Healing & Preventing Cancer Nutritionally (XVIII): Acid-Forming & Alkaline-Forming Foods Table: "Another factor is pH. Acid-forming foods, such as ... [carbohydrates like donuts, beer, candy, ice cream, Pepsi, bread, pastries, etc.], make the blood more acidic. To sustain life, human blood pH must be in the range of 7.3 - 7.45 (Guyton). Outside that range, we're dead. Remember, the lower the number, the more acidity. The more acid the blood is, the less oxygen it contains... There's a major difference in oxygen even within the narrow range of 'normal' blood pH: blood that is pH 7.3 actually has 69.4% less oxygen than 7.45 blood, according to Whang's book, Reverse Aging. On a practical level, this means we should do everything to keep the pH on the high side of the range, as close as possible to 7.45, by eating as many alkaline foods as possible. That would be, you guessed it - live, raw foods, especially green foods."
http://articles.mercola.com/sites/articles/archive/2009/06/02/drinking-soda-can-paralyze-you.aspx
It has been proven that Cancer needs an acidic environment to grow and also that alkalinity will kill Cancer. Some experts believe that Cancer is a fungus, in fact Dr Otto Warburg proved that Acidity is the root cause of most if not all disease and especially Cancer. He found the cause of Cancer in the 1920s and won the Nobel Prize yet when I asked oncologists if they were familiar with his findings, all to date say they have never heard of him. This begs the question, do they really want to find the cure to Cancer or would they rather continue making billions on drug "cures" that don't work? We could all radically reduce our chances of Cancer and other diseases by avoiding these poisons.
Showing posts with label cancer. Show all posts
Showing posts with label cancer. Show all posts
Tuesday, June 30, 2009
Thursday, June 25, 2009
Facts About Fluoridation You Did Not Know
Facts About Fluoridation You Did Not Know: "Fluoride Is Not An Essential Nutrient, which means that no human disease (including dental decay) has ever been linked to a fluoride deficiency. (1)
The fluoride used to fluoridate water is an industrial waste product from the phosphate fertilizer industry. It is an unprocessed hazardous waste, contaminated with a number of toxins, particularly arsenic.
Fluoridation adds between 0.1 and 1.6 parts per billion (ppb) Arsenic to drinking water, and therefore violates the EPA's Maximum Contaminant Level Goal for arsenic - which is 0 ppb. (2)
Hydrofluosilicic acid & sodium silicofluoride, which are the chemicals used to fluoridate 91% of fluoridated water in the US, have Never Been Tested for safety and effectiveness."
The fluoride used to fluoridate water is an industrial waste product from the phosphate fertilizer industry. It is an unprocessed hazardous waste, contaminated with a number of toxins, particularly arsenic.
Fluoridation adds between 0.1 and 1.6 parts per billion (ppb) Arsenic to drinking water, and therefore violates the EPA's Maximum Contaminant Level Goal for arsenic - which is 0 ppb. (2)
Hydrofluosilicic acid & sodium silicofluoride, which are the chemicals used to fluoridate 91% of fluoridated water in the US, have Never Been Tested for safety and effectiveness."
Sunday, June 14, 2009
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Monday, June 08, 2009
Cancer - 650,000 Lives Miscalculated: Alternative Health Newsletter
Cancer - 650,000 Lives Miscalculated: Alternative Health Newsletter:
Cancer - 650,000 Lives Miscalculated
Date: 6/8/2009
Posted By: Jon Barron
On May 27th, the American Cancer Society announced that 650,400 U.S. cancer deaths were avoided from the early 1990s through 2005. The headline on their release was Cancer Death Rates Steadily Declining. As might be expected, the media promptly picked up the story, and ran it over and over again with virtually identical headlines:
If you read the stories, you learned tidbits of information such as:
- The decline in cancer death rates has been greater for some groups than for others
- People with more education generally had bigger declines in their cancer death rates
- Access to cancer screening and medical care is part of the reason for that discrepancy
But overall, what you learned from reading the story or listening to it on the news is that 650,000 lives have been saved over the last 15 years and that the drop is driven in large part by better prevention, increased use of early detection practices, and improved treatments for cancer.
This is thrilling, exciting, and, oh yes, absolutely unsupported by the evidence at hand. With that in mind, let's take a look at the results presented in the actual study.
Cancer mortality trends
Let's begin by looking at the trend lines presented in the study.
The first thing we notice is that the lines track the time between diagnosis and death. The more time that elapses between the two events, the more favorable the curve. But, and this is something the medical community brags about, if you are detecting cancer early in its development through more frequent screening, then by definition you will have a longer time between diagnosis and death even if your treatment makes not a whit of difference in the final outcome. Thus earlier detection will create a more favorable graph even if you aren't living longer. Add to that the fact that some drugs such as Avastin are now extending survival by several months with some cancers (even if it does cause perforations in the colon), and the graph looks even better. So off the top, the claims that 650,000 deaths have been prevented represents, at least to some degree, a distortion of reality.
The next thing we notice is that mortality rates in the US really did peak in the early 90's and have dropped every year since. In fact, since 2000, the incidence and mortality rates for cancer in men have dropped about 1.8% a year -- in women, about .5% a year. Incidentally, this brings up a major red flag in the study: the disparity between men and women. But we'll talk more about that later. For now, though, let's focus on the overall trend line. I'm sure you're all familiar with the expression, "You can't see the forest for the trees." Unfortunately, this is an example, where the researchers decided not to show you the whole forest, but instead focus your attention on the prettiest trees. When you look at the bigger picture, it's nowhere near as pretty.
Source: US Mortality Data, 1930-2006, National Center for Health Statistics, Centers for Disease
Control and Prevention, 2009.
Taking a longer term, whole forest perspective, we can now see that mortality rates for cancer have actually increased geometrically over the last 75 years, with only the smallest of dips in the last 15. In fact, cancer rates have climbed between 800 and 1700% during this timeframe, depending on whose statistics you use. This is a number that far transcends any increase that might be accounted for by population increase, the aging of the population, or even better detection. But most important of all, this huge increase in mortality rates happened during a timeframe in which the medical establishment prevented anyone outside their fraternity from providing care for cancer patients -- under fear of imprisonment. In fact, even today, it is still illegal in half the states in this country for even a medical doctor to use any form of treatment not sanctioned by the medical community. The bottom line is that if the medical community wants to take ownership of the downturn in cancer deaths since the early 90's, they must also take ownership of the half century before then when mortality rates climbed through the roof. If you do that, you're no longer talking about 650,000 lives saved; you're talking about millions of lives lost. But that's a much less sexy news headline.
Mortality trends by types of cancer
As we delve deeper into the study's data, we can see that overall cancer death rates decreased in men by 19.2% between 1990 and 2005, with decreases in lung (37%), prostate (24%), and colorectal (17%) cancer rates accounting for nearly 80% of the total decrease. Among women, overall cancer death rates between 1991 and 2005 decreased by 11.4%, with decreases in breast (37%) and colorectal (24%) cancer rates accounting for 60% of the total decrease. An interesting anomaly is that the percentage of deaths from lung cancer in women (the single largest killer of women at 27%) did not decrease during that timeframe. In fact, it increased. This too is an important red flag that we will discuss further in a moment.
But first we need to challenge one of the study's underlying assumptions. Is the drop in cancer mortality (such as it is) actually driven in large part by better prevention, increased use of early detection practices, and improved treatments for cancer? Or are there other possible explanations for the drop that are just as likely…if not more so? Let's take a look at the key cancers and see.
Lung cancer and smoking
Every year the Gallup Organization takes a survey of the smoking habits of the adult American public. They have been doing this for 60 years. The first ever Gallup poll on this question, back in 1944, showed that 41% of Americans reported smoking. Today, that figure is about 21%. This is great news with five caveats.
- Most of that drop has been among men. At one time, smoking was almost exclusively a male dominated sport. Today it is a coed activity. This fact alone accounts for the fact that cancer mortality rates have dropped so much less in women than men -- particularly as can be seen in lung cancer. And that, of course, explains why lung cancer mortality rates have not dropped equally in women for men and women as we discussed above.
The negative health effects of smoking usually take several decades to hit -- as do the benefits of quitting smoking.- The prevalence of smoking is no longer dropping and seems to have leveled off at about 21% in the US. But with many more movie stars and rock musicians taking up the habit and serving as role models for young people around the world, it may be poised to begin moving upward once again.
- Smoking rates are increasing significantly around the world -- particularly in developing countries such as China, where as many as 70% of all adult men now smoke heavily. This means another huge spike in cancer rates worldwide will be coming over the next 20-30 years, starting now.
- Medical treatments for lung cancer are pretty much futile. In fact, even using all medical treatments available, average five year survival rates for lung cancer patients is only about 15%. Any drop in deaths from lung cancer has to come from reductions in smoking, not treatment.
Incidentally, according to the CDC, smoking is responsible for about 157,000 deaths from lung cancer annually in the United States -- but is actually responsible for 443,000 deaths of all kinds each year. Now it's true that most of those deaths are related to cardiovascular issues and non-cancerous lung diseases such as emphysema and COPD. On the other hand, a noticeable number of cancers such as lip, tongue, and throat cancer are closely connected to smoking. But these aren't major statistical killers. What about colon cancer, prostate cancer, and breast cancer? Death from these cancers has dropped noticeably too. Does the decline in smoking affect those mortality rates too?
Colon cancer
Surprise, surprise, surprise! A study from the American Cancer Society found that indeed there is a substantial connection between smoking and colon cancer. Male smokers were found to have a 34% higher risk of dying from colon cancer. Female smokers in the study had a 43% higher risk of death. That means that a 50% reduction in smoking rates in the US would have a substantial impact on colorectal cancer rates, the second leading cause of deaths from cancer in men and women combined.
This would substantially explain why the mortality rates from colorectal cancer have dropped so significantly over the last few years -- but not completely. Is improved medical care the only explanation for the rest of the drop? Not at all! As it turns out, as smoking has declined in the US, there has been a concomitant rise in the popularity of dietary supplements. In fact, during the last decade the use of alternative medicines, particularly herbal products, has increased considerably. In 2001, Americans spent $4.2 billion on herbs and other botanical remedies -- rising to an estimated $6 billion in 2008. In fact, a conservative 50% of Americans now use supplements of some kind on a daily basis. Perhaps this too has some impact on the reduced mortality rates from cancer. I realize the medical community would disagree, and in fact, it was not even mentioned in the American Cancer Society Study cited at the top of the newsletter. But a reasonable person might ask if a sea change in the nutritional habits of 50% of the country might have some impact on health and mortality rates? It's certainly a possibility.
In any case, we can explain the biggest part of the improvement in mortality rates in the two leading cancer killers (lung and colon) as having nothing to do with medical care at all. Does that mean that improved medical care has had no impact? Not at all! There's no question that discovering colon cancer at a very early stage and removing it can pretty much end that manifestation of the cancer. And thus you remain cancer free until such time as your body chooses to manifest the cancer again -- either as colon cancer or some other form. The problem is that simply removing the cancer, or poisoning your body with chemotherapy drugs does not change the underlying conditions in your body that caused the cancer to manifest in the first place.
