissue Salts for Depression

Biochemic tissue cell salts are made from the minerals that are found in the rocks and soil of the earth. These minerals should be present in our food and bodies for balanced health. Due to modern agricultural practices, many vital minerals are leached from the soil and this can cause a mineral deficiency in the human body.

Taking tissue salts is a gentle, non-toxic way of finding relief for depression. Follow the dosage recommendations that come with each bottle of tissue salts.

Kali. Phos., tissue salt no. 6, is one of the most important tissue salts for the over-emotional and will help to elevate the mood during the times a sufferer feels depressed, desperate or anxious.

Nat. Mur., tissue salt no. 9, helps the clinically depressed and should be taken regularly to lessen feelings of despair, listlessness, lack of joy and gloom.

Nat. Sulph., tissue salt no. 11, alleviates feelings of despondency, insomnia and irritability. It is a particularly good salt for those who suffer with manic depression.

Taking a combination of Kali. Phos., Nat. Mur. and Nat. Sulph. is an excellent mood-lifter and natural tranquillizer.

Homeopathy for Depression

For those who are severely depressed, a qualified homeopath will be able to make a full evaluation and prescribe the correct treatment and dosage to ameliorate their condition.

Specific remedies include:

Aurum for feelings of worthlessness, suicidal feelings and self-loathing,
Pulsatilla for over-sensitivity, tendency to cry easily, fear and depression,
Ignatia for depression due to an external cause, such as bereavement or emotional trauma.

Aromatherapy for Depression

There are several essential oils with antidepressant properties, which can be used in the bath, in a vaporizer or during a massage to help the depressed individual to cope. These include neroli, jasmine, geranium, melissa and rose. Ylang ylang, lavender and chamomile can work as a sedative and antidepressant.

Sources:

Tissue Salts for Healthy Living by Margaret Roberts, Printed by Struik, 2008 edition
The Illustrated Encyclopedia of Healing Remedies, C. Norman Shealy, published by Harper Collins Publishers, 2002 edition

Omega-3 fatty acids have anti-aging effect on cells

2010-02-01T13:17:00.001-08:00

http://www.naturalnews.com/z028046_omega-3_fatty_acids_telomeres.html

January 28 2010
by S. L. Baker, features writer

(NaturalNews) As NaturalNews has previously reported, omega-3s, the fatty acids found primarily in cold water fish like salmon, have a host of health benefits, including alleviating depression (http://www.naturalnews.com/027285_o...), preventing age-related blindness (http://www.naturalnews.com/026856_o...) and protecting against prostate cancer (http://www.naturalnews.com/026752_c...). And now there's evidence omega-3s may have a profound anti-aging effect, too.

Telomeres, structures at the end of chromosomes that are involved in the stability and replication of chromosomes, are markers of biological aging. Genetic factors, exposure to certain chemicals and environmental stressors shorten the length of telomeres and are believed to contribute to the aging process. New research just published in the Journal of the American Medical Association (JAMA) shows that omega-3s slow down the shortening of telomeres -- this means omega-3 fatty acids may protect against aging on a cellular level.

Previous studies have shown that people with established cardiovascular disease who have a high dietary intake of marine omega-3 fatty acids live longer than others with the same health problems who do not have adequate omega-3s in their diet. However, the exact way omega-3s exert this protective effect is not well understood, according to background information in the JAMA study.

So Ramin Farzaneh-Far, M.D., of the University of California, San Francisco, and colleagues decided to investigate whether omega-3 fatty acid blood levels were linked to changes in leukocyte (a type of blood cell) telomere length in a study of 608 people who had stable coronary artery disease. The scientists studied the patients for about five years, measuring leukocyte telomere length at the beginning of the study and at the end of 5 years of follow-up. Their goal? To see if there was any association between baseline levels of two types of omega-3 fatty acids -- docosahexaenoic acid (DHA) and eicosapentaenoic acid (EPA) -- in the patients' bodies and any subsequent change in telomere length. There was.

The scientists found that the research subjects with the least amount of DHA and EPA experienced the most rapid rate of telomere shortening. However, those with the highest levels of the omega-3 fatty experienced the slowest rate of telomere shortening.

"Levels of DHA+EPA were associated with less telomere shortening before and after sequential adjustment for established risk factors and potential confounders. Each 1-standard deviation increase in DHA+EPA levels was associated with a 32 percent reduction in the odds of telomere shortening," the authors wrote in their study. "These findings raise the possibility that omega-3 fatty acids may protect against cellular aging in patients with coronary heart disease."

This also raises the very real possibility that an abundance of omega-3s in the diet could offer protection from cellular aging for all people -- whether they have heart disease or not.

Vitamin E Benefits Heart Health and Grows Hair

2010-02-01T13:15:00.000-08:00

http://www.NaturalNews.com/z028050_vitamin_E_hair.html

January 29 2010
Vitamin E Grows Hair
by Melanie Grimes, citizen journalist

(NaturalNews) Vitamin E is a vital nutrient known mainly for its benefits to heart health. But vitamin E has many other properties that maintain health and has long been used both internally and externally. Vitamin E has been shown to help with the growth of hair as well as preventing hair loss. The exact mechanism is not known but vitamin E may prevent hair loss by the same mechanism that it prevents heart problems. Vitamin E helps with the growth of capillaries. When there are more capillaries, the circulation improves and it is thought that the improved circulation to the scalp is the trigger for preventing hair loss.

Vitamin E Grows Hair
Because it causes capillary growth, vitamin E can help hair to grow. The increased circulation speeds the growth of hair in many people. The additional nutrition can prevent split ends, help heal hair damaged by excessive use of a hair dryer, and cure dry hair as well.

Vitamin E Heals Dry Hair
Vitamin E can be used as a leave-on conditioner for dry and damaged hair. A small amount daily will treat dry hair and heal the hair shafts. It is always better to add nutrition to the diet, but for those with very dry hair and scalp, adding a small amount of vitamin E to the hair after shampooing will remedy dry hair, if not treat the cause. To treat the cause, the vitamins need to be taken internally. To make a healing mask of vitamin E, cut open a number of capsules with a small scissors and blend into the hair. Completely cover the ends of the hair, so it feels oily. Leave on for an hour or longer, and then shampoo out for silky, manageable hair.

Daily Recommended Dosage of Vitamin E
The recommended daily dose of vitamin E is 400 IU a day according to the website www.all4naturalhealth.com. Doses of vitamin E above 1000 IU a day may be toxic and doses over 10,000 IU a day taken over time have been shown to cause the loss of hair. The hair will grow back when the overdosing stops.

Natural Sources of Vitamin E
Vitamin E is a fat-soluble vitamin that is found naturally in vegetable oils, dark leafy greens, liver, eggs, and nuts. To supplement vitamin E, add these foods to your diet or purchase nutritional supplements.

Fecal Bacteria Found in Nearly Half of Fast Food Soda Fountains

2010-02-01T12:28:00.001-08:00

http://articles.mercola.com/sites/articles/archive/2010/01/30/fecal-bacteria-found-in-nearly-half-of-soda-fountains.aspx

Fecal Bacteria Found in Nearly Half of Fast Food Soda Fountains
Posted by: Dr. Mercola
January 30 2010

A recent study has revealed that a full 48 percent of soda fountains at fast food restaurants contain coliform bacteria -- a bacteria that grows in feces. Eleven percent also contained E. Coli.

Other opportunistic pathogenic microorganisms found included Chryseobacterium meningosepticum and of Klebsiella, Staphylococcus, Stenotrophomonas, Candida, and Serratia. Most of the identified bacteria showed resistance to one or more of 11 antibiotics tested.
While there have been few certified outbreaks over in the last ten years related to soda fountains, many incidents of food poisoning go unreported.

Dr. Mercola's Comments:

The reasons to avoid eating at fast food establishments are piling up faster than you can say, “Pour me another Coke-a coli.”

As disgusting as it sounds, bacteria might be the least damaging part of your soft drink. But this malfeasance of hygiene is not the first we’ve heard about in recent years.

It was only a few years ago when twelve year-old middle schooler Jasmine Roberts won the science fair at her school when she discovered that the ice used in the drinks of fast food restaurants had more bacteria than the toilet water.

Then, in 2008, we learned that two of every three restaurant lemon wedges tested were covered in disease-causing bacteria.

Let’s face it. They’re everywhere.

Bacteria are cleverly adaptive, resilient, and prolific. In fact, depending on which source you choose to believe, between 2 and 9 pounds of your body weight is from bacteria, the majority of which is in your intestinal tract. All the bacteria living inside you would fill a half-gallon jug.

In fact, according to Scientific American[i] , your body contains ten times more bacterial cells than human ones. Its author writes:

“You are more bacteria than you are you.”

Ideally, the majority of these bugs are doing you a favor, from producing chemicals that help you harness energy to keeping your immune system strong.

But more recently, scientists have discovered another gift from our single-celled friends: a handful of human genes—the consensus is around 40—appear to be bacterial in origin1.

Your life, and even your identity, is more closely linked to the microbial world than you might have thought.

Staying Safe in the Bacteria Cafeteria

If you are a walking Petri dish, then do you really need to worry about what you’re exposed to?

Well, yes and no.

You CAN get sick, but you are unlikely to if you have a strong immune system. Although there are many ways you might end up with a weakened immune system, the more common contributing factors are:

Vitamin D deficiency resulting in the production of less antimicrobial peptides

Eating too much sugar and too many grains, which will seriously impair your immune response.

Not getting enough sleep

Insufficient exercise, which will impair lymphatic flow and exchange and also cause your insulin levels to rise and impair your immune system.

Inadequately managing emotional stressors in your life, which may be the most important variable of all.

Any combination of the above

You can’t control what other people do hygienically, but you can control what you do. The better you are taking care of yourself in terms of nutrition and sleep and so on, the more resilient you will be and the less you’ll have to worry about those inescapable pathogens around you.

Good hand washing with basic soap and water is a crucial part of staying well, since you are more likely to acquire an infection by shaking someone’s hand than by kissing them.

Taking a high-quality probiotic (good bacteria) also helps you create a robust immune system.

Food Poisoning is Highly Underreported

Mishandled food and beverages, such as lemon wedges that nearly crawl across your plate on their own, are causing 76 million cases of food poisoning each year in the US.

The CDC reports that, of the 76 million food poisoning cases, there are about 325,000 hospitalizations and 5,000 deaths. But these are the most severe and tend to happen to the very old, the very young, and the folks with compromised immune systems[ii] .

It is believed that most food borne infections go undiagnosed and unreported, particularly the milder cases.

If you have food poisoning, your symptoms might range from an upset stomach to diarrhea, fever, vomiting, abdominal cramps and dehydration.

The causes of food poisoning break down as follows:

55 percent from improper cooking and food storage

24 percent from poor hygiene

3 percent from unsafe food sources

Keeping your hands clean while working with food is the most important thing you can do to prevent food poisoning, which is where restaurant workers fall short.

Of course, the fact that now many soda machines are “self-serve” makes them even more vulnerable.

Of the 20 common pathogens causing food poisoning, campylobacter is the leading cause of bacterial food poisoning in the US, responsible for several million cases per year. Most of it is from chicken, since up to 70-90 percent of commercial chickens are infected with this bacteria, according to CDC estimates.

What to do If You Think You Have Food Poisoning

According to the Food Standards Agency, there are three main goals if you find yourself with a food borne illness:

1. Rehydrate yourself. Be sure to drink plenty of water since dehydration can be a serious side effect.

2. Prevent the spread. Wash your hands regularly, especially after using the toilet and before preparing food. Avoid preparing food for others if you are ill.

3. Report it. If you believe your illness was caused by food prepared outside your home, report it to your local environmental health service.

What they don’t add but maybe the most important of all, is to take large doses of a high quality probiotic. You can take ten to twenty nearly every hour as there is no danger on overdosing.

Symptoms from food poisoning could occur within 30 minutes of eating the offensive meal, or could take a couple of days to manifest. The illness is usually limited to a couple of days.

If symptoms last longer or are more severe, you might need to see your physician.

A Coffee that’s the Cat’s Meow

On a lighter note, an article about fecal bacteria in soda fountains just isn’t complete without mentioning a special type of coffee bean that...well, passes through an exotic variety of Asian cats (called a civet) before becoming your cup o’ joe.

If you aren’t squeamish about poo in your beverages, you might want to try out Kopi Luwak[iii], or civet coffee, which is considered the cat’s meow in Indonesia for its particularly robust flavor.

The civet isn’t actually a feline at all but a relative of the mongoose.

The civet eats the very ripest berries, which pass through its digestive tract and are excreted whole. The process reportedly results in a particularly robust flavor due to an enzyme in the cat’s body.

The “enhanced” beans are then roasted in the usual way...if you could call ANYTHING about this usual.

This culinary marvel is offered by only one coffee roaster in the US—Bennett’s Fresh Roast of Fort Myers, Florida—where you can try out a 12-ounce mug of the poo-brew for a meager $20.

According to the Food Poison Journal[iv], the beans are roasted at 600 degrees and then brewed to about 200 degrees, in order to destroy any remaining E. coli or other nasty freeloaders.

Good luck with that.

Most cats live by the creed, “Never eat where you poop.” Apparently some humans missed that memo

Get Bio-Available Calcium from Eggshells

2010-02-01T06:50:00.000-08:00

http://www.NaturalNews.com/z028049_calcium_eggshells.html

January 29 2010
by Kim Evans, citizen journalist

(NaturalNews) Calcium is the most abundant mineral in the body and it's concentrated in our teeth and bones. However, calcium is an alkaline mineral and when the body's blood and tissues wander into the acidic range, the body starts to leach calcium from the bones. It does this to add an alkaline mineral to the blood and to keep the blood from becoming overly acidic, as acidic blood causes immediate problems. Since most diets are predominately acidic, the leaching of calcium from the bones is commonplace. However, this creates weak bones and a common condition called osteoporosis which generally appears in individuals at about 50 years of age. But, Mikhail Tombak Ph.D. tells us that osteoporosis can be effectively treated and prevented by supplementing calcium from an unlikely source. Specifically, Tombak recommends eating eggshells.

Eggshells contain 27 essential microelements, and they're composed largely of calcium. Tombak tells us that this calcium is 90 percent absorbable by our bones - and the composition of eggshells is remarkably similar to our bones and teeth.

Milk and dairy have long been promoted as high calcium foods, but the calcium in them isn't bio-available which means our bodies can't access it easily. Besides, because pasteurized milk and dairy are acidic, they contribute to the overall acidic condition of the body - which causes the blood to rob more calcium from the bones.

So, if you're feeling the effects of weak bones or would like to prevent them in the first place, why not try eating some eggshells? They're an easy, inexpensive source of bio-available calcium.

To re-supplement calcium using eggshells, simply immerse the empty shells in boiling water for about 5 minutes to kill any pathogens and then let the shells air dry. After they're dry, grind the shells in a coffee grinder and take a 1/2 teaspoon a day, which can be taken with fresh squeezed orange juice or lemonade. For prevention, the shells are consumed every day for two months each year.

Of course, only organic eggs should be used. You certainly don't need traces of antibiotics and other chemicals used in conventional methods of raising chickens, as these chemicals are bound to be in the shells. Eggshells from organic chickens have also been found to be harder and are likely more mineral-rich.

Nuts, cabbage, kale, sea vegetables, carrots, and beets are other rich sources of calcium that are accessible to the body. Calcium is more easily absorbed with adequate vitamin D, so be sure to enjoy some sunshine as well.

How to Heal Yourself in 15 Days - Part 2

2010-01-30T13:29:00.000-08:00

http://www.naturalnews.com/028060_self_healing_immune_system.html

January 30 2010

Heal yourself in 15 days by recognizing your innate healing power (part two)
by Mike Adams, the Health Ranger, NaturalNews Editor

(NaturalNews) This article continues our 15-part article series called Heal Yourself in 15 Days. In part one, we looked at why the real secret to rapid healing is to remove the barriers to healing (http://www.naturalnews.com/028053_s...). In part two, we look at why your healing potential is so powerful that you can't even turn it off!

When you scrape your elbow, a bit of blood oozes out to clean the wound and wash away bacteria. It then forms a protective scab that keeps out invading microorganisms while your skin has a chance to heal underneath. There, some real magic takes place: Your skin cells innately recognize the need to divide and grow to fill the wound. A cancer-like process is unleashed at the cellular level, activating nearby cells to divide and grow. Your DNA is replicated in the nucleus of each cell with the help of some of the most astounding nanotechnology every witnessed in human civilization. (The best scientists in the world can't even come close to recreating it.)

As your cells multiply, nutrients and building blocks are carried to them through a blood supply that adapts to the particular size and shape of the wound. If a blood vessel was destroyed in your accident, the growth of new blood vessels is spontaneously initiated to take their place, and they grow into the tissues within mere hours.

As your skin cells fill in the previous wound, the replication effort is delicately turned off, one by one, so that replicating skin cells don't keep replicating beyond what they need to -- a process that would cause the creation of a skin tumor. Your body's cells know exactly when to grow and exactly when to turn off, and when it's all said and done, you're left with a perfect replacement for the skin you previously lost.

Completely automatic healing
The truly amazing part of all this is not the cancer-like processes that are delicately controlled by your body wisdom; it's not even the fact that your body has the ability to re-grow lost cells -- it's the fact that all this takes place without any conscious involvement on your part.

Healing yourself is automatic, in other words. You don't have to direct blood to the wound, direct the cells to start replicating, direct the molecular waste products to be carried away and decide when cell replication should be stopped. All this happens without your involvement -- even without your awareness! Much of it happens while you sleep, in fact. While your conscious mind is dreaming, your innate body wisdom is working the biochemistry and energetic transformations necessary to repair your tissues.

You can't stop this process even if you wanted to. You could try to focus all your mental power on your skin not healing, and yet your skin would heal itself anyway.

That's because your body is a powerful self-healing organism. It heals itself automatically, innately, without your conscious awareness or involvement. Your ability to heal yourself is so powerful that you can't stop yourself from healing!

Why we don't always heal
If this is true, then why aren't you healing everything else? Why aren't you always in perfect health? The answer, as you've seen throughout this article series, is because we tend to erect barriers to our own healing. And we often misread the symptoms of sickness that are asking for help, "treating" them in a way that makes the situation worse.

Fact: Many "symptoms of disease" are actually the result of your body's attempt to heal itself.

For example, most people are chronically dehydrated. They don't consume enough high-quality water. Because water is so vital for proper blood composition, when your body lacks sufficient quantities of water intake, it begins to take action to reduce water loss.

A significant portion of the water loss experienced by the body each day is lost through respiration -- a bit of water vapor is exhaled with each breath. So to conserve water, your body attempts to reduce water loss during respiration by constricting your bronchial tubes through the creation of histamines.

These histamines constrict breathing, making it more physically difficult. Modern (western) medicine misdiagnoses this as a disease called "asthma" rather than the true underlying cause which is often simply dehydration. So instead of prescribing water, which would solve the underlying water shortage and end the body's creation of histamines, western doctors prescribe anti-histamine drugs that force the bronchial tubes to relax and ease air flow. This, of course, promotes further dehydration, leaving the patient in a more severe state of water loss.

So you see, the body is attempting to heal itself, and the symptom of histamine production is a mechanism by which the body is attempting to heal, but it is misinterpreted by western medicine and then made worse by misguided interventions.

Blood pressure
Another good example of this is high blood pressure. High blood pressure is often caused by something I refer to as "sludge blood" -- blood that's too thick and viscous to flow freely through the body's small capillaries. So in order to make sure good circulation is taking place, the heart has to pump harder, thereby raising blood pressure. This is the body's way of making sure this thick blood reaches all the cells throughout the body (cells that don't receive blood will die, and that's bad).

But healthy blood shouldn't be so viscous. It should flow more freely, with less friction. When blood is properly hydrated and nourished with the right fatty acids (more omega-3s in particular), the heart does not need to work as hard to pump it throughout the body, so blood pressure automatically drops. (It's like the difference between sucking water through a straw versus sucking honey through a straw... the more sticky and thick the honey, the more pressure it takes to move it.)

Western medicine completely misdiagnoses this situation and says that "high blood pressure" is itself a disease. And this high blood pressure is attacked with drugs that artificially lower blood pressure by forcing artery walls to relax.

As you might have guessed, this then immediately causes circulation problems because the thick sludge blood is no longer reaching all the cells it needs to reach. That's why people who take high blood pressure medications very often end up with circulation problems. Their underlying problem of "sludge blood" remains unresolved.

Symptoms such as high blood pressure as your body's way of communicating with you to address the underlying causes. In the majority of cases, patients with high blood pressure simply need more water, more living nutrients (such as raw living plant juices), more omega-3 fatty acids and a sharp reduction in the consumption of animal products. Within as little as five days after embracing such changes, blood pressure normalizes as the blood itself becomes more hydrated and free to flow throughout the circulatory system.

Your body knows all this. Western doctors know none of it. High Blood Pressure is treated as a disease unto itself with virtually no thought given to what underlying causes might be creating this measurable symptom.

Your body is trying to heal itself all the time
Both "asthma" and "high blood pressure" are fictional diseases. In other words, they don't really exist as self-contained, standalone diseases. They are merely symptoms of something else that your body is attempting to balance.

In order to activate your body's innate healing potential, you must learn to listen to what your body is really asking for and give it those things instead of intervening with chemical medications, surgeries and toxic therapies like chemotherapy.

Western medicine misinterprets virtually all expressions of physiology. If you wish to be healthy, you must learn to reinterpret your body's messages in alignment with the true principles of health. Difficulty in breathing, for example, may simply be a sign of dehydration. High blood pressure may be a sign of dehydration or poor diet.

Cancer is a sign of cellular miscommunication. A tumor is a sign that cells in your body aren't getting the right message of when to stop dividing. (A tumor is merely a wayward cell that keeps dividing.) Cellular communication can be reestablished through changes in diet, environment, mental state and proper exposure to sunlight (among other things).

So keep in mind that your body is always trying to heal itself. "Symptoms" of disease are often just cries for help from your own biology. The wise patient listens to those cries for help, attempts to understand what they mean, and addresses them through self-care. The unwise patient attempts to silence symptoms through chemical intervention: Pain killers, chemical pharmaceuticals, surgery and other interventions. Western doctors are not trained in proper symptom interpretation and rebalancing. They are only trained in symptom "management" which means reducing symptoms through artificial intervention.

Why you are such a self-healing miracle
Your body is one of Mother Nature's most miraculous accomplishments. You possess unbelievably complex nanotechnology in your immune system. Your neurology exceeds the capabilities of the most advanced supercomputers in the world. Your sensory systems contain technology so advanced that even the most well-funded laboratories in the world don't have machines that can match what you have right in your nose.

Your reproductive system is a miracle of life; your bones are astounding structural engineering feats (or feets!); and your internal organs such as your heart and liver actually store their own memories and emotions. We know this because organ donor recipients often take on the memories and experiences of those from which the organs were originally harvested.

In other words, you are a miracle of nature, and your body has such powerful healing potential available to itself right now that the only way you can even stop the healing is to interfere with it (with pharmaceuticals, for example).

And yet, sadly, that's what most people do: They numb their bodies with painkiller medications. They shut down their immune systems with chemotherapy. They shock their neurology with vaccines containing inflammatory chemicals. They interfere, override and interject all sorts of artificial chemicals, procedures and unnatural therapies. This is what shuts off healing. This is what leaves patients unable to heal in the way they are capable of healing -- automatically, unconsciously and with zero effort.

So if you really want to heal yourself, first recognize that you are a miraculous self-healing organism. And secondly, recognize that if healing is not happening, it may very well be because you have inadvertently interfered with the healing process by introducing artificial chemicals or other elements that hold your healing potential prisoner.

Attaining health requires allowing healing to take place
Healthy people aren't healthy just because they eat superfoods and drink living juices all day long. They are healthy because they avoid poisoning their bodies with pharmaceuticals, artificial sweeteners, MSG and other processed food ingredients. They avoid the chemicals in cosmetics, personal care products, household cleaning products and lawn care products. They avoid consuming meat from animals who have been pumped full of hormones and antibiotics. They keep their bodies as free from pollution as possible, and as a result, their innate healing powers are always working for them!

You have exactly the same healing potential as I do. Your body can heal itself from cancer, from diabetes, from heart disease and from other "made-up" disease names like asthma and high blood pressure. All that's really required is for you to embrace the healing potential you already possess, and then avoid all those things that interfere with it.

If you believe in God and Creation, then take comfort in the idea that your body is created in God's image, meaning that you are a perfect healing being as is He.

If you believe in evolution and Darwinism, then take comfort in the idea that your body is the result of millions of years of evolution that have given you a successful, proven DNA blueprint for preventing sickness and disease -- long before vaccines and western medicine ever came along.

No matter what your philosophical approach, either way you still believe that your body is an amazing self-healing organism. And that's good news because it means you already have the blueprint for powerful healing.

Now simply activate it!

How to Heal Yourself in 15 Days - Part 1

2010-01-30T13:28:00.000-08:00

http://www.naturalnews.com/028053_self_healing_quality_of_life.html

January 29 2010
How to Heal Yourself in 15 Days
by Mike Adams, the Health Ranger, NaturalNews Editor

(NaturalNews) Can you really heal yourself in 15 days? Without using prescription drugs, vaccines, chemotherapy or surgery? Absolutely!

Your body strives to heal itself automatically, every single day. The only thing that really needs to happen for your body to begin healing itself is for you to remove the barriers to healing -- the barriers that are holding you back right now.

That's why you'll greatly enjoy this 15-part article series by the Health Ranger, published here on NaturalNews over the next three weeks or so. This isn't a rehash of the health tips you already know -- eat right, exercise more, hydrate yourself, and so on -- it's a completely new way to look at how to unleash the healing potential you already possess.

This information was originally planned for a book to be published by a major publishing house. But the time requirements for mainstream publishing meant that this information wouldn't appear on bookshelves for roughly one year, during which time many people would have missed out on the phenomenal benefits of this program. So I've passed on the conventional publishing route and decided to bring this program directly to you right here on NaturalNews.

So let's get right to it!

Day 1 - Rethink "health"
For many people, the first barrier to healing is found in their mental definition of "health." A lot of people believe that health is defined by having blood certain tests return results within a specific range: Your LDL cholesterol needs to be between X and Y, for example, and your blood pressure needs to be lower than Z. Conventional doctors tend to define health in this way, too, only spreading this misconception even further.

Health isn't defined by a range of numbers. It doesn't mean merely shrinking the physical size of a tumor while the patient continues to waste away. Health isn't measured solely by the number of days someone is kept alive on life support equipment...

Health means exactly what you intuitively thought it meant before you were subjected to so much influence and misinformation by drug company advertisements, conventional doctors and friends or family members -- health means quality of life.

And what is quality of life? Being able to sleep at night, walk without pain, eat and enjoy food, have a working memory, and achieve things in your life that mean something to you. Health means time with family, a walk in the woods, a positive mental outlook and an ability to handle stress without flipping out. Health means treating your body with respect and experiencing the joy of feeling it work well in return. Health means vibrant energy, daily optimism and even good sexual energy, too (and much more).

These are important elements of health and yet none of them are really answered by western medicine. Most of them aren't even considered in the medical textbooks. Modern medicine does not believe it really has any concern about the quality of your life. If you have a problem sleeping, the conventional medical approach is to simply overload your brain with pharmaceutical chemicals that force you to lose consciousness -- and then they call it "sleep." But it isn't really sleep. It's not quality sleep, and it doesn't create quality living.

And that's why if you wish to achieve real quality of life, you must broaden your horizons beyond the limiting laboratory numbers of conventional medicine and explore what "health" really means to you. This doesn't mean laboratory tests can't be useful diagnostic tools; it just means to be cautious of letting the chemical measurement approach to health be your one source of answers for attempting to achieve health and happiness in your life.

