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Category: Nutrition and Health

  • 7 Reasons To Take Take Grape Seed Extract

    7 Reasons To Take Take Grape Seed Extract



    by Dr. Dana Myatt

    Grape seed extract is on my list of “must take” supplements.” Here’s why.

    Grape Seed Extract Lowers Risk of Heart Disease

    Proanthocyanidin (OPC), a powerful antioxidant found in grape seeds, grape skins, strawberries and French maritime pine bark, has anti-inflammatory properties which have been shown to promote normal blood flow and thus benefit the cardiovascular system. In Doctor Myatt’s words, OPC’s prevent “blood sludge” that can cause strokes and heart attacks. OPC’s work like aspirin (only better and safer) to prevent abnormal blood clotting. OPC’s may be a superior answer for those who need thinner blood (like people with arrhythmias) as a safer alternative to coumadin. OPC’s are also derived from pine bark (the grape seed extract is slightly more potent and less expensive. You will often see the terms proanthocaynadin, OPC’s, and grape seed extract used interchangeably).

    In one study, 38 cigarette smokers were divided into two groups and received either 500 mg of aspirin or 125 mg of Proanthocyanidin. After taking these doses, each subject smoked a cigarette, which is known to increase blood platelet aggregation (blood clumping). After two hours, blood samples were analyzed. Both groups has greatly reduced platelet aggregation, but those in the aspirin group had increased bleeding times while those in the OPC group did not. Other studies in smokers have also shown the anti-aggregation effect of OPC’s.

    In another study, 30 people were given Proanthocyanidin and 10 were given placebo. People in the Proanthocyanidin group had significant reduction in blood pressure, capillary (small blood vessel) leakage, and blood vessel inflammation, all risk factors for heart disease. There were no negative side effects or adverse changes in blood chemistries from Proanthocyanidin.

    Grape Seed Extract A Boon to Diabetics (and those who don’t want to be diabetics)

    Proanthocyanidin benefits the cardiovascular system by decreasing inflammation and improving blood viscosity in both normal and diabetic subjects. These effects can be especially important to diabetics. New research shows that OPC’s have even more benefits for diabetics by helping to lower blood sugar levels and improving microcirculation.

    OPC’s were administered to diabetic patients. Leg ulcers (which often result in gangrene and loss of limbs in diabetics) healed 25-29% faster in the group taking OPC’s. This is a significant benefit for diabetic patients and could help prevent loss of limbs that often occurs in diabetes.

    OPC’s have also been shown to help lower blood sugar levels. Researchers looked at the effect that Proanthocyanidin has on alpha-glucosidase, an enzyme that breaks down carbohydrates into glucose molecules. In this study, Proanthocyanidin was compared to acarbose, a synthetic drug (sold under the brand name Precose) that inhibits alpha-glucosidase. Proanthocyanidin was found to be 190 times more potent at inhibiting alpha-glucosidase, producing a greater delay in glucose absorption. At higher concentrations, OPC’s greatly slowed the entrance of carbohydrates into the blood stream compared to the drug.

    Another study showed that Proanthocyanidin improved the level of microangiopathy (small blood vessel abnormalities) decreased capillary filtration, improved symptoms and reduced edema in 18 out of 18 diabetic patients, with no subjects dropping out of the study due to adverse side effects. There were no improvements seen in the control group.

    OPC’s have been shown in French trials to help limit the progression of diabetic retinopathy. In one study, 60% of diabetics taking 150 mg per day of OPCs from grape seed extract had no progression of retinopathy compared to 47% of those taking a placebo.

    Another trial including 77 subjects with type 2 diabetes, (half receiving 100 mg of Proanthocyanidin and half received a placebo daily), showed after 12 weeks that subjects in the Proanthocyanidin group had significantly lowered their plasma glucose levels compared to placebo. Proanthocyanidin subjects were also found to have improved artery function. In another trial of 30 type 2 diabetics, researchers found that increasing doses of Proanthocyanidin (doses of 50, 100, 200, and 300 mg) lowered blood sugar levels in a dose-dependent fashion. (The more grape seed extract, the lower the blood sugar levels). Subjects who received 100 to 300 mg of Proanthocyanidin had the most significant lowering of their fasting glucose levels.

    Anti-Cancer Effects of Grape Seed Extract

    Talc (talcum powder) increases “ovarian neoplastic transformation” (turns cells of the female ovary into cancerous cells). A brand new study showed that Proanthocyanidin blocked this talc-induced cancerous change in ovarian cells. PC’s have also been shown to induce apoptosis (programmed cell death) in breast cancer cells but not in normal breast tissue.

    OPc’s reduce four factors know to stimulate cancer cell growth: blood sugar levels, insulin levels, free radical and inflammation. This means that OPC’s may be a potent factor not only in cancer prevention but also in cancer treatment. (See our medical paper on cancer diet and nutrition for cancer for full details).

    But Wait! There’s More! (More Benefits of Grape Seed Extract)

    If heart-protective, anti-diabetic, anti-cancer effects aren’t enough to make you consider adding grape seed extract to your supplement regimen, here are a few more benefits of this amazing flavonoid for you to consider:

    * anti-allergenic (grape seed stabilizes histamine release and so acts as a natural anti-histamine, without any drowsy side-effects). Asthmatic children who took Proanthocyanidin were able to decrease their asthma medications.

