Archive for the ‘Prevention’ Category

Six Simple Steps to Avoid Being Sedentary

Tuesday, October 23rd, 2012

Physical activity is important if you want to get—and stay—healthy. Definitive research has shown that aside from not smoking, regular physical activity is the most beneficial lifestyle change you can make to positively impact your overall health. This doesn’t mean that you have to join a gym or embark on some crazy fitness regimen. You just need to get moving.

1. Not to be overly dramatic, but research shows that multiple hours spent in front of the TV may be deadly. Though it may not be realistic to get rid of your TV completely, make a conscious effort to severely cut back on the amount of time you spend in front of the boob tube. Get outside, play games with family or friends, engage in activities with your children or grandkids, or whatever—just don’t spend your idle time sitting around.

2. Get a pedometer. Many people have no idea how much—or how little—they actually walk each day. To qualify as being moderately active, experts recommend you shoot for 10,000 or more steps daily. Pedometers make tracking your activity level a piece of cake. Look for these inexpensive, step-counting devices in sporting goods stores, and online, or order from the clinic by calling (800) 810-6655.

3. If you are going to play video games, make them interactive. Several manufacturers have created games that involve dancing, sports, and other movements that require getting up off the couch to participate.

4. Household activities such as laundry and cleaning count. As do yard work, gardening, and other chores that involve a little physical exertion.

5. Doing errands can also counteract inactivity, provided you implement a few simple strategies. You can start by walking or riding a bike to your destination. If you drive, park in the far corners of the lot. Opt for stairs instead of an escalator or elevator. And finally, pick up the pace when you’re walking around the aisles.

6. I realize that many people have jobs that require them to sit in front of the computer or at a desk for most of the day. But during your breaks, use that free time to do a few laps around the office, run a nearby errand on foot, or move around and stretch in your office.

Trust me, these small changes can make a big difference.

Posted in Exercise, Prevention, Wellness | No Comments »

Stay Hydrated This Spring

Friday, May 11th, 2012

Keeping hydrated is one of the most important things you can do to ensure good health. Your body, and the bodies of all mammals, is nearly two-thirds water, and this life-giving liquid is crucial for almost all biochemical reactions. While a camel roaming the desert may be able to survive up to three weeks without water, you, on the other hand, would be hard pressed to last a week.

I firmly believe that getting plenty of pure, clean water (at least eight to 10, eight-ounce glasses per day) is a must. However, water isn’t the focus of this particular story. There are a handful of other beverages out there that not only satisfy thirst but also confer multiple health benefits.

Tea-ing Off
Hot, iced, green, black, chai, jasmine: It’s tea time around the world. In America alone, more than 127 million people drink tea daily, and for good reason. Next to water, tea is one of the healthiest beverages on the planet.

Green Tea. Known for its therapeutic polyphenols, which have proven protective against cancer, heart disease, and even cavities, this health-enhancing tea was recently shown in lab tests to block the HIV virus from attaching to healthy immune system cells. This is just one more example of how green tea continues to prove useful in the medical arena.

Black Tea. Black tea accounts for nearly 80 percent of all tea consumption worldwide, and here in the US, a whopping 90 percent of the tea we drink is black. Not a bad choice, considering this type of tea has been shown to reduce risk of skin cancer, lower LDL cholesterol, and protect against heart attack and cardiovascular disease.

White Tea. Less well known than its black and green counterparts, white tea boasts its own health benefits—along with a sweeter, milder taste. Because it is processed from younger buds and leaves, white tea contains lower levels of caffeine. Even more important, when green, black, white, and oolong teas were tested for their ability to hinder pre-cancerous mutations in cells, white tea came out on top.

Another bonus? The caffeine and polyphenols in tea are thermogenic agents, meaning they help boost weight loss by revving up the rate at which your body burns fat.

Ale for What Ails You
While wine has cornered the market in recent years, both in sales and purported health benefits, beer is starting to make a comeback—Americans drink more than 220 million barrels per year. They just may be on to something because beer is a boon for a multitude of health conditions.

