Saturday, November 1, 2008
tips 4 good skin
Superfood #1: Astaxanthin
What's astaxanthin, you ask? It's a deep-red microalgae that's a fat-soluble antioxidant. That means it can be delivered to the fat molecules of your body, and that includes your skin, of course, which is primarily made of fat and water (by weight).Astaxanthin is one of my top nutrients of all time. It even protects the skin from sunburn, eliminating the need to use toxic sunscreen lotions. In addition, astaxanthin protects the brain from Alzheimer's disease, the eyes from UV light damage and the entire nervous system from oxidative damage.
You can get astaxanthin at www.Nutrex-Hawaii.com or www.Vitacost.com
Read my article on astaxanthin here: http://www.naturalnews.com/023177.html
The best way to take astaxanthin is with a dietary source of healthy fats (see below). That's because astaxanthin binds to fats during digestion and is carried with those fats throughout your body where it protects organs and cells from free radical damage. There is probably no stronger fat-soluble antioxidant in the world than astaxanthin.
Superfood #2: Ocean-Derived Omega-3 Oils
As hinted above, the best way to take astaxanthin is with high-quality omega-3 oils. Ocean-derived omega-3 oils are legendary for their ability to support the body's healthy response to inflammation, meaning that many people are finding marine omega-3s to be a safer, more natural and far more affordable alternative to dangerous NSAIDS and prescription anti-inflammatory drugs (such as Vioxx, which is well known for doubling the risk of heart attacks and stroke)*.While there are lots of sources of omega-3 oils to choose from, the ocean-derived omega-3s are far more potent than plant-derived omega-3s such as flaxseed oil or chia seeds. The two best omega-3 products I know of are Moxxor, made from green-lipped mussel oil, and LivingFuel Super Essentials, made from sardines and anchovies (wildcrafted, not farmed).
NaturalNews has no financial relationship with Living Fuel. Its Super Essentials product, which combines a small amount of astaxanthin with fish oils, is available here: www.LivingFuel.com
NaturalNews is a distributor of Moxxor, and over 1,000 NaturalNews readers have now joined in distributing Moxxor's green-lipped mussel oil, which is grown in eco-friendly aquaculture farms off the coast of New Zealand. The mussels feed on marine phytoplankton and are completely free of heavy metals, pesticides, PCBs and other chemicals. The product can be purchased here: https://www.mymoxxor.com/ProductListPage.aspx?I...
Or you can get the product at a discount by joining the NaturalNews Moxxor team, explained here: http://www.NaturalNews.com/MoxorPresent...
Marine omega-3 oils not only support healthy skin, they also support and enhance the health of the nervous system, cardiovascular system, respiratory system and many other functions of the human body, including moods and balanced brain function.
Superfood #3: Raw foods and fresh juice
Raw vegetable juice does wonders for healthy skin. There's something about daily juicing that just brings out the most radiant, youthful-looking skin in people.Live foods, of course, support living, vibrant skin. Dead foods cause skin to age rapidly, and eating fried foods or animal products may cause your skin to break out with acne, eczema or various rashes. Consuming raw vegetable juice on a daily basis is a powerful way to support healthy skin. You'll notice the different in 30 days or less!
Read my article on juicing to learn which juicer I recommend, and what recipe to start with: http://www.naturalnews.com/024586.html
Or learn about "Juice Feasting" at www.JuiceFeasting.com
Superfood #4: Shellfish, Pumpkin Seeds and Zinc
Zinc is an essential nutrient for skin repair and injury repair (it's also really important for prostate health). If you're deficient in zinc (and probably 70% or more of Americans are), your skin will never look as good as it could. Zinc gives your cells the ability to properly construct and maintain their physical integrity, and it speeds the regeneration of new skin following injuries such as scrapes, scratches or cuts.Shellfish and pumpkin seeds are good natural sources of zinc. It can also be taken as a nutritional supplement. A good low-cost source is VitaCost at: http://www.vitacost.com/NSI-Zinc-Glucon...
A high-end source is Wellness Resources' "Strengthener Plus," which also happens to contain MSM, a sulfur derivative that belongs near the top of anyone's list of skin-supporting nutritional supplements. I highly recommend Wellness Resources products, as the company was founded by Health Freedom champion Byron Richards. Here's the product page: http://www.wellnessresources.com/produc...
Superfood #5: Clean Water
Okay, I know water doesn't technically count as a superfood, but perhaps it should! Adequate hydration is essential for optimum skin health. Far too many consumers are chronically dehydrated, and as a result they suffer systemic dehydration of their skin, which makes it look older, more wrinkled and less smooth.Drinking adequate water is crucial for supporting your skin health, but you've got to drink clean water to accomplish this, not tap water.
The cleanest water, of course, is natural spring water. If you're lucky enough to live near a spring, bottle up your drinking water from it (test it for contamination first, of course), and consume that.
Don't buy bottled water as it creates a mountain of waste (plastic bottles). Furthermore, the Bisphenol-A in the plastic bottles has been proven so toxic that it was recently banned from baby bottles in Canada.
So what's the next best choice for your drinking water? Bottle your own. Get yourself an Aquasana water filter, which is, in my view, the No. 1 consumer water filter on the market today. NaturalNews is an affiliate of Aquasana, so your purchase helps support our network. To pay you back, we negotiated a discount for NaturalNews readers on Aquasana products, including the countertop unit, under-the-sink unit, and the highly-recommended shower filter unit which I personally take with me everywhere I travel (it protects you from the toxic chlorine in public water supplies).
Get your Aquasana products at a discount here:
http://www.aquasanaaffiliates.com/b.asp...
Nutrition is the key to healthy skin
In summary, nutrition and hydration are the keys to healthy skin. Consume omega-3 supplements on a regular basis, take astaxanthin, drink plenty of clean water, and drink fresh juice on a regular basis. Also be sure to take in plenty of trace minerals through sources like sea salt. Healthy salt allows your skin and body to hold on to water, lubricating joints, boosting nervous system function and smoothing out the skin. Good sources for healthy see salt are www.MountainRoseHerbs.com or www.TransitionNutrition.comAt the same time, here are some foods to avoid if you want healthy skin:
• Avoid MILK and DAIRY products. See: Four Ways Milk Causes Acne at http://www.naturalnews.com/024613.html
• Avoid FRIED foods, including fried snack chips.
• Avoid pharmaceuticals, since many of them cause skin hypersensitivity to sunlight, and that can lead to skin damage (especially if you're not taking astaxanthin).
• Avoid DEAD foods (manufactured foods or processed foods), as they contain chemical additives, unhealthy oils and nutritionally-depleted ingredients (like white flour) that strip the skin of nutrients.
* This statement has not been evaluated by the Food and Drug Administration. None of the products mentioned here are intended to treat, cure, diagnose or prevent any disease.
Friday, October 10, 2008
Eating right for your blood type diet
AB Blood Type ROCKS! (coz I'm AB haha)
Blood Type AB
Very rare, and the gentle offspring of Type A and Type B blood. This blood type has only been around for about 1000 years; a modern adaptation and result of intermingling of disparate groups. Less than 5% of the world's population have Blood Type AB. You combine the best and the worst of Blood Types A and B. Most foods that are bad for the Type A and Type B persons, are also bad for the Type AB person, with the exception of tomatoes. The Blood Type AB person can tolerate tomato lectins well. Like Type A, you do not produce enough hydrochloric stomach acid to digest animal protein well, such as red meat and poultry, yet you do need some animal protein. Therefore, portion size is important, and with less frequency. Be sure to take bromelain, a digestive enzyme derived from pineapple, to assist with the digestion of your animal protein meals. The best meats for you are lamb, mutton, rabbit and turkey. Also, avoid smoked and cured meats.
Foods that encourage weight gain - Red meat; kidney beans; lima beans; seeds; corn; buckwheat; wheat.
Foods that encourage weight loss - Tofu; seafood; dairy; green vegetables; spirulina; sea kelp; pineapple.
