Author: Wellness Club

EXPOSED: FDA’s Self-Critical Report is a PR Scam

Propaganda is the deliberate, systematic attempt to shape perceptions, manipulate cognitions, and direct behavior to achieve a response that furthers the desired intent of the propagandist.
– Garth S. Jowett and Victoria O’Donnell, Propaganda and Persuasion

There has been a hubbub recently within the alternative medical community and among other government-watchers with an interest in the FDA:

A number of writers have "found" a "buried" FDA "Report of the Subcommittee on Science and Technology" entitled "FDA Science and Mission at Risk" which offers some rather damning insights and conclusions regarding this massive bureaucracy – with "major findings" such as:

• The FDA cannot fulfill its mission because its scientific base has eroded and its scientific organizational structure is weak.
• The FDA cannot fulfill its mission because its scientific workforce does not have sufficient capacity and capability.
• The FDA cannot fulfill its mission because its information technology (IT) infrastructure is inadequate.

Then there are the “minor findings”, like:

• FDA does not have the capacity to ensure the safety of food for the nation.
• The development of medical products based on “new science” cannot be adequately regulated by the FDA.
• There is insufficient capacity in modeling, risk assessment and analysis.
• The FDA science agenda lacks a coherent structure and vision, as well as effective coordination and prioritization.

Whew! Heady stuff! No wonder this document was so "hard to find" – what self-respecting bureaucracy would want such a report to become publicly known? How embarrassing for the FDA!

This report can be found here: http://www.fda.gov/ohrms/dockets/AC/07/briefing/2007-4329b_02_01_FDA%20Report%20on%20Science%20and%20Technology.pdf

Other writers have said that the press is largely ignoring this report, (Well, with the exception of the Wall Street Journal, USA Today, Reuters, ABC, and a few others who ran stories on it) and surmise that the mighty FDA must somehow be "suppressing" this damning document – using it’s clout to prevent the press from making the public aware of the shortcomings of this supposedly unimpeachable organization.

While that supposition, at first blush, makes good sense, something about this "Report" and the manner in which it had to be "sleuthed out" by other writers, and the supposedly damning conclusions of the "Subcommittee on Science and Technology" all had a funny smell to it – in fact, the more I read this report, and re-read it, the more I began to get an odd feeling about the whole thing. (Can there possibly be any more boring, stupefying reading than a government report? Actually, this report is surprisingly readable and engaging – for a FDA report – which also smelled funny…)

You see, while the "Subcommittee on Science and Technology" has come to some "scathing" conclusions, it also makes some recommendations. Not surprisingly, those recommendations boil down to "More Money" and "More Power" and "More Prestige" for this already bloated and power-drunk organization.

Hmmm… A damning report, outlining deficiencies and shortfalls within the FDA, using alarming language like "Finding: FDA does not have the capacity to ensure the safety of food for the nation", and concluding that these problems could be rectified with infusions of money – lots of money. Written by the "Subcommittee on Science and Technology" which is a subcommittee of The National Science Board, which is part of the FDA itself… So, the FDA is airing its own dirty laundry? Wow! How honest and public-spirited of them!

So honest and public spirited that they actually exposed themselves to the "wrath" of politicians like Representative Henry Waxman who sent them a letter demanding that they immediately request additional budget money so that they could correct their shortcomings. – Boy! I’ll bet the FDA just hated that!

The Subcommittee even refers to outside organizations whom it claims independently call for increased funding and resources to be allocated to the FDA – one, "The Coalition for a Stronger FDA" is actually quoted 4 times in the document – in 3 of those instances the document says the Coalition recommends obscene amounts of money be given to the FDA to solve it’s problems and the 4th mention is a reference with a link to this supposedly independent, organization’s website where one can find a veritable who’s who of Big Pharma, Big Industry, Big Medicine, and Big Publicly-Funded Organizations. Check it out here: http://www.fdacoalition.org/index.php

I just had to go and spoil it all by doing some digging.

You see, I wondered who would own and operate such a helpful, public-spirited website – so I ran a who.is search to see who owned the domain name.

It seems that fdacoalition.org is registered to a fellow by the name of Rome Sheehan, of New York.

Rome (a thoroughly likeable young fellow according to the "Facebook" information and other sources that he has posted on the internet), works for a Very Big Company in New York called Burson-Marsteller.

Burson-Marsteller is, according to the website www.sourcewatch.org , "the world’s fifth largest PR company (Source: Council of PR Firms, 2002) and part of the WPP Group. According to a 2004 profile in The Hill, a Washington, DC newspaper, "This multinational PR behemoth has an active public-affairs practice led by Richard Mintz, who ran the media shop at the Department of Transportation during the Clinton administration. He also served as staff director for Hillary Clinton during the 1992 campaign. B-M has won awards recently for its work for the Bureau of Engraving and Printing and the "No on Proposition 54" campaign in California. Its public-affairs practice is bolstered by its affiliation with Direct Impact (grassroots marketing) and BKSH & Associates (lobbying).""

While Burson-Marsteller is understandably coy about revealing who currently employs its PR services, past clients have included several branches of the US Government.

Again, taken from the sourcewatch website: "According to the Public Relations Society of America’s Silver Anvil award records and global public affairs chief Richard Mintz, Burson-Marsteller’s federal contracts have included work for the Census Bureau, on participation rates; Bureau of Engraving and Printing, on “Introducing the New Color of Money” (the $20 bill redesign); Department of the Treasury, on money laundering enforcement; and Postal Service, on “Managing Communication During the Anthrax Crisis.””