Think about this for a moment since your doctor won't -- if you don't change the underlying conditions that caused your body to manifest cancer in the first place, the odds that it will manifest cancer again sometime down the road are high. Surgery, radiation, and chemo do not change underlying conditions. They merely work on the immediate manifestation.
Let's continue.
Prostate cancer
For years, it was thought there was no connection between prostate cancer and smoking, but in fact there appears to be one. It's not necessarily that large, and it's certainly not enough to account for the entire drop in prostate cancer deaths seen in men. So we need to look elsewhere.
And it would seem that the primary factor in the increased incidence of prostate cancer is the tremendous increase in chemical estrogens released into the environment. In addition, as testosterone levels drop with age, there is, in many cases, a concomitant rise in estradiol levels -- the major reason that many older men develop breasts. What makes estradiol so insidious is that it has a particular affinity for prostate tissue. And just as with women and breast tissue, estradiol stimulates cell growth in men too (in their prostates) and is potentially cancerous. This, then, is one of the main factors involved in the dramatically increased incidence of prostate cancer. Estradiol stimulates the BCL2 gene, which is the gene responsible for stopping cell death. What at first glance sounds like a positive is, upon closer inspection, not. When cell death in prostate tissue is blocked, cell growth continues unabated, becoming a major contributing factor in the enlargement of the prostate and the development of prostate cancer.
And that's why exposure to xenoestrogens (petroleum based chemical estrogens, potent in amounts as small as a billionth of a gram) offers a likely explanation as to why the incidence of prostate cancer has increased so dramatically over the last few decades; but what explains why the mortality rates have dropped? Is there any explanation other than improved medical care that can explain it? And the answer, once again, is yes. We've already mentioned the huge increase in the sale of herbal and dietary supplements. And in fact, men's prostate formulas containing ingredients such as Saw palmetto, Nettles, Pygeum Africanum, and pollen extract account for a large chunk of those sales. So once again, a reasonable person must ask if millions of men suddenly using such formulas might have some impact on the incidence and mortality rates vis-a-vis prostate cancer. And again, one must answer, "It's certainly a possibility." And once again, surgery, chemotherapy, and radiation get to pick up the pieces -- thus accounting for a small part of the improvement.
Breast Cancer
As with prostate cancer, the primary factor in the huge increase in breast cancer we've seen over the last few decades is exposure to chemical estrogens in the environment. And once again, improved medical treatment is not the only viable explanation for the drop in mortality rates. Sales of all-natural progesterone crèmes have literally exploded since Dr. John R. Lee published his first book on the subject over a decade ago. A reasonable person must once again assume that this has had in impact.
You trust your doctor, don't you?
Before I conclude this newsletter, there's one other thing I should mention. When it comes to doctors being on the right side of supplements and lifestyle impacting your health, it's worth noting that they are, at best, late comers to the game -- and at worst, frequently on the wrong side of the issue. Let me give you an example immediately at hand. As we've explained in some detail in this issue, smoking is one of the primary factors determining both the incidence and mortality rates from cancer. So what's the problem? Doctors are opposed to cigarettes, are they not?
And the answer is yes, they are "now." But back just a few decades ago, when the alternative health community was screaming about the dangers of smoking, the medical community…not so much. In fact, for a time, many medical doctors were actually promoting cigarette smoking as an aid to weight loss. Let me repeat that. For a time, many medical doctors were actually promoting cigarette smoking as an aid to weight loss. And it wasn't just doctors. The American Medical Association and the American Cancer Society refused to take an anti-smoking position until it was literally forced upon them. For those of you who are old enough think back. Remember?
Quite simply, doctors are experts when it comes to doctoring. They are not experts when it comes to diet, nutrition, supplements, and alternative therapies. Asking a doctor for advice or impartiality when it comes to these issues is like asking an National Football League owner what he thinks of professional soccer. The bottom line is that there are many things that doctors do well. If you're in an automobile accident, you want a medical doctor to put you back together, not an herbalist. But when it comes to issues of diet, environment, and supplements as they relate to health, the medical community is at best woefully ignorant, and at worst highly biased against giving you the information you need to optimize your health.
650,000 deaths avoided -- not necessarily
When it comes to cancer, we live in very barbaric times what with doctors choosing to cut, burn, and poison it out of your body. A hundred years from now, people will be appalled when they read how we treated cancer in 2009. And in fact, some very interesting therapies such as vaccinations that stimulate your immune system to fight cancer are in testing and right around the corner. The future may be closer than we think. But for now, the medical community is doing so badly. As the study itself points out, cancer still accounts for more deaths than heart disease in persons younger than 85 years of age. It is only by distorting the numbers, as we have seen, that the medical community gets to claim 650,000 lives saved. When dealing with medical statistics, I am always reminded of Benjamin Disraeli, the former Prime Minister of England, who was reportedly fond of saying, "There are three kinds of lies in the world: lies, damn lies, and statistics."
Unfortunately, when dealing with cancer, playing games with statistics can lead to death -- as it often does in the US and throughout the world. If you don't want to be just another statistic, you might want to look at alternatives. If you have not already done so, you might want to listen to my talk on the issue, Cancer, the Big Lie.
Tuesday, February 24, 2009
Strategy for Brain and Mental Health
Dr. Mark Hyman's "UltraMind" Strategy for Brain and Mental Health
Mental illness is on the rise, and conventional medicine cannot cure it. That's the message from Mark Hyman, MD, who offers an alternative answer in his new book, The UltraMind Solution: Fix Your Broken Brain by Healing Your Body First. He notes that an epidemic of "broken brains" affects millions of people worldwide, taking many forms -- anxiety, depression, dementia, addictions, attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD), autism, etc. The common model for addressing these disorders is drug therapy... but drugs alone fail to address the underlying causes of mental disease. THE SHORTCOMINGS OF DRUG THERAPY The real cure for brain disorders lies outside the brain, Dr. Hyman explains. If you suffer from depression, for example, you are not suffering from a "Prozac deficiency" in spite of the fact that doctors may prescribe it or other antidepressants. Mainstream medicine's approach is to make a diagnosis based on symptoms, then suppress those symptoms with a medication rather than identifying the cause and fixing that. For example, many cases of depression are actually rooted in nutritional deficiencies or imbalances, including vitamin D, B-12, an omega-3 fatty acid deficiency, or a problem with digestive function or some other biological deficit. And, just about all these can be corrected without antidepressants. In fact, Dr. Hyman points out that most people who take antidepressants find that they offer only partial relief, lose effectiveness over time or simply don't work. These drugs also cause side effects such as weight gain and loss of sex drive, and more than half of people who take them quit within months. In reality, everything that affects the body affects the brain, since it is one of the most vital organs of the body, and everything that affects the brain affects the rest of the body. Simply taking an antidepressant for depression -- or Ritalin for ADHD, or an anti-anxiety medication and so forth -- fails to take this basic body-mind connection into account. In Dr. Hyman's opinion, a new paradigm for mental illness must take a wider view of a person, not merely focus on the brain, since there are myriad causes of mental illness. This view should replace the shortsighted approach to treatment where a doctor marks down a diagnostic code on a patient's chart and prescribes the corresponding pill. DR. HYMAN'S ULTRAMIND SOLUTION According to Dr. Hyman, there are seven key influences affecting your brain, your memory, attention, mood and behavior -- nutrition, hormones, inflammation, digestion, detoxification, energy metabolism and the mind-body connection. When one or more of these are thrown off-kilter, imbalances develop, which can manifest in mental and/or emotional illness. Identifying and addressing imbalances thusly enables the body's natural healing mechanisms to take over, bringing about dramatic improvements in mood, memory, attention, concentration, cognition and other brain functions. Dr. Hyman recommends a three-pronged strategy for brain wellness: His book has quizzes to help identify which of your seven underlying systems isn't working... suggestions on how to fix the underlying problem causing the imbalance... and ways to nourish all these aspects so they can function optimally as an integrated system. We took a brief look at how each of the seven key systems affects mental health, and what you can do to help keep them in balance.
Drugs can provide a temporary fix for brain problems, says Dr. Hyman, but these are not the long-term solution. As usual, it takes more work than popping a pill, but in the long run a healthy mind and body are worth it. Source(s):Mark Hyman, MD, author of The UltraMind Solution: Fix Your Broken Brain by Healing Your Body First (Scribner), UltraMetabolism (Atria) and The UltraSimple Diet (Pocket). Dr. Hyman is founder and medical director of The UltraWellness Center in Lenox, Massachusetts, and the former co-medical director at Canyon Ranch in Lenox, Massachusetts. Visit his Web sites at www.ultrawellness.com, www.ultrawellnesscenter.com and www.ultramind.com. |
Monday, January 19, 2009
Preventing Alzheimer's
*Preventing Alzheimer's Disease with B3 *
Alzheimer's disease is becoming a modern day epidemic. Today, it affects roughly 26 million people worldwide. But by the year 2050, this number is expected to quadruple!
What has changed in the human experience over the last hundred years to make a 'new' disease like Alzheimer's spiral out of control? Is it faulty genes? Is it evolution? Is it bad Karma?
There's no simple answer, but drug makers have certainly tried their best to create a miracle drug that will cure this baffling disease. Unfortunately, the three major drugs on the market today don't offer much hope to families with loved ones suffering through 'the long goodbye.'
Thankfully, you don't have to wait for some miracle drug that will probably never appear. I'm convinced, now more than ever, that…
*Alzheimer's disease is directly related to our modern diet.*
While some genetic predisposition cannot be ignored, there are things you can do to counteract the effects of the modern diet and prevent this epidemic from ever crossing your doorstep. Here are a few proactive steps you can take right now to protect yourself:
*STEP #1: CUT OUT THE ALUMINUM*
In several studies since the 1980s, scientists have found a link between aluminum and Alzheimer's disease. It seems that aluminum builds up in our system over time and can contribute to the formation of plagues and tangles in the brain, two of the hallmarks of Alzheimer's disease.
In my opinion, you should avoid any kind of product containing aluminum.
Unfortunately, it's not as easy as it sounds. Aluminum is found in cooking utensils, antiperspirants, snack bags, baking powder, buffered aspirin, antacids, toothpaste, tap water, and—of course—soda cans.
If a senior is already showing signs of Alzheimer's, I would recommend getting a hair test. If the results come back high in aluminum, one detox remedy worth trying is homeopathic Ipecac. Take it at 6x the normal strength.
For the rest of us, stay away from aluminum personal care and consumable products. Avoid using antiperspirants. Check the ingredients in your toothpaste. And ban the soda cans from your house!
*STEP #2: TAKE YOUR VITAMINS, ESPECIALLY VITAMIN B*
Besides following a super-smart diet (rich in fruits and vegetables; low in refined sugar and flour; no processed foods or additives; organic meats only), adequate vitamin intake can give you added protection against Alzheimer's disease.
Start by choosing a high quality multivitamin. You also may want to consider adding a vitamin B complex to your regimen. In most cases, 25 mg of vitamin B is enough. (The B complex includes 8 different water-soluble vitamins that must get replenished daily.)
But if you're really concerned about Alzheimer's disease, new research suggests it may be essential to up your intake of B3.
*Common vitamin B3 prevents memory loss in mice with Alzheimer's*
B3 is a powerful vitamin. In my experience, I've seen great success in treating arthritis with B3.
