ESSENTIAL FATTY ACIDS (EFA)

An Explanation Of These “Must-Have” Nutrients

Essential Fatty Acids (EFA’s) are fats required by the body that must be supplied by diet because the body cannot manufacture them, hence the term “essential.” These fats are the raw material for the production of prostaglandins (local-acting, hormone-like substances) in the body.

Some fats eventually become inflammatory prostaglandins. These inflammatory prostaglandins contribute to generalized inflammation and blood platelet “stickiness.” Inflammatory prostaglandins play an important role in the development of arthritis, rheumatoid arthritis, hardening of the arteries (atherosclerosis), stroke, heart disease and cancer. They may also contribute to pain and generalized inflammation.

In contrast, other fats become anti-inflammatory prostaglandins. This type of prostaglandin relieves painful inflammation, improves blood flow, and reduces the risk of heart disease, stroke, cancer and autoimmune disease.

Omega-6 fatty acids produce inflammatory prostaglandins almost exclusively. Many vegetable oils are Omega-6 oils.

The typical American diet is much higher in inflammatory fats than anti-inflammatory fats.

Glossary of Fats

Omega-3 Oils are derived primarily from fish oil and flax seeds. These essential fatty acids are anti-inflammatoryand have a positive effect on cardiovascular disease, including high cholesterol and high blood pressure, allergic and inflammatory conditions (including psoriasis and eczema), autoimmune diseases, cancer, neurological disease, menopause, general health enhancement. Supplementation with Omega-3 Essential Fatty Acids can help “tip the scales” in favor of anti-inflammation.

Omega-6 Oils are found in evening primrose, black current, borage and a number of vegetable oils. Although supplementation is popular, these oils are necessary only in very small amounts. Excess Omega-6 oils increase arachadonic acid levels (an inflammatory substance). Only diabetics usually need to supplement very small doses of these oils. (Less than 500mg/day).

Omega-9 Oils are found in olive and canola oils. These oils are neutral, producing neither inflammation nor anti-inflammation. Extra virgin olive oil is a good choice for salad dressings & stir-frying food because it is expressed mechanically, without the use of chemicals.

Omega-3 Essential Fatty Acid Deficiency is a common problem in the average American diet, and supplementation with Omega-3 Essential Fatty Acids is almost always indicated. Find the best dietary sources of Essential Fatty Acids here.

Essential Oils

Concentrated “Plant Hormones”

Essential oils are highly concentrated, volatile oils found in many plants. In plants, they serve a variety of functions similar to human hormones.

Essential oils can be used, diluted, for topical application (all essential oils are highly anti-microbial), aromatherapy, or (in the case of lavender and tea tree) applied directly to the skin (undiluted) for healing.

Lavender Essential Oil – Skin’s Healing Friend

Essential oil of lavender can be applied undiluted to the skin for burns, bites and general irritation. It is the single best healing oil for all skin types. Used as aromatherapy, lavender has a balancing, relaxing and uplifting effect. Apply several drops to a cotton ball or diffuser to help drift peacefully off to sleep.

Myrrh Essential Oil – Soothe Irritated Gums

Essential oil of Myrrh is a classic for healing sore, irritated gums. Apply at gumline with a finger or Q-tip swab.

Myrrh Essential Oil is increasingly expensive and difficult to obtain. Dr. Myatt is able to special-order this rare oil but availability, price, and delivery times are variable. Please call for a quote.

Tea Tree Essential Oil – Nature’s Anti-Fungal

Essential Oil of Tea Tree can be applied directly to the skin for fungal infections, including toe and fingernail fungus, athlete’s foot, jock itch and ringworm.

How I Evaluate Holistic Health Information and Avoid Being Duped

Summary: Learn how to evaluate “holistic medical” information like a professional, and avoid scams, quacks, rip-offs and as-yet-unproven therapies.

Hardly a day goes by that I am not asked, “Dr. Myatt, have you heard of such-and-such a therapy / remedy / herb / whatever.”

With thousands if not hundreds of thousands of “cures” and “new treatments” being touted, how do I separate the grain from the chaff and still have time to sleep?