In March 2005, PR Week reported that Burson-Marsteller won a $4.6 million contract, through the U.S. Department of Homeland Security’s Urban Area Security Initiative grant program. The contract, for two to seven months’ work, was "for the development and implementation of a regional public awareness and education campaign for a major emergency or disaster, such as a terrorist act," in Washington DC. "The effort’s goal is to have 50% of people in the national capital area report that they’ve taken steps to be prepared," reported PR Week. "In addition to conducting PR
and research, Burson will partner with ad and community-outreach agencies," Burson-Marsteller’s Chris Simko told PR Week, adding that "33% to 50% of the budget will go toward advertising." Wow – that’s a lot of advertising!

Hmmm…

Why would a busy young ad executive, working for a huge, successful New York advertising agency want to spend his valuable time on a public-service website dedicated to obtaining increased funding for the FDA?

Is this nice young fellow really that public-spirited and altruistic?

Or could it be that maybe, just maybe, this "Coalition for a Stronger FDA" is actually owned and operated as a PR exercise of this giant public relations firm – and it is this young man’s job to own that website?

And if it is a PR operation by Burson-Marsteller, who is paying the tab? After all, the services of such a successful company don’t come cheap… (remember; $4.6 million bought just two to seven months work from them for the DHS in 2005…)

It occurs to me that the greatest beneficiary of all this PR is the FDA… and remember:

Propaganda is the deliberate, systematic attempt to shape perceptions, manipulate cognitions, and direct behavior to achieve a response that furthers the desired intent of the propagandist.
– Garth S. Jowett and Victoria O’Donnell, Propaganda and Persuasion

So, we have a report, critical of the FDA, produced by a subcommittee of the FDA for the FDA, which recommends that the FDA needs much more money and power and uses as it’s justification for that recommendation statements made by a "Coalition" group that just might be owned by a public relations company which has been employed in the past by a number of government bureaucracies. This "Critical" report is "buried" and released grudgingly so that the public, the press, and politicians can become appropriately outraged at the failings of the FDA, and demand that "Something be done about it!" That something, of course, is more money and power.

Given the very public problems that the FDA has been having over the past few years this seems to me to be a perfectly conceived, planned, and executed PR campaign designed with nothing more than increased funding for the behemoth bureaucracy in mind: Generate a "report" outlining the failings and problems that we already know about, let it be "leaked out" in an embarrassed manner so as to create an outcry and a demand that steps be taken to fix these problems, and watch the money roll in…

Brilliant!

On the other hand, there is something very repugnant in the idea that the FDA might be spending millions on a Machiavellian propaganda exercise designed to elicit a massive budget increase…

At least that’s my opinion.

Nurse Mark

August 8, 2008
Remembering Reagan, Avoiding Alzheimer’s

One More for "The Gipper"

Ronald Reagan was one of America’s most memorable Presidents. Even those who disagreed with his politics were attracted to his unflinching optimism, eloquent speech and fierce belief that America was and should always be the "beacon of light in a world of darkness." For more on the life and times of this Great American Dreamer, we offer this link to a Ronald Reagan Memorial website:

http://www.ronaldreaganweb.com/ronaldreaganweb/memorial.htm

Alzheimer’s Disease: The "Retirement Robber"

We salute a life well lived in public service, in Hollywood and in politics by a man who kept himself fit, optimistic and intimately involved in life. What should have been a golden last decade in the life of Ronald Reagan was instead spent with a swiftly diminishing mental and physical capacity. Alzheimer’s disease robbed he and his wife of 52 years of the noble retirement they deserved.

What Alzheimer’s Is — and Isn’t

Alzheimer’s disease, first described in 1907 by German psychiatrist Alois Alzheimer, is a degenerative condition of the brain that results in progressive memory loss. In its most severe stage, afflicted people become unable to care for themselves, lose bowel and bladder control and are often unable to swallow and eat. Death usually ensues from infection, often pneumonia.

There are many causes of memory loss besides Alzheimer’s. It is estimated that an approximately equal number of people over age 60 suffer from senile dementia and Alzheimer’s. (Four million Americans have Alzheimer’s disease at a cost of $90 billion annually). While dementia is most frequently caused by atherosclerosis, Alzheimer’s is caused by the deposition of an abnormal protein — beta amyloid — in the brain. These protein deposits are accompanied by "neurofibrillary tangles," (tangles of tiny filaments in the brain) and a loss of many nerve cells. The two conditions are often difficult to differentiate.

Any memory loss with age COULD be serious, but many causes of decreased memory are due to correctable abnormalities such as low thyroid function, nutrient deficiencies, atherosclerosis and tumors. Some decreased capacity to recall names is not necessarily a sign of anything worrisome. One expert described the difference between benign age-related memory changes and Alzheimer’s like this: aging memory is forgetting where you put the car keys; Alzheimer’s is forgetting how to drive the car. Benign aging memory is forgetting an old high school friend’s name; Alzheimer’s is forgetting your spouse’s name.

When to be Concerned about Memory Loss

Any persistent memory changes in a person of ANY age should be evaluated by a physician. Again, there are many correctable causes of memory loss. Many of these corrections are best made as early as possible. For example, deficiencies of B6, B12 and folic acid are associated with increased levels of homocysteine. Increased homocysteine, in turn, is associated with memory loss. This nutrient-related memory decline is felt to be completely reversible within the first 6-12 months. After that, although further memory decline can often be prevented, the existing memory deficits are most often irreversible. (Another good reason to take your daily Maxi Multi, which contains the optimal target doses of these nutrients).

Again, any memory or personality changes should be thoroughly evaluated by a physician. Don’t wait to see your doctor for memory concerns.

