HealthBeat News

Category: Digestive Health

  • How To Reduce Your Risk Of Death By Over 22%

    By Nurse Mark

     

    Imagine a drug that could reduce overall risk of death by 22 percent – and even better, reduce the risk of death from cardiovascular disease, infectious disease, and respiratory diseases by 24% to 56% in men and by 34% to 59% in women.

    A drug that could do that amount of good would be considered by conventional medicine to be the greatest advance in health science since antibiotics and it would be a dream-come-true for Big Pharma. Doctors would be prescribing it to every patient that they see.

    Well, sorry – there isn’t a drug that can do all that.

    But there is something that can – and does.

    It’s not high-tech, it’s not cutting-edge, it’s not sexy or miraculous, and it gets little respect or attention from most doctors. In fact, when you visit your doctor you’ll be lucky to hear it mentioned at all beyond a recommendation to “try to get more” – mumbled while the doctor is scribbling out yet another prescription for statin drugs…

    What is this “miracle” substance?

    Fiber. Dietary fiber.

    Hard to believe? Well, believe it – increased dietary fiber intake will help you stay healthier and live longer.

    Fiber can help:

    • lower cholesterol
    • stabilize blood sugar
    • prevent Type II diabetes
    • reduce inflammation
    • fight obesity
    • reduce blood pressure
    • prevent respiratory infections
    • prevent cancer
    • and much more

     

    Researchers at the National Cancer Institute analyzed data from the National Institutes of Health / AARP Diet and Health Study and reported:

    Dietary fiber intake was associated with a significantly lowered risk of total death in both men and women. […] Dietary fiber intake also lowered the risk of death from cardiovascular, infectious, and respiratory diseases by 24% to 56% in men and by 34% to 59% in women.

     

    Another article, titled Study Strengthens Link Between Low Dietary Fiber Intake and Increased Cardiovascular Risk reported on October 18, 2013:

    A new study published in the December issue of The American Journal of Medicine shows a significant association between low dietary fiber intake and cardiometabolic risks including metabolic syndrome, cardiovascular inflammation, and obesity.

    “Overall, the prevalence of the metabolic syndrome, inflammation, and obesity each decreased with increasing quintiles of dietary fiber intake,” comments  Clark. “Compared with participants in the lowest quintile of dietary fiber intake, participants in the highest quintile of dietary fiber intake had a statistically significant lower risk of having the metabolic syndrome, inflammation, and obesity.”

    [Senior investigator Cheryl R. Clark, MD, ScD, Center for Community Health and Health Equity, Brigham and Women’s Hospital and Harvard Medical School, Boston]

     

    So, all a person needs to do is eat more fruits, vegetables, and whole grains, right?

    Maybe. But it takes an awful lot of all those things to get the recommended daily fiber intake.

    The Institute of Medicine recommends fiber intake levels according to age and sex: 38g per day for men aged 19-50 years, 30g per day for men 50 and over, 25g for women aged 19-50 years, and 21g per day for women over 50.

    So you are going to try to eat more fiber – how about a nice salad? A half-cup of lettuce, a half-cup of tomato, maybe a bell pepper, and a half-cup of broccoli for good measure – that’s a lot of veggies, right? But all told you’ll only be getting about 4 grams of fiber from all that…

    OK, so let’s add a slice of whole wheat bread – why, that’ll add a whopping 1.9 grams of fiber right there!

    And after all, you started your day with some oatmeal – that half-cup (uncooked) gave you two whole grams of fiber.

    And your half grapefruit gave another 2 grams…

    All that and you are just up to 10 grams of fiber – do you see a problem beginning to develop?

    You are going to be eating rabbit food all day long if you want to get your recommended fiber from your meals!

    Want to check it out for yourself? To see how much fiber you are really getting? Have some fun with our Rate Your Plate fiber counter page. You’ll be surprised… and maybe disappointed at just how low your fiber intake is!

    What to do?

    The obvious answer is to supplement your fiber intake.

    But with what? Pills? It takes a lot of capsules to get in any amount of fiber. Better to save that for when you are traveling.

    Most powdered fiber supplements either turn into wallpaper paste if you don’t choke them down fast enough or they taste like ground-up recycled cardboard – or both. Ugh!

    Dr. Myatt had a great-tasting fiber product called Maxi Fiber that was so good that another company bought the rights to it and produced it for a while. Then they stopped making it, claiming that it was too expensive to make and they couldn’t sell it for enough of a profit.

    They were right – a really great-tasting fiber formula that contains both soluble and insoluble fiber and that doesn’t turn to glue if it sits for a few minutes IS an expensive proposition to make. It took Dr. Myatt over 2 years to develop her Maxi Fiber formula, and no-one was more disappointed when the company that she licensed it to stopped making it.

    Dr. Myatt immediately set about finding another company to manufacture Maxi Fiber – but it has been an arduous task as the ingredients are not cheap and Dr. Myatt’s quality standards are very, very high.

    It has taken over a year to bring back Maxi Fiber – but we are pleased and proud to announce that IT’S BACK – and as good as ever, and at the same price as before!

    Maxi Fiber is perfect to add to your daily Super Shake or smoothie.

    Maxi Fiber is an important part of our delicious, easy-to-make, low-carb, guilt-free Myatt Muffins.