Here’s how:

  • If I’ve never heard of it, that’s a bad sign. My research team and I spend much of the day reading medical journals – both conventional and alternative – in addition to news, editorials and “new cure” puff (sales) pieces. All new breakthroughs or “just discovered” research appears someplace. If there are no references except those put out by the manufacturer, my “bogus meter” starts to buzz. Even conventional medicine and its many drug-company ploys have been known to set off my alarm.
  • I subscribe to the “conspiracy theory,” but I don’t go overboard. Yes, the government, the FDA and Big Pharma really do ignore worthy treatments and cures if they can’t figure out how to make a buck from them. There’s a lot of skullduggery that goes on to be sure. But when someone tells me that I’ve never heard of a remedy because the government is suppressing it, I know that’s bogus. Even with suppressed therapies, you’ll find references and information about the subject in medical journals and alternative sources. For example, “The Black Salve” (used for melanoma skin cancer) will never be FDA approved. In fact, it’s difficult to get hold of. But you will find plenty of references to it, many of them credible. Even “outlawed” remedies will still have plenty of references in the holistic medical literature.
  • The Cure has “Testimonials only.” Oh yeah, lots of people are saying “this works great!” Who are these people, and how do I even know that these are legitimate testimonials? Further, if a lot of people say a product or remedy works great, someone would be taking up the cause and doing legitimate research to see if this “remedy” is reproducible. For any remedy you can name, I can find several people who swear it works. But remember, even a clock that has stopped working tells the correct time twice a day. Testimonials are good, but they should not supplant reproducible studies on a drug, herb, magnet or other remedy.
  • The only people who have studied the remedy are the one(s) selling it. “Dr. So-and-so” is the developer of aura-strengthening magnets which cure all disease. He’s been researching this for twenty years and used it on 5,000 patients. It works, and you can buy it from him. And by the way, no one else has done independent research on this product. (Probably because the Government is suppressing it – right?)
  • I check references. (The scientific references in support of a product or therapy). No references? Not a good sign. One lab rat study, reported 357 times on the internet (making each of those look like separate references) doesn’t cut it. References that don’t really support the claims? (’cause they thought no one would bother to check references) I’m outta’ here…

Life is short. I’m sure that by not examining 100 unproven remedies a day I might be overlooking one or two promising therapies a month. But there are so many proven therapies for everything that ails humankind, how much time should I spend on the “as-yet-unprovens”? Besides, if the “new thing” in question is legit, I know I’ll see or hear about it again, and soon. You can’t keep a good cure down.

Until I have confidence that a new treatment, product or other medical cure is effective, I’ll stick with what works and is scientifically verifiable and clinically reproducible. There are more than enough reliable remedies in the entire holistic health armamentarium to cure or control almost every disease, and new and provable ones are added to that list every day.

And that’s “the rest of the story.”

EXERCISE:

What you need to know

The human body is designed for movement. In fact, the body depends on movement. Consider the three main forms of exercise and the many functions that exercise serves.

Aerobic exercise: activity which elevates the heart rate above its resting normal rate. Such activities include walking, running, bicycling, swimming, rowing, dancing — anything that makes your heart beat faster. Benefits: Aerobic activity strengthens the heart, improves lung function, builds stronger bones, improves circulation and oxygenation to the tissues, moves the lymphatic fluid through the body, normalizes hormone function (male and female hormones, adrenal, thyroid, and pancreas) and elevates mood. It is the single most important type of activity for preventing heart disease and cancer.

Flexibility exercise: activity which takes the muscles, joints and spine through a range of movement. Such activity includes stretching, yoga, tai chi, ballet. Benefits: Flexibility exercises help keep the spine and joints limber, and improves balance and coordination.

Weight training: activity which develops (strengthens) and shapes muscles. This includes lifting weights. Benefits: Weight training helps to define and strengthen various muscle groups and build strength.

There is an “overlap” of benefits from the various types of activity. For example: vigorous weight training elevates the heart rate and has aerobic benefit. Yoga and other flexibility activities often have aerobic benefit as well. Many types of aerobic activity, such as walking, develop muscle strength and have some of the muscle-building benefits of weight training.

