Download All-New - Dr. David Williams

Dr. David G. Williams’
All-New
World
Atlas of
Alternatives
BRAND NEW! The ultimate treasury
of Dr. Williams’ greatest secrets. His
biggest, most comprehensive
medical reference ever—over 40,000
words, representing more than
25 years of research.
Table of Contents
Abrasions............................................ 1
Cramps (Muscle)............................. 28
Menopause....................................... 46
Acid Reflux......................................... 1
Depression........................................ 29
Migraines.......................................... 47
Acne.................................................... 1
Diabetes............................................ 30
Aging................................................... 2
Dry Eyes............................................ 30
Mood Swings.................................... 48
Allergies.............................................. 3
Ear Infections................................... 30
Alzheimer’s Disease........................... 3
Eczema.............................................. 30
Anemia (Iron-Deficiency Related)..... 5
Edema (Fluid Retention)................ 31
Angina................................................. 5
Emphysema...................................... 32
Anxiety................................................ 6
Epilepsy............................................. 32
Arrhythmia......................................... 7
Erectile Dysfunction....................... 33
Artery Disease.................................... 8
Eye Health........................................ 34
Arthritis.............................................. 8
Eye Twitching................................... 35
Panic Disorders................................ 53
Asthma................................................ 9
Fatigue............................................... 35
Parkinson’s Disease.......................... 53
Attention Deficit Hyperactivity
Disorder (ADHD)........................... 10
Food Poisoning................................ 36
Periodontal Disease (Gingivitis)... 54
Back Pain.......................................... 11
Foot Health....................................... 36
Gastrointestinal Health................... 37
Prostate Health................................ 55
Bladder (Overactive)....................... 12
Bleeding............................................ 12
Glaucoma.......................................... 38
Gum Disease.................................... 38
Motion Sickness............................... 48
Multiple Sclerosis (MS).................. 49
Muscle Pain...................................... 50
Nausea............................................... 51
Neuropathy....................................... 51
Obesity (Weight Management)..... 51
Osteoporosis..................................... 52
Psoriasis............................................ 56
Respiratory Threats......................... 57
Restless Legs Syndrome (RLS)....... 57
Blisters............................................... 13
Hair Loss........................................... 38
Bloating............................................. 13
Hay Fever.......................................... 39
Blood Pressure................................. 13
Headache.......................................... 39
Blood Sugar Control....................... 13
Hearing Loss.................................... 39
Boils................................................... 15
Heart Failure.................................... 40
Brain Health..................................... 15
Hemorrhoids.................................... 40
Strains and Sprains.......................... 60
Bronchitis......................................... 16
Hepatitis............................................ 41
Stroke................................................ 60
Bruises............................................... 16
Herpes............................................... 41
Sunburn............................................ 60
Burns................................................. 17
Hiatal Hernia................................... 41
Cancer............................................... 17
Hypothyroidism............................... 42
Thin Tooth Enamel......................... 61
Candida Overgrowth...................... 19
Incontinence.................................... 42
Canker Sores.................................... 19
Infertility........................................... 42
Cardiovascular Disease................... 20
Insomnia (Sleeplessness)................ 42
Cataracts........................................... 22
Intestinal Gas................................... 43
Cholesterol....................................... 23
Irritable Bowel Syndrome (IBS).... 43
Circulation Problems...................... 23
Kidney Stones.................................. 44
Cirrhosis........................................... 25
Liver Health...................................... 44
Colds and Flu................................... 25
Low Libido....................................... 45
Wounds............................................. 64
Cold Sores......................................... 26
Lyme Disease.................................... 45
Wrinkles............................................ 64
Constipation and Diarrhea............ 27
Macular Degeneration.................... 45
Yeast Infections................................ 65
Shingles............................................. 58
Sinus Infections............................... 58
Smoking Cessation.......................... 58
Snoring.............................................. 59
Thyroid Function............................ 61
Tinnitus............................................. 62
Tooth Decay.....................................62
Ulcers................................................ 62
Urinary Tract Infections................. 63
Varicose Veins.................................. 63
Warts................................................. 64
Dr. David G. Williams’
All-New World Atlas of Alternatives
For years, I have been searching the world for natural cures and remedies, for conditions ranging from serious
diseases to the more common health complaints many of us face day in and day out. In this reference guide, I’ll share
with you some of the best “alternatives” that I have uncovered thus far. To make it easy for you to find the solution you
need, I’ve organized this guide alphabetically by health condition. I hope you find this guide useful, and, by following
the advice I outline, you can put aside your health concerns for good.
Abrasions
Acne
■
QR Powder. For details, see “Bleeding” on page 12.
■
Tea Tree Oil. For details, see box on page 57.
■
informed me of a study performed at the Jose R. Reyes
Memorial Medical Center in Manila in which a 3%
solution of topical green tea was compared to 4% benzoyl peroxide in the treatment of mild to severe acne.
Acid Reflux
■
Slippery Elm Powder. One of the most time-tested
remedies for acid reflux is slippery elm powder. It’s
also used internally for ulcers and to soothe an irritated intestinal system. This botanical powder has also
been a favorite topical remedy of Native Americans
for wounds, burns, and boils. Slippery elm is very
safe, and it’s actually a very nutritious product.
You can purchase slippery elm in bulk or in capsules
(I prefer the bulk product) in most health food stores
or from companies such as Penn Herb (800-523-9971
or www.pennherb.com), or Kalyx.com (315-245-3000
or www.kalyx.com).
A slippery elm drink can be made by adding a heaping teaspoon of the powder to a little cold water to
make a paste, and then pouring on a cup of boiling
water while constantly stirring the mixture. Let it
cool and then drink it; do this three times a day. For a
slight variation, you can use hot milk instead of water
and flavor the mixture with cinnamon or nutmeg. (If
you ever want to use slippery elm as a poultice to
treat boils or wounds, just make the initial paste.)
If you take slippery elm capsules, I suggest 2 capsules
(400 or 500 mg each) three or four times daily.
■
Chewing Gum is another effective remedy for acid
reflux. When you chew gum it increases the amount of
saliva in the mouth by almost 140%. Saliva contains a
long list of compounds that provide protection for the
esophagus. These include proteins, mucin, prostaglandin E2, and epidermal growth factor.
Green Tea. My contacts in the Philippines once
Patients applied either the green tea solution or the
benzoyl peroxide twice daily for 12 weeks. Those with
moderate to severe acne began to show improvement
after two to four weeks of regular use of green tea.
The tea proved to be just as effective as the benzoyl
peroxide in these cases. The benzoyl peroxide was
more effective, however, in the very mild and the
very severe cases.
Just brew a cup of tea and, once it has cooled, the
liquid can be dabbed on with cotton balls or applied
with a clean wash cloth. The oral consumption of
green tea can also help treat acne problems. Certain
compounds in green tea are known to modulate
both the production and action of male hormones
(in both males and females). These are the hormones
that can trigger acne, as well as baldness, prostate
enlargement, and cancer in the reproductive organs.
(Hong Kong Med J 01;7(4):369–374)
■
Pantothenic Acid. Several years ago, Dr. Lit-
Hung Leung at the Central Hospital in Hong Kong
shared the details of how he successfully treated acne
vulgaris with high doses of pantothenic acid (vitamin
B5). In one study, Dr. Leung treated 45 males and 55
females between the ages of 10 and 30 using 10 grams
of pantothenic acid daily (divided into 2.5 gram
doses and given four times throughout the day). In
addition, each patient was given a cream containing
20% pantothenic acid by weight and was instructed
to apply it to the acne lesions four to six times daily.
—1—
After just two to three days, there was a dramatic
decrease in the amount of oil secretion from the skin
on individuals’ faces. Within two weeks the acne lesions
had begun to regress, and new eruptions were becoming less and less frequent. Overall, Dr. Leung found
that most acne could be brought under control within
just a few weeks’ time. Even the worst cases of severe
acne could be completely controlled when daily doses
were increased to 15 to 20 grams of pantothenic acid a
day and treatment continued for six months or so.
Generally, if pantothenic acid is going to help, you
should see positive changes within two to three weeks
of taking 10 grams a day (divided into the four 2.5 gram
doses and taken throughout the day—it doesn’t seem
to matter if you take it with meals or not). Once your
symptoms have been eliminated or subsided, the dosage can probably be reduced to 1 or 2 grams a day, but
that can only be determined on an individual basis.
Every major function of glutathione coincides with
what we call aging. In one study, researchers found
that people in poor health had low levels of glutathione, while those who lived to a ripe old age with
little or no disease had much higher levels. From this
and other studies, it appears that the ability to maintain high levels of glutathione is essential for optimal
health and survival into your 80s, 90s, and beyond.
Ideally, before attempting to raise your glutathione levels, you should know your current level.
Unfortunately, testing for glutathione levels isn’t very
practical because glutathione is very sensitive to heat,
light, and air. This makes it almost impossible to
measure before it oxidizes, and has made it difficult
to develop a simple test for measuring glutathione.
At the present time, I suggest utilizing what we know
today without waiting for a foolproof, standardized
test. There are steps you can take to increase your glutathione levels. All food groups contain glutathione,
but cruciferous vegetables, such as Brussels sprouts,
cauliflower, broccoli, cabbage, kale, bok choy, watercress, mustard greens, horseradish, turnips, rutabagas, and kohlrabi are the richest source. (Note: It’s the
broccoli florets—not the stem—that contain most of
the glutathione.) Avocados also contain glutathione.
Avocados are easy to work into your diet—they’re
great in omelets, on sandwiches, in salads, or as guacamole. I like to eat them straight from the peel. Cut
one in half, remove the pit, add lemon juice, salt, and
pepper, and enjoy.
Because glutathione is not very well absorbed in
supplement form, I recommend that you use its
precursor, N-acetylcysteine (NAC). This form is
metabolized or converted by the body into glutathione, and it has been proven to do a better job of
raising your body’s glutathione levels. NAC can be
ordered from Jo Mar Laboratories at 800-538-4545
or www.jomarlabs.com.
Lastly, check your multivitamin for these four important nutrients: riboflavin (vitamin B2), selenium,
zinc, and magnesium. Riboflavin assists in recycling
the enzymes created from glutathione, and selenium aids in their formation. Zinc and magnesium
also appear to be necessary in glutathione enzyme
production.
Pantothenic acid can be found in any health food store.
It’s totally nontoxic and without side effects. I would
only suggest that you take either a good multivitamin/
mineral containing the other B vitamins or a B-complex
supplement when you take these higher amounts of
pantothenic acid. (Freeda Vitamins at 800-777-3737
or www.freedavitamins.com carries a good B-complex
that you could take along with the extra B5.)
and essential for life itself. If each of us had a “glutathione gauge” on our body, similar to the gas gauge
in our car, we’d want to keep it as full as possible.
Aging
■
■
Resveratrol is a compound that is found in dark
grape skins and red wine. We’ve known for centuries
that wine, particularly red wine, provides some measure of health benefits, including slowing the aging
process. This is partly due to its resveratrol content.
Practically everybody is now aware of the “French
Paradox” that CBS’s 60 Minutes reported on years ago.
The French have the highest concentration of individuals over 100 years of age, and in the wine-growing
areas of the country citizens live anywhere from 25
to 45% longer than citizens elsewhere—a difference
thought to be due to their consumption of red wine.
To get the amount of resveratrol shown to be effective,
(25 mg daily) you’d need to drink several glasses of
red wine. A better solution may be to try a resveratrol
supplement, such as Resvert from SupplementSpot
Nutrients (www.supplementspot.com or 817-3865627) or Longevinex from Resveratrol Partners (www.
longevinex.com or 866-405-4000).
Glutathione—a tripeptide composed of three
amino acids: glycine, glutamic acid, and cysteine—is
a compound that is present in every cell of your body
—2—
Allergies
■
Tea Tree Oil. Allergies to dust mites, pollens, and
molds are responsible for triggering bronchial spasms
in 94% of young asthmatics under the age of 30, and
30% of those over 60. Dust mites are common microscopic pests that reside in carpets and furniture. They
seem to thrive best on hair and skin sloughed off while
you are in bed. Laundering sheets in water temperatures of 150 degrees and chlorine bleach will kill mites.
For longer-lasting protection, many of our Australian
readers swear by tea tree oil. Adding four ounces of
tea tree oil to wash water will kill mites (even in cold
water). You can find Australian tea tree oil in health
food stores or you can order it from Kali’s Essentials
(www.kalisessentials.com or 800-726-1612). (Tea Tree
Oil can also help treat a wide variety of skin conditions.
For more information, see the box on page 57.)
■
Yamoa Powder and Xlear. For details on these two
alternative therapies, see “Asthma” on page 9.
■
Glycine/Gelatin for Food Allergies. Glycine is a non-
essential amino acid (our body can synthesize it from
other materials when necessary) that can help address
a variety of health problems, including food allergies.
Most of the basic research on glycine was performed in
the early 1900s, and it was then that many doctors were
starting to report the wide variety of health problems
that could be improved or eliminated by increasing glycine levels. Unfortunately, it was during this same period
that pharmaceutical compounds became the accepted
method of treating ailments, and natural therapies were
seen as old-fashioned and inferior.
Before the drug craze began, doctors were just beginning to research and report on the benefits of using
gelatin, one of the richer natural sources of glycine.
Gelatin is the protein substance made from boiling
animal bones, skins, and tendons. More than a fourth
(27%) of the gelatin consists of the amino acid glycine.
Dr. Francis Pottenger, one of the more famous nutritional experts of the early 20th century, reported that
adding gelatin to the meal improved the digestion of all
foods. Other doctors found that food allergies, problems with mixing different types of foods, and even
food reactions due to “leaky gut syndrome” could be
overcome by adding gelatin to the meal. Edgar Cayce,
the famed medical psychic, even recommended consuming gelatin with raw vegetables and salads to
improve digestion of them. (Unfortunately, there are
no vegetarian sources of gelatin. Substitutes such as
agar-agar or arrowroot provide the same gelling effect
in foods, but don’t have the amino acid content.)
One of the best and most economical ways to get the
greatest health benefits from gelatin is to make your
own bone broth. (For more on bone broth and an
easy recipe, see the box on page 4). In fact, through
the simple addition of bone broth, I’ve seen food
allergy problems disappear for good.
Alzheimer’s Disease
■
Silicon. Research suggests that silicon deficiencies
might exist in significant portions of the human
population, and from all indications, it appears that
silicon may be a very important factor in preventing
and treating Alzheimer’s disease.
Researchers have long speculated that this condition is linked to accumulations of aluminum in the
brain. In fact, links between aluminum in drinking
water and Alzheimer’s have been established. Silicon
reduces the accumulation of aluminum. When
researchers added silicon to aluminum-laced water
supplies, it prevented the aluminum from being
absorbed. (Alzheimer Dis Assoc Disord 98; 12:83–87)
(J Inorg Biochem 98;69:171–176) (Lancet 93;342:211–
212) (Chem Toxic 93;31:679–685)
Oats are extremely nutritious and a quick way to
replenish silicon, as well as other trace minerals.
Horsetail or shavegrass tea can also help replenish
silicon levels. This tea can be found in health food
stores. Drink one to two cups per day. You should also
check your multivitamin/mineral complex to see if it
contains silicon. If it does, it will usually be listed as
powder from horsetail. A good maintenance dosage
is 25 mg per day.
If your daily nutrient doesn’t contain silicon, take a
silicon supplement. Jarrow Formulas makes an excellent silicon supplement called JarroSil. It’s a stabilized
form of silicic acid, which quickly raises serum silicon levels. The recommended dosage is six drops a
day (three drops in the morning and three in the evening). This acid form of silicon is easily assimilated,
but it tastes pretty nasty. Most people put the drops in
either fruit or vegetable juice. Jarrow Formulas products (800-726-0886 or www.jarrow.com) can be found
in health food stores.
■
Alpha Lipoic Acid. Some research suggests that
—3—
alpha lipoic acid (ALA) could be an important
My Favorite Bone Broth Recipe
Bone broths are easy to make. The ingredients are
few and simple. Before I share my favorite recipe with
you, there are a few minor points I want to mention.
Begin with bones from fish, poultry, beef, lamb, or
pork. The bones can be raw or cooked, and they can
be stripped of meat or still contain meat remnants and
skin. (When making meat broth, I throw everything
in the pot: bones, attached meat, skin—including the
parts normally not eaten, such as the rib cage and
spine, chicken feet, and fish heads.)
Ideally, the animal should be raised organically, or
at least naturally. On the positive side (not from the
animal’s perspective, I’m sure), most animals raised
for consumption don’t live long enough to have large
amounts of toxic metals accumulate in their tissues.
Obviously, however, the better their environment, the
less risk of you having to deal with such problems.
5. Cover and continue to simmer for 4 to 6 hours for
fish, 6 to 8 hours for poultry, and 12 to 18 hours
for the other types of bones. Keep a lid on the pot
to avoid having to add water. But add water if and
when necessary. (Note: A slow cooker works well
since the temperature is generally low enough
that the lid will keep in the steam and it won’t
require much attention. However, I’ve found that
slow cookers generally take about ¹⁄3 longer than
when I cook on the stove, so that’s something
you’ll have to decide for yourself.)
6. If you want just the broth, strain the liquid through
a colander and consume it immediately either by
sipping as a tea or soup, or making it into gravy.
Although I have never used it for such, it can also
be used as the liquid to cook rice, beans, or grains.
7. If you want to add vegetables, strain the liquid first
and then add the vegetables for about the last 30
minutes. Feel free to add other items—such as salt,
pepper, butter, or olive oil—to enhance the flavor.
Ingredients:
▶
Bones from fish, poultry, beef, lamb, or pork
▶
A source of acid: apple cider vinegar, red or white
wine vinegar, or lemon juice
▶
Salt, pepper, butter, or olive oil (optional; for flavoring)
▶
Vegetables (optional)
1. Cover the bones with water in a covered pot. (I
recommend a pot made of either stainless steel or
porcelain. I don’t suggest aluminum because the
acidic vinegar or lemon juice may cause aluminum to leach into the broth.)
2. Add a couple of tablespoons of the acid.
3. Gently stir and then let it sit for about 30 minutes
to let the acid go to work.
4. Bring the water to a boil and immediately cut back
to a slow, steady simmer.
8. Have a cup (8 oz.) a day. And don’t skim off any fat
from the surface; it contains valuable nutrients.
The broth can be stored in the refrigerator for about
five days, or stored frozen for several months. (I generally pour the cooled liquid into quart freezer bags and
freeze those. When I want some broth, I simply rip open
the bag and reheat the broth in a pot. Note: Never cook
or reheat the broth (or gelatin) in the microwave. There is
some question as to the safety of doing so. Certain amino
acids may convert into forms that can be toxic to the body
when microwaved.) (Lancet 89;2(8676):1392–1393)
Also keep in mind that bone broth is not nutritionally
complete. You couldn’t live on the broth alone. It contains
only a few proteins and should be added to a more complete diet rather than used as a stand-alone.
nutrient in the treatment of Alzheimer’s. Eight men
and one woman, average age 67, who were diagnosed
with Alzheimer’s disease, were given 600 mg of ALA
daily for almost a year. Each was evaluated using the
Alzheimer’s Disease Assessment Scale (ADAS-cog)
and the Mini-Mental State Examination (MMSE).
—4—
During the study their condition stabilized and they
did not experience the additional loss of cognitive
function that was expected. I don’t know of any drug
therapy that can totally halt the progressive loss of
mental function in Alzheimer’s the way ALA did in
this study. This inexpensive vitamin has no side effects,
or www.jomarlabs.com sells taurine in both powder
and capsule form.
and is widely available in health food or grocery
stores. (Arch Gerontol Geriatr 01:32(3):275–282)
(See “Brain Health” on page 15 for other
recommendations.)
Anemia
(Iron-Deficiency Related)
There are several different causes of anemia, including a lack of vitamin B12 (called pernicious anemia) and
liver or kidney failure. A true lack of iron isn’t that common. For those people who do have low iron levels, here
are some solutions for you.
■
Eat Foods Rich in Iron. For borderline problems
you can start by increasing the green leafy vegetables
in your diet. Also red cabbage, parsley (yes, it’s edible), beets, alfalfa, watercress, wheat grass, spinach,
vegetable tops, cucumbers, tomato juice, fish, coconuts, eggs, blackstrap molasses, black cherry, and
blackberry juice are all high in iron.
■
Supplement With Taurine. In a study involving
51 college-aged women, researchers found that taurine could help increase iron stores significantly in
anemic patients. Female students from the Al-Azhar
University were treated orally with either 325 mg
of slow-release iron sulfate or iron in addition to
1,000 mg of the amino acid taurine daily. After two
weeks, not only were the total body iron stores significantly higher in those taking the taurine, but
their blood-cell levels of iron had increased to a level
that would be equivalent to having another ¾ pint of
blood. (Eur J Haematol 02;69:236–242)
Anemia is oftentimes hard to treat since it takes so
long for the body stores and blood-cell levels of iron
to improve. Taurine is a very safe and relatively inexpensive method to speed up the process. Exactly how
it works isn’t understood. Taurine is known to help
strengthen cell walls, so it’s possible that it may be
extending the normal 120-day life of red blood cells.
Angina
Approximately 9 million people in the US have been
diagnosed with angina (ann-JY-nuh). I wouldn’t be at all
surprised if many more have it but have not been diagnosed. In medical circles angina is often referred to as
angina pectoris, which more precisely refers to chest
pains behind the breastbone or sternum. The pain occurs
when there is inadequate blood flow (oxygen) to the
heart muscle itself. More often than not, this condition is
due to atherosclerosis, or clogging in the small coronary
arteries that supply the heart muscle.
Anyone who’s experienced angina will probably never
forget the sensation. The common symptoms include an
immediate increase in heart rate and blood pressure,
accompanied by chest pain that has been described as
squeezing, burning, tightness, pressure and/or heaviness.
The pain is generally slightly to the left side of the breastbone and can radiate to the lower jaw, neck, shoulder,
back, arm, and hand.
As a general rule, if the pain lasts for less than 30 seconds, or if it goes away when you change positions, drink
a glass of water, or take a deep breath, it isn’t angina. It
could be acid reflux, a strained intercostal muscle, a misaligned or broken rib, lung infection, or inflammation of
the connective tissue attaching the ribs to the sternum.
On the other hand, if the episode of pain is prolonged
and isn’t relieved by rest, it may be a heart attack.
Conventional medical treatment for angina generally
consists of drugs to lower blood pressure and cholesterol,
blood thinners, and some form of nitroglycerin to dilate
blood vessels. However, several natural therapies can help
treat angina. Here are some that I recommend.
■
Taurine is most commonly found in fish, and most of
us are probably getting adequate amounts of it from
our diet. But for those who need a boost in their iron
stores, supplementing with taurine appears to make
sense. I’ve never heard of anything else that works
so quickly and effectively for those with anemia. In
the above study, taurine wasn’t taken at the same
time as the iron supplement, so I wouldn’t take them
together either. Jo Mar Laboratories at 800-538-4545
—5—
Magnesium is one item that I would consider
essential in angina cases. Most angina patients have
a lower pH level. Magnesium, which is considered an alkaline ash mineral, helps to raise the pH;
increase the oxygen-carrying capacity of the blood;
inhibit platelet clotting; and most importantly, prevent the spasm of the coronary arteries. As a result it
can relieve angina and often prevent a sudden heart
attack. (Science 80;208:198–200) Generally, 500 to
800 mg daily is the recommended dosage. Keep in
mind that alcohol, caffeine, increased calcium, fats,
and sugar will all deplete magnesium.
■
Padma, a derivative of an ancient Tibetan formula
known as Gabur, or the “camphor formula,” has been
shown to be effective at relieving angina. In fact,
Tibetan monks have used camphor for angina pain
for over 3,500 years.
In a double-blind study, 50 patients received Padma
or a placebo for two weeks. More than 80% of those
on Padma experienced good or excellent results. In
that short time, the average number of angina attacks
was reduced from 37.5 to 11.5. Several other benefits
were noticed as well. Those taking Padma could exercise longer without experiencing the onset of angina,
platelet stickiness was reduced, and total blood fats
were significantly lower. All these effects lessened
the need for nitroglycerin tablets. (Herba Polonica
86;32:107–114)
Padma Inc. of Switzerland has been making the formula under the name Padma 28 for the last 30 years
or so. It’s called “28” because it’s based on the 28th
formula in an ancient textbook of Tibetan medicine. A few years ago, the product Padma Basic from
Padma Inc. became available in the US. It’s the same
product except for very small amounts of one ingredient, aconite, which Padma 28 contains. There have
been some questions as to the safety of aconite, so it
isn’t allowed in the US product. But tests have shown
that removing the aconite doesn’t appreciably change
the beneficial effects of the product.
■
Padma is packaged to have a five-year shelf life and
is free of pesticides and contaminants. Research has
repeatedly shown that it has no side effects or interactions with other medications. (It is still recommended, however, that for best results it be taken 30
minutes before meals, and that other medications be
taken at another time.)
Six tablets a day (2 tablets taken three times a day before
meals) are recommended during the treatment phase
of a problem. Once the problem has been resolved
over a matter of weeks or months, you can generally
taper back to a maintenance dose of 1 or 2 tablets a day.
Contact your health care provider for Padma Basic,
or purchase it from EcoNugenics (800-308-5518 or
www.econugenics.com).
Anxiety
■
Kava. Several European studies involving the extract
of kava have been performed and from all indications, it appears to be an excellent tool for treating
anxiety disorders. (Pharmacopsychiatry 97;30:1–5)
Kava is an herb that contains several compounds that
relax the central nervous system. I first learned about
the effects of kava several years ago. A close friend
was doing business in many of the small countries in
the South Pacific. In that area, kava beverage is made
by several members of the tribe or community who
first chew kava root and then spit the wet mass into a
wooden bowl. Coconut milk is added to the mixture.
The resulting mush is compressed and filtered through
coconut fiber. It’s then ready for consumption.
Drinking moderate amounts of kava relaxes the
central nervous system and brings on a feeling of
tranquility and contentment. Excessive consumption brings about a mild state of inebriation and then
sleep. Kava doesn’t create any known side effects, nor
is it habit forming or addictive in nature. Strangely,
there is never any hangover or other signs of overindulgence upon awakening either. Best of all, kava
extracts are now readily available, so you don’t have to
consume someone else’s saliva to enjoy its benefits.
I would suggest using a kava product that has been
standardized for the main active ingredient, called
kavalactone. Products containing between 20 and 30%
kavalactones seem to work very well. If you know the
percentage of kavalactones in each capsule, you can
then figure out the proper daily dosage. To overcome
anxiety, I would recommend taking in the neighborhood of 50 mg of kavalactones three times a day.
You may have heard that some countries in Europe have
restricted sales of kava, due to reports of liver damage
after taking the herb. The liver damage was associated
with pre-existing liver disease, heavy alcohol consumption, or the use of acetaminophen—a drug known to
damage the liver on its own. I wouldn’t be concerned
about taking kava. Used properly it’s perfectly safe.
■
L-Tryptophan. Dr. Klaus-Peter Lesch at the
Other Lifestyle Changes. For best results, the above
therapies need to be combined with weight loss, a
gradual increase in physical activity, a better diet, less
stress, the elimination of sugar and refined carbohydrates in the diet, and a cessation of smoking.
—6—
University of Wurzburg in Wurzburg, Germany,
discovered that a specific gene may be responsible
for anxiety-related problems. The gene helps regulate the uptake of serotonin in the brain. Increasing
serotonin levels has been found to be a very effective
method of treating anxiety problems, depression, and
schizophrenia. In fact, in conventional medical circles the prescription drug Prozac is used to enhance
the conversion of L-tryptophan to serotonin. Rather
than use Prozac, however, you can increase serotonin
levels by taking the amino acid L-tryptophan.
Tryptophan is considered an essential amino acid.
That means your body doesn’t manufacture it so
you have to get it from your diet. Tryptophan has
numerous roles in the body, but the most notable
is facilitating the transmission of nerve impulses in
the brain and nervous system, through the formation of neurotransmitters. You can get L-tryptophan
in your diet, but it’s hard to get the amounts your
system needs. Foods with higher L-tryptophan content include wheat germ, oat flakes, eggs, cottage
cheese, avocados, pork, salted anchovies, Swiss and
Parmesan cheeses, and almonds.
Until the fall of 1989, supplemental L-tryptophan was
considered to be one of the safest and most powerful
natural medicines for treating a long list of psychiatric
conditions. Then reports surfaced that some individuals taking L-tryptophan were developing a condition
called eosinophilia-myalgia syndrome. The problem
was traced to a batch of contaminated products produced by the Japanese manufacturer Showa Denko.
The FDA didn’t just remove the contaminated
batches of the amino acid, however. They recalled
all L-tryptophan sold for human consumption,
destroyed it, and banned all future sales, indefinitely.
In 1994, the FDA ban was lifted, but skittish manufacturers (fearful of selling a once-banned product)
were slow to reintroduce L-tryptophan. It wasn’t
until 2001 that companies began carrying it once
again and now it’s readily available from quite a few
sources. One very reliable source is Freeda Vitamins
(www.freedavitamins.com or 800-777-3737).
Suggested dosages for L-tryptophan vary. In adults, it
takes at least 1–2 grams daily to change blood levels.
I also recommend taking vitamin B6 (50–100 mg)
and niacinamide (100–200 mg) with L-tryptophan
to enhance its effects.
Arrhythmia
■
involved severe congenital heart defects. (Nippon
Sanka Fujinka Gakkai Zasshi 86;38:678–684)
CoQ10 is the ultimate heart protector. It facilitates
the production of cellular energy, which is important
because your heart is the largest energy-using organ.
CoQ10 also offers powerful antioxidant protection.
Initially, the most common way CoQ10 was delivered was dry in capsules. Then, in an effort to make
the CoQ10 more bioavailable, companies developed a liquid softgel, which allowed the CoQ10 to
be suspended in oil, making it easily absorbable by
both water- and fat-soluble cells. This increase in
absorption meant that a lower dosage of the liquid
form of CoQ10 was equivalent to a higher dosage
of the dry form.
Now there is a newer, patented form of CoQ10 called
Hydro-Q-Sorb. It’s an all-natural, free-flowing powder
combining CoQ10 with gamma-cyclodextrin, a type
of glucose molecule with a hydrophobic (read “fat loving”) center and a hydrophilic (water loving) exterior.
It essentially binds to and wraps around the CoQ10
molecule, allowing the CoQ10 to become water dispersible, and making it even easier to absorb.
When using the Hydro-Q-Sorb form of CoQ10,
I recommend 60–200 mg a day for overall heart
health. You can get this in a chewable product
called Chew-Q by Phyto Therapy. You can purchase it from House of Nutrition (800-277-9861 or
www.houseofnutrition.com).
■
Hawthorn Berry Extracts have been used for cen-
turies in the Far East as a heart tonic. They are rich
in bioflavonoids which can dilate coronary arteries
and increase blood flow to the heart muscle. They
also contain compounds called procyanidins, which
can often help stabilize abnormal heart rhythms.
(Arzneimittelforschung 55;5:490)
There are numerous hawthorn products on the market. One good brand is Solaray, found in most health
food stores or ordered from The Vitamin Shoppe
(www.vitaminshoppe.com or 866-293-3367).
■
Massage can also help ease arrhythmia. In fact,
there is a simple technique involving the oculocardiac reflex, which you can try next time it happens.
This reflex has been used for centuries by skilled
massage therapists and those trained in the martial
arts. But it’s simple enough for anyone to do. The
various rectus muscles that move your eyeball have
Coenzyme Q10 (CoQ10) can be effective in correcting arrhythmia in both infants and adults. In one
Japanese study, CoQ10 therapy was able to correct the
arrhythmia in nine out of 15 newborn patients within
the first month of life. Remarkably, each of these cases
—7—
a close association with your 10th cranial nerve (the
vagus nerve). If you stimulate these rectus muscles
of the eye, in a roundabout way you end up stimulating the vagus nerve also. When the vagus nerve is
stimulated, it slows your heart rate.