    Maxi Fiber even tastes good enough that you can actually mix it with water and drink it all by itself – try that with any other fiber formula! (Any formula that doesn’t contain fake artificial flavoring chemicals that is!)

    And here’s an amusing story about Maxi Fiber that we didn’t learn until recently. When the company making Maxi Fiber decided to stop making it we tried to secure the remaining supplies so that we could keep our loyal customers supplied while we found a new manufacturer. But there were no “remaining supplies” to be had. None. Not at any price. We were baffled, and disappointed.

    It turns out that one of the top executives of that company also used our Maxi Fiber and liked it so much that she quietly bought up all the remaining stock for her own personal use! Now there’s a testimonial…

    We didn’t learn of this until she was running out of her stash and contacted us to find out when we would be able to sell her some more!

    Well Folks, Maxi Fiber is back and we are not going to let anyone run out of this great product ever again!

    –> Get your Maxi Fiber here! <–

     

    References:

    Park Y, Subar AF, Hollenbeck A, et al.  Dietary fiber intake and mortality in the NIH-AARP Diet and Health Study. Arch Intern Med 2011; DOI:10.1001/archinternmed.2011.18.

    de Koning L and Hu FB. Do the health benefits of dietary fiber extend beyond CV disease? Arch Intern Med 2011; DOI:10.1001/archinternmed.2011.18.

    Dietary Fiber Intake and Cardiometabolic Risks among US Adults, NHANES 1999-2010.  http://www.amjmed.com/article/S0002-9343(13)00631-1/fulltext#sec3  

    More Support for Dietary Fiber Reducing CV, All-Cause Death. http://www.medscape.com/viewarticle/737400

    An Update on Statin Alternatives and Adjuncts. http://www.medscape.com/viewarticle/776919_6

    Study Strengthens Link Between Low Dietary Fiber Intake and Increased Cardiovascular Risk. http://www.elsevier.com/about/press-releases/research-and-journals/study-strengthens-link-between-low-dietary-fiber-intake-and-increased-cardiovascular-risk

  • Relief From IBS – Some Personal Observations

    By Nurse Mark

     

    I have a confession to make. I have suffered for many years with varying degrees of Irritable Bowel Syndrome (I.B.S.) – also known as “cranky gut.” Like many people, I am fairly clear on what makes it better and what makes it worse, and also like most sufferers I have tried endless remedies in a search for something that will allow me to enjoy the foods I love without worrying about the um, “repercussions.”

    Those of you who suffer from IBS know the routine: You eat something and almost immediately it seems that your gut is registering it’s displeasure – the belly rumblings are the first sign, then comes the gurgling from a little lower down telling you that whatever you just ate is going to be making a quick trip through you. Bloating, cramping, and volumes of gas follow, and a dash to the restroom completes the picture a short while later. Others may find themselves suffering the discomfort of constipation as their gut goes on strike in protest.

    Often that quick dash to a restroom is not the end of it – your gut is now upset, and you know you are in for a few days or even weeks of discomfort, annoyance, and inconvenience until things settle down again.

    There are a few simple things that I have found to be helpful for me – avoiding irritating foods is of course the most important. Things like cow’s milk or anything with lactose, simple carbohydrate-containing foods like breads and sugary sauces and desserts, and the “sugar alcohols” that are found in many “low carb” foods are almost guaranteed to get my insides into an uproar.

    Lots of healthy fiber in the diet works wonders to keep me happy and regular. Myatt Bread and Myatt Muffins are a daily staple as are Super Shakes with plenty of Organic India Psyllium. Fiber Flow capsules are great for travel.

    Like most sufferers I’ve been prescribed drugs – which have never really worked. And I’ve never been happy with the long lists of side effects and ill effects of the drug offerings. So aside from keeping some over-the-counter loperamide (“Immodium” is one trade name) for rare “rescue” use to stop out-of-control diarrhea I’ve just said “no” to the drugs.

    Probiotics are helpful for many people – and they certainly help me. Dr. Myatt’s 35 Billion Probiotics are the most potent available and are enteric coated to ensure that all those happy little gut bugs make it all the way to where they need to be to reestablish your healthy gut garden.

    If I think I’ve gotten into some “bad food” (it happens – especially when traveling), then Charcoal Capsules will absorb toxins and quickly stop diarrhea. We always carry a bottle of Charcoal Capsules when we travel.

    Since IBS alters bowel motility meaning that digestion is altered for the worse, digestive enzymes can be very helpful. Similase taken with meals can work wonders and help to assure proper digestion and assimilation of nutrients.

    But I’m saving the best for last. There is one remedy that has provided me with more relief than anything else. This traditional remedy has been used for centuries and is now even attracting the notice of conventional medicine with some researchers suggesting that this substance might be “the drug of first choice” for IBS.

    What is this “the drug of first choice” for IBS? Peppermint oil. But not just any peppermint oil will do. It must be enteric coated so that it passes through the stomach where it could cause heartburn or stomach upset and into the bowel where it can work it’s magic. Mentharil Peppermint Oil Complex is a formula that also contains Rosemary and Thyme – two additional bowel-soothing herbs. Mentharil is enteric coated to reach the small intestine and then the colon where it releases it’s contents.

