Friday, February 25, 2005

Was it Skin Cancer!

This is purely anecdotal. We do not claim this to be a cure for skin cancer. Just consider it as something that may make you go hummmm!

My dad had a pre-cancerous lesion on his back, about as big as a nickel. He saw the doctor and the doctor must have looked at it or dug at it or something because when I saw it, it looked like he had scraped off the top part of his skin and left a gaping wound.

He was to go back to the doctor in about 2 months, to have it examined more closely and possibly have surgery. I asked dad if I could put an olive leaf treatment on it. He agreed.

So, I took a few Olive leaf capsules, which contain 100% Oleuropein (the active ingredient in olive leaves) and a couple of drops of water and made a paste with it, and bandaged it up.

After a few days I'd wash it off and do it again. Sometimes in-between we would leave it alone, just to allow air to get to it. After about 2 treatments I noticed it was looking gooey and filled with puss. The outer edges of the area were inflamed and I thought that possibly I should not tamper with it again.

Then it hit me. Maybe this area was healing. Just possibly this treatment was working. With dad’s approval we continued. I made the preparation and put it on the lesion again. A week or so later I looked at it and it had raised up like new skin about 1/3 of an inch, really strange, like a protrusion. Then a few days later, I asked my dad how it was doing, and he said...IT FELL OFF! I said what do you mean! He said, I don't know it just fell off!

Hummm! Curious! So, we decided to stop by, and have a look at it. It was completely healed! No sore! No protrusion! Is it possible, like in the HOXEY video and like the Hoxey Paste, that the Olive leaf pulled out what could have been "CANCER". Was it cancer or was it Fungus! Who knows!

But for those of us who think its possible that Cancer has a fungal component. Like we do, it does seem curious.

Food for thought…on your way to True Healthy Living Now!

Thursday, February 24, 2005

The Importance of Exercise!

Did anyone ever tell you how important exercise really is? Well, if not,here I am! Let me tell you, regular exercise is absolutely imperative for good health!

A sedentary lifestyle leads to disease and a sure demise of the body. When the good LORD created us, he designed our bodies to be resilient. We’re meant to move, run, jump, climb, and be active in as many ways as possible. As we put a greater demand on our body it will rebuild a little stronger each time to compensate for the new greater demand.

1. The heart and cardiovascular system become stronger.

2. Our metabolism becomes balanced and burns calories and unused fat for energy.

3. Our glands will release the proper hormones for growth and repair,helping to keep our hormonal system balanced.

4. Through sweat and work the lymphatic system will rid the body oftoxins.

5. Blood pressure and cholesterol levels will become easier to keep incheck.

6. The risk of diabetes will be easier to keep at bay.

7. It will help to ward off mental decline as we age and protect againstforms of dementia and alzheimers.

Well, by now I guess you’ve heard the new dietary and fitness guidelines recommending 30 to 90 minutes of moderate to vigorous exercise a day. I know many of you feel 30 minutes 3 times a week was hard enough to find time for, much less the new recommendations.

There are experts that feel once you work yourself to a good level of fitness, backing off to 30 minutes 3 times a week may suffice for sustaining a maintenance level of fitness.

Keep in mind it has been proven that strength training is just as important as aerobics or cardio. You must have a balance of both. Guys you don’t have to become full time bodybuilders, and ladies I promise, you won’t end up looking like men (unless you use illegal steroids) which I know you won’t and I definitely do not recommend.

So please, do yourself and your loved ones a favor and start a responsible exercise program.

Most everyone lead hectic lives today, working a job, taking care of the family and doing household chores. All this leaves little time for an exercise/workout program. But, if you want to acquire and maintain a level of good health, you must find the time.

Do you spend time watching TV? Most likely the answer is yes. So, just give up a little TV…Can you train yourself to get up earlier and workout in the morning?…Sure you can…See there, you’ve already made time. We really can find the time for something so important. We owe it to ourselves and our loved ones. We’ll live a much longer life and be more productive in the long run.

I’m sure we all want to age gracefully. The future doesn’t have to be, visit after visit to the doctor, with medicine…medicine…and more medicine…Always tired, with no energy and becoming frail, barely being able to get around and eventually maybe even a life in a nursing home.

I’m sure you’ve seen this scenario before with some one you know. Well, it just doesn’t have to be this way. There are no absolutes, when it comes to our health and longevity. But, there is one thing for sure. If we all keep eating the SAD (Standard American Diet) and do not become active and exercise, we will eventually fall prey to ill health.

Just look at Jack Lalanne and his lovely wife Elaine. They’re perfect examples of good health and longevity through proper nutrition and physical exercise. Jack didn’t believe in eating white flour and sugar products back in the 1930’s. He was way ahead of his time.

Jack has been referred to as the godfather of fitness. He opened the first modern health and fitness spa in the United States in 1936 and went on to bring exercise to TV with his own show in 1951 that was popular for 33 yrs. Jack was very sickly as a kid and was a sugar-holic and wasn’t really expected to live a long life. His mother took him to hear a pioneer nutritionist, Paul Bragg, when Jack was age 15. That changed his life and led him to become the respected health and fitness expert he is today.

Over the years Jack has performed many feats of strength and endurance, amazing the public. When he was 60 yrs. old he swam from Alcatraz to fishermen’s wharf pulling a 1000 lb. boat, while handcuffed and shackled. At the age of 65 in Tokyo Japan, he pulled 65 boats loaded with 6500 lbs. of wood pulp. And At age 70, in Long Beach California he pulled 70 boats loaded with 70 people through high winds and rough water. Jack also holds the world’s record for doing 1033 push-ups in 30 min’s. He accomplished this at the age of 42. Jack was also responsible for inventing several weight lifting apparatuses and they’re still used today.

Jack will turn 91yrs. old, later this year. He still works out and looks years younger than his age. He’s as strong and spry as ever, full of vim and vigor. You can see Jack and Elaine on their infomercial (Jack Lalanne Juicer) on TV.
They also have a website www.jacklalanne.com.

Sorry I’ve gotten so lengthy here, but Jack and Elaine are a great inspiration for us all. They are a perfect example of leading a healthy long life, being robust and productive far into the senior years, and are to be admired by us all.

Back to exercise…There are many forms you can incorporate into your lifestyle and time frame.

AEROBIC or CARDIO EXERCISE

1. Walking (indoors in place or outdoors) at a vigorous pace.
2. Running or Jogging (be careful, these can be hard on the joints).
3. Bicycling (stationary, spinning or standard outdoors).
4. Aerobics (step, dance, kickboxing, jazzercise etc…there are various types to choose from) take a class at the gym or purchase one of the many videos on the market to workout with at home.
5. Equipment (there are many different pieces of equipment to assist
you in performing cardio). Elliptical, Rower, Stepper, Treadmill,
Rebounder (mini trampoline, easy on the joints and ligaments and
great for assisting the lymphatic system) our favorite.

PLEASE always check with your doctor before starting an exercise program.

Start slow and easy, work your way up to the proper intensity for the full benefit. When you reach proper intensity level, please don’t go beyond to exhaustion. This can over tax your system by creating a high level of oxidative stress, becoming problematic.

No matter what type of aerobic or cardio activity you decide to use, consistency is the key to being successful. Being a weekend warrior doesn’t get the job done. So, you can join a gym and get professional instruction….You can workout with one of the many TV exercise programs….You can purchase a workout video and exercise in the privacy of your home… No matter what you decide (clear it with your doctor) and just get moving.

STRENGTH TRAINING

Strength training (anaerobic activity) comes in many different forms and is just as important as aerobics or cardio. Our muscles will gradually waste away if they are not worked (use it or lose it).

By working the muscles and putting a greater demand on them, they will respond and build stronger to meet the greater demand. We will have more strength, which in turn will make daily activities much easier, and will keep us from becoming weak and frail as we grow older.

Okay, so you workout and do your aerobics and cardio, which should keep you fit. Right!Well, this is right to a degree and it will keep your cardiovascular system in tip top shape and tone your muscles some. But, not enough to keep the muscles at their proper strength level. Let’s take jogging, the arms are working the whole time you are moving, but not with enough intensity to actually make them respond and grow much stronger. This is good, but we can do better.

You’ve probably heard the term NO PAIN NO GAIN. Well, it’s true. But, let’s keep it in perspective. There is good responsible pain and there’s bad pain. Let’s look at the bicep curl for instance, and see how it creates the good pain.

With dumbbell in hand…arm hanging down to the side of your leg…palm facing your leg…elbow into your side staying stationary and acting as a hinge…you now raise your lower arm and dumbbell rotating your palm to face your shoulder on the way up…do not pause at the top… immediately lower the dumbbell back to starting position…repeat this movement several more times in a smooth controlled manner.

