How to Survive an Earthquake -- Tips From a Pro

by: Dr. Mercola

Doug Copp is the rescue chief and disaster manager of the American Rescue Team International (ARTI). Here is his advice on how to survive an earthquake.

Copp's advice is as follows:

1. Almost everyone who simply 'ducks and covers' when buildings collapse may be crushed to death. People who get under objects, like desks or cars, are crushed.

2. Cats, dogs and babies often naturally curl up in the fetal position. You should too in an earthquake.

That position helps you survive in a smaller void. Get next to an object, next to a sofa or other large bulky object that will compress slightly but leave a void next to it.

3. Wooden buildings are the safest type of construction to be in during an earthquake. If a wooden building does collapse, large survival voids are created. Brick buildings will break into individual bricks, and will cause injuries but fewer squashed bodies than concrete slabs. Concrete slab buildings are the most dangerous during an earthquake.

4. If you are in bed during the night and an earthquake occurs, simply roll off the bed. A safe void will exist around the bed.

5. If an earthquake happens and you cannot easily escape by getting out the door or window, then lie down and curl up in the fetal position next to a sofa or large chair.

6. Almost everyone who gets under a doorway when buildings collapse is killed. If you stand under a doorway and the doorjamb falls forward or backward you will be crushed by the ceiling above. If the door jam falls sideways you will be cut in half by the doorway.

7. Never go to the stairs. The stairs swing separately from the main part of the building, so the stairs and remainder of the building continuously bump into each other until structural failure of the stairs takes place. The stairs are a likely part of the building to be damaged. Even if the stairs are not collapsed by the earthquake, they may collapse later when overloaded by fleeing people.

8. Get near the outer walls of buildings or outside of them if possible. It is much better to be near the outside of the building rather than the interior. The farther inside you are the greater the probability that your escape route will be blocked.

9. People inside of their vehicles can be crushed when the road above falls in an earthquake and crushes their vehicles. Get out and lie in the fetal position next to your vehicles.

10. Paper does not compact. Large voids are found surrounding stacks of paper.

Sources:
Santiago Times February 4, 2010

Dr. Mercola's Comments:

Normally, I do not comment on entertainment articles such as this one. I simply post them as general self-help, or for your enjoyment.

In this case, however, I realize that may have been a mistake, as Doug Copp's advice has been disputed by the American Red Cross and other organizations.

These organizations have questioned the methodology of his tests, and pointed out that his advice is based on observations made in Turkey, where engineering and construction standards may lead to more building collapse than in the U.S.

The Red Cross continues to recommend the 'Drop, Cover, and Hold On' system as the best method for earthquake survival.

In addition, Snopes.com, for example, points out that some question Copp’s level of expertise, and although they don’t dispute all of the points above as being bad or wrong advice, they do caution readers to keep in mind that the building codes of the US may render some of it more or less useless.

It may be worthwhile, if you live in the US, to review the advice from other local sources such as the American Red Cross and the Federal Emergency Management Agency.

While you’re at it, you may want to print out an earthquake preparedness list, since knowing what you can do BEFORE to prepare, and what to do AFTER the quake may be just as vital as knowing what to do during. Here’s one from the American Red Cross, and a more in-depth emergency preparedness ebook from the Los Angeles Fire Department.

Related Links:
Trapped in Quicksand: Not a Worst-Case Scenario
Stress From Violence, Disaster Can Linger For Years
Where Breathing Is Deadly

Saturated Fat is NOT the Cause of Heart Disease

Posted by: Dr. Mercola



The saturated fat found mainly in meat and dairy products has been regularly vilified by physicians and the media, but a new analysis of published studies finds no clear link between people's intake of saturated fat and their risk of developing heart disease.

In the new analysis, which combined the results of 21 previous studies, researchers found no clear evidence that higher saturated fat intakes led to higher risks of heart disease or stroke.


A number of studies have linked the so-called Western diet to greater heart disease risks; that diet pattern is defined as one high in red meats and saturated fats -- but it is also high in sweets and other refined carbohydrates like white bread.

Sources:
Reuters February 4, 2010
American Journal of Clinical Nutrition January 13, 2010 [Epub ahead...
American Journal of Clinical Nutrition 91: 502-509; January 20, 2010

Dr. Mercola's Comments:

The demonization of saturated fat began in 1953 with Dr. Ancel Keys’ publication of a paper comparing fat intake and heart disease mortality, and the misguided ousting of saturated fat has continued ever since.

The idea that saturated fat is bad for your heart became so ingrained in the medical and health community, anyone daring enough to question this dogma was automatically viewed as a quack, regardless of the evidence presented.

Instead, trans fats became all the rage and have since saturated the market.

But times are a-changing, and in many ways for the better.

Along with a new interest in reviewing the sanity of vaccinating against every microscopic foe under the sun, medical scientists have finally begun to take a hard look at the link between saturated fats and heart disease – only to find that there is none.

Additionally, by now many have realized that it’s the trans fat found in margarine, vegetable shortening, and partially hydrogenated vegetable oils that is the true villain, causing far more significant health problems than saturated fat ever could.

Yet Another Study Finds No Link Between Saturated Fat and Heart Disease

Over the years, researchers have repeatedly failed to find the link between saturated fat and heart disease that Dr. Keys initially thought he had discovered, and this latest study is no exception.

When they pooled data from 21 studies that included nearly 348,000 adults, and surveyed their dietary habits and health events for anywhere from five to 23 years, they found no no difference in the risks of heart disease and stroke between people with the lowest and highest intakes of saturated fat.

Most likely, the studies that have linked the so-called “Western diet” to an increased heart disease risk simply confirm that sugar and refined carbohydrates are harmful to your heart health. Because although the Western diet is high in red and processed meats and saturated fats, it’s also alarmingly high in sugar and refined carbs like bread and pasta.

Another recent study published in the American Journal of Clinical Nutrition states that a reduction in saturated fat intake must be evaluated in the context of replacement by other macronutrients, such as carbohydrates. Replacement of saturated fat with a higher carbohydrate intake, particularly refined carbohydrate, can exacerbate insulin resistance and obesity, increase triglycerides and small LDL particles, and reduce beneficial HDL cholesterol.

The authors state that dietary efforts to improve your cardivascular disease risk should primarily emphasize:

■the limitation of refined carbohydrate intakes, and
■a reduction in excess weight

What I found most encouraging in the Reuters article above was Dr. Eckel’s statement that “the thinking on diet and heart health is moving away from a focus on single nutrients and toward ‘dietary patterns’."

This is precisely the message that needs to get out. You simply cannot optimize your health while staring at individual ingredients or nutrients in your diet.

Whole foods – real food that has been minimally processed and manipulated – contain so many symbiotic micronutrients that work together to produce the end result. The moment you start taking these ingredients apart, you lose the overall nutritional value, and you change how the nutrients operate inside your body.

Take the Mediterranean diet, for example. It consists mainly of whole, fresh foods like fruits and vegetables, along with fish, whole grains and unsaturated fats like virgin olive oil.

This type of diet has repeatedly been found to help lower your risk of heart disease and stroke. And although it’s low in saturated fats, perhaps the most significant thing about the

Mediterranean style diet is the absence of processed foods, which are loaded with sugars and dangerous trans fats.

So, essentially, a healthy diet is quite simply a natural diet of REAL foods. And that’s the type of “eating pattern” you’ll want to strive for, if you want to be optimally healthy.

Confusing the Facts About Saturated Fats

Part of the scientific confusion about saturated fats relates to the fact that your body is capable of synthesizing the saturated fats it needs from carbohydrates, and these saturated fats are principally the same ones present in dietary fats of animal origin.

However, and this is the key, not all saturated fatty acids are created equal.

There are subtle differences that have profound health implications, and if you avoid eating all saturated fats you will suffer serious health consequences. There are in fact more than a dozen different types of saturated fat, but you predominantly consume only three: stearic acid, palmitic acid and lauric acid.

It’s already been well established that stearic acid (found in cocoa and animal fat) has no effect on your cholesterol levels at all, and actually gets converted in your liver into the monounsaturated fat called oleic acid.

The other two, palmitic and lauric acid, do raise total cholesterol. However, since they raise “good” cholesterol as much or more than “bad” cholesterol, you’re still actually lowering your risk of heart disease.

Yes, You DO Need Saturated Fat!

Foods containing saturated fats include:

■Meat
■Dairy products
■Some oils
■Tropical plants such as coconut and palm trees

These (saturated) fats from animal and vegetable sources provide a concentrated source of energy in your diet, and they provide the building blocks for cell membranes and a variety of hormones and hormone-like substances.