One is osteoporosis. Everyone knows that calcium plays a role in building strong bones, but silicon is also important. This mineral promotes greater bone mineral density by allowing other bone-boosting minerals to be absorbed into bone tissue. And guess what a primary dietary source of silicon is? That’s right, beer. Furthermore, it’s an exceptionally bioavailable form of silicon.

Beer is also a great source of B complex vitamins and is linked to lower levels of homocysteine and reduced risk of heart attack and stroke. So enjoy an occasional cold one this summer, but don’t forget that the positive effects of alcohol end after one or two daily drinks. Cheers!

Tags: hydration
Posted in Alternative Medicine, Prevention, Wellness | No Comments »

Miraculous Alpha Lipoic Acid

Friday, March 9th, 2012

The term “miracle drug” has been loosely applied to everything from aspirin and penicillin to statins and COX-2 inhibitors. But I want to tell you about a nutritional supplement that truly is miraculous: alpha lipoic acid (also called lipoic acid or ALA).

Lipoic acid is a potent antioxidant that, unlike most antioxidants, is both water- and fat-soluble, making it active in virtually every cell in the body. In addition to neutralizing harmful free radicals, lipoic acid regenerates and increases levels of vitamin C, vitamin E, coenzyme Q10, and glutathione.

But that’s not all. Lipoic acid is also a mitochondrial powerhouse. It not only protects your energy-producing factories from free radical damage, it also helps “prep” the fuel burned in the mitochondria and increases the amount of energy generated. Furthermore, it has a unique ability to neutralize toxins, chelate heavy metals, and protect against DNA damage. These multiple actions make lipoic acid a valuable ally against diabetes, liver damage, cancer, and a host of other diseases — it even slows down aging.

Diabetics’ Best Friend. I had to limit lipoic acid to just one use, it would be for the treatment of diabetes. This supplement not only improves insulin sensitivity and lowers blood sugar, it is also an excellent treatment for deterioration of the arteries, eyes, and especially the nerves that plague so many patients with diabetes.

Bill, a former patient, had such severe diabetic neuropathy that he had constant pain and limited sensation in his limbs, his left leg dragged when he walked, and he was continually dropping things. He started taking lipoic acid after reading about it in this newsletter. Shortly thereafter, the pain subsided, his sensation improved, and his coordination returned.

Incredible as this may seem — especially for a condition that patients are told cannot be treated — it’s an everyday occurrence at the Whitaker Wellness Institute. Used intravenously or as an oral supplement, lipoic acid very effectively reduces pain, numbness, burning, and other unpleasant sensations of neuropathy.

A Lifesaver for Failing Livers. Lipoic acid also shines in the treatment of liver problems. This is most dramatically illustrated by the story of John and Eunice, who were admitted to the hospital in acute liver failure after inadvertently eating Amanita verna, the highly toxic “Destroying Angel” wild mushroom.

Lucky for them, their care was turned over to Burton Berkson, MD, PhD, a medical resident and one of the few doctors in the US at the time who was familiar with the use of lipoic acid for the treatment of liver failure. Although he had been told by the hospital’s chief doctor that nothing could be done for them and that John, who had eaten several mushrooms, would definitely die, Dr. Berkson tracked down some lipoic acid and treated John and Eunice with IV infusions. Within days, they left the hospital completely well. I interviewed them 20 years after this incident, and both were doing just fine.

By using this unconventional treatment, Dr. Berkson ruffled a few feathers. The chief doctor dismissed the role of lipoic acid stating, “They would have come around anyway.” He also refused to allow Dr. Berkson to administer lipoic acid to another couple with the same diagnosis soon thereafter. Dr. Berkson treated them anyway, and it saved their lives. For this good deed, he was rewarded with a furious admonition and labeled a troublemaker.

Rejuvenate Your Liver with Lipoic Acid. We need more troublemakers like Dr. Berkson. Today, he is an internationally recognized clinical expert in the use of lipoic acid, and has helped thousands of patients with liver problems such as hepatitis B and C, autoimmune hepatitis, primary biliary cirrhosis, and primary sclerosing cholangitis. We use several of his protocols here at Whitaker Wellness, including “triple therapy,” a combination of lipoic acid, silymarin, and selenium that reliably lowers liver enzymes and viral loads and improves symptoms.

