fluoride, cholesterol, tea

These comments were from an article (link by clicking on title) at Mercola.com:

Lowering cholesterol with statins is only good for the drug companies and absolutely the wrong thing to do. We NEED adequate supplies of cholesterol for Vit D3 production, for digestion, for hormone production, (both fight and flight reactions) as well as sex hormones. Our skeletal integrity depends on it. Hardening of the arteries through atherosclerosis has very little to do with cholesterol. Artherotic plaque is largely composed of calcium, platelet remnants and heavy metals caught in a web of fibrin, the result of a thrombin clot.  The calcium has usually metastasised from hard tissue such as bone, not only causing cardiovascular disease but causing osteoporosis as well. This is why so many people have crumbling hip sockets, suffer a loss of libido, have subclinical infertility and a serious reduction in the essential co enzyme Q 10...also a compromised immunity to viruses and other micro-organisms. Poor circulation is caused by multiple vitamin, mineral and trace element deficiencies and an imbalance of globulins to fibrinogen ratio which causes rouleaux formation when red cells stack together obstructing blood flow, oxygen and nutrient carrying capacity. The only way to reverse the formation of plaque effectively is to supplement with a combination of EDTA chelation and a proteolytic enzyme such as Nattokinase which can dissolve fibrin harmlessly.
Cholesterol is a red herring and reducing cholesterol with statins is only going to make cardiovascular disease infinately worse. So wake up every one!! Stop taking those horrible drugs such as statins, calcium channel blockers, alpha and beta blockers and aspirin. Biochemically speaking, they are killers in their own right and will shorten lives by many years. Nature provides brilliant ways to counter vascular disease, but the medical industry doesn't want you to know as it cuts into their toxic drug trade and billions of dollars profit gleaned from their (d-evils) devil's brews.
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Copied this from an Oregon State University study:
Tea plants accumulate fluoride in their leaves. In general, the oldest tea leaves contain the most fluoride. Most high quality teas are made from the bud or the first two to four leaves—the youngest leaves on the plant. Brick tea, a lower quality tea, is made from the oldest tea leaves and is often very high in fluoride.
The fluoride content of white tea is likely to be less than other teas, since white teas are made from the buds and youngest leaves of the tea plant. The fluoride contents of 17 brands of green, oolong, and black teas is presented in the table below. These values do not include the fluoride content of the water used to make the tea.

Fluoride Content of Teas
Type of Tea        Fluoride (mg/8 ounces)
Green                0.3-0.4
Oolong          0.1-0.2
Black                0.2-0.5
Brick tea        0.5-1.7

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This misconception - that fluoride in food or tea is harmless and that fluoride shares credit for the bone and tooth-building benefits of accompanying nutrients - is part of the public miseducation concocted by fluoride polluters way back when. It is now a "meme" accepted by the majority, which is why fluoridation is still with us. It is this meme that Dr. Mercola, Dr. Connett and others like me are working hard to change. Fluoride is always toxic to the body. The degree is affected by your age, kidney function, nutrient intake and previous accumulation.
Fluoride from food, accompanied by nutrient minerals and antioxidants that ARE good for healthy bones and teeth, is less toxic to the body than fluoridated water that has none, because the body sacrifices nutrients and minerals to either sequester or eliminate fluoride.
Consider this: "I have heard that lead in nutritious food is actually good for protecting our bones from radiation, but the lead from gasoline and coal burning is what we should avoid." Who benefits from this belief? Right - the lead polluters who can continue to press government not to lower the allowable blood lead levels in pregnant women and children, not to label subtle neuro-behavioral effects as a public health concern (or call lowered IQ, an irreversible adverse effect "merely cosmetic" like they do for dental fluorosis) and maintain lax lead standards for lead in pesticides, fertilizers, foods and consumer products to support short-sighted environmental regs and bigger profits. Pretending that lead is protective against radiation when swallowed in protective foods also deflects attention from the dangers of radiation exposures from man made source.
Please, the next time fluoride is praised in front of you, challenge politely with the truth. Each of us, doing this in our own circles, can have a powerful ripple effect.I drink Yerba Mate - has more antioxidants than green, black or white tea but has no fluoride issues. Also has a substance in it that has a very similar effect to the EGCG that's in tea. Oh, and it's much cheaper than high quality tea.

Tea today is also linked to cancer, due to its high fluoride content. Fluoride has been precisely identified as attracting and storing polonium in the spleen. Polonium is required to start and fuel all tumors. Clark H R PhD ND 2007. Tea has also been identified as containing 2 allergenic plant compounds, salacylic acid and caffeic acid. Each of these inflame 8 different targeted body parts. An inflamed body part allows easy entry for the cancer nucleus and cancer complex to start, and allow to continue,  a malignancy. Clark H R 2007.

- www.truehealth.org/acompar1.html - It compares cancer rates around the world and although Japan is now pretty much in line with much of the West there is mention of green tea.  To quote:  "This is underscored by the fact that Japanese health statistics show that mortality rates from stomach cancer are 70 percent lower than the national average among residents of Shizuoka Prefecture, where large quantities of green tea are consumed. Those in the Kawane district, one of the country's largest tea-producing regions, have amazingly low stomach cancer mortality rates - 70-80 percent lower than the Japanese average. And while the focus is on green tea here, it is most likely that the soil and water of this region contain - like the island of Okinawa, another remarkably healthy region - high levels of the complete natural range of the 72+ trace elements.

