Natural Health Remedies

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"Amazing Secrets To Fantastic Health"

Alternative Health Newsletter

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VIBE is a blend of essential nutrients, powerful antioxidants, concentrated minerals and vitamins, and green tea extracts, ideal for combating free radicals that ravage our bodies every day.

Foods As A Cause Of Yeast Infection

There are many foods that can be a cause of yeast infections as I have explained below, but antibiotics are the primary cause of yeast infection due to the fact that they kill beneficial bacteria in the intestines. This allows the yeast and fungi to take control and proliferate in the human body. Antibiotics are also present in many common foods that most of us eat.

More recently antibiotics are now being detected in the water supply from our overuse. The waste water enters the sewer system, which is then treated, and pumped right back into the water table. The antibiotics are never removed and it becomes a never ending circle.

How do these antibiotics get in our foods?

The most common foods that can be a cause of yeast infections in America are beef and dairy. The livestock industry gives antibiotics to their cattle, this is supposed to kill bad bacteria and make the food supply safer. But they are also used to fatten up cows, a fat cow will sell more than a thin cow, won't it? These antibiotics are getting into the dairy product food chain; they are present in milk, cheese, and the meat itself. This is creating antibiotic resistance in humans and bad bacteria, not to mention the long term health effects to our children, and it ultimately destroys the beneficial bacteria in our intestines allowing a yeast infection to grow in your body.

They also shove these cows into unnatural feeding environments and fatten them up with grain foods that can be a cause of yeast infections, making the meat unfit for human consumption due to mold contamination. The meat becomes loaded with mycotoxins from these molds. You eat it, and it is passed on to you.

Other foods that can be a cause of yeast infections are our grain foods we eat. Wheat, oats, barley, rye, sorghum, corn, red apples, and peanuts are also universally contaminated with fungus. These foods find there way into out systems from cereals, pastas, breads, potato chips, crackers, peanut butter, cooking oils, etc.

How can this be, you wonder?

Grains are usually stored in silos for extended periods of time. They can be stored for years before they are ever sold and brought to market for food processing. During this time, they grow molds in these silos. Now I would assume when they go to process these grains for human consumption they would wash them, but the molds and mycotoxins will enter into the inside of the grain as they try to break them down into dirt. The grains get ground up for processing and the rest is history. The worst of these grains as far as mold contamination are sold for livestock feed and alcohol processing--beer mostly.

The other foods that can be a cause of yeast infections mentioned above like peanuts, corn, and red apples will actually grow mold on them as they grow. Peanuts also are the most genetically engineered food on the planet.

These foods can kill the beneficial bacteria in our digestive system because of the molds they are contaminated with. They also allow the yeast to grow since the yeast eats the sugars in these foods.

Mycotoxins from molds and fungi are also known cancer causing agents that are released by molds and yeasts. One of these mycotoxins called aflatoxin happens to be the most carcinogenic substance on earth. In the common diets of today, grains are consumed in all three meals in some form, from cereals to breads and pastas, so every day the average American is consuming .15mg to .5mg of aflatoxin.

The western diet of today due to sugars and molds in the foods we eat is a cancer causing machine. The addition of these sugars allows the yeast to thrive unbeknownst to many people that have it, and allows it to inject its own mycotoxins into your body. This will suppress the immune system and lead to other autoimmune system diseases such as cancer, lupus, multiple sclerosis, crohns, arthritis, skin disorders, chronic fatigue, depression, fibromyalgia, etc. if left untreated.

Other foods that can be a cause of yeast infection are present in the water we drink known as chlorine. Chlorine is added to the water supply of the US to kill parasites, microbes, and bad bacteria present in our drinking water supply. But when you drink this water directly from your tap, the chlorine kills the good bacteria in your intestines. To chlorine, bacteria is bacteria, it doesn't know the difference from good or bad.

Fluoride also is a cause of yeast infection and killer of not only intestinal bacteria but also enzymes, which are the building blocks of all life and work on the cellular DNA level, as well as in the process of digestion and immune system health.

I recommend you buy a water distiller and use this water to not only drink but to also cook with. It is the only system that will remove fluoride from your drinking water besides reverse osmosis, which makes the water too acidic.

Fluoride has been found, when used for cooking, to release toxic metals from common cooking utensils. So called bottled spring water in independent testing is not always safe either, due to pollutants in the air, coming to the ground in rain, and getting in the water table, it can be just as bad for you. You also have tons of run off from fertilizers, pesticides, antibiotics, and other chemicals in the water supply. A lot of so called spring water is really just filtered tap water; the industry is not regulated very strongly, so you can't always be sure what you are really drinking. So how do we avoid these molds and antibiotics in our foods that can be a cause of yeast infection?

In almost every store in the country you can buy hormone and antibiotic free beef. Buy it, eat it, and simply don't buy the rest.

Cut down on grain foods that cause yeast infections drastically by eliminating the chips, cookies, cakes, cereals, and pastas. Substitute pastas with rice that you have to fry first for a grain.

Eat more organic eggs for breakfast. And don't worry about cholesterol, which is caused by mycotoxins in the blood stream, sugar, and trans fats, and is actually an immune system response to these mycotoxins from fungus. Take away the mycotoxins and junk food and your cholesterol will be just fine.

Cause of Yeast Infection And The Immune System

Another cause of yeast infection is a generally weakened or deficient immune system.

How does the immune system get worn down enough to be a cause of yeast infection in the average person?

Many times a person has had an illness or injury and their health is never the same again. The body has been damaged too severely for the immune system to repair the cells properly, although it never stops trying. Over time the immune system weakens to the point it can no longer defend the body. Instead it focuses on other processes more important for continued life.

Every day we are exposing ourselves to polluted air from the smog from our cars and power plants, which, if coal-fired, deliver acid rain containing mercury to the ground which enters the food chain.

There are now traces of over 300 toxins in our bodies that were not present before 1940. These toxins have been shown to bind to receptors, blocking important enzymatic reactions in the body weakening the immune system.

Fluoride in the United States is added to the water supplies, even though Europe and the rest of the free world have removed it from their water supplies because it does not prevent tooth decay. Fluoride attacks the DNA at a cellular level and kills enzymes in the body which without nothing would ever be done in your body.

Modern medicine and their drugs are also a cause of yeast infection as you have learned before. But also other over the counter drugs have been linked to the destruction of stomach bacteria that will allow an intestinal yeast infection to take hold or even reoccur.

Chemicals in the home from soaps, laundry detergents, toothpastes, perfumes, cleaning solvents, etc. are causes. I could go on and on in this area. Even carpet is made of petroleum and plastics, which are toxic.

Some researchers have linked the cause of yeast infection to be excess mercury in the body. We put mercury amalgam fillings in our teeth, so our liver is constantly trying to detoxify our bodies from slow mercury poisoning.

Our foods are more and more genetically engineered and their food value becoming more and more questionable. Modern farming has stripped the soils of all minerals and vitamins so foods have very little value any more. According to the 1992 Earth Summit, the USA has the worst soil in the world - 85% depleted. This means the potency of our food supply is not able to sustain optimum health.

Pesticides are used that kill beneficial soil based organisms that used to be a part of our diets from the family farms of old. We add chemicals to dairy foods to give it a longer shelf life.

The average American eats over 7 pounds of sugar a year which is creating a Type 2 diabetic epidemic in this country. Obesity is at an all time high from sugar and processed grains which themselves are turned to sugar when digested.

The pancreas kicks in some insulin, which picks up the sugar and deposits it on the body as fat. Fat is the fuel the body was originally designed to run on, not sucrose. Sugar contributes to the cause of yeast infections by feeding the fungus in the body allowing it to grow and spread. Sugar is also by far the number one thing that can wear down your immune system. It is worse than smoking.

All of our food is cooked, processed, and enzymatically dead which causes the pancreas an additional load and it must create more enzymes to digest these foods. The metabolic enzymes are forced to help out with digestion when they should be helping repair cells and removing wastes.

We are no longer getting the necessary monosaccharides that are so important for cellular function in our diets that modulate the immune system. They also allow for nutrient intake and disposal of wastes in the cells. They are responsible and play a role in every process in the body.

We vaccinate our children with basically poisons in the name of good health which actually weaken their immune systems.

Another very common cause of yeast infection is mold growing in ventilation systems. I have personally seen this condition inside air conditioners. These mold spores blow into the home, and once you breath them, they can travel through the body, causing asthma and bronchitis.

I could go on and on but I won't…

All these things contribute as a cause of yeast infections today and weaken our immune systems. Good Bacteria is our first line of defense in our immune systems, and all these things can and do contribute to help kill them.

It is becoming more and more necessary to take supplements every day to maintain a healthy body and a healthy immune system. Drink plenty of clean fresh water to flush out the poisons and wastes from your body while minimizing environmental toxins in the home.

Fulvic Acid . . . The Miracle Molecule

Introduction

Fulvic acid (not to be confused with folic acid) is rapidly being recognized as one of the key elements in many outstanding health and scientific breakthroughs of the 21st century. Scientists and doctors throughout the world are beginning to discover fulvic acid and are starting to recognize its extraordinary potential.

Fulvic acid has always occurred naturally in organic plants and soils, yet its recent discovery and tremendous value is now just beginning to be recognized. It can balance and energize cell life and biological properties it comes into contact with. If the individual cell is restored to its normal chemical balance and electrical potential, we have given cells life where death and disintegration would normally occur.

Doctors have known for years that everyone needs at least 90 nutrients to maintain optimum health. These nutrients include a minimum of 59 minerals, 16 vitamins, 12 amino acids and 3 essential fatty acids. But eating good tasting food and swallowing a lot of vitamin pills does not guarantee absorption or utilization of these vital nutrients. When the body does not absorb nutrients the door is open for disease.

Scientists have found that fulvic acid is the element that makes nutrients absorbable, which gives it the ability to make a dramatic impact on all kinds of diseases and health problems that afflict us today. They call it the elixir of life and theorize that without it, nothing would live.

Fulvic Acid -The Miracle Molecule

Fulvic acid is being called Nature's Miracle Molecule, because it does so many things it wears so many hats.

Reported claims of benefits are a little short of astonishing.

