Health Medicine and Glyconutrition

This is what they call "Hope"? We've all gotten used to the idea that certain maladies will be around for a while...like until the Second Coming. Maladies such as cancer, heart disease, diabetes, arthritis...and many more are expected to be around, in epidemic proportions, longer than we think we will be alive...and anyone who tries to tell us otherwise is looked upon with real skepticism. In fact, when anyone tries to tell us "there's hope" for such maladies as say, diabetes, we are more likely to believe the person is trying to sell us something...and usually we are right. But, what's even worse is the fact that the "hope" we do receive is usually something like the following: Studies show that people at high risk for type 2 diabetes can prevent or delay the onset of the disease by losing 5 to 7 percent of their body we^ight. You can do it by eating healthier and getting 30 minutes of physical activity 5 days a week. In other words: you don't have to knock yourself out to prevent diabetes. The key is: small steps that lead to big rewards. Learn more about your risk for developing type 2 diabetes and the small steps you can take to delay or prevent the disease and live a long, healthy life. Of course, this is good advice. No denying it. As a medical doctor, I had to dispense advice like this for years, for diabetes and other conditions. Funny, as good as it is, I haven't seen anyone become ecstatic, do cartwheels or celebrate because they had just received such counsel. Why? Because what we really want from the medical world, is a cure.!And why not? It just doesn't seem fair the only real answer to conditions like diabetes or obesity is the "hope" that means we stop eating almost everything we enjoy, sweat till we drop, "pop" prescription pills 'till we're bloated, and think positive...forever. A new future? So, of course, I was skeptical too when I began to hear the claims associated with glyconutrition. As a long time medical professional and scientist, I know "claims" are easily made... And who ever heard of "glyconutrition" anyway?In 1999, the Nobel Prize for Medicine was awarded to Dr. Gunter Blobel for his work in the science of Glycobiology (the biology of glyconutrition). Out of the last eight Nobel Prizes awarded in medicine, four Nobel Prizes have been awarded for discoveries made in this ONE field. Believe it or not, this field (glyconutrition) affects maladies such as diabetes, cancer and heart disease directly. Why? Because, eight sugars have been isolated for their support of the immune system and cell communication. Additionally, human life cannot be supported without them. This information got my attention. When a single Nobel Pri^ze is won in medicine, everyone is paying attention. When four of them are won in the SAME field, as in this case involving glyconutrition, the medical world is "on fire" with the news. As that information made its way through the medical world, other issues made the news too. For decades the American Medical Association, the powerhouse of medical professionals, taught that nutritional supplements were not necessary for good health. But, in June 2002, the AMA admitted that nutritional supplementation was vital to good health and helpful in treating diseases. Also, the prestigious MIT published its findings. It wrote that these "sugars" were one of ten technologies it believed would change the world in the next decade. Nutritional supplementation was again vital to the conventional medical world...and at the center of the storm was glyconutrition. But, what really jolted me professionally was this: Until these discoveries, scientists had NO idea how the cells of your body could tell the antibodies of your body you had an infection and that they had to "get on over here" to deal with it. Until these discoveries, scientists had NO idea how the cells of your body told the rest of your body they needed nutrition, oxygen, waste elimination, infections healed...and a thousand and one other necessary functions of every cell. Goodness! We in the scientific world hadn't known just exactly HOW even aspirin made its way to that headache of yours. We just knew it worked. So, we prescribed it.

Sugar? Say it ain't so, doc! But, my attention was riveted to the news that scientists like Dr. Gunter Blobel had discovered what it was that let the cells COMMUNICATE with the other systems of the body. And would you believe it? What he found was amazing. Sugar...SUGAR! (Glyco = Greek for "sugar") No...not table sugar (else diabetics wouldn't be so excited over this new-found help for their diabetes). There are over 200 sugars in nature but, eight of them are VITAL to our good health. In fact, eight of them are the glyconutrition "backbone" for helping the body prevent or heal:auto-immune diseases such as diabetes, psoriasisoveractive immune disorders such as allergies and asthmaunder active immune disorders such as cancer, TB, strepinflammatory disorders such as colitis, ulcers, Fibromyalgiaother conditions such as Alzheimer's, infertility, heart disease.Suddenly, the medical world was on fire over glyconutrition. The "anecdotal evidence" concerning glyconutrition is mounting rapidly as people are finding conditions which have long grieved them...to be a thing of the past. For so many, the expectation for the future is not a "long, long, road" fraught with impossible dieting, grueling workouts, thousands of dollars of prescriptions, and the need to dream positively.

People are getting relief - from diabetes, heart disease, cancer, allergies, and many others - with glyconutrition...and without prescriptions! (Glyconutrition products are NOT prescription items...they're food.) Oh yes. I almost forgot. If you go to your doctor and he isn't aware of glyconutrition, don't panic. Your poor doctor CANNOT possibly keep up with all of the signs, symptoms, conditions, and their myriads of treatments, chemical make up and complications associated with thousands of maladies and the myriads of prescription antidotes for those maladies. I couldn't as a doctor, and I had several DECADES of experience in the field. "Been there ... done that" as they say. Incidentally, doctors don't usually find out first what works. They're just too busy being overwhelmed with the medical conditions they face, day to day. They usually find out like everyone else...They read about it or attend some seminar. Often, the marketplace produces antidotes - or research finds the right treatment, as in this case - long before they do. But, I can tell you this. Glyconutrition is helping conditions as diverse as diabetes and Alzheimer's ... and a lot of people have hope that these conditions CAN be and are being...overcome... Suddenly, the future isn't what it used to be...Dr. Robert Gamble is retired from a very successful Cardio-Thoracic surgical career spanning three decades. He is active in researching medical issues such as glyconutrition... and offers his insights for public benefit. For More Information Please see http://www.glycoshare.com, write sharethegift@glycoshare.com or call toll Free 1-866-735-5871
Source: http://www.iffizpartners.com/index.php?page=article&article_id=1660

Glyconutrition: The Immune System Eureka!

Archimedes: His Discovery was the "talk of the town."

Admittedly, we scientists go overboard, sometimes. We discover something of real importance, but we tend to forget most people just don't understand why something so excites us... like the "immune system." After all, MOST people are normal. They just don't get a "buzz" out of doing organic chemistry. (More about the immune system later. You can tell I am excited, can't you!)


