OH, What A Surprise

Here is a comment from a (rare) thinking doctor from a medical poll regarding the removal of Avandia from the market.

Should the F.D.A. take Rosiglitazone off the market? Yes. Why? A drug is a drug, is a drug, is a drug. As a molecule foreign to the body, the body will fight it and reject it. This is what is called side effects. The question: Are the side effects worth the risk? The answer is: When it may cost your life, it is not worth it. The "Time Factor' built in this dilemma is just the "Clock ticking in a bomb" So open your eyes and your mind, look and find out a "good alternative". Decide, and be pleased with your decision.

This process should be used when considering any drug primarily because today's pharmaceuticals are so laden with side effects, and not just minor ones.

Bravo!

More natural substances on their way to drug status

A few days ago I make a smoothie with pomegranate juice, goji juice crystals, plums, and Concord grapes, plus all my hemp protein and other nutritionals I add in. I even shared a little of this thick, velvety purple blend with my Golden Retriever as a topping for her daily serving of plain yoghurt.

I have eaten grape skins and seeds since childhood. Concords are my favorite, but always favored black or red grapes.

I prefer red wine too.

Resveratrol is a grape extract and it became popular again some years ago, as did the known facts on the health benefits of red wine.

Resveratrol is an anti-oxidant in general, but it has a fairly high potency and is high in polyphenols.

In supplement form I prefer high quality herbal powder saturated in the herbal extract.

I also like Concord Grape Skin Pie.

It seems that researchers in France have another idea in the pipeline, using resveratrol for weight loss and it seems on target to become another drugs.

Drug 'tricks body to lose weight'
French scientists say they have found a drug that tricks the body into burning off fat even when on a high-fat diet.

The University of Louis Pasteur team found the drug protected mice against weight gain and insulin resistance.

The drug SRT1720 - a chemical cousin of red wine extract resveratrol - targets the protein SIRT1, which is thought to combat ageing, Cell Metabolism reports.

UK obesity experts said new drug treatments were needed but should be used alongside lifestyle changes.

About a quarter of men and a third of women in the UK are overweight, according to government statistics.

A change in diet and an increase in physical exercise can shift excess weight, but can be hard for many to maintain.

With the removal of the anti-obesity pill rimonabant, also known as Acomplia, from the market amid safety concerns, fewer drug options exist.

Potent drug

The French team from the University Louis Pasteur became interested in the SIRT1 protein after earlier studies showing resveratrol countered some effects of a high-calorie diet via SIRT1.

We do need new treatments for obesity, particularly as there are 1,000 deaths a week in the UK from obesity
Professor Stephen Bloom of Imperial College London

But tests in mice suggested gallons of wine would be necessary for humans to stand a chance of getting the same benefits.

The scientists turned their attention to creating a more potent drug that would specifically target SIRT1.

They found that a low dose of SRT1720 partially protected mice from gaining weight on a high-fat diet after 10 weeks of treatment.

The drug worked by shifting the metabolism to a fat-burning mode that normally takes over only when energy levels are low.

At higher doses, the drug completely prevented weight gain. It also improved the rodents' blood sugar tolerance and insulin sensitivity, which are important for warding off diabetes.

The mice showed no sign of side effects. However, the scientists say further studies are needed to test the drug's safety and efficacy before it could be used in humans.

Other scientists are investigating SIRT1 activators similar to SRT1720 developed by Sirtris Pharmaceuticals.

Professor Stephen Bloom, who has been researching obesity at Imperial College London, said: "This sounds interesting but is terribly early.

"We do need new treatments for obesity, particularly as there are 1,000 deaths a week in the UK from obesity."

Prof Ian Broom, of the Centre for Obesity Research and Epidemiology at The Robert Gordon University, said: "Research in this area is to be welcomed as an additional route of combating the obesity epidemic and associated comorbid disease."

He added that any such drug should be used alongside dietary and lifestyle changes to tackle obesity.

Story from BBC NEWS:http://news.bbc.co.uk/go/pr/fr/-/2/hi/health/7707876.stm
Published: 2008/11/05 © BBC MMVIII

Health-Care Reform Takes Center Stage

Read an opinion on this important issue.

Merck vaccine trail increased infection risk

This article points out vaccine failure. I reported on this blog at the time this report was first made. Now there is room for an update.

This experimental HIV vaccine was a Merck product, not unlike the Gardasil vaccine that is known to have caused death and higher risk of disease, without real promise of effectiveness, and no long term studies.

With advertising and marketing Merck and the FDA have made a killing of sorts, at the bank. This might be a good analogy for those of us that keep trying to explain that vaccines aren't all they are built up to be. They do make people sick.

And here's my opportunity to make another plug for the trial I'd like to run with supplements to show they can stop the conversion of HIV to AIDS.

If Bill Gates won't give me a grant perhaps Merck will. Just wish Sir Elton would read this, I'd like his money better. William and Harry might come through so we can dedicate this to their Mum.

Experimental HIV vaccine may have increased infection risk
Mon Nov 3, 2008
WASHINGTON (AFP) – Trials of a once-promising experimental HIV vaccine were cut short in 2007 because the drug may have increased the likelihood of HIV infection rather than preventing it, according to a new study.

The HIV-1 vaccine, which raised hopes in the fight against AIDS as it was being developed by US pharmaceutical giant Merck and Co., was undergoing second stage trials when the problem was discovered in September 2007, said researchers at the Montpellier Institute of Molecular Genetics in France.

The vaccine relied on a modified form of a common cold virus -- Adenovirus 5 (Ad5) -- to carry elements of HIV (Human immunodeficiency virus) into the body.

The smaller HIV parts, the Merck trials contended, would trigger the human immune system to start fighting off later infection with the virus.

One of main worries about the approach was that widespread immunity to the vaccine might cause the drug to be rejected by the body before an effective anti-HIV response could develop.

But three years after the first trial, researchers discovered that more of the vaccine recipients who had prior immunity to the Ad5 virus had been infected with HIV than those not exposed to the vaccine, according to the study, published online in the Journal of Experimental Medicine.

The presence of long-lasting antibodies specifically catering to the Ad5 virus, generated during natural infections with the common cold, could have altered the response to the HIV vaccine, the study said.