Causes of Alzheimer’s

The major abnormalities seen in Alzheimer’s are beta amyloid plaque deposition, neurofibrillary tangles, and loss of neurons. The cause of this collection of abnormalities is not known, although strong evidence exists to support several mechanisms.

1.) Genetics. There appears to be some genetic predisposition to the disease, with 15-20% of cases running in families.

2.) Free Radical Damage (oxidative stress). Brain lesions in Alzheimer’s patients exhibit typical free-radical damage, including damaged DNA, lipid peroxidation, protein oxidation and Advanced Glycosylation end products (AGE’s, see # 3 below).

3.) Inflammation. The same inflammatory cascade that is a known risk factor for heart disease appears in Alzheimer’s at the site of beta amyloid deposition. These inflammatory products accelerate the loss of neurons (brain cells). The hs-CRP test that I encourage all patients to have on an annual basis to help predict heart-disease risk is an indication of this type of low-grade inflammation.

4.) Advanced Glycolsylation End products (AGEs). Glycation is a process whereby a protein binds irreversibly to a sugar molecule, producing an abnormal complex that impairs tissue elasticity. Evidence for AGEs as a cause of Alzheimer’s relates to the fact that AGEs are found in the neurofibrillary tangles characteristic of the disease. Many researchers feel that AGEs may be a more important cause of Alzheimer’s that beta amyloid.

5.) Aluminum toxicity. Although this potential cause is dismissed by conventional medicine, the evidence is strong in favoring aluminum as a causative factor. First, the senile plaques characteristic of Alzheimer’s patients have been found to accumulate aluminum. Lab animals injected with aluminum will develop neurofibrillary tangles as seen in Alzheimer’s. One study (McLachlan, et al. 1996) found a 250% increase of Alzheimer’s disease in people drinking municipal water with high aluminum levels for 10 years or more. Finally, one drug used to treat Alzheimer’s (desferrioxamine) shows a significant benefit in slowing progression of the disease. This drug chelates aluminum.

6.) Homocysteine. This metabolic intermediate, clearly recognized as a risk factor for coronary artery disease, non-Alzheimer’s dementia, and stroke, is now felt to be a significant risk for Alzheimer’s disease as well. Elevated homocysteine levels results from deficiencies of vitamins B6, B12 and folic acid.

Although other theories of the genesis of Alzheimer’s disease exist, the above-listed causes appear to have the most research and relevance behind them.

Avoiding Alzheimer’s: Prevention Steps to Take NOW

With the exception of genetics, all of the most widely supported causes of Alzheimer’s are amenable to preventive and possibly even corrective measures. This is good news, because it means we are not helpless to prevent such a devastating disease. Here are the most-proven methods for addressing the causes of Alzheimer’s:

1.) Prevent Free Radical Damage to the brain and elsewhere. This is a two-step process. First, avoid or minimize exposure to factors that cause free radicals in the body. These factors include first and second-hand smoke, excessive exposure to X-rays, excessive sun exposure, dietary trans fatty acids, heavy metal toxicity. Secondly, take an abundance of nutritional antioxidants to neutralize free radicals in the body. Common antioxidants include: vitamin A, C, E, beta carotene, flavonoids, CoQ10 and acetyl-L-carnitine. The herb Ginkgo biloba is also a potent antioxidant.

2.) Prevent and Reverse Subtle Inflammation. The herb turmeric (curcumin), is a potent anti-inflammatory and anti-fibrin substance. It is also a potent antioxidant with liver-protecting properties. Ginkgo is another anti-inflammatory herb (actually mentioned in The Merck Manual of conventional medicine as being helpful for Alzheimer’s). Essential Fatty Acids, such as those found in flax and fish oil, are anti-inflammatory.

3.) Reduce Advanced Glycosylation End products (AGEs). This is best accomplished by means of a lower carbohydrate diet. In the absence of chronic high blo
od sugar, AGEs form much less, if at all. The Super Fast Diet is an example of a health-restoring diet that minimizes the production of AGEs by lowering average daily blood sugars and insulin levels. Vitamin B1 and B6 decrease AGE formation.

4.) Chelate Toxic metals, especially aluminum. A hair analysis should be employed to evaluate for heavy and toxic metal toxicity. This inexpensive test costs $72 – see our Hair Mineral Analysis page for more information. An excess of ANY toxic metal should be chelated with the guidance of a physician. In most cases, this can be accomplished by taking an oral chelating agent (the agent will differ depending on which toxic metal is accumulated). For severe toxicity, IV chelation is sometimes more expeditious.

5.) Lower Homocysteine Levels. This can almost always be easily accomplished by taking optimal doses of B6, B12 and folic acid.

A Simplified Action Plan for Preventing Alzheimer’s

1.) Take Daily Multi Vitamin and Mineral Supplement.

This should include vitamins A,C,E, beta carotene, bioflavonoids, B complex vitamins (especially B1, B6, B12, folic acid), and selenium. Maxi Multi contains optimal daily doses of these nutrients.

2.) Max EPA (fish oil):

1 cap, 3 times per day with meals to prevent or reverse inflammation. Take higher doses as directed if your hs-CRP tests are elevated. Flax oil is also beneficial but requires a biochemical conversion in the body which is deficient in many people, so fish oil is more certain.

3.) Extra protection:

take any or all of these proven neuro-protective substances:

I.) CoQ10: 50-300mg per day. This powerful antioxidant, produced by the body, diminishes with age. It is especially valuable for all types of heart disease. CHOLESTEROL-LOWERING DRUGS deplete CoQ10.

