Naturopathic doctor in Toronto.

Does Wheatgrass Contain Gluten? | eHow.com

2011-03-16T13:58:00.000-04:00

Does Wheatgrass Contain Gluten? | eHow.com

Reduce Grains and Sugar to Lose Weight

2011-03-03T13:05:00.001-05:00

For several million years, humans existed on a diet of animals and vegetation. It was only with the advent of agriculture a mere 10,000 years ago -- a fraction of a second in evolutionary time -- that humans began ingesting large amounts of sugar and starch in the form of grains (and potatoes) into their diets. Indeed, 99.99% of our genes were formed before the advent of agriculture; in biological terms, our bodies are still those of hunter-gatherers.

While the human shift to agriculture produced indisputable gains for man -- modern civilization is based on this epoch -- societies where the transition from a primarily meat/vegetation diet to one high in cereals show a reduced lifespan and stature, increases in infant mortality and infectious disease, and higher nutritional deficiencies.

Contemporary humans have not suddenly evolved mechanisms to incorporate the high carbohydrates from starch- and sugar-rich foods into their diet. In short, we are consuming far too much bread, cereal, pasta, corn (a grain, not a vegetable), rice, potatoes and Little Debbie snack cakes, with very grave consequences to our health. Making matters worse, most of these carbohydrates we consume come in the form of processed food.

That 65% of Americans are overweight, and 27% clinically obese, in a nation addicted to sesame seed buns for that hamburger, with a side of French fries and a Coke, is no coincidence. It is not the fat in the foods we eat but, far more, the excess carbohydrates from our starch- and sugar-loaded diet that is making people fat and unhealthy, and leading to epidemic levels of a host of diseases such as diabetes.

If you are experiencing any of the following symptoms, chances are very good that the excess carbohydrates in your body are, in part or whole, to blame:

Excess weight
Fatigue and frequent sleepiness
Depression
Brain fogginess
Bloating
Low blood sugar
High blood pressure
High triglycerides

We all need a certain amount of carbohydrates, of course, but, through our addiction to grains, potatoes, sweets and other starchy and sugary foods, we are consuming far too many. The body's storage capacity for carbohydrates is quite limited, though, so here's what happens to all the excess: they are converted, via insulin, into fat and stored in the adipose, or fatty, tissue.

Any meal or snack high in carbohydrates generates a rapid rise in blood glucose. To adjust for this rise, the pancreas secretes the hormone insulin into the bloodstream, which lowers the glucose. Insulin is, though, essentially a storage hormone, evolved over those millions of years of humans prior to the agricultural age, to store the excess calories from carbohydrates in the form of fat in case of famine.

Insulin, stimulated by the excess carbohydrates in our overabundant consumption of grains, starches and sweets, is responsible for all those bulging stomachs and fat rolls in thighs and chins.

Even worse, high insulin levels suppress two other important hormones -- glucagons and growth hormones -- that are responsible for burning fat and sugar and promoting muscle development, respectively. So insulin from excess carbohydrates promotes fat, and then wards off the body's ability to lose that fat.

Excess weight and obesity lead to heart disease and a wide variety of other diseases. But the ill effect of grains and sugars does not end there. They suppress the immune system, contributing to allergies, and they are responsible for a host of digestive disorders. They contribute to depression, and their excess consumption is, in fact, associated with many of the chronic diseases in our nation, such as cancer and diabetes.

The bottom line is this: Americans need to reduce their intake of grains, including corn-based foods, and all sweets and potatoes, dramatically.

Reference:
This was taken from a newsletter article by Dr. Mercola. See full article here

How to get rid of acne, pimples and other skin problems..

2011-02-16T03:42:00.000-05:00

This week on the UltraWellness blog, Mark Hyman, M.D. explains how to eliminate acne, pimples and other skin problems and debunks the common myth that your diet has nothing to do with those problems. For a more detailed look at this subject, please see the full text at http://www.ultrawellness.com/blog

The Canadian Naturopathic Foundation

2011-02-15T16:28:00.003-05:00

Website Launch – ExploreYourHealth.ca

Innovative website will further educate Canadians about naturopathic medicine and NDs

The Canadian Naturopathic Foundation and the Canadian Association of Naturopathic Doctors are pleased to announce the launch of www.ExploreYourHealth.ca!

As part of a joint communications plan, the CNF and CAND have been working together to develop a one-stop source for natural/naturopathic health information and guidance for the public. With this dynamic and user-friendly site, our goal is to educate the public about naturopathic approaches to health promotion and disease prevention and treatment, advance naturopathic research and increase awareness of naturopathic medicine.

ExploreYourHealth.ca currently hosts articles in the following categories: Health Tips for Your Family, Your Healthy Weight, Dealing with Diabetes, Having a Healthy Heart, Compassionate Cancer Care and Maintaining Mental Health. Our Ask an ND section “What’s Up Doc?” answers various questions about naturopathic medicine and the naturopathic profession with streaming video.

Information on the history of the CNF and the naturopathic profession as well as naturopathic training, the accredited schools and naturopathic principles will help to educate the public on the extensive training and expertise of naturopathic doctors. Visitors to ExploreYourHealth.ca can search for a naturopathic doctor in their area via the Find An ND tool on the CAND website (www.cand.ca).

The Canadian Naturopathic Foundation

CHOLESTEROL DRUGS CAN CAUSE MEMORY LOSS Why Statins are Bad for the Brain

2011-02-11T17:46:00.002-05:00

by Julian Whitaker, M.D.

A retired professor of business law and computer science who was taking Zocor to lower his cholesterol was diagnosed with rapidly progressing probable Alzheimer’s disease. It got to the point that he had trouble carrying on conversations and recognizing people he’d known for 20 years, and long-term care was looming. After hearing about the association between statins and memory loss, he stopped taking Zocor, and over the next few months his cognitive function returned to normal.

A successful 50-year-old business owner started taking Lipitor in 1998. Within three years he was wracked with pain and weakness, and his memory and concentration were so poor that he was forced to close his business. Although he’s improved somewhat since getting off Lipitor, he continues to have severe cognitive problems.

Seeing split wood scattered all over her porch, strange footprints in the snow, and a plate of partially eaten food in her kitchen, a 69-year-old woman became convinced that someone had broken into her house. The next day, she realized that the footprints were hers—but she had absolutely no memory of what happened. After stroke, blood clots, and other causes were ruled out in the ER a few days later, she was told she had experienced temporary loss of memory, or transient global amnesia (TGA), of unknown origin. She had started taking Lipitor four months before.

A woman reports, “My husband has been on Lipitor for years, and I/we have noticed that more and more his memory and focus have been impaired. We are told that there is no such evidence that Lipitor could cause this. I have watched my husband change from a Harvard Business School graduate who could accomplish more in four hours than most could in four days to someone who has already had a TGA attack and, in the two years since, has become more forgetful, unable to complete tasks, loses track of time...”

