A newly published study in the Journal of Virology adds additional weight to the case against routine influenza vaccinations. Researchers have found that vaccinating children annually against the flu virus interferes with the development of virus-specific killer T cells. This means that the annual flu vaccine may protect children against the actual viruses in the vaccine; but, at the same time, it makes them more vulnerable to other viruses they are exposed to.

Support Your Immune System Naturally

As an integrative medical doctor, I believe you can support your immune system naturally with a combination of healthy lifestyle choices and targeted supplements for immune support. It is generally not necessary to introduce viruses, chemicals and heavy metals into our bodies in the form of a vaccination. Natural solutions that enhance immune activity while also promoting overall health are always my top recommendation for supporting immunity and vitality in both adults and children.

Common sense and scientific research tell us that one of the most important strategies for staying well is to wash your hands frequently. Washing with soap and running water for 20 seconds is the most effective way to cleanse your hands of all kinds of germs.

It is also important to get enough sleep (more than seven hours per night), get moderate exercise and do not overwork.

Adequate hydration with pure, filtered water is also critical for keeping your immune system healthy and flushing out toxins and harmful invaders. This is one important factor often overlooked in our busy lives.

Nutritional approaches to a healthy immune system include eating plenty of green vegetables; reducing or eliminating consumption of refined sugars and processed/fried foods; and supplementing with immune-boosting vitamins, minerals, herbs and botanicals.

Some of the most widely recommended immune nutrients also offer critical support for overall health and vitality. These include vitamin C, zinc, vitamin D-3, B vitamins with minerals and co-factors, selenium, vitamin A and probiotics. By combining these critical nutrients with other powerful immune-supporting supplements and following a healthy lifestyle, you can protect and support health from multiple angles.

Immune Support Supplements

In addition to immune supporting vitamins and minerals, some of the most powerful immune enhancers are natural formulas and compounds that combine cutting-edge science with traditional botanical wisdom. These powerful immune supplements also offer comprehensive health support and can provide protection against both acute and chronic illnesses, increase vital energy and promote longevity, naturally. Following are some of my top recommended supplements that offer powerful support for immune and overall health, during the winter and year round.

One of my top recommendations is a blend of six medicinal mushrooms with additional immune-boosting beta glucans. The mushrooms in this formula have been used for thousands of years to promote optimal functioning of the immune system and support overall health. However, this formula is unique because the mushrooms are cultivated in the United States on a blend of powerful immune-supporting herbs that enhance the mushrooms’ natural immune-boosting properties. When combined in a comprehensive formula with additional beta-glucans, medicinal mushrooms are an excellent way to boost your body’s natural defenses and combat infection, especially on a long-term basis. Mushrooms are also of great benefit during times of acute stress or infection and they can be taken in frequent doses with no known side effects.

Another recommendation is Padma Basic, which is a Tibetan Herbal Formula, made with a blend of 19 rare and powerful botanicals that contain a multitude of health-promoting tannins, polyphenols, flavonoids and essential oils. This traditional formula has cooling properties that support balanced immune function, increased circulation, healthy responses to inflammation and powerful antioxidant activity.

Last, but most importantly, is modified citrus pectin, the first natural galectin-3 blocker. Scientists are now finding that blocking harmful excess galectin-3 molecules in the body is critical in promoting cellular health and long-term wellness. In addition to binding and blocking galectin-3 throughout the body, research demonstrates that regular use of modified citrus pectin offers powerful immune support and also safely detoxifies harmful heavy metals and environmental toxins without side effects.

Integrative medicine treats the whole person, rather than the symptom or illness. As a result, these and other natural health solutions offer substantiated immune support while simultaneously promoting overall health and protecting against chronic illness over the long term. And that’s an area where many conventional solutions fall short.

Source for Story:

http://www.easyhealthoptions.com/alternative-medicine/do-you-really-need-a-flu-shot/

They looked at clinical trials published in PubMed, the Cochrane Library, and other medical databases and searched for studies linking bipolar disorder with CAM therapies. They found that multi-nutrient formulas containing n-acetylcysteine and l-tryptophan showed positive results. They also found evidence that branched- chain amino acids, magnesium, and acupuncture could improve bipolar disorder symptoms.

Certainly that is a good handful of treatments for someone with bipolar disorder to look into with their healthcare provider. Remember that, for everyone, regardless of a bipolar disorder diagnosis or not, there are many vitamins and minerals that are absolutely essential for boosting mood and mental outlook. If you are not getting enough B- vitamins, you will likely suffer from mood swings. There are very real emotional ups and downs that result from a deficiency in these vitamins.

Give your mental health the boost it deserves and make sure you have an adequate intake of vitamins and minerals.

Get some exercise and try to avoid smoking and drinking excessively. Without these factors upping your risk for depression and/or bipolar disorder, you may find you feel quite positive and mentally strong.

Source for Story:

doctorshealthpress@lombardipublishing.com

 

the ‘Russian Penicillin’, where it’s healing properties make it the most potent antibiotic nature can offer.

Phytochemicals: while garlic does not have a huge stash of vitamins and minerals, it does contain a particular phytochemical called ‘allicin’ (produced when garlic is chopped, minced, or chewed), which protects your body from a variety of ailments including bacterial infection and also excessive cholesterol.

Antimicrobial and antifungal agents: In two recent studies, it has been discovered that allicin found in garlic is effective against two very difficult strains of bacteria… Enterococci and Staphylococcus.

Baby weight: A team of London researchers found that garlic can help to boost baby weight during pregnancy, and to decrease risks of preeclampsia complications at birth.

Reduced caner risks: In the Iowa Women’s Health Study, women who added garlic to their diets had a 32% less chance of developing colon cancer. Another study at the National Cancer Institute in the US suggested that garlic can both slow the growth of cancer cells as well as cause abnormal cells to self destruct, making it an optional anti-cancer agent.

Heart health and cholesterol: Garlic acts as a mop when it comes to elevated LDL cholesterol, and it reduces platelet adhesion (blood stickiness). In a sixteen-week study that involved giving garlic to 261 patients, cholesterol levels were reduced by 12% and triglyceride levels were reduced by 17%.

For thousands of years, garlic has been used in many unusual ways and for a multitude of ailments – colds, ear infections, sore throats, warts, yeast infections, sinusitis, asthma, congestion, and even impotence. After thousands of years however, in our labs today the world of science is discovering that these old ways were in fact not so far off, and that there is yet still much to be discovered about the healing properties of nature’s own antibiotic.

Source for Story:

http://www.naturalnews.com/034118_garlic_antibiotics.html

• Iron lodged in your heart tissue can cause heart disease.

• Aluminum lodged in your brain tissue can cause Alzheimer’s or clinical insanity.

• Mercury lodged in your brain can cause autism spectrum disorders.

• Lead lodged in your bones can interfere with red blood cell production and even white blood cell production.

To get tested, find a local doctor or naturopath who can run these tests and offer you an intelligent diagnosis. Get your tests done, review your results, and then decide your next course of action.

Step two: Consider treatment to remove the metals

The most widely accepted treatment for removing heavy metals is chelation therapy, and its efficacy for certain metals is widely accepted across both conventional and holistic medical practitioners.

Chelation therapy involves your doctor or naturopath placing an IV line into your arm (or other location), then dripping a chelation agent into your bloodstream. The most common chelation agent used today is ethylenediaminetetraacetic acid or EDTA. As the University of Maryland Medical Center explains (http://www.umm.edu/altmed/articles/…):

“Chelation therapy using EDTA is the medically accepted treatment for lead poisoning. Other heavy metal poisonings treated with chelation include mercury, arsenic, aluminum, chromium, cobalt, manganese, nickel, selenium, zinc, tin, and thallium. Chelating agents other than EDTA are also used to clear several of these substances from the bloodstream.”

This page goes on to explain:

“Heavy metal toxicity in humans has been associated with many health conditions, including heart disease, attention deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD), Alzheimer’s disease, immune system disorders, gastrointestinal disorders (including irritable bowel syndrome, or IBS), and autism.”

Be sure to replenish the good minerals

Although there is tremendous controversy about the use of EDTA for removing plaque from arteries, it is widely acknowledged that EDTA very effectively removes metals (and minerals) from the body. The good news is that EDTA binds to heavy metals and allows your body to easily eliminate them. The bad news is that EDTA also binds to beneficial minerals such as zinc and calcium, taking them out of your body as well. For this reason, health practitioners who administer EDTA chelation typically recommend remineralization treatments with healthful minerals following chelation.

There are many other areas to explore in the realm of metals detox. I don’t have all the answers for you here, but you may wish to explore various detox cleanses using apple cider vinegar or lemon juice as the primary liquids. Just “juicing” fresh vegetables and fruits with lemons is, all by itself, somewhat of a heavy metals detox (although it probably won’t eliminate inorganic metals lodged in brain tissue).