II.) Turmeric: 1 capsule, 3 times per day (target dose: 900mg). Potent antioxidant, anti-inflammatory and anti-fibrin herb, turmeric acts by three different mechanisms to help protect the brain from the presumed causes of Alzheimer’s.

III.) Ginkgo biloba: 1 cap, 2 times per day. [target dose: 240mg of a 24% flavoneglycoside formula]. Ginkgo is a potent antioxidant that also improves cerebral circulation. This herb is mentioned in The Merck Manual of (conventional) Medicine as being helpful for Alzheimer’s!

IV.) Phosphatidyl Serine: 1 cap (100mgPS), 3 times per day. PS increases brain cell communication by improving membrane fluidity.

V.) Acetyl-L-Carnitine: 1 cap (500mg), 3 times per day between meals. A-LC acts as a powerful antioxidant in the brain.

VI.) Alpha-Lipoic Acid: 1 cap, 2-3 times per day. This neurological antioxidant chelates free iron from the forebrain, thereby protecting against free-radical induced brain aging.

VII.) Melatonin: this hormone decreases with age. It is a potent antioxidant and one of the only ones to cross the blood-brain barrier. It should be used in almost all cases of any neurological disease and is an important part of longevity and anti-aging programs.

Alzheimer’s disease is not an inevitable part of aging even though it is common in our country. Don’t let this memory-robbing disease deprive you of YOUR Golden Years!

In Health,

Dr. Dana Myatt

August 5, 2008

Heart Attack and Stroke: What are Your Real Risks?

Over the past few weeks we’ve received a number of questions about cardiovascular risks, and how to stay "heart-healthy." This is a good time to revisit this HealthBeat article from a few years ago…

Your Risk Factors

Heart disease and cancer are the two leading causes of death for adults who make it past the teen years. Heart disease includes problems with the heart muscle itself (weakness of pumping action, irregular rhythm, and “congestion” due to fluid retention). A leading cause of heart disease and stroke is atherosclerosis, or hardening of the arteries.

For years, conventional medicine has focused on total cholesterol levels almost exclusively to tell us who is at risk for such disease, but cholesterol levels alone provide only a very limited answer to this question. A significant number of people suffer from cardiovascular disease who have never had a total cholesterol level above the “normal” range. (Desirable range is below 200). Clearly, other factors besides cholesterol play a role in the development of atherosclerosis.

In spite of the fact that this information is well-known, I find that many doctors, including cardiologists, fail to give patients a comprehensive work-up to determine true risks. Just recently I talked with a patient who has had multiple angioplasty surgeries for blocked coronary arteries. The problem reoccurs within a matter of weeks. Her cholesterol is 150, which is low normal. Obviously, high cholesterol isn’t her problem. In spite of these facts, her doctors are encouraging her to go for a another worthless (in her case) angioplasty, and no doctor before me has mentioned to her that her high triglycerides and high red blood cell count are also risks, even though the results of her tests are plainly abnormal. Further, no one has performed a high speed C-RP (see below in this article), yet this number represent a bigger risk factor for heart disease than cholesterol.

Bottom line? Don’t expect that your doctor, even if he/she is a cardiologist, is doing a thorough job or evaluating you for cardiovascular risk. Putting someone on a cholesterol-lowering drug seems to be a popular treatment today, even for people in whom such treatment is not indicated. In the mean time, we are overlooking other easily tested-for and easily treated risk factors.

Are we playing the fiddle while Rome is on fire? See below for the complete details and tests to evaluate your heart health.

Cardiovascular Risk Factors: “The Rest of the Story”

Don’t let medical complacency and insurance/HMO cost-cutting put you at risk for heart disease and stroke. The following tests are each independent risk factors for cardiovascular (heart and blood vessel) disease. They are standard medical tests, well-proven, inexpensive. For a true look medical evaluation of your risks, these factors should be looked at as part of a comprehensive evaluation for cardiac/stroke risk.

Blood Test	“Standard Range”	Optimal Range	What to do if elevated:
Cholesterol:
Total cholesterol	under 200	160-200	Ketogenic diet, niacin, Red Rice Yeast, green tea
HDL	above 35	the higher the better	Exercise, niacin, garlic, Vit. C & E, Red Rice Yeast
Chol:HDL ratio			see cholesterol and HDL recommendations, above
LDL	up to 129	below 100	Niacin, vitamin E
Homocysteine	up to 15 mm/l	below 7 mm/l	Vitamin B6, B12 and folic acid (Maxi Multi covers this)
Triglycerides	up to 200 mg/dl	below 100 mg/dl	Ketogenic diet, niacin, Red Rice Yeast, garlic
high-speed C-RP	up to 4.9 mg/L	under 1.3 mg/L	aspirin (low dose-81mg/day); vitamin E, Red Rice Yeast
Fibrinogen	up to 460 mg/dl	under 300 mg/dl	Bromelain, fish oil, vitamin C, niacin, garlic

Minimum work-up for Cardiovascular Risk (more than the conventional work-up) for people with no personal history of heart or blood vessel disease and no other known risk factors (see facing page for other risks):
I.) Lipid profile (cholesterol, HDL, LDL, triglycerides and cholesterol :HDL ratio)
II.) hs-C-RP
[NOTE: I do not routinely perform a homocysteine test in people with no other risk factors because this risk is reliably and predictably lowered by simply taking adequate doses of vitamin B6, B12, and folic acid, as in Maxi Multi or B complex. Other standard multiples often do not contain sufficient doses of these B vitamins to lower homocysteine].
Additional work-up for someone with a history of heart disease, stroke, or who has other risk factors:
III.) Fibrinogen
IV.) “Other risks” as listed below.

