Natural Health Remedies

Natural Health Remedies

For Your Body and Mind

Margie Garrison

"The Arthritis Lady"

The information contained on this site is not presented by a medical practitioner and is for educational and informational purposes only. The content is not intended to be a substitute for professional medical advice, diagnosis, or treatment. Always seek the advice of your physician or other qualified health provider with any questions you may have regarding a medical condition. Never disregard professional medical advice or delay in seeking it because of something you have read.

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Articles For January 2009

January 29, 2009

January 22, 2009

January 15, 2009

January 8, 2009

January 1, 2009

"Amazing Secrets To Fantastic Health"

Alternative Health Newsletter

Quitting Smoking

Smoking cigarettes is one of the leading causes of death in the United States every year, and has historically been one of the worst public health problems on record. Most of us understand the risks involved with smoking - heart disease, lung cancer and many other terminal conditions that can all be traced directly to smoking.

Even most people who continue to smoke understand the risks involved, but their addiction to nicotine, one of the active ingredients in tobacco products, leads them to continue smoking regardless.

Beware of side effects of stop smoking aides

Example: Chantix

In May of 2006, Pfizer received approval from the FDA to release a drug called Chantix, which was designed to chemically 'trick' the nicotine receptor cells in the brain to think that it was getting its 'fix' when in fact it was receiving a medication designed to prevent nicotine from binding with those same cells in the future. People who took Chantix were supposed to get the same temporary feeling of pleasure that they got from ingesting nicotine.

Given the reality that it was sometimes physically and psychologically impossible to persuade people to quit smoking, research and development departments at several different companies began to dedicate resources to finding a medication that would help people stop smoking and thereby save thousands of lives.

February 1, 2008 FDA issues warning and health advisory on Chantix.

The FDA has issued a warning to consumers and medical professionals about the use of Chantix indicating "It appears increasingly likely that there may be an association between Chantix and serious neuropsychiatric symptoms."

The warning follows the growing concern by public watchdog and protection groups of the safety of Chantix due to its reported links to suicidal thoughts and behavior. Chantix is a non-nicotine stop smoking prescription drug made by Pfizer. Approved in 2006 by the FDA because of its performance during clinical trials, Chantix eases the withdrawal by providing nicotine like effects and also by blocking the effects of nicotine if the person starts smoking again.

The FDA in its warning stated that people should report any history of psychiatric illness before they start using Chantix, as well as asking patients, their families and doctors to closely watch for any changes in behavior or moods while using and after using Chantix.

**********

May 22, 2008: FAA Bans use of Chantix:

The Federal Aviation Administration today banned both pilots and air traffic controllers from using an anti-smoking drug called Chantix, after a medical group warned that the medication had apparently contributed to auto accidents and other mishaps that posed risks to both users and others.

**********

The most common side effects of CHANTIX include:

nausea (30%)
sleep problems (trouble sleeping, or vivid, unusual, or strange dreams)
constipation
gas
vomiting

Other side effects of Chantix may include:

Sjs - Stevens Johnson Syndrome is an extremely rare disorder characterized by a severe skin reaction to medication
Liver damage and failure
Heart and cardiac problems
Death or serious injury accidents
Suicides

My Miracle Story!

By, Esther Kiss

Attention all sufferers!

When you give your body the mineral and vitamins it is lacking, it has a wonderful ability to heal itself!

I am a 31-year-old wife and mother with degenerative psoriatic arthritis. I still have many talents, gifts and possibilities to discover, and I have NEVER been able to resign myself to the thought that I would never live life fully the way I intended to.

HOW IT ALL STARTED

My psoriatic arthritis first appeared at age 19, and its severity increased to the point where I felt as if various joints--especially in my feet--were on fire. Many joints became damaged and deformed from the aggressive inflammation, my low blood sugar episodes increased in severity, and my energy level and endurance decreased alarmingly. As well, I suffered from mild depression, and my PMS became increasingly more severe and long lasting.

After a particularly bad arthritis attack, I was prescribed VIOXX by my family doctor.

Since the VIOXX restored me to some normal function and helped to prevent burning pain and inflammation for about 20 hours of the day, I stayed on this drug for over 3 years. At about the second year, however, I started to wonder what it was doing to me long-term (I had lost about 20 pounds off my 5'8", 148-pound frame immediately after starting to use it). I began to think there must be a better way!

THE JOURNEY

I found out about a brand-new organic milk protein joint supplement called FluidJoint. After two weeks of using FluidJoint, I was able to throw out my VIOXX medication.

Later, I found that by adding a combination of top-quality Melaleuca vitamins and a handful of individual minerals and vitamins recommended by a naturopathic doctor, I could experience more improvement in my quality of life. However, despite all these supplements, too often I was still limping through life. The FluidJoint's effects would wear off an hour or two before I was due to take the next dose, and I was beginning to increasingly struggle with low blood sugar, low energy, and low endurance. I needed a better way!

A BETTER WAY…

I subscribe to a natural health newsletter from Margie Garrison, who suffered for 43 years before discovering how to defeat its debilitating effects. Under a naturopathic doctor's direction, she cleansed her body of toxins by fasting for almost two weeks. Then she eliminated certain foods from her diet. She experienced such improvement that she began to tell everyone possible about this new life she now had, one where SHE had control over the pain, and knew what to do about it. Her updates contain much valuable and rare information.

Most recently she wrote about A FASTER, EASIER WAY TO CLEANSE YOUR BODY AND RESTORE HEALTH.

I phoned Margie Garrison and asked for her recommendations. She helped me order a new liquid mineral/vitamin supplement called VIBE, as well as a liquid glucosamine supplement called FLEX, and a special enzyme formula called JOINTZYME.

I HAVE NEVER EXPERIENCED SUCH AN IMPROVEMENT IN MY QUALITY OF LIFE AS WITH THIS INCREDIBLE TRIO OF PRODUCTS! (VIBE, FLEX AND JOINTZYME!)

Within 40 minutes of starting on this combination the first time, I had lasting endurance for physical tasks! My arthritis pain was 85% gone. In fact, on the second day I was on these supplements I dug a 60-foot-long (one foot deep) trench!

Low blood sugar is a minimal issue! I now have energy for a busy 17-hour day! Daily depression is not an issue! Even though my body has multiple health challenges, I have a wonderful sense of well-being! I am coping easily with the everyday pressures of life, singing and dancing and composing songs instead of dragging myself along.

I wake up early and can barely wait to get going! My limitations have tremendously fallen away and my horizons have opened up to a much richer, fuller life!

Never more sincerely,

Esther Kiss

Pregnancy and Lower Back Pain

By Dr. Thomas Sullivan

The decisions of picking a name... The anticipation and excitement... Painting the new room... Clothing, diapers and family celebrations. The joy of a pregnancy is one of life's greatest pleasures. Unfortunately however, for many women the later months of pregnancy can prove to be quite challenging. One common problem many women face is lower back pain.

Lower back pain can be a horrible interruption in day-to-day activities for a pregnant woman. More importantly, it interferes with their quality of life, not to mention the enjoyment of one of the most memorable times of their life.

The obvious cause of lower back pain is the biomechanical stress being placed on the mother by the added weight of baby. As the baby gains weight the mother is pulled forward. In order to compensate for this forward pull, the mother has to lean her upper body backward. This puts a tremendous amount of pressure on the low back and pelvis.

