Tai Chi Lowered Blood Pressure in 85 % of Trials

The 2,000-year-old Chinese practice of tai chi is a branch of Qigong – exercises that harness the qi (life energy).

Tai chi has been linked to numerous health benefits, including improvements in the quality of life of breast cancer patients and Parkinson’s sufferers. It has shown promise in treating sleep problems and high blood pressure.

According to U.S. News & World Report:

“…In 85 % of trials, tai chi lowered blood pressure. Other studies have shown it to reduce blood levels of B-type natriuretic peptide, a precursor of heart failure, and to maintain bone density in postmenopausal women.”

Eating Healthy on a Tight Budget

One of the greatest misconceptions out there is that processed, pre-packaged foods are less expensive that raw, whole foods. But more often than not this is simply not true.

Cooking from scratch is usually far more cost effective in the long run, particularly if you stop throwing away the left-overs.

A 2008 report authored by the Stockholm International Water Institute, the UN Food and Agriculture Organization, and the International Water Management Institute found that half of the food produced worldwide is wasted!

To prevent unnecessary waste:

• Plan ahead. If you plan your meals in advance, you can buy only what you need at the store.
• Buy proper portions.
• Learn to store your food so that it stays fresh.
• Learn recipes for tasty leftover meals.

The British website Love Food Hate Waste can help you calculate portions, and provides a variety of time- and money-saving tips, recipes, and much more.

Aside from the actual sticker price of the food, cooking from scratch using fresh, whole (preferably organic) ingredients will provide you with far superior nutrition, rather than empty calories.

Keep in mind that the money you think you’re saving today by stocking up on cheap, denatured, processed foods will end up costing an arm and a leg later on, when your health fails and the medical bills start rolling in…

The Amazing Ant-Aging Discovery

You may be able to extend your life and stay fit throughout your old age with a simple change of diet that switches on your “youth” gene.

Professor Cynthia Kenyon, whom many experts believe should win the Nobel Prize for her research into aging, has discovered that carbohydrates directly affect the genes that govern youthfulness and longevity.

She found that turning down the gene that controls insulin in turn switches on another gene which acts like an elixir of life.

As the Daily Mail reports, research confirms that insulin-like growth factor is intricately linked to various cancers, and that “raised insulin levels, triggered by high carbohydrate-consumption, could be what connects many of our big killers.”

Your diet can over-ride genetic predispositions to disease, and this research further strengthens those claims, as the two key genes in question can be turned on or off as a consequence of eating carbohydrates.

This results from two primary conditions:

1. Excessive amounts of sugar/grains and processed foods, combined with
   
2. Insufficient exercise

Source: http://articles.mercola.com

Finally, Proof that Cancer is a Man-Made Disease

A study of ancient bodies has determined that cancer is a man-made disease, one fueled by the excesses. Tumors turn out to be extremely rare until very recent times, when pollution and poor diet became issues.

Despite examining tissue from hundreds of Egyptian mummies, researchers confirmed only one case of cancer.

According to the Daily Mail:

“Dismissing the argument that the ancient Egyptians didn’t live long enough to develop cancer, the researchers pointed out that other age-related disease such as hardening of the arteries and brittle bones did occur…

Fossil evidence of cancer is also sparse, with scientific literature providing a few dozen, mostly disputed, examples in animal fossil.”

According to the latest statistics compiled by the American Heart Association, cancer surpasses heart disease as the top killer among Americans between the ages of 45 to 74. Environmental/lifestyle factors are increasingly being pinpointed as the culprits, such as:

• Pesticide- and other chemical exposures
• Pharmaceutical drugs
• Processed & artificial foods (plus the chemicals in the packaging)
• Wireless technologies, dirty electricity, and medical diagnostic radiation exposure
• Obesity, stress, and poor sleeping habits
• Lack of sunshine exposure and use of sunscreens

This is not an all-inclusive list, of course, but as the research into the health of our ancient ancestors shows, cancer is not a “natural” disease, and genetics are not a primary factor.

Source: Daily Mail (October 15, 2010), Cancer (September 1977; 40(3): 1358-1362)

New Warnings About the Hazards of Mobile Phones

Holding a cell phone against your ear, or putting it in your pocket, may be hazardous to your health. Apple says your iPhone should come no closer than 5/8 of an inch; BlackBerry recommends about an inch.

The longest study of mobile phone radiation has just been completed. It cost more than $30 million (funded in part by the mobile phone industry) to carry out, and involved nearly 50 scientists from 13 countries, along with more than 14,000 people.

Statistics show that, over all, there has not been a general increase in the incidence of brain cancer since cell phones arrived – but the average hides that fact that brain cancer has increased in the 20-to-29 age group while dropping for the older population.

According to the New York Times:

“The largest study of cell phone use and brain cancer has been the Interphone International Case Control Study… The authors included some disturbing data in an appendix available only online. These showed that subjects who used a cell phone 10 or more years doubled the risk of developing brain gliomas, a type of tumor.”

Meanwhile, the Wall Street Journal investigates various methods of cutting down the radiation your mobile phone produces. However, they say the most effective one may be the simplest – keep the phone away from your head and body.

Source: New York Times (November 13, 2010), Wall Street Journal (October 5, 2010)

Olive Oil During Pregnancy Reduces Wheezing

Adherence to a Mediterranean diet and using olive oil for cooking/dressing salads during pregnancy were both significantly associated with less wheezing during the first year of the infant's life.
Other factors remained associated with wheezing: male gender, day care attendance, maternal asthma, maternal smoking during pregnancy, infant eczema and mould stains on the household walls.
Source: Castro-Rodriguez JA, Garcia-Marcos L, Sanchez-Solis M et al. Pediatr Pulmonol 2010; 45(4): 395-402

Midlife High Blood Pressure & Dementia Later in Life

Analysis suggests that 17 % of late-life dementia cases are attributable to midlife systolic blood pressure levels between 120 and 140 mm Hg.
Source: Launer LJ, Hughes T, Yu B et al. Hypertension 2010; 55(6): 1352-1359

10 Organic Foods That Are Worth the Money

1. Peaches/Nectarines: very highly sprayed due to problems with fruit flies, mould, etc.

2. Apples: more pesticides are found on apples than are found on any other fruit or vegetable – a grand total of 36

3. Capsicum/Sweet Bell Pepper: 3^rd on list of pesticide load after peaches & apples

4. Celery: 4^th on list for pesticide load & cannot be washed off very well

5. Baby Foods: an infant’s immune system is less developed than an adult’s so is more vulnerable to damage

6. Dairy: dairy cows eat grains that are heavily treated with chemicals as well as given antibiotics. These are passed into the milk and stored in the dairy fat.