When you eat fats as part of your meal, they slow down absorption so that you can go longer without feeling hungry. In addition, they act as carriers for important fat-soluble vitamins A, D, E and K.

Dietary fats are also needed for the conversion of carotene to vitamin A, for mineral absorption, and for a host of other biological processes.

Saturated fats are also:

■The preferred fuel for your heart, and also used as a source of fuel during energy expenditure
■Useful antiviral agents (caprylic acid)
■Effective as an anticaries, antiplaque and anti fungal agents (lauric acid)
■Useful to actually lower cholesterol levels (palmitic and stearic acids)
■Modulators of genetic regulation and prevent cancer (butyric acid)

The Link Between TRANS FAT and Heart Disease

Now, it is still clear that there is some association between fat and heart disease. The problem lies in the fact that most studies make no effort to differentiate between saturated fat and trans fat. Additionally, the other primary processed food that typically is associated with trans fat is sugar, specifically fructose.

What Ancel Keys, and other researchers have failed to do in their multivariate analysis is control for each of these two variables. If researchers were to more carefully evaluate the risks of heart disease by measuring the levels of fructose, trans and saturated fat, they would most likely find the true answer.

You see, fructose and trans fat known to increase your LDL levels, or "bad" cholesterol, while lowering your levels of HDL, known as "good" cholesterol, which, of course is the complete opposite of what you need in order to maintain good heart health. It can also cause major clogging of arteries, type 2 diabetes and other serious health problems.

Your body needs some amount of saturated fat to stay healthy. It is virtually impossible to achieve a nutritionally adequate diet that has no saturated fat. What you don’t need, however, are trans fats and fructose in excess of 15 grams per day. Since the average adolescent is now consuming 75 grams of fructose per day, one can begin to understand why we have an obesity and heart disease epidemic.

Contradictory Results SUPPORT Nutritional Typing

Studies also clearly show that despite great compliance to low saturated fat diets, there is a wide difference in biological responses. The question is, what does this mean? Does it mean the studies are flawed? And if so, which ones?

Interestingly enough, perhaps they’re all “right,” because these contradictory results actually support nutritional typing, which predicts that one-third of people will do very well on low saturated fat diets (which supports the studies showing that they work), but another one-third of people need high saturated fat diets to stay healthy.

Healthy Fat Tips to Live By

Remember, you do need a certain amount of healthy fat, while at the same time you’ll want to avoid the unhealthy varieties.

The easiest way to accomplish this is to simply eliminate processed foods, which are high in all things detrimental to your health: sugar, carbs, and dangerous types of fats.

After that, these tips can help ensure you’re eating the right fats for your health:

■Use organic butter (preferably made from raw milk) instead of margarines and vegetable oil spreads. Butter is a healthy whole food that has received an unwarranted bad rap.

■Use coconut oil for cooking. It is far superior to any other cooking oil and is loaded with health benefits. (Remember that olive oil should be used COLD, drizzled over salad or fish, for example, not to cook with.)

■Following my nutrition plan will automatically reduce your modified fat intake, as it will teach you to focus on healthy whole foods instead of processed junk food.

■To round out your healthy fat intake, be sure to eat raw fats, such as those from avocados, raw dairy products, and olive oil, and also take a high-quality source of animal-based omega-3 fat, such as krill oil.

Related Links:

The Truth About Saturated Fat
7 Reasons to Eat More Saturated Fat
Diet and Fat: A Severe Case of Mistaken Consensus

Bill Gates to Waste $10 Billion on Vaccine Research?

The Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation plans to donate $10 billion over the next decade to research new vaccines, according to the Microsoft co-founder and his wife. The commitment more than doubles the $4.5 billion the foundation has given to vaccine research over the years.

They called upon governments and business to also contribute.

"We must make this the decade of vaccines," Bill Gates said in a statement.

"Vaccines are a miracle," said Melinda Gates. "With just a few doses, they can prevent deadly diseases for a lifetime."

Sources:
Washington Post January 29, 2010
Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation

Dr. Mercola's Comments:

The Gates Foundation has now made what might very well be the largest charitable donation in history, and sadly, it’s a disaster waiting to happen due to the misconception that more drugs are the answer to world health problems.

What really mystifies me is how this $10 billion donation can not be considered a direct subsidy of the drug companies as they will be the ones that benefit.

The author of Politicol News said it best:

“The 10 billion dollar announcement to pump more profits into pharmas world wide is the biggest mistake Gates has made since Microsoft’s Vista.”

As one of the world's most respected voices, Gates has a unique opportunity to call attention to important social issues and make a huge impact worldwide. Yet he is allowing himself to be seduced by special interests and is wasting his resources, along with his opportunity to make a real difference.

It’s a pity all that money isn’t going to the solutions that actually address the underlying problems, such as nutrition, clean water, sanitation and vitamin D.

How many water purification systems would that build in Haiti, or India? How many sanitation facilities? How many rations of fresh produce?

In Bed with Big Pharma

Donating money to help the children of the world is certainly commendable, and I would never fault anyone for that. But partnering with drug companies and expecting altruism is at best naïve.

I have great respect for Gates' intellectual prowess and really find it hard to believe that he does not know the truth about vaccines.

The problem is that Gates has no interest in natural healing and is relying on advisors that are rooted in the fatally flawed conventional medical paradigm that holds vaccines as the cure for all infectious diseases.

In fact, the Gates Foundation is deeply associated with Big Pharma and even Monsanto, as you can see from their recent associations:

■Gates hired the vice president of Monsanto Robert Horsch[i] to join the Foundation in 2006

■Gates added Merck CEO Raymond Gilmartin to his Board of Directors in 2001

■Gates invested $205 million in nine of the large pharmaceutical companies in 2002

■Gates Foundation has given more than $4.5 billion to vaccine research over the past several years

Vaccinating the Immune-Compromised is a Recipe for Disaster

In order to eradicate infectious disease from a nation, you have to first address compromised immune systems. If you hit immune suppressed children with a potent vaccine, you’re going to create disease, not eradicate it.

If you carefully evaluate this issue you will clearly appreciate that vaccines actually suppress your body’s immune functions.

Death and disease in developing countries is often a result of malnutrition, which is associated with the following types of problems[ii]:

■Children with inadequate protein in their diets (kwashiorkor) are unable to produce antibodies after being given various vaccines, because their ability to produce white blood cells is compromised. White blood cells are essential in fighting infection.

■Infectious organisms are more likely to penetrate the bodies of malnourished children due to inadequate vitamin C, which causes their skin to break down more easily and facilitates the entry of bacteria and other organisms.

■The living conditions of third world children are often so poor that they are exposed to inordinately large numbers of pathogens, from which they have little defense.

■The most common cause of death among children of developing nations is diarrhea.

■Children in third world countries are often battling some sort of infection 200 days of the year.

Even healthy children have immature immune systems, but giving vaccines to children in generally weakened states of health is a sure recipe for disaster.
More Money than Sense

In a Seattle Times article[iii] , Kristi Helm makes the point that high-tech solutions don’t always work to solve health problems in developing countries and can actually make things worse if applied in the wrong way.

For example, initiatives fail when solutions miss the root cause of a problem.

As an example, Helm mentions the Gates Foundation’s Avahan Initiative[iv], a $258 million program designed to curtail the spread of HIV/AIDS in India, which has not lived up to its goals. The program is reportedly run by highly paid business consultants, rather than people with experience in public health.

Gates’ solution was to pour even more money into it this year—another $80 million—instead of really looking at why the program is missing the mark.

Margarita Quintanilla, a community health coordinator who worked in Nicaragua and a Gates Foundation grantee, expressed concern over how corporations want to jump in with technical solutions without giving any thought to the community’s basic social infrastructure needs, like education.

She experienced more success with teaching basic concepts like hand washing as a means of reducing infections.

Quintanilla stated:

"We have to be wise and intelligent in our solutions. We have the responsibility of promoting change in the right way."

Technology does not always hold the key to solving problems of health, education and poverty—social structures must be implemented along with it.
LA Times Found Gates' African Aid Program Put Children at Risk

Gates’ shortsightedness is evident from another philanthropic misstep.

The Los Angeles Times reported in 2007 that the Gates Foundation’s generous gifts to combat HIV/AIDS, TB and malaria in Africa inadvertently put many children at risk.[v]

At the time, efforts to fight these specific diseases required highly specialized medical training, which resulted in a shortage of basic-care physicians.

Ironically, more children died of common ailments like sepsis and diarrhea.

This tragic phenomenon illustrates one of the problems when there is a disproportionate focus on certain illnesses—resources are diverted away from basic needs, like clean water and food, which are basic requirements for strong immunity in the first place.