Lets say you were able to repeat that movement 8 to 10 times. With the proper weight dumbbell and on the last couple of movements you would begin to feel a tight burn in the bicep (muscle on the front of your upper arm) you would be experiencing the good pain. You would have worked the muscle to partial failure (meaning it would have been difficult to have done one two more movements).

In weight lifting terms, you just completed…1-set of 8-10 repetitions.
When you started to feel the burn, you were slightly tearing down your muscle and with proper rest and nutrition, over the next several days it will rebuild slightly stronger. This is basically how the process works. You tear it down and it rebuilds. This should give you sufficient understanding of the difference of good pain and bad pain. If you train incorrectly or try to lift too much weight, you could feel pain in a joint or damage a muscle (this is bad pain). Stop immediately and seek medical attention.

If you are a beginner or especially a senior, please take it slow. Remember Rome wasn’t built in a day. Don’t over do it in the beginning, because you will become injured or drain your self and become discouraged and possibly quit all together.

Your muscles, joints and nervous system will adjust and your strength will increase gradually over time. What a feeling when you can increase the amount of weight you are using every so many workouts. This is what you have to strive for over time. No matter what your age, if trained correctly you will see great improvement.

Through study and research, cardiovascular experts now realize that strength training offers a significant benefit to health and fitness that far exceeds just shaping muscles.

There have been many studies done on the elderly and the benefits of strength training. The results were astounding. However, if you are elderly and your doctor has cleared you for exercise, I highly recommend joining a gym or hiring a certified fitness trainer.
Along with cardio and strength training, the importance of flexibility and balance training are paramount for the elderly. This is handled quite well with professionals.

Falling is the leading cause of death in the elderly. This is due in part, to inactivity, poor eating habits, the wasting of muscles and the frail state of the entire body. Studies prove if done correctly, muscles, strength, flexibility and balance can be increased by an amazing percentage when exercised, regardless of age.

STRENGTH TRAINING EQUIPMENT
Let’s look at the many different types of equipment that can be used.

1. Free weights (dumbbells and barbell, weight plates)
2. Machine weight systems
3. Elastic bands and cords
4. Free hand exercise (push ups, chin ups, etc.)

All of this equipment works quite well (each to their own). Free weights are very easy to use. They come in as light or as heavy as you like. They come made in one solid piece and different poundage’s. They also come in a complete set with two small bars, longer barbell and varying poundage plates that can be added, making it very versatile. With the addition of an adjustable bench you have a basic home gym, very inexpensively.

Machine weight systems come in all sizes and prices. They are very user friendly and easy to get accustomed to. You can find them in most gyms (with professional instruction) or you can purchase one for home use (they come with instruction).

I’m sure you’ve seen commercials on TV for Bowflex and Weiders crossbow (similar to bowflex). I own one of the very first bowflex units made by schwinn. I also own a Weider crossbow. I have no ties to either company and am not trying to advertise for them. But, I highly recommend both units. They provide a very safe and efficient workout. There was a recall on the newer Bowflex unit, due to seat breakage, however, I believe that has been resolved.

I alternate using the crossbow and free weights, for variety.
I know some of the bodybuilding experts feel that you can’t get a quality muscle building workout with either of these machines. But, they seem to work quite well for us and many others.

I have also used the Total Gym (advertised by Chuck Norris) and I will tell you, it will give you a great workout if used correctly. It’s probably not for someone who wants to get huge. But, it will definitely give you a quality workout (cardio and resistance).

All of the above equipment comes with instructions and workout programs. So you really can’t go wrong with most equipment on the market. There is one exception … In our opinion. Please, don’t fall prey to and spend hard earned money on all the expensive abdominal gadgets. Fitness experts say, there is no such thing as spot reduction, especially the stomach. You can work the abs till the cows come home and if they’re still covered with layers of fat, their not going to show. The standard variations of crunches and leg lifts are what you need to train the abs. The key is overall body fat loss, the abs will start to show with time ... Just be patient.

There are many books on total body workouts on the market. There are workout videos and TV programs that you can workout with. No matter what equipment, which gym, or program you decide to use, just dedicate yourself for the long haul and stick with it. Persistence and dedication is the key.

SUMMARY

Please, don’t think because you are exercising, that you can get away with eating a bad diet, because it is just the opposite. When you exercise with enough intensity to yield health benefits, your body is under extra oxidative stress and needs to be properly nourished, to protect and rebuild. So, a good diet is imperative...Here are some of the things we try to do.

Avoid

  • Candies, cookies, cakes, chips, colas and other sugar related drinks, and diet drinks, etc.
  • Pasta, potatoes, white flour…limit starchy foods.
  • All fried foods (oxidized trans-fats play havoc with your health)
  • Chlorinated tap water (for drinking)
  • Lunch meats (contain sodium nitrate and other carcinogenic additives)
  • If one must have alcohol try to limit it to 1 or 2 drinks daily. Wine has protective antioxidants (but, alcohol can be problematic)

Eat

  • Plenty of protein (chicken, turkey, tuna, salmon, trout, etc.) limit red meat.
  • Grill or bake meat (frying meat on high heat, changes the molecular structure of the protein, making it hard to be assimilated, plus the oxidized trans-fats can lead to many health problems).
  • Variety of colorful fruits and vegetables, rich in health enhancing (vitamin, minerals and antioxidants) this is very important.
  • Variety of raw nuts (almonds, walnuts, pecans, etc.)
  • Drink spring or filtered water, at least 8 to 10, 8 oz. glasses a day
    (please, read our article) The Numerous Benefits Of Water.
  • Eat breakfast (please read our article) The Power Of Eating Breakfast


Supplements

I really believe getting our nutrients from food is actually the best. Food has many enzymes and nutrients that haven’t even been discovered yet, that create a synergistic effect in the absorption and utilization process. This of course makes food the superior choice. The closer to nature, the better.

However, it is a well known fact, that with the crop rotation problems over the years, our soil is now lacking in many vitamins and minerals. Our government has even stated that all adults should take a daily vitamin and mineral supplement, because of this problem.

With that being said… Taking a good quality Multiple Vitamin and Mineral supplement along with other complimentary supplements is good insurance. Along with a good healthy diet.


Our daily supplement regimen

  • Multiple vitamin and mineral supplement (made from whole food source)
  • Omega-3 fatty acid (fish oil or salmon oil)
  • Whey protein supplement (with low sugar content and no artificial sweeteners…it’s a good way to get extra quality protein, important while on an exercise program)
  • Probiotic (to replenish your intestinal tract with good bacteria to support your immune system). If you are not familiar with probiotics, please read our article (Probiotics…The key to good health) very, very, very, important!
  • We also take other supplements when needed… not listed.

Always discuss supplements with your doctor.

A good responsible diet, responsible supplementation and a good exercise program, along with prayer can be life changing. The good LORD gave us everything we need. We just need to use it.

Our society has become accustom to eating anything and everything (overfed and undernourished) leading sedentary life styles and living with daily stress from all directions. Prevention and education…is the answer.

Don’t wait until you’re really sick. Then run to the doctor and take drug after drug (study and research has proven this leads to even more problems) No wonder so many of us are tired, run down, depressed and sick…But, as I stated before… It just doesn’t have to be this way

Please I can’t stress this enough…We can have all the wealth…riches…power…and…prestige the world has to offer. But, without the love of GOD in our heart and good health…we’re lost, So… pray…love…eat…exercise…and choose to be…happy.


I would like to leave you with some of our favorite quotes… for inspiration.

“I give you every seed bearing plant on the face of the whole earth and every tree that has fruit with seed in it. They will be yours for food” GOD (Gen 1:29)

“Let your food be your medicine and your medicine be your food” Hippocrates (Father of Medicine)

“Tomorrows doctors will be nutritionist and tomorrows nutritionists will be doctors” (Thomas Edison)

“If you always do what you’ve always done, you’ll always get what you’ve always got” (Doug Kaufmann…Author and health researcher)

“The healthy human host is self regulating and self healing”
(Dr. Patrick Quillen author and acclaimed doctor)

“Drugs do not heal” (Dr. Richard Becker…author and acclaimed doctor)

“Take care of the most important person there is…YOU”
(Jack Lelanne author and fitness expert)

Whether you’re wanting to have more energy…overcome specific health issues…loose weight…have more strength for daily activities…or just plain lift your spirits and feel great…making responsible exercise part of your daily routine can be life changing.
We sure hope this information is of value and help, to all of our family and friends, also you and yours.

Happy exercising on your journey to…True Healthy Living Now!

Wednesday, February 23, 2005

This Doctor Says It ALL!