Statins’ Second-Most Common Side Effect
These are not isolated incidents. After muscle pain and weakness, cognitive problems are the second-most common side effect of Lipitor, Zocor, Pravachol, Mevacor, and other cholesterol-lowering statin drugs. Hundreds of cases of statin-induced memory loss and TGA have been reported to MedWatch, the FDA’s system for filing adverse drug events. And these are just the tip of the iceberg.

That’s because people taking these drugs—more than 12 million in the United States—who develop memory problems are unlikely to put the two together. They aren’t warned sufficiently on drug labels or inserts about this adverse effect, nor do they hear about it in TV, newspaper, and magazine ads. Doctors aren’t telling them about it either, largely because they don’t know about it themselves.

Doctors: Don’t Know, Don’t Tell
Take Lipitor, for example, the best-selling drug in the United States. The Physicians’ Desk Reference includes reasonable mentions of the potential for liver toxicity, muscle aches, and weakness. However, nowhere does it allude to Lipitor’s cognitive side effects other than a one-word mention of “amnesia” in a long list of things purported to have occurred in less than two percent of patients. And in the clinical studies on the drugs—virtually all of which are funded by drug companies—benefits are emphasized while adverse effects are downplayed. To make matters worse, government and cardiology “opinion leaders” are so conflicted by drug money that they ignore the obvious red flags.

Without this awareness, physicians and patients alike are much more likely to attribute declining memory or blackout spells to dementia, stroke, or just old age than to cholesterol-lowering drugs. In fact, if a patient complains about memory problems related to the drugs, the doctor will almost always discount it.

But the word is getting out, thanks to people like former astronaut Duane Graveline, MD, MPH, and researcher Beatrice Golomb, MD, PhD.

Lipitor Caused Complete Amnesia
In 1999, Dr. Graveline was put on Lipitor to lower his moderately elevated cholesterol. Six weeks later, his wife found him wandering around their driveway, unable to recognize her, or his surroundings. She managed to get him to his doctor, who was perplexed by this episode of severe memory loss, which passed after a few hours. Dr. Graveline, who was in excellent health, had a hunch that Lipitor was involved because he had just started taking it, and it was the only drug he was on. His doctor disregarded his concerns and, a year later, talked him into getting back on the drug. Sure enough, he had another episode of TGA, this one lasting 12 hours.

Despite his physician’s naysaying, Dr. Graveline was convinced that Lipitor had caused his problems. When he came across the Statin Effects Study, headed by Dr. Golomb of the University of California, San Diego, he was vindicated. Since 2000, Dr. Golomb has been gathering case reports of patients who have had changes in thinking, mood, and behavior while on statin drugs.

I recently interviewed Dr. Golomb on my radio show, and she told me that while physicians might not make the association between memory problems and statin drug use—or take the time to report adverse events—patients trying to get to the bottom of their problems have a vested interest in doing so. So far, she has received more than 4,000 reports of cognitive dysfunction—some of them so severe they were diagnosed as rapidly progressing Alzheimer’s disease.

Once Dr. Graveline made his experience public, he, too, was inundated with reports of statin-related amnesia, forgetfulness, disorientation, and other memory problems. His Web site, spacedoc.net, and message board contain nearly 10,000 accounts of statin damage, plus a plethora of information on the adverse effects of these drugs.

How Statins Harm the Brain
When you really think about it, it’s obvious that these drugs would adversely affect cognition. Your brain contains an abundance of cholesterol, much of it in the myelin sheaths that insulate the neurons and speed up nerve conduction. Recent research reveals that cholesterol is also required for the formation of synapses, the areas between neurons where nerve impulses are transmitted and received. In fact, cholesterol is so important that it is manufactured by the glial cells in the supportive tissues of the brain.

Curbing synthesis of such a crucial compound has an inevitable downside. Suicide and violent behavior have long been linked to very low cholesterol levels. Now, data from the ongoing Framingham Heart Study demonstrates that older people with low total cholesterol (under 200) are much more likely to perform poorly on tests of mental function than those with high cholesterol (over 240).

These drugs harm the brain in other ways as well. As you may know, the enzyme pathway that statins disrupt in order to suppress cholesterol production is also involved in the synthesis of coenzyme Q10, which is required for energy production in the mitochondria of the cells. When you block that enzyme, cholesterol goes down, but so does CoQ10—by as much as 50 percent in some patients!

Low CoQ10 Levels = Bad News
The brain, heart, and skeletal muscles are the body’s most voracious consumers of energy, and it’s only natural that these are the systems most acutely affected by inadequate stores of CoQ10. Deficiencies in this essential compound are known to underlie the muscle problems and heart failure so often linked with statins. It’s high time we recognize that CoQ10 depletion is also a factor in cognitive dysfunction and other neurological consequences of these drugs.

Statins also appear to adversely affect tau, a protein made by brain cells that helps maintain their structure. Abnormal tau proteins promote the formation of the neurofibrillary tangles that appear in the brains of patients with Alzheimer’s disease. Abnormalities in tau proteins are also linked to other neurodegenerative disorders, including Parkinson’s disease and amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS, or Lou Gehrig’s disease). Among the thousands of patient stories Dr. Graveline has amassed are a disturbing number with these and other serious neurological problems. He, I, and others believe the link with cholesterol-lowering drugs is clear and unequivocal.

More Reasons Not to Take Statins
Besides their serious side effects—cognitive problems, muscle pain and weakness, fatigue, liver damage, and even heart failure—these drugs are just not all that helpful. Yes, they lower cholesterol, but lowering cholesterol should not be an end in itself; rather, it should be a means of reducing risk of heart attack and death from heart disease. In this regard, statins fail miserably.

Not a single study shows that statins are beneficial for women. Not one! The largest randomized clinical trial of statins in women found that those who took Lipitor actually had 10 percent more heart attacks than women taking a placebo. Nor is there any research suggesting that these drugs prevent heart attacks or extend life for anyone over age 70—women or men—including those at high risk of heart disease.

The same goes for younger men who have a high cholesterol level but no other significant risk factors for heart disease—statins just don’t help. In fact, potential cardiovascular benefits are counterbalanced by equivalent increases in death and debility from other causes. Yet millions of low-risk men, older men, and women of all ages take these drugs daily.

The only people ever shown in clinical studies to benefit at all from these drugs are middle-aged men at high risk of heart attack (high risk being defined as having existing coronary artery disease, diabetes, disease of the blood vessels to the brain or extremities, or two or more risk factors, such as hypertension and smoking). But even for this group, there are far safer and more effective ways to lower risk than these very dangerous drugs.

