HealthBeat News

Category: Family Health

  • Another Chance For Stevia?

    Opinion by Nurse Mark

    Stevia, a naturally sweet herb used safely and effectively for thousands of years by South American indigenous peoples for thousands of years, has gotten a rough ride from the FDA. Jackbooted FDA "swat teams" have raided warehouses and health food stores, confiscated products, even confiscated books that contained recipes that included stevia as a sweetener.

    Since stevia is a naturally-occurring plant it cannot be patented, and it is widely felt that the FDA’s persecution of this innocuous, sweet herb has been carried out at the direction of the artificial sweetener industry in order to protect their toxic but patentable (and profitable) offerings.

    Yes, the future has looked grim for stevia, but there may be a ray of hope on the horizon…

    You may have noticed the headline recently:

    Coke to unveil natural diet drink in U.S.: report – Yahoo! News

    http://news.yahoo.com/s/nm/20081215/us_nm/us_cocacola

    It seems that the American Industrial giants Coca Cola and Pepsico are listening to the demands of consumers for less toxic soft drinks (or perhaps heeding the advice of their corporate lawyers, who must be warning them about the possibility of class-action lawsuits – Vioxx-style), and they have begun investigating stevia as a natural alternative to toxic artificial sweeteners. But it appears that even these giants know what they are up against: they appear to realize that it will not be a simple matter of just adding a bit of herbal stevia to sweeten their offerings – oh, no!

    You see, it is highly unlikely that the FDA will ever admit that it has been wrong about stevia, or back down from their current position on the herb. Certainly not so long as it is a natural and therefore non-patentable substance!

    So, what’s a company to do? Do what the drug companies do – take a natural, harmless substance into the lab and figure out how to modify, concentrate, purify, synthesize or otherwise alter this poor harmless herb until it is un-natural, and therefore patentable!

    Once it has been transformed into a patented compound, Voila! It can be "submitted" to the FDA along with all the necessary bribes – er, fees – that will be required to obtain protection – er, approval – for this new high-tech patented sweetener.

    What will this mean for stevia? My guess is that this new sweetener, some synthesized form or modification of natural stevia, will give the FDA heartburn – because as natural Red Rice Yeast is to synthetic statin drugs, so will stevia be to Truvia or PureVia, or whatever other name some MegaCorporation decides to give their patented version of this natural substance.

    It will be obvious that the natural form of this substance is, as has been maintained all along by proponents of stevia, safe.

    If the FDA continues to declare stevia to be unsafe, then the new, modified sweetener must also be unsafe. If the new modified stevia-based substance is safe, then isn’t the natural stevia also safe? Could this be an uncomfortable "Catch-22" for the mighty FDA?

    It will be fun to watch this one unfold, and to watch the FDA wriggle and squirm as they try to satisfy Big Business’ demands for an ingredient that will satisfy their customers, while they simultaneously try to avoid admitting that they have been wrong about stevia…

  • The Dollars and Sense of Good Health in Bad Times

    The Dollars and Sense of Good Health in Bad Times

    Opinion by Nurse Mark

    Times are tough.

    Maybe your luck in that legalized gambling that is Wall Street has run out.

    Maybe you don’t dabble in stocks and bonds, but you are affected none-the-less by the rising costs – your employer or your business is taking a hit.

    Winter is upon us in most parts of our country, and that means heating season: fuel oil, natural gas, electricity, they are all costing more this year.

    A trip to the grocery store is more expensive this year than it was last year.

    Clothing, school supplies, utilities, services – all more expensive than ever.

    What’s a person to do? Cut back. Economize.

    Everyone is having to cut back – businesses, services, families, working folk, retirees, – everyone is economizing, making do with less, tightening their belts.

    Where do we look when we want to cut back? The extras. The luxuries. The non-essentials.

    We don’t cut the essentials:

    We don’t stop heating our homes; that would be foolish – the pipes might freeze and then we’d really have an expense.

    We don’t stop maintaining our cars; that would be a false economy – if the engine seizes for want of oil or the brakes fail for want of service then we lose our means of getting to work to earn our livings.

    We don’t stop buying groceries; doing without food is not an option!

