Last year I wrote a document entitled "The Vitamin C treatment of Whooping Cough" in order to meet the needs of parents who seek treatment that is safe and effective. I have first hand experience of its effectiveness and there is old literature to suggest that even low doses of Vitamin C help reduce the severity and duration of the cough.

Whether inflammation is acute like appendicitis or chronic like atherosclerosis and obesity, an immune response is taking place. In-flam-mation literally means "on fire" and is classically marked by the Latin: rubor, tumor, calor and dolor — or redness, swelling, heat and pain — so we know from those words that oxidation is at work.

Oxidation is simply fire or rust or whenever one molecule seizes an electron from another molecule. The needy oxidant grabs or shares the electrons of an electron rich anti-oxidant. When the electrons are stolen from chemical bonds, those molecules (like DNA) come apart or are deformed (like fats) and said to be oxidized, burnt.

Inflammation does not just happen; a bacterium or toxin or some other irritant triggers an immune response. The ammunition used by the body for immune firefights is singlet oxygen, an all-purpose defensive weapon. With an unpaired electron, an oxygen radical is a powerful oxidant.

It can deconstruct and destroy pathogens, poisons, cell debris and other unwanted substances, molecule by molecule, by snatching the electrons that hold them together. Immune cells initiate the conflagration, armed with mini-flamethrowers that generate oxidative bursts of singlet oxygen to burn the area clean.

Mounting an oxidative immune response is dependent on the strength of the body's electrochemical charge, which in turn hinges on a delicate balance between oxidants/acids (both electron-hungry) and overall body charge. (This charge is generated in mitochondria and at fluid/membrane interfaces. It is stored in fatty membranes, "anti-oxidant" molecules and water, and even flows from the Earth itself. Charge is transmitted via nerves and connective tissue meridians. If a potato can generate electricity, so can your body!) In the end, it is the electrochemical charge terrain that determines biochemical reactions, molecular integrity and health.

An oxidative immune response must be powered with, and yet contained by, abundant electrons, or damage will result to the cells it is designed to protect. To halt inflammation, the cause of the immune response needs to be removed, and then the flames of the defensive assault itself must be extinguished so charge can rise to normal and cells can be repaired or replaced.

So if we equate disease to inflammation, and understand that inflammation is oxidation, then we can understand that the common denominator of "disease" is oxidative stress — chronic unrelenting "fire" — loss of electrons, DNA dysfunction, and molecular and cellular deterioration.

Nearly undetectable low-level oxidative stress takes place even in healthy individuals and has become a focus of longevity research. Some of the most promising studies are concerned with the integrity of telomeres and mitochondrial membranes that take a beating, being at the center of metabolic oxidation and electron energy production. Fatty cell and mitochondrial membranes are prone to destruction when improper fats are consumed — making an All-American low-fat, high-glycemic, high-grain-carb/sugar/vegetable oil diet a train-wreck in progress.

Impaired membranes cannot transport oxygen or other substances to the cell, nor can they hold electron charge. These conditions bring disease, invite pathogens, cause cells to revert to cancerous anaerobic state, and eventually lead to cell death by suffocation. Undamaged Omega fats and varied saturated fats like butter and coconut oil are essential; crooked hydrogenated/oxidized/trans-fats/easily-oxidized polyunsaturated oils and a grain-based diet kill.

So are there individual "diseases" or just varied symptoms of inflammation expressing at the weakest seams in the boat — the points of nutritional inadequacy, sites of infection, trauma or toxic metal concentration or areas of circulatory stagnation, low charge and poor oxygenation? It all depends on how you look at it — on what level causes are sought.

We need oxygen to produce energy (electrons) and we need (electron) energy to deliver oxygen to mitochondria as a basic necessity of life. When net electron charge falls below optimum levels, oxygen/energy needs are unmet, inner balances shift toward acidity, hypoxia, oxidative stress, inflammation — and there is your disease.

What to do? Examine the three major areas of concern: nutrition, toxins/radiations and emotional states/lifestyle choices.