A few years ago, I told a teacher at my kids’ school who had hepatitis C and was not responding to conventional treatments about “triple therapy.” Within a couple of weeks of starting on it, he began to feel much better, and his blood workup showed marked improvements. His doctor’s response when he told him what he was doing? “That can’t be true.”

Many More Benefits. This short newsletter can barely scratch the surface of this remarkable supplement. Lipoic acid is also an excellent preventive and adjunct therapy for cardiovascular disease, AIDS and immunosuppression, vision problems such as cataracts and glaucoma, and neurodegenerative disorders such as Parkinson’s and Alzheimer’s disease. Other current areas of research include lipoic acid’s ability to increase energy, decrease appetite, and inhibit inflammation-related bone loss.

For all of these reasons and more, I recommend that everyone over age 45, no matter how healthy they are, include alpha lipoic acid in their daily supplement regimen.

Tags: Miraculous Alpha Lipoic Acid
Posted in Alternative Medicine, Diabetes, Nutritional Supplements, Prevention | No Comments »

Solutions for 10 Common Health Concerns

Wednesday, February 8th, 2012

Since I opened the doors of the Whitaker Wellness Institute in 1979, I’ve been fine-tuning my treatment approaches for a variety of common health concerns. And for the last two decades, I’ve shared these protocols with the thousands of patients that came to the clinic. I’ve compiled a simple, at-a-glance list of supplements and other therapies for 10 common health problems. Remember, these recommendations should be added to a potent daily multivitamin and mineral supplement, a healthy diet, and regular exercise.

Doses listed are for daily consumption and should be taken in divided doses with meals unless otherwise noted.

Age-Related Memory Loss

*Acetyl-l-carnitine 1,000–1,500 mg
*Alpha-glycerylphosphorylcholine (alpha-GPC) 250 mg
*Choline (alpha-GPC) 250 mg
*Curcumin 1,000–2,000 mg, or curcumin phytosome 500–1,000 mg
*Fish oil 2–4 g Ginkgo biloba 120–160 mg
*Niacinamide 500 mg, 3–6 times per day
*Phosphatidylserine 100–200 mg
*Vinpocetine 10–30 mg

Blood Pressure Support

*Balance3 2–4 tablets (taken at bedtime if drowsiness occurs)
*Coenzyme Q10 (CoQ10) 200–300 mg
*L-arginine 2,000–6,000 mg (do not use if you are taking nitroglycerin)
*Low Sodium V8 Juice 8–12 ounces
*Reishi mushroom (as directed)

Blood Sugar Support

*Vanadyl sulfate 100 mg
*Alpha lipoic acid 600–1,200 mg (higher dose for extra support)
*Chromium 400 mcg
*Cinnamon 1,000–2,000 mg
*Gymnema sylvestre 400 mg
*Benfotiamine 150–450 mg
*Berberine 1,500 mg
*Hyperbaric oxygen therapy and infrared light therapy (for complications)+

Cardiovascular Health

*CoQ10 200–300 mg
*Fish oil 4–6 g
*B-complex vitamins: B6 75–125 mg, B12 150–2,000 mcg, folic acid 800–6,000 mcg
*L-carnitine 1,000 mg

*Magnesium 500–1,000 mg

*Enhanced external counterpulsation (EECP)+

Cholesterol Support

*Flaxseed ¼ cup, freshly ground
*Niacin 500–2,000 mg
*Plant sterols 1,500–2,000 mg
*Red yeast rice 1,200–2,400 mg (take with 100–200 mg of CoQ10)

Digestive Health

*Digestive enzymes (as directed, for gas and bloating)
*Deglycyrrhizinated licorice (DGL) 1 chewable tablet before meals (for heartburn/indigestion) *Probiotics (as directed, for overall digestive health)
*Flaxseed ¼ cup, freshly ground (for regularity)

Fatigue/Low Energy

*Low-dose naltrexone (LDN) 3–4.5 mg (requires a prescription)
*Magnesium 500–1,000 mg

