Archive for June, 2010

Thanks to Dr. Mercola for another terrific article:

http://articles.mercola.com/sites/articles/archive/2008/11/13/corn-syrup-s-new-disguise.aspx

According to the Corn Refiners Association, high-fructose corn syrup contains the same amount of calories as cane and beet sugar, is metabolized by the body the same way as these sweeteners are, and is an all-natural product.

Their current ad campaign insists that high-fructose corn syrup is just like honey, which is made by enzymes in a bee’s abdomen — as opposed to the enzymes and acids in centrifuges, ion exchange columns and liquid chromatographers used to make high-fructose corn syrup.

High-fructose corn syrup could be all-natural, if cornstarch happened to fall into a vat of alpha-amylase, soak there for a while, then trickle into another vat of glucoamylase, get strained to remove the Aspergillus fungus likely growing on top, and then find its way into some industrial-grade D-xylose isomerase.

High-fructose corn syrup is indeed similar to cane sugar in that it is about 50 percent fructose and 50 percent glucose. The American Medical Association issued a statement explaining that “high-fructose syrup does not appear to contribute more to obesity than other caloric sweeteners” … but they also said that “consumers [should] limit the amount of all added caloric sweeteners to no more than 32 grams of sugar daily.” Most sodas contain about 40 grams of high-fructose corn syrup.

Sources:

Live Science October 21, 2008

Dr. Mercola’s Comments:

By now you’re probably familiar with the advertisements claiming that high fructose corn syrup (HFCS) is “no worse for you than sugar.” What gets me about this campaign, run by the Corn Refiners Association, is this: What decent food product has ever needed to spend up to $30 million to convince consumers it’s inherently safe to eat?

The mere fact that these ads are defending corn syrup as a natural, healthy, and safe sweetener should be a tipoff to all that something is missing from the picture.

Where are the ads defending the use of sugar? Where are the ads defending salt? Both of these have obvious health ramifications if consumed in excess, but no one has ever needed to spend millions to convince you they’re no worse than something else, and that it’s okay to keep consuming them.

The Truth about High Fructose Corn Syrup

The truth is, scientists have linked the rising HFCS consumption to the epidemics of obesity, diabetes and metabolic syndrome in the U.S., and medical researchers have pinpointed various health dangers associated with the consumption of HFCS compared to regular sugar. This is why the corn industry is now scrambling to save face and profits – NOT because it’s really okay to consume an average of 59 pounds a year of this stuff.

The American Medical Association issued a statement on June 17, 2008, stating that “high-fructose syrup does not appear to contribute more to obesity than other caloric sweeteners.” However, they also recommend you limit the amount of ALL added caloric sweeteners to no more than 32 grams of sugar daily, which, by the way, comes out to just over 25.5 pounds of sugar per year.

The AMA’s recommendation is over five-and-a-half-times less than the current yearly sugar consumption of the average American – which currently weighs in around 142 pounds a year — but is still five times higher than my own recommendation of 5 pounds of added sugar per year.

Their evaluation that HFCS is not a major contributor to obesity is puzzling, considering the fact that the number one source of calories in America is soda, which contains about 40 grams of HFCS per can – more than the AMA’s recommended daily maximum for ALL caloric sweeteners.

And that’s without adding in all the corn syrup now found in every type of processed, pre-packaged food you can think of. In fact, the use of high fructose corn syrup in the U.S. diet increased a staggering 10,673 percent between 1970 and 2005, according to the latest USDA Dietary Assessment of Major Trends in U.S. Food Consumption report (whereas sucrose consumption declined by 38 percent), far exceeding changes in intake of any other food or food group.

And what kinds of foods account for more than 90 percent of the money Americans spend on their meals? You guessed it: processed food.

All in all, according to the USDA’s report, about one-quarter of the calories consumed by the average American is in the form of added sugars – the majority of which comes from high fructose corn syrup.

Folks, this is a prescription for disaster.

Why High Fructose Corn Syrup IS Worse For You than Sugar

If you need to lose weight, or if you want to avoid diabetes and heart disease, fructose is one type of sugar you’ll want to avoid, particularly in the form of high-fructose corn syrup.