Archimedes, the ancient Greek scientist, was no exception. When his friend, King Hieron of Syracuse asked the famous scientist if the crown he was wearing was pure gold or if it was alloyed, Archimedes was stumped.


One day as he stepped into his bathtub, it came to him. The amount of water which overflowed was equal to the portion of his body placed in the bathwater. The same was true of gold...and its alloys. Gold displaced a certain amount of water. Alloys, like silver, displaced different amounts.

We're told by historians, he was so excited about his discovery he ran through the town crying "Eureka!" ("I found it!"). He had discovered the principle of the immune system...uh, no, sorry, getting ahead of myself...the principle of buoyancy.

Of course, what I said earlier applies to us. We scientists do go overboard sometimes. He was so excited, he forgot to... well...get dressed. So, everyone got what they wanted that day. Archimedes got his discovery. King Hieron got a new crown (his alloyed crown displaced too much water...)and the town got their "buzz."

The immune system...finally.


Since the beginning of modern medicine, scientists have wondered how the cells tell the body there's an infection here...or a dying cell, there. Did you ever wonder how the body knew where to send the relief which aspirin brings to a headache?

We know. Over recent years, four Nobel Prizes have been won in the field of sugar...Formally known as glyconutrition, glycomics, or glycobiology (with every discovery -especially one as important as the immune system - scientists compete for names). So, you take your pick.

What's so important? Simply this. Before those four Nobel Prizes were won, we didn't know how cells communicated. We find the communication is done with eight essential sugars (No, not the table sugar we all are used to using.) Interestingly, the eight sugars are key to proper immune system functions.

All cells carry ID tags, so to speak. They are molecular structures called antigens. Each of these "tags" tells the immune system if a cell or other structure is a friend or foe.

A simple illustration may help. Immune system cells roam throughout the body touching other body cells and asking one of several questions:

Are you a part of this body?
Are you well?
Do you need help?

It is the sugars cells use to code the answers so the immune system can understand cell response. Through the sugar code (the eight glyconutrients), the cells answer "yes" or "no". If "no" to the first question, the immune system launches an attack upon the foreigner, an immune system rejection of the invader.

Unfortunately, some foreigners can mutate, so the immune system gets a signal it's not used to getting...and must await further developments. That is the reason we get different kinds of flu and colds. Interestingly again (it does get exciting folks, I warn you...), those further developments involving immune system cell response, may be "sped up" considerably with a "ready supply" of glyconutrients.

If the cell answers "no" to the second question above, the immune system sends help, repair, or protection.


If the cell answers "no" to the third question, the immune system cell moves on to other cells.

Healthy cells, ones with ALL eight of the "sugars" on them... send the correct signals for the direction of nutrients, elimination of toxins (elimination works necessarily with the immune system), calling of antibody help (immune system), "requests" for elimination of dying cells (immune system again), signals of aberrant growth (immune system) ...


On the other hand, when the immune system is NOT functioning properly (sugars are NOT in place nutritionally or malformed), we experience one of several immune system "reactions."

For example, if the immune system is an over active immune system, we can experience allergies, asthma, eczema, lupus, psoriasis, MS, Rheumatoid Arthritis and diabetes.

If the sugars are not present, we can experience an under active immune system disorder. Such an under active immune system problem can lead to cancer, viral and bacterial infections, strep, sinus problems, Candida (yeast), Herpes simplex I and II, ear infections (moms take note for your young 'ns), HIV, colds, bronchitis, Hepatitis B and C, flu, TB, urinary infections...among others.


Glyconutrients are immune system modulators. In other words, if the immune system is over active, they can help balance the immune system response. If the immune system is an under active immune system, the glyconutrients can boost the immune system strength.

Supplying the body with glyconutrients, may mean significant help for your body's immune system in dealing with bacterial and viral infections, malignancies, fungus infections, bacterial infections, parasites and neurological problems.

Finally, glyconutrients significantly increase immune system cell ("killer cell") response by as much as 50 per cent in people who are generally healthy. This means cutting back the incidence of infections, parasites and growths. The statistic in people with compromised immune systems is as much as 400 per cent!

Folks, that's getting a lot of "bang" for your ...uh...sugar.


Well, it is exciting. Sort of...

Eureka.

Dr. Robert Gamble is retired from a very successful Cardio-Thoracic surgical career spanning three decades. He is active in researching medical issues such as glyconutrition and offers his insights for public benefit. See http://www.glycoshare.com, write sharethegift@glycoshare.com or call 1-866-735-5871
Source: http://www.iffizpartners.com/index.php?page=article&article_id=1662

Take the Tea Bag Out !!

Tea What is the best way to drink tea? A question as old as the industry. There are as many different answers as there are tea drinkers. Though I plan on adding one more with this article, I intend to add a unique way that I hope you will find to be useful.

When drinking tea, I find that it makes life a lot easier to use a tea bag. Its easy to clean, they are pre-measured, there is no need for a tea strainer or other device, they are cheap, and a variety of other reasons. At the same time, there are a few major disadvantages; low quality tea is found inside, giving the tea a sharply bitter taste, and health benefits associated with tea are greatly reduced. (One reason why the tea bags are so cheap; cheap tea is included)

At this point you probably think I am writing an essay to promote drinking Loose Tea. Well, that is not entirely true. Tea bags still remain my preferred method of preparing and drinking tea whether I am making a pot or cup. I have found, that as with everything, the solution lies in somewhere in the gray. If we take the two extremes, high quality Loose Tea with no tea bag and Tea bags with low quality tea, and have them meet in the middle, we find the answer; gourmet tea bags with loose tea inside. A slightly higher price for a significantly higher tea.

With my weapon of choice exposed, I will now reveal my plan of attack. For a cup of tea, I will first take out a Double Chamber Gourmet Tea bag and put it in an empty mug. I will then pour hot water over the tea bag. This will thoroughly saturate the tea bag while running water through the two chambers of loose tea. After the initial pouring, I will bob the tea bag in and out of the water for a minute to continue with the movement of the water through the tea leaves or herbs (in the case of an herbal blend). When this is completed, I allow the tea bag to soak in the water for approximately another minute. During this soaking period, I wrap the string around the handle of my mug; anchored by the bead at the end of the string. This helps to prevent the string from falling into the mug, and any dripping that may occur as the water seeps up the string.