    I usually take a couple of capsules each day – one in the morning when I get up, and one in the evening before bed. That seems to keep my bowel very happy and calm. When I first began using Mentharil I took one capsule three times daily between meals, just to get things “calmed down.” Some authorities have suggested higher doses, but I’ve never found it necessary – the relief that Mentharil gives is quick and profound at the lower dose.

    Are there any “side effects” to Mentharil? None really that I have found or heard of – though some people notice a slight mint taste if they burp, and occasionally report a faint minty “tingle” when passing stools.

    So, why suffer any longer? Mentharil is safe, natural, and effective relief for the symptoms of Irritable Bowel Syndrome.

    Why not give it a try?

     

    Further reading and resources:

    From The University of Maryland Medical Center:

    One study examined 57 people with IBS who received either enteric coated peppermint capsules or placebo twice a day for 4 weeks. Of the people who took peppermint, 75% had a significant reduction of IBS symptoms. Another study comparing enteric coated peppermint oil capsules to placebo in children with IBS found that after 2 weeks, 75% of those treated had reduced symptoms. Finally, a more recent study conducted in Taiwan found that patients who took an enteric coated peppermint oil formulation 3 – 4 times daily for one month had less abdominal distention, stool frequency, and flatulence than those who took a placebo. Nearly 80% of the patients who took peppermint also had alleviation of abdominal pain.

    Source: http://www.umm.edu/altmed/articles/peppermint-000269.htm

     

    From the National Institutes of health PubMed:

    Taking into account the currently available drug treatments for IBS PO (1-2 capsules t.i.d. over 24 weeks) may be the drug of first choice in IBS patients with non-serious constipation or diarrhea to alleviate general symptoms and to improve quality of life.

    Grigoleit HG, Grigoleit P. Peppermint oil in irritable bowel syndrome. Phytomedicine. 2005 Aug;12(8):601-6. http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/16121521

     

    Additional references and studies:

    Cappello G, Spezzaferro M, Grossi L, Manzoli L, Marzio L. Peppermint oil (Mintoil) in the treatment of irritable bowel syndrome: a prospective double blind placebo-controlled randomized trial. Dig Liver Dis. 2007 Jun;39(6):530-6.

    Ford AC, Talley NJ, Spiegel BM, Foxx-Orenstein AE, Schiller L, Quigley EM, Moayyedi P. Effect of fibre, antispasmodics, and peppermint oil in the treatment of irritable bowel syndrome: systematic review and meta-analysis. BMJ. 2008 Nov 13;337:a2313. doi: 10.1136/bmj.a2313. Review.

    Kline RM, Kline JJ, Di Palma J, Barbero GJ. Enteric-coated, pH-dependent peppermint oil capsules for the treatment of irritable bowel syndrome in children. J Pediatr. 2001;138(1):125-128.

    Madisch A, Holtmann G, Mayr G, Vinson B, Hotz J. Treatment of functional dyspepsia with a herbal preparation. A double-blind, randomized, placebo-controlled, multicenter trial. Digestion. 2004;69(1):45-52.

    Magge S, Lembo A. Complementary and Alternative Medicine for the Irritable Bowel Syndrome. Gastroenterology Clinics. 2011;40(1).

    Rakel: Integrative Medicine, 2nd ed. Philadelphia, PA. Saunders Elsevier. 2007.

    Shen YH, Nahas R. Complementary and alternative medicine for treatment of irritable bowel syndrome. Can Fam Physician. 2009 Feb;55(2):143-8.

  • The "Swiss Army Knife" Of Supplements

    By Nurse Mark

     

    Wouldn’t it be great if there were one supplement that could serve a variety of health-improving functions?

    What about a supplement that could:

    • lower and stabilize LDL (bad) cholesterol
    • help in weight loss
    • lower and stabilize high blood sugar
    • reverse metabolic syndrome and diabetes
    • reduce inflammation
    • exert powerful broad-spectrum antimicrobial and antifungal effects
    • have antiarrhythmic effects on the heart
    • be useful in treating congestive heart failure
    • treat fatty liver disease
    • treat a wide variety of cancers
    • treat polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS)
    • protect the kidneys of diabetics
    • helps prevent formation of cataracts in diabetics
    • help to protect the brain during and after a stroke
    • even mimic the beneficial effects of exercise in the body

    What one substance could do all these things?

    Berberine!

    Long overshadowed by other, more commercially popular herbs Berberine has become the subject of a number of recent research studies that are proving it to be one of the more versatile and popular natural supplements.

    What is berberine?

    Berberine is an alkaloid that is found in such plants as Oregon grape, barberry, tree turmeric, goldenseal, Phellodendron amurense, Chinese goldthread, prickly poppy, Californian poppy and others. Berberine is usually found in the roots, rhizomes, stems, and bark of these plants.

    Why the sudden interest in Berberine?

    Dr. Myatt and some other naturopathic practitioners have successfully used this herb in their practices for a long time – perhaps Big Pharma is just now taking notice and wondering if they can muscle in with a synthetic version but needs to fund the research that will justify their efforts.

    Let’s look at the details of Berberine’s “magic” and the research that is being done:

    Berberine and cholesterol:

    Big Pharma, smarting from the failures of it’s dangerous statin drugs, is suddenly very interested in Berberine and is investigating it as if it is a drug to be patented and marketed. Here is just one of a number of studies:

    This study was published in Phytomedicine in July of 2012 and is titled “Lipid-lowering effect of berberine in human subjects and rats.”