This explanation of low back pain sounds complete. It is a true explanation but is only a small part the problem. The "hidden" cause of lower back pain is actually muscle imbalances. In fact muscle imbalances are a common cause of lower back pain in pregnancy but it is also responsible for back pain in a majority of the population...

The strength and tone of the muscular system is an extremely important factor when assessing a patient with lower back pain. Unfortunately, muscle imbalances are not addressed properly by most health practitioners... but just because they are not trained in identifying and addressing muscle imbalances, it doesn’t mean you have to continue to suffer...

But before I share with you the solution to this problem, let me first explain in more detail what a muscle imbalance is and how it causes back pain and sciatica...

In a nutshell, muscle imbalances work like this. Muscles work together with opposing muscles to allow movement at joints. One muscle stretches while the other shortens. Each side should be of equal tone and strength. When a pregnant woman walks, moves, bends, twists or sleeps she will typically do so in an unbalanced and awkward manner to accommodate for her increased weight. In addition, various everyday activities and positions we put our body in create imbalances in the muscle groups and during pregnancy it only worsens...

Muscle imbalances then pull the pelvis and low back out of alignment and this places uneven and excessive stress on the muscles, bones and joints.

The spine is comprised of 24 moveable bones with a shock-absorbing disc in between each bone. This spinal column rests on three large bones called the pelvic girdle. When this spinal column is in proper alignment it will carry a majority of the weight and stress being placed on the body. When one or more of these 24 bones misaligns, especially the pelvis, the muscles work overtime so to speak. They now have to carry the weight that the spinal column is supposed to handle. At this point the muscles are unbalanced and are very prone to an injury. Lower back pain is the most common expression of this problem.

If the above scenario takes place then the stage has been set for lower back pain and dysfunction. Not only does the soon to be Mom have to deal with safely carrying the baby, she has to now do it with a painful lower back. Let's face it, the soon to be Mom is going to be in pain and she is not going to enjoy her most cherished time in life.

The Solution

The solution is based on a better understanding of muscle imbalances and how your body works... The first thing you have to do is fully understand what muscle imbalances are, how they are created and how they cause back pain and sciatica...

Once you understand muscle imbalances the next step is to identify the ones you have and understand how they are creating your pain... after you have identified the imbalances is when you can then begin addressing them with the right combination of corrective exercises, stretches and treatments...

Unfortunately, there are very few healthcare professionals that are trained and experienced in addressing muscle imbalances... the good news is you can find out what imbalances you have on your own by performing simple self assessments or tests. You can learn more about how to identify and address your muscle imbalances by visiting LoseTheBackPain.com.

You can learn more about how to identify and address your muscle imbalances with the Lose The Back Pain System. Get Started Here...

Dr. Thomas Sullivan, got his undergraduate degree from The Johns Hopkins University in 1993 and received his Decorate of Chiropractic in 1997 from Life College of Chiropractic, he is a Certified Active Release Practitioner and Director of Sullivan Chiropractic and Muscle Therapy Center in Manhattan NY.

Myths & Truths About Soy

The Weston A. Price Foundation

Myth: Use of soy as a food dates back many thousands of years.

Truth: Soy was first used as a food during the late Chou dynasty (1134-246 BC), only after the Chinese learned to ferment soy beans to make foods like tempeh, natto and tamari.

Myth: Asians consume large amounts of soy foods.

Truth: Average consumption of soy foods in Japan and China is 10 grams (about 2 teaspoons) per day. Asians consume soy foods in small amounts as a condiment, and not as a replacement for animal foods.

Myth: Modern soy foods confer the same health benefits as traditionally fermented soy foods.

Truth: Most modern soy foods are not fermented to neutralize toxins in soybeans, and are processed in a way that denatures proteins and increases levels of carcinogens.

Myth: Soy foods provide complete protein.

Truth: Like all legumes, soy beans are deficient in sulfur-containing amino acids methionine and cystine. In addition, modern processing denatures fragile lysine.

Myth: Fermented soy foods can provide vitamin B12 in vegetarian diets.

Truth: The compound that resembles vitamin B12 in soy cannot be used by the human body; in fact, soy foods cause the body to require more B12

Myth: Soy formula is safe for infants.

Truth: Soy foods contain trypsin inhibitors that inhibit protein digestion and affect pancreatic function. In test animals, diets high in trypsin inhibitors led to stunted growth and pancreatic disorders. Soy foods increase the body's requirement for vitamin D, needed for strong bones and normal growth. Phytic acid in soy foods results in reduced bioavailabilty of iron and zinc which are required for the health and development of the brain and nervous system. Soy also lacks cholesterol, likewise essential for the development of the brain and nervous system. Megadoses of phytoestrogens in soy formula have been implicated in the current trend toward increasingly premature sexual development in girls and delayed or retarded sexual development in boys.

Myth: Soy foods can prevent osteoporosis.

Truth: Soy foods can cause deficiencies in calcium and vitamin D, both needed for healthy bones. Calcium from bone broths and vitamin D from seafood, lard and organ meats prevent osteoporosis in Asian countries—not soy foods.

Myth: Modern soy foods protect against many types of cancer.

Truth: A British government report concluded that there is little evidence that soy foods protect against breast cancer or any other forms of cancer. In fact, soy foods may result in an increased risk of cancer.

Myth:: Soy foods protect against heart disease.

Truth: In some people, consumption of soy foods will lower cholesterol, but there is no evidence that lowering cholesterol improves one's risk of having heart disease.

Myth: Soy estrogens (isoflavones) are good for you.

Truth: Soy isoflavones are phyto-endocrine disrupters. At dietary levels, they can prevent ovulation and stimulate the growth of cancer cells. Eating as little as 30 grams (about 4 tablespoons) of soy per day can result in hypothyroidism with symptoms of lethargy, constipation, weight gain and fatigue.

Myth: Soy foods are safe and beneficial for women to use in their postmenopausal years.

Truth: Soy foods can stimulate the growth of estrogen-dependent tumors and cause thyroid problems. Low thyroid function is associated with difficulties in menopause.

Myth: Phytoestrogens in soy foods can enhance mental ability.

Truth: A recent study found that women with the highest levels of estrogen in their blood had the lowest levels of cognitive function; In Japanese Americans tofu consumption in mid-life is associated with the occurrence of Alzheimer's disease in later life.

Myth: Soy isoflavones and soy protein isolate have GRAS (Generally Recognized as Safe) status.

Truth: Archer Daniels Midland (ADM) recently withdrew its application to the FDA for GRAS status for soy isoflavones following an outpouring of protest from the scientific community. The FDA never approved GRAS status for soy protein isolate because of concern regarding the presence of toxins and carcinogens in processed soy.

Myth: Soy foods are good for your sex life.

Truth: Numerous animal studies show that soy foods cause infertility in animals. Soy consumption enhances hair growth in middle-aged men, indicating lowered testosterone levels. Japanese housewives feed tofu to their husbands frequently when they want to reduce his virility.

Myth: Soy beans are good for the environment.

Truth: Most soy beans grown in the US are genetically engineered to allow farmers to use large amounts of herbicides.

