HealthBeat News

In This Issue:

7 Simple Ways to Decrease Your Cancer Risk. Modern science knows a lot about what causes cancer. Here are seven proven measures you can take to greatly decrease your risk.

Six- Month Study Shows Low-Carb Diet is More Effective Than Low-Fat Diet for Weight Loss. Reported April 29 in the Journal of Clinical Endocrinology and Metabolism.

Websites Worth Knowing. Both excellent AND foolish health websites abound on the Internet. Here are some of the top health and wellness websites you should know.

7 Simple Ways to Decrease Your Cancer Risk

Modern medical science knows a lot about the causes of cancer — more, in fact, than we know about its cure. “Carcinogens,” or factors that cause cancer, abound in the environment. Here are some of the leading causes of cancer that you can easily avoid to protect yourself from this disease:

Environmental exposure: cancer-causing agents are all around us; some a man-made, some naturally occurring. Evaluate your surroundings for these known cancer-causing substances:
A.) Radon: a naturally occurring, odorless gas that comes out of the ground and can infiltrate a house through the basement. If you have a basement in your home, inexpensive tests will tell you if your level is above 4 picocuries per liter (the minimum safe level). Correction is as easy as ensuring adequate ventilation. Radon causes lung cancer.
B.) Asbestos: Homes built before 1980 may have asbestos insulation. Either leave it alone or have it removed by a qualified contractor. Asbestos causes lung cancer.
C.) Workplace hazards: If you work with chemicals, including construction materials (paints, thinners, etc.), be sure to wear protective masks, gloves and other clothing. If you are unsure of your exposure, find out what chemicals you are handling and take appropriate precautions.
Water. I’ve said it before but I’ll say it again: water is a common source of carcinogens and other disease-causing contaminants. Check your water report yearly. If you use city-supplied water, ask for a water report that will be provided for free. If you use well water, have your water tested annually. Go to www.epa.gov/safewater/faq/sco.html to find a local lab for water testing. This service is inexpensive and well (!) worth the cost!
Don’t smoke! (Or chew). Cigarette smoke is associated with a LONG list of diseases, including bladder, bowel, pancreatic, cervical and uterine cancer— oh yes, and lung cancer. (See page 26 of your Holistic Health Handbook for a complete list of problems caused by exposure to tobacco smoke. Even second-hand smoke increases these risks. Stop smoking and avoid breathing second-hand smoke.
Limit sun exposure. A little sunshine is a good thing because sunlight causes natural production of vitamin D in the body. It also serves to normalize endocrine function. Too much, however, is highly associated with skin cancer, including deadly melanoma. Use a sunscreen of SPF15-30 when you are outdoors for more than 20 minutes in bright light, and use even on cloudy days and burning rays still filter through clouds. Do NOT let yourself burn and don’t aim for a “god/goddess-like” suntan!
Maintain a normal weight. Statistics released April 2003 by the American Cancer Society estimate that at least 90,000 cancer deaths annually are attributable to overweight and obesity.
Take nutritional supplements. Numerous nutrient deficiencies are associated with increased cancer risk, including vitamins A,C,D,E, beta carotene, B-1, B-2, B-6, B-12, calcium, zinc, and selenium. Since it is difficult if not impossible to obtain optimal levels of these nutrients from food, be sure to take an optimal-potency multiple vitamin/mineral supplement daily. (I recommend our Wellness Club brand, Maxi Multi, because it contains all these essential nutrients in optimal doses. Please refer to your Holistic Health Handbook or visit us online at for more information.
Eat “Super Foods.” Some foods are especially high in cancer-preventing nutrients. Be sure to include as many servings of these foods daily as you can muster! “Super Foods” include: cruciferous vegetables (broccoli, cabbage, cauliflower, brussel sprouts), garlic and onions, soy beans and soy products, flax seed (ground to a “meal”), salmon, shiitake mushrooms, lemon (especially “lemon zest,” the rind), and green tea.

Low-Carb Diet is More Effective Than Low-Fat Diet

A sixth-month study, reported in the April 29th in the Journal of Clinical Endocrinology and Metabolism, showed that women on a low-carbohydrate diet lost more weight than those on a low-fat diet even though calorie intake was similar. The low-carb group lost more weight and more body fat during the trial. No differences were noted in cholesterol, triglyceride, and insulin levels between the two groups. In other words, a low carb diet which was presumably higher in fat and cholesterol did NOT adversely affect cholesterol or other levels as some arm-chair critics have hypothesized it might.

Health Websites Worth Knowing.

Beware of many non-informative and downright incorrect health websites. Some sites appear to be government-sponsored or service-related and yet are either a waste of time, dangerous, or both. Here are some of the best health and wellness websites you should know:

www.webmd.com easy to look up disease facts, recent studies, recipes, charts, and recently published medical studies.

www.nhlisupport.com/bmi this site has an automatic calculator for Body Mass Index (BMI). Find out if you are at your healthiest weight. Also discusses the relationship of overweight to heart attack and stroke.

www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/entrez/query.fcgi More than 9 million scientific studies are published here. This is the largest database of published medical research in the world.

www.healthfinder.gov the government’s fast entry to lots of useful information. Includes diseases, screening/diagnosis, prevention, and treatment.

www.drmyattswellnessclub.com Oh, come on! You knew I had to say it! We’re one of the most authoritative holistic health websites on the ‘Net.

Saturated Fats and The Big Fat Lie

“For every complicated problem there is a solution that is simple, direct, understandable, and wrong.” — H.L. Mencken

Everybody knows that saturated fats are unhealthy, just like everybody knew once upon a time that the earth was flat. The saturated fat myth has seriously compromised the heart-health of Americans, and it’s all based on a Big Fat Lie. Here’s how this fairy tale came to be….

How Bad Science (And Urban Health Legends) Get Started

Once upon a time, not so very long ago in a place called Nebraska (where the corn grows as high as an elephant’s eye) there lived a handsome young man who was very wealthy and powerful and kept himself very fit. This young man worked hard making millions of dollars in the construction industry and he loved to eat hamburgers. Though he was a very happy young man with a fine family and a successful business, all was not well. One day the young man became very sick. He suffered a heart attack, and almost died.

The young man’s doctors were very skilled and they saved the his life, but this turn of events frightened the young man very much and he set out to discover why such a dreadful thing happened to him. He found out that his blood cholesterol was high and his doctors told him that this was the cause of his heart attack. Without questioning whether this was true or not, the young man made up his mind to ensure that this would never happen again. He set out to learn as much as he could about heart disease and cholesterol, and quickly decided that the foods he was eating were to blame for his troubles. You see, the experts at that time believed that certain kinds of fats called saturated fats would cause high blood cholesterol and dangerous buildups of a substance called plaque in peoples blood vessels. The young man listened carefully to these “experts,” and being a fine young man who wished to help others avoid the troubles that he had experienced, he decided that he would do everything in his power to make sure that saturated fats never ever harmed anyone again.

The young man wrote many letters and spent much of his own money to take out big newspaper ads telling people how they were being poisoned by saturated fats. He made a lot of people believe in the same things that he believed – that is, that saturated fats were bad and would make them sick and had no place in a healthy diet. The young man’s efforts were quite successful and many big companies were forced to change the way they cooked their foods. They stopped using the saturated fats, and began to use fats that were created especially for them by big industries in big factories. They said that these fats were healthier, and the young man was pleased.

The young man became very popular, and dedicated the rest of his life to his mission of spreading the word about “bad saturated fats” and cholesterol to all who would listen. He didn’t live happily ever after, but he did live a long life, and became known as “America’s Number One Cholesterol Fighter” before he became sick with heart failure and passed away just a few years ago.

While this sounds like a fairy tale, it really isn’t. Philip Sokolof was a handsome and wealthy young man who suffered a heart attack that was blamed on high cholesterol and who dedicated himself and his millions to becoming a self-described “amateur cardiologist” and championing the cause of removing the saturated fats that he believed caused elevated blood cholesterol levels from the American diet. While his intentions were good, his science was shaky (he was a high school graduate, not a biochemist or a doctor – much less a cardiologist) and his misguided campaign resulted in the replacement of stable, healthy saturated fats with artificially created trans fatty acids that we now know as extremely dangerous “trans fats.”

Big Business (Can You Say “Proctor and Gamble”?) Helps Promote the Sat Fat Myth

While Sokolof was largely responsible for the vilification of saturated fats in America, he was not alone. The campaign against saturated fats actually began many years earlier, and Sokolof’s efforts were going on at the same time as the efforts from other political organizations were gathering momentum. A few years prior to Sokolof’s efforts, in 1986, the American Soybean Association began a campaign protesting the importation of competing palm and coconut oils. Two years later the “watchdog” organization, the Center for Science in the Public Interest, took up the cry against saturated fats with the publication of a booklet that was later found to contain mistakes, errors of biochemistry, and erroneous statements about the fat composition of foods. This concerted campaign against saturated tropical oils paid off, and ” fats” have been considered poison ever since by mainstream medicine and nutrition “experts.”

To discover why saturated fats have been given such a bad rap we need to go a little further back into history – perhaps as far back as the riverboat days of Mark Twain, but at least to the Second World War, when Japanese forces occupied much of the south Pacific and supplies of most of the tropical oils in the US were cut off for a number of years. Americans turned to home-grown substitutes: polyunsaturated oils such as corn, peanut, cottonseed, and a product of the aforementioned American Soybean Association, soy oil. As the use of these oils grew the growers and industries involved in their production became more powerful and eager to protect their market at any cost.

At this same time, in the early 1950′s, America began to notice a sharp increase in rates of cardiovascular disease and researchers were looking for answers. A study conducted by a Russian researcher found that rabbits, fed with animal fats (cholesterol) added to their feed developed fatty deposits in their skin and other tissues, including their blood vessels. (I’ll bet those normally vegetarian bunnies wondered what they were being fed!) Another sensational study relied on autopsies of American soldiers that had died in the Korean conflict and found that many of those examined had buildups of arterial plaque – atherosclerosis. (Which surely couldn’t have had anything to do with the military diet of the day, right? Or with the popularity of cigarette smoking?) This study, which made major news at the time, overshadowed other studies of the period which showed similar degrees of atherosclerosis in populations which had less mortality from heart disease despite high fat and high meat diets, or that ate far more vegetarian diets and suffered similar degrees of atherosclerosis, and generally indicated that the thickening of the arterial walls is a natural and unavoidable process. The press took the headline-grabbing autopsy results and ran with them using their usual logic of “the rooster crows every morning, and then the sun rises: therefore, the crowing of the rooster is what makes sunrise happen!”

During the 1960′s the attack on saturated fats continued with unabated vigor: despite scientific studies showing a decided lack of benefits companies such as Mazola and Proctor and Gamble promoted their vegetable oil creations as being especially healthy, and medical journals of the day promoted Fleischman’s unsalted margarine as being especially good for patients with high blood pressure. The American Medical Association was initially skeptical of all this hype but after the American Heart Association published its dietary guidelines damning animal fats and praising vegetable oils the AMA quickly fell into line. In 1966 a little self-help book called “Your Heart Has Nine Lives” advocated the substitution of vegetable oils for butter and other so-called “artery clogging” saturated fats. This book was sponsored by makers of Mazola Corn Oil and Mazola Margarine – no surprise – and was widely and freely circulated.

And that brings us to the handsome young man with his clogged arteries. Despite volumes of evidence to the contrary, saturated fats have been the “fall guy” for coronary artery disease since the 1950′s when in fact, as early as 1956 one researcher had suggested that the increasing use of hydrogenated vegetable oils might be the underlying cause of the CAD epidemic. Unwilling to stand idly by and let profits be imperiled by such things as health or humanitarian concerns, the massive and powerful edible oil industry in the United States has obfuscated, bullied, manipulated, and outright lied to protect it’s burgeoning market share. Supporting the flawed science of Philip Sokolof and pressuring legislators to adopt the anti-saturated fat / tropical oils legislation that he promoted was just good business.

Setting the Record Straight about Sat Fats

So, just what are these so-called saturated fats, where do they come from, and what are they used for? Well, the answers to these questions might be a surprise – sat fats are not what we have been led to believe. The most exact answers to the question “what is a saturated fat?” require some tedious and complicated science, and there are varying degrees of saturation. It is easier to simply think of the properties of “hardness” of fats.

A fat that is fully “saturated” would be as hard as wax, and quite indigestible. Fats that are almost totally “unsaturated” are very liquid, easily absorbed, and not at all common in the natural food supply. This “hardness” of fats is also dependant upon temperature. Many fats are liquid when warm, and solid when cold. Butter, for example, is quite hard when refrigerated, but soft at room temperature. Animal fats such as beef fat, lard, or chicken fat, while usually called “saturated fats” are actually not so: they are mixtures of naturally occurring fats and are actually less than half “saturated.” So-called “saturated fats” include things such as cocoa butter, dairy fats (milk fats and butter for example), palm oil, and tallow. Even breast milk is high in saturated fats! Monounsaturated fats include most animal fats, olive oil, canola oil, and peanut oil. Polyunsaturated fats include corn, cotton, and soybean oils, borage and primrose oil, flax seed oil, and fish oil.

