In the April 2008 issue of the Harvard Health Letter, researchers explained how seven common conditions can be managed without medication. In many cases, the nonpharmacological approach can do as much or more than pills.
Arthritis: Combine weight loss with exercise, and you may have less pain and more mobility -- especially if the exercise that doesn't put any load on the joints, such as swimming, reduces pain.
Cholesterol: Adding soluble fiber to your diet can reduce levels of LDL cholesterol.
Cognitive decline: Memory training can help you stay sharp, and physical exercise can do even more.
Depression: Regular physical activity has a potent antidepressant effect.
Diabetes: Exercise makes muscle more receptive to the insulin, and eating fewer sweets and simple carbohydrates helps control blood sugar levels.
High blood pressure: Lose weight, get more exercise, and eat less sodium.
Osteoporosis: Weight-bearing exercise causes bone tissue to get stronger and denser. Extra vitamin D and calcium are key for your diet.
Sources:
* Live Science March 25, 2008
28 March 2008
Re-Growing Organs: the Future is Here
When Lee Spievack sliced off the tip of his finger, his brother Alan, a medical research scientist, sent him a special powder and told him to sprinkle it on the wound. In four weeks, the fingertip grew back completely.
That powder was a substance called extracellular matrix, a mix of protein and connective tissue surgeons use to repair tendons. It signals the body to start the process of tissue regrowth, and holds some of the secrets behind the emerging new science of regenerative medicine.
Many scientists believe that every tissue in the body has cells which are capable of regeneration, and the key is to find enough of those cells and direct them to grow. At least in theory, this process could be used to regrow limbs, organs, and other body parts.
Sources:
* CBS News March 22, 2008
That powder was a substance called extracellular matrix, a mix of protein and connective tissue surgeons use to repair tendons. It signals the body to start the process of tissue regrowth, and holds some of the secrets behind the emerging new science of regenerative medicine.
Many scientists believe that every tissue in the body has cells which are capable of regeneration, and the key is to find enough of those cells and direct them to grow. At least in theory, this process could be used to regrow limbs, organs, and other body parts.
Sources:
* CBS News March 22, 2008
27 March 2008
17 Random Health Facts You Never Knew
Here are some health facts that you probably never knew about:
1) Motorists who talk on cell phones are more impaired than drunk drivers with blood-alcohol levels exceeding .08
2) Banging your head against a wall burns 150 calories an hour
3) In some parts of the world, they protect their babies from disease by bathing them in beer
4) The word ‘gymnasium’ comes from the Greek word gymnazein which means ‘to exercise naked’
5) There are more than 1,000 chemicals in a cup of coffee; of these, only 26 have been tested, and half caused cancer in rats
6) The average American eats at McDonald’s more than 1,800 times in their life
7) A hard working adult sweats up to 4 gallons each day
8) There are more bacteria in your mouth than there are people in the world
9) According to U.S. FDA standards, 1 cup of orange juice is allowed to contain 10 fruit fly eggs, but only 2 maggots
10) Apples are more efficient than caffeine in keeping people awake in the morning
11) Strawberries have more Vitamin C than oranges
12) You burn more calories sleeping than you do watching television
13) It is possible to go blind from smoking too heavily
14) Right-handed people live, on average, nine years longer than left-handed people
15) You are about 1 centimeter taller in the morning than in the evening
16) During your lifetime, you’ll eat about 60,000 pounds of food -- that’s the weight of about 6 elephants
17) If you fart consistently for 6 years and 9 months, you will produce enough gas to create the energy of an atomic bomb
Sources:
* Health Ranker March 17, 2008
1) Motorists who talk on cell phones are more impaired than drunk drivers with blood-alcohol levels exceeding .08
2) Banging your head against a wall burns 150 calories an hour
3) In some parts of the world, they protect their babies from disease by bathing them in beer
4) The word ‘gymnasium’ comes from the Greek word gymnazein which means ‘to exercise naked’
5) There are more than 1,000 chemicals in a cup of coffee; of these, only 26 have been tested, and half caused cancer in rats
6) The average American eats at McDonald’s more than 1,800 times in their life
7) A hard working adult sweats up to 4 gallons each day
8) There are more bacteria in your mouth than there are people in the world
9) According to U.S. FDA standards, 1 cup of orange juice is allowed to contain 10 fruit fly eggs, but only 2 maggots
10) Apples are more efficient than caffeine in keeping people awake in the morning
11) Strawberries have more Vitamin C than oranges
12) You burn more calories sleeping than you do watching television
13) It is possible to go blind from smoking too heavily
14) Right-handed people live, on average, nine years longer than left-handed people
15) You are about 1 centimeter taller in the morning than in the evening
16) During your lifetime, you’ll eat about 60,000 pounds of food -- that’s the weight of about 6 elephants
17) If you fart consistently for 6 years and 9 months, you will produce enough gas to create the energy of an atomic bomb
Sources:
* Health Ranker March 17, 2008
26 March 2008
Florida Teen Dies After Complications During Breast Surgery
Florida high school senior Stephanie Kuleba had everything going for her -- she was the well-liked captain of her varsity cheerleading team at West Boca High School, and she had been accepted to the University of Florida, where she hoped to study medicine.
The 18-year-old's promising life was cut short Saturday after she suffered what doctors believe was a fatal reaction to anesthesia during breast augmentation surgery.
Nearly two hours into the surgery, Kuleba was rushed to Delray Medical Center, where she died 24 hours later, said the family's attorney Roberto Stanziale.
Kuleba was undergoing surgery to correct asymmetrical breasts and an inverted areola, Stanziale said.
Doctors believe the cause of death was malignant hyperthermia, a relatively rare metabolic condition that can be triggered by certain anesthesia. A patient's heart rate and metabolism rises, causing the body temperature to rise as high as 112 degrees.
Board-certified plastic surgeon Stephen Schuster performed the surgery at an outpatient facility in Boca Raton.
"I am devastated by the loss and I feel for the family," he said in a statement.
The Gift of Plastic Surgery
According to just released data from the American Society of Plastic Surgeons, nearly 348,000 breast augmentation procedures were performed in 2007, a 64 percent increase from 2000.
The American Society for Aesthetic Plastic Surgery reported that between 2002 and 2003, the number of women and girls younger than 18 who got breast implants nearly tripled, from 3,872 to 11,326.
Doctors also say they are seeing more parents giving their teens the gift of new breasts or other cosmetic surgery for milestones like birthdays or graduations.
"I've seen an increase in teens having plastic surgery, and certainly for graduation," said Dr. Stephen T. Greenberg, a New York plastic surgeon and the author of "A Little Nip, A Little Tuck."
The American Society of Plastic Surgeons strongly believes that no one younger than 18 should undergo plastic surgery.
Cosmetic breast implants for patients younger than 18 are not approved by the Food and Drug Administration, except in cases of reconstructive or corrective surgery, such as asymmetry.
Friends at West Boca Raton High School expressed shock and sadness during a candlelight vigil for Kuleba on Sunday evening.
"She was a role model for a lot of people," classmate Vicky Goldring, 16, told the Palm Beach Post. "She was incredibly smart. She wanted to help people. She was just a happy 18-year-old girl."
As her grief-stricken family members wait for a definitive answer about Kuleba's death, they cannot ignore the cruel irony that their daughter aspired to become a plastic surgeon.
The 18-year-old's promising life was cut short Saturday after she suffered what doctors believe was a fatal reaction to anesthesia during breast augmentation surgery.
Nearly two hours into the surgery, Kuleba was rushed to Delray Medical Center, where she died 24 hours later, said the family's attorney Roberto Stanziale.
Kuleba was undergoing surgery to correct asymmetrical breasts and an inverted areola, Stanziale said.
Doctors believe the cause of death was malignant hyperthermia, a relatively rare metabolic condition that can be triggered by certain anesthesia. A patient's heart rate and metabolism rises, causing the body temperature to rise as high as 112 degrees.
Board-certified plastic surgeon Stephen Schuster performed the surgery at an outpatient facility in Boca Raton.
"I am devastated by the loss and I feel for the family," he said in a statement.
The Gift of Plastic Surgery
According to just released data from the American Society of Plastic Surgeons, nearly 348,000 breast augmentation procedures were performed in 2007, a 64 percent increase from 2000.
