Month: May 2012

(NaturalNews) Administrators at the Austin Community College (ACC) admit that some 10,000 students have refused to enroll at ACC because of their vaccination requirements. Meanwhile, a Washington State rock band named The Refusers is storming Youtube with their latest hit "First do no harm. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Y9y4Pq7lXAw

by Sayer Ji

It may come as a surprise to some, especially those with conventional medical training, but the default state of the body is one of ceaseless regeneration.  Without the flame-like process of continual cell turnover within the body – life and death ceaselessly intertwined – the miracle of the human body would not exist.

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In times of illness, however, regenerative processes are overcome by degenerative ones. This is where medicine may perform its most noble feat, nudging the body back into balance with foods, herbs, nutrients, healing energies, i.e. healing intention. Today, however, drug-based medicine invariably uses chemicals that have not one iota of regenerative potential; to the contrary, they almost always interfere with bodily self-renewal in order to suppress the symptoms against which they are applied.

Despite the outright heretical nature of things which stimulate healing and regeneration vis-à-vis the conventional medical system which frowns upon, or is incredulous towards, spontaneous remission in favor of symptom suppression and disease management, over the course of the past few years of trolling MEDLINE we have collected a series of remarkable studies on the topic…

Nerve Regeneration – There are actually a broad range of natural compounds with proven nerve-regenerative effects. A 2010 study published in the journal Rejuvenation Research, for instance, found a combination of blueberry, green tea and carnosine have neuritogenic (i.e. promoting neuronal regeneration) and stem-cell regenerative effects in an animal model of neurodegenerative disease. [1] Other researched neuritogenic substances include:

There is another class of nerve-healing substances, known as remyelinating compounds, which stimulate the repair of the protective sheath around the axon of the neurons known as myelin, and which is often damaged in neurological injury and/or dysfunction, especially autoimmune and vaccine-induced demyelination disorders.  It should also be noted that even music and falling in love have been studied for possibly stimulating neurogenesis, regeneration and/or repair of neurons, indicating that regenerative medicine does not necessary require the ingestion of anything; rather, a wide range of therapeutic actions may be employed to improve health and well-being, as well.

[View the first-hand biomedical citations on these neuritogenic substance visit our Neuritogenic Research page on the topic]

Liver Regeneration – Glycyrrhizin, a compound found within licorice, and which we recently featured as a powerful anti-SARS virus agent,  has also been found to stimulate the regeneration of liver mass and function in the animal model of hepatectomy. Other liver regenerative substances include:

[view the first-hand biomedical citations on the Liver Regeneration research page]

Beta-Cell Regeneration – Unfortunately, the medical community has yet to harness the diabetes-reversing potential of natural compounds. Whereas expensive stem cell therapies, islet cell transplants, and an array of synthetic drugs in the developmental pipeline are the focus of billions of dollars of research, annually, our kitchen cupboards and backyards may already contain the long sought-after cure for type 1 diabetes. The following compounds have been demonstrated experimentally to regenerate the insulin-producing beta cells, which are destroyed in insulin dependent diabetes, and which once restored, may (at least in theory) restore the health of the patient to the point where they no longer require insulin replacement.

[view the first-hand biomedical citations on the Beta Cell Regeneration research page]

Hormone Regeneration – there are secretagogues, which increase the endocrine glands' ability to secrete more hormone, and there are substances that truly regenerate hormones which have degraded (by emitting electrons) into potentially carcinogenic "transient hormone" metabolites. One of these substances is vitamin C. A powerful electron donor, this vitamin has the ability to contribute electrons to resurrect the form and function of estradiol (estrogen; E2), progesterone, testosterone, for instance. [2] In tandem with foods that are able to support the function of glands, such as the ovaries, vitamin C may represent an excellent complement or alternative to hormone replacement therapy.

Cardiac Cell Regeneration – Not too long ago, it was believed that cardiac tissue was uniquely incapable of being regenerated. A new, but rapidly growing body of experimental research now indicates that this is simply not true, and there is a class of heart-tissue regenerating compounds known as neocardiogenic substances.  Neocardiogenic substances are able to stimulate the formation of cardiac progenitor cells which can differentiate into healthy heart tissue, and they include the following:

Another remarkable example of cardiac cell regeneration is through what is known as fetomaternal trafficking of stem cells through the placenta. In a recent article we discussed the amazing process known as "fetal microchimerism" by which the fetus contributes stem cells to the mother which are capable of regenerating her damaged heart cells, and possibly a wide range of other cell types.

