Daily topic

Sleep Apnea

Sun, 14 Mar 2010 23:28:00 -0400

Anyone who finds themselves tossing and turning throughout the night, never feeling fully rested, may have a condition called sleep apnea.

Sleep apnea is often associated with patients who carry extra weight, however, this is not always the case. Some symptoms of sleep apnea are elevated blood pressure, high cholesterol, fatigue, brain fog and can complicate any underlying disease, increasing risk of premature death.

Sleep apnea occurs when one literally stops breathing in periods during their sleep. These periods occur up to hundreds of times during the night. Some patients may remain unconscious during the short periods they are not breathing, while others will stop breathing up to a minute and a half.

Needless to say, sleeping during periods of oxygen deprivation is very harmful and when the body is suffocating, the adrenal glands will overwork, producing a chronic stream of stress hormones. If this condition is allowed to continue long enough, it can lead to adrenal exhaustion.

There are three different forms of sleep apnea: obstructive sleep apnea (OSA), the most common, followed by central sleep apnea (CSA), and complex sleep apnea. Complex is a combination of central and obstructive.

Obstructive sleep apnea is when the airway is blocked by a sagging soft pallet, however one might ask why this occurs in the first place. During sleep the brain receives signals to the diaphragm, which helps control the breathing rate.

When these signals fail to reach the diaphragm, breathing is halted and as the blood oxygen level drops low enough, the endocrine system will send emergency stress hormone response, initiating a deep breath.

This sudden breath of air can literally suck a sagging pallet into the airway. In turn, a sleep apnea patient will snore, obstructing their sleep.

With central sleep apnea (CSA), there is no obstruction is involved, instead CSA affects how the brain regulates breathing during sleep. Unlike OSA, the brain does not respond normally to changes in blood levels of oxygen and carbon dioxide.

While CSA is considered to be rare, it may not actually be. The reason is that it usually goes undiagnosed because CSA is not necessarily associated the typical signs found with the most common form of sleep apnea (OSA), such as obesity.

Some causes of CSA are the use of tranquilizers, sleep aids or possibly alcohol.

Regardless of whether one has OSA, CSA or both, either or will lead to shortened lifespan if allowed to continue untreated.

The reason is that either condition prevents the body from entering into restorative sleep stages, such as REM sleep. Without a proper sleep, the body cannot sufficiently produce enough ATP (adenosine triphosphate), the energy molecule. Moreover, important metabolic processes cannot initiate and will lead to increased toxicity within cells.

When most physicians consider testing patients for sleep apnea there are a few problems. If one enters a sleep clinic, there are some rather expensive diagnostics designed to measure parameters such as the depth of sleep stages concerning rapid eye movement or the measurement of brain activity, oxygen and carbon dioxide levels, heart rate and rhythm, and many other measurements.

While this sounds all fine and wonderful, it will cost several thousands of dollars. If a sleep apnea diagnosis is confirmed, it will be recommended to use a device known as Continuous Positive Airway Pressure (C-PAP).

This machine that delivers compressed air through a bulky mask you have to wear all night. Or they may advise surgery to remove the excess tissue blocking the airway.

C-PAP is far from a desirable option, because this device works by continuously shooting pressurized air in through the nose. Patients complain it makes too much noise and is simply awkward to use, and it isn't possible to sleep on your side.

If you know someone who uses the C-PAP, they might not always use it and some patients get tired of using it, because either way, they have difficulty sleeping throughout the night. So what's the alternative?

Let's start with the diagnosis first, because it isn't necessary to use an expensive sleep study to properly identify the various types of sleep apnea.

In one study, 68 patients who were presumed to have sleep apnea were used to evaluate the difference between the standard over night sleep study, and a much simpler method, called overnight home oximetry.

The researchers found that overnight home oximetry is just as accurate as the standard sleep study.

The vast majority of oxygen supply stores will provide home oximetry at no cost, plus it's easy to use. The oximeter continually monitors and records the level of oxygen in your tissues during the night. The following morning, it prints out the minute-by-minute results. By then, a physician or yourself can determine what form of sleep apnea is occurring.

However sleep apnea is caused, it appears to be brought a by problem with the signaling between the brain and diaphragm muscles as the body transitions into deeper stages of sleep.

When the body enters into stage II sleep, the phase that occurs before the all important restorative deep sleep, this is when there are possible problems with brain signaling.

If we can somehow improve the regulation of this brain-signaling problem, most causes of sleep apnea can be resolved. Recently, a new product has emerged which helps with this problem, called Nature's Rite Sleep Apnea Relief.

Sleep Apnea Relief works by increasing respiration intensity to help maintain regular breathing. It contains three primary ingredients plus two others for general support. First, the herb lobelia, which is helpful in respiratory disorders and cramp bark is added to promote relaxation of the muscles.

The third primary ingredient is thyme, which has been historically prescribed for congested lungs and shortness of breath. Sleep Apnea Relief also contain the herbs chamomile and sweet meadow, however these are secondary.

The creator of Sleep Apnea Relief has an interesting explanation to the cause of sleep apnea, quoted below.

"The reason that the obstructions cause a problem when you are drifting off to sleep but not when you are awake is the subtle key issue that medical science is missing. Your brain reduces the intensity of the signals to your skeletal muscles when you go to sleep so that you don’t physically act out the movements that you are dreaming. As we get older, the diminished integrity of the nerve boundaries in our spinal column cause some other signals to be diminished unintentionally."

This formula will not work for everyone, but it's certainly worth a try. It prices around forty-five dollars per month, however if you buy the three primary ingredients you'll probably get the same effects while saving money.

In the event this formula does not work, there is still yet another effective alternative to C-PAP.