Nutrition can easily be divided into acid-forming and alkalizing food groups. A healthy balance favors alkalinity since acids rob electrons and charge. Processing strips electrons from foods. Fats are critical to membrane construction, should be consumed in pristine un-oxidized form and should be protected by fat-soluble antioxidants like Vitamins A, D, E and K and astaxanthin. Nutrition includes pH buffering electrolyte minerals like potassium and magnesium, and enzyme/hormone essentials like zinc, selenium and iodine, all of which are egregiously deficient across the population.

Nutrition also feeds gut bacteria and determines populations. These symbiants are there for our benefit and deserve respect.

Nutrients can be rated on the ORAC scale (oxygen radical absorbance capacity), so high ORAC means high electron content, antioxidant power. Look at cayenne and oregano, and small red beans and pecans, and direct your choices accordingly.

Nutrition is like the list of parts for a car: you need them all, and then to make it all work, the battery must have strong voltage. To make your biochemistry and DNA work, you need volts, too!

Toxins, metals and radiation all have one thing in common: they steal charge by generating oxidizing free radicals.  They also trigger an immune response that brings inflammation. Detox! Organic toxins can be destroyed by oxidation. Pathogen attractive positively-charged metals can be reduced, mobilized and excreted by raising charge, supplementing proteolytic enzymes and supplying chelators like chlorella. Radiation damage can be prevented or ameliorated with antioxidant electrons that scrub free radicals formed of damaged cell molecules.

The mind is like the computer in the car. It monitors and adjusts internal conditions while the conscious part in the driver's seat sets the tone of being. When the mood is chronically fearful, internal conditions deteriorate. When spirits are sunny and loving, your cells sing and your lifestyle choices become proactive — especially with healthy meals, exercise, breathing and physical activity at beneficial levels.

Check previous articles like "Healer's Toolbox" for some of the substances that work if employed correctly and quantitatively, giving this approach a practical validity and logic.  To reverse disease, the sources of inflammation must be oxidized/burned/removed and then the flames of inflammation snuffed out by an overwhelming electron boost to restore charge/voltage to operational levels and obtain sufficient oxygen to generate more charge and reverse damage. Hundreds of specific vitamins, minerals, phytonutrients, enzymes, amino acids and fats have proven useful in studies covering a wide range of maladies ultimately boosting body voltage and returning internal conditions to viable parameters.

Perhaps we should reevaluate the words at the foundation of health science. What if "diseases" are just symptoms? What if disease is simply inflammation, weak voltage—-oxidative stress? Maybe an artful and quantitative application of these forbidden principles should be at the foundation of healing.

Onions contain high amounts of quercetin
Quercetin is a polyphenol compound in the flavonoid family of antioxidants. Yellow or red onions are the best source of this nutrient while white onions are lacking. The general rule of thumb is the more pungent an onion tastes and smells the higher the overall antioxidant value. This means mild and sweet onions generally are not as beneficial.

The quercetin compound is also found in red wine, apples, citrust fruits, olive oil and blueberries to name a few. The compound is linked with lower rates of all types of cancer due to its anti-inflammatory properties. It is also an excellent remedy for arthritis and other diseases caused by inflammation.

Quercetin is also thought to improve prostate health in men and therefore may be an effective weapon against prostate cancer. It has also displayed natural antihistamine properties thereby reducing allergic reactions and general allergies. Studies are being done on the potential benefits quercetin may have to help preserve healthy cholesterol levels (HDL) while suppressing unhealthy cholesterol (LDL).

Onions are rich in sulfur compounds
Sulfur compounds offer an array of health benefits not to be ignored. These odorous compounds are responsible for the pungent taste and smell of an onion as well as the release of eye-irritating gases when the flesh is cut. They are also responsible for the potent antimicrobial and antibacterial properties of the onion. In fact, onion can be used as a preserving agent for meat that needs to keep for a longer period of time.

Sulfur compounds have long been regarded as a cancer fighting nutrient. Like quercetin, they possess anti-inflammatory properties, which is why the onion is such a great combination of nutrients. There is also evidence that the sulfur compounds found in onions may improve the symptoms of asthma and other breathing problems related to inflammation.

Sulfur compounds also help to prevent blood clotting and therefore act as a superior natural blood thinner. This can prevent cardiovascular disease, high blood pressure, heart attack, stroke and arteriosclerosis (hardening of the arteries).