The next time you feel your heart begin to race, close
your eyes and use your finger tips to lightly compress
and massage around each eyeball. This should quickly
begin to slow your heart rate. All of us have instinctively used this technique at one time or another.
Children and many adults routinely rub their eyes
when they get sleepy. Research has shown that by
rubbing the eyes and eliciting the oculocardiac reflex,
the heart rate will slow down 5–13 beats a minute.
In some individuals the reflex is exaggerated and the
heart will slow as much as 50 beats a minute.
The slowing of the heart and level of relaxation seem
to be greater when the massage is performed by
someone else. Have someone do it for you and you’ll
see what I mean.
Most of the dietary vitamin D in this country comes
from fortified dairy products, eggs, fish, and fish oil.
Some foods, such as sardines, are loaded with vitamin D, but it’s still difficult to get adequate levels of
vitamin D from food alone. In addition to what you
get from food, you’ll want to take a vitamin D supplement such as Carlson’s Solar D Gems, which contains
the D3 form that your body uses. It’s available online
from www.vitacost.com.
Make sure you’re getting at least 2,000 IU of vitamin
D3 from your diet and supplements, and a daily dose
of 4,000 to 5,000 IU wouldn’t be out of line based
on the current research. There’s an almost hysterical fear of vitamin D overdosing, when in reality the
risk is very small. Adults can easily handle 5,000 IU
daily, and in fact it takes 100,000 IU daily for several
months to cause a problem.
■
Drink More Water. To stay fully functional, cartilage has to be fully hydrated. As children, our cartilage
is made up of almost 85% water, but as we get older
that drops to 75% in most cases—and even lower if
we remain in a state of dehydration. Lots of pure water
translates into more resilient joints.
■
Avoid Soda and Get Your Manganese. The phos-
Artery Disease
■
Padma. For details, see page 6.
(Also see “Cardiovascular Disease” on page 20 and
“Cholesterol” on page 23 for additional therapies.)
phoric acid in soda suppresses your ability to absorb the
trace mineral manganese. Chiropractors have known
for decades that patients with low levels of manganese
never seem to be able to “hold” their adjustments.
While full-blown deficiencies are somewhat rare, even
a low level of the mineral significantly weakens the
stabilizing ligaments that surround and support your
joints. As a result, the joints become unstable and subject to an increased risk of subluxation, dislocation, and
injury. Patients who increase their intake of manganese
or manganese-containing foods will very often notice
they need far fewer adjustments.
Arthritis
■
Vitamin D for Rheumatoid Arthritis. Many
patients find their rheumatoid arthritis seems to get
worse during the winter. Researchers believe this
could be linked to decreased sun exposure. When
the blood serum levels of 143 arthritic women were
evaluated, it was discovered that calcium levels were
normal, but vitamin D levels were significantly
below normal in most of the women. In addition,
those with the lowest vitamin D levels also had the
highest number of symptoms. (Scand J Rheumatol
93;22:172–177)
Routine sun exposure is one of the best sources of vitamin D. It really doesn’t require that much exposure to
reap the benefits. One 20-minute full-body exposure to
the summer sun will result in putting 20,000 IU into the
body within 48 hours. However, if you’re older, obese,
dark-skinned, vegetarian, living in northern latitudes,
or using sunscreen or cholesterol-lowering drugs, you’ll
probably get far less than 20,000 IU. Under any of these
circumstances, supplementation is a necessity.
With the right diet, you can get adequate amounts
of manganese if its absorption isn’t blocked or suppressed by such things as sodas. Chronic liver or
gallbladder disorders or excessive sweating can also
contribute to low levels. Some foods rich in manganese are pineapple, spinach, mustard and collard
greens, long grain brown rice, and various kinds
of beans and legumes. I also recommend checking
your multivitamin/mineral supplement to make
sure it has at least 5 mg of this mineral.
(See “Muscle Pain” on page 50 for other
recommendations.)
—8—
Why Arthritis Problems in Cuba Plunged When the Soviet Union Fell
Obesity is rarely a problem in poorer, more
agrarian societies. Not only are the diets basic—no
convenience or fast foods—but the everyday
chores required to survive involve a great deal more
physical activity. I saw one of the most dramatic
demonstrations of this in the 1980s when I was
traveling to Cuba, investigating natural remedies and
treatments for Alternatives.
dishes consisted mainly of chicken or pork and rice,
and it wasn’t long before these were in short supply.
Strangely, even though Cuba is an island surrounded
by waters teeming with fish, most Cubans didn’t like
seafood. That changed pretty quickly.
During my early travels to Cuba, the Soviet Union
was still firmly intact and generously meeting the
Cubans’ wants and needs. You could say that, at the
time, their people were “fat and happy.” Although the
US trade embargo was in effect, there was a seemingly
never-ending supply of various foods from around the
world and plentiful fuel for automobiles, farm equipment, and home use. And while there was a degree of
obesity in the population, most individuals were simply out of shape and content.
Almost overnight, with the fall of the Soviet Union,
all financial support for Cuba evaporated. On one visit
to Cuba everything was normal, and, on the next,
everything was complete chaos. I witnessed an amazing transformation during subsequent visits: Rationing
of fuel, food, and medical supplies was quickly instituted. Only the military and select individuals were
able to use automobiles. The general population went
back to either walking or riding bicycles.
Eating out quickly became a thing of the past.
Everyone started gardens and ate at home. Traditional
Asthma
■
With drugs in short supply, doctors and hospitals resorted to herbal and natural remedies. Every
doctor soon had a small medicinal herbal garden
growing next to his office. Doctors quickly became
versed in the use of natural medicines and routinely
dispensed herbal leaves and roots in the form of teas
and extracts.
The most dramatic change I saw, however, was
in the general population. The combination of a
more basic diet and increased physical activity from
walking and bicycling had an astounding effect.
Within months, obesity began to disappear. Through
interviews, I discovered there were also far fewer
problems associated with arthritis, diabetes, high
blood pressure, and other “modern” degenerative diseases. Later, as some shortages became severe, I did
start to see problems associated with vitamin and
essential fatty acid deficiencies and, in some cases,
poor hygiene as a result of a lack of soaps and shampoos. But, as a whole, the Cuban population was
more toned, energetic, and active than it had been
in decades. I’m not advocating such drastic changes
to get our country back in shape, but there are definitely some lessons to be learned here.
Since then, the powder has been gaining popularity,
has undergone clinical trials, and is being manufactured by a company in England. While Yamoa doesn’t
stop asthma symptoms immediately, most people
experience an improvement in breathing and symptoms within seven to ten days, and most see definite
improvement within 30 days. Yamoa Powder also has
helped with bronchitis and hay fever. (If your problem
and symptoms resolve in the first week or two, I suggest that you continue using the powder for 30 days.)
Yamoa is bitter tasting, so it’s best to mix it with
something sweet such as honey, jelly, or jam. I like
Yamoa Powder. Years ago, I was told about a powder that reportedly cured asthma and hay fever. The
source of the powder was a closely-guarded secret
that had been passed down from African shaman
to shaman for generations. After some investigation, I discovered that the mysterious powder was
Yamoa, produced from the bark of a gum tree called
Funtumia elastica. The bark is soaked in clean water,
thoroughly dried, and turned into powder.
—9—
it mixed with local raw honey, which also supplies
small amounts of pollen and other allergens to further “acclimate” the immune system. The correct way
to take the powder is to thoroughly mix a 30-gram
container of powder with a one-pound jar of honey.
Stir the mixture before each use. Take one teaspoon
of the mixture in the morning with breakfast and
a second teaspoon at dinnertime. (For children
ages two through 12, use only one-half teaspoon of
the mixture twice a day instead of a full teaspoon.
For children under age two, still use one-half teaspoon twice daily, but don’t mix it with honey. Use
either naturally sweetened jam—free of sugar and
artificial sweeteners—or, even better, a bottle of
unsweetened baby-food fruit.) Yamoa powder can
be ordered online at www.yamoapowder.com.
■
Xlear. In the 1800s, French and German researchers discovered xylitol—a safe, simple sugar present in
fruits and vegetables, such as plums, corn, and strawberries. Our bodies make a small amount of xylitol
every day. Dr. Lon Jones, a researcher with Hale
Center Hi-Plains Hospital (near my home in the
Texas panhandle), developed a xylitol/saline spray
called Xlear that helps the nose and immune system do what they naturally should do on their own.
(By the way, I thought the name was a little unusual
until I learned that Dr. Jones has studied Greek and
Russian, and “x” in those languages is pronounced
like “k” in English. So the “x” stands for xylitol and
Xlear is pronounced “clear.”)
Certain harmful bacteria enter the body and attach
themselves to membranes in the nose and throat.
There they begin to culture and grow, causing infection and sickness. Xylitol is a natural enemy of bacteria. When the xylitol/saline solution is sprayed in the
nose, it goes directly to the nasal passages and flushes
out nasty germs such as Streptococcus pneumoniae,
Haemophilus influenzae, and Moraxella catarrhalis—
three bacteria that live only in the nose and are responsible for practically all upper-respiratory infections.
For most allergies and mild asthma, the recommended dose is two sprays in each nostril three or
four times a day. Dr. Jones likes to say, “When you
spray your nose, look at your toes.” In other words,
tilt your head down, and on the first spray aim the
bottle toward the back of your head. Keep your
head tilted down, and with the second spray aim the
bottle toward the top of your head. You can cut the
dosage back after a few days. With severe asthma
conditions, such as those that require a bronchodilator, follow the above procedure every one or two
hours for the first three days, then cut back to two or
three times a day.
Practically everyone I’ve talked to who has used
the spray reports fantastic results. It has eliminated
asthma, cleared up chronic sinus infections and allergic reactions, helped to prevent bronchitis, and even
healed childhood middle-ear infections. The most
severe asthma problems have begun to abate in the
first day or so, and have been kept at bay with only a
couple of sprays a day.
Xlear can be used safely by pregnant women and
children of all ages. Although taking 8–10 grams of
xylitol a day has produced stomachaches and diarrhea in some children, you get very small amounts of
xylitol when you’re using the spray. Two sprays per
nostril twice a day works out to only about 40 mg
of xylitol per day. Xlear is available from Xlear, Inc.,
877-599-5327 or www.xlear.com.
Note: A few people initially experience a slight burning or stinging sensation. This is to be expected if
the nasal passages are raw, since the salt in the saline
solution can burn slightly. This should subside as the
tissue begins to heal. Also, those with long-standing
asthma or allergy problems may experience a “cleansing episode.” After a few days to a week of using the
spray, some individuals either cough up or vomit
large amounts of mucus. As far as I know, this happens once, and the cleansing seems to accelerate the
benefits of the Xlear.
No remedy—natural or otherwise—cures every single
person. But if you suffer from asthma, chronic bronchitis, or hay fever, Yamoa powder, taken along with
Xlear, can be a godsend. What’s more, besides being
safe and natural, both products are inexpensive.
Attention Deficit Hyperactivity
Disorder (ADHD)
■
— 10 —
Support the Adrenal and Thyroid Glands.
Most of the time with ADD and ADHD, I believe
directly treating weakened adrenals will take care of
the problem. Supplementing the child’s diet with a
product called Drenamin is one way to strengthen
the adrenals. The children’s dose is normally about ½
the adult dosage: three or four half tablets spread out
throughout the day for kids 6 to 12 years old. In more
severe cases, use three or four full tablets throughout
the day. Regardless of the dosage, the best result is
achieved when the tablets are chewed without other
water or food.
■
In some children, however, a thyroid imbalance may also be contributing to ADD and/or
ADHD. If that’s the case, the child can be given
the thyroid glandular supplement Thytrophin
and a liquid iodine supplement. A good dosage of
Thytrophin for children between the ages of 6 and
12 is ½ to 1 tablet a day. Liquid iodine for kids
should probably be a maximum of one drop every
other day for someone 6 to say about 12. Kids’ doses
would be different depending on size too, and not
just age.
Both Drenamin and Thytrophin are made by Standard
Process Laboratories. These products are primarily
sold through doctors, but you can also purchase
them directly from Total Health Discount Vitamins
(800-283-2833 or www.totaldiscountvitamins.com) or
Spinelife (877-698-4826 or www.spinelife.com). The
liquid iodine supplement I recommend is Iosol, which is
available from the manufacturer, TPCS (www.tpcsdirect.
com or 800-838-8727). With liquid iodine, make sure
you’re using preparations designed for internal use and
not antiseptic iodine, which is poisonous.
Back Pain
■
If further help seems in order, then you can begin
a food-elimination diet to check for the presence of
food allergies. A bland diet of chicken and lamb, carrots and cabbage, apricots and dates, and mineral
water doesn’t sound very appetizing, but it can be a
good way to start looking for food allergens. As you
slowly add foods back to the diet at a rate of one food
a week, pay close attention for the return of any of the
previous behaviors. If you identify a particular food
as a troublemaker, then you can pull it back out of the
diet and move on. Restrictions like this may seem a
bit dire, but if the alternative is poor behavior, social
Get Rid of Excess Acidity. A few years ago, research
conducted in Germany suggested that many cases of
chronic low back pain are a result of too much acid.
The study involved 82 patients who had back pain for
over three months without any spine involvement. For
four weeks, they were given a lactose-based alkaline
mineral supplement called “Basica.” (Basica is a traditional German product. It has been on the market
there since the 1920s, but it’s not yet available in the
US.) At the end of four weeks, the pain rating in 76
of the 82 individuals dropped an average of 49%.
Not surprisingly, there was a corresponding increase
in alkalinity of their blood and other body tissues.
(J Trace Elem Med Biol 01;15:179–183)
Due to society’s increasing consumption of protein,
colas, and other acidic foods and decreasing consumption of alkaline-producing vegetables, alkaline
problems are becoming more prevalent. If you’re suffering chronic back pain or any type of hard-to-pindown ache or pain, there’s a good chance you are too
acidic. In the absence of Basica here in the US, try
to increase your consumption of high-alkaline foods
such as most vegetables, beans, peas, nuts, sprouted
alfalfa, radish and chia seeds, plain yogurt, herbal
teas, garlic, and most vegetable and fruit juices.
■
Avoid Sleeping on Your Stomach. Has anyone
Diet can also play a part in behavioral problems.
Numerous studies over the years have shown that
even the worst behavior—what in earlier days would
have been called “juvenile delinquency”—can be
reversed through dietary changes. All of us get benefits from a diet that’s high in fiber and good-quality
protein but low in refined carbohydrates. However,
the changes can be most dramatic in children. As
their blood sugar levels normalize, their self-control
and ability to concentrate improve.
troubles, and constant stress, then many people will
find the tradeoff worthwhile.
ever told you how you should sleep? We spend at least
one-third to one-half of our life in bed and rarely has
anyone been taught proper sleep positions. I know
that this will be disappointing to a lot of people, but
if you sleep on your stomach you’ll eventually have
a lot of back problems. You should train yourself to
sleep on either your side or your back.
If you sleep on your side, your knees can be bent, but
you should keep them together and not draw one
leg up close to your chest. And, if you have to sleep
with one arm under the pillow, make sure it’s fully
extended or straightened out, not bent at the elbow
and tied in a knot under the pillow.
If you sleep on your back, don’t sleep with your arms
above your head, but rather at your sides or on your
stomach or chest.
— 11 —
I know sleeping habits are hard to change, but in the
long run, making a few changes may keep you from
experiencing the terrible, debilitating pain associated
with low back problems, numbness in the shoulders
and arms, neck stiffness, and a host of other problems. If you have a problem staying off your stomach, start off with a small pillow on each side; if you
start to roll over on your stomach, it will wake you
and remind you to reposition yourself on your back.
Also, you can use a small pillow between your knees
if it’s uncomfortable to keep them together.
Bladder (Overactive)
■
Acupuncture for bladder control is often overlooked,
even though it can be very effective. Researchers at
the Shaftesbury Hospital in London released results
showing that over 75% of those patients treated with
acupuncture in their study were cured. (Brit J Urol
88;6:490–493) The treatment consisted solely of acupuncture for 10 to 12 weeks. Each patient was treated
once a week with traditional needles.
■
The study involved two sets of acupuncture points.
Unless you are very familiar with anatomy, I would
recommend just using the ones on the ankle, since
they are easier to find (see illustration on the right).
Each point should be stimulated fairly vigorously on
both sides of the body for about two to three minutes, at least once a day.
Kegel Exercises. One way to tighten and improve
vaginal muscle tone and bladder control is with
Kegel exercises (named after Arnold H. Kegel, MD,
the doctor who invented them.) To recognize which
muscle to strengthen, try stopping your urine flow.
Do this a few times and you should be able to feel
that muscle contracting. Then:
Acupuncture Points
Spleen
Kidney
Kidney
Bleeding
Hundreds of injuries result in rapid blood loss that
can be life-threatening. Estimates are that each year
about 60,000 people bleed to death in this country, and
tens of thousands more lose enough blood to require a
transfusion. Even bleeding from less-serious cuts, nosebleeds, and abrasions can be difficult to stop at times.
Compression wraps, ice, and elevating a wound can help,
but not always. Fortunately, I have discovered a product
that can help stop bleeding fairly quickly.
■
QR Powder. Some years ago I came across a prod-
uct called Bleed-X (now known as TraumaDEX)
that seemed miraculous in its ability to stop bleeding from even the most serious injuries. Bleed-X
consists of tiny potato starch beads that expand like
a sponge when wet to quickly stop bleeding. Once
the bleeding stops, the excess beads break down
and leave no residual effects. I used the product
myself when it was available to the general public.
Unfortunately, the manufacturer now sells Bleed-X
to only the military (though I guess that’s good
for the soldiers—it works really well).  I still think
Bleed-X is a great product, and I’ll let you know if it
ever comes back on the civilian market.
✧ Contract the muscle and hold for the count of
three. Relax and breathe. Do 15 times, three times
a day.
✧ Contract and relax the muscle as quickly as pos-
sible (called fluttering). Do 15 times, three times
a day.
✧ Bear down on the muscle as if pushing something
out. (Just this muscle. Don’t bear down as though
you are forcing a bowel movement. This involves
stomach muscles and just isolates and tones the
PCG [pubococcygeus] muscle.) Do this exercise
10 times, once a day.
Over three weeks gradually increase these exercises so
that you are doing each one 50 times each, three times
a day. It’s important to do the exercises throughout
the day rather than all at once. The good thing about
this exercise is that you can do it anywhere—sitting in
traffic, watching television, etc. It may take three to six
months to achieve the full benefits from doing this exercise, so don’t give up if you don’t see immediate results.
— 12 —
Fortunately, there is now another product called
QR (“Quick Relief ”) Powder that stops bleeding
almost instantly. QR Powder is a combination of a
hydrophilic polymer and potassium salt in a topical
powder. The hydrophilic polymer absorbs the water
from the blood, while the potassium salt serves as a
binding agent to form a protective scab. The artificial scab stops the bleeding and protects the wound,
allowing the body’s healing process to begin. You
simply sprinkle the contents of one packet (or more
as needed) right onto the wound and apply pressure.
Bleeding should stop within moments. QR Powder is
available at many mass-market retailers; look for it in
the first-aid aisle next to the bandages and gauze.
■
Turmeric has anti-inflammatory, anti-tumor, antibacterial, anti-viral, and antioxidant properties. I
once got a letter from a chef who wrote that he loved
to cook with turmeric, and had come to admire its
ability to stop bleeding. He said that putting turmeric
powder directly on cuts causes blood to clot almost
instantly. You can find turmeric in grocery stores.
Larger quantities can be ordered from Penzeys Spices
(800-741-7787 or www.penzeys.com), or Penn Herb
Co. Ltd. (800-523-9971 or www.pennherb.com).
capsules a day. For many years I relied on a garlic formulation from Wakunaga that is, unfortunately, no
longer available to the public. Instead, I recommend
the Kyolic brand, another Wakunaga formulation. It’s
available in most health food stores.
■
Hibiscus Tea has been a traditional remedy for high
blood pressure in Iran and other countries around
the world. To determine if there was any merit to the
remedy, 54 hypertensive individuals in their early
50s were given either a regular tea or hibiscus tea.
Those taking more than one hypertensive drug were
not selected, and study subjects stopped taking their
high blood pressure medication for one week prior
to the study. Participants drank hibiscus tea one hour
before having their blood pressure taken. This was
done three times throughout the 15-day study. After
just 12 days, the subjects who drank the hibiscus tea
had an average 11.7% drop in systolic blood pressure
and a 10.7% drop in diastolic blood pressure from the
initial readings. (J Ethnopharmacol 99;65:231–236)
Even though, based on my past experiences, hibiscus
tea does seem to drop blood pressure rather quickly,
unfortunately, it doesn’t always stay down. When
study participants stopped the tea for three days, their
blood pressure began to creep upward. Their systolic
pressure was elevated by 7.9% and the diastolic pressure rose by 5.6% from their post-treatment lows.
Therefore, it might be a remedy that must be used
continuously to maintain its positive results.
The hibiscus tea I’m talking about here is from Hibiscus
sabdariffa, a plant native to many tropical areas of the
Americas. It’s also found in Northern Africa, Sri Lanka,
Java, and Malacca. The tea is generally made from the
flowers and fruit of the plant. A heaping tablespoon of
the dried plant infused into about a quart of boiling
water can be used to make the tea. Dried hibiscus flowers to make the tea can be purchased from Penn Herb
at 800-523-9971 or www.pennherb.com.
Blisters
■
Tea Tree Oil. For details, see box on page 57.
Bloating
■
Probiotics. For details on this natural therapy, see
“Gastrointestinal Health” on page 37.
Blood Pressure
■
Garlic. I don’t know of any one nutrient that will
help everyone with high blood pressure, but from my
clinical experience, garlic probably helps the widest
range of people. For overall health, I recommend at
least a clove of garlic each day, raw or cooked. If you
have heart problems or are recovering from a stroke,
you need to take garlic in supplement form as well.
Be careful when buying garlic supplements. Most are
99% vegetable oil with just a touch of garlic. I have
had the best results using SGP odorless, tasteless,
powdered garlic capsules. I recommend one capsule, six times a day (one with each meal, assuming
you are eating three nutritious meals per day, plus
one capsule mid-morning, mid-afternoon, and in
the evening). As blood pressure starts to normalize,
the dosage can be reduced gradually to one to three
Blood Sugar Control
■ Cinnamon: In one recent study out of London, the
— 13 —
researchers felt so strongly about the benefits they
saw when type 2 diabetics took cinnamon that they
made the following comment: “Cinnamon supplementation could be considered as an additional
dietary supplement option to regulate blood glucose
and blood pressure levels along with conventional
medications to treat type 2 diabetes.”
In their study, 58 type 2 diabetic patients (25 males and
33 females) ages 54.9 to 65, who had an HbA1c over
7% and were being treated only with hypoglycemic
agents, were randomly assigned to receive either 2 g
of cinnamon or a placebo daily for 12 weeks. At the
end of the study, HbA1c was significantly decreased
in the cinnamon group compared with the placebo
group. Both the systolic and diastolic blood pressures
were also reduced among those taking cinnamon.
Additionally, those taking cinnamon had reductions
in their fasting blood sugar, waist circumference, and
body mass index compared to when they first started
the cinnamon. (Diabet Med 10;27(10):1159–1167)
And, more and more studies are suggesting that
cinnamon can be used therapeutically to help control blood sugar levels when it is taken with meals.
Cinnamon mimics insulin and its effect, but it has
functions that are independent of insulin, as well. By
improving the uptake of glucose by cells and increasing the number of molecules that facilitate glucose
uptake, it can stop hyperglycemia associated with
diabetes and the resulting kidney and neurological
damage. (Curr Diab Rep 11 Jun;(3):173–199) (Biosci
Biotechnol Biochem 10;74(12):2418–2425)
Simply buy cinnamon at your grocery store and use it
in your protein shakes and other recipes.Take it with
meals to keep your blood sugar levels from spiking
after eating.
Or, buy cinnamon extract at Pure Bulk (http://
purebulk.com/cinnamon-bark-powder-extract
or
888‑280‑0050). If you prefer to take cinnamon that’s
already encapsulated, there are several brands you
can try, including Swanson (www.swansonvitamins.
com) or Nature’s Way (www.naturesway.com)
■
Salacia oblonga is an herb (also called “Ponkoranti”
or “Saptrangi”) that has long been used in Ayurveda,
the traditional form of medicine in India, to treat diabetes. I first heard about Salacia oblonga when I was
in Australia in June 2005, from a friend who had just
been to Sri Lanka. Upon returning from Australia,
I decided to research this herb some more and discovered that researchers at Ohio State University had
found that Saptrangi was able to safely reduce blood
insulin levels by 29% and the post-meal rise in blood
sugar by 23%, which is comparable to conventional
diabetes medications. (J Am Diet Assoc 05;105:1201)
(Nutrition 05;21:848–854)
Salacia oblonga works in much the same way as some
prescription diabetes medications—by binding with
certain enzymes and preventing them from turning
carbohydrates into free glucose. Research has also
shown repeatedly that if you can reduce the need for
insulin you also reduce your risk of developing such
associated complications as kidney dysfunction, heart
disease, retinopathy, cataracts, and peripheral nerve
damage. While it’s true some of those taking Salacia
oblonga experienced additional gas and minor cramping, such reports were minimal, and it was not any
worse than that caused by prescription medications.
Much of the recent clinical work on Salacia oblonga
has been done by pharmaceutical companies. The
herb is so effective that efforts are underway to isolate specific compounds in the hope that they can
be sold as drugs. It’s not only the effectiveness of the
herb that makes it so attractive, it’s also its safety and
the fact that the powder could possibly be added
directly to certain high-carbohydrate foods to actually help prevent diabetes. I should also mention that
the researchers felt that even the minimal side effects
of gas and cramping might dissipate if an individual
used the herb on a regular basis.
In the studies, the best results were achieved when
participants drank a tea containing 1,000 mg of the
herb. One reliable supplier is Nutraceutical Sciences
Institute. They sell 500 mg capsules of Salacia oblonga
under their NSI label. I recommend taking two capsules (1,000 mg) twice a day. You can buy NSI products at www.vitacost.com or 800-381-0759.
■
Vinegar. Dr. Carol Johnston of Arizona State University
found that taking two tablespoons of vinegar before a
meal dramatically reduces the spike in blood levels of
glucose and insulin that typically occur following a
meal, particularly a high-carbohydrate meal.
In her initial study of 29 individuals, about one-third
had been diagnosed with type 2 diabetes, one-third
had signs of being pre-diabetic, and one-third were
healthy. Each individual was given two tablespoons
of either vinegar or a placebo liquid prior to a highcarbohydrate meal of a bagel with butter and orange
juice. All the participants who consumed the vinegar
exhibited better blood sugar and insulin readings.
Those whose blood profile improved the most were
those who exhibited pre-diabetic signs and symptoms. The vinegar cut their post-meal blood glucose
spike in half within the first hour (compared to the
levels of those using the placebo). And those with
— 14 —
diagnosed diabetes averaged a 25% drop in their
blood sugar levels. Consuming the vinegar had an
effect comparable to that of such anti-diabetes medications as metformin (sold as Glucophage). (Diabetes
Care 04;27:281–282) (ASU Research 14, Fall 2004)
Nourish Your Brain With Niacin
Dr. Abram Hoffer, famous for using niacin to
treat schizophrenia and depression, has reported
that 1,000 mg of niacin taken three times a day can
improve memory and correct some senility problems. (A. Hoffer, Niacin Therapy in Psychiatry, 1962)
In one of his studies of 10 people suffering from
senility, five totally recovered, two had significant
improvement, and three had no noticeable improvement. Niacin is widely available in health food stores.
A reliable mail-order source is Freeda Vitamins
(800‑777‑3737 or www.freedavitamins.com).
The only complaint from the participants was that
they didn’t like drinking the vinegar straight. Earlier
research in Sweden found that pickles (cucumbers
preserved in vinegar) when eaten with a meal also
had a glucose-lowering effect. So pickles (or pickled
okra, in my neck of the woods) might be an option,
but I couldn’t find anyone who could tell me how
many pickles would be comparable to two tablespoons of vinegar. I would also suggest making an
olive oil and wine vinegar salad dressing to get the
two-tablespoon dose. If the taste is too strong for
you, then add a little balsamic vinegar to the mix.
reason. However, the phytoestrogens in soy make
soy products a safe alternative. Phytoestrogens
are plant compounds that mimic estrogen in the
body but don’t cause the adverse effects triggered
by excess estrogen.
Just what component of the vinegar promotes the drop
in blood sugar hasn’t been determined. However, the
researchers think it might be linked to the acetic acid.
Most white vinegar has an acetic acid content of about
4% (some go as high as 7%), while apple cider and wine
vinegars have a 5 to 6 percent acidity. (I guess I should
mention that the limited amount of research on vinegar hasn’t indicated whether it’s actually correcting an
underlying problem or simply improving the symptoms. Either way, it appears to be a very safe and inexpensive way to help control blood sugar levels.)
✧ Exercising; socializing; and stimulating, interest-
ing surroundings can double the number of new
nerve cells formed.
✧ Research shows that the neurotransmitter
serotonin increases the number of brain cells
formed. There are two ways to increase serotonin levels. One is with SSRI drugs (selective
serotonin reuptake inhibitors) and the other is
with L-tryptophan. I don’t recommend SSRIs
because I have too many concerns about their
side effects, which leads me to tryptophan.
L-tryptophan is the only natural product I know
that will increase serotonin levels. (For more on
L-tryptophan see page 6.)
Boils
■
Slippery Elm Powder. For details, see “Acid
Reflux” on page 1.
Brain Health
■
Help Grow New Brain Cells. You might have
learned or heard that everyone is born with a set
number of brain cells and when those cells die, they
are never replaced. New research is challenging that
theory. Many scientists have been focusing their
research efforts on the growth of new brain cells in
the hippocampus, the area of the brain associated
with learning and memory. They have found several
factors that promote new brain cell growth:
■
Power Naps Can Help Eliminate Brain Fuzz.
Like a lot of other students I knew, I somehow got
into the habit of taking an afternoon nap when I was
going to college. At the time, I thought it was probably
from partying too much the night before, but now I
realize I was just re-charging the energy in my brain.
✧ Estrogen is believed to increase neurogenesis
(new nerve cell formation). Since estrogen can
increase the risk of certain types of cancer, I certainly wouldn’t recommend taking it for that
— 15 —
In separate studies, researchers have discovered that
the complex carbohydrate glycogen, which provides
short-term energy storage for brain activity, declines
with either exhausting mental tasks or from lack of
adequate sleep. (J Neurosci 02;22:5581–5587) (Nat
Neurosci 02;5:618–619, 677–681)
In one of the studies, three groups of individuals were
given identical, exhausting, one-hour visual tests four
times daily. A third of the group stayed awake all day,
another third took a 30-minute nap at 2 p.m., and the
last third took an hour-long nap, also at 2 p.m.
As testing continued later in the day and early evening,
those who were awake all day began to take over 50%
longer to solve their problems than those who napped
for an hour. Those who had the 30-minute nap performed about the same all day long. However, those
who had the hour-long nap actually improved their
performance as the day went on. The researchers found
that those taking the hour-long nap spent the greatest
amount of time in the “short wave” sleep phase, which
apparently contributed to their better performance.
The bioflavonoids are actually three compounds—
hesperidin, rutin, and pectinates—so they may be
listed on the label that way when you buy them. Also,
the bioflavonoids can’t work by themselves; they
must be taken at the same time as the vitamin C to
work. A good combination would be at least 100 mg
of the bioflavonoids for each 1,000 mg of vitamin C.