More on this and additional information in the next Daily Topic.

Cave Women Never Brushed Their Teeth!

Thu, 11 Mar 2010 17:43:00 -0500

Primitive men and women have died with perfect teeth into old age, yet never once brushed their teeth.

Advertisers have been selling the belief that we 'need' to brush our teeth, and it further hurts matters that in many cultures, there is a social stigma, keeping a pressure on to brush, brush and brush more!

What if I told you that brushing your teeth with toothpaste is actually harmful for your teeth and gums? Toss out your toothpaste and read on!

So then why do we get cavities?

The answer is that most of us no longer consume what our ancestors ate some two thousand years ago. Chances are, you're not living anywhere near where your ancestors lived, or at the very least, not eating anything like what your ancestors ate.

When you consume carbohydrate, your blood chemistry can reveal how this affects your calcium, phosphorus, glucose, cholesterol and triglyceride levels. The readings provide strong clues to your ancestral diet, and what you shouldn't be eating. Ultimately, the readings can reveal what sort of percentage in carbohydate, fats and proteins one should consume.

Essentially what to look for is a glucose level at 85 or below and a triglyceride level at a 100 or below. If these readings are higher, it means you'll need to reduce your carbohydrate consumption.

So what causes dental decay? Low phosphorus levels create a dysregulation of calcium. There is a normal, healthy fluid flow that goes through the tooth, from the pulp chamber, through the dentin, through the enamel and finally through the mouth. This will occur when the phosphorus level is close to 4.0

However, if the phosphorus level drops below 3.5, then the endocrine system that governs the fluid flow can reverse its direction through the mouth, through the enamel, into the dentin, into the pulp chamber and finally sucking the bacteria into the tooth.

If your ancestral diet originated from a cold climate, where fruits are never seen nor grown, your blood chemistry may not respond so favorably to all that much fruit in your diet.

To put it another way, if you follow the dietary "herd" and eat all the fruit that all the 'diet guru's' tell you to eat, you might eventually run out of viable teeth!

This becomes the case for so many who find themselves having dental cavitations filled with various toxic materials.

If your ancestral origins came from a tropical region where fruit grew abundantly, then your blood chemistry can handle plenty of fruit just fine.

Depending how your glucose and triglyceride levels respond to fruit, will provide a strong indication of whether you should steer clear of it or not.

There seems to be a prevailing trend spanning many decades of mothers giving their children fruit juices thoughout the day. If they had any idea what they're actually doing, they would stop this practice immediately.

Dr. Weston A. Price was a dentist who traveled around the world in the 1930's and 1940's studying the diet's of isolated primitive peoples from the modern world.

Weston Price discovered that he could eliminate or greatly reduce bad bacteria in the mouth which fuel the tooth degeneration process through diet.

"Civilized diets" or foods that come from the derangement of processing have left us with a toxic soup of substances such as white sugar, breakfast cereals, vegetable and hydrogenated oils, along with various flavor enhancers and additives that contribute to a dysregulated endocrine system.

When a Dr. Weston Price studied the robust, isolated, primitive peoples around the world, he found that many had a tooth cavity rates close to zero.

Dr. Price also noticed in groups following their traditional diet that decayed teeth either fell out painlessly, or were covered over with a hardened layer of enamel. Weston Price treated many cases of cavities with a success rate of over 90%.

Many wonder about filling in the gaps of prior cavitations. If the calcium and phosphate of the enamel is migrating out of the teeth, perhaps winding up in other areas of the body, naturally one would desire the opposite to occur.

To increase the building of tooth enamel requires the correct chemistry of nutrients and macronutrients. It also requires the cooperation of the endocrine system to drive the fluid flow outward, keeping the bacteria out.

Dental cavities can be properly prevented by rinsing acids off the teeth. The simple solution regardless of diet is to promptly rinse the teeth with salt water, or if on the go, simply with water during meals.

What about toothpastes you ask? Toothpastes contain glycerine, which is very adhesive to teeth, in fact it takes 27 proper rinses to eliminate it completely. Glycerine actually prevents the teeth from being clean and without a clean tooth, a cavitation cannot properly remineralize!

Moreover, the enzyme adenosine diphosphatase is required to remineralize teeth, and when one uses fluoride, this enzyme is deactivated, further preventing remineralization.

Beyond that, maintaining a healthy glucose metabolism will help insure healthy calcium and phosphate levels. Nutrients such as the mineral, magnesium, vitamin K2 and Vitamin D will assist with regrowth of tooth enamel.

Fluoride appears to be a co-factor in gum disease, because it breaks down adhesive protein molecules which adhere the gums and teeth. According to Dr. Gerard F. Judd, fluoride has been shown to break apart hydrogen bonds, destroying some 83 enzymes.

Gum disease can be sufficiently prevented by salt water rinsing. There is no limit to the amount of salt one can use. Gum health is further augmented by sufficient vitamin C, which is critical for its integrity.

Receding gums is a nutritional problem, surgery is never necessary for this. Routine use of salt and water rinsing has been found to prevent future gum problems.

A Weight Loss Supplement That Actually Works!

Fri, 05 Mar 2010 01:05:00 -0500

When it comes to the effective fat loss supplements, finding something that works for one person is one thing, but quite another to find one that works for everyone. A few years ago several clinical trials have shown that the herb, Coleus forskohlii to be an effective supplement for body fat loss.

The active constituent in coleus is called forskohlin, which stimulates adenylate cyclase and cyclic AMP levels.

An increase in cyclic AMP leads to subsequent activation of protein kinase. Protein kinase has been shown to activate the hormone sensitive lipase which involves the breakdown of triglycerides and releasing these fatty acids from adipose tissue (fat storage).