"As a retired physician, I can honestly say that unless you are in a serious accident, your best chance of living to a ripe old age is to avoid doctors and hospitals and learn nutrition, herbal medicine and other forms of natural medicine unless you are fortunate enough to have a naturopathic physician available. Almost all drugs are toxic and are designed only to treat symptoms and not to cure anyone. Vaccines are highly dangerous, have never been adequately studied or proven to be effective, and have a poor risk/reward ratio. Most surgery is unnecessary and most textbooks of medicine are inaccurate and deceptive. Almost every disease is said to be idiopathic (without known cause) or genetic - although this is untrue. In short, our main stream medical system is hopelessly inept and/or corrupt. The treatment of cancer and degenerative diseases is a national scandal. The sooner you learn this, the better off you will be." Dr. Allan Greenberg 12/24/2002

And another by Dr. Greenburg:

"Most people don't realize that pharmaceutical medicine is a false paradigm doomed to failure, as most drugs will damage the mitochondria as well as interfere with essential biochemical pathways. I strongly object to Medicare coverage of prescription drugs, because, the more drugs people take, the worse their health will be. A better idea would be Medicare coverage of nutritional supplements and other alternative treatments such as chelation therapy."--- Alan Greenberg, M.D

VERY INTERESTING......don't these quotes make you go humm.

Sounds like he understands the meaning of True Healthy Living Now!

Monday, February 21, 2005

Our Birthright to Good Health

We were all given the Birthright to Good Health!

Welcome to TRUE HEALTHY LIVING NOW! This site was created to share health related information with our family and friends. We have spent an enormous amount of hours studying and researching health and fitness in order to regain our own health. After sharing what we had learned with family and friends we realized we were on the right track when we saw not only our own health improve, but those of our loved ones and friends.

Please understand, any information contained here is meant for informational purposes ONLY and not meant to be used for medical purposes. ALWAYS consult your doctor.

My name is Darlene and my partner in this website and partner in life is Doug. I have battled a chronic debilitating disease for over 20 years. During this time, I saw doctor after doctor and took the drugs they prescribed, yet never really saw improvement. Actually, I was getting worse. I just knew there had to be a better way. Well, after taking things into my own hands, doing the research and changing my lifestyle, via diet, exercise and proper supplementation etc., I’m off the pharmaceutical drugs that were prescribed for my condition. I’m turning the corner on my own health and want to share what I/we have learned in the process.

We are not against doctors and believe that most doctors are good caring people. We also believe that pharmaceutical drugs do save lives and have their place in treating some conditions. But, in our opinion (through study and research) they should only be used short term, or in extreme situations. Finding the root cause of disease and focusing on prevention, with proper diet, nutrition and physical fitness is the answer to obtain our GOD given right, to good health.

THE CONDITION OF OUR HEALTH CARE

We have the most expensive health care system in the world. Yet, where are all the healthy people? The rising cost for health care is in the area of 1.5 trillion dollars a year. Millions of dollars are spent on health research each year, so where are the cures for Diabetes, Cancer, Alzheimer’s, AID’s and other chronic and debilitating diseases?

In our opinion, our health care system (along with the food industry) has let us all down. Just look around you. At least 60% of us are fighting obesity, yet, diet systems and techniques are endless. We hear about low fat diets, and low carb diets and so on. There is every kind of exercise gadget imaginable and infomercials galore on the subject of weight loss. But, still the majority of us are overweight. And just listen to your friends. I’m sure you’ll hear many of them talk about the numerous drugs they’re taking, how sick they are and how they don’t have enough energy to get through the day.

THERE IS A BETTER WAY!

SELF EDUCATION AND PREVENTION IS THE MISSING LINK!

I read recently, that the U.S. Surgeon General, Richard Carmona is in the process of trying to educate the public and policymakers on the importance of disease prevention. Waiting to treat a disease after it is full blown is the wrong path for our nation.
The solution is to invest in prevention!

Many years ago the great inventor Thomas Edison stated:
"The doctor of the future will give no medicine, but will interest his patients in the care of the human frame, in diet, and in the cause and prevention of disease."

I guess you could say he saw the light, You betcha he did!

Doctors get very little education on nutrition. Yet, we know the importance of eating the right food to sustain life. Research shows that continuous vitamin and mineral deficiencies definitely lead to disease. Doesn’t this seem a bit confusing. If doctors are experts in disease, and vitamin and mineral deficiencies lead to disease, then why aren’t doctors top notch experts on nutrition?

We were created with a wonderful immune system to protect us from disease. Our bodies are very resilient and can take years of abuse, but sooner or later our compromised immune system will break down and the end result is poor health or chronic illness.

Our bodies are temples and should be treated as such. With proper diet, nutrition, and educated supplementation, along with exercise and prayer, we can all lead healthy lives. So, as you travel through our website and read the information that we have compiled for use by our family and friends. We hope it benefits you and your family as well.

Sunday, February 20, 2005

The Power of Eating Breakfast!

Eating breakfast is probably something that most of us take for granted. We really didn’t understand the importance of breakfast either, until we began to educate ourselves on the subject.

Skipping breakfast is really detrimental to our health in many ways. We all know that it’s not healthy to go all day without eating. But how important is it really? Let’s look at it this way.

When we eat dinner…lets say at about 6 or 7 pm, then sleep all night, wake up, skip breakfast, only to eat lunch around noon…we’ve just managed to go about 16 hours with nothing to eat (that’s not good).That’s almost like going all day without eating.

The word…BREAKFAST…literally means to BREAK the FAST. We’ve slept all night without anything to eat…that is a FAST. We awake and it’s time to BREAK the fast. It’s time to eat and refuel.

Many people believe that by not eating breakfast, they will loose body weight. But the opposite is true. Our body has a protective survival mechanism that kicks in when we’re not getting food. It thinks we are in a state of starvation and stops burning body fat for normal energy. This can actually create muscle wasting and possible weight gain.

It’s not rocket science. During our waking hours, our body needs to be fed every 3 or 4 hours in order to keep everything regulated. And it goes without saying, that we must also stay hydrated. This way our energy level is enhanced, our mood is improved, thoughts are processed better (this is really important for children in school) and our cells have the nutrients needed to rebuild. We hope you see just how important breakfast really is.

Some people eat breakfast on the run (pastry, doughnut, processed cereal). All of these foods are okay on occasion, but not everyday. They are all high in simple carbohydrates and sugars. Simple Carbohydrates enter the bloodstream quickly and turn to sugar, causing an over-abundant release of insulin. This increase in insulin causes too much glucose to be snatched from our blood. Now, our blood sugar crashes and we begin to feel slightly tired, lazy and irritable, our concentration is shot and we may be hungry again, before lunchtime. (I’m sure we’ve all experience this)

Remember, constantly eating this way, sends the blood sugar up and down, over and over. This is extremely bad for our health and may contribute in the development of type-2 diabetes.

Eating a BALANCED BREAKFAST and diet is key. Protein and fat do not enter the blood stream quickly. Eating protein, complex carbohydrates and fat together yields a synergistic effect, allowing for the proper absorption of nutrients. Eating this way allows the body to rebuild itself, maintain a steady supply of energy and helps to regulate our metabolism. This is what balanced eating will do for us.

Good example:

  • Cooked oatmeal with honey or stevia, sprinkled with fruit, berries and nuts of your choice.
  • Poached egg, whole grain toast w/organic butter, piece of fruit.
  • Low fat yogurt with fresh berries like, blueberries, strawberries, and your favorite nuts.
  • Scramble egg mixed with onion and green pepper wrapped in a whole-wheat tortilla, and a piece of fruit.
  • Hardboiled egg, oatmeal or whole grain cereal (not highly processed), piece of fruit.
  • Make a fruit smoothie with yogurt and your favorite fruits, and nuts.
  • Cottage cheese, fresh fruit, and slice of wheat toast w/butter.
  • Western Omelet (use your favorite veggies), handful of mixed nuts and raisons.
  • Half of a baked chicken breast, steamed broccoli, almonds or walnuts. (sounds odd for breakfast, but it’s not bad)

Always try to add health-enhancing berries (loaded with antioxidants and numerous nutrients and fiber) like, blueberries, blackberries, raspberries, or strawberries.

Also try adding nuts…almonds, walnuts, etc. These are loaded with protein, antioxidants, vitamins, minerals, and fiber.

Bad Example:

  • Doughnuts and pastries
  • Fast food breakfast sandwiches
  • Pancakes or waffles w/syrup
  • Biscuits and gravy, sausage or bacon
  • Nothing at all

Okay, who can resist these foods all of the time? Eating them on occasion may be okay, but look around at the people who eat these foods everyday. See there!…You get the biggg…picture.