Onions are rich in other important vitamins and minerals
Onions contain high levels of vitamin C, copper, calcium, vitamin A, and vitamin E. Vitamins A, E and C are all excellent antioxidants. Copper is a mineral that is important in the maintenance of bone and joint health and integrity and may help women especially to prevent osteoporosis. Additionally copper is excellent for maintaining firm skin.

As if all of this weren't enough, onions also may help to ward off bowel and stomach disorders. High onion consumption has been linked to lower risk of bowel cancer. It has also been linked to a lower risk of colorectal cancers. Organisms in the onion are thought to encourage healthy bacteria growth in the gut while inhibiting the growth of destructive bacteria.

Radiation Protocol

That's the diagnosis of Dr. Dong Kim, the neurosurgeon who treated U.S. Rep. Gabrielle Giffords, D-Ariz., when she was shot in the head in January 2011 by a crazed gunman in Tucson.

"There is really no absolutely safe dose of radiation," said Kim, chair of the department of neurosurgery at the University of Texas Medical School. "Each exposure is additive, and there is no need to incur any extra radiation when there is an alternative."

In fact, Kim says he doesn't allow the TSA to irradiate him when he travels; he always opts for the individual pat down when passing through airport security.

More opting out

He's not alone. Dr. Otis Brawley, chief medical officer of the American Cancer Society, also says he opts out of the x-ray, citing concerns that the machines may not be properly calibrated and inspected in a timely manner.

That kind of apprehension is spreading. The European Union is so concerned about the radiation levels emitted by backscatter x-ray machines that it has put a moratorium on their use continent-wide.

The more is known about them, the more dangerous they seem.

The machines, according to the Alliance for Natural Health, emit x-ray signals that "skim the entire surface of your skin instead of being directed to a localized area of your body, which means that radiation levels could be 10 to 20 times higher than the manufacturer's calculations." The low-level ionizing radiation emitted can also cause skin cancer.

The not-for-profit investigative journalist group known as ProPublica filed a report in November 2011 citing similar health concerns from noted radiation safety experts who had gathered in Maryland to evaluate a backscatter machine called Secure 1000. When the experts learned the machine used x-rays to see through people's clothing, they were alarmed.

Many within the group, which convened at the behest of the U.S. Food and Drug Administration, said the way the machine functioned appeared to violate a cardinal rule governing radiation safety: Humans really should not be x-rayed unless there is some medical benefit.

"I think this is really a slippery slope," Jill Lipoti, one-time director of New Jersey's radiation protection program.

Raising red flags

Already, such machines were deployed in prisons but what was next, she and others wondered – schools, courthouses…airports?

"I am concerned … with expanding this type of product for the traveling public," Stanley Savic, the vice president for safety at a large electronics company, said. "I think that would take this thing to an entirely different level of public health risk."

Steven W. Smith, the machine's inventor, assuaged panelists' angst by assuring them he did not think his machine would see widespread use in the United States. At the time, he told them, only about 20 were in use around the country.

"The places I think you are not going to see these in the next five years is lower-security facilities, particularly power plants, embassies, courthouses, airports and governments," he said. "I would be extremely surprised in the next five to ten years if the Secure 1000 is sold to any of these."

My, how a few months have changed things.

Today, of course, the U.S. government has begun sending millions of travelers through the backscatter machines, health risks – and the assessment of legitimate radiation safety experts – notwithstanding.

What's more, the government has chosen machines despite the existence of a safer alternative even the loathsome TSA says is equally effective.

The question then becomes – Why? More people should be asking their government.

The Financial Times reports that GlaxoSmithKline (GSK), the drug behemoth recently forced to fork over the largest ever amount in fines for its massive criminal conduct (http://www.naturalnews.com), is leading the way in unveiling what the industry is now calling "bioelectronics." The premise holds that certain diseases can be treated by injecting electronic devices within the body for the purpose of artificially controlling neuronal synapses and other activity.

"Moving beyond conventional drugs that interact biochemically with the body, [Big Pharma] will have built a big 'bioelectronics' business that treats disease through electrical signaling in the brain and elsewhere," writes Clive Cookson for FT.com about the concept, which is expected to eventually replace many common drugs.

"Neurological problems, from stroke and epilepsy to depression, will be treated through electronic implants into the brain rather than pills or injections. Even diabetes and obesity will be attacked in ways that seem like science fiction today, by sending electrical signals to malfunctioning cells."