Plus, a new study published in the Journal of Neuroscience, showed that vitamin B3 supplements boosted the cognitive function of mice with Alzheimer's disease.
Researchers at the University of California at Irvine added nicotinamide (a form of vitamin B3) to the drinking water given to mice with Alzheimer's disease. They discovered that B3 lowered levels of a harmful protein that leads to the development of tangles, one of two brain lesions associated with Alzheimer's disease.
The vitamin also helped to keep neurons alive that carry information to the brain. In Alzheimer's patients, these neurons typically die and the patient experiences cognitive decline.
Scientists tested the rodents' short-term and long-term memory over time using mazes and object-recognition tasks. Following the B3 treatments, the Alzheimer's mice performed as well as normal mice on these tests. Untreated Alzheimer's mice experienced memory loss.
*Interestingly (though not surprisingly to us nutritionists) , normal mice not afflicted with Alzheimer's got a mental boost from the B3.*
According to Professor Frank LaFerla, a scientist for the study: "…Not only is it good for Alzheimer's disease, but if normal people take it, some aspects of their memory might improve."
Dr. LaFerla is right on target. But, once again—like most lab scientists—he's a little late coming to the party. Nutritionists have been talking about the B3-memory link for literally decades.
Pioneering nutritionists Abram Hoffer, M.D., Ph.D., talked about vitamin B's role in preventing Alzheimer's in the 1950s! Imagine if we as a culture had started taking his advice back then!
If you are going to add B3 to your regimen—and you should—be sure to consult first with your doctor for proper dosages. Too much of certain forms of B-3 can cause nausea and vomiting in sensitive individuals.
*STEP 3: DRINK MORE WATER*
In addition to upping B3, Dr. Hoffer taught us that drinking more water is a vital step in fighting Alzheimer's disease. It will help your body naturally flush away any unwanted aluminum and other toxins.
But all water isn't created equal.
Always strive to drink filtered water only. If you install a water purifier to filter your drinking water, make sure it's the highest quality possible. The best filters should remove nearly all the aluminum and fluoride.
If you must drink bottled water, look for natural spring water with the most milligrams (mg) of magnesium in it. This will indicate the water comes from a deep source in the ground. I obviously don't work for a water company, but I've found that Evian™ Spring Water is the purest. Unfortunately, it's also one of the most expensive.
Drinking plenty of water is sure to help flush toxins from any senior's system, but it's probably not enough. That leads me to STEP 4.
*STEP 4: DETOXIFY WITH VITAMIN C*
One simple way to start cleansing your system is to take more vitamin C. We all need more of it, and this is a gentle solution for seniors at risk for Alzheimer's.
Immediately start taking 1,000 mg of vitamin C (in capsule form) at least two times a day. This will help your body flush out toxins and repair any cell damage that's already occurred.
*So why isn't vitamin B, water, and a healthy diet prescribed for people with or at risk for Alzheimer's? *
One clear reason is the lack of knowledge. Most folks I talk to don't really know the facts about how to prevent diseases like Alzheimer's with good nutrition. Instead, they're duped into buying the garbage that Big Pharma puts out there. If it's on TV or in a magazine with a big glossy ad and the FDA approves the drug, it's got to work, right?
Wrong.
The top three Alzheimer's drugs on the market haven't been proven to slow the progression of this disease one iota. Not one iota!
In fact, one independent study in the UK showed that patients taking the drug Aricept had virtually the same timeline for decline as patients taking a placebo (43% taking Aricept ended up in an institution after 3 years, versus 44% taking the placebo).
I still scratch my head as to why doctors continue to prescribe those drugs. The better option is to prevent the disease altogether and take your health into your own hands.
As a final note, there's a new human clinical trial underway studying the effect of B3 for Alzheimer's patients at UC Irvine. If you or a family member is interested in learning more, call Beatriz Yanez at 949-824-5733 or visit http://www.uci.edu/uci/features/feature_nicotinamide_081104.php
http://www1.youreletters.com/t/1588880/30567224/1596257/0/
Alzheimer's disease is becoming a modern day epidemic. Today, it affects roughly 26 million people worldwide. But by the year 2050, this number is expected to quadruple!
What has changed in the human experience over the last hundred years to make a 'new' disease like Alzheimer's spiral out of control? Is it faulty genes? Is it evolution? Is it bad Karma?
There's no simple answer, but drug makers have certainly tried their best to create a miracle drug that will cure this baffling disease. Unfortunately, the three major drugs on the market today don't offer much hope to families with loved ones suffering through 'the long goodbye.'
Thankfully, you don't have to wait for some miracle drug that will probably never appear. I'm convinced, now more than ever, that…
*Alzheimer's disease is directly related to our modern diet.*
While some genetic predisposition cannot be ignored, there are things you can do to counteract the effects of the modern diet and prevent this epidemic from ever crossing your doorstep. Here are a few proactive steps you can take right now to protect yourself:
*STEP #1: CUT OUT THE ALUMINUM*
In several studies since the 1980s, scientists have found a link between aluminum and Alzheimer's disease. It seems that aluminum builds up in our system over time and can contribute to the formation of plagues and tangles in the brain, two of the hallmarks of Alzheimer's disease.
In my opinion, you should avoid any kind of product containing aluminum.
Unfortunately, it's not as easy as it sounds. Aluminum is found in cooking utensils, antiperspirants, snack bags, baking powder, buffered aspirin, antacids, toothpaste, tap water, and—of course—soda cans.
If a senior is already showing signs of Alzheimer's, I would recommend getting a hair test. If the results come back high in aluminum, one detox remedy worth trying is homeopathic Ipecac. Take it at 6x the normal strength.
For the rest of us, stay away from aluminum personal care and consumable products. Avoid using antiperspirants. Check the ingredients in your toothpaste. And ban the soda cans from your house!
*STEP #2: TAKE YOUR VITAMINS, ESPECIALLY VITAMIN B*
Besides following a super-smart diet (rich in fruits and vegetables; low in refined sugar and flour; no processed foods or additives; organic meats only), adequate vitamin intake can give you added protection against Alzheimer's disease.
Start by choosing a high quality multivitamin. You also may want to consider adding a vitamin B complex to your regimen. In most cases, 25 mg of vitamin B is enough. (The B complex includes 8 different water-soluble vitamins that must get replenished daily.)
But if you're really concerned about Alzheimer's disease, new research suggests it may be essential to up your intake of B3.
*Common vitamin B3 prevents memory loss in mice with Alzheimer's*
B3 is a powerful vitamin. In my experience, I've seen great success in treating arthritis with B3.
Plus, a new study published in the Journal of Neuroscience, showed that vitamin B3 supplements boosted the cognitive function of mice with Alzheimer's disease.
Researchers at the University of California at Irvine added nicotinamide (a form of vitamin B3) to the drinking water given to mice with Alzheimer's disease. They discovered that B3 lowered levels of a harmful protein that leads to the development of tangles, one of two brain lesions associated with Alzheimer's disease.
The vitamin also helped to keep neurons alive that carry information to the brain. In Alzheimer's patients, these neurons typically die and the patient experiences cognitive decline.
Scientists tested the rodents' short-term and long-term memory over time using mazes and object-recognition tasks. Following the B3 treatments, the Alzheimer's mice performed as well as normal mice on these tests. Untreated Alzheimer's mice experienced memory loss.
*Interestingly (though not surprisingly to us nutritionists) , normal mice not afflicted with Alzheimer's got a mental boost from the B3.*
According to Professor Frank LaFerla, a scientist for the study: "…Not only is it good for Alzheimer's disease, but if normal people take it, some aspects of their memory might improve."
Dr. LaFerla is right on target. But, once again—like most lab scientists—he's a little late coming to the party. Nutritionists have been talking about the B3-memory link for literally decades.
Pioneering nutritionists Abram Hoffer, M.D., Ph.D., talked about vitamin B's role in preventing Alzheimer's in the 1950s! Imagine if we as a culture had started taking his advice back then!
If you are going to add B3 to your regimen—and you should—be sure to consult first with your doctor for proper dosages. Too much of certain forms of B-3 can cause nausea and vomiting in sensitive individuals.
*STEP 3: DRINK MORE WATER*
In addition to upping B3, Dr. Hoffer taught us that drinking more water is a vital step in fighting Alzheimer's disease. It will help your body naturally flush away any unwanted aluminum and other toxins.
But all water isn't created equal.
Always strive to drink filtered water only. If you install a water purifier to filter your drinking water, make sure it's the highest quality possible. The best filters should remove nearly all the aluminum and fluoride.
If you must drink bottled water, look for natural spring water with the most milligrams (mg) of magnesium in it. This will indicate the water comes from a deep source in the ground. I obviously don't work for a water company, but I've found that Evian™ Spring Water is the purest. Unfortunately, it's also one of the most expensive.
Drinking plenty of water is sure to help flush toxins from any senior's system, but it's probably not enough. That leads me to STEP 4.
*STEP 4: DETOXIFY WITH VITAMIN C*
One simple way to start cleansing your system is to take more vitamin C. We all need more of it, and this is a gentle solution for seniors at risk for Alzheimer's.
Immediately start taking 1,000 mg of vitamin C (in capsule form) at least two times a day. This will help your body flush out toxins and repair any cell damage that's already occurred.
*So why isn't vitamin B, water, and a healthy diet prescribed for people with or at risk for Alzheimer's? *
One clear reason is the lack of knowledge. Most folks I talk to don't really know the facts about how to prevent diseases like Alzheimer's with good nutrition. Instead, they're duped into buying the garbage that Big Pharma puts out there. If it's on TV or in a magazine with a big glossy ad and the FDA approves the drug, it's got to work, right?
Wrong.
The top three Alzheimer's drugs on the market haven't been proven to slow the progression of this disease one iota. Not one iota!
In fact, one independent study in the UK showed that patients taking the drug Aricept had virtually the same timeline for decline as patients taking a placebo (43% taking Aricept ended up in an institution after 3 years, versus 44% taking the placebo).
I still scratch my head as to why doctors continue to prescribe those drugs. The better option is to prevent the disease altogether and take your health into your own hands.
As a final note, there's a new human clinical trial underway studying the effect of B3 for Alzheimer's patients at UC Irvine. If you or a family member is interested in learning more, call Beatriz Yanez at 949-824-5733 or visit http://www.uci.edu/uci/features/feature_nicotinamide_081104.php
http://www1.youreletters.com/t/1588880/30567224/1596257/0/
The Elements of Ageing and its Reversal
"Is it fair to say or assume that the body ages as negative thought patterns accumulate in the emotional body and the subtle body?"
Yes, but that is only a part of it.
As you know, genetics play a role because you inherit not only emotional aspects from your ancestors but you also inherit some of their patterns. It is that aspect that's contained in what science calls your "junk" DNA and they don't understand that yet, but there's more to genetics than the physical properties, so to speak - the colour of the hair, the eyes, the stature, the emotional makeup, longevity. That's understood by science. What is not understood by science are the things that a child inherits that have to do with the emotional aspects of past life history. So that plays a role in ageing. Those negative thoughts that you currently use, which of course, can be influenced genetically and the negative attitudes, belief systems, the mores from the years that your ancestors lived. You carry that also. Those aspects don't always show up in the younger years. They show up later.
