Candidiasis (Chronic)

Natural Strategies Yeast Overgrowth

Everyone carries the common yeast Candida albicans in their intestinal tract. Other strains of Candida may also inhabit the colon. Yeasts are normal but apparently non-essential residents of the large intestine. Sometimes, these co-inhabitants of the intestinal tract can grow out of control.

An overgrowth of yeast can cause many problems. The yeasts release waste products that, when absorbed into the blood stream, are toxic to many body systems. These byproducts can be recognized by the immune system and create and immune reaction.

Candida overgrowth results from conditions inherent to modern life: use of antibiotics and other drugs, a Standard American Diet (S.A.D. – especially sugar and simple carbohydrates), a lack of digestive enzymes, and stress. Overuse or misuse of antibiotics is another common cause of Candida overgrowth.

The Elusive Diagnosis

The diagnosis of Candidiasis is often overlooked in conventional medicine. Many doctors say they “Don’t believe in Candidiasis,” even though there is ample scientific evidence to document the condition. It is difficult to say exactly why this condition is ignored by conventional medicine in spite of the vast scientific evidence, but I offer you my theories for such conventional medical ignorance:

The symptoms of Candidiasis are widespread and can mimic many other diseases. There is no definitive lab test that confirms the disease. This makes correct diagnosis difficult.
Some “holistic” practitioners diagnose everything as Candidiasis, thereby missing other important diagnoses. This has given the problem of Candidiasis a “pop diagnosis” reputation among many physicians. As a result, non-holistic doctors are then reluctant to recognize true cases of Candidiasis.
One of the primary causes of Candidiasis is the overuse and inappropriate use of antibiotics, steroids, birth control pills and other drugs. To acknowledge Candidiasis as a disease is to also acknowledge a problem often caused by drugs!

Symptoms of Candidiasis

Toxins absorbed from Candida can affect any tissue. Those systems most commonly affected include the gastrointestinal (GI), genito-urinary (GU), nervous, and immune systems. A person suffering from Candidiasis may have any of these symptoms:

In the intestinal tract: bloating, excessive feeling of fullness, diarrhea, constipation, alternating diarrhea and constipation, “rolling gas,” abdominal cramping, heartburn, indigestion, gas or belching, mucous in the stool, hemorrhoids.
In the female genital tract: recurrent yeast vaginitis, persistent vaginal itching or burning, persistent vaginal discharge, endometriosis, PMS.
In the male genital tract: prostatitis, impotence, loss of sexual desire.
In the urinary tract: urgency or urinary frequency, recurrent urinary tract “infections” but bacteria are NOT found to be the cause.
In the nervous system: numbness, burning, or tingling, spots in front of the eyes, erratic vision, incoordination, irritability or jitteriness, dizziness or loss of balance, failing vision, ear pain or deafness.
In the immune system: rashes, post nasal drip, sore or dry throat, wheezing or shortness of breath, recurrent infections, burning or tearing of eyes, cough.
In the skin and mucous membranes: recurrent skin fungal infections, nail-bed fungus, “jock itch,” thrush (yeast overgrowth in the mouth and esophagus), psoriasis, rashes of unknown origin.
In general: fatigue, mental “cloudiness,” joint aches and pains, obesity, depression, memory loss.

How Is Candida diagnosed?

Symptoms of Candida overgrowth suggest the diagnosis. In addition, other causes of a complaint must be “ruled out.” For example, if a patient complains of extreme fatigue, we would first determine that this complaint was NOT caused by other factors, such as anemia, low thyroid function, or viral infection. When other known causes of fatigue have been ruled out, especially if the patient has additional symptoms or history that suggest Candida overgrowth, further testing for Candidiasis is warranted. Treatment can be started “presumptively,” (meaning before we are sure of Candida overgrowth).

Personal history also suggests the diagnosis. Antibiotic use without bacterial replacement therapy, birth control pills, cortisone therapy, and a history of dietary imbalance (especially sugar, simple carbohydrate or alcohol use or cravings) are also indicators.

A Candida stool test can aid in the diagnosis and guide treatment. Since yeast is a normal inhabitant in everyone’s intestinal tract, some amount of yeast can almost always be recovered in a stool sample. Only when recovered amounts are abnormally high is the diagnosis clear. Because Candida can “invade” directly into the tissue of the GI tract, it is possible to have a Candidal overgrowth but a “normal” amount of yeast in the stool. Since a lack of normal bowel bacteria OR an increase in abnormal bowel bacteria often accompanies yeast overgrowth, a Gastro-intestinal health profile with parasitology is often more useful for diagnosis than the Candida stool test alone.

A Candida Antibodies Test is also available. This test uses a drop of blood to evaluate for an immune system reaction to Candida. It assesses IgG, IgA, IgM immunoglobulins to yeast as well as Candida antigen. A positive finding indicates past or present Candida infection and may allow Candida yeast reactions to be found when stool and vaginal specimens are negative or inconclusive.

Careful consideration of a patient’s symptoms, “ruling out” other known causes of the complaint, evaluation of dietary and drug history, and use of laboratory tests are the way that Candidiasis is accurately diagnosed. Diagnosis can be challenging because Candidiasis shares symptoms with many other conditions. For this reason, it is recommended that you consult an holistic physician for correct diagnosis and treatment.

What is the Treatment?

Cessation of the causative factors is most important. Whether it be a particular drug, a high sugar/refined carbohydrate diet, or an excess response to external events (more commonly known as “stress”), these triggers must be corrected. An anti-yeast substance with concomitant bacterial replacement therapy, corrective diet, stress reduction and immune system boosting are all crucial to the success of the treatment. Your holistic physician will be able to help you determine your best course of action in treating this modern-day “plague.”

Yeast “Die-Off”: Avoiding the Herxheimer Reaction

Yeast cells that are quickly killed by treatment cause a “die-off” reaction known as the Herxheimer reaction. Die-off is caused by the release of large amounts of toxins from dying Candida cells. These toxins pass through the gut wall and enter the bloodstream where they can trigger immune reactions. Die-off reactions can last from a few days to several weeks but usually clear up in less than a week.

In order to avoid die-off reactions, I recommend high doses of activated charcoal and plenty of fluids. The charcoal adsorbs the killed yeast cells and their toxic waste products and carries them out of the body in the stool before they are absorbed into the bloodstream and can create a Herxheimer reaction.

Diet And Lifestyle Recommendations

Avoid ALL foods that are high in simple carbohydrates (sugar, corn syrup, honey, molasses, fruit juice, dried fruit, other sugars or foods containing them), yeasts (all raised, yeasted dough: bread, crackers, bagels), ferments and molds (mushrooms, alcohol, vinegar, peanuts, cantaloupe), milk products except yogurt (milk is high in the sugar lactose), high carbohydrate vegetables (potatoes, corn, parsnip). Eat “Super Foods” plentifully, especially fresh garlic.
Avoid all known food allergens (see Food Allergies).
Avoid antibiotics, birth control pills, steroids, immune suppressing drugs unless absolutely medically necessary. (Do NOT stop medications without physician guidance).

Primary Support

Maxi Multi: A deficiency of any vitamin, mineral or trace mineral can weaken this immunity and predispose to Candida overgrowth. For this reason, a high potency multiple vitamin/mineral/trace mineral formula is a critical first step in treating Candida. Be SURE that only yeast-free, hypoallergenic supplements are used. Maxi Multi is yeast and additive-free and hypoallergenic. Dose: 3 caps, 3 times per day with meals.
Similase: digestive enzymes reduce bowel inflammation, improve digestion which in turn nourishes normal gut flora (good bacteria) and decreases yeast die-off reaction. Dose: 1-2 caps, 3 times per day with meals.
Berberine: Highly effective against candida. Dose: one capsule two times daily for up to fourteen (14) days with water at mealtimes
Activated Charcoal: charcoal binds toxins released as yeast dies. This prevents them from being reabsorbed into circulation and carries them out in the stool. Charcoal is especially good for preventing the “Herxheimer Reaction” (yeast die-off, see above).
Charcoal capsules: Dose: 12 capsules 2 times per day, once between breakfast and lunch and once at bedtime with a full glass of water.
Suprema-Dophilus (Ultra high-potency probiotic): Replacement of normal “good bacteria” helps crowd out yeast and prevent their recurrence. Note that many probiotic formulas are not enteric coated and therefore do not survive stomach acid before making their way to the colon. SupremaDophilus is enteric coated to insure proper delivery to the colon. Dose: 1 cap before bed.
35 Billion ProBiotic is “Supremadophilus on Steroids” – Sometimes, bigger really is better. Our new super-high-potency Supremadophilus has 35 billion viable probiotics compared to 5 billion in Supremadophilus. Recommended during and after antibiotic treatment and for those times when a more vigorous gut bacterial replacement is indicated. Dose: one capsule per day at bedtime or as directed.
Immune Support: Dose: 2 caps, 2 times per day with meals

TopicalTreatments

Tea Tree oil: Essential oil of tea tree can be used on skin and nails for fungal infections. Tea tree oil may be used in water as a douche for yeast vaginitis.