    Our previous studies demonstrated that berberine, an alkaloid originally isolated from traditional Chinese herbs, prevented fat accumulation in vitro and in vivo. […] But more interestingly, the treatment …500 mg berberine orally three times a day for twelve weeks… significantly reduced blood lipid levels (23% decrease of triglyceride and 12.2% decrease of cholesterol levels) in human subjects. […] Tests of hematological, cardiovascular, liver, and kidney function following berberine treatment showed no detrimental side effects to this natural compound. Collectively, this study demonstrates that berberine is a potent lipid-lowering compound with a moderate weight loss effect, and may have a possible potential role in osteoporosis treatment/prevention. (1)

    Weight Loss and berberine:

    It is worth noting that the study quoted above also showed that berberine exhibited “a moderate weight loss effect” – something else that Big Pharma would like to be able to put into a pill! (A pill that doesn’t cause heart attacks or diarrhea, that it…)

    Berberine and Blood sugar and Diabetes:

    Given the health disasters encountered with recent diabetes drug offerings, it is no surprise that Big Pharma would love to figure out how to synthesize something with berberine’s safety and effectiveness. Here is one study (slightly edited for clarity)

    “Efficacy of berberine in patients with type 2 diabetes mellitus” was published in Metabolism in May of 2008:

    Berberine has been shown to regulate glucose and lipid metabolism in vitro and in vivo. This pilot study was to determine the efficacy and safety of berberine in the treatment of type 2 diabetes mellitus patients.

    In study A, 36 adults with newly diagnosed type 2 diabetes mellitus were randomly assigned to treatment with berberine or metformin (0.5 g 3 times a day) in a 3-month trial. The hypoglycemic effect of berberine was similar to that of metformin.

    Significant decreases in hemoglobin A1c (from 9.5%+/-0.5% to 7.5%+/-0.4%, P<.01), fasting blood glucose (from 10.6 to 6.9), postprandial blood glucose (from 19.8 to 11.1), and plasma triglycerides (from 1.13 to 0.89) were observed in the berberine group.

    In study B, 48 adults with poorly controlled type 2 diabetes mellitus were treated supplemented with berberine in a 3-month trial.

    Berberine acted by lowering fasting blood glucose and postprandial blood glucose from 1 week to the end of the trial. Hemoglobin A1c decreased from 8.1 to 7.3. Fasting plasma insulin and homeostasis model assessment of insulin resistance index were reduced by 28.1% and 44.7%, respectively. Total cholesterol and low-density lipoprotein cholesterol were decreased significantly as well. Functional liver or kidney damages were not observed for all patients.

    In conclusion, this pilot study indicates that berberine is a potent oral hypoglycemic agent with beneficial effects on lipid metabolism.

    In summary, that berberine is a potent oral hypoglycemic agent with modest effect on lipid metabolism. It is safe and the cost of treatment by berberine is very low. It may serve as a new drug candidate in the treatment of type 2 diabetes.(2)

    Berberine and Metabolic Syndrome:

    Wouldn’t Big Pharma just love to come up with a drug that could stave off the damaging effects of this latest health epidemic! It seems however that Mother Nature has beaten them to it…

    A study titled “Berberine reduces insulin resistance through protein kinase C-dependent up-regulation of insulin receptor expression” published in Metabolism. 2009 Jan states:

    Natural product berberine (BBR) has been reported to have hypoglycemic and insulin-sensitizing activities; however, its mechanism remains unclear. This study was designed to investigate the molecular mechanism of BBR against insulin resistance. […] Our results suggest that BBR is a unique natural medicine against insulin resistance in type 2 diabetes mellitus and metabolic syndrome.(3)

    Berberine to reduce inflammation?

    “The anti-inflammatory potential of berberine in vitro and in vivo.” was published in The Cancer Letter in 2004 and states in part:

    Berberine, an isoquinoline alkaloid, has a wide range of pharmacological effects, including anti-inflammation […] (4)

    And Berberine as a broad-spectrum antimicrobial? The drug companies wish they could offer something as safe and effective as this supplement…

    A paper titled “Effect of berberine on Staphylococcus epidermidis biofilm formation” published in 2009 in the International Journal of Antimicrobial Agents says:

    berberine at a concentration of 15-30mug/mL was shown to inhibit bacterial metabolism. Data from this study also indicated that modest concentrations of berberine (30-45mug/mL) were sufficient to exhibit an antibacterial effect and to inhibit biofilm formation significantly (5)

    So, it’s effective against bacteria… but how about viruses? It turns out that maybe Big Pharma is barking up the wrong tree with their “flu vaccines”…

    An article titled “Inhibition of H1N1 influenza A virus growth and induction of inflammatory mediators by the isoquinoline alkaloid berberine and extracts of goldenseal (Hydrastis canadensis)” [Note: goldenseal (Hydrastis canadensis) is another name for berberine] published in International Immunopharmacology, November 2011 states:

    We found strong effectiveness at high concentrations, although upon dilution extracts were somewhat less effective than purified berberine. Taken together, our results suggest that berberine may indeed be useful for the treatment of infections with influenza A. (6)

    What about the cardiovascular actions of berberine? Well, here is a paper that is oddly enough titled “Cardiovascular actions of berberine” that was published in the fall 2001 issue of Cardiovascular Drug Review that says, in part:

