HealthBeat News

Category: Drugs and Alternatives

  • Cancer Scandal: Poison For Profit

    Is It Right For A Doctor To Profit From The Misery Of Cancer?

    Opinion by Nurse Mark

     

    Dum Vivimus, Vivamus

     

    Doctors are not allowed to profit from selling drugs, right? Everybody knows that – doctors just write a prescription for whatever medicine is best for the patient, and that’s it – they don’t sell the drug or make profits from it, right?

    Wrong!

    There is one kind of doctor who is allowed, even encouraged to profit from the sale of drugs, and those profits are often so large as to be obscene.

    Those doctors are cancer doctors – oncologists – and they are allowed by law to buy chemotherapy drugs from the drug companies and to re-sell them to desperate cancer victims at a “set” profit. That profit is regulated, supposedly to keep doctors from charging whatever the market will bear. To get around this restriction, chemo doctors usually get deep discounts off the “wholesale price” and then bill the insurance companies (or the unfortunate patient without insurance) for the retail sticker price.

    With many chemotherapy treatments costing thousands of dollars per day, and with little or no solid proof that the treatment is doing anything more than making the poor patient miserable, this might be called “quackery” – a name that oncologists give to natural treatments with far better proof of effectiveness – yet it is perfectly legal.

    Most chemotherapy is outright toxic – it works under the supposition that because cancer cells grow more rapidly than healthy, normal cells they take up (absorb or ingest) substances more quickly than normal cells. This is not far off the mark for many cancers, and most early (and many current) anti-cancer drugs – “chemo drugs” – are toxins that exploit this characteristic of cancer. The idea is that the toxin can be given and will kill the cancer before it can terminally poison the patient.

    Sometimes it works.

    Often it doesn’t.

    Chemo drugs that are claimed (usually based on “research” done by or funded by the drug companies) to statistically extend “mean survival time” by some amount – usually mere weeks or months – more often really just makes the patient’s life seem longer with horrid side-effects.

    Is it possible that the best function of many of these drugs is to extend life long enough for the patient’s wallet (and probably the life savings of the patient’s entire family, including future generations!) to be completely emptied?

    We understand the fear that a diagnosis of cancer brings to someone. The fear of illness, of disability, of disfigurement, of pain, of death.

    We understand that life is precious – invaluable. No mere coin has greater value than a human life – no price can be set.

    Yet oncologists set an exorbitant price on human life every day with their wildly profitable patented drugs.

    Could this be why un-patented natural treatments are not recommended by your oncologist? Could it be that treatments given freely to us by Mother Nature simply don’t generate the big profits that drugs do?

    If an oncologist knew of a simple, non-toxic, effective treatment that could stop many cancers in their tracks and even make them wither up and go into remission, should he tell his patients about it? Even if it doesn’t make him a profit?

    Should the oncologist trade thousands of dollars a day in profit by toxic chemicals for whatever reasonable amount can be charged for the teaching and coaching that will help a cancer victim learn the simple dietary changes that can cause a metabolic shift that puts cancer on the run and turns that patient from a victim into a survivor?

    Certainly an ethical cancer doctor should do those things – but will he?

    Let’s be honest – there are plenty of people who have been told they have cancer, given chemotherapy, and now are told they have been cured. There are some cancers for which chemotherapy is proven to be highly effective.

    Some cancers, in their early stages, will go away on their own.

    But there are also plenty of people who have endured the misery of chemotherapy and lived not a day longer than they would have lived without it.

    Even if a cancer patient elects to try the chemotherapy regimen (assuming they can afford it) that the oncologist is offering, there are natural (but un-profitable – read “inexpensive”) treatments and strategies that work synergistically with conventional treatment to improve outcomes and lessen or even eliminate the nasty side-effects of many conventional chemotherapies and that will often allow smaller, less toxic doses and regimens to be equally effective.

    Someone facing a diagnosis of cancer and the chemotherapy that will inevitably be offered might want to ask the oncologist about a proven dietary strategy which will cause a metabolic shift that will stop many cancers in their tracks. This metabolic state literally starves most cancers to death, while actually providing improved nutrition that will correct a host of other health problems too.

    Ask the oncologist about using a metabolic technique called Dietary Ketosis In The Treatment of Solid Tissue Malignancy – better yet, print out this free medical paper (references and all) and show it to your oncologist. If your oncologist gives you a blank look, or pooh-pooh’s it saying “that mumbo-jumbo diet stuff doesn’t work!” (or words to that effect – we’ve heard ’em all…) then just smile and nod your head and resolve to book a Brief Telephone Consultation with Dr. Myatt just as quickly as you can – for it is Dr. Myatt who wrote the paper and teaches other doctors on this subject!