Part of what makes HFCS such an unhealthy product is that it is metabolized to fat in your body far more rapidly than any other sugar.

According to Dr. Elizabeth Parks, associate professor of clinical nutrition at UT Southwestern Medical Center, and lead author of a recent study on fructose in the Journal of Nutrition:

“Our study shows for the first time the surprising speed with which humans make body fat from fructose. Once you start the process of fat synthesis from fructose, it’s hard to slow it down. The bottom line of this study is that fructose very quickly gets made into fat in the body.”

How does this happen?

Well, most fats are formed in your liver, and when sugar enters your liver, it decides whether to store it, burn it or turn it into fat. Fructose, however, bypasses this process and turns full speed ahead into fat.

It’s basically sneaking into the rock concert through the fence,” Dr. Parks said in a previous interview with Science Daily. “It’s a less-controlled movement of fructose through these pathways that causes it to contribute to greater triglyceride [i.e. fat] synthesis.”

Ironically, the very products that most people rely on to lose weight — low-fat diet foods — are often those that contain the most fructose! Even “natural” diet foods often contain fructose as a sweetener.

How You Can Drastically Improve Your Overall Health

If you want to drastically improve your health, the answer is quite simple. To lose weight and reduce your risk of developing metabolic syndrome, diabetes, and heart disease, STOP drinking soda and processed fruit juices that are sweetened with about eight teaspoons of fructose per serving! Switch to pure water as your beverage of choice and you will be well on your way to better health.

Genetic factors clearly play an important role in the development of obesity. However, the rapidity with which the current epidemic of obesity has hit the United States and the rest of the world makes diet and lifestyle a far more likely explanation.

To preserve your health you need to focus your diet on whole foods based on your personal biochemistry, and, if you do purchase packaged foods, become an avid label reader and severely limit your consumption of goods that contain corn syrup as a main ingredient.

When in a Pinch, Choose Your Poison

However, like most areas in life, when presented with two poisons, choose carefully.

Even though HFCS is clearly something you want to avoid, it is not as bad as artificial sweeteners, which damage your health even more rapidly than HFCS. (I spent several years researching artificial sweeteners for my book Sweet Deception, which goes into these issues in great detail).

So, for example, if you have to choose between soda sweetened with HFCS (regular soda) or artificial sweeteners (diet soda), choose HFCS.

The best and safest sweetener (although illegal to use as a food additive, according to the FDA) would be the herb stevia. Personally I use a liquid stevia to flavor my Tulsi tea and it is one of the most delightful drinks I have ever had.

I am preparing this book for publication- here is an excerpt that I hope will help folks with CFS. I know how awful it is- how debilitating. I struggled with it for 7 years, and it was a nosode of Coxsackie B4 9a flu virus) which was a complete cure.

The book will be available within the month.

Excerpt from: “The Homeopathic Treatment of Chronic Fatigue Syndrome.”

Chapter 7:

If one has employed a Voll, Vega or even Kinesiological screening, a viral match may be found, the most common in CFS being Cytomegalo, Coxsackie B1-B6 (B influenza), Mononucleosis (Glandular fever), Human Herpes virus Type 6 (HHV6), or Epstein Barr.  A nosode of the virus (if found) should be prescribed at this time, for example, 30c to be taken every three days for three weeks. The understanding of past homeopathic practitioners has been to employ the 30c potency of nosodes only once in 6 months, but in this author’s experience, this is simply not enough. I began my practice in this manner, and found that the patient returned in two to three weeks testing just as strongly for the virus. Yet when he took the remedy at frequent intervals for several weeks, the symptoms, and the test match disappeared in three to four weeks.  It is always possible that one may have to instruct the patient to take a short break in this treatment, to allow some intermediary detoxification to take place. There have been many occasions where a 200c of the nosode tested, possibly indicating that the person has harbored the virus, or the viral memory, for a longer period of time. In this case a dose once a week for three weeks has been effective, with doses of the 30c potency, as well, every two to three days, depending on the level of illness of the patient and his or her sensitivity to remedies.