Rather than help the body naturally heal itself through proper nutrition, cleansing, and lifestyle, bioelectronics basically bypasses the body's own immune and healing systems, and replaces them with remote-controlled computer chips that can be programmed and monitored by outside forces. It is the embodiment of the "bionic man" or "cyborg" concept, where human beings are taken over by computers and mind-controlled.

Drug companies admit in plain sight their plans for mass mind control
Presented alongside glowing results from a few recent clinical trials showing how the technology can be used to potentially help tetraplegics and other seriously injured or paralyzed patients regain function, bioelectronics has the very real potential to be used for much more sinister purposes like controlling thought patterns — yes, researchers are already saying it can be used to treat "depression" — as well as individual eating habits and preferences.

Though the idea is still potentially years or even decades away from actually being commercialized, the stage is being set for its eventual widespread use. Experimental treatments, such as the battery-powered electrodes that were implanted into Edi Guyton's brain tissue to cure her depression (http://www.cnn.com/2012/04/14/health/battery-powered-brain/index.html), are already being actualized in the name of modern medicine.

"Ultimately, [bioelectronics] treats people in a purely mechanical way, where subjective personal inputs that may not always be helpful are bypassed," wrote one commenter in response to the FT.com piece. "How long before someone suggests serial criminals are fitted with bioelectrical patches that stymie endorphins and reduce the excitement associated with criminal behavior? Or perhaps release a toxin that makes the person ill if they feel stimulated in the 'wrong way?'"

In addition to all the health consequences associated with obesity:

• Chronic disease (cancer, heart disease, diabetes, high blood pressure)
• Sleep apnea
• Kidney failure

There is an economic price to pay for this epidemic. In the United States during the year 2008, healthcare related to obesity rang in at almost $150 billion.

Another kind of epidemic
A study published last month, by the Kaiser Permanente Oakland Medical Center in California, points to another kind of epidemic. Lead researcher De-Kun Li was prompted to examine how exposure to magnetic fields might be related to pregnancy and obese children.

In "A Prospective Study of In-utero Exposure to Magnetic Fields and the Risk of Childhood Obesity," Li documents his findings on the relationship between magnetic field exposures during pregnancy and the weight of the resulting children until they reached the age of 13. Li came to a statistically significant conclusion based on the findings from his research. Li concluded that the fetuses exposed to the greatest amounts of magnetic fields were almost twice as likely to carry excess weight or become obese in childhood.

Let's not forget, magnetic fields are all around us, sources include; microwave ovens, cars, electrical wiring, high voltage power lines, etc.

Dr. Sam Milham, a leading electromagnetic fields (EMF) epidemiologist (retired) and author of "Dirty Electricity," shares his view on Li's research findings, "Childhood obesity is unheard of among the Amish and I believe that at least part of the reason is that they don't have electrical service in their homes, they don't drive cars and don't use cell phones."

The biological effects of weak electromagnetic fields
Dr. Andrew Goldsworthy, a former lecturer in biology from Imperial College London, goes into depth about the biological effects (including obesity), of weak EMFs in his article of the same name from March of this year.

Dr. Goldsworthy's take on EMFs and obesity
Dr. Goldsworthy looked at numerous studies and found glands in the body can react to radiation exposure in one of two ways: stimulated activity or compromised function. Some of these glands are responsible for many of the body's processes including metabolism. Three of these glands in particular, the thyroid gland, the pituitary gland, and the adrenal glands, have in studies exhibited a profound reaction to EMF exposure.

When rats were exposed to various amounts of radiation for different lengths of time, the thyroid gland showed degenerative effects including the inability to produce thyroid hormones. Another study from this year examined the human response to living near a cell phone base station and found a substantial decrease in the secretion of a multitude of hormones including:

• ACTH from the pituitary gland
• Cortisol from the adrenals

And the inability to produce the thyroid hormones (hypothyroidism), the same results as found in the rat study. What is one of most common symptoms associated with hypothyroidism?
Obesity!

The evidence is mounting; EMFs affect our biological systems in more ways than we can imagine. Obesity is just one of the life threatening consequences. Take action now, reduce you and your child's exposure to unnecessary EMFs from things like microwave ovens, cell phones, cordless phones, Wi-Fi, wireless video games, etc. as much as possible.