Other foods to avoid
- Meat: bacon, beef, ground beef, buffalo, chicken, cornish hen, duck, goose, ham, heart, partridge, pork, veal, venison, quail.
- Seafood: anchovies, barracuda, beluga, bluegill bass, clams, conch, crab, crayfish, eel, flounder, frog, haddock, halibut, herring (pickled), lobster, lox (smoked salmon), octopus, oysters, sea bass, shrimp, sole, striped bass, turtle, yellowtail.
- Cheese: American, blue cheese, brie, butter, buttermilk, Camembert, ice cream, Parmesan, provolone, sherbet, whole milk. Oils: corn, cottonseed oil, safflower, sesame, sunflower.
- Nuts/Seeds: filbert; poppy seeds; pumpkin seeds; sesame butter (tahini); sesame seeds; sunflower butter; sunflower seeds.
- Beans: adzuke, black, fava, garbanzo, kidney, lima; black-eyed peas.
- Cereals: cornflakes; cornmeal; kamut; kasha; corn muffins.
- Grains & Pasta: buckwheat kasha; barley flour; artichoke pasta; soba (buckwheat) noodles.
- Vegetables: artichoke (domestic & Jerusalem); avocado; white & yellow corn; lima beans; black olives; peppers: green, jalapeno, red, yellow; radishes; sprouts: mung bean & radish.
- Fruits: bananas; coconuts; guava; mangoes; oranges and orange juice; persimmons; pomegranates; prickly pears; rhubarb; starfruit.
Blood Type O
Blood Type O is the oldest blood type in the world (evolved around 40,000 BC), and is traced back to CroMagnon man. People with Blood Type O have the hardiest digestive systems. They are the meat-eaters. Persons with Blood Type O need animal protein for good health, as well as vegetables and fruits. However, carbohydrates should be kept to a minimum, since the Blood Type O person cannot digest carbohydrates very well, especially wheat products containing gluten. This person will do well on a high animal protein, low carbohydrate diet; and, dairy products should be kept to a minimum. Persons with Blood Type O produce a lot of hydrochloric acid in their stomachs, and it is this great abundance of stomach acid that allows them to digest animal protein favorably. And, because their digestive systems already contain a lot of stomach acid, they should avoid drinking coffee, since coffee will cause them to produce even more stomach acid, and this tends to make them prone to peptic ulcers, especially if they are constantly under a great deal of stress. They should drink more green tea, instead of coffee. Persons with Blood Type O tend to have low thyroid and sluggish metabolisms; therefore, they should supply their diets with sea kelp and seafood to obtain natural iodine to stimulate their thyroids. The best exercises for these persons are the vigorous workouts like jogging, power walking, aerobics, weight training, etc. The harder they exercise, the better they will feel. Get the heart rate going, and sweat up a storm to burn calories, alleviate stress and eliminate depression!
Foods that encourage weight gain - Wheat gluten; corn; kidney beans; navy beans; lentils; cabbage; brussel sprouts; cauliflower; mustard greens; and, of course, sugar and white flour.
Foods that encourage weight loss - Sea kelp (iodine); Seafood: bluefish, cod, hake, halibut, herring, mackerel, pike, rainbow trout, red snapper, salmon, sardines, shad, snapper, sole, striped bass, sturgeon, swordfish, tilefish, white perch, whitefish, yellow perch, yellowtail; Red Meat: beef, buffalo, heart, lamb, liver, mutton, veal, venison; Vegetables: kale, spinach, broccoli.
Other foods to avoid
- Meat: bacon; goose; ham; pork. Seafood: barracuda, catfish, caviar, conch, herring (pickled), lox (smoked salmon), octopus.
- Cheeses & Dairy: American cheese, blue cheese, brie, buttermilk, Camembert, casein, cheddar cheese, colby, cottage cheese, cream cheese, edam, emmenthal, goat milk, gouda, gruyere, ice cream, Jarlsburg; kefir, Monterey Jack, munster, parmesan, provolone, Neufchatel, ricotta, skim or 2% milk, string cheese, Swiss cheese, whey, whole milk, yogurt, all varieties.
- Oils: corn, cottonseed, peanut, safflower;
- Nuts & Seeds: brazil nuts, cashew, litchi, peanuts, peanut butter, pistachios, poppy seeds.
- Beans & Legumes: copper, kidney, navy, tamarind, lentils (domestic, green & red).
- Cereals: cornflakes, cornmeal, cream of wheat, familia, farina, grape nuts, seven-grain, shredded wheat, wheat bran, wheat germ.
- Grains & Pastas: bulgur wheat flour, couscous flour, durum wheat flour, gluten flour, graham flour, soba noodles, semolina pasta, spinach pasta, sprouted wheat flour, white flour, whole wheat flour.
- Vegetables: avocado, cabbage (Chinese, red, white), cauliflower, white & yellow corn, eggplant, domestic & Shiitake mushrooms, mustard greens, olives (black, Greek, Spanish), potatoes (red & white), alfalfa sprouts, brussel sprouts;
- Fruits: blackberries, coconuts, melon (cantaloupe & honeydew), oranges, plantains, rhubarb, strawberries, tangerines;
- Juices: apple, apple cider, cabbage, orange.
- Spices: capers, cinnamon, cornstarch, corn syrup, nutmeg, black & white pepper, vanilla, vinegar (apple cider, balsamic, red & white wine).
- Condiments: ketchup, mayonnaise, pickles (kosher, dill, sweet & sweet pickle relish).
- Herbal Teas: alfalfa, aloe, burdock, coltsfoot, corn silk, echinacea, gentian, goldenseal, red clover, rhubarb, Saint-John's Wort, senna, shepherd's purse, strawberry leaf, yellow dock.
- Beverages: coffee (regular & decaf), distilled liquor, all sodas, black teas.
Blood Type A
People with Blood Type A evolved from the hunter/meat-eater to the agrarian, and were the farmers and grain gatherers. This blood type evolved between 25,000 and 15,000 bC. They have fragile digestive systems. These people cannot tolerate animal protein well, and should be the proverbial, classic "vegetarian" of the human species. They also are usually lactose intolerant, as well. Persons with Blood Type A should avoid animal protein and dairy products, and would do well with whole grains, legumes, fruits and vegetables. Tofu and Hawaiian Spirulina should become the Blood Type A person's best friends, as these foods contains high-quality vegetable protein! Persons with Blood Type A do not produce enough hydrochloric acid in their stomachs, and that is why they have a difficult time digesting animal protein well. This also gives them a predisposition toward getting stomach cancer, and should never eat smoked or cured meats due to the sodium nitrites in them. Animal protein and dairy products tend to rot and ferment in their digestive tracts, and the toxic bacteria backs up into their tissues and muscles, thereby causing digestive distress. A lack of sufficient hydrochloric acid in their stomachs is another reason that persons with Blood Type A do not absorb Vitamin B12 properly from the foods they eat. Vitamin B12 is normally found in red meat, although B12 is also found in superior vegetable protein foods such as Hawaiian Spirulina, soy products and sea kelp. This inability to absorb Vitamin B12 sufficiently from food tends to make the person with Blood Type A prone to pernicious anemia. Therefore, supplementing the diet with Vitamin B12 is critical. Also recommended is supplementation with digestive enzymes such as betaine, bromelain and papain. Bromelain is derived from pineapple, and assists with the digestion of animal protein. Betaine will help to increase the amount of hydrochloric acid in their stomachs. The best exercise for these persons is not the heavy, vigorous workouts, but more calming, centering exercises like Tai Chi, Hatha Yoga and golfing. These soothing types of exercises will relieve the Blood Type A person's stress in a more beneficial way.
Foods that encourage weight gain - Meat; dairy food; kidney beans; lima beans; wheat (in overabundance); and, of course, sugar and white flour.
Foods that encourage weight loss - Vegetables oils, such as olive and flaxseed; soy foods; spirulina; vegetables; pineapple.