For internal use, they are:

Increased energy
It's a ferocious antioxidant and free radical scavenger
Chelates heavy metals and body toxins, removing them from the system
Transports nutrients into the cells
Extends the time nutrients remain active - potentiates the availability of essential nutrients
Increases metabolism of proteins, contributing to DNA and RNA synthesis
It's a powerful natural electrolyte
Restores electrochemical balance
Increases activity of a host of enzyme systems
Helps rebuild the immune system
Increases bioavailability of nutrients and minerals

Reported beneficial claims for external use:

Treating open wounds, cuts and abrasions
Healing burns with minimum pain or scarring
Eliminating discoloration due to skin bruises
Killing pathogens responsible for athletes foot
Acting as a wide spectrum anti-microbial and fungicide
Treating rashes, skin irritations, insect and spider bites
Neutralizing poison ivy and poison oak

The agricultural benefits of fulvic acid have enormous potential to heal soils of the world and to neutralize radioactive and toxic wastes.

Fulvic Acid, Origin and Overview

In the beginning the earth was blessed with optimum organic growing conditions. The soil had a wealth of minerals, trace elements and rich humus soil teaming with microbes. The earth's minerals had not been depleted from over-farming and the vegetation was very lush and abundant, as is evidenced by ancient remains that geologists call humic deposits. These deposits are quite rare and can be found in various areas of the world. Even more rare are deposits of humic substance that are exceedingly rich in a little known substance called fulvic acid.

Fulvic Acid Supercharged Electrolyte

Fulvic Acid has been called one of the most important natural miracles related to life itself. It is an acid created in extremely small amounts by millions of beneficial microbes working on decaying plant matter. Because of fulvic acid's low molecular weight (small molecules) it has the ability to readily dissolve and bond minerals and nutritional elements into its molecular structure. Nutrients that have been chelated by fulvic acid are in an ideal natural form to interact with and be absorbed by living cells. Fulvic Acid is so powerful that one single fulvic acid molecule is capable of carrying 60 or more minerals and trace elements into the cells.

Fulvic Acid is Lacking in Food Crops

It is a well-known and publicized fact that our soils are sick from poor agricultural practices. The sterile soil conditions brought on by the overuse of pesticides, chemical fertilizers and erosion prohibit microbial activity and the formation of fulvic acid.

Fulvic acid that is essential for maximum human health has been missing from our diets for generations. Re-mineralization of our bodies without the fulvic acid (that should be in the plants we eat) has little benefit. People are sick with degenerative and deficiency related diseases now more than ever. Fulvic acid supplementation is a good start toward reversing this situation.

Supercharged Electrolyte, Antioxidant and Free Radical Scavenger

Cellular electrical energy could be called the life force of the body. When electrical energy is reduced in cells, they disintegrate and die. It is believed that electrical and chemical balances within the cell can be created and controlled by electrolytes the body's mini battery chargers.

Scientists tell us fulvic acid is one of the most powerful natural electrolytes known to man. These supercharged molecules balance cellular life restoring the electrical potential that was once normal to the cell by charging, regenerating, regulating and delivering their living energies to the living cells.

Fulvic acid maintains the ideal environment for dissolved mineral complexes, elements, and cells to bio-react electrically with one another causing electron transfer, catalytic reactions, and transmutations into new minerals.

It helps with human enzyme production, hormone structures, and is necessary for the utilization of vitamins. It has been found to be essential to living cells in carrying on metabolic processes.

It is also one of the most powerful natural antioxidants and free radical scavengers known. It has the unique ability to react with both negatively and positively charged unpaired electrons and render free radicals harmless. It can either alter them into new useable compounds or eliminate them as waste. Fulvic acid can similarly scavenge heavy metals and detoxify pollutants.

Fulvic Acid Mineral Complexes are Better than True Colloidal Minerals

You may have heard all the excitement about Colloidal Minerals. But true colloidal minerals by themselves are not readily useable by cells. It is the fulvic acid in conjunction with minerals that makes them effective. Many colloidal minerals on the market contain a small amount of fulvic acid, which is responsible for any results they may produce.

Fulvic Acids Further Defined

Individual cells when properly nourished, are capable of producing many of their own amino acids, enzymes, and other factors necessary for all metabolic processes. Each cell, in addition to other processes, burns its own energy, maintains itself, manufactures its own enzymes, creates its own proteins, and duplicates itself. It is essential to understand that the total metabolism of the body is the sum of the metabolic operations carried on in each individual cell.

Growth & Maintenance Nutrients

Scientists have identified at least 90 growth and maintenance nutrients which must be continuously supplied to the body to sustain healthful life. These nutrients include amino acids, major and trace minerals, vitamins and other nutritional factors. When these factors are supplied to our cells, the cells then create the building blocks of our life process. The building blocks present in the metabolic machinery are, in the great majority of cases, the same in other organisms of extremely different types.

Humans can produce all but eight amino acids within their cells. The very complex process of all metabolic functions is carried on within the cell. If we fail to supply the cell with essential growth and maintenance nutrients we will experience a breakdown of these functions. When the breakdown is substantial we have the onset of disease or the manifestation of some related defect.

Sick Soils, Sick Plants, Sick People

In the beginning, our naturally fertile soils contained adequate amounts of humic and fulvic acids produced by resident microbes within the soil. They delivered nutrients and minerals to the plants.

Largely our modern agriculture aims at one goal an abundance of saleable products. Food quality is sacrificed for food quantity. Since the farmer is paid by the bushel, yield is more important than nutritional content. To control disease and force yield, excessive amounts of nitrate fertilizers are applied to the soil. Such practices stun and destroy the indigenous microbial life within the soil, which destroys vital humic and fulvic acids.

Gone Are The Minerals

When microbes are depleted from the soils, they are no longer present to convert inorganic minerals into organic minerals needed by plants. Excessive use of nitrate fertilizers inhibits the formation of normal plant proteins and stimulates an over-abundance of unused amino acids that attracts insects. Since pests were created to eat diseased plants this introduces the ideal environment for increased infestation because of increased insect food supply. The farmer's reaction is to apply more pesticides and fungicides to save his infested crop. This in turn inhibits or destroys even more vital microorganisms that are essential in converting minerals to plant nutrients.

Unsafe Foods

These deficient, pesticide laden products are turned into cash, which the farmer thinks is the bottom line. Lacking in organic trace elements and other nutritional factors, but long on chemical residues from pesticides, insecticides and herbicides, these nutritionally hollow products end up on the table of North America. Without taste, and deficient in organic minerals and nutrients, we peel, boil and overcook what remains and then ask Why am I sick?

The Vitamin Connection

New breakthroughs are just beginning to emerge in the use of increased dosages of vitamins and minerals for treatment of some ailments. However, it is crucial to remember that vitamins cannot complete their function in the cell's metabolism without the presence of the appropriate and specific mineral co-factor and fulvic acid.

Cell Wall Permeability and Absorption

One of the strongest advantages of fulvic acid minerals is that absorption greatly exceeds traditional tablet supplements. As with any nutrient or supplement, the only way your body can benefit, is if it is absorbed. Fulvic acid enhances this process.

Fulvic acid makes elemental minerals and vitamins more absorbable by complexing them (refines, purifies, combines and re-refines) into organic, ionic forms that are easily transported into and through membranes and cell walls. Once the nutrients meld into the fulvic acid complex, they become bioactive and bioavailable.

The Fulvic Acid Connection

Humic and fulvic acids have a fascinating effect on living organisms. Fulvic acid chelates and binds scores of minerals into a bio-available form used by cells. These trace minerals serve as catalysts to vitamins within the cell. Additionally, fulvic acid is one of the most efficient transporters of vitamins into the cell.

The Enzyme Connection

An enzyme is a catalyst that does not enter into a reaction but speeds up or causes a reaction to take place. Enzymes are complex proteins. Enzymes are the life force behind vitamins and minerals. Without enzyme activation in the stomach, food would simply rot, elimination would not take place, thought would cease and we would die.

At the cellular level, the burning of glucose in cells for instance, requires the action of several enzymes, each working on the substrate of the previous reaction. Each cell of the body, when properly nourished, is capable of producing the enzymes needed for complete metabolism. Research has shown that fulvic acid improves enzymatic reactions in cells and produces maximum stimulation of enzyme development.

Free Radicals & Antioxidants

Dramatic increases of free radicals in our air, food and water in recent years have put a tremendous strain on the body's natural defense mechanisms. Our first line of defense against free radicals is a generous supply of free radical scavengers, called antioxidants.

Free radicals are highly reactive molecules or fragments of molecules that contain one or more unpaired electrons. They circulate through the body causing great mischief in bonding to and injuring tissues. In addition to destroying tissue, they magnify the probability that injured cells will become susceptible to a great many infections and diseases, or mutate and cause cancer.

Fulvic acid has the ability to dramatically reduce the oxidative effects of free-radicals. This means fulvic acid could potentially help your body ward-off disorders such as cancer, premature aging, wrinkling of the skin and arthritis… all of which are thought to be hastened by oxidation.

Antioxidants

In recent years frantic efforts have been made to locate and isolate compounds with an extraordinary affinity for free radicals. Entire industries have evolved around such efforts, with nearly every vendor of health food products offering possible solutions. There are three identified categories of free radicals, and numerous identified free-radical scavengers, Vitamin A, C, E, Gamma-Linoleic Acid, L-Cysteine, L-Glutathione, Selenium, and CoQ10 are the best known. Each one of the free-radical scavengers eradicate a different category of free-radicals. It's very complicated to get the right form of nutrients, in the correct amounts, along with all the co-factors needed to make them work.

How Antioxidants Work

For an antioxidant to bind a free radical, the antioxidant molecule must have unpaired electrons of equal and opposite charge to that of the unpaired electrons of the free radical.

Fulvic Acid, the Super Antioxidant

We have found that fulvic acid is a powerful, natural electrolyte that can eradicate any form of free-radical. It can act as an acceptor or as a donor in the creation of electrochemical balance. If it encounters free radicals with unpaired positive electrons, it supplies an equal and opposite negative charge to neutralize the bad effects of the free radicals. Likewise, if the free radicals carry a negative charge, the fulvic acid molecule can supply positive unpaired electrons to nullify that charge. Fulvic acid plays the role as a bi-directional super antioxidant.