7. Grapes: imported grapes get treated with numerous chemicals. Grapes are also, whether organic or not, especially high in fructose which elevates blood sugars rapidly

8. Spinach/Lettuce/Kale: the chemicals used to treat green leafies may cause cancer or interfere with hormone production

9. Strawberries

10. Green beans: there are over 60 pesticides that are registered for use on green beans

Source: Environmental Working Group

Stress Increases Mortality & Chronic Diseases

High cortisol level is known to be associated with osteoporosis, hypertension, diabetes mellitus, susceptibility to infections and depression but may protect against chronic obstructive lung disease.
Source: Schoorlemmer, RMM. Relationships between cortisol level, mortality and chronic diseases in older persons. Clinical Endocrinology. Volume 71, Issue 6, pages 779-786, December 2009

A Simple, Inexpensive Trick to Cure a Cold

The most common way cold viruses are spread is not from being around coughing or sneezing, or walking barefoot in the rain, but rather from hand-to-hand contact. For instance, someone with a cold blows their nose then shakes your hand or touches surfaces that you also touch.
However, the key to remember is that just being exposed to a cold virus does not have to mean that you'll catch a cold. If your immune system is operating at its peak, it should actually be quite easy for you to fend off the virus without ever getting sick.
Common contributing factors are:

• eating too much sugar and too much white flour products
  
• not getting enough rest
• using insufficient strategies to address emotional stressors in your life
• Vitamins D & C deficiency

Myself and my clients have had remarkable results in curing colds and flu within 12 to 14 hours when administering a few drops of 3 % hydrogen peroxide into each ear. Your will hear some bubbling, which is completely normal, but no pain.
Wait until the bubbling subsides (usually 3-5 minutes), then drain onto a tissue and repeat with the other ear. A bottle of hydrogen peroxide in 3% solution is available at any chemist for a couple of dollars or less. It is simply amazing how many people respond to this simple, inexpensive treatment.

Early Childhood Television Exposure

A study in Canada studied 5-month-old infants and their families with follow-up at 17, 29, 41 and 53 months, to estimate the influence of early childhood television exposure on academic, psychological & lifestyle characteristics in grade 4 (10 years of age).

Every additional hour of television exposure at 29 months corresponded to:

• 7 % & 6 % decreases in classroom engagement & achievement in mathematics
• 10 % increases in victimization by classmates
• 13 % decreases in time spent doing weekend physical activity
• 9 % decreases in activities involving physical effort
• Higher consumption of soft drinks & snacks

Hepatitis B Vaccination For Your Baby's Health

3 Hepatitis B Vaccinations are part of the standard government-recommended childhood vaccination schedule, with the first dose given at 12 hours of age in most hospitals.

But Hepatitis B is a primarily blood-transmitted disease associated with risky lifestyle choices such as unprotected sex with multiple partners & intravenous drug use involving sharing needles – it is NOT primarily a “children’s disease.”

As Dr. Jane Orient of the Association of American Physicians & Surgeons testified to Congress:

“For most children, the risk of a serious vaccine reaction may be 100 times greater than the risk of hepatitis B.”

There are more reports of serious adverse reactions in children than there are cases of childhood hepatitis B and, despite what you may hear in the media, reactions can be serious.

In 2008, French authorities launched a criminal investigation of two vaccine company managers (from GlaxoSmithKline and Sanofi Pasteur) for failing to disclose dangerous side effects of their Hepatitis B vaccines.

According to the Vaccine Adverse Event Reporting System in USA, there were 36,788 officially reported adverse reactions to Hepatitis B vaccines between 1992 and 2005. Of these, 14,800 were serious enough to cause hospitalization, life-threatening health events or permanent disabilities.

And 781 people died following Hepatitis B vaccination.

According to a study in the UK, Hepatitis B vaccines may increase risks for developing multiple sclerosis 3x.

In New Zealand, the incidence of type 1 Diabetes rose by 60 % among children following a mass Hepatitis B immunization campaign.

A study published in Annals of Epidemiology (Sep 2009) found that giving Hepatitis B vaccine to infant boys increased the risk for an autism spectrum disorder 3x.

In the journal Neurology (2009), another study revealed that children who received a particular Hepatitis B vaccine were more likely to develop “central nervous system inflammatory demyelination” than children who did not receive the vaccine.

Pet Chip Implicated in Cancer

Pharmaceutical giant Merck is being sued over claims that its HomeAgain pet microchip caused cancer in a cat. Two years after the chip was implanted, the cat developed a cancerous tumor at the implant site. The tumor was removed surgically, and the microchip was found embedded in the tumor.

In 2007, Dr. Katherine Albrecht released an in-depth analysis of animal studies involving microchip implants & found a “clear causal link between microchip implants & cancer in mice & rats,” as well as an association with cancer in dogs.

The reason why this is an important issue is that many predict there will be a massive push by government authorities to microchip humans. Not only will this be a mistake for privacy reasons, but it appears that there are also serious health consequences.

Fortunately, our pets are serving as canaries for this health challenge & providing us with an early warning alert as to what would happen if we choose to get these microchips.

Multivitamin & Lower Heart Attack Risk in Women

An article published in the American Journal of Clinical Nutrition (Sept, 2010) reports an association between multivitamin use and a reduced risk of myocardial infarction in older women.

Using a multivitamin along with other supplements was associated with a 30 % lower risk and use for at least five years was linked to a 41 % lower risk of myocardial infarction compared to nonusers.

They attribute the vitamins’ protective benefit to their antioxidant properties, which retard atherosclerosis via free radical scavenging, and the ability of B vitamins to lower homocysteine levels. Minerals, e.g. Magnesium, inhibit insulin resistance, decrease vascular tone and prevent pro-inflammatory changes & endothelial dysfunction.

Women Are Dying From Hormone Therapy: Why Is It Still Available & Recommended?