There are so many healthy foods that you can eat. Have fun and experiment. What have you got to LOSE but your hunger…and a few extra pounds….and oh, yeah!…maybe, years of ill health.

Please understand, getting in the habit of eating a responsible healthy Breakfast can be life changing.


Saturday, February 19, 2005

Dark Side Of Soy Bean

Infants are most vulnerable to damage from soy phytoestrogens Soy has been promoted as a miracle food that can prevent heart disease, fight cancer, and build strong bodies. Sales were in the $4 BILLIONS in 2004.

Respected scientists warn that its benefits should be weighed against proven risks. Even researchers working for the soy industry admit that the “marketing is way ahead of the science.”

Yet the FDA approved a health claim for the soy and heart disease in 1999. I disregarded warnings from independent and government scientist and ignored hundreds of peer-reviewed studies link soy to malnutrition, digestive distress, thyroid disorders, allergies, ADD/ADHD, reproductive problems, infertility, cognitive decline, cancer, and heart disease.

The FDA ruling proved such a financial boon that sales increased 200% between 2000 and 2004. The truth is now starting to appear. Late July, The Israeli Health Ministry warned that children under 16 should eat soy foods no more that once per day and a maximum of 3 times a week, that babies never receive soy formula, and that adults exercise caution when consuming soy products...

The Ministry took its advice from a 23 member committee of nutritionists, oncologists, pediatricians who spent a year examining the evidence.

July of 2005 the Cornell University’s Program of breast Cancer and Environmental Risk factors warned that soy food consumption can increase breast cell multiplication, increasing risk for breast cancer.

In 2002, the British Committee on Toxicity of Chemicals in food, Consumer Products and Environment” which found no merit in most of the health claims of soy. They identified infants on soy formula, vegetarians who use soy as a primary source of protein, and adults trying to prevent disease with soy foods and soy supplements as all being at risk for thyroid damage.

This can be confusing since Asian peoples have used soy for centuries and many people believe this keeps them free of most Western diseases. But while Asians show lower rates of breast, prostate and colon cancers, they suffer higher rates of thyroid, pancreatic, liver, stomach and esophageal cancers.

Asians also eat different soy foods from the ones now appearing on American tables…miso, natto, temped, tofu, tamari and shoyu…instead of energy bars, soy shakes, soymik, veggie burgers, TVP chili and other meat or dairy substitutes.

These quintessentially Western products are manufactured using high-tech industrialized processes that destroy protein quality, reduce vitamin levels, and leave toxic residues and carcinogens...

Making matters worse, much of today’s soybean crop is genetically modified. GM beans carry higher levels of anti-nutrients, toxins and allergens that regular soybeans and have caused vast damage to the environment.

Indeed, most of the Amazon Rain Forest has been lost to GM soybean farming than to beef grown for fast-food franchises.

Most dangerous of all, soybeans naturally contain high levels of phytoestrogens. Promotes as safe hormone replacement therapy, these plant estrogens can cause significant endocrine disruption, leading to weight gain, fatigue, brain fog and depression.

Soy foods also have a “contraceptive effect” a fact known to scientists since the 1940”s. For women, it alters menstrual cycles, causing hormonal changes indicative of infertility.

For men it lowers testosterone levels, quantity and quality of sperm and sex drive. Couples who desire to have children are wise to cut out soy. Because of their small size and stage of development, infants remain most vulnerable to damage from soy phytoestrogens. Soy formula now represents 25% of the bottle-fed market in America and yet it’s been linked to thyroid damage, premature puberty in girls, delayed or arrested puberty in boys, and other disorders, Soy formula also contains toxic levels of manganese…50 to 80 times the amount found in diary formula or breast milk.

The bottom line is the safety of soy has yet to be proven. Unanswered questions have let the Israeli Health Ministry, the Swiss Federal Health Service, the British Dietetic association and others to warn parents and pediatricians that soy infant formula should only be used as a last resort.If this isn’t enough reason not to eat soy, I give up. We are putting so much toxic materials in our bodies and then wondering why we are so sick so soon and have so many diseases.

Best of Health, Margie – “The Arthritis Lady”
http://www.yoursuccesslinks.com
Email: arthritislady@yoursuccesslinks.com

Friday, February 18, 2005

Beauty is an inside job!

If you all don’t know by now, we're really into the connection that yeast overgrowth has to the disease process. As we've said before, antibiotics kill the good bacteria in the gut and thus causes yeast overgrowth. Yeast in the body when fueled by sugar causes inflammation. And what are all those "itis’s" but inflammation. You know, arthritis, tendonitis, bursitis...

So anyway, we saw Dr. Nicholas Perricone on the Oprah show. He’s the doctor to the stars and says that in 28 days you can look 10 years younger. According to Dr Perricone, the answer is in the fridge.

We don’t know the whole of his plan except to say that on the show he mentioned eating a balanced diet of protein, (good) carbs and (good) fats with each meal. Perricone's diet includes a "rainbow" of fruits and vegetables and the liberal use of herbs and spices, and shuns any foods browned or cooked at high temperatures. Eating a balanced diet of protein, carbs and fats does make sense, because it keeps your insulin from spiking.

He said, the reason that women sometimes look older, is that they do not have enough protein in their diet and too much inflammation in their bodies...thus a sagging look!!!

Is that another way of saying to much sugar! Remember everyone has yeast in their body. And with the overuse of antibiotics, and antibiotics in our meat, Yikes! Yeast overgrowth! Add to that the 140 pounds of sugar ea of us eat on average per year, and it’s a sure bet that it has a lot to do with how we look.

Lastly, he did mention, drinking lots of water and tea to keep the body lubricated. But in order to truly look and feel younger, you must preserve the entire body, not just the skin.

It just goes to show you that looking and feeling younger, really is an INSIDE JOB!


Cholesterol Does Not Cause Heart Disease!

Cholesterol is an essential building block of every cell in the body, required for all metabolic processes. It is particularly important in the production of nerve tissue, bile and certain hormones. On average, our body produces about half of a gram to one gram of cholesterol per day, depending on how much of it the body needs at the time. By and large, our body is able to produce 400 times more cholesterol per day than what we would obtain from eating 3,5 ounces (100 grams) of butter. The main cholesterol producers are the liver and the small intestine, in that order. Normally, they are able to release cholesterol directly into the blood stream, where it is instantly tied to blood proteins. These proteins, which are called lipoproteins, are in charge of transporting the cholesterol to its numerous destinations. There are three main types of lipoproteins in charge of transporting cholesterol: Low Density Lipoprotein (LDL), Very Low Density Lipoprotein (VLDL), and High Density Lipoprotein (HDL).

In comparison to HDL, which has been privileged with the name ‘good’ cholesterol, LDL and VLDL are relatively large cholesterol molecules; in fact, they are the richest in cholesterol. There is good reason for their large size. Unlike their smaller cousin, which easily passes through blood vessel walls, the LDL and VLDL versions of cholesterol are meant to take a different pathway; they leave the blood stream in the liver.

The blood vessels supplying the liver have a very different structure from the ones supplying other parts of the body. They are known as sinusoids. Their unique, grid-like structure permits the liver cells to receive the entire blood content, including the large cholesterol molecules. The liver cells rebuild the cholesterol and excrete it along with bile into the intestines. Once the cholesterol enters the intestines, it combines with fats, is absorbed by the lymph and enters the blood, in that order. Gallstones in the bile ducts of the liver inhibit the bile flow and partially, or even fully, block the cholesterol’s escape route. Due to back-up pressure on the liver cells, bile production drops. Typically, a healthy liver produces over a quart of bile per day. When the major bile ducts are blocked, barely a cup of bile, or even less, will find its way to the intestines. This prevents much of the VLDL and LDL cholesterol from being excreted with the bile.

Gallstones in the liver bile ducts distort the structural framework of the liver lobules, which damages and congests the sinusoids. Deposits of excessive protein also close the grid holes of these blood vessels (see the discussion of this subject in the previous section). Whereas the ‘good’ cholesterol HDL has small enough molecules to leave the bloodstream through ordinary capillaries, the larger LDL and VLDL molecules are more or less trapped in the blood. The result is that LDL and VLDL concentrations begin to rise in the blood to levels that seem potentially harmful to the body. Yet even this scenario is merely part of the body’s survival attempts. It needs the extra cholesterol to patch up the increasing number of cracks and wounds that are formed as a result of the accumulation of excessive protein in the blood vessel walls. Eventually, though, the life-saving cholesterol begins to occlude the blood vessels and cut off the oxygen supply to the heart.