In Summary

Fulvic acid is a bio-available chelated molecule that can also chelate. As a refiner and transporter of organic minerals and other cell nutrients, it has the ability to turn bad guys into good guys by chelating and humanizing free radicals. Depending upon the chemical makeup of the free radical, they can be incorporated into and become a part of life sustaining bio-available nutrients. In the event that the chemical makeup of the free radical is of no particular benefit, it is chelated, mobilized and carried out of the body as a waste product.

Many of the substances that make up humic matter have yet to be discovered and catalogued among the know and documented organic chemicals. We are beginning to realize that what we know about Fulvic Acid is just the tip of the iceberg.

Now you can see why Fulvic produces such amazing health benefits for the consumers taking it.

Today’s Epidemics of Disease

Headlines from Johns Hopkins, Reuters, the Associated Press and other medical news services continually discuss concern over the widespread and rapid increase of incurable infectious diseases, degenerative diseases, autoimmune and mental disorders. The incidence of heart disease, cancer, diabetes, arthritis, osteoporosis, multiple sclerosis, Parkinson’s disease, asthma, AIDS and a host of other illnesses are reported to be advancing in epidemic proportions.

Medical research from scientists, doctors and pharmacologists from around the world are showing that the humic extract, Fulvic, can prevent, treat and sometimes even reverse many diseases that are thought to be incurable.

Autoimmune Disorders

Autoimmune Disorders is a catch-all phrase that includes a number of diseases such as Graves Disease, Lupus, MS, Parkinson’s Disease, Fibromyalgia, Alzheimer’s and rheumatoid arthritis. It is believed that the body attacks its own tissues and organs. Nutritionally oriented researchers feel the root cause is a virus.

In a recent issue of Annals of Rheumatic Diseases, doctors found that people with some autoimmune disorders have lower levels of common antioxidants in the blood. It is speculated that the naturally occurring antioxidants in these cases are being used to mop up damaging free radicals.

It is not clear whether the lower levels of antioxidants are the result of decreased intake, low absorption, or inadequate transport. An adequate supply of Fulvic would solve all of these conditions. Fulvic, when administered both topically and orally is proven to regulate the immune system and to work as potent antioxidants and anti-inflammatory agents. Serious diseases are sometimes 20 or 30 years in the making and may require lengthy and consistent treatment of this miracle molecule, as well as dietary changes, before a complete recovery is seen. However, it is important to remember that any disease can progress to a point-of-no-return where so much damage has been done to organs and cells that the condition cannot be reversed.

Thyroid Epidemic

A study by Dr. E. Chester Ridgeway, the University of Colorado’s chief endocrinologist, says that an estimated 13 million Americans may have undiagnosed thyroid problems. He states that even mild thyroid problems may cause serious consequences. Pregnant women with thyroid problems are in jeopardy of having children with lower IQ’s.

In many cases, natural therapies can prevent, treat and even reverse thyroid disease, including hypothyroidism, hyperthyroidism, Graves Disease and Wilson’s Syndrome.

Symptoms of low thyroid could include; serious mental problems, depression, anxiety, seizures, ADD and ADHD, poor concentration, mental confusion, memory loss, cold hands and feet, low energy, difficult weight loss, migraine headaches, acne, low blood sugar, high cholesterol, heart disease, cancer, arthritis, diabetes, lung cancer, susceptibility to infections due to low immunity, and female problems.

Thyroid malfunction is generally due to buildup of dangerous toxins, chlorinated substances, viruses, pathogens, infections, pesticides, altered enzymes or hormones in the tissues of the thyroid gland. A prime objective for anyone with a thyroid problem is to eliminate intake of all toxins, while removing toxic buildup within the body.

Fulvic is one of the safest and most powerful antiviral substances known. It could be called nature’s antibiotic. But unlike chemical antibiotics, Fulvic may be used indefinitely without creating antibiotic resistance strains of disease.

Diabetes and Fulvic

Dr. Paul Zimmet of the International Diabetes Institute and the World Health Organization reported that the prevalence of diabetes is expected to double or even triple by the year 2010.

Most medical doctors and diabetes associations do not know that scientists in remote parts of the world are making significant inroads into the treatment and prevention of diabetes mellitus with Fulvic extracts and herbs. Dr. Bhattacharya from the Institute of Medical Sciences at Banaras Hindu University in India recognized that Fulvics produced significant success in preventing and combating free radical damage to pancreatic islet B cells, which is the widely accepted cause for diabetes mellitus. Dr. Bhattacharya’s clinical studies showed that Fulvic diminished the development and progression of diabetes, and assisted in the treatment. Studies showed that patients became more energetic and the tingling, painful feeling and numbness in nerve endings disappeared.

Tuberculosis Solutions

An obscure and highly technical U.S. Government report shows that there is a direct correlation between natural soil substances (humic and fulvic) and the absence of tuberculosis in humans. This report and many other studies reveal that Fulvic contains a powerful spectrum of natural micronutrients, phytochemicals, anti-viral and antibiotic–like agents that directly inhibit and destroy disease pathogens, while fortifying and regulating the immune system, increasing overall health.

A report from the U.S. Department of Interior, Bureau of Mines, shows a direct correlation between coal miners that were exposed to humic substances and their complete absence of tuberculosis.

Cancer

Studies show that cancer needs an acid pH to survive. Vital-Earth’s Fulvic Mineral Complex falls in a neutral to alkaline range of 7.0 to 8.9 pH. It has also been shown that cancer cells produce their own oxidants that send signals through protein pathways, bombarding surrounding cells uncontrollably with damaging free-radicals. Super antioxidants work to obstruct the signaling protein pathways, neutralizing the spread of cancer.

Fulvic is nature’s most powerful antioxidant. Studies throughout the world show that Humic / Fulvic molecules carry both a negative and a positive charge, making them both donor and acceptor free radical scavengers and antioxidants. Although Fulvic taken orally may not reverse an advanced case of cancer, it has the potential of slowing its growth and is a powerful preventative, especially if accompanied by an alkaline forming diet.

HIV / AIDS

One pharmaceutical company has patented a humic based drug that purifies blood for transfusions, killing the HIV virus without damaging blood cells. The humic extract, Fulvic, has proven to be the most effective natural treatment against viruses of all kinds. Studies show that Fulvic is effective against common colds and flu viruses, including respiratory tract viruses, retroviruses, influenza viruses, and herpes simplex viruses.

Weight Loss

One side effect that many overweight people experience after taking Fulvic Mineral Complex on a regular basis is weight normalization / loss. Mineral deficient people and animals do not feel satisfied after eating a full meal. They eat larger quantities of food than most people, eat more meals, and snack excessively as their bodies are desperately searching for minerals. When adequate Fulvic Minerals are supplied, cravings diminish or go away, meals are not desired as often and smaller meals become the norm. As a result of these changes that occur naturally, it is common for overweight people to lose from 15 to 30 pounds in their first month or two without going on a specific diet. In following months the weight loss is less dramatic but steady. People of normal weight are unaffected.

Ancient Use

The use of Fulvic to treat disease has been documented back to the 15th century Ming Dynasty. In China, Humic and Fulvic was commonly used in hospitals and among the general population for the widespread treatment of diseases.

Since 1978, many medical schools and hospitals in China have engaged in extensive studies on the toxicology and pathological aspects of Humic and Fulvic and their clinical applications. Hundreds of research papers have now been published nationally in China … some having appeared in international journals. Humic / Fulvic medicines are approved for internal and external use by the Chinese Drug Administration because of their non-toxicity. Hospitals in China reported that elderly patients regained appetite, slept better and became more energetic when given Fulvic on a regular basis.

Fulvic based products are being used in Germany for internal and external use for relief of rheumatism, and gastric disturbances in humans and animals. Studies of patients with gastric and duodenal ulcers showed that 91% improved when treated with Fulvic.

Other studies coming from India show that Fulvic is considered to be a powerful anti-aging therapy that also helped with symptoms of dementia.

Longevity and Anti-Aging

There are 5 documented cultures across the world whose people routinely live healthy, disease free lives to the age of 120 to 140. These amazing people have several denominators in common; They all live at a very high elevation; the annual rainfall is less than 2 inches, there is no industry to pollute the air, water or food, only natural fertilizer is used on their crops, their water source is “Glacial Milk”, which is high in minerals and Fulvic, and Western allopathic medicine is not available to them.

We cannot duplicate many of the conditions that these remote cultures are blessed with, but we can do a lot to help ourselves by avoiding packaged grocery store foods that contain chemicals, additives, artificial colorings, hydrogenated oils, MSG, carbonation and refined sugar. But perhaps most important of all is to supplement with the Fulvic minerals that these long living, healthy cultures have an abundance of. When the Fulvic intake is adequate, most people report having more natural energy, sleeping better, being able to ward off colds and the flu, and reversing diseases. Many report a natural strengthening of muscles, firming of connective tissue which results in diminished wrinkling of the skin.

Antacids and Children Just Don't Mix

On a recent vacation I visited a family fair where rows of booths addressed various children's health issues. Imagine my surprise when I turned a corner and found one hawking lansoprazole (Prevacid), a high-powered acid-suppressant known as a proton-pump inhibitor (PPI), for pediatric gastroesophageal reflux (GER), also known as GERD in those with the disease. When I was young, a little Pepto Bismal was standard fare for all kids' tummy aches. It seems, however, that the pharmaceutical companies are upping the ante... and now, instead of soothing an irritated stomach, they are going to change the natural function of children's digestive systems. This seemed a perfect subject for this month's Digestion Connection discussion with Daily Health News contributing Editor Andrew L. Rubman, ND.

Not surprisingly, Dr. Rubman told me that acid suppressants (such as PPI drugs Prilosec and Prevacid) -- relieve heartburn by decreasing stomach acid production and antacids (such as Mylanta and Maalox) neutralize stomach acid. These drugs, he says, should rarely be taken by children, just as they should rarely be taken by adults. It's all marketing, hucksterism and salesmanship, now at the cost of even our children's health and well-being, warns Dr. Rubman. He adds that not only are these drugs often unnecessary, they are actually harmful to our health -- and our children's health. Truth be told, digestive difficulties are also likely to develop due to insufficient rather than excess stomach acid, says Dr. Rubman.

