HealthBeat News

Category: Family Health

  • We Got ‘Spanked’ Over Salba?

    Some time ago I wrote an article about the latest “Miracle Food” being proclaimed and promoted variously as “nature’s most perfect food” and “the food of the gods”… It was a good article, well-researched, and our readers enjoyed it. Well, most of them did… For a few others, it seems that I touched a raw nerve… A fellow named Gary wrote to take us to task for publishing a “misleading” article – in other words he says we lied to you.

    Well, here is the article that cause Gary such upset – read it for yourself and see what you think. I stand by every word of it.

    And here is Gary’s letter to us:

    Name:   Gary Gxxxxxx
    Email:  garyxxxxxx@yahoo.ca; xxxxxx@corenaturals.com
    Comments:       Dear Dr. Myatt:

    I switched over from flax to Salba and found a great improvement in my overall health.  This is a misleading article because the numbers attributed to Salba in the article are in actuality the nutritional information for Chia on the USDA website.  If you had wanted to compare Salba and Flax in a truthful manner, you could have gone to any of the Salba websites for the true and accurate nutritional information.  Did you happen to notice on the USDA website for flax that there is a caveat from the USDA that because of cyanogenic glycosides, they do not recommend more than 12% flax be added to a product, or ingested.  There is no such caveat with Salba.
    Why don’t you put a warning on your packaging for Flax about this.

    I will continue to take Salba because it has proven in a very short time through clinical research that it is superior to flax.  I know I speak for many people when I say that no one minds paying more when they know exactly what they are getting.   I believe it is very fair to pay less than $1.00 a day for the proven benefits that Salba offers.  Do your due diligence and don’t play games with your valued readers.

    Yours truly,

    Gary Gxxxxxx

    P.S.  I have no affiliation with Salba.

    Hmmm… Gary, you say you have no affiliation with salba, but Gary, the “from” line of your email lists two addresses: garyxxxxxxx@yahoo.ca and the address of the CEO of the Florida-based company that touts itself as being “The Exclusive U.S. Distributor of Salba.” What’s up with that Gary?

    Dr. Myatt takes this sort of letter seriously, and though it has taken her a while to reply to it (after all, patients come first!), reply she has: fully researched and referenced as is her usual way. Here is what Dr. Myatt has to say to Gary in response to what I’m sure he thought was a stinging rebuke to us:

    [Dr. Myatt Notes: Note to readers: I believe this letter is a “plant,” written by someone with an agenda to promote Salba (chia seed), not a legitimate reader. However, I’ll answer it anyway to hopefully discourage other such bogus “responses”! (And to prove that we do in fact perform our “due diligence” when writing articles). ]

    Dear Gary

    I’m glad you’ve found salba helpful. However, I stand by every word we spoke about chia vs. salba, and it is YOU who needs to do your “due diligence” in this regard.

    Here are the facts (fully referenced) in case you’re really interested.

    Salba is a variety of the mint family; it’s botanical name is Salvia hispanica. Chia is the same herb, botanical name Salvia hispanica. Salba is just one varietal of Chia. Ergo ipso, Chia and salba are two common names for the same plant. Varietal differences do not show any significant nutritional differences. Learn more about this from a book written by the leading researcher on chia, Dr. Wayne Coates. (1).

    The marketing of chia (sold under brand names of “Salba,” “Benexia,” and “Aztec White” ) are, in my opinion, largely designed to obfuscate that it is merely a brand of chia seed being sold. “Exotic” usually sells unwitting consumers better than “gee, is that the same stuff as my chia pet?” would. But somewhere on the label you’ll see the botanical name, Salvia hispanica. Again, “exotic sells.”

    As to your comment that I should get the “real” nutritional information from the sellers website? Hahahaha! This is tantamount to saying “find out what a drug REALLY does by going to the drug company’s website.” Yeah, right. Independent research, not information presented by the seller, would seem to be a more reliable place to gather such “real” nutritional information.

    In fact, here are the nutrition claims from salbausa.com, the website I was referred to when I typed in the site you gave me, corenaturals.com. Every nutrition claim they make on their website’s homepage is either false or at least misleading. (Can you say “marketing hype”?) The website claims:

    “More omega-3’s than salmon.” This is a half-truth, which makes it also a half-lie. Salmon contains pre-formed DHA and EPA. Flax seed and chia both contain alpha-linolenic acid (ALA), a form of Omega-3 that must be converted in the body to EPA and DHA before it can used. Many people have problems making this conversion, so ALA is not truly equivalent to EPA and DHA.

    Further, although this website claims “30% more Omega-3s (ALA)” than flax seed, there is no reference cited for this claim.  According to USDA nutrition data files and other sources, flax actually has slightly more ALA than chia.(2)

    “25% more fiber than flax seed.” This one is closer to a truthful statement than any other made on the website. Actually, chia has approx 20% more fiber per 100 grams than flax seed. It also contains approximately 28% more carbohydrates than flax, making it a more “expensive” (in terms of carbohydrates) way to obtain those extra grams of fiber.(2)

    Other claims don’t compare chia to flax, they compare it to something else, such as “more magnesium than broccoli.” Of course, flax has more magnesium than broccoli, too. And so goes the list of other chia-to-NOT-flax comparisons.