Eliminating excess iron, by the way, is easily accomplished by donating blood. But make sure you get tested first, and discuss treatment options with your doctor or naturopathic physician.

This is one topic in which even conventional doctors may have very practical knowledge. Although conventional doctors typically have a poor understanding of nutrition, removing heavy metals from your body is an area in which they may indeed be quite useful. Licensed naturopaths are also an outstanding resource for this.

How to get “good” minerals into your body

It’s simpler than you think: Simply feed minerals to your plants then eat the plants. You can do this seasonally with a home garden or year-round with a sprouting machine. The sprouts will take up inorganic minerals and convert them into organic minerals which are then compatible for human consumption. Obviously, make sure the minerals you feed your plants don’t contain harmful metals (like mercury or cadmium), or else your plants will absorb those, too.

Never consume inorganic minerals or metals (i.e. minerals made from rocks) if you can avoid it. Certain metals should always be avoided where possible, such as mercury, aluminum, cadmium, arsenic and lead.

Source for Story:

http://www.naturalnews.com/034049_heavy_metals_removal.html#ixzz1clK6YYep

Excitotoxins also come in the form of Sucralose (Splenda), cysteine, hydrolyzed protein, and aspartic acid. Plus, MSG is called by at least 30 different names on food labels, including—unbelievably—the word “spices,” an alias accepted by the FDA.

These chemicals are perfectly legal…but frighteningly dangerous according to a growing number of studies suggesting their damaging effects on the brain.

How Excitotoxins Got Into the Food Supply

Right after World War II, researchers isolated monosodium glutamate from the Japanese sea weed kombu. This involved stripping away the healthy components, including enzymes and minerals.

Today, MSG shows up in virtually all prepared foods, including restaurant food, even when their menus proclaim, “We add no MSG.” That’s because they don’t have to add it; it’s already in the food they receive from suppliers.

As for aspartame, that comes from the amino acid aspartate. We take it in through diet sodas, sugarless candy and desserts, and from those little pink and blue sweetener packets.

Do-It-Yourself Brain Damage

At the base of our brains just above the brainstem is the hypothalamus, a vulnerable region not protected by the blood-brain barrier that otherwise keeps our brain safe from harmful substances.

The hypothalamus controls certain metabolism and activities of the autonomic nervous system, along with body temperature…hunger…thirst…fatigue…sleep…and the release of pituitary hormones. Anything that affects the hypothalamus has the potential to do serious harm—and excitotoxins do just that by causing inflammation and damage in this critical region.

According to the latest research, excitotoxins over-stimulate neuron receptors, resulting in cell death. That means regularly consuming excitotoxins like MSG and aspartame can eventually kill off enough brain cells to cause permanent damage.

Ronald L. Meyers, Certified Nutrition Consultant, says that the only reason for adding these chemicals to foods is to enhance the taste and thereby increase sales. “This is death by profit margin, because the research is clear regarding the damaging effects of these additives. Profits are more important than people to the food processors!”

How to Avoid Excitotoxins

These food additives show up in virtually all processed foods. MSG is added to potato chips…flavored crackers…canned soups…dry soup mixes…canned meats…diet foods…soy sauces…salad dressings…cured meats…and much more.

Aspartate appears in diet foods as aspartame or NutraSweet.

Spotting these additives on labels isn’t easy. Artificial sweeteners turn up not only as saccharin and aspartame but also as sucralose, acesulfame potassium (acesulfame-K), and neotame. And, as mentioned, MSG goes by many names other than monosodium glutamate, including “spices” and even “natural flavoring.”

Below is a partial list of most common names for MSG—and notice how “healthy” some of these sound—it’s a great marketing ploy:

• Hydrolyzed Vegetable Protein
• Hydrolyzed Protein
• Hydrolyzed Plant Protein
• Plant Protein Extract
• Sodium Caseinate
• Calcium Caseinate
• Yeast Extract
• Textured Protein
• Autolyzed Yeast
• Hydrolyzed Oat Flour
• Malt extract
• Malt flavoring
• Bouillon
• Broth
• Stock
• Flavoring
• Natural Flavoring
• Natural Beef or Chicken Flavoring
• Seasoning
• Carrageenan
• Soy Protein Concentrate
• Soy Protein Isolate
• Soy Protein Concentrate

Getting Excitotoxins Banned

Despite the tireless efforts of many, the FDA has staunchly resisted taking action against aspartame or MSG, or even requiring clearer food labeling for excitotoxins. At one point, baby food companies took MSG out of their jars, but not anymore.

Dr. William Douglass Campbell cited a recent study that showed that 2 servings of diet soda increased the risk of premature birth by 38%, while 4 servings a day boosted it by 78%. Another study conducted in Italy found a link between aspartame and cancer in lab rats at doses equivalent to what humans regularly digest.

Nonetheless, the FDA continues to turn a blind eye and a deaf ear to the health threats posed by excitotoxins.

Nutritional Protection Against Excitotoxins

Eating mostly fresh, whole foods is the best way to avoid excitotoxins. When you do buy processed food, read labels with care. No matter how careful you are, you will ingest excitotoxins as long as you eat in restaurants, at the homes of friends, etc. For this reason you may want to take nutritional precautions against the damage these chemicals cause.

Natural health practitioners, including Dr. David Blyweiss, recommend the following nutrients and supplements:

• Vitamins C and E—These vitamins may neutralize the impact of excitotoxins in the brain. Choose at least 1,000 mg. of vitamin C daily.
• Other Antioxidant Vitamins—Beta carotene, Vitamin K, and Vitamin D are valuable support.
• Minerals—Magnesium, zinc, and selenium also shield cells by protecting glutamate receptors from excessive excitotoxin absorption.
• Vinpocetine—This natural antioxidant from the seeds of the periwinkle plant might safeguard brain cells from the damage induced by excitotoxins like aspartame. Vinpocetine also acts as a vasodilator, which means it increases circulation and helps deliver more oxygen to the cells.

“Vinpocetine appears to have an amazing track record for safety up to 60 mg. a day,” says Dr. Blyweiss. “But, since vinpocetine does have blood thinning effects, if you’re currently taking aspirin or any other blood-thinning supplement or drug, or are being treated for a cardiac or vascular disorder, make sure you talk to your doctor before trying this herb.”

Source for Story:

http://undergroundhealthreporter.com/excitotoxins-in-healthy-foods-can-cause-brain-damage

with higher taurine levels had significantly lower body mass index, systolic and diastolic blood pressure, and total cholesterol when compared with those having the lowest taurine levels. Cardiovascular risks were intensified in individuals whose taurine and magnesium levels were lowest. The researchers noted that taurine may beneficially affect those who experience salt- sensitive blood pressure rise.

The research team concluded that the preventative effects of taurine make it good for health and longevity. They also cite the example of Australian Aboriginals who live near the coastal areas in Victoria. These peoples traditionally ate taurine- and magnesium-rich foods and were free from the ravages of cardiovascular disease 200 years ago. Presently, though, this population has nearly the highest cardiovascular risks because of dietary changes. 200 years ago they were eating seafood, vegetables, fruits, nuts, and milk — a diet similar to that of prehistoric hunters’ and gatherers’ and high in taurine.

To boost your nutritional health, add these taurine-rich foods to your diet: eggs; fish; meat; and milk.

Source for Story:

doctorshealthpress@lombardipublishing.com

Overall, the report estimates that the total costs for treatment of hypertension exceeded more than $47.0 billion. How is possible to spend such an astronomical amount? According to the report, $21.3 billion was spent on prescription drugs, $13.0 billion on doctor visits, and an additional $13.0 billion spent on hospitalizations, emergency room visits and home health care. The agency also noted that 23% of women received treatment for high blood pressure in 2008, compared to 23% of men.

Along with the cost of treating high blood pressure, the danger the condition poses to your health should be good motivation to keep your blood pressure down. Here’s some health advice: use following four tips as alternative remedies for keeping hypertension at bay.

1. Exercise. This one’s a no-brainer — you need to get moving to keep your heart strong and healthy.

2. Reduce your salt intake. Salt can raise your blood pressure by as much as 10 points. Watch your intake of processed and prepared foods, which can be high in sodium.

3. Boost your levels of calcium, magnesium and potassium. Deficiencies in these minerals have been linked to high blood pressure.

4. Maintain a healthy weight. Carrying around excess fat makes your heart work harder than it should.

Source for Story:

doctorshealthpress@lombardipublishing.com

your organs to function, your immune system to fight invaders, your limbs to move and your glands to secrete hormones. Your health is created or destroyed according to the availability of minerals.

In these processes, minerals also play a key role in keeping your body from becoming too acidic.