    So where do many folks cut back?

    When times get tough many people look to the things that they consider to be non-essential, and unfortunately vitamins and supplements fall into that category in the minds of a lot of folks.

    After all, they reason, they eat a good diet, their health is OK right now, and right now, those vitamins and supplements seem expensive – but if they need a doctor visit or prescription drugs they have their "health insurance" plan to tap, and if they should get sick they have their sick days and other benefits from their employer… so, the insurance "pays".

    But let’s look at this line of reasoning for a moment.

    Sure, your "health insurance" plan (if you are "fortunate" enough to have someone "making book" on your continued health) will pay for you to see a doctor – it might even pay for your prescription drugs if it’s a fancy enough plan. But that presumes that you are already sick. So, who "pays" for your misery of being sick?

    Of course, you may have "sick days" accrued with your employer – some employers are positively generous with sick time. But again, you are sick, miserable, and not up to doing much of anything. And probably making everyone around you sick and miserable too.

    Even if you do get some continuation of your pay, in the form of paid sick leave, when you are sick, does it really give you a full paycheck?

    What if you are a waitress, working at minimum wage, but doing well from tips? Yep, you’ll get your base (minimum wage) pay – but what about those lost tips? Your employer isn’t going to cover that!

    What if you are, say, a realtor? Or a car salesman? Or an insurance salesman? Your income depends on commissions. If you are not showing homes and closing deals, you are not earning commissions. Sure, someone else can take over a deal-in-progress, but you’ll probably give up the lion’s share of the commission…

    Maybe you are an auto mechanic, working for a large dealership. Like the waitress, maybe you’ll get your base pay – but most mechanics now work on "flat rate" – a set amount of money paid for each "job". Get assigned a "brake job" and get paid $XX – get assigned a tune-up and get paid $X. If you are not there to be assigned the jobs? You lose.

    Maybe you are a highly-paid, valuable executive – a CEO even. You will undoubtedly have a great "health insurance" plan. But while you are home, or out of the office for your medical appointments, who is covering your responsibilities? Who is looking after the reports and papers piling up on your desk? Who is meeting with the important people? Who is making the important decisions? What will the Board or the shareholders decide to do if you are "out" too long or if they become concerned about your long-term health?

    So maybe you are self-employed – a plumber, lawyer, electrician, farmer, independent trucker, accountant, a flower shop owner, even a doctor – you know only too well that if you are sick and away from your work, there is no income. Sure, maybe the "hired help" can keep things going, but it just isn’t the same – things aren’t done right without your management, and overheads don’t stop just because you are sick. And what about the jobs or business that is lost while you are not there?

    Then there is the thought, what if that "cold" or "flu" develops into something more serious? What about a bronchitis, or even a pneumonia? And that pneumonia leads to, say, congestive heart failure? And that keeps you off work for longer – maybe even even permanently?

    Doesn’t it begin to make sense to do everything possible to give your health a fighting chance?

    We lead busy, even hectic lives. We are stressed, our food is not has healthy as it should be, and we grab junky meals- on-the-go. We are surrounded by hacking, coughing, sneezing, sniffling sick people. We don’t get enough sleep, we don’t get enough exercise, we work in offices breathing stale, "canned" air or in factories breathing who-knows-what.

    We need all the help we can get.

    Your vitamins, minerals, and dietary supplements are not a luxury. They help to protect you from the things that would make you have to use that "health insurance" plan (that is really a disease insurance plan) – with every illness really costing you money, and time, and misery.

    You say that times are tight, and you can’t afford those "expensive" vitamins and supplements.

    Can you really afford to not have them?

  • Ingrown Toenails, and General Toenail Care.

    Ingrown Toenails, and General Toenail Care.

    Some notes from my experience: By Nurse Mark

    Ingrown toenails are a common problem, affecting many Americans. At best they are painful, unsightly, and annoying, and at worst they can cause dangerous infections. Most commonly affected are the big toes.

    []Most problems can be prevented by careful trimming of the toenails themselves. Many people tend to trim toenails far too short. Commonly recommended toenail clippers make it easy to do this if they are not used with great care. I prefer to use a pair of large bandage scissors, as pictured here. (I have also had patients use EMT shears and even tinsnips with good success!) They are about 7 inches overall, and give great control when used for nail trimming.