Up until now, this practice of tea drinking is no different then any other (with the exception of the gourmet tea bag perhaps). But here is where things begin change. After the tea bag is finished soaking for another minute or so, or whenever I feel the tea tastes how I want it to, I take the tea bag out, hold it above the cup and let excess water from the tea bag drip into the cup of tea. Then hang the tea bag on my Tea Stand (or you can put the tea bag on a plate or somewhere else) and save it for a second, third, fourth, and even a fifth cup with the same gourmet tea bag.

The benefits behind this practice of reusing the tea bags are various. First, by using a gourmet tea bag with loose tea, you will have the same ease as using a standard tea bag while drinking tea that provides higher health benefits and a smooth taste. Second, by reusing these bags, you will enter into a practice of drinking several cups of tea a day. This not only allows you to fully maximize the health benefits you will receive from each bag of tea, but you will also fully hydrate your body which will greatly aide in the cleansing of toxins. Third, by taking out the tea bag, you steep the tea for less time, freeing your cup from an overly bitter taste that is often associated with green teas. Last, but certainly not least, you allow the slightly higher price of a cup of tea using a gourmet tea bag to become less as you are making up to five cups with one bag.

Over many years of drinking tea, with even more techniques, I have found that this is the best way for me. It is not traditional, it may not be the best for you, but with my lifestyle that takes me around the a polluted city, while trying to work, maintain a family, and a social life, any way that I can make my life easier is a plus. And if I can make it better at the same time, then to me, it is an obvious choice.

"Take the Tea bag Out !!" was written by Karas, who is a partner of Sabaidi Tea Co., Ltd., a manufacturer and exporter of Handmade Gourmet Tea Bags containing high quality herbal teas and other specialties from Thailand.

Source: http://www.iffizpartners.com/index.php?page=article&article_id=1632

Cancer : Are You a Believer

First, we must settle one of two issues before you continue this open letter. The first issue is straight forward, a "direct-punch-to-the-nose" kind of a question:


Do you believe cancer is beatable?


I don't mean, Sometime in the future...


I think everyone believes that "some day, somewhere", someone will discover the cure.


Nor do I mean anything like, Is cancer treatable where people temporarily overcome the disease through the burning of radiation, the surgeon's knife or the necessarily toxic effects of chemotherapy?


That we all know is possible...

No, my question is far more specific:


In your opinion, is Cancer... Curable...Stoppable ...Conquerable... Whatever synonym you supply, the question remains...Is it or isn't it defeatable?


Yes or no. Can we whip this thing?


...Because if, in your heart of hearts, you believe Cancer is NOT 'defeatable'...then there's no sense in continuing this letter.


However, if you're like me, you believe it's certainly defeatable. The only question that remains:


Is Cancer facing REAL defeat?


Since we all have a healthy fear of being "sold" the next bottle of snake oil, we need to establish that the claims being made are credible and reliable. Incidentally, I am NOT selling you anything in this letter. I believe you should consider a product or two...but not just yet.

So, let's deal with cancer:


According to the American Cancer Society, "cancer is a group of diseases characterized by uncontrolled growth and spread of abnormal cells. If the spread is not controlled, it can result in death."

Cancers tend to metastasize (spread) over time, causing destruction of healthy tissue and damage to bodily functions...

If left unchecked, cancers can cause death. However, even the treatments for cancer can be destructive to healthy tissues and can do severe damage to bodily functions (side effects)...

Over the past 100 years, cancers have grown into epidemic proportions without any scientific explanation for the sudden surge in their appearance. Remember, cancer was once comparatively RARE.

BUT, scientists have concluded that cancer is fundamentally a breakdown of the immune system. As the immune system goes, so goes the cancer. That fact is the new approach ...and it has a whole world of scientific evidence behind it.

Consider carefully:


Changing Cancer Cells' Surface Sugars Can Inhibit Tumor Growth

"According to the research of scientists, as published in the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences, altering the sugar coats of cancer cells can control cancer."
(published in the Scientific American, Jan. 22, 2002)


In other words, "sugar" is a BIG issue in the medical, alternative, and complementary health world. The words "Glycomics" and "Glyconutrition" have sprung up in the vocabulary of health authorities around the world. (Glyco is the Greek word for "sugar."). These sciences refer to the study of biological sugars. What makes these "sugars" so important is that among the over 200 known sugars around the world, there are 8 sugars which medical research has isolated as VITAL to human immune system functioning.


The 1999 NobelPrize for Medicine was awarded to Dr. Gunter Blobel for his work in the science of Glycobiology. Out of the last eight Nobel Prizes awarded in medicine, four NobelPrizes have been awarded for discoveries made in ONE field...Glycobiology. This is the field that affects CANCER directly. Why? Because, 8 sugars have been isolated that strengthen the immune system and cell communication. Human life cannot be supported without them.


The field is glyconutrition. Glyconutritionals are NOT vitamins, amino acids or minerals. Scientifically, they are a class all by themselves. The field is revolutionizing the medical world. For the first time in a long time, many authorities in both the conventional medical world and those of the alternative world are in agreement. Powerful glyconutritional products have already been included in the Physicians Desk Reference (post 2002), the "Bible" of physicians everywhere throughout the country.


Why? Consider...


Four Ways Glyconutrients Fight Cancers*


Macrophage and Immune killer cells are stimulated by glyconutritional supplementation to destroy malignancies.

Glyconutrional research shows that glyconutrients increase the production of substances in the body that target cancer cells for destruction, such as interferon.

Glyconutrients activate T-cells to recognize and destroy invasive and abnormal cells.

Glyconutrients help regulate the process of apoptosis- the natural "dying off" process in cellularsystems.

If these processes are restrained - due to a variety of factors such as chemotherapy, radiation therapy, poor glyconutritional dietary habits, etc. then the body will fail to prevent the onset of cancer.


(Cited in Miracle Sugars, Rita Elkins, M.H., Woodland Publishing, p. 29)


Note How the Scientific World is Successfully Combating Cancer with the New Discoveries in Glycoscience


The revolutionary "glyconutrition" discoveries found over the past two decades have stunned the scientific world. If that sounds "more hype than hope" you might want to take just a few moments to consider just a few developments:


In 1985, an issue of Cancer Research reported that the formation of cancer cells in the colon and in the stomach was directly and UNMISTAKENLY related to the absence of glyconutrition or the presence of deformed sugar molecules. Since then, scientists at the Universityof South Florida believe confirmation of the glyconutritional linkage to cancer inhibition and its spread is profound. For example, according to the 1997 issue of Anticancer Research science periodical, glyconutrition decreases the number of liver tumors.