Big Pharma is still pushing its hormone therapy for women, despite the fact that it increases women’s risk of cancer and other health problems.

Pharma’s lucrative estrogen plus progestin combo is already known to increase the chance of getting breast cancer by 26 %. But an article in this week’s Journal of the American Medical Association (JAMA) shows hormone therapy also increases the chance of dying from breast cancer, as follow ups are conducted on women who took it.

In fact hormone therapy, already indicted for causing delays in breast cancer diagnosis by increasing breast density (& increasing lung cancer deaths) is now so dangerous that Peter B. Bach of the Memorial Sloan-Kettering Cancer Center, who wrote an accompanying JAMA editorial, told the New York Times that even the recommendation to take “the lowest possible doses for the shortest possible time” is now questionable. Perhaps like prescribing the fewest and lowest tar cigarettes as possible.

Hormone therapy is also linked to asthma, lupus, scleroderma, non-Hodgkin’s lymphoma, urinary incontinence, hearing loss, cataracts, gout, joint degeneration, dementia, stroke, blood clots, malignant melanoma, & 5 other kinds of cancer according to medical journal reports.

Given over 5,000 lawsuits in USA brought by women with hormone therapy-caused breast cancer, why is it still on the market? Why is it being tested (with tax dollars) to extend the franchise into a new generation of women? And why is it still presented to women as a “choice”? As in We Warned You.

Bee Pollen Superfood

Bee Pollen is a power-packed Superfood providing high levels of energy and stamina. It contains vitamin A, B, C, and E, calcium, magnesium, iron & potassium, to name a few of its minerals. It contains up to four times as much protein as beef and eggs per 100 grams. Its most outstanding benefits include more stamina, energy and endurance, and over time, regular consumption of bee pollen will help alleviate many different health problems, slow down ageing and improve your quality of life.

You can take these granules as they are on a spoon, sprinkle them in salads or add them to smoothies

The Worst Cooking Oils of All

Polyunsaturated fats are the absolute WORST oils to use when cooking because these omega-6-rich oils are highly susceptible to heat damage.

• Corn
• Soy
• Safflower
• Sunflower
• Canola

Damaged omega-6 fats or trans-fats are disastrous to your health, and are responsible for far more health problems than saturated fats ever were by clogging your arteries & raising LDL cholesterol.

This is formed when vegetable oils are hardened into margarine or shortening.

There is no safe level of trans-fat consumption. Use pure virgin coconut oil for cooking which is stable at high temperature.

New Warning About Olive Oil

Extra-virgin olive oil is a good monounsaturated fat that is also well-known for its health benefits. It’s a staple in healthy diets such as Mediterranean-style diets.

However, it’s important to realize it is not good for cooking. It should really only be used cold, typically drizzled on salads and other food.

Due to its chemical structure and a large amount of unsaturated fats, cooking makes extra-virgin olive oil very susceptible to oxidative damage. Even when used cold, it’s still extremely perishable! Any time the oil is exposed to air and/or light, it oxides.

Consuming spoiled oil (of any kind) will likely do more harm than good.

To help protect extra virgin olive oil from oxidation, squeeze capsule of vitamin E oil into the bottle.

Kellogg's Froot Loops

This cereal contains 23 ingredients including:

Butylated hydroxytoluene: A common food preservative, BHT is also used as an antioxidant additive in jet fuel, rubber & electrical transformer oil. There has been some controversy surrounding its use in foods and it is prohibited as a food additive in Britain. The US Food and Drug Administration has stated that there needs to be further research into the possibility that BHT could react with other ingested substances and become toxic.

Red No. 40: Allura red, a popular colouring agent, is not just used in foods but also in cosmetics & drugs. Artificial colours have been widely blamed for causing hyperactivity in children. Last year, Britain banned Allura red and five other food colours.

Source: Sydney Morning Herald (Oct 30-31, 2010, p. 24)

Dangers of Commercial Sunscreen and How To Protect Ourselves Naturally

Organizations like The Environmental Working Group have identified the following common sunscreen ingredients as being potentially harmful to human health:

• Octocrylene
• PABA
• Octyl-methoxycinnamate (OMC)
• Benzophenone-3
• 4-methyl-benzylidene camphor (4-MBC)
• Homosalate

The vast majority of synthetic chemicals found in sunscreen lotions can potentially damage your skin by increasing the number of free radicals that are generated throughout the many layers of your skin & those substances then have the potential to damage the DNA in your cells, and if allowed to create ongoing damage, can contribute to the development of skin cancer.

Use clothing and a hat that provide protection against UV rays. Limit the amount of time you spend outdoors on extremely hot days and when the sun feels hottest - usually between 10am - 4 pm. Use a natural sunscreen that relies on natural physical (not chemical) blockers and other all-natural ingredients to protect your skin against sun damage. Zinc Oxide and Titanium Oxide are both mineral compounds that act as physical blockers that prevent UV-A & UV-B rays, but are not nano-fine enough to potentially get absorbed into your bloodstream.

GE Wheat in Australia - Coming To a Store Near You!

Australia is at risk of becoming the first country in the world to Allow GE wheat, creating a major threat to farmers, consumers and to Australia’s future food security.

Wheat is Australia’s most important crop, bringing $5 billion into our economy each year. Monsanto and other chemical companies failed to commercialize GE wheat in North America. Now they have a stranglehold over Australia’s wheat infrastructure.

In June and July this year, the federal government approved over 1,300 different types of GE wheat for trials across the country. If GE wheat is commercialized, farmers face legal and financial risks of cross-contamination, either in the field or in grain silos.

We know that GE plants operate differently in the field than they do in the lab, with unpredictable impacts on our environment. We also know GE consumption by animals is linked with allergic reactions, organ damage and reduced fertility. But the real problem is there has been no testing on humans. We are all in the dark about the safety of GE food.

Bill Clinton's Heart Disease & Weight Loss Diet

Bill Clinton recently made news headlines, not with his politics but with his shrunken waistline. On diet made up of beans, legumes, vegetables and fruit, he said he lost 24 pounds in time for his daughter Chelsea’s wedding. But he was most impressed in how his whole metabolism has changed. He understood his previous by-pass operations did not give him the security of his heart disease not returning.