Maxi Multi Vitamins

For those of you who take Maxi Multi as your vitamin/mineral supplement (for health’s sake, I wish this included everybody!), please note that this formula contains the recommended, optimal doses of B complex vitamins & vitamin C & E. You do not need additional supplementation of these nutrients (unless you have a specific complaint to address) if you are taking this formula. “I’ve got you covered”! AND, I make changes to the formula to constantly reflect new findings in medicine, so your multiple will always be up-to-the-minute when it comes to formulation.

C-Reactive Protein: First reported in the medical journals and reported to YOU from ME in 1998, this risk factor for heart disease and stroke risk is just now being reported by many other conventional and holistic medical journals and newsletters. C-Reactive Protein (C-RP) is a protein found in the blood. It is indicative of inflammation. A growing body of evidence shows that it is not just cholesterol that clogs arteries and cuts off blood flow to the heart and brain. Low-level inflammation in the body appears to be an even greater risk factor (see chart below).

This low level of inflammation is so small that it doesn’t cause pain. (Ordinarily, inflammation makes itself known by pain, swelling, or redness of an area). Older C-RP tests are used to monitor certain autoimmune diseases, but the test is not sensitive enough to detect the small elevations of C-RP that lead to heart disease and stroke. Instead, the “new” test is highly sensitive (hence, the “hs”-C-RP designation).

As you can see from the chart at right, elevations of C-RP are more predictive of heart attack and stroke than any other blood risk factor commonly evaluated for. Because of this, it may be more important to look at hs-C-RP than cholesterol.

The test is inexpensive ($20-30) and my prediction is that it will become a routine part of cardiac risk testing, performed right along with the cholesterol profile, within the next several years. But don’t wait until your insurance pays for the test. Ask your doctor to order it next time you have a cholesterol check.

Blood Test	Amount of Increased risk above normal if elevated:
C-Reactive Protein (high sensitivity)	4.4
Cholesterol:HDL ratio	3.4
Total Cholesterol	2.4
LDL Cholesterol	2.4

Source:New England Journal of Medicine, 342:841, 2000, based on studies conducted by Dr. Paul Ridker at Bringham and Women’s Hospital.

“Other” Risk factors (The ones your doctor didn’t tell you about)

Any factor that increases blood viscosity (thickness) can put additional
stress on the vascular system and trigger a myocardial infarction ("MI"; an “attack” of the heart due to decreased blood flow) or stroke. I frequently see one or several of these factors elevated on a patient’s medical records, with the doctor’s note at the bottom of the page saying “all normal.” The patient often never hears about those lab values and risks that are indicative of increase blood viscosity, and therefore, an opportunity is lost to correct a risk factor. Additional risk factors that are easily identified through routine lab work include :
1.) Elevated RBC (red blood cell) count
2.) Elevated platelet count
3.) Elevated serum iron or ferritin (storage iron)
4.) Elevated fasting blood sugar

Lifestyle factors that influence blood viscosity:
1.) Overweight & obesity (associated with increased cholesterol, LDL, triglycerides and C-RP).
2.) Dehydration. Yes, a simple lack of water causes the blood to thicken, increasing risk. Drink water!
3.) Smoking: this is SO risky for the circulation that I refer readers to our webpage Smoking – Just the Facts for a full disclosure.
4.) Dietary fats (especially animal fats)

“Action Steps” to take to alleviate these risks:

For high RBC and/or platelet count: be generous – donate blood! Phlebotomy (having blood drawn) is an easy way to decrease platelet and RBC count. You doctor can help you know how often to give blood based on your repeat Complete Blood Counts (“CBC,” a standard test that tells numbers of red and white cells, platelets, and how much iron the RBC’s contain. It is a very inexpensive and routine blood test and should probably be used more often than it is).

For high iron: this one is tricky, because it depends on whether or not your body is using iron correctly. However, iron excess is far more common than iron deficiency in adults (women of menstrual age excepted). Be sure your supplements DO NOT contain iron unless you are told to take iron by a doctor. Your Maxi Multi does NOT contain iron for this very reason.

To offset the effects of dietary fats: Fat in the diet (animal fat and vegetable Omega-6 fats; see our webpage on Essential Fatty Acids for further explanation) makes red blood cells stick together for hours after a meal is eaten. Vitamin C & E, taken with meals, “erases” this “sticky” effect and RBC’s behave as if no fats were eaten. That is why I recommend Maxi Multi (with optimal vitamin C & E doses), be taken with each meal instead of just once or twice per day!

Herbs & Blood Viscosity: Nature’s Blood-Thinning Remedies

Conventional medical blood thinning is accomplished by coumadin compounds, which prevent platelet aggregation. This therapy is reserved for people with severe cardiac arrhythmias and other serious problems, because the blood-thinning effects of therapy can have serious consequences. (Coumadin is used as rat poison. The rats eat it, and bleed to death internally). There are some circumstances where this type of blood thinning may be advisable, but treatment must be carefully and frequently monitored by blood testing. Furthermore, coumadin therapy only prevents platelet aggregation. According to conventional medical sources (the Merck manual, 17th edition), only 1/3 of all causative agents of abnormal blood clotting are prevented by the administration of this drug. Bottom line: coumadin is useful in very limited circumstances and must be carefully monitored. So what is the “average Joe or Jane” (without a history of serious blood viscosity problems) supposed to do to help keep the blood flowing smoothly? Mother nature has given us a number of healthful choices.