Other foods to avoid
- Meat & Poultry: bacon, beef, ground beef, buffalo, duck, goose, ham, hart, lamb, liver, mutton, partridge, pheasant, pork, rabbit, veal, venison, quail.
- Seafood: anchovy, barracuda, beluga, bluefish, bluegill bass, catfish, caviar, clam, conch, crab, crayfish, eel, flounder, frog, gray sole, haddock, hake, halibut, herring (fresh & pickled), lobster, lox (smoked salmon), mussels, octopus, oysters, scallop, shad, shrimp, sole, squid (calamari), striped bass, tilefish, turtle.
- Cheese/Dairy: American, blue cheese, brie, butter, buttermilk, Camembert, casein, cheddar, colby, cottage, cream cheese, edam, Emmenthal, gouda, gruyere, ice cream, Jarlsberg, Monterey jack, Munster, Parmesan, provolone, Neufchatel, sherbet, skim or 2% milk, Swiss, whey, whole milk.
- Oils: corn, cottonseed oil, peanut, safflower, sesame.
- Nuts & Seeds: brazil, cashews, pistachios.
- Beans & Legumes: copper, garbanzo, kidney, lima, navy, red beans, tamarind beans.
- Cereals: cream of wheat, familia, farina, granola, grape nuts, wheat germ, seven grain, shredded wheat, wheat bran.
- Breads & Muffins: English muffins, high-protein bread, matzos wheat, multi-grain bread, pumpernickel, wheat bran muffins, whole wheat bread.
- Grains & Pastas: white & whole wheat flour, semolina & spinach pasta.
- Vegetables: cabbage (Chinese, red, white), eggplant, lima beans, mushroom (domestic), olives (black, Greek, Spanish), peppers (green, jalapeno, red, yellow), potatoes (sweet, red, white), tomatoes, yams.
- Fruits: bananas, coconuts, mangoes, melon (cantaloupe & honeydew), oranges, papayas, plantains, rhubarb, tangerines.
- Juices: orange, papaya, tomato.
- Spices: capers, plain gelatin, pepper (black, cayenne, peppercorns, red pepper flakes, white), vinegar (apple cider, balsamic, red wine, white), wintergreen.
- Condiments: ketchup, mayonnaise, pickles, pickle relish, Worcestershire sauce.
- Herbal Teas: catnip, cayenne, corn silk, red clover, rhubarb, yellow dock. Beverages: beer, distilled liquor, seltzer water, all sodas, black teas.
Blood Type B
This blood type developed between 15,000 and 10,000 BC. Persons with Blood Type B have tolerant digestive systems, and can tolerate most foods equally well, with some exceptions. They are the lucky ones who can digest all types of foods with ease. However, the foods they should avoid are corn, buckwheat, lentils, peanuts, and sesame seeds, as these foods will tend to make them gain weight. Just like the Type O's, Type B's tend to have a problem with gluten in wheat products and wheat germ, which can cause a drop in their blood sugar levels, causing symptoms of hypoglycemia (low blood sugar). Blood Type B's who want to lose weight should definitely avoid wheat products. These lucky people can handle dairy products okay, compared to the other blood types. However, easy does it; if you consume too many high-calorie dairy products, you will gain weight! If you get hypoglycemia after eating a meal, sipping licorice tea would be beneficial for you. It is not advisable to take licorice supplements, unless under the supervision of a doctor. However, sipping licorice tea is very good.
Foods that encourage weight loss - Green vegetables; red meat such as lamb, mutton and rabbit; liver; turkey; pheasant; eggs/low-fat dairy products, including eggs from chicken; seafood, especially deep ocean fish such as cod and salmon, also flounder, halibut and sole; licorice tea. (Licorice tea is great to sip after a meal, as this will prevent hypoglycemia); soy foods; olive and flaxseed oil; oatmeal; oat bran; millet; rice bran; spelt; puffed rice.
Other foods to avoid
- Corn; lentils; black-eyed peas; garbanzo beans; peanuts; sesame seeds; buckwheat; wheat; and chicken (chicken is bad for the Type B's); shellfish; tomatoes; tofu; artichokes; avocados; olives: black, green, Greek, Spanish; pumpkin; radishes; mung bean sprouts; radish sprouts; tempeh; oils: canola, corn, cottonseed, peanut, safflower, sesame and sunflower; coconuts; persimmons; pomegranates; prickly pears; rhubarb; starfruit; allspice; almond extract; barley malt; cinnamon; cornstarch; corn syrup; plain gelatin; black and white pepper; tapioca; ketchup; hard distilled liquor; seltzer water; all sodas; amaranth; barley; cornflakes; cornmeal; cream of wheat; kamut; kasha; rye; seven-grain; shredded wheat; wheat bran; wheat germ.
Thursday, September 4, 2008
Breast-Reduction Surgery Increasing for Overweight Teenage Boys
(NaturalNews) A condition known as gynaecomastia, in which teenage boys develop female breast tissue, is becoming more common; a trend that some doctors attribute to rising obesity rates.
"This is different to someone just being overweight. These are firm female breasts, something that any woman would be proud of," said obesity-related plastic surgery specialist Christian Duncan. "There isn't one month that has passed in the past 12 months where I have not seen a new patient with this condition. It used to be much less common and I am afraid it is a sign of the growing problem of childhood obesity."
Duncan said that he has conducted 20 breast reduction surgeries on boys in the last year.
"We try to teach these boys about making lifestyle adjustments, like getting them to go to the gym, but they just won't go," he said. "They become very self-conscious and it can start to affect their ability to socialize and concentrate at school. Often they are bullied. To rectify the problem for them we basically use liposuction to remove the glandular and breast tissue and fat from around the chest to give a flatter appearance."
Gynaecomastia is caused by a hormone imbalance during adolescence. Known causes include body-building or recreational drugs, cancer and diseases of the kidney or liver. But researchers also suspect obesity and environmental toxins - particularly female hormones or chemicals that mimic them - of playing an important role.
"Both men and women have breast tissue but there is something about obesity that triggers hormone imbalances and causes an unnatural growth in these boys," Duncan said. "If nothing is done to stop the growing tide of childhood obesity in the city I expect to see more cases year-on-year."
In addition to the 20 surgeries he has conducted, Duncan says he has also counseled many other boys who are seeking breast reduction surgery but do not qualify. He has urged these children to lose weight through changes to their diet and exercise habits.
Sources for this story include: www.timesonline.co.uk.
"This is different to someone just being overweight. These are firm female breasts, something that any woman would be proud of," said obesity-related plastic surgery specialist Christian Duncan. "There isn't one month that has passed in the past 12 months where I have not seen a new patient with this condition. It used to be much less common and I am afraid it is a sign of the growing problem of childhood obesity."
Duncan said that he has conducted 20 breast reduction surgeries on boys in the last year.
"We try to teach these boys about making lifestyle adjustments, like getting them to go to the gym, but they just won't go," he said. "They become very self-conscious and it can start to affect their ability to socialize and concentrate at school. Often they are bullied. To rectify the problem for them we basically use liposuction to remove the glandular and breast tissue and fat from around the chest to give a flatter appearance."
Gynaecomastia is caused by a hormone imbalance during adolescence. Known causes include body-building or recreational drugs, cancer and diseases of the kidney or liver. But researchers also suspect obesity and environmental toxins - particularly female hormones or chemicals that mimic them - of playing an important role.
"Both men and women have breast tissue but there is something about obesity that triggers hormone imbalances and causes an unnatural growth in these boys," Duncan said. "If nothing is done to stop the growing tide of childhood obesity in the city I expect to see more cases year-on-year."
In addition to the 20 surgeries he has conducted, Duncan says he has also counseled many other boys who are seeking breast reduction surgery but do not qualify. He has urged these children to lose weight through changes to their diet and exercise habits.
Sources for this story include: www.timesonline.co.uk.