HIV infection spread through cell cultures three times faster in the presence of antibodies from individuals immune to the Ad5 virus, because the HIV virus came in contact with more of its preferred "T" cells -- prompted to grow by the vaccine -- to infect.

The study said the vaccine reached the second phase of its trials because primates, used in the first phase, do not naturally come into contact with the human common cold, so the problem went unrecognized.

The vaccine prototype was tested on 700 HIV-negative persons in five hospitals in South Africa between February and September 2007, in the first clinical HIV trial of its magnitude ever conducted in Africa.

Meanwhile, tests had been conducted since 2004 in the United States, Australia, Peru, Brazil and Puerto Rico.

HIV can lead to acquired immunodeficiency syndrome (AIDS).

According to the World Health Organization, 33 million people around the world are infected with the AIDS virus, mostly in the sub-Sahara Africa.

Some two million people died worldwide of AIDS in 2007.

Copyright © 2008 Agence France Presse.

Vitamin 'may be Alzheimer's aid'

Now you see it and now you don't: Vitamin B3 of all things.

Back in the late 60s I stumbled upon Orthomolecular Medicine while working at The Institute of Pennsylvania Hospital, the US' oldest psychiatric hospital.

At that time orthomolecular treatment was showing very good success in the treatment of schizophrenia, along with vitamin C, in very high doses.

Vitamin B3, or niacin, is also very helpful for fetal alcohol syndrome treatment, lowering cholesterol and other inflammatory states.

The non-flushing type of B3, niacinamide, is very helpful for Rheumatoid arthritis.

Now that the push is on for Big Pharma to take over control of supplements, and if the senior senator from Illinois, Dick Durbin, has his way President-Elect Obama may close a noose around your access to supplements too.

In the mean time this study shows that supplements are very successful in treating serious health concerns, and there is no record of death or serious injury from using them.

Tell your doubting doctors that science back this up! And don't forget to let your members of Congress know you want not control over supplements by the pharmaceutical industry, and you want them covered in all health care plans.
(Note that presently the only vitamins approved under the Senior Medicare Drug Plan are Pfizer's)

A vitamin found in meat, fish and potatoes may help protect the brain from Alzheimer's disease - and even boost memory in healthy people.

US researchers found vitamin B3 lowered levels of a protein linked to Alzheimer's damage in mice.

The Journal of Neuroscience study also showed the animals performed better at memory tests.

UK Alzheimer's charities said people should not start taking the vitamin before results from human studies.

This suggests that not only is it good for Alzheimer's disease, but if normal people take it, some aspects of their memory might improve
Professor Frank LaFerla
University of California, Irvine

The vitamin, also called nicotinamide by scientists, is sold in UK pharmacies and health food shops.

It has already been shown to help people suffering from diabetes complications and has some anti-inflammatory qualities.

The researchers, from the University of California at Irvine, added the vitamin to drinking water given to mice bred to develop a version of Alzheimer's disease, then tested the levels of certain chemicals associated with the condition.

They found that levels of one, called phosphorylated tau, were significantly lower in the animals.

This protein is involved in abnormal 'deposits' in brain cells, called 'tangles', which contribute to the brain damage which progressively affects people with Alzheimer's.

Using 'water mazes', the team also found some evidence that memory was enhanced in both 'Alzheimer's' mice and unaffected mice.

Normal memory

Dr Kim Green, who led the study, said that human tests were progressing: "Nicotinamide has a very robust effect on neurons. It prevents loss of cognition in mice with Alzheimer's disease, and the beauty of it is we already are moving forward with a clinical trial."

His colleague Professor Frank LaFerla, said: "This suggests that not only is it good for Alzheimer's disease, but if normal people take it, some aspects of their memory might improve."

Susanne Sorensen, the head of research at the Alzheimer's Society, said the research was "interesting" and pointed to new ways to treat the condition.

"From the research, it appears that Nicotinamide has more than one beneficial effect on nerve cells including the facilitation of the recycling of the 'bad' phosphorylated tau.

"Nicotinamide occurs naturally in meat, fish, beans, cereals and potatoes and is cheap and easy to take.

"However, more research is now needed to explore the possible mechanisms involved so we can better understand if Nicotinamide could have the same effect in people and, if it does, what level of vitamin intake would be required."

Rebecca Wood, Chief Executive of the Alzheimer's Research Trust, said until the human research was completed, people should not start taking the supplement.

"These are exciting findings, but until the results from the human clinical trial are announced, people should be wary about changing their diet or taking supplements. In high doses vitamin B3 can be toxic."

Story from BBC NEWS:http://news.bbc.co.uk/go/pr/fr/-/2/hi/health/7710365.stm

Published: 2008/11/05 10:04:04 GMT © BBC MMVIII

Stopping Pneumonia

High quality probiotics do help many health issues, preventing secondary infection related to antibiotic use and ploy-antibiotic use of fluroquinolones, by maintaining health gut bacteria necessary for immune function. Other methods must be relied on when overuse of acid blockers reduces gastric HCl (hydrochloric acid). The acid acts to fight bacteria and help in protein digestion to give you the necessary nutrition to support your body while you're fighting off infection.

Another excellent way to fight pneumonia is the use of vitamin A. This can be by oral administration or in IVs for critically ill persons. The dose is very high for a short duration, either three days or seven days, with dose adjustment based on time used.

Vitamin A acts to protect the mucous membrane lining of the respiratory tract.

Probiotics 'may stop pneumonia'
Probiotics could be used to protect critically ill patients from developing pneumonia, according to scientists.

The friendly bacteria can block the colonisation by dangerous bugs of the airways of ventilated patients, the Swedish study concluded.

The probiotic solution performed just as well as normal antiseptics used to keep pneumonia-causing bacteria at bay, the journal Critical Care reported.

Being more natural it could pose fewer side effects, the authors said.

Friendly bugs

The probiotic bacterium Lactobacillus plantarum 299 is normally present in saliva and is also commonly found in fermented products like pickles and sauerkraut.

Although rare, some patients are allergic to the antiseptics normally used to prevent ventilator-associated pneumonia, namely chlorhexidine.