Tests

Candida stool test. A culture can be done by a specialized lab to determine which anti-yeast herbs or drugs will be more effective.
CANDIDA ANTIBODIES: Low-level overgrowth of Candida yeast species can cause a wide variety of health problems, but yeast may not be found in a stool specimen. This is because the yeast may have invaded elsewhere in the body, such as in the urinary tract, sinus passages, vagina or elsewhere.
This test uses a drop of blood to evaluate for an immune system reaction to Candida. It assesses IgG, IgA, IgM immunoglobulins to yeast as well as Candida antigen. A positive finding indicates past or present Candida infection and may allow Candida yeast reactions to be found when stool and vaginal specimens are negative or inconclusive.
Gastro-intestinal health profile with parasitology is often more useful for diagnosis than the Candida stool test alone because it also examines normal and abnormal gut bacteria and parasites.

Cataracts

Prevent and Possibly Reverse Lens Opacity

Cataracts are an opacity of the eye lens which gives a visual sensation like trying to look through a cloudy window. In their early stages, cataracts may not be much of a problem. As they progress, however, it can become more difficult, or even impossible, to see clearly. Cataracts are the leading cause of decreased vision in adults over age 65, and cataract surgery is the most common surgical procedure for seniors.

People can get have “age-related” cataracts in their 40s or 50s, though the changes at this stage tend to be small and vision disturbance minimal. By age 55, 15% of people have cataracts. This figure jumps to 50 percent by age 75, and 90 percent by age 85. It’s important to note, however, that cataracts worsen over time … so it’s never too late-or early-to try to prevent them and/or treat them!

Causes of Cataracts

The lens of the eye is made of largely of protein and water. Most of the cells in our body are replaced by new cells over time. However, cells in the lens of the eye have no such “turnover.” The lens that you are born with is the same lens that you will have for the rest of your life.

Light normally passes through the lens of the eye without distortion, as if the lens were made of clear glass. When the lens becomes is injured, proteins within the eye begin to “clump.” This clumping of lens protein results in the characteristic “cloudiness.”

Factors that damage the lens include high exposure to UV-B light, oxidative stress from free radicals, nutrient deficiencies, high blood sugar levels, exposure to radiation, prolonged intake of corticosteroid or other drugs, and cigarette smoking. Fortunately, these factors are all controllable.

Other less common causes of cataracts include infection and eye injury. There is also a form of congenital cataracts which affects infants and young children.

Cataract Prevention

UV-B radiation from sunlight is thought to be one of the leading causes of cataracts. Wearing UV-B protective sunglasses is a simple way to minimize the damaging effects of UV-B. [Dr. Myatt’s Note: I personally do not believe that sunlight per se is the cause of cataracts. After all, humans have been running around without sunglasses for thousands of years without going blind from cataracts. Could it be that low levels of anti-oxidants, as discussed in the next paragraph, predispose to sunlight damage? Or the decreased protection of the ozone layer that ordinarily filters out UV-B light? Until more is known, I still wear my sunglasses when I’m outdoors for extended periods].

The second known cause of cataract formation is free radical damage to the lens. This free radical damage is associated with a deficiency of anti-oxidant nutrients in the diet. Studies have shown that people with higher intakes of vitamins A,C,E, carotenes (especially lutein and zeanthin) have significantly lower rates of cataracts. In animals, grape seed extract (which is 50 times more potent in antioxidant properties than vitamin C and E) prevented cataracts in rats that had genetic tendencies to develop opacities.

In the large Beaver Dam Eye Study, scientists followed dietary intake of antioxidant nutrients and the incidence of cataract formation in a group of 1,354 adults, aged 43-84, for a period of over seven years. People who ate the most foods high in anti-oxidants had the lowest incidence of cataracts. The researchers concluded that the results “are consistent with a possible protective influence of lutein and vitamins E and C on the development of . . . cataracts.”

In the Nurse’s Health Study, researchers followed 50,828 women, aged 45-67, for eight years. Women who consumed the most vitamin A had a 39% lower risk of developing cataracts than women who consumed the least vitamin A.

Bilberry and vitamin E are have been linked to an improvement in cataracts. In 25 patients with senile cataracts, a combination of bilberry, standardized to contain 25-percent anthocyanosides (180 mg twice per day), and vitamin E (100 mg twice per day) for four months stopped the progression of cataracts in 96 percent of the subjects compared to 76 percent in the 25 subjects in the control group. In another trial, people who took vitamin E supplements had less than half the risk of developing cataracts, compared with others in the five-year study. A daily dose of 400 IU of vitamin E per day is typically recommended for prevention. Smaller amounts (approximately 50 IU per day) have offered no protection in double-blind studies.

Vitamin C levels in the eye are known to decrease with age. Supplementing with vitamin C can prevent this decrease and has been linked to a lower risk of developing cataracts. People who take multivitamins or other supplements containing vitamins C or E for more than 10 years have been reported to have a 60% lower risk of forming a cataract. In one study, people taking vitamin C for at least ten years showed a dramatic reduction in cataract risk, but those taking vitamin C for less than ten years showed no evidence of protection.

Diets high in spinach and kale have been reported lower the risk for cataracts. Spinach and kale are high in lutein and zeaxanthin, (carotenoids similar to beta-carotene). Lutein is normally found in the lens of the eye. In another study, people with the highest intakes of lutein and zeaxanthin were half as likely to develop cataracts as those with the lowest intake.

Can Cataracts be Reversed?

If you are experiencing early vision changes due to cataracts, or have been told during an eye exam that you have “early cataracts,” you already know the conventional medical treatment: “Let them ripen” and we’ll surgically remove them. (“Let them ripen” is doctor-speak for “let them get worse”).

While surgical removal of cataracts can surely be a blessing to people with advanced cataracts, some 20-30% of those who undergo cataract surgery develop a subsequent clouding of the lens capsule, the part of the lens left in the eye to hold the new synthetic lens in place. If the capsule becomes cloudy, additional surgery may be required to restore clear vision. In some cases the surgery can lead to serious complications such as swelling of the eye, infections, and even blindness. Obviously, prevention is easier and safer than surgical “cure.”

Although most of the studies have focused on prevention, several have looked at actually reversing already-existing cataracts.

In one study, supplementation with 15 mg of lutein three times a week for one year significantly improved visual function in a small group of people with age-related cataracts.

Studies conducted in Russia have shown moderate to marked improvement in lens opacity with continued use of eye drops containing N-Acety-l-Carnosine. It took three months of continuous use for measurable improvmenets, and at six months, improvement stabilized. Some of the studies report results as high as 100% of participants experiencing noticeable changes (for the better!) in their vision.

Since N-Acety-l-Carnosine eye drops are not “FDA approved” for use in cataracts, you will see the productslisted as “lubricating eye drops.”

Do they work? I don’t know. But there are enough studies with impressive reports that I would certainly consider using these drops for at least three months if I had any degree of cataracts.

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.
DON’T SMOKE! Smoking greatly accelerates the formation of cataracts.

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. This formula increases circulation to the eyes and is good for eye health in general.

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.
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.
Bilberry extract: 1 cap, 2-3 times per day with meals (Target dose range: 120-240mg or more per day).

FOR POSSIBLE CATARACT REVERSAL OR IMPROVEMENT

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.
N-Acety-l-Carnosine eye drops: 1-2 drops per day, 1-2 times daily.

References

1.) Procyanidin-rich extract from grape seeds prevents cataract formation in hereditary cataractous (ICR/f) rats. J Agric Food Chem. 2002 Aug 14;50(17):4983-8.

2.) Antioxidant intake and risk of incident age-related nuclear cataracts in the Beaver Dam Eye Study. Am J Epidemiol. 1999 May 1;149(9):801-9.

3.) Nutrient intake and cataract extraction in women: a prospective study. BMJ. 1992 Aug 8;305(6849):335-9.

4.) Preventive medical treatment of senile cataract with vitamin E and anthocyanosides: clinical evaluation. Ann Ottalmol Clin Ocul. 1989;115:109.

5.) Cataract: relationship between nutrition and oxidation. J Am Coll Nutr 1993;12:138–46 [review].

6.) 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.) Epidemiologic evidence of a role for the antioxidant vitamins and carotenoids in cataract prevention. Am J Clin Nutr 1991;53:352S–5S.

8.) Antioxidant status in persons with and without senile cataract. Arch Ophthalmol 1988;106:337–40.

9.) Vitamin supplement use and incident cataracts in a population-based study. Arch Ophthalmol 2000;118:1556–63.

10.) Antioxidant vitamins and nuclear opacities. The Longitudinal Study of Cataract. Ophthalmology 1998;105:831–6.

11.) Long-term supplementation with alpha-tocopherol and beta-carotene and age-related cataract. Acta Ophthalmol Scand 1997;75:634–40.

12.) Long-term vitamin C supplement use and prevalence of early age-related lens opacities. Am J Clin Nutr 1997;66:911–6.

13.) Nutrient intake and cataract extraction in women: a prospective study. BMJ 1992;305:335–9.

14.) A prospective study of carotenoid and vitamin A intakes and risk of cataract extraction in US women. Am J Clin Nutr 1999;70:509–16.

15.) Lutein, but not alpha-tocopherol, supplementation improves visual function in patients with age-related cataracts: a 2-y double-blind, placebo-controlled pilot study. Nutrition 2003;19:21–4.

16.) Rejuvenation of visual functions in older adult drivers and drivers with cataract during a short-term administration of N-acetylcarnosine lubricant eye drops. Rejuvenation Res. 2004 Fall;7(3):186-98.

17.) Efficacy of N-acetylcarnosine in the treatment of cataracts.Drugs R D. 2002;3(2):87-103.