*Ribose 10–15 g
*Vitamin D 2,000–5,000 IU

Mood Support

*Dilantin 100–200 mg (requires a prescription)
*Fish oil 4–6 g
*S-adenosyl-methionine (SAMe) 400–800 mg (between meals)
*5-HTP 50–100 mg (at bedtime)
*St. John’s wort 600–900 mg (check for drug interactions)

Pain

*Univestin (Chinese skullcap/acacia extract) 500 mg
*Curcumin 1,500–2,000 mg, or curcumin phytosome 500–1,000 mg
*Fish oil 4–8 g
*Frequency specific microcurrent (FSM) therapy (also called microcurrent therapy)+
*High-intensity laser therapy+
*DMSO (topical)

Respiratory Health

*Fish oil 4–6 g
*N-acetyl cysteine 300–600 mg
*Quercetin 250–500 mg
*Stinging nettles 200–500 mg
*Magnesium 500–1,000 mg
*Saline nasal spray/neti pot

Weight Loss

*Restrict/eliminate sugars and starches
*Green tea (GreenSelect Phytosome) 300 mg
*Irvingia gabonensis 300 mg
*Saffron extract 180 mg

+ Must be administered in a physician’s office.

Posted in Alternative Medicine, Chronic Pain, Nutritional Supplements, Prevention | No Comments »

Seeing Past Cataracts

Tuesday, January 17th, 2012

Cataracts Quiz

What are the most effective supplements in treating cataracts?

1)       Vitamin C
2)       Vitamin E
3)       Beta carotene
4)       All of the above

The answer is 4: All of the above.

It’s easy to take your eyes for granted. After all, most of us have been blessed with the gift of sight since birth. Our eyes don’t require much maintenance, and even if you don’t have 20/20 vision, corrective lenses are an easy fix.

But things do go wrong. My patients are frequently asking for solutions to various eye problems, cataracts in particular. Here is a brief overview of this common condition and natural remedies that can help.

Cataracts Are Not Inevitable
Cataracts, or opacities of the lens of the eye, are another common problem associated with aging. More than half of all Americans in their 80s either have cataracts or have had surgery to replace the clouded lens. I’m not going to knock cataract surgery because people see much, much better afterward. But isn’t prevention a better idea?

Lifestyle Changes make a Huge Difference
Smoking, abdominal obesity, diabetes, hypertension, and a whole list of drugs are linked with increased risk of developing cataracts and other vision problems. Nutrition is also important. We’ve known for years that taking a daily supplement containing relatively high doses of vitamin C, vitamin E, beta-carotene, zinc, and copper lowers risk of cataracts and related vision loss, but nutritional research has gone far beyond these basic vitamins and minerals.

A recent study found that older women who had the highest levels of lutein and zeaxanthin were about a third less likely to have cataracts. And in a recent nine year placebo-controlled clinical trial, people who took a daily multivitamin/mineral supplement were much less likely to have developed the most common type of cataracts than those who took a placebo.

Another therapy worth trying is N-acetyl-carnosine. Advanced glycation endproducts (AGEs), caused by the crosslinking of proteins, is another degenerative process that damages the lens. Carnosine is a natural amino acid combo that inhibits AGE formation. Several studies show that when carnosine eye drops are used twice a day in eyes affected by cataracts, improvements are often noted in both vision and lens opacity.

The common thread running throughout is nutrition. Therefore, my number-one recommendation for both treating and staving off cataracts and other vision problems is to improve your diet and take a comprehensive supplement aimed at vision health. It’s never too early to start. Don’t wait until you’re having problems to take action—by then it may be too late.

Tags: cataracts
Posted in Alternative Medicine, Nutritional Supplements, Prevention, Vision, Wellness | No Comments »

Lifestyle Changes for 2012

Tuesday, January 10th, 2012

It’s time for New Year’s resolutions, and I’d like those who are resolving to exercise and lose weight to please raise your hand. Well, that’s about 80 percent. Now, how many of you did the same thing last year? Another 80 percent. Clearly, you need more than resolutions to achieve these goals. Let’s look at solutions to our obesity epidemic.