ACID SUPPRESSANTS AND CHILDREN

Acid suppressants like Prevacid suppress normal digestive function, explains Dr. Rubman. He points out that whenever you tinker with the natural processes of the body, you are asking for trouble. In this case, when you limit a child's ability to digest food by giving him/her acid suppressants, there are a number of negative consequences in the body...

Greater susceptibility to germs and disease. Not for digestion alone, germ-killing stomach acid is also part of the body's natural defense system against microbial invaders such as bacteria, viruses, yeast and mold, says Dr. Rubman. When you disarm this system, invaders are left free to colonize the stomach and digestive tract. The immune system counters with an inflammatory response, damage to stomach cells ensues, and the door is open to diseases such as gastritis, Crohn's disease and asthma, Dr. Rubman explained. When I pointed out to Dr. Rubman that some children actually take GER drugs for uncontrolled or poorly controlled asthma, he responded that they might be helpful in the short run, since asthma drugs can cause or worsen reflux -- but in the long run, drugs that reduce gastric acid negatively impact the body.

Bloating, gas, bad breath, rashes. A child taking antacids or acid suppressants can get away with eating greasy, fatty foods -- just the sort of foods you want him/her to avoid -- without getting a tummy ache. However, Dr. Rubman warns that this is not a free pass, and the body's digestive discomfort will manifest itself elsewhere, as in skin rashes or passing gas.

Suppressed liver function. When you suppress stomach acid, you also suppress liver function, cautions Dr. Rubman. This means that fat can no longer be as efficiently excreted with bile. Additionally, acid suppressants reduce the body's ability to thoroughly digest proteins, which reduces its ability to manufacture "the good cholesterol," HDL, says Dr. Rubman. Young developing bodies with developing hormones are especially vulnerable to damage due to suppressed liver function, he says. Additionally, suppressing the liver's ability to produce HDL can create a cholesterol problem that would not have existed without the acid suppressants, according to Dr. Rubman.

Increased risk of acid reflux "disease." Ironically, antacids and acid suppressants can contribute to the very problem they are supposedly designed to treat, says Dr. Rubman. When there is insufficient stomach acid, the stomach cannot properly break down food. This can lead to inadequate sterilization of food content allowing microbes present in the meal to survive and colonize the stomach lining. For example, food-borne H. pylori, a cause of chronic gastritis and an established cause of stomach cancer, can survive in an acid-suppressed stomach, says Dr. Rubman.

Note: In rare cases, as when children have ulcers, antacids may be taken on a short-term basis (no longer than 14 days), if not caused by bacteria, which would need to be treated separately.

Today we pay tribute to the passing of a friend… COMMON SENSE

Today we mourn the passing of an old friend, by the name of COMMON SENSE. Common Sense lived a long life but died recently. No one really knows how old he was, since his birth records were long ago lost in bureaucratic red tape.

He selflessly devoted his life to service in schools, hospitals, homes, factories, helping folks get jobs done without fanfare and foolishness. He generally cultivated such valued lessons as to know when to come in out of the rain, why the early bird bets the worm and that life is not always fair.

Common Sense lived by simple, sound financial policies (don't spend more than you earn), reliable parenting strategies (the adults are in charge, not the kids), and it's okay to come in second. A veteran of the Industrial Revolution, The Great Depression, and the Technological Revolution, Common Sense survived cultural and educational trends including body piercing, whole language, and "new math."

His health declined when he became infected with the "If-it-only-helps-one-person-its worth-it virus. In recent decade his waning strength proved no match for the ravages of well intentioned but overbearing regulations. He watched in pain as self-seeking lawyers ruled good people. His health rapidly deteriorated when schools endlessly implemented zero-tolerance policies.

Reports of a six-year-old boy charged with sexual harassment for kissing a classmate, a teen suspended for taking a swig of mouthwash after lunch, a teacher fired for reprimanding an unruly student that only worsened his condition. It declined even further when schools had to get parental consent to administer aspirin to a student but could not inform the parent when a female student was pregnant or wanted an abortion.

Common Sense lost his will to live, as the Ten Commandments became contraband, churches became businesses, criminals received better treatment than victims, and federal judges stuck their noses in everything from the Boy Scouts to professional Sports.

Finally, when people, too stupid to realize that a steaming cup of coffee was hot enough to cause burns, sue the restaurant and were rewarded a huge settlement, Common Sense threw in the towel. As the end neared, Common Sense differed in and out of logic but was kept informed of developments regarding questionable regulations such as those for low flow toilets rocking chairs and stepladders.

Common Sense was preceded in death by his parents, Truth and Trust, his wife, Discretion: his daughter, Responsibility: and his son, Reason. He is survived by two stepbrothers: My Rights, and Ima Whiner.

Not many attended his funeral because so few realized he was gone.

"Sweet Death" Aspartame!!!

The formaldehyde that aspartame produces is a deadly neurotoxin and a known carcinogen, causing retinal damage, interference with DNA replication, and birth defects. Why would anybody want this stuff in his or her bodies?

REMEMBER - ASPARTAME WILL STOP THE FAT BURNING PROCESS AND IT IS A NEUROTOXIN!!

Imagine, if you will, a pale-green cadaver on a cold, metal table, waiting to be embalmed. A long plastic tube is placed inside the corpse's main aorta, which will carry a supply of pungent-smelling formaldehyde into the body's decaying tissues. Thus begins the embalming process. Now, visualize removing the tube for a moment to pour a little bit into your coffee or soft drink. Sound appetizing? Well, this is what you might as well be doing when you use aspartame.

Like it or not, aspartame becomes a deadly poison at 86 degrees Fahrenheit (a scary thought when you stop to think that the human body has a core temperature of 98.6 degrees Fahrenheit). Surprised to hear this? I know I was. Aspartame also releases a pleasant little thing called methanol (aka wood alcohol) during the digestive process (specifically when it comes in contact with the digestive enzyme chymotrypsin), which in turn, converts to formaldehyde, which in turn, converts to formic acid, an ant-sting poison.

It's even a scarier thought when you realize that formic acid is used as an activator to help strip off epoxy and urethane coatings. Wow! I guess that means after you've suffered one or several of the 92 registered complaints from people who ingest aspartame, including seizures and death, you might be able to save the mortician some time by eliminating your need to be embalmed, or, if you do survive the chemical abuse, you might want to consider stripping the peeling paint off your old lawn furniture with your perspiration.

What is it about the American people who, for the most part, have all the research available to them, not to mention a plethora of healthy alternatives for optimum health, yet they allow themselves to be buffaloed, day in and day out, by a conglomerate of mega corporations who could care less about them?

I remember my mother once telling me that her doctor had told her to smoke cigarettes when she was pregnant in 1943 because it would help her with her morning sickness. And further, if she had a cold, menthol smokes would help her throat! Didn't anyone stop for a minute to think logically about this kind of advice? I guess not.

When are we going to realize that we are a "conditioned species," programmed like zombies by our parents, friends, peers, teachers, colleagues, the government, the media, you name it, and start doing some research on our own? C'mon, people! Read! Be your own person! Start asking questions! If you're on line, surf the net. As Fox Mulder would say, "The truth is out there."

Up until 1981, aspartame wasn't fully approved. Why? Because the FDA knew it caused brain tumors and seizures in lab animals. It wasn't until President Reagan got into office and a game of "musical commissioners" was played that it really began to wangle its way into America's unsuspecting stomachs.

I find it interesting that when the FDA Commissioner at that time wouldn't approve of aspartame, he was ultimately fired, and Dr. Arthur Hull Hayes, Jr. was appointed in his place. Even then, there was so much residual opposition to aspartame that Dr. Hayes had no choice but to set up a Board of Inquiry that ironically ended up advising him "not to approve aspartame." And did he listen to their advice? I don't think so.

Dr. Hayes overruled his own board, approved the use of aspartame in carbonated beverages, and then curiously left his appointed position for greener pastures as a consultant with a subsidiary of the G.D. Searle Company, manufacturers of aspartame!

Curious to know more about why the FDA's Board of Inquiry had such a big problem with aspartame, I did some research. I found out that with continued use, aspartame has very slow, long-term, damaging effects on human beings. It may take one year, five years, ten years, even forty years, but the evidence is pretty clear -- use aspartame and damage your body. And we're talking about damage that is sometimes reversible, but sometimes not.

The truth of the matter is aspartame was never and cannot be proven to be safe, nor can it be an effective diet aid since the formaldehyde it produces stores up in the body's fat cells, making matters worse.

Even the National Soft Drink Association presented a 30 page protest in the 1980's that stated aspartame was unstable, and that it depleted serotonin ("C10H12N2O" -- an organic compound formed from tryptophan and found in animal and human tissue, especially the brain), the key component that gave their diet-conscious customers the "full feeling" that they were looking for.

Simply because it has no calories?!!! Outside of the long list that the FDA has put together pointing out the symptoms and adverse reactions that people have to aspartame (including abdominal pain, brain cancer, chest pains, fatigue, hypertension, impotency, migraines, numbness, rashes, seizures, tremors, vision loss, weight gain and death), this made-made chemical also mimics symptoms or worsens diseases such as fibromyalgia, multiple sclerosis, Parkinson's disease, lupus, diabetes, Alzheimer's, ADD, lymphoma, and severe depression.

This means, of course, that you could be treated for one of these diseases and not even know that it just might be an aggravated or adverse reaction to aspartame.

There are those of you, I'm sure, that would say, "So, what's the big deal? Aspartame is basically just phenylalanine and aspartic acid, two harmless amino acids." Well, it wouldn't be such a big deal if the amino acids used were of IV pharmaceutical grade, if they were biologically fermented in their singular free-form, and if they were part of a broad-spectrum formula with the right transport vitamins, such as those found in the B-complex family. But it is a big deal if the phenylalanine and aspartic acid are of poor quality and unaccompanied by the other 20 amino acids that we so desperately need. Then they become neurotoxic.