In addition to this complication, reduced bile flow impairs the digestion of food, particularly fats. Therefore, there is not enough cholesterol made available to the cells of the body and their basic metabolic processes. Since the liver cells no longer receive sufficient amounts of LDL and VLDL molecules, they (the liver cells) assume that the blood is deficient in these types of cholesterol. This stimulates the liver cells to increase the production of cholesterol, further raising the levels of LDL and VLDL cholesterol in the blood.

The ‘bad’ cholesterol is trapped in the circulatory system because its escape routes, the bile ducts and the liver sinusoids, are blocked or damaged. The capillary network and arteries attach as much of the ‘bad’ cholesterol to their walls as they possibly can. Consequently, the arteries become rigid and hard.

Coronary heart disease, regardless of whether it is caused by smoking, drinking excessive amounts of alcohol, overeating protein foods, stress, or any other factor, usually does not occur unless gallstones have impacted the bile ducts of the liver. Removing gallstones from the liver and gallbladder can not only prevent a heart attack or stroke, but also reverse coronary heart disease and heart muscle damage. The body’s response to stressful situations becomes less damaging, and cholesterol levels begin to normalize as the distorted and damaged liver lobules are regenerated. Cholesterol-lowering drugs don’t do that. They artificially reduce blood cholesterol, which coerces the liver to produce even more cholesterol. But when extra cholesterol is passed into the bile ducts, it remains in its crystalline state (versus soluble state) and, thereby, turns into gallstones. People who regularly use cholesterol-lowering drugs usually develop an excessively large number of gallstones. This sets them up for major side effects, including cancer and heart disease.

Cholesterol is essential for normal functioning of the immune system, particularly for the body’s response to the millions of cancer cells that every person makes in his body each day. For all the health problems associated with cholesterol, this important substance is not something we should try to eliminate from our bodies. Cholesterol does far more good than harm. The harm is generally symptomatic of other problems. I wish to emphasize, once again, that ‘bad’ cholesterol only attaches itself to the walls of arteries to avert immediate heart trouble, not to create it. This is confirmed by the fact that cholesterol never attaches itself to the walls of veins. When a doctor tests your cholesterol levels, he takes the blood sample from a vein, not from an artery. Although blood flow is much slower in veins than in arteries, cholesterol should obstruct veins much more readily than arteries, but it never does. There simply is no need for that. Why? Because there are no abrasions and tears in the lining of the vein that require patching up. Cholesterol only affixes itself to arteries in order to coat and cover up the abrasions and protect the underlying tissue like a waterproof bandage. Veins do not absorb proteins in their basements membranes like capillaries and arteries do and, therefore, are not prone to this type of injury.

‘Bad’ cholesterol saves lives; it does not take lives. LDL allows the blood to flow through injured blood vessels without causing a life-endangering situation. The theory of high LDL being a principal cause of coronary heart disease is not only unproved and unscientific. It has misled the population to believe that cholesterol is an enemy that has to be fought and destroyed at all costs. Human studies have not shown a cause-and-effect relationship between cholesterol and heart disease. The hundreds of studies so far conducted on such a relationship have only shown that there is a statistical correlation between the two. And there should be, because if there were no ‘bad’ cholesterol molecules attaching themselves to injured arteries we would have millions of more deaths from heart attack than we already have. On the other hand, dozens of conclusive studies have shown that risk of heart disease increases significantly in people whose HDL levels decrease. Elevated LDL cholesterol is not a cause of heart disease; rather, it is a consequence of an unbalanced liver and congested, dehydrated circulatory system.

If your doctor has told you that lowering your cholesterol with medical drugs protects you against heart attacks, you have been grossly misled. The #1 prescribed cholesterol-lowering medicine is Lipitor. I suggest that you read the following warning statement, issued on the official Lipitor web site:

“LIPITOR (atorvastatin calcium) tablets is a prescription drug used with diet to lower cholesterol. LIPITOR is not for everyone, including those with liver disease or possible liver problems, and women who are nursing, pregnant, or may become pregnant. LIPITOR has not been shown to prevent heart disease or heart attacks.

“If you take LIPITOR, tell your doctor about any unusual muscle pain or weakness. This could be a sign of serious side effects. It is important to tell your doctor about any medications you are currently taking to avoid possible serious drug interactions…”

My question is, “Why risk a person’s health or life by giving him/her a drug that has no effect, whatsoever, in preventing the problem for which it is being prescribed?” The reason why the lowering of cholesterol levels cannot prevent heart disease is because cholesterol does not cause heart disease.

The most important issue is how efficiently a person’s body uses cholesterol and other fats. The body’s ability to digest, process and utilize these fats depends on how clear and unobstructed the bile ducts of the liver are. When bile flow is unrestricted and balanced, both the LDL and HDL levels are balanced as well. Therefore, keeping the bile ducts open is the best prevention of coronary heart disease.

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[Excerpt from the new edition of The Amazing Liver & Gallbladder Flush, by Andreas Moritz]

Andreas Moritz is a medical intuitive; a practitioner of Ayurveda, Iridology, Shiatsu and Vibrational Medicine; a writer and an artist. He has authored four books on health and healing: “The Amazing Liver and Gallbladder Flush”, “Timeless Secrets of Health and Rejuvenation,” “Lifting the Veil of Duality,” and “It’s Time to Come Alive" (all books are available through http://www.ener-chi.com/ or http://www.amazon.com/). Andreas also is the artist who created the oil paintings for a new innovative approach to healing through energized art, called Ener-Chi Art.

His latest healing tool for clearing emotional blocks and fear is called “Sacred Santèmony – Divine Chanting for Every Occasion.” Andreas runs a free forum “Ask Andreas Moritz” on the popular health website Curezone.com (5 million readers and increasing). For more information contact Andreas Moritz, visit his Web site http://www.ener-chi.com/ or contact him at tel. 1-864-848-6410, Greer, South Carolina, USA, E-mail andmor@ener-chi.com.
Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Andreas_Moritz
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Garlic Is Mother Nature's Pungent Cure-All - The Odoriferous Herb

I don't know about you, but one of my very favorite aromas is garlic wafting through a kitchen, especially when it's in a great tomato sauce or stir fried with some vegetables. Whether it's in a pan with olive oil or roasting in the oven, the smell of garlic sets my appetite on overdrive!

While not everyone shares my predilection for this odoriferous herb, there can be no denying that its appeal extends far beyond its smell or taste. Time and again, garlic has come through as one of the most versatile healing herbs known to humans.

The value of garlic (Allium sativum) has been recognized since ancient Egypt, when slaves went on strike to increase their garlic rations. In the 1950s, the great Albert Schweitzer, M.D., used garlic in his African clinic to treat dysentery, typhus and cholera.

During the Second World War, garlic was used as a disinfectant for wounds and as protection against gangrene in injured soldiers. Now, research is showing that it protects against two of the most dreaded diseases of our time: heart disease and cancer.

Some have even argued that since our ancestors ate a diet rich in a variety of plants and herbs now missing in modern diets, we should consider phytonutrient-rich plants such as garlic to be essential nutrients!

I think this is a great idea, and you can easily incorporate into your own personal diet plan just by taking aged garlic supplements.

Garlic Basics
Garlic is a member of the lily family. Its genus (Allium) also includes onions. When a clove of garlic is crushed or chewed, an odorless sulfur-containing compound, alliin, is transformed to allicin, which gives garlic its characteristic odor. Allicin is the element of garlic that has been most intensively studied and which appears to have the most medicinal value. Allicin naturally breaks down to other compounds, including daily sulfide and ajoene, which are thought to have unique healing effects on the body.

Garlic Keeps Your Blood Vessels Clear
While early studies on the heart-protective effects of garlic showed that garlic supplementation tended to decrease "bad" LDL cholesterol and raise "good" HDL, more recent research has conflicted with those results.

Whether garlic affects blood cholesterol levels or not, it still dramatically reduces the buildup of plaque (the fatty deposits that clog blood vessels) in the arteries.

In one study from the journal Atherosclerosis, 152 subjects had the amount of plaque in two major arteries measured, and then took garlic powder for 48 months. The results showed that the growth of the plaques was slowed by five to 18 percent, and that in some subjects the plaques actually became smaller.

Several studies on non-human subjects show the same trend. It appears that garlic protects the heart by way of its potent antioxidant effects. Oxidized LDL, not just LDL, is what causes plaques to grow. In study after study garlic has shown itself to be a superior preventative against LDL oxidation. Garlic also protects against clogged blood vessels by decreasing the tendency of blood to clump or clot.

Garlic Protects Against Infections Of All Kinds
Whether you want to stave off bacterial, viral, fungal, or parasitic infections, garlic is good protection. Garlic has been shown in test-tube studies and animal studies to be deadly to Helicobacter pylori, the bacteria that causes ulcers, and to the dreaded food-borne bacteria Salmonella, E. coli, Staphylococcus and Listeria.