And while there's no doubt that money is fundamentally important in saving the lives of vulnerable children, progress won't be made until the money is directed at the underlying problems, which are primarily lifestyle-based.

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

[i] “Monsanto vice president joins the Gates Foundation” (October 19, 2006) Organic Consumers Association

[ii] Urvina S. “Malnutrition in Third World Countries” (1984)

[iii] Helm K. “Two words missing from Gates Foundation vocabulary” (July 30, 2009) Seattle Times

[iv] Avahan: India AIDS Initiative,

[v] Piller C and Smith D. “Unintended victims” (December 16, 2007) Los Angeles Times

Related Links:
All the Money in the World Can’t Solve Health Problems if Used Unwi...
Robert F. Kennedy Jr. Explains the Autism Cover-up
Vitamin A Is Saving Children’s Lives

Overlooked Contaminant Found In Donated Blood...

The CDC has reported that, in March 2009, several people accidentally received blood products with yellow fever vaccine in them. The investigation documents evidence for transmission of vaccine virus through infected blood products.

The mistake was a human error that could have been prevented. In response, the CDC decided to reissue its guidelines for donating blood.

It was the CDC, itself, that reported the incident in the Morbidity and Mortality Weekly Report.

But it should have attracted major media attention, because it potentially could have had devastating consequences, had all the people who received the contaminated blood contracted yellow fever, or come down with any of the side effects associated with the vaccine.

It’s not the first time a human error with a vaccine has occurred. Some of these mistakes are huge, such as when a major vaccine manufacturer, Baxter, admitted last year that the company had released a vaccine contaminated with an experimental flu virus.

Other mistakes are smaller, but just as serious, such as what happened last month in Great Britain, when the BBC reported that 59 children were accidentally given adult swine flu shots. The mistake was discovered when the children began coming down with side effects

And talk about accidents -- one just occurred in Massachussetts, when staff members in a school flu vaccine clinic got injected with insulin instead of H1N1.

It’s no wonder that the International Council of Nurses lists human error, through mistakes in vaccine preparation, handling or administration, as the most common errors linked to vaccine safety.

Sources:
CDC January 22, 2010
WCVBTV Boston January 18, 2010
BBC News January 29, 2010
International Council of Nurses, Adverse Events Following Immunization
Bulletin of the World Health Organization

Dr. Mercola's Comments:

Although the American Red Cross recommends not donating blood for at least two weeks after getting a yellow fever vaccination, it turns out that 89 US active duty trainees gave blood just four days after being inoculated with yellow fever vaccine.

The vaccinees did not report this during routine, pre-donation screening that included questions about recent vaccinations. The blood was recalled when investigators learned of the vaccine policy breach, but the damage had already been done.

Five persons, all of whom the CDC said were not ideal candidates for yellow fever vaccine, got vaccinated anyway through tainted transfusions. Three of the five tested positive for serologic response to yellow fever vaccine virus, and the CDC concluded that various blood products, including irradiated platelets, appear capable of transmitting the yellow fever vaccine virus.

This raises a question frequently asked about live virus vaccines – if blood products contaminated with yellow fever vaccine can transmit vaccine strain virus infection, then couldn’t the vaccines themselves also do so when they are injected?

The answer is that viral transmission has already been documented to occur with live virus polio and varicella (chicken pox) vaccines. And the CDC acknowledges that the possibility exists with other live virus vaccines, including the MMR and flu.

It also has been documented with the use of multi-dose bottles of various vaccines, and through the reuse of ventilator tubes and catheter hoses – a fact that the CDC probably would rather you didn’t know. But it’s a life-and-death fact that is real enough for the CDC and the World Health Organization to issue guidelines on the use of multi-dose vaccine bottles and reusable catheters.

All of this leads to a different, but related, life-and-death issue, one that was brought to light only a month ago in Wellesley, Massachusetts, when staff members were injected with insulin, instead of H1N1, at a school swine flu vaccine clinic.

Nobody was seriously injured, or died, from the school vaccine clinic mistake, and thankfully no children were involved, but the question still remains: No matter how much the CDC and other health officials claim that vaccines are completely safe, how do you guarantee that human error won’t harm or kill you?

Look at the History

The Baxter incident is a human error that could have had worldwide repercussions with deaths of massive proportions. The contaminated product, a mix of H3N2 seasonal flu viruses and unlabeled, live, H5N1 viruses, was discovered when ferrets in the Czech Republic died after being inoculated with the vaccine.

Ferrets don’t die from H3N2 – but they do from live bird, or avian, flu virus, which is what H5N1 is. Alarmed, Czech authorities contacted Baxter and demanded an explanation. The big pharmaceutical took its time confirming what the Czechs already knew, but finally admitted that the experimental vaccine was “live.”

According to media reports, the accidental mixture could have had “dire consequences,” since a person exposed to a mixture of the two strains simultaneously could have served as an incubator for a hybrid virus that could have transmitted easily person-to-person.

Had this virus taken hold like that, it’s hard to imagine what kind of worldwide consequences it could have had.

Thank goodness that didn’t happen, but the whole incident underscores the fact that, even at the highest level of security, it’s possible for major, scientific manufacturers to end up almost causing massive deaths by releasing laboratory-produced killer viruses to the general public.

It’s shameful that this company got away with this “mistake” without so much as a reprimand. To this day Baxter has offered no public explanation as to how this accident could have happened.

It kind of reminds me of the way the H1N1 vaccines have been handled: officials claimed this vaccine was as safe as the one for seasonal flu, even though it was manufactured in a hurry – with the clinical studies following after-the-fact.

And now, if you look at the H1N1’s short history, you can see that huge numbers of people are reporting all kinds of adverse reactions to this fast-tracked vaccine, including miscarriages and still births. But what do you get from the vaccine companies and the CDC when you question these reports? Not answers that affirm the adverse events, that’s for sure.

As far as the yellow fever-contaminated blood, this wasn’t the first time that tainted blood has been pumped into unsuspecting people’s arms, or that life-endangering mistakes have been made by medical professionals.

Remember back in the 1980s and ‘90s, when the CDC admitted too late that HIV could be transmitted through blood products? It was too late because thousands of people, including blood-transfusion-dependent hemophiliacs, had not only already contracted HIV through tainted blood, but had gone on to develop full-blown AIDS.

And what about the report in the Journal of the American Medical Association – one of the world’s most respected medical journals – just 10 years ago, that documented that medical error was the third leading cause of death in America?

That report was supposed to call attention to a tragedy that was causing 225,000 deaths per year in hospitals, from such things as unnecessary surgery, medication errors, infections, and from non-error, negative effects of drugs. And that was the low-ball figure – the Institutes of Medicine reported higher numbers.

I reported on this then, noting that it should be a wake-up call for anyone involved in the health profession, especially since another analysis concluded that between 4 percent and 18 percent of consecutive patients experience negative effects in outpatient settings with:

■116 million extra physician visits
■77 million extra prescriptions
■17 million emergency department visits
■8 million hospitalizations
■3 million long-term admissions
■199,000 additional deaths
■$77 billion in extra costs

These are staggering numbers, even in today’s topsy turvey eoconomic crisis . The point is, many of these illnesses and deaths could have been prevented because they could all be attributed to some kind of human – and therefore, preventable – error.

The JAMA article did spur the CDC and other health officials to address these issues, and to institute a number of new policies and guidelines to help reduce them. But obviously, they still happen.

Classic Case of the Fox Guarding the Hen House?

One of the persons who received the yellow fever-vaccine-infected blood was an 82-year-old man.

He had end-stage prostate cancer, and he died. Since an autopsy was not performed on this patient, it is not known if the tainted blood helped catalyze his death, even though yellow fever vaccine has been associated with serious adverse events in persons who are immunocompromised, or over age 60.

Another of the affected individuals was a pre-term infant, who failed to show any serological evidence of the antigen, probably because its immune system was too immature to mount a response.

The other three reported no serious adverse events from the mistake. But the CDC still did additional testing, to rule out two other possible adverse events from a yellow fever vaccine – cross-reactive antibodies for West Nile virus and encephalitis.

The tests came back negative, after which the CDC decided in its final report to reiterate the following comments and rules regarding blood donations and vaccines:

Transfusion-related transmission of attenuated YF vaccine virus is preventable.

Health-care providers should inform persons receiving live vaccines about the temporary deferral for blood donation.

Providing additional checks and balances is especially important when blood product donors receive several vaccinations within a short period (e.g., in the case of active duty military personnel or travelers).

If feasible, occupational health personnel at military training facilities should collaborate with the organizers of blood drives targeting military trainees to coordinate a minimum 2-week interval separating receipt of live vaccines and collection of blood products.