There are many herbs that act to normalize blood viscosity at different points. A combination of these herbs can actually have a broader “coverage” of clotting risk factors than coumadin alone. The difference is that the herbs are safer than coumadin, can be taken without medical supervision, and can be used in a preventive fashion. The only caution (and this is minor), is to tell your doctor that you are using these herbs IF you are on or going to begin coumadin therapy OR if you are scheduled for surgery. (Blood tests can and should be conducted before surgery to see how viscous your blood is anyway, so blood-thinning herbs aren’t “risky” as some conventional medical sources have portrayed).

Blood Viscosity-Aiding Herbs: The Short Course

1.) Garlic: decreases platelet aggregation, increases HDL cholesterol, decreases triglycerides and decreases fibrin.
2.) Ginkgo: prevents blood platelets from aggregating.
3.) Turmeric: Anti-inflammatory, so may lower C-RP. Turmeric also has other blood viscosity-normalizing effects that are beyond the scope of this article.
4.) Bromelain: Anti-inflammatory, anti-fibrinolytic. This herbal substance from pineapple is a well-researched, unsung hero. It has a broad range of utility. Everyone should have this on hand whether you take it daily or only on an “as needed” basis.
5.) Bilberry: decreases platelet aggregation in a manner similar to ginkgo. Also has potent antioxidant effects and strengthens blood vessel integrity, making it useful for varicose veins, capillary fragility and venous insufficiency.
6.) Grape seed Extract: potent antioxidant, decreases platelet aggregation.
7.) Green Tea: inhibits oxidation of LDL and prevents platelet aggregation.

Other proven anti-clotting
herbs include: ginger, gugulipid.

Nutritional Factors Influencing Blood Viscosity

Be SURE to get the following nutrients for their helpfulness in maintaining normal blood flow and minimizing stroke/heart attack risk:
I.) Vitamin C & E (with every meal; included in Maxi Multi or take separately.
II.) B6, B12 and folic acid: daily. Included in Maxi Multi or take separately as Multi B Complex.
III.) Omega-3 fats: (found in fish and flax seed). Unlike other fats which cause red cells to “clump,” Omega-3 fats have an anti-inflammatory, anti-clotting action. (learn more about Omega-3 Fatty acids). Best sources: eat fish (especially salmon) twice a week and take 2 teaspoons of flax seed meal daily.

Maxi Greens

Wellness Club brand formula Maxi Greens contains Bilberry, green tea, grape seed extract and bromelain, plus many other “green foods” and herbs, offering broad-spectrum coverage for blood viscosity. Maxi Greens provides many other health benefits besides this.

Heart-Healthy Nutrients

CoQ10

CoQ10 is a powerful antioxidant and oxygenator made by the body. It is universally deficient in people with heart disease, high blood pressure, cardiac arrhythmias and cancer. The correlation between heart disease and CoQ10 is now so well known that even conventional cardiologists often recommend it to their patients. Further, cholesterol-lowering drugs deplete CoQ10. Although it is not known to specifically impact blood viscosity, it’s role in oxygenation of heart and muscle tissue is vitally important. ANYONE with ANY cardiac risk should be taking supplemental CoQ10. Supplemental CoQ10 is also necessary for anyone on a cholesterol-lowering drug.

Magnesium

Magnesium is a mineral which plays a key role in energy production. It is found in high concentrations in the brain, heart, liver and kidneys. It is also a crucial component of bone.

According to the U.S. Surgeon General, magnesium is the most common nutrient deficiency in the American diet. That’s unfortunate, because without sufficient magnesium, the heart fails to beat correctly. in fact, magnesium is rightly known as “Nature’s calcium channel blocker.” Deficiencies of this mineral can lead to heart arrhythmia, high blood pressure, low HDL cholesterol, cardiomyopathy and acute MI (heart attack). [NOTE: magnesium is routinely used IV in emergency cardiac medicine in many European countries, but is less commonly used here].
Like CoQ10, magnesium supplementation is extremely safe and vitally important for heart health. (Maxi Multi contains a generous 500mg per day).

An “Action Plan” for Protecting Your Heart and Circulation

For those with no elevated risk
1.) Maxi Multi: 3 caps, 3 times per day supplies optimal, “heart-protective” doses of Vitamins C & E, B complex (including target doses of B6, B12, and folic acid), and magnesium.

For those with one or more elevated risk factors of already-established disease:
1.) Maxi Multi: as above.
2.) CoQ10: 100-400mg daily.
3.) Specific herbs or nutrients as indicated:
I.) For normalizing blood viscosity: Bromelain and/or Maxi Greens and/or any of the herbs listed in this article.
II.) For decreasing cholesterol: Niacin or Red Rice Yeast or both (they can be taken together if needed for resistant cases).
III.) For high blood pressure: additional magnesium to total 800-1,000mg daily.

What I take for heart and cardiovascular health :

1.) Maxi Multi 2.) Maxi Greens 3.) CoQ10

Here’s to Your Healthy Heart!

Dr. Myatt

August 2, 2008

A Small Collection Of Aphorisms

APHORISM: A SHORT, POINTED SENTENCE EXPRESSING A WISE, CLEVER OBSERVATION, A GENERAL TRUTH OR ADAGE …

1. The nicest thing about the future is that it always starts tomorrow.

2. Money will buy a fine dog but only kindness will make him wag his tail.

3. If you don’t have a sense of humor, you probably don’t have any sense at all.

4. Seat belts are not as confining as wheelchairs.

5. A good time to keep your mouth shut is when you’re in deep water.

6. How come it takes so little time for a child who is afraid of the dark to become a teenager who wants to stay out all night?