Recommendations:

If you are taking a cholesterol-lowering statin drug, discuss this information with your physician—or find one who is willing to by visiting acam.org or calling (888) 439-6891. To schedule an appointment at the Whitaker Wellness Institute, call (800) 488-1500 or visit whitakerwellness.com.
I highly recommend Dr. Graveline’s books, Lipitor, Thief of Memory, available at amazon.com, and Statin Drugs Side Effects, sold at spacedoc.net. To order CDs of my interviews with Dr. Golomb and Dr. Graveline, visit healthytalkradio.com.
If you or someone you know has had an adverse reaction to a statin drug, report it on statineffects.com and spacedoc.net.
To learn more about safe, natural therapies for preventing and treating heart disease, read Reversing Heart Disease, available at (800) 810-6655, or visit the Subscriber Center at drwhitaker.com.
References

Elias PK et al. Serum cholesterol and cognitive performance in the Framingham Heart Study. Psychosom Med. 2005 Jan-Feb;67(1):24–30.
Golomb BA. Impact of statin adverse events in the elderly. Expert Opin Drug Saf. 2005;4(3):389–397.
Muldoon MF et al. Randomized trial of the effects of simvastatin on cognitive functioning in hypercholesterolemic adults. Am J Med. 2004;117(11):823–829.
Pfrieger FW. Role of cholesterol in synapse formation and function. Biochim Biophys Acta. 2003 Mar 10;1610(2):271–280.
Physicians’ Desk Reference, 61st Edition. Montvale, NJ: Thompson PDR; 2007.

Julian Whitaker, MD, has practiced medicine for more than 30 years, after receiving degrees from Dartmouth College and Emory University. In 1979 he founded the Whitaker Wellness Institute, located in Newport Beach, CA. For more information on the clinic, call (800) 488-1500 or visit www.whitakerwellness.com.

Dr. Julian Whitaker is the author of 13 health books, including Reversing Hypertension, The Memory Solution, Shed 10 Years in 10 Weeks, The Pain Relief Breakthrough, Reversing Heart Disease, Reversing Diabetes, and Dr. Whitaker's Guide to Natural Healing.

Dr. Julian Whitaker's Health & Healing¨ (ISSN 1057-9273) is published monthly by Healthy Directions, LLC, 7811 Montrose Road, Potomac, MD 20854-3394, telephone (800) 539-8219, website www.drwhitaker.com.

Cholesterol Is NOT The Cause of Heart Disease

2011-02-11T17:36:00.001-05:00

By Dr Ron Rosedale 28th October 2007

Cholesterol is not the major culprit in heart disease or any disease. If it becomes oxidized it can irritate/inflame tissues in which it is lodged in, such as the endothelium (lining of the arteries). This would be one of numerous causes of chronic inflammation that can injure the lining of arteries. However, many good fats are easily oxidized such as omega-3 fatty acids, but it does not mean that you should avoid it at all costs.

Common sense would indicate that we should avoid the oxidation (rancidity) of cholesterol and fatty acids and not get rid of important life-giving molecules. Using the same conventional medical thinking that is being used for cholesterol would lead one to believe that doctors should reduce the risk of Alzheimer's disease by taking out everybody's brain.

In fact, cholesterol is being transported to tissues as part of an inflammatory response that is there to repair damage.

The fixation on cholesterol as a major cause of heart disease defies the last 15 years of science and deflects from real causes such as the damage (via glycation) that sugars such as glucose and fructose inflict on tissues, including the lining of arteries, causing chronic inflammation and resultant plaque.

Insulin & Leptin Resistance

Hundreds of excellent scientific articles have linked insulin resistance and more recently leptin resistance to cardiovascular disease much more strongly than cholesterol, and they are in fact at least partially responsible for cholesterol abnormalities. For instance, insulin and leptin resistance result in "small dense" LDL particles and a greater number of particles.

This is much more important than the total cholesterol number. Because of particle size shift to small and dense, the total LDL cholesterol could still be low even though the number of particles and the density of the particles is greater. Small, dense LDL particles can squeeze between the cells lining the inside of the arteries, the "gap junction" of the endothelium, where they can get stuck and potentially oxidize, turn rancid, and cause inflammation of the lining of the arteries and plaque formation.

Importantly, many solid scientific studies have shown a mechanistic, causal effect of elevated insulin and leptin on heart and vascular disease, whereas almost all studies with cholesterol misleadingly only show an association. Association does not imply cause. For instance, something else may be causing lipid abnormalities such as elevated cholesterol and triglycerides, and also causing heart disease.

This "something else" is improper insulin and leptin signaling. Similarly, sugar does not cause diabetes; sugar is just listening to orders. Improper insulin and leptin signaling is the cause of diabetes. Likewise, cholesterol does not cause heart disease, but improper metabolic signals including improper signals to cholesterol (causing it to oxidize) and perhaps to the liver that manufactures the cholesterol, will cause heart and vascular disease and hypertension.

Removing cholesterol will do nothing to improve the underlying problems, the real roots of chronic disease, which will always have to do with improper communication, and the generals of metabolic communication are insulin and leptin. They are really what must be treated to reverse heart disease, diabetes, osteoporosis, obesity, and to some extent aging itself.

Cholesterol; Wrongly Accused?

Before we can begin to talk about the real cause and effective treatment for heart and blood vessel disease, we must first look at what is known, or I should say what we think we know. The first thing that comes to mind when one hears about heart disease is almost always cholesterol. Cholesterol and heart disease has been almost synonymous for the last half-century. Cholesterol has been portrayed as the Darth Vader to our arteries and our heart.

The latest recommendation given by a so-called panel of "experts" recommends that a person's cholesterol be as low as possible, in fact to a level so low they say it cannot be achieved by diet, exercise, or any known lifestyle modification. Therefore, they say cholesterol-lowering drugs; particularly the so-called "statins" need to be given to anyone at high risk of heart disease. Since heart disease is the number one killer in this country that would include most adults and even many children. The fact that this might add to the $26 billion in sales of statin drugs last year I'm sure played no role in their recommendations.

Or did it?

Expert Conflict of Interests

Major consumer groups think so. They found out that eight of the nine "experts" that made the recommendations were on the payroll of pharmaceutical companies that manufacture those drugs. Major scientific organizations have chastised medical journals for allowing the pharmaceutical industry to publish misleading results and half-truths. There is a major push under way to force the pharmaceutical industry (and others) to publish results of all of their studies, and not just the ones that appear positive. The studies that showed negative results would be forced to be published also.

It could be that lowering cholesterol might not be as healthy as we are being told. More and more studies are coming out showing just how unhealthy lowering cholesterol might be, particularly by the use of statin drugs. In particular, statin drugs have been shown to be harmful to muscles causing considerable damage. A common symptom of this damage is muscular aches and pains that many patients experience on cholesterol-lowering drugs, however most do not realize that these drugs are to blame.

Hmm...isn't the heart a muscle?