I find that even green tea has too much caffeine since I've always had trouble sleeping and caffeine exacerbates the problem. Rooibos has no caffeine. Coffee has 2 or 3 times that of green tea. But of course the results may be different for other people. More details here:
herbs.lovetoknow.com/Caffeine_Content_in_Green_Tea


Please also mention to your subscribers that you increase your absorption of the benefits of Green Tea from approximately 20% to approximately 80% when you consume your Green Tea with Vitamin C containing substances.  What is contained in a plant is far different from what is absorbed from a plant and the difference, if there is any, should always be mentioned in articles such as these.  It is the same issue concerning the consumption of Tumeric with Black Pepper.  These kinds of details are very important when people are trying to use these substances therapeutically. I can not think of a better breakfast or snack.  A cup of quality, free trade Green Tea with an Organic Orange or a few Organic Strawberries.
White tea has less fluoride AND it has less caffeine AND it has more anti-oxidants than green tea.

Drinking lots of tea is not recommended for people prone to most forms of kidney stones, I've read.
The diuretic properties of caffeine would also be contra-indicatory for sufferers of gout. i.e.: no diuretics for gout.



You forgot to mention one really important downside of drinking tannin containing teas. If you drink tea with your meals every bit of iron in your meal is bound up by the tannin and therefore is rendered unavailable for absorption by the body. Over several years of drinking tea with your meals will result in chronic iron shortage.
Three cups of good quality, certified organic tea a day minimum....Angiogenesis is a good thing when it comes to cancer cells. Every little bit helps to create a healthy foundation to prevent what we can naturally.

Heartburn / GERD

From various comments on a mercola article:

The parietal cells in the stomach produce hydrochloric acid.  Plant eating animals do NOT produce hydrochloric acid.  Meat eating animals do.  Hydrochloric acid sanitizes the stomach and breaks down proteins primarily.  Lactic acid is produced from rotting, undigested, putrefying foods that lay in your stomach waiting for the hydrochloric acid to be produced to LOWER THE pH to between 1.5 and 3.0 pH.  If your parietal cells are subdued for some reason, you will not be producing or utilizing good HCL that you need to create good digestion.  If the pH of your stomach does not go down to those values, as the chyme passes into the jejunum, calcium, magnesium, or zinc will not get absorbed into your body.
Antacids are the most stupid way of dealing with heart burn.  They STOP the normal digestive process and create lots of toxins that your body has to eliminate and this causes lots of dysbiosis, osteoporosis, toxic liver, and all kinds of fodder for parasites, viruses, bacteria, and fungus to live on in your intestines.
As we age, eat processed foods, etc., this uses up the HCL and leaves little for good digestion.  By the time you reach 70, you are producing about 5% of the HCL you did at 25.  Since the body stores toxins in fat tissue, this is why you get a gut starting in your late 20's.  You are not digesting well.  By 70, you are starving to death.
Doctors are STUPID if they prescribe antacids for typical GERD or acid reflux.  There I said it and I mean it.  It's important to get a good HCL product and HCL Activator along with a good DIGEST that contains all the pancreatic enzymes.  The HCL must be from a "once living source" like sugar beets, but not laboratory made.  This is critical to great success.  Acid indigestion goes away in less than 3 min.
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Normally the digestive system produces enough hydrochloric acid and enzymes to break down food.  However as a result of increased stress; Many people are not producing enough HCL and enzymes.  Those with low HCL levels are not able to get nutrients out of food, as they are simply passed through the intestinal tract with minimal absorption.  HCL deficiency causes a nutrient deficiency which in turn causes disease.  For those of you who would like to test your HCL levels for deficiency;  I have a system which you can use at home.  For my detailed article and video, see link below: blogs.siliconvalleyfit.com/adin/2010/05/digestive-system-absorption-an..

 ------Here is an explanation of what accounts for 90% of heartburn in America.
Digestion:
1. Mastication
2. Mixing with saliva to begin processing starches.
3. Further breaking down of food in the stomach by HCL
4. After the food is processed in the stomach it is passed to the small intestines where it is combined with bile from the liver to break down fats.
5. and so on and so on.
Here is the catch 22 How long does food reside in the stomach?
Answer - it resides in the stomach until it is fully processed. (our stomach is smarter than we think)
If YOU DO NOT HAVE SUFFICIENT HCL IN YOUR STOMACH TO PROCESS THE FOOD CONSUMED, THE STOMACH WILL KEEP IT IN RESIDENCE!!!
If food stays in the stomach too long the sphincter muscle at the top of the stomach tires. This muscles job is keeping food and acid in your stomach, NOT in your esophagus.
When it tires, stomach contents (hydrochloric acid and undigested food) are released into the esophagus. Heartburn is the result.
The proper treatment is MORE ACID! Betaine Hydrochloride - a tablet or two prior to a meal boosts the hcl level and insures the stomach will empty before the sphincter muscle gives out.
The diet of most Americans is contrary to good digestion in the stomach. Large quantities of liquid are excellent for your body BUT NOT WHILE EATING MEALS!!
Large volumes of liquid dilute stomach acid beyond the stomachs ability to recover. Insuring extended residence in the stomach and sphincter muscle failure!
Do not take acid pump inhibitors!
Food will stay even longer in your stomach BUT when your sphincter muscle tires the food that leaks into your esophagus has so little acid it will not cause discomfort.
People who take acid pump inhibitors for a year or more have significant health problems they did not have before. One of which is 30% higher probability of a broken hip! If food can not be digested the body can not get the nutrients required!
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An excellent explanation...  I experienced severe acid reflux and my sphincter muscle did give out and my esophagus was damaged, and I had taken PPIs (and other antacids) on and off for years.  My solution:  raw veggies every day (with every meal, if needed).  Cucumbers especially.  Also celery and carrots.  Initially, I juiced cucumbers and carrots and drank just before eating a meal.  Now, I just eat the raw veggies.  Eliminate chocolate and cut down or eliminate refined sugar and flour.  PLEASE do not take any drugs.  They WILL leave you worse off.  Your condition will worsen over time.  If you have prolonged fullness after eating, pain at the top of your stomach (where valve leads from esophagus to stomach), and/or burning coming up through your esophagus, please try adding raw veggies.  They contain natural enzymes that will help you digest and work better than any expensive enzyme supplement I've tried.  The worst problems often have the simplest (and cheapest) solutions!