    All in all, flax and chia are very close nutritionally. Chia may have more calcium and a wee bit more magnesium, but flax has a lot more potassium, zinc, copper, manganese and vitamins C and B-6. Remember, however, that most people are taking these seeds for Omaga-3 (ALA) fatty acids and fiber, not as a vitamin and mineral supplement.

    There is one important nutrient that the chia folks avoid mentioning, and that is a special type of fiber called lignan. Lignans are a special class of fiber that:

    • contain phytoestrogens (plant estrogens) which balances human estrogen levels (3-7)
    • has anti-cancer effects, especially in hormone-related cancers such as breast, prostate, ovarian and uterine cancer (8-18)
    • has bone-building effects (19-20)
    • has heart-protective effects (21-24)
    • improves blood sugar control (25-29)
    • may decrease the risk of lung (30) and colon (31) cancer
    • and may DECREASE ALL-CAUSE MORTALITY! (32)

    Flax seed is the richest known dietary source of lignans. (33,34) I can find no authoritative data demonstrating that chia seed contains any lignan, although I suspect it does. But how much? And since all lignans are not the same, and the effects/studies quoted above have been done on flax lignans specifically, even if chia proves to contain significant lignans, it remains to be studied if these will have the same effects as flax lignans.

    Here is a good t
    able of comparison, with information derived from USDA  and other authoritative sources: http://www.eatchia.com/flax.htm

    So.. flax has about the same fiber (a bit less, but also less carbs) than chia, it has more Omega-3 ALA and is high in protective lignans. And it costs a lot less. You can buy expensive “Salba” and other trademarked-brands of chia seed, but for my money, I’m sticking with organic flax seed for now.

    Got flax seed? Get it here.

    In Health,
    Dr. Myatt

    P.S.: “Cyanogenic glycosides,” also known as laetrile or vitamin B17, have long been used (with much supporting data) as a prevention for cancer. Laetrile is found in a wide variety of foods including berries, currants, millet, black beans and black-eyed peas. Populations with high intakes of laetrile have lower rates of cancer. Entire books have been written about studies on laetrile and the FDA’s cover-up of this valuable, naturally-occurring substance.

    Of course, the FDA and other government agencies claim laetrile is dangerous (to protect Big Pharma’s strangle-hold on cancer treatment). So when you state that I should warn people about the laetrile content in flax, I think it should go the other way. I should actually brag about laetrile’s content in flax and the potentially important role it has to play in cancer prevention. Meanwhile, you can trust the FDA’s word on flax seed toxicity if you choose to. I’m sticking with the numerous proven health benefits of laetrile and the paucity of “evidence” the FDA uses to condemn it.

    [Nurse Mark Notes: Dr. Wayne Coates whom Dr. Myatt refers to in her response to Gary is perhaps the world’s foremost educator on chia seeds. A research professor at the University of Arizona for over twenty-five years, Dr. Coats was among the first to grow chia seeds experimentally and later for commercial purposes. He co-authored the book Chia: Rediscovering a Forgotten Crop of the Aztecs, 2005.]