Eat, Exercise, and Check Your Hormones. First and most obvious, you need to eat higher quality food, and you need to eat less of it. You know that cookies, breads, and starches such as French fries and pasta are your enemies. You also know that lean protein, salads, and high-fiber vegetables are your friends. If you eat like this, you will lose weight.

Second, you have to exercise. Exercise plays an integral role in weight control. The best way to get and stay active is to start walking. Resistance training (weight lifting) is also crucial. Muscle burns fat, and the more you have, the faster you’re going to lose weight.

Third, you should have your hormones checked. Age-related declines in hormone levels can contribute to weight gain. Here at the clinic, we routinely measure thyroid, testosterone, estrogen, progesterone, and growth hormone levels. In many cases, correcting hormone imbalances solves a lot of problems.

Taming the Raging Appetite. Fourth and perhaps most important, you need to control appetite. Nobody wants to be fat—obesity destroys self-image and accelerates virtually all serious degenerative diseases. So why is it such a pervasive problem? The answer is appetite. As the sheer magnitude of obesity in this country testifies, taming appetite requires something other than discipline.

I’m constantly on the lookout for techniques to curb appetite, and I’ve written about many of them over the years. Glucomannan, a fiber supplement taken before meals, fills you up so you eat less. Alpha lipoic acid, a potent antioxidant, suppresses hunger when taken in large doses. EGCG (epigallocatechin gallate), a green tea polyphenol, reduces appetite and increases metabolic rate. Hoodia gordonii, from an African succulent, has been shown to dramatically cut caloric intake. And 5-HTP, an amino acid, reduces carbohydrate cravings.

How to Stay on Track. The final thing you need to achieve your weight loss goals is structure. You need a program to follow. You need a mentor to monitor your progress. You need feedback on your success—or lack thereof—so your program can be altered to better suit you.

Of course you can do this on your own, but like a football team without a coach, you’re much less likely to succeed. We recognize the importance of that support here at the clinic, which is why we’ve developed our TLC (Therapeutic Lifestyle Changes) program. It contains all of the elements necessary for success: evaluation of hormones and metabolic problems, nutritional support, a therapeutic diet with protein-rich meal replacement drinks, and an exercise program. But perhaps the most integral aspect of the program is that patients communicate with their TLC educator on a regular basis to discuss their progress, hash out solutions to stumbling blocks, and get ongoing assistance and encouragement.

They Lost Weight and You Can, Too. We’ve had excellent success with the TLC program. Ken lost 160 pounds and got off multiple drugs. Mark lost 140 pounds and said goodbye to numerous health problems. Elizabeth lost 30 pounds and was radiant on her wedding day. Sue’s weight loss was less dramatic, but she, too, was ecstatic:

“I’ve been on Weight Watchers for years, but I could never lose those last few pounds of fat. I’ve been on the TLC program for nine weeks now and not only have I lost the unwanted blubber, I’ve built up muscle, too. My fat/muscle ratio is very close to what it should be. I used to carry all my excess fat in my stomach, but now my clothes are fitting better than ever and I feel great. This is a lifestyle commitment, and I’m really good most of the time. But even when I went on vacation and was a little sloppy, I only put on a pound or two that came right back off after I got back on the program. I look and feel better than I have in years.”

Posted in Alternative Medicine, Diet, Exercise, Prevention, Wellness | No Comments »

Get a Grip on Stress

Tuesday, December 20th, 2011

We can all tolerate a little stress—it makes us more alert and gives us an edge in certain situations. Chronic anxiety, on the other hand, is emotionally and physically debilitating. Nobody should have to live in a state of constant fear and worry, or suffer through panic attacks or anxiety-driven insomnia, shortness of breath, gastrointestinal problems, and heart palpitations. Here are some of my favorite recommendations for dealing with stress and anxiety naturally.