So today, I'd like you to think about this for yourself: How do YOU define health? What would you like to do in your day, or FEEL in your day, or experience day to day that would equate to the concept of "health" in your own mind?

Once you have a clear picture of that element, you'll quickly come to realized that pharmaceuticals will never provide that for you. The real answers to health must come from somewhere else... somewhere that's more aligned with the real definition of health that you intuitively know to be more meaningful.

In part two of this article series, we'll explore how to unleash your innate healing potential by altering your frame of mind about how healing really works. Check back here on NaturalNews.com to read that in a day or two.

The Moral Implications of Dieting

2010-01-30T05:05:00.001-08:00

http://www.opednews.com/articles/The-Moral-Implications-of-by-Jeff-Brawer-100125-889.html

January 26, 2010
By Jeff Brawer

Dance around the issue all you want - the core principle of all diets is abstinence. Sooner or later you're going to crave something you're not supposed to eat. Welcome to the moral crises of the overweight.

In the initial stages of weight loss, these acts of denial become a form of Primal Therapy. They strip away emotional armor and phony sociability faster than a six-year old opening birthday presents. The idealistic goals of better health and longer life disappear. Even vanity, that ever-stalwart motivator, loses its sway. The battle has moved from the war room to the trenches and it isn't pretty.

Dieting, to paraphrase Bette Davis, is not for sissies.

In order to survive, one must first acknowledge and then repudiate a host of dearly-cherished but completely preposterous beliefs about food consumption. Among the most common:

DELUSIONAL EATING PRINCIPLE #1: ANY FOOD EATEN IN SECRET WILL NOT CAUSE YOU TO GAIN WEIGHT. This is a variation of the "tree falling in the forest with no one to hear" paradox. If no one catches you, the food has no caloric reality, but if you're discovered, the weight goes on. Observation is the linchpin in this digestive version of "Schrödinger's Cat."1

DELUSIONAL EATING PRINCIPLE #2:THE CALORIC EFFECT OF ANY FOOD EATEN WHILE IN MOTION IS NULLIFIED BY THE ENERGY BURNED IN THAT MOTION. This axiom, which sounds like it sprang from the mind of a portly Isaac Newton, is only valid if you're eating celery while climbing a mountain. If you're strolling in the park with a large meatball sub, forget it.

DELUSIONAL EATING PRINCIPLE #3: ANY FOOD WHICH IS PROVIDED FREE OF CHARGE WILL NOT CAUSE YOU TO GAIN WEIGHT. This arcane superstition has been cited for centuries to justify free sample grazing in supermarkets.

As ridiculous as these notions sound, they are deeply ingrained in the psyche of the dieter, and rejecting them, while necessary, is another blow to his fragile equanimity.

As civility disintegrates and inner demons emerge, it becomes increasingly hard to remain disciplined. Most diets address this problem by relieving the practitioner of choice. Once you've pledged allegiance, you can shut down your higher brain functions and activate your mental cruise control. Having adopted a pattern of behavior, it requires minimal energy and no thought to keep going in the same direction.

To achieve this state, all directives must be followed without question, even if they seem beyond the realm of diet. If your program says, "Wear lederhosen to work," off you go in jacket, tie, and leather shorts.

Personally, I'd rather not sacrifice free will. According to Sartre, we're ultimately responsible for all our choices anyway, and he was one trim Existentialist.

There is another powerful incentive for staying the course, self-righteousness. Overcoming the siren call of your stomach even for an hour entitles you to instant sainthood, and the longer you maintain your diet, the more virtuous you become. Pretty soon, piety is just leaking out your ears, and compared to your ascetic sensibilities, Gandhi was a bon vivant. If you have to give up chili dogs, the theory goes, you might as well be smug about it.

There is, however, a drawback to consider while polishing your halo. You've transformed eating from a biological need wrapped in ritual pleasure into an indicator of moral rectitude. Straying from your program now has consequences more grave than a few extra pounds and the derision of your neighbors. Having once dazzled the world with your self-control and having condemned lesser souls for their lack thereof, it's a long humiliating trip back to fallibility. You've shown yourself weak, unworthy, no longer fit to dwell in civilized society. Try bouncing back from that in a couple of days.

Once you embrace the "weight equals virtue" principle, people are only too happy to hold you to that standard. No longer will you be judged simply as healthy or unhealthy, attractive or ungainly. Your size is now a benchmark of good and evil. The world may have made some limited progress in its tolerance of physical diversity, but it remains medieval about moral and ideological transgression. Is your dietary hubris strong enough for this kind of scrutiny? Remember The Crusades? The Inquisition? The Cultural Revolution? Look how well they turned out.

More is at stake than your waistline when you travel the path to sveltehood. Your confidence, mood, identity, even your standing in the community may become hostage to the continual shedding of pounds. The more successful you are and the more noticeable the improvement, the higher the stakes become and the greater your insecurity and dependence on the process for reinforcement. Break this cycle at your peril. For if you fail, it's not a misdemeanor but a fall from grace.

1 Thought experiment of physicist Erwin Schrödinger (1887-1961) in which the fate of a cat is determined by the observation of an atom's state of excitation.

Learn Life Extension Lessons from Chickens

2010-01-28T15:47:00.001-08:00

http://www.NaturalNews.com/z028040_life_extension_experiments.html

January 28 2010
by Kim Evans, citizen journalist

(NaturalNews) Beginning in 1912, Nobel Peace Prize winner Alexis Carrel kept chicken heart cells alive in a test tube for 34 years. It was an interesting experiment - especially because chickens generally only live three to five years. Those heart cells, however, far outlived even the chicken they came from. It was an experiment to prove Carrel's theory that cells are immortal given the right conditions, and he did this using a simple strategy. Every forty-eight hours, the mineralized water where the heart cells lived was changed, so the cells were always living in a clean, mineral-rich solution. After 34 years, and two years after Carrel's death, the experiment was purposely terminated. But the lessons about cell life - and life extension - are lasting.

Mineralized water is akin to the blood of the chicken - and of humans - and it's a dramatic testament to the results that can be achieved when the body and blood are mineralized and clean. Of course, it's also a testament to the consequences if they are not - and these days, the blood of most humans is far from clean. Our soils and therefore our bodies have also become mineral deplete.

One of the most common ways to collect filth in the body and blood is by having an unclean colon - a condition created when waste is not quickly and thoroughly eliminated. But according to holistic healer Dr. Bernard Jensen, most of the population suffers from constipation and doesn't know it. Dr. Jensen tells us that out of 300 autopsies performed at National College in Chicago - 285 of those people were constipated. Yet, according to those people's medical charts, only 15 said they were constipated and 285 claimed they weren't.

The biggest problem with infrequent eliminations is that it's impossible to have clean blood and a clean body with a dirty bowel. Many prominent holistic health professionals are very clear in saying that an unclean colon leaks filth to every cell and organ in the body. And when filth from the colon is throughout the body, you have the stage set for disease. Of course, with such filth throughout, colon cleansing also becomes just the beginning of the solution.

Dr. Jensen's findings provide a clue as to the level of cleanliness of most people's blood. Studies which have found hundreds of poisons in the average human's blood and even in the umbilical cord blood of infants provide another clue - and they've only tested for less than one percent of the chemicals in use.

Of course, the health of the general population is the biggest indicator of the cleanliness of the population's blood and body. So is the fact that 8 year-olds are getting dementia, heart disease, cancer, and kidney disease - all of which were once thought of as diseases related to aging. However, all of these diseases and more would be better understood as diseases related to having extreme amounts of toxicity in the body. It's just that these days, it's become easier and easier to achieve such a state, so more people are doing it in less and less time.

But, the question left unanswered is: What would human life expectancy really be if our blood and tissues were kept clean and our foods were mineral-rich? In a time of rampant chemical pollution and the destruction of our natural food supply, there's a chance we may never find out.

Acupuncture improves sex drive and decreases hot flashes

2010-01-28T15:46:00.001-08:00

http://www.NaturalNews.com/z028044_acupuncture_sex_drive.html

January 28 2010
by Mike Adams, the Health Ranger, NaturalNews Editor

(NaturalNews) A recent study conducted by Henry Ford Hospital in Michigan revealed that acupuncture has even more benefits than previously thought for patients with breast cancer. In addition to reducing hot flashes better than drug therapy, acupuncture is effective at boosting the sex drive and overall sense of well-being in women undergoing intensive breast cancer treatment.

Published in the Journal of Oncology, the study highlights the superiority of acupuncture in improving the quality of life for breast cancer patients without imposing negative side effects like drugs do. Dr. Eleanor Walker, lead author of the study and division director of breast services in the Department of Radiation Oncology at Henry Ford, confirmed this to be true when explaining the details of the study.

Two groups, one receiving acupuncture for their symptoms and the other receiving Venlafaxine drug therapy, were observed over a 12 week period. Initially, all the women experienced a 50 percent reduction in hot flash and night sweat symptoms. At the end of the treatment period, however, the group that received Venlafaxine experienced an immediate increase in symptoms while the acupuncture group did not.

The purpose of the study was to focus on alternative treatments to Venlafaxine that would better alleviate the negative side effects of breast cancer treatment and ultimately encourage women to continue participating in it.

According to the National Cancer Institute, 13 percent of women will develop breast cancer during their lifetime. Since conventional treatment is long and difficult, researchers hope to alleviate some of the associated misery with methods other than drug therapies that only make the situation more difficult.

Comments by Mike Adams, the Health Ranger
Once again, another clinical study scientifically demonstrates the power of acupuncture to make real, measurable improvements in the health and lives of patients.

It's no surprise, of course: Acupuncture has been used safely and effectively for over five thousand years in Traditional Chinese Medicine, and literally hundreds of clinical trials conducted over the last twenty years have shown it to be remarkably safe and effective in treating a variety of health complaints from back pain to infertility.

Acupuncture works because the body reacts to stimulation with a healing response (well, that's only part of the reason acupuncture works, actually). A skilled acupuncture practitioner can initiate a healing response in the patient that no drug, no surgery and no medical intervention could ever accomplish.

That's what's really interesting about acupuncture: It doesn't do any healing. Rather, acupuncture stimulates the body to heal itself. This idea fails to be recognized at all in conventional medicine, which continues to follow the long-outmoded belief that the doctor heals the patient and that, astonishingly, the patient has no role in his or her own healing.

Practitioners of acupuncture knew thousands of years ago what many western doctors still haven't figure out today: The patient is the healer. The doctor is merely an initiator of the patient's own self-healing ability.

Bacteria in the Gut are Shown to Reduce Obesity

2010-01-28T15:45:00.000-08:00

http://www.NaturalNews.com/z028023_intestinal_bacteria_obesity.html

January 26 2010
by Melanie Grimes, citizen journalist

(NaturalNews) New research has shown that the bacteria in our gut can be a cause of obesity. The human gut is filled with health-giving bacteria, which provide energy, nutrients and digestive aids. Maintaining proper gut flora is important to health. Research has now demonstrated that the amount and type of bacteria in your digestive tract can reduce obesity, and not just improve digestion.

A study conducted at the Washington University School of Medicine in Missouri investigated the digestive tract of fat and thin people. There are over 5,000 bacterial species in the human gut, and many which have not been identified. The three dominant family groups, or phyla, in the human gut are Fimicutes, Bacteriodetes and Actinobacteria. Previous research has shown that a proper ratio between the Fimicutes and the Bacteriodetes is necessary in order to maintain good health. As we age, this ratio changes and might be one of the causes of adult onset obesity.

New research discovered that obese people had higher amounts of Firmicutes. Lean people had higher amounts of Bacteriodetes. When obese people were put on fat reducing diets, the ratio of bacteria in their gut changed, corresponding to the same ratio of bacteria in the guts of the lean people; that is, the amount of Bacteriodetes increased as the obese subjects lost weight.

Aids to restore proper digestive flora can include adding probiotics to the diet. Fermented foods contain nutrients that aid this process as well. This includes foods such as dairy products of yogurt and kefir, as well as pickles, sauerkraut, miso, and chutney. Sourdough bread and other products that use a starter, such as kombuchu, contain healthy organisms that feed the gut flora.

Eating raw food and staying hydrated also help proper digestion. Some people have difficulty digesting raw foods when they are first introduced, and a digestive enzyme can help with this. Raw food contains many enzymes and nutrients that are not available from any other source.

Probiotics are known to also increase immunity and help prevent colds and flu so it is important to take probiotics daily, especially during flu season. If probiotic consumption causes gas or bloating, it is suggested that it be taken on an empty stomach. Sources such as yogurt or kefir can be eaten alone or with other foods.

Turmeric Treats Candida Infection and Colorectal Cancers

2010-01-28T15:12:00.001-08:00

http://www.NaturalNews.com/z028043_turmeric_candida.html

January 28 2010

Turmeric Treats Candida Infection and Colorectal Cancers
by Melanie Grimes, citizen journalist

(NaturalNews) Candida infection is caused by a yeast overgrowth in the intestines. It can cause gas, bloating, indigestion and even chronic disease. Known by its Latin name, curcumin, turmeric shows promise as an antifungal for Candida as well as many other fungal infections. According to the Journal of Antimicrobial Chemotherapy, the herb turmeric may be useful in inhibiting the Candida infection. Research at the Linus Pauling Institute also points to turmeric's curative value in treating colorectal cancers.

Candida Diagnosis and Treatment
Diagnosis of a Candida infection is via stool samples and blood tests. Conventional medicine treats Candida with antifungal drugs, usually Nystatin. This drug is made from a mold, which acts by competing with other molds and fungus, such as Candida, for food in the gut.

Medicinal Uses of Turmeric
Turmeric has many uses in folk medicine, which warrants its investigation as an antifungal. It's been shown to act as an anti-inflammatory and antioxidant. It is used in cosmetics and drugs, as well as in cooking. It can by used as a sunscreen or a pesticide. Used commonly in Ayurvedic Medicine for digestive disorders, it is also used externally for ulcers, wounds, and skin conditions such as scabies and eczema.

Research on Curcumin and Candida
Research was conducted at the Department of Microbiologia at the Centro de Engenharias in Brazil. The test was done on cells in a lab, not on human subjects. The study showed that curcumin was a more potent antifungal than the drug fluconazole. The curcumin acted by inhibiting the Candida's adhesion. A phase 1 trail using turmeric to treat colorectal cancer showed that oral ingesting of curcumin was beneficial in treatment, but further tests are needed.

Causes of Candida Infection
Candida occurs commonly in over 50 percent of the population, but an overgrowth can be triggered by the use of antibiotics, or by sugar consumption. Alcoholic beverages also trigger a Candida "bloom" as can swimming in chlorinated swimming pools. Stress causes Candida to spread because the release of cortisol during stress raises blood sugar, that then feeds the yeast. Birth control pills are also attributed with causing yeast, as is the copper IUD. The copper reduces the body's immunity, thereby causing an inability to resist yeast growth.

Other Anti-viral and Anti-fungal Uses of Turmeric
Curcumin has also been used to treat boils, staph infections, and the hard-to-treat MRSA virus.

Other Herbs to Treat Candida
Other herbs that are used to treat Candida include garlic, licorice, astragalus, and even cinnamon. Goldenseal can also be used, but in small amounts as it can be toxic in large doses. Oil of Oregano and Olive Leaf also kill fungus and yeast.

Even medical students want conventional medicine to include alternative therapies

2010-01-28T15:08:00.000-08:00

http://www.NaturalNews.com/z028027_alternative_medicine_medical_students.html

January 26 2010
by S. L. Baker, features writer

(NaturalNews) Are up-and-coming young doctors going to practice the same kind of mainstream medicine as their predecessors? Will the next generation of docs turn up their noses at alternative therapies such as acupuncture, yoga, herbs and vitamins -- just like the majority of the current crop of docs? In what may come as a surprise to many mainstream physicians, the answer to those questions may be a resounding "no".

According to research published in the online edition of the peer-reviewed journal Evidence-based Complementary and Alternative Medicine (eCAM), 75 percent of medical students surveyed think it would be beneficial for conventional Western medicine to integrate with complementary and alternative medicine (CAM). CAM places emphasis on natural therapies and using the body's own healing powers instead of relying on drugs, vaccines and other standard Western treatments.

A University of California at Los Angeles (UCLA) and University of California, San Diego, research team comprised of experts in the fields of CAM, integrative medicine, Western medicine, medical education and survey development created a first of its kind 30 question survey that was distributed to 126 U.S. medical schools. Some 1,770 medical students completed the survey -- roughly, about three percent of the 68,000 medical students nationwide. Although the response rate to the survey was fairly low, the researchers say it provided valuable insights into current medical students' perceptions of CAM.

For example, the findings revealed that 77 percent of the medical student participants agreed patients whose doctors are knowledgeable about complementary and alternative medicine in addition to conventional medicine benefit more than those whose doctors are only familiar with Western medicine. In fact, 74 percent agreed that a medical system which integrated conventional medicine with CAM could be more effective that either type of medicine used independently.

A whopping 84 percent of the participants surveyed said CAM contains beliefs, ideas and therapies that could benefit conventional medicine. Some of this attitudinal shift in medical students could be the result of personal experiences -- almost half of the participants said they had used complementary and alternative treatments themselves.

"Complementary and alternative medicine, or CAM, is receiving increased attention in light of the global health crisis and the significant role of traditional medicine in meeting public health needs in developing countries," study author Ryan Abbott, a researcher at the UCLA Center for East-West Medicine, said in a statement to the media. "Integrating CAM into mainstream health care is now a global phenomenon, with policymakers at the highest levels endorsing the importance of a historically marginalized form of health care."

The study also found that more than 60 percent of the medical student participants want more education related to CAM during their time in medical school. In a press statement, the researchers noted that although more than 50 percent of U.S. medical schools currently offer some type of CAM courses, these studies could be streamlined into more formal curricula as part of standardized medical school education.

"Although the content of integrative medicine programs remains controversial, medical schools across the country are moving forward with ambitious new programs to teach the next generation of health care leaders," concluded Dr. Ka-Kit Hui, the Wallis Annenberg Professor of Integrative East-West Medicine at UCLA, founder and director of the UCLA Center for East-West Medicine, and chair of UCLA's Collaborative Centers for Integrative Medicine.

Study Warns: Carbon Nanotubes Behave Like Asbestos, could Cause Mesothelioma Cancer

2010-01-28T15:05:00.001-08:00

http://www.NaturalNews.com/z028022_carbon_nanotubes_cancer.html

January 26 2010
by Charlie Troubadour, citizen journalist

(NaturalNews) The scientific community is warning of the risk carbon nanotubes pose as a trigger for mesothelioma cancer, a disease the American medical establishment has failed to cure and continues to fear. While much attention is focused on this potential environmental hazard, medical professionals and scientists continue to ignore plant-based mesothelioma treatments that exist which could ease the suffering of cancer patients.

The substance which scientists are focusing on, carbon nanotubes, is thought to be a miracle material which is lighter than plastic and stronger than steel, and is currently being developed for use in everything from pharmaceutical drugs to high-tech electronics. However, a recent study appearing in Nature Nanotechnology suggests certain carbon nanotubes may be as dangerous as asbestos.

Asbestos exposure, the leading cause of malignant mesothelioma, produced one of America`s worst occupational health catastrophes when industrial workers were exposed to asbestos particles in flooring, roofing, insulation, and a variety of other materials.

However, this health disaster has for decades been exacerbated by the traditional medical establishment`s stubborn struggle to treat malignant mesothelioma in the United States. For years, doctors and health professionals have relied primarily on chemotherapy and radiation therapies with little-to-no success. However, a variety of plant-based treatments widespread in Europe which have shown amazing results have been largely ignored by doctors in America.

The most promising example, mistletoe extract, can be injected into the bloodstream, and has been responsible for some amazing recoveries. The most recent documented case involves Debbie Brewer, a 49 year-old English woman who developed mesothelioma from asbestos exposure. Given months to live, she eschewed chemotherapy and chose instead to rely solely on mistletoe injections provided by The University Clinic in Frankfurt, Germany.

Today, Brewer is cancer-free, and her case is raising the profile of natural, plant-based cancer treatments in Europe. More research is being done in America on finding the environmental causes of mesothelioma. This might explain why so much attention has suddenly been placed on carbon nanotube technology, which is projected to be a $2 billion industry in less than three years. Scientists are worried a new environmental trigger is about to be introduced.

Of course, finding environmental dangers is an important function of any environmental researcher. However, finding and recognizing natural cures that exist in the environment should be just as important. Yet, barely any attention has been given to mistletoe extract in the American scientific community at a time when the recent study of nanotubes has been widely tracked.

There`s no denying that nanotubes may present a serious health risk. Asbestos fibers are dangerous because of their extremely long, thin construction, which makes it easy for them to become lodged in the lining of the lungs after being inhaled. Researchers at the University of Edinburgh in the UK found long, thin carbon nanotubes to behave identically to asbestos in clinical experiments.

However, one of the reasons scientists are so alarmed by the behavior of carbon nanotubes is because they fear mesothelioma, a cancer for which mainstream science has yet to find a suitable treatment or cure (as chemotherapy and radiation therapy have produced less-than-hopeful results).

When scientists, in researching ways to treat mesothelioma, will decide they can no longer afford to ignore plant-based treatments such as mistletoe extract is a question which remains.

Is Eating Sugar Really That Bad for Us?

2010-01-28T11:04:00.000-08:00

By Anneli Rufus, AlterNet
Posted on January 27, 2010, Printed on January 28, 2010
http://www.alternet.org/story/145367/

Want to gross yourself out? Imagine eating eight teaspoons of sugar straight out of the bag. Yeek, right? That's how much sugar is in a can of Coke. A Grande Vanilla Starbucks Frappuccino has 11. A McDonald's Strawberry Triple Thick Shake has 27.

The American Heart Association's latest guidelines stipulate that a moderately active woman should eat no more than six teaspoons of sugar per day; her male counterpart no more than nine. Yet according to the AHA's latest statistics, the average American devours 22, and the average teenager devours 34.

Sugar is being blamed far and wide for the catastrophic rise in obesity, diabetes and cardiovascular disease -- not to mention acne and tooth decay. In his bestselling book Anticancer: A New Way of Life (Viking, 2009), Doctors Without Borders cofounder David Servan-Schreiber avows that refined sugars "directly fuel the growth of cancer." Killjoy. I gave up sweet drinks years ago, but I would live on ice cream if it wasn't so embarrassing.

It's a biblical-sounding question: Can something that tastes like heaven really be so bad? But this begs further questions: Good for whom? Bad for whom? Precisely how? Well, we know it's good for business. Soft drinks represent a $115 billion industry in this country. Candy represents a $32 billion industry. (Americans spend $2 billion on Halloween candy alone.) According to the Centers for Disease Control, the annual cost of treating obesity-related medical conditions topped $140 billion in 2008, having nearly doubled in the previous decade. Diabetes isn't simply a matter of insulin injections. Blindness and amputations, anyone?

Like any territory where our bodies and other people's profits intersect, sugar is a battlefield.

We enter that fray within hours of being born.

"When a brand-new baby is struggling to make sense of this scary world," says nutrition therapist Elyse Resch, coauthor of Intuitive Eating (St. Martin's, 2003), "the first thing it tastes is breast milk or formula." Both fluids are rich in lactose, a disaccharide containing glucose, which the human body requires for survival; it's our cells' chief energy source. "Tasting that sweetness," Resch says, "what's the baby going to think? 'Hey, every time I eat this, I'm going to get really calm and my tummy's going to feel better and I'll be happy.'"

But somewhere between the nipple and the artisanal chocolate, we transfer our affection from lactose to other sweet-tasting chemical compounds derived from other sources; mainly sugarcane, corn, beets and fruit. Although each of these sweeteners -- too often collectively called "sugar" or "sugars," which has traditionally landed sucrose, aka white sugar, with most of the bad rap -- possesses a different chemical makeup, all of them contain a certain percentage of glucose. When sugar enters the bloodstream during digestion, the pancreas releases insulin, a hormone that regulates the blood-sugar level by allowing cells throughout the body to absorb and use the glucose. Frequent deluges of glucose wreak havoc on blood-sugar levels. When an overwhelmed pancreas produces little or no insulin or the cells stop responding to whatever insulin is produced, glucose builds up in the bloodstream. That's what we call diabetes.

And because the refining process strips away all enzymes, vitamins, minerals, fiber and other nutrients, refined sweeteners comprise nothing but empty calories. The body can metabolize these sweeteners only by drawing upon its own micronutrient storehouses: in other words, by draining its reserves. This process hinders the body's ability to metabolize fatty acids; increased fatty-acid storage leads to obesity.

In which case, refined sugars aren't just not food. They're arguably antifood.

"A lot of things being sold as foods have low or zero nutritional value aside from calories," says Joel Kimmons, a nutritional epidemiologist with the CDC's Division of Nutrition, Physical Activity and Obesity. "From a health and culinary perspective, the foods that we feed our children, our families and ourselves need to have more than calories -- they should include a wide variety of vitamins, minerals, protein, phytonutrients and fiber. The problem with sugar and other refined foods is that they dilute the nutritional content of your diet overall. It becomes more difficult to meet your nutritional requirements within your calorie limits every time you add sugar."

Yet we add so much. Those 22 teaspoons a day -- which comprises all sweeteners put into foods during processing and preparation by the manufacturer and the consumer -- amount to 156 pounds per person per year, according to the USDA. This figure is "shocking," avows Anticancer author Servan-Schreiber, railing against what he calls "the sugar boom" and noting that in 1830, the average American ate only 11 pounds of sugar a year.

Right, but it's everywhere. (Every four grams of sugar, as listed on food labels, equals about one teaspoonful.) And it goes by so many names. Maltodextrin, rice syrup, dextrose, galactose -- to choose from two dozen. Especially ubiquitous, in a country whose government subsidizes corn production, is high-fructose corn syrup (HFCS), a lower-cost alternative to cane sugar that was first developed in the 1950s, entered the processed-food scene bigtime during the late 1970s, and now represents between 40 and 50 pounds of our annual 156.

Many food activists, including Michael Pollan, point damning fingers at the fact that the industrialized world's recent rise in obesity coincides with the mainstreaming of HFCS. For this, many blame HFCS's high fructose content: 55 percent as compared to white sugar's 50 percent. Several studies, such as one performed at the University of Texas in 2008, suggest that fructose metabolizes differently than glucose does and transforms into body fat much more rapidly than glucose does. Yet many, including a 2007 University of Maryland project, argue the opposite. "Based on the currently available evidence," reads the Maryland report, "the expert panel concluded that HFCS does not appear to contribute to overweight and obesity any differently than do other energy sources."

In any case, the corn industry has a powerful public-relations department that, based on past experience, will track me down and send me another stern-but-upbeat missive in 3, 2, 1 denouncing HFCS's bad press and insisting that, as cited on the industry's Web site, SweetSurprise.com, "High fructose corn syrup is simply a kind of corn sugar. It has the same number of calories as sugar and is handled similarly by the body."

The corn industry's basic line is that HFCS "is no worse than sucrose," aka white sugar, says the CDC's Joel Kimmons. "The error they're making is in saying, 'We're just as good as sucrose.' Sweeteners are a problem simply because they provide calories without the concomitant required nutrients. Some researchers suggest that problem with sugar is fructose," which has been blamed not just for weight gain but also for illness; one 2008 University of Florida study links fructose consumption with liver disease; a University of Cincinnati study that same year links it with kidney disease and hypertension. A study published last year by the Minneapolis-based nonprofit Institute for Agriculture and Trade Policy reported detectable levels of mercury in 17 out of 55 food products containing HFCS that had been purchased the previous year. Even what appears innocent probably isn't: While the body can easily handle the amount of fructose in a single piece of actual fruit, fruit juices -- even those without added sweeteners -- are a different story.