    The cardiovascular effects of berberine suggest its possible clinical usefulness in the treatment of arrhythmias and/or heart failure. (7)

    Can berberine really treat fatty liver disease? The Chinese are very interested, and published the following article in 2011: “Research on therapeutic effect and hemorrheology change of berberine in new diagnosed patients with type 2 diabetes combining nonalcoholic fatty liver disease” in which the authors conclude:

    Berberine can obviously improve the conditions of new diagnostic T2DM [type II diabetes] patients with non alcoholic liver lesions, effectively reduce hemorrheology indicators, and has good application prospect. (8)

    Am I going to make claims that berberine can treat a wide variety of cancers? No, I’ll let the researchers do that…

    The article “The natural alkaloid berberine targets multiple pathways to induce cell death in cultured human colon cancer cells” in the European Journal of Pharmacology, August 2012 says:

    The results of the current study demonstrated that berberine has the ability to cause cell cycle arrest, induce apoptosis and inhibit inflammation in colon cancer cells. The magnitude of the effects observed suggests that berberine may be worth considering for further studies of its potential applications for improving health, either as a preventative or a potential treatment. (9)

    The journal Toxicology and Applied Pharmacology in July 2006  published an article titled “Inhibitory effect of berberine on the invasion of human lung cancer cells via decreased productions of urokinase-plasminogen activator and matrix metalloproteinase-2” that reported:

    These findings suggest that berberine possesses an anti-metastatic effect in non-small lung cancer cell and may, therefore, be helpful in clinical treatment. (10)

    “Berberine-induced growth inhibition of epithelial ovarian carcinoma cell lines” was the article in Journal of Obstetrical and Gynaecology Res. in March of 2012 that said:

    Berberine treatment can inhibit proliferation through a cell cycle arrest in OVCAR-3 and SKOV-3 cells. Thus, berberine may be a novel anticancer drug for the treatment of ovarian cancer. (11)

    And another: “Berberine suppresses the TPA-induced MMP-1 and MMP-9 expressions through the inhibition of PKC-α in breast cancer cells” was published in the Journal of Surgical Res. July 2012 edition and states:

    The TPA-induced PKC-α phosphorylation is suppressed and then the MMP-1 and MMP-9 expressions are also inhibited by berberine. Therefore, we suggest that berberine may be used as a candidate drug for the inhibition of metastasis of human breast cancer. (12)

    Sounds like there is some good evidence of anti-cancer effects in those studies…

    Polycystic Ovary Syndrome (PCOS) responds well to berberine too – as is shown in this January 2012 article in the European Journal of Endocrinology titled “A clinical study on the short-term effect of berberine in comparison to metformin on the metabolic characteristics of women with polycystic ovary syndrome”

    Berberine (BBR) is an isoquinoline derivative alkaloid extracted from Chinese medicinal herbs that has been used as an insulin sensitizer. BBR may have a potential therapeutic value for PCOS. The aim of this study was to evaluate the effects of BBR in comparison to metformin (MET) on the metabolic features of women with PCOS. […] Intake of BBR improved some of the metabolic and hormonal derangements in a group of treated Chinese women with PCOS. Main effects could be related to the changes in body composition in obesity and dyslipidemia. (13)

    Can berberine really protect the kidneys of diabetics from diabetes-induced damage? An awful lot of lab rats seem to think so – there are a number of studies that have been done that show a powerful protective, even healing effect on the kidneys of lab rats that have been damaged by diabetes. One such study was published in the June 2012 issue of Phytomedicine titled “Ameliorative effect of berberine on renal damage in rats with diabetes induced by high-fat diet and streptozotocin” and says:

    The results revealed that berberine significantly decreased fasting blood glucose, insulin levels, total cholesterol, triglyceride levels, urinary protein excretion, serum creatinine (Scr) and blood urea nitrogen (BUN) in diabetic rats. The histological examinations revealed amelioration of diabetes-induced glomerular pathological changes following treatment with berberine. In addition, the protein expressions of nephrin and podocin were significantly increased. It seems likely that in rats berberine exerts an ameliorative effect on renal damage in diabetes induced by high-fat diet and streptozotocin. The possible mechanisms for the renoprotective effects of berberine may be related to inhibition of glycosylation and improvement of antioxidation that in turn upregulate the expressions of renal nephrin and podocin. (14)

    Berberine really protects against the brain damage of a stroke? These researchers think so, and they presented their findings in the December 2008 issue of the Neuroscience Letter in the article titled: “Neuroprotective effects of berberine on stroke models in vitro and in vivo”:

    We found that berberine improved neurological outcome and reduced ischemia/reperfusion (I/R)-induced cerebral infarction 48h after MCAO. The protective effect of berberine was confirmed in in vitro study. Berberine protected PC12 cells against oxygen-glucose deprivation (OGD)-induced injury. The results showed that berberine inhibited reactive oxygen species (ROS) generation, and subsequent release of pro-apoptotic factor cytochrome c and apoptosis-inducing factors (AIFs) evoked by OGD. Findings of this study suggest that berberine protects against ischemic brain injury by decreasing the intracellular ROS level and subsequently inhibiting mitochondrial apoptotic pathway. (15)

    There is evidence that berberine can help to prevent the formation of cataracts in diabetics. A 2002 report in the Journal of Agriculture and Food Chemistry revealed that berberine is an aldose reductase inhibitor.

