A Simple and Mini Detox for Your Health!

You’ve heard the old saying…Wash your mouth out with soap…but what about Wash your mouth out with Oil. Vegetable oil that is!

Sounds strange?

Well it did to us too…until I tried it. It is practiced in Chinese and Ayurveda medicine to clear toxins and cure disease…

What do you do?

You simply rinse the teeth and gums very thoroughly with a tablespoon of any vegetable oil. For example…sesame seed, almond or olive oil.…and gently move it around your mouth with a sort of sucking or swishing action….for about 15-20 minutes. You can do this up to 3 times a day on an empty stomach. Other practitioners however, believe that the oil should only be left in for 5-minute intervals before spitting. This is to prevent ingesting the toxins back into the body.

When finished, spit out the oil and wash the mouth out with water or brush your teeth. The oil will be thin and milky. It is poisonous with bacteria… so do not swallow it.

There have been many health claims related to this practice. The first sign of improvement is that the teeth will become firm and white.

We‘ve read an account of an Indian fellow whose teeth were loose. It was suggested that he have a full extraction because the rot was too deep. After doing this procedure over a 6-month period of time, his teeth were still intact.

Here’s the theory behind the swish…taken from curezone article:

While sucking the oil, the human salivary glands produce saliva, and with that saliva, the body dumps toxins. During this time, the stomach produces digestive juices, expecting the oil to be swallowed. The liver starts producing bile, expecting the oil to be swallowed. In that bile, the liver dumps heavy metals and some other toxins. Oil sucking will cause a production of bile, and it will increase excretion of bile. That way it will improve digestion, intestinal health, colon health, and prevent constipation.

A few other healing indications mentioned in the articles we read were:

Disappearance of dark pouches below the eyes
More energy
Deep Sleep
Clearing of Psoriasis
Less aches and pains
Better memory

Let us state here that WE are not making claims regarding this procedure but are simply reporting what we have read. However, we did want to include that the information, does acknowledge that reversing many conditions could take anywhere from two days to a year. Adding, that of course this would depend on the condition.

You might consider giving it a try. And if you do, you can discover for yourself whether you find any healthful benefits.

Assisting you in alternative healing... True Healthy Living Now!

Cancer's Sweet Tooth! by Patrick Quillan PHD, RD, CNS

By Patrick Quillin, PHD, RD, CNS
From The April 2000 Issue of Nutrition Science News

During the last 10 years I have worked with more than 500 cancer patients as director of nutrition for Cancer Treatment Centers of America in Tulsa, Okla. It puzzles me why the simple concept "sugar feeds cancer" can be so dramatically overlooked as part of a comprehensive cancer treatment plan.

Of the 4 million cancer patients being treated in America today, hardly any are offered any scientifically guided nutrition therapy beyond being told to "just eat good foods." Most patients I work with arrive with a complete lack of nutritional advice. I believe many cancer patients would have a major improvement in their outcome if they controlled the supply of cancer's preferred fuel, glucose. By slowing the cancer's growth, patients allow their immune systems and medical debulking therapies -- chemotherapy, radiation and surgery to reduce the bulk of the tumor mass -- to catch up to the disease. Controlling one's blood-glucose levels through diet, supplements, exercise, meditation and prescription drugs when necessary can be one of the most crucial components to a cancer recovery program. The sound bite -- sugar feeds cancer -- is simple. The explanation is a little more complex.

The 1931 Nobel laureate in medicine, German Otto Warburg, Ph.D., first discovered that cancer cells have a fundamentally different energy metabolism compared to healthy cells. The crux of his Nobel thesis was that malignant tumors frequently exhibit an increase in anaerobic glycolysis -- a process whereby glucose is used as a fuel by cancer cells with lactic acid as an anaerobic byproduct -- compared to normal tissues.1 The large amount of lactic acid produced by this fermentation of glucose from cancer cells is then transported to the liver. This conversion of glucose to lactate generates a lower, more acidic pH in cancerous tissues as well as overall physical fatigue from lactic acid buildup.2,3 Thus, larger tumors tend to exhibit a more acidic pH.4

This inefficient pathway for energy metabolism yields only 2 moles of adenosine triphosphate (ATP) energy per mole of glucose, compared to 38 moles of ATP in the complete aerobic oxidation of glucose. By extracting only about 5 percent (2 vs. 38 moles of ATP) of the available energy in the food supply and the body's calorie stores, the cancer is "wasting" energy, and the patient becomes tired and undernourished. This vicious cycle increases body wasting.5 It is one reason why 40 percent of cancer patients die from malnutrition, or cachexia.6

Hence, cancer therapies should encompass regulating blood-glucose levels via diet, supplements, non-oral solutions for cachectic patients who lose their appetite, medication, exercise, gradual weight loss and stress reduction. Professional guidance and patient self-discipline are crucial at this point in the cancer process. The quest is not to eliminate sugars or carbohydrates from the diet but rather to control blood glucose within a narrow range to help starve the cancer and bolster immune function.