Acidic Developments

So many of the body’s functions produce acidic byproducts, that you can almost think of your body as an acid factory. You breathe in oxygen and you exhale carbon dioxide, in the form of carbonic acid. Your liver makes bile acid that’s stored in the gall bladder. Your kidneys excrete uric acid. Your muscles make lactic acid. The metabolism of amino acids produces keto acids. And every living cell in your body yields acids from the citric acid cycle, or Kreb’s cycle.

As acids accumulate, your body responds with alkalizing reactions. The body needs to keep its pH (a measure of acidity) in balance. Otherwise, acidity makes you more vulnerable to degenerative disease.

Buffer Zone

To offset the continual production of acids, the body employs physiological mechanisms that buffer the potentially deadly acid load. In this system, your blood functions as the primary acid-base compensatory mechanism.

In addition, other pH regulators contribute in a slower and more gradual way to lower the acidity of the body’s tissues. These regulators — the urinary system, skin, digestive tract, hormones and bones — rely on the availability of buffering minerals to help maintain the body’s proper pH.

Buffering Minerals, Slaying Acidity

To keep from becoming too acidic, the blood distributes alkalizing minerals and removes acidic accumulations that are moved into tissues and cells. In the cell, these acids displace the four most critical minerals in your body: Potassium, magnesium, sodium and calcium.

When the body continues to be acidic, it begins to rely on calcium taken from the bones to stay more alkaline. And when mineral reserves are continually drained because you consume the typically acidic modem American diet, the bones are physiologically required to keep releasing calcium (the most alkaline mineral) into the bloodstream. Eventually, this buffering activity can lead to the bone weakening conditions osteopenia and osteoporosis as well as chronic arthritis.

In general terms, a chronic acidic-promoting internal environment forces your body to borrow minerals — including calcium, sodium, potassium and magnesium — from vital organs and bones to neutralize acids.

We classify minerals as being either essential minerals (macro-minerals) or trace minerals (micro-minerals). The body needs the essential minerals calcium, magnesium, sodium and manganese in larger amounts. But only tiny quantities of the trace minerals — boron, chromium, iron, zinc, and many others — are necessary for optimum health.

Deficiency of trace minerals is a contributing factor to many illnesses. Research strongly suggests that many chronic diseases originate in mineral deficiency, including malnutrition, infections, obesity and many cases of both cancer and diabetes.

Mineral Source

Sadly, most Americans only consume about eight minerals in their standard American diet (S.A.D.) because they eat so few mineral-rich fruits and vegetables. Matter of fact, many U.S. adults eat no vegetables or fruit on a given day. Too often our meals are filled with processed foods which have had their natural configuration of mineral complexes altered or entirely eliminated.

To ensure an adequate mineral supply in your diet, you should eat a preponderance of uncooked whole foods. Supplements can be useful too, but most are poorly absorbed unless they are chelated or colloidal.

A plethora of studies prove the long-term, preventive health benefits of consuming nutrients in the form of fruits and vegetables in contrast to relying entirely on supplements. The proof that you get preventive health benefits from whole foods is quite dramatic, especially in the prevention and reversal of cardiovascular disease, cancer, gall bladder disease, diabetes and even cancer.

A Harvard study reported in the June 2001 Annals of Internal Medicine looked prospectively at 84,251 women ages 34 to 59 for 14 years and 42,148 men ages 40 to 75 for eight years. The scientists found that each additional fruit or vegetable serving eaten per day reduced the risk of coronary heart disease by 4 percent. Green leafy vegetables and vitamin C-rich fruits and vegetables contributed most to this beneficial health effect.¹ This represents a 36 percent lowered heart attack rate if you eat the nine recommended veggie/fruit servings per day — better preventive results than taking a statin drug (like Lipitor®) for sure!

The same researchers also looked at stroke and found that “an increment of one serving per day of fruits or vegetables was associated with a 6 percent lower risk of ischemic stroke.”

Protective Role

An overview of the various proven health benefits of fruits and vegetables reported in the December 2000 Journal of the American Dietetics Association gave substantial evidence of the protective role of fruits and vegetables in lowering the risk of cancer, cataracts, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, diverticulosis and possibly, hypertension.² A search of the research on diet also shows that eating plenty of fruits and vegetables dramatically improves your chances of not getting gall bladder disease (in women); mental illness; Alzheimer’s dementia and cognitive decline in general.

The cumulative conclusion of these large studies is that there’s no denying the importance of the minerals in whole foods.

¹ Joshipura KJ, Hu FB, Manson JE. The effect of fruit and vegetable intake on risk for coronary heart disease. Ann Intern Med. 2001 Jun 19;134(12):1106-14.

² Van Duyn MA, Pivonka E. Overview of the health benefits of fruit and vegetable consumption for the dietetics professional: selected literature. J Am Diet Assoc. 2000 Dec;100(12):1511-21.

Source for Story:

http://www.easyhealthoptions.com/alternative-medicine/maximize-minerals-to-minimize-health-problems/?rmid=2011_10_10_EHD_[E11774137]&rrid=389282190

of bee pollen is consumed every year by people all over the world.

Bee pollen’s medicinal use dates back to the early Chinese and Egyptian societies where it was used for its near-miraculous ability to rejuvenate and heal. Bee pollen was often entombed with Pharaohs. The Romans and Greeks called bee pollen “the life-giving dust”.

Even Hippocrates — the physician who is recognized as the father of modern-day medicine and one of the most authoritative figures in the history of medicine — favored bee pollen as a natural medicinal solution over 2,500 years ago.

In 1975, Dr. Naum Petrovich, chief scientist at the Soviet Academy in Vladivostok, said, “Long lives are attained by bee-pollen users; it is one of the original treasure-houses of nutrition and medicine. Each grain contains every important substance that is necessary to life.”

Bee pollen has been used for everything from cancer to weight management.

Partial List of Bee Pollen Therapeutic Benefits

• Slows down and even reverses the aging process
• Super boosts the immune system
• Prevents and inhibits the growth of mutated cells that lead to diseases such as cancer
• Its plant sterols and essential fatty acids reduces cholesterol, blood pressure, and the risk of heart disease
• Relieves the symptoms of Type 2 diabetes by restoring mineral and energy deficiencies
• Fights bacterial infection the way antibiotics do
• Corrects and balances problems in the digestive tract and colon
• Supports weight management by increasing the burn rate of fats and calories
• Alleviates asthma and allergy symptoms by reducing histamines within the body
• Eliminates cravings for alcohol and drugs — and removes toxins and contamination from the body
• Relieves and rebuilds damaged, inflamed tissue (muscles and joints) through its extraordinary levels of antioxidants
• Combats fatigue, depression, and sleep disorders through its natural supply of “neuro-nutrients”
• Improves libido balance (oversexed/undersexed) and enhances fertility
• Facilitates cellular generation and repair, thereby shortening the recovery time from exercise and injury
• Its protein, iron, and vitamin content, which is higher than any other food and most commercially-developed muscle-building products, enhances muscle mass and definition.

Bee pollen reaches the mitochondrion level (where cell energy production and preservation occur), and this gives it the ability to fight disease, heal the body, combat stress, reduce and reverse aging, and improve the skin’s health and elasticity (e.g. less wrinkling and acne), to name a few.

Studies have confirmed bee pollen’s life-prolonging, as well as its powerful antibiotic, antioxidant, and anti-inflammatory properties.

When taken internally, it has been shown to immediately destroy dangerous bacteria that cause infection and disease, and it has also been proven to prevent the growth of cancer cells. World-Class Athletes Use Bee Pollen as a “Legal Sports Enhancer”.

Bee pollen has long been known to consistently produce more energy, vigor, and physical and athletic stamina in people who consume bee pollen as part of their daily diet. Athletes regard it as the legal sports enhancer. That’s because bee pollen contains as much as 40% protein, as well as all 22 amino acids.

With almost twice the amount of protein in beef, twice as much iron than any other food, and substantial amounts of highly-absorbable vitamins and minerals, thousands of world-class athletes take bee pollen as their competitive advantage.

The British Sports Counsel saw a 40% – 50% increase in strength of every athlete who took bee pollen regularly. Antti Lananki, who was the coach of the Finnish track team that swept the 1972 Olympics, told reporters that, “Most of our athletes take pollen food supplements. Our studies show that it significantly improves their performance. There have been no negative results since we have been supplying pollen to our athletes.”

Most people who first start taking bee pollen experience a significant increase in energy and a greater sense of well-being immediately. Many have reported that over time, regular use helps alleviate various health disorders and retard the aging process.

The dosage recommended by many health practitioners for best results is between 500 to 1,000 milligrams a day. If you suffer from allergies, it is advisable to buy local bee pollen so that your body will build a defense to plants and allergens in your area.

Bee pollen can be taken in liquid form (extract or tea), capsule, chewable tablet, or as granules or powder that you mix into your food or drink. The taste is agreeable to most people — some say it’s slightly sweet and has a nut-like flavor, and others say it tastes like flour and honey mixed together.