HOW TO BEGIN

If you are beginning an exercise program for the first time, are more than twenty pounds over your normal weight, over 35 years old, severely deconditioned (“couch potato syndrome”) or have a known health problem, it is best to begin by having a complete physical exam and getting clearance from your doctor. Having said this, I must also point out that if you avoid exercise because you are unwilling to get a physical exam, the dangers of not exercising are far greater than the dangers of unsupervised exercise for most people. The following guidelines for aerobic activity may be used by anyone who is capable of walking one mile.

INSTRUCTIONS

Begin at whatever level/week you can comfortably do now and work up from there.

Exercises: walking (best), bicycling, swimming, treadmill, indoor aerobic exercise equipment (rowing machine, Cardiofit®, stairclimber, etc.), mini trampoline

It is better to stay at one level consistently than to go to a higher level irregularly.

BOTTOM LINE: Be Faithful!

Level or Week

Distance (miles)

Time (minutes)

Times per week

1

1

or 15

5

2

1.5

or 20

5

3

1.75

or 25

5

4

1.75

or 25

5

5

2

or 30

3

6

2.25

or 30

3

7

2.5

or 35

3

8

increase by 1/4 mile

or by five minutes

3

9/10

same as last week and increase # of times per week

4/ 5

11/12/13

OR increase by .25 mile or by five minutes

3/4/5

Eye Drops From Hell®

Natural Support For Healthy Eyes

Dr. Myatt’s Comment:

Not for the timid, but for those who wish to make serious improvement in their eye health. Yes, it stings a bit at first due to increased circulation caused by cayenne! And it really helps improve the eyes: cataracts, dry eye syndrome, eye infections, tired eyes, declining vision.

Contains: Eyebright (Euphrasia), Chamomile (Matricaria), Golden seal (Hydrastis), Cayenne (capsicum).

Dose: Begin with one drop in an eye cup filled with distilled water or buffered saline solution. Rinse each eye. Gradually work up to as many as 12 drops in an eye cup of water.

This formula is Unavailable – thanks to increasingly restrictive FDA “protective” regulations.

Because we have had so many requests for this formula and it is no longer available ready-made we are providing you with the recipe so that you can make your own.

Please, follow this recipe very carefully – make no substitutions or changes to ingredients or amounts or ratios. Be sure that your ingredients are absolutely pure, fresh,and sterile. Be sure that all the equipment that you use to make thsi formula is absolutely sterile and that the bottle that you keep the product in is sterile. Remember, there is no preservative in this formula so store it carefully and discard it immediately if you should contaminate it in any way.

Remember – you will be using this formula in your eyes – don’t take chances!

Dr. Myatt’s Eye Drops From Hell:

  • Capsicum: .8%
  • Cineraria: .4%
  • Euphrasia 25%
  • Foeniculum 13%
  • Coptis 14.5%
  • Calendula succus 11.75%
  • Plantago 11.75%
  • Sterile water 22.75%.

Specific amounts of all these ingredients in ml or ounces or grams or drops will depend on the amount of solution that you are making. Double-check your math, be careful, and be safe.

Remember, you are making and using this formula at your own risk!


Detailed Directions For Using Eye Drops From Hell

You will need an eye cup. (Eye rinse cups can be obtained inexpensively at any pharmacy)

Fill the cup with distilled water. Begin by adding 3 drops of the Eye Drops From Hell.

Do Not use Eye Drops From Hell undiluted !

Rinse each eye. (It is not necessary to make a new solution for each eye unless you have an eye infection). Rinse both eyes in the freshly made solution. Discard – do not save leftover or extra mixed solution.

As you eyes become accustomed to the rinse, gradually increase the number of drops of Eye Drops From Hell that you use. You will eventually be able to work up to 12 drops per dose. Use morning and evening for best results. You may use more frequently if desired.

The drops will cause some mild stinging, especially at first. This is normal.

The cayenne in the formula enhances circulation to the eyes. Although your eyes may appear red just after use, they will then clear and be very white. Your eyes will feel good, too!

Remember — if you have a medical condition or eye disease, it is best to be under the care of a physician who can help you know what other healing measures to take.

Have fun with these drops! And Happy Healing!