Then nutrition plays a role? Exercise.
Very important - the attitudes of self-worth.
Love yourself - it's that simple. If you don't love yourself you will age faster.
The heart must sing. The soul must laugh. There must be joy.
If the heart is shut off to others, you age quicker. If you don't understand love and you feel unloved, you age quicker. If you feel you are cursed in some manner by another human being, you age faster and you wither.
And so, there are many aspects of ageing. And also, if you have a belief system that humanity is destined to age according to the number of years that you have lived, it is a self-fulfilling prophecy. These are all aspects of ageing. And there is also the time that you carry these attitudes with you where it starts to involve other systems.
Reversing the ageing process
So to reverse ageing you can go through all of this clearing that you are talking about (karmic patterns from this life and past lives, belief systems, patterns within the DNA , etc), but the first step is to heal organs and you don't see those. All of the organs must be healed first so that the systems can perform at peak performance. The Peak. They can't be compromised in any way. Digestion, elimination, assimilation. These are all affecting organs that must be healed first.
So, even though you are clearing attitudes, past life trauma, if you start on this, say, in your '50s, you haven't started doing this until they have been in place for a very long time. You spoke about Atlantis. They did this every 5 years (at the Temple Beauty ) and so their clearing took place before it affected the organs. And once the organs are affected, it takes much longer in clearing.
"How long will it take for the organs to heal and in what timeframe would we expect to see visible change?"
All of those prerequisites that I've discussed take a lot of work. A person has to be very diligent in completing these things. If you are taking the proper nutrition, clear water, elimination, mental attitude and we're not talking about a disease here, but simply the outer results of ageing. It depends on how intensive a program is that one follows. If these systems are worked upon - and this is without a healer, because intervention by a healer would quicken the process, of course - it might take several years for a person to heal the organs. With the intervention of a healer, it could take a month or two. Healers will show that kind of results in a body because they are bringing down energies that the individual who is not working with a healer has a very difficult time to accomplish for themselves. So when two people work together in the healing process, the organs can be healed faster. Now if you have worked closely with a healer and the organs are healed at optimum, 2-3 months - that is optimum.
That means all the things that we've talked about have to be of the highest priority and besides water, the air quality is important also.
So another factor sits here and that is the toxins that have been accumulating in the body and that would be the toxins and also the amount of plaque that is in the veins. So we would add to that to clear the veins of the plaque, to clear the body of the toxins, to clear the colon - all of those things must be cleared before the youth and vitality return. And so you see, this really is an 'if' answer. Because it is based upon so many components and if all these are dealt with as a high priority of clearing and you worked with a healer, it might only take 3-4 months.
But to work to the point where the reversal of ageing process is noticed – but that's working at the optimum - you can see how intertwined the system is when it has been allowed to go on for many years. If you are only working with a 5 year period like in Atlantis, it would be much easier to clear this.
You see, what ageing is as far as organs are concerned is a loss of cells. They're not replicating like they should. And that means the entire organ now has to carry procedures that were meant for many other cells. So there has to be a rejuvenation of cells. And this takes time.
You're looking at least 9-12 months before you can start to demonstrate any kind of change in the outward appearance because that is one of the last places that reversal of ageing actually is demonstrated. But it can be done.
But you have to apply yourself in all these other areas. Greens are extremely important and if you are not eating enough quality greens, then drink your greens in a powdered form. Greens will heal in ways that you cannot understand because, even though there is a lot of talk of proteins, the human body was designed to exist on greens and fruits, with some nuts. So even though humanity is, as you've been talking about, 200,000 years old, the digestive system and the assimilation system really hasn't changed that much. But what humanity is eating has changed dramatically. In essence, the physical was designed to eat raw food. Raw fruits. Raw greens. Raw nuts. Berries.
And what is being consumed is animal fats, which clog up a lot of the systems, so it would be important to look at the amount of fats that are consumed - except for vegetable fats. An avocado has fat in it but that is a vegetable fat. And it is alkaline. And if you ate the ideal diet, the body would be alkaline. And it is the acetic body that is causing the toxins.
If the body isn't alkaline, even if you're working on clearing the toxins, the toxins still increase.
Jeshua
Jeshua through Carolyn Evers, carolyn@metatronminutes.net
Carolyn Evers, PO Box 1314 , Blackburn North, VIC 3130 Australia
Yes, but that is only a part of it.
As you know, genetics play a role because you inherit not only emotional aspects from your ancestors but you also inherit some of their patterns. It is that aspect that's contained in what science calls your "junk" DNA and they don't understand that yet, but there's more to genetics than the physical properties, so to speak - the colour of the hair, the eyes, the stature, the emotional makeup, longevity. That's understood by science. What is not understood by science are the things that a child inherits that have to do with the emotional aspects of past life history. So that plays a role in ageing. Those negative thoughts that you currently use, which of course, can be influenced genetically and the negative attitudes, belief systems, the mores from the years that your ancestors lived. You carry that also. Those aspects don't always show up in the younger years. They show up later.
Then nutrition plays a role? Exercise.
Very important - the attitudes of self-worth.
Love yourself - it's that simple. If you don't love yourself you will age faster.
The heart must sing. The soul must laugh. There must be joy.
If the heart is shut off to others, you age quicker. If you don't understand love and you feel unloved, you age quicker. If you feel you are cursed in some manner by another human being, you age faster and you wither.
And so, there are many aspects of ageing. And also, if you have a belief system that humanity is destined to age according to the number of years that you have lived, it is a self-fulfilling prophecy. These are all aspects of ageing. And there is also the time that you carry these attitudes with you where it starts to involve other systems.
Reversing the ageing process
So to reverse ageing you can go through all of this clearing that you are talking about (karmic patterns from this life and past lives, belief systems, patterns within the DNA , etc), but the first step is to heal organs and you don't see those. All of the organs must be healed first so that the systems can perform at peak performance. The Peak. They can't be compromised in any way. Digestion, elimination, assimilation. These are all affecting organs that must be healed first.
So, even though you are clearing attitudes, past life trauma, if you start on this, say, in your '50s, you haven't started doing this until they have been in place for a very long time. You spoke about Atlantis. They did this every 5 years (at the Temple Beauty ) and so their clearing took place before it affected the organs. And once the organs are affected, it takes much longer in clearing.
"How long will it take for the organs to heal and in what timeframe would we expect to see visible change?"
All of those prerequisites that I've discussed take a lot of work. A person has to be very diligent in completing these things. If you are taking the proper nutrition, clear water, elimination, mental attitude and we're not talking about a disease here, but simply the outer results of ageing. It depends on how intensive a program is that one follows. If these systems are worked upon - and this is without a healer, because intervention by a healer would quicken the process, of course - it might take several years for a person to heal the organs. With the intervention of a healer, it could take a month or two. Healers will show that kind of results in a body because they are bringing down energies that the individual who is not working with a healer has a very difficult time to accomplish for themselves. So when two people work together in the healing process, the organs can be healed faster. Now if you have worked closely with a healer and the organs are healed at optimum, 2-3 months - that is optimum.
That means all the things that we've talked about have to be of the highest priority and besides water, the air quality is important also.
So another factor sits here and that is the toxins that have been accumulating in the body and that would be the toxins and also the amount of plaque that is in the veins. So we would add to that to clear the veins of the plaque, to clear the body of the toxins, to clear the colon - all of those things must be cleared before the youth and vitality return. And so you see, this really is an 'if' answer. Because it is based upon so many components and if all these are dealt with as a high priority of clearing and you worked with a healer, it might only take 3-4 months.
But to work to the point where the reversal of ageing process is noticed – but that's working at the optimum - you can see how intertwined the system is when it has been allowed to go on for many years. If you are only working with a 5 year period like in Atlantis, it would be much easier to clear this.
You see, what ageing is as far as organs are concerned is a loss of cells. They're not replicating like they should. And that means the entire organ now has to carry procedures that were meant for many other cells. So there has to be a rejuvenation of cells. And this takes time.
You're looking at least 9-12 months before you can start to demonstrate any kind of change in the outward appearance because that is one of the last places that reversal of ageing actually is demonstrated. But it can be done.
But you have to apply yourself in all these other areas. Greens are extremely important and if you are not eating enough quality greens, then drink your greens in a powdered form. Greens will heal in ways that you cannot understand because, even though there is a lot of talk of proteins, the human body was designed to exist on greens and fruits, with some nuts. So even though humanity is, as you've been talking about, 200,000 years old, the digestive system and the assimilation system really hasn't changed that much. But what humanity is eating has changed dramatically. In essence, the physical was designed to eat raw food. Raw fruits. Raw greens. Raw nuts. Berries.
And what is being consumed is animal fats, which clog up a lot of the systems, so it would be important to look at the amount of fats that are consumed - except for vegetable fats. An avocado has fat in it but that is a vegetable fat. And it is alkaline. And if you ate the ideal diet, the body would be alkaline. And it is the acetic body that is causing the toxins.
If the body isn't alkaline, even if you're working on clearing the toxins, the toxins still increase.
Jeshua
Jeshua through Carolyn Evers, carolyn@metatronminutes.net
Carolyn Evers, PO Box 1314 , Blackburn North, VIC 3130 Australia
Behavior Affected by Eating Toxin from GE Corn
Bee Learning Behavior Affected by Eating Toxin from GE Corn
* Bioscience Resource Project, December 2008
Concerns over bees, especially the European honey bee (Apis mellifera) have rarely been higher. Although there are few hard data there is a general consensus that both solitary and social bee populations are declining and that recently the still-mysterious colony collapse disorder (CCD) has dramatically worsened this situation. No definitive cause for CCD has yet been established but there is widespread agreement that CCD is caused by more than one factor (Calderone, 2008 ; Oldroyd, 2007).
One of the speculated contributors to this decline is transgenic crops and specifically those containing Bt proteins since these are insect-active toxins to which bees are exposed through various routes. In particular, bee larvae are exposed since they consume large quantities of pollen which they sometimes source from maize plants (Sabugosa-Madeira et al. 2007). Up to now however there has been no specific evidence that any Bt toxin has negative effects on bees, but equally such studies have been rare. Particularly lacking are studies on sub-lethal effects of Bt toxins on bees.
In the view of many, there is clear evidence from laboratory settings that Bt toxins can affect non-target organisms. Usually, but not always, affected organisms are closely related to intended targets (reviewed in Lovei and Arpaia 2005 and Hilbeck and Schmidt 2006). Typically, exposure is through the consumption of plant parts such as pollen or plant debris or through Bt ingested by their predatory food choices. Nevertheless, due to significant data gaps, the real-world consequences of Bt transgenics remains unclear.
Thus the lepidopteran-active Cry1Ab is, not unexpectedly, toxic to some butterflies (e.g. Losey et al 1999 and Lang and Vojtech 2006) while more distantly-related organisms affected by Cry1Ab are ladybird larvae, caddisflies and Daphnia Magna (Rosi-Marshall et al 2007; Bøhn et al 2008; Schmidt et al 2008). Other variants of Bt, such as Cry3Bb, are considered coleopteran-active but have been the subject of less research. Nevertheless, these may also affect non-target coleopterans such as ladybird larvae as well as more distantly related organisms such as lacewings (Hilbeck and Schmidt 2006; Schmidt et al 2008).
