HealthBeat News

Author: Wellness Club

  • Calcium Supplements – The Truth

    By Nurse Mark

    A half–truth is a whole lie. Yiddish Proverb

     

    “There you go again” – President Ronald Reagan

     

    • Taking Calcium May Pose Heart Risks – NYTimes
    • Calcium Supplement Linked to Higher Heart Attack Risk – Yahoo health news
    • Calcium supplements may raise heart attack risk – USA TODAY
    • Panel to postmenopausal women: Don’t take vitamin D, calcium – USA TODAY
    • Calcium supplements ‘double risk of heart attack’, study finds – The Guardian

    What do all these headlines have in common?

     

    They are all using a half-truth to create a sensational but misleading headline.

     

    Is there any wonder that we have been rushed off our feet with near-frantic emails and phone calls from patients and customers who are being led to believe that they are being poisoned by this essential mineral?

    It never ceases to amaze us here when we see the lows to which Big Pharma will stoop to in order to protect their patent medicine monopoly and profits.

    “Don’t take that natural, essential nutrient to protect your bones. Oh no, no, no! Take our patented bone-killing bisphosphonate drug instead!” (We’ve written about the dangers of these drugs before – see: The Ugly Truth About “Bone-Building” Drugs for Osteoporosis )

    My take on all this? It’s a bunch of B.S. (Oh, for goodness sake! That stands for Bad Science – not what  you were thinking!)

    And I’m not alone: other well-known authorities who have spoken out recently about this include Dr. Alan Gaby, writing in The Townsend Newsletter, and even the Great and Powerful Dr. Oz. All agree that the studies are flawed and the reporting is incomplete, and that calcium without magnesium is worse than useless.

    OK – so what’s really going on here?

    Well, what’s happening, (besides that these studies that have some serious flaws in them) is that they have studied calcium by itself as a supplement. They seem to have forgotten that calcium must be taken with magnesium in order to be safe and effective.

    Without proper amounts of magnesium, calcium cannot be assimilated properly and may even build up and become toxic. Magnesium ensures the proper assimilation of calcium and of vitamin D as well.

    This is so important that Dr. Myatt has never recommended the use of calcium without magnesium and Her Maxi Multi optimal dose multivitamin provides 1000mg of calcium and 500mg of magnesium per day.

    For those who need more calcium she recommends CalMag Amino which provides an additional 1500mg calcium and 600mg magnesium daily.

    Finally, because Dr. Myatt knows that magnesium deficiency is so common among Americans, she also recommends Magnesium Glycinate to provide additional amounts of this essential mineral.

    Also left unexamined in these sensation-mongering reports is the vital role that Vitamin K2 plays in the utilization of calcium and Vitamin D by our bodies.

    Vitamin K2 is needed for the body to to bind calcium into the matrix of bone. It also prevents the calcification of coronary and arterial plaque and without sufficient Vitamin K2, excessive calcium and vitamin D may actually encourage heart disease. Neither the studies nor these breathless, fear-inducing “news articles” bothered to look at this relationship and the fact that many Americans are quite deficient in Vitamin K2 as a result of the miserable Standard American Diet. A study in 2004 called The Rotterdam Study found that people with higher intake of vitamin K2 had 57% less risk of dying from cardiovascular disease.

    The Bottom Line?

    There is no need to fear your calcium supplements as long as you are balancing calcium with magnesium and ensuring that you are getting good amounts of vitamin K2 from diet or supplementation.

     

    References and additional reading:

    Dr. Alan Gaby: Do Calcium Supplements Cause Cardiovascular Disease? http://www.townsendletter.com/Jan2011/gabyed0111.html

    Dr. Oz: “Studies on calcium dangers unproven” http://www.postandcourier.com/article/20100817/ARCHIVES/308179926

    Li K, Kaaks R, Linseisen J, Rohrmann S. Associations of dietary calcium intake and calcium supplementation with myocardial infarction and stroke risk and overall cardiovascular mortality in the Heidelberg cohort of the European Prospective Investigation into Cancer and Nutrition study (EPIC-Heidelberg). Heart. 2012 Jun;98(12):920-5. doi: 10.1136/heartjnl-2011-301345.