    References
    1.) Coates, Wayne; Ayerza,  Ricardo. Chia: Rediscovering a Forgotten Crop of the Aztecs, University of Arizona Press 2005.
    2.)     http://www.nal.usda.gov/fnic/foodcomp
    3.) National Cancer Institute. Understanding Estrogen Receptors/SERMs. National Cancer Institute. January, 2005.  http://www.cancer.gov/cancertopics/understandingcancer/estrogenreceptors.
    4.) Wang LQ. Mammalian phytoestrogens: enterodiol and enterolactone. J Chromatogr B Analyt Technol Biomed Life Sci. 2002;777(1-2):289-309.
    5.) Brooks JD, Thompson LU. Mammalian lignans and genistein decrease the activities of aromatase and 17beta-hydroxysteroid dehydrogenase in MCF-7 cells. J Steroid Biochem Mol Biol. 2005;94(5):461-467.
    6.)Mousavi Y, Adlercreutz H. Enterolactone and estradiol inhibit each other’s proliferative effect on MCF-7 breast cancer cells in culture. J Steroid Biochem Mol Biol 1992; 41: 615–9.
    7.) Basly JP, Lavier MC. Dietary phytoestrogens: potential selective estrogen enzyme modulators? Planta Med 2005; 71: 287–94.
    8.) Can the combination of flaxseed and its lignans with soy and its isoflavones reduce the growth stimulatory effect of soy and its isoflavones on established breast cancer? Mol Nutr Food Res. 2007 Jul;51(7):845-56
    9.) Kitts DD, Yuan YV, Wijewickreme AN, Thompson LU. Antioxidant activity of the flaxseed lignan secoisolariciresinol diglycoside and its mammalian lignan metabolites enterodiol and enterolactone.  Mol Cell Biochem. 1999 Dec;202(1-2):91-100.
    10.) Arts ICW, Hollman PCH. Polyphenols and disease risk in epidemiological studies. Am J Clin Nutr 2005; 81 (suppl.): 317s–25s.
    11.) Linseisen J, Piller R, Hermann S, Chang-Claude J. Dietary phytoestrogen intake and premenopausal breast cancer risk in a German case-control study. Int J Cancer. 2004;110(2):284-290.
    12.) Ingram D, Sanders K, Kolybaba M, Lopez D. Case-control study of phyto-oestrogens and breast cancer. Lancet. 1997;350(9083):990-994.
    13.) Dai Q, Franke AA, Jin F, et al. Urinary excretion of phytoestrogens and risk of breast cancer among Chinese women in Shanghai. Cancer Epidemiol Biomarkers Prev. 2002;11(9):815-821.
    14.) Horn-Ross PL, John EM, Canchola AJ, Stewart SL, Lee MM. Phytoestrogen intake and endometrial cancer risk. J Natl Cancer Inst. 2003;95(15):1158-1164
    15.) McCann SE, Freudenheim JL, Marshall JR, Graham S. Risk of human ovarian cancer is related to dietary intake of selected nutrients, phytochemicals and food groups. J Nutr. 2003;133(6):1937-1942.
    16.) McCann MJ, Gill CI, Linton T, Berrar D, McGlynn H, Rowland IR. Enterolactone restricts the proliferation of the LNCaP human prostate cancer cell line in vitro. Mol Nutr Food Res. 2008 May;52(5):567-80.
    17.) Saarinen NM, Wärri A, Airio M, Smeds A, Mäkelä S. Role of dietary lignans in the reduction of breast cancer risk.  Mol Nutr Food Res. 2007 Jul;51(7):857-66.
    18.) Chen LH, Fang J, Li H, Demark-Wahnefried W, Lin X. Enterolactone induces apoptosis in human prostate carcinoma LNCaP cells via a mitochondrial-mediated, caspase-dependent pathway. Mol Cancer Ther. 2007 Sep;6(9):2581-90.
    19.) Sacco SM, Jiang JM, Reza-López S, Ma DW, Thompson LU, Ward WE.Flaxseed combined with low-dose estrogen therapy preserves bone tissue in ovariectomized rats. Menopause. 2009 Jan 29. [Epub ahead of print]
    20.) Kim MK, Chung BC, Yu VY, et al. Relationships of urinary phyto-oestrogen excretion to BMD in postmenopausal women. Clin Endocrinol (Oxf). 2002;56(3):321-328.
    21. Vanharanta M, Voutilainen S, Rissanen TH, Adlercreutz H, Salonen JT. Risk of cardiovascular disease-related and all-cause death according to serum concentrations of enterolactone: Kuopio Ischaemic Heart Disease Risk Factor Study. Arch Intern Med. 2003;163(9):1099-1104.
    22. Cunnane SC, Hamadeh MJ, Liede AC, Thompson LU, Wolever TM, Jenkins DJ. Nutritional attributes of traditional flaxseed in healthy young adults. Am J Clin Nutr. 1995;61(1):62-68.
    23. Arjmandi BH, Khan DA, Jurna S. Whole flaxseed consumption lowers serum LDL-cholesterol and lipoprotein(a) concentrations in postmenopausal women. Nutr Res. 1998;18:1203-1214.
    24. Jenkins DJ, Kendall CW, Vidgen E, et al. Health aspects of partially defatted flaxseed, including effects on serum lipids, oxidative measures, and ex vivo androgen and progestin activity: a controlled crossover trial. Am J Clin Nutr. 1999;69(3):395-402.
    25.) Bhathena SJ, et al, Beneficial role of dietary phytoestrogens in obesity and diabetes. Am J Clin Nutr. 2002 Dec;76(6):1191-201.
    26.) Prasad K.  Secoisolariciresinol diglucoside from flaxseed delays the development of type 2 diabetes in Zucker rat. J Lab Clin Med. 2001 Jul;138(1):32-9.
    27.) Prasad K. Antioxidant Activity of Secoisolariciresinol Diglucoside-derived Metabolites, Secoisolariciresinol, Enterodiol, and Enterolactone. Int J Angiol. 2000 Oct;9(4):220-225.
    28.) Prasad K. Oxidative stress as a mechanism of diabetes in diabetic BB prone rats: effect of s
    ecoisolariciresinol diglucoside (SDG). Mol Cell Biochem. 2000 Jun;209(1-2):89-96.
    29.) Prasad K, et al, Protective effect of secoisolariciresinol diglucoside against streptozotocin-induced diabetes and its mechanism. Mol Cell Biochem. 2000 Mar;206(1-2):141-9.
    30.) Schabath MB, Hernandez LM, Wu X, Pillow PC, Spitz MR. Dietary phytoestrogens and lung cancer risk. JAMA. 2005 Sep 28;294(12):1493-504.
    31.) Cotterchio M, Boucher BA, Manno M, Gallinger S, Okey A, Harper P. Dietary phytoestrogen intake is associated with reduced colorectal cancer risk. J Nutr. 2006 Dec;136(12):3046-53.
    32.) Ivon EJ Milder, Edith JM Feskens, Ilja CW Arts, H Bas Bueno-de-Mesquita, Peter CH Hollman and Daan Kromhout. Intakes of 4 dietary lignans and cause-specific and all-cause mortality in the Zutphen Elderly Study.American Journal of Clinical Nutrition, Vol. 84, No. 2, 400-405, August 2006.
    33.) Milder, I. E. J., Arts, I. C. W., Van de Putte, B., Venema, D. P., and Hollman, P. C. H. 2005. Lignan contents of Dutch plant foods: a database including lariciresinol, pinoresinol, secoisolariciresinol, and matairesinol. British Journal of Nutrition, 93:393-402.
    34.) Thompson LU. Experimental studies on lignans and cancer. Baillieres Clin Endocrinol Metab. 1998;12(4):691-705.