Cyclic AMP also initiates a series of biochemical reactions that invigorate the body's metabolism with respect to food induced thermogenesis, while encouraging the stability and creation of lean body mass.

Besides the mechanism of action, the most interesting thing about Coleus are the three randomized controlled clinical trials that essentially prove its efficacy.

In one randomized, double-blind trial, overweight female volunteers took either Coleus extract (50 mg/day of forskolin) or a placebo for 12 weeks. Although there was no difference in food intake, the Coleus group lost an average of 1.5 lbs, while the placebo group gained an average of 2.2 lbs. A similar trial conducted in India with obese men and women also saw a significant difference in body weight between the groups.

The patients who took Coleus lost an average of 4 percent of total body

weight (3.8 lbs), compared to a gain of 0.3 percent (0.55 lbs) in the placebo group. The effect on body fat and lean body mass was also statistically significant. The loss of body fat in the Coleus supplemented group was replaced with lean body mass, while those taking the placebo gained body fat and experienced a decrease in lean body mass.

In a double blind, clinical trial on overweight/obese male volunteers were randomized to receive Coleus extract (containing 50 mg/day of forskolin) or a placebo for a period of 12 weeks. Those who took Coleus had a significant decrease in fat mass and body fat. The reduction in fat mass from baseline to after treatment with Coleus was nearly 10 pounds (9.9 lbs).

When seeking out Coleus, plan on taking 25 milligrams of forskohlin twice per day.

Novel Medicine Delivery Against Cancer

Mon, 01 Mar 2010 23:25:00 -0500

Mainstream medicine breeds hatred when a possible truth threatens to undermine its all mighty empire of "cut, burn and poison."

In the past, I've mentioned a little about sodium bicarbonate intravenous treatment for various forms of cancer. The primary obstacle in receiving this treatment is to find willing medical staff to administer it!

Not following standard cancer treatment isn't a risk most physicians are willing to take.

Recently, I had learned of a novel way to introduce medicine that is more effective than injection. It is nebulization, or the use of a nebulizer.

There are oral medicines, natural and otherwise that are not particulary effective through the oral route. This is because the digestive system does not allow an optimal level of medication with respect to achieving proper blood levels of a substance.

What exactly is a nebulizer anyway? A nebulizer is a machine that converts a liquid into microscopic bubbles, that resembles a gas. Patients typically use a nebulizer for asthma and COPD. They literally breathe in the mist, and the interesting part about this delivery method is that it doesn't just reach the lungs, it reaches the entire body!

Some medical professionals are already referring to this therapy as off-label nebulization. Hopefully we will start to see new research in this area, particulary in regard to magnesium, sodium bicarbonate, iodine, hydrogen peroxide and glutathione.

All of the above have already been used with good effectiveness for certain conditions, and each of the above are very useful in cancer treatment.

For patients who need a rapid delivery of magnesium to the lungs would involve magnesium chloride oil, nebulized as an isotonic solution, delivering 7.5 grams per 100 ml of distilled water, which is approximately, 3.5 teaspoons of magnesium oil per 100ml.

Some practioners have been utilizing Dr. Tulio Simoncini's sodium bicarbonate via nebulizer inhalation, administering 8.4% sodium bicarbonate to lung cancer patients. In addition, a very difficult to treat cancer by orthodox standards is mesothelioma, which is now being treated by direct inhalation method with 8.4% sterile vials of sodium bicarbonate with great results!

As far as lung cancer is concerned, this is probably the most effective way to treat it, and best of all, it can be performed in the comfort of home.

If you're not already familiar with sodium bicarbonate, well here is an introduction, it is simply baking soda (pharmaceutical grade) and it is a disintegrator of cancer.

How is baking soda the answer to cancer?

Dr. Tullio Simoncini is an Italian oncologist who had made the observation that cancer is always white in "color" and essentially is a fungus, called Candida.

Candida is found in all of us, however it is not usually a threat unless it is allowed to grow out of control. Eating refined carbohydrates (sugars), taking antibiotics, being contaminated with mercury and other heavy metals all increase risk of Candida overgrowth.

Primitive tribes who typically lived to a hundred years of age, never suffered with today's common diseases like cancer and heart disease, it's doubtful they ever had Candida overgrowth either. Diet certainly played a role in their health, however their food was also loaded in minerals, because unlike industrial strength agriculture, which is grown from soils lacking top soil of fossil minerals, the foods consumed were always rich in minerals.

The "primitives" ate what foods grew around them, when in season, organic and fresh.

Today's soils lack meaningful quantity of minerals, and according to Dr. John Apsley, executive director of the Immunogenic Research Foundation, we are presently so depleted in cations (positively charged minerals) that our cells, desperate to stay alive, will grab onto anything positively charged.

With no or few minerals, the only thing they can resort to is positively charged hydrogen ions (which are nothing more than acid ions) or positively charged chemical toxins.

It occured to Dr. Apsley when learning of Dr. Tulio Simoncini's sodium bicarbonate treatments that had not occured to him before--that injecting bicarbonate into the cancer site does something that diet alone can't do.

The bicarbonate literally sucks out the acid hydrogen ions, from within the cells. This allows nutritional minerals to replace the semi-toxic acid.

In turn, this recharges your cellular defenses.

Baking soda is not only alkaline, it is also negatively charged. Dr. Simoncini discovered research showing that all solid cancers have something in common. They are all held together by a fungus. This fungus produces an acid-based glue that holds it and the cancer cells together.

All normal cells are programmed to self-destruct (apoptosis) when no longer viable. However, the fungus or rather, Candida creates toxins that directly interefere with healthy programmed cell death, causing an unmitigated cell proliferation.

