What about Heart Healthy Herbs?

This story is interesting because it follow on a report yesterday from the BBC that seemed to indicate a plan to promote this combo pill to any one over 55 years of age.

What happened to the art of diagnosis? Maybe it is too much cell phone use as a vector, food allergy or something obscure. We may never know.

And what about side effects, or what about the cholesterol hoax and the terrible side effects of these drugs. And what about the fact that anti-hypertensives and diuretics can lead to diabetes, even osteoporosis. Then there is aspirin that can cause lots of problems like silent bleeding and 8th cranial nerve damage that can affect hearing and maybe lead to Bell's Palsy. And don't forget electrolyte loss and CO Q 10 destruction. Yes, there's more...

Sounds crazy to me, but then I'd rather try vitamin E, magnesium, vitamin C, cod liver oil, nutritional yeast, lecithin, hawthorne, meadowsweet, or something else other than a drug to maybe have a small effect along with high risk of other disease.

So are you willing to go for profit and more problems when, if your systolic B/P is 150, you can expect to lower it by .05 percent, to 142.5 mm Hg ?

Not sure this is a statistically valid premise.

from UPI: 'Polypill' combines heart medications
Published: March 31, 2009 at 1:08 AM

HAMILTON, Ontario, March 31 (UPI) -- A "polypill" that combines blood pressure drugs, a cholesterol-lowering statin, aspirin and folic acid may minimize heart attacks, Canadian researchers say.

Dr. Koon Teo of McMaster University in Hamilton, Ontario, says the polypill could reduce cardiovascular events by more than 80 percent in healthy people.

In a double-blind trial in 50 centers in India, 2,053 people without cardiovascular disease -- ages 45-80 and with one risk factor -- were randomly assigned to the Polycap. It consisted of low doses of the drugs: 12.5 mg. thiazide, 50 mg atenolol, 5 mg ramipril, 20 mg simvastatin and 100 mg aspirin per day.

Subjects were otherwise assigned to eight other groups, each with about 200 individuals, of aspirin alone, simvastatin alone, hydrochlorthiazide alone, three combinations of the two blood-pressure-lowering drugs, three blood-pressure-lowering drugs alone, or three blood-pressure-lowering drugs plus aspirin.

Compared with groups not receiving blood-pressure-lowering drugs, the Polycap reduced systolic blood pressure by 7.4 mm Hg and diastolic blood pressure by 5.6 mm Hg, which was similar when three blood-pressure-lowering drugs were used, with or without aspirin.

The findings were published in The Lancet.

Reality101: THE LAWS OF THE PHARMACEUTICAL INDUSTRY

Reality101: THE LAWS OF THE PHARMACEUTICAL INDUSTRY

MRSA UPDATES

This last two weeks found me working on my newsletter, herbalYODA Says! that was published on March 26. The topic was "The Color of Health".

While I was researching material I found an abstract on the use of Blue Light for MRSA. This always is of interest to me because I have been cataloguing material on this topic since 1993.

"Blue, vibrating at 450-495 nanometers, represents communication. It is located in the throat and is associated with the thyroid or metabolic system in your body. Blue is the coolest, purest and deepest color of the spectrum. It will help with rest, relaxation, sleep and regeneration. Blue is a good color to help with high blood pressure, lowering your heart rate, reduce stress and nervousness, and will calm your entire body. Looking into the blue sky on a sunny day is very calming to me.

If you have headaches or sleeping difficulty, blue may help you. It also influences digestion, heart rate, cholesterol level, muscle strength and your mental state.

Using blue in meditation may be helpful and it can also be used to improve communication, aid spiritual growth and facilitate higher mental function. It is the color of your creative power and will support you in a state of peace and balance.

Blue light is suggested as a treatment for MRSA.

Blue 470-nm Light Kills Methicillin-Resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) in Vitro

Chukuka S. Enwemeka, Ph.D., FACSM,1 Deborah Williams, M.D., Ph.D.,1,2 Sombiri K. Enwemeka,1 Steve Hollosi, D.O.,2 and David Yens, Ph.D.2

Abstract

Background Data: In a previous study, we showed that 405-nm light photo-destroys methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA). The 390-420 nm spectral width of the 405-nm superluminous diode (SLD) source may raise safety concerns in clinical practice, because of the trace of ultraviolet (UV) light within the spectrum.

Objective: Here we report the effect of a different wavelength of blue light, one that has no trace of UV, on two strains of MRSA-the US-300 strain of CA-MRSA and the IS-853 strain of HA-MRSA-in vitro. Materials and

Methods: We cultured and plated each strain, and then irradiated each plate with 0, 1, 3, 5, 7, 9, 11, 13, 15, 17, 19, 25, 30, 35, 40, 45, 50, 55, or 60 J/cm2 of energy a single time, using a 470-nm SLD phototherapy device. The irradiated specimens were then incubated at 35°C for 24 h. Subsequently, digital images were made and quantified to obtain colony counts and the aggregate area occupied by bacteria.

Results: Photo-irradiation produced a statistically significant dose-dependent reduction in both the number and the aggregate area of colonies formed by each strain (p _ 0.001). The higher the dose the more bacteria were killed, but the effect was not linear, and was more impressive at lower doses than at higher doses.

Nearly 30% of both strains were killed with as little as 3 J/cm2 of energy. As much as 90.4% of the US-300 and the IS-853 colonies, respectively, were killed with an energy density of 55 J/cm2. This same dose eradicated 91.7% and 94.8% of the aggregate area of the US-300 and the IS-853 strains, respectively.

Conclusion: At practical dose ranges, 470-nm blue light kills HA-MRSA and CA-MRSA in vitro, suggesting that a similar bactericidal effect may be attained in human cases of cutaneous and subcutaneous MRSA infections.
http://www.liebertonline.com/doi/pdfplus/10.1089/pho.2008.2413?cookieSet=1"

Another new product tha's just come on the market, and proven effective against MRSA, is the Alli-C gel. Just click on the Alli-C bottle in the right hand column to order. Sales help support this BLOG.

As a related note, a reader was looking for information about headache from Humira. Blue light may help as noted above, however this is a reportable adverse reaction and the reader is advised to call your doctor to report it.

and not to forget the benefits of thorough handwashing -

Handwashing More Important Than Isolation In Controlling MRSA Superbug Infection, Study Suggests

ScienceDaily (2009-03-31) -- Regular handwashing by hospital staff and visitors did more to prevent the spread of the MRSA superbug than isolating infected patients. The rates of cross infection with MRSA when patients were not moved to single rooms or nursed in separate MRSA bays were compared to the periods when patients were moved. There was no evidence of increased transmission of infection when patients were not moved. ... > read full article

Natural Health Education Series On-Line

This morning marked the start of our natural health series, herbalYODA Says! LIVE, on BlogTalkRadio.

Some of our BLOG readers and newsletter subscribers may recall the many popular programs I did with Butch Chancellor on 'These Orwellian Times' that aired on Republic Broadcasting Network.

This new series is dedicated to Butch.

I'm keeping the programs to 15 minutes for now, just because I am aware of how limited time seems to be for most people.

This is a call-in format so if you're listening to the next live program, Sunday April 12, call in with your questions, or submit them before the show and I'll answer during the program. Program topic ideas are welcome. I really do like to hear from listeners, and BLOG readers too. Your input helps me do a better job.

Listen to this morning's program.

Insurance Companies May Not Be Your Friend

With all the talk about the health stimulus plan and the recent wave of backlash from Big Insurance against universal care, we now have some insight into what this industry does as a routine practice.

What ever way health care goes, the issues at stake are pretty big ones. It surely is just one more reason why you should start now to get healthy and stay healthy, plus learn what you can do to maintain your health.

Reliance on insurance and the government might not be your best call.

Senate takes on out-of-network insurance issue
By ERICA WERNER, Associated Press Writer

WASHINGTON – Ever wonder how that bill was calculated if you had to pay to see a doctor outside your insurance network?

Might be a scam, says a senator investigating the issue.

Sen. Jay Rockefeller, chairman of the Senate Commerce, Science and Transportation Committee, wants answers at a hearing Tuesday from the chief executives of UnitedHealth Group Inc. and its subsidiary Ingenix Inc., a claims database used by insurers nationwide to calculate out-of-network rates.

The inquiry follows lawsuits and an investigation by New York Attorney General Andrew Cuomo alleging that UnitedHealth and Ingenix manipulated rate data so insurers had to pay less and patients more for out-of-network services.

"They're lowballing deliberately. They deliberately cut the numbers so the consumer has to pay more of the cost," Rockefeller, D-W.Va., said in an interview with The Associated Press on Friday.

"It's scamming. It's fraud," he said.

In January, UnitedHealth agreed to pay $350 million to settle a suit by the American Medical Association and others over the issue. UnitedHealth did not admit wrongdoing. But, under pressure from Cuomo, the company agreed to pay $50 million toward creation of an independent claims database and eventually close down the Ingenix databases.

Cuomo has secured similar agreements from other major insurers, including WellPoint Inc., Aetna Inc., and Cigna Corp. The AMA is pursuing suits against those companies, too.

"Our view is that we've reached a resolution on this matter and we're moving forward," UnitedHealth spokesman Tyler Mason said in a voicemail message Friday. "We think it's positive that this information will continue to be made available in the health care marketplace so that people can make informed decisions."

A spokeswoman for Ingenix referred calls to UnitedHealth.

Rockefeller and other lawmakers, along with doctors and consumer groups, view the matter as far from over. They say more accountability and transparency is needed in how insurance companies determine out-of-network rates, and that patients need to understand how it's done to avoid sticker shock when they get their medical bills.

One such patient is Mary Jerome of Yonkers, N.Y. She went out of network to Memorial Sloan-Kettering Cancer Center after being diagnosed with ovarian cancer in 2006. When she began getting her bills she discovered that Memorial Sloan-Kettering was not being reimbursed by her insurer anywhere near as much as the center was charging and that she was responsible for paying the rest.