Then there are the “modified” oils: oils that have been altered through a process called “hydrogenation” to make them more useful for certain applications. Margarine is a perfect example of hydrogenation: liquid oil such as cottonseed oil or corn oil, something that humans would never eat in nature, is altered to make it more solid and hard at room temperature. Crisco is another example – the name stands for CRyStalized Cottonseed Oil. The degree of hydrogenation is varied according to the desired use of the oil. Heavily hydrogenated oils might become stick margarine, while less hydrogenated or “partially hydrogenated” oils would become “spreads” or other “food products.”

Then there are the “trans fats” that have been in the news lately. These are fats that have had their molecular geometry altered, either on purpose or accidentally, and they are with very few and minor exceptions, not found in nature. Trans fats, when eaten by humans, tend to have some very bad effects on our bodies as they enter our cells and change how the cell walls function. Effects of trans fats in humans (and animals too) range from unfavorable changes in cholesterol levels to causing blood to become more “sticky”, to reduced ability to utilize insulin and increased blood sugar levels and increased weight, to alterations in hormone balances, and more. Trans fats are really only a very small step away from polyunsaturated fats – many polyunsaturated fats can be turned “trans” simply by heating them too much in cooking!

So, what does all this mean in more practical terms? It means that we must choose our fats carefully, and use them wisely. It means that we must cautiously weigh the claimed benefits of the vegetable-based hydrogenated “designer fats” that are so very commonplace in our modern “fast foods / prepared foods” diet against the known benefits of those traditional and natural fats that have been a part of mankind’s diet for millions of years.

We humans have evolved over the millennia as creatures that are well-adapted to, and in fact require, animal fats and proteins in our diets for optimal health – the claims of the vegetarian and vegan folks notwithstanding. Indeed, our very first meal, at our mother’s breast, supplied us with a high energy drink that gave our tiny bodies the cholesterol needed for development, and a special fat called Lauric Acid. This Lauric Acid, which is also found in the now-vilified tropical oils coconut oil and palm kernel oil has very strong antifungal and antibacterial properties and helps our tiny infant bodies develop strong immune systems. We are very well equipped to utilize fatty acids in the form of saturated fats such as dairy fats, and monounsaturated fats such as animal fats and olive oil. It is only with the advent of modern industrial processes that polyunsaturated fats such as corn and soybean oils have been available for our consumption – though fish oils (a form of polyunsaturated animal fat) have historically been considered to be healthy.

Why You Should Eat Butter and Lard

Butter, as another example, has a far healthier composition as a saturated fat than the synthesized creations that are the various margarines. Being a combination of saturated, monounsaturated, and polyunsaturated fats it is not as “stable” as margarine – that is, it will turn rancid (a form of turning “trans”) if not refrigerated. But then, who would eat rancid butter? It also contains a variety of health-giving vitamins, minerals, and other nutrients.

Does anyone remember the jar of bacon grease that was a fixture in every kitchen before the days of “spray-on” cooking oils, non-stick fry pans and fat-phobia? My mother carefully saved the grease from the morning bacon, and it was used to cook all sorts of wonderful things, from our morning eggs to delectable entrees and even desserts. We keep a jar of bacon grease in our own kitchen – it is far healthier than the canola oil and soy lecithin and “propellants” (your guess?) that are in our can of “no stick cooking spray.”

Then there is our obsession with “vegetable oils” as found in the aforementioned Crisco shortening. It is interesting to note that Proctor and Gamble, perhaps seeing the writing on the wall, or perhaps in a belated fit of conscience, has sold off the Crisco name and product. This “all vegetable oil” creation, once made from cottonseed oil, is now made from canola oil which must be hydrogenated (as was the cottonseed oil) to make it semi-solid. Smuckers, the new owners of Crisco, claims “Our entire line of Crisco Shortening products have been reformulated to contain zero grams trans fat per serving”. Can anyone reading this remember the days when lard was used? All-natural, no-trans-fat lard that made such wonderfully fluffy pastries and flaky pie crusts? Do we really think that humans are well-equipped to consume the kinds of oils that require bushels of rape seed or corn or soybeans per gallon to produce? Any more than we might be equipped to consume petroleum oils – no matter how they are “modified”?

Just like our handsome young man who made it his life’s mission to vilify healthful fats, we live in a fairy-tale world where we are led to believe that with a little help from chemistry and science we can fool mother nature into allowing us to consume “food products” that our bodies were never intended to have to deal with. Unfortunately, life in that fairy tale world is having very real and very serious consequences for Americans and people around the world who are buying into the anti-sat-fat fantasy being promoted by the vegetable oils industry. We are gambling our health and our lives and our future on a grand industrial experiment, and it is paying off with increasing rates of heart disease, cancer, diabetes, obesity, and more.

At the beginning of the last century, most of the fats in our forefathers diet were either saturated or monounsaturated, mostly from butter, lard, tallow, coconut oil and small amounts of olive oil. Today most of the fats in our diet are polyunsaturated from vegetable oils mostly from soy, as well as from corn, safflower and canola. Before 1920 coronary heart disease was a rarity in America, causing no more than 10% of all deaths. Today heart disease accounts for at least 40% of all deaths. Is there a connection? We believe there is, and a growing body of scientists, researchers, and health care professionals is beginning to stand up to the politically correct diet dogma that is dictating low fat diets and vegetable fats instead of animal or tropical fats. For a historically interesting end to this article we go back to 1956 when Dr. Dudley White, in a television interview, noted that heart disease in the form of myocardial infarction (heart attack) was almost nonexistent in 1900 when egg consumption was three times what it was in 1956 and when corn oil was unavailable. When pressed to support the low-fat, vegetable oil based “Prudent Diet”, Dr. White replied: “See here, I began my practice as a cardiologist in 1921 and I never saw an MI patent until 1928. Back in the MI free days before 1920, the fats were butter and lard and I think that we would all benefit from the kind of diet that we had at a time when no one had ever heard the word corn oil.”

Former surgeon general Dr. C. Everett Koop even said, during congressional hearings in 1988: “the coconut scare is foolishness. . . To get the word to commercial interests terrorizing the public about nothing is another matter.” Could it be that it is time to turn away from the dangerous designer oils and fats of Big Industry and return to the animal and tropical fats that served our ancestors so well? We think it is!

Finally, let’s look briefly at this current medical fad that demands that we reduce cholesterol levels in our bloodstream to the lowest possible levels. Remember, cholesterol is essential to life; so essential that your liver will make it “de novo” – from new – if your body senses that it doesn’t have enough of this precious material. Even conventional medicine, in the form of The Framingham Report – the oldest, longest, and biggest study into heart disease in history – determined that when total serum cholesterol is reduced below 160 the risk of heart disease actually increases. Even more interestingly, the Director of The Framingham Study, Dr. William Castelli said in the July 1992 issue of the Archives of Internal Medicine “At Framingham, we found that the people who ate the most saturated fat, the most cholesterol and the most calories weighed the least, were more physically active and had the lowest serum cholesterol levels.” We can only imagine the dismay that this information must have cause for Philip Sokolof; he must have been aware of it as it was published over a decade before his death. Nevertheless, Sokolof persisted in his efforts to vilify saturated fats and remove cholesterol from the American diet and we can only guess as to why he would continue these efforts in the face of research showing them to be wrong, even harmful. Was he simply too stubborn to accept the facts that proved him wrong, or was he too fully caught up in the whirlwind of Big Politics, Big Industry, Big Agriculture, and Big Pharmacy to be able to change? We’ll never know…

References
1.) Sokolof article http://www.cbsnews.com/stories/2003/11/26/health/main585849.shtml
2.) Sokolof death http://www.blogofdeath.com/archives/000902.html
3.) D Groom, “Population Studies of Atherosclerosis,” Annals of Int Med , July 1961, 55:1:51-62; W F Enos, et al, “Pathogenesis of Coronary Disease in American Soldiers Killed in Korea,” JAMA , 1955, 158:912
4.) “Hydrogenated vegetable oils might be the underlying cause of the CAD epidemic”
A Keys, “Diet and Development of Coronary Heart Disease,” J Chron Dis, Oct 1956, 4(4):364-380
5.) Excerpt from “The Coconut Diet: The Secret Ingredient That Helps You Lose Weight While You Eat Your Favorite Foods” by Cherie Calbom http://www.enotalone.com/article/3242.html
6.) http://easydiagnosis.com/articles/oiling.html “The Oiling of America” by Enig and Fallon – many rerferences following this 4 part series.
7.) http://www.westonaprice.org/knowyourfats/skinny.html#lipid
The Weston A Price Society Enig & Fallon article “The Skinny on Fats”
8.) Framingham Study reports re: total cholesterol <160:
“There is a direct association between falling cholesterol levels over the first 14 years and mortality over the following 18 years” (11% overall and 14% CVD death rate increase per 1 mg/dL per year drop in cholesterol levels). Anderson KM JAMA 1987
9.) The Honolulu Heart Study:
“Our data accord with previous findings of increased mortality in elderly people with low serum cholesterol, and show that long-term persistence of low cholesterol concentration actually increases the risk of death. Thus, the earlier that patients start to have lower cholesterol concentrations, the greater the risk of death.” Lancet Aug 2001.

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Maxi Marine O-3 (120 softgels) Temporary Product Substitute

High Potency Enteric Coated Ultra-Pure Essential Fatty Acids From Norwegian Arctic-Harvested Fish

July 2024: Many supplements have recently become extremely difficult to obtain. Dr. Myatt’s own special formulation of MaxiMarine O-3 is one of those supplements.

Fortunately, Dr. Myatt has been able to source a substitute product that meets her quality and purity standards.

Ultra Omega-3 provides 500mg EPA and 250mg DHA per softgel capsule and comes in a bottle of 180 softgel capsules.

Maxi Marine O-3 is an ultra-pure, ultra-high potency fish oil from anchovies and sardines harvested in pristine Norwegian Arctic waters. Purity is further assured by molecular distillation and every batch is verified by an independent third-party lab to be free of PCB’s, heavy metals and pesticides. Vitamin E (mixed tocopherols) is added to maintain maximum freshness and enteric coating ensures no “fishy” after-taste.

EPA and DHA, the “active ingredients” in fish oil, are long-chain Omega-3 Essential Fatty Acids that differ from short-chain Omega-3’s found in plant sources. EPA and DHA are beneficial for Cardiovascular (Heart) Health, Alzheimer’s Disease and other Dementias, Mental Health, Child Development, Attention-Deficit Disorders and Social/Cognitive Development, Diabetes, Inflammatory Diseases (rheumatoid arthritis, IBS/Crohn’s, asthma, infertility, etc.) and Cancer.

EPA/DHA (which occur together in fish oils) have numerous studies supporting their antiinflammatory properties and use in multiple hyper-inflammatory and autoimmune states. (14-24) EPA and DHA decrease NK cell activity (14,24-29), and this effect is synergistic when both EPA and DHA are used together.(18,28). EPA, but not ALA, also decreases TNF-alpha.(23-25).

While ALA (flax oil) has some similar benefits, it must be taken in significantly higher doses because ultimately the anti-inflammatory effect is seen when ALA is converted to EPA, as follows:

ALA (flax oil) >>> SDA (stearidonic acid) >>> EPA (fish oil) >>> Prostaglandin E3

An estimated 0.07% of ALA is converted to EPA in healthy people (30,31), but the conversion rate may be less when the delta-6-desaturase (d6d) enzyme is underfunctioning or when there is high competition from dietary Omega-6’s (both use the d6d enzyme). Assuming that converting enzymes are normal in a fertility clinic patient, a dose comparison would be 14 grams of flax oil vs. 1 grams of fish oil.

Studies have shown that ALA increases EPA but not DHA.(31) Some studies have shown that ALA does not reduce inflammatory markers (23,29). For these reasons, fish oil is preferrable to flax oil for raising EPA/DHA levels (33).

Several very informative pages about fish oil is found at the US Government website Medline. These pagse, from the NIH (National Institutes of Health) have an extensive list of uses and dosages with full references at these links:

Mayo Clinic also has a very informative webpage with dosing information: http://www.mayoclinic.org/drugs-supplements/omega-3-fatty-acids-fish-oil-alpha-linolenic-acid/dosing/hrb-20059372

Maxi Marine O3 (Fish Oil) and it’s use in CHF (Congestive Heart Failure):

http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/8733172
“…Fish oil may decrease cardiac afterload by an antivasopressor action and by reducing blood viscosity, may reduce arrhythmic risk despite supporting the heart’s beta-adrenergic responsiveness, may decrease fibrotic cardiac remodeling by impeding the action of angiotensin II and, in patients with coronary disease, may reduce the risk of atherothrombotic ischemic complications. Since the measures recommended here are nutritional and carry little if any toxic risk, there is no reason why their joint application should not be studied as a comprehensive nutritional therapy for congestive heart failure. …”

Suggested Use: Adults take one or two capsules daily with meals or more if directed by your health care provider.

Please note that the EPA/DHA content of Maxi Marine O-3 (700mg total) is two and a half times more concentrated than most fish oils.