Kimmons says HFCS is probably not handled much differently by the body than sucrose, given the similarity between the molecular makeup of both sweeteners. "However, the functional properties of HFCS have led to its being in all sorts of foods into which traditionally we would never consider putting a sweetener. It's even in bread," Kimmons laments.

HFCS's texture allows it to be used in ways that sugar can't.

"In addition to providing sweetness," we read at SweetSurprise.com, HFCS "gives chewy breakfast bars their soft texture and also protects freshness. High fructose corn syrup keeps products fresh by maintaining consistent moisture."

A five-minute wander through my own kitchen reveals the presence of HFCS or just-plain-corn-syrup in seven different "savory" products, including Del Monte tomato sauce and a loaf of Old Country Round Top Wheat & Bran Bread.

Now I'm officially depressed.

Because I have a relationship with sugar. Sweetness means more to me than other flavors, for better or worse. Like most Americans, I was raised to cherish sugar, anticipate sugar and crave sugar as a reward, a prize, a balm for broken hearts and shattered self-esteem. At the exact same time, like most Americans, I was raised to fear sugar, loathe sugar and shun sugar as a poison, a fattener, an uglifier and thus ruiner of (especially female) lives. The first half of that equation has evolutionary roots. Forced to submit to four actual seasons, our rural ancestors instinctively gorged on fruit, honey and the "fat of the land" at harvest time, packing on enough pounds to carry them through nutritionally sparse winters. Those with the keenest appetite for sweets ate the most, thus gained the most, thus were likelier to survive and reproduce than their skinny sweet-shunning neighbors.

The second half of that equation -- sugar as the core of what some would call addictions -- "is what happens when we start to believe that an innate pleasure is forbidden," says Intuitive Eating author Elyse Resch. As infants, we learn to love lactose. "Then in childhood they soothe you by giving you lollipops. Families celebrate special times by going out for ice cream. Growing up, we learn that sugar soothes us and cheers us up, because it drives the serotonin in the brain. But then at a certain point you're told, 'No, you can't have it.' And the more you're told you can't have something, the more you want it."

This is what eating disorders look like. Liberation comes when we release the notion of can't-have-it, Resch says, and instead learn to read our cravings carefully. And even though we imagine that we'll want a whole box of Mystic Mints, she says that nine times out of 10 we really won't.

"I was the diet queen in my twenties," says Resch, who is now 64. "I binged. I ate those seven cookies in a row. I've been there, but I know that the obsession can go away, along with the worry and the desperation. We have such tremendous wisdom within us. If we listen, it will let us know what we want and why we want it, especially if we're not acting out of desperation and rebound and we're not trying to control ourselves. Your body knows that you're not going to feel well if you eat what you don't need. And if you're truly listening to your body, you're not going to want a lot of sugar. Maybe a little bit with a meal or after a meal, but that's okay, because I really don't think sugar is all that bad for you. I like sugar, and I have sweets throughout the day -- okay, not candy bars for breakfast," Resch says, but she highly recommends Trader Joe's Old-Fashioned Cinnamon Grahams.

"I work with a lot of people who describe themselves as not being able to control their cravings for sugar," says nutrition therapist Karen Scheuner, who helps clients with eating disorders at the My Weigh therapy center in Oakland, California. "It is clear that food marketers do a really good job of priming us to crave sugar in the sense that it is ubiquitous, easy to buy and relatively cheap. On one hand our culture tells us to eat it, and on the other, it tells us to feel guilty for having eaten the chocolate cake. ... Sugar is both widely abundant and forbidden," Scheuner says.

Given that I have suffered so much for sugar, and given that I work so hard to compartmentalize it, making the absolute most of it in highly regulated small amounts, exalting over the half-brownie or lone macaroon with the rigid-backed rapture of the former anorexic, given that my isolated rendezvous with sweetness dot my waking hours like shiny, tiny holidays, I need to know what is sweet and what is not and I resent sugar's intrusion into non-treat foods. Special K, indeed. For someone with my history, it amounts to a violation, a kind of assault.

Being force-fed fructose is offensive enough. But -- not to sound elitist or anything -- the monosaccharide fructose simply doesn't taste as good as the disaccharide white sugar and not nearly as good as more expensive and boutique sweeteners such as raw sugar, brown sugar, maple sugar, honey, agave nectar and yacón syrup. (Refined honey, by the way, has more calories than table sugar and about the same nutritional value, which is basically nil.)

Agave nectar in particular is gaining ground amid the storm of controversy surrounding sucrose and HFCS. Refined from the sap of the flower-stalk of a spiky succulent native to central Mexico and better known stateside as the century plant, agave is the current darling of health-conscious chefs such as Sharon Fernandes, co-owner of the Germantown, Tennessee-based Stonehouse 27 spice company. Fernandes decided to use agave in her home kitchen and then in her line of Indian cooking sauces "after I started reading food labels when my daughter was young. I realized that every single thing I'd been buying at the store had high-fructose corn syrup in it. Everything was corn, corn, corn and more corn. I had to offer the public something different, and I thought pure agave nectar was just beautiful." Its texture evokes liquid velvet. Its flavor is oddly light and neutral: sweetness spoken as Hello, there rather than a shout. Hailed as a godsend for diabetics because of its low glycemic index, agave is nonetheless higher in fructose than HFCS.

First admitting, then appreciating the differences in flavor is a key to reducing sugar consumption, says Mireille Guiliano, bestselling author of French Women Don't Get Fat: The Secret of Eating for Pleasure (Knopf, 2004).

"Learn to enjoy the first three bites. That's all you need. Eat slowly, savor. The bad sugar is in sodas, cakes, cookies -- all the stuff with HFCS. Read labels and don't buy anything with HFCS. It's poison," Guiliano tells me. "If you eat the bad stuff ... your body will go into a sugar crave that can last a few hours to a few days. So think before you eat, pay attention to how fast you eat and remember that once you start eating, your brain, not your stomach, will signal satiety. Twenty minutes is required for the stomach to feel full and since most people gulp down the sweets much faster, it wastes calories and makes you fat."

"On the other hand, don't fool yourself and believe you can do totally without sugar -- most people can't," she says. "If you like chocolate, try a little square at the end of a meal and have dessert once in a while." Echoing Intuitive Eating author Resch, Guiliano adds: "The important thing is to not consider sugar as a temptation or 'guilty pleasure,' as some would say -- though not a French woman. If you look at sweets that way, you'll crave them even more and give in easily. Find a balance and remember: If you have dessert tonight, then no pain au chocolat for breakfast tomorrow. It's doable with a little practice."

Guiliano recommends honey "because it's so sweet, as well as divinely flavorful, [so] you can use less -- in my case, about half the amount of processed sugar."

That's what all this advice from everyone except the soft-drink, fast-food, candy and corn industry boils down to: using less. In urging us to go from 22 teaspoons of sugar per day to six or nine, the American Heart Association is asking us to cut down on sugar by 70 percent. We can try. But manufacturers shouldn't make it so difficult, sneaking sugars into everything from salad dressing to breakfast cereal and using cheap, zero-nutrition sweeteners as virtual filler. We could refuse to buy those products, or those companies could be pressured in other ways. A tax on anything containing more than four grams of sugar per serving, anyone?

Anneli Rufus is the author of several books, most recently The Scavenger's Manifesto (Tarcher Press, 2009). Read more of Anneli's writings on scave

Coffee Lowers Risk of Diabetes and Liver Fibrosis, Hepatitis and Prostate Cancer

2010-01-28T11:01:00.001-08:00

http://www.naturalnews.com/028033_coffee_diabetes.html

January 27 2010

by Melanie Grimes, citizen journalist

(NaturalNews) Drinking coffee can lower the risk of liver fibrosis, hepatitis, and type 2 diabetes; new research has shown. Coffee has also been shown to lower the risk of prostate cancer, and even Alzheimer's disease and stroke. It is the caffeine in the coffee that is the active ingredient, but other sources of caffeine, such as green tea, black tea and chocolate may be helpful in reducing health risks, though the study showed that coffee reduced the risk for fibrosis.

The most recent coffee study was published in January 2010 in the journal, Hepatology, and titled, "Increased caffeine consumption is associated with reduced hepatic fibrosis". One hundred and seventy seven patients were studied over a six-month period. The group was comprised of close to half male and female, with 112 chronic hepatitis sufferers. The participants consumed 308 mg of caffeine a day, the same as 2.25 cups of coffee.

Another study, published in the journal Arthritis Rheumatism in 2007, concluded that coffee consumption lowered uric acid levels, which is the cause of gout and osteoarthritis.

The research on coffee and diabetes was published in the Archives of Internal Medicine. The findings also indicated that tea and decaffeinated coffee also helped reduce the risk of diabetes. Every cup of coffee consumed equaled a seven percent reduction in diabetes risk. This study was collected from over 18 various studies on coffee, totaling nearly a half million participants.

In December 2009, research presented at the American Association for Cancer Research Frontiers in Cancer Prevention Research Conference showed that coffee reduced the risk of prostate cancer because of its effect on blood sugar, insulin and glucose metabolism. The research was collected from over 50,000 men, from 1986 to 2006. Men who drank the most coffee had a 60 percent lower risk of aggressive prostate cancer, compared to the men who drank no coffee.

The more coffee you drink, the lower is the risk of diabetes and other chronic health conditions, the research suggests. Further research is needed to confirm these findings, but the indications are that the morning cup of Joe may be good for your long-term health.

Avoid High Fructose Corn Syrup in Beverages and Processed Foods

2010-01-28T11:00:00.000-08:00

http://www.NaturalNews.com/z028030_high_fructose_corn_syrup_health.html

by Paul Fassa, citizen journalist

(NaturalNews) If you think consuming products with high fructose corn syrup is a good way to avoid sugar, think again. You are better off with sugar! Of course, you probably know by now that any aspartame type sweetener is out of the question. But high fructose corn syrup (HFCS) is also a very poor choice.

HFCS is a sweet deal for food processors and soft drink companies because it`s cheaper than sugar and even sweeter. It`s also easier to convince an unsuspecting consumer public that it`s healthier, even if it usually comes from GMO corn. But health hazards from GMO corn aren`t the only issues.

Why HFCS is Bad for You

Fructose in fruits and vegetables comes as part of a digestible whole food package that contains much less fructose than soft drinks and other processed foods. The digestive system is not familiar with high amounts of isolated fructose such as HFCS.

Dr. Andrew Weil states, "The body doesn`t handle large amounts of fructose well. You can maintain life with intravenous glucose, but not with intravenous fructose; severe derangement of liver function results. There is also evidence that a high intake of fructose elevates levels of circulating fats (serum triglycerides), increasing the risk of heart disease ..."

Our cells use glucose for energy by metabolizing carbohydrates. With glucose from cane or beet sugar, 20% is passed onto the liver to be metabolized. But the gut doesn`t know what to do with isolated high fructose. So it passes 100% of the isolated fructose into the liver.

Consequently, the liver metabolizes the high fructose content into mostly fats and triglycerides. High amounts of HFCS are apt to create non alcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD), and possibly cirrhosis. Insulin resistance is another manifestation of HFCS metabolic damage.

HFCS creates even more metabolic damage because it has no effect on ghrelin, which
stimulates appetite, and interferes with the brain`s leptin communication, which lets you know you`ve had enough to eat. This leads to overeating. Glucose suppresses ghrelin and doesn`t interfere with leptin. So hunger cravings are satisfied easily with glucose from even regular sugar.

Metabolic disorders from HFCS have been shown to induce diabetes type II and obesity, two outbreaks of bad health that have increased dramatically since 1975 when HFCS was introduced. Ironically, these two epidemics and rising heart disease have occurred despite successful campaigns of increased exercise with decreased fat intakes over the last three decades.

Processing HFCS leads to substantial levels of mercury.

Wait, There`s More!

As if HFCS is not enough, the food and beverage industry has recently one upped HFCS with crystalline fructose. It`s further refined and more potent than HFCS, which is 45% sucrose and 55% fructose. Crystalline fructose is 100% pure fructose, making it even more difficult to metabolize, and it`s more toxic with traces of chloride, lead, and arsenic.

Crystalline fructose is now being used in some sports drinks, flavored waters, and even so called health beverages.

What To Do

Simply avoid beverages and foods with high fructose corn syrup or crystalline fructose. Make your own fruit juices. Drink pure water with a pinch of organic unprocessed salt to rehydrate after exercise. For the sweet tooth, use stevia or raw organic honey and raw organic sugar in moderation instead.

Calcium and vitamin D supplements reduce the risk of bone fractures in everyone, young and old

2010-01-28T10:59:00.000-08:00

http://www.NaturalNews.com/z028037_vitamin_D_bone_fractures.html

January 27 2010
by S. L. Baker, features writer

(NaturalNews) In recent years, Big Pharma has produced a variety of widely hyped bisphosphonate drugs including alendronate (Fosamax), ibandronate (Boniva), risedronate (Actonel) and zoledronic acid (Reclast) that are aimed at preserving bone mass and reducing the risk of fractures. Unfortunately, as NaturalNews has reported, the more these medications are pushed on patients, the more serious side effects are being reported, from dangerous heart arrhythmias (http://www.naturalnews.com/026027_d...) to dental problems, esophageal ulcers, abdominal pain and severe damage to the jaw bone. But a new study involving almost 70,000 people from throughout the U.S. and Europe shows that nutrients -- calcium and vitamin D taken together -- offer a natural, side effect-free way to prevent fractures.

Because broken bones are a major cause of disability and loss of independence for elders, these findings are of particular interest to older people. In fact, according to the National Institute of Arthritis and Musculoskeletal and Skin Diseases (NIAMS), fall-related injuries are the leading cause of accidental death among Americans age 65 and older. However, fractures can be serious at any age, causing pain, sometimes necessitating surgery and almost always restricting activities.

Good news: the researchers found it isn't only the aged whose bones benefit from taking calcium and vitamin D. Remarkably, they found the supplements reduced fractures in everyone -- the young and old, women and men, and even people who had already sustained fractured bones in the past.

The study, published in the January issue of the British Medical Journal, involved an international team of scientists headed by researchers from Copenhagen University in Denmark. They assessed the results of seven large clinical trials from around the world to document whether vitamin D alone or with calcium was effective in reducing fractures.

One of the most important trials included in the new investigation was a long term study conducted at the University of California at Davis (UC Davis) in Sacramento as part of the Women's Health Initiative (WHI). This 15 year long national program was designed to study the effect of calcium and vitamin D supplements in preventing hip, spine and other types of fractures.

"What is important about this very large study is that it goes a long way toward resolving conflicting evidence about the role of vitamin D, either alone or in combination with calcium, in reducing fractures," John Robbins, professor of internal medicine at UC Davis and a co-author of the journal article, said in a statement to the media. "Our WHI research in Sacramento included more than 1,000 healthy, postmenopausal women and concluded that taking calcium and vitamin D together helped them preserve bone health and prevent fractures. This latest analysis, because it incorporates so many more people, really confirms our earlier conclusions."

Bottom line: the researchers concluded that it is the combination of calcium and vitamin D, rather than vitamin D alone, that is most effective in reducing a variety of fractures. "Interestingly, this combination of supplements benefits both women and men of all ages, which is not something we fully expected to find," Dr. Robbins stated. "We now need to investigate the best dosage, duration and optimal way for people to take it."

Radiation Treatment for Cancer Causes Diabetes in Children

2010-01-28T10:58:00.000-08:00

http://www.NaturalNews.com/z028032_radiation_therapy_diabetes.html

January 27 2010
by David Gutierrez, staff writer

(NaturalNews) People who are undergo radiation therapy for childhood cancers are significantly more likely to develop diabetes as adults, according to a new study conducted by researchers from Emory University and published in the Archives of Internal Medicine.

A number of studies have found that radiation, chemotherapy, and other such treatments significantly shorten the lives of childhood cancer survivors.

"As a result of their curative therapies, childhood cancer survivors face an increased risk of morbidity and mortality," the researchers wrote. Nearly 75 percent of such children develop a chronic health condition within 30 years of diagnosis, while 42.4 percent develop severe, disabling or life-threatening health conditions. Because cardiovascular disease is a major killer of childhood cancer survivors, the researchers examined the effect of radiation treatment on the risk of diabetes, a major correlate of cardiovascular mortality.

The researchers examined diabetes rates in 8,599 people who had been diagnosed with cancer before the age of 21, between 1970 and 1986. These rates were compared with 2,936 of their cancer-free siblings, who were randomly selected. All participants were screened for diabetes in 2003.

After adjusting for other diabetes risk factors including age, body mass index, ethnicity, exercise, income, insurance and race, the researchers found that those who had undergone cancer treatment as children were 1.8 times more likely to have diabetes as adults than their siblings were. Those who had been treated with abdominal radiation were 2.7 times more likely to have diabetes, while those who had been treated with whole-body radiation were a shocking 7.2 times more likely to be diabetic.

Risk increased with radiation dose used, and decreased with age at diagnosis. People diagnosed with cancer before the age of five had 2.4 times the diabetes risk as those diagnosed between the ages of 15 and 20.

A previous study found that childhood cancer survivors were five to 10 times more likely to suffer from heart disease than their cancer-free siblings, and significantly more likely to suffer from kidney disease.

The Hidden Benefits of Exercise

2010-01-28T10:54:00.000-08:00

http://articles.mercola.com/sites/articles/archive/2010/01/26/The-Hidden-Benefits-of-Exercise.aspx

The Hidden Benefits of Exercise
Posted by: Dr. Mercola
January 26 2010 | 22,924 views

Regular workouts may help fight off colds and flu, reduce the risk of certain cancers and chronic diseases, and slow the process of aging.

A growing body of research is showing that regular exercise can boost your body's immune system, increasing the circulation of natural killer cells that fight off viruses and bacteria.

Regular exercise has also been shown to combat the ongoing damage done to cells, tissues and organs that underlies many chronic conditions.

Studies have found exercise can lower blood pressure, reduce bad cholesterol, and cut the incidence of Type 2 diabetes.

Medical experts say inactivity poses as great a health risk as smoking, contributing to heart disease, diabetes, hypertension, cancer, depression, arthritis and osteoporosis.

Sources:
Wall Street Journal January 5, 2010

Dr. Mercola's Comments:

The WSJ article touches on just a few of the amazing health benefits of exercise I’ve been talking and writing about for nearly three decades, including that exercise can:

Reduce your cancer risk
Slow the aging process in your body
Boost your immune system
How Exercise Helps You Fight Cancer

Cancer thrives on sugar.

Regular exercise reduces your insulin levels, which creates a low sugar environment that discourages the growth and spread of cancer cells. Controlling your insulin levels is one of the most powerful steps you can take to reduce your cancer risk.

Physically active adults experience about half the incidence of colon cancer as their sedentary counterparts. Exercise has a beneficial influence on insulin, prostaglandins and bile acids, all of which are thought to encourage the growth and spread of cancer cells in your colon. Exercise also improves bowel transit time, which means your body’s waste is spending less time in contact with the mucosal lining of your colon.

As the Wall Street Journal article points out, women who exercise regularly can reduce their breast cancer risk by 20 to 30 percent over their inactive counterparts. This is likely due to a lowering of estrogen levels.

The article cites a study in which women being treated for breast cancer were 50 percent less likely to die of the disease if they walked at an average pace for three to five hours a week.

Think about it. If just three to five hours of walking per week can so drastically improve your chances of surviving a hormone-responsive breast cancer tumor, imagine what a few more hours a week of exercise could do for you.

If you’re male, be aware that athletes have lower levels of circulating testosterone than non-athletes, and similar to the association between estrogen levels and breast cancer in women, testosterone is known to influence the development of prostate cancer in men.

Physical activity can reduce your risk.

A Cure for Aging?

Have you heard the news about telomeres?

Telomeres are strands of DNA at the ends of your chromosomes which protect them from damage. Gradual erosion of telomeres leads to aging on a cellular level –think of them as a kind of biological clock.

As telomeres shorten more, cell death occurs. These cell deaths are associated with serious disease and premature aging

There is no question that the leading edge of anti aging research is on how to prevent telomere shortening and actually develop therapies to lengthen telomeres. Many experts believe that lengthening telomeres could actually turn the biological clock backwards.

Since exercise has been associated with preventing telomere shortening, it is clearly a very powerful anti aging strategy.

Research indicates physically active people have significantly less erosion of telomeres than even healthy, non-smoking, but sedentary folks. Exercise activates the enzyme telomerase which stabilizes telomeres, producing an anti-aging effect at the cellular level.

Other equally important factors in slowing the aging process include:

A healthy diet based on your individual nutritional type
Reducing or eliminating grains and sugar from your diet
Sufficient, high quality sleep
A method to address your emotional challenges and daily stressors
Exercise Boosts Your Immune System

Exercise improves the circulation of immune cells in your blood. The job of these cells is to neutralize pathogens throughout your body.

The better these cells circulate, the more efficient your immune system is at locating and defending against viruses and diseases trying to attack your body.

Your immune system is your first line of defense against everything from minor illnesses like a cold or the flu right up through devastating, life-threatening diseases like cancer. It’s not possible to be optimally healthy if your immune system is weak or compromised.

Prescribing Exercise

I wasn’t surprised to read in the WSJ article that only four out of 10 medical doctors ever mention the importance of exercise to their patients, despite its proven health benefits.

According to Dr. Robert Sallis, co-director of sports medicine at Fontana Medical Center in California:

"Exercise can be used like a vaccine to prevent disease and a medication to treat disease. If there were a drug with the same benefits as exercise, it would instantly be the standard of care."

Typical of conventional medical thinking, somehow a vaccine or other drug with the same benefits as exercise would be preferable to exercise itself.

No, it would not.

But it’s at least encouraging to see recognition of this type for exercise as both prevention and cure.

If you’re a regular reader of this newsletter and my website, you know I’ve long touted the importance of viewing exercise as a drug.

Actually writing out a prescription for exercise is an excellent way to take a proactive approach to your health. A great tool for creating your own exercise prescription is my Daily Exercise Table.

The Time is Now

No matter your age, exercise can provide enormous benefits for your health.

If you happen to be over 40 it’s especially important to either start or step up your exercise program. This is the time of life when your physical strength, stamina, balance and flexibility start to decline.

I can’t stress enough the importance of using precision to develop your individual workout program. You need to make sure you’re getting enough exercise to achieve all the benefits, but not so much that you injure yourself, and you need variety to condition and build your entire body and prevent boredom.

Your program should include aerobic exercise, anaerobic (interval) training, weight strength training, and core exercises to build, strengthen and improve the flexibility of all the muscles of your body, like yoga, Pilates or active isolated stretching

If you’ve been sedentary for any length of time or you’re out of shape for some other reason, it is vitally important to get started with an exercise program – but start small. One of the main reasons people don’t stick with a workout program is because they go too hard, too fast and wind up with an injury, illness or simple exhaustion.

Write your own exercise prescription based on factors including:

your current physical condition
your fitness goals
your health concerns
activities you enjoy
best time of day for you to workout
Your ultimate goal if you are overweight or have other health concerns should be an hour to 90 minutes of exercise every day.

Once you reach a normal weight, you can drop back to 45 minutes at least four times a week and still reap the incredible health benefits of regular exercise.

'Skeptics' article stirs up condemnation from skeptics, praise from holistic thinkers

2010-01-25T10:19:00.000-08:00

http://www.NaturalNews.com/z028019_skeptics_thinking.html

January 25 2010
'Skeptics' article stirs up condemnation from skeptics, praise from holistic thinkers
by Mike Adams, the Health Ranger, NaturalNews Editor

(NaturalNews) The article I posted yesterday that exposed the true beliefs of "skeptics" made some major waves across the 'net. Entitled, What "skeptics" really believe about vaccines, medicine, consciousness and the universe (http://www.naturalnews.com/028012_s...), the article turned the tables on the skeptics and detailed their bizarre beliefs for the whole world to see.

This article succeeded wildly in infuriating the "skeptics" across the 'net by simply reminding them what they believe. They then resorted to their same old dirty tricks to attack me by doing things like joining our Facebook page then posting a message that says, "That article made me so mad, I'm quitting this forum!" (Gee, oh well.)

Meanwhile, the article received praise from supporters of natural medicine, the healing arts and holistic thinking -- all of whom have had enough of being labeled quacks and kooks for believing in plant-based medicine, nutritional therapies and the healing potential of the human mind and body.

They're tired of being insulted and demeaned by the skeptics who have for years gotten away with blasting holistic thinkers without receiving much criticism themselves. So we turned the tables on the skeptics and showed the world how crazy some of their beliefs are. It is absolutely true that the most ardent skeptics believe they themselves have no consciousness, no soul, no free will and not even a mind. People thought I made this up, but I didn't. It's one of the core beliefs among classic "skeptics" (they will even tell you this themselves).

Water is magical... really!
One such skeptic accused me of being a quack because he said that I believe "water is magical." Was that supposed to be an insult? I do think water is magical!

I think pregnancy is magical. Human consciousness is magical. Plant life is magical. And water is at the very top of the list of magical substances with amazing, miraculous properties, many of which have yet to be discovered.

Think about it: Water expands when it freezes (almost everything else shrinks). Water is both a solvent and a lubricant. Water is almost impervious to compression. Water can flow upwards, against gravity, into small cracks and crevices. Water is made up of two gases, each of which is a combustible fuel on its own. Do I think water is magical? You bet I do!

I also think magnetism is magical. And gravity. And quantum physics. There isn't a single scientist or skeptic alive today who truly understands magnetism or gravity. Sure, they can mathematically model it. They can describe it and observe it, but they don't understand it. Mass warps the very fabric of reality and causes two objects to magically attract each other? Seriously? That's about as magical as it gets.

Quantum physics is magical, too. As physicist Richard Feynman famously said, "I think I can safely say that no one understands quantum mechanics." To all humans, including skeptics, quantum physics is essentially magic. If they claim to truly understand quantum physics, they are lying.

Feyman was unusually open-minded for a scientist. In fact, he was no closed-minded "skeptic." He was infinitely curious about the way the universe works, and had he lived longer, he may have very well discovered the principles behind homeopathy and water memory. But he also knew that science has its limits -- an idea that still has not occurred to most skeptics today. Feynman said, "I believe that a scientist looking at nonscientific problems is just as dumb as the next guy." Those are his words, not mine. The words of perhaps the greatest physicist to have ever lived.

Science cannot answer the most important questions
And he's right. Reductionism doesn't work to study holistic phenomena. And that's where most skeptics go completely off track. They think you can isolate, identify and categorize every bit and piece of every single thing if you just look closely enough. In that belief, they are wrong. The universe is holographic. The whole is in the parts. The universe is holistic, and it cannot be understood by ripping it apart into tiny pieces and giving them tiny names.

I wrote about this in an article about the Large Hadron Collider that has been widely read across the 'net. It's entitled The Higgs Boson Particle Isn't a Particle - Why the Search for Subatomic Particles is an Illusion (http://www.naturalnews.com/025486.html)

Reductionist thinking (the preferred worldview of "skeptics") cannot ever hope to understand plant-based medicine. Because plant-based medicine works through the synergistic effects of thousands of phytonutrients working together. Separate them all and the "magic" of plant-based medicine disappears. Western scientists can study every single molecule of a plant in great detail and yet entirely miss the healing effects of the whole plant.

When skeptics demand that we "prove that this plant has medicinal properties," what they mean is that the plant chemicals should be studied in isolation, one by one, to see if any of them work in isolation. And that approach simply won't work. Traditional Chinese Medicine, for example, uses ingredients that when taken in isolation can be dangerous (such as ephedra), but when combined with other supporting herbs are remarkably safe.

Skeptics don't get this. The FDA doesn't get this. And many consumers still don't get this either. Holistic medicine cannot be studied with reductionist thinking.