"Unknown to me, they were operating with deceptive methods of reimbursement," Jerome told Rockefeller's committee in written testimony. "I had to battle cancer — and I am still battling it — and I had to battle my insurance company to try and get fair coverage."

More than 70 percent of workers who get health care through their employers are enrolled in plans that allow them to go out of network, according to the Kaiser Family Foundation. Typically, those plans will pay a set percentage, say 70 percent, for an out-of-network visit.

But unknown to many consumers, when patients go out of network, their plan doesn't actually pay 70 percent of the doctor's visit cost. It pays 70 percent of what it determines is the "usual, customary and reasonable" cost for the procedure or doctor's visit in question.

Insurance companies determine that cost themselves, and there's scant regulation or oversight of how they do it.

In the case of UnitedHealth and Ingenix, they were allegedly manipulating claims data so that the "usual, customary and reasonable" costs they used were lower than they should have been, leaving patients to pay more. Cuomo's office said Ingenix was understating the market rate for doctor's visits across New York state by 10 percent to 28 percent.

Even with the UnitedHealth settlement, lawmakers and others want bigger changes in the system so rate calculations are fairer and better understood. Rockefeller said federal legislation might be needed.

"You ask me how are their 'usual and customary' rates being determined," Rockefeller said. "I don't know."
___

On the Net: Senate Commerce, Science and Transportation Committee: http://commerce.senate.gov/public/

UnitedHealth Group: http://www.unitedhealthgroup.com
Ingenix: http://www.ingenix.com/
N.Y. Attorney General's office: http://tinyurl.com/d6n89j
Copyright © 2009 The Associated Press.

ELECTROMAGNETIC SENSITIVITY AWARENESS MONTH

Make a Note of This - MAY 2009

The Mayor of Broward County (Fort Lauderdale and area), Florida, The Honorable Stacy Ritter has proclaimed May 2009 as ELECTROMAGNETIC SENSITIVITY AWARENESS MONTH.

EHS is a serious and growing illness that most politicians and doctors in North America are not willing to even talk about. Thanks to the brave and sensible stance of Mayor Ritter and her council, EHS will now get the recognition that it deserves.

What is Electrohypersensitivity

from Martin Weatherall

There are healthy energy drinks

Commercial energy drinks are all the buzz and have been for a number of years now. Those quick energy poppers at the grocery check out are probably in the same class. Most of these contain sucralose (a toxic hydrochlorocarbon) or a blend of aspartame and sucralose or aspartame and acesulfame K (all highly toxic artificial sweeteners)
According to Wikipedia, Red Bull, the most advertised of these drinks, has health risks.

However, in an effort to stem this tide, herbalYODA developed an herbal sports tea blend shortly after creating Formula One (sold as ADVENTURX) in 2004. sportZtea is a blend of 5-6 herbs that provide you with nutrients supplying vitamins and minerals to support your health and hydration. No stimulants and no artificial sweeteners.

And for the man from Austria (not Dr. Mueller-Toeroek) that brought you Red Bull, remind him that you don't need all the stuff in RB to relieve jet lag. I guess you didn't consult this favorite herbalist.

"[edit] Origins of Red Bull
Red Bull was inspired by an energy drink from Thailand called Krating Daeng. Red Bull is the literal translation of Krating Daeng in Thai. (Krating = Bull, Dang = Red) The logo of redbull is even the same as logo of Krating Daeng. Dietrich Mateschitz, an Austrian entrepreneur developed the Red Bull Energy Drink brand. Mateschitz was the international marketing director for Blendax, a toothpaste company, when he visited Thailand in 1982 and discovered that Krating Daeng helped to cure his jet lag.[2] Between 1984 and 1987, Mateschitz worked with TC Pharmaceutical (a Blendax licensee) to adapt Krating Daeng for the European market. At the same time Mateschitz and Chaleo Yoovidhya founded Red Bull GmbH; each investing $500,000 of savings and taking a stake in the new company. They gave the remaining 2% to Chaleo's son Chalerm, but it was agreed that Mateschitz would run the company.[3] Red Bull GmbH launched the Red Bull in 1987, which is carbonated and not as sweet as Krating Daeng, the Thai energy drink. Red Bull entered its first foreign market (Hungary) in 1992, and the United States (via California) in 1997.[4]

Red Bull has taken almost half of the US market for energy drinks, and up to 80% of the market in some other countries.

In 2006, Forbes Magazine listed Chaleo as being the 292nd richest person in the world with an estimated net worth of over $2.5 billion[5] while Mateschitz was listed at number 317.[6]

[edit] Product
Marketed as an energy drink "to combat mental and physical fatigue", it contains, per 250 mL (8.4 U.S. fl. oz.) serving, about 21.5 g sucrose, 5.25 g of glucose, 50 mg of inositol, 1000 mg of taurine, 600 mg of glucuronolactone, vitamin B — 20 mg of niacin, 5 mg of vitamin B6, 5 mg of pantothenic acid and 5 μg of vitamin B12 , 80 mg of caffeine. The caffeine in one serving is similar to that found in an average cup of brewed coffee (typically 100 mg/250 ml cup, but 72 mg for a U.S. regular 6 fluid ounces cup of coffee) or twice as much as found in a can of Coke (40 mg/330 ml can). A sugar-free version has been available since the beginning of 2003. Sugar-free Red Bull is sweetened with aspartame and sucralose, as opposed to sucrose and glucose.

Red Bull has the flavor of a carbonated guarana drink. It is commonly used as a mixer with alcoholic drinks such as vodka, and is the base ingredient in a Jägerbomb.

[edit] Ingredients
A can of Red Bull from the United Kingdom states the ingredients as: Water, sucrose, glucose, sodium citrates, carbon dioxide, taurine, agave, glucuronolactone, caffeine, inositol, niacin, pantothenic acid, vitamin B6, vitamin B12, caramel and riboflavin. In comparison, a can of Sugar Free Red Bull from the United Kingdom states the ingredients as: water, acidity regulator sodium citrates, carbon dioxide, taurine, glucuronolactone, sweeteners (acesulfame K, aspartame), caffeine, inositol, niacin, pantothenic acid, vitamin B6, vitamin B12, thickener xanthan gum, colours (caramel, riboflavin).

Taurine is a naturally occurring organic acid in the human body and is also present in foods like poultry, fish, and scallops. In addition to being an antioxidant, it is mainly used by the body during physical exertion and stress.[7] In its natural form, taurine is derived from animal tissue, having been first isolated from bull (Bos taurus) bile, hence the name "Red Bull"; however, the taurine used in the Red Bull drink is produced synthetically. It is also the first energy drink to list glucuronolactone in its ingredient list. Glucuronolactone is a carbohydrate involved in detoxification. The chemical naturally occurs in the human body, but is also present in foods like grain and wine.[7] It has often been referred to have a similar taste to Dandelion & Burdock, a traditional British soft drink, drunk in the British Islands since about 1265. Traditionally it is made from fermented dandelion (Taraxacum officinale) and burdock (Arctium lappa) roots, and is naturally carbonated.

[edit] Health effects
A review published in 2008 found no documented reports of negative health effects associated with the taurine used in the amounts found in most energy drinks, including Red Bull.[8]

Commonly reported adverse effects due to caffeine used in the quantities present in Red Bull, are insomnia, nervousness, headache, and tachycardia (see Caffeine intoxication). In cases of extreme over consumption, death is possible.

A 2008 position statement issued by the National Federation of State High School Associations made the following recommendations about energy drink consumption, in general, by young athletes:[9]

Water and appropriate sports drinks should be used for rehydration as outlined in the NFHS Document “Position Statement and Recommendations for Hydration to Minimize the Risk for Dehydration and Heat Illness.”

Energy drinks should not be used for hydration.
Information about the absence of benefit and the presence of potential risk associated with energy drinks should be widely shared among all individuals who interact with young athletes.
Energy drinks should not be consumed by athletes who are dehydrated.
Energy drinks should not be consumed without prior medical approval, by athletes taking over the counter or prescription medications.

[edit] Anaerobic muscular endurance and work
A study conducted in 2007 on 15 healthy young adults, found that Red Bull consumption led to an acute increase in upper body anaerobic muscular endurance; however, no effect was found on either peak lower body anaerobic muscular work, or average lower body anaerobic muscular work.[10]

[edit] Cardiovascular effects
The results of a single study conducted in 2008 showed that the ingestion of one, 250mL can of sugar-free Red Bull, in a sample of 30 healthy young adults, had an immediate detrimental effect on both endothelial function, and normal blood coagulation. This temporarily raised the cardiovascular risk in these individuals to a level comparable to that of an individual with established coronary artery disease.[11]

Based on their results, researchers involved with the study cautioned against the consumption of Red Bull in individuals under stress, in those with high blood pressure, or in anyone with established atherosclerotic disease.[12]

Red Bull representatives, however, stated that this observed increase in cardiovascular risk was not felt to be different than that associated with drinking a regular cup of coffee. They also stated that they believed that Red Bull must be safe, as it was felt the only way Red Bull could have such substantial global sales is if various health authorities had concluded the drink safe to consume.

There has been at least one case report of Red Bull overdose causing postural orthostatic tachycardia syndrome in a young athlete.[13]

A February 3, 2009 article in The Daily Telegraph called, "Red Bull 'may have triggered heart condition that killed student'" reported on the death of a 21 year-old woman who died after drinking four cans of Red Bull and several VKs, a vodka based drink which also contains caffeine. It was believed, but had not been proven, that she suffered from a rare heart condition called long QT Syndrome[14]. She was on medication for epilepsy. A medical examination found that there were no illegal drugs in her system. The article quoted a doctor as saying, "The QT levels may have grown over a few years, or it may have been artificially pushed over the limit by caffeine." [15]

Energy Drinks May Be Harmful To People With Hypertension, Heart Disease

ScienceDaily (2009-03-26) -- People who have high blood pressure or heart disease should avoid consuming energy drinks, according to a new study. Researchers found that healthy adults who drank two cans a day of a popular energy drink experienced an increase in their blood pressure and heart rate. No significant changes in EKG measurements were reported. ... > read full article

Natural Health News has 38 posts with information about the toxic effects of sucralose (Splenda) and aspartame.

