Dr.McDougall, truth on prostate cancer

August 2009	<<< Return to Newsletter Home Page Printer Friendly pdf	Vol. 8 Issue 8
Larry King Live on Prostate Cancer Screening (PSA) Show Sets a New Standard for Disease Mongering Friday, August 21, 2009, the CNN television show, Larry King Live, turned thousands of otherwise healthy men into patients and caused them irreparable harm when in-studio guests John McEnroe, Michael Milken, and Dr. Christopher Rose recommended that all men over the age of 40 years undergo PSA examinations in order to find prostate cancer.  (This show can also be found free on iTunes as a podcast and as a transcript.)  I know Larry King personally. I was a guest on his national radio show 3 times in the distant past. He is an honest man, but I believe he was duped into selling for the prostate cancer businesses at the expense of men’s health on this particular evening. The show touched the viewers’ emotional cords with live and recorded testimonies from high profile men with a history of prostate cancer detected by the PSA testing. Former Secretary of State General Colin Powell, Los Angeles Dodger manager Joe Torre, radio talk show host Don Imus, actor Charlton Heston, actor Jerry Lewis, golfer Arnold Palmer, New York City Mayor Rudy Giuliani, Senator John Kerry, Senator Bob Dole, and General Norman Schwarzkoff all told of their bouts with prostate cancer and the apparent benefits they received from early detection and the treatments that followed.  TV personality Merv Griffin also appeared in a video clip, but as an example of “the foolish patient” who ignored his doctors’ recommendations and paid with his life. (From this long list you might think all older men have prostate cancer.) Viewers were told that with modern techniques the dreaded complications of incontinence and impotence are now rare. The guests were unopposed in their unified message for all men over 40 to get tested—there were no phone calls taken during the hour. Early Detection for Prostate Cancer: PSA and DRE There are two tests that are commonly recommended by doctors for the early detection of prostate cancer: The PSA and DRE. Prostatic Specific Antigen (PSA) is a substance made exclusively by the prostate gland. Chemically, it is a sugar and a protein molecule (glycoprotein), which naturally leaks out into the bloodstream. The PSA test measures the level of this substance in a man’s blood. Inflammation (prostatitis), enlargement (benign prostatic hypertrophy), and cancer of the prostate can result in elevated test results. The PSA test is far from foolproof. It can be normal when there is cancer—about 15% of men with a normal PSA are found on biopsy to have cancer.1 On the other hand, approximately 2 out of 3 men with an elevated PSA level will not have prostate cancer.2 But the higher the level of PSA, the more likely cancer will be detected on biopsy. A cancer must grow to the size of 1 centimeter (cm) or about a half inch, before it is large enough to make the PSA rise above normal levels (above 4 ng/ml).3,4 The digital rectal examination (DRE) is a physical examination of the patient’s rectum performed by the examiner’s finger. Through the wall of the rectum the doctor can feel the prostate gland in a man. In most cases, the cancer must be the size of a small marble (1 cm) for the doctor to feel an abnormality. It takes approximately 10 years for a tumor to grow to the size of 1 centimeter—a size large enough to detect by PSA or DRE.5 By this time if it is advanced prostate cancer it has already spread beyond the boundaries for surgery and radiation to prevent death.  If it is the much more common latent form then it will likely never threaten a man’s life. (Read here for more information on the natural history of prostate cancer.) To his credit, host Larry King attempted to bring up the controversies surrounding prostate cancer screening using prostate specific antigens (PSA) and digital rectal exams (DRE), and the treatments that follow—but his challenging comments were always dismissed by his guests. Possibly Mr. King was aware that many of the opinions expressed during this hour-long show were wrong and opposite to the recommendations for PSA testing held by the American College of Preventive Medicine, British Columbia Office of Technology Assessment, the Canadian Cancer Society, the U.S. Preventive Services Task Force, and other industry-independent organizations. Who’s Recommending PSA Testing? Organizations Against (or Not Supporting) PSA Testing: American College of Preventive Medicine American College of Physicians U.S. Preventive Services Task Force National Cancer Institute (U.S.) British Columbia Office of Technology Assessment United Kingdom National Health Services Canadian Cancer Society Canadian Urological Association Canadian Task Force on Preventive Health Care World Health Organization European Union Advisory Committee on Cancer Prevention European Association of Urology Cancer Council of Australia Swedish Council for Technology Assessment in Health Care National Health Committee, New Zealand Organizations Supporting PSA Testing: American Urological Association The American College of Radiology American Medical Association The American Cancer Society Urological Society of Australasia This list is incomplete; however, note that special interest groups representing the prostate cancer industries support PSA testing. Follow the Money By no coincidence the primary support for early detection of prostate cancer through PSA testing comes from medical trade organizations. The best example is the American Urological Association, representing the special interests of over 16,500 members (mostly people from areas of urology and oncology) and funded by industries such as GlaxoSmithKline, Lilly, Novartis, Pfizer, and many other companies that derive their income from men with prostate cancer. All three in-studio guests on this Larry King Live show have financial ties to prostate cancer industries.  John McEnroe is an official spokesperson for a drug company, Michael Milken works with pharmaceutical industries through his Prostate Cancer Foundation, and Dr. Christopher Rose is a radiation oncologist and serves as medical director of The Center for Radiation Therapy of Beverly Hills. Undeniably, widespread PSA testing means more profits for doctors, hospitals, laboratories, and device and pharmaceutical companies. A time line suggests this particular Larry King Live show on August 21, 2009 may have been a promotional piece designed to sell the drug Avodart for the pharmaceutical giant GlaxoSmithKline (GSK). On March 16, 2009 it was announced that McEnroe had teamed up with GSK to ask men to see a doctor in order to learn their PSA levels. On April 27, 2009, the results of the REduction by DUtasteride of prostate Cancer Events (REDUCE) trial* were announced at the American Urological Association meeting in Chicago, Illinois. In this study, dutasteride, an inhibitor of the prostate-stimulating androgen 5-alpha-dihydrotestosterone, was shown to reduce the number of men with prostate cancer found on biopsy by about 5%. GSK sells dutasteride as Avodart. With these results from the REDUCE trail, the marketing challenge now becomes finding the customers; in this case, men with marginally elevated PSA levels. In order to do this men must be encouraged or frightened into going to their doctors to request an order for the test. That is exactly what the Larry King Live show accomplished. John McEnroe did his job well. With approximately 1,300,000 viewers daily, this show definitely added to the 218,900 men who are diagnosed annually with prostate cancer in the United States. This discovery of an elevated PSA might benefit men except for the fact that present day treatments of surgery, radiation, and chemotherapy (androgen deprivation) have not been shown to save lives (approximately 27,050 men died in 2007 of this disease).6,7 Disease mongering: “…is the selling of sickness that widens the boundaries of illness and grows the markets for those who sell and deliver treatments. It is exemplified most explicitly by many pharmaceutical industry-funded disease-awareness campaigns—more often designed to sell drugs than to illuminate or to inform or educate about the prevention of illness or the maintenance of health…Disease mongering turns healthy people into patients, wastes precious resources, and causes iatrogenic (induced by a physician) harm.” Ray Moynihan Science writer for the Australian Broadcasting Corporation and the British Medical Journal Why PSA Testing and the Treatments that Follow Fail On the surface it would appear that the early detection of cancer in the prostate by any means would result in a longer life for men with less risk of dying from prostate cancer. However, research finds otherwise. The first report from the Prostate, Lung, Colorectal, and Ovarian (PLCO) Cancer Screening Trial on the effect of screening with prostate specific antigen (PSA) testing and digital rectal examination (DRE) on the rate of death from prostate cancer was published in the New England Journal of Medicine, March 26, 2009—PSA and DRE saved no lives.8 The second landmark report, published in the same issue, was from Europe and it showed an absolute reduction of less than 1 death in every 1000 men getting PSA tests.9 There are two reasons why PSA testing fails to save lives: first, extremely few biopsy-proven cancers are life threatening, and second, early detection is a myth. Worldwide the incidence of prostate cancer, found by microscopic examination of the prostate at autopsy, occurs in about 30% of men over the age of 50 years.10,11 In the USA the rate of microscopic prostate cancer is even higher at all ages: 8% of men in their 20s, 30% of men in their 30s, 50% of men in their 50s, and 80% of men in their 70s.12,13 However, for most