Detox Protocol

Diet sodas and beverages sweetened with artificial chemicals. One of the more common dietary misconceptions in mainstream society today is the idea that "diet" beverages are somehow healthier than their sugar-sweetened beverages. Aspartame (NutraSweet, Equal) saccharin (Sweet'N Low), and sucralose (Splenda) are among the more popular artificial sweeteners used in many diet sodas, juices, chewing gums, and other foods (http://www.naturalnews.com).

Not only are artificial sweeteners bad for your health (http://www.naturalnews.com), but they also tend to promote obesity (http://www.naturalnews.com/022785.html). If you want to protect yourself against chronic illness and toxicity — aspartame literally converts to formaldehyde in the body and causes metabolic acidosis — it is best to stick with either raw sugars or natural sugar substitutes like pure stevia extract.

High-fructose corn syrup (HFCS), the silent killer. It is not really much of a secret anymore that HFCS, despite all the corn industry shilling, is a toxic sweetener that should be avoided (http://www.naturalnews.com/hfcs.html). Since it is linked to obesity, brain damage, low IQ, and even mercury poisoning, avoiding all foods that contain HFCS — this can include breads, cereals, and other seemingly innocuous foods — will do wonders for your health.

Most vegetable oils, including hydrogenated and 'trans' fat varieties. The misdirected war on saturated fats has convinced millions of people that unsaturated vegetable oils are a healthy alternative. Not only do many vegetables oils turn rancid quickly, which means they are toxic (http://healthwyze.org), but many of them also contain high levels of omega-6 fatty acids which, apart from omega-3 fatty acids, can cause severe health problems like heart disease and cancer.

Many vegetable oils are also derived from genetically-modified organisms (GMOs), including canola, soy, and corn oils. These same oils are often hydrogenated as well, a process that turns them into heart-destroying solid oils. Avoiding these and sticking instead to healthy fats like grass-fed butter, coconut oil, olive oil, and hemp oil will greatly improve your health and lower your risk of disease.

White bread, pasta, and other refined flour foods. They are cheap, plentiful, and come in hundreds of varieties. But white breads, pastas, and other foods made from refined flour are among the top health destroyers in America today. Not only are most white flour products carcinogenic because they are bleached and bromated, but they also lack vital nutrients that are stripped away during processing. Avoid them, and all processed wheat products if possible, to optimize your health.

Monosodium glutamate (MSG), carrageenan, and refined salt. Often hidden in foods under deceptive names (http://www.truthinlabeling.org/hiddensources.html), MSG is a pervasive salt chemical you will want to avoid that is linked to causing headaches, heart problems, brain damage, and other problems. Carrageenan, another chemical additive often hidden in "natural" and organic foods like nut milks and lunch meats, is similarly worth avoiding, as it can cause gastrointestinal upset and colon cancer. (http://www.cornucopia.org)

And processed salt, which is added to just about everything these days, lacks the trace minerals normally present in sea and earth salts, which means it ends up robbing your body of these vital nutrients (http://www.naturalnews.com/028724_Himalayan_salt_sea.html). Hypertension, cardiovascular disease, and stroke are just a few of the many conditions that can result from refined salt intake, so your best bet is to stick with unrefined sea salts and other full-spectrum salts.

Learn more: http://www.naturalnews.com/036724_toxic_foods_additives_avoid.html#ixzz22yIz9dME

80 percent of people will suffer adrenal fatigue at some point in their lives, says Dr. James Wilson, author of the best-selling book "Adrenal Fatigue: 21st Century Stress Syndrome." When your adrenal glands have been "overworked," they cannot do their job very well and any additional stress can strongly affect you, resulting in fatigue and other symptoms.

Adrenal glands function as your body's "shock absorbers" by helping you to handle all forms of stress. But when you're feeling stressed all the time, those glands become overworked and tired – a condition commonly called adrenal fatigue. When the adrenal glands fail to secrete enough cortisol, this causes energy dips during the day with spikes at night which disrupt sleep.

