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  • HealthBeat News Investment tips for 2009

    Investment tips for 2009

    With all the turmoil in the markets today and the collapse of so many of the financial giants and mergers of so many of the MegaCorporations this might be some good advice. For all of you with any money left, be aware of the next expected mergers so that you can get in on the ground floor and make some BIG bucks.   Watch for these consolidations this year:

    1.) Hale Business Systems, Mary Kay Cosmetics, Fuller Brush, and W R. Grace Co. will merge and become: Hale, Mary, Fuller, Grace.

    2.) Polygram Records, Warner Bros., and Zesta Crackers join forces and become: Poly, Warner Cracker.

    3.) 3M will merge with Goodyear and become: MMMGood.

    4. Zippo Manufacturing, Audi Motors, Dofasco, and Dakota Mining will merge and become: ZipAudiDoDa .

    5. FedEx is expected to join its competitor, UPS, and will be: FedUP.

    6. Fairchild Electronics and Honeywell Computers will become: Fairwell Honeychild.

    7. Grey Poupon and Docker Pants are expected to become: PouponPants.

    8. Knotts Berry Farm and the National Organization of Women will become: Knott NOW!

    And finally…

    9. Victoria’s Secret and Smith & Wesson will merge under the new name:

    Uh, you can figure this last one out… (hint – it rhymes with the title of a 1968 children’s musical comedy starring Dick Van Dyke as an inventor who creates an amazing flying car that drives by itself)

  • Freedom – Ours to Keep or Lose

    Freedom – Ours to Keep or Lose

    As we prepare to welcome a new President here are some thoughts on freedom from Dr. Myatt

    The elections are over. The American People have spoken. In January a new President will solemnly swear to "preserve, protect and defend the Constitution of the United States." We extend to our new President every wish for success: may he represent America and Americans truthfully, compassionately, and well. May he always remember this pledge and execute his duties faithfully on behalf of We the People. May he remember that America is not a country of political parties, or ideologies, or of left or right, conservative or liberal, red or blue; it is a country of hard-working, well-meaning people whom deserve to have their voices heard, not dismissed – each and every one of them.

    For the record, I’m proud and grateful to be an American and glad I live in the USA. Although we’re not as free as we used to be, we’re still freer than the rest of the world. I truly give thanks for that.

    As the Founding Fathers knew, the way we remain free as individuals is because we each have a voice and a vote. If we fail to exercise our freedom to speak and to elect our officials, then we get the government we deserve. That is why I continually encourage you to be pro-active. It’s the only way we can continue to enjoy the freedoms that we do, health freedom included.

    When It Comes to Health, Are You Really Free?

    I’m not going to rant (at least not today), about how the FDA and other government organizations act in the best interests of Big Business and curtail our health choices in the process. No siree, I’ll save that for another day.

    The "freedom" I inquire about is that of your own making. Are you a self-imposed prisoner to the insurance companies and Organized Medicine? No one imposes that on you, you know. Such enslavement is entirely a personal choice, but one that many people have blindly been led to choose. It doesn’t have to be that way.

    What do I mean? For example, I know many people who stay at a job they hate because of the Medical insurance. They’ll buy a big-screen TV with "surround sound" for thousands of dollars and pay out of pocket, but if insurance doesn’t cover a $97 test, they’ll complain and moan and won’t have it done. And under that guise, they’ll remain a prisoner of their medical coverage, all by choice. Then there are the folks who have a shiny new "Bass Boat" or ATV or other expensive toys, all of which they are more than happy to find monthly payments for, but who complain that they cannot possibly afford medical insurance – so they and their families do without and then complain even more bitterly when one of them has an accident on that ATV and needs medical care…

    Perhaps for these reasons for at least some people the socialized medical care that Michael Moore is advocating in his movie "Sicko" really would be the best solution – not that it is "free" (as you know, "there ain’t no such thing as a free lunch!"), but that it would force them to have some sort of "sickness insurance" paid for with their tax dollars.

    But then, could that be yet another kind of enslavement? Bureaucrats deciding what medical care you may and may not have? Drugs are OK, but nutritional supplements are not?

    You, as an American citizen, will decide, either through your actions or your inaction. As a democracy, the future of The United States Of America rests with you. Remember that your elected representatives as well as your governmental bureaucrats are your employees – and not the other way around!

    Just some thoughts for you as we make ready to usher in the "change" so lavishly promised by our new President and so eagerly awaited by so many.