men these cells that look like cancer will never noticeably spread, and therefore, never threaten a man’s life. Larry King apparently knew this; he twice asked his three guests, “Is it a myth you die with it, not of it?” (The quote is: “many more men die with prostate cancer than from it.” 14) Even though prostate cancer eventually occurs in most men, it has an extraordinarily small risk of killing the patient: the death rate is 226 per 100,000 men older than 65 years.13 The very common innocuous cancers are referred to as latent cancers. The cancers that kill are referred to as advanced cancers. Unfortunately, doctors cannot tell by looking at the prostate tissues under the microscope whether or not the cancer will ever become life threatening. As a result, almost all men found with either type of cancer will be treated aggressively: surgery, radiation, castration, and/or chemotherapy. As tragic is the fact that those men who have the more aggressive, advanced form of this disease also fail to benefit from treatment because in this case the discovery with PSA or DRE is far too late for current treatments to be of any help. After about 10 years of growth, when these two tests become positive, the average cancerous mass inside the prostate is about one centimeter in diameter, or about the size of an eraser on the end of a pencil, and consists of about one billion cells.5 As you can see, “early detection” is a myth and a misnomer—three-quarters of the growth of the advanced form of this disease has already happened unbeknownst to the patient or his doctor. In those rare cases, when this is truly the “killing kind of prostate cancer,” by the time of discovery, at 10 years of growth, it has already spread throughout the man’s body. The Real Harms of Diagnosis When you agree to take a PSA test you are gambling for the possibility that the test will detect a cancer that can be successfully treated and give you more quality years of life. Think for a moment. You are placing your bet on an extremely small chance of a theoretical benefit that may occur in the far distant future. If your PSA test is positive (there is a 10% chance it will be) and the biopsy results reveal cancer (there is more than a 30% chance it will) then the harms that follow are immediate, real, life changing, and for all men discovered (100%). Simply being diagnosed with cancer changes a person forever. New policies for health and life insurance are no longer available. Finding desirable employment is less likely. Once the diagnosis is made the label of “cancer victim” sticks for life. Daily reminders come from family, friends, doctor’s visits, and stories in the media about cancer. Worry and anxiety dominate the patient’s and his family’s life. His future becomes a question mark. Every body pain is interpreted as a recurrence. The cancer victim becomes isolated from the rest of the world.15 Then there are the side effects from the treatments. The Prostate Cancer Outcomes Study reported that urinary leakage (incontinence) was more common with radical prostatectomy (35%) than with radiation therapy (12%) or androgen deprivation (11%). Erectile dysfunction occurred frequently after all treatments (radical prostatectomy, 58%; radiation therapy, 43%; androgen deprivation, 86%).16 Incontinence means wet pants, diapers, and sometimes lifelong need for a catheter in the man’s bladder. The results of the Prostate Cancer Outcomes Study are conservative. Likely, more than 80% of prostate cancer patients develop erectile dysfunction, regardless of whether they have surgery or external radiation therapy. And these are only two of the many side effects that occur from the best that medicine has to offer the man with a positive PSA test. Turning Healthy People Into Patients Pharmaceutical-industry sponsored celebrity awareness-raising campaigns are used to sell drugs to naive customers. The star of the sitcom Frasier, Kelsey Grammer, and his wife, promoted GlaxoSmithKline’s irritable bowel syndrome drug Lotronex on the Today Show; film and television star Cybill Shepherd sold a menopausal supplement for Novogen on Oprah Winfrey; former governor of Texas, Ann Richards, promoted the menopausal medication Evista for Lilly on Larry King Live; and most recent and most irritating, actress Sally Field, a frequent Oprah guest, advertises Boniva for strong bones for Roche, all day long with her TV commercials. The August 21, 2009 episode of Larry King Live on prostate cancer raised the bar for pharmaceutical-industry sponsored celebrity awareness-raising campaigns by its highly successful mixing of professionalism, commercialism, and entertainment in order to capture the male viewer for the marketplace.  Certainly more men were harmed by this advertisement than any other campaign I know about. If you feel a similar disgust then you may want to write to CNN and e-mail the Larry King Live show.  At the very least, I know Larry King should be made to feel sufficiently guilty to present the other side of the story—prostate cancer is being over-diagnosed and over-treated, and the current excessive use of PSA screening is unwarranted—on an upcoming show. *The REDUCE study demonstrated that otherwise healthy men aged 50 to 75 years with a PSA value of 2.5 ng/mL to 10 ng/mL had a 23% relative reduction in prostate cancer determined by biopsy after taking Avodart (dutasteride) daily for 4 years. Although a 23% relative reduction in cancer-positive biopsies was reported, the absolute reduction was only 5% (21% positive biopsies in the placebo and 16% in the treated group) and there was no difference in incidence of aggressive-appearing (high grade or Gleason score 7 to 10) tumors between the two groups. The cost of just the medication for this small reduction in positive biopsies (and no evidence of saving lives) is about $1000 (generic) to $2000 (Avodart) for 4 years of treatment. However, in terms of money, a positive PSA tests means more than taking a pill daily for 4 years. The cumulative cost of prostate cancer is, on average, $42,570 over five years per patient.17 With 218,900 new patients annually, this means over $9.3 billion each year are added to our overburdened healthcare costs from prostate cancer. Finally, prostate cancer is caused by the Western diet and that is where our future efforts to prevent men from dying from prostate cancer must be directed in order to make a real difference. References: 1) Thompson IM, Pauler DK, Goodman PJ, Tangen CM, Lucia MS, Parnes HL, Minasian LM, Ford LG, Lippman SM, Crawford ED, Crowley JJ, Coltman CA Jr.?? Prevalence of prostate cancer among men with a prostate-specific antigen level < or =4.0 ng per milliliter. N Engl J Med. 2004 May 27;350(22):2239-46. 2) Woolf SH. Screening for prostate cancer with prostate-specific antigen. An examination of the evidence. N Engl J Med. 1995 Nov 23;333(21):1401-5. 3) McNaughton C. Early detection of prostate cancer. Serendipity strikes again. JAMA. 1997 Nov 12;278(18):1516-9. 4) Brawn PN.  Prostate-specific antigen levels from completely sectioned, clinically benign, whole prostates. Cancer. 1991 Oct 1;68(7):1592-9. 5) Friberg S, Mattson S. On the growth rates of human malignant tumors: implications for medical decision making. J Surg Oncol. 1997 Aug;65(4):284-97. 6) Neal DE, Donovan JL. Prostate cancer: to screen or not to screen? Lancet Oncol. 2000 Sep;1(1):17-24. 7) Wilt TJ, MacDonald R, Rutks I, Shamliyan TA, Taylor BC, Kane RL. Systematic review: comparative effectiveness and harms of treatments for clinically localized prostate cancer. Ann Intern Med. 2008 Mar 18;148(6):435-48 8) Andriole GL, Crawford ED, Grubb RL 3rd, Buys SS, Chia D, Church TR, Fouad MN, Gelmann EP, Kvale PA, Reding DJ, Weissfeld JL, Yokochi LA, O’Brien B, Clapp JD, Rathmell JM, Riley TL, Hayes RB, Kramer BS, Izmirlian G, Miller AB, Pinsky PF, Prorok PC, Gohagan JK, Berg CD; PLCO Project Team. Mortality results from a randomized prostate-cancer screening trial. N Engl J Med. 2009 Mar 26;360(13):1310-9. 9) Schröder FH, Hugosson J, Roobol MJ, Tammela TL, Ciatto S, Nelen V, Kwiatkowski M, Lujan M, Lilja H, Zappa M, Denis LJ, Recker F, Berenguer A, Määttänen L, Bangma CH, Aus G, Villers A, Rebillard X, van der Kwast T, Blijenberg BG, Moss SM, de Koning HJ, Auvinen A; ERSPC Investigators. Screening and prostate-cancer mortality in a randomized European study. N Engl J Med. 2009 Mar 26;360(13):1320-8. 10) Franks LM.  Proceedings: Etiology, epidemiology, and pathology of prostatic cancer. Cancer. 1973 Nov;32(5):1092-5. 11)  Holund B.  Latent prostatic cancer in a consecutive autopsy series.  Scand J Urol Nephrol. 1980;14(1):29-35. 12)  Sakr WA . The frequency of carcinoma and intraepithelial neoplasia of the prostate in young male patients.  J Urol. 1993 Aug;150(2 Pt 1):379-85. 13) Stamey TA, Caldwell M, McNeal JE, Nolley R, Hemenez M, Downs J.  The prostate specific antigen (PSA) era in the United States is over for prostate cancer:  What happened in the last 20 years.  J Urol. 2004 Oct;172(4, Part 1 Of 2):1297-1301. 14) Selley S .  Diagnosis, management and screening of early localised prostate cancer. Health Technol Assess. 1997;1(2):i, 1-96. 15) Little M. Chronic illness and the experience of surviving cancer. Intern Med J. 2004 Apr;34(4):201-2. 16) Hoffman RM, Hunt WC, Gilliland FD, Stephenson RA, Potosky AL. Patient satisfaction with treatment decisions for clinically localized prostate carcinoma. Results from the Prostate Cancer Outcomes Study. Cancer. 2003;97:1653-62. 17) Wilson LS, Tesoro R, Elkin EP, Sadetsky N, Broering JM, Latini DM, DuChane J, Mody RR, Carroll PR. Cumulative cost pattern comparison of prostate cancer treatments.  Cancer. 2007 Feb 1;109(3):518-27 <<< Return to Newsletter Home Page You may subscribe to this free McDougall Newsletter at http://www.drmcdougall.com 2009 John McDougall All Rights Reserved