Thursday, August 28, 2008
How Governmental Vaccine Policies Made Cancer Contagious
(NaturalNews) Most people have been told over the years that you cannot catch cancer from someone else. Unlike the fear of AIDS conjured up by the cleverly contrived media blitzes of the 1980's, cancer has generally been seen as often incurable, quite frequently ultimately fatal, yet whilst a terrible disease that strikes too many, we have always been thankful that it is not contagious. But, if you have not done so already, it is now time to re-evaluate this belief and all because of the misguided medical machinations of profit-seeking pharmaceutical companies in cahoots with inexcusably ignorant politicians throughout the last half century.
It is intriguing to take a look over the statistics of mortality over the last century or so for countries such as the U.S. and U.K. The figures imply that certain major diseases have greatly contributed to the death-toll over the years. In the main, these illnesses have gradually been "conquered" largely due to improved sanitation. Advances in science and medicine may also have played a part, but their role has been substantially over played by the media, politicians and pharmaceutical manufacturers for their own questionable reasons.
The conventional wisdom of recent times has been that unlike most of the other major diseases, cancer is booming. Hence the justification for billions of dollars to be ploughed into supposedly furthering the understanding of this disease with "many faces". Billions, by the way, that largely come via direct support for research from Governments (i.e. our money!) and from immense sums in gifts and donations (i.e. our money!) wrung out of us by today's media-and-marketing-savvy, multi-billion dollar charitable organizations (that are actually simply "business wolves" dressed in "charitable-sheep's" clothing, of course.)
The Mythical Cancer Boom
The reality, however, is that rather than exactly "booming" (in the sense of rising inexorably), the cancer mortality statistics confirm that the number of deaths caused by cancer, per 1000 head of population, has pretty much remained static throughout the last century. True, this means that, by comparison with other formerly "killer" diseases, such as tuberculosis (T.B.), little progress seems to have been made. Here again such an observation is really too simplistic to have much value, but treading the "mine-laden" ground that is the interpretation of statistics is not the main thrust of this particular article.
Let's just say that cancer is such a recognized threat these days that, we are told, around 1-in-3 women and as many as half of all men (in the developed Western countries, at least) will suffer some kind of cancer at some time in their lives. It also seems that (thanks to advances in diagnostic capabilities) the types and varieties of cancer that Homo sapiens now suffer are legion; albeit that the majority of cases of cancer are represented by a handful of major forms –- these being breast, cervix, colorectal, lung, prostate and skin cancers.
It has long been thought that cancers are not per se "contagious". That is, cancer cannot be passed from person to person by contact of any kind. But nowadays it appears that things may not be so simple or clear when it comes to the spread of some cancers. A case in point was articulated within an article published in Medical Veritas a while ago by Neil Z. Miller. The following discussion revisits Miller's fascinating paper, for those who may have missed it.
The Other Vaccination Debacle
There has been disturbing news in recent years regarding the possible dangers of vaccines and the negative impact on long-term health that ill-conceived and scientifically dubious mass-vaccination campaigns might be having. One example that has hit the headlines is the issue of thimerosal, a vaccine preservative that contains mercury, and its possible role in contributing to the dramatic rise in autism in the U.S. in particular. Few "natural health" oriented readers will have failed to pick-up on this topic over recent years. But long before thimerosal became a hot topic there were already dire tidings emerging about the impact of questionable vaccination programs instigated four or five decades ago.
Neil Z. Miller authored a fascinating and detailed paper a little while back that deserves revisiting, if you did not pick up a copy of Medical Veritas back in 2004. In this case the particular vaccination that appears to have introduced new and harmful factors into the bodies of many people, particularly in the U.S., is the Polio vaccine hailed and lauded in its day and injected into between 30 and 100 million Americans between 1954 and 1963.
Amongst numerous startling revelations, Miller notes that as early as 1959 a respected U.S. Government researcher first suggested that the 'famous' polio vaccine created by Jonas Salk, was contaminated with an infectious agent that had the potential to trigger cancers in humans. The researcher, Bernice Eddy was silenced and later demoted in the oft-recorded fashion of a panicking authority.
Later on two other scientists were credited with confirming that polio vaccines were indeed contaminated by a viral agent found in diseased monkey glands such as those used to culture the shots administered to multi-millions of Americans and others around the world. This time it was the pink-sugar cube vaccine, developed by Salk's contemporary and vaccine-development competitor Albert Sabin and which became the vaccination-norm in the 1960's (to the glee of many schoolchildren of the time, including the author of this article) that was the problem.
It was Doctors Ben Sweet and M.R. Hilleman, at the Merck Institute for Therapeutic Research, who confirmed that a simian (monkey) virus, code name SV-40, had been identified in diseased Rhesus monkey kidneys which had been used for polio vaccine production. The virus, it appears, was not destroyed during normal vaccine processing and hence was likely to have been pumped into millions of human recipients. A major problem was that almost all Rhesus monkeys had this widespread virus and SV-40, it was further confirmed, had the potential to trigger cancers. Particular concern was expressed by the researchers at the time about this likelihood if the vaccine was administered to babies.
Naturally it was too late to do anything about the many millions who had received polluted Salk vaccines and it would have been commercial and political suicide to renege upon the polio vaccine program in 1960 and withdraw the new Sabin vaccines. Consequently masses of folks were unwittingly 'seeded' with a potential cancer-causing time-bomb, it seems.
The Evidence Mounts
Evidence has since emerged that this carcinogenic virus may indeed be doing its worst amongst the vaccinated population. During the 1990's various studies confirmed the presence of monkey virus SV-40 in the tumors of many cancer victims. One such study conducted at the highly regarded Loyola Medical Center in Chicago, showed that almost 4 out of 10 patients with bone cancer, and close to 6 in every 10 mesothelioma victims also had the SV-40 virus. It seems that SV-40 can interfere with a cell's ability to resist malignancy due to blocking a key protective protein.
Further data also emerged from a U.S. national database in 1998. It became clear that in those American states that the contaminated vaccines were used most heavily there were considerably higher levels of certain cancers. Statistics indicated that bone cancers were up by 17 cases in 100, there were also one fifth more brain cancers, and 178 percent more cases of mesothelioma in the areas where SV-40 laced vaccines had been used. Further research has also revealed that bone cancer rates in the areas where contaminated vaccines were used were an incredible 1000-percent higher than the average in States where monkey virus affected vaccines had been used the least.
The Zip-Code Cancer Lottery
For interest sake, the American States where the highest levels of polluted vaccines were administered include:
* Connecticut
* District of Columbia
* Delaware
* Iowa
* Illinois
* Massachusetts
* Maryland
* Michigan
* Minnesota
* New Hampshire
* New York
* Oregon
* Pennsylvania
* Rhode Island
* Utah
* Vermont
* Washington
* Wisconsin
* Wyoming
Even More Bad News
But with respect to the theme of this article the bad news gets worse. It seems that studies have shown that SV-40 has been found in almost one quarter of blood samples and close to half of all semen samples taken for analysis. It has also been confirmed that the SV-40 virus can pass between mother and baby in the womb. So the conclusion is that this virus, known to be cancer causing, can be passed on by sexual contact and inherited by babies from mothers. Just as it spread through the Rhesus monkey population, the SV-40 virus is evidently establishing itself in humans and has the potential to spread from person to person, and generation to generation -- all thanks to vaccination.
So although cancer has always been thought to be a disease that cannot be passed between humans it would seem clear that medical science in its wisdom has created the potential for this to change. Notably, in recent times, more and more stories are making their way to the media about viruses that have been shown to be able to cause cancer. This fact has of course been used to further substantiate the need for yet more billions to be pumped into cancer research. Naturally, little has been said about the fact that the promulgation of such cancer causing viruses throughout humans has been massively helped along by flawed and questionable vaccination policies. Indeed, far from lessons being learned it also seems that ever greater numbers of vaccines are being developed and already being planned to be unleashed upon a still largely under-informed public. Some soon to be widely-administered vaccines are even "supposed" to address the threat of potentially cancer causing viruses (such as Human Papilloma Virus, HPV). The validity of the claims for, and safety of such vaccinations are even now being challenged vigorously by certain informed sources.