Statin Drugs Actually Increase Heart Disease

Indeed, low cholesterol levels have been shown to worsen patients with congestive heart failure, a life-threatening condition where the heart becomes too weak to effectively pump blood. Statin drugs have been shown to also cause nerve damage and to greatly impair memory. One reason that statin drugs have these various serious side effects is that they work by inhibiting a vital enzyme that manufactures cholesterol in the liver. However, the same enzyme is used to manufacture coenzyme Q10, which is a biochemical needed to transfer energy from food to our cells to be used for the work of staying alive and healthy.

Statin drugs are known to inhibit our very important production of coenzyme Q10. Importantly, while many cardiologists insist that lowering cholesterol is correlated with a reduction in the risk of heart attacks; few can say that there is a reduction in the risk of mortality (death). That has been much harder to show. In other words it has never been conclusively shown that lowering cholesterol saves lives. In fact, several large studies have shown that lowering cholesterol into the range currently recommended is correlated with an increased risk of dying, especially of cancer.

No Such Thing as Good and Bad Cholesterol

Because the correlation of total cholesterol with heart disease is so weak, many years ago a stronger correlation was sought. It was found that there is so-called "good cholesterol" called HDL, and that the so-called "bad cholesterol" was LDL. HDL stands for high-density lipoprotein, and LDL stands for low-density lipoprotein. Notice please that LDL and HDL are lipoproteins -- fats combined with proteins. There is only one cholesterol. There is no such thing as a good or a bad cholesterol. Cholesterol is just cholesterol. It combines with other fats and proteins to be carried through the bloodstream, since fat and our watery blood do not mix very well.

Fatty substances therefore must be shuttled to and from our tissues and cells using proteins. LDL and HDL are forms of proteins and are far from being just cholesterol. In fact we now know there are many types of these fat and protein particles. LDL particles come in many sizes and large LDL particles are not a problem. Only the so-called small dense LDL particles can potentially be a problem, because they can squeeze through the lining of the arteries and if they oxidize, otherwise known as turning rancid, they can cause damage and inflammation. Thus, you might say that there is "good LDL" and "bad LDL." Also, some HDL particles are better than others. Knowing just your total cholesterol tells you very little. Even knowing your LDL and HDL levels do not tell you very much.

A mistake that is rarely made in the hard-core sciences such as physics seems to be frequently made in medicine. This is confusing correlation with cause. There may be a weak correlation of elevated cholesterol with heart attacks, however this does not mean it is the cholesterol that caused the heart attack. Certainly gray hair is correlated with getting older; however one could hardly say that the gray hair caused one to get old. Using hair dye to reduce the gray hair would not really make you any younger. Neither it appears would just lowering your cholesterol.

Perhaps something else is causing both the gray hair and aging. Even if elevated cholesterol were significant and heart disease (which I question) perhaps something else is causing the elevated cholesterol and also causing the heart disease.

Let's look little more at cholesterol or, as Paul Harvey was fond of saying, "the rest of the story." First and foremost, cholesterol is a vital component of every cell membrane on Earth. In other words, there is no life on Earth they can live without cholesterol. They will automatically tell you that, in of itself, it cannot be evil. In fact it is one of our best friends. We would not be here without it. No wonder lowering cholesterol too much increases one's risk of dying. Cholesterol also is a precursor to all of the steroid hormones. You cannot make estrogen, testosterone, cortisone, and a host of other vital hormones without cholesterol.

Cholesterol Is The Hero, Not The Villain.

It was determined many years ago that the majority of cholesterol in your bloodstream comes from what your liver is manufacturing and distributing. The amount of cholesterol that one eats plays little role in determining your cholesterol levels. It is also known that HDL shuttles cholesterol away from tissues, and away from your arteries, back to your liver. That is why HDL is called the "good cholesterol;" because it is supposedly taking cholesterol away from your arteries. But let's think about that.

Why does your liver make sure that you have plenty of cholesterol?
Why is HDL taking cholesterol back to your liver?
Why not take it right to your kidneys, or your intestines to get rid of it?
It is taking it back to your liver so that your liver can recycle it; put it back into other particles to be taken to tissues and cells that need it. Your body is trying to make and conserve the cholesterol for the precise reason that it is so important, indeed vital, for health.

One function of cholesterol is to keep your cell membranes from falling apart. As such, you might consider cholesterol your cells "superglue." It is a necessary ingredient in any sort of cellular repair. The coronary disease associated with heart attacks is now known to be caused from damage to the lining of those arteries. That damage causes inflammation. The coronary disease that causes heart attacks is now considered to be caused mostly from chronic inflammation.

What Is Inflammation?

Think of what happens if you were to cut your hand. Within a fraction of a second, chemicals are released by the damaged tissue to initiate the process known as inflammation. Inflammation will allow that little cut to heal, and indeed to keep you from dying. The cut blood vessels constrict to keep you from bleeding too much. Blood becomes "thicker" so that it can clot. Cells and chemicals from the immune system are alerted to come to the area to keep intruders such as viruses and bacteria from invading the cut. Other cells are told to multiply to repair the damage so that you can heal. When the repair is completed, you have lived to be careless another day, though you may have a small scar to show for your troubles.

We now know that similar events take place within the lining of our arteries. When damage occurs to the lining of our arteries (or even elsewhere) chemicals are released to initiate the process of inflammation. Arteries constrict, blood becomes more prone to clot, white blood cells are called to the area to gobble up damaged debris, and cells adjacent to those damaged are told to multiply. Ultimately, scars form, however inside our arteries we call it plaque. And the constriction of our arteries and the "thickening" of our blood further predisposes us to high blood pressure and heart attacks.

So Where Might Cholesterol Fit Into All Of This?

When damage is occurring and inflammation is being initiated, chemicals are being released so that that damage can be repaired. One could speculate that to replace damaged, old and worn-out cells the liver needs to be notified to either recycle or manufacture cholesterol since no cell, human or otherwise, can be made without it. In this case, cholesterol is being manufactured and distributed in your bloodstream to help you repair damaged tissue and in fact to keep you alive.

If excessive damage is occurring such that it is necessary to distribute extra cholesterol through the bloodstream, it would not seem very wise to merely lower the cholesterol and forget about why it is there in the first place. It would seem much smarter to reduce the extra need for the cholesterol -- the excessive damage that is occurring, the reason for the chronic inflammation.

So Why Take Cholesterol-Lowering Drugs?

The pharmaceutical companies thought that you might think that. They went back to the drawing board. They did more "research" and found (coincidentally) that statin drugs had anti-inflammatory effects. Therefore we're currently being told to stay on our cholesterol-lowering drugs because now they work by reducing inflammation and perhaps not even by reducing cholesterol, and in fact perhaps in spite of it. Aspirin reduces inflammation for a lot less money. So does vitamin E, and fish oil, and dietary changes without the dangers of drugs and having many other benefits instead.

What About Triglycerides?

Triglycerides are just medical terminology for fat. A person with high triglycerides has a lot of fat in the bloodstream. Triglycerides are generally measured when a person has fasted overnight. High fasting triglycerides are either from manufacturing too much, or using (burning) too little. In other words, what high triglycerides are telling you is that you are making too much fat and you are unable to burn it. This indeed is a major problem. The inability to burn fat underlies virtually all of the chronic diseases of aging, and in fact may contribute to the rate of aging itself.