The glycemic index is a measure of how a given food affects blood-glucose levels, with each food assigned a numbered rating. The lower the rating, the slower the digestion and absorption process, which provides a healthier, more gradual infusion of sugars into the bloodstream. Conversely, a high rating means blood-glucose levels are increased quickly, which stimulates the pancreas to secrete insulin to drop blood-sugar levels. This rapid fluctuation of blood-sugar levels is unhealthy because of the stress it places on the body (see glycemic index chart, p. 166).

Sugar in the Body and Diet
Sugar is a generic term used to identify simple carbohydrates, which includes monosaccharides such as fructose, glucose and galactose; and disaccharides such as maltose and sucrose (white table sugar). Think of these sugars as different-shaped bricks in a wall. When fructose is the primary monosaccharide brick in the wall, the glycemic index registers as healthier, since this simple sugar is slowly absorbed in the gut, then converted to glucose in the liver. This makes for "time-release foods," which offer a more gradual rise and fall in blood-glucose levels. If glucose is the primary monosaccharide brick in the wall, the glycemic index will be higher and less healthy for the individual. As the brick wall is torn apart in digestion, the glucose is pumped across the intestinal wall directly into the bloodstream, rapidly raising blood-glucose levels. In other words, there is a "window of efficacy" for glucose in the blood: levels too low make one feel lethargic and can create clinical hypoglycemia; levels too high start creating the rippling effect of diabetic health problems.

The 1997 American Diabetes Association blood-glucose standards consider 126 mg glucose/dL blood or greater to be diabetic; 126 mg/dL is impaired glucose tolerance and less than 110 mg/dL is considered normal. Meanwhile, the Paleolithic diet of our ancestors, which consisted of lean meats, vegetables and small amounts of whole grains, nuts, seeds and fruits, is estimated to have generated blood glucose levels between 60 and 90 mg/dL.7 Obviously, today's high-sugar diets are having unhealthy effects as far as blood-sugar is concerned. Excess blood glucose may initiate yeast overgrowth, blood vessel deterioration, heart disease and other health conditions.8

Understanding and using the glycemic index is an important aspect of diet modification for cancer patients. However, there is also evidence that sugars may feed cancer more efficiently than starches (comprised of long chains of simple sugars), making the index slightly misleading. A study of rats fed diets with equal calories from sugars and starches, for example, found the animals on the high-sugar diet developed more cases of breast cancer.9 The glycemic index is a useful tool in guiding the cancer patient toward a healthier diet, but it is not infallible. By using the glycemic index alone, one could be led to thinking a cup of white sugar is healthier than a baked potato. This is because the glycemic index rating of a sugary food may be lower than that of a starchy food. To be safe, I recommend less fruit, more vegetables, and little to no refined sugars in the diet of cancer patients.

What the Literature Says
A mouse model of human breast cancer demonstrated that tumors are sensitive to blood-glucose levels. Sixty-eight mice were injected with an aggressive strain of breast cancer, then fed diets to induce either high blood-sugar (hyperglycemia), normoglycemia or low blood-sugar (hypoglycemia). There was a dose-dependent response in which the lower the blood glucose, the greater the survival rate. After 70 days, 8 of 24 hyperglycemic mice survived compared to 16 of 24 normoglycemic and 19 of 20 hypoglycemic.10 This suggests that regulating sugar intake is key to slowing breast tumor growth (see chart, p. 164).