Granules are the most recommended form of bee pollen, and many users start by taking 1 teaspoon a half hour before breakfast — with water, juice or milk — and gradually work up to two teaspoons a day.

Children begin taking 3 granules and add 2 granules per day to reach a maximum of ½ teaspoon daily.

Over 40 clinical trials show bee pollen to be a safe, powerful food supplement for all ages, including children, teens, and pregnant or nursing women. People who are allergic to bee stings, however, are likely to be allergic to bee pollen.

Try a tiny amount on your skin or the tip of your tongue first to see if there is any reaction. Otherwise, happy buzzing!

Source for Story:

http://undergroundhealthreporter.com/bee-pollen-health-benefits

Henry Ford, Thomas Edison and Bill Gates changed the world too – Gates more than all of them, perhaps, with his second chapter as the world’s greatest philanthropist – and yet the garment rending and candle lighting that has followed Jobs’ death suggests a passion that none of the others stir up.

Perhaps it’s that Gates and the rest that invented what were essentially just products – remarkable things that transformed the way we lived, but merchandise all the same. Jobs’ inventions got inside not just our lives but also our heads and – improbably – our hearts. That, of course, is the way it is with living things.”

What Type of Person Was Steve Jobs?

Much has been said about Steve’s brilliance in technology but there has not been much commentary about him as a person.  The LA Times has an exceptional article that provides a great view into Steve’s character. Larry Brilliant, an epidemiologist who was the director of Google’s philanthropic arm Google.org, knew Steve Jobs for 35 years. He recalled first meeting Jobs when Jobs was 19, and he was in India working to eradicate smallpox.

“Jobs shielded himself and his family from the media, and his friends respected his privacy. But over the summer, Jobs told Brilliant that he would be “happy to have people talk about him,” Jobs had dropped out of college and traveled to India to meet Brilliant’s guru, Neem Karoli Baba. Baba died before Jobs reached the Kainchi Ashram with a Reed College friend –- and later, Apple’s first employee — Daniel Kottke.

“We met when he, like all of us, were spiritual seekers in India. It was that quality in him that people feel even though these are physical instruments, iPhones, iPods, iPads. People can feel that he was continuing that quest,” Brilliant said. “He had this idea back in the 1970s, that cliché of giving power to the people. He really believed it. When he made the first Apple II, he thought he was giving power to the people by putting a computer on everyone’s desk so they would not have to be dependent on the priesthood with mainframes.

This was giving power to the people in a very real way, not a theoretical way. What he has done is democratize access to information and access to beauty.”

Because his private life was so little known, few outside of Jobs’ inner circle experienced the caring side of Jobs, Brilliant said. In 2006 when Brilliant joined Google, both his wife and son were diagnosed with cancer. Brilliant was distraught. He says Jobs supported him by creating spreadsheets that ranked cancer surgeons based on a number of criteria including post-surgery infection rate, follow-up care and approval ratings.

“That’s the part that people couldn’t possibly know — the love and the care that he put into everything he did. He just loved his family, Laurene (Powell) and the kids. He loved them more than anyone could articulate. And he loved Apple,” Brilliant said.

“The defining character of Steve Jobs isn’t his genius, it isn’t his talent, it isn’t his success. It’s his love. That’s why crowds came to see him. You could feel that. It sounds ridiculous to talk about love when you are making a gadget. But Steve loved his work, he loved the products he produced, and it was palpable. He communicated that love through bits of steel and plastic.”

Classic Steve Jobs Quotes that Can Help You Live Your Life Better

Steve’s premature passing was clearly a profound tragedy but we can use it to take to heart some of the wisdom he lived his life by and possibly improve our own life.  Here are some of my favorite quotes from Steve that truly hit home as to some of the central reasons why we are on this planet. Remember he was born out of wedlock, put up for adoption, dropped out of college, fired from the company he founded, and still, he changed the world.

What’s your excuse?

“Your time is limited, so don’t waste it living someone else’s life. Don’t be trapped by dogma – which is living with the results of other people’s thinking. Don’t let the noise of others’ opinions drown out your own inner voice. And most important, have the courage to follow your heart and intuition. They somehow already know what you truly want to become. Everything else is secondary.”

“When I was 17, I read a quote that went something like: ‘If you live each day as if it was your last, someday you’ll most certainly be right.’ It made an impression on me, and since then, for the past 33 years, I have looked in the mirror every morning and asked myself: ‘If today were the last day of my life, would I want to do what I am about to do today?’ And whenever the answer has been ‘No’ for too many days in a row, I know I need to change something.”

“Your work is going to fill a large part of your life, and the only way to be truly satisfied is to do what you believe is great work. And the only way to do great work is to love what you do. If you haven’t found it yet, keep looking. Don’t settle. As with all matters of the heart, you’ll know when you find it. And, like any great relationship, it just gets better and better as the years roll on. So keep looking until you find it. Don’t settle.”

As a testimony to Steve’s greatness, there were many creative memes that people came up with. If you cared for Steve or Apple you will likely appreciate viewing these.

What Did Steve Jobs Die From?

Pancreatic cancer is one of the faster spreading cancers; only about 4 percent of patients can expect to survive five years after their diagnosis. Each year, about 44,000 new cases are diagnosed in the U.S., and 37,000 people die of the disease. Although cancer of the pancreas has a terrible prognosis–half of all patients with locally advanced pancreatic cancer die within 10 months of the diagnosis; half of those in whom it has metastasized die within six months–cancer in the pancreas is not necessarily a death sentence.

The pancreas contains two types of glands: exocrine glands that produce enzymes that break down fats and proteins, and endocrine glands that make hormones like insulin that regulate sugar in the blood. Jobs died of tumors originating in the endocrine glands, which are among the rarer forms of pancreatic cancer. Unlike pancreatic cancer, with neuroendocrine cancer, if you catch it early, there is a real potential for cure. His cancer was detected during an abdominal scan in October 2003, as Fortune magazine reported in a 2008 cover story.

It is widely believed in conventional medicine that surgery can lead to long-term survival.  Despite the expert consensus on the value of surgery, Jobs did not elect it right away. He reportedly spent nine months on “alternative therapies,” including what Fortune called “a special diet.”

But when a scan showed that the original tumor had grown, he finally had it removed on July 31, 2004, at Stanford University Medical Clinic. He underwent an operation called a modified Whipple procedure, or a pancreatoduodenectomy, which removes the right side of the pancreas, the gallbladder, and parts of the stomach, bile duct, and small intestine, which was a strong suggestion that his cancer had spread beyond the pancreas.

Within five years, it was clear that Jobs was not cured. In April of 2009 Jobs flew to Switzerland and underwent an experimental procedure called peptide receptor radionuclide therapy (PRRT). It involves delivering radiation to tumor cells by attaching one of two radioactive isotopes to a drug that mimics somatostatin, the hormone that regulates the entire endocrine system and the secretion of other hormones.

This treatment apparently failed, as shortly after that he had a liver transplant at Methodist University Hospital in Memphis.  This is likely because the cancer had spread from the pancreas to his liver. Liver transplants are a well-established treatment for tumors that originate in that organ BUT it is very uncommon to remove the liver for metastatic cancer.

This is not routinely done for two primary reasons. The first is that it in no way, shape, or form addresses the original cancer, and it can easily spread to the new liver. But more importantly, he had to be placed on large doses of drugs to suppress his immune system so he would not reject his new liver. Tragically this is the very system your body uses to help control cancers.  The liver has enormous regenerative capacity, and if they only removed the portion of his liver that contained the malignant cells, he would not have to take those dangerous anti-rejection drugs.

Conventional cancer experts disagree with the approach that was taken for Steve.

” In contrast, with a liver transplant “the overall costs and complications … override its benefits, especially when compared with partial [removal of the liver].” Indeed, liver transplants for metastatic cancer “have been largely abandoned,” says Columbia’s Chabot, because the immune-suppressing, anti-rejection drugs “lead to such a high recurrence rate.

Interestingly, it appears Steve was not given any chemotherapy or radiation treatments after his liver transplant, which undoubtedly contributed to his living over seven years after his surgery.

Was there Another Option for Steve’s Cancer?

I am certainly not an expert in the treatment of cancer but it seems that Steve got the best cancer care possible. He avoided all treatments for nine months before electing to have a surgical intervention that frequently is curative for this type of cancer. It appears he also was able to avoid chemotherapy and radiation. Of course, the question remains on how he got the original cancer. It is impossible to know for sure as there are so many variables.

However, the biggest issue may have been the decision to have a liver transplant and go on the anti-rejection drugs. Conventional oncologists are stating that was, perhaps, a mistake.