As such, one might think that the control of fat burning and storage might be very important in heart disease, and the other diseases of aging such as diabetes, obesity, osteoporosis, and even cancer. Indeed, this appears to very much be the case. The two hormones that to a major extent control our ability to burn and store fat, insulin and leptin, appear to play a major role in all of the chronic diseases of aging. I would call them the most important hormones, indeed chemicals in the entire body. But that is a story for next time.

Soy Myths Exposed: The Dangers of Soy

2011-02-03T13:39:00.001-05:00

Dr. Joseph Mercola, an expert on natural health, reveals the dangers and side effects of soy based foods and why you should avoid soy infant formulas. For more info about soy safety, visit http://www.mercola.com/article/soy/in...

Homeopathy: Just Good Medicine

2011-02-03T13:31:00.000-05:00

The Importance of Good Digestion

2011-02-03T12:08:00.000-05:00

by Rodger H. Murphree II, D.C., C.N.S.
This article was taken from:
Nutrinews-021 from Douglas Laboratories newsletter, August, 2008.

It’s often been said “you are what you eat.” However a more accurate statement might be you are what you eat, digest, absorb, and assimilate. Food, carbohydrates, fats, and proteins are the body’s building blocks. We need them for our very survival. Carbohydrates are the body’s main source of fuel. Protein is needed for making the essential hormones and enzymes, preserving lean muscle mass, and for tissue repair. Dietary fat provides energy, maintains cell membranes, and helps absorb vitamins A, D, E, K, and carotenoids. The digestion, absorption, and assimilation of the macronutrients, ensures we get adequate amounts of essential micronutrients- enzymes, vitamins, minerals, amino acids, and fatty acids which affect every cell in the body. The health of the digestive system not only determines how well we absorb these essential nutrients, it also functions as the immune system’s first line of defense. Stomach acid provides an important barrier to unwanted bacteria, yeasts, viruses, and parasites that may enter our bodies along with our food. By absorbing and utilizing essential nutrients, removing toxic waste products, and protecting us from harmful pathogens, the health of our digestive system largely determines our overall health.

Digestion

Just thinking about or smelling food can trigger certain chemicals including the hormone gastrin that stimulates the stomach cells. The process of chewing also initiates chemical reactions that prepare the stomach, gallbladder, and pancreas for proper digestion. The esophageal sphincter opens to receive food and then closes to prevent stomach acid or food-stuff from returning back up into the throat.

The Stomach

Food is released into the stomach where the digestive enzymes and gastric juices turn it into a chopped up, liquid mush. The gastric juices contain hydrochloric acid and the enzyme pepsinogen. The hydrochloric acid breaks down the predigested food-stuff and helps turn the enzyme pepsinogen into pepsin, a proteolytic (protein-breaking) enzyme.

The Small Intestine

The small intestine needs an alkaline environment to further breakdown the chyme. Stimulated by the gastric juices, the pancreas releases sodium bicarbonate along with some 22 different digestive enzymes. So far only a few of the proteins and carbohydrates have been broken down, and none of the fats. This is where pancreatic enzymes go to work. The pancreatic enzymes trypsin and chymotrypsin continue to breakdown protein molecules. Amylase further breaks down starches into maltose. And the fat dissolving enzyme lipase begins to digest fats into glycerol and fatty acids.
Peristalsis keeps chyme moving into a part of the small intestine known as the jejunum. This is where most of the absorption takes place. Enzymes embedded in the lining of the small intestine complete the digestion of peptides and maltose into absorbable amino acids and simple sugars, respectively.

The Large Intestine

The remaining food-stuff then moves into the large intestine. Once in the colon several important functions take place including the absorption of water and sodium and with the help of the intestinal flora, the creation and absorption of micronutrients. What’s left of the broken down food particles is formed into stool, which is then voided out during a bowel movement.

So What Can Go Wrong? Achlorhydria

Numerous studies have shown stomach acid secretion declines with advancing age. Some studies have shown that, on average, acid production is significantly decreased in up to 50% of those over the age of 60.
An acidic pH ensures proper absorption of selected micronutrients. Folic acid, vitamin C, beta-carotene, calcium, and the B vitamins, are dependant on ample amounts of hydrochloric acid.
Without adequate gastric secretions, foods (macromolecules – carbohydrates, fats and proteins) may be incompletely digested creating mild to moderate nutritional deficiencies.
Mild, sometimes significant signs of malnourishment may reveal themselves as general fatigue, poor mental clarity, low moods, dry skin, unhealthy nails, poor immune function, and general malaise. And once again, one of the major functions of stomach acid is to initiate the conversion of pepsinogen to the enzyme pepsin. Pepsin is responsible for digesting protein and releasing the all-important amino acids. Without pepsin, large incompletely digested protein fragments may be absorbed into the bloodstream. The absorption of these large molecules may contribute to the development of intestinal permeability.

Intestinal permeability or leaky gut is associated with:

• Rheumatoid arthritis
• Food allergies
• Crohn’s disease
• Eczema
• CFS
• IBS
• Cystic fibrosis
• Chronic hepatitis
• Autoimmune diseases
• Ankylosing spondylitis

Symptoms associated with low gastric acidity (achlorhydria) include bloating, gas, indigestion, heartburn, and distention after eating, diarrhea, and constipation, hair loss in women, parasitic infections, rectal itching, and malaise, multiple food allergies, nausea, or nausea after taking supplements, restless legs, sore or burning tongue, a dry mouth, and believe it or not heartburn or reflux. In fact heartburn may actually be caused by too little stomach acid, instead of too much, at least initially.

Heartburn and Reflux

Estimates report that 40% of the US population has some degree of esophageal reflux, with 20% of adults complaining of weekly episodes of heartburn and 7–10% complaining of daily symptoms. Esophageal reflux occurs when the lower esophageal sphincter malfunctions, allowing the backward flow of acid, bile, and other contents from the stomach into the esophagus.

Conventional treatment of gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD) relies on H2 antagonists (Tagament, Pepcid, Zantac, and Axid) and antacids (Tums, Maalox, etc.) as the first line of treatment. If these fail to work, then proton-pump inhibitor drugs (Nexium, Prevacid, or Prilosec) are initiated. Antacids do relieve the symptoms of heartburn and reflux but may not be appropriate. Acid blocking drugs prevent the stomachs hydrochloric acid from turning the enzyme pepsinogen into pepsin. Stomach acid also helps stimulate the pancreas to release sodium bicarbonate into the small intestine. As you may remember pancreatic enzymes need an alkaline environment to function properly.