It should be noted that the spread of cancer caused by contaminated polio vaccines is only one of the possible major health threats that the polio vaccination program may be responsible for. For those who can't wait to find out more about how polio vaccination in the 1950's, 60's and 70's is implicated in causing millions of cases of polio and the development and spread of AIDS amongst other horrors, the original reference by Neil Z. Miller is provided below. For those who can wait, further summaries will follow.
Source:
The polio vaccine: a critical assessment of its arcane history, efficacy, and long-term health-related consequences by Neil Z. Miller, Thinktwice Global Vaccine Institute, (www.thinktwice.com)
Medical Veritas 1 (2004) 239–251.
It is intriguing to take a look over the statistics of mortality over the last century or so for countries such as the U.S. and U.K. The figures imply that certain major diseases have greatly contributed to the death-toll over the years. In the main, these illnesses have gradually been "conquered" largely due to improved sanitation. Advances in science and medicine may also have played a part, but their role has been substantially over played by the media, politicians and pharmaceutical manufacturers for their own questionable reasons.
The conventional wisdom of recent times has been that unlike most of the other major diseases, cancer is booming. Hence the justification for billions of dollars to be ploughed into supposedly furthering the understanding of this disease with "many faces". Billions, by the way, that largely come via direct support for research from Governments (i.e. our money!) and from immense sums in gifts and donations (i.e. our money!) wrung out of us by today's media-and-marketing-savvy, multi-billion dollar charitable organizations (that are actually simply "business wolves" dressed in "charitable-sheep's" clothing, of course.)
The Mythical Cancer Boom
The reality, however, is that rather than exactly "booming" (in the sense of rising inexorably), the cancer mortality statistics confirm that the number of deaths caused by cancer, per 1000 head of population, has pretty much remained static throughout the last century. True, this means that, by comparison with other formerly "killer" diseases, such as tuberculosis (T.B.), little progress seems to have been made. Here again such an observation is really too simplistic to have much value, but treading the "mine-laden" ground that is the interpretation of statistics is not the main thrust of this particular article.
Let's just say that cancer is such a recognized threat these days that, we are told, around 1-in-3 women and as many as half of all men (in the developed Western countries, at least) will suffer some kind of cancer at some time in their lives. It also seems that (thanks to advances in diagnostic capabilities) the types and varieties of cancer that Homo sapiens now suffer are legion; albeit that the majority of cases of cancer are represented by a handful of major forms –- these being breast, cervix, colorectal, lung, prostate and skin cancers.
It has long been thought that cancers are not per se "contagious". That is, cancer cannot be passed from person to person by contact of any kind. But nowadays it appears that things may not be so simple or clear when it comes to the spread of some cancers. A case in point was articulated within an article published in Medical Veritas a while ago by Neil Z. Miller. The following discussion revisits Miller's fascinating paper, for those who may have missed it.
The Other Vaccination Debacle
There has been disturbing news in recent years regarding the possible dangers of vaccines and the negative impact on long-term health that ill-conceived and scientifically dubious mass-vaccination campaigns might be having. One example that has hit the headlines is the issue of thimerosal, a vaccine preservative that contains mercury, and its possible role in contributing to the dramatic rise in autism in the U.S. in particular. Few "natural health" oriented readers will have failed to pick-up on this topic over recent years. But long before thimerosal became a hot topic there were already dire tidings emerging about the impact of questionable vaccination programs instigated four or five decades ago.
Neil Z. Miller authored a fascinating and detailed paper a little while back that deserves revisiting, if you did not pick up a copy of Medical Veritas back in 2004. In this case the particular vaccination that appears to have introduced new and harmful factors into the bodies of many people, particularly in the U.S., is the Polio vaccine hailed and lauded in its day and injected into between 30 and 100 million Americans between 1954 and 1963.
Amongst numerous startling revelations, Miller notes that as early as 1959 a respected U.S. Government researcher first suggested that the 'famous' polio vaccine created by Jonas Salk, was contaminated with an infectious agent that had the potential to trigger cancers in humans. The researcher, Bernice Eddy was silenced and later demoted in the oft-recorded fashion of a panicking authority.
Later on two other scientists were credited with confirming that polio vaccines were indeed contaminated by a viral agent found in diseased monkey glands such as those used to culture the shots administered to multi-millions of Americans and others around the world. This time it was the pink-sugar cube vaccine, developed by Salk's contemporary and vaccine-development competitor Albert Sabin and which became the vaccination-norm in the 1960's (to the glee of many schoolchildren of the time, including the author of this article) that was the problem.
It was Doctors Ben Sweet and M.R. Hilleman, at the Merck Institute for Therapeutic Research, who confirmed that a simian (monkey) virus, code name SV-40, had been identified in diseased Rhesus monkey kidneys which had been used for polio vaccine production. The virus, it appears, was not destroyed during normal vaccine processing and hence was likely to have been pumped into millions of human recipients. A major problem was that almost all Rhesus monkeys had this widespread virus and SV-40, it was further confirmed, had the potential to trigger cancers. Particular concern was expressed by the researchers at the time about this likelihood if the vaccine was administered to babies.
Naturally it was too late to do anything about the many millions who had received polluted Salk vaccines and it would have been commercial and political suicide to renege upon the polio vaccine program in 1960 and withdraw the new Sabin vaccines. Consequently masses of folks were unwittingly 'seeded' with a potential cancer-causing time-bomb, it seems.
The Evidence Mounts
Evidence has since emerged that this carcinogenic virus may indeed be doing its worst amongst the vaccinated population. During the 1990's various studies confirmed the presence of monkey virus SV-40 in the tumors of many cancer victims. One such study conducted at the highly regarded Loyola Medical Center in Chicago, showed that almost 4 out of 10 patients with bone cancer, and close to 6 in every 10 mesothelioma victims also had the SV-40 virus. It seems that SV-40 can interfere with a cell's ability to resist malignancy due to blocking a key protective protein.
Further data also emerged from a U.S. national database in 1998. It became clear that in those American states that the contaminated vaccines were used most heavily there were considerably higher levels of certain cancers. Statistics indicated that bone cancers were up by 17 cases in 100, there were also one fifth more brain cancers, and 178 percent more cases of mesothelioma in the areas where SV-40 laced vaccines had been used. Further research has also revealed that bone cancer rates in the areas where contaminated vaccines were used were an incredible 1000-percent higher than the average in States where monkey virus affected vaccines had been used the least.
The Zip-Code Cancer Lottery
For interest sake, the American States where the highest levels of polluted vaccines were administered include:
* Connecticut
* District of Columbia
* Delaware
* Iowa
* Illinois
* Massachusetts
* Maryland
* Michigan
* Minnesota
* New Hampshire
* New York
* Oregon
* Pennsylvania
* Rhode Island
* Utah
* Vermont
* Washington
* Wisconsin
* Wyoming
Even More Bad News
But with respect to the theme of this article the bad news gets worse. It seems that studies have shown that SV-40 has been found in almost one quarter of blood samples and close to half of all semen samples taken for analysis. It has also been confirmed that the SV-40 virus can pass between mother and baby in the womb. So the conclusion is that this virus, known to be cancer causing, can be passed on by sexual contact and inherited by babies from mothers. Just as it spread through the Rhesus monkey population, the SV-40 virus is evidently establishing itself in humans and has the potential to spread from person to person, and generation to generation -- all thanks to vaccination.