Myth: Soy beans are good for developing nations.

Truth: In third world countries, soybeans replace traditional crops and transfer the value-added of processing from the local population to multinational corporations.

Stop America's # 1 Killer!...Heart Disease

Dr. Levy's Book "Stop America's # 1 Killer!" - Reversible Vitamin Deficiency Found To Be Origin Of All Coronary Heart Disease is the de facto support for Drs. Irwin Stone/Linius Pauling vitamin C seminal work: regarding Vitamin C deficiency in humans and its relation to disease. A most comprehensive look at all known risk factors for heart disease are considered. While Vitamin C in itself, in sufficient quantities, and on its own may reduce heart disease, other co factors and their role are all potentiated with it. In fact without vitamin C efforts to reduce and or reverse heart disease is simply not possible!

The book provides exhaustive explanation on the mechanisms involved and expands considerably on the original work postulated by Pauling et al. providing direct support for the Pauling/Rath protocol. See patents imbedded in

"Orthomolecular Solutions to Heart Disease".

Levy clearly demonstrates why Pauling, in three case reports had such dramatic response to the said protocol (unlike poor to non extant response from drugs). While this may not be considered a sufficiently large sample size, the dramatic response is contrary to the marginal results found in traditional large sample sizes so revered in drug research. Such practice is in fact a clear indication of searching for a needle in a haystack; in that more often then not these huge sample sizes are needed just to show any effect! Clearly demonstrating the poor response of non nutrient based therapies. Why vitamin C and supporting nutrient therapy works is aptly described in the book. Unlike drugs this therapy provides the very building blocks that are needed by the body to heal itself; there simply is just no way of getting around this basic fact. No one has a deficiency of Drugs!

Inability to obtain vitamin C from our foods is further exasperated with the escalation of toxins in our food were soon, due to soil depletion and genetic modification the pesticides and other toxins may actually surpass mineral content, not to mention the direct assault form the increasing chemicals in our environment. Further many foods due to long storage and transportation times, not to mention processing, are already depleted of Vitamins particularly C in some cases up to 70%!

"In almost every case, the cause of low vitamin C levels in the arterial linings is a significant daily toxin exposure. These toxins keep neutralizing (oxidizing) the body's stores of vitamin C making the maintenance of active (reduced or non-oxidized) vitamin C levels in the various tissues of the body virtually impossible."

The the discussion on the protective role of cholesterol and the futility of reducing it via drugs is a breath of fresh air. This is in sharp contrast to current primitive understanding and practice (or should I say mal practice?) of heart disease. In fact reducing cholesterol without addressing its cause is not only stupid but downright negligent given the data in the literature and that presented here. This and all other known co factors such as high blood pressure, inflammation etc. are thoroughly discussed.

The role of vitamin C is pivotal in that it is endemic to all diseases and cannot simply be restricted to heart disease alone. Hence, its absence is directly related to many other diseases such as diabetes, cancer, high blood pressure, infections etc. All these are discussed particularly in their relation to heart disease.

"So, prepare to be amazed, especially if you are a health care practitioner who has always felt that atherosclerosis is largely an unstoppable and steadily progressive disease. It is not. An objective review of the available scientific evidence demonstrates otherwise. Turn an abnormal coronary angiogram into a normal one. What is now considered a rare but theoretically possible occurrence can now become an expected outcome."

One shortcoming of almost all scientific evidence is the generally low doses of vitamin C used. Imagine what could be achieved if sufficiently high doses were used?

The book ends with a comprehensive protocol for the prevention and reversal of atherosclerosis. Finally we now hold the recipe to nearly wipe out most diseases if not all! An outstanding book. "Stop America's #1 Killer". A must read.

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Herbs and Prescription Drug Conflicts

Many people seem to first learn about herbs from a friend or family member. Or they read something online or in a magazine, and they seem to think herbs are secret miracle medicines. So they proceed to start taking as many as they can, for anything they can think of.

The problem, though, is that while many herbs can help with multiple problems at the same time, they are not a cure-all. You can't take one herb for just anything, and there are certain herbs you shouldn't take unless they're needed. There are also many situations in which the actions of the herbs can be in conflict, or cause complications with, prescription medications your doctor may put you on.

That's why it's important to let you doctor know if you're taking herbal medicines for any reason. And if you doctor does not understand the effects of the herbs you're taking, you may need to explain it to him or her so they'll better understand the potential interactions of your herbs and the medicines they want to give you prescriptions for.

(By the way, if your doctor scoffs at your herb use, threatens you, or otherwise makes you feel low or stupid, it's time to fire him or her and get a better doctor!)

An excellent example of two things that shouldn't be mixed are ginseng and caffeine. Now, this might seem like a simple case of limiting your coffee or soda intake if you're taking a ginseng herbal supplement, and you're right. But it also comes into play if your doctor prescribes you certain allergy or diet medications too. These can interact badly with the ginseng because of the components and capabilities of each medicine.

Another example is taking goldenseal herbs while also taking insulin. Goldenseal is a natural source of insulin, so if you take it while also taking insulin injections, you could potentially overdose yourself without realizing it.

Yet another example is kelp mixed with a prescription diuretic or water pill. A diuretic is a medication that causes your body to release more urine, and kelp is a natural diuretic on its own. So taking kelp while also taking a prescription diuretic could cause you to become dehydrated, or have other related dangerous side effects and complications.

Some herbal and prescription medication combinations taken at the same time can be dangerous, while others end up just working against each other. When you have a chest cough, for instance, your doctor will often prescribe coughing medications that are designed to suppress your coughing. Some herbs used for chest colds however, work as expectorants -- which means they purposely try to help your body cough up the phlegm and mucus that's in your lungs so that you can heal faster.

So before you start using herbs for medicating yourself, be sure to learn as much as you can about what the herbs actually do, and how that might conflict with anything else you're taking -- prescription or over-the-counter.

Limited Benefits and Serious Risks of the Statin Crestor

by Jay S. Cohen, M.D

www.MedicationSense.com

If you read a newspaper or watched television news on December 10, 2008, you would have thought that Crestor, a cholesterol-lowering statin medication, was a wonder drug.

Of course, a few years ago you would have thought the same thing after the heavy news coverage for another powerful statin, Lipitor. Yet, my analyses at MedicationSense (2005, 2006) revealed that the Lipitor studies demonstrated limited benefits and worrisome adverse effects.

The new Crestor study, which involved more than 17,000 subjects, examined the drug's effectiveness in reducing elevated blood levels of C-reactive protein (CRP), a marker for cardiovascular inflammation. 1 It is currently believed that increased levels of inflammation are associated with a higher incidence of heart attacks and strokes (more on CRP below).

Crestor Study Results -- and What They Really Mean

The authors of the Crestor-CRP study reported that over the 1.9 years of the study, there was a 44% reduction in cardiac events (defined as heart attack, stroke, severe angina, or cardiac death) among the subjects taking Crestor versus those taking a placebo. A 44% reduction sounds very impressive, but it is misleading.

Here on the actual numbers from the study. Over 2 years, 1.36% of subjects in the placebo group experienced a cardiac event; 0.77% of subjects in the Crestor group experienced an event. The difference was 0.59%. That is, less than 1%, a tiny difference.