Chelsea who allegedly had a wedding cake free of gluten & sugar must have inspired her father who used to love fast food (& was public about it) to make this change.

The doctors he referred to are Dr. Dean Ornish & Dr. Caldwell Esselstyn.

Wholesome plant based diet and healthy lifestyle is a lot more effective, not just for reversing heart diseases, but most other chronic diseases. These doctors also said how this kind of diet promotes a better sex life which I am sure gets people’s attention! (Remember Morgan Spurlock from Supersize Me who became impotent half way through his McDonald’s experience?)

Source: www.integrative-living.com & www.edition.cnn.com

One of the Worst Parenting Mistakes You Can Make

No matter how physically active a child is, time spent in front of the computer or television screen is associated with psychological problems.

The study found that > 2 hours a day in front of a TV or computer was associated with more emotional and behavioral difficulties.

Source: Pediatrics (Oct 11, 2010)

Quinoa and Its Benefits for Health

Quinoa is a grain which has been cultivated for thousands of years in the mountains of the Andes. Its nutritional value is superior to the other grains. It protects cell membranes and it has positive results in brain neuronal functions in particular.

Source: Nutrition facts and functional potential of quinoa (Sept 2, 2010), Department of Food Engineering, Universidad de La Serena, Chile

“Folate-Fortified” Babies Are Less Hyperactive…

A study carried out over 10 years showed that low folate levels in early pregnancy were associated with a higher prevalence of behavioral problems such as hyperactivity and inattention in children and other peer problems.

Source: www.fondation-louisbonduelle.org

Monsanto Finally Reaping Its Just Desserts

Monsanto, the giant biotechnology agriculture company that created genetically modified corn, soybeans and herbicides, isn’t riding so high this year in the stocks department, as news comes in that its products aren’t working like they’d hoped.

According to the New York Times

• Monsanto’s newest genetically modified product, SmartStax corn, provides no greater yields than older products, despite being more expensive
• Weeds are growing resistant to Monsanto’s Roundup
• The Justice Department is investigating Monsanto for possible antitrust violations

Already, shares of Monsanto’s stock have fallen 42 % since January, and earnings for the fiscal year are expected to be well under projections.

This company represents one of the biggest threats to your future health, and that of the planet.

Canada Declares BPA Toxic

Last week, the government of Canada formally declared bisphenol A (BPA) to be a toxic substance. The USA & Australia still denies it.

This comes after Canada’s first national physical study on BPA revealed that 91 % of Canadians have the chemical in their bodies, with teenagers having the highest concentrations.

There are serious health risks from exposure to the endocrine-disrupting chemical BPA. As a result, there have been nationwide efforts to ban it from food and beverage containers as well as in children’s dental products.

Animal tests show that BPA, a plastics hardener that is also a synthetic oestrogen, can cause reproductive and behavioral abnormalities and lower intellectual ability, and sets the stage for cancers, obesity, diabetes, asthma, and heart disease.

About Breakfast Psychology...

It seems that our own estimation of the calories we ingest can highly influence our mood and body-image satisfaction. In the study the cereal breakfast was perceived to be lower in calories and that it allowed the participants to be more satiated, happier, more relaxed and more satisfied about weight and body compared to the muffin breakfast. Moreover, fibre and micronutrient daily intakes were superior in women having the cereal breakfast.
Source: School of Natural Sciences & Psychology, UK, 13 Oct 2010

Heart Attack Risk Affected by Type of Carbohydrates

A Danish study showed that the risk of myocardial infarction was reduced by 22 % for a replacement of saturated fatty acids by low GI carbohydrates (most fresh fruit and green vegetables, legumes, cereals...) but increased by 33 % for a replacement by high GI carbohydrates (white bread, white rice, chips, crisps or baked potato, confectionery, chocolate bars, watermelon).
Source: Am J Clin Nutr, 2010, vol. 91, No 6, pp. 1764-1768

Magnesium Reduces Diabetes Risk

A new study out of the University of North Carolina found the people with the highest magnesium intake were 50 % less likely to develop diabetes.

The study also revealed that as magnesium intake increased, inflammation levels decreased, as did insulin resistance.
Source: Reuters, September 24, 2010
Diabetes Care, August 31, 2010

1/2 tsp of Cinnamon Daily Helps Diabetes & High Blood Pressure

A 12-week London study was recently conducted involving 58 type 2 diabetics with hemoglobin A1c (HbA1c) levels over 7 %. Hemoglobin A1c is a marker for long-term glycemic control in diabetics.

After 12 weeks on 2g of cinnamon per day, study subjects had significantly lower HbA1c levels, as well as significantly reduced blood pressures (systolic & diastolic).
Source: Diabetic Medicine: A Journal of the British Diabetic Association, October 2010

Genetically Modified Food in Baby Formula

Greenpeace testing has discovered untested GM, including DNA from antibiotic resistant genes, in leading brands of formula for infants in Australia.

The brands are S-26 Soy, made by the giant pharma company Pfizer and Karicare Food Thickener, marketed at babies with reflux.

Genetically modified products have never been proven safe for babies to eat. Neither of the infant food products that tested positive for GM carry a GM warning label. This means that parents are currently feeding their babies GM, including DNA from antibiotic resistant marker genes, without knowing it.

Fish Oil Prevents Breast Cancer

An article on www.foodconsumer.org reports that eating oily fish or taking fish oil supplements often may help reduce the risk of developing breast cancer.

The article cites a study published in the July 2010 issue of Cancer Epidemiology, Biomarkers & Prevention. The study led by Brasky T.M. and colleagues from the Fred Hutchinson Cancer Research Centre in Seattle, Washington, found that consumption of fish oil was correlated with a 32% reduced risk of breast cancer.

It is essential, however, that your fish oil is sourced only from the finest raw materials, that are screened for heavy metals, dioxins, PCBs, and contain therapeutic amounts of the active ingredients, EPA & DHA.

Risk of Fatal Bowel Problem With Rotavirus Vaccine

The Food and Drug Administration said preliminary results from a study in Mexico involving GlaxoSmithKline's Rotarix vaccine suggest an increased risk of a serious bowel problem that could be fatal.