7. Business conventions are important because they demonstrate how many people a company can operate without.

8. Why is it that at class reunions you feel younger than everyone else looks?

9. Scratch a dog and you’ll find a permanent job.

10. No one has more driving ambition than the boy who wants to buy a car.

11. There are no new sins; the old ones just get more publicity.

12. There are worse things than getting a call for a wrong number at 4 AM. Like this: It could be a right number.

13. No one ever says ‘It’s only a game’ when their team is winning.

14. I’ve reached the age where the happy hour is a nap.

15. Be careful reading the fine print. There’s no way you’re going to like it.

16. The trouble with bucket seats is that not everybody has the same size bucket.

17. Do you realize that in about 40 years we’ll have millions of old ladies running around with tattoos? (And rap music will be the Golden Oldies!)

18. Money can’t buy happiness but somehow it’s more comfortable to cry in a Corvette than in a Yugo.

19. After 70, if you don’t wake up aching in every joint, you are probably dead.

July 24, 2008
The Ten Most Dangerous Foods:

There are some foods that are unhealthy for various reasons, and then there are foods that are SO unhealthy that they shouldn’t even be considered edible. Here are some of the major criteria I used in accessing the most dangerous foods:

1.) Omega Ratios: (ratio of "Omega-6" to "Omega-3" Essential Fatty Acids). Remember that a desirable Omega Ratio is anything under 10. Ten to 15 is OK if consumed on occasion and things higher than 15 should be eaten only rarely if at all.

2.) "Trans" fats: these are the "Frankensteins" of the fat family. Even small amounts can cause serious abnormalities at the cellular level. The proof is so overwhelming that the government has mandated all food labels to start carrying information about the "trans" fat content.

3.) Toxins: while it’s true that much if not most of our food supply contains at least some contaminants, certain foods are worse than others for the toxic compounds they contain.

4.) High simple sugars: as little as one teaspoon of sugar suppresses the immune system for 4 hours or more. And—surprise!—- even fruit sugar (fructose) has this effect.

These foods are on my "hit list" and represent my top ten picks for the most dangerous "pseudo-foods." For every food that should best be avoided, I’ll tell you about a happy, healthy alternative that makes a great substitute.

1.) Potato chips and French Fries: with an Omega ratio of 63, America’s favorite snack foods pack a huge dose of Omega-6 fats, enough to seriously imbalance the body’s essential fatty acid ratio, even when consumed in small amounts. (Does anyone really eat "small amounts" of potato chips?). But that’s not the worst of it. Heating starches produces acrylamides – known neurotoxins and carcinogens capable of damaging DNA. The more you heat starches, the more acrylamides you end up with. Products like normal potato chips contain so much acrylamides that they exceed the World Health Organization’s daily allowances 2000-3000 thousand fold.

This news was downplayed in the USA. On CNN they said "It’s just one study," "More research is needed," (After all, let’s not go to extremes and start thinking we really need to tell people about dangerous chemicals in their food supply—- especially when these foods are Big Business). Potato chips and French fries are the worst foods when it comes to acrylamides, with "foods" like cookies, bread and other starchy foods containing lesser, though still problematic amounts, of this carcinogenic, nervous-system toxic substance.

SUBSTITUTE: Fried pork rinds have an Omega Ratio of 12.9 and no acrylamides, making them a much healthier, still crisp-and-crunchy snack food for dipping and chipping.

2.) Peanuts: with an Omega ratio of 201, this "not really a nut" (it’s a legume) packs a huge dose of Omega-6 fats, again enough to seriously imbalance the body’s essential fatty acid ratio, even when consumed in small amounts. (Does anyone really eat "small amounts" of peanuts either?). But that’s not the worst of it. Peanuts tend to harbor a fungus called aflatoxin. Aflatoxins are potent carcinogenic and immunosuppressive agents. Exposure is difficult to avoid because fungal growth in foods is not easy to prevent. Though heavily contaminated food supplies are not permitted in the market place in developed countries, concern still remains for the possible adverse effects resulting from long-term exposure to low levels of aflatoxins in the food supply. In 1988, the IARC placed aflatoxin B1 on the list of human carcinogens. This is supported by a number of epidemiological studies done in Asia and Africa that have demonstrated a positive association between dietary aflatoxins and Liver Cell Cancer (LCC).

SUBSTITUTE: While true nuts do not tend to harbor aflatoxin like peanuts do, most have an Omega Ratio of 20-100+. The exception is English walnuts, an absolute health food with an Omega Ratio of 1.7.

3.) Crisco: (Crisco = Crystallized Cottonseed Oil). In 1907, candle-make William Proctor and his soap-making brother-in-law James Gamble (Proctor and Gamble), discovered a way to use cottonseed oil to make cheaper candles and soap (the beef tallow processors of the time were driving prices quite high). The process takes cotton seed oil, with an Omega Ratio of 257, and makes it into a solid by converting many of the Omega-6 fats to "trans" fats. This pseudo-food is beyond bad, and not fit for human consumption. Crisco should have remained where it started: as a raw material for making candles and soap.

SUBSTITUTE: Lard or butter. (Butter is a health food).

4.) Vegetable oils: Corn oil, safflower oil, sunflower oil, peanut oil, ALL except those listed below. Their Omega Ratios are terrible —- from 80-120+. Nature didn’t intend for us to concentrate the oils from certain foods like corn and peanuts.

NOTE on Olive Oil: Although Olive Oil has an acceptable Omega Ratio (11.61), it contains a high Omega-9’s, fats which are non-essential and interfere with the body’s utilization of the "good fat," Omega-3. Olive oil has a healthful reputation that far exceeds the reality of its worth. Use flax oil for salad dressings and such (Omega Ratio 2.18), and butter for low-heat frying (Omega Ratio 1.55).