In a similar way, the holistic nature of the universe cannot be understood, explained or even comprehended by reductionist thinking. The worldview of "skeptics," in other words, limits them to a very narrow understanding of the world around them. That limitation is what prevents them from understanding the healing arts, or homeopathy, or mind-body medicine or any other advanced modality.

Skeptics recruit thousands of new readers for NaturalNews
Getting back to the skeptics themselves, some of them took my article way too personally, attributing every single statement to themselves. Well of course every single belief in that article isn't followed by every single "skeptic" person. Even skeptics disagree amongst themselves on how far to take their "skeptic" beliefs. There is a spectrum of skeptics in the same way there is a spectrum of natural health practitioners.

But by blasting my article all over the web and then attacking it, they accomplished something quite amazing: They brought us over 2,500 new email newsletter subscribers in just 48 hours! As it turns out, many people are skeptical of the skeptics and they're quite open to a differing point of view. They might believe one or two things that typify the skeptics' position, but they don't swallow the whole belief system of the most ardent skeptics.

And that brings me to beliefs. I don't want you to believe anything I say. Not automatically, anyway. I want you to think for yourself. I don't want you to follow holistic thinking just because it sounds pretty; I want you to explore for yourself what seems to be true in your own experience.

If you, in your own experience, find that herbs and massage therapy and nutrition are all utterly worthless, and you want to join the skeptics camp, then go for it! If you've thought about it yourself, and reached your own conclusions, and you've pursued truth with an open mind and an open heart, then whatever conclusion you reach is "your" truth. But don't let your current intellectual position become a prison that prevents you from exploring other possibilities of the way the universe works.

This is the default position of free thinkers, by the way, of which I am a lifelong member. Free thinkers respect the freedoms of others to arrive at their own truths. Skeptics, on the other hand, aggressively attack anyone who disagrees with their conclusions. If you don't believe the things they believe, then you're a quack, or a kook or a woo woo practitioner.

They also tend to jump to false conclusions about what people are really saying. In my previous article, for example, I never stated whether I believed in God, or whether I was an athiest, or whether I followed organized religion and yet people read the article and they leaped to conclusions, assuming I was promoting organized religion, for example, or that I was condemning atheism.

Actually I never stated my position on those matters in the article at all, but the skeptics leaped to the conclusion that I did. This speaks to their tendency to warp all incoming information and restructure it to conform to the beliefs they already carry about the subject at hand.

Above all, skeptics have an extremely limited, distorted view of the world. It is that view that prevents them from grasping more advanced concepts like quantum healing, vibrational medicine, mind-body medicine or even medicinal herbs. The skeptics' view of the universe is that of a child. Embracing the holistic nature of the universe requires a more mature understanding.

New evidence shows selenium and omega-3s prevent colon cancer

2010-01-25T10:15:00.001-08:00

http://www.NaturalNews.com/z028021_colorectal_cancer_selenium.html

January 25 2010
by S. L. Baker, features writer

(NaturalNews) When scientists gathered in Houston recently for the American Association for Cancer Research (AACR) Frontiers in Cancer Prevention Research Conference, they heard groundbreaking evidence about how colon cancer can be prevented. The new data wasn't about drugs or surgery, either. Instead, two separate research groups concluded natural substances appear to protect from often deadly colon malignancies.

Colon cancer, which the American Cancer Society estimates is diagnosed in over 108,000 Americans each year, is intricately linked to adenomas, also called polyps. These lesions grow in the large bowel and start off as benign. However, they can turn into cancerous tumors and 70 to 80% of all cancers of the colon (the longest part of the large intestine) and rectum result from adenomas-turned-malignant.

So, in hopes of preventing future cancerous growths, polyps found during colonoscopies are snipped off and biopsied. Unfortunately though, pre-cancerous polyps often return. But scientists at the National Institute for Cancer Research in Genoa, Italy, conducted a long term study that shows the risk of pre-cancerous polyps (dubbed colorectal metachronous adenomas) coming back after they've been removed can be greatly reduced. The key? Taking specific antioxidants, including a selenium-based compound.

"Our study is the first intervention trial specifically designed to evaluate the efficacy of the selenium-based antioxidant compound on the risk of developing metachronous adenomas," said Luigina Bonelli, M.D., head of the unit of secondary prevention and screening at the National Institute for Cancer Research, in a statement to the media.

40% reduced risk
The research team studied volunteers between the ages of 25 and 75 who had already had one or more colorectal adenomas removed. None of the participants were diagnosed with any additional colorectal disease, cancer or other life-threatening illness and none were taking vitamins or mineral supplements when the study began. The scientists randomly divided the 411 participants into two groups: those in one group received an inactive placebo and those in the second group took a daily antioxidant supplement containing a selenium compound (selenomethionnine 200 ug), zinc 30 mg, vitamin A 6,000 IU, vitamin C 180 mg and vitamin E 30 mg.

"Our results indicated that individuals who consumed antioxidants had a 40% reduction in the incidence of metachronous adenomas of the large bowel," Bonelli said. "It is noteworthy that the benefit observed after the conclusion of the trial persisted through 13 years of follow up."

Omega-3s help prevent colorectal cancer
Another study just released at the Frontiers in Cancer Prevention Research Conference -- this one from the National Institute of Environmental Health Sciences in Research Triangle Park, North Carolina -- found that omega-3 fatty acids, which are primarily found in cold water fish such as salmon, may be able to prevent colorectal cancer.

The scientists recruited 1,509 Caucasian participants (716 cancer cases and 787 controls) and 369 African-American participants (213 cancer cases and 156 controls). A validated food questionnaire was used to collect information on the frequency and amount of foods typically consumed by the research subjects in the past 12 months. Those who ate more long-chain omega-3 fatty acids had a significantly reduced risk of large bowel cancer. In fact, the highest intake was linked to an almost 40% decreased cancer risk. Unfortunately, the greatly reduced risk was only seen in white research subjects and the scientists are trying to figure out what might account for the racial disparity.

"Experimental data have shown benefits of long-chain omega-3 fatty acids in colorectal carcinogenesis, ranging from reduced tumor growth, suppression of angiogenesis and inhibition of metastasis," research leader Sangmi Kim, Ph.D., said in a statement to the press. "Our finding of inverse association between dietary intakes of long-chain omega-3 fatty acids and distal large bowel cancer in white participants adds additional support to the hypothesis."

These new studies linking natural substances to colon cancer prevention are part of a growing body of evidence indicating dietary measures can fight this kind of cancer successfully. For example, as NaturalNews has previously reported, the disease is primarily linked to the typical Western diet (http://www.naturalnews.com/025974_c...), so avoiding processed food and trans fats (http://www.naturalnews.com/025880_t...) can go far to prevent it. What's more, blueberries have been shown to slash the risk of colon cancer by 57% (http://www.naturalnews.com/021951_b...) and apples contain natural phytochemicals that have a protective effect against colon cancer (http://www.naturalnews.com/023136_c...), too.

Chlorella Superfood Fights Body Fat and Diabetes

2010-01-25T10:14:00.001-08:00

http://www.NaturalNews.com/z028017_chlorella_diabetes.html

January 25 2010
by David Gutierrez, staff writer

(NaturalNews) A superfood known as chlorella has caught on like wildfire in the United Kingdom, and studies continue to emerge linking the algae to improvement in symptoms of people with everything from diabetes and high blood pressure to digestive or immune problems.

Chlorella is a single-celled algae that naturally occurs in freshwater rivers and ponds in East Asia, tinting those bodies of water green. It is gathered from these natural sources, dried, crushed into a powder, and then packed into tablet form for sale as a dietary supplement. It has twice the protein density of spinach, 38 times that of soy beans and 55 times that of rice, providing nine essential amino acids along with a number of vitamins and minerals.

The algae has shown effectiveness at improving the symptoms of metabolic syndrome -- a collection of symptoms linked with cardiovascular disease and diabetes, including high fasting blood sugar, high blood pressure and cholesterol, and central obesity. Studies have found chlorella supplements to reduce blood pressure in 50 percent of hypertension patients, as well as significantly reduce body fat, blood cholesterol and blood sugar levels.

"It seems that chlorella turns on the genes that control the way insulin is normally used by the cells in the body," said researcher Randall Merchant of Virginia Commonwealth University. "This research shows that chlorella could in theory help correct the problems of metabolic syndrome. It is not a magic bullet, but taking it is one other preventive thing you can do, like exercise or watching your diet."

Other studies have shown that chlorella encourages the growth of "good bacteria," absorbs toxins from the intestines, improves digestion, and eases the symptoms of irritable bowel syndrome, ulcerative colitis and fibromyalgia. Chlorella supporters claim that it also increases energy levels and fights depression.

After studies showed that chlorella boosts the immune system, preventing secondary infections in people with brain tumors, some British doctors have started using it to complement cancer treatments.

Because chlorella is high in vitamin K1, it can interfere with the effects of blood thinning medications.

Pack Your Nutrient Dense Smoothies with Chia Seeds

2010-01-25T10:12:00.001-08:00

http://www.NaturalNews.com/z028013_chia_seeds_smoothies.html

January 25 2010
by DaNae Johnson, M.H., citizen journalist

(NaturalNews) Years ago, we all saw the chia pets advertised on TV or on department store selves. Perhaps, you even have one of these sprout-covered clay sculptures sitting on your counter right now. But you might not know that the chia seeds that create that fluffy green afro are packed with amazing benefits for your health.

What are Chia seeds?

If you live in the American Southwest, chances are you pass by chia plants every day and don't even know it. The Mexican mint, Salvia hispanica, is a plant native to the central Mexican plateau and Guatemala that naturally ranges as far north as Texas, Arizona, and southern California. The plant grows about 3 feet (1 m) tall, with leaves alternating on opposite sides of the stem. The white or purple flower spikes produce mottle-colored white, brown, purple, or black seeds about 1 mm (0.04 in) in diameter.

The tiny chia seeds were once the basis of ceremonial beverages favored by the Aztecs, its name in the Nahuatl language meaning "oily." In Aztec times, chia was the third most important crop after beans and corn, and more important than quinoa. Chia was essential not just in the diet but also to the economy. Taxes and tributes to the emperor were paid in chia seeds.

Health Benefits of Chia Seeds

What are the health benefits of chia seeds? Nutritionally, chia seeds are beneficial because of their extraordinarily high content of omega 3-fatty acids. About 64 per cent of the weight of the seed is omega 3-fatty acids. They contain about 20 per cent protein and 16 per cent fiber.

Quercetin, myristicin, and kaempferol are also in chia seeds. These are naturally occurring antioxidants that help stabilize tissues that otherwise would be affected by allergies.

The greatest benefit of chia seeds today seems to be minimizing the dietary side effects of an uncontrollable sweet tooth, a diet of 50 per cent or more simple sugars. Laboratory experiments with animals find that adding chia seed to a high-sugar diet gradually reduces insulin resistance.

When cells in the muscles and liver are more sensitive to insulin, the pancreas does not have to release as much insulin to keep bloodstream glucose levels normal. When less insulin is released into the bloodstream, fewer fatty acids are stored in fat cells. This is because insulin is approximately 300 times more efficient at storing fatty acids than it is at storing glucose.

The net effect of long-term consumption of chia seeds, in laboratory studies, is reduced body fat, lowered insulin levels, and lowered blood sugars.

How to make a Chia Smoothie?

The key to making a perfect chia smoothie is to use no more than 1 tablespoon of seeds to 8 ounce of liquid added to the smoothie. Chia seeds have the ability to soak up 12 times its weight in water. Unless you want a thick chia gel smoothie, you will need to drink your smoothie immediately after blending.

It is beneficial to soak the seeds with the liquid of the smoothie for about an hour prior to blending. Pour the chia gel into the blender with the frozen fruit of choice and blend. Add more liquid, if needed.

Selected references:

Chicco AG, D'Alessandro ME, Hein GJ, Oliva ME, Lombardo YB. Dietary chia seed (Salvia hispanica L.) rich in alpha-linolenic acid improves adiposity and normalises hypertriacylglycerolaemia and insulin resistance in dyslipaemic rats. Br J Nutr. 2009 Jan;101(1):41-50. Epub 2008 May 20.

Ulbricht C, Chao W, Nummy K, Rusie E, Tanguay-Colucci S, Iannuzzi CM, Plammoottil JB, Varghese M, Weissner W. Chia (Salvia hispanica): a systematic review by the natural standard research collaboration.
Rev Recent Clin Trials. 2009 Sep;4(3):168-74.

Vuksan V, Whitham D, Sievenpiper JL, Jenkins AL, Rogovik AL, Bazinet RP, Vidgen E, Hanna A. Supplementation of conventional therapy with the novel grain Salba (Salvia hispanica L.) improves major and emerging cardiovascular risk factors in type 2 diabetes: results of a randomized controlled trial.
Diabetes Care. 2007 Nov;30(11):2804-10. Epub 2007 Aug 8.

Drugs for Depression, Anxiety Tied to Preterm Birth

2010-01-23T00:52:00.000-08:00

http://www.reuters.com/article/idUSTRE60K56420100121

Drugs for Depression, Anxiety Tied to Preterm Birth
Reuters
Sat, 23 Jan 2010 02:32 EST

New York - Pregnant women who take certain drugs for depression or anxiety may have heightened risks of preterm delivery or other birth complications, according to a new study.

Researchers found that among nearly 3,000 women who gave birth in Washington State, those who started taking antidepressants known as selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors (SSRIs) in the second or third trimester had a higher risk of preterm birth.

Compared with their counterparts not on the medications, these women were nearly five times more likely to deliver prematurely.

The same risk was not seen, however, among women who started on an SSRI before pregnancy or during the first trimester. SSRIs include drugs like sertraline (Zoloft), paroxetine (Paxil) and fluoxetine (Prozac).

The researchers also found a higher risk of preterm delivery among women who took anti-anxiety drugs known as benzodiazepines, regardless of when they began treatment.

Those drugs, which include medications like lorazepam (Ativan) and alprazolam (Xanax), were linked to higher risks of other complications as well - including low birth weight, newborn respiratory distress and a low Apgar score, a standard measure of newborn health.

The findings of the study are published in the American Journal of Obstetrics & Gynecology.

Exactly what the study means for women on SSRIs or benzodiazepines is not entirely clear. A major limitation is that it could not estimate the benefits of treatment, lead researcher Dr. Ronit Calderon-Margalit, of the Hebrew University-Hadassah School of Public Health in Jerusalem, noted in an email to Reuters Health.

Any risks of using the medications during pregnancy need to be balanced against the risks of leaving depression and anxiety disorders untreated.

"It is very important to have other studies of the risks associated with (these) drugs, but also of benefits associated with treating mothers," said Calderon-Margalit, who was at the University of Washington in Seattle at the time of the study.

In addition, SSRIs did not appear to present equal risks for all women. Calderon-Margalit described the antidepressant findings as "mostly reassuring" for women who start the drugs before pregnancy or in the first trimester -- as most SSRI users in the study had.

The study included 2,793 pregnant women, 11 percent of whom used a psychiatric medication during pregnancy. Of these, 138 were on an SSRI, while 85 used a benzodiazepine.

Among women who were not on any medication, 9 percent gave birth prematurely, versus nearly half of women on benzodiazepines.

Meanwhile, 14 percent of women on SSRIs had a preterm birth, but the elevated risk turned out to be concentrated among those who started an antidepressant after the first trimester. Of those 21 women, 16 delivered prematurely.

Several other birth complications, often related to preterm birth, were also higher-than-average among women on benzodiazepines.

Seventeen percent of their newborns suffered respiratory distress syndrome and one-third ended up in the neonatal intensive care unit. Those figures were 3 percent and 6 percent, respectively, among newborns whose mothers had not used psychiatric medications during pregnancy.

Calderon-Margalit pointed out that most women on benzodiazepines used lorazepam (Ativan), so it is possible that the risks are associated mainly with that drug. However, further research is needed to determine whether any particular medications carry particular risks.

Source:

American Journal of Obstetrics & Gynecology, December 2009.

Vaccinations: How to Recover

2010-01-22T05:28:00.000-08:00

http://www.NaturalNews.com/z028000_vaccinations_health_problems.html

January 22 2010
by Kal Sellers, citizen journalist

(NaturalNews) Vaccinations cause various problems that have led to their becoming controversial more than ever before. Because we now know more about what happens. In this article, we plot a step-by-step route to recovery from their effects.

While some studies show that nearly 40% of those surveyed are seriously considering not vaccinating their children, the majority of those surveyed were vaccinated themselves. (1) Generally, the medical profession thinks of the dangers of vaccinations in terms of deaths or retardation due to adverse reactions to vaccinations. Many parents may think about autism concerns. Actually, the dangers of vaccinations are far more widespread and certain in two important ways.

First, vaccinations interrupt normal immune development when given before immune system maturity. When given after, they serve to hyper-excite one facet of the immune system in its relation to four other stages of natural immune system response. Normally, the immune system goes from:

- you smelling a sick person to
- contact with the mucus membranes to
- the blood (the specific area targeted by vaccinations) to
- byproducts of pathogen breakdown which then requires activity in the body cells and the lymphatic system.

When one part is over-excited, the others may not function adequately, and the one targeted is likely to react excessively and ineffectively, such as in the case of allergies and auto-immune disease.
Second, vaccinations also deposit a foreign protein (or protein particle) and its attendant cocktail of chemicals (and possibly heavy metals) into the body without natural processes (e.g. injury) to alert the body to repel any invaders. History has shown us sadly that these particles may end up deposited in the body somewhere - usually an already weak area.(2)

These two factors (immune mal-development and deposited supertoxins) have long been criticized by outspoken doctors as possible contributors to rising rates of cancer and other diseases. (3) According to Dr. Richard Schulze, the London Journal of Medicine published two articles in the 1890s which voiced the concerns of medical doctors that cancer rates had quadrupled since the introduction of the compulsory vaccination act there.

Fortunately, today we know more about how to recover from the ill effects of vaccinations than ever before. Following is a formula that can be followed to that end. Also included is a short explanation of each:

1.Do regular cleansing - monthly or seasonally. This helps your body to start cleaning out areas which normally would be ignored as a low priority.
2.Clean your liver vigorously. The liver is in charge of monitoring weak areas of the body and can change digestive chemistry and cravings to suit the needs of a needy area of the body. Unfortunately, due to clutter from stones, stress and toxicity, the liver may never have a chance to do this as it should.
3.Get a massage. The massage therapist will work areas of your body that are not normally attended.
4.Think green...drinks! Raw chlorophyll regenerates blood and enhances resistance to EM radiation and the resonance of heavy toxins.
5.Utilize technology to fight technology by using bio-energetic devices that promote healthy vibration in your home. Technologies such as Quantum Biofeedback can specifically target hidden poisons and the ill resonance they set up in your body.

Thank you for reading,
Kal Sellers, MH

References:
(1)Riekman, Guy. "Rights and Responsibilities." 2007, Life University. Marietta, GA.
(2)Fallon, Joan. "Autism- New Hope." 2008, Life University, Lyceum Speaker.
(3)Mendalsohn, Robert S. How to Raise a Healthy Child In Spite of Your Doctor. New York:Ballantine, 1984.

Natural form of vitamin E protects the brain after stroke

2010-01-22T05:27:00.001-08:00

http://www.NaturalNews.com/z028002_vitamin_E_stroke.html

January 22 2010
by S. L. Baker, features writer

(NaturalNews) A stroke occurs when the blood supply to part of the brain is suddenly blocked by a blood clot or when a blood vessel in the brain bursts, driving blood into the spaces surrounding brain cells, or neurons. The result can be brain damage that leaves stroke survivors with disabilities ranging from one-sided paralysis or weakness to problems with thinking, attention, memory and learning. But new research by Ohio State University scientists set for publication in an upcoming edition of the Journal of Neurochemistry concludes a specific type of vitamin E known as tocotrienol (TCT) could prevent brain cells from dying after a stroke.

Tocopherols are the best-known form of vitamin E and the kind usually found in supplements. However, the vitamin occurs naturally in seven other different forms, including TCT. Although not widely found in the typical American diet, it is common in foods that comprise a typical Southeast Asian diet. Food sources of TCT include rice bran oil, barley, wheat germ and oats.

"Our research suggests that the different forms of natural vitamin E have distinct functions. The relatively poorly studied tocotrienol form of natural vitamin E targets specific pathways to protect against neural cell death and rescues the brain after stroke injury," Chandan Sen, professor and vice chair for research in Ohio State's Department of Surgery and senior author of the study, said in a statement to the media.

Over the past decade, the Ohio State University research team has studied how this form of vitamin E protects the brain in animal and cell models. But according to Dr. Sen, their new study provides specific details about how that protection works. Bottom line: they've identified an enzyme called cystolic calcium-dependent phospholipase A2 (cPLA2, for short) that tocotrienol targets to protect neurons after a stroke.

"We have studied an enzyme that is present all the time, but one that is activated after a stroke in a way that causes neurodegeneration. We found that it can be put in check by very low levels of tocotrienol," Dr. Sen said. "So what we have here is a naturally derived nutrient, rather than a drug, that provides this beneficial impact."

The researchers explained that the blocked blood flow to the brain associated with a stroke causes an excess of the neurotransmitter glutamate to be released. In normal amounts, glutamate is beneficial and important for memory and learning. But when produced in large amounts due to the brain trauma of a stroke, it triggers a cascade of reactions that leads to the death of neurons and causes the most serious stroke damage.

For their study, Dr. Sen and colleagues took cells from the hippocampus region of developing mouse brains and added excess glutamate to produce the type of changes seen in the brain after a stroke. In the presence of excess glutamate, the cPLA2 enzyme released a fatty acid called arachidonic acid which normally helps maintain the stability of health cell membranes. Under stroke conditions, however, with high levels of glutamate present, arachidonic acid undergoes an enzymatic chemical reaction that makes it toxic -- then brain cells are poisoned and start to die.

But when the researchers added tocotrienol to the cells that had been exposed to excess glutamate, the vitamin E decreased the release of fatty acids by 60 percent when compared to cells exposed to glutamate alone. What's more, the brain cells treated with the TCT form of vitamin E were about four times more likely to survive than brain cells exposed to glutamate alone.

In the press statement, Dr. Sen noted that the amount of TCT needed to achieve these brain cell protecting effects is quite small -- a concentration about 10 times lower than the average amount of tocotrienol circulating in humans who consume this form of vitamin E regularly. The Ohio State University researchers intend to continue their research to see if TCT can successfully prevent and treat strokes in humans.

Editor's note: NaturalNews is opposed to the use of animals in medical experiments that expose them to harm. We present these findings in protest of the way in which they were acquired.

Safe Nutritious Purslane Proves as Powerful as Western Drugs

2010-01-22T05:22:00.000-08:00

http://www.naturalnews.com/027998_purslane_omega-3s.html

January 22 2010
by Melissa Sokulski, citizen journalist

(NaturalNews) Many plants which grow wild and are considered weeds are not only edible, but are also delicious, nutritious, and even medicinal. Wild purslane (Portulaca oleracea) which most consider a weed is actually a green vegetable with the highest amount of heart-healthy omega 3-fatty acids of any green. Purslane is also used extensively in Chinese Medicine as an herb which clears heat toxin.

Purslane is widespread across the United States, growing in fields, lots, lawns and gardens. It spreads along the ground, and it has fleshy leaves and a slightly sour taste. It is high in iron (1) and has appreciable amounts of omega 3 fatty acids, which are more commonly found in seeds like flax and in fish. Purslane has .01 mg/g, a very high amount for land based vegetable sources. (2). Purslane is excellent when used fresh in salads, and it can also be steamed or cooked into soups or added to dishes as spinach would be.

In Chinese Medicine, Portulaca oleracea is known as Ma Chi Xian. It is commonly used to treat dysentery, urinary infections, sores, and abscesses, and it is even used as an antidote for snakebites. More recently it has been used to treat post partum bleeding (3).

Extensive clinical research has been done on purslane in China(4), and it has been found to have extraordinary results:

Antibiotic and antifungal effect
Increases uterine contractions
Prevention and treatment of dysentery: purslane was found as effective as sulfa drugs, over 90% effective in acute cases and 60% in chronic cases.

Kills parasites: in one study of 192 patients, 80% were cleared of parasites in one month of treatment.
Treats appendicitis: a decoction (strong tea) of purslane and dandelion (known as pu gong ying in China) treated 31 cases of clinically diagnosed appendicitis (only 1 needed surgery; all others recovered with no medical intervention).

People are beginning to become more aware of the edible and medicinal uses of plants which are known commonly as weeds. Purslane is turning up in farmer's markets, so keep an eye out. Next time you are weeding your own garden, look for this delicious weed. When you pull it, place it in the colander instead of the compost pile and toss it in to your next salad.

Footnotes:

Elias, p.156
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Portul...
Bensky, p.99
Bensky, P.99

H1N1 swine flu hoax falls apart at the seams

2010-01-21T10:02:00.000-08:00

http://www.naturalnews.com/027984_swine_flu_vaccines.html

January 20 2010
by Mike Adams, the Health Ranger, NaturalNews Editor

(NaturalNews) The great swine flu hoax of 2009 is now falling apart at the seams as one country after another unloads hundreds of millions of doses of unused swine flu vaccines. No informed person wants the injection anymore, and the entire fear-based campaign to promote the vaccines has now been exposed as outright quackery and propaganda.

Even doctors are now calling the pandemic a complete hoax. As reported on FoxNews, Dr. Wolfgang Wodarg, a leading health authority in Europe, says that drug companies "organized a 'campaign of panic' to put pressure on the World Health Organization (WHO) to declare a pandemic. He believes it is 'one of the greatest medicine scandals of the century,' and he has called for an inquiry." (http://www.foxnews.com/story/0,2933...)

H1N1 swine flu was never dangerous, and it never should have been escalated to a level-six pandemic in the first place. It was all a big marketing scam whose purpose was to simply sell vaccines. (And the CDC and WHO were in on it...)

And it worked! Big Pharma made out with billions of dollars in profits for a useless vaccine that's now being dumped by the truck load. These vaccines were, of course, paid for with taxpayer dollars, making the Great Swine Flu Hoax of 2009 nothing more than an elaborate financial scam whose goal was to transfer wealth from the People to the shareholders of Big Pharma.

In just the fourth quarter of 2009, GlaxoSmithKline shipped $1.4 billion worth of vaccines. (http://www.reuters.com/article/idUS...)

That's $1.4 billion worth of taxpayer dollars, by the way. Dollars that could have been spent on nutrition or real health education. $1.4 billion worth of free vitamin D supplements would have done far more to protect public health than vaccines could ever hope to accomplish.

A bailout for Big Pharma
Wall Street hucksters have nothing on Big Pharma, the CDC and the WHO, all of which conspired to mislead the public and generate irrational fear in order to make money selling people vaccine shots they never needed in the first place.

The drug companies raked in billions of dollars in revenues while providing a product that offered absolutely no net reduction in mortality. In fact, as the long-term side effects of the vaccines remain unknown, it could turn out that the vaccines actually result in a net increase in mortality.

Meanwhile, countless people were harmed by the swine flu vaccine frenzy (it's "countless" because nobody's counting). In addition to those who were nearly paralyzed after receiving the vaccine shots, grade school students in Massachusetts who lined up to receive swine flu vaccine shots were instead injected with insulin. (Insulin injections can put you into a coma.) (http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dy...)

The school sent a letter home to students blaming the mishap on the school nurse. But if they weren't injecting these kids with a useless vaccine for a non-pandemic, none of this would have happened in the first place.

Total swine flu deaths for 2009 were far lower than the number of deaths from regular seasonal flu. And yet it turns out that thousands of Americans who died from the swine flu had been previously injected with the vaccines (http://www.naturalnews.com/027956_H...). In fact, according to calculations derived from official CDC estimates, thousands of vaccinated Americans died from swine flu anyway. The vaccines, it seems, don't really work after all. You're just as safe doing nothing.