Without enough stomach acid to stimulate proper pancreatic enzyme production, further digestion and absorption in the small intestine is compromised and poor health follows.
Some doctors believe that when there’s not enough stomach acid present the esophageal sphincter may not close properly. Increasing, instead of decreasing stomach acid, may be the best way to treat reflux symptoms.

Betaine HCL

Many of my patients with recent onset of heartburn or GERD respond quite favorably after they begin taking betaine HCL with pepsin supplements.
Betaine HCl supplements are a combination of betaine, a vitamin-like substance typically derived from beets, and hydrochloric acid. The digestive enzyme pepsin is usually included in betaine HCl supplements. Some patients may find that taking betaine HCl will actually cause their GERD to become worse. This is especially true of those who’ve been taking acid blocking medications for prolonged periods of time. For patients who have advanced GERD, esophageal erosion or who simply can’t tolerate betaine HCl, pancreatic enzymes are the next best option. In spite of low or no stomach acid (no pepsin), using pancreatic enzyme therapy (note: this is different from the use of pancreatic enzymes being discussed in the accompanying article) helps ensure proper digestion occurs within the small intestine.

Pancreatic Enzymes non-Systemic uses

The two main digestive enzyme supplement products are either plant based or animal based.
Plant based enzymes may be the most active and are probably the most popular enzymes found in natural food supplements. The four most common are protease, lipase, amylase and cellulase. They are usually sourced from Aspergillus oryzae and grown in a laboratory setting.
Plant enzymes work in a very broad pH range, 3.0 to 9.0, offering an advantage over animal derived enzymes (pancreatin).
Plant enzymes work in both the stomach and intestines. Pancreatic enzymes, whether produced by the body or provided as a dietary supplement, work in the small intestine only. Taken with a meal plant based digestive enzymes begin to work rather quickly within the stomach. By breaking down food within the stomach, they save the body from having to release as many of its own enzymes. This energy saving step allows the body to devote more of its attention to supplying metabolic enzymes, required by numerous bodily processes.

Animal based pancreatic enzymes are primarily derived from bovine or porcine pancreatic extracts. Lipase may be obtained from microbial sources including Aspergillus niger and Asperillus oryzae. Chymotrypsin and trypsin are crystallized from either bovine or porcine pancreas extract. Pancrelipase, similar to pancreatin but containing more lipase, is obtained from porcine pancreas extracts. Pancreatin may be obtained from either porcine or bovine pancreas sources.

Accodring to the US Pharmacopia guidelines pancreatic digestive enzyme supplements typically contain chymotrypsin, rypsin, pancrelipase, and pancreatin (containing proteolytic, amylolytic, lipolytic properties).

Digestive enzyme supplements help digest our food, reducing pancreatic stress.
Pancreatic enzymes may become deficient for a variety of reasons including age and poor dietary habits, (excess sugar, deficient essential fatty acids, trans-fatty acids, overeating, etc.).

Normally the enzymes in raw foods, fruits, vegetables, raw sprouted grains, seeds, nuts, and unpasteurized dairy products, help start the process of digestion and reduce the body’s need to produce digestive enzymes. However today’s diet relies more on processed foods and is largely devoid of enzyme rich fruits and vegetables. In today’s fast paced, fast food society, our diets can actually deplete our own natural digestive enzymes. And the more pancreatic digestive enzymes required for digestion, the fewer enzymes it can create for vital metabolic functions.
And cooking our foods doesn’t help either - all enzymes are deactivated at a liquid temperature of 118 degrees Fahrenheit, and a dry-heat temperature of about 150 degrees.

It’s no wonder estimates now show that after the age of 40 our body’s ability to produce enzymes drops by a minimum of 20-30%.

This is why I recommend patients hedge their bets (even if they’re not having digestive problems) and take digestive enzymes on a daily basis.
Supplementing with digestive enzymes may provide positive results for anyone suffering with digestive disorders. And for those with chronic health problems or over 40 years of age, adding one or more of the digestive enzyme supplements mentioned above may yield an assortment of health enhancing benefits.
The intricate steps of the digestive system can be compared to a jigsaw puzzle - each piece of the puzzle needs to fit precisely within the next piece to create a whole. One missing piece and the whole system is affected.

Digestive Enzymes: A Glossary

• alpha-chymotrypsin – an animal-derived enzyme, breaks down proteins.
• alpha-glactosidase – facilitates digestion of beans, legumes, seeds, roots, and soy products.
• amylase – breaks down carbohydrates, starches, and sugars which are prevalent in potatoes, fruits, and vegetables.
• betaine HCL – increases the hydrochloric acid content of the upper digestive system; activates the protein digesting enzyme pepsin in the stomach.
• bromelain – derived from pineapple, breaks down a broad spectrum of proteins, has anti-inflammatory properties, effective over very wide pH range.
• glucoamylase – breaks down starch to glucose.
• invertase – breaks down sucrose (table sugar).
• lactase – breaks down lactose (milk sugars).
• lipase – breaks down fats found in most dairy products, nuts, oils, and meat.
• maltase – digests disaccharides to monosaccharides (malt sugars).
• pancreatin – an animal-derived enzyme, breaks down protein and fats.
• pancrelipase – an animal-derived enzyme, breaks down protein, fats, and carbohydrates.
• papain – derived from raw papaya, broad range of substrates and pH, works well breaking down small and large proteins.
• pepsin – breaks down proteins into peptides.
• peptidase – breaks down small peptide proteins to amino acids.
• protease – breaks down proteins found in meats, nuts, eggs, and cheese.
• sucrase – digests complex sugars and starches.
• trypsin – derived from animal pancreas, breaks down proteins.

References

Murray, Michael T. N.D: Stomach Ailments and Digestive Disturbances. Prima Publishing, Rocklin, CA.
Young DG. A stain for demonstrating Helicobacter pylori in gastric biopsies. Biotech Histochem 2001 Jan;76(1):31-4.
Jonathan Wright, MD, The Digestive Theory of Aging, Part I, http://www.tahoma-clinic.com.
Krasinski SD, Russell RM, Samloff IM, Jacob RA, Dallal GE, McGandy RB, Hartz SC. Fundic atrophic gastritis in an elderly population. Effect on hemoglobin and several serum nutritional indicators. J Am Geriatr Soc. 1986 Nov;34(11):800-6.
Grossman MI, Kirsner JB, Gillespie IE. Basal and histalog-stimulated gastric secretion in control subjects and in patients with peptic ulcer or gastric cancer. Gastroenterology 1963;45:15-26.
Sharp GS, Fister HW. The diagnosis and treatment of achlorhydria: ten-year study. J Amer Ger Soc 1967;15:786-791.
Rafsky HA, Weingarten M. A study of secretory response in the aged. Gastroent 1946; May:348-352.

Homeopathic Medicine - Extraordinary Medicine

2011-01-14T22:32:00.002-05:00

Extraordinary Medicine

Exercise does not BURN FAT!