The American Society for Aesthetic Plastic Surgery reported that between 2002 and 2003, the number of women and girls younger than 18 who got breast implants nearly tripled, from 3,872 to 11,326.
Doctors also say they are seeing more parents giving their teens the gift of new breasts or other cosmetic surgery for milestones like birthdays or graduations.
"I've seen an increase in teens having plastic surgery, and certainly for graduation," said Dr. Stephen T. Greenberg, a New York plastic surgeon and the author of "A Little Nip, A Little Tuck."
The American Society of Plastic Surgeons strongly believes that no one younger than 18 should undergo plastic surgery.
Cosmetic breast implants for patients younger than 18 are not approved by the Food and Drug Administration, except in cases of reconstructive or corrective surgery, such as asymmetry.
Friends at West Boca Raton High School expressed shock and sadness during a candlelight vigil for Kuleba on Sunday evening.
"She was a role model for a lot of people," classmate Vicky Goldring, 16, told the Palm Beach Post. "She was incredibly smart. She wanted to help people. She was just a happy 18-year-old girl."
As her grief-stricken family members wait for a definitive answer about Kuleba's death, they cannot ignore the cruel irony that their daughter aspired to become a plastic surgeon.
Why Sunlight is Better Than Supplements
Dietary sources of vitamin D are not ideal; it is much better to get vitamin D from natural sunlight exposure. Dietary supplementation of vitamin D may actually be related to the increase in allergies and asthma.
Vitamin D3 supplementation has been linked to asthma, which regulates many "allergy" genes and also regulate an antimicrobial response within the immune system. Oral vitamin D supplementation early in life may lead to fewer infections -- but this in turn results in a less-prepared immune system and more allergies.
But while too much vitamin D in the diet can increase the incidence of allergic diseases, too little vitamin D can make allergic diseases worse. However, it is impossible to overdose on vitamin D from sunlight exposure, because the process destroys any excess vitamin D. However, it's easy to get hyper-doses of vitamin D through oral supplementation.
Sources:
* AchooAllergy.com March 21, 2008
Vitamin D3 supplementation has been linked to asthma, which regulates many "allergy" genes and also regulate an antimicrobial response within the immune system. Oral vitamin D supplementation early in life may lead to fewer infections -- but this in turn results in a less-prepared immune system and more allergies.
But while too much vitamin D in the diet can increase the incidence of allergic diseases, too little vitamin D can make allergic diseases worse. However, it is impossible to overdose on vitamin D from sunlight exposure, because the process destroys any excess vitamin D. However, it's easy to get hyper-doses of vitamin D through oral supplementation.
Sources:
* AchooAllergy.com March 21, 2008
Comprehensive Action is Needed in the Fight Against Obesity
Obesity is now a critical public health issue in North America. In a single generation, obesity rates in the U.S. have more than doubled. But the causes of obesity -- and therefore, the solutions -- are not necessarily simple.
The problem of obesity cannot be reduced simply to genetics, environments or learned behaviors. The obesity epidemic is the result of a variety of factors, and change requires a comprehensive approach.
Factors such as diet of course play a key role. But it is often more complex than simple overeating. For example, there is evidence suggesting that micronutrients such as vitamins and minerals may affect fat loss or gain. Poor sleep can affect your body's ability to control appetite, and obesity tends to be worse in areas with fewer sidewalks and bike paths.
To make a difference, any policy changes must be comprehensive, addressing the physical, economic, sociocultural and political environment.
Sources:
* Reuters March 21, 2008
The problem of obesity cannot be reduced simply to genetics, environments or learned behaviors. The obesity epidemic is the result of a variety of factors, and change requires a comprehensive approach.
Factors such as diet of course play a key role. But it is often more complex than simple overeating. For example, there is evidence suggesting that micronutrients such as vitamins and minerals may affect fat loss or gain. Poor sleep can affect your body's ability to control appetite, and obesity tends to be worse in areas with fewer sidewalks and bike paths.
To make a difference, any policy changes must be comprehensive, addressing the physical, economic, sociocultural and political environment.
Sources:
* Reuters March 21, 2008
Zyprexa Warnings over Weight Gain, Blood Sugar Elevation
Eli Lilly and Company has announced changes to the labeling of Zyprexa and Symbyax, two brand-name atypical antipsychotics produced and sold by the company. Eli Lilly has updated the labeling to include more warning information on potentially harmful weight gain and blood sugar elevation that may result from taking the medications.
According to Eli Lilly, the label changes came about because of conversations with the FDA, as well as new analyses of the data from large clinical trials conducted by the company and others. The company will be sending a "Dear Healthcare Practitioner" letter to doctors about the new labeling, as well as informing consumer advocacy and professional associations.
Zyprexa is the brand name for olanzapine, while Symbyax is a mix of olanzapine and fluoxetine. Zyprexa is approved for use in treatment of schizophrenia and the mixed and manic portions of bipolar disorder, while Symbyax is approved for the treatment of bipolar depression.
Neither product is approved for patients with dementia, and they may increase the risk of death if used on elderly dementia patients. Nevertheless, in the past the company has marketed Zyprexa for treatment of dementia and for manic bipolar episodes.
One of the labeling changes focuses on unnatural weight gain from olanzapine. According to the company, the drug has been shown to lead to "significant and sometimes very high elevations in triglyceride levels."
The other major change is a stronger emphasis on the drug's effect on blood glucose levels. According to the company, atypical antipsychotics in general may lead to an increase in blood sugar levels, while olanzapine has an even greater effect than other such drugs. In some cases, patients treated with such medications have suffered complications including ketoacidosis, coma and even death.
In January, Eli Lilly settled 18,000 lawsuits from patients who alleged that using Zyprexa caused them to develop diabetes or other diseases. The company agreed to pay $500 million, bringing its total Zyprexa-related settlement costs to $1.2 billion.
According to Eli Lilly, the label changes came about because of conversations with the FDA, as well as new analyses of the data from large clinical trials conducted by the company and others. The company will be sending a "Dear Healthcare Practitioner" letter to doctors about the new labeling, as well as informing consumer advocacy and professional associations.
Zyprexa is the brand name for olanzapine, while Symbyax is a mix of olanzapine and fluoxetine. Zyprexa is approved for use in treatment of schizophrenia and the mixed and manic portions of bipolar disorder, while Symbyax is approved for the treatment of bipolar depression.
Neither product is approved for patients with dementia, and they may increase the risk of death if used on elderly dementia patients. Nevertheless, in the past the company has marketed Zyprexa for treatment of dementia and for manic bipolar episodes.
One of the labeling changes focuses on unnatural weight gain from olanzapine. According to the company, the drug has been shown to lead to "significant and sometimes very high elevations in triglyceride levels."
The other major change is a stronger emphasis on the drug's effect on blood glucose levels. According to the company, atypical antipsychotics in general may lead to an increase in blood sugar levels, while olanzapine has an even greater effect than other such drugs. In some cases, patients treated with such medications have suffered complications including ketoacidosis, coma and even death.
In January, Eli Lilly settled 18,000 lawsuits from patients who alleged that using Zyprexa caused them to develop diabetes or other diseases. The company agreed to pay $500 million, bringing its total Zyprexa-related settlement costs to $1.2 billion.
Message from Dr Lau: Soy
Today Ive posted another article debating the health benefits of soy. From my own personal experiance, soy has never been helpful to my health unless in the fermented state like soya sauce, natto or miso. Due to the high presence of antinutrients that potentially block minerals and the insulin raising effect or this legume, I can confidently say that I feel healthier when i eliminated unfermented soy products like soy milks, tofu etc.
Each person is different and while I am a protein type, those who have a metabolic type closer to a carbo type will be able to handle soy products better. I guess the only one who knows is your own body. So listen to your won body... with some experimentation and guidence with metabolict typing you will be able to find the right foods to eat.
To good health,
Dr Kevin Lau
Each person is different and while I am a protein type, those who have a metabolic type closer to a carbo type will be able to handle soy products better. I guess the only one who knows is your own body. So listen to your won body... with some experimentation and guidence with metabolict typing you will be able to find the right foods to eat.