18.) The effect of a topical antioxidant formulation including N-acetyl carnosine on canine cataract: a preliminary study.Vet Ophthalmol. 2006 Sep-Oct;9(5):311-6

19.) N-Acetylcarnosine, a natural histidine-containing dipeptide, as a potent ophthalmic drug in treatment of human cataracts. Peptides. 2001 Jun;22(6):979-94

Cellulite

Natural Strategies For Fighting Cellulite

The only people who “don’t believe in cellulite” are people — mostly men — who don’t have any!

Cellulite isn’t “just fat” – it is fat that has undergone a “mattress effect” due to the underlying landscape of connective tissue. It occurs far more frequently in women than in men and is influences by female hormones. When seen in men, cellulite suggests a possible androgen (male hormone) deficiency or estrogen excess.

Cellulite is not due only to overweight, since normal weight people can have cellulite and many fat people do not. However, excess weight amplifies the appearance of cellulite in most cellulite-prone people.

Cellulite is thought to be a “multi-factorial” condition. Factors that contribute to the development of cellulite include:

Female hormones, especially estrogen
Collagen fiber break-down (as occurs with age and nutrient deficiencies)
Poor venous and lymphatic circulation
Overweight

Although believed by many to be largely a cosmetic problem, cellulite tissue often feels heavy or tight and is often tender when massaged. (NOTE: DO NOT confuse this with “cellulitis,” a serious inflammation or infection of connective tissue. There is no underlying infection in cellulite).

Books and tabloid articles have been written about “cellulite cures” and diet changes, although there is little substantiation for this in the medical literature
apart from overall weight loss.

Diet And Lifestyle Recommendations

Maintain a normal weight. Excess body fat alone does not cause cellulite, but it does increase estrogen levels. Excess body fat typically makes
cellulite more noticeable. For weight loss help, try The Super Fast Diet.
Exercise: regular aerobic exercise with weight training for specific problem areas may be helpful. Exercise is known to improve estrogen balance and assist with weight (fat) loss. Spot exercises for lifting the glutes (butt) and hips may help reduce the appearance of cellulite on thighs.
Massage: daily self-massage of cellulite tissue, using the hands with a “kneading” motion. Massage helps break up the problematic connective tissue and improve venous and lymphatic circulation. Special percussion massage therapy may be particularly helpful.

Primary Support

Maxi Multi: 3 caps, 3 times per day with meals. Optimal (not minimal) doses of antioxidants & bioflavonoids are particularly important for strengthening blood vessels, reducing inflammation and decreasing free radicals. Vitamin C is crucial to collagen formation.

Additional Support (Internal)

Maxi Flavones:1 cap, 1-2 times per day with meals. High potency antioxidant / flavonoid herbs to strengthen blood vessels, decrease inflammation and improve liver function (which in turn helps hormone balance).
Conjugated Linoleic Acid (CLA): 4-5 caps per day with meals. CLA has been shown to decrease body fat, increase lean muscle tissue and assist with cellulite improvement.
Gotu kola (Centella asiatica): 1 cap, 3 times per day with meals. (Target dose: 90 mg triterpenes per day)
Horse chestnut (Aesculus hippocastanum): 1 cap, 3 times per day with meals. (Target dose:30- 60mg escin per day).

Additional Support (Topical)

Topical preparations containing caffeine, xanthines and related thermogenic substances, and glycyrrhetinic acid (from licorice) may have benefit.

Tests

Males with cellulite should have a male hormone profile test performed. When seen in men, cellulite is highly suggestive of a male hormone deficiency and/or an excess of estrogens.

References

1.) Querleux B, Cornillon C, Jolivet O, Bittoun J. Anatomy and physiology of subcutaneous adipose tissue by in vivo magnetic resonance imaging and spectroscopy: relationships with sex and
presence of cellulite. Skin Res Technol. 2002 May;8(2):118-24.
2.) Rosenbaum M, Prieto V, Hellmer J, Boschmann M, Krueger J, Leibel RL, Ship AG. An exploratory investigation of the morphology and biochemistry of cellulite. Plast Reconstr Surg.
1998 Jun;101(7):1934-9.
3.) Piérard GE, Nizet JL, Piérard-Franchimont C. Cellulite: from standing fat herniation to hypodermal stretch marks. Am J Dermatopathol. 2000 Feb;22(1):34-7.
4.) Mirrashed F, Sharp JC, Krause V, Morgan J, Tomanek B. Pilot study of dermal and subcutaneous fat structures by MRI in individuals who differ in gender, BMI, and cellulite grading. Skin Res Technol. 2004 Aug;10(3):161-8.
5.) Pavicic T, Borelli C, Korting HC. Cellulite–the greatest skin problem in healthy people? An approach. J Dtsch Dermatol Ges. 2006 Oct;4(10):861-70.
6.) Quatresooz P, Xhauflaire-Uhoda E, Piérard-Franchimont C, Piérard GE. Cellulite histopathology and related mechanobiology. Int J Cosmet Sci. 2006 Jun;28(3):207-10.
7.) Piérard GE. Commentary on cellulite: skin mechanobiology and the waist-to-hip ratio.J Cosmet Dermatol. 2005 Sep;4(3):151-2.
8.) Rotunda AM, Avram MM, Avram AS.Cellulite: Is there a role for injectables? J Cosmet Laser Ther. 2005 Dec;7(3-4):147-54.
9.) A. V. Rawlings. Cellulite and its treatment. Int J. of Cosmetic Science. 2006 Feb; 28(3):175-190.
10.) Velasco M.V.,Tano C.T.,Machado-Santelli G., Consiglieri V.O., et al. Effects of caffeine and siloxanetriol alginate caffeine, as anticellulite agents, on fatty tissue: histological evaluation.
J. Cosmetic Derm. 2008 Jan; 7(1):23-29.
11.) Lupi O., Semenovitch I., Treu C., Bottino D., Bouskela E. Evaluation of the effects of caffeine in the microcirculation and edema on thighs and buttocks using the orthogonal polarization
spectral imaging and clinical parameters. J. Cosmetic Derm. 2007 May; 6(2): 102-107.
12.) Smalls LK, Hicks M, Passeretti D, Gersin K, Kitzmiller WJ, Bakhsh A, Wickett RR, Whitestone J, Visscher MO. Effect of weight loss on cellulite: gynoid lypodystrophy.Plast Reconstr Surg. 2006
Aug;118(2):510-6.
13.) Distante F, Bacci PA, Carrera M. Efficacy of a multifunctional plant complex in the treatment of the so-called ‘cellulite’: clinical and instrumental evaluation. Int J Cosmet Sci. 2006 Jun;28(3):191-206.
14.) Rona C, Carrera M, Berardesca E.Testing anticellulite products.Int J Cosmet Sci. 2006 Jun;28(3):169-73.
15.) Armanini D, Nacamulli D, Francini-Pesenti F, Battagin G, Ragazzi E, Fiore C. Glycyrrhetinic acid, the active principle of licorice, can reduce the thickness of subcutaneous thigh fat through topical application. Steroids. 2005 Jul;70(8):538-42.

Children’s Basic Nutrients

Kids Need Great Supplements Too!

Optimal nutrition is even more important for children because growing bodies depend on vitamins and minerals normal development. Children soak up nutrients like sponges! However, the majority of children’s multiple vitamin-mineral supplements contain sugar and/or cheap, poorly-absorbed nutrients, tablet binders, and excipients. Children’s Basic Nutrients contains the finest, most bioavailable nutrients, in a small, easy-to-swallow, kid-size capsule. The two-part gelatin capsule may also be taken apart and the contents emptied into food or liquid. This formula is for children age four and older.

Dosage: 1 to 2 capsules three times daily.

Six Small Capsules Contain:
Vitamin B12…. 135.0mcg
Folate…. 240.0mcg
Pantothenic Acid…. 124.0mg
Calcium…. 90.0mg
Iron…. 4.5mg
Iodine…. 67.5mg
Vitamin B6…. 3.0mg
Magnesium…. 85.0mg
Vitamin D…. 120.0I.U.
Zinc…. 4.5mg
Selenium…. 60.0mcg
Copper…. 0.45mg
Manganese…. 1.8mg
Chromium…. 60.0mcg
Molybdenum…. 30.0mcg
Thiamine…. 12.0mg
Vitamin A…. 4500.0I.U.
Vitamin E…. 120.0I.U.
Riboflavin…. 3.3mg
Potassium…. 27.0mg
Boron…. 0.9mg
Choline Citrate…. 30.0mg
Vanadium…. 30.0mcg
Vitamin B3…. 49.0mg
Vitamin C…. 250.0mg
Vitamin K…. 30.0mcg
Biotin…. 120.0mcg

Chlorophyll (water soluble)

For Intestinal Detoxification

Chlorophyll is a water-soluble substance derived from plants. It acts as a natural detoxifier.

We no longer carry pure chlorophyll (Inner Fresh Pro) but instead recommend Maxi Greens or Greens First as a way to obtain full-spectrum chlorophyll and other plant phytonutrients.

HIGH CHOLESTEROL

Natural Treatment And Support Strategies

High cholesterol levels (above 200mg/dl) are associated with an increased risk of atherosclerosis, and atherosclerosis is a leading cause of heart disease, strokes, and other circulatory disorders. Fortunately, since most cases of high cholesterol are caused by diet and lifestyle, they can be reversed by self-care measures. If cholesterol levels do not improve in 12 weeks of self-care, consult an holistic physician for further guidance.

