Category: Natural Health

The truth about cholesterol is shocking… and very few people know about this truth. THE TRUTH is that cholesterol is nowhere near as big an issue as the big pharmaceutical companies make it out to be. And WHY would they, shall we say, obfuscate the truth in this matter? Well, they have products to sell… and if you knew what I know about cholesterol, you wouldn’t buy their products. So, it is in their best interests to keep this information from you.

Lipitor Ads Spark Congressional Probe

Look at what Dr. Joseph Mercola writes about cholesterol in the above linked article, “Some 30 years ago, hypercholesterolemia (high cholesterol) was an affliction of middle-aged men with cholesterol over 300 plus other risk factors, such as smoking and obesity. Since then, the massive fear about this non-disease has been created largely by the drug companies. They have done this while simultaneously manipulating the definition of high cholesterol by controlling the government panels that are responsible for the definitions. This combination has led to absolutely spectacular profits of tens of billions of dollars, as their reward for their effective market manipulation. By 1984 anyone (male or female) with cholesterol over 200 could receive the dreaded diagnosis and a prescription for pills. Then it was moved down to 180. Today, we’re down to recommended levels of less than 100 and drugs are prescribed to children as young as 10 years old.”

Notice how the “target number” keeps dropping? The ONLY way a normal person can achieve such drastically LOW (un-natural) numbers is with an artificial, pharmaceutical drug! The drug companies have well known personalities and actors, and some “manufactured” personalities, pushing their drugs to us via commercials. Again, Dr. Mercola points this out in this statement, “Lipitor has been running a series of ads in which a kindly ‘doctor,’ Robert Jarvik, inventor of the artificial heart, tells viewers about the benefits of the cholesterol-lowering medication Lipitor. These ads, and their use of celebrity endorsers such as Jarvik, are now being investigated by Congress for potentially misleading viewers. In the ads, Dr. Jarvik appears to be giving medical advice, but he has never obtained a license to practice or prescribe medicine. Critics of the drug industry claim that such ads emotionally manipulate viewers and under-emphasize the potential side effects of drugs. The congressional probe focuses on the Lipitor ads, but will likely examine others, such as actress Sally Field’s endorsement of the osteoporosis drug Boniva.”

Statins, like Lipitor, which the kindly Dr. Jarvik is pushing on the air, is actually BAD for those concerned with their heart… again, Dr. Mercola says, “Statins such as Lipitor are a particularly bad choice for diabetics, but they are a poor treatment even if your only worry is your heart health. Now, statins do lower LDL (bad) cholesterol very well. The problem is they lower it too well, because cholesterol is still a necessary and natural chemical that your body needs. Cholesterol:

* Waterproofs your cell walls
* Helps repair cells
* Is vital for digesting fats, regulating hormone levels, and neurological function

Despite cholesterol’s infamous reputation, having too little of it in your body is as dangerous, if not more so, than too much. Therefore, the result of taking statin drugs can be numerous dangerous side effects, including:

* Muscle pain and weakness (most likely due to the depletion of Co-Q10)
* Dizziness and cognitive impairment,
* Depression
* Pancreatitis
* Increased cancer risk
* Heart failure

The last one is rather counter to the whole supposed point of cholesterol-lowering drugs, don’t you think? And there is this additional evidence that it more than doubles your risk of stroke if you are diabetic, in return for no benefits whatsoever — unless you enjoy anything on this list; these are the possible consequences of taking statins in strong doses or for a lengthy period of time:

* Depression of mental acuity
* Anemia
* Acidosis
* Frequent fevers
* Cataracts”

So, this points out that more than ever we need to maintain a critical eye toward the claims of drug pushing doctors, organizations, and commercials. THINK FOR YOURSELF! Even President Bush said in his last State of the Union message, “We must trust patients and doctors to make medical decisions and empower them with better information and better options.”