To good health,
Dr Kevin Lau
Soy Industry Promotes Health Myths to Sell More Soy Products, Says Author
Author Kaayla T. Daniel is challenging what she calls the myth that soy prevents breast cancer. "The truth is that soy protein contains dangerous levels of plant estrogens. Although not identical to human estrogens, these have been proven to increase breast cell proliferation, a widely accepted marker of breast cancer risk." said Daniel, author of "The Whole Soy Story: The Dark Side of America's Favorite Health Food."
"The soy industry consistently plays down the evidence that soy can promote breast cancer," Daniel said. "It is even using Breast Cancer Awareness Month as an excuse to push its products on unsuspecting women."
Daniel disputes the idea that soy is responsible for lower breast cancer rates among those who consume traditional Asian diets. She cites a recent study in the journal "Cancer Causes and Control," which found that Asians who ate more soy did not have lower cancer rates than Asians who ate less.
"The soy industry ... heavily promotes the myth that Asians have lower rates of breast cancer because of soy consumption," Daniel said. "In fact, Asians eat soy in very small quantities, as a condiment in the diet and not as a staple food. What's more, they eat old-fashioned, whole soybean products such as miso, tempeh, natto and tofu, not the new heavily processed products marketed by the soy industry such as soy milk, veggie burgers and 'energy bars.'"
Government officials in Israel and France have concluded that high soy consumption may indeed pose a breast cancer risk. Israeli Health Ministry guidelines recommend that women "exercise caution" in soy consumption, and the French Food Agency has decided to require soy products to contain warning labels.
"The risks are well established," Daniel said. "Soy is clearly not the answer for breast cancer prevention. The evidence is mounting that soy may even be part of the problem."
"The soy industry consistently plays down the evidence that soy can promote breast cancer," Daniel said. "It is even using Breast Cancer Awareness Month as an excuse to push its products on unsuspecting women."
Daniel disputes the idea that soy is responsible for lower breast cancer rates among those who consume traditional Asian diets. She cites a recent study in the journal "Cancer Causes and Control," which found that Asians who ate more soy did not have lower cancer rates than Asians who ate less.
"The soy industry ... heavily promotes the myth that Asians have lower rates of breast cancer because of soy consumption," Daniel said. "In fact, Asians eat soy in very small quantities, as a condiment in the diet and not as a staple food. What's more, they eat old-fashioned, whole soybean products such as miso, tempeh, natto and tofu, not the new heavily processed products marketed by the soy industry such as soy milk, veggie burgers and 'energy bars.'"
Government officials in Israel and France have concluded that high soy consumption may indeed pose a breast cancer risk. Israeli Health Ministry guidelines recommend that women "exercise caution" in soy consumption, and the French Food Agency has decided to require soy products to contain warning labels.
"The risks are well established," Daniel said. "Soy is clearly not the answer for breast cancer prevention. The evidence is mounting that soy may even be part of the problem."
25 March 2008
Autism, Stem Cells and What the World URGENTLY Needs to Know
by Donna Gates for BodyEcology.com
As you know, I created the Body Ecology Diet to heal systemic fungal, viral and bacterial infections.
It has become clear over time that the Body Ecology program provides healing for many different kinds of physical problems. In fact, most of the health problems we suffer from today are fungal (or yeast) based...even cancer. This is certainly true for children who are suffering from an infection we now call autism. Spreading the word that autism is both treatable and preventable is a major goal.
Doctors and scientists are not exactly sure why children develop autism, but the statistics are frightening: roughly 1 out of every 150 children born is diagnosed with autism.1
Healing autism and other childhood development disorders has become a passion of mine. And while I understand the incredible power of nutrition and lifestyle support, I also seek therapies that will create the major shift parents of children with autism are seeking.
Stem cell therapy is a welcome discovery in our fight to greatly improve or eliminate autism from the lives of our children.
For this reason, I have been collaborating with Dr. Leonard Smith, who along with six other colleagues authored a research paper called Stem Cell Therapy for Autism. Dr. Smith and I are excited about how stem cell therapy, the Body Ecology program and some simple lifestyle changes can heal children with autism.
Here's what you need to know about these cutting edge techniques for autism treatment.
The Stem Cell and Autism Connection
What are stem cells?
Stem cells are primal cells that can divide and differentiate to become like any other more specialized cells in your body. The three types of stem cells are embryonic stem cells, adult stem cells and cord blood stem cells.
Embryonic stem cells are the most controversial because they are harvested from human embryos, while the other stem cells can be obtained from adult tissue or from the umbilical cord and placenta of newborn babies and their mothers without damage to them.
Why use stem cells for children with autism?
Children with autism suffer from two major conditions:
1. Hypoperfusion
2. Immune dysregulation
Hypoperfusion is decreased blood flow to the brain, meaning that the brain does not receive enough oxygen and cannot function normally.
Any time there is not enough blood flowing to the brain, the brain cells become inflamed and make more nitric oxide. This opens up the cells to receive too much calcium, which damages the mitochondria (that make the energy for cells). As a result, the brain cells die from lack of food.
Immune dysregulation in children with autism means that their immune systems do not respond normally to stimulation. When the body signals to the immune system that it needs help (like when the brain becomes inflamed) the proper immune response and subsequent healing do not occur in children with autism.
Instead, children with autism often have continually suppressed immune systems, chronic inflammation and suffer from autoimmune responses.
An autoimmune response happens when your body does not recognize your cells as your own and actually attacks the good cells. Autoimmune disorders include Crohn's disease and multiple sclerosis, in addition to autism.
Immune dysregulation is very apparent in the gastrointestinal health of children with autism.
Most suffer from symptoms ranging from diarrhea, gas, and bloating to intestinal lesions and inflammation of their gastrointestinal system.
Researchers have discovered that two kinds of stem cells can specifically address the hypoperfusion and immune dysregulation that are characteristic of children with autism.
The Stem Cell Therapy - Autism Theory
Dr. Fabio Solano has used CD34+ stem cells from cord blood and mesenchymal stem cells (MSC) as a successful autism treatment.
Cord blood CD34+ stem cells injected into the patient improve blood flow to the brain, which supplies the brain with more oxygen and results in improved central nervous system functioning.
Mesenchymal stem cells are used to heal immune dysregulation in people with Crohn's disease and can also suppress the inflammation in children with autism and address their fundamental immune abnormality.
Using these two kinds of stem cells together can heal both the brain and the gut for a unique treatment that has great potential!
To learn more about the research that Dr. Leonard Smith and his colleagues performed, go to the Journal of Translational Medicine to read Stem Cell Therapy for Autism.
Patricia vs. Autism
Dr. Fabio Solano regularly treats patients with CD34+ stem cells and mesenchymal stem cells.
In fact, you can see the progress of one of his young patients on YouTube! Patricia Cabrera is a young girl who has had successful stem cell therapy to treat autism.
Under the supervision of Dr. Solano, her healing is remarkable, and her verbal and interpersonal skills visibly improve. For Patricia and other patients, stem cell therapy is an amazing solution that offers hope for a normal life.
Is stem cell therapy a viable autism treatment?
Stem cell therapy appears to be a safe way to treat autism, though it does take several treatments over the course of a year and may not be covered by insurance.
Stem cell therapy does have the potential to help a large number of children with autism; however, it is a major intervention, and children with autism need to be healthy from the inside out.
As Dr. Smith says, "Stem cell therapy is the dessert, not the main course," and nutrition and lifestyle should support optimal health.
Indeed, autism is a complex disorder, with complex causes. Even doctors are not sure exactly why it happens.
I believe that a subset of children have genomic variations in their detoxification pathways as well as serious immunologic issues. In addition, children whose mothers had candida, viruses or heavy metal toxins in their blood during pregnancy pass those issues on to their children. Then, these children with already weak immunity are exposed to toxins through vaccinations.
Exposure to candida, viral infections and heavy metals puts some children more at risk, and with the continual environmental and dietary toxins in our modern world, we are seeing more and more neurological disorders in both children and adults.
Gut Bacteria Mix Predicts Obesity
The types of bacteria in a baby’s gut may determine their risk of being overweight or obese later in life, according to Finnish researchers.
After analyzing fecal samples from 49 infants, 25 of whom were overweight or obese by the age of 7, they found that babies with high numbers of bifidobacteria and low numbers of Staphylococcus aureus appeared to be protected from excess weight gain.