A recent paper adds to the non-target story by demonstrating that honey bees fed on the active form of purified Cry1Ab protein can be affected in the learning responses necessary to associate nectar sources with odourants (Ramirez-Romero et al 2008). This learning response is important in bee foraging behaviour and it has attracted the attention of CCD researchers since it is known to be inhibited by the insecticide imidacloprid (e.g. Decourtye et al 2004). In this latest study bees consuming artificial nectar containing 5000ppb of Cry1Ab continued to respond positively to a learned odour even in the absence of a food reward, while normal bee behaviour is to become discouraged and seek more abundant food sources.
Left unstudied by the authors however was the likely mode of action of this behavioural effect. This is of considerable interest since the principal means of Bt lethality, which is thought to be a receptor-mediated effect on gut integrity, fails to explain the observed behavioural modification. The new finding is therefore particularly interesting since it lends weight to a previous suggestion that Bt toxins may have other, non-lethal effects which become apparent only when the normal (i.e. lethal) effect is absent (Hilbeck and Schmidt 2006; Schmidt et al. 2008). If there were to be multiple modes of Bt action then many more non-target organisms would likely be at risk from Bt transgenics.
The authors propose that bees are unlikely to be exposed to the quantity of Cry1Ab that led to the defects in behaviour they observed. However, this conclusion seems premature since Bt concentrations in plants are highly variable (Lorch and Then 2007). It is also probable that in real situations bees may be exposed earlier in their development and over longer periods. Bt Researcher Angelika Hilbeck believes that experiments simulating real-world bee experiences are still lacking. "What really needs to be looked at are combinations of both the Bt toxin AND imidacloprid and not Bt toxin OR imidacloprid, and in a form that simulates the exposure routes in the field".
References
Bøhn T., Primicerio R., Hessen D.O., Traavik T. (2008) Reduced Fitness of Daphnia magna Fed a Bt-Transgenic Maize Variety. Arch. Environ. Contam. Toxicol. 55:584-92
Decourtye A.; Armengaud C., Renouc M.; Devillers J.; Cluzeau S.; Gauthier M. and Pham-Delègue M-H. (2004) Imidacloprid impairs memory and brain metabolism in the honeybee (Apis mellifera L.). Pesticide Biochemistry and Physiology 78: 83-92
Hilbeck A. and Schmidt J.E.U. (2006) Another View on Bt Proteins – How Specific are They and What Else Might They Do? Biopestic. Int. 2: 1-50
Lang A. and Vojtech E. (2006) The effects of pollen consumption of transgenic Bt maize on the common swallowtail, Papilio machaon L. (Lepidoptera, Papilioni). Basic and Applied Ecology 7: 296-306
Lövei G.L. and Arpaia S. (2005) The impact of transgenic plants on natural enemies: a critical review of laboratory studies. Entomologia Experimentalis et Applicata 114: 1-14
Lorch A. and Then C. (2007) How much Bt toxin do MON810 plants actually Produce? www.greenpeace.de/fileadmin/gpd/user_upload/themen/gentec...
Losey J.E. Rayor L.S.; and Carter M.E. (1999)Transgenic pollen harms monarch larvae Nature 399: 214
Oldroyd B. (2007) What's Killing American Honey Bees? PLoS Biol 5(6)
Ramirez-Romero R.; Desneux N.; Decourtye A.; Chaffiol A.; Pham-Delègue M.H. (2008)Does Cry1Ab protein affect learning performances of the honey bee Apis mellifera L. (Hymenoptera, Apidae)? Ecotoxicol Environ Saf. 70:327-33
Rosi-Marshall, E.J.; J. L. Tank; T. V. Royer; M. R. Whiles; M. Evans-White; C. Chambers; N. A. Griffiths; J. Pokelsek and M. L. Stephen (2007) Toxins in transgenic crop byproducts may affect headwater stream ecosystems. Proc Natl Acad Sci USA 104: 16204–16208
Sabugosa-Madeira B.; Abreu I.; Ribeiro H. and Cunha M. (2007) Bt transgenic maize pollen and the silent poisoning of the hive Journal of Apicultural Research 46: 57-58
Schmidt J.E.; Braun C.U.; Whitehouse L.P.; Hilbeck A. Effects of Activated Bt Transgene Products (Cry1Ab, Cry3Bb) on Immature Stages of the Ladybird Adalia bipunctata in Laboratory Ecotoxicity Testing. Arch Environ Contam Toxicol. 2008 Aug 20
from: http://www.organicconsumers.org/articles/article_16249.cfm
* Bioscience Resource Project, December 2008
Concerns over bees, especially the European honey bee (Apis mellifera) have rarely been higher. Although there are few hard data there is a general consensus that both solitary and social bee populations are declining and that recently the still-mysterious colony collapse disorder (CCD) has dramatically worsened this situation. No definitive cause for CCD has yet been established but there is widespread agreement that CCD is caused by more than one factor (Calderone, 2008 ; Oldroyd, 2007).
One of the speculated contributors to this decline is transgenic crops and specifically those containing Bt proteins since these are insect-active toxins to which bees are exposed through various routes. In particular, bee larvae are exposed since they consume large quantities of pollen which they sometimes source from maize plants (Sabugosa-Madeira et al. 2007). Up to now however there has been no specific evidence that any Bt toxin has negative effects on bees, but equally such studies have been rare. Particularly lacking are studies on sub-lethal effects of Bt toxins on bees.
In the view of many, there is clear evidence from laboratory settings that Bt toxins can affect non-target organisms. Usually, but not always, affected organisms are closely related to intended targets (reviewed in Lovei and Arpaia 2005 and Hilbeck and Schmidt 2006). Typically, exposure is through the consumption of plant parts such as pollen or plant debris or through Bt ingested by their predatory food choices. Nevertheless, due to significant data gaps, the real-world consequences of Bt transgenics remains unclear.
Thus the lepidopteran-active Cry1Ab is, not unexpectedly, toxic to some butterflies (e.g. Losey et al 1999 and Lang and Vojtech 2006) while more distantly-related organisms affected by Cry1Ab are ladybird larvae, caddisflies and Daphnia Magna (Rosi-Marshall et al 2007; Bøhn et al 2008; Schmidt et al 2008). Other variants of Bt, such as Cry3Bb, are considered coleopteran-active but have been the subject of less research. Nevertheless, these may also affect non-target coleopterans such as ladybird larvae as well as more distantly related organisms such as lacewings (Hilbeck and Schmidt 2006; Schmidt et al 2008).
A recent paper adds to the non-target story by demonstrating that honey bees fed on the active form of purified Cry1Ab protein can be affected in the learning responses necessary to associate nectar sources with odourants (Ramirez-Romero et al 2008). This learning response is important in bee foraging behaviour and it has attracted the attention of CCD researchers since it is known to be inhibited by the insecticide imidacloprid (e.g. Decourtye et al 2004). In this latest study bees consuming artificial nectar containing 5000ppb of Cry1Ab continued to respond positively to a learned odour even in the absence of a food reward, while normal bee behaviour is to become discouraged and seek more abundant food sources.
Left unstudied by the authors however was the likely mode of action of this behavioural effect. This is of considerable interest since the principal means of Bt lethality, which is thought to be a receptor-mediated effect on gut integrity, fails to explain the observed behavioural modification. The new finding is therefore particularly interesting since it lends weight to a previous suggestion that Bt toxins may have other, non-lethal effects which become apparent only when the normal (i.e. lethal) effect is absent (Hilbeck and Schmidt 2006; Schmidt et al. 2008). If there were to be multiple modes of Bt action then many more non-target organisms would likely be at risk from Bt transgenics.
The authors propose that bees are unlikely to be exposed to the quantity of Cry1Ab that led to the defects in behaviour they observed. However, this conclusion seems premature since Bt concentrations in plants are highly variable (Lorch and Then 2007). It is also probable that in real situations bees may be exposed earlier in their development and over longer periods. Bt Researcher Angelika Hilbeck believes that experiments simulating real-world bee experiences are still lacking. "What really needs to be looked at are combinations of both the Bt toxin AND imidacloprid and not Bt toxin OR imidacloprid, and in a form that simulates the exposure routes in the field".
References
Bøhn T., Primicerio R., Hessen D.O., Traavik T. (2008) Reduced Fitness of Daphnia magna Fed a Bt-Transgenic Maize Variety. Arch. Environ. Contam. Toxicol. 55:584-92
Decourtye A.; Armengaud C., Renouc M.; Devillers J.; Cluzeau S.; Gauthier M. and Pham-Delègue M-H. (2004) Imidacloprid impairs memory and brain metabolism in the honeybee (Apis mellifera L.). Pesticide Biochemistry and Physiology 78: 83-92
Hilbeck A. and Schmidt J.E.U. (2006) Another View on Bt Proteins – How Specific are They and What Else Might They Do? Biopestic. Int. 2: 1-50
Lang A. and Vojtech E. (2006) The effects of pollen consumption of transgenic Bt maize on the common swallowtail, Papilio machaon L. (Lepidoptera, Papilioni). Basic and Applied Ecology 7: 296-306
Lövei G.L. and Arpaia S. (2005) The impact of transgenic plants on natural enemies: a critical review of laboratory studies. Entomologia Experimentalis et Applicata 114: 1-14
Lorch A. and Then C. (2007) How much Bt toxin do MON810 plants actually Produce? www.greenpeace.de/fileadmin/gpd/user_upload/themen/gentec...
Losey J.E. Rayor L.S.; and Carter M.E. (1999)Transgenic pollen harms monarch larvae Nature 399: 214
Oldroyd B. (2007) What's Killing American Honey Bees? PLoS Biol 5(6)
Ramirez-Romero R.; Desneux N.; Decourtye A.; Chaffiol A.; Pham-Delègue M.H. (2008)Does Cry1Ab protein affect learning performances of the honey bee Apis mellifera L. (Hymenoptera, Apidae)? Ecotoxicol Environ Saf. 70:327-33
Rosi-Marshall, E.J.; J. L. Tank; T. V. Royer; M. R. Whiles; M. Evans-White; C. Chambers; N. A. Griffiths; J. Pokelsek and M. L. Stephen (2007) Toxins in transgenic crop byproducts may affect headwater stream ecosystems. Proc Natl Acad Sci USA 104: 16204–16208
Sabugosa-Madeira B.; Abreu I.; Ribeiro H. and Cunha M. (2007) Bt transgenic maize pollen and the silent poisoning of the hive Journal of Apicultural Research 46: 57-58
Schmidt J.E.; Braun C.U.; Whitehouse L.P.; Hilbeck A. Effects of Activated Bt Transgene Products (Cry1Ab, Cry3Bb) on Immature Stages of the Ladybird Adalia bipunctata in Laboratory Ecotoxicity Testing. Arch Environ Contam Toxicol. 2008 Aug 20
from: http://www.organicconsumers.org/articles/article_16249.cfm
GM Corn Disturbs Immune System
Study Finds GM Corn Disturbs Immune System of Mice
* By Ken Roseboro, ed.
The Organic and Non-GMO Report, December 2008
Italy' s National Institute of Research on Food and Nutrition recently published a report online in the Journal of Agricultural Food Chemistry (read study here) documenting significant disturbances in the immune system of young and old mice that have been fed the genetically modified corn MON 810.