The difference was so tiny that it will require 120 individuals with elevated CRP to take Crestor every day for two years for just one person to obtain benefit. 2 Meanwhile, the other 119 individuals taking and paying for Crestor for two years will obtain no protection from a cardiovascular event.

Why would the results of the Crestor-CRP study be proclaimed so loudly nationwide despite being so tiny? The Crestor-CRP study was underwritten by AstraZeneca, the manufacturer of Crestor. We have seen previously that the marketing departments of drug companies are masters at obtaining maximum media coverage for their studies even if the results are unimpressive. Wide exposure means increased sales and big profits.

One media outlet took a critical stance. ABCNEWS.com boldly offered a dissenting opinion. In "Doctor Urges Caution in Interpreting New Findings on Cholesterol Drug," Dr. Nortin Hadler wrote, "The benefit shown in this study is tiny, and if [the Crestor-CRP study] were repeated, there might be no benefit at all. I never leap to act on the basis of such small effects."3

Serious Side Effects Downplayed

In Crestor-CRP, the drug displayed many of the common adverse effects of other statin medications (Lipitor, Zocor, Pravachol, Mevacor, Lescol). Typical side effects include abdominal pain, muscle pain, serious muscle breakdown (rhabdomyolysis), renal disorders, and liver disorders. More subjects in the Crestor group experienced these side effects than subjects in the placebo group.

A far more serious adverse effect occurred with Crestor: 270 cases of newly diagnosed diabetes were reported among Crestor users, and 216 cases were reported among placebo users. The 54 more cases of diabetes in the Crestor group was a significant and worrisome finding. Diabetes is one of the most destructive, life-shortening disorders of our time. It also is a leading cause of heart attacks and strokes. Imagine, taking Crestor to prevent a heart attack and getting diabetes instead.

When the FDA decides whether to approve a new drug, it makes it decision based on whether the drug will produce significantly more benefit than risk. If Crestor were being evaluated today for approval by the FDA, I believe Crestor would not be approved because its use in the Crestor-CRP study was associated with many new cases of diabetes.

Should I Be Tested for Elevated CRP?

Half of all cardiac deaths occur in people with normal cholesterol levels, so other factors clearly are involved in the development of cardiovascular disease. New studies suggest that an elevated level of CRP may be as important an indicator of cardiac risk as cholesterol levels.4.5

"Forward-thinking cardiologists suspect that internal inflammation is the root cause of many diseases including those of the heart and blood vessels," states cardiologist Stephen Sinatra. "Studies have shown that people with elevated CRP run two times the risk of dying from a cardiovascular-related problem compared with those who have high cholesterol levels. Combine a cholesterol burden with a markedly elevated CRP and your risk of heart attack and stroke increases by a factor of nine."6

Despite this, experts still disagree on whether the entire population should be tested for elevated CRP. I believe that anyone who has cardiovascular disease or is at risk for it should be tested for elevated CRP. Furthermore, I also encourage anyone interested in prevention to have a CRP test.

A CRP level below 1 is low-risk; 1-3 moderate-risk; above 3 high-risk.

Should My Elevated CRP Be Treated?

If your CRP level is elevated, it should not be ignored. Yet this does not mean that your doctor should immediately prescribe you a statin. As Dr. James Ehrlich, a pioneer in cardiovascular disease screening, said, an elevated CRP "is a call for more information, not an invitation to take an automation-like approach to prescribing life-long statins."7

An elevated CRP indicates a higher than normal level of inflammation in the body. Many medical conditions can produce inflammation. Your doctor should examine you for signs of infection: teeth, sinuses, bladder, ovaries or prostate. A recent cold or bout of the flu can also elevate CRP. Inflammatory disorders such as rheumatoid arthritis may cause an elevated CRP.

If no other causes of infection are found, the elevated CRP likely reflects cardiovascular inflammation. Should it be treated? Experts differ on this, but in general I recommend treatment.

Is Crestor the Only Treatment for Elevated CRP?

No. There are many choices, pharmaceutical and natural. This section will discuss statin therapy.

We have known for a decade that the effects of all statins are similar. This means that all statins can reduce elevated CRP.

In the Crestor-CRP study, 20 mg of Crestor was used. This is a powerful dose, and because Crestor is only available as a brand-need drug, it is expensive. At a nationwide discount pharmacy, 100 pills of 20-mg Crestor costs $340. The cost over one year is approximately $1360. Over 20 years, the cost of Crestor 20 mg per day is approximately $27,000.8 An equally powerful dose, 80 mg, of Zocor is available as a generic (simvastatin), and it costs about 90% less.

Just because the Crestor-CRP study used a powerful dose of Crestor does not mean that only a powerful dose will reduce elevated CRP. Some experts believe that it is not necessary to use the same strong statin doses that doctors frequently prescribe to reduce cholesterol levels. Elevated levels of CRP may not require such strong treatment. According to Dr. Uve Ravnskov, "It may be wiser to search for the lowest effective dose instead of the dose with maximal effect on LDL-cholesterol."9

If you are prone to getting side effects with medications, or if you simply want to reduce your risk of side effects, ask your doctor about starting with the lowest dose of simvastatin. If this does not adequately reduce your elevated CRP level, ask your doctor to increase the dose gradually until you arrive at the amount that works. With Zocor (simvastatin), the lowest dose is 10 mg.

Natural Approaches

Integrative doctors recommend a variety of natural approaches to reduce elevated CRP. Because smoking increases CRP, the first step for any smoker is to stop smoking. Being overweight increases CRP, so weight loss is also important. Healthy eating and exercise can also reduce CRP levels.

Women taking hormone replacement therapy should be aware that the therapy can increase CRP levels.10 Check with your doctor.

There are several natural supplements that have anti-inflammatory qualities. Alternative doctors often include one, such as curcumin or ginger, in their combination treatment for elevated CRP. Some alternative doctors include aspirin because of its proven anti-inflammatory effect.

Vitamin C might also be included in the treatment of elevated CRP. A study in the Journal of the American College of Nutrition demonstrated that 515 mg/day of vitamin C reduced CRP 24%.11 In comparison, in the Crestor-CRP study, Crestor reduced CRP levels by an average up 37%. Vitamin C plus other therapies mentioned in this section might rival or exceed this result.

Vitamin E, with its natural anti-inflammatory effects, might also help reduce elevated CRP.

Omega-3 fatty acids (fish oils) have proven anti-inflammatory effects. Studies have shown that daily intake of omega-3 fatty acids reduce the risk of cardiac death and also reduce the pain of rheumatoid arthritis.12,13 Fish oils should be a standard part of the treatment of elevated CRP. Because fish oils and aspirin taken together can increase the body's tendency for bleeding, check with your doctor before taking these therapies together.

A natural supplement with properties similar to prescription statins is red yeast rice. This fermentation product contains small amounts of several statin-like compounds. It works like a mild statin and, like prescription statins, reduces vascular inflammation and elevated CRP. Red yeast rice can also reduce cholesterol levels. Like prescription statins, red yeast rice can cause adverse effects, but the risk is low and, if side effects occur, they are usually milder than with prescription statins.