  • Dr. Myatt’s Bread!

    Dr. Myatt’s Bread – The follow-up to Dr. Myatt’s Muffins

    Dr. Myatt recently revealed her recipe for Dr. Myatt’s Muffins – the tasty, heart-healthy, high-fiber, low carbohydrate treat that can be enjoyed guilt-free and cooked in 90 seconds in a microwave oven.

    Myatt Muffins are a hard act to follow! But follow it we have…

    Work has continued tirelessly here at the Wellness Club Culinary Research Laboratory (also known as Dr. Myatt’s kitchen) and we are proud and pleased to announce that we have developed a similarly tasty, low-carb, high fiber, guilt-free substitute for bread and English Muffins.

    That’s right, now you can enjoy a sandwich, or eggs Benedict, or a toasted English muffin even when you are on a strict low-carbohydrate diet!

    Not only that, but this recipe is so high in fiber that your gut will love you – one of these and one Dr. Myatt’s Muffin each day is certain to give you “Happy Bowel”!

    The “Baking” Directions Are Ridiculously Easy And Convenient!

    • Mix egg and water
    • Combine dry ingredients and mix
    • Place into a small flat-bottomed microwaveable dish or container – we use a square-shaped container for “bread” and a round container for “English Muffins”.
    • Microwave on high for 90 seconds.

    Makes 2 servings – use a bread knife to make 2 slices. It is best if toasted.

    This proprietary, copyright recipe is available at this time only to Dr. Myatt’s private practice patients.

    Please contact Dr. Myatt if you wish more information or to obtain this recipe.

  • What’s Burning You?

    What’s Burning You?

    The REAL Cause of Heartburn, Indigestion and GERD (and How To Correct It)

    By Dr. Dana Myatt

    Older people have considerably more digestive problems than younger folks, and this has typically but incorrectly been blamed on over-production of stomach acid. Not only have medical studies debunked excess stomach acid as the cause of indigestion, but common sense debunks the myth as well.

    Why does this matter? Because the chronic use of antacids and acid-blocking drugs for indigestion has some dangerous and even deadly side-effects

    The "Acid Over-Production" Myth Debunked

    Do you really think that some bodily function starts working better with age? Hahahaha!

    With age, nothing works as well as it did in earlier years. I hope I’m not popping anyone’s bubble here.

    Come on – we don’t move as fast at age 57 as we did at 27. Vision and hearing are typically less acute in our 70s than they were in our 30s. Skin is less elastic at 69 than at 29. Production of hormones and body fluids decreases with age. Why would we think that our stomachs do the opposite of all other organs and become more active with age instead of less active? Only a drug salesman or a pill-pushing doctor would try to convince us of such foolishness.

    The stomach’s primary job is to digest protein and emulsify fats, and it does this by making an extremely powerful acid called hydrochloric acid (HCL) and a protein-digesting enzyme called pepsin. The hydrochloric acid made by a healthy stomach is one million times stronger than the mild acidity of urine or saliva. A leather-like strip of jerky can be quickly turned into "beef soup" by the action of hydrochloric acid and pepsin in the stomach. That’s how normal digestion is supposed to work.

    But just like the rest of an aging body, the stomach’s hydrochloric acid and pepsin production decreases over time. As a result, we do not digest food as well. The term "indigestion" implies lack of digestion, not over-digestion. This is why we can’t eat a whole pepperoni pizza washed down with a bottle of soda like we did when we were teenagers. Our aging stomachs don’t have the same digestive vigor – strong hydrochloric acid and pepsin – to digest food like youthful stomachs do.

    Medical Science Verifies Low Acid Production

    OK, that’s the common sense of it. Now here’s the science. Many older studies conducted on several thousand people in the 1930’s and 1940’s showed that half of all people by age 60 were functioning at only 50% gastric acid output. Numerous contemporary studies verify that that stomach acid production often declines with age.
    The Bottom Line: when someone over age 40 has chronic or chronic / intermittent indigestion, that indigestion is almost certainly due to a weaker stomach with less acid and pepsin output, not a stronger stomach making more digestive juices.