Thyroid care off base in the US too...

Thyroid concerns are perhaps a greater health concern that realized. This may be related to low selenium levels in food, the thyroid suppressing effect of water fluoridation, the rise in the number and use of fluoride based prescriptions drugs, and increased presence of drug waste in water. Rising impact of EMF-ELF proliferation and depleted uranium are environmental concerns.

HOT NEWS

DID YOU KNOW: Thyroid therapy was used to cure polio and breast cancer, as well as prevent dementia?

There is quite a substantial body of science regarding thyroid health on the web. Just as with anything, some of the information may be incorrect, however the majority of valuable data comes from longtime researchers and providers like Dr. Barnes, Dr. Wilson, Dr. Lowe and others.

Once again on a trip back to the future, people with thyroid problems and the thyroid were not disregarded as "flakes". And it seemed that doctors knew what tests to order and how to properly interpret them s well. They also had no fear of natural thyroid products such as Armour.

Today, it seems as if the thyroid is some taboo gland that will, if not functioning very well on the hypothyroid side, lead you only to the following scenario - a TSH only test - or if you are lucky you might get a TSH and a T4 - and maybe if your result is outside the old range up to 5 or even 8, you might get Synthroid.

Synthroid is synthetic T4 and it usually does not effectively address the physiological issues present. It also can lead to osteoporosis in long term treatment.

One problem is that several years ago the range for TSH results were redefined at 0.3 to 3.2. So if your doctor, NP, or lab is still relying on the old scale, get a new one.

And if they rely on the old scale, maybe they don't even know how to interpret the results.

Some people may need T3, like Cytomel, but with compounding pharmacies being attacked maybe this is herd to come by where you live.

Many people do not do well on Synthroid and really need natural glandular products, or a combination product like Thyrolar.

And you can have normal appearing lab results and still have a problem, which indicates more testing like an rT3 and/ or a TRH, and not to overlook both Free T3 and Free T4.

On the other side of the coin is a group of people with hyperactive thyroid conditions who are "radiated" to "kill" the gland and then require supplementation, usually Synthroid. This group of people should know that there are effective ways to address this situation, as hypothyroid as well, using natural therapy or in combination with drugs; usually you do not hear this too.

Of course it is worthwhile to consider that adrenal function might be evaluated first, and corrected if needed, before addressing thyroid concerns. Its that TPA (Thyroid-Pituitary-Adrenal) axis thing you know...

"The prevailing dogma says that all you need to know is that the TSH test is the gold standard for diagnosis, and the only treatment is T4-replacement/levothyroxine. Even then, the dogma usually stipulates that you use Synthroid, the top-selling levothyroxine drug, the most expensive of all the brands, the one that has legions of drug reps in its employ, and the one that not coincidentally spreads around millions in research money, grants, honoraria, freebies, samples, and support to doctors, endocrinologists, professional groups and patient organizations each year.

People deserve to know that:
there are other brands of levothyroxine than Synthroid, and despite a doctor's allegiance to one brand, another brand may work better for you (not to mention cost you far less)
some patients will not be relieved of their hypothyroidism symptoms -- such as fatigue, depression, weight gain -- despite treatment to the so-called "normal range," and will need additional treatment to regain their health
patients deserve to know that there are other thyroid medicines that for some, may better relieve their symptoms -- additional T3 as Cytomel or time-released T3, a synthetic T4/T3 combination Thyrolar, or the natural desiccated prescription thyroid drugs Armour and Nature-throid
the TSH test itself is one part of diagnosing thyroid problems, but T4, T3, free T4, free T3 tests, antibodies tests, clinical evaluation of signs and symptoms, and consideration of medical and family history, should also be part of a thorough diagnostic process for thyroid disease
The TSH "normal" range that is used to rule thyroid disease in and out may not be relevant on an individual basis, it may be flawed, and it is subject to change, making it a rocky foundation on which to base an entire diagnosis and treatment regimen"

from David Odom, MD, a UK physician: "Of course, this move in Britain is politically based. This document is no more than ossified opinion. This is in a country that has 'cookbook' medicine. So, politics rules! Likely, this our future, approaching rapidly. In my practice, I have the patient supplement Thyroid USP, so as to maintain relief from low thyroid symptoms while maintaining a youthful Free T3 (& coincidentally suppressing TSH). It is ironic that the British medical literature has pointed out 'the emperor's new clothes' regarding treatment of hypothyroidism. It turns out that suppression of the TSH is an expected consequence of thyroid supplementation that has no adverse health consequences, moreover the TSH has no specific or reliable correlation with thyroid function. The large majority of medical practitioners follow the system of prescribing synthetic levothyroxine to regulate the TSH, even though this practice has no scientific foundation. Doctors who practice Natural Hormone Replacement therapy, on the other hand, prescribe Thyroid USP or compounded T4/T3 combinations, seeking symptom reversal without regard to the TSH and find success with great benefit for patients."

Thyroid disorders 'misdiagnosed'
People with suspected thyroid disorders are being mistreated and misinformed, experts have warned.

British Thyroid Association doctors say some people are being given the wrong tests and the wrong treatment.

NHS doctors abide by expert guidelines - but the BTA says the problem comes when patients go outside the NHS.

Around 3% of the UK population has an underactive thyroid, which should be diagnosed with a blood test and treated with a synthetic hormone.

An under-active thyroid, or hypothyroidism, develops when the thyroid gland produces too little thyroxine, and it is becoming more prevalent because of the ageing population.

Symptoms can include being very tired, feeling the cold, having difficulties with memory or concentration, weight gain and fertility problems.

These are symptoms that can mimic other conditions, and experts warn an incorrect diagnosis could mean some patients could suffer harmful effects from excess thyroid hormones, while other serious conditions may go undiagnosed.

The Royal College of Physicians (RCP) recently set out guidance for how hypothyroidism should be diagnosed and treated in the UK.

It says the only accurate way to diagnose a thyroid disorder is via a blood test which measures hormone levels, and the only scientifically proven way of treating the condition is by topping up a patient's natural thyroxine levels with a synthetic form of the hormone.

But the BTA warns that information on the web and in the media about alternative ways of diagnosing and treating the condition are leading people to turn to alternative methods of diagnosis and treatments.

It says urine tests, saliva tests and measuring body temperature are not reliable ways of diagnosing the condition.

Confusion

Dr Amit Allahabadia, the secretary of the BTA who wrote the editorial, said: "This is potentially an enormous problem, given that in any one year, one in four people in the United Kingdom have their thyroid function checked.

He added: "I think it is essentially doctors who are outside the NHS [who] may be misdiagnosing the condition.

"Patients may go to see them when they think they have an under-active thyroid, or when tests have shown they have normal hormone levels but they still feel ill."

Dr Allahabadia said he believed a "significant minority" of patients were affected, either directly through misdiagnosis or mistreatment or because they were being confused by inaccurate information.

Professor Peter Trainer, who chairs the clinical committee of the Society for Endocrinology which represents the specialists who treat thyroid disorders, said: "Our sympathy has to lie with the patient because there is potentially misleading information available on the web.

"It can be confusing for patients, and it can be difficult for GPs when they are confronted with that information, which is why the RCP guidance was published."

Story from BBC NEWS:http://news.bbc.co.uk/go/pr/fr/-/2/hi/health/7965417.stm
Published: 2009/03/27 © BBC MMIX

Read more

How Does Your Garden Grow?

UPDATE: April 1
First Aid Remedy for your gardening medicine chest- #1 Remedy: First in First Aid for its ability to minimize trauma, bleeding, bruises and swelling after accidents and to relieve soreness, muscleaches, back and joint pain after trauma, workout, exertion, childbirth... Arnica comes first in first aid for its ability to minimize bruising, bleeding, swelling, initial shock and pain following injuries, dental work, surgery, childbirth... Whenever backs are lifting and joints are twisting, Arnica can minimize the swelling, bruising and pain that can aggravate the initial trauma. Even with no obvious sign of injury, Arnica helps ease stiffness, muscular soreness and pain following frights, exercise, overexertion, sprains, lifting, or even a strong cough. A dose before and after a workout can minimize the next day's stiffness and help the muscles heal. A dose after any head injury is highly recommended, but don't put off the ambulance just because it feels better. For its importance in minimizing trauma, Arnica should be in every room, playground, purse, tool box, first aid kit, office, sports arena and automobile. --------------------------------------
UPDATE on Important Legislative Issues

While HR 875 (DeLauro's bill) has been the primary target of oppostion via the blogosphere thus far, close scrutiny reveals that HR 759 is even MORE dangerous to small farmers, but HR 875 is still very dangerous, although its apparently only a placeholder bill. The danger in it is that it removes Food from FDA purview putting it under a new Food Agency separate from FDA, while LEAVING dietary supplements AT FDA (as if they are drugs which is how FDA has always thought of them.
This could turn DSHEA on its head.
Dingell's bill, HR 759 is called the Food and Drug Administration Globalization Act of 2009 (Introduced in House) http://thomas.loc.gov/cgi-bin/query/z?c111:H.R.759:
Dingell has been our arch enemy for years.
See http://www.ccof.org/pdf/Food_and_Water_Watch_re_HR_875.pdf

Originally posted 3/11/09

I'm getting ready to start my garden up here at about 2700 feet above sea level. I'll be adding new soil to my raised beds and spading in some new peat moss in about another week when this cold snap has finally passed over.

It should be 50 degrees by now, but today it barely made 25. It has just been a weird weather year.

And I won't be gardening with out the handy dandy good green stuff from my buddies in Trenton aka wild west worms or Just Plain TerraCycle.

Don't forget to stock up yourself, you will be amazed at the results!

And I bet you'll never go back to that blue stuff.