If you ARE concerned about your cholesterol, what would be a good approach to heading off problems? Dr. Mercola gives this advice, “Make no mistake, Lipitor completely fails to treat the underlying problems causing your high levels of cholesterol. Statins are non-specific inhibitors of a number of very important liver enzymes, including the enzyme that causes your liver to make cholesterol when it is stimulated by high insulin levels. A far more sensible treatment therefore, is to simply shut down the enzyme that makes cholesterol by reducing your insulin and leptin levels, which is the underlying cause of your high cholesterol. By eliminating sugar and most grains, you won’t cause this important enzyme to be blocked, and you also will not block other vital coenzymes such as CoQ10. This is also exactly what you should be doing if you are diabetic. To normalize your cholesterol level naturally, and keep your diabetes under control at the same time, these three primary strategies work well 99 percent of the time if properly implemented:

* Exercise daily
* Eat a low grain, low sugar diet
* Take a high quality omega-3 supplement

The omega-3 fats in krill oil or fish oil will influence your HDL cholesterol levels far more safely and effectively than taking a pill — and for a small fraction of the cost.”

Amen, Brother!

Dr. Linus Pauling pioneered what he called “Orthomolecular Nutrition” with mega-doses of Vitamin C. He had excellent results. It is a given in Natural Health circles that the “RDA” (Recommended Daily Allowance) that the FDA puts out is a joke… It is more like the “just enough not to die” allowance! Now, it seems that what many are terming “mega-doses” of nutritional copper can actually reverse enlarging of the heart!

High-dose copper reverses heart enlargement

“(NaturalNews) Relatively high doses of copper may help reverse unhealthy enlargement of the heart, according to a new study published in the Journal of Experimental Medicine. The research was led by scientists at the University of Louisville Medical Center in Kentucky, in collaboration with Agricultural Research Service scientists from the Grand Forks Human Nutrition Research Center in North Dakota. The researchers fed a group of mice with enlarged hearts the equivalent of three times the human recommended daily allowance of copper. The mice that had been fed copper experienced a reversal of cardiac hypertrophy — enlarged heart — symptoms, whereas the non-supplemented mice did not. This is the first study to exhibit such an effect, and other scientists have not yet replicated it. In addition, it is still unknown if the effect would translate to humans. Nonetheless, the scientists are optimistic. They point out that while the doses used in the study are high, they are ‘well below today’s safe upper limit for copper.’ Copper is a naturally occurring element that is essential for human health. It is needed for various enzymes, for biological electron transport and for aiding in iron uptake. Copper deficiency can produce anemia-like symptoms. However, the metal can be toxic in high quantities, producing symptoms similar to that of arsenic poisoning. In addition, the human digestive tract appears to have a very limited ability to distinguish between zinc and copper. This means that excessive intake of one of these essential nutrients can lead to deficiency in the other.”

Check out this funny, but sadly, true, video about Vytorin. It will make you take a much more critical view of those nasty drug pushing ads!

Don’t be taken in by false claims… maintain a “critical eye” on these kind of advertisements!

A compound called “lupeol” has been found to dissolve cancers better than chemotherapy in the head and neck!

Lupeol Compound in Fruits Found to Destroy Cancer Tumors in the Head and Neck Faster Than Chemotherapy Drugs

“A chemical that naturally occurs in certain fruits such as grapes, mangoes and strawberries may be able to suppress the growth and spread of head and neck cancers, according to a study conducted by researchers at the University of Hong Kong and published in the journal Cancer Research. Researchers induced head and neck cancer in mice and then gave the mice doses of the chemical lupeol, a triterpene compound found in many fruits. The lupeol appeared to block the function of a protein called NFkB, which assists both healthy and malignant cells in the process of growth and repair. In addition, the growth and spread of the cancer appeared to be slowed. ‘From the animal models, not only did [lupeol] suppress the spread, the tumor got smaller. Compared to conventional drugs, lupeol reduced the size of the tumor far faster,’ researcher Terence Lee said. In addition, lupeol did not appear to cause the wasting often associated with chemotherapy. Such thinning is thought to be correlated with lower cancer survival rates. ‘Conventional drugs made the mice a lot thinner, but lupeol mice retained their bulk,’ Lee said. Cancers of the head and neck include nose, oral, salivary gland, throat, thyroid and voice box cancers. Such cancers are more common among those of Asian than European descent. Risk factors in these cancers include smoking, drinking excessive alcohol, chewing betel nut and a diet high in preserved foods such as salted fish. Because the cancers are hard to diagnose in early stages and head or neck surgery is particularly difficult, mortality tends to be high. According to researcher Anthony Yuen, the phytonutrient lupeol may eventually provide a useful treatment for not just head and neck cancers, but also cancers of the liver, prostate or breast — all of which are known to activate the NFkB protein. Lupeol is also present in saw palmetto, olive seed and certain vegetables.”