I thought it would be helpful to interview an expert in the natural treatment of cancer on this so I contacted Dr. Nicholas Gonzalez, who is widely known for his work with pancreatic cancer. I previously interviewed Dr. Gonzalez about his remarkable cancer program, in which he discussed the details of his history and the therapeutic approaches he employs-with a rate of success that is entirely unheard of in conventional medicine, I might add.

As explained in our first interview, Dr. Gonzalez has been involved in the natural treatment of cancer for over 25 years, and offers really innovative therapies for this devastating disease. He’s known internationally for his expertise on pancreatic cancer specifically, but his therapies have wider applications and can be applied to all forms of cancer.

Many of his pancreatic cancer patients are still alive and well today, having survived up to 20 years… In conventional medicine, this is simply unheard of. Using the best conventional therapies we have, the typical survival rate for a pancreatic cancer patient is about 12-18 months.

To summarize Dr. Gonzalez’ program, it consists of three basic components:

1. Individualized diet based on nutritional (metabolic) typing
2. Individualized supplement program, which includes vitamins, minerals, trace elements, and pancreatic enzymes
3. Detoxification, which includes coffee enemas and colon cleanses

To review the details of his program, please see our previous interview.

Steve Jobs, Another Victim of Pancreatic Cancer

There are two basic types of pancreatic cancer. The most aggressive form is adenocarcinoma, which develops in the cells that produce pancreatic enzymes (these enzymes help digest proteins, fats, and carbohydrates and eliminate toxins from your body).

“About 95 percent of pancreatic cancers develop in the enzyme-producing cells that synthesize the main digestive enzymes of the intestinal tract,” Dr. Gonzalez explains. “About five percent are developed in the endocrine component of the pancreas. The pancreas not only produces enzymes, but also produces hormones like insulin and glucagon. Cancer can develop in the insulin or other hormone-producing cells, but it’s much less common. They tend to be a little less aggressive – the average survival for carcinoma of the enzyme-producing cells is probably three to six months.”

Steve Jobs had this latter version of pancreatic cancer; islet cell carcinoma, the technical term for cancer of the hormone producing cells of the pancreas.

“He didn’t have the most aggressive form,” Dr. Gonzalez says. “… [H]e’s had it for many years. He had a liver transplant in Memphis about two years ago. Again, he was very secretive about what was going on… [I]t must have meant he had a metastasis in the liver. First, he had to be treated with immunosuppressants. Whenever you have a transplanted organ, your body will tend to reject it, so you have to suppress your immune system. That’s not good when you have a history of cancer, because immunosuppression can stimulate cancer growth since you’re suppressing your own immune ability to fight cancer.”

It appears Steve Jobs did everything he could, conventionally and alternatively to stay alive. As Dr. Gonzalez states, money certainly wasn’t a limiting factor in his treatment.

“A procedure like that can run several hundred thousand dollars, at least. So my assumption, having treated pancreatic cancer for over two decades, he probably had metastasis in the liver, and it was a somewhat desperate attempt to try to keep it under control, although it would be ultimately futile. There’s always the possibility of some kind of liver failure for reasons other than cancer that might have led him to a liver transplant, such as a medication reaction, hepatitis C from transfusion or something. But again, the reasons have never been publicly released, so we don’t know. But most likely, he had metastasis in the liver.”

Many Cancer Patients Shun Natural Cancer Treatment Options

According to Dr. Gonzalez, Jobs was seeing an acupuncturist who was very anxious for him to contact Dr. Gonzalez for advice. Dr. Gonzalez has been successfully treating cancer patients for over two decades.

“One of my great patients is a fellow from Michigan who had islet cell carcinoma that, at the time of diagnosis in 1995, had already metastasized to his liver. He went to the Mayo clinic, where everything was confirmed; he had CAT scans and biopsies… To the Mayo clinic’s credit… if they know that a therapy isn’t going to be useful, they don’t promote it, whereas a lot of oncologists will promote therapies that are worthless.

The Mayo clinic told him chemo wouldn’t do anything for him… There was really nothing they could do. He started with me in 1995, shortly after his diagnosis. He’s alive and well now, 16 years later. CAT scans beginning around 2000 showed total resolution of his big tumors. He had a huge tumor in the pancreas — it must have been around 6 centimeters. And then he had a big tumor, right under the liver. All these are gone.”

Celebrity Patients and ‘Star’ Oncologists

Jobs is not the only celebrity who did everything he could through the conventional paradigm, which tragically has an abysmal success rate.

“Michael Landon actually did consult with me,” Dr. Gonzalez says, “but he never did the therapy. His press agent, Harry Flynn, became a very good friend. Harry and I remain friends to this day, and this goes back to 20 years ago. As soon as a successful celebrity gets cancer, the conventional predators come out of the woodwork-and they say that alternative doctors are sitting there like predators, trying to lure unsuspecting cancer patients into their lairs. You know, I’ve been in the alternative world for a long time, and I’ve come out of this very conventional research. But I don’t see a whole of that in the alternative world.

What I do see is conventional doctors doing exactly what they criticize in alternative doctors. Landon was treated by an “eminent oncologist” from Cedars-Sinai, who held a press conference. The first thing conventional doctors do when they get a celebrity is to hold a press conference. To me it’s almost like narcissism, just to show how important they are with all these celebrities coming to them. This is even if they know they can’t do anything. He gave Landon an experimental chemo, but he was dead in three months.”

As Dr. Gonzalez points out, conventional doctors can fail miserably and still be considered heroes. Alternative doctors, even the most successful ones, are still looked upon with great suspicion if not disdain. Upon Landon’s death, his oncologist held another press conference, and Landon’s widow was impressed with how “hard” his doctor had worked to treat her dying husband.

“You see, when a conventional oncologist loses a celebrity patient, they portray him as a hero fighting this terrible disease against the enormous odds; working late into the night trying to keep the celebrity alive,” Dr. Gonzalez says. “But when an alternative practitioner loses a patient, they consider him a sleazy quack getting money from unsuspecting cancer victims.

… The same thing was true, more recently, with Patrick Swayze. He had a very aggressive pancreatic cancer. Stanford oncologists doing his treatment held press conferences routinely… filled with this kind of joyful optimism that “they’re going to help.” He was gone in 18 months. Friends of his are actually patients of mine, but he absolutely had no interest in alternative medicine. He was very conventional – used “the best doctors” from Stanford.”

Misplaced Blame-The Case of Steve McQueen and Dr. Kelley

Dr. Gonzalez’ mentor, Dr. Kelley (who developed the cancer program Dr. Gonzalez now uses), treated Steve McQueen. McQueen ultimately died, although he lasted almost a year under Dr. Kelley’s care.

“He was terminal when he came to Dr. Kelley,” Dr. Gonzalez says. “He had failed radiation, failed immunotherapy. He had been misdiagnosed for a year. The reason he ended up with Stage 4 mesothelioma is because he was misdiagnosed by his fancy conventional doctors in Southern California.

Then they gave him radiation – there’s not a study in the history of the world showing that radiation helps in mesothelioma; they gave it anyway. Then they gave him immunotherapy. There’s not a study in the history of the world saying that immunotherapy helps in mesothelioma. They did it anyway. Then he was dying and he went to see Kelley. He died, and Kelley got all the blame-not the doctors who misdiagnosed him! In fact when you read the newspaper articles, there are still articles about how Dr. Kelley killed McQueen.

No, cancer killed McQueen.

You see, an oncologist at Sloan-Kettering can do a bone marrow transplant on celebrity patients. They die, and he’s written up like a hero… Kelley tries to help after conventional doctors failed miserably and misdiagnosed him, and McQueen lived longer than he should. (He was a half-compliant patient – he continued to smoke, drink, and eat ice cream.) I told Kelley when I first met him, “The biggest mistake you’ve made with McQueen is you took him as a patient. You should have told him to hit the trail.”

Dr. Kelley is now dead. But 30 years later, he still gets blamed for McQueen’s death. About two or three years ago, there was an Op-Ed piece in the Wall Street Journal attacking unconventional cancer therapy. They talked about McQueen, and how Kelley killed him. … Conventional oncologists lose patients every day, and no one says they’re murdering anybody. Instead they’re considered heroes for trying so hard.”

As Dr. Gonzalez says, it’s not even a double standard; it’s like being in an alternative Universe. If you’re a conventional oncologist, you can do no wrong, you’re lauded as a hero despite your failures, and you make a lot of money making them. Meanwhile, alternative practitioners may succeed again and again, and still be considered dangerous quacks. This is a mindset that has absolutely nothing to do with scientific validity, objectivity, or evaluation of data. It really falls into a category more reminiscent of religious fervor.

Conventional Medicine as a Religion

So, how did we get to this point? Why does this situation exist when it’s so illogical?

“Conventional academic medicine is the last religion left in America,” Dr. Gonzalez says.