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I have several 'overweight' relatives with this problem, including me.  The solution for ALL of us was don't eat so much bread and pasta ect. Especially for 2-3 hrs before bed.
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Eat no gluten.....Celiac can cause acid reflex due to low stomach acid since it wrecks the gut lining cells that make HCl....I take HCl and Now brand- Super enzymes with each meal. www.enterolab.com helps to diagnose Celiac. Blood tests and biospies may not work half of the time to diagnose Celiac. The person may also need a Vit B12 shot since the same gut cells that make HCl also make intrinsic factor to carry Vit B12 into the intestines.
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Eat a piece of fresh celery when heartburn ocurs. Helps immediately!
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H. Pylori can easily be killed by using MMS1, It can Ameliorate countless Conditions, Yeast, Mold, Bacterias and Viruses. I am currently using it to Kill the Hepetitis C Virus, and in this process It has almost riped out My Candida. H.Pylori would be a Piece of Cake for MMS! I can attest to the Powerful action of MMS, and used as directed, IS Harmless. May I suggest You do some reading on this Wonderful Solution.
http://www.mmsanswers.com/  Jim Humble should get the Nobel Prize,IMO! Truelly amazing, yet simple Technology. -----greyarea-
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Here is the Link to the MMS Home Website.http://jimhumble.biz/index.htm ..Yes I believe MMS should be in every Home Medicine Chest, It is that Good !  -----greyarea-
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None of the prescribed or OTC drugs are needed any more when organic sulfur is added to one’s diet, with no restrictions once the gut has had time to repair the damage done.
Our study members eat anything from Vegan to only meat, all report benefits but the
Vegans respond remarkably well being that certain amino acids can not be derived from food with no sulfur amino acids.
The only side effect of ingesting sulfur is healthy cellular regeneration.
112 elements make up man and everything we knows in the physical world.  All of the synthetic compounds of pharmacopeia can not replace a single element, a single mineral.

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Kombucha helps maintain the PH balance of the digestive system. Drink at least 6 oz daily to help keep cancer from being able to generate from out of your Barretts

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Yes there are some Items that will help. The Body to the best of My Knowledge cannot produce the Enzyme DPP-IV Protease, or If it can, cannot produce much of that enzyme, which is needed to Digest Gluten, and the Milk Protein Casein. All Digestive Enzyme Products don't contain this Enzyme...
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There is a higher incidence of H. Pylori being found in people with acid reflux symptoms as well as ulcers. One can be tested to find out for sure.
Mastic Gum at 1-2 gms per day for 2-4 weeks is known to kill it.
Drinking 6 oz of Kombucha (probiotic fermented tea) daily took care of the acid reflux problem for me. It gets the digestive systems chemistry/flora back into balance. Results are pretty immediate. The Ginger flavor was especially Divine relief.

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The Betain HCL sure worked for my mom, and I am starting to see that I could benifit from adding it to my supplements as the vinegar in a class of water does not seem to be enough for someone old like myself. I won't stop with the vinegar as it has become a habit! A very good habit.

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Boy, I'm so confused!  I was diagnosed with severe acid reflux with a hiatel hernia several years ago.  Try eating and bloating after every meal.  I've since improved my diet in all the ways recommended above.  I make my own kefir, kombucha, take probiotics, and digestive enzymes with every meal...oh yes, and milk thistle, too.  It got so bad I had to take TWO of the generic omeprazole per day, and then I was still having acids run up my throat.  My doctor finally changed me to the name brand Nexium at two per day, but I find I can take one per day and be okay with that.  But heaven forbid I forget to take one, the whole thing starts all over again.  After reading all the bad stuff about those drugs, I hate to take them, but I don't know what to do!
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I don't know if you have done any therapy to fix the hiatial hernia, but natural healer Steven Horne says that is one of the single most important things that can be done to improve health.
Massage therapists and some chiropractors can use body work to move the stomach back into its proper position, but self help techniques really should be done on a daily basis in order to keep the stomach from reverting to bad old habits.
Many people have this condition but are unaware of it.  If you are unable to breathe from your diaphram (chest moves up and down with breaths rather than abdomen moving in and out) you should suspect hiatial hernia.  Anyone can have it, but it is also more common in folks who are tall and thin, or who have had emotional difficulties.
Hiatial hernia can contribute to many health issues, including autoimmune disease.
This link shows self help techniques that can aid a hiatial hernia:  www.youtube.com/watch

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So, I began a search for an alternative.  I found a receipe with apple cider vinegar and honey in water and it cured me IMMEDIATELY!!!!just imagine, suffering with a burning hot poker from my stomach all the way up my throat and belching acid for years and years and years!!!and then, one simple tonic and I am cured!!!.  I haven't had any acid pain since Jan '10 to present June '10. Be sure, I do take my tonic every day. The receipe is 1 or 2 teaspoons of Bragg's Raw Unfiltered Apple Cider Vinegar with 1 or 2 teaspoons of raw unfiltered honey (from Whole Foods their 365 brand) in 8 oz of water 3 times per day. I have more energy and don't need a nap in the afternoon anymore. I am busy searcing for more alternative remedies for other health conditions.