    * improves skin elasticity by increasing collagen in the skin. For this reason, OPC’s are often used in skin rejuvenation programs.

    * prevents varicose veins by strengthening blood vessels and increasing collagen (same reason it helps improve aging skin).

    * helps prevent Alzheimer’s disease by blocking the formation of beta amyloid (a protein associated with Alzheimer’s).

    * Reduces symptoms of endometriosis. This is JUST IN today in Family Medicine journal, yet another study showing positive benefit.

    I Don’t Know About You, But…

    The proven (but non-FDA-approved, blessed or verified) effects of grape seed extract (aka Proanthocyanidin, OPC’s etc.) are just too great for me to overlook. I personally take 100mg, 3 times per day with meals and will continue to do so. The new research coming out on this important herb convinces me that I’ve made a good decision. Learn more about Grape Seed Extract here.

    * The term “pycnogenol” originally denoted the generic proanthocyanidin (OPC) extracts derived from pine bark as researched by Jacques Masquelier, Ph.D.  However, Pycnogenol® is now a registered trademark of Horphag Overseas Ltd., referring specifically to their brand of maritime pine extract. Jacques Masquelier, Ph.D., the original discoverer of OPC’s, initially researched maritime pine as the source of proanthocyanidins. 

    In 1951, Professor Masquelier patented a method of extracting OPC’s from pine bark, and in 1970 used this same technique to extract OPC’s from grape seed.

     

    References
    1.)Inhibition of smoking-induced platelet aggregation by aspirin and pycnogenol. Thromb Res. 1999 Aug 15;95(4):155-61.
    2.) Pine bark extract reduces platelet aggregation. Integr Med. 2000 Mar 21;2(2):73-77.
    3.) Single and multiple dose pharmacokinetics of maritime pine bark extract (pycnogenol) after oral administration to healthy volunteers. BMC Clin Pharmacol. 2006 Aug 3;6:4.
    4.) Inhibition of COX-1 and COX-2 activity by plasma of human volunteers after ingestion of French maritime pine bark extract (Pycnogenol). Biomed Pharmacother. 2006 Jan;60(1):5-9. Epub 2005 Oct 26.
    5.) Diabetic ulcers: microcirculatory improvement and faster healing with pycnogenol. Clin Appl Thromb Hemost. 2006 Jul;12(3):318-23.
    6.) Oligomeric procyanidins of French maritime pine bark extract (Pycnogenol) effectively inhibit alpha-glucosidase. Diabetes Res Clin Pract. 2006 Nov 10.
    7.) Rapid relief of signs/symptoms in chronic venous microangiopathy with pycnogenol: a prospective, controlled study. Angiology. 2006 Oct-Nov;57(5):569-76.
    8.) Procyanidolic oligomers in the treatment of fragile capillaries and diabetic retinopathy. Med Int 1981;16:432–4 [in French].
    8.) Retinopathies and OPC. Bordeaux Medicale 1978;11:1467–74 [in French].
    9.) Contribution to the study of procyanidolic oligomeres: Endotelon in diabetic retinopathy (in regard to 30 observations). Gaz Med de France 1982;89:3610–4 [in French].
    10.) Antidiabetic effect of Pycnogenol French maritime pine bark extract in patients with diabetes type II. Life Sci. 2004 Oct 8;75(21):2505-13.
    11.) French maritime pine bark extract Pycnogenol dose-dependently lowers glucose in type 2 diabetic patients.Diabetes Care. 2004 Mar;27(3):839.
    12.) Pycnogenol reduces talc-induced neoplastic transformation in human ovarian cell cultures.Phytother Res. 2007 Mar 14; [Epub ahead of print]
    13.) Selective induction of apoptosis in human mammary cancer cells (MCF-7) by pycnogenol. Anticancer Res. 2000 Jul-Aug;20(4):2417-20.
    14.) Nutritional and Botanical Considerations in the Systemic Treatment of Cancer: 2006 Update. http://www.drmyattswellnessclub.com/cancer2006update.htm
    15.) Pycnogenol as an adjunct in the management of childhood asthma. J Asthma. 2004;41(8):825-32
    16.) Stabilization of collagen by polyphenols. Angiologica 1972;9:248–56 [in German].
    17.) Non-enzymatic degradation of acid-soluble calf skin collagen by superoxide ion: protective effect of flavonoids. Biochem Pharmacol 1983;32:53–8.
    18.) Pycnogenol protects neurons from amyloid-beta peptide-induced apoptosis. Brain Res Mol Brain Res. 2002 Jul 15;104(1):55-65.
    19.) Pine Bark Extract Reduces Symptoms of Endometriosis. J Reprod Med. 2007;52:000-000.

  • Dietary Ketosis In The Treatment of Solid Tissue Malignancy

    Nurse Mark Note: The following abstract was recently been presented to the American Academy of Anti Aging Medicine (A4M) for consideration for presentation at an upcoming conference. While it is written for a medically trained audience (for doctors and scientists) we are making it available for our HealthBeat readers who may also find it useful in their research.