So although cancer has always been thought to be a disease that cannot be passed between humans it would seem clear that medical science in its wisdom has created the potential for this to change. Notably, in recent times, more and more stories are making their way to the media about viruses that have been shown to be able to cause cancer. This fact has of course been used to further substantiate the need for yet more billions to be pumped into cancer research. Naturally, little has been said about the fact that the promulgation of such cancer causing viruses throughout humans has been massively helped along by flawed and questionable vaccination policies. Indeed, far from lessons being learned it also seems that ever greater numbers of vaccines are being developed and already being planned to be unleashed upon a still largely under-informed public. Some soon to be widely-administered vaccines are even "supposed" to address the threat of potentially cancer causing viruses (such as Human Papilloma Virus, HPV). The validity of the claims for, and safety of such vaccinations are even now being challenged vigorously by certain informed sources.
It should be noted that the spread of cancer caused by contaminated polio vaccines is only one of the possible major health threats that the polio vaccination program may be responsible for. For those who can't wait to find out more about how polio vaccination in the 1950's, 60's and 70's is implicated in causing millions of cases of polio and the development and spread of AIDS amongst other horrors, the original reference by Neil Z. Miller is provided below. For those who can wait, further summaries will follow.
Source:
The polio vaccine: a critical assessment of its arcane history, efficacy, and long-term health-related consequences by Neil Z. Miller, Thinktwice Global Vaccine Institute, (www.thinktwice.com)
Medical Veritas 1 (2004) 239–251.
Your diet can change your genes!
(NaturalNews) Dr. Dean Ornish, head of the Preventive Medicine Research Institute in Sausalito, California, is a well-known author advocating lifestyle changes to improve health. Dr. Ornish is also affiliated with the University of California at San Francisco. He recently reported on the Gene Expression Modulation by Intervention with Nutrition and Lifestyle (GEMINAL) study. This study indicated that making positive changes in one's diet, exercise, and stress management can affect more than a person's weight. Dr. Ornish's study was published in the June 16, 2008 edition of the journal Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences.
The study followed 30 men who had opted out of conventional treatment for low-risk prostate cancer. The men decided, before they were recruited to take part in the study, not to undergo treatments such as surgery, radiation, or hormone therapy normally advocated for the disease. The men were closely monitored for tumor progression through the duration of the study.
Instead, for three months, they made changes in their lifestyle: They ate a diet rich in fruits, vegetables, whole grains, legumes and soy products. They exercised moderately, walking for half an hour a day. Each day they spent an hour practicing stress management methods such as meditation. Additionally, the men participated in support group sessions.
As the study progressed, the men lost weight, lowered their blood pressure and cholesterol, and generally saw improvements in their health. Previous studies gave evidence of lowered prostate-specific antigen (PSA) levels with dietary changes.
Biopsies taken at the beginning and end of the study demonstrated some more significant changes. About 500 genes evidenced changes in activity at the end of the study. 48 disease preventing genes were turned on. 453 genes which promote disease, like breast and prostate cancers, were turned off.
Dr. Ornish expressed excitement over the results in a Reuters interview. The implications of this study go beyond men and prostate cancer. People are not doomed by their genetics. They can make positive changes fairly quickly. In three months, genetic changes can be made through the choices we make in food, exercise, and the way we handle stress.
This is an area of study that merits further investigation, the researchers concluded.
Resources:
((http://news.yahoo.com/s/nm/20080617/hl_...)
((http://www.pnas.org/cgi/content/full/10...)
((http://ict.sagepub.com/cgi/content/abst...)
((http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/1609...)
The study followed 30 men who had opted out of conventional treatment for low-risk prostate cancer. The men decided, before they were recruited to take part in the study, not to undergo treatments such as surgery, radiation, or hormone therapy normally advocated for the disease. The men were closely monitored for tumor progression through the duration of the study.
Instead, for three months, they made changes in their lifestyle: They ate a diet rich in fruits, vegetables, whole grains, legumes and soy products. They exercised moderately, walking for half an hour a day. Each day they spent an hour practicing stress management methods such as meditation. Additionally, the men participated in support group sessions.
As the study progressed, the men lost weight, lowered their blood pressure and cholesterol, and generally saw improvements in their health. Previous studies gave evidence of lowered prostate-specific antigen (PSA) levels with dietary changes.
Biopsies taken at the beginning and end of the study demonstrated some more significant changes. About 500 genes evidenced changes in activity at the end of the study. 48 disease preventing genes were turned on. 453 genes which promote disease, like breast and prostate cancers, were turned off.
Dr. Ornish expressed excitement over the results in a Reuters interview. The implications of this study go beyond men and prostate cancer. People are not doomed by their genetics. They can make positive changes fairly quickly. In three months, genetic changes can be made through the choices we make in food, exercise, and the way we handle stress.
This is an area of study that merits further investigation, the researchers concluded.
Resources:
((http://news.yahoo.com/s/nm/20080617/hl_...)
((http://www.pnas.org/cgi/content/full/10...)
((http://ict.sagepub.com/cgi/content/abst...)
((http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/1609...)
Wednesday, August 27, 2008
Milk Thistle
(NaturalNews) Milk thistle has long been a staple of natural healers who use it to promote liver health. Taken as a spring and fall tonic, milk thistle strengthens the liver, protects liver cells from incoming toxins and allows it to process and release toxins that are already there. It also acts as an anti-depressant, helping to move stagnant liver energy. Milk thistle also soothes and moistens mucous membranes, offering remedy for kidney and bladder irritation as well as inflammation of the skin. This lubricating effect makes milk thistle a mild natural laxative as well.
Supplementing with milk thistle has a long history among Europeans who have used it to protect their livers from the effects of alcohol and environmental pollution. It is approved by the German Commission E Monographs to treat alcoholic cirrhosis, chronic hepatitis, drug and alcohol induced liver damage, and other diseases such as acute viral hepatitis.
The milk thistle ingredient that most people believe to be responsible for its medicinal properties is the flavonoid complex called silymarin. Silymarin is found in the fruit of the milk thistle plant. Silymarin from milk thistle is also an extremely effective antioxidant, fighting the destructive processes of oxidation in the body. Studies suggest that silymarin can prevent free radicals from damaging liver cells.
Silymarin is also an active agent against cancer. Recent investigations and molecular studies have established the cancer chemopreventive role of silymarin in both in vivo and in vitro models.
According to a study published in the May 8, 2008 edition of Cancer Letter, silymarin modulates imbalance between cell survival and apoptosis. Apoptosis is the programmed death of cells. When cells do not die as programmed there is risk of tumor formation. Silymarin carries out its role by interfering with the expression of cell cycle regulators and proteins involved in apoptosis. In addition, silymarin shows anti-inflammatory as well as anti-metastatic activity. Further, the protective effects of silymarin and its major active constituent, silibinin, studied in various tissues, suggest a clinical application in cancer patients as an adjunct to established therapies, to prevent or reduce chemotherapy as well radiotherapy induced toxicity.
A study from the European Journal of Cancer, April, 2008 found that silibinin possesses cancer chemopreventive properties in rodent models of carcinogenesis. Researchers tested the hypothesis that silibinin, or silibinin formulated with phospholipids would delay tumor formation in mice with genetic models of prostate or intestinal malignancies respectively. Intervention with silibinin formulated with phospholipids reduced the size of well differentiated adenocarcinomas by 31%. Silibinin and silibinin formulated with phospholipids decreased the incidence of poorly differentiated carcinomas by 61% compared to mice on control diets. The silibinin formulation decreased plasma levels of insulin-like growth factor (IGF)-1 by 36%.
Another study, from the March 15, 2008 Journal of Cancer Research investigated in vivo efficacy and associated biomarkers and mechanism of silibinin against human colorectal carcinoma xenograft growth. Mice implanted with the growth and treated with silibinin, showed tumor growth inhibition of 48% compared to controls. A combination of silibinin and phytosome resulted in decreased proliferation by 40%, increased apoptotic index by nearly double, and reduced micro-vessel density by 36% compared to controls.