The safety of Rotarix and RotaTeq, a similar vaccine made by Merck, have carefully been tracked by regulators since another vaccine by then drug-maker Wyeth was pulled off the market in 1999 after it was linked to an increased rate of intussusception. Intussusception is a twisting or obstruction of the intestine that can be fatal.
Source: The Wall Street Journal, September 22, 2010

Diabetes Drug Banned in Europe for Causing 83,000 Heart Attacks

Avandia, the Type 2 Diabetes drug, hit the market in 1999 and quickly became a blockbuster drug. By 2006 its annual revenue in USA was $3.2 billion. By 2009, sales had dropped to $1.2 billion following a damning study published in the New England Journal of Medicine (NEJM) in 2007, which linked Avandia to a 43% increased risk of heart attack and a 64% higher risk of cardiovascular death than patients treated with other methods.

A September 23, 2010 article in the NEJM announced that, finally, the US FDA has stepped forward and decided on regulatory action for Avandia, a diabetes drug that last year claimed 1,354 lives as a result of cardiac-associated problems in USA.

British regulators have ruled that GlaxoSmithKline’s diabetes drug Avandia could lead to heart attacks or strokes, and benefits no longer outweigh the risks and removed it from the market. However, it is still available in Australia!!

Evidence linking Avandia to an increased risk of a heart attack or stroke has been building since 2007, and GSK has agreed to pay $460 million in damages to settle about 10,000 lawsuits in USA linking its use to patients suffering serious medical setbacks.

The drug in question here, rosiglitazone, is sold under the names of Avandia, Avandamet and Avaglim. Avandia alone is used by 2 million people worldwide.

The only thing rosiglitazone drugs like Avandia do is to help lower blood glucose, which has virtually no influence on the long-term damage due to Type 2 Diabetes. Most of the damage is caused by elevated insulin levels, which can be remedied with an optimal diet and exercise program.

GlaxoSmithKline, the manufacturer of Avandia, hid damaging information about the drug for over ten years, as it would adversely affect their sales. Between 1999 and 2007, Avandia is estimated to have caused 83,000 unnecessary heart attacks. This is 20,000 more deaths than Merck caused when they sold Vioxx which has now been recalled worldwide.

If you, or anyone you know, is still taking this drug, warn them of this danger.

Book Review: The Brain that Changes Itself by Norman Doidge

The discovery of neuroplasticity, that our thoughts can change the structure and function of our brains, even into old age, is the most important breakthrough in our understanding of the brain in 400 years. Dr. Norman Doidge introduces principles we can all use to overcome brain limitations and explores the profound brain implications of the changing brain in an immensely moving book that will permanently alter the way we look at human possibility and human nature.

Book Review: Knockout by Suzanne Somers

In KNOCKOUT, Suzanne Somers has interviewed doctors and medical professionals using everything from alternative to integrative to conventional methods to combat cancer. Whichever path you choose, this is a must-have resource to navigate the life and death world of cancer and increase your odds of survival, plus vital information on how to prevent what will soon become the world's No.1 killer. Suzanne Somers was diagnosed with breast cancer in 2001 and now wants to share her cancer story to help others.

Economic Report Finds Complementary Medicine Could Ease Health Budget

A study into the cost effectiveness of complementary medicine in Australia has found the nation could potentially save millions of dollars in healthcare costs without compromising patient outcomes if complementary medicine is more widely used.

The research conducted by Access Economics for the National Institute of Complementary Medicine at the University of Western Sydney examined the cost effectiveness of selected complementary medicine treatments.

The study found taking fish oil supplements was a highly cost effective intervention to prevent heart disease for those who already had a myocardial infarction (heart attack).

Clinical trials have shown St John’s wort is an effective as standard drug treatments for mild-moderate depression.

Acupuncture for chronic non-specific low back pain as a complement to standard care resulted in significantly better pain outcomes compared to standard care alone.

Several clinical trials have shown Phytodolor, a herbal treatment for osteoarthritis, can help some osteoarthritis patients manage pain and control inflammation.

Complementary medicines could defray the high costs of modern health care by offering better disease prevention and more effective management of chronic conditions.

Dangers of Non-stick (Teflon) Cookware

The dangers of perfluorinated compounds (PFCs) are becoming increasingly evident. The most common sources of these chemicals include:

• non-stick cookware
• microwave popcorn bags
• packaging for greasy foods
• stain-proof clothing
• carpet and fabric protectors
• flame retardants, and products that contain them

Although it may be quite difficult to eliminate all sources of these toxins since they are so pervasive, at least ged rid of your non-stick cookware, considering you use your pots and pans to cook almost every day of the week.

Studies have shown that PFC's can cause:

• infertility (Human Reproduction Journal, 2009)
• Thyroid disease (Environmental Health Perspectives Journal, May 2010)
• cancer (liver, pancreas, testicles and mammary glands in rats) and has been associated with increases in prostate cancer in PFOA plant workers
• immune system problems - several studies by scientists in Sweden indicate that PFC's have an adverse effect on your immune system
• increased LDL cholesterol levels (Archives of Pediatric & Adolescent Medicine, Sept 2010)

Children and teens who have high blood levels of chemicals used in the production of non-stick cookware may be more likely to have elevated LDL cholesterol levels and have been associated with cancer.
Source: Archives of Pediatric & Adolescent Medicine (September 2010)

Coconut Oil Reduces Alzheimer's Disease

With Alzheimer's disease, certain brain cells may have difficulty utilizing glucose (made from the carbohydrates we eat), the brain's principal source of energy. Without fuel, these precious neurons may begin to die. There is an alternative energy source for brain cells - fats known as ketones. If deprived of carbohydrates, the body produces ketones naturally.

Another way to produce ketones is by consuming oils that have medium-chain triglycerides. When MCT oil is digested, the liver converts it into ketones. In the first few weeks of life, ketones provide about 25 % of the energy newborn babies need to survive.

MCT oil derived from coconut oil at a dose of 20 grams (about 20 ml or 4 teaspoons), according to the latest research, not only protects against the incidence of Alzheimer's, but may actually reverse it. Moreover, this is also a potential treatment for Parkinson's disease, Huntington's disease, multiple sclerosis and amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS or Lou Gehrig's disease), drug-resistant epilepsy, brittle type I diabetes, and type II (insulin-resistant) diabetes.