    …berberines and palmatines may be useful as lead compounds and new agents for aldose reductase inhibition. (16)

    Aldose reductase plays a role in diabetic cataract formation, and inhibition helps prevent cataract formation.

    Inhibition of aldose reductase could significantly prevent progression of existing cataracts. (17)

    And finally, surely nothing but grunting, sweating exercise can produce the beneficial effects of exercise in the body, right? Well, that may not be entirely true – it looks like berberine might just be able to have some of those same beneficial effects. In a December 2012 article titled “Clinical Applications for Berberine” Dr. Jacon Schor states:

    Berberine activates AMPK in a manner similar to how exercise stimulates increased strength and weight loss. Thus, any condition that would be favorably impacted by a patient losing weight and/or exercising more may be impacted favorably by oral berberine supplementation. It makes sense to consider using berberine in patients with insulin resistance, pre-diabetes, diabetes, metabolic syndrome, hypertension, heart disease, dyslipidemia, cancer, depression, and other neuropsychiatric diseases. (18)

    So, is berberine “the defining miracle of the 21st century”? Maybe not. But is sure is looking like an effective and safe “Swiss Army Knife” for treating a wide variety of medical conditions. What has been presented here is only a tiny sampling of the research available on this amazing substance!

    Dr. Myatt recognized the value of berberine a very long time ago, and she makes a high potency, pharmaceutical grade berberine available to her patients – and to you. Find Berberine + Ultra here.

     

    References

    1) Hu Y, Ehli EA, Kittelsrud J, Ronan PJ, Munger K, Downey T, Bohlen K, Callahan L, Munson V, Jahnke M, Marshall LL, Nelson K, Huizenga P, Hansen R, Soundy TJ, Davies GE. Lipid-lowering effect of berberine in human subjects and rats. Phytomedicine. 2012 Jul 15;19(10):861-7. doi: 10.1016/j.phymed.2012.05.009. Epub 2012 Jun 26. http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/22739410

    2) Jun Yin, Huili Xing, and Jianping Yeb. Efficacy of Berberine in Patients with Type 2 Diabetes. Metabolism. 2008 May; 57(5): 712–717. http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC2410097/

    3) Kong WJ, Zhang H, Song DQ, Xue R, Zhao W, Wei J, Wang YM, Shan N, Zhou ZX, Yang P, You XF, Li ZR, Si SY, Zhao LX, Pan HN, Jiang JD. Berberine reduces insulin resistance through protein kinase C-dependent up-regulation of insulin receptor expression. Metabolism. 2009 Jan;58(1):109-19. http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/19059538

    4) Kuo CL, Chi CW, Liu TY. The anti-inflammatory potential of berberine in vitro and in vivo. Cancer Lett. 2004 Jan 20;203(2):127-37. http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/14732220

    5) Wang X, Yao X, Zhu Z, Tang T, Dai K, Sadovskaya I, Flahaut S, Jabbouri S. Effect of berberine on Staphylococcus epidermidis biofilm formation. Int J Antimicrob Agents. 2009 Jul;34(1):60-6. http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/19157797

    6) Cecil CE, Davis JM, Cech NB, Laster SM. Inhibition of H1N1 influenza A virus growth and induction of inflammatory mediators by the isoquinoline alkaloid berberine and extracts of goldenseal (Hydrastis canadensis). Int Immunopharmacol. 2011 Nov;11(11):1706-14. http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/21683808

    7) Lau CW, Yao XQ, Chen ZY, Ko WH, Huang Y. Cardiovascular actions of berberine. Cardiovasc Drug Rev. 2001 Fall;19(3):234-44. http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/11607041

    8.) Xie X, Meng X, Zhou X, Shu X, Kong H. [Research on therapeutic effect and hemorrheology change of berberine in new diagnosed patients with type 2 diabetes combining nonalcoholic fatty liver disease]. [Article in Chinese] Zhongguo Zhong Yao Za Zhi. 2011 Nov;36(21):3032-5. http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/22308697

    9) Chidambara Murthy KN, Jayaprakasha GK, Patil BS. The natural alkaloid berberine targets multiple pathways to induce cell death in cultured human colon cancer cells. Eur J Pharmacol. 2012 Aug 5;688(1-3):14-21. http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/22617025

    10) Peng PL, Hsieh YS, Wang CJ, Hsu JL, Chou FP. Inhibitory effect of berberine on the invasion of human lung cancer cells via decreased productions of urokinase-plasminogen activator and matrix metalloproteinase-2. Toxicol Appl Pharmacol. 2006 Jul 1;214(1):8-15. Epub 2006 Jan 4. http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/16387334

    11) Park KS, Kim JB, Lee SJ, Bae J. Berberine-induced growth inhibition of epithelial ovarian carcinoma cell lines. J Obstet Gynaecol Res. 2012 Mar;38(3):535-40. http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/22381105

    12) Kim S, Han J, Lee SK, Choi MY, Kim J, Lee J, Jung SP, Kim JS, Kim JH, Choe JH, Lee JE, Nam SJ. Berberine suppresses the TPA-induced MMP-1 and MMP-9 expressions through the inhibition of PKC-α in breast cancer cells. J Surg Res. 2012 Jul;176(1):e21-9. http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/22381172