Bees and Honey – to CRY over

Here I am researching ancient remedies Fulvic Acid and Shilajit and  stumble across this article – not new to be sure.  This is something which so threatens us all and as this article attests, the scientific world has been aware of this for years and still it goes on, unimpeded.  You know, after we are dead, we won’t be “able”  to do anything about it then.. . . . should we just be obediently be led to our demise on the  altar of capitalistic GREED of  “Agribusiness”?  And here I was, just blaming Monsanto!  (Monsanto,  Are you Killing our Bees? (4-7-09) Jan

Synthetic honey and GMO bees?

“http://www.newmediaexplorer.org/sepp/environment.htm”>

France – 2 July 2003

In a harrowing article, Michel Dogna, health journalist from France, sounds the alarm about what may be one of the biggest ecological catastrophes developing right under our own eyes – and no one seems to be watching.

Image credit: Sepp 5 July 2003

As the bees are being decimated by a toxic seed coating agent, our entire food supply is threatened. Plants need bees for pollination, especially the plants we grow for food. Obviously, our busy friends are not part of the equation of the global chemical and food cartels.

What a pity – good bye bees – good bye humanity!

The Bees Die…The Planet Dies

By Michel Dogna
France’s Health Freedom Journalist

The bees die… and the planet too!

The planet is the common good of humanity. Taking care of it gives life a meaning.

It is necessary to make the farmers understand what their responsibility is, but they seldom have Internet. The bees are the second factor of life on our planet. There is nothing left but our awareness which can act on the totalitarian power of money. It is necessary to react, to transmit this important message to all and to find solutions because it is as serious as the war of Iraq. This poisining is a planetary genocide.

The scandals that are appearing everywhere are nothing compared to the untold catastrophes which are being prepared because of the criminal unawareness of some world lobbies specialized in the massive poisoning of nature. The extermination of the bees by products officially declared as being non toxic is another example of this lack of responsibility.

I am speaking about the extermination of the bees – on which depends 80 % of the pollination of cultivated plants – by Imidaclopride which Bayer sells under the name of Gaucho to the farmers to coat seeds and to protect them from certain diseases…

This product paralyses insects such as bees which cannot return to the hive and they therefore die. When they do succeed, the honey which results from it is toxic (because it’s poisoned). In less than three years, 450 000 hives were thus lost and production of honey fell from 45 000 tons to 25 000 tons in France. In Alsace, bee-keepers are regarded as disaster victims because of the Bayer products. In addition, it should be known that in Europe, approximately 4 000 vegetable species have their life assured thanks to pollination by bees.

Meanwhile, Bayer remains indifferent to complaints, and does not hesitate, in it’s arrogance, to deny the facts and to claim biodeterioration (biodegradability) of its product within one year, but this one contaminates several successive harvests.

Recently, the Aventis group decided to take a share of the devil’s profits with Bayer putting on the market a similar product, Fipronil sold under the trade name Regent. Obviously, in spite of the imminent ecological catastrophe which these products are undoubtedly producing, no government refused to give them the necessary legal authorizations.

Is there a responsible organization somewhere able to demand, in the name of reason and for our children and of the planet, an injunction for the immediate prohibition of the use of these poisons?

Warning: Gaucho and Regent are also sold in the supermarket for gardens. Look at the composition of the products and do not contribute to this catastrophy.

Let us remember the words of Albert Einstein: “No bees, no food for mankind. The bee is the basis of life on this earth “.

The farmers must become aware that with Gaucho, they cut off the branch on which they are sitting. Other solutions exist. In the meantime, the thousands of decimated hives do not give their owners a right to receive any compensation. Due to this, only in the Low-Rhine area, more than 100 new bee-keepers cease their activity each year.

What next? Synthetic honey and GMO bees?

Michel Dogna

B.E.D. and Superfoods

Bless Donna Gates for simplifying this really big new interest I have and I’m sure many others as well.  I learned about “Super-foods”  online  thru the person of David Wolfe of the SunFood company and some videos I saw him in.  He is quite a remarkable young man (a hunk of course and so brainy, the offspring of two physicians who chose a unique path all his own).  He also spoke of raw, organic Hemp seed and raw organic Cacao nibs which I must say I am enjoying immensely in my morning shakes.  I bought the Yacon syrup, but found I don’t need it – apparently my tooth is not that sweet.

I did not know about Dr. Perricone having been on Oprah and espousing this as well.  That is very encouraging for I was fascinated with the few books of his which I own and read.  He seems very believable.   So gratitude to the fates who brought David Wolfe and Dr Perricone – that’s amazing.   Personally, I feel a lot better seeing what Donna Gates has to say about all of this as this is a lady who has been through it – truly, and knows what she is talking about.  Our inner ecology system is the single most important thing we must protect and enhance with all our nutritive decisions and I know of no one who teaches it better.      It is my hope that people will go directly to her site and subscribe to her very helpful letters, so as not to miss any of her thoughtful teachings.  I do not run all her important messages, just occasionally.        Jan

Mangosteen to Maca Part 1:

The Body Ecology Guide to 5 Exotic Fruits, Berries & Roots

by BodyEcology.com

Heard of all the new superfruits, like acai, mangosteen and goji berries? Or the roots, like maca root and yacon syrup? Find out the benefits AND detractors to these new superfoods and what you can do to get the most out of them.

NOTE: Also see Part 2 of Mangosteen to Maca: 5 Exotic Fruits, Berries and Roots

Everywhere you look from the Internet to the health food store, new and exotic fruits and vegetables are showing up.

Many of them come from far away islands and contain high antioxidants, vitamins and minerals. We recently met with Body Ecology founder Donna Gates to learn more about these exotic new superfoods and find out whether they live up to the hype.

In this article, you’ll learn about the new superfoods and how to best incorporate them into your healthy diet…or whether you’d best leave them out all together.


How to Incorporate the New Superfoods into Your Healthy Diet

Here are some of the most popular new superfoods and the Body Ecology solution for adding them into your diet:

The Fruits and Berries

• Acai – Pronounced ah-sigh-ee, this fruit is grown in Brazil, Central and South America, Belize and Peru. The purple berry is the size of a grape and tastes like a combination of chocolate and berries.What all the fuss is about: Acai is has ten times the antioxidants of red grapes and 10 to 30 times the anthocyanins (antioxidant flavonoids that protect many systems in your body) of red wine.¹Additionally, acai has an excellent amino acid profile, is rich in fiber and has valuable trace minerals, essential fatty acids and phytosterols making it a powerhouse for digestive health, anti-aging and the health of your cells, muscles, hormones and neurotransmitters (brain chemical messengers).²Where to get acai: Acai is found as a juice in health food stores or online.
  
  Body Ecology says: The good news? Acai is a sour fruit, so like the pomegranate, you can enjoy some acai without the dangers of feeding the systemic fungal infection, candida.

  However, buyer beware! Due to the natural sour taste of acai juice, many manufacturers add a lot of sugar or combine it with other sweet fruits to give it a sweeter taste. To avoid the dangers of sugar, look carefully at the ingredients before you buy acai juice. Choose the sour version and make it taste delicious by following our recipe, below.

  Or, if you want to drink a juice like MonaVie, our recipe below will help you avoid the too-sweet fruits added to the juice, while still getting all the antioxidant benefits.
  
  

• Goji Berries – Also known as the wolfberry Lycium barbarum, goji berries are getting a lot of attention for their health benefits. Goji berries are small red berried that come dried, like raisins.
  
  What all the fuss is about: Goji berries contain:³
  • Rich antioxidants (especially carotenoids such as beta-carotene and zeaxanthin).
  • Betaine (for liver health).
  • Amino acids (contains 18 amino acids, including all essential amino acids)
  • Minerals (including including calcium, iron, zinc, copper, selenium, germanium, and phosphorus), polysaccharides (for immunity).
  • Vitamins C, B1, B2, B6, and E.
  • Anti-fungal, anti-bacterial and anti-inflammatory properties.
    
    
• Chiefly grown in the subtropical regions of the Tibetan Himalayas, China and Mongolia, goji berries have long been used in Chinese medicine for liver health, fertility, immunity, improved eyesight, appetite suppression, circulation, organ strength, emotional balance and longevity. While about 50 studies have been done to confirm the beneficial effects of goji berries, more research is needed to show scientific evidence of all the benefits.
  
  Where to get goji berries: You can get goji berries online or at your health food store. Organic Tibetan goji berries are typically recommended.

  Body Ecology says: Goji berries are too sweet! But you can still get the benefits of goji berries if you ferment them in young coconut kefir. Just make your young coconut kefir as usual and add goji berries into the liquid. The microflora from the Kefir Starter will “eat” the harmful sugars from the goji berries so that you can enjoy their benefits without the added sweetness that can create acidic blood and candida.

  If you are considering goji juice, beware of the ingredients. Given that it’s already sweet, adding other sweet fruits and sugar can put it over the top. Choose a juice without added sugar and follow our recipe below to remove the damaging effects of the sugars.

  Make everything from mangosteen to maca healthier (and safer!) with Innergy-Biotic. The probiotics in Innergy-Biotic can “eat” the harmful sugars in the superfoods you love AND continue to reduce sugars in your intestines. Just add 2 oz. of your favorite superfood juice to 4 oz. of Innergy-Biotic and let it ferment for 2 days. Now you can have your superfruits and super-roots without the worries of detrimental health affects. Learn more about Innergy-Biotic and try some today!