How milk thistle works
Milk thistle, provides protection to liver cells by stabilizing and guarding the cell membranes. It alters the structure of the outer cell membrane so as to prevent the penetration of liver toxins into the interior cell. By reducing the rate at which the liver absorbs harmful substances, toxins are excreted through the kidneys before they are able to damage the liver. A dramatic example of this is the ability of milk thistle to block poisons from the deathcap mushroom, a notorious liver toxin.
In a study, physicians rated the results after a group of 49 patients with deathcap mushroom poisoning were given injections of silibinin (20 mg/kg daily). All of the treated patients survived, even though they were treated from 24 to 36 hours after their poisoning, when liver and kidney damage had already occurred. The usual death rate from deathcap poisoning is 30 to 40 percent of patients. In a similar manner, Milk thistle detoxifies chemicals that enter our bodies from environmental sources, alcohol consumption, heavy metals, medical treatments such as chemotherapy and radiation, and drugs.
Silymarin exerts its powerful antioxidant properties by combining and neutralizing harmful free radicals resulting from metabolic processes and from the process of detoxification. Silymarin also helps increase levels of glutathione and superoxide dismutase (SOD), two antioxidants made naturally in the body. Silymarin may increase the content of glutathione in the liver and intestines by as much as 50 percent. It also increases the activity of SOD in red and white blood cells. In the stomach and intestines, silymarin has a role in the treatment of inflammatory conditions such as colitis and ulcers.
Milk thistle helps repair damaged cells and generate new ones when needed. It accomplishes this by stimulating vital protein synthesis through the enzyme RNA polymerase I. Silibinin may be the agent of this process, functioning by imitating a steroid hormone. In a study, silybin increased protein synthesis by up to 25 to 30 percent compared to controls. This is important since protein is a basic building block of cell walls, cell structures, and the creation of enzymes vital to body processes. This ability of Milk thistle to promote regeneration is why it is a chosen treatment for chronic hepatitis, cirrhosis, and fatty liver.
Milk thistle for kidney disease, diabetes, and skin health
In the kidneys, silymarin concentrates in the cells to aid in repair and regeneration by increasing protein and nucleic acid synthesis by as much as 25 to 30 percent. It has been tested in animals for its ability to protect kidneys from damage due to drugs. Results of this research were promising for people taking chemotherapy.
The ability of milk thistle to improve liver function and regulate the utilization of insulin leads to improved control for diabetes. A study reported in the August, 2002 Diabetes, Nutrition and Metabolism Journal noted that in patients with diabetes and associated chronic liver disease, plasma levels of glucose, insulin and triglycerides are high, lipid peroxidation is increased, and natural antioxidant reserves are low. Researchers hypothesized that better liver function could result in a better glucose and lipid metabolism.
A randomly selected group of 60 patients with diabetes caused by liver cirrhosis who were being treated with insulin were assigned to receive silymarin 600 mg/day or no treatment with silymarin for a period of 6 months. All the patients were receiving insulin therapy and had elevated endogenous insulin levels indicative of insulin resistance. Other criteria for inclusion in the study were age between 45 and 70, insulin therapy stable for at least 2 years, and liver cirrhosis determined by biopsy less than 4 years previously. Metabolic control, serum lipid levels and liver function was assessed throughout their treatment period.
Treatment with silymarin produced benefits in terms of control of diabetes, including significant reduction in daily and fasting blood glucose confirmed by urine glucose measurement, significant improvement in glycosylated hemoglobin values, and a significant drop in insulin requirement and fasting insulinemia. The status of the patients not treated with silymarin declined during the trial. The outcome in the silymarin recipients was significantly superior compared to the control group.
In the treated patients, the measured values of the end product of lipid peroxidation decreased significantly, from 2.2 umol/dl at baseline to 1.6 umo/dl 6 months later. In the control group, a slight increase in lipid peroxidation was observed over the 6 month period.
Researchers concluded that the clinical benefits of silymarin observed in the study probably involve restoration of the plasma membrane of the liver cells and an increase in insulin receptor sensitivity as a result of reduction in lipid peroxidation of liver cell membranes. Researchers noted the need to administer silymarin for longer periods of time in order to identify the end point of the biochemical amelioration caused by the silymarin treatment. All of the study participants chose to continue with silymarin following the 6 month study.
Along with moistening and soothing mucus membranes, Milk Thistle is effective at softening and moisturizing the skin, and it produces a noticeable glow and radiance to skin quality. Skin problems are quite responsive, particularly acne and eczema. Milk Thistle also aids in the healing of redness and inflammation of the skin.
Supplementing with milk thistle has a long history among Europeans who have used it to protect their livers from the effects of alcohol and environmental pollution. It is approved by the German Commission E Monographs to treat alcoholic cirrhosis, chronic hepatitis, drug and alcohol induced liver damage, and other diseases such as acute viral hepatitis.
The milk thistle ingredient that most people believe to be responsible for its medicinal properties is the flavonoid complex called silymarin. Silymarin is found in the fruit of the milk thistle plant. Silymarin from milk thistle is also an extremely effective antioxidant, fighting the destructive processes of oxidation in the body. Studies suggest that silymarin can prevent free radicals from damaging liver cells.
Silymarin is also an active agent against cancer. Recent investigations and molecular studies have established the cancer chemopreventive role of silymarin in both in vivo and in vitro models.
According to a study published in the May 8, 2008 edition of Cancer Letter, silymarin modulates imbalance between cell survival and apoptosis. Apoptosis is the programmed death of cells. When cells do not die as programmed there is risk of tumor formation. Silymarin carries out its role by interfering with the expression of cell cycle regulators and proteins involved in apoptosis. In addition, silymarin shows anti-inflammatory as well as anti-metastatic activity. Further, the protective effects of silymarin and its major active constituent, silibinin, studied in various tissues, suggest a clinical application in cancer patients as an adjunct to established therapies, to prevent or reduce chemotherapy as well radiotherapy induced toxicity.
A study from the European Journal of Cancer, April, 2008 found that silibinin possesses cancer chemopreventive properties in rodent models of carcinogenesis. Researchers tested the hypothesis that silibinin, or silibinin formulated with phospholipids would delay tumor formation in mice with genetic models of prostate or intestinal malignancies respectively. Intervention with silibinin formulated with phospholipids reduced the size of well differentiated adenocarcinomas by 31%. Silibinin and silibinin formulated with phospholipids decreased the incidence of poorly differentiated carcinomas by 61% compared to mice on control diets. The silibinin formulation decreased plasma levels of insulin-like growth factor (IGF)-1 by 36%.
Another study, from the March 15, 2008 Journal of Cancer Research investigated in vivo efficacy and associated biomarkers and mechanism of silibinin against human colorectal carcinoma xenograft growth. Mice implanted with the growth and treated with silibinin, showed tumor growth inhibition of 48% compared to controls. A combination of silibinin and phytosome resulted in decreased proliferation by 40%, increased apoptotic index by nearly double, and reduced micro-vessel density by 36% compared to controls.
How milk thistle works
Milk thistle, provides protection to liver cells by stabilizing and guarding the cell membranes. It alters the structure of the outer cell membrane so as to prevent the penetration of liver toxins into the interior cell. By reducing the rate at which the liver absorbs harmful substances, toxins are excreted through the kidneys before they are able to damage the liver. A dramatic example of this is the ability of milk thistle to block poisons from the deathcap mushroom, a notorious liver toxin.
In a study, physicians rated the results after a group of 49 patients with deathcap mushroom poisoning were given injections of silibinin (20 mg/kg daily). All of the treated patients survived, even though they were treated from 24 to 36 hours after their poisoning, when liver and kidney damage had already occurred. The usual death rate from deathcap poisoning is 30 to 40 percent of patients. In a similar manner, Milk thistle detoxifies chemicals that enter our bodies from environmental sources, alcohol consumption, heavy metals, medical treatments such as chemotherapy and radiation, and drugs.