Eye and Vision Health


Natural Strategies for Preventing and Reversing Vision Loss

Cataracts, macular degeneration, diabetic retinopathy, glaucoma and age-related vision changes are major causes of vision loss. These eye diseases appear to have several common origins: free radical damage to various parts of the eye and nutrient deficiencies. People with diets low in antioxidants have been shown to have a higher rate of eye disease.

For example, people who take multi vitamins or other supplements containing vitamins C and E for more than 10 years have been reported to have a 60% lower risk of forming a cataract.

Vision loss does not have to be an inevitable aspect of aging. It is possible to maintain healthy eyes and vision well into old age by following some basic health measures.

Diet And Lifestyle Recommendations

  • Eat a diet high in “Super Foods” and antioxidant nutrients.
  • Decrease carbohydrates and simple sugars in the diet. This is especially important for preventing diabetic cataracts. Sugars bind with body proteins to produce AGES (Advanced Glycosylated End-products) that cause irreversible changes in the lens of the eye.
  • Drink at least 64 ounces of pure water daily. The vitreous portion of the eye has a high water content.
  • Wear high UV protection sunglasses.

Primary Support

  • Maxi Multi: 3 caps, 3 times per day with meals. Optimal (not minimal) doses of antioxidants (ACES), carotenes, B complex vitamins, selenium, zinc and bioflavonoids are particularly important for eye health.
  • Maxi Greens (Advanced Phytonutrient Formula): 3 caps, 3 times per day with meals. Bilberry, grape seed extract and ginkgo are particularly important, but plant flavonoids in general help protect the eyes.
  • Dr. Myatt’s Eye Drops from Hell: rinse eyes 2-4 times per day according to instructions. Use in all eye disease EXCEPT glaucoma. (It is unknown whether increasing general circulation to the eyes would adversely effect pressures).

Additional Support

Lack of normal stomach acid (low gastric acid) and resultant failure to absorb nutrients from diet and supplementation can contribute to eye disease. I recommend a Gastric Acid Self-Test for anyone concerned about vision and eye health.

Please refer to the following links for more in-depth information concerning individual eye diseases:

For Cataracts:

  • Melatonin: 1-3mg at bedtime.
  • Bilberry extract: 1 cap, 2-3 times per day with meals (Target dose range: 120-240mg or more per day).
  • Lipoic acid: 1 cap, 2-3 times per day with meals. (Target dose: 500mg per day).
  • Lutein and Zeaxanthin 15 -20mg, 3 times per week. People with the highest intakes of these two carotenoids had only 1/2 the risk of developing cataracts as the general population. In one study, people who supplemented these carotendoids at the recommended dose has a significant improvement in age-related cataracts.
  • Vitamin C, E, B2 and B3 (these nutrients are present in a daily multiple such as Maxi Multi in sufficient amounts to prevent cataracts). Low doses of these nutrients are associated with higher rates of cataracts.

For Macular Degeneration : Find more information here.

  • Vitamin E (extra 200-400IU): once per day with a meal. (Target dose range: 600-800IU).
  • Lutein: 5-20mg per day.
  • One of the following:
    Grape Seed Extract: 150-300mg per day with meals.
    Bilberry extract: 1 cap, 2-3 times per day with meals (Target dose range: 120-240mg or more per day).
    Ginkgo: 120-240mg per day wtih meals.

For Glaucoma:

  • Ginkgo: 160mg per day for four weeks, then 120mg per day thereafter.
  • Forskolin (Coleus): 10-60mg per day. This herb can lower blood pressure. At higher doses, this effect can be too much for people with normal blood pressure. Monitor B.P. accordingly.