In addition,


"Dr. Ronald Klatz reported that in the incredibly famous medical research study nicknamed "Norman's Rats", 40% of the animals that had no defense whatsoever against cancer and were injected with just ONE of the eight essential glyconutritionals, showed "tumor regression and complete recovery."

- Advances in Anti-Aging Medicine, Vol. 1, 1996 by Dr. Ronald Klatz.


Obviously, YOU and I must find out about Glyconutrition...for the sake of our health and for those we love. It is for that reason, and that reason alone, I have written this open letter...

Glyconutrition: This new science is sending shockwaves through the entire medical industry and may be the missing link between health and disease. For information and business opportunity http://www.glycoshare.com or call toll free1-866-735-5871.
Source: http://www.iffizpartners.com/index.php?page=article&article_id=1661

Flu Threat: Lessons from Past Pandemics

Influenza ("flu") strikes every year and afflicts millions. Under normal circumstances, flu is not considered a general public health risk. Of course, any disease must be taken seriously for two reasons.

First of all, any disease, including flu, can become dangerous through complications.

But, let's also understand the far more important issue with regard to flu (and not just avian flu)...but disease in general. Every flu is a problem primarily because our immune system gets compromised through life's stresses. Put bluntly, flu is "caught" by people because their immune system is not functioning well.

Immune system dysfunction and weakening occurs from constant stress, constant threat of danger, constant deprivation of nutritional needs, and constant exposure to vicissitudes of life. Flu ...even deadlier strains such as avian flu, can be the result.

Specifically, flu impacts us due to an under active immune system. This is true of many diseases such as cancer, Hepatitis B and C, TB, strep, shingles as well as flu. Other disease conditions are the result of an over active immune system.

What makes this an issue of late is the fact that only recently has science begun to understand the immune system, its complications, its sheer power to fend off disease conditions and its power to aid in the healing process.

Remember that as we introduce the potential of avian flu.

Avian Flu and Pandemics of the Past

To understand the avian flu threat, we need to understand flu pandemics of the past. Flu epidemics have been explosive and unusually deadly. In past centuries, flu probably spread so fast due to humans and animals living in close proximity.

As you probably know, avian flu is a complex disease mutated from flu that kills birds. But, avian flu has mutated successfully to strike human life. Close proximity of animal and human life allows for such mutations to develop and spread.

Flu can spread like wildfire. The pandemic flu of 1580 began in Asia, spreading over all continents in less than a year. The flu engulfed all of Europe in less than six months.

That's the problem with flu breakouts. Flu pandemics hit like the proverbial flash flood. A highly contagious flu virus can hit populations that have little or no specific antibody immunities to the disease, infect a quarter of the population, outstrip societal response capability, disrupting societal health and economy.

The fear today is that avian flu will strike suddenly and will spread globally in a matter of mere months.

There were three flu pandemics of the 20th century. They are well documented as to origin, spread, and impact. Those flu pandemics occurred in 1918-19, 1957-58, and 1968-69.

The flu pandemic of 1918-19 killed upwards of 40 million people. No doubt, society did not have the tools nor understanding to stop the plague. However, if ever there was an argument for immune debilitation, it's war weariness.

Almost every author who writes about this flu pandemic notes the fact the world was at war. But, that was not a mere footnote. It was a major contributor to society's incapacity to restrain, much less stop the flu plague.

War brings unique circumstances, to say the least. War brings a strain to everything including the immune capacity of the survivors. If flu occurs in compromised immune systems, war guarantees the stress and deprivation which is often the prelude to plague:

- soldiers live in horrid conditions and return to a disrupted life but the effect on their immune system follows them into peace time ...and plague,

- loss of loved ones brings its stresses to the emotions which impacts the immune system,

- constant anxiety for soldiers and loved ones even though they return safely, brings its emotional traumas and immune system depletion,

- loss of hygienic conditions weakens resistance and breeds viral and bacterial conditions,

- depression economy brings poverty and its consequences to human quality of life,

- uncertainty of safe living conditions (bombing, terrorism, battle, mob actions)
during war takes its own toll on the body

- disrupted economies, making recovery long, difficult and uncertain,

- work hours longer and work conditions harsher, pay less,

- crime, destruction, barbarism frightening or actual,

- whole economies perish, trade and commerce uncertain,

- political uncertainties,

- peace often brings more severe dislocation and hardship (this was especially the case after World War I),

- all populations suffer nutritional deprivation, with few exceptions

When flu strikes after such conditions, scientists often misjudge the fact that the victims, deemed "healthy", really were compromised terribly throughout the war and peace time consequences. The generation, which was victimized by the "Spanish flu" of 1918-1919, was in the age range of 15 - 35 ... the very age which includes:

- soldiers,

- single parents,

- factory workers,

- teens called upon to assume unusual responsibilities on the home front

- workers in their prime, needed on all fronts...

- medical and other service personnel exposed to a constant need for their services,

Their "after the war" physical let down is almost reminiscent of what happens to people after particularly long periods of stress...They fall prey to flu, colds, and infection.

Why the flu? To answer that question, consider the physical impact upon athletes from their workouts.

It is now known that after a heavy workout, whatever other benefits accrue to the body, there is one clear draw back. The oxidized radicals thus formed take the body several days to get over... leaving the body open to radical damage and some internal harm. (See my article: "Antioxidants, Free Radicals, and Sports Nutrition".

New research suggests glyconutritional supplementation taken before, during, and especially after workouts helps the body get over the radical burden in a matter of hours, not days.

Now, if recent research shows that athletic stress takes days to get over, often leaving damage to organs and tissues in its wake (especially if it is a habitual practice), why are we surprised at the massive flu fall out following the First World War - a war which was worldwide in its scope, as was the flu pandemic which followed it?

Perhaps, before we consider avian flu in the second article, we should realize there is strong scientific testimony that recognizes glyconutrition is a way to prepare and deal with the onset of deadly flu...and potentially other pandemic possibilities.

Read the following testimony before Congress when doing further research on flu, avian or otherwise.

"In instances of unusual, epidemic, or virulent infectious agent exposure, glyconutrient supplementation has been found effective for enhancing general immune functions and defense. When supplied at higher levels than available in nature, sugars needed for cellular synthesis can take innate defense systems to a much higher level that are effective against infectious agents."