All potential blood donors should be individually screened for a recent history of receipt of vaccines containing live virus during the month before donation, and temporary deferment should be based upon the expected post-vaccination period of viremia (when the live viruses are still circulating through a person’s bloodstream).

Most temporary deferments due to receipt of live vaccines are 2 weeks; however, recipients of measles, mumps, and rubella vaccines and varicella vaccines should be deferred for 4 weeks because of the theoretical risk for prolonged viremia.

I put the last comment in boldface type because here, in its own words, the CDC is admitting that it IS POSSIBLE to transmit other live vaccine viruses through blood products. I commend the CDC for adding this warning to their statement. The only problem is that the warning is good only if everyone it’s aimed at pays attention.

In the yellow fever instance, these rules were already in place. But the rules didn’t work when a whole series of breakdowns in communication occurred, from the military base that allowed trainees to be part of a blood drive, to the trainees who either lied about their vaccine status, or simply failed to reveal it.

The bottom line is, the CDC can crow all it wants about the guidelines and rules it has to make sure vaccines are safe, and administered only to the right persons. But in the end, who’s watching the hen house to make sure the rules are followed?
What Was that Shot I Just Got?

While we’re talking about making sure that only those who are indicated to receive certain vaccines, receive them, let’s take a look at that school in Massachusetts, where staff members got sick after their H1N1 vaccines. Or, rather, insulin shots.

That’s right. Several staffers at a Wellesley, Massachusetts school came down with hypoglecemia after they were mistakenly given insulin instead of the intended H1N1 vaccine they were supposed to get during the school’s flu clinic.

How the school nurse got insulin confused with the vaccine is still a mystery – none of the many media reports about the incident had interviews with her. But, regardless, this was another human error that could have been, and should have been, prevented.

Sadly, according to an ABC News report, this isn’t the first time something like this has happened, just in this area of Massachusetts alone. Just last fall people in a neighboring town got seasonal flu vaccine instead of H1N1. And, in 2007, a teacher in a different nearby town got – guess what! – an insulin shot instead of flu.

Reports like this make you wonder: Just how many times is this same scenario repeated in communities large and small, every year across the country?

In analyzing the situation, health officials told ABC that these incidents should serve as learning tools that will improve vaccine safety – people should use this information to ask questions about the shots they’re getting, so they can feel safe in going ahead and getting their vaccines, they said.

I agree.

You SHOULD ask questions about any foreign substance being put into your body, especially vaccines. To borrow from the National Vaccine Information Center, before you get any vaccine, these are eight questions you should ask before getting any vaccine (the questions are framed with children in mind, but they apply to anyone):

1.Is my child sick right now?
2.Has my child had a bad reaction to a vaccination before?
3.Does my child have a personal or family history of:
◦Vaccine reactions
◦Convulsions or neurological disorders
◦Severe allergies
◦Immune system disorders
4.Do I know if my child is at high risk of reacting
5.Do I know how to identify a vaccine reaction?
6.Do I know how to report a vaccine reaction?
7.Do I know the vaccine manufacturer’s name and lot number?
8.Do I know I have a choice?
To those eight, I would add another, VERY IMPORTANT question: Have I read the manufacturer’s package insert for this vaccine?

And that leads us back around to our original question at the beginning of this report – can live vaccines transmit live virus infection?
Read the Manufacturers’ Package Inserts

The CDC is fully aware that some live virus vaccines, such as the rotavirus vaccine, the chicken pox vaccine and live attenuated influenza vaccine (LAIV), have a potential to transmit the viruses to other persons. For example, this CDC bulletin from 2003 says this about LAIV:

Because LAIV contains live influenza viruses, a potential exists for transmission of these viruses from vaccines to other persons

And, as I mentioned already, the CDC and the WHO know full well that disease has been transmitted – albeit rarely – by way of multi-dose vaccine bottles. Citing 19 studies – that’s right, 19 – that show these bottles to be a potential source of infection, as well as transmitters of diseases like hepatitis, the CDC and the WHO in 2003 drew up guidelines regarding the use of multi-dose bottles.

Several of the recommendations have to do with sanitation procedures and proper training in the use of sterile equipment – again, human controls that can result in human error, if the rules are not followed exactly.

This information was easy to find with an Internet search engine. Unfortunately, not all diseases and their vaccines are that easy to research. That’s why it’s important to know that one of the best resources you can use for learning about a vaccine is the manufacturer’s package insert.

Some Sample Package Inserts

Once you know how to do it, getting vaccine information straight from the horses’ mouths – the manufacturers themselves – really is quite easy. You don’t even have to know a manufacturer’s name to find what you’re looking for.

For example, if you want to know about the measles vaccine, just put “measles package insert” in your search engine.

And up pops Merck’s MMR (measles, mumps, rubella) vaccine, Attenuvax. Click on the PDF link and here’s what this package insert says:

This product contains albumin, a derivative of human blood. Based on effective donor screening and product manufacturing processes, it carries an extremely remote risk for transmission of viral diseases.

Although there is a theoretical risk for transmission of Creutzfeldt-Jakob disease (CJD), no cases of transmission of CJD or viral disease have ever been identified that were associated with the use of albumin.

So, again, there’s your answer: yes, it is possible for the live MMR vaccine to transmit disease. If you read further, you’ll also find that:

… lactating postpartum women immunized with live attenuated rubella vaccine may secrete the virus in breast milk and transmit it to breast-fed infants. In the infants with serological evidence of rubella infection, none exhibited severe disease; however, one exhibited mild clinical illness typical of acquired rubella.

So there you have it: Breast milk is another possible means of transmission of a live vaccine virus – and not just with rubella. Only a few days ago, the CDC issued a special warning against vaccinating breast-feeding women with yellow fever vaccine, after a report that a woman had passed the virus on to her baby through her breast milk. Dated Februray 11, 2010, the CDC bulletin said:

Breast-feeding women should not receive yellow fever vaccine except in situations where exposure to yellow fever viruses cannot be avoided or postponed. … The vaccine is highly effective. However, the findings in this report indicate that yellow fever vaccine virus can be transmitted to infants via breast-feeding.

The breastfed infant in this report required hospitalization for encephalitis (acute inflammation of the brain) after her mother received yellow fever vaccine.
Bulletins like this are prompts for adding to, or making changes to vaccine package inserts, so I’m sure it will be added soon to the yellow fever vaccine package insert.

Besides information like this, vaccine package inserts also will give you details of the drug’s clinical trials, including side effects and adverse events discovered at that time.

For example, Sanofi Pasteur’s package insert for its yellow fever vaccine plainly states that a known, serious adverse event associated with this vaccine is encephalitis.

But don’t stop with yellow fever. Go ahead. Download more package inserts and read them all. I promise, the adverse events and possible side effects that the manufacturers are required to publish in there will make you wonder what else your public health officials aren’t telling you.

First, Do No Harm

The bottom line is, when people can be killed by something so simple as an allergy to a peanut, why are we suggesting a one-size-fits-all policy for vaccines, especially when massive mistakes – call them screwups if you like – and inconsistencies from the labs and manufacturers like the Baxter incident are so prevalent.

It just isn’t logical that, in the environment, vaccines are considered hazardous materials that you can’t even flush down the drain, or pour into the ground, while at the same time being called perfectly safe. They would like you to think that the only way they don’t cause danger or harm is to inject them in your body – primarily in infants and children.

Just how does that make sense?

So, what can you do to protect yourself so that no harm will come to you, or your family should you decide to receive a vaccine, or if you have to undergo some sort of medical procedure?

Everyone knows that physicians take an oath that includes a promise: First do no harm. Most health care providers, whether they are physicians or nurses, would never intentionally inflict harm on their patients. But as you know, sometimes accidents and mistakes happen.

The best way to help ensure that those mistakes don’t happen to you is by being an informed, proactive patient. Ask questions before you get a vaccine or medical procedure. Make sure that what you’re getting is what you’re supposed to get, even if that means asking to see the bottle or package that your drug comes in, before it’s injected into you.

Also, be diligent about ascertaining that every person caring for you is following proper sterile procedures, such as hand washing before and after they examine you.

And, finally, if you do experience an adverse reaction to a medical procedure or vaccine, make sure you report it to your local and state medical boards. Vaccine reactions should be reported to the national Vaccine Adverse Events Reporting System. If your physician or attending health care provider is reluctant to do that for you, you can do it yourself, here.

Also, remember that preventative care, not treatment, is the best way to stay healthy. Drugs, surgery and hospitals are rarely the answer to chronic health problems. Facilitating the God-given healing capacity that all of us have – implementing an improved diet, exercising, and living a healthy lifestyle – is the key.

Effective interventions for the underlying emotional and spiritual wounding behind most chronic illness are also important clues to maximizing health and reducing disease.