Actually, getting the vaccine may harm your health. Outspoken Dr. Wodarg even says that the full extent of the damage from the insufficiently-tested vaccines may not be known for years. "The vaccine developed by Novartis was produced in a bioreactor from cancerous cells, a technique that had never been used until now," he says.

Just what we need, huh? Cancer cells being injected into the population as part of a vaccine campaign.

Cancelling vaccine orders
The Swine Flu hoax has fizzled out, and countries like Greece, France and the UK have cancelled orders for vaccines that they now realize won't be needed (http://www.reuters.com/article/idUS...) (http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/health/8...). But even the fizzling of this hoax doesn't mean it was a failure from the point of view of Big Pharma.

The swine flu hoax was a huge success not only for drug company profits, but also for certain influential individuals including Dr Julie Gerberding, former head of the CDC who has now accepted a high-paying job as the president of Merck's global vaccine operations. (http://www.naturalnews.com/027789_D...)

One minute you're running the CDC, warning the country about a pandemic while urging everybody to get vaccinated, and the next minute you're running the for-profit vaccine division of the world's largest drug company. Amazing how that works, huh?

The Fluoride Cover-Up

2010-01-21T09:54:00.000-08:00

Many years ago, I went to visit a family I knew. They had cockroaches. I went to use their bathroom and as I was sitting on the toilet, I saw a cockroach crawling on the sink. It stopped at a goopy gop of toothpaste someone had left on the sink and began to eat. Right away, the roach started shaking. It tried to run but it's legs didn't move too well. It fell into the bowl of the sink, struggled for less than two minutes, flipped over and died. After that, I always knew that fluoride was poison!

http://www.NaturalNews.com/z027976_fluoride_conspiracy.html

January 20 2010
The Fluoride Cover-Up: Look Under the Mother of All Bandaids, Part II (Opinion)
by Hesh Goldstein, citizen journalist

(NaturalNews) Under a bandaid is always a sore. Could government, universities, public health officials and professionals be festering under the fluoridation bandaid as well? The Fraud and Drug Administration (FDA) and the Centers For Deceit Control and Procrastination (CDC) always espouse the benefits of ingesting fluoride. At this point we all know that when these agencies support something that Big Business is involved in, it`s always about insuring the money trail is not being broken. But is there hypocrisy on the part of the CDC?

Reference the CDC`s Morbidity and Mortality Weekly Report of August 17, 2001/Volume 50/No. RR-14 on "Recommendations for using Fluoride to Prevent and Control Dental Caries in the United States". On Page 4, fourth paragraph, it says: "The laboratory and epidemiological research that has led to the better understanding of how fluoride prevents dental caries indicates that fluoride`s predominant effect is post eruptive and topical...". Just so we are clear, what they are saying is that fluoride is effective when the tooth comes into the mouth and on the surface of the tooth. It says nothing, anywhere, about ingestion. Also, bear in mind, it is not the job of the FDA or the CDC to do toxicology testing. In fact, the only independent toxicology testing done was by the National Research Council in 2007. They found that over 1.2 ppm was toxic. The NRC also found that fluoride interfered with kidney function. As a result, the National Kidney Foundation withdrew their support of fluoridation. Reality: people are getting 8 ppm daily by eating and drinking what has been produced from fluoridated areas.

At Harvard Univ. several years ago, a doctoral student, Elise Bassin, reported in her thesis that there was a correlation between fluoride and bone cancer in adolescent boys. When her thesis was released by Dr. Chester Douglass, the head of the Harvard Dental School, that correlation was omitted. This was discovered by Ms. Bassin a year after her thesis was released and she blew the whistle. So, Harvard investigated the actions of Dr. Douglass. While that investigation was going on Dr. Douglass donated $1 million to Harvard. He was found innocent of any wrong doing. Oh yeah, Douglass is on the payroll of Colgate/Palmolive also.

In the year 2000, on "The Talk Of The Town" radio show in Hawaii, the Hawaii Dept of Health Dental Chief, Dr. Mark Greer, said that the toxicology reports proved fluoride to be safe and effective. How is it possible that Dr. Greer referred to a toxicology report that never existed? In a fluoride hearing at the Hawaii State Capitol a couple of years later, a statement was made during testimony that Dr. Greer should have been President of the Liar`s Club. That statement should have opened a defamation of character lawsuit. It did not. Why? Because Dr. Greer would have been forced to present the toxicology report that never existed.

Why are dentists so in favor of fluoridation? One, they are brainwashed into believing this throughout Dental school, and two, they will not accept the low payment by Medicare and Medicaid for treating the "financially impaired". Ignorantly advocating fluoridation relieves their guilt.

So, a toxic waste generates corporate income. Yet, if this waste was dumped into the natural waters, it would be in violation of the Clean Water Act. But, if it passes through our bodies first, it`s ok.

Ya gotta love corruption!

Aloha!

Add Digestive Enzymes and Hydrochloric Acid to Relieve Gas and Bloating

2010-01-21T09:53:00.000-08:00

http://www.NaturalNews.com/z027979_digestive_enzymes_bloating.html

January 20 2010
by Melanie Grimes, citizen journalist

(NaturalNews) Many people experience gas and bloating after eating. Gas can accumulate in the stomach or the intestines, causing pain, rumbling and indigestion. Gas is a product of incomplete digestion and an indication that food is fermenting in the gut, instead of being digested properly and assimilated into the body as nutrients. Digestive enzymes and a change in the digestive pH, by taking betaine hydrochloric acid, can improve digestion and relieve painful gas and bloating.

As people age, their levels of digestive enzymes decrease, so many find they need to add digestive supplements to meals. Digestive enzymes come in many forms. Certain foods contain natural digestive aids, such as pineapple and papaya. Adding a few bites of these foods to every meal can aid digestion.

Also as the body ages, the amount of hydrochloric acid secreted to aid in digestion decreases. This leads to a condition known as hypochlorhydria. Hypochlorhydria begins as a gut deficiency and is one of the leading causes of gas and indigestion, and it can lead to many diseases and chronic inflammation. Without this important stomach acid, protein cannot be digested and many nutrients cannot be absorbed. In addition, acid from the stomach is a signal to the pancreas to perform its function, so hypochlorhydia can lead to problems in the pancreas as well. Diseases associated with low stomach acid include asthma, lupus, anemia, psoriasis, arthritis, ulcers, and many more. Indicators of low stomach acid can be simple gas and bloating, or more complex conditions, such as food allergies, constipation, anemia, and nausea.

Food allergies may also cause gas. Many people are allergic to wheat and/or dairy. Allergy tests can confirm this but a simpler method is to remove suspected foods from the diet. If digestion returns to normal, eliminate the allergic foods for a few months and then begin to slowly reintroduce them. Food sensitivities can be healed in this manner, by removing the irritating food for a few months. True allergies may not respond to this technique.

To diagnose low stomach acid, add betaine hydrochloric acid to each meal and note any improvement. For clinical diagnosis, the Heidelberg test can be conducted at a doctor's office.

247 Americans Die Every Day from Doctors not Washing Their Hands

2010-01-21T09:52:00.000-08:00

http://www.NaturalNews.com/z027981_doctors_hand_washing.html

January 20 2010
by David Gutierrez, staff writer

(NaturalNews) A study commissioned by the lead hospital accrediting agency in the United States found that doctors and nurses fail to wash their hands with alarming frequency, contributing to the 247 deaths caused each day by preventable hospital infections.

The Joint Commission, which accredits hospitals, nursing homes and other health care facilities, has joined with eight major hospitals to address low hand washing rates nationwide. The program began in the spring, when the hospitals conducted rigorous assessments of hand washing compliance among their staff. They found that doctors and nurses washed their hands only 30 to 70 percent of the time that they entered or exited a patient's room, averaging 50 percent.

Hand washing upon entering and exiting a room is a key part of the Joint Commission accreditation requirements and has been recommended by both the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention and the World Health Organization. Hospitals or other facilities cited for more than two violations must be cited.

The hospitals then assessed what obstacles were preventing health care providers from adequately washing their hands. In some cases, the problems were logistical and easy to fix by means such as moving hand washing stations to more convenient locations or adding stands where workers could put down objects they might be carrying. In other cases, problems seem to stem from an attitude of impunity and are harder to fix.

"Certainly there are some individuals who believe they are above the law,'' Joint Commission President Mark Chassin said, "and their peers and others are reluctant to call their omissions to their attention."

Hospitals have tried to address these problems through techniques such as constant monitoring and reorganizations of hospital hierarchies.

"It seems really simple, but even this one turns out to be complicated," Chassin said.

Since the implementation of corrective strategies, hand washing compliance at the participating hospitals has risen to 74 percent, still short of the long-term goal of 90 percent.

"The acid test is sustainability," Chassin said. "They want to be above 90 percent all the time, consistently with no variation."

Sources for this story include: www.sfgate.com; prescriptions.blogs.nytimes.com.

U.S. Government Wants Farmers to Dump Heavy Metals on Fields

2010-01-21T09:32:00.000-08:00

http://www.NaturalNews.com/z027982_heavy_metals_food_crops.html

January 20 2010
by Kim Evans, citizen journalist

(NaturalNews) Ash leftover from burning coal contains arsenic, mercury, lead and other heavy metals. These days, the U.S. government is encouraging farmers to dump it right on their fields, and effectively, right onto the public's food supply. According to the Wall Street Journal, each year 125 to 130 million tons of ash and sludge are left over from burning coal - which is enough to fill one million railcars. The government is encouraging farmers to dump it on their fields as a way to dispose of the toxic waste.

Lead in the body has been linked to brain shrinkage, learning difficulties and violent behavior. According to the University of Massachusetts Amherst, lead stays in soil for hundreds of years and accumulates in green produce.

Arsenic is another known poison; it's known to cause cancer, neurological disturbances, and instant death. A lethal dose is about 70 to 200mg.

Mercury is widely known to affect the brain and brain development. It's associated with autism and 1 in 110 children are being born with autism-related problems. In the 1950's, only 1 in 5,000 children had autism-related problems.

Let's look into the future and see what might happen if the government gets their way. Society at large will become dumber and more violent due to the lead. Cancer rates will increase from the current 40 percent chance you'll have a problem with it. More people will become incapable of contributing to society and a burden to those around them. More people will die of diseases with mysterious causes; many arsenic deaths will likely be blamed on heart attacks. As people become more violent, everyone will be more likely to become a victim. More people will be abused by their spouses - and children by their parents. More jails will be built - adding enormous costs to the nation. People's lives will be stolen because of the toxic effects of substances in their foods on their brains.

These poisons damage our genes, so more children will be born sick and damaged. People will be told their diseases are genetic. If they believe it, they'll likely also believe they have no power to change their situation. Many may try "advances" in medicine involving genetic manipulation. If you thought GMO's were bad...

There is an upside for pharmaceutical companies and those in Washington who financially benefit from them. More and more drugs will be sold in a nation that four out of five inhabitants already pop at least one prescription pill weekly. These folks will keep getting richer as the entire nation suffers.

The government will likely continue spouting the same nonsense about "small amounts of known poisons not hurting anyone," all while neglecting to acknowledge that with time small amounts of poisons build in the body - eventually becoming large amounts that are well known to harm.

Much of the medical world will likely continue with the party line about not knowing the causes of disease - and will be utterly incapable of making the direct connection between eating poisons and getting sick. As the population becomes more neurologically damaged from consuming these poisons, they'll have a harder time making the connection too.

The dumping of toxic waste onto the food supply is a sham from an administration that purports to care about health. Any government with a real interest in the health of its people should encourage farmers to add organic nutrients and minerals to their depleted soils. It's an obvious contrast to encouraging the addition of known poisons - poisons already indicted in far too many health problems in a nation plagued with chronic disease.

Nightshade Vegetables may Cause Adverse Reactions in Some People

2010-01-21T09:31:00.000-08:00

http://www.NaturalNews.com/z027978_nightshade_vegetables.html

January 20 2010
by Deanna Dean, citizen journalist

(NaturalNews) We know vegetables are part of a healthy diet, but what about nightshade vegetables? Health research on these vegetables has focused on a group of substances called alkaloids which can impact nerve-muscle and digestive function in animals and humans. They may also compromise joint function. The alkaloids in nightshades are not only the basis for consideration of them as drugs, but also for understanding adverse reactions when they are eaten as food.

Nightshade is the common name used to describe over 2,800 species of plants. Lest the term "nightshade vegetable" conjures Wiccan brew with bat wings and toads, it's not that interesting. The reason for the name is they are grown in the shade of night.

Nightshade vegetables are in the Solanaceae family of plants. Among them are tomato, potato, eggplant, and peppers of all kinds, except black pepper. Tomatillos, tamarios, pepinos, pimentos, paprika, cayenne, and Tabasco sauce are also classified as nightshade foods.

Plants produce alkaloids primarily designed to help protect them from insects. But in a pharmacological sense the interest has been the drug-like alkaloids best known in mandrake, tobacco and belladonna (deadly nightshade.) Close examination reveals these alkaloids are chemical substances with strong physiological effects.

The active alkaloid in nightshades, solanine, is more familiar to us as nicotine.

The leaves of all food nightshades contain some level of nicotine, the addictive chemical found in tobacco. Called solanine in potatoes, tomatine in tomatoes, alpha-solanine in eggplants or solanadine in chillies and capsicums, nicotine by any other name is still a drug-like alkaloid that may compromise function in the bodies of sensitive individuals. There is no solid research evidence showing an impact on the nervous system or joints, but it appears there are certain segments of the population that when nightshades are eliminated, a variety of mental, emotional and physical conditions are alleviated.

One of the major problems attributed to nightshades is arthritis. In fact, one in three arthritics will react badly to nightshades. Some researchers believe that arthritis is often misdiagnosed in people who may in fact only be experiencing the effects of nightshade consumption.

Alkaloids appear to affect the metabolism of calcium. Though not yet understood how, nightshade foods may remove calcium from bones and deposit it in soft tissue, setting the stage for arthritis. For this reason, researchers have recommended that all individuals with osteoarthritis, rheumatoid arthritis or other joint problems like gout eliminate nightshade foods from their diet.

In 1980, The Arthritis Nightshades Research Foundation was established to study the nightshade/arthritis connection. Their determination was, "If nightshades can be eaten or used sparingly, arthritis can be slowed in developing."

On the other hand, the University of Washington website says, "No foods have been definitively shown to cause or exacerbate arthritis in most individuals. A variety of diets and hand me down information exists about certain foods and arthritis, in particular the night shade plants, but none of it has been proven."

According to Ronenn Roubenoff, MD, a nutritionist at the Tufts University School of Medicine, "Potatoes, tomatoes, and eggplant, for example, frequently are blamed for causing arthritic flares. Studies have shown this occurs in only 1-2% of patients."

While it is up to the individual whether or not to eliminate nightshade vegetables from your diet, if you have concerns, modifying certain foods in your diet can be a good idea. It just might help identify problem foods of all types, including nightshade vegetables.

Celery is an Ancient Healing Food

2010-01-21T09:29:00.000-08:00

http://www.NaturalNews.com/z027977_celery_healing.html

January 20 2010
by Brett Brown, citizen journalist

(NaturalNews) Celery has a long history of use and is truly an ancient healing food. At first glance celery may seem rather unimpressive, but the more you look into its background and medicinal uses the more you realize that we must have been misinformed on the usefulness of this plant. Traditionally celery, or Apium Graveolens, was used to treat an array of ailments and was very bitter in taste. It is believed to have originated from the Mediterranean basin, and has been harvested since about 850 B.C. Its medicinal properties are believed to be from its volatile oils which are found in all parts of the plant, but seem to be concentrated in its seeds. Ayurvedic physicians used celery to treat colds, flu, water retention, poor digestion, arthritis, liver, and spleen ailments.

Our common celery stalk is mostly composed of about 83% water and a healthy amount of fiber. This is well known. What is not well know is the fact that celery also contains many micronutrients which it receives from rain, sunshine, and the soil medium from which it is grown. We have been led to believe that celery does not have much to it when in fact celery truly contains a wealth of health improving nutrients that we can obtain from it. Celery has a profile that is much more than water and fiber!

The effects of celery on the body are diuretic, expectorant, carminative, anti-asthmatic, and digestive aid. Celery is a good source of vitamin K, vitamin C, potassium, folate, and fiber. It also contains molybdenum, manganese, vitamin B1, vitamin B2, vitamin B6, calcium, magnesium, phosphorus, iron, and tryptophan. Celery also contains about 35 milligrams of a beneficial sodium complex; this is useful in reducing stomach acid levels and raising our hydrochloric acid levels which in turn improves digestion.

Celery has been used for many years in Chinese medicine to alleviate high blood pressure, and this practice is beginning to pick up steam in America. It is believed that the phthalides in celery relax the arteries and allow the vessels to dilate which enables the blood to flow more freely. These phthalides also relieve our stress hormones and in turn the less stressed our body is the lower our blood pressure becomes. Celery is also a very good source of potassium, calcium and magnesium, all of which have been associated with reduced blood pressure.

Celery is also a good source of vitamin C, and along with that comes all the benefits that vitamin C carries with it. Some of these benefits include a boost in the immune system and a reduction in the symptoms and severity of colds. Vitamin C is also an antioxidant which has been shown to lower inflammation in many cases such as arthritis and asthma. Vitamin C is crucial in the production of collagen.

Celery contains compounds called coumarins that help in the prevention of free radicals, thus decreasing the potential for cells to become cancerous due to mutation. Coumarins also have been shown to enhance the activity of certain types of white blood cells, immune defenders that target harmful cells, including cancer cells. In addition, compounds in celery called acetylenics have been shown to stop the growth of tumor cells.

Celery is just one of the many ancient healing foods from our past. As our methods of researching whole foods develop, we are finding out more and more about what we are eating for dinner, and as we have just found out, celery is truly much more than just water and fiber!

Six Deadly Chemicals You're Carrying in Your Body

2010-01-21T09:03:00.000-08:00

http://www.NaturalNews.com/z027980_synthetic_chemicals_exposure.html

January 20 2010
by E. Huff, staff writer

(NaturalNews) A recent biomonitoring study conducted by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), the Fourth National Report on Human Exposure to Environmental Chemicals, has revealed that out of 212 chemicals tested, all 212 were found to be in the blood and urine of most Americans. Six chemicals in particular, found in virtually every person, were identified by the CDC as probable health hazards.

Every two years the CDC conducts the chemical study which identifies human exposure to toxic chemicals. This year 75 new chemicals were added to the assay that had never before been studied in the U.S. population. Every chemical tested in the study, including the 75 new ones, was found to be present in most or all of the study participants.

The six most widespread chemicals identified, all of which are also highly dangerous, include polybrominated diphenyl ethers (PDEs), bisphenol A (BPA), Perfluorooctanoic acid (PFOA), acrylamide, mercury, and methyl tert-butyl ether (MTBE).

Flame retardant PDEs are chemicals added to all sorts consumer products that are meant to decrease fire risk. They are known to build up in human fat tissue, causing damage to the nervous system, liver and kidneys. Studies also implicate PDEs in causing sexual dysfunction, thyroid problems and brain disorders.

Bisphenol A, a chemical that has received much attention recently, is another toxin added primarily to plastic products and can linings that contributes to many of the same problems that PDEs do. More than 90 percent of those tested in the CDC study were found to have BPA in their bodies.

Perfluorooctanoic acid, a chemical first developed by 3M and later used by DuPont, is used in non-stick cookware, stain-resistant clothing, certain food packaging and other heat-resistant products. Studies verify that PFOA contributes to infertility and other reproductive problems. Liver and immune system dysfunction are also associated with the use of PFOAs.

Acrylamide is a chemical carcinogen that forms when carbohydrate foods are cooked at high temperatures. French fries, fried chicken, and even coffee are all examples of foods that have high acrylamide content. The chemical is also used in plastics, cosmetics and water treatment products. Perpetual exposure to acrylamides is responsible for causing cancer and neurological dysfunction.

Most people are aware of the dangers of mercury, another common toxin found in most Americans. Mercury can cause permanent brain damage.

Methyl tert-butyl ether (MTBE) is a gasoline additive that is not used today, however it has been detected in water supplies as well as in most Americans' bodies. Second-hand cigarette smoke also releases MTBE which caused neurological and reproductive problems.

The report indicates suggestions to help avoid these chemicals and the products that contain them. Cleansing and detoxification regimens are highly effective at continually ridding the body of toxic build-up.

Zero deaths caused by vitamins, minerals, amino acids or herbs

2010-01-21T08:59:00.001-08:00

http://www.NaturalNews.com/z027993_vitamins_nutritional_supplements.html

January 21 2010
by Mike Adams, the Health Ranger, NaturalNews Editor

(NaturalNews) To hear opponents of natural medicine say it, vitamins and herbs are extremely dangerous for your health. They should be regulated, we're told, because they're so dangerous!

Statistics from the U.S. National Poison Data System prove otherwise. According to a 174-page report just published, the number of people killed in 2009 across America by vitamins, minerals, amino acids or herbal supplements is exactly zero.

Compare that to the 100,000 (or so) Americans killed each year by FDA-approved pharmaceuticals -- and that's even according to studies published in JAMA. Also consider the thousands of women harmed or killed by medically-unjustified cancer treatments following false positives from faulty mammograms. And don't forget about the more than 16,500 Americans killed each year from internal bleeding caused by NSAIDs (over-the-counter painkillers).

As the July 1998 issue of The American Journal of Medicine explains:

"Conservative calculations estimate that approximately 107,000 patients are hospitalized annually for nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drug (NSAID)-related gastrointestinal (GI) complications and at least 16,500 NSAID-related deaths occur each year among arthritis patients alone." (Singh Gurkirpal, MD, "Recent Considerations in Nonsteroidal Anti-Inflammatory Drug Gastropathy", The American Journal of Medicine, July 27, 1998, p. 31S)

So if NSAIDs alone are killing 16,500 people a year (or likely much more now, as use of these drugs has risen significantly since 1998), and nutritional supplements are killing zero people a year, why do health regulators try to scare everybody about vitamins being so "dangerous?"

Pharmaceuticals, meanwhile, are openly allowed to be prescribed for off-label use, meaning that doctors can prescribe them for diseases and health conditions for which they've never even been tested!

What's wrong with this picture? It's clearly a war against nutrition -- a war against natural medicine -- being waged by the health regulators of the world who are conspiring with Big Pharma to keep the people trapped in a state of malnutrition (all while profiting from their disease by selling them more patented pharmaceuticals).

The Orthomolecular Medicine News Service published a full article on this issue. Here's what they had to say about the safety of nutritional supplements and the misguided attempts by world governments to limit or outlaw many supplements.

No Deaths from Vitamins, Minerals, Amino Acids or Herbs
Poison Control Statistics Prove Supplements' Safety

There was not even one death caused by a dietary supplement in 2008, according to the most recent information collected by the U.S. National Poison Data System. The new 174-page annual report of the American Association of Poison Control Centers, published in the journal Clinical Toxicology, shows zero deaths from multiple vitamins; zero deaths from any of the B vitamins; zero deaths from vitamins A, C, D, or E; and zero deaths from any other vitamin.

Additionally, there were no deaths whatsoever from any amino acid or herbal product. This means no deaths at all from blue cohosh, echinacea, ginkgo biloba, ginseng, kava kava, St. John's wort, valerian, yohimbe, Asian medicines, ayurvedic medicines, or any other botanical. There were zero deaths from creatine, blue-green algae, glucosamine, chondroitin, melatonin, or any homeopathic remedies.

Furthermore, there were zero deaths in 2008 from any dietary mineral supplement. This means there were no fatalities from calcium, magnesium, chromium, zinc, colloidal silver, selenium, iron, or multimineral supplements. Two children died as a result of medical use of the antacid sodium bicarbonate. The other "Electrolyte and Mineral" category death was due to a man accidentally drinking sodium hydroxide, a highly toxic degreaser and drain-opener.

No man, woman or child died from nutritional supplements. Period.

61 poison centers provide coast-to-coast data for the U.S. National Poison Data System, which is then reviewed by 29 medical and clinical toxicologists. NPDS, the authors write, is "one of the few real-time national surveillance systems in existence, providing a model public health surveillance system for all types of exposures, public health event identification, resilience response and situational awareness tracking."

Over half of the U.S. population takes daily nutritional supplements. Even if each of those people took only one single tablet daily, that makes 154,000,000 individual doses per day, for a total of over 56 billion doses annually. Since many persons take more than just one vitamin or mineral tablet, actual consumption is considerably higher, and the safety of nutritional supplements is all the more remarkable.

If nutritional supplements are allegedly so "dangerous," as the FDA and news media so often claim, then where are the bodies?

Those who wonder if the media are biased against vitamins may consider this: how many television stations, newspapers, magazines, and medical journals have reported that no one dies from nutritional supplements?

References:
Bronstein AC, Spyker DA, Cantilena LR Jr, Green JL, Rumack BH, Giffin SL. 2008 Annual Report of the American Association of Poison Control Centers' National Poison Data System (NPDS): 26th Annual Report. Clinical Toxicology (2009). 47, 911-1084. The full text article is available for free download at http://www.aapcc.org/dnn/Portals/0/... .

(Vitamins statistics are found in Table 22B, journal pages 1052-3. Minerals, herbs, amino acids and other supplements are in the same table, pages 1047-8.)

Mango prevents and halts growth of colon and breast cancer cells

2010-01-21T08:58:00.001-08:00

http://www.NaturalNews.com/z027992_mango_brst_cancer.html

January 21 2010
New study: mango prevents and halts growth of colon and breast cancer cells
by S. L. Baker, features writer

(NaturalNews) Take a bite of a juicy, sweet mango and you are experiencing a delicious taste enjoyed by countless people from ancient times until today. According to the Orlando-based National Mango Board (NMG), a mango industry-sponsored research, promotion and consumer information program, mangos are known to be rich in vitamins C and A, as well as fiber. However, because little has been documented about any specific health benefits of eating the fruit, NMB has commissioned a variety of scientific studies to investigate these issues.

So far, this research initiative has turned up an unexpected and groundbreaking discovery: in laboratory experiments in Texas A&M University's AgriLife Research department mango fruit prevented or stopped cancer growth in certain breast and colon cell lines.

Food scientists Dr. Susanne Talcott and her co-researcher husband, Dr. Steve Talcott, used the five varieties of mangos (Kent, Francine, Ataulfo, Tommy/Atkins and Haden) most common in the US and specifically tested polyphenol extracts from the fruit on colon, breast, lung, leukemia and prostate cancer cells. Polyphenols are natural substances in plants that are antioxidants with the potential to protect the body from disease. The Talcotts zeroed in on evaluating polyphenolic compounds in mangos known as gallotannins, a class of natural bioactive compounds believed to help prevent or block the growth of cancer cells.

The results? The Talcotts' experiments showed that the mango extract demonstrated some cancer fighting ability when tested on lung, leukemia and prostate cancer cells. But when tested on the most common breast and colon cancers, mango compounds were found to have even stronger anticancer abilities. In fact, the mango extract caused the breast and colon cancer cells to undergo apoptosis -- programmed cell death.

"Additionally, we found that when we tested normal colon cells side by side with the colon cancer cells, the mango polyphenolics did not harm the normal cells," Dr. Susanne Talcott said in a statement to the press. "That is a general observation for any natural agent, that they target cancer cells and leave the healthy cells alone, in reasonable concentrations at least."

The researchers documented that the cancer cell cycle (the division process cells go through) was interrupted by mango extract. This is crucial information, Suzanne Talcott said in a press statement, because it could explain a possible mechanism for how the cancer cells are prevented or stopped by phytochemicals in mangos. "For cells that may be on the verge of mutating or being damaged, mango polyphenolics prevent this kind of damage," she explained.