• Mangosteen – Not to be confused with the mango, Mangosteen is a tree fruit in the same family as St. John’s wort.  Mangosteen is mainly cultivated in Thailand, Burma, Singapore, Malaya, India, the Philippines, parts of the Caribbean and southern Vietnam.  Mangosteen has been used for dysentery and diarrhea (dried rind); thrush and urinary disorders (leaves and bark); and to regulate menstruation (root).⁴Mangosteen is the size of an apple, purple in color and tastes like something between a pineapple and a peach.What all the fuss is about: While the mangosteen fruit is highly prized, it is the special benefits of the rind that make it a true superfood. The rind (called the pericap) is rich in xanthones and a polyhydroxy-xanthone derivative termed mangostin, which are currently being studied for their medicinal benefits such as improved immunity and gastrointestinal health and slowing the progression of tumor growth and neurodegenerative diseases.
  
  Animal studies have shown that panaxanthone (approximately 80% alpha-mangostin and 20% gamma-mangostin) may have a protective effect in breast cancer.⁵

  Other studies have found that the mangosteen rind has phenolics and tannins that promoted free radical scavenging activity (the young rind has the higher amounts) and anti-acne producing bacteria (the ripe rind has higher amounts).⁶

  If you suffer from chronic pain or arthritis, the xanthone extract, garcinol, in the rind of mangosteen may also provide a pain-relief component because garcinol blocks COX enzymes (your body’s pain pathways) and has anti-inflammatory properties.⁷

  While studies on mangosteen and xanthones are still relatively recent and more need to be done, the healthful properties of this xanthones rich fruit are promising.

  Where to get mangosteen: Unless you are in one of the countries where mangosteen grows, chances are you will only have the option of mangosteen juice.

  Body Ecology says: XanGo is a popular mangosteen juice option, but before you start drinking XanGo or any mangosteen juice, here’s something to keep in mind:

  Most fruit juices, even nutrient-packed superfruit juices are too sweet and can create an acidic condition in your blood and feed candida. Mangosteen juice is no exception, but there IS a way you can benefit from superfruit juices like XanGo: Add them to your favorite probiotic liquid!

Stay tuned for part 2 of this article, where we feature more superfoods AND a healthy, delicious recipe from Donna Gates that will have you enjoying the benefits of your favorite superfruit juices without the dangers of consuming too-sweet juices.

Sources:

[1] Dr. Perricone’s 10 Superfoods. http://www.oprah.com/article/health/nutrition/life_acai/1

2 ibid.

3 Kim, Ben, Dr. Authentic Tibetan Goji Berries:Nature’s Most Nutritious Fruit and a Super Healthy Snack Food. http://drbenkim.com/organic-goji-berries.htm.

4 Morton, J. Mangosteen. p. 301–304. In: Fruits of warm climates. 1987. http://www.hort.purdue.edu/newcrop/morton/mangosteen.html

5 Doi, H et. al. Panaxanthone isolated from pericarp of Garcinia mangostana L. suppresses tumor growth and metastasis of a mouse model of mammary cancer. Anticancer Res. 2009 Jul;29(7):2485-95.

6 Pothitirat, W. et. al. Comparison of bioactive compounds content, free radical scavenging and anti-acne inducing bacteria activities of extracts from the mangosteen fruit rind at two stages of maturity. Fitoterapia. 2009 Jun 12.
http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/19524646?ordinalpos=4&itool=EntrezSystem2.PEntrez.Pubmed.Pubmed_ResultsPanel.Pubmed_DefaultReportPanel.Pubmed_RVDocSum
7 Liao CH, Sang S, Liang YC, Ho CT, Lin JK. Suppression of inducible nitric oxide synthase and cyclooxygenase-2 in downregulating nuclear factor-kappa B pathway by Garcinol. Mol Carcinog. 2004 Nov;41(3):140-9. http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/15390082

Mangosteen to Maca Part 2:

The Body Ecology Guide to 5 Exotic Fruits, Berries & Roots

(Including A Recipe to Make the New Superfoods Healthier!)

by BodyEcology.com

Curious about the new superfroods, like maca root and yacon syrup? Find out the benefits AND detractors t these new superfoods and what you can do to get the most out of them…plus get a recipe to make everything from mangosteen and acai to maca even healthier!

In part 2 of this article, you’ll learn about the new superfood “roots,” maca root, yacon root and yacon syrup. While these roots may seem like healthy “no-brainers,” they are not necessarily the best choices for your health.

But Body Ecology founder, Donna Gates, has come up with a solution for you to enjoy all the benefits with none of the health drawbacks of these superfruits and super-roots!


How to Incorporate the New Superfoods into Your Healthy Diet: The Roots

• Maca – Also called Lepidium meyenii and Peruvian ginseng (although it is not related to the ginseng family, it has similar effects), maca has been used for centuries to promote energy, libido and longevity.
  
  This mat-like vegetable is in the same family as the wild Mexican yam and grows high in the plateaus of the Andes in Peru. Maca root looks similar to a radish.
  
  What all the fuss is about: Maca is easy to digest and packed with nutrients, like:¹
  • 18 amino acids.
  • Vitamins B1, B2, B12, C and E.
  • High trace minerals (calcium, potassium, zinc, magnesium and phosphorous and trace amounts of 31 different
  • minerals) from the Peruvian soil.
  • Fatty acids.
• Maca root is an adaptogen, which helps your adrenals respond to stress. It has also been used to boost energy, regulate the endocrine system, balance hormones and the menstrual cycle, support immunity and improve fertility and sexual function. Where to find maca: Maca root is typically sold as capsules or in powder form and you can find organic maca powder online or in your health food store. We recommend choosing organic maca.
  
  Body Ecology says: Maca is a starchy root vegetable that should be combined with grains and vegetables. However, keep in mind that maca has natural sugars that can feed candida, like the sweet potato. While 1 cup of sweet potato (200 grams) has 13 grams of sugar, you might consider only using a small amount of raw maca root (5 grams or approx. 1 tsp), which has only 1 gram of sugar.  Eating them with cultured veggies is great too so that the microflora eat up the sugar and these alkaline veggies help balance the more acidic maca powder.

  So the amount of maca you eat is important. Look at the label of the organic maca powder you are considering to be sure the sugar content is low.

  One thing you can do if you want to eat more maca is soak it for 8 hours or overnight in young coconut kefir or our probiotic liquids, like Innergy-Biotic. The healthy microflora in our probiotic liquids will eat up the excess sugars so that you can enjoy your maca with no worries.

  Another option is to take maca capsules with 2 oz. of your favorite probiotic liquid.

• Yacon Root and Syrup – Another plant from the Peruvian Andes, yacon root has dark brown skin and looks like an elongated potato. A sweet tuber, yacon root is crunchy like water chestnuts and tastes like a cross between an apple and a watermelon.What all the fuss is about: Yacon root and yacon root syrup have been touted for being sweet (the sweetness comes from inulin), low-calorie and safe for diabetics.Where you can get yacon root syrup: You can get yacon root syrup online and at health food stores.
  

  Avoid the dangers of too-sweet sweeteners with all-natural Lakanto. More and more natural sweeteners are coming out on the market, but all too often, they are too sweet and still feed candida, the systemic fungal infection that plays a role in many diseases, like diabetes. Instead, use delicious zero-calorie, zero-glycemic index Lakanto that tastes and bakes just like sugar. The Japanese Ministry of Health approves AND recommends Lakanto for weight loss and blood sugar issues like diabetes. Try Lakanto today!

  Body Ecology says: Yacon root syrup may appear promising as a sweetner, but it is still too sweet and can cause acidic blood and feed candida. If you truly want a safe, healthy alternative to sugar that is low calorie, safe for diabetics and does not have the dangers of too-sweet sweeteners, we recommend you use Stevia or Lakanto.

  To learn more about Stevia, read: A Brief But Interesting History of Stevia … and How It Benefits You

  To learn more about Lakanto, read: Lakanto Q&A: Some KEY Questions about the New All-Natural Zero-Calorie Sweetener Answered

  Body Ecology Recipe to Enjoy Your Exotic Superfood Benefits Without the Health Detractors
  
  
  Here’s a recipe from Body Ecology’s founder, Donna Gates. Use this delicious recipe for a superior nutrition and energy packed superfood meal:

  In an 8 oz. Ball Jar, add:

• 2 oz. of your choice: XanGo, MonaVie, goji juice or Acai juice (choose one with no-added sugar)
• 4 oz. Passion Fruit Biotic or your favorite probiotic liquid (the microflora in probiotic liquids help eat the sugars from the superfruit juices and also, eat up extra sugars in your intestines)
• 1 Heaping TBL chia seeds chia seeds (chia seeds are a good source of omega-3 fatty acids and slow the digestion of sugars in your body)Directions:
  
• Let this mixture ferment for two days in the Ball jar and then enjoy your nutrient-packed super-superfood!
  
  At Body Ecology, we are always looking for ways to make healthy eating, well…healthier! Some foods, while inherently healthy, have a backside or detrimental affects on certain health conditions that are epidemic in our modern times. But when you pair them with the healing benefits of probiotic liquids, you can create a balance that keeps your body feeling it’s best for the long term.