Related Links:
STOP! Read This Before Vaccinating for Anything
Vaccines and Neurological Damage
Doctors Are the Third Leading Cause of Death in the US, Killing 225...

Better Heart Health With Vitamin "C"

A little bit of prevention today, in the form of supplemental C, can potentially save you a great deal of heart ache tomorrow.

Ask any of my patients and they’ll tell you that I’m a big fan of vitamin C. It’s one of the most important nutrients you can take for optimal health and it’s been linked to preventing everything from cancer to the common cold. But here’s something I’ll bet you didn’t know: Vitamin C can also boost the health of your heart.

In fact, if you don’t get enough of this crucial nutrient, you could likely be damaging the lining of your arteries—and this can lead to atherosclerosis. Vitamin C is a potent antioxidant that has been shown to prevent the oxidation of LDL (bad) cholesterol that contributes to the buildup of artery-clogging plaque.

There is also evidence that taking at least 1,000 mg. of vitamin C increased HDL (good) cholesterol levels in the blood. HDL cholesterol takes up excess cholesterol from cells and returns it to the liver so that it can be shuttled out of the body.

Vitamin C also lowers C-reactive protein (CRP), a biomarker of inflammation that has been shown to be a powerful predictor of heart disease. A study led by researchers at the University of California, Berkeley recently found that for healthy, non-smoking adults with high CRP levels, taking a daily dose of 1,000 mg. of vitamin C lowered CRP levels by 34 percent after two months compared to a placebo.

But, as good as vitamin C is on its own, it’s even better when you combine it with garlic. There’s new evidence that taking garlic and vitamin C supplements together may reduce blood pressure.

Scientists from New York’s Pharmaceutical Research Institute at Albany College of Pharmacy recruited six people with marginally high blood pressure (140/90 mmHg). With one-week breaks between each course, subjects completed ten-day doses of vitamin C alone (2,000 mg. per day), then garlic capsules alone (2,500 mg. per day of freeze-dried bulb powder), and finally, a combination of the two.

Taking vitamin C by itself didn’t affect the subjects’ blood pressure. Garlic alone reduced systolic blood pressure (the top number), but not diastolic pressure (the bottom number). But taken together, vitamin C and garlic reduced systolic levels to between 110 and 120 and diastolic to 75 to 80.

Blood pressure dropped because the cells lining the walls of the blood vessels were producing more nitric oxide, a compound that helps to regulate blood pressure and immunity, as well as many other bodily functions. Taking garlic supplements alone caused a twofold increase in cellular nitric oxide production. But combining garlic and vitamin C resulted in a threefold increase.

Although it’s important to eat plenty of fruits and vegetables high in this nutrient, I recommended adding between 1,000 and 3,000 mg. of vitamin C daily with meals. While extremely high amounts of vitamin C may cause diarrhea, this is a very safe vitamin for most people. Just be aware that large doses of vitamin C should be avoided by anyone suffering from kidney stones. And people taking warfarin (Coumadin) shouldn’t supplement with this antioxidant at all. If you fall into either of these two groups, check with your doctor before starting a vitamin C regimen.

Be well,

David Blyweiss, MD
Advanced Natural Medicine

Humble, Pesky Herb Rescues Blood Sugar At Lightning Speed

In India, they call it madhumeha, or "sugar urine."

In the U.S., we call it diabetes.

Either way, it's a blood sugar nightmare that can lead to heart disease, kidney failure, nerve damage, blindness, and more.

Everyone knows someone with diabetes because it is epidemic in the United States. Over 20 million people suffer from it. And the cost of this disease? A whopping $132 billion per year - with $92 billion of that going for prescription drugs.

It's a different story in rural India. There, in areas where natural medicine is still practiced, they serve up a special type of gourd when blood sugar problems arise.

Could that be why only 2-3% of India's vast rural population - 750 million people - has diabetes? In contrast, in the big cities of India, where modern diet and modern medicine are more common, 12% of adults are diabetic - the largest diabetic population in the world.1

Coccinia Cordifolia

That's the scientific name for the gourd plant that grows like a weed in India, Thailand, and Hawaii. It's also known by many other names, including kundru, ivy gourd, and tindora. In addition to the fruit, the leaves can also be cooked and eaten or dried and brewed into a tea.

This tropical plant is in the same family as bitter melon. It tends to spread wildly, vining in all directions and producing a small green fruit that turns red as it ripens. In the southern United States and parts of Hawaii, it is considered an invasive pest.

Traditional herbal medicine uses coccinia when blood sugar becomes a problem. It not only relieves the symptoms of excess blood sugar, but it is also safe to consume and has no known side effects.

Researchers have been studying the herb to see just how it works to control blood sugar.

Speedy results...

Studies on coccinia were quick to confirm the its benefits. Dr. Rebecca Kuriyan, a researcher at the Institute of Population Health and Clinical Research in Bangladore, led an experiment on 60 adults with newly detected type 2 diabetes. All were between the ages of 35 and 60.

Half the participants were given one gram of coccinia extract each day and half were given a placebo. No drugs were used in the double-blind study.

After 90 days, those who had taken the herbal extract had a 16% drop in fasting blood glucose levels, while those who got the placebo saw their levels rise. After-meal blood glucose levels in the herb group fell by almost 20%.2

Other studies have recorded similar results, prompting one researcher to comment: "The magnitude of change seen with the herb was similar to that with a conventional drug."3 Coccinia works as well as insulin to remove sugar from the blood.

It's also important to note that all of these studies took place over a very short period of time - just 6 to 12 weeks. Still, the results were almost immediate! That means coccinia works very quickly in the body to get blood sugar under control.

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These studies point out once again that disease is more than just a symptom...

As I mentioned earlier, Big Pharma is doing a booming business in the field of blood sugar control. Synthetic drugs are used to mask symptoms without getting at the cause. It's the typical pharmaceutical shotgun approach to treating disease.

Meanwhile, an inexpensive herbal extract, taken in as normal food or as a nutritional supplement, works just as well to treat early diabetic symptoms. With no side effects.

Big Pharma isn't likely to let you in on that little secret anytime soon. Unless they can somehow get a patent and turn a profit, of course.

End blood sugar problems now

If your blood sugar seems to be on a roller coaster, you need to treat it at the source before it becomes a bigger problem. Advanced diabetes is more difficult to deal with, but you can reverse mild diabetic symptoms like mood swings, cravings, and fuzzy thinking before it ever gets to that point.

Take care of the basics first. Eat a low glycemic diet to prevent spikes in blood sugar levels. Engage in an exercise plan based on short intervals of maximum effort rather than long, boring endurance workouts.

And if you need extra support, look for standardized coccinia cordifolia supplements at your local health food market. When you need to get control of your blood sugar - as quickly as possible - coccinia can give you the immediate help you're looking for.

To Your Health,




Jon Herring
Editorial Director
Total Health Breakthroughs

References:

1.Warrier, Shobha. "Diabetes as a Curse on Indians." 5 Nov. 2002. Rediff.com. July 2007. http://www.rediff.com/news/2002/nov/05spec.htm
2.Kuriyan R, Rajendran R, Bantwal G, Kurpad AV. "Effect of supplementation of Coccinia Cordifolia extract on newly detected diabetic patients." Diabetes Care, 31.2 (2008): 216-20.
3.Yeh G, Eisenberg DM, Kaptchuk T, Phillips RS. "Systematic Review of Dietary Supplements for Glycemic Control in Diabetes." Diabetes Care, 26.4 (2003): 1277-1294.

Irritable Bowel Syndrome And Aternative Therapies

TODAY'S HEALTHY ANSWER

Irritable Bowel Syndrome And
Alternative Therapies

Several of my patients suffer with irritable bowel syndrome, or IBS. Traditional drugs don’t always work for everyone and can sometimes make matters worse. The question I often hear people ask is, “What else can I do to help stop these stomach spasms?”

If you have IBS, and traditional treatments haven’t relieved your symptoms, don’t give up hope. There are many lifestyle changes along with natural remedies that have given my patients a new lease on life. How is that possible? Let’s first take a look at what IBS is.

What is Irritable Bowel Syndrome?

It’s really not known what causes irritable bowel syndrome. Some doctors think it’s the result of miscommunication between the brain and the intestines. Some feel it’s caused by nutritional deficiencies, allergies, or food intolerances. Others feel stress, underlying emotions or anxiety is the cause.