Bacteria do not develop resistance to garlic—a good reason to favor garlic over antibiotics! Phytochemicals in garlic are also effective at stopping cold, flu and herpes viruses in their tracks. The growth of Candida albicans, the fungal yeast that causes vaginal yeast infections and intestinal candidiasis, is slowed by garlic. Garlic kills parasites such as Giardia and Entamoeba, both common causes of chronic diarrhea.

Cancer Prevention With Garlic
Studies on gastrointestinal, colon, and breast cancer show that in populations that consume more garlic, cancer risk is significantly lower. It appears that phytochemicals in garlic interfere with the growth of several kinds of cancer cells.

Garlic is also rich in selenium, the cancer-fighting mineral, and in sulfur, which supports the detoxification process. Several studies have shown that carcinogenic chemicals are detoxified more efficiently throughout the body when garlic is added to the mix. It also helps control the production of free radicals, which have been strongly implicated as a cause of cancer.

Can Garlic Prevent "Senior Moments?"
One interesting study in the journal Experimental Gerontology described the effects of garlic extract on learning and memory impairment in aging mice. Mice specially bred to age more rapidly than their normal counterparts were used.

About half of the mice were fed a 2 percent garlic diet for eight to nine months. It was found that the garlic-supplemented mice better retained their ability to learn and remember than their counterparts who didn't consume garlic.

I believe that everyone can benefit from adding garlic to their diets. Cook with it whenever you can. Fresh and powdered are both beneficial. I also recommend you take supplemental garlic. The aged garlic extracts, containing at least 0.6 percent allium, have been the most thoroughly studied.

Best of Health,

Margie – “The Arthritis Lady”
“I Cured My Arthritis You Can Too”

REFERENCES:

Abramovitz D, et al, "Allicin-induced decrease in formation of fatty streaks (atherosclerosis) in mice fed a cholesterol-rich diet," Coronary Artery Diseases, 1999 Oct10(7):515-9.
Ankri S, Mirelman D, "Antimicrobial properties of allicin from garlic," Microbes and Infection, 1999 Feb1(2):125-129.
Challier B, Perarnau JM, Viel JF, "Garlic, onion, and cereal fibre as protective factors for breast cancer: a French case-control study," European Journal of Epidemiology, 1998 Dec14(8):737-47.
Ide N, Lau BH,"Aged garlic extract attenuates intracellular oxidative stress," Phytomedicine, 1999 May6(2):125-31.
Koscielny J, et al, "The antiatherosclerotic effect of Allium sativum," Atherosclerosis, 1999 May144(1):237-49.
Kumar M, Berwal JS, "Sensitivity of food pathogens to garlic (Allium sativum)," Journal of Applied Microbiology, 1998 Feb84(2):213-5.
Munday R, Munday CM, "Low doses of diallyl disulfide, a compound derived from garlic, increase tissue activities of quinone reductase and glutathione transferase in the gastrointestinal tract of the rat," Nutrition and Cancer, 199934(1):42-8.
Mishiyama N, Moriguchi T, Saito H, "Beneficial effects of aged garlic extract on learning and memory impairment in the senescence-accelerated mouse," Experimental Gerontology, 199732:149-60.
Polasa K, Krishnaswamy K, "Reduction of urinary mutagen excretion in rats fed garlic," Cancer Letters, 1997114:185-6.
Siegers CP, et al, "The effects of garlic preparations against human tumor cell proliferation," Phytomedicine, 1999 Mar6(1):7-11.
Singh A, Shukla Y, "Antitumor activity of diallyl sulfide in two-stage mouse skin model of carcinogenesis," Biomedical and Environmental Science, 1998 Sep 11(3):258-63.
Sivam GP, et al, "Helicobacter pylori--in vitro susceptibility to garlic (Allium sativum) extract," Nutrition and Cancer, 199727:118-21.
Steinmetz KA, et al, "Vegetables, fruit, and colon cancer in the Iowa women's health study," American Journal of Epidemiology, 1994139:1-5.
Takezaki T, et al, "Comparative study of lifestyles of residents in high and low risk areas for gastric cancer risk in Jiangsu Province, China with special reference to allium vegetables," Journal of Epidemiology, 1999 Nov9(5):297-305.
Venugopal P, Venogopal T, "Antidermatophytic activity of garlic (Allium sativum) in vitro," International Journal of Dermatology, 199534(4):278-9.
Weber ND, et al, "In vitro virucidal effects of Allium sativum (garlic) extract and compounds," Planta Med, 1992 Oct58(5):417-23.
Yoshida S, et al, "Antifungal activity of ajoene derived from garlic," Applied Environmental Microbiology, 1987 Mar53(3):615-


Thursday, February 17, 2005

Is There a connection between Antibiotics and Modern Illness?

We’ve all run to the doctors from time to time when we’ve not felt well. Often times we end up leaving the doctor‘s office with a prescription for an antibiotic. Antibiotics have had there place in health care and still do. But that is not the reason for this article.

It is the excessive use of antibiotics and the possible connection to escalating illness in the US and throughout the world that we want to spotlight here.

Antibiotics are indiscriminant killers of bacteria. Not only do they kill undesired organisms but the beneficial bacteria that live in the intestines as well. This imbalance of organisms leads to a disruption of digestion and decreases our ability to absorb foods properly. Once this imbalance has occurred we are also more vulnerable to viruses, infections, yeasts, and fungi.

These unfriendly organisms rapidly repopulate the gastrointestinal tract and wreak havoc, causing additional infections that can occur in almost any region or organ of your body.

Antibiotic resistance is becoming a major concern and is increasing worldwide. Here in the US we take an estimated 133 million antibiotic prescriptions per year, according to the government accounting office. A full ½ of these prescriptions are not needed according to current estimates. Many of these are given to fight viral infections.

Antibiotics given for viral infections such as the common cold, upper respiratory tract infection and bronchitis, are pointless. Why? Because antibiotics do not kill viral infections. But wait you say… my physician prescribed these to me. Yes, some physicians still prescribe antibiotics to treat viral infections. Often, just to satisfy the patient and not let him leave empty handed. But this practice does not aid the patient. Furthermore, it has most likely harmed the immune system by killing off numbers of the good guys that keep our immune systems in check.

Other ways we increase this resistance is by taking only a portion of prescription. So, if you are given an antibiotic (for a bacterial infection) be sure to finish it.

Although antibiotic use in humans is the biggest contributor of antibiotic resistance, it has been reported that 70% of the antibiotics produced in the USA each year are fed to our livestock (pigs, chickens, and cattle). This information is cause for further concern.

There has been a rapid increase in allergies and asthma in the Westernized countries which correlate with the use of antibiotics. There are those (such as Doug Kaufmann, author of “The Fungus Link”) who believe that there is a direct connection between the increased use of antibiotics and the rise in auto immune diseases.

Quote:
"Antibiotics... may be the single greatest cause of candidiasis." ~ Murray Susser, M.D.


Protect Yourself Against the Flu Vaccine!

The vaccine industry insists that their vaccines against the flu serve as the key to a healthy winter. Although there has not been a serious flu epidemic for 38 years, their vaccines are prescribed to millions of people each year. You may wonder why perfectly healthy people are injected with a normally harmless bug whose strains mutate from year to year? Although flu vaccines can never be accurate, encouraged by their employers, millions of employees submit to a flu jab each year, trying to avoid the loss of working days.

Influenza always starts in the Far East, and then spreads to the West in early winter, reaching its peak during February and March. It may come in either of three types, A, B, or C. During the last several years, type A has been the dominant version. What makes vaccination against the flu so unsuccessful is that the strains of the flu virus are different every year and the so-called protection lasts for only six months. So each autumn you require a new vaccination for a different virus. The trouble is, drug companies have no way of knowing in summer which new strain of the flu virus is going to hit the Western Hemisphere during the winter months. The vaccine producers grow the vaccines, consisting of live viruses, in hen’s eggs, which when injected into the body can cause side effects such as redness and soreness at the injection site and a mild form of flu. Very serious complications arise in people who are taking immune-suppressing drugs or who have a heart condition. If you are allergic to eggs, having a flu-shot may also endanger your health.

For the average healthy person, coming down with the flu is not serious at all. On the contrary, it can build up natural immunity even against future encounters with new strains of the flu virus. The very reason why nature creates these new forms of virus every year and spreads them with accurate timing is to ensure continued ecological balance and strong immunity in plants, animals, and humans alike. Anyone prone to repeated infections is likely to have a toxic liver with many hundreds of stones accumulated in the liver and gallbladder. Gallstones, which harbor many types of infectious bacteria and viruses, are a constant source of immune suppression. Cleansing the liver of all gallstones is about the best prevention against any type of infection. People who have cleansed their liver in this way have reported that they never catch a cold or the flu anymore.