An Essential Fatty Acid has been shown to halt the progression of Alzheimer’s! The amazing beneficial properties of EFAs have been shown, once again, to be amazing!

DHA fatty acid helps halt Alzheimer’s progression

“A type of omega-3 fatty acid called docosahexaenoic acid (DHA) may help prevent the abnormal clumping of certain proteins that leads to the development of Alzheimer’s disease, according to a new study published in the Journal of Neuroscience. The research was conducted by scientists from the University of California at Irvine and from Martek Biosciences, a corporation that makes commercially available DHA products. Alzheimer’s is a common neurodegenerative disease that occurs when lesions form in the brain due to the clumping of beta-amyloid and tau proteins. Two to 3 percent of people aged 65 exhibit signs of the disease; by age 85, the percentage rises to 25 to 50 percent. The researchers studied mice genetically predisposed to develop Alzheimer’s by feeding them one of four different diets. The mice in one group were fed a diet similar to the typical US diet, low in omega-3 fats and high in omega-6s. A second group was fed a diet rich in omega-3s and supplemented with DHAs, while the other two groups were fed food rich in omega-3s and supplemented with both DHA and omega-6s. After 9 months, the brains of the mice who had been fed the DHA supplement had lower levels of beta-amyloid and tau proteins. The researchers believe that DHA may interfere with the accumulation of these proteins by lowering levels of an enzyme needed to produce them.”

Many years ago, Dr. Linus Pauling pioneered what he called “Orthomolecular” treatment via large doses (mega-doses) of Vitamin C for cancer with promising results… now, some research shows that this approach may have merit, and why.

A New Understanding of The Effect Of Vitamin C on Cancer Cells

“More than thirty years ago Linus Pauling and coworkers pioneered the therapeutic use of high doses of vitamin C (ascorbate) on terminal cancer patients, with promising results. Attempts by mainstream medicine to confirm Pauling’s results failed, largely because patients were given vitamin C orally, whereas Pauling’s group had gone the intravenous route. Intravenous administration achieves ascorbate concentrations that are orders of magnitude higher. Neglected by mainstream medicine, intravenous vitamin C cancer treatment continued as an alternative medical practice, although the establishment of the U.S. National Cancer Institute Best Case Series prompted a recent report of three well-documented case studies of successful vitamin C cancer therapy(1). There was another reason for the mainstream’s skepticism – the proposed mechanism of action of ascorbate appeared questionable. It was assumed that the antioxidant simply protected DNA from free radical damage, but this should protect the genetic material of healthy and cancerous tissues alike. The idea that ensuring DNA integrity should selectively favor healthy tissue over tumors seemed implausible. Indeed, this interpretation turned out to be wrong. A group at Johns Hopkins Medical School reported recently that antioxidants inhibited three tumorigenic models in vivo, but that ‘[inhibition of a human B lymphoma model was] unassociated with genomic instability but was linked to diminished hypoxia-inducible factor (HIF) levels…'(2). What the researchers found was that the differential effect of ascorbate on healthy tissue and cancer cells had nothing to do with the protection of DNA. Instead, ascorbate influenced the HIF-promoted transcription of selected genes. It was the suppression of the transcription of these genes by ascorbate that affected tumors and healthy tissues differently.

What is hypoxia-inducible factor (HIF)?

