Cancer

Note - ! under construction with frequent updates ! (Latest Update 17 Jan 09)

Cancer - It's a real killer; either literally or financially - and I want to put the odds in my favor as much as possible. If you are interested, here are things I've found:

1. What is cancer? Normal cells gone bad through changes in their DNA.
2. How do you prevent cancer?
a) Minimize exposure to those things that cause DNA damage.
b) Strengthen your cells against DNA damage.
c) Strengthen those processes that correct DNA damage.
d) Build up your system to more effectively fight cancer as it appears.
3. Some things to know if you have cancer.


Here are some natural things to help prevent cancer:

Grape Seed Extract: No side effects and it has been documented not only to strengthen blood vessels and tissues against the onslaught of proteinases excreted by cancer cells, but it also causes apoptosis (cell self destruction) in the cancer cells. U of K.

Vitamins B6, B12, folate, choline, and methionine are vital to DNA synthesis. Deficiencies in these nutrients greatly increases the risk of cancer. Some of these are addressed separately later, but you need all of them for the full synergistic effect.

Vit B12: The best form of B12 supplement is sublingual methylcobalamin lozenges available from Country Life or BioInnovations. It is best absorbed and most bioavailable. B-12 plays a major role in DNA repair as well as promoting normal nerve and brain function.

Beta-carotene: Vitamin A can be derived from beta-carotene and avoids vit-A toxicity. Vit-A inhibits cancer induction and growth. Beta-carotene has anticancer activities including inhibition of cancer growth chemicals and inflammatory signals. Beta-carotene is a carotenoid - one of fifty or so contained in a good diet. It is best to take a mixture of these carotenoids, not just beta-carotene alone. (Vit-A & Vit-D problem to keep a watch on)


Miscellaneous related subjects:
Angiogenesis - growth of new blood vessels.

Some of the information here came from an excellent, though somewhat technical, book written by Doctor Russell L. Blaylock - a board certified neurosurgeon with over twenty years dealing with cancers. Natural Strategies For Cancer Patients.

Other Resources: Cancer Treatment Centers of America
Dr. Schreiber, MD
Wiki
YouTube

Salmonella

Update: Salmonella seems to be an increasing problem. Normally it is only associated with meat products. Now it is showing up in all kinds of stuff! See latest FDA Warning.

Now it's Perry's Ice Cream! Map

See cartoon and comment

Fingernail Analysis

I have never heard of this but ran across it; so I made this post just to keep track of some links in case I ever want to look into it. I was looking for folate deficiency as a cause of split nails.
Stop Biting Nails
Dr. Denice Moffat
BellaOnline

Gee, I didn't realize nails were such a complex item?!

Allergies

As scientific knowledge expands our understanding of the human body and how it not only functions but how it dysfunctions leads us to the realization that we are intricately interconnected to our environment. That environment is increasingly synthetic and plays havoc on our immune system as evidenced by a disproportionate increase in allergies.

Ten steps to reducing your allergies. Notice all the things to eliminate from your diet in step 4.

Exacerbating or mimicking allergies are the effects of toxic molds and fungi. An ideal incubation site for these are your sinuses. Antibiotics are not very effective against them and antihistamines frequently perpetuate the condition via the histamine rebound effect.

A very effective means of ridding yourself of these sinus invaders is the use of a neti pot to flush the sinuses with a saline base of distilled water (no chlorine or fluoride) combined with natural antibiotic/antiviral agents. I've found the following mixture gives me good results:

8 to 10 oz. of RO or distilled water.
1/4 to 1/2 teaspoon of non-iodized natural sea salt without any additives (I've heard pickling salt also works - but haven't tried it).
1 to 2 drops of natural organic oil of oregano.
2 drops of grapefruit seed extract.
1 drop of pure tea tree oil (or Melaleuca T36-C5).