It is true that L-Phenylalanine has been used successfully to both alter the satiety center of our brains (the center that tells us if we're hungry), and to effectively elevate moods.

However, studies have shown that when used by itself, L-Phenylalanie also contributes to high blood pressure.

How ironic that most of the users of aspartame are the very same people who are concerned about their body fat or diabetics who are worried about their sugar intake. The bottom line is that the phenyalanine found in aspartame eventually breaks down into diketopiperazine (DKP), a known brain tumor agent.

For those that might also say that wine and fruit juices contain small amounts of methanol, that's true, however, in natural products methanol never appears alone. In all cases, other protective factors like ethanol (an antidote for methanol toxicity in humans) are present, usually in much higher amounts. Man is pretty foolish if he thinks he can compete with nature. Let's face it, the Universe has a plan, big business has bank accounts.

And let's not forget about the Desert Storm troops that were supplied with large quantities of sodas and beverages sweetened with aspartame, which unfortunately, had been heated to over 86 degrees Fahrenheit while out in the Saudi Arabian sun.

It's a pretty sad story, many of our soldiers returning home with numerous disorders similar to what has been seen in persons who have been chemically poisoned by formaldehyde. Now that I think about it, we should have just shipped our aspartame-sweetened products to Saddam Hussein and won the war sooner!

What really makes me sick is that on June 27, 1996, without public notice, the FDA removed all restrictions from aspartame, allowing it to be used in everything, including all heated and baked goods.

Talk about population control! In February of 1994, the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services released a report that stated that aspartame accounts for more than 75% of all adverse reactions reported to the FDA's Adverse Reaction Monitoring System (ARMS).

I guess you now know why I would suggest that anyone using products sweetened with aspartame, stop right now to regain the quality of their life. What else do you need to know in order to stop yourself from using this unsafe substance?

I can't think of anything else, but if you do need more convincing, you might want to go on-line and visit one of the most informative web sites I've come across in recent years: Dave Rietz's "Say No To Aspartame" at http://www.dorway.com . The people involved in keeping this Godzilla-sized site both maintained and interesting are awesome. One of them is Mark Gold, a man committed to researching and writing about health issues for over 20 years, who I'm told actually saved Dave's life.

I know there's a lot of people out there that would like to get off aspartame immediately, but are afraid to because of their strong addiction to it. But listen to me, guys, you've got to do it!

The more you ingest this junk, the worse things are going to get. Yes, you might go through withdrawal symptoms, but then again, each user experiences different symptoms at different times. Maybe, in your case, it won't be as bad as you think.

I know Dave Reitz's first week without Equal in his coffee must have been tough, but where on "day one" he could barely walk fifty painful feet, by the third week, he was able to walk the length of a Super K-Mart three times with almost no pain. Everyone reacts differently. Look at it this way: Whatever is readily correctable will happen within the first 60-day period, and what lingers after that, may be permanent damage. But you know what? If you don't try, you'll never know and you might as well hang it up. The pain of withdrawal is a lot better than suffering the 92nd symptom on the FDA list, which is death!

For the chosen few who are ready to wean themselves off aspartame, they can help to detoxify their liver by drinking lots of purified water (I like distilled), reducing or eliminating completely your intake of meat and dairy products, and by performing what health-care practitioners refer to as liver flushes.

Sodium Saccharine is another artificial substance that very few people really know anything about, however, don't you find it curious that at the same time aspartame was being approved, saccharine was given an offer it couldn't refuse?

Accept and display a "cancer" warning and be limited to about 200 products, or get banned.

Politics, politics, politics. Last year, the Canadians completed a 24 year study that concluded that if you were a male rat (that has a necessary enzyme) and consumed copious amounts of saccharine, you might get bladder cancer. Otherwise, the warning had no validity (with apparent political focus). The FDA ignored this Canadian finding and retained the cancer warning.

Remember, arm yourself with education. Help your family and friends by telling them to STOP using foods and beverages containing aspartame.

Laugh Your Way to Pain Relief

By Steven Hefferon, CMT, PTA, CPRS

A man rushed into a veterinarian's office carrying his limp, lifeless dog. The vet examined the animal and told the man the dog was dead. The man asked if there was any way the doctor could revive the dog. The doctor left the room and returned with a cat, who sniffed the dog from head to tail then looked up at the vet and meowed.

"Sorry," said the doctor. "There's nothing I can do."

"Thanks for trying," said the man with a sigh. "How much do I owe you?"

"Three hundred and fifty dollars," replied the doctor.

"Three hundred and fifty dollars! Just to tell me my dog is dead?"

"Well," said the doctor, "it was $50 for the office visit. The other $300 is for the CAT scan."

Whether the above joke made you laugh or groan, it lightened your mood. And if you had been in pain, many scientists agree, it would have eased the hurt - at least temporarily.

A fresh take on an old idea

The notion that laughter is good for the body has been around for thousands of years - certainly as far back as the Old Testament. Proverbs 17:22 says, "A cheerful heart is good medicine, but a crushed spirit dries up the bones."

Seventeenth century English physician Dr. Thomas Sydenham remarked, "The arrival of a good clown exercises more beneficial influence upon the health of a town than of twenty asses laden with drugs." Or as Groucho Marx put it, "A clown is like aspirin, only he works twice as fast."

How do you get a sweet 80-year-old lady to say the F word? Get another sweet little 80-year-old lady to yell *BINGO*!

The value of laughter in helping to relieve pain began to attract significant attention in the 1980s when Dr. Norman Cousins in his book Anatomy of an Illness described how watching Marx Brother movies and reading humorous books and articles helped him recover from a life-threatening tissue disease.

Cousins made it a point to enjoy a hearty belly laugh several times a day. He claimed that a few minutes of laughter gave him an hour or more of pain-free sleep. As a result, many pain centers around the country began to use humor therapy to reduce the level of pain medication needed by patients.

There was even a movie made about real-life doctor Patch Adams, a physician who was totally committed to making his patients laugh as an essential part of his treatment.

How does laughter reduce pain?

Clinical staff consistently note that the primary benefit of humor therapy is that it serves as a diversionary tactic - that is, it takes a patient's mind off the pain.

A study published in the Journal of Holistic Nursing reported that patients who were told one-liners after surgery and before painful medication was administered perceived less pain when compared to patients who didn't get a dose of humor as part of their therapy.

Another study, this one published in the Journal of Applied Behavioral Analysis, found that young girls with burns who were shown cartoons during very painful hydrotherapy said they felt less pain than similar patients who were not exposed to cartoons during the same procedure.

A second theory of how laughter helps relieve pain is that it triggers the release of endorphins, the chemicals in the brain that can make us feel good.

Natural healing

Around the same time that the Cousins book appeared, the departing editor of the New England Journal of Medicine, Dr. Franz Ingelfinger, noted that 85 percent of all human illnesses are curable by the body's own healing system. Building a positive focus in your life - which includes a regular dose of laughter - can play a key role in supporting the body's ability to do just that.

Laughing, in fact, has been shown to increase the body's natural killer cells and T-cells, which are types of cells that attack foreign material in our bodies. Laughter also keeps away negative emotions such as anxiety and depression, which tend to weaken the immune system.

Why are they called "hemorrhoids". They should be called "asteroids"?

Research on stress-related hormones and humor has shown that laughter reduces at least four of the hormones associated with the stress response, including epinephrine, cortisol, dopac, and growth hormone.

Some studies have indicated that laughter improves lung capacity and with improved lung capacity come improved oxygen levels in the blood, thereby alleviating ischemic pain or pain do to lack of oxygen-rich blood.

Internal jogging

According to Dr. William Fry from Stanford University, one minute of laughter is equal to 10 minutes on the rowing machine. Laughter is a kind of "internal jogging" that exercises our heart and reduces blood pressure in the same way as does standard aerobic exercise. This kind of laughter exercise is well suited to sedentary people and those who are confined to a bed or wheelchair.

If you keep the Huh Huh Huh - going for long periods of time and increase the number of times you do it while at the same time shrugging your upper body you will keep the oxygen flowing to the cells that need it and you will be giving what you body need to begin to reduce your pain and speed healing.

And here's a final fascinating fact:

Researchers at St. Paul Ramsey Medical Center in Minnesota say that tears of laughter remove toxic substances that normally build up during periods of emotional stress…So, whether you prefer Dirty jokes, Redneck jokes or Funny Photos the Internet has provide us with an unlimited number of resources not to mention the ton of emails that you get from your friends that they think are funny and they just have to send to you for some reason thinking that you have the time to read it and that you have nothing else to do. Maybe just read on a week and see how you feel.

If you do read a joke or see a funny photo and it does put a smile on your face learn to keep that smile going longer and feel how good you feel when you keep your head up and a smile on your face.

Life will always be full of challenges but we should always be driven to seek those thing that give us Joy and Peace, so if a joke can give you 30 seconds of joy, read a joke and keep smiling.

Natural Alternative to Sleep Aids

Lately, I have been receiving numerous emails urging me to purchase Ambien, among other medications/drugs, on the internet.

First of all, it is dangerous to purchase any medication/drug on the internet, they may contain dangerous ingredients and not be distributed by licensed pharmacies.

I have also learned that there have been samples of Ambien purchased on the Internet, that were found to contain haloperidol (Haldol), a potent antipsychotic drug with dangerous side effects.

For more information about dangerous drugs on the Internet, contact the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) or visit www.fda.gov/buyonlineguide.

There are safe natural alternatives to medications/drugs.

Here is another example…

The Drug - Ambien (sleep aid)

Ambien is a hypnotic drug, it works by literally hypnotizing the brain to sleep.

By binding to the brain's GABA (gamma-amino-butyric-acid) receptors, it makes the neurotransmitter to perform more effectively. GABA's promote sleep by preventing the brain cells from firing, which causes you to sleep.

This medication is usually limited to short-term treatment periods of 1-2 weeks. Like other sleep medications, there is the possibility of dependency.

Some people using this medicine have engaged in activity such as driving, sleepwalking, eating and other unusual behavior during sleep they later had no memory of doing.