It is also important to note that cardiovascular disease can occur in people with normal cholesterol levels. In fact, half of the people who have a heart attack have a cholesterol level under 200. Total cholesterol levels are important, but they are far from being the entire story of what causes atherosclerosis and heart disease. Other risk factors, such as elevated homocysteine and CReactive Protein (hs-CRP), are independent risk factors. To truly determine your risk for heart disease, consult a holistic physician who can evaluate each of your risk factors, not just cholesterol. Many people with cholesterol levels below 200 mg/dl still suffer heart attacks and stroke.

DIET AND LIFESTYLE RECOMMENDATIONS

Maintain a normal body weight.
Eat “Super Foods,” especially garlic and soy products. Fiber in food and/or supplements helps bind cholesterol and carry it out of the body. Be sure your diet is high in fiber.
Engage in regular aerobic exercise.
Do not smoke.
Drink 64 ounces of pure water daily. Water detoxifies the liver, which is the organ responsible for managing cholesterol in the body.

PRIMARY SUPPORT

Maxi Multi: 3 caps, 3 times per day with meals. This daily “multiple” contains high potency antioxidants. Optimal (not minimal) doses of antioxidants (ACES), calcium, magnesium, selenium, chromium, bioflavonoids and B complex vitamins are particularly important for normal cholesterol levels.
Omega 3 fatty acids:
Flax seed meal, 2 teaspoons per day with food
OR
Flax seed capsules: 2-4 caps, 3 times per day (target dose range: 6-12 caps per day)
OR
Flax seed oil: 1 tablespoon per day
OR
Max EPA (Omega-3 rich fish oil): 1-2 caps, 3 times per day with meals (target dose: 3-6 caps per day).
CoQ10 (50-100mg): 1 cap, 2-3 times per day with meals (target dose range: 150-400mg per day).
Flush-Free Niacin: Begin with 1 cap, 3 times per day with meals. After two weeks, increase dose to 2 caps, 3 times per day or as directed by a physician (target dose range: 1,500-3,000mg per day). Liver enzymes should be monitored by a physician every 3 months for the first six months of treatment. [NOTE: In the Coronary Drug Project Study, niacin was compared to cholesterol-lowering drugs. It was found that niacin was the ONLY “drug” that lowered mortality. It compared favorably to cholesterol-lowering drugs in effect but with a much better safety profile.]
AND/OR
Red Rice Yeast (600mg): 2 caps, 2 times per day with meals (target dose: minimum 2,000mg per day).

Take Red Rice Yeast in addition to niacin if 8 weeks of niacin therapy does not lower cholesterol to <220mg/dl cholesterol. Take instead of niacin if niacin is not well tolerated.

ADDITIONAL SUPPORT

Oral ChelatoRx: 4 capsules, 2 times per day between meals. This formula contains garlic, gugulipid, EDTA (chelating agent), chlorella, magnesium, potassium, and more. It is a comprehensive formula for lowering cholesterol levels and clearing the arteries.
Garlic (Garlitrin): 1 tab per day (target dose: minimum 4,000 allicin per day).

TESTS

Thyroid function tests should be performed to rule out low thyroid function. These are conventional medical tests that most medical doctors will order as part of a physical. (It should be included in a physical work-up for high cholesterol). Conventional doctors usually only do a TSH test for screening, but T3 and T4 should also be evaluated.

Dr. MYATT’S COMMENTS

If you are overweight, a ketogenic diet, particularly The Super Fast Diet, will help you easily lose weight, lower your cholesterol and blood pressure, and correct high blood sugar levels if they exist.
There are so many natural treatments for high cholesterol, and cholesterol-lowering drugs have so many negative side effects, that it is worthwhile to work with an holistic physician if your self-help measures fail to improve cholesterol levels in three to six months.
Be SURE to supplement CoQ10 if you are taking cholesterol-lowering drugs (statins) or Red Rice Yeast, as these drugs deplete CoQ10. Adequate CoQ10 levels are necessary for normal heart function.

Children’s Health

Raise Healthier Children Naturally

Children aren’t just “little adults.” Because their bodies are in “fast growth mode,” they have different nutritional requirements than adults.

Because still-growing bodies soak up nutrients like sponges, diet and nutrient deficiencies will have a bigger and more noticeable impact on a child than on an adult. In other words, good nutrition is even more important in childhood and young adulthood that at any other time of life. The nutrition your child receives today will impact him or her for the rest of their life.

While conventional medicine is sometimes necessary to treat certain childhood illnesses, most problems can be better managed through natural means. Less negative side-effects and a true “correction” of underlying problems (instead of just a “band aid” approach) are among the reasons many parents choose natural alternatives over synthetic options.

Children can use many of the “adult” remedies, especially herbs. Here is a convenient equation for adjusting an herb or nutrient dose for a child based on body weight.

Child-Friendly Supplements Health Concerns
of Children
Children’s Vitamins
Greens Firse Berry / Red Alert
Similase Jr.
Whey Protein ADD/ADHD
Allergies
Asthma
Attention Deficit
Colds and Flu
Diarrhea
Diarrhea
Parasites

Coconut Oil (Organic, Virgin)

This Oil Should Be in Your Kitchen AND Your Medicine Cabinet

Coconut Oil - A Healthy Oil Of Many Uses Coconut oil is a saturated fat, which means it doesn’t go rancid when heated or when stored for long periods of time.

Essential Fatty Acids (EFA’s) turn into unhealthy “trans fats” when heated, so although you need EFA’s for good health, you should NOT cook with them! Even olive oil, a polyunsaturated fat (PUFA) should NOT be used for cooking. (Olive oil is NOT an essential fat).

Coconut oil and other saturated fats are heat-stable. For frying and deep-frying, coconut oil is one of the very best oils to use.

In addition to being heat-stable and great for cooking, coconut oil has the following health advantages:

Coconut oil contains lauric acid and other a medium-chain triglycerides (MCT’s) with powerful antimicrobial effects against a wide range of bacteria, viruses, fungi / yeasts and protozoa. (1-7)
The MCT’s in coconut oil activate the immune system. (8,9)
Coconut oil’s MCT’s have proven anti-tumor effects. (10,11)
MCT’s in coconut oil aid weight loss three ways: by decreasing hunger, increasing fat-burning and increasing metabolism. (12-19)
Lowers cholesterol and improves blood fat levels. (20-22)

If you’ve heard bad things about saturated fats, you should know that it’s all nonsense – bogus B.S. promoted by the soy oil industry and Big Business. (Can you say “Proctor and Gamble”?) Read about the unjustified “bad press” that this miraculous oil has suffered here: Saturated Fat: Another Big, Fat Lie

We offer organic, virgin coconut oil, the finest quality available. Use coconut to cook, make pie crusts or anything that calls for “Crisco” (Crystallized Cottonseed Oil, a product not fit for human consumption).

Use Coconut Oil, two to four tablespoons per day as a food, substituted for whatever oils you currently cook with (except butter which is a true health food). Heck, you can even use coconut oil on your skin as a moisturizer, protectant and anti-microbial!

Coconut Oil (Organic, Virgin) 15 fl. ounces $15.95

Please Note: Coconut oil is slippery stuff – and it may seep from it’s container during shipment. We have received reports of coconut oil seeping out of still-tightly-sealed jars! We double-bag this product and pack it carefully for shipping but we cannot be responsible for leakage during shipment – there will be no returns or refunds on this product.