On average, the bifidobacteria counts taken at 6 months and 12 months were twice as high in healthy weight children than in those who became overweight, while S. Aureus levels were lower.
The researchers suggested that S. aureus may cause low-grade inflammation in your body, which could contribute to obesity. Further, the findings may help explain why breast-fed babies are at a lower risk of obesity, as bifidobacteria flourish in the guts of breast-fed babies.
Sources:
• Yahoo News March 7, 2008
• American Journal of Clinical Nutrition March 2008, Vol. 87, No. 3, 534-538
After analyzing fecal samples from 49 infants, 25 of whom were overweight or obese by the age of 7, they found that babies with high numbers of bifidobacteria and low numbers of Staphylococcus aureus appeared to be protected from excess weight gain.
On average, the bifidobacteria counts taken at 6 months and 12 months were twice as high in healthy weight children than in those who became overweight, while S. Aureus levels were lower.
The researchers suggested that S. aureus may cause low-grade inflammation in your body, which could contribute to obesity. Further, the findings may help explain why breast-fed babies are at a lower risk of obesity, as bifidobacteria flourish in the guts of breast-fed babies.
Sources:
• Yahoo News March 7, 2008
• American Journal of Clinical Nutrition March 2008, Vol. 87, No. 3, 534-538
Gut Bacteria Mix Predicts Obesity
The types of bacteria in a baby’s gut may determine their risk of being overweight or obese later in life, according to Finnish researchers.
After analyzing fecal samples from 49 infants, 25 of whom were overweight or obese by the age of 7, they found that babies with high numbers of bifidobacteria and low numbers of Staphylococcus aureus appeared to be protected from excess weight gain.
On average, the bifidobacteria counts taken at 6 months and 12 months were twice as high in healthy weight children than in those who became overweight, while S. Aureus levels were lower.
The researchers suggested that S. aureus may cause low-grade inflammation in your body, which could contribute to obesity. Further, the findings may help explain why breast-fed babies are at a lower risk of obesity, as bifidobacteria flourish in the guts of breast-fed babies.
Sources:
• Yahoo News March 7, 2008
• American Journal of Clinical Nutrition March 2008, Vol. 87, No. 3, 534-538
After analyzing fecal samples from 49 infants, 25 of whom were overweight or obese by the age of 7, they found that babies with high numbers of bifidobacteria and low numbers of Staphylococcus aureus appeared to be protected from excess weight gain.
On average, the bifidobacteria counts taken at 6 months and 12 months were twice as high in healthy weight children than in those who became overweight, while S. Aureus levels were lower.
The researchers suggested that S. aureus may cause low-grade inflammation in your body, which could contribute to obesity. Further, the findings may help explain why breast-fed babies are at a lower risk of obesity, as bifidobacteria flourish in the guts of breast-fed babies.
Sources:
• Yahoo News March 7, 2008
• American Journal of Clinical Nutrition March 2008, Vol. 87, No. 3, 534-538
Coverage of Parkinson's Stem Cell Study
Below is a summary of media coverage from various sources of recent studies by researchers at Memorial Sloan-Kettering Cancer Center (MSKCC) using embryonic stem cells derived from therapeutic cloning to treat Parkinson's Disease in mice:
United Press International, March 24, 2008 at 2:57 PM EDT:
"A U.S. and Japanese study used therapeutic cloning to treat Parkinson's disease in mice. The nucleus taken from skin cells from the tail of the mouse were used to generate "customized" dopamine neurons. The study, published online in Nature Medicine, found mice receiving dopamine neurons from the individually matched stem cell lines showed neurological improvement. But when these neurons were grafted into mice that did not genetically match the transplanted cells, the cells did not survive well and the mice did not recover."
HealthDay News, March 24, 2008:
"Therapeutic cloning successfully treated Parkinson's disease in mice, researchers report. Using the process to develop dopamine-producing neurons with an identical genetic profile to each mouse being treated allowed scientists to significantly improve the neurological performance of the diseased animals, without provoking any evidence of immune system rejection."
The Independent, 24 March 2008:
"A potential cure for Parkinson's disease has come a significant step closer today with a study showing that it is possible to treat the degenerative brain disorder with cells derived from cloned embryos – a development condemned by the Roman Catholic Church. The research was carried out on laboratory mice but scientists believe the findings are proof that the techniques could be applied to humans suffering not just from Parkinson's, but a range of other incurable diseases. Researchers have demonstrated the possibility of treating Parkinson's disease by transplanting laboratory-matured brain cells back into the individual who supplied the skin cells that were turned into cloned embryos – a process known as therapeutic cloning."
Daily Mail - Glasgow, UK, 24th March 2008, 11:07am GMT:
"A potential cure for Parkinson's disease has come a significant step closer today with a study showing that it is possible to treat the degenerative brain disorder with cells derived from cloned embryos. The cells were successfully used to treat animals with the disease for the first time. The experiment marked the first time that cloned stem cells had been used to reverse disease in the same animals from which they were taken. Mice bred to develop the equivalent of Parkinson's showed signs of improvement when they received neurons containing the chemical dopamine which had been grown from their own cloned stem cells. The findings, published in the journal Nature Medicine, suggest it could be possible to use this cloning approach, known as therapeutic cloning, to treat Parkinson's in humans."
Sydney Morning Herald, March 24, 2008 - 6:33AM:
AST:
"THE controversial technique of therapeutic cloning has been successfully used to treat a disease for the first time, with mice with Parkinson's disease found to improve after receiving their own modified cells. American and Japanese researchers converted skin cells from the tail of the sick animals into the dopamine-producing brain cells they lacked, and grafted the genetically matched tissue back into the same mice."
BBC News 23 March 2008 19:03 GMT:
"Therapeutic cloning has been successfully used to treat Parkinson's disease in mice, US researchers say. The study in Nature Medicine provides the best evidence so far that the controversial technique could one day help people with the condition. The Memorial Sloan-Kettering Cancer Centre team say it is the first time animals have been successfully treated with their own cloned cells. UK experts said the work was promising and exciting development."
Bloomberg News, March 23, 2008:
"Researchers cured mice with a version of Parkinson's disease by treating them with brain cells made from clones of their own skin cells. The researchers employed nuclear transfer, which involves swapping genetic material from one individual into an egg cell belonging to another. The same procedure was used to create Dolly the sheep, one of the first animals produced by cloning. The findings, published today in the journal Nature Medicine, offer a glimpse into how the cloning technique might one day be used to develop therapies, as opposed to making copies of an individual."
The Guardian, March 24, 2008:
"Scientists have shown that stem cells produced by therapeutic cloning are effective for treating Parkinson's disease, in the first convincing demonstration that stem cells derived from the subject can be used to treat a serious disease. The technique has only been tried in mice, but scientists have hailed it as proof that a similar approach could be successful in humans."
The Times, March 24, 2008:
"Cloned embryonic stem cells have been used to treat animals with Parkinson’s disease for the first time, in an important step towards developing the therapy for human patients. The successful experiment marks the first time that cloned stem cells have been used to reverse disease in the same animals from which they were derived, and suggests that it should be possible to use therapeutic cloning in medicine."
Reuters, March 23, 2008 2:05 pm EDT:
"Researchers who used cloned embryonic stem cells to treat Parkinson's disease in mice said on Sunday they worked better than other cells. The researchers were trying to prove that it is possible to make embryonic stem cells using cloning technology and use them to provide a tailor-made treatment. But they found that a mouse's own cloned stem cells were far less disruptive to its body than cloned cells taken from other mice."
New Scientist, 18:00 GMT 23 March 2008:
"Therapeutic cloning works – in mice, at least. An international team has restored mice with a condition similar to Parkinson's disease back to health, using neurons grown in the lab that were made from their own cloned skin cells. This is the first time that a disease has been successfully treated using cloned cells that had been derived from the recipient animals."
The Courier Mail, March 24, 2008 05:30am AST:
"RESEARCHERS who used cloned embryonic stem cells to treat Parkinson's disease in mice said today they worked better than other cells. The researchers were trying to prove that it is possible to make embryonic stem cells using cloning technology and use them to provide a tailor-made treatment. But they found that a mouse's own cloned stem cells were far less disruptive to its body than cloned cells taken from other mice."