“So the way you have to look at medicine is not as a scientific profession, but rather a religious profession… It has its irrational beliefs. It has its own special language. It has its tools, it has its rituals. … The fact that they don’t make us better is ignored. Landon died, Patrick Swayze died, Linda McCartney died; I could list 20 celebrities who are dead because they went the conventional route. Why didn’t they do my therapy?

Because I don’t have a temple. I don’t even own a white coat… Michael Landon picked that up right away. In fact, his press agent, Harry Flynn, wanted him to come and see me… [But] one of Landon’s comments about me was that I “wasn’t fancy enough.” So he went to the priesthood. He went to Cedars-Sinai.”

Meanwhile, Dr. Gonzalez has patients who were diagnosed with pancreatic cancer at the same time as Michael Landon, who are still alive today. His oldest survivor began the program in 1988.

“We have multiple patients with metastatic pancreatic cancer who have done well,” Dr. Gonzalez says. “It’s interesting: I do have very world-renowned celebrities as patients. But no one knows who they are; no one knows they have cancer. The reason for that is because they didn’t die, and we don’t hold press conferences. They’re doing their program and doing well with their lives.

We tell our patients: don’t make cancer your life. Move on with your life. So they’re back acting in movies, doing talk shows and that kind of stuff. No one knows they even had cancer. And that’s fine with me. Some of them keep it secret because of the career thing, and they don’t want the publicity. I understand that. So my successful patients who are celebrities, nobody knows who they are because they got well and they’re just doing their job.”

Now, it’s important to stress that this is not a conspiracy.

The physicians who promote the conventional approach do so because they truly believe it’s the right thing to do; the only thing that has any chance of working. Healing cancer with foods and coffee enemas seems ludicrous when compared to the most advanced drug cocktails. If the most potent toxins can’t kill the cancer, how in the world could you get rid of the cancer with nutrients? They’ve bought the conventional paradigm hook line and sinker, and they promote it not just for their patients, but for themselves and their families as well. And they suffer the same consequences as their patients.

“They grow up with the bias that drugs are the way to go. It’s how they’re trained; it’s imprinted in their brain in medical school. It’s like mind control – it’s what they believe. They just can’t believe anything else. They go to their graves believing it – often to their discredit, unfortunately.

Many conventional physicians are also in just as poor a health as their patients. However, there are signs that the tide is slowly about to shift.

“We get calls from doctors now, asking us about nutrition and what supplements they should take,” Dr. Gonzalez says. “There’s been a big change in the last few years. Fifteen years ago it didn’t happen, and now it’s starting to happen.”

For More Information

For more information about Dr. Gonzalez and his practice, see www.dr-gonzalez.com.

He’s also working on a series of books, two of which have already been published and received five-star reviews: The Trophoblast and the Origins of Cancer, and One Man Alone: An Investigation of Nutrition, Cancer, and William Donald Kelley. Three others are in the works, one of which will contain 100 of Dr. Gonzalez’ case reports of patients with advanced cancer who successfully recovered on his program.

Thankfully, Dr. Gonzalez is still on the front lines and actively engaged in helping people by coaching them with natural alternatives instead of toxic drugs and radiation. I would personally not hesitate to recommend him to a family member or a friend diagnosed with cancer. His office is in Manhattan, where he can be reached at (212) 213-3337. His website, www.dr-gonzalez.com also contains information on how to become a patient, and everything a potential patient needs to know.

Another source for more information about alternative cancer treatments in general is Suzanne Somers’ book, Knockout. She reviews Dr. Gonzalez’ work in one chapter, and Dr. Gonzalez personally recommends the book as a well-researched resource for anyone interested in getting more information.

“For cancer, specifically, I think Suzanne did a good job,” Dr. Gonzalez says. “She really worked hard to put together resources that she thought legitimate and would be helpful for patients… So that’s a good place to start in terms of general recommendations.”

Source for Story:

http://articles.mercola.com/sites/articles/archive/2011/10/09/dr-nicholas-gonzalez-on-steve-jobs.aspx?e_cid=20111009_SNL_Art_1

• Coconut sugar is made from the sap of coconut trees in much the same way maple syrup is made. Unrefined coconut sugar is rich in antioxidants and phytonutrients that could boost your nutritional health and protect you from hypertension and diabetes.
• Licorice is syrup made from the roots of “Glycyrrhiza glabra” plants. Licorice helps your body cope with stress, balances sex hormones, and supports your adrenal glands. Licorice naturally raises blood pressure, so if you suffer from low pressure you may find this sweetener particularly helpful. If you suffer from hypertension, get your doctor’s advice before you consume licorice.
• Stevia is a natural sweetener made from a plant that grows in South America. In its whole, raw state, this sweetener is antibiotic and anti-fungal. This makes it a good choice for those worried about an overgrowth of Candida. Stevia is also considered to be anti-inflammatory and safe for diabetics.
• Brown rice syrup is made from a combination of sprouted and pre-cooked grains that are cooked together. The resulting syrup has a pleasing butterscotch taste that also contains some vitamins and minerals.
• Raw honey contains no added white sugar. It is taken directly from the beehive and is full of minerals, vitamins and phytonutrients. Raw honey contains B2, B6, iron, manganese, enzymes, and amino acids. Like stevia, raw honey is also antibiotic and antifungal.

Source for Story:

doctorshealthpress@lombardipublishing.com

http://www.easyhealthoptions.com/alternative-medicine/organic-tomato-juice-shown-to-be-richer-in-antioxidants/?rmid=2011_10_03_EHD_[P11183193]&rrid=389282190

depression and a feeling of mental fogginess. Chia seeds help keep skin (and the rest of the body) hydrated because they are hydrophilic, absorbing more than 10 times their weight in water. You can sprinkle chia seeds in your hot cereal, add a teaspoon of the tiny seeds to a glass of juice, or add a few to add extra texture to a salad or vegetable hot dish.

Almonds: These nuts are an excellent source of vitamin E which helps minimize the negative effects of sun exposure on the skin, as well as aiding against certain types of skin cancer. They also provide a quick source of strength and energy, providing fuel for exercise which also benefits the skin. Additionally, almond skins benefit human skin through their high levels of antioxidants.

Dandelions: If you look at dandelions as annoying weeds, you are missing out on a tremendous healthy food. Dandelions cleanse the liver of toxins. If you have a congested liver which cannot effectively cleanse the bloodstream, your skin is more likely to show wear and tear whether through breakouts or the effects of aging and pollution. Dandelion greens contain high levels of several of the vitamins and minerals known to contribute to healthy skin including Vitamin A, B, and C as well as copper and zinc.

Think of dandelions as the dietary equivalent of a refreshing face mask. Dandelions can easily be grown or foraged, so you can add them to your diet without adding to your grocery budget. Spring and early summer are the best times to harvest the greens. You can use them in salads or juice them. In early fall, gather dandelion roots which you can chop and dry-roast in the oven, then use to make a rich, chicory-like beverage. You can add honey plus coconut or rice milk for a dandelion latte. Just be sure not to use dandelions which have been sprayed with chemicals.

Cucumbers: These vegetables provide abundant vitamin C and silica. The trace mineral silica is essential for strong connective tissue and supports the ability of skin to heal. Without silica, skin loses its elasticity and becomes more prone to wrinkles and age spots.

Turmeric: The spice which gives curries an orangey hue derives much of its nutritional value from polyphenol anti-oxidant phytochemicals called curcuminoids. Curcuminoids provide as much as 8 times the antioxidant power as that found in most other antioxidant foods. Turmeric aids in the treatment of psoarisis, rosacea, acne and other inflammatory skin conditions. Plus, turmeric contributes to skin elasticity. It also helps to support the natural flora which can provide form a barrier on the skin skin protecting it from dangerous microbes.

Sources for Story:

http://www.naturalnews.com/023563.html

http://www.organicfacts.net/health-…

http://www.naturalnews.com/021773.html

http://www.naturalnews.com/030666_n…

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/chris…

http://www.naturalnews.com/033626_healthy_skin_foods.html#ixzz1YWmKZzb2

composed primarily of omega-3 fats.

Researchers found that vitamin K plays an important role in “maintaining the white matter region of the brain by supporting the myelin sheathing that protects axons, connecting glial cells together with axons, and facilitating the speed at which your brain functions.” Animals with the lowest supplemental vitamin K levels displayed the highest degree of cognitive decline as they grew older, compared with the highest vitamin K group.

Scientists publishing in the journal Atherosclerosis determined the effect of vitamin K on 564 post-menopausal women. The study was designed to contrast dietary intake of both the phylloquinone (vitamin K1) and menaquinone (vitamin K2) with coronary artery calcification (atherosclerosis or hardening of the arteries). Researchers found that the K2 form of vitamin K was associated with a significant decrease in coronary artery calcification, while vitamin K1 did not appear to impact disease progression.