The study evaluated the gut and peripheral immune response to corn in mice in vulnerable conditions-either very young or old. Weaning and old mice were fed a diet containing GM MON810 or its parental control corn or a pellet diet containing a non- GM corn for 30 and 90 days. MON810 maize induced alterations in the percentage of T and B cells and of CD4+, CD8+, γδ T, and αβ T subpopulations of weaning and old mice fed for 30 or 90 days, respectively, at the gut and peripheral sites. An increase of serum IL-6, IL-13, IL- 12p70, and MIP-1β after MON810 feeding was also found. These changes were not detected in the mice fed the non-GM diet.
The researchers said that the study's findings underscore the importance of considering the gut and peripheral immune response to GM crop ingestion as well as the age of the consumer when evaluating GM crop safety.
A press release issued by the Institute of Science in Society stated, "It is clear that genetic modification is inherently hazardous, as it invariably results in unpredictable and uncontrollable changes in the genome and the epigenome (pattern of gene expression) that impact on safety."
from: http://www.organicconsumers.org/articles/article_16248.cfm
* By Ken Roseboro, ed.
The Organic and Non-GMO Report, December 2008
Italy' s National Institute of Research on Food and Nutrition recently published a report online in the Journal of Agricultural Food Chemistry (read study here) documenting significant disturbances in the immune system of young and old mice that have been fed the genetically modified corn MON 810.
The study evaluated the gut and peripheral immune response to corn in mice in vulnerable conditions-either very young or old. Weaning and old mice were fed a diet containing GM MON810 or its parental control corn or a pellet diet containing a non- GM corn for 30 and 90 days. MON810 maize induced alterations in the percentage of T and B cells and of CD4+, CD8+, γδ T, and αβ T subpopulations of weaning and old mice fed for 30 or 90 days, respectively, at the gut and peripheral sites. An increase of serum IL-6, IL-13, IL- 12p70, and MIP-1β after MON810 feeding was also found. These changes were not detected in the mice fed the non-GM diet.
The researchers said that the study's findings underscore the importance of considering the gut and peripheral immune response to GM crop ingestion as well as the age of the consumer when evaluating GM crop safety.
A press release issued by the Institute of Science in Society stated, "It is clear that genetic modification is inherently hazardous, as it invariably results in unpredictable and uncontrollable changes in the genome and the epigenome (pattern of gene expression) that impact on safety."
from: http://www.organicconsumers.org/articles/article_16248.cfm
Saturday, January 10, 2009
Miracle Mineral
Miracle Mineral: "The answer to AIDS, hepatitis A,B and C, malaria, herpes, TB, most cancer and many more of mankind's worse diseases has been found. Many diseases are now easily controlled. More that 75,000 disease victims have been included in the field tests in Africa. Scientific clinical trials have been conducted in a prison in the country of Malawi, East Africa.
Separate tests conducted by the Malawi government produced identical 99% cure results. Over 60% of the AIDS victims that were treated in Uganda were well in 3 days, with 98% well within one month. More than 90% of the malaria victims were well in 4 to 8 hours. Dozens of other diseases were successfully treated and can be controlled with this new mineral supplement. It also works with colds, flu, pneumonia, sore throats, warts, mouth sores, and even abscessed teeth (it's the only thing that controls and cures abscessed teeth)."
Separate tests conducted by the Malawi government produced identical 99% cure results. Over 60% of the AIDS victims that were treated in Uganda were well in 3 days, with 98% well within one month. More than 90% of the malaria victims were well in 4 to 8 hours. Dozens of other diseases were successfully treated and can be controlled with this new mineral supplement. It also works with colds, flu, pneumonia, sore throats, warts, mouth sores, and even abscessed teeth (it's the only thing that controls and cures abscessed teeth)."
Thursday, January 08, 2009
Cell Phone Use and Tumors: What the Science Says :: Committee on Oversight and Government Reform :: United States House of Representatives
Cordless Phones May Be As Risky As Cell Phones... But We Just Don't Know
Did you know that your cordless phone may emit the same worrisome radiation as your cell phone? This is particularly so if you have a relatively new cordless phone... and it's a particular concern if that phone sits near your bed or anywhere else you spend long hours every day.
You may recall the story I wrote a few months ago about the Pittsburgh oncologist who sent a memo warning his friends, family and associates about the potential dangers of cell phone use (see Daily Health News, November 10, 2008). His cautionary comments were the first I had heard about a problem with cordless phones, and I promised to follow up with a report. Well, I did my research... and found that digital cordless phones can emit large amounts of radiofrequency (RF) energy -- that may be equal to or greater than cell phones -- even when they're not being used. Since many people keep such phones at their bedside in addition to using them for extended conversations with family and friends, the long-term exposure has the potential to add up to dangerous amounts.
CONGRESSIONAL TESTIMONY ON CELL PHONE DANGER
In fact, Ronald Herberman, MD, director of the University of Pittsburgh Cancer Institute (UPCI), testified on this topic before a Congressional subcommittee on September 25, 2008, calling for more research: "Many of my colleagues at UPCI, Rutgers University, University of California, San Francisco and a number of senior faculty at MD Anderson Cancer Institute are joining with me in calling for an independent scientific investigation, avoiding as many of the limitations of the prior studies as possible, to determine if long-term, frequent use of cell phones and cordless phones increases brain tumor risk."
In contrast to the many research studies performed on cell phones, there is a paucity of comparable information on cordless phones. What we do know is that Lennart Hardell, MD, PhD, in Sweden recently did a new study on cordless phone users, in addition to others he'd previously conducted on cell phones. For both types of phones, his research points to a significant increase in risk for brain tumors among people using them frequently for longer than 10 years.
It's important to note that the original cordless phones sold in the 1990s operated at a frequency of 900 mHz, whereas newer models operate at a more hazardous higher frequency. Unfortunately cordless phones haven't been subject to the same kind of scrutiny to determine the extent of absorption of the radiation into the brain that's been done for cell phones -- in fact, to date this appears to be the only such study of brain tumor risks by long-term users of cordless phones. It's clear that more research to determine the intensity of radiation of cordless phones and how much gets absorbed into the brain is sorely needed. You don't have to throw out your phone (though I actually did replace mine with an old-fashioned wall phone with a long cord), but it is reasonable to take the following safety precautions:
- Keep your cordless phone plugged into a jack that is away from general household traffic, avoiding especially the kitchen counter and anywhere near the head of a bed. This is important because most cordless phones constantly broadcast, even when they're not being used.
- Be aware that both the handset and the base can emit radiofrequency energy -- it's how they communicate to one another, with the base then transferring the signals over the system. Keep your handset on the base when not in use.
- Don't let young children talk on your cordless phone. A key finding from research done on cell phones is that the radiation is absorbed more deeply into the brains of children. This is likely to also be the case for cordless phones, which means the danger to the developing brain is likely greater than for adults. Install corded phones for children to use.
- Minimize the use of cordless phones even by adults.
- Whenever possible, if you are on the cordless phone, use the speaker mode. It's also a good idea to purchase and use a headset, as they are believed to be safer.
CALL FOR MORE RESEARCH
As is also true of cell phones, it is important to note that this research is neither conclusive nor infallible. There are studies that conflict with these, finding no dangers from cell phones at all -- although few of these have looked at long-term use (more than 10 years). As mentioned above, there is little data at all evaluating health risks related to cordless phone use. According to Dr. Herberman, scientists are trying to call attention to these issues in order to discuss what we do and do not know about these phones, and to alert the public to the lack of safety data. In addition, he wants to raise awareness -- collectively and individually -- about the many hours we now spend talking on our cell and cordless phones, so we can take simple precautions to minimize the risk of harm while more data are collected. You can read more on this subject at http://oversight.house.gov/story.asp?ID=2199, where you will find a link to Dr. Herberman's testimony along with a list of his precautionary guidelines calling for safer use of cordless and cell phones.
Source(s):
Ronald B. Herberman, MD, founding director, University of Pittsburgh Cancer Institute, Pittsburgh.
Thursday, January 01, 2009
8 Most Important Health Stories from 2008
Much as I'd love to believe everyone follows every bit of health advice we publish in Daily Health News, I know that's unrealistic and impractical. I realize that you will pick and choose, based on your own health priorities -- just as I do for my own family. However as we start a new year, certain stories -- and strategies -- stand out as particularly crucial, based on the newest and most important research. Though some of this advice seems obvious -- exercise and eat right, for instance -- it's clear from the state of health care affairs in this country that many people either don't know what's healthy or don't choose to make good choices. It all starts with awareness, so here's my take on the most important health advice to take into the New Year...
- Lifestyle changes are inexpensive and effective. Not only are we deeply into an economic crisis, but a health crisis as well -- much of which is due to unhealthy lifestyle choices. Prevention is the most cost-effective solution to both escalating health care costs and rates of diabetes, heart disease and cancer.
A better way: It's very simple -- eat healthfully, choose whole foods as opposed to high-fat, high-sugar processed products, exercise, get adequate sleep and keep stress at bay. Don't smoke and don't drink excessively.
- Balance gut bacteria. The digestive system shapes the body's health in more ways than most people realize. It is considered the center for immune system function. When it gets thrown off balance -- for instance, from regular use of acid-suppressing medications, taking too many antibiotics and/or using antimicrobial products for personal hygiene and cleaning -- the gut gets thrown into chaos. The resultant lack of good bacteria allows unhealthy bad bacteria and other "critters" to take hold and wreak havoc on our entire immune system.
The solution: Trust your body to get healthy if you give it the right tools -- healthy food, perhaps probiotics -- and don't throw any wrenches into the works, especially in the form of unnecessary drugs. Fix indigestion by eating right... get rest when you're sick so your body can fight infection naturally... and don't get taken in by marketers who want you to believe a sterile environment is always better.
- Medicine is a business, after all. Not only drug companies, but hospitals and doctors need to generate revenue. Even researchers and the academic medical centers they work for need funding, which they often obtain from those who stand to benefit from a particular kind of research finding.
Key: Weigh the profit motive behind all advice you receive -- for diagnostic tests, drugs and even, sad to say, articles published in medical journals. That caution is not meant to invalidate what you're told, but don't just assume "they" have your best interests in mind -- it's not always the top priority. Avoid new drugs, if possible, as the older ones are not only usually less expensive but also have a longer history of safety. When your doctor refers you for diagnostic testing, make sure there is a real potential benefit to finding out the results. When you hear about new research affirming a breakthrough drug or treatment, evaluate with healthy skepticism and the awareness that someone, somewhere probably stands to make money on it. If that's who funded the study... well, keep that in mind.
- Be a liver lover. Incidence of Non-alcoholic Fatty Liver Disease, believed to be a direct result of a diet high in sugar, processed, fast and fatty foods, is on the rise... it can lead to serious liver problems. As the gatekeeper to health, responsible for so many aspects of healthy functioning (including digestion, metabolism and filtering waste), the liver is finally getting the long overdue respect it deserves.
Advice: Following a healthy diet and exercising regularly are the best strategies for maintaining a healthy liver, along with a healthy everything else. Avoid excessive alcohol, fatty and processed foods and fried anything. Remember that even OTC drugs can have a negative impact on your liver. If you need to take any drugs on an ongoing basis, be sure to check with your doctor.