*Gaba to the Rescue. I suggest that you first try Gamma-aminobutyric acid (GABA). GABA is more than an amino acid. It is also one of the central nervous system’s most important inhibitory neurotransmitters, meaning it stimulates receptors that inhibit, or calm down, activity in the brain. It works, in a sense, in opposition to the excitatory neurotransmitters that rev up the brain. Obviously these two types need to be in balance, and taking supplemental GABA when you’re restless, anxious, or irritable helps restore necessary equilibrium. Because supplemental GABA is safe, nontoxic, and non-habit forming—in addition to being effective—it should be a frontline defense in the battle against anxiety. For quick relief during an acute episode, open a capsule and stir it into water. For chronic anxiety, take 750 mg one to three times a day as needed.

*L-theanine and 5-HTP lift you up. There are a number of other safe and effective supplements for easing anxiety besides GABA. L-theanine, an amino acid abundant in green tea, raises your body’s GABA levels and promotes calming alpha-wave activity in the brain. 5-HTP, also an amino acid supplement, helps boost levels of serotonin, a neurotransmitter involved in mood and sleep.

*Relax with Kava and Valarian. Kava (Piper methysticum), an herb used for thousands of years in the South Pacific islands, is renowned for its ability to cause profound relaxation and an overall sense of well-being. Valerian, another anxiety-reducing herb, is especially useful when taken at bedtime because it also induces sleep.

*Exercise the stress away. Exercise is a great way to both stave off anxiety and calm down an acute episode. If your body is already in the fight-or-flight mode, you might as well take flight! Going for a walk or jog brings down levels of stress hormones, boosts production of mood-enhancing neurotransmitters, and releases muscle tension. It’s also a distraction that shifts your focus away from whatever is making you anxious.

Whether you experience occasional anxiety or chronic worry, use these solutions to calm your mind and create the sense of tranquility that you deserve. If GABA doesn’t do it for you, try the other anxiety-relievers discussed above, one at a time, and see what works best for you

Tags: stress
Posted in Exercise, Prevention, Wellness | No Comments »

How to Beat the Cold and Flu Season

Friday, December 2nd, 2011

The holidays are here and with that comes cold and flu season. Although you can’t avoid contact with cold and flu viruses, you can avoid suffering the unpleasant symptoms associated with them. By giving your body the right fuel, you can help boost your immune system and break the annual cold and flu cycle—or at least minimize your symptoms.

Lifestyle Changes to Prevent Cold & Flu. The best treatment for colds and flu is to prevent them altogether—and the best way to do that is to keep your immune system at its peak throughout the year. Follow these simple suggestions to optimize your immunity:

• Wash your hands frequently. Your hands constantly come into contact with viruses and bacteria that are transmitted to your mouth, nose, and eyes. Use paper towels or tissues and discard them at once, and avoid sharing towels, glasses, and eating utensils. This is a very simple way to stop viruses before they gain entry into your body, thus reducing the risk of infection and lessening the load on your immune system.

• Get plenty of sleep. Sleep rejuvenates your cells and recharges your body, and it is especially vital for the proper functioning of your brain and immune system. Research has shown that immune function declines when a person is sleep deprived, and an accumulated sleep deficit dramatically lowers the effectiveness of your immune system.

• Take a high-potency multivitamin and mineral formula. Optimal nutrition is crucial for enhancing resistance to colds and flu. Be sure your multivitamin contains at least 1,000 mg vitamin C, 30 mg zinc, and 15,000 IU of vitamin A/beta-carotene.

• Take extra vitamin D. Most people require at least 2,000-5,000 IU of supplemental vitamin D in order to maintain optimal blood levels of this immune-boosting vitamin. This is particularly crucial during the wintertime, when sun exposure is at its lowest point and vitamin D levels plummet.

• Drink 8 to 10 glasses of water daily. Keep yourself hydrated—dry mucous membranes are an excellent playground for viruses.

What to Do if You’ve Already Caught a Cold or Flu. If you do succumb to a cold or flu virus, you can minimize your discomfort and bolster your immune defenses. But time is of the essence—start taking the following supplements as soon as you feel an illness coming on:

• Increase your dose of vitamin C. Vitamin C protects white blood cells, boosts levels of virus-fighting interferon and natural killer cells, and fortifies the mucous membranes—plus, it has antiviral activity of its own. At the first sign of illness take 500–1,000 mg of vitamin C every waking hour. To avoid possible gastrointestinal upset, build up gradually by taking 500 mg every two hours on the first day and moving up to the higher dose on the second day. Take no more than 10,000 mg per day, and ease back to your usual dose as symptoms improve.