Dark green leafy vegetables provide a healthy dose of vitamin K1 but are not a significant source of vitamin K2, the form shown to yield protection against arterial hardening and dementia. Fermented foods, egg yolks and certain cheeses provide high levels of K2, although many people may choose to avoid these foods. Health-minded individuals will need to supplement with a quality supplement providing the full range of vitamin K isomers (1000 – 2000 mcg per day) to avert atherosclerosis and cognitive function decline.

Sources for Story:

http://jn.nutrition.org/content/ear…

http://www.wellnessresources.com/st…

http://www.lef.org/magazine/mag2009…

http://www.atherosclerosis-journal….

http://www.naturalnews.com/033269_vitamin_K_blood_clotting.html#ixzz1UkiLWr6b

to infections and bone fractures as well.

The use of antibiotics has become a hot topic because the overuse of these medications has led to antibiotic resistant bacteria, and the loss of healthy bacteria. Antibiotics may also be harmful because they deplete the body of essential nutrients such as zinc, magnesium, Vitamins B, and iron.

Another group that decreases nutrients is pain killers and anti-inflammatory drugs. Aspirin and salicylates available over the counter for example, rob the body of folic acid and potassium. Other medicines commonly used for pain and swelling such as Cortisone, and Prednisone reduce levels of the nutrients calcium, magnesium, folic acid, vitamins D and C to name a few.

Diuretics such as Lasis and Endecrin deplete sodium, potassium, magnesium and Vitamins B1 and B6. Other medications that serve as a diuretic like Enduron deplete levels of Co-Q 10, and sodium and other important nutrients. Women who take hormone replacement drugs and birth control drugs are also at risk for malnutrition as they deplete levels magnesium, zinc and B2, B6, B12 and folic acid.

SSRI(selective serotonin re-uptake inhibitors)drugs that are widely used are also associated with nutritional deficiencies. While a SSRI is commonly used to treat depression, they are also prescribed for some sorts of injuries, pain and are used on occasion to treat allergies. SSRI interferes with the absorption of B-12 as well as other nutrients like biotin and folic acid. SSRIs may also deplete Co-Q 10.

Before beginning a new medication consult with your doctor, or pharmacist to find out what your nutritional risks are. Here are just a few important nutrients commonly depleted by medications and some of the ways that can lead to new disease.

* Lack of proper levels of sodium may result in; nausea, diarrhea, weight loss, and muscle cramps

* Magnesium depletion may result in soft bones, fatigue, heart palpitations, convulsions and acne

* Zinc loss may disturb digestion and retard growth

* Iron is important in growth, vitality and a deficiency leads to anemia

* Vitamin A is essential in bone and tooth development and health. It is also important for the immune system.

* B1 is crucial for heart health, fights depression, constipation and fatigue. Provides protection for the heart

* B5 lack of this important vitamin may result in insomnia, abdominal pain, depression, rapid pulse, lowered blood pressure and disturbed electrolytes.

* B12 crucial for development and health of nervous system, lack of B12 may result in anemia.

* Coenzyme Q10 (CoQ 10)is crucial in all cellular functions, and is highly concentrated in heart tissue. A deficiency may lead to heart disease.

Source for Story:

http://www.naturalnews.com/032923_drugs_malnutrition.html#ixzz1RS1hadsB

(Intense sweetness!) It is used in smoothies, and found to offer the most full-spectrum sweetness taste from any natural sweetener. Agave nectar is great, but coconut sugar is so much better — it actually reminds one of the richness of raw cane sugar juice that one used to drink in South America.

Works in smoothies, recipes and hot beverages

This caramelized coconut sugar is also very handy in its sap format: It melts easily in hot beverages, it mixes easily in recipes, and it blends easily in smoothies. Amazingly, it’s only 12% sugar, and it’s high in potassium, magnesium, zinc and iron. It’s also high in several key B vitamins, so eating it is not just delicious; it’s also healthy!

You will be amazed by the taste of coconut sugar. There’s nothing like it in the world of natural sweeteners. Try it straight! It’s an intense, fudge-like taste with an amazing texture that just melts in your mouth. Drop it into smoothies or recipes to give them a taste of heaven.

The claimed glycemic index (GI) of this food is 35 — which is extraordinarily low for a sweetener

Source for story: http://www.naturalnews.com/032855_coconut_sugar_natural_sweeteners.html#ixzz1Qh5FjANX

• Broccoli
• Eggplant
• Cabbage
• Banana
• Kiwi
• Asparagus
• Sweet peas (frozen)
• Mango
• Pineapple
• Sweet corn (frozen)
• Avocado
• Onion

 

FoodNews.org Printable Shopper’s Guide

DrWeil.com July 30, 2008

Dr. Mercola’s Comments:

The biggest study ever into organic food – a four-year EU funded project called the Quality Low Input Food (QLIF) project – found that organic food is FAR more nutritious than ordinary produce, and can help improve your health and longevity. You’re likely to hear more about this again, once they publish their findings in full, which is expected to occur by the end of this year.

This study may have considerable impact, as its findings may even overturn government advice – at least in the U.K. – which currently states that eating organic food is no more than a lifestyle choice.

For example, this study found that:

• Organic fruit and vegetables contain up to 40 percent more antioxidants
• Organic produce had higher levels of beneficial minerals like iron and zinc
• Milk from organic herds contained up to 90 percent more antioxidants

The researchers even went so far as to say that eating organic foods can help to increase the nutrient intake of people who don’t eat the recommended five servings of fruits and vegetables a day.

Food grown in healthier soil, with natural fertilizers and no chemicals, simply has to be more nutritious. It is common knowledge — though knowledge that is greatly suppressed in the United States. But science is catching up, making suppression of this fact more difficult to sustain.

A 2003 study in the Journal of Agricultural Food Chemistry, for example, found that organic foods are better for fighting cancer.  And in 2005, scientists found that, compared to rats that ate conventional diets, organically fed rats experienced various health benefits, including:

• Improved immune system status
• Better sleeping habits
• Less weight and were slimmer than rats fed other diets
• Higher vitamin E content in their blood (for organically fed rats)

Does this mean that you should ditch all of your conventional produce and meat, and only buy certified organic foods? Well, yes … and no.

What Should You Buy Organic?

Aside from the fact that organic food contains higher levels of vital nutrients, organic foods are also lower in other residues and compounds that are seriously detrimental to your health, such as herbicide-  and pesticide residues.

Additionally, the use of pesticides and herbicides in conventional farming practices contaminates groundwater, ruins the soil structure and promotes erosion. They’ve also been linked to the mysterious “colony collapse disorder” that threatens pollinating honeybees around the world. With that in mind, buying or growing as much organic food as possible is not only best for your health, but for the health of the entire planet.

That said, however, certain fruits and vegetables are subjected to far heavier pesticide use than others. And with food prices rising, many are looking for ways to buy the healthiest foods possible at the lowest cost. One such way would be to focus on purchasing certain organic items, while “settling” for others that are conventionally-grown.

This is where the EWG study of pesticide residue on produce really helps.

Of the 43 different fruit and vegetable categories tested, these 12 fruits and vegetables had the highest pesticide load, making them the most important to buy or grow organic:

• Peaches
• Apples
• Sweet bell peppers
• Celery
• Nectarines
• Strawberries
• Cherries
• Lettuce
• Grapes (imported)
• Pears
• Spinach
• Potatoes

Conventionally-grown strawberries, in particular, were found to be highly toxic due to a poisonous blend of pesticides in a previous 2007 EU study as well.

But be VERY careful as the list above is for fruits and vegetables.  Non-organic meats have far higher concentrations of pesticides than all of the fruits and vegetables.  And the highest concentration of pesticides is actually in non-organic butter.

So if you can only buy one organic food item it should be butter. Next priority would be meats and once those are addressed, you will want to focus on the fruit and vegetable list above.

Locally-grown organics are your absolute best bet, but bear in mind that many times buying locally-grown food is your best choice even if it’s grown conventionally, as the environmental impact of shipping organic produce across the globe can cancel out many its benefits. Organic farming standards are also questionable in many parts of the world.

These Conventionally-Grown Foods are Low in Pesticide Residue — But Watch Out For GMO Varieties!

While you may have heard about the most common GMO food sources, such as corn, many people are clueless about JUST HOW MUCH of your produce is now available in GMO varieties. And, perhaps even worse, just how many deliberate GMO field trials are actually going on, all across the world.

A perfect example of the repercussions of this practice can be seen in Hawaii, where non-GMO papaya seed supplies are now so seriously contaminated by GMO seeds that at least 50 percent of organic seeds test positive for GMO!