Dr. Myatt’s Comment:
Fish oil can be taken as an OTC supplement like Maxi Marine O3 or prescribed as an exorbitantly expensive “drug” Lovaza: http://www.lovaza.com/. The “drug” Lovaza costs about $200/month compared to around $20/month for Maxi Marine O3. The Rx. version is only slightly more potent than the OTC; there is no other “magic” about it.

Marine Lipid Concentrate: 1000mg – which provides:
EPA (eicosapentaenoic acid) 420mg
DHA (docosahexaenoic acid) 280mg

Because Maxi Marine is so concentrated it is a much more economical choice for those using higher doses of these important oils. Our regular brand of Ultra-Pure Fish Oil costs approximately 67 cents per gram while our higher-potency Maxi Marine O-3 is only 58 cents per gram. Higher potency means fewer capsules per day, representing significant cost savings.

STORAGE: Store in a cool place and keep out of reach of children.

Contains No wheat, gluten, corn protein, yeast, dairy, artificial colors, sweeteners or preservatives.

Product # N311 – Maxi Marine O3 – 120 softgels – $54.95

Enter Quantity Desired and Click “Add To Cart” Button

References:

14.) 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.
CONCLUSION: The data show that regular long-term consumption of n-3 enriched foods leads to lower numbers of NK cells and neutrophil iodination activity but higher lymphotoxin production by lymphocytes. These changes are consistent with decreased inflammatory reaction and tissue damage seen in patients with inflammatory disorders receiving n-3 LCPUFA supplementation.

15.) Calder PC. Dietary modification of inflammation with lipids. Proc Nutr Soc. 2002 Aug;61(3):345-58. CONCLUSION: EPA is anti-inflammatory

16.) Calder PC. N-3 polyunsaturated fatty acids and inflammation: from molecular biology to the clinic. Lipids. 2003 Apr;38(4):343-52. CONCLUSION: EPA is anti-inflammatory

17.) Simopoulos AP. Omega-3 fatty acids in inflammation and autoimmune diseases. J Am Coll Nutr. 2002 Dec;21(6):495-505.
CONCLUSION: Fish oil more biologically active than ALA; anti-inflammatory properties; useful in RA and MS among others

18.) Calder PC. Session 3: Joint Nutrition Society and Irish Nutrition and Dietetic Institute Symposium on ‘Nutrition and autoimmune disease’ PUFA, inflammatory processes and rheumatoid arthritis. Proc Nutr Soc. 2008 Nov;67(4):409-18.
CONCLUSION: fish oil (both EPA and DHA) are anti-inflammatory

19.) Rupp H, Wagner D, Rupp T, Schulte LM, Maisch B. Risk stratification by the “EPA+DHA level” and the “EPA/AA ratio” focus on anti-inflammatory and antiarrhythmogenic effects of long-chain omega-3 fatty acids. Herz. 2004 Nov;29(7):673-85.
CONCLUSION: DOSE:2-4 g/day of 84% EPA+DHA ethyl esters for anti-inflammatory effects

20.) Cleland LG, Caughey GE, James MJ, Proudman SM. Reduction of cardiovascular risk factors with longterm fish oil treatment in early rheumatoid arthritis.J Rheumatol. 2006 Oct;33(10):1973-9. Epub 2006 Aug 1.
CONCLUSION: anti-inflammatory effects of fish oil in RA patients; also reduced NSAID use with fish oil

21.) Cleland LG, James MJ, Proudman SM. The role of fish oils in the treatment of rheumatoid arthritis. Drugs. 2003;63(9):845-53. CONCLUSION: fish oil anti-inflammatory in RA

22.) Kremer JM, Lawrence DA, Petrillo GF, Litts LL, Mullaly PM, Rynes RI, Stocker RP, Parhami N, Greenstein NS, Fuchs BR, et al. Effects of high-dose fish oil on rheumatoid arthritis after stopping nonsteroidal antiinflammatory drugs. Clinical and immune correlates. Arthritis Rheum. 1995 Aug;38(8):1107-14. CONCLUSION: Fish oil anti-inflammatory in RA

23.) Pischon T, Hankinson SE, Hotamisligil GS, Rifai N, Willett WC, Rimm EB. Habitual dietary intake of n-3 and n-6 fatty acids in relation to inflammatory markers among US men and women. Circulation. 2003 Jul 15;108(2):155-60. Epub 2003 Jun 23. CONCLUSION: Fish oil but not ALA associated with decreased inflammatory markers; Fish oil decreased TNF

24.) 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. CONCLUSION: Higher EFA’s accociated with lower inflammatory markers; n-3 lowers TNF-alpha and inflammation

25.) 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. CONCLUSION: Fish oil decreaases TNF-alpha, soluble tumour necrosis factor receptor p55 (sTNF-R p55), CPR and I-6 in RA patients

26.) 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. CONCLUSION: EPA decreases NK activity

27.) 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. CONCLUSION: EPA decreases NK activity

28) 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.
CONCLUSION: EPA and DHA both inhibit NK cell activity; the effect is greater (synergistic) when both are used together

29.) 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. CONCLUSION: NK cell activity was not significantly affected by the placebo, ALA, GLA, AA, or DHA treatment. Fish oil caused a significant reduction (mean decline: 48%) in NK cell activity that was fully reversed by 4 wk after supplementation had ceased. CONCLUSION: A moderate amount of EPA but not of other n-6 or n-3 polyunsaturated fatty acids can decrease NK cell activity in healthy subjects.” DOSE: 1 g EPA plus DHA (720 mg EPA + 280 mg DHA) daily

30.) James MJ, Ursin VM, Cleland LG. Metabolism of stearidonic acid in human subjects: comparison with the metabolism of other n-3 fatty acids. Am J Clin Nutr. 2003 May;77(5):1140-5. CONCLUSION: increases of EPA from various sources was 1:0.3:0.07 for EPA:SDA:ALA.

31.) Wallace FA, Miles EA, Calder PC. Comparison of the effects of linseed oil and different doses of fish oil on mononuclear cell function in healthy human subjects. Br J Nutr. 2003 May;89(5):679-89. CONCLUSION: ALA increases EPA but not DHA; higher dose needed

32.) Arterburn LM, Hall EB, Oken H. Distribution, interconversion, and dose response of n-3 fatty acids in humans. Am J Clin Nutr. 2006 Jun;83(6 Suppl):1467S-1476S. CONCLUSION: ALA not well-converted to EPA and DHA; DOSE: DHA 2 g/day for maximal tissue response

33.) Young GS, Conquer JA, Thomas R. Effect of randomized supplementation with high dose olive, flax or fish oil on serum phospholipid fatty acid levels in adults with attention deficit hyperactivity disorder. Reprod Nutr Dev. 2005 Sep-Oct;45(5):549-58. CONCLUSION: fish oil prefferable to flax oil for raising EPA/DHA levels and decreasing AA/EPA ratios

HealthBeat Newsletter Back Issues

12/20/07 What’s Old Is New Again – Can You Say “Chia Pet?”

What’s Old Is New Again – Can You Say “Chia Pet?”
Fiber: Longevity Secret and More
More Questions About L-5-HTP and Paxil
Laughter is the best medicine: Age and Experience Beats Youth and Enthusiasm…

12/14/07 Where We Draw The Line On “Free Advice”

“Hot Flashes” from this Week’s Conventional Medical Journals
A Fitness Resource That We Use – And You Can Too!
Some Thoughts Regarding “Free Medical Advice” – A Nurse Mark Rant…
“But I really Miss Mashed Potatoes…” Our Secret Cauli-tato Recipe
Laughter is the best medicine: More Of The “Lowest Form Of Humor”…

12/07/07 Dr. Myatt’s Christmas Gift Ideas And Suggestions

Dr. Myatt’s Christmas Gift Ideas and suggestions
Laughter is the best medicine: Remembering Hollywood Squares

11/30/07 Mustard Plasters And A Grandmother’s Dilemma

Mustard Plasters And A Grandmother’s Dilemma
And Another Mustard Plaster Success Story
What About The “Good Sugars?”
What are “ketones” and “ketosis?” Isn’t Ketosis dangerous?
L5HTP vs Paxil vs St. Johns Wort: Which to use?
Laughter is the best medicine: 11 people on a rope…

11/19/07 Pneumonia – Deadly But Preventable – Here’s How:

Pneumonia – Deadly But Preventable – Here’s How:
Mom Wishmeyer’s Good Old-Fashioned Mustard Plaster For Chest Infections.
Common Sense For Colds And Flu…
We Get Letters: Peanut Oil And Label Claims – How To Know What’s What?
We get letters: When Will The Super Fast Diet Be Available In A “Paper Book?”
Laughter is Good Medicine: Test for Dementia

11/02/07 Special “Heart Health Report” Edition

Special “Heart Health Report” – Heart Attack and Stroke – what are your real risks?
Dave Checks in – What to do for shingles?
Laughter is the best medicine: From the kids…

10/26/07 Flu and Cold Season Is Coming – Get Natural Protection and Relief!

“Where Was My HealthBeat Last Week!?!” The Techno-Gremlins Ate It…
Flu and Cold Season Is Coming – But There Is Natural Relief!
Dr. Myatt’s Mighty Herbal First Aid Kit – For Colds and Flu Too!
Don’t Forget – Dr. Myatt Has A Crazy “No-Flu” money-back Guarantee!
Surprise And Disappointment – It Seems Everyone Figures Someone Else Will Do It…
Laughter is Good Medicine: A Skeletal Bit of Humor

10/12/07 HealthyTroops.com – What’s It All About?

HealthyTroops.com – What’s It All About?
We Get Letters – Complete With Lab Results…
We Get Letters – And Compliments!
Recent News From The FDA – “Power To The People!” NOT!
Laughter is Good Medicine: The Times, They Are A-Changin’

10/05/07 The Wellness Club Supports America’s Military Men and Women: HealthyTroops.com Goes Live!

Wellness Club Launches HealthyTroops.com
It’s Finally Here! The Wellness Club Website Has Had A Make-Over!
Seems The New Website Is A Hit! (With most folks, at least…)
Will the REAL Naturopathic Medical Doctor Please Stand Up?
Laughter is Good Medicine: Anger Management

09/27/07 It’s Finally Here! The Wellness Club Website Has Had A Make-Over!

It’s Finally Here! The Wellness Club Website Has Had A Make-Over!
Optimist or Pessimist — Does It Really Matter To Health?
What I Admire About My European Patients
A Lesson In How To Get Your Research Funded (And Your Salary Paid): A Look Behind The Scenes
Got Cancer? Two Reasons You Have My Deep Sympathy
We Get Questions: What Oil To Cook With?
Laughter is Good Medicine: Remembering Red Skelton

09/20/07 Rooster’s Crowing Is Determined Responsible For Sunrise – Learn More!

Something Wonderful Is Getting Ready To Happen At The Wellness Club!
The Problem With Research Article Abstracts – Or, How The Rooster Crows To Make The Sun Rise…
CT Scans And Radiation Risks In Children – Is It Really Worth It?
Phlebitis / Thrombophlebitis – A Dangerous Condition Much In The News Of Late
Some Fun With Politics
Laughter is Good Medicine: Some Truly Useful Information This Week – Conversion Units

09/13/07 Rheumatoid Arthritis – it’s a hopeless diagnosis, right? Not Here It Isn’t!

Extreme Sports, Nutrition, Vitamins, And Immunity – A conversation with my car mechanic got me to thinking and researching…
Lung Disease In A Bag: Why do insist on exposing ourselves to these toxic chemicals?
Patent Drugs: Prescription For Problems:
Ginkgo Biloba and Longevity
A New HealthBeat Feature: Readers Rants!
We Get Questions: A potpourri this week…
We Get Questions: Rheumatoid Arthritis – it’s a hopeless diagnosis, right?
Laughter is Good Medicine: Some Zen sarcasm…

09/06/07 The Flu Can Be a Brutal Enemy. Are You Relying on a Flu Shot Alone to Protect You? And How About A Money-Back Good Health Guarantee?

3 Steps to A Natural Facelift – A More Youthful Appearance without Botox Or Surgery!
Cancer In a Can – Are You Really Still Drinking This Stuff?!?
More Great News For Grape Fans – Study Shows Prostate Cancer Benefit…
Green Tea Gets A Boost – Yet Another Study Shows It Stops Colon Cancer Tumors…
The Flu Can Be a Brutal Enemy. Are You Relying on a Flu Shot Alone to Protect You? And How About A Money-Back Good Health Guarantee?
We Get Questions: Seizures In Children…
We Get Questions: Hip Problems, Fosamax, Osteoporosis – And “Everything Hurts” For This One Senior – So, What To Do?
Laughter is Good Medicine: Simple Truths And Knowledge From Our Canine Friends

8/30/07 Surgical Dilemmas, Bad Knees, Infertility, And “Drug To Normalization”! A Potpourri Of Problems…

Damned If You Do, Damned If You Don’t! The dilemma of Big Surgery
Dave, With The “Bum Knees” Checks Back In… It still hurts – even after Big Surgery!
Fibroids, Fertility, and Working For Free… We get questions!
News Reports, Political Correctness, drugs, and Guns – One thing leads to another…
Kennedy, Roberts, and Burr – Meddling With Your Health Freedom Again…
Laughter is Good Medicine: The Latest In Diagnostic Technology, brought to you by Dr. Myatt!