    It is important to note that you should never try to cut hard, dry nails – they will split, splinter and break! Always soak nails to soften them before cutting, no matter what tool you use. A perfect time for nail trimming is immediately after a bath or soak in a spa or hot tub. (Which is a perfect reason for a nice, relaxing soak – in case you needed an "excuse" to pamper yourself!)

    []Toenails must always be trimmed straight across – never rounded to match the shape or curve of the end of the toe. To trim toenails with curved corners is an invitation to trouble! Here is a simple drawing to show what a healthy, nicely trimmed toenail might look like – notice that the corners are fairly square, and extend out nearly to the edge of the toe. They can be carefully filed a little bit round to keep them from being sharp and catching on things, and the toenail itself is just a little shorter than the edge of the toe, to keep it from wearing holes in socks.

    []Longer is better, in most cases. As you can see on this drawing, an end view of the toe, the nail should lie fairly flat on the toe – especially at the outer edges.

    [][]I often see toenails that have been trimmed ‘way too short, and rounded – like this drawing on the left. This is a toenail that is just begging to become ingrown – the corners are very round, and this nail is at great risk for curving downward into the toe, as shown in this end view drawing on the right:

    It is also trimmed back too far, and this makes the problem worse. This is likely to become a very painful toe!

    So, what to do? How can painful ingrown toenails be corrected?

    Your podiatrist will likely want to have you coming in for visits and trimming frequently – that’s how he stays in business! He may also recommend having the toenail removed, or surgically altered. This is a very serious business, and should only be considered as a very last resort – there are many potential complications to this procedure. It is almost always possible to correct ingrown toenails yourself, at home. Once corrected, they are easy to keep in good shape.

    Start out by soaking your feet, in a solution of Epsom salts, for at least 15 to 20 minutes, or until the skin of your toes begins to "prune" or wrinkle and the nails have softened. This is a "must do" before any sort of care is done to toenails!

    If a trimming is all that is needed now is the time to trim.

    If you are dealing with a toenail that has become ingrown, it should now be soft enough to be flexible – this is the time to insert a small cotton "pledget" (this is just a small piece of cotton that has been rolled or twisted into a cylinder, about the size of a large grain of rice) under the corner or edge of the nail that is pressing into the flesh of your toe. This may be a little tender at first, but getting that nail up and out of there will soon have the toe feeling better!

    []To the right is what a toenail with cotton pledgets under []both corners might look like and another drawing looking at the end of the toe to show how we want the corners to be elevated: This may take some time and patience to achieve and you should probably plan on doing foot soaks and replacing the cotton at least twice or three times daily, especially at first, until the problem is corrected. This will persuade the toenail to grow straighter, and allow the tissues to heal where the ingrown portion has until now caused problems.

    []Now that you have the toenail elevated up and out of the flesh of your toe and feeling much better, it is time to concentrate on keeping this from happening again. The first thing to do is to let the toenail grow out! You want to be sure that you are trimming the toenail long, as is shown in this diagram: Note that the nail has been allowed to grow out to the very edge of the toe, which means that the corners simply cannot dig into the sides of the toe. This is the perfect length for "retraining" toenails to grow without curving into the toe. It is also, unfortunately, a perfect length for putting runs in stockings and holes in socks – so, why not go barefoot or in open-toe shoes or sandals as much as possible? Your feet will thank you for the "fresh air and sunshine treatment"!

    Once you have the toenail growing normally again, you will want to trim it back a little, as was shown in the first diagram. Just remember – longer is better – not too short, and keep those corners squared out, not rounded back. Never trim dry or hard toenails – soak them first to keep them from cracking or splintering! Besides, that foot soak just feels good doesn’t it!

    Now, what about some other common nail problems?

    Fungal growths can cause thickened, discolored, misshapen nails that can easily become ingrown. This can be corrected! Frequent foot soaks and careful trimming is a good start, keeping the feet dry and clean is imperative, and regular application of anti fungal and anti-microbial Tea Tree Oil can help to quickly clear up this unsightly problem.