It will cost probably three or four times as much as
ascorbic acid, but it’s well worth it. Not only does it
help strengthen the capillaries, which can help nosebleeds, bloodshot eyes, and bleeding gums; it also
helps to strengthen ligaments, repair skin, aid in
allergies, and even detoxify the intestinal tract.
I usually recommend a daily dosage of at least
750−1,000 mg of vitamin C with 100−150 mg of the
bioflavonoids. If you already have a supply of vitamin C without the bioflavonoids, don’t throw it out,
you can buy just the bioflavonoids by themselves and
take them at the same time you take the vitamin C.
Berries are packed with a wide variety of various bioflavonoids and are an excellent source of these compounds. I highly recommend that you include them
in your diet whenever you can. Black currants and
bilberries, both native to Europe, have been shown
to be particularly effective at improving microcirculation. Extracts of each are now available in most
health food stores.
■
Arnica (Arnica montana) is also called wolf ’s
Bronchitis
■
Yamoa Powder and Xlear. For details on these two
remedies, see “Asthma” on page 9.
Bruises
■
Bioflavonoids. If you have a tendency to bruise easily, you could be in for more trouble than you think. If
you find bruises all over your body and can’t remember
where they came from, or seem to have bruises all the
time and find they take a long time to heal, you may
need what they used to call vitamin P. Vitamin P is also
known as the bioflavonoids, and in nature they appear
with vitamin C. Even if you take vitamin C, there is a
good chance that you aren’t getting the bioflavonoids.
Vitamin C is technically ascorbic acid, but in nature vitamin C always has other vitamins with it. However, most
vitamin companies make ascorbic acid synthetically
in a laboratory, which is much cheaper than trying to
process it from a natural source. The only way to be sure
you’re getting the bioflavonoids is to read the product
label; not only should it say it has bioflavonoids, but it
should say how many milligrams of each.
or leopard’s bane, mountain tobacco, and mountain daisy. It’s part of the thistle family and is
commonly found in the mountain meadows of
America, Canada, and Russia. Its yellow flowers
closely resemble the daisy and contain the active
ingredients effective at dissolving blood clots. For
this reason, arnica is an excellent herb for sprains,
strains, arthritic swelling, and bruising.
The bioflavonoids will help strengthen the small blood
vessels in the body, the capillaries. This is important
because if your capillaries are easily broken on the
surface of the skin, then they are more than likely
also fragile in other parts of the body. It may not be
so serious to have a bruise, but if a capillary breaks in
the brain, you have a stroke. There is even a greater
risk if you have blood pressure problems!
— 16 —
Applying arnica products topically over a bruise will
cause it to dissolve. Although it is rare, the skin of
some individuals may be sensitive to arnica. It’s best
to try a small amount before covering a large surface. Several companies around the world market
arnica-based creams and gels. In this country, I
would recommend the products called Traumeel and
BHI Arnica from Biological Homeopathic Industries
(BHI). You can order them from The Vitamin Shoppe
(866-293-3367 or www.vitaminshoppe.com).
Burns
Put Mustard on a Burn
Burns are some of the most difficult wounds to treat
because they provide the perfect breeding and feeding
grounds for many organisms. As such, burn wounds can
easily become infected, and the infection often spreads
rapidly into the bloodstream, which can kill the victim.
That’s why if you have a burn wound, it’s important to act
fast and do all you can to protect yourself. Fortunately,
there are a few things you can do.
■
Honey. Several studies at the Miraj and General
Hospital in Sangli, Maharashtra, India have shown
how effective honey can be when it’s used to treat
burns. It has also been shown to be effective at healing other wounds. One study evaluated the effects
of using unheated raw, local honey on nine different
pathogenic organisms found in burn wounds. This
included Pseudomonas aeruginosa, one of the most
difficult bacteria strains to manage. When cultured,
none of the organisms was able to survive a 30% concentration of the honey. Another study found that
honey was effective against 17 different strains of
Pseudomonas aeruginosa, even at concentrations as
low as 10%. (J Burn Care Rehabil 02;23:366–370)
Best of all, honey is easy to use. For deeper wounds
and abscesses, honey is generally used to fill the cavity after it has been cleaned. On smaller wounds and
on larger ones that have been filled with honey, a top
dressing is applied. This is done using approximately
1 ounce of honey on a 4-inch square dressing pad.
The pad is then applied directly to the wound. A second, dry dressing is placed on top of the first dressing
and secured with adhesive tape.
Changing the dressing once daily is usually all that
is required. If the wound initially produces a large
amount of exudate, then more frequent changes may
be necessary. Once no exudate is being produced, the
honey dressing may only need to be changed once
every five days to a week.
Reader Health Hint: “My neighbor was cleaning a very, very hot restaurant grill with a block that
broke, causing her to scrape both hands right across
that blistering hot grill. She was standing there looking at her badly burned hands when a truck driver
who had just come into the restaurant yelled at
her to put mustard on her hands. She could hardly
believe it, but she put her hands right into the large
mustard jar near the grill. The pain ceased and she
doesn’t have a single scar on her hands!”
Honey is inexpensive and readily available. The gauze
dressing pads will probably cost you more than the
honey. (Keep in mind that some of the best and least
expensive dressing pads are panty liners and sanitary
napkins with adhesive backings.) Instead of the heated,
filtered honeys found in your grocery store, try the local,
raw, unheated products generally found at health food
stores, county fairs, and fruit markets. If you can’t find
a raw honey locally, try unheated, unprocessed, unfil-
— Iorez W., Twin Falls, ID
tered, raw Tupelo tree honey from the Savannah Bee
Company (912-234-0688 or www.savannahbee.com).
I also recommend MediHoney products, available at
the Wound Care Shop (www.woundcareshop.com or
866-207-5909).
■
Put on Papaya Pulp. Doctors in the pediatric burn
center at the Royal Victoria Hospital in Banjul, Gambia,
Africa have informed me that pulp from the papaya
fruit makes an excellent burn dressing. Due to a very
limited budget and resources, they have been using
papaya because it’s cheap and abundant in the area. The
pulp of the papaya is mashed and applied directly to
burns. The children tolerate it well, and it has proven to
be very effective at sloughing off dead tissue, preventing
infections, and providing a clean wound for later skin
grafts, if necessary. Doctors are also applying the pulp
to infected wounds with successful results.
Cancer
■
Whey Protein Powder is probably one of the most
under utilized tools you can use to improve and protect your health. Whey isn’t some glamorous, hightech product that was just recently discovered. It’s the
translucent liquid that separates from the curd when
milk coagulates during the cheese-making process.
— 17 —
Ages ago it was praised as an elixir, but more recently
it has generally been discarded as waste. Some of the
more savvy farmers knew it would benefit young farm
animals and often utilized it in feed. They were on to
something. The majority of the benefits of whey can
be attributed to its dense content of high-quality protein components. In fact, it has been found to be one
Why Does India Have Just One-Tenth the Cancer Rate of America?
If you’ve ever eaten Indian food, you’ll never forget
the color, smell, and taste of curry. Curry is actually
a combination of spices, one of which is turmeric
(Curcuma longa). Turmeric is a strong antioxidant and
free-radical scavenger, but it also possesses amazing
anti-inflammatory, anti-mutagenic, and other protective powers—and seems to be surprisingly potent
and effective even at low dosages. (The average daily
intake per adult in India is estimated at 400 mg.)
The compound curcumin is responsible for the
yellowish-orange color and distinctive smell of turmeric. Curcumin is more than just a simple pigment,
however. Researchers at the M.D. Anderson Cancer
Center in Houston reported that curcumin stops
laboratory strains of melanoma from proliferating
and causes the cancer cells to commit suicide. The
findings are so dramatic that human clinical trials are
already underway testing curcumin’s ability to retard
the growth of both pancreatic and breast cancer, and
animal studies of its effects on melanoma will begin
shortly. So far, the researchers have found that curcumin has had a positive effect on every tumor marker
they’ve tried. By the way, all of these studies involve
the use of daily oral curcumin supplements that are
readily available today.
For years now, I’ve been recommending turmeric
(which routinely contains between two and five
percent curcumin) as one of the least expensive and
most effective tools to promote proper inflammatory
response and help protect against cancer. I’m sure
consumption of curcumin from turmeric and curry
is one of the primary reasons India has such a lower
incidence of the four leading types of cancer found
here in the US—colon, breast, prostate, and lung.
The oral therapeutic dosage for cancer is considerably higher than the maintenance amount for prevention. Curcumin is nontoxic, so some cancer studies
have used amounts as high as 3.6 grams per day
(3,600 mg), while others are recommending a therapeutic dose of 3.6 grams taken 3 times a day for a total
dosage of 10.8 grams.
From what I’ve seen, four to eight grams daily of
95 percent curcumin capsules is a pretty accepted
therapeutic dosage. It has been reported that the
addition of an extract of common black pepper,
called piperine, increases the absorption and bioavailability of curcumin. Some manufacturers have
since incorporated this extract into their products.
One that I find reliable is called Super Curcumin
with Bioperine, from Life Extension Foundation
(800‑544‑4440 or www.lef.org).
As for a maintenance dose for curcumin, that
seems to vary also. What was interesting in the above
study was the researchers’ comment stating the cancers were suppressed “by both short exposures to
high concentrations of curcumin, as well as longer
exposure to lower concentrations of curcumin.” The
work of the M.D. Anderson Cancer Center researchers
once again supports the idea that regular, routine consumption of curcumin in the diet and through supplementation may be the best form of prevention.
Based on their research, I consider taking a daily
supplement that contains turmeric or curcumin (along
with ingesting curry powders and turmeric in the diet)
to be a wise move.
protective effects might be. (Cancer Lett 03;198:43–51)
(J Nutr 01;131:3281–3287) (Int J Toxicol 01;20:165–174)
(Cancer Epidemiol Biomarkers Prev 01;10:555–558)
(Asian Pac J Cancer Prev 00;1:227–282)
of the most complete and biologically active forms of
protein available.
Studies in laboratory animals have found that a diet
supplemented with whey protein provides protection
against toxin-induced cancers of the esophagus, lung,
bladder, colon, liver, and breast. And it appears that
the earlier the whey protein is started, the greater the
— 18 —
I routinely use and recommend a product called
Designer Whey Protein. It’s a quality product
that can be found in most health food stores or
of Avemar—the recommended single daily dose for
a 70 kilogram (154 lb.) adult. The clinical studies
on Avemar used 8.5 grams of the original formula;
with the new product you’re getting exactly the same
amount of the active ingredient.
ordered from Nutrition Express (800-338-7979 or
www.nutritionexpress.com)
■
Avemar is a fermented wheat germ extract that is
used as a natural cancer therapy. Research indicates
that Avemar works through several different mechanisms. One of its most unique benefits, however, is its
ability to inhibit glucose metabolism in cancer cells.
Research at UCLA has demonstrated that Avemar
reduces glucose flow into cancer cells—which inhibits
their ability to produce additional nucleic acids and subsequently reduces their proliferation or growth. In the
presence of Avemar compounds, cancer cells begin to
utilize the available glucose to produce substances that
actually inhibit cell division and stimulate programmed
cell death (apoptosis) within the tumor.
Avemar also assists the immune system’s ability to
identify and destroy cancer cells. Avemar’s safety has
been studied extensively in cell lines, animals, and
humans and no adverse effects have been identified.
When the data were reviewed by a panel of doctors
and toxicologists, it was their opinion that Avemar
has a toxicological profile similar to that of bread.
(Though the product is made from only the germ
part of wheat, the manufacturer has included a caution for people who are sensitive to gluten.)
Not only is the use of Avemar free of toxic and adverse
effects, it has the added benefit of being able to protect cells against such effects caused by conventional
therapies. In all of the studies where Avemar was used
in conjunction with conventional therapies, not only
were those therapies significantly more effective, but
the patients experienced considerably less therapyrelated side effects. Both the frequency and severity
of common side effects like nausea, fatigue, weight
loss, and depression were reduced. Additionally, their
immune systems recovered more rapidly. (Pharmindex
Handbook of Oncology 2004/2005) (Cancer Biother
Radiopharm 04;19:343–349, 746–753) (Cancer Biother
Radiopharm 99;14:277–289)
The original Avemar was produced in Hungary and
sold in this country as Avé. A newer formulation
is made here in this country under the direction of
the Hungarian researchers, and is sold as Avé Ultra.
The new formulation has the fructose in the original
formula replaced with stevia. It’s available through
The Harmony Company (www.theharmonyco.com
or 888-809-1241). Avé Ultra is conveniently packaged in individual packets, each containing 5.5 grams
You should mix each packet with 8 ounces of cold
water and then drink it either an hour before or an
hour after a meal. Additionally, you should drink
your Avé Ultra and water mix either two hours before
or two hours after taking any other drugs or dietary
supplements—particularly vitamin C. (In some
tumor models, Avemar taken by itself had a greater
inhibitory effect on metastasis formation than did
Avemar plus vitamin C—thus the recommendation
to separate the two to obtain the maximum benefit.)
■ Honokiol. Preliminary research has shown that
honokiol does exactly what you want a cancer therapy
to do. It turns off cell division in some cancer cells,
and in others it induces them to kill themselves (a
process called apoptosis). Honokiol promotes antiangiogenesis—that is, stopping the formation of new
blood vessels that feed a tumor, effectively starving the
tumor. Honokiol has exhibited these properties so far
in the following cancers: myeloma, leukemia, melanoma, sarcoma, colon, lung, bladder, ovarian, esophageal, breast, and prostate (androgen-dependent and
androgen-independent forms). Unlike many promising cancer therapies, honokiol is nontoxic. You don’t
have to worry about killing the patient before killing the cancer. Therapeutic levels of honokiol can be
achieved by taking the compound orally, since it isn’t
destroyed by the digestive system.
I recommend a product called HonoPure, available
from EcoNugenics. You can contact them at www.
honopure.com or 800‑521‑0160.
For active cancer, therapeutic level: 1 gram, 3x/day,
with food. For long-term maintenance: 500 mg, 2x/day
(total of 1 gram/day), with food. For prevention: Start
with 500 mg 2x/day, and after one month the dosage
can be dropped to 500 mg 1x/day, or 250 mg 2x/day.
Candida Overgrowth
■ See “Yeast Infections” on page 65.
Canker Sores
■
— 19 —
Bee Propolis. A drop of bee propolis extract placed
directly on the sore and allowed to dry works most of
the time. The only problem with the propolis is that
it’s very sticky and messy. It’s like putting tar on your
lip: It’s unsightly, and it’s hard to remove—particularly if it gets on your teeth. Also, it’s worth noting
that propolis seems to work best if you catch the canker sore when it first forms. For more information on
propolis, see "Herpes" on page 40.
■
DGL. In India, I learned about using a mouthwash
made from DGL (deglycyrrhizinated licorice). DGL
is the product that works to heal stomach and intestinal ulcers as well. DGL is now readily available in
health food stores and through many manufacturers.
To make the mouthwash, simply add about 200 mg of
DGL to 200 mL of water. The exact proportions aren’t
that critical, so you can add a little more if you want.
Just rinse your mouth about four times a day, and
don’t drink anything afterward for several minutes.
Every blood vessel from the heart to the capillaries is
lined with endothelial cells. The smallest capillaries
consist of nothing but a flat sheet of endothelial cells.
Endothelial cells control what’s happening at a local
level. They control the movement of white blood cells
from your immune system in and out of blood vessels. They produce and release various hormones to
trigger repair and growth of new blood vessels.
If you want to take advantage of the healing powers
of licorice without the hassles of making a mouthwash, there is a relatively new product you can try. It’s
called CankerMelts. This product consists of an oral
patch that you place directly over the sore, as soon as
it starts to form. Unlike some of the other products
on the market, it stops the pain within about 10 minutes without numbing the area. The disc dissolves
but continues to provide relief for anywhere from 2
to 6 hours. It’s a neat product.
A recent study showed that those using the patch had
complete pain relief after three days, and most sores
shrank to one-tenth their original size after seven
days—while untreated sores continued to grow. In
another study, it was found that 26 of 27 canker sores
healed in three days or less when treated with the
product, compared to a normal healing time of 10 to
14 days if left untreated.
Cankermelts are available as a box of 18 discs and
cost about $10. The product is available at Rite Aid
and other pharmacies nationwide, or you can order
it online at www.dentist.net.
Cardiovascular Disease
Endothelial cells also contain sensors that determine
blood flow. By making and releasing enzymes they
trigger the formation of nitric oxide (NO) from arginine—which, in turn, causes the smooth muscles to
relax (blood vessel dilation) and increase blood flow.
NO can only be made from arginine. When arginine levels are too low, endothelial cells can’t produce enough NO and blood vessels stay constricted.
Cardiovascular disease then either kills quickly when
the blood/oxygen supply gets cut off from the heart,
or, more commonly, in a slower, more predictable
manner beginning with the endothelial cells not
being able to perform their job.
I would suggest taking 3 to 6 grams a day. It’s possible
that higher doses might cause temporary diarrhea in
some individuals, so 3 grams a day is probably a good
starting dose for everyone. One source is Jo Mar Labs
(www.jomarlabs.com or 800-538-4545) and another
is PureBulk (www.purebulk.com or 888-280-0050).
■
Lower C-Reactive Protein. Lately, the buzz phrase
in cardiac medicine has been C-reactive protein
(CRP). At the risk of oversimplifying matters, CRP
is a blood “marker” that indicates inflammation is
occurring somewhere in the body. And inflammation is known to damage arterial walls and lead to
such problems as arteriosclerosis, heart disease,
heart attack, and stroke. According to a study published in the New England Journal of Medicine, the
highly sensitive C-reactive protein test (hs-CRP) is
more predictive of future heart attacks and strokes
than a standard cholesterol test.
With small lifestyle and diet changes, and some targeted supplementation, you can lower CRP. Start by
exercising and increasing your intake of essential
fatty acids—fish, fish oil, flaxseed oil, chia, etc. Other
food sources of omega-3 fatty acids are spinach,
mustard greens, walnuts and walnut oil, wheat germ
oil, lecithin, tofu, beans, buttermilk, pumpkin seeds,
and seaweed. Black currant seed oil capsules, borage oil capsules, and evening primrose oil capsules,
■ Arginine: Cardiovascular disease begins in the
blood vessels, primarily the arteries. Blood vessels
are tubes of connective tissue wrapped in smooth
muscle with a single sheet of cells that line the interior walls. These cells are called endothelial cells
and the lining they form is called the endothelium.
Endothelial cells are nothing short of remarkable.
— 20 —
Heart Attack: How to Increase Your Chances of Survival
to feel such pain, call for help, and then start coughing
immediately. Here’s how:
Heart attack is a leading cause of death in the
United States and a common cause of disability in
adults. That’s why it is important to know about tools
or techniques that you can use to safely and effectively limit damage should you or your family experience one of these unfortunate events.
You might think CPR wouldn’t be much help if
you were having a heart attack and there was no one
around to perform it on you. As strange as it may
sound, you can give yourself modified CPR by coughing. It was previously believed that pressure to the
chest during CPR compressed the heart, causing it to
pump blood. Researchers, however, have found that
compression of the breast bone causes increased
pressure in the chest cavity itself, forcing blood out of
the chest area to all parts of the body.
Vigorous coughing has the same effect—it keeps
blood circulating by increasing pressure in the chest.
One cough moves as much blood as two CPR compressions. Dr. J. Michael Criley of UCLA reported that
one of his patients used this coughing technique to
stay alive on his way to the hospital after his heart
went into fibrillation.
To use this, you have to act quickly. If your heart
stops, you have only about 15 seconds before you will
pass out. Hard pain in your chest, left arm, and shoulder signal the beginning of a heart attack. If you begin
1. Take a deep breath and cough twice, as hard as
you can. Wait a couple seconds, take another
deep breath and again cough hard twice. Taking
big breaths fills your lungs with oxygen. Coughing
contracts the diaphragm, compressing the heart
and helping it to keep it pumping oxygenated
blood to the tissues. It’s a simple form of self-CPR.
Keep repeating the process until either your heart
begins to beat normally or help arrives.
2. As soon as your heart has stabilized, chew and
swallow one aspirin. I’m not normally a fan of aspirin, but in this case it gets into the system quite
rapidly and can begin to reduce platelet adhesiveness within five minutes. This will help open
up any blocked blood vessels that may have triggered the attack.
3. If you can, you should also follow the aspirin with
a tablespoon of Tabasco or two cayenne pepper
capsules. Tabasco or cayenne pepper acts as an
immediate stimulant to the nervous and vascular
systems. It helps dilate, or enlarge, blood vessels,
which supply the heart muscle and other vital
organs. If you have a history of heart problems,
you should definitely make sure that you have a
supply of cayenne pepper capsules on hand. They
are readily available at most health food stores.
are also dozens of healthful ways to prepare them.
Choose organic, unprocessed foods whenever possible. Three of my favorite heart-healthy foods are
onions, walnuts, and—although it may come as a
surprise—eggs.
also good essential fatty acid sources, can be found in
health food stores.
■
Two other supplements that can help lower CRP
are curcumin, which is the yellow pigment of the
spice turmeric, (500–1,500 mg daily) and green tea.
(Green tea is readily available in grocery stores; if you
don’t like it or it’s not convenient to brew several cups
throughout the day, take about 50 mg of green tea
extract daily.)
Eat Heart-Healthy Foods. There are so many deli-
cious foods that actually help your heart; it’s hard
to imagine why anyone ever dreamed of creating
the fake foods that line grocery aisles today. There
— 21 —
Onions contain the bioflavonoid quercetin, an
extremely effective protector of the cardiovascular system. They also contain many beneficial sulfur compounds. Sulfur compounds in raw onions
inhibit the stickiness of blood platelets, lower blood
pressure and cholesterol levels, and inhibit the formation of fibrin, the substance responsible for blood
clots that can cause strokes and blockages in arteries.
To be effective, the onions must be raw, as cooking
inactivates the molecule. I recommend eating half a
raw onion every day. As a health bonus, you can also
add minced or chopped onion to oil before cooking
to gain the benefit of its antioxidant properties.
Walnuts contain a mix of both omega-3 and omega-6
polyunsaturated fatty acids. When walnuts were added
to the diets of 13 women and 5 men ranging in age from
52 to 68 years, there was a very significant lowering of
both total cholesterol and the low-density lipoprotein
(LDL) form of cholesterol. And, at the University of
California—Davis, researchers found that consuming
as little as 5 ounces of walnuts a week can reduce your
cardiovascular disease risk by 30−50%. (Am J Clin Nutr
01;74:72–79) A couple of walnuts a day are all it takes
to keep your heart healthy.
For years the public has been told to avoid eggs, especially the high-cholesterol yolks. The egg scare started
in the 1950s and 1960s, during a promotional campaign condemning cholesterol. Patients and doctors
alike still hold fast to the idea that eggs are bad for
you because of their high cholesterol content—even
though hundreds of studies have shown that the
amount of cholesterol we eat has very little influence
on our cholesterol blood levels. More to the point,
specific studies have shown that consuming moderate
amounts of eggs does not affect cholesterol levels. A
study reported in the British Medical Journal showed
that seven eggs a week, combined with a low-fat,
high-complex carbohydrate, high-fiber diet did not
raise cholesterol levels. (BMJ 87;29:333–336)
Egg yolks do contain a large amount of cholesterol, but what has been overlooked is the fact that
they are also one of the richest sources of choline,
a component of lecithin, which many people have
eliminated or reduced in their diet. Choline acts
like a fat and cholesterol dissolver. It keeps the
cholesterol in the egg moving through the bloodstream and doesn’t allow it to stack up on arterial
walls. Lecithin breaks fats into small droplets and
improves digestion. It also keeps cholesterol soluble, which keeps it moving in the bloodstream and
helps prevent blockages or clots. Eggs are also rich
in minerals, vitamins, and essential amino acids.
diabetes to steroid use. You’d certainly rather prevent
cataracts than treat them after the fact. (See my other
recommendations for preventing cataracts below.) If
you already have a cataract, there is still hope.
There has been some very promising research out
of Russia that I have been following for the last few
years in relation to cataract treatment. Dr. Mark
Babizhayev and his colleagues at the Helmholtz Eye
Institute in Moscow have been studying the effects of
the natural compound N-acetylcarnosine (N-AC—
not to be confused with N-acetylcysteine, which is
used to boost glutathione levels) since about 1991.
During this time, Dr. Babizhayev’s work has progressed from extensive laboratory testing in animal
models to human studies. (Drugs R D 05;6:345–
369) (Rejuvenation Res 04;7:186–198) (Drugs R D
04:5:125–139) (Drugs R D 02;3:87–103)
Dr. Babizhayev discovered that he could prevent
cataract formation by applying a 1-percent liquid
solution of N-AC directly to the eye. Even better
news is that his eye drops have actually reduced
and eliminated age-related cataracts. These results
have all been accomplished without surgery or
drugs. Measurable effects have been seen using
the drops after only a month of use, and there have
been no side effects. (Some of the patients I’ve spoken with, however, did occasionally notice a temporary “blurring” in their vision for an hour or two
following their use. This effect appears to be from
the “melting” or breaking up of the cataract.)
Dr. Babizhayev’s reports suggest that the reversal
of the cataract starts at the periphery and works its
way inward. During the process, which seems to
take about six months, vision becomes clearer. He
has shown that over a six-month period of treatment, over 41% of the eyes treated with N-AC eye
drops exhibited improvement in transmission of
light through the lens, 88.9% showed significant
improvement in glare sensitivity, and 90% had a significant improvement in visual acuity. In no instances
did eyes treated with the drops worsen in any way.
His trials have extended for periods of up to two years
with only continuingly positive effects being seen.
Dr. Babizhayev recommends applying one to two
drops of N-AC solution in each eye twice daily. The
maximum effect on visual acuity generally occurs
within the first three to five months of therapy. Those
who had their cataracts for less than seven years experienced the quickest and best results. Individuals with
Cataracts
■
N-AC Eye Drops. Cataracts are a leading cause of
blindness, and can be the result of anything from
— 22 —
cataracts for seven to 15 years obtained good results.
While those with cataracts for more than 15 years still
showed improvements, they had the least response.
You can order Dr. Babizhayev’s N-AC eye drops, which
are called Can-C, from Smart Nutrition (858-270-7907
or www.smart-nutrition.net). A similar N-AC eye drop
product, which costs a couple of dollars less, is Eye
D’Clare II. It can be purchased from Life Enhancement
(800-543-3873 or www.life-enhancement.com). Keep in
mind, due to FDA considerations, no one marketing
these products in the US will advertise their products
as being a treatment for cataracts. Instead, they will be
for “eye health,” etc.
■
Avoid Carbohydrates. Researchers at the USDA
Human Nutrition Research Center on Aging have
found that increased simple carbohydrates in the
diet increases the risk of developing cataracts. The
average daily intake of simple carbohydrates of
417 women aged 53 to 73 was studied for 14 years.
Those whose average intake was between 200 and
268 grams per day were 2.5 times more likely to
develop cataracts than those whose intakes averaged
between 101 and 185 grams per day. (Am J Clin Nutr
05;81:1411–1416)
■
■
The amino acids cysteine and histidine also may help
prevent cataracts. Cysteine increases glutathione levels in the eye, which, like vitamin C, protects the lens
from damaging UVB radiation. Animal studies have
shown that when histidine is missing in the diet, cataracts may develop in as little as three weeks. Yogurt,
wheat germ, granola, oats, ricotta, cottage cheese, and
eggs are among foods rich in these amino acids that
help rebuild and maintain the eye’s integrity.
Eat Grapefruit Every Day. At the Hebrew University-
Hadassah Medical School, researchers have found that
eating a grapefruit a day might be one of the easiest
ways to reduce cholesterol levels. The group in the
study consisted of 57 individuals with known high
cholesterol levels who had recently undergone coronary bypass surgery (ages 39–72 years). They were
divided into three groups, one eating a fresh red grapefruit per day, a second eating one fresh white grapefruit
per day, and the third serving as a control group. All
three groups continued their usual diet.
Cholesterol and triglyceride levels were tested in all
three groups at the beginning of the study and at the
end of 30 days. There were no changes in the control group, but there were significant improvements
in both groups eating the grapefruits—with the most
improvement in those eating the red grapefruit.
Compared to the control group, those eating red
grapefruit had reductions of 15.5% for total cholesterol, 20.3% for LDL cholesterol, and 17.2% for triglycerides. (J Agric Food Chem 06;54:1887–1892)
This study is just one of many that demonstrate the
health benefits of grapefruit. Other studies have
shown that it can accelerate weight loss. Grapefruit
has fallen out of favor with many doctors because it
can interfere with some drugs (by either increasing
or negating the effects). This attitude toward grapefruit has always struck me as a little funny because
the drugs involved are often being used for the same
purpose—to lower cholesterol levels.
(For other recommendations, see “Cardiovascular
Disease” on page 20.)
Vitamin C and Certain Amino Acids Offer
Protection. The concentration of vitamin C in the
fluid of the eye is among the highest in the body.
Studies have shown that the lenses of your eye
require up to 20 times more vitamin C than the rest
of your body, especially as you age. Yet research is
revealing that cataract patients have lower concentrations of vitamin C in the lens, and with increasing age, the eye becomes less permeable to vitamin
C and more vulnerable to damaging UVB radiation from the sun. This chain of events has been
implicated in the formation of cataracts. I recommend up to 2,000–2,200 mg of vitamin C per day.
Cholesterol
Circulation Problems
■ Nattokinase. Staying alive or even healthy without
proper circulation is impossible. Besides the obvious
fact that heart and vascular disease is now the leading
cause of death, dozens of the most common health
problems we face today show remarkable improvement
when proper circulation can be restored. So it’s in your
best interests to keep your circulation in top shape.
— 23 —
If you’re treating any circulation-related condition or
disease, or if you want to prevent that disease, these
are essential steps you need to take.
As we age, blockages begin to form in small vessels
of our microvascular system. To a degree, our bodies can compensate for this. Through the process of
angiogenesis, new blood vessels can form to replace
those with blockages. Other blood vessels can dilate
to help compensate for those that are blocked.
Unfortunately, both of these compensation mechanisms decrease with age.
The enzyme nattokinase can be used to clear these
blockages. It is truly a remarkable supplement, one
I highly recommend taking daily if you’re over age
40. (I personally do.) Nattokinase is one of the few
compounds that can effectively remove fibrous tissue and other clotting components anywhere in the
body. I call it the “poor man’s clot buster.”
Nattokinase is based on the Japanese soybean-based
food, natto. In 1980, Dr. Hiroyuki Sumi tested 173
different foods for their ability to dissolve blood clots
and found that natto exhibited the strongest “clotbusting” activity. Further research revealed that an
enzyme in natto had the ability not only to prevent
fibrous clot formation but also to dissolve alreadyformed fibrous blood clots. He named the enzyme
nattokinase (“enzyme in natto”).
Using anticoagulant drugs—or even natural “blood
thinners”—treats only the surface of the problem.
Thinning blood and making blood cells less “sticky”
temporarily allows more blood to flow through an
area with blockages. The real solution is to actually
remove the fibrin deposit or clot. As I mentioned
earlier, while drugs like urokinase, streptokinase,
and Activase have attained a degree of success, they
are extremely expensive and their fibrinolytic activity
(ability to dissolve clots and fibrous tissue) lasts for
only about 4 to 20 minutes.
It appears that natto and nattokinase are the natural
solutions we’ve been searching for. Japanese researchers have shown that 100 grams of natto exhibits the
same fibrinolytic activity as a therapeutic dose of
urokinase. Even more remarkable is the fact that
while an injection of urokinase is effective for only 4
to 20 minutes, nattokinase maintains its activity for 4
to 8 hours. (Acta Haematol 90;84(3):139–143) (Data
from Japan Functional Food Research Association)
Natto is considered to be safe and beneficial. It has
not been associated with any ill side effects, nor have I
seen any reports of allergic reactions.However, if you
take the prescription drug warfarin to prevent blood
clots, do not eat natto or take nattokinase. Natto has a
high vitamin K content, which may impede the effectiveness of warfarin.