Bicarbonate soda has the ability to neutralize this acid-base, and quickly unravel the "glue" holding these diseased cells together. Cancer is neutralized!

It is interesting to note that after the age of thirty, we tend to accumulate postively charged hydrogen ions in our cells, and when this happens, our cells innate ability to produce their own bicarbonate soda wains, thereby inviting potential cancer invasion.

In the near future, will provide more insights on how to circumvent cancer at its beginning and near its end.

"Run" For Your Life -- Away From Endurance Aerobics!

Wed, 17 Feb 2010 01:21:00 -0500

Ever wondered if cavemen ever went jogging? It probably hasn't crossed your mind, it certainly hasn't mine.

Cavemen probably did a lot of sprinting, and their primary motivation was to catch a "lunch" or perhaps avoid becoming something Else's lunch!

Human physiology was designed for sprinting, not for endurance jogging or running. Animals also run in short spurts, never seen to run for miles on end!

One study found that 35 percent of marathoners had significant levels of arterial plaque, compared to just 22 percent of non-marathon-runners.

Most of us have heard of endurance athletes’ suddenly dropping dead of a heart attack. Enlargement of the heart, also known as cardiomegaly, a condition that should be taken seriously as in a non-athlete is considered a very serious illness.

Many endurance athletes have irregular electrocardiograms that should give a clue as to the 'benefit' of their exhaustive training and exercise.

One study involved ten cases of sudden death among marathons runners. Of these ten, nine of them died of heart attacks secondary to severe coronary heart disease.

Moreover, researchers examined the results of 24 cases of death by joggers, all but one died of coronary artery disease.

Stanford University Medical Center researchers reported on 18 runners who died as a consequence of jogging. While they were all in excellent health prior to exercising, all perished within one to five years of their activity.

These studies are just a small sample of many, and the real point I'm driving at is that according to one study, running a marathon creates an inflammatory storm in the body that is identical to the early symptoms of heart disease!

I'm not suggesting that all exercise is bad, only endurance aerobic exercise.

In fact, check out an earlier Daily Topic that discusses the best form of exercises if you're interested in living longer and improving your lung capacity. Click here

Your heart and lungs were designed for short bursts of intense exercise followed by rest. This rest in between is critical for the body's ability to strengthen the lung capacity, quite the opposite of what many endurance athletes perform.

If you take a close look at the photo above, the marathon runner found on the t-shirt, not the girl, you will see a typical example of an endurance runner's physique, one that borderlines an emaciated look. In sharp contrast, take a look at any Olympic sprinter and observe how muscular their overall appearance is.

Dr. Al Sears, an author of the book, PACE, which stands for Progressively Accelerated Cardiovascular Exercise, conducted a study involving identical

twins. Note that PACE is the same as high intensity interval training, a type of exercise that mimics the actions of how animals and prehistoric man typically "exercised," that is, in short bursts with rest in between.

Dr. Sears had one of the 18-year old twins, a women to follow the PACE program, while the other performed an aeorbic exercise, in which she ran up to ten miles a day. Her twin performed the natural PACE style exercises; in this case she sprinted 50 yards as fast as she could, rested, and repeated the cycle six times.

While the twins had the same lean body mass and body fat at the beginning of the experiment, just 16 weeks later, the PACE twin’s body fat decreased ten percent with a 9 pound gain in muscle. The endurance exercise twin’s body fat decreased 19.5 percent; however, she lost 2 pounds of muscle.

This is a classical example of why marathon runners usually appear the way they do, someone who could be mistaken for being sick, instead of healthy.

In light of all this, endurance exercise, which appears to lend itself towards a catabolic state, is probably not ideal for one who wants to keep their hair.

Mercury in Fish? Don't worry about it!

Mon, 15 Feb 2010 01:44:00 -0500

Mercury in Fish? Don't worry about it!

I realize this statement might not be so easy to swallow. Just about every health publication around warns against eating fish that are known to be loaded with mercury. Well, I haven't been too worried about this, as I have consumed swordfish with 'reckless abandon' for years!

However, according to studies around the world, particulary those that have explored the relationship of mercury in tissues, countries that are well known for high consumption of fish do not show levels of mercury to be any higher than the average American.

What does show a correlation with high levels of mercury in tissue is the number of amalgams a person has. This has been studied in cadavers, with an absolute conclusion. The more "silver" fillings or mercury amalgam, the greater the mercury levels found in tissue.

The mercury in fish has already reacted with protective compounds. If you were to take a little mercury and pour some into a goldfish bowl, those fish will be dead in no time flat. However, in the ocean, fish are exposed to mercury over a period of time.

The ocean is rich in the mineral selenium, and when it combines with mercury, it forms mercury selenide (HgSe). This makes the mercury no longer bioavailable, essentially neutralizing its toxic effects.

So when mercury selenide is ingested, you're consuming an insoluble compound that is rapidly excreted in the fecal matter, within the day or day after its consumption.

Let's compare this with mercury fillings, which put out a constant flow of vapor, that is unreacted mercury, is absorbed in the fat tissues, penetrates the blood-brain barrier and oxidizes.

According to the October 18, 2006 issue of the Journal of the American Medical Association, any "risks" associated with eating fish are far outweighed by the benefits of consuming them.

For their review, the authors selected reports published through April of 2006 which evaluated the effects of fish or fish oil on cardiovascular risk, methyl mercury and fish oil's effect on early neuro development, mercury's risks in adults, and the health impact of dioxins and polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs) contained in fish.