    13) Wei W, Zhao H, Wang A, Sui M, Liang K, Deng H, Ma Y, Zhang Y, Zhang H, Guan Y. A clinical study on the short-term effect of berberine in comparison to metformin on the metabolic characteristics of women with polycystic ovary syndrome. Eur J Endocrinol. 2012 Jan;166(1):99-105 http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/22019891

    14) Wu D, Wen W, Qi CL, Zhao RX, Lü JH, Zhong CY, Chen YY. Ameliorative effect of berberine on renal damage in rats with diabetes induced by high-fat diet and streptozotocin. Phytomedicine. 2012 Jun 15;19(8-9):712-8. http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/22483555

    15) Zhou XQ, Zeng XN, Kong H, Sun XL. Neuroprotective effects of berberine on stroke models in vitro and in vivo. Neurosci Lett. 2008 Dec 5;447(1):31-6. http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/18838103

    16) Lee HS. Rat lens aldose reductase inhibitory activities of Coptis japonica root-derived isoquinoline alkaloids. J Agric Food Chem. 2002;50(24):7013-7016. http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/12428952

    17) Kawakubo K, Mori A, Sakamoto K, Nakahara T, Ishii K. GP-1447, an inhibitor of aldose reductase, prevents the progression of diabetic cataract in rats. Biol Pharm Bull. 2012;35(6):866-872. http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/22687477

    18) Schor Jacob, Clinical Applications for Berberine, 12/5/2012, Natural Medicine Journal (online) http://www.naturalmedicinejournal.com/article_content.asp?edition=1&section=2&article=384

  • Alert: Big Pharma Obeys The Law!

    That’s Right – Big Pharma Is Obeying The Law!

     

    The Law Of Unintended Consequences, That Is…

     

    By Nurse mark

     

    Big Pharma gave us “the little purple pill” – that marvelous, wonderful, convenient cure for the discomfort of heartburn. Some people we know have been taking these PPI drugs for years.

    Little did we know that when Big Pharma gave us this miraculous relief for GERD they were also giving us along with it a cornucopia of potentially deadly complications.

    It seems that as with many things we do to try to trick Mother Nature, she is far smarter at keeping us healthy than Big Pharma is. When we try to fool Mother Nature she doesn’t like it and there are consequences. Serious consequences.

    Acid Blockers – What a deal!

     

    First, Not Only Will Your Heartburn Pill Stop You From Having Heartburn, It Will Stop You From Having Enough Of The Essential Mineral Magnesium.

    From the FDA:

    “[…] proton pump inhibitor (PPI) drugs may cause low serum magnesium levels (hypomagnesemia) […] Low serum magnesium levels can result in serious adverse events including muscle spasm (tetany), irregular heartbeat (arrhythmias), and convulsions (seizures) […] In approximately one-quarter of the cases reviewed, magnesium supplementation alone did not improve low serum magnesium levels […]”

     

    So, your heartburn medicine lets you eat a lousy diet and still feel great – as long as you don’t mind having low magnesium levels and the risks of having muscle spasms, heart arrhythmia, or seizures… and maybe you feel that not having heartburn is worth that risk.

    “But Wait – There’s More!”

     

    Now not only can you have the risks that come with low magnesium, you can enjoy the risks of fractures of the hip, wrist, and spine while you enjoy your heartburn relief.

    Another notice from the FDA:

    “The U.S. Food and Drug Administration today warned consumers and health care professionals about a possible increased risk of fractures of the hip, wrist, and spine with high doses or long-term use of a class of medications called proton pump inhibitors.”

     

    Well, alright – you figure that heartburn relief is worth the risk – after all, you can be really careful not to fall or anything that might bust a bone. And as long as you are sitting down when you have that seizure you should be fine…

    “And If That’s Not Enough, A Bonus!”

     

    Wow! Spasms, heart arrhythmia, seizures, and broken bones – all in the name of heartburn relief. How could it get any better?

    How about… Watery Diarrhea!

    That’s right, now, along with your spasms, arrhythmias, seizures, and fractured bones, you can have Clostridium difficile (C. difficile) – a bacterium that can cause diarrhea that doesn’t improve. Symptoms include watery stool, abdominal pain, and fever, and patients may go on to develop more serious intestinal conditions.

    Again, from the FDA:

    “FDA notified the public that the use of stomach acid drugs known as proton pump inhibitors (PPIs) may be associated with an increased risk of Clostridium difficile–associated diarrhea (CDAD).”

     

    Yowza! Spasms, arrhythmias, seizures, fractured bones, and to top it all off, diarrhea that just won’t stop! All these great health risks, all in just one little purple pill!

    I’m going to run right out and get me some! NOT!

    OK – I can hear you saying “Alright Mr. Smartypants, so what am I supposed to to? I have terrible heartburn and the pill fixed it. If I stop the pill I get the heartburn back. What’s your solution?”

    Folks, this is one of the topics that we write about most often, since it is something that affects so many people. Please look through our previous HealthBet News articles.

    To help you out, here is a recent HealthBeat News article about Acid Blocker Drugs that contains plenty of links to other news and information about PPI’s, GERD, Indigestion, and more: Please re-read More Risks From Acid Blocking Drugs (PPIs)

    And for those who know that they are hooked on these nasty drugs and want help, please re-read: Help – I’m Hooked On Acid Blocking Drugs!