Make sure you buy non-hydrogenated (no trans-fat) virgin organic coconut oil available from health food stores.
Source: ANH-USA (October 5, 2010)

Chemicals in Indoor Swimming Pools Increase Cancer Risk

A new study is the first to provide a comprehensive characterization of the effects of disinfection byproducts (DBPs) in an indoor pool environment. It found that swimming in indoor chlorinated pools for 40 minutes may induce DNA damage that can lead to cancer.

Previous studies have found an association between DBPs in drinking water and bladder cancer.
Source: Environmental Health Perspectives (September 12,2010)

Toxic Moisturisers

Most of the beauty industry moisturisers contain chemicals that are toxic to your skin and actually leave your pores clogged. Some of the misnomers include:

• "For Professional Use Only" -- This phrase allows cosmetic companies to remove harmful chemicals from their labels.

• "Hypoallergenic" -- No actual testing is necessary to claim that a product is "hypoallergenic", "allergy-free" or "safe for sensitive skin".

• Harmful Chemicals -- Unless they are intentionally placed in the product, harmful chemicals are not required to be listed.

• Some ingredients to avoid:
  

• Ingredient	Use	Dangers
  Parabens	Heavily used preservatives in the cosmetic industry; used in an estimated 13,200 cosmetic and skin care products.	Studies implicate their connection with cancer because their hormone-disrupting qualities mimic estrogen and could disrupt your body’s endocrine system.
  Mineral Oil, Paraffin, and Petrolatum		These petroleum products coat the skin like plastic – clogging pores and creating a build-up of toxins. They can slow cellular development, creating earlier signs of aging. They’re implicated as a suspected cause of cancer. Plus, they can disrupt hormonal activity. When you think about black oil pumped from deep underground, ask yourself why you’d want to put that kind of stuff on your skin…
  Sodium laurel or lauryl sulfate (SLS), also known as sodium laureth sulfate (SLES)	Found in over 90% of personal care products! They break down your skin’s moisture barrier, potentially leading to dry skin with premature aging. And because they easily penetrate your skin, they can allow other chemicals easy access.	SLS combined with other chemicals may become a "nitrosamine" – a potent carcinogen.
  Acrylamide	Found in many facial creams.	Linked to mammary tumors.
  Propylene glycol	Common cosmetic moisturizer and carrier for fragrance oils.	May cause dermatitis and skin irritation. May inhibit skin cell growth. Linked to kidney and liver problems.
  Phenol carbolic acid	Found in many lotions and skin creams.	Can cause circulatory collapse, paralysis, convulsions, coma, and even death from respiratory failure.
  Dioxane	Hidden in ingredients such as PEG, polysorbates, laureth, ethoxylated alcohols. Very common in personal care products.	These chemicals are often contaminated with high concentrations of highly volatile 1,4-dioxane that’s easily absorbed through the skin. Its carcinogenicity was first reported in 1965, and later confirmed in studies including one from the National Cancer Institute in 1978. Nasal passages are considered extremely vulnerable, making it, in my opinion, a really bad idea to use these things on your face.
  Toluene	May be very poisonous! Made from petroleum and coal tar… found in most synthetic fragrances.	Chronic exposure linked to anemia, lowered blood cell count, liver or kidney damage…May affect a developing fetus.

4 tips for healthy clear youthful skin:

1. Hydrate your entire system with lots of water.
   
2. Eat a healthy diet of mostly raw foods (salads, vegetables, fruit) foods high in omega-3 fatty acids which produce a hydrating effect from the inside out, and antioxidants which help fight signs of aging.
   
3. Take a revitalizing bath – in warm water, not hot! Himalayan salt baths are rejuvenating, and help dry skin to slough off. Hot water is damaging to your skin, so stick with warm water.
4. Moisturize daily and every evening with non-clogging organic moisturizers. There are many brands available now eg. Akin, Dr Hauschka, jojoba oil, coconut oil. These nourish your skin instead of clogging it, as many toxin-impaired moisturizers do.

Study Links Voltaren and Neurofen to Strokes

Commonly sold as Voltaren, but available in a number of brands, it is one of a class of drugs all found to increase the risk of stroke, an extensive Danish study found.

Diclofenac, the key ingredient in Voltaren, is as dangerous as the arthritis drug Vioxx, said an international expert. Vioxx was withdrawn in Australia in 2004 because it was found to increase the risk of heart attack.

A spokeswoman from Novartis Australia, which makes Voltaren, said it should be used at the lowest possible dose for the shortest duration of time.

Last financial year almost 656,000 prescriptions for higher strength Voltaren and 246,000 prescriptions of high-dose Ibuprofen were covered under the pharmaceutical benefits scheme. The study co-author and senior cardiologist at Gentofte University Hospital, Gunnar Gislason, told the Herald ibuprofen should be prescription-only and diclofenac should be banned.

Ric Day, a professor of clinical pharmacology at the University of NSW and St Vincent's Hospital, said that while the study analysed healthy people it was particularly relevant for people at risk of heart attack and stroke, such as those with diabetes or high blood pressure.
Source: SMH, September 14, 2010

Detox Heavy Metals with Chlorella

Chlorella, a single-celled fresh water algae, is perhaps most well known for its ability to detox your body by binding to toxins, such as mercury and carrying them out of your system.

Chlorella is about 60 % protein, and is considered to be a "complete protein" source because it contains all the essential amino acids.

Spirulina is another algae that is frequently confused with chlorella, as it has many of the same characteristics. One major difference is that spirulina does not have the ability to draw out heavy metal toxins like chlorella does.

Type 2 Diabetics have a 65% Higher Risk of Alzheimer's

Insulin resistant people with type 2 diabetes are more likely to develop plaques in their brains which are associated with Alzheimer's disease.

According to the University of Michigan, dementia strikes about 50% of people who reach the age of 85. Of those, about 60% go on to develop Alzheimer's disease.

The major culprits causing Alzheimer's or nerve damage in the brain:
1. Insulin resistance/diabetes
2. Insufficient omega-3 fats
3. Aluminum toxicity
4. Mercury toxicity
5. Lack of mental/brain stimulation
6. Anticholinergic drugs

Anticholinergic drugs is one class of drugs that have been linded to increased risk of dementia and Alzheimer's disease. Available both over-the-counter and by prescription, anticholinergic drugs include night-time pain relievers, antihistamines, and other sleep aids.