    Geleijnse JM, Vermeer C, Grobbee DE, Schurgers LJ, Knapen MH, van der Meer IM, Hofman A, Witteman JC. Dietary intake of menaquinone is associated with a reduced risk of coronary heart disease: the Rotterdam Study. J Nutr. 2004 Nov;134(11):3100-5.

    OSTEOPOROSIS – Prevent or Reverse the “Bone Thinning Disease” by Dr. Myatt

    Calcium Supplementation Without a Proper Balance of Magnesium Can Increase Risk of Heart Attack, Osteoporosis and Kidney Stones http://www.reuters.com/article/2011/09/14/idUS164282+14-Sep-2011+PRN20110914

  • Some Thoughts On Aging

    A few random thoughts on aging:

     

    • Aging: Eventually you will reach a point when you stop lying about your age and start bragging about it.
    • The older we get, the fewer things seem worth waiting in line for.
    • Some people try to turn back their odometers.
      Not me, I want people to know “why” I look this way.
      I’ve traveled a long way and some of the roads weren’t paved.
    • When you feel dissatisfied and would like to return to the days of your youth, think of Algebra.
    • You know you are getting old when everything either dries up or leaks.
    • One of the many things no one tells you about aging is that it’s such a nice change from being young.
      Ah, being young is beautiful,
      But being old is comfortable.
    • First you forget names, then you forget faces.
      Then you forget to pull up your zipper.
      It’s worse when you forget to pull it down.
    • Long ago when men cursed and beat the ground with sticks, it was called witchcraft.
      Today, it’s called golf

  • Move Over Raspberry Ketone, Green Coffee Is Here!

    By Nurse Mark

     

    Next weight loss miracle or just more bunk?

     

    You’re seeing it nearly everywhere now – the mighty Dr. Oz has promoted it on TV, it’s in print ads in newspapers, tabloids, and magazines, and spam ads are overwhelming your email in-box.

    Green Coffee beans are the newest weight-loss miracle that promises:

    • Reduce sugar, LOSE WEIGHT FAST!
    • Inhibit weight gain, MELTS BODY FAT!
    • All this, WITHOUT ANY CHANGES IN DIET OR EXERCISE!

     

    Wow – Talk about a MIRACLE!

    Wait a minute – that’s just what the Great and Mighty Oz called it – a “miracle.” On his show when touting this stuff he used the terms “staggering,” “unprecedented,” “magic,” “miracle pill,” and even “cure.”

    I don’t know about you, dear reader, but quite frankly the B.S. Alert Meter on my dashboard is flashing red right about now… (oh, come on – don’t accuse me of naughty language; B.S. stands for “Bad Science,” not what you were thinking!)

    It seems that a lot of you are wondering if this stuff is really be real or if it’s just another scam too – you’ve been sending us emails and letters asking for our thoughts about it.

    So, I’ve been looking into Green Coffee Bean extract. And what I’ve found is that I doubt very much that this stuff will ever live up to the hype, but that used as one of many tools in a comprehensive weight loss program there may be some merit to it.

    There’s the nitty-gritty of it. It is NOT a miracle magic weight loss silver bullet – there ain’t no such thing!

    It is possible that there may be some beneficial effects from chlorogenic acid – thought to be the active component in Green Coffee extract – that could help with weight loss when combined with a sensible program of diet and exercise.

    But can you eat Hagen Daaz, fudge brownies, and French fries and expect Green Coffee pills to magically make you lose weight? To “melt” your belly fat? Don’t be silly!

    Will the mere act of lifting the magic Green Coffee pill to your mouth relieve you of the need to do some real exercise if you want to be slim and fit? C’mon, you don’t really believe that do you?