    Or you can just keep taking your “little purple pill” – not only will you get relief from that nasty heartburn, you get to enjoy not one, not two, not even three or four – you get to enjoy five great life-threatening health risks!

    What more could you possibly want? Hurry, Hurry, Hurry… step right up and claim your bonuses today!

     

    References
    http://www.fda.gov/Safety/MedWatch/SafetyInformation/SafetyAlertsforHumanMedicalProducts/ucm245275.htm
    http://www.fda.gov/Safety/MedWatch/SafetyInformation/SafetyAlertsforHumanMedicalProducts/ucm290838.htm
    http://www.fda.gov/newsevents/newsroom/pressannouncements/ucm213377.htm

  • More Risks From Acid Blocking Drugs (PPIs)

    More Risks From Acid Blocking Drugs (PPIs)

     

    By Nurse Mark

     

    Our various articles about heartburn, G.E.R.D, acid reflux, esophagitis, and all the other similar digestive problems have been some of our most popular. For a more detailed look this problem see out webpage

    What’s Burning You? The REAL Cause of Heartburn, Indigestion and GERD and “Sour Stomach”

    Healthy digestive function is obviously a huge concern for many people, as can be judged by the massive sales figures of the various prescription and non-prescription “acid blockers” and O.T.C. antacid preparations. The “little purple pill” (Nexium, son of Prilosec) and it’s many proton pump inhibitor cousins are some of the most popular and profitable drugs available legally today – and they are every bit as addictive as the equally profitable and dangerous illegal drugs.

    Addictive? Did Nurse Mark just accuse Big Pharma of being pushers of addictive drugs? You’re darn tootin’ I did! We have written about this before: Help – I’m Hooked On Acid Blocking Drugs! – and we stand by that article today.

    These are nasty drugs, with plenty of dangerous side effects – like pneumonia: Would You Like Some Pneumonia With Your Acid Blocker Pill? There are even more dangerous side-effects for these various “acid blocking” drugs – far too many to list here. Those who really want to frighten themselves can easily and simply “google” a search with the name of the drug they are taking and the words “side effects.”

    Because these are such frequently prescribed drugs, we receive questions about them, well, frequently.

    Here is one such recent question:

    Hello,
    I was found with Hiatal Hernia/esophageal inflammation and received a ppi (since 1 Dec I had 40mg pantoprazol/day.) QUESTION: Before taking The Gastric Acid Function Self-Test, for how long I have to be without medication? Thank you very much for your time and help.
    Simona

    Here is Dr. Myatt’s reply:

    Hi Simona:

    If your PPI Rx. is limited — meaning the doc said take it for some limited time period (which is supposed to be how it is used) — then wait until you are done before testing.

    However, most docs today leave patients on PPI’s indefinitely. This is a bummer because it will decrease your ability to absorb nutrients, especially minerals, over the long-term.

    There are instructions in the Gastric Acid Function Self-Test for how to wean yourself off a PPI and what to use instead to heal the tissues (L-glutamine).

    After you have done this, and it may take a month or so, then you may be safe to test.

    Since you have had a problem in this area, I recommend that you work with an holistic physician to get your GI tract back in shape. You need to find out about any food allergies you may have and eliminate them. If you are eating poor-quality foods that contribute to reflux, those need to be stopped.

    If you are overweight, achieving a normal weight goes a long way toward curing hiatal hernia.

    Hope this information helps and here’s wishing you a healthy, happy 2012.

    In Health,
    Dr. Myatt

     

    Even the FDA now admits these are dangerous drugs.

    Though they have couched their warnings in the most soothing of language (“don’t worry, be happy, and certainly don’t stop taking the drugs”) their press releases and warnings of May 25th, 2010 make it quite clear that there are some serious problems:

    “There is a possible increased risk of fractures of the hip, wrist, and spine if you take certain drugs for heartburn, acid reflux, or ulcers, warns the Food and Drug Administration (FDA).”

    Here is the information, straight from the FDA itself: Possible Increased Risk of Bone Fractures With Certain Antacid Drugs

    So, who wants an acid blocking pill when it really is so easy to truly correct the problem? After all, nobody suffers a natural deficiency of proton pump inhibiting drugs!

    “But that pill made my heartburn stop!”

    One of Dr. Myatt’s former patients recently wrote to say “My local MD. told me to start using Prilosec on a regular basis. No more Heartburn. Just thought I’d give you a heads-up.”

    Notice I said “former patient” – because no current patient of Dr. Myatt uses these nasty drugs.

    No more heartburn? Yup, and no more stomach acid either – which means greatly diminished digestive function, increased risk of Clostridium difficile (C-diff – that nasty gut infection that can cause diarrhea at best and death at worst) infection, vitamin B-12 deficiency, magnesium deficiency, heart rhythm problems, and more. But no more heartburn! Wow – what a trade-off!

    Then there are the “infrequent adverse effects” like rash, itch, flatulence, constipation, anxiety, and depression. Hey, sign me up! NOT!

    But don’t take my word for all this – after all, we are just naturopathic medics (not “conventional,” drug-pushers) so what would we know? You can read more about the Proton Pump Inhibitor class of drugs here at Wikipedia.

    Maybe what you see there will help you to decide to do something healthy about that heartburn – instead of just popping a “little purple pill.”