On a related note, especially if you have a large property, you can grow specific plants that can be used for fertilizer and other plant and soil amendments. All the information is is my now 10+ year old book, "My Happy Garden". Order it with your $8.00 payment to Creating Health Institute via PayPal, which includes mail delivery in the US. Foreign orders, please contact us.

You can also consider this tip - Grow Your Own Salad

Also for your consideration is this information related to one very good reason for growing your own.

A FOOD CHAIN RELEASE FROM METROFARM.
They tell us it is for our own good, that they are simply trying to help, that we should trust them to do what we cannot do for ourselves. They lead us to ask…

Will House Bill 875 federalize all farms and ranches in the USA?

This Saturday at 9am Pacific, Michael Olson’s Food Chain Radio hosts Pete Kennedy, Acting President of the Farm to Consumer Legal Defense Fund, for a conversation about the impact HB 875 might have on the nation’s food chain.

Click the blue to listen on your radio, computer or IPOD: Food Chain Radio

Topics include how HB 875 would place every farm and ranch under the direct supervision of a new federal Food Safety Administration (FSA); how the FSA would have the power to access and inspect every farm in the United States, as well as the customer list of each of those farms; and whether the federalization of the entire food chain would make for a safer food supply.

Take A and See

Here is a story that really gets my goat!

What these researchers always fail to do is to use all of the vitamin A complex. The fact is that a very large percentage of the population CANNOT convert beta-carotene to vitamin A. And that's the rub.

Back to the drawing board boys. Give real vitamin A (best from cod liver oil) along with the other fractions you tested (and were they synthetitic vitamins?) and see what a different outcome you'll achieve.

Carotenoid supplements tied to lung cancer risk
NEW YORK (Reuters Health) – Based on the findings from a new study, it appears that people who take higher than recommended doses of carotenoid supplements hoping to keep from getting sick, may actually be doing themselves harm. The long-term use of beta-carotene, retinol, and lutein supplements at doses higher than in multivitamins, increases lung cancer risk, especially in smokers and former smokers, according to investigators from the Vitamins and Lifestyle (VITAL) study.

High-dose beta-carotene supplements increase the lung cancer rates in high-risk individuals, even though carotenoids from dietary sources tend to lower risk, Dr. Jessie A. Satia and co-researchers note in the American Journal of Epidemiology. "Whether effects are similar in the general population is unclear."

Satia's team analyzed data from 77,126 subjects ages 50 to 76 who filled out questionnaires in 2000-2002 regarding supplement use over the previous decade. The group was predominantly white and generally healthy, the authors note, and while there were few who never smoked among the lung cancer cases, there were fewer current smokers in the overall group than in the general population.

By linking the data to the national cancer registry, Satia, at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, and her colleagues identified 521 cases of lung cancer. They then estimated the risk associated with the individual supplements after considering the possible effects of age, gender and smoking history.

Each supplement raised the risk of non-small-cell lung cancer, the most common type of lung cancer, with retinol and lutein also having a modest association with lung cancer overall.

When beta-carotene was used for at least 4 years, the overall risk of lung cancer was not significantly increased, but the risk of small-cell lung cancer rose by more than 3-fold.

For retinol, the overall risk of lung cancer increased by more that 50 percent and for non-small-cell lung cancer, it increased by 80 percent.

For lutein, the overall risk increased by 2-fold, while the corresponding risk for non-small-cell lung cancer increased by 2.5-fold.

The researchers speculate that "these nutrients from supplements may be more bioavailable than those from dietary sources" and large amounts of these supplements might interfere with the absorption, transport and or metabolism of micronutrients or other carotenoids that may be protective against lung cancer.

"Too high a dose of an antioxidant vitamin may interfere with generation of reactive oxygen species needed for beneficial processes, such as normal immune response and apoptosis," Satia's team adds.

Whatever the reason, they conclude that the "long-term use of individual beta-carotene, retinol, and lutein supplements should not be recommended for lung cancer prevention, particularly among smokers."

SOURCE: American Journal of Epidemiology, April 1, 2009.
Copyright © 2009 Reuters Limited.

Natural Cancer Care and Canines

There are a number of reasons why our loving animal companions develop cancer.

One holistic vet who turned from allopathic veterinary after 25 years told me that the major concerns are vaccines, flea and tick products, food, environmental exposure and microchips.

There are quite a few ways to provide healthier care for pets.
Find a holistic vet
Natural cancer care for animals
Bea Lydecker
Dr. Xie
Botanical Based Medicine for All Creatures

Contact us for information about:
Tasha's
JBNI Taoist Herbal Formulas for Animal Health
Animal Communicators
Essences for Alpacas and other animals

Scientists develop canine cancer drug
Published: March 25, 2009
SALT LAKE CITY, March 25 (UPI) -- A U.S. scientist says he's developed a "Trojan horse" drug treatment that is showing promising results in treating dogs suffering from cancer.

Joseph Bauer of the Cleveland Clinic has developed a drug called nitrosylcobalamin that has successfully battled cancer in four canines with no negative side effects. Bauer says the drug might lead to a new cancer treatment for humans.

"The beauty of using a dog or a cat to test a cancer drug is two-fold. First, the animal can get the benefit of the most up-to-date drug in cancer medicine," said Bauer. "Second … if you can find an agent to treat cancer that occurs in a dog with success, there is a higher likelihood you can take that to the human population and have a much higher response rate than with mice."

The drug targets cancer cells with "biological Trojan horse technology." Bauer said cells have receptors for vitamin B12 on their outer surface. In order to divide at their abnormally rapid pace, cancer cells grow extra B12 receptors -- 100 times more than normal cells. Bauer and his colleagues attach nitric oxide molecules to vitamin B12. The nitric oxide kills cancer cells. The B12 acts as the "Trojan horse," easily slipping into cancer cells. The subsequent release of nitric oxide kills the cancer cells from within.

The team's goal is to move the drug into human trials as soon as possible.

The research was presented this week in Salt Lake City during a national meeting of the American Chemical Society.
http://www.upi.com/Science_News/2009/03/25/Scientists_develop_canine_cancer_drug/UPI-85141237988955/

Is there evidence for heart therapy in mainstream medicine?

Worth reading and worth drawing up a list of questions for your provider.

Note that while this article favors use of aspirin, the downside of long term ASA is an issue to question. ASA is something, even in low dose, that over time can cause the cell wall membrane of red blood cells to disintegrate. Natural therapy may include vitamin E, nattokinase, cayenne, garlic (see ALLI-C, right column), or the heart health promoting herb - hawthorne. (More information on these natural treatments may be found here.

Consider as well that there is a great deal of doubt about the veracity of "double blind studies". Most researchers do know that these studies can be manipulated quite easily to get a "desired" result.

A reader poses this query: "I'm intrigued by your comment that "...there is a great deal of doubt about the veracity of 'double blind studies.' Most researchers do know that these studies can be manipulated quite easily to get a 'desired' result.Would you please elaborate? How can these studies be manipulated to get a desired result? Can you provide some examples that are suspicious along those lines?"

The answer is Rosenthal Effect and it is displayed in the film "My Fair Lady". But then money and notoriety, along with the extreme pressure of "publish or perish" are other vectors to be considered.

The Vast Majority of Recommendations Given to Heart Patients Are NOT Supported by Good Science!

Study Questions Evidence Behind Heart Therapies
By Ron Winslow/ WSJ
FEBRUARY 24, 2009

Heart disease is among the most studied illnesses in all of medicine, yet just 11% of more than 2,700 recommendations approved by cardiologists for treating heart patients are supported by high-quality scientific testing, according to new research.

About half the medical recommendations for heart patients have limited scientific backing, according to a study published in Wednesday's Journal of the American Medical Association. Instead, they are based mostly on expert opinion -- subjective viewpoints where consensus is often lacking.

A daily aspirin for heart patients is supported by rigorous scientific research.
For instance, people who previously have had a heart attack and take an aspirin daily to help avert a second such incident can rest assured that the treatment is supported by rigorous scientific studies. But there is much less certainty around another common recommendation that patients treated with artery-opening stents remain on a potent blood thinner for a year to avoid a rare but potentially life-threatening blood clot. The downside: Patients who stay on blood thinners for an extended time risk potential complications if they need urgent surgery.

The findings from the JAMA study reflect the challenge doctors and patients face in choosing the best course of treatment for a variety of conditions. And they underscore that even though drug and device companies, government agencies and philanthropic groups have spent billions of dollars developing and testing new treatments in recent years, much of what happens in the doctor's office or the hospital operating suite might not be based on rigorous scientific evidence.

"In most situations that we encounter when we see patients, it isn't so clear what is the best thing to do," says Pierluigi Tricoci, a cardiologist at Duke University's Duke Clinical Research Institute and lead author of the study.

For more than two decades, health-policy experts, health insurers and employers have been beating the drum for evidence about what works and what doesn't in medicine in an effort to reduce wide variation in medical care, cut health-care costs and develop standards by which to measure the performance of doctors, hospitals and health plans.

This month, the Obama administration and Congress budgeted more than $1 billion of the economic stimulus package to fund research for comparing the effectiveness of different treatments in head-to-head studies aimed at providing evidence to clinicians and insurers on the best treatment strategies.

"We need those studies to make the kind of changes in health care that are being talked about -- being sure we get the best possible care for our patients in the most cost-effective manner," says Sidney Smith, a medical guidelines expert and cardiologist at University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill and senior author of the JAMA paper.

The American College of Cardiology and the American Heart Association have been jointly issuing guidelines to doctors on care of cardiovascular patients for more than 20 years. Recommendations based on multiple randomized clinical trials, in which patients are randomly assigned a treatment, are considered having the highest level of evidence. A single randomized study or non-randomized studies comprise the second level, while recommendations backed by expert opinion or case studies are considered having the weakest evidence. Guidelines are also ranked by whether empirical evidence or general opinion supports that a treatment is useful and effective or not.

For instance, strong evidence of benefit based on several randomized controlled clinical studies is behind guidelines calling for use of aspirin, cholesterol medications called statins and other pills called beta blockers among heart patients to avoid a second heart attack. Similar rigor is behind recommendations that patients who arrive at the emergency room with a major heart attack get treated with an angioplasty balloon within 90 minutes.