References

1. Ridker PM, Danielson E, Fonseca FAH, et al (for the JUPITER Study Group). Rosuvastatin to prevent vascular events in men and women with elevated C?reactive protein. The New England Journal of Medicine, Nov. 20, 2008;359(21):2195?2207.

2. Hlatky MA. Expanding the Orbit of Primary Prevention ?? Moving beyond JUPITER. New England Journal of Medicine, Nov. 20, 2008;359 (21):2280?82.

3. Hadler NM. Crestor, by Jove... or Not. Doctor urges caution in interpreting new findings on cholesterol drug. ABC News, Nov. 10, 2008:http://abcnews.go.com.

4. Ridker, PM, Rifai, N, Rose, L, et al. R. Comparison of C-reactive protein and low-density lipoprotein cholesterol levels in the prediction of first cardiovascular events. New England Journal of Medicine 2002;347:1557-1565.

5. Albert, MA, Glynn, RJ, Ridker, PM. Plasma concentration of C-reactive protein and the calculated. Framingham Coronary Heart Disease Risk Score. Circulation 2003;108(2):161?5.

6. Sinatra, S. Statins: grossly over prescribed for cholesterol and under prescribed for internal inflammation. The Sinatra Health Report, Sept. 2002;8:1.

7. West A. JUPITER: separating the solid clinical matter from the hot gas. Holistic Primary Care, Winter 2008;9(4):1-2.

8. Crestor costs. Costco pharmacy, Dec. 20, 2008:www.costco.com.

9. Ravnskov, U. Is atherosclerosis caused by high cholesterol? QJM (Quarterly Journal of Medicine) 2002;95:397-403.

10. Walsh, BW, Paul, S, Wild RA, et al. The Effects of Hormone Replacement Therapy and Raloxifene on C?Reactive Protein and Homocysteine in Healthy Postmenopausal Women: A Randomized, Controlled Trial. Journal of Clinical Endocrinology and Metabolism 2004;85:214?218.

11. Block, G, Jensen, C, Dietrich, M, et al. Plasma C-reactive protein concentrations in active and passive smokers: influence of antioxidant supplementation. Journal of the American College of Nutrition 2004;23:141-147.

12. Simopoulos, AP. Essential Fatty Acids in Health and Chronic Disease. American Journal of Clinical Nutrition 1999;70(suppl):560S-569S.

13. Simopoulos, AP. The Mediterranean diets: What is so special about the diet of Greece? Journal of Nutrition 2001;131:3065S-3073S.

8 Tips for Arthritis

Tip 1: Make Sure You Really Have Osteoarthritis

While to some of you, today's tip might be very basic. It is absolutely essential that you make sure your diagnosis is correct before you begin wasting money on treatments that are not designed to help your specific situation.

Tip 2: Searching For Just Arthritis Pain Relief? You Shouldn't!

Doctors are very quick to address your joint pain with what has become a "standard" response. Normally, they tell you to take NSAIDS like Aspirin, Advil, Motrin, Ibuprofen, and Acetaminophen, or prescribe COX-2 inhibitors such as Vioxx and Celebrex.

Tip 3: Keeping Your Weight in Balance is Key To Taking Control of Your Osteoarthritis!

If your osteoarthritis is affecting your load-bearing joints, keeping your weight within normal ranges is important. Load-bearing joints of course refers to any portion of your body that would be affected by excessive weight. Hips, knees, feet and spine are all load-bearing joints.

Tip 4: The Arthritis Fighting Diet

The most common foods to avoid are:

# sugar

# caffeine

# citrus

# salt

# red meat

# dairy products

# additives

# soft drinks

# corn

# flour

Tip 5: Fighting Arthritis Through Proper Exercise!

As best you can, try to keep painful joint areas in motion, even in a limited manner. Exercise is good for joints affected by osteoarthritis. Even if you don't think you can exercise, you can. Even the lightest exercise can go along way to maintaining joint mobility and health. A good exercise routine is key to beating arthritis.

Tip 6: The Treatments: NSAIDs, Cox-II Inhibitors, Surgery, & Glucosamine

The latest arthritis research has shown that there are some very effective alternatives that have no side effects, are completely safe, ease the pain and tend to the disease. This supplement is Glucosamine.

Recently, Glucosamine has been making a lot of headlines. Glucosamine is an over-the-counter dietary supplement that has been shown to be effective in the treatment of osteoarthritis and joint pain. Glucosamine stimulates the production of glycosaminoglycans (GAG's), the important proteins found in cartilage plus proteoglycans, the water holding molecules that make up the cartilage.

Tip 7: How to Evaluate a Glucosamine Product

Glucosamine compounds have opened up an entirely new avenue for all of you who suffer from osteoarthritis. There is nothing new about the use of Glucosamine as a way of easing an arthritic condition. For many years it has been used in Asia and Europe before the English speaking medical community caught on. However, you have to be very, very careful when selecting Glucosamine products.

Your selection should be based on four factors.

You must consider the quality of Glucosamine, method of delivery to body, additional ingredients in the product, and of course, price.

Simply put, the higher quality of Glucosamine you use, the greater your relief will be. Many companies use medium grade Glucosamine so you must be careful to look for the highest quality. You need to look for pharmaceutical quality Glucosamine if you want the fastest and fullest relief and healing.

Secondly, the method of delivery can make the difference between no pain relief and your personally desired pain relief. Most products produced after the breakthrough news of the 1999 Lancet medical journal Glucosamine study, were rushed to the market. In this haste, these companies did not take any time to do tests on their product. They simply assumed pill form would be the most effective. The latest research however, has shown that Glucosamine in liquid form is much more effective. In selecting a Glucosamine product, you should look for one that is liquid form.

Also, crucial to the effectiveness of the product, is the other ingredients that are included in the product. Glucosamine alone is not a cure all. There simply is no cure for arthritis. To receive true help in an arthritic state, you need to look for products that combine a number of arthritis fighting ingredients. You should look for a product that besides Glucosamine Sulfate and Glucosamine HCL, it also contains arthritis-fighting ingredients such as chondroitin, boswellin, bromelain, omega 3 & 6, yucca, manganese ascorbate, and vitamins A, C, and E.

When considering price, you must take care to determine exactly how much supply you are purchasing. Many companies engage in what can only be called a "deceptive" practice. They often will include 60 pills, or 32 oz. of the product, but they don't make it clear that you have to take 6 pills or 4 oz. a day. You think you have purchased a month supply when often you will run out in less than 2 weeks. A good price for a quality liquid Glucosamine product with many of the above ingredients synergistically combined is around $30.

My recommendation for Glucosamine products is Syn-flex®, a 98% pure liquid formula that combines all the ingredients that are essential for pain relief and joint healing.

Tip 8:. 12 Ingredients that Will Ease Your Arthritis Pain

In alleviating arthritis pain, there are twelve key compounds that you should be taking for maximum relief. These are Glucosamine, chondroitin, boswellin, bromelain, omega 3 & 6, yucca, manganese ascorbate, and vitamins A, C, and E.