In a human study, 10 healthy people were assessed for fasting blood-glucose levels and the phagocytic index of neutrophils, which measures immune-cell ability to envelop and destroy invaders such as cancer. Eating 100 g carbohydrates from glucose, sucrose, honey and orange juice all significantly decreased the capacity of neutrophils to engulf bacteria. Starch did not have this effect.11

A four-year study at the National Institute of Public Health and Environmental Protection in the Netherlands compared 111 biliary tract cancer patients with 480 controls. Cancer risk associated with the intake of sugars, independent of other energy sources, more than doubled for the cancer patients.12 Furthermore, an epidemiological study in 21 modern countries that keep track of morbidity and mortality (Europe, North America, Japan and others) revealed that sugar intake is a strong risk factor that contributes to higher breast cancer rates, particularly in older women.13

Limiting sugar consumption may not be the only line of defense. In fact, an interesting botanical extract from the avocado plant (Persea americana) is showing promise as a new cancer adjunct. When a purified avocado extract called mannoheptulose was added to a number of tumor cell lines tested in vitro by researchers in the Department of Biochemistry at Oxford University in Britain, they found it inhibited tumor cell glucose uptake by 25 to 75 percent, and it inhibited the enzyme glucokinase responsible for glycolysis. It also inhibited the growth rate of the cultured tumor cell lines. The same researchers gave lab animals a 1.7 mg/g body weight dose of mannoheptulose for five days; it reduced tumors by 65 to 79 percent.14 Based on these studies, there is good reason to believe that avocado extract could help cancer patients by limiting glucose to the tumor cells.

Since cancer cells derive most of their energy from anaerobic glycolysis, Joseph Gold, M.D., director of the Syracuse (N.Y.) Cancer Research Institute and former U.S. Air Force research physician, surmised that a chemical called hydrazine sulfate, used in rocket fuel, could inhibit the excessive gluconeogenesis (making sugar from amino acids) that occurs in cachectic cancer patients. Gold's work demonstrated hydrazine sulfate's ability to slow and reverse cachexia in advanced cancer patients. A placebo-controlled trial followed 101 cancer patients taking either 6 mg hydrazine sulfate three times/day or placebo. After one month, 83 percent of hydrazine sulfate patients increased their weight, compared to 53 percent on placebo.15 A similar study by the same principal researchers, partly funded by the National Cancer Institute in Bethesda, Md., followed 65 patients. Those who took hydrazine sulfate and were in good physical condition before the study began lived an average of 17 weeks longer.16

In 1990, I called the major cancer hospitals in the country looking for some information on the crucial role of total parenteral nutrition (TPN) in cancer patients. Some 40 percent of cancer patients die from cachexia.5 Yet many starving cancer patients are offered either no nutritional support or the standard TPN solution developed for intensive care units. The solution provides 70 percent of the calories going into the bloodstream in the form of glucose. All too often, I believe, these high-glucose solutions for cachectic cancer patients do not help as much as would TPN solutions with lower levels of glucose and higher levels of amino acids and lipids. These solutions would allow the patient to build strength and would not feed the tumor.17

The medical establishment may be missing the connection between sugar and its role in tumorigenesis. Consider the million-dollar positive emission tomography device, or PET scan, regarded as one of the ultimate cancer-detection tools. PET scans use radioactively labeled glucose to detect sugar-hungry tumor cells. PET scans are used to plot the progress of cancer patients and to assess whether present protocols are effective.18

In Europe, the "sugar feeds cancer" concept is so well accepted that oncologists, or cancer doctors, use the Systemic Cancer Multistep Therapy (SCMT) protocol. Conceived by Manfred von Ardenne in Germany in 1965, SCMT entails injecting patients with glucose to increase blood-glucose concentrations. This lowers pH values in cancer tissues via lactic acid formation. In turn, this intensifies the thermal sensitivity of the malignant tumors and also induces rapid growth of the cancer. Patients are then given whole-body hyperthermia (42 C core temperature) to further stress the cancer cells, followed by chemotherapy or radiation.19 SCMT was tested on 103 patients with metastasized cancer or recurrent primary tumors in a clinical phase-I study at the Von Ardenne Institute of Applied Medical Research in Dresden, Germany. Five-year survival rates in SCMT-treated patients increased by 25 to 50 percent, and the complete rate of tumor regression increased by 30 to 50 percent.20 The protocol induces rapid growth of the cancer, then treats the tumor with toxic therapies for a dramatic improvement in outcome.

The irrefutable role of glucose in the growth and metastasis of cancer cells can enhance many therapies. Some of these include diets designed with the glycemic index in mind to regulate increases in blood glucose, hence selectively starving the cancer cells; low-glucose TPN solutions; avocado extract to inhibit glucose uptake in cancer cells; hydrazine sulfate to inhibit gluconeogenesis in cancer cells; and SCMT.