    Why would Dr. Myatt offer an important scientific paper for free or make Brief Telephone Consultations available so inexpensively? Because she and all of us at The Wellness Club believe that it is morally wrong for cancer treatment to be a for-profit cash cow – especially when those for-profit treatments cause so much misery and provide so little benefit.

    And after all – if someone is willing to spend thousands of dollars a day and endless days in a treatment center having toxic chemotherapy drugs dripped into their veins don’t you suppose it might be worth it to them to spend 20 minutes in a telephone call with the doctor who wrote the paper on a simple and effective dietary change that could help turn the misery of that chemo treatment into a success in the battle against their cancer?

    Wouldn’t it be worth trying a diet that is easy to follow (no complicated juicing schemes or odd food “rotations”), delicious (no pond-scum tasting “health drinks” or monotonous rabbit-food), and inexpensive (no special, unobtainable, order-only-from-us specialty foods) if there was a chance that it could halt the cancer and enhance the effect of the chemotherapy?

    Finally, here is a “news-flash” for anyone who hadn’t figured it out: We are all terminal! We are all going to die of something, sometime. It is up to each of us to make the very best of what we have until that time comes.

    Dum Vivimus, Vivamus – Let Us Live While We Live

    Our goal at The Wellness Club is to help people to live while they live.

     

    The Latin phrase “dum vivimus, vivamus” is thought to have been an Epicurean motto, and has been attributed to the Latin poet Horace (QUINTUS HORATIUS FLACCUS 65-8 B.C.). It is generally translated as “While we live, let us live!”

    The meaning of this phrase was expanded on by the Puritan pastor, author and hymn writer Philip Doddridge (1702-1751) in an epigram on his family coat of arms, which included this motto:

    “Live whilst you live,”
    the Epicure would say,
    And seize the pleasures
    of the present day.
    “Live whilst you live,”
    the sacred preacher cries,
    And give to God each moment as it flies.
    Lord, in my views, let both united be;
    I live in pleasure whilst I live to Thee.

     

    Dum Vivimus, Vivamus – Let Us Live While We Live

     

    References:

    1. “How Medicare’s Payment Cuts For Cancer Chemotherapy Drugs Changed Patterns Of Treatment” Health Affairs, Published online ahead of print 6/17/10, content.healthaffairs.org
    2. “Medicare Cuts May Have Led Docs to Prescribe More Chemo” HealthDay News, 6/17/10, consumer.healthday.com
    3. “Medicare Cuts Increase Cancer Treatments, Study Finds” David Cameron, Harvard press release, 6/17/10, hks.harvard.edu

  • Can I Get Too Much Of These Supplements?

    When it comes to vitamins and herbs and dietary supplements, can there be “too much of a good thing”?

     

    By Nurse Mark

     

    We often get questions from people who don’t really understand the difference between the drugs that Big Pharma synthesized in it’s labs and that your conventional doctor so willingly prescribes, and the natural vitamins and minerals and herbals that Mother Nature obligingly creates for us.

    For several generations now people have been raised on pharmaceuticals – and not only do they expect prompt, even miraculous effects or results from these synthetic substances, most people have an instinctive awareness that too much of many of these substances can be harmful, poisonous, toxic, even fatal.

    While it is true that too much of virtually anything can be, well, too much – that is to say that you can overdose on almost anything, including water – most natural substances tend to be far less likely to cause harm when used sensibly.

    Yes, we all have heard of the people who turn themselves blue by taking huge doses of colloidal silver daily for years, or the overweight, out-of-shape, and dehydrated baseball player who collapsed in the heat and died at spring training camp after using ephedra as a weight-loss aid – the FDA loves to use these stories in it’s war on natural medicine and the press likes to sensationalize them because, well, after all, it is all about selling newspapers and commercials…

    What we don’t hear about are the people who have been limping along, chronically malnourished from our nutrition-light modern diet who experience near-miraculous improvements in energy and overall health through the simple addition of an optimal-dose daily multivitamin like Maxi Multi or discover that they can throw away their “little purple pills” for that long-standing GERD and heartburn when they improve their digestion with Betain HCL or digestive enzymes like Similase.