The scientists have conducted additional research on the colon cancer cell lines because mangos contain small molecules that are readily absorbed in the colon as well as larger molecules that are not absorbed and remain present longer in the colon. Those facts could potentially make eating mangos a potent way to help prevent colon cancer. In fact, the Talcotts are hoping to next conduct a small clinical trial to see if mangos can prevent colon cancer in people at high risk for a malignancy because they have increased inflammation in their intestines.

Weight Loss Surgery Can Prove Fatal

2010-01-21T08:45:00.000-08:00

I spent 12 years in universities to find myself unemployable. Always a 'Teddy Bear Girl', everyone told me to have surgery so I could be more 'beautiful' and thus more employable. I almost did it, too, but changed my mind close to the last minute! Now when I look back, I am soooo grateful that I didn't change my form because it is a *Goddess Body* that patriarchy hates. WHY SHOULD I SUBSCRIBE TO THE PLASTIC, PATRIARCHAL BEAUTY STANDARDS FOR WOMEN SET BY PSYCHOPATHIC ELITE MALES??? Patriarchy is sick!!!

By the Way, I personally know someone who almost died getting their stomach stapled. She had to be flown to the Twin Cities and was in intensive care for a couple of weeks. She almost died.

http://www.NaturalNews.com/z027990_weight_loss_surgery_fatalities.html

January 21 2010
by E. Huff, staff writer

(NaturalNews) The desire to lose weight has led many overweight people to undergo risky procedures in order to shed pounds quickly. Rather than altering their diets and exercising more, a growing segment of the extremely obese population is choosing weight loss surgery instead, a decision that for some ends up costing them their lives.

Bariatric surgery, a procedure that involves the removal of a portion of the stomach in order to reduce appetite and eliminate weight, is becoming increasingly popular as more and more people become obese. Over the past 20 years, the obesity rate among children and teenagers has tripled. Since 2007, the number of people who opt for bariatric surgery to deal with their obesity has more than doubled.

Dr. Anoop Misra, Director of the Department of Diabetes and Metabolic Diseases at Fortis Hospital in Delhi, India, notes that the risks associated with bariatric surgery can be reduced if proper guidelines are followed. However doctors are increasingly prescribing the surgery to people who do not meet the criteria, he says, which puts those people in danger.

In India, several people have died in the last few years after receiving bariatric surgery. One girl died of a heart attack just a week after her surgery while several others died a couple months after theirs. Dr. Misra believes that both prospective patients and their doctors are failing to properly ascertain the risks involved with the surgery, leading to needless deaths.

The New York University Medical Center describes bariatric surgery as a last resort option when all other options have been tried. According to experts at the Center, gastric bypass surgery has a one percent mortality rate in those who choose to undergo it. The Center recommends investigating alternative procedures if lifestyle changes do not work, strongly urging those who ultimately decide to go with weight loss surgery to make sure they have considered the high risk nature of the procedure first. In other words, the procedure is extremely risky and patients must choose to receive it at their own risk.

Many of the people who look into getting weight loss surgery are merely looking for an easier way to lose weight. While some people have achieved such behemoth proportions that surgery may be their only route, many moderately obese people see surgery as a quick shortcut to shrinking their waistlines. For most people, changing their dietary habits and exercising regularly is still the best way to lose weight and maintain vibrant health.

Antibiotic Resistant Germs Threaten while Colloidal Silver is Banned in EU

2010-01-21T07:16:00.001-08:00

http://www.naturalnews.com/027989_colloidal_silver_superbugs.html

January 21 2010

by Paul Fassa, citizen journalist

(NaturalNews) Here's breaking news that's a double barrel blast. A November 2009 Henry Ford hospital report claims dangerous Methicillin-Resistant Staphylococcus Aureus (MRSA) bacteria are approaching epidemic status, and so are other antibiotic resistant microbes. And now: As of January 1, 2009, the EU (European Union) has effectively banned a well known natural antibiotic, colloidal silver.

These two events could seriously affect global health if the antibiotic resistant strains continue and if the American continent mimics the EU's colloidal silver ban.

A Bit on MRSAs and Other Bad Bugs

There are numerous ways that bacteria become antibiotic resistant. When several are being killed off by a particular antibiotic, others are genetically working out survival strategies. It's a war, and the survivors find ways to defend, hide, and even neutralize that antibiotic. They can also find other genes to adopt and enhance their survival.

MRSAs were first announced as hospital infections that left you worse off than when you entered. According to Professor Keith Scott-Mumby, MD, PhD, author of How to Survive in a World Without Antibiotics, a lot of this was due to sloppy and lazy hospital hygiene, especially among surgeons and anesthesiologists. The reliance of antibiotics for infections replaced the importance of proper precautionary hygiene.

But MRSAs are not only from hospitals anymore. Community MRSAs, which originate outside of hospitals, are on the rise. Dr. Scott-Mumby mentions a new strain that is respiratory contagious and more virulent than the skin contagious MRSAs. If they work their way into vital organs, those staph infections can be lethal.

This is the result of over prescribing antibiotics and using an enormous amount of antibiotics on livestock in the food chain. Not only do livestock antibiotics get passed on to health unconscious consumers, but the livestock breed antibiotic resistant bacterial mutations that enter the food chain. Antibiotics are even appearing in some water supplies. As more antibiotics get consumed, more antibiotic resistant bacteria will appear.

What Does This Have to Do With Colloidal Silver?

Pharmaceutical antibiotics have side effects, including the death of much of one's necessary gastrointestinal (GI) friendly bacteria. According to many health experts, a correctly synthesized colloidal silver liquid is a potent antibiotic for pathogenic bacteria only. The good guys remain intact!

As the EU goes with its supplement bans, so eventually will the Americas go. This is what Big Pharma wants. They know good colloidal silver works, and they don't want the competition. Not all colloidal silver products are equally efficacious, but they are all expensive! So why not make your own colloidal silver for a lifetime supply on demand with quality control no matter what happens?

There are battery or wall current generators with silver electrodes available from under $100 to slightly over $200. But when you consider paying $20 or more for a small bottle over and over (if these MRSAs and other bacterial pathogens become epidemic because they can no longer be restrained by antibiotics), it's quite cost effective. Besides, you can use it for any infection, epidemic or not.

These kits produce colloidal silver by running a small current through electrodes in distilled water. Nano-particles and ions electrically discharged from the silver electrodes go into the solution. The lower the current, the smaller the particles are. Smaller is better with colloidal silver. Larger particles won't penetrate tissues and cells where the bad bugs are causing damage.

Considering the possibilities of a bacterial epidemic in a world without antibiotics, it seems worthwhile to look into having a perpetual silver colloidal manufacturing apparatus that creates a comprehensive antibiotic while not destroying your beneficial bacteria.

Use a Natural Home Remedy for Athlete's Foot

2010-01-21T07:13:00.000-08:00

http://www.NaturalNews.com/z027987_athletes_foot_natural_remedies.html

January 21 2010

by Kim Evans, citizen journalist

(NaturalNews) It's estimated that 70 percent of the population will experience athlete's foot at one point in their lives. Athlete's foot is often treated topically, but most don't know that athlete's foot is often a symptom of a larger fungal overgrowth in the body called candida overgrowth. It's said that athlete's foot is often obtained from gym showers, but the truth is: If you had a body free of candida overgrowth in the first place, you'd likely be unaffected by any surface fungus. Most athlete's foot can be effectively treated topically with home remedies, but it's important to consider that the pesky problem is often just a sign of a larger candida problem. In doing so, you may find the answers to other health problems you're experiencing.

To treat athlete's foot at home, twice a day sprinkle a pinch of powdered acidophilus between your toes and into cotton socks that you'll be wearing. The acidophilus creates an environment that's inhospitable for the fungus, and before long your problem will be gone.

It's also important that your feet, especially between your toes, are kept dry - so dry your feet well after showering and before sprinkling the acidophilus on. If you use a towel to dry the infected areas, wash it afterward. Using a tissue to dry between your toes is also effective, but either way, wash your hands after touching your feet until the problem has been removed.

Massaging coconut oil into your feet each evening will boost your home remedy efforts. After your massage, just sprinkle on the acidophilus and wear cotton socks to bed. Again, be sure to wash your hands well after touching your feet.

Coconut oil is a powerful anti-fungal and it forms a protective barrier on the skin. As a bonus, your feet will become softer and the skin more supple too. Coconut oil can also replace other foot or body lotions on an ongoing basis for anti-fungal protection and simply to reduce the number of chemicals applied to your skin.

After the fungus has been eliminated, it's helpful to sprinkle a little aluminum-free baking soda in your shoes or socks to keep your feet dry. This is important because athlete's foot thrives in moisture.

Following these protocols, most athlete's foot can be cleared up in a few weeks. To protect yourself from other chronic fungal infections, you might want to consider swallowing a couple teaspoons of coconut oil each day too, in addition to regularly consuming acidophilus and Bifidobacteria based probiotics.

Alkalize Your Body to Get Healthy and Reach Your Ideal Weight

2010-01-21T07:12:00.001-08:00

http://www.NaturalNews.com/z027986_alkalize_body_weight.html

January 21 2010
by David Victor, citizen journalist

(NaturalNews) If you are suffering from disease or weight problems, the problem may be an overly acidic body. According to the philosophy called New Biology, all disease is caused by an acidic body. If you alkalize your body through proper eating and healthy living, you can overcome disease and reach your ideal body weight.

Dr. Robert O. Young developed the concept of New Biology. Dr. Young and his wife, Shelly Redford Young, teach people how to alkalize their body for optimal health. According to their teachings, all disease is caused by over-acidification of the body and by reducing the acidity in your body you can achieve optimal health.

One of the most obvious signs of acidity is excess body fat. When your body is acidic, it will do anything it can to neutralize the acid. One of the ways it does this is to store excess acid in fat which can lead to you being overweight. When you alkalize your diet and lifestyle, your body will get rid of the excess fat.

An acidic body can also be too skinny because it allows yeast and fungus to thrive. The yeast and fungus consume the nutrients that you need which can leave you underweight, lethargic, and sick.

High cholesterol is another potential side effect of acidic blood. Your body cannot let acid damage your arteries so it coats them with cholesterol. While this helps protect you in the short term, in the long run this can lead to complete blockage. Fortunately, if you alkalize your body, it will get rid of the cholesterol it no longer needs.

To alkalize an acidic body, you need to eat more alkalizing foods and less acidic foods. Once you know which kinds of foods are alkalizing and which are acidic, you can create a healthy diet that will help you reach your ideal weight without starving yourself.

The first part of alkalizing your body is to eat more alkalizing foods. Most vegetables have an alkalizing effect on your body and green vegetables tend to be the best. Sprouts are also very alkaline and so is wheat grass. You can even take health supplements made from vegetables and healthy grasses. If you focus on making sure you have alkalizing foods with every meal, you will be on your way to an alkaline body.

The second part of alkalizing your body is to reduce the amount of acidic foods you eat. Sugary and processed foods are usually acidic. Saturated fats, meats, and dairy products also have an acidic effect on the body. If you are going to eat these types of foods, do it in moderation and make sure you have an alkalizing food with it.

When you start making changes to alkalize your body, it will release stored toxins. You may feel sick because the toxins are being released back into your system, but this will pass once you eliminate them from your system. Make sure you drink lots of water so your body can flush them out of your system.

Stay tuned for more articles that will give you more specifics about alkalizing your body.

From Deceptive Boardrooms to Closed-Minded Thinking... How The Fatally Flawed Medical System Killed More Americans with Just One Drug than the Entire

2010-01-20T14:42:00.001-08:00

http://articles.mercola.com/sites/articles/archive/2010/01/19/Top-12-Mercola-Predictions-That-Came-True-Part-1-of-4.aspx

From Deceptive Boardrooms to Closed-Minded Thinking... How The Fatally Flawed Medical System Killed More Americans with Just One Drug than the Entire Vietnam War, Part 1 of 4
Posted by: Dr. Mercola
January 19 2010

Over 80 percent of the people on the Internet search for health information, but the field is loaded with misinformation, deception, and outright fraud.

When I started this Web site in 1997 it was with the intention to provide you with a treasure trove of knowledge and health wisdom that will allow you to avoid the well established dangers of choosing a conventional approach to medicine.

Origins of “Doctors are the Third Leading Cause of Death”

In July 2000 I analyzed a JAMA article by Dr. Barbara Starfield from Johns Hopkins School of public health.

I carefully reviewed her data and came to the conclusion that doctors were the third leading cause of death. I created that headline, and over the last ten years it has been widely distributed all over the Internet.

When I contacted Dr. Starfield for a follow-up, she told me that she did not agree with my conclusion, but still felt that the conventional medical system was the leading cause of death. Well four years later, Gary Null published a report which indeed confirmed that fact.

So, with time I realized that my purpose in life is to catalyze a transformation of this fatally flawed medical system that has been irreversibly corrupted by multinational corporate drug and food industry interests, which put their bottom line profits far ahead of improving your health and the human condition in general.

The purpose of this site is to provide a comprehensive educational effort to expose the fraud, deception and misinformation that is prematurely killing hundreds of thousands of people every year in the US alone, and also causing needless pain and suffering in millions of others.

It might be obvious to most that I am bucking this corporate system, and they are not going to go down without a fight. The opponents are constantly seeking to discredit me so the message can’t be heard.

Truth is Violently Opposed Before It is Accepted as Self Evident

Arthur Schopenhauer (1788-1860) was a German philosopher known for his philosophical clarity. In my view he has made one of the most valuable observations on the shifting of human views on truth as he stated that all truth goes through three steps:

First, it is ridiculed.

Second, it is violently opposed.

Finally, it is accepted as self-evident

This is not only true for health but all areas of life. However since my entire formal professional training is in health, I would like to share with you a dozen experiences from my professional career that validates Shopenhauer’s observation, and why I will not quit despite the efforts of my critics and detractors.

Three of the 12 truths I will cover in this four-part series have reached the final stage and are now widely accepted by the medical profession, although some of my recommendations still include refinements that have yet to be embraced by conventional medicine.

The remainder is in varying degrees of acceptance, and some will not be widely accepted for quite some time, but the evidence is clear for all those who are willing to objectively review the data.

Truth # 1: Bacteria Cause Ulcers

It was 1984 when I first became aware of Helicobacter pylori (H. pylori) bacteria, and its role in peptic ulcers. I learned this by reviewing the data in one of my favorite journals, Lancet. A family physician, Dr. Barry Marshall, from Australia, came up with a finding that turned the entire long held view of ulcers upside down.

I was still in my residency training when I sought to apply these findings but remember very clearly that the specialist that I reported to ridiculed me for even considering the wacky notion that bacteria could cause ulcers. I was almost removed from my training program for seeking to put patients on this regimen.

This was remarkable because nearly every one of the patients I put on the program had immediate, long-lasting improvement, and did not require going on lifelong antiulcer therapy.

When I went into private practice in 1985, the local gastroenterologists in my community considered me a renegade and would discredit me to other physicians.

Nobel Prize Awarded

However ten years later, in 1995, Dr. Marshall was awarded the Nobel Prize in Medicine for his discovery.

This was my first personal experience with Schopenhauer’s observation.

Unfortunately, the misinformation surrounding the true cause of ulcers was still not widely known in the late ‘90s. A CDC survey during that time found most health care consumers were unaware that peptic ulcer disease was caused by infection with H. pylori bacteria in 9 of 10 cases.

About 60 percent of respondents still believed that ulcers were caused by stress and 17 percent thought that ulcers were caused by spicy foods.

Acid Suppressing Treatments Cause More Harm than Good

An important element of the conventional treatment of peptic ulcer disease is H2 blockers and proton pump inhibitors, which are some of the most widely prescribed drugs in the world, and there was ENORMOUS resistance from the drug companies for physicians to accept Dr. Marshall’s finding.

I strongly believe that virtually all of these acid suppressing regimens are unnecessary and actually harm people. It was a major tragedy that these drugs became available over-the-counter in the ‘90s.

It was bad enough that physicians were using them inappropriately -- now anyone can abuse these dangerous drugs and short-circuit their body's normal protective mechanisms.

Your body was not designed to have its acid level suppressed. If that occurs, then the enzymes you need to digest are not activated, and your body will not be able to fully utilize the food you eat.

If you or anyone you know are still taking medications like Zantac, Pepcid, Tagamet or similar medications, it would be wise to stop them immediately.

Even Better Options for Ulcers

Interestingly, as I continued to study and learn natural medicine principles, I realized that while Dr. Marshall’s approach was far superior to the acid suppressing approaches, it still was not the best answer.

I learned that it is rarely necessary to use antibiotics to control the helicobacter bacteria that can cause ulcers. You can easily achieve this goal with proper diet, supplements and lifestyle modification.

Unfortunately this approach is still too far out of the box and is not widely accepted as truth. Perhaps in another ten years...

To find out more about how to get rid of H. pylori the healthy way, read The Case for Healthy Bowels: The Vital Connection between Your Gut and Your Health.

Truth # 2: Duoderm Provides Potent Wound Healing

The second confirmation of the Schopenhauer observation came at the turn of the century.

Wound healing has a long history of less than optimal treatment in the conventional model. Many wounds become chronic and are resistant to healing, while other acute wounds, like burns, are treated with a variety of ineffective and dangerous approaches.

I first learned of Duoderm in my residency over 25 years ago. When I first started using it on patients in the hospital I was widely criticized by the attending physicians and the surgeons, and they would tell the nursing staff to remove the dressing.

However, over the course of about a year they started to witness the dramatic healing improvements, and before I left the program it had become standard treatment by most of the attending and surgical staff for wound treatment.

So just what is Duoderm?

It is a nearly magical wound dressing. After you’ve cleaned your wound with hydrogen peroxide, cut the Duoderm about half an inch larger than your wound and apply. It typically sticks very well to your skin unless you are wrapping it around a digit, in which case you will need to apply some extra tape.

You can leave a Duoderm dressing on for about one week before you need to change the dressing, as long as there is no sign of infection. Interestingly, after a few days it typically will look like pus might be coming out, but it is merely the dressing itself dissolving that resembles pus.

Unlike most wound dressings that actually worsen wound healing, Duoderm accelerates it and also tends to eliminate any wound pain.

It is unclear how it works, but most likely it allows tiny bioelectrical currents to become reestablished by completing a circuit, and then your body’s intuitive wisdom takes over and finishes your healing.

If you have a hard time finding it, you can get Duoderm on Amazon.

Truth # 3: Anti Inflammatory Vioxx Kills 60,000

The third confirmation of the Schopenhauer observation came at the turn of the century.

In the early 2000s, Vioxx was an extremely popular anti-inflammatory, taken by nearly 100 million people worldwide -- with sales reaching $2.5 billion annually.

In 1999 I uncovered a study that showed people taking this drug were at massively increased risk of dying from heart disease and stroke, and I published this information in my newsletter.

I actually issued the first public warning about Vioxx while it was still in clinical trials -- a year before it became available by prescription.

Then, in 2004, another study showed that patients taking Vioxx had a 50 percent higher risk of having a heart attack or experiencing a fatal cardiac episode than those taking another popular anti-inflammatory drug – the same conclusion I had warned about FIVE years earlier.

Merck finally succumbed to public pressure and voluntarily withdrew their anti-inflammatory drug from the market in September, 2004.

It is tragic that Vioxx was only removed from the market AFTER it had done its damage, and 60,000 people ended up dying from taking it. This was NO accident; the drug’s makers knew this would happen but collected billions of dollars in profit before it was finally withdrawn. Many internal memorandums uncovered during the many lawsuits confirmed this.

Vioxx is a classic demonstration of putting corporate bottom-line profits ahead of people’s lives.

The evidence of this malicious behavior is clearly shown in a recent investigation of the drug published in the Archives of Internal Medicine. The researchers concluded that the trial data available as early as December 2000 demonstrated a significantly increased cardiovascular risk associated with Vioxx and should have raised concerns about its safety -- a full three and a half years prior to Merck’s voluntary withdrawal of the drug.

Part of the problem, however, was that a large number of these damning studies were never published. They were obtained by the researchers through their work advising plaintiffs who had sued Merck in the years following Vioxx’ withdrawal. Despite efforts to improve federal drug-safety, drug companies still are not required to disclose the kind of patient data that they used for this analysis.

In the current drug safety system you are the guinea pig, as true drug safety is not assessed until a very large number of side effects have been reported by doctors. The term “evidence-based medicine” is really deceiving since this kind of cherry picking of study findings for publication is the norm rather than the exception.

Non-Drug Alternatives to Prevent and Treat Inflammation

While you can certainly control inflammation with potent drugs like Vioxx, they in no way shape or form treat the cause of the problem, and a result they are bound to cause side effects.

It would seem a far wiser approach to seek natural options that address the reason the inflammation exists to begin with. Fortunately there are many options available.

Lifestyle changes, for example, will go a long way toward reducing chronic inflammation in your body, so focus on making the following changes:

Focus on eating a healthy diet. This includes avoiding pro-inflammatory foods like trans fats, fried foods, sugar and grains, foods cooked at high temperatures and oxidized cholesterol (cholesterol that has gone rancid, such as that from overcooked, scrambled eggs).

Get plenty of animal-based omega-3 fats by taking a high-quality krill oil that is chock full of these beneficial omega-3's. My favorite in this area is krill oil.

Optimize your insulin levels. If your fasting insulin level is not lower than three consider limiting or eliminating your intake of grains and sugars until you optimize your insulin level.

Exercise regularly. Exercise is a great way to lower inflammation without any of the side effects associated with medications.

Quit smoking. Smoking hardens your arteries and increases inflammation. But research shows you can reverse all the damaging effects to your arteries within 10 years of quitting. However, be sure you get your diet under control first so you don’t fall into the trap of trading cigarettes for unhealthy junk foods.

Make sure your waist size is normal. If you're a woman with a waist measurement of over 35 inches or a man with a waist of over 40 inches, you probably have high inflammation and should take steps to lose weight.

Have healthy outlets for stress and other negative emotions. High levels of stress hormones can lead to the release of excess inflammatory chemicals, so be sure you use tools to help deal with your current stress and resolve past emotional challenges as well. Meditation, prayer and my personal favorite the Meridian Tapping Technique (MTT) are all useful stress management techniques to try out.

Optimize your vitamin D levels. Most people are not aware that vitamin D can have a profoundly dramatic impact on your health. Your best source of vitamin D is through your skin being exposed to the sun or alternatively using a safe tanning bed. In the wintertime, however, you may need to take an oral supplement. Just make sure you’re taking the right form of vitamin D in the appropriate amounts to reap the benefits, and remember to get your vitamin D levels tested regularly.

Useful Herbs and Supplements to Fight Inflammation

Finally, although they are not a long-term solution, the herbs that follow are useful for treating the symptoms of inflammation and relieving pain while you work at implementing the lifestyle changes above:

Turmeric, Tulsi and Rosemary: The transcription protein Nuclear Factor-kappa Beta (NfKB) is a major inducer of inflammation, and these three herbs are capable of modulating NfKB.
Boswellia: Also known as boswellin or "Indian frankincense," this herb contains specific active anti-inflammatory ingredients, referred to as boswellic acids that animal studies have shown significantly reduce inflammation. This is one of my personal favorites as I have seen it work well with rheumatoid arthritis patients

Bromelain: This enzyme, found in pineapples, is a natural anti-inflammatory. It can be taken in supplement form, but eating fresh pineapple may also be helpful.

Ginger: This herb is anti-inflammatory and offers pain relief and stomach-settling properties. Fresh ginger works well steeped in boiling water as a tea or grated into vegetable juice. Powder capsules are also available, but I recommend using the fresh root.

Resveratrol: Resveratrol is a potent antioxidant found in certain fruits, vegetables and cocoa that is emerging as a modern-day fountain of youth. It works by preventing your body from creating sphingosine kinase and phospholipase D -- two molecules known to trigger inflammation. The science surrounding this compound is so compelling that it has become one of my all-time favorite antioxidants, and I believe one that shows real promise of health benefits.

Evening Primrose, Black Currant and Borage Oils: These contain the essential fatty acid gamma linolenic acid (GLA), which is useful for treating arthritic pain. It is reasonable for many to take these as a supplement, particularly if you struggle with dry skin in the winter, as this is a strong indicator that you are deficient in these fats.

Foods That Chronic Pain Sufferers Need to Avoid

2010-01-20T10:25:00.000-08:00

http://articles.mercola.com/sites/articles/archive/2010/01/19/Foods-That-Chronic-Pain-Sufferers-Need-to-Avoid.aspx

Foods That Chronic Pain Sufferers Need to Avoid
Posted by: Dr. Mercola
January 19 2010

Chronic pain is a pervasive issue and fibromyalgia is a very common form. It is a chronic condition whose symptoms include muscle and tissue pain, fatigue, depression, and sleep disturbances.

Recent data suggests that central sensitization, in which neurons in your spinal cord become sensitized by inflammation or cell damage, may be involved in the way fibromyalgia sufferers process pain.

Certain chemicals in the foods you eat may trigger the release of neurotransmitters that heighten this sensitivity.

Although there have been only a handful of studies on diet and fibromyalgia, the following eating rules can’t hurt, and may help, when dealing with chronic pain.

Limit Sugar as Much as Possible. Increased insulin levels will typically dramatically worsen pain. So you will want to limit all sugars and this would typically include fresh fruit juices. Whole fresh fruit is the preferred method for consuming fruit products.

If you are overweight, have high blood pressure, high cholesterol or diabetes, you will also want to limit grains as much as possible as they are metabolized very similarly to sugars. This would also include organic unprocessed grains. Wheat and gluten grains are the top ones to avoid.

Eat fresh foods. Eating a diet of fresh foods, devoid of preservatives and additives, may ease symptoms triggered by coexisting conditions such as irritable bowel syndrome (IBS).

It’s also a good idea to buy organic food when possible, as it’s best to avoid pesticides and chemicals. However, fresh is best. So if you have to choose between local, fresh, non-organic and organic but wilting – go with fresh, and clean properly.

Avoid caffeine. Fibromyalgia is believed to be linked to an imbalance of brain chemicals that control mood, and it is often linked with inadequate sleep and fatigue. The temptation is to artificially and temporarily eliminate feelings of fatigue with stimulants like caffeine, but this approach does more harm than good in the long run. Though caffeine provides an initial boost of energy, it is no substitute for sleep, and is likely to keep you awake.

Try avoiding nightshade vegetables. Nightshade vegetables like tomatoes, potatoes, and eggplant may trigger arthritis and pain conditions in some people.

Be Careful with Your Fats. Animal based omega-3 fats like DHA and EPA have been touted as a heart-healthy food, and they may help with pain, as well. They can help reduce inflammation and improve brain function. At the same time, you want to eliminate all trans fat and fried foods, as these will promote inflammation.

Use yeast sparingly. Consuming yeast may also contribute to the growth of yeast fungus, which can contribute to pain.

Avoid pasteurized dairy. Many fibromyalgia sufferers have trouble digesting milk and dairy products. However, many find that raw dairy products, especially from grass fed organic sources, are well tolerated.

Cut down on carbs. About 90 percent of fibromyalgia patients have low adrenal functioning, which affects metabolism of carbohydrates and may lead to hypoglycemia.

Avoid aspartame. The artificial sweetener found in some diet sodas and many sugar-free sweets is part of a chemical group called excitotoxins, which activate neurons that can increase your sensitivity to pain.

Avoid additives. Food additives such as monosodium glutamate (MSG) often cause trouble for pain patients. MSG is an excitatory neurotransmitter that may stimulate pain receptors; glutamate levels in spinal fluid have been shown to correlate with pain levels in fibromyalgia patients.

Stay away from junk food. Limit or eliminate fast food, candy, and vending-machine products. In addition to contributing to weight gain and the development of unhealthy eating habits, these diet-wreckers may also irritate your muscles, disrupt your sleep, and compromise your immune system.