     

    Dietary Ketosis In The Treatment of Solid Tissue Malignancy

     

    By Dr. Dana Myatt

     

    "Attack by stratagem: hence, to fight and conquer in all your battles is not supreme excellence; supreme excellence consists in breaking the enemy’s resistance without fighting”

    — Sun Tzu, "The Art of War"

     

    Many believe that cancer cells, damaged by mutation, are more resilient than normal cells. However, malignant cells are largely incapable of the metabolic flexibility displayed by normal cells, and therein lies their weakness and the potential for a gentle but highly effective point of attack.

    Nutritional and botanical factors can have profound positive effects in cancer treatment, but the single most potent anti-cancer strategy documented in the medical literature strikes at the core of cancer’s metabolism: glycolysis, especially anaerobic glycolysis, and impaired mitochondrial function.

    Numerous animal and human studies have demonstrated that the glycolytic pathway of cancer cells can be confounded by metabolic ketosis, often with profound apoptotic effects on cancer cells but without negative consequence — and in fact with protective effects — to normal cells.(1-6)

    Metabolic ketosis curtails cancer growth by a variety of mechanisms including:

    I. Decreasing the glucose substrate required for cancer cell metabolism. Most tumors express abnormalities in the number and function of their mitochondria.(7-12) Such abnormalities prevent the bioenergetic utilization of ketone bodies, which require functional mitochondria for their oxidation.

    II. Decreasing insulin, a secondary growth factor for cancer cells. (13-14)

    III. Decreasing inflammation. Inflammation acts to promote cancer by altering cell-to-cell communication and delaying local detoxification. (15-25) Metabolic ketosis has significant anti-inflammatory effects. (9, 26-29)

    IV. Decreasing ROS production. Reactive Oxygen Species are known to promote
    cancer (30-33) ; metabolic ketosis decreases ROS production. (34-37)

    V. Reversing cachexia while simultaneously decreasing tumor weight. (38-40)

    VI. Decreasing angiogenesis. (29, 41-42)

    VII. Inducing apoptosis. (11,29, 38)

    VIII. Suppressing the p53 oncogene, the most common point mutation observed in human cancer; more than 50% of all human tumors examined to date have identifiable p53 gene point mutations or deletions. A ketogenic diet has been shown to suppress the p53 oncogene in animal models. (43)

    IX. Acting synergistically with chemotherapy and/or specific nutritional supplementation. (44-45)

    In spite of improved availability of foods containing anti-carcinogenic phytonutrients and vitamins, most types of cancer have not declined as expected. This correlates to the overall calorie increase and overweight condition of our society, a condition which puts us in "constant feast" mode instead of the periodic fasting our ancestors previously experienced. (46) Some observers feel that our previous occasional fasts, which would induce ketosis, were beneficial for cancer control. It has also been hypothesized that alternative "cancer diets" such as juice fasting, calorie restriction or the use of Coley’s toxins are effective primarily because they induce metabolic ketosis.

    This presentation will serve as a review of the nature and behavior of characteristics common to all solid tissue cancer cells. It will offer a novel but well-documented clinical nutritional treatment strategy which targets multiple cancer cell vulnerabilities while simultaneously protecting and enhancing the function of normal cells and tissues.

    References:

    1.) Al-Zaid NS, Dashti HM, Mathew TC, Juggi JS. Low carbohydrate ketogenic diet enhances cardiac tolerance to global ischaemia. Acta Cardiol. 2007 Aug;62(4):381-9.

    2.) Kodde IF, van der Stok J, Smolenski RT, de Jong JW. Metabolic and genetic regulation of cardiac energy substrate preference. Comp Biochem Physiol A Mol Integr Physiol. 2007 Jan;146(1):26-39. Epub 2006 Oct .

    3.) Smith SL, Heal DJ, Martin KF.KTX 0101: a potential metabolic approach to cytoprotection in major surgery and neurological disorders. CNS Drug Rev. 2005 Summer;11(2):113-40

    4.) Cahill GF Jr, Veech RL. Ketoacids? Good medicine? Trans Am Clin Climatol Assoc. 2003;114:149-61; discussion 162-3.

    5.) Suzuki M, Suzuki M, Sato K, Dohi S, Sato T, Matsuura A, Hiraide A. Effect of beta-hydroxybutyrate, a cerebral function improving agent, on cerebral hypoxia, anoxia and ischemia in mice and rats. Jpn J Pharmacol. 2001 Oct;87(2):143-50

    6.) Kashiwaya Y, Takeshima T, Mori N, Nakashima K, Clarke K, Veech RL.D-beta-hydroxybutyrate protects neurons in models of Alzheimer’s and Parkinson’s disease. Proc Natl Acad Sci U S A. 2000 May 9;97(10):5440-4.

    7.) Meixensberger J, Herting B, Roggendorf W, Reichmann H: Metabolic patterns in malignant gliomas. J Neurooncol 1995, 24:153-161

    8.) Pedersen PL: Tumor mitochondria and the bioenergetics of cancer cells. Prog Exp Tumor Res 1978, 22:190-274.