They found that consuming one to two servings of fish per week containing up to 250 milligrams per day of the omega-3 fatty acids eicosapentaenoic acid (EPA) and docosahexaenoic acid (DHA) reduced the risk of coronary heart disease death by 36 percent, and lowered all-cause mortality during the periods studied by 17 percent. Please note that much higher doses show much greater protection.

Due to often ignorant and irresponsible lobbyists, a repeated fiction can carry a lot of weight for people in positions of power. For instance, senators can accept things as fact that in reality are pure fiction. It only takes a single EPA employee and an inaccurate statistical evaluation, which is all too typical of EPA epidemiology. Once accepted as "fact," false propaganda about mercury is born.

Fortunately for us, there are people like Robert Ferguson of the Center for Science and Public Policy.

Quoting from Robert Ferguson: "In Japan, 87 percent of the population exceeds the EPA (mercury levels). In Hong Kong, Chinese children have mean mercury hair levels (almost twice those of the EPA limits). These children, like those of every high fish-consuming nation, seriously out perform U.S. children from grades 4-12 on international standardized tests for math and science. One key reason could be because they eat lots of fish!"

Ferguson said: "Study after study shows no adverse effects on children from maternal fish consumption as high as 12-14 meals per week. Only benefits have been reported, such as superior eyesight, higher child mental development scores, less hyperactivity, good heart and brain function and improved intelligence at 4 years of age."

The reality is that mercury poisoning isn't easy to get, and you're not going to get it from food, yet your dentist is a more likely source.

Mercury is abundant on the Earth, and it's certainly nothing to be afraid of. We live in a veritable sea of mercury, most of it naturally produced by nature, like volcanic eruptions, forest fires, and especially the oceans. The oceans alone contain millions of tons of mercury that have been there for billions, millions, or thousands of years (depending on your religion).

If you take a moment to look at the history of mercury for the past few thousand years, you will quickly realize that there is no problem. History indicates that methylmercury (MeHg) has been with us since "the beginning." That includes being present in fish and in people.

Micro-traces of the potentially toxic form of mercury have likely been in fish tissue naturally since fish have existed. Studies examining mercury levels in tissue samples from fish from the Atlantic and Pacific Oceans dating as far back as the 1880s have found no trends of increase.

Let's go back a little further than this mere 150 years. In AD 400, there was evidence of "high" levels of mercury in human tissue. And Alaskan mummies dated from AD 1445 had mercury levels twice as high as pregnant women in Alaska today.

JAMA. 2006;296:1885-1899.

Fiber Fraud

Wed, 10 Feb 2010 11:52:00 -0500

Fiber is not necessary for human health. Fiber from fruit and vegetables is just fine, however what isn't necessary and even detrimental are fiber cereals, grains and psyllium.

So if what I say is true, then why do most doctors recommend to eat more fiber?

The recommendation to use fiber for constipation originally began as a way to cover up the side-effects of antibiotics, dental amalgams, and most other prescription drugs. Physicians themselves believe this lie, so it isn't any fault of their own.

Pharmaceutical companies in the United States control almost all aspects of medical education, either directly, by publishing references, textbooks, and curriculums for continuous education courses as well as designing and administering licensing exams.

The belief of fiber has been so well ingrained that it has become somewhat of a religion. Moreover, enormous amounts of advertising have promoted this view in every possible medium.

It's only natural that doctors will recommend fiber for constipation because that is what is written up in all medical references and textbooks, even though every single piece of independent research states emphatically that fiber causes constipation and related colorectal disorders, it doesn’t relieve constipation or improve motility.

While medical schools teach that bowels contain innate bacteria critical to health, the antibiotics frequently prescribed today, routinely kill this bacteria along with their intended target, wreacking all kinds of havoc.

Most everyone has little idea that almost all of the stool is dead bacteria, it is not undigested food. If undigested food is found in abundance, that is indicative of an inflammatory bowel disease or malabsorption problem.

Most physicians are not familiar with disbacteriosis, which is an imbalance between different types of the intestinal microorganisms, leading to inflammatory disease. This is ignored because it is so pervasive in the westernized diet, and it is becoming more difficult to find an American child or adult who hasn’t taken antibiotics at least once or twice, much less been exposed to traces of antibiotics in meat, dairy, poultry, and farmed fish.

That said, most are vulnerable to disbacteriosis. To complicate matters, those who are exposed to mercury in dental amalgam are also subject to the destruction of gut microflora.

Beneficial bacteria protect the bowel mucosa from inflammation, polyps, and cancers, as they synthesize essential vitamins K and biotin, and regulate the process of phagocytosis, where pathogens are engulfed.

In addition, beneficial microflora allow stools to remain soft, while still retaining a solid shape and moisture.

In the medical literature, the intestines contain over 450 strains of bacteria, which comprise somewhere between 50 to 75% of dry stools by weight. In contrast, in the absense of beneficial flora, stools become small, dry, and hard.

Physicians believe a constipated patient needs more insoluble fiber, commonly found in fruits, vegetables, and grains, because fiber enlarges stools by retaining water in them. However, the larger stools caused by added fiber only serve to narrow an already narrow canal even more.

As constipation resumes after a while, patients are told to add soluble fiber, acting as laxative and blocking the absorption of fluids inside the bowel.

Psyllium is a very "popular" form of soluble and insoluble fiber, and it is definitely something to avoid, because eventually it can diminish the bowel’s peristalsis (involunary muscle movement in the colon), causing the suppression of the "need to go" urge.

All this fiber is really "doing" is substituting bulk for beneficial bacteria, creating an unhealthy stool.