Experts Disagree
But such examples are the exception. For a variety of other conditions, treatment recommendations rely largely on non-randomized studies or expert opinion. For instance, it's unclear at what point patients who suffer excess bleeding during a heart procedure should get a blood transfusion, Dr. Tricoci says. And debate rages among cardiologists over two new tools for assessing a patient's long-term risk of a heart attack. When does a blood test for a marker called C-reactive protein aid in making such a prediction? How about a scan to check for calcium buildup in a patient's arteries? Mounting evidence supports each test, but more data are needed to determine how they might best be used, Dr. Tricoci says.

Harlan Krumholz, a cardiologist at Yale University School of Medicine, says doctors should disclose to patients the strength of the evidence behind the care they recommend. "Treatment decisions are often made very dogmatically even when the level of evidence isn't very strong," he says.

One reason for the lack of stronger evidence is that the large "megatrials" that have dominated cardiovascular research in the past decade were sponsored by drug and device companies. While those studies provide an important source of information, they are typically designed primarily to win approval for a treatment or to widen the market for a therapy already on the market, and not to guide treatment decisions, according to the JAMA study.

Limitations of Studies
Clinical studies also typically exclude patients with complicated illness, which can limit the ability of doctors to apply findings to many of their patients. For instance, many heart patients also suffer from kidney disease. But contrast agents typically given to patients undergoing a diagnostic X-ray called cardiac catheterization can be harmful to kidneys.

Dr. Tricoci says he and his colleagues also observed that guideline writers are picked for their expertise in the field -- but they are also often those who consult regularly with industry. Such possible conflict of interest raises the potential to introduce bias into the guidelines, undermining their credibility.

Copyright 2008 Dow Jones & Company, Inc. All Rights Reserved

HIV/AIDS Risk to Vets

Standards at nationwide VA facilities seem to be running at an all time low. This latest incident puts not only the lives of over 3000 veterans at risk, but perhaps the lives of their families.

What also concerns me is the lack of attention to natural treatment that is able to stop the transmission of HIV to AIDS, and other therapy outside the use of anti-retrovirals that have severe health risks of their own.

HIV Risk To 3,000 Vets From Non Disinfected Pumps At VA Hospital In Miami
24 Mar 2009

Over 3,000 veterans who had routine tests at Miami's VA Medical Center are thought to be at slight risk of infection from hepatitis or HIV because the hospital discovered that a section of tube used in water pumps for colonoscopies and other gastrointestinal procedures was only being rinsed and not disinfected.

A hospital announcement on Monday, reported in the Miami Herald and other local media, said officials have sent letters to over 2,500 veterans, and are still trying to trace another 700. 3,260 patients are thought to be at risk altogether.

John Vara, chief of staff of the Miami VA Health Care System, told the press that during an internal safety review they discovered on 4 March that a part of the equipment used in colonoscopies and other gastrointestinal procedures was not being disinfected, only rinsed. This was contrary to the manufacturer's recommendation, he said.

It was an alert from the manufacturer that caused the hospital to carry out the safety review, reported the South Florida Sun Sentinel.

Vara said that a length of tube attached to a pump that is used with a type of endoscope was not being cleaned and disinfected, although the endoscope itself (the tube containing a fiber optic camera that goes inside the patient) was.

The risk comes from infection caused by the slight chance of backflow, although the pump itself does not come into contact with the patient.

Vara said there was no evidence that any of the patients had been infected, and although the risk of infection is low, he said "any risk is unacceptable", reported the Miami Herald.

There have been other incidents recently of vets being put at risk of serious infection from incorrect hospital procedures, said the Herald.

In February about 6,400 vets at a VA center in Tennessee were told to get blood tests after equipment used in colonoscopies had not been handled properly, and another center in Augusta Georgia found that more than 1,800 vets were put at risk due to non-sterile use of ear, nose and throat instruments.

According to the South Florida Sun Sentinel, Vara said they don't know why the manufacturer's recommendations for disinfecting the tube were not followed.

A patient safety expert told the paper that the risk of exposure is likely to be very small and most patients were exposed a long time ago and are most likely out of danger.

However, another said it was still important to investigate how the error came about and make sure it doesn't happen again. You don't want to alarm people, but you need to know what went wrong and how to fix it, said Dr Anthony Silvagni, who chairs a safety group and is dean at the Nova Southeastern University health sciences division.

Democratic member for Miami of the US House of Representatives, Kendrick Meek, has written to Eric K Shinseki, Secretary of the Department of Veterans Affairs, and VA inspector general George Opfer, urging them to order an investigation, and he also wants a door to door campaign to alert all veterans who might be at risk.

In his letter to them Meek said it was "stomach-turning" that veterans have to face this situation and visit Special Care Clinics for blood tests, reported the Sentinel.

The VA have set up special care clinics in the Miami VA, the Broward County VA Clinic, the Homestead VA Clinic and the Key West VA Clinic to screen patients who may be infected.

Concerned patients may call the 24 hour Miami VA hotline on 305-575-7256 or toll free on 1-877-575-7256.

Sources: Miami Herald, South Florida Sun Sentinel.

Written by: Catharine Paddock, PhD
Copyright: Medical News Today
Article URL: http://www.medicalnewstoday.com/articles/143427.php

A Valuable Supplement

Recently I've been doing some product reviews as I may have mentioned in other posts. I set high standards years ago, even before I formed the organization that sponsors Natural Health News. I think it is an important concept to maintain as it has a lot to do with product integrity, which sadly to say, is not always prevalent today.

This particular product is something to keep in mind, and to keep in your medicine chest, only because it offers so many benefits. Keep in mind too that this element does not work alone.

For protection from radiation, to keep your immune health and metabolism in top shape and to offset the ravages of fluoride then consider this.

Iodine - A Review by "the leaflady"

W.H. Auden has said that "Likewise, a medicine that was once a noble craft has fallen into a blandly standardized one-size-fits-all format; a medicine that once considered and addressed the vagaries of each individual in its equations now only listens and responds to the standard average dialect of pooled data:
What our bodies are trying to say, for each one Talks in a local Dialect of its own that can alter during Its lifetime."

The necessity of Iodine for Health has been well established in both medicine and natural health care for numerous decades.

More recently, because of the impact of water fluoridation, increased exposure to heavy metal contamination, herbicides, pesticides and radioactive pollution, as well as low levels of selenium in soil where crops are grown, the need for iodine in the daily diet is crucial.

While the current US government limits on iodine intake (RDI) is extremely low, at 0.15 mg. or 150 mcg. daily, the best levels seem to be equal to the standard amount of iodine ingested by the Japanese at about 14 mg.; the best health range for iodine being between 13 - 38 mg.

Iodine serves many functions for health, and it is activated in the body by selenium. Because many crops are grown in areas where low selenium soils are prevalent, iodine supplementation is very useful.

Here at CHI we recently spent some time evaluation an product known as Nascent Iodine. Nascent Iodine is similar to the form of iodine used by Edgar Cayce and is noted in his readings.

Over several weeks I enlisted the cooperation of three people I know who can benefit from iodine supplementation. One is a young woman with Down Syndrome, the second is a woman with a history of goiter and migraine, and the third is a natural health professional colleague of mine.

The feedback received, as compared to the results from kelp supplementation by the first two users was very good. Both felt better energy levels and better digestion. One of the users had a slight gum infection which rapidly cleared up. None in the test made any note of odor or no burping following the use of Nascent Iodine.

Our natural health organization has for many years assisted people with iodine products. We now highly endorse the use of Nascent Iodine.

Because of the work of Guy Abraham MD, a new test is now available to your iodine status.

If you would like more information about the uses and benefits of iodine please contact us. We can also help you with obtaining Nascent Iodine and the Iodine test.

Because March is Women's Health Month, the following information about iodine for health is important: In 1976, JAMA (Journal of the American Medical Association) reported that if women experience Iodine deficiency and are prescribed T4 thyroid medication (Synthroid & Levoxyl), T4 medication further increases their risk for Breast Cancer.

Nascent Iodine, containing the full complement of iodine substrates, may be helpful to those using this medication.

Radiology in Pregnancy May Raise Risk of Harm

There is an increased cancer rate in children - leukemias and brain cancers - that may come from this exposure coupled with with the excessive vaccine load and over prescribing of antibiotics or PPI drugs, and other factors.

Radiation exposure to the mother may have untoward effects as well, and perhaps contributes to low thyroid function and post partum depression.

Do they have a thinking cap, or is it aluminum?

Radiologic Exams On Pregnant Women More Than Doubled Over 10 Years

ScienceDaily (2009-03-22) -- Researchers have found that over a 10-year period radiologic exams on pregnant women have more than doubled, according to a new study. ... > read full article

"This population may be vulnerable to the adverse effects of radiation," said Elizabeth Lazarus, M.D., assistant professor of diagnostic imaging at the Warren Alpert School of Medicine at Brown University and a radiologist at Rhode Island Hospital in Providence, R.I."

Cherries, an old and effective remedy

UPDATE: Cherries for Insomnia  July 2010 -

Tart cherry juice may reduce insomnia

SAN ANTONIO, July 14 (UPI) -- Drinking tart cherry juice daily may help fight insomnia because it contains melatonin, which moderates the body's sleep-wake cycle, U.S. researchers suggest.

Researchers at the University of Pennsylvania, University of Rochester in New York and the VA Center of Canandaigua in New York had 15 adults drink 8 ounces of tart cherry juice beverage in the morning and evening for two weeks. They compared this to a comparable juice drink, with no tart cherry juice, given for another two-week period.

Those who drank the tart cherry juice saved about 17 minutes of wake time after going to sleep, on average, and reported significant reductions in insomnia severity, while those who drank the other juice drink has little change in insomnia.