IBS is considered a functional condition that affects about 50 million Americans. It can have many of the following symptoms:
1.Abdominal cramping/pain relieved after bowel movement
2.Alternate between diarrhea and constipation
3.Frequent gas and flatulence
4.Bloating/distention
5.Passing mucus in stool
6.Heartburn
Currently, there is no cure for IBS. But here are some very effective natural treatments that I recommend to my patients to control their IBS:

IBS Relief from Nature, Alternative Therapy, Supplements


Most of the suggestions listed here involve making changes to your diet and overall lifestyle. You may choose to involve the services of an alternative healthcare practitioner or talk to your doctor about dietary supplements that might work for you.


Supplements

L-glutamine, an amino acid, is very effective at stopping diarrhea. It soothes the irritated lining of the bowel and helps stop the spasms. Get in powder form and mix about ¼ to ½ tablespoons with cool water. Drink on an empty stomach.

Acacia Senegal – a soluble fiber that also helps absorb water, converting bowel contents into a passable gel that both stops diarrhea and prevents constipation.

Vitamin C - 1-2,000 mg a day; not only boosts your immune system but helps digest food and keep the bowel moving normally.

Magnesium - 500 mg a day. A natural anti-spasmodic, helps stop and prevent gut spasms.

Digestives - such as ginger, peppermint chamomile, and oolong can be enjoyed as teas, or infusions. Some, like peppermint, come in hard candy. Peppermint is one of the best spasms, nausea, gas relievers around. It has been used for centuries as an after-meal digestive.

Behavioral Aids

Avoid – Insoluble fibers like wheat, bran, raw fruit, and cruciferous vegetables like broccoli, cauliflower, cabbage, brussel sprouts, legumes, and sprouts. These can intensify bloating, gas, and flatulence. They can also irritate the colon and can cause spasms and diarrhea.

Avoid – Stimulants like caffeine, alcohol, spicy foods, all irritate the colon.

Consume – Soluble fiber like rice/rice cereals, oats, soy, barley, potatoes (white/sweet), yellow vegetables, mushrooms, beets, bananas, applesauce. Soothes and normalizes the colon, both stopping and preventing diarrhea and constipation.

Exercise - Regular, physical movement helps keep the intestines working normally. Avoid long periods of sitting or lying down which can worsen IBS symptoms.


Alternative Therapies

Hypnosis – A very effective treatment at reducing most or all, IBS symptoms. Promotes relaxation and re-programs the mind-gut connection; particularly effective where anxiety and stress are big factors.

Acupressure/acupuncture – A practitioner puts pressure on meridians that correspond to your digestive tract and helps normalize and balance their function.

Reflexology – focuses on certain reflex points in the soles of the feet. A practitioner puts pressure on the points corresponding to your intestines which helps them function correctly.

Yoga – Noted for its relaxation capabilities, yoga is very effective at controlling IBS symptoms. Yoga works to relax muscles and un-kink the intestines to help them function normally.

Abdominal massage – helps move small stool deposits together to reduce the number of bowel movements. Lie on your side with knees bent and use your fist to massage from the left lower quadrant up, across your abdomen, back and forth, until your entire colon has been massaged.

People with IBS plan most of their lives centered around the nearest restroom. It can negatively affect personal relationships, social activities as well as contribute to depression and low self-image.

However, as I’ve shared with you here, natural treatments using alternative remedies and supplements can help you live a lot more comfortably with IBS. In some cases, they can eliminate symptoms altogether. They’re safe, they work, and they can help you enjoy life again!

Stay well,

Mark Rosenberg, M.D.
Institute For Healthy Aging

Eczema

Do you suffer with scaly, itchy skin that blisters and peels? I know this may sound like a dreadful condition to live with but the truth is that eczema is on the rise. According to the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Disease, 9 – 30% of the U.S. population has some type of skin problem. Eczema is a general term that defines a group of medical conditions that cause the skin to become inflamed or irritated.


As a dermatologist, I treat many patients with atopic eczema, the most common type of dermatitis. Although children are the most likely to have eczema, some people continue to experience symptoms throughout their life. Fortunately for most people, the disease can be controlled with proper treatment or medication.

Atopic refers to diseases that develop from allergies such as asthma and hay fever. Eczema is often found in families with a history of similar allergies and seems to be an inherited condition. No one really knows what causes Eczema but some researchers think it is linked to an overactive response by the body’s immune system that reacts to triggers including environmental irritants, severe weather, rough materials, soaps, pollen, animals, or mold.


Eczema is usually fairly easy to diagnose simply by the outward appearance of your skin and knowing your personal and family history. Sometimes, when the condition persists, allergy skin testing is required.


Living With Eczema


If you are suffering with eczema you know how painful it can be when your skin becomes inflamed and irritated. You may notice changes in your skin that include blisters, bleeding, raw areas of the skin from scratching, and thickening patches after long-term irritation. A rash is more commonly seen in adults on the inside of knees and elbows, neck, hands, and feet. However, rashes may occur anywhere on the body during a severe outbreak.


Patients often come to me when symptoms reach a critical point and the scratching has become unbearable. They are surprised when I explain that by taking care of their skin at home they may reduce the need for medication. Here’s how!

1.First things first…avoid scratching! Use a cold compress or take an antihistamine to help reduce the itch. If you scratch unknowingly at night time try wearing light gloves.

2.Lubricate the skin by using ointments such as petroleum jelly, creams, or lotions 2-3 times a day. Make sure all moisturizers are free of alcohol, scents, dyes, fragrances, or other chemicals.

3.Other things that sometimes aggravate eczema symptoms are:

- Certain foods such as dairy, peanuts, egg or wheat
- Some fabrics such as wool
- Soaps with strong detergents, chemicals and solvents
- Sudden temperature changes or stress that might cause sweating

4.Keep your baths or showers short with cooler water. Do not scrub skin too hard and always lubricate while skin is damp.

What Treatments Work?


Other than home care techniques there are over-the-counter products such as hydrocortisone that reduce inflammation. If your case is severe, your doctor may prescribe prescription creams or oral corticosteroids and in some instances antibiotics might be needed to kill infection.


You may consider some very helpful natural remedies for eczema that do not produce side affects and are readily available. Remember it’s always best to check with your doctor before introducing anything new to your system whether orally or topically.

■Probiotics are live microbial organisms that are found in the digestive tract. When taken in supplement form they are thought to reduce the growth of harmful bacteria and strengthen your digestive tract. Researchers have found that probiotics actually help alleviate symptoms of eczema in children who have allergies to food.
■Creams and Gels made from herbal extracts of chamomile, licorice, and witch hazel have produces favorable results for reducing symptoms of Eczema. In a study comparing chamomile cream to 0.5% hydrocortisone cream or placebo, the chamomile cream was just as effective after two weeks.
■Primrose oil and borage oil are a type of essential fatty acid that has been shown to correct deficiencies in skin lipids that trigger inflammation. It is thought that fatty acids of this nature may help to reduce symptoms of Eczema.
As you can see there are a number of things you can do at home to help your skin condition. If you’ve tried self-care steps without success you should see your doctor if:

■Your discomfort becomes unbearable
■You are losing sleep
■You are having trouble functioning
■Your skin is painful
■You suspect you have an infection
Winter is the time of year when most people experience flare ups due to the cold, dry air. Don’t let your skin condition get the best of you. Take precautions now and follow the advice I give to my patients when it comes to at home self-care. Although Eczema is a chronic condition, you can control it by guarding against harsh environmental irritants and keeping your skin well-moisturized.


In Good Health,


Jay Brachfeld, M.D.

Life Is Like a Box of Chocolates‏

If you ate chocolate on Valentine’s Day, I have some news for you. You don’t have to feel guilty.

In fact, I have evidence that you may have cut your risk from dying of a stroke nearly in half.

Two studies give us great news about chocolate.

The first study found that people who ate one serving of chocolate per week were 22% less likely to have a stroke.1

The second study found that people who ate 50 grams of chocolate once a week were 46% less likely to die following a stroke than those who didn’t eat chocolate.2

About 80% of strokes occur when there isn’t enough blood getting to the brain.3 Your brain is starved of oxygen and nutrients and begins to die immediately.

Chocolate helps to counteract that in two ways. It’s rich in antioxidants and helps to increase circulation.

You may get a rush of pleasure when you bite into a piece of chocolate. But chocolate gives you more than instant gratification. Chocolate is filled with antioxidants called flavonoids.

Flavonoids protect the body.

Flavonoids fight silent inflammation, which is the leading cause of chronic diseases such as cancer, heart disease, stroke, dementia, and many others.4

You can find flavonoids in vegetables, tea, and red wine, but cocoa has more flavonoids.5 In fact, dark chocolate contains up to four times the antioxidants found in tea.6

But that’s not all this Valentine’s Day treat can do.