That means you have a greater than 50/50 chance of buying GMO even when buying organic Hawaiian papaya…

Although the U.S. does not require GMOs to be labeled, you can still find out whether or not your produce is genetically engineered, by looking at its PLU code. For example:

• A conventionally grown product carries a 4-digit PLU code (Ex: conventionally grown banana: 4011)
• An organic product carries a 5-digit code, starting with the number 9: (Ex: organic banana: 94011)
• A genetically engineered (GE or GMO) product has a 5-digit code, starting with the number 8: (Ex: GE banana: 84011)

Here are a few other fruits that are LOW in pesticide residue, and therefore good candidates to purchase as conventionally-grown, however, double-check to make sure you’re not buying a GMO variety.

• Avocado – A new GMO avocado variety is scheduled to be introduced this year that is immune to “stress” and pests, per an Indian state report published in March, 2008.
• Bananas – The first GMO banana with extra genes that increase its levels of pro-vitamin A and iron is being unleashed in Australian field trials this year. At Cornell University, researchers are also working to develop a banana that carries the hepatitis B vaccine.
• Pineapple — GMO pineapples, designed to produce greater levels of proteins, vitamins and sugars may already be on the market. Australia applied for  pineapple into environment all the way back in 2002. The pineapple is called “Smooth Cayenne,” which has delayed flowering and herbicide resistance. It also contains the tobacco acetolactate synthase gene (suRB) from Nicotiana tabacum.
• Kiwi – The transgenic variety of kiwi fruit is the Actinidia deliciosa from Italy.

Download this Non-GMO Shopping Guide for more information on how you can avoid genetically modified foods.

Remember, if you can’t afford to purchase all organic food, at least aim to buy produce that has a lower toxic load and is non-GMO.

Courtesy of Dr.Mercola

it would be expected that the bottled water would be of much higher quality, and at least reasonably free of health-crushing contaminants. According to an extensive study conducted by the Environmental Working Group (EWG) , 9/10 of the best selling water brands fail to even identify the methods in which their products are filtered or purified. In fact, the companies fail to answer 3 important questions when it comes to the quality of their water: Where does the water come from; is it purified; and have any tests found any contaminants in the water?

Further research has attempted to answer these questions through independent studies, despite the lack of answers coming from the bottled water companies. Astoundingly, after reviewing the research, the Environmental Working Group recommends filtered tap water over any bottled water. The premium price tag on bottled water quite often means almost nothing. The study found that almost 50% of bottled water is municipal tap water. Other bottled water was found to be less regulated than tap water in terms of contaminants, and oftentimes more polluted with toxins than regular tap water. Another factor, aside from the shady lack of information coming from the industry regarding bottled water, is the presence of bisphenol A in plastic bottled water.

Bisphenol A is a hormone-disrupting chemical linked to a number of nasty health conditions including cancer, obesity, and the development of feminine traits in males. Canada has even labeled bisphenol A as a toxic chemical after two years of debate and research on the subject. Found in nearly 91% of all Canadians at the time of the ban, bisphenol A is present in the majority of water bottles. Experts may argue that the presence of bisphenol A alone would make drinking any bottled water an immediate threat to your health, leaving the debate in the dust. Since bottled water and tap water are both so destructive to one’s health, what is the best kind of water to drink?

Filtered water is the best option both economically and in terms of health. While the initial cost of a high quality water filter may exceed the price of a month’s supply of bottled water, you are saving both your body and your wallet in the long run. With high quality filters, only purchasing replacement cartridges will be necessary after the initial purchase, which are oftentimes fairly cheap. It is important to note that when filtering tap water, reverse osmosis is a preferred method in removing toxic substances such as fluoride and heavy metals. With a reverse osmosis filter, however, comes another problem. Reverse osmosis filters remove everything from the water, even natural minerals and nutrients. The water, once consumed, will be looking to leech back these minerals from your body to maintain its state. Adding certain minerals to the water, or even apple cider vinegar, is effective in restoring the natural nutrients back into the water. A mineral filter may also be an option in restoring water stability. No matter what the choice, stay away from bisphenol a-laced bottled water, and especially toxic tap water.

Sources for Story:

http://naturalsociety.com/over-98-o…

http://www.ewg.org/health/report/Bo…

http://static.ewg.org/reports/2010/…

http://www.environmentalhealthnews….

http://www.ottawacitizen.com/health…

http://www.naturalnews.com/032551_bottled_water_faucet.html#ixzz1OnL3FNtk

selenium  as an example, the team discovered that the human body is innately able to protect nutrient-dependent proteins as its first priority, while protecting all others secondly.

However, the team also observed that even moderate deficiencies, which end up affecting both non- and nutrient-dependent proteins, lead to mutations indicative of diseases like cancer, lowered immunity, loss of brain function, and heart disease. For this reason, they say it is necessary to supplement with extra vitamins and minerals in order to offset disease development.

“Understanding how best to define and measure optimum nutrition will make the application of new technologies to allow each person to optimize their own nutrition a much more realistic possibility than it is today,” said McCann. “If the principles of the theory, as demonstrated for vitamin K and selenium, can be generalized to other vitamins and minerals, this may provide the foundation needed.”

Though these results may seem obvious to many in the natural health community, they help solidify the need for vitamin and mineral supplements among the general population who, for years, has been fed conflicting ideas about supplements. Thanks to this new study, the average person is now reassured that taking high-quality multivitamins made from whole-food nutrients will be beneficial in maintaining health and preventing disease.

“This paper should settle any debate about the importance of taking a good, complete, multivitamin every day,” said Gerald Weissmann, M.D., Editor-in-Chief of the FASEB Journal. “As this report shows, taking a multivitamin that contains selenium is a good way to prevent deficiencies that, over time, can cause harm in ways that we are just beginning to understand.”

Sources for this story include:

http://www.eurekalert.org/pub_relea…

http://www.naturalnews.com/032617_age-related_diseases_vitamins.html#ixzz1OWJiYsb6

• Antioxidants, including beta-carotene, lutein, and zeaxanthin, protect the macula from sun damage. Get these antioxidants from dark leafy greens, egg yolks, yellow peppers, pumpkin, sweet potatoes, and carrots–notice any color pattern here? Current research shows that consuming yellow and green vegetables can help prevent age-related macular generation, a leading cause of blindness. Find out more about beta-carotene in the Natural Health Dictionary.

• Foods rich in sulfur, cysteine, and lecithin help protect the lens of your eye from cataract formation. Excellent choices include garlic, onions, shallots, and capers.

• Anthocyanin-rich blueberries, grapes, and goji berries have antioxidant and anti-inflammatory properties that can help improve your vision. Find out more about anthocyanins in the Natural Health Dictionary.

• DHA is a fatty acid found in coldwater fish like wild salmon, sardines, mackerel, and cod. DHA provides structural support to cell membranes to boost eye health.

• To prevent dehydration and dry eyes remember to drink filtered water daily: eight 8 ounce glasses every day to lubricate your eyes.

2. Exercise your eyes

These simple exercises will help you maintain optimal vision and may also keep those annoying eye floaters at bay. Perform these exercises first thing in the morning, before bedtime, or any time your eyes feel fatigued. Make sure that your hands are clean and that your mood is relaxed. Commit to daily practice and you may just see better results within one month.

• Warm your eyes. Rub your palms together to create heat, and then place them against your eyes for five seconds. Repeat this three times.

• Roll your eyes. Start by looking up and then slowly circle10 times clockwise and 10 times counterclockwise.

• Focus. Hold a pen at arm’s length, focus your eyes on it, and slowly bring the pen closer until it’s about six inches away from your nose. Then slowly move it back, keeping your eyes focused on the pen, 10 times in all.

• Massage your temples. Using your thumb knuckles, massage your temples in small circles, 20 times in one direction and 20 in the other. Repeat the same actions above the mid-point of the eyebrows at the forehead, then below the eyes on both sides of the bridge of the nose.

• Take a mini-nap. Put your head back, close your eyes, and relax for three minutes.

3. Limit Environmental Toxins

External factors can contribute to eye damage. These include fluorescent lights, computer screens, environmental allergens, chlorine in swimming pools, air conditioning and heating, reading in dim lighting, and constant rubbing of the eyes. Do not smoke and limit your exposure to cigarette smoke as it may increase optic pressure. Remember to wear sunglasses to protect your precious eyes from UV exposure.

4. R & R for your eyes

Getting enough sleep is essential for eye health. Sleep time allows your eyes to fully rest, repair, and recover. Insufficient sleep may weaken your vision, so shoot for eight hours of sound sleep a night. Give your eyes a break once an hour during your workday: rest your eyes 10 minutes for every 50 minutes spent reading or in front of the computer. If your eyes feel overly tired, lie down and place cooling cucumber slices over your eyelids.

I hope that you maintain excellent eye health well into the future! Many of the above defined terms were adapted from my newest Kindle book, The Natural Health Dictionary, a comprehensive guide that answers all your questions about natural remedies, healing herbs, longevity foods, vitamins, and supplements.

Source:

http://health.yahoo.net/experts/drmao/