References

1.) Antimicrobial activity of potassium hydroxide and lauric acid against microorganisms associated with poultry processing. J Food Prot. 2006 Jul;69(7):1611-5.
2.) In vitro activity of lauric acid or myristylamine in combination with six antimicrobial agents against methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA). Int J Antimicrob Agents. 2006 Jan;27(1):51-7. Epub 2005 Nov 28.
3.) Susceptibility of Clostridium perfringens to C-C fatty acids.Lett Appl Microbiol. 2005;41(1):77-81.
4.) Effect of lauric acid and nisin-impregnated soy-based films on the growth of Listeria monocytogenes on turkey bologna. Poult Sci. 2002 May;81(5):721-6.
5.) Inhibition of bacterial foodborne pathogens by the lactoperoxidase system in combination with monolaurin. Int J Food Microbiol. 2002 Feb 25;73(1):1-9.
6.) Fatty acids and derivatives as antimicrobial agents. Antimicrob Agents Chemother. 1972 Jul;2(1):23-8.
7.) Susceptibility of Helicobacter pylori to bactericidal properties of medium-chain monoglycerides and free fatty acids. Antimicrob Agents Chemother. 1996 Feb;40(2):302-6.
8.) Saturated triglycerides and fatty acids activate neutrophils depending on carbon chain-length. Eur J Clin Invest. 2002 Apr;32(4):285-9.
9.) Immunonutrition–supplementary amino acids and fatty acids ameliorate immune deficiency in critically ill patients. Langenbecks Arch Surg. 2001 Aug;386(5):369-76.
10.) Antitumor effect of medium-chain triglyceride and its influence on the self-defense system of the body. Cancer Detect Prev. 1998;22(3):219-24.
11.) Effects of calcitriol, seocalcitol, and medium-chain triglyceride on a canine transitional cell carcinoma cell line. Anticancer Res. 2005 Jul-Aug;25(4):2689-96.
12.) Value of VLCD supplementation with medium chain triglycerides.Int J Obes Relat Metab Disord. 2001 Sep;25(9):1393-400.
13.) The thermic effect is greater for structured medium- and long-chain triacylglycerols versus long-chain triacylglycerols in healthy young women. Metabolism. 2001 Jan;50(1):125-30.
14.) Greater rise in fat oxidation with medium-chain triglyceride consumption relative to long-chain triglyceride is associated with lower initial body weight and greater loss of subcutaneous adipose tissue. Int J Obes Relat Metab Disord. 2003 Dec;27(12):1565-71.
15.) Thermogenesis in humans during overfeeding with medium-chain triglycerides.Metabolism. 1989 Jul;38(7):641-8.
16.) Dietary medium-chain triacylglycerols suppress accumulation of body fat in a double-blind, controlled trial in healthy men and women.J Nutr. 2001 Nov;131(11):2853-9.
17.) Enhanced thermogenesis and diminished deposition of fat in response to overfeeding with diet containing medium chain triglyceride. Am J Clin Nutr. 1982 Apr;35(4):678-82.
18.) Medium-chain triglycerides increase energy expenditure and decrease adiposity in overweight men.Obes Res. 2003 Mar;11(3):395-402.
19.) Comparison of diet-induced thermogenesis of foods containing medium- versus long-chain triacylglycerols.J Nutr Sci Vitaminol (Tokyo). 2002 Dec;48(6):536-40.
20.) Effect of dietary medium- and long-chain triacylglycerols (MLCT) on accumulation of body fat in healthy humans. Asia Pac J Clin Nutr. 2003;12(2):151-60.
21.) Beneficial effects of virgin coconut oil on lipid parameters and in vitro LDL oxidation. Clin Biochem. 2004 Sep;37(9):830-5.
22.) Effect of medium-chain triglycerides on the postprandial triglyceride concentration in healthy men. Biosci Biotechnol Biochem. 2003 Jan;67(1):46-53.

The Bacon and Egg Cure for High Cholesterol

03/15/07

This Week In HealthBeat News:

The Bacon and Egg Cure for High Cholesterol
More Proof-Positive That Big Pharma Doesn’t Give a Damn About Your Health
(Dr. Dana Myatt)
Take Action Now to Preserve Natural Hormone Replacement Therapy
Why Don’t You Bill Insurance? (Mark Ziemann, R.N.)
Greenest Envy: Make Your Garden The Talk of The Neighborhood
Laughter is Good Medicine: Best Single’s Ad Ever

This is a repeat of last week’s “urgent announcement.” It is SO important that I WANT TO BE SURE EVERYONE SAW IT. If you already took action, good for you and please go enjoy the other articles from this week’s HealthBeat. (And be sure to pass this information along to friends and family)……

More Proof-Positive That Big Pharma Doesn’t Give a Damn
About Your Health

by Dr. Dana Myatt

Breast cancer rates have not changed significantly in the last 50 years with one notable exception. The rates dropped an unbelievable 7% in just one year when the news about the connection between Premarin (Pregnant Mares Urine) hormone therapy and breast cancer finally broke. This was barely mentioned by the media, then it disappeared. I’m not sure if many people really caught the significance of this, so let’s review it in a nutshell.

In 2001, sales of Premarin and Prempro (conventional hormone replacement therapy for post-menopausal women) exceeded $2 billion. In 2002, the huge Women’s Health Initiative Study showed that both Prempro and Premarin significantly increased women’s risks of breast cancer, heart attacks and dementia. (This information was actually known 20 years ago, even before the Women’s Health Initiatit5ve Study, when I was just a medical student. But the news just “broke” to the general public in the last several years). As a result of the study’s findings about these increased health risks, use of Premarin and Prempro plummeted along with sales. Revenues from these poisons fell to less than $1 million per year ($880,000 to be exact) by 2004. That’s a drop of 99.96% in sales and profits if you need a little help with the math.

Benefits of Natural (Bio-identical) Hormone Replacement Therapy

Many women turned from these deadly Big Pharma hormones to natural, aka bio-identical, hormone replacement therapy which so far appears to be MUCH safer than the drug versions of hormones. The big difference is that natural hormone replacement therapy attempts to duplicate a woman’s hormones (replace the same approximate amounts the exact same hormones a woman has when younger), instead of giving un-natural amounts of only the strongest female horse-hormones, which is what the drug versions do. Here is what we know about the benefits of natural hormone replacement therapy (nHRT):

* Natural HRT has been used in the U.S. for almost 25 years without a single related death or complaint

* Unlike synthetic HRT drugs (typically made from horse urine), bio-identical hormones use the same four main sex hormones that the body makes, and in “physiologic” amounts (amounts similar to what the body makes)

* Unlike “one-size-fits-all” horse hormone prescriptions, natural HRT prescriptions are custom-tailored to individual patients

* Natural HRT still requires a doctor’s prescription and supervision

Because the nHRT duplicates the pattern of natural female hormones, they appear to be far safer than conventional HRT. In fact, there is evidence that nHRT may actually help prevent breast cancer instead of causing it. Many women have found relief from menopausal complaints over the past 25 years with this apparently far-safer form of hormone replacement therapy.

Big Pharma Doesn’t Give a Damn About Your Health

In October of 2005, Wyeth Pharmaceuticals, manufacturers of Prempro and Premarin, filed a complaint with the FDA asking that the sale of ALL bio-identical hormones be banned. That’s right —Wyeth, makers of cancer-causing hormones, has petitioned the FDA to outlaw the natural HRT alternatives that are safer, more effective, and cheaper than their dangerous drugs. This should go a long way to preserving the less than one half of one-thousandth the dollars they used to make on these killers. Apparently, Wyeth cares more about protecting the now-miniscule market-share of their line of dismally failing drugs than they do for protecting women’s lives.

Wyeth’s drugs were causing at least 7% of the country’s breast cancers, yet now they want to take away access to the much safer hormone alternative. See how much our lives are worth to Big Pharma?

Why the FDA Sleeps with Big Pharma

Our lives aren’t worth any more to the FDA than they are to Big Pharma. After all, Big Medicine, Big Pharma and their Bed Partner the FDA are about Big Money, not altruistic endeavors. (I hope I’m not popping anyone’s candy-colored bubble here).

The FDA receives “drug user fees,” which totaled over 3 billion dollars in 2004 from pharmaceutical companies for the drugs they sell. The less drugs that Wyeth or any Big Pharma Company sells, the less money goes into the FDA coffers. Natural hormones, made by “compounding pharmacies,” are regulated by the states. The FDA does not receive any money from the sale of natural hormones. No wonder the FDA is just as eager as Wyeth to either outlaw natural hormones OR have compounding pharmacies fall under their (FDA) jurisdiction.

Because the FDA and Big Pharma are bedfellows, an FDA ruling on the matter would have gone in favor of Wyeth last year had it not been for a massive grassroots effort that appeared to put the matter to rest. Now enter the double-dealing “tag on” bill brought to you by our “Also don’t give a damn about the individual” politicians.

Crooked Politicians Aid and Abet The FDA and Big Pharma
(The Sneaky End-Run Around)

Another surprise to some of you, I know, but politicians actually aid and abet this Big Money Machine, not our individual health freedoms or our personal health concerns. Just several days ago, this “tag on” piece of legislation was introduced by Senators Edward Kennedy (D-Mass.), Pat Roberts (R-Kan.) and Richard Burr (R-N.C.), aka “the usual suspects.” It should be noted that Senator Kennedy is # 4 on the list of the top 20 political recipients of Big Pharma money, reporting a total of $221,550 received from the Pharmaceutical Industry in 2006 alone.

“The Safe Drug Compounding Act of 2007,” deftly tacked on the back of a major FDA funding bill, will be voted on the end of this month and will surely pass (so much for our legislators “reigning in” the FDA). What this sneaky “tag” will do is drastically curtail compounding pharmacies and place them under FDA control instead of state control. Expect to kiss your natural (bio-identical) hormone replacement therapy and all other compounded prescriptions
good-bye.

Notice how this “tag” was placed at the last minute (so few people would have time to hear about it, much less respond), and how it was added to a bigger bill that is sure to pass? Evil, dirty, rotten nasty politics. This stinks, but it’s the “modus operandi” of Big Government and other Big Money interests. You and I don’t matter at all to these people except for the money we can put in their collective pockets, and our individual health and freedom be damned.

Take Action Now to Preserve Compounding Pharmacy
and Natural Hormone Replacement Therapy

Remember that I promised to let you know when it was time to take action on an impending health freedom matter? The time is NOW to protect compounding pharmacy and natural hormone replacement therapy.

What You Must Do Today to Protect Your/Our Health Freedom

Since almost no one except HealthBeat readers have even heard about this yet, the opportunity for a grassroots movement to stop this legislation is cutting close. Don’t wait until next week to act. Here is what you need to do if you want to help save compounding
pharmacy and health freedom in general and natural hormone replacement therapy in particular.