Silymarin exerts its powerful antioxidant properties by combining and neutralizing harmful free radicals resulting from metabolic processes and from the process of detoxification. Silymarin also helps increase levels of glutathione and superoxide dismutase (SOD), two antioxidants made naturally in the body. Silymarin may increase the content of glutathione in the liver and intestines by as much as 50 percent. It also increases the activity of SOD in red and white blood cells. In the stomach and intestines, silymarin has a role in the treatment of inflammatory conditions such as colitis and ulcers.
Milk thistle helps repair damaged cells and generate new ones when needed. It accomplishes this by stimulating vital protein synthesis through the enzyme RNA polymerase I. Silibinin may be the agent of this process, functioning by imitating a steroid hormone. In a study, silybin increased protein synthesis by up to 25 to 30 percent compared to controls. This is important since protein is a basic building block of cell walls, cell structures, and the creation of enzymes vital to body processes. This ability of Milk thistle to promote regeneration is why it is a chosen treatment for chronic hepatitis, cirrhosis, and fatty liver.
Milk thistle for kidney disease, diabetes, and skin health
In the kidneys, silymarin concentrates in the cells to aid in repair and regeneration by increasing protein and nucleic acid synthesis by as much as 25 to 30 percent. It has been tested in animals for its ability to protect kidneys from damage due to drugs. Results of this research were promising for people taking chemotherapy.
The ability of milk thistle to improve liver function and regulate the utilization of insulin leads to improved control for diabetes. A study reported in the August, 2002 Diabetes, Nutrition and Metabolism Journal noted that in patients with diabetes and associated chronic liver disease, plasma levels of glucose, insulin and triglycerides are high, lipid peroxidation is increased, and natural antioxidant reserves are low. Researchers hypothesized that better liver function could result in a better glucose and lipid metabolism.
A randomly selected group of 60 patients with diabetes caused by liver cirrhosis who were being treated with insulin were assigned to receive silymarin 600 mg/day or no treatment with silymarin for a period of 6 months. All the patients were receiving insulin therapy and had elevated endogenous insulin levels indicative of insulin resistance. Other criteria for inclusion in the study were age between 45 and 70, insulin therapy stable for at least 2 years, and liver cirrhosis determined by biopsy less than 4 years previously. Metabolic control, serum lipid levels and liver function was assessed throughout their treatment period.
Treatment with silymarin produced benefits in terms of control of diabetes, including significant reduction in daily and fasting blood glucose confirmed by urine glucose measurement, significant improvement in glycosylated hemoglobin values, and a significant drop in insulin requirement and fasting insulinemia. The status of the patients not treated with silymarin declined during the trial. The outcome in the silymarin recipients was significantly superior compared to the control group.
In the treated patients, the measured values of the end product of lipid peroxidation decreased significantly, from 2.2 umol/dl at baseline to 1.6 umo/dl 6 months later. In the control group, a slight increase in lipid peroxidation was observed over the 6 month period.
Researchers concluded that the clinical benefits of silymarin observed in the study probably involve restoration of the plasma membrane of the liver cells and an increase in insulin receptor sensitivity as a result of reduction in lipid peroxidation of liver cell membranes. Researchers noted the need to administer silymarin for longer periods of time in order to identify the end point of the biochemical amelioration caused by the silymarin treatment. All of the study participants chose to continue with silymarin following the 6 month study.
Along with moistening and soothing mucus membranes, Milk Thistle is effective at softening and moisturizing the skin, and it produces a noticeable glow and radiance to skin quality. Skin problems are quite responsive, particularly acne and eczema. Milk Thistle also aids in the healing of redness and inflammation of the skin.
Thursday, August 21, 2008
DIE rBGH DIE!!!
(NaturalNews) I recently received great news from the Organic Consumers Association (OCA) that after a long fourteen year battle between OCA, public interest and family farmer groups against Monsanto's Recombinant Bovine Growth Hormone (rBGH), Monsanto has announced on August 6th that they will sell off their controversial rBGH. This is very good news since rBGH has been fed to cattle since the early 1990's and has been implicated in a wide array of health issues, some very serious ones for both the animals themselves and anyone who consumes anything from the animals who are fed rBGH.
rBGH is said to be responsible for a number of health issues ranging from premature puberty in children to colon, prostate and breast cancer to increased antibiotic residues and elevated levels of a potent cancer tumor promoter called IGF-1.
rBGH is a genetically engineered variant of the natural growth hormone produced by cows. It is manufactured by Monsanto and sold to dairy farmers under the trade name Posilac. This hormone forces cows to increase milk production by about 10%, but it also increases the incidences of mastitis, lameness as well as reproductive issues.
Another health concern, especially in regards to women is how this genetically modified hormone can interfere with a woman's sensitive hormonal system and could also affect human reproduction as it is currently doing to cow's reproductive systems. Could rBGH be at least partly responsible for the greatly increase in human fertility in the past thirty years? It certainly seems possible given the current evidence of reproductive issues in cows fed rBGH. Countries like Canada and many European nations have banned the import of U.S. milk unless it specifically says "No rBGH"
The fight is not over yet as Monsanto has been pressuring state legislatures to force dairies to use Posilac (rBGH). They also want to prevent these dairies from telling the public that they're rBGH free.
Here is an announcement from the Organic Consumers Association:
"Monsanto has been lobbying state legislatures and departments of agriculture around the country to harass dairies that won't use Posilac. Monsanto wants to take away dairies' right to tell consumers they're rBGH-free. Please go to the following OCA state action centers to learn more and take action: (http://www.organicconsumers.org/rbghlink.cfm) ."
Man made chemicals and genetically modified foods pose very serious health issues to your family. This is why it's very important to learn what chemicals and ingredients are being put into packaged and processed foods in order to take greater control of your health and life and to help avoid serious health issues.
My Chinese Health and Fitness video goes into more details about some other dangerous food ingredients and chemicals that are being put into packaged and processed foods that you definitely want to avoid and keep out of your body as much as possible. It also contains much more information on nutrition, breathing, meditation, physical training and more. Click on the link below to visit the video website and learn more about other chemicals to avoid and more.
rBGH is said to be responsible for a number of health issues ranging from premature puberty in children to colon, prostate and breast cancer to increased antibiotic residues and elevated levels of a potent cancer tumor promoter called IGF-1.
rBGH is a genetically engineered variant of the natural growth hormone produced by cows. It is manufactured by Monsanto and sold to dairy farmers under the trade name Posilac. This hormone forces cows to increase milk production by about 10%, but it also increases the incidences of mastitis, lameness as well as reproductive issues.
Another health concern, especially in regards to women is how this genetically modified hormone can interfere with a woman's sensitive hormonal system and could also affect human reproduction as it is currently doing to cow's reproductive systems. Could rBGH be at least partly responsible for the greatly increase in human fertility in the past thirty years? It certainly seems possible given the current evidence of reproductive issues in cows fed rBGH. Countries like Canada and many European nations have banned the import of U.S. milk unless it specifically says "No rBGH"
The fight is not over yet as Monsanto has been pressuring state legislatures to force dairies to use Posilac (rBGH). They also want to prevent these dairies from telling the public that they're rBGH free.
Here is an announcement from the Organic Consumers Association:
"Monsanto has been lobbying state legislatures and departments of agriculture around the country to harass dairies that won't use Posilac. Monsanto wants to take away dairies' right to tell consumers they're rBGH-free. Please go to the following OCA state action centers to learn more and take action: (http://www.organicconsumers.org/rbghlink.cfm) ."
Man made chemicals and genetically modified foods pose very serious health issues to your family. This is why it's very important to learn what chemicals and ingredients are being put into packaged and processed foods in order to take greater control of your health and life and to help avoid serious health issues.
My Chinese Health and Fitness video goes into more details about some other dangerous food ingredients and chemicals that are being put into packaged and processed foods that you definitely want to avoid and keep out of your body as much as possible. It also contains much more information on nutrition, breathing, meditation, physical training and more. Click on the link below to visit the video website and learn more about other chemicals to avoid and more.
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