SUBSTITUTE: For high-heat frying, use coconut oil or non-solvent processed canola oil. For low-heat frying (sautéing), use butter, ghee (clarified butter) or walnut oil. Use flax oil only for salad dressings and in baked goods; do not fry with it in order to preserve the Omega-3 fatty acids.

5.) Fruit Juice: Oh Gosh! And now you’re thinking I’m probably against the American flag and motherhood and apple pie…

Freshly made fruit juice contains high levels of vitamin C and enzymes. Processed juice, which has been pasteurized, loses all vitamin C and enzymes. The result? Fruit-sugar (fructose) water. If processed juice contains vitamin C or calcium, it is because these nutrients have been added back in – "enriched." But the levels are low compared to simple supplementation, and not worth the immune-suppressing effects of sugar.

SUBSTITUTE: Want fruit? Eat the "real deal" in its whole form and enjoy the enzymes, vitamins and fiber. Red Alert and Greens First provide the equivalent of 10+ servings of organic produce without the high sugars (and they taste great). If you need more vitamin C (remember, you get a hefty 1,200mg from your daily dose of Maxi Multi), then take an additional vitamin C supplement. If you drink cranberry juice to prevent urinary tract infections, take cranberry capsules instead. No sugar, but all the health benefits.

6.) Margarine: no matter what it’s made from, margarine is largely "trans fat." (Remember, trans fat is "Franken-fat," the really bad stuff). Even good oils are converted into "trans" when they are made into margarine. There isn’t much "trans fat" in nature; the body is not well equipped to deal with this strange substance. Corn oil margarine has an Omega Ratio of 88.5, but even "good" margarine made with soy margarine has an OR of 12.9 (not to mention an unknown amount of "trans," which all margarines have.

SUBSTITUTE: Butter, with an Omega Ratio of 1.5, is an absolute health food. I’m not
sure how it got a "bad rap," but it is totally undeserved. Use butter for a bread spread and for low-heat sautéing. DO NOT use margarine of any kind!

7.) Vegetable Oils: Some oils are bad, some are really bad. Corn oil and peanut oil take the prize for having such an unnatural Omega Ratio (82.9 & infinite, respectively), that the body simply does not have the capacity to use it properly. These high Omega-6 oils create inflammation in the body, predisposing to cancer, heart disease and over 60 other disease processes. Other unhealthy vegetable oils include: soy, sunflower, safflower, cotton seed and sesame. Olive oil is neutral, not healthful. Why use this when you can use flax seed oil with a positive health benefit?

SUBSTITUTE: For salad dressings and no-heat uses: Flax oil (Omega ratio: 0.23) is a health food, so is walnut oil (OR: 5.0) and canola oil (OR: 2.18). Be SURE to use organically processed canola (the label will brag about this). Most commercial canola oils are chemically processed and contain too many chemical residues to make them safe.

8.) White Sugar: This pseudo-food contains NOTHING but simple, "empty" calories. It has no fats, hence no Omega Ratio. (That’s the best news about white sugar). White sugar rapidly elevates blood sugar and taxes the pancreas tremendously. Can you say "hypoglycemia, Syndrome X and diabetes"? The calories in sugar have no food value but are stored rapidly as fat. White sugar requires B complex vitamins for its utilization, creating a B vitamin deficiency. Why does this matter? Low B-6, B12 and folate are major causes of depression, heart disease, ovarian cancer (and probably other cancers), and birth defects.

SUBSTITUTE: "brown sugar" and honey are NOT acceptable substitutes. Their nutritional content is only minutely better than refined white sugar. Try stevia (an herb) or the artificial sweetener saccharine.

9.) White flour: With an Omega ratio of 17.7 and no redeeming nutritional value except empty calories, white flour teams with white sugar as the top "white trash" foods. All of the B complex vitamin deficiencies occurring with white sugar also happen with white flour. Now think a minute: why is it white? Because it has been BLEACHED. No fiber, no nutrients (except carbohydrate calories), a huge tax on the pancreas, PLUS bleach. What a bargain!

SUBSTITUTE: whole grain flour (which usually has a lot of refined flour), or skip flour products altogether. Soy flour products make the most tastefully and healthfully acceptable products.

10.) Non-Dairy Creamer: Made from "pseudo-edible oils" (see # 7 above), creamers have a lot of trans fats. Why do I call the "Franken-fats"? "Trans" is the REALLY BAD kind of fat; Franken-fats are from Trans-silvania, get it?

SUBSTITUTE: want cream in your coffee? Use cream! Or half-and-half! With an Omega Ratio of 1.55 and no trans fats, the "real deal" is much more healthful than these "Franken-fakes."

July 18, 2008

Author: Wellness Club

EXPOSED: FDA’s Self-Critical Report is a PR Scam

Propaganda is the deliberate, systematic attempt to shape perceptions, manipulate cognitions, and direct behavior to achieve a response that furthers the desired intent of the propagandist. – Garth S. Jowett and Victoria O’Donnell, Propaganda and Persuasion

Remembering Reagan, Avoiding Alzheimer’s

Heart Attack and Stroke: What are Your Real Risks?

A Small Collection Of Aphorisms

The Ten Most Dangerous Foods:

Propaganda is the deliberate, systematic attempt to shape perceptions, manipulate cognitions, and direct behavior to achieve a response that furthers the desired intent of the propagandist.
– Garth S. Jowett and Victoria O’Donnell, Propaganda and Persuasion