There is also a very small risk of the pneumonia-causing bacteria developing chlorhexidine resistance.

Pneumonia is a common complication in patients on breathing machines and occurs when harmful bacteria from the mouth, throat or breathing tube are inhaled into the lungs.

This is a plausible idea. But we need much larger trials that focus on clinical outcomes to prove it is an effective and affordable treatment
Bob Marsterton of the British Society for Antimicrobial Chemotherapy

Swabbing the mouth with chlorhexidine is widely recommended to reduce the risk ventilator-associated pneumonia in critically ill patients requiring mechanical ventilation.

Bengt Klarin and colleagues at the University Hospital in Lund, Sweden, compared the probiotic treatment with chlorhexidine in 50 critically ill patients.

Microbiological testing revealed both treatments appeared to be equally effective at preventing potentially harmful bacteria from flourishing in the mouth and throat.

In addition, a probiotic that adheres to mouth lining will be able to work around the clock, unlike antiseptics which wear off after a few hours, say the authors.

The scientists said bigger studies were now needed to investigate the feasibility of using probiotics in this setting.

Bob Marsterton, chair of the British Society for Antimicrobial Chemotherapy's working party on hospital acquired pneumonia, said: "This is a plausible idea. But we need much larger trials that focus on clinical outcomes to prove it is an effective and affordable treatment."

He said chlorhexidine highly effective, affordable and readily available.

Story from BBC NEWS:http://news.bbc.co.uk/go/pr/fr/-/2/hi/health/7708895.stm

Published: 2008/11/06 © BBC MMVIII

Excerpt: Other Than Antibiotics

I have studied and used the method of essential oils with tinctures for many years, based on my studies of the European medical model as exemplified by the work of Drs. Duraffourd and Lapraz.

My method for H. pylori is one based on the use of Taoist herbal formulas fully evaluated at Dana Farber / Harvard.

There is great value in this work.

Treatment Of Infections Without Antibiotics By Dan Kenner, PhD, LAc.
Alternatives to Antibiotics

There are numerous alternative ways of treatment including ultraviolet light, Rife frequency generators, Chinese herbs, homeopathic medications, and more; but there are three methods that are in use in Europe among physicians practicing alternative medicine: isopathic immune modulators, essential oils with tinctures, and metallic colloids. They are used by a growing number of primary care practitioners in most countries in Western Europe. The approach to using these alternatives addresses the problem of infection as a problem of the whole system. The medications are considered to alter the internal condition in some way so that it is no longer hospitable to pathogenic microbes. To illustrate this point, it is well known that the streptococcus bacterium is a normal inhabitant of the throat mucosa as well as the gall bladder and colon. If a person’s internal condition is such that an internal toxic condition causes overgrowth of streptococcus in the throat, it is not enough to simply kill the germ. The fundamental toxic condition must also be treated. Streptococcus is a saprophyte, a bacterium that feeds on dead or decaying organic matter. Killing the streptococcus will prevent it from doing its job and simply result in another overgrowth, perhaps with renewed force or a more resistant strain. Another example is Helicobacter pylori, which is thought to be responsible for gastric ulcers; and, according to some researchers, overgrowth may even be implicated as a causal factor in stomach cancer. But while many individuals, perhaps most people, carry H. pylori, most of them never become symptomatic. These are two examples of how the primary cause of a disease is the creation of internal conditions in the body that cause certain microbes, even normally occurring ones like streptococcus and Helicobacter, to proliferate and overgrow.

Pregnant? No Flu Shot for You

While others on the Internet seem to need to have notoriety for disclosing information about vaccines issues known to CDC "first", please note that there are at least three pages or more of articles on our blog that you can locate via the search function. Other resources are on our main site that contain a tremendous amount of information about the risks of vaccination.

We also credit our sources, many of whom specialize in vaccine issues. And we don't troll other web sites, copy information and use it as our own.

We come from many decades in health care and many more in natural health ( just celebrating more than 50 years studying and using natural healing, with more than 30 years in medicine). We write based on the science and fact, with a strong hold on ethics. It's that our goals are probably different, even though we know it takes money to provide this and other services.

Lately I am sure you've noticed that there is a push for women who are pregnant to get a flu shot to protect their baby one it is born.

This PR campaign is not for your health, as you can see from a 2001 report on our web site.

One of the most bizarre twists on the flu vaccine saga is the CDC recommendation of 2001 that all pregnant women receive the vaccine in their second or third trimester. This recommendation even has doctors confused, since the vaccine remains a category C drug (unknown risk for pregnancy). No adequate studies have been conducted to monitor safety of the vaccine for mother and fetus. The only studies of adverse effects in pregnancy were conducted in the 1970s (Heinonen et al., 1973; Sumaya & Gibbs, 1979). Some flu vaccines still contain mercury as a preservative, despite a 1998 FDA instruction to remove mercury from all drugs. According to the CDC, two groups are most vulnerable to methylmercury¾the fetus and children ages 14 and younger. An article published in the American Journal of Epidemiology in 1999 stated, "the greatest susceptibility to methylmercury neurotoxicity occurs during late gestation" (Grandjean et al., 1999). How did CDC committee members determine that flu vaccines were safe for pregnant women? They did not. The committee, despite its own recommendation, states, "additional data are needed to confirm the safety of vaccination during pregnancy" (CDC, 2001b).

Many other queries wish information about vaccine ingredients. That information is on this blog, posted earlier this year, and many from prior years. October 07 we have a post on what's in the vaccines. And their is much, much more.

Please just get the information before you blindly act on TV ads.

Barbara Loe Fisher is a key vaccine researcher. She exposed the FDA and CDC issues on Gardasil in 2006. She's the go to person when you want facts not sensationalism.

Remember, we're not selling pots or anything else, we don't have backers with lots of money because we are a certified non-profit organization dedicated to natural public health, since 1988.

And we certainly appreciate your fully tax deductible donations and hope you'll support those who do help us out.

Cell Phones and Death

Do Cell Phones Kill 1,000 People a Year?

News: In June 2003, the Bush administration nixed a report on the dangers of gabbing while driving. Six months later, a Michigan 12-year-old became another statistic.

Continue reading...

What's in that can? M, M, not so good...