Soy Dangers Summarized

The Weston A. Price Foundation

High levels of phytic acid in soy reduce assimilation of calcium, magnesium, copper, iron and zinc. Phytic acid in soy is not neutralized by ordinary preparation methods such as soaking, sprouting and long, slow cooking. High phytate diets have caused growth problems in children.
Trypsin inhibitors in soy interfere with protein digestion and may cause pancreatic disorders. In test animals soy containing trypsin inhibitors caused stunted growth.
Soy phytoestrogens disrupt endocrine function and have the potential to cause infertility and to promote breast cancer in adult women.
Soy phytoestrogens are potent antithyroid agents that cause hypothyroidism and may cause thyroid cancer. In infants, consumption of soy formula has been linked to autoimmune thyroid disease.
Vitamin B12 analogs in soy are not absorbed and actually increase the body’s requirement for B12.
Soy foods increase the body’s requirement for vitamin D. Toxic synthetic vitamin D2 is added to soy milk.
Fragile proteins are over-denatured during high.

Soy Infant Formula - Birth Control Pills For Babies

The Weston A. Price Foundation

Babies fed soy-based formula have 13,000 to 22,000 times more estrogen compounds in their blood than babies fed milk-based formula. Infants exclusively fed soy formula receive the estrogenic equivalent of at least five birth control pills per day.

Male infants undergo a “testosterone surge” during the first few months of life, when testosterone levels may be as high as those of an adult male.

During this period, baby boys are programmed to express male characteristics after puberty, not only in the development of their sexual organs and other masculine physical traits, but also in setting patterns in the brain characteristic of male behavior.

In animals, studies indicate that phytoestrogens in soy are powerful endocrine disrupters. Soy infant feeding - which floods the bloodstream with female hormones that inhibit testosterone - cannot be ignored as a possible cause of disrupted development patterns in boys, including learning disabilities and attention deficit disorder. Male children exposed to DES, a synthetic estrogen, had testes smaller than normal on maturation and infant marmoset monkeys fed soy isoflavones had a reduction in testosterone levels up to 70 percent compared to milk-fed controls.

Almost 15 percent of white girls and 50 percent of African-American girls show signs of puberty, such as breast development and pubic hair, before the age of eight. Some girls are showing sexual development before the age of three. Premature development of girls has been linked to the use of soy formula and exposure to environmental estrogen-mimickers such as PCBs and DDE.

Intake of phytoestrogens even at moderate levels during pregnancy can have adverse affects on the developing fetus and the timing of puberty later in life.

Fighting Aging with Vitamin C

By Dr Neil Persadsingh

Vitamin C has been shown to be essential for the health of the skin. There are preparations of Vitamin C which can provide remarkable changes in the appearance of the skin when it is applied.

Fine lines, laxity, roughness, dryness, sallowness, pigmentation and fine wrinkles all will benefit from the application of topical Vitamin C.

The concentration of Vitamin C from these preparations can be more than 20% higher than is normally found in the skin. Vitamin C becomes an integral part of the skin. It cannot be rubbed off nor can it be washed off and its action lasts for up to three days after application.

Factors such as exposure to the sun especially the sun's ultraviolet rays, ozone, cigarette smoke and other pollutants can damage the skin and lead to photo aging.

The process seems to be that free radicals produced from oxygen damage the skin and depletes its levels of antioxidants.

Antioxidants are therefore necessary for neutralising the free radicals.

Topical Vitamin C has been shown to have antioxidant properties but in addition it also stimulates collagen synthesis in the skin.

Vitamin C seems to influence collagen synthesis directly by activating collagen gene regulation.

Exposure to sunlight can deplete up to two-thirds of the Vitamin C in the skin. Please note that you get much higher levels of Vitamin C in the skin after you apply it directly than if you rely on your diet to supply you with the vitamin.

Vitamin C does not function as a sun-block because it cannot absorb light in the UV range but instead it exerts its effects by neutralising oxygen free radicals. Therefore you must keep on using a sun-block.

Daily application of Vitamin C to your skin will certainly help the appearance of the skin.

Many people think that by eating a balanced diet and consuming fruits and vegetables we would get enough vitamins, therefore having no need to take vitamin tablets.

But because more of our foods are processed, manufactured and pre-packed, and many persons eat more fast food it is possible to get all the carbohydrates, proteins and fats and yet still be deficient in vitamins.

Recent estimates in the USA are that the modern foods are 20-30 per cent lower in vitamins than fruits and vegetables which were consumed in the 1950s.

From the time the food or vegetable is picked the vitamin content begins to decrease. All the methods of food preservation, including canning, freezing, drying and cooking destroy vitamins. Fruits which are picked green and allowed to ripen never have the vitamin content of tree-ripened fruit.

It is said in Jamaica that we eat more fruits and vegetables which are locally grown. But as every housewife knows some of this produce is not always fresh - that is, some vitamin reduction has already taken place. When we get the fruits and vegetables we wash them and sometimes we peel them and then wash them. Some of these vitamins are water soluble and so will be washed away. The food is exposed to light and some of the vitamins are light-sensitive and are destroyed by light.

Lastly the food is stored in the refrigerator and again we have further reduction of the vitamin content.

Therefore we recommend the application of topical Vitamin C to the skin.

Recently Cellex-C, which has been highly recommended as probably the best Vitamin C preparation in the world, has become available in Jamaica.

After 6-12 weeks of daily application of Vitamin C to the skin, it feels smoother and firmer and the wrinkles are harder to see.

The side effects of using this preparation Cellex-C are usually mild, ie burning, stinging, redness, dryness, itching and will stop in a short period of time.

Please see your dermatologist for assistance with any other problems you may have.

Study finds High Sodium Levels Increases Risk of Ulcers, Cancer

By Consumer Health Advocate, Frank Mangano

One of the most frequently used phrases around dinner tables has got to be, “Pass the salt.” It never ceases to amaze me how much salt people use on their food, pouring it onto their soups, stews and frozen entrees - all of which are loaded with salt as is. In fact, salting is so commonplace that I often see people in restaurants covering their food with the stuff before even tasting it!

Of course, we all know the body needs sodium to keep the body’s electrolytes in balance. It plays a vital role in the proper functioning of nerve and muscle cells in the body. But too much of it can be extremely hazardous to your health, most notably causing blood pressure levels to rise, which increases the risk of heart disease, heart failure, stroke and kidney disease. And if that weren’t enough, a new study places an additional risk in consuming too much sodium.

According to a recent study presented by the American Society for Microbiology, the bacteria that cause peptic ulcers and gastric cancers to form are more aggressive in the presence of excess sodium in the blood.

This aggressive bacterium is called Helicobacter pylori - H. pylori for short - and it’s believed to be the main cause of stomach ulcers and cancers, and is the only microorganism known that can survive in the stomach. Making matters worse, H. pylori often goes untreated because it’s usually an asymptomatic condition (it’s estimated that 2/3rds of the world’s population has H. pylori).

Researchers from the American Society for Microbiology happened on to high sodium/H. pylori link after monitoring the bacterium in lab tests to see how fast it grew. In the process, they noticed that the structure of H. pylori changed when high amounts of salt were surrounding it. Though H. pylori by itself brings with it a significant risk of stomach ulcers, high amounts of salt in the stomach increases that risk by enabling the H. pylori to exist longer than it would under ordinary circumstances (i.e. where sodium levels are normal).