  NOTE: Also see Part 1 of Mangosteen to Maca: 5 Exotic Fruits, Berries and Roots

  Source:

Suing FDA (and winning)

There is a giant, a true champion in the legal field who fights for justice in the field of  alternative medicine and health freedom.  That would be Jonathan Emord who has sued the FDA over censorship. Be encouraged, for this is really important. For more about what he does on behalf of citizen’s rights, go to:   http://www.emord.com/media .

PRESS RELEASE: August 14, 2009

Emord Sues FDA: Antioxidant Vitamin Claim Suppression Violates First Amendment

Today Emord & Associates, P.C. filed a third suit in as many weeks against the Food and Drug Administration in the U.S. District Court for the District of Columbia against the FDA. The firm did so on behalf of the Alliance for Natural Health US; dietary supplement formulators Durk Pearson and Sandy Shaw; and the Coalition to End FDA and FTC Censorship. The suit seeks declaratory and injunctive relief, asking the Court to hold FDA’s June 19, 2009 decision censoring antioxidant vitamin/cancer risk reduction claims unconstitutional under the First Amendment and to enjoin FDA from preventing entry of the claims into the market.

In Whitaker v. Thompson I, 284 F.Supp.2d 1, 13 (D.D.C. 2002), U.S. District Court Judge Gladys Kessler gave FDA the First Amendment standard it was to apply in health claim cases. FDA has not cited, let alone applied, that standard in the review of any health claims, including the antioxidant vitamin/cancer risk reduction claim. In its review of qualified health claims, FDA has often not permitted accurate representations of emerging science to reach the public. Instead, it has created a rigid construct that categorically rejects review of science that the scientific community considers persuasive, including animal studies, in vitro studies, and clinical trials (if they involve treatment of diseased populations or are deemed methodologically deficient for one reason or another). FDA thus does not in fact review the totality of scientific evidence but only a small fraction of it, erecting a straw man to either deny or saddle claims with misleadingly negative disclaimers.

Upon filing the suit, lead counsel Jonathan W. Emord stated, “This is the third time we have gone to Court against FDA for its suppression of an antioxidant vitamin/cancer risk reduction claim. The U.S. Court of Appeals in Pearson v. Shalala ordered FDA to allow the claim with reasonable disclaimers. FDA refused, and we sued the agency again. The U.S. District Court in Whitaker v. Thompson I ordered FDA to allow the claims a second time, condemning FDA’s refusal to abide by Pearson v. Shalala. We are now back a third time, demanding that FDA abide by the same constitutional law and precedent it has refused to accept for more than a decade. It is clear that FDA thinks itself unanswerable to the federal courts and above the supreme law of the land, the Constitution. We hope in this case the district court will make clear that FDA is neither.”

FDA has reinstated a regime of censorship, demanding near conclusive proof before it allows any nutrition science to enter the market. That move violates four First Amendment cases that have repeatedly demanded that FDA favor disclosure of nutrition science over its suppression as the operative rule. Rather than permit public access to accurate representations of science, FDA refuses to allow any science to reach the market unless it thinks scientific proof established to a near conclusive degree, an extremely rare happenstance.

Emord & Associates has defeated FDA in five prior First Amendment cases, including the landmark Pearson v. Shalala, 172 F.3d 72 (D.C.Cir. 1999). The firm has also filed, and obtained approval, for most of the qualified health claims now permitted by the agency.