A female patient in her 50s, with lung cancer, came to our clinic, having been given a death sentence by her Florida oncologist. She was cooperative and understood the connection between nutrition and cancer. She changed her diet considerably, leaving out 90 percent of the sugar she used to eat. She found that wheat bread and oat cereal now had their own wild sweetness, even without added sugar. With appropriately restrained medical therapy -- including high-dose radiation targeted to tumor sites and fractionated chemotherapy, a technique that distributes the normal one large weekly chemo dose into a 60-hour infusion lasting days -- a good attitude and an optimal nutrition program, she beat her terminal lung cancer. I saw her the other day, five years later and still disease-free, probably looking better than the doctor who told her there was no hope.

Patrick Quillin, Ph.D., R.D., C.N.S., is director of nutrition for Cancer Treatment Centers of America in Tulsa, Okla., and author of Beating Cancer With Nutrition (Nutrition Times Press, 1998).

---

References

1. Warburg O. On the origin of cancer cells. Science 1956 Feb;123:309-14.

2. Volk T, et al. pH in human tumor xenografts: effect of intravenous administration of glucose. Br J Cancer 1993 Sep;68(3):492-500.

3.Digirolamo M. Diet and cancer: markers, prevention and treatment. New York: Plenum Press; 1994. p 203.

4. Leeper DB, et al. Effect of i.v. glucose versus combined i.v. plus oral glucose on human tumor extracellular pH for potential sensitization to thermoradiotherapy. Int J Hyperthermia 1998 May-Jun;14(3):257-69.

5. Rossi-Fanelli F, et al. Abnormal substrate metabolism and nutritional strategies in cancer management. JPEN J Parenter Enteral Nutr 1991 Nov-Dec;15(6):680-3.

6. Grant JP. Proper use and recognized role of TPN in the cancer patient. Nutrition 1990 Jul-Aug;6(4 Suppl):6S-7S, 10S.

7. Brand-Miller J, et al. The glucose revolution. Newport (RI) Marlowe and Co.; 1999.

8. Mooradian AD, et al. Glucotoxicity: potential mechanisms. Clin Geriatr Med 1999 May;15(2):255.

9. Hoehn, SK, et al. Complex versus simple carbohydrates and mammary tumors in mice. Nutr Cancer 1979;1(3):27.

10. Santisteban GA, et al. Glycemic modulation of tumor tolerance in a mouse model of breast cancer. Biochem Biophys Res Commun 1985 Nov 15;132(3):1174-9.

11. Sanchez A, et al. Role of sugars in human neutrophilic phagocytosis. Am J Clin Nutr 1973 Nov;26(11):1180-4.

12. Moerman CJ, et al. Dietary sugar intake in the aetiology of biliary tract cancer. Int J Epidemiol 1993 Apr;22(2):207-14.

13. Seeley S. Diet and breast cancer: the possible connection with sugar consumption. Med Hypotheses 1983 Jul;11(3):319-27.

14. Board M, et al. High Km glucose-phosphorylating (glucokinase) activities in a range of tumor cell lines and inhibition of rates of tumor growth by the specific enzyme inhibitor mannoheptulose. Cancer Res 1995 Aug 1;55(15):3278-85.

15. Chlebowski RT, et al. Hydrazine sulfate in cancer patients with weight loss. A placebo-controlled clinical experience. Cancer 1987 Feb 1;59(3):406-10.

16. Chlebowski RT, et al. Hydrazine sulfate influence on nutritional status and survival in non-small-cell lung cancer. J Clin Oncol 1990 Jan;8(1):9-15.

17. American College of Physicians. Parenteral nutrition in patients receiving cancer chemotherapy. Ann Intern Med 1989 May;110(9):734.

18. Gatenby RA. Potential role of FDG-PET imaging in understanding tumor-host interaction. J Nucl Med 1995 May;36(5):893-9.

19. von Ardenne M. Principles and concept 1993 of the Systemic Cancer Multistep Therapy (SCMT). Extreme whole-body hyperthermia using the infrared-A technique IRATHERM 2000 -- selective thermosensitisation by hyperglycemia -- circulatory back-up by adapted hyperoxemia. Strahlenther Onkol 1994 Oct;170(10):581-9.

20. Steinhausen D, et al. Evaluation of systemic tolerance of 42.0 degrees C infrared-A whole-body hyperthermia in combination with hyperglycemia and hyperoxemia. A Phase-I study. Strahlenther Onkol 1994 Jun;170(6):322-34.

The Link Between Nutrition and Cancer

© Patrick Quillin Ph.D., R.D.
(Excerpted from Beating Cancer with Nutrition: Clinically Proven and Easy-To-Follow Strategies to Dramatically Improve Quality and Quantity of Life)

Antioxidants! What are they and what do they do?