Try replacing the processed salt (sodium chloride) in your saltshaker with unrefined sea salt, which is a much healthier choice. Though it ought to be a given by now, when purchasing some of your favorite organic staples, look for those foods are low in sodium. Amy’s Kitchen has tons of foods that aren’t only organic, but are also low in sodium. For instance, Amy’s Kitchen has 11 different varieties of soup that are all low in sodium, half the sodium content of Amy’s regular variety of soups - 340 mg per serving vs. 680 mg per serving. That may sound like a lot, but Amy’s regular variety is more than 100 mg of sodium lower than many of Progresso’s varieties.

Amy’s low sodium varieties don’t stop at soups, though. There are several varieties of frozen entrees that are also low in sodium, like Amy’s Veggie Loaf, Vegetable Lasagna, and Enchiladas.

Of course, Amy’s isn’t the only organic frozen entrée option that there is. It just happens to be one of my favorites. Take a look around the natural food aisle of your local supermarket for appetizing low sodium foods, and give those salt and pepper shakers a rest.

Chronic Back Pain Limits Brain Power

By Jesse Cannone CFT, SPN, CPRS

The Healthy Back Institute

You don't need to be a scientist to know that chronic back pain can have a negative impact on your life, often bringing with it anxiety and depression. It can affect your ability to work, sleep, and perform other daily activities.

Until recently, it has been assumed that whatever changes occurred in the brain as a result of chronic back pain were only temporary and that the brain would revert to a normal state once the pain stopped.

Recent findings by researchers from Northwestern University have turned this assumption on its head. What they found was that chronic back pain - defined as pain lasting six months or longer - can cause significant and long-lasting damage to the brain, aging it up to 20 times faster than normal.¹

Shades of gray

In fact, chronic back pain actually shrinks the gray matter of the brain - the part responsible for memory and information processing - by as much as 11 percent each year. In contrast, normal aging of the brain results in just a 0.5 percent loss of gray matter a year.

Scientists compared 26 healthy volunteers with 26 patients who had been suffering with chronic lower back pain (some with sciatica) for more than a year. Those with chronic back pain with sciatica had the largest decrease in gray matter. Another significant finding: The longer a subject had had chronic back pain, the more brain loss he suffered.

One theory on why there is such a large decrease in gray matter is that chronic pain forces nerve cells to work overtime. Even more troubling is the possibility that if chronic back pain is allowed to continue, it may become harder to reverse and less responsive to treatment due to these changes in the brain. Experts say the findings should sound a warning to patients with back pain to seek care as soon as possible.

Driven to distraction

The Northwestern study is consistent with other research on chronic pain and cognitive ability. Scientists at the University of Alberta have confirmed that chronic pain can impair your memory and concentration.

In testing done by Dr's. Bruce D. Dick and Saifudin Rashiq at the university's Multidisciplinary Pain Centre in Edmonton, Canada, two-thirds of participants who suffered with chronic pain had a difficult time paying attention and remembering simple facts.

Participants in the study - all of whom had pain lasting six months or longer - were given computerized memory tests, along with a neuropsychological test of attention on what were identified as "pain" and "less pain" days.

On a "less pain" day, participants were tested after they received a pain-reducing procedure as part of their ongoing treatment at the Centre. On a "pain" day, participants were tested without getting any pain-reducing procedure. Sixteen of the 24 participants - 67 per cent - showed signs of cognitive impairment on their pain-testing day. Although the sample of participants was small, the findings were statistically significant, according to the lead researchers.

You must remember this

Further evidence of a link between chronic pain and brain function comes from a study done at Keele University in the United Kingdom. Scientists compared the "prospective" memory - such as remembering to pick up groceries or keep a doctor's appointment - of 50 subjects with chronic back pain to the memory of 50 subjects who were pain-free.

Investigators used something called the Prospective Memory Questionnaire, a self-rating scale that requires users to record the number of times their prospective memory fails in a given period of time. The scale measures three types of prospective memory: long-term habitual, short-term episodic, and internally cued.

Those with chronic pain had significantly impaired short-term memory compared with subjects who were pain-free. No differences were observed in the other types of prospective memory.

"One explanation for the observation of short-term prospective memory deficits may be related to the link between pain and stress and the impact of this relationship on cognitive function," Ling's team reported.

The ideas is that when pain kicks in, it triggers a region of the brain known as the lateral occipital complex (LOC). When this happens, it overrides a person's ability to concentrate and accurately recognize images.

Strategies to improve memory

The investigators said they hope that these findings will help guide the care of patients with chronic pain and encourage the development of skills to offset memory problems.

Here are a few quick tips to improve your memory:

Read out loud: If you want to remember something, saying the words out loud will help burn the information into your brain. If you can turn it into a rhyme, even better.
Write things down: Mental clutter makes it hard to recall data. Use address books, datebooks, and calendars. Jot down notes on more complicated material and reorganize your notes as soon as possible. The physical act of rewriting can help imprint facts into your memory.
Rehearse and review: Go over what you've learned the day you learn it, and review it periodically. Researchers call this "spaced rehearsal," which has proven to be more effective than cramming.
Get your vitamins: Nutrients such as vitamins B, C, and E can nurture brain function. Dietary sources of B include spinach and other dark leafy greens, strawberries, melons, and black beans. Vitamins C and E improve the flow of oxygen through the brain. Good natural sources are berries, sweet potatoes, red tomatoes, green tea, nuts, citrus fruits, and liver. Omega-3 fatty acids - found in cold-water fish such as salmon and tuna - are also associated with improved cognitive function.
Surprise your brain: Another way to help your brain perform better is to stimulate it through novelty. For example, brushing your teeth with your left hand (if you're right-handed) will fire up seldom-used connections on the nondominant side of your brain. Or try "neurobic" exercise, which forces you to use your faculties in unusual ways - say, getting dressed with your eyes closed, taking a course in a subject you know nothing about, or cooking a recipe in an unfamiliar cuisine

The brain maybe affected by pain but you should never let pain control how or what you think about. If pain relief is what you are after you must hold a firm belief that you can achieve your goals and if believe heart and soul and keep you're your thoughts concentrated and coordinated there is no way that you can not achieve what you are after.

1. The Journal of Neuroscience, November 17, 2004 · 24(46):10410 –10415

The Development & Consequences of Toxemia

Why Are we Sick?

The only true way to view the body is to view it as a whole. It does not really matter if the doctor has 4 or 5 or more different names for what ails you, they are all degenerative diseases.

They are caused by Toxemia.

Two requirements are needed for fantastic health:

Adequate and complete nutrition.
Prompt and thorough removal of all metabolic waste.

We tend to think that the first is the most essential. But it is a fact that all living cells die in the waste products of their own normal activities.

Only the through prompt and thorough removal of waste is it possible to maintain life for a longer time.

Even single cells have been observed to live without all food except air and water for as long as 21 days, but they will perish in a few hours amid the accumulation of their own excretions.

This is going to be a very short lesson on cleansing. The full explanation will be in the paid membership newsletter.

Normal function and normal correlation of function and life itself rests upon a normal "internal environment." This is maintained by the organism itself.

When the nervous system is operating right the state of the body operates right. The vital importance of good circulation and adequate elimination should be obvious to the least informed.

As nerve energy is functioning power and since the efficiency of both circulation and elimination is determined by nerve energy, the importance of maintaining nerve energy at its peak becomes apparent.