It is essential, however, to employ drainage support, as described above, during this nosode work. Without it the patient can experience a severe aggravation of his symptoms. If the patient is severely compromised and weak, it is a good idea to prescribe the drainage remedies for approximately a week or even longer, with Vitamin C and lots of pure water, before taking of the first dose of the nosode remedy. In these weakened individuals it is definitely safer and easier on the patient to start with a 30c of the nosode, even though the 200c may test.

Often, at this time, a single constitutional remedy will test, or be chosen according to standard homeopathic practice. If this is the case, one can also prescribe a 30c to be taken every other day, with the proviso that the vital force is strong enough (at least 80 on the Dermatron/RM10 Voll machine.) If the vital force is weakened, even this middle potency can cause an aggravation, an undesirable reaction in a compromised individual. If there is any doubt, it is preferable to wait until gentle drainage and nosode work has been completed, sometimes as little as three to four weeks, but often longer. Each patient is different, and will recover at a different speed. A patient whose vital force is depleted, (hand-to-hand reading is well below the ideal 84) is in a deeper, more chronic, and more pathological phase of disease.

I have been seeing a lot of tweets about the topical use of Vitamin C and skin cancer.  I am copying a wonderful article from three years ago from Orthomolecular Medicine News Service.

I can also confirm that I have have personally stopped a basic cell on my forearm with consistent topical applications of Vitamin C. People have written in forums about the pain of using such a strong acid as ascorbic acid on an open spot on the skin. I used calcium ascorbate (alkaline vitamin C), dissolved in a little water, and felt no pain. I applied it with a qu-tip, and put a bandaid over it to hold the C in place. In a week or so the scab peeled off to reveal new skin.

Here is the article, with thanks to http://www.orthomolecular.org/resources/omns/v03n12.shtml


November 10, 2007
Topical Vitamin C Stops Basal Cell Carcinoma

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Orthomolecular Medicine News Service, November 9, 2007
Topical Vitamin C Stops Basal Cell Carcinoma(OMNS Nov 9 2007)

The most common form of skin cancer, basal cell carcinoma, often
responds to a remarkably simple, safe, at-home treatment: vitamin C.
Physicians and patients report that vitamin C, applied directly to
basal cell skin cancers, causes them to scab over and drop off. [1]

Successful use involves a highly-concentrated vitamin C solution,
directly applied to the blemish two or three times a day. Vitamin C is
selectively toxic to cancer cells, but does not harm healthy skin
cells. This is also the basis for high-dose intravenous vitamin
therapy for cancer. [2]

Even higher concentrations of vitamin C can be obtained by direct application.

The use of topical vitamin C to kill basal cell carcinoma has been known at least since 1971. Frederick R.Klenner, MD, wrote: “We have removed several small basal cell
epithelioma with a 30 percent ointment” of vitamin C. [3]

One person, who reported that a 2mm diameter spot on the nose would not heal for months, had it disappear within a week with twice-daily concentrated vitamin C applications. Another patient reported that after dermatologist- diagnosed multiple spots of basal cell carcinoma were coated with vitamin C, the spots fell off within two weeks. [4]

Basal cell carcinomas are slow growing and it is rare for them to metastasize. This provides an opportunity for a therapeutic trial of vitamin C, provided one has proper medical diagnosis and follow-up.

Preparation of a water-saturated vitamin C solution is simple.
Slowly add a small amount of water to about half a teaspoon of vitamin
C powder or crystals. Use just enough water to dissolve the vitamin
C. Using less water will make a paste. Either way, application with
the fingertip or a cotton swab, several times daily, is easy. The
water will evaporate in a few minutes and leave a plainly visible coat
of vitamin C crystals on the skin.

Consult your doctor before employing this or any other self-care treatment. A physician’s diagnosis is especially important, since other forms of skin cancer, such as melanoma, are faster growing and more dangerous. If the vitamin C treated area is not improved after a few weeks, a doctor should be consulted once again.