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 since avoiding nightshade foods I notice my GERD go away, but if I eat potatoes or tomatoes bam, right back after a few mouthfuls. Nightshade plants considered food are:
   * Chili pepper
   * Eggplant
   * Garden huckleberry
   * Goji berry
   * Ground cherry
   * Potato
   * Sweet pepper
   * Tamarillo
   * Tomatillo
   * Tomato
 It should also be noted Tobacco is a nightshade which may allude to a possible addictive quality of all nightshades.
The most famous nightshade plant is Atropa Belladonna or deadly nightshade, which does have medicinal uses, most notably a antineurotoxin and in the early 30's and 40's as an alcohol detox drug. It is a concern that people are eating these highly alkaloid rich plants without knowing the trace compounds they are consuming.

Truvia is not Stevia--Don't be fooled

Truvia is not good for you. Please go to the link in the title of this post. There is a lot of information there and testimonies of bad side effects. This is from that link:

According to scientists who analyzed Truvia, it is 9/10 of 1% Rebiana and masking agent. It should be said that Rebiana is not an ingredient in the stevia plant, nor is it found in nature. It is produced by the action of chemicals and stringent alcohols on various stevia glycosides. Rebiana is simply the trade name Cargill gave their chemically derived product in 2008. The FDA “No Questions” letter states that Rebiana contains residues of ethanol and methanol. Rebiana is commonly confused with Rebaudioside-A (Reb-A). Reb-A is one of the 11 glycoside compounds naturally within the stevia leaf and is about 400 times sweeter than sugar. It is produced by the action of sunlight on the leaves. The other 99.1% of Truvia is erythritol, a sugar extracted from corn with alcohol(a sugar alcohol), which can be hard on the digestive system. Cargill has admitted that 30% of their corn is genetically modified organisms (GMOs). Truvia is essentially corn sugar, and is not really a stevia product.

But Truvia is not alone in their deception. PureVia is 8/10 of 1% Rebiana (even though they list it as Reb-A on their ingredients list) and 99.2% sugars, Sun Crystals is 96.5% table sugar, and Stevia in the Raw is 95.8% table sugar. All these “stevia products” are really just sugar products as well. Usually, when someone buys a “stevia product” they think they’re are getting a sugar substitute, but what they are really getting, at least with these products, are mainly just different forms of sugar, (and in a couple cases, mainly table sugar) at best.

I do use SweetLeaf Stevia. They are the only ones to use only pure water during the entire extraction process ( as opposed to chemicals and alcohols like other stevia companies), so the natural tase of leaf remains as well as the nutrients–at least in their dark liquids. I also use their powder, which has added inulin fiber, which feeds the good bacteria in the intestines, which in turn, strengthens the immune system. All forms of SweetLeaf Stevia retain stevia’s natural 0 calorie, 0 carb, and 0 glycemic index properties–I understand the only stevia product to retain all three of these properties.

Diabetes part two

Part two (from WestonAPrice.org)

DIABETES AND STRESS

The main cause of diabetes is the western diet--based on refined carbohydrates that rush sugar into the bloodstream, trans fatty acids that interfere with insulin receptors in the cells, and difficult-to-digest foods like pasteurized milk and modern soy foods that put a strain on the pancreas--but another cause of chronic high blood sugar levels, one that is often overlooked, is stress. Under stress, the adrenal glands produce adrenaline, an important stimulus for the production of glucagon, which raises blood sugar levels and allows the body to react with a "fight or flight" response. Chronic stress--the stress on the adult in the workplace, the stress on the student under pressure to perform, the stress on the child expected to conform to rigid guidelines or who has been sexually or emotionally abused, even the stress of a spiritual or religious outlook that assumes a clockwork universe or a vengeful god--results in constant outpourings of adrenaline resulting in overstimulation of glucagon to keep blood sugar levels high. The body then responds with increased production of insulin to bring blood sugar levels down.

Polyneuronal Extopy (PNE), more commonly known as panic disorder, is a common symptom of a condition in which high levels of insulin accompany normal blood sugar levels. The condition derives from the vicious circle of constant stress causing increased release of sugar into the bloodstream, kept in check by increased outpourings of insulin, leading to chronic anxiety even under conditions that normally should not produce stress. Over time, especially when the diet is poor, the beta-cells of the pancreas become exhausted and can no longer produce large amounts of insulin. The result is full blown diabetes, characterized by chronically high blood sugar levels--as though the body has balanced a kind of bitterness in the exterior world with excess sweetness in the blood.

Treatment of diabetes may thus entail a strong emotional or spiritual component; a good diet will go a long way to lower insulin requirements and heal the insulin-production mechanism, but removing the origins of stress is an important factor for long-term recovery. A change in job or life-style, therapy and a reassessment of any philosophical assumptions that breed fear rather than love may all be necessary to bring harmony to the body’s finely tuned mechanism for keeping blood sugar levels in balance.