08/23/07 Sugar More Addictive Than Cocaine According To New Research!

Yet More Good Reasons To Stop The Pop Habit – Metabolic Syndrome And Addiction
This week’s FDA “Warnings”…
The FDA Is “At It Again”… Keeping Us Safe From Mother Nature
We Get Letters I – Comments and Questions…
We Get Letters II – Readers Ask Medical Questions…
Laughter is Good Medicine: Kids Say The Darndest Things – Part 2

08/16/07 Poisons Lurking In Common Plastic Items

Vitamins: What You Should be Taking, and Why
Readers Question Of The Week: What Dangers Lurk In Plastic?
US Ranks 42nd In World For Life Expectancy – What The Heck Is Wrong Here?
AstraZenca Profits Take Hit In Prilosec Heart Attack Scare
Problems with Diabetes Drugs continue
We Get Questions…
Laughter is Good Medicine: Kids Say The Darndest Things!

08/09/07 Got Mercury Amalgam Fillings? You Gotta See This Video!

Yet More Good News For Vitamin D!
Dr. Myatt’s Super Shake recipes
Alzheimer’s, Heartburn, Or Neither: What’s Your Pleasure?
Still have “Silver Fillings” in your teeth? You won’t want to after seeing this!
We Get Letters I – What Natural Treatments Are Available For MS?
We Get Letters II – Readers Ask Us Medical Questions…
Laughter is Good Medicine: “Pirates Of The West” stealing from Nature…

08/02/07 Detox Your Way To Better Health With Colon Cleansing

How To Have A Healthy Bowel – And A Healthy Body…
FDA Updates: “And The Beat Goes On…”
We Get Letters: Insurance Companies Out Of Control – And Something That You Can Do About It…
We Get Letters II – Readers Ask Us Medical Questions…
Laughter is Good Medicine: Wisdom From One Of Our Readers…

07/26/07 The Most Dangerous Food You Can Eat!

10 Dangers of Carbohydrates – Carbs are NOT your friend!
Fungus, Yeasts and Molds: Hidden Cause of Many “Unexplained” Diseases
Those Not So Golden Years… and the story of a nice little truck.
Raw Almonds No More! Your Government, Hard At Work Protecting You…
Laughter is Good Medicine: Like it or not, a Compendium of Puntifications

07/18/07 Why Aerobic Exercise is a Waste of Time

Why Aerobic Exercise is a Waste of Time (Dr. Dana Myatt)
Strontium: The Missing Mineral for Osteoporosis Prevention and Reversal
FDA Tyranny Now Law: TWO Low Blows For Health Freedom and What It Will Mean to You
Ask Dr. Myatt: Is Ostaderm Safe for Hot Flashes in a Woman on Breast Cancer Medication?
Laughter is Good Medicine: The Death of Common Sense

07/12/07

Political and News Snippets: USDA Extends Public Comment Period For Organic Labeling Standards, FDA rebuffs call for probe into the safety of chemical sweetener Aspartame, U.S. judge levies damages in drug pricing case, and British Big Pharma takes British Gov’t to court – to protect obscene profits.
A Surprising Essay On The Need To Take Supplements – from a highly respected conventional doctor…
“Cat Scratch Fever” – What Is It, And How To Treat It? Dr. Myatt tells all...
Legislative Good News! Your efforts and hard work get results!
Men: Is Your Water Turning You Into a “Girlie-Man”? Nurse Mark provides some disturbing information about your drinking water, and tells you what you can do about it…
Laughter Is The Best Medicine: Why do we get all those forwarded jokes in our e-mail anyway? This touching little story might help explain…

07/05/07

Neurological Disease: What You’re NOT Going To Hear From Your Conventional Doctor. You’ll NEVER hear any of this from your conventional medical doctor, for at least two reasons. First, there are no known cures for neurological diseases in conventional medicine. In fact, even our symptomatic treatments are fairly lame. Secondly, when a doctor does have information about a “non standard” (read that: “not conventional medicine”) approach, he or she could lose their medical license by telling you about it. So don’t be disappointed if your conventional medical doctor, no matter how good or well-respected, doesn’t have much hope to offer. That’s conventional medicine. If I found out tomorrow that I had a neurological disease, here are the steps I would take right away: Read the rest of Dr. Myatt’s article here…
Freedom – Ours to Keep or Lose. As the Founding Fathers knew, the way we remain free as individuals is because we each have a voice and a vote. If we fail to exercise our freedom to speak and to elect our officials, then we get the government we deserve. That is why I continually encourage you to be pro-active. It’s the only way we can continue to enjoy the freedoms that we do, health freedom included. Read the rest of Dr. Myatt’s article here:
The FDA’s Road Map to End Dietary Supplements. This document frightens me for the future of America’s access to nutritional supplements – In this document the FDA has laid out a very precise 3-year plan to decimate the nutritional supplement industry, reduce the availability of nutritional supplements to Americans, and to radically increase the price of those nutritional supplements that remain. Read the rest of Nurse Mark’s article here:
Mother Was Right: Drink Your Vegetables! “A French team now reports that diets rich in flavonoids – the antioxidant compounds in fruit, vegetables, coffee, tea, and chocolate – could reduce the decline in mental function associated with aging.” Following on Dr. Myatt’s article “Vitaminless Vegetables: the New Nutrient Deficiency” this article details important new proof of the value of veggies and fruits. Read this Craig Weatherby article here:
Letters: Mangosteen Juice – Hip or Hype? And “Dave” checks back in… Find out if this new MLM marvel is for real – Dr. Myatt shares her thoughts about Mangosteen. And, some updates on “Dave” as he works his way to better health – in his letters with Nurse Mark. Read it all here:
Laughter Really Is Good Medicine. Our readers like to share funnies with us – and this one makes you wonder: does all that healthy living really make you live longer, or does it just make it feel like longer? Read on…

06/26/07

The Mistakes People Make With Supplements – Some folks are sabotaging their own good health by making these all-too-common mistakes – are you one of them?
Echinacea – Is It A Weed Or A Wonder-Drug?The news has been busy with a recent report on this traditional herb – why? Haven’t “they” been telling us for years that it’s bogus?
Access To DHEA At Risk – AGAIN! DHEA, the “Master Hormone” is “Under The Gun” yet again with these two new/old bills…
Finalized FDA Rules Announced: The FDA is telling us how they’ll be dealing with supplement manufacturers with these new rules – will they help us or hurt us?
We Get Letters: A quick round of Q & A this week – on subjects we deal with often…
Laughter Is The Best Medicine: C’mon, there have to be some benefits to growing older…

06/21/07

Rejuvenate Your Heart In 9 Simple Steps: Contrary to what many people believe, a weak and failing heart is not an inevitable part of aging. With proper care, the human heart is good for 100+ years of service. By following these simple, proven, protective measures, you can lower your risk of heart disease to that of a 20-year-old. Your heart is a very forgiving organ and can be rejuvenated. Here’s how.
Vitamin D’s Anti-Cancer Potential Affirmed … Again.
Wanting A Body To Die For: what lengths will people go to for weight loss, and what risks will Big Pharma subject us to for profits? Read on to find out…
“Muscle Creams” Cause Death Of Young Athlete and we are treated to the “ol’ Double Standard” again. Not a peep from the FDA on this one…
We Get Letters: “Jane” from a few issues ago wroteback to say she asked her doctor about her drug – and her doctor responded by… read on to find out this doctor’s brilliant solution to her concerns…
Crime Doesn’t Pay ‘Round These Parts: Meet Sheriff Joe Arpaio – “America’s Toughest Sheriff” – No-one wants to go back to his jail… This will make you smile or frown – you decide…

06/14/07

Prescription Drugs In Your Drinking Water You are taking your neighbors drugs whether you like it or not! Read on to learn more, and find out how to protect yourself…
Vitamin D Cuts Cancer Risk By An Amazing 77%You won’t hear it from the American Cancer Society or the AMA or the FDA! Find out more about this latest research…
We Get Letters The American Cancer Society says the War On Cancer has been won! Do you believe it? We don’t, and neither does this savvy reader…
Upcoming Bill Strengthens FDA Power To Ban SupplementsThere are smokescreens being laid to keep us diverted from this threat to our health freedoms – read, learn, and act now!
The Decay Of Organic FoodsNo, the food isn’t rotting, but the standards are, under new USDA rules allowing non-organic ingredients in organic labeled foods…
Laughter – Not a funny this week, but a heartwarming story and a lesson for us of love and tolerance from our furry friends…

06/09/07

Poisonous Pop: Is that soda pop a harmless treat or a toxic brew? Read on to learn about the deadly poisons present in soda pop…
The Double Standards In Medical Research And Reporting: Why do toxic drugs that work poorly at best get better press than natural and traditional treatments with long histories of safety and success? Find out more…
Supplements and Drugs: Can they be safely mixed? We get letters – read on to learn the answer to this question…
Deadly Chinese Junk: Are the Chinese intentionally poisoning us and our children and our pets, or do they just not care about anything but our money? Read on to find out…
Grapes And Dogs: Are the treats you feed your pets really good for them?
Laughter: Dog Funnies just seemed appropriate this week…

06/02/07

5 Proven Ways to Slow Senile Dementia and Alzheimer’s: Those “Golden Years” can be tarnished with a decline in mental abilities and memory loss. But it needn’t be so! A mind is a terrible thing to waste… Read on to learn what you can do.
“Dave’s” Saga Continues: Learn what happens when conventional medicine runs out of ideas and resorts to throwing drugs at a problem…
The Chinese Solution To FDA Corruption: It seems the Chinese are serious about cleaning up corruption – Deadly serious…
Can Arsenic Cure Cancer? It can if it is in the form of a patent medicine. It seems that an ancient Chinese remedy has been “rediscovered” by western medicine… and patented!
Is That MRI Really Safe? Maybe, or maybe not – so you better see this FDA warning…
Laughter: Is the pun really “the lowest form of humor”? This obituary might help you decide…

05/25/07

Seven More Surprising Health Benefits of Fish Oil: Omega-3 fatty acids as found in fish oil continues to show its worth in conventional medical studies. Here are some of the newest research reports on Omega-3 fatty acids, taken directly from recent medical journals…
Introducing The New Surgeon General: Bush announces his pick for top doc…
Recent Drug Recalls and Safety Alerts: A selection of recent drug disasters compiled by Dr. Myatt.
The FDA’s CAM Guidelines: On Again, Off Again… you can give the FDA a piece of your mind here…
We Get Questions: Does Your Stuff Come From China?
We Get Questions: How Can I Fix My Bum Knee Quick?
Laughter: Who Really Runs The Show In Your Local Hospital? Find out here…

05/15/07

7 Simple Ways to Decrease Your Cancer Risk: Find out how to safeguard yourself and your family…
Policosanol Goes Down in Flames: Once touted as a breakthrough, this substance turns out to be a bust…
New Math: What are you really worth to Big Pharma?
Trans Fats: The new regulations are making them a thing of the past – or are they?
Macular Degeneration:An NIH study says that Omega-3 and Vitamin D can help
Laughter: Why is it that some doctors think they are so special?

05/10/07

What’s Burning You?Yes, you’ve got heartburn – but maybe not for the reasons that you think! Big Pharma and the Medical Mafia have hoodwinked you again – find out what you can do about it. Read about the simple test you can do at home…
Washington Updates: What matters more to your senator – money or your health and freedom? You’ve been sold out – read more…
Counterfeit Drugs: The FDA is warning us about them, but who is responsible? Nurse Mark shares his opinions…
Obscene Profits are what it’s all about – analysis and opinion by Nurse Mark…
Mother’s Day is coming: And just where do you think you would be without your mother…
Laughter: Growing older ain’t for sissies – so you might as well laugh about it…

05/05/07 Political Activism Pays Off!

04/21/07 FDA To Regulate Healthy Foods as Drugs 04/30/07

04/06/07 Are GMO Foods Safe to Eat?

03/22/07

03/15/07

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

03/02/07 Killer Vitamins: Doctors of Spin Are At It Again

2/23/07 Sinister Things Afoot in US Medicine

02/15/07 LDL Cholesterol: Another Big Fat Lie

02/08/07 Valentine’s Day Special: Heart-Healthy Issue

02/02/2007 Senile Dementia Linked to Common Nutrient Deficiency

01/26/2007 FDA Outlaws Vitamins: Closer By The Minute

01/19/2007 Do We Really Need a “Trans Fat Ban”?

01/11/2007 Dying for Pain Relief

01/04/2007 Welcome to The New HealthBeat!

Sept 27, 2006 Three Hidden Causes of Disease Lurking in Your Mouth

April 14, 2006 Vitamin-less Vegetables

Sept 21, 2005 Antioxidants Explained

July 27, 2005 The End Of Free Access To Supplements?

June 9, 2005 A Special Look At Women’s Health

May 5, 2005 Lower Cholesterol Naturally

Jan. 5, 2005 New Years Resolutions: What value good health?