Anticholinergic drugs block a nervous system neurotransmitter called acetylcholine. Those suffering from Alzheimer's disease typically have a marked shortage of acetylcholine.
Source: Reuters, August 25, 2010
Journal of Neurology, Neurosurgery and Psychiatry, June 11, 2010

Music Makes You Excerise Harder

In a recent study, researchers asked students to ride stationary bicycles while listening to music. They were given a selection of six songs with a range of tempos.

When the tempo was slowed, their pedaling diminished in rate, their heart rates fell, and their mileage dropped. When the tempo was increased, they produced more power with each pedal stroke and increased their pedaling rate, and their heart rates rose.

Just how music impacts the body during exercise, however, is only slowly being teased out by scientists.
Souces: New York Times, August 25, 2010
Scandinavian Journal of Medicine & Science in Sports, August 2010

Mould Allergies Prevented With Vitamin D

Research has discovered that vitamin D may be an effective therapeutic agent to treat or prevent allergy to a common mould.

Aspergillus fumigatus, is one of the most prevalent fungal organisms inhaled by people. In asthmatics and in patients with Cystic Fibrosis, it can cause significant allergic symptoms.
Source: Journal of Clinical Investigation, August 16, 2010

Researchers Link Low Vitamin D to Schizophrenia

Babies born with low vitamin D levels are twice as likely to develop schizophrenia later in life, researchers from the Queensland Brain Institute have found. But the reserachers say the good news from the study is that it suggests it may be possible to prevent schizophrenia, which affects almost 200,000 Australians.

Vitamin B Could Delay Onset of Alzheimer's

Large daily doses of B vitamins could delay, or even halt, the onset of Alzheimer's disease, a study suggests. The study found supplementing the diet with B vitamins: folate, B6 and B12 could halve the rate of brain shrinkage in elderly people with warning signs of the disease.
Source: ABC News, Thursday, November 9, 2010

Advantages of Interval Cardio Exercise

There is increasing amounts of evidence supporting the notion that you can cut your workout time significantly while reaping better benefits with interval training.

• You burn extra calories for up to 8 hours after your interval session. With jogging you stop burning extra calories when you stop exercising.
  
• Your heart and lungs become bigger, stronger & able to take on sudden intense challenges more easily and recover quickly.
  
• Your body changes the way you store your carbohydrates in the future. To help fuel future intense interval challenges your body will become more efficient at converting carbs into glucose and glycogen.
  
• Glucose and glycogen is anabolic. It burns energy just sitting there. Fat does not.
  
• With low-intensity jogging-type cardio your body becomes more efficient at converting carbs to body fat in order to get ready for future low intensity long/endurance jogging sessions. Fat is your body's preferred source of fuel for jogging, whereas glycogen is the preferred source of fuel for interval-type cardio, e. g. 60 second power walk followed by a 30 second jog, & then a 15 second sprint.
  

Plastics, Fertility, Pregnancy, Babies

Bisphenos A is an endocrine disruptor, which can mimic the body's own hormones and may lead to negative health effects. The negative health effects of BPA are seen in many body systems and include: increased breast cancer risk; reproductive and fertility problems, increased miscarriage risk; neurological issues; thyroid disturbance; heart disease and diabetes.

People wishing to lower their exposure to bisphenol A should avoid canned food and polycarbonate plastic containers #7. The other dangerous plastic is PET #2. Disposable coffee cups are a common - and daily - source of BPA for many people. The danger is increased due to leaching of the compoud from the heat of the coffee.

Heating and cooling of these plastics magnify the harmful effects. The National Toxicology Panel recommends avoiding microwaving food in plastics containers, putting plastics in the dishwaher, or using harsh detergents, to avoid leaching. Using BPA free water bottels and coffee cups is an easy (and environmentally friendly) way to reduce you and your children's daily BPA exposure.
Source: Life Sci. 2009 Now 18;85(21-22):742-52. Epub 2009 Oct 21.

Probiotics Are Better Than Sit Ups

It has been found that toxins from the gut contribute to obesity risk. These endotoxins are known to block insulin signaling in cells, causing insulin resistance and contributing to Metabolic Syndrome, cardiovascular (heart disease) risk and fatty liver. This shows the importance of having good digestion and if neccessary, taking a probiotic to rebalance the beneficial bacteria in the gut.

India Halts HPV Vaccine Trial After 6 Girls Die

Merck & Co.'s Gardasil vaccine and GlaxoSmithKline's (GSK) Cervarix vaccine continue to be pushed in Australia as 6 young girls recently died from the shots during in India. The two human papillomavirus (HPV) vaccines have been implicated in at least 67 deaths in the U.S., prompting no response from U.S. officials other than to keep issuing it to the public. However, the 6 deaths in India have prompted the government there to immediately stop all trials of the vaccines. These vaccines only guard against 2 strains of the HPV virus, although there are over 20 known strains.

Living Proof: Vitamin C cured Cancer

TV3's 60 Minutes aired a program called Living Proof. A King Country farmer defied death because his family insisted on administering intravenous Vitamin C. The medical fraternity refused saying "he's going to die, it won't work".

The family insisted on the treatment and reluctantly the doctors agreed to administer the treatment. As a result, the man survived. The doctors put his miraculous recovery down to the fact that they had turned the man on his stomach and refuse to admit that the Vitamin C had cured him. However, there is no proof that lying on one's stomach cures cancer.

You can watch the program on TV on demand at:

http://onemand.tv3.co.nz/living-proof/tabiod/59/articleID/923/MCat/22/Default.aspx

Russia Proves Genetically Modified Foods Are Harmful

Scientists have proved that Genetically Modified Organisms are harmful for mammals. Researchers discovered that animals that eat GM foods lose their ability to reproduce. The results of Russian scientists coincide with those of their colleagues from France and Austria.

7 Hours - The Magic Number for Sleep

Sleeping < 5 hours a day more than x2 your risk of being diagnosed with angina, coronary heart disease, heart attack or stroke.

How much recovery sleep you need to feel recharged depends on how much sleep you have lost.

In a study, volunteers deprived of 3 hours of sleep a night for 5 nights felt nearly, but not quite, back to normal after 10 hours of sleep.