This solution lasts me several days. I warm it before use and put part of it in a neti pot (or other container of your choice). I flush once or twice three time a day until clear for a week, then use it every two or three days. Note: if you have a clay neti pot - warming it in a microwave may crack it (hmm - wonder how I figured that out!).

Another item that works well is Sinus Cleanser that does the same thing. But be aware that if you use it when you have a cold, it may become contaminated then becomes pretty useless, or worse, it may give you an infection of the same virus you are trying to clear out.

Natural nutrients are some of the most effective agents against molds, and fungus. For example, honey helps fight the effects of fungal mycotoxins in the intestinal tract: Substituting sugars with honey in processed food can inhibit the harmful and genotoxic (gene changing) effects of mycotoxins, and improve the gut microflora. Trip

Whereas high fructose corn syrup (found in abundance in most processed foods) and the corn from which it is processed is frequently contaminated with these and similar mycotoxins that cause liver damage and other human ailments. NCSU Also see Sweet.

So what do you do about those antihistamine drugs? You might want to try replacing them with a powerful natural one that is also a very powerful and a versatile anticancer flavonoid - Quercetin. It can be used to treat allergic reactions and sinusitis. At higher doses, it will lower elevated blood sugar, is a natural anti-inflammatory that inhibits the LOX enzyme. Take 1000mg three times a day. Lot's of articles.

More coming . . .

BigPharma - Did You Know?

More little tidbits about those folks that promise you health in a bottle . . .

12/29/08 - Nobel Prize tainted by BigPharma (Follow the $$ again).

Did you know if you are killed by a drug or medical device (even though faulty and/or they lied to the FDA during approval) you (well, your family) can't sue anyone? Thanks George (Bush)! NY Times & NY Times-2 & Natural News. So.... with that in mind, here is the latest from the FDA on drugs.

We can't get cheaper drugs from Canada - but where do those you pick up from your pharmacy come from??? Off Shore Drugs 'Freebies' in your Drugs'

Adverse side effects of drugs kill over 106,000/year in U.S. Full Article - Condensed .
So why do they tell us how many are killed in Iraq or Afghanistan on the daily news, but this goes virtually unreported? (Total of U.S. troops killed in Iraq since 2003 is ~4,000 that's only 3.8% of those killed by pharmaceuticals - in just ONE year!)

Iatrogenic - a big word (related to the above) to impress your friends.

Bored with your TV? Here - go watch the latest in Drug & Etc. recalls from the FDA

Poison Plastic

I've updated this post with the latest news (9/16/09) on Bisphenol A, or BPA. Since the health conscious have avoided it because of the greed connection to Big Bu$$ine$ and the all-to-easy approval of the FDA, I thought I'd include the latest news update showing the link between BPA and cardiovascular disease (heart), and diabetes. Check It Out.

Oh, and don't forget about Melamine - It is in candy and a lot of other stuff from China. Here is a tidbit from the FDA on a recent recall. Here is one from Mike Adams on Halloween Candy.

Melamine Updates: Who's next? Take a LOOK. And I bet this is the tip of the iceburg! Yep - More and. . . more, and more!

Heard of Bisphenol A? Its been in the news for awhile. It's supposed to be bad stuff that leaches out of those shiny plastic bottles you have around. Read After receiving assurances from the manufacturers, the FDA says it's OK. So in all fairness, you can go here and be reassured by the American Chemistry Council.

"The plastics that have the most BPA are those made of polycarbonate plastic -- they are usually rigid and transparent and used for toddler cups, baby bottles, food storage containers and water bottles. They are frequently marked on the bottom with the letters "PC" and the recycling number 7. Plastics with the recycling numbers 1, 2 and 4 on the bottom are better choices."

Another interesting development is the use of melamine in pet foods and infant formulas to falsely boost the apparent protein content. In pet food - more protein, more $$. Supposedly safe, it has been found that malamine in combination with other chemicals can be deadly. Who is pulling this trick? You guessed it - the Chinese! But it didn't take long for the U.S. pet food industry to catch on! So who is next?