Dr. Mercola's Comments:

Chances are good that someone in your family or your circle of friends has fibromyalgia. Fibromyalgia affects 10 million Americans, which is 2% to 4% of the population. Alongside diabetes and heart disease, it has become one of the most pervasive 21st Century diseases.

If you have fibromyalgia, then you already know how frustrating it is to manage, and how confusing it is to sort through all the conflicting nutritional advice about how to eat.

The fact is, there's little scientific evidence to support any single eating plan that will work for all fibromyalgia sufferers.

You’ve probably read:

Eat more whole grains. Then, avoid grains altogether.
Eat fruit of all kinds. Then, some fruit increases pain.
Eat fresh, organic tomatoes. Followed by, tomatoes and other nightshade vegetables will make you feel worse.

Confused yet about how to stock your refrigerator?

The problem is that fibromyalgia is a complex array of symptoms involving widespread pain and fatigue and has multiple causative factors. No one treatment is effective for everyone.

Kent Holtorf, MD, the medical director of the Holtorf Medical Group Center for Endocrine, Neurological and Infection Related Illness in Torrance, California states:

“We’re at the point now where we know diet plays a role in this disease—it’s just not the same diet for everybody. And not everybody is helped in the same way.”[i]

Fibromyalgia requires an approach that is as diverse as the disease.

So, if you have fibromyalgia, you aren’t that different from everyone else in terms of your nutritional needs. Your diet must be tailored to your own genetic composition.

So, where do you start?

Nutritional Typing a Crucial Step for Fibromyalgia

The best starting point is determining what nutritional type you are, so that you will know how your body reacts to food. I have condensed my nutrition plan into an easy to follow eating plan that progresses in three stages, from beginner to advanced.

Nutritional Typing is not a diet. It is a way to determine which of three basic groups you fit into: Protein Type, Carb Type, or Mixed Type.

I have found that eating this way seems to help decrease or eliminate fibromyalgia symptoms. However, it is also clear that eating in accordance with your nutritional type alone is not the complete answer to symptom relief.

My Dietary Ten Commandments

Although there is no “one-size-fits-all” diet, there are dietary guidelines that I consider absolute—fibromyalgia or otherwise.

1. Avoid artificial sweeteners. Aspartame, in particular, has been known to trigger fibromyalgia-type symptoms, and if you have the disease already, it will only make it worse. Artificial sweeteners could be responsible for part or even all of your symptoms. (You can read more about this in my book Sweet Deception.)

2. Eat a varied diet of fresh, organic, whole foods that are as close to their natural state as possible. Whole fruits and vegetables are rich in antioxidants, which have anti-inflammatory properties[ii]. The more colorful your produce, the better! Go for those deep oranges, reds, purples and greens.

3. Eat as many raw foods (“living foods”) as possible for their enzymes and biophotons. I try to eat at least 80 percent of my food raw. Cooking food to above 118 degrees F destroys enzymes and reduces nutrient uptake.

4. Drink plenty of pure, filtered water that is fluoride-free.

5. Avoid all additives, preservatives, and processed foods.

6. Avoid sugar and caffeine, including sodas, fruit juices and energy drinks.

7. Eliminate or strictly limit alcohol consumption.

8. Make sure you are eating enough long-chain animal based omega 3 fatty acids from fish or krill oils. Omega 3s decrease inflammation, joint pain, swelling and stiffness and are natural pain reducers, in addition to providing many other health benefits.

9. Coconut and coconut oil have been found to be beneficial to people with fibromyalgia, chronic fatigue syndrome, and hypothyroidism.

10. Eat slowly and fully chew and enjoy your food!

Detecting Food Sensitivities

If you are already following these dietary guidelines and want to delve deeper into what foods might be increasing your symptoms, then the next step is refining your dietary plan, within your nutritional type category.

There is some evidence that people with fibromyalgia experience fewer symptoms if they eliminate one or more foods that are the most common triggers for food allergies or food sensitivities.

Sensitization refers to a gradual change in how your immune system reacts to a particular substance, often resulting in an allergy.

In “central sensitization,” your entire central nervous system becomes sensitized to a substance, and this happens to be one of the proposed mechanisms for fibromyalgia and chronic fatigue syndrome, in terms of how your body amplifies pain signals[iii].

Fibromyalgia sufferers are particularly vulnerable to becoming centrally sensitized to certain foods, causing an immune reaction that exacerbates their symptoms.

The most common things in your diet that will cause a problem are corn, wheat, soy, dairy, citrus and sugar. The top three worst offenders are pasteurized milk, soy and gluten (wheat and other grains).

In one study of 17 fibromyalgia patients, nearly half experienced a “significant reduction in pain” after eliminating corn, wheat, dairy, citrus and sugar.

Other Important Factors to Remember

Here is a checklist of the most significant ones you might need to address:

Sleep disruption is almost always a significant problem with fibromyalgia.

Exercise is known to ease the pain of fibromyalgia and is an extremely important aspect of your daily routine. In one study by Harvard researchers, after exercising for 20 weeks, women with fibromyalgia reported improved muscle strength and endurance, and lessening of their symptoms including pain, stiffness, fatigue and depression.

In my experience, nearly all fibromyalgia sufferers have some form of underlying stress or emotional component that contributes to their condition. My favorite tool to resolve this is meridian tapping technique (MTT) (also referred to as EFT).

Check your vitamin D levels. Some of the new research on vitamin D shows that low vitamin D can worsen fibromyalgia, among other things. It has also been shown that sunlight is a natural painkiller.

All it takes to feel better is a little willingness to make a few lifestyle changes, and perhaps explore some alternatives to what you’ve been doing.

You can’t ever predict which little change is going to be the heavy hitter—so you might have to go through a little trial and error. But when you do find it, a little tweak can be a game changer!

[i] Bouchez C, “Fibromyalgia: The Diet Connection,” WebMD

[ii] Rawlings D. “Proper Foods to Eat for Fibromyalgia,” Fibromyalgia Cures

[iii] Mayo Clinic staff, “Fibromyalgia Causes” (2009) Mayo Clinic,

Five Steps to Overcoming Gout Naturally

2010-01-20T10:23:00.000-08:00

http://articles.mercola.com/sites/articles/archive/2010/01/19/Five-Steps-to-Overcoming-Gout-Naturally.aspx

Posted by: Dr. Mercola
January 19 2010

Often in past centuries, gout was laughingly passed off as an affliction of the rich, because it usually affected those who had easy access to fancy foods and plenty of liquor. However today we know better and this report will review these myths and help you understand the real cause of gout.

Anyone who has experienced the excruciating pain of a gout attack knows that it is no laughing matter. Some sufferers have described the intense pain of a gout attack as similar to being burned by a flame. Others say it feels like they were skewered by a hot poker.

A gout attack, or “flare,” usually strikes suddenly, and generally at night. Mysteriously, it often targets the large joint of your big toe.1 Your skin becomes red, inflamed, and overly sensitive. Even the light pressure of a bed sheet can become unbearable. A fever may also be present.

What Exactly is Gout?

Gout is a type of arthritis characterized by painful, stiff and inflamed joints. The stiffness and swelling are a result of excess uric acid forming crystals in your joints, and the pain associated with this disease is caused by your body’s inflammatory response to the crystals. 2

Gout is essentially a breakdown of the metabolic process that controls the amount of uric acid in your blood. Gout can occur in any joint of your body, but most commonly occurs in your big toe.

With or without treatment, gout symptoms will usually go away within three to 10 days, and the next attack may not occur for months, or even years, if at all. Nonetheless, if more attacks occur, they tend to increase in frequency, become more severe, and last longer. 3 Over time, recurrent gout attacks can damage your joints and the surrounding areas. 4

This is why it’s important to treat your gout as soon as possible, before it begins damaging your body permanently. Natural treatments are kinder and gentler to your body than drugs, as well as being more effective overall. I’ll discuss in an upcoming section natural treatments that can pack a real punch in helping your body get rid of gout.

The Real Cause of Gout

You may have wondered why you developed gout, while your spouse, neighbor, or co-worker didn’t. The simple answer is typically quite straightforward once you understand how your body works and is generally related to your diet and lifestyle.

Your genetics also play a relatively minor role. If either or both of your parents had gout, you have a higher predisposition to getting it. 5That means your children also are at risk for gout.

But simply reducing your intake of sugar-sweetened beverages during childhood could lessen the risk of gout as an adult, and I’ll discuss why this may be in an upcoming section. 6

At the most basic level, a gout attack usually results from years of having high levels of uric acid in your blood, a condition called hyperuricemia. 7

While uric acid normally dissolves in your blood and passes harmlessly through your kidneys, it’s possible for your body to either produce too much uric acid or excrete too little in your urine. The resulting buildup of uric acid forms needle-like crystals in your joints and surrounding tissues that causes the intense pain.

Hyperuricemia often has no symptoms, but as these uric acid levels increase in your blood, mainly due to poor dietary choices, your risk of an impending attack increases also.

Besides gout, elevated uric acid is related to a variety of other health conditions, including:

Diabetes

High cholesterol

High blood pressure

Kidney disease

Heart disease

Just How Common is Gout?

Between 2 million and 5 million Americans suffer from gout,8about 90 percent of them being men in their 40s and older.9In recent years, the prevalence of gout has been rising rapidly in the United States and in other developed countries. This comes as no surprise, because the principal reason for the increase of gout stems from the processed foods we consume, along with our devotion to other unhealthy lifestyle habits.

In developing nations, much of the food is harvested and eaten directly from the earth. There are no processing plants to remove the nutrients from their food. Their entire lifestyle is exceedingly healthy. Indigenous people live hardy, outdoor lives with plenty of exercise, non-processed, nutrient-rich foods, and little or no access to television, video games, or even liquor.

But in the United States and other Westernized countries, this is no longer true. America has for the most part shifted its dietary preferences to highly processed foods, and many are now suffering from diseases like gout as a result.

High-Fructose Corn Syrup is a Major Risk Factor

Although gout is commonly blamed on eating too many high-purine foods, such as organ meats, anchovies, herring, asparagus and mushrooms, there is another clear culprit: high-fructose corn syrup (HFCS).10

Countless health problems have been linked to the consumption of HFCS, not the least of which is gout. A recent study showed that consumption of sugar-sweetened soft drinks is strongly associated with an increased risk of developing gout.11

The study, done by U.S. and Canadian researchers, indicated that men who drank two or more sugary soft drinks a day had an 85 percent higher risk of gout than those who drank less than one a month. In fact, the risk significantly increased among men who drank five to six servings of sugary soft drinks a week. Fruit juice and fructose-rich fruits such as oranges and apples also increased the risk.12

This makes sense on many levels, but first and foremost because fructose is known to inhibit the excretion of uric acid.

Fructose also reduces the affinity of insulin for its receptor, which is the principle characteristic of type 2 diabetes.14 Further, HFCS has been implicated in elevated blood cholesterol levels, and it has been found to inhibit the action of white blood cells in your immune system.14

Many of the health conditions that HFCS causes, including high cholesterol and diabetes, also increase your risk of developing gout.

Additionally, fructose converts more readily to fat than other sugars, making it a major risk factor for both diabetes and obesity -- another gout risk factor.

In a fructose metabolism study, it was noted that when two high-fructose breakfast drinks were consumed, the build-up of stored fat continued into the afternoon, during which time the quick conversion of fructose to fat remained active during digestion of the lunch meal.15 The study concluded that the higher the concentration of fructose in the diet, the higher the rate of fat conversion.

Frequently, fruit juices also have fructose added to them, and if you still believe that this is an acceptable form of sugar, think again. Fructose contains no beneficial enzymes, vitamins, minerals, or additional micronutrients. Instead, it actually leeches them from your body.16

Unbound fructose, found in large quantities in HFCS, can also interfere with your heart's use of vital minerals such as magnesium, copper and chromium.

Hidden Fructose in Your Foods

You may think that avoiding fructose means just staying stay away from desserts and sweet drinks, but unfortunately there is more to it as fructose is hidden in many foods you would not even suspect.

According to biochemist Russ Bianchi, HFCS is “intentionally mislabeled, or (uses) deceptively legally noncompliant names like: 'chicory,' 'inulin,' 'iso glucose,' 'glucose-fructose syrup,' 'dahlia syrup,' 'tapioca syrup,' 'glucose syrup,' 'corn syrup,' 'crystalline fructose,' and flat-out fraud 'fruit fructose,' or…'agave'…"17

Even processed meats and other foods you would never imagine contain HFCS.

Why?

The commercial food industry embraces HFCS because it is easier to blend, and sweeter than table sugar. And it’s also cheaper.

Additionally, the food manufacturers can sell more products because they know that HFCS, like all sugar, has an addictive effect, and once your taste buds are stimulated, you will want more and more.18Sugar, and added salt, can stabilize food ingredients, enabling food manufacturers to keep it on the shelves longer.19

The industry has also started to air deceptive ad campaigns claiming that HFCS is all natural to counteract this information.

Fortunately you don’t have to be deceived by them as you now know the truth.

So, instead of drinking enormous amounts of sugar-laden sodas, fruit juice, and other sweet beverages that will only worsen or cause gout, your best choice will be to choose pure water, because the fluids will help to remove uric acid from your body.21

You can add small amounts (about a teaspoonful) of fresh-squeezed lemon or lime juice to your water for flavor. But use caution with higher quantities if you have issues with your insulin level, because too much added fruit juice can adversely affect that.

Also, be sure to eliminate those cookies, cakes, pies, candy bars, and other sweets that can aggravate your gout just as badly as HFCS.22

Maintaining Ideal Body Weight Large Part of the Solution

Another risk factor for gout is obesity, or any excessive weight gain. Approximately half of all gout sufferers are overweight.23

Excess weight worsens gout because irritated nerve endings are further irritated by having to support and deal with extra weight.24 Of course, obesity can worsen any type of arthritis.

Furthermore, medical data shows a remarkably high prevalence of Metabolic Syndrome (heart disease and diabetes symptoms such as insulin resistance, abdominal obesity, hypertension, and high triglyceride levels) in gout sufferers.25

A 2002 study of obese women with Metabolic Syndrome found that weight gain, especially around the abdomen, led to increased levels of proteins from their immune systems called cytokines. Certain cytokines cause an inflammatory response, which can contribute to the formation of fatty deposits in arteries, otherwise known as atherosclerosis.

After a one-year program of diet, exercise, and behavioral counseling, each obese woman in the study lost at least 10 percent of their starting weight (about 22 pounds, on average). They also showed a significant reduction in their levels of cytokines and other potentially damaging proteins.26

Weight loss represents a safe method for reducing inflammatory states and ameliorating blood-vessel dysfunction in obese women. Cytokine levels returned towards normal even though women did not lose all their excess weight. Gout is an inflammatory condition, and it is clear from this study that losing weight, and keeping it off, will greatly improve your chances of avoiding further gout attacks.

You can do this most effectively by first determining your Nutritional Type.™ The next section will give you more details on this revolutionary system to better health and lasting weight loss.

And if you didn’t have enough reasons to avoid HCFS, remember that it also exacerbates obesity. Excess sugar in any form, particularly HFCS, also harms organs like your liver and pancreas, leading to bone loss, anemia and heart problems.27

Eating Right for Your Nutritional Type™ Can Dramatically Help

The REAL underlying problem causing the inflammation associated with gout, and the subsequent damage, is likely due to having chronically elevated blood sugar. (The sugar molecule causes far more damage than any other molecule.) And, your number one way of normalizing your blood sugar and insulin levels is through your diet.

But what constitutes an optimal diet?

As I said earlier, it definitely includes limiting or eliminating your intake of HFCS, sugar and grains (which are metabolized as sugar). For most people this means first eliminating soft drinks and fruit juices, along with sugary snacks.

But there’s more to it than just that.

It is important to understand that there is no perfect diet for everyone. We each have our own unique individual and biochemical nutritional needs. The science of Nutritional Typing™ was developed over three decades and customizes your food choices based on the way your body reacts to food.

Nutritional Typing™ will classify you into one of three groups:

High protein, high fat, low carbs (Protein type)

Low protein, low fat, high carbs (Carb type)

Mixture between the above (Mixed type)

When you eat based on your Nutritional Type™, you will resolve most health disorders, including gout, and achieve optimum heath. Not only will cravings that have plagued you for years disappear, but your newfound energy will amaze you.

You will also discover how much impact foods can have on your state of mind. Eating the wrong foods for your Nutritional Type™ will not only imbalance you on a physical level, but also on an emotional one. This can easily leave you feeling irritable, nervous, angry, hyper, depressed, or hopeless.

You see, foods and individual nutrients do not behave the same way in two people with different Nutritional Types™. This explains why some healthy foods that make other people energetic (and slim) might make you unhealthy, sluggish, bloated, heavier, or more prone to gout.29

And it also explains why, no matter how much you try to stick to foods you've been told are 'healthy,' or even organic, you may still not feel as good as you'd like to. There is a reason for this. It's the result of a giant factor outside your control -- your metabolism.

However, once you determine your Nutritional Type™ and understand your own unique characteristics, you will start choosing foods that will move you away from weight issues, disease, and accelerated aging, and towards optimal health and your naturally ideal weight!

To find out how you can determine your Nutritional Type™, go to Mercola.com and enter the words Nutritional Type into the search window.

Limiting Alcohol Crucial for Success with Gout

Gout is often seen in association with hypertension, excessive alcohol consumption,30 and coronary artery disease,31 so alcohol is a strong risk factor for this disease.

In general, I believe alcohol should be reserved for people who have already achieved optimal wellness and therefore have their carbohydrates (sugars and grains) under control, and do not have disease conditions such as gout, diabetes, or other signs of ill health.

Although wine has been shown to have some health benefits, it may also increase your insulin levels, which is not only a risk factor for diabetes, but increased insulin levels have been linked with a shorter life span, in general.34So it needs to be used cautiously, especially if you have gout.

Most importantly for those suffering with gout, alcohol may raise the levels of uric acid in your blood, and therefore could even initiate a gout attack, so it’s wise to limit the alcohol you drink, or eliminate it altogether.

Avoid Drug Solutions for Gout Unless Absolutely Necessary

Over the years, medical science has used a number of pharmaceuticals in an attempt to treat gout. That list includes, among others, NSAIDs, Colchicine, corticosteroids, Corticotropin (adrenocorticotropic hormone),35 Febuxostat, Aloprim, and Zyloprim.36 But even if drugs like these could cure gout, and there is little, if any, evidence they can, you still would have to deal with some very nasty side effects.37

NSAIDS alone, for example, are known to have the following side effects38:

Gastrointestinal upsets including nausea, vomiting, diarrhea, constipation, decreased appetite

Rash, dizziness, headaches, drowsiness

Fluid retention

Shortness of breath

Kidney failure, liver failure, ulcers, prolonged bleeding after an injury.

Additionally, NSAIDs may increase your risk of potentially fatal stomach and intestinal adverse reactions (for example, bleeding, ulcers, and perforation of the stomach or intestines). These events can occur at any time during treatment and without warning symptoms.

NSAIDs (except low-dose aspirin) may also increase your risk of potentially fatal heart attacks, stroke, and related conditions.

Drugs such as Allopurinol and Colchicine, which work by either lowering your uric acid levels and decreasing crystal formation, or by simply blocking your body’s natural inflammatory response, are also very commonly prescribed for gout.

But these drugs also have very dangerous, long-term side effects, and gout is frequently regarded as a lifelong condition, so you may end up staying on these drugs for very long periods of time, which can wreak havoc with your health.

On the other hand, natural remedies will end up helping not only the problem they were meant for, but also other body issues as well, because they work holistically within your entire system.

That said, because of the intense pain of a gout attack, you may still need some type of pain medication initially, typically an anti-inflammatory, until you can get the symptoms under control.39

If you’re looking for immediate relief in a natural form, try cayenne cream. Also called capsaicin cream, this spice comes from dried hot peppers. It alleviates pain by depleting your body's supply of substance P, a chemical component of nerve cells that transmits pain signals to your brain.

Exercise Can Dramatically Help

While exercise is not recommended while your joints are in pain or when it might cause further injury, once your gout is under control, exercise is needed as a necessary adjunct to a healthier lifestyle.

Exercise will even help prevent further attacks by increasing circulation and normalizing your uric acids levels, which it does primarily by normalizing your insulin levels.40

An exercise routine has other advantages as well. Studies have shown that it works as an effective antidepressant,41strengthens your immune system so it can fight off diseases like cancer,42 and it can even improve insulin resistance and reverse pre-diabetic conditions.43

Fight Inflammation with Cherries and Strawberries

Tart cherries contain two powerful compounds, anthocyanins and bioflavonoids. Both of these compounds slow down the enzymes Cyclo-oxyygenase-1 and -2, which helps to relieve and prevent arthritis and gout in your body.44

Cherries, along with strawberries and other berries, are also a rich source of antioxidants. This means they help prevent or repair damage done to your body’s cells by free radicals. The antioxidants replace the free radicals in your body before they can cause any damage.

Dr. Wei, a nationally known, board-certified rheumatologist, recalled this story about the powerful effect of cherries on gout:

“Dr. Ludwig W. Blau, relating how eating a bowl of cherries one day led to complete relief from pain, sparked off the interest in cherries in the treatment of gout. Dr. Blau's gout had been so severe that he had been confined to a wheelchair. One day, quite by accident, he polished off a large bowl of cherries, and the following day the pain in his foot was gone.

“(Dr. Blau) continued eating a minimum of six cherries every day, and he was free from pain and able to get out of his wheelchair. Dr. Blau's research led to many other people suffering from gout who reported being helped by cherries.”

Dr. Wei said that good results have also been reported with strawberries, which may be due to the fact that this food helps your body eliminate uric acid.45

There are a number of ways you can enjoy your berries while they go to work benefiting your gout. If fresh cherries are out of season, or if you just want more variety, try concentrated cherry juice.46

Cherry juice concentrate can contain about 55 to 60 tart cherries in every ounce. That’s a single recommended serving, so in other words, you’d have to eat 55 to 60 cherries to get the same health benefit (and I don’t recommend eating 55 to 60 cherries, as that is too much sugar ... But with a concentrate, you can get the health benefit of the cherries without all the sugar).

While it may not be as easy to find organic, un-pasteurized tart cherry or strawberry juice, you can find it if you search on the Web, and local health food stores should be able to order it for you also. Just make sure any juice you buy is, ideally, organic, un-pasteurized, and has no added HFCS or other sugars.

Another option is to purchase frozen or canned tart cherries or strawberries. Organic is best, but if you can’t locate any, you can use regular varieties in a pinch. Normally it’s best to avoid non-organic canned or frozen goods, since they often have residual pesticides and additives, along with HFCS and other sweeteners and preservatives.

A Recap: The Top Steps to Prevent and Treat Gout

If left untreated gout can become increasingly painful and lead to joint damage. So if you experience sudden, intense pain in your joints, especially your big toe, it’s important to seek help.

Here is a recap of the essential steps to addressing gout:

Find out your nutritional type. This will tell you what foods your body needs to thrive, including whether you should be eating more fats and protein, or less.

Avoid drinking soda, fruit juice and other sweet beverages. Instead, drink plenty of pure water, as the fluids will help to remove uric acid from your body. Cutting back on all forms of sugar and grain in your diet is also important.

Limit the alcohol you drink (or eliminate it altogether). Alcohol may raise the levels of uric acid in your blood.

Exercise. Being overweight increases your risk of gout, and regular exercise will help you to maintain a healthy weight and improve your overall health.

Try tart cherries or concentrated tart cherry juice. Tart cherries contain two powerful compounds, anthocyanins and bioflavonoids. Both of these compounds slow down the enzymes Cyclo-oxyygenase-1 and -2, which helps to relieve and prevent arthritis and gout in your body.

Interestingly, we have had many readers state that alfalfa tablets have provided a fair measure of relief and improvement from gout as well. I have no experience with this but it would certainly seem another avenue to explore since it is a natural product with virtually no downside or side effects. Nutmeg has also shown promise for relieving gout symptoms, so if you enjoy this spice feel free to add it liberally to your diet.

So please remember that you don’t need to take a dangerous drug to deal with this painful condition. You CAN address the underlying cause of gout and excess uric acid formation via all-natural means.

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[1] Signs and Symptoms of Gout, (Accessed January 17, 2009)

[2] DrTheo.com, Jason Theodosakis, M.D., Dr.Theo on Arthritis, (Accessed January 17, 2009)

[3] Signs and Symptoms of Gout, (Accessed January 17, 2009)

[4] Gout.com. 2008, Long-Term Affects of Gout, (Accessed January 17, 2009)

[5] Gout.com, Who Gets Gout?, (Accessed January 17, 2009)

[6] Sugary Sweet Drinks Bring on Chronic Disease Later in Life, (Accessed January 19, 2009)

[7] Gout and Uric Acid Education Society, Diagnosis and Stages of Gout, (Accessed January 17, 2009)

[8] How to Eliminate Gout without Dangerous Drugs, (Accessed January 14, 2009)

[9] About.com, Arthritis, 2008, Getting to Know Gout, (Accessed January 17, 2009)

[10] The Plague of High Fructose Corn Syrup in Processed Foods, (Accessed January 14, 2009)

[11] Medline, Current Opinion in Rheumatology, 2008, 20(2):179-186, ISSN: 1040-8711, Hak AE; Choi HK, Lifestyle and Gout, (Accessed January 17, 2009)

[12] Surge in Gout Blamed on Sweet Drinks, (Accessed January 14, 2009)

[13] Corn Syrup Linked to Diabetes, (Accessed January 14, 2009)

[14] The Plague of High Fructose Corn Syrup in Processed Foods, (Accessed January 14, 2009)

[15] Fructose Converts to Fat Faster Than Other Sugars, (Accessed January 14, 2009)

[16] Beware of New Media Brainwashing about High Fructose Corn Syrup, (Accessed January 19, 2009)

[17] The Plague of High Fructose Corn Syrup in Processed Foods, (Accessed January 17, 2009)

[18] Is Fast Food Addictive?, (Accessed January 17, 2009)

[19] Surge in Gout Blamed on Sweet Drinks, (Accessed January 14, 2009)

[20] Corn Syrup’s New Disguise, (Accessed January 19, 2009)

[21] Surge in Gout Blamed on Sweet Drinks, (Accessed January 14, 2009)

[22] The Dangers of Sugar, (Accessed January 14, 2009)

[23] About.com, Arthritis, 2008, Getting to Know Gout, (Accessed January 17, 2009)

[24] 29 Diseases and Conditions Directly Attributable to Being Overweight, (Accessed January 19, 2009)

[25] Medline, Current Opinion in Rheumatology, 2008, 20(2):179-186, ISSN: 1040-8711, Hak AE; Choi HK, Lifestyle and Gout, (Accessed January 17, 2009)

[26] Modest Weight Loss May Cut Heart Risks of Obesity, (Accessed January 20, 2009)

[27] The Plague of High Fructose Corn Syrup in Processed Foods, (Accessed January 17, 2009)

[28] Nutritional Typing – Take Control of Your Health, (Accessed January 17, 2009)

[29] 10 Profound Ways Nutritional Typing Will Help Your Health, (Accessed January 19, 2009)

[30] Medline, 2007, 24(1):21-36, ISSN: 1170-229X, Hoskison KT; Wortmann RL, Management of Gout in Older Adults: Barriers to Optimal Control, (Accessed January 14, 2009)

[31] MedLine, 2005, 60(7):24-31, Gouty arthritis. A Primer on Late-onset Gout, (Accessed January 14, 2009)

[32] Advanced Plan: Beverages, (Accessed January 19, 2009)

[33] Alcohol and The Brain, 2008, Eric Chudler, PhD., (Accessed January 20, 2009)

[34] Mouse Studies Confirm the Key to Longevity, (Accessed January 19, 2009)

[35] Medline, 2007, 24(1):21-36, ISSN: 1170-229X, Hoskison KT; Wortmann RL, Management of Gout in Older Adults: Barriers to Optimal Control, (Accessed January 14, 2009)

[36] About.com, 2007, Carol and Richard Eustice, How to Treat Gout with Diet and Medication, (Accessed January 19, 2009)

[37] Medline, 2006, 45(11):1422-1431, , ISSN: 1462-0324, Sutaria S; Katbamna R; Underwood M Barts, Effectiveness of interventions for the treatment of acute and prevention of recurrent gout--a systematic review, (Accessed January 14, 2009)

[38] What Are the Side Effects of NSAIDs?, (Accessed January 19, 2009)

[39] How to Eliminate Gout Without Drugs, (Accessed January 14, 2009)

[40] Exercise Good for Depression, (Accessed January 20, 2009)

[41] How Exercise Protects you from Cancer, (Accessed January 20, 2009)

[42] Exercise Can Reverse Pre-Diabetes, (Accessed January 20, 2009)

[43] How to Eliminate Gout Without Drugs, (Accessed January 14, 2009)

[44] The Top Six Reasons Why Cherries are Naturally Good for You, (Accessed January 14, 2009)

[45] Cherry and Gout, 2004, Nathan Wei, MD, FACP, FACR,

[46] Cheers for Cherries, (Accessed January 20, 2009)

Ancient Chinese Herbal Remedy More Powerful At Killing H1N1 Than Prescription Antivirals

2010-01-20T10:14:00.001-08:00

http://www.NaturalNews.com/z027970_H1N1_Chinese_Medicine.html

by David Gutierrez, staff writer

(NaturalNews) An ancient Chinese remedy that was used to fight the 1918 Spanish flu pandemic may prove effective against the H1N1 swine flu, according to a study conducted by researchers from Kaohsiung Medial University in Taiwan and published in the American Chemical Society's Journal of Natural Products.