Just what are antioxidants…and what do they do?

Antioxidants act as cell protectors, and are believed to help protect the body from free-radical damage. In order to fully understand this mechanism we would need a brief refresher course in Physiology/Chemistry 101 ... well skip that here :-).

Just to sum it up, antioxidants help to prevent cell tissue damage that has been linked to disease and aging. They do this by donating one of their own electrons to neutralize damage to cells by free radicals. This ends the electron-stealing reaction because antioxidants themselves are stable with or without this electron.

Eating a balanced diet and getting 5-8 servings of fruits and vegetables per day is an excellent start to ensure an adequate intake of antioxidants. A few of the better-known antioxidants include carotenoids--the substance that gives fruits and vegetables their deep rich colors. Apricots, broccoli, pumpkin, cantaloupes, spinach, carrots, red bell peppers, and sweet potatoes, are some good choices in addition to lycopene in tomatoes.

Other examples of antioxidants include, Vitamin C, E, A (which is converted from beta-carotene), and selenium (a mineral).

Vitamin C - The most abundant water-soluble antioxidant in the body. Acts primarily in cellular fluid. It also helps return vitamin E to its active form. Present in citrus fruits and juices, green peppers, cabbage, spinach, broccoli, kale, cantaloupe, kiwi, and strawberries.

Vitamin E - d-alpha tocopherol. The most abundant fat-soluble antioxidant in the body.Primary defender against oxidation. Present in nuts, seeds, vegetable and fish oils, whole grains (esp. wheat germ), fortified cereals, and apricots.

Vitamin A - (Beta-carotene is converted to vitamin A (retinol) by the body) The body will only convert as much vitamin A from beta-carotene that it needs, which makes this a safe source of vitamin A. However, be careful of supplementing with Vitamin A. Too much via supplementation can be toxic.

Selenium - A trace mineral and a proven antioxidant. The most concentrated food source is in the Brazil nut, which contains about 120 mcg. Seafood and poultry are also good sources, as are grains…especially oats and brown rice. But the amount of selenium in foods depends on how much was in the soil to begin with. With the mineral depletion in the soil today, it is unlikely that you will get too much in your food.

Adding a rich source of antioxidant foods into your diet will help protect your body from the long-term and cumulative effects of free radical damage. Antioxidants have been shown to protect the body from diseases like cancer, heart disease, stroke, and Alzheimer's disease.

Sea Salt ... A Healthy Alternative!

We’ve all heard that salt is bad for you. But actually salt is essential to living a healthy life. What many do not realize is that there is refined table salt and there is Sea Salt. They are completely different.

Regular refined table salt is an unnatural substance striped of its valuable nutrients and is about 97.5 % sodium chloride. Sea Salt that has not been unrefined is pinkish or gray in color, moist and full of important minerals such as magnesium, potassium, calcium, sodium, sulfur, iron, zinc, copper etc. It’s a natural salt source of twenty one essential minerals and many more lesser elements. This makes Sea Salt much better for you than regular salt. And you need salt to make hydrochloric acid which helps you digest proteins.

It was Linus Pauling, Ph.D. (Two time Nobel Prize Winner) who said: “You can trace every sickness, every disease, and every ailment to a mineral deficiency.”

Your body can not make minerals therefore it’s important to get your mineral needs met in someway. Using Sea Salt is just one tool to help you meet this need. And using natural salt is as old as human history. Salt was even a major source of exchange in the distant past because it was seen as such a precious commodity.

Since we are going to use salt in our diet anyway, maybe its time to get rid of the over processed refined variety and try SEA SALT! There ARE health benefits!

Co Q 10 for a Healthy Heart

Coenzyme Q10 (also known as Co-Q10, Vitamin Q or ubiquinone) is a compound that is made naturally in the body. It is also found in all living organisms and most foods contain traces of it as well. The highest amounts are found in the heart, liver, kidneys, and pancreas, with the lowest amounts found in the lungs. It is needed for the proper functioning of enzymes (thus the reason for the name "coenzyme") that are necessary for chemical reactions throughout the body. Coenzymes are a sort of energy sparking catalyst for the cells of the body.

Our bodies could not survive without energy producing Co-Q 10. It’s a necessary nutrient needed for the proper functioning of every cell. Without it we would not have enough cellular energy to fuel the physiological reactions we need to survive. As a powerful antioxidant, it also protects the body from free radical damage that can damage important parts of the cell. Several small studies have even shown a benefit for some cancers, possible because of its immune enhancing effects.