    9.) Seyfried TN, Sanderson TM, El-Abbadi MM, McGowan R, Mukherjee P.: Role of glucose and ketone bodies in the metabolic control of experimental brain cancer. Br J Cancer. 2003 Oct 6;89(7):1375-82.

    10.) Fearon KC.: Nutritional pharmacology in the treatment of neoplastic disease. Baillieres Clin Gastroenterol. 1988 Oct;2(4):941-9.

    11.) Skinner R, Trujillo A, Ma X, Beierle EA. Ketone bodies inhibit the viability of human neuroblastoma cells. J Pediatr Surg. 2009 Jan;44(1):212-6; discussion 216.

    12.) Muti P, Quattrin T, Grant BJ, Krogh V, Micheli A, Schünemann HJ, Ram M, Freudenheim JL, Sieri S, Trevisan M, Berrino F. Fasting glucose is a risk factor for breast cancer: a prospective study. Cancer Epidemiol Biomarkers Prev, 2002 Nov;11(11):1361-8.

    13.) Venkateswaran V, Haddad AQ, Fleshner NE, Fan R, Sugar LM, Nam R, Klotz LH, Pollak M. Association of diet-induced hyperinsulinemia with accelerated growth of prostate cancer (LNCaP) xenografts. J Natl Cancer Inst. 2007 Dec 5;99(23):1793-800. Epub 2007 Nov 27.

    14.) Borugian MJ, Sheps SB, Kim-Sing C, Van Patten C, Potter JD, Dunn B, Gallagher RP, Hislop TG. Insulin, macronutrient intake, and physical activity: are potential indicators of insulin resistance associated with mortality from breast cancer? Cancer Epidemiol Biomarkers Prev. 2004 Jul;13(7):1163-72.

    15.) Khan G.: Epstein-Barr virus, cytokines, and inflammation: A cocktail for the pathogenesis of Hodgkin’s lymphoma? Exp Hematol. 2006 Apr;34(4):399-406.

    16.) Dalgleish AG, O’Byrne K. Inflammation and cancer: the role of the immune response and angiogenesis. Cancer Treat Res. 2006;130:1-38.

    17.) Schottelius AJ, Dinter H.: Cytokines, NF-kappaB, microenvironment, intestinal inflammation and cancer. Cancer Treat Res. 2006;130:67-87.

    18.) Otani T, Iwasaki M, Sasazuki S, Inoue M, Tsugane S.: Plasma C-reactive protein and risk of colorectal cancer in a nested case-control study: Japan public health center-based prospective study. Cancer Epidemiol Biomarkers Prev. 2006 Apr;15(4):690-5.

    19.) Dobrovolskaia MA, Kozlov SV.: Inflammation and cancer: when NF-kappaB amalgamates the perilous partnership.Curr Cancer Drug Targets. 2005 Aug;5(5):325-44.

    20.) Naldini A, Carraro F.: Role of inflammatory mediators in angiogenesis. Curr Drug Targets Inflamm Allergy. 2005 Feb;4(1):3-8.

    21.) Ohshima H, Tazawa H, Sylla BS, Sawa T.: Prevention of human cancer by modulation of chronic inflammatory processes. Mutat Res. 2005 Dec 11;591(1-2):110-22. Epub 2005 Aug 3.

    22.) Coussens LM, Werb Z.: Inflammation and cancer. Nature. 2002 Dec 19-26;420(6917):860-7.

    23.) Stewart JW, Koehler K, Jackson W, Hawley J, Wang W, Au A, Myers R, Birt DF: Prevention of mouse skin tumor promotion by dietary energy restriction requires an intact adrenal gland and glucocorticoid supplementation restores inhibition. Carcinogenesis 2005, 26:1077-1084

    24.) Zhu Z, Jiang W, Thompson HJ: Mechanisms by which energy restriction inhibits rat mammary carcinogenesis: in vivo effects of corticosterone on cell cycle machinery in mammary carcinomas. Carcinogenesis 2003, 24:1225-1231.

    25.) Patel NV, Finch CE: The glucocorticoid paradox of caloric restriction in slowing brain aging. Neurobiol Aging 2002, 23:707-717.

    26.) Gasior M, Rogawski MA, Hartman AL. Neuroprotective and disease-modifying effects of the ketogenic diet. Behav Pharmacol. 2006 Sep;17(5-6):431-9.

    27.) Maalouf M, Rho JM, Mattson MP. The neuroprotective properties of calorie restriction, the ketogenic diet, and ketone bodies. Brain Res Rev. 2009 Mar;59(2):293-315.
    28.) Garai J, Lóránd T, Molnár V. Ketone bodies affect the enzymatic activity of macrophage migration inhibitory factor. Life Sci. 2005 Aug 5;77(12):1375-80.

    29.) Seyfried TN, Kiebish M, Mukherjee P, Marsh J. Targeting energy metabolism in brain cancer with calorically restricted ketogenic diets. Epilepsia. 2008 Nov;49 Suppl 8:114-6.

    30.) Shi DY, Xie FZ, Zhai C, Stern JS, Liu Y, Liu SL. The role of cellular oxidative stress in regulating glycolysis energy metabolism in hepatoma cells. Mol Cancer. 2009 Jun 5;8(1):32. [Epub ahead of print]

    31.) Halliwell B. Oxidative stress and cancer: have we moved forward? Biochem J. 2007 Jan 1;401(1):1-11.