If you can't go to sleep at night, there's lots of technospeak here at NIH. Basically it says "We aren't sure - and you all are the Guinea pigs!" Hmmmm - kinda sounds like the FDA. . .

You might also want to check out this site that tells what those little triangles on the bottom of all your plastics mean. Code Guide

Medical System - Shady beginnings of in U.S.

When did you see your doctor last or watch one of those drug commercials on TV (along with the 30 seconds of quietly delineating the dangerous side effects)? More than likely if you had any symptoms you were then given a list of drugs to go get. This is medicine by prescription: Column A = Symptom; Column B = Drug, etc. or medicine by commercial. Here is some interesting history on how our present day pill pushing medical system came to be. Follow the Money $$. Go HERE and scroll down to "How Now, Sacred Cow?". One need dabble only a short while until you run into the secret order of the Skull & Bones. Interesting videos, and the Bush family has a long association with this secret order - hmmm, that's interesting! It isn't suprising that U.S. presidents have selected 'Bonesmen' to head key positions in their cabinet.

Back to the mystery of who's behind the scene pulling the strings of our medical/pharmaceutical industry - if you want to spend an extensive afternoon or more you could try this rather extensive read: Griffin.

In summation, our modern medical $ystem is "Of the Rich, By the Rich, For the Rich". You think we will ever get a better system that won't bankrupt you if you have a major illness? I don't think so - you will have to move to another country for that! See my post on Medicine in Other Countries

Disruption of the species?

Recent studies show males of many species, not only humans, are not doing well in the polutant battle: "The environmental impacts of phthalates in plastic inhibit testosterone production and possibly may cause irregular genital development. Brominated flame-retardants may block the thyroid hormone critical to proper development of both the testes and the brain. University of Missouri professor, Dr. vom Saal, said, ‘This mishmash of synthetic hormones - leading to too much estrogen and too little testosterone and thyroid hormone - is making a mess of sexual development in males.’ He conducted studies relative to sperm health comparing various geographic locations. A markedly lower sperm count in males from farming areas verses urban areas suggests pesticides are to blame." Reference.

Medicine in Other Countries

Go see the link below and watch the video - it is a real eye-opener!

T.R. Reid - Sick Around The World - You HAVE to watch these videos! This guy goes to England, Japan, Germany, etc. (each clip is about 11 minutes - so you could catch one during the commercials for each half hour of TV you watch!). Just click on the part to the right of this Link that says 'Watch the Full Program Online'. It is a real eye-opener of how broke our sick care system really is! Thousands of people go bankrupt in this country from medical bills! When he asks doctors and administrators in these other countries how many people go broke there, they say "nobody! We've never heard of such a thing!" You might prefer to speed read this interview with T.R. Reid which gives a summary of the video program here.

An interesting discussion of the politics of medical care can also be found at Wikipedia.

But this will never happen in this country due to the power of the rich. The only thing that will happen will be to siphon more of your money to the rich who control the medical/pharmaceutical/chemical industries of the world. Also see Med Sys - Shady History

Heart - Irregular Rythms

Asking around, I've found many people have irregular heartbeats, or arrhythmia's in medical jargon. Wikipedia has a good page on it and tells about different types, etc. So what do you do if you have a recurrent irregular heart beat? Do nothing or 1. See the doc and take drugs; or 2. Take care of the deficiency that is causing it.

NOTE! At any rate, it is a good idea to see your doctor to determine what type you have, how serious it is, and what else may be a contributing factor (high blood pressure, electrolyte imbalance, diabetes, etc.). A doctor may want to put you on a Holter Monitor to look for more information. Your heart is not something you just want to stop on you!


1. Drugs - Any unnatural substance not normally found in the body that has side effects; often serious and unintended (USDA). The side effects then require another drug, etc., etc. There is also a problem with potentially serious hazards of using skin numbing products, also known as topical anesthetics, for relieving pain from mammography and other medical tests and conditions. FDA is concerned about the potential for these products to cause serious, life-threatening adverse effects, such as irregular heartbeat, seizures, breathing difficulties, coma and even death, when applied to a large area of skin or when the area of application is covered.