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HERBS AND MEDICINES FOR DIABETES

Gymnema: Ayurvedic practitioners referred to gymnema as the "sugar-buster." If you chew some leaves of this inauspicious plant, you completely eliminate the ability of your taste buds to perceive the sweet taste. If you eat a piece of candy or even some honey ten minutes later, it will taste like chalk. One can almost hear a slight chuckle emanating from the plant as if to say, "I truly am the sugar buster." Gymnema also helps reduce blood sugar levels. It does this by lowering insulin resistance, much like conventional oral diabetic drugs, and also by increasing the secretion of insulin from the pancreas. Furthermore, gymnema actually helps regenerate destroyed pancreatic islet cells in type I diabetics. Use of gymnema may not completely reverse type I diabetes, but it always improves glucose control. Thus, gymnema addresses within itself the multifactorial etiology of diabetes in that it helps your body make more insulin, if that is needed, and it makes the insulin more effective. With gymnema there is no risk of provoking the dangerous hypoglycemic reactions so common with the conventional oral diabetic medication.

Bitter Melon: Bitter melon is a fruit that is widely used as food as well as medicine in Asia. Research suggests that bitter melon helps increase the number of beta cells in the pancreas, thereby improving the body’s ability to produce insulin. Furthermore, at least three different groups of constituents provide blood-sugar-lowering effects--steroidal saponins known as charantin, insulin-like peptides and alkaloids.

Bilberry: Used by the British Royal Air Force during World War II to improve night vision, bilberry contains tannins that help shrink up swollen and leaky tissue. The theory of diabetic retinopathy is that it is caused by leaky blood vessels surrounding the eye. Bilberry also contains compounds called OPCs which are good for the eyesight and the blood vessels.

Birch Leaf Tea: Birch leaf tea is excellent for the overweight Type II diabetic as it helps the body get rid of excess fluid and furthers weight loss.

Diaplex: Diaplex is the Standard Process diabetes preparation made from organically grown food containing abundant trace minerals as well as vitamin B₆ from raw animal extracts.

ONE CASE HISTORY

A recent patient of mine was a 67-year-old retired white male who gave a history of diabetes for about 4 years. He suffered from the typical symptoms including high blood pressure in the 160/95 range, diminishing eyesight and the recent onset of protein in his urine. This patient was about 35-40 pounds overweight, and he complained of increasing fatigue and lethargy.

This is the classic presentation of type II, or non-insulin-dependent diabetes. The typical story is onset in the 50s to 60s in a person who is significantly overweight. Diabetes often goes along with high blood pressure, both as a direct consequence of being overweight and as a result of the fact that excess insulin (the hallmark of type II diabetes) itself causes high blood pressure because it stimulates the retention of fluid in the body. The protein in the urine is a sign that the diabetes is affecting his kidneys and that they are starting to "leak" protein. This is usually a harbinger of advanced diabetes and if not corrected will eventually lead to compromised kidney function and the misery of regular dialysis treatment. The eyesight problem is also a direct consequence of the diabetes because diabetes leads to a deterioration of the small blood vessels everywhere in the body. This includes the retina, where one begins to see exudates or leaking of blood from the blood vessels of the eye into the retina. Eventually, this process will lead to further impairment of the vision, if it is not reversed. I have also found that many of my patients with this kind of advancing diabetes also complain of not feeling well in a non-specific sort of way. Often the complaint is fatigue, lethargy, or just a decreased joy in life.

As is usual in these cases, my patient was on a number of drugs to address his health concerns. He was on an oral hypoglycemic agent to lower his blood sugar, a beta-blocker to lower his blood pressure (which incidentally raises the blood sugar), and an ACE inhibitor to lower the blood pressure and protect the kidneys. He believed that these drugs were contributing to his feeling unwell.

On his initial visit to me, in spite of these drugs, his blood pressure was 165/95, and his HgbA1c ( a measure of the average blood sugar over the past 6 weeks) was 8.1 (normal is 5.5-6.5). He had been instructed in the American Diabetes Association diet which is calorie-restricted and fat-restricted--and also universally reviled by the patients. Clearly, in spite of the best that Western medicine had to offer, he was not doing well.

I suggested a strict 60-70 gram per day carbohydrate intake while implementing a nourishing traditional diet to guide his food choices and food preparation. He was to eat plentifully of all the good fats and non-starchy vegetables without overeating protein (e.g., eat egg yolks in preference to egg whites, fatty fish instead of lean fish, cream instead of milk, etc.). He was not to limit his total food intake, but rather to strictly limit his carbohydrate consumption to the amount listed above. The patient also began taking a number of medicines which are my staples for treating patients with his constellation of troubles stemming from diabetes, including diaplex, gymnema, bilberry, and birch leaf tea, along with cod liver oil to supply 20,000 IU vitamin A daily.

In 6 months of strictly following this program the results were nothing short of remarkable (though actually predictable). He had lost 35 pounds without increasing his exercise, he felt much more energetic, he loved his food again, and he was off all conventional medicines. When I saw him at 6 months his blood pressure was 135/80, and there was no protein in his urine. The HgbA1c was 6.7 (almost normal) and he could sense his eyesight improving. Confirmation came when he had his checkup with his eye doctor, who produced an after picture showing that his retinal hemorrhages had healed considerably over the previous six months. The doctor commented that he had never seen such a thing.

This story shows that there is hope with diabetes and that with sound thinking and sound intervention much of the ravages of this illness can be prevented and treated.

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NUTRITION FOR DIABETICS

Vitamin A: Plentiful vitamin A is crucial to the successful treatment of diabetes. The diabetic pancreas is deficient not only in its ability to produce insulin, but also in the production of a variety of key enzymes, including the enzymes the body needs to convert carotenes into vitamin A. Therefore, the diabetic must take in more pre-formed vitamin A than the non-diabetic. Vitamin A is key to the prevention of the side effects of diabetes, including retina problems, kidney problems, neuropathy, infection and slowness to heal. The diabetic should take cod liver oil to provide a minimum dose of 20,000 IU vitamin A per day, in addition to vitamin A-rich foods like liver, egg yolks, seafood and cream and butter from pasture-fed animals.