Dec. 10, 2004 Vitamin Supplements Outlawed as of August, 2005

Nov. 24, 2004 Healthy, Low Carb Thanksgiving Recipes

Oct. 19, 2004 Ingrown Toenails, and General Toenail Care.

Sept 16, 2004 The Truth About Cholesterol, Part II

Sept 3, 2004 The Truth About Cholesterol, Part I

Aug 11, 2004 Taking Good Health to Heart

July 13, 2004 Conjugated Linoleic Acid Reduces Body Fat Mass

June 17, 2004 Not Just Health News… Daily Health News!

June 7, 2004 Remembering Reagan, Avoiding Alzheimer’s

June 2, 2004 Your Health Freedom Under Siege!

May 12, 2004 Meet Your New HealthBeat Editor!

April 30, 2004 Heart Attack and Stroke: What are Your Real Risks?

April 5, 2004 The Ten Most Dangerous Foods: Part II

March 18, 2004 The Ten Most Dangerous Foods: Part I

March 2, 2004 When “Sorry” Doesn’t Help

Feb 12, 2004 5 Most Important Supplements For Health & Longevity

Feb 6, 2004 Dr. Myatt’s Super-Shake

Jan 22, 2004 Do You Really Take All That Stuff ???

Jan 12, 2004 Irritable Bowel Syndrome

Jan 1, 2004 “Liver Cleansing” – Worthwhile or Worthless?

Dec 20, 2003 Beat Flu & Colds The Natural Way

Dec 15, 2003 NurseBeat Update: Stress-Less Holidays

Dec 2, 2003 Memory-Boosting Supplements

Nov 12, 2003 NurseBeat Update: Green tea

November 2003 Life Extending Nutrients

September 2003 US Government Urges Higher Omega-3 Consumption

August 2003 Heart Health Breakthroughs

July 2003 Ten Proven Reasons to Take a Good Multiple Vitamin

June 2003 The Product Everyone Should Have on Hand

May 2003 7 Simple Ways to Decrease Your Cancer Risk

Health Resources

Recommended

Additional Health Products, Foods and Services

The Wellness Club doesn’t sell the following items, but the links will lead you to the websites where you will find foods and products that come highly recommended by Dr. Myatt.

Menu

Healthy and Hard-to-Find Foods and Such Shiritake (Konjac Noodles) Wild Pacific Salmon and Other Organic Delicacies Grass-fed Organic Beef, Chicken and Raw Milk Cheese Water Filters

HEALTHY FOODS

Shiritake Noodles – Noodles and thickeners made from a tuber (Konjac root), not grain. Suitable for use in low carb, low calorie and anti-fungal diets.

Dr. Myatt’s Comment: These make a surprisingly good substitute for regular noodles. Rinse well in hot water or boil for 2 minutes to get rid of the “fishy” smell. (They come packed in sea water). You really need to try these, either in stir-fry or other oriental dishes or served with pasta sauce.

Regardless of what the package says, here is the accurate “scoop” on nutrition composition: each one ounce of shiratake noodle contains 4 calories, 1 gram of carbohydrates and no fat or protein. (Compare this to regular pasta at approx. 38 calories and 7 grams of carbs per ounce!).

Wild Pacific Salmon Salmon is a “Super Food,” high in Omega-3 essential Fatty Acids. There’s one problem, though. Farm-raised fish don’t have a great Omega-3 content because of what they’re fed, and many ocean-caught salmon contain high levels of mercury.

The answer? Wild, sustainable Alaskan-caught salmon, tested for purity. This is the best, purest, highest Omega-3 salmon you can buy.

This company also features organic nuts and dried fruits, “salmon burgers” and other products made from salmon, scallops, halibut, shrimp, sablefish, organic cooking oils, teas and organic dark chocolate. Yum!

Grass-Fed Beef is a “Super Food,” especially when it is free of hormones, antibiotics and other synthetic additives. In fact, grass fed beef has an Omega content similar to fish, a very different food from “corn fed” or other types of beef. (Which not only contain hormones and antibiotics but are fed on fungus-containing grains).

This company offers all cuts of grass-fed, pure and wholesome beef plus free-range chicken and raw milk Amish cheese.

Quality Water Filters Eating right is important, but “drinking right” is even MORE important! Make sure your drinking water is clean and chemical-free. An at-the-sink water purifyer is a great health investment, better and less expensive than buying bottled water.

This highest-rate water filter company also offers whole-house purification units, shower filters, and an “auto-ship” filter service so you never have to worry about changing your filter

Paraliminal CD’s are here! Make positive changes without homework, exercises, memorizing or positive affirmations! Just put in a Paraliminal CD, kick back, listen, and enjoy the life-changing results.

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* Inner Bonding – Grace Through Growth
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The Self-Help Advisor Quality Books, Programs & Resources for Spiritual and Personal Growth. “Parables Series” Ebooks – on finding your Life Purpose. Free Monthly Ezine.

* Twenty years in medical offices watching the wrong treatments and information resulted in these books! http://www.antibiotic-alternatives.com

Subscribe to ‘The Glutathione Report’ for the latest news and updates on the
health benefits of Glutathione mailto:glutathione@pushbuttonresponder.com

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O-zonelite Air Purifier Compact ozone light bulbs put out 6000 hours worth of environmentally friendly air filtration. Removes bad odors, eliminates many airborne irritants and microbes, and gives out the same light as a 100 watt incandescent.

Niacinamide (B3)

Potent Natural Help for Arthritis, Alzheimer’s, Anxiety and Type I Diabetes

Niacinamide, also known as nicotinamide and nicotinic acid amide, is a form of vitamin B3 (the other form is niacin).

Niacin is converted to into nicotinamide in the body, but these two different forms of B3 have slightly different effects. Niacinamide does not lower cholesterol or cause the flushing that niacin does.(1)

Consider Niacinamide for:

Osteoarthritis – niacinamide has been shown to improve joint mobility, reduce inflammation and allow for a decrease in arthritis medication.(2,3)
Alzheimer’s disease – a recent study found that niacinamide completely reverses symptoms of the disease in lab animals (4), and human trial are now under way. (5)
Memory improvement – The findings were so dramatic in the Alzheimer’s study that researchers suggest that even people with non-Alzheimer’s memory changes may benefit.(5)
Diabetes Type I- niacinamide reduces glycosylated hemoglobin, retards beta cell death (beta cells produce insulin) and helps prevent cell damage by restoring NAD levels.(6-8)
Anxiety and Stress – niacinamide has benzodiazepine-like actions which help balance brain chemistry and relieve anxiety. Study participants also reported better sleep with niacinamide.(9-10)

Dr. Myatt’s comment: Although Big Pharma always tells us to “wait for more research” (which really means, “wait until we can figure out how to patent this as a drug”), I personally would not delay in starting niacinamide for early memory changes. The sooner corrective treatment is started, the greater the likelihood that it will help.

Niacinamide has been used safely since the 1940’s for arthritis and memory loss and it has an excellent safety profile.

Suggested dose: 1,000mg, 3 times per day with meals
Although it is rare, if this dose causes stomach upset, reduce to 500mg, 3 times per day and consult an holistic physician for guidance.

In both arthritis and memory loss, effects of niacinamide typically take 3-4 weeks to appear and 3-4 months to reach full effect.

References

1.) P Jaconello. Niacin versus niacinamide.CMAJ. 1992 October 1; 147(7): 990.
2.) Jonas WB, Rapoza CP, Blair WF. The effect of niacinamide on osteoarthritis: a pilot study. Inflamm Res. 1996 Jul;45(7):330-4.
3.) McCarty MF, Russell AL. Niacinamide therapy for osteoarthritis–does it inhibit nitric oxide synthase induction by interleukin 1 in chondrocytes? Med Hypotheses. 1999 Oct;53(4):350-60.
4.) Green KN, Steffan JS, Martinez-Coria H, et al. “ Nicotinamide restores cognition in Alzheimer’s disease transgenic mice via a mechanism involving sirtuin inhibition and selective reduction of Thr231-phosphotau.”J Neurosci 2008; 28(45): 11,500-11,510
5.) “Vitamin pill that may slow Alzheimer’s goes on trial,” The Guardian
(www.guardian.co.uk), 11/5/08
6.) Kolb H, Bukart V: Nicotinamide in type 1 diabetes. Mechanism of action revisited. Diabetes Care 1999 Mar;22 Suppl 2:B16-20
7.) Pozzilli P, Visalli N, Ghirlanda G, Manna R, Andreani D; Nicotinamide increases C-peptide secretion in patients with recent onset type 1 diabetes. Diabet Med 1989 Sep-Oct;6(7):568-72
8.) Vague P, Vialettes B, Lassmann-Vague V, Vallo J; Nicotinamide may extend remission phase of insulin-dependent diabetes. The Lancet Mar 1987 ltr
9.) Akhundov RA, Sultanov AA, Gadzhily RA, Sadykhov RV; [Psychoregulating role of nicotinamide]. Biull Eksp Biol Med 1993 May;115(5):487-91.
10.) Mohler H, Pole P, Cumin R, Pieri L, Kettler R; Nicotinamide is a brain constituent with benzodiazepine-like actions. Nature 1979 Apr 5;278(5704):563-5.

Vitamin D A Special HealthBeat News Report

Vitamin D – You have been reading about it in the news, and you have wondered what is real and what is hype.

Dr. Myatt and Nurse Mark have researched and prepared this special report for HealthBeat News Readers.

Vitamin D — The Short Course

1.) Vit D is produced in our bodies in response to sun exposure. Vit D is also available from food and supplements.

2.) Vit D is FAR more important to health than was previously realized. I’m talking FAR more important.

3.) Vit D deficiency is widespread, including North America, even in sunny climates like Arizona. Many people who think they are getting enough Vitamin D from sunlight are mistaken.

4.) How to Optimize Vit D Levels for Good Health:

I.) Vit D test, supplement accordingly, re-test

II.) Supplement at 5,000IU for 3 months, then test your levels.

III.) Don’t test, run the risk of being deficient, but take at least 2,000IU total per day. (This is still an extremely conservative dose, but much higher than the RDA of 400IU which hasn’t been changed yet to reflect the newer findings about Vit D).

5.) Natural ways to obtain Vit D: Foods, supplements and sun exposure.

Vitamin D — Nutrient of the Decade: Are You Getting Enough?

The Consequences of Low Vitamin D

Vitamin D is called “the sunshine Vitamin” because our bodies make it in response to sun exposure.

Vit D is necessary for normal bone formation in both children and adults. In children, deficiencies of Vit D lead to rickets. In adults, deficiencies are associated with osteoporosis and osteomalacia (soft bones), decreased muscle strength and increased risk of fall. (1,12,14,22,43-48)Until recently, the bone-protecting effect was about all that Vit D was known for, but the past decade of medical research has changed all that.

The newly appreciated Vitamin D deficiency risks include:

1.) heart disease: myocardial infarction, high blood pressure, heart failure, myopathy, sudden cardiac death, stroke (11,13-26, 30, 49-50)

2.) blood sugar problems: glucose intolerance, diabetes mellitus, metabolic syndrome (13-14,19,23-24,27-29)

3.) cancer prevention and improved cancer survival rates (7,8,11,14,15,24,31-37)

4.) upper respiratory tract infections, influenza and tuberculosis (24,30,38)

5.) cognitive impairment and low mood (38-40)

6.) autoimmune disease (multiple sclerosis, RA, systemic lupus erythromatosis (SLE) (15,24,26,29,30,32,41,42)

7.) misc. diseases: psoriasis, polycystic ovarian syndrome, inflammatory bowel disease

8.) urinary incontinence (54)

9.) and all-cause mortality! (5,6,7,24,30,51)

How “significant” are these associations? Here are some of the conclusions of various studies and meta-analyses (lots of studies looked at together) concerning Vit D. Italics are mine for emphasis.

“Research strongly supports the view … Vitamin D status would have significant protective effects against the development of cancer …. cancers of the breast, colon, prostate, ovary, lungs, and pancreas…” (8)

“High levels of Vitamin D among middle-age and elderly populations are associated with a substantial decrease in cardiovascular disease, type 2 diabetes and metabolic syndrome.” (9)

“Low levels of [Vitamin D] are independently predictive for fatal strokes” (10)

“It is estimated that there is a 30 to 50% reduction in risk for developing colorectal, breast, and prostate cancer by either increasing Vitamin D intake or increasing sun exposure…” (11)

“Oral Vitamin D supplementation between 700 to 800 IU/d appears to reduce the risk of hip and any nonvertebral fractures in ambulatory or institutionalized elderly persons” (12)

” 28 studies including 99,745 participants … highest levels of serum [Vit D] were associated with a 43% reduction in cardiometabolic disorders (cardiovascular disease, diabetes and metabolic syndrome) …” (9)

Are Your Vitamin D Levels Optimal? (Vitamin D Deficiency is Widespread)

One billion people worldwide are estimated to be Vit D deficient, and the problem affects us here in the United States as well. (2) One study found that more than half of North American women receiving drugs for prevention or treatment of osteoporosis were Vitamin D deficient. (1) Another study found 48% of pre-adolescent girls to be Vit D deficient (3). Other studies have found that 40% to 100% of older men and women in both the United States and Europe are Vitamin D deficient.[2] Because of the importance of Vit D and how widespread Vit D deficiency is, an estimated $100 to $200 billion is spent (wasted) each year on diseases which may really just be Vitamin D deficiencies. [4]

Age, overweight, dark skin color, use of sunscreen, and overprotection from the sun’s rays are causes of decreased production of Vit D in response to sunlight. (52,52)

How Much Vitamin D Should You Take?