    "But My Symptoms Feel Like Too Much Acid…"

    Strong stomach acid and pepsin quickly "emulsify" fats and proteins, making them ready for the next step of digestion, passage into the small intestine. When these digestive factors are weak, food remains in the stomach for longer and it begins to ferment. Gas pressure from the fermentation can cause bloating and discomfort and can can also cause the esophageal sphincter to open, allowing stomach contents to "backwash" into the esophagus.

    Even though weak stomach acid is the central cause of this, even this weak stomach acid, which has no place in the esophagus, will "burn." This burning sensation confuses many people, including doctors, who then "ASSuME" that excess acid is to blame. Too little acid, resulting in slowed digestion, and gas which creates back-pressure into the esophagus is the real cause of almost all "heartburn" and GERD.

    Why People Take Acid-Blockers

    Why in the world would anyone take antacids or acid blockers to correct a deficiency of stomach acid? In two words: symptom relief.

    But if heartburn or gastro esophageal reflux disease (GERD) are caused by too little stomach acid, why does blocking more of the acid relieve the discomfort? And why isn’t that a good thing to do?

    Remember, even weak stomach acid does not belong in the esophagus. When ALL acid production is blocked, the “backwash” of stomach contents into the esophagus will not burn. However, repeatedly using this “band-aid” method has some serious long-term consequences.

    The Dangers of Antacids and Acid-Blocking Drugs

    Our bodies need 60 or so essential nutrients. “Essential” means that the body MUST have this nutrient or death will eventually ensue, and the nutrient must be obtained from diet because the body cannot manufacture it. Many of these essential nutrients require stomach acid for their assimilation. When stomach acid production declines, nutrient deficiencies begin.

    Calcium, for example, requires vigorous stomach acid in order to be assimilated. Interestingly, the rate of hip replacement surgery is much higher in people who routinely use antacids and acid-blocking drugs. We know that people who have “acid stomach” were already having trouble assimilating calcium from food and nutritional supplements due to lack of normal stomach acid production. When these symptoms are “band-aided” with drugs which decrease stomach acid even more, calcium assimilation can come to a near-halt. The result? Weak bones, hip fractures and joint complaints resulting in major surgery.

    Jonathan Wright, M.D., well-known and respected holistic physician, states that “Although research in this area is entirely inadequate, its been my clinical observation that calcium, magnesium, iron, zinc, copper, chromium, selenium, manganese, vanadium, molybdenum, cobalt, and many other micro-trace elements are not nearly as well-absorbed in those with poor stomach acid as they are in those whose acid levels are normal. When we test plasma amino acid levels for those with poor stomach function, we frequently find lower than usual levels of one or more of the eight essential amino acids: isoleucine, leucine, lysine, methionine, phenylalanine, threonine, tryptophan, and valine. Often there are functional insufficiencies of folic acid and/or vitamin B12.”

    Remember, these are essential nutrients. Deficiencies of any single one of them can cause serious health problems over time. Weak bones, diminish immune function, failing memory, loss of eyesight and many other “diseases of aging” are often the result of decreased stomach function.

    Ulcers can even be caused by too little acid. Surprised? We know today that most ulcers are caused by a bacterium called h. pylori. This little beastie is killed by strong stomach acid. But when stomach acid is weak, watch out! Weak stomach acid is how h. pylori gets a foot-hold. (People with active ulcers should not supplement hydrochloric acid until the ulcer has healed).

    Diseases Associated with Low Gastric Function

    Low stomach acid is associated with the following conditions:

    • Acne rosacea
    • Addison’s disease
    • Allergic reactions
    • Candidiasis (chronic)
    • Cardiac arrhythmias
    • Celiac disease
    • Childhood asthma
    • Chronic autoimmune hepatitis
    • Chronic cough
    • Dermatitis herpeteformis
    • Diabetes (type I)
    • Eczema
    • Gallbladder disease
    • GERD
    • Graves disease (hyperthyroid)
    • Iron deficiency anemia
    • Laryngitis (chronic)
    • Lupus erythromatosis
    • Macular degeneration
    • Multiple sclerosis
    • Muscle Cramps
    • Myasthenia gravis
    • Mycobacterium avium complex (MAC)
    • Osteoporosis
    • Pernicious anemia
    • Polymyalgia rheumatica
    • Reynaud’s syndrome
    • Rheumatoid arthritis
    • Scleroderma
    • Sjogren’s syndrome
    • Stomach cancer
    • Ulcerative colitis
    • Vitiligo

    It also appears that many cases of depression, which appear related to too little neurotransmitters (which in turn are made from amino acids) may in fact be inability to absorb the necessary precursors due to – you guessed it – low stomach acid. I suspect there are a large number of other diseases that begin with a failing digestive system and that have not yet been recognized as such.

    Even so, many people who have low stomach acid do not have symptoms of heartburn, “acid indigestion” or GERD.

    The Gastric Acid Function Test

    Here’s a simple question. Before your doctor diagnosed GERD from “too much stomach acid,” did he/she perform a stomach acid function test?