• Begin taking echinacea. This trusted herbal therapy is a proven infection fighter. Echinacea binds to receptors on the surface of white blood cells, literally turning these immune cells on. Look for a standardized product and take as directed.

• Don’t forget the zinc. Zinc gluconate lozenges have been shown to shorten the duration of cold and flu symptoms by an average of three days compared to a placebo. If you’re coming down with something, start taking zinc lozenges every two hours.

• Add Oscillococcinum to your arsenal. Though researchers have yet to identify precisely how this homeopathic remedy works, its effects can be amazing when taken at the first sign of flu. Packaged in individual doses of little pellets that dissolve under the tongue, it is easy to take, has a pleasant taste, and like all homeopathic remedies, is gentle, safe, and nontoxic, making it especially good for children.

• Reduce your fever with cayenne. Despite its fiery taste, cayenne is a cooling herb with a long history of use as a fever reducer. Cayenne is a natural decongestant and works much like cold and flu medications to restore free breathing.

• Drink ginger tea. One of the most satisfying tonics for flu is homemade ginger tea. Ginger is rich in zinc, perhaps the most important mineral for immune function, plus it helps relieve nausea, vomiting, and diarrhea. To make therapeutic ginger tea, chop a one-inch slice of fresh ginger, and three cups of water, and simmer for 5-10 minutes. For each serving, squeeze the juice of half a lemon and add 1/4 teaspoon cinnamon.

Prevention is always the best medicine. A healthy lifestyle, scrupulous hygiene, and a broad-based multivitamin and mineral supplement are the foundation of prevention.

Tags: cold, flu
Posted in Prevention, Wellness | No Comments »

The Low Down on LDN

Tuesday, November 15th, 2011

LDN is a major breakthrough, but like other innovative therapies, it’s virtually ignored by conventional physicians. It’s the same old song and dance: “If it were any good, I’d know about it.” Yet this safe, economical drug stands to benefit millions—not only those with cancer and MS, but also people dealing with autism, Parkinson’s, fibromyalgia, chronic fatigue syndrome, and other autoimmune diseases.

Here’s How it Works. How can one drug have so many positive effects? It all has to do with the endorphin system. Endorphins are naturally occurring molecules that are similar in structure to morphine and other opioid drugs. Although endorphins are best known for boosting mood and blunting pain, they are active in almost every cell in the body. One endorphin, opioid growth factor (OGF), which regulates the immune system, is the target of LDN.

LDN binds to OGF receptors, which temporarily blocks OGF utilization. Due to the perceived shortage of OGF, there is a rebound effect where cells dramatically increase production of OGF and receptor sensitivity. Once the drug is excreted—and this only takes a couple of hours since the dose is so low—the OGF receptors are able to utilize all the extra OGF circulating in the blood. This has profound effects on several aspects of immune function. It puts the brakes on undifferentiated growth of cancer cells. It also prevents immune system overactivity, which is the crux of autoimmune disorders, and blunts the release of inflammatory and neurotoxic chemicals in the brain. Medical conditions marked by immune dysfunction are associated with markedly low levels of OGF, and LDN simply restores these disease-fighting endorphins to optimal levels.

Cancer in Remission. A promising area of treatment is cancer. Burton Berkson, MD, and colleagues published a paper describing four case histories of patients with metastatic pancreatic cancer who were treated with LDN plus intravenous alpha lipoic acid (a potent antioxidant). Before we go on, you need to understand that the prospects for patients with pancreatic cancer are terrible. Most of them live only a few months after diagnosis, and the five-year survival rate is a dismal four percent. It’s essentially a “get your affairs in order” prognosis.

Two of the patients Dr. Berkson reported on, each with well-documented pancreatic cancer that had metastasized to the liver, were alive and well 78 and 39 months after presenting for treatment. A third patient who had the same diagnosis was disease-free, as evidenced by a PET scan, five months after beginning LDN/alpha lipoic acid therapy. The final patient had a history of B-cell lymphoma and prostate adenocarcinoma in addition to metastatic pancreatic cancer. After four months of treatment, his PET scan demonstrated no signs of cancer.