The flavonol-rich cocoa in chocolate is also a vasodilator.7

It widens blood vessels so circulation is improved. This brings an increased blood flow to the brain. It helps to lower blood pressure and improve heart function. Vasodilators like the cocoa in chocolate also help to increase circulation to sexual organs so they’re ready to respond when you are.

No wonder the scientific name for cocoa translates to “food of the gods.”

When you’re looking for a good source of chocolate, keep this in mind:

■Look for chocolate that contains 70% or more cocoa. This is the ingredient that contains health benefits.

■Check how much sugar is added to the chocolate you choose. Keep it as low as possible. But choose sugar over artificial sweeteners or chocolate labeled “sugar free.”

■Beware of other chemicals in the chocolate. Choose a brand that has pure ingredients and no chemical additives.

■Make chocolate your special treat of choice once a week.

■You can find good quality chocolate at a health-food store. More and more it’s finding its way into grocery and drug stores. Read the label to be sure of the quality and content.

To Your Good Health,



Al Sears, MD

Don't Just Live Longer - Live Better

Presented hereunder are collections of advices from respectable doctor(s), as follows:

Antidepressants up stroke risk
February 9, 2010

Antidepressants are bad enough for most people — but a new study shows that they’re even worse than we thought for older women.

Researchers found that post-menopausal women who take those popular SSRIs — drugs like Prozac, Paxil, Zoloft and Lexapro — have a 45 percent increased risk of stroke, and a 32 percent increased risk of death from all other causes.

The study, published in the Archives of Internal Medicine, used data on 136,293 women between the ages of 50 and 79, who were followed for an average of six years. Women on tricyclic antidepressants faced similar risks.

Not exactly comforting… especially when you consider the large numbers of women who are given these meds off-label to deal with the symptoms of menopause in addition to the millions who take it to beat the blues.

“Women should not stop taking the medications based on this one study,” Dr. Jordan W. Smoller, one of the authors, told Reuters.

I agree. They shouldn’t stop taking the medications based on this one study — they should stop taking them based on the massive and overwhelming body of research that shows how dangerous and ineffective they really are.

These meds have also been linked to sudden cardiac death in women, an increased risk of suicide in teens, and nausea, insomnia, diarrhea and sexual side effects and men and women alike. Some of these meds are even addictive — which means withdrawal symptoms when you try to stop taking them.

Still, despite all that, the researchers seemed almost determined to apologize for their study… lest they anger their Big Pharma friends. They were also quick to point out that a woman on antidepressants has only a 1 in 200 chance of a stroke in any given year.

Those aren’t exactly remote odds. And when you consider that many people take these meds year after year, it adds up to a few too many rolls of the dice for comfort.

The right natural treatment for your depression will depend on the cause, but nutritional imbalances are often at the heart of the condition. Deficiencies in amino acids (especially tryptophan), B vitamins and essential fatty acids can all lead to depression. A physician experienced in natural healing methods can customize your supplements to your needs.

In addition, numerous studies have found that everything from exercise to simple talk therapy can match or beat antidepressants — with none of the side effects. You might also find some immediate relief from a proven herbal remedy such as St. John’s wort.

Spices may fight breast cancer
February 9, 2010

Forget the latest radioactive technology — the real answer to breast cancer could be in some spices that have been in use for thousands of years.

New research finds that compounds in turmeric and black pepper may decrease the growth of stem cells responsible for breast cancer tumors, while leaving normal cells alone.

There’s a big caveat here: This is early research, and it was done on breast cells — not on people.
So we need to see some more studies before anyone can say for sure if these spices can really fight or prevent breast cancer. But you don’t need to wait to make both of these great spices a natural part of your diet. They already have plenty of proven health benefits. Plus, they both taste great.

Curcumin, the key compound in turmeric, is a natural anti- inflammatory. It’s been shown to help fight stomach problems and may even help treat and prevent Alzheimer’s disease. It’s also shown promise in fighting pancreatic, colorectal and esophageal cancers. You’ll often find turmeric in curry dishes, but you can also learn to incorporate it into your own recipes.

Most Americans are more familiar with black pepper… but they may not realize that salt’s lesser-used companion is actually a powerful antioxidant. Some studies have shown that it may even help prevent colon cancer.

Black pepper can also stimulate helpful stomach acids to improve digestion, and can even reduce flatulence.

They say variety is the spice of life… but it just may be that a variety of spice will improve, or even save, your life

Flowers for your eyes
February 11, 2010

A British optician claims he cured his blindness with marigolds.

I know — this sounds like quackery. But bear with me for a moment, because there’s more to this than a field of golden flowers.

Harry Marsland, 73, was diagnosed with one of the most frightening conditions facing seniors: age-related macular degeneration. He lost the vision in his right eye to the more serious and far less common “wet” version of the condition, and the vision in his left to “dry” AMD.

But after taking a marigold-based supplement, he can not only see through his left eye — he can drive and read, too, according to a report in Britain’s Daily Telegraph newspaper.

And it’s not as far-fetched as it sounds. Marigolds contain meso-zeaxanthin, which has shown some promise when it comes to fighting vision problems. His supplement also contained lutein and zeaxanthin, two key phytonutrients linked to healthy eyes.

But since he had already tried those other ingredients before, he credits his success to the addition of meso- zeaxanthin. Because of his success, the Waterford Institute of Technology in Ireland is now conducting clinical trials on these supplements. I’ll keep you updated.

If you’re facing AMD, work with your doctor to find the right nutritional supplement for your eyes — because, as this case shows, sometimes it’s just a matter of finding the right blend of missing nutrients.

Of course, the real key to fighting AMD is to win the battle before it even starts by making sure your eyes have all the nutrients they need to stay healthy now.

You’ve probably heard that carrots are great for your eyes – and they are rich in beta-carotene, which you certainly need. But to really lower your risk for vision problems, you’re going to have to go far beyond Bugs Bunny’s favorite snack.

One recent study found diets rich in vitamins C and E, zinc, lutein, zeaxanthin and omega-3 fatty acids can significantly lower your risk for age-related macular degeneration. That means eating more leafy greens, nuts, beans, fruit, eggs and especially fatty fish. Add a supplement if you have a hard time getting any of these nutrients from your food.

Other studies have found that — in addition to the nutrients I just mentioned — you should also make sure you’re getting enough copper, which you’ll find in nuts, liver and shellfish.

Happiness in togetherness
February 11, 2010

If you’re looking to fight off mental health disorders, then look no further than your other half. You may think you drive each other crazy — but a new study found that married people have a lower risk for conditions like anxiety, depression and substance abuse.

Researchers from New Zealand’s University of Otago, Harvard University, the World Health Organization and other institutions used data on 34,493 people in 15 countries to give the first wide-reaching look at the mental-health effects of marriage.

And the results of the study, published in the British journal Psychological Medicine, were a little surprising to the researchers — since previous studies found that only women had mental-health benefits from marriage.

But it’s not really THAT surprising to me. After all, other studies have found that married people are also healthier overall than single people — and for good reason. Everything’s easier when you have someone to share it with.

The researchers say that while marriage lowers the risk for mental health problems in both genders, women were more likely to become depressed during a first marriage than men. They also found that marriage reduces the risk of substance abuse in women more than men.

But marriage is like a drug you need to keep taking if you want to continue to get the benefits. The researchers found that once death, divorce or separation enter the picture, the risks of depression, anxiety and substance abuse go right back up.

And that’s also right in line with the research on marriage and overall health — divorced people are unhealthier overall. The stress of divorce can take a physical and mental toll… not to mention an economic one.

It’s no great mystery — humans are social creatures. We all have our ups and downs whether we’re single or married, but overall we tend to do better when we’re together.
So if you’ve found your partner — hold on tight. It’s good for both of you.

Feds rub Big Pharma’s back
February 12, 2010

Imagine millions of people taking cholesterol meds even though they have perfectly healthy cholesterol levels. As crazy as that sounds, an FDA panel has recently recommended the statin Crestor for healthy patients with normal cholesterol levels and no outward signs of heart disease.

It’s a Big Pharma dream come true.

This bogus recommendation is based on a study published last year showing that Crestor could reduce heart problems by 44 percent even in people with normal cholesterol levels. That’s because the drugs don’t just lower cholesterol — they also lower levels of C-reactive protein, a marker of inflammation that’s actually a better indicator of heart disease than cholesterol levels.

But just like you don’t need hazardous meds with nasty side effects to lower your cholesterol, you can get your CRP levels where they should be entirely on your own — and I’ll tell you how to do both in a moment.

First, let me tell you why this just may be one of the worst decisions in the long and terrible history of the consumer-unfriendly FDA.

For starters, the very study the panel used to make their risky recommendation, also found that Crestor patients have an increased risk of developing diabetes. Thirteen of the patients in the study DIED of gastrointestinal problems, and 18 patients reported being in a state of confusion while on the meds, versus just four in the placebo group.