References:
[1] William Wassell, MD:
Skin cancer and vitamin C. Cancer
Tutor,http://www.cancertutor.com/Cancer02/VitaminC.html

[2]Riordan NH, Riordan HD, Meng X, Li Y, Jackson JA: Intravenous ascorbate as a tumor cytotoxic chemotherapeutic agent. Med Hypotheses1995; 44: 207-2 13. http://www.brightspot.org/cresearch/intravenousc2.shtml
and http://www.seanet.com/~alexs/ascorbate/199x/riordan-nh-etal-med_hypotheses_1995-v44-p207.htm and also
http://www.doctoryourself.com/riordan1.html

[3]Fredrick R. Klenner,MD: Observations on the dose and administration of ascorbic acid when employed beyond the range of a vitamin in human pathology. Journal of Applied Nutrition Vol. 23, Nos3 & 4, Winter 1971.
http://yost.com/health/klenner/klenner-1971.pdf and
http://www.doctoryourself.com/klennerpaper.html

[4]Age spots, basal cell carcinoma and solar
keratosis.http://www.doctoryourself.com/news/v5n9.txt

Nutritional
Medicine is Orthomolecular Medicine Orthomolecular medicine uses
safe, effective nutritional therapy to fight illness. For more
information: http://www.orthomolecular.org

The peer-reviewed
Orthomolecular Medicine News Service is a non-profit and non-
commercial informational resource. Editorial Review Board: Carolyn
Dean, M.D., N.D.Damien Downing, M.D.Harold D. Foster, Ph.D.Steve
Hickey, Ph.D.Abram Hoffer, M.D., Ph.D.Erik Paterson, M.D.Thomas Levy,
M.D., J.D.Bradford Weeks, M.D. Andrew W. Saul, Ph.D., Editor and
contact person. Email:omns@orthomolecular.org


TRIP TIPS

 

How many of us look forward to a vacation for months, only to have some sort of calamity occur? Besides the obvious jet lag, insect bites, sunburn, and changes in water and eating habits, there are the more serious threats of food poisoning, or the flu. All those foreign viruses and bacteria just waiting to ruin your trip! Here are some easy tips to make your vacation healthier and happier.

Take air travel. When I moved here from the U.K., I became an expert in the art of flying, enduring 22 return trips from London in 24 months. For long distances, consider adjusting a bit to the time difference of your destination. I always try to get up half an hour earlier each morning starting two weeks before a London flight. It’s a bit anti-social, especially when someone calls and you’re in bed at 8:30 P.M., but it definitely works. I can adapt to at least 3 hours of the 5-hour time difference here on the East Coat, before I even leave! Then, to ensure sleep on the plane, always use little foam earplugs (try pharmacies, hardware stores, or gun stores), and an eye mask- nothing disturbs me! A couple of Calms Forte or herbal Valerian, and I’m out. Or take a Dramamine tablet to ensure you sleep.

Also, a wonderful travel idea is to try a foam neck brace from a surgical supply. It stops your head lolling about. Get the large size, so that your head is completely supported.  I find them much better than those badly designed little neck pillows. And other passengers and crew are particularly nice to you!

Drink lots of good water, not alcohol or coffee on the plane, as they are dehydrating. Eat lightly, as you don’t want your body to use up its energy digesting a full stomach of food. Also the cabin air is extremely dry, and this can play havoc with the mucus membranes of your sinuses, leaving them vulnerable to possible circulating viruses from all the people in an enclosed space. Use a saline nasal spray (from any drugstore) as often as you remember, and suck on chewable Ester C through the flight- this will also help to protect you.

Try not to touch your face, especially your eyes, with your hands while you travel. This is an especially useful tip, as everything you touch has been recently touched by other hands, and the cold and flu germs are very contagious. To that end, take a little package of wipes, to clean your hands as often as possible.

At your destination, try not to sleep till nighttime if possible. At bedtime, take 2 mgs of melatonin, available at health food stores. Melatonin is secreted from the pineal gland in your brain when it is time for sleep. In short, it can reset your time clock- personally I find it amazing. Since I’ve started using it I’ve had next to no jet lag.

Digestive disturbances are a common hassle for travelers. Some people get constipated almost the minute they leave home. Take magnesium capsules with you, and take 500 mg a day for the first few days of your trip. Also there are the herbs such as Cascara Sagrada or Senna to create a gentle laxative, plus, be sure to drink plenty of water.