Further research exposed the effects of nattokinase on blood pressure. In a randomized, placebocontrolled trial, a group of participants received
2,000 FU of nattokinase daily for 8 weeks. This group
showed reduced blood pressure significantly more so
(-2.84 mmHg) than the placebo group after 8 weeks.
(Hypertens Res 08;31:1582–1588 ).
Nattokinase has become readily available in this
country. You can find it through NutriCology
(800‑545-9960 or www.nutricology.com). Their product is Nattozyme. One serving of natto provides
2,000 FU of nattokinase, which is the ideal level for
general health (4,000 FU for a therapeutic dose). To
get 2,000 FU with the NutriCology product, I recommend taking 100 mg daily.
Nattokinase is one of the most significant tools
for improving chronic circulation problems I have
uncovered in the last several years. The sooner
you put it to work, the better the ultimate outcome will be.
■ Indian Gooseberry (amla in Hindi) has long been
considered a sacred plant in Indian culture, because
of its healing powers.
On its own, amla is very sour, so Indian cooks use the
berry in a variety of dishes, including pickles. Amla
is also an ingredient in several traditional Ayurvedic
remedies. (Ayurveda is the healing system developed
in India over several centuries.) In general, Indian
physicians use amla to promote healthy circulation
throughout the body.
The amla berry grows in a variety of climates, but the
most effective ones at promoting heart health appear
to be the wild varieties grown at higher altitudes.
Not only are these higher in fiber, they’re higher in
antioxidants—particularly vitamin C and ellagic acid
(the same compound that makes black raspberries
so good for your health). Antioxidants are essential
for keeping your cholesterol from oxidizing. And
it’s the oxidized LDL cholesterol that is so dangerous because, as it becomes oxidized (rancid, really)
it attacks the protective cells lining your arteries, creating points of microscopic damage. The cholesterol
then enters artery walls through those points, where
it creates the plaque you’ve heard so much about.
— 24 —
Studies show that consuming the amla berry regularly can improve your levels of blood lipids all
around. Participants taking an extract of amla were
able to increase their levels of HDL cholesterol by
more nearly 15 percent (from 41 mg/dL to 48), and
reduce LDL cholesterol by 10 percent (from 161 mg/
dL down to 138). (Ind J Clin Biochem 08;23:378–381)
As side benefits, users of amla extract see a reduction
in blood sugar of about 5 percent, and even a reduction in levels of CRP (C-reactive protein), an accurate
indicator of inflammation. As oxidized LDL cholesterol attacks artery walls, it creates inflammation. It’s
this inflammatory situation that allows the cholesterol
to get drawn through the protective lining into artery
walls. The reduction in CRP levels (more than 30 percent after only three months of use, from 0.51 mg/dL
down to 0.35) is a pretty good indicator of how thoroughly amla is improving your blood characteristics
and protecting your arteries. (Unpublished data, 08)
The extract used in the studies I cited above is called
AmlaMax™. The recommended dosage is 500 mg
daily. It’s available in a variety of supplements, often
combined with other nutrients. One such product is
Advanced Lipid Control which can be ordered from
Life Extension (800-544-4440 or www.lef.org).
■ Niacin. Increasing blood flow increases the exchange
of oxygen for carbon dioxide, and of nutrients and
necessary raw materials for waste products. This
speeds the healing process in any condition. The
easiest, least expensive way to increase blood flow is
through exercise. That’s why it will always be essential for optimal health.
The B vitamin niacin is also an effective way to
increase microvascular blood flow. Niacin is the vitamin that creates a “flushing” in the skin when taken
in larger amounts. If you’ve experienced the niacin
flush (which must be something like the hot flashes
of menopause) you know what I’m talking about.
Some people dislike the temporary (15–20 minutes)
noticeable surge in blood flow to the face, chest, and/
or hands, but I like it.
studies have confirmed both its safety and its effectiveness at a dose of 40 mg taken three times daily of
an extract standardized to 24 percent ginkgo flavone
glycosides. I recommend a product by Enzymatic
Therapy called Ginkgo Biloba-24 percent. You can call
the company at 800-783-2286 or visit www.enzy.com
to find a store in your area that carries this formula
or order directly. Another good product is Ginkgo
Biloba 60 by Progressive Laboratories, available at
800-527-9512 or www.progressivelabs.com. Increasing
your microcirculation with ginkgo will also help your
skin look younger. Researchers in the anti-aging field
have realized for quite some time that to achieve visible rejuvenation of the skin, you first have to find a
way to rebuild the skin’s microvascular system. The
skin is an organ like any other in the body. And, for
it to react to other forms of treatment and not restrict
its healing and rejuvenation properties, the vascular
integrity of the skin must be optimal so it can deliver
the necessary materials, energy, and oxygen needed
for repair and regrowth. Ginkgo is one tool that can
keep the skin’s microvascular system in the best possible working order.
Cirrhosis
■ See “Liver Health” on page 44.
Colds and Flu
■
Tasmanian Blue Gum Tree Oil. On one of my
trips to Australia a few years ago, a particularly bad
winter flu strain was going around. After about a
week, I was suffering like everyone else—everyone,
that is, except two cleaning ladies in the building
where I was working.
I have no doubt that the effectiveness of niacin in
alleviating a variety of problems is due to the compound’s ability to dilate blood vessels in the microvascular system, immediately improve blood flow,
and accelerate healing.
■ Ginkgo biloba is one of the more powerful tools to
safely increase microcirculation. Dozens of research
— 25 —
I had noticed the women because a strong eucalyptus
odor followed them everywhere they went. At first
I thought the smell came from one of their cleaning solutions; however, when I looked closer, I saw
that they carried a rag doused with oil of eucalyptus.
The fumes were very strong, and just breathing them
relieved my congestion and runny nose. I found
myself following them from room to room just to
inhale the fumes! As soon as I could, I went to the
local health food store and purchased a four-ounce
jar of eucalyptus oil. I put 8 to 10 drops on a small rag
every few hours and kept the rag near me for the next
several days until I felt better. It worked wonders!
The eucalyptus tree (also called the Tasmanian Blue
Gum Tree) is an evergreen native to Australia. The
essential oil extracted from the leaves has long been
used in cough drops, cold medications, mouthwash,
toothpaste, detergents, and liniments for arthritis
pain. Eucalyptus oil can be inhaled, used topically, or
put in bath water.
Breathing the oil’s fumes can knock out infections in
the nasal passages, sinuses, bronchial tubes, and lungs
with incredible speed because of the potent bactericides it contains. One way to breathe the fumes and
break up congestion is to add 10 to 15 drops to a
vaporizer or to boiling water on a stove. If you dilute
it with other essential oils, it becomes an excellent
chest rub for congestion and mucus buildup.
■
Eucalyptus oil can be purchased from health food
stores, herbal shops, online, or through the mail.
For various respiratory threats I would also suggest keeping a small supply of fiber surgical masks
around. Dousing them with several drops of eucalyptus oil goes a long way in both preventing and
treating respiratory infections. Type N95 masks run
anywhere from $1 to $2 each and offer improved filtering power against bacteria and other pathogens.
It would be a good idea to have a few on hand for
everyone in the family. You can find these items at
any medical supply house or on the Internet.
(pronounced mum-shu-glu). Elderberries have
been used extensively in folk medicine to treat influenza. The active ingredients in elderberries apparently bind with viruses before they have a chance
to penetrate the wall of a normal cell. Researchers
at Hadassah-Hebrew University Medical Center in
Israel have shown in laboratory tests that Sambucol
stimulates the immune system by increasing production of disease-fighting lymphocytes. It also
acts as a powerful antioxidant.
Sambucol comes as liquid syrup or a lozenge. Each
package contains enough for four days (for adults),
more than enough to knock out a cold or flu. Since
Sambucol is slightly acidic, it should be taken following meals to avoid stomach upset. If you can’t find
Sambucol locally, you can order it from Sullivan Creek
(888-406-4066 or www.sullivancreek.com).
At the first sign of flu, cold, herpes, or any other viral
disease, I recommend taking Sambucol. The recommended dosage for adults is four tablespoons or lozenges daily.
Cold Sores
■
sores can be painful and, in general, a nuisance.
Cold sores come from a virus, but they often surface only when tissue calcium levels are low. In fact,
the appearance of these sores is a strong indication
of a calcium deficiency.
Sambucol (from the Latin name for elderberry,
Sambucus nigra) is an elderberry extract developed
by Israeli researcher, Dr. Madeleine Mumcuoglu
Stop Coughing
Without Cough Syrup
Many people take calcium supplements and get
plenty of calcium from food, but still see the effects
of low calcium levels. If you’re taking calcium every
day, but are still experiencing the condition, then
the problem is likely one of poor circulation or poor
assimilation. When everything is working properly,
the calcium you ingest moves from the gastrointestinal tract into the bloodstream. From there calcium
travels across cell membranes and into body tissues.
The transfer from GI tract to bloodstream occurs with
the help of vitamin D. If you’ve been taking generally
good care of yourself, then you’re getting adequate
quantities of vitamin D from either sunshine exposure or supplements, so this step is rarely the source
of the problem. For your body to make the second
step, however, it needs adequate quantities of vitamin
F—certain fatty acids (particularly the omega-3 linolenic and the omega-6 linoleic) that have a profound
influence on your body’s ability to utilize calcium. If
Reader Health Hint: “I’ve learned of an easy
way to stop coughing without the use of cough
syrups or medication. Simply keep some ice cubes
in your mouth. It works.
My doctor tells me it may be because the cold
numbs the nerves supplying the throat. I just know
that it works for me and everyone that’s tried it.
The ice must be kept continuously in the mouth.
If you want to re-mineralize your body during this
time or make the technique more acceptable to
children, you can freeze one of the sports drinks
into ice cubes.” — Tanya K., Palmyra, WI
Calcium and Vitamin F. Besides being ugly, cold
— 26 —
your system is lacking in vitamin F, the calcium stays
in the bloodstream and never gets to tissues.
■
Common Foods That
Are Relatively High in Fiber
There are literally hundreds of calcium products
on the market, but I recommend one that contains
the digestive acid betaine hydrochloride, additional
magnesium, and vitamin D. Each of these will help
increase the amount of calcium you assimilate into
your system. One such product is Tri-Boron Plus
by Twinlab. It’s available from The Vitamin Shoppe
(866-293-3367 or www.vitaminshoppe.com). If these
don’t give you positive results, there’s a strong likelihood that you need more vitamin F.
6.5 grams
Bran cereals (All–Bran, Oat Bran), ½ cup
4–10 grams
Berries (blueberry, blackberry,
strawberry), 1 cup
Nuts (almonds, hazelnuts, macadamias,
pecans), 1 oz.
Beans and legumes, cooked
(chick peas, lentils, navy beans), 1 cup
Fruits, dried (apricots, figs, prunes, raisins),
½ cup
Fruits, whole (apple or pear with skin,
kiwi, orange)
Vegetables, raw (broccoli, carrots) 1 cup
Vegetables, cooked (beets, cabbage,
peas), 1 cup
There are several ways to get additional vitamin F in
your diet, but the easiest is to increase your intake of
flax. It’s likely that you’re already getting plenty of the
omega-6 portion of vitamin F, because that’s found
in many plant oils: sunflower, safflower, canola, etc.
Flax is the only commonly available oil that provides
adequate amounts of the omega-3 portion, and your
body needs both for proper calcium movement.
As a side note, I should add that fish oil doesn’t
appear to be the solution here, despite its many other
health benefits. The fatty acids in fish oil, primarily
DHA and EPA, are downstream products of linolenic
acid—and in this instance your body really needs the
source material.
Whole grains (barley), 1 cup
“Unstick” Your Ileocecal Valve. The ileocecal (ill-
lee-o-see-cal) valve is located between the small and
large intestine. Basically, it’s located in the same area as
the appendix, and many times what is thought to be an
appendix problem is, instead, a problem with this valve.
This little valve has two very important jobs. First, it
serves as a block that prevents toxic contents of the
large intestine from backing up into the small intestine.
Second, it keeps food products in the small intestine
from passing into the large intestine before the digestive processes have been completed. At times, the valve
can become either “stuck shut” or “stuck open.”
Food becomes toxic after staying in the body too
long. It should move on through the large intestine
and then be expelled by the body. Sometimes if the
valve sticks shut, these feces (toxic waste materials)
will have to stay in the small intestine and are unable
7–11 grams
4–6 grams
3–5 grams
3–4 grams
4–6 grams
There are several reasons why the valve doesn’t
always work right, but I’ll only mention a few of
the more common ones here. Sometimes spicy or
roughage-type foods will irritate the valve and cause
it to stick shut or open. Another factor that greatly
influences the valve is stress or emotional trauma.
Almost everyone is exposed to these factors, but
some of us are more sensitive than others.
When the valve is stuck open, there are two things
you can do for temporary relief. First, you can sometimes hold the valve shut for several minutes. This is
done by placing your hand over the valve (which is
located about halfway between your belly button and
your hip bone on your right side), and while pushing
in, pull up toward the left shoulder. The second way
is to place a pack made of cold water or ice over the
valve for about 15 to 20 minutes. This process can be
repeated if necessary.
Here are some other steps you can take when you
suffer from either diarrhea or constipation:
■
Detoxify. The toxic food products that are either
information.
■
2.5–4 grams
to move any further. With the valve shut and the
food backing up, you become constipated. On the
other hand, when the valve sticks open food moves
through you at a rapid rate (diarrhea).
Bee Propolis. See “Herpes” on page 41 for more
Constipation and Diarrhea
4–5 grams
— 27 —
backing up or that are blocked up in the intestines
need to be detoxified. The best way to do this is to use
chlorophyll, which is available at health food stores.
Initially, you should take either two capsules or tablets
or ½ teaspoon of chlorophyll liquid every two hours
for about six to eight hours, and the same amount
with each meal for the next three or four days.
■
Adjust Your Diet. Next, you should eliminate spicy
promotes easier, more frequent bowel movements
and helps correct constipation problems.
foods from your diet for a week or so. You should
also eliminate alcohol, cocoa, chocolate, and caffeine
products. If your problem is diarrhea, it’s also helpful to eliminate all roughage-type food for a short
period of time. If it’s constipation, and the problem is
a closed valve, then increase the roughage. (For more
on how roughage [dietary fiber] can help treat constipation, see bullet to the right.) With a closed valve, it
also helps to add calcium and vitamin D to your diet.
■
Lactic Acid Yeast Wafers. With an open valve (diar-
rhea), I recommend using lactic acid yeast wafers.
Lactic acid yeast wafers contain a blend of ingredients,
including a mycelium type of yeast (Saccharomyces
cerevisiae) that converts all forms of carbohydrates
into lactic acid. The product has been around since
1939, and I’ve never found another supplement to be
as effective when it comes to stopping diarrhea. Two
wafers with each meal for adults will stop diarrhea,
often within the same day. Lactic acid yeast wafers
are also great for small children and elderly adults.
Prolonged diarrhea in either of these age groups can
lead to some very serious consequences, and needs
to be corrected as quickly as possible.
■
The frail or the elderly can safely take one wafer with
each meal. For children, pulverizing half a wafer
and adding it to either a couple of spoonfuls of food
or whatever liquid the child will drink usually brings
quick relief. Lactic acid yeast wafers are made
by Standard Process Laboratories. Standard
Process products are primarily sold through
doctors, but you can also purchase them
directly from Total Health Discount Vitamins
(800‑283‑2833 or www.totaldiscountvitamins.com)
or Spinelife (877-698-4826 or www.spinelife.com).
Cramps (Muscle)
Everybody at one time or another will experience one
of those unrelenting muscle cramps that just won’t stop
regardless of what you do. One of my top recommendations for cramps is to make sure you are getting enough
calcium and vitamin F, especially if you experience them
frequently. (For more on this recommendation, see the
section on “Cold Sores” on page 26). Here are a couple
of other tips you might want to use for quick relief.
■
Squeeze Your Upper Lip. Dr. Donald Cooper has
released an emergency technique that he claims works
90% of the time. It may come in handy next time you’re
driving down the freeway in bumper to bumper traffic and your leg goes into spasm. However, I want to
warn you that if you try this, use a little restraint and
don’t bruise or injure your upper lip.
Dr. Cooper describes the technique: “At the first sign
of muscle cramping, take a good, firm hold on the
upper lip between the thumb and index finger, maintaining constant pressure. The cramping will stop and
fade away, usually within 20 to 30 seconds, although
sometimes it may take longer. I often pinch for a total
of two or three minutes. Don’t knock it until you’ve
tried it.” (Cortlandt Forum 37:July/Aug 88)
■
Pickle Juice. According to Dan P., a subscriber from
Increase Fiber to Correct Constipation. Fiber,
which is sometimes referred to as roughage, is the
indigestible part of the plant that provides its structure. Fiber acts like a sponge, absorbing many times
its own weight in water, which aids in the removal of
toxins and waste material. As it passes through the
digestive system, fiber “scrubs” the intestinal walls. It
also stretches the intestinal walls, which then stimulates peristaltic muscle movements within the bowel
to decrease bowel transit time. In lay terms, fiber
A hundred years ago individuals in this country ate
an average of 28 grams of fiber a day. It’s estimated
that we now consume only between 12 and 17 grams
a day. At the very least, you should be getting around
25 grams of fiber in your diet each day. This is best
obtained through whole grains (bran cereals are
excellent fiber sources), berries, nuts, legumes, fruits
with the skin and pulp, raw vegetables, etc. You can
see from the information in the following chart that
it doesn’t have to be a chore to get your full daily dose
of fiber. A bowl of high-fiber cereal in the morning,
some beans for dinner, and a couple pieces of fruit
through the day will give you most of what you need.
— 28 —
Duncanville, Texas: “Players on the Philadelphia Eagles
NFL team drink two ounces of pickle juice before football games to prevent muscle cramps and improve their
performance. A simple remedy for muscle cramps is
eating a slice of sour pickle; the cramp is gone in about
60 seconds. It also is supposed to prevent pulled ham-
compulsive disorder—without any of the side effects.
Most of the studies have utilized 12 grams a day for
depression and 18 grams a day for problems like panic
and obsessive-compulsive disorders. Personally, I’ve
seen excellent results in these same type cases using
doses in the range of 3 to 6 grams daily. (Am J Psychiatry
95;152:792–794) (Int J Eat Disord 01;29:345–348)
(Eur Neuropsychopharmacol 97;7:147–155) (J Clin
Psychopharmacol 01;21:335–339)
Don’t Let Menstrual Cramps
Cramp Your Style
It’s not unusual for young women to have
severe cramping at the start of a menstrual cycle.
Vitamins B1 and E, calcium, and magnesium will
often stop cramping. Of these, vitamin B1 (thiamine)
has been shown to be especially effective. Physical
and mental stress, refined carbohydrates (sugars),
and dieting can deplete B-vitamin levels in young
women. An Indian study involving 556 girls, ages
12 to 21, with severe spasmodic dysmenorrhea
(menstrual cramps) obtained remarkable results
with vitamin B1. Half of the girls were given 100 mg
of vitamin B1 orally each day for 90 days. Eightyseven percent of those in the treated group were
cured. The effects lasted for two months after the B1
was stopped. (Indian J Med Res 96;103:227–231)
Inositol is considered very safe. In a few cases,
individuals experience temporary loose stools
at the higher doses—and large doses may cause
uterine contractions, so they probably shouldn’t
be taken in late pregnancy. If you decide to try
inositol, I suggest starting with 3 grams of inositol
powder mixed with either juice or water and taken
each morning. You can also just put the powder in
your mouth. It doesn’t matter if you take inositol
with or without food. From there you can gradually increase the dose by an additional 3 grams
every 4 or 5 days until either you reach 12 to 18
grams daily or you begin to experience beneficial
effects.
In most studies individuals began to see positive
results within 4 to 6 weeks. I’ve found that many people actually see a difference in a matter of days, but
it’s worth continuing for at least a couple of months if
you don’t get a response that quickly.
Inositol can be purchased in capsules or in a more
economical bulk powder. For example, 8 ounces of
inositol sells for about $15 at www.allstarhealth.com
(800-875-0448). At a dose of ¼ teaspoon (600 mg)
that’s 378 servings.
■
St. John’s Wort has been used as an antidepressant for hundreds of years. The key to dealing
with this and other herbs is to use standardized
extracts. Herbs have a strong tendency to vary in
the amount of the active ingredients they contain.
Different growing conditions, processing, storing,
and a million other factors can cause variations.
This accounts for some people getting fantastic results and others none. In Europe, the herbal
preparations have been standardized for years and
fortunately the trend is starting to catch on in this
country.
In the case of St. John’s wort, the percentage of active
ingredient that helps depression (hypericin) is best
extracted by using alcohol (70% ethanol—such as
strings. Some athletic trainers say that this is a grandma
formula, but if it works, I say do it.”
Depression
■
Inositol. A natural and safe alternative to selective
serotonin reuptake inhibitors (SSRIs), which include
drugs such as Prozac, Celexa, Zoloft, Luvox, Effexor,
and Paxil, is the compound inositol—considered to
be a part of the vitamin B complex, but not truly a
vitamin.
In the body, inositol’s primary use is in the formation of cell membranes. It’s also involved, however,
in the systems that deliver messages from hormones
and neurotransmitters to individual cells. This is how
deficiencies of inositol can be related to various neurological problems like depression, eating disorders,
panic disorders, obsessive-compulsive disorders,
multiple sclerosis, diabetic nerve degeneration, etc.
Although it’s not totally clear exactly how, our bodies
can normally make adequate amounts of inositol. It’s
also present in foods like unprocessed whole grains,
liver, wheat germ, raisins, peanuts, cabbage, lima
beans, and unrefined molasses. We do know that
heavy consumption of coffee can lead to a deficiency.
Numerous studies have shown that inositol can be
equally as effective as the SSRI drugs in the treatment
of conditions like depression, bulimia, and obsessive-
— 29 —
The popping sound you hear when changing altitude during flying or driving through hills occurs
when the auditory tube is equalizing pressure.
It normally remains shut except when we swallow
or yawn.
A Solution for Dry Eyes
Reader Health Hint: “I originally subscribed to
Alternatives in hopes of finding a solution to my dry
eye problem. You suggested beta-carotene supplementation and it does help. By itself, however, it didn’t
completely eliminate my problem. I have found something that works for me and I thought other readers
would be interested in learning about it.
After reading some of the works of Edgar Cayce
I decided to try the following. Each evening I rub
unscented castor oil on my eyelids at bedtime. In the
morning I simply wash off any remaining oil during
my shower. The combination of beta-carotene and
castor oil has worked beautifully. “
— Karen T., Grand Rapids, MI
In adults, the tube goes “uphill” from the throat to
the middle ear. In young children, the tube is shorter
than adults’ and almost horizontal. This allows easier
entry for bacteria-laden mucus from the throat and
nasal cavity.
Detailed endoscopic examinations by Japanese
researchers found that in children with a history of
middle ear infections (otitis media), mucus and bacteria were drawn into the tube whenever they chewed
or yawned. These factors help explain the higher incidence of middle ear infections in small children.
Researchers from Finland found that children who
chewed eight pieces of gum a day (containing a total
of 10 grams of xylitol) experienced 40% fewer ear
infections than those who didn’t chew xylitol gum.
(J Dent Res 96;75:1892–1900) Further research found
that enough xylitol from the gum was getting into
nasal cavities to decrease the presence of Streptococcus
pneumoniae (S. pneumo) by 68%. (For more on the
health benefits of xylitol see pages 10, 36, and 62.)
■
Don’t Clean Your Ears Too Much. The external
Everclear—and 30% distilled water). One standardized product of this nature is made by PhytoPharmica
and is called HyperiMed St. John’s Wort. HyperiMed
contains 300 mg of extract standardized at 0.3%. You
can order HyperiMed from the PhytoStore at www.
phytostore.com or 877-241-8822.
Diabetes
■ See “Blood Sugar Control” on page 13.
ear canal doesn’t need and shouldn’t receive continuous cleaning. The wax produced there (cerumen) is a
necessary barrier to keep out bacteria and other contaminants. Both the oil (sebaceous) glands and the
ceruminous gland contribute to the wax formation.
It’s a slow and delicate process.
Dry Eyes
■
Beta-Carotene and Viva-Drops. One of the more
frequent problems my readers report to me is “dry
eyes.” Often, beta-carotene supplementation (25,000
units daily) will take care of the problem, and I also
recommended direct application of vitamin A drops to
the eye. This can bring almost instant relief and may
eliminate the problem when used over a period of several days. I recommended a product called Viva-Drops
from Dakota Laboratories, which is available through a
distributor at www.mediniche.com or 314-542-9539.
Ear Infections
■
Chew Xylitol-Sweetened Gum. Children are
particularly prone to upper respiratory and ear
infections because of their immature auditory
or Eustachian tube. This small tube connects the
middle ear with the throat and is responsible for
equalizing pressure on both sides of the eardrum.
The wax covers the constantly growing skin cells
underneath. As the skin grows, the outer cells die and
are gradually pushed along with the wax to the outer
portion of the canal. With the regular use of Q-tips,
matchsticks, and cleaners, not only do you damage
the protective wax layer, you also can damage the
delicate layer of skin below, opening it to bacteriae
invasion and infection. (For my recommendations on
how to clean your ears, see the box on the left.)
Eczema
■
— 30 —
Chinese Herbal Tea. According to research
conducted by a couple of doctors in London, a
Chinese herbal tea can be an effective treatment for
eczema. The synergistic components in this Chinese
remedy appear to work by stopping inflammatory
prostaglandins and leukotrienes. The same inflammatory process also contributes to problems like
psoriasis, emphysema, and asthma.
Safe and Inexpensive Ways
to Remove Ear Wax
A few years ago, I overheard an ear-nose-throat
(ENT) doctor comment that removing wax from his
elderly patients’ ears had become the “bread and
butter” of his practice. I couldn’t help but think that
he should teach his patients how to save money
and visits to him by removing the wax themselves.
Here’s how to do it yourself if you ever need to.
First, remember that a little earwax is a good thing.
Its antibacterial properties help keep the ear canal free
of infections. Normally it stays soft and moves out of
the canal on its own, due to vibrations initiated by jaw
movement. When it doesn’t move, it hardens and can
block the ear canal and impede hearing.
Never use Q-tips, water piks, or similar “tools” to
remove earwax. You could end up puncturing or
blowing out your eardrum! Removing earwax can
be done safely with a small rubber bulb syringe that
can be purchased in any drug store. (It’s the same
type of syringe used to clean mucus out of babies’
nostrils.) While you’re in the shower or tub, fill the
syringe with warm water and gently insert it just
inside the ear canal with the tip pointing slightly
upwards. Squeeze the tube. As the water flushes
upward into the canal, the wax should come out
the bottom of the ear. If the wax has hardened, you
can use a commercial wax softener or make your
own by mixing one teaspoon of baking soda in four
ounces of water. Put several drops of this liquid into
your ear three or four times a day. Within four or five
days the wax should be soft enough to flush out.
If you can’t wait that long, you can purchase a
liquid stool softener for children at a drug store. Check
labels and get one that contains docusate sodium.
This ingredient is safe and non-irritating, and works by
attracting water (like baking soda does). Just as water
absorption makes the stool softer and easier to pass
through the intestine, moistened earwax softens and
becomes easier to extract. Put three or four drops of the
stool softener in your ear and let it sit for 5 to 10 minutes. By then, the wax should be soft enough for you to
wash it out with warm water from the bulb syringe.
You can purchase the tea, called E-Tea, from a small
company in California called P.C. Teas Company
(800-423‑8728 or www.teastohealth.com). It’s available in tea bags, and the company has also put the
herbs in capsules.
This is one therapy where the dosage will vary from
individual to individual and will have to be adjusted
according to the results you get. However, here are
some suggestions to help get you started.
If you drink the tea, the suggested dosage is one cup
after each meal for the first week. From what I can tell,
it’s not unusual to see some improvement as early as
the first three or four days. After the first week, if you
see improvement, you can taper down to two cups of
tea a day following meals and then down to one cup
daily. I should also mention that if need be you can
use a little honey (not sugar) to tone down the taste.
If you decide to try the capsules, I suggest starting
with two capsules daily for the first week or two (one
in the morning and one in the evening). The following week, if the results are positive, you can try taking only one capsule per day. Again, depending on
results, the dosage can be tapered down or possibly
even eliminated.
Finally, the researchers suggested that, for best
results, you should eliminate spicy and hot foods,
alcohol, and shellfish from your diet. You should also
increase your consumption of vegetables, fruit, fruit
juices, and lean meat and fish.
I’ve been using the tea with several individuals, and
the results have been very promising. I haven’t followed anyone for as long as a year, but I can tell you
that about 60% of those I monitored have seen a
major reduction in their eczema in just two to three
weeks. This is a therapy that has been working when
seemingly everything else has failed.
■
Tea Tree Oil. For details, see box on page 57.
Edema (Fluid Retention)
■
Maintain Sodium/Potassium Balance by Supporting Your Adrenals. As you may know, sodium
attracts water, and edema can occur when the balance
between potassium and sodium in your body gets out
— 31 —
of kilter—which causes more fluid to accumulate either
inside the cells or in the area surrounding the cells.
(Potassium stays mostly inside the cell, and sodium
stays mostly in the fluid surrounding the cells.)
A hormone called aldosterone produced by the adrenal glands keeps your sodium and potassium levels in
balance by causing the kidneys to recapture sodium
from the urine and retain it within the body while
causing the kidneys to eliminate potassium—all of
which lets your body maintain adequate water levels
to keep from becoming dehydrated.
When your adrenal glands become fatigued, overworked, or depleted, they produce less aldosterone.
As a result, sodium spills out into the urine, along
with the water needed to hydrate your body. With
less aldosterone, your body doesn’t eliminate enough
potassium from inside your cells.
On the surface, it might seem like you couldn’t have
fluid retention when this imbalance occurs. After all,
your body’s inability to retain adequate amounts of
sodium results in too much water being discharged
as urine. However, this situation also causes more
and more potassium to remain inside your cells,
which causes an increasingly dangerous condition.
Too much potassium can interfere with proper nerve
and muscle function.
Emphysema
■
Tomato Juice. Lycopene has a well-deserved reputation as a beneficial antioxidant for prostate health.
(See “Prostate Health” on page 55 for more details).
Researchers at Juntendo University in Tokyo have
found that lycopene may be a very effective and simple technique to completely prevent the development
of yet another condition—emphysema from tobacco
smoke. Although the study involved mice and not
humans, I wouldn’t be surprised if it provided at least
some degree of protection in humans as well.
Two sets of mice were exposed to 1.5% tobacco
smoke through the nose for 30 minutes a day, five
days a week for eight weeks. During the experiment,
half were given tomato juice mixed into their water.
None of the mice that received tomato juice developed emphysema. However, all of those that did not
receive the tomato juice developed the disease. (Am J
Physiol Lung Cell Mol Physiol 06;290:L396–404)
The researchers suspect that the lycopene in the
tomato juice is responsible for its protective effects
but admit that there may be other components
involved as well. Obviously, based on this very preliminary work no one can claim that tomato juice
or lycopene can completely eliminate the threat of
developing emphysema from exposure to tobacco
smoke in humans. Having said that, watching
someone suffer from progressive emphysema is a
horrible event and there’s really no successful way
to treat the disease. The ultimate solution is to not
smoke, but that’s easier said than done. In reality,
anything that can be done to help prevent the problem should be considered—especially something
as inexpensive and healthy as tomato juice.