    Remember, if you must wear closed boots or shoes, there is fungus in them as well – you will re-introduce it each time you put on your footwear!

    Shoes and boots must be disinfected – there are sprays available for this, or you can simply leave your shoes and boots out in the fresh air and sunshine, opened up as completely as possible, and let Mother Nature disinfect them. Never wear the same pair of boots or shoes two days in a row! While you are at it, remember to spend as much time barefoot or in sandals as possible – fresh air and sunshine are the worst enemy of most fungus. Think now, where do mushrooms (fungus) grow? Where it is warm and moist and dark – just like the inside of your shoe!

    If you have developed ingrown toenails and they have become infected – they will be reddened, painful and may discharge pus if they are infected – you will want to do your Epsom salts soaks 2 to 3 (or more) times daily, then dry the area with a clean cloth or tissue, and apply some 3% hydrogen peroxide (available at any pharmacy – use full st
    rength).

    Let this bubble and work for a few minutes, dry well, and then apply Tea Tree Oil, which is anti-microbial. Then you can continue with the rest of the treatment to lift the offending part of the nail and reshape it, as outlined above.

    You may also want to take Garlic – it is nature’s antibiotic – and of course, Bromelain is most useful in any infective process because it reduces pain, inflammation, and swelling and therefore promotes healing. Remember though, when used this way, Bromelain should be taken between meals. Taken with meals it functions as a digestive aid but is less effective as an anti-inflammatory analgesic.

    Keeping your feet and nails in good shape also requires that the rest of you is in good shape – well nourished, and with a healthy immune system to allow you to resist infections by bacteria or fungus.

    Your program should include Maxi Multi multiple vitamins, Maxi Greens for phytonutrients and antioxidants, and if your immune system is compromised in any way, Dr. Myatt’s immune formulas as set out in the Acute Immune Protocol.

    Regular exercise is important for maintaining good peripheral circulation, which is necessary for healthy nail growth.

    Some supplements to consider for improving circulation include Ginkgo Biloba and Niacin.

    Deficiencies of essential fatty acids can contribute to dry, hard nails – consider supplementing with Flax oil or Fish oil (Max-EPA) to ensure that you are getting enough Omega 3 EFA’s in your diet. Consider also adding some gelatin to your diet – this can easily be added to your daily SuperShake and will help to strengthen nails as well as improving joint function.

    Those of you who may be diabetic can benefit from all these recommendations as well – but you need to be extremely careful when working with your feet if you have any impairment to your circulation or to the sensation in your feet (this is know as "peripheral neuropathy" and can happen in poorly controlled diabetics.) In addition to the measures outlined in Dr. Myatt’s discussion of Diabetes, you should strongly consider consulting with Dr. Myatt about your diabetes and how it may be affecting your feet and nails as well as your general health and other organ systems. Dr. Myatt has an enviable record of success in treating, and even curing diabetes.

    Until next time,
    Cheers,
    "Nurse Mark"
    Mark Ziemann RN

  • Flu Vaccinations: A Shot in The Dark?

    Flu Vaccinations: A Shot in The Dark?

    When I was 8, one of my friend’s dad died suddenly, at the ripe old age of 35, of the flu. Not cancer, not a heart attack, not a car wreck — the flu.

    One day he was sick in bed with fever, chills, and headache. The next day he saw the family doctor who prescribed an antibiotic (which is worthless for the flu). He had an anaphylactic reaction (severe allergic reaction) to the antibiotic and died that same day. Even at the tender age of 8, it just didn’t seem right for someone to die of such a "garden variety" illness. But he did, and people still do.

    As old-fashioned a disease as "the flu" (influenza) is, 24.7 million people in the US contract the flu each year and over 100,000 of these cases require hospitalization. An average of 41,400 people die from complications of the flu in the US alone every year. Notice I said "complications." People don’t die of the flu directly. They die of pneumonia or other "flu-related" diseases.1, 2 But don’t expect a flu shot to protect you. That’s because the effectiveness of the "flu shot" is in serious question.