  • The Double Standard of Medical Research

    The Double Standard of Medical Research

    Opinion By Nurse Mark

    It seems that there is no end to the double standards that are encountered in research – Pharmaceuticals are researched and conclusions are drawn to one standard and vitamins, herbs, and supplements are researched and conclusions drawn in another way. Sometimes it is done subtly, most times the whole exercise is painfully blatant.

    Consider the following:

    A Reuters news article reported on research findings presented to a meeting of the American Society of Clinical Oncology. This research details efforts to find a reason to use the Big Pharma Giant Glaxo’s new drug Tykerb for breast cancer treatment. Unfortunately, the drug appears to work not very well at all, with researchers admitting that "The addition of Tykerb to standard chemotherapy treatment failed to help most breast cancer patients." The report went on though to state that their goals had been modest to begin with, seeking a success defined by the shrinking of advanced tumors by 50% in just 10 to 20 percent of the patients in the study, they felt encouraged that they had seen the goal of tumor shrinkage in just 7 percent of the patients.

    The Reuters article goes on to say:

    "This is not a home run, but the effect was real and I think we can build on it," said Dr. Nancy Lin of Harvard Medical School, an investigator in the Glaxo-funded study.

    Wow! This new drug made tumors shrink by half (not go away, but shrink) in a whole, big, seven percent of patients. Talk about your wonder-drug breakthrough! (not!)

    Here is the paragraph in the Reuters article that really explains the whole article:

    "Tykerb, approved in recent months in the United States and Switzerland for breast cancer, is being tested for other types of cancer. It is central to Glaxo’s push into cancer medicine, the fastest-growing and most profitable area in the drug market."

    So, we see this headline: "Glaxo’s Tykerb helps some breast cancer patients"

    That was about the best that they could get away with in terms of "positive spin"…

    Contrast the above with the following:

    A Medscape Article, intended to "educate" doctors, discusses a study in which Hawthorne extract (which is called WS 1442 in the study) is scientifically examined in a quite large European study to determine it’s usefulness as part of the treatment of patients on conventional therapy for congestive heart failure. Let’s look at the conclusions of the study as reported by Medscape:

    "Conclusions:

    1. Treatment with WS 1442 in mild CHF patients on optimal medical therapy is safe.
    2. Patients treated with WS 1442 have a nonsignificantly lower incidence of adverse events compared with placebo.
    3. Cardiac mortality is significantly reduced in the WS 1442 group at 18 months.
    4. Sudden cardiac death is significantly reduced in the subgroup of patients with EF ≥ 25%."

    These conclusions sound pretty good, don’t they? Well, not to Medscape they don’t – the doctor who reviewed the study had this to say: "these results may be a great source for future research; however, until then, hawthorn extract remains only a homeopathic treatment with, as of yet, no proven beneficial effect in CHF patients."

    Whaaa? Am I confused, or missing something here?

    Here’s my opinion: If this study had reported these same results for some new patented drug offering we would have seen an entirely different headline – something along the lines of "Study Shows Cardiac Death Significantly Reduced By MegaPharma’s New Drug WS 1442."

    What do you think?

    Dr. Myatt and I see this sort of double standard every day – a patented prescription drug that provides minimal or even dismal results in a tiny number of patients is deemed to have a "real effect" and is "worthy of further study" – essentially, "let’s study it until we can report something good about it." while non-patented, natural substances with a history of successful use are studied as if they were single-molecule pharmaceuticals, in studies that are virtually guaranteed to demonstrate minimal results, and if they do show positive results those results are spun in a way to diminish them as much as possible. In effect, the researchers in these drug-company sponsored "research" exercises will study a natural substance in outrageous ways – giving uselessly low or dangerously high amounts or engaging in other shenanigans designed to ensure a negative outcome.

    If you watch the news headlines with a critical eye the way we do I think you’ll see the same…

    Meanwhile, we remain big fans of Hawthorn extracts as they have been well researched and are widely used in Europe to treat many types of heart conditions including:

    • atherosclerosis
    • cardiac arrhythmia
    • congestive heart failure
    • high blood pressure
    • angina
    • vascular disease.

    Hawthorn works by dilating (opening) coronary and peripheral blood vessels and improving oxygen utilization in the heart muscle. The proanthocyanidins (PCO’s) in Hawthorn have been shown to lower cholesterol levels and decrease the size of cholesterol-containing plaques in the arteries.

  • 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