The enervated individual with lowered nerve energy, is slowly poisoned by retention and accumulation of his own cell waste---toxemia.

When wrong habits of living are practiced to the extent that normal organs of excretion are overwhelmed, the body is compelled to establish compensatory channels of excretion. The mucous membranes of the body are favorite sites. A cold, sniffles, running nose etc.

Seldom does a single over-indulgence produce more than a passing discomfort. But people who are habitual over-indulgers, slowly but surely build up toxic saturation. When this has been accomplished, only the slightest over-taxing of nerve energy will start a crisis. A degenerative disease.

Toxemia is self-poisoning. There is but one disease.

Disease, in spite of its variability and apparent multiplicity, is a unit. The different so-called diseases are but varying symptom-complexes with nothing specific about them.

This idea of separate diseases is a fallacy and all arguments based on this idea are also false.

Beginning with the first cold or diarrhea or skin rash of infancy, which represents an established toxemia, and continuing throughout the life of the individual, until it terminates in cancer at 50, we have but one disease, with a series of successive toxemia..

There is a progressive deterioration of the body, consequent upon chronic poisoning, all of which provides us with an evolution of pathology.

We are in the habit of thinking that "slight symptoms," such as slight indigestion, palpitation of the heart that does not last following exertion, a slight twinge of pain in the chest that does not persist, a dull headache in the morning that passed off after a few minutes of activity, etc., "do not amount to anything."

That is, until they have become so serious that health and efficiency are definitely impaired.

All this indicates that the body is being chronically poisoned and that its organs are being overworked.

It is my opinion, that all so-called disease are remedial before the point of irreversibility is reached… remediable NOT by a myriad of "treatments" but by removal of the cause.

Toxemia is the cause.

To get rid of toxemia all your wrong living must be corrected. And you must rebuild the Immune System.

You need proper:

nutrition
rest
air
water
exercise.

New Year Resolutions

The top two New Year resolutions are losing weight and quitting smoking. I commend all those who take on these difficult challenges.

Please beware of the methods you use. Make sure you know about any possible short term and long term effects of the method you decide on.

Also keep in mind what is said to be "Safe" today maybe found to be harmful in the future, you may truly not know all the facts at the time and then when they do arise it maybe too late.

That is why I recommend a natural approach when it concerns our health. There are many natural programs for losing weight and quitting smoking. Click on the Natural Remedies link on this website.

Here are two examples regarding:

Dieting

Some important facts you should know about losing weight:

Be aware of gimmicks. I'm sure you've seen ads that say something like, "Lose 10 pounds in 5 days without dieting and without exercise!" Well, mathematically this is impossible, unless you will be losing a lot of muscle, fiber, and water, and probably very little fat. Look, 10 pounds is 35,000 calories. If you only use about 2,000 calories per day you would need at least 17.5 days to lose 10 pounds. This is assuming that you don't eat or drink anything at all during those days, which is of course impossible. These ads play on our emotions and our weaknesses. They know many people are desperate and will try almost anything and pay good money to try it. As for their guarantees, most people are too embarrassed to ask for their money back because they failed. So the company makes a lot of money and don't deliver what they promised.

Watch out for drugs. Most of these don't work. The ones that do can be addictive, can have serious side affects, people have even died from them. Some drugs may cause tolerance which means you need more and more of them to have the same affect. Most of them work by artificially increasing your metabolism by increasing your body heat. But, once you stop your metabolism will go below what it was before and you will probably gain all the weight back. If you are thinking of taking any drugs at least talk to your doctor first.

There is no such thing as a food which will burn all the fat off your body. You may have heard something like; eating celery sticks will burn more calories than you get from it. Who knows if this is true. But even if it is how many calories will this be? Probably very few. And, how many celery sticks can you eat? Point is the body is much more clever than that.

Some studies have shown that with age losing fat becomes harder. It seems that as we get older our bodies like to hold on to the fat we have. Our metabolisms are slower, and we are less active.

With each diet losing fat becomes harder. Because the body remembers what you put it through in your last diet it is now more efficient at holding on to what it has and fights you all the way in losing weight.

After dieting you may find that you've gained more weight than what you were at before the diet. This happens because during severe dieting the body's metabolism slows down, meaning you now burn less calories than before. When you stop dieting you go back to eating regularly but your metabolism does not increase as easily. So, now you need less calories but you are eating the same. And the result is weight gain.

Set point theory is the belief that your body likes to maintain the weight it is at. And the longer you've been at a certain weight the harder it will fight you to stay there.

Genetics is the belief that some people are more predisposed to gaining fat. This is inconclusive and there is plenty of controversy if it's true or not. The argument is whether nature is stronger than nurture (lifestyle). For example, if a child with obesity predisposition is raised in a family with good eating and exercise habits, will they end up obese?

Beware of side effects of "Fad" Diets

Example: Atkins Diet

According to Atkins, the diet causes no adverse side effects. Many health care professionals disagree.

Individuals considering the Atkins diet should consult their physician.

Under the Atkins diet outline, dieters are recommended to stop any unnecessary medications. Any changes to medication should be discussed with a qualified healthcare professional. Diuretics, and, to a lesser extent, other cardiovascular medications and diabetes medications, including insulin, when combined with this diet may produce dangerous effects. Psychotropic drugs, phenothiazines and anti-depressants such as Prozac®, tranquilizers, lithium, and similar drugs may cause metabolic resistance to the diet. Estrogen, prednisone and other steroids, and antiarthritic drugs, especially NSAIDS, can cause weight gain or prevent weight loss. For persons metabolically resistant, any medications may aggravate the condition.

This diet is not recommended for pregnant or lactating women, especially if women are on the induction phase because carbohydrate intake is very restricted. Individuals with high blood pressure and a history of heart attack should not go on the Atkins diet.

People with diabetes taking insulin are at risk of becoming hypoglycemic if they do not eat appropriate carbohydrates.

Short-term side effects: Ketosis, which can result in bad breath, tiredness, weakness, dizziness, insomnia, and nausea, may occur. Constipation may also occur as a consequence of avoiding high-fiber foods such as fruit, vegetable, and beans.

Long-term side effects: Some medical experts question the health safety of the Atkins diet over the long term because the Atkins diet allows consumption of foods containing saturated fats and proteins without any restriction. Health concerns include the impact of large amounts of protein on kidney function, the impact of saturated fats on cholesterol and heart disease, and the potential for some types of cancers to develop from eating a diet low in complex carbohydrates, antioxidants, certain vitamins and minerals, and fiber. There are also concerns that the unbalanced nature of the Atkins diet may lead to nutritional deficiencies, which cause health problems in later life. For example poor intakes of bone-building calcium may increase the risk of osteoporosis, while poor intakes of antioxidant nutrients have been linked with a host of health problems ranging from heart disease and cancer to premature ageing and cataracts.

Doctors highly recommend a balanced diet teamed with lots of exercise to keep the body healthy and prevent disease. Many associations still do not recommend any fad diets, such as low carb or high protein diets which are potential health hazards.

Forbes Magazine found the Atkins diet to be one of the five most expensive food diets available. According to this report, the Atkins diet costs, on average, $100.52 per week. This number is 84.6% higher than the $54.44 an average American spends per week on food.

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