Q’s on Rapid tissue Healing

www.ThePaleoDiet.com Loren Cordain, Ph.D. Issue: # 2009 – 34/August 21, 2009 The Paleo Diet mimics the nutrition that our hunter-gatherer ancestors survived on for millions of years: lean meats, seafood, vegetables, fruits and nuts. In modern times, we began to obtain more than 70% of our dietary calories from foods rarely, if ever, eaten by our Paleolithic ancestors. Because we are not genetically adapted to thrive on these foods, we’ve seen increasing levels of cardiovascular disease, cancer, diabetes, obesity, osteoporosis, arthritis, acne, gastrointestinal disease, and other diseases that rarely trouble hunter-gatherer cultures. In this issue, we take a look at how the Paleo Diet can support the healing of acute injuries. We’ll also suggest some ways to enjoy heirloom tomatoes this summer. Enjoy.	Loren Cordain, Ph.D. In This Issue Healing and the Paleo Diet Enjoy the Heirloom Tomato News & Upcoming Events Our Recommendations Follow Up & Feedback
Healing and the Paleo Diet by Loren Cordain, Ph.D. and Maelán Fontes
Although we are not aware of any direct experimental evidence showing how the Paleo Diet influences healing, it seems reasonable that the diet may reduce healing time for acute injuries, similar to the medial collateral ligament (MCL) strain described below. The MCL is one of the four major ligaments of the knee, and is on the medial part of the knee joint in humans. “Dear Dr. Cordain, I have some questions regarding our son Andrew. He is the 15-year-old, competitive swimmer…Turns out that he has an MCL strain with his right knee. He saw an orthopedist this week. He won’t be competing for the rest of this summer, and won’t be doing much breaststroke for a while. I was told this week that it takes 6 months for the cell tissue to completely heal with a ligament strain. It just dawned on me today that his Paleo Diet might make a difference in the recovery of his MCL. I haven’t read anything with regard to this yet. But, is his diet going to help the knee to heal back to 100%? He also begins physical therapy next week. His team has a 6-week break after July that will be a huge benefit. Have you known of these types of ligament injuries to completely heal? On numerous occasions, Andrew has told people that he feels better physically, and thinks more clearly on his Paleo Diet…And, his acne is a thing of the past!! He is a real Paleo supporter. Thank you for any recommendations you have for Andrew.” Teresa Hi Teresa, Ligamentous tissue, because it is poorly vascularized, takes much longer than soft tissue to heal1. However, there are a number of elements of the Paleo Diet that may promote rapid tissue healing: It has been demonstrated that protein deficient patients recover more slowly than a control group2. This makes the Paleo Diet, because it is a high protein diet, a perfect intervention in this MCL injury and similar injuries. In such cases, it is desirable to have a diet in which protein reaches 1.2 grams/kg/day2. Increased branch-chain amino acids (valine, leucine and isoleucine) from the high animal protein diet will also speed up healing time3. More rapid resolution of the acute inflammatory stage of tissue injury will occur because of increased consumption of long-chain fatty acids (DHA, EPA, and AA)4, 5. Increased trace nutrient density (such as zinc, iron and phytochemicals)6 further promotes healing and tissue regeneration. In addition to the diet, there are also supplements that could help in wound healing. Vitamin C is an important cofactor in synthesis of collagen and proteoglycans, and other components of bone, skin, capillary walls, and other connective tissues2. It is important for hydroxylation of proline and lysine residues in procollagen2. Vitamin C is also an important supplement in immunomodulation and antioxidation2, 6-8. Oxidative stress delays wound healing so wounds increase the necessity of vitamin C due to the increased reactive oxygen species generated2. Vitamin C is also able to regenerate other antioxidants such as vitamin E. It is recommended that you not exceed 2 grams a day since some adverse health effects have been demonstrated, such as hemolysis (red blood cell destruction), especially in glucose 6-phosphate dehydrogenase deficient patients7. The recommended dosage is 1-2 grams per day2. Glucosamine increases hyaluronic acid synthesis, which is an important substance in extra cellular matrix composition2. Glucosamine may increase insulin resistance and glucose levels so it should not be taken by diabetic patients. Otherwise, it is safe at a dose of 500 mg 3 times per day7. Omega-3 fats will reduce inflammation and help promote the healing process4, 5, 9. Glutamine has been demonstrated to decrease the number of days in the hospital for wound patients2. It supports the immune system in the initial phase of inflammation, and serves as an energy source for fibroblasts and protein synthesis2, 6, 10. The recommended dosage is 0.2 grams/kg/day2. Arginine is another important amino acid in tissue regeneration. Some of its actions include stimulation of cell migration (for wound recovery), and it is a precursor for proline during collagen synthesis2, 6. Zinc is essential in DNA synthesis, protein synthesis and cell division2, 6, 11. All of these are important factors in wound healing. Zinc content is high in the Paleo Diet. A recommended dosage to promote healing is 15-30 mg per day2. Other nutrients that could be beneficial for wound healing are garlic7 (with antioxidant and anti-inflammatory properties), pineapple (because bromelain accelerates wound healing and decreases inflammation2, 7), and grape-derived phytochemicals (such as proanthocyanidin7) that exert anti-inflammatory effects and support healing of elastin and collagen7. We expect both athletes and surgery patients to recover more quickly on the Paleo Diet than they otherwise would eating a conventional modern diet. Next time, we’ll share Michelle’s experience of how the Paleo Diet has helped autoimmune type 1 diabetes and some of the reasons behind her success. We’ll also suggest how to eat Italian cuisine the Paleo way.
Enjoy the Heirloom Tomato by Nell Stephenson
Being in the summer mindset, I’m taking advantage of what’s naturally available locally and using all the lovely produce in traditional ways, as well as continuing my ongoing kitchen experiments! One interesting and beautiful (and sometimes ugly! : ) summer fruit is the heirloom tomato. If you’re a Paleo devotee who’s NOT battling autoimmune disease, this interesting food is a fun part of the summer’s bounty. Because these tomatoes are typically left to ripen on the vine, they tend to be higher in antioxidants and vitamins than some of their relatives. This also yields a more flavorful and juicier fruit – so enjoy! Here are a few ways you can partake of them during their brief summer appearance: Make a Paleo-style Caprese salad – without the mozzarella cheese, of course! Slice a large tomato or two into thick circles, and arrange on a platter alternating tomato slices with fresh basil leaves. Then drizzle with extra virgin olive oil and sprinkle with ground pepper right before serving. Keep in mind that tomatoes should not be refrigerated because it changes their texture to an unappealing mushy/mealy consistency. Better to keep them at room temperature! Use in a (bun-free) “Burger Napoleon.” Cook some ground bison burgers outdoors on the grill, place atop a butter or bibb lettuce leaf, followed by a slice of grilled red onion and grilled Portobello mushroom for a fantastic summer dinner! Puree with cucumber and freeze (as though you were making granita) stirring intermittently to create the consistency, and use to cleanse the palate midway through a meal. Stew the tomatoes. Add chopped cilantro, fresh garlic, a squeeze of lemon and some diced red onion for a homemade salsa that’s perfect for dipping into with fresh veggies in lieu of chips and salsa! Or, just eat them whole! Yes, I do get odd looks when I’m seen eating a whole raw tomato or bell pepper, but I don’t care because I’m just eating fruit! : ) Be sure to enjoy these – just one of many fruits the summer has to offer!
News and Upcoming Events
Dr. Loren Cordain will be speaking in Boulder, Colorado: On September 17th, 2009, Dr. Cordain will present “Origins and Evolution of the Western Diet: Health Implications for the 21st Century” from 7-9 pm at CrossFit Roots at 800 Pearl Street in Boulder, Colorado. Tickets may be purchased online for $15. A higher sodium to potassium excretion ratio is associated with increased risk of cardiovascular disease (CVD): This study in Archives of Internal Medicine looked at adults with prehypertension between the ages of 30 and 54. It also looked at subsequent CVD (including stroke, myocardial infarction, coronary revascularization, or CVD mortality) through a 10 to 15 year follow-up with 2,275 participants. The Paleo Diet provides a much lower (and healthier) ratio of sodium to potassium intake than the typical modern diet. Relationship found between higher HDL and reduced disability among multiple sclerosis (MS) patients: High-density lipoprotein, or HDL, is known as “good” cholesterol. This research with 186 MS patients from the University at Buffalo was presented in a poster session at the American Association of Neurology meeting in Seattle, WA. More information is available at http://multiplesclerosis.blogharbor.com/blog/_archives/2009/5/8/4179479.html. We have developed a program “How to Treat Multiple Sclerosis with Diet” that provides a complete overview of how certain foods may contribute to the growing incidence of MS and other autoimmune diseases. Easy to implement, and explained fully by Professor Cordain, this program may slow and even ameliorate MS symptoms for some patients. Due to the number of requests we’ve received, we will also spend some of The Paleo Diet Implementation Program focusing on specific eating patterns relating to autoimmune diseases such as MS. These six weeks of tele-conference instruction, coaching, and assignments have been designed to help you make permanent changes in your health and well being.
Our Recommendations
The Paleo Diet has “cured more patients than any other supplement or medication” doctor has used: The success stories from those who have already adopted the Paleo Diet are as amazing as the quote from the doctor below: “I am the wellness director for MPR, which is a risk pool. I try to push the Paleo Diet every second I get.  In my private practice, it has cured more patients than any other supplement or medication I have used.” Brooks Rice, M.D. We’ve put together a world-class coaching and instruction program to help you create your own success stories! The Paleo Diet Implementation Program just started on August 13th, but you can be first in line when there’s another opportunity to receive Q&A coaching by signing up for The Paleo Diet Implementation Program. You’ll enjoy 6 weeks of tele-conference instruction, coaching, and assignments for permanent changes in your health and well being. This program is for anyone who really wants to learn and follow the Paleo Diet, and develop a lifetime of healthy eating habits. Because of the high number of requests we have received, we will also spend some of the time focusing on specific eating patterns relating to: Weight loss Arthritis Athletic performance Cardiovascular disease and Autoimmune diseases This package is available in our standard version, and a special version for people with autoimmune disease, who will want to minimize all foods that contribute to gut permeability, at least until symptoms subside. Here’s another report that’s typical of the benefits people have enjoyed from following the Paleo Diet: “Let me take this opportunity to tell you that in my case (and I tell this to everyone that I give a copy of the book to), I have lost over 40 lbs of my old 195, am off my diabetic medication, have lowered my cholesterol, lipid count, blood pressure and as of my last medical check all of my major body organs seem to be working well. I no longer suffer from acid reflux (another medication off the list) or that hiatus hernia that they diagnosed 30 years ago. Talking about 30 years ago, that just about sums up my energy level now. The downside – my wife says it is like having a teenager around the house because I eat so much! I admit that food prep takes more planning and time – but on balance, this way of relating to food is my hands down choice.” Chris J.
Follow Up and Feedback
In this section, we’ll share readers’ concerns and questions. With regard to the rapid increase in hominin brain mass, we received this question: “How much of the human brain is DHA if in a mouse or an elephant, the concentration of DHA per unit brain mass remains constant at approximately 10 %?” Dr. Cordain has written the following paper with those calculations that is available in our online published research library: 13. Cordain L, Watkins BA, Mann NJ. Fatty acid composition and energy density of foods available to African hominids: evolutionary implications for human brain development. World Rev Nutr Diet 2001, 90:144-161. Basically it comes down to the brain’s mass (approximately 1,100 to 1,500 g depending upon an individual mass and gender) and the total phospholipids and acylglycerols in the brain containing DHA. Although we can’t answer every question personally due to the number of letters received, we are very interested in hearing your thoughts, learning about your experiences, and understanding your questions. Many of the questions that we receive will be answered in future newsletters. Talk to you next week! To your optimum health, Wiley Long, M.S., Nutrition and Exercise Science Editor

The better it gets , . . .

Begin telling the story of your desire, and then add to it the details of the positive aspects that you can find that match those desires. And then embellish your positive expectation by speculating with your good-feeling Wouldn’t it be nice if . . . ? examples. You can say things like: Only good things come to me. . . I’ll figure it out as I go along. . .. Every time you tell your better-feeling story, you will feel better and the details of your life will improve. The better it gets, the better it gets. — Abraham Excerpted from the book “Money and the Law of Attraction: Learning to Attract Health, Wealth and Happiness” Our Love, Jerry and Esther

Mercury still polluting our Fish

Here we go again with the fish and our streams. . . . this time, a study by the U.S. Geological Survey.  I know, I know, we are all tired of this, but can we NOT LOOK AT THIS?   Your choice and mine – I have to look.               Jan

Mercury found in every fish tested, report says

WASHINGTON — No fish can escape mercury pollution. That’s the take-home message from a federal study of mercury contamination released yesterday.   Scientists tested more than a thousand fish from nearly 300 U.S. streams and found the toxic substance in every one. But while all fish had traces of contamination, only about a quarter had mercury levels exceeding what the Environmental Protection Agency says is safe for people eating average amounts of fish.

The study by the U.S. Geological Survey is the most comprehensive look at mercury in the nation’s streams. From 1998 to 2005, scientists collected and tested the fish, including bass, trout and catfish, from 291 streams nation wide.

“This science sends a clear message that our country must continue to confront pollution, restore our nation’s waterways and protect the public from potential health dangers,” Interior Secretary Ken Salazar said in a statement.
Mercury consumed by eating fish can damage the nervous system and cause learning disabilities in developing fetuses and young children.

The main source of mercury for most of the streams tested, according to the researchers, is emissions from coal-fired power plants.

All but two states — Alaska and Wyoming — have issued fish-consumption advisories because of mercury contamination. Some of the streams studied already had warnings.

B.E.D. Diverticulitis

Diverticulitis: The Symptoms, Causes and the Body Ecology Approach to Healing

by BodyEcology.com

Whether you’re on this side of 60 or the other, you need to get serious about preventing diverticulosis. Follow Body Ecology’s simple steps to increase fiber, heal your colon and keep on kicking!

In the US, more than 50 percent of people older than 60 have diverticula, according to the Mayo Clinic!1

Here’s what you need to know about this increasingly common condition, what causes it, and the natural Body Ecology approach to prevention and treatment.

Diverticu-what?

Diverticulitis is an acute condition caused by diverticulosis.

Diverticulosis occurs when small, bulging pouches (called diverticula) form in your digestive tract. But just because you have diverticulosis does NOT mean you have diverticulitis.

Diverticulitis is when those diverticula pouches become inflamed.

Symptoms of the inflamed diverticula can be:

• Abdominal pain
• Change in bowel habits (diarrhea or constipation)
• Fever
• Nausea
• May feel like appendicitis, but in your lower left abdomen (instead of the right)

Doctors will use blood tests as well as CT scans and X-rays to determine if your abdominal pain is indeed diverticulitis, and then treatment depends on the severity and frequency of your inflammation.