Cartilage/Joint/Spine Regeneration – Curcumin and resveratrol have been shown to improve recovery from spinal cord injury.  Over a dozen other natural compounds hold promise in this area, which can be viewed on our Spinal Cord Injury page.  As far as degenerative joint disease, i.e. osteoarthritis, there are a broad range of potentially regenerative substances, with 50 listed on our osteoarthritis research page.

Ultimately, regenerative medicine threatens to undermine the very economic infrastructure that props up the modern, drug-based and quite candidly degenerative medical system. Symptom suppression is profitable because it guarantees both the perpetuation of the original underlying disease, and the generation of an ever-expanding array of additional, treatment-induced symptoms.

This is the non-sustainable, infinite growth model which shares features characteristic of the process of cancer itself – a model, which by its very nature, is doomed to fail and eventually collapse. Cultivating diets, lifestyles and attitudes conducive to bodily regeneration can interrupt this pathological circuit, and help us to attain the bodily freedom that is a precondition for the liberation of the human soul and spirit, as well. 

by: J. D. Heyes

(NaturalNews) Increasingly, Americans are being hit with strains of flesh-eating bacteria, and worse yet, hospitals themselves are harboring the nasty bugs.

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by: Ethan A. Huff

(NaturalNews) Radioactive fallout from the Fukushima Daiichi nuclear disaster continues to show up at dangerously high levels in the city of Tokyo, which is located roughly 200 miles from the actual disaster site. According to an analysis of five random soil samples recently taken by nuclear expert Arnie Gundersen, the soil around Tokyo is so contaminated with Fukushima radiation that it would be considered nuclear waste here in the U.S.

Radiation Protocol

by: J. D. Heyes

(NaturalNews) America has some warts, no doubt, but it's hard to beat our Bill of Rights, which everyone knows includes the First Amendment right to freedom of speech and freedom to assemble peacefully. While Canada has no such document, the country still has a reputation of supporting such rights. So a new piece of legislation from the Quebec legislature, aimed at curbing peaceful protests, is a dramatic departure from the country's history of tolerance and democracy.

Industry eyes will be focused on the Senate tomorrow (Thursday) with the vote on Sen. Richard Durbin's controversial amendment to the pending Food and Drug Administration (FDA) User Fee Act scheduled for 2pm EST.

http://www.nutraingredients-usa.com/Regulation/Industry-braced-for-senate-vote-on-Durbin-s-controversial-dietary-supplement-registration-amendment

The Food and Drug Administration Safety and Innovation Act (S.3187) is a bill that is considered “must-pass” legislation and without notice, Senators Dick Durbin and Richard Blumenthal offered their anti-supplement amendment (No. 2127) to the bill. Their amendment creates duplicative, unnecessary, and unexpected new regulations while upending current law and the regulatory process.

As you know, Sen. Durbin has engaged in this sort of dirty-trick legislative process before in an attempt to regulate away your supplements. The amendment will:

• Circumvent the FDA’s New Dietary Ingredient Industry Guidance. FDA and the dietary supplement industry are currently engaged in conversations regarding implementing a new dietary ingredient notification process. The Durbin amendment creates an entirely new law that would require new FDA regulations, likely erasing nearly two decades of DSHEA’s positive influence in favor of Durbin’s knee-jerk approach to governing.
• Require that a “facility engaged in the manufacturing processing, packing, or holding” of dietary supplements to register with the FDA. Title III of the Public Health Security and Bioterrorism Preparedness and Response Act of 2002 already requires supplement facility registration! Extra regulation drives up costs of supplements.
• Hurt businesses and the economy with burdensome and unexpected new regulations. Supplement manufacturers have thirty days to register their products after marketing or face charges of misbranding. Given that there are thousands of products currently in the market, these regulations will force significant numbers of products off the market as industry adjusts to the new regulations, costing the industry significant revenue, and causing the loss of American jobs. Most importantly, this amendment would drastically limit you access to supplements as companies would likely remove their products from store shelves in order to meet Durbin’s thirty-day deadline.

Contact your senators IMMEDIATELY and tell them to OPPOSE the Durbin and Blumenthal amendment no. 2127 to the FDA Safety and Innovation Act (S.3187).

by Dr. Joseph Pizzorno, ND

According to IMS Health, the most widely dispensed class of medications on a volume basis in 2008 was cholesterol-lowering drugs. (In fact, four of the top 10 most widely prescribed classes of drugs were for cardiovascular disease.)

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We have all seen the many ads for statin drugs, low-fat foods, cholesterol-free foods, etc., all proclaiming they lower cholesterol, which is supposed to be good for our hearts. This must mean then that cholesterol is bad for us, right?