    Unlike most pharmaceutical drug offerings, which tend to have a prompt and often profound effect (think “tranquilizers” or “muscle relaxers” or “asthma inhaler”) most natural substances tend to have a more subtle effect. Often someone may use a natural substance for days or weeks or months without noticing any big obvious change – until they suddenly realize that they feel better and somehow no longer feel those aches and pains or whatever other problem was bothering them – it’s just, well, better now.

    Unlike the “water pills” given for congestive heart failure, or the “blood pressure pills” given for hypertension that will have an obvious effect virtually overnight (often at the expense of some nasty side-effects), the simple dietary change and few simple herbs that will accomplish the same thing might take a week to achieve full effect – but they do it without the dangerous side-effects…

    We often work with fertility patients who are receiving treatment from Dr. Jeff Braverman who works closely with Dr. Myatt to use natural herbs and supplements to enhance his high-tech, cutting-edge infertility treatments. This synergy of cutting-edge “high-tech” and scientifically-based natural therapy has proven to be highly effective. Still, it leaves some folks wondering about the possible interactions between these two treatment modalities, and about the potential for there to be “too much of a good thing” as can be seen in this patient’s questions:

    I had a telephone consultation with Dr Braverman last week & while I wait for blood test results he suggested I start taking melatonin, antioxidants, mixed greens, etc. I have found the melatonin here & have been taking it but I was unsure what products from here to take for all the others. Dr Braverman suggested Maxi Multi, Maxi-Flavone & Maxi Greens. I see that the Maxi-Greens has some of the same ingrdients as the Maxi-Flavone – if I take both, will I be taking too much of those ingredients or is it safe to take both? Also, if I take all 3 of these products mentioned above, plus the Melatonin, can I also order & take the CoQ10? What about things like Lipoic Acid, Lycopene, Acetyl L-Carnitine – should I be taking those too?

    I really want to be sure that I am taking the right stuff & not doing anything that would have adverse side effects. Would they all work together or would that all be too much? I just want to be sure I order the correct stuff & get the maximum benefit for my fertility journey which has been such a struggle for the past 5 years.

    Regards
    Giselle

     

    Hi Giselle,

    In general terms, you should understand that dietary supplements such as those you mention are not akin to pharmaceutical drugs in that they are not isolated, synthetic compounds designed to modify or interfere with specific or discrete physiologic processes, but rather they are concentrated nutrients which provide the nutritional building blocks needed to allow your body’s own natural processes to achieve a more healthy balance and better function.

    As you know, our modern way of life, coupled with the decline in the nutritive values of our modern diet has left a lot of people sadly malnourished in many ways and this results in a wide variety of health problems including sub-optimal fertility.

    To say that you might “overdose” on these natural substances would be like saying that someone could “overdose” on fresh vegetables – it’s possible, but highly unlikely!

    Still, this is a complicated subject and it is easy to become confused and misdirect one’s efforts – which is why we always suggest a Brief Consultation with Dr. Myatt to help you get a much clearer understanding of the nuances of these dietary supplements and a far more focused approach to using them to achieve your health goals. This intense 20-minute conversation with Dr. Myatt could be your very best natural health-improvement investment ever!

    I will be happy to work with you to get a Brief Consultation scheduled.

    Please find more information regarding Dr. Myatt’s Brief Telephone Consultations here: https://www.drmyattswellnessclub.com/BriefConsults.htm

    Cheers,
    Nurse Mark

  • Common Pain Pills Linked To Deadly Heart Rhythm Problem

    Dying For Pain Relief?

     

    By Nurse Mark

     

    Common pain medications, both prescription and O.T.C., have been linked to Atrial fibrillation – a potentially deadly condition that can result in heart failure and strokes.

    These drugs include such common Over-The-Counter (O.T.C) favorites as Advil, Motrin, and Aleve – drugs that Americans like to pop like candy at the least sign of any discomfort.

    Here is an excerpt from a recent article in the on-line conventional medical resource WebMD:

    Widely used anti-inflammatory pain relievers may increase the risk of atrial fibrillation, a common heart rhythm disorder associated with stroke and heart failure.

    In a newly published study from Denmark, use of non-selective, nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs) and Cox-2 inhibitors was associated with a significantly increased risk for atrial fibrillation.

    Non-selective NSAIDs include the active ingredients in drugs such as Advil, Motrin and Aleve, and Naprosyn. The prescription drug Celebrex is a Cox-2 inhibitor. The researchers also included older Cox-2 inhibitor drugs such as diclofenac (Voltaren), etodolac (Lodine), and meloxicam (Mobic).

     

    We have said it before and we’ll say it again: we are not entirely opposed to the use of pharmaceutical drugs – we simply suggest that they be reserved for times of true need and even then they should be used wisely and sparingly.