Even though this study involved mice, I have never
seen anything come close to these results in preventing
emphysema. Future studies are worth pursuing. And
if you or someone you know still smokes, I wouldn’t
hesitate to recommend copious amounts of tomato
juice—either straight or diluted with water. Lycopene
supplements may work as well, but those studies haven’t
been done yet, so I’d stick to tomato juice.
In response to this danger, your body begins to dilute
the concentrated potassium by forcing more water
into the cells. As a result, the cells begin to swell,
which causes the fluid retention. To strengthen the
adrenal glands and help promote adequate production of aldosterone, I recommend taking the following steps:
✧ Take a burden off the adrenals and allow them
to rebuild by eating four to six small meals or
snacks throughout the day rather than two or
three large meals.
✧ Snacks and meals should consist of foods higher
in protein since protein tends to pull excess fluid
out of the tissues and doesn’t cause rapid blood
sugar fluctuations.
✧ Avoid sugars and refined carbohydrates (such as
desserts, candies, sodas, fruit juices, etc.) since
they do cause rapid blood sugar fluctuations.
Epilepsy
■
✧ Support the adrenals nutritionally with a good
multivitamin or vitamin B complex.
— 32 —
Sniff Out Epilepsy. In Europe, serious research has
been conducted on the effects of essential oils on
epilepsy. Dr. Tim Betts, head of the epilepsy clinic at
the University of Birmingham in England, has been
using “smell-memory technique” to successfully treat
patients, many with intractable epilepsy (epilepsy
that won’t respond to any form of drug therapy).
Using self-hypnosis Dr. Betts trained 50 epileptic patients to relax at the first sign of a seizure. At
first they showed little improvement; then Dr. Betts
arranged for half of them to have aromatherapy massages. The patients were then told to take a whiff
from a bottle containing that oil whenever they felt a
seizure coming on. The patients using only self-hypnosis continued to show no improvement, whereas
all but one of those who had aromatherapy massages
became totally seizure-free!
The essential oils used in the massage seem to be
absorbed into the bloodstream, where they trigger dramatic chemical changes in the body. These
changes become a conditioned response, which can
be triggered with a whiff of the same oil. It took only
one or two full body massages with essential oils to
establish the conditioned response, and the effects
lasted for several months.
I want to stress here that massage, while relaxing
and likely beneficial, is simply the method used
to introduce essential oils into the system and to
establish a conditioned response. Dr. Betts has
found that certain oils seem to work better than
others. The one oil that consistently seems to have
anti-convulsant properties is jasmine.
Keep in mind that essential oils are quite potent
and shouldn’t be applied directly to the skin unless
they are diluted. If you’re going to give the massage
yourself, dilute the oil with a high-quality, unrefined,
cold-pressed oil like hazelnut, avocado, olive, or
almond. A good dilution would be two to four drops
of essential oil to two tablespoons of base oil. Sources
for jasmine and other essential oils include health
food stores as well as the following: Penn Herb Co.
Ltd. (800-523-9971 or www.pennherb.com), and Aura
Cacia (800-437-3301 or www.auracacia.com).
slender, red-stemmed jungle plant can grow up to 30
feet high. The tuber-like roots of the plant contain the
medicinal compounds. The long, twisted roots often
resemble a walking cane, or “tongkat,” as it’s called
in Malaysia.  The proper scientific name is Eurycoma
longifolia or Eurycoma longifolia Jack.
The herb has traditionally been used throughout
Southeast Asia for everything from headaches to
fatigue, malaria fever, labor pain, and arthritis. For
hundreds of years, the coffee-like liquid made from
the roots of the plant has also been used by the indigenous populations as an aphrodisiac. It is widely
accepted in this part of the world that the drink
increases male virility and sexual prowess.
Results from various studies indicate that tongkat ali
extract does indeed enhance male libido and sexual
motivation, virility, penile erections, and sexual performance. (Fundam Clin Pharmacol 02;16:479–483)
(J Basic Clin Physiol Pharmacol 02;13:249–254)
(Adv Contracept Deliv Syst 94:10:355–363) (Arch
Pharm Res 01;24:437–447) (Fundam Clin Pharmacol
01;15:265–268) (Phytother Res 01;15:435–436)
(Exp Anim 00;49:35–38) (Biol Pharm Bull
98;21:153–155) (Exp Anim 97;46:287–290) (Planta
Med 95;61:177–178)
Like many traditional remedies, the exact mechanism by which tongkat ali enhances libido isn’t fully
known. The above studies have shown, however, that
with increased dosing, the aqueous (water) extract
of the root can increase testosterone levels by as
much as 400% compared to base levels. And though
I haven’t seen or heard of any reports of adverse reactions, it would be reasonable to assume that use of
the herb would be contraindicated in any condition
that might be adversely affected by an increase in
testosterone levels. As such, it’s generally not recommended for pregnant or nursing mothers or for men
with prostate cancer.
Traditionally, the root of the tongkat ali plant is
chipped into small pieces, boiled for about 30 minutes, and then discarded. The remaining liquid is
much like coffee (except it’s very bitter). I prefer the
powdered extract of the tongkat root, which is far
more convenient and pleasant to take. Until recently,
you had to live in certain parts of Asia to find a
source for this plant. Fortunately, there is now a reliable source available in the US.
Erectile Dysfunction
■
Tongkat Ali. Several years ago, I established con-
nections with some medical researchers from two
universities in Malaysia who were studying the effectiveness of several traditional, native medicines. One
branch of the Malaysian researchers’ studies involved
tongkat ali, which is a native medicinal plant. The
— 33 —
■
The company SourceOne Global Partners is continuing to fund research studies on the herb and has also
introduced a tongkat ali product called ActivAli or
LJ100. If you’re interested in trying a quality tongkat
ali product without having to travel to Malaysia, you
should find the SourceOne product in most health
food stores (under either the ActivAli or LJ100
Tongkat Ali labels). If you can’t find it, try the LJ100
product from Physician Formulas, at 877-225-2466
or www.physicianformulas.com.
Muira Puama. Locals in Brazil have informed me
about the power of a common shrub that they call
“potency wood.” Its proper name is muira puama
(Ptychopetalum olacoides). Crude forms of the plant
have been used as both an aphrodisiac and as a stimulant to the nervous system.
At the First International Congress of Ethnopharmacology in Strasbourg, France (1990), Dr. Jacques
Waynberg reported using an extract of muira puama
on over 250 patients with erection problems. Using 1
to 1.5 grams daily of that extract, the majority of the
patients (62%) began to report an increase in libido.
Erection problems were improved in 51%. No significant side effects were noted.
The exact extract used by Dr. Waynberg was never commercially marketed to our knowledge; however, other
muira puama products have become available in this
country. One product, Masculex, is sold by Enzymatic
Therapy. Each capsule contains 125 mg of muira puama
extract, along with several other ingredients beneficial
to the prostate and other male sexual organs. If your
health food store doesn’t carry the product, you can
order it from Enzymatic Therapy at 800-783-2286 or
www.enzymatictherapy.com. Amino Acid & Botanical
Supply, 800-952-7921, also carries a muira puama product in the form of a tincture called Horsepower #3.
Eye Health
■
Eat Foods Rich in Quercetin. Quercetin strengthens the walls of blood vessels in the eyes and helps
protect against buildup of sorbitol, a type of sugar
that can cause the lens to become less flexible and
possibly more susceptible to cataracts. In addition,
quercetin coupled with vitamin C may help reduce
sinus congestion, reducing your reliance on antihistamines that are implicated in the development of
cataracts. Green tea, green apples, red or white wine,
onions, eggplant, and black currant juice are all rich
in quercetin, a powerful antioxidant and bioflavonoid. Whole-food supplements rich in quercetin
include blue-green algae and spirulina.
■
Eggs can help prevent macular degeneration; in
fact, eating egg yolks significantly increases levels of the carotenoids zeaxanthin and lutein in the
bloodstream, as do dark green leafy veggies such
as spinach. Research from Tufts University has now
shown that the concentration of lutein in the blood
serum of volunteers was three times greater after eating eggs than after consuming the same amount of
lutein from other sources—including cooked spinach and two varieties of lutein supplements. (J Nutr
04;134:1887–1893)
■
Triphala (tree-FAH-lah) has been widely prescribed
in India for thousands of years. Modern practitioners
of Ayurvedic medicine prescribe triphala—a combination of three herbs—for its antioxidant, detoxifying,
and restorative effects throughout the body, including
vision. In my explorations of this herbal trio, I found
that Indians who practice Ayurvedic medicine often
use it to treat failing vision and protect against cataracts. Its three ingredients are:
✧ Indian gooseberry (Amla in Hindi) has one
of the highest vitamin C concentrations of any
known plant. This is important, because the
lenses of your eye require over 20 times more
vitamin C than the rest of your body.
✧ Beleric myrobalan (Bibhitaki in Hindi) is
thought to have a mild laxative effect, which
helps to cleanse and detoxify the body.
✧ Indian gallnut (Haritaki in Hindi) is considered
one of the most important Ayurvedic herbs. It’s
reported to have rejuvenation properties as well
as the ability to improve digestion and vision, and
heal ulcerated surfaces in the digestive tract.
— 34 —
Triphala comes in bulk powder and capsules. Both
are equally effective, although capsules are more
expensive because of the convenience. If you take the
powder, mix one teaspoon with a small amount of hot
water and let it steep for about 10 minutes, then take it
just before bedtime. Because of its mild laxative effect,
you may need to reduce the dosage. I suggest that you
take triphala for a three-month period twice a year for
optimal results. Check Ayurvedic catalogs and health
food stores for suppliers of triphala; one source that
I’ve worked with for both bulk powder and capsules is
Bazaar of India Imports (www.bazaarofindia.com or
800-261-7662).
Help End Fatigue With
Magnesium
Eye Twitching
■
Researchers at the University of Southampton
in the United Kingdom have found that lower
levels of magnesium may be responsible for many
of the symptoms associated with chronic fatigue.
After determining that patients with chronic
fatigue actually had lower red cell magnesium levels, 32 patients were divided into two groups. Of
these, 15 received intramuscular injections of magnesium sulfate every week for six weeks. The other
17 received a placebo.
Calcium and Vitamin F Supplementation. For
details see “Cold Sores” on page 26.
Fatigue
Hypothyroidism, chronic constipation, iron deficiencies, chronic infections, stress, sleep apnea, and trace
mineral deficiencies are just a few factors that can lead
to chronic fatigue. If these problems have been ruled out
in your case, I want to tell you about a remedy that may
help. Few people are aware of it even though it has been
around for almost 50 years.
■
In the treated group, 12 of the 15 said the
injections helped. In fact, the energy scores of
seven patients went from the minimum to the
maximum! And magnesium levels in all of those
treated returned to normal, while only one person’s
levels did so in the placebo group. Only three in
the placebo group felt there was any improvement
and only one had better energy scores. (Lancet
91;337:757–760)
Potassium-Magnesium Aspartate. In the late
1950s and early 1960s, European researchers studied
the effects of two unusual forms of potassium and
magnesium on fatigue. The compound they studied
was called potassium-magnesium aspartate. Aspartate
(or aspartic acid) is a natural amino acid. It’s a crucial
compound used by the brain to help transmit nerve
impulses and is a necessary component for energy
production (in the Krebs cycle where your body
extracts energy from carbohydrates). When combined with potassium and magnesium, researchers
found aspartate provided several additional benefits.
In 80 patients experiencing post-surgical fatigue for
a year or more, more than 90% had complete relief
from fatigue after taking the compound. Some experienced results in as little as three days, while for others
it took two weeks. The average was seven days. Each
patient participating in the study was given one gram
of potassium-magnesium twice daily. Additional
studies involving thousands of patients have confirmed that between 75 and 94% of all fatigue-ridden
patients showed improvement when taking the compound. Surprisingly, these results have been achieved
regardless of the cause of the fatigue.  (Am J Med Sci
62;243:758–769) (Clin Med 64 Jan;71:85–90)
There are hundreds of potassium-magnesium products being sold. You’ll find that the most common
forms are oxides, chlorides, and gluconates.  If you
are fighting fatigue, don’t waste your money buying
these products. They do not work like the aspartic
acid form. I like potassium-magnesium aspartate by
Thorne Research, from www.vitamins4you.com or
800-865-4680. I also recommend Isotonic Mineral
Formula, which you can order through NutriMedical
(888-212-8871 or www.nutrimedical.com).
Many individuals are able to quit taking potassiummagnesium aspartate completely after their fatigue
is gone. Others must continue taking it, but at a
reduced maintenance dosage. Since everyone is different, you’ll just have to figure out what works best
for you. It can be an amazing substance.
Note: Although aspartate has no side effects at the dosage levels given in the studies I’ve mentioned, if taken
with specific other substances, there could be problems.
Aspartate and the amino acid phenylalanine are combined to produce aspartame. The effects of ingesting
large amounts of aspartame (NutraSweet) over time are
still a source of controversy. Many users have reported
headaches and symptoms similar to those caused by
monosodium glutamate (MSG). I do my best to avoid
aspartame and recommend that you do the same.
A great alternative to NutraSweet is the herb Stevia
rebaudiana. Stevia is 30 to 100 times sweeter than
sugar, nontoxic, water soluble, and is low in calories. Stevia is widely available in health food
— 35 —
stores. Another excellent alternative is a natural
sweetener called xylitol. Xylitol is found in many
fruits, berries, vegetables, and birch trees. It’s
completely safe and very easy to use. As a bulk
sweetener, it can be used spoon for spoon in recipes and cooking in place of sugar. You can order
it from XylitolNow, a division of Alpine Nutrition
(800-910-9775 or www.xylitolnow.com).
about one tablespoon of plum puree to one pound of
hamburger meat. At those levels, there would be little
if any taste change. This same ratio could be used with
other foods where the possibility of E. coli contamination might exist. To make matters even simpler, dried
plum puree is readily available as baby food.
■
California, found that a compound from fresh cilantro leaves called dodecenal was responsible for the
strong antibacterial properties associated with some
Mexican salsas. When dodecenal was isolated and
tested in the laboratory, it was found to be twice as
effective as the antibiotic drug gentamicin in killing
Salmonella bacteria, which is commonly associated
with food poisoning resulting in severe illness or even
death. This gives further credibility to the phrase,
“when in Rome, do as the Romans do.” Eating the
local salsas may be what helps protect Mexican residents from Salmonella-contaminated foods, while
visitors often suffer from a severe case of “turista.”
Food Poisoning
■
Dried Plum Puree. Research from the Department
of Animal Science and Industry at Kansas State
University has revealed that adding dried plums (formerly known as prunes) to hamburger meat could
kill any E. coli bacteria that was present. Daniel Fung,
at the university, discovered that when ground beef
contained 3% dried plum puree, 90% of the E. coli
bacteria would die after a three-day period. After five
days, over 99% of the bacteria would die.
I wouldn’t recommend using the five-day test.
Instead, I recommend buying hamburger meat that
is as fresh as possible and using it right away. If you
have concerns about possible E. coli contamination, I
would buy freshly ground hamburger, add the plum
puree—possibly double the normal amount—and
then wait three days. In the above study, adding 3%
dried plum puree to hamburger would work out to be
Foot Health
■
Crocs. If you have any interaction with young children
you most likely are familiar with those funny-looking
shoes called Crocs, since they are very popular with
younger age groups, especially children. But what first
may appear to be a simple shoe fad has turned out to
be a solution for many people with foot problems. I’ve
seen reports that Crocs can be very helpful in providing relief for individuals with plantar fasciitis—inflammation of the fibrous band that connects the heel
bone to the base of the toes. The condition generally
starts like a stone bruise on the heel and the pain then
spreads along the bottom of the foot. It’s most often
treated medically with steroid injections combined
with stretching exercises, and often orthotics (arch
supports) are added. Many people now report that
Crocs are a godsend in these cases.
Relieve Indigestion
With an Irish Potato
Reader Health Hint: “In a slice of Irish potato
¼” x 2” (raw) you have almost instant relief from the
misery of acid indigestion. An Irish potato is wholly
alkaline. Before you finish eating the slice your misery will cease. If for any reason it doesn’t, you should
see a doctor.
I suffered for about 30 years with a hiatal hernia. I never knew when I sat down to eat a meal
whether I could finish it or not without an attack.
Whenever it happened, I had to leave the table
and sometimes the misery would last two or three
hours. I started eating Irish potatoes daily, prepared in different ways, and since I did, I have not
had another attack. I am now 87 years old and still
active and healthy.” — J.C.B., McComb, Mississippi
Cilantro. Isao Kubo, a chemist at the University of
Crocs are also perfect shoes following the removal of
bunions (bunionectomies) or other types of foot surgery. They fit loosely enough that they can be worn
with bandages still on the feet.
Crocs are made from a non-porous resin, so they
won’t attract and hold bacteria—which can be very
important for someone susceptible to infections. This
feature makes them great for someone with diabetic
ulcerations and/or poor circulation. Their design
allows for plenty of room in the toe area, a built-in
— 36 —
support for the heel, and a rear strap that helps hold
the shoe on. They may look strange, but they are very
comfortable, and if you have foot problems they are
definitely worth a second look. A lot of shoe stores
are starting to carry Crocs now, and you can also
order them online at www.crocs.com. The company
has added several styles, but the most popular one for
foot problems continues to be the “beach” model.
The Power of Peppermint
Peppermint is an underutilized herbal
remedy that can treat and heal a variety of
gastrointestinal disorders.
▶
It has a gentle disinfecting effect. This
helps prevent the fermentation of improperly
digested foods in the stomach and bowels,
which stops the formation of intestinal gas and
the pain associated with it.
▶
It is antiemetic. In other words, it alleviates
nausea and vomiting.
▶
It promotes normal function of the liver
and gallbladder. It promotes the production
of bile by the liver and its release by the gallbladder. (Chronic disease of the pancreas gland
can also be alleviated with peppermint.)
Gastrointestinal Health
Almost everyone has had to deal with the
discomfort and distress of bowel disturbances like
bloating, gas, and abnormal stool frequency. It’s not a
pretty picture and it’s more than just an inconvenience.
Bowel irregularity can point to an underlying problem of
greater concern—compromised bowel function, which
plays a huge role in your immune system and your overall
condition of health.
Between 60 and 70% of our immune system is
located in the digestive tract, which makes sense when
you realize it’s one of only three direct connections our
body has to the outside world (our skin and respiratory
tract are the others)—making it one of the places we are
most exposed and vulnerable.
Peppermint tea bags are readily available in both
grocery and health food stores. The tea can also be
made from fresh leaves. Simply add 1 or 2 teaspoons
to a cup of hot (not boiling) water and let it stand
covered for 10 to 15 minutes. I would recommend
keeping a supply of peppermint tea around the house;
however, it shouldn’t be used on a casual, regular basis.
Use it only during periods of stomach, liver, gallbladder,
or pancreatic upset. Regular use will lessen its effect.
A breach in the gut wall allows toxins, bacteria,
yeast, fungi, viruses, and incompletely digested foods
to enter the bloodstream. An excess of these pathogens creates additional acids, fermentation byproducts,
waste, and toxins that eventually overcome your gut’s
defenses. Maintaining bowel health is vitally important
not only to those with bowel conditions such as irritable bowel syndrome (IBS), Crohn’s disease, and chronic
constipation or diarrhea, but also to everyone because
it’s one of the most effective methods of improving overall immune system function. Here is one of my top recommendations for supporting a healthy gut.
■
Fermented Foods/Probiotics. The best course of
action for dealing with bowel problems is to add fermented food and/or a probiotic supplement to your
daily regimen. Research and clinical work has shown
that anywhere from 50 to 75% of those who make
these changes will notice a significant difference in
their health.
naturally fermented “live” foods are an option that
have been around since the beginning of mankind.
Fermented vegetables, fermented milk products (clabber, yogurt, cheese, buttermilk), kefir, fermented soy
products (natto, miso, tempeh, soy sauce, fermented
tofu), and even naturally fermented, unpasteurized
beers are some of the most complete probiotics available. I highly recommend that you regularly include
these foods in your diet.
Probiotics are live micro-organisms that, when
administered in adequate amounts, provide a health
benefit to the host by engaging and neutralizing
toxic compounds. While commercial supplements
often come to mind first at the mention of probiotics,
— 37 —
My favorite fermented food (besides unpasteurized beer) is homemade sauerkraut. I keep a fresh
batch going almost constantly, and some already
made in the fridge at all times. It provides one of
the widest varieties of beneficial bacteria that are
known to protect against everything from bowel
troubles to cancer. It’s inexpensive and easy to
make and keep. A little salt, cabbage, and a crock
pot are all that’s needed.
In addition to eating homemade sauerkraut or
other fermented foods, I recommend the use of a
commercial probiotic product. A long-standing
problem with many probiotic supplements is that
most of the beneficial bacteria that they contain
don’t survive long enough to reach the consumer.
And if they do survive the product manufacturing and delivery processes, their potency drops
dramatically every time the bottle is opened and
exposed to light and air.
Finally, using a quality probiotic supplement can
enhance your overall health by promoting regular
bowel movements and boosting immune system
function.
Technological developments over the past few years
have made the delivery of probiotic bacteria to your
gut a reality. Formulations such as beadlet encapsulation and advanced controlled-release technology
ensure that the healthy bacteria are delivered intact to
the intestines and colon, where they aid digestion and
nutrient absorption by:
There are several probiotic products I recommend:
Pearls IC, available from Enzymatic Therapy in
health food stores or by contacting Enzymatic
Therapy (800-783-2286 or www.enzy.com).
Jarrow-Dophilus EPS, available in health food
stores.
Probiotic Advantage and Probiotic Advantage
CR, available from Mountain Home Nutritionals, at
800‑888‑1415 or www.drdavidwilliams.com.
I recommend 1 dose per day with water, on an empty
stomach. Do not chew or crush the beadlet, tablet, or
capsule when taking it.
nausea and vomiting, red eyes, swollen or cloudy
corneas, halos or rainbow rings around lights, blurry
vision, morning headaches, or pain around your eyes
when going from a dark to a bright area, please have
your eyes checked at once. Fortunately, there are some
therapies that can help glaucoma.
■
help lower eye pressure associated with many cases
of glaucoma, vitamin C has been shown to help lower
glaucoma pressure safely and without side effects.
Patients with mild glaucoma who took 500 mg of vitamin C four times per day (2,000 mg total daily) saw
their eye pressure dramatically drop within six days.
■
In the less common type of glaucoma, called angleclosure glaucoma, intraocular pressure can increase
suddenly, causing a painful, acute attack. If you ever
experience intense pain that leads to unexplained
Rutin may help support healthy intraocular pres-
sure. Take at least 20 mg three times daily. (Many
multivitamin/mineral supplements include this
bioflavonoid.)
■
Alpha Lipoic Acid (ALA) has the unique ability to
help “recycle” other key antioxidants such as vitamins C
and E and glutathione. In a study of glaucoma patients
who received 150 mg alpha lipoic acid each day, nearly
half of the eyes improved their color visual fields and
visual sensitivity, and more advanced cases had an even
better response compared with controls. There is strong
evidence that this nutrient may be useful in combination with B-complex vitamins and vitamin C.
■
Glaucoma
Glaucoma (sometimes called “stroke” of the optic nerve)
refers to a complex of diseases marked by optic nerve damage, which impairs vision. Most, but not all, of these diseases
are characterized by elevated pressure within the eye (high
intraocular pressure, or IOP), which can lead to pain, visual
impairment, and even blindness. Often, no symptoms
appear until permanent damage has occurred.
Vitamin C. Although surgery and medication can
Ginkgo biloba is showing potential in the treatment
of glaucoma. There is evidence that it improves central and peripheral blood flow, reduces vasospasm
and serum viscosity, has antioxidant activity, and
inhibits platelets (clotting) and cell death (apoptosis).
In one study, 40 mg of ginkgo given three times daily
increased diastolic blood flow by 23% in the ophthalmic artery in glaucoma patients. Researchers believe
it may be helpful in protecting the optic nerve from
further damage and subsequent visual field loss.
Note: Please consult your physician before taking
ginkgo or another herb, especially if you are taking a
blood-thinning medication such as Coumadin.
Gum Disease
■ See “Periodontal Disease” on page 54.
Hair Loss
■
— 38 —
Essential Oils. Researchers in Scotland report a safe
and unique treatment for alopecia areata, a condition
characterized by the sudden loss of hair in a particular
area. If hair loss happens during adolescence or affects
the entire body, the hair rarely returns. If it happens
later in life and is confined to a specific area, the hair
is more likely to regrow within a few months. In each
of these cases, the application of certain essential oils
appears to help hair grow back.
In a double-blind study on 84 men and women with
alopecia, half were given a combination of jojoba and
grapeseed oil and told to massage the oil into the scalp
for two minutes, then wrap a warm towel around the
head. The other half followed the same procedure, but
the jojoba and grapeseed oil contained a mixture of
essential oils: two parts thyme (Thymus vulgaris), two
parts atlas cedarwood (Cedrus atlantica), three parts
rosemary (Rosmarinus officinalis), and three parts lavender (Lavandula angustifolia). The jojoba and grapeseed
oils merely acted as the carrier for the essential oils.
After seven months, 44% of the 43 individuals using
the essential oils exhibited significant hair regrowth.
In the control group, only 15% regrew a significant
amount of hair.
These oils are readily available and nontoxic when used
in this fashion. However, women who are pregnant or
breast-feeding should not use this therapy. Rosemary
and atlas cedarwood can promote menstruation and
stimulate the central nervous system, neither of which
are desirable for women in these situations. Look for
these essential oils in health food stores.
■
Cut Back on Sugar and Refined Carbohydrates.
Some studies have linked premature hair loss to
increased sugar consumption. Researchers found
that men who experienced early male-pattern baldness (beginning before age 35) had an increased incidence of insulin resistance and higher blood levels of
insulin. They had a twofold increase in hyperinsulinemia, a twofold increase in moderate obesity, and
a nearly 150-percent increase in severe obesity. They
were also more likely to be taking medications for
high cholesterol, high blood pressure, and diabetes.
(Lancet 00;356:1165–1166)
Based on this information, it would seem that if you
begin to lose your hair before age 35, there’s a good
chance the loss could be related to imbalances stemming from excess sugar and carbohydrate consumption. Cutting back on sugar and refined carbohydrates
is a far more sensible course of action than reaching
for the Rogaine. Diet changes address the cause of the
problem; drugs merely treat the symptom.
Hay Fever
■
Yamoa Powder. For details, see “Asthma” on page 9.
Headache
■
Peppermint Oil and Ethanol. According to
researchers at the University of Kiel in Germany,
peppermint oil and ethanol (ethyl alcohol) can help
relieve headaches. Thirty-two patients took part in
the double-blind, placebo-controlled, randomized
study. Although dabbing a mixture of peppermint
oil, eucalyptus oil, and alcohol onto the participants’ foreheads and temples brought about mental
and physical relaxation, it wasn’t effective at reducing headache pain. However, when only peppermint
oil and alcohol were used, the participants noticed
an almost immediate reduction in headache pain.
(Cephalalgia 94;14:228–234)
Peppermint oil is readily available from either local
pharmacies or health food stores. Before being applied
topically, however, it should be diluted with ethyl alcohol. Keep in mind, this is not common rubbing alcohol (isopropyl alcohol). Ethanol is grain alcohol, and
the least expensive source is from the liquor store
where it’s sold as “pure grain alcohol.” This mixture is
very inexpensive, and from all indications, appears to
be a fairly effective remedy for headache pain.
Hearing Loss
■
Take Targeted Nutrients. Research has found that
specific nutritional supplements appear to greatly
reduce, if not totally prevent, loss of hearing from
loud noises. The discovery hinges on the fact that
cell death in parts of the inner ear is a result of the
toxic waste products called free radicals. The inner
ear contains hair cells that help transmit mechanical
vibrations into nerve impulses, which the brain can
then translate into sounds.
Overstimulation of the hair cells, from either loud
noise or habitual noise exposure, results in the generation of excessive amounts of free radicals. Under
normal circumstances, these free radicals would be
neutralized by the cell’s antioxidant defenses. Once
the cell’s antioxidants are depleted, the damaged hair
cells begin to die, and can continue to do so for days
or even weeks after noise-induced damage.
Researchers have found that, by providing the proper
antioxidants, cell death and subsequent permanent
— 39 —
hearing loss can be prevented. In fact, using these
antioxidants as a basis, in 2004 the military began
testing a “hearing pill” on recruits at the Marine
Corps Recruit Depot in San Diego.
If you want to support the health of your ears, the safest bet is to faithfully take a good daily multivitamin
and mineral supplement, including some or all of the
following nutrients: N-acetylcysteine (NAC), acetylL-carnitine (ALC), turmeric, ginkgo, zinc, vitamin
D, omega-3 fatty acids such as fish oil and/or flax,
B-complex vitamins (particularly B12), vitamin C (at
least 1 to 3 grams daily), vitamin E (200 to 400 IU
daily), and folic acid (200 micrograms).
The proprietary supplement used by the military is
manufactured by American BioHealth Group and is
now available to the public. For more information or
to purchase, go online to www.thehearingpill.com.
■
LACE, which stands for Listening and Communi-
cation Enhancement, is a computerized, home-based
training program for individuals who have hearing
loss or difficulty listening in noisy environments.
The self-directed program takes listeners through a
series of different scenarios where they listen to different conversations in noisy environments or competing voices, and the variety and difficulty changes
as listening skills progress. While hearing aids work
to amplify the sounds we hear, little effort has been
focused on improving listening skills, which is actually a function of the brain. The LACE program was
developed to fill this void.
Ten heart patients sat in a 60° C (140° F) sauna for
15 minutes a day, followed by 30 minutes lying on
a bed wrapped in blankets to further increase body
temperature. This was done once daily, five days a
week, for two weeks. A control group of 10 patients
lay on a bed without blankets at room temperature
for the same period of time.
After the two weeks, those who used the sauna had
fewer premature heart beats and periods of irregular
heart rates than those not using the sauna. Those
using the sauna also had lower concentrations of various blood hormones associated with heart damage.
These same researchers had previously conducted
similar experiences on animals with heart failure and
found that continued sauna use prolonged their lives.
Based on the findings of this work, they strongly feel
that regular sauna use can extend the lives of patients
suffering from chronic heart failure.
Sauna therapy opens up, or dilates, blood vessels, and
increases blood flow and circulation, much like exercise (without the activity). It does place an extra burden
on the heart, and if you have heart disease or problems
it would certainly be best if you could find an openminded doctor to help monitor the sauna therapy.
Hemorrhoids
■
If listening has become a problem, or if you have
hearing difficulties, I think LACE is an excellent tool
to have. I think it would be particularly useful for
individuals who are just beginning to use a hearing
aid. You can listen to samples of the program or order
it online at www.neurotone.com. (The program is on
a CD that operates through your computer. LACE is
also now available in a DVD format.)
Heart Failure
■
Sauna Therapy. Japanese researchers from Kago-
shima University report that infrared saunas could
improve heart function in individuals with chronic
heart failure. (Infrared saunas, unlike most saunas
in the US, utilize infrared lamps for heat rather than
heating elements. As a result the air temperature is
much cooler but the heat penetrates the body.)
— 40 —
Lower Abdominal Pressure and Blood Pooling.
Anything you can do to lessen abdominal pressure or
abdominal blood pooling will help correct or prevent
hemorrhoids. Here are my recommendations.
✧ Straining while on the toilet must be avoided.
Make sure your stools are soft and easy to pass.
Drink a minimum of eight glasses of water daily
and, if necessary, take a stool softener that doesn’t
contain any type of chemical irritant. Add bulk
and roughage to the diet such as unpeeled apples
or pears, figs, celery or other raw fruits and vegetables. Psyllium seed (or psyllium seed products
like Metamucil) from the health food store are
also excellent methods to help sluggish, hard
bowels.