You need to write a letter to both your state Senators AND your state Representatives. This letter should be FAXED to their office, not mailed. A fax is far more potent than a phone call (if you can even get through) or an email. It is estimated that each individual fax carries the weight of 13,000 voters (because they figure about one in about 13,000 who care about a particular subject will ever actually contact a representative). Here is what you need to say, and it is short and sweet:

(Please modify this into your own words, but this is the gist of it):
_________________________

Dear Senator BlowHard:

I am vehemently opposed to the proposed “Safe Drug Compounding Act of 2007” and request that you vote “no” on this stealthy tag-on legislation. Leave compounding pharmacy where it belongs, under state jurisdiction. Further, I believe the dysfunctional FDA does
not need more control over drug regulation, they need less.

Please help protect what shred of my health freedom remains by voting “no” on this senseless legislation.

Your Voting Constituent,
Joe Doaks
___________________________

How to locate your representatives:

Locate your representatives by state

Locate your senators by state
_____________________________

Political Action Steps Summary:

1.) Fax your state’s senators and representatives ASAP. If you don’t have a fax machine, http://www.faxzero.com lets you send out 2 free faxes per day. (Hot tip on free faxing courtesy of Steven C.). A fax really is that much more important and worth your time than an email, and a typed or legibly hand-written letter carries a LOT of weight!

2.) Pass this note on to friends, family, anyone who gives a darn about health freedom. (You know, all those people you forward e-mail jokes to). If you have friends who aren’t on e-mail, snail-mail them this information. Encourage them to pass it along to as many people as they can.

Grassroots movements have saved the day on other health freedoms issues in the past decade. We must not underestimate the power of the general citizenry (that’s us!) to slay the dragons that jeopardize our freedom. Since the pen is mightier than the sword, please draw your weapon and let’s see if we can save the day for health freedom once again.

In Pursuit of Health and Freedom,
Dr. Myatt

Why Don’t You Bill Insurance?

by Mark Ziemann, R.N.

[Dr. Myatt’s Note: The following commentary is a continuation of Nurse Mark’s Poor, Poor Pitiful Me: Why Some People Will Never Get Well and Would Your Plumber Work This Cheap? from previous weeks’ HealthBeat News. If you haven’t read these articles, you might want to check them out first to see what has gotten my mild-mannered Nurse in such a tizzy. I do believe this is the final installment of Nurse Mark’s indignation! ;-)]

“Why Don’t You Just Bill My Insurance?” This plea usually comes from someone wanting to book an appointment, but who is haggling and chiseling at the cost. “But she is so expensive – I couldn’t possibly afford that much money…” These people almost invariably go elsewhere, usually to their “conventional” doc, who is only too happy to give them a 5 to 10 minute visit, a mandatory drug prescription as a “prize” for visiting, and send them happily on their way. These doctors usually have a bustling office staff devoted to scheduling patients in at ten-minute intervals, and an even busier back-office staff devoted to doing all the preliminary paperwork that goes to the insurance company to generate income for the doctor and his staff. Even with a back-office staff doing much of the prep work, the doctor will still spend several hours each day finishing up his or her part of the insurance paperwork. This really is a major business, and must be run as efficiently as possible if that doctor is to achieve the desired income.

Here is the history behind Dr. Myatt’s decision to “opt out” of the insurance business. As she tells it, it was one of those rare “ah hah” moments in life. Many years ago, while working for a major holistic medical clinic in Phoenix (one that accepted insurance, as most do),
Dr. Myatt came into the office an hour early one morning to plow through the mountain of insurance paperwork that her busy medical practice required. Anyone who does their own income taxes has some idea of what these forms look like, with one notable exception. Each insurance provider has a different form and requirement of what information is needed.

So there sat Dr. Myatt, scratching her head and grinding her way through a mountain of paperwork when in walked one of the clinic nurses, announcing that there was a work-in patient in the ER, here before regular clinic hours with severe breathing difficulty and chest pain. Doctor Myatt was the only physician available (of course she was — it was over an hour before the clinic usually opened)! As The Good Doctor shifted mental gears from paper-pusher to emergency room physician, she found herself for just a moment feeling resentful. After all, how could she get the insurance paperwork completed if she was interrupted with patients? Like a splash of cold water in the face, this thought was immediately replaced with the realization of what the paper-pushing had done to her. Too busy doing insurance paperwork to see a patient? She got up, saw the patient (who was in severe cardiac distress due to a non-functional mitral valve) and decided right then and there that she would never resent seeing a patient for want of more time to fill out insurance forms.
Dr. Myatt “opted out” of insurance and Medicare at that time (it is no longer possible for a physician to “opt out” of Medicare), and has never looked back or regretted her decision. She now spends all of her time on patient care, and her results speak for themselves.

Here at the Wellness Club, we work at a slower pace. We book each patient for a full hour, and visits often run longer. We focus entirely on the patient and on how to make them well, not on how to comply with sometimes-impossible insurance forms.

I recently had a patient (one of our “incurable” success stories) ask me “do you really make any money at this?” and I had to answer honestly. We cover the bills and expenses and we are comfortable, but we are not “rich” and aren’t likely to get rich any time soon unless we hit the lotto.

People measure success by many different markers. Some see success as a big, fancy home (we live in a comfortable but modest straw bale home where we have clean air, clean water, and plenty of outdoors to enjoy). Others measure success by the car they drive (we have an older model van and an older model Saturn wagon). We also have a — you guessed it, older model — RV that allows us to travel to see patients, lecture, and teach. Still other people believe that their success is measured in their 401K’s, retirement pensions and gold-plated medical (sickness) insurance plans. We have no plans to “retire” for as long as we can keep helping people find better health, our “health insurance” is our daily supplement and vitamin regimen (especially Maxi Multis!), clean air, clean water, good food, and modest exercise, and our “retirement plan” is to build a modest home that is completely self-sustainable (no electric company or propane delivery required) and raise our own food.

Dr. Myatt could undoubtedly make more money if we “took insurance.” This would require seeing far more patients for far less time each, and there would be no time for individual “case study,” but it would certainly bring a bigger income.

Would we be “more successful” if we “took” insurance? Not if you calculate success like we do, by the number of people that we have helped. We sleep well at night knowing we are giving our all to each and every patient, and we never find ourselves feeling annoyed that a patient is disturbing our paperwork time. Most importantly, many patients reaffirm our “success” when they thank us for helping them with “incurable” medical problems that conventional medicine has given up on.

Now that’s success in our book!

Cheers,
Nurse Mark

P.S. Here is the information from the “Insurance” page of our website for those who are interested.

How Our Office Handles Insurance

Q: Does Dr. Myatt Accept Medicare or Medicaid?

A: No. Dr. Myatt “opted out” of Medicare years ago. Without a UPN number (universal provider number required by Medicare), there is no way for Medicare to cover Dr. Myatt’s services. Further, Medicare rarely covers the type of progressive, alternative care that Dr. Myatt and other holistic physicians provide.

Q: Does Dr. Myatt accept insurance?

A: No. Services are due and payable on the day they are rendered.

Q: Will Dr. Myatt fill out insurance paperwork if I file a claim myself?

A: Yes. Dr. Myatt will gladly complete any necessary insurance paperwork including writing letters of medical necessity, as required by your insurance company for you to file a claim yourself. However, all time spent completing insurance paperwork or writing such letters is billed at Dr. Myatt’s usual hourly fee of $240. For example, if it takes Dr. Myatt one-half hour to complete insurance paperwork, the patient will be billed $120.

Q: Why does Dr. Myatt charge for filling out insurance paperwork? My other doctor does this for free.

A: Your other doctor spends 5-10 minutes with you and charges for a complete office visit. Dr. Myatt charges for the office visit (typically one hour, the entire time of which is devoted to your care), then spends an average of 2-12 hours in “case study” following your exam or phone consultation. This additional time spent on case study is not charged for but is included in your visit. Very few physicians spend so much time and attention on an individual patient.

Insurance paperwork is incredibly time-consuming. This is valuable time that Dr. Myatt prefers to spend studying the patient’s case in order to get the patient well, not shuffling papers.

When you consider the true amount of time Dr. Myatt spends on an individual case, you will see that her fees are a bargain. When you find yourself recovering from an “incurable” illness, you will further understand why Dr. Myatt’s case-study time is so valuable and why we charge for the non-wellness time spent on paperwork.

Cheers,
Nurse Mark

The Bacon and Egg Cure for High Cholesterol

Is your cholesterol still “too high”? (Above 230, but this depends on what your “good cholesterol,” or HDL levels, are, too).

We get calls and letters literally every day with questions about how to lower high cholesterol. The self-treatment stories we hear include “I only eat good carbohydrates,” or “I almost never eat eggs.” To which we reply, “well no wonder your cholesterol is high!”

You see, what you have probably heard about how to lower cholesterol is completely backwards. If it was correct, you’d see big result in as little as a month. If you’ve been on your cholesterol-avoidance diet for more than a month and haven’t seen dramatic improvements, then you have proof that you are on the wrong track. Clearly, it’s time to try a new approach. Cholesterol levels don’t take that long to change.

I had a telephone follow-up with new patient Kim this week. She’s thrilled because the migraine headaches she originally contacted me about are gone. Not reduced, but completely gone, no drugs needed. As a side-effect, she’s lost 30 pounds and her once-high cholesterol levels have dropped like a rock, back into the normal range for the first time in many years. Her secret? She’s following my advice and having either a Super Shake or bacon and eggs for breakfast, along with following the rest of The Myatt Diet. It wasn’t an easy “sell” to convince her to eat this way, but now she’s an absolute missionary for The Myatt Diet. (You’ll see her testimonial in an upcoming HealthBeat). She also tells me that she’s amazed how her food cravings have completely disappeared, so she’s not missing her former junk food, including “good carbs.”