To help you get the optimal amount of sleep each night, U.S. News & World Report suggests:

"Try removing all electronic media devices - BlackBerry, TV, computer - from your bedroom. These distractions are a prime reason why many of us turn out the lights an hour or two later than we originally intended".

Sources:
The Daily Telegraph, 3 August 2010
U.S News & World Report, 4 August 2010
Sleep 2010;33(8) : 1037-1042
Sleep 2010:33(8) 1013-1026

Dangers of Antacids Outweighs the Benefits

The prominent US medical journal, Archives of Internal Medicine highlights some alarming concerns over the long-term safety and appropriate use of the most commonly prescribed antacid drugs, namely the proton pump inhibitors (PPIs). Conclusions are that the benefits of PPIs probably do not justify the risks for many users.

The lower gastric acid resulting from PPI use facilitates the growth of clostridium difficile infection. Studies have associated PPI use and other gastric acid suppressants with a variety of gastrointestinal infections, including salmonella and campylobacter. PPIs have also been associated with increased incidence of pneumonia.

Cheapest Way to Prevent Illness Without Supplements or Drugs?

Dr. Larry Dossey is the former Chief of Staff of Medical City Dallas Hospital and has lectured in medical schools and hospitals throughout the USA. He talks of the healing benefits of spirituality and of the importance of mind - body - spirit. In 1988 he delivered the annual Mahatma Gandhi Memorial Lecture in New Delhi, India. He is the only physician ever invited to do so.

In 1993, only three of the United States' 125 medical schools offered any sort of course work exploring the area of spirituality and medicine. Today over 90 of these medical schools have formal courses where they explore randomized controlled studies and the effects of spiritual practices on longevity and health outcomes with very beneficial results.

Autoimmunity Increases The Farther Away From Equator

One of the strongest risk factors for autoimmune diseases such as Multiple Sclerosis (MS) and Type 1 Diabetes (T1D) is how far away from the equator you live. Prevalence of MS ranges from 1-2/10,000 near the equator and up to 200/10,000 at latitudes higher than 50 degrees. Studies show reductions in risk for MS:

• Higher sun exposure when aged 6 to 15 years in Tasmania
• Summer outdoor activities in childhood and adolescence in Norway
• Sun sensitive skin type 1 and 2 in the UK
• Higher oral vitamin D intake. Areas with diets rich in fish oil have lower incidence of MS

These studies suggest that greater sun exposure and/or greater dietary intake of vitamin D is protective against autoimmunity.

• A 30 year follow-up study in Finland found a marked reduction in the prevalence of type 1 diabetes (relative risk 0.12) in infants who received daily vitamin D supplementation in the 1960s.
• The presence of islet auto-antibodies in offspring was inversely correlated with maternal dietary vitamin D intake during pregnancy.

Vitamin D is not only beneficial for the prevention of autoimmunity, but if administered during the development of the disease it has the ability to block the progression of the disease.

Is this the Biggest Medical Breakthrough Since the Discovery of Antibiotics?

Harvard Researchers are saying Resveratrol which helps keep your blood pressure in the normal range, helps your heart health, and better controls the aging process could be the biggest medical breakthrough in 30 years. Researchers have been mystified for years about how the French can smoke cigarettes and eat high-fat foods, yet still have extremely low rates of cancer and heart disease. They call it the French paradox.

The biggest hurdle with Resveratrol is finding a way to consume the large concentrations required to provide you with a benefit without consuming large amounts of wine. Resveratrol is now contained in some health supplements, such as Poly C Powder and the women's multivitamin, Vital Woman.

Are Household Cleaners Linked to Breat Cancer?

A study has found a potential link between the use of household cleaners and air fresheners and breast cancer.

Breast-cancer risk was highest among women who reported the most use of cleaning products and air fresheners - it was twice the risk of those who reported low use of the products. The connection was drawn mostly between mold and mildew cleaners and air fresheners. Chemicals of concern include synthetic musks, phthalates, 1,4-dichlorobenzene, terpenes, benzene and styrene and some antimicrobial agents.

Sources:
The Columbus Dispatch July 20, 2010
Environmental Health July 20, 2010: 9(1):40

Honey Works Better Than Drugs For Herpes!

When a researcher treated patients with Acyclovir for one herpes outbreak and honey for another, overall healing time with honey was 43 percent better than with Acyclovir for sores on the lips and 59 percent better for genital sores. Raw honey (not heat treated), or even better Manuka honey, needs to be used. There were also fewer side effects for the honey group and it must be applied 4 times per day.

Source: Medical Science Monitor 10(8):MT94-98, August 2004

Which Infant Formulas Contain Hidden Toxic Chemicals?

Although artificial human milk is regulated, researchers from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention USA found that a thyroid-affecting chemical used in rocket fuel contaminated 15 brands of powdered infant formula - including two that accounted for 87% market share in 2000 in USA. The top offenders included Similac and Enfamil.

And in China, 76 tons of melamine-tainted milk products were recently seized, just two yrs after melamine-adulterated formula killed 6 infants and hospitalised thousands more.

For all these reasons the American Academy of Pediatrics remains less than sanguine about infant formula, recommending exclusive breastfeeding for six months and continued nursing 'until at least the baby's first birthday'. Indeed, they credit mother's milk with everything from breast cancer risk reduction to obesity prevention.

Source: Mother Jones July 12, 2010

Calcium and Heart Attack - What You Really Need to Know

You saw the sensational media headlines last week: Calcium supplements cause heart attacks! This was another example of bad research, poorly constructed, but it does contain an element of truth that we all need to understand. The conclusions are "dramatically overstated.....Seven of the 15 trials evaluated had no, or incomplete, data on cardiovascular outcomes....Further, the researchers chose to exclude any trials administering calcium plus vitamin D - including the Women's Health Initiative, which found calcium plus Vitamin D had no effect on the risk of coronary heart disease or stroke".

Supplemental calcium should never be taken alone. It needs additional magnesium, vitamin D, omega-3 fatty acids, and vitamin K. Calcium plays an important role in building and maintaining bone mass.

The World Health Organisation was urging world governments to put extra calcium in everyone's water supply. So, in effect, one conventional medicine authority is saying the opposite.

Source: Alliance for Natural Health - US