Before the cereal "killers" came along (the industrial cereal food giants), fiber wasn't even on the nutritional "radar." Fiber gradually leads to dependence and addiction by stretching and expanding the colon, narrowing down the anal canal, creating nerve damage. Ever wonder how hemorrhoids develop? It's the nerve damage from this pressure of large stools.

Eating fiber will not damage you right away, yet in decades to come it will, as irreversible changes complicate constipation matters, creating colorectal damage, such as diverticular disease, inflammatory bowel disease, polyps, and cancers.

The Harvard School of Public Health has stated and I quote, "Fiber intake has also been linked with the metabolic syndrome, a constellation of factors that increases the chances of developing heart disease and diabetes. These factors include high blood pressure, high insulin levels, excess weight (especially around the abdomen), high levels of triglycerides, the body's main fat-carrying particle, and low levels of HDL (good) cholesterol. Several studies suggest that higher intake of fiber may somehow ward off this increasingly common syndrome."

The references given for such statements included, below.

Diabetes Care 2004; 27:538-46.

Am J Clin Nutr 2002;76:390-8.

I must confess that I have felt some reluctance to write this topic due to its unpopular message, however after years of research, I had come to the absolute conclusion that fiber isn't needed in the diet. Moreover, the existence of grains is relatively recent considering the history of human beings.

Finally, I should state that up until recently, scientists have grossly underestimated the critical importance of our intestinal microflora, which constitute ten times the number of cells of the human body.

In contrast to my earlier statements, there are actually some forms of fiber that appear to be quite beneficial, and one of these is called Acacia gum (Acacia Senegal). Acacia gum is a soluble food source type of fiber, and in fact, is considered to be medical food for treatment of irritable bowel syndrome (IBS).

Acacia gum has a clinically proven prebiotic effect, which improves bowel motility and stimulates the growth of healthy gut flora, which in turn reduces bloating, gas, and bowel irregularities.

So if you're currently taking a fiber, please consider switching to Acacia gum instead.

A recent study released in February this year, revealed a novel effect of Acacia gum on the ability to decrease glucose transport in mice. In other words, it reduced the negative impact of glucose!

Treatment with Acacia gum at 100 grams per liter of drinking water for four weeks significantly blunted the increase in body weight, fasting plasma glucose and fasting insulin concentrations. Essentially, Acacia gum counteracted glucose-induced obesity. If this translates to humans, we could have a real useful fiber to use during parties and the holidays when eating sugar is too hard to resist.

Back to the "bad" fibers, along the way of my research, I had stumbed on to a few anti-fiber advocates in recent years, only adding weight to my own conclusions. Take a look at this entertaining and informative video, courtesy of an anti-fiber avocate, Konstantin Monastyrsky.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Iz53dawDtJ8

The Cause Of Acne Part Deux

Thu, 04 Feb 2010 13:14:00 -0500

Previously, the role that diet plays in the etiology of acne was discussed. In part two, will provide some information on treatment and prevention.

As mentioned before, brewer's yeast taken daily can offer up to an 80% success rate in the remission of acne, but imagine how effective the results could be if diet is controlled as well.

For those who have recalcitrant, chronic forms of acne, there is a derivative of milk protein, called lactoferrin. Lactoferrin is also present in exocrine secretions that are commonly exposed to normal flora, such as within the fluid of tears, nasal and bronchial mucus, gastrointestinal fluids and saliva.

In patients with rosacea or acne have lower levels of lactoferrin in their tear ducts. The surface of the eye provides an inert barrier against infection, and it offers this though antimicrobial and anti-inflammatory activities of lactoferrin.

Lactoferrin also plays a protective role in the skin, providing antimicrobial action by binding free iron, thus preventing its availability necessary for microbial growth and its survival.

Moreover, the action lactoferrin has on scavenging free iron in body fluids, acts to suppress free radical-mediated damage.

In a trial using lactoferrin on adolescents came with impressive results. The average decrease in acne lesions was 71% within one month and 95% decrease within two months respectively.

Look for a 200 milligram capsule, taken once daily.

There are different forms of acne, and for if it is the cystic form, then brewer's yeast and lactoferrin may not prove to be all that effective.

For cystic acne, the best approach is to supplement with a quality probiotic. One particular set of strains may not necessarily work as well as another, so it pays to experiment until you find the variety of probiotic strains that work with your body best.

One probiotic product that works quite well for many with cystic acne is called Dr. Ohhira's, Essential Formulas Inc., Probiotics 12 PLUS. In any event, if you have used antibiotics within the last year or two, it is imperative to take a quality probiotic for at least while.

Antibiotics allow opportunitic yeasts to crowd out beneficial bacteria, causing an elevation of androgen activity, and poor glucose management.

Finally, another important measure to prevent acne is to incorporate sufficient intake of omega-3 fatty acids, especially in the form of EPA and DHA. If you're a vegetarian, then opt to take supplemental forms of gamma linolenic acid (GLA) from borage oil.

These fatty acids, help balance prostaglandins, which are hormone-like fatty acid molecules that a play a regulatory role in inflammatory processess.

The Cause Of Acne

Sun, 31 Jan 2010 02:53:00 -0500

For whatever mysterious reason, the vast majority of dermatologists still share the outdated belief that diet is unrelated to the etiology of acne. Moreover, topical products sold commercially take full advantage the public's immense ignorance about the role of diet and acne.

Conventional approaches to acne are the use of topical retinoids, benzoyl peroxide, azelaic acid, and topical and oral antibiotics for mild to moderate severity. While the side-effects can be well tolerated, they are merely band-aids and do not address the underlying cause of this skin disorder.