-Dr. H. Reginald McDaniel, "Comprehensive Medical Care for Bioterrorism Exposure"
Congressional Hearing, November 14, 2001
(emphasis ours)



About the Author
Dr. Robert Gamble is retired from a very successful medical/surgical career spanning three decades. He is now active in researching medical issues such as glyconutrition... and offers his insights for public benefit. For information about Glyconutrition: www.glycoshare.com or write sharethegift@glycoshare.com Call Toll Free: 1866.735.5871
Source: http://www.iffizpartners.com/index.php?page=article&article_id=1669

Wondering About Reiki?

Friends, colleagues and clients often ask me about Reiki (pronounced "ray-kee"), as it is gaining such popularity as an alternative medicine. According to NCCAM, (National Center for Complementary and Alternative Medicine), Reiki is an energy medicine practice that originated in Japan. In Reiki, the practitioner places his hands on or near the person receiving treatment, with the intent to transmit ki, believed to be a life-force energy. Practitioners also believe that they can treat themselves with Reiki and send ki across short or long distances. In the United States, Reiki is part of complementary and alternative medicine (CAM).

This article is to highlight the important points in this an from the National Center for Complementary and Alternative Medicine website, available at, http://nccam.nih.gov/health/reiki/.

The word Reiki is made up of two Japanese words: Rei, or universal spirit (sometimes thought of as a supreme being), and ki. Thus, the word Reiki means "universal life energy." In CAM, Reiki belongs to a domain (area of knowledge) called energy medicine. In this domain, therapies are based on the belief that disturbances in energy cause illness. Energy medicine practitioners seek to improve the flow and balance of energy in a beneficial way.

As always, I encourage anyone who intends to utilize an alternative therapy, including Reiki, to talk to your health care provider before starting. It is still not proven how Reiki improves health or how it improves healing. The National Center for Complementary and Alternative Medicine (NCCAM) is sponsoring studies to find out more about Reiki's effects, how it works, and diseases and conditions for which it may be most helpful.

Reiki practitioners perform the therapy with their hands, in the hopes to reduce negative energy and to increase the ki in the client. The client is usually fully clothed and sitting or lying comfortably. The practitioner places his hands on the client's body using several different hand positions. The positions are held as long as the practitioner feels the energy is continuing, usually two to five minutes.

Reiki is performed in offices, hospitals, clinics and private homes. The number of sessions is determined by both the practitioner and the client and generally at least four sessions are scheduled, at 30 to 90 minutes each.


Why people seek Reiki

People seek Reiki treatment for several health-related reasons. According to NCCAM, some of these reasons include:

• Effects of stress.
• Chronic pain.
• Recovery from surgery and anesthesia.
• Side effects of chemotherapy and radiation therapy for cancer.
• Lowering heart rate.
• Improving immunity.
• Mental clarity.
• Sense of well-being and/or spirituality.
• Enhancing the sense of peace in people who are dying.

There tends to be a relaxed sensation after a Reiki session. That alone may be beneficial in combating certain health issues, such as pain, stress, and fatigue. Clients may also feel a warmth, tingling, sleepiness as well. Reiki appears to be safe with no serious side effects being reported.

Occasionally a person can experience symptoms of weakness, tiredness, headache or stomach ache, after a session. Practitioners believe these are effects of the releasing of toxins from the body, and advise rest and drink plenty of water as a way to deal with these symptoms.


Consider these points about using Reiki therapy:

• Do not use Reiki as a replacement for conventional care or to delay the time it takes you to see a doctor about a medical problem.
• Discuss any CAM therapies you are considering or using with your health care provider.
• Ask the Reiki practitioner about his training and experience (see also the NCCAM publication "Selecting a CAM Practitioner").
• Reiki has not been well studied scientifically, but you can find and read research studies published on its use for various health conditions (see "for more information" below).

One does not need a special background to receive Reiki training, though many who seek training are health care professionals. Reiki can not be self-taught, and must be learned from an experienced teacher or Master. There are several schools of Reiki and there are usually three or four levels of expertise, depending upon the school. Laws regulating the practice of Reiki vary from state to state. In Florida, for example, one must be a certified massage therapist in order to become a Reiki practitioner.


Areas of controversy in Reiki:

• Since little is known scientifically about Reiki, accepting its teachings about its healing properties and about ki is a matter of faith.
• Some people believe that effects attributed to Reiki occur for psychological reasons (such as the placebo effect or suggestibility), or that there are no true effects.
• Some people feel Reiki is incompatible with their religious or spiritual beliefs.
• Government licensing and regulation of Reiki practice is a controversial area.

Reiki can be a great tool to help people in pain or who prefer a more spiritual form of relaxation. Reiki is just one of the many ways to accomplish this, and because many people may have heard about it, still many don't know what it is. This article should help fill in any blanks you may have had. I would suggest you find a practitioner in your area and give it a try if it sounds interesting to you.

For more information, visit the website for the National Center for Complementary and Alternative Medicine, here at, http://nccam.nih.gov/health/reiki/. Finally, always, always consult your health care practitioner before beginning any alternative therapies.


Marjorie Geiser helps people overcome their confusion and distress they may feel when trying to add healthy eating and fitness into their busy lives. One specialty is working with people who suffer from food sensitivities, helping them overcome various health conditions caused by reactive foods. She is a Registered Dietitian, Personal Trainer and Life Coach, offering services locally and globally. To learn more about her services, go to her website at http:// www.megfit.com or email her at margie@megfit.com.
Source: http://www.iffizpartners.com/index.php?page=article&article_id=1367

Green Drink for Constipation

A green drink is a powerful drink that can help detoxify your colon and your blood. This drink keeps your colon and your whole body working better and longer.

There are many types of green drinks that are prepared with powders. But the green drink that I like is made using only liquid chlorophyll.

Chlorophyll has many benefits. It is capable of neutralizing substances that cause cell mutations and strengthens the cell walls of the small intestine and colon. It has an exceptional deodorizing effect on your body and on the stools you have during a bowel movement.

I drink my green drink the first thing in the morning on an empty stomach. This helps to activate your colon and stimulate it to have a bowel movement.
Here's how I prepare my green drink.