Ideally, you should take whatever amount of Vitamin D puts you in the “optimal” range. Since the amount will be highly variable depending on age, sex, race, weight, daily sun exposure and diet, there is no “one size fits all” answer. Instead, blood testing of Vitamin D levels and increasing intake until optimal levels are reached is the surest way to obtain optimal concentrations of Vitamin D in the body.

Deficiency Insufficiency Sufficiency * Optimal Excess (Toxicity) <20ng/ml 20-32ng/ml 32-100ng/ml 40-80ng/ml > 150ng/ml

* – conventional medicine says that 30 ng/ml is “sufficient.” Chart references (59-62)

At the wellness Club we believe the most accurate and effective way to embark on a program of Vit D supplementation is to perform a Vit D test, supplement Vit D in accordance with the results, and then re-test in 3 months at which time your daily doses of Vit D can be fine-tuned for maintenance. March (right now!) is the best time to test initially because Vit. D stores tend to be lowest in this month.

The Vitamin D Council, a non-profit group dedicated to Vitamin D research and education recommends people take 5,000 IU per day for 2-3 months, then perform a Vitamin D test. They then suggest adjusting the dosage so that blood levels are between 50-80 ng/mL (or 125-200 nM/L) year-round. (55)

Alternately, some people opt to supplement without knowing their initial Vit D levels. A dose of 2000IU is quite conservative but certainly safe for almost anyone. In cases of significant Vit D deficiency conservative dosing such as this may take considerable time to rebuild healthy stores of this important Vitamin.

For those who wish to calculate their own Vit D requirements, 100 IU of Vitamin D could be expected to raise blood level of 25(OH)D by 1 ng/ml. (11)

Can too much Vitamin D can be toxic? Research shows that massive doses may eventually cause toxicity. One source found that in adults a sustained intake of 50,000 IU daily could produce toxicity within a few months (58) and 40,000 IU per day in infants has been shown to produce toxicity within 1 to 4 months. (56) That is ten times the recommended dose for each of those age groups! Vitamin D testing is good insurance that will allow you to safely fine-tune your dosage to your actual needs. Be careful though, since not all testing is the same and lab references and standards vary – be sure that you are comparing “apples to apples” and obtaining useable results when you are tested.

The 25-hydroxyVitamin D blood test (25(OH)D blood test) is a test that measures the amount of calcidiol circulating in the blood. This is the most accurate measure of the amount of Vitamin D in the body. The Wellness Club offers Vitamin D testing – performed by a lab that adheres to standardized references and values so that you know what you are getting when you receive your results. This can is performed at home with a “spot” (finger stick) blood test. Other tests that require a blood draw are also available.

How to Get to Your Optimal Vitamin D Levels

Start Vitamin D supplementation eight to twelve weeks before testing. Dr. John Cannell of the Vitamin D Council suggests a starting dose of 1,000 IU per 25 pounds of body weight. For example, a 150 pound person would take 6,000 IU Vitamin D per day. (150 divided by 25 = 6; 1,000IU x 6 = 6,000). Maintain this dose for 8-12 weeks, then test.

This dose may or may not put you in the optimal target range, but it certainly won’t put you in any “toxic” range. Remember, most adults can safely take up to 10,000IU per day and still be far away from Vitamin D toxicity which typically appears at 40,000-50,000IU taken for several months.

Although this dose should theoretically put you in an optimal range, numerous personal variations alter Vitamin D requirements. Some people will need a higher dose than this calculation affords. However, taking the calculated dose should at least put you “in the ballpark” for optimal dosing.

When you test results come back, you can use the number to help you know whether or not you need to increase your Vit D dose and by how much. It is estimated that each 1,000 IU increase in supplemental Vitamin D will generally produce a 10 ng/ml increase in the Vitamin D blood level (8). If your test result shows that you are 10ng/ml below your target, increase daily Vit D intake by 1,000IU per day for a total of 7,000IU per day from the above example. Continue this dose and re-test in another 3 months to verify that you are now in your optimal range.

Congratulations! You have found your optimal daily Vitamin D intake needed to maintain optimal Vitamin D blood levels.

How to Obtain Vitamin D Naturally

Exposure to sun is the most natural way to boost Vit D levels. Medical scientists have found that the skin produces approximately 10,000 IU of Vitamin D in response to as little as 30 minutes of unprotected summer sun exposure. (57)

Vitamin D can be obtained from food too. Since rickets in children is such a crippling but preventable condition, governments have long encouraged the “fortification” of dairy products and breads and cereals with token amounts of Vitamin D. In the United States and Canada, for example, fortified milk typically provides 100 IU per glass.

It is difficult to obtain optimal levels of Vitamin D from food alone.

Food IUs per serving* Percent DV** Cod liver oil, 1 tablespoon 1,360 340 Salmon (sockeye), cooked, 3 ounces 794 199 Mushrooms that have been exposed to ultraviolet light to increase vitamin D, 3 ounces (not yet commonly available) 400 100 Mackerel, cooked, 3 ounces 388 97 Tuna fish, canned in water, drained, 3 ounces 154 39 Milk, nonfat, reduced fat, and whole, vitamin D-fortified, 1 cup 115-124 29-31 Orange juice fortified with vitamin D, 1 cup (check product labels, as amount of added vitamin D varies) 100 25 Yogurt, fortified with 20% of the DV for vitamin D, 6 ounces (more heavily fortified yogurts provide more of the DV) 80 20 Margarine, fortified, 1 tablespoon 60 15 Sardines, canned in oil, drained, 2 sardines 46 12 Liver, beef, cooked, 3.5 ounces 46 12 Ready-to-eat cereal, fortified with 10% of the DV for vitamin D, 0.75-1 cup (more heavily fortified cereals might provide more of the DV) 40 10 Egg, 1 whole (vitamin D is found in yolk) 25 6 Cheese, Swiss, 1 ounce 6 2 *IUs = International Units.

**DV = Daily Value. DVs were developed by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration to help consumers compare the nutrient contents of products within the context of a total diet. The DV for vitamin D is 400 IU for adults and children age 4 and older. Food labels, however, are not required to list vitamin D content unless a food has been fortified with this nutrient.

Table courtesy of the U.S. Government National Institutes of Health Office of Dietary Supplements

Although cod liver oil is high in Vitamin D, it is also high in Vitamin A which interferes with Vit D uptake, so cod liver oil is not the best supplemental form of Vit D. Keep daily intake of pre-formed Vitamin A to a maximum of 5,000IU per day so as not to interfere with Vitamin D absorption. Beta carotene does not appear to interfere with Vit. D uptake.

Vegetarians need to be sure they are getting plenty of sunshine, because other than tiny amounts that may be found in UV-irradiated mushrooms, there are no vegetable sources of Vitamin D.

The Bottom Line on Vitamin D

Achieving Optimal Vitamin D levels appears to be one of the most important things we can do for our overall health and life expectancy.

Please click on the image below enjoy an interesting and instructive video which discusses the relationship between Vitamin D and Cancer.