All that and they had the nerve to end the study early — because everything was working so well! And on top of all that, we already know that statins can cause debilitating muscle pain and liver damage.

There’s no need to risk death, diabetes, muscle pain or liver damage… because you can take care of both high CRP and elevated cholesterol levels entirely on your own, without drugs or any expensive products or gimmicks.

The key to both cholesterol and inflammation control starts with a healthy diet and steady exercise. Eat right and get moving, and your cholesterol levels will come down. You’ll also have a head start on reducing that inflammation.

Then, for an extra boost in bringing CRP levels down, get more vitamins C.

That’s it. No pills, no treatments — and no reason to enrich some shady Big Pharma execs. Save your prescription drug costs and co-pays for something you could really use instead.
Just don’t buy a new television with it — if you think there are too many statin ads on the air right now, wait until the FDA signs off on this new recommendation.

Coffee, tea may fight diabetes
February 12, 2010

I was sipping my favorite Kenyan roast when I read the latest good news for coffee and tea drinkers. A new analysis found that these drinks can lower your risk for type 2 diabetes. The more the better!

University of Sydney researchers looked at the data from 18 studies involving more than 500,000 people — 21,000 of whom developed diabetes. And they found great news for those of us who love our hot beverages:

Three to four cups of coffee per day can lower your risk by 25 percent compared drinking two or fewer cups

Three to four cups of decaf can lower the risk by 33 percent compared to those who drink no coffee; and

Three or more cups of tea each day can cut the risk of diabetes by 20 percent.
And of course, both coffee and tea — especially green tea — come with plenty of other great health benefits.

Recently, I told you that a steady stream of coffee may lower your risk for prostate cancer by up to 60 percent. And if you want to know more about green tea’s benefits — and how to drink it right — be sure to read, “Just a spoonful of sugar… and a slice of lemon.“

Don't just live longer -- live better

First, the good news -- we're living longer than ever.

Americans are now living, on average, to almost 78 years old. That's nearly a year and half longer than we did a decade ago.

But here's the bad news: We're not living nearly as long as people in other nations. Depending on whose stats you choose to believe, we're barely in the top 40, often just behind or just ahead of Cuba. Japan consistently tops the list, where their life expectancy is about four years longer than it is here.

You can do a lot with those four years. The bottom line is that Americans just don't take very good care of themselves.

But for you, that can change today.

The best advice is always the simplest:

Eat right and exercise, just like mom said. But if you feel like you need an extra boost, here are a few lesser-known ingredients to a long and healthy life:

- Resveratrol: You've probably heard of this antioxidant, found in red wine. But you'd have drink your wine by the case to get the amounts used in the most promising studies, so consider a supplement.

- Vitamin D: Studies have found that the sunshine vitamin may slow aging -- and lower your risk of early death by any cause. It's also our most common deficiency.

- Vitamin C: One study found mice deficient in C aged four times faster than those who got what they needed. This crucial immune system vitamin can also slash levels of C-reactive protein, lowering your heart disease risk.

- Fish Oil: Omega-3 fatty acids have been repeatedly linked to a decreased risk for the top age-related diseases. It's also a great natural anti-inflammatory, and can boost your eyes and brain.

-Green Tea: Is this the secret to Japanese longevity? Probably not by itself -- but there's mounting evidence that it plays a role. You need to drink between three and five cups a day to get the benefits of this one.

- DHEA: If you're on the other side of 30, your levels of the hormone dehydroepiandrosterone are plummeting. Since DHEA can be converted into estrogen and testosterone, work with your doctor to find out how much you should take. A simple saliva test will usually do the trick.

-Phytonutrients: These are what give fruits and vegetables their color. Phytonutrients include lycopene, resveratrol, quercetin, lutein, and zeaxanthin and may help slow aging and reduce the risk of age-related diseases.

Just remember, the overall risk of death is 100 percent, no matter what you do. Make the most of the time you have -- and don't forget to enjoy each day, since happiness is another key to longevity.

On a mission for your health,

Ed MartinEditor,
House Calls

Can A Mushroom From Brazil Be The Secret To Brain Health?

Can A Mushroom From Brazil Be The Secret To Brain Health?

If you ever find yourself drowsy during the day, you need to know about adiponectin.

This little-known substance is a protein hormone you already have in your body and it is a key player in regulating blood sugar. When mid-afternoon brain fog hits, it usually means your blood sugar is taking a nose dive. And that could mean you don’t have enough adiponectin in your system.

Why haven’t you heard of this before?

Well, scientists have known for years that adiponectin helps to keep your blood sugar stable because it helps your body to utilize insulin better. But they didn’t know how to raise the levels of adiponectin in your body. And they didn’t know how important it would be to do that – until now.

The Mushroom Connection

For centuries, Asians have prized mushrooms for their healing properties. They have been cultivated as both food and medicine. They didn’t know how the mushrooms had such power, or what the chemical compounds in them might be – they just knew they worked.

In 1960, a Japanese grower and researcher named Furumoto discovered an unfamiliar mushroom species in Sao Paulo, Brazil, which he began to grow. A few years later, he sent it back to Japan to be studied. It was identified as Agaricus blazei by Belgian scientist Heinemann in 1967.

When Mr. Furumoto died, interest in the mushroom, called the Sun Mushroom by the Brazilians, faded away. Then, in the 1990s, Japanese researchers found that this mushroom had anti-tumor effects. They began to export it from Brazil again.

Since then, Agaricus blazei has undergone a lot of research and has been found to reduce weight, body fat and cholesterol levels in healthy people. It has also been shown to help stabilize blood sugar.

How did it do that?

By increasing levels of adiponectin.
The connection was made.
Glucose Levels and Brain Function

When it comes to brain health, glucose levels are everything. Brain neurons can’t store glucose, so they need a steady supply coming in all the time. High blood sugar levels are damaging. But low blood sugar levels leave you running on fumes. So stability is crucial if you want optimum performance from your brain.

This was tested by Ewan C. McNay, a researcher at Yale University, by looking at how rats performed in a maze and watching the glucose levels in their brains. McNay commented, “The brain runs on glucose. Young rats can do a pretty good job of supplying all the glucose that a particular area of the brain needs until the task becomes difficult. For an old rat given the same task, the brain glucose supply vanishes out the window…A lack of fuel affects the ability to think and remember.”

And it gets even more specific than that.

The part of the brain used for learning and memory is called the hippocampus. One area of that section, known as the dentate gyrus, shows up as damaged when memory loss occurs. This is very common in the early stages of Alzheimer’s disease.

Now it has been shown, by a study published in the Annals of Neurology, that blood glucose goes straight to the dentate gyrus. Long-term high blood sugar levels are definitely causing brain damage. Lead researcher on this study, Dr. Scott Small of Columbia University Medical Center, comments, “maintaining stable blood sugar levels…could help maintain aspects of cognitive health.”

No doubt about it, steady blood sugar levels are what keep your brain firing on all cylinders all day long. And don’t forget that your brain is pulling energy even when you’re sleeping – that’s when it does maintenance and repair work.

Lessons Learned From the World’s Fattest Mice

An interesting experiment using adiponectin was conducted by Dr. Philipp Scherer at the University of Texas. Mice were programmed to overeat by depriving them of the hormone leptin. The mice ate nonstop and grew to an astonishing five times the size of a normal mouse.

Next, some of the fat mice were put into a sub-group and made to overproduce adiponectin by about three times the normal amount. Of this group, none of the adiponectin mice developed diabetes. And every single one of the control group did.

What was the protective effect of adiponectin?

Apparently, it was the distribution of fat. All of the adiponectin mice had a lot of fat stored just under the skin, but not much in their internal organs, like the liver. And the liver, when it can’t use insulin well, sets off a chain reaction leading to diabetes.

Scherer explained that distribution of fat may determine whether overweight and obesity can lead to diabetes. “It’s a little bit like real estate,” he said, “it’s location, location, location.”

Now we know why not every overweight person develops damage from high blood sugar, but a lot of thin people do. The difference could be adiponectin.

Perfect Blood Sugar Control

It’s only been two years since the first study was done on the Agaricus mushroom to find that it boosted adiponectin levels. But the effect of adiponectin on glucose in the body is well documented.

Clearing excess sugar from the blood can prevent damage from chronically high blood sugar and insulin levels. And keeping blood sugar levels stable also means you will have plenty of brain power and concentration to spare.

The best source of adiponectin I know is the mushroom Agaricus blazei. It’s been right there for the taking for centuries and now we know its special secret.

To Your Health,


Jon Herring
Editorial Director
Total Health Breakthroughs