    Why The Flu Vaccine is a Bust

    The flu is caused by over 200 different viruses and infective agents; colds are caused by over 700 viruses. Vaccinations against the flu protect against only THREE influenza A and B — that’s right — three of the 200 known A & B viruses, and A and B influenza viruses comprise only a small fraction of all causes of the flu.


    Influenza vaccines are designed to protect against 3 Influenza viruses A & B     (solid pink piece of the pie graph). Graph courtesy of the British Medical Journal.

    So, the flu vaccine protects from only a small percentage of the known causes of flu and flu vaccines may be effective as little as 39% (some studies show 0%) of the time in healthy adults.3 According to the FDA, "The shot doesn’t do as well at preventing flu in older adults and people with certain medical problems." 4

    Great. Flu vaccines only protect against a small number of viruses, are effective 39% or less of the time and work even less well in people who need it most, the elderly and immune-weakened folks. I’d say the flu vaccine is a real shot in the dark. Worse than ineffective or benign, the influenza vaccine is still preserved with thimerosol (mercury), a known neurotoxin. (Mercury-free vaccines exist but you won’t get it unless you specifically request it).

    Of course, the flu isn’t the only malady we are more susceptible to in Winter months. Plain ol’ colds and sinus and respiratory infections also increase in the Winter, not because of cold temperatures directly but because viruses spread more easily in cold, dry air.5

    If the thought of getting sick, or possibly really sick, this Winter doesn’t inspire you, and if feel like I do —- totally underwhelmed by the effectiveness of the flu vaccine — what can you do?

    Fortunately, Mother Nature has more immune-boosting strategies than modern medicine will EVER think of. Here are 4 simple, proven recommendations for keeping yourself "bullet proof" against not only the flu, but colds, sinus infections, pneumonia and all manner of Winter-time maladies.

    How to Make Yourself Flu-Proof:  "Winterize" Your Immune System in Four Easy Steps

    1.) Eat an Immune-Boosting Diet. The two major dietary causes of immune suppression are sugar intake and food allergies.

    I.) Dietary sugar. Sugar suppresses the activity of white blood cells (neutrophils) — an important part of the immune system — for up to 5 hours.  Even fruit juice contains enough sugar to cause this immune-suppressing effect. Sugars which cause immune suppression include glucose, fructose, sucrose, honey, and orange juice.6,7,8 Although original studies showed an immune suppressing effect at 100 grams of sugar other studies have shown that even much lower intakes of dietary sugar have immune suppressing effects. 9,10. The USDA and the Center for Science in Public Interest (CSPI) agree that 40 grams of sugar is an acceptable daily limit.

    Imagine a "healthy" (not!) day of eating that can actually keep immunity suppressed for the entire day.

    Breakfast: glass of orange juice (1 cup has 21 grams of sugar), oatmeal with raisins (2 TBS. has 20 grams of sugar), 1 tsp. of sugar (4 grams of sugar) and lowfat milk (1 cup has 13 grams of sugar). That’s a whopping 58 grams of sugar just for breakfast! Expect a suppressed immune system for the next 5 hours.

    Snack: Nonfat fruit-variety yogurt (1 cup has 47 grams of sugar) Immune suppression for up to 5 hours.

    Lunch: Subway Chicken Teriyaki Sanwich (6 grams of sugar) with 2 oz. fat-free French dressing (12 grams sugar) and 1 oatmeal raisin cookie for desert (16 grams of sugar) [32 grams total].  Immune system still suppressed from breakfast and snack.

    Dinner: green salad with 2 TBS. fat-free french dressing (6 grams), 1 serving Weight Watcher’s chicken enchiladas (33 grams) with 2 TBS fat-free yogurt topping (2 grams) [41 grams total] Immune suppression until bedtime.

    Dessert: 1/2 cup Breyer’s no sugar added vanilla ice cream (only 4 grams), but it’s the "cherry" on the immune-suppression-day cake!

    There you have it. "A day in the life" of someone who thinks they are eating fairly well, with more than enough sugar to cause all-day immune suppression. Notice that fruit juice and flavored yogurt are major offenders. Avoiding sugar is the most important dietary step you can take to strengthen your immune system. Period. II.) Food allergies. Food allergies weaken the immune system. White blood cells and other aspects of immunity get "distracted" taking care of internal annoyances (allergens) instead of protecting against outside "bugs" like the flu virus. Check out the symptoms of food allergy to see if this might be a problem for you. Check Food Allergy Symptoms Here

    2.) Practice simple home and hygiene techniques.