✧ A bioflavonoid complex (1,000 to 4,000 mg daily)
taken with vitamin C (500 to 1,000 mg daily) has
been shown to reduce pain and bleeding, and
strengthen the small blood vessels.
✧ Drinking one-fourth to one-half cup of aloe
vera gel can speed healing in the rectal and anal
regions. Aloe vera gel is available in most health
food stores.
Propolis is widely available from many suppliers. I get
my propolis from GloryBee Foods. A one-ounce bottle of propolis extract costs about $10 and will last forever. You can contact GloryBee Foods at 800‑456‑7923
or www.glorybeefoods.com. You don’t have to mix
exactly 3% propolis with the cream. Anywhere in the
ballpark should give excellent results. (Use a hypoallergenic cream for the base—Vaseline Intensive Care
or Johnson’s Baby Lotion would probably be good
choices for most people.)
Note: Propolis can be very messy to work with, and it
stains clothing. Propolis is a natural product and, as
such, it’s possible that it can cause an allergic reaction.
Consult a nutritionally oriented doctor before using
propolis, and always test first with a very small amount.
Bees often make glue from trees that contain many of
the same compounds from which aspirin was developed. If you are sensitive to either salicylates or bees,
you may experience problems with propolis.
✧ Exercises like walking strengthen the muscles of
the buttocks and rectal area, which is essential if
you want to clear up hemorrhoids.
✧ Excess weight in the abdominal area can lead to
hemorrhoids.
✧ Use your leg muscles when you lift. Using the
muscles of the stomach and back exerts pressure
in the anal region.
Hepatitis
■ See “Liver Health” on page 44.
Herpes
■
Bee Propolis. Russian researchers have found that
an ointment containing 3% propolis was more effective at treating genital herpes than the commonly
prescribed drug acyclovir. Propolis is produced by
bees from tree resin. It has strong antibacterial, antifungal, and antiviral properties. It’s, without a doubt,
one of nature’s wonder cures. Bees use it to seal and
help sterilize every crack and cranny of their hives.
Human studies have shown that it can help knock
out colds, external lesions, and infections in the
throat and mouth. (For this reason, I also recommend propolis for cold sores and canker sores.)
The Russian researchers tested 90 men and women
with recurrent genital herpes. The subjects were
divided into three equal groups. One third received
the 3% propolis cream, one third received a placebo,
and the other third received the acyclovir ointment.
The treatment started during the blister phase and
lasted for a total of 10 days. In the men and in those
women with exterior lesions, the creams were applied
topically to the lesions four times daily. In women with
vaginal or cervical lesions, a tampon with the appropriate ointment was inserted four times daily for the
10 days.
At the end of three days of treatment, the subjects in
the propolis group had significantly fewer symptoms
than those in the placebo group, but not fewer than
those in the acyclovir group. However, after 10 days
of treatment, the subjects using the propolis cream
had far more healed lesions than people in either of
the other two groups. (Phytomedicine 00;7:1–6)
Hiatal Hernia
In the back part of your diaphragm, there’s a buttonsized hole that allows the esophagus to go from the throat
to the stomach. Sometimes this hole gets enlarged for
one reason or another and, if it does, the stomach can
worm its way up into the hole—a condition known as a
hiatal hernia.
It’s not a foolproof test, but some doctors that screen
for hiatal hernia will have a patient take a deep breath
and hold it. The patient should be able to hold it for 40
seconds. If not, and there are no other problems, it’s possible there’s a hiatal hernia. If a patient’s stomach is stuck
up in the hole of their diaphragm, the first order of business is to get it out. There are two ways to do this.
■
“Chicken Wing Cure.” Drink a glass of room-
temperature or slightly warm water first thing in the
morning when you get out of bed (no coffee, tea,
juice, or cold water—just warm water). Then, while
standing, bring your arms straight out to your sides,
and then bend your elbows so your hands are touching your chest. Stand on your toes as high as possible, and then drop so that you get a pretty good jolt.
Do this about 10 times in a row. Then, while standing with your arms up, pant short quick breaths for
10 to 15 seconds. That’s it!
— 41 —
Let me explain what happens (so you’ll have something to tell your spouse if he/she looks over some
morning and thinks you’re trying to fly). Warm water
acts like a weight in the stomach. Being warm, it
doesn’t cause the stomach to cramp; instead, it relaxes
it. Spreading your arms stretches the diaphragm and
opens up that hole in the back. Dropping down on
your heels jerks the stomach out of the hole. Panting
tightens up the diaphragm muscle to close the hole.
Note: You’ll need to do this exercise every day, not
just until everything feels normal.
■
a woman’s immune system from rejecting a newly
transplanted embryo.
This same mechanism helps explain how injections of bee sting venom or bee venom therapy help
“calm” the activity of the immune system in autoimmune diseases like multiple sclerosis (MS) and
rheumatoid arthritis. For more information about
bee venom treatment, see the section related to MS
on page 48 of this report. You can also contact the
American Apitherapy Society at 631-470-9446 or
www.apitherapy.org.
Dr. Ali also has worked with bee propolis, a sticky,
waxy, brown resin bees gather from oozing tree buds
and carry back to their hives. There it’s mixed with
nectar, pollen, and a wax from glands on the bees and
used to fill cracks, crevices, and holes in the hives. It
also keeps their hives free from fungus, bacteria, and
viruses. (For more health benefits associated with bee
propolis, see pages 19 and 41.)
Dr. Ali tested the effects of propolis on 40 female
patients with infertility associated with endometriosis.
Each was known to be infertile for the previous two
years. Half the women were given 500 mg of propolis
twice daily (for a total of 1,000 mg, or 1 gram, a day),
and half were given a placebo. The patients were evaluated for nine months. At the end of nine months, 12
of the 20 women taking the propolis became pregnant,
compared to four in the placebo group. There were
no reported side effects from the propolis. (ASRM 03
Annual Meeting: Abstract 0-89 Presented Oct.13, 2003)
“The Champagne Bottle Technique.” A second
way to get your stomach out of the hole in your diaphragm will work if the hernia is a stubborn one.
When I’m using this technique, I have the person
stand, preferably on a slight incline leaning backwards. I place one of my hands on top of the other
with my fingers pointing toward him or her and gently push my fingers into the person’s stomach (right
under the ribs, in about the middle of the abdomen).
I then tell the person to breathe in and out four or five
times as I gently move my hands over the stomach.
Then, with a quick, gentle thrust toward the person’s
feet, the stomach is pulled down like a cork being
pulled out of an upside-down champagne bottle.
Also, don’t stuff yourself with large meals, and don’t
sit in an overstuffed chair or lie down right after you eat.
The food your stomach is churning and digesting will
have nowhere to go but into the hole.
Hypothyroidism
■ See “Thyroid Function” on page 61.
Incontinence
Insomnia (Sleeplessness)
■ See “Bladder (Overactive)” on page 12.
■
Infertility
■
Bee Venom Therapy/Propolis. At an annual
meeting of the American Society of Reproductive
Medicine in San Antonio, Dr. Ali, who is with the Ain
Shams University in Cairo, Egypt, shared some very
interesting findings about bee sting venom. Small
doses of bee sting venom were injected into seven
women who had undergone three to six unsuccessful
attempts at in vitro fertilization (IVF). The injections
were given two weeks prior to the embryo transplant.
On the very next attempt, four of the seven women
became pregnant. Dr. Ali isn’t exactly sure how the
bee sting venom works, but believes that it could stop
— 42 —
Adjust Your “Circadian Clock.” People with Stage
IV sleep problems exhibit a fairly consistent pattern
when trying to sleep. (In Stage IV, the last stage and
deepest level of sleep, your brain pretty much shuts
itself off from the outside world.) While a normal
day is considered to be 24 hours, our bodies run on
a slightly different time schedule known as the circadian rhythm. Natural circadian rhythms are actually
closer to 25 hours. People with Stage IV sleep problems often exhibit “delayed sleep phase syndrome.”
This is a fancy diagnostic phrase that simply means
a person has difficulty falling asleep during the early
part of the night. Then, just before it’s time to wake
up, he or she will fall into a deep, sound sleep. Those
operating on the 25-hour circadian clock have an
easier time falling asleep later. If this describes you,
this problem can often be corrected.
Many people with delayed sleep phase syndrome
have been able to overcome their restless sleep by
using the following guidelines. On the first night,
stay awake all night and go to bed at 5:00 a.m. Each of
the following nights, go to bed three hours later. For
example, on the second day go to bed at 8:00 a.m.,
then 11:00 a.m. on the third day. After six days you
will be going to bed at 11 p.m. and your body clock
will be reset to the correct time.
■
Sleep in Total Darkness. Although it may seem
obvious, when it comes to sleeping, you need to be in
the dark. Arrange your sleeping quarters so that you
have as close to complete darkness as possible. This
may require heavier curtains in the bedroom or even
changing bedrooms in the house. Wearing a sleeping
mask can help, but it’s not the total answer.
■
Researchers at Cornell University released a study
showing that body temperature and melatonin levels were altered when light was shone on the back
of the knee. This seemingly inconsequential light
exposure had the very same effect as shining the
light in the eye. More specifically, these researchers
found that when they exposed the back of the knee
to light before dawn, during the day following the
nighttime light exposure, the release of melatonin
and the drop in body temperature, which trigger the
need for sleep, occurred earlier in the day. This one
seemingly harmless disruption can start a vicious
cycle of fatigue and insomnia.
Irritable Bowel Syndrome (IBS)
Irritable bowel syndrome (IBS), also known as spastic colon, nervous stomach/indigestion, mucous colitis,
and intestinal neurosis, is the most common gastrointestinal (GI) complaint reported to physicians. It accounts
for as many as 50% of all referrals to gastroenterologists
(physicians who specialize in problems of the GI tract). If
you happen to be part of the estimated 15% of the population who suffers from the problem, you undoubtedly
know how debilitating this condition can be.
IBS is a complex problem with numerous causative
factors and a wide variety of changing symptoms. Some
of the more common symptoms are: spastic constipation,
diarrhea, pain and distention of the abdomen, frequent
bowel movements associated with pain, colicky pain
often relieved by a bowel movement, indigestion, nausea, intestinal gas or flatulence, and bowel incontinence.
Fortunately, there are some easy, inexpensive ways to
help resolve the discomforts of IBS.
■
ing factor in IBS. A sincere effort must be made to
deal with any situations that may produce stress.
(IBS often starts during a mid-life crisis involving a
divorce or death in the family.) Techniques like biofeedback or hypnosis may be helpful. Light exercise,
such as walking or swimming, is also a constructive
outlet for stress.
■
Sialex. If you suffer from IBS, it’s likely that the
protective mucus lining in your intestines has been
destroyed. A product called Sialex contains an
extract of mucin, the main compound in mucus.
It helps re-establish the protective mucus layer and
provides a lubricating action in the lower bowel. In
severe cases, Sialex can be used at the rate of eight
capsules taken with each meal. As the problem
subsides, this can be reduced to four capsules per
meal. You can order Sialex from Emerson Ecologics
(800‑654‑4432 or www.emersonecologics.com).
Avoid Exposure to Electromagnetic Fields
(EMFs). For optimal sleeping quarters, move all
electrical appliances, clocks, phones, televisions,
answering machines, etc., at least six feet from the
bed in order to reduce your exposure to electromagnetic fields in your bedroom. Research has
linked increased EMFs in bedrooms to a reduction
in melatonin production and possibly other health
risks. Also, don’t run any electrical cords under the
bed, sleep under an electric blanket, or use a waterbed heater. The electromagnetic field from an electric blanket has been shown to penetrate as deep as
six inches into body tissue!
Eliminate Stress. Stress is often a major trigger-
■
Intestinal Gas
■ See “Gastrointestinal Health” on page 37.
— 43 —
Peppermint Oil. To reduce the contractions asso-
ciated with IBS, European studies have shown that
enteric-coated peppermint oil can be quite effective.
(For other benefits of using peppermint, see box on
page 37.) In Europe, the product is sold as Colpermin.
The same product is available in the US, under the
name Mentharil, and is sold by PhytoPharmica. To find
a retailer near you or to order, contact PhytoPharmica
at www.phytostore.com or 877‑241‑8822. Take as
directed on the product label.
(For other ways to alleviate the symptoms of IBS,
see “Gastrointestinal Health” on page 37, and
“Constipation and Diarrhea” on page 27.)
■
Researchers at Kaiser Permanente Medical Care
Center in Oakland, California, found that a
potassium-magnesium citrate product could reduce
the risk of stone recurrence by 85% in people prone
to kidney stones. Sixty-four individuals were divided
into two groups. One group took a placebo; the other
took the citrate product. After three years, only 13%
of those using the citrate product had developed
additional kidney stones, compared to 69% of those
on the placebo. (J Urol 97;158:2069–2073)
Kidney Stones
■
Chanca Piedra. There’s an herbal remedy from South
America that not only helps dissolve existing kidney
stones, but can prevent the formation of new ones. The
herb is called chanca piedra in Peru, and quebra pedra
in Brazil (Phyllanthus niruri). These names roughly
translate as “stone breaker.” In the various parts of South
America where the herb has a long history of traditional
medical use, it is common for eliminating kidney stones,
gallstones, and other digestive problems; liver ailments;
flu; malaria; and even diabetes.
At the federal university in São Paulo, Brazil, several
studies tested the effects of P. niruri on the formation of kidney stones and found that it appears to
interfere with the early stages of stone formation and
could be an effective way to treat them or prevent
their occurrence. (Urol Res 03;30:374–379) (BJU Int
02;89:829–834) (Nephron 99;81:393–397)
Make Lemonade to Prevent Stone Formation.
The drawbacks to pharmaceutical citrate are its cost,
the number of tablets that have to be taken throughout the day, and the gastrointestinal upset that can
occur while taking it. Fortunately, there are less expensive, more enjoyable ways to get much the same effect.
Reconstituted lemon juice is well tolerated and is an
inexpensive form of citrate. (It must be the reconstituted
lemon juice found in grocery stores, not fresh lemons
squeezed into water.)
Research performed at the University of California in
San Francisco on 12 patients who could not tolerate
traditional pharmaceutical approaches supplemented
their daily diet with four ounces of reconstituted
juice. It increased urinary citrate levels and lowered
urinary calcium excretion, which is just what you
want to prevent kidney stones from forming. (J Urol
96;156:907–909).
In this country, chanca piedra is available from
Raintree Nutrition, which makes an aqueous (water)
extract of the herb. It can be found in many health
food stores or you can order it online from iHerb
(www.iherb.com). You can also order it directly from
Raintree (800-780-5902 or www.rain-tree.com).The
recommended dosage is 60 drops (2 mL) taken 2 or
3 times daily. The bottle contains 2 ounces.
Liver Health
Normally, most people I’ve spoken with don’t feel any
different or experience any side effects while using
the herb. It may slightly increase urinary output, so
you definitely want to increase your water intake
(but you should be doing this anyway if you have a
tendency to develop kidney stones). At the recommended dosages, it normally takes anywhere from 1
to 3 weeks to dissolve any existing stones.
The liver is the largest organ in the body, and it performs some of the most complex chemical tasks. One of
its primary roles is detoxification of harmful byproducts
caused by pesticides, pollutants, constipation, alcohol,
and medications. Whether you’re concerned about simply supporting healthy liver function or seeking treatment for liver problems such as hepatitis and/or cirrhosis,
there is one particular nutrient that can help.
Note: Chanca piedra shouldn’t be used if you’re pregnant. It can be abortive, and has actually been used
as a form of birth control in some areas of South
America. It may also act as a diuretic or enhance
the effects of diuretic drugs commonly used in the
treatment of high blood pressure. It may also lower
blood sugar levels, especially if used long term. If
you’re diabetic, it may increase the effectiveness of
any diabetes medications, so definitely check with
your doctor before using the herb.
■
— 44 —
Silymarin, a natural extract from the seeds of the milk
thistle plant, can help regenerate liver cells. (Wien Klin
Wochenschr 80;92:678–683) (Arzneimittelforschung
73;23:161) An extract standardized to contain at least
70% of the herb Silybum marianum appears to be most
effective. Recommended dosages range from 150–
300 mg, three times daily. Several companies market
standardized silymarin extracts. I recommend milk
thistle products made by Enzymatic Therapy, Inc. They
are available in health food stores or you can order
them from Enzymatic Therapy at 800-783-2286 or
www.enzymatictherapy.com.
Low Libido
■
Royal Jelly. If you’re looking for a safe, simple way to
improve your libido, you might try royal jelly. Royal
jelly is a glandular secretion made by worker bees.
Fed to a selected ordinary female bee, it transforms
her into the queen. It turns out to be pretty miraculous stuff. On this diet alone, the new queen grows
to 1½ times the size of ordinary bees and lives over
four years, compared to the normal bee life span of
forty days!
Royal jelly contains an abundance of minerals, essential amino acids, acetylcholine, vitamins A, C, D, and
E, testosterone, and most B vitamins. In fact, it’s the
richest source of pantothenic acid or vitamin B5.
Its testosterone content has been reported to help
increase libido. (J Nutr 57;63:591–599)
Collecting and processing difficulties make royal
jelly somewhat expensive. Premier One Royal Jelly
sells products with varying potencies in either
the natural jelly form or in capsules. You can find
their products in health food stores, or they can be
ordered from The Vitamin Shoppe (866-293-3367
or www.vitaminshoppe.com).
Lyme Disease
Parkinson’s to IBS. Immunologists privately estimate that
20 million people may be infected with Lyme, but there
is no reliable test and not many solutions. (Cell Wall
Deficient Forms: Stealth Pathogens by Lida Mattman)
I don’t recommend treating yourself for Lyme, but
I do recommend letting your doctor know about a very
effective natural alternative that has been shown to eliminate the Lyme spirochete when used alone or in conjunction with antibiotic and anti-protozoal medications.
■
extract of the Peruvian medicinal plant commonly
known as cat’s claw (Uncaria tomentosa) was actually more effective than antibiotic therapy in eliminating the Lyme spirochete. (Presentation at the
International Symposium for Natural Treatment of
Intracellular Microorganisms, Munich, Germany,
March 29, 2003) The particular product used in
the study is called Samento by Nutramedix (www.
nutramedix.com or 800-730-3130). Their product
is different from other cat’s claw products because
it’s devoid of certain chemicals called tetracyclic
oxindole alkaloids (TOAs) that can be harmful
to the human central nervous system and negate
the positive effects of the herb. Samento comes in
either a liquid extract or capsule form. The liquidextract dosage being used successfully for Lyme is
generally 5 drops added to 4 ounces of water and
taken three times daily (a total of 15 drops daily).
■
Work With a Doctor Who Knows Lyme. Having
the guidance of a doctor who is familiar with the disease can also be essential. Those treating Lyme on a
daily basis are better able to include new knowledge
about Lyme in their treatment recommendations.
And those who see more patients will be more experienced in tailoring the treatment to the individual, and
monitoring results. To find a doctor in your area who
is “Lyme literate,” visit the Lyme Disease Association’s
website at www.lymediseaseassociation.org or call them
at 888-366-6611. Another excellent website for information on the disease (not for referrals) is that of the
International Lyme and Associated Diseases Society at
www.ilads.org.
Lyme may be one of the most under-diagnosed diseases in this country. It’s far more widespread than has
been reported, and hundreds of thousands of people are
suffering needlessly due to misdiagnoses and the treatment prejudices of many doctors, the government, and
the insurance industry. This is certainly one case where
you don’t want to suffer needlessly or die prematurely
from a lack of information. You need to be fully aware
of just how serious the problem is and exactly what steps
you can take to protect yourself and your family today.
Lyme disease is our century’s “great impostor.” It’s
caused by a spirochete, or corkscrew-shaped bacterium
borne by ticks, fleas, mites, and mosquitoes. Unlike many
other bacteria, Lyme can’t be cured with a simple dose of
penicillin. The spirochetes of Lyme can worm their way
into muscles, tendons, and practically every organ in the
body. Once imbedded, they can quickly begin to wreak
havoc. Doctors and researchers have said that Lyme
symptoms can imitate more than 350 other diseases, from
Cat’s Claw. One study showed that a particular
Macular Degeneration
■
— 45 —
Amsler Grid Test. If you have been diagnosed
with dry macular degeneration or are at high risk,
it’s very important that you check your vision at
home two to three times per week with either the
Amsler Grid Test or any grid pattern with a center
dot. Cover one eye at a time and look at the center
point from a distance of about 12 inches. If the lines
appear straight, the macula is normal. If the lines
appear wavy or you experienced blurred vision,
you may have early signs of neovascular (wet) macular degeneration. A later sign is a blind spot in the
center of your visual field. You can find the Amsler
Grid Test at www.i-care.net/Amsler.html.
■
Take Nutritional Supplements. A team of doctors
of optometry from the Indiana University School
of Optometry researched the effect of nutritional
supplements on both macular degeneration and
retinitis pigmentosa, another eye disease involving
deterioration of the retina and vision loss. The
doctors’ program tested the following supplements
against macular degeneration:
✧
✧
✧
✧
✧
✧
✧
✧
✧
✧
✧
✧
✧
Beta-carotene — 40,000 IU
Vitamin E (natural) — 400 IU
Vitamin C — 1,500 mg
Citrus bioflavonoid complex — 250 mg
Quercetin — 100 mg
Bilberry extract — 10 mg
Rutin — 100 mg
Zinc — 25 mg
Selenium — 100 mcg
Taurine — 200 mg
N-acetylcysteine — 200 mg
Glutathione — 10 mg
Vitamin B complex — 250 mg
However, keep in mind, for healing and repair
to take place, adequate amounts of nutrients
and other building blocks must also be present
in the bloodstream. By including high-quality
supplements—especially those needed for vision—in
your diet, you can greatly improve your odds of both
preventing and reversing these eye diseases.
(Also see “Eye Health” on page 34 for additional
recommendations.)
Menopause
(Note: Retinitis pigmentosa patients received a different nutritional mix consisting of a multivitamin/
mineral formula and 750 mg taurine, 300 mg bilberry, and 50 mg zinc daily.)
Forty-six patients with macular degeneration were
given this supplement regimen for two years. They
also received micro-current electricity therapy
with a Transcutaneous Electrical Nerve Stimulator
(TENS) unit (for more on this therapy see below).
The patients’ vision would normally be expected to
deteriorate during that time, but these patients actually showed an improvement. When tested using an
eye chart, they had gained a remarkable average of
8.5 letters of acuity per eye.
■
you are interested in purchasing one of these microcurrent stimulation devices, you can contact Altoona
Medical Supply at 800-442-8367. Ask for the 804MP
model. Please note that you will need a doctor’s
prescription to purchase the product. Altoona
will be happy to send you a packet of information
when you call, or you can visit their website, www.
altoonamedicalsupply.com, for more information.
■
Promote Proper Adrenal Function. Almost universally, women with menopause problems have
both underactive thyroids and underactive adrenal
glands. Sometimes nutritionally supporting the adrenal glands will be enough to eliminate menopausal
symptoms. (For tips on how to support your thyroid
function, see page 61.)
When the adrenals are functioning properly, they can
produce estrogen. High intakes of caffeine and sugar
and unresolved stress are the most common causes
of weakened adrenal glands. Diets high in sugar,
alcohol, or caffeine or habitually skipping meals will
eventually deplete the adrenal glands. Physical or
mental stress will also take their toll. Every time you
encounter a stressful situation, your adrenal glands
react by producing a variety of hormones that place
the body in a position to either fight or flee.
By supporting the adrenal glands nutritionally, cutting
back on sweets, and eating smaller and more frequent
meals, you can promote proper adrenal function. One
of the quickest ways to strengthen the adrenal glands
is to supplement the diet with a good adrenal glandular. The best I’ve ever used is called Drenamin. The
normal recommended dosage for Drenamin is to
chew one tablet, three times daily. However, I’ve
found better results if you chew half a tablet six times
a day on an empty stomach. Improvement often will
be seen in the first day or two; and as long as a proper
TENS Unit. Studies have shown that micro-current
electricity therapy improves blood flow and enhances
the transfer of ions across cell membranes. This could,
in turn, help deliver key nutrients to retinal tissues. If
— 46 —
headaches. Dr. Lamey and his colleagues compared
peptide levels in saliva samples of migraine sufferers and non-migraine sufferers. He found that people who suffered from migraines had peptide levels
between 50,000 and 60,000 units, while non-migraine
sufferers had levels of only around 500 units.
diet is followed, the problem will be resolved within
a month.
■
Drenamin is made by Standard Process Laboratories.
Standard Process products are primarily sold through
doctors, but you can also purchase them directly from
Total Health Discount Vitamins (800-283-2833 or www.
totaldiscountvitamins.com) or Spinelife (877‑698‑4826
or www.spinelife.com).
To lower the peptide levels in migraine sufferers,
Dr. Lamey had 19 migraine patients wear an oral
appliance while they slept that completely kept the
surfaces of the upper teeth from contacting the lower
teeth. Apparently, teeth-clenching at night produces
the excess peptide production. The results of this
study were quite remarkable.
Saliva peptide levels dropped to around 500 units in
migraine sufferers wearing the appliance (the same
levels originally seen in non-migraine sufferers), and
the number of migraine attacks dropped to an average of only 40% of what these patients had previously
experienced. Dr. Lamey has found that the device
only needs to be worn each night for about a year—
for 70% of his patients using the device, after one year
their migraine attacks ceased completely.
Dr. Lamey’s treatment doesn’t help every patient suffering from migraines. It works best in those who
suffer from migraines frequently (at least two per
week) and regularly, and in those who experience
migraines upon awakening in the morning.
The oral appliance Dr. Lamey was using in the study was
2 millimeters thick and made from acrylic. Dr. Lamey
tested several different types of appliances, and apparently, the most important factor was that the appliance
kept all the top and bottom teeth from touching each
other throughout the night. Dr. Lamey’s device isn’t yet
available in this country, but there’s a very simple alternative you can easily get at your local sporting goods
store. All sporting goods stores sell athletic mouthpieces
made from various rubber compounds. They’re used to
protect the teeth in events like boxing and football. If
you suffer from migraines, especially ones that occur
first thing in the morning, a trip to your local sporting
goods store may solve your problem.
Mouthpieces are designed to cover the top teeth only.
When selecting a mouthpiece, choose one that covers the contact surfaces of all the top teeth, including
any wisdom teeth and/or back molars. Most mouthpieces come in adult and children’s sizes, and you can
heat them in hot water and then mold them to your
bite for a better fit. (Be sure to wait for the rubber to
Try Herbs. There are various herbal preparations
that can help increase female hormone production.
They include:
✧ Dang gui su is a Chinese extract made from the
plant Dong quai (Angelica sinensis) that’s often
used to treat menopausal symptoms. Note: Dang
gui and some of the other items I’ll mention
promote the production of estrogen. Their use
may be contraindicated in instances where extra
estrogen might add to a problem (e.g., breast cancer and uterine fibroid bleeding). Dang gui su by
Lanchow Chinese Medicine Works (Lanchow,
China) can be found in Chinese herbal stores in
larger cities. Dong quai by Nature’s Way is available in health food stores.
✧ Several doctors have reported successful treat-
ment of menopausal symptoms using Angelica
sinensis with the herbs damiana (Turnera diffusa)
and chaparral (Larrea divaricata). Approximately
two capsules of each herb daily have reportedly
helped stop hot flashes and other symptoms. As
problems subside, the amounts taken can gradually be reduced and eventually stopped.
(Some years ago there were reports that chaparral
could damage the liver. Newer processing methods
remove the damaging compound. You can use
chaparral with confidence.)
✧ Other herbs that have been found useful during
menopause include licorice root, fennel, black
cohosh, and unicorn root. These herbs have
been combined with Dong quai in capsule form
in a product called Femtrol by Enzymatic Therapy
(800-783-2286 or www.enzymatictherapy.com).
Migraines
■
Reduce Peptide Levels With an Oral Appliance.
Dr. Phillip Lamey, professor of oral medicine at the
Royal Victoria Dental School (Belfast), seems to have
discovered a simple method to help prevent migraine
— 47 —
cool off a bit before you put it in your mouth.) The
smaller and thinner the appliance, the more comfortable it will be in your mouth overnight.
■
Vitamin B2. Another proven migraine remedy
amount of sunlight, the traditional diet contained
the highest amounts of EFAs.
For example, the Eskimos ate cold-water fish, such as
salmon, and whale and seal blubber, which are some
of the richest sources of EFAs. There wasn’t a problem
in Eskimo society with depression, suicide, alcoholism,
obesity, and heart disease until the Standard American
Diet was introduced. In recent years, we’ve found that
simple exposure to sunlight or high-intensity, fullspectrum lights can eliminate seasonal problems with
depression. The treatment is far more effective and
results appear more quickly when the diet is also supplemented with either fish oils or fresh flaxseed oil.
Flaxseed oil and fresh-ground whole flaxseeds are also
excellent source of EFAs. I recommend using either
on a daily basis. The number-one comment I receive
from those who do is that their mood improves and
they feel more energy throughout the day. Fish oil,
flaxseed oil, and whole flaxseeds are widely available
in health food stores.
One of the best sources of EFAs is chia. Chia doesn’t
have the drawbacks of fish and flaxseed. Unlike fish,
there’s no risk of contamination, and unlike flaxseed,
it contains a naturally high level of antioxidants that
protect it from rancidity. While I still recommend
taking fish oil and adding fish and flaxseed to your
diet, I think chia will be the logical replacement, and
I’m adding chia to my daily regimen and cutting
back a little on flaxseed and fish oil. Good sources
of chia include Ruth’s Hemp Foods (877‑359‑4508 or
www.ruthshempfoods.com) and Natural Remi-Teas
(866‑428‑0575 or www.naturalremi-teas.com). The
recommended dosage for adults is 2 tablespoons a
day. The easiest way to use it is to simply sprinkle it
in salads, over vegetables, or on top of other foods.
Also see “Depression” on page 29.
comes in the form of a common B vitamin. Dr. Jean
Schoenen at the University of Liege in Belgium has
found that megadoses of vitamin B2 (riboflavin) can
lessen the incidence of migraine headache attacks.
Dr. Schoenen’s team tested vitamin B2 on 55 mild-tomoderate migraine sufferers, ages 18 to 65. Before the
study, these individuals had between two and eight
attacks per month. Dr. Schoenen’s team found that
patients given 400 mg of vitamin B2 per day experienced 37% fewer migraine attacks than individuals
on a placebo, and the headaches they had were far
less severe.
Dr. Schoenen’s study indicates that riboflavin therapy is as effective as currently used migraine medications. On top of that, it’s much less expensive and
has considerably fewer side effects. In fact, the only
side effects reported were diarrhea in one woman
and increased urination in another. Dr. Schoenen
isn’t sure exactly why riboflavin works and hopes
to continue his research in the area. What’s important for now is that we have another effective, safe,
inexpensive, and easily obtained solution to a very
debilitating problem.
There are two things to keep in mind if you decide to
use vitamin B2 for migraines: First, it appears that you
need to take it for at least three months to get the full
benefits. Second, whenever you take large doses of
any one B vitamin, it’s critical to take the other B vitamins, as well. If your multivitamin/mineral contains
all the B vitamins, that’s fine. If not, then I would recommend taking a B-complex. Try Freeda Vitamins
(800-777-3737 or www.freedavitamins.com); their
B-complex is excellent.
Motion Sickness
Mood Swings
■
Essential Fatty Acids. Although it’s rarely discussed,
essential fatty acids (EFAs) provide a means by which
the body can store light energy, or energy from the
sun. Despite what most people have come to believe,
sunlight is essential to good health. Light is made up
of small particles of energy called photons. If your
body has adequate amounts of EFAs from sources
such as fish oil, photons will pass through the skin
and be stored. In areas of the world that have the least
■
Ginger and Papaya. I put myself under a great deal
of stress by traveling constantly through different
time zones, forgoing sleep, changing my diet, and
exposing myself to probably every bug and pathogen
on the planet. In my travels I have found some of the
“inconveniences” can hit hard when you travel.