    32.) Brown N., Bicknell R. Hypoxia and oxidative stress in breast cancer: Oxidative stress – its effects on the growth, metastatic potential and response to therapy of breast cancer. Breast Cancer Res 2001, 3:323-327.

    33.) Wiseman H, Halliwell B: Damage to DNA by reactive oxygen and nitrogen species: role in inflammatory disease and progression to cancer. Biochem J 1996, 313:17-29.

    34.) Veech RL: The therapeutic implications of ketone bodies: the effects of ketone bodies in pathological conditions: ketosis, ketogenic diet, redox states, insulin resistance, and mitochondrial metabolism. Prostaglandins Leukot Essent Fatty Acids 2004, 70:309-319.

    35.) Veech RL: Metabolic control analysis of ketone and insulin action: Implications for phenotyping of disease and design of therapy. Lecture:The Dynamic and Energetic Basis of Health and Aging Monday, Nov 11 – Wednesday, Nov 13, 2002, The Cloister’s, NIH, Bethesda MD.

    36.) Masuda R, Monahan JW, Kashiwaya Y: D-beta-hydroxybutyrate is neuroprotective against hypoxia in serum-free hippocampal primary cultures. J Neurosci Res 2005, 80:501-509.

    37.) Bough KJ, Rho JM. Anticonvulsant mechanisms of the ketogenic diet. Epilepsia. 2007 Jan;48(1):43-58.

    38.) Beck SA, Tisdale MJ. Effect of insulin on weight loss and tumour growth in a cachexia model. Br J Cancer. 1989 May;59(5):677-81.

    39.) Tisdale MJ, Brennan RA, Fearon KC. Reduction of weight loss and tumour size in a cachexia model by a high fat diet. Br J Cancer. 1987 Jul;56(1):39-43

    40.) Beck SA, Tisdale MJ. Nitrogen excretion in cancer cachexia and its modification by a high fat diet in mice. Cancer Res. 1989 Jul 15;49(14):3800-4.

    41.) Zhou W, Mukherjee P, Kiebish MA, Markis WT, Mantis JG, Seyfried TN. The calorically restricted ketogenic diet, an effective alternative therapy for malignant brain cancer. Nutr Metab (Lond). 2007 Feb 21;4:5.

    42.) Seyfried TN, Mukherjee P. Targeting energy metabolism in brain cancer: review and hypothesis. Nutr Metab (Lond). 2005 Oct 21;2:30.

    43.) Berrigan D, Perkins SN, Haines DC, Hursting SD.: Adult-onset calorie restriction and fasting delay spontaneous tumorigenesis in p53-deficient mice. Carcinogenesis. 2002 May;23(5):817-22.
    44.) Marsh J, Mukherjee P, Seyfried TN. Drug/diet synergy for managing malignant astrocytoma in mice: 2-deoxy-D-glucose and the restricted ketogenic diet. Nutr Metab (Lond). 2008 Nov 25;5:33.

    45.) Otto C, Kaemmerer U, Illert B, Muehling B, Pfetzer N, Wittig R, Voelker HU, Thiede A, Coy JF. Growth of human gastric cancer cells in nude mice is delayed by a ketogenic diet supplemented with omega-3 fatty acids and medium-chain triglycerides. BMC Cancer. 2008 Apr 30;8:122.

    46.) Wargovich MJ, Cunningham JE.:Diet, individual responsiveness and cancer prevention. J Nutr. 2003 Jul;133(7 Suppl):2400S-2403S.

  • Flax Oil, Myatt Muffins and Microwaves – A reader Asks

    By Nurse Mark

     

    It never ceases to amaze me the power that urban legend has to alter peoples behavior. The microwave cooker or "oven" has been accused of all sorts of evil based on nothing more than superstition, misinformation, and urban legend. The fact that it is common for people to refer to the cooking process as to "nuke it in the microwave" has helped to perpetuate the confusion between the non-ionizing radiation of the microwave and the ionizing radiation of such things as atomic bombs, plutonium, and x-ray machines.

    Folks, things like atomic bombs, plutonium, and x-ray machines are indeed quite bad for us, to say the least – they are sources of ionizing, destructive radiation. But let’s not react unthinkingly to the word ‘radiation’ – for it simply describes something very, very common: when we speak we "radiate" sound. Our living bodies radiate heat. A light bulb radiates light and heat, as does a campfire or a candle. The electric element or gas burner in your stove radiates heat. Your television radiates light, sound, heat, and EMF or Electro Magnetic Fields which can be measured in units called Gauss.

    None of these common forms of radiation are anything like ionizing radiation – the stuff that is emitted by plutonium and A-bombs and X-ray machines.

    The microwave oven uses much the same principle as your conventional oven to do it’s work – it just does it quite a bit more efficiently (ie: more quickly) and it certainly does not utilize ionizing radiation.

    As Dr. Myatt mentions in her note below, she will be releasing a ‘White Paper’ – deeply researched, fully footnoted, and scientifically referenced, and exposing the misinformation that surrounds microwave cooking and frightens people unnecessarily. Watch for it soon!