Side effects:

daytime drowsiness
dizziness
weakness
feeling "drugged" or light-headed
lack of coordination
amnesia
forgetfulness
vivid or abnormal dreams
nausea
constipation
stuffy nose
sore throat
headache
muscle pain
blurred vision

Serious side effects include:

depression
unusual thoughts
risk-taking behavior
decreased inhibitions
no fear of danger
anxiety
aggression
feeling of restlessness
agitated
hallucinations

Natural Alternative - Sleepzyme

Sleepzyme has seven natural ingredients that help to improve sleep, each of the ingredients in this formula have been proven to be safe and effective at improving sleep.

It works without the dangerous and harmful side effects and is NOT addictive.

Side effects:

light grogginess - This tends to occur when the supplement is taken too late in the evening and not enough time for sleep has been allowed. You need to allow at least 6-8 hours of possible sleep time.
enhanced dream activity. By spending more time in deep sleep, you may experience more dreams than you currently do. Not a bad thing.

Get detailed information about Sleepzyme and receive your free 30-day trial. Click Here

Maintain your Health with Juicing

By Consumer Health Advocate, Frank Mangano

As you may already know, fruits and vegetables are the most common and sufficient source of vitamins, minerals, enzymes and nutrients.

Including as many fruits and vegetables in your diet as you can is essential for your overall health. Considering more and more nutrients and phytochemicals are being found everyday in more and more fruits and vegetables, it is unrealistic to think that there is one supplement out there that contains all these nutrients and essential minerals, this is where juicing becomes important. Juicing is an excellent way to add fruits and vegetables to your diet because this method of consumption contains the entire fruit and vegetable, which makes it that much more beneficial.

Fruit and vegetable juices today are made from raw materials, this means that all their healing properties remain intact throughout the juicing process.

The difference between drinking fruit and vegetable juice versus cooking them is that many of the vitamins and minerals are lost through the cooking process, a less effective way to consume your recommended nutrient dosage per day.

Ideally, the best way to carry out the juicing process is to create these juices at home from scratch and consume them immediately for best results. Many of the fruit and natural juices you find at the grocery store have been heat treated to prolong their shelf life and this is the process that can burn off many of the nutrients you are trying to obtain.

Although you will be required to buy a juicer for this process, it is a small expense compared to the nutrients and overall health benefits you will receive from juicing. By purchasing the best produce and properly preparing it for juicing, you will be sure to receive all the nutrients and vitamins from the fruits and vegetables.

Green juices are recommended to cleanse the body of toxins and pollutants. This type of juice is made from a variety of green vegetables and the green juices are rich in chlorophyll in order to purify the blood and detoxify the body. This type of juice can be made with alfalfa sprouts, barely grass, cabbage, kale, dandelion greens, spinach, etc.

Vegetable juices are known as restorers and builders.

They boost the metabolism, cleanse the body and help control obesity by removing excess body fat.

Some of the most healthy and tasty vegetable juices can be made from cabbage, beet, carrot, celery, cucumber, parsley, watercress, spinach and wheatgrass.

Carrot juice is the most popular because of its properties that help fight cancer and carrots can also be mixed with other vegetables in order to spice up their bland taste.

Lastly, fruit juices nourish the body with cancer-fighting antioxidants.

When it comes to fruit, any fruit can be used as a juice but there are some fruits, which offer more healthy benefits than others including: watermelon, apples, bananas, berries, citrus fruits, kiwi, melons and pears.

It is recommended that everyone drink at least 2 glasses of fruit or vegetable juices per day to receive the optimal amount of nutrients and vitamins to help combat cancer and other conditions.

What All Parents Need to Know Before Planning Their Next Vacation or Relocation

By Sharon Filip

We all look forward to vacationing in the sun and having fun activities for our children. Southern California, Arizona, New Mexico and Nevada are all prime vacation spots. Unfortunately, there is something lurking in the soil and air that has been kept a "local secret" from tourists and residents alike.

Your health and safety and that of your children are always in the forefront of your mind when making a decision as to where to go for your next vacation. Is there anyone out there who wouldn't want to keep their children healthy? I don't think so! As a mother, myself, I know firsthand how concerned I was whenever my young children got ill and ran a fever.

So what am I talking about? Believe it or not the southwest region of our beautiful United States has a naturally occurring biohazard that causes an incurable disease commonly known as Valley Fever. The name doesn't sound so bad but I can assure you the disease itself is horrendous.

Before I go any further I want to assure you that I understand why some people may be skeptical, but this is the truth and based upon many years of medical research as well as my own personal experience. It is also corroborated by the experience of thousands of others that I have heard from. The following information is here to empower you with facts so that you can make the best decision about where to travel and/or move to, putting the interests of your family first.

In Nevada they have a slogan "What happens in Vegas stays in Vegas," but when it comes to Valley Fever this is not the souvenir you want to take home.

Here are just a few facts that you need to know right away: Valley Fever is caused by a fungal parasite that lives and thrives in the desert soil. When it reproduces it sends spores in the air that people and animals inhale. It is an equal opportunity biohazard.

The species is called Coccidioides sp. and once inhaled causes the disease coccidioidomycosis, usually referred to as Valley Fever or "cocci" for short. Coccidioidomycosis is not an easy word to pronounce so its alternate names are almost always used in conversation.

Once it is inhaled into the lung it can stay an infection there and/or disseminate to any and all other organs in the body. Inside the body, the fungal spores turn into round spherules that are parasitic. They don't have mouths like the character from Pac-Man, but they do have an appetite. They consume parts of your body wherever they are with chemical reactions and leave dead and damaged cells in their wake. In a very short period of time spherules replicate. Each spherule has between 200-1000 baby spherules known as endospores and the replication repeats over and over again inside your body. It can completely overwhelm even the healthiest immune system and causes distress in the body. Whether you are immunocompromised or not it can easily wreak havoc.

All it takes is the inhalation of one spore to cause a lethal infection. Believe it or not, fifteen trillion (15,000,000,000) spores fit into one cubic inch. Obviously, they are not visible to the naked eye. These spores are in the air 365 days a year and 65% of all Valley Fever cases are contracted in the state of Arizona, with the largest majority in Phoenix and Tucson. These spores have been known to be carried by the wind and infect people and their pets up to 500 miles away.

Bakersfield, California is considered hyper endemic to this disease. Its location is also the origin of the term "San Joaquin Valley Fever." Sharks Tooth mountain is a well known risk area for Valley Fever.

Now that you get the picture of how easy it can be to contract this biohazard, you should also know that it is the only fungal parasite regulated by two anti-terrorism laws. Coccidioides sp. is considered the most virulent fungus known to man and no one warns tourists about it. Can you guess why?

Everyone is at equal risk for inhaling this biohazard but some people are at higher risk of dissemination throughout the body.

They are as follows:

Pregnant women
Young children
The elderly
Asian, Native American, and Hispanic groups
African Americans are 20-50 times more likely to have a disseminated case
Filipinos are 200 times more likely to have a disseminated case

Please note: Even though there are high risk groups for dissemination, previously-healthy Caucasians (such as myself prior to my own VF infection) actually have more disseminated cases and deaths than any other group overall. It doesn't mean anything to be outside of the high risk groups if your case has disseminated.

There is an epidemic of this disease among dogs as well. As with people, any dog is at risk of even the worst effects, but some are at a higher risk for dissemination than other dogs.

The higher-risk breeds are:

Boxer
Pointer
Australian Shepherd
Beagle
Scottish Terrier
Doberman Pinscher
Cocker Spaniel
Greyhound

Whether you have a purebred or a mixed-breed dog does not matter, as they can suffer extremely serious and even fatal cases of Valley Fever. One last note I would like to make is that cats also suffer from Valley Fever, but their cases are usually undiagnosed and underreported.

The main thing to know is that the morbidity of this disease is worse than the mortality of this disease. People and children can suffer the consequences for the rest of their lives.

Below is a story from an adult man who suffered Valley Fever at age eight himself, but his father's case of Valley Fever has affected him all his life:

"...watching my father slowly die from cocci, over the years of my youth, was tremendously traumatic.

"In some ways I still blame myself for his infection because it was me, as an 8 year old, who wanted a horse. Because of my desire and care of them, my father caught Valley Fever and died an early death.

"He was so sick throughout those years that he could no longer do those things with his son that fathers often did. Instead of being able to coach his son in local sports, he had spent hours in the hospital emergency room getting his treatments. Instead of taking the family on vacations across the country, he had to be picked up at work because driving was no longer a skill he could do. These are just a couple of small ways that the cocci affected him.

"During these times, I would do my homework in the waiting room and eat my dinner in the hospital cafeteria. It was necessary because my father would spend hours there, strapped to a table and tilted on his head while he got his spinal injections. It became my second home, the place where I would spend my after school time, and the place that I have ever since tried to avoid.

"Eventually, I would graduate from high school. Many years later, I would be told that my father said that he wanted to live just long enough to see me graduate from college. He was able to do this and lived another 4 years as the disease continued to eat into his brain. He died a few months after my college graduation.

"However, my father was never able to see me get married. He was never able to see his grandchild, or any success I made in my life. He just couldn't hold on any longer. He was denied many enjoyable and important events.

"That's a little bit of the story of cocci's affect on my father's, and my life. There's more to it, including the sacrifices made by his wife, my mother, and the rallying contributions of his siblings..."

Garth G., California

As you can see this disease affects the entire family. If mom or dad become incapacitated they can not work or even take care of their children much less pay the bills. At my website, www.valleyfeversurvivor.com we have received thousands of stories from people around the world. We have published some of them in our book, Valley Fever Epidemic.

Sometimes one spouse does not understand about the pain and fatigue Valley Fever causes. Children don't understand why mom or dad sleep so much and don't do the things they used to do with them. When it happens that a child contracts Valley Fever the pain to the parent is sometimes unbearable. You know how you would feel if you were watching your child lying in bed with severe head pain and having trouble breathing and not being able to do much about it. The costs are overwhelming physically and monetarily.