2010-07-21T17:03:00.000-04:00

True way to lose weight. Only other recommendation is to choose healthy fats and include more fruits. Real fruits will compromise your weight loss too much and they are full of health benefits.

Tips for Getting Rid of a Caffeine Headache

2010-07-10T23:03:00.000-04:00

Tips for Getting Rid of a Caffeine Headache

Best Way - How to Remove Caffeine From Whole Coffee Beans | eHow.com

2010-07-10T22:57:00.000-04:00

Best Way - How to Remove Caffeine From Whole Coffee Beans | eHow.com

How to Minimize Green Tea Caffeine: 7 steps (with pictures) - wikiHow

2010-07-10T22:55:00.001-04:00

How to Minimize Green Tea Caffeine: 7 steps (with pictures) - wikiHow

Bowen Technique Foundation Treatment

2010-06-30T14:22:00.002-04:00

Bowen Therapy or Bowen Technique is a gentle yet powerful, non-intrusive therapy for treating back pain, migraine, stress, neck & shoulder conditions and many more...

Bowen Technique - A Foundation Treatment

2010-06-30T14:17:00.002-04:00

Bowen Therapy or Bowen Technique: a gentle, powerful, non-intrusive therapy for treating back pain, migraine, stress, frozen shoulder and much more

An introduction to the Bowen Technique

2010-06-30T14:11:00.001-04:00

Extract from the 2 DVD set "Applying the Bowen Technique", produced in association with the Bowen Therapy Academy of Australia, presented by John Wilks, a Bowen teacher for ten years, and filmed by a former BBC film-maker. These are not for training, but rather aim to help Bowen therapists and students apply their skills. They include a short film introducing Bowen, tests and techniques for assessing clients and then a series of real life case studies.

Bowen Technique John Wilks Pt3

2010-06-30T14:07:00.001-04:00

Bowen Technique demonstrated by John Wilks Part 3

Bowen Technique John Wilks Pt1

2010-06-30T14:00:00.002-04:00

Bowen Technique demonstrated by John Wilks Part 1

Bowen Technique John Wilks Pt2

2010-06-30T13:59:00.002-04:00

Bowen Technique demonstrated by John Wilks Part 2

The Diabesity Epidemic Part III: Treating the REAL Causes Instead of the...

2010-06-29T14:02:00.002-04:00

Think there is no way to cure diabetes? Think again! In this weeks UltraWellness blog, Dr. Mark Hyman explains how rebalance the 7 key systems in your body can help you rebalance your insulin levels and resolve your health problems.

The Diabesity Epidemic Part 2: Why Conventional Medicine Actually Makes ...

2010-06-29T13:55:00.000-04:00

Like most of us, you have likely been taught that type 2 diabetes is a result of too much blood sugar and too little insulin. In this weeks UltraWellness blog, Dr. Mark Hyman shatters that myth and explains what the real causes for diabesity are.

The Diabesity Epidemic Part 1: How Diabetes and Obesity are Ravaging Ame...

2010-06-29T13:48:00.003-04:00

Do you suffer from type 2 diabetes? Are you overweight, exhausted, and feeling 20 years older than you actually are as a result? Are you tired of measuring your blood sugar and taking medication all the time? You may not believe diabetes is reversible, but in todays UltraWellness blog Dr. Mark Hyman is going to explain how you can reverse it using a comprehensive diet and lifestyle program.

How to Make Mayonnaise by Gordon Ramsay

2010-06-25T02:46:00.002-04:00

Basic Techniques Series Lesson 3: Cooking Beans

2010-06-25T02:35:00.001-04:00

How to Make Stuffed Peppers - Beef and Rice Stuffed Peppers Recipe

2010-06-25T02:32:00.002-04:00

How to Make Beef Stock - Classic Beef Stock Recipe

2010-06-25T02:23:00.002-04:00

Splenda (sucralose)

2010-06-25T01:43:00.006-04:00

This article was found on UltrashotOne blog, written by Wayne McClure http://ultrashotone.com/2010/02/06/290/
James Turner, the chairman of the national consumer education group Citizens for Health, has expressed shock and outrage after reading a new report from scientists outlining the dangers of the artificial sweetener Splenda (sucralose).

In animals examined for the study, Splenda reduced the amount of good bacteria in the intestines by 50 percent, increased the pH level in the intestines, contributed to increases in body weight and affected P-glycoprotein (P-gp) levels in such a way that crucial health-related drugs could be rejected.

The P-gp effect could result in medications used in chemotherapy, AIDS treatment and treatments for heart conditions being shunted back into the intestines, rather than being absorbed by the body.

According to Turner, “The report makes it clear that the artificial sweetener Splenda and its key component sucralose pose a threat to the people who consume the product. Hundreds of consumers have complained to us about side effects from using Splenda and this study … confirms that the chemicals in the little yellow package should carry a big red warning label.”

Splenda was approved by the FDA in 1998 as a tabletop sweetener and for use in products such as baked goods, nonalcoholic beverages, chewing gum, frozen dairy desserts, fruit juices, and gelatins. Sucralose is also permitted as a general-purpose sweetener for all processed foods.

The approval was given after the FDA supposedly reviewed more than 110 animal and human safety studies, but as you’ll soon find out, out of these 110 studies, only two were human studies, and the longest one was conducted for four days!

There’s overwhelming evidence that consuming artificial sweeteners will likely wreak havoc on your body. Previous news has centered mainly around artificial sweeteners’ ability to impair your appetite regulation and leading to weight gain.

For example, it’s been discovered that diet soda increases your risk of metabolic syndrome and, ultimately, heart disease.

However, the study mentioned above, published in the Journal of Toxicology and Environmental Health, found even further disturbing news besides weight gain. Splenda:

reduces the amount of good bacteria in your intestines by 50 percent
increases the pH level in your intestines, and
affects a glycoprotein in your body that can have crucial health effects, particularly if you’re on certain medications
They also found unmistakable evidence that Splenda is absorbed by fat, contrary to previous claims.

It’s truly disturbing that Splenda can destroy up to 50 percent of your healthy intestinal bacteria, as these bacteria help maintain your body’s overall balance of friendly versus unfriendly micro-organisms, and support your general health. Many people are already deficient in healthy bacteria due to choosing highly processed foods. This is why a high quality pro-biotic is one of the very few supplements I highly recommend for nearly everyone.

The Diet Fallacy

The belief that consuming artificially sweetened foods and drinks will help you to lose or maintain weight is a carefully orchestrated deception. So if you are still opting for diet choices for this reason, please understand that you have been sorely misled.

In reality, these diet foods and drinks can cause serious distortions in your biochemistry and ruin your body’s ability to control calories. As a matter of fact, it’s been shown that diet soft drinks can double your risk of obesity!

Nearly a decade ago, studies were already revealing that artificial sweeteners can:

Stimulate your appetite
Increase carbohydrate cravings
Stimulate fat storage and weight gain
Unfortunately, most public health agencies and nutritionists in the United States still recommend these toxic artificial sweeteners as an acceptable alternative to sugar.