Two kinds of adrenal exhaustion
Physical exhaustion is generally caused by engaging in activities that require physical exertion. In these cases, we choose to exert ourselves and fatigue comes along with a natural slow-down. We consequently plan a period for recovery with rest and nutrition. After the adrenal pumping activity is over, the body goes through a recovery phase for 24-48 hours during which we are tired, listless and less able to respond to stress. Although our muscles may be sore and a bit tired for a few days, we are otherwise physically refreshed by this kind of activity with a renewed level of energy.

Stress exhaustion is not planned nor welcomed and is caused by the thoughts and emotions of the individual rather than the related situation. Everyone has their own level of stress they can deal with. One person experiences stress as a result of losing a job and becomes emotionally exhausted with worry. Another person takes the loss in stride and may even see this in a positive light. The person who allows life's ups and downs to affect them negatively will feel emotional stress and if it continues, they will experience physical and emotional consequences.

The vicious cycle
There is a vicious cycle that starts with adrenal fatigue, goes through "the resistance stage" and ends in General Adaptation Syndrome.

When the stress alarms continue unabated, the adrenals first become exhausted and then eventually become resistant to excessive stimulation. Constant, severe stress causes the adrenals to adapt and increase their size and function – for a while, before they begin to collapse. The resistance phase follows and can last from one month to up to 20 years. In the resistance stage, cortisol promotes the retention of sodium to keep your blood pressure elevated and your heart contracting strongly.

When stress is prolonged and severe, it will continue beyond the resistance stage to the General Adaptation Syndrome stage resulting in hemorrhaged adrenal glands, high insulin levels, atrophied thymus glands, biochemically devastated bodies, a total collapse of body function, or a collapse of specific organs or systems.

The road back
To rebuild the adrenal glands, there are five areas to address:

• Reduce the stresses that have affected the adrenal function
• Exercise for 30 minutes daily. Walking, yoga, stretching, swimming, etc. "burns" the daily stress energy out of the body.
• Get at least eight hours of sleep a night. Taking one mg of melatonin at 6 p.m. and two mg at 8 p.m. will help balance high cortisol levels in most people for better sleep.
• Improve the diet
• Do things that feed the soul daily like read, write, sing, pray or meditate

Relying on the ole sugar or caffeine energy boost actually causes adrenal problems to worsen.

Garlic has been scientifically proven to possess anti-microbial properties
Traditional, anecdotal, and even clinical research supports the fact that the allicin contained in garlic has both anti-bacterial and anti-viral properties. The medical journal Applied Microbiology and Biotechnology published a clinical study in 2001 stating that garlic has "a wide spectrum of actions." Garlic kills bacteria, viruses, protozoa, and fungus. The researchers commented that because of the popularity of natural and herbal treatments for a variety of illnesses and conditions, interest in medicinal plants is now at the forefront of investigation in the field of pharmacology.

Garlic has positive effects on the immune and cardiovascular systems
In addition to its anti-microbial properties, garlic has positive effects on the immune and cardiovascular systems. The Journal of Nutrition published a 2006 critical review which discussed the effectiveness of garlic in the treatment of cardiovascular disease. The medical journal stated that scientists have established that cardiovascular disease is helped by the consumption of garlic on a regular basis. Garlic lowers "bad" cholesterol levels, lowers blood pressure, and provides antioxidants.

Of particular interest is the comment made by the authors in the study regarding mixed reviews in some clinical trials involving garlic. The researchers noted that many of the studies were conducted improperly, affecting outcomes. Conflicting evidence was due to several factors: a variety of garlic preparations were used, there may have been mistakes with subject (patient) selection, the study was not properly randomized, or the duration of the trial was too short.

Garlic "may" help prevent the common cold
Regarding clinical evidence that garlic either prevents or treats the common cold, only one clinical study was performed "correctly," according to the authors gathering evidence for the venerable Cochrane Database for Systematic Reviews. In this study, 146 participants took garlic daily for three months. The study was randomized and placebo controlled. Other controls included no treatment for colds at all, or using other forms of treatment. Participants in the garlic group had fewer colds than those in any of the other groups. The length of the colds were roughly the same in all groups, between four and five days. The conclusion of the clinical trial was that daily consumption of garlic "may" help to prevent colds, but larger studies need to be done to confirm the possibility.

There are no randomized, controlled, and properly conducted medical studies to show if garlic either reduces the severity or length of a cold when a person begins to take garlic at the beginning of a cold.