TV ads for Campbell's Select Harvest Healthy Request soup leave me with my head scratching.

The ads are to try to prove to you that Campbell's is a better choice over Progresso. Of course now Progresso has axed the MSG and salt too so it makes you wonder.

One thing I don't like about Campbell's is that their ads promote the use of "sea salt" yet if you call them they refuse to tell you where their 'sea salt' comes from.

Well I thought I'd check it out so I purchased a can of Campbell's SH soup, reading the label, as the soup heated up on my range.

I chose the Italian Style Wedding Soup, with "Real Ingredients For Real Taste".

First off I didn't notice too much taste.

Textured soy protein or concentrate isn't a health promoting substance, and they add additional soy protein concentrate! Bleached wheat flour cracker meal is followed by corn syrup solids, then there's modified wheat starch, flavoring (often this means MSG), potassium chloride (a salt substitute added in with 'lower sodium sea salt'), carrot juice concentrate (means it's cooked), salt, yeast extract, sugar, cornstarch and a few vegetables and chicken stock all thrown in the vat and cooked up for your delight. And if you cook it in the microwave your 10% vitamin A content goes up in smoke.

They also note that "Real Ingredients" are ingredients you understand.

I guess I don't understand because to me the list includes little of what is real to me.

Next time I'll try Progresso, then it will be back to homemade, like the big pot of turkey soup I just made from authentic "real ingredients".

NYC Marathoner Dies

Often times we see althletes collapse and die after grueling competitions. Some of the risks of such tragic events involve electrolyte loss, dehydration, ingestion of aspartame containing drinks, Marfan's Syndrome, or as recently reported - just the act of jogging or running may cause servere or life-threatening cardiac irregularity.

Our original product (ADVENTURX) developed in 2004 is an option for those in xtreme sports to help maintain oxygen levels and keep miscles relaxed as well as help feed the heart. Our new herbal sportZtea blend provides electrolytes and since we advise you to use raw honey for sweetness, it aids perfomance and stamina.

Runner, 58, finishes NYC Marathon, collapses, dies

Sun Nov 2, 2008

NEW YORK – A Brazilian runner has collapsed and died after finishing the New York City Marathon.

Police say 58-year-old Sao Paulo resident Carlos Jose Gomes had just passed the finish line around 4:30 Sunday afternoon when he complained about feeling ill. They say he was taken by ambulance to a Manhattan hospital, where he died shortly after.

No cause of death has been disclosed.

At least two other runners fell ill during the race and had to be hospitalized.

AIDS treatment should be started sooner

Bill Gates' foundation recently awarded a grant to a Japanese scientist who hopes to engage mosquitoes in the vaccination of everyone.

When I read the story about these awards I wondered what kind of a crazy idea this is, because just like the fluoridation of municipal water supplies, the concept overlooks informed consent, practicing medicine without a license, and not taking adverse reactions or allergy into consideration.

With AIDS, I am not denying that treatment should start as early as possible, but I'd rather get a grant from Gates to run a trial of my suggestion to provide a set of four nutritional supplements to people with HIV, in an effort to show that this pack prevent the progression from HIV to AIDS.

So Bill, I know I won't have any trouble locating a test group for my project. I'm sure to get cooperation of a supplement company to provide the items needed in the amount needed. Then we can support this research for many more people for a longer time period than in a lab, and most likely get real outcomes and a ton of better health for everyone involved.

Of course if this is too logical for you, I'm sure Bono or some one else would bbe willing to work on my team.

AIDS treatment should be started sooner, study saysMonday, October 27, 2008 By Marilynn Marchione

ASSOCIATED PRESS
WASHINGTON -- People who have the AIDS virus should start drug treatments sooner than current guidelines recommend, suggests a large new study that could change the care of hundreds of thousands of Americans.

The study found that delaying treatment until a patient's immune system is badly damaged nearly doubles the risk of dying in the next few years compared with patients whose treatment started earlier.

Doctors have thought it would be better to spare patients the side effects of AIDS drugs as long as possible.

"The data are rather compelling that the risk of death appears to be higher if you wait than if you treat," said Dr. Anthony Fauci, director of the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases, which helped pay for the study. The institute is a division of the National Institutes of Health.

If the results prompt doctors to change practice, as Fauci and other AIDS specialists predict, several hundred thousand Americans who are not taking AIDS drugs now would be advised to start.

The study was reported yesterday at an infectious-diseases conference in Washington.

About 56,300 Americans are newly infected with HIV each year. The virus ravages T-cells -- "helper cells" of the immune system that fight off germs. Once that happens, people can fall prey to a host of diseases that prove fatal.

Powerful drug combinations available since the mid-1990s have transformed HIV infection into a manageable chronic condition rather than the death sentence it once was. But the drugs can cause heart and cholesterol problems, diarrhea, nausea and other side effects. They also must be taken faithfully, or resistance develops and the drugs stop working.

That is why guidelines by the government and the International AIDS Society recommend that patients who are not yet having AIDS symptoms delay starting on the drugs until their T-cell counts fall below 350 per cubic millimeter of blood (healthy people have more than 800).

"There was this thinking, maybe the drugs were worse than the disease. If you could wait as long as you possibly could wait, you would have fewer side effects," said Dr. Robert Schooley, infectious-diseases chief at the University of California, San Diego.

The new study is the largest to look at whether that advice is sound. Researchers led by Dr. Mari Kitahata of the University of Washington in Seattle pooled information on 8,374 people in the United States and Canada with T-cell counts of 351 to 500 from 1996 to 2006.

About 30 percent started taking AIDS drugs right away; the rest waited until their T-cell counts fell below 350, as guidelines recommend.

"We found a 70 percent improvement in survival for patients who initiated therapy between 350 and 500" compared with those who waited, Kitahata said.

Two other recent studies found that people who start taking AIDS drugs while their T-cell count is above 350 have a better chance of getting their count back to normal than those who start later. Another key study found that briefly interrupting treatment to give patients "drug holidays" puts them at grave risk.

"These studies have all shown the same thing -- that we were starting too late" and need to keep treatment going once it starts, Schooley said. He helped write the AIDS society guidelines and consults for several companies that make AIDS drugs.