Now, I am definitely not a fan of sugar, but if I had to choose between sugar and any artificial sweetener, I would choose sugar, hands down, without question. I strongly believe artificial sweeteners are even more dangerous to your health than an excess of sugar.

The Health Dangers of Splenda

According to James Turner, the chairman of the national consumer education group Citizens for Health:

“This report followed accepted policies and procedures and the results make clear the potential for disturbing side effects from the ingestion of Splenda.

It is like putting a pesticide in your body. And this is at levels of intake erroneously approved by the Food and Drug Administration.

A person eating two slices of cake and drinking two cups of coffee containing Splenda would ingest enough sucralose to affect the P-glycoprotein, while consuming just seven little Splenda packages reduces good bacteria.”

The web site www.truthaboutsplenda.com lists a variety of consumer complaints from Splenda consumption, such as:

Gastrointestinal problems
Migraines
Seizures
Dizziness
Blurred vision
Allergic reactions
Blood sugar increases
Weight gain
The symptoms are so numerous I can’t include them all here, but the following are common symptoms, usually noticed within a 24-hour period following consumption of Splenda products:

Skin – Redness, itching, swelling, blistering, weeping, crusting, rash, eruptions, or hives (itchy bumps or welts). These are the most common allergic symptoms that people have.
Lungs – Wheezing, tightness, cough, or shortness of breath.
Head – Swelling of the face, eyelids, lips, tongue, or throat; headaches and migraines (severe headaches).
Nose – Stuffy nose, runny nose (clear, thin discharge), sneezing.
Eyes – Red (bloodshot), itchy, swollen, or watery.
Stomach – Bloating, gas, pain, nausea, vomiting, diarrhea, or bloody diarrhea.
Heart – Palpitations or fluttering.
Joints – Joint pains or aches.
Neurological – Anxiety, dizziness, spaced-out sensation, depression.
Beware – You Could be Consuming Splenda Without Your Knowledge

You also need to be aware of the fact that although the bulk of Splenda is sold to processed food manufacturers and soft drink bottlers, it could turn up in your medicine as well, as nearly 10 percent of all sucralose is sold to drug companies.

Many times sucralose (Splenda) will not be listed in the drug information, so there simply is no way you would know you are consuming a potentially dangerous artificial sweetener. However, if you experience any of the symptoms above even though you’re avoiding Splenda and other artificial sweeteners, then it may be worth investigating the ingredients of any medications you’re taking as well.

Splenda Has NEVER Been Proven Safe for Human Consumption

As of 2006, only six human trials have been published on Splenda. Of these six trials, only two of the trials were completed and published before the FDA approved sucralose for human consumption, and the two published trials had a grand total of 36 total human subjects.

36 people sure doesn’t sound like many, but wait, it gets worse: only 23 total were actually given sucralose for testing, and here is the real kicker — The longest trial at this time had lasted only four days, and looked at sucralose in relation to tooth decay, not human tolerance.

Even more shocking, the absorption of Splenda into the human body was studied on a grand total of six men! Based on that one human study, the FDA allowed the findings to be generalized as being representative of the entire human population. Including women, children, the elderly, and those with any chronic illness — none of whom were ever examined.

The FDA claims they reviewed over 100 studies conducted on Splenda. What they don’t tell you is that most of the studies were on animals. And, those animal studies reveal plenty of problems, such as:

Decreased red blood cells — sign of anemia — at levels above 1,500 mg/kg/day
Increased male infertility by interfering with sperm production and vitality, as well as brain lesions at higher doses
Enlarged and calcified kidneys (McNeil stated this is often seen with poorly absorbed substances and was of no toxicological significance. The FDA Final Rule agreed that these are findings that are common in aged female rats and are not significant.)
Spontaneous abortions in nearly half the rabbit population given sucralose, compared to zero aborted pregnancies in the control group
A 23 percent death rate in rabbits, compared to a 6 percent death rate in the control group
Chemically, Splenda is More Similar to DDT Than Sugar

Yes. Splenda bears more chemical similarity to DDT than it does to sugar.

Sucralose is in fact a synthetic chemical that was originally cooked up in a laboratory. It does start off as a sugar molecule. Then, in a five-step patented process of making sucralose, three chlorine molecules are added to a sucrose (sugar) molecule. The chemical process to make sucralose alters the chemical composition of the sugar so much that it is somehow converted to a fructo-galactose molecule.

This type of sugar molecule does not occur in nature, and therefore your body does not possess the ability to properly metabolize it. As a result of this “unique” biochemical make-up, McNeil Nutritionals makes its claim that Splenda is not digested or metabolized by the body, hence it has zero calories.

But, if you look at the research (which is primarily extrapolated form animal studies) you will see that in fact an average of 15 percent of sucralose IS absorbed into your digestive system, and according to this latest study, it is also absorbed into your fat cells.

Unfortunately, if you are healthy and your digestive system works well, you may be at HIGHER risk for breaking down this product in your stomach and intestines!

Your Healthiest Alternatives

If you have a craving for sweets, rather than trying to find “healthier” ways to continue indulging in them, it is in your best interest to learn ways to relieve your cravings.

The obvious one would be to stop eating any of the products to begin with. But sweets are powerfully addictive – sugar has even been shown to be more addictive than cocaine. Stevia is a preferable natural substitute, which can be used in making most dishes and drinks.

However, complete avoidance of sweets is often necessary to break your addictive cycle, as your hormones insulin and lepton likely play an important role in your cravings.

Corrupted Infant Vaccine Contains Pig Virus

2010-04-17T14:29:00.000-04:00

Corrupted Infant Vaccine Contains Pig Virus

March, 2010 Newsletter

2010-03-03T23:44:00.002-05:00

Please click here to view the newsletter from our clinic.

Naturopathic doctor services.

2010-02-24T14:56:00.001-05:00

Naturopathic doctor services are available in North Toronto area using: nutrition modifications, herbal medicine, supplements, homeopathy, acupuncture/Chinese medicine, and more. It is safe and effective approach to your health issues!

You can be helped with the following:

-- Weight loss (supervised 6-weeks weight loss program)
-- Detoxification programs
-- Digestive problems: diarrhea, constipation, bloating, gas, belching and many more
-- Fertility issues, trouble getting pregnant, unexplained infertility, low sperm count and
quality, frequent miscarriages
-- Preparation for successful pregnancy for both partners: proper nutrition,
detoxifications, avoidance of toxins.
-- Pregnancy care
-- B12 and Folic acid injection services
-- Skin problems: acne, eczema, psoriasis and many more
-- Migraines and other headaches
-- Prevention and treatment of cancer care
-- Liver and Kidney problems
-- Hair loss in men and women
-- Allergies
-- Pain
-- Fatigue
-- Sleep problems
-- Depression, anxiety ….and many more.
-- Cellulite reduction