The heart requires the most Co-Q 10, calling for a constant supply of energy to pump blood throughout the body. Numerous studies have shown that Co-Q10 can support the cardiovascular system when dealing with such issues as mitral valve prolapse, hypertension, cardiomyopathy, irregular heartbeat, angina and high blood pressure.

Since Coenzyme Q 10 assists the body on a cellular level, sufficient stores of this nutrient are needed to fight off illnesses such as chronic fatigue, fibromyalgia, and Parkinson’s disease. Having enough Co Q 10 ensures that you can retain proper muscle function and overall stamina.

This important nutrient is easily depleted by stress, age, illness, exercise, and some drugs. Along with blocking the liver mechanism that manufactures cholesterol, cholesterol-lowering drugs, like Lipitor, Zocor and Pravachol (also known as statins) block the production of coenzyme Q 10. Other drugs such as antidepressants and beta blockers also deplete this important nutrient.

Co Q 10 is essential for the functioning of every cell in our bodies. Again, without it we could not survive. When it drops, so does our cardiovascular health, our immunity and general health. When Co- Q10 levels are boosted, so is our immune systems response. Therefore, taking a look at Co Q 10 may assist you in reversing cardiovascular disease, symptoms of fatigue or generally in enhancing the immune system and fending off disease.

Olive Leaf ... An Immune Enhancing Herb!

Olive Leaf…has to be our favorite…herb…The Grand daddy of them all.

A natural anti microbial….which supports the immune system in controlling viruses, fungi, bacteria, and some parasites.

We first learned of the benefits of Olive leaf in relation to fighting fungus/yeast in the body…via Doug Kaufmann…the first host of the TV show “Your Health”

We have used it for several years now…as a preventative and immune modulator, to fight off flu like symptoms, sinus infections, yeast overgrow, and have mixed it with water to make skin salves.

It is important to keep our immune system functioning at optimal levels…which in turn protects us from disease…It is the active ingredient in olive leaf extract called oleuropein, that has been shown to assist the body in this immune defense.

When our body is over-burdened with some form of pathogen…be it a virus, fungi, yeast, bacteria, or parasite, our immune system will suffer because of it…and this can lead to serious illness… Olive leaf offers a powerful alternative to conventional antibiotics for many infectious diseases. This is especially beneficial in light of the ever evolving antibiotic-resistant microorganisms.

The only known side effect of taking Olive Leaf is the possibility of a Herxheimer reaction. Herxheimer is a (beneficial) flu like response which signals that the Olive leaf is working and killing off germs… This response, which generally lasts only a few days, can be adjusted by lowering the dose. This allows the body time to process the die off of these germs and the toxins they produce.

So whether your wanting to combat yeast overgrowth, build the immune system or simply fight off an infection…it may be helpful to take a look at Olive Leaf Extract.

Milk Thistle...For A Healthy Liver

We live in a toxic world, no one can dispute that. But it’s our liver that takes a great majority of the burden. And the stresses to the liver are caused by more than just the chemical pollutants in the air. There are those in our food, in the pharmaceutical drugs that we take and even second hand smoke.

But the liver has more to do than just filter poisons out of our body. In order for us to remain healthy our liver also performs (but is not limited to) the following functions:

Blood detoxification and purification
Metabolism of fats, proteins, and carbohydrates
Bile production and excretion
Enzyme activation
Excretion of bilirubin, cholesterol, hormones, and drugs

Care of the liver is key to TOTAL BODY HEALTH!

One way that we can assist the liver and gain health is by taking Milk Thistle…also known by it’s botanical name, Silybum marianum, or by its 3 main active compounds collectively known as silymarin.

Milk Thistle is an herb with an ability to defend and rebuild the liver. It is considered by many to be the best product for liver detoxification, protection and regeneration. Its active compounds silymarin is ten times more potent as an antioxidant, than Vitamin E. This makes this powerful antioxidant helpful in preventing free radical damage throughout the body, but especially in the liver, stomach, and intestines.

This cleansing and fortifying herb assists the liver in in part, by preventing the reduction of glutathione. In fact studies show that Milk Thistle actually increases glutathione levels significantly and it is the glutathione, an amino-acid like compound that is critical to neutralizing toxins.

There are now 137 scientific studies on pubmed, heralding the benefits of Milk Thistle. If you need more proof…check here for the studies http://www.pubmed.com/

When purchasing Milk Thistle, it is important that you choose a standardized product which contains a minimum of 70% to 80% silymarin in each dose. This would ensure that a significant amount would reach the bloodstream and eventually reach the liver, giving you the full therapeutic benefits.