The bigger problem is that as many as a third of people diagnosed with HIV only discover they are infected after their T-cell counts already have fallen below 350 and they have serious complications.

"People are still being tested and identified way too late," said Dr. Daniel Kuritzkes, an AIDS specialist at Brigham and Women's Hospital in Boston. He said the new study shows how important it is to test and find people sooner.

Early on use of immune boosting mineral fights cold and flu bug

Just when some researchers are manipulating T cells to try and fight off cancer it seems they over looked the benefit of zinc which is known to improve the function and number of these immune "Kung Fu Fighters".

Zinc lozenges do provide an aid to your boost in vitamin C intake in the cold and flu season. Zinc tends to be difficult to absorb so its best used in lower doses, more frequently. I like the zinc lozenges with vitamin C and Elderberry.

When purchasing lozenges, read the pagkage label carefully to make sure you aren't getting a prodcut containing aspartame, acesulfame K or sucralose.

Zinc helps boost the number and strength of T-Cells, differentiated in the thymus gland.

Remember to use natural lotion to keep the skin on your hands lubricated when using hand sanitizers. Most contain alcohol which is drying to the skin.

The Next Best Thing to a Cure for the Common Cold?
As cold and flu season heats up, good news comes in form of a lozenge. A study in the Journal of Infectious Diseases suggests that taking zinc lozenges at the first sign of a cold could lead to milder symptoms and quicker recovery.

In the study, within 24 hours of contracting a cold, 50 people were given either lozenges containing 13 mg of zinc (in the form of zinc acetate) or a matching placebo to be taken every two to three hours while awake for as long as they had cold symptoms.

People who took the zinc lozenges had cold symptoms for a significantly shorter time than the people taking placebo (four days versus seven days). Compared with the placebo group, the zinc group's coughs, runny noses, and muscle aches lasted significantly less time, and symptoms were significantly less severe. Side effects were mild and similar between both groups.

The common cold may be caused by more than 200 different viruses, with rhinoviruses leading the pack. The average adult experiences two to four colds per year, while children may suffer as many as ten. The viruses are spread in the droplets of coughs and sneezes and can be passed from person to person by handling objects such as telephones, door knobs, and toys that an infected person has touched.

Runny nose, sore throat, body aches, cough, congestion, sneezing, and low-grade fever are some of the uncomfortable symptoms that herald a cold's onset, and these may last for a couple of weeks. Until now, there wasn't much to do for a cold besides getting plenty of rest, drinking plenty of fluids, and gargling with salt water. The American College of Chest Physicians discourages use of cough suppressants or expectorants and cautions that these medications shouldn’t be used by anyone younger than 14 years old.

Some studies have suggested that zinc might help relieve cold symptoms, but the evidence hasn't been conclusive. On these promising new results, the authors proposed "that the beneficial clinical effects seen in the zinc group were due to the antioxidant and anti-inflammatory effects of zinc." The zinc acetate used in new study is easily released in the mouth in a cherry-flavored lozenge.

When dealing with colds, prevention is still the best medicine. Remember to wash hands frequently and use and dispose of tissues promptly. When washing isn't possible, try a natural hand sanitizer.

(J Infect Dis 2008;197:795–802)

simple, inexpensive ways to beat cold and flu
The common cold can be one of the most fatiguing features of winter, often lasting weeks. The flu is another situation that can move from a viral to a debilitating infection, often more serious and may be accompanied by a high fever, body aches, and chills. Here are some good ways to help you shorten the life of a cold or flu:

Stay hydrated—Noncaffeinated drinks, including water and low-sugar juices, may help loosen and clear out mucus, soothe a sore throat, and replace fluid loss due to a fever or runny nose. Warm liquids, like herbal teas or soups, not only hydrate but their heat may also help fight off the infection and relieve congestion.

Take it easy—Lie down, stay warm, and sleep if you feel tired. This keeps all the body's energy available for combating the virus. If you have trouble relaxing, dim the lights, watch your favorite movie, or take a bath (add a few drops of lemon and or eucalyptus pure essential oil and you'll add virus fighting foes).

Don’t dry out—Because the cold and flu thrive in cold, dry environments, you can help boot out the virus infection by staying warm and raising humidity levels. Also, at very low levels of humidity, the nose mucus dries up and isn’t able to defend as well against harmful viruses and bacteria. Try using a nasal mist to keep your nose mucus moist. Or try this comforting stand-by: warm your hands and put your face over the rising steam as you sip your herbal tea.

portions courtesy DSIB

Scientists turbo-charge immune cells to fight cancerSun Nov 2, 2008
PARIS (AFP) – Scientists in the United States have created super-charged immune cells that helped beat back cancer tumours in half of a small group of patients tested, according to a study released Sunday.

Adding an artificial receptor to T-lymphocytes immune cells boosted their ability to fight a deadly form of cancer called neuroblastoma, the researchers reported.

Neuroblastoma attacks the nervous system. While fairly rare, it accounts for seven percent of all childhood cancers, and 15 percent of non-adult cancer deaths.

In two-thirds of cases, it is not diagnosed until it has already spread to other parts of the body.

In their natural state, T-lymphocytes do not survive very long and lack the molecules that would target cancer cells in tumours.

To overcome this double deficiency, a team of researchers led by Malcolm Brenner at the Baylor College of Medicine in Houston, Texas first selected immune cells naturally stimulated by a common but harmless virus called Epstein-Barr.

They then modified these cells to express a receptor keyed to specific proteins found in human neuroblastoma cells.

"In effect, the T-lymphocytes trampoline off the virus and onto the tumor," said Brenner.

In tests on 11 neuroblastoma patients aged three to 10, the re-engineered immune cells -- stimulated by the Epstein-Barr virus -- lasted for as long as 18 months, the study reported.

In five cases, tumours regressed and in a sixth the disease receded completely.

"For the first time, we started to see tumour responses," Brenner said. "We have one complete remission and others who have had stable disease for more than a year."

In future research, Brenner and his team plan to add receptors for other cancers to see if they get the same cancer-fighting effect, he said.

The study was published online in the Nature Publishing Group's journal Nature Medicine.