Being in your third trimester of pregnancy is supposed to be an exciting time in your life, but with Valley Fever that is not the case. Below is a story and review that we received from a lady who bought our book Valley Fever Epidemic after she had her baby while being infected with VF:

"I was in my 3rd trimester of pregnancy when I moved from Massachusetts to Arizona in October 1999. Little did I know that I was at risk for contracting Valley Fever. After living in Arizona for only 1 month, I was faced with the horrible symptoms described so clearly in this book. My new OB/GYN in Arizona was aware of the symptoms of Valley Fever and immediately had me tested and treated. Thankfully, my baby was born healthy. Unfortunately, I have been suffering with Valley Fever ever since! I WISH THIS BOOK WAS AVAILABLE 9 YEARS AGO AND MY DOCTOR IN MASSACHUSETTS WAS KNOWLEDGEABLE ABOUT VALLEY FEVER......I NEVER WOULD HAVE MOVED TO ARIZONA!!!! This book is a MUST for ALL doctors AND pregnant women, especially those who live and/or visit an epidemic area!!!! ALL Pregnant Women should read this INCREDIBLE book."

Ria Nordstrom, Kansas

When children , adults or animals contract Valley Fever, they exhibit many of the same symptoms as if they have the flu or pneumonia. There is a complete listing of all the symptoms on my website www.valleyfeversurvivor.com. Once Valley Fever is contracted you have it for life since there is presently no cure. It can go dormant and reactivate many times throughout one's life. The antifungal drugs taken for Valley Fever have many side effects that can make it very difficult if you need to use them long term. In some cases it may actually be necessary to be on antifungals for a lifetime. This can mean school or work is missed, lots of doctor or hospital visits, and lots of crying from all family members.

When lifetime antifungals are recommended for a young girl she may be told that she can never have children. Can you imagine telling your daughter that, just because she vacationed in Arizona or another endemic zone and contracted Valley Fever there, that she can not have children when she grows up?

In men and boys it can infect the testicles causing removal of the organ. Too many people need to have parts of their lung removed because of Valley Fever and that can make life very difficult for any family. Sometimes Valley Fever causes problems that require other surgeries to be needed.

If you or your children have always been active, enjoyed outdoor sports, tennis, hiking, etc, that could all be taken away if Valley Fever is contracted. We have heard from many people including competitive tennis players and long distance runners who can no longer participate in their sports the way they used to.

With all the above said, not everyone has a disseminated case and not everyone is made extremely sick if they contract Valley Fever. I, however, have heard from thousands of people with most of them having disseminated cases as well as their children. Unfortunately, children in a hospital inpatient database study for 2002 had an 8.5% death rate in children hospitalized with Valley Fever and a 6% death rate in adults hospitalized with Valley Fever. There is also a study which showed a 26.8% death rate in seniors who had pneumonia from Valley Fever and not dissemination. Fungal pneumonia is the most common symptom of this disease.

Only 2% of all cases are estimated to be accurately diagnosed, leaving 98 percent of cases undiagnosed and not treated accurately. In fact, a study in Arizona has shown that 29% of all hospital cases thought to be influenza actually were Valley Fever cases.

I often wonder how many actual influenza or pneumonia cases reported to the CDC are not really those illnesses at all but rather undiagnosed Valley Fever cases.

The most common sites of dissemination are the skin, joints, bones and meninges. When Valley Fever goes to the lining of the brain it can be lethal.

Some of the health issues that Valley Fever causes are myalgias, osteomyelitis, arthritis, rheumatism, COPD, and degenerative bone disease. Even depression can occur due to not getting better or back to being able to do the things one did prior to contracting Valley Fever. Having a chronic illness for the rest of one's life is not exactly uplifting.

Fibromyalgia and Chronic Fatigue Syndrome are conditions that the medical community does not consider to have known causes. However, many of our questionnaire respondents were diagnosed with these conditions shortly after their Valley Fever and as a result of their Valley Fever symptoms.

I have not yet written about the consequences of what it can mean to the family if they relocate to an endemic area where Valley Fever lives. Below is one story we received from a lady who did just that and was not aware of the existence of this disease.

"The most difficult part of the Valley Fever for me has been my inability to work, concentrate or care for my family. We also experienced a severe loss of income due to VF...Had no control over what was happening to me, therefore lived for months with a sense of panic that affected me and my entire family.

"Wish I had known about VF before making the decision to move to Arizona. Now it is too late. We have sold everything and we would lose way too much by trying to relocate again. I am hoping that no one else in my family will contract this terrible illness. It is unfortunate that people in government in Arizona and the builders/developers are more concerned with having money pour into their hands than with honesty and the health issues that are likely to affect most of the people moving to Arizona. I know none of my friends or family wants to come to visit, unfortunately. As I said, for us it is too late. We moved our business to Arizona and it would be very risky to try to move again."

Maria M., Arizona

If you would like to empower yourself with facts and information about this disease, please consider reading Valley Fever Epidemic. The knowledge you gain can save your family from unnecessary suffering.

My son, David, was there day and night when I went through the hardest times of my Valley Fever and together we co-authored Valley Fever Epidemic. We wanted to make sure everyone would be aware of this disease. Knowledge is power and only you can decide what is safest and best for your family once you are aware of all the facts.

Together David and I have been volunteering for the past seven years to help people with this disease and inform people about Valley Fever through our web site www.valleyfeversurvivor.com. One of our goals is to raise awareness and funds for research so that there will finally be a vaccine and a cure for Valley Fever.

On Tuesday, September 29th we will be holding a one day promotion of our book on Amazon.com. Please go to http://special.valleyfeverepidemic.com (no www's) and read all about it. There are many free bonus gifts for purchasing Valley Fever Epidemic on that day. A portion of the proceeds of all book sales on the 29th will go to Valley Fever research. It is a win/win for everyone. You can get the knowledge you need plus many free gifts and we can donate to Valley Fever research. With your help, one day Valley Fever can become a thing of the past.

I want to take the time to wish everyone here the best of health and happiness for you and your children.

About the Author

After her own Valley Fever infection, Sharon Filip started www.valleyfeversurvivor.com in 2002 to publicize up-to-date information, provide regional support groups, message boards, and campaigns for the vaccine and cure research. Valley Fever Survivor has become the #1 Valley Fever patient support organization in the world. Sharon is a dedicated advocate for awareness of the disease, patient support, and funding for the vaccine and cure projects. As a professional hypnotherapist, she helps those who suffer from depression because of their Valley Fever. She has been a motivational speaker, lecturer, and educator for decades and applies these skills in her fight against Valley Fever. If you would like to contact her, she can be reached by email at: [email protected]

Diagnoses Gone Wrong

By Consumer Health Advocate, Frank Mangano

Study: One in Three Women Treated for Breast Cancer Unnecessarily

According to a recent report, breast cancer misdiagnosis affects one in three women.

You’re going to hear a lot about breast cancer. That’s because breast cancer awareness month is held every October, where women and men encourage their moms, sisters, and wives to get screened.

While screenings have without question saved the lives of millions of women, these screenings haven’t been an entirely positive practice. That’s because according to a recent report, almost one in three women that are diagnosed for breast cancer are actually misdiagnosed. More specifically, they’re being treated when no treatment is necessary!

Naturally, this results in unnecessary health care costs on an already overwrought health care system, but more importantly, irreversible damage done to a woman’s physical health and emotional psyche.

The whole point of a breast cancer screening is for a mammogram to discover a polyp in a woman’s breast before it grows too large so that effective treatment can be employed and mortality rates from breast cancer can drop.

But when researchers from the Nordic Cochrane Center in Denmark investigated this, they found that increases in screenings did nothing to drop the number of advanced breast cancer cases (again, the whole point behind increasing the number of screenings). The only thing it identified was more breast cancer cases – thousands more – and that many of these cases were of women who had polyps so small and insignificant that they’d never advance to a point where they’d become cancerous.

Similar cases have been documented among men with prostate cancer, where men were treated with the whole nine yards that comes with conventional cancer treatment (radiation, chemotherapy, etc.). In fact according to a Netherlands study that uncovered this, two out of every five men diagnosed with prostate cancer were treated unnecessarily.

The Denmark study was 14 years in length and analyzed breast cancer trends among several European nations. It looked at women diagnosed with breast cancer between the ages of 50 and 69. It’s published in the British Medical Journal.

It’s sad to have to admit this, but this really doesn’t come as much of a surprise when you look at the breast cancer numbers over the years. Think about it: When there’s an increase in the number of breast cancer screenings, there ought to be a drop in the number of breast cancer deaths and advanced diagnoses.

But breast cancer has remained on top of the heap in prevalence among women – second only to non-melanoma skin cancer – and is the leading cancer-related death among Hispanic women. And since 2005 (the latest year with statistics like these available), it is the seventh leading cause of death among women, with just a few hundred more dying from unintentional injuries like traffic accidents (41,116).

My reporting this should not be construed as a call not to get screened. Screening remains important and has certainly saved more lives than it’s harmed.

Nevertheless, it is a call to be cautious when undergoing screening and be willing to get a second opinion if you are in fact diagnosed with breast cancer. Going the conventional treatment route is extremely invasive and costly (which is why if at all possible you should pursue non-chemotherapy based treatments), and an extremely emotional one at that.

Imagine the emotional turmoil of believing you may be dying, only to find out later – after all the side effects that come with chemotherapy – that you were treated unnecessarily. Sadly, for 33 percent of those diagnosed with breast cancer, this experience is not uncommon.

Sources:

msnbc.msn.com

cdc.gov

Cardiovascular Disease: Could It Be CoQ10 Deficiency

By Dr. Murphree

Discovered by researchers at the University of Wisconsin in 1957, Coenzyme Q10 (CoQ10), also known as ubiquinone, is a powerful antioxidant. Its name comes from the word ubiquitous, which means, "found everywhere." Indeed, CoQ10 is found in every cell of the body. This fat-soluble, vitamin-like enzyme is more abundant in some cells and organs than in others. It tends to congregate in the organs, which need the most energy, especially the heart, brain, and liver. The primary function of CoQ10 is to provide cellular energy. In each cell there are organelles (small organ cells) known as mitochondria. Mitochondria are similar to a car’s cylinders. Fueled by CoQ10, mitochondria ignite a chain of chemical reactions, which helps ignite adenosine triphosphate (ATP). ATP is the molecule that serves as the cell’s major energy source. Please note that CoQ10 dependent mitochondria generate 95 percent of the body’s energy. The importance of CoQ10 to maintain optimal health can’t be overstated. A growing body of research shows that (CoQ10) may benefit a number of unwanted health conditions, including diabetes, periodontal disease, chronic fatigue, migraine headaches, skin cancers, diabetes, infertility, cardiovascular disease, immune dysfunction, asthma, muscular dystrophy, Alzheimer’s, and Parkinson’s disease.