United Press International, March 24, 2008 at 2:57 PM EDT:
"A U.S. and Japanese study used therapeutic cloning to treat Parkinson's disease in mice. The nucleus taken from skin cells from the tail of the mouse were used to generate "customized" dopamine neurons. The study, published online in Nature Medicine, found mice receiving dopamine neurons from the individually matched stem cell lines showed neurological improvement. But when these neurons were grafted into mice that did not genetically match the transplanted cells, the cells did not survive well and the mice did not recover."
HealthDay News, March 24, 2008:
"Therapeutic cloning successfully treated Parkinson's disease in mice, researchers report. Using the process to develop dopamine-producing neurons with an identical genetic profile to each mouse being treated allowed scientists to significantly improve the neurological performance of the diseased animals, without provoking any evidence of immune system rejection."
The Independent, 24 March 2008:
"A potential cure for Parkinson's disease has come a significant step closer today with a study showing that it is possible to treat the degenerative brain disorder with cells derived from cloned embryos – a development condemned by the Roman Catholic Church. The research was carried out on laboratory mice but scientists believe the findings are proof that the techniques could be applied to humans suffering not just from Parkinson's, but a range of other incurable diseases. Researchers have demonstrated the possibility of treating Parkinson's disease by transplanting laboratory-matured brain cells back into the individual who supplied the skin cells that were turned into cloned embryos – a process known as therapeutic cloning."
Daily Mail - Glasgow, UK, 24th March 2008, 11:07am GMT:
"A potential cure for Parkinson's disease has come a significant step closer today with a study showing that it is possible to treat the degenerative brain disorder with cells derived from cloned embryos. The cells were successfully used to treat animals with the disease for the first time. The experiment marked the first time that cloned stem cells had been used to reverse disease in the same animals from which they were taken. Mice bred to develop the equivalent of Parkinson's showed signs of improvement when they received neurons containing the chemical dopamine which had been grown from their own cloned stem cells. The findings, published in the journal Nature Medicine, suggest it could be possible to use this cloning approach, known as therapeutic cloning, to treat Parkinson's in humans."
Sydney Morning Herald, March 24, 2008 - 6:33AM:
AST:
"THE controversial technique of therapeutic cloning has been successfully used to treat a disease for the first time, with mice with Parkinson's disease found to improve after receiving their own modified cells. American and Japanese researchers converted skin cells from the tail of the sick animals into the dopamine-producing brain cells they lacked, and grafted the genetically matched tissue back into the same mice."
BBC News 23 March 2008 19:03 GMT:
"Therapeutic cloning has been successfully used to treat Parkinson's disease in mice, US researchers say. The study in Nature Medicine provides the best evidence so far that the controversial technique could one day help people with the condition. The Memorial Sloan-Kettering Cancer Centre team say it is the first time animals have been successfully treated with their own cloned cells. UK experts said the work was promising and exciting development."
Bloomberg News, March 23, 2008:
"Researchers cured mice with a version of Parkinson's disease by treating them with brain cells made from clones of their own skin cells. The researchers employed nuclear transfer, which involves swapping genetic material from one individual into an egg cell belonging to another. The same procedure was used to create Dolly the sheep, one of the first animals produced by cloning. The findings, published today in the journal Nature Medicine, offer a glimpse into how the cloning technique might one day be used to develop therapies, as opposed to making copies of an individual."
The Guardian, March 24, 2008:
"Scientists have shown that stem cells produced by therapeutic cloning are effective for treating Parkinson's disease, in the first convincing demonstration that stem cells derived from the subject can be used to treat a serious disease. The technique has only been tried in mice, but scientists have hailed it as proof that a similar approach could be successful in humans."
The Times, March 24, 2008:
"Cloned embryonic stem cells have been used to treat animals with Parkinson’s disease for the first time, in an important step towards developing the therapy for human patients. The successful experiment marks the first time that cloned stem cells have been used to reverse disease in the same animals from which they were derived, and suggests that it should be possible to use therapeutic cloning in medicine."
Reuters, March 23, 2008 2:05 pm EDT:
"Researchers who used cloned embryonic stem cells to treat Parkinson's disease in mice said on Sunday they worked better than other cells. The researchers were trying to prove that it is possible to make embryonic stem cells using cloning technology and use them to provide a tailor-made treatment. But they found that a mouse's own cloned stem cells were far less disruptive to its body than cloned cells taken from other mice."
New Scientist, 18:00 GMT 23 March 2008:
"Therapeutic cloning works – in mice, at least. An international team has restored mice with a condition similar to Parkinson's disease back to health, using neurons grown in the lab that were made from their own cloned skin cells. This is the first time that a disease has been successfully treated using cloned cells that had been derived from the recipient animals."
The Courier Mail, March 24, 2008 05:30am AST:
"RESEARCHERS who used cloned embryonic stem cells to treat Parkinson's disease in mice said today they worked better than other cells. The researchers were trying to prove that it is possible to make embryonic stem cells using cloning technology and use them to provide a tailor-made treatment. But they found that a mouse's own cloned stem cells were far less disruptive to its body than cloned cells taken from other mice."
Stem Cell Therapy Shows Promise In Treating Liver Failure
Recent research has developed a new way of treating liver failure that could save the lives of thousands of patients on transplant waiting lists.
According to the researchers, the treatment includes insertion of stem cells into the damaged organ so that it is encouraged to repair itself and create new tissue that will allow patients to live long enough for a new organ to found and could even enable the liver to completely heal itself so a transplant is no longer needed.
Statistic says that more than 600 liver transplants are carried out each year but recent figures show that more than a fifth of patients die waiting because of high demand of the organ. The pioneering research, carried out at the Massachusetts General Hospital, could eliminate the need for such an operation.
The scientists found that they could encourage this natural tendency by inserting stem cells into the damaged livers of rats. They used Mesenchymal stem cells, which are found in the bone marrow.
Dr Martin Yarmush, who led the study published in the journal of the Public Library of Science, said: “We have identified a non-hepatic source of cells that can easily be expanded to the scale required for clinical application.”
According to the researchers, the treatment includes insertion of stem cells into the damaged organ so that it is encouraged to repair itself and create new tissue that will allow patients to live long enough for a new organ to found and could even enable the liver to completely heal itself so a transplant is no longer needed.
Statistic says that more than 600 liver transplants are carried out each year but recent figures show that more than a fifth of patients die waiting because of high demand of the organ. The pioneering research, carried out at the Massachusetts General Hospital, could eliminate the need for such an operation.
The scientists found that they could encourage this natural tendency by inserting stem cells into the damaged livers of rats. They used Mesenchymal stem cells, which are found in the bone marrow.
Dr Martin Yarmush, who led the study published in the journal of the Public Library of Science, said: “We have identified a non-hepatic source of cells that can easily be expanded to the scale required for clinical application.”
How Vaccine Companies Use Fear to Increase Vaccinations
The disturbing site linked below encourages vaccinations -- this is unsurprising, since it is sponsored by a vaccine division of Sanofi Pasteur.
It is a particularly good example of how vaccine companies prey on the fears of parents. It features a frightened-looking baby next to the words, “I can catch pertussis from you, mom, and it can be serious.”
The site also features links to the sound of a whopping cough, and says that you should, “Make sure your family and friends get vaccinated” since “anyone who spends time with your baby may pass on pertussis ... [including] childcare providers, household help, and your friends.”
Sources:
* DoItForYourBaby.com
It is a particularly good example of how vaccine companies prey on the fears of parents. It features a frightened-looking baby next to the words, “I can catch pertussis from you, mom, and it can be serious.”
The site also features links to the sound of a whopping cough, and says that you should, “Make sure your family and friends get vaccinated” since “anyone who spends time with your baby may pass on pertussis ... [including] childcare providers, household help, and your friends.”
Sources:
* DoItForYourBaby.com
Will Humans Ever Be Able to Regrow Their Limbs?
Will Humans Ever Be Able to Regrow Their Limbs?
Salamanders can grow perfect replacements for lost body parts throughout their lives. If a complete understanding of how they do so can be reached, it could provide a road map for human limb regeneration.
Humans and salamanders have similar early tissue responses at amputation sites. However, human tissue eventually forms a scar, while the salamander reactivates an embryonic development program which builds a new limb.