    Dr. Myatt recently received this note from Michele regarding flax oil and the microwave oven for cooking her Myatt Muffins:

    Dear Dr. Myatt,
       Thank you for your interpretive results. They have been most helpful.  Also, I am anxious to try your Myatt muffins, although I have 2 concerns. In past research, I read that you are not supposed to heat flax oil at all and also there are dangers to using a microwave. We do not own a microwave for those reasons. Could you respond to this? I would like to know your views. 
    Thank you,
    Michele

    Here is Dr. Myatt’s answer:

    Hi Michelle:

    Flax oil is fragile beyond a certain time and temperature; i.e. it will be altered when cooked in a regular oven at 350 degrees. The 90 seconds in a microwave doesn’t heat the muffin hot enough to destroy or damage the O-3’s in the flax oil.

    Also, most of the stuff people believe about "dangers" of the microwave oven are totally unsubstantiated urban legend. In fact, the microwave does a good job of preserving nutrients because it cooks things at a much lower temperature. I am putting the finishing touches on a medical white paper (an expose) about microwave cooking. Be sure to grab a copy of this once I let you know that it’s available!

    In Health,
    Dr. Myatt

    P.S. My Dad worked for Litton engineering, the first company to manufacture a commercial microwave oven. We were some of the first folks EVER to own a microwave. We just celebrated Dad’s 91st B-day this past May and Mom just turned 87 ( www.MyTributeToMom.com). If the microwave does something bad to food, please don’t tell my Mom and Dad. They’ve been using one regularly for 35 years and many 50 year olds would be glad to have their superb health and perfect lab reports!

  • Do You Really Take All That Stuff ???

    By Dr. Myatt

     

    I was in a local store recently; the owner and I are on friendly terms. In fact, we had given her a Wellness Club Holistic Health Handbook as part of a gift. Apparently, she has been reading it. She asked me today when I was in, "Do you really take all that stuff you recommend? Can’t you just get adequate nutrition from a good diet?" Good questions, and I was shaking my head "yes" and "no" before she even finished asking.

    Yes, I really take a lot of my own Wellness Club "stuff" (more in a minute). In fact, one of the main reason I started The Wellness Club almost 10 years ago was to ensure myself easy access to "the good stuff" (highest quality nutritionals). And "no," you can’t get adequate, much less optimal, nutrition from diet alone. Here are the reasons I take supplements.

    Why a "good diet" is not optimal. First let’s define some terms: "Adequate" means barely enough to sustain life. Yes, you can probably achieve that from an exceptionally good diet. Who eats an exceptionally good diet? But you can’t get "optimal nutrition" — vitamins and minerals at levels known to promote longevity— from even a very good diet.

    That’s because our food supply isn’t what it used to be. To see a complete chart of Optimal doses of vitamins and minerals, click here.

    Vegetables without Vitamins. The nutritional value of foods is rapidly declining. According to the USDA food tables, most commercial vegetables contain at least 50% less of the nutrients than they did in 1975. For example, broccoli has 50% less calcium than it used to; watercress has 80% less iron, cauliflower has 40% less vitamin C. The National Academy of Sciences reports that it takes twice as many vegetables as it used to to get the same amount of nutrients. The reason for this decline appears related to growing and agricultural practices. That, plus many foods are heavily contaminated with pesticides, synthetic fertilizers instead of the natural nutrients, and picked before their prime (full nutrient content) so they can be shipped to far away places for consumption. If the nutrients aren’t in the soil, they won’t be in the plants grown in that soil. The recommended 3 to 5 servings per day should rightly be changed to 6 to 10 servings per day of fruits and vegetables to get a basic complement of plant-derived nutrients. Do YOU eat this much in a day? Few Americans do.

    Meat without Omegas. The Omega-3 fatty acids, along with Omega-6 fatty acids, comprise the "Essential Fatty Acids" (EFA’s), so-called because they must be obtained from diet. The average American diet is far too high in O-6 fatty acids and drastically deficient in O-3 fatty acids. The result is that our immune systems tend to be hyper-reactive in many ways (allergies, autoimmune disease, heart disease, certain cancers and overweight are intimately related to this O-3 deficiency). The primary sources of O-3 fatty acids are meat (especially beef), eggs and seafood, particularly salmon, and flax seed. But even these "good foods" are not what they should be. The way we raise animals drastically alters— for better or worse— their Omega-3 fatty acid content, and therefore their Omega Ratios. [NOTE: as a reminder, a healthy Omega Ratio should be between 4 to 10. Less than 4 is super-healthy, more than 10 is an unfavorable ratio. Many nutritional scientists believe that the healthiest ratio is no more than 4]. Instead of grass-fed beef with an Omega ratio of 2.3, feed-lot and corn-fed beef has a less favorable OR of 8.6 or higher. (Still a decent OR). Feed-lot raised beef is also high in human hormones and antibiotics. Eggs raised from chickens fed a diet of Omega-3 rich grains and allowed to free-range will lay high Omega-3 containing eggs with an OR of 2.6, but most industrially-raised hens today lay eggs with an OR of 13.0. Salmon is by far the superior food for Omega-3 content, but there’s a wide variability in this, too. Wild-caught Pacific salmon has an OR of 0.5 and very low levels of contaminants. New information released this month shows that farm-raised salmon tend to have high levels of contaminants including methyl mercury and PCBs, antibiotics, pesticides, synthetic coloring agents, growth hormones and GMOs. The OR for farm-raised and Atlantic salmon is far less favorable at 6.8. (Still a good Omega Ratio, but is the toxicity worth the risk?).