"When consumed regularly, tart cherries may help regulate the body's natural sleep cycle and increase sleep efficiency, including decreasing the time it takes to fall asleep," Russel J. Reiter, a biomedical scientist at the University of Texas Health Science Center, who is an authority on melatonin, says in a statement. "And, because cherries are so rich in other antioxidants, such as anthocyanins, you get other important health benefits."

The findings are published in the Journal of Medicinal Food.© 2010 United Press International, Inc. All Rights Reserved.

---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Cherries have been used for how many decades now, I can't recall because its been sooooo long. Mention of cherries can be found in the literature of the ancient Chinese, Greeks and South Asians.

Maybe its just that extra vitamin C and potassium along with those nice red and juicy antioxidants. I often add Bernard Jensen Black Cherry concentrate to my berry smoothies, not only for taste, but for added nutrition.

Cherries with ricotta cheese help you sleep and fight cancer because of all the extra melatonin and proanthocyanidin. They even offer some hops to people with diabetes.

"A growing body of science reveals tart cherries, enjoyed as either dried, frozen cherries or cherry juice, have among the highest levels of disease-fighting antioxidants, when compared to other fruits. They also contain other important nutrients such as beta carotene (19 times more than blueberries or strawberries) vitamin C, potassium, magnesium, iron, fiber and folate.

Emerging evidence links cherries to many important health benefits – from helping to ease the pain of arthritis and gout, to reducing risk factors for heart disease, diabetes and certain cancers. Cherries also contain melatonin, which has been found to help regulate the body’s natural sleep patterns, aid with jet lag, prevent memory loss and delay the aging process."

So it seems that after the government food police interference decided the cherry board can't make a claim at all about how this glorious fruit helps and perhaps even cures arthritis, medicine once again sticks in a dirty finger. Could it be leading to control the cherry crop?

FDA Threatens To Raid Cherry Orchards

I guess you have to be the judge.

And remember to tell your member of congress - NO on HR 875!

Can Cherries Relieve The Pain Of Osteoarthritis?

ScienceDaily (2009-03-21) -- For the estimated 27 million Americans who suffer from osteoarthritis, pain relief may come with a cherry on top. According to researchers, tart cherries, in pill form, may be a promising pain-reliever for this common and debilitating form of arthritis. ...  read full article

The Tuna Calculator

Here's a handy little tool that will tell you how much tuna fish you can eat safely.

Cancer drug 'fuels tumour growth'

A type of drug designed to stunt tumour growth has actually been found to fuel cancer if given at too low a dose.

Read about Cilengitide, another Merck creation. It's also targeted for prostate cancer use.

Someday the Big Pharma crowd will be stopped from all this creative cooking at the expense of life.

In the interim my hope would be that anyone treated with mainstream methods for cancer would stop and ask many more questions. It might save save your life.

Salt Savvy

UPDATE: 23 March
It seems, once again, that I've stirred up the hornet's nest on this topic of Himalayan salt.

It also seems that the proponents of this salt do not like to support free speech or any other data than their own.

Personally, I'll side with Gandhi, and also support free speech.

Also note that Washington state is going to get some stimulus money. Chris Gregoire says that a block of funds will be used to improve WA drinking water. The first thing she needs to do is take out all the fluoride in water systesm areound the state to stop poisoning the citizens. You can contact her office and let her know that flouride must be eliminated, and thank you.

Additional commenatary is as follows based on an anonymous comment I received this morning. Please note that it is our policy to NOT post anonymous comments as a general rule.

[Natural Health News] New comment on Salt Savvy.
Hi Gayle,

We received a similar email back in December 2008, also from "Ed Leach".

Attached were the test results, as well as the "double-blind" human study meant to prove the benefits of "Himalaya Crystal Salt".

FLUORIDE TEST:

Apparently, the test was done on January 3, 2008, using a method heretofore unheard of ("M4500FC"). Tests were conducted by Turner Laboratories. There were no other details given. There is no detail on what the "solution" tested was.

This same document can be found on other "Himalaya Salt" websites, i.e.
http://www.himalayanlivingsalt.com/content/TurnerFtest_0712687_9jan08.pdf

Ed Leach claims that the result was 0.01 ppm, which is wrong. The result indicated was 0.1 ppm. While this may certainly be possible, there is no info as to what the solution was which actually got tested.

Further, Mr. Leach further seems unaware of the fact that fluoride content may vary batch by batch.

If he were truly concerned, every batch should be analyzed according to established protocols, and results posted on his website.

Concerning Mr. Leach's statement:

"This amount, although almost insignificant from a chemical perspective and surely inconsequential as a suspect in causing harm to human beings, still reflects the homeopathic potential for fluoride as a necessary and important complement to human health and wellbeing."

Fluoride is NOT a "necessary or important complement to human health and wellbeing". It is not an essential element, as has been proven many times. It is a poison.

Mr. Leach claims that he "is the exclusive importer of Original Himalayan Crystal Salt® as featured in the exciting and compelling book, Water and Salt, The Essence of Life, by Dr. Barbara Hendel, M.D. and Biophysicist, Peter Ferreira."

The scam around this book and salt has already been covered elsewhere, in great detail.

SEE:
http://poisonfluoride.com/pfpc/html/himalaya.html
http://poisonfluoride.com/pfpc/html/india_salt.html

As was discovered by German researchers, the salt marketed by Leach, Ferreira et al, comes from the Khewra salt mine in Pakistan, a range approximately 700 meters high, and far away from the "Himalaya" mountain range...

THE DOUBLE BLIND HUMAN STUDY:
This "wellness test" was done by a company called "Fenestra Research". This company claimed on its website:

"Take your nutritional product sales to new heights by partnering with Fenestra Research. Make us your ally."

That explains a lot....

As someone stated on another forum:
Apparently they claim to "measure 34 clinical markers in human physiology to a very high degree of accuracy, and conclude the level of 'wellness' exhibited by individual clients with specific recommendations for improving areas of concern. Of course, the results of these tests or how they work aren't published. The whole company seems to have been formed to give credence to (oewoo) and also make a quick buck off of individuals hoping to acquire a (false) sense of legitimacy to their products."

On yet another forum you can read more: "Fenestra Research is not independent, is not impartial, and performs only one test of their own design which is judged by their own standards."

SEE: http://www.worldwidescam.info/lwresearch2.htm

The scam continues...

Andreas

You be the judge.

----------------
I do believe in salt for health, the natural kind, farmed preferred. I don't believe in mass marketing schemes and promoting false data, or hiding data, for the point of selling something, with profit as the motive.

I have been using natural salt much longer than it has been the latest crazy fad. I also use a very special type of salt that is farmed, and then prepared in a very special way according to old way of Zen. This salt will run circles around what your MLM party is selling or even that at Swanson's.

I am very careful about health food and natural products. I'm careful because I've watched this industry since the 1950s and I know a lot of change has come along: Sometines change is not good, nor healthy.

Because I have been known for decades as a critical thinker, I have joined with others on an expert panel at the Natural Products Foundation to serve as a resource for journalists and others seeking better information about natural products and this industry.

My caveat to other readers is, look before you leap.

A reader wrote to me about salt.

She stated, "I was reading with interest your article posted on rense.com about the toxicity in himalayan crystal salt.

I am bothered by the fluoride content of these salts and the heavy metals too. In the analyis given at Gamma Salt, the NB states that some of the analysis were provided by the "Institute of Biophysical Research in Las Vegas, NV in USA". Upon further discovery, I found that it is a NON-EXISTENT institution!

I have attached this PDF for your review if interested.

I slso contacted Fisher Environmental Labs to get their response to this, but they have not responded to my inquiry."

The Fisher Lab report shows Fluoride at 16 PPM (parts per million). Fluoride may be toxic in amounts least than 1 PPM.

For those people "hooked" on the so called pink himalayan salt, you might wish to get more scientific data before you stock up.

Please see FMI

Ref Articles from Natural Health News:
Fl - A Difficult Halogen for People to Understand

Science Can Sizzle When it Comes to Salt

Himalayan Salt FAD May Be a Health Risk

Women's Health Month and Propaganda

During March our organization sponsors a class for women called "What Your Doctor Won't Tell You".

This has always been very popular and we educate more women every year on this facts of the breast cancer scam and other very specific issues for women's health.

The major reason we have sponsored this program is to help women learn how to be better advocates for their health and not fall prey to substandard health care.

We also do not wish for you to be subjected to forced mammogram, which has been proposed under universal health care. You have rights, you need to be informed, and you need choices.

One of the "Healthy Handouts" we publish is a fact sheet on mammography. It is very important to understand why mammogram is a factor in the increased rates of breast cancer, as is a cell phone, WIFI, and Yoplait.

You can get a copy of this Healthy Handout by making a donation to our parent organization, Creating Health Institute, at PayPal.

In the interim we hope you will consider more about thermography.

We hope too that you will visit our colleague at Thermomed, especially good if you are located in the SoCal area.

Women need to take back the night on their own health and not fall prey to the purveyors of radiation, chemo, and other cancer promoting modalities.

Hemoglobin and Cell Phone Damage

Hemoglobin is the iron carrying component of the red blood cell. It has a major function of carrying oxygen to the cells.

I don't think I need to say more.

Effects of Mobile Phone Radio Frequency on the Structure and Function of the Normal Human Hemoglobin

Please use the search function to locate my other posts on EMF, health risks and Cell phones, WIFI et al

Live Well, Live Long

Thanks to my esteemed colleague, Jeff Rense, for providing this story.

97 Yr Old Physician's Formula For LifeBy Judit Kawaguchi The Japan Times
3-22-9

At the age of 97 years and 4 months, Shigeaki Hinohara is one of the world's longest-serving physicians and educators. Hinohara's magic touch is legendary: Since 1941 he has been healing patients at St. Luke's International Hospital in Tokyo and teaching at St. Luke's College of Nursing. After World War II, he envisioned a world-class hospital and college springing from the ruins of Tokyo; thanks to his pioneering spirit and business savvy, the doctor turned these institutions into the nation's top medical facility and nursing school. Today he serves as chairman of the board of trustees at both organizations. Always willing to try new things, he has published around 150 books since his 75th birthday, including one "Living Long, Living Good" that has sold more than 1.2 million copies. As the founder of the New Elderly Movement, Hinohara encourages others to live a long and happy life, a quest in which no role model is better than the doctor himself.