If the human wound environment could be controlled in a way that would trigger salamanderlike healing, it could become possible for humans to regenerate large body parts. Science may be only a decade or two away from this achievement.
Sources:
* Scientific American April 2008
Salamanders can grow perfect replacements for lost body parts throughout their lives. If a complete understanding of how they do so can be reached, it could provide a road map for human limb regeneration.
Humans and salamanders have similar early tissue responses at amputation sites. However, human tissue eventually forms a scar, while the salamander reactivates an embryonic development program which builds a new limb.
If the human wound environment could be controlled in a way that would trigger salamanderlike healing, it could become possible for humans to regenerate large body parts. Science may be only a decade or two away from this achievement.
Sources:
* Scientific American April 2008
Frog Skin Offers New Therapy Against Bacterial Infections
A naturally occurring agent in frog skin may inhibit multi-drug resistant bacterial strains.
Researchers have identified antimicrobial peptides (AMPs) as a promising candidates for therapeutic use, and they have found amphibian skin to be one of the richest sources of such AMPs.
Five AMPs from three different frog and toad species were tested for antibacterial activity against multi-drug resistant strains. Initial results showed that all the peptides acted as antibacterial agents. A peptide called esculentin 1b produced an antibacterial response within 2 to 20 minutes of exposure.
Sources:
* Science Daily January 23, 2008
Researchers have identified antimicrobial peptides (AMPs) as a promising candidates for therapeutic use, and they have found amphibian skin to be one of the richest sources of such AMPs.
Five AMPs from three different frog and toad species were tested for antibacterial activity against multi-drug resistant strains. Initial results showed that all the peptides acted as antibacterial agents. A peptide called esculentin 1b produced an antibacterial response within 2 to 20 minutes of exposure.
Sources:
* Science Daily January 23, 2008
Surgery Does Little for Arthritic Knees
Arthroscopic surgery to trimming damaged tissue from arthritic knees does not relieve pain and swelling any better than simply flushing loose debris from the joint.
Osteoarthritis is a progressive disease that affects the hands, hips, shoulders and knees, especially in older people. The condition causes joint cartilage to break down, and loose bits of tissue can then cause pain, swelling and poor joint function.
Arthroscopic surgery can cause infection and blood clots. The procedure does not stop the progression of osteoarthritis.
Sources:
* Eurekalert January 24, 2008
Osteoarthritis is a progressive disease that affects the hands, hips, shoulders and knees, especially in older people. The condition causes joint cartilage to break down, and loose bits of tissue can then cause pain, swelling and poor joint function.
Arthroscopic surgery can cause infection and blood clots. The procedure does not stop the progression of osteoarthritis.
Sources:
* Eurekalert January 24, 2008
The Terrifying Side Effects of Prescription Drugs
The side effects of prescription medication can be horrific. Is it really worth taking medication if the cure is worse than the disease?
Here are just a few of the side effects that come with many prescription drugs currently on the market.
* Drainage, crusting, or oozing of your eyes or eyelids
* Hallucinations, fainting, coma
* Paralysis
* Congestive heart failure
* Nerve pain lasting for several weeks or months
* Bleeding that will not stop
* Coughing up blood or vomit that looks like coffee grounds
One drug on the market, EvaMist, has possible side effects that include cancer, stroke, heart attack, blood clots, and dementia! EvaMist is a treatment for menopause symptoms such as hot flashes.
For an even larger list of terrifying side effects, click the link below.
Sources:
* HealthMad March 20, 2008
Here are just a few of the side effects that come with many prescription drugs currently on the market.
* Drainage, crusting, or oozing of your eyes or eyelids
* Hallucinations, fainting, coma
* Paralysis
* Congestive heart failure
* Nerve pain lasting for several weeks or months
* Bleeding that will not stop
* Coughing up blood or vomit that looks like coffee grounds
One drug on the market, EvaMist, has possible side effects that include cancer, stroke, heart attack, blood clots, and dementia! EvaMist is a treatment for menopause symptoms such as hot flashes.
For an even larger list of terrifying side effects, click the link below.
Sources:
* HealthMad March 20, 2008
Organic Foods Really Are Better
Since 2003, there has been no major review of published scientific literature on the nutritional benefits of organic food. But there have been over 40 new studies have come out since the last review was carried out.
A new analysis looked at the results of nearly 100 studies on organic plant-based foods, including the most recent ones. The project took two years.
The result is a set of clear-cut answers to important, common questions about the nutritional superiority of organic food. And the final verdict? Organic plant-based foods are, on average, definitely more nutritious.
Sources:
* The Organic Center March 2008
A new analysis looked at the results of nearly 100 studies on organic plant-based foods, including the most recent ones. The project took two years.
The result is a set of clear-cut answers to important, common questions about the nutritional superiority of organic food. And the final verdict? Organic plant-based foods are, on average, definitely more nutritious.
Sources:
* The Organic Center March 2008
Taking a Closer Look at the Inuit Paradox and Cardiovascular Disease
Cardiovascular Disease (CVD) is rare in Inuit people who continue to eat their 'traditional' diet. But how can eating a diet predominantly consisting of seal meat, fat and blubber and almost completely void of greens, fruits and fiber be 'preventative' of the very disease which plagues the entire western world and for which medical orthodoxy blames on diets high in saturated fats and cholesterol? Also, by adopting medicine's low-fat, low-cholesterol diet and drug regimes, CVD continues to increase with no cures in site. Herein lies the paradox... if high fat and high cholesterol diets cause CVD, then what is 'protecting' the traditional Inuit, which has thrived on a diet rich in both?
One of the differences is that the traditional Inuit's diet is very high in Omega-3 fats while our western diet is very high in Omega-6 fats. Science has shown that the ratio of Omega-6 to Omega-3 should be as close to a ratio of 1:1 and certainly no more than 4:1. Inuits are about the only peoples to approach the 1:1 ratio while we typically come in at 20:1 and the real junk foodists are measuring in at upwards of 50:1 ratios. A balanced Omega-6 to Omega-3 ratio promotes a homeostasis, non-inflammatory state in the body while a tilt to the high Omega-6 side will promote an inflammatory and therefore disease and degenerative state.
Here is what happens with the imbalance. Man-made vegetable oil diets (margarine and other hydrogenated oils) are high in Omega-6 fatty acids and as such convert into high levels of Arachidonic Acid ('AA'). This molecule is the necessary precursor to Prostaglandin 2, a 'pro-inflammatory', albeit necessary hormone-like molecule found in all cells. The excessive amounts of 'AA' in our Omega-6 rich western diets thus contribute largely to our chronic inflammatory degenerative diseases such as CVD, asthma and arthritis.
Conversely, a diet rich in Omega-3 fatty acids contains the now well-known essential fatty acid molecule 'EPA'. EPA is responsible for the production of Prostaglandin '3', an anti-inflammatory molecule and therefore a soothing response to our runaway 'silent' and not so silent inflammatory and disease states. Therein is one of the secrets to preventing the majority of cardiovascular diseases.
Inuits consume large amounts of seal meat and blubber and thus receive significant amounts of three (3) essential fatty acids EPA, DHA, DPA. The latter, is not readily found in fish oils. DPA is an important factor in preventing plaque and keeping the arteries soft and elastic. EPA is a huge factor in fighting inflammation while DHA is the essential molecule for brain, nerve and eye tissues and is a powerful factor for normalizing blood and tissue triglycerides. You can see why seal oil has become my first choice for the 3 pre-formed Omega-3 essential fatty acids (EFA's) and is an integral part of my heart prevention trio of necessary therapeutic nutrients.
Vitamin C is anther important factor. But where do Inuits get their Vitamin C? This puzzled me for many years until I discovered that seal and whale skin and blubber ('Muktuk' or 'Muktaaq', an Inuit favorite), and to a lesser extent seal meat, are rich in this essential collagen forming antioxidant vitamin. Thus the Inuit on a traditional diet gets more Vitamin C than the average westerners typically do. We know that Vitamin C is essential in Collagen synthesis, a necessary factor in artery strength and integrity, and a prime factor in reversing and preventing heart disease.