Hypoxia-inducible factor regulates the transcription of genes involved in angiogenesis, glucose uptake and metabolism, as well as other cellular functions. HIF is a protein that occurs in all mammalian cell types and that is activated when oxygen levels fall(3). Normal oxygen levels deactivate HIF by hydroxylating key proline and asparagine residues. These hydroxylation reactions are catalyzed by enzymes containing divalent iron at the active site, and require molecular oxygen. Ascorbate is needed to keep iron in the ferrous (divalent) state for these HIF-deactivating enzymes to function properly. HIF deactivation in turn prevents or slows gene transcription of proteins promoting angiogenesis and glucose metabolism(3) A growing tumor, unlike healthy tissue, needs new blood vessels (angiogenesis) to ensure a continuous supply of nutrients. And it had been known that HIF is often activated in solid tumors(3). Suppression of angiogenesis by deactivating hypoxia-inducible factor therefore selectively disadvantages tumor cells.”

Check out this herbal tonic for Adrenal health!

Herbal Tonic for Energy, Shingles, Herpes and More

“The adrenal glands often become ‘depleted’ as a result of the constant demands placed upon them. They are the ‘fight or flight’ glands that can become exhausted by too much stress. An individual with adrenal exhaustion will usually suffer from chronic fatigue, may complain of feeling anxiety-ridden, and will, more often than not, have a reduced resistance to allergies and infection. The adrenal glands secrete several important hormones that help maintain the balance of many body functions. Stress of any kind, fasting, temperature changes, allergies, infections, drugs, and exercise all stimulate the adrenals to release their hormones. When the adrenals release too few or too many hormones, the body responds differently to the everyday stresses of life. The adrenal cortex is involved in the production of such as cortisol, aldosterone, and androgens such as DHEA. My Adrena Tonic was formulated to support mild to moderate adrenal deficiency that can cause havoc on the immune-system and energy levels. This tonic also supports ‘Shingles, Herpes and Epstein Barr’ recovery along with Prostate Cancer Prevention.”

Go to the link above for the full “recipe” for the tonic.

We have talked about the importance of turmeric as an anti-inflammatory, but it has many other benefits as well!

Kitchen Medicine And Potent Anti-Inflammatory: Turmeric

Turmeric (Curcuma longa) is a semi-tropical rhizhome which has been popular in East Asian curried dishes and other forms of cuisine for many centuries. The plants look like small ginger roots. Most folks will buy Turmeric in powdered form, but if you get the fresh roots, peel away the outer skin and chop finely. Beware! This deeply pigmented kitchen medicine will stain cutting boards and clothing. It is actually the deep yellow-orange pigment, a bioflavonoid, which confers the health-promoting attributes of this marvelous root. Turmeric first came on the US national scene as a medicinal substance a few years ago when the popular prescription anti-inflammatory Vioxx was pulled from the market because of an ominous trend towards causing increased heart attacks… in fact, there have been some Italian studies which compared Vioxx and Turmeric head-to-head for anti-inflammatory power, and Turmeric performed just as well, with no side-effects.”

The article goes on to say that turmeric can be beneficial for the control of blood sugar (along with cinnamon and chromium.) Plus, check this out!

“Oncologists, in particular, have taken an interest in Turmeric because they discovered, about a decade ago, that primary tumors (which can usually be cured, surgically) are much more likely to spread (metastasize) into compromised, or inflamed, tissues. In other words, when a primary tumor exists, it will secrete microscopic cancer cells into the general circulation. If these cancer cells “seed” new tissue, then we have secondary growth of the cancer and the disease is now considered systemic. Treatment becomes much more complicated, and the prognosis for survival worsens. Oncologists are very interested in preventing metastatic disease, and therefore have taken to using anti-inflammatories in their patients, to reduce the chance of micro-metastases becoming established. Healthy tissue is more likely to perform competently. The immune surveillance mechanism (white blood cell identification and destruction of pathogens – be they viruses, bacteria, indigestible food, or cancerous cells) remains viable in healthy tissue, by definition. Some speculate that the reason east India has relatively low cancer rates, despite terrible pollution problems, is that the general population eats a lot of turmeric, regularly.”

So, consider turmeric! A healthy and beneficial natural spice!