Treatment for mild symptoms includes:

• Rest
• Perhaps a liquid diet for a few days
• Antibiotics

More serious cases involve actually removing the diseased parts of your colon.

Diverticulosis: The Risk Factors

Don’t let diverticulosis (and possibility diverticulitis) creep on you. Answer these questions to determine if you are at risk.

First, how old are you?

This is a tough one to change, so anyone over 40 needs to be vigilant about preventing diverticula.

Next, how much fiber do you eat every day, on average?

Low fiber intake (thanks to processed foods with little nutrition) is seen as the culprit behind the growing number of cases of diverticulitis.

Put down the processed foods and begin to eat a whole food diet, like the Body Ecology program. Just make sure to add fiber gradually, or you may upset your stomach. Aim to eat 30 grams of fiber per day. Most people think fiber is flax and hempseed fiber, Metamucil or psyllium husks. But your best source of fiber is vegetables…and The Body Ecology Diet is a high-fiber, plant-based diet.

Finally, how much do you actually exercise?

Be honest on this one… Researchers are not sure why there is a link, but apparently people who exercise regularly are less likely to have diverticulosis than those who do not.

Perhaps it’s because exercise encourages effective elimination and a healthy colon? Regardless of the reason, 30 minutes a day will give you a head start against diverticulitis.

How Body Ecology Can Help

The Body Ecology System for health and healing is ideal for encouraging a healthy colon. So if you want to prevent or slow the progression of diverticulosis, naturally, Body Ecology is a great solution.

The Body Ecology system is great for a diverticulitis diet because it:

• Creates a healthy inner ecosystem in your intestines with fermented foods and drinks, which encourage the growth of microflora (good bacteria and yeast) that keep you healthy and strong
• Is naturally high in fiber-rich foods that taste great and help you feel satisfied
• Encourages regular cleansing to keep your colon in tip top shape
• Replaces nutrient-empty processed foods with plenty of vegetables and Body Ecology grain-like seeds
• Helps your body build up its energy stores, so your body can heal and so you can exercise.

To get started on the Body Ecology system for health and healing, be sure to read The Quick & Easy Guide to Improving Your Health on the Body Ecology Program Part I: The First 7 Steps to Great Health.

Also remember that if you have just had diverticulitis, you may need to follow a special diverticulitis diet that is low in fiber while your colon heals. Then you can begin to incorporate Body Ecology principles step by step into your life.

Other tips to help you stay healthy:

If you are serious about avoiding the fate of half the American population over 60, let Vitality SuperGreen can be in your first line of defense! Vitality SuperGreen helps you build (or re-build) your intestinal lining AND provides probiotics to help your body digest and heal.. It’s not too late. Whether you’ve had diverticulitis or want to avoid it in the future, Vitality SuperGreen is the nourishing drink that can keep your digestive tract happy for the long term. Try Vitality SuperGreen and see how tasty health can be!

1. 1. Drink Vitality SuperGreen every day. If there is one thing you do for your intestinal health every day, let it be a dose or two of Vitality SuperGreen. This super nourishing whole food drink tastes great mixed into your favorite liquid and sets the stage for a healthy colon.

   Packed with fermented vegetables, grasses, algae, sea vegetables and special ingredients like GlutImmune (a more easily absorbed form of Glutamine), Vitality SuperGreen helps soothe and rebuild the lining of your intestines.

   And it is the best tasting green food on the market!

2. Drink plenty of water. When you consume healthy amounts of fiber, you will need to hydrate your body more regularly. So consider getting a large water bottle and refilling it several times per day as you drink between meals.
3. Go to the bathroom. When you have to go, don’t hold it. That just builds up pressure. Go as soon as you possibly can, and your body will be more at ease.
4. Exercise with a rebounder! This top recommended exercise gives your body all the benefits of fitness without the strain on your joints. Rain or shine, and regardless of your fitness level, rebounding is the ideal exercise.

Let Body Ecology’s simple principles guide you to a life free from diverticulosis with lots of fiber, tasty fermented foods and drinks, regular exercise and plenty of water.

You, your colon, and your doctor will all be happy!

Sources:

1 Diverticulitis. MayoClinic.com. http://www.mayoclinic.com/health/diverticulitis/DS00070/DSECTION=1

• Copyright © 2009 Donna Gates; all rights reserved |

Beating Autism Naturally

Beating Autism Naturally: How Body Ecology Mom, Gina LaVerde, Healed Her Son of Autism

by BodyEcology.com

Gina LaVerde healed her son, Dougie, of autism by focusing on the Body Ecology diet, probiotic-rich fermented foods and drinks and other healing practices. Find out how this passionate mom changed her life, her son’s life and the lives of her family.

We recently met with Gina LaVerde, a BEDROK mom (Body Ecology Diet Recovering Our Kids) who shared her inspiring story of healing her son of autism.

Q. When did you first learn that your son, Dougie, had autism?

A. I first suspected autism when Dougie was about a year old. While he was born with some complications, he developed normally in the first year. At nine months, he was walking, talking and identifying things.

I have always known about health…I even made homemade, organic baby food for Dougie. I thought I was doing everything right.

But around age one, Dougie stopped talking.

At the time, I only knew a little about autism, so I called my aunt, who was a special education teacher and asked her to come over and help determine if Dougie had autism.

My aunt brought a colleague who was a speech therapist and while they were not certain if Dougie had autism, they suspected he did. My aunt told me that autism was not curable, but I chose not to believe her. It was then I began my journey to find the answers to heal Dougie.

Q. What steps did you take to help Dougie heal from autism?

A. I didn’t make a lot of changes at first and focused mostly on research.

But around Dougie’s last set of vaccines (he had most of the vaccines, but not the MMR) at 18 months, he got really sick with sore throats, rashes and high fever. At that time, he went on five different antibiotics for a period of five months.

It was at this time, my research led me to information about candida.

Dougie’s medical doctor didn’t really know about candida, so I continued my search until I found Diane Farr’s story about healing her son of autism on the Body Ecology website.

This is when I started working on changing Dougie’s diet and my own, because I felt that I had candida as well.

Q. Was it difficult to change Dougie’s diet?

A. It was challenging because when Dougie was on antibiotics, all he wanted to eat were foods like pizza and French fries. But we overcame that by slowly introducing fermented foods and drinks , like cultured vegetables and young coconut kefir. We also introduced healthy soups.

I started out slowly, but giving Dougie a teaspoon of young coconut kefir and then a French fry and gradually increasing the amount of young coconut kefir while reducing the amount of French fries. Within 3 days, Dougie was drinking a cup of young coconut kefir.

I was always looking for inventive ways to get Dougie (and my husband!) to eat healthy foods. Stevia was particularly useful because Dougie would eat anything with a little stevia, even his green juices.

Want to make your own young coconut kefir? You can with Kefir Starter! Follow the instructions in the box for a delicious, healing beverage that delivers energy and immune-boosting probiotics in every sip! Learn more about Kefir Starter and start fermenting today.

These days, we ferment everything from coconut water, mangosteen juice, acai juice, and beet juice to all kinds of veggie mixes, dips, sauces and salad dressings.

The probiotic-rich fermented foods and drinks made a HUGE difference in Dougie’s health.

Within less than a month, he began to have eye contact. This was a big relief and we took Dougie off antibiotics, even though the doctor said he still needed them. Since Dougie and I both had the same symptoms of candida, I took him to my doctor and we used all the same remedies for Dougie that I did for myself.

Around this time, Dougie became physically well, even though he still had some behaviors of autism.

Within two months of starting the fermented foods and drinks and changing his diet, Dougie became very healthy physically and he has not been sick since January of 2006.

While Dougie was always vegetarian, I thought following Body Ecology meant we’d have to give him meat. But after learning more about Body Ecology, I realized that the Body Ecology principles were the most important and I could follow them as a vegetarian, vegan or with raw food.

These days, we focus on a vegan, high raw diet (mostly raw food diet) with plenty of vegetables, algae, fermented foods and drinks and blended foods.

Dougie also occasionally wants things like eggs and when he asks for something like this, I feel he’s doing it for a reason, so I give it to him. We are still eating low to no sugar and no gluten.

Believe it or not, the biggest challenge was with our family.

They felt like the changes we were making in Dougie’s diet would hurt him, so we had to distance ourselves from family members who did not support what we were doing.

A probiotic-rich fermented drink that kids love! Can’t find coconuts to make young coconut kefir? Want something faster and more convenient? If you want to introduce your kids to fermented foods and drinks, Passion Fruit Biotic is an easy (and delicious!) way to do it. Full of probiotics that help heal digestion, boost immunity, eliminate cravings for processed foods and improve energy, Passion Fruit Biotic is your best bet for helping even the pickiest eaters heal. Learn more about Passion Fruit Biotic and try some today!

Q. How are things going with Dougie today?

A. Dougie is doing really well today. We have recovered his health and he shows no signs of autism.

I am so grateful for what Dougie taught me. My health, my husband’s health and even my extended family’s health has improved. Formerly skeptics, everyone in my family is now on probiotics.