Doctor Shigeaki Hinohara
JUDIT KAWAGUCHI PHOTO


Energy comes from feeling good, not from eating well or sleeping a lot. We all remember how as children, when we were having fun, we often forgot to eat or sleep. I believe that we can keep that attitude as adults, too. It's best not to tire the body with too many rules such as lunchtime and bedtime.

All people who live long - regardless of nationality, race or gender - share one thing in common: None are overweight. For breakfast I drink coffee, a glass of milk and some orange juice with a tablespoon of olive oil in it. Olive oil is great for the arteries and keeps my skin healthy. Lunch is milk and a few cookies, or nothing when I am too busy to eat. I never get hungry because I focus on my work. Dinner is veggies, a bit of fish and rice, and, twice a week, 100 grams of lean meat.

Always plan ahead. My schedule book is already full until 2014, with lectures and my usual hospital work. In 2016 I'll have some fun, though: I plan to attend the Tokyo Olympics!

There is no need to ever retire, but if one must, it should be a lot later than 65. The current retirement age was set at 65 half a century ago, when the average life-expectancy in Japan was 68 years and only 125 Japanese were over 100 years old. Today, Japanese women live to be around 86 and men 80, and we have 36,000 centenarians in our country. In 20 years we will have about 50,000 people over the age of 100.

Share what you know. I give 150 lectures a year, some for 100 elementary-school children, others for 4,500 business people. I usually speak for 60 to 90 minutes, standing, to stay strong.

When a doctor recommends you take a test or have some surgery, ask whether the doctor would suggest that his or her spouse or children go through such a procedure. Contrary to popular belief, doctors can't cure everyone. So why cause unnecessary pain with surgery? I think music and animal therapy can help more than most doctors imagine.

To stay healthy, always take the stairs and carry your own stuff. I take two stairs at a time, to get my muscles moving.

My inspiration is Robert Browning's poem "Abt Vogler." My father used to read it to me. It encourages us to make big art, not small scribbles. It says to try to draw a circle so huge that there is no way we can finish it while we are alive. All we see is an arch; the rest is beyond our vision but it is there in the distance.

Pain is mysterious, and having fun is the best way to forget it. If a child has a toothache, and you start playing a game together, he or she immediately forgets the pain. Hospitals must cater to the basic need of patients: We all want to have fun. At St. Luke's we have music and animal therapies, and art classes.

Don't be crazy about amassing material things. Remember: You don't know when your number is up, and you can't take it with you to the next place.

Hospitals must be designed and prepared for major disasters, and they must accept every patient who appears at their doors. We designed St. Luke's so we can operate anywhere: in the basement, in the corridors, in the chapel. Most people thought I was crazy to prepare for a catastrophe, but on March 20, 1995, I was unfortunately proven right when members of the Aum Shinrikyu religious cult launched a terrorist attack in the Tokyo subway. We accepted 740 victims and in two hours figured out that it was sarin gas that had hit them. Sadly we lost one person, but we saved 739 lives.

Science alone can't cure or help people. Science lumps us all together, but illness is individual. Each person is unique, and diseases are connected to their hearts. To know the illness and help people, we need liberal and visual arts, not just medical ones.

Life is filled with incidents. On March 31, 1970, when I was 59 years old, I boarded the Yodogo, a flight from Tokyo to Fukuoka. It was a beautiful sunny morning, and as Mount Fuji came into sight, the plane was hijacked by the Japanese Communist League-Red Army Faction. I spent the next four days handcuffed to my seat in 40- degree heat. As a doctor, I looked at it all as an experiment and was amazed at how the body slowed down in a crisis.

Find a role model and aim to achieve even more than they could ever do. My father went to the United States in 1900 to study at Duke University in North Carolina. He was a pioneer and one of my heroes. Later I found a few more life guides, and when I am stuck, I ask myself how they would deal with the problem.

It's wonderful to live long. Until one is 60 years old, it is easy to work for one's family and to achieve one's goals. But in our later years, we should strive to contribute to society. Since the age of 65, I have worked as a volunteer. I still put in 18 hours seven days a week and love every minute of it.

Judit Kawaguchi loves to listen. She is a volunteer counselor and a TV reporter on NHK's "Out & About." Learn more at: http:// juditfan.blog58.fc2.com

Natural treatment and leg ulcers

I read a lot of studies and every time I get one of the medical news letters I read on a daily basis I cringe when I scan the title given to some study or another.

Deep in my soul I know this is just a piece of the bottom fish scavenger mentality to keep a payroll going with no defined requirement for a usable outcome to improve health.

It reminds me of a time when I was doing a psych rotation during my college days was caring for patients enrolled in a study. This shrink had the idea that he could prove that people had a serious mental disorder by having them put their hand and forearm in a bucket of ice. He would then observe the person's pupils and so "prove" that they had or did not have this mental disorder.

It is also like breast cancer research for the cure. I was told there would be a cure over 35 five years ago. What are we still doing? We are inflicting more breast cancer on women because we can't get it through our thick skulls that mammography causes breast cancer and the drugs don't really work.

If all this worked then the statistics of cure would be one hell of a lot better.

Anyway, it is a well proven fact that leg ulcers can be cured with raw honey.

It is inexpensive, you don't need maggots, and it is fast.

Using certain pure essential oils makes it go a lot faster, and this prevents and heals any infection.

Debridement comes with easy - however possibly painful - soap and water cleansing, along with air drying or a far infrared lamp to dry, heal and promote circulation.

You do have a choice. You just need to know how to get the information.

Natural Health News, along with our associated organization web sites, is a top choice for resources. If there isn't something you are looking for, then just ask.

Maggot therapy hope 'premature'
Maggots may not have the miracle healing properties that have been claimed, a UK study suggests.

Researchers comparing maggots with a standard "hydrogel" in treating leg ulcers found little difference.

Recent excitement over using maggots to speed up healing and even reduce MRSA infections in leg ulcers seems to have been premature, they said.

The British Medical Journal study is the first to compare maggots with standard treatment.

Leg ulcers can be very difficult to treat and after use of high-compression bandages only about half are healed within 16 weeks.

One common treatment is to use a water-based gel to keep the wound moist and promote the natural healing process.

Maggots, or larval therapy, are another option - but it can be more tricky to place them in the wound and they have to be specially ordered which takes a few days.

The theory has been that maggots are effective because they "clean out" dead tissue - a process called debridement - stimulating healing and getting rid of bugs such as MRSA in the process.

But although larval therapy is being used more and more, it has only been tested in one randomised controlled trial of 12 patients, the team said.

Healing

In the latest study, 270 patients with leg ulcers from around the UK were treated either with maggots or hydrogel and progress followed for up to a year.

There was no significant difference in the time it took the ulcer to heal between the two treatments or in quality of life.

Maggots were not more effective than hydrogel treatment at reducing the amount of bacteria present or in getting rid of MRSA and were, on average, associated with more pain.

The only benefit seemed to be that the dead tissue in the wound was cleaned out more quickly

A separate study looking at cost-effectiveness estimated there was little to choose between the two therapies.

Study leader Professor Nicky Cullum, deputy head of health sciences at the University of York, said the resurgence in interest in using maggots had been "premature".

"The ulcers treated with larval therapy did get cleaner - which is not surprising as they're an active debriding agent - but that rapid cleaning did not lead to rapid healing."

She said it would be up to clinicians to decide which was the most appropriate for their patients, but in general there was no extra benefit from maggots over standard therapy.

"It comes down to the aim of treatment. If for some reason rapid debridement is important, then you would choose larval therapy - for example if someone was having a skin graft.

"This will help them make more informed decisions."

Story from BBC NEWS:http://news.bbc.co.uk/go/pr/fr/-/2/hi/health/7953091.stm
Published: 2009/03/20 © BBC MMIX

Honey

THERAPEUTIC MASSAGE AND DIABETES and A Massage Technique for Diabetes

herbalYODA Joins Expert Panel

The Founder and Director of CHI (Creating Health Institute) and The Oake Centre for natural health education joins an expert panel at a national organization. This group will help inform the public about key issues facing the growing natural products field. The principal purpose of this project is to make industry professionals available to journalists who are seeking expert opinions.

Dr. Gayle Eversole is a long time natural health advocate and educator. Growing up in a medical family she developed her interest in natural health care at age 12, and was weaned in the 1950s on Organic Gardening and Prevention magazines.

Since that time Gayle has completed education in psychology (1963), traditional naturopathy (1968), nursing and whole systems design (1969, 74, 75, 77), Oriental Medicine (1972), Mediation and Arbitration (1982, 83) western herbalism (master herbalist - 1985), Ethics and counseling (1991), therapeutic aromatherapy (1998), Ayurveda (2000), homeopathy and flower essence therapy (2002).

In addition Gayle is a Reiki master and teacher, deeply involved in the study and use of American indigenous herbalism, and a certified Voice BioAnalysis practitioner. She holds many other professional certifications.

Eversole's organization is a 501c3 tax exempt organization which has provided community and college based education; corporate wellness programs; consultation to health care professionals and the supplement industry; to business, organizations, and elected officials (municipal, state and federal); established three community based natural health libraries, and a veteran's resource program. And she develops and manufactures targeted nutritional and herbal supplements.

Gayle is a highly respected educator, speaker, author and writer who is often sought by the media and natural health venues for interviews and her expertise.

She has been associated with Keep Hope Alive, PFPC, the American Herbalist's Guild (AHG), Safe Harbor Project, The Flower Essence Society, Idaho Coalition for Natural Health and works closely with The Silver Valley Community Resource Center (www.silvervalleyaction.com).

Eversole's organization is based in the Pacific NW, yet the programs and services reach around the world.