    Most of the claims about the effectiveness of Green Coffee extract are based on one small (16 people) and brief (22 weeks) human study that was conducted in India and sponsored by the manufacturer of the “GCA” brand Green Coffee extract supplement that was used in the study – what could possibly go wrong with that?

    The study was reasonably well-conducted, despite it’s many flaws, and at the end of it all it looks like participants lost an average of 8 kilograms (17.6 pounds) over the course of the study – or about 0.8 pounds (12.8 ounces) a week.

    Ummm… three-quarters of a pound a week? If that is your entire weight-loss strategy you have a problem…

    On the other hand, in reviewing the medical and research literature on chlorogenic acid (which is not something exclusive to Green Coffee by the way!) it is apparent that this substance may be useful as an additional tool in dealing with a number of conditions. Green Coffee extract / chlorogenic acid is also potent antioxidant and may have some research demonstrating it’s use in supporting cardiovascular health.

    So, should you rush out and buy some so that you can be as skinny as the models they show in the big glossy ads? You know the ones – the teenage girl gymnast types with 22 inch waists standing sideways in a pair of huge pants that someone got from a thrift store – sometimes even claiming to be “an actual customer.” Yeah, those ads – you knew they were as phony as a three-dollar bill didn’t you? Of course you do – you just got carried away with the excitement of the claims and forgot…

    But will it help me lose weight?

    Yes, if you are going to follow a sensible weight loss diet plan (like the Super Fast Diet) and increase your activity and exercise then maybe adding Green Coffee extract might help you lose an extra pound a week – or maybe not. But given that there don’t seem to be any significant side effects reported, it probably can’t hurt anything more than your wallet…

    How can you know what is a good brand?

    Dr. Myatt currently does not offer Green Coffee Bean extract. That is because she has not yet found a product that meets her quality, potency, and purity standards. She is interviewing suppliers and hoping to find something that she is willing to put her name on soon, but the supplement industry really is “the wild, wild west” and it’s even worse with something as over-hyped as Green Coffee extract is. There is an awful lot of absolutely awful junk on the market.

    If you are looking for a supplement, be sure to read the label – doses vary. So does something called “standardization” which assures you that you are getting what is claimed on the label. Quality varies too, and if something is significantly cheaper than all the others, there is usually a good reason for that…

    The most effective dose used in the study was 350 mg standardized to 45.9% chlorogenic acids taken three times daily. Be sure you are getting a Green Coffee Bean extract with the proper standardization of chlorogenic acid (45-50%). Also make sure there is at least 200mg of Green Coffee Bean Extract at 45-50% chlorogenic acid per capsule.

    There was Hoodia, and Irvingia, and Green Tea, and Bitter orange, and of course Raspberry Ketones. Better yet, now it looks like you can get pills with ALL of these! A little bit of this, a little bit of that…

    Now after bombarding us with the glory of Green Coffee Beans The Great and Mighty Oz has turned to promoting saffron extract as the newest “weight loss miracle – that melts belly fat.” Do you see a pattern here?

    What’s next? My prediction: Wait for it, your email inbox is about to be stuffed with spammy ads for – Ta Da! – Cranberries. Yup, the humble cranberry was found in a study to control blood sugar and “slow starch digestion.”

    And so it goes – the eternal search for the elusive fat-melting pill… and the fountain of youth, and unicorns while we’re at it.

     

    References:

    “The” study: http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3267522/

    One writer’s critique of the study, detailing it’s flaws and weaknesses: (Fair warning – this writer and blog is VERY much opposed to natural medicine of any kind)

    http://www.sciencebasedmedicine.org/index.php/dr-oz-and-green-coffee-beans-more-weight-loss-pseudoscience/

  • "I Was Drugged By My Parents!"

    The following letter was sent to us by one of our readers, and we decided to share it with you as well.