Well, no. Cholesterol is so important for our health that the body produces more of it each day than most of us consume in our diet. It is used to make cell walls, insulate nerves, carry fats in the blood, make steroidal hormones and vitamin D, and repair injuries—the list is long.

High Cholesterol and Heart Attacks

Over half (52 percent) of the people suffering a heart attack have normal cholesterol levels.(1). The problem is more with inflammation than with cholesterol. C-reactive protein (hsCRP), a marker of systemic inflammation, is a stronger predictor of cardiovascular events than LDL-cholesterol. While those with the highest level of LDL-cholesterol have a 1.5 percent increased risk of heart attack compared to those with the lowest levels, those with the highest level of hsCRP have an increased risk factor of 2.3 compared to the lowest.(2). A person with high levels of LDL-cholesterol but low levels of hsCRP has a lower risk of a heart attack than a person with low levels of LDL-cholesterol but high levels of hsCRP.

The primary reason LDL-cholesterol correlates with cardiovascular disease is that it is more easily oxidized. In fact, patients suffering a heart attack have oxidized LDL-cholesterol (oxLDL) twice as high as patients with angina but no heart attack, and four times as high as healthy controls.(3). With most people, their elevated cholesterol is almost all the more easily oxidized LDL form, hence the apparent correlation of heart disease with cholesterol. Interestingly, the reason statin drugs lower heart attack risk appears to be due more to their anti-inflammatory activity than their lowering of LDL-cholesterol.(4).

Cholesterol Oxidation and its Prevention

This is where lifestyle and nutrition are so critical. The following table shows the factors that oxidize cholesterol and the solutions:

In Summary

Please note I am not saying that a very high level of cholesterol is good for you—it isn’t. But for most people, the problem is inflammation causing oxidative damage to the important body chemical cholesterol, not modestly elevated cholesterol. Happily, this is avoidable and correctable through diet, lifestyle and appropriate supplements.

References

1. Ghandehari H, Kamal-Bahl S, Wong ND. Prevalence and extent of dyslipidemia and recommended lipid levels in US adults with and without cardiovascular comorbidities: the National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey 2003-2004. Am Heart J. Jul2008;156(1):112-9

2. Ridker PM, Rifai N, Rose L, Buring JE, Cook NR. Comparison of C-reactive protein and low-density lipoprotein cholesterol levels in the prediction of first cardiovascular events. N Engl J Med. Nov2002;347(20):1557-65

3. Ehara S, Ueda M, Naruko T, et al. Elevated levels of oxidized low density lipoprotein show a positive relationship with the severity of acute coronary syndromes. Circulation. Apr2001;103(15):1955-60

4. Ridker PM, Silvertown JD. Inflammation, C-reactive protein, and atherothrombosis. J Periodontol. Aug2008;79(8 Suppl):1544-51

by Katherine A. Carroll, NTP

These days, dry eye syndrome (DES) is the most common complaint made to eye doctors. It affects 25- to 30-million people, especially women over the age of 40. If you have ever experienced dry eyes, especially while trying to wear contact lenses, you know how irritating it can be.

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What is Dry Eye Syndrome?

 The typical symptoms of DES include dryness, irritation, grittiness, burning, difficulty reading for extended periods of time, and fluctuating blurriness.  Excessive tearing and watering are also indicative of DES.  In extreme cases, light sensitivity, pain, and diminished vision can result. DES is particularly common among peri- and postmenopausal women as there is a gender bias and a hormonal aspect to this syndrome. Additionally, those who have had their gall bladder removed will find dry eye a common plague.

There are two types of dry eye: (1) Aqueous insufficiency, which causes a decrease in tear production; and (2) Tears that simply evaporate too fast due to lack of oil in the outer layer of the tear film.

Only by restoring proper structure and function to the tear film of the eye can we hope to provide a permanent resolution to DES.  Only after repletion, diet, and lifestyle have been assessed and addressed, should we then fall back upon considering using remedies like topical lubricant eye drops.  However, keep in mind that there is a difference between using eye drops like Viva (which use a natural approach) and artificial tears (which are chemical based). Finally, for those so inclined, there is the conventional medical approach of using drugs like Restasis, corticosteroid eye drops, oral anti-inflammatory drugs, and surgical methods, such as inserting punctual plugs.

The Important Tear Film

The ocular layers that make up the tear film are important to our eyes’ health and for understanding the different characteristics of DES and its common causes. The tear film is shown graphically in the illustration below.