    X-rays and gastroscopy do not evaluate stomach acid production. The medical test for stomach acid, called the Heidelberg test, requires swallowing a small capsule and then having it pulled back up on a “string.” You’d remember if you had this done. Interestingly, this test is ALMOST NEVER PERFORMED before excess stomach acid is diagnosed, hence the incorrect diagnosis!

    Why The Blind Spot In Medicine?

    From the 1800’s up until the 1950’s, hydrochloric acid (HCl) supplements (both with and without pepsin) were widely prescribed and used. Physicians simply considered replacement of digestive acid to be like replacement of thyroid hormone for a failing thyroid or hormone replacement for aging ovaries.

    In the 1950’s, some badly designed and misinterpreted “research” was used to convince physicians that HCl and pepsin replacement therapy is unnecessary. Besides, the “replacement” therapy – HCL and pepsin – are natural substances that are difficult to patent. Instead, drug companies focused on patentable drugs to treat “hyperchlorhydria” (excess stomach acid), and the highly profitable prescription and OTC acid blocking drug industry was born.

    Once again I ask: if a doctor diagnosed you with excess stomach acid, did he or she actually perform the Heidelberg test? If you diagnosed yourself, did you perform a gastric acid self-test? No? I rest my case.

    The Gastric Acid Function Self-Test

    Fortunately, the Heidelberg test is not required to arrive at a correct diagnosis of too little stomach acid. You can perform a gastric acid self-test at home using some betain HCL capsules taken with meals. If digestion improves – bingo! You’re hydrochloric acid deficient.

    This issue of low stomach acid is central to so many diseases that I recommend a gastric acid self-test to EVERYONE over age 50 and anyone under age 50 who has any medical complaint related to nutrient deficiency.

    I’ve put together an inexpensive yet highly effective “Gastric Acid Function Self Test Kit” that includes full instructions for testing your own stomach acid (it’s easy with the instructions) plus “test sizes” of the supplements – including hydrochloric acid and pepsin – needed for the test.

    Testing your own digestive function is simple and easy, and it could save you much grief, sickness, and yes, heartburn.