Seal meat and especially blubber, are also very high in Vitamins E, A, D and selenium. Recently, researchers have concluded that these inherent antioxidants are very big reasons why Inuits are free of CVD while other mostly fish eating populations are still prone to this disease. Fish oils alone will not do the same as will seal oil.
Important in the conversion of Omega-6 oils into Omega-3 EFA's are optimum levels of magnesium, selenium, zinc, B3 (niacin) and B6. The conversion just won't happen without these essential nutrients. Liquid ionic magnesium forms part of my heart prevention 'trio' of nutrients mentioned above.
To gain the upper hand on Cardiovascular Disease and other inflammatory degenerative diseases, we can all learn from the tried and true Omega 3 fat-rich Inuit diet. We should immediately strive to achieve a better balance of Omega-6 to Omega-3 fats in our deficient Western diets. While eating seal meat and blubber does not appeal to the vast majority of us, supplementing with 3-4 grams of seal oil daily could go a long way in reversing the trend towards heart disease and strokes. Eating more fish is another good way.
One of the differences is that the traditional Inuit's diet is very high in Omega-3 fats while our western diet is very high in Omega-6 fats. Science has shown that the ratio of Omega-6 to Omega-3 should be as close to a ratio of 1:1 and certainly no more than 4:1. Inuits are about the only peoples to approach the 1:1 ratio while we typically come in at 20:1 and the real junk foodists are measuring in at upwards of 50:1 ratios. A balanced Omega-6 to Omega-3 ratio promotes a homeostasis, non-inflammatory state in the body while a tilt to the high Omega-6 side will promote an inflammatory and therefore disease and degenerative state.
Here is what happens with the imbalance. Man-made vegetable oil diets (margarine and other hydrogenated oils) are high in Omega-6 fatty acids and as such convert into high levels of Arachidonic Acid ('AA'). This molecule is the necessary precursor to Prostaglandin 2, a 'pro-inflammatory', albeit necessary hormone-like molecule found in all cells. The excessive amounts of 'AA' in our Omega-6 rich western diets thus contribute largely to our chronic inflammatory degenerative diseases such as CVD, asthma and arthritis.
Conversely, a diet rich in Omega-3 fatty acids contains the now well-known essential fatty acid molecule 'EPA'. EPA is responsible for the production of Prostaglandin '3', an anti-inflammatory molecule and therefore a soothing response to our runaway 'silent' and not so silent inflammatory and disease states. Therein is one of the secrets to preventing the majority of cardiovascular diseases.
Inuits consume large amounts of seal meat and blubber and thus receive significant amounts of three (3) essential fatty acids EPA, DHA, DPA. The latter, is not readily found in fish oils. DPA is an important factor in preventing plaque and keeping the arteries soft and elastic. EPA is a huge factor in fighting inflammation while DHA is the essential molecule for brain, nerve and eye tissues and is a powerful factor for normalizing blood and tissue triglycerides. You can see why seal oil has become my first choice for the 3 pre-formed Omega-3 essential fatty acids (EFA's) and is an integral part of my heart prevention trio of necessary therapeutic nutrients.
Vitamin C is anther important factor. But where do Inuits get their Vitamin C? This puzzled me for many years until I discovered that seal and whale skin and blubber ('Muktuk' or 'Muktaaq', an Inuit favorite), and to a lesser extent seal meat, are rich in this essential collagen forming antioxidant vitamin. Thus the Inuit on a traditional diet gets more Vitamin C than the average westerners typically do. We know that Vitamin C is essential in Collagen synthesis, a necessary factor in artery strength and integrity, and a prime factor in reversing and preventing heart disease.
Seal meat and especially blubber, are also very high in Vitamins E, A, D and selenium. Recently, researchers have concluded that these inherent antioxidants are very big reasons why Inuits are free of CVD while other mostly fish eating populations are still prone to this disease. Fish oils alone will not do the same as will seal oil.
Important in the conversion of Omega-6 oils into Omega-3 EFA's are optimum levels of magnesium, selenium, zinc, B3 (niacin) and B6. The conversion just won't happen without these essential nutrients. Liquid ionic magnesium forms part of my heart prevention 'trio' of nutrients mentioned above.
To gain the upper hand on Cardiovascular Disease and other inflammatory degenerative diseases, we can all learn from the tried and true Omega 3 fat-rich Inuit diet. We should immediately strive to achieve a better balance of Omega-6 to Omega-3 fats in our deficient Western diets. While eating seal meat and blubber does not appeal to the vast majority of us, supplementing with 3-4 grams of seal oil daily could go a long way in reversing the trend towards heart disease and strokes. Eating more fish is another good way.
Media Blames Heath Ledger, Refuses to Examine Dangers of the Pharmaceuticals Found Beside His Body
Thursday, January 24, 2008 by: Mike Adams
Can you imagine the outcry if Heath Ledger's body was found next to a pile of Chinese herbs? The media outcry would be deafening, and nearly everyone would leap to the conclusion that the herbs must have killed Ledger. But when Ledger's body is found next to bottles of FDA-approved pharmaceuticals, there's hardly even a whisper about the deadly side effects of such pharmaceuticals (and the likelihood that Ledger was, indeed, killed by FDA-approved medicines).
The mainstream media is wearing blinders when it comes to accurately reporting stories involving pharmaceuticals. The silly presumption is that all pharmaceuticals are safe. They were approved by the FDA, weren't they? And yet FDA-approved pharmaceuticals kill twice as many Americans each year as the entire Vietnam War. There is no industry that kills more people each year than Big Pharma -- not even the war and munitions giants kill that many people.
So why does the mainstream media routinely give drug companies a "get out of jail free" card when all the evidence clearly points to the fact that Heath Ledger was killed by pharmaceuticals? (The answer: Conflicts of interest. Media is funded by pharma.)
Look at the reported facts:
1. There was no evidence of illegal drugs or alcohol at Ledger's apartment.
2. There was no evidence of intent to commit suicide (no suicide note, no message to friends, etc.)
3. The pharmaceuticals found at the scene were prescribed in Ledger's name (one bottle was over-the-counter, meaning it was also legally purchased).
4. Early autopsy results showed no evidence of illegal drug use or attempted suicide.
5. There was no evidence of foul play (i.e. Ledger wasn't murdered).
So what, then, killed Heath Ledger?
What would Sherlock Holmes conclude?
By normal standards of sleuthwork, this scene is hardly a mystery. It certainly doesn't require a genius to figure out the likely culprit behind Ledger's death. Once you eliminate all the things that couldn't have been responsible for his death, you're left with only one remaining likely cause: The two bottles of pharmaceuticals (antidepressant drugs and sleeping pills) found adjacent to Ledger's body.
Think about this for a moment:
Hmmm... there's no evidence of foul play, drug use or suicide. Heath was young and not suffering from any known cardiovascular health problems (ruling out a heart attack). Pharmaceuticals were found near his body. Heath obviously didn't just spontaneously die for no reason. There had to be a cause. Isn't it obvious that the most likely cause here was the chemical toxicity of the pharmaceuticals he was taking?
The media isn't interested in the REAL cause of Ledger's death
I find it amazing that the mainstream media appears to have no interest whatsoever in examining the chemical cause of Ledger's death. The question we need to be asking right now is: What killed Heath Ledger? He obviously didn't simply expire due to old age (Ledger was 28).
The mainstream reporting on this issue is limited to one word: "Overdose." It was an "overdose" that killed Ledger, the media keeps reporting. The drugs didn't kill him, the "overdose" did. An interesting twist of logic, isn't it? The drugs are perfectly safe because they're FDA approved, and it's all Ledger's fault that he's dead.
It's the same old "blame the victim" scam that's been pushed by food and drug companies for generations. It sure is convenient to blame Ledger for his fatality -- that way, nobody has to ask tough questions about the safety of the pharmaceuticals he was taking at the time.
The mainstream media, of course, is financially supported by the very same drug companies who profit from the drugs Ledger was apparently taking when he died. How's that for an Inconvenient Truth that the mainstream media (MSM) won't dare report?
No, blame the celebrity. Blame the victim and ignore the cause. Don't even consider the fact that pharmaceuticals are synthetic chemicals backed by fraudulent science and a corrupt Food and Drug Administration that actually goes out of its way to boost Big Pharma profits at the expense of human lives. Pay no attention to the outright fraudulent marketing and criminal conspiracy between Big Pharma and the FDA -- an organized crime operation that monopolizes drug prices, oppresses alternatives, censors free speech about natural medicine and allows drug companies to advertise dangerous chemicals on television like they were PEZ candies.