The tear film is made up of three different layers: (1) The mucin or mucus layer; (2) The aqueous or water layer; and (3) The lipid or fat layer.

Restoring the Eye’s Structure and Function

 Each of these three layers is driven by nutrition. Each has varying concentrations of vitamins and minerals that promote their proper structure and function. Replenishing the nutrients that saturate ocular tissues is vital for influencing structure and creating proper function. With proper nutrition, vision can be improved and contact-lens wearers will even find a more comfortable fit.  Consider that, in the eye, the cornea is two-thirds of its refractive power. If the refracting surface doesn’t have integrity, then good vision is not likely even with glasses or contact lenses. We must nourish all of the layers that make up our tear film.

Each of the three layers has special requirements to do their individual jobs:

Zinc is vital in the construction of a healthy corneal surface, having the highest concentration in the entire body in the cornea of the eye and it synergizes well with Vitamin A.

If DES goes untreated, it can cause fluctuations in vision, and the cornea can become scratched, scarred, and ulcerated. Bioindividuality is the key when considering treatment options and DES strategies become complex when we factor in:

known sensitivities to reduce inflammation and including friendly bowel bacteria in the diet, is superior to any other.  The Hale Project reported in the  Journal of the American Medical Association in 2004, confirming the success of the MeDi diet and lifestyle (non-smoking, moderate exercise, whole foods, and a largely plant-based diet) in reducing mortality and morbidity by 50% from all causes after ten years adherence in individuals aged 70-90.  What a successful lifestyle program! What is good for the body is good for the eyes.

Initially a healthy inflammatory reaction serves purposes of tissue isolation and protection from further injury so that the body can initiate a healing response. However, an inflammatory response that does not turn itself off upsets the balance in our body. Through the modified MeDi, our goal is to limit systemic inflammation by calming unnecessary inflammation signals.

Currently, the most effective treatment for DES we have used is a combination of Omega-3 and Omega-6 fatty acids, a blend of Vitamins A, D, E, C, and the cofactors B6, Biotin, magnesium, and zinc. Getting the materials to the “jobsite” is only half the picture. Transporting them to their optimal location is the rest of the goal. Adding digestive enzymes and healthy bowel bacteria assures proper digestion and assimilation. The product we use that has most of these ingredients in it is by Carlson Laboratories. Usually within six weeks, the tear film is normal again. If you’ve had gallbladder surgery, use a digestive enzymes containing ox bile to break down the fatty acids you consume.

Gender Bias and DES

More than 60% of women suffer from dry eye at a ratio of nine-to-one over men, according to WebMD. Peri- and postmenopausal women are one of the most common patient groups affected by dry eye. It is believed that the androgen and estrogen receptors on the cornea and on the meibomian glands, which are tiny oil glands in the eyelids, are involved in the cause.

In a March 2007 study out of Bologna, Italy, researchers determined that “subjective symptoms;  tear production and stability, surface dryness and inflammation were significantly related to hormonal fluctuations in the menstrual cycle in peri-menopausal women. In particular, the impairment of these functions appeared to be related to the estrogen peak occurring during the follicular phase, especially in patients with dry eye.”

Nutrient Deficiencies and DES

The concept of macro- and micro-nutrient deficiency secondary to systemic disease and its impact on DES is a consideration. DES can accompany systemic diseases like diabetes and RA. DES is exacerbated by prescription and OTC drugs and can also emerge as the result of multiple micronutrient deficiencies that occur as a result of their use.  The resulting deficiencies can manifest as ocular disease, visual dysfunction, or ocular conditions such as DES.

Those with diabetes have a higher incidence of DES and are a great example of being aware that certain disease states will require repletion over and above a healthy population. Diabetics typically have about 30% less circulating Vitamin C than non-diabetic individuals and less magnesium as well. They are already experiencing greater oxidative stress due to the disease process, and are compromised in vitamins and minerals unless they are supplementing or consistently eating exceptionally well.

Again, we see the effect of deficiencies or a “cascade effect” associated with systemic disease.  An Indian study reported in 2006, in the journal Ophthalmic Epidemiology, finds “Patients with RA in the Indian population have a significantly higher prevalence and severity of dry eye when compared to age- and sex-matched controls.

Final Thoughts

We have much at our disposal today in the form of research, healthy dietary options, and supplements that can resolve Dry Eye Syndrome. Since most cases of dry eye are due to a deficiency of the oily tear-film layer, replenishing with GLA and maintaining an anti-inflammatory diet is the main natural approach for eliminating dry eye.

Reviewed by Donald A. Carroll, OD, NTP