Vitamin D: Vitamin D is needed for the production of insulin. A dose of cod liver oil that provides 20,000 IU vitamin A will provide 2,000 IU vitamin D. Several recent studies have shown that babies who receive cod liver oil during infancy, and whose mothers take cod liver oil during pregnancy, have much lower rates of diabetes. Other sources include lard, shellfish (especially shrimp), organ meats, egg yolks and cream and butter from pasture-fed animals.

Fatty Acids: The diabetic lacks the enzymes needed to make special long-chain, super-unsaturated fatty acids from essential fatty acids. Cod liver oil provides EPA and DHA from the omega-3 family. Gamma-linolenic acid (GLA) from the omega-6 family is provided by evening primrose oil, black currant oil or borage oil. Four capsules per day providing about 200 mg GLA is recommended.

Vitamin B₁: A recent study found that diabetic rats given vitamin B₁ (thiamine) had a 70-80 percent reduction in the development of kidney damage. Good sources include nutritional yeast, nuts, vegetables, liver and pork.

Vitamin B₆: Plentiful supplies of vitamin B₆ are critical for the health of the diabetic. B₆ helps prevent carpal tunnel syndrome, to which the diabetic is prone. The best sources of B₆ are raw animal foods such as raw whole milk, raw cheeses, raw fish and raw meat. Use only dairy products that are raw and include an ethnic raw meat or raw fish dish in the diet several times per week.

Alpha-Lipoic Acid: Also known as thoitic acid, alpha-lipoic acid is a vitamin-like enzyme cofactor necessary for converting glucose into ATP (chemical energy). Produced naturally in the body, it is also found in potatoes, carrots, yams, sweet potatoes, beets and red meat. As the diabetic needs to limit consumption of starchy vegetables, the best sources would be red meats and small amounts of pickled beets.

Chromium: A key mineral for diabetics, chromium is necessary for carbohydrate metabolism and proper functioning of the insulin receptors. Sources include nutritional yeast, molasses and organ meats like liver. Diabetics should eat liver at least once a week and take 1 tablespoon Frontier brand nutritional yeast mixed with water per day.

Vanadium: Without vanadium, sugar in the blood cannot be driven into the cells. An excellent source is unfiltered extra virgin olive oil.

Zinc: Zinc is a co-factor in the production of insulin. The best sources of zinc are red meats and shell fish, particularly oysters.

Thus, supplements for the diabetic should include cod liver oil; evening primrose, borage or black currant oil; and nutritional yeast.

The diet should be rich in animal foods including raw butter, cream, whole milk and cheese from pastured animals; raw meat and fish; beef and lamb; seafood, especially shellfish; unrefined salt for trace minerals; bone broths for minerals; unfiltered olive oil; molasses, egg yolks; and a variety of fresh and fermented vegetables, especially beets.

About the Author

Tom Cowan, MD is a physician in private practice in San Francisco, California. He is the author of The Fourfold Path to Healing. Visit his website at http://www.fourfoldhealing.com.

Also of interest:

The Ideal Blood Sugar, by Emmanuel Cheraskin, MD, DMD

Vitamins and Minerals--Cod Liver Oil: The Number One Superfood, by Krispin Sullivan, CN

nano-ingredients

from HSI:
I never thought I'd say this, but there's something in your food that's even worse than sugar... and this microscopic new threat isn't even listed on the ingredients label.

These tiny terrors are called "nanoparticles" or "nanomaterials," and they've been scientifically engineered to make foods look better and last longer.

But when it comes to nano, just say no-no -- because nanotechnology, as it's called, is wildly unregulated and dangerously untested. In fact, we have no idea at all what this junk might to do humans -- yet you're probably eating it right now.

Welcome to your new life as a supermarket lab rat.

What little we do know is downright frightening: A two-year study on animals at UCLA found nano-titanium dioxide -- the most common nanoparticle -- caused DNA and chromosome damage, according to AOL News.

The researchers say this kind of severe damage could lead to cancer, heart disease and brain disease... and yet these nano-particles are turning up in everything from fruit and vegetablecoatings to salad dressing to ice cream.

We used to call that food tampering. Instead, the mad scientists behind this sick scheme are considered industry pioneers.

Meanwhile, the FDA is so in the dark on this one that they won't even admit it's in your food... even if its own experts say it is. In fact, the AOL News report found that 20 of the world's top food makers have their own nano-labs or contracts with universities to develop nano-ingredients for them.

And because there's no requirement to list these particles on nutritional labels, there's no way of knowing if your food has been nano-tainted... and therefore no way to avoid it.

It's reaching the point where the only way to be safe is to grow your own -- and if you have the time and space, don't wait -- spring is here. Start planting today.

Depression

The following points were taken from the comments section on an article (click on this post title to go to the full length article) on depression from Dr Mercola's site:


----...the first thing anyone (an older person especially) should have checked in his/her Vit B12 level.  After 20 years of fighting major depression/anxiety, for which I was hospitalized once, 80% (if one can give a real percentage at all) was 'cured' by a Vit B12 injection (and I have them a few times a year).  After that it was recommended that I take Vit D3 and good quality fish oil.  That helped even more.  And then I started cardio exercise for about 30+ minutes five days a week.  I was very much 'cured' at that point.  HOWEVER, I do believe that there is depression -- mild or severe -- which is quite normal under certain circumstances (like the death of a loved one) and that, despite all the 'helps', we're simply going to have to work through it, for our own good and growth.  In this world we are certainly not going to be 'up' all of the time.  My former psychiatrist, who got me on this road to better mental/emotional/physical heath, used to say that "If we're not a little anxious and depressed in this world, there really is something wrong with us."  When I read the daily news and become a little depressed and anxious, I smile as I remember her words.