    I.) Wash your hands frequently. Flu and cold viruses can survive on surfaces, including hands, for hours. Every time you touch a doorknob or anything touched by another, you can pick up a virus. And don’t rub your eyes or face, thereby transmitting the virus to yourself from unwashed hands.

    II.) Cover your mouth and nose — preferably with a tissue — when you sneeze or cough. Remember, flu and cold viruses are transmitted primarily through airborne droplets.

    III.) Take the day off! If you’re suffering from a cold, do co-workers and friends a favor and quarantine yourself at home until you’re no longer sneezing and hacking. Of course, if you’ve got a bona fide case of the flu, you WILL be taking the day off. Flu symptoms are almost always severe enough to cause prostration.

    IV.) Keep your house humid. Indoor fountains (even the little table-top varieties), humidifiers and live plants all help keep indoor Winter air moist. Viruses spread more slowly in higher humidity because airborne water droplets "grab" the viruses and pull them out of circulation. In dry air, viruses are left to float around from one sneezing, coughing host to another.5

    3.) Strengthen your immune system with supplements.

    I.) Take an optimal potency vitamin/mineral supplement every day. If you only take one supplement to strengthen your immune system, it should be a good multiple formula. Studies have shown that seniors who take a multiple have stronger immune systems and are less lik
    ely to get a respiratory tract infection or the flu.11,12,13  A deficiency of any single vitamin, mineral or trace mineral can lead to weakened immunity. 12-23

    Improved nutritional status by supplementation can also improve the body’s response to vaccinations. 24

    Notice I said optimal potency, not "minimal." Studies have also shown that a one-per-day formula does virtually nothing to improve immunity. That’s because you can’t fit enough nutrients into one tablet or capsule to do anything but prevent severe deficiency diseases (like just enough vitamin C to prevent scurvy but not enough to strengthen the immune system). In the nutritional industry, we call that "pixie dust." An optimal-potency multi vitamin will require at least 6 caps per day (in divided doses). My Maxi Multi recommendation is 9 caps per day, which also includes a full dose of calcium and magnesium (which take up a lot of space in a capsule).

    Here are the nutrients of particular immune-enhancing importance, and they should all be found in a good multiple nutrient formula.

    * vitamin C – people with daily intakes of 500-1,000mg per day are less likely to catch colds, respiratory tract infections and pneumonia. Vitamin C also shortens the duration and severity of these infections.25-29,45

    * vitamin E – 200IU or more per day reduces the rate of common colds and upper respiratory tract infections 30,31 and increases resistance to influenza in seniors.18, 32-35,44

    * beta carotene – seniors with a high plasma beta-carotene concentration have a lower occurrence of acute respiratory infections.36

    * vitamin A – needed to maintain normal "barrier" function of skin and mucous membranes, thereby preventing entry of viruses. Normal levels improve immunity and disease resistance.14,23,29,37-38

    * vitamin D – Improves immunity and may enhance response to vaccinations.14,23,37,39

    * zinc – normal zinc status lowers the risk of pneumonia by nearly 50% 40 and decreases the incidence, duration and severity of upper respiratory infections and pneumonia.18,38,41,45 Improved zinc status also enhances the body’s response to vaccinations.11,29

    * selenium – Decreases the risk of respiratory tract infections. Improved selenium status also enhances the body’s response to vaccinations.11,18,35,42-43

    If you are not getting these target doses in your multiple vitamin, then add them separately OR switch to a better multiple vitamin/mineral formula. You can take a lot of "separate stuff" to achieve immune-boosting "target doses" of nutrients, but why would you want to work that hard?