    References
    1.) Gastric observations in achlorhydria. J Dig Dis. 1941, 8: 401-407.
    2.) Gastrointestinal Tract Disorders in the Elderly, pp. 62-69. Edinburgh: Churchill Livingstone: 1984.
    3.) Age related changes in gut physiology and nutritional status. Gut. 1996 Mar; 38(3):306-9.
    4.) A retrospective study of the usefulness of acid secretory testing.  Aliment Pharmacol Ther. 2000 Jan;14(1):103-11.
    5.) Age related changes in gut physiology and nutritional status. Gut. 1996 Mar;38(3):306-9.
    6.) Hypochlorhydria: a factor in nutrition. Annu Rev Nutr.  1989;9:271-85.
    7.) Gastric hypochlorhydria and achlorhydria in older adults. JAMA. 1997  Nov 26;278(20):1659-60.
    8.) The aging gut. Nutritional issues. Int J Nurs Pract. 2006  Apr;12(2):110-8. Summary: Aging is associated with decreased gastric  output.
    9.) The aging gut. Nutritional issues. Gastroenterol Clin North Am. 1998  Jun;27(2):309-24.
    10.) Changes in gastrointestinal function attributed to aging. Am J Clin  Nutr. 1992 Jun;55(6 Suppl):1203S-1207S.
    11.) Digestive function and aging. Hum Nutr Clin Nutr. 1983  Mar;37(2):75-89.
    12.) Symptomatic gastro-oesophageal reflux in a patient with achlorhydria. Gut. 2006 Jul;55(7):1054-5.
    13.) Effects of aging process on digestive functions. Compr Ther. 1991  Aug;17(8):46-52.
    14.) Fundic atrophic gastritis in an elderly population. Effect on hemoglobin and several serum nutritional indicators. J Am Geriatr Soc. 1986 Nov;34(11):800-6.
    15.) Vitamin B12 (cobalamin) deficiency in elderly patients. CMAJ. 2004  Aug 3;171(3):251-9.
    16.) Anemia caused by vitamin B 12 deficiency in subjects aged over 75  years: new hypotheses. A study of 20 cases. Rev Med Interne. 2000  Nov;21(11):946-54.
    17.) Cobalamin, the stomach, and aging. Am J Clin Nutr. 1997  Oct;66(4):750-9.
    18.) Age-related changes in cobalamin (vitamin B12) handling. Implications for therapy. Drugs Aging. 1998 Apr;12(4):277-92.
    19.) Intestinal malabsorption in the elderly. Digestive Diseases.  2007;25(2):144-50.
    20.) Gastric acid secretion in chronic iron-deficiency anaemia. Lancet.  1966 Jul 23;2(7456):190-2.
    21.) Involvement of the corporal mucosa and related changes in gastric acid secretion characterize patients with iron deficiency anaemia associated with Helicobacter pylori infection. Aliment Pharmacol Ther. 2001 Nov;15(11):1753-61.
    22.) The aging process as a modifier of metabolism. Am J Clin Nutr. 2000  Aug;72(2 Suppl):529S-32S.
    23.) Low gastric hydrochloric acid secretion and mineral bioavailability. Adv Exp Med Biol. 1989;249:173-84.
    24.) Effects of pH on mineral-phytate, protein-mineral-phytate, and  mineral-fiber interactions. Possible consequences of atrophic  gastritis on mineral bioavailability from high-fiber foods. J Am Coll  Nutr. 1988 Dec;7(6):499-508.
    25.) Long-term proton pump inhibitor therapy and risk of hip fracture.  JAMA. 2006 Dec 27;296(24):2947-53.
    26.) Antral atrophy, Helicobacter pylori colonization, and gastric pH. Am  J Clin Pathol. 1996 Jan;105(1):96-101.
    27.) High acid secretion may protect the gastric mucosa from injury caused by ammonia produced by Helicobacter pylori in duodenal ulcer patients. J Gastroenterol Hepatol. 1996 Jul;11(7):674-80.
    28.) Rosacea keratitis and conditions with vascularization of the cornea treated with riboflavin. Arch Ophthamol 1940;23:899–907.
    29.) Incidence of anti-Helicobacter pylori and anti-CagA antibodies in rosacea patients. Int J Dermatol. 2003 Aug;42(8):601-4.30.) Gastrointestinal findings in atopic children. Eur J Pediatr 1980;134:249–54.
    31.) Suppression of gastric H2-receptor mediated function in patients with bronchial asthma and ragweed allergy.
    Chest 1986;89:491–6.
    32.) Allison JR. The relation of hydrochloric acid and vitamin B complex deficiency in certain sk
    in diseases. South Med J 1945;38:235–41.
    33.) Effect of hydrochloric acid on iron absorption. N Engl J Med 1968;279:672–4.
    34.) The importance of gastric hydrochloric acid in the absorption of nonheme food iron. J Lab Clin Med 1978;92:108–16.
    35.) Bray GW. The hypochlorhydria of asthma in childhood. Q J Med 1931;24:181–97.
    36.) Candida overgrowth in gastric juice of peptic ulcer subjects on short- and long-term treatment with H2-receptor antagonists. Digestion.1983;28:158–63.
    37.) Antibacterial activity of the pancreatic fluid. Gastroenterology 1985;88:927–32 [review].
    38.) Non-immunological defense mechanisms of the gut. Gut 1990;33:1331–7 [review].
    39.) Characterization of gastric mucosal lesions in patients with celiac disease: a prospective controlled study.Am J Gastroenterol. 1999 May;94(5):1313-9.
    40.) Chronic cough due to gastroesophageal reflux disease: failure to resolve despite total/near-total elimination of esophageal acid. Chest. 2002 Apr;121(4):1132-40.
    41.) Gastric lesion in dermatitis herpetiformis.Gut.1976 Mar;17(3):185-8.
    42.) Auto-immune atrophic gastritis in patient with dermatitis herpetiformis. Acta Derm Venereol. 1976;56(2):111-3.
    43.) Predictive value of gastric parietal cell autoantibodies as a marker for gastric and hematologic abnormalities associated with insulin-dependent diabetes. Diabetes. 1982 Dec;31(12):1051-5.
    44.) Parietal cell antibodies and gastric secretion in children with diabetes mellitus. Acta Paediatr Scand. 1980 Jul;69(4):485-9.
    45.) Oesophageal acid exposure and altered neurocardiac function in patients with GERD and idiopathic cardiac dysrhythmias. Aliment  Pharmacol Ther. 2006 Jul 15;24(2):361-70.
    46.) Capper WM, Butler TJ, Kilby JO, Gibson MJ. Gallstones, gastric secretion and flatulent dyspepsia. Lancet 1967;i:413–5.
    47.) Gastric juice nitrite and vitamin C in patients with gastric cancer and atrophic gastritis: is low acidity solely responsible for cancer  risk? Eur J Gastroenterol Hepatol. 2003 Sep;15(9):987-93.
    48.) Correlation of ratio of serum pepsinogen I and II with prevalence of gastric cancer and adenoma in Japanese subjects. Am J Gastroenterol. 1998 Jul;93(7):1090-6.
    49.) Atrophic body gastritis in patients with autoimmune thyroid disease: an underdiagnosed association. Arch Intern Med. 1999 Aug 9-23;159(15):1726-30.
    50.) Early manifestations of gastric autoimmunity in patients with juvenile autoimmune thyroid diseases.J Clin Endocrinol Metab. 2004 Oct;89(10):4944-8.
    51.) Review article: the role of pH monitoring in extraoesophageal  gastro-oesophageal reflux disease. Aliment Pharmacol Ther. 2006  Mar; 23 Suppl 1:40-9. Summary: association with laryngitis, non-cardiac chest pain, etc.
    52.) Age-Related Eye Disease Study Group. Risk factors associated with age-related macular degeneration. Opthamology.
    53.) Altered gastric acidity in patients with multiple sclerosis. Cesk  Gastroenterol Vyz. 1968 Dec;22(8):526-30.
    54.) Gastroesophageal reflux disease, acid suppression, and Mycobacterium avium complex pulmonary disease. Chest. 2007 Apr;131(4):1166-72.
    55.) Malabsorption of vitamin B12 in dermatitis herpetiformis and its association with pernicious anaemia. Acta Med Scand. 1986;220(3):261-8
    56.) Small intestinal bacterial overgrowth in patients with rheumatoid arthritis. Ann Rheum Dis. 1993 Jul;52(7):503-10.
    57.) Hartung EF, Steinbroker O. Gastric acidity in chronic arthritis. Ann Intern Med 1935;9:252.
    58.) Hypochlorhydria and hypergastrinaemia in rheumatoid arthritis. Ann Rheum Dis. 1979 Feb;38(1):14-7
    59.) Francis HW. Achlorhydria as an etiological factor in vitiligo, with report of four cases. Nebraska State Med J 1931;16(1):25–6.