2. Natural supplements - Replacing what the body has lost through neglect, poor nutrition, or the effects of drugs (those unintended side effects) and antibiotics. It would be nice if we could get it from our foods, but that's getting harder and harder.

I will leave #1 up to the doctors - that is what they are trained for and best at; but personally, I like to try #2 first. For a doctor, I would recommend finding a Fellow of the American Academy of Cardiologists - F.A.C.C.

#2. Here are commonly recognized deficiencies that lead to heart arrhythmia's or irregular heart beats and some ways to address those deficiencies:

A. Coenzyme Q-10, or simply CoQ10, is normally synthesized by your body and is used in the production of energy. The ability to make CoQ10 lessens with age as well as taking certain medications. There are no known side effects of supplementing with CoQ10 that I'm aware of.
Dr. Steven Sinatra recommends 60 to 120 mg/day as a protective measure and 180-360 mg/day for those with arrhythmia, angina pectoris, high blood pressure, gum disease, or for those taking statin or beta blocker drugs. Vegetarians are also likely to be low. See Book

B. L-Carnitine is also used in cells to produce energy. The synergistic effect of supplementing with both L-Carnitine and CoQ10 together may do more than either alone. Due to this combined effect, some supplement manufacturers combine the two.

C. Magnesium. Since it is estimated that over half of Americans are deficient in this mineral, it's a good idea to get more anyway. Soaking in a warm tub with Epsom salts or soaking your feet in a foot bath of Epsom salts is a good way to get magnesium into your system. You see, if you are low on magnesium, absorption in the GI tract is compromised. I've found topical application using a gel is also helpful. Magnesium deficiency can result in spasms, cramps, arrhythmias, tics, premenstrual difficulties, and even sudden cardiac death.

D. Fish Oil. Fish oil contains both DHA and EPA; Studies of several societies with low cardiovascular disease show the beneficial effect of these substances. A comprehensive treatment of arrhythmias should include 1g/day of high quality, heavy metal free, omega-3 fish oil. It even comes in flavors or gelcaps. Included in treatments recommended by the ACC.

E. Vitamin D. Although not directly associated with arrhythmias, it is vital for general heart health. Vitamin D is not just another vitamin it is a precursor to a hormone, and this prehormone is responsible for making a very important regulator of cardiovascular processes. Vitamin D deficiency activates the renin-angiotensin-aldosterone system and can predispose to hypertension and left ventricular hypertrophy. Additionally, vitamin D deficiency causes an increase in parathyroid hormone, which increases insulin resistance and is associated with diabetes, hypertension, inflammation, and increased cardiovascular risk. See JACC, and U.S. News

Other interesting and related articles: PeaceHealth, Toxicity (scroll towards bottom of article), RevolutionHealth.

Non-Stick Toxicity

Looks like this will be a 'work in progress'. There appear to be a lot of problems with C8, or Perfluorooctanoic acid. It shows up not only in 'Teflon' items but stain resistant fabrics & rugs, Gortex, food containers, and other places I was certainly not aware of.

One problem is the stuff doesn't biodegrade - EVER. Evidence is coming forth that it isn't good for us: Low birth weight, thyroid irregularities, immune system problems, and even urinary tract problems seem to be just a few.

DuPont has been fined heavily for their cover up - another 'profit at any human cost' story it looks like.

References: Wikipedia EWG Mercola (and safe cookware) See also Ceramcor

Stay tuned for updates . . . . .

More on MSG

That label doesn't say "Mono Sodium Glutamate"? Where else is it hiding in that arm length list of ingredients?

I'm not going to rehash what has been published in a thousand places, so here are some interesting links:

Angela's blog - a good section on hidden MSG.

The Master List - want to become a fanatic - check this one out!

BigGov says MSG is good stuff, don't worry - be happy!