- Sleep is not a luxury. In our age of too-much-to-do, going to bed early seems self indulgent -- yet research findings link sleep problems to obesity, heart disease, memory problems, diabetes, depression and even cancer. One study found a link between poor sleep (too much or too little) and early mortality -- if that's not a wake-up call, what is?
Strategy: Give yourself permission to put getting enough sleep near the top of your list of priorities. Aim for six to eight hours per night.
- Vitamin D is vital. Vitamin D is the "do-it-all vitamin." Research links insufficient D to an ever-longer list of diseases, medical conditions and health complaints -- among the ones we covered in Daily Health News last year are kidney disease, back pain and a tendency to fall, and there's more, including colon cancer and Parkinson's disease. Our D-deficit is part dietary, part the result of an indoor lifestyle -- and, ironically, our diligence in applying sunscreen. By filtering sun rays, doing so can reduce the body's natural ability to manufacture vitamin D.
What to do: Spend time outdoors -- aim for 10 minutes a day, with no sunscreen. If you have any reason to think you might not be getting enough vitamin D, ask your doctor to test your levels and for advice on whether you ought to be taking a supplement.
- Move more. This perennial health advice rings as true now as ever, if not more so. Lack of activity is quite literally killing Americans, as we continue to eat more and do less. Obesity, even among small children and the elderly, is growing and contributing to rising rates of diabetes, heart disease, cancer, asthma, orthopedic injuries... and on and on. Research shows that even a little bit of movement makes a difference
-- short bursts of intense energy add up and can be as effective as longer workouts... arguably, with less stress to the body. Also, losing as little as 10% of your body weight can have a measurable impact on your health.
Action plan: Make a conscious effort to build as much activity into your life as you can. Catch up with a friend by walking instead of going out for lunch. Take the stairs instead of the elevator. Establish a regular schedule for workouts and stick to it.
- West meets East. Daily Health News went global in 2008, with stories covering a variety of international health traditions from India to China. Each has fascinating insights into what contributes to getting sick, as well as how to attain optimal health and wellness. From the Chinese medicine focus on energy... to the Tibetan way of integrating environmental elements... to the Ayurvedic tradition of modifying lifestyle based on physiological types, each has wisdom to contribute to and complement the Western way of practicing medicine.
Best bet: Be open to incorporating assorted medical methodologies to help you maximize wellness -- there's wisdom in every approach. Find people you trust and respect, who are experts in their field. Keep everyone involved in your care informed. And don't ever forget, ultimately the person responsible for your health and well-being... is you.
January is a fresh beginning and the year ahead will undoubtedly bring more exciting health news, which I'll continue to track, evaluate and interpret. Though we don't know what dangers and concerns will be revealed, nor what breakthrough knowledge will lead to treatments and cures, we can be very, very sure that you can't go wrong -- and you'll be doing just about everything right -- by following these very basic rules for good health.
Source(s):
Daily Health News, 2008.
Monday, December 29, 2008
CANCERactive : Toxic Toiletries - 15 Baddies
CANCERactive : Toxic Toiletries - 15 Baddies: "4:
Sodium Lauryl Sulphate (SLS)
is one of the major ingredients in nearly every shampoo, bubble bath, liquid soap etc. Why, when it is a known skin irritant, stops hair growth, can cause cataracts in adults, damage children's eye development and cause urinary tract infection?
It's cheap and produces lots of bubbles when mixed with salt. Hardly compensation! Sodium Laureth Sulphate (SLES) is a slightly less irritant form of SLS, but may cause more drying. Both can lead to potentially carcinogenic cocktails of nitrites and dioxins forming in shampoos and cleansers, by reacting with other ingredients."
Sodium Lauryl Sulphate (SLS)
is one of the major ingredients in nearly every shampoo, bubble bath, liquid soap etc. Why, when it is a known skin irritant, stops hair growth, can cause cataracts in adults, damage children's eye development and cause urinary tract infection?
It's cheap and produces lots of bubbles when mixed with salt. Hardly compensation! Sodium Laureth Sulphate (SLES) is a slightly less irritant form of SLS, but may cause more drying. Both can lead to potentially carcinogenic cocktails of nitrites and dioxins forming in shampoos and cleansers, by reacting with other ingredients."
Wednesday, December 17, 2008
Part II - Proven Cure and Preventative for Cancer
Documented, Proven Cure and Preventative for Cancer (Part II): "(NaturalNews) The Budwig protocol is the food treatment and cure for cancer and other major debilitating diseases created by Dr. Johanna Budwig. It was designed for use with extremely ill and wasted cancer patients who had been sent home by their doctors to die. These were patients so ill that many were unable to take any food at all in the beginning, and had to be initially treated with enemas. The protocol is so simple that it can be tailored to fit whatever situation is encountered, from use with someone at death's door to use as a preventative and part of a healthy lifestyle.
There are only two essential foods in the protocol, flax oil and cottage cheese or some other sulphurated protein such as yogurt or kefir. The oil provides electron-rich fats, and the cottage cheese provides the sulphurated protein to bind with the oil and render it water soluble. In this state, the oil is able to carry immense amounts of oxygen straight into the cells. Cancer cells cannot thrive in an oxygen rich environment."
There are only two essential foods in the protocol, flax oil and cottage cheese or some other sulphurated protein such as yogurt or kefir. The oil provides electron-rich fats, and the cottage cheese provides the sulphurated protein to bind with the oil and render it water soluble. In this state, the oil is able to carry immense amounts of oxygen straight into the cells. Cancer cells cannot thrive in an oxygen rich environment."
Documented, Proven Cure and Preventative for Cancer (Part I)
Documented, Proven Cure and Preventative for Cancer (Part I): "(NaturalNews) This article is about how you can prevent and cure cancer with a bottle of flax oil and a carton of cottage cheese. As incredible as this may seem, it is a truth that has been well proven and documented. It is also a truth that has been vigorously suppressed because the cancer industry is big business at its worst.
You or someone you love may have been diagnosed with cancer, and you are very much afraid. You have been taught by the disease establishment that you have a life threatening condition, and you had better sign on for the 'standard of care' treatments before it is too late. Your doctors have thrown all sorts of frightening statistics at you about what will happen if you don't have immediate surgery followed by radiation, chemotherapy, and probably a lifetime of debilitating drug use. You are being pressured to make an immediate commitment to these toxic treatments."
You or someone you love may have been diagnosed with cancer, and you are very much afraid. You have been taught by the disease establishment that you have a life threatening condition, and you had better sign on for the 'standard of care' treatments before it is too late. Your doctors have thrown all sorts of frightening statistics at you about what will happen if you don't have immediate surgery followed by radiation, chemotherapy, and probably a lifetime of debilitating drug use. You are being pressured to make an immediate commitment to these toxic treatments."
Monday, December 15, 2008
OpEdNews » Microwave Technology: An End to the Human Race
OpEdNews » Microwave Technology: An End to the Human Race: "Wireless radiation is repeating history
REFLEX studies confirm that a transmitting cell phone broadcasting microwaves into living tissue is essentially an X-ray machine in the context of DNA damage. Scientists say it requires only one DNA mutation to generate a cancer condition. Most tragically, a cancer condition can manifest in babies and very young children born with damaged DNA.
In the 1950s, Dr. Alice Stewart, a British pediatrician and epidemiologist, began studies to determine the cause of an alarming increase in childhood leukemia in Britain. At that time, fetuses were routinely X-rayed and Stewart suspected that the leukemia surge was connected to excessive prenatal radiation. Dr. Stewart’s research became a threat to the medical status quo and she was subjected to brutal criticism. She lost staff and funding, yet she continued gathering epidemiological evidence showing that a fetus exposed to ionizing radiation in the first three months of development was 10 times more likely to develop cancer or leukemia than a non-irradiated fetus.6 In 1962, Dr. Stewart’s work was vindicated by Dr. Brian MacMahon of the Harvard School of Public Health. Dr. MacMahon’s studies found that cancer mortality was 40 percent higher in children born to women who had been X-rayed while pregnant.7
Nearly 20 years elapsed before the American public was sufficiently warned about the dangers of X-radiation during pregnancy. Experts fought for almost two decades to obtain a national standard recommending that pregnant women not be given pelvic or abdominal X-rays except for emergencies. Finally, in 1980, the FDA and the American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists launched a massive public education program warning of the dangers of pregnancy X-rays.
Thursday, December 11, 2008
Cancer Cured For Good
Cancer Cured For Good
October 2008
It works 100% of the time to eradicate cancer completely, and cancer does not recur even years later.
That is how researchers describe the most convincing cancer cure ever announced.
The weekly injection of just 100 billionths of a gram of a harmless glyco-protein (a naturally-produced molecule with a sugar component and a protein component) activates the human immune system and cures cancer for good, according to human studies among breast cancer and colon cancer patients, producing complete remissions lasting 4 and 7 years respectively. This glyco-protein cure is totally without side effect but currently goes unused by cancer doctors.
Normal Gc protein (also called Vitamin-D binding protein) , an abundant glyco-protein found in human blood serum, becomes the molecular switch to activate macrophages when it is converted to its active form, called Gc macrophage activating factor (Gc-MAF). Gc protein is normally activated by conversion to Gc-MAF with the help of the B and T cells (bone marrow-made and thymus gland-made white blood cells). But, as researchers explain it themselves, cancer cells secrete an enzyme known as alpha-N-acetylgalac tosaminidase (also called Nagalase) that completely blocks conversion of Gc protein to Gc-MAF, preventing tumor-cell killing by the macrophages. This is the way cancer cells escape detection and destruction, by disengaging the human immune system. This also leaves cancer patients prone to infections and many then succumb to pneumonia or other infections.
October 2008
It works 100% of the time to eradicate cancer completely, and cancer does not recur even years later.
That is how researchers describe the most convincing cancer cure ever announced.
The weekly injection of just 100 billionths of a gram of a harmless glyco-protein (a naturally-produced molecule with a sugar component and a protein component) activates the human immune system and cures cancer for good, according to human studies among breast cancer and colon cancer patients, producing complete remissions lasting 4 and 7 years respectively. This glyco-protein cure is totally without side effect but currently goes unused by cancer doctors.
Normal Gc protein (also called Vitamin-D binding protein) , an abundant glyco-protein found in human blood serum, becomes the molecular switch to activate macrophages when it is converted to its active form, called Gc macrophage activating factor (Gc-MAF). Gc protein is normally activated by conversion to Gc-MAF with the help of the B and T cells (bone marrow-made and thymus gland-made white blood cells). But, as researchers explain it themselves, cancer cells secrete an enzyme known as alpha-N-acetylgalac tosaminidase (also called Nagalase) that completely blocks conversion of Gc protein to Gc-MAF, preventing tumor-cell killing by the macrophages. This is the way cancer cells escape detection and destruction, by disengaging the human immune system. This also leaves cancer patients prone to infections and many then succumb to pneumonia or other infections.
Although GcMAF is also called Vitamin-D binding protein, the activation of macrophages does not require Vitamin D.