If you’ve bought into the prevalent but misguided idea that avoiding cholesterol will lower your cholesterol, here’s a hot “biochemical tidbit.” When you lower dietary cholesterol, your liver simply makes more. (Cholesterol comprises 80% of the cell wall of every cell in your body, so it’s a very valuable commodity indeed). Fortunately, your liver knows how to make cholesterol even when you don’t eat it. When you stop eating eggs, your liver detects a “cholesterol famine” and cranks out more of this life-giving fat. Your attempts to outsmart Mother Nature will fail. (You can’t get up early enough to fool Mama Nature)!

Low Cholesterol diets rarely work to lower cholesterol. Eating only “good carbs” rarely works to lower cholesterol. “If you always do what you’ve always done, you’ll always get what you’ve always gotten.” Stop struggling with your cholesterol levels and go have some bacon eggs for breakfast! — Dr. Myatt

* Calling All Fellow Gardeners! *

Greenest Envy: Make Your Garden The Talk of The Neighborhood
Grow Bigger Flowers, Greener Lawns, Humongous Produce

I like to garden. It pleases me no end to see my front yard filled with bright splashes of color all season long and bring fresh cuttings indoors for a continual warm-weather treat. And really, can you call those tasteless red things from the grocery store a tomato after you’ve tasted home-grown? A juicy red beefsteak still warm from the vine atop fresh-picked lettuce puts me in salad bliss. Not only is home-grown produce far fresher and more convenient, it can be FAR healthier than store-bought produce grown with synthetic fertilizers, insecticides and herbicides, then sprayed with anti-fungal agents, spoilage retardants and Goddess only knows what else so they’ll “keep” longer on the grocery shelf. The toxic spate of chemicals in produce often offsets the value of “eating green” in the first place! For my money and health, homegrown is better whenever I can pull it off. The problem is, how do you fertilize and keep bugs at bay without those nasty chemicals? Much as I hate to use them, there’s no doubt that many of them are effective at what they do.

Fortunately, I’ve found a marvelous gardening secret: Gardens Alive!

Gardens Alive! offers non-toxic solutions for just about every garden problem you can name. Got pests? They have non-toxic solutions that are effective and affordable. Lawn problems? Their seeds and growth enhancers (again, all non-toxic) will give you the greenest lawn on the block with far less effort. Their fruit, vegetable and flower growth enhancers produce bigger, healthier yields without fail. Kill nasty garden pests without harm to yourself or your pets; have an enviably perfect lawn and harvest eye-popping produce with these not-to-be-missed garden solutions. No more nematodes, blossom end-rot or meager yields for me, no siree! Bye bye deer and birds sharing my harvest (it wouldn’t be so bad if they’d eat the whole leaf or fruit instead of pecking one hole in every leaf, huh?). I even get a jump-start on the season with their ingenious little seed starter kits.

I’ve never seen anything like the array of products offered at Gardens Alive! They even have solutions for helping keep your pets healthy. Best of all, these non-toxic solutions are not only more effective than their synthetic counterparts, they are also less expensive in almost every case.

If you do any gardening at all, you owe it to yourself to take a look at these incredible products. Imagine the pride you’ll feel harvesting state-fair quality produce and flowers, or enjoying a golf-course quality lawn that will be the envy of your entire neighborhood! Please be sure to take “before” and after” pictures of your efforts so we can show them off to other gardening readers.

Here are some of my top recommendations:

Gardens Alive! Organic Garden With Seed Got 4’x4′ of space? You can have a complete organic garden with 10 vegetables, easy and weed-free. This kit R-O-C-K-S! I’m setting one up on my deck this summer and I’ll have organic salads all season long.
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Laughter is Good Medicine : Best Single’s Ad Ever

This has to be one of the best singles ads ever printed. It is reported to have been listed in the Atlanta Journal.

SINGLE BLACK FEMALE seeks male companionship, ethnicity unimportant. I’m a very good girl who LOVES to play. I love long walks in the woods, riding in your pickup truck, hunting, camping and fishing trips, cozy winter nights lying by the fire. Candlelight dinners will have me eating out of your hand. I’ll be at the front door when you get home from work, wearing only what nature gave me. Call (404) 875-XXXX and ask for Lucy, I’ll be waiting…. (Click here to see the punch line):

Cytokines

A Simplified Look At Messenger Molecules

(or… Don’t Shoot the Messenger!)

Let’s get something straight right up front: cytokynes are not a toxin or a disease or something bad to be stamped out. They are just messengers.

Cytokines are not the disease or infection or insult, they are the message that is created by white blood cells (lymphocytes and macrophages), epithelial cells (cells that line internal tissues) and by other cells in lesser degrees, in response to some insult like a bacteria, virus or other infection. They can cause inflammation and are also created in response to inflammation.

Cytokines are the way that cells in distress call other cells for help — like an S.O.S.

When our immune system is fighting pathogens, cytokines call immune cells such as T-cells and macrophages to travel to the site of the infection.

Measuring cytokines gives us an indication of what is going on that would cause our cells to be calling for help.

When we talk about lowering inflammatory cytokines what we really should be talking about is addressing the cause of the inflammation so that cytokine-producing cells no longer feel the need to send out “help me!” messages.

Cytokines work on a “negative feedback” system. When there is a stimulus (a reason for cells to need help), cytokines are produced. The greater the stimulus, the more cytokines are produced. If the stimulus becomes less (when the infection heals or the inflammation subsides), cytokine production decreases because less are needed. Like the gas pedal on your car, to go faster you press harder – if you remove your foot (removing the stimulus) the engine slows down and the car stops.

Occasionally the cytokine response can become unbalanced, entering a sort of positive feedback loop which can easily get out of control – imagine if your car’s gas pedal worked the other way, where you had to keep it pressed down to stop! This has been termed a “cytokine storm” and is a serious medical emergency that can result in organ damage and even death. It is one reason for the deaths of people with otherwise healthy immune systems in pandemics such as the Spanish Flu of 1918 or the more recent Bird Flu and Swine Flu outbreaks.

There are three broad categories of cytokines – they can be grouped according to what they do, though there is also a lot of redundancy and “cross training” going on with cytokines.

First, there are Cytokines involved in innate (as in “born with it”) immunity and inflammation. Most of these cytokines are made by macrophages (important for removing pathogens), mast cells (important to inflammation) and endothelial cells (the cells that line our blood vessels and lymphatic system).

Major players here include:

TNF (tumor necrosis factor) and interleukin-1 (IL-1) help to activate endothelial cells.
Chemokines serve to attract different kinds of leukocytes (infection-fighting white blood cells)
IL-12 and interferon-gamma (IFN-y) are more involved in chronic inflammation.

Then there are cytokines involved in adaptive (as in “acquired in response to an infection or vaccination”) immunity. Most of these cytokines are made by our T helper cells (T cells are a kind of lymphocyte that matures in our thymus gland – hence the ‘T‘).

There are 2 main kinds of T Helper cells:

Th1 cells: Type 1 helper T cells make pro-inflammatory cytokines like IFN-y, IL-2, and TNF. These cells are involved in cell-mediated immunity and the cytokines produced by them stimulate the breakdown of microbial pathogens. Several chronic inflammatory diseases like multiple sclerosis, diabetes, and rheumatoid arthritis are considered Th1 dominant diseases.
Th2 cells: Type 2 helper T cells produce the cytokines IL-4, IL-5, IL-9, IL-10, and IL-13. Th2 cells are involved in allergy responses. Cytokines like IL-4 stimulate antibodies directed at extracellular parasites and at viruses. IL-5 stimulates eosinophil (a kind of white blood cell) responses, also part of the immune response toward large extracellular parasites. Allergy is considered to be Th2 dominant condition.

While Th1 cells are generally thought to produce inflammatory cytokines and Th2 cells are thought to produce inflammation-mediating cytokines, as you can see here there is “crossover.”

IL-2 and IL-4 cytokines tell lymphocytes to proliferate and differentiate (that means to grow, mature, and take on a specialized function).
IFN-gamma and IL-5 cytokines send messages that activate other cells.

Then there are cytokines involved in hematopoiesis – a fancy word that means “building new blood cells” – either oxygen-carrying red blood cells or infection-fighting white blood cells. Cells that make these cytokines include endothelial cells, macrophages, and other cells in our immune system. An example of this are colony-stimulating factors like G-CSF (granulocyte-colony stimulating factor) which causes hematopoietic cells to grow.

These are just a few of the more broad classes of cytokines – there are hundreds of these chemical messengers, each with a unique purpose and job to do.