The body can’t manufacture CoQ10. Instead, we must obtain CoQ10 from the foods we eat. Meat, dairy, and certain vegetables including spinach and broccoli, contain the highest concentrations of CoQ10. However, obtaining adequate amounts of CoQ10 through diet alone poses a real challenge. It would take one pound of sardines, or two-and-a-half pounds of peanuts, to provide about 30 mg of CoQ10. This is at the very minimum of the recommended daily allowance. In reality, the typical daily intake of CoQ10 from dietary sources is only about 3-5 mg per day. This paltry amount isn't anywhere near the level required to significantly raise blood and tissue levels.

And the fact that we tend to absorb and utilize less as we age increases the risk of developing a CoQ10 deficiency. And it doesn’t take much of a decline for our health starts to suffer. Researchers estimate that as little as a 25-percent decline in bodily CoQ10 will initiate several disease states including high blood pressure, heart disease, fatigue, cancer, and immune dysfunction.

What’s more, the biosynthesis of CoQ10 from the amino acid tyrosine is a complex, highly vulnerable 17-step process. It requires at least seven vitamins (Vitamin B2, Vitamin B3, Vitamin B6, folic acid, Vitamin B12, Vitamin C, and B5) and several trace elements. Most American diets are deficient in at least one, if not all, of the cofactors for making CoQ10; 71 percent are deficient in vitamin B-6 alone.

Dr Karl Folkers, who has been honored with the Priestly Medal, the highest award bestowed by the American Chemical Society, for his work with CoQ10, believes that suboptimal nutrient intake in man is almost universal and these deficiencies prevent the biosynthesis of CoQ1O. He suggests that since the average or "normal" levels of CoQ10 are really suboptimal, the very low levels observed in advanced disease states represent only the tip of a deficiency. Unless we are supplementing with CoQ10, we may be, in fact, suffering from a CoQ10 deficiency. Given the added stress posed in today’s society and the need for an ever-increasing amount of antioxidants to counter this stress, could it be that many, if not all, of our chronic illnesses are due to suboptimal levels of CoQ10?

We know that a CoQ10 deficiency can cause muscle weakness, nerve damage (neuropathy), back pain, inflammation of tendons and ligaments, hypertension, heart disease, angina, accelerated aging, certain cancers, and various neurodegenerative diseases. The cardiovascular system is especially vulnerable to CoQ10 deficiencies. The heart consumes huge amounts of CoQ10 initiated ATP. The muscles of the heart contract and relax some 100,000 times a day and pumps blood through 60,000 miles of arteries and veins with each beat. This requires a great deal of CoQ10-fueled energy.

Dr. Folkers reports, “I believe it is quite possible that cardiovascular disease may be significantly caused by a deficiency of CoQ10. CoQ10 is known to be deficient in congestive heart failure (CHF), with the degree of deficiency in blood and cardiac tissue correlating with the severity of the CHF.”

The results of using CoQ10 in treating cardiovascular related illnesses can be quite dramatic as the studies sited below illustrate. A group of class IV (terminal) CHF patients were supplemented with CoQ10 in addition to their prescription medications. Normally, class IV patients live only a matter of days. Seventy-one percent of those taking the CoQ10 survived one year and 62 percent survived two years!

Administering CoQ10 (50-150 mg daily) for 90 days to 2,664 patients with congestive heart failure (CHF) resulted in the following improvements: cyanosis (bluish skin color), 78.1 percent; edema, 78.6 percent; pulmonary crackle, 77.8 percent; dyspnea (poor breathing), 52.7 percent; palpitations, 75.4 percent; sweating, 79.8 percent; arrhythmia (irregular heart beats), 63.4 percent; and vertigo, 73.1 percent.

CoQ10 significantly improves diastolic and systolic pressure in essential hypertension. Studies show that taking 100-225 mg of CoQ10 a day reduces blood systolic blood pressure by an average of 15 points and diastolic pressure by ten points. And more than half of patients receiving 225 mg/day were able to terminate use of from one and three antihypertensive medications.

Mitral valve prolapse is a common condition associated with a heart murmur. It is often asymptomatic but can produce chest pain, arrhythmia, or leakage of the valve, leading to congestive heart disease. One study showed that when children with mitral valve prolapse received CoQ10 (2 mg/kg a day) for eight weeks, heart function returned to normal in seven of the eight children; none of the placebo-treated patients improved. Relapse was common among those who stopped taking the medication within 12-17 months but rarely occurred in those who took CoQ10 for 19 months or more.

In diabetes, which has several of the same characteristics of cardiovascular disease, CoQ10 has proven itself to be a valuable therapy. It has been shown to lower fasting blood glucose levels by 31 percent, while destructive ketone- bodies were reduced by a whopping 51 percent.

Even the common symptom of heart disease, angina, is no match for CQ10 therapy. Compared to placebo, CoQ10 was shown to reduce the frequency of angina or chest pain by 53 percent.

The benefits of CoQ10 in the treatment of cardiovascular disease are indisputable; CoQ10 should be the first line of therapy for anyone suffering from cardiovascular disease. Yet, incredibly, the commonly used drugs for cardio-related disorders, actually deplete CoQ10. Theses drugs include Beta-blockers (Toprol, Tenormin, Coreg, Lopressor, Inderal, and others); vasodilators (hydralazine), thiazide diuretics (Aldactazide, Diuril, Dyazide, Moduretic, HydroDiuril, Micozide, and others); centrally active hypertensives (Clonidine or Catapres, Aldoril, and Methyldopa); and of course lipid-lowering statins (Lipitor, Crestor, Zocor, Mevacor, Vytorin, and others).

Other drugs that deplete CoQ10 include anti-diabetic sulfonylureas drugs (Acetohexamides, Amaryl, Diabenese, Diabeta, Glucatrol, Micronase, Glyburide and Tolazamide), and tricyclic antidepressants (Elavil, Trazadone, Doxepin, Pamelor, and others).

Could it be that patients with cardiovascular-related illnesses actually accelerate their illness by taking these medications? Could the rise of statins and other popular cardio drugs, including Beta-blockers, which deprive the heart of CoQ10, be the reason for the increase in hypertension, diabetes, heart disease, and congestive heart failure (CHF)? And, just as important, could these medications be causing or contributing to the chronic pain, fatigue, immune dysfunction, migraines, brain fog, hypertension, CHF, and/or neuropathy symptoms of our patients? My experience suggests that they often do cause or contribute to the overall poor health of the patients I see, especially the complicated “medical misfits.” Maybe it is time we started treating CoQ10 deficiencies with CoQ10 instead of CoQ1O depleting drugs.

1.Emile G. Bliznakov, M.D, and Gerald L. Hunt, “The Miracle Nutrient Coenzyme Q10,” Bantan Books, New York, NY. 1986.

2.Judy, W.V., Hall, J.H., Dugan, W., Toth, P.D, and Folkers, K. “Coenzyme Q10 Reduction of Adrianmycin Cardiotoxicity. Biomedical and Clinical Aspects of Coenzyme Q10, Vol.4 pp.231-241, Elsevier Science Publ B.V., 1984.

3. Bliznakov EG. Effect of stimulation of the host defense system by coenzyme Q 10 on dibenzpyrene-induced tumors and infection with Friend leukemia virus in mice. Proc Natl Acad Sci USA. 1973 Feb; 70(2): 390-4.

4. Langjoen P, Willis R, Folkers K. Treatment of essential hypertension with coenzyme Q10. Mol Aspects Med. 1994; 15:S265-S272.

5. Kamikawa et al., "Effect of Coenzyme Q10 on Exercise Tolerance in Chronic Stable Angina Pectoris," Am. J. Cardiol: 56, 247, 1985.

6. Folkers K; Vadhanavikit S; Mortensen SA. Biochemical rationale and myocardial tissue data on the effective therapy of cardiomyopathy with coenzyme Q10. Proc Natl Acad Sci U S A, 1985 Feb, 82:3,901-4.

7.Hattersley JG. Lowering cholesterol with Lovastatin. The wrong approach. A survey of usually overlooked literature. J Orthomolecular Med. 2004; 9(1): 54-7.

8.Ishiyama T, Morital Y, Toyama S et al. A clinical study of the effect of coenzyme Q10 on congestive heart failure. Jpn Heart J 1976; 17: 32.

9. Baggio E, Gandini R, Plancher AC. Italien multicenter study on the safety and efficacy of coenzyme Q10 as an adjunctive therapy in heart failure. CoQ10 Drug Surveillance Investigators. Mol Aspects Med 1994; 15:s287-294.

10. Ghirlanda G., Oradei A., Manto A., Lippa S., Uccioli L., Caputo S., Greco A.V., Littarru G.P. (1993) Evidence of Plasma CoQ10 - Lowering Effect by HMG-CoA Reductase Inhibitors: A double blind, placebo-controlled study. Clin. Pharmocol., J. 33, 3, 226-229.

11. What Your Doctor May Not Tell You About Hypertension. Mark Houston, M.D. pg 69-71. Warner Books New York, NY. 2003.

12.Simonsen, R., "Two Successful Double-Blind Trials with Coenzyme Q10 on Muscular Dystrophies and Neurogenic Atrophies," Biochim. Biophys. Acta: 1271, 281, 1995.

13.Langsjoen et al., "A Six-Year Clinical Study of Therapy of Cardiomyopathy with Coenzyme Q10," Int. J. Tissue React.: 12, 169, 1990

14.Oda, T. & Hamamoto, K., "Effect of Coenzyme Q10 on the Stress-Induced Decrease of Cardiac Performance in Pediatric patients with Mitral Valve Prolapse," Jap. Circ. J.: 48, 1387, 1984.

15.Pelton R., LaValle J., Hawkins E., Krinsnsky D., Drug-Induced Nutrient Depletion Handbook, Natural Health Resources, 1999.

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