References

  1. Jacques PF, Chylack LT Jr. Epidemiologic evidence of a role for the antioxidant vitamins and carotenoids in cataract prevention. Am J Clin Nutr 1991;53:352S–5S.
  2. Mares-Perlman JA, Lyle BJ, Klein R, et al. Vitamin supplement use and incident cataracts in a population-based study. Arch Ophthalmol 2000;118:1556–63.
  3. Knekt P, Heliovaara M, Rissanen A, et al. Serum antioxidant vitamins and risk of cataract. BMJ 1992;305:1392–4.
  4. Bhat KS. Nutritional status of thiamine, riboflavin and pyridoxine in cataract patients. Nutr Rep Internat 1987;36:685–92.
  5. Prchal JT, Conrad ME, Skalka HW. Association of presenile cataracts with heterozygosity for galactosaemic states and with riboflavin deficiency. Lancet 1978; 1:12–3.
  6. Taylor A, Jacques PF, Nadler D, et al. Relationship in humans between ascorbic acid consumption and levels of total and reduced ascorbic acid in lens, aqueous humor, and plasma. Curr Eye Res 1991;10:751–9.
  7. Jacques PF, Chylack LT Jr. Epidemiologic evidence of a role for the antioxidant vitamins and carotenoids in cataract prevention. Am J Clin Nutr 1991;53:352S–5S.

10 Dangers of Carbohydrates

The US Food Pyramid advises us to eat 5-10 servings per day of carbohydrates, but high carbohydrate diets are the primary causes of our current overweight/obesity epidemic. 66% of adult Americans are overweight and 33% of these are obese. Diets high in carbohydrates (grains, beans, sugary fruits— anything that quickly turns into sugar in the blood stream) are making Americans some of the fattest people on Earth.

Here are 10 reasons why carbohydrates — “carbs” — are so dangerous.

I.) Carbs are not “essential” and high consumption displaces necessary nutrients. “Essential” means that a certain food is absolutely required by the body (like gasoline or diesel in a car), is not manufactured by the body, and so must be consumed in the diet.

Have you ever heard of an “essential fatty acid”? (EFA)? Some types of fats — Omega 6′s and Omega 3′s — are absolutely required by the body.

Have you heard of “essential amino acids”? Amino acids are the building blocks of proteins. There are 8 amino acids that are “essential.” Without them, muscles, hormones and the heart (a muscle) cease to function properly. Muscles have a high protein requirement.

Have you ever heard of an “essential carbohydrate”? I hope not, because there’s no such thing!

Of the three calorie containing molecules — proteins, fats and carbohydrates — only certain fats and proteins are “essential.” When the diet is high in carbohydrates, it is often deficient in the necessary essential fats and proteins. Deficiencies of essential fats and proteins causes all manner of diseases, from mood disorders (neurotransmitters are made from essential fats and proteins) to muscle weakness (muscles have a high protein requirement), hormone imbalances, heart disease and premature aging.

II.) Carbs cause overweight. What do we feed cows to fatten them up quickly? Carbohydrates, especially corn. “Corn fed beef” is wonderful — loaded with marbled fat. Cows don’t eat meat, so obviously the vilified eggs, butter and meat aren’t what is putting weight on these animals.

And pigs? Although pigs are omnivores (like humans, theyll eat anything), they are fed carbohydrates including corn, soybeans and barley for maximum weight gain. A piglet can go from 60 pounds to 250 pounds in 3 months on a diet high in carbohydrates.

III.) Carbs cause adult-onset diabetes and “syndrome X” (pre diabetes). Fats and proteins have very little effect on blood sugar. Carbs have a BIG effect on blood sugar, causing rapid spike in glucose followed by a rapid rise in insulin. In the near-absence of carbohydrates, nearly all type II diabetics will fully recover from the “disease” in under three months. (I put type II diabetes in parenthesis because I don’t consider it a disease so much as a dietary imbalance. When the diet is corrected, the diabetes goes away).

IV.) Carbs cause high blood pressure and congestive heart failure. Look at the name of this molecule: carbo – “hydrate.” Hydrate means to combine with water. Each molecule of carbohydrate draws eight molecules of water to itself. This means that carbs cause water retention.

Many cases of high blood pressure are caused by simple water retention. This is why one of the first drugs given for blood pressure is a diuretic — something that makes you urinate and hence, eliminate fluid.

Congestive heart failure is caused by the body retaining too much water and literally “water logging” the heart, impeding it’s ability to beat. Eliminate the carbs, and blood pressure drops — often dramatically — in as little as a week.