Oral isotretinoin, better known as Accutane, is typically prescribed for the treatment of severe nodular acne, treatment-resistant acne, and acne with a risk of physical or psychological scarring. Side-effects from isotretinoin can be quite severe and sometimes even permanent. Some of these include hair loss, eye problems, dry skin, pain in the joints, knee, back and possible organ failure.

Acne is so common among western civilization, it can affect up to 95% of the adolescent populaton. In older men and women, some 40% to 54% have some degree of facial acne.

Acne can be prevented, it's all about diet and the proof comes from two

non-western civilizations, the Kitavan Islanders of Papua New Guinea and the Aché hunter-gatherers of Paraguay. Based on observations of 1,200 Kitavan subjects examined (including 300 aged 15-25 years), not a single case of acne was found!

Of 115 Aché subjects examined (including 15 aged 15-25 years), over 843 days, no case of active acne was observed. Neither of these non-western civilizations consume refined starches or sugars.

In a pilot study used to determine the short-term effects of a low glycemic load diet on hormonal markers of acne suggested that dietary glycemic load may be one environmental factor contributing to the variation in acne prevalence worldwide.

It was found in high glycemic load/ insulin resistant group that sex hormone binding globulin (SHBG) levels decreased significantly from baseline, allowing increased androgen activity, a driving force behind sebum production, while insulin growth factor binding protein-1 (IGFBP-I) and insulin growth factor binding protein-3 (IGFBP-3) significantly increased in the low glycemic load group.

These results suggest that increases in dietary glycemic load may augment the biological activity of sex hormones and IGF-I, suggesting that these diets may aggravate potential factors involved in acne development.

Processed and refined starches and sugars stimulate growth factors which activate the phosphoinositide-3-kinase/Akt signaling pathway, which increases androgen receptor transcriptional activity. Further, it causes a vast over production of skin cells (keratinocytes) and sebaceous fatty acids (sebum).

Foods that trigger high insulin response stimulates the elevation of free insulin like growth factor I (IGF-1). This action increases basal keratinocytes or production of skin cells.

While this is occuring, the high insulin response also stimulates a reduction in insulin like growth factor binding protein 3 (IGFBP-3). The role of IGFBP-3 is to stop the proliferation of new skin cells, so during hyperinsulinaemia or an excess level of circulating insulin in the blood, reduction of IGFBP-3 contributes to an over proliferation of skin cells.

The pores of the skin, the pilosebaceous ducts can become encased in oil (sebum), essentially blocked by a overcrowding of skin cells, called corneocytes.

Both whiteheads and blackheads start out as microcomedones and the initial step in the formation of blocked microcomedones (pores) is the obstruction of the pilosebaceous duct by corneocytes.

Corneocytes are cells in the outer skin layer, and can block the opening of the pilosebaceous duct. This occurs when corneocytes are too tightly bound together during the skins natural shedding process. Normally, the skin's adhesion molecules will exfoliate via apoptosis, but instead remain intact.

Dietary stimulated increases in proliferation of basal keratinocytes (which ultimately may become overly cohesive corneocytes) fuels the obstruction of the pilosebaceous duct.

As a result of this, a delay in the normal apoptotic process in corneocytes is a primary mechanism involved in the development of the acne lesion, also known as the microcomedo.

Propionibacterium acnes (P. acnes) is a native microorganism found within the skin's sebum and plays a role in acne inflammation by stimulating skin cells to produce a number of pro-inflammatory cytokines.

Propionibacterium acnes induces tumor necrosis factor-alpha (TNF-alpha), which in turn increases the expression of matrix metalloproteinase-2 (MMP-2), a key enzyme involved in remodeling of acne skin.

High consumption of omega-6 fatty acids, without sufficient omega-3 fatty acids contributes to a rise in arachidonic acid levels. Aarachidonic acid can increase the secretion and expression of matrix metalloproteinase-2 in skin cells (keratinocytes).

The human body requires some arachidonic acid, however too much can lead to serious inflammation. Additionally, the higher your insulin levels, the greater the stimulation to increase levels of arachidonic acid.

Brewer's yeast can treat acne by neutralizing excess bacteria, as well as by supporting production of white blood cells, serving to reduce inflammation in the philosebacious ducts.

In 1989, a German study evaluated the effects of brewer's yeast on various forms of acne. This randomized, controlled double-blind study involving 139 patients was studied in comparison with a placebo over a maximum period of five months. Over 80% of the patients were considered to be healed or considerably improved taking brewer's yeast, while the corresponding figure for the placebo group was only 26%.

The development of hyperinsulinemia and insulin resistance elicits a pathological rise in serum concentrations of nonesterified free fatty acids (NEFAs), which causes an over expression of the Epidermal Growth Factor receptor (EGFR). This causes a deranagement in the opening of the philosebacious ducts.

There is still more to cover, especially in regard to treatment and prevention of acne. Look out for part 2 of this discussion.

Rising Above Your Genetics

Sun, 24 Jan 2010 19:36:00 -0500

Medical school breeds dogma. This dogma is in the form of so many outdated theories still in practice today. With a very few questioning unproven methodologies, and it's no wonder sickness is spread wide and far.

Many theories, taught as 'fact' are repeated enough to become a perceived fact. It makes the process of educating the 'educated' a little more difficult that it ought to be.

Perceptions from false teachings keep the blind harming the blind, and one of the most unfortunate examples of this, is the orthodox view of genetics. It is taught that genetics are a predetermined future. This means that our DNA determines the sort of diseases we are prone towards.

I have always found the standard teachings of medicine to be short sighted and self limiting. Medical school conjures up a view of dread and disease with little hope of a positive outcome.