Wynn Matthews list from Dr. Blaylock's book

FDA does it again

Once again, the FDA has weighed the public interest and health against the profits of industry. Guess who won! Washington Post. Why do we even pump billions into a government agency who pulls such underhanded cover ups!?

Acne a better way

When I ran across problems with this popular and widely sold acne remedy. I remember running across natural solutions for acne; ones that treat the cause, not the symptoms.

- Under Construction -

Vitamin B12 and its role in treating/preventing acne:

Meds that deplete Vit B12 from your body: UofM Med Ctr UofM#2
Info source for more exploration
Another Resource Site on absorption of B-12, etc.
Unitended Consequenses - drugs that affect the absorbtion of important vitamins and nutrients

Spider Bite Information

This post is about the Brown Recluse family of spiders. Nasty little creatures! Both these sites provide good information. According to a friend who was bitten, the transdermal patch indeed works well as explained in the Dr. Kenneth Burton Site. The other site provides a lot of information but I don't have any personal experience with the items they are selling, other than the traps - I bought something similar at my local hardware store and they work well.

Bit by the Fat Bug?

Most of you know by experience that the simplistic view of weight and weight loss is not just calories and exercise. Indeed, the science of digestion and the GI tract is just beginning to find some of the intricacies that impact your bottom line (pun intended). Here is some insight into what is going on in the scientific world dealing with some of these issues: Infectobesity Be sure to read further down to the end of the article.

Long Live Cancer

This Post under construction . . .

The treatment of cancer is one of the most lucrative and resession-proof businesses on earth.

Since the creation of the National Cancer Institute (NCI) in 1937 it has been another interesting study of strange bedfellows and follow the money. This little paragraph in Wikipedia gives you a hint. The close association of NCI with BigPharma and the closely related BigChem has resulted in a rather myopic approach to cancer treatment - Nuke, Cut, and Kill. To protect the interests of BigPharma & BigChem, prevention in the form of wise and non-toxic nutrition is purposely ignored. (need links] (Long but interesting ("the more money we spend on cancer, the more we get")
(Find what annual budget is and total since inception)

Flawed Vitamin-E study

Tamoxifin - An interesting study. Tamoxifin has been shown to greatly increase the risk of endometrial cancer - trade one disease for another. Doesn't sound good to me.

Cinnamon - Benefits

I was steered to the benefits of cinnamon by my holistic doctor and a friend. Cinnamon has many medicinal uses including:
+ Increased insulin sensitivity (good for type-2 diabetics).
+ Antimicrobial - inhibits growth of bacteria and fungi - helps control Candida. Try this: slice an apple and put cinnamon on one slice, none on another - see which one turns bad quickest.
+ Improve cholesterol levels - LDL, triglycerides, total cholesterol & blood sugar.
+ Aroma increases brain function, concentration, and memory.
+ Improved colon health and cardiovascular health.
+ Anti-clotting agent.
+ Off the charts antioxidant. Found this on Wikipedia - ORAC explanation.

Just search "benefits of cinnamon" or here is a good site: Monument

Poison from China, etc.

It is sad that greed so often puts the health and lives of others in jeopardy.

I keep hearing of all these recalls and warnings of tainted food and consumer goods from China. A lot of the tainted items are being caught due to the diligence of the New York State Department of Agriculture. In appreciation for their due diligence, I went to their web site, then to the 'contact us' page and sent them a big 'Thank You'. Here is an interesting link to what they've found lately. Of course you can always go to the FDA site for more goodies.

Drug Warnings

Every now and then I run across some interesting drug warnings - Look for updates!

For any prescription drug you may want to check here for all the info on it.

Procrit / Epogen (Epoetin Alpha) - you might end up with a Stroke. There are additional warnings for those with renal failure, cancer, etc.
Partial text: Epoetin alfa increases the risk of blood clots forming in or moving to the legs, lungs, or brain.

P.S. Go to my post for Magnesium - if you are tired or depressed!