Flu virus vaccines used until 2002 contained “live” viruses and produced so many serious, adverse reactions that new vaccines had to be concocted. The new formula for flu vaccines is called the “subvirion,” which basically is a mutilated virus “blended, spliced and macerated” until just bits and pieces of the original virus are left. This in no way makes the virus less dangerous. In fact, the antigens or foreign proteins in the vaccine, for which the body is forced to produce antibodies against, are still as poisonous and harmful as live virus.
Besides the subvirion, there are plenty of other substances added to the flu vaccine, most of which you would never want to consciously ingest. These include:

* Hemagglutinin antigens that cause clumping of the red blood cells, leading to cardiovascular disease. * The enzyme neuraminidase, which cuts out neuraminic acid from the cell membrane, weakening all of the trillions of cell membranes in the body. * White crystalline substance called allantoin, a toxic animal waste product. Due to its high nitrogen content, allantoin is used as fertilizer; leads to kidneys and bladder stones. * Gentamicin, a broad spectrum antibiotic, is added to each embryonated chicken egg to inhibit the growth of bacteria (vaccine is grown in chicken eggs). * Formaldehyde (carcinogenic), used as a preservative and to inactivate the virus. * The toxic chemicals, tri butylphosphate and Polysorbate 80, USP. * Resin, to eliminate “substantial portions” of tri butylphosphate and Polysorbate 80 * Thimerosal, a mercury derivative, to preserve the vaccine cocktail. * Polyethylene glycol, a relative of ethylene glycol (antifreeze); often used to poison dogs and other predators of sheep. * Isocctylphenyl ether, a compound of ether; has anesthetic properties; a teratogen, causing abnormal prenatal development. It also induces testicular atrophy in animals.

The vaccine producers are unable to guarantee that the vaccine will protect you against the flu. So they carefully tell you that the vaccine “reduces the likelihood of infection; or if you do develop the disease it will be a milder case.” Some express the same uncertainly about their product in this way: “It is known definitely that influenza virus vaccine, as now constituted, is not effective against all possible strains of influenza virus.” Why would you want to entrust your health to a cocktail of poisonous chemicals when even a somewhat weakened immune system stands a far better chance to protect you against harm from a bout of influenza. Our body’s sophisticated immune system, which has evolved over millions of years, can certainly do a better job of protecting you against the flu than anything made-made. All it needs is some basic care taking on your part. With each new flu shot, on the other hand, your immune system becomes more depleted and side-effects become more pronounced and severe. And, you may still get the flu anyway. The following list includes the possible consequences you can expect if you go down the road of vaccination:

The most frequent side effects of vaccination:
* Soreness at the site of the vaccination * Pain or tenderness * Erythema * Inflammation * Skin discoloration * Induration * A mass or lump * Hypersensitivity reactions incl. puritus and urticaria * Fever * Malaise * Myalgia * Arthralgia * Asthenia * Chills * Headache * Lymphadenopathy * Rash * Nausea * Vomiting * Diarrhea * Pharyngitis * Angiopathy * Vasculiltis * Anaphylaxis in asthmatics, with possible death * Anaphylactic shock, with possible death.

Vaccination certainly does not create immunity. You cannot become immune by ingesting poisons that destroy the immune system. Studies by a group of Italian scientists showed that the flu vaccine reduced the occurrence of clinical episodes of influenza by only 6 percent in adults, and effectiveness tended to decrease with age. They concluded that universal immunization wasn't warranted. Stated simply, hand washing and other hygienic and nutritional measures are far superior to the flu vaccine in effectiveness. When cared for hygienically, and by eating nutritious foods and keeping one’s intestines and liver clean, influenza never becomes a deadly disease. Getting vaccinated against the flu, on the other hand, is a sure way to sow the seeds for new illnesses in the body. All vaccines are poisonous, and as such act like time bombs that will explode in due time.

Why People Get the Flu

Flu jabs lower natural immunity by injecting alien and toxic substances directly into the blood stream. No other animal in the world takes recourse t such unnatural, superficial and crude means to defend itself against invading viruses. The normal route of contact with a viral particle is via the lungs. The vast majority of the population has a normal, healthy immune system and is perfectly capable of dealing with the invaders without getting sick. But if the body’s infection fighters have temporarily gone “on strike” for reasons other than the lack of a vaccine, the flu virus can gain unrestricted access into the body and cause an infection.

Regular vaccination (of any kind) is one of the major causes of depleted immunity. The yearly-administered flu jabs burden the immune system and cells of the body with foreign toxic material without giving them a chance to remove them again. The toxic viral particles can remain latent in the cells and gallstones for as long as 20 years; when they emerge they can cause serious cell damage. With each new vaccination the immune system becomes more and more restricted in its effort to neutralize the live virus that suddenly appears in the blood. It may produce antibodies for the virus (although in many cases the immune system fails to do even that), which is finally subdued, but this encounter leaves the host’s immune system unnecessarily tired and weak.

Besides immune damage, vaccines of all kinds produce alterations in genetic material and thereby cause a whole range of malfunctions in the body. Vaccines may even be the cause of the increasing incidence of malignant diseases in children. Mass immunization programs have created such weak immune systems that they are even susceptible to such harmless viruses as the one causing the flu. We may have gone as far as to replace mumps and measles with cancer, leukemia, and Chronic Fatigue Syndrome.

Flu vaccinations are mainly targeted at the older generation and young children. In the United Kingdom, about 10,000 people, most of them are of very advanced age, (supposedly) die from flu-related illnesses. It may, therefore, sound reasonable to vaccinate the older people to protect them against the flu virus. But there is no total protection even among those vaccinated. Around 20 percent or more of the elderly people who get the vaccine still get a more virulent strain of flu, and many others get a lighter form of the flu. The same is true for the people in the same age group who haven’t been immunized. The weak and elderly people are more likely among those who die from the flu, regardless whether they have been immunized or not. The bottom line is that there is no real advantage in having a flu jab. And certainly, given the frailty of so many of the oldest members of society, there is absolutely no reliable way of telling whether the flu or something else may lead to their death. According to several studies released in February 2005 and reported by major news media such as CNN, the death rate in and out of the flu season among the elderly remains unchanged. In a statement commenting on the results of the new research, a CDC spokesman reiterated they still hold the strong belief that vaccinating the elderly and young is necessary. It is scary to entrust the life of millions of adults and children in the hands of people who base their decisions on mere personal belief, instead of on facts. As we have seen with AIDS (chapter 12), statistics can be manipulated in ways that support theories which have only one objective, to keep the medical business going. When a person who is about to die anyway also catches the flu, he will be automatically listed as a flu victim. This statistical deception will justify the use of vaccines in the rest of the elderly population, and the children.

Instead of giving the elderly population vaccines – in the misguided belief that this would take care of them – we could help them much more by improving their general resistance to disease through good diet, social engagements and exercise programs. Many old people don’t have adequate nutrition and suffer from depression; both these factors work as powerful immune suppressants. Others don’t have a warm home or they live alone. Research has shown that these are the major risk factors for illness and death in the older generation. A series of liver cleanses alone can strengthen natural immunity, improve digestion, retard the aging process, restore health, and foremost of all, enhance mental functions. In developing countries, where the elderly play an important role in society, general illness is low, provided there is enough food available. In these countries it is more likely that old people die from malnutrition than from a strain of virus.

There are an increasing number of reports that indicate a worsening of high blood pressure, diabetes, gout, and Parkinson’s disease as well as an increase in all kinds of allergic complaints in adults who regularly receive flu jabs. In 1976 an extensive flu vaccination program in America led to a massive outbreak of Guillain-Barre syndrome, a disease affecting the nervous system. The outbreak, known as the “Great Swine Flue Fiasco,” paralyzed 656 people and 30 elderly persons were found dead within hours after they were vaccinated. Compensation claims were enormous, which helped slowing down the program, but only for a while.

What about the other high-risk group, young children? Japanese researchers have shown that infants under one year of age fail to even generate a good antibody response following the vaccine. There is no point pumping children full with vaccine poisons, except enriching the pharmaceutical companies. Seniors, of course, are one of the core target groups for the flu vaccine program. So every year we're told how older people are particularly vulnerable to the flu. We're also told that government officials are holding their breath over their fear of a devastating flu pandemic. We're even told that about 36,000 people die of flu related complications in the United States each year, and most of those deaths are elderly people. The reality of the matter is quite different, though. How many people do you think died of the flu last year? Less than 175, according to Sherri J. Tenpenny, D.O., an internationally known leader in vaccine research! And yet, the official line propagated by media campaigns is to be prepared for another wave of deadly flu epidemic, killing thousands of people each new season.