Insurance sales commissions raise eyebrows at Medicare

This sounds like round two of the Medicare Senior Drug Plan fiasco that has turned over thousands of dollars to the insurance industry, rather than helping Seniors pay for drugs.

It also looks like the regulators aren't keeping a close eye on what the market is up to, not unlike the current Wall Street fiasco at great cost to the public coffers.

This certainly should be an election issue and warrants a call or letter to your member of Congress.

Medicare officials to review insurers' commissions By KEVIN FREKING, Associated Press Writer

WASHINGTON – Federal health officials said Friday they will soon address growing concerns about the lucrative commissions that some Medicare insurers plan to pay their agents and brokers this year.

In Medicare, the elderly and disabled can enroll in private insurance plans that assume responsibility for covering a participant's health benefits. Those plans get a generous government subsidy and now serve roughly 10 million people. The program is called Medicare Advantage.

Documents obtained from some companies participating in Medicare Advantage show that their agents stand to make $500 to $550 this year for enrolling a beneficiary into one of their plans. In subsequent years, the agents could make another $500 for every year the beneficiary stays with the plan. After five years, an agent could have made more than $2,500, which is quite a jump from previous years.

Such a financial reward is raising concerns that agents and brokers will work too aggressively to enroll people into plans that don't meet their health needs.

"Medicare Advantage plans that have nearly quadrupled agent commissions are putting profits before patients and that's wrong," Sen. Max Baucus, D-Mont., said in a news release Friday. "We can't let seniors remain at risk of being targeted by predatory sales agents looking to make a quick buck."

The Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services recently issued regulations designed to curb abusive sales tactics in the Medicare Advantage program. The regulations went into effect Oct. 1, the start of the new marketing season. Plans can't begin enrolling new beneficiaries for their 2009 coverage until Nov. 15.

Rep. Pete Stark, D-Calif., urged CMS to consider capping commissions.

"This issue needs to be resolved immediately, before open enrollment begins," Stark said.

Kerry Weems, the acting administrator for CMS, said the agency plans to take action soon.

"We will address the concern and expect to take regulatory action next week," Weems said. "CMS is strongly suggesting that plans keep this in mind as they contemplate making any final arrangements regarding commission structures."

Weems did not elaborate on what regulatory changes will be make. The trade group representing insurers encouraged CMS to take some action.

"We support CMS acting in this area and believe clear and consistent standards are necessary," said Karen Ignagni, president and CEO of America's Health Insurance Plans.

Two of the major players in the program, Humana Corp. and UnitedHealth Group, both said Friday that they welcomed regulation of insurance agent commissions.

"Nine months ago, we called for capping commissions and total compensation paid to contracted agents and brokers. Consistent with our position, we support Chairman Stark's proposal," said Humana spokesman Tom Noland. "We believe this payment method ensures that agents and brokers are rewarded only when seniors are satisfied with their choices, and penalizes agents and brokers who use marketing tactics that result in beneficiaries signing up for a product they do not fully understand."

"We would also welcome regulation that establishes reasonable industry-wide broker commission norms," said a statement issued by Ovations, a subsidiary of UnitedHealth Group.

Officials familiar with the Medicare Advantage program say the increases being seen in insurance agent commissions this year are a result of competition as well as regulatory changes that the government made.
___

On the Net: Rep. Pete Stark: http://www.house.gov/stark
Medicare: http://www.medicare.gov

Placebo Effect Benefits Health

I always like to quote Andy Weil's statement when it comes to placebo naysayers. Weil believes placebo to be one of the most underused tools in medicine. Probably he's referring to the 'art' of medicine as it used to be when placebo was commonly used without being damned by the AMA.

From my perspective the use of placebo often deals directly with the emotional component of health care. And it is this component that has fallen by the wayside, leading to a tremendous loss of confidence in the system by patients.

Perhaps the AMA pundits might want to take a refresher course in medical history and brush up on their patient interaction skills. They might begin with Listening 101.

Survey: Half of US doctors use placebo treatmentsBy MARIA CHENG, AP Medical Writer

LONDON – About half of American doctors in a new survey say they regularly give patients placebo treatments — usually drugs or vitamins that won't really help their condition. And many of these doctors are not honest with their patients about what they are doing, the survey found.

That contradicts advice from the American Medical Association, which recommends doctors use treatments with the full knowledge of their patients.

"It's a disturbing finding," said Franklin G. Miller, director of the research ethics program at the U.S. National Institutes Health and one of the study authors. "There is an element of deception here which is contrary to the principle of informed consent."

The study was being published online in Friday's issue of BMJ, formerly the British Medical Journal.

Placebos as defined in the survey went beyond the typical sugar pill commonly used in medical studies. A placebo was any treatment that wouldn't necessarily help the patient.

Scientists have long known of the "placebo effect," in which patients given a fake or ineffective treatment often improve anyway, simply because they expected to get better.

"Doctors may be under a lot of pressure to help their patients, but this is not an acceptable shortcut," said Irving Kirsch, a professor of psychology at the University of Hull in Britain who has studied the use of placebos.

Researchers at the NIH sent surveys to a random sample of 1,200 internists and rheumatologists — doctors who treat arthritis and other joint problems. They received 679 responses. Of those doctors, 62 percent believed that using a placebo treatment was ethically acceptable.

Half the doctors reported using placebos several times a month, nearly 70 percent of those described the treatment to their patients as "a potentially beneficial medicine not typically used for your condition." Only 5 percent of doctors explicitly called it a placebo treatment.

Most doctors used actual medicines as a placebo treatment: 41 percent used painkillers, 38 percent used vitamins, 13 percent used antibiotics, 13 percent used sedatives, 3 percent used saline injections, and 2 percent used sugar pills.

In the survey, doctors were asked if they would recommend a sugar pill for patients with chronic pain if it had been shown to be more effective than no treatment. Nearly 60 percent said they would.

Smaller studies done elsewhere, including Britain, Denmark and Sweden, have found similar results.

Jon Tilburt, the lead author of the U.S. study, who is with NIH's bioethics department, said he believes the doctors surveyed were representative of internists and rheumatologists across the U.S. No statistical work was done to establish whether the survey results would apply to other medical specialists, such as pediatricians or surgeons.

The research was paid for by NIH's bioethics department and the National Center for Complementary and Alternative Medicine.