Currently she working on natural product production of her unique xtreme sports supplement - ADVENTURX - several other supplements and herbal remedies. Gayle publishes a BLOG, Natural Health News (2004), and two web sites: leaflady.org (1991) and simply4health.org (2006). She has published numerous books and articles as well as her Healthy Handouts series and contributed to numerous books and articles on natural health. Her column, Health Matters, has been featured in mainstream media since 1991, and she has written Natural Notes on Health since 2002. Eversole also publishes two subscription newsletters, herbalYODA Says! and the Diabetes E-list.

Gayle is the proud parent of two daughters and wishes to acknowledge her Choctaw heritage and deep connection with indigenous communities everywhere.

Health Care Reform Has Hefty Price Tag

As the ball park figure for health care reform creeps up not-to-slowly, not unlike the Wall Street-Banking Bail Out fiasco, from $634 billion to $1.5 trillion, maybe you'd better make plans to sign up for our on-line classes or get our list of recommended books, so you can start reducing your health prevention and maintenance learning curve....

Maybe this goes along with that agenda item for your employee health benefits to be taxed as income.

Where's the Beef? or should it be asked. "Is it real or Memorex?"...

Health care overhaul may cost about $1.5 trillion
By RICARDO ALONSO-ZALDIVAR, Associated Press Writer

WASHINGTON – Guaranteeing health insurance for all Americans may cost about $1.5 trillion over the next decade, health experts say. That's more than double the $634 billion 'down payment' President Barack Obama set aside for health reform in his budget, raising the prospect of sticker shock at a time of record federal spending. Administration officials have pointedly avoided providing a ballpark estimate, saying it depends on details to be worked out with Congress. The White House had no immediate response to questions Tuesday.

Still, the potential costs are raising concerns among Republicans and some Democrats as Congress prepares to draft next year's budget. "We shouldn't just be throwing more money on top of the present system, because the present system is so wasteful," said Sen. Judd Gregg of New Hampshire, the ranking Republican on the Budget Committee.

The health care plan Obama offered as a candidate would have cost nearly $1.2 trillion over ten years, according to a detailed estimate last fall by the Lewin Group, a leading consulting and policy analysis firm. The campaign plan would not have covered all the uninsured, as most Democrats in Congress want to do. But it is a starting point for lawmakers.

John Sheils, a senior vice president of the Lewin Group, said about $1.5 trillion to $1.7 trillion would be a credible estimate for a plan that commits the nation to covering all its citizens. That would amount to around 4 percent of projected health care costs over the next 10 years, he added.

The cost of covering the uninsured is "a difficult hurdle to get over," Sheils said in an interview.

"I don't know where the rest of the money is going to come from," he added.

Some of the leading advocates of coverage for all are using cost estimates of around $1.5 trillion.

"Honestly...we can't do it for the $634 billion the president put in the reserve fund," John Rother, public policy director for AARP told an insurance industry meeting in Washington last week.

"In all likelihood, it will be over $1 trillion," he added, citing his own estimate of $1.5 trillion.

Economist Len Nichols, who heads the health policy project at the New America Foundation, said he calculates that guaranteeing coverage will cost $125 billion to $150 billion a year, when fully phased in.

Nichols said the Obama administration is not being "cagy" but "strategic" in refusing to be pinned down on an estimate. Taxpayers will get a better idea when congressional committees try to draft legislation later this year. "Until that gets revealed by the Congress, it would be highly premature for the president to assert that sort of number," Nichols said.

White House budget director Peter Orszag told the House Budget Committee earlier this month that the president's $634 billion fund is "likely to be the majority of the cost." Roughly half of the money would come from spending cuts, and the other half from tax increases.

But whether the $634 billion represents 50 percent, 60 percent, or 70 percent of the cost "will depend on the details of whatever is finally done...as we move through the legislative process," Orszag added.

The overall cost matters because the expansion of health coverage is meant to be a permanent reform. That means future generations will have to bear the cost.

"We are dealing with huge numbers," said David Walker, a former U.S. comptroller general and now head of the Peter G. Peterson Foundation, a group that promotes fiscal responsibility. "We need to have a much better sense of what we are talking about doing, and whether or not it's affordable and sustainable over time."

The costs could force the administration and Congress to make unpopular decisions on where to cut the nation's $2.4 trillion health care tab.

"Nobody disputes the fact that there's going to be some startup costs," said Sen. Ron Wyden, D-Ore. "But to have credibility in terms of going to the public, you've got to show you are making some savings in the existing system."

Copyright © 2009 The Associated Press

What People are Looking For: Chronic Pain

UPDATE:March 23 - It may be that this works, however consider that the amount of Vitamin D varies depending on geography. The farther north in latitude you live and the less sunlight you receive, the more vitamin D you need. In some cases, however, people have an exccess level, so the caveat should be to get a test first.
25-hydroxyvitamin D is used to determine if bone weakness, bone malformation, or abnormal metabolism of calcium (reflected by abnormal calcium, phosphorus, PTH) is occurring as a result of a deficiency or excess of vitamin D.
And remember: Vitamin D is a FAT soluble vitamin/hormone and it requires a healthy gut, healthy thyroid/parathyroid and calcium (phosphorus and magnesium too), as well as sunlight, to work effectively in the body. Usually the government RDA level is much too low to be therapeutic, especially if you are a person of color.

Chronic pain linked to low vitamin D
ROCHESTER, Minn., March 23 (UPI) -- U.S. researchers found a correlation between inadequate vitamin D levels and the amount of narcotic medication taken by patients who have chronic pain.

Researchers at the Mayo Clinic in Rochester, Minn., found chronic pain patients who required narcotic pain medication, and who also had inadequate levels of vitamin D, were taking much higher doses of pain medication -- nearly twice as much -- as those who had adequate levels.

The study, published in the journal Pain Medicine, also found the patients with the lower levels of vitamin D self-reported worse physical functioning and worse overall health perception.

"This is an important finding as we continue to investigate the causes of chronic pain," lead author Dr. Michael Turner said in a statement. "Vitamin D is known to promote both bone and muscle strength. Conversely, deficiency is an under-recognized source of diffuse pain and impaired neuromuscular functioning. By recognizing it, physicians can significantly improve their patients' pain, function and quality of life."

The researchers studied 267 chronic pain patients admitted to the Mayo Comprehensive Pain Rehabilitation Center from February-December 2006. Vitamin D levels at the time of admission were compared to other parameters such as the amount and duration of narcotic pain medication usage; self-reported levels of pain, emotional distress, physical functioning and health perception; and demographic information such as gender, age, diagnosis and body mass index.

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If I knew exactly what people are looking for I could probably buy a tropical island and go live the party life. I might enjoy it for a day or two but then I'd get bored and have to get creative so I'd have something meaningful to do.

I think running this blog is meaningful, and sometimes I find a query by a reader I think is important enough, so I'll add a comment and hope the information makes a difference for at least one person.

In the midst of the flurry of activity on Natural Health News I noticed some one searching to information about chronic pain.

Pain is a very personal issue because of individual tolerance and what has been found to be useful. It also depends on culture, education and socialization, and it has a deep, emotional component.

I know there are a plethora of drugs that could be prescribed, but I am not a fan of drugs. What is termed "self-medication" (often in a derogatory way) can refer to alcohol or other drugs, even self-mutilation.

Today I was listening to some continuing education seminars from the pain foundation. The first wasn't too bad but it really excluded a lot of what the speaker termed CAM, alternative or integrative medicine.

I don't like any of those terms because it tells me that mainstream medicine just doesn't understand a lick about natural healing.

The second was a presentation, again by a nurse, focused on fibromyalgia, and all of it was drug based. What frustration.

Had it been my presentation I would have looked at acupuncture, the Y-Dan exercise tape, hydrotherapy, herbs, spiritual phyto-essencing, homeopathy, and not to be the last on a list to any extent, flower essences.

I've developed some pretty effective natural remedies in all the years I've been in this field. One of the best isn't one of my originals but it is one I educate people about on may occasions.

The nice part about it is that it doesn't interfere with drugs (Rx) and it really works. The best part is that it was hospital tested ( wink, wink for all the doubting mainstream types like the "doctors" blog I found today that ripped every natural remedy on that fallacious argument that there is no science behind it).

This very simple, natural remedy for pain is flower essence of impatiens. Bach called it equal to or better than morphine. It can be used as often as every five minutes with no untoward effects.

There are some other essences that can be used for pain as well, but I think it is best to start simply.

For Impatiens, my choice is Healing Herbs brand, as they are made true to the way in which Bach created them by hand.

You can find more about the essences here

Pain suffered by NHS patients is not taken seriously enough, says Sir Liam Donaldson
Chronic pain suffered by millions is not being taken seriously enough with specialist services remaining a 'cinderella and neglected area of healthcare', Sir Liam Donaldson said.

by Rebecca Smith, Medical Editor, The Telegraph, UK
16 Mar 2009

Around eight million people in the UK suffer with chronic pain, with children affected as well as the elderly.

But only 14 per cent of people with pain see a specialist in the area because services do not have the capacity to keep up with demand, the report said.


"Although we now have effective means of tacking both pain and the consequences of pain, services have not kept up with demand and too many people struggle to cope with their symptoms," Sir Liam said in the foreword to his annual report.

All healthcare professionals should be trained in chronic pain, inpatients should have their pain score monitored closely and rapid access pain clinics should be set up nationally, Sir Liam said.

He also called for greater support for men diagnosed with prostate cancer to help them decide if they want to have their cancer treated aggressively and risk the side effects or adopt a watch-and-wait approach.

Unlike most other forms of the disease prostate cancer is split into 'tigers' which are aggressive and potentially life threatening, and 'pussycats' which grow very slowly and may never cause harm in the patient's lifetime.

In the UK around 26,000 men are diagnosed with localised prostate cancer, which may indicate a pussycat form of the condition. Surgery and radiotherapy often clear the tumour but carry a risk of impotency and incontinence, he said.

The decision to have treatment has been described as 'hellish' by patient, Sir Liam said.

See also: Pain Free Naturally