* Add 1-2 oz of pure liquid chlorophyll into an empty glass (you may want to start with a tablespoon or two)
* Squeeze the juice of one lemon into the glass
* Fill the glass with 8 oz of distilled water
* Drink the combination completely

I add lemon juice to the chlorophyll because chlorophyll has a dull and blank taste that is uncomfortable for me. With lemon, it's a drink that I enjoy taking every morning

If you have other health issues you want to work on, you can add other nutrients or liquids to this green drink. You can add a few drops of a product called Oxygen Elements Plus, which also is good for constipation and helps to detoxify your colon even more. You can add Alkalife, an alkaline water booster, which adds minerals to your drink.

From the clients that I have worked with, I have found that this chlorophyll drink helps them get better blood test results. Their blood is a little thinner. They carry more oxygen into the cells. Their blood cell count goes up.
Use this drink and you will keep drinking every morning just like I do, especially if you like lemon juice.

Rudy Silva has a degree in Physics and is a Natural Nutritionist. He is the author of Constipation, Acne, Hemorrhoid, and Fatty Acid e-books.
Source: http://www.iffizpartners.com/index.php?page=article&article_id=4834

Top 5 Cold Sore Stages You Want To Avoid

The most desirable of all cold sore stages, if there is such a thing, is the latent stage. The herpes virus is asleep and hiding in the nerve ganglia. There are no symptoms and no problems. Nearly a third of all who are infected with these herpes simplex viruses will never experience the active cold sore stages mentioned next. A blood test would be the only way of knowing if they carry this virus, or its anti-bodies. For the rest of us, read on.

THE 5 ACTIVE COLD SORE STAGES YOU SHOULD AVOID:

1. PRODROME - During this beginning stage of a cold sore, the herpes virus senses the conditions are right for successful replication. It will then wake up and move to the surface of your face through the fibers of the nerve it originally picked as home. You can actually feel the virus movement as a tingling, itching sensation. Some report a burning or dryness. The next stage will occur anywhere between 2 hours and 2 days. You can delay, or even prevent, the virus from replicating by applying a good treatment at this stage. My suggestion is to get ice on the target area as soon as you feel these warning symptoms.

2. INFLAMMATION and PRE-SORE - During this stage of a cold sore, the virus particles enter the nerve cells. The irritation causes swelling and redness. The sore vesicles appear. These are small pimple-like red blisters that break out individually or in groups. They are quite painful to the touch. Additional symptoms that first appear at this stage are headaches, fever and swollen glands.

3. OPEN SORE - At this stage of a cold sore, the vesicles break open and merge into a single, big, open ulcer. This is probably the most painful stage. It definitely is the most contagious stage as a clear fluid weeps from the sore. This thick fluid is absolutely teeming with new virus that can easily infect another area of your own body, or someone else. Do not touch the sore with your fingers - use an alcohol soaked tissue. And do not kiss anyone, anywhere.

4. CRUST AND SCAB - At this cold sore stage, a yellowish crust or scab will form over the open wound. Still very painful at this stage, it is even more painful when you move your mouth and the scab cracks. Also, highly contagious fluid will weep out each time. As new skin forms under the crust, itching, pain and much discomfort will continue. The scab may fall off and re-form one or more times during this healing period. The herpes virus is now retreating back into hiding until the next opportune moment.

5. POST SCAB AND FINAL HEALING - At this cold sore stage your scab is gone and the new skin is visible. Under the new skin, however, healing continues as the millions of destroyed cells are replaced. There usually is redness in the area until this healing is complete. This could take from 2 to 15 days, depending on your healing speed and any concurrent stress situations. The waiting makes this the most frustrating stage.

These stages and symptoms occur over a period of about three to four weeks, depending on your current health level, stress, and the care you apply. They are not pleasant and can be dangerous if caution is not taken. Careful personal hygiene and maintaining a high level of social responsibility will greatly reduce the risk and effects of each of the cold sore stages.

Better yet, use a proven natural home remedy to prevent cold sores from happening. It is quite easy with what we know today and you can avoid the risk and discomfort of these cold sore stages.
Source: http://www.profoundarticles.com/articledetail.php?artid=51280&catid=708

Ayurvedic Body Type and Diet Recommendations

Ayurveda recommends foods for people according to their primary body type. The reason this is done is because it is believed foods can be both healing, and the source of imbalance and difficulties. By eating foods according to our Ayurvedic body type, the belief is that we will accumulate less Ama, or waste, in the body.

In Ayurveda, people are classified according to three principles, vata, kapha, and pitta. But it's important to understand that although we may be dominant in one principle, we actually have all three present in our body. The others are in a smaller ration. Most people will actually be a combination of two of these principles, with the third only playing a minor role. But because we all contain the three, any of them can get out of balance.

Pitta

Characteristics of Pitta dominant body types

* determination
* strong willed
* good digestion
* initiative
* energy
* passionate about many things

Ayurveda's Pitta constitution is calmed by cooling foods, such as fresh fruit and vegetables. Bitter green vegetables like watercress, parsley, collards and most greens suit pitta. Fruits that suit pitta body types include sweet berries, sweet apples and apricots, coconut, figs, mango, sweet oranges and pineapples, plums, watermelon, pomegranates, and prunes.

Other cooling foods include most dairy products, though sour cream, hard cheeses, and yoghurt don't really suit pitta due to their being too high in fat, salt, or sour. But dairy that suits pitta includes milk, cottage cheese, soft cheeses, and ice cream!

Grains that suit pitta body types include barley, basmati rice, and wheat (unless you are allergic or gluten sensitive).

Pitta body types generally like a lot of protein, and they probably need a little more than the other Ayurvedic body types. Spices that are cooling in nature are also important. These include coriander, cumin, mint, parsley, dill and fennel. Garlic should be avoided though as it is too heating.

In terms of sweets, Pitta body types should use maple syrup, barley malt, brown rice syrup and honey that is 6 months or less old, preferably raw.

Things that can imbalance Pitta body types:

* excess heat, hot climates, and hot times of day
* humidity
* vacations and times when there is increased mobility
* excess oil in the diet
* too many hot foods, including spicy foods. But this can also mean too many cooked meals
* excess caffeine, salt, red meat and alcohol

Vata

Characteristics of people with a dominant Vata body type:

* flexibility
* quick mind
* creative
* always on the go - mentally and physically

Dietary choices that support vata aim at grounding this energy-in-motion. Routine is also very helpful, though not naturally something vata body type people will create! Vata people benefit from meditation, warmth, soothing music, taking breaks, and resting (again, not a natural vata inclination!).