Some of the ones we hear about most often are:

TNFa or Tumor Necrosis Factor alpha. While the name sounds ominous, TNF is a vital player in our response to infection. Its primary role is the regulation of immune system cells. TNF is able to induce fever, cause cell death, cause cachexia, initiate inflammation and to inhibit tumor growth and viral replication in response to sepsis or infection.
Interleukin 6 (IL-6) is an cytokine that acts as both a pro-inflammatory cytokine and an anti-inflammatory myokine (produced from muscle cells). [could this get any more confusing?] While IL-6 serves to stimulate the inflammatory and auto-immune processes in many diseases it also is anti-inflammatory in that it moderates or mediates inflammation by inhibiting TNF-alpha and IL-1, and by activating other interleukins such as IL-10.
Interferon gamma (IFNγ or type II interferon) is a cytokine that is critical for both innate and adaptive immunity against viral and some bacterial and protozoal infections. IFNγ activates macrophages. If IFNγ becomes uncontrolled it can be associated with a number of auto-inflammatory and autoimmune diseases. Its importance in the immune system comes from its ability to inhibit viruses directly, and most importantly from its stimulating and modulating effects on immunity. IFNγ is produced mainly by natural killer (NK) and natural killer T (NKT) cells.
Interleukin 10 (IL-10) is an anti-inflammatory cytokine. IL-10 inhibits production of pro-inflammatory cytokines like as IFN-γ, IL-2, IL-3, TNFa and GM-CSF made by cells such as macrophages and T-cells. IL-10 is important for counteracting hyperactive immune responses that can occur with over-stimulation of pro-inflammatory cytokines.

Importantly, we need to remember that many of the inflammatory cytokines are induced by oxidative stress – meaning that antioxidants play an important role in reducing the production of inflammatory cytokines.

Reactive oxygen species (ROS) are chemically reactive molecules containing oxygen that form when cells metabolize oxygen. In normal amounts ROS have important roles in cellular health. In times of stress (exposure to pathogens, toxins, UV or heat, ionizing radiation, etc.), ROS levels may greatly increase which can damage cells. This is known as oxidative stress and ROS are sometimes called “free radicals.”

Also remember that cytokines themselves trigger the release of other cytokines leading to increased oxidative stress. This makes them important in chronic inflammation, as well as other immune responses such as fever.

So, when your doctor presents you with your lab results and says “you have some high cytokines – we need to get those down,” he really means that there are some stresses going on – infection, chronic inflammation, allergy, oxidative stress, toxicity – that are being shown to him by the cytokines that can be measured. These stresses — the cause of elevated cytokines — are what must be dealt with in order to “bring down” the high cytokines, not the other way around. “Bringing down” high cytokines will not correct the insult (infection, toxicity, inflammation, etc.) that is causing the problem in the first place.

Maxi Flavone is formulated to “bring down” high cytokines – but not in a way that a drug might – by simply shutting down important cytokine production. Cytokines are very much a balance, and they are all important – even the inflammatory ones – so shutting down one or several could lead to some serious problems as a delicate balance is upset. Instead, Maxi Flavone, with its flavonoids and antioxidants, addresses the ROS and inflammation that is causing the release of inflammatory cytokines such as TNF-a.

Finding and correcting the reasons for inflammation such as environmental stresses (air pollution, mold, toxic exposure), subtle or sub-clinical infections (candida, chlamydia, amebiasis), personal stresses (job, sleep, relationships), physical stresses (allergies, food intolerances, hormone imbalances) and nutritional deficiencies or excesses is vital to correcting cytokine imbalances.

The truth is, though we talk a lot about cytokines, there are so many of them and their interactions are so complex that we really don’t have a good understanding of the many interactions and ways that they function. Trying to micro-manage cytokines with individual interventions is probably like throwing cups of water into the ocean to make the level rise.

What we DO know is that cytokines become imbalanced in response to identifiable “macro” insults or imbalances in the body: infections (subtle or obvious), stress (external and internal), toxins — anything that creates an alarm reaction in the body.

Instead of pretending that we understand cytokines and their myriad functions and interactions, a more productive path to health and fertility is to balance the body at the higher levels. The cytokines know how to balance themselves when everything “upstream” in the body is in balance and threats to physical health have been removed.

Support:

Th1 Stimulating Supplements:
Immune-boosting herbs such as echinacea, astragulus, licorice root, ashwaganda, panax ginseng, chlorella, grape seed extract, and common immune-boosting medicinal mushroom extracts, like maitake, reishi, and shitake, will stimulate Th1.

Th2 Stimulating Supplements:
Antioxidants like resveratrol, pycnogenol, curcumin from turmeric, genistein, quercetin, and green tea will stimulate Th2.

Vitamin D is increasingly being recognized for it’s importance in managing healthyTh1/Th2 balance and low vitamin D status is associated with an increased risk of Th1 mediated autoimmune diseases. It has been seen that Vitamin D deficient persons have elevated Th1 cell-associated responses and decreased Th2 cell-associated responses. The antiinflammatory effects of vitamin D are very similar to IL-10 – one o fthe most important antiinflammatory cytokines.

Fish Oil – (EPA / DHA) is highly antiinflammatory. EPA (eicosapentaenoic acid) decreases TNF-a.
EPA and DHA (docosahexaenoic acid) each decrease NK cell activity and this effect is synergistic when both EPA and DHA are used together.

References:

Seydel KB1, Li E, Swanson PE, Stanley SL Jr. Human intestinal epithelial cells produce proinflammatory cytokines in response to infection in a SCID mouse-human intestinal xenograft model of amebiasis. Infect Immun. 1997 May;65(5):1631-9

Mullins BJ1, Kicic A, Ling KM, Mead-Hunter R, Larcombe AN.
Biodiesel exhaust-induced cytotoxicity and proinflammatory mediator production in human airway epithelial cells.Environ Toxicol. 2014 Jul 5

Xiong H1, Wei L, Peng B. IL-17 stimulates the production of the inflammatory chemokines IL-6 and IL-8 in human dental pulp fibroblasts.
Int Endod J. 2014 Jul 5

Sundman E, Olofsson PS. Neural control of the immune system. Adv Physiol Educ. 2014 Jun;38(2):135-9

de Vries MA1, Klop B, Janssen HW, Njo TL, Westerman EM, Castro Cabezas M. Postprandial inflammation: targeting glucose and lipids.
Adv Exp Med Biol. 2014;824:161-70

Ciortea R1, Mihu D, Mihu CM. Association between visceral fat, IL-8 and endometrial cancer. Anticancer Res. 2014 Jan;34(1):379-83

Ali Akoum, Christine Jolicoeur, Abdelaziz Kharfi, and Marie Aubé. Decreased Expression of the Decoy Interleukin-1 Receptor Type II in Human Endometriosis. Am J Pathol. Feb 2001; 158(2): 481–489

Margherita T. Cantorna, Sanhong Yu, and Danny Bruce. The paradoxical effects of vitamin D on Type 1 mediated immunity. Mol Aspects Med. Dec 2008; 29(6): 369–375.Published online May 4, 2008. doi: 10.1016/j.mam.2008.04.004 PMCID: PMC2633636 NIHMSID: NIHMS82537

Matheu V1, Bäck O, Mondoc E, Issazadeh-Navikas S. Dual effects of vitamin D-induced alteration of TH1/TH2 cytokine expression: enhancing IgE production and decreasing airway eosinophilia in murine allergic airway disease.J Allergy Clin Immunol. 2003 Sep;112(3):585-92.

Margherita T Cantorna, Yan Zhu, Monica Froicu, and Anja Wittke. Vitamin D status, 1,25-dihydroxyvitamin D3, and the immune system1,2,3,4. 2004 American Society for Clinical Nutrition

Mukaro VR, Costabile M, Murphy KJ, Hii CS, Howe PR, Ferrante A. Leukocyte numbers and function in subjects eating n-3 enriched foods: selective depression of natural killer cell levels. Arthritis Res Ther. 2008;10(3):R57. Epub 2008 May 14.

Ferrucci L, Cherubini A, Bandinelli S, Bartali B, Corsi A, Lauretani F, Martin A, Andres-Lacueva C, Senin U, Guralnik JM. Relationship of plasma polyunsaturated fatty acids to circulating inflammatory markers. J Clin Endocrinol Metab. 2006 Feb;91(2):439-46. Epub 2005 Oct 18.

Sundrarjun T, Komindr S, Archararit N, Dahlan W, Puchaiwatananon O, Angthararak S, Udomsuppayakul U, Chuncharunee S. Effects of n-3 fatty acids on serum interleukin-6, tumour necrosis factor-alpha and soluble tumour necrosis factor receptor p55 in active rheumatoid
arthritis. J Int Med Res. 2004 Sep-Oct;32(5):443-54.

Yamashita N, Sugiyama E, Hamazaki T, Yano S.Inhibition of natural killer cell activity by eicosapentaenoic acid in vivo and in vitro.Biochem Biophys Res Commun. 1988 Jan 15;150(1):497-505.

Yamashita N, Yokoyama A, Hamazaki T, Yano S. Inhibition of natural killer cell activity of human lymphocytes by eicosapentaenoic acid. Biochem Biophys Res Commun. 1986 Aug 14;138(3):1058-67.

Yamashita N, Maruyama M, Yamazaki K, Hamazaki T, Yano S. Effect of eicosapentaenoic and docosahexaenoic acid on natural killer cell activity in human peripheral blood lymphocytes. Clin Immunol Immunopathol. 1991 Jun;59(3):335-45.

Thies F, Nebe-von-Caron G, Powell JR, Yaqoob P, Newsholme EA, Calder PC. Dietary supplementation with eicosapentaenoic acid, but not with other long-chain n-3 or n-6 polyunsaturated fatty acids, decreases natural killer cell activity in healthy subjects aged >55 y. Am J Clin Nutr. 2001 Mar;73(3):539-48.

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03/15/07

A Simplified Look At Messenger Molecules

(or… Don’t Shoot the Messenger!)

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