    SHAMELESS PITCH HERE: my own Maxi Multi’s contain target doses of all these immune-boosting nutrients. Check to see how your multiple stacks up: Optimal Doses of Vitamins and Minerals for Good Health (scroll to the vitamin and mineral charts toward the bottom of the page)

    II.) Supplement with additional immune-boosting herbs. For additional protection, add an immune-enhancing formula throughout the colder months (recommended Nov.-April). There are literally hundreds of herbs that can be used to strengthen the immune system. Some work better — and some work MUCH better — than others. I’ve put together my own formula of the most "tried and true" (and proven) immune enhancing herbs including Echinacea, astragalus, medicinal mushrooms (Maitake, Shiitake, Reishi), Ligustrum, Goldenseal and Garlic. Learn more about my Immune Support formula here: http://www.drmyattswellnessclub.com/immunesupport.htm

    I Guarantee You Won’t Get The Flu This Winter

    I’m so confident that Immune Support formula, when used in combination with an optimal potency multiple like Maxi Multi, will help you avoid the flu that I offer a "guaranteed no flu this Winter" money-back guarantee. How confident is that?! Did your local doctor promise if you got a flu shot you wouldn’t get the flu or your money back? (Hahahaha….) See my "No Flu for You" Guarantee here >>>

    And for Goodness sakes, don’t wait until you feel fever and chills coming on to start taking supplements or eating better (although even late in the game, studies show you can shorten the severity and duration of a winter infection). Prevention is surer and safer than cure, and looks to me to be surer and safer than the flu vaccine, too!

    In Health,

    Dr. Myatt

    References

    1.) J. Dushoff, J. Plotkin, Cc Viboud, D. Earn, L. Simonsen. Mortality due to Influenza in the United States—An Annualized Regression Approach Using Multiple-Cause Mortality Data. American Journal of Epidemiology 2006 163(2):181-187
    2.) Molinari NA, Ortega-Sanchez IR, Messonnier ML, Thompson WW, Wortley PM, Weintraub E, Bridges CB. The annual impact of seasonal influenza in the US: measuring disease burden and costs. Vaccine. 2007 Jun 28;25(27):5086-96. Epub 2007 Apr 20.
    3.) Demicheli V, Rivetti D, Deeks JJ, Jefferson TO. Vaccines for preventing influenza in healthy adults. Cochrane Database Syst Rev 2004;3: CD001269.
    4.) The Flu. US Food and Drug Administration Fact Sheet, Aug. 2005.
    5.) Lowen AC, Mubareka S, Steel J, Palese P (2007) Influenza Virus Transmission Is Dependent on Relative Humidity and Temperature. PLoS Pathog 3(10): e151. doi:10.1371/journal.ppat.0030151
    6.) Sanchez A, et al. Role of sugars in human neutrophilic phagocytosis. Am J Clin Nutr 1973; 26: 1180-84
    7.) Van Oss CJ. Influence of glucose levels on the in vitro phagocytosis of bacteria by human neutrophils. Infect Immun. 1971 Jul;4(1):54-9.
    8.) Ringsdorf WM jr, Cheraskin E and Ramsey RR jr. Sucrose, Neutrophilic Phagocytosis, and Resistance to Disease. Dent Surv 1976; 52 (12): 46-48
    9.) Sanchez A, et al. Role of sugars in human neutrophilic phagocytosis. Am J Clin Nutr 1973; 26: 1180-84
    10.) Ringsdorf WM jr, Cheraskin E and Ramsey RR jr. Sucrose, Neutrophilic Phagocytosis, and Resistance to Disease. Dent Surv 1976; 52 (12): 46-48
    11.) Girodon F, Galan P, Monget AL, Boutron-Ruault MC, Brunet-Lecomte P, Preziosi P, Arnaud J, Manuguerra JC, Herchberg S. Impact of trace elements and vitamin supplementation on immunity and infections in institutionalized elderly patients: a randomized controlled trial. MIN. VIT. AOX. geriatric network. Arch Intern Med. 1999 Apr 12;159(7):748-54.
    12.) Langkamp-Henken B, Bender BS, Gardner EM, Herrlinger-Garcia KA, Kelley MJ, Murasko DM, Schaller JP, Stechmiller JK, Thomas DJ, Wood SM. Nutritional formula enhanced immune function and reduced days of symptoms of upper respiratory tract infection in seniors. J Am Geriatr Soc. 2004 Jan;52(1):3-12.
    13.) Winkler P, de Vrese M, Laue Ch, Schrezenmeir J. ffect of a dietary supplement containing probiotic bacteria plus vitamins and minerals on common cold infections and cellular immune parameters. Int J Clin Pharmacol Ther. 2005 Jul;43(7):318-26.
    14.) Wintergerst ES, Maggini S, Hornig DH. Contribution of selected vitamins and trace elements to immune function. Ann Nutr Metab. 2007;51(4):301-23. Epub 2007 Aug 28.
    15.) Beck MA, Handy J, Levander OA. Host nutritional status: the neglected virulence factor. Trends Microbiol. 2004 Sep;12(9):417-23.
    16.) Beck MA. Nutritionally induced oxi
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  • CT Scans And Radiation Risks In Children – Is It Really Worth It?