I’m also aware of good results in patients with melanoma, non-Hodgkin’s lymphoma, and cancer of the breast, lung, prostate, kidney, and colon. Let me make it clear that I am not suggesting that LDN is a cure-all for any kind of cancer. But this safe, inexpensive drug is certainly a reasonable adjunctive therapy.

Autoimmune Disorders Respond Well. A recent pilot study found that LDN improves mood, cognition, and pain scores in patients with progressive multiple sclerosis. And researchers from Pennsylvania State University College of Medicine demonstrated that 67 percent of patients with Crohn’s disease who were treated with 4.5 mg of LDN for 12 weeks went into remission.

The buzz from patients is even better than the studies. Vicki Finlayson had suffered with debilitating multiple sclerosis. After 10 years of unbearable pain, horrible fatigue, growing depression, and dependence on Vicodin and morphine to control her pain, Vicki learned about LDN. Once she started taking it—after her doctor initially refused to prescribe it and she had to wean herself off opioid painkillers—she got her life back. She’s been back at work a year and a half now, she’s off all other drugs, and she’s feeling great.

To learn more about LDN, also visit lowdosenaltrexone.org or simply surf the Internet. This will give you a feel for the tremendous patient enthusiasm for LDN.

Posted in Alternative Medicine, Cancer, Prevention, Wellness | No Comments »

Fight Cold and Flu Season from A to Zinc

Friday, October 28th, 2011

Ah, October. Halloween, cool, crisp weather, changing leaves—and the start of cold and flu season. This year, if sneezing, a runny nose, body aches, or fever crop up, don’t reach for over-the-counter or prescription drugs. Instead, give natural remedies a try.

What Remedies Really Work? Rest, of course, drink plenty of liquids, and, yes, eat chicken soup. It’s nutritious and has been scientifically proven to combat inflammation and soothe a dry, stuffy nose. You can get symptomatic relief with the cold and flu remedies that line the shelves of your drugstore. (Avoid the all-in-one combos. If your nose is stopped up, take a decongestant for a couple of days, or if you have a cough, use an expectorant. Don’t expose yourself to medications you don’t need, and use only for a brief period.)

But more important, you need to bolster your immune system so it can fight off these viruses and get you back on your feet. And time is of the essence. All of these natural remedies work best if you begin them in the earliest stages of a viral infection.

Take Your Vitamins From A to Zinc. Vitamin C is the best known of the immune-boosting vitamins, and with good reason. At least 20 double-blind studies have shown that taking this vitamin reduces the duration or severity of the common cold. I recommend taking 500-1,000 mg every hour you are awake. Be forewarned that high doses cause diarrhea in some people; if you are one of them, try 500 mg every two hours, or as tolerated.

Also important is vitamin D. For three or four days at the onset of a viral infection, I increase my patients’ dose of this vitamin to 50,000 IU for five to seven days. After a week, return to your usual dose, even if you still have symptoms. Zinc has become a favorite remedy since a study demonstrated that sucking on zinc gluconate lozenges cut the duration of a cold in half. I suggest trying zinc lozenges at the first sign of a cold.

Bring on the Botanicals. My favorite herb for fighting infections is echinacea, which has antibacterial and antiviral properties, in addition to strengthening the immune system. It has been demonstrated in several studies to prevent the progression of colds. Take it when symptoms first strike or throughout the cold and flu season as a preventive.

Other useful herbals include:
• Elderberry, specifically studied for its ability to inhibit the replication of the flu virus
• Garlic and astragalus, other proven infection fighters
• Eucalyptus and menthol, ingredients in many cough drops that relieve congestion and cough
• Cayenne pepper, sprinkled in a cup of tea or on your chicken soup, which unstops a stuffy nose and opens airways
• Teas made with slippery elm, wild cherry bark, ginger, or chamomile, which are soothing to the throat and bronchioles.
Look for products containing these herbs in your health food store and use as instructed.