A bigger problem is the bacterial threat, usually caused by E. Coli, or Salmonella, the bacterias that cause dysentery, or even parasites such as the common giardia. Everyone knows to drink only bottled water, avoid ice cubes, etc., but the most important advice is to take large amounts of a good quality probiotic product from Natren, Natrol, Metagenics, Twin Labs, etc. These beneficial bifidobacteria can help protect you from attacks by unfriendly bacterias. A friend of mine recently survived a trip through the depths of India unscathed, while her traveling companions dropped one by one with severe “Montezuma’s Revenge”, known in the UK as “Delhi Belly”. They spent much of their vacation running for bathrooms. All she did was take three or four capsules of acidophilus 4 times a day. However, if you do suffer a disturbance, which does not clear up quickly, see a good practitioner when you get home, especially if diarrhea, gas, or bloating remain, or if you lose weight. I’m working now with a client who fell into a river in Thailand. Parasites can be nasty and tenacious, so don’t wait around.

Finally, consider assembling a small first aid travel kit of herbals and homeopathics to carry with you. Besides the items I discussed above, consider these:

–Traumeel from Heel for shock, bruises, injuries
–Calendula tincture for small skin wounds
–Apis 6x for insect bites
–Alpha CF to ward off colds
–Oscillococcinum by Boiron to fight flu
–Gastricumeel by Heel for stomach aches or indigestion
–Cocculus Composition by Heel for travel sickness (really great for kids)
–chewable calcium and magnesium tablets for heartburn
–And of course the indispensable Vitamin C adn Vitamin D to protect your immune system!

Also, remember to carry your kit to be hand checked by the airline- x-rays can wipe out your homeopathics.

Knowing you have some insurance in the form of this health kit, you can relax and have a wonderful time!

THE AUTHOR:

Diane Solomon DHM DipI.O.N. is a nutritionist and homeopath trained in London at the prestigious Institute of Optimum Nutrition and British Institute of Homeopathy. She has practiced in England since 1985, appearing on numerous radio and TV programs and lecturing at conferences. She now lives in Fairfield County, Connecticut, where she writes books and articles, consults for the natural remedy industry, and helps clients gain maximum health.

Thanks to a very good website: helpforibs.com for great products and good content on Irritable Bowel Syndrome. I have sent so many clients over the years. Here is a taste:

CHECK OUT http://www.helpforibs.com/supplements/sol_fiber1.asp

Soluble fiber is the key to preventing the abdominal spasms and bowel dysfunction of IBS. This is true not just for soluble fiber foods but supplements as well.

Remember, soluble fiber works by absorbing liquids in the digestive tract to form a stabilizing gel that relieves cramping and prevents both diarrhea and constipation. Clinical studies with IBS patients have repeatedly proven the benefits of soluble fiber supplements. Some soluble fibers are also prebiotic, which means they encourage the growth of healthy bacteria (probiotics) in the gut.

So, please ignore the fact that soluble fiber supplements are often marketed as laxatives – they are NOT. They will of course relieve and prevent constipation, but they are just as effective at treating diarrhea, and they will not compromise normal bowel function at all once your IBS is under control – they’ll simply keep things normal. Soluble fiber will, in fact, work beautifully to keep your GI tract running smoothly, comfortably, and pain-free on a day-to-day basis.

Very good article- I have been using ginkgo and ginseng, both personally and for clients for years! Glad to see this article really condoning it. Thx to Natural News:

http://www.naturalnews.com/027562_rosemary_ginger_ginkgo.html

(NaturalNews) In a BBC article titled, “Herbal Remedies Boost Brain Power,” a scientist stated that, “A combination of two ancient herbal remedies can dramatically boost brain power and may have many applications in medicine.” Those two herbs are ginkgo biloba and ginseng.

One study revealed that a combination of ginseng and ginkgo biloba was the most effective formula for increasing brain power. A preparation of 60% ginseng and 40% ginkgo was the most effective formula when it came to improving the memory of the study volunteers.

According to Dr Scholey, with the University of Northumbria, “Subjects were able to sustain their concentration for longer. Normally, when people have to concentrate over an extended period of time, their reaction time begins to slow – ginkgo seemed to stop that slowing and one dose actually [sped] them up.”