The authors said most doctors probably reasoned that doing something was better than doing nothing.

In some cases, placebos were given to patients with conditions such as chronic fatigue syndrome. Doctors also gave antibiotics to patients with viral bronchitis, knowing full well that a virus is impervious to antibiotics, which fight bacteria. Experts believe overuse of antibiotics promotes the development of drug-resistant strains of bacteria.

Some doctors believe placebos are a good treatment in certain situations, as long as patients are told what they are being given. Dr. Walter Brown, a professor of psychiatry at Brown and Tufts universities, said people with insomnia, depression or high blood pressure often respond well to placebo treatments.

"You could tell those patients that this is something that doesn't have any medicine in it but has been shown to work in people with your condition," he suggested.

However, experts don't know if the placebo effect would be undermined if patients were explicitly told they were getting a dummy pill.

Brown said that while he hasn't prescribed sugar pills, he has given people with anxiety problems pills that had extremely low doses of medication. "The dose was so low that whatever effect the patients were getting was probably a placebo effect," he said.

Kirsch, the psychologist, said it might be possible to get the psychological impact without using a fake pill. "If doctors just spent more time with their patients so they felt more reassured, that might help," he said.

Some patients who had just seen their doctors at a clinic in London said the truth was paramount.

"I would feel very cheated if I was given a placebo," said Ruth Schachter, an 86-year-old Londoner with skin cancer. "I like to have my eyes wide open, even if it's bad news," she said. "If I'm given something without being warned what it is, I certainly would not trust the doctor again."

On the Net: http://www.bmj.com

Hawking Retires

This item is important to me in relation to a recent case of the demise of a person with ALS in N. Idaho, through the hospice system.

Dr. Hawking is renown as one of the great minds of our times, and yet with ALS (Lou Gehrig's disease) he has continued to contribute much to our awareness and knowledge of science and space.

This wasn't the luxury offered to the man in N. Idaho. He just got the "Listen Buddy" lecture that there just was no hope. The lecture came from the doctor that wrote up the drug dose bringing about the man's demise. I suppose it didn't matter that the dose might have been too low, allowing the man to wake up intermittently after drugs were adminstered and he was removed from a ventilator. (I wonder what the outcome might have been if this man was being given the nutrients that seem to benefit people with ALS instead of lethal drugs.)

Reports I received from confidential sources gave me the impression that this man with ALS was quite intellectually alert and interacted with people and his environment. He also seemed to have told the doctor a resounding "NO" to the drug induced death.

I am certainly relieved to know Dr. Hawking isn't living in Idaho.

Stephen Hawking to retire from prestigious post
Oct 24, 2008

CAMBRIDGE, England – Famed cosmologist Stephen Hawking will retire from his prestigious post at Cambridge University next year, but intends to continue his exploration of time and space.

Hawking, 66, is Lucasian Professor of Mathematics, a title once held by the great 18th century physicist Isaac Newton. The university said Friday that he would step down at the end of the academic year in September, but would continue working as Emeritus Lucasian Professor of Mathematics.

"We look forward to him continuing his academic work at the Department of Applied Mathematics and Theoretical Physics, playing a leading role in research in cosmology and gravitation," said Professor Peter Haynes, who heads the department.

Hawking became a scientific celebrity through his theories on black holes and the nature of time, work that he carried on despite becoming paralyzed by motor neurone disease.

University policy is that officeholders must retire at the end of the academic year in which they become 67. Hawking will reach that milestone on Jan. 8.

The Lucasian professorship post was founded in 1663 by Henry Lucas, who left his 4,000 books and land expected to yield 100 pounds a year to the university. King Charles II officially established the position in 1664.

Sir Isaac Newton was the second to hold the post. Paul Dirac, a specialist in quantum mechanics who predicted the existence of positron particles, had the title from 1932 to 1969.

Hawking was appointed to the chair in 1979.

His 1988 book, "A Brief History of Time," was an international best-seller; "A Briefer History of Time," intended to be more accessible, followed in 2005.

"George's Secret Key to the Universe," co-authored with Hawking's daughter Lucy, was published last year for the children's market.

Hawking first earned prominence for his theoretical work on black holes. Disproving the belief that black holes are so dense that nothing could escape their gravitational pull, he showed that black holes leak a tiny bit of light and other types of radiation, now known as "Hawking radiation."

Health Care and Elections

With the US election only days away this topic is certainly one you need to consider before placing your votes.

"Medical Bills, Drug Prices and Access to Health Care -- Election Guide"
Health care proposals are on most voter's minds and whether or not I like either candidate's proposals (and I don't - speaking from my years as a health planner).

A major oversight is one that would include access to care of choice, including natural care (not exclusive to licensed hybrid natural medicine providers) and supplement parity.

In my estimation the insurance industry still has too great a hold through its lobbyists on the DNC and RNC campaigns.

Less you forget, it is insurance (and their many levels of middlemen) that is the greatest source of increase in health care costs. It isn't the tort lawyer scam that the industry and media want you to believe.

Insurers actually control what service a health care provider can offer and what they will get paid for it. Insurers do control what drugs they will pay for and how much so both these issues directly impact your employer plan, your access and your out of pocket costs.

And don't think for a minute Big Pharma isn't twisting the arm of Big Insurance to put pressure on limits to coverage.

Sorry all you R's, you are the ones who have the biggest push to put $$$ in the pocket of your cronies in the insurance industry. Maybe this is one reason why you moved to bail them out while you forgot that tax proposals can't be in legislation originating in the Senate.

Another Pink Charade Almost Over

I am so moved when I see how many people are finally catching on to the Pink Charade that comes along every so often throughout the year. If you are a follower of my work you know it has been quite a long time (a few decades) that I've been promoting education and prevention (more like full disclosure) so that women aren't the lab rats for drugs or other therapy they are told to be the only option available (not).

One big concern is the falsity of mammogram. I personally have my long-time friend and his excellent research to thank for this enlightenment (John Gofman, MD).

I don't think I have to say more until next March or next October, so read the numerous posts in my blog and on my web site about these issues. Your health really does depend on knowing the facts.