You can bet, as I hinted earlier, that if Ledger's body had been found next to bottles of Chinese Medicine herbs, the headlines would be far different from what we're seeing today. They'd be something like, "Chinese Herbs Implicated in Death of Heath Ledger" and everybody would be pointing their fingers at the herbs, calling them dangerous and "unapproved by the FDA." Well, antidepressant drugs and sleeping pills are approved by the FDA, and it seems they managed to kill Heath Ledger anyway. The fact that something is approved by the FDA doesn't make it safe. In fact, most FDA-approved medicines are far more dangerous than the non-FDA-approved natural alternatives!
Ledger becomes yet another victim of a deadly system of pharmaceutical medicine
Based on the evidence currently available, I believe Heath Ledger was killed by pharmaceuticals. I also believe the MSM is whitewashing this story, refusing to report the truth and instead attempting to blame the victim for this utterly unnecessary death.
If the available evidence changes following further toxicology studies due out in 10 - 14 days, then I will of course update my opinion on this. And if it turns out that Ledger's body contained heroin or other illegal drugs, then I will openly retract my statements that currently point the finger of blame at the prescription drugs he was taking. But based on the evidence available right now, the only logical conclusion is that Heath Ledger was killed by FDA-approved pharmaceuticals, and that means at least part of the blame rests with the drug companies that manufacture and aggressively sell those drugs. It's standard product liability reasoning: If cigarettes cause cancer, Big Tobacco should be sued. If pharmaceuticals keep killing people, they should be sued, too.
But you won't find that reported anywhere in the MSM. They won't touch that angle of the story. It's easier to just blame the victim and keep on pushing drug ads that promote the aggressive use of those very same drugs in children, teens and young adults. There are billions of dollars at stake in this marketing sham, and the media certainly isn't going to rock that boat by asking honest questions about Ledger's death.
That's business as usual in America today: Dangerous medicines, media lies and innocent casualties. Ledger wasn't born in America, but he died in America, steeped in deadly American medicine and American media lies. May he rest in peace. And somehow, may his death serve as a warning to all his adoring young fans around the world: Pharmaceutical medicines can kill you.
Can you imagine the outcry if Heath Ledger's body was found next to a pile of Chinese herbs? The media outcry would be deafening, and nearly everyone would leap to the conclusion that the herbs must have killed Ledger. But when Ledger's body is found next to bottles of FDA-approved pharmaceuticals, there's hardly even a whisper about the deadly side effects of such pharmaceuticals (and the likelihood that Ledger was, indeed, killed by FDA-approved medicines).
The mainstream media is wearing blinders when it comes to accurately reporting stories involving pharmaceuticals. The silly presumption is that all pharmaceuticals are safe. They were approved by the FDA, weren't they? And yet FDA-approved pharmaceuticals kill twice as many Americans each year as the entire Vietnam War. There is no industry that kills more people each year than Big Pharma -- not even the war and munitions giants kill that many people.
So why does the mainstream media routinely give drug companies a "get out of jail free" card when all the evidence clearly points to the fact that Heath Ledger was killed by pharmaceuticals? (The answer: Conflicts of interest. Media is funded by pharma.)
Look at the reported facts:
1. There was no evidence of illegal drugs or alcohol at Ledger's apartment.
2. There was no evidence of intent to commit suicide (no suicide note, no message to friends, etc.)
3. The pharmaceuticals found at the scene were prescribed in Ledger's name (one bottle was over-the-counter, meaning it was also legally purchased).
4. Early autopsy results showed no evidence of illegal drug use or attempted suicide.
5. There was no evidence of foul play (i.e. Ledger wasn't murdered).
So what, then, killed Heath Ledger?
What would Sherlock Holmes conclude?
By normal standards of sleuthwork, this scene is hardly a mystery. It certainly doesn't require a genius to figure out the likely culprit behind Ledger's death. Once you eliminate all the things that couldn't have been responsible for his death, you're left with only one remaining likely cause: The two bottles of pharmaceuticals (antidepressant drugs and sleeping pills) found adjacent to Ledger's body.
Think about this for a moment:
Hmmm... there's no evidence of foul play, drug use or suicide. Heath was young and not suffering from any known cardiovascular health problems (ruling out a heart attack). Pharmaceuticals were found near his body. Heath obviously didn't just spontaneously die for no reason. There had to be a cause. Isn't it obvious that the most likely cause here was the chemical toxicity of the pharmaceuticals he was taking?
The media isn't interested in the REAL cause of Ledger's death
I find it amazing that the mainstream media appears to have no interest whatsoever in examining the chemical cause of Ledger's death. The question we need to be asking right now is: What killed Heath Ledger? He obviously didn't simply expire due to old age (Ledger was 28).
The mainstream reporting on this issue is limited to one word: "Overdose." It was an "overdose" that killed Ledger, the media keeps reporting. The drugs didn't kill him, the "overdose" did. An interesting twist of logic, isn't it? The drugs are perfectly safe because they're FDA approved, and it's all Ledger's fault that he's dead.
It's the same old "blame the victim" scam that's been pushed by food and drug companies for generations. It sure is convenient to blame Ledger for his fatality -- that way, nobody has to ask tough questions about the safety of the pharmaceuticals he was taking at the time.
The mainstream media, of course, is financially supported by the very same drug companies who profit from the drugs Ledger was apparently taking when he died. How's that for an Inconvenient Truth that the mainstream media (MSM) won't dare report?
No, blame the celebrity. Blame the victim and ignore the cause. Don't even consider the fact that pharmaceuticals are synthetic chemicals backed by fraudulent science and a corrupt Food and Drug Administration that actually goes out of its way to boost Big Pharma profits at the expense of human lives. Pay no attention to the outright fraudulent marketing and criminal conspiracy between Big Pharma and the FDA -- an organized crime operation that monopolizes drug prices, oppresses alternatives, censors free speech about natural medicine and allows drug companies to advertise dangerous chemicals on television like they were PEZ candies.
You can bet, as I hinted earlier, that if Ledger's body had been found next to bottles of Chinese Medicine herbs, the headlines would be far different from what we're seeing today. They'd be something like, "Chinese Herbs Implicated in Death of Heath Ledger" and everybody would be pointing their fingers at the herbs, calling them dangerous and "unapproved by the FDA." Well, antidepressant drugs and sleeping pills are approved by the FDA, and it seems they managed to kill Heath Ledger anyway. The fact that something is approved by the FDA doesn't make it safe. In fact, most FDA-approved medicines are far more dangerous than the non-FDA-approved natural alternatives!
Ledger becomes yet another victim of a deadly system of pharmaceutical medicine
Based on the evidence currently available, I believe Heath Ledger was killed by pharmaceuticals. I also believe the MSM is whitewashing this story, refusing to report the truth and instead attempting to blame the victim for this utterly unnecessary death.
If the available evidence changes following further toxicology studies due out in 10 - 14 days, then I will of course update my opinion on this. And if it turns out that Ledger's body contained heroin or other illegal drugs, then I will openly retract my statements that currently point the finger of blame at the prescription drugs he was taking. But based on the evidence available right now, the only logical conclusion is that Heath Ledger was killed by FDA-approved pharmaceuticals, and that means at least part of the blame rests with the drug companies that manufacture and aggressively sell those drugs. It's standard product liability reasoning: If cigarettes cause cancer, Big Tobacco should be sued. If pharmaceuticals keep killing people, they should be sued, too.
But you won't find that reported anywhere in the MSM. They won't touch that angle of the story. It's easier to just blame the victim and keep on pushing drug ads that promote the aggressive use of those very same drugs in children, teens and young adults. There are billions of dollars at stake in this marketing sham, and the media certainly isn't going to rock that boat by asking honest questions about Ledger's death.
That's business as usual in America today: Dangerous medicines, media lies and innocent casualties. Ledger wasn't born in America, but he died in America, steeped in deadly American medicine and American media lies. May he rest in peace. And somehow, may his death serve as a warning to all his adoring young fans around the world: Pharmaceutical medicines can kill you.
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