— 48 —
Powdered ginger root has been shown to be very
effective in treating seasickness. In one study, 40
naval cadets were given 1 gram of powdered ginger
root, while 40 were given a placebo. When the inexperienced sailors were monitored during rough seas,
those given ginger root had 72% fewer episodes of
vomiting and fewer cold sweats.
■
Ginger root is considered relatively nontoxic. It can be
purchased in capsule form at most health food stores. I
suggest taking one gram with a couple of papaya tablets
about 20 or 30 minutes before traveling. Together, they
can work wonders. (Papaya enzyme also seems to settle
the stomach.) If the trip is a long one, the same dosage
may have to be repeated after a few hours if symptoms
reappear. (Acta Otolaryngol 88:105:45–49)
Other than occasional corticosteroids (ACTH, prednisone) during periods of exacerbation, modern medicine has no way to treat MS. Nutritional therapy has also
had limited success with MS. Generally low-fat, sugarfree, yeast-free diets, and certain fats like the omega-3
fatty acids (fish oil), omega-6 fatty acids (linoleic acid,
such as that found in safflower oil, or evening primrose
oil with its high concentration of gamma linolenic acid)
have been shown to be beneficial. One of the most under
utilized and overlooked therapies, however, is bee venom
therapy (BVT).
■
venom, by stinging, into various trigger points on
the body. (Some doctors are also injecting the venom
just beneath the skin.) Individuals who treat patients
with this method are referred to as apitherapists.
P6 (Nei Kuan). This is the acupressure point located
two finger-widths below the wrist, on the thumb side.
You should massage the point with constant pressure in intervals of three to five minutes, as often as
needed until you experience relief. You can also purchase a product called Sea-Band that takes advantage
of this “anti-nausea” acupuncture point. Sea-Bands
are sold as a pair of 1-inch wide woven-elasticized
bands with a plastic ball-shaped button sewn inside.
A band is worn around each wrist so that the button
places constant pressure on the P6 acupuncture point.
This product, which closely resembles a tennis-type
sweatband, has reportedly been used successfully to
treat motion sickness on ships, morning sickness,
and the nausea often associated with chemotherapy.
You can purchase Sea-Bands from National Allergy
Supply, Inc. (800-522-1448 or www.natlallergy.com).
I have knowledge of numerous MS patients who have
experienced remarkable results practically overnight
using BVT. Many have regained bladder and bowel
control. With others, their increased muscle strength
and renewed sense of balance allows them to walk
again. Normal vision and hearing has returned. The
severe fatigue disappears. And in most cases the
patient begins to see results within the first few days
to a week. Not surprisingly, the best results seem to
occur in those patients who have been afflicted with
the disease the least amount of time.
BVT is a natural therapy, and most of the research
is being performed in Europe and Japan, therefore,
is not widely reported in this country. And while
the therapy may sound strange to most of us in this
country, we’ve found it to be in wide use in China,
the Far East, and parts of Europe.
While our FDA hasn’t officially approved the use of
bee venom injections, using live bees to administer
the venom is a separate matter. In fact, an organization called the American Apitherapy Society (AAS)
promotes the further investigation and use of BVT
within both the lay and medical communities.
(For contact information and more about BVT, see
“Infertility” on page 42.)
Also keep in mind that the specific treatment program will vary with each individual depending on age,
severity of the disease, and sensitivity. At the beginning of the program it’s not uncommon for patients
to undergo 40 to 50 bee stings during the first week
of treatment. As the patient’s condition improves, frequency of treatment becomes less.
Multiple Sclerosis (MS)
MS is a horrible disease in which the insulating covering of nerve fibers (myelin) slowly breaks down in the
brain and spinal cord. As the different nerves are affected
a wide variety of symptoms can occur. Some of the more
common symptoms include: double or triple vision or
blindness; lack of muscle control (with loss of the ability
to walk and to control the bladder and bowels); severe
fatigue; deafness; vertigo; sexual impotence; and sensory
problems, especially in the hands and legs. Patients usually experience short periods of remission followed by an
exacerbation (flare-up) of the condition.
The disease usually begins between the ages of 20 and
40. It occurs more in women than in men. It may be genetic
and some studies show possible links between MS and
mercury amalgam dental fillings. (J Epidemiol Community
Health 78;32(3):155–165) (Am J Forensic Med Pathol
83;4(1):55–61)
BVT utilizes live bees that are allowed to inject their
— 49 —
Vitamin C for Muscle Health
Research out of the University of North Carolina
shows that muscle damage from exercise can be
reduced with plain old vitamin C. In the study, 70
people were asked to do a series of elbow extensions with their non-dominant arm. For two weeks
before the exercise, and four days after, half the participants took 3 grams of vitamin C daily, in divided
doses. The other half took a placebo. The vitamin C
group reported less muscle soreness immediately
after the exercise, and at 4 and 24 hours afterward,
than the placebo group. The vitamin C group also
showed lower levels of a compound called creatine
kinase, a marker of muscle breakdown. (Int J Sport
Nutr Exerc Metab 06(3);16:270–280)
It’s important to note that you need to be prepared for the activity; the participants in this study
began taking their added vitamin C two weeks
before the exercise activity. (A study released at
about the same time as this one showed little or
no benefit from vitamin C, but the participants in
that research received their first dose just two hours
before the exercise.) Even though vitamin C is water
soluble, and any excess is filtered out through the
kidneys, you can build up levels of the vitamin in
your tissues simply by taking some extra beyond
daily body needs. (Br J Nutr 06;95(5):976–981)
The researchers in this study chose the 3-gram
dose because they had seen earlier work using this
amount that suggested a benefit. I’ve long recommended 2 grams of vitamin C daily as part of a normal health routine. I’m sure this lower amount would
still give you some of the same benefits seen in the
current study. I should also point out that the people
in this study were performing an activity they weren’t
used to. And though any reason to take better care of
yourself is a good one, the best solution here isn’t to
increase your intake of vitamin C; it’s to increase your
overall activity level. The good news is you can get
just as much benefit by increasing your daily activity
level (taking the stairs, washing dishes by hand, et
cetera) as you can by visiting a health club regularly.
The secret, as the shoe company says, is to “just do it.”
■
Although the technique is fairly straightforward and
can often be administered by the patient or family and
friends, don’t start the therapy on your own! Although
it’s not very common, some individuals can react
severely to bee stings. Each patient should first be tested
for any allergic reaction to the venom and issued a bee
sting kit, which requires a medical prescription. If you
or someone you know suffers from MS, I highly recommend that you become a member of AAS.
Inositol. For information, see “Depression” on
page 29.
Muscle Pain
■
DMSO (dimethylsulfoxide) is a clear, colorless,
slightly oily liquid with a faint smell of sulfur. It has
the unique ability to pass through the skin’s oily membranes, which has proven to be handy in a number
of different health applications. DMSO on its own
can reduce swelling, inflammation, and pain. It can
speed the healing process, preserve tissue, and be a
godsend to individuals suffering from serious pain.
DMSO can relieve acute pain from a sports injury in
as little as 5 to 30 minutes.
I recommend that everyone keep a pint of 99.9%
pure DMSO on hand. DMSO is sold in both liquid
and gel form. I recommend liquid DMSO diluted
with distilled water. It works best, in the majority
of conditions, when it’s in 70 to 90% concentrations
—70% DMSO and 30% distilled water, or 90% DMSO
and 10% distilled water. (Burns are the only injuries
that seem to respond well to a 100% solution.) Also,
keep in mind that when you dilute DMSO with water,
a chemical reaction will take place and the mixture
will become warm. This is normal.
DMSO is applied directly to the skin. You can apply
it with your fingers or a cotton ball or swab. Most
authorities suggest dabbing DMSO onto an area,
but rubbing it on has been shown to improve the
absorption time by up to 50%. A typical application
is 1–3 teaspoons. For acute injuries, apply DMSO
every two hours for six to eight hours following the
injury. For the next five days or so, apply once every
four to six hours.
Many health food stores now carry DMSO labeled as
“laboratory grade” 99.9% pure. It will be labeled for
use as a solvent, not a drug. A good mail order source
is DMSO Marketing (800-367-6935). They cannot
tell you how to use the product, so keep this report
— 50 —
handy for reference. You can also purchase DMso
products online at www.ihealthtree.com.
Studies conducted in Germany, in the United
Kingdom, and in Hungary all found that benfotiamine not only could help eliminate the pain and the
loss of sensation in diabetic neuropathy, but it might
also help reverse the condition. (Exp Clin Endocrinol
Diabetes 96;104(4):311–316) (Diabetes 03:52(8):2110–
2120) (Arzneimittelforschung 99;49(3):220–224)
Although benfotiamine is found naturally in very
small quantities in crushed, roasted garlic, onions,
and leeks, to receive the therapeutic benefits mentioned above, I recommend taking it in supplement
form. Benfotiamine has been tested at varying dosages without any side effects. Generally, I would recommend starting with 300-450 mg daily for the first
six weeks and then reducing it to 150 mg per day for
maintenance. The proper maintenance dosage might
vary, depending on factors such as body weight and
severity of the problem. Just adjust the dosage so you
are able to maintain any improvements you experience. There have been studies using initial doses of
600 mg a day, which were later tapered down after six
to eight weeks. If you follow the suggestions above,
you shouldn’t have any problems.
You can order pharmaceutical-grade benfotiamine
from Benfotiamine.net, Inc. (888-493-8014 or
www.benfotiamine.net).
Nausea
■
Controlled Deep Breathing. Researchers have discovered a simple little technique to deal with the nausea that is so commonplace in patients recovering from
surgery. Controlled deep breathing appears to be the
key. Dr. Jeffrey Gross and nurse Lynn Anderson were
recently studying the effects of using aromatherapy on
nausea. They divided patients into three groups. One
group was given gauze pads wet with rubbing alcohol
(isopropyl alcohol). The second group was given pads
with oil of peppermint, and the third was given pads
dampened with a placebo saline solution.
All of the individuals had just completed surgery
and were sick. Each was instructed to inhale slowly
through their nose and then exhale slowly through
their mouth a total of three times. The patient was then
questioned two minutes and five minutes later about
their degree of nausea. The researchers were surprised
to learn that after five minutes all of the individuals
reported an average of at least 50% improvement. The
satisfaction rating of the treatment was 87%.
Obviously, the relief comes from the slow, deep
breathing techniques rather than anything placed on
the gauze pads. Deep breathing therapy has been so
effective that it’s now being used post-surgically in
other parts of the University of Connecticut Health
Center Hospital, where the study took place. Although
the staff realizes that it’s the deep, controlled breathing that achieves the results, the pads are still dampened with rubbing alcohol and the patients are told
it’s a form of aromatherapy.
Obesity (Weight Management)
■
Losing weight and maintaining proper weight
requires more than a magic pill. While plenty of
drugs (and even some natural compounds and fad
diets) will promote rapid weight loss, the positive
results will be short-lived without permanent dietary
changes and exercise. Worst of all, most quick weightloss techniques have been shown to adversely change
your metabolic set point. In simple terms, constant
dieting lowers your metabolic rate—causing your
body to store excess fat and making it harder and
harder to lose weight in the future.
(Also see “Motion Sickness” on page 48.)
Neuropathy
■
Benfotiamine. In many cases, neuropathy is the
result of excess glucose in your bloodstream creating havoc in the cells of your nerves. Fortunately,
in 1962, Japanese researchers discovered a fat-soluble derivative of vitamin B1 called benfotiamine
(pronounced ben-foe-tee-uh-meen) that appears
to help this condition. In fact, benfotiamine has
been used in Europe to help protect cells from
excess glucose.
Make a Commitment to Change Your Lifestyle.
■
— 51 —
Eat Several Smaller Meals. I recommend eating
several (5 or 6) smaller meals a day rather than 2
or 3 large ones. Don’t eat more, just spread it out.
Eat your largest meal in the morning and your lightest meal in the early evening. Be especially aware of
what is considered a portion of food—it’s far easier
to limit portions than to count calories. In this country, super-sized portions have become the norm,
and it shows. (Queen-sized mattresses have now
been enlarged by 6 inches over their previous size,
to provide for larger bodies.)
A few examples of serving sizes:
Try Siberian Tiger Naturals (877-739-9925 or www.
siberiantigernaturals.com).
Pine nut oil is not something you should cook with
since it has a low smoke point. It’s considered more
of a seasoning or “finishing” oil that is great on salads
as a dressing. It can also be drizzled on pasta or vegetables. I would suggest starting out with a tablespoon
or two about 30 minutes before the main meal, and
experiment on how much it takes before you personally begin to notice a drop in your appetite.
In addition to the oil, you can find the actual pine
nuts on the market. If they are unshelled and kept
refrigerated (or preferably in the freezer) they will
last a long time. I wouldn’t suggest buying shelled
nuts, however, unless you know when they were
shelled and how they have been stored. The beneficial oils deteriorate and become rancid within days if
exposed to hot, humid conditions.
✧ meat—the size of your palm (not counting your
✧
✧
✧
✧
fingers)
fish—the size of your checkbook
vegetables or fruit—the size of your fist
beans, pasta, rice, chips, or pretzels—one
rounded handful
cheese—size of 4 stacked dice
If you think the above serving sizes are small, I agree.
Eating 5 or 6 smaller meals, however, will drastically
cut down on the cravings and get you away from the
feeling that you have to “fill up” at every meal.
■
Feel Full With Pine Nuts or PinnoThin. Most
people’s exposure to pine nuts is limited strictly to
pesto or baklava. However, pine nuts (actually they
are seeds and not nuts) and pine nut oil have reportedly been used as a food source for over 6,000 years.
Researchers from the Dutch firm Loders Croklaan
extracted a fatty acid, pinolenic acid, from pine nuts.
When they gave 3 grams daily of this product (called
PinnoThin) to a group of 18 overweight women, it
worked wonders as an appetite suppressant. Within
30 minutes of taking the capsules, the women noticed
a feeling of satiation or “fullness.” They also reported
less hunger and consumed less food at mealtime.
A closer look by the researchers revealed that taking the pinolenic acid and other pine nut oil components increased the release of two of the body’s
natural appetite-suppressing hormones for as long
as four hours. Cholecystokinin (CCK) increased
by 60% and the glucagon-like peptide-1 (GLP-1)
increased by 25%. These are the hormones that tell
your brain that you’re full—which, in turn, reduces
your desire to eat.
PinnoThin by NSI (Nutraceutical Sciences Institute)
is available from Vitacost.com (800-381-0759 or
www.vitacost.com). Another product containing just
pinolenic acid is Natural Appetite Control by Life
Extension Foundation (800-544-4440 or www.lef.
org). Progressive Health (www.progressivehealth.com
or 888-482-6460) sells a combination product called
Lipitrex that also contains caffeine in guarana. So if
caffeine gives you the jitters, you’re better off sticking
with the NSI or Life Extension products. Straight pine
nut oil is also available, but it can be a bit expensive.
Osteoporosis
■
Maintain Proper pH Balance. Many people don’t
know that pH is a subtle measurement of the body’s
electrical balance, which regulates many bodily functions. To survive, our bodies must maintain pH very
close to 7.4, which is just on the alkaline side of neutral.
If the pH varies too much from the ideal, it becomes
difficult for various enzymes to function properly.
Also, when pH drops to just 7.38, the body begins to
break down bone and muscle tissues to use their alkalizing ammonia, carbonates, and phosphates.
Doctors Anthony Sebastian and Deborah Sellmeyer
with the University of California in San Francisco
reviewed more than 85 different studies and evaluated typical diets in 33 countries. They discovered a
direct relationship between diets high in animal protein, such as fish, meat, and cheese, and the incidence
of hip fractures. Germany and Sweden, with the
highest consumption of these foods, had 40 times the
rate of hip fractures than Thailand did. While Thais
consume enormous amounts of acid-producing rice
dishes, they also eat far more fruits and vegetables,
one-third as much meat, and practically no cheese. (J
Gerontol A Biol Sci Med Sci 00;55(10):M585–M592)
A follow-up study by the same researchers found that
women eating a high acid-producing diet had more
rapid bone loss and a 3.7-times greater risk of hip
fracture than women eating fewer acid-producing
foods. (Am J Clin Nutr 01;74(3):411–412)
— 52 —
Based on these results, I believe, the best way to
help maintain a proper pH balance is through diet.
Breakfast, lunch, or dinner should consist of 75 to
80% alkalizing foods and a maximum of 20 to 25%
acidic foods. Most people will need to eat a few vegetable-only meals each week to make up for excess
acid-forming foods. And some might prefer to eat
vegetables, fruits, or other alkaline-producing foods
exclusively for three-quarters of their meals.
■
Vibrate Your Way to Stronger Bones. Bone
growth and strengthening is not just a function
of how much calcium, magnesium, vitamin D, hormones, or prescription medication you take. Bones
grow and remineralize in response to the forces of
stress placed on them. This generally requires you to
engage in some type of progressive resistance exercise, or to put it more simply, you need to lift weights.
But weightlifting isn’t an option for some. Fortunately,
there’s a therapy that can be used by even those unable
to lift weights to strengthen muscles and bones. It’s a
technology called “whole body vibration therapy.” 
In past issues of Alternatives, I’ve reported on the
Russians’ study of mechanical vibration to treat a
variety of musculoskeletal problems. Most of the
research has been conducted using a mechanical
vibrating plate upon which an individual stands.
When the plate is adjusted to the right frequency, just
standing on it will cause the body’s postural muscles
to contract anywhere from 30 to 50 times a second.
As the body ever so slightly shifts back and forth, the
muscles must contract and relax with each shift. In
just 8 to 10 minutes, an individual can complete a
full “workout.” Using this plate three times a week
can lead to dramatic results. (Studies have shown
that using the vibrating plate more than three times a
week didn’t provide any additional benefits.)
Vibration therapy, using a device called the Power
Plate, can be used by itself or along with weight lifting
and other muscle-strengthening techniques. There
are also a number of exercises that can be done on
the machine. The vibration effectively increases the
force placed on muscle fibers by three times the force
of gravity. This is one of the easiest ways I know that
someone of any age or condition can increase joint
mobility, muscle strength, overall circulation, bone
strength and density, and overall fitness. If there’s
a downside to the Power Plate, it’s cost. The model
used in gyms and spas costs nearly $10,000, and even
the personal model is a few thousand.
Normally I don’t even mention items this expensive. I like remedies that are inexpensive, safe, and
effective. The Power Plate meets two of these criteria. And when it comes to reversing osteoporosis
and increasing muscle strength and overall stability,
I don’t know of anything besides weightlifting that
can achieve similar results. So if you compare it to
the cost and consequences of a hip fracture, then
the price may not seem so high. For more information, to purchase the Power Plate, or to see if there’s a
machine in your area, visit www.powerplateusa.com
or call 877‑877‑5283.
Panic Disorders
■
Inositol. For details, see “Depression” on page 29.
(Also see “Anxiety” on page 6.)
Parkinson’s Disease
■
Purify Your Drinking Water. Researchers at the
University of Kansas have found that rural living and
drinking well water substantially increases the risk
of developing Parkinson’s disease. After comparing
150 Parkinson’s disease patients to 150 controls, it
was determined that some unknown environmental
toxin increases the risk. Surprisingly, they discovered
that farming and increased exposure to herbicides
and pesticides did not increase the risk. (Neurology
90:40(8):1218–1221)
In Sweden, researchers have felt for some time that
Parkinson’s disease was linked to some type of heavy
metal toxicity. Considering the increasingly poor
drinking water supply in this country, this may prove
to be the missing link. Regardless of what may be discovered down the road, the time to protect yourself
and your family is now.
As longtime Alternatives subscribers know, I’ve been
recommending distillation for years, and today I feel
more strongly than ever that it’s the only way to go
when it comes to purifying water. No other method
removes all types of contaminants and leaves you with
water the way nature intended: two parts hydrogen,
one part oxygen. It doesn’t get any purer than that!
Filters are a good first step, but even expensive filters
can’t get rid of the countless bacteria, viruses, parasites,
toxins, pesticides, and chemicals that flow into homes
every day. Also, filters wear out. Pitchers remove disagreeable tastes and chlorine odor, but they do little
— 53 —
or nothing about arsenic, nitrates, and other contaminants. A good distillation system removes every kind
of bacteria, virus, parasite, and pathogen, as well as
pesticides, herbicides, organic and inorganic chemicals, heavy metals (dissolved or otherwise), and even
radioactive contaminants. The distillation process
takes awhile, but most units have an automatic refill
mechanism so you’re never without water. I think the
inconveniences associated with distillation are a very
small price to pay when it comes to ensuring that your
drinking water is as pure as possible.
■
I recommend the Waterwise 9000 Distiller. It’s effective and easy to use. In fact, it’s used by science labs,
medical offices, missionaries, and the Peace Corps.
Waterwise Distillers are available from Waterwise,
Inc. (800-874-9028 or www.waterwise.com) or
Mountain Home Nutritionals (888‑887‑8262 or
www.drdavidwilliams.com).
Resveratrol. Research shows that resveratrol
increases the activity of the enzyme that is responsible for stimulating and regenerating nerve cells—
by as much as 700%! When resveratrol was tested on
human nerve cells in laboratory cultures, it caused
them to grow finger-like extensions connecting them
to other nerve cells. In diseases such as Parkinson’s,
it’s the extensions from these nerve cells that become
broken and wreak havoc throughout the body.
Through the regular intake of resveratrol-rich wine
(particularly wines from cold, damp regions such as
France), these nerve connections may be maintained
and/or re-established. You can also take resveratrol
in supplement form. (For more information, see
“Aging” on page 2.)
■ Vibration Therapy: One of the greatest neurologists
of all time was Jean-Martin Charcot, who lived in the
1800s. He made the initial observation that Parkinson’s
patients “derived a great deal of relief from prolonged
journeys by railroad or carriage. During these travels,
the uncomfortable and often painful sensations implicit
to this disorder seemed to almost completely disappear
and the benefit persisted for some time after the journey.” He went on to develop a special oscillating chair
to mimic the movements of riding in a wagon. He then
treated Parkinson’s patients by having them sit in the
vibratory chair for a period of 30 minutes. (Anything
longer seemed to cause patients to become fatigued.)
By adjusting the length and intensity of the treatment
to an individual’s response, he was able to see a demon-
strable improvement in almost every patient by at least
the fifth or sixth treatment.
Doctors at Rush University Medical Center in
Chicago have started testing a newer version of Dr.
Charcot’s chair that uses speakers similar to subwoofers to produce body vibrations. The chair is
like a recliner, so one can lie down during therapy.
Several patients say they become so relaxed they
actually fall asleep during treatment, even though
the vibrations are very strong. The chairs used in the
Rush study were made by NexNeuro. They can be
reached at 847-891-0230 or through their website at
www.nexneurolive.com. They produce several different vibroacoustic lounge chairs ranging in price from
just under $2,000 up to $10,000. The $2,000 model
was the one used by patients in the study.
Periodontal Disease (Gingivitis)
Gingivitis is actually a disease of the gums characterized by inflammation, bacterial plaque, bone loss,
tissue degeneration, and bleeding. There are many factors that can cause gingivitis just as there are many
areas that must be taken into consideration in its treatment. Of course, regular brushing, flossing, and periodic cleaning will help lessen the buildup and problem
with plaque. Also, nutritionally you can help by making
sure you’re getting adequate folic acid, vitamin C, and
zinc in your diet. The gum tissue can and does actually
absorb these three substances directly from the mouth
and some companies have actually introduced natural
mouthwashes containing them.
However, while proper hygiene, cleaning, and diet
are important in maintaining good teeth and minimizing
gum disease, these measures haven’t been very effective
in reversing damage that has already occurred. At best,
they may help keep the problem in check and prevent
further damage. Fortunately, there is a natural product
that may change that.
■
— 54 —
Emdogain. Biora, a biotechnology company in
Malmo, Sweden, developed a gel product called
Emdogain that can be used to coat the root of a
tooth during routine flap surgery. Modeled after
a polymer found in seaweed, Emdogain contains
amelogenin, a structural protein that studies have
shown reawakens the same process that regulates
the growth of teeth in infants. Within two days of
application, the gel biodegrades, leaving a layer of
amelogenin on the root of the tooth.
Without getting too technical, the amelogenin begins
to attract cells that form a coating of cementum.
Small ligaments grow into the cementum, which
helps anchor the tooth to the surrounding bone.
Additionally, treatment with Emdogain has been
shown to stimulate the growth of both lost bone and
gum tissue.
Clinical trials involving more than 300 patients have
been performed in Sweden, and other studies have
been conducted in the United States. All the individuals treated in these studies have had periodontal
gaps of five millimeters or more. Within 16 months
of Emdogain treatment, two-thirds of gum tissue lost
had grown back, and within three years that number
had risen to 70% or more. Many patients regained
all lost tissue. On the other hand, control patients or
those who had adjoining teeth treated with a placebo
showed no improvement, and many experienced
further tissue loss.
Even though Emdogain is not a product or a procedure you can use at home, I feel it’s important for you
to know about it. I haven’t found any other treatment
for periodontal disease that actually regenerates the
growth of bone and gum tissue. Plus, Emdogain performs these feats without any adverse or allergic side
effects. Based on the above studies, the Food and
Drug Administration (FDA) approved the use of
Emdogain here in the US. It has been used for several years in many European countries, Canada, and
South Africa.
The periodontal community, like most groups of
physicians, can be fairly slow at adopting new ideas
and techniques, so don’t expect to see Emdogain
become accepted overnight. But if you have problems with periodontal disease, be sure to ask your
dentist or periodontist about Emdogain. Rather than
just keeping the problem under control with diet
and hygiene, this is a simple technique to actually
start reversing the disease. (If you’re a periodontist
or dentist and would like additional information,
contact the US office of Straumann—the Swiss
company that acquired Biora—at 800‑448‑8168 or
www.straumann.com.)
had lower rates of prostate cancer. (For some reason,
tomato juice was not as protective as either tomatoes
or tomato sauce.) Men who ate at least 10 servings
of these tomato-based foods per week were 45% less
likely to develop prostate cancer. Men eating four to
seven servings were 20% less likely.
Tomatoes are a rich source of lycopene, which appears
to be the protective factor. Lycopene is the pigment
that gives tomatoes, watermelon, pink grapefruit,
and guavas their red color. It’s a fat-soluble antioxidant and a relative of beta-carotene. However, it has
roughly twice the power of beta-carotene and 10
times the strength of vitamin E when it comes to
neutralizing free radicals.
Cooking the tomatoes or sauce seems to make it
more effective and easier to absorb, which explains
why increased rates of pizza consumption showed a
positive benefit. Keep in mind, however, that if the
pizza is loaded with fatty toppings, the potential dangers to your heart and cardiovascular system can
outweigh any possible benefits to your prostate.
■
Pomegranates. I’ve been preaching the benefits
of pomegranates and their juice long before it was
fashionable. Research continues to reveal that the
fruit provides a long list of health benefits. The latest
findings suggest that pomegranate can have a significant effect on the recurrence of prostate cancer.
Typically, patients with prostate cancer who undergo
either surgery or radiation treatment are closely
monitored afterward for any changes in their PSA
levels. A detectable PSA level immediately following
these treatments is generally an indication that the
cancer is very aggressive. Once the PSA level doubles, additional treatment programs are started.
A study conducted at the University of California at
Los Angeles involved 46 patients. Those whose PSA
levels were detectable following treatment were given
8 ounces of pomegranate juice daily. The pomegranate
juice prolonged the time it took for PSA levels to double in these men by almost fourfold—from an average
of 15 months to 54 months—which is nothing short
of amazing. (Clin Cancer Res 06;12(13):4018–4026)
This study clearly indicates that pomegranate juice
can inhibit the progression and growth of active
prostate cancer. It didn’t focus on actual prevention,
or on the use of pomegranate juice as a cure for
prostate cancer. However, based on other research
studies I would have no problem recommending its
Prostate Health
■
Tomatoes Do the Trick. In a study published in
the Journal of the National Cancer Institute, individuals who ate more tomatoes, tomato sauce, and pizza
— 55 —
An Australian Breakthrough for Prostate Cancer
The Centre for Phytochemistry at Southern Cross
University in Lismore, New South Wales, Australia, has
become one of the leading centers for research on the
cultivation, processing, and use of herbal medicines.
Peter Waterman, PhD, at the Centre is arguably one
of the top phytochemists in the world. One of the
primary complaints with herbal and natural products
has always been that there is no consistency. The
activity of a product could, and very often does, vary
significantly from batch to batch. That’s what makes
Prof. Waterman’s discovery so exciting. Through his
research, Prof. Waterman developed a method of
determining exactly which herbs, plant extracts, and
compounds had a positive outcome in stopping the
division and replication of prostate cancer cells.
Using this technique, an Australian group of
researchers and scientists working with Prof. Waterman
began the laborious task of analyzing, testing, and
re-testing dozens of complex formulations and what
effect they had on prostate cancer cells. After months
of demanding work, the group was able to painstakingly manipulate and adjust a formula to produce the
maximum possible effect in two human prostate cancer cell lines. The tedious and time-consuming work of
these dedicated scientists led to the development of a
unique, natural, herbal prostate product called HP8 that
has been shown to slow and possibly even stop the
growth of prostate cancer in humans.
HP8 interrupts a stage of the cell cycle that prevents the division of cancer cells. In simple terms, HP8
use as part of a program to prevent prostate cancer. And while it might on its own be an agent that
could cure prostate cancer, again I would certainly
recommend it as part of an overall program.
doesn’t kill cancer cells. Prof. Waterman discovered
that it blocks prostate cells from dividing and multiplying.
Therefore, existing cancer cells age and die naturally,
which lessens the chance of overloading the body’s
immune system. This also decreases the amount of
toxins and the toxicity problems associated with large
numbers of dead cells being dumped into the system.
Additionally, HP8 has shown high bioactivity against
both hormone-sensitive and hormone-insensitive
prostate cancer cell lines.
In a human trial of HP8, the majority of those
taking the product also reported experiencing more
energy, an improvement in general well-being,
improved ability to pass urine, and a significant reduction in pain and discomfort. In addition to its cancerarresting components, HP8 also contains selenium,
various fatty acids, enzymes, and other compounds
known to improve overall prostate health and effectively treat benign prostatic hypertrophy (BPH, or
enlarged prostate).
The good news is that HP8 is now available as
a prostate health supplement in the US. It is currently distributed through American BioSciences of
Blauvelt, New York, and sold through The Harmony
Co., 800‑521-0543 or www.theharmonyco.com. (Keep
in mind that those making or selling HP8 can’t make
any claims or give any information on its use for treating prostate cancer. Legally, it is being sold strictly as a
supplement for prostate health.)
Psoriasis
■
How pomegranate juice works is still not fully understood. I’m sure that’s the primary reason that it is still
being studied so widely. But the research has already
shown that pomegranates and pomegranate juice
work. If you want a very enjoyable way of preventing prostate cancer and a long list of other health
problems, I suggest you stock your refrigerator with
pomegranates and/or pomegranate juice.
— 56 —
Avocado Oil and B12 Cream. Several years ago
in Australia, I was visiting an avocado farm with
a small gift shop at its entrance. In it, small vials
of avocado oil were being sold along with a brochure claiming the oil would reduce skin wrinkles
and cure psoriasis. The brochure even listed several
research studies. I was intrigued, to say the least.
That is, until I learned that the research studies
didn’t exist. I did buy and try the oil, but didn’t find
it to be anything special.
■
More recently, I discovered research that indicates
the brochure’s claims may have some merit after all.