There are others who believe in the same things and you can refer to them as well -

The Biggest Breast Cancer Risk Factor That No One Is Talking About

Should women who have paid for statins be given their money back?

I think Dr. John Briffa has a point of consideration here. If you follow this blog you know we are also big skeptics about the statins and are most concerned with the health problems they create and the ones they really do not help.

Again marketing seems to be the drive behind the sales of this class of drug. Yet more and more you read articles that seem to tell you that statins will fix just about everything.

You can do much more for your health without these drugs and other newer ones from the recombinant-GMO aisle.

Also remember that the majority of medical texts are written with men in mind and women's health - for the most part - seems to remain an aside.

The same pervasive thinking must be in the halls of Big Pharma as well.

Related to this topic are some of our posts on the benefits of vitamin C and vitamin E for heart health and other health concerns, while MSM muddies the water on the facts: Just Like the Cholesterol Myth.

By Dr John Briffa
October 24, 2008

Cholesterol-reducing drugs known as statins are hugely popular and highly profitable. It’s a shame, then, that they aren’t very effective. I say this because while they have been shown to reduce the risk of cardiovascular events such as heart attacks, they do not reduce the overall risk of death when essentially healthy individuals are being treated. This was the conclusion of an analysis of 8 studies which had been performed using individuals with no previous diagnosis of cardiovascular disease [1]. This analysis also revealed that for one individual to be protected from a cardiovascular event (heart attack or stroke) over a 5-year period, 67 people would need to be treated.

Other evidence analysing the effectiveness of the national treatment guidelines in the USA, Canada, the UK and New Zealand has revealed the so-called ‘number needed to treat’ (NNT) varies from 108-198 [2]. These startlingly high NNTs have caused some to question whether statins are really the wonder drugs some would have us believe them to be.

But wait, it gets worse. Because the limited ‘benefits’ of statins seems to be confined mainly to men. The research has found that even in women with diagnosed cardiovascular disease and/or history of heart attack or stroke, statins do not reduce overall risk of death. And in healthy women, they don’t reduce the risk of cardiovascular events (heart attacks and strokes) either. The crashing failure of statins in women was fully elucidated in an analysis from British GP Malcolm Kendrick in the BMJ last year [3].

The singular failure of statin drugs to help women was highlighted this week in the British Medical Journal [4]. In a news piece, our attention was brought to an analysis from a professor of law and a professor of clinical epidemiology in the USA. The paper focuses on the most widely prescribed statin of all - atorvastatin (Lipitor) [5]. It looks at the evidence for the effectiveness of this drug in treating essentially women with no history of cardiovascular disease. In line with previous evidence on statins, there was no significant benefit to be found.

But the authors of this analysis go further by questioning the fact that when Lipitor is promoted and advertised, there’s plenty of talk about the fact that it reduces the risk of heart attacks, but no mention of it’s stunning lack of success with regard in women. They accuse Lipitor’s manufacturers of a lack of candour here, and also ask questions of the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) in the USA. At a bare minimum, they say, the FDA should be using its muscle to protect people against misleading marketing. They also suggest that women who have paid out of their pockets as a result of false promises should be compensated for the money they’ve effectively wasted.

The authors conclude: Our findings indicate that each year reasonably healthy women spend billions of dollars on drugs in the hope of preventing heart attacks but that scientific evidence supporting their hope does not exist.
According to the BMJ new piece, Pfizer have responded to the article in the form of a statement, which I can’t locate on the web. In this statement, Pfizer claims that “Cardiovascular disease is a major cause of death in women as well as men and it ultimately kills as many women as men. However, onset of disease is delayed by some 10-15 years in women compared to men; thus the National Institutes for Health (NIH) ATP III guidelines define age as a risk factor in women at age 55, compared to age 45 for men. In addition, the AHA CVD Guidelines for Women were updated in 2007 and recommend that healthcare professionals should focus on women’s lifetime heart disease risk, not just short-term risk.”

Let this not distract us from the fact, I say, that statins have not been shown to benefit essentially healthy women. And let’s not forget either that for each person that benefits from taking statins, many, many others don’t.

References:

1. Abramson J, Wright JM. Are lipid-lowering guidelines evidence-based? Lancet 2007;369:168-169

2. Manuel DG, et al. Effectiveness and efficiency of different guidelines on statin treatment for preventing deaths from coronary heart disease: modeling study. BMJ 2006;332:1419

3. Kenrick M. Should women be offered cholesterol lowering drugs to prevent cardiovascular disease? No. BMJ 2007;334:983

4. Dobson R. Atorvastatin advertising misled over benefits for women, study claims. BMJ 2008;337:a2209

5. Eisenberg T, et al. Statins and Adverse Cardiovascular Events in Moderate-Risk Females: A Statistical and Legal Analysis with Implications for FDA Preemption Claims. Journal of Empirical Legal Studies. Published Online: Sep 5 2008
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Article from: http://www.drbriffa.com/blog/2008/10/24/should-women-who-have-paid-for-statins-be-given-their-money-back/

Green Living: Making Your Own Non-Toxic Cleaners

Back in 1991 I started teaching a series of classes under the broad heading of "Green Living". The classes came as the result of the naturally oriented column I was writing at that time and some local presentations in and around the Puget Sound region.

Probably one of my most popular classes from that time is one where I talk about all the ingredients in mass market cleaners and why they are not health promoting.

During this program I teach how to clean just about anything you can imagine with a select few ingredients, bought cheaply at the supermarket or in bulk if you know where to access these in your local area.

Of course now the big producers of mass market cleaners are flooding the market with their brands hoping you'll keep up their $10 billion market share. While these products aren't totally toxic, under the guise of green they still include some known irritants and toxins.

Generally most people aren't as interested as I am in reading the chemical index, a standard resource for the cleaning products and HABA crowd. You can find this in the library and you'd really be amazed and what you find. You can also look up things under MSDS (material safety data sheet) system.

The problem is that while single items may be "approved" the mixtures resulting from adding two or more ingredients together are not required to be tested for health or environmental risks.

Back at that time we prepared one of our Healthy Handouts© on the topic of making your own cleaning products. This might be something you'd like to purchase as it seems that you can save - on the average - over $400 a year doing some very simple things along these lines.