Essentials oils are powerful tools in our arsenal to live well naturally. They permeate the skin readily and get right into the bloodstream. For this reason, you should be well informed about the use of essential oils before using them. However, here is a “short list” of essential oils that have excellent uses with regard to health!

Top 10 Essential Oils for Natural First Aid

“Science has begun validating the time-tested value of essential oils to heal our aches and pains. They are an effective, natural first aid remedy when absorbed through the skin. Below is a list of the top ten essential oils that you can massage on for healing, but make sure to always dilute them in a carrier oil, such as almond or olive. A good formula to use on the average person is two ounces of a carrier oil with 10 to 12 drops of essential oil.

Essential oils for healing:

Cypress– heavy menstruation, sore throat, varicose veins.
German chamomile– bruises, inflammation, pain, sprains, tension.
Eucalyptus– chickenpox, colds, congestion, flu, herpes, inflammation, shingles.
Lavender– acne, bee stings, bruises, headaches, insect bites, rash, sprains, sunburn.
Lemon– detoxification, digestive tonic, lymphatic congestion, sore throat.
Marjoram– insomnia, menstrual cramps, sore muscles.
Rose– digestive and liver tonic, menstrual aid, grief, vascular tonic.
Rosemary– circulation, constipation, fatigue, hangover, headaches, muscle aches.
Spearmint– fatigue, fever, headaches, indigestion, nausea, sinusitis, poison ivy.
Tea Tree– acne, athlete’s foot, burns, cold sores, insect bites, warts.”

There are many factors that are leading causes of the epidemic of diabetes. Chief among these causes are over-consumption of sugar, high fructose corn syrups in many over-processed “foods,” and over-prescription of some drugs. “What? What was that last item? You you saying certain drugs can cause diabetes?” Well, the article at the link below makes just that claim!

Is diabetes caused by pharmaceuticals?

“On July 31st, Patrick Bills filed a lawsuit against Bristol-Myers Squibb claiming that its drug, Tequin, the brand name of gatafloxacin, caused his diabetes. The New England Journal of Medicine reported on March 30, 2006 that gatifloxacin causes both hypo- and hyperglycemia, the precursor of diabetes. Is this drug unique, or is it possible that many drugs increase the chance of this debilitating and fatal disease? The number of people becoming diabetic is increasing dramatically. According to Express Scripts, in the U.S. it doubled in 5-19 year olds between 2002 and 2005. In a study for the Financial Times, Medco found that type 2 diabetes more than doubled in children between 2001 and 2005. The most common explanation for this very troubling increase is that it’s dietary, the result of eating too much and eating unhealthy food. Is this, though, the only reason? Atypical antipsychotics, modern drugs used to control symptoms of schizophrenia, are known to cause diabetes—but is it possible that other drugs do, too? Could it be that unnecessary prescribing is a factor in the explosive increase in diabetes? Jeni Dingman, founder of PULSE America (Persons United Limiting Substandards and Errors in Healthcare), responds, ‘There has been an alarming increase in children taking medications. It makes someone wonder if there’s a link.’

These commonly prescribed drugs have the chemical characteristic that may cause diabetes:

* Antibiotics: penicillins, cephalosporins, erythomycin
* Tranquilizers: barbiturates, benzodiazepines (such as Valium)
* Others: syntocinon (labor inducer), ergometrine (stops postpartum bleeding), acetaminophen (Tylenol)

Dr. Landymore-Lim says that she is unaware of any studies to determine whether these drugs can be definitively implicated for inducing diabetes. Her research documents how such drugs may induce diabetes and that areas in which they are prescribed more have a higher incidence of diabetes Ultimately, though, it will require funding and the cooperation of the medical profession to provide the research needed to definitively document whether these common drugs cause diabetes.

The diabetes epidemic may be partially caused by the medical profession’s overuse of drugs. How can parents protect their children against unnecessary or dangerous prescriptions? Jeni Dingman suggests, ‘My advice is that everyone should be very informed as a patient. You should never take anything you’re told by your medical professional at face value when it concerns medication. Always learn for yourself by using the internet and going to the website of the companies that make the medications and learn all about side effects, interactions, and other potential problems with medications.'”