----I do believe Depression and other mental illnesses are caused by poor body chemistry that results from the [garbage] being passed off as food these days and I respect Dr. Mercola for being on top of that issue.  In my opinion, nothing straightens out our bodies chemistry better than a healthy whole food, organic, plant based diet. I am acquainted with a wonderful woman who healed herself from a serious 20 year case of BiPolar and depression by adopting a RAW food diet and has written a book about her journey to good mental health. It's powerful. The book is titled "Healing Bi-Polar and Depression". Learn  more about her amazing story at lifelearningministries.org
Rich Brown - Cincinnati OH

----Homeopathy is a very effective means of treating depression because it gets to the root cause of each individuals dis-ease. See www.squidoo.com/beatdepression for two amazing examples given in the sufferers own words.

----You didn't mention a very pervasive problem...thyroid disorders that can cause a lot of depression.
And thyroid disorders can be caused by estrogen dominance stemming, I hypothesize largely, from from lack of exercise, and secondarily from estrogen-like chemical pollution.

I was one who was hospitalized several times for depression and found once I stopped eating processed and refined foods and take omegas and St John's Wort have never had any problems since except minor days of a little feelings of being down. You really gotta get out there and just do stuff to overcome depression. Emotion comes from motion. I've worked with many clients who are chronically depressed, just have to take the first step to do anything. Just something random like some jumping jacks, or a handstand. by moving in a different way, it changes your physiology and biochemistry. Start with anything small. Because most ppl when they're depressed don't move much at all! So the first thing to change is the way you use your body.

[Many people's depression is exacerbated by the  lack of knowing where they have come from and where they are going to. The answer: the dear good God.]

Backyard Chickens: Stellar Nutrition

From westonaprice.org:
Without a doubt, fresh, pastured eggs are superior in taste and nutrition to conventionally raised commercially available varieties. Eggs have been a highly valued foods since the beginning of time—eggs from chickens, ducks, geese, turtles and fish. Egg yolks are the richest source of two superstar carotenoids—lutein and zeaxanthin. . Not only are bright yellow yolks loaded with these fat-soluble antioxidant nutrients, they are more bioavailable than those found in vegetables, corn and most supplements.^2,3 While these nutrients have a reputation of combating macular degeneration^4,5 and cataracts⁶ and supporting overall healthy vision, they have a long list of other benefits, including protecting the skin from sun damage⁷ and even reducing one’s risk of colon⁸ and breast cancer.⁹
Besides providing all eight essential proteinbuilding amino acids, a large whole, fresh egg offers about six to seven grams of protein and five grams of fat (with about 1.5 grams of it saturated), which comes in handy to help in the absorption of all the egg’s fat-soluble vitamins. One egg also serves up around 200 milligrams of brain-loving cholesterol and contains the valuable vitamins A, K, E, D, B-complex and minerals iron, phosphorus, potassium and calcium.¹⁰ Choline, another egg-nutrient, is a fatty substance found in every living cell and is a major component of our brain. Additionally, choline helps break up cholesterol deposits by preventing fat and cholesterol from sticking to the arteries.^10,14 So the bottom line is, don’t be chicken about eating eggs, especially the cholesterol-rich yolks!
Compared to the generic supermarket variety, eggs from pastured poultry are a vivid yellow-orange—proof of a richer store of healthenhancing carotenes (more specifically xanthophylls, a natural yellow-orange pigment in green plants and yellow corn).^11,12 The more carotenes, the darker, deeper orange color the yolk—and the higher the levels of fat-soluble vitamins as well. Expect to find the richest orange colors in the spring, when grass is fresh and bugs are plentiful. Color also fades as the egg ages. Bear in mind, variations will be seen in these differences due to the breed and age of chickens, their diet (grass, insects, and feed) and the season.
When left to their own scavenger instincts, being the omnivores they are, chickens eat bugs, worms (and even snakes if given the opportunity), grasses and nutritious herbs such as plantain leaves and wilted nettle—both of which boost egg production and yolk hue. While these feathered friends will eat the grain and pellets left in the feed trough, it certainly isn’t their ideal food. Remember, chickens are omnivores, not vegetarians as many people assume, meaning they are designed to consume foods from both animal and plant sources. Subjecting chickens to a strictly vegetarian diet prevents them from achieving their ideal health by denying them the nutrients found through scavenging around the farm, barnyard and pasture.
Compared to eggs from conventionallyraised, caged hens, eggs produced by free-roaming and pasture-pecking chickens have more omega-3 fatty acids, vitamin E and vitamin A,¹² along with notably higher amounts of folic acid and vitamin B₁₂.¹³ Direct sunlight also acts as a nutrient and naturally boosts egg production.¹⁴ So get your girls out of doors as much as possible!

Epsom salt, Magnesium, Diabetes

(I don't know where I got this from)
When I found out from my doctor, that I was a diabetic, he recommended increasing the magnesium in my diet. I worked wonders. I still do suffer from diabetic leg pains and severe swelling in my feet, but a good soak in warm epsom salts cures that very quickly. I used the foot bath every evening.