V.) Carbohydrates harbor deadly fungus and yeasts. Yeasts and fungus (which are really different forms of the same organism) feed on sugar. Many carbohydrate foods have a high propensity to become infected with fungus. Whats the danger of fungus? Please read Fungus, Yeasts and Molds: Hidden Cause of Many “Unexplained” Diseases.

VI.) Carbohydrates cause nutrient deficiencies. Carbs require B complex vitamins for their utilization in the body. Unfortunately, it is the B vitamins that are removed during the processing of grains. Because refined grains are low in B vitamins and yet require high B vitamins for their utilization, they lead to B complex vitamin deficiencies.

Problems associated with B vitamin deficiencies include depression, memory loss, heart disease, insomnia, cataracts, atherosclerosis, fatigue, muscle cramps, allergies and GI symptoms to name just a few.

VII.) Carbs suppress the immune system. The immune system requires protein and certain fats to function normally. Sugar suppresses the immune system. (Remember, carbohydrates turn into sugar in the body). Three ounces of sugar in any form (can you say “fruit juice” or “soda pop” or “sports drink”?) suppress the activity of white blood cells for up to 5 hours.

VIII.) Many carbohydrates are allergens. Although a person can be allergic to any type of protein or carbohydrate, grains and beans are some of the most allergenic of all foods.

Subtle allergies to grains and carbs can cause GI problems (“tear up the gut”) and result in increased intestinal permeability, where toxins are allowed to leak into the bloodstream from the colon.

IX.) Carbohydrates fuel cancer cells. Cancer cells use glucose — blood sugar — as their “food.” Unlike normal cells, they are not equipped to burn ketones (the product of fat breakdown) for fuel.

Carbs suppress the immune system, making a person more susceptible to cancer. Then, the high blood sugar provides fuel for the cancer, like throwing gasoline on a fire. If you want to avoid cancer, limit your intake of carbohydrates.

X.) Carbs are addictive. When you eat carbs, your blood sugar rapidly rises. You get a temporary “high” when your blood sugar is high. Next, a blast of insulin from the pancreas causes a precipitous drop in blood sugar. At this point, feelings of weakness, fatigue, shakiness and even anxiety set in. In order to feel good again, a person will “self medicate” by eating another blast of carbs. This vicious cycle is exactly what happens to drug addicts, who must continue to have repeated “fixes” of their drug in order to feel good. No such addiction occurs with fats and proteins.

When a person is addicted to carbs, they repeatedly eat them. This results in overweight or obesity, decreased immunity, increased risk of diabetes, cancer, heart disease, high blood pressure and depression to name just a few.

Isn’t it time you got hip and switched to a luxurious, low carbohydrate, high-health diet? Lose weight and reclaim health fast with the Super Fast Diet!

Digestion and GI (Gut) Health

Good Health Depends on a “Happy Gut”

It may surprise you to learn that many health problems and diseases begin in the gastro-intestinal (GI) tract.

A vigorous digestive system is needed in order to assimilate many nutrients — especially minerals — from food. Good digestive function also helps prevent bacteria (including H. pylorii, the “ulcer bacteria”) and intestinal parasites from getting a “foot-hold” in the body. The biggest surprise of all may be that low digestive function, not excess stomach acid, is the most common cause of GERD, heartburn and “acid indigestion. You can read all about this seeming paradox here: Low Gastric Acid Function Self-Test

Poor digestion is associated with abnormal bowel function (constipation, diarrhea, irritable bowel syndrome), allergies (both seasonal AND food allergies), autoimmune conditions, GERD and heartburn, Candida, cancer and a number of other conditions.

Getting your digestive tract into good shape is one of the most important things you can do for your health.

Digestion and GI Therapies
Digestion and GI Health Concerns Betain HCL
Bromelain
Charcoal Caps
DGL (licorice)
EnteraKlenze
Essential Fatty Acids
Fiber Formula
Gastric Complex
3A Magnesia
L-Glutamine
Maxi Fiber
Mentharil
Similase
SupremaDophilus
Vitamin C Candidiasis
Constipation
Detoxification
Diarrhea
GERD (Reflux disease)
Heartburn
Hiatal Hernia
Indigestion
Irritable Bowel (IBS)
Low Gastric Acid Function
Parasites