  • 7 Good Reasons To Take Take Grape Seed Extract

    7 Good 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 called "pycnogenol" when they are derived from pine bark (the grape seed extract is slightly more potent and less expensive. You will see the terms pycnogenol, OPC’s, 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 Pycnogenol. 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 Pycnogenol and 10 were given placebo. People in the Pycnogenol 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 pycnogenol.

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

    Pycnogenol 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 Pycnogenol on alpha-glucosidase, an enzyme that breaks down carbohydrates into glucose molecules. In this study, pycnogenol was compared to acarbose, a synthetic drug (sold under the brand name Precose) that inhibits alpha-glucosidase. Pycnogenol 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 pycnogenol 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 Pycnogenol and half received a placebo daily), showed after 12 weeks that subjects in the Pycnogenol group had significantly lowered their plasma glucose levels compared to placebo. Pycnogenol subjects were also found to have improved artery function. In another trial of 30 type 2 diabetics, researchers found that increasing doses of pycnogenol (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 Pycnogenol 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 pycnogenol 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 pycnogenol 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 was recently reported 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 pycnogenol, 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.

    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) effective
    ly 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.

  • ‘Tis the season… for Colds and Flu!

    ‘Tis the season… for Colds and Flu!

    Millie called me just the other day from Wisconsin – to say that lots of people were coming down with colds there and to stock up on Immune Boost and Vitamin C.

    It’s that time of year folks – here is some information to help you keep yourself healthy while those around you are coughing, sneezing and snuffling.

    First, make sure your immune system is in the very best shape possible:

    • Get regular exercise: exercise stimulates the immune system. Just 10 minutes of good, all-out exercise each day is all it takes!
    • Use immune-enhancing herbal formulas – Immune Support is one of the very best.
    • Practice stress reduction.
    • Use positive visualization and affirmations – Dr. Myatt’s Body / Mind video will help you develop this skill.
    • Practice meditation or a relaxation technique.

    Give your body the raw materials it needs to keep your immune system fit:

    • Eat plenty of protein. The body needs generous protein for maintenance and repair.
    • Avoid fruit juices and sugars – sugars suppress the immune system.
    • Be sure to use a good multi-vitamin. Dr. Myatt’s MaxiMulti is the very best available.
    • Drink 64 ounces (2 quarts) of pure water or herb teas (non-caffeinated) daily.
    • Be well-rested.

    If you do catch something, start Dr. Myatt’s Acute Immune Protocol right away.

    The "acute protocol" should be started for all active infections: colds, flu, other respiratory, skin, dental and internal infections. In many instances, antibiotics are unnecessary. This protocol may also be used alone for acute infections.

    • B.A.M. (Broad Anti Microbial): Suggested dose: 60 to 80 drops, 3 to 4 times per day. Take in a small amount (1 to 2 ounces) of water on an empty stomach (at least 15 minutes before meals or between meals).
    • Immune Boost: 1 teaspoon, 3 to 4 times per day. Take with B.A.M.
    • Bromelain: 2 caps, 3 to 4 times per day between meals.
    • Vitamin C (buffered): 1,000 mg every two hours throughout the day.
    • Whey protein: 2 scoops per day (more if desired). Try A SuperShake or a Myatt Muffin with whey added!
    • selenium: 1,000mcg per day until symptoms subside.

    Immune Boost and B.A.M. are potent liquid tinctures that keep indefinitely, so I recommend having them on hand right now. Don’t wait until you need them to place an order! Those two days waiting for them to arrive can make the difference between having a full-blown cold or other infection or staying well! Bromelain, vitamin C and selenium also keep well and should be on hand in your medicine cabinet. I also recommend having a bottle of Inspirol inhalant on hand for colds and sinusitis. This super-powerful inhaler is hard to find in most health food stores but WOW! Does it do a great job of opening the sinuses and clearing your head and lungs!

    With these items on hand, colds and other winter infections and ailments don’t stand a chance!