So if you are feeling sluggish, or suspect your liver needs a bit of help, you might take a look at an amazing herb called Milk Thistle!

Noni! A Natural Wonder!

The Polynesians have used Noni as a tonic for over 2000 years. Noni is reported to have immune enhancing effects, has been shown to help regulate blood pressure and blood sugar, relieve pain, and inflammation, reduce tumor activity, as well as help with many other conditions. We have learned that it is beneficial to the central nervous system and aids injured muscles, bones, and tissue.

Noni has been researched extensively by scientists since the 1950’s by leading institutions in Hawaii, Ireland, France, the Netherlands and more. Leading researchers to respect Noni’s healing properties.

We first heard of Noni (morinda citrifolia) on TV and became interested after hearing Dr. Richard Becker of (Your Health) say that it is perported to be 75% as affective as Morphine for pain. A cox 2 inhibitor without side effects…WOW what a claim!

I had been having muscle and joint pain while withdrawing from antidepressants. These Fibromyalgia like symptoms are common in withdrawal. So I thought I’d take a shot at it.
What I noticed is RELIEF!

As I’ve written before…your central nervous system can be affected from withdrawal for at least a year to a year and a half. I started having the muscle pain almost immediately after withdrawing, so I thought…why not try it?

It takes a couple of weeks for a real benefit but it does work! It’s amazing that at first you do not notice that anything has happened. Except that you are not in pain. And what is the general response to this revelation! For me it was...I must be well…it wasn’t the NONI!
So I stopped using it and the pain returned.

I’ve used approximately 12 (32oz ) bottles of pure Noni since withdrawing from antidepressants. It has helped me immensely, in ways I‘m sure I‘m not even aware of at this time. But, taking NONI has made me a believer in it’s pain and inflammation relieving capabilities.

When purchasing…make sure it is PURE Noni!

Some distributors add grape and other juices to their Noni to sweeten it, but you’re getting sugar and less Noni. While their may be some benefit to these products even though they are diluted, I prefer pure Noni and believe I get a greater benefit from it than I do a diluted version of the product.

If you are in pain, have inflammation, or want to increase your immune system. You may want to try Noni. It has made a believer out of me!

The Truth about Eye Health!

Ophthalmology was the topic today on a show called "OUR HEALTH"...with Dr. Richard Becker (on Family Net). His guest was Dr. Marc Rose, a practicing Ophthalmologist who has written a book called "SAVE YOUR SIGHT" which covers Macular Degeneration and other types of eye disease.

Some of the causes of eye disease that the doctor mentioned was poor circulation, lack of oxygen, macro/micro nutrients, antioxidants, essential fatty acids and protein. These deficiencies lead to inflammation, and chronic disease.

He said that prescription drugs can definately effect eye health. The over the counter drug Tylenol, was one of the worst offenders. These drugs deplete glutathoine (an amino-acid like compound that is critical to neutralizing toxins) and that this depletion, is directly connected to eye disease.

Today, with all the toxins in the environment, it’s a constant battle to avoid bad health, and bad eye health. It takes total dedication to proper diet, exercise and prayer to retain or regain healthy eyes and body.

Some of the most important supplements mentioned to support healthy eyes, were CO-Q10, ALPHA-LIPOIC ACID, L-CARNTINE and B-VITAMINS.

He also said that it is imperative that we get large daily quantities of colorful fruits and vegetables loaded with enzymes and antioxidants. Eliminating sugar was a must as well. A daily intake of FISH OIL is very important for the eyes as well as the rest of our body. He recommended that everyone take 4000mg’s daily.

He cautioned us, however to understand that here is no magic bullet. We must get back to basics and take charge of our own health. Health wise, 70% of what happens to us, is up to us. We can only blame our father for 15% and our mother for 15%. GOD gave us free will… So it’s up to us to make the right choices.

Quotes from Doctors!

"Drugs never cure disease. They merely hush the voice of nature's protest, and pull down the danger signals she erects along the pathway of transgression. Any poison taken into the system has to be reckoned with later on even though it palliates present symptoms. Pain may disappear, but the patient is left in a worse condition, though unconscious of it at the time."
~Daniel. H. Kress, M.D.