    Opinion By Nurse Mark

    We have become very quick to request CT scans for just about every complaint these days – for ourselves, and especially for our children.

    And who can blame a worried parent: little Suzy has a tummyache, or little Johnny fell and thumped his head, or there is that nagging cough that hasn’t gone away and it’s been almost two weeks now… so it’s off to the doctor to demand some answers.

    The poor doctor though is swamped with all the other worried parents of all the other Suzies and Johnnies, so he listens quickly to the story, makes a perfunctory check to make sure that no disaster will befall the child before it gets to someone else’s care, and sends ’em packing with an order for a CT of whatever.

    Whew – done! Let the radiologist make a diagnosis! (Or face the wrath of a parent who must be told that there is nothing to be seen, and that coughs and colds and tummyaches and thumped noggins have been survived by kids for millions of years before the advent of CT scans and lawsuits.)

    Let’s look at what this is doing to our kids: In terms of radiation dose, a head CT is equivalent to 200 chest x-rays, a chest CT to 150 chest x-rays, and an abdominal CT to 250 chest x-rays.

    In this report, just issued to doctors, nurses, and radiologists on the Medscape website (they felt this was important enough that they provided "continuing education credits" or CE’s for reading the article and passing the test!)  are told "Computed tomography is of particular interest because of its relatively high radiation dose and wide use. Consensus statements on radiation risk suggest that it is reasonable to act on the assumption that low-level radiation may have a small risk of causing cancer."

    Throughout this article the weasel-words "may have" and "small risk" are used repeatedly, and several times the article assures doctors that they should continue to support the CT imaging industry by ordering scans because "Low-level radiation from CT studies might carry a small risk for cancer, but the risk is outweighed by the benefits of indicated CT studies in children."

    In this last statement note the use of the medical weasel-word "indicated." In normal layperson language "indicated" means "really needed because there is no other way to get the same results." For example, in a septic bacterial infection, an antibiotic would be indicated – for an influenza, not. In terms of CT scanning and other radiological examinations, "indicated" means that the doctor has exhausted all other means of making a diagnosis – including a careful and detailed hands-on physical examination!

    Unfortunately, few conventional (i.e. allopathic) doctors have the time, inclination or, in some cases the skills to do such a detailed examination and work-up – much of today’s "art of medicine" involves remembering what drug or test the Merck Manual dictates as being the "Standard of Care" for any given complaint and writing the appropriate order or prescription. Better to pass the risk of misdiagnosis on to a "specialist" than to try to "make the call" by ones-self… – this is known in clinical practice as "Risk Management."

    There is no question that as exposure to radiation increases, so does the risk of stimulating cancer. It is for this reason that those old fluoroscopes were banned from shoe stores and radium is no longer used on watch dials! Why the Big Medical Establishment continues to try to delude use into believing that these high-radiation-dose CT scans are acceptable for our children who are actively growing and thus at even higher risk is beyond comprehension. Is it ignorance, laziness, or the need to protect the multi billions of dollars per year industry that CT scanning has become?

    Fortunately, parents do have a choice – they can insist that all non-radiological avenues of examination and diagnosis are followed, explored, and exhausted by skilled practitioners before consenting to CT scans for their children!

    The Medscape article can be found here:

    Report Issued on the Risks of Using CT Scans in Children