GcMAF is a naturally made molecule and is not patentable, though its manufacturing process is patent protected. There is no evidence of any current effort to commercialize this therapy or put it into practice. Should such an effective treatment for cancer come into common practice, the income stream from health-insurance plans for every oncology office and cancer center in the world Would likely be reduced to the point of financial insolvency and hundreds of thousands of jobs would be eliminated.
Clipped from Artilce By Bill Sardi and Timothy Hubbell
[International Journal Cancer.2008 January15; 122(2):461-7]
Related articles:
[Cancer Immunology, Immunotherapy Volume 57, Number 7 / July 2008]
[Targeted Oncology 2007 April, 2 (2); 113-19]
[The Journal of Immunology, 1993 151 (5); 2794-2802]
[Neoplasia 2003 January; 5(1): 32–40]
[Cancer Research 1997 Jun 1; 57(11):2187- 92]
[Cancer Research 1996 Jun 15; 56(12):2827- 31]
[US Patent 5326749, July 1994; Cancer Research 1996 June 15; 56: 2827-31]
Monday, August 04, 2008
Plastic Water Bottles Leach Carcinogens
Plastic Water Bottles Leach Carcinogens
One big health story in the news in recent months has focused on the dangers of BPA -- bisphenol A, an estrogen-like chemical used in manufacturing plastics, including those in reusable plastic bottles. This spring a report from the US National Toxicology Program revealed that even low exposures to BPA produced alterations in the brains and behavior of rats, along with precancerous changes in the prostate and breast, and early puberty. Retailers Toys-R-Us and Wal-Mart reacted quickly, announcing a voluntary phase-out on the sale of baby bottles and cups containing BPA, and the FDA committed to review the safety of baby-feeding products using the chemical. These are great first steps, since developing brains are the most vulnerable -- but BPA isn't exactly healthy for adolescents and adults either. And in fact, the report affirmed the possibility that BPA might be associated with similar effects in older humans, saying it "cannot be dismissed." With athletes, hikers and people all over our office carrying water bottles around all day, this is an issue that clearly needs to be addressed.
A NEARLY UBIQUITOUS CHEMICAL
The most common use of BPA is in "polycarbonate plastics" which are what make plastic products flexible, shatter-resistant and reusable. More than six billion pounds of this toxic chemical are produced annually in the
I was dismayed to hear from Scott M. Belcher, PhD, who has conducted research into the health effects of BPA at the University of Cincinnati, that the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) has detected trace amounts of BPA in more than 90% of Americans tested. In his research, Dr. Belcher found that developing brain cells in rats are extremely sensitive to the effects of estrogen stimulation from such chemicals. Over the long term, this is likely to lead to changes in behavior. There is reason to believe that there are also effects on reproduction that can lead to the development of reproductive cancers. Other potential dangers, including effects upon the nervous and immune systems, have also been identified.
SAFER ALTERNATIVES ARE AVAILABLE
Fortunately, there are safer alternatives to BPA -- and Dr. Belcher says it's good news that market forces are driving retailers to offer more of them, since he believes that capitalism creates change at a faster pace than government regulatory action. Don't wait for that to happen, though. There are proactive steps you can take to limit exposure to BPA in the meantime. As mentioned above, precautions are especially important for those at highest risk -- infants, young children and pregnant or nursing women. It's admittedly difficult to avoid BPA altogether, since it is used in so many products, but taking the following steps can minimize exposure going forward:
- Choose glass or stainless steel bottles instead of plastic -- or, if you need an unbreakable product, choose other plastics like polypropylene and the new BPA-free plastics now being used.
- Do not purchase plastics labeled with a number 7 recycling code because polycarbonate falls into this category.
- Buy products labeled as BPA-free. Examples of "safe" plastic water bottles, for instance, include CamelBak Better Bottle line (made from Eastman Tritan copolyester) and Nalgene HDPE and Everyday lines (made from high-density polyethylene or Tritan copolyester).
- Don't microwave or otherwise heat food in plastic containers. Instead, choose glass, ceramic or other microwave-safe dishes. Also avoid putting hot liquids into any plastic bottles and containers, as heat increases the rate at which BPA leaches or escapes into liquid.
Be aware that even at room temperature BPA can be a danger. Dr. Belcher says the best way to limit exposure is to avoid using these plastics altogether.
Source(s):
Scott M. Belcher, PhD, associate professor, pharmacology and cell biophysics,
Monday, June 16, 2008
Diet Soft Drinks Contribute to Heart Disease Risk
Hello blog!
eric has sent you this link to the following article
which appears on the Bottom Line Secrets Web site:
Diet Soft Drinks Contribute to Heart Disease Risk http://www.bottomlinesecrets.com/blpnet/article.html?article_id=45544
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Sunday, May 11, 2008
Mayo Clinic's Top 10 Complementary Therapies
Mayo Clinic's Top 10 Complementary Therapies
Amit Sood, MD
Mayo Clinic College of Medicine
ozens of US hospitals and major medical centers now offer complementary treatments in addition to conventional medical care* -- and some of these therapies are covered by health insurance.Problem: With so many conflicting claims being made regarding complementary therapies, how do doctors at these institutions decide which to recommend to the patients they treat? At the world-renowned Mayo Clinic, the following four criteria are used...
Is it safe? If a complementary treatment is completely safe, then it may be worth trying, even if its effectiveness has not been proven definitively by scientific studies.Is it standardized? Herbs and dietary supplements are subject to limited regulatory oversight by the FDA. Therefore, these products frequently are not standardized to contain a consistent level of ingredients, potency and purity. Some herbs and dietary supplements do provide benefits, but you should work closely with a knowledgeable doctor when using them.Does it meet a need that cannot be met by conventional medicine? When it comes to stress, for example, conventional medicine includes treatments, such as anti-anxiety drugs or antidepressants, that potentially can help people. But such medications often have side effects and may not be suitable for long-term use. Complementary therapies, such as yoga, massage and meditation, can help relieve stress without the risk for serious side effects.Does it positively affect not only patients, but also those with whom they interact? The calming influence of several complementary treatments, such as meditation and music therapy, promotes a feeling of relaxation and well-being that helps bring harmony to one's interactions with family and friends. Positive, supportive relationships, in turn, are believed to help speed recovery from many types of illness.Here is an alphabetical listing of Mayo Clinic's top 10 complementary treatments -- and the research that supports their use...
BEST TREATMENTS
1. Acupuncture. In this treatment from traditional Chinese medicine, acupuncturists insert thin needles into strategic, energy-balancing points on the body. Acupuncture can prevent and treat nausea and vomiting and help relieve many types of pain, including that from osteoarthritis, low back pain, neck pain, headaches and postsurgical pain. Patients who receive acupuncture typically receive up to 12 treatments, usually given once or twice a week.
Standout scientific evidence: German researchers tracked more than 3,000 patients with hip or knee osteoarthritis and found that those receiving acupuncture experienced significantly more pain relief than those who did not receive acupuncture treatments.
2. Guided imagery. Patients imagine a beautiful, soothing environment, such as a warm beach. Guided imagery, also referred to as visualization, helps reduce anxiety in patients who become claustrophobic during magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) scans, who are having outpatient surgery without general anesthesia or who have been diagnosed with a life-threatening disease, such as cancer.
Standout scientific evidence: In a study conducted at the University of Akron in Ohio, a group of 53 women receiving radiation therapy for breast cancer either listened to guided imagery tapes once a day or did not. The women listening to the tapes felt more comfortable and less anxious, particularly during the first three weeks of treatment.
3. Hypnosis. The patient is led into a state of deep relaxation and focused attention by either a hypnotherapist or an instructional audio (self-hypnosis), and verbal suggestions are made to help relieve anxiety, pain, tension headaches and insomnia.
Standout scientific evidence: Doctors at the Mount Sinai School of Medicine in New York City analyzed 20 studies on hypnosis and surgical patients. In 89% of cases, surgical patients who were hypnotized had less pain, used less pain medication and recovered faster.
4. Massage. A massage therapist manipulates the body's soft tissue -- muscle, skin and tendons -- using fingertips, hands and fists. Massage treats anxiety and low back pain and improves postsurgical healing.
Standout scientific evidence: Studies conducted at the University of Miami's Touch Research Institute show that massage can help relieve back pain and strengthen the immune system in women with breast cancer by increasing levels of natural disease-fighting cells.
5. Meditation. Attention is focused on breathing and/or on a word, phrase or sound (mantra), leading to a more relaxed body and calmer mind. Doctors at the Mayo Clinic use meditation to treat patients with anxiety and high blood pressure and to help people quit smoking without medication.
Standout scientific evidence: An analysis of 20 studies on meditation found that this treatment could help patients cope with epilepsy, premenstrual syndrome (PMS), menopausal symptoms, autoimmune disease and anxiety during cancer treatment.
6. Music therapy. Many complementary medical centers employ music therapists. However, you can use music therapy on your own by listening to soothing music or your favorite music.
Standout scientific evidence: At Abbott Northwestern Hospital in Minneapolis, a study of 86 patients recovering from heart surgery showed that those receiving music therapy experienced less anxiety and pain.
7. Spinal manipulation. Practiced by chiropractors, osteopaths (medical doctors whose training allows them to correct structural problems in the musculoskeletal system) and physical therapists, this hands-on technique adjusts the spine to properly align the vertebrae with muscles, joints and nerves. Spinal manipulation is an accepted medical practice for low back pain, but the evidence supporting its use for other medical problems has been somewhat conflicting.
Standout scientific evidence: At the University of California, Los Angeles, School of Public Health, a study of 681 patients with low back pain showed that chiropractic care was as effective as medical care, including painkilling drugs, in relieving discomfort.
8. Spirituality. For some people, this means religious observance, prayer or faith in a "higher being." For others, spirituality can be found through a deep appreciation of nature or art or participation in a secular community.
Standout scientific evidence: Researchers in Virginia who conducted an analysis of 16 studies on illness and "religious intervention" -- praying or attending religious services -- found that spirituality can decrease the length of hospital stays and fever in patients with severe infections... increase immune function... help relieve rheumatoid arthritis symptoms... reduce anxiety... and improve outcomes in people with heart disease.
9. Tai chi. This gentle exercise, derived from Chinese martial arts, consists of a series of defined postures and movements performed slowly and gracefully. Medically, it is used to improve balance in older people who are prone to falls.
Standout scientific evidence: In a study of 278 elderly people at Vrije University in Amsterdam, The Netherlands, those who performed tai chi three times a week for six months had 50% fewer falls and fewer injury-causing falls.
10. Yoga. These stretching postures and breathing exercises, which originated in India, help calm body and mind. Yoga is particularly effective for stress relief, low back pain, carpal tunnel syndrome, osteoarthritis, anxiety and depression.
Standout scientific evidence: In a study conducted at All India Institute of Medical Sciences in New Delhi, 98 people with heart disease or diabetes who practiced the postures and breathing techniques of yoga had significant reductions in total cholesterol and blood sugar.
*To learn more about complementary therapies, go to www.nccam.nih.gov, the Web site of the National Center for Complementary and Alternative Medicine.
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Bottom Line/Health interviewed Amit Sood, MD, assistant professor of medicine at Mayo Clinic College of Medicine and director of research at the Complementary and Integrative Medicine Program at Mayo Clinic, both in Rochester, Minnesota. He is a contributor to the Mayo Clinic Book of Alternative Medicine (Time).
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