With regards foods, vata body types should include warming spices, including ginger and cloves, anise, cayenne, cinnamon, garlic, horseradish, caraway, mint, mustard seeds, parsley, cooked onion, paprika, rose water, vanilla, tarragon, thyme and rosemary.

People with the vata body type should minimize raw food, including salad, though salads should not be eliminated completely as they provide valuable nutrients. But vata should ground the salad with a dressing made from oil and vinegar, and be aware of the weather at the time of eating it. Being more sensitive to cold, vata's should have salads on warmer days.

Icy cold drinks are not balancing for vata - in fact quite the opposite. Sugar also throws vata types off balance, though vata are lucky in that they can enjoy other sweets.

Vata generally love fruit, and it suits their ayurvedic constitution. The exceptions are apples, pears, cranberries, watermelon and dried fruit. Vata types should go for sweet and moist fruit, like mangoes, nectarines, bananas, coconut, fresh figs, peaches, and strawberries.

Cooked grains like oatmeal, basmati rice, and brown rice, are very grounding for the vata ayurvedic constitution. Beans (legumes), on the other hand, are not! Beans are cold, dry, and heavy - not the attributes that support vata.

Things that can imbalance vata dominant body types include:

* a lot of travel, especially by plane
* loud noises
* constant stimulation
* drugs, sugar and alcohol
* cold climates (especially extremely cold ones) and cold food
* frozen and dried food

Kapha

Characteristics of people with a kapha dominant body type:

* strength
* stamina
* endurance
* groundedness
* calm
* fluid

Kapha body types are not suited to a high protein diet like the Atkins diet. Not only should they avoid too much fat, but also, excessive heavy protein. The kapha quality is already heavy, and although this doesn't sound great, it is what provides Kapha body types with a wonderful stability and strength.

Kapha should have light and low fat protein. Beans, with the exception of soy and soy products, are great for kapha. Soy milk is preferable to dairy though, for kapha. Beans help move kapha's energy, and digestive system, a bit. Barley is also excellent. In terms of meat, chicken and turkey suit kapha.

Kapha body types should have plenty of vegetables, including bitter vegetables, peppers, broccoli, brussel sprouts, cauliflower, eggplant, lettuce, onions, potatoes, mushrooms, corn cobs, peas, beets, and celery.

Dairy is heavy and cooling, and it does not suit the Kapha ayurvedic body type. Light and crispy food, like corn tortillas and popcorn, suit kapha. Kapha people should make sure they have variety in their diet, as kapha body types have a danger of falling into a rut more than others.

Asian and Latin American style meals are great for kapha. They are spicy and light, free of dairy, and have plenty of vegetables in them.

Things that can imbalance Kapha body types:

* inertia
* too much fat in the diet, including oil we cook with!
* dairy products
* not enough stimulation and challenge
* not enough variety
* not enough exercise
* too much bread, iced foods and drinks, and sweets

References: Amadea Morningstar and Urmila Desai, The Ayurvedic Cookbook

Source: http://www.hercomm.com/AD/Article/Ayurvedic-Body-Type-and-Diet-Recommendations/249

How to Use Acupressure- 3 Points That Could Save Your Life!

Imagine witnessing someone you love and care about, experience a heart attack right in front of your eyes! What would you do? Obviously call 911 but in the mean time bite their fingers.

Yap, you heard correctly, biting down on the inside edges of the pinky finger's nail triggers a kind of restart action on the heart. It could save your life or someone you care about! I said "bite" not "bleed". A gentle but firm bite is all that is required to stimulate the response needed. This point is located on the heart meridian called HT9.

Acupressure is a time, tested and truly amazing alternative technique using firm but gently pressure on key points along the energy meridians. Using this technique can help you relieve stress and muscle tension, boost your immune system, release endorphins that alleviate pain and much much more!

Acupressure is gaining a lot of popularity these days. Oprah even featured a show with Dr. Oz an accredited author and alternative health practitioner. You can catch that show by visiting www.oprah.com and typing in "Dr.Oz". So how can acupressure save your life? Let's move on to the next life saving point.

Suppose someone faints at work. No problem. Try this next point located at the top of the head on the skull. Feel around until you find a little dip, exactly where the soft spot on a baby's head is located. Give that point some good pressure with your thumb, even using you finger nail to give it a pinch has proven effective. This will bring energy back "up" in the body. This point is more commonly used by acupuncturists to prevent varicose veins, prevent miscarriage and to stop a bleeding. The point is located on the Governor Vessel called GV21.

What if you are experiencing an excruciating headache and you can't get your hands on any Tylenol. No problem. Simply squeeze the fleshy part or web on your hand in between the thumb and the first finger. Called the "eye of the tiger" and "belly of the fish" these two points help to bring energy down in the body. Be it tension, anxiety or too much thinking and especially headaches, this point can do wonders for you. Hold each point together until the pain subsides. Acupuncturists often use this point to help birth a baby and so should not be used by pregnant women.

Before you go whizzing off to the drug store consider using alternative therapies like acupressure instead. It could save you time, and long waiting lines at the doctor's office. Just recently I went into a clinic for a referral to see a doctor. The waiting time was 4hrs!!! Unbelievable. I left, there's no way I was going to spend my day off in a stuffed clinic.

More and more people are turning to alternative therapies, and for good reasons. Many people are being sliced and diced by doctors. I just recently had a healthy 23yr old woman on my table tell me her doctor removed her gall bladder due to a gall stone! Common, it's crazy! Another woman had her uterus removed due to Fibroids. It just amazed me. With so many natural alternatives out there why people are still going through with painful surgeries.

Check out your options, and most importantly be well informed. Always work with practitioners you feel good about. Always follow your gut or intuition when choosing your best treatment option. I hope you have enjoyed this article and will remember what you now know about acupressure that can save your life!
Source: http://www.profoundarticles.com/articledetail.php?artid=52078&catid=708

How to Make Nourishing Herbal Infusions

An infusion is a large amount of herb brewed for a long time. Typically, one ounce by weight (about a cup by volume) of dried herb is placed in a quart jar, which is then filled to the top with boiling water, tightly lidded and allowed to steep for 4-10 hours. After straining, a cup or more is consumed, and the remainder chilled to slow spoilage. Drinking 2-4 cups a day is usual. Since the minerals and other phytochemicals in nourishing herbs are made more accessible by drying, dried herbs are considered best for infusions.