References

1.) Holick MF, Siris ES, Binkley N, et al. Prevalence of Vitamin D inadequacy among postmenopausal North American women receiving osteoporosis therapy. J Clin Endocrinol Metab. 2005;90: 3215-3224.
2.) Holick MF. Vitamin D deficiency. N Engl J Med. 2007;357:266-281.
3.) Sullivan SS, Rosen CJ, Halteman WA, Chen TC, Holick MF. Adolescent girls in Maine at risk for Vitamin D insufficiency. J Am Diet Assoc. 2005;105:971-974.
4.) GrassrootsHealth. The Vitamin D deficiency epidemic. A call to D*action. http://www.grassrootshealth.org/daction/epidemic.php. Accessed May 8, 2009.
5.) GrassrootsHealth. Disease incidence prevention by serum 25(OH)D level. http://www.grassrootshealth.org/_download/disease_incidence_prev_chart_101608.pdf. Accessed May 8, 2009.
6.) Autier P, Gandini S. Vitamin D supplementation and total mortality. Arch Intern Med. 2007;167(16):1730-1737.
7.) Thomas L. Lenz. Vitamin D Supplementation and Cancer Prevention. Am J Lifestyle Med. 2009;3(5):365-368.
8.) Ingraham BA, Bragdon B, Nohe A. Molecular basis of the potential of Vitamin D to prevent cancer. Curr Med Res Opin. 2008 Jan;24(1):139-49.
9.) Parker J, Hashmi O, Dutton D, Mavrodaris A, Stranges S, Kandala NB, Clarke A, Franco OH. Levels of Vitamin D and cardiometabolic disorders: systematic review and meta-analysis. Maturitas. 2010 Mar;65(3):225-36. Epub 2009 Dec 23.
10.) Pilz S, Dobnig H, Fischer JE, Wellnitz B, Seelhorst U, Boehm BO, März W. Low Vitamin d levels predict stroke in patients referred to coronary angiography. Stroke. 2008 Sep;39(9):2611-3. Epub 2008 Jul 17.
11.) Holick MF. Vitamin D and sunlight: strategies for cancer prevention and other health benefits. Clin J Am Soc Nephrol. 2008 Sep;3(5):1548-54. Epub 2008 Jun 11.
12.) Bischoff-Ferrari HA, Willett WC, Wong JB, Giovannucci E, Dietrich T, Dawson-Hughes B. Fracture prevention with Vitamin D supplementation: a meta-analysis of randomized controlled trials. JAMA. 2005 May 11;293(18):2257-64.
13.) Anagnostis P, Athyros VG, Adamidou F, Florentin M, Karagiannis A. Vitamin D and Cardiovascular Disease: A Novel Agent for Reducing Cardiovascular Risk ? Curr Vasc Pharmacol. 2010 Feb 25. [Epub ahead of print]
14.) Holick MF. Vitamin D: importance in the prevention of cancers, type 1 diabetes, heart disease, and osteoporosis. Am J Clin Nutr. 2004 Mar;79(3):362-71.
15.) Holick MF. Vitamin D and sunlight: strategies for cancer prevention and other health benefits. Clin J Am Soc Nephrol. 2008 Sep;3(5):1548-54. Epub 2008 Jun 11.
16.) Judd SE, Tangpricha V. Vitamin D deficiency and risk for cardiovascular disease. Am J Med Sci. 2009 Jul;338(1):40-4.
17.) Kendrick J, Targher G, Smits G, Chonchol M.25-HydroxyVitamin D deficiency is independently associated with cardiovascular disease in the Third National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey. Atherosclerosis. 2009 Jul;205(1):255-60. Epub 2008 Nov 11.
18.) Lee W, Kang PM. Vitamin D deficiency and cardiovascular disease: Is there a role for Vitamin D therapy in heart failure? Curr Opin Investig Drugs. 2010 Mar;11(3):309-14.
19.) Martins D, Wolf M, Pan D, Zadshir A, Tareen N, Thadhani R, Felsenfeld A, Levine B, Mehrotra R, Norris K. Prevalence of cardiovascular risk factors and the serum levels of 25-hydroxyVitamin D in the United States: data from the Third National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey. Arch Intern Med. 2007 Jun 11;167(11):1159-65.
20.) McConnell JP, Foley KF, Vargas GM. HypoVitaminosis D: a new risk marker for cardiovascular disease. Clin Lab Sci. 2009 Fall;22(4):240-6.
21.) Mertens PR, Müller R. Vitamin D and cardiovascular risk. Int Urol Nephrol. 2009 Dec 29. [Epub ahead of print]
22.) Murlikiewicz K, Zawiasa A, Nowicki M. Vitamin D–a panacea in nephrology and beyond] Pol Merkur Lekarski. 2009 Nov;27(161):437-41.{article in Polish]
23.) Parker J, Hashmi O, Dutton D, Mavrodaris A, Stranges S, Kandala NB, Clarke A, Franco OH. Levels of Vitamin D and cardiometabolic disorders: systematic review and meta-analysis. Maturitas. 2010 Mar;65(3):225-36. Epub 2009 Dec 23.
24.) Pilz S, Dobnig H, Nijpels G, Heine RJ, Stehouwer CD, Snijder MB, van Dam RM, Dekker JM. Vitamin D and mortality in older men and women. Clin Endocrinol (Oxf). 2009 Nov;71(5):666-72. Epub 2009 Feb 18.
25.) Pilz S, März W, Wellnitz B, Seelhorst U, Fahrleitner-Pammer A, Dimai HP, Boehm BO, Dobnig H. Association of Vitamin D deficiency with heart failure and sudden cardiac death in a large cross-sectional study of patients referred for coronary angiography. J Clin Endocrinol Metab. 2008 Oct;93(10):3927-35. Epub 2008 Aug 5.
26.) Wu PW, Rhew EY, Dyer AR, Dunlop DD, Langman CB, Price H, Sutton-Tyrrell K, McPherson DD, Edmundowicz D, Kondos GT, Ramsey-Goldman R. 25-hydroxyVitamin D and cardiovascular risk factors in women with systemic lupus erythematosus. Arthritis Rheum. 2009 Oct 15;61(10):1387-95.
27.) Baz-Hecht M, Goldfine AB. The impact of Vitamin D deficiency on diabetes and cardiovascular risk. Curr Opin Endocrinol Diabetes Obes. 2010 Apr;17(2):113-9.
28.) Cheng S, Massaro JM, Fox CS, Larson MG, Keyes MJ, McCabe EL, Robins SJ, O’Donnell CJ, Hoffmann U, Jacques PF, Booth SL, Vasan RS, Wolf M, Wang TJ. Adiposity, cardiometabolic risk, and Vitamin D status: the Framingham Heart Study. Diabetes. 2010 Jan;59(1):242-8. Epub 2009 Oct 15.
29.) Holick MF. Sunlight and Vitamin D for bone health and prevention of autoimmune diseases, cancers, and cardiovascular disease. Am J Clin Nutr. 2004 Dec;80(6 Suppl):1678S-88S.
30.) Ginde AA, Scragg R, Schwartz RS, Camargo CA Jr. Prospective study of serum 25-hydroxyVitamin D level, cardiovascular disease mortality, and all-cause mortality in older U.S. adults. J Am Geriatr Soc. 2009 Sep;57(9):1595-603. Epub 2009 Jun 22.
31.) Grant WB. How strong is the evidence that solar ultraviolet B and Vitamin D reduce the risk of cancer?: An examination using Hill’s criteria for causality. Dermatoendocrinol. 2009 Jan;1(1):17-24.
32.) Holick MF, Chen TC. Vitamin D deficiency: a worldwide problem with health consequences. Am J Clin Nutr. 2008 Apr;87(4):1080S-6S.
33.) Holick MF. Vitamin D: its role in cancer prevention and treatment. Prog Biophys Mol Biol. 2006 Sep;92(1):49-59. Epub 2006 Mar 10.
34.) Ingraham BA, Bragdon B, Nohe A. Molecular basis of the potential of Vitamin D to prevent cancer. Curr Med Res Opin. 2008 Jan;24(1):139-49.
35.) Pilz S, Dobnig H, Winklhofer-Roob B, Riedmüller G, Fischer JE, Seelhorst U, Wellnitz B, Boehm BO, März W. Low serum levels of 25-hydroxyVitamin D predict fatal cancer in patients referred to coronary angiography. Cancer Epidemiol Biomarkers Prev. 2008 May;17(5):1228-33. Epub 2008 May 7.
36.) Pilz S, Tomaschitz A, Obermayer-Pietsch B, Dobnig H, Pieber TR. Epidemiology of Vitamin D insufficiency and cancer mortality. Anticancer Res. 2009 Sep;29(9):3699-704.
37.) Ginde AA, Mansbach JM, Camargo CA Jr. Association between serum 25-hydroxyVitamin D level and upper respiratory tract infection in the Third National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey. Arch Intern Med. 2009 Feb 23;169(4):384-90.
38.) Annweiler C, Schott AM, Allali G, Bridenbaugh SA, Kressig RW, Allain P, Herrmann FR, Beauchet O. Association of Vitamin D deficiency with cognitive impairment in older women: cross-sectional study. Neurology. 2010 Jan 5;74(1):27-32. Epub 2009 Sep 30.
39.) Cherniack EP, Troen BR, Florez HJ, Roos BA, Levis S. Some new food for thought: the role of Vitamin D in the mental health of older adults. Curr Psychiatry Rep. 2009 Feb;11(1):12-9.
40.) Wilkins CH, Sheline YI, Roe CM, Birge SJ, Morris JC. Vitamin D deficiency is associated with low mood and worse cognitive performance in older adults. Am J Geriatr Psychiatry. 2006 Dec;14(12):1032-40.
41.) Cutolo M, Otsa K. Review: Vitamin D, immunity and lupus. Lupus. 2008;17(1):6-10.
42.) Kamen DL, Cooper GS, Bouali H, Shaftman SR, Hollis BW, Gilkeson GS. Vitamin D deficiency in systemic lupus erythematosus. Autoimmun Rev. 2006 Feb;5(2):114-7. Epub 2005 Jun 21.
43.) Bischoff-Ferrari HA, Willett WC, Wong JB, Giovannucci E, Dietrich T, Dawson-Hughes B. Fracture prevention with Vitamin D supplementation: a meta-analysis of randomized controlled trials. JAMA. 2005 May 11;293(18):2257-64.
44.) Bischoff HA, Stähelin HB, Tyndall A, Theiler R. Relationship between muscle strength and Vitamin D metabolites: are there therapeutic possibilities in the elderly? Z Rheumatol. 2000;59 Suppl 1:39-41.
45.) DIPART (Vitamin D Individual Patient Analysis of Randomized Trials) Group. Patient level pooled analysis of 68 500 patients from seven major Vitamin D fracture trials in US and Europe. BMJ. 2010 Jan 12;340:b5463. doi: 10.1136/bmj.b5463.
46.) Houston DK, Cesari M, Ferrucci L, Cherubini A, Maggio D, Bartali B, Johnson MA, Schwartz GG, Kritchevsky SB. Association between Vitamin D status and physical performance: the InCHIANTI study. J Gerontol A Biol Sci Med Sci. 2007 Apr;62(4):440-6.
47.) Kwon J, Suzuki T, Yoshida H, Kim H, Yoshida Y, Iwasa H. Concomitant lower serum albumin and Vitamin D levels are associated with decreased objective physical performance among Japanese community-dwelling elderly. Gerontology. 2007;53(5):322-8. Epub 2007 May 29.
48.) Pfeifer M, Begerow B, Minne HW. Vitamin D and muscle function. Osteoporos Int. 2002 Mar;13(3):187-94.
49.) Judd SE, Nanes MS, Ziegler TR, Wilson PW, Tangpricha V. Optimal Vitamin D status attenuates the age-associated increase in systolic blood pressure in white Americans: results from the third National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey. Am J Clin Nutr. 2008 Jan;87(1):136-41.
50.) Pilz S, Dobnig H, Fischer JE, Wellnitz B, Seelhorst U, Boehm BO, März W. Low Vitamin d levels predict stroke in patients referred to coronary angiography. Stroke. 2008 Sep;39(9):2611-3. Epub 2008 Jul 17.
51.) Melamed ML, Michos ED, Post W, Astor B.25-hydroxyVitamin D levels and the risk of mortality in the general population. Arch Intern Med. 2008 Aug 11;168(15):1629-37.
52.) Jacobs ET, Alberts DS, Foote JA, Green SB, Hollis BW, Yu Z, Martínez ME. Vitamin D insufficiency in southern Arizona. Am J Clin Nutr. 2008 Mar;87(3):608-13.
53.) Park S, Johnson MA. Living in low-latitude regions in the United States does not prevent poor Vitamin D status. Nutr Rev. 2005 Jun;63(6 Pt 1):203-9.
54.) Low Vitamin D Levels Tied to Incontinence. WebMD March 22, 2010 http://www.webmd.com/urinary-incontinence-oab/news/20100322/low-Vitamin-d-linked-incontinence.
55.) The Vitamin D Council. Vitamin D Council
56.) Wikipedia: Vitamin D. Wikipedia Vitamine D
57.) Holick MF. Environmental factors thatinfluence the cutaneous production of Vitamin D. Am J Clin Nutr. 1995 Mar;61(3 Suppl):638S-645S.
58.) Vieth R. Vitamin D supplementation, 25-hydroxyVitamin D concentrations, and safety. Am J Clin Nutr. 1999 May;69(5):842-56.
59.) Holick MF. Vitamin D deficiency. N Engl J Med. 2007;357:266-281.
60.) GrassrootsHealth. Disease incidence prevention by serum 25(OH)D level.Grassroots Heaalth. Accessed May 8, 2009.
61.) Dall T, Anderson J. Vitamin D: merging research into clinical lipid practice. Lipid Spin. 2008;6(3):4-8.
62.) Heaney RP. What is a Vitamin D deficiency?Grassroots Health Vitamin D deficiency. Accessed May 8, 2009.

Bio-Identical Hormone Therapy

Bio-identical (Natural) Hormone Replacement Therapy
and Other Natural Hormone-Balancing Therapies

Which One is Right for You?

Index:

Are Your Symptoms Cause by Low or Imbalanced Hormones?

What is Bio-identical Hormone Replacement Therapy (bHRT)?

How is it different from conventional HRT?

What are the advantages of bHRT?

Is it safer than conventional HRT?
Is it effective?
Is it proven?
Anti-aging claims for bHRT

Delivery System: Oral Versus Transdermal Hormones

How Best to Address Your Menopausal Symptoms and Concerns?

Alternatives to bHRT
Pros of bHRT
Cons of bHRT
Hormone testing: Saliva vs. Blood vs. Urine

Dr. Myatt’s “Hormone Balance” Programs: Which One is Right for You?

Are Your Symptoms Caused by Low or Imbalanced Hormones?

Women and men both go through “the climacteric,” a period in mid-life when sex hormone production declines.

In women, this change is called “menopause.” In men, the change is often referred to as “andropause.” Many symptoms of the climacteric are similar in men and women.

In women, peri-menopause (“around the time of menopause”) symptoms can include mood swings, weight gain, fatigue, hot flashes, breast tenderness, vaginal dryness, decreased libido (sex drive), urinary leakage or urgency and sleep difficulties. Menstrual periods may becomes less frequent, irregular and farther apart OR they can become heavier and more frequent. Peri-menopause usually begins in a woman’s 40’s but can start as early as the 30’s or as late as the 50’s.

Menopause symptoms in women are similar to peri-menopause symptoms except that menstrual periods cease. Headaches, heart palpitations, cognitive decline and difficulty sleeping may also occur. Bone mineral loss is often accelerated during this time, leading to osteoporosis.

Andropause symptoms in men can include include night sweats, low libido (sex drive), weight gain, depression, anxiety, hot flashes, gynecomastia (enlarged male breasts), fatigue, irritability, and weight gain. Other male climacteric symptoms include erectile dysfunction, loss of stamina and lean muscle mass, cognitive decline and decreased bone mineral density. Men with lower testosterone have a higher risk of coronary artery disease. (1-4)

The change in men is more gradual than in women and symptoms are often attributed to “natural aging” instead of hormone decline.

What is Bio-identical Hormone Replacement Therapy (bHRT)?

Bio-identical Hormone Replacement Therapy (bHRT) is a way to resolve symptoms and/or restore sex hormones to more youthful levels using hormones that are identical to those produced by the human body. Bio-identical hormone replacement therapy (bHRT) differs from convention HRT (cHRT) which uses horse estrogens (Premarin = Pregnant Mares Urine), synthetic and semi-synthetic hormones that are different from human hormones.

Proponents of bHRT believe that many of the unwanted side effects of conventional HRT are due to the “foreignness” of the molecules, not to hormone replacement therapy itself. This may make bHRT a safer form of hormone replacement therapy. (5-10)

How is Bio-Identical HRT Different from Conventional HRT?

Bio-identical hormone replacement is different from conventional HRT in the following ways.

“Identical to human” hormones are used in bHRT. Conventional HRT typically uses horse hormones and synthetic and semi-synthetic hormones. These hormones are not the same molecules as those produced by the human body.It should be noted that there are bio-identical FDA approved hormones available by prescription. Not all “bio-identical” hormones need to be “compounded,” or made up individually by a compounding pharmacist.
Based on Testing. bHRT is prescribed based on individual hormone test results. Conventional HRT does not use testing but bases treatment on improvement of symptoms.
“Pulsed dosing” is often used in bHRT to duplicate the natural rhythm of hormone production and release. Some studies have shown this pattern of use to be safer and just as effective as continuous HRT. (11-12) Conventional HRT typically uses continuous doses of hormones. Continuous doses are associated with higher risk of breast cancer in some studies. (13)

What are the advantages of bHRT?

Is bHRT Safer than conventional HRT?

Conventional hormone replacement therapy, especially in women, is associated with a number of increased health risks including heart disease, stroke, breast cancer, deep vein thrombosis, gallbladder disease and acid reflux. (14-20) Conventional HRT decreases the risk of osteoporosis and can alleviate some symptoms of menopause including hot flashes and vaginal dryness (21-22) but many experts do not believe these improvements justify the increased risks.

Proponents of bio-identical hormone replacement therapy believe that bHRT is safer than conventional hormone therapy and some studies have shown this. (5-10) However, the number of studies done with bHRT is small compared to the studies done with conventional HRT. Large-scale studies of safety and efficacy of bHRT are lacking.