    Even a diet that includes the USDA recommended fruits, vegetables and meats is still unlikely to be "adequate." Inadequate nutrition plus additional contaminants in the food mean that even a well-meaning diet may be less-than-adequate. But even if it were "adequate," adequate isn’t good enough for me.

    Why "Adequate" isn’t Enough

    Much is known about how to keep a human body healthy for life and maximize longevity. The sciences of nutrition, biochemistry, pharmacology, exercise physiology, and psychology have contributed much to improving both quality and quantity of life. Although drugs can be helpful and sometimes curative, they are not the surest option for maintaining good health. I take advantage of those diet and lifestyle methods that have proven to help hedge the bet for a long, healthy life.

    Studies have been done on elders (over 60 population) taking a multiple vitamin-mineral supplement. Those on low potency formulas (the "one little tablet per day" variety) did nothing more than placebo, but those taking higher potency formulas had a 60% lower rate of upper respiratory infection plus overall stronger immunity. Optimal, not merely "adequate" doses of various vitamins and minerals have far-reaching effects in the body. Consider the numerous benefits I get just from taking Maxi Multi — my ultimate basic multiple nutrient formula.

    A few of the many known deficiency/disease connections:

    A deficiency of antioxidant nutrients (especially beta carotene, vitamins C & E, and selenium) is associated with higher incidence of cancers of the colon, breast, prostate, mouth, lungs and skin. Some researchers believe that antioxidant deficiencies may be related to higher incidence of all cancers. Antioxidant deficiency is also associated with cataracts, macular degeneration, cardiovascular disease and premature aging.

    A mineral deficiency, especially magnesium and potassium but also calcium, is associated with high blood pressure.

    Deficiencies of vitamin E, C, B6, B12, folic acid (a B vitamin), and bioflavonoids are associated with cardiovascular disease. The connection between vitamin E and heart health is so well established that conventional medical cardiologists are instructed to recommend vitamin E to their patients.

    Healthy bones, and the prevention of osteoporosis, depend on sufficient levels of minerals, including calcium, magnesium, boron, zinc, copper, B vitamins, and vitamin D. Calcium deficiency is also associated with overweight and colon cancer.

    In males, benign prostatic hypertrophy and prostate cancer is associated with decreased levels of zinc and selenium. Zinc deficiency also correlates to decreased immune function. Hypoglycemia (low blood sugar) and diabetes (high blood sugar) occur more frequently in people who are chromium deficient. After diabetes is present, low levels of vitamin A, C, E, plus zinc, selenium, choline, bioflavonoids and B complex vitamins are associated with more complications from the disease.

    Deficiencies of B complex vitamins are associated with heart disease, fatigue, muscle weakness, depression, Alzheimer’s disease, and senile (age-related) dementia.

    The list above represents only some of the diseases that nutrient deficiency can cause. Studies show that people who do not have nutrient deficiencies have a greatly lowered risk of these diseases. I’m hedging my bet by making up for any gaps in my diet by taking a high quality multiple vitamin/mineral supplement.

    What I Used to Take & Recommend for Patients

    Some years ago, patients and wellness club members recall that I recommended 4 separate supplements in order to get the solid daily basics of good nutrition. I would use the following nutrients for my "Basic daily formula:

    I.) High quality multiple (Usually Tyler’s brand called Nutrizyme; daily dose is 6 capsules)

    II.) Extra antioxidants (A formula with higher potencies of Vitamin A, beta carotene, vitamin C & E, and selenium. I would usually use Carlson’s brand of "ACES" for the extra antioxidants.(1 cap, 3 times per day with meals).

    III.) Extra calcium/magnesium and trace bone nutrients (boron, vanadium). I used one of several different formulas to "make up the difference" that the multiple didn’t contain. (3-6 capsules per day).

    IV.) Multi-B-Complex: extra-potencies of B complex vitamins, higher than even a good multiple, for the many proven health benefits. (1 capsule, 2 times per day).

    All together, this Basic program was 17-20 capsules per day of the finest nutritional supplement available. 4 separate products, but well worth the effort and money in my book. Many agreed with me. Then I decided to make it simpler. It was state-of the-art supplementation. Because this protocol is still valuable today (the individual formulas have been kept up-to-date), this is still a good program to follow. I just decided to make it simpler.

    The Best Made Better

    That above-listed regimen is the one I followed and recommended for many years, with outstanding results. Still, 4 separate products to achieve Optimal vitamin/mineral supplementation seemed like a lot of work, so I decided to make it simpler. After all, I "take all this stuff" myself, remember? And I knew I intended to continue taking my nutrients for the long-haul, making improvements in my program as new discoveries caused me to make dose or formula changes, but intending to stick with it because many studies also show that the benefits from nutritional supplementation accrue over the long-haul. I took the "optimal dose" list I had constructed from the medical literature and decided to put the "four separate items" into a single formula. That is when Maxi Multi was "born."