Maybe your like me, who has found countless news and magazine articles on health to be a little bit on the depressing side. Medicine today has much to do about disease mongering, and that diet and lifestyle have limited potential to prolong life. We are told to regularly screen ourselves for a disease that we have "little control" of, which ultimately will be managed by a myriad of pharmaceutical cocktails.

We are told that at the time of birth we are dealt with genes we have to live with and that certain diseases are forthcoming.

Naturally, to me all of this is simply rubbish. Instead of genetic roulette, I vouch for the field of epigenetics, which literally means "above the genes."

Scientists understand only 1% of the human body, so it makes little sense to make absolute assertions about anything within the genetic code, making scientific reductionism a hazard to our health. Today, we are finally beginning to understand that the body is not a mechanical unit, but more of a field energy force, governed by quantum mechanics, hence the success of the placebo effect.

It is interesting to note that many pharmaceuticals accomplish little beyond the placebo effect, making drug approval passage somewhat of a dubious process.

Everything from behaviors to hormonal states are thought to be passed down from parent to offspring without change in the DNA code or maintenance of the parental environment. While it certainly appears this way, the truth is, there is something we can do to change our genetic behavior.

DNA contains the instructions for all the parts of the body, yet it is only half of the story. The DNA in our bodies is wrapped around proteins, called histones. Both the DNA and histones are covered with chemical tags, these actually shape the physical structure of the genone and are called the epigenome.

The epigenome wraps around inactive genes, making them unaccessible, while the epigenome relaxes active genes, allowing their accessibility.

So while DNA remains fixed, the epigenome constantly reacts to the diet and environment, allowing a complete change in genetic expression.

Epigenetic modulation plays a critical role in cellular aging. Two major epigenetic codes are DNA methylation and histone modifications, including acetylation, methylation, phosphorylation and ubiquitylation. Environmental factors such as dietary components can regulate gene expression by altering epigenetic modifications.

This means that we can slow down the aging process with appropriate dietary and environmental protective measures.

One shining example of this is how mitochondrial function is modified by supplementation of acetyl-L-carnitine in young and old rats.

Young 3 to 5 month-old and 22 to 28 month-old rats were given a solution of acetyl L-carnitine in their drinking water for one month. Upon examination of their liver parenchymal cells, acetyl L-carnitine significantly reversed the

age-associated decline of mitochondrial membrane potential.

Cardiolipin, which declines significantly with age, is also restored. Acetyl L-carnitine increases cellular oxygen consumption. This is very significant, as our oxygen typically declines with age. This oxygen consumption of the older rats was brought up to the level of young rats.

In the untreated older rats, (not supplemented with acetyl L-carnitine), the cellular glutathione and vitamin C levels were nearly 50% lower than in the cells of the acetyl L-carnitine supplemented group. However, there was an increase in oxidative stress in the treated groups.

Fortunately, oxidative stress driven by acetyl L-carnitine can be completely offset with the addition of lipoic acid. In its reduced form, lipoic acid is a potent antioxidant, and like acetyl l-carnitine, also increases intracellular ascorbate and glutathione concentrations.

Lipoic acid and acetyl l-carnitine have been found to act together in reversing age-related metabolic decline and also reduce indices of oxidative stress. It is believed that this combination can extend animal life up to 30% longer. Just from my own personal experience, my oxygen capacity is far greater than it used to be.

doi: 10.1073/pnas.261708898 PNAS February 19, 2002 vol. 99 no. 4 1870-1875

Some other marvelous ways to alter genetic expression through epigenetics is taking a super nutrient called Sulforaphane. Sulforaphane is a nutrient found heavily in broccoli sprouts.

When cancer wreaks havoc in the body, a destructive process called deacetylation causes DNA to wrap too tightly around histones, turning off important gene sequences. An important process called apoptosis, which is a cellular self-destruct sequence is supposed to occur when a cell is no longer viable.

During deacetylation, healthy programmed cell death can no longer occur, allowing abnormal cells to grow out of control.

Cancer is a proliferation of cells mitigated by a fungal contamination. Sulforaphane is a potent histone deacetylase inhibitor, and works marvelously as a cancer prevention agent.

The reversible acetylation of histones is an important mechanism of gene regulation. During prostate cancer progression, specific modifications in acetylation patterns on histones are apparent. Targeting the epigenome with sulforaphane is an obvious choice for cancer prevention, yet it offers a myriad of other benefits.

Sulforaphane helps restore defunct antioxidant systems in several organ systems, including the skin. Sulforaphane increases the transcription of certain enzymes to increase glutathione synthesis in the body.

In the liver, there is a protein system that holds the transcription factor nrf2. Sulforaphane binds to this protein system and releases nrf2, a transcription factor which can bind to specific promoter regions of DNA and turn on transcription of genes for detoxification enzymes.

In male pattern baldness, there is a sharp decline in glutathione, which is a critical antioxidant for the removal of toxins. Sulforaphane can restore the antioxidant system in skin cells, possibly protecting against hair loss.

Sulforaphane is also capable of treating asthma and COPD (Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease) in ways once thought to be impossible. So as you can see so far, it really is possible to change genetic expression.

If you haven't already heard, vitamin D can regulate over 2,000 genes in the body. Several studies have shown that optimal levels of vitamin D will prevent premature death from all causes.

If a mother has sufficient vitamin D prior to full embryonic development, chances are far greater the child will be born healthy. Eighty percent of those born with type-I diabetes have a vitamin D deficiency. Does this sound like genetics to you?

Other super nutrients are resveratrol, quercetin, curcumin, the mineral magnesium and much more.

Besides incorporating dietary measures, another important consideration is to be certain you are not carrying a burden of heavy metals, courtesy of the dentist or from vaccinations, such as the flu shot.