Traditional Naturopath Podcast – 17

The Traditional Naturopath Podcast – 17 – (11/13/06)
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Show Notes:
A short report on my Practical Herbology 102 class through CNHP this past weekend. Why the podcast was delayed. Equipment problems nixed the recording of interviews I had planned at the course. The problem of Bastyr University and its cohorts trying to “hijack” the “ND” designation and be the only approved school for Naturopathy by influencing local state legislatures to enact ND registration and licensure. It has become illegal in South Carolina to be a Traditional Naturopath without this organization “stamp” of approval. My own experience and background as a graduate of Trinity School of Natural Health and other organizations. Is one school’s Bachelors degree, for instance, any less “real” than another school’s? There are organizations that are working to help you maintain your heath freedoms… check them out! Lack of Vitamin D can be a “marker” for atherosclerosis. Vitamin D may help curb breast cancer progression, suggests a small study published ahead of print in the Journal of Clinical Pathology. Perrigo Co., the nation’s largest maker of store-brand drugs for retailers such as CVS, Safeway and Food Lion, is recalling 11 million bottles of the painkiller acetaminophen after finding small metal particles in 200 caplets. YOU need to check your medicine cabinet and see if you need to throw out your acetaminophen. If they are having a particularly hard time nailing down a diagnosis, sometimes doctors use Google, according to an Australian study. The Google Scholar project. The difference between Allopathic and Naturopathic approaches in terms of “labeling” a disease as opposed to reinforcing the healthy immune system.

Doctors Sometimes Turn to Google for a Diagnosis

If they are having a particularly hard time nailing down a diagnosis, sometimes doctors use Google, accord to an Australian study.

‘Googling’ aids difficult diagnoses

The research was prompted by an incident in which the researchers were treating a 16 year old with an acute subclavian vein thrombosis. As one of them explained that the cause of the thrombosis was uncertain, the patient’s father blurted out: ‘But he has Paget-von Schrötter syndrome.’ He had reached the diagnosis by ‘googling.’ Discussing their results, the researchers acknowledge that the role of diagnostician remains one of the most challenging and fulfilling roles of a physician. ‘Physicians have been estimated to carry two million facts in their heads to fulfill this role. With medical knowledge expanding even this may not be enough. Search engines allow quick access to an ever increasing knowledge base. Google gives users ready access to more than three billion articles on the web and has far exceeded PubMed as the search engine of choice for retrieving medical articles.’ Google Scholar, currently in beta form, is likely to be even more useful as it searches only peer-reviewed articles, they say.”

So, will that include natural health articles? I wonder.

Pieces of Metal Force Recall of Acetaminophen

Contaminated acetaminophen made for third parties like CVS, Safeway, Wal-Mart, etc. are being recalled after small metal filings were found in some lots.

11 Million Bottles of Acetaminophen Recalled

“Perrigo Co., the nation’s largest maker of store-brand drugs for retailers such as CVS, Safeway and Food Lion, is recalling 11 million bottles of the painkiller acetaminophen after finding small metal particles in 200 caplets. Neither the company nor the Food and Drug Administration has received reports of injuries or illness related to the contaminated product. Ingesting contaminated caplets could cause minor stomach discomfort or cuts in the mouth or throat. The likelihood of any adverse health consequence is remote, said Douglas Throckmorton, a top FDA official. With 65 percent market share, publicly traded Perrigo dominates the over-the-counter generic drug industry to the point where, on average, every adult and child in the United States takes a Perrigo-made tablet once every four days, chief executive Joseph C. Papa told analysts during an Oct. 10 conference call. Perrigo pioneered store-brand drugs and makes generic versions of Pepcid AC antacid, Claritin allergy medicine, Sudafed, NyQuil and Centrum vitamins, among other products, that are sold under more than 100 store brands.”

This points back to my comment, “YOU are the person most responsible for YOUR health!” Pay attention to news like this, and check the drugs that you may have on your shelf. Better yet, use natural means to reduce headache pain… or use herbal pain relievers!

Vitamin D May Help Curb Breast Cancer

Our old friend Vitamin D is getting some more good press! It seems that is helps curb breast cancer!

Vitamin D May Help Curb Breast Cancer Progression

“Vitamin D may help curb breast cancer progression, suggests a small study published ahead of print in the Journal of Clinical Pathology. The authors reach their conclusion from a study of 279 women with invasive breast cancer. The disease was in the early stages in 204 women, and advanced in the remainder. Serum levels of vitamin D, parathyroid hormone, and calcium were measured in both groups of women. The results showed that women with early stage disease had significantly higher levels of vitamin D and significantly lower levels of parathyroid hormone than did the women with advanced disease.”

“Laboratory studies have also shown that vitamin D stops cancer cells from dividing and that it enhances cell death. And the epidemiological evidence points to a link between rates of, and deaths from, breast cancer and exposure to sunlight.”

Once again, I repeat, 20 minutes of direct sunlight per day can help your body naturally produce Vitamin D, and you can enjoy the benefits of better health!

Lack of Vitamin D Can Be a “Marker” for Atherosclerosis

“Considering vitamin D deficiencies are common among type 2 diabetics, I’m not at all surprised to learn the same connection also applies to atherosclerosis, the disease process leading to heart attack and stroke. Italian scientists compared the vitamin D levels of 390 type 2 diabetics to an equal number of healthy patients in addition to measuring the amount of atherosclerotic plaque (cartoid artery intimal thickness) during the winter. Like the earlier study (also conducted by some of the same researchers), scientists found low vitamin D levels were an independent, strong predicator of atherosclerosis, further evidence Prof. Robert Scragg of the University of Auckland was right some 16 years ago, when he discovered diminished vitamin D levels were strongly associated with heart disease.”

Low Vitamin D Levels a Marker for Atherosclerosis

Have you noticed the way that Vitamin D deficiency keeps coming up as an issue? It is because we have become “sun-avoiders” due to the barrage of hype we have had to avoid the sun at all costs! We need solar exposure every day to produce Vitamin D!

Traditional Naturopath Podcast #16

The Traditional Naturopath Podcast – 16 – (11/04/06)
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Show Notes:
Premature puberty… what causes it? Environmental contaminants and hormones. A component in red wine may increase lifespan particularly of the obese. The advantages of natural settings for beneficial compounds. Natural is best!

Component in Red Wine May Increase Lifespan

Studies with mice seem to indicate that a component in red wine my increase the lifespan of obese mice.

Red wine molecule helps mice live longer

“A compound found in red wine and grapes can extend the lifespan of obese mice and help them enjoy a healthier old age, scientists said on Wednesday. The molecule known as resveratrol not only enabled the mice to live longer than other overweight rodents, it also reduced the negative health effects of eating a high-calorie diet. Resveratrol has been shown to have same effect in studies on yeast, flies and worms but the scientists said their research is the first to show it works in mammals. ‘It is possible to find a molecule that activates the body’s natural defenses against aging. You can use it to enhance the health of a mouse or mammal. That is unprecedented,’ said David Sinclair, of Harvard Medical School in Boston, Massachusetts. He added that the study, reported in the journal Nature, is proof of the principle that it works in mammals. But the real test will be to develop formulations or find other molecules to treat age-related illnesses such as diabetes, Alzheimer’s, heart disease and cancer in humans. ‘The goal here is within the next few years to know it is possible to treat diseases in man,’ he told Reuters.”

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