The latest scare campaign about a possible bird-flu pandemic that recently swept the mass media and was written about in the a February issue of the New Yorker magazine is not justified, according to most research experts in the field. That 180 million people are projected to die from the bird-flu if it spreads is based on guess work, without any real scientific proof. It is like forecasting the long-awaited massive earthquake in California. At this time, there is no reason to believe that such a pandemic will occur.

In the Name of Prevention

The pharmaceutical companies producing the vaccines seem to have a more powerful effect on the population than the scientists have who invented them. As early as 1980, Dr Albert Sabin, one of the world’s leading virologists and pioneer of the polio vaccine, spoke vehemently against the use of the flu vaccine, claiming that it was unnecessary for over 90 percent of the population. This, however, has not discouraged the vaccination industry to endorse vaccination for all in the name of health and protection against disease.

What makes matters worse is that there has never been a properly controlled clinical trial with the flu vaccine. Because we don’t know anything about it’s its long-term effects, we may be unknowingly producing generations of people with debilitated immune systems and chronic diseases. Flu vaccination is an unproved and unscientific practice and there is nothing in the scientific literature that can certify or guarantee its safety. The most effective way to fight infections, including the flu, is to prevent it. There is no substitute for a health-increasing regimen. Vaccination, on the other hand, offers no real protection. Injecting the body with foreign and poisonous viral material is counterproductive to improving our well being. Dr. John Seal from the American National Institute for Allergies and Infectious Diseases warned that we have to assume that every flu vaccination can cause the Guillain-Barre Syndrome. In this sense, prevention is not better than cure.

Help From Mother Nature

For those who are concerned about the flu and its possible effects, there is a remarkable herbal extract (andrographis paniculata) that has been used for centuries in Ayurvedic (traditional Indian) therapies and traditional Chinese Medicine. It is used to treat everything from isolated cases of the sniffles to full-blown outbreaks of influenza. Apparently, Andrographis is believed to have halted the spread of the 1919 Indian flu pandemic.

There is scientific evidence to support that theory. Researchers at the Universities of Exeter and Plymouth in the UK conducted a survey of medical databases, herbal manufacturer information and World Health Organization reports to select seven studies that met the criteria for double-blind, controlled trials. The combined studies tested the use of andrographis as a treatment for respiratory tract infection in nearly 900 subjects. In all seven of these studies, subjects who took andrographis after the onset of cold symptoms reported faster recovery, compared to subjects who took placeboes or medication.

Researchers concluded that andrographis may be effective in treating "uncomplicated" infection in the upper respiratory tract (throat, sinuses and ears). According to previous laboratory trials andrographis extract doesn't actually kill the organisms that make you sick – at least not directly. Instead, the herbal compound boosts your immune system and stimulates natural antibodies.

Animal research also showed that andrographis may help prevent myocardial ischemia (inadequate blood circulation in the heart caused by coronary artery disease), inhibit the formation of blood clots, lower blood sugar levels in diabetics, lowered systolic blood pressure, and protect the liver against damage.

Kan Jang is a brand of standardized extract of andrographis that has consistently outsold all other cold medications in Scandinavia for 13 years running. The Swedish Herbal Institute, the formulator of Kan Jang, recommends that you take one tablet four times daily to fight colds or the flu. Kan Jang can be purchased at dietary supplement stores and through Internet sites.

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Excerpt from the book Timeless Secrets of Health & Rejuvenation (488 pages, 8/1/2 x 11)
Copyright © 2005 by Andreas Moritz
Andreas Moritz is a medical intuitive, practitioner of Ayurveda, Iridology, Shiatsu and Vibrational Medicine. He has authored four books on health and healing: “The Amazing Liver and Gallbladder Flush”, “Timeless Secrets of Health and Rejuvenation,” “Lifting the Veil of Duality,” and “It’s Time to Come Alive" (all books are available through http://www.ener-chi.com/ or http://www.amazon.com

Andreas also is the artist who created the oil paintings for a new innovative approach to healing through energized art, called Ener-Chi Art. His latest healing tool for clearing emotional blocks and fear is called “Sacred Santèmony – Divine Chanting for Every Occasion.” For more information contact Andreas Moritz, visit his web site http://www.ener-chi.com/ or contact him at tel. 1-864-848-6410, Greer, South Carolina, USA, E-mail andmor@ener-chi.com.

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Andreas_Moritz
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Supplying helpful information for ... True Healthy Living Now!

Thursday, February 10, 2005

Killing Super Bugs (MRSA) Naturally!

Aromatherapy oils 'kill superbug'

Essential oils could kill the deadly MRSA hospital 'superbug', scientists have claimed. University of Manchester researchers found three of the oils, usually used in aromatherapy, destroyed MRSA and E.coli bacteria in two minutes.

They suggest the oils could be blended into soaps and shampoos which could be used in hospitals to stop the spread of the superbug.

Hospital-acquired infections, such as MRSA, kill an estimated 5,000 a year.

The Manchester study was triggered when complementary medicine specialists at Christie Cancer Hospital asked university researchers to test essential oils.

Our research shows a very practical application which could be of enormous benefit to the NHS and its patients Jacqui Stringer, Christie Hospital, Manchester.

They wanted to ensure they could not harm the patients, whose immune systems are weakened by the treatments. Dr Peter Warn, who carried out the research, said: "When I tested the oils in the lab, absolutely nothing grew. Rather than stimulating bacteria and fungi, the oils killed them off."

Soaps and shampoos

The team then tested 40 essential oils against 10 of the most infectious agents found in hospitals, including MRSA (methicillin-resistant staphylococcus aureus).

Two of the oils were found to kill MRSA and E.coli almost instantly, while a third was found to act over a longer period of time.

However, the researchers say they are unable to reveal which oils carry benefits because of commercial sensitivities.

MRSA is often carried in patients' nostrils, and is currently treated by putting disinfectant on the area to kill the bacterium - which many patients often find unpleasant.

Dr Warn says the essential oils could be used to create much more pleasant inhalation therapies - which he said were likely to have a much higher success rate than the current treatment, which is only effective in around 50% of cases."

Dr Warn said: "We believe that our discovery could revolutionise the fight to combat MRSA and other superbugs."

But he said the team now needed around £30,000 in order to continue its research.

Jacqui Stringer, clinical leader of complementary therapies at Christie Hospital in Manchester, instigated the oils research.

She said: "Our research shows a very practical application which could be of enormous benefit to the NHS and its patients. "

The reason essential oils are so effective is because they are made up of a complex mixture of chemical compounds which the MRSA and other superbug bacteria finds difficult to resist."

The Department of Health evaluates products which are claimed to prevent or treat HAIs before it permits them to be used across the NHS.

Story from BBC NEWS:http://news.bbc.co.uk/go/pr/fr/-/2/...lth/4116053.stm

Published: 2004/12/21 17:55:23 GMT©

BBC MMIV


Wednesday, February 09, 2005

A life saved from the Big Pharmaceutical Machine!!!

Recently my 16 year old niece tells me that she has been to the doctor and that tests confirm that she has vasomotor instability. The solution she tells me, is to take 3 ibuprofen, 3 times a day, along with a steroidal medication and some extra salt tablets.

A quick search on the internet offers a different solution.

This was found on mercola.com but its original source is Circulation June 29,1999;99:3234-3240.

The article’s headline reads: Vitamin C Improves Blood Vessels Patients With Coronary Artery Disease.

It appears that there has been a study on vasomotor instability that shows that long term administration of vitamin C reverses this coronary artery disease.

The article went on to say that patients documented with this disease were given a single oral dose of 2 grams of vitamin C or placebo. Those given the vitamin C had improved flow-mediated dilation of the brachial artery as assessed by high-resolution vascular ultrasound 2 hours later. They followed the patients progress, advising them to continue taking 500 mg of vitamin C daily. The effect was sustained among patients who continued taking the daily vitamin C during the 30 day trial period.

Additional information to substantiate this study refers to Circulation October 30, 2001;104 where we learned that French and German researchers found that vitamin C appears to keep cells in the blood vessel wall from dying. And suggests that vitamin C benefits blood vessel function in people with congestive heart failure. Giving further credence to the information supplied above.

This just goes to show you that with just a little investigative work, we can keep ourselves from the clutches of the Pharmaceutical companies. It also, is a wake up call in regards to how much info the doctors do or do not know about natural measures. Is this kind of information being kept from your doctor? And in whose best interest is it to keep this information from you!

Another life saved from the big pharmaceutical machine!