Want magnesium in your diet? try these:
1. Buckwheat
2. boiled Spinach
3. soy beans (only if well fermented)
4. Miso soup
5. Avocado

Epsom salts is also great for conditioning and for taking off "gunk" from your hair. It leaves it silky soft, and easy to style. I found out by mistake. I soak often in Epsom salts in the tub and washed my hair in the water one night. I repeat it now often on purpose!!!

While I was battling major acne, my esthetician told me to mix epsom salts with warm water in my hand, then apply as a mask to my face and then apply a layer of zinc oxide. The salts draw out impurities and the zinc oxide is antibacterial. If my face gets dry, then I use less or no zinc oxide. Leave it on at least 30 minutes, but you can leave it on over night (use pillow cases that you don't mind staining with the zinc). You can do this every night. It truly works on my skin.

Health Benefits of Going Barefoot

by www.SixWise.com

"Set your feet free and your mind will follow." So goes the logo on the Society for Barefoot Living homepage. Why, you may be wondering, is there a society devoted just to people who love to live barefoot? If you ask the barefooters of the world, chances are the first thing they'll say is that it just feels great.
"We enjoy walking barefoot as nature intended, taking delight in feeling the many textures the world has to offer -- " says the Society.Not convinced that you're ready to throw your shoes away just yet? Well, going barefoot doesn't just feel good--it's really proven to be good for you! Here are some reasons why:
Say Goodbye to Troubled Feet
The introduction of the now out-of-print book "Take Off Your Shoes and Walk" by Simon J. Wikler D.S.C., states that, " -- Practically all shoes worn daily by men and women in our Western civilization have little relation to the shape of the human foot -- Most adults' foot trouble would either not exist or would be much less bothersome if properly-shaped shoes had been worn during childhood or, better yet, if those people had gone barefoot -- "
The book details a bit about the history of foot trouble, only to reveal that:

• There is no record of foot troubles in Biblical times comparable to modern foot ills.
  
• The seeds of foot trouble were first sown in the Renaissance.
  
• The introduction of the elevated heel and the pointed toe marked the beginning of modern foot disabilities.

The book also describes a study performed from 1957-1960 that examined whether a mother's objections to letting her child walk barefoot influenced the health of the child's feet. It was found that children who were allowed to go barefoot often had:

• Less deformed toes
  
• Greater flexor strength
  
• More ability to spread the toes
  
• Denser muscles on the bottom of the feet
  
• Greater agility than those who had never gone barefoot
  
• A wider range of hip circumduction and more flexibility of the gluteal and hamstring muscles, which gave them more ability to touch their toes when their knees were held stiff

Keep Your Feet From Getting Lazy
"Shoes often protect the feet so much that certain foot muscles get lazy because they're not being used," said James DeMarco, running coach and sports store owner.
That's why more people than you'd think have taken to running in bare feet. Marathon runners from Kenya do it all the time, but in the United States you're most likely to see a barefoot runner on the beach. Still, there are those who venture to other areas like grassy fields and even hiking trails.
If you're thinking that running barefoot sounds strange, consider the findings of Michael Warburton, a physical therapist in Australia. In a 2001 research paper he wrote that running barefoot decreases the likelihood of ankle sprains and chronic injuries, such as plantar fasciitis. And, wearing shoes actually increases the risk of sprains because they make runners unaware of the foot's position.
It's not as far-fetched as it may sound -- Nike has just released the Nike Free, a "shoe that lets your foot run free on any surface." It's designed to mimic the effects of running barefoot. According to Nike, "Studies show that barefoot training leads to stronger feet, that stronger feet lead to a stronger body, and that natural movement enhances agility."
Fight Varicose Veins
Going barefoot can actually help prevent vein problems. Why? The motion you get from your unrestricted foot helps the leg muscles pump blood back to the heart. The motion may not be as effective if your foot is confined in a shoe.

It's Just More RelaxingGoing barefoot really puts you in a different sort of mindset, and is usually only reserved for those special, relaxing moments.
Think about when you tend to go barefoot -- at the beach, at home on the carpet, walking on cool grass in the summer, -- and you'll get an idea of what we mean. Exercises geared toward strengthening the body and relaxing the mind (yoga, tai chi, martial arts) are also typically practiced barefoot.
"Maybe the whole world secretly understands that free feet produce a different, more philosophical, relaxed, and unbusinesslike mindset. Without shoes, our ambitions would fade away, wolfish trade practices seem too much trouble, international frictions look foolish. Armies would curl up to take a nap. Nobody would get any serious work done," wrote Barbara Holland inEndangered Pleasures. Or maybe we should all take our shoes off next time we're at work, and see just how stress-free we become?

Cleaner mouths lead to healthier hearts

from William Campbell Douglass II, M.D.:


when it comes to heart health, what you eat is about 50 times more important than how often you brush.

But since we're talking teeth, let me answer a question I get all the time: "Doc, how can I keep my mouth clean when you keep telling me to avoid the dentist?"

Easy -- just forget everything you've been told about dental care. Take anything in your house with fluoride in it -- toothpaste, mouthwash, all of it -- and toss it in the trash. Don't save it, don't set it aside and don't put it in the guest bathroom (unless you hate your guests).

All you need is a little baking soda and some plain old 3 percent hydrogen peroxide. Combine a little of each to make a paste, then gently rub it into your teeth and gums after meals. Don't even bother with a toothbrush. Then, rinse with some of that peroxide (just don't swallow it).

Skip anything with sugar, and you may never need to see a dentist again.

And believe me, the less time you spend with those radiation-happy, fluoride-pushing, mercury-peddling bone bruisers, the better.