    The NSAIDs have, in addition to this recent warning about atrial fibrillation, other serious potential side effects – the most important of which are renal (kidney) damage and gastrointestinal (stomach) damage.

    The other perennial favorite NSAID, aceteminophen (Tylenol) has been shown to be very damaging to the liver.

    Even lowly acetylsalicylic acid, commonly known as “ASA” or “Aspirin”, has it’s share of potentially serious side effects ranging from excessive blood thinning and bruising to gastric erosion and even tinitis (ringing in the ears) if taken in high doses.

    What are the alternatives? Must we suffer in pain if we don’t want to suffer the serious side effects that these drugs can cause? Of course not!

    Save the “heavy hitters”, the Big Pharma “Big Guns” for when they are really needed – when nothing else seems to do.

    For everyday use you might consider Bromelain:  Since it was introduced as a medicinal agent in 1957, more than 200 scientific papers on bromelain’s medicinal uses have appeared in the medical literature. Bromelain is one of the most well-studied anti-inflammatory herbs known. Unless an individual is allergic to pineapple (in which case, don’t use bromelain!) the safety profile of this herb is excellent. Of all the anti-inflammatory substances available (including drugs), bromelain is the one we recommend first.

    As an added “bonus” bromelain can help to not only reduce discomfort and inflammation it also can aid in the healing process. Bromelain has no direct immune or antimicrobial effects. Instead, it acts to increase the effect of other immune cells by dissolving the mucous coat that bacteria use to “shield” themselves from the immune system. Some studies have shown it to be as effective as antibiotics for treatment of pneumonia, bronchitis, sinusitis and dental, skin and kidney infection.

    Bromelain also helps to resolve bruising and helps to normalize blood viscosity.

    Learn more about this amazing plant substance here: Bromelain

    “But I have serious pain” you say – like from arthritis – and the drugs like Vioxx and Bextra worked wonders for your pain until their dangers became clear and they were removed from the market before they killed any more users. “What can I do?”

    Dr. Myatt was one of the first to see through the smoke and mirrors of the Big Pharma marketing campaigns for the COX-2 inhibitor drugs and to recognize their very significant risks. She also recognized that while the researchers (and the drug companies, to give them due credit) were on the right track, they were approaching the problem from the wrong direction.

    Instead of simply blocking the cyclooxygenase-II (or COX-2) enzyme, she reasoned, why not support healthy function of the entire cyclooxygenase-I and cyclooxygenase-II chain of prostaglandins and their receptors?

    Dr. Myatt went to work and came up with a natural, herbal formulation we call COX-2 Support that has been getting rave reviews from our patients and customers. COX-2 Support combines potent natural anti-inflammatory herbs in therapeutic doses to offer a safe, natural and effective alternative to dangerous COX-2 drugs.

    People with the pain of arthritis, athletes with pain and inflammation from over-use, folks with aches and pains from injury or hard physical labor – all are benefiting from this formulation:

    • Turmeric, the bright yellow spice herb, has been shown to be a natural COX-2 inhibitor, and drug companies are rushing to develop synthetic alternatives.
    • Bromelain, the digestive enzyme from pineapple, is one of the most well-studied anti-inflammatory herbs of all time.
    • Ginger inhibits COX-1 enzymes and prevents blood clotting more effectively than aspirin.
    • Boswellia, also known “Indian frankincense,” has been used traditionally for centuries as an anti-inflammatory agent.
    • White willow bark is the source of natural salicin (aspirin).
    • Phellodendron is a natural COX-2 inhibitor, found to be helpful in the management and potential treatment of inflammatory diseases. Phellodendron has been used for centuries in Chinese Medicine.

    Most people notice a reduction in their pain and inflammation in as little as one or two doses, while others may find that it will take a day or two of regular use to achieve good relief. Some HealthBeat News readers may know that I am still an enthusiastic runner in my mid-50’s, and sometimes I overdo it. Usually one or two doses of COX-2 Support will give me excellent relief and I’ll keep using it for several days or longer since the herbs have such great supportive and healing properties.

    Learn more about COX-2 Support here.

  • Do Niacin And Statins Together Increase Stroke Risk?

    Do Niacin And Statins Together Increase Stroke Risk?

     

    Nurse Mark answers your questions:

     

    It seems that a recently released study done by the National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute (NHLBI) has lots of folks worried. It further seems that the press has reported the results of the study in exactly the way that some in Big Pharma wanted them to – that is, to give the impression that statins are good and niacin is bad – even dangerous.