     

    The other day, someone at a store in our town read that a methamphetamine lab had been found in an old farmhouse in the adjoining county and he asked me a rhetorical question. “Why didn’t we have a drug problem when you and I were growing up?”

    I replied that I did have a drug problem when I was young:  I was drug to church on Sunday morning.  I was drug to church for weddings and funerals.  I was drug to family reunions and community socials no matter the weather.

    I was drug by my ears when I was disrespectful to adults.  I was also drug to the woodshed when I disobeyed my parents, told a lie, brought home a bad report card, did not speak with respect, spoke ill of the teacher or the preacher, or if I didn’t put forth my best effort in everything that was asked of me.

    I was drug to the kitchen sink to have my mouth washed out with soap if I uttered a profanity.  I was drug out to pull weeds in mom’s garden and flower beds and cockleburs out of dad’s fields.  I was drug to homes of family, friends, and neighbors to help out some poor soul who had no one to mow the yard, repair the clothesline, or chop some firewood, and, if my mother had ever known that I took a single dime as a tip of kindness, she would have drug me back to the woodshed.

    Those drugs are still in my veins and they effect my behavior in everything I do, say, or think.  They are stronger than cocaine, crack, or heroin:  and, if today’s children had this kind of drug problem, America would be a better place.

    God bless the parents who drugged us

  • Silver – The Antibiotic Of Our Ancestors

    By Nurse Mark

     

    Silver has been used as an antimicrobial throughout history.

    Ancient Phoenicians kept water and other liquids in silver coated bottles to discourage contamination by microbes.

    Many readers may remember the days of fresh milk in “real” glass bottles – and that granny would place a silver coin in the bottle to preserve freshness and prevent spoiling.

    The expression “Born with a silver spoon in the mouth” is rooted in old tradition – as the children of wealthy parents would be given a silver spoon to suck and teethe on, and the wealthy have long known the benefits of silver dishes and cutlery in preventing food-borne illness.

    Silver containing drops have been applied to the eyes of newborns since the late 1800’s to prevent blindness caused by infection – though this practice is declining as drug companies insist that their patented antibiotic drops be used instead.

    During the early years of the 20th century silver was used in the treatment of wounds and silver-containing creams are used today in the treatment of burns.

    Silver is a natural, powerful antibiotic – it is bactericidal, and kills fungus and viruses on contact. (1, 2) Researchers have stated:

    Silver nanoparticles have mainly been studied for their antimicrobial potential against bacteria, but have also proven to be active against several types of viruses including human imunodeficiency virus, hepatitis B virus, herpes simplex virus, respiratory syncytial virus, and monkey pox virus.

    and,

    SNP [Silver NanoParticles] also exhibited good antifungal activity (50% inhibition at 75 microg/mL with antifungal index 55.5% against Aspergillus niger and MIC of 25 microg/mL against Candida albicans).

    Colloidal silver is not known to be toxic at any dose – though prolonged ingestion of large amounts may cause a cosmetic condition known as argyria – an otherwise harmless bluish discoloration of the skin.

    There is even research that suggests that colloidal silver may be an effective treatment for breast cancer! (3) A Mexican study in 2010 concluded:

    “The present results showed that colloidal silver might be a potential alternative agent for human breast cancer therapy.”

    There are a lot of colloidal silver products on the market, and even instructions for do-it-yourself colloidal silver. Quality however is a concern and it is wise to get your colloidal silver from a trustworthy source with a reputation for quality. Once again, as with most supplements, price can be an indicator of quality and “bargain brands” are no bargain if they contain no silver! Dr. Myatt offers a physician’s grade of colloidal silver – find more information here.

    “Hand sanitizers” have become popular in recent years, but few people know their actual contents or risks.

    Most hand sanitizers contain substantial concentrations of alcohol. While alcohol is effective as an antimicrobial, it is also harsh on skin – as anyone who has ever accidentally rubbed alcohol into a cut or scratch can attest! Alcohol also poses serious poisoning risks to children.