I make my infusions at night before I go to bed and they are ready in the morning. I put my herb in my jar and my water in the pot, and the pot on the fire, then brush my teeth (or sweep the floor) until the kettle whistles. I pour the boiling water up to the rim of the jar, screw on a tight lid, turn off the stove and the light, and go to bed. In the morning, I strain the plant material out, squeezing it well, and drink the liquid. I prefer it iced, unless the morning is frosty. I drink the quart of infusion within 36 hours or until it spoils. Then I use it to water my house plants, or pour it over my hair after washing as a final rinse which can be left on.

My favorite herbs for infusion are nettle, oatstraw, red clover, and comfrey leaf, but only one at a time. The tannins in red clover and comfrey make me pucker my lips, so I add a little mint, or bergamot, when I infuse them, just enough to flavor the brew slightly. A little salt in your infusion may make it taste better than honey will.

Susun Weed
PO Box 64
Woodstock, NY 12498
Fax: 1-845-246-8081


Visit Susun Weed at: www.susunweed.com and www.ashtreepublishing.com
For permission to reprint this article, contact us at: susunweed@herbshealing.com

Vibrant, passionate, and involved, Susun Weed has garnered an international reputation for her groundbreaking lectures, teachings, and writings on health and nutrition. She challenges conventional medical approaches with humor, insight, and her vast encyclopedic knowledge of herbal medicine. Unabashedly pro-woman, her animated and enthusiastic lectures are engaging and often profoundly provocative.

Susun is one of America's best-known authorities on herbal medicine and natural approaches to women's health. Her four best-selling books are recommended by expert herbalists and well-known physicians and are used and cherished by millions of women around the world. Learn more at www.susunweed.com
Source: http://www.iffizpartners.com/index.php?page=article&article_id=770

Travelers Diarrhea Help With Herbal Medicine

Travelers visiting many tropical, sub-tropical and developing countries run an increased risk of suffering a gastrointestinal illness. These are usually caused by bacteria, parasites and viruses. The microscopic bugs at the top of these rather gut wrenching (for all the wrong reasons...) charts are E Coli, the staphylococci, shigella and salmonella species, campylobacter jejuni, cryptosporidiosis, and hepatitis A.

Infected food is the biggest culprit, with water coming in second. Ice cream, cocktails served in re-used coconut shells, raw seafood, ice, and food from street vendors are potential risks that can interrupt your adventure with less salacious memories to pass on to family and friends.

The nausea, stomach cramps and diarrhea from such acute infections usually sorts itself out after a few days (unless of course you have contracted hepatitis A, or something like giardia). Certainly, if you are unlucky enough to be sick after a few days, you should see a doctor.

Fortunately, there are remedies you can take that will strengthen your immune and digestive system and hopefully give your body a better chance at dealing with its new environment. The herbs I describe below would make an excellent travelers mix. The best form to take them in would be as a tincture, which can be made up by going to a local herbal dispensary if you have one in your area, or alternatively, a local herbalist.

Astragalus (Astragalus membranaceus)

Astragalus is a good anti-viral, anti-bacterial, and anti-microbial. The polysaccharides in it support the immune system. Astragalus increases the activity of phagocytes, natural killer cells, and the levels of antibodies in the blood.

Picrorrhiza (Picrorrhiza kurroa)

This is an Ayurvedic herb that is best given in low doses, as higher doses can cause diarrhea and flatulence in more sensitive people. Its a bitter herb, so it stimulates the digestive system. It is also anti-malarial, supports the immune system, and protects the liver. Picrorrhiza encourages all aspects of the immune system, such as B and T cell activity, and the activity of phagocytes. This herb is used in Ayurvedic medicine for liver related problems and immune problems.

Goldenseal (Hydrastis Canadensis)

Goldenseal is a gut antibiotic, which for example helps reduce adhesive e coli, and encourages some immune functions of the body. For example, berberine, which is one of its active constituents, has been shown to increase the activity of macrophages, which digest bacteria and viruses. Barberry also contains berberine, so more information on this very valuable constituent is below. Goldenseal, being a bitter herb, it is also good for the digestive system. If you are pregnant or suffer from hypertension, however, you should not take goldenseal.

Barberry (Berberis Vulgaris)

Berberine, one of the active constituents in this herb is an anti protozoic, which helps protect travelers against giardia, leishmania, and treponema pallidum. Other notable effects of berberine are its activity against giardia, dysentery, and candida, as well as the cholera vibrio. The active constituents berberine and palmatine are also anti-bacterial. And berbamine, which like berberine is an alkaloid, is a strong anti-bacterial which seems to work by increasing white blood cells and platelets. The constituent palamtine is a uterine stimulant, however, and as such pregnant women shouldn't take this herb. Barberry is another gut antibiotic, but it is also anti-malarial (though no self-respecting herbalist would recommend anything other than doctor's treatment if you do contract malaria).

Echinacea (Echinacea purpurea or augustifolia)

Echinacea is an immune stimulant. Its main active constituents are the polysaccharides and the alkamides (especially the isobutylamides), which are both immune stimulating, and the polyaceytlenes, which are antibacterial, anti-viral, and anti-fungal. Echinacea supports the activity of phagocytes, which are part of the immune system, and is also considered anti-viral and anti-microbial. One of the ways echinacea appears to work is by inhibiting the action of the enzyme hyaluronidase. This enzyme is used by micro-organisms to break down the connective tissue that prevents them from entering and spreading through the body. For these reasons, it is excellent as part of a travelers remedy mix.

These remedies are not designed as a prophylactic, like a vaccine. They work on the principle of giving your body an increased chance at staying healthy. But nothing replaces common sense. Wash your hands before eating. Don't drink ice or from water bottles where the seal has been broken. Drink cocktails in glasses, not cute but probably old coconut shells. Don't eat anything fresh that you can't peel. Don't eat ice cream or drink unpasteurized milk. Be wary of eating from street vendors. Some people do, and are fine. But they are a risk factor with gastrointestinal upsets. Its a good idea to pack some oral hydration salts as a precaution.

But above all, enjoy your holiday!

References: C Fisher & G Painter, Materia Medica of Western Herbs for the Southern Hemisphere

Class notes from Ses Salmond, certified Natural Therapist and Herbal Medicine teacher

Source: http://www.hercomm.com/AD/Article/Travelers-Diarrhea-Help-With-Herbal-Medicine/224