Thirteen patients suffering from psoriasis vulgaris
were randomly selected to receive a prescription
vitamin D3 analogue or a cream containing avocado oil and vitamin B12. (The cream contained
700 mg of B12 per kilogram of cream, which consisted of methyl glycoside stearate, avocado oil, and
distilled water.) The two creams were applied twice
daily to psoriasis patches on different sides of the
body, and the results were observed for a period of
12 weeks.
Tea tree oil is one of those multi-purpose,
nontoxic remedies that should be in every
medicine cabinet and first-aid kit. Tea tree oil is
extracted from the leaves of an Australian tree
called Melaleuca alternifolia. The oil was nicknamed “tea tree” by Captain James Cook, who
used the leaves to make tea during his sailing
expedition into the area in the 1770s. There are
probably a thousand uses for it. Here are a few:
For the first eight weeks, there was more rapid
improvement in the areas where the prescription
cream was used. The maximum efficacy of the prescription cream peaked during the first four weeks
and then began to subside. By contrast, the effects of
the vitamin B12 and avocado cream remained constant throughout the entire 12 weeks, and it was still
working when the trial was stopped.
The effects seen with the prescription cream are typical of most psoriasis medications. They work well at
first, but then lose their effectiveness. Based on this
small study, it appears that vitamin B12 and avocado
oil might provide a better long-term benefit. It would
be easy to make your own using a natural cream
and simply adding the vitamin B12 and avocado oil.
(Dermatology 01;203(2):141–147)
Fumaric Acid. Many studies have found that
fumaric acid is a safe, effective, and well-tolerated
long-term oral therapy for psoriasis. The generally
recommended dosage for fumaric acid is to start
with one 500-mg tablet/capsule per day taken in the
evening with a glass of water, tea, or milk. You may
experience a flushing sensation within 20 to 30 minutes (on rare occasions, it could be as long as a couple
of hours later). It will generally only last for 15 or 20
minutes, and it’s certainly harmless—it could even
be welcomed as an indication that the product has
begun to work.
A Simple Way to Treat Many
Skin Conditions
Stay at the daily 500-mg dose for a week. If you
notice improvement in your skin, remain at that
dose. If not, then increase the daily dosage by one
500-mg tablet/capsule. Again, give that dosage a
week’s trial. Continue the process until improvement begins, then stay at that dosage level. The
maximum daily dosage is 3,500 mg. An excellent source for fumaric acid is Vitamin Research
Products (800-877-2447 or www.vrp.com).
▶
Remarkable antiseptic properties make tea tree
oil good for any type of cut, abrasion, rash, or
lesion. It can also cure boils, bug bites, nail fungus, cold sores, and blisters.
▶
Diluted with water (1–2 drops per ounce),
it makes an effective facial cleanser or
mouthwash.
▶
Australian researchers concluded that tea tree
oil was a valuable alternative to conventional
acne therapy. In the US, doctors have also used
a 15 percent topical solution of tea tree oil
mixed with mineral oil for acne.
▶
For eczema, psoriasis, shingles, sunburn, and
muscle aches and pains, mix one part tea tree
oil to 10 parts of a high-quality cold-pressed oil,
like almond or avocado.
You can find Australian tea tree oil in health
food stores or order it from Kali’s Essentials at
800-726-1612 or www.kalisessentials.com.
Respiratory Threats
■
Eucalyptus Oil (Tasmanian Blue Gum Tree Oil).
For details on this therapy, see “Colds and Flu” on
page 25.
Restless Legs Syndrome (RLS)
■
— 57 —
Padma. While Restless Legs Syndrome can also
result from a calcium/magnesium imbalance or an
acid/alkalinity disturbance, poor circulation is also
one of the major causes. Using Padma for two to
four weeks will often solve such problems. (For more
information on Padma, see page 6.)
which is located on the inside surface of the ear fold.
Once you’ve pinpointed the spots, it helps to have
someone else mark them with a ballpoint or small
felt-tip pen.
Shingles
■
Zostrix. A study published in the Journal of the
American Academy of Dermatology reported that
a salve containing an extract from red pepper can
relieve pain associated with shingles. Cayenne
peppers contain capsaicin, which the GenDerm
Corporation of Northbrook, Illinois, has incorporated into a salve called Zostrix.
Dr. David Bickers, while at Case Western Reserve
University, had 12 patients apply the .025% capsaicin
containing salve locally to the painful area of the skin
five times daily for one week, then three times daily for
an additional three weeks. At the end of four weeks,
25% reported the pain was completely abolished and
another 50% had gained very substantial relief.
What makes the study even more significant is the
patients being tested had been experiencing shingles
pain for an average of 2.6 years (actual times ranged
from 7 months to 7 years). Only one patient experienced side effects, which consisted of a burning
sensation following application of the cream. Zostrix
is an over-the-counter cream that should be easy to
find and, if shingles is a problem, this is one alternative you might want to check into.
Sinus Infections
■
Using a pen tip or other small blunt object, press
against and massage each of these points for 30 seconds to a minute twice a day. It doesn’t matter which
ear you use. The points should also be worked any
time there is a craving to smoke. Gradually, as the
urge to smoke decreases, you can taper off the frequency of treatment.
A more convenient method involves seeds. The most
common ones used are the seeds of Vaccari segetalis
(Wang Bu Liu Zing or in English, cow soapwort),
but unless you have a Chinese pharmacy nearby they
may be hard to find. While I was in Southeast Asia, I
found that either white or black mustard seeds work
just as well. These can be found in almost any grocery store.
Take two small pieces of tape (athletic tape works
best) and place a seed in the middle of each. Then
tape one seed to the Shen Men point and the other
to the Lung point. Leave them in place for one week
and then replace them. Any time you get a tobacco
craving, gently press the “seeded” area.
You only need to use the seeds in one ear (I would
suggest the one on the side on which you don’t sleep
or use the phone). You can switch ears after the first
week if there’s any soreness or irritation. When treating something like smoking, the best results are seen
when the points on the ear are under constant treatment. Many acupuncturists use small “clip-on” needles that stay on the ear for days at a time.
Eucalyptus Oil (Tasmanian Blue Gum Tree Oil).
For details on this therapy, see “Colds and Flu” on
page 25.
■
Xlear. For details, see “Asthma” on page 9.
Smoking Cessation
■
Acupressure. There are two acupressure techniques
that have been shown to help overcome cravings for
cigarettes. The first acupressure area involves points
on the ear that correspond to the lungs and other
organs. In a smoker, where there is obvious irritation
in the lungs, these points should be fairly easy to find
by pressing a small blunt object (such as the writing
tip of a pen that no longer works) in the area until
you find the most tender spot (see drawing below).
Keep in mind that all of the points are located on
the outside of the ear except the “Subcortex” point,
— 58 —
Shen Men Point
(means “alleviates
pain and anxiety”)
Lung Point
Subcortex Point
(refers to area of
brain just below
cerebral cortex)
■
Large
Intestine 5
Point
■
Lose Weight. If you’re overweight, losing a few
pounds could be all you need to do to stop the snoring. It might not be easy, but it will be well worth
the new-found energy you get each day from a good
night’s sleep.
■
Sleeping on Your Side With Your Mouth Shut
Will Help Prevent Snoring. To help keep your
Tianmei Point
Lung 7 Point
I personally prefer recommending the seed method
because it’s easy for people to do on their own and
there’s no chance of infections in the ear. When done
correctly, seeding is reported to have about an 80%
success rate in helping to stop smoking.
The second way you can help curb your smoking
habit involves acupuncture points on your wrists.
The three points illustrated on the right are stimulated for 30 seconds to a minute twice a day, as well
as any time the urge for tobacco arises. It’s best to
work the points on both wrists. (You can use your
fingertip or a blunt object, as described earlier.)
To increase the effectiveness of this method, many
people use it in conjunction with seed embedding.
Avoid the Use of Alcohol and Tobacco Products.
Alcohol relaxes the muscles of the throat, which
block the airways during sleep. Tobacco use inflames
and irritates the entire lining of your airways, from
the mouth and nose to the lungs. This inflammation narrows the air passages, which leads to snoring
problems.
When you stimulate the points on the wrists, you
may notice a slight, temporary tingling, heaviness or
numbness in both hands. This is normal and nothing
to be alarmed about. Some people have even reported
an unusual taste in the mouth.
These techniques are very simple and don’t require
any special training or tools. I think you’ll be quite
pleased with the results. I personally don’t believe
this or any other technique can “make” someone quit
smoking, but if you have the desire to quit, following
the procedures I’ve described will work.
mouth shut you can try one of two techniques. Either
gently place your fist under your chin as you sleep
or prop a second pillow under your chin. Breathing
through your nose while sleeping will not only help
stop snoring, but it will also help prevent sore throats
and infections.
Sleeping on your back makes snoring worse, as your
tongue and throat tissues shift toward the throat
and further narrow your airways. If you need help
sleeping on your side, you can always use the trick
of putting a tennis ball or two in a sock and sewing
it to the back of your nightshirt. The best homemade device of this type that I’ve seen was made by
a snorer’s wife who had been repeatedly accused of
nagging her husband about his snoring. She presented her husband with a new pajama top that had
a stuffed monkey sewn to its back.
■
Try Breathe Right Nasal Strips. In less severe
cases of snoring, some people have been successful
using Breathe Right nasal strips. One of these strips
consists of an adhesive strip attached to a flexible
piece of plastic that helps flare the nostrils when
attached. It was originally developed by a gentleman
to improve his own breathing, which was impaired
due to a deviated septum. To find a retailer near you,
visit www.breatheright.com.
If the above suggestions don’t help, I suggest discussing the problem with your doctor or contacting a sleep disorder center. Most major cities have
sleep disorder centers now, and you can get a list of
those in your area from the American Board of Sleep
Medicine (www.absm.org or 630-737-9700).
More serious snoring problems, and especially sleep
apnea, will need medical attention. Excess throat
Snoring
Correcting a snoring problem can be as simple as
learning to sleep on your side with your mouth shut or it
can be as complex as surgery—or somewhere in between.
If you have a snoring problem, you might want to try the
following suggestions.
— 59 —
oxygen levels of all. In fact, oxygen levels dropped as
much as 3% when a patient was moved from a chair
to a bed. (Cerebrovasc Dis 01;12:66–72)
Treat Sleep Apnea With CPAP
One of the most effective treatments for sleep
apnea and severe snoring is called Continuous
Positive Airway Pressure (CPAP). It basically consists of a small air pump attached to a mask that
fits over the nose and mouth. It provides a steady
flow of air into the throat throughout the night.
It is practically 100 percent effective at stopping
snoring, and probably the best current treatment
for sleep apnea. It will require a prescription from
your doctor, but most insurance companies and
Medicare will cover the cost.
Many people find CPAP somewhat annoying
and difficult to get used to, but keep in mind that
it will stop your snoring. This can, in turn, improve
your energy levels, memory, and concentration;
lower high blood pressure; create less burden on
your heart; possibly eliminate the need for some
medication, and even save your marriage.
In the simplest terms, a stroke victim’s brain will
receive more oxygen and suffer less damage if he
or she is kept in a sitting rather than a lying position. If for some reason they must be laid down, less
damage will result if they are laid on their right side
rather than on their left. Perhaps the phrase “sitting is
right” will help you remember what to do in case of a
stroke.
Most doctors, nurses, and caregivers won’t be aware
of this research, so don’t expect it to be something that
has been implemented in clinics, hospitals, or emergency rooms. Being able to increase arterial oxygen
levels following a stroke can dramatically influence
the degree of brain damage. This is one technique I
hope the health care field adopts quickly.
■
Natto. For details on this therapy, see “Circulation
Problems” on page 23.
Sunburn
tissue, nasal obstructions, and chronically enlarged
tonsils or adenoids may need to be removed surgically. A deviated septum may need to be repaired.
Medications may have to be changed or eliminated.
(For an alternative treatment for Sleep Apnea see
box at the top of the next column.)
■
washed into believing that sunlight is a carcinogen
as dangerous as cigarettes. Not true. In fact, getting
adequate sunlight is essential for your body’s natural
production of vitamin D. Furthermore, there is an
increasing body of evidence linking decreased sun
exposure to the major killers of our time. Researchers
around the world are beginning to report on new data
that strengthens the connection between decreased
exposure to sunlight and increased rates of heart disease, diabetes, multiple sclerosis, osteoporosis, and
other common health problems.
Strains and Sprains
■
Arnica (Traumeel). For details on this therapy see
“Bruises” on page 16.
Stroke
■
Position Yourself to Minimize Stroke Damage.
Researchers at the University of Edinburgh have
found that the physical position a person is placed in
after a stroke can influence the degree of brain damage the person will sustain. They examined and precisely measured both the heart rate and the arterial
oxygen content of 129 individuals within 72 hours of
suffering a stroke.
Make Your Own Sunscreen. We’ve been brain-
But overexposure to the sun isn’t good either. Skin
damage, such as burning, peeling, spotting, and
wrinkling can result. The answer isn’t to slather on
commercial sunscreens. They are brimming with
chemicals, including estrogen-like ingredients that
can actually stimulate tumor growth.
Instead, you can make your own, pure sunscreen out
of vitamin C powder. Vitamin C plays a potent role
in diminishing the effects of free-radical damage and
in this role can be quite effective in protecting against
ultraviolet light damage. It can also be absorbed into
your cells and is generally still present up to 36 hours
after it has been applied topically. Therefore, it can
Arterial oxygen was higher in those who were
allowed to lie on their right side compared to those
lying on their left side. Individuals who were kept in
an upright sitting position had the highest arterial
— 60 —
still give you sun protection even after you’ve washed
your skin or gone swimming.
Here’s a simple recipe for making your own vitamin
C sunscreen:
Mix 2 tablespoons of vitamin C powder in 8 ounces
of water. Put the solution into a spray bottle and
squirt yourself with it regularly (say, every hour or
so). Vitamin C breaks down rather quickly in solution, so you don’t want to make it in huge quantities
unless you’re doing it for a family reunion!
Vitamin C powder is fairly inexpensive and available from many sources. I recommend Wholesale
Nutrition (800-325-2664 or www.nutri.com) as a
source.
If you happen to get sunburned, Tea Tree Oil is
an excellent therapy. See the last bullet point in the
box on page 57 for more information.
The monosodium phosphate Dr. Judd recommends
is sold through Green Harmony Living and can be
ordered on their website, www.greenharmonyliving.
com. It’s sold in 4 oz glass jars for around $20.
Per Dr. Judd’s recommendations, dissolve 1 gram in a
glass with 1 inch of water per 165 lbs. of body weight.
Drink daily. At this amount, there are approximately
113 doses per 4 oz jar, which, if taken daily, will last
almost 4 months. Monosodium phosphate in such
small doses is considered very safe. In fact, when
you do see a daily recommendation for phosphate it’s
generally in the range of 800 to 1200 mg a day.
Thyroid Function
As far as supplements, Dr. Judd agrees with me
that getting adequate amounts of calcium and
vitamin D is essential. He also feels that everyone
should be supplementing their diet with a small
amount of phosphate, in the form of monosodium phosphate. Your body must have adequate
amounts of the mineral phosphate for calcium to
be utilized properly. It’s necessary for proper bone
and tooth growth. Dr. Judd believes that supplementing with monosodium phosphate (along
with calcium and vitamin D) can actually thicken
tooth enamel. It can help with tooth sensitivity
because when enamel gets thinner, cold and heat
Check Your Basal Metabolic Rate. Iodine is
essential for the thyroid gland’s production of the
hormone thyroxin, which regulates many functions,
most importantly metabolism. An inadequate intake
of iodine can result in inadequate levels of thyroxin,
which in turn can result in fatigue, poor circulation to the extremities (resulting in cold hands and
feet), obesity and inability to lose weight, irritability,
low sex drive, headaches, low blood pressure, dry,
thickening skin, cracking of the heels, nervousness,
high cholesterol, irregular menstrual cycles, or mental confusion and difficulty in concentrating. All
are classic symptoms of an underactive thyroid, or
hypothyroidism.
Monosodium Phosphate. This wonderful gem of
health information came to light from the research
of chemist Dr. Gerard Judd. His interest in dental
health began in earnest when he learned of efforts
underway to put fluoride in the Phoenix drinking water supplies in the early 1990s. He had previously worked with fluoride on the Manhattan
Project and was very familiar with its well-known
reputation as a powerful nerve poison. The more
research he performed in the area of dental health,
the more discrepancies and questions he had about
the recommendations and procedures that were
being promoted. In about 1996, he told me he had
figured out the way to maintain dental health and
perfect teeth.
■
Thin Tooth Enamel
■
are more quickly transferred through the center
of the tooth to nerves. As the enamel thickens you
should begin to experience a noticeable difference
in temperature sensitivity.
If you have several of these symptoms, one of the first
things you should do is check your basal metabolic
rate to see if your thyroid is functioning properly.
You can do this at home. Here’s how:
1. Place a thermometer by your bed. Make sure it’s
been shaken down to at least 96° F.
2. When you wake up the next morning, before getting out of bed place the thermometer in your
armpit and leave it there for 10 minutes. Just relax
and remain still during the test.
3. Record the temperature.
— 61 —
“Normal” is considered to be between 97.2° and
98.2°. If your temperature falls outside this range,
it indicates a thyroid imbalance. For our purposes
here, anything below 97.2° usually indicates a
sluggish or hypothyroid condition. Note: Men and
postmenopausal women can take their temperature
any time. Women in their menstrual years get the
most accurate reading on the second or third day
after menstrual flow starts.
■
Iosol/Thytrophin. The most effective way I’ve seen
melatonin would certainly be worth a try. It’s readily
available, safe, and inexpensive.
Tooth Decay
■
primarily by the bacteria Streptococcus mutans
(S. mutans), which resides in plaque that builds
up on teeth and extracts sugar from food we eat,
and ferments it. One of the byproducts is an acid
that erodes tooth enamel and leads to tooth decay.
However, S. mutans is incapable of fermenting xylitol, a substance found in certain vegetables, strawberries, raspberries, plums, and jute. Unlike sucrose
(table sugar) and fructose (fruit sugar), when xylitol is used to sweeten gum or foods, it does not create an acid environment in your mouth.
to rebalance the thyroid gland is to take a liquid
iodine product called Iosol by TPCS Distributors.
Take four drops of Iosol in water each day for the first
two weeks, then reduce the dosage to two drops per
day. (Note: Never ingest antiseptic or topical iodine.
Iosol is the only form of iodine I recommend for
internal use.)
If Iosol does not seem to alleviate the symptoms of
hypothyroidism, take three tablets of a glandular
product called Thytrophin, along with just one drop
of Iosol per day. You can often take Thytrophin in
place of prescription thyroid medications but never
stop your prescription medications without first consulting your doctor. Three tablets of Thytrophin are
roughly equivalent to one grain of hormone.
Iosol can often be found in larger health food stores
or ordered directly from TPCS (800-838-8727 or
www.tpcsdirect.com). Thytrophin is manufactured by
Standard Process. Although Standard Process products are primarily sold through doctors, you can
purchase them directly from Total Health Discount
Vitamins (800‑283‑2833 or www.totaldiscountvitamins.
com) or Spinelife (877-698-4826 or www.spinelife.
com).
■
Vitamin E. Doctors at the Kiev Medical Institute
reported that 300 mg of vitamin E daily effectively
treated peptic ulcers of 28 patients. Ulcers were
relieved in 4 to 6 days in the vitamin E group, while it
took 7 to 10 days in those given conventional medication. Patients taking vitamin E also had increased
protein repair in their intestinal linings and gained
from 1.5 to 3 kg during the study, while the controls
did not gain any weight. (Vrach Delo 88;2:79–81)
■
Bananas. In Thailand and the Far East, banana
Melatonin.
Individuals with tinnitus (constant ringing in the ears) might benefit from a
short course of melatonin. In a small unblinded
study, tinnitus patients took 3 mg of melatonin daily for four weeks and reported significant improvement in both their ability to sleep
and their tinnitus symptoms. The patients were
monitored for a total of eight weeks, including
four weeks after discontinuing the supplement, and
they continued to report overall improvements.
(Otolaryngol Head Neck Surg 06;134(2):210–213)
Studies have verified that chewing xylitol-sweetened
gum for five to 10 minutes following snacks and meals
can stop the development of dental problems, reduce
plaque formation leading to tooth and gum disease,
and prevent certain nasopharynx bacterial infections. Xylitol-based gum called Spry can be ordered
from Xlear, Inc. (877-599-5327 or www.xlear.com).
Trident also makes chewing gum with xylitol and it’s
available at grocery stores.
Ulcers
Tinnitus
■
Xylitol-Sweetened Gum. Tooth decay is caused
The study was small, with only 24 patients. And the
fact that patients knew they were taking melatonin
very well could have affected the results. Obviously,
it wasn’t a perfect study, but with such positive results
— 62 —
leaves are used as food bowls, umbrellas, boat sails,
and clothing. Rice, chicken, duck feet, and other
foods are steamed in banana leaves (which transfer
a subtle tobacco-like taste to food). Bananas are also
used medicinally. Crushed banana leaves help stop
bleeding. Banana roots are used to make powders
or teas to treat urinary problems related to spasms
in the bladder and urethra. Banana skins are used to
stop bacterial and fungal growth. The sitoindosides
in dried unripe bananas increase mucus in the digestive tract, which provides a strong protective coating.
Unripe bananas promote cell growth in the intestinal
tract. Bananas also contain water soluble polysaccharides, the same compounds found in the anti-ulcer
prescription drug Carafate.
■
In the US sweet bananas are eaten raw, but green
plantains need to be cooked before they are eaten.
For ulcers, the sweet banana is the one to use. Unripe
whole bananas will have some effect, but the best
results are obtained with powder. To make banana
powder, peel the bananas and cut into thin slices.
Put them in the sun, an oven, or a food dehydrator,
and dry them slowly. When dry, grind them into a
fine powder. Mix 2 tablespoons of the powder with 1
tablespoon of honey. Take this mixture three times a
day: mid-morning, mid-afternoon, and at bedtime.
can’t congregate and colonize in the urinary tract,
infections cannot take place.
D-mannose is safe for long-term use, but it rarely
needs to be taken for more than a few days. The
normal therapeutic dosage of D-mannose is ½ teaspoon (two grams) at a time. For bladder and urinary tract infections, the general recommendation
is ½ teaspoon every two to three hours. Very significant improvement or a total resolution of the problem should occur within 24 to 48 hours. For bladder
infections that occur after sex, the recommended
dosage is ½ .teaspoon one hour before and one hour
after sexual relations.
D-mannose is available as a powder. Being a sugar,
it has a mild, sweet, inoffensive taste. It can be
mixed with juice, milk, or water; but I think it’s easiest to take the powder plain. D-mannose has also
just come out in capsule form. Both powder and
capsules are available from Bio-Tech Pharmacal
(800-345-1199 or www.bio-tech-pharm.com) and
Progressive Laboratories (800-527-9512 or www.
progressivelabs.com; the product is called U-Tract).
Note: D-mannose is not a cure-all, nor is it 100-percent effective, because it works only if E. coli is the
bacteria causing an infection.
Slippery Elm Powder. For details, see “Acid
Reflux” on page 1.
Urinary Tract Infections
■
D-mannose. E. coli can be a very nasty form of bacteria, and though it’s commonly found in the human
intestinal tract, where it’s harmless, this bacterium
causes problems in the urinary tract. In fact, E. coli
entering the urinary tract causes 80% of all urinary
tract infections. The usual prescription for treating
these infections is antibiotics. However, for some
antibiotic treatment can turn simple urinary tract
infections into a recurring nightmare. Under ideal
circumstances, beneficial bacterial flora in the intestines and vaginal area keep harmful bacteria from
getting a foothold and causing infections. Antibiotics
kill all bacteria, friendly and unfriendly, which sets up
the individual for the likelihood of more infections
in the future. Treating an infection with D-mannose
sidesteps such problems.
D-mannose is a naturally occurring simple sugar
found in fruits like cranberries and pineapples.
When D-mannose is ingested, it’s quickly absorbed
in the upper portion of the gastrointestinal tract,
but very little of the sugar is actually metabolized.
Because of this, D-mannose does not affect blood
sugar levels, which makes it safe for everyone,
including diabetics, small children, and pregnant women. Once D-mannose is absorbed, it’s
quickly filtered out of the system by the kidneys
and flushed out of the body in the urine. In the
process, the sugar dislodges any E. coli in the kidneys, bladder, and urethra. And since the bacteria
Varicose Veins
■
Horse Chestnut Seed Extract. Deep-rooted vein
problems pose a serious health risk and often require
surgery or other drastic measures. For the more
superficial varicosities that result in leg swelling
and pain and the “spider vein” look, standard medical treatment is compression stockings. However,
I have investigated an equally effective and more
convenient therapy that utilizes an extract of horse
chestnut seed.
The seed of the horse chestnut (Aesculus hippocastanum) contains several compounds, one of which is
called escin. Escin has been found to close the small
pores in the walls of veins, making them less permeable. This strengthens the vein walls and reduces the
leakage of fluid into the surrounding tissues. Simply,
escin helps stop vein swelling and pain and reduces
the appearance of spider veins.
In Germany, doctors tested the efficacy of horse
chestnut seed extract on 240 patients with chronic
vein problems in their legs. Half of the group was
treated with compression stockings, and the other
— 63 —
half was simply given the extract containing 50 mg
of escin twice daily. At the end of 12 weeks, swelling
was measured in the ankle and calves, and the horse
chestnut seed extract and the compression stockings
produced nearly identical reductions in swelling.
(Lancet 96;347(8997):292–294)
Horse chestnut seed extracts have been available in
Germany for years (as Reparil by Madaus), and they
are also now available in the US. The product is called
Venastat. It’s marketed by the Alan James Group.
Venastat is available in most grocery, drug, and health
food stores. If you can’t find it at these locations, call
800-246-9083 or visit www.venastat.com for additional
sources and more information. The recommended
dosage is one capsule, twice daily, the same as in the
above study.
Warts
■
dried fruits/prunes, apples/pears, multigrain bread,
jam, tea, and water. Foods that were associated with
more wrinkling and skin damage included: full-fat
milk, red meat, potatoes, margarine, butter, soft
drinks/cordials, cakes, pastries, and sugar products.
(J Am Coll Nutr 01;20(1):71–80)
Most people get serious about their diet only when
they experience the symptoms of heart disease. But
if everyone knew that they could avoid wrinkles
and slow the aging process by adopting healthier
eating habits, more folks would. For years, we’ve
been told to reduce the saturated fat in our diet.
If you go to the trouble of cleaning up your diet
by reducing saturated fats, don’t replace them with
more refined carbohydrates or sugar.
Instead, add more fruits and vegetables—and include
foods rich in the monounsaturated fats that we now
know reduce the risk of cancer and heart disease,
reduce inflammation and, as the study I mentioned
earlier indicates, prevent skin wrinkling and slow
the aging process. Avocados and walnuts, as well as
olives and olive oils, are all great sources of monounsaturated oils and excellent skin health enhancers.
■
Glycolic Acid–Based Products. There is an over-
Papaya Pulp contains the proteolytic enzymes
papain and chymopapain, and has been used for
centuries to remove warts and other skin imperfections. Apparently the pulp has components
that exhibit antimicrobial activity. Papayas are
available in health food stores and many supermarkets. (See “Burns” on page 17 for directions
on how to apply.)
the-counter cream that could be used in place of the
prescription item Retin-A. The natural skin-smoothing cream utilizes glycolic acid, a natural compound
from sugar cane. Numerous studies have shown that
when correctly used, glycolic acid can reduce wrinkles, scarring, skin discolorations, and those little
precancerous growths called keratosis. Best of all, it’s
far less irritating and doesn’t result in increased sensitivity to the sun as does Retin-A.
Wounds
“Abrasions” (page
1), “Boils” (page 15), “Bruises” (page 16), and
“Burns” (page 17). Also see “Bleeding” (page 12).
■ See specific conditions such as
Wrinkles
■
What You Eat Can Affect Your Skin. Research
from Monash University in Melbourne, Australia,
revealed that what you eat can directly influence the
health of your skin. Skin damage in individuals living in Melbourne, Australia, was compared to that
of individuals living in rural Greece and in Sweden.
It was discovered that the type of foods people consumed influenced the amount of wrinkling and damage to sun-exposed skin in older individuals from
different ethnic backgrounds.
Far less skin damage and wrinkling was found in
those individuals who had a higher dietary intake
of the following foods: vegetables, olive oil, fish,
legumes, eggs, yogurt, nuts, olives, cherries, melons,
— 64 —
The results I’ve seen with glycolic acid–based products are nothing short of amazing. If you’re interested
in lessening facial wrinkling, scarring, or discolorations and haven’t tried one of these products, I urge
you to do so. Reviva Labs makes skin care products
containing glycolic acid. Two products I recommend
are Glycolic Acid Night/Day Cream and Brown Spot
Night Gel with Glycolic Acid. You can order Reviva
products at www.revivalabs.com or 800‑257‑7774.
Caution: Make sure you use these products as
directed on the label. If you use a product that contains 10% glycolic acid it can irritate the skin if it’s left
on for too long.
Yeast Infections
Clear up Vaginal
Infections Naturally
Yeast infections of all types are becoming more and
more prevalent, thanks to the overuse of antibiotics.
Candida albicans infections are the most common type,
and luckily are rarely fatal. Other forms of yeast, however,
can be life-threatening. A good example is a rare relative
of Candida albicans, called Candida lusitaniae, which has
been found to be resistant to practically every antifungal drug available. The mortality rate from an infection
can be as high as 90%. Fortunately, research shows that
Candida lusitaniae infections can be successfully treated
using raw garlic.
I want to discuss three effective treatments
for vaginal yeast infections.
1. Douche with plain, active yogurt. Beneficial
bacteria in the yogurt can re-establish a healthy
flora in the vagina and help displace any harmful strains of bacteria.
2. Use powdered boric acid. One gelatin capsule
filled with 600 mg of boric acid (both the capsules and the boric acid are available at pharmacies) is inserted intravaginally every day for
14 days. Studies using this method have found
the cure rate to be over 90 percent after seven
to 10 days, with no side effects.
If you suspect a yeast infection (of any kind) I recommend going to your local health food store or supermarket and getting the freshest organic garlic you can
find. The stronger and more pungent the garlic is, the
better it will probably work. Start by eating four or five
large, raw cloves every day. It’s not unusual for people
with severe yeast infections to experience one or more
large bowel movements loaded with spaghetti-like yeast
organisms (these are actually yeast colonies). Don’t be
alarmed if this happens to you—it’s a positive sign that
the garlic is working.
After a couple of weeks of high garlic consumption, you
can scale down to a single clove a day, and then gradually
taper off completely, depending on your progress.  In addition, after the first few days of taking larger doses of garlic,
I suggest that you re-establish the normal bacterial flora
in the bowel by eating plenty of unflavored yogurt and/
or taking probiotic supplements. (For more on probiotic
3. Douche with iodine. In one study, douching
twice a day with a solution of one part iodine
in 100 parts water eliminated 100 percent of
Candida infections.
supplements, see “Gastrointestinal Health” on page 37.)
I should also mention that I have occasionally heard reports
of intestinal gas or abdominal discomfort from such high
doses of garlic, but it seems to be rare and short-lived, when
it does occur. (For suggestions on how to naturally treat a
vaginal yeast infection see the box above.)
Publisher’s note: Dr. Williams works closely with Mountain Home Nutritionals, developing his unique
formulations that supply many of the hard-to-find nutrients he recommends. The compensation he receives
allows him to continue devoting his life to worldwide research and the development of innovative, effective
health solutions.
— 65 —
Visit drdavidwilliams.com
for more information
about healthy living.
7811 Montrose Rd., Potomac, MD 20854.
Photocopying, reproduction, or quotation strictly prohibited without written permission of the publisher.
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