"The thing that bugs me is that the people think the FDA is protecting them. It isn't. What the FDA is doing and what the public thinks it is doing are as different as night and day."
~Dr. Herbert Ley, former FDA commissioner, 1970

"Our physical bodies are made up of [foods]. Therefore, it's logical to expect that if something is wrong with our bodies, proper manipulation of the elements of which they are made will be a major factor in reestablishing health."
~ Jonathan Wright, M.D

"There is nothing in conventional medicine today that treats chronic degenerative conditions as successfully as holistic therapies."
~Joanne Stefanatos, D.V.M.

"We are prone to thinking of drug abuse in terms of the male population and illicit drugs such as heroin, cocaine, and marijuana. It may surprise you to learn that a greater problem exists with millions of women dependent on legal prescription drugs."
~Robert Mendelsohn, M.D.

“What hope is there for medical science to ever become a true science when the entire structure of medical knowledge is built around the idea that there is an entity called disease which can be expelled when the right drug is found?"
~ John H. Tilden, M.D

"Even if conventional medicine tells you that your condition is incurable or that your only option is to live a life dependent on drugs with troublesome side effects, there is hope for improving or reversing your condition."
~ Leon Chaitow, N.D., D.O

“The cause of most disease is in the poisonous drugs physicians superstitiously give in order to effect a cure."
~Charles E. Page, M.D.

"Every drug increases and complicates the patients condition."
~ Robert Henderson, M.D.

"Every educated physician knows that most diseases are not appreciably helped by medicine."
~Richard C. Cabot, M.D. (Mass. Gen. Hospital)

“One-quarter of what you eat keeps you alive. The other three-quarters keeps your doctor alive.”
(Hieroglyph found in an ancient Egyptian tomb.)

"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."
~ Thomas Edison

"Let thy food be thy medicine, and thy medicine be thy food."
~ Hippocrates, the Father of Modern Medicine

"All diseases are curable, but not all people!"
~ Unknown

NEED WE SAY MORE!

Corn Syrup - A Dietary Staple?

High fructose corn syrup (also known as levulose and fruit sugar) is as bad for the body as Sucrose (table sugar) and sugar in one form or another has become a staple in the American diet. Of course we all have the occasional indulgence, a snack at the movies, a doughnut or piece of cake. But in recent decades we have become a nation, whose individual consumption of sugar averages some 140 lbs a year.

In the 1970’s HFCS was discovered to be cheaper to make and sweeter than table sugar (processed fructose is 20 times sweeter). Since that time HFCS and sugar in general has become a corner stone of the American Diet.

High fructose corn syrup is made from cornstarch and is used to sweeten many common and frequently consumed products, like fruit juices, canned fruits, cookies, baked goods, and dairy products. It is also the only caloric sweetener used in one of the most consumed products in modern times…Soft Drinks.

Fructose has no vitamins, minerals or enzymes so it takes micronutrients from the body while it assimilates itself for use. Of course fresh fruit contains natural fructose, but fruit also contains the nutrients that are needed to be assimilated in the body.

Again, the occasional indulgence is understandable…but since sugar is an immune suppressant, has no nutritional value, and stimulates the appetite…it is best to limit it.

Eating Healthy is Difficult!

In today’s society it is extremely difficult to eat healthy. Even those with the money and time to do so, are still probably are not getting the nutrients that they should.

You can eat organic fruits and vegetables if you can afford it or clean your food with a natural cleanser, but there are no guarantee‘s there. And then there is the depletion of the soil. Although we need 76 minerals daily for our bodies to function properly. Only nitrogen, phosphorous, and potassium commonly replaced in our soil today.

Cattle and chickens are injected with hormones and antibiotics, and are fed grain. This of course is not their standard diet and grain can often be contaminated with fungus. So, unless you can afford to eat grass fed beef and poultry etc, that are not injected with these poisons then you are not getting the correct level of nutrients there either.

We all know that fish has a potential for mercury contamination. And eating farm raised fish have been linked with contamination as well. Farm raised fish are also fed grain.

Then we have processed foods, devoid of any real nutrients, hydrogenated fats, excessive use of sugar, caffeine, artificial preservatives and colors. Trying to avoid all of this can really be difficult.

Of course we are occasionally going to indulge in these foods. Who can keep from it really. Since they are often times our only option in some settings, especially when we are on the go.

Anyway, my point is that we are bombarded with things in this environment, which taxes our natural systems. And yes, we can be diligent. But I personally don't even think that is enough.

Therefore we choose to take a food source vitamin, mineral supplement, and probiotics along with changing our diet to one that is higher in more natural healthy foods and less of the man made processed variety. Starting to do these small things along with exercising, drinking lots of clean water and other healthy habits are just some of the things we can do to regain our health.