    Nurse Mark

    Recently saw an article on increase in strokes with statins and niacin.  I do take no flush niacin and am on a statin.  Does Dr. Myatt feel that is no longer a good thing to do?  Thank you, Ann

    Strangely enough, that is not what the study actually reports – that is just the spin that has been put on it.

    Here is the “short course” or “Cliff-Notes” regarding the study:

    The idea was to see if using niacin to raise HDL could reduce the rate of heart attacks and other adverse events.

    Researchers recruited some 3400 subjects for the study – all of whom had previous and severe cardiovascular disease. According to the National Institutes for Health:

    “The average age of the participants was 64 years. Pre-existing medical conditions included coronary artery disease (92 percent); metabolic syndrome, which is a cluster of risk factors for heart disease (81 percent); high blood pressure (71 percent); and diabetes (34 percent). More than half of participants reported having a heart attack prior to entering the study.”

    These were all very advanced, medically-at-high-risk people!

    Half the subjects got high-dose Niaspan – a prescription form of time-release niacin. The other half got a placebo.

    All the subjects got Zocor – a cholesterol-lowering drug. (Yes, Zocor – the drug that the FDA has finally admitted causes dangerous problems when taken in larger doses – and they are now reluctantly recommending that doctors not prescribe the high doses previously considered acceptable.)

    A smaller group of subjects also got yet another cholesterol-lowering drug, Zetia, on top of the Zocor. (While Zetia is not a “statin” drug it has a long list of similar and just-as-devastating side effects.)

    A goal of the study appeared to be to drive the participants LDL cholesterol to crazy, dangerously low levels.

    About 2 1/2 years into the study the researchers found that even though the Niaspan was doing what niacin is supposed to do – that is, raising HDL levels and lowering triglycerides – they decided that the rates of cardiovascular events in the Niaspan and non-Niaspan groups were not much different.

    Additionally, the researchers noted a tiny increase in strokes in the Niaspan group – there were 28 strokes [1.6%] in the Niaspan group versus 12 [0.7%] in the placebo group.

    Based on these findings, that increasing HDL levels did not somehow magically prevent cardiac events in this high-risk group of patients and that there was a statistically tiny increase in risk of stroke (and the FDA admits that “it is unclear what role, if any, niacin contributed to this imbalance in ischemic stroke.”) the researchers stopped the study early.

    According to Dr. Susan B. Shurin, acting director of the National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute the Niaspan did exactly what it was supposed to do – it raised HDL and lowered LDL. She says that the study was stopped early because the question that the study was designed to address had been answered – that is, that simply raising HDL cholesterol levels in high-risk cardiac patients did not significantly lower the risk of additional cardiac events. She goes on to say that “we do not believe that there are significant risks to continuing to take the niacin, but you should have a conversation with your doctor.”

    Here at The Wellness Club we are aware of a number of studied that do show a benefit to raising HDL levels – but we agree that simply raising HDL levels in high-risk cardiovascular patients, without correcting other risk factors, is not going to be a “magic bullet cure” that the researchers were looking for. One such study is included at the end of this article.

    We also agree with the FDA statement “it is unclear what role, if any, niacin contributed to this imbalance in ischemic stroke.” It is very unclear what role Niacin might have played in the tiny increase in strokes in this study – remember, the participants were all chosen because they were at high-risk for just this kind of thing!

    So, here is the short-course part:

    This study proved what it was designed to prove – that simply raising HDL does not prevent cardiovascular events in advanced cardiovascular disease patients.

    This study did not prove anything else.

    Actually, this study DID prove other things – just not medical things. It proved that the Big Pharma wars of domination and profit continue unchecked – moments after the press release detailing the study findings was released Big Pharma giant Abbott saw it’s stock prices and thus it’s profits, fall. It also proved that the spin-meisters in Big Pharma are hard at work telling the press what to report and how to report it. Much of the study is reported out of context or not reported at all.

    For those who are interested in the facts regarding this story, here is the press release that started this whole affair: http://public.nhlbi.nih.gov/newsroom/home/GetPressRelease.aspx?id=2792

    And here is a statement from the FDA about the study: http://www.fda.gov/Drugs/DrugSafety/PostmarketDrugSafetyInformationforPatientsandProviders/ucm256841.htm

    And finally, here is a video of Dr. Susan B. Shurin explaining why the National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute halted the study early: http://www.youtube.com/nhlbi#p/a/u/0/SgkIvuRBMJA

    Niacin, and it’s prescription sister Niaspan (a “slow release” niacin) are great substances with many beneficial effects. We do not see any reason to stop using niacin. Given the well-known dangers of statin drugs (that we have written about often!) we do recommend discussing statin use with your doctor – ask him if niacin alone might do the trick.