    Most hand sanitizers also contain a variety of other chemicals, from perfumes to pesticides. That’s right, pesticides!

    A common chemical used in hand sanitizers is triclosan – which was first registered with the EPA as a pesticide in 1969. (4) While it is effective as an antimicrobial, it is being found to have thyroid and hormone-disruptive effects. (5)

    Triclosan has been shown to disrupt thyroid homeostasis in mammalian models (Paul et al. 2010; Rodríguez and Sanchez 2010), and current human exposure levels are in the range of those predicted to have this activity based on laboratory tests (Rotroff et al. 2010). Triclocarban has been shown to amplify endogenous androgen response in mammalian models (Chen et al. 2008).

    These are not products that we should be slathering on our hands with out thought for their dangers!

    Fortunately, there is an alternative!

    ASAP 365 – 24 ppm Silver Gel Soothes Damaged And Injured Skin And Promotes Healing.

    It is a highly effective, safe, everyday, natural healing alternative to chemical-laced hand sanitizers.

    Dr. Myatt recommends colloidal silver gel both for it’s valuable effects in soothing and healing damaged skin and for daily use as a non-toxic hand sanitizer. This gel rubs in quickly and easily, is non-greasy, and contains no perfumes or dangerous chemicals. It is a valuable addition to a natural first-aid kit for treating minor burns, wounds, fungal and bacterial infections – there are even those who swear by colloidal silver fir the treatment of “Cold Sores” and “Fever Blisters”, and scientific research supports their belief in it’s effectiveness! (1)

    ASAP 365 Silver Gel, with it’s non-prescription strength of 24 ppm (parts per million) is gentle enough for everyday use and safe even when used multiple times daily, while being potent enough to be highly effective as an antimicrobial hand sanitizer. This 1.5 fl oz tube is perfect for purse or pocket and is a must-have for your natural first aid kit.

    ASAP 365 – 24 ppm Silver Gel is effective, safe, and inexpensive – Dr. Myatt and I carry this with us whenever we travel and use it often – and we don’t use chemical-laden “hand sanitizers”!

     

    References:
    1.) Galdiero S, Falanga A, Vitiello M, Cantisani M, Marra V, Galdiero M., Department of Experimental Medicine, II University of Naples, Via De Crecchio 7, 80138, Naples, Italy. sgaldier@unina.it, Silver nanoparticles as potential antiviral agents. Molecules. 2011 Oct 24;16(10):8894-918.

    2.) Jain J, Arora S, Rajwade JM, Omray P, Khandelwal S, Paknikar KM. Centre for Nanobioscience, Agharkar Research Institute, India. Silver nanoparticles in therapeutics: development of an antimicrobial gel formulation for topical use. Mol Pharm. 2009 Sep-Oct;6(5):1388-401.

    3.) Franco-Molina MA, Mendoza-Gamboa E, Sierra-Rivera CA, Gómez-Flores RA, Zapata-Benavides P, Castillo-Tello P, Alcocer-González JM, Miranda-Hernández DF, Tamez-Guerra RS, Rodríguez-Padilla C., Laboratorio de Inmunología y Virología, Departamento de Microbiología e Inmunología, Facultad de Ciencias Biológicas de la Universidad Autónoma de Nuevo León, San Nicolás de los Garza, N, L, México. Antitumor activity of colloidal silver on MCF-7 human breast cancer cells. J Exp Clin Cancer Res. 2010 Nov 16;29:148.

    4.) http://www.epa.gov/oppsrrd1/REDs/factsheets/triclosan_fs.htm

    5.) Robin E. Dodson, Marcia Nishioka, Laurel J. Standley, Laura J. Perovich, Julia Green Brody, and Ruthann A. Rudel, Endocrine Disruptors and Asthma-Associated Chemicals in Consumer Products, Environ Health Perspect. 2012 July; 120(7): 935–943. Published online 2012 March 8. http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3404651/