My experience with Dougie changed my life. I went from doing work in advertising and freelance writing assignments that I didn’t really like, to helping people heal. Helping others is my passion and I feel like I am doing meaningful work consulting with other moms and families to heal themselves and their children.

While I have definite opinions on how to help people heal, I also value the beliefs and opinions others have for their own healing journey.

With Dougie, Body Ecology was a major part of his healing path and we also incorporated a variety of energy healing practices, like Reiki, along with dry skin brushing, baths, castor oil packs, movement therapy and sound therapy. All of these things help to relax the body to promote healing and open up the avenues for detox.

The most important thing for everyone to remember, whether addressing their own health or the health of their child is the principle of step by step. Getting well and detoxifying your body takes time and it’s important to work on one thing at a time.

And most of all, be willing to say “I don’t have to be like everyone else, I have to do what’s best for myself or my child.”

Gina’s Free Upcoming Webinar: Autism Undone Join Gina LaVerde and Body Ecology Coach, Christina Allen, as they candidly discuss the methods they’ve successfully used to bring their own families and clients to optimal health. Learn about autism recovery, Body Ecology, fermented foods and raw foods. Tuesday, August 18th from 7:00 pm – 8:00 pm Eastern Time Click here to learn more and register.

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About Gina LaVerde:

Gina LaVerde is a writer, Body Ecology/Raw Foods Nutritional Coach and energy healer. You can learn more about Gina and the healing practices she recommends by reading her blog: CertifiedOrganicWoman.com. You can contact Gina by e-mail at Gina@healartfully.com or by phone: 773-540-9328.

Paleo on Nucleotides

Nucleotides and the Paleo Diet by Mark Connell

Nucleotides are small molecules that are the building blocks of DNA and RNA. They are composed of a nitrogen-containing base bonded to a sugar and one or more phosphate groups. Nucleotides occur in all foods of animal or vegetable origin as free nucleotides or nucleic acids. Their concentration depends on cell density, which explains why organ meats are such a rich source.

Traditionally, nutritionists have dismissed any dietary need for nucleotides arguing that the body can produce them itself. This view has begun to change over the last two decades as a mounting body of research has demonstrated that dietary sources of nucleotides play several key roles.

One hint to the larger story is that the preponderance of foods with high concentrations of nucleotides are Paleo foodstuffs, such as game, organ meats (heart, liver, spleen, lungs and sweetbreads) and whole fish.^1-2 Human milk also contains high levels of nucleotides.³

Research has uncovered multiple roles for dietary nucleotides, including growth and repair of the intestinal lining and liver,^4-5 modulation of the immune system,^6-7 and protein synthesis,⁸ among other functions.

While the body is able to synthesize nucleotides from scratch, dietary sources of nucleotides are now considered semi-essential nutrients⁹ under stressful conditions (which hamper the body’s synthesis of nucleotides), such as rapid growth, malnutrition or infection. Additionally, certain tissues, such as the gut, which have a low capacity to produce nucleotides on their own, utilize salvage of dietary nucleotides to meet much of their need.

The long recognized superior health of breast-fed babies¹⁰ is now attributed in part to the presence of nucleotides in mother’s milk.¹¹ Several infant formula makers now add nucleotides to their cow’s milk-based infant formula in an attempt to more closely mimic nature.

The lining of the gut is subject to rapid turnover with complete replacement occurring in less than one week.⁴ Nucleotides assist both the continuous proliferation of cells and promote the development of the folds (villi), which allow proper absorption of nutrients.¹² Maintaining the integrity of the gastrointestinal tract is key in avoiding the complications arising from leaky gut.

Immune suppression is well documented in both endurance and strength/power athletes.¹³ Recent studies of athletes supplementing their diet with nucleotides have suggested an improvement in immune function and faster recovery.^14-15

The Paleo Diet offers an abundance of nucleotides in comparison to a Neolithic diet, which includes the newer grains, dairy, and sugar never eaten by our Paleolithic ancestors. Basing your meals on the Paleo Diet, mainly lean meat, seafood, fruits, and vegetables, can help with intestinal permeability, immune function, and other functions that dietary nucleotides have been found to enhance.

Next time, we’ll take a look at how fatty acid composition may have led to a rapid increase in brain mass relative to body mass (encephalization) among human ancestors (hominins). We’ll also suggest some ways to enjoy heirloom tomatoes.

Recreating Tonight’s Dinner as Tomorrow’s Dinner by Nell Stephenson

How many times have you made a roast chicken and picked off the pieces you want, but although you didn’t want to simply throw the rest away, you didn’t quite know what to do with the remainder?Here’s an idea that not only applies to chicken, but has many other possibilities! One night’s dinner can be vastly transformed into tomorrow’s without anyone ever guessing that they’re actually eating leftovers.For the first evening, make your roast chicken dinner as usual. Since you’re going to be stretching it out for more than one meal, buy a larger bird than you normally would. Serve it with your favorite variety of steamed, sautéed (or whatever you enjoy!) veggies and a lovely green salad. For the next night, stick with the extra breast meat that you can easily cut off the bird, and add olive oil, fresh rosemary, ground pepper and diced red onion. Mix thoroughly and serve atop a bed of steamed kale or chard garnished with some grapes and shredded carrot. For the third evening, you may want to prepare the soup a day in advance because soups and stews often taste better the next day! Using a large stockpot, sauté some garlic and onions in olive oil. Add chopped celery and carrots. After the veggies are soft and opaque, add water and the chicken carcass. (If you’re an athlete and you’ve got a big training day the next day, add some chopped yam or sweet potato, too!). Bring it to a boil and then let it simmer as the meat falls off the bones. Season with your favorite fresh or dried herbs and serve with some fresh veggie. Use this way of thinking to apply to other meals as well. Start simple and then jazz it up the next day. You can always add more flavor and spice, but it’s trickier to take it away! News and Upcoming Events Disturbances in metabolic networks linked to depression: The Annals of Clinical Psychiatry published a paper in which the authors concluded that depression should be re-classified as type II metabolic syndrome because both conditions share common features, such as proinflammatory cytokines, glucocorticoid signaling, oxidative stress and disrupted intracellular signaling cascades. Both conditions could be improved with the Paleo Diet. Body mass index (BMI) and waist circumference are associated with sleep disorders: New research has identified risk factors of sleep-disordered breathing (SDB) in a representative sample of elementary school children. The strong linear relationship between waist circumference and BMI across all degrees of severity of SDB suggests that, as in adults, metabolic factors may be among the most important risk factors for SDB in children. Protein shown to be important for weight loss: The Annual Review of Nutrition just published a paper titled “Dietary Protein, Weight Loss, and Weight Maintenance.” Dietary protein has been shown to increase satiety, to increase bone mineral mass, and to positively affect calcium balance during weight loss. Our Recommendations Natural cure for acne has worked for thousands: Backed by ground-breaking research published in major nutrition and scientific journals, The Dietary Cure for Acne explains exactly how certain foods set up the conditions that result in acne, and how you can cure acne simply by changing the foods that you eat.With 174 scientific references, The Dietary Cure for Acne thoroughly documents the ultimate causes of acne. Put together by internationally recognized researcher Professor Loren Cordain, this is the only scientifically documented program that directly addresses all four known causes of acne … and the only program shown to clear acne blemishes in a human clinical trial. We offer a free preview of the program that will show you why we regularly get stories sent to us like this one: “Since discovering your eye-opening (revolutionary!!) findings, my normally extremely resistant moderate acne completely cleared up, starting within a week of the new diet. Thank you so much for being the one and only, cheapest and easiest, healthiest solution to clear skin forever – keep up your wonderful work!! I also feel this is the healthiest diet (or way of eating) that I’ve ever tried, and think I’ll stick with it forever. Thank you so much for making this information so accessible and affordable – this is the only thing I’ve ever done that actually worked!!” Jasmine C. The complete archive of The Paleo Diet Update (valued at over $300) is available for just $99.95: Here’s just a sample from Vol 5 Issue 21 “Autism and The Paleo Diet” of the information available in back issues: “Yet, evidence is increasing that autism may be autoimmune in nature,8-17 and that casein and gluten may be implicated through this mechanism.10-13 As readers are aware, we believe that gluten, dairy and other Neolithic foods, such as legumes, potatoes and tomatoes are suspected environmental triggers in various autoimmune diseases. Furthermore, a class of proteins in wheat gluten called gliadins upregulates a protein called zonulin,18 which increases tight junction diameter. This increases gut permeability in virtually all people, and a leaky gut is a common phenomenon in multiple autoimmune diseases,19-39 and in autism.2-4 Follow Up and Feedback In this section, we’ll share readers’ concerns and questions about nutrition and the Paleo Diet to help you better understand how to use the diet to optimize your health and fitness. We previously included a report we had received where someone wrote that his health had improved when he cut down the fat he was consuming, including olive oil. To avoid any misconception concerning olive oil, we’d like to clarify that olive oil is a good monounsaturated fat source with cholesterol balancing and anti-inflammatory properties. Although our Paleolithic ancestors obviously did not consume olive oil, they did eat a lot of marrow. Due to the high mono-unsaturated content of olive oil, it is a reasonable substitute for marrow, which may be more difficult to consume in modern times.