There are few things more precious than memory. Whether it is a memory of that first kiss or recollections of your wedding day, memories are very important. As we age, memories tend to fade and sometimes, memory loss occurs much faster than expected. The ability to remember new information (in the short term and in the long term) is also impaired. Whether the cause is Alzheimer’s disease or aging, improving memory is easier than some may expect.

Natural Ways for Improving Memory:

Olive Oil – Olive oil is one of the best foods for improving memory. It is high in omega 3 and 6 fatty acids and is also polyunsaturated. With its wide array of benefits, olive oil should be used daily. The suggested dose is 1/4 cup of extra virgin olive oil mixed with lemon juice (extracted from 1/2 lemon.) The mixture should be taken daily, just before sleeping.

Folate and B Vitamins – To improve memory, consume plenty of foods loaded with B vitamins. Patients with a deficiency in B vitamins and folate demonstrated forgetfulness, memory loss, confusion, dementia and depression.

Honey – Studies show that consuming raw honey can improve memory. It also offers many other health benefits. Raw honey calms nerves and relieves anxiety, thereby promoting relaxation and rest. One to two teaspoons per day is recommended.

Rosemary – Rosemary acts as a decongestant and astringent. It is good for digestion and circulation problems, and it relaxes the stomach. Rosemary isn’t just an excellent herb for cooking; it can also relieve headaches and menstrual cramps, and it regulates blood pressure. (See Recipe below)

Ginger – Ginger has long been used as a remedy for stomach distress, as it relieves inflammation, nausea, vomiting and pain, and it increases circulation. Ginger can also cleanse the colon. Ginger also remedies hot flashes, morning sickness and motion sickness. 1 cup per day of ginger tea is recommended.

Recipes to Enhance Memory:

Memory Zest Blend

1 part ginkgo
1 part gotu kola and peppermint leaves
1 part red clover tops
1 part rosemary leaves
1 part ginger root
Honey

Bring a cup of water (or an entire tea pot) to a boil and add the herbs. Allow the tea to steep for at least ten minutes, strain and drink. Honey can be added after the tea is strained. According to HerbalSolutions.com, this is “a mentally refreshing beverage [that will] give you feelings of clarity and precision.”

Yogurt and Rosemary Drink

1 cup of raw yogurt
1 twig of rosemary or 1 teaspoon of dried rosemary
2 figs
1 tablespoon of olive oil

Place the ingredients in a jar and seal overnight. In the morning, place the mixture in a blender and blend until smooth. Drink this daily to feel refreshed.

http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/health/7…

http://www.herbal-remedies-solution…

http://www.mamaherb.com/amnesia-hom…

http://www.ehow.com/how_5051260_imp…

http://www.home-herb-garden.com/mem…

This is a concept I really related to when I first heard it many years ago, and it helps to keep me aligned with my deep desires and goals.

What is the difference between urgencies and priorities? Urgencies are paying your mortgage, picking up the kids from school to take them to a dance class or a soccer practice, going to the health food store for supplies…. You get the idea. Priorities are your children’s welfare, your husband’s happiness and health, staying in touch with your friends, come hell or high water. And vitally, feeding your own soul, your own dreams and passions- e.g. writing that novel you’ve always wanted to write, learning piano—you’ve been meaning to for a decade, now!

Ok, so, yes, sometimes they cross over the line a bit. Picking up your kids from school plays into your kids’ welfare, and shopping at the health food store supports your family’s health and well-being. But essentially, I find that if we are not careful, we all spend the majority, if not all our time taking care of urgencies, leaving us unfulfilled, vaguely dissatisfied, under-nourished. Our own deep longing, our priorities, are always at the bottom of the list.

The most powerful way I have found to address this is to schedule time early in the day for my priorities, and never slip up on them. This is the time that is valuable to me- pursuing what I deeply desire. For me piano lessons are important, as is playing and writing music. If I leave it till everything else if taken care of, it will never happen. And I truly want this more than most other things! So I leave the urgencies till later, and find that they are often easily taken care of with less of my energy. And they still get done. Because they have to. I don’t have to play the piano, but it feeds my soul.