The plant is known by the scientific name Ferula assa-foetida, but is known colloquially in many regions as "Dung of the Devil" due to the foul smell of its sap. It grows mostly in Iran, Afghanistan and China, and has been traditionally used to treat everything from the flu and children's colds to asthma, bronchitis, constipation, flatulence, and epilepsy. It is considered an antimicrobial and digestive aid, and has also been traditionally used as a contraceptive and abortifacient. The researchers noted that more than 230 medicinal compounds have been identified in plants of the ferula genus.

The researchers tested F. assa-foetida samples acquired from a Chinese herb store in Taipei against samples of H1N1 influenza, then compared the plant's effectiveness with that of the prescription antiviral drug adamantine. The researchers found that the herbal medicine proved more effective at killing H1N1 in the laboratory than the prescription drug.

A number of influenza strains, including some varieties of H1N1, have shown great success in evolving resistance to adamantine.

The tests were conducted before the outbreak of the H1N1 variety known popularly as "swine flu," and therefore the results may not apply to that strain. The next step is to test F. assa-foetida against influenza viruses that are actually infecting humans or other animals.

"Overall, the present study has determined that sesquiterpene coumarins from F. assa-foetida may serve as promising lead components for new drug development against influenza A (H1N1) viral infection," the researchers wrote.

The study was funded by the Taiwanese National Science Council and Department of Health.

Broths Contain Mysterious Ingredients

2010-01-20T10:13:00.001-08:00

http://www.naturalnews.com/027973_broths_ingredients.html

January 19 2010
by Jack Challem, citizen journalist

(NaturalNews) There's a company that dominates the soup business, but its products are at best bland and mushy. You probably know who I'm talking about. Some of the company's soups contain so much salt that they're the human equivalent of a salt lick. For example, its chicken noodle soup dishes up a whopping 890 mg of sodium per serving, and 2,225 grams of sodium per can.

This company also owns the leading maker of various chicken broths and stocks. Until recently, that subsidiary spiked its tasteless products with monosodium glutamate (MSG), a flavor enhancer. But MSG is well documented as a cause of Chinese Restaurant Syndrome.

I'm not joking. Every Chinese restaurant used to boost the flavor of its meals by adding MSG. But a fair number of customers complained of neck and muscle aches afterwards, the result of MSG. So now, a lot of Chinese restaurants don't use MSG anymore.

But I digress.

The company recently introduced organic chicken, beef, and vegetable broths. Sounds like a great idea, right?

Well, the company's website admits that the broths contain 550 mg of sodium for each one-cup serving. If you like to use a lot of broth, that could add up to 1,100 mg of sodium per real-world serving. And maybe one blood-pressure cuff.

But no where on the company's website is a full listing of the products' other ingredients found. This is more than just peculiar, because all of the junk food and fast food companies you can think of list their product ingredients on their websites.

So that left me wondering what the soup and broth company might be hiding.

So I clicked to contact customer service and wrote a brief email asking for a complete list of ingredients for their organic products. Sounds simple enough, right?

A few days later, some anonymous person emailed me back:

"All of our products have nutritional labels that include the calorie, sodium, fat, cholesterol and carbohydrate content for a single serving. However, it is important to note that product recipes change frequently and ingredients are periodically added or replaced. Therefore, we suggest that you check each package for the most current nutritional information..."

So I wrote back and said that they had NOT answered my question. And I also wondered, adding a list of full ingredients to the website can't be all that difficult, could it? After all, it's got to be easier to update a web page compared with...say, reformulating the ingredients in an industrial-size soup and broth manufacturing facility.

Finally I went to both my local supermarket and health food store, but did not find any of the company's organic broths on the shelf. So their ingredients remain a mystery to me.

After all this, I can't help but wonder: Why couldn't the world's biggest soup company just be more up front about its ingredients and list them on its website? Unless, they really want to hide what's in them, that is.

Take a Look at the Chemicals in Processed Foods

2010-01-20T09:46:00.002-08:00

http://www.NaturalNaews.com/z027969_processed_foods_chemicals.html

January 19 2010
by Kim Evans, citizen journalist

(NaturalNews) Americans spend about 90 percent of their total food budget on processed foods - and we wonder why we have a health care crisis. Besides being enzyme deplete, processed foods are often crammed with chemicals, including colors, flavors and preservatives. Apparently, many people don`t think twice about filling themselves and their children with chemicals, so let`s look at the effects of just a couple of them.

Aspartame
Aspartame is common in diet sodas; it`s also found in chewing gum, sweets, and diet foods. It`s even sold in packets as chemical sweeteners and placed on most restaurant tables. Actually, aspartame is found in about 6,000 foods on grocery store shelves.

The fact that aspartame was once listed by the Pentagon as a biochemical warfare agent should be all the information you need to avoid it. But if you need more, have a look at these rats fed aspartame daily. http://myaspartameexperiment.com/in...

This experiment was done by a woman concerned about the amount of aspartame her family was consuming. Each day, she fed 108 rats the amount of aspartame in two-thirds of an 8-ounce serving of diet soda, when adjusted for size. In less than three years, 37 percent of the female rats developed tumors. The pictures speak for themselves.

Of course, this begs some serious questions. If this woman was getting these results at home just by putting aspartame in the rats` water, what does it say about the scientists who tested aspartame for safety before it inundated the food supply - or about the government agency that approved its use?

In addition to tumors, aspartame is associated with brain damage and nervous system disturbances; it also affects brain development in fetuses.

BPA
BPA has been in the headlines lately; it`s often used in making baby and water bottles. The chemical then leaches into the liquids inside. BPA is also used in the lining of tin cans, and it`s being found in canned foods. Even if you are eating otherwise healthy green beans or peas - if it`s canned, it`s likely contaminated with BPA.

Consumer Reports took a look and found BPA in several popular canned foods:
Green Beans: 35.9 to 191 ppb
Vegetable Soup: 67 to 134 ppb
Chicken Noodle Soup: 54.5 to 102 ppb

BPA is dangerous even in small amounts; it`s been linked to reproductive abnormalities, diabetes, neurological problems, heart disease, and cancer. A recent look at the umbilical cord blood of newborns found BPAs there, pointing loudly to the widespread nature of the problem. When you start adding up how many brain damaging chemicals are eaten by or injected into the average person, is it any wonder that 1 in 110 children born these days have an autism related disease?

Why are Many Chemicals Connected with Cancer?
Have you ever wondered why chemicals so often create tumors? It`s because the body isn`t designed to remove so many man-made chemicals. Toxic chemicals are commonly found inside cancers, and cancers are a way your body corrals all of the chemicals most people eat and are exposed to, along with other toxic crud, to keep it out of your bloodstream.

If you`re interested in avoiding cancer in your life - and the pain and enormous price tag associated with conventional treatments, a large part of the answer is in avoiding as many chemicals as possible. This includes avoiding as many processed foods as possible to limit your chemical exposure dramatically, and this will leave nature`s protective, cancer-fighting foods as your options. You`d be surprised at what some simple diet and lifestyle changes can do for the last few decades of your life.

Chlorophyll blocks absorption of toxic carcinogens

2010-01-20T09:46:00.001-08:00

http://www.NaturalNews.com/z027968_Chlorophyll_carcinogens.html

January 19 2010
by Mike Adams, the Health Ranger, NaturalNews Editor

(NaturalNews) A recent study conducted by researchers from Oregon State University (OSU) has found that chlorophyll works effectively to block bodily absorption of aflatoxin, a fungal contaminant found in many grain and legume stocks. Research participants who were given chlorophyll alongside aflatoxin did not absorb the carcinogen as readily as those who were given only aflatoxin.

Published in the journal Cancer Prevention Research, the study utilized a new, state-of-the-art assessment method called "Phase 0" which essentially evaluates the effects of carcinogens by administrating them in safe micro-doses. Praised by researchers as a breakthrough testing procedure, Phase 0 utilizes an accelerator mass spectrometer that is able to measure minute variations of toxic exposure and assess toxicity levels down to the smallest increments.

Many developing countries around the world have food supplies that are tainted with high levels of aflatoxin. Aflatoxin is implicated in causing problems in the liver, including liver cancer. George Bailey, an OSU scientist who has studied aflatoxin exposure in China, found that in one region ten percent of inhabitants die from aflatoxin-induced liver cancer.

Using Phase 0 technology, researchers were able to determine that aflatoxin is absorbed very rapidly by the body once ingested. In the presence of chlorophyll, however, aflatoxin is prevented from entering the bloodstream and quickly eliminated from the system. Supplementation with chlorophyll and chlorophyllin, its derivative, may reduce the number of cases of liver cancer.

Researchers hope to conduct further research in order to better understand logistically how chlorophyll works to block aflatoxin absorption.

Comments by Mike Adams, the Health Ranger
Here's yet more evidence showing the importance of including fresh, raw plants in your diet. Chlorophyll protects you from other dietary toxins and can theoretically even save you from liver cancer.

Chlorophyll offers a lot more benefits as well: It cleanses your blood and helps detoxify your liver, colon and entire digestive tract.

Modern medicine, of course, has utterly failed to recognize any use for chlorophyll whatsoever. But followers of raw living foods understand very well how important chlorophyll is to human health.

What are the best sources? One of the best is parsley juice. Grow your own parsley (or buy it in a store), then juice it with some other fruits and vegetables to make a chlorophyll-rich, highly-nutritious beverage!

Natural Remedies Help Ascites

2010-01-20T09:44:00.000-08:00

http://www.NaturalNews.com/z027967_ascites_natural_remedies.html

January 19 2010
by Tony Isaacs, citizen journalist

(NaturalNews) Ascites, also known as dropsy or abdominal dropsy, is a physical disorder where someone suffers from accumulation of fluid in the abdominal cavity. Ascites can be caused by liver disease and is a common side effect of alcoholism, chronic infection of viral hepatitis, or the abusive use of intravenous drugs. Otherwise, tumors, obstruction in portal vein and other problems may lead to Ascites. Fortunately, there are several simple herbal remedies which may help:

* Garlic can play a big role in curing the problem of Ascites. Add one-half teaspoon of fresh garlic juice to 125 ml of water and consume it two times per day. This garlic juice treated water should be consumed for 2-3 weeks for best result by the Ascites patients on a regular basis.

* Regular consumption of bitter melon (bitter gourd) root juice can provide prompt recovery of the complications imposed by Ascites. Take 25 ml at least three times per day in dilute condition.

* Punarnava has been found to be especially effective against Ascites. Pound the dried roots of punarnava to make a powder. Take 1 teaspoon twice daily with lukewarm water.

* The juice of fresh radish leaves has been found to be very beneficial in the controlling the intensity of Ascites. Mix the juice of radish leaves with water.

* Fenugreek seeds are another herbal remedy. Soak several fenugreek seeds overnight in a cup of water and then drink the water in the morning on an empty stomach..

* Carrot juice and buttermilk can play a vital role in restoring energy in the body while not adding to the accumulated fluid levels.

* A decoction of apocynum, also known as apocandle, has had outstanding results for Ascites when the urine is scanty and high-colored and the bowels are constipated. Put 15 to 30 drops in four ounces of water and take one teaspoon every hour. If the kidney and bowels do not respond, administer 30 to 60 drops every three or four hours. Should there still be no response, add some ground apocynum root to the decoction and begin slowly to avoid possible nausea.

* Polytrichum Juniperum used as a diuretic infusion is one of the better Ascites remedies. As should be the case with all infusions unless otherwise directed, take one to two teaspoons of dried herb (or two to four teaspoons of fresh herb), place in a cup of hot water for approximately ten minutes and then strain.

* Aralia Hispida is another valuable diuretic. The best results are obtained from giving as an infusion every two or three hours.

* Apis is a good remedy when there is a smarting or burning sensation during urination.

* Chimaphila is another good vegetable diuretic, and, like the remedies already mentioned, should be used as an infusion.

* Strophanthus frequently out-performs other remedies for Ascites. Use thirty drops to a half glass of water and take a teaspoonful every hour.

* When the body fails to respond to other suggested remedies for Ascites, relief may be found from the compound powder of jalap and the bitartrate of potassium, in dram doses every three, four, or five hours, until there are two, three, or four copious stools within a 24 hour period.

People with Ascites should avoid consumption of excessive water. In case of abnormal thirst, drink small amount of milk (raw organic goats milk is the healthiest option) at room temperature in small sips.

Note: Successful treatment of Ascites should include a professional diagnosis and then treatment of the cause of the Ascites (preferably naturopathic treatment once the diagnosis has been completed).

Blueberry Drink Protects Mice from Diabetes, Obesity

2010-01-19T16:54:00.000-08:00

http://www.NaturalNews.com/z027959_blueberries_diabetes.html

January 18 2010
by David Gutierrez, staff writer

(NaturalNews) A special blueberry drink fortified by processing it with bacteria that naturally occur on the fruit's skin proved effective at preventing the development of obesity and diabetes in mice predisposed to the conditions, in a study conducted by researchers from the University of Montreal, the Institut Armand-Frappier and the Université de Moncton, and published in the International Journal of Obesity.

Researchers "biotransformed" juice from the North American lowbush blueberry by fermenting it with Serratia vaccinii, a bacteria naturally found on the berry's skin. They then fed mice either the biotransformed juice or unmodified blueberry juice for three days. All the mice had been bred for resistance to the hormone leptin, thus predisposing them to obesity, insulin resistance, diabetes and high blood pressure

"Consumption of fermented blueberry juice gradually and significantly reduced high blood glucose levels in diabetic mice," lead author Tri Vuong said. "After three days, our mice subjects reduced their glycemia levels by 35 percent."

The mice drinking the biotransformed juice also ate less and gained less weight than the mice in the control group.

"Results of this study clearly show that biotransformed blueberry juice has strong anti-obesity and anti-diabetic potential," senior author Pierre S. Haddad said. "Biotransformed blueberry juice may represent a novel therapeutic agent."

The researchers are unsure why the biotransformed juice proves so much more effective, but they believe that the fermentation process enhances the effectiveness of the fruit's naturally occurring antioxidants. The researchers suggested that these antioxidants might assist the activity of the hormone adiponectin, which is associated with a lower risk of obesity.

The anthocyanins found in blueberries have also previously been linked to a reduced risk of retinopathy, an eye disorder, in diabetics.

"The identification of the active compounds in biotransformed blueberry juice may result in the discovery of promising new anti-obesity and anti-diabetic molecules," Haddad said.

An estimated 24 million people in the United States suffer from diabetes, and another 57 million are considered pre-diabetic.

Sources for this story include: www.ajc.com; www.nouvelles.umontreal.ca

Most hospital patients are unaware of what drugs they are given

2010-01-19T07:35:00.001-08:00

http://www.NaturalNews.com/z027961_hospital_patients_drugs.html

January 18 2010
by Mike Adams, the Health Ranger, NaturalNews Editor

(NaturalNews) A recent study published in the Journal of Hospital Medicine has revealed that nearly all hospital patients do not know what drugs are being administered to them. The research revealed that nearly half think thought they were receiving one type of medication when they were actually receiving another and only four percent were able to identify at least one drug they received during their time there.

Researchers from the University of Colorado at Denver's School of Medicine conducted the study to evaluate whether or not hospital patients understood what treatments they were receiving while under professional medical care. Each participant claimed to be aware of his or her outpatient medications and all were coherent and reasonably informed. What the study revealed was that most patients do not know what drugs they are being given and the few that care to or believe they know are often misinformed.

About one in five hospital medication treatments was also found to be wrong, with either an improper dosage or an incorrect drug being administered. Since the patient is the last stop before a drug is administered, researchers are stressing the importance of patient awareness concerning drug therapies in order to avoid grave errors that could inflict serious harm.

Once out of the hospital, less than 15 percent of patients over age 65 could identify the medications they were told to take. Only 40 percent of those under 65 could properly identify theirs.

Study authors believe that increased patient responsibility and awareness about given and prescribed treatments is necessary in order to prevent medical errors and their potential for serious injury.

Comments by Mike Adams, the Health Ranger
This research reveals the sad, sad state of western health care. The statistic that one in five medication treatments were incorrect is nothing short of astounding. That means 20% of the drugs patients are given in the hospital are either the wrong drugs or the wrong doses.

Astonishing. No wonder so many people die in hospitals!

The other part of this research is just as startling: Most patients didn't even know what drugs they were being given! This speaks to the incredible dis-empowerment of patients in a western medical setting. When patients don't even know what medicines they're being given, it puts all the power in the hands of doctors and medical staff. And this study demonstrates that even medical staff all too frequently make mistakes that can be deadly.

The bottom line is obvious: Don't go to a hospital except as a last resort. Hospitals are dangerous places where frequent mistakes can easily lead to you being harmed or killed by carelessly-administered pharmaceuticals.

And don't expect to be kept informed of what's happening to you at the hospital, either. Real communication between doctors and patients is virtually nonexistent (because they're too busy to spend more than about two minutes with each patient).

Cesium: A Cancer Cure that Slipped through the Cracks

2010-01-19T07:30:00.000-08:00

http://www.NaturalNews.com/z027960_cesium_cancer_cure.html

January 18 2010
by Paul Fassa, citizen journalist

(NaturalNews) Cesium, an extremely alkaline mineral, has been used effectively on cancer since the 1930s. Cesium chloride is considered a potent cancer treatment for even stage four levels of cancer and cancer metastasized throughout the body, including lymphoma and leukemia. It is relatively inexpensive and safe. Selling or purchasing cesium chloride is not illegal.

Nevertheless, practitioners who use it are often attacked by the Medical Mafia. Because health practitioners risk dire consequences for using it in their practice, most cancer victims using cesium as a treatment need to rely on the cesium vendor`s guidance for proper use. Unlike Essiac tea and apricot kernels, this is a cancer treatment protocol that requires little knowledgeable supervision.

Cesium Cancer Treatment History

In the 1930s, a physicist named A. Keith Brewer got into cancer research. He focused on the membranes surrounding normal cells, rapidly growing cells, and dead tissue. His research evolved into a protocol using cesium chloride. A trial involving 30 patients with various forms of cancer resulted in all 30 surviving their cancers.

That was before chemotherapy had begun wiping out cancer victims' immune systems. So those 30 patients were not damaged by chemotherapy. This was not the case for Dr. H. E. Sartori, who began his cesium cancer therapy program with 50 patients in April 1981 at Life Sciences Universal Medical Clinics in Rockville, Md.

Almost all of these cancer patients were in terminal condition or had undergone the full range of cut (surgery), burn (radiation), and poison (chemotherapy) the AMA could offer. They were virtually mainstream medical rejects. Yet half of them survived their cancers from Dr. Sartoris` cesium therapy.

Dr. Sartori, originally from Austria, left the States in 1992 after his clinic was raided and harassed by various agencies. He went to Thailand to continue his practice, but in 2006 wound up being arrested for murder in Australia when an Australian patient of his died. His current status is unknown by this journalist. It appears the Medical Mafia is everywhere!

Cesium Chloride Basics

Cancer cells are anaerobic and acidic. Their outer membranes are often impenetrable from normal antibodies and from killer cells once the immune system is compromised. Cancer cells start forming when the outer walls of cells are inflamed by toxins and carcinogens. Those outer walls become hardened, making it difficult for oxygen to enter while still taking in glucose.

Then the cells resort to fermenting glucose for its energy instead of oxidizing it. The fermentation results in a decreased pH (under 6.5) in the cell with an increase of lactic acid, which overwhelms the cell`s DNA/RNA capacity to control cell growth. Then uncontrolled growth of cancerous cells occurs.

Cesium chloride is one of a very few molecules that can penetrate cancer cells. Cesium`s high alkalinity shoots the cell`s pH to 8.0 or higher (normal is 7) while the serum (blood) pH stays at or below normal. This sudden rise in alkalinity would destroy any cell in a few days. However, normal cells do not take in the cesium chloride. It targets only the cancer cells. DMSO gets cesium into cancer cells even more effectively.

This process leeches out some of the serum potassium in one`s body. So potassium needs to be monitored and supplemented accordingly to prevent potassium depletion. Another concern is ensuring the uric acid from dead cancer cells doesn`t affect the kidneys. Both situations are easily and inexpensively remedied.

Though one can administer cesium chloride after purchasing it, some guidance from the vendor is necessary. This is available. Do your research, starting with the sources below.

Sources for more information:

Use of Cesium Chloride to Cure Malignancies by Dr. James Howenstine
http://www.newswithviews.com/Howenstine/james14.htm

Essence of Life Minerals
http://www.essense-of-life.com/moreinfo/minerals/cesium.htm

Cancer Tutor
http://www.cancertutor.com/Cancer/Alkaline.html

Use Homeopathic Gout Remedies: Colchicum, Ledum, Nux Vomica and Aconite

2010-01-19T07:29:00.000-08:00

http://www.NaturalNews.com/z027957_gout_homeopathy.html

January 18 2010
by Melanie Grimes, citizen journalist

(NaturalNews) Homeopathic medicine has a long history in treating and curing gout. Homeopathic remedies are useful to reduce the swelling and inflammation as well as aid in the healing of the joints. Gout is caused by the build-up of uric acid in the joints, particularly of the hands and feet. The swelling puts pressure on and causes enlargement of the area, which can lead to extreme pain. Many homeopathic remedies reduce the swelling and aid in the digestion of the proteins, which cause the uric acid build-up.

Avoiding the foods that contain these uric acid causing conditions is advised. Red meat, poultry and fish are the main sources. Exercise and drinking plenty of water also helps remove the uric acid from the blood. Chronic gout can lead to arthritis and degenerative joint disease or osteoarthritis.

Homeopathic Remedies for Gout

Aconite (Aconitum) is made from a plant that grows in the mountains of Europe. Though aconite is a poison in its herbal state, it has been found to be safe, even for infants, in homeopathic dilution. The name Aconite comes from the Greek word meaning "rocky" describing the plants native habitat. Symptoms come on suddenly, particularly after exposure to a cold wind. Gout pain that might be successfully treated with Aconite may also include symptoms of anxiousness or great anxiety. Aconite is especially useful in gout of the feet joints and is best used in the early onset of symptoms.

Nux vomica is made from the seeds of the Strychnos plant, which grows in Asia, particularly in India and China. Used as a botanical in traditional Chinese Medicine, Nux vomica is also a useful homeopathic remedy for gout. The gout patient who needs Nux vomica may be irritable and suffer from stomach distress and chronic indigestion.

Colchicum is a common homeopathic remedy used to treat gout. The gout that is best treated with Colchicum is when the joint is red and very sensitive to touch. These gout pains are worse with any motion and better when lying still.

Ledum is used in gout of the big toe. Ledum is a useful remedy to use after Colchicum, or if there has been an overuse of Colchicine, a drug commonly used to treat gout that is made of the Colchicum plant. Ledum is used to treat gout when the person feels chilled and the joint is also cold.

Homeopathic remedies are sold over-the-counter in many health food and specialty food stores. These remedies are labeled for their indications and are mostly available in the potencies of 6c or 30c.

Simple Natural Remedies can Stop Bronchitis before It Begins

2010-01-19T07:28:00.001-08:00

http://www.NaturalNews.com/z027958_bronchitis_natural_remedies.html

January 18 2010
by David Victor, citizen journalist

(NaturalNews) Bronchitis is a relatively common illness that often follows a cold or flu and can affect anybody young or old. Whether you have acute bronchitis after a cold or chronic bronchitis brought on by recurring illnesses or smoking, there are natural remedies you can use to cure it and make sure it doesn`t come back. The key is to support your body with nutrients so it can heal.

Bronchitis is a disease where the air tubes in the lungs, the bronchi, are enflamed and can either be acute or chronic. Symptoms of acute bronchitis include coughing, chest pain, and fever which often follows a cold or flu. Symptoms of chronic bronchitis are more severe and include difficulty in breathing, wheezing, and exhaustion.

Bronchitis is often preceded by the common cold or flu. The treatment of these common illnesses can actually cause bronchitis. Most conventional treatments for a cold or flu focus on suppressing the symptoms like coughing. By keeping the body from expelling germs and mucus, the mucus can get trapped in the lungs where it becomes infected causing bronchitis.

At the first sign of disease that can lead to bronchitis, it is important to start combating it. The best way to combat any disease is to give your body the support it needs to fight it by itself. There are some basic vitamins and minerals you can take to support your body and some herbal remedies to help ease the symptoms while your body heals.

Taking vitamins A, C, and E as well as beta-carotene and zinc can give your body the support it needs. Vitamin A is important for lung health. Vitamin C is an antihistamine and supports the immune system. Vitamin E helps in the healing of tissues. Beta-carotene is helpful for lung health and tissue repair. Zinc also supports tissue repair.

While your body is healing, there are some things you can do to help ease your symptoms, particularly the coughing. Peppermint tea is a good way to soothe your cough. A ginseng tea can help eliminate infection and can also soothe coughing fits. A drink of crushed ginger, honey, and a little lime can also help you soothe a cough. These drinks can help you and are usually pretty tasty.

Another thing you can do to help recover from a bout of bronchitis is to strengthen your lungs. Blowing up balloons is a simple way to strengthen your lungs after they have been infected. Doing yoga may also help you regulate your breathing and strengthen your lungs.

You can even make some dietary changes that help your body get rid of the germs and toxins that contributed to your illness. A juice fast of fresh vegetable and fruit juices can help you. Just remember, your symptoms, like the coughing, will persist while your body gets rid of the germs and toxins. The goal is to get them out of your body so you can get healthy again.

If you use these simple remedies, you can start feeling better without using the chemical concoctions most people use. This is good because the use of "traditional" medicines like cough suppressants can actually be the cause of illnesses like bronchitis and can keep you from getting better, so you definitely should stay away from them.

References:
Better Health through Natural Healing by Dr. Ross Trattler, N.D., D.O. and Dr. Adrian Jones N.D.
The Illustrated Encyclopedia of Healing Remedies by C. Norman Shealy MD, PhD
Encyclopedia of Natural Medicine by Michael Murray N.D. and Joseph Pizzorno N.D.