    Learn More about Niacin

    Here is just one of many research articles describing the benefits, effectiveness and safety of niacin when used for treating high cholesterol:

     

    Multiple-dose efficacy and safety of an extended-release form of niacin in the management of hyperlipidemia.

    Goldberg A, Alagona P Jr, Capuzzi DM, Guyton J, Morgan JM, Rodgers J, Sachson R, Samuel P.

    Source: Lipid Research Clinic, Washington University School of Medicine, St. Louis, MO 63110, USA.

    Abstract:

    This multicenter trial evaluated the safety and efficacy of escalating doses of Niaspan (niacin extended-release tablets) and placebo (administered once-a-day at bedtime) in patients with primary hyperlipidemia on the percent change from baseline in levels of low-density lipoprotein (LDL) cholesterol and apolipoprotein B. Extended-release niacin was initiated at a dose of 375 mg/day, raised to 500 mg/day, and further increased in 500-mg increments at 4-week intervals to a maximum of 3,000 mg/day. A total of 131 patients (n = 87, extended-release niacin; n = 44, placebo) were treated for 25 weeks with study medication after a 6-week diet lead-in/drug washout phase and 2-week baseline LDL cholesterol stability phase. Significant decreases from baseline in levels of LDL cholesterol and apolipoprotein B became apparent with the 500-mg/day dose and were consistent at all subsequent doses (p < or =0. 05), reaching 21% and 20%, respectively, at the 3,000-mg/day dose. Significant increases from baseline in levels of high-density lipoprotein cholesterol became apparent with the 500-mg/day dose and were consistent at all subsequent doses (p < or = 0.05), reaching 30% at the 3,000-mg dose. Significant decreases from baseline in triglycerides and lipoprotein(a) occurred at the 1,000-mg dose and were apparent at all subsequent doses (p < or =0.05), reaching 44% and 26%, respectively, at the 3,000-mg dose. The most common adverse events were flushing and gastrointestinal disturbance. Transaminase increases were relatively small, and the proportion of patients who developed liver function abnormalities on extended-release niacin was not significantly different from placebo. Thus, extended-release niacin was generally well tolerated and demonstrated a dose-related ability to alter favorably most elements of the lipid profile.

  • Nuclear Disaster Still In The News

    Nuclear Disaster Still In The News

     

    By Nurse Mark

     

    Unless you have been living in a cave or are just waking up from a coma you’re well aware that the nuclear situation in Japan is not improving. The daily news reports aren’t just “not reassuring”, they’re downright frightening – releases of radioactivity into the air, the soil, and the water, and yet more seismic activity and aftershocks are reported to have shaken the region yet again.

    Poor Japan just can’t seem to get a break and her people are suffering. We hope you will join us in offering them our prayers.

    Meanwhile, there is increasingly evidence of radioactive “fallout” being seen in North America.

    Because of this, we want to remind you, our HealthBeat News Readers, about the importance of having Potassium Iodide on-hand for yourself and your family.

    Please – don’t wait until your house is on fire to buy a fire extinguisher, and don’t wait until the Emergency Broadcast System interrupts your regularly scheduled programming to tell you that you should take your potassium iodide pills!

    Please see our previous articles in HealthBeat News about the importance of Potassium Iodide for protection from nuclear fallout.

    We still have a small supply of Potassium Iodide available as Iodoral – perhaps a half-dozen of the 50mg / 30 tablet bottles (An emergency supply for one adult) and a dozen or so bottles of 12.5mg / 90 tablet Iodoral which is intended as a daily supplementation dose but can be used as an emergency supply as well as a dose which can be tailored to infants and children. Please see our information page on Potassium Iodide here for dosing information.

    Dr. Myatt is actively searching for a supply of Potassium Iodide that she can make available to her patients and our HealthBeat News readers once these limited quantities are sold – but it is not looking good! As anyone who has tried to obtain Potassium Iodide recently will tell you, almost everyone is “sold out” and all available new supplies are being sent to Japan as they are manufactured.

    Please, please, please – don’t wait until FEMA tells you it’s time to take potassium iodide and then run down to the local drugstore hoping to get some: there won’t be any to get! Add this important item to your first aid kit now and you can rest easier knowing that you will be able to protect your family.