    Maxi Multi: The Four-in-One Formula for Optimal Supplementation

    Yes, I "take my own stuff." The benefits of optimal potency supplementation on health and potential lifespan are clear-cut in my medical opinion. I knew I was "in it for the long haul," and so were many of my patients. In order to make such optimal supplementation easier and more cost-effective, I devised a formula that had these optimal potencies in a single supplement. Maxi Multis have the combined benefits and nutrient levels as the previous four-supplement regimen I was prescribing. There were and still are other benefits to making my own formula, too.

    When I new bit of nutritional science is discovered, such as higher doses of vitamin E appear to be better at preventing heart disease, breast cancer and cataracts, I can and do make adjustments in the formula to keep up with the science. I also pick and choose each individual nutrient — it’s form, potency and purity— and I’m a stickler for these ingredients. It’s got to be that way, because there are little quality controls in the health and nutrition industry right now. I am the "Dragon Lady" when it comes to my formulas, because I want them to be the best. Remember, I "take this stuff" myself for health reasons and intend to for life. I want to best, so it will perform as I expect. I take my own stuff.

    My Personal Protocol for Good Health

    1.) Supplements:

    I.) Maxi Multi: 3 caps, 3 times per day with meals, without fail.

    II.) Maxi Greens: 2 caps, 3 times per day with meals, without fail.

    III.) CoQ10 (50mg): twice per day.

    IV.) Flax oil: caps or liquid, daily, or better, ultra-pure, high-potency Fish Oil.

    I take additional supplements, but this list forms the basis of my program. Please keep in mind that I do not have any medical conditions that I am treating. If I did, my basic program would reflect additional nutrients and/or herbs targeted to whatever my medical problem was.

    2.) Foods: I choose organic fruits and veggies whenever possible. I also look for wild instead of farm-raised salmon and grab organic beef whenever I find it. I search out Omega eggs (available in the regular grocery store). I follow The Super Fast Diet (low carbs, high in Omega-3 essential fats).

    3.) Exercise: every day in the outdoors. I live in an area where the air is clean. If I didn’t, I’d have an indoor and car air purifier.

    4.) Pure water: 64 ounces a day without fail.

    No one can guarantee us a long, healthy life. Some of this "equation" is up to fate: genetics, luck. Much of our health, however, is within our control. We can optimize our "healthspan" (how long we stay healthy) and our lifespan (actual years that we live) by taking reasonable and good care of ourselves. Given what I know about nutrition, basic supplementation in optimal doses seems a small price to pay for the return I anticipate on my investment. So "yes", I really do take "all that stuff."

  • More Thyroid Questions

    By Nurse Mark

     

    Thyroid continues to be one of the more common subjects for questions that we receive here, and it seems to be one of the most poorly understood by many folks. And no wonder – thyroid function, thyroid hormones, and hormones in general are a very complicated issue. The internet abounds with "Thyroid Information" – much of it incorrect and misleading – which only adds to the confusion

    Marilyn wrote to Dr. Myatt recently:

    Does your thyroid cytotrophin contain literally T3 and T4 hormones?  Also, does Maca inhibit the thyroid since it is a cruciferous vegetable and contains glucosinates?  Please let me know as soon as possible. Thanks so much!

    Here is Dr. Myatt’s answer

    Hi Marilyn:

    Cytotrophin does indeed contain T3 and T4, approximately 1/2 grain per tablet in a 1:5 ratio (T3:T4) as is the ratio made by the body. It cannot be listed on the label (or my website!) because then it is considered a drug and not a supplement.

    Glucosinolates can cause goiter (swollen thyroid gland with decreased activity) if taken in excess combined with a low-iodine diet. Though this is documented to occur with other glucosinolate-rich foods, it is not known if maca causes goiter.

    Anyone who has demonstrated low thyroid function should have an iodine test to determine if iodine deficiency is the cause of their hypothyroidism, but you probably knew that. And of course, if your iodine levels are low, they should be brought up to sufficiency.

    Thanks for your question and I hope these answers are what you were looking for!

    In Health,
    Dr. Myatt

    As you can see, there is nothing simple about thyroid function – and similarly there is nothing simple about what does and does not affect thyroid function. Iodine – a lowly, forgotten mineral – is intimately involved in thyroid function and health.

    What is, and is not a goitrogen is also the subject of confusion – this is another area where there are really no absolutes, and everything must be considered in it’s relation to everything else. That is not meant to sound like weasel-words – it is an attempt to describe the intricate and delicately balanced interrelationships and interdependencies of this marvelous machine that is our human body. I recently wrote about goitrogens in the article What is a Goitrogen?

    Dr. Myatt has written an excellent resource page on Hypothyroidism and a well-researched article titled Iodine: the "Missing Mineral" for Thyroid, Heart, Healthy Immunity and Cancer Protection. Since Iodine is so intimately tied to thyroid health anyone with thyroid concerns will want to consider testing to determine your Iodine levels. Dr. Myatt is highly skilled at interpreting this Iodine test, and at treating and correcting thyroid problems – a Telephone Consultation is be a wise investment.