In spite of a small number of studies confirming safety and efficacy, the case for bio-identical hormones also makes sense in theory. Consider these facts:

Conventional hormone replacement therapy typically employs estrogens from pregnant mare’s urine. Horse hormones are significantly different than human hormones. Conventional hormone replacement also typically uses synthetic progesterone. The difference in synthetic and bio-identical progesterone is significant. It is therefore believed that most if not all of the negative side effects of conventional hormone replacement is due to their “foreign to humans” molecular structure, not to hormone replacement itself. Some studies on bio-identical versus non-bio-identical progesterone confirm that there is a different effect in humans with natural progesterone appearing to have less risk of associated cancers. (5-10)

Further, conventional hormone replacement is almost always prescribed as a “one-size-fits-all” recommendation without the use of any laboratory testing to verify hormone levels. Practitioners of bio-identical hormone replacement typically start with blood, saliva or urine hormone testing and customize hormone prescriptions based on an individual’s unique requirements. Testing can help guide the prescription and prevent levels of hormones from being excessive.

Finally, risks associated with hormone therapy can be monitored, but this is rarely if ever done in conventional hormone prescribing. However, risks such as total hormone levels, ratios of hormones to each other and hormone metabolites can be potent predictors of heart disease and cancer risks. Even without hormone replacement therapy, these risk factors may be worth monitoring in all middle-aged men and women.

To answer the question of safety, there are theoretical reasons to believe that bio-identical HRT should be safer than conventional HRTand some actual studies show better safety.

Is bHRT Effective?

Studies have verified the effectiveness of bHRT for relieving many of the symptoms of menopause. (7-9, 23-24)

My personal clinical experience over the past 23 years is that bHRT can achieve every positive effect that conventional HRT achieves with less risk of negative side effects. Because I monitor risk factors, I have also seen reductions in cardiac and cancer risk markers and improvements in bone mineral density.

Is bHRT Proven?

Studies have demonstrated the effectiveness of bio-identical hormone replacement therapy. (7-9, 23-28)

Anti-Aging Claims for bHRT

Proponents of bHRT claim that keeping hormones at “youthful” levels can extend life expectancy and help delay the effects of aging. These claims have been popularized by public figures like Suzanne Somers in her book “The Sexy Years.” In spite of these claims, there is no proof that continued use of sex hormones, especially estrogen and progesterone in women, have-extending properties. There IS evidence that DHEA in both men and women (25-28) and testosterone in men (29-33) may have a positive influence on health, longevity and hormone balance.

While claims of living better and longer with bHRT are numerous, proof is lacking. This leaves bHRT and its anti-aging effects in the realm of theory at this point.

Delivery System: Oral Versus Transdermal Hormones

In addition to the “form” (natural or synthetic) of hormone, the method of administration has been shown to make a significant difference in safety and efficacy.

Orally administered hormones, especially estrogens, can increase risk of blood clots and deep vein thrombosis, increase hs-CRP (a marker of inflammation), decrease free testosterone and thyroid hormone and increase cortisol.(34) Oral estrogen is also associated with an increased risk of gallbladder disease and acid reflux. (15,18)

Many hormones used transdermally — applied to the skin or mucous membranes — do not appear to have these unwanted effects. (35) Therefore, when considering bHRT, the form that it is used in is also of importance.

How Best to Address Your Menopausal Symptoms and Concerns?

Symptoms of peri-menopause and menopause in women and andropause in men are a sign from the body that something is “off kilter.” For example, hot flashes in women correspond to an increase in oxidative stress and decreased nitric oxide levels (NO), both risk factors for cardiovascular disease. (36-37)

These symptoms and resulting negative physical changes are not an inevitable part of aging and should not be ignored. They can be addressed and improved through a variety of means, including but not limited to bio-identical hormone replacement therapy.

Diet changes, exercise and personal health practices can all help to improve symptoms of menopause and andropause. (38-39) There are nutritional and herbal supplements are proven to help correct menopause and andropause symptoms. (40-42) Bioidentical hormone replacement is one way to address declining hormone levels, but it is not the only way.

The decision to use bHRT is a personal one that should be made in conjunction with an holistic physician. Your degree of symptoms, personal thoughts about bHRT, willingness to make other lifestyle changes and use nutritional and herbal supplements should all factor into the “decision equation.” Here are some additional factors to consider when making this decision.

Possible “Pro’s” of bHRT

Faster. Herbs and other factors can help balance hormones, but the effects of bHRT might be more dramatic and faster. (NOTE: I cannot find scientific studies to support this; it is my clinical observation — Dr. Myatt)
Easier. Taking an Rx. may be easier than making lifestyle changes, although any good holistic physician should recommend positive lifestyle changes as part of an overall health program.
Safer. Some studies point to the improved safety of bHRT over conventional HRT. (14-20)
Better hormone balance. Some hormones such as DHEA and testosterone have independent health benefits. (25-33, 43) These hormones are typically not used in conventional HRT but may be prescribed by a physician who uses bHRT.

Possible “Cons” of bHRT

Cost. bHRT is not necessarily expensive and can be as little as $30/month depending on what hormones are needed. However, an Rx. will represent an ongoing expense. Most practitioners prescribing bHRT require initial hormone testing (to customize your Rx.) and follow-up testing to ensure that your hormones are at optimal (safe and effective) levels. Testing plus the Rx. itself will be an ongoing expense.
Safety. Although bHRT appears safer than conventional HRT, there is some evidence that no type of hormone replacement in women has been proven to be “protective” or safer than natural menopause.

Alternatives to bHRT

Hormone Testing: Saliva vs. Blood vs. Urine

Conventional hormone replacement does not use testing. The recommended “end point” (goal of treatment) is alleviation of symptoms. Therefore, when a woman has stopped having hot flashes, for example, the dose is considered to be correct.

Most bHRT practitioners begin treatment with some form of hormone testing, using either saliva, blood or urine to evaluate hormone levels. Although there are many claims about the superiority of one form of testing over another, scientific studies are lacking.

Saliva testing is the least accurate measure of sex hormones. Numerous studies have failed to find a reliable correlation between saliva hormone levels and physiologic (body) hormone levels with the exception of cortisol measurement. (17,44-54)

Blood testing does not reveal the hourly variation and 24-hour cyclical nature of hormone release but it has been better studied. For this reason, blood testing is probably the second-best method of hormone testing.

Twenty-four hour urine testing may be the preferred method of hormone testing. In addition to evaluating hormone output including the 24-hour variation (a “video” instead of a “snapshot,”), urine testing also looks at biochemical intermediates which are independent indicators of hormone levels and hormone metabolism. Some intermediates, such as the 2:16alpha-hydroxyestrone ratio, may be potent predictors of increased risk for hormone-related cancers. (55-56) Fortunately, once known, these risks can be modified.

Dr. Myatt’s Hormone Balance Programs:
Which One is Right for You?

All bHRT programs in both men and women begin with a Brief Telephone Consultation. Together, we determine which program is right for you.

Depending on your age, symptoms, beliefs and what you hope to achieve, we work together to design and implement a complete program to optimize both hormone balance and overall health.

For some men and women, this will include the use of bio-identical hormone replacement therapy, as determined by laboratory testing (24-hour urine). The form may differ depending on which hormones are needed, but usually include both transdermal and oral hormone replacements.

Hormone balance and relief of symptoms can often be achieved without the use of hormone replacement therapy. The decision to use hormones should not be taken lightly and should be made in consultation with a physician who is well-versed in both bHRT and non-hormonal methods of achieving hormone balance.

**Which Hormone-Balancing Program is Right for You ?**

The Bronze program is for:

• Peri-menopausal women
• Post-menopausal women
• Men over 35

For women and men desiring better hormone balance without the use of
bio-identical hormone replacement.

You will receive a Personalized Health Report and Phone Follow-Up of 60 mins

The Silver program is for:

• Peri-menopausal women
• Post-menopausal women
• Men over 35

For women and men desiring better hormone balance AND bone mineral density protection without using
bio-identical hormone replacement.

You will receive a Personalized Health Report and Phone Follow-Up of 120 mins

The Gold program is for:

• Peri-menopausal women
• Post-menopausal women
• Men over 35

For women and men desiring sex hormone optimization and breast/prostate cancer risk reduction using bHRT.

You will receive a Personalized Health Report and Phone Follow-Up of 360 mins

The Platinum program is for:

• Peri-menopausal women
• Post-menopausal women
• Men over 35

For women and men desiring anti-aging, full-scope endocrine balancing (including sex, thyroid and adrenal hormones) and
breast /prostate cancer risk reduction using bHRT.

You will receive a Personalized Health Report and unlimited Phone Follow-Up

* saliva hormone testing not available in New York state.

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Neurological Disease

Treating Neurological Disease (M.S., Parkinson’s, ALS)

By Dr. Dana Myatt

Some things seem to go in “waves.” This week, I’ve had a lot of people asking about what to do for neurological conditions. Here’s my best “general” advice. (I can give more “specific” advice when I work with someone personally. Please read on).

You’ll NEVER hear any of this from your conventional medical doctor, for at least two reasons. First, there are no known cures for neurological diseases in conventional medicine. In fact, even our symptomatic treatments are fairly lame. Secondly, when a doctor does have information about a “non standard” (read that: “not conventional medicine”) approach, he or she could lose their medical license by telling you about it. So don’t be disappointed if your conventional medical doctor, no matter how good or well-respected, doesn’t have much hope to offer. That’s conventional medicine.

What I Would Immediately Do If I Were Diagnosed With a Neurological Disease

If I found out tomorrow that I had a neurological disease, here are the steps I would take right away:

Have several un-conventional laboratory studies performed, including:
1. Hair Mineral Analysis: to evaluate for heavy and toxic metal poisoning. This applies to ALL neuro conditions.
2. Food allergy testing: to rule out immune responses to food allergies as a cause for symptoms. (This is especially important in MS).
3. Neurotransmitter (NT) Testing: to look at neurotransmitter hormone levels. (This applies to all neuro conditions but is especially important in Parkinson’s, where a dopamine deficiency is often seen).
Holistic dental evaluation, with removal of all dissimilar dental metals. NOTE: VERY FEW holistic dentist really understand this, and NO conventional dentists “get it.” If you have it done incorrectly (as most “holistic dentists are wont to do), it can cause more harm than good. Please don’t have any dental work done until you have talked to me first!). How important do I think this is? I have already had all metal removed from my mouth except for one full-gold crown. It is that important. If I hadn’t already had this done, I would get it done immediately, after I confirmed the skill and knowledge level of the attending dentist.
Diet changes:
1. Eliminate all food allergies (see above, laboratory testing).
2. The Myatt Diet: low carbohydrate, high Omega-3 fatty acids. This is THE healthiest way to eat, proven by long-lived populations. This plus elimination of known food allergies relieves all dietary stress on the immune and nervous systems. Look for organic foods, too, since pesticide and herbicide toxicity is associated with neurological disease. Additional fish oil should be supplemented in those not regularly consuming wild Alaskan salmon and grass-fed beef. Ketogenic diets such as The Myatt Diet have proven useful for Parkinson’s, ALS and inoperable brain cancers. The diet switches the brain from using sugar for fuel to using ketones for fuel, and this “metabolic switch” is associated with fewer tremors and better movement.
3. Discontinue ALL soy products, and milk (cow’s milk / dairy variety),
Nutritional supplements: I’m make sure that I didn’t have a single nutrient deficiency known to cause or exacerbate a neurological disease. Here are the known connection.
1. Parkinson’s: deficiencies of folic acid, B12, vitamins C, E and D are highly associated. Besides getting out in the sun, I’d be taking daily Maxi Multi’s to have achieve the recommended doses of these vitamins. CoQ10 has also shown to slow progression of the disease, but the dose needs to be higher, 1,200mg per day. Avoid iron, as iron overload can cause Parkinson’s and a number of other diseases. (You should be tested for iron overload with a serum ferritin test).
2. M.S.: vitamin D deficiency is associated MS. Lower levels of calcium, magnesium, vitamin E and other antioxidant nutrients have been observed in MS patients and appear to slow progression of the disease. Vitamin B1 and niacin have proven to be useful. As with Parkinson’s, I’d get more sunshine and take Maxi Multis to have all of these nutrient bases covered.
3. Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis (ALS): Hi B12, gamma-E tocopherol, zinc, copper, selenium, CoQ10, Alpha-lipoic acid, Acetyl-L-carnitine, creatine, curcumin, DHEA, glutathion, green tea, N-acetylcysteine, grape seed extract (OPC’s), resveratrol (grape skin extract) and vinpocetin. These vitamins, minerals amino acids and trace minerals have all been shown to alter various aspects of the disease.
Schedule a telephone consultation with ME, or someone just like me. A physician who is not limited by conventional medical techniques (but is still trained in them and can prescribe all conventional tests and drugs) will be your best bet for obtaining a full and complete evaluation of the causes of neurological disease. The sooner this is done, the better the chance for a more full and complete recovery.

I hope this provides help and comfort to the numerous health-seekers who contacted me this week about neurological concerns!

References:

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Increases in cortical glutamate concentrations in transgenic amyotrophic lateral sclerosis mice are attenuated by creatine supplementation. J Neurochem. 2001a;77(2):383–390.
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Bio-identical (Natural) Hormone Replacement Therapy and Other Natural Hormone-Balancing Therapies

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References

Treating Neurological Disease (M.S., Parkinson’s, ALS)

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